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China's Red Cross establishes over 1,000 rescue teams

Xinhua) 08:37, May 08, 2025

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has established over 1,000 specialized teams with approximately 100,000 personnel for emergency rescue duties, according to a press conference on Wednesday.

These teams operate across eight fields, spanning disaster relief, medical aid, water supply management, public health services, emergency transport, psychological support, search and rescue, and aquatic rescue operations.

The RCSC activated emergency response measures 565 times and deployed 775,000 relief items in 2024, said Wang Bin, deputy president of the organization.

The RCSC is further committed to leveraging its grassroots networks and volunteers, integrating technological solutions to enhance rescue capacities, and collaborating with emergency response agencies to deliver rapid humanitarian assistance to disaster-stricken communities.

In addition, Chinese Red Cross Foundation President Bei Xiaochao highlighted the foundation's closed-loop system, which covers everything from fundraising and resource allocation to compliance monitoring.

Bei said that the foundation maintains real-time updates on relief operations and the distribution of materials in compliance with regulations, ensures the public disclosure of donation receipts and expenditures, and publishes audit reports for transparency.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
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Brian Goodwin is grounded.

His cremated remains are in the back bedroom of Sarah Goodwins house in Davenport. Under a blanket.

Sarah and Brian were married for 15 years, but separated for the better part of the last five.

Ive talked to him every day, especially after I got his ashes back. I still talk to him, but he had to go to the back room. He's grounded. In time-out, Sarah said last week during her first public statement since a Jan. 15 double homicide claimed the lives of Brian Goodwin and Amy M. Smith.

Investigators believe Goodwin and Smith, both 44, were killed in the early morning hours of Jan. 15. Their bodies were discovered early Jan. 16 after a neighbor reported a fire in the house Goodwin rented at 5210 N. Division St.

Davenport police arrested Adriana Blake, 27, and Devon Braet, 34, on Jan. 18 and the pair later was charged with the murders of Goodwin and Smith. Blake lived at Goodwin's North Division Street home and Braet stayed there in the days before the killings. Their cases are still pending.

Sarah told of her life with Brian before he left their home in 2020. And she told what she knew of his life in 2023, as he quickly spiraled into the increasing use of heroin and methamphetamine. He lost his job. He may have racked up well over $100,000 in debt.

The last half of 2023 also was a time when Brian sought to buy large quantities of both heroin and meth to sell. He did that, his wife said, in part because he had become a confidential informant who bought drugs from individuals targeted by a law enforcement agency.

In a letter written to Sarah, Brian said he was working for the Quad Cities Metropolitan Enforcement Group and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Both agencies declined to comment on what Brian told his wife.

Sarah was left with grief, coupled with not knowing why Brian was killed. She found some relief talking to the urn that holds his ashes.

After he was murdered, I think I was just sad," Sarah said. "I told him about what I read in the papers after the murders. I told him about the kids, there's a lot of talking about the kids."

Sarah acknowledged that it is sometimes hard to tell the truth of Brian from the lies. It makes her angry.

Lately Ive been yelling at him. Thats why I put him in the backroom and under the blanket. I can yell down there. Im really mad at him. Theres all this money I owe now because of all these things he did before he was killed. I just needed to ground him.

'I always thought he would come back'

It's been five months since the morning of Jan. 16 when Sarah pulled up as close as she could to the split-level home at 5210 N. Division St. and watched police and investigators.

She was told there was a dead man and woman in the bottom apartment.

"I figured it had to be be Brian, and I didn't even want to think about who the woman was," she said. "When I was told it was Amy Smith, well, I had no idea who that was.

"Brian and I had been together a long time. That morning, I'm not sure how I felt. There's a trauma to losing someone because they are murdered. He left, but I always thought he would come back home."

Sarah met Brian in 2001. He had just been released after serving a year in the Illinois Department of Corrections for an assault charge. He had two children with a woman named Amber LeBarge.

Sarah was a single mom who had a child at 16. She lived in public housing and needed food stamps to make ends meet, but was determined to make a better life.

"I was in a laundromat doing my laundry, and Brian was out front in a car with a guy I knew," Sarah recalled. "I liked him. I asked him to go to Rudy's for cheese chips. I started eating those when I was pregnant and never stopped.

"He went with me and hardly ate anything. We were inseparable after that."

'He stood by me'

Sarah and Brian formed a family. He became the only father her son ever knew. Together, Brian and Sarah raised the two sons he had with LeBarge.

"We had the three boys, and we had each other. Brian was not perfect. He rarely helped," Sarah said. "But I saw Brian as someone who stood up for me. He stood by me."

Sarah explained Brian stuck with her while she went back to school. He was with her when she earned a master's degree in nursing. Brian also excelled. He became a union carpenter. When layoffs came, he learned diesel engines and became a mechanic. He found a good job with Scott County.

"Brian was smart," Sarah said. "I really saw it when he studied diesel. He learned to diagnose problems. He looked at the whole engine. A lot of guys just change out parts until they fix whatever. Brian wanted to know about causes."

Sarah and Brian married in 2009, after he had quit drinking for two years. But their life was not perfect. His biological parents struggled with substance abuse, and he spent time in foster care as a small child.

Brian started using painkillers as a young man, something that Sarah said was encouraged by his father.

"Brian's mom and dad are both dead now. They divorced and she took Brian's younger brother and left Brian with his dad. His dad was horrible," Sarah said. "His dad got remarried and his step-mom was the only one who ever treated him well. She was a parent to him."

Sarah and two other sources close to Brian, who requested anonymity for their safety, said he told them about some of the physical abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. They said they felt Brian suffered his entire life from feelings of abandonment.

Sarah, and those sources, described how Brian spent a period of his teen years without any home, moving from couch to couch in the homes of people he knew.

"Brian's dad was rough," she said. "But he wanted to impress his dad, even after all he went through."

Sarah admitted Brian did talk about even darker events. She confirmed he told her of sexual abuse by a family member.

"Brian had children, and he didn't know how to be a parent. No clue," Sarah said. "I'd like to think his life with me helped him."

An addict and his 'friends'

Sarah blames a mistake she made for part of Brian's 2020 decision to leave the home they shared.

"I had a one-night thing with another man, and I regretted it," she said. "Brian wanted to work it out and wanted to see a counselor. He wanted to stay together. Part of me wishes we had ended it there.

"He said that after that, I was off the pedestal. He would leave and come back. I always thought he would come back."

Sarah said she now understands Brian was using heroin for a long time before she knew and could even admit it.

"There was a night when we were on the couch, watching a movie and he kept nodding off. This was in 2021," she said. "He claimed he had sleep apnea because I told him he stopped breathing.

"And then he just went out, and he was breathing once every 45 seconds. I went into chest massage and ended up calling 911. He had overdosed, and I found out he was using."

Brian was what is called "a functioning heroin addict." He hid his drug use from family and co-workers, finding ways to use and still function.

Sarah said that sometime, probably during the late spring or early summer of 2023, Brian "must have started thinking about dealing drugs." During the spring he had surgery that left him out of work.

He needed money, and Sarah gave him $30,000.

Brian's heroin use deepened, and he lost his job with Scott County in August of 2023, partly because, according to Sarah, he refused to disclose his drug use. In the year before his death, Sarah and other friends said Brian overdosed at least "two or three" other times.

"He started to surround himself with people I didn't know," Sarah said.

In 2023, Brian clearly was associating with people who used and sold drugs. In late 2022, LeBarge returned to Davenport and Brian resumed a friendship with her.

As early as 2018, LeBarge was suspected of using and selling drugs  primarily meth. She was arrested for possession or intent to deliver three times between 2018 and 2021. By the end of 2023, she was arrested in Davenport and East Moline and faced intent to deliver charges on both sides of the Mississippi River.

Brian regularly provided the cash or collateral LeBarge needed to get out of jail when she was arrested on drug possession charges. He bailed her out of jail four times between 2018 and her arrest in April of 2023.

Others close to Brian were involved in using  and suspected of trafficking  drugs. He provided bail to at least two other people facing drug charges throughout 2023.

Search warrant applications make it clear Adriana Blake was under surveillance by the Scott County Sheriff's Department Special Operations Unit in September 2023 for involvement with a man moving meth between Clinton and Davenport.

She was staying with Brian by October of 2023.

At least four other individuals who regularly hung out with Brian and visited 5210 N. Division St. throughout 2023 were later arrested on drug possession or intent to deliver charges.

"Brian surrounded himself with the people who helped him destroy his life," Sarah said. "Brian's life was swirling out of control."

A 'dealer' becomes an informant

While Scott County investigators were looking at Adriana Blake for her possible involvement with the transportation of meth from Clinton to Davenport, Davenport police and the Quad Cities Metropolitan Enforcement Group were preparing a search warrant for Brian's lower apartment at 5210 N. Division St.

Throughout September of 2023, investigators used a confidential informant called "Pat Doe" and set up surveillance of 5210 N. Division St. to learn more about Brian's possible involvement with meth and heroin.

According to search warrant applications written by a police officer assigned to QCMEG, Pat Doe had conversations with Brian about Brian's "purchasing seven pounds of methamphetamine from the Clinton, Iowa, area." Investigators also noted text messages between Pat Doe and Brian "regarding previous narcotic purchase discussions."

The search warrant application does not say if Pat Doe ever saw or knew of Brian buying seven pounds of meth from a source in Clinton. The search warrant was approved.

At 5:30 a.m. Oct. 5, 2023, members of the QCMEG Unit and the Davenport Police Department executed the search warrant at 5210 N. Division St. Agents allege they recovered 58.4 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine, 2 grams of suspected heroin and two digital scales.

Brian was not arrested. By the time he was killed on Jan. 15, 2024, he had not been charged with a drug offense in Scott County.

After Oct. 18, 2023, he wrote a rambling letter to Sarah, which she showed to the Quad-City Times. He told her "the cop that interviewed me told me i would not be charged if i turned in 3 people so i agreed to do it to keep (friend 1) safe."

Later in the letter, Brian said: "On our first meet the gentleman from the raid that I have been working with and the dea agent they said he was there because they did not have the money to pay for the 5lbs I got them. I signed a ci paper the officer told me (officer will be the local cop the dea agent will be agent, names not known ay this time) that I cannot incriminate myself by talking anymore."

Sarah believes Brian was telling the truth about being a confidential informant.

"They were using him as an informant," Sarah said. "I think they made him more desperate, talking to people he had never talked to before."

It is not clear which agency, if any, Brian was working with after the Oct. 5, 2023, raid on his home. It's also not clear from any public documents if Brian was still an informant at the time of his death.

Nothing in the available search warrant applications or court testimony offered during the arraignment of Blake and Braet suggests Brian was killed because of any involvement he had with law enforcement.

County attorney explains informant use

Scott County Attorney Kelly Cunningham declined to comment on Brian Goodwin's possible status as a confidential informant.

She did clarify how informants are used in Scott County.

"In the course of any investigation of individuals who have been involved in the distribution of narcotics, we develop confidential informants as tools to identify who their suppliers are," she said.

Confidential informants are individuals who help investigators as they build cases. The informants used in drug cases often have extensive experience with a number of illegal drugs, as well as conducting controlled purchases of drugs to be later used as evidence.

Cunningham made it clear confidential informants interact only with suppliers those informants have purchased from in the past. Confidential informants do not seek out new suppliers.

Cunningham also stressed confidential informants only purchase drugs from suppliers in tightly controlled and monitored settings, using both video and audio recordings to monitor the deals. The confidential informant buys drugs with marked bills that are later used to identify the supplier in a subsequent stop.

"Confidential informants never supply drugs to anyone," Cunningham added.

It is not known how many people knew about Brian's claim to be working with law enforcement.

No chance to say goodbye

After the trauma of Brian's death, Sarah faced the fallout.

"One thing I have to come to terms with is Brian lied," she said. "Maybe he lied because he didn't want to hurt the people he loved, or maybe he thought that one day he would make up for the lies. I don't know. But the lies have lived on."

In recent weeks, Sarah has been confronted with a $23,000 lien on her home. She has been forced to hire an attorney to track down where the lien came from.

"I don't know if it is from some bond he got for someone, or some kind of loan he managed to get without me knowing," Sarah said. "In the last six to nine months of his life, Brian ran through money. Lots of money."

After his surgery in the spring of 2023, Sarah gave Brian $30,000. She said he also cashed in his retirement benefit from Scott County last year to the tune of $52,000. She also said reports showed Brian ran up about $189,000 in credit card debt.

"He wanted people to think he had money? Maybe. He certainly burned through it," Sarah said. "But maybe someone did think he had money. Maybe someone wanted to take it.

"I've really started to wonder how long Brian would have lived if he wasn't murdered. He had overdosed multiple times. He was completely cut off from his family. He was surrounded by people he had collected over the last six months. He was alone and isolating himself."

Sarah said after Brian lost his job in August of 2023, she contemplated asking for him to be committed.

"I thought he was desperate. I didn't know what he was going to do," she said. "He needed help but there wasn't any way to get through to him."

Sarah is left with debt and the growing realization the man she married attempted to deal large amounts of meth in Davenport. She said she is sometimes angry, but grieves Brian's loss.

"After they cleared the scene and everything, I spoke to the medical examiner," Sarah said. "They called me to ask for pictures because they needed to identify him by his tattoos."

Brian's wife sobbed when she recalled the conversation.

"They brought him back but they wouldn't let me see him. They said his body was too damaged and I wouldn't want to remember him that way," she said. "I just wanted to hold his hand. I just wanted to touch some part of him, but they said I couldn't.

"How can you say goodbye if you can't see the person?"

Sarah holds tightly to another memory. The weeks before Christmas were special for many years, she said, because of a tradition Brian started.

"Every year we would pile into the car and go get cappuccinos for us and hot chocolates for the kids and we would drive out to this tree farm somewhere around Dewitt or Clinton," she said. "And every year we would cut down our own Christmas tree. The kids liked it at first, but then, as they got older, they always grumbled.

"We stopped at some point and the kids started missing it. It was something for Brian and me and the kids."

Sarah wiped tears from her eyes and tried to smile.

"There was a time when Brian was a really good guy. Never perfect, but we loved him very much," she said. "I kept all the stumps of each one of those Christmas trees. Maybe I'll take Brian out from under the blanket and show them to him.

"I can talk to him about those days."
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Former Rapid City Area Schools Superintendent Nicole Swigart filed suit against the district and its individual school board members Thursday, May 8. She claims 11 different violations, including deceit, defamation and sex discrimination. It was filed in the Western Division of the U.S. District Court South Dakota.

After more than 33 years with the school district, Swigart was fired by the school board in August 2024 a few months after an Office of Civil Rights investigation report alleged she made discriminatory remarks about Native American students.

Swigart has maintained she did not make comments attributed to her, such as, The District also struggles with Indian Time  Native Americans look at time differently. To many of the Native Americans being 2 hours late is not a big deal..."

Reached by the Journal Thursday, Swigart declined to comment about the lawsuit.

According to Swigart's suit, RCAS and RCAS' individual school board members made 11 different violations:

Defamation Deceit Due process violation of the United States Constitution and 1983 Civil Rights Act and South Dakota Constitution Intentional infliction of emotional distress Negligent infliction of emotional distress Retaliation for exercise of First Amendment rights Violation of the Equal Pay Act Sex discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act Retaliation in violation of the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Retaliation in violation of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 FMLA (federal Family and Medical Leave Act) Interference & Retaliation

According to the lawsuit, the actions of the district and board severely impacted Swigart's physical and mental health  including "crippling anxiety, recurring panic attacks, insomnia, night terrors, persistent nausea and vomiting"  and impacted her future job prospects. The suit said the series of events related to the OCR report ruined her public reputation.

RCAS spokesperson Bobbi Schaefbauer sent a statement from the district: Although the district has not yet been formally served with a lawsuit from Ms. Swigart, the district categorically denies any wrongdoing related to Ms. Swigarts departure.

School board member Christine Stephenson declined to comment.

In the civil complaint filed against the district and its board members, Swigart's attorney, Lisa Marso of Boyce Law Firm in Sioux Falls, noted Swigart worked for the district for more than 33 before her termination, which was "unlawful."

According to the complaint, Swigart was offered the interim superintendent role despite not applying for it and was appointed by the board to the role in the spring of 2022. The suit says her salary in the job was "significantly lower than the salary of males who served in that same position before and after" her tenure.

When Swigart was on suspension after the OCR report was released, current Acting Superintendent Cory Strasser covered the role and received additional compensation that put him at a higher salary than Swigart, her counsel claims in the court document.

Swigart claims she was not paid additional compensation while covering for an assistant superintendent who was suspended for more than three months.

She participated in the Office for Civil Rights compliance review and was interviewed by an OCR investigator in December 2022 and December 2023, interviews that weren't recorded, the lawsuit noted.

The office sent a resolution agreement for the district in April 2024, "more than a year after her last contact with OCR," which the school board approved in May of that year.

"Prior to doing so, the board did not obtain from the OCR its report or any summary of the OCRs report that was later published," the complaint reads. "Consequently, any RCAS challenge to the later OCR findings, statements, etc. related to Swigart were adversely impacted by the Boards rash actions."

Later in May, the OCR released a report that included quotes from Swigart about the Native American community.

From the lawsuit: "Quotes were used in the OCR Report even though the OCRs investigation notes had no quotes."

Swigart's claims included a challenge to the OCR report itself. Her attorney wrote the district and school board were informed of "false, incorrect and/or unsupported findings in the OCR report" regarding attendance, discipline data and Advanced Placement classes enrollment data.

The lawsuit accuses the district and board of engaging, "in conduct to not disclose the truth, to not dispute or correct false information/findings in the OCR Report and to instead wrongfully accuse and target Swigart."

This occurred, the lawsuit said, despite Swigart's denial of making the statements and the fact that the report came out 15 months after her interview with the OCR. The suit also notes the agency did not raise concerns during the 14-month interregnum between the interview and issuance of the report.

"Despite requests by Swigart to talk to other district administrators to determine who may have instead made the statements, defendants did not do so. Despite requests by Swigart to talk to the public and school personnel about Swigarts background and character, which for over 30 years had been exemplary, defendants did not," the lawsuit said.

Rapid City Area Schools legal counsel Kelsey Parker said through the district office, We respect the legal rights of individuals to pursue claims; however, we remain confident that a full and fair review of the facts in the appropriate legal forum will affirm the districts actions."

Parker said the district will respond to the allegations through the appropriate legal channels, with representation by outside counsel at Bangs McCullen Law Firm.

"We will not engage in public litigation through the media. Our focus remains where it belongs  on providing a high-quality education to our students and supporting the dedicated professionals who serve them each day, Parker said.
Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve writes every day. The 92-year-old woman has an expansive career, having just published her 28th book last month.

From her home in Rapid City, the Sicangu Lakota elder crafts beautiful stories depicting contemporary Lakota lives.

"If you want to be good at anything you have to practice," she said. "You don't just sit down and do it right the first time with any talent or skill. The same is true with writing."

Her newest book, "The Summer of the Bone Horses," focuses on a young Sicangu boy who spends a summer living on the Rosebud Reservation with his grandparents following his father's hospitalization.

The story is in line with the reason why Driving Hawk Sneve began writing, to show real Native lives  not just historic accounts of Lakota people  but modern Lakota life.

She started writing this particular story three years ago, when Abrams Books approached her seeking a new story about Native life.

It didn't take her long to figure out a story, and the writing process took a few months.

"The Summer of the Bone Horses" is inspired by real events in her life. As a child, her father was hospitalized in Sioux Falls and she went to live with her paternal grandparents while her brother, Edward Driving Hawk, went to visit their mother's family on the reservation.

"He had a lot more fun than I did," she said.

One of the things their grandfather taught Edward that summer was about bone horses, which are toys made from buffalo tone bones.

The story is inspired by Edward's summer on the reservation, but Driving Hawk Sneve used her imagination to enhance some details of the story, she said.

Edward was a mischievous child, he loved to play and have fun, so living with his grandparents for a summer was a challenge.

The book takes place in the 1940s when Eddie, the book's main character, travels from the Black Hills to the Rosebud Reservation and spends an unforgettable summer with grandpa and grandma High Elk.

It's a slower way of life, one where he rides horses, helps his grandmother with chores and plays with bone horses gifted to him by his grandfather.

There was no running water, no electricity, but that's not all too different from life on many reservations today.

"For contemporary children that's strange, especially those in urban settings," she said. "But there are still places in the United States where that's still true."

Eventually his grandfather is injured, and Eddie has to step up and get him the help he needs.

The chapter book features illustrations by Steph Little Bird, citizen of The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde in Oregon. Little Bird and Driving Hawk Sneve worked together virtually on the book's illustrations.

The back of the book also features a photo of Edward's real life bone horses.

The last time she saw her brother Edward, Driving Hawk Sneve found his bone horses. They were confined in a small box still saddled up with tiny pieces of cloth.

"I didn't know he'd kept them," she said. "They were still precious to him."

Edward died in 2021, but his story lives on through his sister's words.

The book is a depiction of his summer, with vibrant descriptions, a compelling narrative and visual storytelling.

Out of Sneve's 28 books, a majority are geared toward children. Driving Hawk Sneve spent two decades as a teacher, teaching English classes at the Flandreau Indian School and at Oglala Lakota College.

She didn't plan to write for children, she said. It wasn't until a 1970s contest by the Interracial Council of Minority Books for Children that she considered the idea.

The contest fell on the heels of the Black Liberation Movement of the '70s. Minorities were concerned with how people of color had been depicted in children's books, and the interracial council sponsored the contest to try and inspire new authors to write about their cultures.

Driving Hawk Sneve got an idea  she'd write about a young Dakota boy nicknamed Little Jim who tries to prove he's grown up and earn himself a new nickname. The book, "Jimmy Yellow Hawk," was published in 1972 and marked the beginning of Sneve's children's books career.

"I kind of like to write for children," she said. "Because they view the written word, something in the book, as real. So it's got to be accurate, it's got to be sort of challenging to their imagination and it's got to be fun and interesting, too. That's a challenge I've worked with and managed to do over these years."

In 2000, Driving Hawk Sneve was awarded for her work in children's literature with the prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities Medal from President Bill Clinton at the White House in Washington D.C. She's got a framed photo of herself, her husband Vance Sneve and the Clintons in her home from that day.

She was the first South Dakotan to receive this honor, according to the South Dakota Hall of Fame, into which she was inducted in 1984.

Driving Hawk Sneve said she used her meeting with the Clintons to ask that Leonard Peltier be freed.

Peltier is an American Indian Movement member given two life sentences for aiding and abetting in the murders of two FBI agents in 1975. Clinton did not pardon Peltier, but 25 years later the Anishinaabe man was granted clemency by President Joe Biden on Jan. 19, 2025.

"It was a relief," she said. "Not only me, but so many Indigenous groups in the United States have been thinking of that (his incarceration) as a way for the government to persecute us. It was a sense of relief."

Breaking stereotypes through her writing has been a staple of her career, according to the South Dakota Hall of Fame.

"Throughout her life, Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve's unwavering dedication to education, advocacy, and storytelling has reshaped narratives, challenged stereotypes and celebrated the enduring spirit of Native American communities," the organization said on its website.

Following the publication of her 28th book, Driving Hawk Sneve and her daughter Shirley Sneve embarked on a multi-state book tour to eight cities across three states in the Midwest.

The two visited Minneapolis, Brookings, Sioux Falls, Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Reservation, Lincoln, Nebraska, Vermillion and will end the tour on Saturday at Prairie Edge in downtown Rapid City.

The two brought 150 books with them and were completely sold out by the time they reached Lincoln, Shirley said.

Driving Hawk Sneve spoke to college students, elementary students and community members at the various stops.

Prairie Edge will carry "The Summer of the Bone Horses" in the shop's bookstore permanently, Driving Hawk Sneve said. The shop also has copies of Driving Hawk Sneve's other books.

Her talk on Saturday will be part of a free cultural event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Prairie Edge, featuring a Northern Cheyenne flute player and five different visual artists.

"The Summer of the Bone Horses" is available for purchase locally at Prairie Edge or through various online storefronts. The book is for a fifth-grade reading level and higher.

Driving Hawk Sneve will be signing copies on Saturday.

This book won't be her last either, she said. There's more in the making, and she continues to write every day, even if it's just a little bit.

"Whether it's writing an email, or whether I am writing a short story, or just some thoughts I have that may not necessarily be (for) publication," she said.

Photo story: Honoring the missing and murdered at event in Rapid City Krystal Wolfe Esther Wolfe's sister Krystal Wolfe speaks during the Red Ribbon Society's ceremony honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and MMIP on Drum group The Wicouncage drum group plays during the event, which was hosted by the Red Ribbon Skirt Society. The organization was founded in 2016 by Li Banners Banners honoring Alma Ree (Howe) Garneaux, Serena Ann Spider and Tessa Curley hang among red dresses at the ceremony. Sharon Brings Plenty Lily Mendoza, right, speaks with Sharon Brings Plenty, the mother of Tessa Curley, during the MMIP event. Curley's 2020 murder in Box Elder re Girl A young girl runs across the grass in front of the Red Dress Exhibit on the Journey Museum grounds in Rapid City. On Monday, May 5  Murdered  Hanging banner Gabby Petito's stepfather Jim Schmidt, left, helps Sharon Brings Plenty hang up a banner at the event. Schmidt and Petito's father, Joe Petito Candle Attendees of the Red Ribbon Skirt Society's ceremony honoring MMIW and MMIP light a candle for those lost on Monday, May 5. Lily Mendoza with  Lilly Mendoza in round dance Lily Mendoza, head of the Red Ribbon Skirt Society (in plaid), and other attendees participate in a round dance during the ceremony. Red dresses The Red Dress Exhibit at the Journey Museum in Rapid City. Lily Mendoza with the Red Ribbon Skirt Society said the effort started in 2016. Thi Windy day Red dresses blow in the wind on Monday, May 5. MMIP vigil The Red Ribbon Skirt Society hosted a ceremony honoring MMIW and MMIP on Monday, May 5 at the Journey Museum in Rapid City. Lorna Cuny Joe Petito, foreground, and Jim Schmidt, right, listen as Medicine Wheel Ride Executive Director Lorna Cuny speaks during the ceremony. "It's  Drums The Wicouncage drum group plays during the round dance at the Red Ribbon Skirt Society ceremony for MMIW and MMIP on Monday, May 5. Banners hanging "There's a lot of work that we can do, and the only way we're going to do it is if we stand together," Joe Petito said of joining the cause in Red dress exhibit "Part of what we're trying to do when we do these kinds of things is reclaim, reclaim the land, even if it's just for a few hours to reclaim i Exhibit The Red Dress Exhibit is on display at the Journey Museum, 222 New York St. Sign Lily Mendoza with the Red Ribbon Skirt Society speaks during a ceremony honoring MMIW and MMIP at the organization's Red Dress Exhibit on the  Dresses A trio of dresses hang as part of the Red Dress Exhibit at the Journey Museum in Rapid City. Round dance Attendees participate in a round dance during the ceremony. Wasna Beverly Bad Moccasin hands out wasna, a traditional dried meat and berry mixture, during the Red Ribbon Skirt Society vigil.
A Corvallis man sent a notice of intent to file suit against Ravalli County after a more than six-year-long dispute centering around septic requirements at his Hooten Trail Road property.

In his April 30 notice of intent to file suit, Mark Fournier accused Ravalli County employees of negligence, breach of constitutional claims, abuse of power, civil conspiracy and actual malice.

Fourniers property, which he leased to the Bear Creek Wellness Center in February, consists of three buildings on 10 acres in Corvallis, including seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms and a full-size gym. Fournier said that he suspected the propertys size and proximity to the residency of County Environmental Health Specialist Kelly Arnold attracted the attention of the local government.

According to the notice, the property had been regularly accused of commercial usage by the Ravalli County Environmental Health Department since 2019. The countys unwarranted scrutiny, according to the notice, has resulted in varying degrees of instruction from the county, including orders to install a new septic system, re-write permits, pay over $1,000 in fines and set up portable toilets for private events.

Additionally, the letter accuses Arnold of trespassing on Fourniers property to unlawfully investigate his septic system. According to Fourniers letter, Arnold was the first government employee to scrutinize and impede development at his property, stating that when Fournier sought approval for a five-bedroom septic system, Arnold told him she wouldnt approve the system without Fournier paying one of his neighbors for an easement.

Ms. Arnold insisted that my clients have to pay the neighbor to the north of the property for an easement before she would approve the property, reads the notice. She stated the only option was to pay the neighbor for an easement. Ms. Arnolds representations were false and without legal basis, and the property owner to the north of the Property was actually Ms. Arnolds father.

In an interview with the Ravalli Republic, Fournier said that Arnold was consistently attempting to halt development because she was his neighbor and didnt want him to continue construction on his property.

The reason is, shes my neighbor and she doesnt want that there, said Fournier. Shes using her government position to affect private property. Thats happening right now You have a government person in Ravalli County using their professional position to stop something they personally dont like.

Many similar incidents are included in Fourniers intent to sue, which illustrates various examples of what he claimed to be the unreasonable and unlawful acts of county employees. Fournier claimed that Arnold and Environmental Health Director, John Palacio, were responsible for the six-year-long harassment campaign.

Its one thing after another, said Fournier. They tried to get me to sign that I would have porta potties for private events, just because my place can handle more people. Theres no law. Thats like somebody saying if you have a super bowl party you have to have porta potties at your house.

In 2022, Fournier hosted multiple events at the property, including the Corvallis High School prom, and received a written complaint from former Ravalli County sanitarian, Rod Daniels who alleged that Fournier was in violation of already issued permits, alleging the property was being used for commercial purposes, according to the letter. Fournier is the former chair of the Corvallis School Board.

This sparked further permitting complexities at the property, many of which the letter claims were illegitimately enforced by the county.

Ensuing events, allegedly, continued into 2025; the letter described a recent series of county encroachments revolving around licensing impediments at the Bear Creek Wellness Center. The letter alleged that in April, when the wellness center began preparing for operation, Palacio contacted Montanas Department of Health and Human Services to report that the facility was not in compliance with DEQ regulations.

As a result, a hold was placed on Bear Creek Wellness Centers license, reads the letter.

After recent developments at the Bear Creek Wellness Center, Fournier threatened Ravalli County Commissioners with legal action, explaining that the alleged impediment efforts had cost the center more than $100,000.

Wes Heim told the Ravalli Republic the delay had cost the wellness center $100,000, at minimum" because he had to reschedule over 20 clients.

We had a waiting list of 20 plus people, Heim said. I would say at minimum $100,000 that this has cost.

The letter states that if Fournier and the county cannot come to a resolution, he will "have no alternative" but to file a lawsuit.

Unfortunately, under the circumstances, it seems clear that the campaign of harassment will not stop and unless his claims are addressed, he will have no alternative but to bring a lawsuit to do so, reads the notice, written by attorney Dustin M. Chouinard.

Commissioner Burrows on May 5 told the Ravalli Republic that he and the Environmental Health Department would review the situation and then reach out to Fournier, saying that he thought there were "some inaccuracies" in the letter.

"We need to do our investigation and fact finding on our end and see what happened," Burrows said. "I think we'll be able to come to an understanding on it."

Palacio told the Ravalli Republic he had not yet seen Fournier's letter on May 6 and Arnold did not respond to inquiries from the Ravalli Republic by press time.
A university campus nonprofit group is suing the state of Montana and the secretary of state over a bill recently enacted by the Legislature that they say unconstitutionally bars some college students from voting.

Montana Public Interest Research Group  commonly referred to as MontPIRG  filed its complaint on Tuesday over the legislation, which the group says violates both the U.S. and Montana constitutions.

House Bill 413 was signed by the governor earlier this month and went into effect immediately. MontPIRG has been around for about four decades and represents roughly 28,000 Montana students, according to the complaint. The nonpartisan group works to register young voters and encourages civic engagement.

To vote in Montana, one must be a resident of the state, and House Bill 413 adds language to the elections statute pertaining to residency that previously stated that an individual may not gain a residence if that person comes in for temporary purposes.

The bills sponsor, Rep. Jane Gillette, R-Three Forks, said the previous version of state law was unclear and vague, so her bill sought to further define temporary purposes by adding such as temporary work, training, or an educational program, without the intention of making that county or the state the individual's permanent home at the conclusion of the temporary work, training, or educational program.

People move here all the time for short periods, Gillette said by phone Thursday. Were not talking about that. It's where your home is  that's where you should vote.

One of the groups attorneys is Raph Graybill, the 2024 Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor. The attorneys are requesting that a Missoula District Court judge permanently block the law.

The statute presents student voters with an impossible choice: choose to remain in the location of your educational program years from now to avoid the criminal penalties, or do not register to vote where you live, the complaint says.

The vast majority of student's who attend the state's university's do not come from the county where the school is located. Attorneys for MontPIRG offered a hypothetical Sidney High School student who moves to Missoula to attend the University of Montana who could be harmed by the legislation.

As a freshman (she) must predict, under penalty of perjury, where she will live once she has earned her degree. If she cannot commit to living in Missoula County in four years time, she cannot register to vote there  the community where she lives, works, volunteers, likely pays taxes, and studies, the complaint reads.

During the legislative session, Gillette said that the bill boils down to intention, and does not bar all out-of-state students from voting in Montana, but it could have that effect on some.

During a committee hearing at the Legislature, Isabel Watson, a lobbyist for the Associated Students of Montana State University, said the legislation unfairly targets students right to vote where they live, adding that it could bar students from voting on local issues like housing policies and transit systems that are directly impacting their daily lives.

These students are not just tourists, Watson said.

The bill passed its key House vote nearly along party lines, with one Republican joining Democrats to oppose it. During the House floor debate, Bozeman Democratic Rep. Peter Strand attempted to define temporary by making it a two-week timeframe. That amendment failed.

The bill narrowly cleared a Senate committee, with one Republican and the three Democrats on the panel opposing it.

Sen. Wendy McKamey, R-Great Falls, called the proposal restrictive and inconsistent.

This suit is one of the first of what many connected to the Legislature called lawsuit season, which refers to the months following the Legislatures adjournment when different parties attempt to block bills that were passed and signed into law. In recent years, it is common for these lawsuits to be connected to elections-related bills.

Over the last few years, there have been a slew of bills struck down by the courts pertaining to voter registration and student voting, including some that MontPIRG also challenged.

Following the 2021 session, MontPIRG and others sued over Senate Bill 169, which tried to remove student photo IDs from the states list of acceptable forms of ID to vote. If someone wanted to use a student ID, they would need to be paired with another form of documentation, like tax documents. The state has accepted student photo IDs for nearly two decades. That bill was struck down by the Montana Supreme Court.
After a 20-year wait, it began to feel like Real ID wasnt a real thing. But when the national program rolled out in earnest, with Wednesdays deadline for compliance, folks flooded their local Department of Motor Vehicles for upgraded drivers licenses.

Such was the case Monday at the Ashland branch of the DMV, where a long line snaked around the large room. Thankfully, Id made an online appointment  highly recommended  so my wait was somewhat abbreviated.

Still, I couldnt help but wonder about this ID rollout amid our national identity crisis.

Real ID is a byproduct of a different America altogether, the result of recommendations by the 9/11 Commission in the aftermath of the terrorist attack orchestrated by Osama bin Laden. The Real ID Act recommended that the federal government set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as drivers licenses. The hijackers, as it turned out, had obtained state-issued IDs, including at least seven from Virginia, according to NPR.

Passengers without Real IDs who present noncompliant state IDs at a TSA checkpoint, and lack other acceptable forms of ID such as a U.S. passport, may be directed to a separate area and may receive additional screening, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem told a congressional panel that 81% of travelers already have IDs that comply with the Real ID requirements, according to the AP.

The implementation of Real ID enforcement on Wednesday apparently went off without a hitch locally, with Richmond International Airport spokesman Troy Bell describing the flow at TSA checkpoints as a normal day so far.

But America is a significantly different place than it was in 2005, in ways that seem unreal.

Back then, the fear of foreign terrorists hijacking airplanes was still front-of-mind, as were the horrors of the day that passenger jets crashed into New Yorks World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the Pennsylvania countryside. In the immediate aftermath of that attack, a nation divided by a contentious presidential election decided by a split vote of the U.S. Supreme Court rallied in a remarkable display of national unity, with Democratic and Republican congresspersons singing God Bless America on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

What ultimately ensued was nothing to sing about. The detention camp for terror suspects that the U.S. established at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base became a site of torture. The administration of then-President George W. Bush seized this jingoistic moment to push an invasion of Iraq built on lies about weapons of mass destruction.

Mass surveillance of U.S. citizens became more prevalent in the aftermath of 9/11, in ways we barely think about today, including public and private cameras, license plate readers, mobile phone tracking, facial recognition and private companies sharing data with federal agencies.

Mass surveillance has intensified the criminalization of marginalized and racialized groups, from Muslims and Arabs to Latinx immigrant communities to Black and Indigenous organizers, and has increasingly targeted protest movements such as Black Lives Matter and the movement to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline, according to the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University.

With the rise of what the U.S. government portrays as competition with China, Asian Americans have also been increasingly targeted. Mass surveillance has also facilitated the tracking, incarceration, and deportation of thousands of migrants, most of whom were guilty only of the civil offense of crossing a border without government permission. The post-9/11 states focus on racialized groups may have ill-prepared it to address rising white supremacist violence.

Homeland Securitys website says Real ID is a national set of standards, not a national identification card. REAL ID does not create a federal database of driver license information. But groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union have long been leery of the program, and seem no less so as it rolls out.

A fully-implemented REAL ID would amount to a national ID system that tracks our activities nationwide and renders countless transactions requiring a drivers license into federal checkpoints, ACLU-VA Policy Director Chris Kaiser said in a statement Wednesday.

Integrating the government into all facets of peoples private lives, from our immigration statuses to recording the time and place weve presented our IDs, should concern us all at a time when the federal government is already laying threat to vulnerable people.

Indeed, a lot has changed in America since 2005, or even 2024.

People boarding airplanes nowadays are likely less worried about the threat of hijacking and terrorism than about the safety of an air traffic control system that seems to be falling apart in real time, whether by the threat of helicopters flying near Reagan National Airport or the chaotic loss of communication at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The erosion of civil liberties, deference to the Constitution or respect for the rule of law plays out in the kidnapping by federal agents of people here legally, or even with permanent resident status, without due process. Increasingly, we are a nation whose residents fear the government more than foreign actors. Some of the same folks who used to rail about intrusive government seem fine with this turn of events.

Proof of citizenship is proof neither of nonviolence nor loyalty. A Cato Institute study shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol showed 96% of those arrested or charged were native born. Donald Trump issued a mass pardon to those folks. No ID will make me feel safer or more secure in a nation whose leadership gives domestic terrorists a pass.

As I stood in line during a recent visit to a convenience store, a confused clerk asked a supervisor for guidance when the man in front of me presented him with a permanent resident ID. The store accepted the ID; our federal government, at the moment, views this acceptance as optional.

In a nation abandoning its core principles, I dont know whats real anymore. An ID card with a star on it wont change that.
Authorities investigating Cozumel shooting that left two dead

Cozumel, Q.R.  Local authorities are investigating a shooting on the island of Cozumel that left two dead and one in hospital. The shooting happened in the 10 de Abril neighborhood Wednesday evening.

According to preliminary information, two adult men were shot around 5:00 p.m. on 55th Street between 6th and 8th Avenues. The men were on the public road when they were attacked.

One fell on the sidewalk. The second ran to his house. Both men died. A minor boy of around 12 was injured in the broad daylight attack. He was taken to hospital and is reported to be in stable condition after being hit by a stray bullet. His relationship to the adult men who were the targets is not known.

The deceased have been identified as 30 year old Jesus Ramon N and 31 year old Virgilio Ismael N. Authorities deployed a search operation for the gunmen after area residents reported the shooting. Police have not said if either men have a criminal record or possible ties to a criminal organization.

In a statement, the State Attorney General (FGE) said the Quintana Roo Attorney Generals Office (FGE) reports the opening of an investigation into the aggravated homicide of two males, as well as attempted homicide of a minor, which occurred in the municipality of Cozumel.

This Social Representative, in coordination with the security authorities deployed on the island, is conducting investigations to determine the person(s) responsible for this incident, as well as the reasons behind this firearm attack. The Attorney Generals Office reaffirms its commitment to bringing the offenders to justice.
Mexicos National Meteorological Service releases forecast details for 2025 Atlantic hurricane season

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  Mexicos National Meteorological Service (SMN) is anticipating strong activity during the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. According to Guillermo Nunez Leal who heads the State Coordination of Civil Protection of Quintana Roo, between 13 and 17 storms are expected this season.

Those figures were released Thursday by the National Meteorological Service of the Government of Mexico who predicts strong activity in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea this year. Guillermo Nunez Leal says the SMN (Servicio Meteorologico Nacional) has reported the anticipated formation of between 13 and 17 cyclones in the Atlantic basin during the 2025 Tropical Cyclone Season.

According to the Mexican government, storm names will be Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van and Wendy.

Nunez Leal said that the SMN is predicting the formation of seven to nine tropical storms along with three to four Category 1 and 2 hurricanes and three to four Category 3, 4 and 5 hurricanes.

He says during the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, 841 temporary shelters were set up. This year, all levels of government are already working in coordination to review the facilities to protect the population in the event of a hydrometeorological emergency, adding that the state is committed to the safety of the residents and tourists.

In April, Mexicos Centro Nacional De Meteorologia of the Navy predicted 18 named storms. They forecast that the state of Quintana Roo has a 72 percent chance of being hit by one of those named storms.

Also in April, Colorado State University said there are probabilities of tropical cyclone impacts for the Caribbean islands and Central American countries bordering the Caribbean Sea including Mexico.

Tropical Storm Nadine passing through state of Quintana Roo in October of 2024.

We anticipate that the 2025 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have above-normal activity. We anticipate an above-average probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean.

Quintana Roo Civil Protection head Guillermo Nunez Leal reminds the public to stay informed during the hurricane season which starts June 1 and ends November 30.
Miami flight bound for Merida forced to make emergency landing in Cuba

Merida, Yucatan  A Miami to Merida flight suffered an engine failure that forced an emergency landing in Cuba Wednesday. The mid-air emergency happened on Viva Aerobus Flight VB755 which was traveling from Miami, Florida to Merida, Yucatan.

The Merida-bound plane was forced to make an emergency landing at the Jose International Airport in Havana, Cuba after crew reported a failure in one of the aircrafts engines.

The plane, an Airbus A321neo registered XA-VXR, was flying over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico when the pilots detected the technical problem. The pilot requested permission to land at the nearest airport, which was Havana.

The plane landed safely, but with only one operating engine. The Mexican Consulate in Havana assisted the passengers, offering logistical support and follow-up during the prolonged wait.

It wasnt until around 3:00 a.m. Wednesday when passengers finally boarded a new plane bound for the city of Merida. The incident caused the original flight to be more than eight hours late. The exact cause of the mechanical failure has not yet been revealed.
Pemex Dos Bocas pipeline leaks oil over 7-kilometer area

Mexico City, Mexico  Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) reported that it has repaired two leaks in an oil pipeline that spilled across 7 kilometers. The leaking line transports oil from its Akal-C platform to the Dos Bocas maritime terminal in the southern state of Tabasco.

In a statement Wednesday night, Pemex said preparations were underway to verify the pipelines watertightness and resume operations. The announcement was made after media reported an oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday.

Pemex said the oil had reached a 7-kilometer (4.35-mile) stretch of coastline at the Dos Bocas Maritime Terminal in the municipality of Paraiso, Tabasco. In their statement, the company said cleanup was expected to be completed Wednesday. The company also said that it was working with local communities to help resume fishing.

Pemexs announcement comes a week after an incident temporarily halted operations at the companys Olmeca refinery, adjacent to the Dos Bocas terminal.

Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) reports that it has addressed two leaks in a pipeline transporting oil from the Akal-C Platform to the Dos Bocas Maritime Terminal (TMDB) by installing two metal clamps. Preparations are currently underway to verify the pipelines tightness and put it into operation.

After mapping, it was determined that a portion of the leaked oil had reached the shore of the Dos Bocas Maritime Terminal in the municipality of Paraiso, Tabasco, over a distance of 7 kilometers. Pemex personnel and specialized equipment immediately carried out the cleanup.

These actions have involved dialogue with fishing communities to establish preventive measures so they can resume their productive activities as quickly as possible.

The Agency for Safety, Energy and Environment (ASEA) of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) was notified of the incident, with the aim of implementing the appropriate remediation actions.
Worlds second largest cruise ship docks island of Cozumel

Cozumel, Q.R.  The island of Cozumel welcomed Royal Caribbean Internationals Utopia of the Seas, the second largest cruise ship in the world. The vessel docked at the SSA Mexico terminal, one of the most modern and largest in the country.

Hailing from Port Canaveral, Florida, Utopia of the Seas sails under the flag of the Bahamas, part of Royal Caribbean Internationals renowned Oasis class. The ship, which launched in July 2024, has a capacity for more than 7,000 passengers and nearly 2,300 crew members.

During the formal ceremony, Vagner Elbiorn Vega, the General Director of the Quintana Roo Comprehensive Port Authority (APIQROO), represented Governor Mara Lezama. He presented commemorative plaques as a symbol of welcome to the vessels captain, Angel Oviol Ruiz, highlighting the importance of the ships arrival in strengthening tourism in the state.

In his message, Vagner Elbiorn highlighted that the arrival of Utopia of the Seas consolidates Cozumel as a key destination on global cruise routes, strengthening the local economy and generating new opportunities for Quintana Roo families.

The arrival of this vessel consolidates Cozumels status as one of the Caribbeans most important ports for cruise tourism, generating significant economic benefits and promoting the destinations sustainable development. Local port and tourism authorities welcomed the crew and visitors, highlighting the islands hospitality and natural beauty.
The administrations new industrial policy may not be sustainable, leaving American workers with few transferable skills. We can do better.

When Donald Trump campaigned on the grand promise to bring blue-collar manufacturing jobs back to the United States, I knew I had seen and heard this before. As a former Hungarian Member of Parliament from a small town, mainly boasting factories with assembly lines that serve car manufacturers, I had seen how this brand of campaign rhetoric serves only a short-term political interest but does not serve the countrys future.

The past 15 years have seen Hungary reposition itself as the assembly line of the European Union, attracting billions in foreign direct investment, first from German car manufacturers and recently from Chinese EV battery factories. Viktor Orbans promise was simple: low taxes, cheap and compliant labor, and a government ready to satisfy the needs of the industry.

In return, jobs would come, exports would rise, and Hungary would enjoy industrial prosperity.

Beneath the surface of this apparent success, however, lies a fragile economic model built on dependency, not innovation. I witnessed how our government pushed for these deals, celebrating short-term gains, creating jobs, and boosting the GDP while neglecting the long-term consequences.

Over several years, I visited factories, spoke with workers, and saw entire regions molded around a single corporate presence. Many West Virginians, Ohioans, and Pennsylvanians can surely relate to what this looks like.

What Hungary got was a boom in what we call biorobot jobs: repetitive, low-value-added roles that leave workers with few transferable skills and little upward mobility.

When economic shifts emerge, such as will be the case with Trumps tariffs, industry slows down and layoffs begin in anticipation of belt-tightening. Witness what happened in Germany. Suddenly, Hungary was left with thousands of workers trained only to follow instructions from another part of the production chain but not to adapt.

All this should sound familiar to Americans optimistic about bold headlines declaring billion-dollar investments from Apple, TSMC, and SoftBank. Nothing these firms pledge in press releases is legally binding, and they could pivot at any time based on financial considerations. That is not how you build thriving communities.

Which is why this isnt solely an economic issue; its a social one. In Hungary, communities were built around these factories. Schools funneled graduates into them for stable careers. Retraining programs were an afterthought.

Today, many of these workers are stuck, unemployed or underemployed, with no clear path forward. Unfortunately for them, there are no visible prospects in the future. The skills they were trained in have little value outside one specific assembly line, and no one has invested in helping them to evolve.

What was the secret behind this short-term economic miracle by Orban? Massive government incentives with few long-term requirements. Foreign firms received enormous tax breaks, land, and infrastructure support, and Hungarys political leadership boasted about GDP growth and job creation as proof of their success.

At one point, Orban was proud to see the unemployment figures at an all-time low. But what that created was a low-trust, high-dependence economy, vulnerable to external shocks.

Our government prioritized quick political wins but failed to build a resilient, future-oriented economy.

It is hard for me to observe objectively what is happening on the other side of the Atlantic, but as the United States embarks on its own mission of a reshoring industrial policy, the Hungarian experience offers a clear warning.

Manufacturing can certainly create jobs, but what kind of jobs? Temporary gains in employment numbers shouldnt blind policymakers to the long-term outcomes. The United States must avoid creating its own class of biorobot workers who meet only a temporary need within a rapidly advancing technological economy.

There are better paths, and the U.S. is typically good at taking them.

You must encourage innovation together with production. If you want to invest in factories, consider the communities, too. And measure success not just by output but by resilience.

Hungary is a warning about how industrial growth without a people-first strategy can backfire. Its not enough to attract factories; you must make such industry sustainable. Any successful manufacturing revival has to include trained workers, hard skills, and foreseeable futures. There are few real fortune tellers among us, but you can make reasonable bets on the foundational skills that can support our economies.

In the end, the goal isnt just to make thingsits to empower people to build better lives. That takes more than tax breaks and ribbon cuttings. It demands a long-term, lasting vision.
Before heading to Lane Stadium for the Metallica concert Wednesday, a handful of fans stopped by the Feeding Southwest Virginia distribution center in Salem to volunteer.

More than 25 volunteers helped check, sort and package food that will provide around 3,700 meals to people in need, Randy Holden, director of volunteer services for Feeding Southwest Virginia, said.

All Within My Hands, Metallicas foundation, began coordinating the volunteer day with Feeding Southwest Virginia a few months ago, Holden said. All Within My Hands was started in 2017 as a way to create sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger and other critical services, such as disaster response. Renee Richardson, director of philanthropy for All Within My Hands, said that the foundation is really the sum of all the parts that make Metallica.

Its equal parts fans, its equal parts financial contribution, equal parts corporate sponsorship, she said. Were open for business and working with people to help in any way we can, and were just really excited about what the future holds for this foundation.

The foundation has organized volunteer activations similar to the one Wednesday at around a dozen stops on this leg of Metallicas M72 World Tour. It also partnered with the American Red Cross to organize opportunities for fans to donate blood while the band is in town.

Its just become such a cool little fabric of the community, which I think is really neat, Richardson said.

All Within My Hands was born from the members of Metallicas personal passion for volunteering, she said. The band has always taken steps to give back to the communities they visit on tour, usually surrounding hunger initiatives, because the idea that anyone would go hungry is crazy to them. It all started with the bands first Day of Service in 2018, in which they encouraged fans to volunteer at a local food bank. Fans that submitted photos of their volunteer work received a T-shirt.

The band members volunteered at their own local food banks on that day as well, Richardson said.

All Within My Hands partners with Feeding America, but the foundation works with a variety of organizations, Richardson said. The band is very hands on in selecting nonprofits to work with that provide food, housing or protective services for people experiencing domestic violence, she said.

Volunteers are vital to operations at Feeding Southwest Virginia, Holden said. Since 2020, the pantry has seen a 629% increase in households seeking food assistance.

Statistics tell us one out of every five children in Southwest Virginia has food insecurities, he said. That means that child doesnt know where that next program is coming from  Its so essential for us to be able to have support from volunteers as well as staff to put those programs together.

This Saturday is the 33rd annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, in which residents can fill a sturdy bag of nonperishable foods next to their mailboxes to be picked up by letter carriers. The donated food is then distributed to local food agencies, including Feeding Southwest Virginia.

Feeding Southwest Virginia averages about 285 volunteers a month, he said. When people volunteer, whether its with quality assurance or with the nonprofits programs for children or seniors, it makes a difference.

The food that is being processed today will be on somebodys dining room table in the next seven to 10 days, Holden said.

Ted Doran is chapter head of Metallica fan club Virginia Fuel, local chapter #126. Established in 1998, he said that Virginia Fuel is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, existing Metallica fan club chapters.

Doran, who has seen Metallica live more than 30 times, drove four hours from Alexandria for the concert. Assisting with quality assurance at Feeding Southwest Virginia Wednesday morning was one of a few places that he was volunteering ahead of the show. Virginia Fuel organizes volunteer opportunities on its own, too, where members help with roadside cleanup or at other local food banks.

Now that theyve branched more into the charity side of things, Ive really latched onto that, he said of the band. I do a lot of stuff with Renee with All Within My Hands, and we started doing our own charity stuff too, raffles and things of that nature. Its just a big community.

May is also Metallicas Month of Giving. This year, local chapters are competing to raise funds for All Within My Hands Metallica Scholars Initiative Special Projects Fund, which funds workforce education programs at community colleges across the country, Richardson said.

Metallica fans are a very inclusive crowd and everyone feels like family, Doran said.

I dont know how many hundreds of fan clubs there are, but the members have each come together based on proximity and a common love of Metallicas music and camaraderie, Richardson said. The fan clubs are their own families in itself.
Good Job is Slates advice column on work. Have a workplace problem big or small? Send it to Laura Helmuth and Doree Shafrir here. Its anonymous!

Dear Good Job,

Im a tenured professor who has watched the demise of academia and higher education and want out. Im considering a side gig that could turn into something full-time. My institution requires us to report all such side gigs to avoid conflicts of interest, which is understandable. Before I pursue this side gig, I must first seek approval. How can I do this without making my real motive (to quit my job) obvious to my employer?

The Professor Is Out

Dear Professor,

Im sorry you and so many other academics are being attacked by the most anti-science, anti-history, anti-scholarship, anti-reality administration in U.S. history. There has always been an anti-intellectual strain in American culture, but it is unprecedented to have federal and state governments and their billionaire enablers cut medical research, pull humanities funding, deny climate change, and re-segregate higher education at this scale. They are burning the Library of Alexandria.

Anyway, you know all this. I just want to make sure other people dont think: Oh, this lucky person has tenure, wouldnt that be nice! How bad can it possibly be? You have plenty of reasons to want out, and knowing you wont stay in a job forever gives you a lot of freedom. Before you go, could you use your tenured position to advocate for others at the institution who have less power? Graduate students organizing a union could always use more support from faculty. Adjunct professors might want a tenured professor to speak up about improving their meager salaries. Do any student organizations need more faculty allies? You could write an article for your professional society or local newspaper about the consequences of DOGE creeps attacking your institution, and how that harms students and society. Youre already pursuing a side gig plus your day job, so you must be busy, but I encourage you to make the most of your position while you have it.

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I assume your disclosure will go to your department chair or dean. They are well aware that their professors are looking for exits (and they probably are, too). But you can present this side gig as a feature, not a bug. Tell them, if its not too much of a stretch, that it will inform your academic work. Point out that youll be connecting with potential future employers of your institutions students. Theyll be most concerned about any conflict of interest, so disclose anything that could be a problem and assure them you will separate any side work conflicts from your academic work. I hope the side gig works out, but if it doesnt and you stay on as a professor, I hope someday youll be able to help your institution rebuild.

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Send Your Questions to Good Job!

Laura Helmuth and Doree Shafrir want to help you navigate your social dynamics at work. Does your colleague constantly bug you after hours? Has an ill-advised work romance gone awry? Ask us your question here!

Dear Good Job,

I work on a team of six. Four colleagues travel. The team lead and I have weekly calls that drag on because they use them as a venting session for personal issues. Their problems arise because they have NO boundaries. How do I stop this annoying, massive waste of time? I report to them on this project and feel like a hostage.

Every Meeting Is a Therapy Session

Dear Therapy Session,

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So many workplace (and non-workplace) problems boil down to: How can you establish boundaries with someone who has none? And of course, the problem gets even more complicated when the person trampling all over your boundaries is supervising you. You might be able to start with a structural boundary. Are these calls scheduled for a set amount of time? If not, or if that time is too long, tell your hostage-taker that you are organizing your weekly schedule, and ask about setting your weekly meeting from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. If the meeting doesnt already have a running agenda, ask to start onefor efficiencys sake, of courseand assign each agenda item a certain amount of time for discussion. Fill the agenda with items you think are worthwhile, even if you have to pad it a bit. You can include an all other business item at the end to contain the venting. If they run over the set time or refuse to limit it, you can duck out at some point by saying you have other important business to attend to: Oops, Ive gotta run. I see that were getting close to our deadline on our next project, and I need to jot down a few more ideas.

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Another way to shut them down is to treat their trivial venting as Very Serious. Try, You sound really upset. I think our employee assistance program has emergency counseling services, maybe you should talk to someone? Or encourage them to problem solve: That sounds frustrating. How do you think you can change it? (People who are venting typically hate to be told to find solutions.) Ask them to justify why theyre talking to you about their petty problems: Can I help talk through any strategies for dealing with this issue? If they still run on and on unstoppably, pour yourself a cup of tea before the call, say, Mm-hmm occasionally, and scroll through Bluesky, work a crossword, or catch up on Slate while half-listening.

Slate Plus members get more Good Job every week. Sign up now to read Laura Helmuths additional column this week.

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Dear Good Job,

Im approaching my seventh year at the same organization, and I was promoted to be the director of my unit two years ago. This was around the same time that new upper-leadership came in as well. Since then, I have felt Ive been floundering professionally, since the new leaderships vision for my position (and my new supervisors management style) just doesnt line up with mine. This, along with the awfulness going on in the U.S. as a whole, has catalyzed me to change careers and move abroad. Im on a one or two-year timeline.

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I have an assistant director, Lydia, who started about a year ago, filling the position I had left. She has hit the ground running and is amazing. I know that my heart isnt in my work right now (and probably wont be), and while I am not consciously quiet-quitting, I do know that the quality of my work and especially the quality of supervision by Lydia hasnt been where I would want it to be. Im thinking of sitting down with Lydia and being honest about where I am, and thinking strategically about a succession plan for my position that gets Lydia into my role, where I know she will thrive. Essentially, I want to spend a chunk of my remaining work energies trying to get Lydias role reclassified as director (with an equivalent salary reevaluation), and we would work as co-directors until I leave.

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Is this a crazy idea? One concern could be that if my longer-term plan to depart becomes widely known, I might get pushed out, but A) I have a pretty high level of trust in Lydia and her discretion, and B) getting pushed out might not be entirely bad, perhaps even expediting my plan. Another concern is that human resources may want to reclassify my salary level (although in any rethinking of Lydias role, I would still be doing all of the same responsibilities Ive been doing).

Shooting Myself in the Foot

Dear Shooting Myself in the Foot,

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Before we get to your main question about Lydia and her career, lets talk about your own timeline. You say youre planning to move abroad in a year or two, but dont say why youre putting it off. Do you need time to save up more money? To do more research on visas and logistics? To launch your new, portable career? Sometimes we hold out hope of doing something in a year or two because we cant bear doing it right now. I understand the urge to leave, but unless you are sure youll be ready to expatriate later, dont plan your career around this escape route.

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Whether or not you leave in a few years, what can you do now to address your sense that youre floundering? Have you talked to your manager about how to adapt to the new-ish upper leaderships vision? Unless its a misguided, unclear, or exclusionary new vision, you might be able to freshen up your work life by learning more about different ways of doing things. Ask to be included in strategy meetings with your supervisor. Explore ways to redefine your own role that fit with the new vision and dont revert to how things were done before.

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As for Lydia, its always a good idea to consider succession plans. Good for you for helping her thrive in your old role and for setting her up for a promotion. To get to your specific questions: Do not share your frustrations with her. That puts too much pressure on your direct report, who looks up to you and shouldnt have to worry about your feelings. Do tell her you want to set her up for success, and ask her if she wants to take on more responsibilities. If so, talk to your human resources department and your supervisor about whether theres another job title between her current assistant director and your title of director that could recognize her growing role and get her a bigger salary, like deputy director or managing director. Making her a co-director is probably a non-starter for all kinds of institutional reasons (salary budgets, organizational chart confusion, authorization lines, etc.). Tell your supervisor youd like to take a fresh look at job responsibilities, which includes taking on new challenges yourself as well as giving Lydia new opportunities. Good luck, and if you do move abroad, bon voyage!

Laura

Classic Prudie

I am a manager of a small team at my workplace. My industry is heavily male-dominated, and my team has one other woman on it besides me. My team member Claudia is professional, friendly, and intelligent. I have no qualms about entrusting her with important, time-sensitive tasks, and do so with great success. Claudia was always very large and has gained a substantial amount of weight in the past three to four years
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Get thee to a DMV.

That has been American airports increasingly desperate message to travelers over the past two years, in anticipation of May 7, 2025, the date when the Transportation Security Administration was to begin requiring a Real ID or passport to board a plane. And as that day edged closer and closer this spring, fear of missing a flight with an old drivers license caused pileups at DMVs and government offices as Americans scrambled to get the documentation in time.

On Tuesday, however, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that air travelers without Real ID wouldnt be denied boarding after all. And on Wednesday, the lines were longer at DMVs than they were at airports, where TSA checkpoints seemed to be handling unprepared fliers with ease.

And so the real Real ID deadline to get on a plane has been pushed back for the fifth time. Officially, TSA can wait until May 5, 2027 to require it, by which time the Real ID Act of 2005 that established the requirement will be old enough to have a beer at the airport. But the current gray area is murkier than a clear extension.*

Its an appropriate gesture at a moment when aviation safety seems more threatened by the people running the airports than the people passing through them. But it is also a lesson in the surprising challenges of getting everyone an ID, with implications for elections.

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In some ways the Real ID delay feels like one more punt by a Trump administration that is quick to fold, whether on tariffs or TikTok. But the signs of a Real ID cave have been there for months. In January, the TSA established a rule that preemptively gave it the option to push Real ID enforcement to 2027. In April, as the TSA threatened that Real ID full enforcement was a month off, it also offered a 747-size loophole: passengers without the card could expect  delays and additional screening with the possibility of denied access, not a taxi to the Greyhound station.

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If you suspect that Homeland Security is beginning to sound like the boy who cried wolf, DHS officials agree. The point of the Real ID was to establish a national standard for drivers licenses. On the one hand, this was not an unreasonable requirement, judging by the many silly-looking fake IDs then in popular circulation. At the same time, the endless delays to implementation and lack of associated security incidents cast doubt on whether the law is necessary at all.

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Related From Slate American Cities Are Experiencing Something We Havent Seen Since the 1960s Read More

In any case, as any high school teacher can attest, repeated extensions have given the government a credibility problem. As DHS put it in the January rule: because of a history of REAL ID deadlines being extended, DHS believes that the public may continue to expect that additional extensions are likely and not feel urgency to obtain a REAL ID-compliant card  DHS expects that there is some confusion, lack of awareness, and apathy associated with the May 7, 2025, deadline.

Indeed: As of January, DHS estimated that just 56 percent of Americans drivers licenses and other IDs were Real IDcompliant. Anticipating a chaotic scene in airports this week, the government developed a compromiseanother two-year extension, but with stronger language.

That was justified in security terms (dealing with disgruntled, unprepared passengers could distract from The Real Threat), but theres another piece of the calculus: Air travelers make up a tiny slice of the American public but wield great influence, and even the smallest airport meltdowns make easy fodder for the nightly news.

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Contrast the lenience for air travelers with the intransigence of the drive for voter ID. The Real ID debacle is proof that even well-off Americansthe ones who fly frequentlycan have trouble managing demands for documentation on a deadline. Yet Republicans routinely say having a photo ID should be required to vote, and a growing map of states require it. The latest iteration is the Save ACT, which just passed the U.S. House, requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.

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The evidence is mixed on the extent to which existing laws disenfranchise voters, but they certainly dont make it easier to votemore than 20 million Americans over 18 do not have government-issued photo ID, according to one study. But its hard to imagine the government bending over backward to give them another way into the polling place, as weve been witnessing this week, and really for years, at the airport. If only preserving access to the ballot box were as important as getting to Disney World.
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There is a new pope. On Thursday, Pope Leo XIVformerly American Cardinal Robert Prevoststepped out onto the balcony outside St. Peters Square and introduced himself to the worlds more than 1 billion Roman Catholics. As a candidate, he was considered something of a moderate, a man who could appeal to progressive and conservative factions. In his first speech, he made it clear he wasnt going to take the church to the right, indicating he would follow Francis approach to leading the church by reaching out to the poor, immigrants, and other marginalized groups.

Whatever kind of pope he turns out to be, it seems clear the first American pope doesnt fit the mold of the conservative Catholic bishops who dominate the church leadership in the U.S. He is no Timothy Dolan, the New York cardinal with loudly partisan politics who is beloved by Donald Trump. He is not the American-style pope that so many ambitious and well-connected conservative Catholics would have hoped for.

But the conservative Americans should take heart. Pope Leo XIV will dictate the actions and positions of the larger Roman Catholic Church. But at a more direct practical level, the church leadership in the U.S. is headed, regardless, in a more conservative direction. No matter what the new pope does, he wont be able to change the younger generations of priests who are on the verge of taking over. For the foreseeable future, unless something drastic happens, the men who lead the churches of the United States will only become more and more orthodox, drawn to a kind of solemnly medieval vision of the church. Pope Leo XIV may not be conservative, but here in the U.S., the conservatives have numbers and time on their side.

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The phenomenon has been described as a kind of extinction event: The liberal men who joined the priesthood in the 60s and 70s, energized by the experimentation with modernizing reforms in the Vatican and the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., are a dying breed. The men who followed them, starting in the 1980s, broke sharply from the hippie-like attitudes of the older generation. And the following generations never looked back.

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Several studies and surveys have shown this trend to be consistent over the years. Each successive cohort of American priests has self-identified as even more conservative on moral, political, and theological matters. A survey of 10,000 Catholic priests published in 2023 found that almost 70 percent of priests ordained in the late 1960s self-identified as progressive or very progressive theologically. Jump forward to the men ordained after 2020, and 85 percent described themselves as conservative or orthodox on theological matters. None identified as very progressive.

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Bruce Morrill, a 65-year-old Jesuit priest and professor of theology at Vanderbilt University, described feeling a cultural disconnect from the younger priests, who focus more on sexual morality and other individual moral issueswhich werent prominent in the preaching of my generation, he said.

In my time, I was taken much more by the churchand every member of the churchhaving a mission of service for the world, he said. The emphasis was much more: What are the conditions in which were living, in which we can improve and build each other up? So we can deal with the complexities?

Its a different basic perspective, he added.

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Priests of the younger generation, he said, are drawn to certainty. The style is topic, question, and answer, he said of younger Catholics. Whereas the approach in my formative years was much more organic.

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He isnt alone in observing this generational clash. Brandon Vaidyanathan, a sociology professor at the Catholic University of America and lead investigator for the national survey of Catholic priests, said that during his research, he heard from young priests that the older men teaching them were too theologically lax. Weve heard from some of the priests [that] they dismiss this as a relic of the past, and thats going to change when people die, he said. Theres zero receptivity to it.

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This shift toward rigid orthodoxy, with clear answers to moral issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage, began with the 19782005 papacy of John Paul II, a charismatic and conservative figure who stood firm against communism. Some scholars have partly attributed the influx of conservative priests to enthusiasm for his particular model of Catholicism.

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But John Paul II was not solely responsible for the changes in the priesthood. Families started having fewer children, meaning fewer parents had sons to spare. The sexual abuse crisis, which gained attention starting in the 1980s and came to a head in the early 2000s, made the priesthood a less respected career option. As gay men became more accepted into society, fewer opted for celibate lives; simultaneously, they reported feeling less welcome in the priesthood. (Studies have shown a precipitous drop in gay and bisexual priests. One found that some 40 percent ordained before 1980 identified as not strictly heterosexual; only 12 percent of the most recent cohort identifies the same.) And in general, as society became more secular, taking on a celibate life for the church became less culturally normalized. The result is that those who feel called to become priests now tend to feel very strongly about the spiritual correctness of Catholicism.

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There has to be a profound conviction that theres solid truth there, and theres little ambiguity or nuance, Vaidyanathan said. Younger priests would say its important to be theologically orthodox: We have to communicate what the church actually teaches and that there is a right and wrong, and really emphasize it. Because otherwise, why the hell would you do it?

At the same time, experts said, a small but robust traditionalist youth subculture is on the rise. In Catholic centers at universities and in professional networks for young Catholics, with the backing of wealthy conservative donors, conservative mentalities are taking over. The young men interested in a career in the church are approaching the idea from a kind of countercultural angle, with a heavy emphasis on the sacraments and other specifically ancient Catholic traditions. The young men in these subcultures often develop more conservative theologiesand with them, an understanding of ordination as a kind of profound transformative process that made them, above all else, stewards of the holy sacramentsrather than simply leaders of a community.

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With the model of priesthood we have, it has a certain kind of appeal for young men looking for something extraordinary and set apart, said Daniel Rober, a Catholic Studies professor at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.

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Neither Vaidyanathan nor Brad Vermurlen, a professor of sociology at University of St. Thomas and the researcher behind a separate priest survey, saw any indication that the conservative trend in the priesthood was slowing. Francis could have exerted some influence on these trends through the staffing of Vatican offices that deal with bishops, who are in turn responsible for the men who will become priests. But with an overall global shortage of priests, such personnel changes only go so far. The reality is that the pool of candidates is more conservative.

The ongoing conservative trend among priests is at least neutral towards Pope Francis, if not despite him, Vermurlen said.

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The men from that experimental progressive generation are now mostly in their 70s and 80s. They cant keep their positions in seminaries, universities, and in the U.S. church leadership forever. Younger, conservative bishops are already taking up powerful positions in the hierarchy. It seems, then, that the U.S. Catholic church is in for many decades of conservative leadership. But scholars did note that there was some room for a softening of the trend.

Years of church teaching under Francis and a theoretical progressive successor focusing on compassion could affect priestsif paired with real-world experiences.

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Young men are often very enthusiastic, Rober said. But as they get older and experience life more, theyre hearing confessions and learning the tragic circumstances of life. It allows them to be awake to issues they werent awake to earlier in life. And it can change their approach to ministry over time.

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More dramatically, should the next pope want to fully shake up the priesthood, he could open the position to married menan idea the Vatican toyed with under Francis to deal with the extreme priest shortage in the Amazon region. Its very hard to predict how the church would change then.

Still, until such seismic changes come, we can expect the conservative trend to continue. Meanwhile, the upper levels of church leadership, at a global level, may remain largely untouched by this American cohort. In theory, progressives could hold on to power indefinitely through their appointments to the more important church offices. In that scenario, we might see a growing rift between the Vatican and the clergy in the U.S., which seems destined to form a culture at ideological odds with the ideologically diverse Catholic population.

Its an awkward position that the next pope will have to try to manage. But no matter who he is, theres a guaranteed change coming to the Catholic Church in the U.S. The liberal generation of priests is losing their grip on major institutions. The John Paul II generation is closing in.
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He emerged onto the balcony, smiling, to greet the tens of thousands of cheering, jubilant Catholics in St. Peters Square: the first American pope.

On Thursday afternoonevening, in Romeon a beautiful sunny day, Cardinal Robert Prevost from Chicago was elected the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He announced his new papal name: Pope Leo XIV.

Prevost, a 69-year-old from the Augustinian religious order, had been considered a moderate candidate with solid practical skills in dealing with Vatican politics but similar priorities to Pope Francis on the matters of immigrants and poor people. He has held somewhat more traditional attitudes on matters of women and LGBTQ+ rights and is expected to be more permissive toward the traditionalist faction in the church. On social media, some compared Prevost to the Stanley Tucci character Cardinal Bellini, from the popular 2024 movie Conclave, a film that has haunted these proceedings online, but thats not quite rightBellini is brash, while Prevost has been described as being more cautious and pragmatic than Francis. More than anything, this election seems to be one of continuity, rather than a push further left or a swing to the right. In his opening address, the new pope spoke of the need for a church that builds bridges and will receive everyone. It was a clear signal that he intends to maintain the approach that Francis brought to the papacy.

Prevost had been considered one of the leading candidates in the days leading up to the conclave, in large part because of his position as the head of the Vatican office that nominates candidates for bishops, making him something of a power broker in the church. But many Vatican watchers dismissed the possibility because they assumed that the cardinals would never select an American pope. It has been commonly believed that a pope from such a major superpower would make the rest of the church anxious.

Prevost spent much of his career in Peru, and as a result he had developed support from Latin American cardinals in the conclave. Latin America has a different approach to church matters, often described as pastoral, with a more pronounced history of social justice for the poor. He followed his Italian address from the balcony with one in Spanishbut not English.

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It remains to be seen what it will mean to have an American pope. (Prevost holds dual citizenship with Peru.) We can assume he wont be deferential to the more conservative U.S. church leadership, which has been friendly to the Republican Party. On social media, he has criticized J.D. Vances views on the Catholic teachings on caring for others, as well as Donald Trumps immigration policies, and last month he reposted harsh criticism of Trumps laughter in the Oval Office, regarding the imprisonment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

Despite these political statements from Prevost, the election was probably not meant to stick it to Trump, Vance, or MAGA. The decision had taken just two days, with four rounds of votes: a sign of unity from the 133 cardinal electors, who wanted to spread the message of brotherhood in the church, rather than ideological division. Everything about the process carried meaning. His papal garments, which were more ornate than Francis when he emerged, seemed to indicate a return to some of the more ritual-oriented traditions.

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As Catholics waited for the new pope to emerge, Prevost prayed and dressed in the new garments in an antechamber thats known as the Room of Tears, a name gesturing toward the heavy emotional weight of the realization of his responsibilities. Meanwhile, the Swiss Guard and the Vatican band proceeded through the square. After Prevost was announced, to cheers, some began to process the historic first. On live feeds from the square, some Americans chanted: USA! USA!

The conclave had begun Wednesday, a little more than two weeks after Francis death. The 133 cardinal electors were sequestered inside the Vatican compound; the Sistine Chapel, where the elections had taken place, was swept for bugs, and signal jammers were activated to lock down communications. The cardinals were allowed no contact with the outside world.

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We cant know exactly what happened behind the scenes to come to the decision. Later, some of the cardinals may share insights into the decisionmaking with Catholic journalists. But we will never know the exact politics; some cardinals may have struck deals or offered other reassurances to competing factions and players. Many of the factors are significantly less ideological: These men consider personalities and charisma, geography, particular experiences with Vatican jobs, and even particularly compelling speeches. Some want statesmen; some want pastors. But the reality is that, whatever Prevost has done, we cant know what kind of pope hell be. Few expected Francis to become the figure he became. It will take time for us to know what this choice will really mean.
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About two months ago, as Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency began ravaging high-profile government offices dedicated to managing Social Security, tax collection, and education, President Donald Trump signed a significant, yet little-noticed, executive order that aimed this reign of destruction at a new target: our public libraries.

The March 14 bulletin on Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy demanded that seven unnecessary entities, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services, halt all of their ongoing workgranting funds to augment state library budgets, awarding grants for innovative projectsand slash their staffing accordingly. Just days afterward, Trump assigned Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling to take over as acting director of the IMLS, and the new boss straightaway brought in DOGE to assess the tiny, meagerly funded agency of 75 staffers. By months end, thered been yet another massacre: About 80 percent of the staff was placed on administrative leave on March 31, with their layoffs scheduled to become permanent by May 4. In the first few days of April, Sonderling purged the agencys 23-member advisory board and notified all recent IMLS grantees that their congressionally appropriated funds were canceled; an IMLS employee pasted an SOS IMLS sign where it could be seen out of their office window.

As with so many of this administrations unprecedented moves, the courts have had to step in. Early last month, the American Library Association and the public workers union AFSCME sued Sonderling, Trump, and DOGE to halt the IMLS dismantlement; last week, Judge Richard Leon, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, granted a narrow and temporary restraining order forbidding the Trump administration from enacting any further IMLS layoffs or grant cancellations, for now, as the case advances. Another lawsuit, from 21 state attorneys general, is going even further, challenging Trump, Sonderling, and myriad other administration officials on constitutional grounds over the March 14 order and its respective impacts on the IMLS, the Minority Business Development Agency, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. On Tuesday, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted an injunction that bolstered the pause on taking apart the IMLS and extended it to the other named agencies.

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While these injunctions will come as a relief to IMLS affiliates, Trump is not standing down, having now proposed a budget that zeroes out all funds normally delegated to the IMLS, the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It is not yet clear whether such cuts will go into Congress final budget, but Trump has already signed yet more executive orders that have led the NEH, the NEA, and the CPB to cancel millions of dollars worth of already-approved grants. The ensuing fallout on local economies, cultural hubs, and basic everyday services has been widespread and deep.

And unless immediate, restorative action is taken to accompany the IMLS court orders, the situation for Americas libraries and museums is likely going to worsen. Without staff reinstatements, the agencys much-slowed-down operations have depended on just a dozen workersonly two of whom specialize in libraries specifically, and only one of whom has experience delegating federal grants. Just a few of the canceled grants have since been fully restored, one of which went to a Drexel University collection of 1800s-era American art and artifacts that was seen as consistent with the agencys priorities in furtherance of the Presidents agenda, per an official email seen by the Philadelphia Inquirer. (The Drexel conservation project includes Civil War drawings, works by Black Philly artist and abolitionist David Bustill Bowser, and a flag from the Perry Expedition.)

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These reversals aside, you can scan local media reports from over the past couple of months, from all over the country, and see how much devastation the IMLS overhaul has already caused. The outright closure of the South Dakota State Library. Steep layoffs at the Maine State Library. Access to e-books denied at a Mississippi public library. Digitization efforts scuttled at the St. Louis Holocaust Museum. After-school programs gutted at New Mexicos Native tribal libraries, equipment upgrades stalled at Alaskan tribal libraries, and summer reading rolled back at dozens of Ohio libraries. Resources once available in Braille for blind constituents in Seattle now cut back. A bookmobile that expanded library services to rural Arkansans, no longer rolling. A science education center in upstate New York, blasted with a new half-million-dollar budget hole.

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Even if youre among the millions of Americans who have local library accounts and make frequent use of the myriad in-person and virtual services on offer, you may not know too much about the IMLS and its significance. Created in 1996 with the bipartisan passage of the Library Services and Technology Act, the IMLS is an independent agency that provides significant federal support for our nations 35,000 museums and 123,000 public libraries. (Previously, the Department of Education held that responsibility.) It dispatches federal money in two ways, explained Phillip Berg, executive director for New Jerseys Main Library Alliance. One is through different grant programs, to very large libraries or to state governments, to improve technology and services and make them the best in the world. The other is through allotments to State Library Administrative Agencies, which fund anywhere from 30 to 60 percent of a states library budget and help to support libraries in rural and suburban areas.

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Bergs job, heading a nonprofit alliance that counts 56 Jersey libraries among its roster of member-clients who share resources and technical expertise with one another, gives him a close view of how IMLS has benefited New Jersey as a whole. From the State Library, we get a Talking Book and Braille Center to serve visually impaired constituents, a thorough digital business database called Reference Solutions, and transportation to deliver materials from one library or address to another, he said. I dont know if the state could afford to continue doing all that if theres no more federal dollarsyoud see those services either eliminated, reduced, or sent down to the local taxpayer.

Those state-resourced programs, supported by federal dollars, also extend to public school libraries within primary, secondary, and higher education. At Michigan State University (where I went to school), the capital-L Libraries employ hundreds of staffers and students for the preservation and archival efforts that make their workplace one of the top-ranked research libraries in North America. IMLS funds certain statewide programs through the Library of Michigan that we participate in, like the Michigan Electronic Library, MSU Libraries Dean Neil Romanosky told me in an interview. Its a collection of e-books, scholarly articles, and databases across all subjects that saves librariesincluding ourstens of thousands of dollars a year, because they dont have to license those resources themselves. It also has a borrowing and resource-sharing network that can deliver stuff to any Michigan residents.

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While MSU Libraries is dealing with federal-funding chaosincluding the loss of an active NEH grant, made to support a historic cookbook digitization initiative, that was rescinded, halting the projectRomanosky emphasized that the states potential loss of IMLS funding would hit other places even harder. A lot of schools here have either very leanly resourced libraries or no library at all. They really rely on these resource-sharing and electronic networks available through the state, he said. Somebody from the Upper Peninsula can request something from a library in this area, get it easily and quickly at no charge. Its an exercise in efficiencyenormous return on investments, something like $26 for every dollar spent on itwhen a lot of these movements in the federal government are supposed to be targeted toward further efficiency.

The crippling of these state resources still means that larger library systems have to trim budgets for their behind-the-scenes work, like job training. Mark Winston is the chief executive officer for Prince Georges County Memorial Library System, in Maryland, which serves over 600,000 cardholders and other community members through a network of 19 branches and a library outpost in Prince Georges correctional facility. Although the large majority of the systems funding comes from the countys budget, a quarter of its funding still comes through the state government, meaning IMLS. Professional development for staff, hiring strategic consultantsweve had to halt all that spending, Winston told me. This funding allows us to plan how we maintain our buildings, to hire and train staffers who may not have a masters degree. With that support, were able to focus on book collections and employing the staff we need, especially when it comes to helping fired federal workers in the area. Without that funding, its almost impossible.

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Whats been further disorienting to librarians is that they never had to deal with this during the first Trump administration. I dealt with Trumps first presidency and Bidens without any problems, said Joe Sanchez, a former IMLS grantee and an associate professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies at Queens College. IMLS has always been a nonpartisan place, because everybody benefits from literacy. I was part of the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Programa grant passed by a Republican president! (Notably, the D.C. judge who issued the injunction in ALA v. Sonderling is a George W. Bush appointee.)

Its true that, back in 2018, an IMLS reauthorization bill passed the Senate unanimously and was signed into law by none other than President Donald Trump himself. Yet there were hints during the previous campaign season that hed take a different approach upon reelection. Last year, the advocacy nonprofit EveryLibrary attempted to raise public awareness that the Heritage Foundationthe ultraconservative think tank that spearheaded the Project 2025 policy blueprinthas, over the years, repeatedly called for eliminating the IMLS. Russell Vought, the Project 2025 co-author and former Heritage fellow who now serves as Office of Management and Budget director, is listed alongside his department as a co-defendant in both of the federal IMLS lawsuits.

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Even so, few would have expected the sheer glee this administration has taken in paring down the IMLS. On April 3, DOGEs official X account tweeted out a congratulatory message to Keith Sonderling for cancelling $25M in wasteful DEI grants awarded by IMLS, to which the California State Library responded by noting that its own Braille and Talking Book Libraryin the strictest sense, a project intended to increase equity and inclusion of blind patronswas among the programs. IMLS social media accounts, now answering to the new management, posted infographics on how the era of using your taxpayer dollars to fund DEI grants is OVER.

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Incidentally, one of the cancellations DOGE tweeted about involved Sanchezs Laura Bush grant, which it described as $265K for Queens College in New York to research why BIPOC teens read Japanese comic books. This string of words may sound objectionable to DOGE, but Japanese soft power has had a massive sociopolitical influence on young Americans; understanding manga reading habits is, in fact, a worthy venture. This three-year grant started in August 2023, and Ive done 14 focus groups in seven different cities with students to figure out what is it about this type of book that gets them engaged and interested in reading manga, Sanchez said, adding that he had outstanding payments due to contractors who had worked on this project, meant to be filled in by the grant dollars.

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Sanchez was gratified by the recent court decisions but also acknowledged to me that they dont undo the months of lost time, disrupted research, and broken trust. He doesnt know whether they mean hell get the money back anytime soon (I havent heard anything yet), but Sanchez insists that he remains committed to finishing this work because the demand and the data are still here.

Indeed, for everyone affectedacademics, librarians, students, community members who rely on all sorts of library resourcestheres hope to be had in the fact that both judges overseeing the IMLS lawsuits have written that the cuts will likely be declared illegal, paving a way forward for the projects, funds, and IMLS staffers to get back into business. But these will serve as just one aspect of Trumps war on libraries; if he can get Congress on board with terminating IMLS funding, there will be fewer legal avenues for redress available. Theres a hard fight ahead, and theres no telling who else will be hurt along the way.
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A recent thought process I had while standing in the produce section of my local grocery store: Shit. All the romaine is American. I cant make a Caesar salad out of locally grown pea shoots. And all the broccoli is also American. Bollocks. Another item is struck from the shopping list. The good news? There are excellent year-round tomatoes grown in greenhouses here in Ontario, Canadian cucumbers aplenty, and avocados from our tandem-tariffed CUSMA cousins in Mexico. OK, I can pivot. Chopped salad. That, plus a frittata made with Ontario asparagus instead of Yankee broccoli. Yesfrittata! The eggs are all Canadian and pretty much the same price here as they were last year.

Evidence of Canadians boycotting the United States has been emerging, with stories cropping up of precipitous drops in border crossing, airline reservations, and hotel bookings. Perhaps less discussed is the retail boycott. But according to March survey data from NielsenIQ, a third of Canadian respondents said they were entirely boycotting U.S.-made products, regardless of availability or price. A nonscientific survey of the grocery shopping habits of the women at my gym indicates most are finding it very easy to skip American produce, and I can confirm multiple sightings of American lettuce wilting on the shelf while the Canadian-grown clamshells are all sold out.

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Why are Canadians so committed? Well, after a brief lull, the U.S. president has started batting around his 51st-state threats against the True North Strong and Free again. Trumps addled musing that its highly unlikely hed try to annex Canada by force on Meet the Press this past weekend was less than reassuring. Do you have any idea how outrageous that sounds to Canadians? The president of the United States of America wants us to feel better that he just doesnt see it with Canadathe it here being an armed invasion. Canadas newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday, where Carney (respectfully) reiterated that his nation is not into America in that way, never going to happen. Trump, ever desperate for the last word, mumble-bragged never say never.

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Early in the trade portion of this war, back in February, Canadians got to watch the satisfying flourish of liquor stores around the country pulling American booze off the shelves entirely. In the immediate wake of Trumps first threatsboth tariff-related and territorialshoppers who wanted to boycott had to spend time squinting at labels and parsing the difference between Made in Canada, Produced in Canada, and Prepared in Canada, but a couple of months later, we have an app for that. Nowadays, supermarkets have followed with a more subtle nudge by labeling homegrown items with cheery maple leaves on shelf fronts. Some stores have also rolled out black T markers for tariff-affected goods. When I do my online grocery shop, there is a banner: Shop Made in Canada products. Just like that. According to one of Canadas largest grocery chains, Loblaws, theyve seen a 17 percent uptick in Made in Canada purchases online. While the president of Loblaws noted the jumps in Made in Canada purchases, he wondered aloud whether the switch would last. I would respectfully suggest that itll likely last as long as the U.S. president continues to wonder aloud about annexing us.

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You may have heard that Canadians are uncommonly kind, averse to making a fuss, polite to a fault, joint Olympic champions with Midwesterners in the art of passive aggression, but there are a couple of other things about us that might help parse our stance vis-a-vis the aforementioned American lettuce. My regular supermarket is about a third of the way up Torontos Yonge Street, the longest street in the world, according to many proud Torontonians. Its true that Canadians are not braggadocious, as a rule, but they have this thing for scale (understandably); biggest, longest, etc., etc. Several Ontarian friends have dropped into conversation clunkily, somewhat smugly, that Canada possesses some 20 percent of the worlds freshwater resources. Also mentioned unbidden around these parts: that Canada shares the worlds longest undefended border with the United States. These very Canadian geographic brags are about bigness, yes, but theyre also about things other countries definitely havent thought about much, and that are practically not that helpful. The Yonge Street claim isnt even trueIts the longest street in Canada, not the world, and nobody else brags about having the longest street anyway. As for the fresh-water claim, it turns out, as a practical matter, that more than half of that renewable water resource drains into the Arctic Ocean and Hudson Bay and is therefore unavailable to the 85 percent of the Canadian population that lives along the aforementioned undefended southern border. As for the 8,891 kilometers of border Canada shares with the United States, what was once a point of pridethousands of miles of unprotected border shared peacefully with its neighbors to the southhas become a big number that other countries dont really care about, and is at this moment turning out to be, practically speaking, extremely unhelpful.

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The impracticality of our current situation (three coasts, small military, desirable resources, rapacious neighbors) sits awkwardly with a trait prized by Canadians perhaps even more than vastness: pragmatism. And it is in the boycott that Canadas new sense of precarity, paired with that pragmatism, finds expression. In the face of an existential threat, its really gratifying to be able to take simple daily action; even better that it is something that can be done individually, expressed collectively, and that chips away at the feelings of powerlessness and, yes, precarity. The maple-leaf stickers, the wilting U.S.-grown romaine, and the bare shelves once heaving with California chardonnay mirror back a national sense of indignation at being the target of Trumps expansionist insanity.

Dont get me wrong, Im pretty sure hearing O Canada play in ones head while browsing for cottage cheese is likely not a universal experience. I personally happen to be the only Canadian in a household that is 75 percent American. While my Americans are mostly housetrained and polite, the boycott has been adopted with varying levels of zeal. Not everyone is on board. I have a tween and a teen daughter, so the Starbucks ban has fallen heavy on them. But! I argue: Timmys is: A) cheaper, B) closer to our house, and C) as Canadian as possible under the circumstances (turns out its owned by Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital, oh and also by Pershing Square of Bill Ackman fame). But Tim Hortons just doesnt have the same cachet, apparently. Beyond the Starbucks-sneaking under-18s in my own household, friends in the neighborhood whisper judgmentally about other friends who went to Vegas for the weekend, impress one another with deleting Uber and using local taxi apps, say how much money theyre saving since they gave up Amazon, but still confess to buying Goldfish crackers (American) for their kids. As mentioned, Canadians prize pragmatism, so there are levels and levels of boycott for varying levels of commitment and passion.

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A friend, a new Canadian, is all-in (such is the fervor of the convert). Hes eschewing all things made in America, and also American brands and things made by American-owned companies. No more McDonalds, Walmart, or Amazon, but also no Heinz. Hes canceled all his U.S.-based streaming services. I dont have the heart to tell him that denying himself Severance is a drop in the bucket compared to the bajillions of dollars that go to Amazon Web Services to run 

almost everything everywhere, including here. (It turns out that Canadas federal government and the provincial government in Ontario use AWSso does the CBC, and the Globe and Mail.)

I dont have the heart to tell him, but also, its not the point. The performance of the boycott is actually the point, not the particulars. The maple-leaf stickers and empty chardonnay shelves and wilting romaine signal a common purpose. Canadians are signaling to each other: This is going to be tough, but were going to get through it  and we might even come out stronger. Thats what all the candidates running in our just-concluded election were emphasizing: This is going to be tough, the government will try to support you, and if we pull together, well come out of this stronger. A bit like my pivot to chopped salad and asparagus frittata, this trade war asks for small sacrifices from consumer soldiers in the very quotidian space of the grocery aisle. My kids are just going to have to come around to Timmys.
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With the clear crushing of his dreams about winning a Nobel Prize for ending the war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump is now setting his sights on equally grand history by making a deal that halts Irans pursuit of a nuclear weapon. He is likely to find this reverie equally fantastical.

First, there is the awkward fact that in his first term, Trump scuttled an accord that struck just such a deal, for the sole reason that the deal had been negotiated by his predecessor and object of loathing, Barack Obama. In the seven years since the sabotage, Tehrans leaders have revived their nuclear program and are now closer than ever to building an actual bomb. Among other things, this makes it unlikely that they would agree to a deal more restrictive than Obamasor that Trump and entourage would swallow a deal that puts lighter clamps on the Islamic Republics aims and capabilities.

Second, even leaving history aside, the conditions that Trump and his entourage say they would place on a new nuclear deal make it all but impossible for the mullahs of Tehran to agree. The main obstacle is Trumps insistence on Irans total dismantlement of every aspect of its nuclear program, including its uranium enrichment facilities. It is hard to imagine any reward that would lure the Iranians to go that far.

In the first phase of the original Iran nuclear talks, Obama and his P5+1 negotiating partners (China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom) insisted on an enrichment ban. But they soon realized that the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treatyconcluded in 1970, ratified by the United Nations, and signed by 190 countries (including Iran)explicitly allows the signatories to enrich uranium to a purity level of 3 percent; enough to generate electrical power. The American and Soviet officials who drafted the NPT half a century ago lured other countries to sign not only by allowing them to harness nuclear energy but by assisting them to do so; the treaty guaranteed them the necessary technology, as part of a program called Atoms for Peace.

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Uranium enriched to 3 percent is a long way from the roughly 90 percent level needed for weapons-grade stuff. But the technology is the same, and the step up to 90 percent from 60 percentIrans level at the momentis minor.

This has always been a loophole in the NPT. A country could sign on, start enriching uranium while staying within the treatys limits, and then one day suddenly exceed those limits and declare itself a nuclear-weapons state.

Related From Slate Trump Just Issued an Executive Order Aimed at Decimating the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Read More

Still, the Iranian delegates to the Obama-era talks argued that they should not be denied a right that an international treaty granted to almost every other country on Earth. Besides, an annex to the NPTwhich Iran had also signedallowed international inspectors to verify compliance with the treatys limits. The argument was compellingand the Obama-era deal stiffened the inspections. (Trumps first secretary of defense, retired Gen. James Mattis, testified early on in his term that the deals verification clauses, which he said hed read three times, were robust.)

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Vice President J.D. Vance recently said that the only countries now enriching uranium are those that have nuclear weapons. If this were true, it would be a persuasive argument that a treaty barring Iranians from nuclear weapons should also bar them from enrichmentbut it isnt true. Five other countries possessing no nuclear weaponsArgentina, Brazil, Germany, Japan, and the Netherlandshappen to enrich uranium. In other words, Irans programespecially a program whose level of enrichment is limited by an arms control accordimplies nothing about its intention.

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It would be nice if senior U.S. officials talked with expert advisersor even consulted Googlebefore speaking in public about a subject.

Trump, of course, is the model for those who feel no obligation to fact-check before yammering. On this issue, Trump said its fine if Iran uses uranium for electrical power as long as it doesnt use it to build nuclear weaponsignoring, or perhaps not knowing, that the NPT and the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal allowed precisely this distinction. He also said that he would love to lift the economic sanctions against Iran, allowing its people to lead better and richer lives, in exchange for the dismantlement of its nuclear programsagain ignoring, or perhaps not precisely knowing, that this was the essence of the Obama deal.

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Its worth wondering what Benjamin Netanyahu thinks of all this. Israels prime minister was instrumental in convincing Trump, back in 2018, to scuttle the first Iran nuclear deal. Many Israeli military and security officers supported Obamas deal, some in public, others more quietly, noting that it was at least better than no deal at all. Some of those officers thought at the timeI dont know whether they knewthat Netanyahu objected not so much to the section limiting Iranian nukes but rather to the section lifting sanctions and thus allowing Iran to reenter the global economy and as a participant in legitimate Middle Eastern diplomacy. Trump, after his latest reversal, is holding out the latter prospects as a positive development.

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Trump hopes to hold direct talks with Irans President Masoud Pezeshkian later this month after first visiting Saudi Arabia. Pezeshkian, a moderate by his countrys standards, has advocated reopening relations with the West, even resuming some version of the nuclear deal if it means the lifting of sanctions. It is possible that the two presidents could sign a statement of principles guiding new nuclear talks.

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But its the details that matter. It took Iran and the P5+1 countries two years to thread the details of the 159-page deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signedand ratified by the U.N.in 2015. Trump tends to think deals, even big deals, can be hammered out in an instant. In this case, he doesnt knowor think he needs to knowthe broad outlines of what would make a new deal acceptable to all sides. And to the extent hes spoken about it, his notion of the broad outlines wouldnt be acceptable at all.
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Troubling news from the ocean today: Apparently the crew of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier has allowed an F-18 Super Hornet fighter jet to fall into the water, where it can no longer be used for its intended purpose of flying in the air, for the second time in a week:

The F/A-18F Super Hornet jet, worth about $67 million, went overboard after an unsuccessful attempt to slow it down upon landing on the USS Harry S. Truman, the Navy said in a statement. Both aviators aboard the jet safely ejected and were rescued at sea by helicopter with minor injuries, and no one aboard the warships flight deck was harmed, the service said.

That report is from the Washington Post, which notes that there were also no serious injuries sustained during the Trumans prior instance of airplane falling into ocean one week ago. In that incident, a jet being towed to its hangar went overboard, the military says, because the carrier (if we can still call it that, given its checkered history of carrying aircraft) swerved to avoid Houthi rebel fire off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea.

Related From Slate The Controversy That Said It All About America Under Trumpand Where Were Headed Now Read More

A Business Insider write-up of the incident briefly went viral on Wednesday night because its headline appeared to suggest a third jet had just been lost from the Truman; the article was accurate, but in mentioning a third plane, it was actually referring to an incident last December in which a Truman-deployed Super Hornet was accidentally shot down by the USS Gettysburg missile cruiser. (Both of the aviators aboard survived.) So, as far as that third one, we didnt let it fall off the ship, we just shot it down ourselves.

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In total, the cost of USS Truman Super Hornets lost since December ($67 million each) is nearly equal to the entire annual budget of the National Endowment for the Arts ($207 million). The mishaps have the attention of senior U.S. military leaders, a defense official familiar with the discussion said Tuesday night, the Post reports. Good to know.

In February, incredibly, the Truman was in the news because it ran into a cargo ship near the Suez Canal. Simply put, we may be talking about one of the worst-performing boats of all time.

Or maybe thats unfair; maybe the Truman is being stalked by an undersea monster or ocean beast that keeps reaching its hideous tentacles out of the briny deep to grab airplanes.

Either way, deterrence theory calls for a swift counterattack against the ocean. Inaction only emboldens the Trumans enemies, which in this case include gravity and potentially an octopus, and encourages further mischief. The best time to shoot a nuclear missile at the Great Barrier Reef in order to show it whos boss was yesterday; the second-best time is now (1300 hours). We fight them (sharks) there so they dont come here. Anchors aweigh!
Linda Ann Guy, 74, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, passed away peacefully on May 4, 2025. Born in Dameron, Maryland on May 29, 1950, she was the beloved daughter of the late Joseph Earl and Mignionette Margaret (Robinson) Gatton.



Raised in Southern Maryland, Linda met the love of her life, Bernard Reed Guy, and the two were married on June 9, 1972. The couple shared more than five decades of devotion and companionship. Together, they raised two daughters: Terri Michelle (Guy) Smith of Fall Branch, Tennessee, and Hilda Lovell Guy of Martinsburg, West Virginia. She is also lovingly remembered by her son-in-law, Danny Glenn Smith Jr.



Linda found great joy in the role of grammie, and she took immense pride in her three grandchildren: Samuel Christopher Smith, Nathanael Thomas Smith, and Hannah Elizabeth Smith. Her love for them was unwavering and evident in every card game, story shared, and moment spent together.



She is also survived by her sister, Hilda Mae Gatton of Leonardtown, Maryland, and her brother, David Edward Gatton of Fort Mill, South Carolina. She was preceded in death by her brother, Linus Earnest Gatton. Linda valued family above all and maintained close bonds with her siblings throughout her life.



Linda dedicated much of her professional life employed with the Federal Government, where her attention to detail and commitment to excellence were widely respected. Her job brought her to Hedgesville, West Virginia 31 years ago, where with her husband she enjoyed making a new home and meeting new friends. After retiring in 2007, she embraced a life filled with family, community, volunteering at her church and the simple joys she cherished most.



She found happiness playing card games with loved ones, where her quick wit and competitive spirit always shone through. She enjoyed sitting on the deck on warm, sunny days, eating hard crabs in the summer and stuffed ham for the holidays.



Linda's warmth, intelligence, and sense of humor will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her legacy lives on in the hearts of her family and friends, and in the memories they will carry forward.



A Life Celebration will take place on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at Brinsfield Funeral Home, located at 22955 Hollywood Road in Leonardtown, MD. Friends and family are invited to a visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m., with a Celebration of Life Service to follow at 11:00 a.m. After the service, she will be laid to rest at the St. Michael's Catholic Church Cemetery in Ridge, Maryland.



For friends and family in West Virginia, a memorial mass will be held in her honor on Friday, May 16, 2025 at 11 a.m. at St. Bernadette's Catholic Church, located at 109 West Main Street in Hedgesville, WV.




Following his 1:53.1 first-round Maryland Sire Stakes victory last week, Lucky Lilly Belle Stable's Brooksforreal extended his win streak to 11 with a 1:54.2 score in his $13,889 second-round preliminary division on Wednesday, May 7 at Rosecroft Raceway.

In one of the non-wagering divisions, driver Jared Moyer rated fractions of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:26.2 with the three-year-old Rustys For Real-Brooks Range gelding before using a :28 sprint home to keep pocket rival Hungry Cougar (Jonathan Roberts) at bay by a measured length. MJ Copperfield (Russell Foster) finished third.

Brooksforreal, whom Stacey McLenaghan trains, has won 11 of 15 races in his career and banked $246,626.

Bryan Truitt's Dont Say Maybe took top speed honours among three-year-old pacing colts and geldings with a 1:54 win in the other division. In line to Frank Milby, the Rustys For Real-Sarcastic Bluechip gelding stalked splits of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:25 before emerging from third off the home turn and sweeping to the fore in the final yards to edge pocket rival Rustys Lancelot (Eric Davis) and 3-2 pacesetter Classic Cougar (William Carter) by a widening length. Bryan Truitt Jr. trains Dont Say Maybe, who returned $5.80 to win.

Owner/trainer/breeder Richard Hans and driver Johnathan Ahle partnered to sweep both sophomore trotting divisions with Yall Beneath Me offspring, winning the non-wagering colt and gelding division with Yall Keep Dreaming, who defeated Roan Ridge (Declan Donoway) by 16-1/4 lengths in a lifetime-best 1:55.2 when rebounding from an accident last week that was the only blemish on his career record, and the filly division with Yall Just Love Me ($5.40), who circled cover to edge stablemate Yall Know Me (Foster) by a half length in 2:00.

Moyer scored his second winning Maryland Sire Stakes drive in the second three-year-old filly pacing section, teaming his own trainee Pawny ($46) to a 22-1 upset over Post Jolene (Roberts) and tiring 1-9 pacesetter Toys Little Tinker (Carter) in 1:55.4.

Woodys Girl ($2.40) won the other split, powering to a 3-1/4-length win over Lus Darling (Eric Davis) and Pams For Real (Fern Paquet Jr.) in 1:56 while in line to Tim Deaton for trainer Kasey Bendix.

The spring Maryland Sire Stakes series will culminate with a quartet of $95,000 USD finals next Wednesday, May 14.

Live harness racing returns to Rosecroft on Sunday, May 11 with a pair of carryovers: $447.22 in the Pick-5 (Races 3-7) and $5,925.36 in the Jackpot Hi-5 (Race 10). First post for the 13-race program is 12 noon.

(With files from Rosecroft Raceway; photo of Brooksforreal from a previous win)
Harness racing returns to Cape Breton on Saturday, May 10 as Northside Downs kicks off its 2025 season.

While the seven-dash card features a number of familiar faces, a pair of new challengers have emerged in the top class with a field of five assembled to compete in the afternoon's sixth race, the $1,700 Winners Over feature.

Two Points (PP3, 3-1) makes his local debut after a 13-win season in 2024. A five-year-old son of Deuce Seelster, Two Points made 35 starts in Prince Edward Island last year and hit the board in 25 of those starts for his previous connections. Now trained and co-owned by Aidan Dicks along with Danny Ferguson of Sydney, Two Points tuned up for his 2025 season with a qualifier at Northside on May 3, finishing second while pacing his mile in 2:00.4

The horse that defeated Two Points in that qualifier is no stranger to the Northside winner's circle and a consistent top class contestant for the past two seasons, Thunder Alley. In those past two seasons, the son of Mystery Chase has come out of the gate in fine form. In 2023, he won three of his first four seasonal starts and then topped that early season sharpness in 2024 with a five-race win streak to kick off the meet. He's the 5-2 morning line choice on Saturday, starting from post two for driver Gerard Kennedy, trainer Heather Hawkins and Nova Scotia-based owners Terri Morrison, Irwin Claener, Kirk MacRae and Angus MacEachern.

Eight-year-old Fear The Shadow (PP5, Keigan Madden, 4-1) makes his Cape Breton debut after Irish Rd Stables of Port Hood acquired the Ontario-based pacer last month. The richest horse in the field by virtue of his $137,313 bankroll, Fear The Shadow is a 12-time winner in his career that's showing no signs of slowing down over time. His seven-year-old season in 2024 ranked among his best for earnings, and he notched six of his 12 lifetime tallies in that season while racing at nine different racetracks across Ontario.

A pair of grizzled veterans with a wealth of experience in this class, Kiss Me Im Irish (PP1, Mark Pezzarello) and Revenant (PP4, Ryan Campbell, 9-2) round out the stout field of five.

Northside Downs will host a total of 27 live racing cards this year, with Saturday afternoons comprising the bulk of the race days. The Sydney, N.S. oval will race through to Saturday, Aug. 2, adding a Thursday card on Aug. 7 while taking a break during P.E.I.'s Old Home Week. Racing resumes on Aug. 24 with Saturdays through to Nov. 15 -- with an exception of a Monday afternoon card on Oct. 13 instead of Oct. 11.

First post time on Saturday is 1 p.m. (ADT). To view the entries for Saturday's card, click one of the following links: Northside Downs - Saturday Entries // Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).

(Standardbred Canada)
Louprint held the top spot in the second edition of Dave Little's "Road to The Meadowlands Pace," released on Thursday, May 8.

"The horse seems like hes in mid-season form," said trainer Ron Burke on Louprint's 1:49.3 season's debut in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes last Saturday at The Meadows. "He could go [1]:48 today if he wanted too. [Despite the tough trip,] it wasnt that hard of a mile. The ear plugs were in all the way. Hell be back in at Pocono on the 17th. This is the best colt Ive had since Sweet Lou.

Tony Alagna trainee Making History leaped from obscurity all the way to No. 7 in the weekly poll. Making History used an explosive final eighth-of-a-mile to pull off a surprise in a division of the New Jersey Sire Stakes in his career debut at The Meadowlands to make the biggest splash of the week as all horses in the top 10 either qualified or raced during the last seven days.

To view the complete list, click here. (All earnings are reported in USD).

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)
Eldorado Scioto Downs kicks off its 2025 race season on Thursday, May 8, with a 16-race card on opening night. Full programs will continue throughout the opening weekend on Friday and Saturday.

Were pretty happy with the number of horses in the box, said Jason Roth, Sciotos Director of Racing. We had to move a couple races from Thursday to Friday due to five divisions of a mini-series. Of course Id love to get everyone raced, but we only built a 16-race paddock, so our max is 160 horses each night.

The Jerry Knappenberger Series, named after the long-time general manager of the Ohio Harness Horsemens Association, is for colt and gelding pacers who are non-winners of one pari-mutuel race. The event goes off as Races 2, 5, 10, 12 and 14.

Seaside Star leaves from the rail in Race 12 for driver Trevor Smith and trainer Dean Glispie. The three-year-old gelded son of Downbytheseaside-Rock N Roll Xample was an $85,000 purchase from the 2023 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and has earned $39,679 while staying a true maiden, finishing second or third in 10 of his 11 lifetime starts.

I had him for one start as a two-year-old. He was a nice colt but just had some maturing and growing up to do, said Glispie. Over the winter, he did a lot of growing up but not out  I would like to see him get a little bigger. Hes a very nice colt, but was green and immature.

When Scioto Downs goes on air on Thursday, a new face will appear. John Rallis will join on-air commentator Jenna Otten for opening day and Friday, then work with track announcer Barry Vicroy on Saturday. Rallis is the associate editor for TROT Magazine, the publication of Standardbred Canada, and has been seen doing interviews, on-air commentating and providing picks for Woodbine Mohawk Park and The Meadowlands, as well as race analysis for DRF Harness.

People love full fields, good racing and low takeout wagers, said Rallis. And that is exactly what Scioto Downs brings. Im super pumped to be a part of opening weekend there and I hope everyone plays along as well!

The wagering menu at Scioto on Thursday features a $7,500 guaranteed pool as part of the USTAs Strategic Wagering initiative. The $.50 Pick-4 starts in the seventh race and has a low 14 per cent takeout. Other featured wagers include two $.50 Pick-5 (starting in Races 1 and 11); two more $.50 Pick-4s (starting in Races 3 and 13); and $.20 Super High Fives in Races 4, 9 and 16.

The 90-day 2025 race meet at Scioto Downs runs through Saturday, Sept. 13. Live racing will take place Tuesday through Saturday, with special holiday cards on Memorial Day and Labor Day. First post is set for 5:45 p.m. each day, except for Memorial Day (4 p.m.), June 19 (4 p.m.), Thursday, July 4 (3:15 p.m.), and Friday, Sept. 12, which will feature a 6:45 p.m. post time to accommodate horsepeople attending the Ohio Selected Yearling Sale.

(With files from Scioto Downs)
Longtime harness racing industry participant Dr. John Atack of Perth, Ont. passed away at Carleton Place Hospital on April 30, 2025 at the age of 76.

An esteemed veterinarian, John dedicated his life to the care and well-being of horses. Before entering veterinary medicine, he was an accomplished rider, competing in hunter-jumpers and three-day eventing. His deep understanding and love for horses guided his long and respected career as a veterinarian. He worked with many equine athletes, including Standardbreds, the horses of Ian Millar of Millar Brooke Farm, and those of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

In addition to his veterinary work, John was a passionate horseman who owned and raced Standardbred horses, and even ventured into breeding, further deepening his lifelong connection to the equestrian world.

John was well known for his compassion, professionalism, and unwavering dedication to the animals he cared for. He was a kind and humble gentleman who earned the admiration and respect of colleagues and clients alike.

Outside of his professional life, John enjoyed the quiet pleasures of fishing and spent many enjoyable hours playing a variety of computer games. These simple joys brought him much happiness and peace.

He will be profoundly missed by all who knew him.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Blair & Son Funeral Home in Perth, Ont.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Johns memory may be made to the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society or to cancer research.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Dr. John Atack.
Lifelong harness racing owner, trainer, driver and breeder Marcel Bouvier of Langley, B.C. passed away peacefully on May 5, 2025, two days shy of his 93rd birthday.

Born May 7, 1932, Marcel was a second-generation horseman. His passion was horses and he lived his passion well. He was still driving horses into his 80s. Marcel raced throughout North America and contributed greatly to the sport he loved.

Marcel leaves behind five sons, countless grandchildren and great grandchildren. He will be missed and he has left many memories with those he worked with, raced with, and shared countless stories with.

A private family gathering will be held.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Marcel Bouvier.
Tai Industries Ltd Vs State of Tamilnadu (Madras High Court)

Conclusion: Article 304 of the Constitution applies only to goods imported from other states or union territories and not to goods imported from outside India. Where goods imported after having been released from customs barriers were not immune from any kind of State taxation, States were free to levy taxes on goods imported into the State.

Held: Assessee was importing food products like Sherbet from the Kingdom of Bhutan. As per assessee he would fall under Section 3(2-C) of the

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We explore designing AAC interfaces for timely humorous comments. (a) An AAC user attempts a joke. (b) They frantically type as the conversation moves on. (c) The joke plays too late, causing confusion. (d) We explore AI-powered tools to speed up responses while preserving agency. (e) Our designs help AAC users express humor meaningfully Note: AAC input methods vary. Credit: Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (2025). DOI: 10.1145/3706598.3714102

A team of researchers from Cornell Tech is reimagining how technology can support users with speech disabilitiesnot just in functional speech, but also in making real-time jokes during conversations.

The research explores how artificial intelligence interfaces can help users of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology deliver witty remarks while talking with othersa way of communicating that's often made impossible by the slow pace of traditional AAC systems.

"Humor is a crucial form of social interaction and is usually taken as a trivial thing. But for someone with a speech impairment, it is not trivial to match the timing of the conversation," said the paper's lead author, Cornell Tech Ph.D. student Tobias Weinberg, who lost his ability to speak at 15 and now uses AAC technology.

"Losing my ability to speak from one month to the next, I had to learn to reshape my humor to this new form of communication. This research tries to channel that experience."

The research, titled "Why So Serious? Exploring Timely Humorous Comments in AAC Through AI-Powered Interfaces," won a Best Paper Honorable Mention award and Jury Best Demo award at the Association for Computing Machinery's Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '25), April 26May 1 in Yokohama, Japan.

The project included researchers at Cornell Tech and the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, as well as assistant professor Stephanie Valencia of the University of Maryland.

"There's a trade-off between agency and efficiency. A button that gives you jokes is super-efficient but they are likely not your jokes. On the other hand, typing out the whole message gives you full control, but it's really slow, and you will likely miss the timing," Weinberg said.

"We explored the space in between: How can we guide the AI towards the joke you want to make?"

The study introduced participants with speech disabilities to four AI-assisted interfaces: "Full-auto," "Keywords," "Context Bubble Selection" and "Wizard." Each interface offered participants a different balance of speed and control, allowing them to either quickly generate jokes or fine-tune them to better reflect their personal voice.

The most hands-off option, Full-auto, allows the AI to generate content with minimal input. The "Keywords" option adds a layer of interaction by letting users choose from a set of guiding terms.

For those wanting more agency, the Context Bubble interface enables users to highlight specific parts of a conversation for the AI to focus on, followed by keyword refinement. The most customizable interface, Wizard, breaks down conversations into keywords and prompts users to select related ideas, offering the highest level of AI input but requiring more time and effort.

"The trade-off between agency and timing obviously plays a role in all AI-based interfaces," said project advisor Thijs Roumen, assistant professor at Cornell Tech. "Most of us would not be willing to surrender agency at all. It is interesting to see this trade-off playing out differently for different groups."

Before trying the tools, participants expressed a preference for wanting more agency to hand-craft a joke before trying the tools. However, after using the tools, they favored more time-efficient interfaces.

"The time window where the humorous comment can land is so short," Weinberg said. "Even if the joke is not fully mine, it would still serve its purposewhich is to make other people laugh."

The study also revealed some challenges, including difficulties with scrolling for users relying on eye-gaze or joystick input, and the lack of emotional nuance in text-to-speech voices.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for improving AAC devices, Weinberg said. "Each user has different preferences, and those preferences can even change depending on the conversation partner."

"So much work is focused on the direct 'needs' of people with disabilities, but empowering self-expression, humor and emotional connections are often overlooked," said Roumen, who's also the director of the Matter of Tech Lab at Cornell Tech and affiliated with Cornell Bowers CIS.

"I hope we pave a path toward more research in this direction."

The paper also includes a call to expand the scope of accessibility research. Weinberg said, "We need to enhance expressivity in AAC communication, and more generally, enable people with speech impairments to fully engage in conversations and flourish in society."

More information: Tobias M Weinberg et al, Why So Serious? Exploring Timely Humorous Comments in AAC Through AI-Powered Interfaces, Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (2025). DOI: 10.1145/3706598.3714102
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The authors with their robot. From left to right: Alberto Comoretto, Harmannus A.H. Schomaker, Johannes T.B. Overvelde. Credit: AMOLF

A research team from AMOLF in Amsterdam has created a soft robot that walks, hops, and swimsall without a brain, electronics, or AI. Just soft tubes, air, and some clever physics.

The study published in Science describes one of the fastest soft robots yet, and one of the simplest. It has no computer, no software, and no sensors. And still, it moves with surprising coordination and autonomy, simply because of its body and how it interacts with the world.

So, what's really driving it? Underneath the movement is a principle you've probably seen, though maybe overlooked. Think of those wobbly, inflatable tube dancers flailing around in front of gas stations. The same physics that makes them wiggle could hold the key to the next generation of autonomous robots.

Powered by a continuous stream of air alone, each of the robot's soft, tubular legs begins to oscillatenot unlike those tube dancers. On its own, each leg waves around randomly. But when many are coupled together, something unexpected happens: their motions quickly synchronize, falling into rhythmic locomotion gaits.

"Suddenly, order emerges from chaos," says first author Alberto Comoretto. "There's no code, no instructions. The legs simply fall into sync spontaneously, and the robot takes off." As with fireflies flashing in synchrony or heart cells pulsating in unison, complex collective motions arise from simple interactions.

A summary movie showcasing the robot's behavior and underlying physics. Credit: AMOLF/Alberto Comoretto

And it's fast. When a flow of air is given as input, the robot hits 30 body lengths per second. Relatively speaking, a Ferrari reaches "only" 20 lengths per second. This speed is orders of magnitude faster than other air-powered robots, which typically require centralized control.

Even more surprising: the synchronization adapts. If the robot runs into an obstacle, it reorients itself. When it moves from land to water, the gait spontaneously shifts from an in-phase hopping pattern to a swimming freestyle. These transitions happen without any central processor or control logic. Instead, movement emerges from the tight coupling between body and environment.

"In biology, we often see similar decentralized intelligence," explains co-author Mannus Schomaker. "Sea stars, for example, coordinate hundreds of tube feet using local feedback and body dynamics, not a centralized brain."

The self-oscilating limbs synchronize to freestyle swimming. Credit: AMOLF/Alberto Comoretto

The limbs synchronize to locomote over unknown terrain. Credit: AMOLF/Alberto Comoretto

The research challenges the conventional idea that robots need complicated control systems to realize lifelike behavior. "Simple objects, like tubes, can give rise to complex and functional behavior, provided we understand how to harness the underlying physics," says principal investigator Bas Overvelde. In fact, Overvelde prefers not to call it a robot at all.

"There is no brain, no computer. Essentially, it's a machine. But when properly designed, it can outperform many robotic systems and behave like an artificial creature."

Possible future applications range from smart pills to space tech. Safe microrobots without microelectronics that can be swallowed and release drugs after autonomously reaching the target tissue. Robotic wearable exosuits that sync to the walking steps without processorsreducing their power consumption while enhancing human strength.

Autonomous mechanical machines are suited for extreme environments like space, where traditional electronics may fail. More broadly, these examples illustrate how this research opens doors to mechanical systems that behave as if they had a computer, without actually needing one.

With this work, the team hopes to inspire new ways of thinking about robotic design: simpler systems that are more adaptive and robust. Not through computation and AI, but through physics.

More information: Alberto Comoretto et al, Physical synchronization of soft self-oscillating limbs for fast and autonomous locomotion, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adr3661. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr3661 Journal information: Science
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Donald Trump has long been hostile to electric vehicles and has ordered the withholding of funding for a network of chargers.

Donald Trump's order to withhold $5 billion earmarked to grow the electric vehicle charging network in the United States is being challenged in court by more than a dozen states, California officials said Wednesday.

The lawsuit is the latest attempt by a coalition of largely liberal jurisdictions looking to push back on what they see as the American president's overreach, especially on environmental issues.

"The President continues his unconstitutional attempts to withhold funding that Congress appropriated to programs he dislikes," said California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

"This time he's illegally stripping away billions of dollars for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, all to line the pockets of his Big Oil friends."

A mammoth congressional bill passed in 2022 aimed at bolstering America's crumbling infrastructure included $5 billion to help build out charging points for electric vehicles.

But as soon as he arrived in the Oval Office in January, Trump ordered that the money be stopped, part of a slew of executive orders the Republican has issued, which also included demands that the United States produce more fossil fuels.

The cash had been allocated by Congress to the states, and in some cases was expected to be paired with state and private funds as jurisdictions look to grow charging networks and reduce the range anxiety that drivers of gas cars sometimes say puts them off switching to electric vehicles.

The lawsuit announced Wednesday contends that as president, Trump does not have the power to divert moneys the legislature has allocated.

"The complaint asks the court to declare that the... directive is unlawful and to permanently stop the administration from withholding the funds," a statement said.

Trump, a climate change skeptic, has long been hostile to electric vehicles and has repeatedly lashed out at Environmental Protection Agency rules requiring automakers to cut greenhouse gas emissions in their cars.

California, which is home to the lion's share of EVs and hybrid vehicles in the United States, plans to phase out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

The lawsuit comes as Republicans in Congress are trying to remove the rules that allow the state -- the biggest and richest in the nation -- to make its own vehicle emission rules.

"The facts don't lie: The demand for clean transportation continues to rise, and California will be at the forefront of this transition to a more sustainable, low-emissions future," said Bonta.

"California will not back down, not from Big Oil, and not from federal overreach."

Bonta is joined in the lawsuit by attorneys general from, Colorado, Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

 2025 AFP
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

As Donald Trump threatens a second wave of 'reciprocal tariffs'not just on China, but on Southeast Asian countries allegedly helping Beijing dodge US sanctionsa new chapter in the global chip war is unfolding.

But while Washington clings to old models of tech dominance, China has quietly rewritten the playbook.

Fragmentation is the point

Forget national champions, China's semiconductor ecosystem thrives on fragmentation, not consolidation.

Semiconductor chips are the information processors that run computers, AI servers, electric cars, phones and most electronic devices.

In place of a single Intel or Nvidia, Beijing has built a sprawling battlefield of domestic chipmakers: Loongson, Huawei, T-Head (Alibaba) and others.

These firms don't coordinatethey compete fiercely within a state-engineered architecture, where survival hinges on alignment with state priorities, policy coherence and validated performance.

The logic behind the chaos

To outside observers, China's chip strategy might look chaotic. Multiple vendors, rival architectures, overlapping productsit seems inefficient.

But this fragmentation is engineered, not accidental.

In the face of escalating techno-containmenta coordinated US campaign to sever China's access to advanced chips, design tools and manufacturing equipmentBeijing has responded with a doctrine of techno-independence.

Rather than aiming for profitability, efficiency or market share, China has built redundancy into the system.

Loongson supplies central processing units (CPUs) for secure desktops and state servers. T-Head's chips power Alibaba Cloud during national-scale events like the Double 11 shopping festival.

Huawei's Ascend processors now train large AI models like DeepSeek, replacing NVIDIA's H100s banned under US export controls. Loongson chips are even deployed in BeiDou satellites and aboard the Tiangong space station, highlighting their versatility in both terrestrial AI and workloads needing radiation-hardened reliability.

Each firm operates in a defined lane. Each is filtered through a set of institutional gates: Document 29 procurement rules, indigenous innovation (Xinchuang certification) and access to the Big Fund, China's strategic semiconductor investment arm.

The result?

A chip ecosystem that is decentralized, politically curated and immune to single points of failure.

Trump's tariffs won't work this time

Trump's tariff plan is grounded in an assumption that China still depends on foreign technology and global supply chains.

But that logic is outdated.

Since 2018, Beijing has systematically hardened its domestic technology stack.

In 2024, Loongson shipped 10,000 3A5000 CPU-powered computers to schools in Hebi city, signaling mass-market readiness. T-Head's Yitian 710 chip now anchors high-load applications in e-commerce and cloud AI.

Huawei's Ascend 910C powers AI systems are used by Baidu and iFlyteksystems once dominated by US hardware.

These deployments aren't aspirational; they are operational.

China's tech firms are no longer trying to dominate global marketsthey are building functional sovereign infrastructure.

Resilience, not efficiency

In the US, innovation is judged by quarterly earnings, market share and investor sentiment. Venture capital fuels speed, not staying power.

The result is a tech ecosystem optimized for disruption, but vulnerable to supply shocks and geopolitical ruptures.

China plays a different game. Innovation is judged by strategic fit and institutional trust.

The state doesn't ask: "Can this chip beat Intel?" It asks: "Can this chip securely run Kylin OS in a state server, independent of foreign code and sanctions?".

China is not chasing the technological frontierit is building fit-for-purpose solutions that meet national security standards and deliver strategic autonomy.

Performance matters, but resilience matters more.

What emerges is not a race to global tech dominance, but a strategy of techno-independence: one that rejects the volatility of market cycles in favor of a 100-year horizon, where innovation is a pillar of state sovereignty, not a quarterly metric.

The new geopolitics of innovation

As global supply chains bifurcate, China's chip strategy offers a model of distributed autonomy.

No single chip architectureLoongArch, ARM, RISC-V, x86is indispensable. No firm is too big to fail.

By distributing risk across multiple platforms and vendors, Beijing has insulated itself from the kind of chokepoint dependencies that once made sanctions effective.

This is where Trump's second-term strategy may misfire.

Reciprocal tariffs assume China's tech ecosystem is brittle and externally reliant. But fragmentation has made it resilientcapable of absorbing shocks and regenerating internally.

While Washington is busy guarding the gates, Beijing is building tunnels.

Fragmentation as strategy

In China's chip sector, fragmentation is not inefficiencyit is industrial doctrine. It ensures that no single export ban, legal challenge or foreign embargo can cripple the system.

By requiring firms to compete for state validation, China builds not just chips but also trustworthy infrastructure aligned with long-term national goals.

This model isn't designed to win the next product cycle. It's about winning the long war for technological independence.

Strategic caution, selective engagement

While Australia has rejected integrated Chinese platforms like Huawei's 5G over national security concerns, the fragmentation of China's tech stack calls for a more nuanced response.

Some Chinese-developed systems, like open-source RISC-V processors or open-source AI models, offer the potential for low-risk, selective engagement.

The challenge is no longer about choosing sides, but about navigating a fractured ecosystem where resilience, not reflexive alignment, should guide policy.

Even in an era of suspicion and division, as geopolitical strategist Philipp Ivanov notes in his Strategy 2025 analysis, for Australia, strategic agility may prove more valuable than blanket exclusion.
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Evolution of optical microcombs showing timelines of the reports of optical communications based on microcomb chips. Credit: Nature Photonics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41566-025-01662-9

A paper published by Swinburne University of Technology shows how a kind of "optical ruler," or frequency comb, can greatly increase bandwidth in today's data-saturated world. Integrated optical frequency comb sources, or microcombs, have driven major advances in spectroscopy, metrology and more. Their potential in data transmission is especially promising, exceeding speeds of one petabit per second10 million times faster than a 100Mbit/s NBN connection.

Distinguished Professor David Moss, director of the Optical Sciences Center at Swinburne University of Technology, and deputy director of the Australian Research Council Center of Excellence, the Center for Optical Microcombs for Breakthrough Science (COMBS), is an author of the paper titled "Optical microcombs for ultrahigh-bandwidth communications" in Nature Photonics.

A laboratory-based optical frequency comb earned the 2005 Nobel Prize in physics. The technology has enabled breakthroughs in microwave photonics, frequency synthesis, optical ranging, quantum sources, and more, but one of its greatest successes has been in optical communications.

"The world's optical fiber communications network forms the backbone of the global internet. Worldwide traffic is hundreds of terabits of data every second and growing exponentially at over 25% per annum," says Professor Moss.

While optics has greatly underpinned this, the exponentially increasing demand for databeing driven in large part by data centers and artificial intelligencehas created huge bottlenecks that will need radical technological innovations to overcome. Integrated microcombs can generate hundreds of wavelengths coherently on a single chip and have now achieved levels of performance, reliability, stability and coherence, allowing them to serve as integrated sources for ultra-high capacity data transmission.

This paper reviews this progress and covers the state of this field, discussing promising new types of microcombs, new technologies such as space division multiplexing, and in which markets microcombs may have the biggest initial impact.

"These devices have already enabled research demonstrations of communications at unprecedentedly ultra-high bandwidths and with greatly reduced energy consumption in an ultra-small integrated footprint. They could very well be a game-changer in meeting growing bandwidth demandsparticularly for data centersand reducing energy consumption to perform well beyond existing technology," says Professor Moss.

More information: Bill Corcoran et al, Optical microcombs for ultrahigh-bandwidth communications, Nature Photonics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41566-025-01662-9 Journal information: Nature Photonics
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Graphic of a water reclamation system (WRS). Credit: Idaho National Laboratory

Camp Buehring, a United States military base nestled in northern Kuwait just 20 miles from the Iraqi border, faces a challenge: there are no wells, rivers or other easily accessible sources of water.

In this arid region, water is a precious commodity. Soldiers rely on trucks to deliver the water they need for showers, drinking and flushing toilets. With an average annual rainfall of less than six inches and temperatures ranging from 7080 degrees Fahrenheit in winter to a scorching 108115 degrees in summer, managing water resources is crucial for their survival.

"They have to bring in all their water," said Jeremiah Gilbert, a distributed energy power systems engineer at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). "It can get really expensive, so we wanted to look at ways they could recycle water. Our goal was to create water resiliency for the troops and support the military's mission to have their bases be more self-sufficient."

Gilbert and his fellow researchers performed an energy assessment of two military bases in the area.

"We went through the bases looking for ways they could improve or reduce their energy use," said Mike Shurtliff, the project manager and a systems research engineer. "We wrote several proposals on how they could save energy and money."

One of the accepted proposals was to install a water reclamation system (WRS). These systems recycle water, reducing the number of water truck trips.

Shurtliff said Army regulations require that all water provided for consumption and use must come from a controlled source. Water in Kuwait is largely provided by in-country desalination plants. The water from those plants is tested on-site to ensure it meets Army standards.

"One of the ways to improve their resilience, based on what we saw at the bases, was to reuse water," said Shurtliff. "Our proposal was to design a water reclamation system that would take water from showers and sinks, clean it and reuse it to flush toilets."

Water used at Camp Buehring goes down the drain and is effectively lost. The WRS eliminates single usage, increasing the base's water availability. The team looked at existing filtration systems and reached out to Greyter, a company that specializes in that area.

"Greyter has done a lot of water reclamation systems for housing and apartments," said Shurtliff.

"Their units are designed to filter and clean gray water. It's not considered potable (consumable), but the reclaimed water can be used for toilets or laundry. We contacted Greyter and were able to purchase their base system.

"We worked with Diversified Inc., a local Idaho Falls company, to custom-build a transportable storage container to house the water reclamation system so that it could be delivered, easily connected and ready to operate."

Gray water comes from sinks, showers, washing machines and similar sources. It generally contains chemicals like soaps and detergents. For the water reclamation process to be as simple and effective as possible, black and gray water can't mix. Black water, which contains human waste and harmful bacteria and pathogens, requires a more substantial cleansing process.

While the INL engineers designed a workable reclamation system, getting the system to Kuwait and installing it there posed challenges.

"The water reclamation system arrived at Camp Buehring right around when COVID hit," said Shurtliff.

"With the travel bans, we couldn't go visit for about a year and a half. During shipping, the chlorine tablet containers were unsealed and exposed everything in the shipping container to chlorine. By the time we got to the camp and opened the container, most of the metal, including circuit boards and surfaces, was corroded."

The team cleaned and repaired the WRS on-site and hooked it up to the shower and toilet units. However, soon after the WRS was set up, the contractor who provided the original toilet units withdrew their services and removed the units. The team quickly adapted by working with Army administration to connect the system to two other toilet units provided by a different contractor.

The camp's water supply is delivered by truck and pumped into a holding tank and used for showers and hand washing. When it drains away, the water is sent to a gray collection tank. From there, it's pumped to the WRS where it undergoes filtration, is mixed with chlorine and then put in a tank for storage.

Before it reaches the toilets, the water is run through ultraviolet exposure as an additional precaution to ensure the water is safe for human contact. Then the water can be used for toilets, watering plants, dust control and other non-potable uses. All water flushed down a toilet is sent through the sewer system to a man-made lagoon off base for treatment.

"The WRS has been successful," Gilbert said. "There's interest from the military in adding another layer of cleaning to create drinkable water."

After managing it for a year, INL handed the WRS off to the Army to maintain.

"Our hope is that we can use the success of this demonstration project to develop several more," said Shurtliff.
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Tailored design for wearable kinesthetic haptics. Credit: Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55591-2

It's easy to take joint mobility for granted. Without thinking, it's simple enough to turn the pages of a book or bend to stretch out a sore muscle. Designers don't have the same luxury. When building a joint, be it for a robot or wrist brace, designers seek customizability across all degrees of freedom but are often restricted by their versatility to adapt to different use contexts.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering have developed an algorithm to design metastructures that are reconfigurable across six degrees of freedom and allow for stiffness tunability. The algorithm can interpret the kinematic motions that are needed for multiple configurations of a device and assist designers in creating such reconfigurability. This advancement gives designers more precise control over the functionality of joints for various applications.

The team demonstrated the structure's versatile capabilities via multiple wearable devices tailored for unique movement functions, body areas, and uses.

"In the case of carpal tunnel syndrome, a typical wrist brace prevents patients from exercising their joints at all times to avoid injury and promote healing. But oftentimes during rehab, patients still need to momentarily move their joints to carry out chores that were typically effortless to do.

"Because our structures can reconfigure to selectively lock and unlock motions, it can restrict motions to fulfill the function of a brace for the majority of the time, but selectively allow the patient to move their joint in intended ways for short periods of time. This allows patients to engage in daily activities without having to frequently take on or off the brace," said Humphrey Yang, mechanical engineering postdoctoral researcher.

For the study published in Nature Communications, resistive heating wires added to the 3D-printed metastructure enable the structures to reconfigure their motional degrees of freedom during use. In the future, the team believes they will have the necessary technology to additively manufacture the entire device as one piece. This would reduce production costs and allow for affordable devices with enhanced functionality.

Credit: Carnegie Mellon University

"This is a gateway project for exciting applications," said Dinesh K. Patel, research scientist. "Our algorithm is material agnostic, so in the future, we could look to create devices with soft, flexible materials for more comfortable wear."

Roboticists could benefit from the structure's ability to reconfigure joint mobility because a robot designed for multiple purposes could need varying mobilities. The ability to design joints with programmable and arbitrary reconfigurability could be a "holy grail" in creating versatile robots. For instance, as part of a home helper robot, a joint could enable a few rotational degrees of freedom to mimic a human limb. The robot could then interact with objects with human-hand capabilities.

However, when interacting with soft objects or in water, the joint could reconfigure to provide more degrees of freedom as well as lower its stiffness, allowing the limb to functionally morph into a tentacle for better grasping and swimming.

Additionally, the device's ability to reconfigure and provide various stiffnesses enables it to mimic the sensation of touching materials ranging from soft gel to metal surfaces. This could advance augmented reality for rehab and medical training.

"In this field, there hadn't been a generalizable method to design reconfigurable, compliant kinematic structures. It was important to us to democratize them and expand their versatility for wider application," said Yang.

"It shows how mechanisms can further augment material intelligence to achieve our ultimate vision of physically-embodied intelligent matter and machines," said Lining Yao, one of the principal investigators supervising the project and now an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

More information: Humphrey Yang et al, A compliant metastructure design with reconfigurability up to six degrees of freedom, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55591-2 Journal information: Nature Communications
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Schematic view of (A) self-feedback and (B) cross-feedback systems. Dashed lines indicate delayed transmission lines. Credit: arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2411.01965

A team of researchers at Nagoya University has discovered something surprising. If you have two tiny vibrating elements, each one barely moving on its own, and you combine them in the right way, their combined vibration can be amplified dramaticallyup to 100 million times.

The paper is published in the Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science.

Their findings suggest that by relying on structural amplification rather than power, even small, simple devices can transmit long-distance clear signals, potentially innovating long-distance communications and remote medical devices.

"Usually, a large number of elements with weak intensity must be gathered together to achieve a reasonable signal, but here we've shown that even just two elements can amplify vibrational activity massively by coupling with a delay," said lead researcher Toru Ohira.

"This suggests there might be ways to amplify weak signals in nature or technology, just by how you arrange or couple systems. In theory, this could be done without needing large inputs of energy."

The delay is important because the rhythm of one will influence the other, but not right away, leading to surprising dynamics.

When you introduce a delay, it allows for resonance effects or constructive interference that would not happen with immediate feedback. Even a tiny vibration, if timed just right with a delay, can add to another over and over, leading to complex, resonant behavior.

While this sounds strange, a similar principle is observed in the sea. Small waves given pushes at just the right moments soon culminate in larger waves. Much like waves, the components on their own have a limited effect, as they barely vibrate, but when combined at exactly the right interval, the system suddenly produces a massive amplified vibrational signal.

"We were quite surprised that a simple rewiring with delays could enhance the amplitude by a factor of 108 (100 million) using just two units," Ohira said.

"This was highly counterintuitive, but it worked. The type of oscillation generated in our study resembles 'wave packets,' which is a concept used in various communication technologies, including wireless communication, where information is sent in the form of modulated wave packets rather than continuous waves."

Their findings could rewrite the understanding of biological systems, including our own. Traditionally, scientists believed that significant vibrations, like your heartbeat, required thousands of synchronized cells.

Ohira's study suggests that even without high energy input or large numbers, a powerful rhythmic signal can still be generated. Heartbeats or brain waves might not always rely on sheer numbers and synchronous interactions but on how their components interact and the spacing between them.

"A natural assumption is that such amplified emergent behavior requires a large number of interacting units. For example, the sinoatrial nodethe primary pacemaker of the hearttypically consists of several thousands to tens of thousands of cells," Ohira said. "However, we demonstrate that significant amplification can emerge with only two units."

If confirmed experimentally, this could open doors to new developments in information processing and communication technologies. In technology, especially low-power systems, like implantable medical devices or space probes, this mechanism could enable strong signal transmission without requiring high energy consumption.

The study introduces a new way of thinking about rhythm generation and signal amplification, especially sending and receiving signals over distances in noisy or energy-limited conditions. Their findings suggest a future where less truly can be more, provided it is connected just right.

More information: Kenta Ohira et al, Amplitude enhancements through rewiring of a non-autonomous delay system, Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science (2025). DOI: 10.1063/5.0252300 On arXiv. DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2411.01965 Journal information: Chaos , arXiv
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

From habitats to property to livelihoods, wildfires destroy everything in their path. But there is another, less-acknowledged, casualty: sunlight and the electrical grid that depends on it. Smoke from wildfires can cover large swaths of land, including solar farms, and significantly reduces power production from photovoltaic (PV) panels.

In response, Cornell researchers have created a machine learning-based model that can forecast, with greater accuracy than current methods, the impact severe wildfire conditions will have on solar electricity generation. This will enable system operators to better match supply and demand, and keep costs down.

"If you don't have a good forecast, then you have to rely on your so-called reserve generators, which are very costly," said Max Zhang, the Irving Porter Church Professor of Engineering at Cornell Engineering and Provost's Fellow for Public Engagement, who led the project.

"As we have more solar energy penetrating into the power systems, the economic consequences can be higher and higher."

The research was published in Environmental Research Letters. The paper's co-lead authors are Fenya Bartram and Bo Yuan, M.S., a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering.

Zhang first recognized the threat to solar energy production in the summer of 2023, when the northeastern U.S. was blanketed in smoke from Canadian wildfires and PV output in the region dipped.

"I got a lot of interview requests regarding the air pollution and health effects," Zhang said, "but I was also wondering, how about the energy side?"

Zhang and his team found that the day-ahead forecasts made by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), which monitors and coordinates how the state's power system operates, significantly overpredicted PV output during the wildfires.

"There are day-ahead markets and real-time markets. They need a forecast of the energy production in order to balance supply and demand," Zhang said. "Either overprediction or underprediction is not good, especially overprediction."

The researchers set about building a machine-learning model by incorporating a series of public domain data products from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's new High-Resolution Rapid Refresh Smoke (HRRR-Smoke) weather forecasting system, which included predictions of aerosol impacts and smoke mass density during severe wildfire periods.

Zhang's team is the first to harness the system's power of prediction for this kind of application. The fact that HRRR-Smoke played such an essential role demonstrates how the public benefits from government climate data tools.

"If we don't have enough people of talent maintaining and improving those products, then that will cause damage to many sectors of society," he said.

One of the factors that makes forecasting wildfire smoke disruptions so difficult in New York state is that the occurrences are so rarethough that could change as climate change exacerbates extreme weather events. To compensate for the current dearth of regional data, the team employed "upsampling"i.e., increasing the sampling rateto train their model to put more emphasis on wildfire events, despite their infrequency.

The team tested the model using hourly solar data collected by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)which supported the researchduring previous wildfire periods, and they determined the model outperformed NYSIO's forecasts.

While other researchers have been working to better predict power production in the aftermath of the western wildfires, the tool created by Zhang's team is the first to operate on an hourly basis, rather than on daily averages.

"Everything reported in our paper is operational," he said. "All the inputs we use in the model are forecast products. That's what power system operators need. And it can be used anywhere."

Zhang anticipates that increases in solar development, combined with more frequent wildfires, will make forecasting high smoke periods and the impact on solar electricity production even more critical for maintaining power system reliability in New York state and across the country.

"This is just the start. We are improving the model while creating pathways for adoption by system operators," he said. "The better the forecast, the more reliable the power system."

More information: Fenya Bartram et al, Predicting solar photovoltaic generation impacted by severe wildfire smoke, Environmental Research Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/adcf3b Journal information: Environmental Research Letters
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

As President Donald Trump's administration purges public records since storming back to power, experts and volunteers are preserving thousands of web pages and government sites devoted to climate change, health or LGBTQ rights and other issues.

Resources on AIDS prevention and care, weather records, references to ethnic or gender minorities: numerous databases were destroyed or modified after Trump signed an executive order in January declaring diversity, equality and inclusion programs and policies within the federal government to be illegal.

More than 3,000 pages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site were taken down and more than 1,000 from the Justice Department's website, Paul Schroeder, president of the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics, told AFP.

404 error

Some websites have disappeared altogether, such as that of the US development agency USAID, which has been effectively shuttered as Trump slashes US aid to poor countries.

And the National Children's Health Survey page displays a "404 error" message.

Federal agencies must now avoid hundreds of words such as "woman," "disability," "racism," "climate crisis" and "pollution" in their communications, the New York Times reported.

"The focus has been on removing language related to environmental (or) climate justice on websites, as well as removing data and tools related to environmental (or) climate justice," Eric Nost, a geographer at Canada's University of Guelph and member of the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative (EDGI) told AFP.

"This Trump administration moved more quickly and with a greater scope than the previous Trump administration," he said.

EDGI, a consortium of academics and volunteers, began safeguarding public climate and environmental data after Trump's first election in 2016.

Among the tools used are the WayBack Machine from the non-profit Internet Archive, or Perma.cc, developed by the Library Innovation Lab at Harvard Law School.

These systems, which long predate Trump's election, help "courts and law journals preserve the web pages they cite to," said Jack Cushman, director of the Library Innovation Lab.

Long used by journalists, researchers and NGOs, web archiving enables a page to be preserved, even if it were to disappear from the internet or be modified later.

This data is then stored on servers in a large digital library, allowing anyone to consult it freely.

Volunteer work

Archiving initiatives have multiplied, expanded and coordinated since Trump's return to the White House.

The Data Rescue Project (DRP) brought together several organizations to save as much data as possible.

"We were concerned about data being deleted. We wanted to try to see what we could do to rescue them," Lynda Kellam, a university librarian and DRP organizer, told AFP.

She first launched the project as an online Google doc in Februarya simple word-processing tool listing downloaded PDF files, original dataset titles and archived links.

It is now maintained by volunteers "who are working after work" to keep it running, said Kellam.

"We are all volunteers, even myself. We have other jobs so that has been challenging," Kellam added.

The data collection work, largely carried out by associations and university libraries, is threatened by a lack of resources.

"Funding is the key issue... as the library and archives community rushes to take on a larger preservation challenges than ever before," Cushman said.

"We need to fund coordinators for the ongoing effort, new tools, and new homes for the data."

Harvard is also battling the ire of the Trump administration, which has cut federal grants to the prestigious university and threatened its tax-exempt status after it refused to comply with the president's demands to accept government oversight.

"Data is the modern lighthouse, helping us plan our lives: it shows where we are so we can plan where we're going," Cushman said.

"Businesses, individuals, and governments will suffer greatly from any failure to collect and share reliable data on weather and climate, health, justice, housing, employment, and so on."

 2025 AFP
The route alternatives for the proposed Inner Loop East highway project have been narrowed to two and mostly relocated from the original four presented to the public last fall.

The second of three planned public meetings about the controversial Inner Loop East was held Tuesday night at Legends Event Center in Bryan where hundreds of people turned out to view maps, review data and provide feedback. The route alternatives have moved closer to the Bryan and College Station area but are generally within the broad outline originally presented.

We have some updates to our alignment concepts and refinements have happened based on public feedback and additional studies, spokesperson Jacqie Wilson said.

Brazos County, the Bryan/College Station Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Texas Department of Transportation and the cities of Bryan and College Station are in a study phase to preserve a 20-mile north-south corridor on the east side of the cities for a future four-lane divided highway should the need arise for it to be built. Brazos County contracted with Quiddity Engineering for $11.2 million to conduct the study using funds designated in the 2022 travel bond approved by voters.

What the county and the team did is we adjusted it east a little bit closer to [Texas 6]. And the intent there was, you know, we heard a lot of feedback about impacts to existing homeowners and properties and houses and folks being displaced, Wilson said. And so, in response to that, they took a look at the area again, and said, OK, how can we look at this? And the original study area was developed on the MPOs conceptual alignment. We had to start there, and then once we came out to the public, heard some feedback, we were able to adjust it at that point. And so thats the major change that weve done.

Pointing to a graphic, Wilson said traffic volume projections show traffic flows at different intersections of existing roadways doubling and tripling by 2050, further justifying the need for the highway.

BCS MPO Executive Director Dan Rudge said the original line for the loop drawn in 2017 was never intended to be permanent.

The original MPO loop was like a 30,000-foot view, he said. So that one was just drawn at the 30,000-foot level. I think the second one that theyve come up with is a lot more precise. And so I think the way that theyve done it, I think it probably does a better job of missing existing residences than what we did, because we didnt even really look at that.

He said population projections provided by the Texas Demographic Center show the countys population nearly doubling from 233,849 in 2020 to 458,282 by 2060.

We had a meeting with the state demographers office last month at the Chamber Transportation Committee meeting, and they showed that the anticipated growth in Brazos County is anywhere from 50% to 300% between now and 2060, he said.

Consultant John Polster, who was hired by the county to shepherd all seven projects on the 2022 bond, said the corridor study is just the first step in a multiyear, multi-jurisdictional project. So far, the study is the only part funded.

Once the corridor is preserved, then we have time to determine the next steps, he said. Who will take the next steps for right-of-way acquisition and all that is determined by the sources of funds. So theres federal funds through the MPO, theres state funds through the state, and the county could contribute some bond funds. So once we determine what those dollars are, it will determine who takes the next step.

The project has been met with strong, vocal opposition. Residents Kyle and Beverly Greenwood started the No East Loop group to oppose the project in its entirety. Polster said he is well aware of the opposition to the project, but downplayed it.

Im doing four loops throughout the state, and theres always a group of folks that are near the project or just dont want growth in that part of the region, and they come out and they present their concerns, he said. But when you look at Brazos County, the county and the MPO has to look at the needs for the entire MPO boundary and entire county. There are 240-245,000 folks in Brazos County.

So when the jurisdictions, the political subdivisions, look at the need, they have to look at the need for the entire region, entire county. And when you have 500, 600, 700 folks opposed to a project that benefits 250,000 people, thats what the feds look at. But the jurisdictions see the bigger picture, and the feds always know there are going to people that dont want any project anywhere near them  but that would mean nothing would get built. So the feds understand that, and thats why they look to the local governments to understand the needs of the people in their jurisdiction.

Many people attending the meeting were opposed to the project.

One of the routes that was originally proposed went through my living room, said Tom Jordan, who lives in Cooks Crossing Estates. And the other two were about a quarter-mile from our front yard or our back yard, depending on which one.

He said the route alternatives are an improvement, but hes still not happy.

I may not see it, but Im going to hear it, a four-lane highway a half a mile from my house, while Im sitting in my back yard, he said.

Sandra Coulter said she and her husband have been speaking out against the project since the first meeting in November. She said she feels like no one in authority is listening to them or any of the opponents.

I actually went and spoke to the Quiddity guy over there and had him put the new proposals in [the computer], and he told me I could put a comment in there. And I said, OK, put the comment No East Loop. Well, I cant put that. You asked me for a comment. Well, I just cant put that. I said that proves my point that yall are not listening to us. So that was the extent of that conversation, she said.

Emma Pearsall said the proposed route goes within a quarter-mile of her home.

Im just really disappointed that our commissioners seem to have turned a blind eye and covered their ears when they have heard the community so strongly say, We do not want this loop, and they have continued ahead with these plans, she said.

Pearsall said she is more concerned about the impact it will have on her neighbors.

It goes through my neighbors yards and my neighbors farms and generational land, and Im here in support of them, but I also want to keep the country country, she said. And I dont believe that the traffic study truly shows a need for this as its only taking into account the current roadways and not the planned expansions of the roadways we already have.

Cheryl Gotowka said she and her husband built a new home in Cooks Crossing a year ago and no one informed them about the Inner Loop East. She said she fears her property value will drop because of it. She also doubted the need for the highway.

I lived outside of L.A. I lived outside of San Francisco. I lived in big cities with six-lane, seven-, eight-lane highways. Go down to Houston and drive around Houston. Thats traffic. Theres no traffic out here. Theres little slowdowns here and there, but theres no traffic, she said.

Beekeeper Chris Barnes said the roadway will negatively impact foraging grounds for bees. He also feels the project is for the benefit of developers, not the community.

Their study is to figure out what is the best path for them and for the developers. Its not the best path for the community, he said. This is a project that theyre trying to sell to the public. We dont want a project sold to us. We dont want any path east of Highway 6. It doesnt solve any problems because the traffic that does exist in the east part of the county, its all east-west problems. None of this north-south.

Kyle Greenwood, co-leader of the No East Loop group, said the new routes have not changed his position on the project.

Theyve shifted the lines this way or that. But when it comes down to it, theyre force-feeding this road to everybody, he said. This is a project that nobody wants. Theyve never established a need for the road. They claimed that they were going to do a traffic study. Weve never seen this. And so without any established, verifiable need, the county has rushed headlong into this $11 million process to design the road, which ultimately is going to be used to open up the eastern side of the county to new home development.

He accused local governments of collusion.

If you ask me, thats prima facie evidence of collusion between the city of Bryan and the county where theyre attempting to use eminent domain for economic development purposes. And thats not right, he said.

Greenwood and several others in their group are regular attendees at Brazos County commissioner court meetings where they use the public comment period to complain about the project and the officials behind it. At the court session earlier Tuesday, County Judge Duane Peters answered his critics at the end of the meeting.

There have been some false accusations, including in last weeks meeting, that allege that theres a lack of transparency about the east loop, he said.

He presented a slide show depicting the process of creating the transportation bond and how the Inner Loop East was always listed as the first project. He also said that the bond passed with 67% of the voters in favor and it would be irresponsible for the court to stop the project in opposition to what the voters said they wanted.

Its the responsibility of this court to respect the will of the people, and as county judge Ill make sure this is done with integrity and transparency, he said. Its not my position to say Im going to overturn the election that was duly done by the citizens of Brazos County overwhelmingly in support of a proposition. I mean, that would be totally inappropriate for this court or me to say, Well, were going to toss out what you told us to do and do something totally different.
The nation-state threat actor known as MirrorFace has been observed deploying malware dubbed ROAMINGMOUSE as part of a cyber espionage campaign directed against government agencies and public institutions in Japan and Taiwan.

The activity, detected by Trend Micro in March 2025, involved the use of spear-phishing lures to deliver an updated version of a backdoor called ANEL.

"The ANEL file from the 2025 campaign discussed in this blog implemented a new command to support an execution of BOF (Beacon Object File) in memory," security researcher Hara Hiroaki said. "This campaign also potentially leveraged SharpHide to launch the second stage backdoor NOOPDOOR."

The China-aligned threat actor, also known as Earth Kasha, is assessed to be a sub-cluster within APT10. In March 2025, ESET shed light on a campaign referred to as Operation AkaiRyu that targeted a diplomatic organization in the European Union in August 2024 with ANEL (aka UPPERCUT).

The targeting of various Japanese and Taiwanese entities points to a continued expansion of their footprint, as the hacking crew seeks to conduct information theft to advance their strategic objectives.

The attack starts with a spear-phishing email -- some of which are sent from legitimate-but-compromised accounts -- that contains an embedded Microsoft OneDrive URL, which, in turn, downloads a ZIP file.

The ZIP archive includes a malware-laced Excel document, and a macro-enabled dropper codenamed ROAMINGMOUSE that serves as a conduit to deliver components related to ANEL. It's worth noting that ROAMINGMOUSE has been put to use by MirrorFace since last year.

"ROAMINGMOUSE then decodes the embedded ZIP file by using Base64, drops the ZIP on a disk, and expands its components," Hiroaki said. This includes -

JSLNTOOL.exe, JSTIEE.exe, or JSVWMNG.exe (a legitimate binary)

JSFC.dll (ANELLDR)

An encrypted ANEL payload

MSVCR100.dll (a legitimate DLL dependency of the executable)

The end goal of the attack chain is to launch the legitimate executable using explorer.exe and then use it to sideload the malicious DLL, in this case, ANELLDR, which is responsible for decrypting and launching the ANEL backdoor.

What's notable about the ANEL artifact used in the 2025 campaign is the addition of a new command to support in-memory execution of beacon object files (BOFs), which are compiled C programs designed to extend the Cobalt Strike agent with new post-exploitation features.

"After installing the ANEL file, actors behind Earth Kasha obtained screenshots using a backdoor command and examined the victim's environment," Trend Micro explained. "The adversary appears to investigate the victim by looking through screenshots, running process lists, and domain information."

Select instances have also leveraged an open-source tool named SharpHide to launch a new version of NOOPDOOR (aka HiddenFace), another backdoor previously identified as used by the hacking group. The implant, for its part, supports DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) to conceal its IP address lookups during command-and-control (C2) operations.

"Earth Kasha continues to be an active advanced persistent threat and is now targeting government agencies and public institutions in Taiwan and Japan in its latest campaign which we detected in March 2025," Hiroaki said.

"Enterprises and organizations, especially those with high-value assets like sensitive data relating to governance, as well as intellectual property, infrastructure data, and access credentials should continue to be vigilant and implement proactive security measures to prevent falling victim to cyber attacks."
COLUMBIA  A man who was put to death last month in South Carolina's second firing squad execution was conscious and likely in extreme pain for as long as a minute after the bullets, meant to quickly stop his heart, struck him lower than expected, according to a pathologist hired by his attorneys.

An autopsy photo of Mikal Mahdi's torso showed only two distinct wounds from the three volunteer prison employees who all had live ammunition in the April 11 execution, according to the pathologist's report, which was filed Thursday with a letter to the state Supreme Court titled "notice of botched execution."

Mahdi chose to be executed by firing squad over lethal injection or electrocution in the killing of an off-duty police officer in 2004.

All three guns fired simultaneously and prison officials believe all three bullets hit Mahdi with two of them entering his body at the same spot and following the same path, Corrections Department spokeswoman Chrysti Shane said Thursday. That has happened before when the firing squad team practices its job to fire at the inmate from 15 feet (4.6 meters) away.

A pathologist hired by attorneys for condemned inmates said there isn't enough independent evidence from the autopsy  where only one photo of the body was taken and Mahdi's clothes weren't examined  to make that conclusion.

"The shooters missed the intended target area and the evidence indicates that he was struck by only two bullets, not the prescribed three. Consequently, the nature of the internal injuries from the gunshot wounds resulted in a more prolonged death process," Dr. Jonathan Arden said.

Arden said that likely meant Mahdi took 30 to 60 seconds to lose consciousness  two to four times longer than the 15 seconds that experts including Arden and ones hired by the state predicted for a properly conducted firing squad execution.

During that time Mahdi would have suffered excruciating pain as his lungs tried to expand and move into a broken sternum and ribs, as well as from "air hunger" as the damaged lungs struggled and failed to bring in needed oxygen, Arden said.

"Mr. Mahdi elected the firing squad, and this Court sanctioned it, based on the assumption that SCDC could be entrusted to carry out its straightforward steps: locating the heart; placing a target over it; and hitting that target. That confidence was clearly misplaced," Mahdi's attorneys wrote in the letter to the South Carolina Supreme Court.

Witnesses heard him cry out as shots were fired

Witnesses to the execution heard Mahdi cry out as the shots were fired, groan again some 45 seconds later and let out one last low moan just before he appeared to draw his final breath at 75 seconds.

Mahdi, 42, was executed after admitting he killed Orangeburg Public Safety officer James Myers in 2004, shooting him at least eight times before burning his body. Myers' wife found him in the couple's Calhoun County shed, which had been the backdrop to their wedding 15 months earlier.

The official autopsy did not include X-rays to allow the results to be independently verified; only one photo was taken of Mahdi's body, and no close-ups of the wounds; and his clothing was not examined to determine where the target was placed and how it aligned with the damage the bullets caused to his shirt, Arden said in a report summarizing his findings.

"I noticed where the target was placed on Mikal's torso, and I remember thinking to myself, 'I'm certainly not an expert in human anatomy, but it appears to me that target looks low,'" said David Weiss, an attorney for Mahdi who was also a witness at his death.

A prison worker performs a chest X-ray on an inmate and a medical professional uses a stethoscope to place the target over the heart, Shain said.

Official autopsy report called into question

In the official autopsy report, pathologist Dr. Bradley Marcus wrote that the reason there were only two wounds is that one was caused by two bullets entering the body at the same spot.

Arden called that virtually unheard of in his 40 years of examining dead bodies and said Marcus told him in a conversation that the possibility was remote.

The autopsy found damage in only one of the four chambers of Mahdi's heart  the right ventricle. There was extensive damage to his liver and pancreas as the bullets continued down.

"The entrance wounds were at the lowest area of the chest, just above the border with the abdomen, which is an area not largely overlying the heart," Arden wrote.

In their conversation Marcus also said the severe amount of liver damage was not anticipated and he "expected the entrance wounds to be higher on the chest," Arden wrote in his report.

Marcus declined to talk about the autopsy when reached by phone Thursday morning.

Autopsy on first man killed by firing squad showed obliterated heart

In contrast the autopsy on Brad Sigmon, the first man killed by firing squad in the state, showed three distinct bullet wounds and his heart was obliterated, Arden said. He added that the autopsy report in that case included X-rays, adequate photos and a cursory examination of his clothes.

Without X-rays or other internal scans to follow the path of the bullets through Mahdi's body, no additional light could be shed on the two-bullets-through-one-hole claim, Arden said.

Weiss said he was stunned that so little was done in the autopsy even after the pathologist saw only two holes in his chest. The apparent errors in how the execution was carried out are a major problem, he asserted.

"I think that raises incredibly difficult questions about the type of training and oversight that is going into this process," Weiss said.

"It was obvious to me as a lay person upon reading his autopsy report that something went wrong here. We should want to figure out what it was that went wrong when you've got state government carrying out the most serious, most grave possible type of function," Weiss said.

Mahdi's body was cremated preventing a second autopsy, Weiss said.

South Carolina allows condemned inmates to chose method of death

South Carolina allows condemned inmates to choose whether to die by lethal injection, electric chair or firing squad. Three in the past year have chosen lethal injection, but the past two opted for the firing squad, saying they feared the other methods  autopsies have shown that lethal injection causes a rush of fluid into the lungs, and burns have been found on bodies after electrocutions.

"The purpose of South Carolina's choice provisions is to guarantee 'that a condemned inmate in South Carolina will never be subjected to execution by a method he contends is more inhumane than another method that is available,'" Mahdi's lawyers wrote, quoting the state Supreme Court's decision to allow executions. "An understanding of how this botch occurred is essential for that choice to have any meaning at all."

Twenty-six people remain on South Carolina's death row. Stephen Stanko, who has two death sentences for murders in Horry County and Georgetown County, has run out of appeals and likely will be scheduled to die in June.
Gia xang dau trong nuoc hom nay (3/7) uoc du bao co the giam tu 6,8 - 7,5% so voi ky ieu hanh truoc o. Cu the, gia ban le xang E5 RON 92 co the giam 1.412 ong (6,9%) ve muc 19.118 ong/lit; xang RON 95-III co the giam 1.440 ong (6,8%) ve muc 19.670 ong/lit. Trong khi o, dau hoa co the giam 7,5% ve muc 17.631 ong/lit; dau mazut co the giam 7,2% ve muc 15.730 ong/kg; dau diesel co the giam 7,1% ve muc 17.977 ong/lit.
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Chinese language proficiency competition held in Malta

Xinhua) 09:01, May 08, 2025

Students pose with award certificates of the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on May 7, 2025. Six students from the University of Malta showcased their Chinese language skills and talents on Wednesday during the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

The event provided a platform for students to express their passion for the Chinese language and share their dreams of visiting China.

VALLETTA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Six students from the University of Malta showcased their Chinese language skills and talents on Wednesday during the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students.

The event, held at the university and organized by the Confucius Institute, provided a platform for students to express their passion for the Chinese language and share their dreams of visiting China.

Following their speeches delivered in Chinese, participants demonstrated talents, such as singing Chinese songs, playing Chinese music with piano or flute, performing shadow puppetry or reading a Chinese poem. The performances captivated the audience, who responded with enthusiastic applause.

A student gives a speech during the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

Marie Claire Aquilina won the first prize in the competition and will travel to China to represent the University of Malta in the global finals. Aquilina is currently pursuing a master's degree in translation and hopes to one day work as a translator between Chinese and Maltese, or become a Chinese language teacher.

Second-place winner Matilde Ferrario would also have the opportunity to visit China. "Knowing Chinese will help me a lot with my future job hunting," said Ferrario, who hopes to pursue a career in tourism.

A student performs a Chinese costume show during the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

Dennis Mizzi, foreign director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Malta, expressed hope that more students would take up the study of Chinese.

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

She disclosed this as she announced that her Government aims to expand exports to tap into Indias market of 1.4 billion consumers, and will pursue a Partial Scope Trade Agreementthe first from a Caricom countrywhile laying the foundation for a new Bilateral Investment Treaty.
This years Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) results have revealed a concerning learning gap among primary school students, Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath has said.

Speaking at a recognition ceremony for the top five performers in the 2025 SEA yesterday at the ministrys head office in Port of Spain, Dowlath said the data will be analysed for better performance moving forward.
Last Tuesday, Gwynne Dyer headlined his Express column Stupid old men. You could substitute all sorts of adjectives before the words, old men, to describe the characteristics of the cohort that has had the most influence on the world we inhabit. Greedy, self-righteous, racist, arrogant, selfish, a multitude of negative words readily suit the clique.

At first, angrily thinking about the subject of todays column, I was focusing on Caribbean men in leadership positions who have been sleazy lechers, foisting themselves on hapless females and males with impunity.
Two Asian small-clawed otters have been added to the Reid Park Zoo.

Berani, a 3-year-old male, and Little Frei, a 7-year-old female, were introduced to each other last week and have been getting along very well, zoo officials said in a news release.

They are now on display.

The otters explored their new habitat for the first time (Wednesday), investigating the water features and picking umbrella grass to add to their bedding, Adam Ramsey, the zoos director of animal care said in a news release. Were excited for guests to come out and see them as they settle in.

Little Frei, the more outgoing of the pair, has a lengthy tail, sharper snout, and light brown neck, the release said.

Berani is described as stout and stubby. His muzzle is lighter, and he has white on his body and chin.

Hes been more shy than Little Frei up to this point, but was the first otter to emerge to explore the new space, Ramsey said in the release.

Berani and Little Frei will move into a brand new habitat once the zoo completes its expansion, Pathway to Asia. That habitat will include a stream, waterfall, and rockwork, the release said.

In the wild, Asian small-clawed otters are considered vulnerable due to habitat destruction, depletion of food sources, and wildlife trafficking, the zoo said.
PHOENIX  Its going to become a state crime for protesters, and others, to set up encampments at state universities, despite some concerns a new law is unnecessary.

Gov. Katie Hobbs penned her approval Wednesday to legislation that will require school administrators to order campers to immediately dismantle the encampment and vacate the campus. Violators will be subject to arrest on charges of trespass.

Gubernatorial press aide Christian Slater said the new law is necessary.

The Democratic governors signature came after bipartisan support  as well as bipartisan opposition  to the proposal by Rep. Alma Hernandez, D-Tucson.

Hernandez said she introduced the measure in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests last year, not just the ones that got national attention like at Columbia University but also what happened at the University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University. She said Jewish students felt harassed and were forced to take alternate routes through campus.

All three Arizona incidents were broken up by police; tear gas and pepper balls were used on the Tucson campus.

But no one from either university or the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the states three public universities, signed in in favor of the legislation or testified that they supported or needed the change in law.

During Senate debate last month, Hernandez got support from lawmakers including Sen. John Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican.

These people are taking public university land and appropriating it, seizing it for themselves so other people cant use it, Kavanagh said during discussion of the measure. He said there have been cases elsewhere where antisemitic groups are intimidating Jewish students and removing their right to free movement around the campus.

Others, like Tempe Democratic Sen. Lauren Kuby, however, questioned the need for the restrictions.

These spaces are long-standing spaces for public discourse, academic inquiry and political dissent, Kuby said. Public education has to remain a robust space for dialogue, not a testing ground for censorship and retaliation.

Theres also the fact that already-existing state law appears to give universities and community colleges the power to limit such demonstrations. It spells out that the schools can impose reasonable viewpoint and content-neutral restrictions on time, place and manner of expression that are necessary to achieve a compelling institutional interest.

Aside from making encampments a crime, the legislation will also require that disciplinary action be taken against students who refuse to leave.

Rep. Anna Abeytia questioned the wisdom of such legislation. As an activist at heart, this is not a good bill for those of us who are activists and do go out and protest, the Phoenix Democrat said when she voted against the plan in the House.

Encampments are a form of sit-ins, she said. And sit-ins have a long history, particularly in the Chicano culture.

Phoenix Democratic Rep. Quanta Crews said she fears how the proposal could be used to quash other protests.

There are young people who are not trying to intimidate other people ... who are not trying to provide a fearful environment, Crews said.

She said it would be one thing if the legislation was needed to give police more power to deal with those who intimidate others. But this measure is overly broad, she said.

I feel like it could be weaponized against different groups that are not intending to harm other students and are just trying to exercise their First Amendment right, Crews said.

Foes also had a technical concern.

The new law will ban not just any overnight temporary shelters or tents but also such items if they stay up for a prolonged period of time.

Sen. Analise Ortiz, D-Phoenix, called that unconstitutionally vague, saying it could apply not just to protesters in tents but even to sun shades set up by civic groups.

That language also caught the attention of Rep. Alexander Kolodin, a Scottsdale Republican.

He said it could include tables and shades set up by conservative groups such as Turning Point USA seeking to register voters on campus, or pro-life organizations when theyre handing out literature.

And he made no secret of his belief that enforcement will end up being based on who is affected.

Lets not fool ourselves about who runs these universities, Kolodin said. Is this bill really going to be used against Students for Justice in Palestine? Probably not. It is going to get used against Turning Point and pro-life organizations? Far more likely.

During debate, Hernandez defended the scope of the bill. She said Students Against Apartheid, which set up encampments a year ago at the UA, refused to leave, presenting the school with a ridiculous list of demands, such as divesting from certain companies profiting from the war between Israel and Hamas, halting surveillance of student organizers, publicly condemning Israels genocidal campaign and defunding the UA police department.

These people had no intention of leaving, she said.

The new law is expected to take effect early in the next school year, with the specific date depending on when the legislative session ends.

Photos: Police break up second pro-Palestinian encampment on University of Arizona campus Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestine protests Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest Pro-Palestinian protest
Residents of apartments next to the rubble of the former Spanish Trail hotel in South Tucson have been without power for days following an arson on the property, officials say.

An emergency dinner and canvassing by The Tucson Tenants Union was planned Wednesday evening at a hotel across the street from the apartments, the Spanish Trail Suites to help residents and demand justice against negligent slumlords, the group said on social media.

The fire at the apartments is at least the fourth there in the past two years, South Tucson Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela said in a social media post earlier this week. On Wednesday, Valenzuela said it was at least the fifth fire there over the past five years.

She said the city was set to file a lawsuit Wednesday afternoon against the property owners, Brian and Margeaux Bowers, to force the clean up of debris from the property due to past fires.

Friday nights fire started in a detached electrical room of the apartment and video surveillance captured a suspect, said Raul Navarro, commander of South Tucson police. Michael Peth, 42, was arrested later on suspicion of arson and criminal damage, he said.

Residents have reportedly been without power since the arson, officials say.

From my understanding, they are still without power. Its going to probably be weeks until they are able to restore power, Valenzuela said Wednesday afternoon. We do know that it is the landlords obligation to offer emergency housing and resources to those tenants.

Just over a year ago, South Tucson and the Bowers agreed to a settlement in an effort to resolve an ongoing lawsuit the city brought against the couple over lax maintenance of their properties, the Star previously reported. Valenzuela and Veronica Moreno, the city manager, confirmed Wednesday that the city also plans to reissue that lawsuit for contempt of compliance, Valenzuela said, because he didnt maintain it, and that was part of the settlement.

The Red Cross provided meals and support for tenants over the weekend and early this week. Bowers said the agency also offered residents a place to stay.

There wasnt a single tenant that took up that offer. I also worked with the county, and they informed me that they had several hotel rooms to offer the tenants, but I didnt have anyone that wanted to leave, Bowers told the Star. We provided food, we provided water. Ive spoken to every single tenant on the property and asked how I can help them. Ive offered people refunds on their rent. Ive offered to relocate people. No one has taken me up on those offers.

Bowers said that unlike South Tucson leaders, the tenants have no problem with him.

Ive got tenants that have lived down here for five years. They know Im going to take care of them, Bower said. I dont need to intimidate people. People like me.
From Mother's Day markets to a concert under the stars, Tucson has a lot going on this weekend!

Learn more about these fun events and so much more below!

Walking tours with the Presidio Museum

Explore Tucson's downtown area with walking tours hosted by the Presidio Museum. There's a long list of tours on the calendar for March, including the Turquoise Trail, Armory Park, Barrio Viejo, Death After Dark and Public Art & Murals.

When: Various dates, check out the calendar here.

Where: Locations vary based on tour.

Cost: $30 and up. Pre-registration may be required for these events.

Visit the event page for more information.

Discovery Nights at Children's Museum Tucson

Visit Children's Museum Tucson for a free night of science and art, including story times and pop-up science experiments.

When: 5-7 p.m. Thursdays

Where: Children's Museum Tucson, 200 S. Sixth Ave.

Cost: Free to attend

Visit the event page for more information.

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Landing Place

Landing Place is a temporary art installation and celebration of the living Santa Cruz River by Maxie Adler and Kimi Eisele. The installation will include handmade, decorative windsocks to raise the visibility of plants and animals that have returned to the river.

When: May 4 through May 10

Where: You can view the windsocks from either side of the Santa Cruz River, halfway between Cushing St. and West Starr Pass Blvd.

Cost: Free

Visit their event page for more information.

Art Cart with Caroline Martin

Head to local art educator Caroline Martin's art cart, where she brings craft supplies to different locations around Tucson. Choose from three self-guided crafts to complete at each spot!

When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 8

Where: Screwbean Brewing, 103 N. Park Ave. Unit 101

Cost: $5-$15

Visit their event page for more information

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Make this Mothers Day unforgettable at PY Steakhouse on Sunday, May 11, 2025, with a special three-course meal for $85 per person, featuring Truffle-Crusted Halibut with Saffron Risotto and White Asparagus.

Tote Bag Coloring at the Pueblo Vida Taproom

Youll be able to color your own Pueblo Vida tote bag while sipping on a cold beer. Materials like the tote bag and fabric markers will be provided.

When: 5-8 p.m. Thursday, May 8

Where: Pueblo Vida Brewing Company, 115 E. Broadway

Cost: $15

Check out their event page for more information

The Gong Show

At this comedy show, comedians have one minute to impress the audience before they can strike the gong and end their set early.

When: Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 9

Where: Cafe Passe, 415 N. 4th Ave.

Cost: $10

Check out their event page for more information.

Summer Fridays

The Happy Hive Market is hosting fun events every second Friday of the month. For their first Summer Friday, they will have local vendors, live music and you can have a picnic on the lawn with bento takeout style dinner boxes from Lodge on the Desert.

When: 5-8 p.m. Friday, May 9

Where: Lodge on the Desert, 306 N. Alvernon Way

Cost: Free to attend, bring money for shopping

Check out their event page for more information.

New Beginnings 2 - Return To The Moon

Cirque Collective is putting on their show, New Beginnings 2, that includes acrobatics, aerial performances and fire acts.

When: May 9 and 10

Where: Valley of the Moon, 2544 E. Allen Rd.

Cost: Tickets range from $15 to $50

Visit their event page for information.

Breakfast for Mom at Le Buzz

Le Buzzs Plaza Palomino location will be serving a special Mothers Day breakfast this weekend which includes tres leches hotcakes and a watermelon strawberry lime juice.

When: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m. Friday, May 9 through Sunday, May 11

Where: Le Buzz, 2930 N. Swan Rd.

Cost: Various prices

Check out their Instagram page for more information.

Magic & Mystery Dinner Theater

Enjoy dinner from Dante's Fire alongside a magical theatrical performance.

When: 6:30 p.m. Saturdays and most Fridays

Where: Dante's Fire, 2526 E. Grant Road

Cost: $49 without dinner, $89 with dinner

Visit the event page for more information.

BICAS Crafternoons

Get free access to recycled bike art parts, tools and other materials and get creative! Once you're finished, you can donate your creation to BICAS or give a suggested donation to the nonprofit, if you're able to. Check in at the front counter before heading to the art area.

When: 1-4 p.m. Saturdays

Where: BICAS, 2001 N. Seventh Ave.

Cost: Free to attend, donation suggested

Visit the event page for more information.

Blossom and Bond with Mom

Families can celebrate Mothers Day with a flower scavenger hunt, a craft station, a Mothers Day story time and various giveaways.

When: 12-3 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: Park Place Mall, 5870 E. Broadway

Cost: Free to attend

Visit their event page for more information.

Taylor Swift Laser Light Show

The Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium will be bringing Taylor Swifts biggest hits to life with a laser light show.

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When: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, 1601 E. University Blvd.

Cost: Tickets start at $18.95

Visit their event page for more information.

Mothers Day Market at Di Luna

Find the perfect Mothers Day gift here where there will be 20 local vendors to shop from, breakfast burritos from Senor Taco, flash tattoos and a coffee truck.

When: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: Di Luna, 2700 N. Campbell Ave.

Cost: Free to attend, bring money for shopping

Check out their event page for more information.

Crafting Class at Hunters Kitten Lounge

Knit your furry friend a comfy bed at this crafting class. Each entry will include the supplies and you get to take home a new bed your cat will adore.

When: 6-8 p.m., Saturday May 10

Where: Hunters Kitten Lounge, 5319 E. Speedway

Cost: $30

Visit their event page for more information.

Makers Market

This night market at The Tuxon will have over 30 local vendors, a DJ, food, drinks and more.

When: 7-10 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: The Tuxon, 960 S. Freeway

Cost: Free to attend, bring money for shopping

Check out their event page for more information.

Mothers Day Paint and Sip

Spend Mothers Day by painting a masterpiece with your mom while sipping on mimosas! An instructor will take you through the process of creating a partner tree painting that fits together. All art supplies will be included.

When: 12-3 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: Hotel McCoy, 720 W. Silverlake Rd.

Cost: $45

Visit their event page for more information.

I Dream in Widescreen

I Dream in Widescreen is the annual showcase of the films made by seniors at the University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film and Television. This year marks the showcases 20th anniversary.

When: 7-9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St.

Cost: $5

Visit their event page for more information.

Tucson Asian Night Market

Tucson Foodie and local Asian community members are putting together Tucsons first Asian Night Market featuring food, music, art and more.

When: 6-10 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W. River Rd.

Cost: Free to attend, bring money for shopping

Visit their event page for more information.

Train Day at the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum

At this family friendly event, you can look at the museums exhibits, check out trains, participate in art activities and more.

When: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: Southern Arizona Transportation Museum, 414 N. Toole Ave.

Cost: Free to attend

Check out their event page for more information.

Screwbean Brewings Anniversary Party

Celebrate Screwbean Brewings anniversary with raffles, mini pies, drink specials, a new beer release, live music and more.

When: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: Screwbean Brewing, 103 N. Park Ave Unit 101

Cost: Free to attend, bring money for drinks

Check out their event page for more information.

Mothers Day Market at The Monica

While you grab a bite to eat at The Monica, you can also check out their market which will feature permanent jewelry, a hat bar, clothing and flowers for mom.

When: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: The Monica, 40 E. Congress St.

Cost: Free to attend, bring money for shopping

Check out their event page for more information.

A Night of Comedy

The Tucson Museum of Art is putting on a comedy showcase featuring various stand-up comedians from Arizona.

When: Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 10

Where: Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave.

Cost: $20 for members and $25 for non-members

Check out their event page for more information.

Mercado Flea Market

This flea market features 50+ vendors that sell antique, vintage and other used and collectible items along the Mercado District.

When: 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. Sunday, May 11

Where: Mercado District, 153 S. Avenida del Convento

Cost: Free to attend, bring money for shopping.

Visit their event page for more information.

Second SundAZe

For this months Second SundAZe, the Tucson Museum of Art will be offering different art-making activities, bracelet making for Mothers Day, family yoga and a performance by Ballet Tucson.

When: 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Sunday, May 11

Where: Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave.

Cost: Free to attend

Visit their event page for more information.

Music Under the Stars

Tucson Pops Orchestra and El Mariachi Tapatio will be playing a free concert at Reid Parks DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center. Local food trucks will also be there so you can grab a bite to eat. Make sure to bring your own blankets and lawn chairs!

When: 7 p.m. Sunday, May 11

Where: Reid Park, 900 S. Randolph Way

Cost: Free to attend, bring money for food

Check out their event page for more information.
Oasis Fresh Market celebrated its second birthday with a DJ, free ice cream and gift card giveaways for its customers.

Man, we made it two years, Aaron AJ Johnson, Oasis Fresh Market chief executive officer, said in an interview with the Tulsa World. I am definitely grateful. It has definitely been hard.

The business at 1725 N. Peoria Ave. opened in May 2021 with excitement from both area residents and government leaders, both eager to see a grocery store return to the area.

After all, it had been about 3 years since a grocery store had been located near the corner of Pine Street and Peoria Avenue.

Gateway Market, operating out of a former Albertsons grocery, had closed its doors after operating there for nearly eight years. Prior to that, Albertsons operated a business at the corner from 2003 to 2007.

Named for its location within a food desert, Oasis Fresh Market was meant to be different than past tries.

While the 16,500-square-foot grocery store project included government grants and philanthropic assistance to get it off the ground, the nearly $5.5 million project included a nonprofit aspect aimed at helping the community beyond what a regular, full-service grocery store would provide.

Johnson said he has learned a lot in the past two years, such as that there are just a few super powers that control the food industry, making it difficult for small, independent grocers like Oasis that lack the bulk buying power of larger chains.

Weve got a great community, Johnson said. The grocery store is doing well. We are grateful. Its hard being a single independent grocer in what seems to be a monopolizing industry.

Still, Johnson said the grocery store is fulfilling one of its goals of providing fresh produce in an otherwise underserved community.

Literally our produce numbers every month continue to go up, Johnson said. Were seeing a direct correlation to young families and young kids saying I want more kiwi and they havent had kiwi before.

And so thats encouraging, we are doing our part to literally have food as medicine ... that matters in a world today where there are so much processed foods.

The store was the first in the metropolitan area to participate in Double Up Oklahoma, which matches the value of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dollars spent on fruits and vegetables.

Oasis, operated by the majority-Black-owned Eco Alliance Group, currently sees about 300 to 500 customers per day, Johnson said.

Questions stall $30 million expansion

Plans to expand the Oasis Fresh Market model have stalled, he said, after the state Legislature passed on a request for $30 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding.

Oasis sought the funding to build four more Oasis locations in underserved areas.

Rep. Jeff Boatman, R-Tulsa, co-chairman of a legislative working group tasked with recommending projects for ARPA funding, said Oasis is no longer under consideration.

The project ran aground amid concerns regarding the nonprofits leadership structure.

Some of those concerns were highlighted in an article published by the online publication Nondoc in February.

The article noted some members of Oasis nonprofit arm were surprised to learn they were listed as board members, when contacted by the publication.

Asked what he would say to those who might be still concerned, Johnson replied: Weve hired some of the best governance attorneys and nonprofit consultants, ... and we are well-positioned to continue being a flagship organization both on the for-profit and nonprofit side.

And thats important for sustainability, having that governance and board and policies and procedures in place, Johnson said. And as a result of that, its really helped us learn even in the painful moments, weve learned so much that helps us give us the opportunity to be better positioned to serve people.

Boatman agreed that the nonprofit has made strides since seeking the funding.

Hes done a great job of getting some consultants and rectifying that and getting the structure that you ought to have as a nonprofit in place, Boatman said. He took the feedback and has done all the right stuff and hopefully he would be eligible for future opportunities at this point.

But at the time that we made the decision and voted the bills through, there just wasnt enough nonprofit governance in place for the state to be comfortable putting that much of an investment over there.

Johnson brushed away claims that nonprofit workers sometimes worked on the for-profit side of the grocery.

The claims, by two former Oasis Fresh Market workers to the Tulsa World, were that employees of the nonprofit side, The Oasis Projects, sometimes were called upon to work on the for-profit side of the grocery.

The former employees asked not to be identified out of concern it could hurt their search for another job.

All of our cashiers and stockers are on the for-profit side, Johnson said when asked about the claims.

Plans to open a demonstration kitchen in the grocery store, promised since the business opened, continue on course, Johnson said. The kitchen should be open by or before Labor Day, he said.

Theres so much potential in our communities, and in communities like ours across the country that have just been underestimated  that, if given the same opportunities as other communities, they would be also thriving communities, Johnson said. So were committed to continuing taking steps to serving people with our for-profit grocery store and also with our nonprofit providing wrap-around services.

Above and beyond providing food

Johnson said he was most pleased with the results from the projects nonprofit arm, The Oasis Projects, also known as the Oasis Fresh Foundation.

The nonprofit, which offices out of the grocery store, provides services to the community including workforce training and assistance with rent and utility payments.

Being the center of a community, we believe thats how you transform a community, Johnson said. We know its not just about groceries. Its equipping people for life.

The nonprofit was able to help more than 3,400 people with rental and utility assistance through its administration of a grant from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Johnson said.

The program was apparently so popular that callers to the business are still greeted with a recorded message that funding for the program had run out and is no longer available.

City Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper, whose district includes the grocery store, said she is overjoyed with the project so far.

I think Oasis has been a huge success, and now were working on improving it even more, Hall-Harper said, adding that more grocery stores are needed in her district.

I think we have created a model that can address food insecurity in food deserts in disenfranchised communities, Hall-Harper said, who also led a fight against overproliferation of dollar stores in her district.

Asked why this grocery has succeeded while others at this corner have failed, Hall-Harper said: Its the other things that they bring to the table to address the whole person. I think those things are very beneficial in ensuring that the community continues to support it.

Hall-Harper said Oasis goes above and beyond providing food just for folks.

She said Oasis and its workers have also developed a relationship with community members.

I would say any business, when you develop a relationship with customers, then you are more apt to be successful, and I think thats what (is being) done at Oasis, Hall-Harper said.

The grocery was built on land owned by the Tulsa Economic Development Corporation.

The TEDC acquired the property and surrounding land from the Tulsa Development Authority for the construction of a shopping center.

TEDC Chief Executive Officer Rose Washington-Jones said the Oasis project has been a success.

I think from my perspective, Oasis has exceeded my wildest imagination, she said in an interview with the Tulsa World.

We see financial statements every month, financials that include the balance sheet and the profit and loss statement, and so when you are a grocer, break-even is success for you and especially if you are a small operator, Washington-Jones said.

And he is able to cover all of his costs and keep his employees paid and keep inventory on the shelves, she said. He has been able to do what a successful business owner does. I think AJ has done a fabulous job getting in there, connecting with communities, providing what was needed in a really tough economic environment.

In addition to providing nonprofit services, Johnson said hiring from the community has benefits beyond now.

Weve got a lot of high school students who work our afternoon and evening shifts, and its encouraging because now they say, AJ, now theres someone who looks like us doing something that we would have never known, Johnson said.

The grocery store currently employs 27 full-time equivalent employees while the nonprofit employs nine on a full-time equivalent basis, Johnson said.

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Arsheed Ahmad, TwoCircles.net

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Following a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead, the Army launched a series of search operations across South Kashmir.

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One of the first villages targeted was Muran in Pulwama district, where multiple homes were destroyed and dozens of residents displaced.

The April 22 attack at Baisaran meadow, a popular tourist destination, was the deadliest against civilians in Jammu and Kashmir in over a decade. The attackers opened fire on a group of tourists, most of whom were Hindu men. The central government has blamed Pakistan for supporting the group allegedly behind the massacre. Pakistan, in response, denied any involvement and called for an independent international investigation.

The Indian Air Force carried out precision strikes in the intervening night of May 6 and 7 in Pakistan on nine locations and claimed to have destroyed terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The attack has resulted in several casualties and infrastructure destruction.

On the evening of April 24, the Army cordoned off Muran village. Soldiers went door to door, ordering residents to vacate their homes and relocate to a house farther away. They told us to come out. We did not know what was happening, said Hamida, aunt of 22-year-old Ehsan ul Sheikh, a local who joined militancy in 2023.

Later that night, around 10:30 pm, the first blast was heard. About 30 minutes later, another, even louder, explosion followed. When residents returned the next morning, they found two homes completely destroyed and several others with shattered windows and cracked walls.

When TwoCircles.net visited the village five days later, there was rubble everywhere  broken bricks, splintered beams and layers of dust.

Ehsans uncle Mohammad Shafi recalled returning after the cordon was lifted. There was nothing left of our house. No clothes, no food no shelter, he said, asking, They say our boy is a militant. But what did our house or our neighbours do wrong?

Residents said around eight homes were either damaged or flattened. Many families are now living outdoors. We are appealing to the government to give us tents or any form of help. My wife and I are both unwell, said Shafi.

Ehsan-ul-Sheikh had left home in June 2023 to join a militant group. A cousin who did not want to be named described him as someone who once posted comedy videos and selfies on Instagram. After he left, we never saw or heard from him again.

Hamida said that until the Pahalgam incident, security forces were generally respectful. Now they have picked up all the young men from our family and neighbours. They are in detention. We do not know when they will come back. Everyone is scared, she said.

She added that children in the village have been deeply traumatised by the nighttime explosions. They cry in their sleep. They do not feel safe.

The villagers said no one from the administration has visited them, even after a week to see our miseries. Even our elected MLA who belongs to the incumbent political party is silent, said a resident, wishing to remain anonymous.

Similar scenes unfolded the same night in Gurree village of Anantnag district. Authorities demolished the home of Wali Mohammad, whose son, Adil Hussain Thoker, is suspected of being involved in the Pahalgam attack.

I do not know if my son was part of it, Wali told TwoCircles.net, adding, But if he was, he should be punished.

Wali had already been taken into custody when the Army demolished his home. Large parts of it remain in ruins.

Since the Pahalgam attack, authorities have reportedly demolished around a dozen houses belonging to families of suspected militants. Among them is the home of 28-year-old Asif Sheikh in Tral, Pulwama district.

The police say my brother is a militant. He left home three years ago, said Asifs sister, who did not want to be named. But why are we being punished? What did we do?

She said their entire family, including their 62-year-old father Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh and several women, were detained. Their house was destroyed while they were still in police custody. Some male family members remain detained even after a week.

My son-in-law who is an imam (prayer leader) at a mosque in Budgam district was picked from there and is still in police custody. What fault do my relatives have in this? he said.

A senior security official in South Kashmir said the demolitions were carried out in accordance with legal protocols.

Collateral damage has been assessed, and appropriate measures are being undertaken to address it, the official said.

He further noted that families bear a responsibility to discourage their members from engaging in militancy and cannot be considered entirely insulated from the repercussions of such actions.

More than 1,500 people have reportedly been detained across Kashmir in the crackdown launched after the attack.

The measures have sparked outrage among local politicians and civil rights advocates.

Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah termed the crackdown collective punishment. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti warned that the government that it must tread with caution and carefully distinguish between terrorists and civilians.

There are reports of thousands being arrested and scores of homes of common Kashmiris being demolished along with those of militants, she added.

Following widespread criticism, the demolitions have reportedly been paused. However, security forces continue to conduct intense operations in search of those suspected of aiding militants.
TCN News Desk

Bengaluru: Identity of Dalit Christians has become a hotly debated and controversial issue amid the ongoing census for internal reservation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Karnataka.

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Dalit rights groups, predominantly belonging to the Holeya community, are demanding a separate column for Dalit Christians in the census, while Dalit Left groups, such as the Madiga community, argue that maintaining ones original caste identity after conversion is crucial to preserve reservation benefits.

The Dalit Christian Federation, on the other hand, believes that recognising religious identity would improve political representation.

Led by a commission chaired by former judge H.N. Nagamohan Das, this survey will cover 101 Scheduled Castes in the state. The commission will assess social, economic and educational data, which will form the basis for internal reservation within the 17% quota allocated to SCs.

With around 1.09 crore people, SCs in Karnataka constitutes approximately 18.27% of the total population.

Dalit Left communities have long argued that a significant portion of reservation benefits is being directed toward Dalit Right communities. They demand a more equitable distribution of these benefits among various Scheduled Castes, including the Dalit Left, Dalit Right and touchable Scheduled Castes like Bhovi, Korama, Korcha and Lambani.

Indian courts have time and again clarified that the basis for SC reservation should be caste and that caste is not recognised within Christianity. Based on this, Dalit Right groups are calling for a separate column for Dalit Christians, seeking to exclude them from SC reservation.

The commission should encourage Dalit Christians to register their religious identity, so they can be excluded from the SC reservation matrix. Chaired by K. Jayaprakash Hegde, the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission has also recommended including Dalit Christians in the backward classes category, The Mooknayak has quoted a member of the Chaluadi Mahasabha as saying.

The Dhamm Deep Buddhist Vihara in Kalaburagi has also submitted a petition to the commission, urging them to include a religious column in the census.

According to a 2015 socio-economic survey by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission, the Christian population in the state was recorded at 947,000. This included various caste-based Christian sub-groups like Brahmin, Kuruba, Holeya and Madiga Christians.

The survey also found that about 12,865 Scheduled Caste individuals had converted to Christianity and recommended that they be included in the Backward Classes category.

Dalit Left groups argue that many individuals, especially in North Karnataka, converted to Christianity due to caste-based discrimination, social backwardness and exploitation by higher castes. They claim that despite conversion, there has been little improvement in their social status.

Basavaraj Kothal, who belongs to the Madiga community, said, Even after conversion, their social condition has not changed significantly. If they register only as Christians, they risk losing out on reservation benefits. We are educating our people to ensure they maintain their caste identity in the census.

However, D. Manohar Chandra Prasad, president of the Dalit Christian Federation and a pastor at the Church of South India, emphasised, We are encouraging people to register as Dalit Christians. According to the new recommendations, they are entitled to benefits under the backward classes category, so there is no fear of losing reservation.

He also questioned the population data presented by the commission, stating, In our 2018 survey, we found that the Christian population in the state was around 4 million (or about 6%). Accurate data will help in our demand for political representation.
OSAKA - Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd., one of Japans leading food manufacturers, has unveiled an ambitious and multifaceted plan for its participation in the ongoing Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, under the theme 'Healthier days, Wellbeing for life.'As a Silver partner of the Expos Signature Pavilion, "Earth Mart", and a Premium partner of the "Osaka Healthcare Pavilion", Glico aims to highlight its century-long mission of combining great taste and good health through cutting-edge science and traditional Japanese food culture.

Pioneering anti-ageing science at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion

Glico will present its latest research in the Future Healthcare zone of the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion, themed Reborn. The companys exhibition focuses on Cellular-care, an innovative approach to healthy ageing that involves removing senescent cells  aged cells that contribute to various health issues.

Backed by newly acquired patents, Glicos research identifies the Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) as a key botanical with the ability to selectively eliminate senescent cells while preserving healthy ones. Glicos scientists have demonstrated that the plant extract removes aged cells nearly ten times more efficiently than common alternatives like quercetin. The exhibit will feature interactive displays and scientific explanations aimed at educating visitors about the future of anti-ageing strategies.

Reviving Japanese food culture with Rice soft candy

At the Signature Pavilion Earth Mart, themed Thinking about life through eating, Glico has developed a unique treat: Rice soft candy. Crafted exclusively for Expo 2025, this product embodies the gentle flavour and cultural significance of rice in Japan. It is made primarily from rice-derived ingredients  rice syrup, flour, oil, and protein  combined with minimal sugar.

The candy reflects Glicos fusion of traditional food culture and modern nutritional science, continuing the legacy of its first product, Glico nutritious candy (caramel), introduced in 1922.

Engaging the public through events and innovations

Beyond its pavilion exhibitions, Glico will host various public engagement events throughout the Expo. These include Health Awareness Events at the Reborn Stage (September 2124), covering topics such as antioxidants and gut health; a music event titled Matsuri at the EXPO Arena on August 1, celebrating hope through sound and performance; and the launch of new ice cream flavours  Hokkaido Milk and Uji Matcha  available from Seventeen Ice vending machines located throughout the Expo site and at major tourist destinations in Japan.

Additionally, Glico will release a special Expo-themed version of its popular Selection the Glico gift box, featuring the Expo mascot Myaku-Myaku, available in the Kansai region.

Continuing a century-long legacy

Established in 1922 in Osaka, Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd. is one of Japans leading food manufacturers, specialising in the production and sales of confectionery, ice cream, processed foods, health-related foods, dairy products, fruit juice/soft drinks, and baby formula.

Celebrating its 103rd anniversary in 2025, Glico continues to expand globally with 18 business locations across Europe, Asia, and North America. With Expo 2025 as a global platform, the company reaffirms its mission to innovate for human health and wellbeing through food  just as its founder did in 1922 by blending glycogen into caramel to nourish post-war Japan.-VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam needs investment in research and development (R&D) and a high-quality workforce on the journey of technological development and increasing competitiveness.

Viet Nam ranks 44th among the 133 economies featured in the Global Innovation Index 2024, published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), an encouraging two-place rise from the previous year.

Particularly noteworthy is the countrys leap in the high-tech industry output index, with the country now ranked 28th globally.

However, Viet Nam's R&D expenditure remains modest, at just 0.4 per cent of GDP in 2023 - far below the global average of 2.3 per cent and trailing behind regional peers such as China (2.5 per cent), Singapore (1.9 per cent), and Malaysia (1 per cent).

This under investment reflects a shortage of high-quality technical professionals and limited access to capital for innovation-led enterprises.

The Deputy Director of the Institute of Information Technology under the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, Nguyen Long Giang, emphasised that developing a strong digital economy requires a skilled workforce, especially in areas like AI, cloud computing, blockchain and cybersecurity. Yet Viet Nam continues to struggle with both attracting and retaining such talent.

The domestic technology sector faces fierce competition - not just from within the country, but also from global markets. Cases of brain drain and frequent job-hopping are common.

Even large corporations like Viettel are feeling the pressure. To remain competitive, Viettel has increased salaries by about 20 per cent above the industry average, with top-tier roles commanding salaries in the top five per cent of the market, yet even this may not be enough to sustain long-term growth.

While businesses are eager to innovate, capital remains a significant hurdle. R&D activities - by nature uncertain and intangible - are often considered high-risk by traditional lenders.

The Deputy Director of the Department of Startups and Technology Enterprises at the Ministry of Science and Technology, Pham uc Nghiem, notes that the inability to value intangible assets such as patents and proprietary technologies continues to impede financing efforts.

One such case is Thuan Thanh Technology Solutions Co, Ltd in Bac Ninh. Despite nearly a decade in operation, the company faces persistent challenges in securing funding for infrastructure expansion due to stringent collateral requirements - typically favouring tangible assets like property and vehicles, which tech start-ups often lack.

The Institute for Digital Economic Development Strategy (IDS) also noted that although Viet Nam has several technology companies with the potential to compete globally, these enterprises still face challenges in scaling up due to difficulties in capital mobilisation.

In response to these challenges, Viet Nam is preparing to roll out a VN500 trillion (US$ 192 million) credit package to support digital infrastructure and technology enterprises.

However, experts warn that unless lending conditions are tailored to the realities of innovative businesses, disbursement may remain slow and ineffective.

In HCM City, Viet Nams leading R&D hub, the burden of funding still falls largely on the private sector. Despite being home to global R&D centres such as Intel, Samsung, and Bosch, along with top-tier universities and institutes, the citys public R&D budget stands at a modest VN200 billion per year.

Viet Nams digital economy is gaining ground, with revenues projected to hit US$152 billion in 2024 - a 35 per cent increase since 2019. More than 74,000 enterprises now operate in this space. Yet to maintain this momentum, urgent action is needed to tackle the core bottlenecks, including limited R&D investment and a shortage of skilled professionals.

To address these challenges, the Politburos Resolution No 57-NQ/TW sets a bold vision that by 2030, R&D investment should reach two per cent of GDP, with more than 60 per cent coming from the private sector.

Additionally, at least 15 per cent of the science budget is earmarked for strategic technologies such as AI, semiconductors and renewable energy.

Achieving this goal requires systemic reform, including amendment of the 2013 Law on Science and Technology, more flexible budgeting mechanisms and streamlined fund allocation processes.

Although several companies have embraced the Science and Technology Development Fund mechanism, overall use remains low. Between 2016 and 2018, Viettel used only 60 per cent of its allocated funds, about VN2.37 trillion.

Many businesses hesitate to engage with the fund due to unclear guidelines and cumbersome establishment procedures - currently taking up to a year to complete.

Experts argue that simplifying these mechanisms could significantly increase corporate investment in science and technology. Resolution 193 from the National Assembly has taken a step in this direction, but implementation is still awaiting detailed government regulations.  VNS
HA NOI  The Vietnamese Government has submitted a draft amendment to the Enterprise Law to the National Assembly, focusing on curbing the use of 'virtual capital' and enhancing transparency in corporate operations.

The draft law is expected to be discussed and approved during the ongoing session of the 15th National Assembly.

The proposed amendments aim to clarify key concepts and reinforce prohibited acts. Notably, definitions related to dividends and the market value of shares and capital contributions (Clauses 5 and 14, Article 4) have been revised to align with accounting standards and real-life stock market practices. The calculation of a listed shares average value over 30 days will serve as the standard to help prevent price manipulation.

A significant addition is the explicit inclusion of 'false declarations' as a prohibited act (Clause 4, Article 16). Although this offence is already covered under the Penal Code, it remains common in practice, particularly in cases involving forged signatures in business registration documents.

The draft law also expands the scope of individuals permitted to establish enterprises, allowing public university lecturers and staff to contribute capital and participate in the management of businesses aimed at commercialising scientific research, provided they receive prior approval from authorised bodies. This aligns with National Assembly Resolution No. 193/2025/QH15 on mechanisms to promote science, technology and innovation.

Amendments have also been proposed to regulations on capital transfer in limited liability companies with two or more members (Point a, Clause 1, Article 52), capital reduction following capital repayment (Point a, Clause 5, Article 112), shareholders responsibilities in convening general meetings (Clause 4, Article 115) and the criteria for drawing up shareholder lists (Clause 1, Article 141).

In addition, the requirement to notify changes in information has been removed for companies already listed or registered for trading (Clause 3, Article 176).

Shifting from pre-checks to post-checks

A standout feature of the revised law is the increased responsibility assigned to provincial-level Peoples Committees (Clause 3, Article 215) in supervising enterprises post-registration. This includes developing inspection procedures and issuing inter-agency coordination regulations at the local level.

According to the Governments report, these changes are designed to prevent exaggerated or fictitious capital declarationscommonly observed before firms become public companies, issue private bonds, or engage in tax fraud and state budget misappropriation.

While some experts have called for mandatory financial capacity verification or asset valuation reports at the registration stage to increase transparency, both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice have objected, citing concerns over increased administrative burden and compliance costs. Instead, the Government supports enhanced post-registration inspections, in line with global regulatory trends and the Party and States institutional reform agenda.

The proposed law also significantly decentralises enterprise management to provincial authorities. Local governments would be responsible for handling business registration, conducting inspections, addressing capital-related violations, and coordinating with other regulatory agencies in overseeing corporate activities. This approach is expected to improve enforcement, enhance the effectiveness of post-registration monitoring, and reduce legal breaches in the business sector.  VNS
The Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam on Monday issued Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW on developing the private economy, outlining strategic directions, goals, and breakthrough solutions to maximise its role as the 'key driver' and 'pioneering force' of the economy. Viet Nam News reporter Mai Huong spoke with Phi Vinh Tuong, deputy director of the Institute of Vietnam and World Economy, about the sectors development.

Many people talk about 'pioneer enterprises'. In your view, what defines such businesses and how can we replicate their success across the broader economy?

Pioneer enterprises often share two key characteristics.

First, they are technology-based. In many countries, tech companies are seen as the core drivers of innovation and growth. These firms lead the way because they can create breakthroughs and set new trends.

Second, they have the power to reshape entire sectors. When a business transforms its industry into a new growth engine, it becomes a pioneer. VinFast is a good example. Though it started by relying on foreign technology, it gradually took control  especially in strategy and branding. Its bold move into electric vehicles, aligned with global green trends, shows what a pioneer can look like.

But can the pioneer model be scaled up?

Its difficult. Both internal and external factors are at play.

Internally, leadership is crucial. A pioneer mindset means more than running a business  it requires long-term vision, risk-taking and innovation. Such leaders are rare and without them, the model cant be replicated.

But its not impossible. If the Government wants to promote pioneers, it must create the right environment. That includes sound institutions, clear policies, and meaningful support so entrepreneurs can thrive. General Secretary To Lam has highlighted how important a strong institutional framework is for private sector growth. Thats the external factor we must improve.

As for the Governments role, it should implement targeted reforms. One international lesson  seen in Japan  is 'picking winners'. But to do this well, the State and private sector must jointly identify industries with future growth potential. While the market leads, the State can guide based on tech forecasts and global trends.

Economic growth is always about shifting structures. New sectors replace outdated ones. Choosing the right industries and firms can create breakthroughs. But choosing wrong  like some of Viet Nams past 'economic champions'  can lead to major resource waste.

Over 98 per cent of businesses in Viet Nam are small or micro. Fewer than two per cent are large, and even those are spread thin across sectors. So, 'picking winners' must consider our real context. In some sectors, only one firm may be capable  supporting it might be the only viable path.

Ultimately, the key isnt how much the State spends, but whether the outcomes justify the investment. Building an environment where promising businesses can become pioneers is a strategic task. It requires strong coordination between public and private sectors, between policy and practice.

What key conditions does Viet Nam need to foster the growth of private enterprises, from pioneers to 'leaders', driving the market and creating a ripple effect?

There are two clear development paths for businesses worldwide.

The first model is from Japan, where pioneering enterprises are supported to become 'leaders', creating a ripple effect throughout the economy. The key to this model is building a strong business ecosystem. Japan has long advised Viet Nam on developing the supporting industries sector, structured with layers of businesses: small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) connected to larger, leading companies.

This system works like a flock of cranes, with the leading enterprise transferring knowledge, technology and experience to those behind it. Through close collaboration, businesses help drive economic sectors forward, boosting the position of the pioneers, and contributing to sustainable development.

However, in todays context, with the Fourth Industrial Revolution underway, a new trend is emerging. This is the rise of small, independent, and flexible technology-based enterprises. These companies don't need to become large or leading but can still grow significantly, tap into niche markets and create quality jobs that offer good wages.

We can think of them as 'tiny giants'  small yet powerful companies that innovate, develop technologies and stand strong independently. They don't need to be part of a large ecosystem but still contribute to growth and employment.

Currently, the government's goal is not just to reach one million businesses, but to aim for two million. Therefore, alongside developing leaders to drive key sectors, we must also encourage and support the growth of small tech-driven enterprises.

The Vietnamese Government has recognised private enterprises as a growth driver and introduced policies to boost their role in large infrastructure projects. What more is needed to strengthen public-private partnerships (PPP)?

The Vietnamese Government is committed to enhancing the private sectors role, especially in infrastructure. Viet Nams participation in new-generation FTAs also opens opportunities for private companies to bid on public service contracts in infrastructure.

However, the State cannot handle all infrastructure investments alone. For example, the railway sector requires substantial investment, but efficient operation is key. The private sector must be involved, with Japans Shinkansen model serving as a reference. Viet Nam can adapt this approach for East-West railway connections.

To make this work, Viet Nam needs to review its legal framework. Overlapping laws, like the Public Investment Law and the PPP Law, create obstacles. These need to be addressed quickly.

Another issue is capital. Private companies need access to long-term, low-interest funding. Clear risk-sharing mechanisms between the Government and businesses are essential, especially for projects that are socially important but financially unfeasible.

Mindset changes are also needed. Some infrastructure sectors, such as ports and airports, are off-limits to private enterprises due to dual-use concerns. A more flexible approach is necessary to avoid missing opportunities to mobilise social resources.

In terms of technology, the private sector must be encouraged to innovate. Not only will businesses benefit, but the countrys competitiveness will improve as well. Specific measures should be put in place to ensure companies can access and apply advanced technology.

For real change, Vietnamese companies must have the capacity to absorb technology. Additionally, FDI companies should have clear incentives to share and transfer technology. The government should invest in shared R&D centres and labs to support SMEs. This will allow them to innovate and collaborate with research institutes to address practical challenges.

How adaptable are private enterprises in Viet Nam to global challenges and what should be done to keep them competitive?

Currently, two major issues are prominent.

The first challenge is competition among major nations, which risks disrupting supply chains. This creates both challenges and opportunities for Viet Nam, allowing it to join supply chains led by China or other regional powers. However, businesses must improve their technological capacity to participate.

The second issue is the ongoing Industrial Revolution. As global companies rapidly adopt technology, supply chains could shorten significantly. For example, a 3D printer can replace the entire process from raw materials to production. Businesses must develop core technological capability, not rely on traditional models.

I am confident that Vietnamese businesses are highly adaptable.

Over the past 40 years, especially during the early years of integration, they leveraged internal strengths and technology to overcome challenges. However, after 35 years of integration, the Government's role in creating a favourable business environment has become crucial. By continuing to improve the business climate, the government can provide businesses with more growth opportunities, helping achieve the eight per cent growth target this year and double-digit growth in the future.

I expect the private sector structure to change in the next five years. Currently, 98 per cent of businesses are small or micro-enterprises, but with policies like Resolution 57 and reforms in technology, infrastructure and institutions, this is set to shift.

The proportion of micro-enterprises will shrink, and medium-sized businesses will grow. This shift will make the 'flying cranes' model more effective. Currently, the low number of medium-sized businesses creates an imbalance, hindering connections between large and micro-enterprises. A change in business structure will lead to a more sustainable and efficient economy.  BIZHUB/VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam's stock market is on the brink of a significant transformation, with expectations mounting for an upgrade to emerging market status by September.

This ambitious goal was emphasised at the regular government press conference on Tuesday by Deputy Finance Minister Tran Quoc Phuong, who noted that the Government is committed to achieving this milestone through a series of strategic initiatives.

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) is actively implementing a comprehensive plan to enhance market capabilities and meet the stringent criteria set by international rating agencies such as FTSE Russell and MSCI.

While Viet Nam has largely satisfied the necessary technical criteria, challenges remain in gaining the confidence of foreign investors and ensuring a transparent and accessible investment environment.

"However, this is merely a necessary condition. The sufficient condition hinges on the remaining processes and foreign investors' assessments of investment activities within the Vietnamese stock market," Phuong said.

To address these challenges, the ministry has outlined six major strategic actions aimed at bolstering investor trust and facilitating the upgrade process.

Key among these initiatives is the effective deployment of the KRX system, a new technology platform designed to improve trading efficiency and risk management for foreign investors. This system introduces advanced features for transaction processing and payment, streamlining the investment process.

Additionally, recent regulatory changes, including Circular 68/2024/TT-BTC, have removed significant barriers by allowing foreign institutional investors to place buy orders without requiring full upfront funds. This reform is anticipated to enhance investment fluidity and attract more foreign capital.

The MoF is also reviewing and amending Decree 155 to clarify the timelines for public companies to report their foreign ownership limits, thereby increasing transparency for market participants. Simplifying the procedures for opening indirect investment accounts is another focus, with the Ministry collaborating with the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) to facilitate foreign capital inflows.

Furthermore, the introduction of omnibus trading accounts for foreign funds is set to simplify transaction processes, allowing fund managers to execute trades on behalf of multiple portfolios simultaneously. This innovation aims to enhance operational efficiency for foreign institutional investors.

In addition to regulatory reforms, the ministry is focused on increasing the supply of financial products and improving the listing process for companies after their IPOs. Developing new investment indices will also provide more benchmarks for fund managers, further enriching the investment landscape.

To ensure ongoing dialogue between regulators and market participants, a policy dialogue group will be established, comprising representatives from the State Securities Commission, investment funds, and securities firms.

This group will facilitate timely discussions on market needs and regulatory responses, a step many experts believe is crucial to making policy more responsive.

Despite the progress made, Viet Nam's path to achieving emerging market status is fraught with challenges. FTSE Russell's recent report classified Viet Nam as a frontier market, citing concerns about payment systems and market accessibility.

However, the introduction of non-pre-funding models for foreign investors has been recognised as a positive development, indicating that improvements are underway.

The Government's determination to elevate Viet Nam's stock market is evident, with clear political will demonstrated in various regulatory meetings. As the September deadline approaches, the financial community is hopeful that these efforts will culminate in a successful upgrade, positioning Viet Nam as a premier investment destination in the region.  BIZHUB/VNS
HA NOI  Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien on May 7 chaired a working session with major Vietnamese enterprises to implement the Prime Minister's directive on promoting trade agreements to help balance the trade relationship between the US and Viet Nam.

Participants included leading corporations such as the Vietnam National Industry - Energy Group (Petrovietnam), Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex), Vietnam Electricity (EVN), Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air, among others.

In recent years, these enterprises have recorded substantial imports from the US, including aircraft, machinery, equipment, turbines for gas-fired power plants, power transmission systems, GPU chips, raw materials, and fuels, amounting to several billions of US dollars.

During the meeting, the corporations reported on the progress of procurement agreements signed in 2025. They also made assessments and forecasts on demand for this year and beyond for imports of the equipment, goods, services, and materials in which the US has strengths.

They said they plan to intensify engagements and meetings with US partners from now until June to advance the signing of contracts to implement previously signed agreements and memoranda of understanding.

Minister Dien, who leads the Governments negotiation delegation on a reciprocal trade agreement with the US, said that Viet Nam currently has strong and steady demand for US goods, equipment and services  sectors where the US excels and Viet Nam has pressing needs.

However, he noted that bilateral trade has yet to reflect its full potential. The minister stressed the need for both sides to urgently review and resolve outstanding issues to facilitate the trade of essential goods and services.

He further called on enterprises to take a more proactive approach in unlocking this vast potential, stressing that such efforts will play a crucial role in deepening economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two nations in a substantive and effective manner.

These actions will also contribute to building a more balanced, harmonious and sustainable trade relationship, Dien said.  VNS
HUE  More than two million tourists, of which 45 per cent were foreigners, booked tour services to explore world heritage destinations in Hue in the first quarter of the year, marking a 63 per cent increase in comparison to the same period last year.

City officials reported at the press conference that the local tourism industry earned a revenue of VN3.65 trillion (US$140.5 million) during the first three months of 2025.

According to the officials, 350,000 visitors came to the heritage hub during the 50th anniversary of the countrys National Reunification and the five-day National Holiday (between April 30 and May 4), marking a 17.5 per cent share of total visitors and around 20 per cent of overall revenue in the quarter.

Local authorities said the city granted 11 licences to new investment projects, while two other projects increased capital, with total registered funds of VN22.5 trillion ($866 million).

Nearly 300 licences for newly established businesses have been approved in the first quarter, with total investment of VN3.4 trillion ($131 million).

Hue has been accelerating its plans to build a high-tech park project and has also organised the National Tourism Year and Hue Festival 2025. The city expects to draw in about five million visitors this year.

A series of key projects worth a total of $274 million began construction in early March.

Hue, the former imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty, has eight world heritage sites that have been recognised by UNESCO.

The centrally run city, in cooperation with South Korean partners, aims to launch an air route connecting Hue and South Korea (Incheon and Phu Bai airports) as well as boost tourism service-related art performances.

It has been building partnerships with companies like Vingroup, FPT and Grab to promote the green transformation and sustainable development over the next few decades. VNS
HA NOI  This summer, Vietnamese animation lovers are in for a special treat as the 3D animated feature Trang Quynh Nhi: Truyen Thuyet Kim Nguu (Little Scholar Quynh: The Legend of Kim Nguu) hits cinemas nationwide.

Building on the warm affection audiences have shown for the hit YouTube series Trang Quynh Thoi Nhi Nho (Little Scholar Quynh and the Mischievous Times), the film brings an upgraded cinematic experience while preserving the cultural charm that made the original a family favourite.

With over 1.42 million subscribers and millions of views on its episodes, Little Scholar Quynh has already carved out a special place in the hearts of Vietnamese children and parents alike. Now, the leap from small screen to silver screen aims to deepen that connection with a brand-new tale infused with folklore, fantasy, and Vietnamese soul.

Inspired by the beloved folk character Trang Quynh - often celebrated for his wit and courage in traditional stories passed down through generations - the film introduces audiences to a younger, animated version of the character. In Little Scholar Quynh: The Legend of Kim Nguu, director Trinh Lam Tung reimagines Quynh as a brave, good-hearted boy with a sharp intellect, embarking on a thrilling summer quest filled with mystery, friendship and magic.

We wanted to breathe new life into an iconic figure of Vietnamese folk culture, said director Tung.

Trang Quynh is a household name, deeply rooted in childhood memories across generations. With this film, were not just reconnecting todays children with cultural heritage, were re-telling those tales through the lens of modern animation technology and cinematic storytelling. Its our tribute to the audience and to the national spirit.

Set in a richly detailed northern Vietnamese village, the film offers a nostalgic and visually immersive setting, complete with banyan trees, lotus ponds, village gates, and communal courtyards. These backdrops arent just pretty - they carry emotional and cultural resonance. Alongside young Quynh is a mystical buffalo, inspired by the legendary Kim Nguu deity. Their bond not only drives the plot but also reflects the deep relationship between rural Vietnamese families and their loyal buffalo companions - beasts of burden and symbols of tradition, labour and love.

Through the journey of the young Quynh and his friends, director Tung sends the message that belief creates strength.

"Belief creates strength," said director Tung. "When people forget their roots, sacred values can be lost. But with faith, gratitude and kindness, goodness always prevails. The sincerity of friendship and the warmth of family bonds are sacred - they should be protected, nurtured, and celebrated."

While kids will be drawn to the films high-energy chase scenes, martial arts sequences and magical beasts, parents may find themselves gently transported back to their own childhoods - remembering the stories they grew up with, and perhaps seeing a bit of themselves in young Quynhs daring adventures.

With its first teaser already capturing attention, Little Scholar Quynh: The Legend of Kim Nguu promises an exciting blend of humor, fantasy, and cultural richness. As Vietnamese cinema continues to evolve, this film, released on May 30, stands as a joyful example of how animation can honour heritage, while inspiring the next generation.

So, this summer, gather your little ones and step into a world where ancient legends awaken through modern animation, and where the spirit of Trang Quynh lives on, in 3D.  VNS
THANH HOA  The Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Thanh Hoa is calling for tougher measures to prevent and address vandalism and illegal excavation of royal tombs in search of artefacts.

The request follows an incident when Emperor Le Tuc Tongs tomb, located in Kien Tho Commune, Ngoc Lac District, showed signs of being vandalised.

According to the Department, several officials from the Thanh Hoa Centre for Historical Research and Heritage Conservation at around 9.30pm on May 3 discovered that the tomb had been desecrated.

At the site, authorities found a mobile phone with Chinese-language settings, several identity documents belonging to a Chinese citizen and a metal probing tool commonly used to search for buried artefacts.

The findings were promptly reported to the Thanh Hoa Province Police Department by the heritage centre.

The Quang Ninh Police Department have apprehended the two suspects: Deng Zhui, 41, and Shen Jiangyang, 43. Both are residents of Guangxi Province in China. They were handed over to Thanh Hoa Province police for further investigation.

Strengthening protection

Following this, and the desecration of the tomb of Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on January 5, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thanh Hoa noted that many localities are currently facing the issue of illegal vandalism and excavation of royal tombs in search of relics.

Criminals often exploit opportunities for tourism, scientific research and education in the field of cultural heritage to survey and engage in acts of excavation and vandalism at the tombs of historical figures and archaeological sites.

The department has requested local authorities to enhance the management and protection of historical and cultural sites, as well as scenic spots.

They also demanded prompt detection, prevention, and strict handling of theft, excavation, recovery, and illegal trading or exchange of relics and artefacts in the area.

Special attention should be given to equipping surveillance camera systems and lighting within the historical and cultural sites as well as scenic spots managed by the local authorities.

Thanh Hoa Provincial Police and relevant units are asked to investigate and clarify the incident, preventing acts of vandalism, unauthorised excavation and search for relics and artefacts at the tombs of Le Emperors, including Emperor Le Tuc Tongs, specifically within the Lam Kinh historical site.

This should also extend to the tombs of the Trinh and Nguyen lords, historical figures from various feudal dynasties, and archaeological sites throughout the province.

Le Tuc Tong (14881505), also known as Le Thuan, was the third son of Emperor Le Hien Tong. According to the ai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu (The Complete Annals of ai Viet), the emperor was known for his virtuous character, respect for the wise and dedication to maintaining peace and stability throughout the realm

After passing away in 1505, his remains were interred at Kinh Lang in Lam Kinh, within the present-day bounds of Kien Tho Commune.

The emperors tomb was previously damaged, leaving only a few thin bricks arranged around a raised mound. It was restored in 1997. The new tomb measures 4.5 metres in length, 4.5 metres in width, and 1 metre in height.

The special national heritage site of Lam Kinh covers an area of over 200 hectares, located in the districts of Tho Xuan and Ngoc Lac in Thanh Hoa.

This site is the homeland of the national hero Le Loi, associated with the Lam Son uprising against the Ming invaders (1418-1427), and serves as the eternal resting place for emperors, queens, and empresses of the early Le Dynasty (1428-1528). They include emperors Le Thai To (Le Loi), Le Thai Tong, Le Nhan Tong, Le Thanh Tong, Le Hien Tong, Le Tuc Tong, and two empress dowager's - Ngo Thi Ngoc Dao and Nguyen Thi Ngoc Huyen.  VNS
PHU THO  National chefs created an impressive performance with 180 huge culinary offers at the commemoration of Prince Lang Lieu, the seventh Hung King - on May 7 in Phu Tho Province's Viet Tri City.

The commemoration is an annual activity of the city to pay tribute to one of the legendary founders of the nation and honour the legend of banh chung (square rice cake) and banh giay (round glutinous rice cake), symbols of Vietnamese culinary culture.

Prince Lang Lieu was the 18th son of Hung King. He created these two cakes to offer to his father and ancestors. Through his dishes, Lang Lieu conveyed a message of gratitude to the ancestors and the spirit of family solidarity  the core values of the Vietnamese people.

The legend of banh chung and banh giay was believed an inspiration for generations of Vietnamese people to preserve and promote national culinary heritages.

It was jointly organising by the Duu Lau Ward People's Committee, the Vietnamese Chefs Federation and the Masan Consumers.

According to organisers, it was not only a spiritual ceremony, but also a place where the culinary legacy of the three regions converged, demonstrating the nation's solidarity and the richness of Vietnamese cuisine.

"This year, the incense offering ceremony in memory of Prince Lang Lieu is more meaningful as it helps gather 180 trays from all over the country, contributing to preserving and honouring the identity of Vietnamese culinary culture," said Le Thi Thiet, chairwoman of the Nam inh Province Culinary Culture Association.

At the Duu Lau Communal House, hundreds of famed chefs and artisans, from different cities and provinces gathered together to prepare 180 trays of tasty dishes - nearly double than the original plan of 100 trays organisers had first promised to the public.

Each tray was a work of art, reproducing the typical dishes of each region. They were banh chung and banh giay of the North; mam tom cha (fermented salted shrimp) and banh beo (steamed rice cake) of the Central region, and banh xeo (sizzling pancake) and goi cuon (rice paper rolls) of the South, creating a vivid culinary picture.

In particular, in responding to the nation's recent celebration of 50 years of glory, the trays were arranged in the shape of Viet Nam map with the two archipelagos of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, affirming the love for the homeland sea and islands.

Coming from the South, I am very happy to be here today with the community of chef and artisans to honour the founder of Vietnamese cuisine, Prince Lang Lieu," said one of the founders of the Sai Gon Chefs Association, Ly Sanh.

"This is not only a ceremony for us to express our gratitude to the founder of the cooking profession, but also an opportunity for the Vietnamese chef community to join hands to preserve and promote the quintessence of national culinary culture through each dish.

Tran Thi Hong Loan, an artisan from Hue, said she was pleased to meet with many chefs of different regions and joined with them to show the diversity of Vietnamese cultural identity.

Meanwhile Co Nhu oi, representative of the Van Cu Pho Association, highlighted the importance of promoting culinary cultural values in a changing life.

We keep the traditions and improve our dishes so that the younger generations and international friends would enjoy them everywhere. Our offerings today are created to suit today's customer tastes but still retain the flavour and cultural identity of local dishes, he said.

Duu Lau Communal House is one of the important historical relics of Phu Tho. The provincial relic is not only a place to worship Prince Lang Lieu but also a cultural centre of the community, preserving the traditional values of the ancient land of Van Lang. VNS
HA NOI - Five years after joining UNESCOs Creative Cities Network, Ha Noi continues to fulfill its international commitments while asserting its pioneering role in design and innovation. By leveraging its rich cultural heritage, the capital aims to foster sustainable development and reinforce its image as a city of "Civilisation  Culture  Modernity," emphasised Bach Lien Huong, Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports.

Speaking at an event on May 6 to introduce the Ha Noi Creative Activities Coordination Centre and to call for participation in the Ha Noi Creative Cultural Space Network, Huong highlighted the rapid growth of Ha Nois creative community in recent years.

Creative spaces have emerged as dynamic hubs for design, arts, crafts, and startups. These spaces are not only incubators of new ideas but also bridges between tradition and modernity, and between local and international communities.

Thanks to the dedication and resilience of the creative sector, Ha Noi's cultural landscape has become increasingly diverse. These creative hubs serve as nuclei of innovation, playing a vital role in shaping the capital's creative identity, boosting the creative economy, and promoting a modern, youthful image deeply rooted in tradition.

To realise these goals, Ha Noi has implemented various coordinated initiatives, including new policies under the Capital Law; drafting a resolution to establish a Cultural Industry Centre and Cultural Trade and Service Zones to nurture and expand the creative ecosystem.

The city is also investing in creative infrastructure, proposing the adaptive reuse of industrial heritage and cultural facilities to form creative spaces. It seeks to enhance both domestic and international creative networks, foster international cooperation and knowledge exchange, and organise awards, festivals, and cultural-creative events to promote Vietnamese creative products globally.

A key milestone is the establishment of the Ha Noi Creative Activities Coordination Centre, which aims to consolidate resources, support creative space development, increase the value of creative products, and expand their market access, thereby fueling the citys creative economy.

Huong expressed her hope that the creative community will continue aligning with Ha Nois cultural development vision by actively proposing ideas, adopting new technologies, and bringing creativity closer to the public, especially the youth.

UNESCO Representative in Viet Nam Jonathan Baker praised Ha Nois initiative to establish the creative space network, calling it a strategic move to connect, recognise, and support the citys diverse creative actors. UNESCO encourages all creative spaces, large or small, public or independent, to participate in this ecosystem.

Ha Noi currently hosts the largest number of creative cultural spaces in Viet Nam. Since officially joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2019 under the design category, the capital has demonstrated a strong commitment to cultural industry development. With a clear strategic vision and firm foundations, Ha Noi is poised to remain a source of creativity, community connection, and international cultural integration. VNA/VNS
TOKYO  A press conference was held in Tokyo on May 8 to announce the upcoming Vietnam Festival, scheduled for May 31 and June 1 at Yoyogi Park.

At the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu, co-chair of the organising committee, highlighted the festivals rich history, noting that with 17 editions to date, it has become a signature cultural exchange event. The festival at the Yoyogi Park is eagerly anticipated each year by both Japanese attendees and the Vietnamese community in Japan.

He highlighted that the festival is not only an opportunity for overseas Vietnamese to reconnect with their roots, but also serves as an important bridge bringing Vietnamese culture closer to the Japanese public.

The diplomat particularly underscored the role of people-to-people exchanges as a vital pillar of the two nations Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World.

This years programme will feature performances by young Vietnamese artists, traditional water puppetry, an ao dai (Vietnamese traditional long dress) showcase, and authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

Japanese lawmaker Aoyagi Yoichiro, who is also a co-chair of the organising committee, described the Vietnam Festival as the largest Vietnamese cultural event in Japan.

He underlined its growing role as a comprehensive platform to further deepen bilateral relations across multiple sectors, including economy, tourism, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

The organisers expect approximately 130 booths and an estimated attendance of 180,000 visitors during the two-day festival. VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Energy is a core, strategic cooperation area within the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and Russia, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son told the Russian press.

In the interview ahead of the Russia visit by Party General Secretary To Lam, Son said for years, oil and gas cooperation between the two countries has been effectively carried out in accordance with international law, making a positive contribution to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

Russia is currently a major partner of Viet Nam in the energy sector, particularly in oil and gas projects, the official said, adding the two joint ventures, Vietsovpetro and Rusvietpetro, have been operating effectively in oil and gas exploration and production in both countries.

In recent years, the two countries have made concrete progress in nuclear energy cooperation for peaceful purposes, while expanding their collaboration into new energy areas such as renewable energy and green transportation.

Viet Nam is ready to serve as a bridge for discussion and the sharing of cooperation experiences between Russia and other countries in this field, Son stressed.

At the same time, Viet Nam looks forward to learning from its partners, especially in high and emerging technologies, in order to build a solid foundation for promoting effective energy cooperation. This, in turn, will help ensure energy security, support Viet Nam's sustainable development, and contribute to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world, the Deputy PM continued.

During the interview, Son also pointed out key principles that help Viet Nam and Russia maintain and promote the framework of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership throughout history and in the current period.

He said 75 years ago, Viet Nam and the Soviet Union officially established diplomatic relations, laying a solid foundation for bilateral relations in all areas of bilateral cooperation and at international and regional forums.

The Party, State and people of Viet Nam always remember the enormous and wholehearted support of the Soviet Union throughout the struggle for national independence and national construction.

Such assistance over many decades has been an important factor contributing to the success of the cause of national liberation, reunification, construction and defence of Vietnamese people.

He emphasised that the Viet Nam - Russia relationship today has continued to inherit and continue the good, close traditional friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and the former Soviet Union.

In 1994, the Treaty on the Principles of Friendly Relations between the two countries was signed, laying the foundation for the continuous strengthening and development of the Viet NamRussia friendship and cooperation.

The year 2012 marked a milestone with the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

With the fundamental, core principles and long history of bilateral relations, together with the joint efforts of the two countries, this year marks the 75-year journey of Viet Nam and Russia together building cooperative relations in all fields, in accordance with the interests of the two countries.

The official highlighted coopration progress in politics, diplomacy, defence, and security, with bilateral trade in 2024 reaching US$4.58 billion. Russia currently has 199 investment projects in Viet Nam with a total registered capital of $990 million. Meanwhile, Viet Nam has 16 investment projects in Russia, worth $1.6 billion, ranking 4th among the 81 countries and territories where Viet Nam has investments. He also noted collaboration results in education-training and science-technology, and exchanges between localities.

The two countries have coordinated closely at multilateral forums and international organisations such as the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the AsiaEurope Meeting (ASEM), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), among others.

Asked about the significance of the Russias victory on May 9, 1945, Son called it a great historical milestone not only for the people of the former Soviet Union and Russia today, but also for all peace-loving people and for revolutionary and national liberation movements around the world.

The victory in the Great Patriotic War in 1945 offered a great source of encouragement for movements for national independence, democracy and social progress around the world, especially in Asia, Africa and Latin America, including Viet Nam, he said, stressing it created the foundation for today's world multilateralism.

The Deputy PM said that on the occasion of Lam's official visit to Russia and attendance at the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, Viet Nam wishes to express its respect and honour for the enormous contributions and sacrifices of the former Soviet Union in securing the victory over fascism and steadfastly safeguarding world peace.

Viet Nam also wishes to further strengthen political trust with Russia, identify orientations to bring their traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights, and consolidate the cooperative relationship between the Communist Party of Viet Nam and major political parties in Russia, Son said.

Answering a question about Viet Nam's lessons that have formed the countrys diplomacy policy today, Son pointed out four major ones.

First is the lesson of ensuring the highest national interests. Vietnams diplomacy has always imbued President Ho Chi Minhs teaching: Always serve the nation's interests. Today, the national interest remains the compass guiding all actions, the most fundamental basis for determining Viet Nam's foreign policy and orientation, on the principles of equality, cooperation, mutual benefit, and in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law.

Second is the lesson of combining national strength with the strength of the times. In the current period, diplomacy continues to play a pioneering role in mobilising favourable external conditions and resources, such as the trends of peace, cooperation, and development, the advancements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and emerging development trends such as digital transformation and green transition, to serve national development.

Third is the close coordination between foreign affairs and defence, security, and other sectors in both policy formulation and implementation. At present, Viet Nam defines foreign affairs, together with defence, security and other domains, as playing a vital role in contributing to safeguarding the nation from early and from afar, firmly ensuring independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, creating a peaceful, stable and favorable international environment, and harnessing resources and conditions for national development.

Fourth is the lesson of integration with the world, placing the country into the mainstream of the times, which today is about comprehensive, extensive, and effective international integration, making it a driving force for development and a shared undertaking of the entire political system and the people.

These invaluable historical lessons continue to shape Viet Nam's foreign policy in the new era, adapting to the evolving international context and helping Viet Nam further affirm and elevate its position in the international arena, Son said.

Regarding the question that the US-China tensions are posing challenges to security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region while Viet Nam is being assessed by the international community as one of the countries with a particularly important role in the regional security structure, Son shared principles and policy adjustments that help Viet Nam maintain the balance between major power centres in the current complex context.

He said Viet Nam's consistent and overarching foreign policy is firmly anchored in the principles of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations.

Viet Nam strives to be a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community, actively and proactively pursuing comprehensive and extensive international integration.

The fundamental principle and motto guiding Viet Nam's foreign affairs is to safeguard the highest national interests in accordance with the UN Charter and international law, to resolutely and persistently defend independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and to apply the principle of being firm in policy yet flexible in execution to maintain peace, stability, and serve the cause of building and defending the country.

At the same time, Viet Nam adheres to the Four Nos defence policy: no military alliances, no alignment with one country against another, no foreign military bases or use of Vietnamese territory to oppose other countries, and no use or threat of force in international relations.

On that basis, despite fluctuations in the current international and regional environment, Viet Nam is cultivating a broadly open foreign policy landscape. Viet Nam has established diplomatic relations with 194 countries, is an active member of over 70 international organisations and multilateral forums, and developed a network of strategic and comprehensive partnerships with 34 countries. Viet Nam fosters friendly, practical, and effective cooperation with major powers, notably having strategic partnerships or higher with all non-permanent members of the UN Security Council. Furthermore, Viet Nam is increasingly contributing actively and responsibly to addressing global issues and shared concerns within the international and regional communities, while promoting ASEANs centrality in the regional architecture.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Russian Ambassador to Viet Nam G. S. Bezdetko has expressed optimism that the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committees official visit to Russia will generate fruitful outcomes, while speaking to the media on the threshold of the visit, spanning from May 8-11.

Ambassador Bezdetko called it a key event in this year's highest-level bilateral engagement programme. The visit coincides with significant anniversaries, including 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, 80 years of the Great Patriotic War victory of Russia, and 50 years since Viet Nam's liberation of the South and National Reunification, he noted.

The ambassador noted that the presence of Viet Nam's top Party leader at the commemorative events in Moscow serves as a testament to the shared perspectives between Russia and Viet Nam on current global developments, the historical outcomes of the Second World War, and the importance of safeguarding historical truth against politically motivated distortions.

He expressed his hope that during the visit, the two countries leaders will engage in in-depth discussions on the full range of issues on the bilateral agenda, focusing on advancing substantive cooperation and resolving outstanding matters. Preparations for the planned meetings and negotiations are already well underway, he said, hoping that the outcomes will include substantive agreements to further consolidate the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Viet Nam in key areas.

Expressing confidence in the success of the visit, he remarked that all the necessary preconditions have been in place to ensure a productive outcome. He voiced his hope that the two sides would reach concrete agreements to deepen economic and trade relations, including the implementation of large-scale joint projects in potential sectors.

Pointing to ongoing shifts in the global geopolitical landscape, he emphasised the importance of preserving and strengthening ties with long-standing, traditional partners, including that shared by Russia and Viet Nam.

Reflecting on 75 years of relations, Ambassador Bezdetko highlighted the strong foundation built during Viet Nam's struggle for national independence and reaffirmed that this relationship remains unshaken by global changes.

He said Russia regards Viet Nam, not only as a close partner but also as a gateway to Southeast Asia. The Free Trade Agreement between Viet Nam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) plays a vital role in enhancing bilateral trade and investment.

He affirmed Russias support for enhancing cooperation among the EAEU, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and other multilateral frameworks operating across the wider Asia-Eurasia region.

Among the core pillars of the RussiaViet Nam comprehensive strategic partnership, energy cooperation remains a cornerstone. For over four decades, the Vietsovpetro joint venture has played a central role in the bilateral oil and gas sector. Russian energy giant Gazprom, a global leader in natural gas production, is also actively involved in projects in Viet Nam.

Ambassador Bezdetko welcomed expanding cooperation in high-tech industrial production, citing notable examples such as the Russian-branded GAZ automobile assembly facility in a Nang and the joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Centre, which conducts pioneering research in medicine, ecology and materials science.

Scientific, educational and technological cooperation between the two countries has become a long-standing tradition. The ambassador highlighted the effectiveness of Russias federally funded scholarship programme for Vietnamese students at Russian universities. He also mentioned an ongoing project to establish the first Russian-language school in Ha Noi.

People-to-people links continue to underpin bilateral ties, with Vietnamese speakers of Russian and Russian speakers of Vietnamese acting as vital bridges between the two societies. The ambassador noted the strong cultural affinity between the two nations, with Russian culture enjoying wide popularity in Viet Nam, while original forms of Vietnamese art remain appreciated in Russia.

The ambassador highlighted that direct people-to-people connection remains a driver of humanistic engagement. He noted that the resumption of direct flights between Russia and Viet Nam has significantly boosted tourism. In 2024 alone, approximately 232,000 Russian tourists visited Viet Nam, an increase of nearly 85 per cent compared to the previous year, while the number of Vietnamese visitors to Russia is also steadily rising.

He also acknowledged the role of Russian localities in deepening bilateral ties through strong partnerships with Vietnamese cities and provinces. Regions such as Saint Petersburg, Tatarstan, Kaluga and Ulyanovsk have been particularly active in fostering these connections.

Overall, the ambassador said, Russia and Viet Nam possess all the necessary conditions to further expand their equitable and mutually beneficial partnership. Looking ahead with optimism, he reaffirmed Russias commitment to working closely with Viet Nam to unlock the untapped potential of their comprehensive strategic partnership, for the benefit of both peoples, and in the interest of peace and prosperity.

During his stay in Russia, General Secretary To Lam will attend the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War victory in Moscow.

Regarding the significance of the event, Ambassador Bezdetko underscored that the lesson of the Great Patriotic War affirms that global peace and comprehensive development can only be guaranteed based on respecting the aspirations of each nation and the right of countries to pursue independent and sovereign policies rooted in traditional values.

This is especially crucial in todays geopolitical context, where the world faces unprecedented challenges and threats and international relations are undergoing a fundamental restructuring as a new world order takes shape.

In this context, Russia emphasises its support for a multipolar world order, advocating for the principle of equal sovereignty of nations and ensuring a balance of interests. This is the only way to ensure fairness in international relations. This system's international legal significance requires no adjustments, rather, the United Nations Charter must be fully and entirely implemented, not selectively, stated the diplomat.  VNS
MOSCOW  The official visit to Russia by Party General Secretary To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation takes place at a historic and highly symbolic moment, bearing profound significance, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia ang Minh Khoi told the Vietnam News Agency on the threshold of the trip.

Russia is the third stop on the Party leaders tour of four nations, which also includes Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Belarus, from May 512.

According to Ambassador Khoi, the visit, scheduled from May 8-11 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, coincides with the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. General Secretary Lam will attend official commemorative events.

This is the Party leaders first official visit to Russia in his current role, taking place as the two nations mark 75 years of diplomatic relations and 70 years since President Ho Chi Minhs first official visit to the Soviet Union.

The diplomat stressed that the visits greatest significance lies in honouring the past, affirming the present, and shaping the future. Although official diplomatic ties began in 1950, Viet Nam's connection with Russia began over a century ago when President Ho Chi Minh first set foot in the country and discovered the path to national liberation.

He also highlighted the values and historical bond shared between the two nations.

According to him, in 2024, the two sides celebrated three decades since the signing of their Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations, which laid the foundation for bilateral ties in the new era. Under that framework, Viet Nam and Russia upgraded their ties to a strategic partnership in 2001 and to a comprehensive strategic one in 2012.

The ambassador went on noting that in recent years, the relationship has flourished across all domains, marked by frequent high-level exchanges. Notably, President Putin and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin paid official visits to Viet Nam in June 2024 and in January 2025, respectively. Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and PM Pham Minh Chinh visited Russia in September and October last year. Furthermore, General Secretary Lam previously held an important phone call with President Putin.

These contacts have laid a strong foundation for deepened cooperation across the economic, political and trade sectors, Khoi said.

Looking ahead, he expressed confidence that during the Party chiefs visit, leaders of both countries will set forth key directions for future collaboration, potentially over the next five to ten years, or even longer.

Ambassador Khoi said both sides are ready to further develop a trusted political partnership, deepen substantive and effective economic-trade collaboration, and enhance people-to-people exchanges.

Regarding emerging areas of cooperation, he noted that beyond traditional pillars such as defence, security, and oil and gas, the two nations are exploring new drivers of growth, foremost science and technology. Russia, both historically and today, is a technological powerhouse with significant achievements in nuclear energy, quantum technology, artificial intelligence, and green science. Viet Nam greatly needs to acquire Russias experience, technology, and capital in order to advance its national development.

He also underscored nuclear energy cooperation as a priority in bilateral relations. Beyond the construction of nuclear power plants, Russia could assist Viet Nam in developing an entire nuclear industry, enabling Viet Nam to enter a new phase of development, Khoi said.

The diplomat concluded by expressing hope for strengthened collaboration in education and training between the two nations.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Making English the second language in schools is one of Viet Nams strategies to revamp the countrys education and training  but experts say that this goal requires taking English beyond the classroom and creating opportunities for students to use the language in real-life situations.

One of their proposals is to change the way students are assessed in an appropriate and engaging manner, focusing on listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

On August 12, 2024, the Politburo issued Conclusion No 91-KL/TW, which focuses on continuing the Partys direction to improve the countrys education and training in the modern context.

A key point in the Politburos document is improving the foreign language proficiency of students, gradually making English the second language in schools.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) is also developing a national project to make English the second language at educational institutions for the 2025-2035 period.

Speaking to Voice of Vietnam (VOV), Director General of the Vietnam National Institute of Educational Sciences (VNIES) Professor Dr Le Anh Vinh said that enhancing students foreign language skills is not only a mission of the education sector but also a crucial strategy to promote the countrys sustainable development.

In particular, using a foreign language as a medium of instruction in different subjects is expected to improve educational quality and help students develop multi-dimensional, flexible thinking and adaptability to new challenges.

Vinh noted that this is a challenging task that cannot be accomplished overnight, but requires a clear and specific roadmap.

Each educational institution should develop its own plan to integrate English into its curriculum, making English one of the languages used in teaching and eventually establishing it as a second language.

Dr Nguyen Thi Minh Loan, head of the English Department at the School of Foreign Languages at Thai Nguyen University, pointed out several current challenges in English language teaching, such as a shortage of qualified teachers, especially those capable of teaching at higher proficiency levels.

Facilities and teaching materials remain inadequate, and the lack of consistency in teaching methods and lesson planning has led to unequal access to English education across schools and regions, she noted.

To address these issues and make English a second language on campus, she stressed the need to invest in high-quality teaching staff, particularly those capable of teaching other subjects in English. Consistent lesson planning is also necessary to meet the requirements of each educational level, and align with the practical needs of the students.

English communication skills should be a priority from the earliest grades, integrating language learning with practical skill development, she added.

Proposing solutions to make English the second language on school campuses, senior academic manager Davide Guarini Gilmartin at the British Council in Ha Noi said that short-term, medium-term and long-term plans should be developed for this mission.

For example, short-term training programmes can be designed and offered to English teachers as well as those in charge of other subjects.

In addition, language certificates can be issued for different proficiency or training levels to help improve the capacity of the teaching staff, he suggested.

Gilmartin also emphasised the necessity of scholarship policies that encourage student learning, evaluate the current general education curriculum, and provide targeted support to underprivileged schools to ensure equitable access to education.

Other areas of focus include integrating English into other subjects and establishing a monitoring and evaluation framework.

Victoria Clark, manager of the Assessment Solutions Group for Global Assessments at British Council, said that, to make English the second language, there must be a shift in student assessment methods. Changes should aim towards a more suitable and engaging evaluation based on listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

The use of English as a living language should go beyond the classroom to ensure real communication opportunities for students, she said.

According to Clark, implementation processes are not only about policy but also about thorough assessment, as policies should not be rigid but adaptable based on clear data, statistics, results, and accurate calculations.

The MoET is gathering expert input to develop a national project aiming to make English the second language at school over the next 10 years.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong agreed that foreign language education in the past was often too focused on grammar and vocabulary, and lacked sufficient effort in practical communication.

The Ministry therefore expects that this project will foster students communication ability both inside and outside of school, contributing to a foreign language development ecosystem.

English is one of the seven foreign languages taught in schools in Viet Nam. It is the language most students choose to learn, the majority of schools teach it, and it is widely used both in and out of the classroom, said Thuong.

With the goal of educating students to become global citizens, making English the second language in schools is a key mission that will have a nationwide impact on many generations of Vietnamese people, he added.  VNS
BAKU  VietNam regards Azerbaijan as an important partner in the region and hopes for stronger ties with the country in the time ahead, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam told Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at their talks in Baku on May 7 afternoon (local time).

At the talks, which took place following an official welcome for the Vietnamese leader the same day, President Aliyev warmly welcomed the Party chief, his spouse, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation on their state visit to Azerbaijan  the first by a General Secretary of the CPV to Azerbaijan since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992.

The President expressed his belief that the visit would create strong momentum for the two countries to expand bilateral cooperation across all areas, for the benefit and prosperity of their peoples.

Recalling his 2014 visit to Viet Nam, President Aliyev shared his impression of the countrys beauty of the country, the hospitality of its people, as well as Viet Nam's dynamic development and rising international standing.

He congratulated Viet Nam on its remarkable and sustained achievements and affirmed that the country is on the right track in its socio-economic development.

General Secretary Lam also lauded Azerbaijan for the important achievements it has made under President Aliyevs leadership in national development, social welfare, and in enhancing Azerbaijans position in the region and the world.

The Party leader affirmed that Viet Nam always values its traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Azerbaijan  a relationship founded during President Ho Chi Minhs visit to Azerbaijan in 1959 and strengthened over the years through numerous high-level mutual visits.

He used the occasion to thank Azerbaijani people for their valuable support to Viet Nam in the past struggle for national liberation and reunification, as well as in the current process of nation-building and development.

Both sides were pleased to note that over the past more than three decades, the Viet Nam-Azerbaijan relationship has achieved many major milestones, saying political and diplomatic ties have been maintained and enhanced, and bilateral cooperation in the energy sector promoted.

They shared the view that there is significant potential and room to advance collaboration in defence-security, trade, investment, and education and training.

To continue tapping into the potential and to overcome the challenges posed by the changing global situation, General Secretary Lam proposed solutions aimed at creating breakthroughs and fostering substantive, effective, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

He said the two sides should carry forward the coordinating role of the Intergovernmental Committee for economic-trade and scientific-technological cooperation, thereby implementing solutions to strengthen cooperation in new areas such as processing industries, machinery, and chemicals.

At the same time, they should step up collaboration in energy and oil and gas, and information exchange, while working to seek investment opportunities, train human resources, as well as explore the potential for cooperation in clean energy and renewable energy sectors, the leader added.

He also stressed the need for businesses of the two countries to enhance information exchange and connectivity, and increase investments in each others markets, particularly in the field of agriculture.

The leaders suggested Viet Nam and Azerbaijan promptly sign agreements on encouraging and protecting investment, and leverage strengths in the maritime transport and railway sectors, and enhance cooperation between their localities.

President Aliyev pledged that he will provide specific directions to promote relations in all areas, especially in economy, trade, and investment.

With its geographic advantages, Azerbaijan hopes to cooperate with Viet Nam in logistics, seaport, railway, aviation, and renewable energy, he said.

The President expressed his desire to attract more Vietnamese businesses to operate in Azerbaijan and committed to facilitating their operations.

The two leaders agreed to increase meetings and exchanges at all levels, especially at the high level, as well as among ministries, agencies, and localities, to foster mutual political trust.

They also consented to effectively implement the cooperation agreement between the CPV and the New Azerbaijan Party, whose Chairman is President Aliyev, through exchanges at all levels, information and experience sharing, and coordination at major multilateral political party forums.

The leaders agreed on various measures and key directions to promote bilateral relations in economy, trade, energy, defence, security, education and training, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

Both stressed the historical significance of the adoption of the joint statement on the establishment of a Strategic Partnership during General Secretary Lams visit.

It serves as a foundation to consolidate and reinforce bilateral relations in the future, aiming to optimise each other's strengths and propel Viet Nam and Azerbaijan forward in a new era, for the benefit of their peoples, and for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world, they said.

Regarding international and regional issues of shared concern, the leaders held that the two countries should continue their coordination at multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.

Viet Nam is ready to act as a bridge for Azerbaijan to strengthen cooperation with other Southeast Asian countries, while Azerbaijan will serve as a bridge for Viet Nam to enhance collaboration with Central Asia.

Both sides emphasised the importance of resolving differences through peaceful means, in line with international law and the UN Charter. They also expressed support for ASEAN's stance on the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) issue, in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

After the talks, General Secretary Lam and President Aliyev witnessed the exchange of cooperation documents and adopted the joint statement on the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and Azerbaijan.  VNS
BAKU  Viet Nam and Azerbaijan have issued a joint statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership during the State visit to Azerbaijan by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam from May 78 at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev.

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) respectfully introduces the joint statement.

"JOINT STATEMENT

On the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Republic of Azerbaijan

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, Viet Nam and Azerbaijan (hereinafter referred to as sides) have fostered a strong, traditional friendship and developed multifaceted cooperation based on trust, equality and mutual respect, in the interest of both sides.

The Viet Nam - Azerbaijan relationship is built on adherence to norms and principles of international law, in particular the United Nations Charter. These principles include respect for each others independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and their respective political systems; peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law; non-interference in each other's internal affairs and promotion of peace, security, and prosperity in accordance with the United Nations Charter.

Based on the outstanding achievements of bilateral relations in all areas over the past 33 years, and recognizing the vast potential for cooperation and the shared belief in a bright future, and with a view to fulfilling the aspirations of the peoples of the two countries, H.E. To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, and H.E. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, agreed to adopt a Joint Statement on elevating the Viet Nam - Azerbaijan relations to a Strategic Partnership, on the occasion of the State visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan by H.E. To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, from May 7-8,2025.

The establishment of the Viet Nam - Azerbaijan Strategic Partnership is aimed at elevating the relationship between the two countries to a new height, both at bilateral and multilateral level. It will reinforce and enhance the existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms while paving the way for development of new frameworks to further deepen collaboration.

As part of the Strategic Partnership, Viet Nam and Azerbaijan will continue to deepen cooperation across a wide range of areas to ensure the tangible benefits for both peoples, while contributing to regional and international peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity with the focus on the following areas:

DIPLOMATIC AND POLITICAL RELATIONS

Both sides will promote high-level visits, including at the highest level, intensify exchanges and engagements through all appropriate channels, and explore the possibility of establishing new cooperation mechanisms between their respective ministries, agencies, cities and provinces.

Both sides will intensify engagements between their Ministries of Foreign Affairs on bilateral relations, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest and concern, including by holding regular political consultations.

Both sides expressed their aspiration to strengthen relations between the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, and to promote parliamentary cooperation to enhance the role of their respective National Assemblies in delivering key elements of the Viet Nam - Azerbaijan Strategic Partnership.

ECONOMIC, TRADE, ENERGY, AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COOPERATION

Both sides expressed their willingness to promote substantive and comprehensive economic cooperation, to make effective use of concluded documents, and to enhance bilateral economic cooperation mechanisms, including the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technical Cooperation as a key platform for aligning priorities and facilitating long-term partnership in trade, investment and technological collaboration. Both sides will propose measures to harness opportunities and create breakthroughs in trade and investment cooperation to achieve a level of bilateral trade commensurate with the Strategic Partnership.

Both sides agreed to step up exploration of solutions to help businesses make effective use of the existing cooperation mechanisms and frameworks to advance bilateral investment and trade activities.

Both sides agreed to strongly drive cooperation in the energy sector, and to explore possibilities to enhance cooperation in clean and renewable energy. Both sides will enhance information exchange and promote cooperation in the fields of oil and gas extraction, oil and gas services, and training of human resources in this industry.

Both sides will advance the opening of their agricultural, forestry and fishery markets to help raise bilateral trade, strengthen agricultural cooperation, and provide support to the research and application of high technology in the agricultural sector, and promote joint programs and projects on climate change, environment protection and green growth.

Both sides agreed to step up the exchange of experience in railways, roads, airways and sea routes development and to advance collaboration in operating the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, with the aim of enhancing connectivity.

DEFENCE AND SECURITY COOPERATION

Both sides expressed their willingness to promote their bilateral defence and security cooperation, including through exchange of visits, enhance information exchange and collaborations, and expand cooperation in the security and defence industries, technology transfer, training and education.

The law enforcement agencies of both sides will promote exchange of information and experience, and coordinate their efforts in preventing and combating terrorism and crimes, including transnational organized crimes, illicit trafficking in drugs, trafficking in persons, cybercrimes, and other security threats and challenges of common concern.

COOPERATION IN EDUCATION, TRAINING, JUSTICE, CULTURE, TOURISM, AND PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE EXCHANGES

Both sides expressed readiness to effectively implement educational cooperation, consider granting scholarships to each others students according to their respective needs and fields of study, promote comprehensive and continuous cooperation, and build mechanisms for the exchange of experts, lecturers and students, not only limiting to academic engagements for students and lecturers but also expanding to highly qualified experts.

Both sides expressed willingness to advance effective cooperation activities in the legal domain according to the Agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Justice of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan, signed on March 8, 2016.

Both sides agreed to step up the development and implementation of culture and history promotion and communication programs, organise Cultural Days in each other's territories, promote cultural and artistic delegation exchanges between the two sides, step up public promotion of each others potential and strengths in the tourism industry, and foster active exchange of experiences and information on their respective tourism policies and governance.

Both sides pledged to facilitate better mutual understanding between the two peoples, and continue to further advance friendly exchanges between the two peoples, including the signing of new documents to establish twinning relations between their respective cities and provinces.

COOPERATION AT MULTILATERAL FRAMEWORKS

Both sides expressed their readiness to broaden and deepen cooperation and closely coordinate their respective positions and consider supporting each other within regional and international organizations, particularly the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), as well as in other multilateral frameworks. Both sides will make good use of each other's strengths and standing to promote cooperation between Azerbaijan and ASEAN, as well as its member states. Both sides will step up consultations and coordination of their respective positions on regional and international issues, and enhance bilateral engagement to address security challenges, including epidemics, climate change, terrorism, transnational crimes, cybercrimes, food, energy and water security, as well as other issues of mutual concern.

Present Joint Statement was adopted on May 7, 2025 in the city of Baku, the Republic of Azerbaijan, in Vietnamese, Azerbaijani, and English languages."  VNA/VNS
NEW YORK  Ambassador ang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations, has emphasised the profound and long-lasting significance of the end of the Second World War for the international community and for Vietnam.

Addressing a meeting that marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the war held by the UN General Assembly in New York on May 7, Giang expressed deep gratitude to those who sacrificed their lives and paid tribute to all the victims of the war.

At that time in history, the Vietnamese people launched their August Revolution, bringing an end to nearly a century of colonial and fascist rule, and marking a historic turning point as Viet Nam emerged as an independent and democratic nation.

The diplomat affirmed that the historical lessons of World War II as well as of Viet Nam demonstrate that no force can suppress the enduring aspiration for peace, the universal values of independence, freedom, and the right of nations to self-determination.

On this occasion, Viet Nam calls on all countries to strengthen multilateral cooperation, foster international solidarity, promote mutual trust, and uphold international law, especially the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, such as respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the non-use of force, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

These principles have played a vital role in preventing a global war since 1945 and forming the foundation of the United Nations, Giang said.

Viet Nam, as an active and responsible member of the United Nations, has always been fully committed to contributing to peacekeeping efforts, promoting cooperation and development, for a brighter future for generations to come, affirmed the ambassador.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  The 13th Viet Nam  US Defence Policy Dialogue took place in Ha Noi on Thursday, co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien and US Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence John Noh.

Chien emphasised the importance of this years dialogue as it was held amid the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and the US. He highlighted the sustained progress of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, which continues to deepen across multiple areas, including defence.

Defence relations between the two countries have grown increasingly substantive and effective, building on the previously signed agreements and guidance from the countries' leaders, he noted.

He pointed out specific results in all-level delegation exchanges and meetings, dialogues and consultations, defence industry collaboration, military training, UN peacekeeping operations, and military medicine. Both sides have also continued to support each other at multilateral defence forums, particularly within the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM+).

Cooperation in addressing war legacies remains a highlight of the Viet Nam  US relations, is given a strong commitment from the countries' leaders, and considered a priority in bilateral ties, said Chien. He welcomed the recent US announcement of an additional US$130 million in funding for the dioxin remediation project at Bien Hoa airbase, which brings total US non-refundable assistance for the project to $430 million.

Programmes to support Vietnamese people with disabilities linked to Agent Orange/dioxin exposure have also been expanded. Meanwhile, the joint effort to account for US service members missing in action continues to deliver results. Since the previous dialogue, the two sides have conducted four joint and unilateral excavation missions, leading to the repatriation of eight sets of remains believed to be related to American personnel.

Since August 2024, with support from Harvard University, the two countries have jointly returned 43 sets of personal wartime effects to the families of Vietnamese fallen soldiers and veterans.

In the coming time, the two sides will continue to promote cooperation, focusing on increasing delegation exchanges at all levels, maintaining existing dialogue and consultation mechanisms, and expanding collaboration in areas such as personnel training, military medicine, and UN peacekeeping operations. They also pledged to continue supporting each other at multilateral defence forums, helping affirm ASEANs central role and contributing to common peace, stability, and development.

The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence also welcomed US military personnel coming to study Vietnamese at the Military Science Academy and to attend the courses for international defence officials at the National Defence Academy.

With regard to the cooperation in addressing war consequences, Chien said Viet Nam hopes that all cooperation activities will continue to be carried out in line with the agreed roadmap. He proposed stepping up communications to raise public awareness both domestically and internationally about the Viet Nam  US collaboration in this highly humanitarian and humanistic field, which has helped both countries set aside the past and open up a future of peace, cooperation, and development.

At the dialogue, the two sides also discussed some regional and global issues of mutual concern. Chien underscored Viet Nam's consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralidation and diversification of external relations, and being ready to cooperate with countries and organisations for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Viet Nam supports the settlement of all disputes and differences through peaceful measures in line with international law, he stated, affirming that it stays persistent in its "Four Nos" defence policy  not participating in military alliances, not affiliating with one country to oppose another, not allowing foreign countries to establish military bases or use the Vietnamese territory to oppose other countries, and not using force or threatening to use force in international relations.

On the East Sea issue, he underlined Viet Nam's consistent position of respecting international practices and law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adhering to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and pushing for the early finalisation of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC).

US Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence John Noh reaffirmed his countrys high regard for Viet Nam's role in the region and expressed the wish to deepen cooperation with regional countries, including Viet Nam, for peace, stability, and development both regionally and globally. Recalling the February 2025 call between the two defence ministers, he noted that US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth had reiterated Washingtons support for a prosperous and independent Viet Nam.

Noh added the US strongly supports the settlement of war consequences and highly values the cooperation results gained so far. He described the efforts as a testament to the USs goodwill and wish to promote constructive and peaceful engagement with Viet Nam.

He said he hopes in the future, the two sides will effectively implement the Viet Nam  US updated joint vision statement on defence cooperation, signed in September 2024, and expand collaboration in the areas on shared concern.

Concluding the dialogue, the two sides inked the official minutes of the 13th Viet Nam  US Defence Policy Dialogue and exchanged wartime memorabilia records. A letter from the Vietnamese Minister of National Defence to his US counterpart was also presented, expressing the high evaluation of progress in bilateral defence ties and calling for the US Department of Defence's support for trade and tariff negotiations between the two countries.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Thursday had a phone conversation with Secretary-General of the Peoples Action Party (PAP) and Prime Minister of Singapore, on the occasion of Singapores successful organisation of its 14th general election, in which the PAP secured victory.

During their talks, PM Chinh once again congratulated Singapore on the successful organisation of its 14th general election and the victory of the PAP. He also conveyed the congratulations from General Secretary To Lam to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the PAP leadership.

He said that the increased share of the popular vote not only reflected the trust and support of the Singaporean people for the Partys sound leadership and that of PM Wong personally, but also served as clear evidence of the continuation and promotion of the core values that created the 'Singapore miracle', for which the next generation of PAP leaders are outstanding representatives.

PM Chinh expressed his confidence that, with the mandate entrusted by the people of Singapore, PM Wong would continue to lead the country in overcoming all challenges and further advancing its stable and prosperous development.

In discussing Viet NamSingapore relations, PM Chinh proposed that the two sides step up economic cooperation and expand Singaporean investment in Viet Nam, particularly in high technology, renewable energy, smart infrastructure and sustainable urban development. He also suggested enhanced cooperation in offshore wind power exports, carbon credit exchange, financial innovation, seaport development and transnational crime prevention.

PM Wong expressed his sincere thanks to PM Chinh and his wife for their warm hospitality during his recent visit to Viet Nam and for the phone conversation. He also thanked General Secretary To Lam for his congratulatory message, which reflected the deep bonds between the peoples and senior leaders of the two countries. He shared that the PAPs electoral victory was the result of the dedicated efforts of party members to strengthen public trust in the PAP.

The two Prime Ministers agreed to direct relevant ministries and agencies to actively implement the important outcomes achieved during recent high-level visits, further promote Party-to-Party exchanges and people-to-people ties, and tasked the two foreign ministries with closely coordinating the finalisation of the bilateral Action Programme. They also agreed to promptly develop a new Action Programme for the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 2025-30 period, within this year.

PM Chinh welcomed the visit of a delegation of young PAP leaders to Viet Nam to share practical experience in Party-building, state governance and public engagement.

The two sides also discussed several regional and international issues of mutual concern. In the context of rapid global and regional changes and significant challenges, particularly in the international trade and investment environment, both sides agreed on the need to enhance consultations and coordination, and to support each other at regional and international forums, especially within ASEAN and APEC, for the sake of peace, stability and common interests in the region and the world.

The two Government leaders also agreed to hold detailed discussions on bilateral cooperation and other issues on the sidelines of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.  VNS
BAKU  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee To Lam had a meeting with Speaker of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova on Thursday as part of his state visit to the Caucasus country.

The Vietnamese leader affirmed that his trip demonstrates Viet Nam's commitment to the relations with Azerbaijan and congratulated Azerbaijan on its development achievements with growing international standing. He expressed his gratitude for Azerbaijan's valuable support for Viet Nam during its struggle for national liberation and reunification as well as the current nation-building efforts.

General Secretary Lam said he hopes that the bilateral cooperation will develop in a deep and substantive manner, commensurate with the sound traditional friendship between the two countries.

He laid stress on the important role of the Milli Majlis in bolstering the Viet Nam - Azerbaijan collaboration, expressing his hope that the two sides will enhance parliamentary cooperation to effectively implement bilateral agreements.

He also welcomed the elevation of Viet Nam - Azerbaijan relations to a strategic partnership, calling it a solid framework to strengthen the bilateral ties.

The Milli Majlis Speaker, for her part, praised the significance of the Party chief's visit to the bilateral relations which were established by President Ho Chi Minh and President Heydar Aliyev, and have been nurtured by subsequent generations of leaders.

She expressed her satisfaction with recent positive developments in bilateral ties and welcomed the joint statement establishing the Viet Nam - Azerbaijan strategic partnership, stating that the Vietnamese leaders visit will provide new momentum to deepen this relationship.

Azerbaijan's top legislator briefed the guest on the cooperation between the two NAs, particularly the activeness and the close coordination of the Azerbaijan - Viet Namfriendship parliamentarians group.

The Vietnamese leader outlined the cooperation orientations in implementing the two countries strategic partnership, emphasising the role of the two NAs.

In response, Gafarova said that Lam's directions are comprehensive, profound with a strategic vision. She affirmed that the Azerbaijani NA fully supports and will coordinate with the Vietnamese counterpart to promote the implementation.

Following the newly-agreed strategic partnership, the two leaders agreed to promote the role of the two countries' NAs in coordinating, supporting and urging ministries and agencies to promote bilateral economic - trade and investment cooperation through five main groups of solutions. They include promoting energy - oil and gas cooperation, enhancing the coordinating role of the intergovernmental committee on economic - trade and scientific - technological cooperation, boosting trade promotion and business-to-business connectivity, facilitating investment activities, particularly in agriculture and food safety, and expanding cooperation in education and training.

The two sides concurred to promote people-to-people exchanges and strengthen cooperation between localities of the two countries.

Highlighting the results of parliamentary cooperation in recent times, the two leaders emphasised the need to increase delegation exchanges at all levels, especially between specialised committees and friendship parliamentarians group, while agreeing to deepen engagement parliamentarians of both countries, especially among young ones and female ones.

The two sides will further coordinate at multilateral parliamentary forums, such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), thereby demonstrating a common voice for peace, cooperation and sustainable development in the region and the world.

Gafarova affirmed that the Milli Majlis will continue supporting the expansion of cooperation between the two countries in all areas, particularly the exchange of deelgations at all levels.

On this occasion, Gafarova extended an invitation to NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man to visit Azerbaijan soon. Meanwhile, Lam conveyed Man's invitation to Gafarova to visit Viet Nam at an appropriate time. The Azerbaijani top legislator accepted the invitation with pleasure.  VNS
BAKU  Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly on Thursday attended the inauguration ceremony of a remembrance room featuring the bond between late President Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Nam  Azerbaijan oil and gas industry at the Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University in Baku.

Speaking at the event, General Secretary Lam, who is paying a state visit to Azerbaijan, affirmed the strong traditional friendship between the two countries, which was established during the historic visit to Azerbaijan by President Ho Chi Minh in 1959 and has been nurtured by generations of leaders and peoples of both countries, including late President Heydar Aliyev.

He emphasised President Ho Chi Minhs early recognition of the crucial role of the oil and gas industry in national construction and safeguarding, as well as his deep concern in how to exploit this valuable resource to serve the country's development.

General Secretar Lam thanked fraternal countries, including Azerbaijan, which is strong at oil and gas research and exploitation, for their assistance for Viet Nam, including in training many leaders and high-quality manpower for Viet Nam's oil and gas industry.

The General Secretary affirmed that the inauguration of the commemorative room, coinciding with the 135th birth anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 18902025)  a genius leader of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, a hero of national liberation, and an outstanding cultural figure of Viet Nam, is a testament to the determination of the peoples of both Viet Nam and Azerbaijan in realising his vision of building a strong and sustainable oil and gas industry in Viet Nam, while also deepening bilateral cooperation in this sector.

This move also demonstrates the affection of people around the world in general, and those of Azerbaijan in particular, for President Ho Chi Minh, especially at a time when the two countries have freshly established a Strategic Partnership, said Lam.

The Party chief proposed leaders of the Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University continue to focus on training high-quality students and researchers for Viet Nam in the fields of oil, gas, and energy, in line with the level of the newly established partnership between the two countries.  VNA/VNS
KIEN GIANG  Traffic police of the southern island city Phu Quoc have recommend that foreigners living, working or travelling here should strictly comply with traffic safety regulations, to avoid endangering themselves and the community.

The recommendation was issued following an incidence involving a Russian tourist's dangerous behaviour while driving a motorbike that was caught on video.

At around 5pm last Sunday, a foreign male tourist drove a motorbike without a helmet and with both hands off the steering, endangering other road users on Highway 973 in Xom Moi Hamlet, Bai Thom Commune, Phu Quoc City.

Upon receiving the report, the police conducted verification and identified the offender as Vanov Aleksandr, 45, with Russian nationality.

He is temporarily residing in Ong Lang Village, Cua Duong Commune.

Aleksandr admitted to the violations, including not wearing a helmet, taking off both his hands while driving driving the bike and not having the required Vietnamese driving licence.

The motorbike with licence plate 77E1  344.21 driven by Aleksandr was identified as a rented vehicle from a business establishment at No 100 on Tran Hung ao Street, Duong ong Ward.

Based on the violations, the traffic police drew up an administrative violation record and temporarily detained the vehicle for ten days, as determined by the law.

The vehicle owner, Pham Thi Dien, was also invited by the police to clarify her responsibility for handing over the vehicle to an unqualified person, violating Clause 1, Article 56 of the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order.

Renting a motorbike is the choice of many foreign tourists when coming to Phu Quoc City because of its flexibility, convenience and low cost.

However, many of them do not have a driver's licence in accordance with Vietnamese regulations, and some have never even driven a motorbike before.

Others do not learn about local traffic laws, leading to violations such as not wearing a helmet, running red lights, driving in the wrong lane and even driving when under the influence.

These behaviours not only pose a potential risk of causing accidents for tourists, but also threaten other drivers safety.

Many accidents involving foreigners have been recorded in this popular resort island recently.

Some motorbike rental owners have been punished for giving motorbikes to unqualified people and neglecting to check the renters driving licences. This is not only a violation of the law, but also shows a lack of responsibility for the general safety of the community.

Municipal traffic police recommends that organisations and individuals providing car rental services should carefully check the legal conditions of the renters, especially the valid driving licence suitable for the type of vehicle in Viet Nam.  VNS
MOSCOW  A full rehearsal for the Moscow Victory Day Parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War (May 9, 1945  2025) took place at Red Square on May 7.

The Viet Nam Peoples Army (VPA) contingent was also among the several foreign armed forces invited by the Russian Government to take part in this famous parade.

This is a major event honouring the historic victory of the then Soviet Union, affirming the indomitable will and solidarity of the Soviet people and progressive forces worldwide in the fight against fascism.

The organising committee commended the VPA contingent as one of the most outstanding formations. With neat formation, resolute and synchronised steps to stirring music, the VPAs parade unit showcased strength, composure, and unwavering discipline  the very qualities that have shaped the Armys 80-year legacy of building, fighting, and development.  VNS
BAKU  The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has signed cooperation agreements with media partners of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to improve information efficiency and contribute to promoting the Vietnam-Kazakhstan and Viet Nam-Azerbaijan Strategic Partnerships, which have just been announced by Party General Secretary To Lam and senior leaders of the two Central Asian countries.

The signing of the cooperation agreements took place within the framework of the Party leader's state visits to Kazakhstan (May 5-7) and Azerbaijan (May 7-8). It aims to implement the Vietnamese Party and States foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of international relations, serving the country's development in the new situation.

The cooperation agreements demonstrate the role and mission of the media in deepening cooperative relations between Viet Nam and Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.

On May 6, at the Akorda Presidential Palace in Astana, under the witness of General Secretary Lam and Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang and Raushan Kazhibayeva, General Director of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan's Television and Radio Complex (TRC), exchanged the cooperation agreement.

Accordingly, the two press agencies will engage in comprehensive cooperation across several key areas, including information exchange, human resource training in modern communication technologies, and delegations of reporters visiting each other's countries. These efforts aim to coordinate information production, share expertise, and exchange journalistic models adapted for the digital age.

On the same day, the VNA General Director visited the TRC headquarters. At their meeting, Trang and Kazhibayeva emphasised the need to implement the contents of the agreement so that the people of the two countries can better understand each other's situation, thereby promoting cooperation, exchange and connection activities in various fields in the spirit of the joint statement on General Secretary Lam's state visit to Kazakhstan.

Trang also explored the production process of TRC's multimedia information products and learnt about the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in creating diverse and attractive information products.

On May 7, in Baku, Azerbaijan, the VNA General Director and Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC) signed a cooperation agreement between the two agencies in the new period.

Based on the freshly-signed agreement, in the context of strong development of digital media platforms, the two agencies will continue to effectively maintain timely and diverse information exchange in various forms to disseminate official information about the situation of each country on the platforms, contributing to realising the Viet Nam - Azerbaijan Strategic Partnership.

During the visit to Azerbaijan, Trang and Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC) Vugar Alyev held talks on May 8.

At the talks, the two sides discussed specific cooperation directions such as sharing experience in organising activities, digital transformation; studying and implementing activities to foster modern journalism skills; exchanging delegations at all levels; and effective coordination within the framework of multilateral cooperation forums like the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) and the Shusha Global Media Forum.

They agreed that the two sides had effectively implemented the first cooperation agreement signed by the two agencies in 2014. VNA/VNS
BAKU  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam had a meeting with Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov, as part of his state visit to the Central Asian country.

General Secretary Lam expressed his pleasure to visit Azerbaijan and emphasised that the good traditional friendship between the two countries was laid by late President Ho Chi Minh and President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, and nurtured and strongly developed by many generations of leaders and people of the two countries.

The General Secretary affirmed the Party, State and people of Viet Nam always remember and are grateful for the valuable support and assistance that the Azerbaijani people have given to Viet Nam in the past struggle for independence and national reunification as well as in the current process of national construction and development, and stressed that Viet Nam always attaches importance to and wants to further deepen relations with Azerbaijan in all fields.

He was pleased to inform PM Asadov of the results of his intensive and extensive talks with President Ilham Aliyev, which provided guidance on all aspects of the bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues. The two sides had also agreed and adopted a Joint Statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Azerbaijan.

General Secretary Lam emphasised that this was a historic milestone, opening a new era in the bilateral relations, creating a strong driving force to promote increasingly substantive and effective cooperation, especially in areas such as economy, trade, investment, energy, defence, education, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

For his part, PM Asadov warmly welcomed and highly appreciated the state visit to Azerbaijan by General Secretary Lam, affirming that the trip demonstrated political trust and remarkable development in the bilateral relations.

He assessed that the talks between President Ilham Aliyev and the Vietnamese Party chief ere successful in all aspects with the two sides signing a series of cooperation documents in many fields.

On this occasion, PM Asadov also expressed his admiration for Viet Nam's impressive socio-economic development achievements in recent times in various fields, and affirmed that Azerbaijan always attaches importance to developing multi-faceted cooperation with Viet Nam and considers Viet Nam one of the top priority partners in Southeast Asia.

At the meeting, in the spirit of the Strategic Partnership that the two sides have just agreed on, the two leaders agreed to promote the role of the two countries' National Assemblies in coordinating, supporting and urging ministries and sectors to promote bilateral economic-trade and investment cooperation with five main groups of solutions, including promoting cooperation in traditional fields, with energy - oil and gas as the spearhead; enhancing the operational efficiency and the coordinating role of the Intergovernmental Committee for Economic - Trade and Scientific - Technical Cooperation; further stepping up the information work, trade promotion, and connection of the business communities of the two countries; encouraging and facilitating investment activities, especially in the fields of agriculture and food safety; and beefing up cooperation in education and training.

The two sides also agreed to promote a number of cooperation focuses in the coming time, including increasing meetings and exchanges of delegations at all levels, especially high-level ones; actively implementing high-level agreements that have been reached as well as enhancing coordination of actions at international and regional organisations.

They held that in the context of the rapidly changing world and regional situation, the upgrade of the bilateral ties to the Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and Azerbaijan is of great significance, developing the bilateral relations in more effective and substantial manner, thus meeting the fundamental interests of the people of the two countries.

The two sides also expressed their belief that with the determination and goodwill of General Secretary To Lam and President Ilham Aliyev, the newly-established Strategic Partnership between the two countries will bring about concrete results, for the benefit of the two nations people and for peace, stability, cooperation and common prosperity of the region and the world.

On this occasion, General Secretary To Lam also conveyed greetings and an invitation to visit Viet Nam from PM Pham Minh Chinh to PM Ali Asadov.  VNA/VNS
BAKU  Party General Secretary To Lam, his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation departed the Heydar Aliyev International Airport of Azerbaijan on Thursday afternoon (local time) for an official visit to Russia, concluding their successful two-day state visit to the Central Asian nation.

This is the highest-level visit by a Vietnamese Party and State leader to Azerbaijan since the two countries officially established their diplomatic relations in 1992, contributing to further strengthening the growing, substantive, and effective cooperation between the two nations.

During his stay, Lam held talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and witnessed the exchange of cooperation agreements, and the adoption of a joint statement on the establishment of Viet Nam-Azerbaijan strategic partnership. He delivered a press statement, and met with Speaker of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova and Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov. He also attended the inauguration ceremony of a memorial room featuring the bond between late President Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Nam  Azerbaijan oil and gas industry, and received representatives of prominent Azerbaijani companies and corporations.

During the meetings, leaders of the two sides expressed their pleasure at the significant achievements in the bilateral relations after more than three decades of diplomatic ties with political and diplomatic relations maintained and strengthened; energy cooperation expanded; and great potential and huge room for further cooperation in defence-security, trade, investment, and educationtraining.

Lam and Aliyev emphasised that the adoption of the joint statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two nations during this visit marks a historic milestone, laying a foundation for further strengthening bilateral relations in the coming time. It is expected to leverage each countrys strengths to advance Viet Nam and Azerbaijan in the new era, for the benefit of their people, and for peace, stability, and development in the region and beyond.

The two sides agreed to increase meetings and delegation exchanges at all levels, as well as cooperation between their ministries, sectors, and localities to further strengthen political trust. They also pledged to effectively implement the cooperation agreement between the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, chaired by Aliyev, through delegation exchanges, information sharing, and coordination at multilateral forums of political parties. The two sides also discussed and agreed on measures and major orientations to boost ties in trade, energy, defence-security, education-training, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

To further tap the great potential and overcome challenges amid global uncertainties, Lam proposed measures to create breakthroughs and further bolster cooperation between the two countries in a more substantive, effective, and comprehensive manner.  VNA/VNS
MOSCOW  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee To Lam, his wife Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, arrived at Vnukovo 2 Airport in Moscow on Thursday afternoon (local time), marking the start of his official visit to Russia and attendance at the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War (May 9, 1945-2025).

The three-day visit is made at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Welcoming the Vietnamese delegation at the airport were Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Nikolayevich Chernyshenko, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, the Russian Ambassador to Viet Nam Gennady Bezdetko, and his spouse, the Director of the Protocol Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and leaders from the regional department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On the Vietnamese side were Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia ang Minh Khoi and his spouse, along with staff from the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia.

Immediately after they landed, the Russian Deputy PM invited General Secretary Lam and his spouse to walk along the red carpet to the position of honour. The captain of the honour guard formally greeted and reported to the General Secretary. This was followed by the national anthems of Viet Nam and Russia.

Following the welcome ceremony, General Secretary To Lam was scheduled to meet with the Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin at the Government House, followed by a grand banquet in honour of all world leaders visiting Russia for the commemoration event.

Russia is the third stop in the four-nation working visit by General Secretary To Lam from May 5-12, which included Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Belarus.

This marks General Secretary Lams first official visit to Russia since his election as the Communist leader. The visit is especially meaningful as the two countries are jointly celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (19502025).

At the same time, both countries are commemorating major historical milestones. Russia is celebrating the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, while Viet Nam is marking the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, and National Day on September 2.

During the visit, Viet Nam's top leader and the accompanying delegation will have important meetings with senior leaders of Russia, thereby creating new impetus in bilateral cooperation in many fields, including traditional cooperation fields and new, potential fields. It is hoped these will create more important driving forces to realise the development goals of the orientation in the bilateral relationship, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region, as well as in the world.

General Secretary Lams official visit and participation in the Victory Day celebrations underscore Viet Nams profound respect and recognition of the tremendous contributions and sacrifices made by the former Soviet Unionand by Russia todayin the great victory over fascism and in the steadfast defence of global peace.

The highly anticipated grand parade on May 9 at Moscow's Red Square will also see the participation of a contingent from the Viet Nam People's Army.  VNS
HA NOI  The unilateral seasonal fishing ban imposed by China in certain areas of the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) violates Viet Nams sovereignty, sovereign rights, jurisdiction and interests in the East Sea, and is therefore invalid.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment made the statement in an official dispatch sent to the Peoples Committees of coastal provinces and cities regarding Chinas announcement of a temporary fishing ban in the sea.

According to the Rural Agriculture Bureau of Sanya City, China, the annual moratorium on fishing in the East Sea, is effective from 12:00 May 1 to 12:00 August 16 this year. It covers waters from the latitude of 1200N northwards to 2630N (including the Gulf of Tonkin).

In response, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has informed and requested the People's Committees of coastal provinces and centrally governed cities to notify local fishermen of Chinas fishing ban. At the same time, the Ministry reaffirmed that Chinas unilateral imposition of this seasonal fishing ban within that defined area lacks legal values.

The Ministry also called on local authorities to encourage fishermen to maintain regular fishing activities within Viet Nams maritime zones, and to organise fishing trips in groups, teams or fleets for mutual support at sea. It further urged increased vigilance, noting the possibility that China may take aggressive actions, including detaining Vietnamese fishing vessels operating during the specified period and in the affected waters. All violations by foreign vessels within Viet Nams waters must be promptly reported to the competent authorities.

Local governments are instructed to direct their agencies to strengthen surveillance of fishing activities through the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), issue timely warnings to fishing vessels when necessary, and strictly manage the departure and arrival of fishing boats during this period.

Provinces and cities are also required to continue seriously implementing Directive No. 49/CT-BNN-TCTS dated January 6, 2021, by the then Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Minister of Agriculture and Environment) on strengthening the management of fishing vessels and ensuring the safety of people and boats engaged in fisheries activities.

The Ministry further requested localities to promptly report any unexpected incidents at sea involving fishing vessels and fishermen via the Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance Departments hotline: 0815 886 188.  VNS
BINH INH  Over the 70-year journey of the Viet Nam Peoples Navy (May 7, 1955 2025), Naval Region 4 Command has stood as the guardian of the nations maritime sovereignty, overcoming challenges to protect coastal livelihoods and serving as a vital lifeline for fishermen navigating the countrys vast seas.

Naval Region 4 is tasked with managing and safeguarding one of Viet Nams most strategically vital maritime zones.

This zone stretches from Cu Lao Xanh Island in Quy Nhon City, Binh inh Province, to Mui Ba Kiem in Ham Tan District, Binh Thuan Province, encompassing 21 islands in the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

Truong Sa, a sacred maritime and territorial region of the nation, is also one of Viet Nams richest fishing grounds. When local fishermen face emergencies at sea, they are often supported by navy patrols and stationed forces, who respond promptly with search-and-rescue missions, medical evacuations, delivering food supplies, and towing assistance.

A recent example is the case of fisherman ang An, 33, who suffered a diving accident in the Truong Sa waters in late April. He was working aboard the fishing vessel B 98291TS when the incident occurred.

Captain ang Duong of Binh inh Province immediately brought him to Song Tu Tay (Southwest Cay) Island for medical attention. The islands military medical team quickly administered first aid.

Diagnosed with acute decompression sickness after diving to a depth of 35 metres, An was in critical condition. Given the urgency and limited medical infrastructure on the island, the medical staff consulted with the Naval Medical Institute and administered recompression treatment under Protocol 6. Thanks to their efforts, the fisherman made a full recovery.

This is just one among hundreds of rescue and medical cases in which Naval Region 4 has intervened, ensuring the safety and survival of those at sea.

In 2024 alone, Naval Region 4 dispatched 33 naval missions, assisted 102 distressed vessels, provided 2,880 kg of rice and 40,540 litres of fresh water, and delivered emergency medical aid and treatment to 3,901 fishermen.

Such efforts have given fishermen greater peace of mind when heading out to sea.

Lieutenant Commander Le Van Lam, captain of Vessel 571 under Brigade 955, recalled the perilous missions most vividly  rescuing fishing boats during storms with five-metre-high waves and winds reaching force seven to eight, often operating with only vague coordinates.

In those moments, he said, officers and crew must remain resolute and mission-focused, ensuring the safety of those in peril.

Colonel Pham Van Tho, Political Commissar of Brigade 146, affirmed that, in upholding tradition, the brigades officers and soldiers have consistently fulfilled their assigned political duties.

Notably, the unit excels in search-and-rescue operations, emergency aid and support for fishermen, contributing to both maritime sovereignty and the sustainable development of the nation's blue economy.

Beyond its role at sea, Naval Region 4 has also implemented several major programmes for coastal communities. Currently, it provides monthly support of VN1 million (US$38.5) per child to 19 underprivileged students in Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces.

In April, Naval Region 4 began construction of six new homes for disadvantaged households in Khanh Hoa Province. Led by Brigade 957 in collaboration with local authority, each 60-square-metre house is valued at around VN120 million ($4,620) and is expected to be handed over for use by December.

Senior Colonel Bui Xuan Binh, Political Commissar of Naval Region 4, stated that to meet new challenges, its personnel must continue to rise above adversity, remain deeply grounded in the Party's principles, and proactively advise superiors on maritime issues with accuracy and strategic insight, ensuring peace and stability across the nations seas and islands.

Units under Naval Region 4 will also step up efforts to educate fishermen on the importance of maritime sovereignty and legal compliance while fishing in Vietnamese waters.

Additionally, the region is strengthening its readiness, preparing personnel, equipment and plans for rescue missions, assisting vessels in seeking shelter from storms, repairing damaged equipment, and ensuring the safety of both life and property in all situations, he said.  VNS
HA NOI  Party General Secretary To Lam has ordered the education sector and local authorities to prepare for the implementation of free full-day schooling at primary and secondary schools, beginning with the 20252026 academic year.

The initiative, which involves two sessions of teaching per day, aims to enhance instruction in cultural and artistic subjects, thereby supporting students' holistic development.

The order was made under a statement from the Office of the Central Party Committee, which outlined Lam's conclusions following a working session on April 18 with the Government and relevant ministries regarding the implementation of the Party's resolutions on education and training.

The session also addressed preparations for a new Politburo resolution on transformative education policies and support measures for teaching and learning.

After reviewing a report from the Party Committee of the Ministry of Education and Training and listening to opinions from other agencies, Lam endorsed a policy allowing primary and secondary schools to organise full-day teaching, depending on each localitys capacity in terms of infrastructure, finance and staffing.

The plan will be rolled out gradually, with the State taking the lead on investment while encouraging support from the private sector.

The Party chief tasked the Governments Party Committee with directing the education ministry and other authorities to ensure all necessary conditions, facilities, staff, curricula and educational activities are in place to improve the quality of teaching in the full-day programmes.

Free school lunches

Lam also agreed to a policy supporting lunch meals for students in border communes, prioritising mountainous areas. This includes both ethnic students and ethnic Kinh students residing in such regions.

Localities are urged to develop boarding and semi-boarding schools to facilitate learning and living conditions for students.

Infrastructure standards for schools must include adequate classrooms, science labs, clean water, kitchens, bathrooms, toilets, playgrounds and teacher accommodation.

Border communes next to other countries should include instruction in the neighbouring countrys language to enhance future cross-border people-to-people exchanges.

The policy will be introduced in phases, aligned with the national economic situation.

Strict supervision is required during implementation and any misappropriation of students' meal provisions will not be tolerated.

Initially, the programme will be piloted in land border communes starting in September, with gradual nationwide expansion based on the outcomes.

Localities able to allocate budgetary resources are encouraged to implement the scheme immediately within their jurisdictions.

The Party Committee of the education ministry has been assigned to coordinate with relevant agencies and report to the Governments Party Committee on implementation progress.

Matters beyond their authority will be referred to the Politburo for review and decision.

The Governments Party Committee will also oversee and push forward the implementation of the conclusions, reporting challenges to the Party Secretariat.

Top national priorities

Lam said that education, training and science and technology remain top national priorities.

Significant policies and reforms have already yielded substantial results, contributing meaningfully to national development.

However, the education system still lacks the transformative progress needed to meet public expectations, especially in developing well-rounded citizens and a high-quality workforce, amid both domestic and global challenges.

Despite various national target programmes, students in remote, ethnic minority and mountainous areas continue to face severe hardships, with low enrolment rates.

The situation stems largely from systemic limitations, particularly in mindset, policy frameworks, governance and resource allocation, which have hindered progress in the sector.

There is now a pressing need to train a new generation of Vietnamese citizens who are well-rounded and capable of meeting the nations dual centennial goals, including developing a highly skilled workforce that is key to driving breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation.

In tandem with economic growth, social advancement must also be prioritised, ensuring equal access to quality education, lifelong learning opportunities, and the full development of individual potential.

In response to the urgent demands, the party leader stressed the need for bold institutional and policy reforms, targeted investment and accelerated modernisation to improve educational outcomes and develop a workforce capable of powering Viet Nams next stage of national advancement.  VNS
Viet Nam hosted the 20th United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City from May 6 to 8, marking the fourth occasion the country has welcomed the international Buddhist celebration.

The event brought together over 2,700 delegates, including approximately 1,300 international guests from 85 countries and territories, under the theme: Solidarity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity: Buddhist Insights for World Peace and Sustainable Development.

The theme underscores the enduring relevance of Buddhist teachings in addressing contemporary global problems.

Vesak commemorates the birth, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha. Recognised by the United Nations in 1999 as an international cultural and religious day, Vesak has become a symbol of peace, compassion and wisdom.

The 2025 celebrations in Viet Nam featured a series of spiritual and cultural activities, including the procession of sacred relics, traditional rituals and scholarly discussions on Buddhism's role in promoting global harmony.

This photo essay captures the vibrant and solemn moments of Vesak 2025, reflecting the deep spiritual heritage of Viet Nam and the universal messages of Buddhism that continue to inspire people worldwide. VNS
KUALA LUMPUR  Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan expressed his confidence in the high level of preparedness among all national security agencies ahead of the 46th ASEAN Summit, scheduled to take place from May 26-27.

At the closing ceremony of the ASEAN  Malaysia 2025 Security Rehearsal Exercise on May 7, he reminded all parties to ensure the smooth organisation of the summit to uphold the countrys reputation.

Expressing his satisfaction with the level of the preparation, the diplomat said that security matters should not be taken lightly given the complicated global landscape.

Malaysia assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship from Laos on January 1. This year event is held under the theme of Inclusion and Sustainability, reflecting the countrys aspiration to build a united and prosperous ASEAN.

This marks the countrys fifth time chairing ASEAN, having previously held the role in 1977, 1997, and 2015.

Schools located near the summit venue, which is the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, will switch to home-based teaching and learning. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the Ministry of Education will identify schools located along key routes related to the summit.

Fahmi, also the MADANI Governments spokesperson, said the Government encourages private sector employers whose offices are located near the summit area to allow their staff to work from home during this time.

He said the Public Service Department has also issued a statement allowing civil servants who may be affected by traffic congestion during the summit to apply for Work From Home arrangements.  VNA/VNS
In a talk with thoibaotaichinhvietnam.vn, Nguyen Thanh Trung, CEO of FinSuccess Investment JSC, an investment advisory firm based in Ho Chi Minh City, noted that Q1 earnings results across the board showed that not all industries expected to benefit from macro policies, but many had performed well. Meanwhile, some sectors that initially feared tariffs also recorded strong growth.

Typical examples include seafood, textiles, and livestock, sectors that were expected to be negatively affected by US tariff policies, are now showing positive signals, in many cases even exceeding expectations.

Trung noted that the seafood sector has continued to post impressive revenue growth.

In Q1, seafood exports made a strong comeback, reaching a total value of $2.45 billion, up 26 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

March alone saw export value hit nearly $889 million, an increase of nearly 20 per cent, maintaining an upward trend from the outset of the year.

In the textile and apparel industry, despite a stock price correction following the announcement of new US tariff policies in early April, Trung assessed that the actual business performance was not as grim as the market feared.

Major companies in the sector, such as Song Hong Garment and Thanh Cong Textile Garment JSC, both reported profit increases of nearly 10 per cent in Q1, painting an optimistic business outlook.

The fertiliser industry, less affected by international trade policies, also showed notable signs of recovery.

Nguyen Son, an expert from HSC Securities, remarked that the livestock sector is currently benefiting from a dual advantage: improved output prices and declining input costs.

Major players like Ca Mau Fertiliser, Vinachem, and Lam Thao Super Phosphate all recorded profit growth of over 20 per cent in Q1.

This recovery comes despite falling agricultural product prices and the effects of El Nino in 2024. However, 2025 is expected to see positive improvements, supporting increased cultivation demand.

The fertiliser sector is enjoying a dual boost from both improved output prices and reduced input costs, especially in the context of tightened global supply, Son noted.

He also opined that while fertiliser demand is expected to rebound, global supply continues to be constrained, particularly from China, the worlds largest fertiliser exporter, as well as other countries like Egypt and Russia, which are maintaining export restrictions at least through the end of 2025.

This supply squeeze is helping sustain positive pricing trends.

Among agriculture-related sectors, livestock stood out as another bright spot in the first quarter.

According to Trung from FinSuccess Investment, live pig prices in Vietnam have at times soared to nearly $3.2 per kilogramme, the highest in the region.

At the same time, feed prices, one of the main input costs, have been falling sharply since late 2024, offering a double advantage for businesses in the industry.

Leading firms like BAF and Dabaco have made excellent use of this trend. Dabaco reported a sevenfold increase in its Q1 profit compared to the same period last year, while BAF also saw strong results and confidently aims to double its profit this year, Trung said.

Notably, regulatory changes in the livestock industry are also playing a role. The new Livestock Law, which took effect at the beginning of 2025, imposes stricter hygiene and disease prevention standards, forcing small-scale farmers to professionalise their operations if they wish to continue competing.

This has effectively created a new barrier to entry, allowing larger firms to strengthen their positions thanks to advantages in scale and more robust control systems.

Food and beverage sector maintains stellar growth with dealmaking nous Vietnams food and beverage market is set to record increased activity as local and foreign players ramp up investments and mergers and acquisitions.

Financial sector posts strong Q1 performance The Ministry of Finance held a meeting in Hanoi on April 18 to review the performance in Q1 and outline key fiscal and legislative actions driving growth and stability in 2025.


While the US is not among the largest investors in Vietnam, American companies have driven new foreign investment flows into the country, particularly as they diversify their supply chains and relocate the manufacturing operations of their suppliers to Vietnam.

Nguyen Viet Ha, managing director BowerGroupAsia Vietnam

Despite the challenges that lie ahead, the future of US investment in Vietnam looks promising, underpinned by Vietnams impressive economic growth and its strong political commitment to fostering its partnership with the US.

The normalisation of diplomatic relations between the US and Vietnam in 1995 marked a pivotal milestone, paving the way for economic engagement. Initially, trade relations were the focal point, but investment soon followed as both nations began to recognise the potential for mutual benefit.

In these early years, Vietnams strategic location, young and hard-working labour force, and evolving market-oriented reforms under economic reforms in the 1980s were critical factors that attracted US investors. Although challenges such as underdeveloped infrastructure and regulatory uncertainties existed, the foundation for future engagement was firmly established.

The US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement of 2001 played a crucial role in facilitating US investment in Vietnam and paved the way for Vietnam to access to the World Trade Organization in 2007. These agreements were the turning points that cemented Vietnams status as an attractive destination for foreign investment.

As Vietnams economy matured and its policy environment became increasingly conducive to foreign investment, US investments diversified into a wider array of industries. The early 2000s saw a significant influx of US capital into sectors such as technology, energy, healthcare, and finance. High-profile companies like Intel, General Electric, and Citibank made substantial commitments to the Vietnamese market, each bringing expertise, technology, and global best practices.

The tech sector has been a standout success story. Intels $1 billion investment in its Ho Chi Minh City facility in 2006 underscored the potential of Vietnam as a hub for high-tech manufacturing. Similarly, collaborations in renewables have showcased Vietnams commitment to sustainability, with US firms taking the lead in providing cutting-edge solutions.

US investments have brought benefits beyond normal economic values. Although the US ranks 11th among investors in Vietnam, US companies are key drivers of foreign investments into the country over the past years. Specifically, the diversification of supply chains by major US global brands has brought fresh investments into Vietnams export-oriented manufacturing hubs.

Beyond direct capital inflows, these companies have introduced advanced technologies, enhanced workforce skills, and fostered innovation. The involvement of US firms has elevated Vietnams position in global value chains, particularly in manufacturing, technology, and agricultural exports.

Moreover, besides investment activities, US companies have actively participated in community support and social activities, creating a ripple effect on Vietnams development. They have contributed to protecting the environment, improved public health, and advanced training and educational opportunities, aligning with Vietnams long-term development goals.

While the progress has been significant, US investments in Vietnam have not been without challenges. Regulatory complexities, inconsistent enforcement of policies, and limitations in infrastructure have occasionally posed hurdles for foreign investors, including those from the US. Furthermore, navigating cultural and operational differences requires ongoing adaptation.

The future of American investment in Vietnam appears promising. Several factors that contribute to this optimism include the Vietnams impressive economic growth and stability, strong commitments to digital transformation and commitments in green growth, and political will to strengthen the bilateral economic ties between the two countries.

To capitalise on these opportunities, both governments and the US business community must work collaboratively. Continued dialogue on trade and investment policies, improvements in transparency, and alignment with global standards will further enhance the investment climate. Educational and cultural exchanges can also deepen mutual understanding and create stronger bonds between the two nations.

The journey of 30 years of US investment in Vietnam is a testament to the transformative power of economic collaboration. From its modest beginnings to its current diverse portfolio, US investment has contributed significantly to Vietnams development while creating value for American businesses. The prospects for the future are even more exciting, with opportunities for growth in digital innovation, green energy, and strengthened economic ties.

Ho Chi Minh City seeks US investment in green and high-tech sectors Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai has invited US corporations to invest in the sustainable and high-tech sectors, aligning with the city's green growth strategy for 2030 and beyond to 2050.

Vietnam ready to ride US investment wave Vietnam is on the verge of seeing a massive influx of investments from the US, and stands ready to welcome the wave.
What factors attracted GTR Ventures and angel investors to DutyCast in this strategic funding round?

CEO Nguyen Le Hoa

GTR Ventures and our angel investors were particularly drawn to DutyCasts track record in delivering AI-driven compliance solutions, already trusted by global names such as McKinsey and SATS.

A major factor was our demonstrated ability to cut compliance costs by up to 60 per cent for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a segment historically underserved in this space. Moreover, our approach resonates with macroeconomic trends, including shifting tariffs and growing geopolitical uncertainties.

These challenges have underscored the need for agile, tech-enabled compliance platforms, which aligns directly with GTRs broader mission to foster trade resilience through innovation.

With global trade compliance valued at over $25 billion, which customer segments are central to your expansion plans?

Were focusing on four strategic segments: exporters, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and SMEs. Southeast Asia, particularly those navigating the evolving US-Vietnam trade landscape, remains a key geographic priority.

While our enterprise clients such as PwC and SATS highlight the flexibility of our platform, SMEs are at the heart of our growth strategy. These firms typically lack the dedicated resources for in-house compliance, yet face the same regulatory burden as multinationals.

This mismatch creates a substantial opportunity, one that DutyCast is uniquely positioned to serve with scalable, cost-effective solutions.

How does DutyCast help enterprises overcome compliance barriers that often hinder their global competitiveness, and which markets are next on your roadmap?

We leverage AI to automate the most complex and error-prone elements of trade compliance, such as rules of origin, HS code classification, and tariff calculations. These processes, when done manually, are not only time-consuming but prone to costly mistakes.

By transforming them into streamlined, intuitive workflows, we significantly reduce the time and expertise required, enabling SMEs to participate in global trade with confidence and lower overheads.

Our roadmap includes further expansion into the wider ASEAN region, as well as targeted markets in the United States and Europe. GTR brings a valuable global network, comprising over 60,000 trade professionals and a strong presence at key industry events across five continents.

This will help us forge new partnerships and accelerate market entry in important hubs like Dubai, London, and New York. Equally important, their regional expertise will enable us to tailor our platform to meet specific compliance requirements, reducing our time-to-market significantly.

What role do you foresee for AI in trade compliance, and where does DutyCast aim to position itself in that future?

In the next 3-5 years, AI will become the backbone of trade compliance, managing risk and regulatory updates in real time. We see DutyCast becoming the go-to platform not just for SMEs but also for large enterprises seeking flexible, embedded compliance solutions.

With strategic partners like GTR, we aim to integrate our tools seamlessly into global supply chains. According to the International Chamber of Commerce, digital transformation could reduce compliance costs by up to 30 per cent, and were here to turn that projection into reality.
FDI inflows in the first four months in 2021-2025

In the first four months of 2025, 1,204 new projects were granted investment registration certificates, with total registered capital of $5.59 billion, up 14.1 per cent in the number of projects but down 23.8 per cent on-year in terms of capital.

The adjusted capital for 540 ongoing projects hit over $6.4 billion, up almost 44.4 per cent on-year in number, and 3.9-fold in capital. There were 1,106 capital contributions and share purchases valued at almost $1.83 billion, up 8.3 per cent and 2.1-fold, respectively.

Additionally, disbursed FDI reached about $6.74 billion, up 7.3 per cent on-year.

Foreign groups invested in 18 out of the 21 economic sectors in the first four months of the year. Among them, the manufacturing and processing industry took the lead with over $8.9 billion, accounting for 64.6 per cent of the total, and a 35.1 per cent increase from a year ago.

Real estate followed with over $2.83 billion, capturing 20.5 per cent of the total and up 61.9 per cent on-year. This was followed by professional, science, and technology, and accommodation and catering services, with $611 million and nearly $352 million, respectively.

Among 81 countries and territories investing in Vietnam during the period, Singapore was the largest foreign investor, with more than $3.2 billion, or 23.5 per cent of the total, up 10 per cent on-year. South Korea ranked second with nearly $2.8 billion, accounting for 20.4 per cent and up 3.3-fold on-year. It was followed by China, Japan, and Hong Kong.

In terms of project numbers, China ranked first for newly registered projects (accounting for 28.7 per cent), South Korea led for adjusted-capital projects (making up 18 per cent), and capital contributions and share purchases (26.4 per cent).

FDI continued to flow into the attractive localities like Bac Ninh ($2.69 billion), Dong Nai ($1.52 billion), Ho Chi Minh City ($1.48 billion), and Hanoi, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and Ha Nam.

In terms of project numbers, Ho Chi Minh City ranked first for newly registered projects (making up 39.5 per cent), adjusted-registered projects (21.9 per cent), and capital contributions and share purchases (66.9 per cent).

Exports from the foreign investment sector reached $45.8 billion (including crude oil), or $45.5 billion (excluding crude oil), up 5.5 per cent on-year, and equivalent to more than 71 per cent of total export turnover.

Imports for the sector were estimated at $84.9 billion, up 16.6 per cent on-year, and covering 62.9 per cent of the total. The trade surplus of foreign-invested enterprises was almost $15.4 billion (including crude oil) or $14.9 billion (excluding crude oil), while the deficit of local businesses was $10.4 billion.

FDI inflows can be growth innovator Vietnam stands at a critical juncture in its economic transformation. Emerging technologies like AI and semiconductors offer a rare chance to move beyond low-cost manufacturing and become a regional innovation hub. To be a leader of Southeast Asias digital future, Vietnam should accelerate the sustained effort to attract the next wave of foreign investment and help shape the regions tech landscape.

Vietnam - an exception in terms of FDI attraction The Vietnam Association of Foreign-Invested Enterprises (VAFIE) released its annual report on foreign direct investment (FDI) for 2024 on April 16, affirming the potential Vietnam has to become a semiconductor manufacturing hub.

Boosting high-tech FDI To achieve rapid economic growth in the coming years, accelerating the attraction of high-quality, high-tech foreign investment, which currently accounts for only 5 per cent of the country's total inflows, requires a lot of effort and improvement to become a breakthrough driving force.
Foreign investors have reinforced their large-scale investments in Vietnam

In late April, Thanh Hoa People's Committee gave in-principle approval for the $115.8 million Thang Long Thanh Hoa Industrial Park (IP) for Sumitomo Corporation.

Kenta Kawanabe, general director of Thang Long Industrial Park (Vinh Phuc) Corporation, had a meeting with leaders of the Peoples Committee to discuss the detailed implementation plan.

The project will cover 167 hectares with an investment of about $115.8 million, of which Sumitomo will contribute 15 per cent.

The province has set out a plan to complete land clearance for phase 1 to hand over to the investor in September to kick off construction. The province has asked Sumitomo to put the IP into operation within no more than 36 months from the date of the land lease agreement.

The Japanese group already operates three IPs in Hanoi, Vinh Phuc, and Hung Yen.

The corporation is also working with authorities to look for land for its next expansions.

In the past two months, leaders of Sumitomo have met leaders of Vinh Phuc Peoples Committee to present plans to build a second IP in this province.

Sumitomo is a prominent foreign-invested enterprise in Vietnam, having invested in residential real estate, urban railways, IPs, thermal power plants, and logistics.

The eagerness of foreign investors to develop IPs shows their trust that Vietnam is still a prominent investment destination. In addition, this eagerness is also an answer to the recent increase in foreign-invested capital in the country, especially records in disbursement, said Yoshihiro Wake, an expert from Abeam Consulting Vietnam.

According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), foreign investment registered in Vietnam hit $13.82 billion in the first four months, marking a yearly rise of 40 per cent. Investment disbursement was estimated at $6.74 billion, up 7.3 per cent on-year. This also marks the highest figure for the first four months in the past five years.

In April, the US countervailing tax policy caught most countries off guard, immediately impacting global business sentiment, investors, economic growth, and world trade. However, Vietnam proactively prepared early, enhancing diverse, flexible, and effective exchanges and engagements at all levels and channels, particularly the phone call between Party General Secretary To Lam and President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also chaired 11 meetings on negotiation strategies with the US. As a result, Vietnam was among six countries prioritised by the US for negotiations out of over 100 economies. This has strengthened the confidence of the business and investor community in our responsive policies, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang said on May 6.

Global corporations continue to trust and increase investments in Vietnam, he noted, citing numerous major US and EU companies investing anew, expanding, or building supply chains in Vietnam. This underscores Vietnams critical role in global supply chains, said Thang.

In reality, foreign investors have offered to develop a series of large-scale projects. Once these units are approved, billions of dollars will pour into the country.

The US tech giant Qualcomm has plans to build its third-largest research and development (R&D) centre in Vietnam, specialising in AI.

The group has explored the opportunities and wants to build an AI technology R&D centre in the country. It will be the company's third largest centre of such kind, after the ones in India and Ireland, Jilei Hou, senior vice president of engineering at Qualcomm Technologies, said at a meeting with Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung in Hanoi in mid-April.

On April 1, Vingroup, a leading Vietnamese conglomerate, announced that it had sold its 65 per cent stake in AI company MovianAI to Qualcomm, but the transfer price was not disclosed. On the same day, Qualcomm announced the acquisition on its website.

MovianAI brings together the best AI scientists and researchers in the world and possesses a very high-quality research lab. Through the acquisition of MovianAI, Qualcomm demonstrates its strong commitment to contributing to AI R&D as well as nurturing AI talent in Vietnam, said Jilei Hou.

In Vietnam, Qualcomm currently has representative offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The company established its first R&D centre in Southeast Asia in 2020, located in Hanoi.

SK Group is eyeing to develop an LNG-fired power plant in Ninh Thuan province, home to Vietnam's future nuclear power plants, following its similar proposals in Nghe An and Thanh Hoa, all in central Vietnam.

In Ninh Thuan, SK Group has proposed building a 1.5GW LNG power plant and a 240,000-cubic metre LNG storage facility in Ca Na commune, Thuan Nam district, with a total investment of $2.35 billion.

It is expected that the government will approve the project in September 2025, and the LNG storage facility and the LNG power plant are scheduled to be put into operation by 2030.

SK is also interested in bidding for the $2.1 billion Quynh Lap LNG-fueled power project in Hoang Mai township, and an LNG power plant in Thanh Hoa.

Boosting high-tech FDI To achieve rapid economic growth in the coming years, accelerating the attraction of high-quality, high-tech foreign investment, which currently accounts for only 5 per cent of the country's total inflows, requires a lot of effort and improvement to become a breakthrough driving force.

Unlocking capital flows key to Vietnam's growth amid uncertainty To sustain high economic growth despite the current global uncertainties, Vietnam must unlock capital flows through credit, bonds, and equities. Industry experts outline ways to unlock these channels to meet the country's growth targets.

Stricter disbursement goal targets capital acceleration The government has altered its target of public investment disbursement for this year, with a continued focus on infrastructure development to spur high economic growth.

Vietnam continues global value climb Nearly 40 years since opening the doors to the wider world, Vietnams development has witnessed great strides, with foreign investment serving as one of the key drivers. However, further climbing global value chains becomes more complicated.
Pham Viet Tuan, partner, and Pham Dac Hoang, junior associate Indochine Counsel

For Vietnam, a highly open economy integrated into global supply chains, such tariffs pose substantial challenges. International businesses operating in Vietnam, including US-based companies, are likely to face rising operational costs, contractual strain, and potential legal disputes resulting from sudden regulatory shifts in importing jurisdictions.

To safeguard ongoing commercial relationships with Vietnamese counterparts, foreign businesses should assess their legal exposure and contractual protections in light of tariff policy volatility. In this regard, Vietnamese law offers two legal frameworks that may support affected parties to manage such disruptions: force majeure and hardship.

Under Vietnamese law, a force majeure event is defined as an event which occurs objectively which cannot be foreseen and remedied by all possible necessary and admissible measures being taken.

Based on this definition, a force majeure event must satisfy three conditions: it must occur objectively, be unforeseeable, and remain irremediable despite all possible efforts. If such an event occurs, the affected party is entitled to an exemption from liability for non-performance (failure to fulfil contractual obligations), including liability for contractual damages.

Except for this definition and its consequences, Vietnamese law does not provide a definitive list of force majeure events, implying that parties are generally free to define them in their contracts.

Where tariffs or non-tariff actions are specifically identified as force majeure events in the contract, the affected party may invoke the clause to suspend the performance until the force majeure event ceases. However, invoking force majeure without a prior agreement can be difficult unless the affected party can demonstrate that all three conditions are met  an often challenging burden.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese law does provide for the continued performance of contracts in the event of substantial changes in circumstances, with characteristics generally aligned with what is referred to as hardship under certain jurisdictions and international instruments, such as the Principles of International Commercial Contracts.

This concept refers to a substantial change in circumstances that significantly alters the balance of the contract, even though it does not make performance impossible. Accordingly, a party may seek to re-negotiate the contract under certain conditions: the change must arise from an objective cause that occurs after the formation of the contract; it must have been unforeseeable at the time the contract was signed; and had the change been known in advance, the contract either would not have been signed or would have included substantially different terms.

Other conditions are if continuing to perform the contract without any adjustment would cause serious harm to one of the parties; and the affected party must have taken all necessary and reasonable measures to mitigate the impact of the change.

In general, hardship supports continuation of the contract rather than termination. If re-negotiation fails, the affected party may request a court or arbitral tribunal to either terminate or modify the contract. Termination is granted only if it causes less harm than forcing performance under changed terms.

Logically, hardship is more applicable to tariff-related disruptions, as they may significantly affect the expected benefits without making performance impossible. That said, the party invoking hardship bears the burden of proving that the tariff changes go beyond ordinary commercial risk and fundamentally alter the contracts balance.

To benefit effectively from these protections, businesses should draft contracts with tailored clauses that define tariff and non-tariff measures (such as import/export restrictions) as force majeure or hardship events. Clarity in contractual language will improve enforceability and facilitate more equitable risk allocation.

Both foreign and domestic businesses should also prepare practical strategies for managing their global trade continuity. These include careful selection of governing law, dispute resolution mechanisms favouring mediation and arbitration, and well-defined risk allocation provisions. Additionally, consulting legal counsel during contract negotiations is essential to ensure legal resilience amid ongoing policy uncertainty.

Beyond legal clauses, businesses should maintain thorough records of how tariff changes affect their operations, fulfill ongoing obligations where possible, and document mitigation efforts. This not only supports legal arguments in the event of a dispute but also preserves trust in business relationships.

The current tariff turbulence is a reminder of the indirect legal risks inherent in international trade. For foreign businesses operating in Vietnam, it underscores the urgent need for well-drafted contracts and a robust legal framework. Amid an increasingly unpredictable global landscape, companies should reassess existing agreements, evaluate potential exposures, and implement preventive strategies to ensure business continuity and legal protection.
In late April, Malaysia-based private equity firm Creador announced the acquisition of a 13 per cent stake in FPT Long Chau Investment. The deal marks Long Chaus first-ever fundraising round and Creadors second investment in Vietnam.

Long Chau has quickly scaled up its chain from four stores in 2017 to more than 2,000 pharmacies and over 140 vaccination centres nationwide.

Very few businesses achieve what Long Chau has - national scale, brand trust, and deep community presence, Creador CEO and founder Brahmal Vasudevan said. Long Chau stands at the forefront of making healthcare accessible and affordable for all. We are proud to support this mission and be part of Long Chaus continued impact and growth.

In early April, Qualcomm also acquired MovianAI, the former generative AI division of VinAI Application and Research and a part of the Vingroup ecosystem.

This acquisition underscores our commitment to dedicating the necessary resources to research and development that makes us the driving force behind the next wave of AI innovation, said Jilei Hou, senior vice president of engineering at Qualcomm. By bringing in high-calibre talent from VinAI, we are strengthening our ability to deliver cutting-edge AI solutions that will benefit a wide range of industries and consumers.

According to data by the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Finance, investments in the form of capital contributions and share purchases have grown strongly since the beginning of the year. Foreign investors conducted 810 capital contributions and share purchases in the first quarter of 2025 with a total value of $1.49 billion, up 83.7 per cent on-year.

However, such activities have an uncertain future amid the current US tariff situation. Masataka Sam Yoshida, head of the Cross-border Division at RECOF Corporation, told VIR that the US has created a new wave of uncertainty which is rippling through merger and acquisition (M&A) markets, including Vietnams.

The issue is not just the tariffs themselves, but the unpredictability surrounding how and when they may be applied or changed, Yoshida said. In times of uncertainty, debt becomes more expensive, valuations are harder to justify, and dealmaking slows. Confidence at the executive level also takes a hit, making it difficult to proceed with acquisitions, especially for companies reliant on cross-border trade.

Companies such as Nike and Adidas, which rely on Vietnam for manufacturing, have already seen the impact, he added.

Other Vietnamese companies may also face valuation pressure due to their exposure to the US market. While the US administration has set a July deadline for new bilateral trade agreements, investors are more concerned about the risk of Donald Trump reimposing sanctions at any time. This makes long-term planning difficult, and as a result, M&A activity is likely to remain cautious in the near term, Yoshida explained.

In the same vein, Seck Yee Chung, partner at Baker McKenzie Vietnam, said that the imposition of US tariffs will likely have a profound influence on M&A activities in Vietnam.

Another possible setback stemming from this is that, with the undermining of Vietnams competitiveness in the US market, investors may determine that M&A deals in Vietnam are no longer lucrative enough due to reduced export volumes and market share loses. These disruptions will pose certain challenges for M&A activities in Vietnam as companies are forced to reconsider their strategies, Chung said.

According to experts, US tariffs may also create opportunities for agile players to capitalise on the shifting market dynamics. Domestic companies can leverage this development to diversify their markets, positioning themselves as attractive targets for foreign investors looking to mitigate risks.

Meanwhile, foreign investors may see this as an opportunity to restructure their supply chains by acquiring assets in Vietnam. This strategic realignment can drive growth and innovation in the Vietnamese market, as well as foster a more resilient economic environment, enabling companies to thrive in the face of adversity.

The Vietnam Private Capital & Innovation Report 2025, released in April, pointed out that Vietnams innovation and private capital market recorded $2.3 billion in 2024 across 140 deals, with deal count remaining relatively stable in both venture capital and private equity despite a decline in capital deployed.

Buyout transactions also dominated, accounting for $1.7 billion of total private equity investment, reflecting investor preference for mature, cash-generating businesses in a cautious environment.

Meanwhile, the 2025 Private Equity Report published by Grant Thornton Vietnam in March highlighted that the first quarter of 2025 brought more upbeat signals. Vietnams private equity investment market recorded five completed transactions with a total deal value of $76 million, which is more active compared to the same period in 2024. While the number of deals is lower, the average deal size rose significantly.
Expansion of laptop and PC component suppliers in Vietnam is boosting supply chains, photo Le Toan

In late March, Green Precision Manufacturing Vietnam broke ground on its factory in the northern province of Bac Ninh, with investment of over $120 million. Green Precision is a Chinese high-tech enterprise specialising in the research, design, and production of precision components for electronic consumer products, including tablets, mobile phones, speakers, and electronic payment devices.

The factory is slated to begin operations in the second quarter of 2026, with an estimated annual production capacity of 62 million products and a projected production value of over $410 million.

In mid-March, Taiwans Lite-On Technology Group held a groundbreaking ceremony for its Lite-On Quang Ninh factory in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh, with a total investment of $690 million. The factory will produce electronic computer components, cameras, wireless network connection devices, power converters, and a variety of other gadgets.

The factory is designed with a total capacity of 124 million products per year, and the first phase is set to be completed in November.

Quanta Computer, a Taiwan-based manufacturer of notebook computers, is also stepping up its computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing factory in the Nam Dinh province, also in the north. With funding of $120 million, the factory was put into operation in November 2024. As of the end of March, the company has doubled its capacity. To facilitate the growth, Quanta Computer seeks to employ about 9,000 workers before the end of 2025.

The expansion of laptop and PC component suppliers in Vietnam is helping to build a more complete and comprehensive industrial supply chain in the country, which could reduce reliance on China for imported inputs and add to Vietnams foreign investment appeal.

However, in view of the current reciprocal US tariff situation and escalating tit-for-tat global trade conflict, multinational corporations, including laptop and computer manufacturers, may pause further foreign investment, given the cloudy global economy and excess capacity displaced by the US tariff wall.

Companies serving the US market may pivot more to ramping up production in near-shoring destinations like Mexico or competing hubs like India or the Philippines, which face lower tariffs, said Brian Lee, an economist at Maybank Investment Banking Group.

Nonetheless, firms will think twice about relocating to alternative locations solely on the basis of tariff differentials. The situation now is less clear-cut than the trade war in 2018  all countries, allies and adversaries alike, risk being targeted by US tariffs, as opposed to the likelihood of incurring their higher tariffs being heavily skewed towards China in the first trade war, Lee added.

Global multinational corporations tend to consider a multitude of factors beyond tariffs when making decisions. Vietnam has inherent advantages, including established supply chains for electronics and apparel, a large and growing consumer market, a low-cost and skilled labour force, as well as a pro-business regime actively slashing bureaucracy and red tape for investors, Lee explained.

Moreover, Vietnams ability to attract export-oriented manufacturing investment does not solely hinge on serving the US market.

Businesses in Vietnam will find new growth opportunities from alternative markets, even as the US looks inward with high tariffs. Vietnams extensive network of free trade agreements put the country in good stead, Lee said. We are therefore of the view that beyond the short-term pause in investments (due partly to cyclical factors and trade policy uncertainty), Vietnam will continue being an attractive electronics manufacturing hub.
According to management consultants McKinsey & Company, smart technology could boost productivity by up to $627 billion per year in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, a survey by Ernst & Young also highlighted the significance of technology and automation, predicting 45 per cent of supply chains will be largely automated by 2035.

Many ASEAN countries have highlighted the importance of technology and digital transformation in manufacturing as a driver of future economic growth, with the Vietnamese government setting a target for manufacturing to contribute over 30 per cent of the nation's GDP by 2030.

The use of robots and automated control systems offers clear benefits, including optimising performance, reducing process errors, and lowering operating costs. Beyond these advantages, data collected from automated processes is converted into digital form, supporting better business management and analysis. Thus, automation not only streamlines workflows but also opens opportunities to leverage data for strategic decision-making, service improvement, and business growth.

In this context, Schneider Electric believes that adding hardware to the automation segment and advancing AI adoption in industrial automation are essential trends for driving sustainable business growth.

At the Innovation Day Haiphong on April 10, Schneider Electric introduced a wide range of variable speed drives and soft starters, offering a powerful and reliable solutions for motor control. As electric motors can account for up to 95 per cent of a plants energy consumption, the Altivar Soft Starter serves as a crucial starting point for innovation in any business.

Additionally, the newly launched Altivar Process ATV6100 offers an optimal solution for medium voltage drive applications. It helps customers reduce total cost of ownership, streamline processes, and enhance performance. ATV6100 is engineered as a single cabinet system providing custom solutions for a wide range of applications, while eliminating the need for power factor correction in direct-on-line (DOL) operations.

AI enhances scalable and sustainable production

AI can be applied in industrial automation systems, including control devices and production line management, to optimise processes with minimal human intervention. This enhances efficiency, reduces operating costs, and boosts productivity.

At Innovation Day 2025, under the theme Scaling Sustainable Manufacturing through Digitisation and AI, Schneider Electric showcased Industrial Internet of Things technologies powered by AI. These were integrated across the product lifecycle, including AI-driven automation solutions designed to improve efficiency, security, sustainability, and the cost-effectiveness of manufacturing operations.

Schneiders Industrial Automation Solutions enhance efficiency, cybersecurity, and sustainability while safely measuring improvements in operational profitability. With innovation integrated at every stage of process control and automation, Schneider Electric accelerates business growth by boosting plant efficiency, increasing reliability and performance, and ensuring operations are safer, more secure, and more sustainable.

As software increasingly defines industrial performance, AI is being embedded into development tools to enable the deployment and management of systems across diverse locations and domains.

Schneider Electric's AI-powered EcoStruxure Automation Expert in action at a manufacturing plant

EcoStruxure Automation Expert, an open automation platform designed to optimise processes and enhance operational efficiency, supports industrial businesses in achieving their goals now and into the future. It simplifies hardware and software integration, accelerates change implementation, and scales flexibly to accommodate new strategies, architectures, and technologies through third-party software integration, ensuring increased operational agility.

Additionally, the integration of AI within EcoStruxure Automation Expert brings significant benefits, including predictive maintenance to reduce downtime, process optimisation for increased efficiency. These AI-driven capabilities ensure that businesses can achieve higher reliability, performance, and sustainability in their operations.

Importantly, Schneider Electric has introduced CONNECT, an industrial AI that enables businesses to unify information and insights in a living digital twin that spans design, operational performance, energy management and carbon efficiency. CONNECT uses AI to synthesise thousands of perspectives into one shared reality, one unified experience.

CONNECT addresses a critical challenge facing Vietnamese manufacturing businesses; the prevalence of disparate software platforms, poor system interoperability, and the underutilisation of data. Currently, around 73 per cent of data collected from internal operations is unused, and 76 per cent of business leaders report difficulty understanding their data.

Moreover, CONNECT provides access to a wealth of information from across the industrial ecosystem accelerating the network effect by leveraging the latest advanced in analytics and AI, and quickly integrating applications from multiple vendors including AVEVA, Schneider Electric, RIB, ETAP and other CONNECT ecosystem partners.

AVEVA's predictive analytics tools in particular can be integrated with CONNECT to monitor asset health, forecast remaining asset life, and reduce unplanned downtime. AI-driven process optimisation solutions from AVEVA can utilise CONNECT's data integration capabilities to improve yield and operational efficiency.

Advanced pattern recognition and machine learning algorithms from AVEVA can be deployed on CONNECT to identify anomalies in processes and equipment. Additionally, CONNECT can leverage AVEVA's prescriptive guidance and risk-based decision support tools to enable smarter decision-making and minimise risks.

Schneider Electric is committed to supporting industrial businesses in Haiphong and across Vietnam in adopting and mastering digital and AI technologies. Through this, the country can scale up production, enhance competitiveness within global supply chains, and realise its net-zero ambitions.

Schneider Electric unveils next-generation industrial technology Schneider Electric, a specialist in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, organised an event themed Innovation Day 2023: Journey into the Industries of the Future on April 14.

Schneider Electric Debuts Galaxy VXL  Compact Power Protection for AI and Data Hubs Schneider Electric, has announced the launch of its new Galaxy VXL  a highly efficient, compact, modular, scalable, and redundant 500-1250 kW (400V) 3-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
On May 7, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien chaired a working session with several major corporations and groups to promote trade agreements with the US. The move aimed to balance the trade relationship between Vietnam and the US.

The working session saw the participation of leading corporations such as Petrovietnam, Petrolimex, PV Gas, EVN, TKV, Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, THACO Industry, Viettel, and VNPT. Over the past few years, major Vietnamese corporations have increasingly imported US goods worth several billion dollars, including aircraft, machinery, equipment, turbines for gas-fired power plants, power transmission systems, GPU chips, raw materials, and fuel.

At the event, they reported the progress of purchase agreements signed with American partners in 2025. Meanwhile, they also made assessments and forecasts on demand for this year and beyond for imports of equipment, goods, services, raw materials, and fuel.

Leaders of the corporations said that they will ramp up meetings and work with American partners by June to advance the signing of contracts in a bid to realise previously signed agreements and MoUs.

In response, Dien, who leads the governments negotiation delegation on reciprocal trade agreements with the US, said that Vietnam has a demand to purchase goods, equipment, and services from the US in large quantities, with high and stable value. These are all sectors that the US excels in and that Vietnam has a demand for. However, trade between the two countries has yet to match its potential.

The minister emphasised that both sides need to review and remove obstacles, thereby facilitating businesses to buy and sell essential products. He called on businesses to take a more proactive approach to unlock this enormous potential.

"This is a practical action to deepen economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two countries in a substantive and effective manner while contributing to a harmonious and sustainable trade balance," said Dien.

Latest statistics show that two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and the US reached $49.1 billion in the first four months of this year. Among them, Vietnam's exports to the US increased by 25.1 per cent, while US exports to Vietnam climbed by nearly 26 per cent.

US calls tariff talks with Vietnam productive US Trade Representative Jamieson L. Greer and Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade (MOIT) Nguyen Hong Dien agreed on the importance of making swift progress towards reciprocal and balanced trade between the US and Vietnam.

Deputy PM meets lead US negotiator for trade talks with Vietnam Deputy PM Ho Duc Phoc lauded the sides agreement to kick off negotiations on a reciprocal trade deal. He confirmed Vietnams readiness to engage in talks and urged both parties to accelerate discussions to reach an agreement at the earliest opportunity, contributing to stable and sustainable bilateral economic and trade ties that benefit their businesses and people.
Reports that industrial values in McGregor may have dropped $100 million created more shockwaves than SpaceX rocket testing. City and McGregor ISD leaders said the drop, if legitimate, could send the tax rate soaring.

But as McGregor, the McLennan Central Appraisal District and Capitol Appraisal Group in Austin pursue answers, it would seem SpaceX is not the culprit. It leases more than 4,000 acres in McGregors industrial park, and there are no signs of a reduction in operations.

They are working like ants out there, City Manager Kevin Evans said.

Evans suggested he has an inkling what caused the $100 million drop, but will not know for certain until Capitol Appraisal Group releases final numbers, including a detailed breakdown.

Preliminary numbers caused the furor. The report form Capital Appraisal Group late last month shows the value of industrial property in the city of McGregor nosedived from $312 million last year to an estimated $208 million this year. Industrial property values in McGregor ISD, meanwhile, slid from $225 million to $123 million in this years preliminary tabulations.

The local appraisal district hires Capitol Appraisal Group to handle appraisals of industrial properties.

An early mistake caught by Jim Halbert, chief appraiser for the McLennan Central Appraisal District, included the shuttered Owens-Illinois glass plant on Beverly Drive in Waco among McGregors industrial tally. Halbert said the error was quickly corrected, but the $100 million shortfall goes further. The appraisal district has until late July to provide certified property values to taxing entities, including cities and school districts. The entities will set their tax rates by September.

SpaceX, for its part, continues to reach for the stars, and Mars, with billionaire Elon Musk saying the red planet serves as his ultimate goal.

Residents in McGregor and miles away have grown accustomed to the massive sounds emanating from test stands on the SpaceX premises. The tests may have become louder in late February, with the company feeling compelled to respond to complaints in a letter to McGregor City Hall.

The SpaceX team needed to run several urgent high-powered tests in preparation for last weeks flight of Starship, the correspondence dated March 10 says. Though SpaceX abided by the curfew and sound level requirements of our lease, we understand these tests may have seemed unusually louder than normal to some members of the community.

The letter, signed by Ryne Barry, who directs SpaceXs testing in McGregor, assured residents SpaceX takes the matter seriously.

As such, we wanted to share SpaceXs plans to reduce noise, Barry wrote. SpaceX made the decision to invest significant time and money to build four new test stands that are in the vertical orientation with underground flame diverters which drastically reduce the noise that is heard in the community. Construction of one of the stands is complete. SpaceX is on track to complete the three remaining test stands in the second half of the year, after which we will no longer need to use the horizontal test stands, which allow more noise to escape.

Barry also thanked the McGregor community for its 20-year-plus partnership with SpaceX. The company once launched low-altitude test flights in McGregor, achieving its first vertical rocket landings there in 2012 and 2013 with a test vehicle known as the Grasshopper, a key milestone in developing SpaceXs ability to reuse boosters and dramatically reduce the price of space flight. Grasshopper flew to only a few thousand feet high, and the vertical landing development moved to New Mexico for higher altitude tests with the next generation of test vehicle.

SpaceX has launched eight Starship test flights from its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, near Brownsville, since April 2023. Four proved successful, while four ended in failure due to in-flight explosions, one of which scattered debris over Turks and Caicos Islands in the West Indies.

The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday ruled SpaceX could increase its flight testing in Boca Chica from five to 25 tests per year. The FAA determined the increased number would not adversely impact the atmosphere.

On Saturday, Starbase residents voted overwhelmingly to become an incorporated city on the Texas coast. The Austin American-Statesman reported a majority of residents are SpaceX employees.

SpaceX, which has tested rockets in McGregor since 2003, entered into a $150 million development agreement with Waco in 2021 as it hoped to expand operations. SpaceX would receive $6 million from the Waco-McLennan County Economic Development Corp. toward the venture.

The first phase called for SpaceX to invest $100 million by June 30, 2024, and create 250 new full-time jobs. The second phase envisioned SpaceX investing another $50 million by June 30 this year, and creating another 150 full-time jobs. SpaceX was to retain 578 existing jobs during this period.

SpaceX said it would upgrade the road system in the industrial park; improve electric service and water reliability; and undertake noise suppression efforts. SpaceX saw these steps necessary to accommodate volume production of Raptor engines powering Starship and its Super Heavy booster. The company estimated it would be turning out 800 to 1,000 engines annually.

Theyre adding some buildings, said Evans, McGregors city manager. He said SpaceX also is connecting a dedicated line to the citys sewer plant, planning to use treated water in its engine testing process.

In an email response to questions, Kris Collins, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerces executive vice president for economic development said, The WMCED funds have been approved for SpaceX and are eligible for disbursement upon request and verification of contract compliance. To date, SpaceX has not requested the funds from the grant award and no funds have been disbursed.
Bethenny Frankel's daughter begged her to move to Florida.

Bethenny Frankel has moved to Florida

The former 'Real Housewives of New York City' star has left Connecticut and moved to the Sunshine State with her 14-year-old daughter Bryn - from her marriage to ex-husband Jason Hoppy - and though relocation was always in her long-term plans, she hadn't planned to make the move until the teenager had gone to college.

Speaking on her 'Just B' podcast, Bethenny said: We were down in Florida and something very personal transpired, and I went to school in Florida.

I dont want to get into all the details of this now, but something happened, and my daughter, who had said years ago, I want to move to Florida, she cried to me.

Im like, We cant. There are a set of circumstances, and we cant.  At that time, it was just a concept, and I couldnt have imagined living in Florida. So, she said, I want to move to Florida this trip, and I was, like, Something had happened.

Bethenny, 54, initially dismissed Bryn's pleas because she has great friends and a great life" but ultimately realised it was something her daughter was serious about.

She said: She just said, and she meant it. She meant it, and she begged me. She didnt have to beg me, like, she was like, I really want this.

"I know my kid and I knew that once this was presented  that shed want to move. I was just like, F***ing f*** it, OK. 

The past month has left Bethenny in a "frazzled, manic mess" because she has had so much to do in order to leave her Connecticut estate behind.

She said: That was literally a month and four days ago, and I have been a frazzled, manic mess since then.

It leaned into school, house, sell house, pack house  and I was always thinking in the background, like, This f***ing house is gonna kill me. Its the best house. Its an amazing, extraordinary house for a family who has kids that will come home, you have a staff [and] theres an apple orchard.

Someone deserves to be in here thats gonna use that dining room. Whoever these people are [that buy the house] is getting such an extraordinary home that Ive put my life into.  I was sentimental about it, but Ive been a manic f***ing mess because Ive had my entire staff in circles moving s*** out.
LONDON  Even if the end of World War II in Europe spawned one of the most joyous days the continent ever lived, Thursday's 80th anniversary of V-E Day is haunted as much by the specter of current-day conflict as it celebrates the defeat of ultimate evil.

Hitler's Nazi Germany had finally surrendered after a half-decade of invading other European powers and propagating racial hatred that led to genocide, the Holocaust and the murdering of millions.

That surrender and the explosion of hope for a better life is being celebrated with parades in London and Paris and towns across Europe while even the leaders of erstwhile mortal enemies France and Germany are bonding again.

Germany's new foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, paid tribute to "the enormous sacrifices of the Allies" in helping his country win its freedom from the Nazis and said that millions of people were "disenfranchised and tormented by the Nazi regime."

"Hardly any day has shaped our history as much as May 8, 1945," he said in a statement. "Our historical responsibility for this breach of civilization and the commemoration of the millions of victims of the Second World War unleashed by Nazi Germany gives us a mandate to resolutely defend peace and freedom in Europe today."

Gloomy outlook

His comments underscore that former European enemies may thrive  to the extent that the 27-nation European Union even won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize  but that the outlook has turned gloomy over the past year.

Bodies continue to pile up in Ukraine, where Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion started the worst war on the continent since 1945. The rise of the hard right in several EU member states is putting the founding democratic principles of the bloc under increasing pressure.

"The time of Europe's carefree comfort, joyous unconcern is over. Today is the time of European mobilization around our fundamental values and our security," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a Dutch memorial event in the lead-up to the celebrations.

It makes this unlikely stretch of peace in Europe anything but a given.

And even NATO, that trans-Atlantic military alliance that assured peace in Europe under the U.S. nuclear umbrella and its military clout, is under internal strain rarely seen since its inception.

U.S. contributions to the war effort

The United States was instrumental in turning the tide of the war in Europe, invading along with Allies the D-Day beaches in France's Normandy on June 6, 1944 in what proved to be the tipping point of the war in Europe that inexorably led to the invasion of Germany and the defeat of Hitler.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump proclaimed Thursday as a day for the United States to celebrate victory in World War II, insisting the country should better recognize its essential role in the war.

"We are going to start celebrating our victories again!" he said.

The war did drag on beyond Europe especially in the Pacific against Japan, but even Taiwan joined in marking the day for the first time  and highlighting current-day threats. Instead of Russia, it was centering on China, its immediate rival. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory to be annexed by force if necessary.

"Military aggression against another country is an unjust crime that is bound to fail," Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said.

He added that both Taiwan and Europe were "now facing the threat of a new authoritarian bloc."

European celebrations

Commemorations have been going all week through Europe, and Britain has taken a lead. Here too, the current-day plight of Ukraine in its fight against Russia took center stage.

"The idea that this was all just history and it doesn't matter now somehow, is completely wrong," U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. "Those values of freedom and democracy matter today."

In London later Thursday, a service will be held in Westminster Abbey and a concert, for 10,000 members of the public, at Horse Guards Parade. In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to oversee a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe.

And in Berlin, Chancellor Friedrich Merz will again highlight how Germany has remodeled itself into a beacon of European democracy by laying a wreath at the central memorial for the victims of war and tyranny.

And, symbolically, Russia and President Vladimir Putin will be totally out of lockstep with the rest of Europe, celebrating its Victory Day one day later with a huge military parade on Red Square in central Moscow to mark the massive Soviet contribution to defeat Nazi Germany.
Democrats are deep in debate over the age of their older leaders. Some need replacement, according to younger Democrats who want to replace them. And in some cases, they are right.

But these arguments turn toxic when they equate age with capability. Ageism is bad politics, especially when you look at the age of the electorate.

David Hogg, vice chair for the Democratic National Committee, angered many party members with his call to primary older Democratic incumbents in safe districts. The 25-year-old made no distinction between physically fit elder statesmen and others who have shown obvious mental decline.

James Carville, the brains behind Bill Clinton's presidential wins, hit back. He said the DNC should sue the young man and called Hogg "a contemptible little twerp."

Hogg responded, "I think it's time we stop taking advice from people who haven't won an election in a year that starts with 2." Hogg is an attractive fellow with impressive talents. But come to think of it, he hasn't won an election ever.

It's undeniable that the Democratic Party has included entrenched politicians who can no longer serve the cause. Five House Democrats died in office last year. All were 65 or older, and their absence cost the party votes on important bills. In 2023, Sen. Dianne Feinstein died at 90 after showing serious confusion on the job.

Political uniformity is bad for democracy | Chicago Tribune 3 in 10 Americans dissatisfied with major parties, which too often demand uniformity

Hiding President Joe Biden's mental decline was a scandal. Had he gracefully announced his decision not to run again earlier on, Democrats could have held a respectable primary contest, and the results of the 2024 election might have been different.

Republicans to a lesser extent have had some of the same problems. Rep. Kay Granger spent much of her last months in a senior-living facility in Texas while chairing the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

And concerns about President Donald Trump's cognitive health have been raised by medical professionals and members of his own family. They note his veering off topic, repetition and confusion of words, phrases and even who he was running against. Trump is pushing 80.

Warren Buffett, on the other hand, is 94 years old. He's been a master investor for over 60 years. Buffett is stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway without clear evidence of declining faculties.

The usual argument for a mass replacement of older Democrats is that "the young people have the energy" in the party. But the older people have the votes.

Only a leftist love could love Trump's economic philosophy | Jonah Goldberg In an interview with Time magazine, President Donald Trump explained how he approaches tariffs and trade negotiations. I use the word "explained" with some trepidation because explanations imply a certain delineation of reasoning, facts and logic along with opinion and perspective. If you ask me to explain my support for abolishing rent control and I respond, "Because vests have no sleeves and turtles smell of elderberries," have I really offered an explanation? Or have I merely revealed what passes for my thinking?

About 52% of registered Democrats are 50 and older. In the overall electorate, about 60% of voters are at least 50. They are not necessarily oblivious to the physical and mental toll time can take. But many, if not most, have felt the sting of age discrimination in employment and other arenas. Throwing age at a candidate for reasons of one's career advancement will not play well.

Some of this is undoubtedly ideological. Younger people generally swing more left than their elders. Yet a significant number of young voters moved over to Trump in 2024 -- and over some of the Democrats' more progressive social stances.

The left is also not lacking in old ideas put forth by old people. It doesn't seem to have a problem with Sen. Bernie Sanders, who ran for president in 2020 at the age of 78. Sanders still puts the words together in a coherent fashion. Then again, he's been saying the same things for decades, which doesn't require a lot of original thinking.

Party primaries are where Democrats can challenge and replace incumbents for whatever reason. If they want a livelier Senate minority leader than Chuck Schumer, there's their chance. But making age a disqualifying factor is political suicide, doubly so before an aging electorate.
Brenda Song sometimes forgets to "take care of [herself]".

Brenda Song has two children with Macaulay Culkin

The 37-year-old actress - who has Carson, two, and Dakota, three, with actor Macaulay Culkin - has admitted that she sometimes forgets to take of her own needs because she has "so much on [her] plate".

The movie star - who began dating Macaulay back in 2017 - told People: "As moms, you are running around all the time.

"You have so much on your plate, even when you don't realise it, just because your kids. I mean, these little people depend on you, [and] you do everything for them. And you forget to sometimes take care of yourself."

By contrast, Brenda is looking forward to being the centre of attention on Mother's Day (11.05.25).

The actress explained: "That's what I really love about a day like Mother's Day, where it's just you take a second to just take a deep breath. And you know what? We deserve a little bit of appreciation. Moms do a lot."

Brenda also revealed that parenthood has given her an even deeper appreciation of her own mom.

She said: "I look at my mom and I'm like, 'I don't know how she does it'. I remember, two weeks after having my first son, I looked at my mom and I was like, 'Mom, I'm so sorry for anything I've ever done to upset you or hurt you or anything.'"

Meanwhile, Brenda recently claimed that she's "had to hustle" to become a success in Hollywood.

The actress - who was born in California to Thai parents - feels she's had to overcome the odds in order to become a success in the movie business.

Brenda - who actually began her career at the age of six, working as a child model - told Cosmopolitan: "Ive had to hustle my entire life being an Asian American actress in Hollywood. Ive just always had to be very proactive."

Macaulay also credited the actress for helping him to navigate the stresses and strains of fame.

The 44-year-old movie star - who was one of the most successful child actors of the 90s - told Brenda: "Youre my champion, the only person happier for me today than I am.

"Youre not only the best woman Ive ever known, youre the best person Ive ever known. Youve given me all my purpose."
After Art & Sol owner Sarah Bach attended a Buddhism-focused talk over a half decade ago, she found herself going down a new path in life.

What really stuck out to me was when they talked about how at a certain point in your journey throughout life, it's time to think, what are you going to do for your community? Bach said. "How are you going to make things better?"

In between jobs at the time and left with uncertainty about her life, those questions prompted a major reexamination of her lifestyle so far.

In order to move forward, she looked backward to a longtime passion of hers that helped guide her into her future.

Bach grew up with a crafty mother and sister who inspired her to be creative herself. She also found art therapy as a healthy release while at a dark point in her life.

Creativity has always been really important to me, and so I wanted to provide a place where people would feel inspired, where people could sell their art as affordably as possible, Bach said.

To help create a place like that in the Winona community, Bach opened Art & Sol in 2019.

The store is stocked with locally-made art for sale, craft supplies, spiritual items and more.

People that stop in can also enjoy drop-in craft projects and classes for free or a low cost as well as spiritual services like tarot readings and reiki sessions.

Low-cost barrier empowers artists

Lindsay Killilea, one of the approximately 60 artists who sell products at the store, recalled what she thought the first time she went into the store over a year ago.

"This whole little shop is, like, a whole vibe," said Killilea, who lived in Fountain City when she first stopped in.

She described the store as "different."

It was such a great community space with a focus on such good things," she said, noting that it seems to have a "community mindset."

She praised the store's low cost barrier for craft opportunities and the openness provided to anyone.

She believes with the state of the world, it's important for art to be accessible to many.

The store has been a launching spot for creators. Winona crafter Gretchen Houglum, who makes a variety of mixed media creations, also enjoys the unique space that she is able to sell her products at.

It's just kind of a fun place. There's always different stuff in there," Houglum said.

Rose Seales from Winona crafts wire-wrapped jewelry and other wire weaved items. She said that Bach has been a mentor for her when it comes to selling her items.

Bach's business helps creators like Seales because it allows their products to be better seen.

Killilea added that the business also provides a confidence boost to artists who find success in selling their products there.

Bach tries to make the store an affordable place to sell for creators like Houglum, Seales and Killilea. She said that the store only takes enough funds from the sales to cover the store's costs.

We try to keep it as affordable as possible for them, Bach said.

Artists as attractions

Bach likes to get to know the crafters well and sees them as what draws people into the doors of her store.

We look at them as more of like the attraction. The reason to come into the store is to see what are your neighbors, your friends and family doing? she said.

Bach isn't picky about who sells their products at the store. She likes to include products from people that have different interests and skill levels.

Art is art, and it should all be appreciated. If I only accepted the artwork that I thought was beautiful, how boring would that be? So anybody that is brave enough to come in here and show their work is welcome," Bach said. I believe that all art should be appreciated, all art is beautiful.

Killilea now is a resident of Oregon, Wisconsin, but she regularly brings her products from her line of intention items -- like candles and simmer pots -- back to Winona.

She has no plans to stop her delivery trips to the area any time soon.

Both Houglum and Seales also see themselves continuing to sell products at Art & Sol in the future.

Bach wants to grow her business in the future and expand the craft space that is open for the public to use.

She hopes to offer a space where people won't be afraid to create a mess and can inspire each other with a variety of different art forms.
The controversial sale of a nursing home owned by Sauk County is one step closer to being a done deal.

The state Department of Health Services on Monday approved Aria Healthcares change of ownership application for Sauk County Health Care Center  to the chagrin of Sauk County Citizens for Senior Care, according to group leader Judy Brey.

Among the groups concerns: The threat of lower-quality care under private ownership, that the citys sale price of $5.1 million is too low, and whether the county gave inaccurate information to justify the sale.

This is not done yet, Brey said. We are terribly disappointed by DHS because they should not have granted the (nursing home) bed transfer to that company.

If its not done yet, though, the finish line is at least in sight.

Sauk County and Aria, which applied as Aria of Sauk County LLC, have until July 4 to submit a bill of sale to the state Department of Health Services  after which, Aria would be set to take ownership.

The sale of the nursing home has drawn much criticism since the process began in December 2023, largely from Sauk County Citizens for Senior Care.

The Sauk County Board approved the initial sale in an 18-13 vote last September, but Aria requested three extensions to submit its application after DHS initially denied a change of ownership application for three nursing homes previously owned by SSM Health, Board Chair Tim McCumber said in February.

County officials want to sell the nursing home because it has run an average deficit of about $2.7 million since 2015, though the numbers have decreased over that time. Officials have also said that private care providers are better at running nursing homes than county government. Both claims have been refuted by sale opponents.

When the county moved into negotiations with Aria last March, McCumber said that the nursing home needs taxpayer funds to break even.

In 2024, about $788,000 was needed.

McCumber and District 28 Sup. Mark Smooth Detter have said that privatizing the home will better guarantee it staying open and that it could expand senior care in the area.

A group lawsuit against the county contesting the sale was filed on Oct. 31, 2024, alleging the county gave incorrect budget figures to justify the sale, that there were inaccurate claims of declining care under county ownership, and that the low sale price does not cover remaining costs related to the nursing home, particularly outstanding construction costs.

The lawsuit is still open in Sauk County court and could nullify the sale if ruled in favor of Sauk County Citizens for Senior Care. There are no hearings scheduled at the moment.

After the DHS decision, McCumber said that county officials need to speak with legal counsel regarding remaining steps for completing the sale. He does not anticipate the board needing to vote on anything else.

Other claims in the suit include that the nursing home sale needs to be a budget decision. Those require the approval of two-thirds of the county board, or at least 21 to 10 in favor. Eighteen board members approved the sale in September.

The lawsuit also claims Aria hasnt met standards established by the county in December 2023 for potential buyers.

Specifically, the county said any buyer needs to demonstrate a history of 5-star Medicare ratings in senior health care. Arias facilities in Waukesha, Brookfield and West Allis-Mitchell Manor have one- and two-star ratings, from Medicare.gov.

Aria Chief Innovation Officer Neil Lindsey and McCumber both said that it takes roughly three years to improve star ratings, a claim Kriegl refuted, saying that it takes roughly one year to do so.

Brey, Kriegl and other opponents of the Sauk County nursing home sale, as well as opponents of proposed county-owned nursing home sales in Lincoln, Portage and Walworth counties, traveled to the DHS office in Madison on April 28 to petition DHS to deny the Aria application and advocate for county-owned nursing homes.

Im a person who believes in government because they can do good things for people but when you see that kind of baloney, that really upsets me, Brey said.

Sauk County Health Care Center has a one-star rating on the Medicare site, downgraded from three stars in October. Staffing and quality measures both have four-star ratings from Medicare but health inspections are one star, hence the rating.

The county-owned home has received four- and five-star ratings in previous years, and sale opponents who have spent time at the home or have had relatives there have praised staff attentiveness and care in arguments against selling the home.

Brey said, though, that DHS wouldnt accept information she and Kriegl tried to present about the benefits of having a county-owned nursing home and criticism of the countys jail spending, along with Sauk County budget information, documentation of Arias low ratings and senior care violations, and a petition against the sale that had about 1,300 signatures.

She eventually emailed the documents to DHS instead.

Sauk County Citizens for Senior Care hoped that DHS would initially block the sale, based on the states rejection of New Jersey-based Complete Cares request to assume ownership of nursing homes in Baraboo, Madison and Waupun that had been owned by SSM Health, because of a history of noncompliance with regulations by Complete Care.

Their track record is better than Arias record, Brey said. We thought they would deny, at least initially, the application.

DHS granted Complete Care a probationary license in January but required the company to meet care and financial requirements over the next year.

The Baraboo News Republic hasnt been able to reach Akiva Brandman, a co-owner of Aria of Sauk County LLC, for comment.

Kriegl called the nursing home sale a giveaway, and said its expenses constituted about 7% of the county budget in 2023, as well as 3% of property tax dollars.

This (sale) doesnt have to happen, Brey said. Its not just about old folks. Its about disabled people and people with debilitating illness that have to have skilled nursing. We should all be worried about this. Our aging population in Wisconsin is going through the roof.
Vairin Meesouk was hoping to catch a few fish for his mother.

She had a hankering for steamed fish and wasnt fussy about the species.

Thats why on April 22 he headed to a favorite spot on Lake Mendotas north side in an attempt to catch a few white bass and maybe some blue gill or crappie.

But 45 minutes into his evening of fishing from shore, Meesouk, who is of Laotian and Thai heritage, landed a fish that was going nowhere near his mothers kitchen in Madison.

Instead, its in the record book.

Meesouk, 40, who lives in the village of Dane, is now the holder of the the state record for a yellow bass, a fish that looks similar to a white bass but has a yellow belly. Meesouks 16.5-inch fish, likely filled with eggs or milt, had quite the gut. Thats why it weighed in at 2 pounds, 13.76 ounces, just over an ounce and three quarters heavier than the previous record yellow bass, caught through the ice in 2013 on Lake Waubesa.

In Wisconsin, state-record fish are determined by weight, and Meesouk, an experienced angler who chases a variety of species throughout the year, knew he had a potential entry.

It hit like a freight train, said Meesouk, who was drifting a plastic minnow on a 1/16th-ounce jig. Ive caught thousands of yellow bass over the years but nothing this big. It was pretty surreal.

Meesouks yellow bass is the second state record to come out of the 9,781-acre lake in recent years. A 9.1-ounce, 10-inch golden shiner, a fish commonly used as bait, was caught in March 2021.

Meesouks yellow bass isnt all that surprising to DNR biologists.

In 2009, a potential world record yellow bass was caught in a fyke net on Lake Mendota near Gov. Nelson State Park by DNR crews conducting their annual spring fish surveys. The fish weighed in at three pounds and would have shattered the then state record of 2.2 pounds caught in 1972 on Lake Monona. It also, according to the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, would have broken the world record by one-half pound.

The state Department of Natural Resources lists 82 species in its hook and line record data base. Most are recognizable, like rainbow and brown trout, bullhead, crappie, perch and popular game fish like smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike and muskie. But the list also holds many less common fish that are usually not targeted by anglers. They include a 0.32-ounce blackstripe topminnow caught in the Mukwanago River in 2019; a 2-pound, 6.6-ounce mooneye landed in 2014 on the Mississippi River near La Crosse and a 1.1-ounce mottled sculpin caught in St. Croix Countys Rush River in 2022.

Yellow bass are prolific in the Mississippi River and were introduced to inland lakes in Wisconsin in the late 1800s and early 1900s, said Tim Parks, a DNR fisheries biologist. The fish survived and continued to reproduce in some lakers but died off in others. Meesouks yellow bass lands somewhere in the middle of common and uncommon species chased by anglers, said Parks, who made a positive identification of the fish.

Theyre not totally uncommon, but the more uncommon thing is the size. Normally when we see yellow bass theyre smaller, said Parks. Seeing a fish like this is really huge. I was kind of mesmerized when I saw it. Its pretty sizeable.

Nailing down the weight

But verifying the record turned into a scramble for Meesouk, who works as a die cutter at a graphic design company. When hes not on the clock he chases a variety of species from shore, his kayak and motorboat.

He knew he needed to keep the fish alive for as long as possible so that it wouldnt lose weight, which is typical after a fish dies.

Meesouk originally had it on a 9-foot-long stringer in the lake and made calls to local bait and sporting good stores in search of a certified scale on which to weigh the fish, something required for a record to be verified. Meesouk struck out, so he took the fish home and transferred it into a tank. When Meesouk weighed the fish with a handheld scale, the fish weighed 2 pounds, 14 ounces but later died and ultimately lost a quarter ounce of weight.

He kept the fish in the refrigerator overnight and then placed it on ice in a cooler for a trip to the DNR regional office in Fitchburg. But he quickly learned the office does not have a certified scale, so he headed to Bavaria Sausage on Nesbitt Road to see if they would weigh his fish on one of the scales the Germanic company normally uses to weigh brats, knackwurst and weisswurst. They agreed, and Meesouk returned to the DNR office with a receipt that allowed Parks to confirm that the fish was headed to the state record book.

Meesouk is having the yellow bass mounted. And, yes, his mother still got a few fish to steam.

I gave her the white bass but I didnt give her the yellow bass, Meesouk said. It was like any other typical day, but I caught a state record fish.
Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has launched a plethora of executive orders, and administrative efforts have impacted many federal agencies and programs  resulting in multiple federal lawsuits seeking to rein in the administration.

In Wisconsin, Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has joined more than a dozen multistate lawsuits seeking to push back against the Trump administration. The American Association of Universities, a national association that UW-Madison belongs to, also finds itself in the midst of multiple legal battles with the administration.

So what are the lawsuits, and where do things stand?

Immigration requirements

Kaul and attorneys general in 18 other states on May 13 sued the Trump administration in two separate lawsuits related to conditions implemented by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Department of Transportation that require state agencies to assist with federal immigration enforcement efforts in order to receive various federal funds. Those funds include Federal Emergency Management Agency grants and transportation dollars for disaster relief, flood prevention and infrastructure programs.

Plaintiffs argue in both lawsuits the policies exceed the authority of those respective federal agencies and jeopardize billions of dollars in federal funding.

Both lawsuits were filed in federal court in Rhode Island.

Natural Resources

On May 9, Kaul joined 14 other states in a lawsuit seeking to halt Trump's executive order to bypass energy project reviews under the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and National Historic Preservation Act.

Attorneys general argue the order "commands that federal agencies disregard the law and in many cases their own regulations to fast-track extensive categories of activities will result in damage to waters, wetlands, critical habitat, historic and cultural resources, endangered species, and the people and wildlife that rely on these precious resources."

The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Seattle.

EV Infrastructure

On May 7, Kaul joined 16 attorneys general in a lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration's executive order seeking to eliminate climate change policies created under former President Joe Biden and halt billions of dollars in funding slated for electric vehicle infrastructure projects. Wisconsin has been allocated nearly $63 million in funding.

Plaintiffs argue Trump's order violates the Administrative Procedure Act and U.S. Constitution and seek to have the funds released.

The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Seattle.

Health and Human Services

Kaul and attorneys general in 19 other states sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, along with Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on May 5 for the departments efforts to collapse from 28 agencies to 15, fire federal health workers, shutter programs and halt state aid for projects such as abating lead poisoning risk in Milwaukee schools.

The lawsuit alleges the changes mark an unlawful effort to undercut the will of Congress who ordered the agencies and programs to run.

The lawsuit is currently before a federal court in Rhode Island.

AmeriCorps

On April 29, Kaul joined a multistate coalition to challenge the Trump administrations dismantling of AmeriCorps, an independent federal agency that connects volunteers with community-based services for educational, public safety and environmental needs.

On June 5, a judge blocked the Trump administration from ending AmeriCorps grants for Wisconsin and other states that sued and prevented the firing of the federal agency's staff.

Plaintiffs argued the effort to dismantle the agency flouts Congresss creation of AmeriCorps and assignment of agency duties; usurps Congresss power of the purse and thereby violates the Constitutions separation of powers; and arbitrarily and capriciously  without any reasoned analysis  vitiates the agencys ability to function consistent with its statutory mission and purpose.

The case was filed in federal court in Maryland.

Department of Education

The multistate coalition sued the Trump administration on April 25 after the U.S. Department of Educations proposal to withhold federal funds to state and local entities that refuse to rescind diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies through a new certification process.

Plaintiffs argue the actions unlawfully imperil more than $13.8 billion in funds allocated to schools through Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act for needs such as special education.

The case is filed in a federal court in Massachusetts. Plaintiffs ask the court to declare the certification requirement null and void.

Indirect rate cuts

The American Association of Universities filed a lawsuit on May 5 against the National Science Foundation over its plan to cut indirect rate reimbursements to 15% for grants going forward.

The decision to cut indirect reimbursement rates going forward is a departure from AAU's two other lawsuits against the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy, which would have cut reimbursement rates to 15% for current and future grants.

AAU filed the lawsuit against NIH on April 14 against the Department of Energy and another aimed at the National Institutes of Health, on Feb. 10, just days after the Trump administration announced the change.

And on June 17, AAU filed another lawsuit over the Department of Defense's planned rate indirect rate cuts.

UW-Madison stands to lose approximately $118.5 million each year if indirect cost rates are reduced for those three agencies, with NIH comprising $65 million of loss. Losses from NSF changes could equal $52.7 million by 2028.

UW-Madison has a negotiated indirect cost reimbursement rate of 55.5%, which covers facility costs and administration of the research grants.

Judges have blocked both the NIH and DOE indirect rate cuts from taking effect.

Kaul and other attorneys general have also sued over the matter, arguing in a Feb. 10 lawsuit that the cuts were unlawfully enacted and threaten medical and public health research across the country.

The multistate lawsuit is filed in a federal court in Massachusetts.

National Institutes of Health

On April 4, Kaul and 16 attorneys general sued the Trump administration over delays in reviewing grant applications, as well as the termination of hundreds of previously issued grants through the National Institutes of Health.

Kaul said the change has caused significant harm to Wisconsins public research institutions, with UW-Madison losing $25 million worth of grants for research on infectious disease, vaccines and minority health.

The lawsuit is filed in a federal court in Massachusetts. Plaintiffs seek to block the policy.

Libraries and museums

Wisconsin joined 20 other attorneys general in an April 4 lawsuit against the Trump administrations executive order directing several agencies, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Minority Business Development Agency, to reduce functions and eliminate all programs not mandated by statute.

As with other cases, the plaintiffs argue the administration cannot dismantle federal agencies in this manner and, by stripping these agencies well past the studs, the Administration has flouted Congresss directives.

In their spree to gut these agencies, Defendants have eliminated many of the programs that the agencies are statutorily required to carry out, the lawsuit states.

A federal judge in Rhode Island on May 6 temporarily barred Trumps administration from shrinking the agencies.

Elections

On April 3, Kaul joined a multistate lawsuit against Trump, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and others over an executive order that would require voters to prove their citizenship when voting in federal elections and bar clerks from counting absentee ballots received after Election Day. Wisconsin does not count absentee ballots that arrive after 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Plaintiffs argue the proposal usurps the States constitutional power and seeks to amend election law by fiat.

The lawsuit is filed in a federal court in Massachusetts. Trump and Bondi have moved to dismiss the case.

Public health funding

The state of Wisconsin in March joined a multistate lawsuit challenging the U.S. Health and Human Services termination of $11 billion in public health funding.

Plaintiffs argue the funds were already appropriated by Congress and provide "essential support for a wide range of urgent public health needs."

A federal court has temporarily blocked the funding terminations.

Department of Education

On March 13, Kaul joined a multistate lawsuit seeking to halt efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the U.S. Department of Educations workforce by 50%.

Kaul said the lawsuit seeks to stop the targeted destruction of this critical federal agency that ensures tens of millions of students receive a quality education and critical resources.

The lawsuit is before a federal court in New York.

Teacher preparation grants

Kaul joined a multistate lawsuit on March 6 challenging the Trump administrations termination of grant funding for K-12 teacher preparation programs.

Kaul said under the change, Wisconsin is slated to lose more than $3 million in grants focused on addressing the states teacher shortage through such programs.

A federal judge granted the plaintiffs request for a restraining order on the change. The U.S. Supreme Court in early April granted a stay in the case pending an appeal.

Probationary employees

Kaul in early March joined a multistate lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order against the Trump administrations executive order calling for mass layoffs of federal probationary workers.

The lawsuit seeks to reinstate those who have been fired, with attorneys general arguing those employees are entitled to full protections under federal employment laws.

A federal court in April issued a stay in the matter, with the majority holding that the government is likely to succeed in the case.

DOGE

On Feb. 7, Kaul joined a multistate lawsuit against Trump to stop efforts by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency to access the Treasury Departments central payment system, which includes Americans sensitive personal information like bank account and Social Security numbers.

Kaul has argued granting Musk access to the Bureau of Fiscal Services would violate federal law, which grants access to the payment system to a select group of individuals with appropriate security clearances.

A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction on Feb. 21 preventing the administration from accessing internal systems. The Trump administration filed a motion on May 1 seeking to dissolve the injunction.

Federal funding freeze

On Jan. 28, Kaul joined a multistate lawsuit seeking to immediately halt the Trump administrations policy seeking to force federal agencies to stop federal funds, grants and loans for a wide range of programs and agencies.

Plaintiffs argue that the Office of Management and Budgets policy to indefinitely pause the majority of federal assistance funding and loans would leave states unable to provide certain essential benefits for residents, pay public employees, satisfy obligations, and carry on the important business of government.

Wisconsin was estimated to receive more than $28 billion in federal funds over the current biennium, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

Federal judges have so far blocked Trumps attempt to freeze federal payments.

Birthright citizenship

On Jan. 21, just one day after Trumps inauguration, Kaul joined a coalition of states challenging the presidents executive order to end a century-old immigration policy known as birthright citizenship, which guarantees that U.S.-born children are citizens regardless of their parents status.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said at the time attempting to deny citizenship to kids who were born in the United States of America is as egregious and wrong-headed as it is unconstitutional.

Every court to consider the executive order has blocked it. Trumps administration in March asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the matter.
Leading charity backs North Wales MSs push for British Sign Language Bill

This article is old - Published: Thursday, May 8th, 2025

A leading charity has given its backing to a campaign by a North Wales MS to get the British Sign Language (BSL) (Wales) Bill through the Senedd.

The proposed Bill, which aims to formally recognise and promote British Sign Language, was put forward by Welsh Conservative MS Mark Isherwood, who won a ballot among members last year to propose the bill.

If passed, it is set to improve access to education, health care and public services for BSL users, as well as remove systemic barriers faced by deaf people and their families in essential areas of life and work.

As currently drafted, the Bill would place a statutory duty on Welsh Ministers to promote, support and report on the use of BSL throughout Wales.

A key feature of the Bill is the proposal to appoint a statutory BSL Adviser, who would advise Welsh Ministers.

It has received the backing of leading deafness charity DSN, which provides social care contracts in Flintshire and Wrexham to support people who are deaf or have hearing loss

The charity, which is in its 49th year, also offers accredited BSL training from levels 1-6 and interpreter level and runs a National Lottery-funded project, Hear Me!, which aims to support families in Wrexham and Flintshire with children who are deaf, with communication skills in the home.

We are proud to stand behind Mark Isherwoods campaign and the vital steps being proposed in the British Sign Language (Wales) Bill, said Gill Reeder, Chief Executive Officer of DSN.

BSL is a rich and expressive language that plays a fundamental role in the lives of deaf individuals and their families.

Its time for it to be fully recognised, respected, and resourced in Wales.

This Bill is a meaningful stride towards equality, dignity and real inclusion.

Mark Isherwood MS added: This Bill represents a pivotal opportunity to enshrine BSL into the fabric of Welsh public life. Its about fairness, accessibility and making sure that the Deaf community has the same rights and recognition as anyone else.

Im grateful for DSNs support and the incredible work they do every day across North East Wales.

Together, we can ensure BSL users are truly heard and valued in all aspects of society.

The BSL (Wales) Bill is currently progressing through the Senedd, and its backers hope that with growing support from leading organisations like DSN, the legislation will pass and set a new standard for inclusion and language rights in Wales.
Major shake-up of Welsh language education reaches final stage

This article is old - Published: Thursday, May 8th, 2025

An overhaul of Welsh language education cleared the penultimate hurdle in the Senedd, with new school categories and legal requirements on the horizon.

Senedd members debated the Welsh language and education bill, which aims to ensure all pupils become confident Welsh speakers by the end of compulsory school.

If passed, the bill will create three school categories: primarily Welsh; dual language; and primarily English, partly Welsh  with targets for each.

A minimum of 10% of Welsh education would be required in primarily English schools, with 50% and 80% for the dual language and primarily Welsh categories respectively.

The bill would also put the target of reaching at least a million Welsh speakers by 2050 on a legal footing and establish the National Welsh Language Learning Institute.

Failures

Senedd members considered dozens of detailed amendments to the bill during a four-hour stage-three debate on May 6.

Plaid Cymrus Cefin Campbell was one of the initial architects of the reforms as part of his partys now-collapsed cooperation agreement with the Welsh Government.

He said: A quarter of a century after the opening of this Senedd, it is disappointing that the majority of children and young people in Wales continue to be deprived of the opportunity to learn Welsh in our education system and to use the language in their everyday life.

Due to these failures over the past decades, its very important that we legislate in this area to ensure the necessary progress is made to reach a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

Mr Campbell proposed raising the minimum requirement in primarily English schools to 20% but Senedd members roundly rejected this amendment.

Impractical

Mark Drakeford, who is responsible for Welsh language policy, argued increasing the minimum to 20% would pose a significant risk the requirement could not feasibly be met.

He said: I firmly believe its important in the short term for us to ensure the 10% minimum is provided effectively, rather than doubling that amount without sufficient capacity to do so.

Conservative Tom Giffard agreed that an unrealistic target would make the bill impractical, with schools already hugely concerned about reaching a 10% minimum.

Mr Campbell raised concerns about exemptions from the 10% minimum for primarily English schools which would be able to apply for two three-year extensions.

The shadow education secretary warned a decade could elapse due to the time before the bill comes into force and schools seeking exemptions which is entirely unacceptable.

Exceptional

Mr Campbells amendment to remove further extensions was rejected, with Prof Drakeford saying exemptions should be used infrequently and in exceptional cases.

Nobody will be able to get an exemption just by asking for one, said the former first minister, pointing to the role of councils in approving applications.

Senedd members voted against an amendment which would have required ministers to issue guidance on how Welsh learning goals apply to pupils with additional learning needs.

Other Conservative amendments, which were aimed at supporting non-Welsh speaking parents to engage with their childrens education, were agreed with cross-party support.

Mr Giffard said: After four years of disagreement with Mark Drakeford, its a pleasure to see that we can agree on this, so thank you very much, before normal service resumed.

Detrimental

The former teaching assistant backed Plaid Cymru amendments  on setting targets for the recruitment, retention and training of a bilingual workforce  which were narrowly rejected.

Without the workforce, no single line of this bill would work, he warned.

Mr Campbell, a former lecturer, also proposed creating a presumption in favour of Welsh-medium education for any new schools but this amendment also fell.

Prof Drakeford warned of detrimental unintended consequences, such as a lack of community buy-in from forcing such an assumption on councils.

The Senedd rejected Plaid Cymru calls for at least half of pupils to attend primarily Welsh schools by 2050 but the Welsh Government committed to a consultation on such a target.

The bill now moves to stage four: a key vote on the final version agreed at stage three. With Labour and Plaid holding two-thirds of seats, the Senedd is likely to pass the bill on May 13.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
Wrexham business leader calls for more women in automotive industry

This article is old - Published: Thursday, May 8th, 2025

A Wrexham business leader is calling for more women to take on leadership roles in the automotive sector, after being shocked by the industrys lack of diversity.

Laura Hall, managing director of Maverick Diagnostics in Holt, is a member of the Automotive 30% Club  a national campaign group working to increase the number of women in senior positions across the industry.

She is due to speak about her experience and advocacy at the next meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals on 27 June.

The other guest speaker will be Clwyd South MS Ken Skates, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, who was instrumental in establishing the bank in Wrexham in 2017 when he was the Welsh Governments Economy Minister.

Ms Hall will also be talking about the support Maverick Diagnostics, based in Holt, about how the company has invested in a training academy and the support it has received from the Development Bank of Wales.

Last year the firm received a 100,000 investment from the bank to help it continue to grow the range of diagnostics tools and technical support it offers to vehicle workshops and garages.

Ms Hall, whose background is in the oil and gas industry, said she was struck by the gender imbalance in automotive soon after joining the sector.

Quite early on I had gone to some industry event and the gender imbalance was shocking, there were so few women. The aftermarket industry is particularly bad, she said.

I went to some trade events early on and I was horrified, not only because there were very few women, but there was no real diversity whatsoever  it was all middle-aged white men.

There are a few women doing amazing things, especially in the bigger companies, but you realise quite quickly there is a huge imbalance.

Founded in 2016, the Automotive 30% Club aims for women to hold at least 30% of key leadership roles in the sector by 2030.

Since joining the club, Maverick Diagnostics has reviewed its recruitment practices to help improve gender representation, Ms Hall said.

Laura, a mum of two girls, said: Its about how you advertise jobs, thinking about why women would want to come and work with you.

It is about how you appear, its even down to the wording in your job description.

There is a lot of research into this and we found women will apply for a job when they meet 100 per cent of the criteria whereas men will apply when they meet a third.

Maverick Diagnostics, which employs 14 staff, specialises in providing advanced vehicle diagnostic tools and training to independent garages and workshops.

The company recently launched a training academy in Wrexham Industrial Estate to upskill local mechanics.

Ian Edwards from Wrexham Business Professionals said: Both Laura and Ken will be hugely interesting speakers at our forthcoming meeting.

It will be fascinating to hear their views on the current economic challenges facing businesses.

Louise Harper from the organisation said: We would encourage businesses to attend the meeting and hear from Laura and Ken.

Our meetings are always informative and present terrific networking opportunities.
26 civilians killed, 46 injured in Indian attack on Pakistan: official

Xinhua) 09:09, May 08, 2025

A damaged mosque is seen after an overnight Indian missile attack in Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, eastern Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said.

India attacked houses and mosques, targeting civilians in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and the country's east Punjab province, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told media in a briefing.

He confirmed that the Pakistan Air Force shot down five Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, one MiG-29, one Sukhoi, and a combat drone whose debris fell inside Indian territory. "None of the Pakistani aircraft went inside Indian airspace," he added.

The ISPR chief said several posts and a brigade headquarters of the Indian army were targeted in Pakistan's retaliatory action.

Pakistani Air Force launched the attack only after India carried out "the unprovoked, uncalled-for aggression against the territorial integrity, and the innocent people of Pakistan by firing at them through standoff weapons."

In this incident, India targeted and damaged the Nausari dam structure of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in Muzaffarabad district, Chaudhry said, adding "targeting hydro infrastructure is an unacceptable and dangerous escalation."

The ISPR chief said that at the time of the attack, scores of national and international flights were in Pakistan's airspace and thousands of civilian passengers' lives were put in grave danger.

Chaudhry said that Pakistan will retaliate in response to the attack which happened in "the darkness of the night," adding that last night's actions from Pakistan were only a retaliation in self-defense.

"Pakistan reserves the right and will respond to this aggression at a time, place, and means of our own choice," he noted.

This photo taken with mobile phone on May 7, 2025 shows a damaged building following an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

Destroyed houses are seen at a residential area after an Indian missile attack in Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, eastern Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

A damaged mosque is seen at a residential area after an Indian missile attack in Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, eastern Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

Destroyed houses are seen at a residential area after an Indian missile attack in Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, eastern Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

A damaged mosque is seen at a residential area after an Indian missile attack in Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, eastern Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

A destroyed building is seen after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

People walk through rubble of a destroyed building after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

An ambulance is seen near destroyed buildings after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

Women walk through rubble of a destroyed building after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

A destroyed building is seen after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

A destroyed building is seen after an Indian missile attack in Muridke, a town near Lahore, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage of an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage of an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage of an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage of an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

Photo taken on May 7, 2025 shows a building damaged in an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

People inspect the damage of an Indian missile attack in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others injured when India attacked civilian settlements in six areas of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said. (Photo by Muhammad Din Mughal/Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
David Hasselhoff is set to undergo knee surgery next week.

David Hasselhoff is set to undergo knee replacement surgery next week

The 'Baywatch' legend, 72, was snapped in photos obtained by the Daily Mail being pushed through the airports in Cancun and Los Angeles in a wheelchair on Monday (05.05.25).

And now a representative for the star has confirmed The Hoff required assistance as he's set to undergo knee replacement surgery.

They told Us Weekly: He was seen in a wheelchair because hes having a knee replacement surgery next week."

The actor was previously fitted with a defibrillator implant to prevent heart issues.

Hasselhoff being pictured in a wheelchair comes two months after his ex-wife Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff tragically passed away by suicide.

The actress - who had Taylor, 34, and Hayley, 32, with Hasselhoff - was found dead at her Los Angeles home on March 5.

Hasselhoff requested privacy for their family at the time.

He said: "Our family is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Pamela Hasselhoff.

"We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time but we kindly request privacy as we grieve and navigate through this challenging time."

Pamela was found dead at her $2 million Hollywood Hills home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Authorities were alerted after family members grew concerned when they had not heard from her for several days.

Paramedics responded to a call reporting an unconscious woman shortly after 10pm Wednesday night. No suicide note was found at the scene.

Pamelas career included roles in The Young and the Restless, The Fall Guy and Sirens, but she had stepped away from acting in recent years.

She was laid to rest in Los Angeles on March 29, however, it's reported that Hasselhoff did not attend the funeral at Bel Air Presbyterian Church.
Wrexham turns out to mark 80th anniversary of VE Day

This article is old - Published: Thursday, May 8th, 2025

Hundreds turned out in Wrexham city centre today to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

RWF Volunteer Corps of Drums lead the VE Day parade from St. Giles Parish Church over to the cenotaph on Bodhyfryd in Wrexham city centre pic.twitter.com/9Wp42oIgYL  Wrexham.com (@wrexham) May 8, 2025

The commemorations began with a short service held at St Giles Church, observing the national two minutes silence at midday, which was attended by local cadets, military representatives, veterans, politicians and members of the public.

Waving Welsh Flags and Union Flags, crowds then lined the streets ahead of a parade through the city centre.

Led by the RWF Volunteer Corps of Drums the parade marched from the church to the cenotaph at Bodhyfryd, where several readings and brass band performance took place.

Hundreds of onlookers, including local school children, took part in a two minutes silence after the Last Post was played.

Veterans, local representatives and politicians then lay wreathes at the Cenotaph in respect to those who lost their lives during conflict, with todayss focus on the VE Day for the Second World War.

In Cardiff a special service led by the First Minister of Wales took place in Llandaff Cathedral last night. The ceremony united veterans, dignitaries and ministers, paying tribute to the sacrifice and contribution made in securing peace in Europe 80 years ago.

A minutes silence was held to remember the fallen. The service was held ahead of the National Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for VE Day, which took place earlier at Westminster Abbey.

The First Minister, Eluned Morgan, said: It was an honour to be in Llandaff Cathedral to remember the exceptional courage and resilience of those who fought for our freedom.

This anniversary is about honouring ordinary Welsh people who did extraordinary things. This isnt just another date in our history books, this was a moment that changed lives, changed Wales and our world.

As the number of living veterans decreases, it becomes ever more important that we keep their stories alive and pass them to future generations.
Authorities have determined that last year's Davis Fire was started accidentally.

The Davis Fire was reported on September 7, 2024, at approximately 2:19 p.m.

The fire originated in Davis Creek Regional Park, about 15 miles south of Reno. Full containment was declared on September 25, 2024. A total of 13 homes and numerous other structures, including a church, were lost. There was no loss of life.

Investigators with the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD) and the Washoe County Sheriffs Office, assisted by the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada, and the Nevada State Fire Marshal Division, collaborated extensively on the fire investigation.

Based on the scene investigation, extensive interviews, and witness information provided, authorities say it is believed the fire started due to an improperly extinguished campfire or warming fire in the area.

The fire originated in the day use area, where campfires are prohibited under Washoe County Parks regulations. Additionally, the National Weather Service had declared a Red Flag Warning that day.

Fire District Investigators and Sheriffs Office Detectives have exhausted all leads. Through extensive interviews and Crime Lab Forensic testing, it was determined there was no criminality related to the cause of the fire. The incident is classified as accidental in accordance with NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards.

I am grateful for the strong working relationship with all our partners that supported a thorough investigation, particularly the Washoe County Sheriffs Office, said TMFPD Interim Fire Chief Dale Way. I also appreciate the members of the public who came forward with tips and information. We remain extraordinarily thankful for the dedicated support of so many agencies, here locally and across the nation, that fought to suppress the Davis Fire.

(Washoe County Sheriff's Office contributed to this report.)
The Washoe County School District is celebrating the completion of an expansion and renovation project at Incline High School.

The project was funded by the Dave and Cheryl Duffield Foundation.

The new construction includes a 12,000-square-foot, three-story addition to the school.

New features include a student and community collaborative hub, a dance studio, a culinary kitchen, and classrooms for the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC).

In addition to the expansion, upgrades were made throughout the existing building.

These included interior improvements and updates to security systems and audio-visual equipment.

The district is set to unveil the new expansion and upgrades at Incline High School with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the JROTC entrance on the southwest corner of the building, followed by presentations and media tours on Thursday, May 15.

Photos and video will be posted from the event if made available next week as this story develops.
Congressman Mark Amodei has released a statement on House Republicans authorizing sales of public lands in Nevada - and Utah.

Republicans on the House Natural Resources Committee adopted the land sales proposal early Wednesday morning. The initial draft had not included it amid bipartisan opposition.

The land sale provision was put forward by Republican Reps. Mark Amodei of Nevada and Celeste Maloy of Utah.

On Thursday, Amodei released a statement after an amendment that would allow for the sale of federal lands was included in the package.

This week, the House Natural Resources Committee advanced our portion of the budget reconciliation bill, delivering on the Administrations commitment to curb reckless spending, steward taxpayer dollars responsibly, and identify smart investments, said Rep. Mark Amodei. Our contributions will generate a total of $18.5 billion in savings, well beyond our $1 billion target.

In addition to these historic savings, my Nevada-centric lands amendment was included in the package. The reality is, most of my colleagues dont fully grasp the unique challenges Nevada faces as a state that is 80% federally owned. For years, folks from my district, and even across district lines, have voiced serious concerns about how these vast stretches of public land could threaten Nevadas economic momentum and competitiveness if we run out of usable acreage.

With Republicans holding only a slim majority, the reconciliation process presented a rare vehicle to advance these land disposal requests and ensure the priorities of our county commissions were heard. This is only the first step in our efforts to support responsible development in our state while also delivering a meaningful return for the American taxpayer.

The parcels could be used for economic development, mining and infrastructure projects such as the expansion of an airport and a reservoir in Utah, according to local officials and plans for the areas.

Some sites would be considered for affordable housing, which is much needed in fast-growing parts of Nevada.

The sites include up to 200,000 acres (80,000 hectares) in Clark County Nevada, which includes Las Vegas, according to Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto. Thats less than 1% of more than 50 million acres (20 million hectares) of federal land overall in the state.

Also included is land in Pershing County, Nevada, where Amodei has advocated for selling or exchanging about 350,000 acres of public lands and allowing sales to mining companies.

Cortez Masto in a statement called it "a land grab to fund Republicans billionaire giveaway tax bill.

In the dead of night, Representative Mark Amodei pushed House Republicans to move forward with an insane plan that cuts funding from water conservation and public schools across Nevada, she said.

The parcels in Utah would be sold at fair market value to local governments and make up only a third of 1% of public lands in the state, according to Maloys office.

The Nevada parcels are also in Lyon and Washoe Counties. The Utah parcels are in the western portion of the state, including around the city of St. George and near Zion National Park.

The sales provision advanced as the Natural Resources committee voted 26-17 to allow increased leasing of public lands for natural resource extraction, while clearing the path for more development by speeding up government approvals.

Republicans said the overall bill would generate at least $18 billion in new revenue and savings.

Royalty rates paid by companies to extract oil, gas and coal would be cut, reversing former Democratic President Joe Bidens attempts to curb fossil fuels to help address climate change.

The measure is part of Trumps big bill of tax breaks, spending cuts and beefed-up funding to halt migrants. House Speaker Mike Johnson has set a goal of passing the package out of his chamber by Memorial Day. All told, 11 different House committees are crafting portions of the bill.

About 1 million square miles is under federal control. Most of that land is in Alaska and Western states. That includes 63% in Utah and 80% in Nevada.

Oil and gas royalty rates would drop from 16.7% on public lands and 18.75% offshore to a uniform 12.5% under the committee-passed bill, which still faces a vote in the full House and Senate once it is incorporated into the final legislative package. Royalties for coal would drop from 12.5% to 7%.

The measure calls for four oil and gas lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge over the next decade. It also seeks to boost the ailing coal industry with a mandate to make available for leasing 6,250 square miles of public lands  an area greater in size than Connecticut.

Republican supporters say the lost revenue would be offset by increased development. Its uncertain if companies would have an appetite for leases given the industrys precipitous decline in recent years as utilities switched to cleaner burning fuels and renewable energy.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner in March proposed using underutilized federal land for affordable housing. Turner said some 7 million homes are needed. Officials under Biden also sought to use public lands for affordable housing, although on a smaller scale.

The agencies have not yet released more details of the plan.

(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)
According to a post by the Douglas County Sheriffs Office on its official Facebook page, three people were recently arrested in connection with extortion schemes involving fraudulent email scams targeting local residents.

Two suspects were arrested on May 2 at a residence in Genoa after allegedly arriving to collect money from a homeowner.

A third arrest occurred on May 7 on Wagon Drive in the Gardnerville Ranchos area under similar circumstances.

The arrests were the result of a joint investigation involving the Douglas County Sheriffs Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tri-Net Narcotics Task Force.

Authorities stated that these types of schemes often begin with emails that appear to come from Microsoft or notify recipients of services they never requested.

The messages escalate to threats if payment is not made.

22-year-old Junyan Wu, of Alhambra, California, and 21-year-old Lirui Diao, of Monterey, California, were the two people arrested in Genoa.

Both of them were booked into the Douglas County Jail on charges of extortion, obtaining money by false pretenses, conspiracy, and exploitation of the elderly.

Each had bail set at $100,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is currently reviewing their immigration status.

45-year-old Quan Fu Ma, of San Francisco, California, was arrested in Gardnerville.

He was booked on charges of extortion, exploitation of the elderly, and conspiracy. His bail was set at $52,509. Ma is a naturalized U.S. citizen.

In the post, Sheriff Coverley thanked the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, ICE, and the Tri-Net Task Force for their cooperation in the case.

In an effort to combat scams and protect the community, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office is offering a free Senior Scam Seminar for residents to learn how to safeguard themselves.

You can join them this Friday, May 9, from 10 to 11 a.m., co-hosted with the Better Business Bureau.

The seminar will be held at the Douglas County Community & Senior Center, 1329 Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville, Nevada, and will provide valuable information on how to recognize and avoid scams targeting seniors.

(The Douglas County Sheriff's Office contributed to this story.)
Robert Prevost, an missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and took over the Vaticans powerful office of bishops, was elected the first pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

Prevost, a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order, took the name Leo XIV.

In his first words as Pope Francis successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, Leo said, Peace be with you, and emphasized a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelization. He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy - a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013.

Prevost had been a leading candidate for the papacy except, but there had long been a taboo against a U.S. pope, given the country's geopolitical power already wielded in the secular sphere. But Prevost, a Chicago native, was seemingly eligible because hes also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Pope Francis clearly had his eye on Prevost and in many ways saw him as his heir apparent. He brought Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. And in January he elevated him into the senior ranks of cardinals. As a result, Prevost had a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals had.

The crowd in St. Peters Square erupted in cheers when white smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel on the second day of the conclave. Priests made the sign of the cross and nuns wept as the crowd shouted Viva il papa!

Diocese of Reno Bishop Daniel H. Mueggenborg released a statement saying in part, "I will be in Rome this October and will personally extend to him the greetings of the Church in northern Nevada while assuring him of our constant prayers and unwavering support for his office and ministry."

The Diocese ended its statement inviting the public to a Mass of Thanksgiving at 12:10 pm on Friday, May 9 at St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral in downtown Reno.

Waving flags from around the world, tens of thousands of people waited to learn who had won and were shocked when an hour later, the senior cardinal deacon appeared on the loggia and said Habemus Papam! and announced the winner was Prevost.

He spoke to the crowd in Italian and Spanish, but not English.

The last pope to take the name Leo was Leo XIII, an Italian who led the church from 1878 to 1903. That Leo softened the churchs confrontational stance toward modernity, especially science and politics and laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought, most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers rights and capitalism.

Earlier Thursday, large school groups joined the mix of humanity awaiting the outcome in St. Peter's Square. They blended in with people participating in preplanned Holy Year pilgrimages and journalists from around the world who have descended on Rome to document the election.

The wait is marvelous! said Priscilla Parlante, a Roman.

Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina, said he and his family visited Rome during the Argentine pope's pontificate and were hoping for a new pope in Francis' image.

Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didnt do enough. Well see if the next one will be able to do more, Deget said from the piazza.

The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis. He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, he'd be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists.

He has clear ideas, not much ideology. Hes a direct, intelligent and respectful man, Bogataj said from the square. Most of all, hes agile."

Some of the cardinals had said they expected a short conclave.

For much of the past century, the conclave has needed between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I - the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978 - was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

The cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual Wednesday afternoon, participating in a rite more theatrical than even Hollywood could create. Bright red cassocks, Swiss Guards standing at attention, ancient Latin chants and oaths preceded the slamming shut of the Sistine Chapel doors to seal the cardinals off from the outside world.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis who had been considered a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed leadership of the proceedings as the most senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate.

The voting followed a strict choreography, dictated by church law.

Each cardinal writes his choice on a piece of paper inscribed with the words Eligo in summen pontificem - I elect as supreme pontiff. They approach the altar one by one and say: I call as my witness, Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected.

The folded ballot is placed on a round plate and tipped into a silver and gold urn. Once cast, the ballots are opened one by one by three different scrutineers, cardinals selected at random who write down the names and read them aloud.

The scrutineers, whose work is checked by other cardinals called revisers, then add up the results of each round of balloting and write them on a separate sheet of paper, which is preserved in the papal archives.

As the scrutineer reads out each name, he pierces each ballot with a needle through the word Eligo." All the ballots are then bound together with thread, and the bundle is put aside and burned in the chapel stove along with a chemical to produce the smoke.

(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)
Dolly Parton would find it "too hard" to be a judge on reality TV.

Dolly Parton would find it 'too hard' to be a judge on reality TV

The 79-year-old country music legend has been asked numerous times to appear on the panel of shows like 'American Idol' and 'The Voice' but has always turned down the opportunity because she "can't hurt" the hopefuls who audition.

She told E! News: "I've been asked to do that a lot of times. It's too hard for me. That's why I don't accept it, because I know how sincere everybody is. Even if they're not that good, they believe they are. And I just can't hurt people."

Outside of her mammoth music career, Dolly launched the Dollywood theme park in her native Tennessee in 1985, and just weeks after the major tourist attraction celebrated its 40th anniversary, she recalled worrying that no one would turn up.

She said: "I thought, well, what if they don't? What am I going to do?

"Then, I started seeing cars coming in, and I remember how exciting that feeling was when the parking lot filled up. Now it's filling up all the time. And 40 years later, we've got them still coming!"

But the 'Jolene' hitmaker is "very proud" of her venture - which is the most-visited ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee and hosts three million visitors every year - and loves how she has seen it grow and evolve over the course of the last four decades.

She said: "I'm just very proud of all of it, because I've seen it grow. It's like having a house full of kids. Every time something new goes in, it's like, 'Oh, we got a new baby, we got a new kid in the family.' But it's an amazing park and it's catered to families. And so we're proud of that. I think I'm as proud of that as anything, that people want to come back."
Sometimes, all you want is to sit down with that buzzy new romantasy novel your friends are talking about. Other times, what's calling you is that delicious gin-forward cocktail at the local bar.

When you want to combine the two, you need a bookish bar or literary loungeand you're in luck. Over the last few years, a new crop of establishments that blur the line between literary energy and tasty drinks has grown up around the Bay Area. These six spots will have you curling up with both.





Clio's (Courtesy of @ranumukherjee)

Clios Books

Stepping downstairs into Clios is like entering a deeply appealing combination of pirate ship captains cabin and vintage university library. Nooks and secret spots abound (dont miss the red erotica room), and even during the daytime the rooms are dark and moody. With a variety of events on esoteric and local interest topics, and more than 10,000 used and new books arranged in a unique chronological order, Clios is a compelling place to explore, especially with a house cocktail (think Heyday Negroni or Lapham Mezcal Old Fashioned). //353 Grand Ave. (Oakland), cliosbooks.com





Book Society

This book and wine lounge opened up in Berkeleys Elmwood neighborhood in 2023 and has quickly attracted a loyal community who love its demure, elegant atmosphere and diverse events calendar, which includes a monthly theme pairing books with wine. The self-serve sip station features a rotating variety of wines (often those that are women-owned) and a NA option, while the book selection leans local and popular. Staff offer helpful tasting notes and the space lends itself to both cozy chats and solo reading with a drink. //2945 College Ave. (Berkeley), booksociety.social

Novela (Courtesy of @novelabarsf)

Novela

With color-coordinated books on the walls and literary-themed cocktails, Novelas nod to the theme embraces the drinking energy more than the quiet reading vibe. A solid spot for post-work happy hour in downtown San Francisco, it shifts into a clubbier and louder environment as the evening progresses. Explore their housemade on-tap punch if you need to loosen up before working on that first draft. //662 Mission St. (SF), novelasf.com





North Light

With books in the front and a party in the back (a cool patio), Temescals North Light is a super inviting space for catching up with friends that gets bonus points for an excellent happy hour. The book selection is curated by the staffs favorite authors (Samin Nosrat, Daniel Handler, Patti Smith, George Saunders, and more) and includes those both by and loved by them. Solid music and tasty drinks with an ever-changing menu of old favorites and new flavors make this neighborhood spot a destination worth traveling to. //4915 Telegraph Ave. (Oakland), northlight.bar

Obscenity (Courtesy of Obscenity Bar & Lounge)

Obscenity Bar & Lounge

Housed on the first floor of Hotel Emblem in SF, Obscenity is the regular venue for the city's Silent Book Club (aka Introvert Happy Hour), where readers gather to not talk to each other, communally. If youve ever wanted to cuddle up on a bench under giant portraits of Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac with a Writers Block cocktail (pineapple margarita with jalapeno infused mezcal), this hotel bar might hit the spot. // 562 Sutter St. (SF), hotelemblem.com





Bourbon and Branch

One of the early players in San Franciscos speakeasy and bookish bar games, Bourbon and Branch has a few entrance points. The Library is the only one you can access without a reservationbut you will need a password, easily found on the website. After you ring the buzzer on the O'Farrell Street side of the building, you'll be escorted to a dim book-lined space with a custom cocktail menu focused on the classics. //501 Jones St. (SF), bourbonandbranch.com/library
As Pope Leo XIV spent his first full day as pontiff on Friday, AARP was at the Vatican meeting with doctors, scientists, academics, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and nonprofits from more than 20 countries to discuss the coming challenges of an aging population.

Before his death last month at age 88, Pope Francis had signed off on the agenda and planned to attend the conference convened by the Vatican and AARP to address global aging issues, brain health, the longevity economy and caregiving.

Members only

The event, The Memory: A Symposium Addressing the Opportunities and Challenges of an Aging Global Population, opened as the reign of the new Pope began. 

AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan (center), with H.E. Judge Mohamed Abdel-Salam (left) and Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia at the opening day of "The Memory: A Symposium Addressing the Opportunities." Pier Costantini

We promote this symposium, in partnership with AARP, to reflect with scientific and academic institutions on how to promote a model of longevity that does not limit itself to extending the years of life but to enriching them, said Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life and founder of the Eta Grande Foundation.

The summit concluded with the signing of the Vatican City Declaration of the Pontifical Academy of Life, AARP and the Muslim Council of Elders, a document pledging a commitment to establishing global aging initiatives.

AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan is delivering the opening and closing remarks at the symposium in Rome. Pier Costantini

Working together with a common goal

On Friday, after Archbishop Paglia welcomed attendees, AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan addressed the assembly and laid out the issue at the heart of the conference  the urgent concern AARP and the Vatican share about what she called one of the most pressing issues of our time: the global aging population.

Join Our Fight to Improve Aging in America Sign up to become an AARP activist on health care, financial security and other issues important to people 50 and older.

By 2050, 1 in 5 people worldwide will be over the age of 60. The coming demographic shifts represent both a triumph of human progress and a test of our collective resolve, said Minter-Jordan, who pointed out that the world is not ready to address this transformation. Globally, systems and supports are not in place to handle the unique needs of a rapidly aging population, she said.

A new mindset is needed, Minter-Jordan said. Aging is not a problem to solve. It is an opportunity to rethink how we support our communities, she noted.
Simon Cowell turned down $150,000 to judge a couple's sex life.

Simon Cowell refused to judge a couple's sex acts

The 65-year-old music mogul was enjoying a meal in a restaurant when some fans came to compliment his work, and he was left stunned when the encounter took a bizarre turn with an outrageous request.

Speaking on the 'How To Fail with Elizabeth Day' podcast, he said: "I was in a restaurant and this guy comes up to me, and he said, 'I love your show.'

Thank you very much. Will you take a picture? Sure. This is my wife. Nice to meet you.

"'Would you judge us having sex?'

"I'm like, 'Are you winding me up?' They went, 'No. We'll pat you.'

"It was a lot of money. I thought, 'Do I? No, I just can't do it.'

"It was 150 grand.

"It was just so bizarre."

Simon - who has 11-year-old son Eric with partner Lauren Silverman - said fans would ask him to be rude to them, as opposed to a photo or an autograph.

Asked by Elizabeth, 46, what people would ask Simon to say to them in the street, the 'Britain's Got Talent' judge replied: "People used to ask me to be rude to them.

"I mean, literally, they would come up and say, particularly in America, 'Would you be rude to me?'

"I'm like, no.'"

Despite his global success, Simon shut down reports that his fortune is worth 500 million and he feels uncomfortable around extreme wealth.

He said: "Oh God, it's not that. I'm not even close to that. I'm being serious, I'm not.

"Look, I'm not going to lie, I've made a bit of money, yes, but not that much!

"I've definitely got enough. I don't need any more. I don't yearn for what I thought I wanted a few years ago ... I did start to kind of mix with some of those people [who own yachts and private planes] a couple of years ago. I hated it."

The 'America's Got Talent' judge admitted he "always" panics about money.

Simon added: "I always worry about money because I think you have to in a way."

The star - who launched the careers of One Direction and Little Mix on 'The X Factor' - has an upcoming Netflix show, believed to be called 'The Midas Touch', where he hopes to find the next biggest boy band, and Simon said it was "one of the scariest things" he has done.

He explained: "What gives me the right to judge people if I'm not signing artists, for instance, at the moment?

"I thought, OK, I'm going to do something to create a band, very publicly ... to see whether I can do it again or not ... there [hasn't been] a band like One Direction or Little Mix for so many years, why not do it again?

"And honestly, it was one of the scariest things I've ever done.

"But I had to do it. I think I have [found the band]. I don't want to give it away."
Over the past year, our claims data clearly demonstrates one thing: Active Insurance works, said Robert Jones, Global Head of Claims at Coalition. Combining Coalitions Active Data Graph, which provides a massive amount of data insights, with security tools and incident response helps Coalition prevent claims from happening in the first place. And, when matters were reported to Coalition, 56% were handled without any out-of-pocket payments by the policyholder. We believe that this proactive engagement is a critical aspect of reducing global cyber risk.



Ransom demands from threat actors decreased in 2024, dropping 22% year-over-year (YoY) to an average of $1.1 million. Notably, the average demand in the latter half of 2024 fell below $1 million for the first time in more than two years. Of all ransomware claims, Akira ransomware was the most prolific variant for Coalition policyholders, accounting for 13% of claims in 2024. The Black Basta variant accounted for just 3% of all ransomware claims, but was the highest in terms of demand, with an average of $4 million.



While overall claims have stabilized, cyber attackers, and ransomware actors in particular, still pose a tremendous threat to businesses, with the average demand still in the millions of dollars. Unfortunately, ransomware is already back with a vengeance in 2025, as March held the highest volume of public ransomware cases of all time, continued Jones. Coalition continues to be an active partner in the fight against bad actors. We alert our policyholders to vulnerabilities in their networks, risky security practices, and the best ways to mitigate threats to reduce the impacts of cyber attacks.



In 2024, Coalitions cooperative efforts with authorities and panel partners contributed to the successful clawback of $31 million for policyholders, with an average recovery of $278,000. Coalition has firsthand knowledge that policyholders that quickly report FTF events have a greater likelihood of recovery. Last month, Coalition introduced a new financial incentive in its Active Cyber Policy[1]. Clients can receive lower retentions when they report FTF incidents within 72 hours of the initial fraudulent transfer, encouraging prompt action to improve the odds of recovery.



Other key findings from the report include:

 As claims frequency decreased by 7% YoY, claims severity remained stable.

 Ransomware claims frequency decreased by 3% and severity decreased by 7% YoY.

 BEC claims severity increased by 23%.

 FTF claims frequency decreased by 2% and severity decreased by 46% YoY. The sharp decline in severity follows the all-time high in 2023..

 When deemed reasonable and necessary, 44% of policyholders that experienced a ransomware incident opted to pay the ransom. Coalition Incident Response (CIR) was able to negotiate ransom payments down[2] by an average of 60%.

 Coalition policyholders experienced 73%[3] fewer claims than the industry average.



This report presents statistics, charts, and risk insights derived from data collected from Coalition policyholders in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.



Download the full 2025 Cyber Claims Report from Coalition to learn more
Pakistan Shelling Kills 13 Civilians in Poonch After Indian Airstrikes: LoC Tensions Escalate 2

Thirteen civilians were killed and 59 others injured in heavy ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch sector, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday. Of the injured, 44 are from Poonch, according to the MEAs external publicity division.

The Pakistani Army resorted to unprovoked and intense shelling across several LoC sectors, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Akhnoor, using small arms and artillery fire. Indian forces responded proportionately, military officials said, underscoring that the aggression is seen as a retaliatory escalation following Indias precision airstrikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.

The ceasefire violations occurred during the intervening night of May 7 and 8, as tensions soared between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The Indian Army is maintaining high alert along the LoC.

In response to the deteriorating security situation, authorities have ordered the closure of all educational institutions in five border districts of the Jammu region for the second consecutive day, prioritizing civilian safety amid the escalating crisis.
Nearly five dozen felony criminal cases were dismissed by the same Cullman County grand jury that said the police department that made the arrests should be abolished due to the agencys culture of corruption.

Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker on Wednesday said the grand jury made the decision in April following an Alabama State Bureau of Investigation audit into the Hanceville Police Department.

Crocker said the grand jury was left with no choice to dismiss dozens of cases that the Hanceville Police Department previously investigated due to illegal actions taken by former officers with the department.

The Grand Jury that unanimously indicted the former Hanceville police officers determined that those officers cases, and other cases from the Hanceville Police Department, were unprosecutable, Crocker said.

The same Grand Jury reconvened in April and voted to no-bill, or dismiss, 58 felony cases due to the illegal actions of those former Hanceville officers.

Most of these cases involved drugs, and only a few were personal crimes with victims. One dismissal is too many, but the Grand Jury had no other recourse.

Crocker posted photos of the audit, evidence room and dismissed cases to Facebook.

The audit demonstrated an abundance of undocumented or missing evidence such as undocumented guns and missing bullets that are valued at $90 or more dollars a box.

Of the 650 packages of evidence kept by the department, 249 had no associated case number, Crocker said. Of the 96 guns in the evidence room, 30 were undocumented.

Another 78 evidence bags had been torn open and 216 grams of meth, 1.5 grams of cocaine, 67 Oxycodone pills and a .25 caliber handgun were among items missing.

Picture of guns found in the Hanceville Police Departments evidence room. District Attorney Champ Crocker

In February, the former Hanceville police chief, several officers and a wife of one officer were arrested after being indicted by the same grand jury.

The indictments were sparked following an investigation into the department after a former Hanceville police dispatcher, Christopher Willingham, was found dead at work in August 2024 from a drug overdose.

Hanceville Mayor Jim Sawyer has said that he is committed to rebuilding the police department following the scandal and on March 10 the Hanceville City Council voted to begin that process.
Damien McDaniel, charged with killing 14 people and wounding 30 others in Birmingham over a span of 14 months, appeared in a Jefferson County courtroom April 29, 2025, along with attorney John Robbins. (Carol Robinson)

Accused Birmingham mass killer Damien McDaniel is now facing three more capital murder charges, including the Valentines Day 2024 shooting deaths of a young couple expecting their first child.

The young couple was Angeliyah Webster and Chris Norris, both 20.

McDaniel, 22, of Fairfield, is now also charged in the 2023 killing of 52-year-old Reginald Bryant, Birmingham police announced Wednesday.

See also: These are the 14 other homicides linked to Damien McDaniel

McDaniel now stands accused of killing 18 people  including the unborn baby - and wounding 30 others in a span of roughly 14 months.

The newest charges include two counts of capital murder of two or more people in the killings of Webster, Norris and their unborn son, who was to be named Seven.

He is also charged with capital murder during a robbery in Bryants Nov. 27, 2023, shooting death on Closhire Lane in Pratt City. Bryants truck was stolen.

Lorenzo Wiley (Jefferson County Jail)

Lorenzo Marquise Wiley, 30, is also charged with capital murder in Bryants killing.

Wiley, also from Fairfield, was charged Jan. 15, 2025, in the Bessemer Cutoff with hindering prosecution.

That charge is reportedly linked to a vehicle used in the Hush mass shooting, and the killing the following night of Jamarcus McIntyre in east Birmingham.

Reginald Bryant, 52, was shot to death Nov. 27, 2023, outside his Pratt City home. (Contributed)

In Bryants slaying, police started receiving calls about 4 p.m. that Monday of gunfire in Pratt City. Once on the scene, they found Bryant dead in a grassy area near the woods behind a home.

Investigators believe Bryant was approached by multiple suspects who fired on him in a targeted attack. Police marked at least 18 shell casings in the street.

Were dealing with a violent group of individuals, Officer Truman Fitzgerald said at the time. There were a lot of shots fired in this incident.

Angeliyah ne-vaeh Jolie Webster and Christan Tyre Norris (Contributed)

In the murder of Webster, Norris and Seven, the couple was seen about 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, in the 1500 block of 20th Place in Ensley.

They were believed to be on their way to a movie date at an unknown theater. They were in a white Ford Taurus.

As time passed, the families began to worry. And they began to search, growing more frantic with each passing hour.

The families filed a report with the Birmingham Police Department which issued bulletins for the couple late Thursday night.

On Friday Feb. 16, the family also went to the dealership where Norris had bought his car. They were able to ping the vehicles general location to somewhere in Wylam.

The family then headed that way, as did Birmingham police detectives who independently learned of a possible location for the Taurus.

Just before 4 p.m. that day, Webster and Norris were found dead in Norriss Taurus in the 4100 block of 10th Avenue in Wylam.

Both Webster and Norris were excited about becoming parents and were looking forward to their upcoming gender reveal.

The Disney-inspired party was set for April 6, and it was there that friends and family would find out if the baby was going to a Moana or a Maui.

I can start healing and getting justice

Websters mother, Temecia Sistrunk, said news of the arrest is an answer to the prayers shes been praying to hear for 16 months.

Detectives notified her earlier today.

You know how you be waiting and waiting and waiting but when it came I was not ready, she said. It truly took me back to that Friday, February 16, 2024, when the bodies was found.

But Angeliyah, baby Seven and Christian was actually lured and murdered on February 14, 2024, a day that is the symbol of love will always be a nightmare on my street, Sistrunk said.

As we approach Mothers Day this Sunday it would have been Angeliyahs first Mothers Day, but shes not with me on earth anymore more. This Mothers Day is still and will always be different for me and yes I wish that I could spend it with my babies Liyah, Baby Seven and Christian.

How I wish it could bring them back, but Im grateful that we have a person that responsible for their murders and I will fight like hell to make sure that justice will be served, she said.

Norriss mother, Lisa Norris, said news of the arrest is bittersweet.

Im happy and sad at the same time, Norris said. This past year has been challenging...but I can start healing and getting justice for my babies.

McDaniels alleged 14-month homicide spree

McDaniels other cases cases include two mass shootings that each left four dead  one at Trendsetters lounge that killed four people and wounded 10 others, and the second at Hush Lounge that killed four people and wounded 17 others.

He and five others are charged with capital murder in the Sept. 22, 2024, ambush shooting death of 32-year-old Jamarcus McIntyre during a robbery of his backpack.

That killing, captured on home surveillance video and chronicled in text messages, happened the night after the Hush massacre.

McDaniel is also charged with capital murder-for-hire involving the 2023 ambush killing of Birmingham Firefighter Jordan Melton, the capital murder-for hire in the 2024 shooting death of UPS worker Anthony Love, and the 2024 fatal shooting of Mia Nickson outside her familys home.

McDaniel is charged with intentional murder in the Sept. 19, 2024, shooting death of Diontranet Tinae Brown, a 35-year-old mother who police say was an innocent bystander shot to death inside 604 Bar and Lounge on Ninth Street North, and the Aug. 13, 2024 killing of 61-year-old Charlie Moore, also an untended target.

What we know about Damien McDaniel

What little is publicly known about McDaniels past comes from court records, news reports and a short interview he gave in a YouTube documentary about Birmingham violence.

McDaniel, then 17, was arrested at Fairfield High School for an October 2019 case in which two people were shot at in Fairfield.

He pleaded guilty on April 26, 2023, to two counts of attempted murder. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison with two years to serve followed by three years of probation.

The week before Birmingham police announced McDaniels arrest in the Hush massacre, Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff Chief Assistant District Attorney Lane Tolbert filed a motion to revoke McDaniels probation in the 2019 attempted murder cases.

McDaniel, prosecutors contended, violated his probation terms by engaging in injurious and vicious habits. He was recorded on social media brandishing firearms at least nine times between April 1, 2024, through Oct. 1.

His probation was revoked on Dec. 12, and he is now being held in state prison.

There has been criticism about the sentence and probation on the Fairfield cases  which put McDaniel back on the streets.

Tolbert said they were fortunate to obtain a conviction by way of McDaniels guilty plea -- and the 15 year split sentence of time served awaiting trial and probation.

Prosecutors, he said, had no one who was willing to come forward with information.

When you have no witness cooperation, like in most of his cases, because of fear probably, we were lucky to get that, Tolbert said.

He wasnt released early,' Tolbert said. He got what he got because no one was willing to cooperate.

McDaniel had at least a half-dozen arrests as a juvenile which were either dismissed or ended with him being given probation. Those charges ranged from being a juvenile in possession of a gun to giving false information to police.

In 2021, he was arrested by the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office on an attempted murder charge, but he would later tell investigators the grand jury did not indict him.

He was also arrested by Vestavia Hills police on charges of trafficking cocaine, heroin and meth. The disposition of those charges was not available.

McDaniel is the father of two children who were last known to live in Georgia. He described his relationship with his children to investigators as poor.

McDaniels own father, 43-year-old Damien Laron McDaniel Jr., is in federal prison in Kentucky. He was sentenced to 26 years in 2013 for trafficking cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

His fathers arrest in that case came after a six-hour standoff with U.S. Marshals in Adamsville. The older McDaniel was described in news reports as a former leader of the Bloods gang in the Fairfield area.

When McDaniel III was 5-years-old, his father was charged with the fatal 2007 shooting death of 23-year-old Cedric Burch in Fairfield two months after McDaniel Jr. and others allegedly poured gasoline on Burch and set him on fire.

At the time of that homicide, McDaniel Jr. was out on bond for shooting Burchs brother and had already served at least part of a 10 year sentence for possessing cocaine.

The case was nol prossed, and Damien McDaniel Jr. never went to trial for the slaying.

His son was a few months shy of his 12th birthday when McDaniel Jr. received the 26 year sentence. Damien McDaniel Jr. is scheduled to be released in 2037, according to the federal prison system.

The younger McDaniel previously worked at a Walmart, but that job ended with his 2019 cases.

He attended Fairfield High Preparatory School until his junior year, leaving in 2019 when he was arrested. During his time in high school, he had been suspended for fighting.

McDaniel told investigators in 2023 that he was prescribed psychotropic medications for various mental health issues, however he stopped taking them during his time in jail. He also reported having therapy a couple of times a week.

NyQuan Cordae Lollar and Damien McDaniel in a Youtube documentary.Screengrab

McDaniel, prior to his arrest in the Hush shootings, was interviewed in a YouTube documentary about violence and murder in Alabama called This City Eats People Alive: The Most Dangerous Place in Alabama, America: The Dirty South posted by The Taboo Room With Aaron S.

NyQuan Cordae Lollar, 22, another suspect in McIntyres death, was also featured in the documentary.

They were asked if they would have any empathy toward the mothers of someone who was murdered.

Im (expletive) going to do the same thing to you so why not do it to them? McDaniel said. Why show them compassion when they aint gonna show your folks compassion?

They aint sparing (expletive), Lollar says.

They aint going to spare me, McDaniel said. If their son ends up dead and they come to court, they aint going to spare me in the mother (expletive) courtroom. Theyre going to want my ass (inaudible).
King Charles echoed the words of his grandfather to mark VE Day.

King Charles echoed the words of his grandfather to mark VE Day

The 76-year-old monarch addressed the nation on the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe - which marked the end of World War II in Europe after almost six years - and referred to former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill in his speech but also reflected on the feelings of King George VI when he spoke at the end of the conflict in 1945.

Speaking at the Horse Guards Parade in London, he said: "We should remind ourselves of the words of our great wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill, who said 'meeting jaw to jaw is better than war'.

"In so doing, we should also rededicate ourselves not only to the cause of freedom but to renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict.

"For as my grandfather put it, 'We shall have failed, and the blood of our dearest will have flowed in vain, if the victory which they died to win does not lead to a lasting peace, founded on justice and established in good will'"

Charles urged the country to remember those "who paid the ultimate price" and sacrificed themselves during the war as he reminded others just what can be "achieved" when the nations unite, as he gave a nod to the current conflicts in the world.

"Just as those exceptional men and women fulfilled their duty to each other, to humankind, and to God, bound by an unshakeable commitment to nation and service, in turn it falls to us to protect and continue their precious legacy - so that one day hence generations yet unborn may say of us: 'they too bequeathed a better world'

"The Allied victory being celebrated then, as now, was a result of unity between nations, races, religions and ideologies, fighting back against an existential threat to humanity.

"Their collective endeavour remains a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when countries stand together in the face of tyranny.

"We unite to celebrate and remember with an unwavering and heartfelt gratitude, the service and sacrifice of the wartime generation who made that hard-fought victory possible.

"While our greatest debt is owed to all those who paid the ultimate price, we should never forget how the war changed the lives of virtually everyone."

Charles acceded to the throne upon the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth in 2022 and recalled that the late monarch - who served as Queen for 70 years - "mingled anonymously" and partied into the night as she celebrated with the country when she was in her early twenties.

He said: "The celebration that evening was marked by my own late mother who, just 19 years old, described in her diary how she mingled anonymously in the crowds across central London and 'walked for miles' among them.

"The rejoicing continued into the next day, when she wrote 'Out in the crowd again. Embankment, Piccadilly. Rained, so fewer people. Conga-ed into House. Sang till 2am. Bed at 3am!

"I do hope your celebrations tonight are almost as joyful, although I rather doubt I shall have the energy to sing until 2am, let alone lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace."
A Georgia man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexual involvement with a 12-year-old Alabama girl.

Darvin Jerrell Williams, 28, pleaded guilty earlier this year to unlawfully transporting a minor across state lines and for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.

On Thursday, a federal judged handed down the sentence for the Douglasville man. The judge also ordered that Williams remain on supervised release for five years following his 20-year prison term, according Middle District of Alabama Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson.

Court documents show that Williams, between December 2023 and January 2024, communicated with the pre-teen girl through text messages and Instagram.

Through multiple messages over approximately a month s time, Williams persuaded the victim to allow him to come pick her up and discussed his desire for sexual activity with her on multiple occasions, records state.

On Jan. 8, 2024, Williams picked the girl up at her home in Tallassee and took her back to Georgia, where authorities say he engaged in sexual activity with the girl.

The victim was reported missing the same day Williams picked her up and law enforcement immediately began searching for her. Law enforcement located the victim back in her hometown the next day.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Tallassee Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara S. Ratz prosecuted.
University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital and Children's of Alabama buildings are seen Friday, May 6, in Birmingham, Alabama. The hospitals serve a number of transgender children and young people around the state. File. Ruth Serven Smith/AL.com

Alabama universities have lost $35 million due to President Donald Trumps recent order to cut grants that pay for research that might involve diversity, equity and inclusion.

In Alabama, that means research into childhood cancer, veterans in higher education and student participation in STEM fields are on the chopping block. More cuts could be coming.

Christina Steidl, whos been researching veterans career trajectories for almost a decade, lost an $80,498 grant to study veterans at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. She was analyzing the differences between men and womens careers, among other things; she believes the word gender in the grants title likely triggered the cut.

Its disappointing thats the strategy and were losing a lot of government-funded research, Steidl said.

The Washington Post and other outlets have reported that federal workers are combing through keywords in active research projects in an effort to cut projects that promote diversity principles and frameworks.

Canceled Alabama research grants include:

$7.9 million for faculty recruitment at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Tuskegee University,

$1 million for STEM graduate students at Alabama A&M University,

$7.9 million to support students with disabilities in STEM careers at Auburn University.

The National Institutes of Health has canceled $11.5 million in remaining grant funding for Auburn University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, according to the Grant-Watch.us tracker. About $10.2 million of the total funding budgeted has been spent.

UAB and other institutions also are battling federal efforts to cut the amount of money they can claim in indirect costs on NIH grants.

The National Science Foundation has terminated $24 million in science, technology, engineering and mathematics grants at multiple Alabama universities, according to Grant-Watch.us.

See the list of terminated NIH grants in Alabama.

See the list of terminated NSF grants in Alabama.

Kathy Thompson, director of the Center for Innovation in Postsecondary Education at the University of South Alabama. One of her grants studying diversity in STEM education was terminated by the National Science Foundation. (Contributed)

Last month, Kathy Thompsons funding for racial equity in STEM education research, budgeted at more than $1 million, was cut. She is director of the Center for Innovation and Post Secondary Education at the University of South Alabama.

She said her research benefited first-generation and rural students of all races.

Equity doesnt mean anything ugly, Thompson said. It means that were giving every person who wants it the opportunity to achieve. Thats what it means. Were leveling the playing field.

She said shell continue to apply for NSF grants but hopes the termination of federal research grants will jolt voters into action.

We need a jerk every now and then, Thompson said, gesturing a shaking motion with her hands.

She believes the funding fallout will encourage people to wrestle with their future around decisions about who they vote for. And hopefully they will really think about that in the future and think about who best represents them.

Thompsons research focused on barriers that cause students to change from STEM majors to a different degree. Data shows that Black and Hispanic students have some of the lowest graduation rates in STEM degrees, according to Pew Research.

I will continue to be a voice of hope and optimism and continue to help as many students and institutions that want help and will take advantage of my expertise, Thompson said.

The U.S. National Science Foundation has undertaken a review of its award portfolio, letters terminating grants at the University of South Alabama read. Each award was carefully and individually reviewed, and the agency has determined that termination of certain awards is necessary because they are not in alignment with current NSF priorities.

The termination decisions are not subject to appeal, according to the letter. No other rationale was provided, said Lance Crawford, public relations director at the University of South Alabama.

Canceled NIH grants included studies on eating disorders among the LGBTQ community, Black and Latino people with autoimmune disease and the effects of COVID-19 on children undergoing chemotherapy.

AL.com reached out to affected researchers for comment. University administrators at the University of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Tuskegee University and Auburn University did not respond to requests for comment before publication.

Many canceled grants are the same that were deemed neo-Marxist class warfare propaganda in February by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. The Grant-Watch tracker notes which of the grants are on Cruzs list.

Noam Ross, one of the founders of the Grant-Watch.us site, started the tracker to inform researchers and the public on the status of funding and to encourage advocacy to preserve it. The tracker includes information on which federal congressional district is affected by an individual grants termination.

It is very dispiriting to see, among the many other awful actions of this administration, that people are in charge who have no appreciation for the value of something, Ross said.

As of April 29, more than $2 billion in grant funding has been cancelled nationwide.
Katie Collins teaching career started in her childhood bedroom, where as a young girl shed spend hours instructing a room full of stuffed animals  and her little sister, Liz, too.

Collins, a 20-year educator and first grade teacher at Bluff Park Elementary in Hoover, is this years recipient of Alabamas prestigious Teacher of the Year award. She is one of two Birmingham-area educators to be named finalists for the states highest teaching honor.

Thank you, Liz, for being my first student, and I am very proud of how you turned out, she said to a room full of laughter at a ceremony on May 7, also taking a moment to thank other family members, her former teachers, and her students and school staff for their support.

Katie Collins (center), a teacher at Hoover's Bluff Park Elementary, is Alabama's 2025-26 Teacher of the Year. Hoover City Schools

The state board of education also named Aubrey Bennett of George Washington Carver High School in Birmingham the Alternate Alabama Teacher of the Year for 2025-2026. Collins and Bennett were selected from among 155 educators across the state who were recommended by district superintendents, principals and colleagues.

Aubrey Bennett (center), of Birmingham City Schools, was named Alternate Teacher of the Year for Alabama. Alabama State Department of Education

We honor you because we greatly appreciate what you do for children, but we really honor you more because you represent 55,000 people who get up every morning and go to our classrooms and put their lives out there so they can give and invest into the lives of children, State Superintendent Eric Mackey told the finalists during the ceremony. Youre the best of the best, but youre also representatives of many, many, many great teachers.

The Alabama Teacher of the Year Program is one of the states oldest recognition programs for teachers. Applications are reviewed at the school, district and state level through a rigorous selection process.

See all 16 finalists recognized here:

Teacher of the Year recognition comes with a $5,000 check and numerous opportunities for professional development. Collins will spend the school year serving as a full-time, official ambassador for the teaching profession, and she will also qualify for the National Teacher of the Year contest.

Prior to teaching first grade, Collins has taught middle and high school French, as well as English language courses for children and adults. At Bluff Park, Collins helped create the Communities Family Literacy Program, which helps families of English learners in the Hoover school system. She said she plans to use her new platform to raise more awareness about mental health and promote teaching practices that are engaging for all students.

Mrs. Collins is enthusiastic about modeling her passion for learning, designing innovative cross-curricular Project-Based Learning units, and facilitating student autonomy and leadership, Hoover City Schools said in an announcement. She believes relationships are the foundation to student success and enjoys identifying and nurturing her students unique academic gifts.

Bennett, a 12th grade history teacher, has spent the past 11 years at Carver High, where he also sponsors the student government association and helps with attendance efforts.

District leaders said his work has led to significant improvements in attendance rates. In the past two years, the district has seen a 16 percentage-point drop in chronic absenteeism.

We are proud of the great work Mr. Bennett contributes at Carver every day, Superintendent Mark Sullivan said in a news release. He makes an impact on the scholars at Carver in several areas of school and community life.
Under new income thresholds for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, better known as WIC, more families may qualify for food benefits in Alabama.

WIC is here to help women, infants, and children in Alabama improve their overall health by providing nutritious foods, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support, said Alabama WIC Director Pam Galloway.

Food package changes will be rolled out later this year to provide participants with more choices and flexibility to help them meet their nutrition needs and food preferences.

The Alabama Department of Public Health said in a recent release families at or below the following incomes are eligible for WIC if they include a woman who is pregnant, has had a baby within the past six months, is currently breastfeeding, or if you are the parent or guardian of a child up to age 5.

Family Size Annual Income Weekly Income 2 $39,128 $753 3 $49,303 $949 4 $59,478 $1,144 5 $69,653 $1,340 6 $78,828 $1,536

Additional family sizes are included on the WIC Program website.

WIC participants may receive food benefits for each qualifying family member, the release adds.

Cash value benefits are available to purchase fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, with each child receiving $26 a month, pregnant and postpartum women receiving $47 a month, and breastfeeding women receiving $52 a month.

WIC participants are also eligible to receive free nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and healthcare referrals, the release adds.

According to the release, WIC participants must have both a limited income and a nutritional need.

Families who receive Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) already meet the income qualifications for WIC.

Even families who do not qualify for these programs may be eligible for WIC because of WICs higher income limits, the release adds.

For more information, residents can visit the WIC Program website or call the statewide toll-free line at 1-888-942-4673 (1-888-WIC-HOPE).
The execution of Gregory Hunt for the 1988 beating death of a Walker County woman has been set for June by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, the governors office announced Wednesday.

The execution by nitrogen gas will be held at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore between 12:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 10 and 6 a.m. Wednesday June 11, according to a statement from Iveys office.

Ivey stated she does not currently plan to grant Hunt clemency in the case but reserves the right to do so, according to a letter she sent to Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm.

Last week the Alabama Supreme Court authorized Hunts execution at the request of the Alabama Attorney Generals Office.

In June 1990, a jury found Hunt guilty and by a vote of 11 to 1 recommended he be put to death for the Aug. 2, 1988, murder of Karen Lane in Walker County.

Lane was murdered in a Cordova apartment she shared with another young woman, according to court records. She suffered a total of 60 injuries, according to court appeal records. The indictment charging Hunt alleged that he had used his hands, fists, broom stick, and a bar stool to attack Lane.

Fingerprints and witness testimony linked Hunt to the scene, court records show.

Hunt was part of a multi-plaintiff lawsuit that was dismissed in 2018 challenging the states three-drug lethal injection method. Court records show John Palombi, a federal public defender for the Middle District of Alabama, and Deputy AG Thomas Govan filed a motion to dismiss the case because the inmates named in the lawsuit, including Hunt, elected the new form of execution, nitrogen hypoxia, which was made legal that same year.

Alabama became the first in the nation to use nitrogen hypoxia in an execution last year and has since executed three others using the method. The process involves pumping nitrogen into a mask worn by the death row inmate.
Descendants of former slaves of the Pettway Plantation in Gee's Bend, Alabama circa 1900. (Photo by Buyenlarge/Getty Images) Getty Images

Alabama is one of eight Southern states that has shown the weakest growth in life expectancy over the last 125 years.

Thats according to a study which examined about 179 million deaths across the United States - 77 million female and 102 million male- from 1969 to 2020.

The paper, All-Cause Mortality and Life Expectancy by Birth Cohort Across US States, was published in JAMA Network Open.

It also found that residents in Northeast and West Coast states have gained decades of extra life over the same period.

Study Finds reports that researchers from Yale, the University of Michigan and the University of British Columbia tracked mortality by calendar year and by birth cohort; that is, they followed groups born in the same year throughout their lives.

The results were occasionally startling. For women in states like Oklahoma, life expectancy actually decreased by 0.7 years over the century studied.

Washington, D.C. showed the most dramatic improvement, with female life expectancy rising from 63.9 to 93 years. For men, New York State was the best place, going from 60.1 in 1900 to 87.8, an increase of 27.7 years.

The variations in life expectancy probably reflect lifestyle choice, but also could be affected by policy changes, such as tobacco control, healthcare access, and environmental protections.

Other factors could be in play. For example, the improvement in Washington, D.C.s life expectancy came about because more affluent residents with better access to health care moved into the nations capital over the century.

Increases in life expectancy for men and women in Alabama were among the lowest in the nation, according to the study.

For Alabama, women saw the life expectancy increase by three years over the period from 1900 to 2020, according to the study, from 73.8 in 1900 to 77.6 in 1950. However, that number decreased to 76.8 in 2000.

Nationally, womens life expectancy rose from 73.8 in 1900 to 84.1 in 2000.

For men in Alabama, life expectancy went from 62.1 in 1900 to 72.6 in 2000, an improvement of more than 10 years. Over that same time, men in the U.S. went from 62.8 to 80.3 in 2000.
This is an opinion column.

When the phrase Black Dandy crossed my radar a few days ago, I didnt initially know what it meant.

Then it hit me.

The term was the foundation of this years Met Gala in New York, the annual multimillion-dollar fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute.

The theme: Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.

Its purpose was to showcase Black Dandys history and influence in America, and how African Americans have long used fashion as an expression of resistance, freedom and liberation. Thats Black dandy.

As I researched the phrase, I realized I knew exactly what it was  and that Ive got a tad Black dandy of my own.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 05: (L-R) Jalen Hurts and Bry Burrows attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue) Getty Images for The Met Museum/

Dandyism goes back as far as the 18th century. One of its earliest purveyors was George Bryan Beau Brummell, born into British political circles in 1778 and known for having elevated the elaborately knotted cravat (think: the early bow tie) in fashion circles. He once claimed to take five hours to dress and that his boots should be shined with champagne. That was dandyism 1.0.

Brummell is famously known for saying: Dont talk about your clothes, let your clothes do the talking.

The roots of Black dandyism extend as far back as the ornate costuming of our African ancestors and have always been a bold expression of our creativity, vision and resilience.

For generations of Blacks in this nation, Black Dandyism symbolized refusing to allow themselves to be defined by circumstances or conditions that strived to demean, diminish and even delete them.

In my youth, Black men and women in segregated North Tulsa were largely confined professionally by the limitations of Jim Crow. If they were not in the military or entrepreneurs, they were typically butlers, train porters, hotel bellhops, or factory laborers.

My father and his brother carried bags at the Mayo Hotel  the Ritz-Carlton of its day  until my father saved enough to buy a building on Greenwood Avenue. in Black Wall Street. He ran a business on the first floor with apartments on the second floor.

Black women like my mother, aunts and others were primarily teachers, nurses or domestics raising white children.

When their jobs were done, their dandyism emerged. When they returned to their homes, those men and women removed the uniforms of their craft and donned attire that allowed them to fully be beyond societys arcane limitations.

For the men, that often meant a stylish suit, with a tie and pocket handkerchief, and almost always a brimmed hat or cap tilted ever so perfectly atop their head, a watch and shoes shined like the sun.

For women, it was bright colors in a skirt tailored to the appropriate (or inappropriate), risque heels, a fox fur tall in the winter, and, of course, a hat, especially on Sundays. A hat that screamed faith and flair and often blocked my view from the pew behind them.

These men and women were weighed by segregation, by conditions that sought to demean and diminish them. Black women could not try on clothes at the local department stores. If they wanted to see if a hat fit, they had to place tissues inside. And of course, they could never return any clothes if they got home and an outfit didnt fit.

Black men could not look white men in the eye, and they always had to respond (never speak first) with, yes sir.

But at home, in North Tulsa, they lived, laughed and loved without boundaries, and that freedom was expressed in their attire. In their Black Dandy.

Now, I know where I got it from. Where I got my penchant for brim hats and for jackets that shout. In any room.

Perry Varner of Birmingham was 13, growing up in rural Chilton County, when he began to embody Black Dandy. I became conscious of my personal style and took ownership of dressing myself, he told me. I always stood out for the way l dressed.

Growing up in rural Chilton County, Alabama, Perry Varner, who now lives in Birmingham embodies Dandy style. I always stood out for the way l dressed, he says. Courtesy Parry Varner

His dandy rep bloomed while he was a teenager in Montgomery, and his curiosity about style and Black culture took him to New York Citys Harlem, which elevated my taste.

I feel like all these experiences led to perfect Black Dandy expression, he said.

He is not alone. Varners list of Birmingham Dandys includes stylist Derricius Breon Chambers, musical artist and producer Rayshun Walker, and Magic City Fashion Week founder Daniel Greer.

They intentionally take pride in how they present themselves in the world, Varner added, using personal style as a vehicle for story-telling, expression and art.

On Monday, every bold stride on the blue carpet in New York was an homage to our history and an affirmation  a shout - that todays efforts to demean, deny and delete us can do none of the above.

That our faith and flair  our favor  are not bound by those who are uncomfortable with all that we have been, all that we are, and all that we will be.

That we will be dandy.

Lets be better tomorrow than we are today. My column appears on AL.com, and digital editions of The Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, and Mobile Press-Register. Tell me what you think at rjohnson@al.com, and follow me at twitter.com/roysj, Instagram @roysj and BlueSky.
Approximately 1,400 FBI employees could be coming to Huntsvilles Redstone Arsenal over the next three years, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.

During a budget hearing for the FBI, Patel was questioned by Rep. Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, regarding the timeline for when more FBI employees would be sent to the agencys north Alabama location.

Patel, appointed by President Donald Trump, said that in order for more employees to be moved from Washington D.C. to Huntsville several more training facilities will need to be built at Redstone Arsenal.

Patel said this would cost $160 million and over three years to complete.

The North Campus is largely constructed and filled. The South Campus land has been leveled, and the plots have been mapped out, Patel said.

In order to fill it, and in order to build buildings three and four and five as we call them and the new training facilitiesthat we and the appropriators have already looked into and approvedwere going to need another $160 million to accomplish that.

And once those buildings are built in the next three years, we will move another 1,300 maybe its 1,400 employees down (to) Huntsville.

The timeline reaffirms Patels commitment to trying to send more FBI employees to Huntsville.

During a recent visit to Redstone Arsenal Patel said that more and more FBI agents will be sent to work at the facility.

Patel has already made an order to transfer 500 workers from Washington D.C. to Redstone Arsenal who should arrive by, the end of the year, Patel said.

Strong also asked Patel about the visit and what impression it left on him. Patel responded saying the facility was the, premier experienced law-enforcement capability center.

What I saw while I was there was the best example of what I see when appropriators work with the bureau to defend the nation and I wish everybody would go down to Huntsville, Alabama, Patel said.

It is our premier, premier experienced law-enforcement capability center and training facility that the interagency only wishes they had.
Faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say some administrators are restricting efforts to research the health of minority populations.

According to a draft letter circulated among faculty and reviewed by AL.com, UAB lawyers and staff are editing and recommending changes to grant proposals in ways that dilute, obscure, or diminish the scientific or medical objective. They say faculty are being discouraged from studying medical conditions that impact certain racial and ethnic groups.

They have cut text and in some instances, deleted citations of the literature, or discouraged initiation of the research. Drafters of this letter have seen several examples. It can be construed as censorship, the writers said.

The letter was addressed to Natalie Gassman, the head of UABs Faculty Senate, and UABs Vice President for Research, Christopher Brown. It cited recent actions by the schools Office of Sponsored Programs, which provides support for projects with external funding. The names of nearly 200 people who appeared to be faculty and staff were attached.

American universities are being tested by President Donald Trumps administration, which took aim at university diversity programs in a public letter in February.

Alabama universities are working to comply with federal and state directives. In recent weeks, UAB has ended scholarships benefiting minority students and returned related donations to private donors.

A spokesperson for UAB told AL.com Thursday the school is assessing developments at the state and federal level and will respect academic freedom and the law.

UAB is committed to understanding and improving the human experience, enriching society and improving health and well-being for all, they said.

UAB recently edited words out of grant proposals focused on race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, national orientation or gender identity, according to the letter.

To exclude health risks or health service concerns of any protected group from research is ethically problematic, the faculty wrote.

Research on groups with unique, inherited conditions such as Ashkenazi Jews, Dutch Amish, West African or Cajun people, is threatened, the faculty said. Efforts to study maternal mortality among Black women or disease transmission among groups with certain sexual practices are other examples of at-risk subjects listed.

The faculty say UABs actions are in violation of the law and undermine academic freedom. The group urged UABs administration to issue a formal policy for grant applications that explains how research can be conducted.

We hope the contents of this letter not only describe our concerns about current practices at UAB, but more importantly help develop policies that promote our continued success as an outstanding academic institution, they stated.

Numerous signers declined a request to comment to AL.com

UAB is also one school in the state that has lost federal funding for some research initiatives.
Buster Murdaugh, left, and his girlfriend Brooklynn White watch a video clip from Buster's brother Paul's phone in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP, Pool) AP

The only living son of convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh married a University of Alabama graduate Saturday, according to multiple reports.

Richard Alexander Buster Murdaugh, 32, married Brooklynn White, 29, at a former hunting estate in Beaufort, S.C.

The New York Post reported that Murdaugh wore a white tuxedo with black pants, while White wore an off-the-shoulder white gown with a black bow.

The couple spent the reception with about 50 guests in a tent festooned with blue and white flowers.

The Mail reported photos of the wedding show there were two live bands, a floral arch and a four-tier white wedding cake.

White is a native of Rock Hill, S.C., but relocated to Alabama in 2014 for college.

She received a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Alabama, according to her LinkedIn profile. White has also taken her married name of Murdaugh on her social media accounts.

It is believed the two met when they were both studying at the University of South Carolina Law School. White was reportedly with Buster Murdaugh when his father called to tell him of the murder of his mother and brother.

South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2023, a day after he was convicted of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son.

The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Murdaugh guilty of killing his 22-year-old son, Paul, with a shotgun and his 52-year-old wife, Maggie, with a rifle on June 7, 2021.

Through more than 75 witnesses and nearly 800 pieces of evidence, jurors heard about betrayed friends and clients, Murdaughs failed attempt to stage his own death in an insurance fraud scheme, a fatal boat crash in which his son was implicated, the housekeeper who died in a fall in the Murdaugh home and the grisly scene of the killings.

The case has inspired multiple true crime podcasts, documentaries and a TV movie.

The attorney admitted stealing millions of dollars from the family firm and clients, saying he needed the money to fund his drug habit. Before he was charged with murder, Murdaugh was in jail awaiting trial on about 100 other charges ranging from insurance fraud to tax evasion.

An Alabama auctioneer later sold the Murdaugh family home, close to where Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were murdered, for $1 million last year.
Charlie Lawson thinks something has "gone seriously wrong" with him after being rushed back to hospital.

Coronation Street legend Charlie Lawson has been rushed back to hospital

The 65-year-old actor - who is best known for his role as Jim McDonald on ITV's flagship soap opera 'Coronation Street' - took to social media earlier this week to reveal that he had inexplicably fallen over twice and revealed to followers on Thursday (08.05.25) evening that he is struggling to walk.

Speaking in a video posted to X/Twitter, he said: "Well hello folks, from a rather, erm, well I'm not sure what it's doing outside to be honest with you. It was rather nice when I came in, but here I am again in special day care in Macclesfield hospital waiting to see an osteopath and hopefully getting a transfer to Salford Royal to the spinal unit.

"That's the plan, but I was talking to you last time from the same cubicle and I ended up back at home at half ten at night so we shall wait and see.

"I'm fine, I just simply can't walk properly. I'm in great pain, and I can't stand on my tiptoes now so this is very comfortable [in the bed] but if I stand up I just fall over so there's something seriously gone wrong. So, I'll keep you posted. Cheerio now!"

The soap legend previously told fans that he had undergone an MRI scan and was waiting to hear back from a spinal surgeon after seeking medical attention the first time round.

In a video captioned "Ooooh s***!!!", he said: "Hi folks, went to physio this morning and she sent me straight to A+E, which I did.

"They examined me. I have an MRI scan and I'm sitting waiting for the results.

"They've whisked me back in for more examinations so it's not going awfully well at the moment.

"Anyway, I'll keep you updated.

"They put a wristband on me and all sorts of craic.

"I've fallen over twice, so something going wrong down there."

Charlie - who married his long-time love Debbie Stanley in 2023 - also told one concerned fan that he was waiting to hear from the spinal surgeon.

He wrote: "Thanks darling, awaiting the opinion of the spinal surgeon. Xxx (sic)"

Last year, Charlie admitted he doesn't ever envisage being invited back to 'Corrie' to reprise his role as Jim, who he last portrayed in 2018.

He told the Daily Mirror newspaper at the time: "It wouldn't shock me if he dies in Australia. I think it would be a terrible waste of a character, and I would stand up and have a pint and salute to him. But I wouldn't be broken-hearted because I've been back seven or eight times, for Christ's sake, since 2001 that's pretty damn good as it's 2024.

"Now I haven't been back since 2018 but the whole world has changed since then into a crazy woke sort of... it's all changed. I'm not quite sure how Jim would react to 24 genders in Weatherfield. I suspect he would probably - if the writers had the courage - I suspect he would probably say that that was nonsense."

Jim was famously married to former Rovers Return landlady Liz McDonald (Beverley Callard), but their relationship was tested by alcoholism and infidelity.

They divorced in 1997 after Liz had been unfaithful to him, and they remarried in 2000, but Jim was later imprisoned for the manslaughter of drug dealer Jez Quigley (Lee Boardman), who had previously beaten his son Steve (Simon Gregson) up over a job.

Liz divorced Jim for a second time during his prison sentence, and in 2011 he tried to win her back by robbing a bank.

But he was put behind bars again.

In 2018, Jim returned to the series with a young woman called Hannah Gilmore (Hannah Ellis Ryan), whom he falsely claimed was his and Liz's long-lost daughter Katie.

However, Hannah was actually Jim's girlfriend, and the pair were later arrested for a money-making scam when the truth emerged.
Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith holds a press conference following the death of an inmate. (Carol Robinson)

The Walker County District Attorneys Office asked a judge to hold Sheriff Nick Smith in contempt, claiming he has failed to comply with a subpoena to hand over records involving a deputy.

The motion for contempt was filed by District Attorney Bill Adairs office Wednesday, and is a result of an apparent investigation into the qualifications and eligibility of Deputy Andrew J. Neves-McDonald to serve as a law enforcement officer in Alabama or elsewhere.

Smith on Thursday filed a response to the district attorneys motion, claiming not only had his office already complied, but said Adair earlier today acknowledged he had overlooked receipt of the files.

Smith denies the contempt allegations.

Shortly after Smith filed his response, Adair moved to have the contempt motion dismissed.

According to the contempt motion, Adairs office on April 21 served a subpoena to the sheriffs office at the request of an investigator with the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission, which certifies law enforcement officers in Alabama.

Adair attached a copy of the subpoena which requested records for numerous cases between Sept. 15, 2024, and Feb. 11, 2025.

Those cases included a death investigation, theft, auto theft and assault that apparently were handled by Deputy Neves-McDonald.

The district attorney asked that all records be turned over to his office no later than 1 p.m. on May 6.

As of that deadline, the contempt motion stated, Adair had not received the requested incident/offense report.

In Smiths response, filed at 2:01 p.m. Wednesday, said after receiving the initial subpoena in April, the sheriffs office custodian for records sent an email to the software company that stores the digital copies and requested the cases be pulled.

Smith said he copied the district attorneys office on that email.

Roughly 2  hours later, according to Smiths response, the software company sent an email to the Walker County custodian of records and copied the district attorneys office on the email, which contained three files attached.

On May 2, according to Smiths response, the Walker County Sheriffs Office was served with a subpoena that was a duplicate of the previous subpoena.

Earlier today, Smith said, he began to receive requests from the news media requesting his comment on the contempt petition. Smith said that was the first time he was made aware of the contempt petition.

He immediately looked into the matter, his response states, and the custodian of records produced the emails that complied with the subpoena.

It wasnt until just before noon Thursday, Smith contends, that he was served with the contempt motion.

Moments later, the response states, the custodian of records received a call from the district attorneys office and almost immediately was speaking with the district attorney who acknowledged that he had overlooked receipt of the files.

At that point, the sheriffs response states, Adair asked for additional information to be provided, which Smith said the custodian agreed to do.

Smith is asking for the contempt motion to be dismissed.

Shortly after Smiths response, Adair filed to dismiss the contempt motion.

A judge has not yet ruled on any of the motions.
The Birmingham Water Works Board joseph D. Bryant

The Birmingham Water Works Board Wednesday evening voted to sell the utilitys assets to the city of Birmingham, just hours after Gov. Kay Ivey signed a law that dissolved the current slate of leaders.

The move to make the states largest water utility a department of the city is an effort to circumvent the new law that adds new board members from suburban areas and ends Birminghams dominance over its operation.

However, the move may have come too late since Ivey signed the new law Wednesday afternoon that many interpret as dissolving the current board immediately.

The sale will be challenged in court as the state, the city of Birmingham and the beleaguered water board face off in lawsuits over the major overhaul of the utilitys governing board.

The Birmingham Water Works Board has never given up on fighting for its customers and ensuring the make-up of this board reflects the people it serves, members said in a statement following the vote this evening. This system always has been, and will continue to be, an asset for the city of Birmingham, and our board took the steps necessary to keep it that way.

Republican lawmakers have called changes to board long overdue, saying customers throughout the five-county area served by the water works lack representation at the utility, face poor customer service and annual rate increases.

The bill was sponsored by State Senator Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook and was carried in the House by Rep. Jim Carns of Vestavia Hills.

The members of the water board did not take questions after the vote to sell to the city. The vote was 5 to 2 with members Tom Henderson, a Jefferson County Mayors Association appointee, and Dalton NeSmith of Blount County voting no. Board members Butch Burbage of Shelby County and Monique Gardner Witherspoon of Birmingham were absent.

The city of Birmingham at times has officially owned the water works. The last time was in the late 90s before a controversial move when the assets were again transferred back to the independent board.

The fate of Wednesdays action remains a legal question over the legitimacy of the current board and whether it even existed when the vote was taken.

Shortly after the governor signed the bill into law, Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens appointed Phillip R. Wiedmeyer to the board. Wiedmeyer is a resident of Vestavia Hills and is a retired engineer with Alabama Power.

Wiedmeyer then filed a federal lawsuit in response to the citys lawsuit and asking the U.S. District Court to stop the former board from taking any action after Wednesday.

Wednesdays gathering was the second special meeting in two days to respond to the pending major changes and how the board could thwart them.

The city council approved a resolution Tuesday offering to buy the utility - with assets worth more than $1.26 billion - for a dollar, along with assuming its debt.

Mayor Randall Woodfin, who has been a critic of the water works board itself, said his effort to preserve Birminghams leadership over the utility was about defending the major asset for the citizens of the city.

In no way am I here to defend the water works board and the politics surrounding it over the years. This bill adds more politics to the board: self-appointment from politicians, elected officials appointing other elected officials, and board members being paid more money, he said in a statement.

Woodfin called the new law an affront to Birmingham customers.

This is a taking of power from the local rate payers by Republican politicians in Montgomery, he said.

The 11th-hour strategy by City Hall was part of a plan to salvage the water works by keeping it in the citys hands before the state law went into effect, before the governor signed the bill.

But the water works took no action on the proposal on Tuesday.

Instead, they agreed to new contracts or amended agreements with the executive assistant, four assistant general managers, and to create a new position of deputy general manager and general counsel for Mark Parnell, their longtime lawyer.

The water boards inaction Tuesday shocked and angered several city leaders who had worked on the 11th-hour proposal and even held an unpublicized strategy session with board members earlier in the week at a conference room at the Birmingham Zoo.

We are still in active negotiations with the city to sell the assets of the Birmingham Water Works. This is a very detailed matter and both parties are making sure the process is as thorough as possible, the water works statement reads. However, we thank the city and its representatives for their urgent action and are proud to be working together to end these spiteful takeover attempts once and for all.

Selling the water works to the city was part of a two-front strategy to thwart state legislation.

Woodfin and council members Tuesday also announced a federal lawsuit to fight the bill, claiming that the legislation is motivated by racial discrimination.

Wiedmeyer, the brand new appointee to the new regional board, argues in his suit that race is not the issue. The Act complies with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act because it does not deprive individuals the right to vote on account of race of color, he said in the suit.

Chief U.S. District Judge Emily C. Marks set a hearing for May 15 on the request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block the law.
Organizers of a food drive in North Alabama on Saturday are hoping the event will offset cuts by the federal government to programs that help feed area residents.

The Food Bank of North Alabama and the National Association of Letter Carriers will be teaming up with the U.S. Postal Service and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association for the 33rd annual NALC National Food Drive: Stamp Out Hunger.

Letter carriers in Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, Cullman, Hartselle, Eva, Falkville, Cullman, and Athens will collect food donations left at or inside the mailboxes of homes along their routes. Residents can leave food in the yellow plastic bags provided by mail carriers or use their own bags. Carriers will be collecting canned goods and other non-perishable food items. These donations will then be delivered to the Food Bank of North Alabama.

We are thankful to all of our letter carriers who help with this drive and all the families who participate by donating food, said Shirley Schofield, CEO of the Food Bank of North Alabama. This is our biggest drive of the year and has a tremendous impact on our work.

The food drive has become even more important this year after the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently ended two programs that helped schools and food banks buy food from local farmers and ranchers, cutting over $1 billion in federal funding for these purchases.

Unfortunately, we are expecting to receive nearly one million fewer pounds of food from federal programs this year due to cuts, Schofield said. That is equivalent to 833,333 fewer meals well have to distribute, and that is why this years Stamp Out Hunger food drive is so critical for us. The good news is we live in an amazingly generous community and we know that people will step up and help us bridge the gap for our neighbors -- children, seniors, veterans and working people -- who are fighting to overcome food insecurity.

In 2024, The Food Bank of North Alabama distributed more than 15 million pounds of food, which is the equivalent of over 12 million meals, across 11 counties in North Alabama, the food bank said.

The Food Bank is the primary source of food for about 240 organizations in North Alabama, including church food pantries, soup kitchens, backpack programs, homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters. Additionally, the Food Bank operates a robust system of direct services including mobile pantries, school pantries and healthcare partnerships.

Organizers hope this years drive will match the success of the one last year that resulted in 75,000 pounds of food donations being collected for the Food Bank of North Alabama.

Stamp Out Hunger has become the largest one-day food drive in the nation.

This is the easiest way to help out the Food Banks efforts, said Joshua Matthews, chief operations officer at the Food Bank of North Alabama. It also helps us provide food for kids, we always see an uptick in need during the summer months because kids are out of schools, so theyre not receiving free and reduced lunch at school and not getting those meals.
A three-judge court in Alabamas Northern District has determined that the legislatures 2023 congressional map violates the Voting Rights Act and cannot be used in future elections.

The court also determined that the map violates the Fourteenth Amendment, which requires states to provide equal protection under the law to all persons.

Try as we might, we cannot understand the 2023 Plan as anything other than an intentional effort to dilute Black Alabamians voting strength and evade the unambiguous requirements of court orders standing in the way, the decision reads.

We are still reviewing the order and all options that remain on the table, Attorney General Steve Marshalls office said of the ruling.

The ruling was issued by two district judges appointed by President Trump -- Judge Anna Marie Manasco and Judge Terry F. Moorer -- and Circuit Judge Stanley, who was nominated to district judge by President Reagan and circuit judge by President Clinton.

After we and the Supreme Court ruled that the 2021 Plan, with only one majority-Black district, likely had the unlawful discriminatory effect of diluting Black Alabamians votes, the Legislature deliberately enacted another Plan that it concedes lacks the second Black-opportunity district we said was required, the decision continues.

The ruling establishes that the Alabama congressional map must include two districts where Black voters have the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice (like the map ordered by the court in October 2023) for the remainder of the decade.

We do not diminish the substantial improvements Alabama has made in its official treatment of Black Alabamians in recent decades, the judges wrote.

Yet we cannot reconcile the States intentional decision to discriminate in drawing its congressional districts with its position that Alabama has finally closed out its repugnant history of official discrimination involving voting rights.

The court-ordered map, used in the 2024 elections, resulted in Alabama electing two Black representatives to Congress for the first time in history -- U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures, both Democrats.

Today the court ruled that the congressional districts in the state of Alabama were drawn in a way that did not allow Black people to have fair representation, Figures said Thursday.

The U.S. Supreme Court has already agreed once with the earlier ruling in this case, and it is my hope that this ruling puts the issue to rest because fair representation is central to the foundation of our democracy.

In a statement Thursday Sewell said, in yet another victory for fair representation, a federal court has once again ruled unequivocally that the State of Alabamas 2023 congressional map illegally dilutes the power of African American voters.

Despite the states years-long legal battle to undo our progress, this ruling ensures that Black voters in Alabama will continue to have not one but two congressional districts where we can elect a candidate of our choice," she continued.

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is indeed alive and enforceable!

A joint comment from plaintiffs of the case included in a recent release from the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama said, this win is a testament to the dedication and persistence of many generations of Black Alabamians who pursued political equality at great cost.

We stand on the shoulders of our predecessors, it continues.

We know that all Alabamians will benefit from todays victory just as we have benefited from the work of others.

We hope our win will benefit Black voters in the rest of the country as well. This is a triumph for voting rights, an independent judiciary, and offers us hope for the future of our democracy, it said.

The Supreme Court upheld the complaints findings that elections in Alabama were racially polarized; that Black Alabamians enjoy virtually zero success in statewide elections; that political campaigns in Alabama had been characterized by overt or subtle racial appeals; and that Alabamas extensive history of repugnant racial and voting-related discrimination is undeniable and well documented.

Dr. Baodong Liu, a tenured professor of political science at the University of Utah, testified that he observed supplemental evidence of racially polarized voting, and ultimately that voting in Alabama is highly, highly racially polarized.

Liu testified that in more than twenty years of research, this is arguably the highest level of racially polarized voting that he has ever seen.

The case was originally brought in November 2021 on behalf of Evan Milligan, Khadidah Stone, Letetia Jackson, Shalela Dowdy, Greater Birmingham Ministries, and the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP who are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Alabama, Legal Defense Fund, and Wiggins, Childs, Pantazis, Fisher & Goldfarb.

This ruling is not just a legal win  its an overdue acknowledgment of Alabama lawmakers persistent attempts to shut out Black voters from the electoral process said Laurel Hattix, senior attorney at the ACLU of Alabama.

For decades, Black Alabamians have organized and fought for not just their voting rights, but the voting rights of all Americans. Today, the courts have affirmed what Black voters have long known: fair representation is not optional  its a right.

Efforts to reach Gov. Kay Iveys office for comment were not immediately successful.
A bill that would require local school boards to adopt policies on extending academic credit for religious instruction outside the classroom failed an Alabama House committee on Wednesday.

SB 278, sponsored by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, is identical to HB 342, sponsored by Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, that failed the House Education Policy Committee on April 2. DuBose presented the legislation to the House State Government Committee.

This bill simply allows public school students to enrich their school opportunities with an optional religious class. The bill simply requires our school districts to create a policy that allows students to attend an off campus religious class during the school day, DuBose said.

More from Alabama Reflector

The Senate passed the legislation 25-6 on April 22 after the Senate Education Policy Committee approved it with one no vote.The Legislature passed a law in 2019 that allows school boards to adopt a policy on released time religious instruction (RTRI). The 2025 legislation would mandate such policies.

But House members have been far more skeptical about the legislation, citing pushback from school superintendents.

Sunnie Cotton, the director of LifeWise Academy in Alabama and a proponent of the legislation, called it a parental rights bill.

This bill strengthens parental rights and protects religious freedom while giving parents the choice to provide religious instruction for their children during the school day, Cotton said.

According to LifeWises sample curriculum, the organization teaches the Christian belief that God created all things good to a list of virtues that the nonprofit describes as LifeWise qualities. Cotton said the organization is operating in about 600 schools nationwide and is prepared to launch over 900 programs this year.

DuBose claimed 4,500 Alabama parents have signed a petition in support of the legislation. DuBose has not presented the petition when requested Wednesday.

Ryan Hollingsworth, executive director of the State Superintendents Association, has been a consistent opponent of the legislation. Hollingsworth said Wednesday he is not convinced that the petition has been signed by Alabama parents.

I dont believe those are verified as being the parents of Alabama students in public schools if they are, Hollingsworth said. Even if they are, we have about 725,000 students, so thats about a half of 1% of folks that have signed it.

He said the bill is lacking key definitions of religious instruction, core instruction and sponsoring entity.

We have 1,080 hours in the school year to cover everything the state board requires, Hollingsworth said. Theres 8,760 hours in the calendar year. That means the parent has the responsibility of the child about 88% of the time.

Scott Suttle, St. Clair County Board of Education president and Alabama Association of School Boards (AASB) president-elect, echoed similar concerns. He said the legislation is government overreach in schools.

Our local leaders have been abundantly clear that we dont want another overreach into our school systems, Suttle said. It works as it is. Lets please leave it as it is.

Sally Smith, executive director of the AASB, said after the bill failed that she is thankful the committee listened to school board leaders.

We are pleased with the committee outcome. We think that the law as it is is working fine, she said in an interview after the meeting.

Jennifer Riggs, a mother from Huntsville, brought her son to the meeting, like she did at the Senate Education Policy Committee public hearing on April 15. She said the program has helped her children learn about the Bible in public schools since they cannot afford to send their four children to private school.

Five days per week, seven hours per day, and in public school, the Bible is not being taught. We believe a release time for religious instruction program would bridge that gap, she said. I believe this is legislation that upholds parental rights by allowing us to choose Bible education for our children without having to incur the financial burdens of private school.

Rep. Marcus Paramore, R-Troy, who also serves on the House Education Policy Committee, said he would not support the legislation because of its failure in the first committee.

So here we are in another committee trying to get a bill that was voted down, back out and on the floor in a different format, he said. I just want to make some comments and make it clear for what Mr. Hollingsworth said earlier this has already been before a body in this house once this year, and here we are again.

The committee had a tie vote on the legislation 4-4 with Paramore; Rep. Russell Bedsole, R-Alabaster; Rep. Barbra Boyd, D-Anniston; and Rep. Marilyn Lands, D-Huntsville, opposing it. In order for the legislation to receive final approval from the House, a House committee would have to approve the legislation on May 14, the final day of the 2025 session.
Alabama colleges and other groups across the state recently lost more than $15 million in federal funding for various research grants and community initiatives.

This comes in addition to the $35 million loss in university funding due to President Donald Trumps recent order to cut grants that pay for research that might involve diversity, equity and inclusion.

According to the Department of Government Efficiency website, the most recent round of cuts is supposed to save taxpayers nearly $15.7 million.

Below is a list of the research grants cut in late April.

Tuskegee University

Lost a $4,999,999 grant to expand markets for climate-smart agroforestry in Alabama, Virginia, and Maryland, and supports farmer implementation and monitoring of climate-smart practices.

The cut has an estimated $4,999,942 in savings, according to DOGE.

Lost a $4,081,137 grant to expand markets for climate-smart sheep and goat farming and support farmer and rancher implementation and monitoring of climate-smart practices. in Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.

$4,081,137 in savings.

Lost a $75,000 grant to strengthen organic agriculture infrastructure.

$48,678 in savings.

Lost a $50,000 grant for the Professional Agricultural Workers Conference.

$6,873 in savings.

Lost a $25,000 grant for a genetic improvement symposium for small beef producers in the Southeast.

$22,242 in savings.

Auburn University

Lost a $650,000 grant to research heir property and improve land accessibility.

$650,000 in savings.

Alabama A&M University

Lost a $249,999 grant for climate change research.

$232,045 in savings.

Lost a $40,612 grant for diverse forester outreach.

$40,612 in savings.

Lost a $360,000 grant for the schools fire apprenticeship program.

$266,200 in savings.

The Selma Center for Nonviolence

Lost a $1,999,574 grant for the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI), to address systemic violence in Selma, focusing on historically underserved and marginalized populations.

$1,999,574 in savings

The South-Central Alabama Mental Health Board Inc.

Lost a $550,000 funding grant

$550,000 in savings

The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce

Lost a $2.8 million grant for its Minority Business Development Agency Capital Readiness program which aims to close the entrepreneurship gap between socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

The savings were not available to view.

Efforts to reach representatives for all of the colleges listed, The Selma Center for Nonviolence, and the South-Central Alabama Mental Health Board Inc. were unsuccessful.

Denise Curtis, director of communications for the Mobile Chamber, confirmed that the $2.8 million grant had been cut but did not offer further comment.
Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Justice Department as attorney general, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) AP

Its been nearly 70 days since U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi promised the public a release of the files in the Jeffrey Epstein case.

It took a skeptical remark from a top Republican congressman to force her to explain why she hasnt followed through.

There are tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn and there are hundreds of victims, Bondi told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. And no one victim will ever get released. Its just the volume and thats what theyre going through right now. The FBI is diligently going through that.

Bondi was responding to newly expressed doubts from Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, who told a MAGA-friendly podcaster he does not believe the Justice Department is in possession of the records detailing the high-profile sex-trafficking case.

The attorney general does not have them or she wouldve turned them over. The president ordered them released, the attorney general ordered them released. We all know they have not been released, Comer told Benny Johnson in an interview that aired Tuesday.

Without presenting any evidence, the Kentucky congressman expressed fear that Justice Department staffers in the previous administration destroyed relevant documents that could imperil political and Hollywood elites who associated with Epstein.

But Bondi poured cold water on that theory, explaining that time  not a conspiracy  was the reason the files have yet to see the light of day.

Presented with Bondis comments, a Comer aide maintained that, Over the years, possible Deep State actors within the DOJ may not have preserved all Epstein documents.

Bondi last promised the release of Epstein files in February, mentioning that the disclosure would include a lot of flight logs, a lot of names. But on the following day, documents distributed to a handful of right-wing influencers consisted of largely previously available materials, offering little new information.

The attorney general then accused the FBIs New York office of withholding thousands of pages, ordering the transfer of a truckload of documents for the FBI to review.

Conservatives quickly lambasted Bondi for broken promises.

The Epstein file thing was a disaster. They embarrassed themselves. They stepped on a rake for no apparent reason, said Megyn Kelly, a loyal Trump administration cheerleader, at the time.

The Epstein case received a burst of new scrutiny last month after the apparent suicide of Virginia Giuffre, who provided pivotal testimony that exposed the extent of Epsteins sex-trafficking network. Giuffres lawsuit against Epstein friend Ghislaine Maxwell led to the unsealing of numerous court documents, shedding greater light on Epsteins operations and associations.

Epstein reportedly took his own life in a New York jail cell and Maxwell is currently incarcerated at a correctional facility in Tallahassee, serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking and offenses related to Epstein.

Glenn Greenwald, the journalist and civil liberties advocate, posted Wednesday that he takes Bondi at her word that the FBI is reviewing a tranche of videos, but added that she should reveal if Epstein had any ties to the government.

Alexander Acosta, the former U.S. Attorney in Florida who oversaw Epsteins controversial 2008 plea deal, reportedly stated during his vetting for a Trump administration position that he was told Epstein belonged to intelligence.

We should, however, find out  and quickly  if Epstein worked with or for any specific intelligence agencies, Greenwald said.

_____

2025 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is naming Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, a former county prosecutor and elected judge, to be the top federal prosecutor for the nations capital after abandoning his first pick for the job.

Pirro, who joined Fox News in 2006, co-hosts the networks show The Five on weekday evenings. She was elected as a judge in New Yorks Westchester County Court in 1990 before serving three terms as the countys elected district attorney and hosted a TV court show.

Trump tapped Pirro to at least temporarily lead the nations largest U.S. Attorneys office after pulling his nomination of conservative activist Ed Martin Jr. for the position. Trump withdrew Martin from consideration after a key Republican senator said he could not support Martin for the job due to his defense of rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Hes a terrific person, and he wasnt getting the support from people that I thought, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. He later added: But we have somebody else that will be great.

Pirro is the latest in a string of Trump appointments coming from Fox News  a list that includes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who co-hosted Fox & Friends Weekend.

Martin has served as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia since Trumps first week in office. But his hopes of keeping the job faded amid questions about his qualifications and background. Martin had never served as a prosecutor or tried a case before taking office in January.
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) AP

President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed former Pete Buttigieg didnt have a clue about air safety before mocking Joe Bidens transportation secretarys loving relationship with his husband.

Addressing reporters, Trump said his first administration had plans in place to award a contract on new air traffic control systems that the Biden administration reversed.

When they took over, Buttigieg, who has no clue, the president said before remarking on Buttigiegs relationship with his husband, Chasten Buttigieg.

You know, he drives to work on his bicycle with his -- in all fairness -- with his husband on his back, which is a nice, loving relationship, Trump said.

There is no evidence that Pete Buttigieg and Chasten Buttigieg rode a bicycle together.

Chasten Buttigieg joked about his husbands bicycle riding, retweeting a picture of a mask-wearing Pete Buttigieg in 2021:

 sure looks like theres room for groceries in that basket https://t.co/1092hb8oB7  Chasten Glezman Buttigieg (@Chasten) February 26, 2021

But he didnt have a clue, Trump continued. This guy didnt have a clue. And this guy is actually a contender for president? Between him and Crockett you can have that party.

Biden was referring to U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Tex., who has been one of the most vocal House Democrats critical of Trump.

Last month, Crockett wondered why questions werent increasingly being raised about Trumps mental fitness.

This crazy tariff war  like, the fact that nobody is questioning his mental acuity or fitness to serve is beyond wild to me, right?" she said during an appearance on MSNBCs All In with Chris Hayes.

Crockett also claimed the nickname conservatives gave to criticize former President Joe Bidens mental acuity was unwarranted.

Like, the fact that they sat around, called Joe Biden Sleepy Joe Biden  at least you could sleep at night because you didnt have to worry about your 401(k) disappearing overnight," Crockett told Hayes.

You didnt have to worry about these allegations of fake invasions. You didnt have to worry about the cost of food just skyrocketing or skyrocketing costs of all of your electronics, Crockett said.

You know, the fact that Apple was flying in planes of iPhones before the tariffs hit. Like, this is crazy work. For no reason.
A Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe weather has been added to the forecast for the northern third of Alabama today (Thursday). Storms expected to develop this afternoon could have damaging winds and hail. The rest of the state has a Level 1 risk today and could experience isolated severe storms. Storm Prediction Center

The threat for severe weather has increased for part of Alabama through tonight, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

The National Weather Service was tracking several severe storms over the northern half of the state as of 6 p.m.

A few severe storms were also affecting parts of south Alabama as well.

A severe thunderstorm will be in effect until 10 p.m. for north and part of central Alabama:

SPC forecasters are maintaining a Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe weather for the northern third of the state through tonight (the areas in yellow in the map above). The rest of the state has a Level 1 risk.

A Level 2 (slight) risk means that scattered severe storms will be possible. A Level 1 risk means isolated severe storms will be possible.

The strongest storms could have wind gusts strong enough to take down trees and power lines, hail of up to 2 inches -- and a tornado or two. More heavy rain will also be possible.

The severe thunderstorm watch includes the following Alabama counties: Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, St. Clair, Walker and Winston.

Tuscaloosa and Pickens counties were added to the watch a bit later.

The Storm Prediction Center said the main hazards with severe storms will be large hail and wind gusts up to 70 mph.

Forecasters said thunderstorms should continue to develop eastward from northeast Mississippi into parts of northern/central Alabama and southern middle Tennessee this afternoon and evening. Supercells will pose a threat for large hail up to 1-2 inches in diameter. Any clusters that can form may also pose some risk for damaging winds up to 60-70 mph.

The threat for severe storms will last into Friday, and the Storm Prediction Center is forecasting a Level 1 risk for the southeastern part of the state.

Heres the severe weather outlook for Friday:

South Alabama will have a Level 1 risk for severe weather on Friday. SPC

Chances for rain and storms will last into Saturday and the rest of the weekend, but so far severe weather isnt in the forecast.

Drier weather is expected to return to Alabama by the middle of next week.

Heres more on todays severe weather threat from the National Weather Service:

NORTH ALABAMA

5:33am Severe Weather Potential Today

Entire TN Valley

4pm -12am

Hazards: Damaging winds, large hail, a tornado

Have more than 1 way to get weather info and warnings. #HUNwx pic.twitter.com/GUNUOAN7iq  NWS Huntsville (@NWSHuntsville) May 8, 2025

CENTRAL ALABAMA

Here's the severe weather outlook for central Alabama. NWS

SOUTH ALABAMA

Scattered showers and storms are expected to develop this afternoon, especially along the coast. A few stronger storms capable of producing gusty winds and hail cannot be ruled out. Highs will mainly be in the low to mid 80s across the local area. pic.twitter.com/qy0fwvt2Gu  NWS Mobile (@NWSMobile) May 8, 2025
North Korea launched a series of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea on Thursday morning, just one day ahead of Russia's high-profile Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.

The move appears to be a calculated show of strength aimed at both North Korea's anti-Western allies and the United States.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met to mark the end of World War II at Moscow's Red Square, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un opted for a different approach.

According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the missiles were launched between 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. from Wonsan in Gangwon Province. They traveled as far as 497 miles northeast toward waters beyond the East Sea's Al Island.

Military analysts suggest the launch involved the KN-23 and KN-25, North Korean variants of Russia's Iskander system and a 600mm superlarge multiple rocket launcher, respectively. The KN-24, often grouped with these models in what experts call North Korea's "SRBM trio," was not confirmed in this test.

A JCS official noted that South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies had detected signs of the launch in advance and have since conducted joint postlaunch analysis with Japan. Military authorities remain on alert for further provocations.

This is North Korea's first ballistic missile test in nearly two months and its second since the start of President Donald Trump's second term. The timing  on the eve of Russia's May 9 parade  appears intentional.

As Russia touts military victories, including the reported recapture of most of Kursk, and enters intensified cease-fire talks, the Victory Day event takes on special diplomatic weight. North Korea's decision to stage a launch rather than send a high-level delegation to Moscow may reflect internal calculations about its role within the anti-U.S. bloc.

"[The launch] may have been Kim's way of aligning with anti-U.S. solidarity led by China and Russia, despite his absence from the event," said Hyun Seung-soo, deputy head of the Korea Institute for National Unification.

Kim's recent inspections of weapons factories and the latest SRBM launches also serve as a defense industry showcase.










English News China is a steadfast actor in promoting global green development

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 7 Mai 2025



China is ready to work with all parties, keeping in mind the progress of humanity and the well-being of all people, to earnestly honor the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, do the utmost respectively and collectively, and build a clean, beautiful, and sustainable world together.

By He Yin, People's Daily On April 23, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech via video link at the Leaders Meeting on Climate and the Just Transition. He called on countries to adhere to multilateralism, deepen international cooperation, accelerate the just transition, and strengthen results-oriented actions - charting the course for enhancing solidarity and cooperation in global endeavors for climate governance.



This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN). In today's world, global climate governance is facing multiple challenges. Some major country's persistent pursuit of unilateralism and protectionism has seriously impacted global climate governance.



According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2024 was the warmest year on record, accompanied by devastating and extreme weather. The UN has repeatedly warned that global warming is accelerating, leaving no room for setbacks in climate governance, and meeting long-term temperature targets will require urgent and intensified efforts.



Multilateralism remains the most effective solution to the global challenge of climate change, with solidarity and cooperation the only viable path forward.



As the international situation becomes more volatile and turbulent, there is an even greater need for all countries to firmly safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and firmly safeguard international fairness and justice.



The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement are the fundamental legal basis for international cooperation on addressing climate change. Although unilateralism and protectionism has seriously impacted international rules and the international order, history will, as always, move forward through twists and turns.



It is essential for all countries to uphold the spirit of solidarity and cooperation. They should rise above estrangement and conflict with openness and inclusiveness, boost technological innovation and industrial transformation through cooperation, and facilitate the free flow of quality green technologies and products, so that they can be accessible, affordable and beneficial for all countries, especially the developing ones.



China will continue to support other developing countries, particularly Small Island Developing States, least developed countries, and African nations, through South-South cooperation on climate change, contributing positive energy and creating favorable conditions for multilateral climate governance.



Effective climate action must be rooted in the realities of each country. Respect for different starting points, development stages, and national conditions and capacities is critical to ensuring a just transition - one that unfolds within the framework of sustainable development and poverty reduction.



Green transformation is not only an essential response to climate change, but a new engine for economic and social development. Such transformation must be people-centered and pursued in a way that advances the well-being of people and climate governance in tandem, and strike a balance between multiple goals including environmental protection, economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation.



All parties should earnestly honor the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Developed countries are obliged to extend assistance and support to developing countries, help drive the global shift toward green and low-carbon development, and contribute to the common and long-term well-being of people of all countries.



Harmony between man and nature is a defining feature of Chinese modernization, and China is a steadfast actor and major contributor in promoting global green development.



China is one of the initial parties to the UNFCCC and among the first signatories and ratifiers of the Paris Agreement. It is home to 70 percent of the photovoltaic components and 60 percent of wind power equipment worldwide, and contributes a quarter of the world's newly-added area of afforestation.



The country has ramped up its green and low-carbon transition, leading the world in the speed and scale of "greening." It has built the world's largest and most complete new energy industrial chain, providing strong momentum for international cooperation on climate change and driving the implementation of the Paris Agreement.



China will announce its 2035 nationally determined contributions covering all economic sectors and all greenhouse gases before the UN Climate Change Conference in Belem, Brazil. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that this newly announced commitment to cutting emissions goals is "extremely important" for global climate action.



Climate change is a common challenge of all humanity, and addressing it demands a collective response. However the world may change, China will not slow down its climate actions, will not reduce its support for international cooperation, and will not cease its efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind.



China is ready to work with all parties, keeping in mind the progress of humanity and the well-being of all people, to earnestly honor the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, do the utmost respectively and collectively, and build a clean, beautiful, and sustainable world together.



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)










English News Guangdong accelerates development of pre-owned vehicles export industry

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 7 Mai 2025



In December 2024, Guangzhou launched its first used car export service base, which spans 20,400 square meters and is divided into 11 functional zones. The facility offers comprehensive, one-stop services, including vehicle preparation, new car registration, inspections, car exhibition, warehousing, logistics, and transaction handling, effectively creating a full-chain service system for used car exports.

By He Linping At the Nansha Automobile Terminal of Guangzhou Port in south China's Guangdong province, Xu Xiaoqing, deputy general manager of Global-Ucar Technology Co., Ltd. (Global-Ucar), a key player in China's used auto export business, weaved through orderly rows of pre-owned vehicles, conducting final inspections with his team.



"These vehicles are bound for Dubai in the UAE," he said, resting his palm on a car hood and glancing toward the port's seaward exit.



Covering more than 1.6 million square meters, the Nansha Automobile Terminal is the largest Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) port facility in South China. The cars Xu was inspecting were neatly parked and in excellent condition. At first glance, it's hard to tell they are second-hand, apart from the paperwork attached to their windshields.



"Unlike new cars, which must be sold through authorized dealership networks, pre-owned vehicles bypass those constraints. That's where our advantage kicks in," Xu explained.



Since China launched its used car export pilot program in 2019, export volumes have steadily climbed. Global-Ucar was among the initial 40 licensed exporters nationwide. "Chinese pre-owned vehicles are affordable, durable, and reliable, which makes them popular among international buyers," Xu added.



Global-Ucar's vehicle registration service station serves as the first stop for vehicles destined for export. "Through coordinated efforts with local commerce and public security departments, we've established a one-stop service center for used car exports," said Jiang Hong, who works at the station.



"Once vehicles arrive, we handle information registration and ownership transfers in the main hall. Then, the cars move to the inspection zone for third-party testing," Jiang added.



To support the sector's development, Guangzhou customs, under guidance from the General Administration of Customs of China, has optimized its regulatory processes. Measures like online customs clearance appointments, pre-declarations, on-arrival inspections, and on-arrival direct loading have helped lower operating costs and significantly improve efficiency. Dedicated customs personnel expedite review procedures for exporting enterprises.



Once all the vehicles bound for Dubai had arrived at the port, the entire export process was completed in less than a day.



With all these streamlined measures in place, Ro-Ro ships can now dock, load, and depart almost instantly, said Lu Runsheng, the operations supervisor at the Nansha Automobile Terminal.



"The 200 vehicles have shipped as planned and should arrive at Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai in about two weeks. Please be ready to receive them," wrote Yu Wenxin, a business coordinator at Global-Ucar, in a message to the Dubai client.



"Fantasticyour efficiency is truly impressive!" the buyer responded.



As one of China's largest automobile-producing and used car trading provinces, Guangdong boasts a mature market and abundant vehicle supply. In fact, China's first-ever used car export transaction was completed by a Guangdong-based firm in July 2019. The order worthed $2.5 million and consisted of 300 vehicles shipped in batches from Nansha Port to destinations such as Cambodia, Nigeria, Myanmar and Russia.



Exporting used vehicles is a complex project that spans multiple sectors. It requires coordinated efforts between government and enterprises, robust policy support, long-term market development, and a well-structured supply chain.



Since 2019, Guangzhou has steadily advanced its used car export business by improving services, regulating market practices, expanding international reach, and setting industry standards. Today, over 200 companies in Guangzhou are involved in used car exports or related services.



In 2024, the Nansha Automobile Terminal exported 248,500 vehicles via Ro-Ro ships, up 38.5 percent year on year. Among them, 33,486 were pre-owned vehicles, with a total export value of 3.99 billion yuan ($546.99 million), an increase of 251 percent in volume and 239 percent in value over the previous year.



At BLJ used vehicle market, Guangzhou's largest secondhand car trading hub, foreign buyers are a common sight.



"With government policies supporting scrappage and vehicle replacement, a large number of high-quality pre-owned vehicles are entering the market," said Liu Hongbo, the market's deputy general manager.



"International buyers, especially those interested in new energy vehicles, are showing strong demand. Many are placing orders without hesitation," Liu told People's Daily.



In December 2024, Guangzhou launched its first used car export service base, which spans 20,400 square meters and is divided into 11 functional zones. The facility offers comprehensive, one-stop services, including vehicle preparation, new car registration, inspections, car exhibition, warehousing, logistics, and transaction handling, effectively creating a full-chain service system for used car exports.



In 2025, Guangzhou's export policy for used vehicles will be further upgraded, streamlining the parallel export process even more.



"This is great news for businesses like ours," Xu Xiaoqing said. "It will inject fresh momentum into Guangzhou's export market and enhance the overall strength of China's auto export sector."



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)










English News Shanghai accelerates development of new quality productive forces

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 7 Mai 2025



Recently, Toyota announced the establishment of a new company in Shanghai's Jinshan district to develop and manufacture Lexus-branded electric vehicles and batteries. It marked the first time Lexus vehicles will be produced locally in China, further strengthens Shanghai's position as a leading hub for new energy vehicles.

By Liu Shi'an, Shen Wenmin, People's Daily Inside a circular synchrotron over seven meters in diameter, proton beams raced around the track at increasing speeds. After millions of revolutions, reaching about 2/3 the speed of light, the beam was channeled through a high-energy transport line into a treatment room, precisely targeting a patient's tumor for a focused, "surgical strike" on cancer cells. This is a glimpse inside the assembly and testing operations at Shanghai APACTRON Particle Equipment Co., Ltd. (APACTRON) in Shanghai's Jiading district.



"A proton therapy system consists of 27 subsystems and spans fields from accelerator physics to electronics, electrical engineering, control systems, mechanics, and software. It is one of the largest and most sophisticated medical devices in the world," said Zhang Manzhou, chief engineer of APACTRON.



Following a decade of dedicated R&D, the company's project team has mastered the full technology chain from design and key components to system integration and debugging, and has secured 62 authorized patents. Over 85 percent of components of China's first domestically produced proton therapy system were locally manufactured, and this number is expected to reach 100 for the second one.



In 2025, Shanghai makes the cultivation of new quality productive forces its core development strategy. The city will simultaneously advance three key fronts: nurturing and expanding leading-edge industries, upgrading traditional sectors, and laying the groundwork for future industries. The focus will be on achieving high-end, intelligent, green, and integrated development to drive a comprehensive transformation and modernization of the industrial landscape.



According to Zhang Ying, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, the city will implement policy measures this year to reform the innovation ecosystem for industry, expand the supply of high-quality industrial technologies, and launch a new industrial standards initiative.



Efforts will also be made to cultivate a diverse range of innovation-driven enterprises and develop future industrial tracks, aiming to create competitive, next-generation products such as low-altitude intelligent equipment, humanoid robots, and 6G technologies.



On February 6, at the embodied artificial intelligence training ground of the National and Local Co-Built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, over 100 heterogeneous humanoid robots were being trained in a variety of technical applications, including 3C electronics manufacturing and automotive inspection.



Xu Bin, the center's general manager, said the training facility is expected to build an embodied artificial intelligence corpus of over 10 million high-quality physical data entries by the end of this year, laying the foundation for a robust embodied intelligence platform.



Since the beginning of 2025, Shanghai has been intensifying efforts under its "artificial intelligence +" initiative to promote the application of the technology across key sectors, providing accessible, high-quality, and inclusive public services for all types of innovators.



To promote sustainable and more integrated industrial development, Shanghai is accelerating the construction of green factories and zero-carbon industrial parks, while fostering specialized clusters of production-oriented service industries.



Recently, Toyota announced the establishment of a new company in Shanghai's Jinshan district to develop and manufacture Lexus-branded electric vehicles and batteries. It marked the first time Lexus vehicles will be produced locally in China, further strengthens Shanghai's position as a leading hub for new energy vehicles.



To address the growing demand for green development from enterprises, Shanghai has completed 6.68 billion kilowatt-hours of interprovincial and intra-city green electricity transactions this year, setting a new record and continuing a four-year streak of rapid growth.



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)










English News Shanghai accelerates high-quality development of its artificial intelligence industry

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 7 Mai 2025



Standing 1.85 meters tall with a strong, upright posture and 43 rotational joints, the humanoid robot Qinglong can walk briskly, avoid obstacles with agility, navigate slopes steadily, and resist impact interference.

This full-size general-purpose humanoid robot, developed at the National and Local Co-Built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, has drawn widespread attention.

So far, Shanghai has successfully unveiled multiple prototype models of general-purpose humanoid robots.

In recent years, Shanghai has intensified efforts to pool critical AI resources and build itself into a key hub for artificial intelligence innovation.

In October 2022, the city implemented municipal regulations to accelerate the development of the artificial intelligence industry. It was soon followed by a series of coordinated policy measures focused on unified computing power scheduling, next-generation infrastructure development, and large model innovation. Key initiatives include a model innovation support plan, an intelligent computing acceleration plan, and a demonstration application promotion plan.

The city is also working to build a large model testing and collaborative innovation center, a data corpus alliance, an intelligent computing scheduling platform, a software-hardware compatibility evaluation center, and an open-source community and collaboration platform for large models.

Shanghai has established a citywide coordination framework enabling various districts to leverage their respective strengths. Pudong New Area is advancing hardware breakthroughs in smart computing chips and humanoid robots. Xuhui district is fostering an innovation environment for large-model algorithm developers.

A city-level intelligent computing cluster has been built, with key deployments in Songjiang and Lingang, providing robust support for training large models.

Shanghai has now formed a "4+X" cluster layout comprising Zhangjiang Artificial Intelligence Island in Pudong, West Bund Artificial Intelligence Tower in Xuhui, Dishui Lake Artificial Intelligence Innovation Hub in Lingang, and the Maqiao Artificial Intelligence Innovation Pilot Zone in Minhang.

As a specialized incubator and accelerator for generative artificial intelligence, the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center officially opened in September 2023. The West Bund area, the area where the hub locates, has since attracted 255 foundation model enterprises, 34 registered foundation models, and more than 100 investment institutions. A saying has become popular there: "Going up or down a floor means moving up or down the supply chain."

One of the resident companies, Infinigence AI, specializes in developing artificial intelligence infrastructure. It has enabled domestic large-model algorithms to operate efficiently across a variety of Chinese-made chips, strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the industrial and supply chains of China's computing power industry.

"Our goal is to build a positive synergistic cycle between domestically developed hardware and algorithms," said Xia Lixue, co-founder and CEO of the company.

With a forward-looking and innovation-driven approach, Shanghai is accelerating the creation of an open, secure, and dynamic artificial intelligence ecosystem. It is building systems for software-hardware compatibility and testing, supporting the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in developing integrated compatibility solutions.

Additionally, the city has established a manufacturing innovation center for humanoid robots, speeding up integration along the industrial chain and creating a dedicated industrial base. These efforts aim to lower the cost of algorithm innovation and promote standardization of key components.

Meanwhile, a multi-level talent system is being developed alongside a strategic advisory committee for artificial intelligence to ensure strong intellectual and human capital support for the industry.

In 2024, Shanghai's artificial intelligence industry achieved 400 billion yuan ($55.02 billion) in total output, a year-on-year increase of over 7 percent. In the first quarter of 2025, the city's artificial intelligence output grew by 13.2 percent, demonstrating strong and sustained momentum.

By Xie Weiqun, Shen Wenmin, People's Daily Standing 1.85 meters tall with a strong, upright posture and 43 rotational joints, the humanoid robot Qinglong can walk briskly, avoid obstacles with agility, navigate slopes steadily, and resist impact interference.



This full-size general-purpose humanoid robot, developed at the National and Local Co-Built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, has drawn widespread attention.



So far, Shanghai has successfully unveiled multiple prototype models of general-purpose humanoid robots.



In recent years, Shanghai has intensified efforts to pool critical AI resources and build itself into a key hub for artificial intelligence innovation.



In October 2022, the city implemented municipal regulations to accelerate the development of the artificial intelligence industry. It was soon followed by a series of coordinated policy measures focused on unified computing power scheduling, next-generation infrastructure development, and large model innovation. Key initiatives include a model innovation support plan, an intelligent computing acceleration plan, and a demonstration application promotion plan.



The city is also working to build a large model testing and collaborative innovation center, a data corpus alliance, an intelligent computing scheduling platform, a software-hardware compatibility evaluation center, and an open-source community and collaboration platform for large models.



Shanghai has established a citywide coordination framework enabling various districts to leverage their respective strengths. Pudong New Area is advancing hardware breakthroughs in smart computing chips and humanoid robots. Xuhui district is fostering an innovation environment for large-model algorithm developers.



A city-level intelligent computing cluster has been built, with key deployments in Songjiang and Lingang, providing robust support for training large models.



Shanghai has now formed a "4+X" cluster layout comprising Zhangjiang Artificial Intelligence Island in Pudong, West Bund Artificial Intelligence Tower in Xuhui, Dishui Lake Artificial Intelligence Innovation Hub in Lingang, and the Maqiao Artificial Intelligence Innovation Pilot Zone in Minhang.



As a specialized incubator and accelerator for generative artificial intelligence, the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center officially opened in September 2023. The West Bund area, the area where the hub locates, has since attracted 255 foundation model enterprises, 34 registered foundation models, and more than 100 investment institutions. A saying has become popular there: "Going up or down a floor means moving up or down the supply chain."



One of the resident companies, Infinigence AI, specializes in developing artificial intelligence infrastructure. It has enabled domestic large-model algorithms to operate efficiently across a variety of Chinese-made chips, strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the industrial and supply chains of China's computing power industry.



"Our goal is to build a positive synergistic cycle between domestically developed hardware and algorithms," said Xia Lixue, co-founder and CEO of the company.



With a forward-looking and innovation-driven approach, Shanghai is accelerating the creation of an open, secure, and dynamic artificial intelligence ecosystem. It is building systems for software-hardware compatibility and testing, supporting the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in developing integrated compatibility solutions.



Additionally, the city has established a manufacturing innovation center for humanoid robots, speeding up integration along the industrial chain and creating a dedicated industrial base. These efforts aim to lower the cost of algorithm innovation and promote standardization of key components.



Meanwhile, a multi-level talent system is being developed alongside a strategic advisory committee for artificial intelligence to ensure strong intellectual and human capital support for the industry.



In 2024, Shanghai's artificial intelligence industry achieved 400 billion yuan ($55.02 billion) in total output, a year-on-year increase of over 7 percent. In the first quarter of 2025, the city's artificial intelligence output grew by 13.2 percent, demonstrating strong and sustained momentum.



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)
Justice is supposed to be blindnot complicit.

If the federal allegations are accurate, Judge Hannah Dugan didnt just turn a blind eye to a fugitive in her courtroomshe opened the back door and showed him the way out.

In doing so, Judge Dugan broke faith with the law, the victims of the case before her, and the judiciary itself. She allegedly transformed her courtroom into an escape hatch for a fugitivenot a forum for justiceendangering not only the integrity of her office but also the safety of law enforcement officers, innocent bystanders, and even the very defendant she abetted in flight.

Judicial power was never meant to be wielded like a trapdoor lever beneath the feet of federal agents. It was meant to uphold accountabilitynot help fugitives elude it.

According to news reports and the federal criminal complaint, ICE agents arrived at Judge Dugans courtroom on April 18 to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national previously deported in 2013, present in the nation unlawfully, and now facing state charges of misdemeanor battery involving domestic abuse and violence against three individuals.

According to the FBI affidavit, someone from the state Public Defenders Office photographed the ICE arrest team and alerted Dugans clerk that immigration officers were present. Dugan then became visibly angry, according to the bailiff, and called the situation absurd.

An assistant district attorney heard someone announce, ICE is here, and Dugan reportedly told the courtroom she would contact Chief Judge Carl Ashley before leaving.

She confronted the ICE team and insisted they needed a judicial warrantnot just the administrative warrant they possessedbefore telling them they would need to speak with Chief Judge Ashley.

Meanwhile, Flores-Ruiz and his attorney were headed toward the public exit when Dugan allegedly said, Wait, come with me, according to one witness, and forcefully motioned them toward the bench. She then led them out through the jury door, a restricted access point defendants not in custody are not permitted to use.

She returned to her courtroom and continued her docketbut not Flores-Ruizs case. Later that morning, the state prosecutor present in court to handle the matter realized that the case had never been called and inquired with the court. Only then did the attorney learn that Flores-Ruizs case had been adjournedwithout the prosecutors knowledge, input, or participationeven though the victims were represented and present in the courtroom.

How is this impartial? And how is it due process for the victims, who were denied notice and an opportunity to be heard before their case was sidelined?

Flores-Ruiz was later spotted in the public hallway, appearing to look around, when an agent entered the elevator with him and his attorney. They exited the courthouse through the Ninth Street public exit. When the arrest team identified themselves, Flores-Ruiz turned and fled down the street. He was apprehended near the corner of West State and 10th Street.

A state court judge has no authority to thwart federal immigration law. Full stop. The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution does not yield to personal ideology or courtroom improvisationleast of all from a state judge lionized by the radical left.

If the allegations are correct, Judge Dugans conduct was a deliberate usurpation of federal authority. And beyond the constitutional breach, her actions run squarely afoul of her duties under the Wisconsin Code of Judicial Conduct.

Specifically:

SCR 60.02, which obligates a judge to uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary;

SCR 60.03(1), requiring respect for the law and conduct that promotes public confidence in the judiciary;

SCR 60.03(2), prohibiting the use of judicial prestige to advance private interests;

SCR 60.04(1)(b), demanding faithfulness to the law and immunity from partisan influence;

SCR 60.04(1)(hm), commanding impartiality in applying the law and assuring the right to be heard by all interested parties;

SCR 60.04(1)(m), barring misuse of nonpublic information; and

SCR 60.04(2)(a), requiring diligence and neutrality in administrative responsibilities.

Taken together, these rules form the ethical perimeter of the judicial role. If the allegations hold, Judge Dugan didnt merely step outside that perimetershe obliterated it beyond recognition.

As the former Chief Judicial Officer of a state-level tribunal, I was bound by the judicial code of conductjust as Judge Dugan is bound by Wisconsins. Adherence to judicial ethics is a solemn obligation and the bedrock of public trust in the courts.

And if the allegations against Judge Dugan are factual, her conduct would represent a breach so flagrant that no judgeleft, right, or otherwisecould credibly defend it. Judicial power must be exercised with restraint, fidelity to the law, and neutrality. What she is accused of doing is a repudiation of that trust.

Judge Dugans alleged actions debased her courtroom into a venue for political sleight of handa stage for legal illusionism rather than principled adjudication.

And what, pray tell, of the battered victims Flores-Ruiz allegedly assaulted? What confidence could they possibly have in the impartiality of a court where the presiding judge was reportedly pulling Houdini routines behind the scenes?

A judge must be impartial. By allegedly inserting herself as a quasi-advocate for Flores-Ruiz and then actively facilitating his flight from justice, Judge Dugan ceased to be an unbiased adjudicator. She became an accomplice in the courtroom she was sworn to preside over. In doing so, she undermined the interests of the United States government and the safety of its citizens and compromised the possibility of justice for the litigants before her. Reprehensible is a mild adjective for such behavior.

This was not the noble act of a virtuous jurist safeguarding due process. It was an ideological magic tricksleight of hand masquerading as judicial principle. And those now bleating due process in her defense reveal their ignorance or bad faith.

Due process is not evading lawful arrest, sneaking fugitives through side doors, or staging Houdini routines to indulge a judges political sympathiesespecially while arguably denying due process to the victims left waiting in her courtroom.

If aiding violent offenders is now considered judicial heroism, then the left has abandoned even the pretense of being a party of law and orderand the Republic is more imperiled than many appreciate. The assiduous dumbing down of due process by the left these days is compromising constitutional governance.

For those who love slippery slope arguments, heres one worth taking seriously: if shielding an assault suspect from arrest is now defending due process, whats next? Do we accept judges spiriting away murder suspects if they disapprove of local prosecutors or law enforcement?

When Judge Dugan transformed the bench from a seat of justice into a stage for ideological theatricsnow you see him, now you dontshe forfeited the robe as a symbol of law and order.

In her hands, it became a shield for misconduct and a weapon against the system she was sworn to uphold.

Judge Dugans arrest is not a threat to the rule of law.

She is.

Or rather, she was.

Now you see her. Now you dont.

Charlton Allen is an attorney, former chief executive officer, and chief judicial officer of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He is the founder of the Madison Center for Law & Liberty, Inc., editor of The American Salient, and the host of the Modern Federalist podcast. X: @CharltonAllenNC

Image generated by AI.
In what can only be described as the most astonishing turn of events in American political history, the Democrat party over the past twenty years has evolved into a previously unimagined alliance of super-rich plutocrats and their two-century-old mortal enemy, the far-left or Marxists.

Many years ago, while participating in a voter registration drive, I came upon a grizzled and disheveled old man sitting in the overgrown and weed-infested yard of his paint-starved house calmly smoking his pipe. Despite his gruff demeanor, Ully (Ulysses) was very pleasant and loquacious as we talked for over an hour on topics ranging from the weather to the innate foibles of mankind.

It turned out that he had to leave school after the third grade to work in the fields to help support his family and had toiled in various menial and labor-intensive jobs ever since. Yet, he had a deep and thorough insight into human nature. Among his comments about the rich and ostensibly well-educated was: All the money in the world caint buy a fool a lick of common sense.

I was reminded of that observation upon reading an article detailing that sixteen of the twenty wealthiest Congressional districts are currently represented by far-left Democrats (including nine out of the top ten).

Image by Grok.

Nearly 65% of all billionaires in the United States who made political contributions in 2024 supported the campaigns of Democrat party candidates and the openly vacuous and inept Kamala Harris.

In 2020, nearly 70% of American billionaires who made political contributions cheerfully financed the campaign of an obviously senescent and incompetent Joe Biden.

Far more Wall Street financiers jumped on the respective campaigns of Biden in 2020 and Harris in 2024 than supported Donald Trump, whose policies overwhelmingly revived the economy after the stagnation of the Obama years.

The vast majority of Tech billionaires, not content simply to cough up millions in direct political contributions, also funded massive voter drives, promoted mail-in balloting, created divisive partisan news sites, aided and designed the Democrat partys digital campaigns, and unabashedly censored the social media accounts of innumerable conservatives and the 2020 Trump campaign.

In a 2019 meeting with 100 super-wealthy potential donors, Biden assured the gathering that he would not demonize the rich and would only increase their taxes slightly while ensuring that their standard of living would not be affected by any of his policies.

He also stated, Im not Bernie Sanders. I dont think 500 Billionaires are the reason why we are in trouble. Further, he unabashedly emphasized that the wealthy are not the reason for income inequality, and said, If I win this nomination. I wont let you down. I promise you.

Further, the dubious choice of Kamala Harris as the vice president in 2020 and, ultimately, the presidential nominee in 2024 was made to placate and reassure Wall Street and the wealthy. Kamala was the perfect choice, as she was not only viewed by the far left as being very pliable but by the elites as being deferential to the mega-rich class based on her days in California.

Meanwhile, the dominant Marxist/socialist wing of the Democrat party was determined to press forward with its far-left agenda. This anti-capitalist, anti-plutocrat agenda went forward even as the uber-rich still had Bidens words, Im not Bernie Sanders. I wont let you down. I promise you, ringing in their ears.

The first step in this deception was the 2020 de facto party platform, which saw Biden eagerly sign on to Bernie Sanders 110-page policy manifesto, or, as the Wall Street Journal captioned it, the Biden-Sanders Manifesto. This document included, among other commitments, a massive job killing $2+ trillion climate agenda to phase out fossil fuel usage within 15 years, the elimination of cash bail, redirecting (i.e. cutting) funding for the police, dismantling all border protections, legalizing virtually all illegal immigrants, and massively raising corporate and individual tax rates on the wealthy.

This manifesto proved to be the blueprint of Bidens administration, as the unknown people or cabal that actually controlled the White House governed according to its terms.

In 2020, an ebullient Bernie Sanders proclaimed to the world that Biden and the Democrats had embraced his socialist agenda, and that Biden would be the most progressive president since FDR. Sanders exposed not only the behind-the-scenes reality of todays Democrat party but also Bidens figurehead role.

Further confirmation of the partys radicalization came about unexpectedly as the militant Marxist faction of the Sanders coalition forced the issue. Impatient and unwilling to wait until after election day in November 3, 2020, Antifa and Black Lives Matter used George Floyds May 2020 death as a pretext to take to the streets and begin their long-hoped-for revolution. They claimed that rioting, looting, arson, and attacking law enforcement was a necessity as this was a systemically racist country. Simultaneously, they openly demanded immediate changes rooted in their radical Marxist ideology of class warfare, rather than so-called systemic racism, something their two preferred chants and graffiti slogans, eat the rich and abolish capitalism now, confirmed.

Biden, the Democrat party hierarchy, and virtually all elected Democrat officials refused to address the violence and those responsible. Thus, they tacitly approved of the lawlessness and, by doing so, flashed a green light to continue the riots. When forced to acknowledge the reality on the streets of the nations cities, they instead blamed Trump, the police, white supremacists, and even the Russians.

By failing to take any action to punish or reduce the influence of these groups during Bidens four-year term, the armies of anarchy and revolution that Biden and the Democrats unleashed are now a permanent fixture within the Democrat party and will never be defeated or mollified by the current party hierarchy.

The political party the delusional wealthy buffoons are still gleefully underwriting is no longer the party of the middle and working class but a two-tier assemblage in which the prey is sleeping with the predator. The witless wealthy and socially aware are in bed with the avowed socialists and militant Marxists. What is holding this marriage of convenience together is a mutual hatred of Donald Trump as well as unfathomable gullibility and ignorance on the part of the self-styled elites.

Considering the vast dichotomy in the litany of promises made and actions taken, it is inevitable that either the moneyed elite or the mob of passionate true believers will be betrayed. There is no middle ground for control of the Democrat party.

Who will prevail?

Will it be the elites whose only weapon is money and fleeting political influence, or the passionate mob whose weapons are unconstrained violence and intimidation? Will it be those who believe a revolution could never happen or those who are willing to incite insurrection?

Beginning with the French Revolution and throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, history has recorded that passionate mobs always prevail when dealing with a feckless ruling class or party. And the first casualties have inevitably been the moneyed elites.

I can envision sitting with my old friend, Ully, and asking him if he thought the wealthy elites, indiscriminately tossing money at the Democrats, understood the pitfalls involved. He would lean back in his well-worn rocking chair, slowly exhale a puff of smoke from his pipe, and with a flicker of amusement and anger in his eyes would say: Nope. Those damn fools aint got a lick of common sense.
Over at his Substack blog, The Peacemonger, Ian Proud has dropped a recent contribution in which he nicely contrasts the Wests confrontational stance against Russia in Ukraine with the situation in Europe in the 1930s.

One of at the regular attack lines of western politicians and journalists, he says, is that by any concession to Russia in concluding the war in Ukraine would be akin to the appeasement of Nazi Germany before World War II.

The word appeasement is a thick one. In foreign policy, it refers to a strategy of making political concessions to an aggressive power to avoid conflict. In everyday life, a parent may sometimes appease a petulant child, but appeasing a bully is never the right thing to do.

Neville Chamberlain, 1938, showing the Anglo-German Declaration. Public domain.

In the context of the Russo-Ukraine War, appeasement comes with an additional layer of meaning: the speaker wants the audience to know that he has learned the lessons of the 1930s and is prudently applying them to Ukraine. To do so, of course, requires us to think of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a latter-day Adolf Hitler, hatching plans of conquest.

In this vein, it is not difficult to find op-eds and policy statements comparing the Ukraine war to the situation in Europe in the 1930s. Trumps Russia Policy Is Appeasement, is an example. Like Chamberlain in the 1930s, he sees Ukraine as a faraway quarrel to avoid. This wont bring peace or stop Putin.

Finally, as Proud points out, appeasement is also an attack word. It conveys a sense of superiority in dismissing those who are opposed to the Ukraine war. After all, who wants to be called an appeaser?

The great British historian A.J.P. Taylor knew a few things about the origins of the Second World War. Let us look at three of his points on the policy of appeasement to see how well they fit the context of the Ukraine war.

When we do that, we will find that our understanding of appeasement means opposite things between today and the 1930s.

One. In the 1930s, appeasement was the default position of British foreign policy elites, whereas today, appeasement is understood as the position of foreign policy outsiders, the fringe critics of the Ukraine war.

The appeasers were not a small group of policymakers holding out against a chorus of domestic opposition that was demanding increased arms spending to counter Germany. Rather, the appeasers were at the top of the power pyramid. They were elites charting a policy course and had the support of other elites around them. In their time, the anti-appeasement position was the minority view.

Today, that situation is reversed: the majority view is anti-appeasement of Russia, while appeasement is a semi-derogatory term relegated to policy critics on the margins.

Two. In the 1930s, appeasement was the anti-Russia position, whereas today it is understood as a pro-Russia stance. A British industrialist taking afternoon tea at the Ritz in 1938 would be interested in striking a deal with Germany. For many in his circles, a strong Germany would be a bulwark against Bolshevism from spilling into the factories of Western Europe. An anti-Russia disposition was entailed within a policy of appeasing Germany.

Three. In the 1930s, appeasement rested on an ethical principle, whereas today the word connotes the amoral indifference of those deemed to be Putin apologists. Originally, appeasements ethical foundation was the principle of self-determination, an ideal that American President Woodrow Wilson advocated during and after the First World War. In the post-Versailles period, if some European nationalities were to be accorded self-determination, then that same aspiration could not be simultaneously denied to the Germans (with regard to the Sudeten question), at least not with logical consistency.

It seems that on these three counts, making an analogy between the Ukraine war and the situation in Europe in the 1930s breaks down. The two episodes contexts are very different.

The reason for that is the difference between reading history backwards and reading it forward. When we read history backwards, we already know how the story ends. The curtain comes down on the war in Europe in May 1945. Upon closure of the event, we can gaze backward in time to understand how the catastrophe came, how mistakes were made, and how to avoid them in the future.

When we read history forward, we empathize with those who were living at a certain period of time and try to see their predicament as they themselves saw it. In September 1938, no one could know what would happen in September 1939. Prescience is not given to humans. The perspective is different from those who already know how the story ends.

This is what Taylor did when he looked at the 1930s. What he saw was that appeasement was the consensus view of foreign policy elites; it was implicitly anti-Russia; and it was connected to an ethical principle that has disappeared from our sight with the passage of time.

When todays foreign policy elites use the word appeasement in arguing against those who oppose the Russo-Ukraine War, their meaning is clear to everyone. They are either making an analogy to the situation in the 1930s or they are using the word in its attack mode, attempting to unfoot their opponents with the charge that they are appeasing evil.

What is missing from their worldview is the intellectual humility that comes from trying to read history forward, from those who make decisions amid great uncertainty, with the future approaching but still obscure. If they would unpack the word appeasement, they would find that it contains some surprising contents.

JAMES SORIANO is a retired Foreign Service Officer. He has previously written on the Ukraine war on The American Thinker.
Revolutions rarely spring into action without notice. The American Revolution was many years in the making. The Boston Massacre occurred in 1773, not 1776. Many of the longstanding oppressive measures that drove the colonists to revolt in 1776 are catalogued in the Declaration of Independence. As onerous as they were, yet only when the oppression was no longer sufferable were the people driven to their last recourse: revolution.

President Trump has been besieged by federal, state, and local judges, even during his campaign. New York State issued what amounts to a bill of attainder against him, not only crafting a special application of law, in which there were no victims, and designed to prosecute only him, but also assigning to a judge the role of real estate assessor, with the threat of imprisonment in a notorious state penitentiary. This case, among others, was widely seen as clearly intended only to prevent the re-election of Donald Trump.

A different sort of revolution has been building up in the United States, against a different kind of tyranny: the tyranny of radical leftist judges. It was only a matter of time before there was outright defiance of those judges. In one case, federal judge Boasberg complained that his order to turn around deportation airplanes already in flight was ignored .

Now there has been an escalation in that buildup.

A Fox News headline reads, Fla. AG to rebuff judge who ordered halt to state immigration enforcement: The court has overstepped. A Miami federal judge threatened Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier with contempt, which could put him in prison.

Uthmeier said, We believe the court has overstepped and lacks jurisdiction there.

Personal animosities have become a factor in the controversy. The judge said, What I am offended by is someone suggesting you dont have to follow my order, that its not legitimate.

Matters could soon spread to other agencies. Quoting from the article, if Uthmeier were to be brought before the judge, the court would likely need the assistance of U.S. Marshal Greg Leljedal of the Northern District of Florida. A Thursday tweet from Uthmeier showed the two men smiling in his office, with the A.G. commenting on their great meeting.

Governor DeSantis reportedly was advised in March 2023, in another case, that if federal authorities attempted to arrest then-candidate Trump, he should use the Florida state police to prevent that. DeSantis declined, although he condemned the use of lawfare against Trump. Even at that time, the sentiment of open defiance was already in the public forum.

Open defiance of the Judiciary can be prevented, but only if it is firmly established that the courts have no authority to usurp any provisions of Article Two powers of the Constitution, which are reserved to the president alone. If the courts are to have any legitimacy, the personal, political opinions of judges must be aggressively quarantined, and their rulings must clearly reflect that.

The courts are risking that legitimacy. Dishonest judges are a threat to the Republic and must be treated as such.

There is no prospect that President Trump will willingly forfeit his agenda to partisan judicial fiat. As he has, with his entire record, he is no doubt getting his ducks in a row. He will await his moment. When he finally does take a firm stand against judicial partisanship, he will find the right case, at the right time, with strong public support, and when there is dependable political backing. There will be a constitutional crisis, and he will prevail. The reign of judicial tyranny will come to an ignoble end.

If the SCOTUS justices are smart, they will read the writing on the wall. They must rule decisively to defeat their partisan judges. If they do not, Trump will.

Image via Picryl.
Listen up, patriots and truth-seekers! Donald J. Trump, the man weve backed through hell and high water, is screwing the pooch on a matter of undeniable historical fact: He's calling the Persian Gulf the 'Arabian Gulf.'

According to Fox News:

President Donald Trump is reportedly to rename the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf ahead of his trip to the Middle East in the coming days. The expected announcement was first reported Wednesday by the Associated Press, which clashed with the Trump administration earlier this year over the president renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

But it's 'the Persian Gulf.'

Thats right, the Persian Gulf - never, ever, the so-called Arabian Gulf.

This isnt some woke debate or globalist word game. This is about truth, history, and the ironclad reality that Trump, our champion, is fumbling.

As loyal supporters, we demand that he gets this right, and neutrals must wake up to the stakes. The name Persian Gulf isnt negotiable -- its etched in stone, blood, and time. As a Persian-American in exile, hating the Islamic regime in Tehran but loving my Persian heritage, Im livid that Trumps betraying our history.

Lets rip the bandage off: some Arab states, intoxicated by oil money and revisionist fantasies, have been promoting the term Arabian Gulf since the 20th century. Its a pathetic attempt to erase Persias legacy and claim a body of water thats been Persian since the dawn of civilization.

Trump, in his dealings with these Gulf monarchies, has been cozying up to their rhetoric, allowing Arabian Gulf to slip into conversations like its no big deal.

Its a massive deal. Its a betrayal of history, and we wont stand for it. We love Trump for his ballsy defiance of the establishment, but on this, hes dead wrong, and were calling him out because were loyal, not blind.

The Persian Gulfs name isnt just an arbitrary label slapped on a map; it is rooted in thousands of years of history.

Since the beginning of time, the Persian Gulf has served as a vital waterway, the crossroads of great civilizations of the ancient world. The Achaemenid Empire, under Cyrus the Great and Darius I, ruled the region from 550 B.C., establishing Persia as the dominant power. Their naval might controlled those waters, and Greek historians like Herodotus and Strabo referred to it as the Persian Gulf in their writings.

These werent opinions, but facts recorded by eyewitnesses to Persias glory.

The Romans, Byzantines, and every major civilization since have used the same name. Maps from the Middle Ages to the 20th centuryEuropean, Islamic, you name it  mark it as the Persian Gulf.

The United Nations, not exactly a bastion of anti-Arab sentiment, has reaffirmed this name multiple times, with resolutions in 1971 and 1991 dismissing revisionist nonsense.

The Persian Gulf holds a sacred place in Iranian history and culture. Every year on April 30, Iranians celebrate Persian Gulf Day with fierce pride, holding ceremonies across the country, especially along the Gulfs coastal regions. This isnt just a holiday; its a defiant stand for our heritage. The name Persian Gulf is more than a geographic term; it symbolizes Persias enduring legacy.

We Iranians, rightfully proud of our non-Arab identity, guard this name with our lives, rejecting any attempt to erase or degrade our history. For us, any push to call it Arabian Gulf is a direct attack on our soul, and Trumps flirtation with this lie is like a knife in our back.

The Arabian Gulf push has been driven by certain Arab states beginning in the 1950s, based on their eagerness to flex their muscles against Iran. Its not about geography; its about power. The Gulfs southern shores are Arab, certainly, but the northern shores, the historical heart, are Iranian. Persias cultural, military, and economic dominance has shaped the region for millennia. The Sassanids, Parthians, and later Islamic Persian dynasties maintained the Gulf as their backyard.

Even when Arabs rose to power, they didnt dare to rename it -- they knew better.

Only in the last century, with petrodollars and Western appeasement, did this Arabian Gulf nonsense gain traction. Its a lie, plain and simple, and Trumps participation is a gut punch to truth.

Why does this matter to us, Trumps base? Because were about facts, not feelings. We rallied behind Trump to drain the swamp and to spit in the face of globalist lies. But when he panders to Saudi Arabia or the UAE, letting their revisionist nonsense slide, hes playing their game, not ours. Were not here for half-measures or compromises with historical truth. The Persian Gulfs name is a line in the sand. If we let it fall, were no better than the leftists who rewrite history to suit their narrative.

Neutrals, are you listening? This isnt just about a name -- its about whether we stand for whats real or bow to money and convenience.

Trumps got to fix this. Hes the guy who stared down North Korea, who moved the embassy to Jerusalem, and who told the U.N. to shove it. He has the spine to call the Persian Gulf by its rightful name and tell the revisionists to pound sand. Were not asking him to start a war -- just to speak the truth.

The Persian Gulf is Persian, always has been, always will be. No amount of Arab lobbying or think-tank drivel changes that. The evidence is overwhelming: ancient texts, medieval maps, modern international law - all scream Persian Gulf. Anything else is a slap in the face to history and to us, his supporters, who expect better.

Were not giving up on Trump. Hes still our guy, the one who fights for America First.

But loyalty doesnt mean silence. Were sounding the alarm because we believe in him and know he can do better. Neutrals, join usdont let this slide into another forgotten issue. Demand truth. Demand the Persian Gulf. Trump, hear us: stop this Arabian Gulf nonsense. Stand with history. Please stand with us. The Persian Gulfs name is non-negotiable, and were not backing down.



Image: Wikimedia Commons, via Picryl // public domain
The Democrats have long had militant arms that sought to enforce Democrat party policies through violence, rather than the ballot box. Historically, it was either the KKK or the campus commies. Now, their shock troops are Antifa, which has blended seamlessly with the pro-Palestinian contingent (which I simply denominate as Hamas) and the transfascists. They had their heyday under Biden but may finally face consequences under Trump.

I dont need to remind you about the Antifa crowd running rampant in 2020, the Hamasniks going crazy from 2023 forward, or the constant harassment from the transterrorists when anyone dares to hurt their feelings. Theyre all out in force again.

On the University of Washington campus, the Antifa crowd has been on a rampage to force the campus to end any contact with Israel. To that end, theyve created a Hamas autonomous zone, which is a repeat of their Chaz heyday in Seattle in 2024:

Breaking: Antifa are trying to burn down the @UW campus as their occupation of the Engineering Building spirals out of control. The militants have effectively been given free reign. They're demanding the university end all relationship with Israel. pic.twitter.com/iUoZ2pvzNo https://t.co/GezFzRD4zI  Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) May 6, 2025 So far, Washington has been supine in its response to this violence. Things are different, though, at Columbia, and theyre different because President Trump has threatened something communists value almost as much as raw power: Money. It began when a violent Antifa/Hamas mob went on a rampage and occupied a building: BREAKING: Dozens of terror supporters have taken over Columbias library during finals, chanting "globalize the intifada" and "there is only one solution, intifada revolution."



Who could ever support such despicable people? Americans have had enough.



pic.twitter.com/4OwrZkBZOC  Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) May 7, 2025 BREAKING: The Basel Al-Araj Popular University has just occupied Columbia Universitys Butler Library in protest for Palestine.



Hundreds of students have gathered outside, unable to enter. pic.twitter.com/wfmL1UByFn  I Meme Therefore I Am  (@ImMeme0) May 7, 2025 Massive protest on 114th and Broadway outside of @Columbias Butler Library in support of the protestors who took over the main reading room of the library during Reading Week. pic.twitter.com/cx9gbpDMod  Columbia Jewish & Israeli Students  (@CUJewsIsraelis) May 7, 2025 PROTESTERS ARE VANDALIZING SHELVES OF BUTLER LIBRARY @Columbia



This is anti-academic, anti-free speech, and totally destructive. pic.twitter.com/QxkFGro4fR  Elisha (Lishi) Baker (@LishiBaker) May 7, 2025 So far, Washington has been supine in its response to this violence. Things are different, though, at Columbia, and theyre different because President Trump has threatened something communists value almost as much as raw power: Money. It began when a violent Antifa/Hamas mob went on a rampage and occupied a building:

This time, however, things played out a bit differently, with Columbia, having already lost $400 million in federal funds for violating Jewish students civil rights, calling in the cops. Moreover, the federal government has promised to deport any foreigners involved in this terrorist action. Given that one of the chants was globalize the intifada, which is a direct threat to replace the U.S. government with a caliphate, the grounds for deportation are easy:

 COLUMBIA LIBRARY PROTEST ENDS IN DOZENS OF ARRESTSRUBIO TARGETS VISAS



Columbias Butler Library turned from study hall to standoff as masked protesters stormed in, waving flags and taping up slogans.



NYPD moved in fast, arresting about 80 and restoring order after five https://t.co/BqsEcYjFKr pic.twitter.com/4vZsBcTs3Y  Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 8, 2025 BREAKING: @Columbia Public Safety is not letting protesters leave without showing ID, saying they will arrest any of them who refuse.



Strong message and strong move. This needs to end with accountability. pic.twitter.com/wFLg4PvHVP  Elisha (Lishi) Baker (@LishiBaker) May 7, 2025 Whats really ironic is that, for a brief while there, when the police locked the door on the occupiers so that they could check IDs and take names before releasing people, the occupiers essentially started to cry. The same people who happily trapped students in there (many of whom were probably Jewish students terrified that theyd be subject to the October 7th treatment), when the tables turned, the mob collapsed in panic: BREAKING: Clashes and ARRESTS at the doors of occupied Butler Library at Columbia University. According to protesters online posts, security are asking to show student ID inside if they want to leave, otherwise face arrests. pic.twitter.com/5URql72hoN  Oliya Scootercaster  (@ScooterCasterNY) May 7, 2025 It turns out that, when people violate the law, if you impose legal consequences against them, most will regret their choice. Its to be hoped that Trump now threatens the University of Washington with the same monetary consequences that were so effective against Columbia. Meanwhile, in Oregon, the transfascists are also on the move. When Riley Gaines spoke at Portland State University, the transterrorists started harassing attendees, committing violence, and doxxing people, as well as being super creepy: Breaking exclusive: Violent Trantifa, Antifa and far-left extremists are trying to break inside the building where @Riley_Gaines_ is speaking at Portland State. Theyre assaulting police and are trying to smash the glass.



The violent extremists believe that those who advocate https://t.co/HGiPVaLufB pic.twitter.com/aX1wJwaANO  Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) May 6, 2025 Antifa followed a woman walking with a cane & encouraged her to kill herself for attending a womens rights event at @UW in Seattle featuring ex-collegiate swimmer @Riley_Gaines_. The extremists followed attendees to their cars to broadcast plate numbers. pic.twitter.com/hCY3lNR2XW  Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) May 7, 2025 "It would be so beautiful to see your bodies hanging from the tree"



Trantifa/Antifa members threatened an elderly couple leaving a @Riley_Gaines_ event at the @UW campus. Police had to escort them as the militants followed. Video by @KatieDaviscourt: pic.twitter.com/ZapSmwQo8y  Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) May 7, 2025 Whats really ironic is that, for a brief while there, when the police locked the door on the occupiers so that they could check IDs and take names before releasing people, the occupiers essentially started to cry. The same people who happily trapped students in there (many of whom were probably Jewish students terrified that theyd be subject to the October 7th treatment), when the tables turned, the mob collapsed in panic:It turns out that, when people violate the law, if you impose legal consequences against them, most will regret their choice. Its to be hoped that Trump now threatens the University of Washington with the same monetary consequences that were so effective against Columbia. Meanwhile, in Oregon, the transfascists are also on the move. When Riley Gaines spoke at Portland State University, the transterrorists started harassing attendees, committing violence, and doxxing people, as well as being super creepy:

This being Portland, while the police were there, they seemingly didnt arrest people making criminal threats. Its also likely that anyone who was arrested will get the kind of revolving door justice typical for Democrat-run jurisdictions.

For that reason, just as Trump needs to withhold money from the University of Washington, he needs to prosecute Portland State and the individual transterrorists for violating non-trans peoples civil rights. And if that sounds wacky, its not.

Justice Gorsuch opened the door for precisely such an action when he wrote in Bostock v. Clayton County that sex doesnt only mean male or female, as the Civil Rights Acts drafters clearly intended, but that it also encompasses people who identify as a different sex. Well, if it encompasses those people, it encompasses the opposite, toothose who identify as their biological sex. They, too, can be the objects of discrimination. In a crazy world, you fight crazy with crazy.

Image: X screen grab.
There are many more things we Americans can talk about today than we can laugh at.

And if that line didn't shake something loose in you, you needn't read any further. The reason is you will not agree with my thesis which is that as a nation we have lost one of our most valuable safety valves that has served to keep us all sane ... laughter.

Laughing at life's absurdities or even its actual challenges was always a way for us to blow off steam and protect our loved ones from being our punching bag. Back in the '50s and '60s, comedy flourished in the U.S. Comedians of nearly all stripes were sought after on television, in supper clubs and on vinyl LPs.



We all had our favorites, from a generation that included W.C. Fields and Groucho Marx and Will Rodgers and were preceded by satirists like Bob Hope, Samuel Clemens. Sid Caesar, Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Hennie Youngman, Myron Cohen, Buddy Hackett, Jack E. Leonard, Alan King, Don Rickles, Phyllis Diller and Rodney Dangerfield.

All were notably un-blue, with routines that eschewed scatological patter or downright vulgarities.

Then came the turbulent mid-to-late sixties and comedy turned nasty. This gave rise to comedians like Richard Pryor who never met a swear word (or a drug) that he didn't like.

Comedy had not come of age; it had regressed and practitioners began to appeal to our disgust with our society and the world. Comedians were bottom-feeders off Americans' feelings. Variety shows featuring comedians started to disappear and late night talk shows filled the void.

Comedy had lost its preeminence as a temporary antidote for America's tension and frustration with recessions and unemployment and wars and, instead, became an anomaly interlude between interviews with vapid Hollywood actors and pompous politicians.



After Sept. 11, 2001, comedy seemed to die along with the thousands that perished in the World Trade Center attack.

And then came political correctness.

No longer could comedians tell an ethnic joke or a gender-based joke. Jokes about real life and America's struggles with its own society and culture were off limits until some comedians started to rebel. Humorists like Lewis Black took up the challenge. Black's humor was decidedly un-P.C., but was roundly accepted because he and an HBO host, Bill Maher, tapped into the growing anger towards America's conservatives who had formed groups like the Tea Party and were actively opposing the left-wing political forces that Bill Clinton had awakened in the 1990s.

African-Americans had powerful comedians, too, whose humor initially crossed over into the mainstream -- like Eddie Murphy, who was preceded by Flip Wilson, Sammy Davis, Jr. and the now-disgraced Bill Cosby. Others, though, went a bluer and often more 'ghetto' or rap-influenced and even protest-politics route that didn't cross over. This kind of humor hit a wall with Evangelical Christians and arch conservatives who opposed it on obscenity grounds.



This created a niche market for comedians like Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Foxworthy.

But America then become comedically bifurcated.

In time, you could choose to reinforce your own personal bias with your own comedians that represented your particular political ideology. No longer was comedy poking fun at everybody, equally. It had ridden the crest of a political wave that had separated the country along ideological lines and was now swimming around in a tidal pool, feeding off the same kelp.



Is it possible for America to find its way back to comedy that doesn't need to shock us every five seconds with a foul four-letter word or a vulgarity to be funny?

Have Americans turned a comedic corner that can only lead to a cul-de-sac from which there is no exit? Are all that we have left the shocksters like Sarah Silverman to keep us entertained as she attempted to do at the Kennedy Center honoring late night host Conan O'Brian with the Mark Twain prize? Silverman had pasted a photo of O'Brian's lips (which she said resembled a vagina) under the seats of every person in the theatre and then asked them to hold it between their legs so the television cameras could record it for posterity.

I doubt this would have pleased Samuel Clemens or any comedian that still had a modicum of good taste left in them. It did, however, show us how far we have fallen off the turnip truck of propriety and are happily rolling around in the gutter beside it.

The real question is: "Do we even know how to laugh anymore without being subjected to a comedian's demand that we give up our sensibilities?" There are still plenty of things to laugh about that don't include Donald Trump or the Republicans. I would suggest that comedians accept who they really are  simple jesters  and stop trying to change the world lest they be seen as the proverbial dogs who have caught the car they've been chasing and have the mistaken impression that they can drive it.



Stephen Helgesen is a retired career U.S. diplomat specializing in international trade who lived and worked in 30 countries for 25 years during the Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, Clinton, and G.W. Bush Administrations. He is the author of fourteen books, seven on American politics, and has written over 1,500 articles on politics, economics and social trends. He now lives in Denmark and is a frequent political commentator on Danish media. He can be reached at: stephenhelgesen@gmail.com.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
As a member of a family from which every male member served in the Vietnam war, the annual April 30 anniversary marking the fall of Saigon and the conflicts end is one that, for me, does not pass by easily. With the recent passing of the fiftieth year anniversary of that event just over a week ago, perhaps more than usual, I was haunted by two ironiesone on a national level and a more emotional one on a personal level.

By the conflicts end, we had fought what then was the longest war in which we had ever been engaged. It had divided our country in a way not seen perhaps since our Civil War and made the thought of any reconciliation with Vietnam, in the lifetimes of those who served, a distant reality.

Ironically, however, the U.S. and Vietnam have been driven closer together, motivated by a mutual concern about Chinas intentions. Recent discussions about re-occupying Vietnams Cam Ranh Bay underscored the change of heart; the Vietnamese spent years trying to dislodge us from that very bay.

Americans are welcomed to Vietnam todaythe war virtually being forgotten as it is viewed by the Vietnamese more as a mistake of history.

But the irony on a personal level for my family is a bitter one and, therefore, much more difficult to let go.

Three family members served in that wartwo in the Navy and one in the Marine Corps. My father, then a vice admiral who would go on to become the youngest head of the Navy, commanded all U.S. naval forces in Vietnam from 19681970. My older brother, Elmo, commanded a swift boat (19691970) that patrolled the deadly waterways. Meanwhile, I became the black sheep of the family, joining the Marine Corps and serving as an infantry company commander, arriving in 1972 with a battalion landing team.

Understanding why the conflict would become a bitter irony for my family necessitates first sharing a short fictional story that was written by my father for the midshipman magazine while he was attending the U.S. Naval Academy (19391942).

The setting for the story was 1940 Greece. He told it through the eyes of a narrator who was a U.S. news correspondent, accompanying a resistance sniper, named Themistocle. They were atop a mountain from where they could observe a column of Axis tanks. The tanks were heading to destroy a small village, where other resistance fighters were located. Situated across a small valley, the village was only accessible by a single bridge.

Seeking to avoid the villages destruction, Themistocle loaded a wagon with barrels of gunpowder, hidden underneath straw. He ordered a young resistance fighter, named Demetrios, to get to the bridge before the tanks could cross it. Demetrios did so and started driving across it. With his rifle, Themistocle sighted in on the gunpowder in the wagon and fired a shot. A tremendous explosion ensued, destroying the bridge and halting the enemys advance, obviously killing Demetrios.

With that, Themistocle turns to the narrator and says, My son was a brave man. To the narrators astonishment, Demetrios was Themistocles son.

The bitter irony of this story came back to haunt our family years later in the Vietnam wars aftermath.

When my father took command of the naval forces in Vietnam in 1968, those serving aboard the patrol boats were suffering a 72% casualty rate. In other words, during a twelve-month tour there, they stood a 72% chance of being killed or wounded.

This was due to the enormous advantage the enemy was afforded in setting up ambushes. The waterways were relatively narrow with heavy vegetation on the river banks. It provided them with sufficient cover to set up ambushes very close to the waters edge. It gave them the element of surprise in launching their attacks as the boats and their crews were targeted before they had any chance to respond.

Upon discovering the U.S. Army was using Agent Orange (AO) to defoliate areas around their bases and after being assured by the chemical company manufacturers there was no danger if our forces were exposed to it, my father employed the agent to defoliate the riverbanks. It did a tremendous job of doing so and denied the enemy its advantage of cover and concealment. The results were reflected as U.S. Navy casualty ambush rates dropped to only 6%.

AO undoubtedly enabled my brother Elmo to survive the war. But years later, he would learn, as many other Vietnam veterans who were exposed to it did, AO had a deadly side as they were falling ill and dying from various cancers it triggered. Among those impacted was Elmo, who died in 1989.

Evidence of the strong bond between my father and brother was revealed by Elmos response months before he died when asked by a news reporter if he ever blamed his father for using AO. Without hesitation, Elmo responded he absolutely did not. He truly believed AOs use had clearly enabled him to survive the war, return home, get married and start a family. He added, so many of those who served in the waterways before him and before AO was employed were denied the same opportunity.

Like the story my father had written years earlier about the hand of Themistocle ironically playing a role in the death of his son Demetrios, the bitter irony for my family was that the hand of my father, albeit unintentionally, ironically played a role in my brothers demise. And like Demetrios, Elmo too was a brave man.

Image: Public domain.
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SDoni Pettis, a black career criminal on probation after serving time for aggravated battery (a downgraded charge as Pettis was facing attempted murder) reportedly led police on a high-speed pursuit in a stolen vehicle in February, a chase which ended almost as soon as it began: In less than 30 seconds, Pettis had slammed into an SUV with a father and his two young children on their way home from a pediatric check-up. The car exploded into a fireball, allegedly killing little 2-month-old Iris instantly, and burning the three-year-old Ares so badly, he died from his injuries shortly after.

This was all too much for Mark Vawter, great-grandfather to little Ares and Iris, so on Tuesday afternoon, he waited outside an Indiana courthouse for Pettis to appear for his scheduled court date, apparently intending to gun him down:

Pettis was supposed to have a court appearance in the vehicular manslaughter case Tuesday, but unbeknownst to Vawter, it had been rescheduled. An armed Vawter was spotted leaning against a courthouse wall when the deputies started to transport the inmates. He approached and confronted the group, firing off at least one shot shortly after, according to officials and reports. His shot did not hit anyone, but two Hendricks County sheriffs deputies, Zachary Emmitt and Nathan Phillips, returned fire and did not miss. Vawter was pronounced dead at the scene, according to officials.

Below, Vawter and Pettis:

An armed man on a vigilante mission to avenge the killing of his great-grandchildren was gunned down in a chaotic shootout with deputies escorting inmates in front of an Indiana courthouse Tuesday, according to family and officials.

The 65-year-old shooter, Mark Vawter, showed pic.twitter.com/KQBd5kuPUb  The Daily Sneed (@Tr00peRR) May 8, 2025

Why might Vawter have taken matters into his own hands? Well, heres an idea, and credit to Andrea Widburg for this, because I have only read one Stephen Pinker book, and this wasnt it:

In Stephen Pinkers great The Better Angels of Our Nature, he explains that part of Europes civilizing process was that it created trustworthy systems by which the state punished wrongdoers, removing the responsibility from individual hands. That tamped down on violence within communities. It stopped Hatfield and McCoy style feuds and prevented people from feeling that they had to take the law into their own hands.

Naturally, the reversal of such a trend will have the opposite effectthe more the government veers toward punishing do-gooders and protecting evil-doers, in this case in pursuit of restorative justice, the more the people turn to vigilantism to restore law and order based on objective morality and standards.

I mean, why would Vawter have any faith in the American justice system as it is today?

George Floyd, a violent career criminal who died because of his own drug addiction was venerated as a martyr, simply because he was black.

Black Karmelo Anthony just raised more than half a million dollars from mostly black donors, proud of him for stabbing a white kid without just cause.

And, just yesterday I wrote about the lefts newest black criminal darling, an accused cop killer who mowed down an innocent man because he allegedly felt entitled to do so since his son has recently been killed at the hands of police when the teenager brandished a firearm after fleeing a stolen vehicle.

When restorative or reparative justice replaces blind justice, its a recipe for chaos.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license.
Its always a mistake to forget that word usage sets the rhetorical battlefield and restricts our thoughts. Far too many on the freedom side of the fence tend to use the pro-gun/anti-gun formulation, or even worse, couch the constitutional contest over our commonsense human right as one of inanimate objects.

Such mistakes neglect the fact that leftists love guns. They just dont want them in our hands; thats why there has been a sea change in their control schemes from outright bans to selective persecution.

But now that the winds of change favor the pro-freedom side of the political spectrum, leftists have suddenly started arming up for who knows what, and we have several stunning examples to prove the point.

A recent video from Langley Outdoors Academy gives us a quick rundown on something we thought we would never see from the gun-grabbing ghouls of the left.

The first example, from the New York Times magazine, is a piece most patriots on the pro-freedom side of the fence thought they would never see. Most telling is that the article includes an illustration that would be at home in any prepper publication  three break glass in case of emergency boxes with first aid in one, a fire extinguisher in another, and the outline of a gun in the third. Thats a pretty bold statement, which goes along with our contention that a firearm is just another piece of emergency equipment. The piece is entitled My Husband Fears Political Violence. Should We Buy a Gun?

My husband and I are Democrats, and we live in a large left-leaning city. Considering the current political climate in the United States and deepening concerns that it will only get worse, my husband wants to purchase a gun for safety reasons. To be clear, we dont have general safety concerns. We live in the heart of the city, and I feel safe. He is concerned about political or ideologically motivated violence. ... I think guns are evil, and I believe that the world would be a better place without weapons. But I would hate to regret not having a gun if things get so chaotic that people need to protect themselves. Should I go against my own beliefs because of a possible future threat? Name Withheld

So many leftists think an inanimate object is evil. The Ethicist tries to dissuade the letter-writer from being able to exercise a commonsense human right.

It was a few months ago that the same New York Times had another surprising piece, at least for that paper  They Never Planned on Buying a Gun. Until They Did. There is an interesting point in the middle of the piece:

We quickly learned that some gun owners dont like the word gun, preferring firearm, in part because they felt it carried less baggage. I found myself thinking more consciously about my own language, wondering if I would alienate sources by saying gun, or be pandering if I avoided it. We used both words in our project, a kind of compromise.

Once again, we see that the left is tuned in to the language wars, far better than the pro-freedom right. Guns are demonized as evil everywhere you turn, while leftists propagandize the public with the ridiculous phrase gun violence, as though inanimate objects are the problem.

Its not just the New York Times pushing their people to arm up. We have this sampling from the past few years of the national socialist media doing the same:

As Mike McDaniel phrases it, these are anti-liberty cracktivists. They arent anti-gun. No, liberty-hating leftists love their guns; they just dont want us to have them. This is why theyve added selective enforcement to their tyrannical repertoire, to take guns from their political opponents.

Its human rights instead of gun rights. Using the term gun rights almost has a subliminal implication that guns have rights. Leftists have signs that play off this false impression, which say some variation of protect kids, not guns.

Thus, its much better to use the term human rights instead. That makes it clear what we are trying to protect. The authoritarians will talk all day against guns, but they wouldnt dare say the same thing against human rights.

D Parker is an engineer, inventor, wordsmith, and student of history, former director of communications for a civil rights organization, and a long-time contributor to conservative websites. Find him on Substack.

Image via Pexels.
According to news reports, La presidenta predictably said no to U.S. troops. Was anyone thinking that she would say yes? She cant say yes, but Im wondering what else she said.

Lets go to the official story:

On Saturday, Sheinbaum revealed she had rejected an offer from Trump during a call last week to send US troops into Mexico to help fight drug trafficking. I told him, No, President Trump, our territory is inviolable, our sovereignty is inviolable, said Sheinbaum, adding that while the two countries can collaborate, we will never accept the presence of the US army in our territory.

Again, what did you expect? My guess is that theres more to the story.

First, Mexican nationalism is rooted on fears of U.S. intervention. It happened a long time ago but fears last a long time. Its also the most convenient for a Mexican president, specifically a woman from the Left.

Second, violence in Mexico is out of control. And most Mexicans know that their government cant control it. Just talk to them.

So joint operations are likely and Im okay with that. The bottom line is that the country, specially outside of major cities, are probably run by criminal elements or crimen organizado.

Did she really say no? My guess is that she wants U.S. military help a lot more than she publicly admitted.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.

Image: Public Domain
Habemus Papam. We have a pope.

Thus the words rang out to St. Peter's Square as huge crowds, waving the flags of their nations, and many more of us watched live on television.

I was right on one thing: That the new pope wouldn't be anyone most of us had ever heard of. Cardinal Robert Prevost, a U.S. citizen who took out Peruvian citizenship after a long mission in that country, has a Wikipedia page devoid of much useful content.

Still, there are reasons to be hopeful.

The former cardinal, who is from Chicago, is of Spanish, French and Italian descent, which explains his Mediterranean look. He came out in red papal robes, all ornate and embroidered, same as previous popes before Pope Francis, meaning, he's more traditional than Pope Francis, whose desire to appear humble verged on ostentatious, although it wasn't malevolent.

That was him, this is Leo. It suggests he won't be the same as his predecessor.

And the name he picked was reason to be hopeful, too: Leo. The last pope named Leo, Leo XIII (1878-1903) was famous for denouncing socialism. That tells me all I need to hear, but for many, it will be well worth looking at for the nuances -- Leo XIII was also a champion of labor and unions, which, given the realities of the times, seemed like a good idea. As for the socialism, his condemnation of its failures is eternal, and he's the only pope who ever singled out socialism for its evils very specifically by name.

The other thing is that Leo XIII was a mystic. He had a vision of a Church under fire from the devil, and wrote a once-famous prayer calling on St. Michael the Archangel to defend it. For awhile, every parish read it at the end of Mass. With modernity, they don't, but maybe they will start it up again. And what a coincidence, today is the Feast of the Apparition of St. Michael, reportedly saving the people of Monte Gargano, Italy, from invading evil. It makes me wonder if this is why he chose the name of Leo.

His background might give some pause -- I don't know the full story about his citizenship and whether he chose to dump his U.S. citizenship or kept it, or really needed Peruvian citizenship to get around, or simply wanted to be like the Peruvians he ministered to. It isn't that important to a cleric, who is Heaven-focused, so I don't judge. I don't feel optimistic that he was from Chicago, home of Cardinal Cupich who hid his pectoral cross as he gave his blessing to the DNC with its abortion truck outside, and to FARC's sympathizers in the states, but his Mediterranean background suggests he didn't come from the elites.

As for Peru, well, it's kind of the intellectual heart of Latin America, with lots of good and bad, which will keep us guessing. It's the home nation of liberation theology, the place where that godawful idea was invented and then acted out in the monstrous terror war of the Shining Path guerrillas. But it's also the home of two of the greatest intellectual powerhouses the region has ever produced -- anti-tyranny literary lion Mario Vargas Llosa, who died recently, and economics apostle of property-rights, Hernando de Soto.

It's useful to know that he was sent to Chiclayo, Peru, the country's fourth-largest city, about 475 miles north of Lima. That sounds bad, but it's more likely than not to have been good. If he were in Chiclayo, listening to the Peruvian parishioners, many of whom would have been Native Americans, he probably would have heard a lot of Trump-like voter things from them, condemning the elites who oppress them, same as we know here. He definitely would have heard them blast the Shining Path and all its evil works -- I've been to Peru, I know that's what they would tell him, no guerrilla romance in those quarters, none. If he had been stationed in a bigger city, usually the nation's capital, and been associated with one of the universities, or collected a lot of degrees from them, then he'd probably be a liberation theology type, a woke leftist as crazy as the ones seen in universities here. But he wasn't.

I've been to many smaller cities in Latin America and ... they are wonderful. I like to think he will have been influenced by them.

All the same, he will probably be middle-of-the-road -- he would need to be, to collect the votes of leftist cardinals, as a pope is elected by a two-thirds majority. It probably was a plus to them that he took Peruvian citizenship. Yet he will probably be pro-illegal immigration to the U.S., Pope Francis would not have promoted him to cardinal in 2023 if he were not on that page. That could open the door to some incoherence -- ordering Americans to accept illegally present third worlders in their midst because any life outside the U.S. is a living hell, while taking on the citizenship of one of these places that supposedly has no human dignity. His choice of the name Leo has those contradictions, too: One of the Pope Leos in the past built the walls that now surround the Vatican.

If he changes his approach to 'mercy' for illegals who have done wrong by breaking U.S. immigration law, instead of 'rights' or 'justice' for illegals on the NGO combative social-justice model, he might get a better reception than the last pope did, who was clearly meddling in U.S. politics. Americans like to be merciful. They are sick of being guilty.

But he hasn't said that. And perhaps he won't, as word gets out that entry to the U.S. can only be done by the legal process and the reality sinks in as the new normal.

It's intriguing that he kind of looks like Pope John Paul II, which might have gotten him some votes, and that he hasn't said anything noxious so far.

It's also not that surprising that he's American -- the Vatican gets most of its money from the U.S. parishioners, that the U.S. should not have a pope as a result is nonsense. Picking an American to serve as pope may have been, cynically speaking, a bid to influence us, or worse still, to Get Trump.

It's early, of course, and everything I am surmising about him could be wrong. We will know more as he makes his address next week. But for now, we can be hopeful that there may be many good and great things about him and he will be an able and confident leader, like Leo XIII.

Image: Screen shot from YouTube video.
The Sierra del Divisor region along the Peru-Brazil Border in the heart of the Amazon Basin, constitutes the worlds newest National Park, formed on November 8, 2015. It stretches from the deepest parts of the Amazon rainforest and into the foothills of the Andes Mountain range, forming one of the largest contiguous blocks of protected land in Latin America. The National Park encompasses a massive 1.3 million hectares larger than Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks combined.

Sierra del Divisors landscape is characterized by rugged geography and lowland volcanic mountains, the only such region in the Amazon, which is essentially very flat. The dramatic landscape is made up of waterfalls, dormant volcanic cones, wild rivers, remote lakes, jagged canyons and lush rainforest. The most striking feature of this region is El Cono, a dormant volcanic cone, and one of many scattered along the southern end of the mountain range. El Cono rises more than 1,600 feet above the plains of the Amazon rainforest surrounding it and is the symbol of Sierra del Divisor.

El Cono, an extinct volcanic cone, is the symbol of Sierra del Divisor. Photo credit: Diego Perez

Due to its unique geological formations, Sierra del Divisor is home to an impressive number of endemic species that cannot be found anywhere else. But because the region is so remote that scientific study of the area didnt happen until a few decades ago. In a 2005 survey, researchers found several dozen species in the area that are new to science entirely. Based upon these findings, researchers expect that future surveys will lead to the discovery of even more species.

Sierra del Divisor is also home to several uncontacted indigenous tribes totaling 300 to 400 people, who live in isolation from the outside world.

Although Sierra del Divisor achieved the status of a Reserved Zone in 2006, the Peruvian Government has not been successful in protecting the area from encroachment and from a variety of human threats. Over the last few decades, various invasive projects including oil exploration, gas pipelines and road construction have been proposed. Neighboring areas have already been devastated by mining and logging. Unregulated commercial fishing as well as hunting have threatened the animal population. The area also attracts poachers because of its many exotic and rare species.

The creation of the Sierra del Divisor National Park last November is seen as one of the biggest achievements in rainforest conservation in recent times by conservationists.

It is a confirmation of the Peruvian governments commitment to conservation, sustainable development and the fight against climate change, wrote Perus Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal on Twitter, the day the park was announced.

We want to preserve this geographic area as an important part of the lungs that allow us to purify the air of the world and, moreover, to save it from illegal activities such as illegal logging, drug trafficking and other activities that deforest our jungles, said President Humala during the official announcement.

Sierra del Divisor National Park is important not only for its rich biodiversity, but also because it is the second-biggest storehouse of above-ground carbon in Peru. Research indicates the regions forests contain 165 million metric tons of carbon, which is roughly equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide emissions released every year by more than 127 million cars, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Photo credit: Diego Perez

Photo credit: Diego Perez

Photo credit: Diego Perez

Photo credit: Diego Perez

Photo credit: Diego Perez

Photo credit: Diego Perez

Photo credit: Diego Perez

Photo credit: Diego Perez

Photo credit: Diego Perez

Photo credit: Diego Perez

Photo credit: Thomas Muller

Photo credit: Thomas Muller

Photo credit: Thomas Muller

The red Uakari monkey is a primate species that inhabits Sierra del Divisor. It is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Photo credit: Diego Perez

Sierra del Divisor is habitat for the cock-the-the-rock. Photo credit: Rhett A. Butler

Perus president Ollanta Humala walked the streets of Nuevo Saposoa arm-in-arm with indigenous community members to officially declare Sierra del Divisor National Park. Photo credit: Candy Vilela/CEDIA.

President Humala holds the official decree designating Sierra del Divisor a national park. Photo credit: Candy Vilela/CEDIA

Sources: www.rainforesttrust.org / MongaBay
Earlier this month, a report indicated that Samsung will skip One UI 7 Watch entirely and jump straight to One UI 8 Watch. It will bring fresh system sounds, a snappier interface, and Gemini stepping in to replace Google Assistant. Many things about the upcoming OS update for Galaxy watches have already leaked. One of the leaks suggested that the Samsung Health app in One UI 8 Watch could make your Galaxy Watch your new Nutritionist.

Now, a new report has shed some details on a feature that the Galaxy watches could borrow from its high-end smartphones. According to Android Authority, Samsung is working on a much-needed battery protection feature for the Galaxy Watch series.

One UI 8 Watch could prolong your Galaxy Watchs battery life with this feature

The folks over at Android Authority have found strings of code in an early One UI 8 Watch version. It refers to a battery protection functionality for smartwatches. The strings of code have revealed that the feature will Stop charging when the battery level reaches %d%% and start charging again when it drops down to %d%%.

The Battery apps version 4.0.0.0.8 revealed the code. It will stop charging after reaching a certain percentage and kick it back on again after it drops below a specified threshold. Its worth mentioning that most phones have limits on charging at around 80 percent.

However, some of these devices could offer a variable threshold. Theres a possibility that Samsung could allow you to set different limits for the Galaxy Watch series. That said, we can expect the battery protection feature for the Galaxy Watch series to arrive later this year with the One UI 8 update.

Googles Pixel Watch could get a similar functionality

Android Authority, in an APK teardown in February, also found that Google could offer Adaptive Charging from Pixel phones on the Pixel Watch. A build of the Pixel Watch Management Service app included several mentions of the Adaptive Charging feature. It will supposedly prolong and protect your Galaxy Watchs battery lifespan by learning your charging habits.

It will charge the battery to full right before you usually get your watch off the charger. While Google hasnt yet officially confirmed anything, this feature could arrive at some point later this year.
Ever wanted to find out more information on something youre looking at on your smartphone screen? Thats where Googles Circle to Search feature comes in. This is one of the more genuinely helpful implementations of AI weve seen, but is it perfect? Since it only debuted last year, we suppose improvements can be made. Thats what Google is doing. According to a report from Android Authority, Google is testing new layouts for Circle to Search.

Two possible Circle to Search layouts

The report claims Google is testing two layouts for Circle to Search. User @brokenthrone shared one of those layouts in a Telegram group. This layout eliminates the long Google search bar in favor of a smaller and more compact rectangular box with rounded corners.

There are buttons and text, but unlike the current version, there are no visual separators, giving it a more seamless look. There is also a light and a dark version. As for the other layout, Google is keeping the long search bar but splitting it up into two rows instead of a single row. The top row has the search bar, and the bottom row houses the Song search and Translate buttons.

These new Circle to Search layouts offer a change in scenery from the current version. The one shared in Telegram is slightly more drastic in terms of design, but its not exactly a huge overhaul. The second version just looks like Google rearranged things a bit. Android Authority reports that Google might be pushing out the second layout because they received it on their Pixel 9 Pro XL.

However, since this appears to be a test, it is possible that Google could end up reverting to the original design. Google, like many companies, tests new layouts and UIs now and then. This testing allows Google to identify the most optimal design for providing the best user experience. Theres really nothing wrong with the current version, but maybe this redesign could hint at some of the changes at the new Material Design 3 Expressive that Google will most likely unveil at I/O 2025 later this month.
This year will be a special one for Samsungs Galaxy mobile flagships. The company plans to launch the thinnest Galaxy S phone in its lineups history under the name Galaxy S25 Edge. The firm has been building excitement around the device, teasing it on a couple of occasions. Samsung confirmed it will announce the Galaxy S25 Edge on May 13, although it seems there will be a second wave for more regions later.

Information about the launch of the Galaxy S25 Edge has been a bit fuzzy. Fortunately, reliable tipsters, like Ice Universe, shed a little more light on the matter. It seems like Samsung might be planning a staggered rollout. In fact, the May 13 announcement could only include a couple of countries, according to Ice Universe. Other regions could receive the event in later launch waves. In this context, a new date comes into play: May 21.

The second wave of Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge launch could be planned for May 21st

X/Twitter user Ricciolo shared a poster with the alleged date of the second launch wave for the Galaxy S25 Edge. The post only states that some countries will see the devices announcement on that date, without offering any further details.

According to reports, only South Korea and China will host the handsets first launch event. A recent leak also revealed the devices possible pricing for the Canadian market. This opens the door to more launch waves in more countries.

Its noteworthy that there were previously rumors about one of the launch waves planned for May 30. However, this date might have been revised by Samsung. After all, some rumors regarding the second launch wave suggested May 23 as the date instead of May 21. The dates mentioned in the leaks refer only to the Galaxy S25 Edge announcement. Samsung always leaves a brief pre-order period and then opens up general sales the following week.

We should get a much clearer picture of the official launch schedule next week when Samsung finally unveils the Galaxy S25 Edge. So, if youre eager to upgrade, keep an eye out for the official news.
The Trump administrations tariffs are still on hold for 90 days. However, various tech brands remain concerned about the impact on their business when the tariffs resume. Many OEMs like Apple have increased the production of their products to get as much inventory as they can. Now, Samsung is reportedly ramping up the production of its Galaxy S25 phones by a huge amount, fearing the Trump tariffs.

Samsung is rushing to make as many Galaxy S25 phones as it can, fearing tariffs

Apple last month boosted the production of iPhones and iPads amid trade tensions. The Cupertino tech giant raised the production of iPhones by four million and iPads by 1.5 million. In the case of Samsung, it has decided to make 800,000 more units of the Galaxy S25 series devices this month. It appears to be a move likely in response to the US administrations tariffs.

The company has already told its component suppliers in April that it would make 16.2 million units of Galaxy phones and tablets. Only about 400,000 units of these are tablets. Furthermore, the report claims that Samsung will ramp up production of the Galaxy S25 series to a total of 3.3 million for May.

Samsung is favoring the Galaxy S25 Ultra in the production increase. It now accounts for 1.5 million units in May. As for the vanilla and Plus Galaxy S25 models, they account for 1.3 million and 500,000 units, respectively.

The big question is, why?

The US said it will increase the tariffs on imported goods from South Korea to 25 percent, before kicking off the 90-day pause last month. As of now, the tariff situation remains uncertain. So, Samsung is aiming to fill its warehouses with as many units as it can.

It is aiming to ship more and more Galaxy S25 phones, especially the Ultra model, to the US before the import tariffs increase. Despite increasing production this month, the company plans to scale back in June due to the uncertainty surrounding the tariffs.
President Trump recently announced a new trade agreement with the UK. The development comes after a period of heightened trade tensions due to US tariffs. This deal aims to reshape the economic relationship between the two nations, impacting several key industries. Lets break down the specifics.

What does the tariff deal between the US and the UK entail?

One of the most significant changes involves car tariffs. The US has agreed to reduce its import tax on UK cars from 25% to 10%, with a quota of 100,000 vehicles. While this matches the UKs current export numbers, exceeding that quota would result in a hefty 27.5% tariff. Car industry leaders have expressed concern that this could limit their competitive export potential. Its worth noting that the UK currently imposes a 10% tariff on US car imports, and whether this will change remains to be seen. Additionally, Rolls Royce engines and plane parts will now be exported tariff-free. The UK has also committed to purchasing $10 billion worth of Boeing planes.

Another major development is the elimination of the 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports in the US. This is particularly good news for companies like British Steel. While the UKs direct steel and aluminum exports to the US are relatively small, the tariffs also affected products made with these materials. These products account for a significant portion of UK exports.

However, the pharmaceutical sector remains a point of uncertainty. The agreement doesnt specify any changes in this area, with both governments indicating that further discussions are needed. Pharmaceuticals are a major export for the UK, and any changes in tariffs could have significant consequences for both.

They will negotiate a separate digital trade deal

The UKs 2% digital services tax on US tech companies will remain unchanged. The UK and US have agreed to work on a separate digital trade deal, aiming to streamline paperwork for UK firms exporting to the US. This tax, which affects companies like Meta, Google, and Apple, generated substantial revenue for the UK.

On the agricultural front, the UK has removed tariffs on American beef and other agricultural products. Theres a quota for UK farmers exporting to the US, though. The UK government has emphasized that this will not lead to a weakening of UK food standards, particularly regarding the use of growth hormones in beef production. The tariff on US ethanol, used in beer production, has also been scrapped.

President Trump also highlighted that the UK will expedite the customs process for American goods, reducing red tape.

A trade deal that could speed up others

This trade agreement represents a significant step in the US-UK economic relationship. While it addresses key sectors like automotive and steel, the pharmaceutical industry and the digital services tax remain areas for future negotiation. The impact of these changes on both economies will be closely watched.

Reaching an agreement with a country apart from the UK is a major step for the US. This could cause a snowball effect where more and more nations reach deals that help reduce or eliminate the impact of tariffs in exchange for certain conditions.
For some time now, the United States has set a clear goal: to become the worlds leading AI country. Experts and legislators have offered their own tips and proposals for achieving this goal. Recently, the heads of some of Americas biggest AI companiesOpenAI, Microsoft, and Advanced Micro Devicessat down with a US Senate committee to talk about the global race in artificial intelligence. They reached a general conclusion: The US is currently in the lead, but holding onto that top spot against China will require some strategic moves from Washington.

US commission discusses steps to win AI war against China

The Senate Commerce Committee is led by Senator Ted Cruz. The entity is looking for ways to make it easier for the US AI industry to thrive, especially after Chinas DeepSeek surprised many with a powerful and affordable AI model last year. This development seems to have spurred the US tech sector to push for policies that could give them an edge. This includes potentially easing restrictions on exporting AI chips. Participants argue that getting AI that reflects democratic values widely adopted globally is actually in the countrys national interest.

The experts speak

Microsoft President Brad Smith put it plainly: The number-one factor that will define whether the U.S. or China wins this race is whose technology is most broadly adopted in the rest of the world. He even drew a parallel to the competition in 5G technology, suggesting that whoever establishes dominance first will be tough to unseat.

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI (the folks behind ChatGPT), echoed the sentiment. He expressed his belief that AI advancements will accelerate significantly in the coming years, especially with continued U.S. investment. He emphasized that investment in infrastructure is critical, suggesting that the U.S. has the potential to be the epicenter not just of the AI revolution but future technological leaps as well.

Lisa Su, the CEO of AMDa major player in AI chip manufacturingalso weighed in. The development of advanced AI relies heavily on specialized computer chips, massive datasets for training these AI models, significant energy resources, and a skilled workforce. Smith called for increased education in AI to speed up its adoption, along with investments in electrical infrastructure and AI research and development. The United States already has a project that goes along these lines: Stargate.

Chinas rapid advancement in AI caught the US off guard

The emergence of Chinas DeepSeek as a serious competitor has clearly caught the attention of the US tech industry. Their ability to produce a high-quality AI model thats also more cost-effective to run was surprising. It appears that the US governments efforts to limit Chinas access to American AI chips and technology due to national security concerns have been less effective than expected.

The key takeaway from the hearing seems to be that while the US has a current advantage, maintaining that lead in the global AI race isnt just about technological innovation. It also requires strategic government support in multiple areas. The list includes infrastructure, education, and fostering the widespread international adoption of US AI technology. The race is on, and the finish line is still a ways off.
Crows of people celebrated VE Day on the streets of London. Photograph: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

After nearly six years of hardship, people poured out on the streets in celebration 80 years ago as the second world war in Europe came to an end. However, for many who lost family and friends, the rejoicing was muted.

Here, four people recall their memories and those of their families.

We hear that the bloody war is at last over, thank God for that

Raymond Grace

Captain

In May 1940, five years before the end of the war, 29-year-old Capt Raymond Grace was captured outside Dunkirk after falling off a motorcycle into a drainage ditch. Raymond, born in May 1911 in Sevenoaks, Kent, joined the Buffs, the Royal East Kent regiment, and after his capture was held in four prisoner of war (PoW) camps in Germany. The last one he was in was Stalag VII-A in Moosburg, the largest PoW camp in the country.

The liberation of Moosburg was on 29 April 1945 but the time waiting to be repatriated seemed interminable, said Raymonds son, Chris, who is the co-founder of Welsh television channel S4C and lives in Cardiff.

Chris recalls a story his father told him when Gen George S Patton, commander of the US third army, visited after the camp was liberated. Apparently Gen Patton said to them: Youre free boys! My father said the Americans had brought a doughnut truck and that he and other prisoners would queue for one and race around for another until they were violently ill.

During his time as a prisoner of war, Raymond kept a detailed diary, including his experience on VE Day.

Sunday 6 May

Some brighter news was given out at 6.30pm when a US Colonel reported that evacuation was all laid on and only depended on the weather and number of planes available  Later [10pm]  5,200 of us are to move off tomorrow at 5am!! Oh Boy!

Monday 7 May

Tremendous activity over packing and pandemonium reigns. Hardly slept at all and made a brew of tea  the last in a PoW Camp?  at 3.15am 

At 4.45[pm] we were told that there was not much hope of us getting away tonight, only 70 out of 200 [planes] having turned up 

We hear that the bloody war is at last over, thank God for that.

Tuesday 8 May

At 12.30[pm] got dressed and moved to our plane but as we were doing so, a machine taking off skidded, collided with 3 other planes and crashed finally into a 4th, before then catching fire! All passengers [Americans] got out safely and 2 of the crew [injured] but we didnt hear what happened to the other two.

Safely in the air at 2.50[pm]  Listened to theprime ministers speech at 3pm, using the plane commanders ear phones; am glad to have heard the historic statement that the armistice has been signed.

Finally down at 5.25[pm] on a big landing strip in the middle of nowhere [Reims]  We shambled off towards some tents and from the moment we arrived there, we were magnificently looked after by the US army. A hot meal  the best for five years  a drive of 10 miles for a bath, back for more food and finally to bed at 11.45[pm] on a camp bed in a big tent with only 10 in it. Wonderful organisation and no expense spared.

Two days later, on 10 May 1945, Raymond arrived in Bradfield St George in Suffolk. He was reunited with his wife, Christine, and met his five-year-old son Charles for the first time. Raymond died in 1982 aged 70.

Back in Britain, celebrations for the end of the war were under way with street parties, parades and people gathering at Buckingham Palace hoping to get a glimpse of King George VI and the royal family.

VE Day was enjoyed with perhaps more noise than reason

Kenneth Cohen

Commander and intelligence controller

Cmdr Kenneth Cohen was one of those in the crowd. Born in March 1900, he was in the Royal Navy and joined the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) in 1936-37. His son Colin, from Warwickshire, recalls how his fathers work involved managing Frances intelligence networks and liaising with Charles de Gaulles Free French forces. By the end of the war Kenneth was a controller of western Europe (CWE) with his remit reaching as far as Czechoslovakia. On VE Day he received a message sent to all staff expressing the chief of secret services (CSS) thanks and unbounded admiration for their work.

He was incredibly modest, said retiree Colin of his father who died in 1984. He always played down successes like providing a complete map of the Atlantic wall [the coastal defences used by the Nazis for most of occupied Europe].

In an extract from Kenneths unpublished memoir, he writes about joining the crowds on VE Day:

VE day was enjoyed with perhaps more noise than reason. [Friends] were with me and Carol [Kenneths daughter], Mary [his wife] remaining with Colin, aged 3 months. Eventually we ended up in the vast crowd outside the Palace. The King and Queen appeared on the balcony but the crowd wanted and shouted for Lizzie and Maggie. Suddenly I noticed Diana Bowes-Lyon at my side, (my secretary and their first cousin). What about it? I asked her. Well look harder, and there were the two princesses [in the crowd], with scarves about their heads, enjoying themselves and entirely unrecognised by their sardine-packed neighbours shouting for them at the Palace balcony.

There were so many people

Joanna Burden

Modern foreign languages teacher

Another person outside the palace that day was Joanna Burden who was five-years-old at the time. Born in London in August 1940, her memory of VE Day is one of her earliest. Joanna, who worked as a modern foreign languages teacher and is now 84, remembers how she was scared of the large crowds at first.

I was almost five. We lived in London but we lived in the suburbs. We travelled into the centre of London and we went to stand outside Buckingham Palace because my mum and dad wanted to see the king and queen.

I got very frightened because there were so many people and I was only a little tiny thing. I was standing holding my mummys and daddys hand (I had a hand each) but there were all these people around me and I got really frightened because I thought I was going to be crushed.

So my daddy picked me up and put me on his shoulders. That meant I was above the people so I didnt feel like that [any more] and I had such a lovely view of the thousands of people that were there. They were all singing, shouting and dancing in the street. When the royal family and Winston Churchill came on the balcony everybody cheered and it was really quite exciting.

Joannas son Joel, 53, who works in publishing, said all credit should go to his daughter for interviewing her grandparents . Shes now studying for her A-levels which includes one in history, unsurprisingly!

However, the festivities were not felt by everybody. The allies had won the war but nearly 70 million people died as a direct consequence of the fighting with about two-thirds of them civilians.

I have been extremely apathetic and only wanted to be with you

Peter Willmott

Sergeant

Sgt Peter Willmott, born in December 1915, was in the Royal Air Force (RAF). When he joined, it was discovered that he was colourblind and because of this he wasnt allowed to fly so served as ground crew, helping mend planes. Before the war he trained as a horticulturist and pursued a career in the field later in life. He was 74 when he died in 1990.

His family have a letter he sent to his wife, Blanche, on VE Day describing his apathy to the celebrations. It shows that the dancing in the streets was not a universal reaction, said his daughter Frances Watkins from Oxfordshire.

My darling girl,

I have been very bad over letters I fear. I didnt write after I phoned you because the nearness of VE Day demoralised me and it was no use writing yesterday, because all postal services are cancelled until tonight.

When we got married darling the war seemed as if [it] would go on forever and now the part of it which most concerns us is over, tho [sic] the realisation just cant sink in all at once.

It came so gradually over the last two weeks that nobody here went wild at all. Work was cancelled yesterday at noon and the stand down lasts until tomorrow morning, but we have been strictly confined to a 20 mile radius. Several dances and picture shows have been put on, but the festive spirit was not apparent until late last night and even then was restrained. I have been extremely apathetic myself and only wanted to be with you 

I had thought of going to Bath today, but have scrubbed the idea. I dont want to push about in a milling crowd, I can celebrate more satisfactorily by spending the time quietly and contemplating 

This is not the sort of letter I thought I should write on VE Day, but then human nature is very capricious and things do not come as one imagines they will.

Cheerio for now angel and Ill be seeing you soon which is a wonderful thought.

All my love as ever. Your devoted husband. Peter
The King heard calls for peace to return to Europe as he led the nation in commemorating servicemen and women whose efforts helped end the Second World War 80 years ago.

Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, voiced his concerns about the state of the continent during a service marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, and warned that the good resulting from the conflict to defeat Hitlers regime was under threat.

The King and the Prince of Wales honoured the sacrifices of those who served in the Second World War by laying wreaths at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at the start of the poignant Westminster Abbey service.

A handwritten message signed by Charles in his floral tribute said, We will never forget, while William and Kate signed a hand-penned note left in the princes wreath that read: For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War.

We will remember them.

The Princess of Wales was among royal women, including the Queen, who left floral tributes after the Abbey event at the Innocent Victims Memorial in the church grounds, which recognises civilian victims of war and oppression.

The Princess of Wales lays a wreath at the Innocent Victims Memorial at Westminster Abbey after a service marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Julian Simmonds/The Telegraph)

Some of the nations remaining elderly Second World War veterans were central to the service, with 99-year-old Ken Hay, who served with the 4th Dorset infantry regiment, in his wheelchair by the side of Charles and William as the Abbey observed a national two-minute silence.

The senior royals and other members of the monarchy met some of the veterans in the nave at the end of the service, with William warmly placing his hand on one elderly mans shoulder and Kate crouched down to meet one woman in a wheelchair, holding her hand as she chatted.

With Russias three-year invasion of Ukraine still making headlines, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said in his address: Today, on this 80th anniversary, we give thanks for those whose sacrifice made our victory possible. We pray again for peace in Europe.

The royals met with veterans after the service (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

We salute those who were so committed to the ideas and ideals they fought to uphold, that in the post-war era rebuilt the world to reflect those beliefs.

From the National Health Service to the United Nations itself, we strove to build a world that shows how we belong to one another and have responsibilities to each other across boundaries of class, race and nation.

Those first outpourings of joy on the first VE day led to something good, because in our opposition of what was worst in us, we discovered what was best.

All this good is under threat in our world today.

The Prince and Princess of Wales honoured the sacrifices of those who served (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Europes major nations, including the UK, are planning on stepping up spending on their armed forces in response to the changing world order ushered in by US President Donald Trump.

Russia is seen as a growing threat in eastern Europe and there is economic uncertainty for many nations coming to terms with Americas new tariffs.

The congregation heard Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchills radio broadcast announcing the end of hostilities on May 8 1945, which concluded with the words long live the cause of freedom.

During the service Alexander Churchill, 10, the great-great-grandson of the wartime leader, lit the VE Day candle of peace and in a moving moment six young members of the congregation handed out white roses, carried in wicker baskets, to veterans seated in the nave.

Young people wait to hand out white roses during a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London on the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Aaron Chown/PA)

Second World War artefacts including a childs gas mask, sailors cap and an air raid wardens helmet, representing the armed forces and the Home Front, were processed through the abbey.

The familiar wartime song The White Cliffs Of Dover was sung by Zizi Strallen and the tune Well Meet Again, made famous by forces sweetheart the late Dame Vera Lynn, was heard as the service drew to a close.

Among the guests were the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke of Kent and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who read the lesson.

Service chiefs were sat in the congregation, as were a series of former prime ministers  Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Boris Johnson and David Cameron.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Lady Victoria Starmer lay flowers at the Innocent Victims Memorial, following a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London on the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Peter Kent, a 100-year-old Normandy D-Day veteran from Westminster, shared his memories of the war, having served in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Adventurer.

The centenarian, who was not part of the abbey service but watched events from outside, said: So many young boys got killed, so many dead bodies on the beach  it was just a big waste of life.

It was terrible.

The father of two and former theatre worker said it means a lot to see people still honouring those who served.

We wouldnt have the freedom we have today if it wasnt for those men.
The damage had been done when the BBC published an article which alleged that Gerry Adams had ordered the killing of an informant, the former Sinn Fein leader has told a libel trial.

Mr Adams is suing the BBC over what he called a grievous smear in a broadcast 10 years later that alleged he had sanctioned the killing.

The cross-examination of Mr Adams, 76, concluded on Thursday after seven days of evidence, as part of his defamation case against the broadcaster at the High Court in Dublin.

He claims a BBC Spotlight programme, and an accompanying online story, defamed him by alleging he sanctioned a killing for which he denies any involvement.

Former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson was shot dead in 2006, months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent for 20 years.

In 2009 the Real IRA admitted killing Mr Donaldson, and the Spotlight programme was broadcast in September 2016.

Mr Adams legal team says his reputation as a peacemaker had suffered an unjustified attack because of the broadcast of the BBC programme, and the online article with the headline: Gerry Adams sanctioned Denis Donaldson killing.

He said the allegation was made by an anonymous, unidentified person that we dont even know exists.

Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams makes a phone call in a park near to the High Court in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

On Thursday Mr Adams continued taking questions from Paul Gallagher SC, barrister for the BBC, who said that the report containing the allegation was not the only article those accessing the broadcasters website would see.

Mr Gallagher introduced other articles on the BBC website relating to the killing, including a statement by the Donaldson family that they did not believe the Provisional IRA was involved, which was published two days later, as well as reports published in subsequent years relating to arrests and charges over the murder.

However, Mr Adams said the horse had bolted and the damage had been done as the programme had been broadcast and the article was put online.

While holding up a printed copy of the online article which contained the allegation that he had sanctioned the killing, he asked: Did this remain on the website?

Mr Gallagher told him he was well aware the article did remain online, as it was the matter on which he had based his case.

Mr Adams later added that he had checked the website that morning and the article remained online, adding that it still says he sanctioned the killing.

He said bringing up different articles about the Donaldson case was somewhat subterfuge, as the piece including the original accusation remained online, adding that the headline with the allegation that he had sanctioned the killing was what most people would read.

He added: Why didnt the BBC take this down?

Mr Adams further alleged that the BBC had not mentioned these other emerging details in its response to his solicitor.

Mr Gallagher raised comments that Mr Adams made in a radio interview the day after the broadcast, in which he said journalists were entitled to ask questions and he did not run away from them.

The former Sinn Fein leader replied that journalists have their work to do but there are rules they have to obey, adding: Particularly when theyre a public broadcaster.

The jury were shown a video which was embedded into the article, which shows Mr Adams denying the central allegation.

In the video he says: Its a lie and I totally repudiate it and categorically and specifically deny it.

Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams on Thursday (Brian Lawless/PA)

He goes on to say that the allegation was made by an anonymous self-professed agent of the British state and asked: Whose agenda does that serve?

Mr Gallagher put it to Mr Adams that he had been offered the opportunity to make a statement to the programme in a pre-recorded interview or in a detailed statement.

The former Sinn Fein president said he had answered the question previously when he said he had referred the matter to his solicitors.

The BBCs defence team raised several articles in which allegations of Mr Adams membership of the IRA and its Army Council had been made by several people.

Mr Gallagher put it to Mr Adams that the reason he did not sue other publications over these allegations was because he was a member of those groups.

Judge Alexander Owens intervened before Mr Adams could respond, and said it was not for the jury to decide whether he was a member of the IRA or Army Council.

Mr Gallagher further raised an article written under the pseudonym Brownie, which has been acknowledged by Mr Adams to be a nickname that he has used on occasion.

In the specific article under that name, Double Talk, the author says that they are a member of the IRA.

Mr Adams denied that he wrote Double Talk when it was put to him by Mr Gallagher that he was the author.

He said it was instead written by Richard McAuley, who was present in court, adding that a small group of people had formulated similar pieces.

Mr Gallagher put it to him that the piece involves the author saying they had a wife and young child at the time, which Mr McAuley did not but Mr Adams did.

The barrister said the reason he had not sued other publications was because this article and other matters would be raised in court, but Mr Adams maintained he did not write the piece.

He reiterated that he had not sued publications over those claims as he had been advised he would not get a fair hearing by his lawyers, and that Mr Gallagher should call his solicitor to the witness box.

The BBCs defence said this was seeking to shift focus and deflect from matters that made Mr Adams uncomfortable.

Elsewhere, Mr Gallagher asked Mr Adams if he had ever received requests from constituents to ensure they were not subjected to kneecappings or other punishments.

He said he had received submissions on a whole range of issues and had publicly opposed those punishments, and worked strenuously with senior Sinn Fein official Martin McGuinness to find alternatives to kneecapping.

Mr Gallagher also said that Mr Adams had carried the coffins of prominent IRA members during their funerals.

Mr Adams replied: Youre trying to persuade this jury I had no reputation whatsoever because I attended funerals?

He added: And therefore Spotlight could say whatever they want about me and I would have no redress?

He also said it did not stop Alan McBride, who had family members killed in the Shankill bombing in 1993, of meeting and working with him.

Mr Gallagher said he was raising a reputation about Mr Adams that was referred to in numerous articles.

The BBCs defence team ended its cross-examination of Mr Adams shortly after midday.

After Mr Adams legal team declined an opportunity to re-examine him, Judge Owens posed his own questions.

The judge asked him whether his preference not to get into the politics of condemnation of the activities of the IRA could be taken as approval for those actions.

Mr Adams said that was not the case and that he was trying to go beyond the politics of condemnation and deal with the politics of peacekeeping.

Judge Owens also asked Mr Adams to elaborate on comments he made relating to the Brighton hotel bombing, in which the Provisional IRA targeted then prime minister Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative cabinet in 1984.

Civilians were killed and injured in the attack.

Mr Adams reiterated that he believed the IRA were justified in principle in an armed response to British occupation.

He said he had reservations about civilians being killed but he did think it was a legitimate response by the IRA to what Margaret Thatcher was doing in our country.

However, he said by no stretch of the imagination was there ever unconditional support for the IRA and that there were things that were totally reprehensible and totally wrong.

He said civilian casualties were the responsibility of anyone who put a bomb in a public place.

Asked if he believed if it would have helped the peace process if the IRA had killed the entire British cabinet, Mr Adams said: I dont think its up to me to speculate on, it didnt happen.

But we did succeed in bringing about peace.

He said there were efforts in Ireland over long periods of time by many different republicans and insurgents to kill British politicians, including the murder of Lord Cavendish in Dublin in 1882.

Asked for further reflections on the campaign of violence, Mr Adams added: My big regret is that so many people were killed and particularly civilians.

My abiding regret is that it took so long to get a peace process together.

Later, a lawyer who represented the family of Mr Donaldson at the time of the Spotlight programme said the allegations against Mr Adams in the programme were not raised with the relatives in advance of the broadcast.

Ciaran Shiels said the family did not believe Mr Adams had anything to do with the killing.

The case continues.
The Prince of Wales and King Charles III were joined by D-Day veteran Ken Hay to pay tribute to the fallen during the service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey. (PA/Alamy) (Jordan Pettitt, PA Images)

The four home nations of the United Kingdom are commemorating VE Day, with 2025 marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.

On 8 May 1945, the nation celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day with bells ringing out across the country and people taking to the streets in jubilation, with crowds famously gathering outside Buckingham Palace calling for King George VI.

Today, King Charles and Queen Camilla were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, Sir Keir Starmer, veterans and others at a national service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, with commemorative events also being held elsewhere across the UK.

D-Day veteran Ken Hay arrives for the service at Westminster Abbey. (Pool Photo via AP) (Jordan Pettitt, Associated Press)

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales attended the national service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey. (PA/Alamy) (Aaron Chown, PA Images)

MPs and peers walk in procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey ahead of the service. (PA/Alamy) (Stefan Rousseau, PA Images)

A national two-minute silence was held at midday.

In Westminster Abbey, the King and Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales stood motionless around the grave of the Unknown Warrior in solemn tribute to those who died in the conflict, while the 78 veterans amid the 2,000-strong congregation joined in the moment of reflection.

At the end of the two-minute silence, the King laid a wreath at the black marble Grave of the Unknown Warrior, followed by the Prince of Wales.

The Kings message read simply: We will never forget and was signed Charles R, while William wrote: For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War. We will remember them. The white card was signed both William and Catherine.

The Prince and Princess of Wales and King Charles III and Queen Camilla pictured by the grave of the Unknown Warrior. (PA/Alamy) (Jordan Pettitt, PA Images)

The Prince of Wales lays a wreath at the grave of the Unknown Warrior. (PA/Alamy) (Jordan Pettitt, PA Images)

The Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla during the national service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey. (PA/Alamy) (Jordan Pettitt, PA Images)

After the wreath laying, a moving letter from Lance Corporal Fredrick Burgess to his seven-year-old son Freddie, written while he was serving in Italy just seven months before he died was read out. An excerpt of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchills 1945 victory speech in which he declared the war in Europe was over was also played in the abbey.

Everyday objects evoking memories of the sacrifices made during the Second World War were carried in a poignant procession to the High Altar. Items included a childs gas mask next to the yellowed cardboard box it was kept in, a sailors Navy ratings cap, a set of campaign medals, an air raid wardens battered helmet and a volume of the Book of Civilian War listing all civilians killed across the UK during the war.

Churchills great-great grandson Alexander Churchill, aged 10, later lit the VE Day 80th candle of peace and read a prayer for peace in Europe and across the world, and for the sacrifice of those who have gone before us to be honoured in the defence of liberty, justice and peace.

Artefacts from the Second World War are processed through Westminster Abbey in London during the service of thanksgiving on the 80th anniversary of VE Day. (PA/Alamy) (Aaron Chown, PA Images)

Sir Winston Churchill's great-great-grandson Alexander Churchill, 10, lights the VE Day 80th candle of peace. (PA/Alamy) (Aaron Chown, PA Images)

A Scout distributes white roses to Second World War veterans. (PA/Alamy) (Jordan Pettitt, PA Images)

Delivering his address, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, paid tribute to those whose sacrifice made our victory possible against Hitlers Nazi regime, and said he is praying again for peace in Europe amid Russias three-year invasion of Ukraine.

He also warned that "good" seen then was once again threatened, saying:Those first outpourings of joy on the first VE Day led to something good, because in our opposition of what was worst in us, we discovered what was best. All this good is under threat again in our world today.

Also during the service, Starmer gave a bible reading from Matthew 5 and wartime favourite The White Cliffs Of Dover was sung by Zizi Strallen.

The prime minister and members of the Royal Family then spoke to veterans after the service concluded, and then laid flowers at the Innocent Victims' Memorial.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Lady Victoria Starmer speak to a veteran after VE Day service at Westminster Abbey. (PA/Alamy) (Jordan Pettitt, PA Images)

King Charles speaks to veterans in Westminster Abbey. (Getty Images) (WPA Pool via Getty Images)

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh lay flowers at the Innocent Victims' Memorial. (PA/Alamy) (Aaron Chown, PA Images)

Events were held elsewhere too. In Scotland, the day began with national piper Louise Marshall playing a lament to the fallen at dawn on Portobello Beach in Edinburgh with a service of thanksgiving taking place later at Glasgow Cathedral, with guests including representatives from the military, veterans organisations, emergency services and religious groups.

Northern Ireland has been holding a range of activities including historical talks, parades and services. Belfast's City Hall was lit up in red on Wednesday night to commemorate the fallen, and will be again on Thursday night.

In Wales, a VE Day 80 service took place at Cardiff's Llandaff Cathedral on Wednesday evening, bringing together about 250 people, including veterans and politicians.

Scottish national piper Louise Marshall playing a lament to the fallen at dawn on Portobello Beach in Edinburgh, overlooking the Firth of Forth. (PA/Alamy) (Jane Barlow, PA Images)

Belfast City Hall lit up red for the 80th anniversary of VE Day. (PA/Alamy) (Rebecca Black, PA Images)

Hails Cave and Sharon Robinson dance at Belfast City Hall to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. (PA/Alamy) (Liam McBurney, PA Images)

People across the UK also joined in the national two-minute silence in memory of those who died during the conflict.

In Yorkshire, crowds and veterans gathered at the Cenotaph in Paragon Square, Hull  where German bombing raids during the Second World War left 150,000 homeless and 1,200 people dead.

Meanwhile, staff, passengers and members of the public fell silent at major transport hubs across the country, including Glasgow's Central Station and Birmingham New Street.

A veteran at the Cenotaph on Paragon Square in Hull, at a memorial event hosted by the Royal British Legion to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. (PA/Alamy) (Danny Lawson, PA Images)

People observe a two-minute silence at Glasgow Central Station. (PA/Alamy) (Andrew Milligan, PA Images)

Workers and members of the public at Birmingham New Street Station respect a two-minute silence on VE Day. (British News and Media/Alamy Live News) (British News and Media)

Commemorations were also held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, which was attended by veterans including the 110-year-old Donald Rose, who survived a bullet to the leg during the D-Day Landings.

RAF veterans Kathleen, 101, and Roy Lawrence, 101, who have been married for 74 years, were also at the memorial event.

The Royal British Legion Commemorative Service, hosted by Baroness Floella Benjamin, was due to commence at 4pm on the Naval Review. Prior to the service, the Royal British Legion welcomed eligible veterans and their families to a private VE Day Tea Party.

Second World War veteran Donald Rose, 110, attended a memorial event hosted by the Royal British Legion to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire. (PA/Alamy) (Jacob King, PA Images)

Second World War veterans have their photograph taken at the National Memorial Arboretum, during a memorial event hosted by the Royal British Legion to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, in Alrewas, Staffordshire. (PA/Alamy) (Jacob King, PA Images)

RAF veterans Kathleen, 101, and Roy Lawrence, 101, who have been married for 74 years, at the National Memorial Arboretum. (PA/Alamy) (Jacob King, PA Images)

Other events marking VE Day included Second World War aircraft displayed at the Yorkshire Air Museum and Allied Air Forces Memorial near York and outside St Paul's Cathedral in London.

A series of events were also held throughout the day in central London, including a military band playing in Trafalgar Square.

More commemorative tea parties were also being held across the country, including at Erskine's Veterans Home in Bishopton, Renfrewshire.

Second World War re-enactor Gerallt Wheeler pictured with a Halifax bomber at Yorkshire Air Museum in York, to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. (PA/Alamy) (Danny Lawson, PA Images)

The Band of the 24th Invicta Rifles, entertains the crowd in London's Trafalgar Square. (Alamy Live News) (Matthew Chattle)
Sir Keir Starmer joins Second World War veterans at a tea party in Buckingham Palace

The 80th anniversary of VE day is an extraordinary moment. Its a time to remember a magnificent generation who met the challenge of their day head on.

On days like today it is hard to fully comprehend the scale of the sacrifices made to win the Second World War. Even more so when viewed in a contemporary context  would we be so prepared to do what it takes, to unite around a common cause; to place ourselves at such personal disadvantage to protect the nation we profess to love so much?

We are good at remembering in this country: the ceremonies and services are always world class. However, these events sometimes focus more on words and photoshoots than what the act of remembrance actually means.

If youre a veteran, public figures will look at you affectionately whenever theres a camera. But once you tell them about feeling disadvantaged or hounded by the courts for your service, those same leaders suddenly turn away.

In 2019, I established the Office for Veterans Affairs because we cannot authentically remember their service without showing our respect too. Saying thank you is one thing, but ultimately showing you are thankful is far more important.

And despite the hundreds of service charities and increased spending on veterans since the Office was created, it can still be awful being a veteran in 2025.

Every day I spend half an hour answering emails or messages about people seeking help: from the struggles with the bureaucracy of Veterans UK  the body I tried to reform  to the wildly inconsistent application of the armed forces covenant, which promised no disadvantages for veterans and their families as a result of their service.

My effort to challenge this kind of poor treatment, the Legacy Act, was repealed by this new Government despite it giving veterans of Northern Ireland legal protection from claims that would otherwise follow them to their grave. But hey, at least theyve steered us on a course that may see public money being paid out to Gerry Adams instead.

And nor does it stop there.

Sir Keir Starmer went back on his word about having a dedicated veterans minister in Cabinet  changing the post from junior minister to parliamentary under-secretary of state  despite making that promise to me privately at a Remembrance event in 2023. He also moved the Office from the centre of Government back into the Defence department.

So forgive me if I would rather just sit with the good old boys and girls in my village this weekend and listen to their stories over an ale. Without veterans, this nation doesnt exist. Without people prepared to fight and sacrifice we would not be here. Thats something worth remembering this weekend.
British servicemen on Nato exercise in Romania earlier this year - Vadim Ghirda/AP

British soldiers could be deployed on European Union military missions as the price for joining the blocs 150billion (127billion) rearmament programme, The Telegraph can reveal.

The deployments are set out in a leaked draft of the new defence and security partnership, marked classified and sensitive, obtained by The Telegraph.

It is being negotiated as the centrepiece of a UK-EU summit in London on May 19.

The draft states that the Prime Minister. Sir Keir Starmer, would have to consider sending British servicemen and women on both civilian missions and military operations and missions, upon the invitation of the EU.

Signing up to the deal tabled by Brussels is seen as the first prerequisite for a third country to be able to participate in the EUs Security Action For Europe (Safe) fund.

The rearmament scheme will raise at least 150billion through the EUs budget to buy weapons from manufacturers in participating countries.

The Government wants to join the fund to enable British arms firms, such as BAE Systems, to bid and win contracts from it.

Brussels would likely use Britains implementation of the new defence pact as a bargaining chip for any involvement in Safe.

The latest version of the Safe agreement, seen by the Telegraph, states that third countries must have entered into a security and defence partnership in order to open up eligibility.

The draft EU-UK agreement, drawn up by Kaja Kallas, the EUs top diplomat, sets out areas where the bloc expects Britain to cooperate on foreign policy, defence and security.

It sets out plans for new intelligence sharing mechanisms, coordination of conflict prevention and peace mediation, as well as joint plans to put the UK and EU on a war footing.

Joint efforts on space, emerging threats such as artificial intelligence, fake news, and terror are also included by Brussels.

British troops work alongside Romanians on trench warfare exercise - Paul Grover for The Telegraph

But there are no references to any potential joint efforts to tackle international people smuggling gangs and illegal migration.

There is also no cast-iron guarantee that Britain will be allowed to join the EUs Safe fund once the agreement is signed.

In return for the deal, the UK would have to separately agree a deal of at least three years allowing EU boats to continue fishing in British waters.

The leaked agreement will spark concerns that Sir Keir has surrendered access to UKs coastal waters in exchange for no concrete guarantees.

It will trigger fears that the Prime Minister could allow the country to be smuggled into an EU army through the back door.

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, said on Wednesday that were pleased that we are now negotiating with our friends in Europe, a UK-EU Defence Security Partnership, as he joined his EU counterparts for talks in Poland.

The UK will consider its participation in the EU CSDP civilian missions and military operations and missions, upon the invitation of the EU, the defence deal states on potential troop deployments.

The EU has undertaken more than 40 overseas military and civilian missions under the European Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) banner.

They include a training mission in the Central African Republic and Somalia, as well as a peacekeeping deployment in Bosnia.

Many critics have described the CSDP missions as the precursor to a full-blown EU army.

Brussels also has access to its own battle groups, but has never been able to deploy them because doing so requires a unanimous vote by its member states.

The UK and the EU will explore possibilities for further military cooperation, the proposed defence and security pact adds.

The draft text does not make clear what the possibilities are, but they could include maritime security, military mobility and joint development of weapons systems.

Foreign police aligned with Brussels

The document also aims to largely align Britains foreign policy with Brussels, including on sanctions and respect for international laws.

It cites the UK and EUs close cooperation on support for Ukraine, protecting shipping in the Red Sea and security in the Western Balkans as a building block for future collaboration.

The agreement will effectively lock Britains decision-making inside Nato, G7, G20 and the United Nations to the EU.

Proposals for fighting corruption and illicit financing, as well as climate security and women, peace and security, are also included.

Future cooperation will be shaped at meetings between the Foreign Secretary and Ms Kallas, the EUs de facto foreign minister, every six months.

The Prime Minister could also be invited to European Council meetings dedicated to the topics of defence and security, under the proposed deal.

A British source stressed that the document has not yet been signed and is still subject to negotiations.

A government spokeswoman said: These are EU internal draft texts. No final agreement has been made. We are not providing a running commentary on our discussions with the EU. These are ongoing and cover a wide range of issues.

We have been clear that we will always act in the national interest to secure the best outcomes for the UK.
The research comes as the Maritime province prepares its own assessment. Photograph: Andrew Brookes/Getty Images/Image Source

A new peer-reviewed scientific study has found no evidence of a mystery brain disease in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, suggesting instead a troubling combination of misdiagnosis and misinformation.

The research comes as the Maritime province prepares its own assessment of more than 220 suspected cases in the hope of giving families some answers to a medical mystery that has gripped the region for years.

The report published on Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, known as Jama, is an independent reassessment of 25 cases diagnosed by Moncton-based neurologist Alier Marrero from within the broader sample of 222 patients.

The authors, affiliated with the University of Toronto, New Brunswicks Horizon health network and other Canadian institutions, found that those within the cohort were misdiagnosed and had common neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons, functional neurological disorder, traumatic brain injury and metastatic cancer.

The findings, however, are unlikely to tamp down speculation from families that the report once again ignores their suspicions of environmental contamination in the region.

Health officials in New Brunswick first warned in 2021 that more than 40 residents were suffering from a possible unknown neurological syndrome, with symptoms similar to those of the degenerative brain disorder Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Those cases were referred to Marrero after the initial physicians were initially stumped by the symptoms displayed by their parents. A year later, however, an independent oversight committee created by the province determined that the group of patients had most likely been misdiagnosed and were suffering from known illnesses such as cancer and dementia.

A final report from the committee, which concluded there was no cluster of people suffering from an unknown brain syndrome, signalled the end of the provinces investigation.

But earlier that year, the Guardian reported that a top federal scientist worried there was something real going on in New Brunswick. Another said the investigation was shut down and that caseloads were higher than officially acknowledged. I dont think it is helpful to suggest or point to who or why  suffice to say that we were prepared to marshal both financial and human scientific resources to tackle the mystery, but they were declined, the scientist wrote.

According to a February 2025 letter Marrero wrote to federal and provincial officials, seen by the Guardian, the number of patients suffering from unexplained neurological symptoms has since jumped to 507 across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island Newfoundland, Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. Several are under the age of 45.

The new study found that well-known conditions were identified in all 25 cases, including common neurodegenerative diseases, functional neurological disorder, traumatic brain injury and metastatic cancer, adding that a study of 11 autopsy cases led to the conclusion that a new disease was extremely unlikely, with a probability less than .001.

Patient advocacy groups have rejected the idea of a new mystery illness, instead arguing that the cases are linked by environmental contaminants. But the researchers say they do not believe the patients were made ill by exposure to something in the environment, such as herbicides or heavy metals like mercury.

They determined that misdiagnosis and misinformation become inextricably entwined and amplify harm exponentially, noting that more than half of the people eligible for the study declined to participate.

They also blamed inaccurate clinical assessments and an over-reliance on ancillary testing for perpetuating the idea of a mystery illness and said they found meaningful discrepancies in case histories.

Marrero said in a statement he is in profound disagreement with the study conclusions and has many questions regarding the methods and the content, adding that he was appalled that an investigation with a small number of patients has been conducted without his knowledge.

Susan Holt, the provinces premier, pledged a fresh and thorough investigation after taking office last last year.

I think we need to be doing everything we can to shed some light on this and find a way to stop whats making people sick, she said at the time.

New Brunswicks chief medical officer of health, Dr Yves Leger, said in a statement the Jama study doesnt change his offices intention to complete its own investigation into the 222 cases, which Marrero has officially referred to the province.

Updates will be posted on the provinces new website, and a public report with recommendations is expected in the coming months.
Car manufacturers and UK consumers will be breathing a sigh of relief after Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump struck a US-UK trade agreement, industry bosses have said.

UK car manufacturers, such as Jaguar Land Rover, welcomed the deal, which included lower tariffs for the sector.

Elsewhere, the UKs steel industry said the removal of tariffs on exports will be a major relief.

Today I've secured a deal with the US that boosts British businesses and saves thousands of British jobs. I promised to protect British car makers and save our steel. This deal delivers on that promise. And British workers, families, and firms will feel the benefit. pic.twitter.com/FT79klCMdi  Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 8, 2025

President Trump had previously announced a 27.5% tariff charge on cars but said this will fall to 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles exported to the US.

Meanwhile, a proposed 25% charge on steel has been scrapped entirely.

However, there will still be a blanket 10% tariff on the majority of UK exports to the US.

Last year, the UK exported 59 billion of goods to the US, which made up about 16% of all British exports during the period, according to the ONS.

Manufacturing trade body Make UK said the deal will provide immediate relief to firms across the UK.

Stephen Phipson, chief executive of the group, said: Industry will welcome this announcement which is a recognition that the Government was right not to overreact and pursue a mature, calm and pragmatic approach to negotiations.

This has paid dividends by providing immediate relief to some of our most important and strategic manufacturing sectors which provide many thousands of highly skilled jobs which will now be protected.

UK Steel director general, Gareth Stace, said: This deal will offer major relief to the UK steel sector at a time when it is battling numerous other challenges, not least global overcapacity, high energy costs and weak demand.

The UKs auto industry is also expected to be a major beneficiary of the deal, despite still facing some tariffs.

The Bank of England said earlier on Thursday that nearly 10 billion worth of exports from the car industry could be impacted by US tariff plans.

Adrian Mardell, chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover, said: The car industry is vital to the UKs economic prosperity, sustaining 250,000 jobs.

We warmly welcome this deal which secures greater certainty for our sector and the communities it supports.

UK car exports to the US were due to face a blanket 27.5% tariff (Jamie Lashmar/PA)

Ian Plummer, commercial director of Auto Trader, added: Both consumers and UK car manufacturers will be breathing a sigh of relief at a deal that staves off the worst impact of damaging tariffs on one of our biggest industries, in its biggest single global market.

Weve stepped back from the brink here and we welcome the clarity and certainty this brings.

US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick also said that British-made Rolls-Royce engines would be excluded from tariffs. Shares in the engineering giant jumped 3.7% on Thursday as a result.

Meanwhile, he also said that a UK has agreed to buy 10 billion worth of Boeing planes later today.

Ian Stuart, chief executive of HSBC UK, said: Todays agreement between the US and UK will bring economic benefits to both countries.

The US remains the UKs largest bilateral trading partner and weve seen a 24% increase in the value of trade payments in both directions over the last year.

This agreement will build on that momentum.
The New York police department arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian activists who occupied part of the main library building on Columbia Universitys campus on Wednesday evening, ending an hours-long standoff, roughly one year after student anti-war protests swept the Ivy League school.

Claire Shipman, the universitys acting president, said in a statement that she requested officers from the NYPD to help clear the building, after protesters had refused to leave despite being warned that a failure to comply would result in disciplinary action and possible arrest for trespassing. A spokesperson for the NYPD said officers arrested multiple individuals who refused to disperse.

Related: What is left of our democracy?: freed Palestinian human rights advocate warns of US authoritarian rule

Video posted online by the student activist group Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) showed NYPD officers in riot gear entering the Butler library reading room, as protesters locked arms and chanted: We have nothing to lose but our chains!

The demonstration began hours before, on Wednesday afternoon, when a large group of masked protesters, many wearing the keffiyeh, the traditional black-and-white checkered scarf that has long been a symbol of Palestinian liberation, flooded into Columbias Butler library and took over the main room on the second floor, according to statements and images shared on social media by CUAD.

Renaming the space the Basel Al-Araj Popular University, some activists stood on desks with bullhorns, while others hung a sign that read strike for Gaza and distributed pamphlets calling on the university to divest from funds and businesses that activists say are profiting from Israels invasion of Gaza.

We will not be useless intellectuals, they said in a statement posted online. Palestine is our compass, and we stand strong in the face of violent oppression.

Shipman, who spent the afternoon and evening outside the Butler library, said the university took multiple steps to defuse the situation before authorizing the police. It sent in campus public safety officers, who warned the activists that they would face disciplinary action and possible arrest if they failed to comply. The protesters said they refused to show their IDs and described a physical confrontation between them and the security officers. The university said two public safety officers were injured, while protesters reported being kettled and kept from leaving the building.

At 6pm EST, students received an alert saying the library was closed and the area must be cleared.

Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community, Shipman said in a statement.

In a later statement, Shipman said she walked through the building after it was cleared and saw the reading room defaced and damaged in disturbing ways and with disturbing slogans.

Let me be clear, what happened today, what I witnessed, was utterly unacceptable, she said, emphasizing that the school unequivocally rejects antisemitism and all other forms of harassment and discrimination.

Video shared on social media showed more than a dozen protesters, handcuffed with zip ties, being led out of the building by police officers and loaded on to an NYPD bus. The student-run Columbia Daily Spectator reported that about 75 protesters were arrested.

In an interview with a local NBC affiliate on Wednesday evening, New Yorks mayor, Eric Adams, called the protest unacceptable. In a later statement, the mayor said he had received a written request from the university for police backup.

The New York governor, Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said she was grateful to public safety officials for keeping students safe.

Everyone has the right to peacefully protest. But violence, vandalism or destruction of property are completely unacceptable, she said in a statement.

We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia Universitys library, Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, posted on X on Wednesday night. Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.

Related: Desperate, traumatised people: Gaza faces wave of looting, theft and violence

The standoff comes at a fragile moment for Columbia, as the university faces a crackdown by the Trump administration over its response to student protests against the war in Gaza last spring. The administration has accused the university of failing to protect Jewish students from antisemitism on campus and canceled $400m in federal research funding from the school.

On Tuesday, the university announced a round of layoffs as a result of the cuts. University officials said they were working with the Trump administration in the hopes of getting the funding restored.

Last spring, protesters set up an encampment and seized Hamilton Hall, a campus building, which led to dozens of arrests and inspired similar demonstrations at other universities across the country.

Since then, Columbia has undergone a series of leadership changes. In March, the universitys interim president stepped down after agreeing to nearly all of the Trump administrations sweeping demands  a decision that outraged faculty and critics who said the university had sacrificed its independence and academic freedom.

Among the changes have been a ban on students wearing masks to conceal their identities and a rule that those protesting on campus must present their identification when asked. The school also said it had hired new public safety officers empowered to make arrests on campus.

The protest comes amid renewed tensions at US universities over the war in Gaza. The Trump administration has in recent months launched a sweeping crackdown on student demonstrators involved in last years campus protests, including the recently released Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian green-card holder and Columbia University student who was detained for his activism, and the Columbia University graduate and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested in March and remains in custody.

Robert Mackey and the Associated Press contributed reporting
A 100-year-old D-Day veteran has shared his powerful memories of the war outside Westminster Abbey, as commemorations took place to mark VE Day.

Peter Kent, from Westminster, served in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Adventurer and took part in the Normandy landings.

Now one of the last surviving veterans of D-Day, he told the PA news agency: So many young boys got killed, so many dead bodies on the beach  it was just a big waste of life. It was terrible.

Peter Kent with his son Stephen, 64, on the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Joe Hadden/PA)

The father of two, who worked in theatre after the war, said it means a lot to see people still honouring those who served.

We wouldnt have the freedom we have today if it wasnt for those men, he said.

Peter did not enter the abbey itself, but his son Stephen, 64, said people havent stopped pulling him up asking for his autograph.

Peter also brought along his wartime medals, including Frances prestigious Legion of Honour.

Inside, the VE Day service drew reflections from religious and military leaders.

Leader of the Church of Scotland Shaw Paterson (left) and Lord Lyon King of Arms Joe Morrow outside Westminster Abbey (PA)

Reverend Shaw Paterson, moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said: Just the experience of all thats gone before  it was very moving.

Weve got to remember those who gave so much and sacrificed so much all those years ago.

We must always keep them in mind and keep working for peace.

Lord Lyon King of Arms Joe Morrow, 70, a Royal Navy Reserves chaplain and honorary colonel, described the service as absolutely magnificent.

What I loved about it was a true sense of unity that came across, he said.

Having the King there, the Kings Scouts, it was just so special.

Former air marshal Stewart Atha, who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, struck a more cautionary tone.

This is not a safe world  if you want peace, you prepare for war, he said.

Thats the lesson from the 1930s, we failed to deter Hitler and we need to make sure we dont make the same mistakes again.

Among the congregation was a group of young people determined to challenge assumptions about their generation.

Georgina Heron-Edmends, 19, Henry Hughes, 21, and Sophia Kaur Badhan, 24, from Youth Collaborators, said they were working on a report to influence government strategy.

Ms Badhan said: Theres been some coverage in the media suggesting we arent interested in VE Day  were here to challenge that.

We think its really important and its a privilege to be here.
A parade on Monday in Wageningen, in the Netherlands, which holds its commemoration on 5 May, rather than VE Day on 8 May. Photograph: Piroschka Van De Wouw/Reuters

Solemn ceremonies will be held at war memorials in towns and villages across France on Thursday as the country honours its dead and marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, a public holiday this year, as it is every year.

In Paris, the president, Emmanuel Macron, will lay a wreath at the foot of Charles de Gaulles statue, walk up the Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, rekindle the eternal flame at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, and inspect the troops.

There will be a minutes silence, a rendition of the Marseillaise, a speech from Macron on the values that triumphed in 1945, military bands from six countries, a parade of French armed forces personnel, flags, wartime vehicles, re-enactors and a flypast.

But France is one of surprisingly few European countries to mark VE Day with such ceremony. Some commemorate it more modestly, without a public holiday; others call it something else entirely, or mark it on an altogether different day.

This year, as Donald Trump stretches postwar transatlantic bonds to breaking point and the continents deadliest conflict since 1945 rages on in Ukraine, their differences are a stronger reminder than ever that peace in Europe is recent  and precarious.

The 80th anniversary of the victory of 8 May 1945 implies, more than ever, a double responsibility, the French defence ministry said in a statement this week: To the last surviving witnesses of the war, and to the younger generation.

In 2025, it is more essential than ever before that VE Day commemorations honour the sacrifices of those who fought and suffered  but also transmit their testimonies and their memories to the young people of today, the ministry said.

That ambition is shared by Berlin, which for the first time will make the day a public holiday, as Germany  like the rest of the continent  grapples with the changes eroding the postwar order that made it wealthy, stable and unwaveringly democratic.

Across the capital, which has preserved a landscape of memory of the war and the Holocaust, a series of commemorations, exhibitions, witness accounts, theatre performances, public discussions, film screenings, concerts and guided tours are planned.

Each of the former Nazi concentration camps on German soil, now preserved as memorials, has marked the date of their liberation by allied troops this spring with solemn ceremonies bringing together the dwindling ranks of survivors.

Germanys newly elected chancellor, Friedrich Merz, will attend a remembrance ceremony in a war-damaged Berlin church, a wreath-laying ceremony and the central anniversary event, a parliamentary commemoration in the Reichstag.

Europe has been rocked this year by several uncomfortable new realities. Trumps US no longer appears to share with it the values that have underpinned the transatlantic alliance since 1945. Europe can plainly no longer rely on the US to defend it.

The US peace plan for Ukraine, insofar as it exists, involves talking directly, and often deferentially, to the aggressor, Vladimir Putins Russia, and seemingly adopting many of Moscows talking points. The west, as we knew it, no longer exists, was how Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, put it.

Acknowledging just how fundamentally the continents security environment has altered, Europe is radically increasing defence spending. Macron has set France a target of 3.5% of GDP this year, an increase of 30bn (26bn) a year. Merz has gone further.

Given the threats to freedom and peace on our continent, we must also say about our defence: whatever it takes, he said. The once-frugal conservative secured a big boost to defence and infrastructure spending before he was even leader.

Others are following: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Baltic states and even Moscow-friendly Hungary and Slovakia are among 16 EU states to trigger a budget exemption for significantly higher defence spending.

Understandably, the closer countries are to Russia, the more alarmed they are and the more pressing they consider the problem. Similar differences were apparent after the war, and are reflected in each countrys approach to marking its end.

Related: You feel the huge weight of history: the room where Nazi Germany surrendered

For western Europe, including the UK, VE Day largely heralded the return of liberty and the triumph of democracy, and marked the end of Nazi aggression and occupation, the slaughter of a generation of young men, and the horrors of the Holocaust.

Even so, few commemorate it in the same way or even on the same day. Belgium combines its ceremonies with Armistice Day on 11 November, which marks the end of the first world war. The Netherlands and Denmark celebrate Liberation Day on 5 May. Italy, one of Germanys wartime allies, also marks Liberation Day  victory over Mussolinis puppet government  but on 25 April.

For much of central and eastern Europe, the end of the second world war means something very different: the beginning of life under a communist regime.

Russia itself commemorates VE Day with a huge military parade on 9 May, for the simple reason that when the ceasefire that ended the war came into force at 11.01pm in Berlin on 8 May 1945, it was already the following day in Moscow.

This year, underlining Europes ever-present political faultlines, the Kremlin has said Slovakias Moscow-friendly prime minister, Robert Fico, and Aleksandar Vucic, Serbias ultranationalist president, will attend, despite strong EU criticism. A counter-parade, attended by EU foreign ministers, will be held in Lviv, Ukraine.

Some other former east bloc states, from Belarus to Bosnia and Herzegovina, continue to mark Victory Day on 9 May. Many, however, including Poland, the Czech republic, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, have switched to the eighth since regaining their independence, choosing not to mark the date they fell under Soviet control.

Whatever VE Day means to Europeans on its 80th anniversary, the profound security changes that once more face the continent lend it a particular weight. The German historian Oliver Hilmes was less dramatic than von der Leyen, but made the same point.

Who will protect Europe? he asked. You can certainly say: the anniversary of 8 May 1945 is catching up with us with a vengeance.
Eve Thompson worked as a stage manager for repertory companies before deciding the theatrical life was not for her Photograph: none

My grandmother Eve Thompson, who has died aged 95, was variously a theatre stage manager, a secretary and a nursery nurse  until later in life she became involved in voluntary work and advocacy, particularly in relation to mental health.

After Eves son Ben was diagnosed with schizophrenia in the early 1980s, she volunteered for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship (now Rethink Mental Illness), working with service users, carers and professionals to improve services, establish supported housing and ensure families received the help they needed.

She became its national chair in 1990, a position she held for five years, and was also a trustee. Outspoken about funding shortfalls, in a 1993 article in the Independent newspaper she said: The size of the cheque is the most important thing. You cannot make bricks without straw. There are simply not the cash resources available for what needs to be done.

Eve was born in Birmingham to Ernest Salt, a chartered accountant, and his wife Joan (nee Morgan). She attended Edgbaston high school for girls until, during the second world war, the family moved to Northamptonshire and then Stratford-upon-Avon, where she went to Leamington high school for girls. At 15 she joined the Birmingham repertory theatre school, and the following year travelled to Charleston, South Carolina, on a theatre scholarship.

Later she worked as a stage manager for repertory theatre companies in Yorkshire and the south-west of England, until in 1950 she decided the theatrical life was not for her.

Moving to London in the early 50s, she completed a course at St Godrics secretarial college in Hampstead, north London, before taking on various secretarial jobs, including as secretary to the political cartoonist Vicky (Victor Weisz). After marrying John Thompson, a civil servant, in 1954, she concentrated on raising their young family  they had three children, Katy, Jenny and Ben.

In the early 70s, despairing of finding a nursery place for Ben, who had additional needs, Eve trained to be a nursery nurse at Barnet College in north London, after which she worked for a number of years in a nursery for children with learning difficulties run by the Westminster Society. When she and John moved back to Stratford-upon-Avon in 1981 she retired.

For many years Eve and John had been functioning alcoholics. Matters came to a head in the mid-80s when Eve was hospitalised and then treated at the Woodleigh Beeches alcohol and substance misuse unit, which she credited with saving her life.

Afterwards both she and John remained sober for the rest of their lives. They also became active in Alcoholics Anonymous, supporting others in recovery with practical advice and compassion that drew on their own experiences.

Known for her intelligence, dry wit and determination, Eve retained deep commitments to family and mental health advocacy, as well as a lasting love of the theatre.

John died in 2007 and Ben died in 2016. Eve is survived by her two daughters, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
A former model tearfully told a jury that Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted her when she was 16, calling it the most horrifying thing I ever experienced to that point.

Kaja Sokola, an aspiring actress at the time, told jurors at Weinsteins retrial on Thursday that the onetime film mogul put his hand inside her underwear and made her touch his genitals at a Manhattan apartment in 2002.

Ms Sokola said she saw Weinsteins eyes  black and scary  staring at her in a bathroom mirror as it happened.

Afterwards, she said, he told her to keep quiet about what had happened, touting that he had made the careers of A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow and Penelope Cruz and that he could help her Hollywood dreams come true.

Id never been in a situation like this, Ms Sokola said. I felt stupid and ashamed and like its my fault for putting myself in this position.

Weinstein is not charged with any crime in connection with the alleged assault, which Ms Sokola first detailed in a lawsuit a few years ago. The timing put it outside the statute of limitations for criminal charges.

Ms Sokola is giving evidence because Weinstein is charged with forcibly performing oral sex on her at a Manhattan hotel four years later, around the time of her 20th birthday. Prosecutors say it happened after Weinstein arranged for Ms Sokola to be an extra in the film The Nanny Diaries.

Ms Sokola reported the allegation to authorities a few days into Weinsteins first trial in 2020, but was not a part of that case. Prosecutors added her to the retrial, joining two women who testified in the first case, after his conviction was overturned last year.

Weinstein, now 73, looked down and away from Ms Sokola as she recounted the earlier allegation, pressing his left thumb and index finger against his face.

Harvey Weinstein in court in New York (Steven Hirsch /New York Post via AP)

Ms Sokola said she first met the then-studio boss at a Manhattan restaurant in 2002, three or four days before the alleged assault. During the short chat, she said, Weinstein asked her if she wanted to be an actress.

A few days later, she said, he invited her to lunch  ostensibly to talk about acting  but instead took her to an apartment, where led her into a bedroom and then a bathroom, instructed her to take her top off and assaulted her.

He told me to talk my clothes off and I didnt want to do that. I was panicking, Ms Sokola said.

And then he said that if I want to be an actress, thats what actors do in films, so I should get used to it. If a director says you have to take your clothes off, you have to take your clothes off. I was scared. I was scared of him.

Ms Sokola avoided looking at Weinstein as she walked to the witness box  giving evidence for a second day after detailing on Wednesday her upbringing in Poland, entry into modelling and her professional career as a psychotherapist and author who recently launched a film production company.

She peered briefly at Weinstein when asked on Thursday to point him out in court.

Weinstein has pleaded not guilty and denies sexually assaulting anyone.

His lawyers contend that his accusers consented to sexual encounters with him in hopes of getting film and TV opportunities, and the defence has emphasised that the women stayed in contact with him for a while after the alleged assaults.

The women, meanwhile, say the then-producer used the prospect of show business work to prey on them.

Ms Sokola sued Weinstein after industry whispers about his behaviour towards women became a chorus of public accusations in 2017, fuelling the MeToo movement against sexual misconduct. Prosecutors have said Ms Sokola eventually received 3.5 million dollars (2.6 million) in compensation.

Prosecutors have said they began investigating Ms Sokolas claims in 2020 but set the inquiry aside after Weinstein was convicted. They revived the investigation after New Yorks highest court reversed his conviction.

Weinsteins lawyers fought unsuccessfully to keep Ms Sokola out of the retrial, accusing prosecutors of smuggling an additional charge into the case to try to bolster other accusers credibility.

One of the others, Miriam Haley, gave evidence last week that Weinstein forced oral sex on her in 2006. The third accuser in the case, Jessica Mann, is expected to give evidence later.

The Associated Press generally does not name sexual assault accusers without their permission, which Ms Haley, Ms Mann and Ms Sokola have given.
Pope Leo XIV salutes the excited crowds in St Peters Square after his election on Thursday - Vatican Media/AFP via Getty

Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as the first American pope in history, emerging as a surprise choice on the second day of the conclave, the secretive election held inside the Sistine Chapel.

The Chicago-born cardinal, widely regarded as a progressive in the mould of his predecessor Pope Francis, has taken the name Pope Leo XIV.

Despite receiving congratulations from Donald Trump, he may prove to be a thorn in the side of the US administration.

In February, the then-Cardinal Prevost appeared to be critical of JD Vance when the vice-president cited medieval Catholic theology to justify the Trump governments immigration crackdown.

Mr Vance invoked a concept called ordo amoris, saying it was only right that people should prioritise their families, neighbours and communities over a stranger who lives thousands of miles away.

On the social media platform X, Cardinal Prevost reposted a story by the National Catholic Reporter headlined: JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

Credit: Reuters

In another retweet, he appeared to question the Trump administrations illicit deportation of a US resident of Salvadoran background.

The 69-year-old, who is described as discreet and reserved by his peers, spent more than two decades in Peru as a missionary and even took Peruvian citizenship.

He was only made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023.

But he may be seen as an astute pick by the 133 cardinals who were sequestered inside the Sistine Chapel, and could act as a moral bulwark against the Trump administration.

Appearing on the balcony of St Peters Basilica in front of a huge crowd, Pope Leo XIV declared: Peace be with all of you in his first words as leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics.

Humanity needs Christ as a bridge to be reached by God and his love. Help us, and help each other, build bridges, he told the rapturous crowd.

Speaking in Italian, he told the huge crowd: We can all walk together towards that homeland God has prepared for us. He then switched languages to Spanish to thank his former diocese in Peru.

The excitement of the new Popes election was particularly felt among Americans, delighted a US cardinal had been chosen - Dylan Martinez/Reuters

His election as supreme pontiff came towards the end of the second day of the conclave, with white smoke billowing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at 6.07pm local time, signalling that the cardinals had made their choice for the 267th pope.

The new Pope was elected after four rounds of secret voting by the 133 cardinals eligible to cast a ballot.

He needed at least 89 votes  two thirds of the conclave  to succeed.

As the white smoke poured from the chimney, thousands of people started running towards St Peters Square.

Faithful in St Peters Square participate in the first blessing of Pope Leo XIV - Ivan Romano

Some vaulted metal barriers, others led their children, while priests helped the infirm and the elderly hurry up Via della Conciliazione, the broad avenue that leads from the River Tiber towards the Vatican. The crowds cheered and clapped as the great bells of St Peters Basilica tolled.

The choice of the new Pope caught Vatican-watchers off guard because he had not been among the front-runners.

Thomas Reese, an American Jesuit priest, analyst and the author of Inside the Vatican, told The Telegraph: Its a big surprise. It shows that the Latin American cardinals were united behind him and pushed for his election as pope.

They see him as one of their own because he was a priest and a bishop in Latin America and spent many, many years there. He is not just an American, he is a pope for all of the Americas. He is known as being pastoral, being good at listening. I think he will be in continuity with Pope Francis.

The new Pope waves to the cheering crowds in St Peters Square - Vatican/Francesco Sforza/Reuters

A Vatican insider said: He was not one of the obvious candidates, but he knows everybody, he spent years as a missionary, he has languages. His time in Peru means he is one of the least American of the American cardinals. But he understands America and he can speak to the country, which is important in the Trump era.

However, as with so many Catholic cardinals, there is a black mark against the new Pope for his record on dealing with priests accused of sexual abuse.

In his home city of Chicago, campaigners allege that he failed to warn a Catholic elementary school that a priest who Church leaders determined had abused young boys was living in a nearby monastery.

And one woman in his diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, who said she and two other women were sexually abused by two priests as girls, accused him of mishandling an investigation into the case.

The diocese of Chiclayo said that the cardinal did open an investigation, but it was then closed on the orders of the Vatican.

Victims have claimed that he failed to open an investigation, sent inadequate information to Rome, and that the diocese allowed the priest to continue saying Mass after their complaint, said the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a campaign group.

Cardinal Robert Prevost attended the mass at the start of the conclave on Wednesday - Murad Sezer/Reuters

SNAP called for the new pope to take concrete action on preventing clergy sex abuse, from establishing a universal zero tolerance law for the Catholic Church to setting up a reparations fund for abuse survivors.

World leaders sent their congratulations for his election.

Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honour to realise that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a great honour for our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Last week, the US president earned widespread condemnation from Catholics for recently posting an AI image of himself dressed in papal regalia and joking about running for pope.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, said on Thursday that he hoped for the Popes continued support against Russian aggression.

Ukraine deeply values the Holy Sees consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federations military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians, he said.

At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraines efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace.

Sir Keir Starmer hailed the election of Pope Leo XIV as a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics around the world.

As Pope Franciss papacy showed, the Holy See has a special role to play in bringing people and nations together to address the major issues of our time; especially on climate change, alleviating poverty and promoting peace and justice across the world, the Prime Minister said.

I look forward to meeting the Holy Father and continuing to work closely with the Catholic Church here in the UK and internationally to advance our shared values and the common good.
A former acting chief constable could face misconduct proceedings following an investigation by the police watchdog.

The Independent Office for Police Misconduct (IOPC) said there was evidence Jim Colwell, who was the former acting chief of Devon and Cornwall Police, had potentially breached the forces notifiable associations policy.

Mr Colwell was suspended in November last year for alleged professional standards breaches over claims he used his work mobile phone to exchange messages of a personal nature.

However, the IOPC said Mr Colwell had no case to answer in relation to the allegation of gross misconduct.

Jim Colwell is still under investigation for misconduct (Devon and Cornwall Police/PA)

It also found he did not breach standards in his handling of a force disciplinary matter, but concluded he did have a case to answer for a potential breach of the forces notifiable associations policy.

We found no case to answer in respect of either the alleged use of a work issue mobile phone to exchange personal messages without a policing purpose, or his conduct concerning the handling of a force disciplinary matter, an IOPC spokesman said.

Overall, we found no evidence to determine any gross misconduct, or any breach of professional standards for honesty and integrity.

We did decide, the now deputy chief constable has a case to answer for misconduct in respect of a potential breach of the forces notifiable associations policy.

In our opinion there was sufficient evidence upon which a reasonable misconduct tribunal could find that his actions breached standards of professional behaviour for order and instructions, and conduct.

It will be for a future misconduct meeting, arranged by the chief constable of Essex Police as the delegated appropriate authority, to determine whether misconduct is proven and any outcome.

Mr Colwell was suspended by the Devon and Cornwall police and crime commissioner, Alison Hernandez, and made a mandatory referral to the IOPC.

He had been leading the force in the absence of Chief Constable Will Kerr who had been suspended over allegations of sexual offences.

Last month, prosecutors in Northern Ireland said Mr Kerr would not be prosecuted.

He remains suspended by Devon and Cornwall pending the outcome of a resumed IOPC investigation.

The force is currently being led by interim Chief Constable James Vaughan.
Greens leader Adam Bandt has lost his seat to Labors Sarah Witty after 15 years as MP for Melbourne. Photograph: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, has conceded defeat in his electorate of Melbourne, saying he fell just short of holding the seat.

A short time ago I called the Labor candidate for Melbourne, Sarah Witty, to concede, to congratulate her and to wish her all the best as the next member for Melbourne, Bandt said in a statement.

The Greens got the highest vote in Melbourne, but One Nation and Liberal preferences will get Labor over the line. To win in Melbourne we needed to overcome Liberal, Labor and One Nation combined, and its an Everest weve climbed a few times now, but this time we fell just short.

In a press conference in Melbourne, Bandt took no questions from reporters, but implored media to report on climate change more seriously, and rebuffed criticisms that the Greens hadnt spoken enough about environmental issues.

Related: The Greens identity crisis: where to now for a party built on protesting against the status quo? | Paul Williams

We are in a climate crisis. I really want the media to stop reporting on climate as a political issue and start thinking about it as if our country is being invaded, Bandt said.

You should treat the climate crisis as if there is a war on.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Australian Electoral Commissions official online results put Labors Witty ahead with 53% of the two-party vote, compared to 47% for Bandt, with 80% of ballots counted. Witty leads Bandt by more than 3,800 votes, an 8.6% swing against the sitting member.

While several media outlets and polling experts had called the seat for Labor on Wednesday afternoon, including the ABCs Antony Green, the Greens had not conceded defeat. As late as Thursday morning, the deputy leader, Mehreen Faruqi, said the party was still waiting for absentee ballots and others to be counted.

In a statement on social media, Witty thanked Bandt for his service and wished him well for the future.

Theres a lot to do including to strengthen Medicare, slash HECS, and build more renewable energy, and I cant wait to be part of a Labor team that delivers for our community, she said.

Bandt said in his statement that the Greens would meet next week to discuss the new party leadership. Greens MPs and senators had been reluctant to talk about a future leader but Faruqi and the South Australian senator Sarah Hanson-Young are considered potential frontrunners.

I want to thank the Melbourne community for regularly giving me the highest vote, including this election, and to thank you for the last 15 years and the chance to do some amazing things together, Bandt said.

Bandts statement said there were now a large number of purple MPs across the country: seats where the Labor MP is only elected on Liberal preferences and the Greens are the opposition.

The Greens have conceded defeat in two other seats, Brisbane and Griffith, while the Ryan MP, Elizabeth Watson-Brown, looks likely to hang on to her Queensland seat.

Bandt claimed media had not paid climate change enough attention, saying the Greens had regularly campaigned for no new coal and gas mines, and tried to draw focus to rising temperatures. Bandt noted that temperatures in Melbourne, where he was speaking from, were unseasonably warm. He added that he was optimistic about the future direction of the party, despite their electoral defeats.

The climate crisis is only going to get worse unless we tackle it, he said.

This movement of ours, that I am so incredibly proud to have been a part of, is only going to get bigger and bigger and bigger as we make sure that everyone in this beautiful country and this beautiful planet of ours has a safe place to live and everything they need to live a good life.

Despite their numbers in the lower house being slashed, the party has pointed to its share of the national vote holding up against previous elections, and Senate results shifting that will likely deliver the Greens the sole balance of power in the upper house.

Speaking to Sky News on Thursday, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, dismissed the Greens spin, claiming its pretty hard to see that they have a reason for any joy arising out of this election.

The Greens political party, I think, lost their way during the last term. They held up important legislation, he said.

Related: What happens when Greens get the blues? | Fiona Katauskas

How do you hold up legislation to have more public housing, to have emergency accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence? That was held up for month after month after month. How do you hold up environmental protections as well?

Bandt had held the seat of Melbourne since 2010, winning five consecutive federal elections. He won what turned out to be a high-water mark primary vote of 49.6% at the 2022 federal election, increasing his popularity by 0.3 percentage points from 2019.

The former party leader told ABC 7.30 on Thursday evening that it was obviously not the outcome that I wanted to lose his seat, but pinned his loss on changed boundaries to Melbourne, a dip in the primary vote and preferences.

It is the case that even though we got the highest vote, it will be One Nation and Liberal preferences that do get Labor over the line, he reiterated.

Asked whether he regretted the Greens blocking policies on housing and the establishment of an environmental protection agency, Bandt said his party had secured an extra $3.5bn for public and community housing.

I do wish wed been able to get the government to the point of not opening new coal and gas mines, but I think these crises, like the climate crisis, the housing crisis, the inequality crisis, theyre only going to get worse unless the government acts, he said.
Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St Peters Basilica after his election - TIZIANA FABI

Plumes of white smoke have poured from the Sistine Chapel, announcing to the world that 133 cardinals have selected a new pope and he has accepted.

Robert Prevost has been named the newly elected pontiff and taken supreme authority over the Catholic Church.

He has chosen the papal name Leo XIV.

What happens next?

A solemn ceremony to formally inaugurate the new Pope typically takes place a few days after his election.

In the past, the pontiff was invested with a papal tiara, a crown symbolising their authority, but this was stopped by Pope Paul VI in the 1960s.

Nowadays, the ceremony is a more pared-down affair, with the pope wearing a bishops mitre, a two-shield-shaped headdress.

The senior cardinal deacon presents the pallium, a woollen cloak symbolising the popes authority, along with the Fishermans Ring, a gold signet ring stamped with an image of Saint Peter, who was a fisherman and is traditionally believed to be the first pope.

Does each pope get a new ring?

The ring is forged anew for each pope and has been part of the papal regalia since the 13th century. It will be ceremonially destroyed upon his death.

This is a key moment for the pope to make his first real speech and articulate the themes that will be the centre of his papacy, said Mathew Schmalz, a professor of Catholic studies at Holy Cross University.

He will greet the cardinals, who will kiss his ring, with some also embracing him.

[It is] an important ritual that is used to symbolise he is owed obedience not only by cardinals but all rank-and-file Catholics around the world, said Prof Schmalz.

Why does his first mass matter?

An inauguration mass is then held at St Peters Square.

What everyone will be watching is the new public interactions the new pope will have  will he be shy and reserved like Pope Benedict XVI or open and get close to the people like Pope Francis? said Prof Schmalz.

How will he handle the public spectacle, interact with the crowd ... Will we see the Popemobile, or will he do the rounds on foot?

What happens after the pope is inaugurated?

Pope Leo XIV will then step into his role as the leader of 1.41 billion Catholics around the world. His next big decision will be where to make his first trip outside of Rome.

This will be an early defining moment for the new pontiff, said Prof Schmalz, signalling to the world how he intends to connect with the global community  and how he will position himself in relation to Franciss reforms.

Pope Francis chose to first meet migrants on the Italian island of Lampedusa, to pray for those lost at sea, setting the tone for the rest of his papacy, during which he championed marginalised people in society.

What happened before the balcony appearance?

Pope Leo was taken into a side room known as the Stanza delle Lacrime (Room of Tears) and asked to choose his attire.

He changed into the white vestments of the papacy, which had been prepared by Romes best tailors in three sizes.

Pope Benedict XVI chose to wear the full regalia, including a gold cross and crimson cape and red papal shoes. However, Pope Francis opted for a more humble appearance, wearing simple white robes and a zucchetto (skullcap) with black shoes.

It is the first clue into whether he will continue on with Franciss legacy or not, Prof Schmalz said.

The pope was announced to the world from the loggia of St Peters Basilica with the Latin words, Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus papam! (I announce to you a great joy. We have a pope!) and his chosen papal name was revealed.

The 267th pope then appeared before the crowd to give his first blessing as pontiff before retiring to the Vatican.
Iran has categorically denied any involvement after reports said the Israeli embassy in London was the alleged target of five Iranian men arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.

The men were arrested at locations across England on Saturday after a suspected plot to target a single premises was uncovered, the Metropolitan Police said.

The embassy in Kensington, west London, is understood to have been the suspected target of the alleged plot, according to The Times and other press outlets, but police declined to share further details.

In a post on X, Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said: Iran in no uncertain terms categorically rejects any involvement in such actions and confirms that we have not been informed of any allegations via proper diplomatic channels.

Iran has urged the UK to engage so that we may assist any probe into credible allegations. Timing and lack of engagement suggest that something is amiss.

Mr Araghchi said there had been a history of third parties bent on derailing diplomacy and provoking escalation resorting to desperate measures, including false flag operations.

Iran stands ready to engage to shed light on what has truly transpired, and we reiterate that UK authorities should afford our citizens due process, he said.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Mets counter-terrorism command, said: There are significant operational reasons why we cannot provide further information at this time.

As soon as possible we will look to share further details and in the meantime we would ask the public to remain vigilant and contact us if you have any concerns.

The Israeli embassy has been approached for comment.

The five arrested were a 29-year-old man in the Swindon area, a 46-year-old man in west London, a 29-year-old man in the Stockport area, a 40-year-old man in the Rochdale area and a 24-year-old man in the Manchester area.

The first four men were arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, and the fifth was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

Warrants of further detention were secured on Monday for four of the men, with the 24-year-old released on bail with conditions to a date in May.

We are seeing stories in the media that Iranian nationals are allegedly involved in a supposed plot to target the Israeli embassy in London. Iran in no uncertain terms categorically rejects any involvement in such actions and confirms that we have not been informed of any  Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 7, 2025

Another three Iranian men were arrested on Saturday at three addresses in London as part of a separate counter-terrorism operation under section 27 of the National Security Act 2023.

Security minister Dan Jarvis told the Commons on Tuesday the two operations that took place were some of the largest counter state threats and counter-terrorism actions we have seen in recent times.

Iran was the first foreign power to be listed on the top level of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs) earlier this year, aimed at protecting the UK from malign foreign influence.

It means anyone who is directed by the regime to carry out activities in the UK must declare it or face five years in prison once the scheme comes into force in July.

In October last year, the head of MI5, Ken McCallum, said authorities had stopped 20 state-backed plots hatched by Iran in the UK since 2022.
John Swinney speaks in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday - Ken Jack/Getty

John Swinney has disclosed he will vote against legislation next week to allow assisted dying in Scotland, warning that the move would fundamentally alter the relationship between doctors and patients.

The First Minister said the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill risked undermining the role of medics in protecting and enhancing human life.

He expressed concerns that vulnerable people could come under pressure to end their own lives, and the Bills provisions could expand over time, leading to an increasing number of assisted deaths.

Speaking ahead of next Tuesdays key vote, Mr Swinney disclosed that his Christian faith and his wife, who has multiple sclerosis, had also played a role in his decision.

He said his wife, Elizabeth, had a terminal illness, but he could not contemplate having a conversation with her about whether she should seek an assisted death.

His intervention came ahead of a free vote on the legislation at Holyrood, meaning MSPs will not be whipped along party lines and can vote with their consciences.

Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur tabled the Bill - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

Sources close to Liam McArthur, the Liberal Democrat MSP who tabled the Bill, expressed confidence there was enough support in the Holyrood chamber for it to pass this first parliamentary hurdle.

They said several MSPs would support the legislation in the first vote, so the debate over assisted dying could continue and to see what amendments are made at the next stage.

A final vote would then be held on whether the amended Bill should become law.

Separate legislation introducing assisted dying in England and Wales has been tabled in the Commons by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater.

Two previous attempts at Holyrood to change the law on the issue were decisively defeated, with Mr Swinney voting against on both occasions.

Mr McArthurs Bill would would give mentally competent people over 16 who have been diagnosed with a terminal condition the right to end their life. Safeguards would include independent assessments by two doctors and a 14-day cooling off period.

The First Minister said it was a much better Bill than its predecessors and he had found the judgment about whether to support it incredibly difficult.

But he said he would vote against it next week, arguing: There is a real danger of undermining the role we all believe is effectively performed by medical professionals of protecting and enhancing human life.

If any possibility or indeed obligation is applied to medical professionals to advise patients about assisted dying, I judge that the relationship between doctor and patient would be changed in an irrevocable and detrimental fashion.

He said he was concerned that vulnerable Scots who may consider themselves a burden to their families or the state  may feel undue pressure to end their life prematurely.

Mr Swinney also warned there could be court cases that could see the provisions of the Bill extended to take in other, broader circumstances that would extend the intentions of Parliament.

He said the accounts of constituents of how loved ones had suffered terribly at the end of their lives had weighed heavily on me.

But he said he had concluded that his duty as First Minister was to ensure people are given the best possible palliative care to alleviate that suffering.

Mr Swinney said he had discussed his decision to vote against the legislation with his wife, saying: I couldnt contemplate having a conversation about the question of assisted dying with my wife, knowing the health challenges that she faces and the fact that, as you all know, she has a terminal illness. I could not contemplate that conversation.

Asked if his Christianity had influenced his decision, he said: I cant disassociate my faith from who I am... I believe ultimately that we are all created equal in the likeness of God. So that does weigh as part of my judgement.

However, he said he had acted as a parliamentarian in assessing the legislation and acknowledged that I have only one vote, the same as every other MSP in the chamber.

Mr Swinney said he would also look again at the legislation if amendments were made to see if they made it easier to support.

Mr McArthur said he had always been aware that I was unlikely to win Mr Swinneys backing, but thanked him for his backing. He urged other MSPs to listen to the voices of terminally ill Scots desperate for more choice, control and dignity.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of the Care Not Killing campaign group, said: We welcome the announcement and his opposition and, having been open-minded at the start of the process, the FM sees the dangers of the proposals.

John Lamont, a Scottish Tory MP, said: Clearly there isnt a lot I agree with the First Minister on, but Im pleased that on this we see eye to eye. Hes right to say that the McArthur Bill will put the most vulnerable at risk and would profoundly change the relationship between the doctor and the patient.
What are the key points of the UK-US trade deal?

The UK and US have agreed a trade deal which will eliminate a series of tariffs which had begun to have an impact on British businesses.

The deal is the first such agreement struck by the US since Donald Trump came to power, and offers the UK a reprieve from tariffs on cars and the steel industry, in exchange for greater access by American agriculture to British markets.

Here the PA news agency outlines some of the key points of the deal.

 Steel and aluminium tariffs

The US has removed the 25% tariff rate on UK steel and aluminium exports, reducing the trade barrier for these goods to zero.

(PA Graphics)

The agreement will offer a reprieve to Britains steel industry, which only weeks ago was on the verge of collapse.

 Car tariffs

Meanwhile, American tariffs on British cars fall to 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles exported to the US.

Mr Trump had set the tariff rate on car exports to the US at 27.5%.

British car makers were also understood to have been intensely worried about the impact tariffs on their industry would have had if left unchecked.

 Other tariffs

A 10% baseline tariff on most goods, described by Mr Trump as a reciprocal tariff, remains in place.

American tariffs on British cars will fall to 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles exported to the US (David Jones/PA)

Sir Keir Starmer said the US and UK were hammering out further details to reduce barriers to trade on other areas impacted by tariffs.

Talks over lowering the reciprocal tariffs are understood to be ongoing, but there is no deadline on how long they may continue.

The UK will also get preferential treatment in any further tariffs Mr Trump announces on national security grounds as part of his drive to protect US business.

 Pharmaceuticals

Although British pharmaceuticals are not subject to tariffs from the US, Mr Trump has mulled over the idea of imposing trade levies on global imports from the industry.

The UK will now have preferential treatment whatever happens in the future when it comes to pharmaceuticals, Sir Keir has said, suggesting that the UK sector could be safeguarded against future tariffs.

 Agriculture

Both the US and UKs agriculture sectors will gain new access to one anothers markets under the deal.

The trade agreement was confirmed in a call between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US president Donald Trump (Alberto Pezzali/PA)

UK beef farmers will be allowed access to the US market for the first time, joining a group of select countries such as Australia which currently have a similar arrangement.

British farmers have been given a tariff-free quota for 13,000 metric tonnes.

US farmers will in turn be granted new access to the UK, but Sir Keir insisted the Government had stuck to its red lines on farming standards.

A tariff on ethanol coming into the UK from the US, which is used to produce beer, will be removed.

 What is not in the deal

There is nothing in the deal on US access to the NHS, or concessions on a 2% tax on US big tech companies.

US president Donald Trump gets a reaction from UK ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson as they take questions from the media in the Oval Office (Evan Vucci/AP)

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told reporters: Just to be absolutely clear about what is not in this agreement. There is nothing in this agreement in relation to online harms or the Online Safety Act. Theres nothing in this agreement in relation to digital services tax. Nothing in the agreement in relation to the NHS.

 The politics

Sir Keir appears to have proven wrong his political opponents who called for him to take a harder stance with the US president.

I know people along the way were urging me to walk away, to descend in a different kind of relationship. We didnt. We did the hard yards. We stayed in the room. Im really pleased to say to the workforce here and through them to the country, how important I think this deal is, he said following the deal.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey was among those who called for a more muscular approach with the US president.
The King has called for a global commitment to restoring peace as he paid tribute to the service and sacrifice of the wartime generation on the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Charles described the allied victory as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when countries stand together in the face of tyranny.

He took to the Union flag-coloured stage during a celebratory concert  the finale of four days of VE Day commemorations  at Londons Horse Guards Parade on Thursday evening.

Echoing his grandfather, Charles delivered his address at 9pm  the exact time King George VI spoke to the nation in a radio broadcast on May 8 1945 to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe.

In a lighter moment, the King joked to the concert-goers that he did not have the energy to lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace.

Veteran Harry Richardson with the King and Queen during the concert (Chris Jackson/PA)

Reading an extract from his late mother Queen Elizabeth IIs personal diary about how she famously celebrated and danced incognito among the crowds in London on VE Day as a teenage princess, Charles said: Out in the crowd again. Embankment, Piccadilly. Rained, so fewer people. Conga-ed into House. Sang till 2am. Bed at 3am!

He quipped, prompting laughter from the 12,000-strong audience: I do hope your celebrations tonight are almost as joyful, although I rather doubt I shall have the energy to sing until 2am, let alone lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace.

The Prince and Princess of Wales at the finale of the VE Day 80 celebrations (Chris Jackson/PA)

His remarks brought smiles from the Prince and Princess of Wales who stood watching from the royal box, joined by Queen Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Stars such as Freya Ridings, Fleur East, Strictly dancers Amy Dowden, Carlos Gu and Kai Widdrington, The Darkness and actor Brian Cox were among the performers at the VE Day: A Celebration To Remember event, televised live on the BBC.

Pubs were given permission to stay open for two extra hours, until 1am on Friday, in recognition of the anniversary.

The celebrations followed poignant commemorations earlier in the day, with a national two-minute silence in honour of the war dead and thanksgiving services held across the country.

The Queen was seated next to Mavis Bensley, an evacuee during the war, and the King next to Harry Richardson, a 107-year-old former Second World War bomber pilot  among the six veterans who were the guests of honour in the royal box.

Revellers wore patriotic hats and suits and waved flags from their seats on the parade ground.

The Queen and Mavis Bensley wave flags during the concert (Chris Jackson/PA)

Camilla wore a Britannia brooch, featuring the Union flag, which belonged to Elizabeth II, on her navy embroidered Anna Valentine coat, while Kate, with her hair half up, half down and pinned with a large, black velvet bow, was dressed in a white boucle jacket and Self Portrait dress, and a five-strand pearl necklace.

The King referenced his grandfathers historic message as he delivered his own speech.

It is now 80 years since my grandfather, King George VI, announced to the nation and the Commonwealth that the dreadful shadow of war has passed from our hearths and our homes. The liberation of Europe was secured, Charles said.

A view of the stage during the concert (Gareth Fuller/PA)

His words echo down through history as all this week, and especially today, we unite to celebrate and remember with an unwavering and heartfelt gratitude, the service and sacrifice of the wartime generation who made that hard-fought victory possible.

While our greatest debt is owed to all those who paid the ultimate price, we should never forget how the war changed the lives of virtually everyone.

He said of those in the armed forces, the Home Front and beyond: That debt can never truly be repaid; but we can, and we will, remember them.

The King delivering his speech (Chris Jackson/PA)

With Russias three-year invasion of Ukraine continuing, the King also turned to the need to restore a just peace.

We should also rededicate ourselves not only to the cause of freedom but to renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict, he said.

For as my grandfather put it: We shall have failed, and the blood of our dearest will have flowed in vain, if the victory which they died to win does not lead to a lasting peace, founded on justice and established in good will.

Fleur East performs as part of the show (Chris Jackson/PA)

The King added of the wartime generation: It falls to us to protect and continue their precious legacy  so that one day hence, generations yet unborn may say of us: they too bequeathed a better world.

He spoke of the allied victory as a result of unity between nations, races, religions and ideologies, fighting back against an existential threat to humanity.

The King added: Their collective endeavour remains a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when countries stand together in the face of tyranny.

Charles had listened earlier in Westminster Abbey as the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell voiced his concerns about Europe, and warned that the good resulting from the conflict to defeat Hitlers regime was under threat.

The royal family at the service in Westminster Abbey (Aaron Chown/PA)

With dwindling numbers of veterans, the King said it was our duty to carry their stories forward, to ensure their experiences are never to be forgotten.

At noon, Charles had led the two-minute silence and placed a wreath with the words We will never forget at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at a service of thanksgiving in the abbey.

A childs tiny gas mask and an air raid wardens helmet were among the everyday wartime objects processed to the altar in memory of the sacrifices made during the devastating six-year conflict.

A childs gas mask and box is carried to the High Altar in Westminster Abbey (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Seventy-eight veterans, now in their 90s or past the age of 100, gathered to bear witness and were handed white roses as the great-great-grandson of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, 10-year-old Alexander Churchill, lit a candle of peace.

Kate and Camilla left posies at the Innocent Victims Memorial as they left the church.
A man accused of murdering his wife claimed that he has hidden in their attic while her family visited after he was physically attacked by her, a court has heard.

The trial of Richard Satchwell, who is accused of the murder of his wife Tina, heard claims that Mrs Satchwell threw plates and a knife, and would bite her husband when she became violent towards him.

The jury have been shown footage from his interview with Irish police following his arrest in October 2023.

Tina Satchwell was 45 when she was last seen in 2017 (Family Handout/PA)

Satchwell, 58, from Grattan Street in Youghal, is accused of murdering Mrs Satchwell at their home between March 19 and 20 2017.

Satchwell, originally from Leicester, in England, denies murder.

The Central Criminal Court in Dublin heard that while police were carrying out a search of the couples home, he was being interviewed at Cobh Garda Station in south Cork.

During the lengthy interview, Satchwell was asked about violence in the relationship.

He said that his wife attacked him a few hundred times throughout their 30-year relationship.

He clicked his fingers as he described how Mrs Satchwell would go from calm to being violent, saying that there was not much in between.

She was either happy or sad, he said.

He said that on the night before she disappeared, his wife cried in my arms and on Monday she was gone.

He said they were either tears or depression, or his wife trying to leave their 30-year-old relationship.

I dont know what is going on in her head, he said.

Members of the Garda forensics at the scene in Youghal, Co Cork, close to where Tina Satchwells remains were discovered (Brian Lawless/PA)

Satchwell was asked by the garda to outline incidents in detail when she would become violent towards him.

He claimed that his wife would hit him, throw a plate at him, throw a knife, that she would bite him and then calm down and there would be tears and she would apologise.

Did I hit her back? No, he added.

He said their last argument was in either December 2016 or January 2017, when she threw a lamp at him. He told officers that there was a dent on his temple from the injury.

Satchwell said that he never admitted being hit by his wife.

Asked again for specific incidents, he said that she could fly off the handle.

He said that over their 30-year relationship, they had a few hundred fights where she became physical.

There were times, he said, that he hid in their attic when her family visited, and that he took time off work as he could not go in because of bruising.

He claimed that her hands were black from bruises after repeatedly hitting him.

Satchwell said the worst incident occurred in either 1994 or 1995 when he was so badly beaten that he overdosed.

Richard Satchwell (centre) arriving at the District Court in Cashel, Co Tipperary, after being charged in connection with the murder of his wife Tina Satchwell (Brian Lawless/PA)

He told officers they were bad memories that he tried to leave behind.

Asked again for specific details of how he was attacked, he said: Tina is a beautiful woman and has a heart of gold and yes, she hurt me physically and mentally but I cant say on June 1, 1996 she did this.

I suffered in silence, he added.

He claimed the violence in their relationship began before they got married.

Earlier, the court heard that Satchwell sold his wifes shoes in the weeks after her death, and told people at car boot sales that she was very ill in England.

The trial heard that Satchwell was selling her belongings at various car boot sales in Co Cork to pay for repair work to their house.

The trial also heard that Satchwell had offered to give away a chest freezer on a buyers and sellers website, saying it just needed a clean.

It is the prosecutions case that Satchwell kept her remains inside the chest freezer for a number of days before burying her under the stairs in their sitting room.

Giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, Linda Hennessy, who regularly attended car boot sales, said she got to know the couple over the years.

She told the court that the couple would always sell Mrs Satchwells clothes, and that Satchwell would look after their stall while his wife would go around and buy from other stalls.

Flowers and messages left near to the scene in Youghal, Co Cork, where Tina Satchwells remains were found (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ms Hennessy said that she met Satchwell at a car boot sale in late March 2017.

She told the court that she went to his stall, where there were two or three people standing around, and asked where Mrs Satchwell was.

He put his head down and I waited until people went. I said is Tina all right, she told the court.

Asked for his response, she said: He said no she is not. She is very sick in hospital.

She was told by Satchwell that his wife was in England and that she became sick from dry rot in the walls in their home, and has a terrible infection.

I looked at him and said, right, how come you didnt get it? He looked down.

Mother and daughter Mary and Julie Crowley said they met the couple at a car boot sale in late 2016.

They said they often attended car boot sales around north Cork, including in Blarney and Castletownroche.

She said she had passed the Satchwells stall, which had clothes and bags.

Mrs Satchwell was sitting in the car with her partner and she got out to speak to Julie Crowley.

Gardai at the property in Youghal (Niall Carson/PA)

Ms Crowley said she was wearing a pair of Dr Martens boots, which Mrs Satchwell admired and asked where she had bought them.

Ms Crowley said that Ms Satchwell was wearing sunglasses and had her hair tied back. She had bought a waistcoat from Mrs Satchwell on that occasion.

She told the court that at Easter 2017, she and her mother were at a car boot sale in Blarney when they saw Satchwell.

She noticed that he was selling about six pairs of Dr Martens boots, some of which were in their original box.

They approached him and he spoke to Mary Crowley, who told the court that she thought the shoes probably belonged to Mrs Satchwell.

At the boot sale Mary Crowley asked Satchwell about his wife and was told that she had developed a serious respiratory infection after moving in to a house which had been empty for some 12 years.

He claimed the house had issues including mould and required serious structural work.

Satchwell told Mrs Crowley that his wife was very sick in England and that when she went to the doctors, she was told she was lucky she went when she did as it could have been much worse.

He claimed he was selling her belongs to pay for repair work as they had to hire workers to deal with the mould issues.

Mary Crowley asked what Mrs Satchwell would think about him selling all her clothes, and Satchwell told her that he was instructed by her to sell the items.

Richard Satchwell (second right) leaves the District Court in Cashel, Co Tipperary, after being charged in connection with the murder of his wife Tina Satchwell (Brian Lawless/PA)

Julie Crowley said she bought a pair of black Dr Martens boots with red roses for 70 euros.

On a separate occasion, on the May Bank Holiday, they met him at a different car boot sale, where he was selling boots.

Mary Crowley told the court that she asked him about his wife, and was told the same story about the respiratory illness, from which she was still recovering.

Car boot sale seller Sarah Owens told the court that in May 2017, she went to Satchwells stall and saw he was selling womens clothing, make-up and accessories.

She said most were new and in good condition.

She told the court that Satchwell claimed he had moved into a house which had mould and that his wife had become sick and was in England for treatment.

He told her she was OK, but would have lasting issues and would not be 100% better.

He said she lost a lot of weight and told me her weight but I cant remember, she added.

Gerard Carey told the court he got to know Mrs Satchwell after attending various car boot sales in the Cork area.

He described her as a very outgoing and a bubbly person, who was always in good form, adding that she would always dress well.

Members of the Garda forensics at the scene in Youghal, Co Cork (Brian Lawless/PA)

On April 17 he attended a car boot sale in Blarney, where he he met Satchwell.

He asked where Mrs Satchwell was and was told she was very ill and had gone to her sisters house in England.

Asked if he said anything specific about her prognosis, he claimed that Satchwell said she was so ill she would not attend car boot sales any more.

However, defence barrister Brendan Grehan said that in his 2017 statement to police, he claimed that Satchwell told him that Mrs Satchwell would attend but would not be the same again.

Sergeant Ciaran Crowley, who was based at Midleton Garda Station in 2017, made inquiries on the website Done Deal.

The court heard that he received a response from Done Deal in August 2017 confirming that there was an advert placed on the website associated with Satchwells phone.

The ad, which was shown to the jury, said: Large chest freezer. Free to take away. Just needs a clean. Giving it away as I need the space.

The court was told that the ad was published on March 31, 2017 at 9.49am.

It is the prosecutions case that Satchwell put his wifes body in the freezer for a number of days and kept it in the shed before burying it under the stairs.

Tadhg Twomey, a forensic accountant who provides technical advice to assist police investigations, said he was contacted in February 2022 and asked to look into the finances of the Satchwells.

After analysing their bank accounts and Revenue documents, including money from the sale of their former property in Fermoy, he said the couple would not have been able to save the 26,000 euros Satchwell claimed his wife took on the day she went missing.

Satchwell previously told police that they kept the money in a tin box in their attic and that the money was saved over a period of four years, mostly from their takings at car boot sales.

The trial continues.
China says Egypt's sovereignty, management over Suez Canal beyond dispute

Xinhua) 09:38, May 08, 2025

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's sovereignty and management over the Suez Canal are beyond dispute, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday.

Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a media query about U.S. President Donald Trump's recent post on the Truth Social platform, in which he called for free transit for American commercial and military ships through the Panama and Suez canals, a stance that drew strong opposition from Egypt.

"China firmly supports the Egyptian government and people in safeguarding their sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, and opposes any bullying words or deeds," Lin said, noting that Egypt's sovereignty and management over the Suez Canal are indisputable.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Watch: Naga Munchetty criticises medical misogyny after suffering 'extreme pain'

Naga Munchetty has spoken of the "extreme pain" she's endured for decades due to a health condition, saying her pain was dismissed for years.

The BBC Breakfast presenter revealed in 2023 that she suffers from adenomyosis, a condition in which the lining of the uterus grows into the muscle wall of the womb. The condition can cause extremely heavy menstrual bleeding, severe period pain and chronic pelvic discomfort.

It took 32 years for Munchetty, now 50, to receive a diagnosis.

Appearing on Lorraine today, Munchetty explained that her new book, It's Probably Nothing, explores medical misogyny and the systemic failure of doctors to take women's symptoms seriously. Something that she has firsthand experience of.

"The book is almost like a handbook," she told host Christine Lampard, who was filling in for Lorraine Kelly. "I mean, it's born out of the fact that I've experienced medical misogyny and being ignored  my symptoms have been ignored.

"But it's not about me, you'll be pleased to know. It's just as someone who understands what it feels like to be told, 'No, it's nothing, it's probably nothing. Oh, you'll grow out of it. Have a baby that'll fix it. It'll get better when you get older.'

"And just speaking to dozens of men and women about their experiences of being ignored and thinking, 'There's something here, there's something that the medical world is not listening to.' Be it not enough research, be it not enough education and not enough time to listen and not hearing, not hearing when someone says, 'I'm not coping.' So that's what this is for."

BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty appeared on Lorraine to discuss her womb condition adenomyosis and the extreme pain it causes. (ITV)

Munchetty reflected on the trauma of her period starting and the realisation that something wasnt right.

"[I was] doubled over in pain, throwing up, passing out, cramps, fainting over and over again, and really, really heavy periods, to the point where I was setting an alarm at night to change my period product," she says.

"[I was] sleeping on a towel, lying on the floor, because if I was uncomfortable on the floor, then perhaps it could detract from the pain."

Despite the severity of her symptoms, Munchetty says doctors repeatedly dismissed her concerns, often telling her she would "grow out of it." It wasnt until a scan revealed a cyst on her ovaries that doctors investigated further.

Eventually, she was diagnosed with adenomyosis, which she describes as the "evil twin" of endometriosis.

Munchetty says she's far from alone in her experience. "I think we all know women who have been told, 'It's probably nothing,' and who have been told 'Other women are dealing with it, it's normal, you should too,'" she continues.

"And you spend a long time thinking, Is it me? Am I really weak? Am I just not coping as a woman? Am I not like the other women who are all just getting on with life?' Because we don't talk about it enough, we don't speak up about these symptoms enough and not enough research is put into them."

According to The Guardian, health experts are now calling for more UK clinical trials to focus on womens health. Alarming data reveals that women remain significantly under-represented, with a staggering 67% more male-only studies than female-only ones.

Munchetty adds: "I think when you spend years and years being told it's nothing, you find very different coping mechanisms. And now, when I look back and I think, 'Okay, that diagnosis came, we're all trying to be the best we can,' I was prevented from being the best I could.

"I've spoken to so many women who are like, 'I'm no longer working because I have such bad endometriosis and pain and it can't be cured, and no one's listening to me,' or 'I have such bad UTIs that I cannot sit for more than 20 minutes, and it's been recurrent for nine years.'"

Munchetty encourages women to push for a diagnosis and treatment if they suspect something is wrong.

Read more about health:
Scotland is set to pay tribute to its wartime heroes with events taking place around the country to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

A service of thanksgiving will take place at Glasgow Cathedral at 1pm, with guests including representatives from the military, veterans organisations, emergency services and religious groups.

Members of the Royal British Legion, the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA), and the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmens Families Association (SSAFA) will be taking part in the service, along with their families.

A number of elected officials are also set to be in attendance, including Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill.

Speaking ahead of the service Ms McNeill said: Its a huge privilege to attend the VE Day Commemoration in Glasgow to honour all the men and women in Scotland who served during the Second World War, and also to recognise the great sacrifice of the people of Glasgow during the Clydebank Blitz in March 1941.

We owe our lives to those who served, and what will be a moving ceremony in Glasgow Cathedral is a fitting reminder of that.

Lord Provost of Glasgow Jacqueline McLaren said: Thursdays service in Glasgow Cathedral is a time for us to come together to remember and reflect on the sacrifices made, courage displayed and the resilience of those who put their lives on the line to keep us safe and help build a better world.

Its also a day to rejoice in peace and freedom, sometimes things that we take for granted. I hope as many people as possible can come along to join us in tribute and celebration.

Reverend Mark Johnstone, minister at Glasgow Cathedral, added: We look forward to welcoming people from all walks of life, people of faith and none, as we reflect, give thanks and pray for a better tomorrow.

Although there are increasingly few veterans still alive, the world we live in today was shaped by the outcome of the Second World War.

Meanwhile, Scottish Secretary Ian Murray is set to visit Lady Haigs Poppy Factory in Edinburgh, where he will meet 99-year-old VE Day veterans Margaret Landels and George McLeod, as well as a number of other military veterans.

Scotland Secretary Ian Murray is set to meet veterans at Lady Haigs Poppy Factory in Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)

The factory has been producing poppies in Scotland since 1926, and its team of ex-service men and women produce millions of poppies and tens of thousands of wreaths, remembrance symbols and long-stem poppies each year.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Murray said: VE Day is a moment for us all to give thanks to the wartime generation. We thank all those who served at home and abroad, who gave so much to ensure the freedoms we enjoy today.

Of course, the war was not over until VJ Day, but VE Day marked a crucial turning point in the war and in our history, and it is right that we continue to mark it 80 years on.

The anniversary is also being marked in Scottish Government buildings, where a two-minute silence will be observed at midday.

The Scottish Governments Victoria Quay and St Andrews House buildings in Edinburgh will also continue to be lit up in red as part of a campaign to light significant buildings across the UK.

Edinburgh Castle was among the buildings to be lit up in red on Tuesday in the run-up to the anniversary.

Memorial events are also set to continue in Lerwick aboard vessels that arrived there from Norway on Tuesday, in commemoration of the Shetland Bus that operated between Scotland and Norway during the war.

The events mark 80 years to the day since the formal acceptance by the Allies of Nazi Germanys unconditional surrender on May 8 1945, bringing the Second World War in Europe to an end after more than five years of bitter fighting.
Hamit Coskun burned a Koran in what he said was a protest against Turkeys president and an act of solidarity with an assassinated Iraqi refugee - Ben Baker/PA

A man who burned a copy of the Koran has been charged with harassing Islam, which risks creating a back door blasphemy law in Britain, Robert Jenrick has warned.

The shadow justice secretary has claimed that the charge against Hamit Coskun, 50, for harassing the religious institution of Islam is a threat to free speech.

It is thought to be the first time that anyone facing such an offence has been prosecuted for harassing an institution in the form of Islam under the Public Order Act.

Lawyer Akua Reindorf said it was plainly defective because the religious institution of Islam was not a person for the purposes of the Act. The Crown Prosecution Services decision was tantamount to bringing a charge of blasphemy.

Ms Reindorf said that a conviction on the basis of available facts would amount to the criminalisation of the act of desecrating a religious text in a public place.

Blasphemy was abolished as a common law offence in England and Wales in 2008.

Mr Jenrick said: Burning the Koran, like any religious text, is something that some people find very offensive and few people would condone, but thats not the point. There are many things in our society that people find offensive, but that doesnt make them criminal.

Parliament abolished blasphemy almost 20 years ago. They were right to do so. It is not for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) or courts to create a blasphemy law in this country by the back door.

The National Secular Society has written to the CPS urging it to drop the prosecution. It said that the burning of the Koran was clearly an act of political protest  a type of expression protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of speech.

Mr Coskun has said that his display was a protest against Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, and an act of solidarity with Salwan Momika  an Iraqi refugee who was assassinated in Sweden in January after burning Korans in repeated public protests.

Last year, the Government explicitly ruled out reintroducing blasphemy laws, after Tahir Ali, the Labour MP, asked Sir Keir Starmer to commit to introducing measures to prohibit the desecration of all religious texts and prophets of the Abrahamic religions.

In February, the Government also committed to protecting the right to free expression as part of efforts to challenge anti-Muslim bigotry, stating that no blasphemy laws will be introduced by this Government.

Stephen Evans, the chief executive of the National Secular Society, which is providing legal support to the defendant, said: This prosecution is legally flawed and amounts to a dangerous reintroduction of blasphemy laws through the back door.

Weve raised concerns with the CPS, the Home Secretary and the Attorney General, urging an urgent reevaluation of these flawed and ludicrous charges.

The burning of a Koran, however offensive to some, was in this instance a legitimate form of political protest, protected under human rights law. Proceeding with the charge would not only undermine free speech but also set a perilous precedent, effectively reintroducing blasphemy laws that were abolished in 2008.

As the legal opinion weve obtained makes clear, these charges should be dropped to safeguard both the integrity of our legal system and to protect the fundamental right to freedom of expression.

The particulars of the charge state that he, with intent to cause against the religious institution of Islam harassment, alarm or distress displayed some writing, sign or other visible representation which was threatening, abusive or insulting.

A CPS spokesman said: We charged Hamet Coskun on the basis that his actions caused harassment, alarm or distress  which is a criminal offence  and that this was motivated by hostility towards a religious or racial group.

As part of our continuous review of ongoing cases, we concluded the wording of the charge was incorrectly applied and we have substituted a new charge to more accurately reflect the alleged offence.

Free speech only exists if individuals are allowed to shock and offend

By Robert Jenrick

Last November, Tahir Ali, the Labour MP, asked Sir Keir Starmer whether he would introduce measures to prohibit desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of Abrahamic religions. Starmers response should have been straightforward. Burning a religious text is offensive to some and something most would condemn, but we do not have blasphemy laws in the UK.

However, astonishingly, Sir Keir declined to rule it out. Instead, he stated we must tackle Islamophobia in all its forms  suggesting burning the Koran was Islamophobic. The Prime Minister was completely incapable of making the crucial distinction between prejudice directed against Muslims as individuals and criticism or mockery of Islam as an ideology.

At the time, it prompted outrage. Free speech only exists if individuals are allowed to shock and offend, but this sounded like a creeping encroachment on that fundamental right. Yvette Cooper was dispatched to quickly clarify the Prime Ministers remarks.

Labour may not be producing a new blasphemy law, although their plan for an Islamophobia definition could well be a Trojan horse for one if it is not drafted extremely carefully. But that may not matter if the law is interpreted to deliver a blasphemy law by the back door.

In February, a man was arrested for allegedly burning a Koran outside the Turkish consulate in London. He said that he was protesting against the policies of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, and what he described as Turkey being turned into a base for radical Islamists. At the time, he was arrested, and now he has been charged by the Crown Prosecution Service for intent to cause against the religious institution of Islam harassment, alarm or distress.

The lawyers for the man in question say that the case is plainly defective because the Public Order Act only applies to people and, quite obviously, the religious institution of Islam is not a person. They argue that a conviction would amount to the criminalisation of the act of desecrating a religious text in a public place.

This case is of the highest importance. Theres a difference between things we dont like as a society and things that we make criminal. In criminal law, it might be a public order offence to burn a religious text in some situations. For example, burning a Torah scroll at the doors of a synagogue. But burning any important religious or secular script in the middle of a normal street on a normal day ought not to be a public order offence. Offensive, perhaps. Criminal, no.

The challenge with the Koran in this context, over and above most other religious texts, is that many Muslims say they regard it as offensive wherever it is done. This poses a problem for us as a society.

Criminalising the burning of the Koran in any setting, if there happens to be someone in the vicinity who finds it offensive, creates a blasphemy law by the back door  and a blasphemy law which really only applies to one religion.

The answer is surely for the prosecuting authorities to be extremely careful when they prosecute for public order offences in this context. The bar must be very high indeed. Burning a religious text outside a mosque, synagogue, or church is one thing, but does a consulate reach it?

We do not have blasphemy laws in this country  and rightly so. Parliament abolished them in 2008, in a deliberate and principled decision. Its not for the police, the CPS or the courts to create a blasphemy law by the back door. We must prize freedom of speech, even when they are offensive. Indeed, especially where its offensive, as thats where freedom of speech is needed most.

Robert Jenrick is the Conservative MP for Newark and the shadow justice secretary
The group allegedly gathered at the pub to celebrate Hitlers birthday. - MEN Media

Nine people have been arrested after celebrating Hitlers birthday at a pub, police have said.

The suspected neo-Nazis arrived at the Duke of Edinburgh in Oldham to mark the occasion with a swastika-emblazoned flag and a cake with icing of the same decoration.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the individuals were arrested on Wednesday morning on suspicion of offences including displaying written material that is threatening, abusive or insulting, and intended to stir up racial hatred.

Officers recovered imitation firearms, weapons including swords and a crossbow, as well as Nazi memorabilia and materials, after attending addresses in Rochdale, Bolton, Trafford, Stockport and Southport.

Police said they have been in contact with Counter Terrorism Policing North West which has offered advice on some of the materials that have been seized.

A suspected grenade has since been declared safe with no risk to the public after the deployment of a bomb disposal unit in Bolton.

On its website, British Movement posted pictures of a Northwest platoon gathering to celebrate the birthday of Uncle A over the Easter weekend.

Pictures were posted online, with the faces of their members pixelated out, showing them holding a flag covered in Nazi symbols.

In a now-deleted post, a cake with swastika icing was also posted by the group.

On its website, they describe themselves as a force for the preservation of white Aryan culture.

The group added that its members had gathered on a gorgeous sunny afternoon to celebrate Hitlers 136th birthday.

It described the celebration as one of many more to come.

Absolutely appalled

The pubs operator, Craft Union Pubs, said it was absolutely appalled at the party and had been unaware of it going on after the group concealed their clothing and activities.

GMP said the investigation remains ongoing, with the suspects being held on suspicion of Section 18 Public Order Act offences.

Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker said: Its important that all avenues are explored to establish the extent of the criminal offences which have been committed, and whilst our investigation is still in its early stages, we do not believe there to be a risk to the wider public.

This group clearly has a deep fascination with ideas that we know are unsettling for communities across Greater Manchester.

We must take action when concerns are raised, and where weapons are suspected, to ensure people are free to live without fear of intimidation or harm.

Public safety is at the forefront of our investigation, and as always, we ask that you remain vigilant, and if you have any information or concerns, then to contact us.
Phil Gomm, The Bell Hotels landlord lowered the price of battered cod with chips with mushy peas for just 8p - SNWS

A patriotic pub sold fish and chips at 1945 prices on Thursday to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

For one hour, The Bell Hotel in Winslow, Buckinghamshire, sold battered cod with chips and mushy peas for just 8p.

Landlord Phil Gomm, 63, was expecting to sell 150 servings of the traditional supper, and said the pub was well packed ahead of lunchtime trading.

When you look back at the Second World War, fish and chips was one of the main meals everyone had, he said.

The potatoes were a good quantity from the fields of Great Britain, and fish was an easy product to obtain. The Bell is subsidising the costs in good faith for those who gave their lives.

It is us saying thank you for keeping Great Britain as Great Britain. Without those servicemen and women, we wouldnt be here today.

He added: It is something that should never ever be put to the back burner and forgotten. We would hope that would prevent the nastiness and venom of wars in different nations today.

The Bell Hotel expected to serve 150 plates of the classic British dish - SWNS

It needs celebrating

In Ilkley, West Yorkshire, The Flying Ducks pub landlord, Gerard Simpson, 51, lowered the cost of its Wharfedale Brewery Gold beer to just 7p per pint.

The pub is selling the first 80 pints of the beer, which usually costs 4.80, at 1945 prices.

Gerard, whose 21-year-old son Harry serves in the Army, said he hoped pubgoers would give to charity generously.

The world would be completely different if it wasnt for today, he said. As veterans pass away, it just seems to be getting forgotten on a year-by-year basis and it needs celebrating.

I just hope people give generously and dont just give the seven pence, were taking no money at all for the Gold today, and at the end of the day all the moneys going into a collection pot for the Royal British Legion.

The work they do is absolutely fantastic. My own son is in the British military and I just think its important that there is a fund there to look after these veterans, whether they be old or young, whether theyve got physical injuries or mental injuries.

They also look after the families, I just think they do a fantastic job.
Jan Marsalek, the fugitive boss of a German tech company behind a spy ring run for him from a guest house in Great Yarmouth - Leopold Fiala/LPF

The Russian agent running a UK-based spy ring joked he could supply nukes if a client could pay, a court has heard.

Jan Marsalek, the fugitive boss of a German tech company, and Orlin Roussev, who was running a spy ring for him from a guest house in Great Yarmouth, were involved in money laundering and the trade of blood diamonds and weapons around the world, messages have shown.

The details have emerged as part of the sentencing hearing for Roussev and his team of Bulgarian agents, who were arrested in February 2023 after Britains biggest spying investigation.

Messages between the two men give an insight into the new life of Marsalek, who has been one of the worlds most wanted men since he fled Europe in 2020 when his company Wirecard collapsed with a 1.6 billion hole in its books.

Marsalek, who has been working for the Russians for more than a decade, fled to Moscow where it can now be revealed that he has been partying with the mafia, spies and naked women and having plastic surgery to alter his appearance.

He has even been learning Russian in order to fit in, he has revealed.

The Austrian has been following the manhunt for him closely, and amid speculation about his links to western intelligence agencies he told his confidant that he had also worked with both the CIA and the BND  the German secret service  before he fled Europe.

To earn his keep with his new protectors, Marsalek has been organising surveillance campaigns on enemies of the Kremlin and Ukrainian troops, securing drones and weaponry in breach of sanctions, and working on ways to update the troops technology.

Ever the entrepreneur, the former tech boss had also been involved in running mercenaries in Africa, the trade of blood diamonds with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola and money laundering for Uganda, chats seized by police show.

He even tried to arrange one of the last airlifts out of Kabul after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan for a US private security firm founded by a long-term ally of Donald Trump.

Roussev claims that the flight was for the US government, but the prosecution say that Marsaleks client was actually the US firm Constellis, which was founded by Erik Prince, a notorious mercenary who has worked closely with Mr Trumps officials.

Constellis has not responded to a request for comment.

It is the first time that Roussev has heard the detailed allegations against him outlined in court as he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to spy at the 11th hour before his trial was due to begin.

His minions, who carried out field operations on the ground, maintained their innocence, but were convicted of the same charge earlier this year after a three-month trial at the Old Bailey.

All six Bulgarians who were arrested are expected to learn their sentence at the conclusion of the hearing next week.

Much of the evidence comes from more than 80,000 messages between Roussev and Marsalek seized during a raid on his Great Yarmouth home.

The messages mention the Russian security services more than 100 times and show how the pair were pitching for espionage jobs around the world.

They also show how keen the pair are to appease their paymasters in the Russian intelligence services, and Marsalek brags about his links in the Federal Security Service (FSB), with whom he went on a bonding exercise, and the GRU, Russias military intelligence service.

He seems to have settled in well to his new lifestyle, apologising to Roussev for apparently not responding quickly in September 2021, telling him:

But the international manhunt never seems to be far from his mind, and he tries to work out ways to evade the authorities.

In February 2022 he told Roussev:

He was also tuning in live from Moscow to a German parliamentary inquiry into the scandal at Wirecard, which had been the jewel in the countrys tech sector.

When the Bundestag investigation was announced in November 2020, he said:

As well as discussing the details of his new life, Marsalek and Roussev got into detail on their business dealings and talked about their links to spies and officials in China, Austria, Africa, Israel, the Philippines, and Colombia.

In one exchange from March 2021, Roussev said that he has a contact in the government in Cameroon, and they were looking for a supply of wheat, weapons and Sputnik Covid vaccines.

When asked if he could help, Marsalek replied: Guns and Sputnik = no problem. Wheat: Ill ask.

Roussev responded: So guns and chemicals easy Food. Hard one The world has its [sic] priorities backwards.

Marsalek claimed that together we can pretty much organise anything they need except nukes. Even the nukes if they pay.

A year-long investigation by The Telegraph has shown that before he fled Europe, Marsalek was involved in the world of Russian private armies and even bought one, the RSB Group.

He told Roussev that he was also happy to provide mercenaries to fight Boko Haram, the Islamist terrorist group that has carried out a number of attacks in Cameroon.

I did this stuff against Isis in Libya, Marsalek explained. So thats a business I understand very well now.

He added that its not only about guns: in Libya the problem was not weapons, it was the inability of the locals to shoot and hit and not run away at the slightest problem.

The Telegraph has previously revealed that Marsaleks RSB Group was supporting Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar and he had discussed plans to set up a militia in the country to control migration into Europe.

In another exchange, Roussev said that he had been talking to the diamond guys from the Belgian Congo, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola.

They discussed carrying out dummy runs of diamond trades in Russia and Dubai, where Marsalek is said to still travel despite an Interpol red notice for his arrest, according to security sources.

Roussev claimed: Those guys want to spend around 60 million on guns and light infantry vehicles and pay with diamonds.

Marsalek, who again offered mercenaries to help with weapons training, asked: Rebels or governments?

To which Roussev responded: I can give you the exact general names in mid-July who is on the top of the chain [] allegedly only government but who knows this is Africa.

The messages also contain details of Marsaleks involvement in money laundering in Africa, first revealed in the investigation by The Telegraph.

They discussed plans for laundering millions for Uganda by transferring it on a private jet, accompanied by one of the countrys generals, to Moscow, where Marsalek could open an account.

Some of the Bulgarian spy ring, including Roussev, front right, were previously pictured attending a Brexit event in Parliament in 2016 - Facebook

In the exchange in June 2021, they discussed how they would first carry out a test run with smaller amounts of a few million dollars.

Ideally the Ugandans charter their own aircraft or fly commercial when they deliver the small chunk. No point in us wasting money for that, Marsalek wrote.

When they land in Moscow someone will pick them up and take the cash past customs. We can even declare it officially if we want to have some paperwork fun.

I dont think that it matters much how big the sample is. It should fit into a suitcase so we dont have the hassle at the airport and it should be more than a couple hundred K so it is meaningful and credible.

It could be 5 million , 10 million, 15 million.

Something where nobody gets excited. Its totally normal for people to arrive in Moscow with a few million in cash.

Admittedly $400 million is rather rare.

Roussev responded: OK so looking for a normal 75-litre suitcase or 2 such suitcases that I think can hold at least about 5-8 million and we are good.

The commission for the task would be split between the pair and Russias FSB, they said.

The four-day sentencing hearing continues.
winter fuel

The costs of migrant accommodation has wiped out the savings the Government will gain from cuts to winter fuel payments, official figures have shown.

Housing asylum seekers over the 10 years to 2029 will cost more than 15 billion, equivalent to more than 4 million a day and triple the Home Offices initial estimates, according to analysis by the National Audit Office (NAO), the spending watchdog.

This has been fuelled by a surge in asylum seekers in taxpayer-funded accommodation following record numbers of illegal migrants crossing the Channel. It is directly equivalent to the annual savings of 1.65 billion that the Government will make from cuts to the winter fuel payments.

The changes restricting the payments to those who qualify for pension credit and income-related benefits were introduced last year, with about nine million pensioners no longer qualifying for the top-ups.

According to analysis by The Telegraph, the money spent on migrant accommodation would cover winter fuel payments for 51 million pensioner households.

The data come as Sir Keir Starmer has come under mounting pressure from Labour MPs over immigration and cuts to winter fuel payments.

Jo White, the leader of the Red Wall Group comprising about 35 backbench Labour MPs, said that voters were angry and cuts to winter fuel payments were the number one reason why they were deserting Labour.

The MP for Bassetlaw said that Labour faced an existential threat because Reform UK was vocalising the concerns that people in my constituency have while Labour was not answering those concerns fast enough.

The group is calling for a stronger message on immigration, with one member, Jonathan Hinder, the MP for Pendle and Clitheroe, saying that the issue is an existential threat for Labour after the success of Nigel Farages party at last weeks local elections.

Mr Hinder suggested that Sir Keir should commit to effectively freezing migration by the end of the current parliament through a one in, one out system.

Sir Keir has so far rejected calls to make any concessions on winter fuel payment cuts, but next week he will unveil his immigration white paper, which aims to make good on Labours election manifesto commitment to reduce net migration from its current level of 728,000.

Reforms popularity has seemingly been boosted by issues such as net migration, which passed 900,000 under the Tories, the use of asylum hotels, also instigated by the Conservatives, and record levels of illegal Channel migrant crossings  at the expense of both Labour and the Tories.

The white paper is expected to herald two big legal changes to tackle the reliance of industry on cheaper foreign labour by forcing companies to ramp up training of British workers.

Bosses who break employment law  for example by failing to pay their staff the minimum wage  will be banned from hiring workers from abroad.

Training will also be linked to immigration, so sectors applying for foreign worker visas must first train Brits to do the jobs. Labour believes this will also help bring down the bloated benefits bill.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, is also proposing to revamp the graduate visa where foreign students can remain in the UK for up to two years after completing their studies without being required to work.

She is expected to demand that they will only be allowed to remain in the UK if they secure a graduate-level job, possibly within particular professions or with certain skills.

Under the plans being drawn up by ministers, all migrants will have to demonstrate they are fluent in English under tougher tests  and face waiting up to 10 years for permanent residency, rather than the current five years, if they fail the language checks.

Sir Keir has pledged to smash the gangs behind illegal Channel migrants by giving Border Force, the National Crime Agency and police new counter-terror style powers and targeting the people smugglers supply routes.

A Home Office spokesman said: As [the NAO] report shows we inherited an asylum system in chaos with tens of thousands stuck in a backlog, claims not being processed and disastrous contracts that were wasting millions in taxpayer money.

Weve taken immediate action to fix it  increasing asylum decision-making by 52 per cent and removing 24,000 people with no right to be here, meaning there are now fewer asylum hotels open than since the election.

By restoring grip on the system and speeding up decision making we will end the use of hotels and are forecast to save the taxpayer 4 billion by the end of 2026.
The couple first discussed having seven or eight bridesmaids at the ceremony in Northern Ireland - Mark Johnston

It is not uncommon for couples to add a personal touch to their wedding day, but few have gone as far as Jack and Kathryn McGowan, who tied the knot with 95 bridesmaids.

Out of about 250 guests, more than a third wore a bridesmaid dress to the ceremony in Northern Ireland last week.

Mrs McGowan, 31, from Hillsborough, said: Its really hard to put into words how amazing the whole day was and how mad it was.

At first, the couple discussed having seven or eight bridesmaids, but the number kept creeping up as Mrs McGowan worried that people would feel left out.

The usual number of bridesmaids for a wedding in the UK is between three and five.

A huge part of my life

Mrs McGowans bridesmaids  whose ages ranged from six to 40  bought their own dresses following Mrs McGowans colour scheme of champagne and cream.

Many were students at Erne Highland Dance school, where Mrs McGowan works, and some had never attended a wedding before.

Mrs McGowan told BBC Newsline: They came to me when they were four and theyre still a huge part of my life. I still see them every week ... it was only right they were a huge part of my day.

During the ceremony at the Larchfield Estate near Annahilt, Co Down, the bridesmaids separated walked down the aisle in two columns. They stood during the service and surrounded the seated guests.

Many of Kathryn McGowans bridesmaids were students at Erne Highland Dance School, where she works - Mark Johnston

I definitely made the right decision, said Mrs McGowan.

It was really good when we were getting the photos, the older girls organised the younger ones and they were all standing perfectly arranged ready for me to bounce into the middle.

Mr McGowan, a bagpipe teacher originally from Aberdeen, Scotland, had eight groomsmen.

Asked whether they were able to dance with all the bridesmaids, he joked on BBC Radio Ulster that the best man is still dancing today.

The newlyweds are spending their honeymoon in Dubai.
Nicola Packer took prescribed abortion medications when she was about 26 weeks pregnant - Helle Tumbridge

A woman who was in a BDSM relationship with a married couple has been cleared of illegally aborting her baby.

Nicola Packer, 45, broke down in tears after a jury acquitted her of unlawfully administering to herself a poison or other noxious thing with the intent to procure a miscarriage.

The not-guilty verdict prompted calls for a change in the law.

Ms Packers trial at Isleworth Crown Court heard that she took abortion medicine at home in November 2020 and later brought the foetus to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in a backpack.

She took prescribed medications mifepristone and misoprostol when she was about 26 weeks pregnant, jurors were told.

The legal limit for taking medication at home for an abortion is 10 weeks.

Prosecutors alleged that Ms Packer knew she had been pregnant for more than 10 weeks, which she denied.

I wouldnt have done it

Ms Packer had been in a BDSM relationship with a husband and wife, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, the trial was told.

All three had been in the BDSM scene and lived together periodically from when the UK went into lockdown in March 2020, the court heard.

Ms Packer was supported by five people in the public gallery, with some hugging each other after the verdict was read to the court.

Giving evidence during her trial, Ms Packer spoke of her shock and surprise at being pregnant. She later broke down in tears as she told the jury of nine women and three men: If I had known I was that far along, I wouldnt have done it.

I wouldnt have put the baby or myself through it.

The outer limit for abortions in the UK is normally 24 weeks, though there are grounds where there are no limits throughout the 40-week gestation period.

Ms Packer did not discover she was pregnant until she took a test on Nov 2 2020, the court heard.

She took abortion medication on Nov 6 and went to hospital the following day, having passed a foetus into the toilet, her trial was told.

The jury heard Ms Packer spent the night of Nov 7 in hospital and was arrested by police the next day.

Jurors deliberated for more than six hours to reach the unanimous verdict.

Decriminalise abortion

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) said the trial showed just how outdated and harmful current abortion law is as they backed calls for reform.

An amendment could be published next week to the Crime and Policing Bill  by a group led by Labour MP Stella Creasy  to not only decriminalise abortion but to lock in the right to terminate a pregnancy and protect those who help them.

Ms Creasy said the law must be changed so that the right to choose is a human right, ensuring no repeat of such awful cases and victimisation of vulnerable women again.

Tonia Antoniazzi, another Labour MP who went to the trial to lend her support, branded it completely unacceptable that Ms Packer was forced to endure the indignity and turmoil of a trial.

She said: Nicolas experience, in her own words, includes being taken from her hospital bed to a police cell, denied timely access to essential medical care, and spending every penny she had on lawyers defending her case.

This is utterly deplorable, and it is not justice. I do not see how this law can be defended any longer.

Traumatic cases

After the verdict was delivered, Judge Martin Edmunds KC thanked jurors for their attention in the case and said Ms Packer was formally discharged.

This was an old case, relating to events during 2020, in the Covid pandemic, Judge Edmunds said.

It is the prosecution, the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] who make decisions about whether to pursue criminal cases. They do so through guidelines which they have to apply... one of which is the public interest.

The Crown Prosecution Service said that its prosecutors are cautious when considering traumatic cases like the trial of Ms Packer.

A CPS spokesman said: Our prosecutors exercise the greatest care when considering complex and traumatic cases such as this one.

The role of the Crown Prosecution Service in this case was not to decide whether Nicola Packers actions were right or wrong; but to make a factual judgement about whether she knew she was beyond the legal limit when she procured an abortion.

Prosecutors considered there was enough evidence to bring this case for a court to decide, and we respect the jurys decision.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, seen here with Pope Francis in 2015, could become the first Asian pontiff - Wally Santana

With the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88, the worlds attention now turns to who will replace him.

Predicting who will be chosen as the next leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics is notoriously fraught with difficulties. In theory, any baptised Catholic male could be made Pope.

In practice, however, the next pontiff will likely be drawn from the cardinals who will gather in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican for the secret papal election known as the conclave.

After Pope Benedict XVI stepped down in 2013, very few Vatican observers predicted that Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina would be elected as Pope Francis.

This time around, there are no stand-out candidates, making the guessing game even more challenging.

But there are names of potential papabile (likely candidates for the papacy) swirling around the corridors of the Vatican.

Their diverse origins reflect the vast global reach of the Catholic Church.

The contest is likely to come down to a battle between progressives who applaud the late popes comparatively liberal stance on divorcees, gays and the plight of refugees, and conservatives who loathed his agenda.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67

The frontrunner in the betting markets would be the first Asian pope.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, from the Philippines, is a name often mentioned among liberals within the Catholic Church.

Dubbed the Asian Francis for his good humour and progressive views, he has some of Pope Francis humility  at the seminary in the Philippines where he lived for about 20 years, his room had no air-conditioning or television.

Even when made a bishop, he eschewed a car and went to work in a bus or jeepney.

Edward Pentin, a Vatican expert and the author of The Next Pope: The Leading Cardinal Candidates, said: Five or six years ago, he was Pope Franciss favourite to succeed him. Hes head of the important new super-dicastery for evangelisation. Hes quite a strong contender. And hes still relatively young,

His age may count against him, however  cardinals are wary of appointing a relatively young man because his papacy could last decades, thwarting their own ambitions and squeezing their chances of one day being elected.

Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76

A key adviser to Pope Francis on issues such as climate change and social justice, Cardinal Peter Turkson would be the first black pope.

Born in Ghana, Pope John Paul II appointed him archbishop of Cape Coast in 1992 and, 11 years later, made him the first cardinal in the history of the West African state.

Promotions continued under John Pauls successor, Benedict, who brought him to the Vatican in 2009 and made him the head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace  the body that promotes social justice, human rights and world peace.

In that role, he was one of the Popes closest advisers on issues such as climate change and drew much attention by attending conferences such as the Davos Economic Forum.

Pope Francis merged Cardinal Turksons department in 2016 with three other offices, leading to what some saw as a power struggle between him and another cardinal.

Cardinal Turkson resigned from that role in 2021 and was appointed to head two pontifical academies on sciences and social sciences.

In 2023, he told the BBC he prayed against the possibility that he would be elected Pope, but some of his detractors said given his media appearances, it appeared he was campaigning for the job.

Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72

For the conservatives, there is Peter Erdo, a Hungarian cardinal and Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest.

Mr Pentin said: Erdo is a leading contender for the conservative wing of the Church. People like him because he is a strong canonist  hes proficient in Church law.

Many Catholics feel that the Church needs to be brought back from a sense of ecclesiastical lawlessness that evolved under Francis. Erdo would be a safe pair of hands.

He ranks as a conservative in theology, and in speeches throughout Europe, he stresses the Christian roots of the continent. However, he is also seen to be pragmatic and never clashed openly with Francis, unlike other tradition-minded clerics.

That said, he raised eyebrows in the Vatican during the 2015 migrant crisis when he went against Pope Francis call for churches to take in refugees, saying this would amount to human trafficking  seemingly aligning himself with Hungarys nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70

Pietro Parolin, the current secretary of state for the Vatican  in effect, its prime minister  is also considered to be a leading candidate.

His profile rose during the Ukraine war as the Vatican presented itself as an honest broker that could eventually mediate with Moscow to bring the conflict to a close.

Thomas Reese, an American Catholic priest and the author of Inside the Vatican, said: Hes a very competent diplomat.

Hes been the brains behind Pope Francis international diplomacy. He doesnt put a foot wrong.

He is tarnished, however, by a property scandal in which the Vatican lost millions of euros through the bungled purchase of a former Harrods showroom in London.

Questions will be raised about whether he was incompetent or delegated responsibility to subordinates. Either way, something went wrong, and he was the boss. Theres an ongoing trial, so it could overshadow his papacy, said Father Reese, who is also a columnist for Religion News Service.

Other candidates

Another Italian in the mix is Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, 69, the Archbishop of Bologna, a progressive who is regarded as having been close to Francis. The 69-year-old is closely affiliated with the Sant Egidio Community, a Rome-based Catholic charity that was influential under Francis.

Cardinal Zuppi has extensive experience of conflict resolution. He was part of SantEgidios team that helped negotiate the end of Mozambiques civil war in the 1990s and was named Francis peace envoy for the war in Ukraine, shuttling between Kyiv, Washington, Moscow and Beijing.

He was appointed a cardinal in 2019 and is regarded as a progressive in the mould of Francis. His relative youth may count against him  cardinals could be wary of appointing someone whose papacy could last for many years, concerned that the direction he takes the Church would become too entrenched.

Aside from Cardinal Parolin and Cardinal Zuppi, there is a third Italian name coming to the fore: Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, a 59-year-old Franciscan who is the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. He is Italian but has broad experience of the wider world, having spent decades in the Middle East.

He speaks Italian, Hebrew and English. His long years observing the Israel-Palestine conflict mean he is an expert at interfaith dialogue and mediation. He could be seen as a bridge between East and West. Francis appointed him a cardinal in 2023.

There has never been a Pope from North America but some Vatican observers think Cardinal Robert Prevost may be in with a chance. Born in Chicago, the 69-year-old has plenty of experience working in the global south  he was a missionary in Peru and then an archbishop.

He is currently the head of the Vaticans powerful dicastery (department) for bishops, in charge of vetting nominations for bishops around the world. But like Cardinal Zuppi, his relative youth may weigh against him  cardinals could be reluctant to choose a pope who could reign for a couple of decades.

Cardinal Jose Tolentino Calaca de Mendonca is a candidate from the liberal wing of the Church. He comes from the Portuguese island of Madeira and was appointed by Pope Francis as head of a department for culture and education.

Staying within Europe, Cardinal Mario Grech from Malta, the secretary-general of the Synod of bishops, is thought to have a decent chance of landing the top job.

He is seen as having been close to Pope Francis but a conservative at heart, meaning he could fit the bill as a compromise candidate.

Another African who is being mentioned is Cardinal Robert Sarah, from Guinea, who has criticised gender ideology and denounced Islamic radicalism.

Other names of papabile (literally pope-able) cardinals include Jean-Marc Aveline from France, Joseph Tobin from the US, Juan Jose Omella Omella, the archbishop of Barcelona, and Fridolin Ambongo Besungu from the Democratic Republic of Congo who, if elected, would become the first black pope.

Forecasting a winner is a risky business

Since Pope Francis was elected in 2013, he has appointed about two-thirds of the cardinals who are eligible to elect the next pope.

Close to half the cardinals are now from the global south. They have issues that are different to issues in Europe and the US. Theyre concerned about global warming, poverty, civil wars, corruption in government, said Father Reese.

All politics is local. Every cardinal wants to know how the next pope will be viewed in their country. Is he someone who will listen to me, who speaks my language? They could choose a cardinal from the global south.

Vatican rules state that cardinals must reach a two-thirds majority when they gather to vote in the conclave, which is held inside the Sistine Chapel. For now, there is no leading candidate.

There are so many variables, and the process is so opaque, that forecasting a winner is a risky business.



Last time around, when Benedict XVI resigned, I predicted that there was no way they would elect a Jesuit pope. They went ahead and elected a Jesuit pope. It proved how poor our understanding was, said Father Reese.
Ocean with David Attenborough

David Attenborough turns 99 on Thursday  though his latest film, which opens in cinemas that very day, is a timely release in more ways than one. Next month in France, world governments will convene for the Third United Nations Ocean Conference  at which, his film argues, the futures of the worlds undersea habitats and their many inhabitants will be at stake.

This cracking campaigning documentary makes a galvanising case for action  and without lobbing its audience overboard with an anchor weight of hopelessness yoked to their heels. It first shows the otherworldly splendour and variegation of our planets sea life, then sets out the overfishing crisis that mortally threatens it, before suggesting an achievable-sounding rescue plan that can be quickly enacted with enough political will and public support. (Probably in the opposite order.)

Weve done something similar before, our host reminds us in that unmistakable voice like butter being spread across hot toast. In the 1970s, commercial whaling had reduced the global population of those wondrous mammals to one per cent of its original levels. All hope for their survival seemed lost  until ordinary people became sufficiently moved by the creatures plight that it suddenly wasnt.

Positioning the push to end overfishing as the greatest opportunity for humanity in my lifetime, Attenborough, who delivers his narration perched on a groyne on a beach grey enough to be British, enters his 100th year on the planet with an optimistic glow. And its infectious  thanks in no small part to the eye-widening wonder and patient craftsmanship of the film built around it.

Attenboroughs oeuvre has featured numerous scenes like the ones in Ocean before. But theyre freshened here both by the 4K photography, by turns painterly and crisp, and the sense of scale conferred by the cinema screen itself. A sequence of zooplankton feasting on phytoplankton  which probably occurred within about a thimbles worth of seawater, tops  resembles a pitched battle from a trippy sci-fi epic. A swarm of spindly lobster larvae looks less like a group of actual living beings than their Into the Spider-Verse animated counterparts.

Such microscopic spectacles were mysteries until fairly recently  but then our understanding of the oceans overall, Attenborough argues, have altered immeasurably over the course of his career as a naturalist. Directors Toby Nowlan, Colin Butfield and Keith Scholey deftly stitch that shift in perspective into a number of scenes. Weve all seen banks of seaweed before, but Im not sure Ive ever seen them photographed in rolling top-down vistas, as if they were forests. (Which, of course, Ocean reminds us, they are.) The sense of mystery about the world beneath the waves is both embraced and dispelled: subaquatic mountain ranges are plotted on maps, recasting these vast empty spaces between continents as landscapes in their own right.

Ocean with David Attenborough - Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios

Attenboroughs narration  poetic, erudite, neat  guides the audience through a number of harrowing scenes, many of which lay bare the destruction wreaked by industrial trawlers on environments formed over centuries, then torn up in seconds by the scrape of a chain-weighted net. Yet the nuance of the argument isnt lost. Fishing and overfishing are different things: the struggle isnt positioned as industry versus conservation so much as humanity versus a far-reaching disaster thats still avoidable, just. For all human parties concerned, more fish in the sea would be good news, and their ecosystem hasnt had its chips quite yet.

PG cert, 95 min; in cinemas from Thursday May 8; airing on Sunday June 8 at 8pm on National Geographic and streaming the same day on Disney+
A man stands inside his house destroyed by Pakistani artillery shelling in Indian-administered Kashmir. Photograph: Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images

India claimed to have thwarted retaliatory missile and drone strikes launched by Pakistan on Thursday evening, which attempted to hit sites in Indian-administered Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan.

Residents in Jammu, in Indian-controlled Kashmir, reported missiles and drones over the city and the noise of explosions, amid a city-wide blackout.

The Indian army said its air defence systems had intercepted eight missiles fired by Pakistan that had attempted to target military stations in Jammu and the wider Indian-administered Kashmir region.

According to India, there were also attempts by Pakistan to target its Pathankot airbase in Punjab, which is less than 20 miles from the volatile shared border, and it came under heavy artillery fire from Pakistan forces. Locals living in the border cities of Jaisalmer and Bikaner also reported missiles flying overhead and the sound of shelling.

A statement by the Indian army said it had neutralised all the threats from Pakistan with missiles and drones. No losses, it said.

Thursday nights attacks by Pakistan marked another escalation of the conflict between the two nuclear-armed countries, after Indian missile strikes on Pakistan in the early hours of Wednesday killed 31 people. Pakistans prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, called Indias attacks, the most extensive airstrike attack on Pakistan in decades, an act of war.

Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan had accused India of yet another blatant military act of aggression after it claimed at least 25 Indian drones had been sent deep into Pakistani territory on Wednesday night, killing two civilians and injuring four soldiers. Military and government figures made it clear that Pakistan saw the drone strikes as a further provocation and felt compelled to retaliate.

Indias foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, warned that India would respond to any retaliatory aggression by Pakistan. If there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response, he told a visiting foreign delegation.

Indias claims to have stopped all Pakistani missiles and drone attacks are likely to come as a major embarrassment to Pakistans military. There was no immediate official comment from the Pakistani military but state-run Pakistan Television denied reports of military strikes in Indian-controlled Kashmir, calling them false, baseless, and fabricated.

Indias initial strikes on Wednesday were a direct retaliation for an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir late last month, in which militants killed 25 Hindu tourists and a guide. India had accused Pakistan of direct involvement in the attacks, through Islamist militant organisations it has long been accused of backing.

India claimed Wednesdays strikes targeted only terrorist infrastructure including training camps and homes belonging to well-known militant organisations that have been behind some of the worst terrorist attacks in India over the past two decades. It emphasised it had not hit any Pakistani military bases or equipment, and described the strikes as measured, not escalatory, proportionate and responsible.

However, Pakistan denied that any terrorist groups had been operating in the areas hit by Indian missiles, and said the strikes had targeted only civilians.

Throughout the day, the international community had made efforts to mediate between India and Pakistan and bring them back from the brink of all-out war. The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said he had spoken to Pakistans Sharif and Indias Jaishankar and urged the need for immediate de-escalation. The Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers flew into Delhi on Thursday.

The two sides spent the day firing off escalatory allegations at each other. After Pakistan said India had lost the plot by sending dozens of drones into Pakistan, India alleged Pakistan had unsuccessfully attempted to launch drones and missiles at 15 military targets in its north and west, including in the cities of Amritsar, Srinagar and Chandigarh. It said its air defence systems stopped all the attacks.

Indias defence ministry said it had neutralised the air defence system over the Pakistani city of Lahore and said: Any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response.

Pakistan denied the allegations it had launched any strikes into India early on Thursday, with a military spokesperson referring to them as phantom strikes. Speaking to the Guardian, a senior Pakistani security official was clear that action would soon be taken. The offensive response will come now, he said.

Indias border states of Rajasthan and Punjab were put on high alert for a reprisal attack by Pakistan, with all police leave cancelled and border security forces given shoot-on-sight orders for any suspicious activities.

Related: Indias Pakistan strikes show how warfare has been normalised again

In Punjab, the Gurdaspur area was put under a complete blackout order on Thursday night while, in Rajasthan, schools near the border were shut, mock drills were conducted and evacuation plans were prepared. India said it had activated anti-drone systems near the border.

Across both countries, flights were suspended and airports shut down. In Pakistan, all flights from Karachi, Lahore and Sialkot airports were suspended. More than 20 local airports across the north of India were closed until Saturday.

In Pakistans Sindh region, which shares a border with India, a state of emergency was declared in all hospitals and health facilities, and all medical personnel and support staff leave was cancelled, according to a notice issued by the provincial health department.

Tens of thousands of people living along the disputed border that divides the region of Kashmir continued to flee, as cross-border firing continued between India and Pakistan troops, leaving homes destroyed and civilians dead.

Talib Hussain returned to his village of Salamabad, in Indian-administered Kashmir, on Thursday morning to find smoke still rising from the ruins of his two-storey house, destroyed by an artillery shell. His home was among several others levelled in the cross-border shelling between Indian and Pakistani troops in recent days.

Ive lost everything, Hussain said, staring at the devastation. Nothing remains of my house. We live in constant fear of the next attack. We are completely helpless, with only Gods mercy to protect us.
Three Queensland councils have initiated or implemented crackdowns on homeless camps across the states south-east this week.

The three local governments  Brisbane city council, City of Moreton Bay and Gold Coast city council  all deny coordination between them.

But residents of tent cities in Brisbanes Musgrave Park and Carey Park in the Gold Coast now face eviction after being issued notices on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Wednesday, for the third time in a month, residents in Moreton Bays Eddie Hyland Park were cleared out with the aid of an excavator and police.

Related: Wheres the human dignity? As bulldozers roll in, this is the face of a Queensland crisis

Gold Coast homelessness support organiser Ember Lenarduzzi said the 20-30 residents of Carey Park were issued an enforceable notice for the first time on Wednesday, ordering them to leave.

At about midday, a group of police and council rangers arrived at the park and began gathering details, before issuing notices.

They were preparing basically to take their stuff, Lenarduzzi said.

They gave them 24 hours.

Lenarduzzi expressed scepticism that the actions by the three councils were not coordinated, despite the lack of evidence.

I believe it would be pretty damn crazy for all three of them to happen on the same day without warning and very suddenly, she said.

Residents of Brisbanes Musgrave Park were also expecting to be moved on Thursday, as the area plays host to the annual Paniyiri Greek festival on the weekend of 18 May.

Its tent city of about 13 tents and 20 residents is typically shifted into temporary emergency accommodation or an exclusion zone set aside for them during the event.

But Brisbane city council has yet to clarify whether any tents will be allowed to stay  and placed 24-hour eviction notices on most tents in the park on Tuesday, even those in last years exclusion zone.

A large group gathered in the park to protest Wednesdays eviction, including some members of the CFMEU who happened to be in the area.

In March, the Brisbane mayor, Adrian Schrinner, announced a city-wide crackdown on people sleeping rough in Brisbanes parks, threatening eviction within just 24 hours, in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Nick Wittman, an organiser from the Community Union Defence League, said they want the exclusion zone to be allowed again and suitable accommodation offered for everyone who wants it.

Were not asking for much. Were asking for a little bit of dignity for people who are already incredibly vulnerable, he said.

Shane Mason and Tracey Osmond were among the park residents ordered to move on from Moreton Bays Eddie Hyland Park on Wednesday, after defying instructions to do so last month.

The park is still home to a number of people who were moved on in the councils previous two tent city clearances, now living in new tents. There is also a new resident; a domestic violence survivor with a three-year-old child. The pair were issued a two-week notice to be out of the park within a fortnight on Wednesday.

Guardian Australia observed council rangers use heavy machinery to remove material from another tent, and clear the remnants of other abandoned tents.

A confrontation broke out between police and rangers and Mason, Osmond and their supporters, as the latter said the former were attempting to move their possessions. They had previously vowed not to move unless long-term accommodation was provided.

Related: Norelle is among scores living in cars and tents in a once-affordable Queensland city. Some are now being forced to leave

They werent taking my generator! Osmond said.

Halfway through the confrontation, the pair were offered a one-bedroom home in Margate. It immediately came to an end.

For the first time in two years they will no longer be homeless.

Tracey called it a Mothers Day present; its also her birthday.

But how can I feel so happy when theyre still doing this to people? Its not right, she said.

I feel bad because we got a house.

A spokesperson for Moreton Bay council described the clearance as business as usual.

Compliance notices were issued to three rough sleepers, she said, and rangers also executed nine notices given previously and cleared rubbish left on the site since the last clearance on 24 April.

A spokesperson for Brisbane city council said it was taking a calm, measured and considered approach to the tent encampment to get people out of dangerous encampments and into safe accommodation.

Brisbane residents have grown increasingly concerned about the violence, drug use and antisocial behaviour occurring in tent encampments in parks, she said.

The housing minister, Sam OConnor, said housing outreach officers were in Eddie Hyland Park, Musgrave Park and Carey Park over the past few days engaging with as many people as they safely could.

They will be back again this week and for as long as is needed, he said.

 This article was amended on 8 May 2025. A previous version incorrectly stated that all three councils were Liberal-run. Only Brisbane city council is Liberal-run, the City of Moreton Bay and Gold Coast city councils are not.
There are some things that you just have to see to believe, and a raccoon holding onto a drug pipe during a routine traffic stop by the police is one of them. ABC7 News shared a video on TikTok of what happened after a woman was stopped due to an open warrant was arrested, and her car was searched.

What officers found was something they'd never seen before. The woman's pet raccoon was sitting in the driver's seat of the car holding a meth pipe. Make sure your volume is on so you can hear the officers' reactions as they try to process what they're seeing!

This was just wild! Even the cops were in disbelief and amused by the scene! ABC7 shared the entire video on their site, and you can see it here. It reveals just how chaotic the entire situation actually was!

Related: Raccoon Hits the Field at Professional Soccer Game and Hilariously Outruns Everybody

More Details About the Raccoon with the Meth Pipe

Springfield Township Police Officer Austin Branham conducted the traffic stop on Monday, May 5th, after identifying a vehicle whose registered owner had an active warrant and a suspended driver's license. The woman, 55-year-old Victoria Vidal, of Akron, Ohio, was detained without incident. But that's when things got weird.

Springfield Township Police Department released a statement the following day and described what happened next, "However, things took an unusual turn. As Officer Branham returned to the vehicle, he observed a raccoon named 'Chewy' sitting in the driver's seat with a meth pipe in its mouth. Chewy had somehow gotten hold of a glass methamphetamine pipe, leading officers to further inspect the vehicle." Police found a large amount of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and three used glass methamphetamine pipes.

The statement said, "Thankfully, Chewy the raccoon was unharmed, and notification was made to the proper authorities to determine that she has the proper paperwork and documentation to own the raccoon," police said. "While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first!"

As the newscaster noted in the video, the situation was amusing on the surface, but also deeply concerning. It's heartbreaking to think that the pet raccoon was exposed to drug paraphernalia. Imagine the outcome if he had actually found the drugs instead.
The first-ever American Pope has appeared in front of jubilant crowds in Rome as the new leader of the Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV emerged onto the balcony of St Peters Basilica as a packed St Peters Square erupted in cheers and applause.

He was Cardinal Robert Prevost, from Chicago, and is fairly young for a Pope, at the age of 69.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St Peters Basilica (Andrew Medichini/AP)

His election drew speedy congratulations from US President Donald Trump who described an American Pope as such an honour.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said: What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the election as a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom and globally adding that he looks forward to meeting the pontiff and continuing to work closely with the Catholic Church here in the UK and internationally to advance our shared values and the common good.

Crowds had been joyously waving flags and chanting Habemus Papam  the Latin for we have a Pope  since white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel shortly after 5pm UK time on Thursday.

The new pontiff is the 267th Pope, becoming the religious leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe and someone believed to be called as the successor to St Peter, who was the first.

In his first words as Pope, the new pontiff told the adoring crowd: Peace be with you.

White smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

International development charity Cafod said Pope Leo will be a voice of wisdom in a fractured and divided world, and that his years as a missionary in Peru mean he can bring into his papacy the vital perspective of the global south, elevating voices from the margins to centre stage.

The secret conclave meeting  steeped in tradition and mystery  had only just begun some 24 hours before white smoke emerged.

The 133 cardinals had voted on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, with black smoke emitted from the chapel chimney twice, showing no-one had been elected.

But in the bright sunshine of Thursday afternoon, white smoke began to billow out, with onlookers bearing witness to history as the Church confirmed it had its new leader.

Bells tolled to confirm the news  perhaps in a marker of the confusion at previous conclaves where the colour of the smoke was not completely clear.

Swiss Guards marched into the square after a new Pope was elected (Markus Schreiber/PA)

Each of the electors, mostly dressed in distinctive bright red vestments, had taken an oath pledging secrecy ahead of the process of casting anonymous ballots for their choice.

At a special mass ahead of the conclave, cardinals were reminded of the choice of exceptional importance they must make.

Three UK cardinals took part in conclave  Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Cardinal Arthur Roche.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who also took part in the conclave, is Irish-born but has mainly ministered in the US and been based in Rome for some years.

The voting cardinals  those aged under 80 who were the only ones eligible to cast a ballot  were urged to invoke the help of the Holy Spirit to help them elect a pope whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history.

This conclave was thought to be one of the most diverse of any meeting of cardinals before, representing some 70 countries and hailing from places like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga, which had not had a cardinal before.

Pope Francis had appointed some 108 of the 133 cardinals who took part in the conclave to choose his successor.

Pope Francis was dubbed the peoples pope (Jeff Moore/PA)

The new Pope will have the challenge of following in the footsteps of the late Francis, whose popularity saw him dubbed the peoples pope.

He had been vocal on politics, speaking out against war and climate change, and urged more focus on the poor and downtrodden of the world.

His death on Easter Monday prompted warm tributes from leaders across the globe and his funeral last month drew hundreds of thousands of mourners, including Mr Trump and Sir Keir.
Prince William and family met with Sir David Attenborough at Kensington Palace in 2020

The Prince of Wales has led tributes to Sir David Attenborough on his 99th birthday.

In a message released on social media on Thursday, the Prince hailed the broadcasters lifelong dedication to promoting the importance of the natural world.

The Prince met Sir David on Tuesday before attending a private screening of the naturalists new film, Ocean With David Attenborough, at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

The royal said: As he turns 99 today, in his new film, Sir David has once again reminded us of the need to protect natural habitats  this time those beneath the ocean.

He has dedicated his life to ensuring we understand the realities of what mankind is doing to the planet.

However hard-hitting his message is, Sir David always leaves us with a sense of hope and optimism that all is not lost and this film is no different.

We must act together, with urgency, to restore our oceans.

Happy Birthday, David. W.

Kensington Palace shared a previously unseen image of the Prince chatting to Sir David, one hand affectionately resting on his arm.

Prince William and Sir David in conversation

The birthday message was also accompanied by a photograph of the Wales family with Sir David at Kensington Palace in 2020.

In October 2020, Sir David was quizzed by Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis about his views on animals.

It marked the first time Prince Louis, then two, had been heard speaking in public as he asked the naturalist: What animal do you like?

Sir David revealed he liked monkeys because they were such fun.

Prince William with Sir David in Birkenhead in September 2019

The broadcaster has worked closely with the Prince on the Earthshot Prize since its inception in 2020, when he described it as the most prestigious environmental prize in history.

Sir David also shared a strong rapport with Queen Elizabeth II, from whom he was born just days apart.

In 2023, he selected an English Oak to be planted in her memory, describing her as a great lover of trees.

Sir David shared a strong rapport with Queen Elizabeth II - ITV

Writing in The Times ahead of his 99th birthday, Sir David said: Young children playing on a beach today will live through perhaps the most consequential time for the human species in the past 10,000 years.

They will grow up to see how this story ends, to see how our choices play out.

He added: I will not see how that story ends but, after a lifetime of exploring our planet, I remain convinced that the more people enjoy and understand the natural world, the greater our hope of saving both it and ourselves becomes.

Elsewhere, Mike Gunton, creative director at BBC Studios Natural History Unit, said Sir David must have one of the greatest legacies of any human being ever.

Mr Gunton, who has worked with Sir David on documentaries including Attenborough And The Giant Dinosaur and Bafta-winning Planet Earth II, said: Each generation has its own kind of personal legacy from him, and I think thats remarkable.

But also, theres a broader, I suppose, global legacy, which I think is that he has shown us wonders, hes helped us understand wonders, and hes encouraged us to protect these wonders.

If you could do that in a lifetime, and speak to hundreds upon hundreds of millions of people and inspire them to do all that, thats got to be one of the greatest legacies of any human being ever.

And I think hes aware of that, and the responsibility of that, and he often talks about the privilege of being able to do that, and its a privilege for those of us who have worked with him to have.

Mr Gunton began working with the broadcaster aged 29 and said it has been a life-defining experience for him.

He said: Every programme I have made with him has been a remarkable experience which the audience have always found completely memorable and worthwhile and thats a joy for anybody, to make things that are remembered, you know, theyre historic, theyre part of human history.

Sir David was born David Frederick Attenborough on May 8 1926, in London, the son of an academic and principal of University College Leicester.

Before joining the BBC in 1952, he studied geology at the University of Cambridge and served two years in the Royal Navy.

He made his reputation with the groundbreaking Zoo Quest series, which he hosted for 10 years on the BBC.

In 1965 he became controller of BBC2, overseeing the advent of colour TV, and he later became BBC director of programming.

Ultimately, however, life as a broadcast executive did not appeal and he returned with relief to his early passions, programme-making and filming wildlife.

His famous whispering voice captured the imaginations of the nation in 1979 when he was seen mingling and bonding with a family of gorillas in Life On Earth and its sequel, The Living Planet, in 1984.

The following year, he was knighted by the late Queen before being awarded a Knight Grand Cross honour in 2022.

The TV presenter has two children, Susan and Robert, with his late wife Jane, whom he married in 1950.

In recent years, Sir David, who resides in Richmond, London, has presented shows including Dynasties, Prehistoric Planet and Planet Earth III.

In celebration of his 99th birthday, his new documentary about the health of the ocean airs in cinemas from Thursday.

Also to mark his birthday, John Murray Press is giving at least 1,000 copies of his new book, Ocean: Earths Last Wilderness, to schools and libraries across the UK.
Russian President Vladimir Putin

President Putins Victory Day parade tomorrow will give a completely false idea of whats actually going on in the Russian armed forces. Its an attempt by the dictator to deceive the Russian population into believing that a great patriotic victory is being delivered, as Stalin genuinely did in 1945.

The reality is that Russias few remaining modern(ish) tanks, elite soldiers and powerful missiles will be mostly in the parade: on the front line these things are in very short supply. They will play their part in Putins political theatre, not the theatre of war. The real Russian Army is culminating in Ukraine  a technical term for the point at which an armys efforts start to collapse. Russia is suffering 1000 casualties a day and 1 million in total thus far. Even Stalin would have baulked at these rates of loss. He at least had battle-hardened generals to advise him, but Putin is losing his most senior military experts at an alarming rate, right on his own doorstep.

The Russian tanks now being delivered to the front date from the 1950s and are little more than mobile coffins. These T-62s are even older than the Chieftain tank I first commanded in the late 1980s. We were positioned on the inner German border to oppose the then Soviet hordes, who back then had T-72s and T-80s. Those tanks are now all smouldering hulks in the Donbas. Im not sure Id go to war in a Chieftain today even if a Russian commissar ordered me to at gunpoint!

Meanwhile most of the Russian air defences are positioned in and near Moscow protecting the elite, not the Russian troops on the frontline. Even so, Ukrainian drones are already causing chaos in Muscovite airspace. And Russian senior officers are now being assassinated almost within a stones throw of the Kremlin. It looks rather as though the FSB and National Guards are on the back foot in the covert warfare being waged on Russian soil.

I believe  as I am told, by some western intelligence agencies  that Putin is rapidly running out of military road. He says he will go nuclear, but this is bluster, and each time it is repeated it gets more threadbare. The fact is that hes killed off a million men and bankrupted the country. He seems to think that President Trump is an idiot and will cut the US off from Ukraine and allow it to fall into Russia, but with the minerals deal with Zelensky signed, this would damage US interests.

So, as we look at the shiny tanks and missiles rumbling through Red Square, we should not be fooled as to the state of the Russian Army and Putins position. Hard military power these days is shown in drones, cyber, space and highly trained and motivated soldiers. Its a charade, not a parade. Let us hope the Russian people get this before its too late.
Pope Leo has become the 267th Catholic pontiff - Yara Nardi/REUTERS

Robert Prevost has been elected the first North American leader of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV, in a surprising and historic result.

Pope Leo, 69, has broken the long-held taboo that an American could never be pope  the thinking used to be that the US was the worlds only superpower and had more than enough geopolitical influence, without taking over the papacy as well.

The appointment was welcomed by Donald Trump, the US president, who posted on social media: I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Pope Leo has now become the 267th pontiff after the death of Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American pontiff, on Easter Monday.

Cardinal Prevost (right) and Pope Francis pictured together in 2013

There is not much known about the new Pope  he has given few media interviews and rarely speaks in public.

However, in 2023, he told a Vatican press conference: Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church.

It was a message very much in keeping with the tenor of Franciss 12-year pontificate.

The Chicago-born Pope Leo has an impressive CV. He spent years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Robert Prevost was born in Chicago to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent - Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel

He is seen as a reformer in the mould of Pope Francis. The Argentinian pontiff sent him to run the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, in 2014.

He held that position until 2023, when Francis brought him to Rome to be head of the Vaticans Dicastery for Bishops, which selects many of the worlds bishops.

The new Pope was also president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, a job that kept him in regular contact with the Catholic hierarchy in a region of the world that is still home to the greatest number of Catholics.

Although he kept a low profile in Rome, he was part of one of the most significant reforms undertaken by Francis  three women were added to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to put forward to the pope.

He apparently appealed to his brother cardinals because of his quiet style and support for Francis, as well as his commitment to social justice issues.

Robert Prevost with late former Pope Benedict XVI - Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel

Before his election, it was thought that his comparative youth could count against him because cardinals would not want to elect a pope whose tenure could last for two decades or more. These concerns were evidently dismissed by a two-thirds majority of cardinal electors, who have given the Catholic Church the first pontiff from the US.

The 69-year-old new pontiff emerged on the central balcony of St Peters Basilica just over an hour after white smoke billowed from a chimney installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, the signal that 133 cardinal electors had chosen a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.

Peace be with you all, he told the tens of thousands of faithful who had rushed into St Peters Square after the white smoke emerged.

Dominique Mamberti, a French cardinal, announced the appointment of the Pope with the time-honoured Latin words Habemus Papam (We have a pope).

Thomas Reese, an American Jesuit priest and author of Inside the Vatican, told The Telegraph: Its a big surprise. It shows that the Latin American cardinals were united behind him and pushed his election as pope.

They see him as one of their own because he was a priest and a bishop in Latin America and spent many, many years there. He is not just an American, he is a pope for all of the Americas.

He is known as being pastoral, being good at listening. I think he will be in continuity with Pope Francis.

Robert Prevost with late former Pope John Paul II - Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel

Asked whether it was unexpected for an American to be elected, Father Reese said: Oh yeah, shocking.

A Vatican insider said: He was not one of the obvious candidates, but he knows everybody, he spent 30 years as a missionary, he has languages.

His time in Peru means he is one of the least American of the American cardinals. But he understands America and he can speak to the country, which is important in the Trump era.

A newly-ordained Rev Robert Prevost meets Pope John Paul II in 1982

Christine Allen, the director of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, said: Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, will be a voice of wisdom in a fractured and divided world, as he continues the important work of leading the Church in the world and providing spiritual and moral guidance to the global community.

Having spent years in Peru, Pope Leo XIV brings with him the vital perspective of the Global South, elevating voices from the margins to centre stage.

Now more than ever, the world needs a strong and steadfast moral voice that can draw attention to the most important issues in our world: the crippling debt crisis which prevents low-income countries from spending on health and education for their people; the climate crisis and the conflicts blighting our world.

This election reflected a global Church, with cardinals from every corner of the world voting  bringing a broader outlook to addressing todays global issues.
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping agreed to deepen cooperation in all areas, including military ties - YURI KOCHETKOV/Shutterstock

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping agreed Russia and China should be friends of steel, and vowed to counter American attempts to constrain the two countries ambitions.

In a lengthy joint statement, Putin and Mr Xi agreed to deepen cooperation in all areas, including military ties.

The two leaders would strengthen coordination in order to decisively counter Washingtons course of dual containment of Russia and China, the statement read.

The two countries also agreed the conflict in Ukraine could only be settled by removing its root causes, a phrase frequently used by Putin to justify his illegal invasion.

Credit: Reuters

Mr Xi was the first leader to arrive in Moscow on Thursday and will be the most significant of more than two dozen foreign leaders to join Putin to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory Day on Friday.

Chinese soldiers will be among those marching through Moscows Red Square in front of 29 foreign leaders in an extravagant Victory Day parade, one of the most important public holidays of the year for Putin, who uses the event as a display of Russias military power and influence.

The Chinese president was greeted with smiles and a handshake by his Russian counterpart on Thursday, before being treated to breakfast and tea in the Kremlin.

Mr Xi, whose country is in the midst of a trade war with the US, told Putin that Russia and China should eliminate external interference and be true friends of steel that have been through a hundred trials by fire.

No limits to the partnership

In an apparent nod to Donald Trump, Mr Xi also said the two countries should work together to counter unilateralism and hegemonic bullying.

China insists it remains neutral in the war between Russia and Ukraine, though Mr Xi and Putin have met dozens of times and signed a no limits strategic partnership days before the 2022 invasion.

Putin, who has sought to show Russia has survived the Wests attempts to isolate it, thanked his dear friend for coming to Moscow to mark 80 years since the sacred victory over Adolf Hitler.

The victory over fascism, achieved at the cost of enormous sacrifices, is of lasting significance, Putin told the Chinese president.

Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand guard over historical truth, protect the memory of the events of the war years, and counteract modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism.

Putin has repeatedly portrayed his war in Ukraine as a struggle against modern-day Nazis, which Kyiv categorically rejects.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German president, criticised Putins historical lies over the war in Ukraine as he marked the Nazi defeat.

Mr Steinmeier praised the Soviet Red Army  in which Russian and Ukrainian troops fought side-by-side  for their role in the Nazis defeat, noting it had liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland.

We do not forget this, Mr Steinmeier told the Bundestag, during a sombre commemoration on the anniversary of Nazi Germanys unconditional surrender to the Allies.

But precisely because of this, we firmly oppose the Kremlins historical lies today, he added.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, with his wife during a VE Day ceremony at the monument of the Unknown Soldier in Kyiv - Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP

Last week, Putin announced a unilateral three-day ceasefire in the war with Ukraine, beginning at midnight local time on Thursday and lasting until May 10, the day after Moscows celebrations.

Ukraine did not agree to the truce, claiming it was a ruse by Putin to create the impression that he wants an end to the war.

World leaders travelling to Moscow for the Victory Parade on Friday faced the threat of disruption from Ukrainian drone attacks, which forced several Russian airports to close on Wednesday.

Andrii Sybiha, Ukraines foreign minister, accused Moscow of violating the truce more than 700 times since it began.

Predictably, Putins parade ceasefire proves to be a farce, he said.

Andrii Sybiha, Ukraines foreign minister, accused Moscow of violating the parade truce more than 700 times since it began - Ukrainian Emergency Service

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, previously warned that Russias temporary truce was an attempt at manipulation, dismissing it as nothing more than a theatrical performance designed to protect Moscow during the parade.

Robert Fico, Slovakias prime minister, was forced to take a meandering route to the Russian capital after Lithuania shut its airspace to flights carrying him to the event.

According to the AirNav website, Mr Ficos plane took off from Bratislava airport on Thursday afternoon and was expected to land in Moscow around 9.30pm local time (7.30pm BST).

The flight was expected to cross over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea and Georgia before heading through Russias Dagestan region.

Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky was expected to speak with Mr Trump later on Thursday after the Ukrainian parliament ratified a mineral deal with the US.

We just concluded the rare earth deal with Ukraine. Thats been fully ratified and approved by their legislative branches, and so we appreciate that, and Ill be speaking with the president in a little while, a little bit later, the US president said at the White House on Thursday afternoon.

04:36 PM BST

Thats all for today

Thanks for following our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

It has now ended for the day. Join us tomorrow morning for live coverage of Russias Victory Celebrations in Moscow.

04:11 PM BST

Trump and Zelensky to speak after minerals deal agreed

Donald Trump said this afternoon that he he will speak with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky after Kyiv ratified a minerals deal with Washington.

We just concluded the rare earth deal with Ukraine. Thats been fully ratified and approved by their legislative branches, and so we appreciate that, and Ill be speaking with the president in a little while, a little bit later, the US president said at the White House.

03:38 PM BST

Several people killed in shooting near Kyiv

Several people have been killed in a shooting near Kyiv, local police have aid, adding that officers were working to arrest the perpetrator.

The incident took place in Sofiyivska Borshchahivka, an urban district bordering Kyiv home to some 25,000 people.

At 3:22 pm (2.22 BST) today, police received a report that a man had shot citizens in the village of Sofiyivska Borshchahivka, Ukraines national police said in a statement.

Currently, all emergency services are working at the scene and a special operation is underway to detain the attacker.

Police did not say how many people were dead and did not give further detail about the incident.

03:15 PM BST

Zelensky and his wife pay tribute on VE day

Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena carry flowers during a ceremony for 80th anniversary of VE Day at the monument of the Unknown Soldier - Ukrainian Presidential Press Office

02:41 PM BST

Pictured: Putin puts on breakfast for Xi

Vladimir Putin hosted a breakfast reception for Xi Jinping, who arrived in Moscow earlier today.

Also in attendance was Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia and a senior security official.

Putin hosts breakfast reception for foreign leaders attending Victory Day celebrations - AFP

02:07 PM BST

What Putin wants from Xi Jinping

Waving their national flag and chanting a patriotic anthem of wartime hardship, Chinas Guard of Honour marched through Red Square in Moscow last week.

The specialised unit within the Peoples Liberation Army was rehearsing for Russias Victory Day parade, which will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and is anticipated to be its grandest yet.

In a show of deepening ties, Xi Jinping - who was greeted by Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Thursday, will be in the front row of spectators with the Russian leader as the events most high-profile guest.

While the two have met more than 40 times as leaders of China and Russia, standing side-by-side on such an important day will be highly symbolic.

Its a reaffirmation of the increasingly close ties between the two countries in the face of their mutual enemy  the West, said Pierre Andrieu, a former diplomat in Russia. Its a very powerful and explicit message.

01:49 PM BST

Xi and Putin agree on need to remove root causes of Ukraine war

Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are convinced that the conflict in Ukraine can only be resolved by removing its root causes, the two leaders said in a joint statement.

At talks in Moscow, Putin thanked Xi for joining celebrations to mark 80 years since the sacred victory over Adolf Hitler in World War Two.

It came as Xi told Putin this afternoon that their two countries should be friends of steel.

Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping drink tea at the Kremlin in Moscow - AFP

01:28 PM BST

US wont back war crimes tribunal

The United States wont endorse the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Vladimir Putin and his top officials for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Ministers from dozens of nations will gather in Lviv on Friday to give political endorsement to the proposals to serve justice against Kremlin chiefs for the invasion.

Sources said the US would not be present at the signing ceremony, confirming a Telegraph exclusive from February that Donald Trump would withdraw his country from the process.

His predecessor, Joe Biden, had taken a leading role in over 10 meetings of a core group of countries organising the investigation and subsequent trial of Putin and his cronies.

But as soon as Mr Trump retook his seat in the Oval Office, American officials began to signal their intentions to leave the international justice efforts.

European officials hope that the American leader will change his mind and have not ruled out the possibility of him signing any declaration at a later date.

01:17 PM BST

Pictured: Xi and Putin meeting broadcast in Beijing

News footage on a giant screen outside a shopping mall in Beijing shows Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping shaking hands at the Kremlin - AFP

12:37 PM BST

Ukrainian MPs ratify US minerals deal

The Ukrainian parliament has ratified Donald Trumps minerals deal without any opposition.

A total of 388 of the 400 members making up the Verkhovna Rada gave the greenlight for an American-Ukrainian Reconstruction Fund to be established.

It signals an end to the often bitter negotiations over the agreement, which prompted a very public clash between Mr Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.

The pact will see both sides jointly control Ukraines vast critical minerals and natural resources wealth, and could be used to pay for future US military aid to Kyiv.

12:29 PM BST

Russia accuses Ukraine of launching border incursions

Russia has accused Ukraine of launching border incursions into Kursk after Vladimir Putins apparent ceasefire came into effect at midnight.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused one another of violating the ceasefire, which was announced by Putin last week.

Ukraine did not commit to the truce, labelling it a ruse by Putin to protect his Victory Day parade on May 9.

12:18 PM BST

Watch: Travellers stranded in Moscow airport after Ukrainian drone attacks

Credit: Telegram/@bazabazon, @ostorozhno_moskva

12:00 PM BST

Slovak PM Fico searching for route to Moscow after Baltics close airspace

Slovakias prime minister is searching for a route to Moscow to attend Victory Day celebrations after the Baltic countries reportedly shut their airspaces to flights carrying him to the event.

Robert Fico, who met Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin in December, is the only EU leader planning to attend the May 9 parade in Moscow, which will be attended by two dozen foreign leaders.

Gitanas Nauseda, Lithuanias president, said on Wednesday his country had closed its airspace to flights carrying Fico and Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, which is not in the EU, to Moscow.

Aircraft travelling between Russia and Europe have typically used Lithuanian airspace since European carriers were told in 2021 to avoid the shorter route through Belarus.

Ukrainian airspace, another shorter route, has been closed since 2022 due to the Russian invasion.

Latvias foreign ministry has said it will not allow any flights to the parade but did not specifically mention the Slovak leader.

Estonia has told us it will not allow us to fly over its territory, despite Slovakia having an all-year permission for the government fleet to use Estonian airspace, Mr Fico complained.

Slovakias Prime Minister Robert Fico is searching for a route to get to Moscow after the Baltics scrambled his plans - AP

11:33 AM BST

Russia says it is observing truce, but responding to Ukrainian attacks

The Russian army said Thursday it was observing a unilateral three-day truce with Ukraine ordered by Vladimir Putin, but that it was simultaneously responding to attacks by Ukraine, which never agreed to the proposal.

Despite the announcement of the ceasefire, Ukrainian army units have not ceased hostilities against Russian troops. The Russian army is responding in kind to violations of the ceasefire by the army of Ukraine, the Russian defence ministry said.

11:02 AM BST

Russia violates 3-day truce 700 times

Russia has violated the three-day ceasefire it ordered at least 734 times, Ukraines foreign minister claimed.

Andrii Sybiha added that Moscows forces have carried out 63 assault operations and are attacking along the entire eastern front.

The breaches, he said, were recorded between midnight and midday local time during the first hours of the truce.

10:30 AM BST

Dear friends Xi and Putin paint themselves as defenders of world order

Vladimir Putin thanked his dear friend Xi Jinping for joining celebrations to mark 80 years since the Soviets sacred victory over Nazi Germany, saying the two countries stood together now against neo-Nazism.

Xi is the most powerful of two dozen foreign leaders visiting Moscow for Victory Day and his presence provides an important boost for the Kremlin leader, who has always portrayed his war in Ukraine as a struggle against modern-day Nazis.

Ukraine and its allies reject that characterisation as a grotesque falsehood, accusing Moscow of conducting an imperial-style invasion.

The victory over fascism, achieved at the cost of enormous sacrifices, is of lasting significance, Putin told Xi on Thursday.

Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand guard over historical truth, protect the memory of the events of the war years, and counteract modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism.

Xi, who called Putin his old friend, said the two countries would work together to counter unilateralism and bullying - an implied reference to the United States.

10:05 AM BST

Pictured: Putin faces Xi during talks

Vladimir Putin with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting at the Kremlin on May 8 - Shutterstock

09:44 AM BST

Ukraine warns of missile danger in east despite truce

Air raid alerts are going off in seven eastern Ukrainian regions, warning of a danger of Russian ballistic missiles.

It comes despite the Kremlin declaring a 72-hour ceasefire that came into effect today.

Earlier this morning, Ukraines air force said the skies were quiet past 8am local time, following three breaches of the ceasefire in the northern Sumy region overnight.

09:25 AM BST

Zelensky commemorates VE Day

Volodymyr Zelensky has commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe, telling Ukrainians: Every evil inevitably comes to an end.

We commemorate the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II, the Ukrainian leader wrote on X, alongside footage of him walking inside Kyiv.

Referencing the eight million Ukrainians who died in the Second World War, he said: And today, nearly every Ukrainian family has a hero who fought or is fighting against the new evil. Fighting for Ukraine, our Kyiv, for all our cities and villages, for our people, for our life.

Nazi Germanys surrender came into force at 11:01pm on May 8, 1945, marked as VE Day by Britain, the United States and France. In Moscow it was already May 9, which became the Soviet Unions Victory Day.

We commemorate the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II.  pic.twitter.com/MWLFsNf0Tx  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) May 8, 2025

09:11 AM BST

Putin says Russia and China defend truth about WW2

Vladimir Putin told Xi Jinping on Thursday that their nations intend to defend the historical truth about World War Two, which the Russian leader accuses the West of wanting to distort.

Together with our Chinese friends we firmly stand on guard of historical truth, protect the memory of events of the war years and counter modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism, Putin said.

08:54 AM BST

In pictures: Xi at the Kremlin

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin attend a welcoming ceremony ahead of their talks in the Kremlin - AFP

Xi shakes hands with senior Russian officials on May 8 - REUTERS

08:47 AM BST

Xi says China stands with Russia in face of hegemonic bullying

Xi Jinping on Thursday said Beijing would stand with Moscow in the face of hegemonic bullying as he met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

In the face of the international counter-current of unilateralism and hegemonic bullying behaviour, China will work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major world powers, Xi told Putin.

08:44 AM BST

Analysis: What Putin wants from Xi Jinping

Waving their national flag and chanting a patriotic anthem of wartime hardship, Chinas Guard of Honour marched through Red Square in Moscow last week.

The specialised unit within the Peoples Liberation Army was rehearsing for Russias Victory Day parade, which will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and is anticipated to be its grandest yet.

In a show of deepening ties, Xi Jinping - who arrived in Moscow on Wednesday and was greeted by Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Thursday, will be in the front row of spectators with the Russian leader as the events most high-profile guest.

While the two have met more than 40 times as leaders of China and Russia, standing side-by-side on such an important day will be highly symbolic.

Vladimir Putin welcomes his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Kremlin, May 8 - REUTERS

08:41 AM BST

Watch: Xi shakes hands with Putin

Credit: Reuters

08:34 AM BST

Xi hails deepening trust with Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the deepening trust developing between Beijing and Moscow as he sat down with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

The political mutual trust between China and Russia is becoming deeper, and the ties for pragmatic cooperation are becoming stronger, Xi said.

08:30 AM BST

Zelensky calls Moscows Victory Day a parade of cynicism

Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday criticised World War II Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, where Vladimir Putin is set to host over 20 world leaders and a grand military parade.

It will be a parade of cynicism. There is just no other way to describe it. A parade of bile and lies, Mr Zelensky said.

08:29 AM BST

Kyiv and its allies plot ways to pressure Russia into 30-day ceasefire

Ukraine has discussed ways to pressure Russia into agreeing to a 30-day ceasefire with US, British, French and German senior officials.

Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelenskys top aide, said on Thursday that online talks had taken place with US special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, Britains national security adviser Jonathan Powell as well as French and German top presidential advisers Emmanuel Bonne and Guenter Sautter.

He said that all parties emphasised that a complete and unconditional ceasefire should be the first step towards a just and sustainable peace.

We also discussed instruments of pressure in case Russia refuses the initiative or violates the agreements, Mr Yermak said on Telegram.

08:25 AM BST

Putin welcomes Xi to Moscow

Vladimir Putin welcomed his dear friend Xi Jinping to Moscow for an official state visit ahead of Russias Victory Day celebrations.

The Chinese leader arrived yesterday for talks, hours after Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow for the third day in a row, forcing one of the citys main airports to shut just before Xis arrival.

At least 20 world leaders are expected in Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany in World War Two on Friday.

Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised the May 9 events in Moscow, calling it a parade of cynicism.

There is just no other way to describe it. A parade of bile and lies, the Ukrainian president said, as his country fends off a Russian invasion dragging through its fourth year.

08:11 AM BST

Ukraine says Russia launched guided bombs despite Putins truce

Ukraines air force reported air strikes on its northern region of Sumy on Thursday morning as Vladimir Putins order for a three-day truce with Ukraine was supposed to take effect.

During the night, the enemy intensified tactical aviation strikes using guided aerial bombs in the Sumy region, it said.

However, as of 8am local time, the air force reported that there had been no missile or drone attacks.

08:10 AM BST

Hello and welcome to our live coverage

Were bringing you all the latest updates from the war in Ukraine as well as events in Moscow as world leaders arrive in the Russian capital ahead of Victory Day celebrations.
Reality TV star Sam Thompson and Earl Spencer, brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, are joining the Loose Men panel for a special episode airing during Mental Health Awareness Week.

The programme, a rebrand of ITV chat show Loose Women, first launched on International Mens Day on November 19 2020.

The latest edition of the show will tackle subjects including modern fatherhood, couples counselling and mens physical and mental health.

Earl Spencer, brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, will be a panellist on Loose Men (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! winner Thompson, 32, and Earl Spencer, 60, will join This Morning presenter Craig Doyle and TV doctor Amir Khan for the show.

Thompson said: Ive genuinely always wanted to join Loose Men. Ive done Loose Women & Men before but this is my first time on the Loose Men panel and its an absolute pleasure to be joining Charles, Dr Amir and Craig.

No doubt well have some classic lunchtime laughs but Im also looking forward to some honest and heartfelt discussions. Its a real honour to be on the panel, I am really looking forward to it.

Spencer added: What a privilege to be part of the quartet with Craig, Dr Amir and Sam.

Its quite humbling to be part of a programme that will hopefully encourage many men to take good care of themselves but it will be great fun and Im looking forward to every minute of it.

Doyle said: Im back in the Loose Men hot seat and this time Im joined by an unmissable new panel with an earl, a doctor and king of the jungle.

Dr Amir Khan will be on the show (Danny Lawson/PA)

Its so important for us men to talk, but to also have a laugh with one another and hopefully we can encourage those watching that its OK to do both with your mates.

Plus, well be revealing the results of my full health MOT with Dr Amir, highlighting key signs to check for at home. If I can do it on television, you absolutely can too.

Dr Amir said he was really excited to be joining Loose Men to shine a light on something close to my heart, mens health.

Looking after yourself doesnt make you weak, it makes you wise. Lets break the stigma, open up the conversation and help more men live longer, healthier, happier lives, he said.

In 2023 professional fighter Tommy Fury discussed current attitudes about what it means to be manly on the programme.

Loose Men airs on Thursday May 15 from 12.30pm on ITV, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
Port Sudan, Sudan (PANA) - The UN has renewed its call to end the brutal conflict in Sudan after a surge in drone strikes, including in Port Sudan  the vital hub and lifeline for humanitarian aid
A yellow scorpion found in a home in Itabuna, north-east Brazil. The arachnids thrive in crowded housing, such as favelas, that lack proper waste disposal. Photograph: Joacy Souza/Alamy

Scorpions are taking over Brazilian cities, researchers have warned in a paper that said rapid urbanisation and climate breakdown were driving an increase in the number of people being stung.

More than 1.1m stings were reported between 2014 and 2023, according to data from the Brazilian notifiable diseases information system. There was a 155% increase in reports of stings from 2014 to 2023, according to research published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.

The rise in cases has been driven by rapid, unplanned urbanisation  such as favelas  characterised by high-density housing and poor waste disposal, according to the research. Although urban areas are encroaching on wild habitats where scorpions already live, they are also creating new environments in which to thrive.

Urbanisation in Brazil has profoundly reshaped ecosystems, said the lead researcher, Manuela Berto Pucca, an assistant professor at Sao Paulo State University. Cities unintentionally offer everything scorpions need: plenty of shelter (in walls, drains, rubble and construction debris), consistent warmth, and a reliable food supply in the form of cockroaches and other urban invertebrates.

They particularly like sewers, which are warm year-round, home to almost no predators and provide plenty of food, especially cockroaches. Some species of scorpion can survive for up to 400 days without food and are able to reproduce without mating, making them difficult to eradicate.

Hotter summers, and periods of intense rainfall and drought, also help them thrive as they are adapted to warm and humid environments.

Provisional data for 2024 suggests scorpions were responsible for nearly 200,000 stings and 133 deaths in Brazil. In total, researchers projected 2m new cases between 2025 and 2033. The real scale of this issue is likely far greater than the recorded statistics suggest, researchers said, as many people choose to treat themselves at home, or forgo treatment.

Ive been working in places where scorpion stings are a daily fear, especially in poor and crowded areas, said Pucca. The numbers showed us that in the future the problem will be bigger than it is now.

Researchers said that 0.1% of reported stings result in death, and children and elderly people are most vulnerable. Healthy people generally make a full recovery, but can suffer from pain and discomfort for several days. Symptoms include pain, burning, swelling, redness, tingling and nausea.

Previous research modelling the distribution of scorpions in Brazil showed the potential to expand their habitats into urban areas driven by a warmer, wetter climate.

Related: The year the rainforest dried up: how the climate crisis beached Brazils floating communities

Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Mexico, Guyana and Venezuela have witnessed a particularly alarming rise in scorpionism [the medical condition resulting from a sting] over recent decades, evolving into a significant public health crisis, the researchers of the new study said. In Europe there are believed to be more than 35 native species of scorpion, although there is no comprehensive research on population trends.

Researchers said prevention was key. Scorpions thrive in cluttered, humid environments. Keep areas clean, seal cracks in walls, use screens on drains and always check shoes, towels and clothes before using them, said Pucca.

Dr Manuela Gonzalez-Suarez, an ecologist at Reading University who was not involved in the research, said: The numbers are much higher than I would expect, in the sense that this is a significant increase. However, she said awareness of an issue could also result in more reporting.

Gonzalez-Suarez added that people should not be unduly alarmed by the research: Many people who are stung do not have severe or lethal reactions and mortality rates are relatively low compared with, for example, those due to road accidents or violent crimes.

The Brazilian health system provides free treatment for scorpion stings, and anti-venom is available at some hospitals and emergency centres. If someone is stung, dont wait for symptoms to worsen  go to the nearest healthcare facility immediately, said one of the papers authors, Prof Eliane Candiani Arantes from the University of Sao Paulo.

All people are vulnerable, especially children, because just one small sting can kill a child, she said.

Prof Nibedita Ray-Bennett, at the University of Leicester, who is president of the Avoidable Deaths Network, said the study underscored the urgent need for action.

Pucca said one of the most widespread misconceptions about scorpions was that they were our enemies. They are not. These animals act defensively, not offensively. Theyre part of the natural world and play essential ecological roles, from controlling pest populations to maintaining biodiversity.

Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow the biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield in the Guardian app for more nature coverage

 This article was amended on 8 May 2025. Owing to an error in supplied information, an earlier version gave the percentage increase in the number of sting cases from 2014 to 2023 as 250%, rather than 155%. However, the figures cited  66,986 cases in 2014; 170,616 in 2023  were correct.
Ambulance workers have backed strike action in a dispute over rest breaks, warning of risks to patients when staff are literally exhausted.

The GMB, Unite and Unison unions said 80% of members backed strikes while 94% backed industrial action short of strikes in a consultative ballot to be followed by a formal vote, with the figures an average across the three unions.

GMB Scotland claimed Scottish Ambulance Service crews are being asked to work up to 10 hours without a break and said staff are being pushed too far.

The unions are urging managers to ensure breaks are ring-fenced into shifts to ensure no ambulance crew worker is asked to work more than six hours without a break, that could only be interrupted to respond to a life-threatening emergency call.

Karen Leonard, GMB Scotland organiser in NHS Scotland, said the issue has repeatedly been raised with management in recent years but discussions have led nowhere.

She said: That failure has led to mounting frustration and determination to take whatever action is necessary to protect the safety of crews, patients and other road users.

Ambulance crews routinely deliver life-saving care under hugely stressful conditions and need to be properly rested.

They are driving under blue lights, diagnosing patients and administering drugs. Clearly, they must be mentally alert and physically fresh.

The pressures of the job are relentless and proper breaks must be ring-fenced in their shift.

Crews are entitled to a 45-minute break in a 12-hour shift but GMB claimed they are often asked to work through them or cut them short.

Ms Leonard said Scottish Ambulance Service executives will now be invited to discuss the dispute with unions in an attempt to find a way forward and avert industrial action.

She added: Our members are literally exhausted but also tired of the failure to address their concerns, not least because of the obvious risks to the welfare of staff and the safety of patients.

Proper breaks must be an essential and secure part of every shift.

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: We recognise the pressure facing our staff as a result of wider NHS demand and delays in handovers at hospitals.

We know that there are times ambulance crews, like many other NHS staff, are not able to take breaks as we would want them to, which is why we are engaged with staff-side colleagues on this matter and continue to explore a range of options to improve rest break uptake.

We met with unions last week and they have confirmed they are reviewing an updated proposal as part of our ongoing dialogue.

Continued discussion on this matter is important as we all share the same aim of supporting crews.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: The Scottish Government values the tremendous job ambulance service staff do in what can be exceptionally challenging circumstances.

We note the result of this consultative ballot and continue to urge all parties to work together to reach a resolution.

The Scottish Government is continuing to provide support to the Scottish Ambulance Service as they work to resolve the dispute.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle has berated a minister saying we dont do business like this after the Government suggested a statement on the UK-US trade deal should be delayed.

The Speaker of the House of Commons also made accusations that MPs had been told to go home as there would be no statement, despite one being scheduled.

An urgent question on the issue had been withdrawn from the parliamentary schedule earlier on Thursday, with the promise of a statement on the historic deal to come later.

Trade minister Douglas Alexander later said it would be more courteous for the statement to take place on Monday instead.

On a point of order, he said: It had been the intention of the Government to make a statement to the House this afternoon immediately following the scheduled press conference by the US president and the words of our own Prime Minister.

Both of these sets of remarks were delayed, with the result at this relatively late hour, the Government would now suggest respectfully to you that it would be more courteous to the House to be able to provide all members on Monday the opportunity for a full statement.

MPs could be heard heckling, before Sir Lindsay said: Youve got to come forward with a statement because you converted a UQ (urgent question) this morning to a statement, so a statement has to be made.

He added: I understand that people were going round telling people to go home as there would be no statement, as Downing Street had decided. We dont do business like this. It is totally wrong.

Im giving the benefit of the doubt. Im sure youd like to update the House on the position of where we are now, and of course the details I would expect them to come on Monday.

An MP then shouted apologise, before Mr Alexander proceeded to give a statement on the trade deal with the US.

Sir Keir Starmer has described it as historic, while Donald Trump, from across the Atlantic, said it was a great deal for both countries.

The Prime Minister said the deal will save thousands of jobs in the car and steel industry, after they were threatened by Mr Trumps tariffs.

Following the conclusion of the session, Sir Lindsay said: I never want to be put in this position again.

And can I just remind people, we ought to think before we send people home, to tell them  there wont be a statement.

I think it was bad. The chair of the select committee (Liam Byrne) complained to me because he was told to go away, we shouldnt be doing this, please.

We need to work together, this House. This House should be respected. I will stand up for the backbenchers. Please, never put me in this position again.
The conclusion of a US-UK trade agreement is a fantastic, historic day, Sir Keir Starmer has said as he and Donald Trump formally announced the deal.

Speaking to the Prime Minister from the White House, the US president said the agreement was a great deal for both countries.

Mr Trump said the final details of the agreement were still being written up, adding: The actual deal is a very conclusive one we think, just about everything has been approved.

President Donald Trump speaks on the phone to Sir Keir Starmer (Evan Vucci/AP)

The Government has been pursuing a deal with the US to reduce the impact of sweeping tariffs imposed by Mr Trump last month, which placed a 10% levy on all UK exports and a 25% charge on steel, aluminium and cars.

Previous governments have also attempted to secure a free trade agreement with the US, but with no success.

Mr Trump said: The US and UK have been working for years to try and make a deal and it never quite got there.

It did with this Prime Minister, so I want to just congratulate you.

Sir Keir said: With this president and this Prime Minister weve managed to achieve what many people tried to achieve for many years, and Im really pleased.

The US president had previously described the deal as full and comprehensive, but Thursdays announcement focused on a narrower set of industries.

Under the deal, American tariffs on British cars fall to 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles exported to the US, while tariffs on steel are scrapped.

Steel union Communitys assistant general secretary Alasdair McDiarmid said the deal would protect jobs in the industry.

He said: The UK Government deserves enormous credit for negotiating this deal to reduce US tariffs which would have had a hugely damaging impact on our steel sector.

In exchange, the UK has reduced tariffs on US products including beef and ethanol, which US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said would create five billion dollars in opportunity for American exports.

The agreement on beef provides a tariff-free quota for 13,000 tonnes of US exports, but the UK Government said this would involve no reduction in food standards.

Mr Lutnick added that British-made Rolls-Royce engines would be excluded from tariffs, with a UK airline agreeing to buy 10 billion worth of Boeing planes later today.

Mr Trump said the UK would also be brought into economic security alignment with the US as a result of the deal.

Number 10 said work would continue on pharmaceuticals and remaining tariffs, but the US had promised to give the UK preferential treatment if any further tariffs were imposed.

Lord Peter Mandelson, the British ambassador in Washington, said the deal was not the end, its just the end of the beginning.

Speaking in the Oval Office, he said: There is yet more we can do in reducing tariffs and trade barriers so as to open up our markets to each other, even more than we are agreeing to do today.

Previous speculation had suggested the UK would revise the digital services tax as part of a deal, with the levy mainly applying to US tech companies.

But Number 10 said on Thursday the tax would remain unchanged, with the two countries agreeing to work on a separate digital trade deal that would reduce paperwork for British firms exporting to the US.

Ministers are expected to update MPs on the talks with the US with a statement in the Commons later.

The deal with the UK is the first agreement since Mr Trump announced the liberation day tariffs on countries around the world.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the deal, saying Britain had been shafted.

She said: When Labour negotiates, Britain loses. We cut our tariffs  America tripled theirs.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats demanded a vote on the deal in Parliament, saying it would show complete disrespect to the public if MPs were denied a say.

Sir Ed Davey said: When it comes to any trade deal  and especially one with someone as unreliable as Donald Trump  the devil will be in the detail.

One thing is clear, Trumps trade tariffs are still hitting key British industries, threatening the livelihoods of people across the UK.
Scientists compared the genomes of 250 coronaviruses to reconstruct how the pathogens evolved over time - Naeblys/iStockphoto

The virus that causes Covid-19 followed the same evolutionary path as Sars, a coronavirus that jumped from bats to wildlife to people in the early 2000s, according to an analysis of their genomes.

In a paper published in Cell journal, scientists compared the genomes of 250 coronaviruses to reconstruct how the pathogens evolved over time, potentially offering insights into how Covid-19 spilled into people  an unresolved question thats been thrust back into the spotlight since Donald Trump assumed office.

The researchers found that both Sars viruses were circulating and changing inside bats in southern China and neighbouring countries for hundreds of thousands of years before emerging in humans.

Bats have unusual immune systems which allow them to harbour coronaviruses, allowing them to mix and mutate into something new.

By unpicking this recombination process, the scientists were able to estimate when and where each of the two coronaviruses had emerged in bats.

They found Sars was circulating in western China just one to two years before it jumped into humans in Guangdong, central China.

Spillover: why the next pandemic may already have started

Sars-Cov-2 followed an extremely similar route, they say. It made its final recombination between 2012 and 2014 in bats in southwest China or northern Laos, five to seven years before sparking a human pandemic in Wuhan.

The researchers say it is striking that, in both instances, the virus was circulating in bats hundreds of miles from where humans were first infected.

In the case of Sars, there is strong evidence that wildlife sold in wet markets bridged this geographical gap and carried the virus to humans.

Researchers have previously established that the virus was present in palm civets and other wild mammals for sale in markets at the time of the first Sars outbreak in 2002.

They concluded that it was the wildlife trade which transported the pathogens hundreds of miles, from bat caves to people.

Prof Michael Worobey, head of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona and a co-author of the paper, said that were seeing exactly the same pattern with Sars-Cov-2.

Like Sars, Sars-Cov-2 evolved in bat caves hundreds of miles away from the spot humans were first infected. While the paper does not prove it was transported by the wildlife trade to the wet market around which the first human cases emerged in Wuhan, the authors said parallels between the two pandemics were too striking to be ignored.

At the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a concern that the distance between Wuhan and the bat virus reservoir was too extreme for a zoonotic origin, said Prof Joel Wertheim, a professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicines division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health.

This paper shows that it isnt unusual and is, in fact, extremely similar to the emergence of Sars-Cov-1 in 2002, he said.

Analysis wont quash the lab leak theory

The question of how Covid-19 emerged has long been contentious, but tensions have ratcheted up since President Trump assumed his second term in office.

Last month the White House created a website called Lab Leak: The True Origin of Covid 19, which suggests the pandemic was caused by human error in a Wuhan lab facility.

Beijing then resurfaced its own conspiracy theory  believed by many in China  that the USs own high security labs were to blame.

Prof Jonathan Ball, a professor of molecular virology at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine who was not involved in the paper, praised the new research for showing how the two Sars viruses had evolved. But he added that it could not settle the lab v natural origins debate.

I sit in favour of the Huannan market [analysis], mainly because of all the other evidence. This paper adds another bit of evidence to that pile, he said. But its not going to quash the lab leak [hypothesis], and it wont persuade Donald [Trump].

Why the true origins of Covid may never be revealed

Prof Stuart Neil, head of the department of Infectious Diseases at Kings College London, also said the paper cant fill the gap between the bats and the market.

But he added that the evolution and geography of Sars and Sars-Cov-2 described in the paper clearly showed that both were able to fully emerge of their own accord in nature and that there was no reason it could not happen again.

What [the paper] reinforces is that you need to control and monitor the most likely flash points for zoonotic emergence, he said.

Yet some remain sceptical of the idea that the wildlife trade carried the Sars-CoV-2 to Wuhan as happened with Sars in the 2002 outbreak.

Its a very sophisticated analysis of the evolutionary origins of Sars viruses in their natural reservoir, however the analysis leaves two big gaps, said Prof Mark Woolhouse, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh.

The story [for Covid] stops some years short of 2020, and it also leaves a very big gap in terms of space.

I dont agree with the inference in the paper that the only plausible way that the virus could have gone from its natural habitat to Wuhan is through the wildlife trade.

For me, theres no convincing evidence that the animals implicated in the early spread of Sars-Cov-2 [such as racoondogs] were farmed in the region where Sars-Cov-2 is thought to evolve. So for me, the most likely route that it got from one place to the other is via people, Prof Woolhouse said.

Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security
Lai Ching-te addressed a group of foreign dignitaries in Taipei. Photograph: Ann Wang/Reuters

Taiwans president, Lai Ching-te, has compared his nation to the European countries heading for conflict with Nazi Germany in the 1930s, in a punchy speech commemorating the end of the second world war in Europe.

Eighty years after the end of the European war, the message of history is clear. Today, 80 years later, we share the same values and face similar challenges as many of the democracies that participated in the European war, Lai said to a group of foreign dignitaries gathered in Taipei.

Lais speech comes at a time when Taiwan is facing increasing military pressure from China. It is the first time Taiwan has officially commemorated the end of the second world war in Europe.

The conflict is a thorny topic in cross-strait relations. China at the time was ruled by the Kuomintang, or the nationalists, under the banner of the Republic of China.

During the war, the Kuomintang fought alongside the Chinese Communist party (CCP) against the Japanese, before resuming their own civil conflict, which led to the Kuomintang fleeing to Taiwan in 1949 and establishing the Republic of China there. This remains the islands official name. The CCP established the Peoples Republic of China in Beijing.

In a veiled reference to China, Lai called on freedom-loving people and countries to work together to counter authoritarian regimes.

Taiwan and Europe are jointly facing the threat of a new totalitarian group, Lai said. The bitter experience of world war two tells us that appeasement will only make the invaders more greedy and expand their ambitions.

Thursdays event opened with a short video featuring clips of the D-day landings in Normandy and audio recordings of Winston Churchills famous We shall fight on the beaches speech.

The top British representative in Taiwan, Ruth Bradley-Jones, spoke at the event, as did Lutz Gullner, the head of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan.

Marcin Jerzewski, the head of the Taiwan office of the European Values Center for Security Policy, said Lai was trying to send the message that security and prosperity of Taiwan and Europe are still interconnected, so that European partners fearing possible withdrawal of American security guarantees from Europe dont turn away from their engagements with the Indo-Pacific and security in the Taiwan Strait.

Related: Papal inauguration risks raising tensions between China and Taiwan

Lai is steering Taiwan through a fraught geopolitical moment. The self-governing island is claimed by China, which has vowed to annex it with the use of force if necessary. Since Donald Trump took office as US president in January, the commitment of the US, Taiwans main security backer, to helping Taiwan defend itself has been unclear.

China frequently rehearses blockades of Taiwan. So-called grey zone tactics such as disinformation campaigns have been increasing.

Wen-Ti Sung, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Councils Global China Hub, said Lai also wanted to show that Taiwan wants to be a partner, not just a recipient, of western largesse.

Lais speech came the day after Chinas president, Xi Jinping, arrived in Moscow for Russias commemoration of the end of the second world war, which will be marked with a military parade featuring Chinese troops on Friday.

Chinas continuing support for Russias war in Ukraine has alarmed western leaders and raised concerns that China could be learning lessons for an invasion of Taiwan.

In an article published in Russian media on Wednesday about Chinese and Soviet cooperation during the second world war, Xi devoted a lengthy section to the wars implications for Chinas claims on Taiwan.

Xi described this weeks commemorations as the 80th anniversary of Taiwans recovery to China.

No matter how the situation on the island of Taiwan changes, no matter how external forces disrupt it, the historical trend that China will eventually reunify and will definitely reunify is unstoppable, Xi wrote.

Xi expressed Chinas appreciation for Russias support for all measures taken by the Chinese government and people to achieve national reunification.

Additional research by Lillian Yang
Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump

Britain is going global. On Tuesday, we agreed a trade deal with the fourth (soon to be the third) largest economy on the planet, namely India. On Thursday, we announced one with the largest, namely the United States.

That fact alone makes what has happened, in every sense, a big deal. The US is not simply our chief export destination; it is larger than our second, third and fourth markets (Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands) put together.

Labour ministers take justified pride in Britain having become the first country with which the US has agreed a trade deal since Trump announced his new tariff rates on April 2. They are less keen to broadcast the fact that their deal, just like their India free trade agreement, was made possible by Brexit.

Donald Trump is less coy, declaring in his characteristically mangled way that it was only Britains EU membership that had prevented such a treaty being agreed years ago: That was always a big part of your decision on Brexit, they were never able to make that deal. It was, you know, it was a tough one. And this one was, its amazing with time, this one just went very smoothly.

He is right. The EU repeatedly failed to sign a trade agreement with the US because of protectionist agrarian and industrial interests on the Continent that meant nothing to the UK. This deal, though Starmer wont say so, is an unequivocal Brexit boon.

Could it have gone further? Absolutely. And that is precisely what is intended. A month ago, I predicted in these pages that there would be an initial deal that would provide for the abolition of tariffs, and would then lead on to something more ambitious in time for President Trumps state visit here towards the end of the year.

We needed an immediate deal to save our car exporters. Jaguar Land Rover was looking at a 40 per cent fall in sales, and similar losses were faced by Bentley, Aston Martin and the other luxury British brands that wealthy Americans like to buy.

This arrangement secures their market, and provides for a reduction in other tariffs. But it does not do the more ambitious stuff: no single market in services, no mutual recognition of professional qualifications, not even the lifting of the digital sales tax that US tech companies loathe.

Are these things  worth vastly more than the tariff reductions  in the pipeline? Peter Mandelson talked of the current arrangement as a springboard. Trump, in his more prolix way, declared that this is a very conclusive deal but we think we can grow it from that.

What of the 10 per cent tariff, which Trump sees as a non-negotiable baseline for every country? That is staying, at least for now. Naturally, many commentators are therefore declaring that Trump has won, because Britain is cutting its tariff rates more sharply than the US.

If you did economics A-level, you will know that it is the other way around. Tariffs cause the most damage to the country that imposes them. Britain was never wealthier than when it pursued unilateral free trade, ignoring demands for retaliation against more protectionist partners.

Most people, though, are not economists, and have a Trumpian view of commerce, believing that more exports, rather than cheaper imports, are the chief goal of trade agreements.

One such is Kemi Badenoch, who reacted to the deal by declaring: When Labour negotiates, Britain loses. We cut our tariffs  America tripled theirs. Keir Starmer called this historic. Its not historic, weve just been shafted!

She tore into the India deal in similar terms, claiming that a technical arrangement to avoid double-taxation on intra-company postings to the UK was, in fact, a way to increase immigration.

I understand that it is the duty of an Opposition to oppose. But both these deals are wins for Britain, made possible by leaving the EU. Indeed, both were actively pursued by the Conservatives.

My party, and Brexiteers more widely, should be taking credit for having done what all the clever Europhiles have spent six years telling us was impossible. Instead of moaning, we should welcome Starmers belated understanding that worlds biggest and fastest-growing markets are outside the EU.

Six years ago, when the US talks began under Boris Johnson, Labour was fabricating idiotic scare stories about chlorinated chicken and hormone-treated beef. David Lammy, now the Foreign Secretary, was ranting like a half-witted teenager: Be in no doubt. A trade deal with Donald Trump will mean US corporations get to privatise and dismantle our NHS one bed at a time.

Such talk is now forgotten, and Labour has accepted the economic facts of life. A services-based economy like ours needs the closest possible economic relationship with the US. The Conservatives and Reform, Atlanticist parties that touted freer trade as a Brexit benefit, should be cheering.

It so happened that the trade deal was announced, not just on the 80th anniversary of VE Day, but at the very hour that Winston Churchill had declared the final defeat of Nazi Germany. Freedom rested then, as it has since, on the alliance of the two greatest English-speaking democracies.

For most of the intervening 80 years, the Atlantic alliance enjoyed cross-party support on both sides of the Atlantic. Lets not jeopardise that consensus now.
Holyroods ruling corporate body announced that access to all single-sex facilities in the parliament would be determined by biological sex - Ken Jack/Getty Images

Trans women are to be banned from using female-only facilities in the Scottish Parliament from next week after the Supreme Court ruled that they are not women.

Holyroods ruling corporate body announced that access to all single-sex facilities in the parliament would be determined by biological sex from Monday.

Alison Johnstone, the presiding officer, said extra gender-neutral facilities would be made available, including showering and changing spaces.

With the court ruling in effect now, she said it was important to act not only to ensure we fulfil our legal responsibilities but to give clarity to all those using the building.

The Tories and feminist campaigners welcomed the move but said John Swinney, the First Minister, now had no excuse for dragging his heels on implementing the ruling in the rest of Scotlands public sector.

Swathes of state-funded bodies, including the Scottish Government, NHS boards and councils, allow biological men self-identifying as women to use female facilities.

Experts have warned these practices will have to be scrapped following the Supreme Courts ruling that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex, and does not include trans women.

No excuse for Swinney to keep dragging his heels

But Mr Swinney has said that they should delay acting on the ruling until the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) publishes official guidance in the summer.

This is despite the EHRC publishing interim advice making clear that access to single-sex facilities in workplaces and public services should be based on biological sex.

It has also warned that the Supreme Court ruling takes effect immediately and noted that the ruling was very readable, suggesting that it was clear what action was required.

The Scottish Parliaments Corporate Body (SPCB) wrote to all MSPs and staff setting out its interim response to the ruling following an initial review.

Tess White, the Scottish Conservative equalities spokeswoman, said: We strongly welcome this timely response to the Supreme Court ruling which protects womens legal rights to access single-sex spaces.



If the Scottish Parliament can respond to the Supreme Court judgment so swiftly, there is no excuse for John Swinney to keep dragging his heels. He must instruct all public bodies to uphold the law immediately instead of pandering to gender extremists.

Lisa Mackenzie, of policy analysts Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, said: We are pleased to see Scotlands legislature taking seriously its responsibility to comply with the Supreme Court ruling.

Its not that hard to do

We hope the Scottish Government and other public bodies will follow its lead. Organisations should be putting policies in place that comply with the law without delay, instead of waiting for future guidance.

Marion Calder, a director of For Women Scotland, the feminist campaign group that won the Supreme Court case, also argued other bodies should follow suit. She added: Its not that hard to do and it never was.

Maya Forstater, chief executive of human rights charity Sex Matters, said: For many years, Scottish women who sought to engage democratically were ignored and insulted by their government.

Staff in Holyrood confiscated badges and clothing in Suffragette colours, and even removed them from proceedings. So to recommend that other public bodies across the UK should take this announcement as a model is surreal, but highly welcome.

Ms Johnstone, Holyroods version of the Commons Speaker, said that in practical terms, the new rules, in line with the Supreme Court judgment, would mean that all facilities designated as male or female will be interpreted as meaning biological sex.

A bank of three toilets in the public area of the parliament is to be designated as a gender-neutral facility that could be used by trans people.

In addition, an existing shower and changing facility and a toilet in the non-public part will also be gender-neutral. Both are single lockable spaces, she said.

Nicola Sturgeon, the former first minister, warned earlier this week that the manner in which the court ruling would be translated into practice could make the lives of trans people almost unliveable.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: The Scottish Government provides a range of facilities for staff, including male, female, accessible and gender-neutral toilets and changing rooms.

As the EHRC is the enforcer and regulator of the Equality Act, we expect all organisations, including public bodies, to consider its revised Code of Practice and guidance when published to ensure there is a consistent and clear understanding of the application of the law for all involved in this complex area.

The Scottish Government has already begun work on implementation. We have established a Short Life Working Group to ensure support and consistency across Government. This work will position us to be ready to take all necessary steps when the EHRCs Code of Practice and updated guidance are published.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV spoke of reaching out to others in his first address - Alessandra Tarantino/AP

Hearing the name Robert Francis Prevost came as a total surprise to St Peters Square, and it looked like a surprise to him, too.

The Americans in the crowd were ecstatic. A US boy near me screamed: An American pope! Oh my God! An American pope!

When Leo XIV came on to the balcony, he seemed very emotional, clearly nervous. Someone used to working behind the scenes is now the star.

Popes have spoken to the square since John Paul II, but he was the first to entirely read from notes, indicating that he wished to be precise in his message  which stressed unity, dialogue and being a mission church.

Donald Trump, his fellow countryman, issued a note of congratulations.

It is such an honour to realise that he is the first American Pope, the US president wrote on his social media account  but theres a twist.

Americas first pope has apparently taken part in Republican primaries  no doubt as a pro-life voter  but on many bread-and-butter issues, hes probably a progressive.

Credit: Reuters

Let me be clear what I mean by that: not that he will, or even could, challenge Catholic doctrine  not even Francis did that.

But here is a Chicagoan who moved to Peru to be a missionary for the poor, and became an archbishop there.

He approved of Franciss attempt to find a pastoral solution to divorce and civil remarriage; he showed moderate support for Franciss gay-friendly declaration Fiducia Supplicans.

His speech rang with those Franciscan themes of reaching out to others and being open to the world.

And then theres his telling choice of name. Leo XIII was the author of Rerum Novarum, an 1891 encyclical that helped redefine the Church.

A magnificent, prophetic text, it analysed the poverty and injustice of its day and called for Catholics to attend to the poor through social action.

Id suggest choosing that name is the first distinctive step of the reign of Leo.

The name Francis modelled the late pope on a disruptive saint. Leo XIII was a vigorous pontiff who opposed socialism but supported trade unions.

So we might get Francis in substance yet something more traditional in style (and its significant that Francis wore white at the balcony, Leo the more ornate red).

But what does this mean for Trumps administration? Well, hes probably just gained another critic in the Vatican.

Pope Leo addresses the crowd from the main central loggia balcony of the St Peters Basilica for the first time - Vatican/AFP via Getty

The irony is that the Republican party has never been more Catholic: first lady Melania is one, as is JD Vance, the vice-president.

Exerting great influence in the judiciary, helping to overturn the pro-abortion ruling Roe v Wade, conservative US Catholics tend to prefer to talk about doctrine rather than social action  they leave that up to the Kennedys  and are suspicious of popes who try to find pastoral answers to issues of sexuality. Vance has a converts zeal.

Then theres immigration. Being a cleric in Peru meant Leo worked with migrants; he was reportedly praised for his aid to Venezuelans.

It appears he was directly critical of Vances insistence that Christians should put people of their own country first, apparently tweeting: JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

Whats so fascinating about this is that Vances original argument hinged on an interpretation of St Augustine and he credits his Catholic conversion to the philosopher saint.

Leo was twice elected general of the Augustinian order, so he also knows his stuff. In other words, one can imagine these two very intellectual Christians crossing swords in the future. Its almost inevitable.

Why? Because conservatism across the West, including the UK, is taking a nationalist turn.

But Catholicism is universalist, something I was struck by in the square, where I saw hundreds of different flags; Africans, Asians; nuns of every colour of habit imaginable. The entire human race, now united by one holy father.

A chant went up from the US boys  Ole-Leo! Ole-Leo!  as if a winning goal for Team America had been scored.
The UKs National Wealth Fund and several banks are handing energy firm ScottishPower a 1.35 billion loan to upgrade the power grid between Scotland and England.

The financing package will help pay for work on several major offshore cabling projects carrying electricity from wind farms in Scotland into England, via the North Sea.

The Eastern Green Link (EGL) project one will carry electricity from Torness in south-east Scotland to Hawthorn Pit substation in County Durham.

Another line, the EGL four, will carry power from Fife to Lincolnshire.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the project would help bring down bills, put more money in working peoples pockets and enable businesses to expand.

That is why I am so pleased to see the National Wealth Fund securing deals such as this, she added.

Currently, large amounts of power generated by Scottish wind turbines are wasted every year because the grid does not have the capacity to carry it south of the border.

When bottlenecks happen, wind farms are paid to stop operating and gas power stations are paid extra to supply the energy needed.

The system is known as curtailment, and cost about 1.23 billion last year, according to analysis published by energy firm Drax in March, and the money is added on to energy bills.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband added that the cash would help to deliver clean power by 2030 by speeding up grid upgrades  bringing cheaper, homegrown renewable power into homes and businesses, while supporting skilled jobs across the country.

About 600 million of the funding is coming from the National Wealth Fund, a publicly-owned investment vehicle set up by the Labour government last year.

The rest is coming from a series of banks, led by Bank of America and including BNP Paribas, Lloyds and NatWest.

Keith Anderson, chief of ScottishPower, said working together with the financing organisations is an important catalyst for economic growth, as we make progress in bringing more renewables onto the system.

The financing will also help pay for grid upgrades including new substations and overhead lines in Scotland.

The UKs National Energy System Operator has estimated that up to 60 billion of investment is needed over the next five years to meet its clean power goals.

John Flint, CEO of the National Wealth Fund, said the projects will have a major impact on the transition to a renewables-based electricity system and help address the grid constraints that make electricity more expensive.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The intention of the administration of US President Donald Trump to repatriate illegal immigrants to Libya has sparked an outcry from officials of the rival governments in the west and east, who have rejected the decision, and denied any association with it
Nicola Packer had been prescribed medication under emergency pandemic legislation. Photograph: supplied

A woman has been cleared of illegally terminating a pregnancy, after taking abortion pills during lockdown.

Nicola Packer took the pills at home in November 2020. She had been prescribed mifepristone and misoprostol after a remote consultation.

She later delivered a foetus, which the court heard was estimated to be about 26 weeks in gestation, which she brought with her to Chelsea and Westminster hospital, Isleworth crown court heard.

She was arrested in hospital and later charged with unlawfully administering to herself a poison or other noxious thing with the intent to procure a miscarriage.

Packer had been prescribed the medication under emergency pandemic legislation  later made permanent  that allows for pills to be dispatched by post after a remote consultation in pregnancies up to 10 weeks.

The prosecution had alleged that she believed she was more than 10 weeks pregnant at the time she took the pills.

But she denied the charges, and was found not guilty by a jury of nine women and three men, who returned a unanimous verdict, after the two-week trial.

The facts of this case are a tragedy but they are not a crime and Ms Packer is not guilty of this offence, Fiona Horlick KC, defending Packer, said in her closing speech on Tuesday.

It is hard to imagine how traumatically awful it must have been for Ms Packer thinking that she would only see blood clots to look into the toilet bowl and see a small but fully formed baby, she told the jury. Four and a half years later you can see how she is still utterly traumatised by that.

Remote prescribing legislation introduced during the pandemic allowed pills to be dispatched by post for pregnancies up to 10 weeks. The normal time limit for abortions in England and Wales is 23 weeks and six days, with no time limits in place if certain criteria are in place, such as a severe foetal anomaly or a risk to the mothers life.

The prosecution had alleged that Packer had known she was more than 10 weeks pregnant when she took the pills that she received in the post.

Packer, 45, who was supported by five people in the public gallery, cried and wiped her eyes as the verdict was delivered by the foreperson of the jury, which had been deliberating since Wednesday morning. She had been allowed to sit at the back of the court, behind her defence team, rather than in the dock, for most of the trial.

Addressing the court, Judge Edmunds KC said that one can only hope that if there are cases relating to other events that happened during that very difficult period of Covid that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) would balance whether it is in the public interest for those matters to be prosecuted.

At a previous hearing, before the case went to trial, the judge had asked the CPS to carry out a review into whether continuing with the case was in the public interest.

A CPS spokesperson said: Following a request from the judge to review the case in view of the length of time which passed since the alleged offending, we acted to carry out a full further review of the case before the decision was taken to continue the prosecution. The judge was informed of our decision.

The case, which loomed over Packer for almost half a decade and resulted in the most personal details of her life, including medical history, sexual preferences and even intimate photographs, shared in court, has led to renewed calls for abortion to be removed from the criminal statute books.

Katie Saxon, the chief strategic communications officer at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said: A woman who sought medical attention after experiencing a traumatic event has had to endure a protracted police investigation and public trial, her private life picked apart by prosecutors and reported in the national press, at a huge emotional and financial cost.

Prosecuting women for illegal abortion is never in the public interest, and no woman should ever have to go through this again.

Dr Ranee Thakar, the president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: As a doctor, I am acutely aware of how vital it is that women can access essential healthcare in a safe and supportive environment.

Restrictive abortion laws in England and Wales nurture an environment of fear, stigmatisation and criminalisation. They needlessly subject women to prolonged investigation, criminal charges, and custodial sentences for ending their own pregnancy.

She said Packers case shows just how outdated and harmful these laws have become, adding: Abortion reform is urgently needed and now is the time for change.
Nicola Packers ordeal stretched for four and a half years, culminating in her standing in the dock, giving evidence as part of her two-week trial. Photograph: supplied

When Nicola Packer took a pregnancy test in November 2020, as the country was in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, she did not even believe she was pregnant.

Aged 41 at the time, she thought it more likely that she was perimenopausal, but had been feeling under the weather and when her friend  with whom the pregnancy had been conceived  suggested she took a test, she only did so to prove him wrong.

When the test, bought from a chemist around the corner, came back positive, she was shocked, but was never in any doubt about what to do. She had never wanted children, and immediately sought a termination.

Under emergency provisions introduced during the pandemic  which were later made permanent  abortion pills could be dispatched by post, following a remote consultation, in pregnancies up to 10 weeks gestation.

She took the pills, thinking, as her defence barrister, Fiona Horlick KC, told Isleworth crown court, that she would only see blood clots to look into the toilet bowl, but to her shock, hours later, she delivered a small but fully formed baby.

This in itself was a traumatic event for Packer, but it would pale in comparison to what followed. She attended A&E at Charing Cross hospital, bleeding and in shock. Staff told her she was in the wrong hospital and to go to Chelsea and Westminster instead, but did not provide an ambulance and left her to make her own way there.

She had brought the foetus with her, but did not immediately tell staff that she had taken abortion medication, because she feared it would affect the care she received.

When she later admitted that she had taken the pills, informing a midwife who had told Packer she was there to care for her, that her safety was their priority and that whatever happened they were there to support her, the police were called in.

Uniformed officers arrived at the hospital, and Packer, still recovering from surgery after the birth, was arrested. She was taken into custody and her computers and phone were seized.

It was the start of an ordeal that would stretch for four and a half years, culminating in her standing in the dock, giving evidence as part of her two-week trial.

For periods of the trial Packer was able to stand with composure and a sense of quiet pride. Often, however, this was stripped away under a barrage of deeply personal questioning, as the prosecution asked her to relive one of the worst days of her life, scrutinising every detail she said she could not recall.

Though she seemed steady and stoic at times, she would sometimes give way to tears. When she gave evidence, Packer was joined in court by a small group of friends, who held her hand as she walked into the courtroom and escorted her out whenever she left, be it at the end of the day, or to take a break from her interrogation.

At one point, the presiding judge was forced to send the jury away and reprimand Packers support group for tutting too loudly and rolling their eyes during a particularly intense, and in their eyes inappropriate, line of questioning.

As the trial came to a close, addressing the jury of three men and nine women for the final time, Horlick said her client was still utterly traumatised.

The facts of this case are a tragedy but they are not a crime, she said.

While the prosecution may be over, Packer, now 45, will be irreparably changed by the ordeal. The most private details of her life were aired in public  her medical history including past terminations, her sexual preferences, a tragic baby loss in her family, and even intimate photographs of her  shown by the defence to the jury to prove that she did not look pregnant.

In the coming days, there will be questions asked of the Crown Prosecution Service, which brought the case to trial despite Judge Edmunds KC urging the CPS to review whether there was a public interest in trying the case four and a half years after events.

At a pre-trial hearing, Edmunds, the recorder of Kensington who presided over the case, said there was a heavy burden on the prosecution, particularly given backlogs in the courts system.

Jonathan Lord, an NHS consultant gynaecologist and the clinician in charge of Packers care while working at MSI Reproductive Choices, said: This was a vindictive and brutal prosecution in which the CPS weaponised victim-shaming. Wholly unnecessary details of Nicolas relationships and sex life were prominent in the prosecutions opening statement, made in the full knowledge they would be widely reported in the press.

The police played several recordings of her confidential medical consultations in open court.

CCTV footage was shown of her arriving at A&E in considerable distress. Packer had to show the court intimate photographs of herself in her defence, all while sat in a packed courtroom as the jury viewed the images. No woman should ever have to endure institutionalised public shaming and humiliation, let alone in 2025 in England.

The case has furthered calls for a change in the law, which could come as soon as this summer, with two backbench Labour MPs set to lay amendments to the criminal justice bill, seeking to decriminalise abortion.

One of the MPs, Tonia Antoniazzi, who spent a day in court during Packers trial, said: It must be an immense relief for Nicola to have avoided conviction, but it is completely unacceptable that she was forced to endure the indignity and turmoil of a trial. Having met Nicola at the crown court recently, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact that this cruel and unnecessary investigation has had on her life over the last four and a half years.

The true injustice here is the years of her life stolen by a law written decades before women had the vote, for a crime which doesnt even apply in two nations of the United Kingdom.

Nicolas experience, in her own words, includes being taken from her hospital bed to a police cell, denied timely access to essential medical care, and spending every penny she had on lawyers defending her case. This is utterly deplorable, and it is not justice. I do not see how this law can be defended any longer.

Lord said: Every agency Nicola needed turned against her. In this, as in other cases, the teams charged with treating, protecting and safeguarding vulnerable women and girls have done the most harm, breaking confidentiality and treating victims as criminals.

The issue is not simply that Nicola had the misfortune of encountering some callous organisations or individuals, but that our current abortion laws directed and encouraged the actions taken against her.

The law is causing life-changing harm to the women involved, and in some cases their children too.

Whats happening, the horrific way the women and their children are being treated  including those with premature labours and natural later pregnancy losses  is a national scandal.
Varun Chandra: Hes a brilliant salesman. He really can sell you your own watch. Photograph: The Hollywood Reporter/Getty Images

When British officials landed in Washington this week to put the finishing touches on a deal to reduce tariffs on British exports, they were joined by a man little known outside Westminster, but who has played a vital role in getting the deal over the line.

Varun Chandra, the business adviser to Keir Starmer, spent all of Tuesday in meetings with the US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and the trade representative Jamieson Greer as both sides finalised the agreement, which is set to be announced on Thursday.

Chandra does not have a formal trade role in the British government. But his presence in Washington epitomises how the 40-year-old has become a central figure in Keir Starmers Downing Street, boasting a corporate contacts book that few in the Labour government can rival.

One Whitehall official said: Varun has emerged over recent months as a vital link in the centre of government, alongside Morgan McSweeney [the prime ministers chief of staff], Jonathan Powell [the national security adviser], Liz Lloyd [the head of delivery] and Michael Ellam [the head of international economic affairs].

A Downing Street source added: Varun is well liked across government, and the support and advice he has given to ministers has been invaluable in shaping key decisions and relationships.

Related: Has UK-India trade deal sold out British workers as Farage and Badenoch claim?

Ben Wegg Prosser, a friend of Chandra and the chief executive of the corporate consultancy Global Counsel, said: The Trump administration has made the political weather like no other. Varun has been able to read the crosswinds and played a key role advising UK ministers in this process.

As a young man, Chandra worked on David Milibands campaign to be Labour leader. But in most other ways, he stands apart from the tight-knit group around the prime minister, having come from the corporate sector rather than politics or the civil service.

When he became managing partner of Hakluyt at just 34, the corporate intelligence firm was often jokingly referred to in business circles as a retirement home for secret service agents. Chandra was the first head of the organisation not to have worked for government or the intelligence agencies, and wanted to expand the kind of work it did and the transparency with which it did it.

Say youre a chief executive who is about to move to Dubai, said a former colleague. Varun would be there with a list of possible schools for your children.

Another said: Hes a brilliant salesman. He really can sell you your own watch.

But Chandras corporate background has also brought complications, given he still owns around 7m worth of shares in Hakluyt.

Rose Whiffen, senior research officer at Transparency International UK, said: When special advisers retain their financial holdings, this could consciously or unconsciously impact the recommendations they give to ministers.

The government said Chandra had declared any relevant interests to the Cabinet Office.

Related: Starmer and Reeves try to ride three horses with US, EU and China trade ties

Hakluyt says however that he has agreed to sell his shares at a fixed price and therefore wont benefit from any deals he helps agree involving the firms clients.

Chandras soft skills have been tested in recent months as the government has deployed him to defuse anger in the business community after recent rises in national insurance and the minimum wage.

One FTSE 100 chief executive said: He said to us after the budget, I really get why this isnt the answer you wanted. But over time Im going to make it better.

Another task has been to attract large-scale international investment into the UK. Sources say he persuaded the Emiratis to invest 1bn in the UK, after a prospective deal was put at risk by a fallout over public comments by the then transport secretary Louise Haigh.

Government officials say he also played a vital role advising Rachel Reeves on her recent overhaul of UK business regulators. The chancellor ended up forcing out the chair of the Competition and Markets Authority, whom she deemed insufficiently growth-focused.

But it is Chandras work on the US trade deal that could end up providing the most value to the prime minister. His central role in those talks became evident to many in Westminster when he was spotted sitting behind Starmer during his Oval Office meeting with the US president, Donald Trump.

Chandra was in Washington this week to finalise the details of the deal, which was hinted at in a social media post by Trump on Wednesday night. The president said he was about to announce a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY.

Several sources have told the Guardian that Chandras specific role in agreeing the deal has been to man mark Lutnick and Greer. By keeping in regular contact with both men, Chandras job was to be a reliable go-between amid the noise created by the Trump administration, even if he leaves the actual decision-making to ministers.

The Trump administration is a different kind of administration, and you need to engage with it in different ways, said the Whitehall official. Varun has been a key conduit given his knowledge of the people within the administration and his business connections beyond it.

One ally added: It is a difficult task keeping everyone onside when dealing with Washington right now.

But Varun is the person who had to speak to the business community on behalf of a Labour government that had just massively increased the cost of doing business. If anyone can manage that relationship, he can.
Military veterans and their families have celebrated the 80th anniversary of VE Day at a veterans home near Glasgow by donning Union flag hats and dancing to wartime classics.

The event at the Erskine home near Bishopton, Renfrewshire, saw some 400 people gather in a courtyard in the warm spring sunshine, where bunting, balloons and a large marquee had been set up, in a recreation of the street parties held to celebrate VE Day 80 years ago.

Inside the tent the homes residents chatted over slices of cake and cold drinks at cabaret-style tables, while a trio of singers helped roll back the years with performances of a series of classic tunes.

Many veterans clapped their hands and sang along to the likes of Well Meet Again, In The Mood, and Rum And Coca-Cola, and some even took to the dancefloor in the company of members of the homes staff.

Veteran Andy Kirkland kisses a member of staff at a tea party at Erskine Veterans Home (Andrew Milligan/PA)

For Erskine Veterans Charity chief executive Ian Cumming, the event was an opportunity to celebrate the courage of those who changed the tide of history for the better.

He continued: If they hadnt won then the world would be a different place.

The peace and stability they brought us as a result of that victory weve benefited from for decades.

Asked about what the event meant to the homes veterans he said: They love it.

Theyll know the significant of it, the defeat of Nazism and expansionism.

Theyll know the sacrifices made, the great toll taken on their forebears, and some of them served during the Second World War and they saw it first hand.

So those people will have an opportunity to take the stage and tell their stories and be applauded.

But everyone who served in the armed forces understands that they are effectively putting their lives on the line.

So its a celebration of the people came back, and also a chance to reflect on those that didnt.

The Erskine home is for veterans of all ages, and the event was attended by people of a wide range of ages and military experiences.

Staff and veterans dance at a tea party (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Alex Bremner, an 89-year-old who did his national service in the RAF in the 1950s, recalled his experience of VE Day as a nine-year-old boy in Glasgow.

All I can remember  is going round the houses looking for firewood to throw in your bonfire, he said.

We stayed in Townhead in Glasgow and we just went round the doors asking if theres any wood you want to get rid of, and used that for the bonfire.

He also recalled his parents experience during the war, explaining that his father had served in the Merchant Navy and had not been at home when the war ended.

He said of his mother: I remember her reading the papers.

She was always in tears thinking about what the troops were going through.

For Erskine trustee and former army reservist Colonel Mike Edwards it was important to push the boat out to celebrate veterans of the conflict.

Theyre all of a certain age, and many of them will remember VE Day for real, he explained.

Its important that whilst we can we can, because wont be able to do it forever, we can really push the boat out and say thank you to these amazing veterans.

Veterans at a tea party (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Contrasting their experience with his own military career he said: They didnt volunteer, they were conscripted to fight evil, tyranny, and fascism, and they were prepared to give their lives and many did.

And the veterans here celebrating today lived through that experience.

They remember VE Day.

Were fortunate to share VE Day 80 with them.

But they were there, they lived that day and its really important to mark how these amazing people stood up and fought against evil, tyranny, fascism, to keep Europe free and the UK and Scotland free as well.

There were also a number of young cadets at the event, who were helping serve food and drinks to the participants.

One, a 15-year-old lance corporal, said it made him happy to be there helping to make the residents happy.

He added that it was important to remember the conflict, both to help prevent it from being repeated, but also to celebrate the people who fought in it, because they helped our country in a very big way.
A new Pope has been elected with white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel confirming the news to the world.

The pontiff is the 267th Pope, becoming the religious leader of Catholics across the globe and someone believed to be called to be the successor to St Peter, who was the first.

Shortly after 5pm UK time on Thursday, crowds in St Peters Square bore witness to history as white smoke billowed into the air from a specially-erected chimney at the chapel, in the age-old tradition.

Onlookers erupted into cheers and applause as bells tolled to confirm the news.

Some 133 cardinals entered the chapel on Wednesday afternoon, with the secret conclave meeting getting under way behind closed doors shortly before 5pm UK time, as the group were cut off from all communications with the outside world.

The timing means it took cardinals only around 24 hours to elect their new leader.

Each of the electors, mostly dressed in distinctive bright red vestments, had taken an oath pledging secrecy ahead of the process of casting anonymous ballots for their chosen name.

The chimney of the Sistine Chapel had been closely watched for smoke (Andrew Medichini/AP)

At a special mass ahead of the conclave, cardinals were reminded of the choice of exceptional importance they must make.

Three UK cardinals took part in conclave  Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Cardinal Arthur Roche.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols was among those who took part in the secret conclave meeting (James Manning/PA)

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is Irish-born, is seen as an American cardinal having ministered mainly in the US.

Cardinal Nichols had called on people to pray for himself and other cardinals as they embarked on the secret voting process, adding that he felt quite intimidated knowing the world was watching to see who they would choose.

The voting cardinals  those aged under 80 who were the only ones eligible to cast a ballot  were urged to invoke the help of the Holy Spirit to help them elect a pope whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history.

In the mass in St Peters Basilica ahead of conclave, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said the pontiff would need to be a person who can awaken the consciences of all and the moral and spiritual energies in todays society, characterised by great technological progress but which tends to forget God.

Once a new Pope accepts his election, it is usual that he would appear fairly quickly thereafter on the front balcony of St Peters Basilica which overlooks St Peters Square.

An announcement in Latin of Habemus Papam  meaning we have a Pope is made alongside the new pontiffs appearance.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re celebrated a final mass with cardinals inside St Peters Basilica before the conclave (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

This conclave was thought to be one of the most diverse of any meeting of cardinals before, representing some 70 countries and hailing from places like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga which had not had a cardinal before.

Pope Francis had appointed some 108 of the 133 cardinals who took part in the conclave to choose his successor.

Pope Francis was dubbed the peoples pope (Jeff Moore/PA)

Francis was vocal on politics, speaking out against war and climate change, as he urged more focus on the poor and downtrodden of the world.

His funeral last month drew hundreds of thousands of mourners, including world leaders such as US president Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Such was Franciss popularity, he was dubbed by many to have been the peoples pope.
A woman whose husband has been detained in Dubai for 17 years met with Irish politicians on Thursday to garner support for his case.

Ryan Cornelius, 71, was detained for 10 years in 2008 as part of a bank fraud case, with his detention extended by 20 years in 2018.

A UN working group has found he is subject to arbitrary imprisonment.

His wife Heather Cornelius, who is an Irish citizen, met with TDs and Senators at Leinster House in Dublin on Thursday to raise awareness of his case.

Mrs Cornelius said her husband has said the Irish embassy in Dubai are way more proactive with prisoners than anybody else.

They really are fantastic. We would just like to try and get some more people backing us and supporting us, she told PA ahead of the meetings.

Mrs Cornelius, her brother-in-law Chris Pagett, and human rights campaigner Sir Bill Browder, were due to meet with Labour leader Ivana Bacik, Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney, and Independent senators Aubrey McCarthy and Gerard Craughwell.

Sir William Browder (left) and the family of Ryan Cornelius, his Irish wife Heather and brother-in-law Chris Pagett arrive ahead of a meeting with politicians at Leinster House in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

They are also expected to meet with an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Mrs Cornelius said she has tried to campaign with the British government to push for her husbands release but has received very little back.

Its very much to try and increase our campaign. The years are running out.

Id like to get Ryan home, and I am an Irish citizen, and I feel that the more people that I can bring my story and perhaps get a little bit more help.

Mrs Cornelius Irish mother met her father in Co Down and they married before moving to Zambia, where she was born.

She then went to Coleraine High School and Jordanstown university in Northern Ireland, now known as Ulster University.

She said that of the 40 years she and her husband have been married, he has spent 17 years in prison.

Thats the most devastating thing. It has been all the way along, but now it sits even heavier on both our shoulders that hes lost all that time with his family, and hell never get that back. But we do hope that well get some time together, a few years (where) we could be happy.

She said that her youngest child was six-years-old when her husband was arrested, and is now 23.

Its completely devastated our family.

She said her husband has high blood pressure, several skin conditions, has contracted TB while in jail and has had Covid-19 several times.

There are no easy things about being in jail in the Middle East.

We talk every day on the phone, and we hold on to that hope.

Heather Cornelius, the wife of Ryan Cornelius, speaking to a PA journalist as she arrives ahead of a meeting with politicians at Leinster House in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Chris Pagett, who is married to Heathers sister, said he has been part of efforts to push the British government to help secure Mr Corneliuss release.

This has been a cross weve all had to bear. We always live with hope therell be a breakthrough, but even if there is tomorrow, its 17 years well never get back, he said.

Mr Pagett said that Ireland and the EU represents really one of our main hopes.

As a former British diplomat, Mr Pagett said the case highlights a chronic failure to protect your citizens abroad from injustice.

I think eventually a majority of British people will become more concerned about it, he said.

This will become a political issue, because at the moment, its isolated cases here and there.

Certainly, the issue is likely in the world that we are now living in to become much more of an issue.

Sir Bill Browder said the British government has basically been totally inactive and that anything is better than nothing.

Ryan is a British citizen, but the British government has pretty much left him to hang out and dry.

Given that theres a connection to Ireland, we thought that perhaps the Irish would care more about one of theirs than the British do about theirs.

Were going to Brussels in a few weeks to meet people in the European Parliament  and particularly the Irish members of the European Parliament  and were here in Dublin to meet with the Irish parliament, and were trying to find any way to get him out.

This man should not have been in prison at all, but to serve 17 years and to have his entire life ruined over this thing, its just unfathomable.
Political and religious leaders have congratulated the new Pope who has become the first American head of the Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV emerged onto the balcony of St Peters Basilica in front of a packed St Peters Square, cheered on by jubilant crowds as he made his first public appearance as pontiff.

The election of the new Pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, from Chicago, was quickly hailed an honour and exciting time by US President Donald Trump.

Posting on his Truth Social platform about the 69-year-old pontiff, Mr Trump said: What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St Peters Basilica (Andrew Medichini/AP)

Mr Trump drew criticism over the weekend after sharing an artificial intelligence-generated image of himself dressed as the pope on social media.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the election as a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom and globally while the Church of Englands current most senior bishop said he looks forward to working with the new Pope.

Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who is currently de facto head while the Church of England seeks a new archbishop of Canterbury following Justin Welbys resignation, said: Pope Leo XIVs many years of pastoral experience, his commitment to justice, and his deep spirituality are an example of life lived in service to Jesus Christ.

He added: As Anglicans we give thanks for his call to Christians to be bridge-builders across the divisions of our world, and the divisions that continue to exist between churches.

President Donald Trump said it was an honour to have the first US Pope (Alex Brandon/AP)

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated the Pope and pleaded for continued support from the Vatican.

In a post on X Mr Zelensky wrote: Ukraine deeply values the Holy Sees consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federations military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians.

At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraines efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace.

White smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

US vice president JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism as an adult, congratulated the new Pope saying Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!

The new Pope previously shared posts on social media that were critical of the Trump administration, including in February sharing a opinion piece which chastised the US vice president as wrong about some aspects of Christian teaching.

The secret conclave meeting had taken only around 24 hours to choose their new leader, giving the Church a pope less than three weeks after the death of his predecessor Francis.

Crowds had been joyously waving flags and chanting Habemus Papam, the Latin for we have a Pope, since white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel shortly after 5pm UK time on Thursday.

The new pontiff is the 267th Pope, becoming the religious leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe and someone believed to be called as the successor to St Peter, who was the first.

In his first words as Pope, the new pontiff told the adoring crowd: Peace be with you.

Swiss Guards marched into the square after a new Pope was elected (Markus Schreiber/PA)

International development charity Cafod said Pope Leo will be a voice of wisdom in a fractured and divided world, and that his years as a missionary in Peru mean he can bring into his papacy the vital perspective of the global south, elevating voices from the margins to centre stage.

The 133 cardinals had voted on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, with black smoke emitted from the chapel chimney twice, showing no-one had been elected.

But in the bright sunshine of Thursday afternoon, white smoke began to billow out, with onlookers bearing witness to history as the Church confirmed it had its new leader.

Bells tolled to confirm the news, perhaps in a marker of the confusion at previous conclaves where the colour of the smoke was not completely clear.

Pope Francis was dubbed the peoples pope (Jeff Moore/PA)

Three UK cardinals took part in conclave, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Cardinal Arthur Roche, as did Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell who has mainly ministered in the US and been based in Rome for some years.

Only those cardinals aged under 80 were eligible to cast a ballot, and this conclave was thought to be one of the most diverse of any before, representing some 70 countries.

Pope Francis had appointed some 108 of the 133 cardinals who took part in the conclave to choose his successor.

Pope Leo will have the challenge of following in the footsteps of the late Francis, whose popularity saw him dubbed the peoples pope.
Michael Hull Grounded in the Stars" will be on view in Times Square until June 17th







Thomas J Price is garnering attention for his latest art installation in New York City's Times Square

The 12-foot bronze statue of a young woman in everyday clothes stands with confidence, a nod to Michelangelos David

The British artist said he wants to bind intimate emotional states that allow for deeper reflection around the human condition and greater cultural diversity"







In New York Citys Times Square, a woman stands with ease and confidence amidst throngs of tourists. She just happens to be 12-feet tall.

The bronze statue, entitled Grounded in the Stars, is one of two art installations by British artist Thomas J Price, whose work is challenging peoples assumptions about identity and representation. Creating a moment for reflection in the frenetic, body-filled public space, the young woman  dressed in contemporary clothes, but posed like Michelangelos David  has caught the attention of the art world and passersby alike.

The intention of my public works is to become part of the place they inhabit and its physical, material history, as well as the visitors that pass through and around the location, no matter how fleeting, Price said in a statement posted on Times Squares website. Grounded in the Stars" will be on view until Tuesday, June 17, at the intersection of Broadway Avenue and 46th Street.

Michael Hull The bronze statue stands at 12-feet tall

The artist did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.

Through scale, materiality, and posture, Grounded in the Stars disrupts traditional ideas around what defines a triumphant figure, reads the installation description, and challenges who should be rendered immortal through monumentalization.

Prices other work, Man Series, involves stop-motion animation of the heads of sculpted male figures that appear on 95 screens in the square every night from 11:57 p.m. to midnight through the month of May. Its the latest iteration of Times Squares revered Midnight Moment program, which has featured artists such as Andy Warhol and Yoko Ono.

Artwork Stills, Man 7 - Man 10, courtesy of artist and Hauser & Wirth "Man Series" is part of Times Square's "Midnight Moment" program

Price hopes both works  which contrast with the neighboring statues of playwright George M. Cohan and priest Francis P. Duffy, both white men  will inspire connection.

The artist said he wants to bind intimate emotional states that allow for deeper reflection around the human condition and greater cultural diversity.

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.

Dave Benett/Getty Thomas J Price

Grounded in the Stars is a fictionalized person stemming from observations and open calls that have taken place from London to Los Angeles, according to the Times Square website. Price has used the same method to create the five bronze figures featured in his exhibition Resilience of Scale at Hauser & Wirth gallery in New York City, which runs until Saturday, June 14.

If these fictional characters are from a gender or perceived race that you have decided should not be at this level, Price told The Art Newspaper, and suddenly you see them presented in their gloriousness, it challenges peoples internal landscapes.

Read the original article on People
Weddings are anything but ordinary once you step outside your backyard. Cultures across the globe throw their own flavor into the big day, including quirky ceremonies to meaningful acts of devotion. Here are some of the most fascinating wedding traditions found around the world.

Porcelain Smashing  Germany

Credit: Youtube

In Germany, weddings get a little noisy before they even start. At a celebration called Polterabend, guests smash porcelain dishes outside the couples home, which is meant to bring good luck. The couple then cleans up the mess together, proving theyre ready to tackle whatever life throws at them.

The Money Dance  Mexico

Credit: Instagram

At Mexican weddings, the Money Dance is a joyful ritual wherein guests pin money onto the bride and groom's clothes while dancing with them. The extra money helps the couple fund their honeymoon and future endeavors.

Shaving the Groom  Greece

Credit: Facebook

On the wedding morning, Greek grooms experience a traditional wet shave performed by their best man, known as the "koumbaros." The intimate act is all about trust and brotherhood; that one last bonding moment before he says I do.

The Bride Wears Red  Hungary

Credit: Facebook

In Hungary, brides change into a red dress, known as the "menyecske ruha," at midnight. This "new wife dress" signifies that she has officially entered a new phase of her life and has now transitioned from bride to wife.

Ring-in-the-Rice Game  India

Credit: flickr

During some Indian wedding ceremonies, the couple engages in the "angothi khela," a game where they search for a ring hidden in a bowl of rice. The winner, often the one who finds the ring first, gains bragging rights and is said to "rule" their household in the future.

Bomboniere Favors  Italy

Credit: Facebook

Guests are gifted with bomboniere, small bags containing sugared almonds. The almonds are a representation of the couple's futureboth sweet and bittersweet. Its a small but meaningful gift that lets guests take a piece of the couples joy home.

Sofreh Aghd  Iran

Credit: Facebook

In Iran, couples participate in the Sofreh Aghd ceremony, where they sit before a spread of symbolic items, including candles, a mirror, nuts, eggs, and coins. Each item represents a different blessing, such as light, eternity, fertility, and prosperity, all intended to guide them in their married life.

Lasso Ceremony  Mexico

Credit: flickr

During the wedding ceremony, the "lazo"often a rosary or a cordis draped around the couple, forming a figure-eight. This reflects the couple's intertwined lives and unbreakable bond, marking their unity.

Tea Ceremony  China

Credit: Facebook

The Chinese tea ceremony is a deeply respectful tradition where the couple should serve tea to their elders. In return, they get heartfelt blessingsand often a few generous gifts. Its a way to honor family while officially blending two households.

Haldi Ceremony  India

Credit: Facebook

A few days before the wedding, Indian couples partake in the Haldi ceremony. Family members apply a turmeric paste to the bride and groom. This act purifies and protects the couple while also serving as a beauty treatment before their big day.

Cake Pulling  Peru

Credit: Instagram

At Peruvian weddings, the brides cake is adorned with ribbons attached to charms. Single women are invited to pull a ribbon, and the one who retrieves a fake ring is believed to be the next to marry.

Sake Drinking  Japan

Credit: Facebook

The Japanese San-san-kudo ceremony involves the couple sipping sake from three different-sized cupsthree sips each, for a total of nine. The number nine is considered lucky, and the ritual signifies the couples new bond and their families coming together.

Paebaek Ceremony  Korea

Credit: Instagram

In Koreas Paebaek ceremony, the couple bows to their parents and serves them tea. The fun twist comes after: the groom gives the bride a piggyback ride, sometimes while dodging flying dates and chestnuts, which represent future kids.

Kissing Tradition  Sweden

Credit: Instagram

If the bride or groom leaves the room, the other guests can swoop in for a kiss. The groom steps out, and the bride gets a line of suitors. When the brides in the bathroom, the groom might get pecked. It keeps things lively, to say the least.

The Couple Cant Smile  Congo

Credit: Facebook

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, weddings are serious businessliterally. Couples arent supposed to smile during the ceremony or even in photos. Its not because theyre not happy, but because theyre showing how deeply they take the commitment theyre making.
By Mike Scarcella

(Reuters) - Apple has asked a federal appeals court to temporarily pause key provisions in a U.S. judges ruling that ordered the tech company to immediately open its lucrative App Store to more competition.

Apple told the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a filing on Wednesday that it will be irreparably harmed if the April 30 order is not put on hold while the iPhone makers legal challenge is pending.

Apple is fighting a ruling that found the company in contempt of an earlier order in a 2020 antitrust lawsuit brought by Epic Games, maker of the online video game Fortnite.

In its filing, Apple said the new ruling blocks the company from "exercising control over core aspects of its business operations."

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to end several practices that she said were designed to circumvent the injunction. Apple's filing focused on two of them, including the court's ban on a new 27% fee Apple imposed on app developers when its customers complete an app purchase outside the App Store.

Apple in its filing said a federal court can't "force Apple to permanently give away free access to its products and services."

Apple is also challenging part of the judge's order that bars the company from restricting where developers place links to make purchases outside of an app.

Epic Games in a statement called Apple's bid to stay the trial judge's order a "last ditch effort to block competition and extract massive junk fees at the expense of consumers and developers."

Apple has faced a "surge of genuine competition" since the injunction issued last week, as developers updated apps with "better payment methods, better deals, and better consumer choice," Epic said.

In the underlying lawsuit, Epic Games sued Apple to loosen its control over transactions in applications that use its iOS operating system and how apps are distributed to consumers.

The Cupertino, California-based company willfully failed to comply with a 2021 injunction in the case designed to allow developers to more easily steer consumers to potentially cheaper non-Apple payment options, Gonzalez Rogers said in her decision.

"Apple sought to maintain a revenue stream worth billions in direct defiance of this courts injunction, Gonzalez Rogers wrote.

Gonzalez Rogers said Apple had misled the court about its efforts to comply with her injunction and referred the company and one of its executives to federal prosecutors for a possible criminal contempt investigation.

(Reporting by Mike Scarcella; Editing by David Bario, Leslie Adler and Shri Navaratnam)
A Pennsylvania Senate Committee advanced a bill that would require parents to be notified when authorities find a weapon in school.

The proposal, known as Senate Bill 246, was sponsored by Sens. Jarrett Coleman and Christine Tartaglione. It would mandate schools and school entities to notify parents and guardians about the discovery of a weapon on school property within 24 hours.

Notifying Parents When a Weapon is Brought to School

Additionally, the bill requires schools to notify teachers, administrators, and other staff where the weapons-related incident took place. Coleman argued that under current legislation,m there is nothing that requires school districts to notify parents or guardians about incidents when a weapon is discovered to have been brought into school grounds.

The only time that districts are required to report incidents to the Department of Education is when they relate to expulsions for possession of a weapon on school grounds or a school-sponsored activity.

Coleman said there should be a higher level of transparency when it comes to weapons being brought into school grounds. He added that schools need to be transparent with parents of students when dangerous incidents take place within their grounds, according to the Pennsylvania Capital Star.

The bill would also allow targeted notifications, which is where alerts may be sent to the parents or guardians of only those who are at a particular event. Coleman also offered an amendment to the proposal, which clarifies it would apply to "non-public" or "private" schools across the state.

On the other hand, opponents of the bill raised questions about what the proposal actually defined as a "weapon." Sen. Anthony Williams said that he agrees with parents, staff, and students being notified when a weapon is found.

The Definition of 'Weapon'

He noted that in its current version, the bill's definition of weapon is "pretty broad," saying he will work with Coleman to properly define it. Williams justified his concern by saying that there have been unjustified instances in the past, Yahoo News reported.

Some examples are when students were suspended from school for bringing a sharpened pencil or having scissors. Williams added that lawmakers should also consider the possibility of some students carrying weapons to school because of safety reasons.

The situation comes as a Pennsylvania man was accused of plotting a high school shooting in April 2025. The individual was identified as Braeden Philips, who reportedly conspired with another individual to "commit murder(s) by planning a coordinated school shooting on Apr. 21, 2025, as per CNN.
Chief Justice John Roberts at the 125th anniversary celebration of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York in Buffalo on Wednesday. (Jeffrey T. Barnes / AP)

Chief Justice John Roberts stressed the importance of an independent judiciary Wednesday in remarks delivered at a time when Trump administration officials are frequently criticizing courts that have blocked their policies.

Roberts, speaking at a public event in Buffalo, New York, said an independent judiciary is a key feature of the U.S. constitutional system that had not existed in other countries when it was founded.

"In our Constitution ... the judiciary is a co-equal branch of government, separate from the others, with the authority to interpret the Constitution as law and strike down, obviously, acts of Congress or acts of the president," he said.

"And that innovation doesn't work if ... the judiciary is not independent," he added. "Its job is to, obviously, decide cases but, in the course of that, check the excesses of Congress or the executive, and that does require a degree of independence."

Follow live politics coverage here

Roberts, responding to a question from Buffalo-based U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo, was not addressing President Donald Trump specifically, and his comments were mild compared with forceful remarks liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made last week.

Vilardo also asked Roberts about calls from Trump and his allies to impeach judges who have ruled against the administration.

Roberts pointed to a statement he had issued on the subject and did not elaborate further.

"Well, I've already spoken to that. You know, impeachment is not how you register disagreement with decisions," Roberts said.

Referring to the Supreme Court's taking up cases on appeal, Vilardo said, "That's what you're for, right?"

"That's what we're there for," Roberts replied.

Last year, Roberts authored the majority opinion when the court ruled that Trump had some immunity from criminal prosecution for acts taken during his first term in a decision that boosted Trump's re-election bid.

The court hears oral arguments next week on Trump's effort to end the constitutional right to birthright citizenship for anyone born in the United States.

Roberts, a conservative appointed by President George W. Bush in 2005, was in Buffalo to mark the 125th anniversary of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York.

He spent his early years in Buffalo, he noted, but after he moved to Indiana he changed his allegiances from the Buffalo Bills to the Chicago Bears. That admission led to some boos from the audience Wednesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes Chinese leader Xi Jinping before their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 8. - Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool/Reuters

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement further deepening their partnership following talks in Moscow Thursday  a show of solidarity in the face of global uncertainties unleashed by US President Donald Trumps America First diplomacy.

Seated together in an ornate room in the Kremlin following roughly four hours of talks, the two leaders inked what Chinese state media said was a joint statement on further deepening China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. Putin and Xi typically release lengthy and wide-ranging joint statements following their regular meetings.

In remarks afterward, both leaders looked to frame their relationship as a key force for defending and improving the world order  contrary to Western characterizations of the partnership and even as Russia continues its brutal, years-long invasion of Ukraine.

In todays challenging geopolitical situation and global uncertainty, the Russia-China foreign policy partnership is a key stabilizing factor on the international stage, Putin said, according to a Kremlin readout. Together, we defend the formation of a more just and democratic multipolar world order.

Speaking after Putin, Xi described the two countries as stable, positive, and progressive forces in the international community and called for them to work together to lead global governance in the right direction, and promote inclusive economic globalization that benefits all  comments that come as the US has exited several United Nations bodies and roiled markets with threats of a global trade war.

Earlier in the day, Xi employed language typically used by Beijing to criticize Washington, saying Russia and China had special responsibilities in the face of an international countercurrent of unilateralism and the hegemonic practices of the powerful.

Xi arrived Wednesday for a four-day state visit to Russia, where hell top a list of foreign leaders attending Putins heavily choreographed Victory Day military parade, which is taking place in the shadow of Russias ongoing war on Ukraine. This years events mark 80 years since the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, which ended World War II.

The visit takes place amid uncertainty for countries around the world as the Trump administration upends traditional US foreign policy, while China and Russia  who have significantly tightened their ties in recent years  have both also seen substantial changes in their respective relationships with Washington.

The US and China are mired in an escalated trade war, sparked by Trumps heavy tariffs on the worlds second-largest economy. Moscow, meanwhile, has found a more sympathetic America under Trump than it did during Joe Bidens presidency, but is now warily eying recently warming ties between Washington and Kyiv.

Composed and confident

Despite this shifting landscape, both leaders appeared keen to project their unity in their meeting.

Ahead of Xis arrival, Putin referred to him as his main guest at the Victory Day events. The Russian leader on Thursday morning welcomed Xi with ceremony to the Kremlin, where the two shook hands in a cavernous hall before posing for photos flanked by oversized Chinese and Russian flags.

During opening remarks, each referred to the other as a friend, while Xi described their relationship as composed and confident, stable and resilient.

The two leaders have met more than 40 times over the past decade as they steadily strengthened their partnership in recent years in the face of shared tensions with the West.

Putin said the two leaders had in Thursdays joint statement set out ambitious goals, highlighting their deepening economic and technological ties and plans to ensure significant qualitative advancement of Russian-Chinese trade and investment by 2030.

Daily work continues to maintain positive trade dynamics, Putin said, adding that Russia has become the worlds leading importer of Chinese automobiles. At the same time, we welcome the establishment of manufacturing and the transfer of Chinese industrial expertise to our country, he said.

The two countries reached record trade last year, as China emerged as a key economic lifeline for a sanctions-strapped Russia as it wages war on Ukraine. Western leaders have accused China of powering Russias offensive with dual-use exports, a charge Beijing denies.

The Russian market has become even more important for Chinese exporters, however, as they scramble to expand business in other markets after Trumps imposition of heavy tariffs on Chinese goods coming into the US.

Xi said the two countries pact injected new momentum into the development of China-Russia relations and praised the leap forward in those relations over the past decade, despite great turbulence and changes in the international situation.

As they concluded talks, the two sides also signed over 20 documents, covering areas such as global stability, maintaining the authority of international law, biosecurity, investment protection, digital economy, quarantine inspection, and film cooperation.

Members of the Chinese and Russian delegations watch Russian President Vladimir Putin welcome Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the Kremlin on May 8. - Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool/Reuters

Ukraine war hangs over Putins military parade

The meeting takes place hours after a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine  unilaterally declared by Putin last month  came into effect, coinciding with the parade. Russian state news agency Tass said the ceasefire began at midnight local time on Wednesday (5 p.m. ET Wednesday).

However, Ukraines air force claimed that, overnight, Russia launched guided bombs over the city of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine. CNN could not independently verify the claim.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned dignitaries traveling to the event that Kyiv cannot be responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation, amid the ongoing conflict, a statement the Kremlin said amounted to a threat.

Ukraine has launched multiple drone attacks on Moscow over the course of the war, including in recent days, prompting temporary closures of airports in the capital for several hours. Ukraine says its attacks are in response to Russias continued assault on Ukrainian territory, including residential areas and energy infrastructure.

More than two dozen leaders are expected to gather in the Russian capital for the Victory Day celebrations, while troops from 13 countries will march in the parade, according to the Kremlin. Leaders expected to attend include Brazils Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Egypts Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Belarussian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The gathering, a key chance for Putin to project himself as a global power player, takes place amid an increasingly contentious global backdrop, including tensions between India and Pakistan which threaten to spiral into a full-blown conflict.

Russias May 9 Victory Day is one of the countrys largest celebrations. It marks Nazi Germanys 1945 surrender to the Soviet Union, a day which has become increasingly important under Putin, who has falsely claimed his war in Ukraine is a denazification. In recent years the parade has seen a diminished supply of military hardware, as Russian tanks are instead mobilized on that wars front lines.

Europe celebrates its VE Day, marking Germanys surrender on all fronts, on Thursday.

CNNs Darya Tarasova and CNNs Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

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Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost on Thursday became the first ever pope from the United States, a surprise selection by 133 cardinals from across the globe on the second day of the papal conclave in Rome.

The new pontiff, who took the name Leo XIV, greeted the thousands of exuberant faithful and onlookers, many overcome with emotion as he spoke from the red velvet-draped central balcony at St. Peters Square.

"Peace be with you," he told the cheering crowd in fluent Italian. Leo, who became the church's 267th pope, also spoke in Spanish but not English in his brief address.

Prevost, 69 and originally from Chicago, has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru and has dual Peruvian nationality. He became a cardinal only in 2023 and less than two years later will officiate his first Mass as pope Friday, May 9, in the Sistine Chapel at 11 a.m. local time, 5 a.m. ET.

Leo thanked Pope Francis and repeated his predecessor's call for a church that is engaged with the modern world and "is always looking for peace, charity and being close to people, especially those who are suffering."

He wasn't one of the names mentioned frequently as top contenders to succeed Francis, who died April 21.

He had attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and backing of Francis' 12-year papacy, especially his devotion to social justice issues. Leo is considered a centrist, so perhaps a compromise choice, but is not seen as open to the LGBTQ+ community the way Francis was.

Read the full transcript of Leo's first message to supporters around the world

Leo appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on May 8 after white smoke had billowed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, signifying the 133 cardinal electors had chosen a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.

"Peace be with you,'' he told the adoring crowd, pointing out those were the words Jesus Christ used to greet his disciples after his resurrection.

You can read the full text of his remarks here.

Leo XIV pays homage to reformer with 25-year tenure

While Francis picked a name that had never been used by a pontiff as he honored St. Francis of Assisi, the newest pope took a more traditional route.

Thirteen previous leaders of the Catholic Church had gone by the name Leo, though none since the election of Leo XIII in 1878. During his 25-year tenure, the fourth longest on record, Leo XIII became known as a reformer who advocated for diplomacy and scientific progress while positioning the church as a defender of human rights.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told reporters the newly installed pope chose his name as a nod to the last pontiff named Leo. Margaret Thompson, an associate professor of history at Syracuse University, called that a "powerful choice.''

Leo XIII is considered the father of Catholic social teaching, Thompson said. This signals a potential emphasis on justice, labor and the churchs role in the modern world.

How to watch Pope Leo XIVs first mass

Leo's first Latin Mass will be broadcast live on Vatican News's YouTube channel.

Leo's debut wardrobe was different than Francis'. Here's what changed.

Upon his arrival to St. Peter's Basilica balcony on May 8, the newly elected Leo wore a bright red shoulder cover and ornately decorated stole, a contrast from the stark white attire the late Francis wore while stepping out on the balcony more than a decade ago.

While Leo XIV's attire may have appeared lavish compared to Francis', the new pontiff actually took a more traditional approach, Rev. Bruce Morrill, a theology professor at Vanderbilt University, told USA TODAY on May 8.

For centuries, newly elected popes have worn a white cassock (ankle-length clerical coat), white zucchetto (skull cap), red pellegrina (shoulder cover), red and golden stole, and a pectoral cross (large cross worn as a necklace), Morrill explained. Each piece of the ensemble holds an important meaning in the Catholic faith.

The pellegrina, or shoulder cape, is attached to the cassock and is not limited to popes. Cardinals, bishops and priests can also wear the piece of clothing, which is why new popes often wear a red one.

The red and gold stole Leo wore on May 8 features ornate illustrations of the four gospels in the New Testament  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Morrill said.

 Greta Cross

JD Vance, nation's most senior Catholic official, congratulates new pope

Vice President JD Vance, 40, congratulated Leo in a post on X, saying, "Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church."

"May God bless him!" the vice president added.

Vance was baptized Catholic and received his first communion in 2019 at St. Gertrude Priory, which is attached to a Dominican parish in Cincinnati. He visited with Francis in Vatican City last month, one day before the former pope's death.

While the vice president had tussled with Francis in the past over immigration, he called it an honor to meet with him and said his "heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world" after Francis' death.

 Francesca Chambers, Grace Tucker

An 'extremely joyful day' for US Catholics

The stunning news of the Catholic Church's first American pope gave way to excitement for Catholics across the United States, who greeted the announcement that Leo had been named the global church's leader with delight.

Im thrilled, said Moises Rodrigues, a longtime city councilor in Brockton, Massachusetts. Imagine, for the first time in our history having an American pope. Someone who understands American issues. And hes also a friend of Pope Francis. Im in gaga land.

Meanwhile, Rev. Msgr. W. Ronald Jameson, the director of St. Matthews Cathedral in Washington D.C., said the selection totally shocked him.

I never thought in my lifetime I would see an American pope, he said as he listened to Pope Leo XIV's first words through a cell phone. Today is an extremely joyful day.

Jameson, who leads operations at the mother church of the archbishop of Washington, applauded the selection and says he's hopeful the new pope will push for unity, peace and inclusivity as Francis had.

Before he was elected pope, Leo XIV was critical of Trump, Vance on social media

Just an hour before Prevost was introduced as pope, a crowd that had stood watch for hours with eyes glued to the Sistine Chapel chimney roared in elation as white smoke poured into the sky and bells tolled across the plaza, signaling the selection of a new leader of the churchs 1.4 billion members.

Before being elected as the leader of the Catholic church, Leo XIV shared social media posts criticizing President Donald Trump's and Vance's stances on immigration.

In three posts, then-Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago was critical of Vance's take on religion, shared an article critiquing Vance's statements on deportation of migrants and retweeted criticism of Trump and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele's response to the deportation of Salvadoran national Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a resident of Maryland.

One post from Feb. 3, 2025, pointed to an article in the National Catholic Reporter titled, "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others."

Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, had cited medieval-era Catholic teaching to justify the United States' new immigration policy under Trump.

In 2015, Prevost posted a link to a Washington Post opinion piece titled "Cardinal Dolan: Why Donald Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric is so problematic."

Francis, Leo's predecessor, clashed repeatedly with Trump and Vance, particularly over the administration's immigration policies. He was critical of their plans to deport millions of migrants from the United States, as well as widespread cuts to foreign aid and domestic welfare programs.

 Sarah D. Wire and Francesca Chambers

LGBTQ+ Catholic group welcomes new pope  hopes 'his heart and mind have developed more progressively'

New Ways Ministry, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics, said in a statement to USA TODAY that it "welcomes" Pope Leo XIV as the new leader of the Catholic Church.

The group also said it was disappointed to see reports that Leo has made statements criticizing the acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, including remarks in 2012 to a group of bishops.

"We pray that in the 13 years that have passed,12 of which were under the papacy of Pope Francis, that his heart and mind have developed more progressively on LGBTQ+ issues, and we will take a wait-and-see attitude to see if that has happened," said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry.

 Marina Pitofsky

Prominent Catholics Biden, Pelosi welcome first American pope

Two of the most most prominent Catholics in American politics celebrated the selection of the first pope from the United States, which was not certain to happen in their lifetimes.

Former President Joe Biden, 82, greeted the news with a post on X using the Latin term to announce a new pontiff has been chosen: Habemus papam.

May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois, Bidens post continued. Jill and I congratulate him and wish him success.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, still a House representative for San Francisco, was more expansive in her own social media post, pointing out Pope Leo was elected by one of the largest and most diverse conclaves ever.

Pelosi, 85, welcomed the new pontiffs message of openness and unity, and she urged prayer for his success. It is heartening that His Holiness continued the blessing that Pope Francis gave on Easter Sunday: God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail, she wrote.

Who are Robert Prevost's family members? Here are Pope Leo XIV's parents, siblings

Pope Leo XIV's family includes his father, Louis Marius Prevost, of French and Italian descent, according to a news release from the Vatican, and his mother, Mildred Martinez, of Spanish descent. The Chicago Sun-Times has reported his father was an educator and his mother a librarian.

He has two brothers, Louis Martin Prevost and John Joseph Prevost.

Robert Prevost attended Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and Villanova University in Pennsylvania before earning a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

How a Chicago native became pope: See Robert Francis Prevost's path to making history

Prevost will succeed a groundbreaking, pioneering pope whose progressive positions, emphasis on inclusivity and ability to connect with people all over the world, from all backgrounds and across different faiths, made him a beloved religious figure, even in secular realms.

Prevost was pastor of vocations and director of missions for the Augustinian order in Chicago and worked in Peru for several years teaching canon law. He also served as a parish pastor, diocesan official, seminary teacher and vicar. He served two terms as the head of the Augustinian order, until 2013.

In 2014, Francis appointed him to an administrative post in Peru, and became bishop there, as well as vice president of the Peruvian Bishops Conference until 2023.

His most recent position, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, was a powerful one: He was responsible for selecting bishops. Prevost was elevated by Pope Francis to the rank of cardinal in September 2023.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S., appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 8, 2025.

St. Patrick's Cathedral bells echo along Manhattan skyscrapers

Along Manhattan's famed 5th Avenue, church bells echoed from St. Patrick's Cathedral between the skyscrapers. The papal flag fluttered next to the American flag at the cathedral's entrance.

The daily noon Mass was ending when the priest delivered the news of a new pope, said Helen Benicaso, 71, of West Orange, N.J. The congregation erupted in applause.

"'Once a Catholic, always a Catholic,''' as Bruce Springsteen says," Helen Benicaso, a retired school teacher, told USA TODAY as people gathered in front of the cathedral. "You never stray because it's always there  the beliefs and moral code of living.

She and her husband, Girard, 77, visited New York City to see a show at Carnegie Hall the night before. On May 8, the married couple of 43 years went to mass before heading home to New Jersey.

 Eduardo Cuevas

Chicago church officials 'happily shocked' with selection of American-born pope  and curious about his baseball allegiances

Larry Sullivan, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Chicago, said at a Thursday press conference, It's a day of great excitement for Chicago, for the United States to have one of our own be elected as the pope to serve as the Holy Father.

Sullivan said he has not worked with the new pope directly but knows many people who know him personally and are members of the Augustinian community.

I have been hearing wonderful stories about Cardinal Prevost long before there was any consideration that he might have been elected as pope, Sullivan said.

Father Gregory Sakowicz, Rector of Chicagos Holy Name Cathedral, recounted a similar sense of surprise, saying he was happily shocked, before joking with reporters over a detail about the new pope hes yet to learn.

Now one burning question I have is, the fact that the Pope Leo XIV, (former) Cardinal Prevost, was born in Chicago in the South Side, is he a Chicago White Sox fan?

 Kathryn Palmer

Trump, Obama, other US political leaders embrace first pope from the United States

Several American political figures welcomed the unexpected emergence of the first pope from the United States.

President Donald Trump offered his congratulations to Leo in a social media post, saying: "What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!''

Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, a native of Chicago, also congratulated their "fellow Chicagoan'' through a post on the X platform. "This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith," the posting said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement he was praying for Pope Leo to "impart wisdom, strength, and grace" in his new role."

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who is Catholic, said he was surprised and emotional to hear the new pope is an American. Kaine said the last pope named Leo was really known as a working persons pope, and added of Prevost, Taking that name really sends a message of where his heart lies.

 Francesca Chambers and Riley Beggin

At last, a U.S. pope: Robert Francis Prevost's path to becoming Pope Leo XIV

New pope selected: Who is Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV?

Prevost attended Villanova University and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago before earning a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

He served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops (formerly known as the Congregation for Bishops) and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023. He was also the Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023, part of a nearly four-decade stretch when he went back and forth between serving in Peru and Chicago, starting in 1985.

In addressing the St. Peter's Square crowd Thursday, Leo sent a special greeting in Spanish "to my beloved Chiclayo diocese in Peru.'

As a cardinal Prevost kept a low profile and granted few interviews. But he said in a 2023 Vatican press conference: "Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the church."

Cardinals voted multiple times before the pope was chosen

The cardinals spent Thursday morning shut off from the world inside the Sistine Chapel, the historic sanctuary adorned with frescoes from Michelangelo and other Renaissance artists. The cardinals prayed for guidance and conducted two secretive votes, trying to determine new leadership for the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics.

The electors returned to their lodging quarters, Casa Santa Marta, for lunch and reconvened late Thursday afternoon.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, May 8, 2025.

What happens after we see white smoke? How long did it take for a new pope to be announced?

In 2013, Pope Francis was announced a little over an hour after white smoke plumed from the chimney, per previous reporting by The Daily Telegraph. In that hour, the elected cardinal chose his papal name before appearing on the Sistine Chapel balcony, greeting the world as pope for the first time.

Greta Cross

Mom waits to learn whether son will be next pope

Over 350 miles from the conclave in Rome, Maria Tadini was focused on the small television in her modest home in the northern Italy town of Castel Liteggio. She later learned her son, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, did not become the next pope. Pizzaballa was one of a half dozen or more cardinals considered strong candidates.

"Here he is! There he is! Hello, my joy," she said when Pizzaballa appeared on the screen with other cardinals entering the Sistine Chapel. "Pierbattista, come home!"

Pizzaballa, 60, has served the church in Jerusalem since 1990. He drew global notice after the Hamas attack on southern Israel in 2023 when he offered himself as a hostage in exchange for the release of children taken by the militants.

Tadini, who will turn 90 next month, says she has visited her son in Jerusalem three times.

"If he has to (go to Rome), it's fine, but it's also fine if he goes back to Jerusalem," Tadini told the Italian media outlet Corriere della Sera. "He spent many years there and did well. I wouldn't mind. If he stays in Rome, it's another task, but in the Holy Land he has always done his duty."

White smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new pope has been elected at the Vatican, May 8, 2025.

Crowds back at St. Peter's Square for second day

Thousands of tourists, pilgrims and just interested Romans gathered in St Peter's Square for a second day Thursday, eager to see white smoke emerge from the chimney, signaling a successor to Francis had been selected. During the morning the smoke was black, meaning no candidate has received the necessary two-thirds majority. That changed at 6:06 p.m. local time.

Tom Barbitta, from North Carolina, is vacationing in Italy with his wife, Susan, and came to the square to see the smoke.

"Francis was a great guy, down to earth, humble," Barbitta told Reuters. "I hope they will choose someone just like him."

Many people in the square had scheduled their visits to Rome well before Pope Francis died or the conclave had been scheduled.

Being here during this conclave is a miracle, Linda Perotti from Colorado, told the Associated Press. I truly believe that the pope that they vote in will be a healer, will bring unity to this world."

Members of the Swiss Guard and bands enter St Peter's Basilica after the cardinals ended the conclave on May 8, 2025.

Dean of cardinals sees 'need for an awakening'

There are more than 250 cardinals, but only those under age 80 are "electors" who can participate in the conclave. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, is 91 years old and thus has not been locked up in the Sistene Chapel with his colleagues. Re was in Pompeii on Thursday but said he planned on returning to Rome.

"I hope that this evening when I return to Rome I will already find the white smoke," Re told Corriere della Sera. Re said that whoever is elected pope "first of all must try to strengthen faith in God in this world of ours characterized by technological progress."

Re said "forgetting God" has become prevalent and there is a "need for an awakening."

Black smoke rose from Vatican on first day

The second day of the conclave came after the first vote Wednesday failed to name a successor to Francis Darkness had already fallen over Rome on Wednesday when black smoke rose from the chimney of the iconic Sistine Chapel, watched by thousands in a packed St. Peter's Square.

Some traditions are timeless  black smoke from the chimney after a vote means no candidate has received the necessary votes. White smoke means a new pope has been elected.

And the ban on communicating with outsiders, which dates to medieval times, remains. Nowadays, however, the Vatican has taken high-tech measures to ensure secrecy. No cellphones are allowed, and the technology sweep of the chapel takes place to ensure there are no recording devices. Jamming devices are also used.

Nuns gather in St. Peter's Square, on the second day of the conclave to elect the new pope at the Vatican, May 8, 2025.

A battle for the soul of the church: What's at stake in conclave this week

Front-runners for pope: Who was favored to be the next pope?

Some of the cardinals who had been frequently mentioned as candidates to succeed Francis included non-Italians Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, of the Philippines, a liberal sometimes referred to as "Francis 2," France's Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille, and Peter Erdo, 72, of Hungary, who is considered a favorite among the more conservative cardinals. Prevost's name was rarely on any list of contenders.

There had been 266 popes before Leo, and 217 of the have been Italian. Italy had strong contenders this time, too, including cardinals Pietro Parolin, 70, the Vatican Secretary of State who is considered a moderate, Pizzaballa, 60, the patriarch of Jerusalem, and Matteo Zuppi, 69, a close associate of Francis.

People wait at St. Peter's Square on the second day of the conclave to elect the new pope on May 8, 2025.

Who was electing the pope?

There are more than 250 cardinals, but they must be younger than 80 to serve as electors. Still, a record 133 cardinals from 70 countries were casting votes, up from 115 from 48 nations for the 2013 conclave that elected Francis. The increase in cardinals is a function of Francis' efforts to expand the reach of the church, and one result is that 80% of current voting cardinals were appointed by him.

Black smoke vs. white smoke: What does each color mean during conclave?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Pope Leo XIV recap: Prevost named first pontiff from US
Taylor Swifts former Cape Cod home has hit the market with a price tag of nearly $15 million.

Swift, 35, bought the estate in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, for $4.8 million in 2012 and sold it the following year, according to Boston.com.

At the time of her acquisition, the pop star was dating Conor Kennedy, 30, whos the son of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the late Mary Kennedy. Their fling lasted two months, with a source confirming to Us Weekly in October 2012 that Swift and Conor had quietly parted ways, leaving no hard feelings.

In June 2019, the book Kennedy Heirs by author J. Randy Taraborrelli detailed their short-lived romance and how Conor, then 18, allegedly had been worried about Swift purchasing a beachfront property near his familys compound just six weeks into their relationship.

Conor liked Taylor, dont get me wrong, his friend told Taraborrelli, but this business of her buying the house on the Cape made him nervous. It seemed as if she was getting a little too attached, spending five million bucks on a house just to be near the guy.

Swift sold the house in 2013, just months after their breakup, and went on to date DJ Calvin Harris and actor Joe Alwyn before meeting her current beau, Travis Kelce, amid her blockbuster Eras tour in 2023.

The idyllic, seven-bedroom residence is owned  for now  by architect Dell Mitchell and interior designer Heather Wells. It sits on an elevated bluff overlooking 200 feet of private beach, with views of the ocean, of course, as well as the storied Kennedy compound.

Scroll to see photos of the estate:
The Kennedy Center is seen in August 2019 in Washington, DC. - Jacquelyn Martin/AP

When President Donald Trump descends on the Kennedy Performing Arts Center next month for a high-dollar fundraiser and a performance of Les Miserables, he wont be seeing the usual cast performing, sources told CNN.

At least 10 to 12 performers in Les Mis are planning to sit out the show on June 11, the night that Trump attends at the Kennedy Center, the sources said. The cast was given the option to not perform the night Trump will be in the audience, and both major cast members and members of the ensemble are among those sitting out, according to the sources.

The move highlights friction between the Trump administration and members within the center as the president has made an aggressive push to reshape it, thrusting the Washington, DC-based performing arts complex into the middle of culture wars.

The boycott follows Trumps decision to effectively take control of the Kennedy Center as part of a widespread effort his administration has undertaken to bend American institutions  including cultural, legal and educational pillars  to the presidents will.

Less than a month into his presidency, Trump installed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center thanks to a newly constituted board, including several new Trump appointees who replaced trustees appointed by Democratic presidents. He also named Richard Grenell, a longtime confidant already serving in multiple administration positions, to the director role earlier this year.

The same night that Trump will attend the performance of Les Mis, he will also hold a fundraiser to benefit the Kennedy Center. The fundraiser was first reported by ABC News.

We are definitely using the Les Mis opening as an opportunity to shore up the centers finances, one person familiar with the plans told CNN.

During his 2016 campaign, Trump used music from Les Mis during his campaign rallies, which the co-creators of the musical objected to, according to the Guardian.

In a statement to CNN, Grennell, who identified himself as president of the Kennedy Center, said he was unaware that some cast members planned to boycott the performance on the night of Trumps appearance and that the Kennedy Center will no longer fund intolerance.

Any performer who isnt professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, wont be welcomed, said Grennell. In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldnt hire - and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience. The Kennedy Center wants to be a place where people of all political stripes sit next to each other and never ask who someone voted for but instead enjoys a performance together.

CNN reached out for comment to the Kennedy Center, the company producing Les Mis and the union that represents the cast members.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump has both publicly and privately complained about the state of the Kennedy Center, while Grenell previously asserted that it has no cash on hand, no reserves.

NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA  ONLY THE BEST, Trump wrote on Truth Social in February. RIC, WELCOME TO SHOW BUSINESS!

President Donald Trump walks though the Hall of Nations as he visits the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on March 17. - Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

Artists including Issa Rae, Shonda Rhimes and Ben Folds have resigned from their leadership roles or canceled events at the space in response to the changes, while the center has canceled performances, including the tour of the childrens musical Finn.

A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center told CNN, Finn, which was not yet announced, was canceled for financial reasons PRIOR to the change in Kennedy Center leadership. The authors were also notified prior to the change.

Finn was commissioned by the Kennedy Center in 2023. In February, one of the shows co-creators, Michael Kooman, told the Washington Post that before the board met to change the Kennedy Centers leadership, the Finn creative team received a phone call from the center telling it the tour was canceled because the financials werent working out, Kooman said.

Its hard to ignore the circumstances in which the cancellation of the tour is happening, he added.

High-profile shows like Hamilton, meanwhile, scrapped planned performances at the Kennedy Center after Trumps takeover.

During a visit to the center in March, Trump criticized Hamilton, the hit musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda that is a modern telling of the countrys founding through the eyes of Alexander Hamilton, including a multi-ethnic cast.

I never liked Hamilton very much, Trump told reporters.

But we are going to have some really good shows, Trump added. I would say this, come here and watch it, and youll see, over a period of time, itll improve very greatly physically. And were going to get some very good shows. The thing that does well are Broadway hits.

This story has been updated with new information.

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By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued internal instructions to the Pentagon to start kicking out transgender troops who do not elect to leave on their own by June 6, according to a memo obtained by Reuters.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The decision was immediately condemned by transgender rights activists contacted by Reuters.

"It is just shameful," said Jennifer Levi, a senior director at the pro-LGBTQ legal group GLAD Law.

"It is senseless to fast track people out of the military who are meeting standards and putting lives on the line to defend the country."

Hegseth's memo illustrates how President Donald Trump's administration intends to swiftly act to remove thousands of transgender servicemembers after the Supreme Court's ruling on Tuesday cleared the way for a ban to take effect.

In the memo, Hegseth said active duty transgender troops could identify themselves for "voluntary separation" from the U.S. armed forces until June 6. Troops who are in the reserve forces had until July 7.

"On conclusion of the self-identification eligibility window, the Military Departments will initiate involuntary separation processes," the memo said.

The Pentagon's ban is just one of a series of steps the Trump administration has taken to curb transgender rights.

Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office on January 20 stating that the U.S. government will recognize only two sexes, male and female, and that they are not changeable.

But his efforts to end transgender rights in the military were a special focus on his election campaign, and he quickly moved to reverse a policy implemented under his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden that had allowed transgender troops to serve openly in the American armed forces.

Biden, who also reversed Trump's 2017 ban on transgender recruitment, said in 2021 that "America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride."

Former Democratic President Barack Obama in 2016 first allowed trans people to serve openly and as of late last year, there were 4,240 U.S. active-duty and National Guard transgender troops, officials have said. Transgender rights advocates have given higher estimates.

In Thursday's memo, Hegseth wrote that the U.S. military would immediately start removing transgender troops who had already self-identified for voluntary separation prior to a court ruling in March that halted the Trump administration's last attempt to implement the ban.

A poll from Gallup published this in February said 58% of Americans favored allowing openly transgender individuals serving in the military, but the support had declined from 71% in 2019.

A former Fox News host, Hegseth has embraced conservative stances on culture war issues, including eliminating diversity initiatives at the Pentagon.

Speaking on Tuesday, Hegseth told a conference hosted by U.S. special operations forces: "No more pronouns, no more climate-change obsessions, no more emergency vaccine mandates, no more dudes in dresses."

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Leslie Adler, Chris Reese and Marguerita Choy)
People wait in line for a delayed flight at Newark International Airport on May 5, 2025 - Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The Department of Transportation will build a brand new air traffic control system by 2028, Secretary Sean Duffy announced Thursday.

The FAA is going to undertake an initiative that has never been done before, he said. All new hardware, all new software is going to be built into this brand new air traffic control system.

The unveiling of the three-year plan follows more than a week of meltdowns at Newark Liberty International Airport prompted by, what Duffy called, a frightening 30 to 90 second blackout of air traffic controllers screens and radios on April 28. At least five controllers took trauma leave as a result, CNN previously reported.

If we dont actually accomplish the mission that were announcing today you will see Newarks in other parts of the country, because its an aging system, and so we have to actually upgrade it, Duffy said.

The new plan will replace core infrastructure, which includes radar, software, hardware and telecommunications networks, including the copper wiring that failed, impacting flights at Newark. Duffy plans to ask Congress for upfront appropriations and pledged to come before the Congress every quarter with an update of whats been built and how much has been spent.

Were confident that the system remains extremely safe, and the passengers are, said President Donald Trump, who called in to Thursdays news conference. Were going to take good care of everybody. A complete modernization is going to soon be taking place.

Its a first step toward a new direction for an antiquated system thats had decades of problems with aging infrastructure, failing technology and is combatting an ongoing shortage of controllers. Multiple prior administrations had proposed changes, but todays controllers still deal with age-old issues.

Weve had years of neglect, decades of neglect. Its been a patchwork of fixes, partial funding, Duffy said. I think our country, our people, those who use the airspace, they deserve an air traffic control system thats going to keep them safe.

Todays plan addresses four critical infrastructure parts: communications, surveillance, automation and facilities. By 2028, over 4,600 sites will get new high-speed network connections replacing antiqued telecommunications lines with fiber, wireless and satellite links, the department said.

Over 25,000 new radios and 475 new voice switches will be deployed, which the DOT says will maintain controller-pilot communications and reduce delays.

The DOT is also replacing 618 radars, which Duffy said are from the 70s and 80s, by 2027.

This technology is 50 years old - that our controllers use to scan the skies and keep airplanes separated from one another, Duffy told the news conference. Its important to recognize what you have and what you need.

Six new air traffic control centers will also be built for the first time since the 1960s, and the rate at which control towers are replaced will be increased.

The proposal also expands surface awareness initiative technology, which aims to help mitigate close calls on the ground, to 200 airports. The DOT currently plans to have the technology at 50 airports by the end of the year.

The DOT also will add 174 new weather stations in Alaska to address issues there, and by 2028 the department hopes the Alaska Flight Service system will operate more like the system in the continental US.

Today is actually a historic day, I think, for the FAA and the United States air traffic control system, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told CNN Thursday morning. The bill really leaves me the most optimistic Ive been in my entire career that were finally going to get air traffic control modernized and fixed.

When asked whether he thought Duffys assessment that the project could be completed in three to four years was too optimistic, Kirby said the involvement of Duffy and his team could make it happen faster than the normal pace of government.

Secretary Duffy is action oriented, Kirby said. Having people that know how to get stuff done instead of just talk about policy, I think is going to be the key.

The Transportation Departments expected announcement would come a day after the FAA said it was taking immediate steps to improve the reliability of operations at Newark.

The FAA said it would add three new, high-bandwidth, telecommunications connections and replace that copper wire with fiberoptic technology to bring data to the controllers. The Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)  the facility involved in the April 28 incident  will also have a temporary backup system deployed. The Philadelphia facility, in part, guides aircraft approaching Newark Airport before it hands off the planes to the airport tower, and guides planes that have just departed the airport.

Staffing will also be increased, the FAA added, and there is a healthy pipeline of training classes filled through next July.

Duffy said the new plan cant occur without the help of Congress. Besides upfront funding, he called for reform to the way government permits are issued so the plan can wrap up within three to four years.

For years, the FAAs technology has been under fire for its poor quality and problems.

According to a 2024 report from the US Government Accountability Office, an assessment of the FAAs 138 systems found 51 were unsustainable and 54 were potentially unsustainable.

Years of tech issues

There have been many high-profile issues with FAA technology over the years that have prompted safety concerns.

In 2023, a system that provides pilots with pre-flight safety notices experienced an outage, leading to thousands of cancellations and delays. The NOTAM, Notice to Airmen, is separate from the air traffic control system that keeps planes a safe distance from each other, but its another critical tool for air safety.

The FAA conducted an operational risk assessment following the outage, ultimately determining the number of systems that were at risk. Of the 105 unsustainable and potentially unsustainable systems, 58 have critical operational impacts on the safety and efficiency of the national airspace, the GAO found.

Other incidents have shown different vulnerabilities in the air traffic control system. In 2014, an FAA contract employee set a fire to sabotage the FAA Chicago En Route Center in Aurora, Illinois. The facility was not able to control air traffic for more than two weeks and thousands of flights were delayed or canceled, an FAA audit found. When firefighters arrived, they found him lying on the floor and slicing his throat with a knife, an FBI affidavit said.

Katie Thomson, the former deputy administrator at the FAA during the Biden administration, said the FAA was planning to transition to new equipment last year after years of being reliant on legacy communication systems.

Think of traditional analog communication systems that are aging and, in many cases, very expensive to fix or not being fixed by the local telecom companies, Thomson said.

At the news conference Thursday, Nick Calio, head of Airlines for America, the lobbying group representing for US carriers, held up examples of the outdated technology controllers still use.

Ive been holding up floppy discs and paper strips for about nine years now, Calio said. Here they are. People can never believe this, but heres the good news: whats happening here today is going to put these things out of business for good.

Theres a FAA Enterprise Network Services Program, also known as FENS, a contract that is supposed to acquire telecommunications services, information management services and other specialized services. The FAA awarded this 15-year contract on March 27, 2023.

Verizon currently has a massive $2.4 billion contract to provide long sought-after upgrades to the communications system. Elon Musk took to X earlier this year to criticize Verizons efforts to upgrade the system, calling it putting air traveler safety at serious risk, and hinting his company, Starlink, should take over those efforts.

Verizon spokesman Rich Young told CNN the contract is in the process of being rolled out and would include a new fiberoptic network, replacing the FAA systems outdated copper lines.

The FAA told CNN in a statement it is currently testing Starlink at non-safety critical sites in Alaska to restore stable access to weather information for pilots and the FAAs flight services stations.

There are 17 Starlink connections being tested by the FAAs Telecommunications Infrastructure program, managed through a contract with L3 Harris, including two in Atlantic City, seven in Alaska and eight in Oklahoma, according to the FAA.

At a news conference Monday, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York called the technology old.

It was one of the things that happened at Newark is a copper wire burnt, Schumer said. Why are we using copper wire in 2025? Have they heard of fiber?

A move for air traffic controllers managing the Newark approach

While outdated technology is a talking point, some of the current problems with the Newark airspace stem from a decision last summer to move approach controllers from a Long Island facility called N90 to Philadelphia.

Then in August, the FAA slowed flights into and out of Newark Airport because of radar feed and frequency issues, according to a statement from the agency.

The reason that the FAA moved the Newark airspace to Philadelphia was because of chronic problems at N90, meaning we were unable to recruit, retain, train air traffic controllers who wanted to stay at N90, Thomson said. There was notoriously bad morale.

Thomson said the FAA had even tried to give monetary incentives, but nothing had worked, resulting in significant delays and sometimes shutdowns in the Northeast corridor at those airports because of insufficient staffing.

An academy graduate in New York starts at $64,230 and certified controllers make a maximum of $225,700, according to a published pay scale on the FAA website. In Philadelphia, academy graduates start at $60,058 and certified controllers make a maximum of $225,700.

The main issue impacting controllers, Thomson believes, is the outdated technology.

Youre seeing an acceleration of the sort of decay in the older systems that is resulting in these glitchy radar screens that at Newark, Thomson said. They are most extreme at Newark, but theyre happening in other places across the system.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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President Trump announced his first deal on Thursday since launching a global trade war. He unveiled a limited pact with the United Kingdom that would lower barriers on some goods, such as automobiles and agriculture, while leaving many details yet to be worked out.

It's a "tremendous trade deal for both countries," Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office. "This is a fantastic, historic day," added UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who joined the event over the phone.

"The final details are being written up" and will be concluded in the coming weeks, Trump added.

One key change not in the offing is any adjustment to the 10% baseline tariffs that Trump imposed on goods from nearly every country in the world. Those duties are set to stay in place, with the president reiterating Thursday that he views 10% as the minimum and that other countries will face far higher duties.

President Trump makes a trade announcement in the Oval Office. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) (JIM WATSON via Getty Images)

The core of the deal is essentially a trade where the UK will get a lowering of US duties on key sectors. Most in focus are steel  US duties on UK-made steel will drop from 25% to 0%  and car exports, where duties are set to be reduced from 27.5% to 10% according to a release from the UK.

In return, Prime Minister Starmer is offering concessions to open the UK markets more to things like US autos, ethanol, machinery, and agricultural products, as well as ongoing negotiations on so-called digital service taxes that hit US tech companies.

In one example, the UK will remove the tariff on ethanol completely.

In a fact sheet, the White House claimed "unprecedented" new access to the UK market, which it said represents a $5 billion opportunity for new exports.

Trump also said the deal includes provisions for streamlined customs procedures for US exports and new economic national security measures. Secretary Lutnick added that Boeing is set to make new purchases of British airport engines as part of the deal.

Read more: The latest news and updates on Trump's tariffs

Unanswered questions

Yet the unanswered questions were abundant.

In one example, Trump focused heavily on US beef exports in his opening remarks but then acknowledged that the UK wouldn't be changing its beef standards, which have been a far bigger hangup than other issues like tariffs.

"I think they'll take what they want," Trump said of beef exports.

"There will be no weakening of UK food standards on imports," added the release from London, describing the deal as focused on new reciprocal market access, including a new tariff-free quota for UK farmers.

The deal to reduce US car tariffs to 10% will also only apply to the first 100,000 vehicles imported into the US by UK car manufacturers annually. That figure, the UK government noted, is approximately equal to the total exported last year.

Another piece of the negotiations was around a digital services taxes (DSTs) that impact American tech companies operating in the UK and elsewhere. The issue was mentioned briefly during the announcement but Trump trade counselor Peter Navarro clarified to reporters later in the day that the issue is "still in negotiations" but remains a "very big deal to President Trump."

"Work will continue on the remaining sectors  such as pharmaceuticals and remaining reciprocal tariffs," the UK government added.

President Trump holds a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House on Feb. 27. (Carl Court/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) (CARL COURT via Getty Images)

The announcement was enough to push US stocks higher on Thursday as investors turned optimistic that Trump's trade war may be easing.

But others were more cautious about the import of the announcement.

"I think it is going to be underwhelming as an opening salvo," Henrietta Treyz of Veda Partners predicted during a Yahoo Finance Live appearance.

She noted it was good for groups like UK automakers but said, "There are much bigger pieces of this pie," pointing to still-outstanding deals on partners like South Korea, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and India, where deals could be weeks or months away.

Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet

Overall, the UK has been spared the most intensive actions from Trump. A recent Yale Budget Lab report found that the UK economy is likely to be 0.2% bigger in the long run as a result of tariffs imposed to date, while other nations like Canada and China are set to take a hit and turn negative.

Today's announcement was the second trade win for Starmer, who inked a new trade agreement with India earlier this week.

'A baby step'

Other reactions to the announcement from some in the financial community included skepticism about how far-reaching the agreement will end up being.

Dan Ives of Wedbush called the announcement "a baby step start of getting some deals/framework on the table," adding that "the reality is that the market and especially tech investors will view this announcement as a yawner ... with the laser focus being China negotiations, India, and Vietnam."

Terry Haines of Pangaea Policy added that, for markets, "the existence of today's deal matters more than any detail, because it confirms for jittery and impatient markets fundamental things," most importantly that Trump will move forward on deals.

Indeed, markets will have another round of trade talks to watch this weekend when two top Trump aides travel to Switzerland to begin those talks with China.

Trump also looked ahead to this weekend's talks on Thursday, predicting, "I think we will have a very good weekend." He offered optimism that progress would be possible in the days ahead, and regarding tariffs, if those talks go well, "you can't get any higher, so you know it's coming down."

This post has been updated.

Ben Werschkul is a Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance.

Click here for political news related to business and money policies that will shape tomorrow's stock prices

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FILE - Vehicles block the entrance to Yellowstone National Park, a major tourist attraction now closed due to the historic floodwaters, June 15, 2022, in Gardiner, Mont. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP)  A Yellowstone National park visitor from Florida was gored by a bison  the first such violent encounter of 2025  just weeks into the busy summer season.

Park officials repeated a frequent warning: Dont get too close to wildlife. The 47-year-old man did just that but escaped with only minor injuries, according to a park statement Wednesday.

Park officials declined to say more about the visitor from Cape Coral, Florida, or give details about Sunday's attack, saying only that it took place at Lake Village, an area of cabins, a lodge and campsites on the shore of Yellowstone Lake.

Bison can be aggressive when people dont give them enough space, park officials said in their statement, and have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other wild animal.

At least two people were gored by bison last year, including an 83-year-old South Carolina woman who was seriously injured. A bison gored and significantly injured an Arizona woman in the park in 2023. Bison injured two people in 2022.

Besides getting too close, visitors have been known to pick up baby bison. Such contact can cause the baby to be shunned by its herd with deadly results, not to mention the risk to the tourist.

Usually seen grazing or lolling peacefully, bison can run up to 35 mph (56 kph)  faster than the mens world record in the 100-meter dash.

Park regulations require visitors to keep at least 25 yards (meters) away from bison and other large herbivores, and 100 yards away from wolves and bears.

Bison are North America's biggest land animal. They stand up to 6 feet (2 meters) tall and weigh up to 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms).

Some 4.7 million people visited Yellowstone in 2024. A tour bus crash killed seven people in nearby Idaho last week. Summer season began with road plowing in late April.
The giant squid is a species of deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae. The giant squid in deep ocean.  InnovationWorld/Shutterstock.com

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The mysterious giant squid has rarely ever been seen by humans, let alone photographed or filmed swimming in its natural habitat. Most of what we know about giant squids has come from fishermen finding them dead floating on the water. Until recently, scientists had only filmed a living giant squid in the wild twiceonce off the Ogasawara Islands in Japan and once in the Gulf of Mexico. However, as of April 2025, additional footage of giant squid and even the first confirmed footage of a colossal squid in the wild have been captured, indicating that such sightings are becoming more frequent with advances in deep-sea exploration technology.

Its believed that the myth of the Kraken came from sightings of giant squids. Charles Bevalet. / Public Domain  Original / License

What is a Giant Squid?

The largest giant squid recorded by scientists was nearly 43 feet long and weighed about one ton. Giant squid are cephalopods. Like other squid and octopuses, they have a beak, eight arms, two eyes, and a siphon (funnel). They also have two suckered feeding tentacles. They use these to shoot out and capture prey up to 33 feet away. A giant squids eyes are massive and can measure 10 inches in diameter. Scientists think their large eyes allow them to see in dark depths where barely any light comes through.

Scientists believe that, like other squids, the giant squid can release ink as a defensive measure to flee from threats. However, nobody has ever seen this in action in the wild. Scientists dont even know if the giant squid is one species in the genus Architeuthis, or if there are more species. (Some scientists believe there are up to eight different giant squid species.)

Although giant squids are not rare or uncommon in the ocean, its incredibly unusual to view one swimming in its habitat.

Where Do Giant Squids Live?

Despite their massive size, giant squid are hardly ever seen alive by humans. They are mainly found washed ashore after they have died. You may be wondering how such a large creature can remain so elusive. Its because the giant squid lives deep in the ocean at around 1,000 to 2,000 feet below the surface. This area of the ocean is known as the Twilight Zone because very little light reaches these depths.

Scientists think giant squid swim in the ocean around the world, although there probably arent many in tropical locations or the Arctic. We know where they live based on where they are found washed up on shores. Giant squids arent often found washed ashore in polar or tropical regions. They are most often found along the coastlines of the Atlantic Ocean and the southern coast of Africa.

The Giant Squid Has Not Been Filmed a Lot

Previously, scientists had only captured video footage of a giant squid swimming in the ocean depths twicefirst in 2012 off the coast of Japan and then in 2019 in the Gulf of Mexico. However, as of April 2025, additional footage of giant squids and even the first confirmed video of a colossal squid in the wild have been obtained. During the 2019 expedition, Dr. Nathan Robinson and Dr. Edie Widder were on a NOAA-funded expedition to explore the depths of the ocean. They were investigating organisms that live below 3,280 feet (known as the midnight zone of the ocean). Even deeper than the oceans twilight zone, sea creatures here make their own light as the sun never reaches the depths.

A video on the OceanX YouTube channel shows how the researchers obtained their footage and the close call they nearly had to losing it. The team was reviewing footage they had captured with a deep-sea camera. This specialized camera is used for viewing sea life at great depths without disturbing the animals because it uses red light, which many sea creatures cant see. The camera also has a jellyfish lure, which is meant to attract large predators.

Scientists spotted a giant squid swimming in the deep ocean off the coast of New Orleans. OceanX / YouTube  Original

As the scientists watched the playback from the deep-sea camera, they spotted the giant squid swimming into view at 2,490 feet below the surface. The squid appeared to be about 10 to 12 feet long. While the scientists and crew were excitedly viewing the footage for the first time, lightning from a nearby storm hit their boat, frying a laptop. They had not even backed up the video yet and risked losing the entire thing. Fortunately, one laptop was fine, and the footage was saved.

What Does the Video of Giant Squid in Their Natural Habitat Tell Scientists?

Since researchers have mainly learned about the giant squid by studying dead specimens, watching one in action tells them a lot about the behavior of the mysterious creature.

Because the squid was attracted to the camera, scientists theorize that it saw the jellyfish lure, meaning its a visual predator. Dr. Widder explained in a statement, In the video, we could clearly see that it was visually tracking the electronic jellyfish, which was very exciting to be able to observe.

Scientists also discovered that giant squids dont wait passively for food to drift near them, but actively hunt their prey.

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Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a yearlong ban on cellphones in public schools across the state into law.

The development puts Oklahoma in line with 11 other states across the country that have implemented similar restrictions in schools. Some school districts in the region have already enforced similar policies.

Oklahoma School Cellphone Ban

On Monday, Stitt signed Senate Bill 139 to implement the "bell to bell" ban for the 2025-26 school year. The cellphone restriction will become optional for school districts in the following school year and moving forward.

When the yearlong ban on cellphones is implemented, the school board of each district is required to adopt a policy that restricts students from using various devices. These include cellphones, laptops, tablets, smart watches, smart headphones, and smart glasses.

They will not be able to use these devices from the first bell ringing on the instructional day until final dismissal from school. Additionally, the policy is required to outline disciplinary procedures in enforcing the rule among students, according to the Oklahoma Voice.

Devices that were issued or approved by schools to be used for classroom instruction will be exceptions to the law. Districts are also given the authority to permit cellphone use for emergencies for students who require them to monitor specific health issues.

The Oklahoma governor previously urged public schools to look for cost-neutral solutions that would make classrooms cellphone-free. This would be made to reverse a "worrying trend" of distraction, bullying, and learning difficulties.

Sen. Ally Seifried, a supporter of the bill, argued that the law was designed to create a distraction-free learning environment for students. She added that it will help teachers focus on educating children, who can concentrate on learning, the Journal Record reported.

Rise of Cellphone Usage in Classrooms

In a statement on Tuesday, Stitt argued that classrooms across the United States struggle with a rise in the usage of cellphones by students inside classrooms. He cited this as a reason why he issued his cellphone-free school challenge.

The governor noted that he wants children to focus and be present while they are being taught by their teachers. He added that the legislation helps promote an environment that is conducive to learning.

The situation comes as Sen. Kristen Thompson and Rep. Anthony Moore authored Senate Bill 758. The legislation will restrict Oklahoma school districts to having only two virtual days every school year that can count toward the 180-day or 1,080-hour school year instructional requirement, as per The Oklahoman.
A Virginia teenager was allegedly shot and killed by a homeowner while filming TikTok prank videos with friends, according to authorities and a search warrant obtained by USA TODAY.

The Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office said officers received a call about a residential burglary in progress around 3 a.m. on May 3.

Tyler Chase Butler, 27, a resident of McKenzie Lane, is accused of shooting and killing 18-year-old Michael Bosworth Jr. during the incident.

The teenager's friends told deputies that they were filming TikTok videos of them doing a "ding dong ditch" prank when they were shot at, according to the warrant.

Butler was arrested on May 6 and charged with several crimes, including second-degree murder.

Teens were filming TikTok prank when they were shot at

Bosworth was taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries, police said.

A second individual, who police said is a juvenile, was also shot and treated for minor injuries. A third person was not injured, police said.

According to the search warrant, Bosworth's friends told police they were knocking on doors in the area as part of a "ding dong ditch" prank they planned to upload to TikTok.

The long-running game involves knocking on a person's door and running away before they can answer.

The teens said they were shot while running to hide after knocking on a door. They also said they weren't familiar with the neighborhood.

Butler was charged with second-degree murder, malicious wounding and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, police said. He was arraigned on May 7 and is set to have a preliminary hearing on June 18, court records show.

'Our thoughts are with the family'

Bosworth was a senior at Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg, which held its prom hours after his death.

In a message to the district, shared with USA TODAY, Principal William Lancaster said the school is offering counseling staff and other support to students.

"Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time," Lancaster said.

Melina Khan is a trending reporter covering national news for USA TODAY. She can be reached at MKhan@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Homeowner in Virginia accused of shooting teen recording TikTok prank
Fears of famine in the Gaza Strip grew Thursday as a major aid group said it had run out of food amid Israeli strikes that killed at least 100 people, including children, across the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Scores more were injured in the bombardments across the strip, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in the enclave, which has been run by Hamas since 2007.

The bodies of young children could be seen lying among the dead at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, in footage taken by an NBC News crew on the ground shortly after strikes rained down on the north of the enclave.

One woman said her grandson had been killed in one of the attacks.

Why are they killing us? she said. There are no rockets here, no fighters. She added that there was no food, no water, nothing available in Gaza.

A Palestinian man reacts following an Israeli strike on a Thai restaurant in Gaza City on Wednesday. (Omar Al-Qattaa / AFP - Getty Images)

Aid groups are warning of an increasingly dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza as Israels blockade on food and aid enters its third month.

As a result, leading aid group World Central Kitchen said in a statement Wednesday that it has been forced to suspend operations and shutter its community kitchens, as it faced empty warehouses and no replenishment of supplies. The group said it had served 133,000 meals per day and baked 80,000 loaves of bread over the past few weeks.

Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP), told NBC News on Wednesday that a famine had not yet been declared. But she said an analysis would be released next week by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, which sets a scale the United Nations and governments use to assess hunger.

The WFP warned last month that it had run out of its last remaining food stocks for hot meal kitchens in the Gaza Strip. More than 116,000 metric tons of food assistance, enough to feed 1 million people for up to four months, was waiting at aid corridors to be allowed into the enclave, it added.

Palestinian health officials say the Israeli offensive has killed more than 52,000 people in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led attacks on Israel killed 1,200 people and 250 taken were taken hostage, according to Israeli officials.

A Palestinian girl mourns over the shrouded body of her mother at a hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on Wednesday. (Eyad Baba / AFP - Getty Images)

The mounting crisis in Gaza came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday confirmed statements from President Donald Trump this week suggesting that three of the 24 hostages believed to remain alive in Hamas captivity may be dead.

Trump sparked confusion among the families of the hostages Tuesday by saying that the number of hostages believed to still be alive in Gaza had fallen to 21, from 24, without providing details.

Netanyahu on Wednesday confirmed that the status of three hostages believed to be in Gaza was now uncertain, adding: We know for certain that 21 hostages are alive, theres no dispute about that.

It comes as Trump prepares for a visit to the Middle East next week, with trips planned to both Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. He is not scheduled to visit Israel during the trip.

Smoke rises following an Israeli strike in the Bureij refugee camp, central Gaza, late Wednesday. (Eyad Baba / AFP - Getty Images)

Danny Danon, Israels ambassador to the United Nations, said he met with Trumps Middle East envoy Wednesday. He said in a post on X that they had an important discussion on regional developments.

Asked by reporters at the White House on Monday whether there was progress toward a new deal between Israel and Hamas to end fighting in the enclave and release the remaining hostages, Trump did not directly respond.

Theres a lot of talk going on about Gaza right now. You know that, right? he said, adding, Youll be knowing probably in the next 24 hours.
From left: Mytheresa; Chevon Rodrigues Massimo Bottura in front of a news stand in Modena and while traveling through India.

Renowned Italian chef Massimo Bottura is a culinary philosopher, known as much for his poetic musings as his Michelin stars. Best known for Osteria Francescana in Modenafrequently ranked among the best restaurants in the worldBottura has spent decades redefining Italian cuisine through a lens of memory, artistry, and emotion. Now, in 2025, hes channeling that spirit into his latest project: Torno Subito Miami.

But Bottura isnt interested in replicating the Italy of Instagram. His Italy is quieter, more groundedone defined by biodiversity, history, and hyperlocal ingredients. Its this philosophy, rooted in terroir and tradition, that continues to guide his food, wherever in the world he might be.







"Italy is a mosaic of flavors.

"

Massimo Bottura







For Bottura, Italy is not a single flavor profile but a patchwork of distinct stories. Every few kilometers, the landscapeand the tablechanges, he tells Travel + Leisure during a recent interview in South Florida amid Miami Grand Prix festivities. What moves me most now isnt the glamour of big restaurants, but the quiet beauty of biodiversity.

That beauty might reveal itself in the green hills of Emilia, the anchovy boats of Cetara pulling into port at dawn, or a vineyard in Sicily where the sun bakes sweetness into the grapes. You sit at a table in the Apennines and taste the forest, Bottura reflects. You break bread in a coastal village, and the salt in the air becomes part of the meal. Thats what keeps Italian cuisine alivenot perfection, but presence.

Pietro Bianchi Massimo on his Ducati outside of his estate Casa Maria Luigia.

When asked about the hidden gems of Italy, Bottura shifts from places to moments. Italys hidden gems arent always places you find on a listtheyre places you feel, he says. A village in Puglia where the bread still rises with natural yeast. A Sunday market where you smell the change of seasons before you see it. These are experiences that dont try to be anythingthey just are.

His estate outside Modena, Casa Maria Luigia, reflects this ethos: an 18th-century villa-turned-hospitality haven that Bottura and his wife Lara transformed into a soulful, hyperlocal experience. Its a unique place in the world, he says, a new approach to hospitality.







Massimo Bottura

Aisle or window seat?

Window seat. I need my space. With a window seat I dont have anyone saying Hey, can I go to the bathroom? and I can focus on sleeping.



Favorite food region of Italy?

Emilia-Romagna is the food valleyit is my region. But, putting that to the side, Piedmont and Sicily, too.



An Italian phrase that you love and why?

Cucinare e una forma di dare amore. It means cooking is an act of love.



Favorite restaurant in Miami (aside from your own)?

My favorite places here are where my friends cook because I feel at home. What I miss most when I travel is my home, and they bring that to me.



Destination you want to check off your list?

Im very ready to go to Africa... to the center of Africa, a place like Nairobi or Addis Ababa. My goal is to open a soup kitchen there in the next year.











Even the most popular Italian dishes, Bottura says, are often misunderstood. Pizza is one of the most popular dishes in the world, but its also one of the most underrated, he explains. People dont realize what true masters like Franco Pepe, Enzo Coccia, or Francesco Martucci are doingits art, not just food. For those seeking a revelatory experience, he recommends heading to Naples or Caserta to see what real pizza can be.

Irene Eva Quaranta Making tortellini with Tortellante in Modena.

With Italy so well-trodden by travelers, Bottura sees certain tourist habits as consistentand consistently misguided. One of the biggest mistakes tourists make is rushing the meal, he says. In Italy, dining is not a transaction. Its a ritual. Meals are meant to stretch for hours. That means sipping, talking, tasting, and letting go of rigid expectations around speed and structure.

Another faux pas? Over-customizing. Asking for substitutions or off-menu changes in a traditional trattoria can come off as disrespectful, he explains. The chefs vision mattersits part of the experience.

Then theres the tendency to play it safe with drinks. Ordering a Coke instead of asking for a local wine? Thats missing the point entirely, Bottura says. Each Italian region has its own incredible vintages. Exploring them is part of the adventure.

He urges travelers not to chase perfection, but presence. In a world of overexposure and curated moments, the quiet corners of Italy remind us that beauty doesnt need to shout to be heard.

And when Bottura travels outside Italy, he brings that same philosophy with him. Travel isnt about escapeits about attention, he says. The way jazz fills a room, the texture of a handwritten menu, the silence in front of a painting that stops you mid-thought. Im not chasing destinationsIm chasing moments of clarity and connection.

Sueo Massimo producing modenese balsamic vinegar in the Acetaia (where traditional balsamic vinegar is produced and aged) in Casa Maria Luigia.

That sense of presence is now at the heart of Botturas latest project, Torno Subito Miami, nestled in Downtown Miami and infused with Riviera nostalgia and tropical flair.

Theres an openness in Miamia certain energythat reminds me of the Italian Riviera in the 60s, Bottura explains. Not just in aesthetics, but in attitude: playful, stylish, a little nostalgic but always in motion.

He describes Torno Subito not as a strict regional showcase, but as somewhat of a mood board. Were not trying to recreate a region dish by dishwere trying to capture a feeling. The restaurants design features retro-chic lounge chairs, vintage Italian photos, and pops of sunshine yellow, all channeling that old-school Mediterranean charm.

But its more than set dressingits an invitation to slow down. Tables are set with house-made focaccia, olive oil and balsamic vinegar poured like a ritual. The lighting is warm and cinematic. Its about creating a mood, Bottura says. Color without chaos. Joy, but with elegance.

From left: Cristian Gonzalez; Torno Subito Miami The interior and must-try dish, Cacio e Pepe from Torno Subito Miami.

His must-try dish? The cacio e pepe, reinterpreted for Miami and driven home with executive chef Bernardo Paladinis flair. It stays close to Roman tradition with spaghetti and pecorino, he says, but we finish it with a touch of Florida citrus. That brightness lifts the dish, rebalancing it for this new climate, this new energy.

That balancebetween heritage and spontaneity, seriousness and funis the thread that ties all of Botturas projects together. Italian cuisine isnt about rigid technique, he says. Its about seasonality, respect, memory. Those principles translate everywhere.

Whether youre savoring anchovies at dawn on the Amalfi Coast or digging into citrus-kissed cacio e pepe in Miami, Bottura reminds us that the best meals dont just feed the stomachthey feed the soul.



Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
As a frequent traveler, I think Florence is one of the best cities in Europe for foodies. NeverStopLookingUp/Shutterstock; Carinne Geil Botta

I've been to over 20 countries in Europe, and have eaten my way through tons of cities and towns.

I think Florence has the best pizza, pasta, and gelato in Italy.

In my opinion, Edinburgh has the best fish and chips in the UK.

When I first moved to the UK in 2021, I had one major goal: to travel as much as possible.

I spent my free time seeing the world with exciting weekend getaways, road trips, and hikes. Before I knew it, I had checked more than 20 European countries off my bucket list.

As a self-proclaimed foodie, one of my favorite things to do when traveling is to explore the culinary scene.

Although plenty of major European cities have delicious offerings, these five have become my go-to places for great food.

I love the vibrant multicultural food scene in Athens.

I liked the peinirli at Feyrouz. Carinne Geil Botta

Greek dishes remind me that great food doesn't have to have a million ingredients to be memorable.

Vegetables, feta, olive oil, and herbs create a fresh, fragrant salad; grilled meats and tzatziki prove simple but nourishing; and you can't go wrong with freshly caught seafood. I've enjoyed all this and more in the capital city of Athens.

For authentic Greek fare, I love visiting places like Karamanlidika and Ella Greek Cooking.

I also highly recommend exploring Athens' vibrant multicultural food scene, which includes Kurdish, Ethiopian, and Thai cuisines, among many others.

One of my favorite restaurants is Feyrouz, which serves fresh artisanal Levantine street food. Its peinirli (a sort of boat-shaped pizza) and lahmacun (a Middle Eastern flatbread) shouldn't be missed.

I love how fresh the food tastes in Copenhagen.

My brunch spread at Mad & Kaffe included items like a smoothie bowl, scrambled eggs, matcha yogurt, and banana bread. Carinne Geil Botta

From its innovative Michelin-starred restaurants to its New Nordic cuisine, Copenhagen's culinary scene has blown me away.

Copenhagen is home to my favorite pastry in the world: a cardamom bun from Juno the Bakery. It's warm, buttery, doughy, and oozing with aromatic cardamom and pearl sugar.

I also like to stop by local cafe chain Mad & Kaffe for a delightful brunch flight and Torvehallerne market for a lunch of traditional smrrebrds, or open-faced sandwiches.

Porto is best known for its wine.

I enjoyed the tapas at The Wine Box. Carinne Geil Botta

Located on the banks of the Douro River, Porto is synonymous with port wine, a type of fortified wine that's been produced in the region for centuries and often served with dessert.

I recommend visiting Cockburn's, Burmester, or Graham's for guided cellar tours and port wine tastings.

Drinks aside, there are many great foods to try, here, too.

For a traditional Portuguese pork sandwich called a bifana, I like to eat at Conga. I also love the delicious spreads of tapas at The Door, TapaBento, and The Wine Box.

I'd also be remiss not to mention pastel de nata, the classic custard Portuguese pastry. In my opinion, Fabrica da Nata and Manteigaria have some of the best the country has to offer.

I think Florence has the best pizza, pasta, and gelato in Italy.

I liked sampling different types of pizza at Gustarium Firenze. Carinne Geil Botta

Florence is my favorite Italian city to visit. It's extremely walkable, boasts striking Renaissance art and architecture, and has the best pizza, pasta, and gelato I've had in the country.

I recommend visiting Gustarium Firenze for their pizza al taglio, or pizza by the cut. There, you can sample multiple types of pizza with puffy, olive-oil infused crust, fresh-tasting ingredients, and unique flavor combinations, all for what I consider to be a reasonable price.

To scratch your pasta craving, I suggest stopping by La Giostra or Osteria Pastella. The former offers a romantic, cozy ambiance with brick arches from the 16th century, touting incredible tiramisu and ravioli with pecorino and pear. The latter is famous for its cheese wheel and truffle pasta.

The best way to end your food tour is with a stop at Sbrino, a gelateria that uses natural ingredients. It's the best gelato I've had anywhere in the world.

I think my home city of Edinburgh has the best fish and chips in the UK.

I recommend getting a long black at Cafen. Carinne Geil Botta

I truly think my home city of Edinburgh has it all  mountains, medieval architecture, literary history, and a vibrant festival scene.

For traditional Scottish fare, I suggest visiting the Scran and Scallie. This restaurant adds an elevated twist to the basics, and has a rotating seasonal menu (and the best fish and chips I've had in the UK).

I also recommend trying haggis at Arcade Bar or Whiski Rooms. If you're looking for more fine-dining options, places like Eleanore and Moss highlight the very best of Scottish produce.

Finally, I recommend capping off your visit by wandering through the charming neighborhood of Stockbridge for a long black at Cafen and a pastry from Lannan Bakery.

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Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, right, gestures next to attorney Toral Malik during an arraignment in Los Angeles, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool)

LOS ANGELES (AP)  A judge on Thursday ordered that a man who authorities say crashed his car through the front gate of Jennifer Aniston's home must go through mental-health court to determine whether he is competent to face felony stalking and vandalism charges.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, appeared shirtless and wrapped in a blanket when he appeared behind glass in a custody area of a Los Angeles courtroom. Carwyle did not speak during the proceedings; his attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Prosecutors say the Mississippi man had been harassing Aniston with a flood of voicemail, email and social media messages for two years before driving into her gate on Monday.

Judge Keith L. Schwartz doubted whether Carwyle would understand him when a prosecutor requested that the defendant, who will remain in jail, be ordered not to get near Aniston.

Carwyle's lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Toral Malik, said I dont believe him staying away from Ms. Aniston will be an issue at this time."

But at a prosecutors' insistence, Schwartz issued the order anyway.

You are not to have any contact with Jennifer Aniston under any conditions, the judge said.

Authorities say Aniston was home when Carwyle crashed his Chrysler PT Cruiser through the gate of her home in the wealthy Bel Air neighborhood, causing major damage, prosecutors said. A security guard stopped him in her driveway before police arrived and arrested him.

There were no reports of anyone being injured.

An Aniston attorney who attended Thursday's hearing declined comment, and other representatives of the Friends star have not responded to comment requests.

Carwyle also faces an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm. If convicted he could get up to three years in prison.

Malik not speak to reporters outside court.

Aniston bought the midcentury mansion on a 3.4-acre lot for about $21 million in 2012, according to reporting by Architectural Digest.

She became one of the biggest stars in television in her 10 years on NBC's Friends. Aniston won an Emmy Award for best lead actress in a comedy for the role, and she has been nominated for nine more. She currently stars in The Morning Show on Apple TV+.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

VATICAN CITY (AP)  Cardinal Robert Prevost has taken the name Leo XIV. The Chicago-born missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and took over the Vaticans powerful office of bishops was elected the first pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

In his first words as Pope Francis  successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, Leo, 69, said, Peace be with you, and emphasized a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelization. He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy  a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013. He spoke to the crowd in Italian and Spanish, but not English.

Here is the latest:

Canadian prime minister offers prayers and best wishes for the pope

New Canadian Prime Minister Carney, a practicing Catholic, called the popes election a historic day for Catholics and all who look to the Vatican for guidance.

At a time of global challenges, may his pontificate carry forward a mission of solidarity, compassion, and dignity for all. Carney said in a post on social media.

Professor of canon law sees continuity with Francis

Kurt Martens, who teaches at The Catholic University of America in Washington, said Robert Prevosts choice of the name of Leo XIV, referencing XIII and his foundational encyclical on social teaching  suggests continuity with the churchs direction under Pope Francis.

Martens said references in Leo XIVs speech to embracing the whole world as well as synodality are more signs that the new pope will continue to focus on the poor and those on the margins of societies.

Leaders of African countries offer congratulations

Mozambique President Daniel Chapo said it was with joy and jubilation that the people and government of the Republic of Mozambique received the happy news of his election. Mozambique, once a colony of Portugal, has nearly 9 million Catholics.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said in a Facebook post, I wish a Pontificate filled with achievements and blessings, under the sign of interreligious dialogue, peace and human brotherhood, The West African nation, while predominantly Muslim, has a significant Catholic minority.

Kenyas Archbishop Anthony Muheria said Pope Leo XIV has visited Kenya many times, remembering him as a very pleasant person and a good listener. Catholics in Kenya make up the second largest denomination.

Vladimir Putin wishes Leo XIV success based on Christian values

The Russian president extended his cordial congratulations to the new pope in a message published on the Kremlins website, wishing him success in fulfilling the high mission entrusted to you, as well as good health and well-being.

I am confident that the constructive dialogue and interaction established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values that unite us, the Russian leader said.

UN secretary general offers heartfelt congratulations

Antonio Guterres said he looks forward to building on the long legacy of cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See  nurtured most recently by Pope Francis  to advance solidarity, foster reconciliation, and build a just and sustainable world for all.

The election of a new Pope is a moment of profound spiritual significance for millions of faithful around the world, and it comes at a time of great global challenges. Our world is in need of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity and compassion, Guterres said.

And he quoted the new popes first words: Despite the rich diversity of backgrounds and beliefs, people everywhere share a common goal: May peace be with all the world.

A burning question: is Pope Leo XIV a Chicago White Sox or Cubs fan?

The bells pealed at Holy Name Cathedral as a crowd quickly gathered. Schoolchildren mingled outside, whooping and shouting. Bishop Larry Sullivan, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago, told a press conference that its an exciting day for the city and the country.

I would say the Chicago way is that we come together, we share our faith, he said.

The cathedrals rector, Father Gregory Sakowicz, said the sun came out in Chicago when the new pope was announced, a coincidence he described as Gods way of remaining anonymous.

He said he was happily shocked, and that he had a burning question: was new Pope a White Sox fan? A journalist said shed heard hes for the Cubs, and Sakowicz chuckled. God bless him, he said.

Catholics in Boston celebrate  though they didnt get a vote

Boston is among the most Catholic of U.S. cities  about a quarter of the population identifies as Catholic, according to the Pew Research Center, down from 29% in 2014 after the clergy abuse scandal broke in the city and spread worldwide.

Bostons former archbishop, Cardinal Sean Patrick OMalley, turned 80 in June, so was too old to vote, and his successor, Archbishop Richard Henning, is not a cardinal. The city lacked a direct representative inside the conclave, but is cheering nonetheless.

We have a pope! I join with Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston and throughout the world, along with people of good will, in celebrating the election of Pope Leo XIV as the new Holy Father, Henning said in a statement. We pray for him as he begins this ministry as the Vicar of Christ and the Bishop of Rome. May he be for us a visible source and foundation of communion in faith.

The first U.S. pope didnt use English in his first speech

His choice of languages reflects his pastoral care, said Prof. Bruce Morrill of Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

First and foremost his office is bishop of Rome, Morrill said after the American pope initially spoke Italian, then switched to the Spanish he used in decades spent ministering in Peru.

The conventional wisdom was that there would not be an American pope because of geopolitical implications, said Morrill, a Jesuit priest.

Morrill also noted that Leo XIII issued the first modern encyclical on modern social justice, about workers protections. So choosing the name Leo XIV suggests the new pontiffs priorities: This is a man also very concerned about the church serving the greater social needs of the world, Morrill said.

Spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians welcomes the new Roman Catholic Church leader

I greet the new Pope, the new Bishop of Rome, with great brotherly love in Christ and great expectations, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew told the Associated Press Thursday at an event in Athens. He said hell be in Rome for the popes enthronement.

Reflecting on his long-standing cooperation with Pope Francis, Bartholomew expressed hope for continued progress in Catholic-Orthodox relations. He and Francis collaborated on global challenges including climate change, migration and the impact of technological change. They also hoped to end a centuries-old dispute by finding a common date to celebrate Easter.

I hope that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will be a dear brother and collaborator ... for unity of the whole Christian family and for the benefit of the whole of humankind, he said.

Spanish prime minister congratulates the entire Catholic church

Pedro Sanchez cheered the election of Pope Leo XIV, saying in a post on X: May your pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defense of human rights in a world in need of hope and unity.

Pope Leo XIVs first appointments have been set

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni says:

The Bushes are delighted over an American pope

Former U.S. President George W. Bush said he and his wife, Laura, are delighted to congratulate former Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election to become pope.

This an historic and hopeful moment for Catholics in America and for the faithful around the world, Bush said in a statement. We join those praying for the success of Pope Leo XIV as he prepares to lead the Catholic church, serve the neediest, and share Gods love.

Pope Francis clearly had his eye on Prevost

In many ways, Francis saw Prevost as his heir apparent. But there had long been a taboo against electing a pontiff from a country whose geopolitical power loomed so large in the secular sphere. Prevost, a Chicago native, was seemingly eligible because hes also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

His selection is also enormously significant because of its potential impact on the future of the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been badly divided between conservatives and progressives. With Prevosts help at the help of the bishop vetting office, Francis embarked on a 12-year project to rein in the traditionalists in the United States, which is terrifically important to the global church financially.

What significance might the name Leo have for a pope?

Robert Prevost, a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru before taking over the Vaticans powerful office of bishops, chose Leo XIV for his papal name.

Leo XIII, an Italian who led the church from 1878 to 1903, softened Catholicisms confrontational stance toward modernity  especially science and politics  and laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought, most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers rights and capitalism.

The name is a deep sign of commitment to social issues. I think it is going to be exciting to see a different kind of American Catholicism in Rome, said Natalia Imperatori-Lee, the chair of religious studies at Manhattan University in the Bronx.

Trump says its such an honor for our country

Trump spoke to reporters outside the West Wing, saying that for the new pope to be American, What greater honor can there be?

Were a little bit surprised and were happy, Trump added.

US Secretary of State sends his greetings

Marco Rubio, a Catholic, issued a statement expressing his heartfelt congratulations to the new pope during a moment of profound significance for the church.

The papacy carries a sacred and solemn responsibility, Rubios message said. May the Holy Spirit impart wisdom, strength, and grace as he shepherds the Church. The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff.

A new pope sends greetings to his faithful in Peru

Speaking from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica for the first time as pope, Leo XIV addressed in Spanish the people of Chiclayo, which sits just 9 miles (14 km) away from Perus northern Pacific coast and is among the countrys most populous cities.

Greetings... to all of you, and in particular, to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop, shared their faith, he said.

What is a core value for Augustinian priests?

A religious order is a community of Catholics  which can include priests, nuns, monks and even lay people  dedicated to a particular type of mission and spirituality. A core value for the Order of St. Augustine that the new pope belongs to is to live together in harmony, being of one mind and one heart on the way to God.

Pope Francis was the first pope from the Jesuit religious order ever, and the first in more than a century and a half to come from any religious order. The previous one was Gregory XVI (1831-1846), a Camaldolese monk. In all, 34 of the 266 popes have belonged to religious orders  and six of them before Leo XIV were Augustinians, according to America, a Jesuit magazine.

The idea of a US pontiff was taboo. Prevost overcame it

Pope Francis brought Prevost, a Chicago native, to the Vatican in 2023 to lead the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church.

He kept a low public profile in Rome, but was well known to the men who count. Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals.

Back in Prevosts old diocese in Chiclayo, Peru, the Rev. Fidel Purisaca Vigil said Prevost would have breakfast with his fellow priests after saying his prayers each day. No matter how many problems he has, he maintains good humor and joy, Purisaca said in an email.

 Read more about Robert Prevosts background

The popes first words

Peace be with you all. Dear brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts to reach your families to all people everywhere to all the earth: peace be with you.

Cathedral bells ring out in Lima, Peru

Prevosts election as pope is swelling the pride of Peruvians.

For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country, said elementary school teacher Isabel Panez, who happened to be near the cathedral in Perus capital when the news was announced. We would like him to visit us here in Peru.

Trump congratulates new pope

The U.S. president posted his reaction on his Truth Social social media platform.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

New pope led order dedicated to the poor and service

The new pope was formerly the prior general, or leader, of the Order of St. Augustine, formed in the 13th century as a community of mendicant friars dedicated to poverty, service and evangelization.

The orders requirements and ethos are traced to the fifth century St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the theological and devotional giants of early Christianity.

The order works in about 50 countries, according to its website, promoting a contemplative spirituality, communal living and service to others.

Pope Leo XIVs first message: Peace and dialogue without fear

In his first words, Pope Leo XIV, history's first American pope Robert Prevost, said Peace be with you.

From the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, he recalled that he was an Augustinian priest, but a Christian above all, and a bishop, so we can all walk together.

He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

The voting cardinals look over the crowd

The voting cardinals now fill the four balconies that flank the flag-draped balcony where Pope Leo XIV will speak. Many  including several who had been identified as possible contenders  seem joyful as they look over the crowd below.

Robert Prevost is elected the first American pope in history

Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vaticans powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

Prevost, 69, took the name Leo XIV.

A new popes last moments before emerging to a global role

The new pope, whoever he is, should now be donning his papal vestments in the so-called Room of Tears. It is thus named due to the emotional weight of the moment and the responsibility ahead.

People in the crowd continue to scream Viva il papa! as they remain suspended in time in huge anticipation.

One cardinals hometown mystery

Three friends in Cardinal Pietro Parolins hometown Schiavon clinked their glasses in an Italian salute when the white smoke went up in St. Peters Square. We hope its him, said Mariano Vialetto, over an aperitif in Caffe Centrale. We have our fingers crossed.

Morgan Zaetta was more sure: Its him, its him.

Then the bells rang in the church, St. Margherita  only the sacristan says it wasnt he who rang them and doesnt know who did.

It wasnt me, said Angelo Cisotto, adding no one was in the bell tower and they could not be rung by remote.

Its a mystery, he said. Asked if it could be a sign: We hope, we hope.

Trump saw the smoke

President Donald Trump was asked about the white smoke signaling that a new pope had been chosen. He offered little immediate reaction.

I saw the smoke but I havent seen the pope, Trump told reporters on his way out of a White House event with military mothers.

A last quiet moment before the excitement

A few minutes before the white smoke, a small Seagull chick appeared near the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Alongside the chick were two larger seagulls, almost as if they were a family. Just as the mother was feeding the chick, the chimney began to smoke.

Older cardinals who didnt participate in the conclave rush out to the square

These cardinals lined up as military bands played the Italian and Holy See national anthems.

Spotted in the crowd were American Cardinals Sean OMalley and Donald Wuerl, both of whom are over 80 and didnt vote.

Swiss Guards have taken position in front of front of St. Peters Basilica

A marching brass band in blue uniforms led a contingent of Swiss guards through the crowd to a central spot below the balcony, generating another huge roar from the crowd.

The Pontifical Swiss Guard is the official security force of the Vatican, and holds a ceremonial and a protective function.

And now more marching bands are celebrating the election of a new pope in a parade that includes large groups in military dress uniforms.

Vivi il Papa! erupts from the crowd whenever the music pauses.

All eyes are now on the red-draped central balcony of St. Peters Basilica

Thats where a cardinal will soon emerge to to proclaim a new pope to Rome and to the world.

There is incredible excitement  the crowd is roaring, and some are shouting hallelujah!

Church bells ring in Spain

Moments after white smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel, the bells began tolling in Barcelonas towering Sagrada Familia basilica and the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, across from the royal palace.

The great bells of St. Peters Basilica are tolling

And down below, amid the cheers in the vast mix of humanity in St. Peters square, priests are making the sign of the cross and nuns are weeping at the white smoke wafting into the sky.

The crowd erupted with joy in St. Peters Square

Some are obviously deeply moved, others excited. Theyre clapping and waving national flags and taking photos with their phones.

Viva il papa! some shouted.

White smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney

It signals that a pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church.

That means the winner secured at least 89 votes of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

The crowd in St. Peters Square erupted in cheers.

The name will be announced later, when a top cardinal utters the words Habemus papam! Latin for We have a pope! from the loggia of St. Peters Basilica. The cardinal then reads the winners birth name in Latin, and reveals the name he has chosen to be called.

The new pope is then expected to make his first public appearance and impart a blessing from the same loggia.

The smoke emerged from the chimney at 6:07 p.m.

Pope Francis appointed 108 of the cardinals voting for his successor

He elevated these men and others who are not eligible to vote in groups throughout his papacy, beginning in January 2014 with 19. They came from around the world, including the developing nations of Haiti and Burkina Faso, in line with his belief the church must pay more attention to the poor and that its hierarchy should reflect the face of the faithful.

His last batch was installed in December 2024 with 21 cardinals, 20 of whom are in the conclave.

The excitement in the square is contagious

At one point there was applause from the crowd as thousands train their eyes on the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, but it was a false alarm.

We want a Pope close to the people and close to us, to the youth, who represent the future of the Church, said Kacper Michalak, 20, a seminarian from Poland who came for the 2025 Jubilee. The holy year is an ancient church tradition encouraging spiritual renewal which encourages pilgrimages to Rome.

How long does it take to choose a pope?

Its hard to say precisely. The Vatican doesnt officially publish the number of votes in past conclaves, and sources compiling their own tallies dont completely agree. But historical data provide a few clues.

The longest conclave since the 20th century began took 14 rounds of balloting across five days, ending with the election of Pius XI in 1922. The shortest, electing Pius XII in 1939, took three ballots over two days.

Cardinals must reach a two-thirds majority to elect a pope. That may have been easier in the past: In 1922 there were just 53 voting cardinals, and until 1978 conclaves had fewer than 100. This year there are 133, so 89 votes are needed.

These are the US cardinals voting for the next pope

The United States is home to 10 of the 133 cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope. Thats more than any other nation except Italy, home to 17 of the electors in the conclave choosing a successor to Pope Francis.

Only four of the American electors actively serve as archbishops in the U.S.  Timothy Dolan of New York, Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, and Robert McElroy of Washington. Two others are retired archbishops, and four have spent many years serving at the Vatican.

Its a mixed group, ideologically. McElroy was one of Francis staunchest progressive allies. Cardinal Raymond Burke, a traditionalist, was a frequent critic of Francis.

 Read more about the US electors in the conclave

Conservative cardinals are likely seeking a more orthodox successor

Francis had many traditionalist critics who made clear they believed themselves to be more Catholic than the pope.

Francis sought to neutralize the conservative opposition through key appointments and targeted removals, and he also oversaw a crackdown on the old Latin Mass. When he approved blessings for same-sex couples, African bishops united in disapproval. And when he allowed divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion, some accused him of heresy.

 Read more on Pope Francis conservative critics

The faithful in the piazza dont get a vote. But if they did ...

Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina, is hoping for a new pope in Francis image. Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didnt do enough. Well see if the next one will be able to do more.

The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis. He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, hed be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists.

He has clear ideas, not much ideology. Hes a direct, intelligent, and respectful man, Bogataj said from the square. Most of all, hes agile.

A hot mic moment feeds conjecture over papal candidates

As the Sistine Chapels doors slammed shut to seal the cardinals off from the outside world, leadership of the proceedings was assumed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and a leading contender to succeed him as pope.

Parolin is the most senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate, and seemed to have received blessings from none other than Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, who was caught on a hot mic during Wednesdays pre-conclave Mass telling Parolin Auguri doppio or double best wishes.

Italians are debating whether this was a customary gesture, an informal endorsement or even a premature congratulations.

Prominent cardinal hopes for white smoke by the evening

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, expressed hope that a new pope would be elected within hours, according to reports in major Italian newspapers.

I hope that when I return to Rome this evening, Ill find the white smoke already rising, he said, speaking from the city of Pompeii on Thursday.

Re is 91 years old, which makes him too old to participate in the conclave of 133 cardinals who are electing the next pope and who all have to be under 80.

However, he has been prominent and delivered a Mass on Wednesday before the cardinals began their conclave. As the Mass ended he was caught on a hot mic saying to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, viewed as a favorite for the papacy: auguri doppi (double best wishes).

Italians discussed whether this was a customary gesture acknowledging Parolins role as the most senior cardinal present in the conclave, or if it might have been an informal endorsement of Parolins candidacy for the papacy.

Black smoke again pours from the Sistine Chapel chimney: No pope elected yet

Black smoke is again pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected on second or third ballots of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.

The smoke billowed out at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday after the morning voting session to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member church.

With no one securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the 133 cardinals will return to the Vatican residences where they are being sequestered. They will have lunch and then return to the Sistine Chapel for the afternoon voting session.

Two more votes are possible on Thursday.

Day 2 of waiting for a new pope

Many faithful are hoping that the second day of the conclave will give the church and the world a new pope after a first vote produced dark smoke on Wednesday evening, sending a disappointed crowd to disperse in all directions in Rome.

Earlier, some of the people had started thinking that the long wait was the sign cardinals had reached a decision in a first vote, which would be unprecedented in the modern era.

They probably need more time, said Costanza Ranaldi, a 63-year-old who traveled from Pescara in Italys Abruzzo region to be present at the historic moment.

Chiara Pironi, a 26-year-old who lives in Rome, said she would keep returning to St. Peters Square until a new pope is chosen.

I dont want to miss that moment, she said.

A proverb and a warning

There is an old prover that Italians keep repeating: He who enters the conclave as pope leaves as a cardinal.

The saying warns against overconfidence among front-runners in papal elections  those widely expected to win often do not.

In Rome, the phrase is heard frequently, from casual conversations to live TV broadcasts, where commentators use it to temper speculation.

Its a reminder of the secrecy and unpredictability of the conclave, where decisions are made behind locked doors, and outcomes can surprise even seasoned Vatican watchers.

Who is voting in the conclave?

Of the 133 cardinals voting in the conclave, 108 were appointed by Pope Francis, who died last month at the age of 88.

The electors could feel loyalty to continue his legacy  even though the late pontiff didnt choose cardinals based on ideology, but rather for their pastoral priorities and geographical diversity.

Beyond that, the cardinals will consider practical matters, like age. Piking a relatively young man  say in his 60s  could result in a papacy of 20 years or longer.

Also, choosing a pope from where the church is growing  Asia or Africa  could bring more upheaval to the Vaticans Italian-heavy bureaucracy that is still smarting from the Argentine popes go-it-alone style.

Why might papal voting might have taken longer Wednesday evening?

Casting and counting ballots for a new pope might have taken longer than expected on Wednesday evening because of the large number of cardinals participating  133  and the linguistic diversity among them.

The electors hail from 70 countries, and not all speak or understand Italian fluently, which could have slowed down the proceedings if help with translation was needed. While in the past Latin was the universal language of the church, nowadays not all cardinals understand Latin or even Italian, the lingua franca of the Vatican.

Another unknown was the length of the meditation delivered by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa after the Sistine Chapel doors closed and the voting began. Cantalamessa is the retired preacher of the papal household.

Also, the vote might have had to be done twice, if for some reason the first ballot had to be invalidated. That occurred in 2013 when during one voting round, an extra empty ballot appeared.

Black smoke pours from Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating conclave hasnt elected pope

The smoke billowed out at 9 p.m. Wednesday, some four hours after 133 cardinals solemnly entered the Sistine Chapel, took their oaths of secrecy and formally opened the centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member church.

With no one securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the cardinals retired for the night to the Vatican residences where they are being sequestered.

 Read more about the conclave to pick the next pope
Courtesy of Netflix 'Love on the Spectrum' stars Abbey Romeo and David Isaacman pose together.







Love on the Spectrum stars David Isaacman and Abby Romeo revealed that their nuptials and honeymoon plans would possibly take them to San Diego and Kenya

The pair, who are not yet engaged, have spoken in recent months about the possibility of marriage

The couple met on the first season of the Netflix show and have documented their journey of falling in love and the challenges that come with navigating their relationship as individuals with autism







Love on the Spectrum stars Abby Romeo and David Isaacman are aligned when it comes to wedding plans.

The couple, who are still waiting to get engaged, appeared on the latest episode of The Viall Files podcast on Thursday, May 8, where they opened up about some of the ideas they have been floating around for their potential nuptials someday.

We may not know when we're gonna get married, but I do know a perfect place to get married, Isaacman shared.

When Vialls wife Natalie Joy asked where that was, he responded, Where I spend the night three times, but soon to be four times: the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

That's what we're gonna do for our fourth year anniversary. Go to the Roar And Snore, Romeo chimed in. The Roar and Snore is a campground area at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park where adults can camp out and enjoy camp activities, according to the parks website.

As for their honeymoon plans, Isaacman noted that he and Romeo might go back to Masai Mara [in Kenya] for our honeymoon. The pair notably took a trip to the area  which was the inspiration for one of their favorite films The Lion King  in the second season of the Netflix show.

However, at the moment, the couple said they are just enjoying being together.

Courtesy of Netflix 'Love on the Spectrum' star Abbey Romeo and David Isaacman pose together.

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We go on fun dates like the aquarium, the zoo and theme parks like Disney and Universal, Isaacman said. That's right. We do bowling, and we even go to the Griffith Park Observatory.

The couple met on the first season of Love on the Spectrum and have documented their journey of falling in love and the challenges that come with navigating their relationship as individuals with autism.

Last year, Romeo told Rolling Stone that she might be ready to take their relationship to the next level, as she predicted they'd tie the knot "probably in late 2025." In March, she shared more details of what she envisioned for her future nuptials on The Unplanned Podcast.

"I've always, always wanted to be old enough to get married," Romeo admitted at the time, adding that "marriage means I'm like a princess."

Courtesy of Netflix David Isaacman and Abbey Romeo kiss on 'Love on the Spectrum.'

However, Romeo and Isaacman have hesitated to take the next step as they were worried about how the legal union could impact their daily lifestyle, as Isaacman lives with his sister and Romeo lives with her mom, Christine.

Christine shared on the podcast that she and Isaacman's mother have discussed how the pair's marriage "can look like whatever they want it to look like."

"It doesn't have to be in the traditional sense of what a neurotypical person would make it look like," Christine said. "You can have your place, he can still have his place. You can still do what you do until you're ready to move in together... so that they can make that commitment without having it to upheaval everything else."

She continued: "I think in today's world, marriage can look like whatever you want it to look like, as long as your heart's in the right place."

Seasons 1 and 2 of Love on the Spectrum are now on Netflix. Season 3 premiered on April 2. On March 4, Netflix confirmed that Romeo and Isaacman will return for the new season.

Read the original article on People
Six years ago, a Canadian neurologist claimed to notice strange symptoms in a cluster of patients in New Brunswick, a province bordering Maine.

According to the neurologist, Dr. Alier Marrero, the patients suffered hallucinations, spasms, rapid memory loss and the sensation that bugs were crawling underneath their skin, but their symptoms and brain scans didnt neatly fit an existing diagnosis. In other words, the cases were a mystery.

But since then, neurologists who have reviewed the cases have identified clear diagnoses, including Alzheimers, Parkinsons and cancer.

A study published this week in JAMA Neurology reinforces those findings, putting the probability of a mystery disease at roughly 1 in a million.

Doctors working on the study evaluated 25 people who had been identified as part of the New Brunswick cluster. Eleven of the patients had died, so neuropathologists used autopsies to determine their illnesses. For the 14 living patients, neurologists relied on cognitive assessments, among other tests. They concluded that all of the patients had well-known conditions such as Alzheimers, Parkinsons, cancer, traumatic brain injuries or post-concussion symptoms.

We really felt we had a good explanation for 100% of the cases, said an author of the study, Dr. Anthony Lang, a neurologist at University Health Networks Krembil Brain Institute.

However, some doctors worry it wont be enough to quash speculation that the cases have an unknown origin  a theory many patients and their families have clung to.

According to the study authors, 52 people identified as part of the New Brunswick cluster refused second opinions, and 42 more didnt respond to the authors reaching out. The study attributes that to declining trust in health institutions and the spread of misinformation on both traditional and social media.

These were examples of misdiagnosis that then led to misinformation. And sadly, the physician involved continues to believe and convince the patients and families that they have a mysterious illness, Lang said.

Marrero took issue with the study and its findings in a statement.

I am in profound disagreement with the study conclusions and have many questions regarding the methods and the content, he said. I am sure that our patients, families, and communities share the same very serious concerns.

Dr. Valerie Sim, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Alberta who wasnt involved in the study, said there has been no proof that the patients illnesses are related. In fact, she said, the cases are so broad in their description that we could all have this mysterious illness.

Sadly, the one thing that all the patients have in common is the same neurologist, Sim said. And the patients who have been seen by other neurologists get a diagnosis of a known entity thats not a mystery.

James Mastrianni, a neurology professor at the University of Chicago who wasnt part of the research, said the study reinforces that a second opinion by an expert in the field is often helpful.

An ongoing investigation

The mystery illness theory gained traction in 2021 when Canadian health authorities began investigating cases based on Marreros reports. But even after the investigation determined that most patients had known conditions, some families were skeptical. In November, the premier of New Brunswick, Susan Holt, called on the provinces health minister to conduct a scientific review into the mystery brain disease.

New Brunswickers deserve answers, Holt said in a statement last year. We need to know whats making us sick.

Some patient advocates now believe an environmental exposure is triggering the illnesses, claiming patients blood and urine tests show the presence of heavy metals, pesticides and rare antibodies that warrant further study.

It wasnt ever about whether a patient could have an alternative diagnosis, said Kat Lanteigne, an advocate from New Brunswick. It was what has triggered them to have this neurodegenerative disease?

Dr. Yves Leger, New Brunswicks chief medical officer of health, said in a statement Wednesday that the new study doesnt change my Offices intention to complete its own investigation into cases of undiagnosed neurological illness in New Brunswick.

His office has received 222 reports of cases identified as part of the cluster.

Marrero said he has evaluated more than 500 patients in this cluster, and provided a significant amount of unequivocal, sometimes critical environmental exposure evidences, as well as rare autoimmune markers in many of them.

But Lang said that just because a substance is in blood or urine doesnt mean it caused someones neurological symptoms.

You dont do a shotgun approach looking for anything and everything and then finding something and claiming its related to what the problem is, he said.

The challenge of diagnosing neurological issues

Neurologists with no connection to the New Brunswick cases point to a few reasons advocates, doctors and government officials are still debating the cause of the illnesses.

For one, they said, accurate diagnoses can take time. And some of the conditions detected in the study, like Alzheimers, can have complex presentations.

It really takes a cohesive story from the family and a timeline to understand if someone is developing dementia. There can be confusing signs on a neurologic exam, said Dr. Kimberly ONeill, a neurologist in the NYU Langone Health Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center.

One of the core symptoms used to identify the New Brunswick patients was rapidly progressing dementia. But families sometimes miss early signs of neurodegeneration, making it appear that dementia came on suddenly, Mastrianni said.

Once debilitating symptoms arrive, patients and their families are often desperate for answers and may be reluctant to let go of the first diagnoses they get, Sim said.

We see this all the time in medicine, that patients gravitate to a diagnosis or a group entity, Sim said. Thats clearly whats happening here.

The misdiagnoses are really a tragedy, she added, because patients could be missing out on treatments or proper care.
The parents of a Corinth toddler have been arrested and charged with criminally negligent homicide following reports of the endangerment of the welfare of the child.

The suspects were identified as 32-year-old Samantha Dylewski and 33-year-old Matthew Dylewski, from Glens Falls. The couple previously faced five counts of endangering the welfare of a child and four counts of second-degree criminal contempt.

Parents of Toddler Charged With Criminally Negligent Homicide

Authorities said they are accusing the parents of acting "in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental, or moral welfare" of five children under the age of 17 years. Additionally, they are alleged to have violated an order of protection.

The couple's arrest comes after the death of a three-year-old toddler on Feb. 19, 2025, after emergency services responded to a call on Main Street. They answered reports of a child who was supposedly having trouble breathing.

After they arrived at the scene, officials reportedly transferred the child to Saratoga Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. At the time of the incident, four other children were found inside the couple's home, according to News10ABC.

Authorities ruled the toddler's cause of death a homicide due to complications of "acute and chronic neglect." After that, both of the suspects were charged with criminally negligent homicide.

The parents of the toddler were arraigned and released to pretrial services and are scheduled to appear in court on May 13, 2025. If the suspects are convicted of the charges against them, they face a sentence of one and a third to four years in prison.

The toddler in the case was identified as Joycelynn Ann Dylewski, who is being remembered as a child who "loved to sing and dance. Other people also said that she enjoyed being with her mom and dad, CBS6 Albany reported.

Violating a Court's Orders

After the couple's initial arrest, a court order was issued, which barred the parents from contacting their child while they were waiting for trial. However, they supposedly violated that order and were handed additional charges for going against the court's orders.

Saratoga County undersheriff Jeffrey Brown said that when deputies responded to the original call, they found the home to be in "extreme unsanitary conditions." He added that the female suspect was the biological mother of all five children. Additionally, the two youngest kids were fathered by the male suspect.

After the couple's earlier arraignment, the mother said that she and her partner had "not done anything" to harm their child. On the other hand, a relative who accompanied the two to court said that Child Protective Services had been aware of several issues in the household for years before the incident, as per the Times Union.
Las Vegas U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew D. Sarver via DVIDS

(The Center Square) - Nevada's film industry bills face uncertainty in the wake of a predicted $191 million shortfall for the state's two-year budget.

The competing bills, Assembly Bill 238 and Senate Bill 220, would give out $120 million and $100 million in tax incentives respectively to lure Hollywood to the Silver State. But the big price tags could present problems as the state looks to cut spending.

At its core, AB 238 is about investing in Nevada's future, creating opportunities for hardworking Nevadans, growing and diversifying our economy, and establishing a long-term sustainable industry that will benefit our community for decades, said Assemblymember Sandra Jauregui, D-Clark County, AB 238s co-sponsor. Clark County is home to Las Vegas, a popular filming site.

More than a billion and a half dollars will be invested and thousands of construction jobs created before a single dollar is earned in tax credit," Jauregui said at a Feb. 27 Assembly Revenue Committee meeting.

Both bills have said investments by corporations like Sony and Warner Bros. would come into the state before any tax incentives were cashed.

AB 238 would support Burbank-based Warner Bros. and Culver City, Calif.-based Sony Pictures in a joint venture at Summerlin Studios, a 31-acre Las Vegas facility that would be built if the bill passes.

SB 220 is supported by Birtcher Nevada Development and the MBS Group at the Harry Reid Research & Technology Park in Las Vegas.

AB 238 will be discussed further during an Assembly Ways and Means scheduled for Friday. No meeting is scheduled for SB 220, but state Sen. Roberta Lange, D-Clark County, said one would likely come by the end of May.

People say, We're in a budget deficit. Why would you do this bill? I say, 'Why wouldn't I do this bill?'  Lange told The Center Square Wednesday. It's just the time we need to do it.

We need to diversify our economy here in Nevada and particularly in southern Nevada," the senator said. "We had COVID and all the resorts shut down. It was eerie. We went and drove down the strip just to see what it was like, and it was so eerie not to have any businesses open. We need to figure out a way in Nevada, and I think this is the vehicle.

But the looming $191 million that will need to be cut out of the states budget for the next two years will likely raise questions about these expensive film industry bills.

Nevadas State Education Fund has also had a predicted $160 million less in revenue over the same two-year period. For 2023, the $8.6 billion fund accounted for over three-fourths of the states education funding bill.

"We have a looming federal budget crisis that could potentially cut hundreds of millions of dollars from our education programs, and for some reason, Carson City is entertaining another Hollywood handout, said Alexander Marks of the Nevada State Education Association to Fox 5. We cant afford giant tax credits to corporations.

Lange said she was not too worried about budget hold-ups as her SB 220 bill would not use state funds until 2028. Im just asking people to have a vision for the future.

With some notable differences, the two bills offer generally the same proposal to Nevadans  a hefty sum from the state to potentially spur a new industry that could offer billions in returns. Its a risk both sides  Lange and Assemblymembers Jauregui and Daniele Monroe-Moreno, D-Clark County  are willing to take.

But it's not a risk that all parties involved have been able to come together on.

Ive had conversation with them. They have not had conversations with me  I mean except when I go to them, said Lange of the two AB 238 sponsors. Ive talked to Sony and Howard Hughes (two companies supporting AB 238), and theyre willing to have discussions about merging the bills. The problem is the sponsors of the (Assembly) bill dont see a pathway forward to merge the bills.

Jauregui and Monroe-Moreno did not respond to a request for comment by The Center Square.
By Jeff Mason and Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday said Europe and the United States were "on the same team" but needed a better joint security posture, taking a more conciliatory tone after alarming allies with sharp remarks during a visit to Germany in February.

During an event in Washington sponsored by the Munich Security Conference, Vance reiterated his and President Donald Trump's belief that Europe needed to take on more responsibility related to defense. Vance said both sides of the Atlantic had become too comfortable with an outdated security system that was not adequate to meet the challenges of the next 20 years.

The vice president has played an attack dog role repeatedly for Trump on foreign policy but stepped back from that approach in his remarks at the conference on Wednesday.

"I do still very much think that the United States and Europe are on the same team," he said, noting how European and American culture and civilizations were linked.

"It's completely ridiculous to think that you're ever going to be able to drive a firm wedge between the United States and Europe. Now that doesn't mean we're not going to have disagreements."

Earlier this year in Munich, Vance accused European leaders of censoring free speech and failing to control immigration, drawing a rebuke from German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius that the U.S. vice president was calling into question democracy in Germany and in Europe as a whole.

Vance last week joined other members of Trump's circle, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in criticizing a move by Germany's domestic intelligence agency to classify the far-right Alternative for Germany party as an "extremist" group, enabling it to step up monitoring of the biggest opposition party.

But on Wednesday, Vance adopted a less antagonistic tone toward Washington's long-time ally and NATO partners. He said his February remarks were aimed as much at the administration of former President Joe Biden as they were at European partners.

Wolfgang Ischinger, the former chairman of the Munich Security Conference who now serves as president of the MSC Foundation Council, invited Vance to return to Germany for the group's main conference again next year.

I wasnt sure after February whether I would get the invitation back, but its good to know its still there, Vance joked.

"Well, we thought about it," Ischinger quipped back, to laughter.

The audience, which included diplomats and national security experts, applauded when Vance got up to leave. They had not done so when he came on stage.

Vance addressed a handful of foreign policy topics during his question and answer session with Ischinger, a former ambassador.

More than 100 days into Trump's administration, Vance said he was not pessimistic about the chances of ending Russia's war with Ukraine. He has previously threatened that the United States would walk away from negotiations if the two sides did not show progress.

He said Washington would not be able to mediate an end to the war without direct talks between the two sides and urged Russia and Ukraine to agree on some guidelines to make that happen.

"Right now the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they're asking for too much," said Vance, who has previously taken a hard line on Ukraine.

Vance urged the European Union to lower its tariffs and regulatory barriers, a major grievance for Trump that has fueled his determination to install reciprocal tariffs.

He also spoke positively about U.S. talks with Iran over its nuclear program, saying there was a deal to be made that wouldreintegrate Iran into the global economy while preventing itfrom getting a nuclear weapon.

"So far, so good," he said. "We've been very happy by how the Iranians have responded to some of the points that we've made."

During his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that had been negotiated by European and other world powers.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Andrea Shalal; additional reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Deepa Babington)
By Pesha Magid

RIYADH (Reuters) - The United States is no longer demanding Saudi Arabia normalise ties with Israel as a condition for progress on civil nuclear cooperation talks, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit next week.

Dropping the demand that Saudi Arabia establish diplomatic relations with Israel would be a major concession by Washington. Under former President Joe Biden, nuclear talks were an element of a wider U.S.-Saudi deal tied to normalisation and to Riyadh's goal of a defence treaty with Washington.

The kingdom has repeatedly said it would not recognise Israel without a Palestinian state, frustrating Biden administration attempts to expand the Abraham Accords signed during Trump's first term. Under those accords the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalised relations with Israel. Progress towards Saudi recognition of Israel has been halted by fury in Arab countries over the war raging in Gaza. The nuclear talks had also stumbled over Washington's non-proliferation concerns.

In a possible sign of a new approach, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that Saudi Arabia and the United States were on a "pathway" to a civil nuclear agreement when he visited the kingdom in April.

"When we have something to announce, you will hear it from the President. Any reports on this are speculative, U.S. National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt told Reuters in response to a request for comment.

Saudi Arabia's government media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Even without the normalisation requirement for civil nuclear talks to progress, and despite unpacking the issue from a wider defence treaty, a deal is not yet in close reach, one of the sources said.

One sticking point is Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act that allows cooperation with other countries developing civil nuclear capabilities but specifies nonproliferation criteria including limiting uranium enrichment.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has said that the kingdom would seek to enrich uranium and sell the product.

One of the sources said the kingdom was still not willing to sign a so-called 123 agreement, which would prevent enrichment or reprocessing of plutonium made in reactors - two routes that have the potential to culminate in nuclear weapons.

Secretary Wright previously told Reuters a 123 agreement would be a prerequisite to any deal.

However, there are several ways to structure a deal to achieve both countries' objectives, Wright has said.

One solution being discussed is a "black box" arrangement where only U.S. personnel would have access to a uranium enrichment facility on Saudi soil, the same source said.

SELL MORE OIL

Riyadh wants to build nuclear generation capacity as it seeks to diversify its economy away from oil. Nuclear power could also help free up more crude barrels for export.

Arms control advocates have previously expressed concern about a Saudi nuclear programme because de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom would seek to quickly develop nuclear weapons should its regional rival Iran do so.

The U.S. and Iran are currently holding talks over Tehran's nuclear programme, which Washington and Western allies say is geared towards producing weapons. Iran insists it is purely for civil purposes.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday described the talks with Iran as "so far, so good" and said there was a deal to be made that would reintegrate Iran into the global economy while preventing it from getting a nuclear weapon.

Saudi Arabia and the United States are set to discuss a number of blockbuster economic deals during Trump's visit next week, with the U.S. poised to offer Saudi Arabia an arms package worth well over $100 billion, sources have told Reuters.

Trump has said Riyadh should "round up" a planned investment package in the U.S. to $1 trillion from an initial $600 billion.

The trip is Trump's second visit abroad, after a short trip to Rome for the pope's funeral, since he returned to office in January. In his first term a lavish trip to Saudi Arabia marked his first overseas stop.

Trump fostered close ties with Gulf states including Saudi Arabia during his first term.

The country invested $2 billion in a firm formed by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and former aide, after Trump left office, and there are plans to build two Trump towers in Jeddah and Riyadh.

(Reporting by Pesha Magid; additional reporting by Timothy Gardner; Writing by Yousef Saba; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel)
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's hard-right presidential frontrunner George Simion will win the May 18 run-off vote against centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, an opinion survey showed on Wednesday, as the two clashed over worldviews and deficits in a debate.

The eurosceptic Simion decisively swept the first round of the ballot on Sunday, with some 41% of votes, triggering the resignation of leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and the collapse of the pro-Western coalition government.

Dan, running as an independent, won 21% of votes, and analysts said he will struggle to sway voters away from Crin Antonescu, the centrist backed by the government who ranked third, and Victor Ponta, a former leftist prime minister turned conservative nationalist who came fourth.

An opinion survey conducted by polling institute Verifield and commissioned by Dan showed Simion was on course to secure 54.8% of votes in the run-off to Dan's 45.2%.

It surveyed 944 people on May 6 and had a margin of error of 3.19%. Almost one third of those surveyed said they were either not voting, were undecided between the two candidates, or declined to answer.

The Romanian leu has lost nearly 3% against the euro and Romania's 10-year bond yields surged by some 60 basis points since eurosceptic Simion's Sunday win.

Simion, 38, opposes military aid to neighbouring Ukraine, is critical of the EU leadership and says he is aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again movement.

Analysts have said a victory by Simion could isolate Romania, erode private investment and destabilise NATO's eastern flank, where Bucharest plays a key role in providing logistical support to Ukraine as it fights a three-year-old Russian invasion.

Dan, 55, running on an anti-corruption platform, is a staunch supporter of Romania's EU and NATO membership and of its continued help for Kyiv.

During an impromptu debate at a conference organised by one of the country's biggest trade unions, the two agreed that mainstream politicians had angered people through corruption and perceived incompetence, but disagreed over how to heal the rifts.

Simion called the political establishment "globalist progressive satanic" who say "yes to Brussels." He also said the EU should not seek to replace NATO from a defence standpoint.

Dan took a nuanced view, saying: "Of course we have had a political class that disrespected citizens. But the answer cannot be hatred that divides society."

The two also disagreed over how the next government - whose prime minister will be appointed by the new president - should deal with the largest budget deficit in the EU.

Simion ruled out tax hikes and said he would cut 500,000 jobs from the 1.3 million positions in the public sector over five years, but offered no alternative to cutting the deficit and avoiding a ratings downgrade.

Dan said the focus should be on enforcing reforms to tap European Union funds as well as ambitious state spending cuts.

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Leslie Adler)
By David Shepardson and Rajesh Kumar Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday will call for tens of billions of dollars to overhaul Americas strained air traffic control system to address crumbling infrastructure, dramatic staffing shortfalls and failing technology.

Key questions remain unanswered: Will it work? How long will it take? How much will Congress agree to spend? How will the government avoid the mistakes of prior reform efforts?

Duffy, who will be joined by the CEOs of the largest five U.S. airlines on Thursday to unveil the Trump administration plan, has said the project will take three or four years.

"You are starting to see cracks in the system," Duffy said last week. "Everything - the hardware and the software - has to be redone."

President Donald Trump, in a post on his social media platform before the announcement, blamed current air traffic control problems on the previous Biden administration and vowed "I WILL FIX IT." He offered no details about the plan.

The Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control network's manifold woes have been years in the making, but a rush of high-profile mishaps, near-misses and a catastrophic crash in January have spiked public alarm and prompted new calls for action.

A mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in January killed 67 people near Reagan Washington National Airport. On Thursday, another Army helicopter forced two flights to abort landings at Reagan.

Last week, controllers overseeing traffic at Newark Liberty International Airport lost communications with airplanes for at least 30 seconds because of a telecommunications and radar failure. Since then, hundreds of flights have been canceled or diverted at the airport just outside New York City.

A series of near misses between airplanes in recent months has further exposed the strain on air traffic control facilities and raised questions about pilot training amid repeated calls for reforms for years.

Fixing the system is a daunting task. Many of the 520 airports overseen by the FAA need new runway safety technology so controllers don't rely on binoculars to see airplanes.

In 2022, for example, the FAA said it was working to end a long-ridiculed, decades-old practice of air traffic controllers using paper flight strips to keep track of aircraft. But adopting the change at 49 major airports will take the FAA until late 2029.

FOUR DAYS OFF EACH MONTH

The FAA is currently about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels and nearly all control towers have staffing shortages. FAA controller staffing has been relatively flat in recent years - despite significant hiring - and is down 10% from 2012 because of retirements and trainees failing to complete requirements.

Newark's airport has become the poster child for air traffic control issues. After the 30-second communications lapse, several controllers took leave on the same day, compelling United Airlines to cut 35 daily Newark flights - or 10% of its schedule.

At many facilities, controllers are working mandatory overtime of up to 12 hours a day and six-day work weeks to cover shortages. That leaves just four days off each month for what air safety experts widely agree are high-stress jobs.

The FAA, which said in March it planned to hire 2,000 air traffic controller trainees this year, will offer retirement-eligible controllers who are under the mandatory retirement age of 56 a lump sum payment of 20% of their basic pay for each year they continue to work.

The Government Accountability Office in September said the FAA must take "urgent action" to address aging air traffic control systems.

GAO said 51 of the FAA's 138 air traffic control systems are unsustainable. The FAA told the GAO last year not to plan to complete modernization projects for many systems for at least a decade.

Former Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen told Reuters "it's been a journey of incrementalism with the FAA - some things we got right, some things left to fester over time." One big question, he said, is who will oversee the project.

Trump has said a large company like Raytheon or IBM could be in charge.

It takes years for the FAA to replace outdated systems.

In January 2023, the failure of a key pilot messaging system disrupted more than 11,000 flights in the first nationwide U.S. ground stop since 2001. The FAA said last month it now plans to deploy a new "Notice to Airmen" system by September after two recent failures of the current system.

A November 2023 report from an independent FAA panel found the agency's air traffic communications systems have been outdated for years and the agency can no longer get spare parts for many systems.

It cited aging FAA air traffic facilities with leaking roofs, broken elevators and heating and air conditioning systems and ancient surveillance radar systems that must soon be replaced at a cost of billions of dollars.

In 2017, then-President Donald Trump called for privatizing the air traffic control system by 2020 - a plan that went nowhere.

"We're proposing to take American air travel into the future finally," Trump said in 2017. "Our air traffic control system is stuck painfully in the past... We're still stuck with an ancient, broken, antiquated horrible system that doesn't work."

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Chris Sanders, Diane Craft and Mark Heinrich)
By Timothy Gardner and Ismail Shakil

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on a third Chinese independent, or "teapot" oil refinery and port terminal operators in China for purchases of Iranian oil ahead of an expected fourth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks.

The U.S. Treasury designated the Hebei Xinhai Chemical Group refinery and three companies for operating a terminal at Dongying Port in Shandong Province. It said they had purchased or facilitated the delivery of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian oil.

It was the latest independent Chinese refinery targeted by the Trump administration after it re-imposed a policy of "maximum pressure" that aims to cut off Iran's export revenue to pressure Tehran into a deal to curb its nuclear program and stop the funding of militant groups across the Middle East.

"The United States remains resolved to intensify pressure on all elements of Irans oil supply chain to prevent the regime from generating revenue to further its destabilizing agenda," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

The latest round of talks between Iran and the United States is likely to take place over the weekend in the capital of Oman.

Previous sanctions imposed on two small Chinese refiners for buying Iranian oil have created difficulties in receiving oil, leading them to halt purchases of crude and sell product under other names, sources familiar with the matter said.

Those sanctions have also begun to deter other, larger independent Chinese refiners from buying Iranian crude, three of the sources said.

Iran's U.N. mission in New York and China's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The companies Treasury designated for operating the port terminal were Baogang (Dongying Donggang) Logistics and Warehousing Co, Ltd, Shandong Jingang Port Co, Ltd, and Shandong Baogang International Port Co, Ltd.

Treasury said the companies operate a terminal in Dongying Port that has received more than one million barrels of Iranian oil.

The department's Office of Foreign Assets Control also imposed sanctions on several companies, vessels, and captains it said facilitated Iranian oil shipments as part of Iran's "shadow fleet" of tankers.

The sanctions block U.S. assets of those designated and prevent Americans from doing business with them.

It designated Star Twinkle Shipping Limited, Hong Kong Prime Trading Co., Limited, Embrace Que Limited, Nissho Lines Incorporated, Propitous Forever Trading Co Ltd, and Skadi Limited. It also identified the tankers STAR TWINKLE 6, LAMD, SKADI, IMPALAS, BIG MAG, and THANE as blocked property.

An analyst said the latest U.S. sanctions were incremental.

"Todays sanctions sustain pressure on Chinese importers but fall short of a turning point for Iranian exports, as the Trump administration continues to hold off on targeting Chinese state-owned enterprises," said Fernando Ferreira, a director of geopolitical risk service at Rapidan Energy Group.

"If Beijing refuses to curb imports, I suspect Washington will continue to move up the sanctions list and target more sensitive entities," he said.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner and Ishmail Shakil; editing by Mark Heinrich, Bill Berkrot and Marguerita Choy)
(Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition on Wednesday said that the government of President Nicolas Maduro had been surprised by the "international rescue" operation to remove five Venezuelan members of the opposition who had been living in Argentina's diplomatic residence in Caracas.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that the five opposition staffers, who had been living in the residence since March 2024 after warrants were issued for their arrest, were now on U.S. soil.

"This operation is a testimony to the dedication of many people, who, to the surprise of the regime of Nicolas Maduro, managed to break the chains of oppression," the opposition coalition said in a statement shared on X.

The Venezuelan government has not commented on the operation and did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent by Reuters on Tuesday or Wednesday. Maduro has been in Russia this week, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and signed a strategic partnership.

The opposition coalition said the five staffers would share reflections about their experience "in the coming days." Reuters was unable to independently confirm their current location.

While in the Argentine residence, the five had regularly used social media to share videos of state security forces outside the building, where the electricity and water were repeatedly cut, sometimes for weeks at a time.

The statement from the opposition thanked U.S. President Donald Trump, Rubio and Argentine President Javier Milei for their role in the operation.

It did not give further details. An initial version of the statement shared on X said the operation was "coordinated by the United States and other democratic allies." That version was later deleted and replaced with a second version which did not contain that mention.

Former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, who is living in Spain, thanked the U.S. and Argentina for "acting with determination" in his own post on X.

"What they did is more than an operation, it is a clear message to the country and the world," Gonzalez said.

The Argentine residence in Caracas has been under Brazilian custody since Buenos Aires cut relations with Maduro's government over the 2024 election, which the opposition and its backers say Gonzalez won.

Brazil was not involved in any operation to remove the staffers from the residence, a Brazilian diplomatic source said on Wednesday. Brazil's government said in a statement that it had repeatedly tried to obtain safe passage for the staffers, however.

"The repeated attempts were not heeded, which prolonged the difficult humanitarian situation at the Argentine embassy residence in Caracas, which was surrounded by security forces. The announcement of the departure puts an end to this episode and to the drama experienced by the asylum seekers for more than 400 days," the statement said.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado hailed the operation late on Tuesday and called for the release of 900 other politicians and activists detained last year.

Two sources told Reuters on Wednesday that Machado's elderly mother - 85-year-old Corina Parisca de Machado - had also left Venezuela.

Since the election, Machado, who is in hiding in Venezuela, has regularly complained of security forces gathering outside her mother's home.

(Reporting by Reuters, additional reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasilia; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
A spread of coconut roti, kola kanda risotto, coconut chickpea curry, lamprais, biriyani and pan-seared salmon at Sri Lankan restaurant Kurrypinch, which opened on Hollywood Boulevard this spring. (Yasara Gunawardena / For The Times)

Theres no shortage of delicious things to eat in East Hollywood: herbaceous lamb kebabs at Saffys; garlicky prawns at Kuya Lord; the entire spicy-sweet-salty pantheon of Thai Town. But until recently, there was nowhere to try kottu roti, lamprais or string hoppers. That is, until Kurrypinch came along.

Located in the former home of a vegan pizza joint on Hollywood Boulevard, Kurrypinch is one of just a handful of Sri Lankan restaurants scattered across the Southland and the only one in Central L.A. (Most of the others are in the Valley, and theres an outlier in Westwood.) Chef-owner Shaheen Ghazaly has big plans to introduce the cuisine  and his own personalized take on it  to as many Angelenos as possible.

Kurrypinch chef-owner Shaheen Ghazaly creates and fine-tunes his own spice blends and custom curry mixes.

Read more:32 of the best weekend brunch spots in L.A.

But first, hes trying to define his version of the rich, spicy Sri Lankan food that bears some resemblance to its South Indian neighbors but is very much its own thing. Im still trying to figure that out myself, he says. Ghazaly walks me through the vast lineup of herbs and spices in his open kitchen: finely chopped ginger and garlic, mustard seeds (Those three ingredients go into basically every dish, he notes), chile flakes, paprika, turmeric, fried curry leaves, two different types of his own custom curry powders.

There are tubs of brick-hued chile sauce and garlic oil, both made in-house, and a sheet tray overflowing with burnished tangles of fried onions, awaiting their role as garnish. Coconut is everywhere too, in fresh, shredded and milk form; Ghazaly uses it as the base for many of his curries. (Rice and curry, he explains, is a staple of Sri Lankan cuisine: Without it, we are nothing, he says solemnly.)

Wrapped in banana leaves: The lamprais at Kurrypinch is a traditional dish of basmati rice, eggplant and potato curry, seeni sambol (sweet-spicy caramelized onions), sauteed shrimp, fried hard-boiled egg and mackerel croquette.

Hoppers and rotis on the griddle

An entire subgenre of deviled dishes is heavily spiced with chile and garlic, and fried snacks like fish fritters and spiced chickpeas make great drinking food. And, of course, hoppers (rice flour pancakes), string hoppers (rice noodles) and rotis underpin many meals  the latter two Ghazaly cooks on the griddle, spatulas clanging in a rhythmic blur.

Ghazaly makes his own curry blends and chile oil; eschews the use of soy sauce, black pepper and MSG; and doesnt use any dairy as a thickener. All of his produce is fresh, including curry leaves gifted from a customers tree. This is how I grew up cooking, he says.

Ghazaly with his coconut roti made with grated coconut and his coconut chickpea curry served with lime rice.

With a majority Sinhalese population thats mostly Buddhist, a smaller Tamil contingent who are primarily Hindu and a smattering of Muslims and Christians too, its impossible to neatly define the cuisine of the island nation  which also bears the influence of Dutch, Portuguese and British colonialists. But if theres a throughline, its that most Sri Lankan food is boldly, brightly flavored with a riot of contrasting tastes and textures that makes it nothing short of thrilling to eat.

The L.A. metropolitan area has the second-largest Sri Lankan population in the country (behind New York) with an estimated 7,000 people, many concentrated in the San Fernando Valley near Reseda and Tarzana.

"I've had this talent since I was very young where I can taste something, recognize its ingredients and mimic it," says Ghazaly, whose father introduced him to cooking.

In 1952, the Immigration and Nationality Act repealed certain measures aimed at excluding Asian immigrants, and the following year the first Sri Lankan immigrant to the U.S. under said act, 19-year-old Rajah Rutnam, arrived in L.A.

Rutnams brother, Jayam, the co-founder of the Sri Lanka America Assn. of Southern California says that chain migration and later a lottery system encouraged more Sri Lankans  often fluent in English due to the British schooling system  to arrive in subsequent decades.

The first Sri Lankan restaurant in California

In the 60s, ours was one of the few families here, and the only reason we came was to visit my brother, Rutnam says. But we got here and we immediately liked everything about California. Its worth noting that Rajah Rutnam, who died in 2010, founded the first Sri Lankan restaurant in California, dubbed Rajahs Elephant Walk, in Hollywood.

Ghazaly, 49, took a slightly different path. Born in Karachi, Pakistan, he moved to Sri Lanka at 8. As a child, Ghazaly took an active interest in the kitchen, and his single father encouraged his son to become familiar with different spices and ingredients. Ive had this talent since I was very young where I can taste something, recognize its ingredients and mimic it, he says. As a young adult, he joined his fathers merchant shipping line and spent a dozen years crisscrossing the globe on cargo carriers, docking across Asia, Africa and Europe, exploring the local cuisines in each port.

Ghazaly adds chickpeas to his curry in the Kurrypinch kitchen. Then, a creamy drizzle of coconut milk.

He moved to Los Angeles in 2006 to pursue a career in IT, while spending his off-hours cooking elaborate Sri Lankan dishes to woo the family of his now-wife, a childhood friend who had immigrated a few years before. Friends and family who tasted Ghazalys home cooking encouraged him to go pro, and in 2018, he opened a small storefront in Van Nuys, doing a brisk takeout business.

Sri Lankans from across Los Angeles county sought him out, and in 2022, he moved his operation, dubbed Kurrypinch, to a larger location in Tarzana, just down the street from longstanding Sri Lankan destination Apey Kade.

With COVID-19's impact on businesses and a landlord considering demolishing the building, Ghazaly closed the Tarzana location in February of last year. He considered taking a break from restaurants entirely, but when one of his former customers, Dr. Nimesh Rajakumar, offered to invest in a space in East Hollywood, Ghazaly knew it was an opportunity too good to pass up.

"I didn't want to call it 'authentic'"

The new Kurrypinch, designed by Jennifer Nielsen, trades the strip-mall coziness of some other Sri Lankan spots in exchange for a more modern, streamlined aesthetic, with cool concrete floors and rustic flourishes throughout. There are 26 seats, including a six-seat chefs counter with a partial view of the kitchen, where Ghazaly holds court, experimenting with new dishes for the most adventurous diners.

Read more:This downtown pizzeria from Issa Rae and partners comes with spritzes and classic funk

The menu is a mixture of more traditional Sri Lankan Signatures  like kottu roti (chopped roti stir-fried with an aromatic blend of eggs, meat and vegetables) or string hopper (served in pilau form with curry leaves and spices)  and the Chefs Signatures, where Ghazalys creativity shines, with what he describes as riffs inspired by global dishes  a coconut milk risotto with mahi-mahi inspired by shrimp and grits, or seared salmon atop a creamy curried kabocha squash puree.

Fried papadum with Ghazaly's seeni sambol, spicy-sweet caramelized onions.

Ghazaly is attempting to strike a balance between satisfying the Sri Lankan customers who come in seeking the highly spiced flavors they grew up with, and the majority non-Sri Lankan guests who may be trying the cuisine for the first time. Thats one of the reasons I didn't want to call it an authentic Sri Lankan restaurant, because everything has a different kind of spice blend and a different way of cooking, he explains. So far, however, feedback from all parties has been positive (even if the Sri Lankans sometimes ask for extra chilies or more gravy on the side).

Kurrypinch opened at the end of February and is still fine-tuning operations. Ghazaly is currently focused on getting the restaurant open for lunch service and outdoor dining, and expanding his wine list with specific pairing options. Its all part of his overarching goal to introduce people to the complexities of his cuisine.

Whenever people ask me, Hey, is Sri Lankan food like Indian food? Is it like Chinese food? I say, sure, were similar  but Sri Lankan is better, he says, laughing.

Get the recipes

The spices used at Kurrypinch in East Hollywood.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Parivie / Byrdie





What I've Had Done

Heres the truth: Injectables, treatments, and cosmetic procedures are wildly popular and often very effective. Another truth? Were tired of the stigma attached to getting something done and exhausted with the notion were supposed to keep it secret. With our newest series, What Ive Had Done, were laying out the details about our injectable routines, favorite lasers, and any nips or tucks weve tried. Then, were asking celebrities, founders, and influencers the same questions. No judgment, no shamejust helpful recommendations and honest information. Lets get into it.







Its hard to think about life in the early aughts without immediately thinking of the icon herself, Paris Hilton. Like most millennials, I grew up watching The Simple Life (a pinnacle of 2000s pop culture) and poring over the pages of Hiltons tongue-in-cheek book Confessions of an Heiress. Even years later, Hilton is still one of the most iconic businesswomen in the world. Honestly, no one but her could build an entire empire around the simple phrase, Thats hot.

I think its obvious now, but Im an unapologetic fan. In addition to loving her fragrance line, I have an entire wishlist full of Hiltons home and kitchenware that, if I pull the trigger on, will devastate my bank account. Now, Hilton can add one more venture to her empire that speaks directly to the beauty fanatic in me. Finally, the mogul has released Parivie, a skincare line co-founded with Alexandra Mars. The brand aims to address the visible impact of environmental stressors, screen time, and day-to-day stress.

I didnt know how passionate Hilton was about skincare until I got a look inside her at-home Sliving Spa and we chatted about the line. Ive been obsessed with skincare since I was a little girl, she says. My mom taught me her skincare routine and the importance of skincare when I was eight years old. I learned about all the different serums, creams, and to always put cream on your neck and decollatage area.

The line launched on May 7 with a limited-edition set, previewing the types of formulas you can expect from Parivie. Theres the Thats Radiant Daily Purifying Cleanser, a BHA cleanser that exfoliates and smooths, but protects the skin barrier with ceramides and rice extract. Then, theres the Thats Tight Plumping Vitality Serum, which is powered by a neurotransmitter peptide that relaxes fine lines and wrinkles while boosting collagen production. The Thats Quenched Barrier Support Cream completes the lineup, providing a hefty dose of hydration with skin-identical lipids and squalane. My Parivie skincare routine is my number one, Hilton says. Weve been developing this product line for over two years and built it from the ground up. Some of the products we went back and forth with the laboratory, probably 20 to 30 times. Im a perfectionist and wanted each product to be perfect.

In honor of the launch, Hilton gave us the inside scoop on her daily skincare routine, the treatments she loves getting, and more of the best skincare advice she has received from her mom. For everything she shared, keep reading.

Her Morning vs Nighttime Skincare Routine

I love using my cleanser, and then Ill prep my skin with my serum and elixir. I was so excited when we got the Thats Tight Plumping Vitality Serum perfectly right. You just feel the tightening right away. Then I use my Thats Quenched Barrier Support Cream in the morning, and I like to use my eye patches after. At night, I use my cleanser, elixir, and serums. Then, I lock in all the moisture with a repair cream, which repairs your skin barrier overnight. You wake up in the morning, and your skin is glowing and beautiful. Im flying all the time, and my skin gets so dry. Throughout the flight, I put on the cream and its so moisturizing[my skin] never gets dry now.

The Face and Body Treatments She Does in Her Sliving Spa

I love my Sliving Spa because it has all my favorite devices and machines. One of my favorites is the Geneo X machine. They have this Glo2Facial, which is epic. I also love NuEra Tight, which is another machine thats for tightening your face and body. I love my Hydrafacial machine as well. Ive started incorporating my skincare line Parivie into my facials, which has made the biggest difference. I also have a Neurotris microcurrent machine in my spa. Its a facial treatment with wands, so we use the Thats Tight Plumping Vitality Serum with the wands. It lifts and firms everything. Its almost like a full facial workout because its toning and tightening. Then, I love going into my Neo Light Bed, a red light therapy bed, with the products on. For the body, the Cynosure Icon laser is another machine I have in the spa for body sculpting and tightening.

Greg Swales

The Wellness Practices She Swears By

[I love] going into my hyperbaric [oxygen] chamberits so good. I also love a cryotherapy chamber.

The Aesthetic Treatments She's Staying Away From

Ive never done any injectablesIve never done filler, Botox, or any of those. Im terrified of needles, and Im scared to do that.

The Aesthetic Treatment She's Considering Getting

Ive been wanting to do Morpheus8 because Ive heard its amazing, but Ive also heard theres some downtime, like a couple of days. And, I just dont have the downtime because I work almost every single day. And Ive heard it hurts.

Greg Swales

The Best Skincare Advice She's Received From Her Mom

[She told me to stay out of the sun], and Im so happy I did that. All my friends would lie there, oiling themselves in the sun and baking. I would always be the one with the giant hat, sunglasses, SPF, and hiding under an umbrella. Its so important to take care of your skin in L.A.

Her Favorite Fragrance Right Now

I just released my 30th fragrance, and its called Iconic. Its such a beautiful scent and Ive never smelled anything like it. Its so unique, so gorgeous, and it uplifts your mood right away. It really lives up to its name.

Read the original article on Byrdie
Nancy Pelosi with Politico discussing Greenland/US ties [Screenshot/YouTube/"Politico"] [Screenshot/YouTube/"Politico"]

During a discussion with Politico on Wednesday, Democrat California Rep. Nancy Pelosi claimed there are more people in America who believe Elvis Presley is alive than there are natives of Greenland who want to join the U.S.

Interest in the Trump administration acquiring Greenland started in January after President Donald Trump suggested he was considering taking control of both the Panama Canal and Greenland. Pelosi made the comparison after Politico senior political columnist Jonathan Martin asked if additional U.S. military bases might open in Greenland.

Well, it depends on the people of Greenland. Its their territory. Now, Ive been to Greenland. Before the vice president went, several years ago, I brought a delegation. [It] was the highest-ranking delegation ever to go to Greenland, Pelosi said. We went because of the climate crisis.

Following Trumps announcement, Democrats quickly pushed back on the idea of the U.S. acquiring Greenland from Denmark to make it an American territory for resource and national security purposes. While some claimed the proposal was false, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told SiriusXMs Megyn Kelly on Jan. 30 that the bid is not a joke. (RELATED: Dumbest S-*-I-T Ever: Ex-Pelosi Aide Tears Into House Dem Leaders Meaningless Talking Point-Filled Tenure)

WATCH:

We went there, and we went right to where the scientists were, practically underground. What they told us that they were measuring then, say this is about 2008, around that time, they told us that what they were measuring in terms of the melting of the Arctic, by the time it got to the peer review, it would already be obsolete that the melting was going so fast, Pelosi said.

So we went because of climate and a big delegation, bipartisan. It was really important, Pelosi added. If we had reached out to Greenland to talk about cooperating on security, on climate, on all of that, that would have been a very positive thing. I think that more people think that Elvis Presley is alive in the United States than Greenlanders who think they want to be part of the United States. Its like 6%.

A 2002 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll said 8% of 900 respondents believed theres a chance Elvis Presley is still alive. Trumps push to free Greenland from Denmark has stirred interest among the territorys political parties.

In March, Greenland went to the polls, with five out of six parties on the ballot favoring the territorys independence from Denmark, according to the BBC.

As a result, Greenlands pro-business opposition Demokraatit Party secured 29.9% of the vote, jumping up 9.1% from 2021, Reuters reported. While the Naleraq Party  which favors a rapid break from Denmark  came just behind at 24.5%, the Demokraatit still supports a slow approach to independence, according to Reuters.

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.
Authorities arrested a teenager who was involved in the shooting of another teen in Valley Station on Tuesday night that left the victim in critical condition.

In a statement, Louisville Metro Police said that Jamal Sheikh told officers that he drove his vehicle carrying three people to the Woods of Glen Hill Manor apartments for a firearm transaction.

Teenager in Critical Condition After Being Shot

However, that was when the situation turned for the worse when a teenager was shot in the head and later transferred to the hospital in critical condition. Law enforcement authorities said that the car in question had a unique decal, as shown on a surveillance video.

A resident of the area, Brenda Johnson, said that the time of the incident was typically when kids and other neighbors were out and about. She was shocked that something like the tragic incident could happen so close to her residence, according to Wave3.

Johnson added that the development was especially shocking because the gun transaction involved young teenagers. The resident noted that the kids involved do not realize what they are doing in the neighborhood and how they affect other people living in it.

The incident is just another incident of youth violence around the city and comes less than two weeks after authorities detained four minors and recovered a gun at the annual KDF Fest-aVille event.

The suspect in the first case, Sheikh, was also charged with assault and tampering with physical evidence. The LMPD's Homicide Unit is handling the investigation of the case because of the severity of the victim's injuries, WDRB reported.

Fatally Shot Over TikTok Prank

The incident comes after a separate incident involving a Virginia teenager who was fatally shot by a homeowner following an alleged TikTok prank. The victim was identified as 18-year-old Michael Bosworth Jr., who was with two other teens at the time of the incident.

Authorities responded to a 911 call of a burglary in progress and found the teenager with gunshot injuries to his torso. He was then transferred to Mary Washington Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The victim's girlfriend, Malinda Garcia, described Bosworth Jr. as the best boyfriend, person, brother, son, and friend. Authorities have arrested 27-year-old Tyler Chase Butler on charges of second-degree murder, malicious wounding, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Butler's public defender did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the situation. The suspect is currently being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail and is set for a court hearing in Hampton next week on unrelated misdemeanor charges of violation of a protective order and unlawfully disseminating images of another, as per the Washington Post.
After fewer than 24 hours of seclusion in the Vatican, cardinals ended the 2025 papal conclave with the election of a new pontiff. The man chosen, Cardinal Robert Prevost, will be known as Pope Leo XIV  the first pope ever from the United States.

Here's what to know about him.

Where is Pope Leo XIV from?

Pope Leo XIV was born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago in 1955. He is the first U.S. pope in the church's history, and is also a citizen of Peru, where he worked for many years.

CBS News Chicago reports he grew up in south suburban Dolton and has two brothers. A woman who knew him in childhood says the Prevost family was very active in their church.

"His family was very, very devout Catholics. I will say that. The mom and dad both were," Linda Jorsch told the station. "They never missed church, and they were very active within our parish. His mom was like a member of the Altar & Rosary Society. They were lectors in their church  very active, very devout family."

But the pontiff also has deep roots in Louisiana, and has Haitian and Creole ancestry.

When his maternal great-grandmother was just a baby, she was baptized in 1840 at the city's iconic St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square, the New Orleans Archdiocese said.

A couple of decades later, the pope's maternal great-grandparents  Ferdinand D. Baquie and Eugenie Grambois  married on Sept. 19, 1864, in New Orleans' St. Mary's Church on Chartres Street, according to the New Orleans Archdiocese's sacramental records.

According to records from the Vital Records Collection at the Louisiana State Archives, Leo's great-grandparents' death certificates show they died in Louisiana, as well.

A marriage certificate from the Louisiana State Archives shows Leo's maternal grandparents  Joseph N. Martinez and Louise Baquie  married in New Orleans on Sept. 17, 1887.

Historians say the pope's grandparents moved to Chicago in the early 1900s, and they remained married for over 50 years. Louisiana State Archives records also show the pope's maternal grandmother identified as being from New Orleans and his grandfather identified as being a native of Haiti.

Pope Leo graduated from Villanova University in Pennsylvania with a degree in mathematics, then studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago, where he earned a Master's of Divinity.

When he was 27, he was sent to Rome to study, and he was ordained as a priest in 1982. He went on to earn a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

"My experience of Cardinal Prevost was that he's not a showboat." a seminary classmate, Father Mark R. Francis, CSV, provincial of the Viatorians in the United States, told CBS News Chicago. "He's very calm, but extremely intelligent, and extremely compassionate."

Pope Leo XIV has voted in U.S. elections  and weighed in on Trump administration

The new pope is registered to vote in the Chicago suburbs, and voting records obtained by CBS News show he's voted in several general elections  along with both Democratic and Republican primaries.

He voted in the 2024 general election, as well as in the 2012, 2008, 2004 and 2000 cycles, according to the records. He also cast ballots in the 2016 and 2012 Republican presidential primaries, and in the 2008 and 2010 Democratic primaries.

The now-pope has shared posts about politics on his X account for years, in some cases reposting criticisms of the Trump administration's stances on immigration.

At one point, he shared an article headlined, "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others." The article criticized the Catholic vice president for claiming Christians can prioritize love for family, then neighbors, their community, fellow citizens and, lastly, the world.

What is Pope Leo XIV's background in the church?

After his ordination, Prevost went to work as a missionary in Peru. He returned to the U.S. for a few years and then went back to Peru, where he ran an Augustinian seminary in Trujillo.

In 2014, he was appointed apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru by Pope Francis, according to the Vatican. A year later, he became a bishop.

Pope Francis made him a cardinal in 2023.

Before becoming pope, Prevost, who is 69, was the head of the church's Dicastery for Bishops, meaning he oversaw the selection of new bishops.

Overall, he's considered a centrist, but on many social issues, he's seen as progressive, embracing marginalized groups like Francis, who championed migrants and the poor. But Prevost opposes ordaining women as deacons, for instance, so he's seen as conservative on church doctrine.

"He kept a low profile on the most contentious, nerualgic, sensitive, controversial issues" facing the church, said CBS News papal contributor Francis X. Rocca.

Pope Leo XIV congratulated by presidents, Chicago mayor

President Trump posted a message on social media congratulating the first U.S.-born pope.

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!" he wrote.

Former President Joe Biden, who is Catholic, tweeted: "Habemus papam - May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois. Jill and I congratulate him and wish him success."

Former President Barack Obama also shared his best wishes for "a fellow Chicagoan." "Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith," Obama wrote.

In Prevost's hometown, many people celebrated his election, with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson tweeting: "Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago!"

"Congratulations to the first American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you back home soon," Johnson wrote.

Why did Pope Leo XIV choose his name?

The first act of a new pope after he's elected is to choose a new name. This is to signify that his becoming pontiff is akin to a second birth, the Vatican said.

Cardinal Prevost chose the papal name Leo, one of the more popular choices in history, which has been used by 13 previous popes. The most recent one, Pope Leo XIII, served from 1878 to 1903.

"The name Leo harkens back to Pope Leo the Great," CBS News papal contributor Candida Moss explained. Also known as Pope Leo I, his papacy was from 440 to 461 and included a famous meeting with Attila the Hun where Leo dissuaded him from attacking Rome.

"What does this mean for our new pope? Well, it might mean that he too is going to stand up to oppressive political forces in the world," Moss said.

She noted that Leo I was also known as "a great intellectual and theological reformer."

Bishop Robert Barron, of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, also saw it as an homage to Leo XIII and called it "very significant."

Leo XIII was a "great 19th century pope," Barron told CBS News. "When the revolutions in the 18th century happened, and the philosophical revolutions of the 19th century, the church initially said 'no' to much of that. Leo represents a very nuanced, intelligent engagement with modernity  not caving into it, not saying yes completely, but not saying no  using the resources of our own traditions to engage modernity creatively. That makes him a bridge figure."

The name a new pope chooses often reflects attributes they hope to embody in their papacy.

It will "indicate a certain spirit and direction and vision of the new pope," said Dennis Doyle, a theologian and professor emeritus of religious studies at the University of Dayton.

Pope Francis, for example, was the first pope in history to take that name, a nod to St. Francis of Assisi. In Catholic tradition, St. Francis of Assisi had a mystical vision of Jesus, who told him to rebuild his church. He also renounced his wealth and founded the Franciscan order of friars in 1290.

Did the conclave pick a front-runner to be new pope?

World awaits new pope after conclave's vote

Trump touts UK trade deal, but U.S. companies fear they won't survive China tariffs
FILE - A New York City police officer keeps watch on the campus of Columbia University in New York, Monday, May 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

NEW YORK (AP)  Police officers in helmets streamed into Columbia University Wednesday evening to remove a group of mask-clad protesters who staged a Pro-Palestinian demonstration inside the school's main library.

Videos shared on social media show a long line of NYPD officers entering the library hours after dozens of protesters pushed their way past campus security officers, raced into the building and then hung Palestinian flags and other banners on bookshelves in an ornate reading room. Some protesters also appear to have scrawled Columbia will burn across framed pictures.

Other videos show campus security officers barring another group of protesters from entering the library, with both sides shoving to try and force the other group aside.

Police said at least 80 people had been taken into custody, though it wasn't clear how many came from the demonstration inside the library and how many were outside the building.

Videos shared by a reporter on the scene show more than 30 people being taken away from the library by officers with their hands tied behind their backs. Protesters and other supporters, meanwhile, gather around the metal barriers set up outside the building by police cheering on the detained demonstrators and chanting Free Palestine.

The university's acting president, Claire Shipman, said the protesters who had holed up inside a library reading room were asked repeatedly to show identification and to leave, but they refused. The school then requested the NYPD come in to assist in securing the building and the safety of our community, she said in a statement Wednesday evening.

Shipman said two university public safety officers sustained injuries as protesters forced their way into the building.

These actions are outrageous, she said, adding that the disruption came as students were studying and preparing for final exams.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, subsequently said officers were entering the campus to remove individuals who are trespassing.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also denounced the protesters.

Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, the Democrat wrote on X. But violence, vandalism or destruction of property are completely unacceptable.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that they are examining visa status for trespassers and vandals who took over the library.

Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation, he wrote.

The Trump administration has cracked down on international students and scholars at several American universities who had participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations or criticized Israel over its military action in Gaza. Columbia University scholar Mahmoud Khalil, for example, is a legal U.S. resident with no criminal record who was detained in March over his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Wednesday's demonstration and the effort to break it up came the same evening that the U.S. Justice Department announced it had brought hate-crime charges against a man who had been repeatedly arrested at pro-Palestinian demonstrations over the past year, including one held near Columbia. An indictment charged Tarek Bazrouk, 20, with assaulting Jewish people at the demonstrations.

Columbia University in March announced sweeping policy changes related to protests following Trump administration threats to revoke its federal funding.

Among them are a ban on students wearing masks to conceal their identities and a rule that those protesting on campus must present their identification when asked. The school also said it had hired new public safety officers empowered to make arrests on campus.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a pro-Palestinian student group, said it had occupied part of Butler Library because it believed the university profited from imperialist violence.

Repression breeds resistance  if Columbia escalates repression, the people will continue to escalate disruptions on this campus," the group wrote online.

The federal charges against Bazrouk say he kicked a person in the stomach at a protest near the New York Stock Exchange, stole an Israeli flag and punched someone in the face at a demonstration near Columbia, and punched someone wearing an Israeli flag at another Manhattan protest in January.

Bazrouk's lawyer, Andrew Dalack, said his attorneys look forward to zealously defending him.

A magistrate judge said Wednesday that Bazrouk could be released on bail, but that ruling is being challenged by prosecutors. A hearing is scheduled before a federal judge on Tuesday.
At least 80 people were detained Wednesday night, police confirmed, after protesters took over a room of a Columbia University library in a resurgence of the on-campus pro-Palestinian demonstrations that rocked the nation last spring.

Confirmation of the detentions came hours after demonstrators, many wearing keffiyehs, stormed into Butler Library, chanting slogans and facing off with police and campus security officers.

Two Columbia Public Safety Officers were injured in a "crowd surge" as people tried to "force" their way into the library, the university said.

Video posted to social media showed university public safety staff physically blocking entry to a campus building as a crowd tried to force its way inside.

Another shows someone being detained while shouting "help!"

Officers later ushered around 76 protesters in zip ties out of the building, an NBC News crew witnessed Wednesday night.

Columbia University said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that it was "dealing with a disruption in reading room 301 of Butler Library," saying its public safety team was "working to mitigate the situation."

Columbia waited hours after the disruptions began to request police assistance, with officers responding at around 7:10 p.m. Multiple people who did not comply with verbal warnings from police to disperse were taken into custody.

Protesters at Butler Library on Wednesday. (CUJewsIsraelis)

Israel's security Cabinet approved a plan to seize all of the Gaza Strip on Monday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the plan an intensive military operation aimed at defeating Hamas.

Gaza remains under a blockade by Israel, the longest since the war began in October 2023, as Israel's total ban on the entry of all goods, including food, fuel and medical supplies, enters its third month.

The Trump administration is also seeking to block federal funding from some universities, including Columbia and Harvard, for what it says is their failure to quell last year's protests and combat antisemitism on campus.

The administration is reviewing the visa status of "the trespassers and vandals" who were involved in Wednesday's demonstration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media.

Around 3:30 p.m., Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a group that calls on the university to divest its ties from Israel, publicized an "EMERGENCY RALLY: ALL OUT TO BUTLER LIBRARY" on social media.

The group said more than "100 actionists have reclaimed the main reading room as the Basil-Al-Araj Popular University." The post called on others to "support, bring noise, and wear a mask."

"The flood shows that as long as Columbia funds and profits from imperialist violence, the people will continue to disrupt Columbia's profits and legitimacy," CUAD wrote on Substack. "Repression breeds resistance  if Columbia escalates repression, the people will continue to escalate disruptions on this campus."

Videos posted by the group Columbia Jewish & Israeli Students showed people chanting "free, free, free Palestine as they walked throughout the building. A second video showed a large group of people, many wearing keffiyehs, gathered and loudly chanting in what appeared to be the reading room.

Those involved protest also appeared to have vandalized structures in the library. Photos posted by CUAD appeared to show messages, including "free Gaza" and "we will always come back for Palestine," scribbled in marker on tables and glass cases.

Columbia had asked protesters to identify themselves and leave. It said that it repeatedly asked the protesters for their identification and that they "were repeatedly told that failure to comply would result in violations of our rules and policies and possible arrest for trespassing."

The demonstrators were barred from leaving the library without presenting public safety officers with their identifications. A large group of protesters, their faces obscured by keffiyehs, appeared to try to force their way through a set of doors where a group of what appeared to be security officers was standing, video on social media shows.

Officers appeared to resist and push the group back as someone on a megaphone pleaded with the group to "stop pushing, please," the video showed. The speaker says the protesters would be allowed to go if they took out their ID cards, to which the group responded with a resounding "No!" and a chant of "Let us go!"

The university allowed others in the library who were not involved in the protest to leave. In an alert sent to students, it said that the library was closed and that the area should remain clear.

The people involved in the protest refused to identify themselves and leave, Columbia said Wednesday evening, prompting the call to police.

Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community, it said in a statement, saying it believed people not affiliated with the university were also involved.

"Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams," it said. "Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today."

Outside the library, other groups of masked protesters in various locations around campus continued chanting, videos showed. A video showed dozens of people pushing up against police barricades just outside the campus at 114th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

In the Substack post, CUAD offered insight into the protest's location and meaning.

The group said it "renamed" the library to Basel Al-Araj Popular University as a reference to Basel al-Araj, a Palestinian writer "whose writings on the Palestinian resistance and on the nature of war guide revolutionaries around the world today." He was killed by Israeli forces in 2017, Al Jazeera reported at the time.

The group said it chose Butler Library to rebuke the man for whom the building is named, Nicholas Murray Butler, a former president of the university whom the group called "a shameless Nazi sympathizer."

CUAD also offered its demands of Columbia, including full financial divestment from Israel, for police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to leave campus, and amnesty for all "targeted by Columbia University's Discipline."

In April of last year, after she met with student groups amid pro-Palestinian protests on campus, then-President Minouche Shafik said that the school would not divest from Israel and that it and the students were unable to reach any agreement to end the protests.

The university announced "multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocations and expulsions" in March for people who participated in the protest occupying Hamilton Hall on campus last spring. It was not clear how many students were disciplined.

It is not clear whether ICE agents maintain a consistent presence on Columbia's campus, as CUAD's demands suggest, but agents were on the premises at least once in recent months, when they took student protest organizer Mahmoud Khalil into custody at his university-owned apartment building in March. Khalil has been detained in Louisiana since shortly after he was arrested and has been fighting his detention and potential deportation in court.

In three statements in the two days after Khalils arrest, the university said its policy is to comply with the law but also to require law enforcement operating in its nonpublic spaces to have judicial warrants. Khalil was detained without an arrest warrant, the Trump administration said later.

In March, the school agreed to a list of demands from the Trump administration to restore federal funding that had been stripped. One of the demands was to hire 36 new campus security officers who, unlike previous security officers, will have the authority to arrest students.
Pope Leo has become the 267th Catholic pontiff - Yara Nardi/REUTERS

Robert Prevost has been elected the first North American leader of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV, in a surprising and historic result.

Pope Leo, 69, has broken the long-held taboo that an American could never be pope  the thinking used to be that the US was the worlds only superpower and had more than enough geopolitical influence, without taking over the papacy as well.

The appointment was welcomed by Donald Trump, the US president, who posted on social media: I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Pope Leo has now become the 267th pontiff after the death of Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American pontiff, on Easter Monday.

Cardinal Prevost (right) and Pope Francis pictured together in 2013

There is not much known about the new Pope  he has given few media interviews and rarely speaks in public.

However, in 2023, he told a Vatican press conference: Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church.

It was a message very much in keeping with the tenor of Franciss 12-year pontificate.

The Chicago-born Pope Leo has an impressive CV. He spent years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Robert Prevost was born in Chicago to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent - Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel

He is seen as a reformer in the mould of Pope Francis. The Argentinian pontiff sent him to run the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, in 2014.

He held that position until 2023, when Francis brought him to Rome to be head of the Vaticans Dicastery for Bishops, which selects many of the worlds bishops.

The new Pope was also president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, a job that kept him in regular contact with the Catholic hierarchy in a region of the world that is still home to the greatest number of Catholics.

Although he kept a low profile in Rome, he was part of one of the most significant reforms undertaken by Francis  three women were added to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to put forward to the pope.

He apparently appealed to his brother cardinals because of his quiet style and support for Francis, as well as his commitment to social justice issues.

Robert Prevost with late former Pope Benedict XVI - Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel

Before his election, it was thought that his comparative youth could count against him because cardinals would not want to elect a pope whose tenure could last for two decades or more. These concerns were evidently dismissed by a two-thirds majority of cardinal electors, who have given the Catholic Church the first pontiff from the US.

The 69-year-old new pontiff emerged on the central balcony of St Peters Basilica just over an hour after white smoke billowed from a chimney installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, the signal that 133 cardinal electors had chosen a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.

Peace be with you all, he told the tens of thousands of faithful who had rushed into St Peters Square after the white smoke emerged.

Dominique Mamberti, a French cardinal, announced the appointment of the Pope with the time-honoured Latin words Habemus Papam (We have a pope).

Thomas Reese, an American Jesuit priest and author of Inside the Vatican, told The Telegraph: Its a big surprise. It shows that the Latin American cardinals were united behind him and pushed his election as pope.

They see him as one of their own because he was a priest and a bishop in Latin America and spent many, many years there. He is not just an American, he is a pope for all of the Americas.

He is known as being pastoral, being good at listening. I think he will be in continuity with Pope Francis.

Robert Prevost with late former Pope John Paul II - Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel

Asked whether it was unexpected for an American to be elected, Father Reese said: Oh yeah, shocking.

A Vatican insider said: He was not one of the obvious candidates, but he knows everybody, he spent 30 years as a missionary, he has languages.

His time in Peru means he is one of the least American of the American cardinals. But he understands America and he can speak to the country, which is important in the Trump era.

A newly-ordained Rev Robert Prevost meets Pope John Paul II in 1982

Christine Allen, the director of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, said: Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, will be a voice of wisdom in a fractured and divided world, as he continues the important work of leading the Church in the world and providing spiritual and moral guidance to the global community.

Having spent years in Peru, Pope Leo XIV brings with him the vital perspective of the Global South, elevating voices from the margins to centre stage.

Now more than ever, the world needs a strong and steadfast moral voice that can draw attention to the most important issues in our world: the crippling debt crisis which prevents low-income countries from spending on health and education for their people; the climate crisis and the conflicts blighting our world.

This election reflected a global Church, with cardinals from every corner of the world voting  bringing a broader outlook to addressing todays global issues.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Texas authorities are looking for a nine-year-old girl who was last seen more than seven years ago after her mother was arrested in Austin last month on suspicion of starving a different child in a closet.

Ava Marie Gonzales, 9, was just two years old when she was last seen by friends and family in December 2017, but was never reported missing until recently, according to the Austin Police Department.

"We just don't know where she is right now," police spokesperson Russell Constable said at a news conference on May 6. "What we're trying to figure out is her current status, where she is, who she's with and if she's safe and healthy."

Missing child Ava Marie Gonzales, who is now 9, is seen when she was 2 years old in April 2017.

Austin police learned of Ava's disappearance after responding to an emergency call on April 3 to help a 7-year-old girl who was locked in a closet starving, Constable said. He added that the child was taken to a local hospital and is currently recovering.

Authorities also located six other children in the home who appeared healthy but discovered that an eighth child was nowhere to be seen, Constable added. That child was later identified as Ava Marie Gonzales.

Missing child Ava Marie Gonzales when she was 2 years old in December 2017, when she was last seen my friends or family.

Mother arrested, charged with child abuse

On April 24, officers arrested Avas mother, 33-year-old Virginia Marie Gonzales. She has been since been charged with causing serious injury to a child, according to the Travis County District Clerk.

She is currently held at the Travis County Correctional Complex with a bail set for $75,000, jail records show.

USA TODAY has reached out to Gonzales' attorney for comment.

Constable said Gonzales provided conflicting information to many different family members regarding Ava's whereabouts.

7-year-old weighed 29 pounds, affidavit says

An arrest affidavit states Gonzales is accused of locking the 7-year-old girl in a closet for "weeks at a time," according to local station KTBC. The child was reportedly found "malnourished, soiled and barricaded in a bedroom closet."

Medical staff found the girl weighed 29 pounds and had dark-colored spots covering her body, a sign of malnourishment, KTBC reported, citing the affidavit. She also reportedly told staff that her "bones hurt."

The grandmother told police the girl had issues controlling her bladder and continuously tried to eat things she shouldn't, so her siblings were ordered to keep her in the closest, KTBC reported. An older sibling told police the child was only given half a cup of water and would only eat a "hotdog/corndog in the morning and in the evening."

Officers reportedly found a fridge stacked with various food options, per KTBC.

The closet the girl was trapped in was about 4 feet 9 inches by 1 foot 10 inches, and had other items inside leaving less room for the trapped child, according to KTBC.

Progressed photo used to show what Ava could look like

A progressed photo shows what Ava Marie Gonzales, 9, may look like now after not being seen since December 2017.

Ava is a 9-year-old Hispanic female with straight brown hair and brown eyes, Austin police said. Her weight and height are unknown as she hasn't been seen since she was 2.

Police used a progressed photo of Ava to show what she may look like today.

The department is urging anyone with information regarding this case or Ava's whereabouts to either email ava@austintexas.gov or call anonymously at (512) 572 - 8477.

(This story was updated to include video.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Police searching for girl reported missing, not seen in 7 years
Ed Martin has been serving in an interim capacity as the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. (Valerie Plesch / The Washington Post via Getty Images file)

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would replace Ed Martin as his nominee for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia after the longtime right-wing activist faced opposition from a key Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"He is a terrific person. He wasnt getting the support," Trump said of Martin. "I'm very disappointed in that. ... I'm one person. I can only lift that little phone so many times in a day."

Trump said they would be announcing a new nominee for the position in "over the next two days." Martin's term as interim U.S. attorney is set to expire on May 20.

"We have somebody else that will be great," Trump said, without elaborating on who that person would be.

Trump called Martin "unbelievable" and "terrific" and said he hoped to find another spot for him "whether it's DOJ or whatever in some capacity."

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said on Tuesday that he would not back Martin's nomination after meeting with him on Monday night. Tillis' opposition meant Martin was unlikely to be reported out of Senate the Judiciary Committee, which has been considering his nomination to be D.C.'s top prosecutor.

Martin had served since Inauguration Day as interim U.S. attorney for D.C., where he oversaw the firings of Jan. 6 prosecutors, demoted others, and opened an investigation into the office's handling of the Capitol riot investigation.

If Mr. Martin were being put forth as a U.S. attorney for any district except the district where Jan. 6 happened, the protest happened, Id probably support him, but not in this district, Tillis said Tuesday.

Martin, who had no prosecutorial experience when he took the position, had faced critical questions from senators over comments he made about a far-right Jan. 6 defendant who the Justice Department called "an avowed white supremacist and Nazi sympathizer" and who had photographed himself in an Adolph Hitler style mustache.

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who had placed a hold on Martin's nomination, said Thursday that Martin was "unfit" for the position and that he had "abused his position as interim U.S. Attorney to advance a dangerous agenda that places the presidents personal interests above those of the public, tramples the rule of law, and puts our democracy at risk."

In a statement, Schiff said Martin "opened political investigations where there was no evidence to warrant them," and "fired, demoted and forced the resignation of dedicated professionals who refused to go forward with his unethical edicts and those of others in the department."
(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce a trade deal between the United States and Britain on Thursday, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing three people familiar with the plans.

Trump posted on Truth Social that he would hold an Oval Office news conference at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) on Thursday about a "major trade deal with representatives of a big, and highly respected, country," using all capitalized letters.

He did not offer more details but said it would be the "first of many."

A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the Times report.

Sterling jumped against the dollar after the news. A deal would be the second for Britain in a week after it clinched a free trade pact with India.

A UK official said on Tuesday that Britain and the U.S. had made good progress on a trade deal that would likely include lower tariff quotas on steel and autos.

Britain is also in "active discussions" with top U.S. officials over the 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the U.S. announced by Trump, creative industries minister Chris Bryant told parliament on Wednesday.

The news of a U.S.-UK trade deal comes as U.S. and Chinese officials prepare to hold talks in Switzerland on Saturday, which could mark the first step in resolving a potentially damaging trade war between the world's top two economies.

Trump's trade war has shaken up financial markets and raised fears of a recession, with central bankers and business executives wrestling with often chaotic policymaking that is rippling through world supply chains and a whole host of industries.

The International Monetary Fund last month slashed its growth forecasts for the United States, China and most countries, citing the impact of U.S. tariffs and warning that rising trade tensions would further slow growth.

FLURRY OF MEETINGS

Trade experts have warned that Trump's demands could force London to confront sensitive issues from trading ties with the European Union and China.

Analysts note that since British manufacturers are part of European and global supply chains, they could be hurt by retaliation against U.S. tariffs.

Trump's top officials have engaged in a flurry of meetings with trading partners since the president on April 2 imposed a 10% tariff on most countries, along with higher "reciprocal" tariff rates for many trading partners, though those rates were later suspended for 90 days.

Britain was not among the countries hit with additional tariffs, because it imports more from the U.S. than it exports there.

Trump has also imposed 25% tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum, 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and 145% tariffs on China.

On Tuesday, Trump said that he and top administration officials would review potential trade deals over the next two weeks to decide which ones to accept.

Last week, he said that he has"potential" trade deals with India, South Korea and Japan.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas, Joseph Ax and Steve Holland; Writing by Shri Navaratnam; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Neil Fullick.)
By Elizabeth Piper and Yuliia Dysa

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's parliament voted on Thursday in favour of ratifying a minerals deal signed with the United States, an agreement Kyiv hopes will secure future military assistance from Washington in its fight to repel Russian troops.

Despite misgivings by some Ukrainian lawmakers over whether the government had provided them with all the information on the deal and over some of its compromises, 338 voted in favour of ratifying the agreement, with none against.

"The Ukrainian Parliament has ratified the historic Economic Partnership Agreement between Ukraine and the United States," First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in a post on X.

"This document is not merely a legal construct  it is the foundation of a new model of interaction with a key strategic partner."

Some lawmakers had raised concerns over the lack of detail of some of the deal's provisions, such as how an envisaged investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction would be governed or how any contributions would be made.

Svyrydenko called an early Thursday press conference to answer some of those concerns, saying the investment fund would be operational in a few weeks, and its success would depend on the level of U.S. engagement.

Two supplements would spell out the details and would be published at a later date, officials have said about the deal which might not see a payoff for a decade or longer.

Parliament's ratification comes a day before Russia - which launched a full-scale invasion into Ukraine in February 2022 - will try to show its strength at a military parade to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Those preparations have been overshadowed by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia, and Kyiv will hope the ratification of the minerals deal will bolster its position in ceasefire talks, which so far have done little to close the gap between Moscow and Kyiv, to the frustration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Russia's demands for Ukraine to cede all the land Russian President Vladimir Putin claims to have annexed and accept permanent neutrality have been rejected by Kyiv, which says that would amount to surrender and leave the nation undefended.

CEASEFIRE

Ukraine has expressed readiness to accept a U.S. proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which could be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and has accused the Kremlin of ignoring the plan. Putin has proposed a ceasefire of only three days - from May 8-10.

The minerals deal, signed last month in Washington, hands the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and sets up the investment fund, which could be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine for the first 10 years.

After months of fraught talks that almost fell apart at a disastrous meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in February, the deal also hands Kyiv some wins: no return of aid that Trump says Kyiv owes and a U.S. acknowledgement of Kyiv's intention to join the European Union.

Ukraine also sees the deal as a route to unlock the delivery of new U.S. weapons, especially additional Patriot air defence systems it badly needs to repel Russia's increasingly frequent missile attacks. The deal offered no clear guarantee of that.

The agreement, which Zelenskiy says offers Ukraine a better deal than previous drafts - which some in Kyiv had described as "colonial", - is central to Kyiv's efforts to mend ties with Trump after the Oval office meeting.

Some Ukrainian lawmakers praised the government's efforts to influence Trump's position, which initially appeared to favour Russia.

"Trump's initial position is changing by millimetres, but so far its movement is in the right direction," Inna Sovsun, a lawmaker from the Holos opposition party, said on Facebook, adding that while she might not like the deal's "mercantile" nature, it was important to show that Ukraine is a "constructive party".

Some 47% of Ukrainians support the deal, while 22% say it might have negative consequences and 19% say it will have no impact, according to researchers at the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, Yuliia Dysa and Anna Dabrowska; Editing by Gareth Jones)
High school student Victoria Mathieu applied to 17 colleges this year. Her dream school was an Ivy in her home state: the University of Pennsylvania.

The 18-year-old senior at Bensalem High School, who also goes by Tori, hoped her weighted 4.36 GPA, extensive afterschool activities list, summer legal internship and outside advocacy work would be enough to attract interest from the prestigious college.

But she was also realistic, she said. The odds of being accepted into an Ivy League school are slim for even the brightest and most well-rounded of the high achievers. Penn admits only approximately 5% of those who apply for its undergraduate programs.

Imagine her surprise  shock is a better word  when she learned that she was accepted into Penn.

There were 14 other schools that accepted her as well, including four other Ivy League universities, two of them with even lower acceptance rates.

"Its a blessing. Im above the moon right now, she said. I almost feel like its still not real because its something I never expected to happen.

Viral TikTok video: What Ivy League schools did Tori Mathieu get into?

Victoria Mathieu, the first Bensalem High School student to be accepted to five different Ivy League schools, and her parents, Pierre (left) and Tina (right), hold up her acceptance letters in Bensalem on May 2, 2025.

The teens reaction to learning of her windfall was captured in what has become a viral TikTok video generating more than 5 million views since it was posted March 27, known to some as Ivy Day.

The nearly four-minute video shows Victoria and her family crowded around the laptop on the kitchen island as she opened each letter in her college portal.

First, she learned she was accepted into Columbia University, which wasnt a total surprise. She received a letter notifying her that she was likely accepted into their prestigious legal scholars program.

Dartmouth University was next, where she was waitlisted.

Thats not bad, she said.

Cornell University and Brown University were her second and third acceptances, generating screams and whoops.

I got into ... Oh my God. This is not real," she said as the acceptances came in.

Now Yale University.

Youre lying. You're lying. Oh my God," she said, "I got into Yale. I got into Yale. I got into Yale. Go Bulldogs.

Next up, Penn. Another yes.

What. Is. Happening? Tori said.

Last, Harvard University, where she was waitlisted.

The only Ivy League school that Victoria neglected was Princeton University (sorry, Tigers). She said she ran out of time to submit an application.

Her parents said they suspected another reason.

We think its because its too close to home, Pierre Mathieu said.

Guidance counselor on what makes Tori Mathieu unique

Victoria is one of five of Bensalem seniors this year accepted into one of the eight Ivy League colleges, a new school record, guidance counselor Dayna Harrison said.

But Victoria is the first student to be accepted into five and waitlisted for two others.

She is unheard of. She is a unicorn, Harrison said. Its one of the greatest achievements Ive seen in my career.

Harrison described Victoria, who ranks seventh in her class of 611, as a fiery spirit, a go-getter with a work ethic that few her age possess.

In addition to a flawless GPA, she sits on the high schools mock trial team. During her junior year Victoria founded a local chapter of a global high school honors legal society at the high school. Last summer she interned for Legal Aid Southeastern Pennsylvania.

She serves as a Bensalem School Board student representative, as well as captain of the Step Dance Team she founded, and the Reading Olympics team at the high school.

She is a Pennsylvania global ambassador for ReSoap Foundation, a youth-led nonprofit fighting hygiene poverty and climate change. She is a member of the high schools DECA chapter, which is dedicated to preparing students for business careers.

In her spare time, she also founded Still I Shine, a virtual community support group for Black high school-age girls dealing with colorism  discrimination against people with a dark skin tone within the same ethnic or racial groups.

She is going to change the world, Harrison said. I keep telling her mom, I want her to run the world.

Tina Mathieu (left) looks at the acceptance letters with her daughter Victoria Mathieu, the first Bensalem High School student to be accepted to five different Ivy League schools, in Bensalem on May 2, 2025.

Victoria Mathieu hopes her college story can inspire other girls

The oldest of four, Victoria takes her studies seriously  maybe a bit too seriously, said her mother, Tina.

We didnt push Victoria. She pushed herself, Tina said. If she gets a B, she is crying. Its like the end of the world. Shell be crying for an A-.

She and her husband instill in their children the importance of a good education.

Pierre came to the United States from his native Haiti at age 18. Tina immigrated with her family from Nigeria when she was 10.

The couple met at Philadelphia Community College, where Pierre was Tinas math tutor. He later graduated from Bucknell University, and she from Temple University.

They both believe that education is the best way for immigrants like themselves to improve their lives and financial stability, Tina said.

Added Pierre: Our belief is that education opens doors."

With so many doors opened wide for her now, Victoria picked Yale University over Penn, specifically for its law school. She has aspiration for a legal career.

At a visit for incoming Yale freshman in April, when Victoria introduced herself, the admissions officer hugged her. The woman told Victoria her essay left a deep impression on her.

While they could not be more proud of their daughter and her accomplishments, her parents know there is more hard work ahead for her.

This is only the beginning, Pierre said.

Victoria said to see her years of dedication and hard work pay off in such abundance has been rewarding. It's inspired her to find a way to pay it forward by helping to empower others.

When I got my acceptance, one of the first things I thought about is, Wow, because I did it, I can tell the people its possible, she said. A lot of girls, particularly Black girls I know, who dont think that its possible for them, to have them get into one. I feel like I can kind of be that light for them.

Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Student goes viral on TikTok with 5 Ivy League university acceptances
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The United Parcel Service (UPS) is expected to reduce its workforce by roughly 20,000 during 2025, citing "new or increased tariffs" and "changes in general economic conditions in the U.S. or internationally" for the cuts.

UPS announced the layoffs April 29 in its first quarter earnings report, in which the parcel delivery service said it made consolidated revenues of $21.5 billion, compared to $21.7 billion around the same time a year ago. The shipping company also said it would be closing roughly 73 facilities by the end of June.

Consolidation efforts for UPS come as President Donald Trump's looming tariffs continue to impact U.S. and global trade, as companies across the country are reducing costs in preparation for a possible economic fallout. In 2024, UPS employed around 490,000 people worldwide, including about 330,000 Teamsters-represented jobs in the U.S.

"The actions we are taking to reconfigure our network and reduce cost across our business could not be timelier," Carol Tome, UPS's chief executive officer, said in the report. "The macro environment may be uncertain, but with our actions, we will emerge as an even stronger, more nimble UPS.

A United Parcel Service logo is pictured on April 29, 2020 in New York City.

UPS reducing Amazon delivery volume by 50%: CFO

For UPS specifically, it cautioned in January that it was expediting its plan to reduce millions of deliveries for its largest customer, Amazon.com, which accounted for 11.8% of its overall revenue in 2024, CNBC reported.

We are reducing the amount of volume we deliver for Amazon by more than 50% by June 2026," Brian Dykes, UPS' chief financial officer, said in a statement to USA TODAY. "Associated with this volume reduction, we are undertaking the largest network reconfiguration in our history. This effort has been combined with our Network of the Future initiative as both will help drive us to a more efficient network."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lashed out at Amazon after a report said the e-commerce giant was planning to list the costs of Trump's tariffs next to the total prices of products, which Leavitt called "a hostile and political act" while speaking to reporters on April 29.

According to Dyke, UPS's "planned reductions are in line with the total Amazon volume decline.

UPS to close 73 leased, owned buildings by end of June 2025

In addition to the position cuts, UPS said it plans to close 73 leased and owned buildings by the end of June 2025, according to the earnings report. Dyke and a UPS spokesperson said the company would be eliminating 164 work shifts involved with the movement of packages.

The building closures will consist of facilities that are part of UPS' U.S. Ground operation, where packages are unloaded, sorted and loaded, a spokesperson told USA TODAY.

"We are continuing to review our network and may identify additional buildings for closure," the Atlanta-based parcel delivery service said.

The job cuts and building closures are expected to save UPS $3.5 billion in 2025, the earnings report says. UPS' consolidation and cost-saving initiative, "Network Reconfiguration and Efficiency Reimagined," is expected to end in 2027, according to the parcel delivery service.

"Our employees are extremely important to us, and we understand the impact this may have on them and their families," Karen Tomaszewski Hill, UPS Spokesperson, told USA TODAY. "We are working to place as many employees as possible in other positions. We will work with those who may be impacted throughout the process to provide support."

UPS, the worlds largest package delivery firm, forecasted in January a full-year revenue of $89 billion, CNBC reported.

UPS announced 12,000 layoffs in January 2024

In January 2024, UPS announced the layoffs of nearly 12,000 employees across the globe to "align resources for 2024."

During a company earnings call at the time, Tome said the cuts would save the company nearly $1 billion. His comments came after UPS underwent a massive year-over-year decline in revenue.

I want to thank UPSers for providing the best on-time performance of any carrier for the sixth year in a row, Tome said in a statement released by the company in 2024. 2023 was a unique and difficult year and through it all we remained focused on controlling what we could control, stayed on strategy and strengthened our foundation for future growth.

This story was updated to add new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UPS cutting 20,000 jobs, closing 73 buildings in 2025
By Marco Aquino

LIMA (Reuters) - In the Peruvian coastal city of Chiclayo, some 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles) from new Pope Leo XIV's hometown of Chicago, Catholics took to the streets and church bells rang on Thursday to celebrate the election of the former missionary who they embrace as one of their own.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, chosen as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, is a dual U.S.-Peruvian citizen who worked for decades in the north of Peru, first as a missionary and later as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023.

In the small city, the faithful gathered in front of the cathedral in the heat on Thursday after white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. As the announcement was made, they jumped and cheered. Bells tolled around the city.

"We are excited by this blessing from God," Jesus Leon Angeles, who is coordinator of a Catholic group in Chiclayo and has known Prevost since 2018, told Reuters by phone.

"We had been praying since yesterday when the conclave of cardinals began at the Vatican to elect the pope."

Leon Angeles said she had worked closely with Prevost on a number of charitable and social assistance projects in Chiclayo and nearby Trujillo, and in other impoverished towns across the country.

She told Reuters previously that Prevost was humble and down-to-earth, as well as being a person who liked to help others.

"He is someone who has leadership skills, but is also a good listener," she said before the election. "He has that virtue. He is very well-liked, we love him very much, he is not an arrogant person."

In the Plaza de Armas, the main square of Peru's capital Lima, dozens of people gathered at the cathedral next to the government palace.

"In the office we were waiting anxiously for the white smoke to see who would be elected Holy Father," said lawyer Carolina Flores.

"It is a tremendous gift from heaven that he is Peruvian. For us the Pope is Peruvian. He is Peruvian because he has lived decades in Peru, he was a bishop in Chiclayo," she said.

After the election at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and greeted the waiting crowds. During his first address as pope, he spoke briefly in Spanish, sending greetings to Peru and to Chiclayo.

Prevost was made a cardinal in 2023 by Argentine pontiff Francis, who brought him to Rome to head the Vatican office charged with electing priests to serve as bishops worldwide. He has since participated in the selection of many of the world's bishops.

Lima resident Salvador Oliva Ramos said that he was sure the new pope would come back to visit his adopted homeland and "fix" things in the country - as well as enjoy some of the local cuisine.

"He's a Pope who eats ceviche, eats his beans with mutton, eats his cau cau," he said outside the cathedral, referring to popular local dishes. "I assure you that one year from now, the pope will visit for the food."

(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Additional reporting by Reuters TV; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Rosalba O'Brien)
President Donald Trump, center, with from l-r., Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Vice President JD Vance, and Britian's ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson, making remarks on a trade deal between U.S. and U.K. in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Trump administration announced a trade deal with the United Kingdom Thursday in grandiose terms, but with only limited details about what it will achieve.

The agreement will open up the British market to American beef, ethanol, and other agricultural products, the White House said. It will also allow British cars and steel better access to U.S. consumers.

The pact provides some support for President Donald Trumps arguments that his steep tariffs could lead to agreements that open up overseas markets. But economists' initial reactions were cool, with many noting that the United Kingdom isn't a large enough trading partner for the U.S. to really move the needle for the U.S. economy.

It's more symbolic than economic, Beata Caranci, chief economist at the bank TD Economics, said in an email. What we have learned is that these initial announcements are going to be more fine-tuning around the edges and easing of pain points, rather than an end to the trade war.

Trump said in the Oval Office Thursday that additional details will be worked out in the "coming weeks." But in a fact sheet the administration said the deal is historic and a great deal for America.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the deal would protect thousands of auto jobs and stressed the importance of the relationship between the two countries.

The U.K. is the United States' fourth largest export market, though has received just 4.5% of U.S. exports this year.

What's in the deal:

The United States will maintain the 10% duty on nearly all imports from the U.K., which Trump imposed April 2. Many economists had hoped that the tariff would be dropped as part of any trade deal, but Trump suggested that the 10% universal duty was likely to be a floor in any future talks with other countries.

The U.S. will cut its tariffs on car imports from the U.K. to 10% from 27.5%, according to the U.K. government, but only up to 100,000 cars. The U.K. exported 92,000 cars to the U.S. in 2024, which means the U.K. auto industry won't be able to boost its shipments without paying higher duties.

U.K. steel exports will enter the U.S. duty-free, rather than face the 25% tariff the White House has placed on imported steel.

The two countries have agreed to greater market access for each other's beef, with both nations able to export 13,000 metric tons of beef to each others' countries.

The U.K. will eliminate its tariff on ethanol from the U.S., up to 1.4 billion liters.

The U.S. will lift all duties on airplane engines and other aerospace parts from the U.K.'s Rolls Royce. In return, a U.K. airline will soon announce the purchase of $10 billion in planes from Boeing.

The U.K. will reduce its average tariff on U.S. goods to 1.8%, which would amount to a $200 million cut in duties, the British government said. The U.K. will also lower import taxes on about 2,500 U.S. products including olive oil, wine and sports equipment.

The U.K. will reduce or eliminate non-tariff barriers to U.S. exports, the White House said, though it did not provide details. The agreement creates opportunities for $5 billion in new exports of U.S. agricultural and other goods, according to the administration's fact sheet.

What's not in the deal, at least not yet

The agreement does not provide U.S. companies any additional access to the U.K.'s government-run national health service.

There also aren't any changes on the U.K.'s digital services tax, which hits U.S. tech giants such as Amazon, Alphabet's Google, and Facebook parent Meta. Trump has strongly criticized the tax. The U.K. government said, however, that the two nations have agreed to negotiate on a digital trade deal.

Trump said the deal did not exempt the U.K. from the 100% tariffs on foreign-made films he has proposed.

Negotiations are still ongoing in areas such as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, critical minerals, copper and lumber, a British trade official said.
Stian Klo/HX Expeditions The aurora borealis over Norways Lofoten Islands, as seen on an HX Expeditions cruise.

Theres something about being in nature at night that enlivens all the senses, says Vicky Derksen. Shes the creator of Night Sky Tourist, an Arizona company that organizes stargazing trips. In recent years, demand has been booming, Derksen says. The global dark-sky movement is making people aware of what theyre missing at night.

Leading the charge is the nonprofit DarkSky International, which has to date certified more than 200 destinations worldwide as being well suited for stargazing and comet-spotting because of their low levels of light pollution.

Stephanie Vermillion From Left: Nightime in the Makgadikgadi Pans of Botswana; Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

The demand for noctourism continues to grow. In January, for example, the city of Tucson, Arizona, introduced its Astro Trail, a network of 11 sky-watching spots that includes the impressive 32-inch public telescope at Mount Lemmon SkyCenter and the pristine Saguaro National Park, which earned DarkSky certification in 2023. This fall, Phoenix will welcome a first-of-its-kind International Dark Sky Discovery Center, a 23,000-square-foot astronomy hub with an observatory, planetarium, and immersive exhibits.

Jeff Schneiderman/Getty Images Romes Colosseum at night.

Another astronomical display, the northern lights, is drawing growing numbers to high latitudes. Canadas Yukon Territory, which borders Alaska, has seen a spike in aurora-season visits, and local outfitters have developed out-of-the-box ways to enjoy the phenomenon. North Country Outdoor Adventures, for example, runs nighttime ice-fishing tours near the city of Whitehorse that combine angling with night-sky viewing, while the new Yukon Spa in Dawson City has a rooftop barrel sauna and a whirlpool from which guests can admire the lights.

Interest in eclipse tourism is also booming, particularly after the most recent show in April 2024. Similar solar spectacles will be visible in Spain in 2026 and in Egypt in 2027; demand to see them is so high that some trips are already sold out. Whether its stargazing, night markets, the northern lights, or nighttime safaris, guests are looking for adventures after dark, says Jim Lutz, the founder of Vaya Adventures, an outfitter. Long gone are the days when travelers expect to turn in by nine and turn out the lights.

Stephanie Vermillions new book, 100 Nights of a Lifetime: The Worlds Ultimate Adventures After Dark (National Geographic), is available now.

Innovative Nighttime Adventures for...

Wildlife Watchers

See Kangaroo Islands nocturnal koalas, echidnas, and wallabies on a night safari with Australias Southern Ocean Lodge.

Hiking Enthusiasts

Desert walks illuminated by the moon are one draw at Under Canvas Lake PowellGrand Staircase, a Utah glamping getaway that also offers guided sky-viewing programs.

Aurora Chasers

Icelands Hotel Ranga has long delighted aurora hunters with its on-site observatory; last year, it added private astronomer-led stargazing sessions for those who want to geek out.

Forest Bathers

In the woods of Alta, Norway, Holmen Husky Lodge has new Forest Suite A-frames with views of the northern lights through large skylights.

Safari Fans

A new lodge in northern Kenya, Basecamp Samburu has night game drives and suites with alfresco starbeds.

More Reasons to Embrace Noctourism

Duck the Crowds

National parks are getting more crowded year after year, and stargazing programs are a great way to enjoy them with fewer people, says Vicky Derksen, a noctourism pioneer.

Enjoy Cooler Conditions

Overwhelming heat has become an unfortunate reality of summertime trips to European cities. One solution is sightseeing after dark, with an after-hours tour of spots like Romes Colosseum or the Acropolis Museum, in Athens.

Skip the Hangover

Drinking less, or not at all? Nighttime tours are an active alternative to bars and clubs. Many resorts are alsoadding astronomy-meets-wellness experiences, such as full-moon sound baths and starlit meditations.

Do Something Different

Noctourism can deliver a fresh point of view, whether youre hot-air ballooning in the predawn hours or hiking after dark. Millions of visitors see Chinas Great Wall every year, for example, but few go after sunsetsomething the outfitter Great Wall Adventure Club offers travelers looking for a new perspective.

A version of this story first appeared in the June 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline The Dawn of Noctourism.

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
Authorities are searching for a woman accused of calling in a bomb threat at a Houston airport to allegedly frame her ex-lover, according to court documents.

Trekalon Price, 25, is being sought for felony reporting a false alarm or reporting an emergency in connection with an incident at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, the charging document obtained by USA TODAY says.

A Houston police officer wrote in the document that an unknown woman, later identified as Price, called in to report a "bomb threat" at the airport on Jan. 4, 2025. While making the report, the caller refused to give any identifying information about herself, the document states.

Price told the 911 operator that the individual allegedly with the bomb had just flown into Bush Intercontinental Airport on a Delta flight, and he would be flying out later that day at an unknown time and on an unknown airline to Cedar Rapids Airport in Iowa, according to the charging document.

During the 911 call, Price also alleged that the individual told her that he was going to bomb Bush Airport and Cedar Rapids Airport, the court document states. Price then told the operator to "hurry up and notify law enforcement," before giving them identifying information about the alleged bomber.

Ex-lover told police girl he was 'messing around with' likely made 911 calls

When Houston police contacted authorities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, they said they received the same call from an unidentified woman, the charging document says. Cedar Rapids Airport Police confirmed that the man identified by Price had already landed, and they were actively searching for him, the document continued.

According to the charging document, Price also spoke to a patrol officer at Cedar Rapids Airport and told him that the alleged bomber had a firearm in his bag, and that she learned the information about this bomb threat from a person she refused to identify.

When police finally spoke with the man Price identified, he told them he was unaware of any accusations, including about him bombing the airports and "shooting up the place," the court document states. Police then asked the man if he knew of anyone who would accuse him of this, to which he responded, "Yeah, the girl he was 'messing around with.'"

The man also said Price got him fired from his last job due to her repeatedly calling the Houston golf cart shop where he worked, according to the court filing. He then identified Price and said he didn't recognize the number she called 911 with, but stated she "likes to use phone apps to make calls with different numbers."

Sign at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas.

Trekalon Price, ex hadn't spoken since end of 2024

When police asked the man the last time he spoke to Price, he said somewhere around the end of 2024, the charging document says. The two dated from April 2024 to around November 2024, the man said, per the court filing.

The man told police that Price may have known that he was flying that day because she and the mother of his children communicate regularly, the court document states. When police replayed the man the 911 call made earlier that day, he said, "100% that's her."

While speaking to the woman the man shares children with, she acknowledged that Price told her she called his job and the airport, according to the charging document. She told police that she did not tell Price about her children's father's travel plans or that he was going to blow up or shoot up any airports, the document continued.

As of May 8, Price is not in custody and is wanted by law enforcement.

Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Woman accused of framing ex-lover by fake Houston airport bomb threat
Chinese leader Xi Jinping attends a meeting at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh during an overseas trip last month. - Agence Kampuchea Press/Reuters

As Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for his heavily choreographed May 9 Victory Day military parade, hes been clear whos at the top of his guest list: Xi Jinping.

The Chinese leader arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for a four-day state visit, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported. Xi will deepen mutual trust with Putin, according to Beijing, and attend activities commemorating 80 years since the Allied forces World War II victory over Nazi Germany.

Xis attendance marks a strong showing of unity between the two autocrats and their nations at a moment when US President Donald Trumps America First diplomacy has shaken global alliances and reshaped relations between Washington and both powers. In remarks last month, Putin described Xi as his main guest.

In a written statement marking his arrival in Moscow, Xi hailed China and Russia as good neighbors that cannot be moved apart, true friends who share weal and woe, and reliable partners who help each other succeed.

The two countries will work together to defend the hard-won outcomes of World War II, resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics and promote the establishment of a more just and reasonable global governance system, Xi said in the statement.

Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Vietnams President To Lam and Belarussian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko are among other leaders expected to attend the celebrations. Contingents from the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army honor guard will also join the parade, which takes place in the shadow of Putins assault on Ukraine.

To commemorate the event, Putin proposed a three-day ceasefire with Kyiv  a decision some analysts say was motivated by a desire to show off Russias military might uninterrupted in front of foreign dignitaries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the proposal, calling it a theatrical performance and reiterated his support for an earlier US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.

Earlier this month, Zelensky warned dignitaries traveling to the event that Kyiv cannot be responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation, amid the ongoing conflict  which the Kremlin later said amounted to a threat.

Ukraine has launched multiple drone attacks on Moscow over the course of the war, including in recent days  prompting temporary closures of airports in the capital for several hours. Its biggest attack on the Russian capital in March killed three people.

Ukraine says its attacks are aimed at destroying infrastructure key to Moscows war efforts and are in response to Russias continued assault on Ukrainian territory, including residential areas and energy infrastructure.

Russias May 9 Victory Day is one of the countrys largest celebrations and marks Nazi Germanys 1945 surrender to the Soviet Union, a day which has become increasingly important under Putin, who has falsely claimed his war in Ukraine is a denazification. Previous years have seen a diminished supply of military hardware as Russian tanks are instead mobilized on that wars front lines.

Europe celebrates its VE Day, marking Germanys surrender on all fronts, a day prior.

Rescuers work near a body of a victim and damaged vehicles at the site of a Russian missile strike in Sumy, Ukraine last month. - Reuters

Shifting landscape

The visit is Xis third time in Russia since Putin launched his war more than three years ago, but much has changed since his last visit just over six months ago.

China and the US are now locked in an escalated trade war that threatens major impact to both economies, and Beijing finds itself in need of strengthening its friendships  and trade partnerships  with other nations, including Russia. Top officials from the US and China are set to meet in Switzerland later this week, in what could begin a lengthy process of trade talks to end frictions.

Moscow, meanwhile, has found a much more sympathetic America under Trump compared with his predecessor, but is now warily eying recently warming ties between Washington and Kyiv as the US president appears to lose patience with Putin in his push for an end to the conflict.

Now  there are more incentives between China and Russia to present a solid image of their alignment, said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Washington-based Stimson Center think tank.

Given the turbulence created by Washingtons policy in the world, China and Russia will be signaling that there is still stability and credibility in international affairs and de-Americanization is already in progress. They will rally and call for more support against US unilateralism and hegemonism, publicly and openly, she said.

For Moscow and Beijing, an event celebrating the end of World War II  which saw the formation of the United Nations-led international system  creates the ideal backdrop to play up such rhetoric at a time when the US has exited some UN bodies and rattled long-standing alliances in Europe.

An article published by Chinas state news agency Xinhua Sunday claimed Xi and Putin would lead the correct direction of global governance, clearly oppose unilateralism and bullying, and work together to promote an equal and orderly world with multipolarity and inclusive economic globalization.

During their meeting Thursday, the two leaders will discuss Ukraine, relations with the US and the Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline  a proposed natural gas line from western Russia to northern China that Moscow has long sought to push off the drawing board - according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov.

Xi and Putin, known for making a show of their close rapport, have ramped up their countries economic and security ties in recent years. Theyve also worked together to frame themselves as responsible alternative leaders to the US, even as Russia wages war in Ukraine and Beijing ramps up its aggression in the South China Sea and toward Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing declares its own.

The countries relations have only been accelerated by Russias war, as Beijing has emerged as a key lifeline for Moscow, despite claiming neutrality in the conflict.

China and Russia reached record bilateral trade last year as a sanctions-strapped Moscow increasingly looked to China as an export market and source of products. Western governments have said dual-use products from China like microchips and machine parts are propping up Moscows defense-industrial base, losing Beijing good will in Europe. China defends its normal trade with Russia.

Russian servicemen march on Moscow's Red Square during the Victory Day military parade last year. - Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images

Standing jointly

On this visit, observers say Xi will be looking to ensure Chinas continued access to Russias natural resources and market, as the country now faces 145% tariffs on most exports to the United States and has thrown up high retaliatory tariffs of its own in an entrenched trade war.

Given the current American administrations policies towards China, China really needs Russia in many aspects  trade wise, energy resources wise, said Tamas Matura, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis.

But those same trade tensions  and Trumps questioning of US economic and strategic ties with Europe  has also created a potential opening for China to repair relations with Europe, analysts say, something Xi is likely to be aware of as he navigates his diplomacy in the days ahead.

A lot of European observers will be looking at and listening to Xi Jinpings speech in Moscow  will he talk about, in a meaningful way, peace in Ukraine? Will China change its fundamental approach towards supporting Russia and its war efforts against Ukraine, which would facilitate its relationship with Europe? Matura said.

Similar questions have been raised in recent months over whether a shifting US stance could draw Moscow closer to Washington  at Beijings expense.

Trump in recent months has upended traditional US policy toward Russia, parroting Kremlin rhetoric about the war in Ukraine and appearing open to concessions in Moscows favor as he aims to end to the entrenched conflict.

But there are signs of impatience in the Trump administration with Putins ongoing onslaught against Ukraine despite the Ukraine-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal. And Washington and Kyivs signing last week of an agreement on natural resources is widely seen as strengthening Ukraines position with Washington.

Regardless, close observers of both Xi and Putins governments say theres little incentive for either to throw over what has been a carefully crafted relationship with deep ideological and economic benefits.

Thats been the leading view from Beijing. Russia stands jointly with China on supporting the international order, according to Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University in the Chinese capital.

Russia distrusts the US  and the fundamental hostile attitude toward Russia in the US and in general from the West cannot be changed (by Trump), said Wang.

Instead, analysts say, Xi and Putins meetings in the days ahead are likely to send another message: China and Russia remain as aligned as ever.

CNNs Darya Tarasova contributed reporting.

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The rapid growth of channel partners across Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ), especially with new customers, is creating support demand that outpaces the growth of Nutanixs channel team  a challenge the vendors global channel chief, David Gwyn, said hes facing as well.

I like what were doing in APJ right now, he said to ARN at Nutanixs .Next 25 conference. Were growing my team and were not just growing the service provider team, were also growing our focus on distributors.

Gwyn said partners in the region are dispersed across different places, have different languages and different currencies.

A focus on distributors will help us more than anything in APJ, especially as these Broadcom partners are hitting us [up], he said.

Were seeing more partners coming [to] Nutanix and signing seller agreements. I cant grow my channel managers at the same rate that were getting partners.

Gwyn explained that means most of these partners can be covered by its distributors, like Dicker Data and Ingram in Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ).
by Steve Suwannarat

The fate of six teenagers from Rakhine State in Myanmar is unknown since 21 March. They were detained last December after traffickers brought them to Thailand. This case highlights Bangkok's failure to protect underage asylum seekers. For Fortify Rights, every refugee child should be protected  not punished  for seeking safety.

Bangkok (AsiaNews)  Six underage Rohingya brought to Thailand by human traffickers have been missing since 21 March after they were placed in a government-run shelter in the city of Chiang Mai.

Detained in December 2024, the six teens, aged 14 to 17, had fled Myanmar's Rakhine state where the persecution of Rohingya Muslims is the worst, paying the equivalent of US$ 2,800 to get to Thailand, but once there, their families could not meet further demands for money from traffickers.

When they were still in police custody, Juvenile and Family Court Chiang Mai issued an expulsion order on 5 March against them for "illegal entry" into the country.

Thailand is not a signatory of the 1951 Refugee Convention, leaving refugees in a legal limbo, as evinced by the lack of protection for members of certain ethnic groups (especially Rohingya, Uyghurs or North Koreans persecuted at home).

No reliable data are available on the presence of minors among asylum seekers in government detention; however, a rough estimate by UNICEF and the Thai National Commission for Human Rights put the total number at 3,693 unaccompanied or separated minors last year, held in 99 care facilities in the three northern provinces of Tak, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

According to the study, each care facility holds on average of 37 unaccompanied Myanmar children, a 38 per cent increase over 2019. Thus, new arrivals can expect to languish along with those already present for years without rights nor prospects for freedom and security.

Fortify Rights, a human rights group particularly involved in Southeast Asia, notes that Thailand ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992. Under Article 22, it is required to ensure that young refugees, accompanied or unaccompanied, receive appropriate protection.

Thailand maintained a reservation with respect to Article 22 until 30 August 2024, on security grounds. Thus, By failing to provide refugee children with legal status and protection, the Thai government is exposing them to exploitation, abuse, and even disappearance, said Matthew Smith, founder of Fortify Rights.

Thailand, Smith added, has an opportunity to show regional leadership by upholding its human rights obligations and ensuring every refugee child is protected  not punished  for seeking safety.

Photo: IOM 2024/Anushma Shrestha
by Mathias Hariyadi

Meeting with Bill Gates, President Prabowo Subianto expressed gratitude for the aid, which the foundation began to give in 2009. The Indonesia leader also pledged to award the US philanthropist Indonesias highest national honour. In addition to health, the money has been used in agriculture and technology. Indonesia's PT Bio Farma produces up to two billion doses of vaccine every year, distributed in over 40 countries benefitting more than 900 million people.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto yesterday welcomed Bill Gates, expressing his countrys gratitude for the US philanthropists commitment and investments through the Gates Foundation[*] in over 15 years and the promise of new joint initiatives and campaigns in the health field for disease prevention.

The Indonesian leader was especially grateful for almost US$ 160 million invested in the Southeast Asian country since 2009, especially in prevention campaigns and vaccines.

Most of the funds have been allocated to the health sector, including the development and distribution of vaccines against polio, tuberculosis, and malaria.

In yesterday's meeting with Bill Gates at Merdeka (Independence) Palace in Jakarta, President Prabowo expressed his appreciation for the foundation's substantial contributions to the development of Indonesias public health sector.

Most of the funding has gone to health initiatives, particularly vaccines such as the polio vaccine. One such contribution  worth IDR 1.3 trillion (US$ 79 million)  has helped Bio Farma become one of the worlds leading vaccine producers, the president said.

The state-owned pharmaceutical plant PT Bio Farma produces up to two billion doses of vaccine each year, distributed to over 40 countries to the benefit of some 902 million people worldwide.

Prabowo also noted that Indonesia will become one of the testing sites for the new TB vaccine currently being developed by the Gates Foundation.

TB remains a deadly disease in Indonesia, with nearly 100,000 fatalities each year. We are committed to reducing that number, and Bill Gates has shown strong commitment to supporting us in this area, he said, speaking to the media.

In addition to the health sector, the Gates Foundation has also provided funding for agriculture and technology, specifically US$ 5 million for each, as well as more than US$ 28 million in cross-sectoral social assistance.

In appreciation for Bill Gatess extraordinary commitment and contribution, President Prabowo announced his intention to award the world-renowned philanthropist Indonesia's highest national honour.

The plan will be discussed at a meeting of the National Honours Council and the award ceremony is expected to take place during the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2025.

I would like, on behalf of the Indonesian people, to grant our highest award to a foreign national, in recognition of his services in helping the people of Indonesia and the world, Prabowo stated during a meeting with business leaders.

The Gates Foundation, also known as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is one of the world's largest philanthropic organisations committed to global health, sustainable development, and poverty reduction.

Through innovative partnerships and funding, the foundation has had a significant impact on improving lives in various countries, including Indonesia.

[*] The IT tycoon set up the foundation with his ex-wife Melinda.
by Alessandra De Poli

As clashes between India and Pakistan intensify after the attack in Pahalgam on 22 April, military operations are increasingly seen as testing the most advanced weapons on the market. Today India struck Pakistani air defences, risking further escalation. Pakistan has promised a response at a time and place of its own choosing with the risk of causing the worse confrontation between the two countries since 1971.

New Delhi/Islamabad (AsiaNews)  Tensions between India and Pakistan that began with a terror attack in Kashmir on 22 April have not subsided; on the contrary, fighting continued today for the second consecutive day, increasingly appearing as testing of the weapons used by the military of the two countries.

India seemingly has given up on de-escalation after it struck Pakistan's air defence systems, among other targets. Several observers in the region, who at first expected a moderate response from Pakistan only to "save face" in the face of the Indian attack, now fear a further violent escalation.

On the wee hours of Tuesday night, 7 May, India fired several missiles against what it called terrorist training camps, while this morning it sent dozens of Israeli-made Harop drones against Pakistans main cities, which Islamabad said it shot down.

For New Delhi, this is a response to the launch of missiles (all intercepted) against several sites in India that took place last night.

In India, after an initial moment of jubilation for avenging the attack in Kashmir, the security services began to be alarmed yesterday after the news, carried by CNN, that at least one French Rafale jet was shot down by Pakistan, most likely thanks to Chinese weapons.

It now seems clear that, although tensions between the two South Asian countries over Kashmir are cyclical, it is the international context that has changed favouring what for many analysts is already the worst escalation since 1971, when New Delhi and Islamabad faced off in their last open confrontation.

According to CNN, without considering this morning's operations, which continued along the border dividing Kashmir, a total of 125 combat aircraft were involved on 7 May alone. No aircraft crossed the airspace of the other side but five Indian Air Force fighters were reportedly shot down.

Although the news has not been confirmed (statements from New Delhi and Islamabad differ, while the Indian press that published the news of the downing of some jets later removed it), it is nonetheless a major development.

India, which was heavily dependent in the past on Russian weapons, has reduced imports to 36 per cent, relying more on Western partners, in particular France (33 per cent), Israel (13 per cent) and the United States (10 per cent).

Conversely, Pakistan relies for more than 80 per cent of its arsenal on imports from China, but also enjoys the support of Turkey, as some Indian newspapers have reported.

Several analysts now believe that today's actions by India are an attempt to test its weapons against Pakistans.

In a meeting with all representatives of Indian political parties this morning, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that Operation Sindoor was a success and that the missile strikes killed about 100 terrorists.

This could have been enough for India to declare victory; instead, New Delhi, perhaps also to avoid the humiliation resulting from the news of the downed fighters, decided to expand military objectives.

Experts have drawn several parallels with Israeli military doctrine under Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu in the Gaza Strip.

Already after the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir (the worst in recent decades in terms of deaths, 26), several Indian netizens had drawn a parallel with the attacks of 7 October 2023 perpetrated by Hamas against Israel.

From the outset, India claimed that Pakistan was behind the group that claimed responsibility for the attack, Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out several terrorist attacks in India from the 1980s to the early 2000s.

However, although Islamabad has in the past supported various terrorist groups, it has stated that it had nothing to do with the 22 April attack in Kashmir. In fact, Pakistan is at present the main victim of local terrorist groups, led primarily by the Pakistani Taliban (The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP).

On its channels, the group released a statement of condolences for the death of Masood Azhar (radical Islamist, leader and founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed, another terrorist group active in Kashmir), killed in Indian airstrikes against the city of Bahawalpur.

Some observers pointed out that nowhere in the statement is there a word condemning or criticising India's military action against Pakistan.

Now all eyes are on what Islamabad's response to the Indian attacks will be.

Pakistan's National Security Council, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has authorised the military to respond at a time and place of its own choosing, adding that the population expects strong and decisive action against India.

For the time being, de-escalation efforts will have a chance only after the Pakistani response, which could be limited to a series of missile strikes against military targets along the border area.
by Lisa Bongiovanni

In the era of tariffs, stimulating domestic demand is vital for Beijing. But consumption is growing slowlyand it is no longer the megacities driving it, but smaller cities, where wages and confidence in the economy are rising. These shifts may also bring about broader social changes.

Milan (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Consumption in China is still growing only modestly. But an interesting trend is beginning to emerge: it's no longer the massive megacities leading the charge, but the smaller cities.

Today, boosting consumption is a priority for Beijing. Tariffs and the trade war have left the "worlds factory" with little choice but to reduce its dependence on exports.

Authorities are trying to stimulate domestic demand by increasing purchasing power and lowering financial burdens. Among other measures, the government has decided to raise the budget deficit from 3% to 4% of GDP for 2025a surprising shift from its traditionally cautious fiscal approach. It's worth noting that even during the pandemic, China kept the deficit pegged at 3%.

In 2024, consumption rosebut not enough. Official statistics show an average increase of 5%. However, the challenge is complex: economic policies alone are not enough unless they influence consumer confidence and habits. This is why more important than the numbers themselveswhich may be fleetingis understanding how behavior is changing. What has struck analysts is precisely the geographical distribution of emerging consumption patterns.

Cities in China are classified into tiers based on population and economic size. Megacities are tier one, provincial capitals are tier two, and smaller cities fall into the lower tiers. Historically, tier-one cities like Shanghai and Beijing have always led consumption growth. But in 2024, they relinquished this role to tier-three and tier-four cities. Shanghai slowed significantly, recording only a 0.4% increase. By contrast, Binzhoua tier-four city in Shandong province with a district population of only 4 million (relatively small by Chinese standards)recorded a 7.8% increase, according to data from The Paper.

Confirming this new consumption geography is the rise of the so-called provincial noblewomen on social mediaa powerful class of female consumers living far from the megacities. These affluent women are reshaping the luxury market and embracing a more modern, conscious lifestyle. Their influence explains why luxury brands are now opening stores in small cities, a strategy that used to be reserved for chains like McDonald's. Luxury spending in second- and third-tier cities rose by 22% and 9%, respectively, in 2024.

According to official data reported by Sixth Tone, families in smaller cities spend more. In Shanghai, households spend about 60% of their disposable income, while in Yongzhoua tier-four city in Hunan provincethey spend an average of 80%.

Experts say this higher spending is linked to consumer confidence in the market. In a survey conducted by McKinsey, young people in small cities expressed more optimism about the Chinese economy than their peers in larger cities. This perception may be influenced by the drop in property values, highlighting the complexity of crafting effective economic policies in a vast and economically diverse country. The collapse of real estate giants like Evergrande has hit wealthier city dwellerswho tend to own more propertyespecially hard. In contrast, lower-income groups have seen their spending capacity grow.

Consumer confidence also reflects rising incomes. Salaries in smaller cities have increased, thanks to technological development and population growth. Over the last decade, these cities have moved away from the Mao-era household registration system that restricted movement between urban and rural areas. This system, which assigned every citizen a legal status tied to a specific location and limited access to public services, was meant to prevent rural-to-urban migration. As restrictions eased, migration from major cities brought new consumption habits to smaller towns, creating a virtuous cycle. Technology has helped fuel this movement, allowing smaller cities to compete with larger ones. A notable example is Heze, in eastern Shandong province, where the rise of livestream e-commerce and transportation development has boosted the local flower industry. Moving production to smaller cities, where labor is cheaper, has generated wealth and created new jobs.

Chinas 5.4% GDP growth in the first quarter of 2025 was well received. Although this figure refers to the pre-tariff period, state media are riding the wave to build market confidence. On social media, users are joking about the iconic MAGA hatslikely made in China. Maos famous phrase that "America is just a paper tiger" is also making a comeback, as a way to downplay external threats and strengthen internal cohesion.

However, Chinas persistently low consumption levels are no accident. As Michael Pettis, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote on X: It has been a fundamental factor in Chinas economic growth model, around which three to four decades of political, financial, legal, and commercial institutions have evolved. Changing it wont be easy. Even today, the more families spend, the less remains in the savings pool on which Chinas state banks rely to fund key sectorslike artificial intelligence and advanced technologiesthat could give Beijing a strategic edge over Washington. A consumption-led economy would bring radical changes to the very social system that Xi Jinping seeks to maintain strict control over.

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Another house as well as a cultural center in Khnatsakh already came under fire last month. Two villagers who did not want to be identified told RFE/RLs Armenian Service said the latest gunshots fired from Azerbaijani army positions were more intense than usual and damaged two or three rooftops.

We felt that they were firing not into the air but at the village, said one of them. If they hit three roofs in a single night, its obvious that they target the village itself.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said, meanwhile, that the gunfire damaged one house roof in Khnatsakh on Wednesday night. It urged the Azerbaijani side to investigate the incident and come up with public clarifications.

Gunshots that were also heard by people living in the nearby village of Khoznavar. Residents of the two communities in Armenias Syunik province have reported nightly gunfire from Azerbaijani army positions for more than a month.

It began days after Azerbaijan started accusing Armenian troops of violating the ceasefire regime on a regular basis. The accusations denied by the Armenian military followed official announcements on March 13 that the two conflicting sides have bridged their differences on the text of an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty.

The Azerbaijani leadership has made clear that it will not sign the treaty without securing more Armenian concessions. Armenian opposition figures and pundits have suggested that the truce violations are aimed at forcing Yerevan to make those concessions or preparing the ground for a large-scale military attack on Armenia.

We primarily fear for our children, said one woman from Khnatsakh. This has been going on for 50 days. We dont know what our government thinks of this.

Were scared of leaving our homes, said another local resident.

Two Armenian government ministers visited Khnatsakh and Khoznavar and spent a night there last week in an apparent bid to reassure the local population. An official statement on the visit made no mention of the ceasefire violations.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians office told Factor.am on Wednesday that Yerevan and Baku have exchanged information about those violations. The office said the Armenian side has also investigated Azerbaijani claims and already presented its finding to Baku. It did not disclose them.
8 May 2025 17:21 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

In an ongoing war crimes trial, Zabil Safarov, a victim of the occupation of Azerbaijan's Kalbajar region, provided his testimony today at the Baku Military Court.

According to Azernews, Safarov described how, on April 4, 1993, Armenian armed forces entered Kalbajar and surrounded the area, capturing and holding him as a prisoner. He recalled being forcibly placed on a tank by Armenian soldiers, despite his grandmothers desperate pleas to keep him by her side. However, they ignored her request, and she was killed after expressing hope that one day our army will reclaim this land.

After witnessing the brutal killing of his grandmother, Safarov was taken to the village of Vang in Kalbajar, where he and others were subjected to torture. He was later transferred to the district centre, where the torment continued.

The victim shared horrific details about the treatment of other captives. The Armenians tortured not just men, but also women, children, and the elderly. They showed no mercy, Safarov said. He described how Armenian soldiers burned an Azerbaijani soldier's body using a heated metal rod and cut off one prisoners ear.

Safarov also recounted witnessing the brutal murder of several Azerbaijani prisoners during his time in the "Shusha prison." I saw one prisoners body being burned with a cross carved into it, and several others being beaten to death by Armenian soldiers, he said.

In another chilling account, Safarov testified that, in front of his eyes, 23 people were buried alive, with only their heads left exposed. He also recalled how many victims, unable to bear the tortures, chose to end their own lives.

Armenian forces desecrated our cemeteries, dug up the bodies, looted them, and further humiliated the dead, Safarov added, explaining the lasting physical effects the torture had on him. He said that his right ear now has diminished hearing, he has vision problems, and his teeth were broken during the ordeal.

This testimony is part of the ongoing trial of Armenian citizens accused of committing numerous crimes, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and violations of the laws of war during Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan.
9 May 2025 00:08 (UTC+04:00)

Public hearings on the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan and others, who are accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, acts of genocide, violation of the laws and customs of warfare, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power and numerous other crimes as a result of Armenia's military aggression, continued on May 8.

The hearings held at the Baku Military Court were presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev and a panel consisting of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova). Each of the accused was provided with an interpreter into the language of their choice, as well as defense attorneys.

Present at the hearings were the accused and their defense attorneys, some of the victims, their legal successors and representatives, as well as prosecutors in charge of public prosecution.

Judge Zeynal Aghayev introduced the panel of judges, interpreters, etc. to those of the victims who were participating in the hearings for the first time, and also explained their rights and obligations stipulated by national legislation.

First, Assistant to the Prosecutor General for Special Assignments, Tugay Rahimli presented video footage taken by Armenians during the occupation of Kalbajar. One of the videos screened was recorded in March and April 1993.

The video footage features Armenian military personnel informing Monte Melkonyan via communication line about the military operations conducted and which territories of Azerbaijan they have occupied.

One segment featured Monte Melkonyan addressing the militants, asking: What have we done today? Where are we now? Where were we yesterday? What did we do?

A militant responded, reporting that they were 20 kilometers from Kalbajar.

Melkonyan went on to say that Armenian forces had advanced from the western part of Aghdara and from the direction of Aghdaban, eventually reaching Kalbajar. By annexing Kalbajar to Armenia, the entire region will be annexed to Armenia, and many roads will become accessible. I hope that the Azeris (Azerbaijanis  ed.) will understand that it is all over, said Monte Melkonyan, also known by the nickname Avo.

When asked whether Azerbaijanis had shown strong resistance, Melkonyan replied: Yes, the resistance was tough. We came here via the Lachin road. Every Armenian should understand that their participation in this cause is very important. As decided in 1988, these territories will be annexed to Armenia.

Melkonyan also claimed approximately 70 Azerbaijanis were killed on the battlefield.

The video further showed the bodies of Azerbaijani victims and footage of Armenian troops entering Kalbajar and surrounding villages.

The court then heard testimony from victims.

In his statement, Victim Zabil Safarov Safarov recounted that on April 4, 1993, Armenian armed forces entered Kalbajar and surrounded the area.

When the Armenians placed me in a tank and took me away, my grandmother pleaded with them not to separate us. She begged them not to take me away from her. But they ignored her. After that, they killed my grandmother because she said, Someday Azerbaijani army will liberate these lands. After killing her, they took me to the village of Vang in Kalbajar. There, we were tortured and later transferred to another location in the district, he said.

Safarov recalled that Armenian soldiers mistreated minors, women, and young girls taken hostage. He testified that they tortured everyoneincluding the elderly and childrenand killed many of them.

The Armenians heated a skewer and burned the body of an Azerbaijani soldier. While I was in Shusha "prison", I witnessed them burning the body of one of them. I saw the Armenians killing several Azerbaijanis by beating.

They also buried 23 people alive in front of my eyes, only their heads were left outside.

The Armenians tortured the Azerbaijanis so much that they could not stand it and killed themselves.

The soldiers of the Armenian army looted Azerbaijani cemeteries, pulled the bodies from the graves, robbed them and insulted them.

Due to the tortures I was subjected to, my right ear is not hearing well, and my eyesight is weak. They broke my teeth," Safarov noted.

In his response to a question from the state prosecutor Tarana Mammadova, the victim said that the footage was filmed on April 12, 1993, adding that the young boy in the video is him. It was filmed when they were being held hostage. In that footage, Azerbaijani hostages are baking bread for Armenians. The video was shot by a Ukrainian journalist named Svetlana. The Armenians create the impression that they are taking good care of the hostages and will exchange them. They also instructed the hostages in advance not to say a word about the torture.

In response to a question from the victims' representative, Zabil Safarov stated that he was released from captivity in November 1995.

Victim Nasimi Safarov testified that he lived in the village of Aghdaban in Kalbajar district with his father, mother, siblings - including 3 brothers, 2 sisters - wife and son. The first attacks of Armenians on the village of Aghdaban took place on July 10, 1989. Those Armenians were residents of the village of Chapar in the Aghdara district. Their leader was the chairman of the collective farm of the village of Chapar, an Armenian named "Gago", who was sent from Armenia to lead these events. In October-November 1991, Armenian armed units attacked the village of Aghdaban twice with weapons, and the village's self-defense group defended the village with the hunting weapons they had, and the Armenians were unable to occupy the village.

While answering the questions of Head of the Department of Public Prosecution Defense of the Prosecutor General's Office Nasir Bayramov, he noted that in the morning of April 8, 1992, Armenians attacked the village with a very large force, that is, with about 1,000 people and 6 armoured vehicles: There were about 30-35 of us at the time of the attack. During the attack by the Armenian army units, 32 residents of the village of Aghdaban were killed, 9 were injured, and 5 were taken hostage. The Armenians burned down about half of the houses in the village. They looted and took away the livestock belonging to the village population and various household items in the houses. The remaining villagers were forced to flee in the direction of the Baghirli village of Kalbajar district. They forcedly left the village on foot through the forests.

We could not defend the village, as the Armenians were many times in advantage in terms of numbers and weapons.

Zamin Gurbanov, the legal heir of the victim, stated that on April 8, 1992, the soldiers of the Armenian Armed Forces launched an armed attack on the villages of Aghdaban and Chaygovushan in Kalbajar district.

He noted that during that attack, his father, Baku Gojayev, and mother, Zeynab Gojayeva, were burned to death in the house they lived in.

During the armed attack of the Armenian armed units on the village, his cousin was at home when the house was burned down by the Armenians, and she was killed inside the house. Their bodies were almost completely burned to ashes. At that time, he was living in the city of Barda with his wife and children.

Following the victims' statements, another video was screened. The video featured Arshavir Garamyan, who later became the "Minister of Internal Affairs, National Security" and "Prosecutor General" of the so-called regime, saying that the soldiers are in good spirits. The video further confirms Armenia's insistence on continuing its policy of aggression and aggressive war against Azerbaijan.

In response to a question from Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General Vusal Aliyev, the victim noted that during that attack, his uncle Gara Gojayev died from gunshot wounds in a shooting near his home.

"Armenians have been spreading hatred against Azerbaijanis living in the Karabakh region since early 1988. Armenians blocked the Aghdara-Kalbajar road and threw stones at vehicles belonging to Azerbaijanis passing through the road, hitting cars with sticks in their hands and insulting drivers and passengers. Their intention was to expel Azerbaijanis from their homeland, and with these actions they tried to scare them and drive them out of their homes," Z. Gurbanov mentioned.

In his testimony, the victim and the legal heir of the victim, Isgandar Karimov, also stated that before the occupation of the Kalbajar district, he worked as a doctor at the "Istisu" sanatorium in the district and lived in the village of Aghdaban.

He noted that he had joined the self-defense group organized to defend the village of Aghdaban from Armenian armed units attacks.

Since 1990, the Armenian armed units have been regularly subjecting to fire the village of Aghdaban from various calibers from the direction of the village of Chapar in the Aghdara district. In April 1992, there were approximately 137 houses in the village of Aghdaban, that is, about 700 residents, including 137 families, lived in the village.

On April 8, 1992, Armenian armed units, using various caliber weapons, subjected to fire the village of Aghdaban from various directions. They came from the village of Chapar, through the forest and mountainous areas, and completely surrounded the village. They fired at the village from large-caliber weapons, machine guns, and from other forest and mountainous areas from automatic weapons, the victim added.

Later, Victim Mushfig Aliyev testified that on March 31, 1993, he was taken hostage by the Armenian army servicemen in the territory of the Kalbajar district. Then, together with other hostages, he was taken to a kindergarten in the city of Khankendi in a Ural vehicle.

On April 1, 1993, I was taken to the Khankendi city children's hospital together with Jamila Guliyeva. There, an Armenian doctor named Stepanyan Edik first tried to amputate my bullet-wounded leg, but then, he performed a surgical operation without using any painkillers or anesthetics without amputating it. During my three-month stay in the hospital, I realized that the Armenian doctor was carrying out an experiment on me, the victim mentioned.

Responding to questions from the public prosecutor Vusal Abdullayev, the victim underscore that he was taken to Shusha prison together with 5 hostages whose wounds had not fully healed, where they were held for 1 year and 7 months. During this period, I was regularly severely beaten with fists, iron bars, rebar, thick cables and various blunt objects by the Armenian guards "Armo", "Ovik" and "Gena" brothers, "Slavik", "Artur", as well as other Armenian guards whose names I do not recall and was subjected to various forms of torture. Bakhtiyar Safarov, an Azerbaijani hostage whose name I do not recall and I were forced to work and engage in forced labor on farms located in the Malibayli village in Shusha district, M. Aliyev added.

In response to a question from public prosecutor Fuad Musayev, the victim noted that several Azerbaijanis held hostage committed suicide, unable to withstand the torture. He also tried to do so, but could not finish it. He even attempted to set himself on fire, unable to bear the torture.

The conclusions of forensic medical examination conducted on the victims were also announced during the hearings.

Furthermore, a video footage on the Armenian armys occupation of the village of Bashlibel in the Kalbajar district was screened.

According to the footage, one of the Armenians in military uniform in stated that the Armenian soldiers behaved very well and were in good spirits. He continued: We will reach Kirovabad, and as the gypsies say, Ganja.

Later, Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General Vusal Aliyev read out the protocols on the massacre committed in the Bashlibel village of Kalbajar district.

The next hearings are scheduled for May 12.

A total of 15 Armenian nationals are being charged with numerous crimes involving direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, its state bodies, military forces and illegal armed formations, verbal and written instructions, orders and assignments, provision of material and technical support, central governance, as well as the exercise of rigorous control, with the aim of committing military aggression and acts of terror against the Republic of Azerbaijan in the territory of Azerbaijan in violation of domestic and international law, and involving Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Mushegi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan and others, including criminal acts committed during the course of the war of aggression waged by the aforementioned criminal group.

The said persons, i.e. Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan, are being charged under Articles 100 (planning, preparing, initiating and waging a war of aggression), 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection), 103 (genocide), 105 (extermination of the population), 106 (enslaving), 107 (deportation or forced displacement of the population), 109 (persecution), 110 (enforced disappearance of people), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary service), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict), 118 (military robbery), 120 (intentional murder), 192 (illegal entrepreneurship), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing terrorism), 218 (creation of a criminal association (organization)), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation and possession of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices), 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security), 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure), 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations and groups not provided for by law) and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
8 May 2025 16:58 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

In a historic development for bilateral relations, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam held a joint press conference on May 7 in Baku, following high-level talks that culminated in the signing of a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership. This document, which President Aliyev described as a very serious political document, marks a significant elevation in ties between the two countries and signals a commitment to wide-ranging cooperation.

"This is a document that will elevate Vietnamese-Azerbaijani relations to a higher level," said President Aliyev during his statement, underlining the political weight of the agreement. His remarks conveyed not only satisfaction with the visit but also a forward-looking vision for bilateral engagement. I am convinced that these high-level relations will play a very important role in our bilateral cooperation in the future, he noted.

President Aliyev emphasised the comprehensive nature of the partnership, highlighting the sectors covered by the newly signed agreements, including energy, transport, trade, education, and defence industry cooperation. The breadth of cooperation reflects both countries aspirations to diversify and modernise their international partnerships amid a complex global environment.

We have taken a very serious step in the direction of mutual cooperation, Ilham Aliyev said, emphasising that the results of the visit must translate into concrete projects. This practical tone suggests that Baku is keen to move beyond symbolic diplomacy and build measurable outcomes from this renewed alliance.

While acknowledging that Azerbaijans trade with Vietnam has historically been dominated by oil sales, President Aliyev pointed out the need for diversification and balance. When oil sales are high, trade increases, and when they drop, it decreases too, he said. Of course, we would like to see our trade become more balanced.

To address this, both leaders discussed mutual investment opportunities. President Aliyev revealed that discussions included the possibility of Vietnamese companies investing in Azerbaijan and SOCAR (Azerbaijans state oil company) investing in Vietnam. This two-way investment approach reflects a maturing relationship, where both sides are seeking sustainable economic engagement beyond raw commodities.

A key mechanism to facilitate this will be the reactivation of the Intergovernmental Commission, which has been dormant for several years. The issue of convening a meeting of the Commission soon has been resolved on the basis of the agreement reached, said President Aliyev, signaling a concrete institutional step toward activating these economic ambitions.

Clean energy and defence: New frontiers of cooperation

President Aliyev devoted special attention to renewable energy cooperation, a sector that Azerbaijan is aggressively expanding. The signed contracts will provide us with 6,500 megawatts of new and clean energy capacity in five years, he said, while inviting Vietnamese companies to invest in this emerging market. Notably, he added, The Azerbaijani side is ready to invest in renewable energy in Vietnam, showing that the intent is mutual.

He also identified defence industry cooperation as an area with strong potential. This sector is sufficiently developed in both countries, he remarked. The suggestion to join efforts, create joint ventures and mutual cooperation in defence points to a strategic depth that goes beyond economic and cultural ties.

Multilateral diplomacy and shared principles

The convergence between Azerbaijan and Vietnam is not limited to bilateral matters. Ilham Aliyev noted strong cooperation in multilateral platforms, recalling Vietnams support for Azerbaijan during its tenure in the UN Security Council and shared activity within the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Importantly, both leaders voiced clear support for international law and peaceful dispute resolution. There is no disagreement here either, President Aliyev said. All issues should be resolved based on the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and inviolability of the borders of countries. His remarks mirrored General Secretary To Lams reiteration of Vietnams commitment to peaceful resolution and adherence to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

These mutual affirmations reflect a shared diplomatic worldview, rooted in sovereignty, stability, and respect for legal norms and principles that resonate strongly in both countries foreign policies.

Connectivity as a bridge between regions

Despite the geographic distance between the two nations, President Aliyev pointed out that transport corridors such as the North-South and East-West routes can serve as the backbone for deeper trade. We can encourage mutual trade through both the North-South and East-West transport corridors, he said. This shows Azerbaijans ambition to use its transit infrastructure not just as a regional tool but as a bridge linking Asia and Europe - with Vietnam positioned as a key eastern partner.

President Aliyev closed his remarks by acknowledging the historic nature of To Lams visit. Although the visit is short in terms of time, it is quite rich in terms of content, he said, expressing confidence that the visit would yield very good results.

To Lam, in turn, praised the trust, friendship, and sincerity of his talks with Aliyev and expressed optimism for deepened relations in political, diplomatic, energy, defense, trade, and other fields. He proposed five goals to operationalize the strategic partnership and invited President Aliyev to visit Vietnam.

The May 7 meeting between President Ilham Aliyev and General Secretary To Lam marks a watershed moment in Azerbaijani-Vietnamese relations. With the signing of a strategic partnership declaration and a detailed roadmap for cooperation, both countries have demonstrated clear political will to translate historical goodwill into modern, multi-sectoral engagement.

What remains now is the implementation. If the vision laid out in Baku can be realized through effective policy follow-through and institutional coordination, the Azerbaijan-Vietnam partnership could serve as a model for how geographically distant but politically aligned countries can forge meaningful, strategic ties in a fragmented global order.
China's foreign exchange reserves up 1.27% in April amid economic vitality

Global Times) 09:43, May 08, 2025

A teller counts U.S. dollar bills at a bank in Qionghai, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo/Xinhua)

China's foreign exchange reserves reached $3.2817 trillion at the end of April 2025, up 1.27 percent from the end of March, official data showed Wednesday.

The combined effects of currency translation and asset price changes have led to the increase in China's foreign exchange reserves, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said in a statement.

Moreover, the resilience and vitality of the Chinese economy contributed to the stability of the foreign exchange reserves, the statement added.

The country's foreign exchange reserves have stayed above $3.2 trillion for 17 consecutive months, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Amid a complex and challenging international economic and trade environment, China has actively undertaken its responsibilities as a major nation by upholding multilateralism and enhancing communication and cooperation with neighboring countries and the European Union, Wen Bin, chief economist at China Minsheng Bank, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

In the short term, these efforts help mitigate risks from declining exports to the US, Wen said. In the long term, China's comprehensive industrial chain advantages and strong international competitiveness of its products will continue to stabilize cross-border capital flows.

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee convened on April 25 stressed the importance of stabilizing employment, enterprises, markets, and expectations, and addressing external uncertainties with a focus on high-quality development, he added.

On Wednesday, the People's Bank of China, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, and the China Securities Regulatory Commission implemented a set of financial policies to support market stability and bolster expectations.

"This will help sustain the steady growth of the domestic economy, ensuring overall balance in international payments and maintaining stability in foreign exchange reserves," Wen noted.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
8 May 2025 14:16 (UTC+04:00)

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8 May 2025 11:21 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

The Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation has organized a concert program "Sn el bir zirvsn" dedicated to the 102nd anniversary of the birth of the founder of modern Azerbaijan, the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, Azernews reports.

The concert, which took place at the Baku Congress Center, was attended by representatives of state and private structures, deputies of the Azerbaijani Parliament, members of trade unions, and media representatives.

First, the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was played.

As part of the event, a film was shown reflecting the rich and meaningful life of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, as well as his historical merits in strengthening our statehood, improving the well-being of our people and developing modern Azerbaijan.

Then a musical program consisting of folk and original songs was presented.

Famous performers performed musical pieces that the national leader loved to listen to.

The concert program ended with the musical composition "Garabagh" performed by the Honored Ambassador of Labor of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation, People's Artist Mansum Ibrahimov.
8 May 2025 16:35 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Azerbaijan National Art Museum has presented an exhibition under the poetic name "Sound of the Soul" dedicated to the 85th anniversary of People's Artist, sculptor Akif Asgarov (1940-2023), Azernews reports.

The event brought together cultural figures, colleagues, students of the master as well as art enthusiasts.

The museum director, Doctor of Philosophy in Art Studies Shirin Malikova, the President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Academician Isa Habibbayli, the rector of the Azerbaijan Academy of Arts, People's Artist Natig Aliyev, People's Artists Omar Eldarov, Salhab Mammadov, Honored Artist Chingiz Farzaliyev, and the representative of the sculptor's family Rovshan Huseynov spoke with sincere words and memories.

A total of 60 art pieces were on display as part of the exhibition. Easel sculpture and graphics, brought from museum and family collections, cover decades of the master's work.

Small forms of plastic art come to life in the images of women, ballerinas, old people. And the subtle, philosophical reliefs based on the "Khamsa" of the great Nizami seem to invite you into the world of poetry, carved from stone and bronze.

A special corner is dedicated to the artist's studio: his work table, tools, awards and diplomas - a silent but piercing reminder of the path traveled with love and dedication.

The exhibition "Sound of the Soul" is open until September 3.

Founded in 1937, Azerbaijan National Art Museum offers art connoisseurs some of the best examples of decorative-applied arts of Western Europe.

Over 3,000 items in 60 rooms are on permanent display at the museum, and around 12,000 items are kept in storage. Here, you can see masterpieces of the Italian, French, German, and Polish masters of brush.

The museum has successfully organized and hosted numerous high-level international exhibitions, showcasing the works of renowned artists.

These exhibitions have not only attracted art enthusiasts but have also contributed to the cultural exchange between Azerbaijan and other countries.
8 May 2025 09:10 (UTC+04:00)

Footage from the visit of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, To Lam, to Azerbaijan has been posted on President Ilham Aliyevs social media accounts.

According to Azernews, the post reads:

"President Ilham Aliyev met with To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who is on a state visit to Azerbaijan. (07.05.2025)".
8 May 2025 10:19 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Republic Mine Action Agency (ANAMA), Vugar Suleymanov, has paid a visit to Gazakh along with members of the agencys Public Council.

As reported by ANAMA to the local media, the purpose of the visit was to observe the progress of humanitarian mine clearance operations carried out by the Agency in the territories liberated from occupation, as well as to review ongoing awareness-raising activities.

During the two-day visit, the delegation inspected mine clearance operations in the Gazakh district and participated in the installation of warning and educational signs about the dangers of explosive devices in the area.

The delegation also visited ANAMAs Goygol Regional Training Center, where they were briefed on the facilities and observed training sessions conducted by the Agency for personnel from the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Humanitarian Mine Action and Battlefield Clearance.

As part of their visit to the liberated territories, the delegation led by the Chairman of ANAMA also reviewed humanitarian mine clearance operations being carried out in the Aghdara district by the International Eurasia Press Fund.

Additionally, the delegation visited ANAMAs mobile base in the Lachin district, where they inspected the facilities and met with field personnel.
8 May 2025 10:41 (UTC+04:00)

On May 8, the staff of the Permanent Representation of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in Baku visited the Alley of Honor to mark the 102nd anniversary of the birth of National Leader Heydar Aliyev.

Azernews reports via Azertag that the staff of the permanent representation paid their respects to the cherished memory of Heydar Aliyev, the architect and founder of modern, independent Azerbaijan, by laying flowers at his grave.

Fresh flowers were also laid at the grave of prominent ophthalmologist and academician Zarifa Aliyeva, and her memory was honored with deep respect.
8 May 2025 11:42 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has met with Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Bui Thanh Son, Azernews reports, citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The Ministry noted that the meeting focused on the future development of strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Vietnam, as well as bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Discussions also covered regional and international security issues.

The importance of mutual visits and contacts between the two countries was emphasized, particularly the state visit of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, to Azerbaijan. During this visit, a Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and Vietnam was adopted, marking a key milestone in their collaboration.

The meeting also highlighted the significant potential for cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, defense industry, energy security, transportation, and humanitarian fields. The necessity of utilizing various mechanisms to boost these opportunities, including political consultations and platforms like the Intergovernmental Commission, was noted.

Discussions also included cooperation within regional and international organizations, such as the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Both sides stressed the importance of continued mutual support and solidarity.

Additionally, other matters of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting.
8 May 2025 17:44 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

The Baku Military Court today continued proceedings in the trial of Armenian nationals accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the occupation of Azerbaijani territories.

As part of the hearing, video footage was presented that documents the occupation of Azerbaijans Kalbajar district by Armenian armed forces.

According to Azernews, the video begins with commentary on the positioning of Armenian military units. Prominently featured is Monte Melkonian, an Armenian militant commander, who is seen repeatedly questioning his fellow soldiers: What have we done today?, Where are we now?, and Where were we yesterday, what did we do?

In response, an Armenian soldier states that they are currently 20 kilometers away from Kalbajar.

The footage captures Melkonian stating that their forces had advanced from the western part of Aghdara, via the Aghdaban direction, and had now reached Kalbajar. He is heard declaring, By annexing Kalbajar to Armenia, the whole of Garabagh will be connected to Armenia, and many roads will open for Armenia. I hope the Azeris will understand and accept that its all over.

Melkonian also addresses the question of Azerbaijani resistance, admitting, Yes, it was a strong defensive line. We cut off the Lachin road and came here. Every Armenian must understand that their involvement in this matter is crucial. These territories will be annexed to Armenia, as was decided back in 1988.

In another segment, Melkonian claims that approximately 70 Azerbaijanis were killed during the fighting. The video includes graphic scenes showing the bodies of the slain Azerbaijani civilians and soldiers.

Additional footage shows Armenian troops entering Kalbajar and surrounding villages, further documenting the extent of the military incursion.

This presentation is part of an ongoing trial concerning numerous charges brought against Armenian citizens. These include preparation and waging of aggressive war, violations of the laws and customs of war, genocide, terrorism, financing of terrorism, and the violent seizure and retention of power, among other grave crimes committed during Armenias military aggression.
8 May 2025 21:00 (UTC+04:00)

By DR. Imran Khalid

As Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares for a high-profile visit to Moscow this week - coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany - the timing and symbolism are too important to overlook. Amid an intensifying geopolitical rivalry and an ongoing war in Ukraine, this visit encapsulates not only a moment of remembrance but also a carefully choreographed performance of strategic alignment.

Xis meeting with Vladimir Putin will undoubtedly be watched closely in Washington and Brussels. Western analysts often paint Chinas position on the Ukraine war as ambiguous, or even complicit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently accused Beijing of supplying military components to Moscow - a charge Beijing firmly denies. The China-Russia relationship is not a wartime alliance akin to NATO but a civilizational partnership with deep strategic roots.

Since their formal declaration of a strategic partnership in 1996 and the signing of the Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation in 2001, the two countries have synchronised their policies across key global institutions. From the UN Security Council to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS, Beijing and Moscow have steadily cultivated a parallel order - one that seeks to moderate, and in some ways replace, the Western-led global system.

Trade ties between the two are now stronger than ever. In 2024, bilateral trade reached an all-time high of $245 billion. Russia provides energy - crude oil, natural gas, and even nuclear fuel - while China supplies technology, machinery, and consumer goods. This economic interdependence has allowed Russia to weather Western sanctions with surprising resilience and has given China increased access to Eurasian resources. President Putin has even called the relationship truly strategic in nature, deep-seated, and not without cause.

Yet this alliance is not without its limits. China has shown no interest in directly supporting Russias military offensive in Ukraine. Instead, it continues to advocate for diplomacy, a ceasefire, and what it vaguely calls a "political solution." When Moscow proposed a brief three-day ceasefire for May 9 - Russias annual Victory Day celebration - Kyiv countered with a demand for a 30-day truce. While the exchange yielded no tangible progress, Beijings response was instructive: it did not endorse either position but instead underscored its commitment to peace and dialogue.

This is classic Chinese diplomacy - noncommittal in rhetoric, pragmatic in practice, and always aimed at long-term interests. Much has been made of a possible "axis" between China and Russia, fueled by American fears that a new Cold War is forming - not just with Moscow but with Beijing too. This line of thinking, however, overlooks the fundamental asymmetry in the Wests own relationships. The two leaders have met over 40 times, a frequency that speaks volumes about their personal rapport and mutual trust.

What Washington appears to hope for - a weakening of Sino-Russian ties in exchange for limited detente with Moscow - is a diplomatic illusion. Russia may entertain dialogues with the U.S. on Ukraine, as it reportedly did in Riyadh earlier this year, but it is unlikely to jeopardize its growing partnership with China for short-term concessions. The logic is simple: China offers Russia a long-term vision of economic and geopolitical stability that the West, consumed with punitive sanctions and diplomatic isolation, cannot match.

For China, the Ukraine war is not merely a regional crisis but a litmus test for global governance. Beijing sees the conflict as a symptom of an outdated international order dominated by a single pole - the United States. Its strategic response has been to amplify calls for a multipolar world, one where the Global South, including powers like Brazil, India, and South Africa, have a more decisive say in international affairs.

It is no coincidence that this year also marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. As two of its founding members and permanent Security Council players, China and Russia are asserting their joint responsibility to safeguard the international system, albeit on their own terms.

If one were to look beyond the headlines and polemics, Chinas role in the Ukraine conflict may be more constructive than confrontational. Beijing has not stoked the flames of war, nor has it sought to isolate Ukraine diplomatically. Instead, it is using its leverage with Moscow to stabilise, rather than escalate, the situation. This is not altruism - it is strategic prudence. A protracted war in Eastern Europe undermines Chinas Belt and Road ambitions and adds volatility to global markets, especially energy and food, two areas where China has vital interests.

As the Ukraine conflict grinds on, China will continue to walk this delicate line. It will not abandon Russia, nor will it fully endorse its war. Instead, it will act as a geopolitical stabiliser, framing itself as a responsible power that resists the binaries of Cold War thinking. And in doing so, China may be telling the world a quiet but powerful message: that in an era of chaos, it prefers calculated continuity. Not because it agrees with everything its partners do, but because it knows that only by shaping the system from within can it avoid being shaped by others.
8 May 2025 18:35 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

The cultural journey that the Albayrak Group has been continuing for 11 years has brought the most exquisite examples of calligraphy to England this time. The Ruha Sifa Husn-u Hat exhibition, created together with the Kim Psychology and Mental Health Association, opened its doors to art lovers on the evening of May 6, hosted by the London Yunus Emre Institute. The exhibition, which opened with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the participation of Minister of Trade Omer Bolat, will continue to host its visitors until May 20.

The exhibition presents the elegance of calligraphy not only as a visual feast but also as a process of inner healing. Each masterfully written work bears the mark of patience, spirituality, and contemplation. This special selection, which touches on mental health, invites viewers to seek both aesthetic depth and spiritual balance.

The opening ceremony, which took place on May 6, was attended by Trade Minister Omer Bolat, Deputy Trade Minister Mustafa Tozcu, London Ambassador Osman Koray Ertas, UK Member of Parliament Afsal Khan, Yunus Emre Institute London Coordinator Mehmet Karakus, Albayrak Media General Manager Abdullah Hanonu, Albayrak Group Corporate Communications Coordinator Esad Sivri, Albayrak Media Sales and Marketing Deputy General Manager Ziya Kadam, Yeni Safak Internet Publishing Director Ersin Celik, Albayrak Media Sales and Marketing Deputy General Manager Burak Sezai Ilk, Albayrak Advertising and Events Manager Fatih Emre Tugrul, and Mental Health Association President Omer Akgul. The speeches emphasized that calligraphy is not only a cultural but also a spiritual healing tool.

Minister of Trade Omer Bolat, who attended the opening of the exhibition, said, As part of our visit to London, we are opening the Calligraphy Exhibition for the Healing of the Soul hosted by the Albayrak Group at the Yunus Emre Institute Cultural Center. The exhibition, which brings together various examples of polite words from the verses of the Quran that are healing for the soul with calligraphy, also offers a different perspective on Islamic arts. I would like to thank the Albayrak Group for organizing this valuable exhibition and our Yunus Emre Institute for hosting it.

London Ambassador Osman Koray Ertas said, We are very happy to introduce this form of calligraphy that has found great meaning to art lovers in London as a result of the great efforts of the Albayrak Group. We are proud to present the ancient values of our country and nation in every geography where our flag flies together with our Yunus Emre Institute.

Albayrak Media General Manager Hanonu said the following: As the Albayrak Group, we have met with over 3 million art lovers in the journey of calligraphy that we started 11 years ago. Our past civilizations have always held the art of calligraphy in high esteem and carried it to the top. As the Albayrak Group, we also hold the art of calligraphy in high esteem and leave works for our future. I would like to thank the President of the Yunus Emre Institute and his entire team for their unwavering support in realizing this exhibition. We would like to thank everyone who showed interest and support.

Yunus Emre Institute London Coordinator Mehmet Karakus said, Today, as the London Yunus Emre Cultural Institute, we opened our doors to host the Soul Healing Calligraphy works. As the Yunus Emre Institute, we undertake the role of a cultural bridge between England and Turkey. We are very happy to contribute to this process with the Soul Healing Calligraphy exhibition. We would like to thank the Albayrak Media Group and other stakeholders.

Continuing its mission to bring art together with social goodness, the Albayrak Group is not only leading the way in protecting cultural heritage with this exhibition but also in drawing attention to mental health. Believing in the transformative and restorative power of art, the institution offers an exemplary culture-social benefit union in this respect.

The host of the exhibition, the London Yunus Emre Institute, continues to play an important role in introducing Turkish culture and art to the world. In this sense, the Soul Healing Calligraphy exhibition opens a new window to those who seek both art and individual well-being.

The exhibition will be open to all visitors until May 20. This special selection, which carries the elegance of calligraphy to the depths of the soul, invites art lovers in London to an aesthetic and spiritual journey.

Those who are interested can visit the exhibition virtually via Hattapsikoloji.com.
8 May 2025 19:50 (UTC+04:00)

Baykar made a statement and noted that the Bayraktar TB2T-AI, developed nationally and originally by Baykar, achieved another success in its testing activities.

Equipped with a turbo engine and superior artificial intelligence systems, the national SIHA broke its own record by reaching an altitude of 37,096 feet in the test flight held in Kesan.

Bayraktar TB2T-AI has demonstrated its ability to climb above 30 thousand feet in a very short time thanks to its powerful turbo engine. The new-generation SIHA climbed to 30,318 feet in the flight test conducted on February 21, 2025. Reaching 37,096 feet in the ongoing flight tests in Kesan, the national SIHA demonstrated its ability to perform long-term missions at high altitude.

The national SIHA has registered its high-altitude performance with this record. Bayraktar TB2T-AI, which has the ability to climb much faster and stay at high altitude for a long time compared to existing SIHAs, continues to be a critical power element supporting air superiority with its speed of over 160 knots (300 km/h). It is designed to serve longer and more effectively on the battlefield with its increased take-off weight and payload capacity.

Bayraktar TB2T-AI SIHA offers superior autonomous capabilities in air combat with its three new-generation artificial intelligence computers integrated into its body.

The new-generation national SIHA has also gained the ability to perform terrain-referenced visual navigation in the most challenging electronic warfare environments. Thanks to advanced artificial intelligence systems, it can recognize terrain and determine direction through visual navigation. It can analyze targets, detect, and diagnose them. It can perform autonomous landings and takeoffs by visually recognizing runways. It can determine the most suitable flight routes through dynamic route planning.

The national SIHA flies with the ability to overcome all kinds of difficult conditions. Thanks to its artificial intelligence-supported systems, the ability to automatically return to base safely in emergencies in the sky also maximizes operational safety at this new altitude level.

Bayraktar TB2 SIHAs, which entered the inventory in 2014, were produced with a 93% local content rate and are operating all over the world. They successfully surpassed 1 million hours of flight time in December 2024. Thus, Bayraktar TB2 became the national aircraft that has stayed in the sky for the longest time in Turkish aviation history. Bayraktar TB2 SIHAs are operating within the Turkish Armed Forces, the National Intelligence Organization, the Gendarmerie General Command, the General Directorate of Security, the Coast Guard Command, and the General Directorate of Forestry for the purpose of combating forest fires.

Bayraktar TB2 broke another record by flying continuously for 27 hours and 3 minutes in difficult geographical and climatic conditions such as high temperatures and sandstorms during its demo flight in Kuwait on July 16, 2019.

The national SIHA Bayraktar TB2, which has made its mark on the history of Turkish aviation, made history as the first and only SIHA in the world to successfully perform the autonomous barrel roll maneuver, one of the important escape maneuvers of fighter jets, during the test flights conducted on May 31, 2024. Bayraktar TB2 achieved another first in world aviation history by performing the autonomous spin recovery maneuver in the test conducted on April 9, 2025.

Bayraktar TB2 SIHAs have proven themselves with their superior performance in the international operations they have participated in, as well as the critical roles they have played in Turkiye's fight against terrorism. Operating in every corner of the world, the National SIHAs have played a key role in the wars in Libya, Ukraine, Mali, Burkina Faso, as well as in ending the 30-year Karabakh occupation.

Bayraktar TB2 UAVs have managed to enter the inventories of countries following competitive processes in many parts of the world. Bayraktar TB2, which won the competitive process conducted by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense in 2023, left its American, European, and Chinese competitors behind and signed an important export contract. This success strengthened Baykar's influence on a global scale, while further strengthening its presence in NATO and EU countries in 2024. Thanks to the agreement signed with Croatia on November 19, 2024, Bayraktar TB2 entered the inventories of 6 NATO member countries and 4 EU member countries.

In addition to security duties, national SIHAs also play an active role in civilian duties such as disaster response to earthquakes and floods, search and rescue operations, tracking irregular migration, and combating forest fires.

Bayraktar TB2 UAVs, which took part in the 6.8 magnitude earthquake centered in Sivrice, Elazg, on January 24, 2020, flew for 2,417 hours and 6 minutes in the earthquake centered in Kahramanmaras on February 6, 2023. In this context, a total of 42 Bayraktar TB2s, 8 of which were integrated with the Baykar Fast Mapping Pod, participated. In the scope of combating forest fires, 4,091 fires were detected by Bayraktar TB2 UAVs at the first moment between 2020 and 2024 and were extinguished before they grew larger.

Baykar, which has carried out all its projects with its own resources since the beginning of the UAV R&D process in 2003, has obtained 83 percent of all its revenues from exports. Baykar, which exported 1.8 billion dollars in 2023, was among the top 10 companies in Turkiye that exported the most in all sectors. Baykar, the largest company in the world unmanned aerial vehicle export market, continued its success on a global scale in 2024 and achieved 1.8 billion dollars in exports, obtaining 90 percent of its revenues from exports.

Baykar, which received the Champions of Export Award, became the export leader of the defense and aviation sector in 2021, 2022, and 2023 according to the data of the Presidency of Defense Industries and the Turkish Exporters Assembly. Baykar, which made one-third of the sector's exports in 2023, made one-fourth of the total exports of the defense and aviation sector in 2024, and carried Turkiye to the leading position in the global UAV export market.

97.5 percent of the contracts signed by Baykar, the world's largest unmanned aerial vehicle company, are export-based. Export agreements have been signed with 34 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 SIHA and with 11 countries for the Bayraktar AKINCI TIHA.
8 May 2025 21:21 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

North Korea has launched several ballistic missiles, presumably short-range, into the Sea of Japan, Azernews reports.

According to reports, the missiles were fired from the vicinity of Wonsan, a city located on the southeastern coast of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The previous missile launch occurred on March 10, when Pyongyang fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the Yellow Sea. That launch coincided with the start of the large-scale Freedom Shield joint military exercises conducted by the United States and South Korea.

This latest provocation comes amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Analysts note that Wonsan, aside from being a frequent missile launch site, is also home to one of Kim Jong-un's private resorts, underscoring how tightly controlled and symbolic these launches can be.
8 May 2025 20:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing to roll back the export rules on artificial intelligence (AI) chips that were introduced under President Joe Biden. The move comes as the Trump administration aims to adjust export controls related to chips manufactured in the United States, a key component for AI technologies, Azernews reports.

The revision of export control standards is reportedly timed to coincide with preparations for Trumps upcoming visit to the Middle East. Several countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have previously expressed dissatisfaction with the restrictions placed on their ability to purchase AI chips from American companies. With the expected changes, these nations will have the opportunity to negotiate new, more favorable terms of supply with Washington, according to reports.

Under Biden, the decision was made to categorize countries into three groups based on the level of restrictions for importing American-made chips. This system, however, is now likely to be scrapped, and the new approach might not take effect on May 15 as initially expected. Countries like Russia, Iran, China, and others were placed in the most restrictive category under Bidens framework, with maximum bans on AI chip exports.

According to Bloomberg, the Trump administration is working on a new policy that would eliminate the categorization system altogether. Instead, the new rule would impose export restrictions on countries that send American chips to China, including Malaysia and Thailand, which have become key intermediaries in the global tech supply chain.

A spokesman from the Bureau of Industry and Security at the US Department of Commerce explained the change, stating, Biden's AI chip supply rule is too complicated, too bureaucratic, and will hinder the development of American innovation. We will replace it with a much simpler rule that will ensure that the United States remains superior in the field of AI.

This shift in policy reflects growing concerns about the geopolitical implications of AI and semiconductor technology. As the global competition for AI dominance intensifies, the US is reevaluating how best to balance national security interests with fostering innovation. The Middle Easts growing interest in AI could also signal a shift in tech dynamics, with countries in the region potentially becoming key players in the global AI race if they gain greater access to cutting-edge technologies.
8 May 2025 20:15 (UTC+04:00)

The College of Cardinals gathered at the Vatican in Rome to elect a new pope who will lead the Catholic Church's 1.4 million members. Their decision was announced on Thursday with the appearance of white smoke rising from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, a traditional signal marking the election of a new pontiff, Azernews reports.

The identity of the new pope will soon be revealed from a balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square. Crowds are eagerly awaiting this moment, a symbolic occasion for both the faithful and the global Catholic community. The conclave, which began on Wednesday, was composed of 133 cardinal electors, each tasked with selecting a new spiritual leader for the Church.

This pivotal moment in Vatican history marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Church, as the faithful look to the pope for guidance in a rapidly changing world. The selection of a new leader holds profound significance, not only for Catholics but for the broader global community. The eyes of the world are now focused on the Vatican as they await the announcement of the new papacy.
A bi-partisan federal commission headed by Jimmy Carter warned years ago in its report that mail-in ballots are the most prone to election fraud and recommended minimizing the use of mail-in ballots. Instead, Democrats, who seem to like election fraud have gone the other way and tried to use them as much as possible.

Some Democrat run states like Colorado, in fact, have gone to using ONLY mail-in ballots. It is telling that the latest guilty plea to mail-in ballot election fraud came recently in that very state of Colorado.

A substitute US Postal Service mail carrier stole multiple ballots of other voters from the mail, and with her partner forged the signatures of the voters and cast them for those voters. Voters had their ballots hijacked and voted for them. Part of the plea bargain was that the mail carrier receive no more than nine years in prison for her election fraud.

Overuse of mail-in balloting is a threat to the integrity of our election system. We need to follow Jimmy Carter's advise and greatly restrict its use. President Trump is working through executive orders to do just that.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/05/colorado-postal-worker-pleads-guilty-rigging-2024-presidential/
The new Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope was raised to the rank of cardinal by the radical leftist Pope Francis I, which is always a cause of concern. However, he has been registered to vote as a Republican. Many in the MSM are viewing him as a moderate, and overall, he may turn out less leftist than Francis. Not being mentioned much in the MSM is that Leo XIV is also a naturalized citizen of Peru where he lived for decades.

However, Leo has actively used social media accounts for years and his posts there give cause for real concern on the major issue of illegal immigration. As a Cardinal, Leo was extremely active on social media promoting illegal immigration and attacking Republican officials who support strong border, particularly J.D. Vance, but also President Trump on at least one occasion. Leo even advocated for wife beating human trafficking MS13 gangster (a.k.a the "Maryland man to the MSM) Kitmar Albrego Garcia.

He has been less vocal in supporting gun control and praising George Floyd. However, he has also been on record as being pro-life and critical of homosexuality and similar lifestyles. There does not seem to be in clue in his social media on where Leo stands on Francis' climate worship.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/05/pope-leo-xiv-supports-open-borders-previously-took/

One has to be concerned that the highly ideological Francis knew what he was getting and approved when he raised Leo to the rank of cardinal.
A private equity firm has purchased the easyHotel brand, which includes a site in Belfast city centre in its portfolio.

The hotels owned by the chain, founded as part of the easy group best known for the budget airline, will now be owned and managed by European property investment business Tristan Capital Partners.

The private equity company now owns sites including the easyHotel on Belfasts Howard Street, and says it plans to materially expand the business.

The Belfast location opened in 2018 after a 5m renovation of the 200-year-old Dax building.

The chain, which was founded in 2004, now operates close to 5,000 rooms across nearly 50 hotels in the UK, Ireland and Europe.

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, creator and owner of the easy brands, said: I would like to personally thank our friends at ICAMAP and Ivanhoe Cambridge for believing and investing in the easy brand and I wish them well with their future ventures.

As is normal with the cycle of private equity funds, the time has come for them to sell their shares to a new owner. Today we welcome within the easy family of brands Tristan Capital Partners, a highly respected real estate investment specialist as the new owners of easyHotel.com.

The fact that this is the second set of professional investors with deep pockets that will own easyHotel.com brings tremendous validation of both the success of the business model of easyHotel.com and also the business model of easyGroup that created and continues to nurture the easy family of brands.

Tristan recognised in their bid that the easy brand values are of vital importance to their future business growth model. We look forward to their plans of significantly accelerating its geographical expansion across Europe.

Kristian Smyth, managing director of investments at Tristan Capital Partners, said: Tristans Funds have established a leading presence in the European budget hotel sector, with this transaction bringing the total committed hotel investments to in excess of 1bn to date.

The budget hotel sector forms a core part of Tristans European investment theses, reflecting the firms conviction in the long-term growth potential of this under-represented sector.

The easyHotel brand perfectly complements our growing platform through its incredibly strong brand recognition with a product that offers compelling value in centrally located destinations.

We expect to materially expand the existing footprint of the platform and build on our thematic, operationally driven approach.

Alexandre Aquien, chairman of easyHotel and co-founder of ICAMAP, said: As the outgoing shareholders of easyHotel, we would like to thank Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou for our journey together.

We are very proud of our successful partnership which has led to the substantial transformation of easyHotel. We are also grateful for the strong performance of easyHotels management team and dedicated employees and are confident they will continue to be successful under their new owners.

Karim Malak, CEO of easyHotel, said: As a well-established and recognised brand across Europe, and part of the easy family, we remain committed to offering guests great value and low-carbon hotels.

Over the past five years, our majority shareholders, ICAMAP and Ivanhoe Cambridge, have been instrumental in fuelling our growth.

Now EPISO 6, a discretionary fund advised by Tristan Capital Partner, prepares to become our new shareholder, we are excited to build on this momentum.

Their additional resources and sector expertise will support our expansion at a time when we are seeing a record number of enquiries from potential partners eager to open new easyHotels.

Together, we look forward to strengthening our offering, growing our portfolio and welcoming even more guests to our great-value, low-carbon hotels.
Wrightbus will build hundreds of Go-Ahead buses every year for the next three years in Ballymena, Co Antrim

Co Antrim clean and green bus manufacturer Wrightbus has secured a 150m finance package as it prepares to ramp up production for its global market.

The deal with HSBC UK more than doubles the Ballymena firms existing funding.

The money is being directed to develop new technologies and broaden the product offering, while also supporting Rightech and NewPower, two existing divisions of Wrightbus.

NewPower is a branch of the business which converts diesel buses into electric vehicles, while Rightech sells four different battery-electric vehicles.

The funding is also allowing the company to accelerate production at its factories in Northern Ireland and Malaysia.

Wrightbus, rescued from administration in 2019 by entrepreneur Jo Bamford, operates in Northern Ireland, England and in the Far East, including China and south-east Asia.

The company now employs 2,300, making 1,200 buses a year. The firm has focused on zero-emission vehicles, including hydrogen and electric-powered buses.

Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales said: This is an important day for everyone connected with Wrightbus  not just the 2,300 employees but the 7,500 jobs we support in the wider supply chain.

Our success is crucial to so many jobs and industries, so we must work relentlessly to keep up this progress.

This deal is a crucial step as we accelerate our growth and invest in decarbonising public transport with electric and hydrogen-powered buses.

Not only does it mean we can provide cleaner and greener vehicles to UK bus operators, it also provides us with foundations for broadening our international reach, with a particular focus on ramping up production in Malaysia as we expand into the Asia Pacific market.

Wrightbus Executive Chairman Jo Bamford said: With every new order and every entry into a new territory were flying the flag for UK manufacturing.

HSBC UKs support and detailed knowledge of our industry will help us lead the way in a new era for buses as we expand our offering across the globe.

Asset management firm HYCAP helped to structure the deal between HSBC and Wrightbus.

George Saunders, capital markets director at the firm, said: The tailored solutions provided by HSBC deliver operational flexibility across the capital requirements of the business, enabling it to deliver electric and hydrogen buses at the speed and scale required to be a key transport decarbonisation partner.

Akhil Shah, relationship director from HSBC UK, said: Wrightbus is a remarkable UK success story. Having been bought out of administration just six years ago, the business has grown from employing around 50 people in 2019 to more than 2,300 today.

HSBC UKs end-to-end experience across the public transport sector made us the ideal choice to become the businesss main backer and this new injection of funding puts Wrightbus in prime position to deliver on its ambitious aims.

Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales.

News Catch Up - Thursday 8 May

Rohit Moudgil, head of manufacturing and industrials for HSBC UK, said: HSBC UK is proud to support Wrightbus who are contributing to the decarbonisation of the public transport system in the UK.

The transaction underlines our commitment to supporting the entire zero-emission vehicle ecosystem, connecting manufacturers, supply chains and end customers.

Our sector team and coverage bankers are committed to providing the financial solutions businesses need to accelerate UK's transition to zero-emission vehicles.
Belfast make-up artist Ailish McBride exits BBC reality competition, with sights set on film industry

A Belfast make-up artist may have been eliminated from Glow Up: Britains Next Make-up Star but praises the BBC programme for improving her confidence and reiterating her desire to work within the film and TV industry.

I definitely think it has helped my confidence, because getting on it, I thought: Im good enough to get on a show that thousands of people apply for every year, says Ailish McBride (20), who was eliminated from the seventh series on Wednesday night.
Man who was face of IRA in US on escaping arrest from RUC, 'traitor' Denis Donaldson and why he had to stand aside
If the box office was dropping, hed do something outrageous so that people would go and buy tickets: Actor Jared Harris on his father Richards legacy
Northern Irelands Health Minister has declared the beginning of a new era in healthcare as all health trusts complete the transition to a new patient record system.

The roll-out of Encompass was completed yesterday after the Southern and Western Health and Social Trusts adopted the new system.

First announced in 2020, the system went live at the South Eastern, Belfast and Northern Trusts over the past 18 months.

Mike Nesbitt said the full roll-out of the Encompass patient record system was a significant milestone and puts the region at the forefront of digital transformation of health service delivery.

The system allows for a single digital care record for every citizen in Northern Ireland who receives health and social care.

Patients and service users will be able to access their health information online via My Care, the patient portal.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt (Pic: Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Nesbitt said the progress was the result of a concerted effort across the health and social care system and he thanked each of those who have played a key role in getting us here, adding: This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and has allowed Northern Ireland to modernise our systems and fundamentally improve how we deliver care .

Tom Simpson, deputy chief digital information officer at the Department of Health, said: Today is a really important day for the transformation of our health and care sector.

This isnt just a new IT system, it is about changing how the sector works so that our staff have the right tools to deliver the best service for all in Northern Ireland.

Mr Simpson said that the system will streamline how care is delivered, by giving care workers quick access to the right information and the right time.

It eliminates heavy paper records, reduces repeat tests and helps hospital-based pharmacists manage medicines more safely. It also provides better quality data to help improve services for the future and achieve better outcomes, he added.

Dr Dermot Hughes, the senior responsible owner for Encompass, said: This outcome is the result of many years of hard work and collaboration by thousands of staff, within Trusts, the core Encompass team, the BSO and the DHCNI. I thank everyone involved for their commitment and expertise.

This is a proud day for the health and social care service and a powerful step towards a healthier future for all in Northern Ireland.
A number of suspicious objects have been taken away for forensic examination after a security alert was triggered as police arrested an attempted murder suspect in west Belfast.

More than 100 residents were forced to flee Divis Tower on Thursday while officers investigating the shooting of dissident Sean OReilly carried out a major search operation.

A 61-year-old man in a flat within the high-rise complex was subsequently arrested. He was later released on bail pending further enquiries.

Around 35 PSNI officers  including tactical support officers  had arrived at the tower block at around 9.45am to conduct the raid.

The scene of the arrest in the Divis area of Belfast on Thursday morning Photo: Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph

Its understood Army bomb disposal units were also in attendance.

The search was related to an attack on 49-year-old Sean OReilly, who was shot while sitting in his car in the Bell Steel Manor area of west Belfast near the taxi firm where he works on Sunday, February 23.

Police said the suspect was detained on suspicion of attempted murder following the search, which also resulted in a vehicle being removed for further examination.

As part of the search operation, officers located a number of suspicious objects at the address, Detective Inspector Quinn said.

"The items have since been taken away for further examinations.

Police carried out a public safety operation in the area, with a number of residents evacuated from the Tower Block and road diversions in place.

"We would like to thank the local community and residents for their understanding.

One resident of the tower told the Belfast Telegraph: The cops just knocked my door and told me I had to leave, they were here earlier this morning.

I wasnt sure if they were looking around the hedges outside or doing something in here.

Forensics following the shooting, plus image stills released by police as the service hunts for attempted murder suspects

I just got my shopping in up the road. I was lucky I got it into the fridge before they came.

We went through worse than this in the Troubles. Im just going to head up to my sisters house now and then down to the bingo tonight, hopefully its clear when I get back.

West Belfast Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey maintained contact with police and residents during the alert.

This is causing disruption to residents, particularly the elderly who have been forced to leave their homes, he said.

I will continue to stay in contact with police and I hope residents can return home shortly."

Police attend a search operation in the Divis Flats area of west Belfast on May 8th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

It comes after police issued CCTV images of two suspects as they appealed for information about the murder bid and offered a reward of up to 20,000 from the charity Crimestoppers.

On Thursday, detectives renewed their appeal to anyone with information, or footage, to contact them on 101.
White smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel signalling that cardinals elected a new pope.

Cardinal Dominique Mamberti announces the election of Cardinal Robert F. Prevost as the 267th pope

Newly elected Pope Leone XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

The new pope was greeted with huge cheers as he appeared in front of jubilant crowds in Rome.

Leo XIV emerged onto the balcony of St Peter's Basilica as a packed St Peter's Square erupted in cheers and applause.

He was Cardinal Robert Prevost, is from Chicago and is fairly young for a Pope, at the age of 69.

Northern Irelands political leaders are among those who have been sending messages of support to the new pontiff.

First Minister Michelle ONeill hailed Thursday as a day of profound significance for Catholics in Ireland and worldwide as she urged the spiritual leader to use his influence to stand up for the marginalised and oppressed, champion peace, and lead with courage and compassion - just as his predecessor, Pope Francis, did.

SDLP leader Claire Hanna also appealed to Pope Leo to follow the example of his predecessor and not shy away from calling out injustice and inhumanity at a time "when the Church needs to reflect the needs of a changing world.

Pope Francis led with humility, grace and decency, qualities that earned him the admiration of people of every faith and none," the MP said.

"I hope Pope Leo will continue in that spirit, offering leadership that is compassionate, courageous and grounded in service.

Crowds had been joyously waving flags and chanting "Habemus Papam" - the Latin for "we have a Pope" - since white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel shortly after 5pm UK time on Thursday.

Newly elected Pope Leone XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Leo XIV greets his followers for the first time

The new pontiff is the 267th Pope, becoming the religious leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe and someone believed to be called as the successor to St Peter, who was the first.

The secret conclave meeting - steeped in tradition and mystery - had only just begun some 24 hours earlier.

The 133 cardinals had voted on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, with black smoke emitted from the chapel chimney twice, showing no-one had been elected.

But in the bright sunshine of Thursday afternoon, white smoke began to billow out, with onlookers bearing witness to history as the Church confirmed it had its new leader.

Bells tolled to confirm the news - perhaps in a marker of the confusion at previous conclaves where the colour of the smoke was not completely clear.

Conclave: White smoke and dark secrets, Catholic cardinals are choosing the next pope

Each of the electors, mostly dressed in distinctive bright red vestments, had taken an oath pledging secrecy ahead of the process of casting anonymous ballots for their choice.

At a special mass ahead of the conclave, cardinals were reminded of the "choice of exceptional importance" they must make.

Three UK cardinals took part in conclave - Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Cardinal Arthur Roche.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who also took part in the conclave, is Irish-born but has mainly ministered in the US and been based in Rome for some years.

The voting cardinals - those aged under 80 who were the only ones eligible to cast a ballot - were urged to "invoke the help of the Holy Spirit" to help them elect a pope "whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history".

This conclave was thought to be one of the most diverse of any meeting of cardinals before, representing some 70 countries and hailing from places like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga, which had not had a cardinal before.

Pope Francis had appointed some 108 of the 133 cardinals who took part in the conclave to choose his successor.

The new Pope will have the challenge of following in the footsteps of the late Francis, whose popularity saw him dubbed "the people's pope".

He had been vocal on politics, speaking out against war and climate change, and urged more focus on the poor and downtrodden of the world.

His death on Easter Monday prompted warm tributes from leaders across the globe and his funeral last month drew hundreds of thousands of mourners, including US president Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Ordained as Pope Leo XIV, the 69-year-old was born in Chicago and devoted the majority of his career as a missionary in Peru.

He becomes the 267th figure to head the Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis earlier this month.

In his first words as Pope, the new pontiff told the adoring crowd: "Peace be with you".
Michelle ONeill has said she hopes the first-ever North American Pope will champion peace, and lead with courage and compassion - just as his predecessor, Pope Francis, did.

The First Minister was speaking after Robert Prevost appeared on the balcony of St Peters Basilica before a joyous crowd in Rome today.

Ordained as Pope Leo XIV, the 69-year-old was born in Chicago and devoted the majority of his career as a missionary in Peru.

He becomes the 267th figure to head the Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis earlier this month.

In his first words as Pope, the new pontiff told the adoring crowd: "Peace be with you".

Congratulating the former cardinal to papacy, Ms ONeill called his day of appointment one of profound significance.

The Sinn Fein MLA said: This is a day of profound significance for Catholics in Ireland and worldwide, as Pope Leo XIV assumes his role of spiritual leader.

I hope he will use his influence to stand up for the marginalised and oppressed, champion peace, and lead with courage and compassion  just as his predecessor, Pope Francis, did.

As the genocide in Gaza continues and a devastating famine looms, I encourage the Pope to stand unwaveringly for the rights of the Palestinian people to life, dignity, and freedom, and to urgently use his influence to help bring an end to this barbaric genocide.

Justice Minister Naomi Long also paid homage to the new pontiff.

Praying for His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, as he is chosen to lead the Catholic Church, the first American ever to do so, The Alliance Party leader said.

His first words, a commitment to bridge building and unity hopefully indicate continuity of the legacy of Pope Francis.

Deputy leader of the UUP Robbie Butler sent his best wishes to the Catholic Churchs newest head.

"That it didn't take as long as many had thought suggests that the new Pope is pretty popular. The first American Pope and with a first name of Robert perhaps bodes well. Best wishes to the new Pope Leo XIV.

SDLP leader Claire Hanna said that she hopes Pope Leo will continue the legacy of Pope Francis in offering a compassionate diplomacy.

Pope Francis led with humility, grace and decency, qualities that earned him the admiration of people of every faith and none. I hope Pope Leo will continue in that spirit, offering leadership that is compassionate, courageous and grounded in service, The South Belfast and Mid Down MP said.

"From Gaza to Ukraine, the Pope has a vital role to play in standing up to tyranny and providing a voice of hope and dignity for those in despair. He must also use his influence for good in his home country.

Meanwhile, the Church of Irelands Archbishop of Armagh passed on good wishes to Leo.

Archbishop John McDowell said: Today they have elected Pope Leo XIV and we rejoice with our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters that a heavy responsibility has been discharged and can now be received with thanksgiving by the Christian world.

Taoiseach Michael Martin sent a warm congratulations to the newly elected Pope as well as his home country, the USA.

On behalf of the Government and the people of Ireland, I offer warm congratulations to Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election as Pope Leo XIV, he said.

I also send my congratulations to the people of the United States, a country with which Ireland enjoys such a deep and strong relationship. To have a Pope from their country is a source of great pride and an honour for their nation.

I wish Pope Leo XIV every strength, good health, and the required spiritual guidance as he begins his mission of leading the Catholic Church at a time of challenge, building on the pastoral direction and achievements of Pope Francis.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said it was a "momentous" occasion for millions of Catholics around the world.

He said: "The election of a new Pope is always a significant moment, not only for the Catholic Church but for the broader global community. As Tanaiste and on behalf of the Government of Ireland, I extend our heartfelt congratulations and wish him every success for his Pontificate.

"I have no doubt he will continue to build on the extraordinary legacy left behind by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, who taught us all the importance of kindness and humanity."

The Catholic Police Guild of Northern Ireland also sent its congratulations.

They said: Welcome, Pope Leo XIV. May your papacy shine with wisdom, compassion and courage, guiding the Church and inspiring peace across the world.

Mal OHara, leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland, congratulated Pope Leo adding that he hopes that the new Vatican leader will lead aptly

The North Belfast MLA said: This is a moment of profound significance for millions of Catholics in Northern Ireland and across the globe at a time of growing instability.

I sincerely hope that Pope Leo will build on the bold legacy of Pope Francis  speaking out against poverty, inequality, and the climate emergency.

The Catholic Church holds immense power, wealth and global influence. At a time of growing instability  with the far right on the rise and the climate crisis accelerating  we need courageous, compassionate leadership.

SDLP MP for Foyle Colum Eastwood said: Warmest wishes to Pope Leo XIV. Like many others I hope his ministry is marked by the same compassion and care for the marginalised and the dispossessed that brought Francis and the church closer to peoples lives.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service confirmed a motorist has been rescued using specialist cutting equipment following a two-vehicle crash in Lisburn.

The PSNI, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service all attended the incident on the Saintfield Road

It is understood the crash involved a car and a lorry.

Stock image

News Catch Up - Thursday 8 May

The Air Ambulance were also despatched to the scene.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service confirmed one person was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital by ambulance.

A spokesperson added: NIAS despatched 1 Emergency Ambulance, a Rapid Response Paramedic and HEMS also attended via road.

One person was taken to Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast by Ambulance.

NIFRS said three appliances attended the scene before noon this morning.

"One appliance from Carryduff Fire Station, one appliance from Cadogan Fire Station and one appliance from Lisburn Fire Station attended the incident, a spokesperson said.

"Firefighters were called to reports of a two vehicle road traffic collision at Saintfield Road, Ballymacbrennan, Lisburn.

"Firefighters used specialist cutting equipment to rescue 1 casualty from a vehicle. The incident was handed over to the PSNI at 1.18pm.

A PSNI spokesperson said: Police are currently at the scene of a road traffic collision in the Saintfield Road area of Lisburn, close to the junction with Comber Road.

"Road closures are in place. Please avoid the area and seek alternative routes for your journey.
Andrew Rosindell described himself as a strong supporter of the UK Parliament in Westminster but told the Commons that English people suffer with a rather diminished democratic voice.

Unlike Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, where some decisions are taken by lawmakers in Stormont, Holyrood and Cardiff Bay, England does not have a devolved national assembly.

Senedd Cymru in Cardiff Bay, where lawmakers have powers over some policy areas such as health and social care, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and local government (Geoff Caddick/PA)

Mr Rosindell told MPs that after the devolution process in the late 1990s, for the first time in centuries, the unifying lynchpin of these islands  the crown in Parliament  seemed to have been wrenched out of place.Speaking in a debate about English Affairs, the Conservative MP later added: What must in any case be acknowledged is that England, the most populous region with the biggest economy, is the only home nation not to have her own devolved parliament.

This has created a democratic deficit in which the proud people of England, such as those in my constituency of Romford, Essex, are left with a rich cultural heritage, as Ive outlined earlier, and without a fully developed but rather diminished democratic voice.

Father of the House Sir Edward Leigh, the Conservative MP for Gainsborough, urged Mr Rosindell to please spare us another parliament.

The Romford MP replied that he was a very strong supporter of this Parliament and of this United Kingdom, added he would have most certainly not voted to break up our United Kingdom in the way that we have done, and said he would love to see the London Assembly abolished in the capital.

Liberal Democrat Scotland spokeswoman Christine Jardine intervened and said: What we did was devolve some of the power closer to the people so that they felt more represented, not in an attempt to break up the country, but  as a member of the party who was instrumental with the Labour Party in achieving it  so that we held the country together but gave people the feeling of being closer to where decisions were made.

Mr Rosindell replied that he thought all members of Parliament should be equal and elected representatives should be equal, but if you make different types of elected representation at different levels, it obviously means that English MPs have a different role than Scottish MPs, because they have Members of the Scottish Parliament in Scotland, which have another role.

Labour MP Adam Jogee, who opened the debate, had earlier said: We must work to ensure that people across England, and indeed all those across the United Kingdom, continue to feel pride in our flag and in our communities, and feel hope for the future and respect for our past.

The Newcastle-under-Lyme MP added that any talk about love for flag and country must be matched by an investment in the people who make them what they are  investment in our national health service, in our education and employment support services, in our arts and culture, and in our villages, towns and cities.

Communities minister Rushanara Ali said St Georges day was an opportunity to fight against the forces of division that present the English identity as an exclusive identity, that is a white only identity.

Mr Rosindell intervened and asked: Would the Government consider St Georges Day to become a public holiday in England?

Ms Ali replied that she could not respond with a positive answer right now.

She added: We must inspire the next generation to carry forward the best of England through education, opportunity and the belief that no matter who you are or where you come from, you belong and you can help shape this countrys future.
Five Iranian men were arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act (Nick Ansell/PA)

Iran has categorically denied any involvement after reports said the Israeli embassy in London was the alleged target of five Iranian men arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.

The men were arrested at locations across England on Saturday after a suspected plot to target a single premises was uncovered, the Metropolitan Police said.

The embassy in Kensington, west London, is understood to have been the suspected target of the alleged plot, according to The Times and other press outlets, but police declined to share further details.

In a post on X, Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said: Iran in no uncertain terms categorically rejects any involvement in such actions and confirms that we have not been informed of any allegations via proper diplomatic channels.

Iran has urged the UK to engage so that we may assist any probe into credible allegations. Timing and lack of engagement suggest that something is amiss.

Mr Araghchi said there had been a history of third parties bent on derailing diplomacy and provoking escalation resorting to desperate measures, including false flag operations.

Iran stands ready to engage to shed light on what has truly transpired, and we reiterate that UK authorities should afford our citizens due process, he said.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Mets counter-terrorism command, said: There are significant operational reasons why we cannot provide further information at this time.

As soon as possible we will look to share further details and in the meantime we would ask the public to remain vigilant and contact us if you have any concerns.

The Israeli embassy has been approached for comment.

The five arrested were a 29-year-old man in the Swindon area, a 46-year-old man in west London, a 29-year-old man in the Stockport area, a 40-year-old man in the Rochdale area and a 24-year-old man in the Manchester area.

The first four men were arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, and the fifth was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

Warrants of further detention were secured on Monday for four of the men, with the 24-year-old released on bail with conditions to a date in May.

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Another three Iranian men were arrested on Saturday at three addresses in London as part of a separate counter-terrorism operation under section 27 of the National Security Act 2023.

Security minister Dan Jarvis told the Commons on Tuesday the two operations that took place were some of the largest counter state threats and counter-terrorism actions we have seen in recent times.

Iran was the first foreign power to be listed on the top level of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs) earlier this year, aimed at protecting the UK from malign foreign influence.

It means anyone who is directed by the regime to carry out activities in the UK must declare it or face five years in prison once the scheme comes into force in July.

In October last year, the head of MI5, Ken McCallum, said authorities had stopped 20 state-backed plots hatched by Iran in the UK since 2022.
Any trade deal between the US and UK must be on the right terms, John Swinney has said.

The First Minister said the right kind of deal would be a welcome alternative to the enormous economic damage of President Donald Trumps tariffs.

Mr Swinneys comments came ahead of what the US president has called a major trade deal to be announced on Thursday.

Car, steel and aluminium exports to the US currently come under a 25% tariff, while the crucial export of Scotch whisky comes under a 10% tariff.

During a visit to a primary school in Edinburgh on Thursday morning, Mr Swinney was asked if the upcoming trade deal vindicates Sir Keir Starmers approach of seeking to build bridges with the Trump administration.

He told the PA news agency: I think anybodys observation would be that a trade deal would be an advantage if we could secure one, as long as its on the right terms.

He said he would wait to see the details of the proposals coming later in the day.

Mr Swinney added: Certainly as an alternative to the enormous economic damage being applied as a consequence of the tariffs, a trade deal which is in our interests would be beneficial.

But we will have to wait until we scrutinise the detail to determine whether any proposed trade deal is actually in our interests.

Trade tariffs have already hit industries such as manufacturing, he said, while the Scotch whisky industry has been significantly impacted.

The First Minister said the Scottish Government would assess any negative effect stemming from the USs requests of the UK in the deal.
RAF veterans Kathleen, 101, and Roy Lawrence, 100, attended the celebrations at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire (Jacob King/PA)

Britains oldest surviving Second World War veteran and a husband and wife believed to be one of Britains oldest living couples were among dozens who joined a tea party making 80 years since VE Day.

Some 46 veterans who served their country during the Second World War were guests of honour at a celebration hosted by the Royal British Legion at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on Thursday.

A service of remembrance, hosted by Baroness Floella Benjamin and attended by veterans and their families as well as minister for veterans and people Al Carns, ended the day, with musical performances from Russell Watson, wreath-laying and a Spitfire and Hurricane flypast.

Veteran Donald Rose, 110, attended the event in Staffordshire marking 80 years since VE Day (Jacob King/PA)

D-Day veteran Donald Rose, who celebrated his 110th birthday on Christmas Eve, attended the memorial event.

He was attached to the division which liberated Belsen concentration camp and said he did not get to celebrate the momentous day 80 years ago.

He said: When I heard that the armistice had been signed 80 years ago, I was in Germany at Belsen and like most active soldiers, I didnt get to celebrate at that time.

We just did what we thought was right and it was a relief when it was over.

I never would have believed I would be remembering this day at 110-years-old. Its meaningful to come here today with the Royal British Legion, to remember the people who didnt come back.

The celebration was also attended by husband and wife veterans Roy, 100, and Kathleen Lawrence, 101, who both served in the RAF during the Second World War from 1942 to 1945 but met after the war ended and married in 1951.

Roy became a flight engineer on a Lancaster bomber undertaking bombing missions over Dresden and Berlin, while Kathleen was working in a factory before joining the WRAF in 1941 and served in communications.

RAF veterans Kathleen, 101, and Roy Lawrence, 100, met and married after the war ended (Jacob King/PA)

Roy said: I asked my father, could I volunteer for the Air Force and they wouldnt let you in until you were 17 years and three months, so I waited until I was 17 years and three months.

I wanted to be a Spitfire pilot but unfortunately I failed at navigation. They questioned me and suggested I might like to be on bomber command, so I said OK.

I went into bomber command and they sent me to South Wales to train as a flight engineer which eventually I became and at 18, I became a flight engineer on Lancaster bombers.

Speaking of his first mission to Leipzig in Germany, he said: We dropped the bombs and we came back home.

Visitors to the National Memorial Arboretum observed a nationwide two-minute silence (Jacob King/PA)

On VE Day, Roy remembered being on the bread run, dropping essential supplies into France.

Asked why it was important that people remember the sacrifices made during the Second World War, Roy said: Its very difficult. I remember those days and I remember the people, not by name because there were so many of them, that got killed.

The present day need to remember that had it not been for them, wed have all been speaking German.

Bernard Morgan, 100, brought the telex that he received two days before VE Day, announcing the war was over, with him to the event.

Bernard, who volunteered on his 18th birthday in 1942 and served in the RAF until 1947 as a codebreaker, landed on Gold Beach at 6.30pm on D-Day becoming the youngest RAF sergeant to land in Normandy during the war.

Two days before VE Day, he received a telex to say, German war now over, surrender effective sometime tomorrow, but had to keep it secret until it was officially confirmed on May 8 1945.

He remembered having a big party with his comrades, lighting a bonfire and celebrating into the night.

He said: Its so important that we make the most of these opportunities to remember what happened, not just to celebrate the achievement, but also to ensure that such horrors never happen again.

Speaking of those who gave their life during the war, he said: They are the heroes that people should think about.

Veterans minister Mr Carns said he was deeply proud to have a chance to speak to those who served.

Bernard Morgan, 101, with the original telex he received two days before VE Day in 1945 explaining that the war was over (Stephanie Wareham/PA)

He said: We have everybody from Merchant Navy to civilians who were evacuated, all the way through to Army, Navy, Air Force and individuals that landed on D-Day, so its a huge spread of veterans, and Im really proud to just have a chance to speak to them and celebrate VE Day today.

When the nation required it, they stood up. The self-sacrifice they demonstrated to stand up and fight and put their lives on the line for the freedoms that we enjoy, weve got to be hugely respectful and honour that, and today is just one day of which we really get to champion them, champion their sacrifice, and make sure we collectively remember that freedom isnt free.

Mr Carns, who served in the military himself for 24 years, said the VE Day celebration made him feel deeply proud to be British.

He said: When every other country capitulated, the UK stood strong because of individuals like (those) here today. They stood up and protected the nation.

And I reflect on my service and its just a great chance to remember individuals Ive served with, individuals Ive seen and havent come home, or those injured in combat, so its both a time to remember, but also a time to be deeply proud.

Frances Grier, 104, joined the RAF when she was 19 and inspected and packed parachutes at RAF Bassingbourn for five years.

The veterans gathered to have their photograph taken at the National Memorial Arboretum (Jacob King/PA)

She said she was a Marks and Sparks girl at the age of 17 before joining the RAF alongside her sister, who was two years younger than her.

She remembered the mess running out of beer on VE Day as everyone celebrated the news.

She said: You just took everything as it came and you never thought about it. When you went home on occasion, you were glad to get back for some peace and quiet.

You never thought about writing, you never got round to it once you had done what you were supposed to do. It was all about discipline.

Everybody did what they could. You just did it. It was your duty.

Mrs Grier, who travelled four hours from Kent with her family, said it was her first time visiting the National Memorial Arboretum, and that it had left her feeling sentimental.

She said: Its so nice when you get everybody together, which doesnt happen very often.
Nicola Packer, 45, who has been found not guilty of having an illegal abortion.

A woman has been found not guilty of having an illegal abortion during the second coronavirus lockdown.

Nicola Packer, 45, cried and wiped her eyes with a tissue after she was acquitted by a jury at Isleworth Crown Court in south-west London, of unlawfully administering to herself a poison or other noxious thing with the intent to procure a miscarriage.

The trial heard she took abortion medicine at home in November 2020 and later brought the foetus to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in a backpack.

Ms Packer, then 41 , took prescribed medications mifepristone and misoprostol, when she was around 26 weeks pregnant, jurors were told.

The legal limit for taking medication at home for an abortion is 10 weeks.

Prosecutors alleged that Ms Packer knew she had been pregnant for more than 10 weeks, which she denied.

Nicola Packer outside Isleworth Crown Court

Jurors rejected the prosecutions case to find the 45-year-old not guilty of having an illegal abortion.

Ms Packer was supported by five people in the public gallery, with some hugging each other after the verdict was read to the court.

Giving evidence during her trial, Ms Packer spoke of her shock and surprise at being pregnant.

Ms Packer later broke down in tears as she told the jury of nine women and three men: If I had known I was that far along I wouldnt have done it.

She added: I wouldnt have put the baby or myself through it.

The typical full gestation term is 40 weeks and the outer limit for abortions in the UK is normally 24 weeks, though there are grounds where there are no limits.

Ms Packer did not discover she was pregnant until she took a test on November 2, 2020, the court heard.

She took abortion medication on November 6 and went to hospital the following day, having passed a foetus into the toilet, her trial was told.

Jurors heard Ms Packer spent the night of November 7 in hospital and was arrested by police the next day.

Ms Packer, who sat near her defence team throughout the trial, was supported by five friends in the public gallery, who hugged as the verdict was delivered.

Jurors deliberated for more than six hours to reach the unanimous verdict.

After the verdict was delivered, Judge Martin Edmunds KC thanked jurors for their attention in the case and said Ms Packer was formally discharged.

This was an old case, relating to events during 2020, in the Covid pandemic, Judge Edmunds said.

It is the prosecution, the CPS who make decisions about whether to pursue criminal cases.

They do so through guidelines which they have to apply one of which is the public interest.
FILE  Jennifer Aniston arrives at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, file)

A Mississippi man who allegedly harassed Jennifer Aniston for two years before crashing his vehicle through the front gate of the Los Angeles home of the Friends star has been charged with felony stalking and vandalism, prosecutors said on Thursday.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, of New Albany, Mississippi, also faces an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm, Los Angeles County district attorney Nathan Hochman said.

Carwyle, who has been held in jail since his arrest on Monday, is set to be arraigned on Thursday.

His bail has been set at 150,000 dollars (112,796). It was not immediately clear if he has retained an attorney.

Carwyle is accused of repeatedly harassing Aniston  referred to by the district attorney only as Jennifer A  by sending her unwanted voicemail, email and social media messages starting in 2023.

Then, early on Monday afternoon in LAs wealthy Bel Air neighbourhood, Carwyle allegedly crashed his vehicle through her front gate, causing major damage, prosecutors said.

A security guard stopped him in her driveway before police arrived and arrested him.

Police said Aniston was at home at the time.

There were no reports of anyone being injured. Messages left with her representatives seeking comment were not immediately answered.

Carwyle could get up to three years in prison if he is convicted as charged.

My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorise others, ensuring they are held accountable, Mr Hochman said in a statement.

Aniston bought the mid-century mansion on a 3.4-acre lot for about 21 million dollars (15.79 million) in 2012, according to reporting by Architectural Digest.

She became one of the biggest stars on television in her 10 years on NBCs Friends.

Aniston won an Emmy Award for best lead actress in a comedy for the role, and she has been nominated for nine more. She currently stars in The Morning Show on Apple TV+.
The Nagasaki Peace Statue at the Peace Park in Nagasaki, western Japan (Eugene Hoshiko/AP)

The mayor of Nagasaki on Thursday announced that the city will invite representatives of all countries and regions to the peace memorial marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city.

The invitation to the 157 countries and regions that have diplomatic missions in Japan will include Russia, Belarus and Israel, who were excluded last year.

Mayor Shiro Suzuki said he wants all representatives to see the brutal consequences of atomic weapons use as a lesson at a time of growing divisions and conflicts.

The United States dropped its second atomic bomb on Nagasaki on August 9 1945, three days after the first bombing of Hiroshima, together killing more than 210,000 people.

Japan surrendered on August 15, ending the Second World War and its nearly half a century of aggression across Asia.

Mr Suzuki said his city is returning to its fundamental purpose of the ceremony  to mourn the atomic bomb victims and pray for lasting world peace.

We want to go beyond national borders, overcome ideological differences and any other divisions to have global representatives gather in Nagasaki, he said.

He added: At a time of worsening divisions of the international society, I feel more strongly than ever about the importance for representatives of all countries to participate in the Nagasaki peace memorial and learn the atrocious and inhumane outcomes of the nuclear weapons use through their own eyes, ears and hearts.

Mr Suzuki did not invite Israel to the 2024 anniversary, citing concern of unforeseeable situations such as violent protests over the war in Gaza disrupting the memorial.

But Israels exclusion drew criticisms and boycott by ambassadors from the US and five other Group of Seven nations  Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the UK  and the European Union.

Russia and its ally Belarus have not been invited to the Nagasaki memorial event since 2022 following Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

Japan, despite being the worlds only country to have suffered nuclear attacks, relies on the US nuclear umbrella and its extended deterrence amid growing tension in the region and supports atomic weapons possession for deterrence.
US Vice-President JD Vance enjoys the St Patricks Day celebrations at the White House in Washington earlier this year

Did you know that the term hillbilly emanates from these shores? The Billy bit requires little explanation, referring to Ulster Scot Protestants beholden to William of Orange.

The hill, however, alludes not to Stormont but to the Appalachian Mountains, where so many folk from here ultimately settled centuries ago. They became known in America as Billys, Billy Boys and, ultimately, Hillbillies.
May 8, 2025: The U.S. Navy is seeking to adopt useful lessons from the Ukrainian experience using naval drones to defeat the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine had only surface-to-ship missiles when the war started, but eventually shifted to three new naval drones, Sea Baby, Mother, and MAGURA, or Maritime Autonomous Guard Unmanned Robotic Apparatus.

Some of these naval drones were used for a mid-2023 Kerch Bridge attack. One of the drones varied 850 kg of explosives and inflicted enough damage to halt use of the bridge. The Mother drone carried 450 kg and MAGURA 320 kg. In addition to attacking targets, these drones can also be used for reconnaissance and surveillance using video cameras that broadcast what they see back to the drone operator. Some drones have been armed with small rocket launchers. The Mother drone has a range of over 700 kilometers and can operate on the high seas. Endurance is about 60 hours, and top speed is over 70 kilometers an hour. MAGURA has similar characteristics. Mother was used for an attack on the Russian naval base at Novorossiysk, which is a thousand kilometers from Crimea.

Ukraine has been developing subsurface drones and in early 2023 the first one, the Toloka2 TK-150 was introduced. This drone was 2.5 meters long and equipped with a sensor mast that remained above the surface for navigation and to identify targets. Toloka2 can also carry a small explosive warhead. Later, Ukraine developed the larger Marichka drone that is 6 meters long and one meter in diameter. Ukraine has planned for a Western manufacturer to build and weaponize Ukrainian drones.

Ukrainian drones have been quite successful in attacking and sinking or disabling Russian navy ships. So far there have been over a dozen attacks which resulted in sinking or damaging about twenty ships.

Ukrainian drone operations in the Black Sea forced the Russian Black Sea Fleet to withdraw to the eastern shore of the Black Sea. Sevastopol was no longer a safe place to be, and Russian ships could no longer launch their Kalibr cruise missiles without risking attack by Ukrainian drones. The presence and aggressive use of the drones meant that Ukraines grain corridor was kept open despite Russias threats to interfere. Beyond symbolic significance, the corridor holds critical economic importance for Ukraine and is expected to contribute up to seven percent to GDP growth in 2024 because of the grain shipments.

Russian countermeasures to Ukrainian naval drones included using aircraft and helicopters to destroy slow-moving drones before they attack, and expanding use of jamming to disrupt drone control signals. These changes made it much more difficult for Ukrainian naval drones to reach and destroy targets. But by 2025 the Russians had already lost control of the Black Sea and were not getting it back.

This leaves Russian warships dependent on bases in the north, near the land border with Norway, and in the Far East, near Japanese and South Korean naval bases. In a post-Cold War development the Japanese and South Korean fleets are now far larger than the Russian Far East fleet. Before the 1990s, the South Korea fleet was largely non-existent and the Japanese fleet tiny and purely defensive. Chinese naval power began to emerge by the late 1990s but took another decade to become a significant force. Then as now, the American West Pacific fleet was a major naval power in the region.

The lessons learned by American, Chinese, Taiwanese, Ukrainian and Russian naval commanders is that these drones have changed the rules for naval warfare. If China tries to invade Taiwan, they have to prepare countermeasures for numerous naval drones blocking the way. Everyone continues to observe Black Sea operations for details on what new tactics, techniques and drones designs appear. The U.S. has an edge because they are a major supporter of Ukraine and are seeking to make the most of their insider knowledge of the Ukrainian naval drone effort.
Who Was King When Jesus Was Born?

King Herod, or Herod the Great as he liked to be called, was a jealous king, placed in power by the Roman Empire. Like most kings he wanted more power, not less power. Then, out of the east come these wise men (or scholars) on camels bearing fancy gifts, asking one question: where could they find the newly born king of the Jews? They added We have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him (Matthew 2:2). They didnt come all this way to see King Herod but another king. Can you imagine what he was thinking? Another king? Here? Where I rule? Jesus represented a new kingdom, and His coming, though misunderstood, represented a threat to other powers, by the kings like Herod, or spiritual authorities like the Pharisees, and teachers of the law later in the gospel. You may wonder kind of difference a tiny baby could have made to someone as powerful as Herod was: a whole lot.

Herod Tries To Kill Jesus

When word reached Herod that the wise men were looking for this new king, he sent for them and urged them to find the child so he could worship him too. But Herod was lying. His real goal was to destroy the child, fearing illogically that in time, Jesus would take over his throne. Historians tell us that Herod was a cruel, power-hungry ruler who destroyed anyone who he feared was threatening his power by trying to topple him from his throne. He even went as far as killing members of his own family because he thought they were plotting against him. God warned the wise men of Herods plot in a dream, so they found Jesus and gave him gifts and did not return to Herod. After Herod realized they had evaded him, he ordered the death of every child in Bethlehem below the age of two. It wasnt just jealousy that Herod was experiencing as he ordered the massacre of hundreds of babies, it was fear. Fear of losing what was most important to him: power.

Another important thing to note is his status as ruler. Herod knew his status as ruler was tenuous. He gained and maintained his power by brute force and manipulation. He had little support from the common people around Jerusalem. Discontent with his rule was so high that a small spark could create a firestorm of revolution. Herod lived in constant fear  no matter how many enemies he tortured or executed; he knew their numbers would continue to grow. Thats why Herod was so furious to learn the wise men had tricked him. He was so furious that, He sent for and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under (Matthew 2:16). This was only the latest of his extraordinary acts of brutality. Earlier, he had his two eldest sons murdered because he feared they were plotting against him.

The tragic story is the introduction to the entire story of Jesus. Jesus exposed the violence of power politics. He exposed the violence that lies all too close to the hearts of all of us. He goes on to show us that Gods merciful kingdom is available to all of us right now to break spiritual violence.

The story of Jesus is about the presence of Gods healing mercy in human history. This mercy enters a world of conflict. It is because we have so much conflict that we so desperately need Gods mercy. Jesus, even at His birth, exposes the violence of Herod. Alongside Jesus birth story , the joyful song of God with us comes another song, a terrible song: A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more (Matthew 2:18). Such lamentations have too often been a part of human history before and since Jesus birth. Jesus birth though, signals a new hope that Herods violence would be overcome.

Jesus and Herod represented two very different types of kings. The tidings of Jesus birth are tidings of a new expression of Gods abundant mercy and healing. King Jesus taught that abundance means rejecting dividing people into insiders and outsiders or limiting Gods mercy and love. Gods kingdom is or all people. Jesus ate with tax collectors and other sinners, forgave the woman caught in adultery and promised paradise to the criminal on the cross next to Him. Jesus received all who wanted to come.

Jesus was a genuine threat to Herod, to the religious leaders and to the Roman Empire. He approached life with an entirely different script from that of scarcity and fearfulness. Jesus wrote a revolutionary script of trust, acceptance, openness and mercy. Anyone who genuinely hears Jesus word will no longer find it possible to accept Herods definition of reality but will give homage to an altogether different kind of king: the peaceable king, Jesus.

Herod wasnt the last to try and destroy Christ and His own people; even in our own day, evil men and women rise up against Gods work. But Gods Word is true. I will build my church, and the gates of hell should not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). And some day, Christ will come again to judge all evil, and Satans defeat will be complete.

Lesli White is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications and a concentration in print and online journalism. In college, she took a number of religious studies courses and harnessed her talent for storytelling. White has a rich faith background. Her father, a Lutheran pastor and life coach was a big influence in her faith life, helping her to see the value of sharing the message of Christ with others. She has served in the church from an early age. Some of these roles include assisting ministry, mutual ministry, worship and music ministry and church council.
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BENNINGTON  The defendant in two separate repeated child sex assault cases has taken a plea deal on the day of jury selection in the first case.

Levi Varno, 30, also known as Levi Haner, of Pownal, took a plea deal with prosecutors that dismissed a felony aggravated and repeated sexual assault charge and replaced it with two lesser charges of sexual assault with no consent and sexual assault with a victim under 16. In return for the two guilty pleas, Varno will face anywhere from 12 years to life to 4 years and probation at a future contested sentencing hearing in Bennington.

Varno was initially facing a possible 25-to-life sentence on a single felony count of aggravated and repeated child sexual assault if he was found guilty at trial. That trial had been scheduled to pick a jury on Tuesday in Bennington, moments before Varno changed his plea.

According to the negotiated plea deal filed at the court, prosecutors amended the single charge with the two lesser charges, which Varno pleaded guilty to on Tuesday.

At an upcoming contested sentencing hearing, prosecutors can argue for a 12-years-to-life sentence to serve, while Varnos defense team can argue for a split sentence of not less than 10 years and probation. That as-yet-determined probation period will require multiple conditions, including a required sex offender registration.

According to an affidavit in the 2023 case, a call came into the Department of Children and Families in July of 2021 from the Sunrise Family Resource Center in Bennington concerning a female minor. The alleged victim's brother had reported to an SFRC employee that his younger sister was sleeping with a then 24-year-old Varno. The victim had been living inside the Varno residence for seven months during the alleged ongoing assaults.

A supervisor at DCF received a call that same day from a doctor alerting them that the victim was pregnant. An investigation ensued, with the victim denying Varno was the father. A baby was born to the victim in March of 2022. During an interview with a case worker in November of 2022, the victim acknowledged Varno as the father and expressed a desire to be with him when she turned 16. A subsequent DNA swab confirmed Varno as the father.

Further investigation and interviews with the victim revealed that she met Varno when she was 13 when Varno would babysit her and her brother. Eventually, Varno would drive the victim out into the woods in Pownal to have sex on numerous occasions. She eventually became pregnant and promised Varno she would not say anything.

Angel Varno, 54, the mother of the defendant, was herself arrested and charged with being an accessory to her sons alleged ongoing assault of the 14-year-old victim.

Varnos mother was arraigned on one count, almost a year after her son was charged with being an accessory to the alleged aggravated repeated sexual assault of a child. She faces a possible 25-year to life sentence if she is convicted.

According to a police affidavit in the accessory case, at a weight of evidence hearing in September in front of Bennington Judge Kerry McDonald-Cady, Angel Varno, Levis biological mother, testified under oath that she was aware of the relationship between her son and the 14-year-old victim and that her son and the victim had sex. She also admitted to letting both the victim and her son live together at her home for almost a year. Levi Varno was 24 at the time. Angel Varnos case is scheduled for a jury pick next month.

Levi Varno is currently charged in a second felony sexual assault case involving a minor. This time, the case involves a toddler dating back years before. He is charged with four counts, including four counts of aggravated and repeated sexual assault of a child. That case is scheduled for trial in June.

According to the affidavit in the second alleged assault, Manchester Police were notified of a possible sexual assault in Manchester by the father of the victim.

According to victim statements, the sexual abuse started years before when the victim was living at the Dufresne Trailer Park in Manchester. The repeated assaults were frequent and in many locations. Levi Varno is a family member who used to babysit the toddler.

The victim in the case was four years old when the alleged abuse began.

Levi Varnos sentencing hearing has not been scheduled. He is currently out on conditions set during his case, including a 24/7 curfew at his mothers residence in Pownal. He also faces two misdemeanor counts of violating his conditions of release related to his curfew. An affidavit in the case states that Varno allegedly left his residence to visit the victim in the first case, contrary to his conditions. That case is still pending.

This is an ongoing story. The Banner will update the story as more information becomes available.
DALTON  After failing to approve the police budget at Monday's annual town meeting, residents voted to approve spending for a new police cruiser for the department.

The article, an allocation of $90,000 for a police cruiser, passed 95-69; it was one of nine that were passed on Wednesday night in the continuation of Monday's meeting.

The second session drew 170 voters and 10 guests at Wahconah Regional High School, down over 100 voters from Mondays meeting.

In a nearly three-hour meeting, residents voted on the final 12 articles, rejecting only one  a petition to rescind the Stretch Energy Code, which emphasizes energy performance and is designed to promote cost-effective construction that is more energy efficient.

Two other articles were tabled before a vote could be taken: the borrowing of $880,000 to make Town Hall improvements and to amend a noise bylaw.

Other than the noticeable difference in attendance, Select Board member Daniel Esko was not present. Town Moderator Anthony Doyle also made a change, asking residents to hold up their cards during every vote so he could better assess the majority.

Residents wasted no time going after the Police Department, taking issue with part A of Article 22, $90,000 from free cash for a police cruiser. Residents voiced their frustration, with many questioning whether the department needs another cruiser.

Police Chief Deanna Strout told residents that there are currently nine cruisers and 13 police officers and gave the mileage for each cruiser. And she insisted the department is short one cruiser.

One resident made a motion to have the vote be decided by secret ballot, which was passed. After a debate that lasted over 45 minutes, the secret ballot vote passed 95-69.

The department's overall budget was rejected during Monday's portion of the meeting. The town has until July 1 to hold a special town meeting to approve spending for the Police Department.

There was also a debate regarding the amount that should be allocated for a new truck with sewer flushing equipment for the Department of Public Works. Select Board Chair Robert Bishop made a motion to increase the original allocation from $250,000 to $540,000, which was rejected.

Residents then voted 78-63 in favor of the original $250,000.

Article 30, a petition to rescind the Stretch Energy Code, also referred to as the stretch code, was the lone item rejected. Residents who favored the petition were concerned about the potential costs of renovating older homes or meeting energy efficiency standards on new construction.

Green Dalton Committee Chair David Wasielewski opposed the article, highlighting that removing the stretch code would remove Daltons status as a green community. That designation allows towns to access grant funding from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources.

Having a green community gives the town up to $200,000  to increase energy efficiency in municipal buildings, Wasielewski said.

Steven Marantz, member of the committee, also opposed the article, saying, [We need] to continue to go forward, not backwards.

Article 24, borrowing $880,000 to make Town Hall improvements  including the installation of an HVAC system  was tabled immediately by Bishop with little explanation.

The other item that was tabled was Article 27, amending a noise bylaw that would authorize the Board of Health to address commercial noise complaints and the Police Department to address residential noise complaints.

The town also approved two citizen petitions: to create a Capital Planning Committee and an act to provide recall elections for the town.

On Monday, 277 registered voters and 17 guests debated for nearly four hours, voting on 19 articles. Two articles did not pass, as residents rejected the police budget and the use of the former Dalton High School for any purpose other than housing.

The high school parcel was being considered as a possible location for a new town police station. The town did approve the rest of the operating budget and an allocation of $9,216,038 for the Central Berkshire Regional School District.

The town election will be held Monday at the Dalton Senior Center.
PITTSFIELD  Investigations into alleged misconduct by current and former Pittsfield High School educators have found most of the allegations against three of them to be unsubstantiated, according to executive summaries of the reports.

The report on a fourth educator aligned with allegations of inappropriate classroom behavior and violation of district sexual harassment policy. And an investigation into a fifth educator remains ongoing.

The summaries, prepared by the law firm Bulkley Richardson & Gelinas, were compiled after the Pittsfield School Committee decided that the full report produced by the law firm could not be released without unwarranted privacy violations of its subjects and the witnesses.

While a resident has successfully petitioned for the full release of the report, the state has yet to respond to the district's request for guidance on redactions, and it was unclear if Thursday's release satisfies the terms of the ruling.

Pittsfield School Committee Chairman William J. Cameron said the summaries accurately reflect the portions of the report he has read.

I hope that it will enable people to be confident that the work that was done was done seriously and thoroughly and that the conclusions drawn were based on evidence rather than on rumor, he said.

The study was commissioned in the wake of Department of Children and Families investigations into allegations against five current and former educators: Vice Principal Alison Shepard, who has been cleared in a DCF investigation and remains on paid administrative leave; Dean of Students Lavante Wiggins, who faces federal cocaine distribution charges and resigned on April 16; Dean of Students Molly West, who has returned to work after allegations against her were found to be unsupported; former educator Taverick Tank Roberson, who returned to his job at the Berkshire Family YMCA after allegations against him were found to be unsupported; and retired English teacher Robert Barsanti, who has been sued, along with the district, by a current PHS student alleging sexual harassment.

The Dec. 11 arrest of Wiggins and an associate on federal cocaine charges led to a flurry of additional accusations about alleged misconduct at PHS among current and former educators. Wiggins has since pleaded not guilty.

The district chartered the independent study on Dec. 31, and it was led by retired Superior Court Judge Mary-Lou Rup, a senior counsel with the firm.

The summaries, which are available on the Pittsfield Public Schools website, do not name any of the educators, the witnesses who testified, or the administrators who investigated the allegations.

And they note that school officials initiated mandatory reporting to the state DCF as required by Chapter 51A of state law, and conducted internal investigations at the time.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

The findings, in brief, state that:

 A former teacher identified as Former PHS Educator was found to have been repeatedly warned about using profanity and inappropriate language in class over his 18 years at the school. He received verbal reprimands in March 2012 and October 2013, a written warning and a 30-day suspension later reduced to three days by settlement in 2016. And in 2024, a federal Title IX sexual harassment investigation found he had violated district policy.

 Allegations against Administrator No. 1 including sexual relationships with students, inappropriate comments to students, paying three students to beat up a fourth PHS student, showing favoritism to a PHS student, all were found to be unsupported.

While the investigation did not address criminal charges against Administrator No. 1 due to a lack of information from prosecuting authorities, it found no evidence that any of the alleged criminal activity occurred during school time, on school property, or with PHS students.

 Allegations against "Administrator No. 3 found that longstanding rumors of inappropriate relationships with students at two previous positions were unsupported; no conclusive evidence of such conduct, the report said. Investigators also determined that the administrator left past positions as an employee in good standing and was not encouraged to leave. Inquiries by administrative officials in both districts yielded no information of substance as would warrant a formal internal disciplinary investigation.

That investigation spoke with numerous witnesses, including former students who denied the alleged inappropriate relationships took place. One said they had spoken with police at the time; the parents of another said her child could not have been at a party with the administrator because he was in Europe at the time.

 Educator No. 2  who was erroneously referred within the summary as Administrator No. 4, according to a correction posted along with the report  was alleged to have had sexual relationships with PHS students. The report found allegations made in December 2022 appeared to have been based on gossip.

From interviews and review of documents and other relevant information, we found no evidence of [PHS Educator No. 2] engaging in inappropriate conduct with students while he was employed at PPS, the report said.

According to the report, investigators spoke with a former Pittsfield resident, whom they did not name, but said her allegations were based on hearsay accounts and/or unnamed sources.

NEW APPEAL TO STATE

City resident Ciara Batory successfully appealed to the state Division of Public Records the city's decision not to release the full contents of the report, and the deadline for release was Thursday. But the School Committee voted to send the report to the division for a clarification on what redactions should be made.

Cameron said he has not heard from the state, and to his knowledge nor has the district. But legal counsel has had contact with them and has filed a more detailed explanation of what our concerns are about the release of these documents, he said.

A message left with the Division of Public Records seeking clarification was not returned by press time on Thursday. In the meantime, Batory said Wednesday that she had filed a second appeal seeking the records release.

Cameron said an extension of the law firm's retainer will be taken up by the School Committee at its Wednesday meeting.

Bulkley Richardson & Gelinas retainer agreement originally expired March 31 and was extended until April 30 by a previous vote of the committee. The Springfield-based firm is being paid $275 per hour, plus $110 per hour for paralegal expenses and reimbursement of travel costs.

While he was uncertain of exactly when that final summary will be made available, I dont think it will be a long time, Cameron said.
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RICHMOND  After overwhelming feedback from the community, town leaders have formally turned down an invitation to join school districts with the Berkshire Hills Regional School District.

At a recent Select Board meeting, members voted 3-0 in favor of a thank you, but not at this time response to the school district.

Last August, Select Board Chairman Neal Pilson received an invitation from School Committee and Great Barrington Select Board Chairman Stephen Bannon and regional school district Superintendent Peter Dillon. They asked if Richmond wanted to open discussions with Berkshire Hills on a possible merger with the Richmond Consolidated School.

What followed was almost immediate pushback on the idea from residents and some town officials. The Richmond Finance Committee recently voted unanimously against entering into talks because the town would see no sufficient financial benefit from any possible merger. That followed a 5-0 vote by the towns School Committee opposing any exploration of the merger idea since they did not see any educational benefits.

Townspeople are overwhelmingly against a merger," said Selectman Roger Manzolini. "Theyre in support of continuing to run our school as we have in the last many years."

He noted the School Committees concern about a detrimental impact of any loss in local control of education. They were overwhelmingly non-supportive of a merger, Manzolini said.

As for the Finance Committees opposition, he cited a real tough question when you try to see what kind of savings there may be for a future thats really difficult to totally define."

The best the committee could find would be a 4 percent cost savings, about $200,000 out of a $5 million school budget  it doesnt seem like an overwhelming benefit to enter into a situation thats not well-defined, he said.

Selectman Alan Hanson voiced full support for the Finance Committee and School Committees findings.

Theyve done all the homework and the investigations, he said.

We are not interested in entering into discussions about a merger, Manzolini concluded.

Pilson suggested he was not prepared to foreclose forever by giving a signal that we have no interest. We have no interest at this time.

The other two board members agreed.

I would never close off future discussions or opportunities, said Manzolini. Say something comes up 10 years from now, we would see what the townspeople, the School Committee and the Finance Committee have to say. The story from those groups may be different.
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The attorneys for Stockbridge plan to file a motion at Berkshire Superior Court to dismiss a court filing by an attorney representing two neighbors of the development at the former DeSisto Estate because the town clerk was not notified ahead of the deadline required by state law.
Town residents also approved a new zoning district that will make it possible for the Bard College at Simons Rock campus  which is closing at the end of the summer and is for sale  to be used for purposes other than education.
From left, Tyringham Town Moderator Charles Slater Jr. and Select Board members Michael Curtin, Matthew Puntin and James Consolati are seen in this photo from the 2024 town meeting. This year's meeting is being delayed by two weeks as the board is still formulating a budget for voters to consider.
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.

Lauren R. Stevens | The View from White Oaks

Three cheers for this year's Earth Day, the next and the folks it inspires in the Berkshires
But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend? The man was speechless (Matthew 22:11-12).

The word parable comes from the Greek word parabole, meaning comparison or analogy. In Latin, the word is paraballo, which means to set side by side. In other words, it means to use an analogy to lay it out so that someone can learn from a real-life example.

It is certainly no secret that Jesus used parables extensively in His teachings. Often, the parables were quite clear  but just as often, it would seem, the meaning of the parable was deeper, even hidden. Jesus let his disciples know precisely why He taught that way.

The disciples came to him and asked, Why do you speak to the people in parables? He replied, Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand (Matthew 13:10-13).

It would almost seem, then, that Jesus used parables to intentionally make it slightly more difficult for some to understand. Some of those parables are difficult even today. The Parable of the Wedding Banquet may be familiar, but maybe we never stop to really think about what it means.

What Happens in the Parable of the Wedding Banquet?

In this case, Jesus was comparing the kingdom of heaven to a wedding banquet that a king had prepared for his son (Matthew 22:1-2). In ancient Jewish society, the wedding banquet was a very big deal  far bigger than today  and was a joyous celebration for all, lasting up to a week. Thus, Jesus turning the water to wine during the wedding at Cana was an earmark event.

In the parable, the king invited many to the banquet  yet those invited refused to come. Sending out his servants, the king tried to convince them to come to the banquet, yet still they refused. Some even killed the kings servants, greatly angering the king, who sent his army to kill those murderers and burn their city.

The king then sent his servants out to the streets to invite others into his banquet and the servants did as the king asked:

So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests (Matthew 22:10).

But then the king saw a man who was not wearing wedding clothes. Since all the guests had come off the streets, we can assume that the wedding clothes had been provided by the king  not an uncommon occurrence in that time. Yet, this man had refused the clothes provided by the king and was in street-clothes.

Then the king told the attendants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are invited, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:13-14).

Sowhat is that all about? Why would a guy the king invited get thrown out because he wasnt wearing the right clothes? And he wasnt just thrown out  he was thrown outside into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. That was an expression Jesus used seven times; it was His description of the fate of the unrighteous at the conclusion of the age. In other words, hell.

Whos Who?

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him (John 1:11).

The king, God the Father, is putting on the feast for His Son  Christ Jesus. The king sends his servants out to the streets to invite strangers. Matthew says they invited All they could find, the bad and the good. Luke includes the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. All of these who were unrighteous before God. In other words  the Gentiles.

Often Jesus framed his parables around the Jews, specifically targeting them. The parable of the wedding banquet is no different in this regard. In this sense the parable resembles that of the Great Banquet in Luke 14. Many are invited, and all make one excuse or another for not coming; these are the Jews. It is important to note that the invited guests refused to come. They rejected the invitation, making excuses.

Yet, how much does this apply to human nature today? People so often refuse to even listen or consider the gospel message and instead chase after what the world has to offer. Jesus took His message to the sinners and those suffering.

Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame (Luke 14:21b).

So often, the Pharisees and teachers of the Law understood Jesus directed His parables towards them. The parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-31) and the Parable of the Tenants (Mathew 15:33-41, Luke 20:9-18) are but two examples. Of course, the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10  when a priest and a Levite passed by without helping  is another stark example.

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus parables, they knew he was talking about them (Matthew 21:45).

Sadly, the leaders of the Jews recognized when they were set as bad examples  yet still failed to learn the lessons from the rest of the parables. Meaning they had eyes but could not see and ears but could not hear. The gospel that was being offered to the Jews was then being taken forth to the Gentiles, those the Jews considered unrighteous and ungodly. And, wellthey were.

Paul and Barnabas referred to this in the book of Acts, when they visited Antioch, where they were strongly opposed by the Jewish leaders. Pauls words seemingly echoed the response of the king to those who had been invited yet found excuses and refused:

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:46).

But what about the guests who accepted? What do their wedding garments represent? And what about the man found without those garments?

The Significance of the Wedding Garments

The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels (Revelation 3:5).

So often, the Bible is a cross-reference on itself. Like a beautiful tapestry, the very threads that start in Genesis 1 can be traced on through to Revelation 22.

In the Book of Revelation, we read many references to believers being clothed in white. In Rev. 3:5, Jesus says that those who are victorious will be dressed in white. In chapter 19, we are told the armies in heaven following Jesus would be riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. These garments represent purity, righteousness, and reconciliation with God.

As we said, the Parable of the Wedding Banquet represents the Lord God giving a banquet for His Son Jesus. The guests who were given wedding garments are His Church  those who have accepted the invitation to come to the great banquet provided by the Lord to the wedding of His Son. We are therefore given what His guests will wear: the wedding garments provided by the Lord.

Just as the king provided the wedding garments to the guests at the wedding banquet, so God provides righteousness  salvation  for all of mankind. These garments represent nothing less than the righteousness of Christ Jesus. Righteousness that we could only receive from the host of the banquet, the Father, through His Son.

And that invitation to the wedding  to wear the garments  is extended to anyone and everyone. When we have given our hearts to Christ, Gods sees us through the wedding garments. He sees us as His beloved children.

But then, what about the man who was at the wedding, but had clearly refused to accept the garments provided by the king?

Not All Who Claim to Believe

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 7:21).

If Jesus makes one thing clear in His teachings, it is that not everyone who claims to believe will be welcomed to heaven. In Matthew 7, Jesus tells His disciples the Parable of the True and False Disciples wherein He makes clear that not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. Indeed, Jesus goes on the says that Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers! (Matt. 7:22-23) .

In the Parable of the Sower, a farmer sowing seed  Jesus  scatters seeds on different soil. The soil represents varying responses to the Gospel message. Seeds that fall on rocky or thorny ground receive the Word yet fail to produce fruit because they have no root to survive trials or trouble, or because the cares of the world and deceitfulness of wealth have drawn them away. The parable gets right to the condition of our hearts, and those who truly take the Gospel into their hearts produce a bountiful harvest.

The man without appropriate wedding garments may have accepted the invitation to the wedding, but he did not accept the message into his heart. He was there simply to take advantage of the banquet.

After feeding the 5,000, when the crowd followed Jesus across the lake to Capernaum to search for Him, Jesus looked at them and knew their hearts immediately:

Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval (John 6:26-27).

The man at the wedding banquet came for food that spoils, and chose not to accept the wedding garments, otherwise he would not have been thrown out where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

A Question for Each of Us

Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop  a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear (Matthew 13:8).

The thing is, the parables of Jesus were not meant only for the Jews or just for His followers. They were meant for us, too  and there are indeed a great many lessons to be found in Jesus parables. It serves each of us well to find where or how we may fit into those parables.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan  would we pass by or would we stop and help our neighbor?

In the Parable of the Sower  Jesus directed His ministry to the marginalized, the outcasts of society, to sinners and those suffering. Are we doing the same, or have we let the deceitfulness of wealth and the things of this world stand in our way? Are we producing crops a hundred, or sixty, or thirty times what was sown?

We may be going to church every Sunday  to the wedding  but are we wearing the wedding garments? Are we living our lives as Jesus called us to live? Are we exhibiting the garments of His righteousness?

Indeed  whoever has ears, let them hear.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Serhii Sobolevskyi

Grandchamp is an author and speaker. His book, In Pursuit of Truth, A Journey Begins, is an easy-to-read narrative that offers answers to the most common questions new believers and non-believers have about Jesus Christ (Amazon.) Greg speaks on living out our faith in our daily lives  and on creating true disciples of Christ.

Greg doesnt pretend to be a pastor, a theologian, or a Bible expert, but offers the perspective of an everyday guy on the same journey as everyone else  in pursuit of truth.

Greg can be reached by email or on Facebook @ Greg Grandchamp - Author.
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Jeremy Clarkson can be seen hiring a new farmhand while Kaleb Cooper embarks on a tour in the trailer for Clarksons Farm season four.

The hit Prime Video series, launched in 2021, follows former Top Gear presenter Clarkson, 65, as he gets to grips with growing his own crops and looking after livestock on a large plot of land he owns in the Cotswolds.

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In the teaser for series four, Clarkson sets out to buy a pub that will reignite his farm-to-fork restaurant vision.

It comes after the council shut down his Oxfordshire restaurant after it was allegedly opened without planning permission.

The series also follows Cooper, 26, as he embarks on his nationwide tour before returning to his role as farm manager.

The farmer highlighted some of the many challenges that British farmers face today and shared thoughts on how to make a difference and support them when he toured The World According To Kaleb last year.

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Clarkson says in the trailer: I want to make it plain that I am absolutely thrilled to bits for Kaleb, but he has left me just a little bit in the lurch.

After explaining that he needs a farmhand, Clarkson is seen questioning a new member of staff who admits she has never seen the programme.

Alan Townsend, Gerald Cooper, Annie Gray, Jeremy Clarkson, Lisa Hogan, Kaleb Cooper, Charlie Ireland for Clarksons Farm 4 (Ellis OBrien/Prime Video)

The new series will also see Clarkson dealing with a range of livestock to manage  from a big new bull and a very little pig, to high-tech goats.

The TV presenter has become a vocal supporter for farmers, attending a protest in London against the Governments announcement to introduce an inheritance tax on farmers.

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The fourth instalment of the series will launch globally on Prime Video May 23rd.

Episodes one to four will be available from May 23, episode five to six from May 30, and episode seven to eight from June 6th.
A barrister has put to Gerry Adams in the High Court that he was a member of the IRA and sat on its army council, and that is the reason why he did not previously take legal action over such allegations.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens intervened before Mr Adams responded to the allegation, made by Paul Gallagher SC on the second week of a civil trial hearing into the Sinn Fein leaders defamation action against the BBC.

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Mr Adams claims a BBC Spotlight programme and related article published in 2016 defamed him by falsely accusing him of sanctioning the 2006 killing of British agent Denis Donaldson. The BBC denies it defamed Mr Adams.

Mr Adams on Wednesday told the court he did not sue over allegations repeatedly made against him he was in the IRA and sat on its army council because he was advised by his solicitors he would not get a fair hearing.

On Thursday, Mr Gallagher, for the BBC, suggested this was not a reason he did not sue over the allegation  rather, he alleged, it was because he on IRAs army council, and a member of the paramilitary group, and remained so until 2005. Mr Justice Owens interjected and blocked the question before Mr Adams responded.

Following a short break, Mr Gallagher put it to Mr Adams that he was the author of an article, published under the name Brownie, that stated: Rightly or wrongly, I am an IRA volunteer.

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I suggest those are your words, Mr Gallagher said.

Mr Adams said he had not written the article. Mr Adams said it was written by Richard McAuley, who was part of a collective of men imprisoned in Long Kesh who wrote articles.

Mr Gallagher said it could not have been Mr McAuley because he was not married and didnt have a son  the articles author, Mr Gallagher pointed out, references having a spouse and son. Mr Gallagher put it to Mr Adams that he was addressing his wife and son in the article.

Mr Gallagher also put it to Mr Adams that at the time the subject material of Spotlight programme took place, there were continuing issues around IRA activity.

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Counsel cited reports the IRA was behind the robbery of Northern Bank headquarters in Belfast December 2004, the killing of Robert McCartney by an IRA man in Belfast in January 2005, and an IRA statement offering to shoot the perpetrators of Mr McCartneys murder.

Mr Adams said the killing of Mr McCartney was brutal and wrong, and said he was not aware of an IRA statement threatening to shoot those involved in the murder.

When Mr Gallagher quoted from what he said was the statement released by the IRA, Mr Adams said:

Well I dont accept that as a statement made by the IRA.

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Mr Gallagher said the statement was another reminder, to use [Mr Adams] words, that the IRA had not gone away. At a rally in Belfast City Hall in 1995, in response to a heckler, Mr Adams said, They [The IRA] havent gone away, you know.

Mr Gallagher suggested it was of considerable significance that the reputation Mr Adams had as being involved in the IRA and its army council is an important part of the context of the Spotlight programme.

Mr Adams repeated his assertion that counsel was seeking to persuade the good people of the jury that he did not have a reputation, and therefore, the Spotlight programme can say what they want about, and he could have no redress.

Mr Gallagher also put it to Mr Adams that the BBC updated its website with other articles relating to Mr Donaldsons killing. These articles included one reporting Mr Donaldsons family statement that did not blame the IRA for Mr Donaldsons killing, and another reporting that a man had been released without charge by gardai investigating Mr Donaldsons killing.

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Mr Gallagher said the BBC followed true, and when information that implicated others in the murder of Mr Donaldson became available, viewers of the BBC website were updated on that information.

Mr Adams pointed out that the article he sued over, with the headline Gerry Adams sanctioned Denis Donaldson killing, is still live on the BBC website.

He added: Sure the horse had bolted ... the programme had been broadcast.

Mr Gallagher concluded his cross-examination of Mr Adams before lunchtime.

The trial continues.
Gerry Adams has told the High Court that he did not take legal action over repeated claims he was a Provisional IRA member and sat on its army council because he was advised that he would not get a fair hearing.

The former Sinn Fein leader also told the court on Wednesday that the fact that he was suing the BBC over claims made in a 2016 Spotlight programme showed how serious he took those claims.

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He considers the allegations  namely, that he sanctioned the IRAs killing of British agent Denis Donaldson in 2006  an grievous smear that undermines progress achieved during the Northern Ireland peace process, he said.

The former Sinn Fein leader was giving evidence on the second week of the civil trial hearing into his action, in which he claims the programme and a related article defamed him.

The BBC denies it defamed Mr Adams, who insists he had no involvement in Mr Donaldsons death, which dissident republicans claimed responsibility for in 2009.

Continuing his cross-examination of Mr Adams on Wednesday, Paul Gallagher SC, for the BBC, referred to allegations about Mr Adams made in various books and newspapers  including claims he was a member of the IRA, and sat on its army council.

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Mr Adams said Mr Gallagher was attempting to smother the jury by asking him to respond to obscure quotes, and that counsel was trying to persuade the jury that he has no reputation whatsoever.

Mr Adams said that he did not sue over such allegations previously, because he was advised by his solicitors he wouldnt get a fair hearing.

Mr Adams said he acknowledged that certain allegations made about him were in the public domain for a very, very long time. He said that he didnt for a second accept the accuracy of the allegations, adding, In fact, I deny them.

Asked if he was appalled by the allegation that he sat on the army council, Mr Adams said he was irritated by it, that they got in the way of his efforts during the peace process.

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The fact he has sued the BBC over the claims made in the Spotlight programme shows how seriously he takes the allegation, Mr Adams said.

He said the inference of the Spotlight programme was that his and others efforts to persuade the IRA to end its armed campaign and leave the stage to was a scam.

Mr Adams continued that the programme inferred the IRA leadership authorised the killing of Mr Donaldson, and they came to him for permission.

I consider that to be a grievous, grievous smear, and could have no other impact on the peace process but to undermine what we have achieved, Mr Adams said.

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When Mr Gallagher queried why Mr Adams did not take up the Spotlight programme-makers on their offer to interview him, the plaintiff said he had a right not to co-operate with the documentary.

He said he regarded the programme as a straight ambush.

You dont have to be a genius to see that this programme, and the questions I was going to be asked, were just part of the agenda of the programme maker, he said.

Mr Adams also repeated his assertion that British security services viewed Denis Donaldson as disposable, and was thrown to the wolves after charges against him arising from the so-called Stormontgate incident were dropped.

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Mr Adams previously told the court the charges  brought over claims in 2002 of a Sinn Fein spy ring operating at Stormont  were complete nonsense.

Mr Gallagher put questions to Mr Adams about the Sunningdale Agreement in 1973, the New Ireland Forum in 1984 and the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985, and suggested there were earlier opportunities during the Troubles for the IRA to end its campaign of violence, and avoid death and devastation. I wish it was so easy, Mr Adams responded.

Mr Gallagher put it to Mr Adams that had the IRA ceased its campaign of violence, it would have been easier to find solutions to disputed issues in the conflict. If my granny was my grandad. Please dont insult my intelligence by making these suggestions, he said.

Mr Adams said multiple groups, including the British state, were involved in violence during the conflict.

Mr Adams was questioned about purported claims made by family members of IRA victims killed and secretly buried in the conflict.

Mr Gallagher put it to the plaintiff that he did not provide the family of Jean McConville with information about the disappeared mother of 10 when they first approached him in 1994.

Counsel put it to Mr Adams that he did not co-operate with the family until they threatened to go to the press with their mothers story.

Ireland Gerry Adams says Spotlight allegations undermine p... Read More

Mr Adams disputed the claims. He said the familys approach to him directly led to the establishment of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains.

Mr Gallagher also questioned Mr Adams on his interactions with the families of Columba McVeigh and Brian Stack, other victims of the IRA.

Mr Adams said that he had not watched the 2024 Disney+ series Say Nothing, a drama that depicts him as an IRA leader, the court heard. Life is too short to watch Disney, especially when it is dealing with serious issues, he said.

The case before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues.
The Government has been accused of false ignorance on reports of flights carrying arms to be used in Gaza through Ireland.

Tanaiste Simon Harris was handed a folder of what he said were aircraft inventories by an opposition TD who said there was no mystery to the issue.

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He said that a robust investigation was being carried out by the Department of Transport and added that any breach of Irish law cannot be consequence free.

Simon Harris said he did not believe weapons being used in Gaza were being flown through Irish skies based on the information available to him. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

News website The Ditch has reported that several flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Israel have travelled over Ireland.

Permission is needed from Irelands transport minister to carry munitions through Irish airspace.

Mr Harris, who is also the Foreign Affairs Minister, said last week that he did not believe weapons being used in Gaza were being flown through Irish skies based on the information available to him.

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He admitted that it was a real challenge to know what is being carried in planes flying above Ireland.

On Thursday, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of false ignorance and of pretending you dont know whats going on.

He produced a green folder of what he said were waybills that show thousands of tons of weaponry have gone through Irish airspace on the way to be used in a genocide in Gaza.

This is not a mystery. The airlines admit it.

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He added: You want to know my practical solution? My practical solution is that the Minister for Transport should prosecute the companies. Its the law. Theyre currently breaking the law.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of false ignorance and of pretending you dont know whats going on Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

Mr Harris said that the Department of Transport is examining the reports and agreed that any breach of Irish law cannot be consequence free.

Irish law matters, Im very clear in relation to that, as is the Taoiseach, as is the Minister for Transport, he told TDs.

If there have been breaches of Irish sovereign law, decisions will need to be taken on the next steps, based on clear and robust evidence.

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I think we also need to be clear here, and I this is the point I was trying to make, that if you know existing legislation doesnt provide for the implementation of a system of routine and random inspections, and rather, it requires that there first be an appearance of intention or likelihood for a civil aircraft to depart from a point in the state in a manner that will contravene the legislation, for example, carry munitions, I think it is a legitimate question for government to now consider whether we need to amend our own domestic legislation and whether more needs to happen internationally.

So Im very clear any breaches of Irish law, it cannot be consequence free, I agree with you. The Department of Transport is carrying out a robust examination of all of these matters and then will advise Government on what next steps are required.

In response to questions from Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan, Mr Harris said that no one is dragging their feet and Ireland is not standing idly by on Palestine.

He said that he intends to call his EU counterparts in the hours ahead and see if they will echo Irelands call for the EU to review Israels obligation to adhere to human rights clauses in its trade association agreement, which the Netherlands had called for on Wednesday.

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Mr Harris also said he had met Senator Frances Black about her bill that would ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands.

Mr Harris and Taoiseach Micheal Martin had initially committed to passing the Ms Blacks Occupied Territories Bill after it was amended to make it legally robust, but since then have suggested new legislation may be required.

Mr Harris said that there is a narrow pathway based on an advisory opinion from the International Courts of Justice, to legislate on banning trade, but Mr Harris said we have not yet been able to identify the narrow pathway on services, thats the truth.

Campaigners have criticised the move to ban the trading of goods but not services, which is estimated to represent around 70% of trade activity.

Its not a policy position. Its a legal position, he said.

There is a need to make sure any bill can withstand the inevitable challenge that this will face.

He said his hope was that if Ireland brought forward such legislation that it may encourage other countries to do the same.

If the EU refuses to act as a collective in relation to this, why dont a number of member states do what were proposing to do here in Ireland, he said.
Broadcaster Joe Duffy has announced he is retiring from RTE after 37 years.

The presenter confirmed on Thursday that his final time hosting Liveline will be Friday, June 27th.

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He has hosted the popular RTE Radio 1 phone-in show since 1998.

"After 37 wonderful years here in RTE, and 27 years presenting Liveline, it has been an incredible honour and privilege to be part of a programme that relied entirely on trust: the trust of our listeners," Duffy said.

"People felt they could pick up the phone, ring Liveline, and share their lives, problems, stories sad, bad, sometimes mad and funny, their struggles, and their victories. I never took that for granted, not for a single minute.

Joe Duffy and Gay Byrne (1994)

Joe Duffy in 1997

"RTE has been a great place to work. Public service has always been at its heart. And now, after many happy years, Ive decided the time has come to move on.

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"I would like to thank you the listener for tuning in each and every day, it has been an honour to sit in this seat and hear your stories."

Born in January 1956 and raised in Ballyfermot, Dublin, Duffy originally pursued social work at Trinity College.

He was actively involved in student politics and went on to serve as President of the Union of Students in Ireland. Duffy led protests on campus highlighting access to education and spent two weeks in Mountjoy Prison as a result.

Gerry Ryan with Joe Duffy in 1999

Joe Duffy in 1998

After working in the probation service, he joined RTE as a radio producer in 1989, and came to prominence as a reporter on the Gay Byrne Show.

He presented programmes like Soundbyte before taking over Liveline in 1998.

RTE director general Kevin Bakhurst described Duffy as "an icon of broadcasting", while RTE's director of audio Patricia Monahan said the contribution Duffy had made to RTE and Liveline "cannot be overstated."

Duffy will appear as Patrick Kieltys special guest on The Late Late Show on Friday night.

RTE said the next presenter of Liveline will be announced in the autumn, and Duffy is expected to contribute to RTEs 100th anniversary commemorations in 2026.
A planning application has been submitted for over 380 apartments in Bluebell in Dublin.

Dublin City Council and the Land Development Agency are looking to build beside the Grand Canal. They say it comes after more than a year of extensive consultation with the local community.

150 of the units will be social homes, with the rest going to the cost-rental scheme.

The site is located on Bluebell Avenue and Bluebell Road, Bluebell, Dublin 12.

The proposed development will consist of:

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Demolition of existing above-ground structures on site, including the existing 36 no. 2 bed maisonettes and the existing community facility known as the Bungalow (which is being relocated within the site), and the construction of a residential development set out in 5 no. blocks, ranging in height from 5 to 9 storeys to accommodate 383 no. apartments, 3 no. community / cultural units and a creche; The site will accommodate 141 no. car parking spaces, 945 no. bicycle parking spaces, storage, services and plant areas. Landscaping will include a new central public plaza, residential courtyards, and a western linear parkland which includes relocated allotments; The 5 no. residential buildings range in height from 5 storeys to 9 storeys accommodating 383 no. apartments comprising 22 studios, 131 no. 1 bed units, 192 no. 2 bed units (30 no. 2 bed- 3 person and 162 no. 2 bed- 4 person) and 38 no. 3 bed units. The residential buildings are arranged centrally on the site and around residential courtyards at podium and ground level. Balconies and terraces to be provided on all elevations at all levels for each block. The breakdown of residential accommodation is as follows:

Block 1 is a 7 to 8 storey building accommodating 80 no. units comprising 1 no. studio, 28 no. 1 bed units, 43 no. 2 bed units, 8 no. 3 bed units.

Block 2 is a 6 to 9 storey building accommodating 86 no. units comprising 23 no. 1 bed units, 50 no. 2 bed units, 13 no. 3 bed units.

Block 3A/3B is a 6 storey building accommodating 83 no. units comprising 10 no. studios, 43 no. 1 bed units, 30 no. 2 bed units.

Block 4A/4B is a 5 to 6 storey building, accommodating 70 no. units comprising 1 no. studio, 22 no. 1 bed units, 34 no. 2 bed units, 13 no. 3 bed units.

Block 5 is a 5 to 7 storey building accommodating 64 no. units comprising 10 no. studios, 15 no. 1 bed units, 35 no. 2 bed units, 4 no. 3 bed units

They said any person within four weeks from the date of publication of this notice, apply to An Bord Pleanala for a screening determination as to whether the development would be likely to have significant effects on the environment.

Dublin City Council said they are now open to submissions or observations in relation to the proposed development, dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development would be situated, may be made on their website before 23:59pm on June 19th, 2025.

You can make a submission about the development here.
Richard Satchwell was "flogging" his wife Tina's clothes at a car boot sale just weeks after her alleged murder and claimed she had gone to her sister's in the UK after contracting a "terrible infection", witnesses have told his trial.

Earlier, the court heard that a phone linked to Mr Satchwell, who told gardai that he kept the body of his wife Tina in a freezer before burying her beneath their home, posted an ad on Done Deal reading "Large chest freezer free to take away, working perfect just needs a clean" days after her alleged murder.

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The trial has heard that on March 24th 2017, Mr Satchwell told gardai that his wife Tina, had left their home four days earlier but that he had no concerns over her welfare, feeling she had left due to a deterioration in their relationship.

The accused reported that Tina had taken approximately 26,000 from their savings from a box in the attic.

The accused formally reported his wife missing the following May but her body was not discovered for over six years, when gardai in October 2023 conducting "an invasive search" of the Satchwell's home found her decomposed remains in a grave that had been dug underneath the stairs.

Forensic accountant

Forensic accountant Tadhg Twomey told Gerardine Small SC, prosecuting, today that he was aware Mr Satchwell had told gardai that his wife had taken 26K, which had been raised over a four to five-year period.

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Mr Twomey said the accused had stated publicly that the 26,000 was from the sale of the couple's property in Youghal and that they could make up to 200 a week from selling items at car boot sales.

The witness said that, while looking through the couple's finances, he was made aware that Tina Satchwell had an account with 'Littlewoods Ireland' with a credit line for a maximum of 4,500.

He said that from mid-2016 to February/March 2017, this line of credit was 90 per cent used, and by the end of 2017, it was fully breached. He said there were significant arrears building up on the account at the time.

Mr Twomey said the sale of a house in Fermoy was for 120,000, which was used to pay off fees for the purchase of the house on Grattan Street in Youghal. He said at the end of that process, 372 in remaining funds was left to the Satchwells.

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The witness testified that there was "no sign" the Satchwells had received "a significant cash windfall" to provide them with 26,000 in savings.

Under cross-examination, the witness agreed with Brendan Grehan SC, defending, that Tina had no recorded employment.

'DONE DEAL'

Sergeant Ciaran Crowley told Ms Small that he had conducted enquiries with the website 'DoneDeal' about the activities of Richard and Tina Satchwell.

The Sgt said he received a response from 'DoneDeal' on August 10 2017 stating that an advert associated with Mr Satchwell's phone had been published at 9.49 am on March 31st 2017 which read: "Large chest freezer free to take away, working perfect just needs a clean only, giving away because I need the space".

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Mary Crowley told Ms Small that she attended a car boot sale on April 17th 2017 in Blarney and she saw Mr Satchwell with his stall selling 'Dr Martens' boots.

Ms Crowley said Mr Satchwell told her that he and his wife had moved into a house which had been unoccupied for 12 years and had mould or fungus.

He said Tina had gotten a "very serious respiratory illness" and was in the UK.

The witness added: "I must have said what will she [Tina] say when she comes back and you're flogging her stuff. He said 'she told me to sell them as we need money to make repairs to the house'."

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She said the accused told her that Tina was immunocompromised.

The daughter of the previous witness, Julie Crowley, said Mr Satchwell told her and her mother that his wife had developed a serious respiratory infection when they moved into a house.

The accused told them the house needed serious structural work and approval from the health board. She said Mr Satchwell said he and his wife were raising money for work that had to be done on the house.

The next witness, Ger Carey, said he got to know Tina Satchwell through car boot sales in Cork. Mr Carey said he met the accused at his stall at the Blarney car boot sale.

"I said 'has Tina gone walkabout', he said 'no she is not here today'. He said she had gotten very ill and was with her sister in England who was looking after her".

Mr Carey said the accused told him that Tina was so ill she wouldn't be at car boot sales anymore.

Under cross-examination, Mr Carey agreed with the defence he had said in his statement that Mr Satchwell told him Tina wouldn't be the same again, and not that he wouldn't see her at car boot sales anymore.

Linda Hennessy said she was at the Rathcormac car boot sale in late March/early April 2017 and met Richard Satchwell. She asked Richard whether Tina was "running around buying stuff" but said he had put his head down.

"I waited until the people went. I went over and said 'is Tina alright'. 'No' he said, 'she is not, she is very sick and in hospital'," said the witness.

The witness asked Richard which hospital and whether she could go to see her.

"He said to me you can't, she's gone over now to the UK to her sister". She said Richard told her that Tina had got a "terrible infection" through "dry rot" from the walls in their house.

"I said right, how come you didn't get it. He looked down. I said are you in contact with her on the phone, please send my regards to her," said the witness.

When Ms Hennessy asked the accused whether he was going to the UK, Mr Satchwell said he had to get passports for the dogs.

Under cross-examination, the witness agreed with the defence that it was normal for the couple to sell Tina's "stuff'.

First arrest in 2023

Detective Garda David Kelleher said he went with a search warrant to Grattan Street in Youghal at 5pm on October 10 2023, where he arrested Mr Satchwell for the murder of Tina Satchwell on or about March 19 2017 and brought him to Cobh Garda Station.

In his interview with gardai at 8.05pm that night, Mr Satchwell said his wife asked him to go to Dungarvan on the morning of March 20 2017 and when he arrived back a couple of hours later, Tina's keys were on the floor and her phone was in the kitchen.

He spotted that two suitcases were missing as well as 26,000 which he said didn't surprise him. He said he went to bed that night and the next few days were "a blur".

He said he was "nervy", pacing around the house and hadn't slept that week. "My companion I had walked around with for 30 years was not walking beside me so I was lonely.

"I was 100 percent convinced she was in Fermoy. I kept the same routine going until the Friday". He told gardai he had measured up plasterboard for the ceilings of the house in the shed and busied himself around the house that week.

The accused said he reported his wife missing to gardai on March 24 when he went to Tina's relatives in Fermoy and she wasn't there. "It's like having 20 tons of brick having fallen on you when realise she wasn't where thought she was". He said he went home and was "an emotional wreck".

Mr Satchwell told detectives he drove around looking at places she had been and went to a couple of car boots sales that week. He said he told everyone except one person that Tina wasn't feeling well and "tried to keep it that she had dignity if she came back".

Asked about March 19 2017, the accused told gardai that when Tina got out of the bath that night he would have two towels on the bed and then rubbed baby oil into her. She put on her nightie and got into bed.

He said he then got into the same bath water and went to bed. He said he would rub baby oil on his wife's face every morning.

Mr Satchwell said Tina would hit him, fling a plate at him and bite him. "Then she'd calm down and there would be tears and she'd apologise for it". He said he didn't hit her back. He said they didn't need an argument for her to hit him.

He said the last time they argued was the previous December/January, when she threw a lamp at him, adding: "You never admit being hit by your partner....you are talking over 30 years".

He said there had been a few hundred fights between them over 30 years; "times I'd hide in the attic when my family visited, times I had to take off work as I couldn't turn up looking the way I did.

"She had black bruises on her hands from repeatedly hitting me....someone said to her your arms are black and she said she wouldn't hit me again".

The accused said Tina would get off a chair, be on top of him and be "belting into" him; "don't ask me the dates". "I don't know the incident that preceded it because there were so many".

He said he was beaten so badly in 1994/1995 he took an overdose.....Tina is a beautiful looking woman, heart of gold, yes she hurt me physically and mentally". He said the violence began before they were married.

Ireland Mother was smothered and strangled, pathologist te... Read More

The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of five men and seven women.

In her opening address, Ms Small told the jury that after the body was recovered, Mr Satchwell told gardai that he lost his footing and fell to the ground when his wife tried to stab him with a chisel.

He told detectives that he held her weight off with a belt but that in a matter of seconds, she was dead in his arms.

Mr Satchwell (58), with an address at Grattan Street, Youghal, Co Cork has pleaded not guilty to murdering his 45-year-old wife Tina Satchwell - nee Dingivan - at that address between March 19 and March 20, 2017, both dates inclusive.
Difficulty in securing placements for children with autism, and the Richard Satchwell trial are among the stories that feature on Thursday's front pages.

The Irish Times and Irish Examiner lead with stories on barriers facing children with autism due to school admission policies, while the Richard Satchwell trial also makes the front page.

The Irish Independent leads with a story on a 'surge in elder abuse'.

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The Echo leads with a story on a terminally ill man who is appealing to Cork City Council for alternative accommodation as his flat fills with fumes when his neighbours light fires.

The Irish Sun leads with the camogie Skorts controversy.

Today's front page of The Irish Sun pic.twitter.com/sbNDpnG9GK  The Irish Sun (@IrishSunOnline) May 8, 2025

Pharmaceutical companies based in Ireland are ramping up exports in a bid to alleviate the impact of incoming tariff's from Donald Trump's administration, the Irish Daily Mail reports.

Read all this and lots more in Thursday's Irish Daily Mail. pic.twitter.com/xZ2woO6RVW  The Irish Daily Mail (@irishdailymail) May 8, 2025

The Herald leads with a story on the woman accused of vandalising a bus during the Dublin riots.

In the North, the Belfast Telegraph leads with a story on a man who died following a 'nasty throat bug', according to an inquest.

The PSNI have abandoned the GAA 'catfish' probe, The Irish News reports.

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The front page of todays Irish News. pic.twitter.com/p4vxjqwL1c  The Irish News (@irish_news) May 8, 2025

Victory in Europe Day is one of the main subjects in UK front pages on Thursday.

The main story in Metro is Liam Payne's 24.3 million (28.6 million) estate. Cheryl Tweedy, his former partner and mother of his son Bear, is an administrator for his estate, meaning she is legally responsible for his money, property and possessions.

The Financial Times leads with a story on fears of war amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Financial Times: War fears mount after Pakistan vows to hit back at India's deadly air strikes #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/nCmDp5jwfZ  Jamie Whitehead (@jamiewh_) May 7, 2025

The Daily Star, Daily Mirror, and Daily Express lead with VE Day.

Daily Express: Britain remembers the VE day spirit 80 years on #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/qcb25qvO6P  Jamie Whitehead (@jamiewh_) May 7, 2025

The Daily Telegraph leads with a story on the cost of housing migrants in the UK.

Daily Telegraph: 4m a day: True cost of housing migrants #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/lkRTQTqvQS  Jamie Whitehead (@jamiewh_) May 7, 2025

The Daily Mail leads with a story on an Iranian plot to attack the Israeli embassy in London.

Daily Mail: Iranians 'plotted to attack Israeli embassy in London' #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/1rPORqDb6L  Jamie Whitehead (@jamiewh_) May 7, 2025

The i Paper and The Guardian lead with the India-Pakistan tensions.

The i Paper: Nuclear warning as Pakistan and India urged to step back from brink of war #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/uAk7cCy2aW  Jamie Whitehead (@jamiewh_) May 7, 2025

The Guardian: Pakistan vows to strike back after Indian missile attacks kill dozens #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/unsO3FIqNU  Jamie Whitehead (@jamiewh_) May 7, 2025

The Times also leads with the Iranian plot to attack London's Israeli embassy.

The Times: Iranian 'terror plot' targeted Israeli embassy in London #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/XtD2zzozOk  Jamie Whitehead (@jamiewh_) May 7, 2025

The Sun leads with Liam Payne's estate.

The New York Times leads with a story on the papal Conclave.
A woman has spoken of the horror of being asleep in her bed after a night out, only for her husband of 40 years to attack her with boiling water and a claw hammer.

Mother of three, Jackie Twomey on Thursday told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that her life changed forever on January 15th, 2024, when her husband Noel brutally assaulted her in her bedroom.

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In a victim impact statement, which was read into evidence Ms Twomey (63) said that Noel Twomey came to her bedroom armed with a kettle of boiling water and a claw hammer and attacked her with both.

It was beyond cruel and evil what he did to me. He poured the boiling water on me and hit me a number of times over the head with the hammer. He didn't seem to care about the damage he was doing to me. I thought I was going to die.

"I remember the pain and screaming. I couldn't believe what was happening. I was in CUH for six days and needed a lot of follow-up care. That was the physical side. The psychological trauma is worse. I don't think I will ever be the same person as I was before that night.

Mr Twomey of Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny in Cork, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm to his wife Jackie on January 15th, 2024.

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One of the counts was for pouring boiling water on his wife, whilst the second was for hitting her with a claw hammer.

Ms Twomey said that, arising out of the traumatising incident, she is afraid of going to bed.

I was going to bed and I fear just sleeping. The nightmares return every night, the pain and memories are there all the time,e but worse at night. Its hard to put in words how my life has changed and the anxiety and terror that have become part of my life.

"I should have been safe asleep in my own bed.

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"I have a very supportive family and friends who are 100% behind me. I hope I get peace someday and be happy, but that possibility seems far away. I need that evil man to be gone for good.

Ms Twomey thanked gardai, paramedics, the staff at CUH and her own doctor for their help following the incident.

I never thought I would be in a courtroom reading a victim impact statement, I never thought my life would change so much or that I would be living with ongoing physical and psychological pain.

"I could write about what the days were like after the attack, trying to recover, but it is still the fear inside me now that's taking over at night. I do hope I get peace sometime in the future.

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Meanwhile, Dt Garda Michael Dolan told Judge Dermot Sheehan that Mr Twomey was arrested at 5am on January 15th, 2024 at Bakers Road in Gurranabraher in Cork after he flagged down a patrol car.

He said that Ms Twomey had gone to sleep in the safety of her own bed at around 3.30am, having arrived home from a social occasion.

Det Garda Dolan stated that Mr Twomey made the very conscious decision to boil a pot of water on the stove and to retrieve a claw hammer from his toolbox.

Det Garda Dolan said that Mr Twomey considered his actions for a short period and then entered his bedroom where his wife was sleeping. He then hit her in the head a number of times with a claw hammer and poured the boiling water over her.

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Dt Garda Dolan said that Mr Twomey later described the movements of his wife from that night. He had watched the CCTV system that was on the exterior of the property.

Det Garda Dolan said that Mr Twomey expressed surprise that he was able to jump up and leave the property following his offending behaviour.

He also left the property and flagged down a patrol car. He was visibly soaked in blood and in possession of a blood-stained hammer in a plastic bag.

Ms Twomey was treated in intensive care following the incident.

A medical report was furnished to the court today, which indicated that Ms Twomey still suffers from obvious scarring to her scalp arising out of the attack.

She has a 3.5cm scar on her scalp, and when she was hospitalised there was concern that her extensive burns could lead to sepsis.

Doctors say that Ms Twomey narrowly avoided a serious cranial injury. She suffers from PTSD arising out of the incident.

Defence barrister Seamus Roche, SC, said that his client made admissions to gardai which were detailed and florid. He also wrote a letter of apology to his wife. The 63-year-old accused has a diagnosis of depression and ASD.

Judge Sheehan further remanded Mr Twomey in custody until June 26th next to allow for the preparation of a psychiatric report in the case.
The perils of WhatsApp groups and accidentally being taken for a film star are explored in this weeks selection of books

Fiction

It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara is published in hardback by Bantam. Available May 8th



It Should Have Been You opens by asking if youve ever done something stupid and realised too late to avert the damage. Of course we have, but nothing as catastrophic as a vicious message Susan ODonnell meant to send to her sister, poking fun at people in her WhatsApp group, which she mistakenly sends to said WhatsApp group instead by accident. Before she realises what shes done, its too late to retract details of a bratty girl who bunks off school and an affair one of the husbands is having. It isnt long before Susan is getting nasty messages back. Any hope she has that her mistake will be forgotten quickly disappears when she starts receiving death threats, a brick is thrown through her window, and a woman is murdered in her home in a different part of town, but with the same address and similar name as Susan. She becomes paranoid that she was the intended target and could still be in danger, along with her young daughter. This is another surefire best seller from Dublin-based Andrea Mara, with a gripping plot and dire warnings about making mistakes with messages.

8/10

Review by Alan Jones

The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien is published in hardback by Granta Books. Available May 8th



Lina and her ailing father have arrived at The Sea, a mysterious staging post for migrants, and among their few possessions are three volumes from the Great Lives of Voyagers encyclopaedic series. Lina reads these books obsessively, and their stories become blurred with those of their neighbours at The Sea  Bento is Baruch Spinoza, an ex-communicated Jewish scholar in 17th-century Amsterdam, Blucher is Hannah Arendt, philosopher in 1930s Germany fleeing Nazi persecution and Jupiter doubles as Du Fu, a poet of Tang Dynasty China. Their stories become interwoven with Linas own in an exploration of themes which chime throughout history and are relevant again today  nationalism, climate change, disease, all contributing to forced migration. Steeped in philosophy, Madeleine Thiens beautifully-composed novel has much to say on these topics, but this series of recollections, stories and dreams is one where the central thread is not always easy to grasp.

7/10

Review by Ian Parker

Finding Belle by Reeta Chakrabarti is published in hardback by HarperCollins. Available May 8th



In BBC news presenter Reeta Chakrabartis debut novel, Finding Belle, her heroine Mivvi is growing up in a house where her glamorous mother Belles mental health is spiralling out of control, while her preening, narcissistic father Fairfax fails to step in and support her. Compounded by her mothers move from wealth and comfort in Mombasa, to Seventies white British suburbia, Mivvi struggles as her family life implodes, and theres also a secret kernel behind it all that she cant quite grasp. Fairfax is brilliantly repellent, and Belles deterioration is deeply moving, but the plots momentum is halting at times, and Mivvi can be a frustrating protagonist. The greatest moments of colour and feeling come from Belles letters, which act like diary entries interspersed between chapters; powerful missives from before her mind begins to break that youll want more of.

7/10

Review by Ella Walker

Non-fiction

Is A River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane is published in hardback by Hamish Hamilton



From the precipitous cloud-forests of Ecuador to the lagoons of southern India and the wilds of north-eastern Quebec, acclaimed nature writer Robert Macfarlane turns his attention to rivers and their rights in imagination and law. Global headlines about pollution levels choking the life out of our waterways make Macfarlanes latest focus an especially timely one, yet amid the heartbreaking tales of destruction, he manages to forge reasons for cautious optimism. That comes in the fervent campaigns waged by ecologists and indigenous rights activists to protect their ancient water bodies, and in the resilience of flora and fauna that continues to thrive and will do so long after human intervention. Central to Macfarlanes argument is whether a river can benefit by being reclassified as a living, breathing entity, which might in turn afford it protections and rights that can hold drillers and loggers at bay. Part spellbinding travelogue, part polemic on the importance of waterways that criss-cross like veins, Macfarlane lends his considerable expertise to a topic that has seldom felt so urgent. If the answer to the books titular question is an affirmative one, then the beautiful and abused rivers of the world would surely express gratitude that in Macfarlane they have found such a persuasive champion.

9/10

Review by Mark Staniforth

Childrens book of the week

The Blockbusters! by Frank Cottrell-Boyce is published in hardback by Macmillan Childrens Books. Available May 15th

Award-winning author Frank Cottrell-Boyce is back with another brilliant book for children aged nine to 12. In The Blockbusters!, Year 6 goes to Hollywood for an action-packed adventure featuring a private jet and the actual Oscars. Schoolboy Rafa is from a humble background and, together with his older brother Cillian, has to go and live with a disinterested uncle while their mother tries to sort them out a reliable home. Starting a new school leads Rafa on an epic adventure, where his likeness to famous film star BB gives him VIP access to a celebrity lifestyle. But there is a serious problem to solve when Cillian goes missing. Can the brothers reunite and make it back home? With twists and turns and a healthy dose of humour, readers will race through this novel to find out what happens next.

9/10

Review by Jane Kirby

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CHARTS

BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING MAY 3rd

HARDBACK (FICTION)

1. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

2. The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

3. Air by John Boyne

4. Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata

5. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

6. Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz

7. Murder on Line One by Jeremy Vine

8. Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

9. Strangers in Time by David Baldacci

10. The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce

(Compiled by Waterstones)

HARDBACK (NON-FICTION)

1. Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane

2. My Next Breath by Jeremy Renner

3. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robbins

4. Victory 45:The End of the War in Eight Surrenders by James Holland and Al Murray

5. The Art and Making of Arcane by Elisabeth Vincentelli

6. HOPE:The Autobiography by Pope Francis

7. We Are Not Numbers:The Voices of Gazas Youth by Ahmed Alnaouq and Pam Bailey

8. Easy Air Fryer by Jamie Oliver

9. Moral Ambition:Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference by Rutger Bregman

10. On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel, Hamas and the Future of the West by Douglas Murray

(Compiled by Waterstones)

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AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NONFICTION)

1. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

2. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

3. Conclave by Robert Harris

4. Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz

5. Small Gods by Terry Pratchett

6. Atomic Habits by James Clear

7. Gateway by Craig Alanson

8. The Hotel Avocado by Bob Mortimer

9. Prima Facie by Suzie Miller

10. Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone by J.K. Rowling

(Compiled by Audible)
Oti Mabuse is decluttering her new home  and some Strictly Come Dancing fans are likely to be very happy about it.

The former Strictly dancer intends to make space in her new wardrobes by getting rid of some of the gorgeous dresses she wore on the show. And dance fans will be able to get their hands on them, because shes going to sell the glitzy dresses  and plenty of other clutter too  on eBay.

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But getting rid of the dresses isnt proving quite as easy as she thought it would be.

Ive got some old Strictly dresses that I was going to put up for sale, she says, and then I put them on, and I was like Oh my gosh, they fit!

But I dont have a use for them any more, even though Im going on tour  were going to get completely new outfits. Its stuff like that, that I absolutely love and I have great, great memories of but Im not going to be using anytime soon. And I think some Strictly fans would be more than happy to have some dresses that have a bit of memory, that maybe they can frame up or can use themselves. So Im definitely decluttering that.

And will she be getting rid of many dresses?

I dont know  I think its endless, she says with a chuckle. Im still unpacking some of my clothes, and some of them  oh, my God, we all have that one dress where youre like one day Im going to fit back into that, and we keep it at the back of the closet. I have so many of those, so Ill probably just be getting them out and getting rid of them.

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Mabuse, 34, had her first child, a daughter, 17 months ago  but she admits her maternity clothes will not be part of her decluttering mission.

I really do want to grow my family, so thats probably my Oh, Im going to put that at the back of the closet in case one day it fits, she admits. So no, Im not getting rid of my maternity stuff.

But whether she uses her maternity gear in the future or not, the proud mum says pregnancy has 100% changed her body. And Im embracing every little bit of it, she insists. Everything is just a completely different size or shape or movement. But Im really loving my new body  its given me the most amazing human being in my life, and I wouldnt have it any other way.

The South African dancer, her Romanian dancer husband, Marius Iepure, and their precious baby girl moved house to the country a few months ago, but didnt get rid of much stuff before the move, so theyre determined to make space in their new home now.

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Oti Mabuse packs up her unwanted items (Oti Mabuse/eBay UK/PA)

Before this, I hadnt got rid of much, but now so much stuff is going up, she declares. I think old clothes sell really well, and stuff from the kitchen  appliances that I dont use any more, or stuff Ive bought that I havent used at all.

We have stuff from where we used to live that just doesnt fit or doesnt match the personality of where we are now that were not going to use and probably just leave in the garage. So thats stuff were definitely going to put up, as well as prams, baby car seats shes outgrown, baby toys  all that is going.

And she doesnt believe people need to be tough to have a big clear-out  just honest.

We get to a point where its not really about discipline, its just about how you feel in the moment. If you dont use something any more, you dont need it and somebody else can use it, thats great. I dont think you have to be disciplined and hard on yourself, you just have to be honest with yourself.

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The kitchen appliances she intends to sell include a slow cooker, a smoothie maker and a mini-fridge, and she explains: We have a slow cooker that we genuinely dont use now because we have an air fryer, and a smoothie machine that we havent used in a really long time, and its good-quality stuff.

We have a mini-fridge from when I was breastfeeding, and we needed milk to be in the fridge while I was pumping in the night. I didnt want to walk up and down stairs, so I bought this little mini-fridge, and I think another mum could probably use that now.



Mabuse, whos also been a judge on Dancing on Ice, and is about to go on tour with her new show Viva Carnival, has even got her little daughter into a tidying mindset.

Shes a baby, but were really good when we play  she knows that once were done playing, we pack up and we put everything back in boxes, and we put them where they go, and then she goes to nursery. We want to instil that in her while shes still young. Shes already on it  she likes packing up and putting things back in boxes.

Mabuse, whose older sister is the dancer and Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse, is hoping her decluttering  and her daughters love of putting things away  will give her little family much more space, and she says: Just space really, not even for anything  just to have space. I think it clears the mind for me, definitely, when coming back to a house thats clean, where I feel like I can think. Its really good for my mental health.

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Research by eBay for its new List to 1K challenge, which is stressing spring cleaning and decluttering can earn households up to 1K from selling unused or pre-loved items, has found three-quarters (75%) of people are planning a spring clean this year, mainly to create more space (43%), improve mental wellbeing (37%), and make extra money (21%). Yet despite good intentions, 80% of UK adults admit to having unused or unwanted items in their homes.

More than half (54%) confess to keeping items just in case they need them in the future, with a quarter feeling they lack the time for a spring clean (25%) or dont know where to start (21%).

With it being spring, everybody will want to do a little bit of cleaning in the house, and you can take some of the items you dont use or need and make money on the side, says Mabuse.

The main reason people usually spring clean is to create more space and to improve their own mental health, and they can also make a little bit of extra money. Sometimes less is more  you can create a bigger space by having less things.

Oti Mabuse is supporting the eBay List to 1K challenge to encourage Brits to turn their unwanted items into cash.
Robert Prevost, the choice of the world's Catholic cardinals to serve as leader of the 1.4-billion-member Church, is the first pope from the United States and a relative unknown on the global stage.

Taking the papal name Leo XIV, the 69-year-old has spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru.

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Prevost was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, has given few media interviews and rarely speaks in public.

Rev. Mark Francis, a friend of Prevost since the 1970s, said the cardinal was a firm supporter of his predecessor's papacy, and especially of the late pontiff's commitment to social justice issues.

"He was always friendly and warm and remained a voice of common sense and practical concerns for the Church's outreach to the poor," said Francis, who attended seminary with Prevost and later knew him when they both lived in Rome in the 2000s.

"He has a wry sense of humour, but was not someone who sought the limelight," said Francis, who leads the US province of the Viatorian religious order.

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Prevost first served as a bishop in Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023, and became a Peruvian citizen in 2015, so he has dual nationalities.

Pope Francis brought him to Rome that year to head the Vatican office in charge of choosing which priests should serve as Catholic bishops across the globe, meaning he has had a hand in selecting many of the world's bishops.

Jesus Leon Angeles, coordinator of a Catholic group in Chiclayo who has known Prevost since 2018, called him a "very simple" person who would go out of his way to help others.

Leon Angeles said Prevost had shown special concern for Venezuelan migrants in Peru, saying: "He is a person who likes to help." More than 1.5 million Venezuelans have moved to Peru in recent years, partly to escape their country's economic crisis.

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In a 2023 interview with the Vatican's news outlet, Prevost focused on the importance of evangelization to help the Church grow.

"We are often preoccupied with teaching doctrine ... but we risk forgetting that our first task is to teach what it means to know Jesus Christ," he said.

Prevost said during a 2023 Vatican press conference: "Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church."

'He knows how to listen'

Prevost was born in 1955 and is a member of the global Augustinian religious order, which includes about 2,500 priests and brothers, operates in 50 countries and has a special focus on a life of community and equality among its members.

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He has a bachelor's degree from Villanova University in Philadelphia, a master's from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a doctorate in Church law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

Prevost first went to Peru as a missionary in 1985, returning to the United States in 1999 to take up a leadership role in his religious order.

He later moved to Rome to serve two six-year terms as head of the Augustinians, visiting many of the order's communities across the world. He is known to speak English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese.

Returning to Rome in 2023, Prevost generally did not take part in many of the social events that attract Vatican officials throughout the city.

Leon Angeles said he is a person with leadership skills, "but at the same time, he knows how to listen. He has that virtue."

"The cardinal has the courtesy to ask for an opinion, even if it's from the simplest or most humble person," she said. "He knows how to listen to everyone."
Denmark has said it will summon the top US diplomat in the country for an explanation following a Wall Street Journal report about the United States stepping up intelligence gathering on Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory coveted by President Donald Trump.

Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told broadcaster DR outside a meeting with colleagues in Poland that Denmark would summon the US charge daffaires to seek a rebuttal or other explanation following the report.

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The Journal, citing two people familiar with the US effort that it did not identify, reported that several high-ranking officials under the US director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had directed intelligence agency heads to learn more about Greenlands independence movement and sentiment about US resource extraction there.

The US embassy did not immediately respond to emails from the Associated Press on Thursday seeking comment on whether the US diplomat in Copenhagen, Jennifer Hall Godfrey, had received a summons.

The Danish Foreign Ministry, in an email, did not comment beyond referring to Mr Rasmussens remarks.

Mr Rasmussen, who has previously scolded the Trump administration over its criticism of Nato ally Denmark and Greenland, said the information in the report was very worrying and we dont spy between friends.

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We are looking at this with quite a lot of seriousness, he added.

Greenlands prime minister said last month that US statements about the mineral-rich Arctic island have been disrespectful and it will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said Washington will respect Greenlands self-determination and alleged that Greenlanders dont want to be a part of Denmark.
A former soldier is facing up to three decades behind bars after being convicted of murdering his south Dublin girlfriend at their Spanish holiday hotel.

Jurors found Keith Byrne guilty after three days of deliberations of strangling Kirsty Ward to death with a hair straightener power cord after she told him she was leaving him.

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The 34-year-old Irishman had claimed during his trial in the eastern Spanish city of Tarragona the 36-year-old mum-of-one took her own life at their four-star Magnolia Hotel in the popular Costa Daurada resort of Salou.

He described himself as a respectful and intelligent father-of-three who would never commit an act of domestic violence - and demonised Kirsty as someone who could be four people in one day, especially after binging on alcohol and cocaine he claimed made their romance toxic.

The trial judge announced he was retiring to consider his sentence after the jury decision late last night - as is normal in Spain - and Byrne is not expected to find out for nearly a month how much time he will have to serve.

A private prosecutor acting for Kirstys family said she was still seeking the 30-year sentence she argued for before and during the trial.

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Public prosecutor Javier Goimil urged the judge to jail him for 20 years for his July 2nd 2023 crime, lowering his initial pre-trial demand by a year as he accepted Byrne's prior use of drink and drugs as a mitigating circumstance after jurors ruled he had diminished cognitive and volitional faculties" when he killed Kirsty.

The killer was led handcuffed from the court after learning he was now a convicted criminal after nearly two years on remand in prison following his arrest.

Mr Goimil, a domestic violence specialist, rubbished Byrnes court claim Kirsty took her own life during his closing speech to the jury last Wednesday on the final day of the murder trial.

He claimed the former soldier, who had been living in Duleek, Co Meath, decided: Youre mine or youre nobodys and strangled his girlfriend to death because she wanted out of their stormy relationship.

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He said the forensic evidence pointed to Kirsty had been strangled from behind between 8pm and 10pm on July 2nd 2023, after incapacitating herself with alcohol and cocaine.

He told the court: Byrne has adapted his version of events of what happened in that timeframe nearly two years on in accordance with the evidence hes learnt there is against him.

Hes saying Kirsty tied a cable round her neck and attached it to the door knob but in the state she was in it would have been impossible for her to do that and theres nothing showing there was a knot in the cable.

Whats occurred here is a violent and painful death, a strangulation from behind where someone is pulling from the front to the back. This was not a suicide."

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He added: She didnt leave a note for her son or her siblings or her mum, and whats more,e she had bought a plane ticket back to Dublin for July 4.

Kirstys relationship with Byrne was very toxic, very intense and very emotional.

She decided to end it during the week they stayed at the hotel in Salou, and her partner couldnt accept that decision.

His mindset at that moment was: Or youre mine or youre nobodys. You, woman, are no one to say youre going to detach yourself from me, the man and have your own independent life.

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That was why he killed her the way he did.

He also said the amount of alcohol Kirsty had drunk before being killed would have significantly impacted her ability to defend herself.

Jurors started deliberating on Monday after the May 1st Bank Holiday.

Ireland Cliona Ward left 'shocked and traumatised' after b... Read More

Byrnes defence lawyer Jordi Cabre had been seeking his clients acquittal before the jury verdict and afterwards asked the judge to hand down the "minimum sentence".

It emerged following Byrnes Spanish arrest that he was wanted in England by Royal Military Police for going AWOL after he left for Ireland in 2017.

Reports in Ireland last March said Spanish prosecutors intended to interview at least two of his former partners about assisting the case by giving background information about him.

Kirsty Wards family said in a statement after the jury verdict: Our family wish to thank our private prosecutor Estela Cortes and her team for guiding, supporting and representing Kirsty, her son and our family at this very difficult and painful time; Javier Goimil the public prosecutor for his commitment and passion; the Spanish investigation teams and police for their expertise, empathy and understanding; and the jury for seeing and believing in what was the truth about our beautiful Kirsty."
Pakistans authorities said Indian attack drones killed two civilians and wounded four soldiers.

India, meanwhile, accused its neighbour of attempting its own attack, as tensions soared between the nuclear-armed rivals.

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India acknowledged that it targeted Pakistans air defence system, and Islamabad said it shot down several of the drones.

India said it neutralised Pakistans attempts to hit military targets. It was not possible to verify all of the claims.

In Indian-controlled Kashmir, meanwhile, residents of the city of Jammu reported hearing explosions and sirens late on Thursday.



A resident stands next to a house damaged by Pakistani artillery shelling in Indian-controlled Kashmir (Junaid Bhat/AP)

Indias Headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff, a central co-ordinating arm for all Indian armed forces, said military stations in Jammu, Udhampur and Pathankot were targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. It said the attacks were repelled and no casualties were reported.

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Shesh Paul Vaid, the regions former director-general of police, said there was a complete blackout in Jammu following loud explosions.

Bombing, shelling, or missile strikes suspected, he wrote on social media.

Mr Vaid told The Associated Press that the Jammu Airport was likely under attack and that some of the 50 loud explosions he heard were likely because our defence system is at work.

Jammu and Udhampur are close to the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan. Pathankot is in Indias Punjab state.

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Sirens were also heard in some parts of the regions main city of Srinagar, residents said. It was followed by a blackout in the city and other parts of the region.

Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement rejected the Indian claims that Pakistan launched attacks on Pathankot, Jaisalmer and Srinagar, saying these claims are entirely unfounded, politically motivated, and part of a reckless propaganda campaign aimed at maligning Pakistan.

It added that such actions not only further endanger regional peace but also reveal a disturbing willingness to exploit misinformation for political and military ends.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Thursday to the Pakistani prime minister and Indias External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, urging both sides to de-escalate the situation, the US State Department said.

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The back and forth came a day after Indian missiles struck several locations in Pakistan, killing 31 civilians, according to Pakistani officials.

New Delhi said it was retaliating after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir last month. India accused Pakistan of being behind the assault but Islamabad denies that.

The two sides have also traded heavy fire across their frontier in disputed Kashmir, and Pakistan claimed it killed scores of Indian soldiers. There was no confirmation from India.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to avenge the deaths in Indias missile strikes, raising fears that the two countries could be headed towards another all-out conflict.

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Leaders from both nations face mounting public pressure to show strength and seek revenge, and the heated rhetoric and competing claims could be a response to that pressure.

The relationship between the countries has been shaped by conflict and mutual suspicion, most notably in their dispute over Kashmir. They have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region, which is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety.

With tensions high, India evacuated thousands of people from villages near the highly militarised frontier in the region. Tens of thousands of people slept in shelters overnight, officials and residents said on Thursday.

About 2,000 villagers also fled their homes in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.



Rubble surrounds a building that was hit by an Indian missile attack, near Bahawalpur, a city in Pakistans Punjab province (Asim Tanveer/AP)

India fired several Israeli-made Harop drones at Pakistan overnight and into Thursday afternoon, according to Pakistani army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif.

Pakistani forces shot down 25, he said. A civilian was killed and another wounded when debris from a downed drone fell in the province of Sindh.

One drone damaged a military site near the city of Lahore and wounded four soldiers, and another fell in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital, according to Lt Gen Sharif.

The armed forces are neutralising them as we speak, Lt Gen Sharif said on the state-run Pakistan Television early Thursday afternoon.

In Lahore, local police official Mohammad Rizwan said a drone was downed near Walton Airport, an airfield in a residential area about 16 miles from the border with India that also contains military installations.

Indias Defence Ministry said its armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems in several places in Pakistan, including Lahore.

India, meanwhile, accused Pakistan of attempting to engage a number of military targets with missiles and drones along the Line of Control that divides Kashmir and elsewhere along their border.

The debris of these attacks in now being recovered from a number of locations, it said.



Pakistani investigators examine a cordoned off site, where Pakistans air defence system shot down a suspected Indian drone (Fareed Khan/AP)

Pakistani information minister Attaullah Tarar told parliament that so far Pakistan has not responded to Indias missiles attacks, but there will be a response at an appropriate time.

The Harop drone, produced by Israels IAI, is one of several in Indias inventory, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies Military Balance report.

According to IAI, the Harop combines the capabilities of a drone and a missile and can operate at long ranges.

The two sides have exchanged heavy fire over the past day.

Mr Tarar, the Pakistani information minister, said that the countrys armed forces have killed 40 to 50 Indian soldiers in the exchanges along the Line of Control.

India has not commented on that claim. Earlier, the army said one Indian soldier was killed by shelling on Wednesday.

Mr Tarar denied Indian accusations that Pakistan had fired missiles towards the Indian city of Amritsar, saying in fact an Indian drone fell in the city. Neither claim could be confirmed.

Indias Foreign Ministry has said that 16 civilians were killed on Wednesday during exchanges of fire across the de facto border.

Pakistani officials said six people have been killed near the highly militarised frontier in exchanges of fire over the past day.

Flights remained suspended at more than two dozen airports across northern and western regions in India, according to travel advisories by multiple airlines. Pakistan resumed flights nationwide after a suspension at four airports, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday morning, signalling that a new pope has yet to be chosen.

Cardinals resumed voting in the secret conclave, having already failed to choose a new pope in the first round of voting on Wednesday evening.

Up to four rounds of voting can take place each full day of conclave, two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

Smoke is only expected up to twice a day, as ballots from two successive rounds are generally burned together if no pope is chosen in either round.

The cardinals began their behind-closed-doors meeting shortly before 5pm Irish time on Wednesday.

Pope Francis was elected after five ballots, and white smoke on the second day of that conclave confirmed the news to the world in 2013.

The cardinals in this conclave are gathering to elect the 267th pope and have, as is tradition, been cut off from communications with the outside world.

At a pre-conclave mass on Wednesday, they were reminded of the choice of exceptional importance they must make in electing the next pope.

A new pope requires a two-thirds majority in the voting.

Should the cardinals fail to reach an agreement on a candidate after three days of voting, they are entitled to a one-day break for prayer and free discussion.

Three UK cardinals are taking part in the conclave: Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Cardinal Arthur Roche.

Meanwhile. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is Irish-born, is considered an American cardinal, having ministered mainly in the US.

Cardinal Nichols had called on people to pray for himself and other cardinals as they embark on the secret voting process, adding that he feels quite intimidated knowing the world is watching to see who they choose.

The voting cardinals, those aged under 80 who are the only ones eligible to cast a ballot, were urged to invoke the help of the Holy Spirit to help them elect a pope whom the (Catholic) Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history.

Addressing them in St Peters Basilica on Wednesday, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said: To pray, by invoking the Holy Spirit, is the only right and proper attitude to take as the cardinal electors prepare to undertake an act of the highest human and ecclesial responsibility and to make a choice of exceptional importance.

This is a human act for which every personal consideration must be set aside, keeping in mind and heart only the God of Jesus Christ and the good of the Church and of humanity.

The pontiff  believed to be someone called to be the successor to St Peter, who was the first pope  will need to be a person who can awaken the consciences of all and the moral and spiritual energies in todays society, characterised by great technological progress but which tends to forget God, Cardinal Battista Re added.

This conclave is thought to be one of the most diverse of any meeting of cardinals, representing some 70 countries and hailing from places such as Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga, which had not had a cardinal before.

Pope Francis had appointed some 108 of the 133 cardinals who will choose his successor.
US Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected in a surprise choice to be the new leader of the Catholic Church, taking the name Leo XIV, becoming the first American pontiff.

Pope Leo appeared on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica around 70 minutes after white smoke billowed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, signifying the 133 cardinal electors had chosen a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.

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"Peace be with you all," the new pope told the cheering crowd, speaking in fluent Italian. He also spoke in Spanish during his brief address but did not say anything in English.

The last pope to take the name Leo led the Church from 1878-1903. Leo XIII was known for his devoted focus to social justice issues, and is often credited with laying the foundation for modern Catholic social teaching.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was among world leaders congratulating the new pope.

"May his pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defense of human rights in a world in need of hope and unity," Sanchez said.

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Prevost has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis, especially his commitment to social justice issues.

President Donald Trump swiftly congratulated Prevost on becoming the first US pope. "What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated new pope Leo on his election on Thursday and said he trusted that constructive dialogue would be maintained, based on Christian values, Russian news agencies quoted the Kremlin as saying.

"I am certain that the constructive dialogue and interaction that has been established between Russia and the Vatican will develop further on the basis of the Christian values that unite us," news agencies quoted Putin as saying.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy congratulated new Pope Leo on his election on Thursday and expressed hope for the Vatican's support for Kyiv's efforts to secure justice and a lasting peace after more than three years of war with Russia.

"In this decisive moment for our country, we hope for further moral and spiritual support from the Vatican for Ukraine's efforts aimed at restoring justice and achieving a lasting peace," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app.

The choice of Prevost was announced by French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti with the Latin words "Habemus Papam" (We have a pope) to tens of thousands of people gathered in St Peter's Square to hear the news.

Aged 69 and originally from Chicago, Prevost has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru and became a cardinal only in 2023. He has given few media interviews and rarely speaks in public.

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Robert Francis Prevost at the funeral of Pope Francis last month. Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty

Leo becomes the 267th Catholic pope after the death last month of Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American pope and had led the Church for 12 years and widely sought to open the staid institution up to the modern world.

Prevost has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis, especially his commitment to social justice issues.

Prevost served as a bishop in Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023.

Francis brought him to Rome that year to head the Vatican office in charge of choosing which priests should serve as Catholic bishops across the globe, meaning he has had a hand in selecting many of the world's bishops.

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Prevost said during a 2023 Vatican press conference: "Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church."

Francis enacted a range of reforms and allowed debate on divisive issues such as women's ordination and better inclusion of LGBT Catholics.

Leo thanked Francis in his speech and repeated his predecessor's call for a Church that is engaged with the modern world and "is always looking for peace, charity and being close to people, especially those who are suffering".

Ahead of the conclave, some cardinals called for continuity with Francis' vision of greater openness and reform, while others said they wanted to turn back the clock and embrace old traditions.

The last pope to take the name Leo led the Church from 1878-1903 and was known for his devoted focus to social justice issues, and is often credited with laying the foundation for modern Catholic social teaching.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin was among the world leaders congratulating Cardinal Prevost on his election as Pope Leo XIV.

"The scenes of great joy and celebrations in St. Peters Square are a reflection of the hopes and goodwill felt by people of the Catholic faith from all around the world towards the new Pope," Mr Martin said.

"I hope that this groundswell of best wishes towards Pope Leo XIV will give him strength and support as he takes on the immense responsibility of his pontificate. I know that he has the best wishes of all Irish people, of all traditions.

"I also send my congratulations to the people of the United States, a country with which Ireland enjoys such a deep and strong relationship. To have a Pope from their country is a source of great pride and an honour for their nation."

Northern Irelands First Minister Michelle ONeill has described the appointment of Pope Leo XIV as a day of profound significance urging the American Pope to stand with Gaza.

In a post on X, she wrote: This is a day of profound significance for Catholics in Ireland and worldwide, as Pope Leo XIV assumes his role of spiritual leader.

I hope he will use his influence to stand up for the marginalised and oppressed, champion peace, and lead with courage and compassion  just as his predecessor, Pope Francis, did.

As the genocide in Gaza continues and a devastating famine looms, I encourage the Pope to stand unwaveringly for the rights of the Palestinian people to life, dignity, and freedom, and to urgently use his influence to help bring an end to this barbaric genocide.

The election came on the first full day of voting by the 133 cardinal electors, who secluded themselves behind the Vatican's medieval walls on Wednesday afternoon.

A joyous crowd in St Peter's Square cheered and applauded on Thursday evening as the first puffs of smoke emerged from a small chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals held holding their secret ballot.

"Long Live the Pope!" the crowds cheered in bright sunshine. "We have a pope!" said one sign held aloft.

Sister Mona Lisa, a Brazilian nun, was in the square waving a Brazilian flag, in tears. I am so happy we have a pope, she said.

During the conclave their only communication with the outside world was through the smoke emerging from the chimney  black for no pope yet picked, white signalling a new pontiff chosen by a majority of at least two-thirds.

The cardinals held an initial inconclusive vote on Wednesday evening and a further two followed on Thursday morning. They returned to the Sistine Chapel at 5pm Irish time and at about 5.08pm the white smoke emerged.

White smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Photo: AFP via Getty

During the conclave, cardinals were sequestered from the world and sworn to secrecy, their phones and computers confiscated, while they were shuttled between the Sistine Chapel for voting and two Vatican guesthouses to sleep and dine.

The average number of ballots it has taken to be elected over the past 10 conclaves was 7.2. Francis was elected after five in 2013.

More to follow...
Sir David Attenborough has got to have one of the greatest legacies of any human being ever, a BBC executive has said.

The naturalist, who has been on our TV screens for more than seven decades presenting programmes such as Planet Earth and Blue Planet, is celebrating his 99th birthday.

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Mike Gunton, creative director at BBC Studios Natural History Unit, told the PA news agency: Each generation has its own kind of personal legacy from him, and I think thats remarkable.

King Charles meets David Attenborough as he attends the premiere of Ocean with David Attenborough, at the Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall in London on May 6th (Alistair Grant/PA)

But also, theres a broader, I suppose, global legacy, which I think is that he has shown us wonders, hes helped us understand wonders, and hes encouraged us to protect these wonders.

If you could do that in a lifetime, and speak to hundreds upon hundreds of millions of people and inspire them to do all that, thats got to be one of the greatest legacies of any human being ever.

And I think hes aware of that, and the responsibility of that, and he often talks about the privilege of being able to do that, and its a privilege for those of us who have worked with him to have.

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Mr Gunton began working with the broadcaster aged 29, said it has been a life defining experience for him.

He told PA: Every programme I have made with him has been a remarkable experience which the audience have always found completely memorable and worthwhile and thats a joy for anybody, to make things that are remembered, you know, theyre historic, theyre part of human history.

Sir David Attenborough in the press room with the Impact award at the National Television Awards 2018 (Ian West/PA)

Attenborough was born David Frederick Attenborough on May 8th, 1926, in London, son of an academic and principal of Leicester University College.

Before joining the BBC in 1952 he studied geology at the University of Cambridge and served two years in the Royal Navy.

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He made his reputation with the groundbreaking Zoo Quest series, which he hosted for 10 years on the BBC.

In 1965 he became controller of BBC2, overseeing the advent of colour TV, and he later became BBC director of programming.

Ultimately, however, life as a broadcast executive did not appeal and he returned with relief to his early passions, programme-making and filming the wildlife which fascinated him so much.

Prince Charles with his sister Princess Anne meet David Attenborough and Cocky, the cockatoo brought back from his last Zoo Quest expedition, at the BBC Television Studios (PA)

His famous whispering voice captured the imaginations of the nation in 1979 when he was seen mingling and bonding with a family of gorillas in Life On Earth and its sequel The Living Planet in 1984.

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The following year, he was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II before being awarded a Knight Grand Cross honour years later in 2022.

The TV presenter has two children, Susan and Robert, with his late wife Jane whom he married in 1950.

In recent years Attenborough, who resides in Richmond, has presented shows including Dynasties, Prehistoric Planet and Planet Earth III.

In celebration of his 99th birthday a new documentary about the health of the ocean will air in cinemas from Thursday.

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It comes after King Charles and Attenborough attended the premiere of Ocean With David Attenborough on Tuesday.

Also to mark his birthday, and the publication of his new book, Ocean: Earths Last Wilderness, John Murray Press are giving at least 1,000 copies to schools and libraries across the UK.
The conclusion of a US-UK trade agreement is a fantastic, historic day, Sir Keir Starmer has said as he and Donald Trump formally announced the deal.

Speaking to Sir Keir from the White House, the US President said the agreement was a great deal for both countries.

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Mr Trump said the final details of the agreement were still being written up, adding: The actual deal is a very conclusive one we think, just about everything has been approved.

President Donald Trump speaks on the phone to Sir Keir Starmer.

The UK government has been pursuing a deal with the US to reduce the impact of sweeping tariffs imposed by Mr Trump last month, which placed a 10 per cent levy on all UK exports and a 25 per cent charge on steel, aluminium and cars.

Ministers are expected to update MPs on the talks with the US with a statement in the Commons later.

The deal with the UK will be the first agreement since Mr Trump announced the liberation day tariffs on countries around the world.

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Reports have previously suggested a deal could see the UK reduce some tariffs on American products, as well as changing the digital services tax that currently affects mainly US tech companies.

But the UK government has ruled out lowering food standards to allow more US agricultural products into the country, or watering down the Online Safety Act, which some in America regard as placing restrictions on freedom of speech.
Russia and Ukraine have both reported attacks on their forces on the first day of a 72-hour ceasefire called by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It came as Ukraines parliament unanimously approved a landmark minerals deal with the US.

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The ratification is a key step in setting the deal in motion. It would allow Washington access to Ukraines largely untapped minerals, deepen strategic ties and create a joint investment fund with the US for the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Parliament approved the agreement with 338 members voting in favour, Ukrainian politician Yaroslav Zheleznyak wrote on his Telegram account. No politician voted against it or abstained.





This document is not merely a legal construct, it is the foundation of a new model of interaction with a key strategic partner, Ukrainian economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on X.

Russian bombs, meanwhile, struck north-east Ukraine in the opening hours of the ceasefire, killing at least one civilian, Ukrainian officials said.

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Artillery assaults took place across the 620-mile front line, although with less intensity than in the previous 24 hours, officials said.

The ceasefire coincides with Russias biggest secular holiday, the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany. Kyiv has pressed for a longer-term ceasefire.

On Thursday Mr Putin welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Kremlin.

Mr Xi, who Mr Putin earlier described as our main guest at Fridays Victory Day festivities, arrived in Russia on Wednesday for a four-day visit.

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Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of violating its own ceasefire 734 times between midnight and midday on Thursday. He called the ceasefire a farce on social media platform X.



A rescue worker puts out a fire at a building which was heavily damaged by a Russian strike in Sumy, Ukraine (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

He said Russia carried out 63 assault operations along the front line, 23 of which were still ongoing as of midday.

Ukraine responds appropriately and is actively sharing information about the attacks with the US, the European Union and others.

We will not let Putin fool anyone when he does not even keep his own word, Mr Sybiha said.

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Russian attacks also took place near Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region on Thursday morning, a press officer for Ukraines 24th Mechanised Brigade, Oleh Petrasiuk, told the Associated Press.

One person died and two were wounded when Russian forces dropped guided air bombs on residential areas near the border in the north-east region of Sumy, the regional prosecutors office said.

Large-scale missile and drone attacks, which have been a near-daily occurrence in Ukraine in recent weeks, were not recorded since 8.30pm on Wednesday, Ukraines air force said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously cast doubt on the ceasefire, calling it manipulation as US-led peace efforts stalled.

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A rescue worker searches residential buildings destroyed by a Russian strike in Sumy, Ukraine (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

For some reason, everyone is supposed to wait until May 8 before ceasing fire  just to provide Putin with silence for his parade, Mr Zelensky said.

In March, the United States proposed a 30-day truce in the war, which Ukraine accepted, but the Kremlin has held out for ceasefire terms more to its liking.

Russias Defence Ministry meanwhile accused Ukrainian forces of attacking its positions and said its forces would continue to mirror Ukraines actions during the Kremlins ceasefire.

The regions of Belgorod, Lipetsk, Orenburg, Ryazan and Tambov came under a drone threat alert overnight, but there were no reports of any drones being shot down or intercepted.

Russias civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, also briefly imposed restrictions on flights to and from the airport in Nizhny Novgorod.

In welcoming Mr Xi, Mr Putin said that the brotherhood of arms between our peoples, which developed during the harsh war years, is one of the fundamental foundations of modern Russian-Chinese relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic co-operation.

He added that Moscow and Beijing were developing ties for the benefit of the peoples of both countries and not against anyone.



Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Chinas Xi Jinping shake hands during a welcoming ceremony before their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow (Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool via AP)

Mr Xi, in turn, said that history and reality have fully proved that the continuous development and deepening of China-Russia relations is a necessity for the friendship between the two peoples from generation to generation.

He also called for safeguarding international fairness and justice.

Mr Putin and Mr Xi have met more than 40 times and developed strong personal ties that bolstered the countries strategic partnership as both face tensions with the West.

China has offered robust diplomatic support to Moscow after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and has emerged as a top market for Russian oil and gas, helping fill the Kremlins war coffers.

Russia has relied on China as the main source of machinery and electronics to keep its military machine running after western sanctions curtailed high-tech supplies.
Coleen Rooney has said she feels relief after a court ruled Rebekah Vardy must pay her at least 1.4 million (1.6 million) in legal costs after the Wagatha Christie libel battle.

In a post on Instagram stories, Mrs Rooney wrote that Tuesdays ruling on costs, which appeared to have brought the Wagatha legal battle to an end more than five years after the viral social media post at the heart of the dispute, had brought closure for my family and I.

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Mrs Vardy sued Mrs Rooney at the High Court over alleged very serious harm to her reputation as a result of the latters October 2019 post, which claimed Mrs Vardys Instagram account was responsible for leaking information about her to The Sun newspaper.

After a seven-day trial, Mrs Justice Steyn ruled in Mrs Rooneys favour in July 2022, finding it was likely that Mrs Vardys agent, Caroline Watt, had passed information to The Sun and that Mrs Vardy knew of and condoned this behaviour and had actively engaged.

The two were then engaged in a battle over legal costs for almost three years, potentially culminating on Tuesday when a specialist costs court was told that Mrs Vardy had agreed to pay almost 1.2 million of Mrs Rooneys legal costs, with a judge also ruling she must pay an additional 212,000.

Mrs Rooney must also pay Mrs Vardy a total of 135,097.50 in costs under the terms of court orders from 2024, which will be set off against what Mrs Vardy must pay.

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Posting on social media on Wednesday evening, Mrs Rooney wrote: The ruling yesterday in my favour finally brings this claim to an end, its a relief and brings closure for my family and I.

Throughout this long process, I am grateful that the judgments have consistently gone my way.

However, as I have always maintained, this claim did not need to be made or run for as long as it did.

The time and money should have been put to better use.

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I want to thank my legal representative, management, friends and family for their guidance and constant support.

Thanks also to the public and many well-wishers who have been in touch with such kind messages.

This episode is not something that I ever wanted in my life.

However, I am thankful for the way my family and team have dealt with it.

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We look forward to moving on with our lives.

The case began in October 2019, when Mrs Rooney publicly claimed Mrs Vardys account was the source behind three stories featuring fake details she had posted on her private Instagram profile  her travelling to Mexico for a gender selection procedure, her planning to return to TV, and the basement flooding at her home.

Mrs Rooney wrote: I have saved and screenshotted all the original stories which clearly show just one person has viewed them.

Its  Rebekah Vardys account.

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The case first went to court in November 2020, with a judge finding that Mrs Rooneys post clearly identified Mrs Vardy as being guilty of the serious and consistent breach of trust.
The Gates Foundation plans to give away $US200 billion ($313 billion) over the next 20 years before shutting down entirely in 2045, marking a new deadline for one of historys largest and most influential charities.

That target would represent a doubling in spending for the nonprofit, which has disbursed more than $US100 billion since it was co-founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates in 2000. Originally, the foundation was set to close 20 years after the Microsoft co-founders death.

I have decided to give my money back to society much faster than I had originally planned, Gates, 69, wrote in a statement. I will give away virtually all my wealth through the Gates Foundation over the next 20 years to the cause of saving and improving lives around the world.

Bill Gates at the 2024 World Health Summit. Credit: Getty Images

Foundation chief executive Mark Suzman said in a call with reporters that the giving will equate to roughly 99 per cent of Gates remaining fortune.
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Eating outFood Star chef Shannon Kellam proves theres life after Montrachet In a new role seemingly custom-made for the former restaurant owner, he talks about finding happiness and purpose after the tribulations of 2024. Matt Shea May 8, 2025 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

Shannon Kellam is smiling. Its a relief. The celebrated chef has been through more than most these past 12 months. Yet, standing at the pass at Herves Restaurant, dressed in a crisp blue RM Williams shirt, hand outstretched, he looks fresh and relaxed. Shannon Kellam and Herves head chef Marco Valcarcel Alonso. Herve's Restaurant It was just 10 months ago that Kellam relinquished control of Montrachet, which he took from Brisbane favourite to one of Australias best-regarded French restaurants. Little more than a month before that, his mini-fiefdom of food businesses that operated under the BCN Events Group  including King Street Bakery in Bowen Hills, and Mica Brasserie and The Kneadery production kitchen in Newstead  had gone into liquidation. It was harrowing both for Kellam and the Brisbane food and drink industry, with one of the citys best chefs removed from the board. A combination of Covid and the 2022 floods had ultimately made the odds insurmountable for Kellams venues. Still, if it could happen to him, the local thinking went, it could happen to anyone.

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Kellam is an old school hard nut, a Strathpine kid who in the 1990s caught the train into the city every day to cut his teeth working 16-hour shifts at Dennisons atop the Sheraton (now Sofitel) hotel. But you get the feeling hes mellowed with age, and hes thoughtful and upfront when you ask how he got from Montrachet to here, a culinary ambassador (read, consultancy) gig to rejig and refine Herves Restaurant. Related Article Star exec chef made redundant from Fortitude Valley steakhouse Herves opened in Albion with a flourish in 2022 but has endured numerous personnel changes since, pulling the restaurant this way and that. Its never really settled into a consistent groove. David and Eloise Lyons, and David Fraser: theyre the owners of Herves but theyre not from the industry. They have other professions, Kellam says. David [Lyons] was a great supporter of Montrachet for many years, and he reached out to me in January and said, Look, would you consider coming along, having a look, and giving us some advice and a hand. At the time, Kellam wasnt really interested in stepping back into restaurants. Hed been working with aged care operators to help improve their kitchen operations, an experience he found rewarding (sitting at the table having a meal at that stage of your life is a very important part of the day, so that was a cool way for me to contribute). But he agreed to come and take a look.

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Herves French bistro menu crosses the Pyrenees to draw inspiration from Basque Country Spain. Herve's Restaurant I could see things that were missing to bring the restaurant to fruition, he says, and that there was a fair lack of the kind of skills development that leaves a legacy for when you do have those changes in people and helps keep the ship steady. Walk into Herves and at first all will feel familiar. Theres still the same light-filled space of terrazzo countertops, textured walls, timber floors and banquette seating. But Kellam has a laser-focused eye for detail, and thats where youll find the changes. Most significantly, the restaurants kitchen has been completely rearranged with an oven, extra stoves and a salamander added to the open front line, along with shelving for equipment to give the chefs more room underneath the bench to rest their proteins. Rocky point cobia pancetta at Herves Restaurant. Herve's Restaurant

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French bistro-style cooking has got to be quick out of the gates, and once the food order is taken its coming, Kellam says. Its efficient. If diners want to slow down, thats the waiters job to judge that. But you get that pace going, which gets the vibe in the dining room, and makes people want to come back more, spend more. The way the kitchen was designed prohibited that. There was a little charcoal cooker [out front] and how many steak frites can you cook on that when youre doing two sittings? There was no pasta cooker  no oven, so the sections of the kitchen are running out to the back, and then running back out the front. Hes also replaced the standard Gastronorm fridges with drawer numbers to improve mis en place. Its about keeping everything organised and clean and efficient so you can achieve those 100 covers. The people you meet. Guests and clients become life-long friends. Thats what a restaurant does. Thats the way it is. Shannon Kellam

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Running the kitchen day-to-day is Spanish-born Marco Valcarcel Alonso, he and French-trained Kellam having written a menu thats Gallic at its heart, but crosses the Pyrenees into Basque Country Spain. Think dishes such as Rocky Point cobia pancetta with a celeriac remoulade, Spanish olive oil and charcoal lemon; sand crab souffle with comte cheese and a pastis-seasoned bisque; and confit duck leg thats been brined with juniper and clove, and served with braised vegetables and lentils. Beyond Kellam and Alonso, there have been key additions to the front-of-house team, such as restaurant manager Anthony Folio, who has arrived from Tama Dining, and bar manager Brett Walsh, who local diners will recognise from previous roles at Baja Modern Mexican and Greca. For Kellam, it feels like the perfect project at the perfect time. Ask him how he reflects now on losing Montrachet, and he pauses for a moment. Shannon Kellam says hes happy and revitalised in his new role with Herves. Herve's Restaurant Its a hard one to answer clearly, he says. Because I dont know, mate. I dont know  I think its probably too fresh for me to answer it openly. This thing that was such a big part of your life. Your family revolves around it. Your whole life revolves around this restaurant.

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And the people you meet. Guests and clients become life-long friends. Thats what a restaurant does. Thats the way it is. I have memories of all that, but how I actually feel about it all, I dont know. Its just all locked away. You wonder, then with all thats happened these past 12 months, is Shannon Kellam happy? Because, sitting here, listening to him talk about Herves, with typically vivid tangents into Montrachet or his two Bocuse dOr finals appearances, he seems happy. I am happy, 100 per cent, he says. I think just getting some rest in that first month [after Montrachet], stepping outside that bubble that you were in every day, being on that train. Its nonstop and if it stops, then it all stops  thats how it felt. So I definitely feel refreshed and have a different focus on things.
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 When Bishop Mykola Bychok was elevated to the dignity of cardinal by Pope Francis in December, the eyebrows of Australias plugged-in Catholics shot up in surprise. A 40-something Ukrainian bishop whod only been in the country for three years had become the most senior Catholic official in Australia, and the youngest cardinal in the world. Before Bychoks elevation, only the Archbishop of Sydney  and once, many years ago, of Melbourne  had been given a red hat. Sydneys conservative Archbishop Anthony Fisher was the heir apparent. But Bychok took Australias cardinal quota, despite being a newcomer to the country who could one day return to Ukraine. The appointment even took his countrymen by surprise, given there are far more experienced bishops in Ukraine (some of whom had expressed disappointment in Francis after he exhorted young Russians to remember their countrys great history). Bychok found out only when he turned on his phone after dinner, and it lit up congratulatory messages. Sydneys Archbishop Anthony Fisher. Credit: James Brickwood. Many in the church read Bychoks appointment as a rebuff to Fisher. It is a massive snub, said one person closely involved in church politics, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely. New Zealand has one. Tongas got one. Fijis got one. It was always assumed if youre Archbishop of Sydney, youll get the cardinals hat. Its partly a snub, and partly Francis saying, Were going to have all these unorthodox [cardinals], and people from the margins.  Another, referring to local bishops, said: They have been shafted. Francis was appointing in the margins. But he was making a point that didnt go down well with some of the Australian bishops. One person with close ties to the church said, its an expectation of the faithful that there should be an Australian cardinal.

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The upshot of the decision is that for the first time in almost 70 years, Australia will not have an establishment voice in the election of the next pope. Bychok will represent Australias Catholics in good faith, but theres a view that he doesnt go to Rome with a strong understanding of the needs of the local church. Had there been an Australian cardinal, they would be able to carry with them into the conclave a real sense of Australian Catholic identity, one source close to the Catholic hierarchy said, on the condition of anonymity so they could speak freely. Hell bring a particular discernment about Ukrainian issues, whereas what has been the role of the Australian Church, and what are its needs  he wont have that background, where former Australians in the conclave certainly did. Smoke rising from the temporary chimney erected on the roof of the Sistine Chapel will signal to the world that the conclave has chosen a new pope. Credit: AP The pope may seem a distant figure, but his decisions will have a significant impact on the Australian church and its schools. His greatest influence will come through his power to appoint church leaders; he approves the appointment of bishops and chooses the heads of the Vatican departments, known as dicasteries. Given the Vaticans lack of transparency, the influence of these dicasteries is hidden from most Australians  even Catholics  but it can be significant, especially when it comes to education. Australian Catholic schools and universities are the pride of the global church. No other country gives them such generous public funding. Rome would like to have this replicated elsewhere, and therefore oversees it carefully, interceding where necessary.

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Last year, a pro-life graduation speech at the Australian Catholic University sparked not only a walkout, but also a letter from Fisher to Romes education dicastery, saying he and his Melbourne counterpart would welcome a Vatican investigation into the affairs at ACU due to their shaken confidence in the leadership. Critics of ACU say the vice chancellor was summoned to Rome in November; university management said it was a routine meeting. Loading In 2021, disgruntled parishioners in the Parramatta Diocese complained to the Vatican about their bishop, Vincent Long  a refugee from Vietnam and a victim of clerical abuse himself (as an adult)  who was appointed to Parramatta by Pope Francis in 2016. Parramatta Diocese is home to strong and diverse views about the church. There are hardline conservative Maronites, immigrant Catholics from south-east and south Asia and traditionalists who demand their mass in Latin, as well as progressive parishioners who urge the embrace of female, LGBTQ and divorced Catholics. At the best of times, theres hot disagreement. In 2021, a group of Parramatta Catholics petitioned the Vaticans Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to remove Long after Parramattas education office opposed a bill, put forward by then One Nation MP Mark Latham, to prohibit the promotion of gender fluidity in schools. Parramatta said the change would subject LGBTQ students to harassment, and be an unacceptable incursion into the schools professional judgment. Credit: Matt Golding The complainants were also concerned about Parramattas new religious education school curriculum, unveiled in mid-2020, which would teach students about different sexual identities, atheism and social media relationships.

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The conservative-leaning Catholic Weekly quoted a parent as saying, parents sending their children to a Catholic school send them because they want them to be catechised [instructed in the principles of religion], and I think those producing the curriculum lost sight a bit of that. Multiple sources said the Vatican did get involved, and discussed the issues with Long. The religious education curriculum was put on hold pending more work in mid-2021, and was eventually unveiled in August for implementation this year. It now has the imprimatur of the Vaticans powerful Dicastery for Evangelisation. The pope is also responsible for appointing bishops, after a three-step process involving local consultation, recommendations from the Australian papal nuncio  a kind of ambassador  and further investigation by the Dicastery for Bishops. There will be no one from the Australian homegrown hierarchy involved in the selection of Pope Franciss successor. Credit: AP Three Australian bishops have handed in their resignation, as is required when they turn 75, and await news of their replacements. They include Brisbanes Archbishop Mark Coleridge, who is the chief supporter of ACUs management and in direct opposition to Fisher on the issue. His replacement with someone more sympathetic to Fishers view could have major implications for the direction of the national Catholic university. Many in the local church are hoping that the new pope will return to the traditions of Francis predecessors, and give a cardinals hat to an Australian archbishop. Australia has had seven previous cardinals, including the archbishop of Sydney George Pell and archbishop of Melbourne James Knox. The new popes approach will be revealed slowly, says Jack de Groot, the chief executive of the Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese, a body that replaced the old Parramatta education office in 2023. One of his first acts may be to review the heads of the dicasteries, in the same way a new government might replace departmental secretaries. He may just stick with the team Francis had, or he may change them, he says. The changes at the head of each department will be important.

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Liberal deputy leader Sussan Ley has won support from three former Liberal premiers in the quest to lead the party out of its sweeping defeat, with Jeff Kennett, Nick Greiner and Barry OFarrell naming her as the best choice.

The former premiers went public with their support as another senior Liberal, former party president Shane Stone, also named Ley as the best leader to win back voters who deserted the party at the ballot box.

Liberal Party leadership candidates Angus Taylor and Sussan Ley. Credit: Eamon Gallagher, James Brickwood

Others are throwing their support behind the shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, in a contest that threatens ongoing stability by pitting conservatives against moderates in an increasingly hostile leadership battle, with files circulated highlighting rival weaknesses.

Kennett, who was premier of Victoria from 1992 to 1999, said the Liberals had a chance to rebuild within three years if they learnt the lessons from what he called the amateurish campaign to the federal election.
Trump's approval rate in California down to "historically low levels"

Xinhua) 09:50, May 08, 2025

LOS ANGELES, May 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's approval rating in California is at "historically low levels," according to the latest Berkeley IGS poll released Tuesday.

The survey, conducted from April 21 to 28, collected a statewide sample of 6,201 registered voters in the most populous state in the country. Thirty percent of voters surveyed said they approved of the president's performance during his first 100-odd days in office, while 68 percent disapproved. The result was well below the 39 percent approval Trump logged in March 2017, a similar point in his first term.

It is also the lowest such rating of any presidential approval surveyed since 1974, the Institute of Governmental Studies from UC Berkeley said on its official website, adding the previous low for a president at this point in his term was recorded by George W. Bush in May of 2001 with 42 percent approval rating.

The survey also found voters disapproved of all of Trump's key policies and methods by big majorities.

Nearly two-thirds opposed how Trump is changing the operation of the federal government. About two-thirds were against Trump's changes to foreign policy, and a similar majority believed his constant use of executive orders to implement change "exceeds his constitutional authority as president."

When Californians were asked how they think Trump's second term as president would be compared with his first, 61 percent believed it would be worse while just 25 percent thought it would be better.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, will close all offices related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) after the spring 2025 semester, aligning with a new state law that prohibits such programs at public universities receiving state funding. The decision, announced via email by President Lori Stewart Gonzalez on April 29, 2025, responds to Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), which bans DEI initiatives and imposes other restrictions on Ohio's public higher education institutions.

The closures affect offices such as the Pride Center, Women's Center, and Multicultural Center, which have been integral to supporting diverse student populations. However, the Office of Accessibility Services and the Veterans and Military Students Center will remain operational, as they are exempt from the law's restrictions. "We must continue to ensure every person we invite to be a part of our University community finds their place here and develops connections. Without forgetting that essential commitment, we must also follow the law," Gonzalez wrote in her email to the university community.

SB 1, passed by the Ohio Senate in February 2025 and signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine in March, is part of a broader push to eliminate DEI programs in higher education. The legislation, effective June 26, 2025, also bans faculty strikes, mandates "intellectual diversity" on controversial topics, and requires a civics course focused on U.S. history and free-market principles. The law's passage followed intense opposition, with over 700 groups and individuals testifying against it and student protests at Ohio University and other campuses. On February 27, 2025, over 1,000 Ohio University students walked out of classes, demanding transparency about SB 1's impact on DEI programs.

The decision to close DEI offices aligns with federal and state pressures. President Donald Trump's administration has prioritized eliminating DEI, with an executive order signed in April 2025 directing accreditors to stop applying DEI requirements to colleges. Ohio University's move follows similar actions by other institutions, such as Ohio State University, which closed two DEI offices and eliminated 16 staff positions in February 2025 in response to Trump administration directives.

The closure has sparked concern among students and faculty. Earlier protests highlighted fears that eliminating DEI programs would harm marginalized students and alter the university's inclusive culture. Community leaders in Athens have begun organizing alternatives, such as a women's conference to replace one canceled by the university, signaling grassroots efforts to preserve diversity initiatives.

Ohio University's administration has not detailed plans for reallocating DEI staff or resources, but Gonzalez emphasized compliance with the law while maintaining a commitment to community inclusivity. The closures mark a significant shift for the university, which has historically celebrated diverse identities through its Division of Diversity and Inclusion.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called for Labors resounding election victory to mark a turning point in the way Australian politicians debate divisive foreign policy issues, as she argued both the Coalition and Greens paid an electoral cost for their stance on the war in Gaza.

After being attacked from the right and left for over 18 months for its response to the Israel-Hamas war, Labor believes its electoral success has vindicated its attempt to craft a balanced and moderate policy on the vexed issue of the Middle East.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australians need to stop attacking each other over conflict in the Middle East. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

The Greens accused the Albanese government of enabling a genocide in Gaza and providing weapons to Israel, while the Coalition lashed out at Labor for allegedly fuelling antisemitism by voting against Israel in United Nations motions.

A clear lesson from the election is that Australians dont want political leaders to amplify overseas conflict for their own purposes as the Greens and Liberals did, Wong told this masthead.
A robotic Soviet spacecraft that has been adrift in space for 53 years will return to Earth later this week.

Kosmos-482 launched in March 1972. If all had gone well, it would have landed on the sweltering surface of Venus and become the ninth of the uncrewed Soviet Venera missions to the planet.

Instead, a rocket malfunction left the spacecraft stranded in Earth orbit. Kosmos-482 has been slowly spiralling back towards our world ever since.

A Venera module similar to the Kosmos-482, a Venus lander that is expected to crash back to Earth this week. Credit: NASA

Its this artefact that was meant to go to Venus 50 years ago and was lost and forgotten for half a century, said Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard & Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics who maintains a public catalogue of objects in space.
The arrival of a new pope  the son of a Chicago plumber, the shepherd of Peruvian missions  must be seen not merely as a religious event. It is a political moment. A moral inflection point. A chance for a voice of conscience to rise above the drums of division. Leo XIV is the first American pope. But he was formed not by US culture wars, but by the theology of the people in Latin America. In Peruvian villages, he helped raise local clergy. He saw the church not as a fortress of doctrine, but a field hospital for the poor. In that, he is a spiritual son of Francis  not just the man, but the movement: the synodal church, the listening church, the church of the peripheries. Yet Leo XIV may also be a bridge to the polarised American church. Where Francis seemed distant from US culture, Leo XIV might translate Catholic social teaching into its native idioms. Whether he can  or will  remains to be seen.

But the more urgent question is how he will lead a church in a world teetering on catastrophe. Francis spoke of a piecemeal World War III. Increasingly, it feels whole. Proxy wars bleed into direct conflict. Nuclear arsenals expand. Multilateral diplomacy falters. In his first words as pope, Leo XIV offered a clear response: Peace be with all of you. He repeated it  gently but firmly. He called on the world to build bridges to walk together. The response from the square: thunderous chants of Viva il Papa! Then cardinal Robert Prevost at the funeral for Pope Francis in April. Credit: Getty Images His diplomacy will be tested early. Will he follow Francis in confronting global powers, even at risk of backlash? Or will he focus first on unity within the church before addressing a burning world? If this night offered a message, it was not triumphalism. It was urgency. A church rocked by scandal and irrelevance is being asked to speak to a world on fire. The moral voice of Catholicism must be honed again  not to impose, but to inspire.

Francis pointed the way, but now the baton has passed. Its Leo XIV who must hold the worlds gaze  and its wounds. He must confront the cries of abuse survivors. He must face calls for inclusion  of women, LGBTQ+ Catholics, and the divorced. He must confront calls to reform a Vatican still marked by opacity. Loading But above all, he must preach peace  and mean it. Leo XIV is a man of unexpected humility  a quiet presence more inclined to listen than to speak, according to Brother Mark OConnor from Sydneys Parramatta diocese, who met him in Rome just weeks before the conclave.

He doesnt have a big ego, OConnor says, still emotional from what hes just seen. He is more interested in listening to you than talking about himself. As head of the Augustinian order, Leo XIV travelled often, including to Australia. He loathes Vegemite but is partial to Tim Tams. Normally, they would never pick an American, but in this world with Trump and Putin and Ukraine and Gaza, they were less worried about the nationality, and they were worried about the character and the quality of the person, OConnor says. They also knew that they could not repeat the performance by Francis in terms of a charisma. But they wanted somebody who would continue that vision. Even though hes different in style, his essential vision is the same.

Back in the square, as Leo XIV raised his hand in blessing, the silence returned  not of awe, but of contemplation. A quiet that seemed to acknowledge the burden of the moment. He has inherited not only the white cassock but a wounded world. His is not a papacy for comfort. It is one for courage. Loading He wears his humility plainly. His papal name honours Leo XIII, the father of Catholic social teaching. Its a signal of continuity  and purpose. His lifes work in Peru, and later in Rome as head of the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, shaped him into a careful listener and steady administrator. He once said: The bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom. Now, he is no longer just a bishop, but a symbol.
UB to create $34 million nursing simulation center

A nursing student listens to the heart of a "patient" in the School of Nursing's simulation lab in Wende Hall. The new funding will enable the school to expand its program while fostering collaboration across SUNY. Photo: Douglas Levere

The new simulation center will help prepare faculty and develop the expert nursing workforce of the future, equipping them to meet new clinical challenges driven by therapeutic advances. 

The School of Nursing will create a new $34 million simulation center to advance cutting-edge nursing research, education and professional development.

The center, announced Friday by Gov. Kathy Hochul, will receive $17 million from SUNY. UB will match SUNYs commitment, making it the single largest investment in the School of Nursings 89-year history.

UB was also named SUNYs first Nursing Simulation Center of Excellence  an honor recognizing the universitys leadership and commitment to innovation in the field of nursing.

The School of Nursing at the University at Buffalo is grateful to Gov. Hochul and honored to have been selected to establish the new SUNY systemwide Nursing Simulation Center of Excellence that will be a major resource for SUNY system schools of nursing across New York State, says Annette Wysocki, dean of the School of Nursing.

This investment will advance the future success of the nursing profession in New York State, where the under-investment in schools of nursing continues to lag behind those of other health professions, says Wysocki. The new simulation center will help prepare faculty and develop the expert nursing workforce of the future, equipping them to meet new clinical challenges driven by therapeutic advances.

UB already offers nursing simulation programs, including an operating room simulator, clinical skills lab and a health assessment lab.

The new enhanced center will leverage state-of-the-art technology, enabling the school to expand in-person and remote education. It will create opportunities for partnerships across the SUNY system to develop and test new simulation scenarios while also experimenting with new tools that enhance nursing education and professional development. It is expected to support a 34% increase in prelicensure nursing enrollment in the first-year post-project completion, with a projected 67% increase over the next decade.

Also on Friday, Hochul announced two regional nursing simulation centers at Stony Brook University and SUNY Canton for a combined $28 million investment, bringing the total SUNY investment in nursing simulation to $62 million.

By investing in nurses of the future, were investing in the talent of aspiring professionals across our state and in the health care workforce we all rely on, Hochul said. The SUNY nursing simulation centers will make extraordinary strides toward preparing students and strengthening the pipeline of excellence in our SUNY system and beyond.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said SUNY is committed to strengthening New Yorks health care workforce, noting that the groundbreaking investment in nursing simulation is a testament to this commitment, and a reminder of the key role public higher education plays in health outcomes and workforce development.

UBs simulation center will position the School of Nursing at the forefront of one of the most promising trends in nursing education, says Kelly Foltz-Ramos, assistant professor and director of simulation and innovation.

The center will advance three major priorities: expanding nursing enrollment by fully leveraging New York State legislation that permits up to one-third of clinical training hours to be completed through simulation; serving as a SUNY-wide resource for faculty development in simulation-based education; and establishing a premier research hub dedicated to advancing simulation and artificial intelligence technologies in health care education.

The simulation center will be designed with patients in mind, says Foltz-Ramos. By offering nursing students repeated, hands-on experience with high-risk and high-frequency scenarios  ranging from emergency responses and maternal health crises to chronic disease management and telehealth delivery  graduates will be better prepared to provide safe, competent and compassionate care from day one.

The simulation center has the support of state elected officials.

There is no experience quite like hands-on experience and with these investments SUNY is ensuring that students in the nursing programs at the University at Buffalo, Canton and Stony Brook are equipped with the very best tools to learn and fill in the gaps within our health care workforce, says state Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes.

State Sen. April N.M. Baskin says the funding will have a long-term impact on advancing health care in New York.

This generous grant will have a profound impact on the lives of countless patients who will benefit from the training and expertise of the nurses that were fortunate to learn at the University at Buffalo, SUNY Canton and Stony Brook University campuses, she says. This cutting-edge medical simulation training can only improve clinical skills and enhance the professionalism of nursing students. Hands-on work by SUNY students will undoubtedly enhance actual clinical scenarios when patients lives are in their hands.

Some of the features of the new simulation center include:

High-fidelity simulation rooms for acute care, pediatrics, labor and delivery, operating room and home care.

Clinical exam and skills training rooms for foundational procedures and physical assessments.

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) labs to immerse students in diverse clinical settings.

An immersive 360 simulation room that will enable students to practice situational awareness, decision-making and team coordination in highly realistic contexts.

Telepresence robots that will enable remote simulation participation and SUNY-wide faculty collaboration.

These tools and others will ensure future nurses develop expert clinical judgment, Foltz-Ramos says.

This investment represents a bold commitment to the future of nursing education, she says. By creating a cutting-edge hub for simulation, education and research, we are not only preparing the next generation of nurses but also positioning UB as a national leader in the advancement of health care simulation and technology.
Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 8:29AM

Samsung is finally ready to unveil its first Galaxy Edge device since the Galaxy S7 Edge in 2016. The company is hosting an online event for the Galaxy S25 Edge on May 13 at 9 am KST or May 12 8 pm EDT.

The tech giant teased this phone earlier in the year when it launched the rest of the Galaxy S25 series. This is expected to be the slimmest phone of the series, and it packs in the same 200-megapixel main lens as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. But Samsung has kept everything else under wraps. At least, we only have a few more days to wait to hear more about it.

SOURCE | VIA
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Weak business and consumer confidence, amid economic uncertainty, is weighing heavily on demand for cement. Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico amounted to 6.048Mt in February, down 20.1 per cent YoY from the 7.517Mt recorded in January 2024.

Excluding for sales to Puerto Rico and overseas territories, cement consumption in the US dropped 20.5 per cent YoY in February, coming in at 5.932Mt, compared to 7.457Mt a year earlier.

The key producing states for Portland and blended cement were, in descending order, Texas, California, Florida, Missouri and Alabama. The key consuming states were, in descending order, Texas, Florida, California, Georgia and Arizona. Masonry cement shipments amounted to 148,096t, down 16.7 per cent YoY, with Florida the leading consumer. Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, saw a 24.9 per cent YoY decline in February to 3.713Mt.

Imports of cement and clinker amounted to 1.861Mt in February, up 9.9 per cent YoY. Imported clinker amounted to 33,571t. The notable increase reflects importers frontloading ahead of anticipated tariffs.

January-February 2025

Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico amounted to 5.729Mt in the first two months of the year, down 3.1 per cent YoY from the 5.914Mt recorded in January 2024.

Excluding for sales to Puerto Rico and overseas territories, cement consumption in the US was 12.7 per cent lower YtD, coming in at 11.572Mt, compared to 13.253t a year earlier. Masonry cement shipments amounted to 297,595t, down 12.9 per cent YoY, with Florida the leading consumer. Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, saw a 17.9 per cent YoY decline to 7.987Mt.

Imports of cement and clinker amounted to 3.372Mt in the first two months of 2025, down 4.5 per cent YoY. Imported clinker amounted to 76,571t, up 81.7 per cent YoY.

By Melanie Bowler
A male suffered severe burns to his face from a kitchen fire Wednesday evening.

A 911 call was made at 7:30 p.m. from an apartment complex at 8294 Ellie Plaza Place in Hixson.



The Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene, entered the apartment and found heavy fire in the kitchen. Firefighters worked quickly to contain the fire to the kitchen with minor damage.

According to incident command, the resident had preheated the oven unaware that something flammable was already inside, which ignited. When the oven door was opened, the resident was quickly overcome by smoke and heat. The male victim suffered severe burns from the fire and was transported to the hospital by HCEMS.

Dallas Bay VFD fire officials reported the cause of the fire is accidental and damages are unknown at this time.

The American Red Cross will be helping two adults with their emergency needs.
A project that was started three years ago in Red Bank is now moving toward construction. The Red Bank Commission approved entering into an agreement with Barge Design Solutions for professional services associated with the creation of the Red Bank Bicycle Boulevard. It will be designed and built using a CMAQ, (Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement) grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation. An amount of $613,536 came from TDOT and there is a required 20 percent match of $153,384 from the city. The total cost of the project will be $766,920. Barge will provide design, construction engineering and inspection services for an amount not to exceed $455,500.

Property near the intersection of Tom Weathers Drive and Highway 27 has been bought by Chattanooga Exteriors Development Holdings for a new commercial development. There is an unopened right-of-way known as Old Morrison Springs Road that bisects all four of the separate parcels that comprise the property where the future development will be built. Red Bank has been asked to abandon that city right-of-way, which is currently not being used by the public. The developer needs the abandonment in order to position buildings where the architects plan on putting them. Typically, when right of way is abandoned, that property is divided down the middle and is given to the adjacent property owners. In this case Chattanooga Exteriors owns the property on both sides and will then abandon all its right of way to create a single parcel. The utility easements will remain so they will be available for sewers and stormwater upgrades or if the developer ever needs it in the future. The property owner told the commissioners that extensive civil engineering will be done on the property and the developers will work with the city for the best solution to deal with stormwater there.

The development had been approved by the planning commission before being sent to the city commissioners for a public hearing where no person spoke for or against the project, which was unanimously approved.

The heavy rain on Saturday was to blame for the city having to cancel one of its biggest events of the year, the annual Red Bank Jubilee. It was disappointing for the city commissioners and Jubilee committee members that after almost a year of planning it was not held, but the city is preparing to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its founding on June 21 and hopes that celebration will be a substitute.

Vice Mayor Holley Berry noted that the problems caused by the heavy rain shows the importance of the citys stormwater initiative. Red Bank has made improvements during the last year that helped, City Manager Martin Granum said on Saturday water came down the railroad tracks, then crossed Dayton Boulevard and other streets and filled the White Oak retention pond to capacity. But he said that Stringers Branch, running along Dayton Boulevard, basically handled the flow. He said that is a testament that the work done by the public works department to clear Stringers Branch of large items which obstructed the water flow has worked. He said some flooding occurred on private property and residents are encouraged to take the responsibility of clearing stormwater infrastructure on their property, which would help control flooding in their yards and houses.

Mr. Granum has been working on the citys fiscal year 2026 budget with the commissioners and department heads. There are still refinements to be made before it is presented to the commissioners for the first time on May 20. The consensus of the commissioners was to approve a two percent cost of living adjustment for city employees. That will add $31,000 to the budget and will come from the fund balance. The department heads have been unsuccessful in cutting their budgets enough to cover the $31,000 COLA increase, but before the first reading of the budget they will be asked to try again.

During budget discussions, one of the biggest regrets about reducing spending this year is that the city had hoped to hire a stormwater supervisor. To fund that position plus benefits, the cost would be $81,000. Sadly, we are unable to do that this year, said Mayor Stefanie Dalton. In other budget conversation, Commissioner Jamie Fairbanks Harvey asked why the cost doubled in the budget this year for the program that gives a number of Red Bank residents free Chattanooga Library cards. That cost is now up to $10,000. Leslie Johnson, director of community development, answered that was to keep the program going and maybe add a few more people. She told the commissioners that she would review the cards that were given away last year to see if and how much they had been used. And she can find if a child in the family is school age and attends a Hamilton County school, which would qualify the family to use the Chattanooga Library for free, so that card could be given to another family.

A new ordinance that was passed establishes a comprehensive framework for setting assessments, fees, fines, charges, penalties and rates for the city. With the new ordinance, there will be a set procedure to establish and modify the fees and fines for every department, and they all can now be found in one comprehensive table.

The city has chosen Layla Swaggerty from Red Bank High School to be the recipient of this years Citizenship scholarship award. That program recognizes a local graduating student for outstanding citizenship. During her senior year, Ms. Swaggerty has worked at an assisted living complex, showed strong academic performance and been in the schools marching band. She will receive $500 from the city in recognition of her accomplishments.
In another record-breaking year, supporters of TennGreen Land Conservancy smashed fundraising goals by raising $259,185 for the environmental nonprofit during its annual Hike-a-Thon. Now in its fifth year, this first-of-its-kind event in the Southeast was more successful than ever, inspiring 1,123 people to get outside and attracting a record number of donors and sponsors, officials said.Our team is overjoyed and deeply grateful for the outpouring of support that made this years Hike-a-Thon a resounding success for conservation in Tennessee, said Alice Hudson Pell, executive director of TennGreen Land Conservancy.Thanks to the energy and generosity of our participants, sponsors, donors and fellow conservation champions, we were able to celebrate nature in all its splendorhiking trails, spotting wildflowers, listening to birdsong and immersing ourselves in the beauty were working so hard to protect. Together, weve taken meaningful steps to safeguard these precious places for generations to come. We cant thank you enough.What is the Hike-a-Thon? This fundraising event is a month-long competition where people of all ages and abilities can explore nature and raise funds to protect Tennessee's lands and waters. The Hike-a-Thon is free to participate in, managed virtually and offers competitions and prizes for a wide range of outdoor enthusiasts throughout April.Weve been a long-time supporter of TennGreens efforts to protect Tennessees beautiful landscape. This state is our home, and ensuring much of it stays green and enjoyable for generations to come is something very close to our hearts, said Kavon Togrye, Bearded Iris Brewing founder & CEO, and top sponsor of TennGreens Hike-a-Thon.In 2025, a record 1,123 participants hiked, paddled, climbed, off-road biked or ran nearly 15,000 miles outdoors, a stark increase from 2024.Other participant highlights include: 10,177 miles hiked across the globe; 13,380 feet climbed on multiple continents; 35 states and 4 countries were represented, with some adventures taking place as far away as the Isle of Skye in Scotland, Iceland, Spain, Hawaii, Yosemite National Park, and Alberta, Canada; and Participants also off-road biked 1,515 miles, paddled 532 miles and ran 2,624 miles on trails.Proceeds from the Hike-a-Thon benefit TennGreen Land Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit and Tennessee's oldest accredited statewide land conservancy.Officials said, "To date, TennGreen has protected over 54,000 acres in the state and beyond. Some of these successes include expanding Fall Creek Falls State Park by more than 2,000 acres; helping partners acquire four acres adjacent to Lockeland Springs Park in east Nashville; acquiring land for the future Ducks Unlimited Park in West Memphis; and purchasing key lands along the Cumberland Trail, Tennessees longest linear park."TennGreen Land Conservancy is grateful for the generosity of the Hike-a-Thon's leading sponsors: Bailey Equipment & Intralogistics, Bearded Iris Brewing, Cumberland Kayak & Adventure Company, Sphere and Atmos Energy Corporation.""Bailey is deeply invested in TennGreen Land Conservancy's work and mission to conserve land where people and nature can thrive. Our team at Bailey always loves participating in the Hike-a-Thonit's a great way to get outside, make connections with co-workers and explore all of the incredible places that TennGreen has protected throughout the state, added Ryan Bailey, Bailey Equipment & Intralogistics president.To view the complete list of 2025 Hike-a-Thon winners or information about sponsoring next year's event, visit hikeathon.info.
Renovations at the Katie Lamb Public Library in Collegedale began last week."Named after former Collegedale Mayor Katie Lamb, the library has seen a significant increase in community usage and participation in its programs, creating an urgent need for renovations," officials said. "The library is consistently striving to meet patrons' needs while accommodating increasing program attendance."Relocating the library presented numerous challenges. Books, shelves and other materials have been temporarily moved to the Collegedale City Hall East Room, where a pop-up library is now open.Library members can still return books using the drop box located at the back of the original library.Southern Adventist Universitys McKee Library has partnered with the Katie Lamb Public Library to offer a space for those needing a study area, work environment, tutoring or access to computers and Wi-Fi during the renovations. Parking passes for near the library can be obtained at the campus safety office on the SAU campus.The Katie Lamb Public Library is facing an urgent need for more space, said Library Director Regina Mullins. Through our exploration of alternative renovation solutions, we discovered that reorganizing our existing layout could indeed create additional room for us.After the relocation, programming resumed on May 5 in the City Hall East Room. A list of program times and availability, as well as updates on renovations or changes to schedules, can be found at Katie Lamb Public Library."Saving the library was one of the best investments the Collegedale Commissioners have made, said former Collegedale Mayor Lamb. Providing books and programs that expand the minds of our residents has brought many hours of enjoyment and learning."Officials said, "Katie Lamb Public Library is a valuable community resource, providing materials, information, services and programs to support and enrich lives and to promote lifelong learning and the enjoyment of reading."The Library has been a supported service of the City of Collegedale since August 2011.
A 43-year-old Hamilton County man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison with 30 to serve after a tirade at his Catoosa County home.

Stefon Smith was convicted by a Catoosa County jury after a two-day trial on two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree, one count of cruelty to children in the second degree, two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree, false imprisonment, and family violence battery.

On May 11, 2023, the Catoosa County Sheriffs Office initiated an investigation into Smith after he authorities said he committed acts of domestic violence the previous day.

The evidence presented at trial showed that Smith shared a residence with the mother of his 9-month-old daughter, along with the mothers three-year-old son and five-year-old son from a previous marriage.

Prosecutors said on the evening of May 10, 2023, Smith complained to the childrens mother that he was not satisfied with the way she had prepared dinner. Smith became enraged, yelling and screaming at the family, and broke a glass while at the dinner table.

The mother left the dinner table with her children due to Smiths behavior and locked herself and the children in a bedroom while asking Smith to leave the residence. Smith forced his way into the bedroom, picked up the five-year-old boy by the shirt collar and threw him. Smith then turned his attention to the childrens mother and began assaulting her by striking her and pulling her hair.

While the mother was holding the nine-month-old baby, Smith forcibly pushed the mother down on top of the baby and held her on top of the child. Smith refused to allow the mother and children to leave the room and then held a firearm to his own head while demanding that the mother shoot him. Smith left the residence the following day.

The mother reported the abuse to the Catoosa County Sheriffs Office and took the children to Childrens Hospital to be examined. While examining Smiths nine-month-old daughter, it was discovered that the baby tested positive for cocaine. After being interviewed by Catoosa County Investigator Clay Thompson, Smith admitted to being a cocaine user and exposing the child to cocaine.

Immediately following the return of a guilty verdict, Smith was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Chris Arnt.

The state of Georgia was represented by Chief Assistant District Attorney Deanna Reisman. The case was investigated by Catoosa County Sheriffs Office Investigator Clay Thompson. The victims of the crime were supported throughout the prosecution by Victim Advocate Shelby Armstrong.

District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller praised the work of his trial team and law enforcement. The trial team and the jury did what needed to be done: they stood up for that family and for justice. I want to thank the Catoosa County Sheriffs Office, Investigator Clay Thompson, and Judge Chris Arnt for making sure this violent abuser didnt walk away with a slap on the wrist. In Tennessee, he mightve gotten a talking to and probation. In Georgia, he got 50 years. If youre thinking about bringing your violent crimes across the border - dont. In Northwest Georgia, we dont play.
This summer, an exhibition at the Hunter Museum of American Art explores how shoes have "transcended their utilitarian purpose to become representations of culturecoveted as objects of desire, designed with artistic consideration and expressing complicated meanings of femininity, power and aspiration for women and men alike."On view May 23 through Sept. 1, "Walk This Way: Footwear from the Stuart Weitzman Collection of Historic Shoes" highlights 100 pairs of shoes from the iconic designers extensive private collection, assembled over three decades with his wife, Jane Gershon Weitzman.The opening celebration takes place at the Hunter on Thursday, May 22, at 6 p.m., and is open to all. Regular admission applies; members and youth 17 and under are always free.Officials said, "The exhibition, organized by the New York Historical, considers the story of the shoe from the perspectives of collection, consumption, presentation and production. It explores larger trends in American economic history, from industrialization to the rise of consumer culture, with a focus on womens contributions as producers, consumers, designers and entrepreneurs."Walk This Way is coordinated by Valerie PaleyNew York Historicals vice president, chief historian and director of the Center for Womens Historywith Edward Maeder, consulting curator, and Jeanne Gardner Gutierrez, curatorial scholar in womens history.Ms. Paley will be visiting the Hunter to give a talk on Thursday, July 31 at 6 p.m. as part of the Hunters Art Wise Distinguished Speaker Series, sponsored by Martha Mackey.
Dr. Lori Mann Bruce, the current Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Tennessee Tech, is being recommended as the new UTC chancellor.

Randy Boyd, UT president, announced Thursday:

Dear UTC Community,



Im pleased to share that I will be recommending Lori Mann Bruce to the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees as the next chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The board will consider the recommendation at a special meeting in the coming weeks, and pending approval, she will begin her role on June 30.



Lori currently serves as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Tennessee Technological University. Under her leadership, Tennessee Tech achieved a perfect academic program quality score from the statethe first in more than 40 yearsand launched new academic programs aligned with workforce needs. She also led efforts to grow research funding, improve faculty and staff compensation, and invest in major infrastructure projects across campus.



She brings a collaborative spirit, a student-first mindset and a strong record of academic and institutional leadership. I believe she will be a tremendous asset to UTC and the broader Chattanooga community.



Id also like to thank Robert Dooley for his exceptional job as interim chancellor.



This is a transformative time for the University of Tennessee as we continue building the greatest decade in UT history. Loris leadership will be essential to UTCs critical role in achieving that vision.



Thank you to everyone who participated in the search process and helped shape this important decision.

Senator Bo Watson said, "As a proud 1983 graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Im pleased to welcome Dr. Lori Bruce as our new chancellor. With a strong background in academic leadership, research growth and program development, she brings valuable experience that will serve UTC well in the years ahead. I look forward to the innovation and vision she will bring to our campus and our community. Welcome to Chattanooga, Chancellor Bruce."
State Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, is urging families in Hamilton County and across Tennessee to apply for the new Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) program when the application portal opens May 15.

Starting with the 202526 school year, all K12 students in Tennessee can receive a $7,295 scholarship to attend a participating private school that meets their educational needs.

Parents know whats best for their children and this scholarship puts them in the drivers seat, Martin said. It opens the door for families to choose the educational path that best supports their childs future.

The Tennessee Department of Education will award 20,000 scholarships in the first year of the program. Half will go to income-eligible students through qualified scholarships, while the other half will be available statewide through universal scholarships.

To qualify, students must be Tennessee residents, legally present in the United States, at least five years old by Sept. 30, 2025, entering grades K12 and have no more than 13 years of prior schooling.

Families applying for qualified scholarships must submit a 2024 federal tax return (Form 1040), proof of participation in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or documentation of eligibility for the Individualized Education Account or Education Savings Account programs. All applicants must provide two forms of Tennessee residency and proof of legal presence in the United States.

The department will process applications on a first-come, first-served basis.

Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed the Education Freedom Act, which expanded school choice statewide. The law includes a growth provision that adds 5,000 universal scholarships each year once applications exceed 75 percent of the current cap.

More than 200 private schools in Tennessee will participate in the EFS program. A list of approved schools is available on the departments website.

Over the past decade, Republican lawmakers have invested $4.4 billion in new public education funding and more than $1 billion in teacher pay raises. The states recently approved $59.8 billion budget includes $244 million in new public school funding through the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) formula and $198.4 million in teacher bonuses.

Hamilton County Schools will continue to provide school choice through the Choose Hamilton initiative, offering families a range of academic pathways beyond their zoned schools alongside the Education Freedom Scholarship program.

Rep. Martin represents House District 26, which includes parts of Hamilton County.

Eligible schools in Hamilton County:

Annoor Academy of Chattanooga *REGISTERED*

Avondale Seventh-day Adventist School *REGISTERED*

Baylor School *REGISTERED*

Beacon Academy *REGISTERED*

Belvoir Christian Academy *REGISTERED*

Berean Academy *REGISTERED*

Boyd-Buchanan School *REGISTERED*

Brainerd Baptist School *REGISTERED*

The Bright School *INTENDING TO PARTICIPATE*

Chattanooga Christian School *REGISTERED*

Collegedale Academy *REGISTERED*

Girls Preparatory School *REGISTERED*

Grace Baptist Academy *REGISTERED*

Hamilton Heights Christian Academy *INTENDING TO PARTICIPATE*

Lester Coon Adventist School *REGISTERED*

McCallie School *REGISTERED*

The Montessori School *REGISTERED*

Notre Dame High School *REGISTERED*

Orange Grove School *REGISTERED*

Our Lady of Perpetual Help School *REGISTERED*

Silverdale Baptist Academy *REGISTERED*

Skyuka Hall *REGISTERED*

St. Jude School *REGISTERED*

St. Nicholas School *REGISTERED*

St. Peter's Episcopal School *REGISTERED*
The Missing or Murdered Indigenous People: No More Stolen. No More Silent is open through the month of May at the Cherokee National History Museum in downtown Tahlequah.
This photo provided by the Phoenix Indian Center shows from left, Yaretzi Ortega, Demetria Collins and Avery Hubbell, members of the Future Inspired Native American Leaders Youth Council, during a Missing and Murdered Indigenous People awareness event in Phoenix, Arizona on May 3.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Engin Akyurt

Scottish voters are being encouraged to contact their MSPs ahead of a significant Stage One vote on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill scheduled next week in Holyrood.

The bill, spearheaded by Liam McArthur, aims to legalise assisted suicide for adults with terminal illnesses across Scotland. While the legislation is similar to draft bills under consideration in England, it is broader in scope, as it does not specify a time limit for prognosis, unlike Kim Leadbeaters Westminster bill, which restricts assisted suicide to those with 12 months or less to live.

The bill defines adults with a terminal illness more broadly as those with an advanced and progressive disease, illness or condition from which they are unable to recover and that can reasonably be expected to cause their premature death, raising concerns among opponents that vulnerable groups such as the disabled and elderly may feel pressured to end their lives.

These fears are supported by a study from Oregon, where assisted suicide is legal, which found that nearly half (46.6%) of individuals who chose to end their lives cited fears of being a burden as a reason.

Other issues raised include claims that assisted dying can result in painful and prolonged deaths, with reports from jurisdictions where it is already legal describing experiences involving vomiting and seizures.

The campaign group Right To Life UK has launched the Support Not Suicide Scotland initiative to oppose the bill, urging the public to write to their MSPs and voice their concerns.

A spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, stated that Legalising assisted suicide would have tragic consequences for many of the most vulnerable people in our communities, adding that Particularly in the context of insufficient access to excellent end-of-life care for all Scots, it would be disastrous to prioritise legalising assisted suicide. Liam McArthurs Bill is a disaster waiting to happen.

She emphasized the importance of MSPs understanding the widespread opposition, saying, It is absolutely vital that all MSPs understand the strength of feeling and depth of concern that people have about this Bill. MSPs need to be made aware that there are large numbers of voters who do not want to see this extreme and unwarranted change to the law in Scotland.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott. | Photo Credit: Greg Abbott's Facebook

Texas has taken a significant step forward in education reform as Governor Greg Abbott signed a historic school choice bill into law. This legislation, which Abbott describes as the largest day-one school choice program launch in the country, is seen as a milestone for families seeking greater educational options.

The legislation, known as Senate Bill 2, establishes a $1 billion education savings account (ESA) program designed to give families more control over their children's education. The program initially aims to serve up to 90,000 students, providing up to $10,000 per student to help cover private school tuition and related expenses.

Supporters argue that this move will empower parents by allowing tax dollars to follow students to the schools of their choice, thus promoting greater educational freedom across the state.

Abbott emphasized his commitment to educational choice by stating Saturday upon signing SB 2, When I ran for re-election in 2022, I promised Texans that we will bring education freedom to every Texas family, and added, Today, Texas delivers on that promise. I am signing this law that will ensure Texas families, whose children can no longer be served by the public school assigned to them, have the choice to take their money and find the school that is right for them.

In January, Texas introduced the SB 2 legislation, which was subsequently passed by the Senate in February. This bill establishes an education savings account (ESA) program designed to provide families with additional educational options to assist families in this state in exercising the right to direct the educational needs of their children.

The law grants the state comptroller's office the authority to establish a program to provide funding for approved education-related expenses of children who participate in the ESA program. Furthermore, it confers a state benefit to program participants in addition to a free public education.

The program is expected to initially assist roughly 66 Catholic high schools, which serve approximately 24,000 students in Texas. With the average Catholic school tuition around $14,000, according to Private School Review, families may benefit significantly from the ESA program.

Dr. Kevin Roberts, president of The Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action for America, called the signing a historic victory for Texas families and the future of our nation. He expressed optimism that Revitalizing the Republic starts in the classroom, and "Texas has created the largest day-one school choice program in the nation, putting the state on a pathway to becoming the best in America for educating our kids."

The bill was welcomed with enthusiasm by christian leaders, including Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, who said he was absolutely thrilled that students from Prestonwood Christian Academy were present for the signing. Parents and their families deserve the best opportunities for education, he wrote on social media. Abbott signed and were celebrating.

However, not everyone supported the legislation. Organizations such as Pastors For Texas Children voiced opposition, warning that public funds could disproportionately benefit families who are less in need. Rev. Charles Johnson, founder of Pastors for Texas Children, highlighted this concern at an April event in Fort Worth, stating, The people who have shown up here represent thousands of people who dont want our tax dollars subsidizing affluent private schools.
A Gaza Strip resident stands in front of the rubble of a building destroyed by Israeli airstrikes. | Screenshot: Al Jazeera News Broadcast

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his administration plans to assist in delivering food to the people of Gaza, on Monday during a press conference at the White House.

According to All Israel News, Trump stated, Were going to help the people of Gaza get some food, and added, People are starving, and were going to help them get some food. A lot of people are making it very, very bad.

He also accused Hamas of hindering aid efforts by stealing humanitarian aid, stating, If you look, Hamas is making it impossible because theyre taking everything thats brought in. But were going to help the people of Gaza because theyre being treated very badly by Hamas.

These comments followed the Israeli cabinets approval of a plan to distribute humanitarian aid via private companies and aid organizations. Israeli officials have denied that conditions of starvation exist in Gaza, claiming that the aid provided during the recent ceasefire remains sufficient for several more weeks. However, they acknowledged that Hamas has been stealing aid meant for civilians.

A senior Israeli defense official indicated, as reported by All Israel News, that aid entry into Gaza would only resume following a broad evacuation of much of the Gaza population from areas controlled by Hamas. The official reaffirmed that the blockade on aid would continue and explained that only later, after the beginning of operational activity and a broad evacuation of the population to the south, a humanitarian plan will be implemented.

Currently, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are attempting to clear the Rafah area of Hamas presence, with plans to establish it as a humanitarian zone where aid can be distributed to Gaza civilians outside Hamass control and disruption.

While Israel prefers that private firms or NGOs handle aid distribution, the military remains reluctant to take on that responsibility, instead focusing on combatting Hamas. One company reportedly considered for aid distribution is a U.S. security agency that was involved in inspecting vehicles entering northern Gaza during the recent hostage-ceasefire negotiations.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has opposed Israels plan, asserting that it is fundamentally against humanitarian principles. The UN criticized the requirement for Gaza residents to travel into a war zone to receive aid, calling it unsafe. Israel, in turn, has accused the UNparticularly the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)of turning a blind eye to Hamass seizure of aid and of deploying Hamas operatives within its ranks.
Home News California lawmakers vote against separating female, male transgender-identified inmates

Lawmakers in California have killed a proposed measure aimed at addressing safety concerns in women's prisons stemming from a 2020 law allowing inmates to request housing based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex.

Introduced by Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove, Senate Bill 311 seeks to establish separate housing units for trans-identified males within women's prisons, prohibit convicted sex offenders from transferring to these facilities and prioritize the safety and privacy of all inmates.

The legislation was partly a response to SB 132, passed in 2020, enabling California inmates to request housing based on gender identity. According to a 2020 CDCR report, more than 33% of male inmates requesting transfer under SB 132 were registered sex offenders, many of whom with criminal histories of rape, incest and child sexual abuse.

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During a heated debate at a California Senate Public Safety committee hearing last week, Amie Ichikawa, founding member and executive director of Woman II Woman and a rape survivor who was incarcerated at the Central California Women's Facility (CCWF), delivered powerful testimony on the dangers she sees in transferring violent sex offenders from high-security men's prisons to women's facilities with lower security measures.

"Under existing law, transfers from men's to women's prisons are housed with the general population in our state's two only women's prisons. These folks include violent sex offenders coming from men's level four facilities," Ichikawa said.

According to Ichikawa, some inmates exploit transgenderism to gain access to women's prisons, leading to abuse.

"Transfers who have gained the system using false trans identities have assaulted, threatened and intimidated female prisoners, many of whom are survivors of severe sexual and physical abuse," she said.

Urging lawmakers to support SB311, she framed it as a matter of public safety.

"Housing violent and predatory men who have gained the system with vulnerable women shouldn't be a political issue. It's a public safety and human rights issue."

Tisha Crosslin, a founding member of Woman II Woman who was formerly incarcerated for nearly 20 years, shared a chilling account of learning in 2012 that a convicted rapist, who had electrocuted a mother and daughter during an assault, was approved to transfer to a women's prison.

"The women inside, many of whom, like me, survived sexual violence, were devastated," Crosslin said. She recounted the predator's audacity in requesting a job as an electrician, adding, "The trauma of that moment, the horror, the helplessness cannot be overstated. Our last safe place had been forcibly penetrated without our consent."

Crosslin passionately advocated for SB311, warning that without its safeguards, "these kinds of forced situations will continue, and it will get worse." She urged lawmakers to act and to do so quickly: "Women's lives are at stake, and just because they are incarcerated doesn't mean their lives don't matter."

Opponents of the bill, including representatives from the California Coalition for Women Prisoners and the Prison Law Office, argued that SB311 unfairly targets transgender-identified inmates who face high rates of sexual violence in prisons. They claimed the bill diverts attention from the primary issue of staff-perpetrated abuse, citing 2023 data showing 68% of sexual violence reports in California prisons involved staff.

Critics also labeled SB311 as part of a broader anti-transgender agenda, with Democratic state Sen. Scott Weiner calling it "a solution in search of a problem" and part of a "national culture war targeting trans people."

Despite impassioned testimony from Ichikawa, Crosslin and others, SB311 failed to advance out of the committee after receiving only one vote in favor. Ichikawa said that while she wasn't surprised by the outcome, she achieved her objective, at least in the short term.

"I expected most of the committee members to vote no," she told CP Wednesday. "My goal was to get our testimonies and the letters from the women inside on the record."

While it's unclear what the next steps will be, Ichikawa remains optimistic that legislation will be passed at some point, but only with a broader coalition of support.

"I think there are ways to get a bill that will ensure basic human rights are extended to the incarcerated female population. It's going to take the message being delivered by transgender prisoners, otherwise our elected officials will not have ears to hear."

"Fortunately, I have friends everywhere and partners who are ready and willing to go to bat for us," she added.

Greg Burt, vice president of the conservative California Family Council, said, despite its failure to move forward, SB311 was a "courageous effort" to address the "tragic fallout" of SB132.

"This bill shined a light on the painful truth that women's intimate spaces have been invaded and their cries for help ignored," Burt said. "The Bible teaches that all people are made in the image of God, including those behind bars. Their dignity is not erased by their criminal record."

Burt concluded his statement with an appeal to Proverbs 31:9: "Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."
Home News Over 7,750 baptized at Huntington Beach in largest single-day baptism in US history

More than 7,750 people were baptized in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Huntington Beach, California, on Saturday, an event organizers say marked the largest single-day baptism in American history.

Hosted by Oceans Church and led by Pastor Mark Francey, the event dubbed "Baptize California" drew approximately 30,000 attendees from more than 300 churches across the state.

Participants of all ages publicly professed their faith through baptisms, either in the ocean or in portable baptisteries positioned along the beach.

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"You were part of the largest water baptism in American history," Francey told the crowd. "Who thinks that God could do it in the other states of America?"

The mass baptism, now in its second year, exceeded last year's turnout of 6,000 and is seen by organizers as a spiritual catalyst for an even larger national event planned for next month. Called "Baptize America," the initiative aims to unite thousands of churches across the United States in what is described as "the largest synchronized baptism in history."

The next event will be held on June 8 and falls on Pentecost Sunday, a date that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles in the Christian tradition. Organizers believe the timing is symbolic and strategic, pointing to revival and national spiritual renewal.

"We're going to flood local churches in every single one of our states, and we're going to see a mass water baptism across our land," Francey said.

The Baptize America campaign seeks to unite churches from diverse backgrounds around a common theological practice: the public declaration of faith through water baptism. Its website states, "This is not about any single church. It's about churches across the nation united, pursuing the fulfillment of the Great Commission."

The event also featured worship performances from prominent Christian artists, including Bethel Music, Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes.

Among those baptized Saturday was a 71-year-old woman named Joanne, who shared with organizers that she had considered baptism for four decades but never followed through. Francey baptized her in the Pacific Ocean, saying, "We pray that you would rise up out of these waters with a new nature and a new life."

Organizers hope the June event will signal a growing movement of national repentance and unity in the Church, with the website declaring, "If God can do it in California, He can do it in any state. And if He can do it in America, He can do it in any other nation in the world."

The Baptize America team is recruiting churches across the U.S. to join the June 8 movement.

"Join the movement today," the site urges. "Our nation and the nations of the earth will bear witness that God is not done with America. It will be saved."

In a previous interview with The Christian Post, Francey said he hopes to take Baptize California not only across America but around the world.

"I think that when God wants to do something, he kind of creates the right atmosphere and ecosystem for it to happen," he said.

Francey said he got a vision from God to promote baptism to help the local church about two years ago while praying.

"I don't know where God wants us to go. But we're kind of prepared for whatever He wants us to do," the pastor told CP. "Ultimately, our desire is to make the Day of Pentecost the day that Christendom celebrates water baptism," he said. "I think it kind of happens organically every once in a while, but the Book of Acts was obviously started with a prayer meeting that led to bold preaching in the public square, that led to a public declaration of faith that 3,000 believed, and then immediately, 3000 were baptized."

Each person baptized at the events hosted by Baptize California will be provided with resources from an online database to help them connect with a local church of their choice, he added.

"This isn't like a parachurch organization that's going to kind of blow in and blow out, just get a crowd and just trying to get them (people) hyped. Our heart was to unite the local church, to work together, to really reach our world, and then to build a kingdom by connecting all of these people that are making a decision to get connected to the local church," Francey said. "For us, the win isn't the count of how many got baptized, really, it's going to be how that translates into how we are getting people connected to the local church."
Home News Victory in Europe Day: 7 important Allied victories against the Nazis

People worldwide will celebrate the 80th anniversary of when Nazi Germany surrendered to Allied Forces in World War II on Thursday.

Known as Victory in Europe Day, May 8 marks the date that Germany surrendered to Western powers after Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders died by suicide.

While the date did not mark the end of the global conflict  the Japanese Empire continued to fight until it surrendered a few months later  for many, it was a significant step forward to victory.

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It was just a big letting off (of) steam and a massive relief for so many people, said Dan Ellin, a historian at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom, as reported by The Independent.

But then, of course, for others, there wasnt an awful lot to celebrate. For thousands of people, the victory was tinged with a sadness because for them, their loved ones were not going to come home.

The road to victory was a tough one, complete with major battles and lengthy campaigns across Europe, from Northern France to the Mediterranean to deep within Russian territory.

Here are seven critical victories for the Allied forces over the Axis powers in World War II.
Home News Vineyard Church pulls statement backing pastor who claims he visits Hell with Jesus every Easter

Days after publicly defending his longtime friend and prophetic ministry pastor, Micah Turnbo, from allegations of being a false prophet, senior pastor of the Vineyard Church Northwest in Cincinnati, Ohio, Luke Haselmayer, has withdrawn his comments from social media.

When asked by The Christian Post on Thursday why he withdrew a statement he made on Monday defending Turnbo, Haselmayer did not immediately respond. However, a church representative told CP he planned to address the controversy with his congregants.

"Micah Turnbo is not a liar. Micah Turnbo is not delusional. God has supernaturally confirmed this man to me more times than I can count. Many of you have heard of the extraordinary dream I had in 2014 where God indisputably did so," Haselmayer insisted in the now-removed statement.

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"I've been close friends with Micah for 11 years. I've seen his character in private and in public. I've seen him minister from stages and in living rooms. He has been consistent, trustworthy, full of good fruit, and always wholly committed to pointing people toward friendship with Jesus."

Mike Winger of the BibleThinker online ministry was the first to raise concerns over what he sees as Turnbo's incredible claims, such as frequent time travel with God, who also makes him visit Hell every Easter against his will.

"Every Easter, the Lord will take me to Hell. Not my choice. He wants to do it and I don't like it. The Lord allowed me to sit in front of demons and ask them questions," Turnbo claimed in a video clip shared by Winger in a May 3 episode of his podcast.

"He's a false prophet, [...] there's no way around it," Winger declared. "I don't know of a way around this. He's just so nice that it makes you feel mean to say it, but you're actually mean if you don't."

In his hour-long commentary on Turnbo, Winger said he was surprised that a Vineyard church would entertain someone like him in ministry and said he spoke with Haselmayer, who allegedly told him the church would look into his concerns.

Winger also shared in an update Wednesday that he spoke with denominational leaders of Vineyard Church, who told him they are reviewing the situation. He also urged members of the public, some of whom he said had been contacting Turnbo, to extend grace.

"I just think we should give them some time and be patient and let them work through this. This is a very challenging and difficult thing for their local church, a very difficult thing for all of them. I would like to try to extend as much grace, and compassion and kindness, towards Micah and others as possible while still holding firmly to the fact that he's dangerous to himself and others," Winger said.

In one clip criticized by Winger, Turnbo professed his love for God's beard while stating that Jesus has a "sweet tooth," while God the Father loves "spicy and salty food." He also claimed he talked with 18th-century American President Abraham Lincoln.

"I'm with God. You know, the Father, on his lap and my hands are, I love his beard. I love his beard. I put my hands in his beard. [...] God goes for walks. He walks around, you know. He has like favorite things. Like God loves spicy and salty food. Jesus has the sweet tooth," Turnbo claimed.

"You can touch God the Father. I know what He feels like. I know what His hands feel like. He has hands. He has feet. He took me back in time to where I watched him form Adam out of the dirt, and then He took the rib, and He formed [a] woman. I've talked to Abraham Lincoln before."

On Wednesday morning, as the controversy around his ministry erupted, Turnbo appeared unbothered by the chatter.

"Leaning on my beloved. He is radiant. He is chief among ten thousand. He comes leaping over the mountains, conquering every desire in my life that is not him. He is strong for me. He covers me with his banner of love. In him, I rejoice and weep. In him, I burn and shake with passion," he wrote on Facebook about his time in God's presence.

"In my encounter this morning, I watched him easily scale every mountain. With him came the morning light and the cool breeze. He comes for you, beloved. Worship Him."
Home News Act of darkest evil: Man arrested in connection to explosion inside Pennsylvania church

A Pennsylvania man has been arrested in connection with an explosive device that was ignited at a church earlier this week.

Kyle Kuczynski, a 32-year-old resident of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, was arrested Tuesday night in relation to an incident at the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church.

"Kuczynzki was committed to Schuylkill County Prison on a county bench warrant," reported the Mahanoy City Police Department in a statement posted to Facebook early Wednesday morning.

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"Kuczynski was wanted in connection with an incident at St. Teresa of Calcutta Rectory on the evening of May 6th where a explosive device was ignited inside the chapel."

Kuczynski was arraigned on Wednesday, being charged with arson and other related offenses related to the incident at the church, according to local authorities.

The Most Rev. Alfred A. Schlert, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown, issued a statement expressing his sadness over the act, which was apparently centered on the altar and where the Eucharist was being stored.

"Belief in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist is central to the Catholic Faith. To use an explosive device to destroy the Blessed Sacrament is an act of darkest evil," stated Schlert.

"I thank God that no one was injured in the incident and that the suspect has been taken into custody by law enforcement. At the same time, I am heartbroken that such a heinous, hateful, and evil act occurred at St. Teresa of Calcutta."

The bishop called the incident an "act of religious hate" that was "an affront to the long and devout history of faith among the people of Mahanoy City."

"While offering forgiveness, I pray the person who perpetrated this crime will receive the help needed and the justice demanded for their actions," Schlert concluded.

According to Moosic, Pennsylvania-based news outlet WNEP, an individual later identified by authorities as Kuczynski entered the chapel of Saint Teresa, usually open 24 hours a day, and placed a device on the altar.

He then lit the device and ran away from the unoccupied chapel. Shortly afterward, as seen in security footage aired by WNEP, the device exploded, damaging the altar.

The vandalism caused thousands of dollars worth of damage, reported WNEP, including creating a large hole on the top of the altar, numerous holes in the stained glass windows, and damaging a ceiling tile just above the altar.

"You feel violated," said Father Kevin Gallagher to WNEP, "but the most important thing is that no one was hurt, and that's the most thing because there is a lot of elderly people that come during the night, and they spend a lot of time in the adoration chapel and you know you worry about their safety."
Home News 'Generational win': Alabama's ban on sex-change surgeries, puberty blockers for kids defeats ACLU lawsuit

Litigation over an Alabama law prohibiting minors from obtaining life-altering sex-change surgeries and hormone drugs has come to an end in what one top elected official in the state is describing as a "generational win."

In a joint stipulation of dismissal filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama's Northern Division on Thursday, the plaintiffs in a case challenging Alabama's ban on gender transition surgeries for minors agreed to dismiss their lawsuit "without costs or fees to any party."

The office of Alabama's Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall elaborated on the implications of this development and the history of the litigation surrounding the law in a statement published Thursday.

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"Three years ago, multiple sets of plaintiffs, represented by the ACLU, [Southern Poverty Law Center] and some of the nation's largest law firms, filed suit against Alabama to challenge our law protecting vulnerable kids from life-altering sex change procedures," Marshall said. "We fought back. We defeated a preliminary injunction and conducted court-ordered discovery into the so-called' standards of care' that these groups claimed were evidence-based."

Marshall said that what his office discovered was "devastating to the plaintiffs' challenge: a medical, legal, and political scandal that will be studied for decades." He maintained, "Given the evidence we uncovered, it is no surprise the plaintiffs abandoned their challenge."

"We uncovered the truth. We exposed the scandal. We won. Alabama led the way, and now all families are safer for it," he added. "This victory is not just for Alabama. This is a generational win for children, families, and for reality itself. Alabama refused to be bullied. Now, the rest of the country is seeing the truth. We are proud to lead that effort."

In a statement shared with media, Scott McCoy, deputy legal director of inclusion and anti-extremism litigation at the far-left civil rights group SPLC, praised "the courage of these plaintiffs" and vowed to "continue fighting to ensure families across the country have the freedom to get their transgender children the proven medical care that enables them to thrive."

"The shutting down of medical care in Alabama has forced our plaintiffs and other Alabama families to make heart wrenching decisions that no family should ever have to make, and they are each making the decisions they need to make that are right for them," McCoy said.

The conclusion of the litigation against the Alabama law comes less than two months after the federal government under the Trump administration pulled out of the lawsuit, which the Biden administration had joined in an attempt to defeat the legislation in court.

As Marshall alluded to in his statement, the discovery process associated with the lawsuit resulted in his office finding that the "standards of care" used by LGBT advocacy groups that push for the performance of life-altering procedures on trans-identified youth were not "evidence-based" despite consistent assertions to the contrary.

Marshall's office states that the discovery exposed that "key medical organizations misled parents, promoted unproven treatments as settled science, and ignored growing international concern over the use of sex-change procedures to treat gender dysphoria in minors."

The attorney general outlined his findings in a friend-of-the-court brief issued in support of a Tennessee law banning so-called gender transition procedures for minors that is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. He highlighted how the eighth version of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health's Standards of Care was compiled based on the advice of "social justice lawyers [they] spoke with" as opposed to a scientific review of the effects of gender transition procedures on minors.

According to the brief, WPATH determined that "evidence-based review reveals little or no evidence and puts us in an untenable position in terms of affecting policy or winning lawsuits."

Alabama was one of the first states to enact a law banning trans-identified youth from obtaining puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones and body-mutilating surgeries for the purpose of changing genders. Shortly after the law's passage in 2022, a federal judge put the portion of the law banning puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones on hold while upholding the prohibition on gender transition surgeries.

Other states that have enacted laws banning some or all forms of gender transition procedures for minors due to concerns about their long-term impacts are Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.

The American College of Pediatricians has warned that puberty blockers can cause "osteoporosis, mood disorders, seizures, cognitive impairment and, when combined with cross-sex hormones, sterility." Meanwhile, the ACP lists possible side effects of cross-sex hormones as "an increased risk of heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, blood clots and cancers across their lifespan."
Home News After setting record for baptisms in California, pastor wants to baptize America, then the world

In what has been dubbed the largest synchronized baptism in American history, more than 12,000 people were baptized in the name of Christ across California on Pentecost Sunday. The pastor who founded the movement to make it happen called Baptize California says he plans to take it across America and then the world.

I think that when God wants to do something, he kind of creates the right atmosphere and ecosystem for it to happen, Pastor Mark Francey of Oceans Church in Irvine, California, who started the newest baptism movement with his wife, Rachelle, told The Christian Post in an interview this week.

Francey, who founded his church five years ago, said he got a vision from God to promote baptism to help the local church about two years ago while praying.

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Acting on this vision, Francey said he and his church organized an event called Baptize Southern California last year, and nearly 4,200 people were baptized. In 2024, the church decided to go statewide with the baptism movement. And anchored by a flagship baptism site at the popular Huntington Beach, they reaped richly.

Just over 6,000 people were baptized at Huntington Beach, and another 6,000 were baptized in the rest of the state, Francey said.

"I don't know where God wants us to go. But we're kind of prepared for whatever He wants us to do," Francey told CP.

"Ultimately, our desire is to make the Day of Pentecost the day that Christendom celebrates water baptism," he said. "I think it kind of happens organically every once in a while, but the Book of Acts was obviously started with a prayer meeting that led to bold preaching in the public square, that led to a public declaration of faith that 3,000 believed, and then immediately, 3000 were baptized."

Francy said the success of the new baptism movement has been buoyed by ecumenical support from churches that have chosen to unite around common tenets of the faith, like water baptism.

"It wasn't just one denomination. It wasn't just one part of the body of Christ. We had the largest Baptist churches in the state. Churches like Sandals,  a lot of the big Baptist churches in the state were all a part of [Sunday] with some of the largest Evangelical churches, Pentecostal churches, charismatic churches, even at the Presbyterian Calvary Chapel Vineyard," Francey said. "To see it kind of cross a denominational threshold,  I think that what God blesses is unity, and when the church works together."

Francey said the movement doesn't just baptize people with no follow-up. Each person baptized at the events hosted by Baptize California will be provided with resources from an online database to help them connect with a local church of their choice.

"This isn't like a parachurch organization that's going to kind of blow in and blow out, just get a crowd and just trying to get them (people) hyped. Our heart was to unite the local church, to work together, to really reach our world, and then to build a kingdom by connecting all of these people that are making a decision to get connected to the local church," Francey said. "For us, the win isn't the count of how many got baptized, really, it's going to be how that translates into how we are getting people connected to the local church."
Home News LCPS under investigation for 'targeting' boys who oppose girl changing in their locker room

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares will investigate Loudoun County Public Schools following a report that the school division "targeted" three high school boys who expressed discomfort over a girl who identifies as male changing in the boys' locker room.

On Tuesday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced he had asked the state attorney general to investigate the situation "so that every student's privacy, dignity and safety are upheld."

"It's deeply concerning to read reports of yet another incident in Loudoun County schools where members of the opposite sex are violating the privacy of students in locker rooms," the Republican governor stated. "Even more alarming, the victims of this violation are the ones being investigated  this is beyond belief."

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Miyares added that the case "is just the latest example of what happens when school boards disregard common sense."

"The safety, dignity, and privacy of every student in Virginia should be non-negotiable. This is about safety and privacy, not political correctness  and it's time Loudoun County recognized that," Miyares said.

Loudoun County Public Schools did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment.

Loudoun's school policy allows trans-identifying students to use the restroom or locker room that aligns with their gender identity. According to the Founding Freedoms Law Center, LCPS opened a Title IX investigation into three teenage boys at Stone Bridge High School for "sexual harassment."

The Founding Freedoms Law Center is now representing the three sophomores and their parents, according to an updated statement provided to The Christian Post. When initially reported, the law center represented two boys and their parents.

Seth Wolfe, the parent of one of the three high school boys, declared in a statement released by the law center this week that his 15-year-old son "is being unfairly targeted for simply asking a basic question that any boy would be asking in that situation."

The school division reportedly launched the investigation after the boys questioned why a girl was changing in their locker room. The female student, who identifies as male, recorded the boys' conversation after gym class one day in March.

"Students who express legitimate concerns about sharing locker rooms with individuals of the opposite biological sex should not be subjected to harassment or discrimination claims," Youngkin declared in his statement this week.

"Two years ago, my administration issued model policies that (1) unless federal law requires otherwise, require students to use the locker room corresponding to their sex, and (2) require parental notification if a student is permitted to use a locker room that differs from their biological sex and allow parents to opt their child out and use alternative facilities. Parental rights are not negotiable."

In a statement to CP earlier this week, an LCPS spokesperson denied that the school division had launched an investigation against the three boys for expressing their opinion.

The public information officer maintained that LCPS would not discipline students for expressing their beliefs unless their behavior violated LCPS' Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook for Families and Student Code of Conduct.

"We reject any characterization that implies our schools are unsafe or that we fail to protect the rights of all students," the LCPS spokesperson told CP. "We remain steadfast in our legal and ethical obligation to uphold the rights of every student and will continue to create and nurture an environment that is welcoming and accepting for all students, so that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed."

LCPS received significant media attention in 2021 following reports that school administrators helped conceal two sexual assaults in order to quell any controversy over the district's trans-affirming policies.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Education confirmed it was investigating LCPS following a complaint from American First Legal that accused Loudoun and several other school systems of violating Title IX by allowing trans-identifying students to use locker rooms and bathrooms based on gender identity.
Home News LCPS 'targeting' male students who oppose sharing locker room with girl, advocates say

A father accused Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia of targeting his son after the district launched a Title IX investigation against the boy and two other teens caught on camera expressing discomfort about sharing a locker room with a girl who identifies as male.

The Founding Freedoms Law Center, the legal arm of The Family Foundation, a socially conservative organization, represents two high school sophomores and their parents.

LCPS opened the Title IX investigation against the two teens and one other boy for "sexual harassment," according to the legal arm's Tuesday statement.

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"My 15-year-old son is being unfairly targeted for simply asking a basic question that any boy would be asking in that situation," Seth Wolfe, the father of one of the teenagers, said in a statement.

"It's astonishing that Loudoun school officials are subjecting him to a formal investigation for a bogus charge that could derail his life," Wolfe added.

The Washington D.C.-area school district has a policy that allows trans-identifying students to use the restroom or locker room intended for the opposite sex. The policy also states that school staff members are to use a trans-identifying student's chosen name and pronouns "regardless of the name and gender recorded in the student's permanent educational record."

As WJLA reported this week, a female student at Stone Bridge High School who identifies as male was allowed to change in the boys' locker room. After gym class one day in March, the student used her phone to record several boys who wondered why a girl was in their locker room.

According to the Founding Freedoms Law Center, one of the clients, whose name has not been revealed, reportedly asked: "Why is there a girl in the locker room?" Another boy told the P.E. teacher and the high school principal that he was uncomfortable changing in the locker room with a girl.

The legal center is asking the school district to end its investigation against the boys.

"This is yet another egregious example of how LCPS continues to defy state law on transgender policies as well as President Trump's recent executive orders," Josh Hetzler, legal counsel for the law center and the Wolfe family's attorney, said in statement.

"This high school boy did absolutely nothing wrong, and LCPS needs to end this baseless investigation immediately," the attorney declared.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares also commented on the situation, according to WJLA, stating that policies like the ones at LCPS are putting young boys and girls in an "untenable position."

"I think this is an example, yet again, a school district that tries to be so open-minded their brain falls out," Miyares declared. "The fact that it's 2025 and there are people that are advocating and pushing for members of the opposite sex to be in a teenager's locker room, and they think somehow that's being open-minded and tolerant?"

A spokesperson for LCPS told CP that WJLA's report contains "false and misleading information presented in a biased manner from a single source." The public information officer for the school district also accused Miyares of relying on a sole media report to publicly criticize LCPS.

"We reject any characterization that implies our schools are unsafe or that we fail to protect the rights of all students," the LCPS spokesperson told CP. "We remain steadfast in our legal and ethical obligation to uphold the rights of every student and will continue to create and nurture an environment that is welcoming and accepting for all students, so that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed."

The spokesperson also claimed that LCPS would not investigate or discipline students based on their personal opinions unless their behavior violates LCPS' Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook for Families and Student Code of Conduct.

As the situation at Stone Bridge High School could result in disciplinary action, the spokesperson declined to discuss the specifics of the matter publicly, citing concerns about the students' privacy.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Education confirmed it was investigating LCPS following a complaint from American First Legal that accused Loudoun and several other school systems of violating Title IX by allowing trans-identifying students to use locker rooms and bathrooms based on gender identity.

The investigation is not the first time LCPS policies have garnered national media attention.

In May 2021, a male student at Stone Bridge High School wore a skirt and entered the girls' bathroom, where he then proceeded to sexually assault a female student. The student was transferred to another high school in the district, Broad Run High School, where he assaulted another female student a few months later.

During a June 2021 school board meeting, parents and community members objected to Policy 8040, which permitted trans-identifying students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms of their choosing. The Loudoun County School Board ultimately approved Policy 8040 in August 2021, two months before the sexual assault at Broad Run High School took place.

Then-Superintendent Scott Ziegler denied during the June 2021 meeting that a sexual assault had ever taken place in bathrooms within the school district. A special grand jury report released in 2022 said that this statement from Ziegler was a "bald-faced lie."

"The superintendent later claimed he 'was viewing the question in light of ... policy 8040,'" the report reads. "Per the aforementioned Teams meeting, we know the superintendent learned shortly after the incident that the Stone Bridge assault was stated to be related to policy 8040."

The district fired Ziegler following the release of the special grand jury report, which had accused LCPS administrators of "looking out for their own interests" and lying to parents to quell controversy over the trans bathroom policy.

In May 2021, the school district placed a Christian teacher on leave after he spoke out against the proposed Policy 8040 before it was enacted and said he wouldn't affirm transgender identities of students. The school district later reversed the suspension and paid $20,000 as part of a legal settlement.
Home News American Robert Prevost elected first pope from US, will take name Leo XIV

Update: May 8 at 1:30 p.m. ET:

Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as the first leader of the Roman Catholic Church from the United States and will take the name Pope Leo XIV.

Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti announced Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost as Pope Leo XIV to the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican on Thursday evening, with some attendees waving American flags. The 69-year-old pontiff offered his first blessing at around 7:30 p.m. local time.

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Born in Chicago, Prevost served as an American missionary in Peru and is a Peruvian citizen. He also led the Vaticans office of bishops. He was not thought to be among the heavy favorites to emerge as pope coming into the papal conclave.

White smoke emanated from a chimney of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican around 6 p.m. local time, indicating that a new pope had been chosen.

This is a developing story.

Original:

Black smoke rose from a Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday morning, indicating that the second ballot of the papal conclave that began on Wednesday has not produced a new pope.

The smoke appeared at around 11:50 a.m. local time at the Vatican in Rome, according to Vatican News, which notes that the cardinals broke for lunch and resumed around 2 p.m. Around 15,000 people were gathered in St. Peters Square for the announcement.

The smoke first emanated from the chimney starting at around 9 p.m. local time on Wednesday night after the first ballot. Around 45,000 people gathered for the first announcement.

"Our role here is to pray and to join with other Christians, other Catholics, to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide the whole process, Deacon Nicholas Nkoronko from Tanzania told the official news portal of the Holy See.

The conclave is assembled to elect a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis at age 88 last month.

Over 133 cardinals from 70 countries entered the Sistine Chapel to be part of the conclave and swore secrecy about the deliberations.

Once a new pope is elected, white smoke will emanate from the chimney. Conclaves in the past have taken days, months or even years; the longest papal conclave lasted nearly three years from 1268 to 1271 following the death of Pope Clement IV.

The two most recent conclaves took multiple ballots for a pope to receive votes from two-thirds of the cardinals present, which is necessary to secure the position.

"Conclave" is Latin for "a room that can be locked," as the cardinals are "locked away in the Sistine Chapel" until a candidate for the papacy receives the support of two-thirds of the cardinals present.

A few cardinals are thought of as strong contenders to become the next pontiff. They include Cardinal Luis Tagle, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Cardinal Robert Sarah and Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Home News Russian patriarch praises Putin's influence on church-state relations despite persecution concerns

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church recently commended Vladimir Putin over his handling of church and state relations despite concerns from human rights advocates about religious persecution in Russia.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow wrote a letter to the Russian president celebrating the 25th anniversary of when Putin first became head of state, calling it "a whole new era in Russia's history."

"I would like to express my profound gratitude for the relationship between Church and State that has taken shape with your active support  a relationship without precedent in our nation's history," wrote Kirill, as quoted by The Orthodox Times.

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"The fruitful dialogue between government and Church, fostered with your support, not only helps address daily challenges but also plays a vital role in the moral renewal and transformation of society."

Kirill commended Putin for purportedly advancing "significant progress in the socio-economic and scientific-technical development of the country," unleashing "vast intellectual and cultural potential."

Kirill has been a staunch supporter of Putin, as well as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which he labeled a "holy war" that is crucial to "defending the unified spiritual space of Holy Russia."

The World Russian People's Council, which Kirill leads, issued a statement last year claiming that the invasion launched in 2022 was a struggle against the "criminal Kiev regime" and Western-based "Satanism."

While Kirill has been supportive of Putin, others have expressed concern over the extent of persecution in Russia, especially of Christian groups who do not belong to the Russian Orthodox Church and other religious minorities.

Open Doors, a Christian persecution watchdog group that monitors persecution in over 60 countries, released a report in January finding that persecution in Russia includes Christians living in Muslim-majority parts of the country, as well as "unregistered churches" that engage in evangelism.

"The 'military campaign' launched by Russia in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has led to an increase in state surveillance. Any form of criticism (even from Christians who opposed the invasion of Ukraine on religious grounds) has been immediately dealt with by the authorities and punished," noted the report.

"Russian people are immensely proud of their culture and history and this has consequences on a religious level as well: While Russian Orthodoxy is regarded as typically Russian, Roman Catholicism and especially Protestantism are seen as Western and alien."

The report highlighted several instances in which Christians critical of Putin have faced backlash, such as the October 2023 raiding of a non-Moscow Patriarchate Russian Orthodox Church in the southern Krasnodar Region after their clergy spoke out against the war in Ukraine. A priest was attacked and charged with "disobeying a police officer" and "discrediting the Russian Armed Forces."

In February 2024, a priest in St. Petersburg suffered a stroke after being arrested for planning a funeral service for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

In May 2024, the city government in Slavyansk-na-Kubani lodged a civil lawsuit against Archbishop Viktor Pivovarov, who heads an independent Orthodox parish in the southern Krasnodar Region, on the grounds that his church is unauthorized and must be demolished.

Last August, the bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom warned that Russia is among countries using disinformation to suppress the rights of religious minorities.

The Russian government has labeled a variety of religious groups as "neo-pagan cults," the commission notes, including the Protestant Word of Life Church. Additionally, a Russian government-supporting television channel claimed Jehovah's Witnesses were "stockpiling ammunition and threatening Russian war efforts in Russian-occupied Crimea."

Since Russia enacted a ban on evangelism outside of churches under the guise of thwarting extremism in 2016, many Evangelical Protestants, as well as Muslims, have faced convictions and fines.
Home News Tucker Carlson urges compassion for 'unwise' Bill Maher over atheism: 'I feel sorry for him'

Tucker Carlson and BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock claimed during an event in Nashville, Tennessee, last week that comedian Bill Maher lacks wisdom and fails to discern that the classical liberal ideals he champions emerged from the Christian worldview he rejects.



"He's one of the most unwise people I've ever met," Carlson said of Maher during a live conversation with Whitlock at his "Roll Call 3.0" event last Friday. "I don't mean that as an attack. I mean, I feel sorry for him. He's almost 70 years old and has accrued no wisdom in his life."

.@TuckerCarlson ripped Bill Maher: Hes one of the most unwise people in the media I feel sorry for him. Hes almost 70 years old and has accrued no wisdom in his life pic.twitter.com/kDVCbObYKc  Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) May 6, 2025

Carlson, who lost his father in March, implied the 69-year-old Maher has not come to terms with the fleeting nature of this life and the importance of eternity, which he said forms the basis of true wisdom.

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"Understanding just how little power you have, understanding that what really matters is what comes after this  those are the roots of wisdom. And I feel like [Maher] has none of that at all, so I don't listen to a single word he says ever," he said.

Whitlock argued that Maher's defense of Western values, like free speech, contradicts his rejection of the Christian religion they came from. Maher has increasingly bemoaned the intolerance of the "woke" radical Left in recent years and criticized "progressives and academics" who deride Western civilization during a popular "Real Time" monologue in 2023.

"Maher is starting to figure out there is no free speech without Christianity," he said, adding that ideas such as forgiveness, tolerance and the ability to "laugh at ourselves" come from the biblical idea that man is fallen.

"The godless leftists take themselves so seriously," he added. "They think they're God, and that's why they get offended when they're criticized or mocked or made jokes about."

Carlson went on to explain the futility of devoting one's life to pursuing pleasure and expressed compassion toward those who suffer the spiritual emptiness of hedonism.

"You've got to feel sorry for people like that, though, in the end," he said.

"It's all fun, you're rich, tons of hot 22-year-old girlfriends and everything. So fun! And then you get Parkinson's, or you get old, you know what I mean? And there's nobody there, and you don't believe anything. There's just a blankness ahead of you. And you're terrified. You're terrified."

"Imagine being an atheist on your deathbed.  You don't want to be that person, and we should feel compassion. I mean that, too. I'm not being patronizing; I'm being sincere," Carlson added.

Maher, who in 2008 made a comedic documentary critical of religion called "Religulous," has been open about his negative experiences with Roman Catholicism when he was young.

During an interview last month with TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk on his "Club Random" podcast, Maher recounted how his weekly childhood catechism class "just really turned me off." He singled out the nuns for being especially off-putting in their strict attempts to corral approximately 60 children.

"Of course, they're mean to begin with, and they scared you, and they yelled at you, and they hit you with a ruler on the knuckles," he said. "I'm from that era."

During a different interview last year with comedian and actor Martin Short on his podcast, the two were discussing terminal illness when Maher suggested that thoughts of death trouble him, especially when he wakes during the night.

"I'm not morbid in general, but when I get up in the middle of the night to pee, as we all do," Maher said before Short interrupted him to make a joke.

"I'm just saying, that's when I think morbid thoughts," Maher later added, finishing his thought. "I don't know why it's that moment of the day."
Home Opinion Companies RSVPing 'no' to Pride month revelry

America is four weeks away from the LGBT movements biggest party, and companies are already RSVPing no.

Pride Month starts in June, the Lefts suffocating celebration of all things gay and trans, and its obvious the causes long march through corporate America hasnt just stalled, its in full-blown retreat. Just two years after Dylan Mulvaneys catastrophic undoing of Bud Light, Junes over-the-top extremism  at least as a wholesale business concept  is dead. And taking plenty of influential mouthpieces with it.

For most CEOs, its been a year of unprecedented realignment. Dozens of major brands are following up on their commitments to drop DEI and progressive political causes with news that theyll no longer be sponsoring some of Junes marquee events. The first warning shots were fired in March, when organizers of the San Francisco Pride Parade confessed that they were having trouble hanging on to corporate sponsors. The event director, Suzanne Ford, admitted she was really disappointed by the flood of businesses dropping their support  to the tune of $300,000 and counting.

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I just interpreted that companies are making decisions that at this time its not good to be sponsoring Pride, Ford told SF Gate. I think in this political environment  they thought that was a risky decision. But thats just me reading the tea leaves. I think for a long-term sponsor not to sponsor us, they are responding to what we are.

Among those who pulled back were big-time names like Comcast, Anheuser-Busch, and Diageo  the parent company of Guinness, Smirnoff, and other alcoholic drinks. The losses, worth more than a quarter-million dollars, blew a significant hole in the parades fundraising goal of $2.3 million.

And this isnt just a California phenomenon. At major Pride events across New York City, St. Louis, Washington, D.C., and other states, gun-shy businesses are running for the exits. According to The Wall Street Journal, Mastercard, PepsiCo, Nissan, Citibank, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Booz Allen Hamilton, Darcars Automotive Group, and others are opting out of the major sponsorships altogether  some, as in Anheuser-Buschs case, after many years of generous and visible partnerships.

Its multilayered, and its all happening at the same time, lamented Eve Keller, co-president of United States Association of Prides, a nonprofit that supports LGBT events around the country. She noted that the wave of backlash is so strong that most businesses are asking to have their names and logos removed from official displays and apparel. In New York City alone, a full third of corporate NYC Pride sponsors have either declined to sponsor, scaled back their donations, or are in negotiations to return, organizers say.

Then there are the brands that want it both ways. Target, which recently agreed to Robby Starbucks terms and rolled back a significant portion of its LGBT activism, is bravely returning as a platinum-level sponsor of the Big Apples march. But theyre in the minority, research shows. More executives have decided its financial suicide to team up in any meaningful way with Junes in-your-face celebration. In fact, 39% of corporate leaders plan to decrease their observance of Pride this year, according to a survey by Gravity Research. The result? A massive shortfall in funds for Pride-fests on both coasts.

Some companies blame budgetary issues. Six in 10 point to President Donald Trumps policies regarding transgenderism and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as a driver, Bloomberg noted. Almost 40% of all firms raised concerns over criticism from conservatives and customers. Frankly, Gravity Research President Luke Hartig said, Conservative scrutiny is really the top driver of change.

That scrutiny, which is rewriting the U.S. market as we know it, has tentacles that extend even into the pinnacles of LGBT activism. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a group thats taken a public beating during Starbucks crusade, has completely lost its fundraising edge. As more and more CEOs refuse to take part in the organizations Equality Index, their leadership is struggling to project any sense of relevance. In news thats gone largely under the radar, HRC was forced to lay off 20% of its staff in February, The Advocate reported. This restructuring, as they called it, is almost certainly the result of public pressure and dwindling support.

The board has charged [President] Kelley [Robinson] with ensuring a balanced budget in the face of a new environment that requires a reset as we ready ourselves for the challenges ahead, an official explained. Even so, a senior staffer warned, We arent going anywhere.

They may not be going anywhere, but it will certainly be a rocky road for the foreseeable future. The Trump administration hasnt exactly been kind to woke bastions like HRC, as it systematically exiles LGBT, DEI, and ESG activists from government and for-profit strongholds. Will Hild, executive director of Consumers Research, is one of many whos watched with astonishment as the Lefts pet projects have been dismantled. I couldnt have asked for more, he told Washington Watch guest host and former Congressman Jody Hice. Its been such an incredible whirlwind of pushback and executive orders on the entire DEI-grid complex  so I think its been fantastic, and weve seen what this is doing to the federal government. But Im hopeful over the next 100 days, were going to start to see this trickle through to the for-profit sector too.

As to why so many big-name brands are high-tailing it out of the political space, Hild has some theories. First of all, I think that they are increasingly seeing consumer fatigue with the constant shoving of the LGBTQ agenda down peoples throats. They dont get as much credit as they used to get from the Left for doing it anyway. And theyre getting an increasing amount of heat for doing it from people who just dont want these corporations to engage in politics at all. They find it nauseating. So I think thats part of it.

But, Hild acknowledges, Its going to take a long time to weed out these toxic politics from American brands. Its sort of like if you were to take out a bunch of poison from a pond, it takes a little while for things to return back to the way [it] used to be. Consumers should be encouraged by the corporate titans theyve brought to their knees, he insisted. But theres more that they could do.

I think conservatives tend to only think of their power in terms of their wallet. In other words, if they dont like a company or organization and what theyre doing, theyll just [stop shopping] there  But if you dont tell a company why it is you stopped shopping there  and [these businesses] spend millions upon millions of dollars trying to figure out why people shop at Target or Walmart or go to a different place, Hild explained, then youre missing an opportunity. When you send an email or call somebody and say, I dont appreciate this thing we saw [at] Target, [or] We saw this [offensive ad at] Budweiser, it has a huge impact, he argued. Sometimes, it even goes viral. Say something both to the company and say something on social media, because they track that kind of thing. So I would say, use your wallet and use your voice.

Based on the reaction of Big Business, Americas grassroots army is dangerously close to perfecting both.

Originally published at The Washington Stand.
Home Opinion Shiloh Hendrix calls kid n-word and shows adage 'words can never hurt me' is wrong

Sometimes, well-intended grown-ups give really terrible advice to children. This realization has become increasingly clear to me as I parent my own kids and re-evaluate some of the hard, fast mantras that stuck in my head as Gospel truth until common sense beat me upside the head and dethroned them.

You can be anything you want to be, for example. Why do we say this to kids? Its absolute hogwash. I personally knew a guy in his early 20s who spent 5+ hours in the gym every day, convinced he was NBA-bound. He had never even made the high school team. He was a 61 white guy who couldnt even dunk. Bad advice.

Follow your heart is another one. The Bible wisely cautions that The heart is deceitful above all else. How many people can we collectively think of whove followed their hearts straight off a cliff? Not wise counsel.

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But the sentiment Ive been really stewing on this week is this: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.

What kind of dissociative gaslighting nonsense is this? Why in Gods green earth are we teaching it to children? Worse yet, why, do we, as adults, so often live our lives as though we actually believe it is true? If the Bible says that Life and death are in the power of the tongue, why are we so quick to override biblical truth with our own narrative that denies the power of words?

Now listen, I understand that Im writing into a culture thats marked by victim mentalities and relentless invitations to compete in the oppression Olympics. I understand we have a pretty big problem where high percentages of people aged 25 and under seem to sincerely believe they are entitled to a world where no one ever dares to hurt their feelings. Its an issue, as is the hypocrisy protecting these maladaptive mentalities. Ive watched the same institutions that exiled lesbians for the hate crime of accurate pronoun use turn a blind eye as raging antisemites behaved like actual Nazis and physically terrorized Jewish students off of college campuses. Ive seen truth framed as violence, and as something of a free speech absolutist myself, I understand the danger of treating words as actual violence when theyre not.

Your feelings are not deserving of legal protections. Banning speech, however unpleasant, does nothing to solve the problem. It just prevents you from having to look at it and allows you to live in denial of the reality that these other opinions exist in the same world as you.

But theres a quantum leap between believing the government should not be permitted to infringe on peoples right to speak and believing that words are inconsequential, and it sure does seem to me that a lot of people are having a really hard time occupying the grey area between those two extremes. Just because the government shouldnt be able to control your tongue does not mean that you shouldnt be expected to control it yourself.

Full disclosure: This entire rant was inspired by a situation in Minnesota last week that is now national news. A white woman named Shiloh Hendrix was visiting a Rochester park with her 18-month-old when she spotted a little black boy rifling through her belongings. In a now viral video clip, another park attendee records Shiloh as she goes off on a racist tirade, repeatedly referring to the little boy as a n*gger and dropping expletives left and right in response.

My mom heart cried when I watched it. I hit stop before forcing myself to watch it again. Was the little boy wrong to be digging through her stuff? Absolutely. Did he know better? Of course he did. Should she have confronted him about it? 100%. But rather than gently and firmly setting a boundary and correcting the behavior, this woman went off the deep end in a profoundly abusive manner, dehumanizing this little boy and resorting to racist pejoratives and slurs. If hes going to act like a n*gger, thats what Im going to call him, she insisted. I was honestly horrified by what I saw.

But what was even more horrifying to me is that when I turned to social media, quite a few of my personal contacts were defending the woman and encouraging people to donate to the GiveSendGo campaign set up to help her relocate after the internet doxxed her, allegedly threatening the physical safety of her family.

Why are you more upset about a stupid word than you are about the illegal immigrants ruining towns like hers? they asked me. You have an obvious bias toward ethno-religious minorities, insisted another friend.

But so far, this park lady has raised over $600k in support, and I find this discouraging on a number of levels. Theyve made her a hero. Finally! Someone is defending white people. Theres nothing wrong with the n word. Get over it, they insist, ignoring more than a century of deeply painful, wicked, and actually violent history.

Im a writer, so maybe that makes me extra sensitive to the power of words. But Im also an abuse survivor who knows how words can be strategically used to break a human spirit. I still cannot hear a man refer to a woman as a c*nt without breaking out in hives, for example. My body has a visceral response to that term because it was so repeatedly used to make me feel like I was lower than dirt. And as the mother of a mixed-race child who has actually been called the n word at school, I personally witnessed the pain such words can cause to already vulnerable people who are just trying to figure out where they fit in the world.

Words matter and feelings matter because our hearts matter to God. The Bible tells us to guard our hearts because they are the wellspring of life. And it also tells us to guard our tongues because we can do so much damage to other image bearers. So again, why are so many of us behaving as though this is not the case?

Ive written before about our tendency on the right to sanctimoniously believe that we have the monopoly on common sense. We try to disembody the human experience by dividing emotion and logic and pitting them against each other as enemies. We buy into the notion that emotion is bad and logic is good. Emotion is leftist; reason is Republican. Facts dont care about your feelings, after all, right?

Well, I think this is really stupid. The fact of the matter is that feelings mobilize people to act. So if you care about effecting change, you had best learn to care about and speak to how people feel.

Words can hurt. Words can divide. We have no business defending adults who hurl the n word at small children. We are not the good guys when we do this. I dont care how awful the other side behaves. Im not responsible for their behavior. Im responsible for mine.
Keith Shaw: Hi everybody. Welcome to Global Tech Tales, the show where we talk with editors from around the world about the latest technology and leadership topics, and hear from stories from IT leaders about what they are looking for. I'm Keith Shaw co hosting along with Matt Egan.

He is the global content and editorial director at Foundry, who is also representing the UK and North America. And this month, we are joined by Carl Friedmann. He is the Executive Editor for EMEA. Do you pronounce that EMEA, or, you know, just EMEA? Yeah, either one is good.

And he's also representing foundry. Now, we've got something weird. Is that you are from the US, Carl, but you're in the UK. Matt is in the UK, but he also represents North America. And I'm somewhere in the middle of everything. So welcome everybody. Hands Across the ocean.

World, part one world, right. There you go. There you go. So on this episode, we're going to be talking about AI savvy, IT leadership strategies.

The reason that we're that we wanted to discuss this on this episode is that the AI revolution is creating new opportunities for IT executives to basically up their game in terms of driving innovation, growth and productivity, but will this require new IT leadership skills?

And you know, what are they going to need to do as new technologies, not just generative AI, but as we get into the world of AI, agents, digital employees, all of that stuff, there's going to be pitfalls and obstacles along the way.

So we're going to kind of jump into that. So for the first part of the show, we always start off with some statistics. Some of these stats may have nothing to do with the show that we're going to be discussing, but I find them interesting.

So I've got four little different statistics, and I want you to just kind of like take this all in and see how this applies to our discussion later on.

But first off, there was a survey by General Assembly that found only 42% of executives said that they feel
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Alzheimers Research UK is looking to double its income in the coming years to 130m, the charitys chief executive has said.

Speaking in the latest issue of Fundraising Magazine , Hilary Evans-Newton said that the charity had been on a growth trajectory for the last decade across its fundraising portfolio.

Evans-Newton added that the charity was hoping to double its current income to 130m by the early 2030s, in order to be able to deliver on the projects it wants to fund.

Alzheimers Research UK fundraised almost 54m in total last year; this year, it is hoping to hit the 60m milestone for the first time, Evans-Newton said.

Legacies remained its most substantial source of income, raising 12.5m last year, while corporate partnerships and philanthropy combined generated around 22m.

Focus on innovation

Evans-Newton said that the charity planned to innovate to reach its target, utilising new technologies in order to maximise income.

We will need to think about how we can do things differently and ensure that we have the right mechanisms in place that allow us to innovate properly across all our fundraising and marketing, she said.

We have already been an early adopter in many areas of innovative fundraising such as accepting cryptocurrency and gamification, partnering with Tiltify and working with streamers, although only on a small scale so far.

This helps us engage with a generation that has perhaps not given to charity before.

However, Evans-Newton also noted that innovation was only good up to a point, with charities like hers risking spreading themselves thinly if they tried to do too many things.

As an organisation, our culture has been to try lots of different things, she said.

We would jump on each opportunity, and that has been a major contributor to our success. But the reason some of them failed was that we didnt have enough resources to invest in those products or opportunities properly.

She also noted that the charity needs to think carefully about which fundraising areas it wishes to focus on before scaling them up, in order to maximise income, and cited Alzheimers Research UKs flagship Walk for a Cure event as a successful example of this.

Fundraising Magazine is a practical and inspiring magazine that provides fundraising professionals with the tools to unlock new revenue streams, yield better results from campaigns and boost donor income. Subscribe today to receive 10 issues per year and access to premium fundraising content on civilsociety.co.uk. Find more information here and subscribe today! is a practical and inspiring magazine that provides fundraising professionals with the tools to unlock new revenue streams, yield better results from campaigns and boost donor income. Subscribe today to receive 10 issues per year and access to premium fundraising content on civilsociety.co.uk.
A rewilding landscape in Scotland, which claims to be the largest of its kind in the UK, has registered as an independent charity.

Affric Highlands, which started as fellow Scottish charity Trees for Lifes East-West Wild project, began work in September 2021 and became a member of Netherlands-based organisation Rewilding Europes network of large rewilding landscapes across Europe.

Until now, the community-focused initiative had operated as a joint venture led by Trees for Life with support and advice from Rewilding Europe.

Following the initiatives growth, Affric Highlands registered as a Scottish charity on 16 April to upscale its pioneering work, with an aim to restore nature across the central Highlands landscape in the next 30 years.

Ambitious 30-year journey

Currently, Affric Highlands supports a partnership of 19 landowners, local people and others covering over 58,000 hectares in Scotland.

These separate landholdings  which have all signed a memorandum of understanding  make decisions on nature recovery interventions, with Affric Highlands providing guidance and support for those seeking funding.

Affric Highlands plans for its initiative to expand to potentially 200,000 hectares stretching from Loch Ness to the Kintail mountain in the west of the Scottish Highlands.

It aims to make the region a hub for sustainable timber, fishing, farming, venison and wildlife tourism and create a network of businesses benefitting from rewilding.

Wildlife including golden eagles, red squirrels, black grouse, mountain hares, salmon, trout, ospreys and otters will benefit from restored habitats, the charity said.

Affric Highlands executive director Stephanie Kiel said: Its hugely inspiring to be setting out as a new charity on this ambitious 30-year journey to take large-scale nature recovery to a new level.

We want to create new opportunities and real benefits for local landowners, communities and rural economies, so nature, people and livelihoods can all thrive together.

Steve Micklewright, Trees for Lifes chief executive, said: Affric Highlands success so far  coupled with the opportunities for people offered by its bold vision of landscape-scale nature recovery  has brought us to the point where it can now begin a new era as an independent charity.

This is fantastic news for breathing new life into the highlands through rewilding.

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Jamie Roberts was at home in Wrangell, Alaska, in November 2023, when she heard what sounded like a jet overhead. Her first thought was that an Alaska Airlines flight was about to crashbut this was no plane. It was the roar of mud, rocks, and trees barreling down the mountain, smashing through homes and swallowing the islands only highway.

The landslide Roberts observed killed six Wrangell residents and severed access to power, internet, and roadways for weeks. Throughout the crisis, she and others in the community relied on the local radio station, KSTK, for emergency information, rescue coordination, updates from local officials, and advice on accessing essential services. Radio was critical, Roberts said. It was our lifeline.

Today, stations like KSTK are facing an existential crisis. Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to cease all funding to NPR and PBS and to eliminate indirect sources of public financing like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars annually to stations nationwide. The move could wipe out funding appropriated through 2026 and 2027, endangering stations that already operate on razor-thin margins. If CPB funding disappears, I dont know how wed survive, said Cindy Sweat, KSTKs general manager.

In the days since the executive order, the countrys major public media organizations have pushed back strongly. Katherine Maher, president and CEO of NPR, called the move an affront to the First Amendment rights of journalists, stations, and their audiences. We will vigorously defend our right to provide essential news, information and life-saving services to the American public, she said, pledging to challenge the order using all means available. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting argued that, as an independent nonprofit, it was not subject to presidential directives. Congress expressly forbade any direction, supervision, or control over CPB or its grantees, said CPB president Patricia Harrison. Meanwhile, PBS has launched a campaign urging viewers to contact Congress and protect public media funding. A banner on its website warns, Your PBS viewing experience is in danger of going away. Now is a critical time to act.

The push to rescind public broadcasting funds is part of a cycle of political attacks often fueled by accusations of liberal bias at national stations like NPR and PBS. But station leaders say these culture-war arguments obscure the actual role played by public radio stations on the local level, where they are often the only trusted sources of nonpartisan news. The people who complain about NPR bias rarely cite specific examplesand Im not convinced theyre actually listeners, said Mitch Teich, the station manager of North Country Public Radio in northern New York. Meanwhile, our audience here in the North Country tells us every day how much they value what we do.

The cuts are also unlikely to do the most damage to the networks they are aimed at. The vast majority of federal public broadcasting dollars dont go directly to national outlets like PBS or NPR. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is legally required to distribute nearly 70 percent of government funds directly to local stations, and each station retains full editorial control. Although some of those stations use that money to purchase NPR memberships, there is no requirement that they do soand many dont. Local stations rely on the federal government for as much as 50 percent of their annual budgets.

In recent years, a number of public radio stations have started preparing for possible cutbacksand combating the economic reality confronting all local mediaby joining together into collective alliances to share resources. In New York, the thirteen-station New York Public News Network collaborates on story leads through a collective Slack channel and jointly funds a statehouse reporter in Albany. In Colorado, the twenty-member Rocky Mountain Community Radio coalition shares editors, engineers, and advocacy efforts. This is community organizing 101, said Breeze Richardson, the executive director of Aspen Public Radio and a member of the coalition. Were taking turns leading joint initiatives, writing to Congress, and preparing to act.

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In the Four Corners region of the American Southwest, KSUT houses two signals under one organizational roof: Four Corners Public Radio, the regional NPR affiliate, and KSUT Tribal Radio, which focuses on Indigenous news, music, and cultural programming. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the stations were particularly essential, since many listeners lacked internet or cell service.

We live in a literal news desert, said KSUT executive director Tami Graham. In some places, we were the only connection people had to what was happening.
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When Michael Waltz, the now former national security adviser, accidentally added The Atlantics editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to a private Signal group chat planning a US attack on Yemen earlier this year, it triggered concerns about the information security practices of top White House officials. These included the fact that Signal, despite being a secure communication method, auto-deletes messages after a set time frame; deleting text messages about official acts may violate federal records laws, which require the preservation of certain communications among administration staff. According to Goldberg, some messages in the group chat were set to disappear after a certain number of weeks. Upon learning this, the watchdog group American Oversight sued the administration and sought to recover the deleted messages.

After that, the incident now known as Signalgate went relatively quiet. Last week, however, Waltzs phone made headlines again: on Thursday, the same day that Waltz would be ousted from his position, a Reuters photographer captured an image that showed him checking Signal messages from colleagues beneath a table at a cabinet meeting. As 404 Media reported, Waltz wasnt using the official Signal app, but rather a modified version called TeleMessage Signal, which collects and archives Signal messages. As such, Waltz may have used TeleMessage to comply with federal recordkeeping laws; on its (now defunct) website, TeleMessage, the Israeli company behind the app, marketed it as an archiving solution designed to help users meet regulatory requirements when using popular platforms like Signal. (The company was acquired last year by Smarsh, a firm based in Oregon.)

Micah Lee, a journalist and security researcher, analyzed TeleMessages source code, which is publicly accessible. His analysis found that TeleMessages marketing claimthat its version of Signal supports end-to-end encryption from the mobile phone through to the corporate archiveappears to be misleading. Its recording a local database of all of the Signal messages, and then its just sending those plaintext messages to the server, Lee told me. The surprising thing is that they just are not at all up-front about that. According to Lee, TeleMessage can access plaintext chat logs, and its design risks letting outsiders with access to the server do the same. Its a pretty reckless design, he said. (Tom Padgett, the president of Smarshs enterprise business, told the New York Times last week that information was not decrypted while being collected for recordkeeping purposes or moved to its final archive. We do not de-encrypt, he said. CJR reached out to Smarsh for comment and will update the online version of this newsletter if we hear back.)

The alleged security vulnerabilities of the Signal clone were put front and center over the weekend when a hacker breached and stole customer data from TeleMessage, just as Lee had suspected was possible. (He wrote about the hack with Joseph Cox for 404 Media.) The breach did not include messages from Waltz or cabinet members with whom he spoke, but did show data related to Customs and Border Protection, the cryptocurrency giant Coinbase, and other financial institutions. The hacker told 404 Media that the breach took less than twenty minutes and that they did it because they were just curious how secure it was. The next day, NBC News reported that TeleMessage had suspended all services after a second hacker breached the system. As evidence, the hacker provided NBC with a screenshot of TeleMessages contact list of employees at Coinbase, which NBC verified with a Coinbase spokesperson. (TeleMessage is investigating a potential security incident, a Smarsh spokesperson told BleepingComputer on Monday. Upon detection, we acted quickly to contain it and engaged an external cybersecurity firm to support our investigation.)

Sharon Ringel, a digital-archives scholar at the University of Haifa and former Tow Center fellow, told me that the TeleMessage story goes beyond security concernsit also raises broader questions about how the government approaches the preservation of its digital records. Were missing the bigger issue here, she said. If they cant ensure security, Im not sure well be able to access these communications five years, ten years, or even thirty years from now. This is deeply problematic, Ringel said, because these are records that historians and investigators could depend on in the future. Its unclear whether Waltz began using TeleMessage months ago or after the Trump administration was sued for failing to comply with federal records laws. However, on April 15, shortly after Signalgate, TeleMessage published a now-removed blog post promoting its services as a solution for US government recordkeeping responsibilities. One of the blog posts subheadings reads, Closing the Compliance Loop: Why TeleMessage Is the Missing Piece for Signal. If White House staff were clients of TeleMessage, the company was either unaware of the fact or not publicly acknowledging it at the time.

For an app that seems to bear the huge responsibility of archiving some of the US governments most important records, relatively little has been known about its design until now. As Wired reported, TeleMessage is a federal contractor, but its consumer apps are not approved for use under the US governments Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, and WhatsApp and other messaging companies are reportedly attempting to ban it. Of course, the US is not the only country that struggles with archiving. In general, Ringel said, its very challenging to preserve digital communications. It takes accountability and commitment to do it the right way. But failure comes with consequences that can alter how history is written. When its not being properly archived and preserved, its easier to delete, and its easier to remove, she said.



Other notable stories:

Yesterday morning, Liam Scott wrote in this newsletter about Trumps recent efforts to gut overseas broadcasters including Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, noting that the latter was expecting a court to rule that the administration can continue to withhold its funds while a legal process plays out; yesterday, a three-judge panel did indeed vote to stay a prior order to disburse RFE/RLs money, depriving the broadcaster of twelve million dollars and necessitating further reductions in staff and programming, according to its president. Meanwhile, Scott reported in his Press Freedom Report newsletter that Ulviyya Guliyeva, a VOA contributor in Azerbaijan, was detained yesterday. Colleagues have suggested to Scott that Trumps attack on VOA and its sister outlets may have emboldened Azerbaijan to target Guliyeva.

This week, a federal jury ordered NSO Group, the Israeli firm that makes the highly invasive spyware tool Pegasus, to pay more than 167 million dollars to Meta after a judge found the company liable for WhatsApp, which Meta owns, being used to hack more than a thousand people with Pegasus, including journalists and other civil-society figures. The award represents the largest blow ever dealt to the burgeoning spyware industry, the Washington Posts Joseph Menn writes. Meta said that it intends to donate the money to digital-rights groups that have investigated Pegasus hacks; one such group, Citizen Lab, praised Meta for persevering with its case and helping alert governments to the threat posed by spyware. (NSO suggested it will appeal.)

Earlier this year, a documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival cast doubt on the provenance of the iconic Napalm Girl image captured during the Vietnam War, suggesting that a stringer may have taken it, and not Nick Ut, an Associated Press staffer who has always been credited with the photo. After the documentary aired, AP journalists investigated the claim by interviewing witnesses, analyzing imagery, and even building a 3D model of the scene, according to the Post. This week, the news agency released a lengthy report concluding that Ut should retain the photo credit since its analysis showed that he could have taken it, and failed to prove that anyone else did.

The Malheur Enterprise, a small yet distinguished newspaper in Oregon, published its final print edition yesterday and will shut down by the end of the month after more than a hundred years in existence, The Oregonian reports. Les Zaitz, a high-profile local journalist who published the Enterprise, said that he and his wife, Scotta Callister, the former publisher, are retiring; they tried to transfer the paperincluding by merging it with the local Argus Observerbut were unsuccessful. (ICYMI, CJRs Alexandria Neason interviewed Zaitz in 2018 about the long tail of his reporting on a local cult.)
Seventeen states are suing the U.S. Department of Transportation for suspending the distribution of funds fund electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

The suit is a response to President Trumps executive order on Jan. 20 to eliminate the electric vehicle mandate and freeze disbursements of EV infrastructure funds. It upends the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, created by Congress under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The IIJA appropriated $5 billion for the purpose of providing funding to the states to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure and to establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access and reliability.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Seattle, Washington, argues that Trump lacks authority to halt congressionally mandated programs.

President Trump has unleashed an attack on an increasingly popular consumer choicethe electric vehicle, the lawsuit states.

Trumps executive order proclaims it the policy of the United States to eliminate the EV mandate. However, the federal government has never adopted any such EV mandate. The executive order directs the Federal Highway Administration to usurp Congress legislative and spending powers by withholding congressionally appropriated funding for EV charging infrastructure, the suit argues.

On February 6, the Federal Highway Administration notified states in a letter it had taken actions to suspend the NEVI Formula Program.

This action seeks declaratory and injunctive relief against the Defendants unlawful actions.

States names as plaintiffs in the suit are: Washington, Colorado, California, Arizona, Delaware, District Of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, f New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

The DOT and DOT Secretary Sean Duffy are named as defendants.
Columbia University and New York-Presbyterian hospitals will pay $750 million to patients who sued over being sexually abused by a former gynecologist who was convicted of sex crimes in 2023.

The settlement was achieved on behalf of 576 former patients at the New York hospitals where Dr. Robert Hadden abused patients over two decades.

A New York Supreme Court approved the settlement on Monday. according to Anthony T. DiPietro, attorney for the women who brought claims.

This victory is not just for the victims and survivors of Columbia University and The New York- Presbyterian Hospitals cover-up who bravely came forward, but for all of us who entrust medical institutions with our healthcare, said DiPietro.

The $750 million settlement brings the total relating to claims against Hadden to more than $1 billion. There have been earlier settlements of $200 million, $71.5 million and $165 million, Also in January 2024, Columbia University created a $100 million fund for survivors that is still receiving claims.

The claims were filed under the New York State Adult Survivors Act that extended the statute of limitations for civil for allegations that would have been time-barred.

Hadden was convicted of federal sexual assault charges in January 2023 and sentenced to 20 years in prison last July.

DiPietro said his firm is currently pursuing cases involving hundreds of men and boys who were allegedly exploited by a urologist, Darius Paduch, who also practiced at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the Weill Cornell Medical Center, and in the Northwell Health System. Paduch was convicted last March of unlawful sexual activity and sentenced to life in prison in November.
Attorneys for MetroHealth said for the first time in court documents why the health system's board of directors fired former president and CEO Airica Steed. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio  MetroHealths board of directors fired former president and CEO Airica Steed last year because of poor performance and judgment, as well as insubordination, the boards attorneys said in court filings.

The filling on Wednesday marked the first time MetroHealth officials fully laid out a reasoning for the Aug. 9, 2024 firing that happened just 20 months into Steeds tenure.

It cited among the reasons that she exercised poor judgment in the amount of time and expenses she spent on traveling, unprecedented employee turnover and a job performance that deteriorated.

Dr. Steeds performance issues were longstanding, and she failed for months to address them, leaving MetroHealth with no choice but to terminate her, the filing said.

Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reached out to Steeds attorneys for comment.

Steeds firing came on the heels of the board firing her predecessor, Akram Boutros, over accusations that he improperly gave himself $1.9 million in bonuses. He denied the bonuses were improper and also filed a lawsuit against the board, alleging retaliation.

Steed was hired in December 2022 and was the hospital systems first Black woman and nurse to be named CEO. In 2023, she made just under $1.3 million  $900,000 in salary and $380,000 in a performance bonus.

She sued MetroHealth over her firing, accusing the board of breach of employment, defamation and wrongful discharge in violation of public policy.

The lawsuit says Steed was the subject of racial discrimination and retaliation, that the board continuously undermined her and that board members and employees carried out a smear campaign against her.

She also accused the board of wrongfully firing her after she went on medical leave.

Steeds lawsuit said the work she carried out during her short tenure was exemplary, including increasing MetroHealths net revenue from $1.6 billion to nearly $2 billion in her first year while expanding its programs across the county.

MetroHealths response to the lawsuit on Wednesday included a request that a judge toss out part of Steeds lawsuit. The hospital system also filed counter-claims against Steed.

The filing said that MetroHealths increase in net profit was due in part to initiatives that began before Steed was hired. It also said the board launched an investigation that found Steeds claims of discrimination and a hostile work environment meritless.

Instead, the board fired Steed after it gave her months to address three issues highlighted in a March 2024 performance review, according to the filing.

The review, according to the court filings, said Steed needed to improve her relationships and collaboration with physicians, her leadership of the hospitals management team and her relationship with the board.

Other reasonings for Steeds firing included that she failed to come up with strategies to address MetroHealths financial challenges, wouldnt give the board regular updates and continued to travel to attend conferences and speaking engagements without regard for the significant operational and financial challenges facing MetroHealth, the filing said.

When board members brought concerns to her, they were met with a response ranging from disengagement to open hostility, according to the filing.

The filing said Steed increasingly put her own interests ahead of MetroHealths and that she didnt appreciate her role as CEO or the authority of the board.

She also stopped MetroHealth from complying with Ohios public records laws, the filing said.

As her tenure progressed at MetroHealth, it became apparent that Dr. Steed was not fit for the role of CEO and that efforts to improve her performance were not going to be successful, the filing said.

MetroHealths counterclaims accused Steed of making false statements to several media outlets, including that board officials scuttled internal audits regarding what Steed said were missing or intentionally deleted emails. The filing said hospital officials found no evidence of deleted emails.

It also accused Steed of failing to return MetroHealth property, including computers, cellphones and tablets. She also kept possession of trade secrets, according to MetroHealths attorneys.

Dr. Steeds continued assertion of nefarious or unethical conduct by the MetroHealth Board and MetroHealth employees is far beyond hyperbole or ordinary litigation posturing, hospital attorneys wrote in the filing.

Adam Ferrise covers federal courts at cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. You can find his work here.
CLAYTON, Ohio  A former bus driver for a high school in western Ohio has been arrested after he was accused of inappropriate and unlawful relationships with both former and current students.

Matthew Hunt, 49, of Clayton, Ohio, is charged with one count of sexual battery, according to a news release from the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office. Hunt is being held in the Montgomery County Jail.

The sheriffs office says Hunt, who was a driver for Northmont High School in Clayton, was arrested Monday after it and the Clayton Police Department began a detailed investigation of accusations that Hunt had been involved sexually with students.

Investigators are deeply concerned that there may be additional individuals affected who have not yet come forward, the news release says. Possible victims are being urged to contact the sheriffs office at WaltersJ@mcohiosheriff.org.

Authorities are continuing to investigate. Meanwhile, Northmont City Schools released a statement to WDTN Channel 2 saying the district is cooperating with investigators to swiftly address the accusations.

The district has placed Mr. Hunt on administrative leave during the investigation, the statement says. The district will have no further comment on this matter.
A group of Montana students, families and tribes recently reached a settlement agreement with the Montana Board of Public Education  a major development in a years-long class action lawsuit regarding the implementation of Indian Education for All.

Montana is the only state that constitutionally requires a commitment in K-12 public education to recognize the distinct and unique cultural heritage of American Indians. In 1999, the state Legislature enacted the Indian Education for All (IEFA) Act to implement that constitutional mandate, requiring public schools to teach Native American history and culture. And since 2007, the Legislature has appropriated about $3.5 million annually to Montana school districts for implementing IEFA. Schools, according to the original legislation, are supposed to use the funds for curriculum development, class materials and teacher training.

In 2021, however, a group of Montana students, families and tribes filed a class action lawsuit against the state Office of Public Instruction and Montana Board of Public Education, alleging that school districts were improperly using funds meant to support IEFA. Tribal plaintiffs include the Fort Belknap Indian Community, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, Northern Cheyenne Tribe and Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana.

Court documents alleged that in 2019 and 2020, only 10% of Montana school districts could account for spending all of their IEFA funding on appropriate expenses. Documents allege, for example, that while one Montana school district received more than $55,000 in 2019 and 2020 to implement IEFA, the district reported spending about 71% of that funding. The remaining IEFA money for the district, according to court documents, was unaccounted for. One school, according to court documents, used some of its IEFA funds to pay a portion of librarians salaries. Other schools allegedly used the funds to purchase books unrelated to Native American culture or history.

School districts and schools have no incentive to fully and accurately report their IEFA expenditures because there is no penalty for failing to do so, plaintiffs wrote in their complaint.

After a closed-session discussion, the Montana Board of Public Education on March 11 voted unanimously to approve a settlement agreement  which was negotiated directly between the plaintiffs and board  and gave Chair Tim Tharp the authority to sign on its behalf.

Though the Montana Board of Public Education agreed to a settlement, the class action lawsuit continues with OPI  the agency generally responsible for providing state funding, including for IEFA.

The board agreed in the settlement to improve financial accountability measures, content standards, tribal collaboration and teacher training regarding the implementation of IEFA.

Specifically, the board agreed to use the accreditation process to oversee and ensure the inclusion of IEFA in local instruction. It also agreed to request an annual IEFA implementation report from OPI. To the extent of its authority, the board will ensure IEFA is integrated across all content standards, and it will encourage all school districts to meaningfully consult with tribes in developing an IEFA implementation plan. The board will also require new educators to complete an introduction to IEFA course, which includes training on tribal collaboration.

Tharp said in a statement that the board is pleased to reach this settlement.

Our time and efforts are better spent working to improve education for all students in Montana and not arguing in court, he said.

Plaintiff Jessica Peterson said she was relieved by the settlement.

When we filed this lawsuit, my daughter was in second grade, she said in a statement. Now she is a sixth grader in Helena Public Schools. Year after year, I dont see Indian Education for All happening in the Helena Public Schools.

State lawmakers have also passed legislation to strengthen IEFA. In 2023, then-Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, brought a bill that required  rather than encouraged  school districts to implement IEFA. The bill, which was signed into law, also stipulated that IEFA funds could be revoked from certain schools if districts failed to report how the funds were spent.

This legislative session, Windy Boy, now a state senator, carried Senate Bill 181, which enhances tribal consultation and the role of Native language specialists within IEFA. It also adds new requirements for the Board of Public Education and OPI to strengthen accountability. That bill cleared the House and Senate and awaits Gov. Greg Gianfortes signature.

___

MTFP reporter Alex Sakariassen contributed to this story.

___

This story was originally published by Montana Free Press and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Destination Cleveland has organized a trip to Oslo and Copenhagen to learn how to better position Cleveland as a waterfront city. Among those on the trip: Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, whose expenses are being covered by the tourism agency. David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio  Destination Cleveland is leading a delegation of 22 staff members and community leaders to Norway and Denmark this month to learn more about positioning Northeast Ohio as a top waterfront destination.

Among those on the trip: Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, whose expenses are being covered by the tourism agency.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican, talks to reporters shortly after he was sworn in. Sabrina Eaton

WASHINGTON, D. C. - Republican U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio on Thursday took Democratic U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont to task for criticizing Israels conduct in Gaza, denouncing Sanders for disparaging our greatest ally.

Ohios newly-elected Bernie took to the U.S. Senate floor immediately after veteran Vermont liberal Bernie delivered a lengthly speech that described Israels conduct in Gaza as a war crime, committed openly and in broad daylight, and continuing every single day.

Sanders, who is Jewish, described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government as extremist, accused it of ethnic cleansing Gazas 2.2 million residents, and of using starving children to death as a weapon of war by withholding humanitarian aid, in clear violation of the Geneva Convention.

Noting that the United States last year provided $18 billion in military aid to Israel, and that the President Donald Trumps administration approved $12 billion more, Sanders called the United States absolutely complicit in creating and sustaining this humanitarian disaster.

Citing Trumps repeated claims that the U.S. will take over Gaza after the war and redevelop it into the Riviera of the Middle East and a playground for billionaires, Sanders accused Trump of actively encouraging the ethnic cleansing of over 2 million people.

Sanders suggested that Congress hasnt tried to stop the funding because the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which is pro-Israel, sets Washingtons agenda by spending millions of dollars in advertisements to push for the defeat of anyone who votes against Netanyahus war in Gaza.

History will not forgive our complicity in this nightmare, Sanders concluded. We must not put another nickel into Netanyahus war machine. We must demand an immediate ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of the hostages, and the rebuilding of Gaza  not for billionaires to enjoy their Riviera there  but rebuilding Gaza for the Palestinian people."

Moreno recalled the October 7, 2023, incident that sparked Israels invasion of Gaza - Hamas murder of more than 1,200 men, women and children, including 46 Americans and citizens of more than 30 countries and its taking of hundreds of hostages. He observed the attack killed more Jews than at any time since the Holocaust.

What you just heard the last 15 minutes could be summarized as the absolute propaganda of Hamas, Moreno said of Sanders speech. This war started by Hamas, it could end today by Hamas if they released every last hostage, including an American citizen.

Were sitting here in the United States Senate and not even saying a word - the fact that theres a U.S. citizen being held hostage by a terrorist group in the Middle East. That is outrageous, Moreno continued. That should be at the top of the agenda.

He said civilians have been killed in Gaza because Hamas hides weapons in hospitals, schools and homes. Recalling his recent trip to Israel, he said theres almost no Israeli that hasnt seen a mom, a dad, a son, a grandson, granddaughter that has been either injured or killed to protect their country.

He said he decided to speak out on the issue because I cannot stay silent after listening to that kind of nonsense spewed here in the United States Senate. Its a disgrace, and we should not ever forget that Israel is fighting the war that we would otherwise fight.

Hamas is the enemy, not our greatest ally, which is Israel. said Moreno. The fact that we are disparaging our greatest ally at this level is completely outrageous.

Sanders shot back that his remarks Moreno objected to had included the fact that Hamas, a terrorist organization, began this terrible war with its barbaric October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, and discussed the need to release its hostages.

He said Israel has a right to defend itself, but it does not have the right to engage in ethnic cleansing and to starve children. He said Israels attacks have killed over 50,000 people, 60% of whom are women, children and the elderly, and that they injured 112,000 people, and destroyed almost every housing unit in Gaza.

What the gentleman did not tell us is whether or not he thinks its a good idea for U.S. taxpayers to be spending billions of billions of dollars on an extremist government in Israel whose stated policy is to starve children, Sanders responded. Whether or not he thinks it is a good idea to cut off all humanitarian aid getting into Gaza right now, no medicine, no clean water, no healthcare facilities open.

So the issue is not who started the war. Everyone knows who started the war. The issue is whether you commit war atrocities, criminal war acts by punishing an entire people for the acts of a terrorist organization.

Sabrina Eaton writes about the federal government and politics in Washington, D.C., for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
New direct air route links south China's Haikou, London

Xinhua) 10:22, May 08, 2025

HAIKOU, May 7 (Xinhua) -- A new direct air route linking Haikou, capital city of China's southernmost island province of Hainan, and London in Britain was launched on Wednesday.

The route is operated by Hainan Airlines using a Boeing 787 wide-body aircraft, with one round trip per week scheduled.

Outbound flight HU7911 departs from Haikou Meilan International Airport at 13:45 Beijing Time on Wednesday and arrives at London Heathrow International Airport at 19:30 local time the same day. Return flight HU7912 departs from London Heathrow at 22:00 local time and arrives in Haikou at 16:55 the following day, Beijing Time.

Meanwhile, the airport authority also revealed that it plans to further increase the frequency of flights between Haikou and Kuala Lumpur, capital city of Malaysia, and between Haikou and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as part of its aim to continuously expand its network of both international and regional routes.

These efforts aim to accelerate the airport's development into a regional aviation hub serving destinations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, while supporting the growth of Hainan as an international tourism and consumption center.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
 
Many of the biggest U.S. companies have pledged to invest trillions of dollars in the United States since President Donald Trump started his second term  including six names in our portfolio. These moves are aimed at aligning companies with the president's vision for a new global trade order designed to bring manufacturing jobs back from overseas and to address what he considers decades of unfair tariff barriers abroad. We have been keeping track of these promises, and new companies are being added to the list every day. Here is a rundown of six portfolio names, in alphabetical order, that have committed to major investments in the U.S., and how they see their businesses evolving on the shifting trade landscape. Abbott Laboratories : Abbott last month pledged $500 million to upgrade the manufacturing capabilities at plants in Illinois and Texas and to expand research and development (R & D). About 200 new jobs are expected in Illinois and 100 in Texas, a company spokesperson told Bloomberg. This is part of Abbott's short-term plan to mitigate tariff impacts, which management estimates to be a "few hundred million dollars." In a volatile year for stocks, Abbott has gained more than 19% year to date. It is the Club's second-best performing in 2025. Apple : As part of its commitment to invest $500 billion in the U.S. over four years, Apple said in February that it will open a new factory for artificial intelligence servers in Houston, Texas. The 250,000-square-foot facility is slated to open next year. Apple also plans to onboard about 20,000 new hires across the country over four years. More recently, CEO Tim Cook said on last week's earnings call that teams and facilities will expand in states including Michigan, California, and Texas. Assuming current tariff levels, Cook estimated $900 million in added costs in the June quarter but would not hazard a guess beyond that. Apple has dropped nearly 21% year to date. It is our worst-performing stock in 2025. Other than Club name Nvidia , Apple has the most to lose if the U.S.-China tensions don't improve. Bristol Myers Squibb : The drugmaker will invest $40 billion in the U.S. over the next five years, expanding its R & D and manufacturing footprint in the country. Bristol Myers CEO Christopher Boerner said in an op-ed Monday that funds will go across research and development, technology, and domestic manufacturing. "Through this investment plan, we will strengthen our presence across the country, ramp up radiopharmaceutical manufacturing, and invest in artificial intelligence and machine learning to help us significantly increase the pace of innovation," Boerner wrote. Last month, when releasing earnings, Bristol Myers hiked guidance and said it accounts for existing tariffs on U.S. products imported into China. The stock has fallen more than 16% year to date. It is our second worst in 2025. Eaton : The global power management company revealed plans in February to add a new transformer manufacturing facility in Jonesville, South Carolina. The operations there will support data centers, grid modernization as well as electrification and industrialization. Eaton will spend $340 million to increase U.S. production of its three-phase transformers. Eaton has invested more than $1 billion in manufacturing for electrical solutions in North America since 2023. Incoming CEO Paulo Ruiz said on last week's earnings call that the company aims to manage through the tariffs by adjusting costs, supply chains, and prices as needed. Eli Lilly : Lilly is looking to grow its domestic presence , with four new pharmaceutical manufacturing sites. Announced in February, this $27 billion investment pushes Eli Lilly 's total capital expansion commitments in the United States to over $50 billion since 2020. Lilly expects the four new locations to bring more than 3,000 jobs, including engineers, scientists, operations personnel, and lab technicians. Like Bristol Myers, Lilly is still waiting to hear whether Trump will put industry-specific tariffs on pharma. The president and administration officials have hinted that they are coming. On last week's earnings call, Lilly management said they expect announced tariffs will have "limited impact financially, which we have absorbed within our 2025 guide" of sales between $58 billion and $61 billion. Shares of Lilly have fallen roughly 1.5% year to date. They would have been much higher if not for their big slide that started last week on news of a partnership between CVSHealth and rival Novo Nordisk on weight loss drugs. Nvidia : Through partnerships with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing , Foxconn, Wistron and others, Nvidia pledged to produce up to $500 billion worth of AI infrastructure in the U.S. over four years. Production of some of the company's Blackwell chips has started at TSMC's plant in Phoenix. Nvidia is also building supercomputer manufacturing plants with Foxconn in Houston and Wistron in Dallas. Production is expected to increase in the next 12 to 15 months at both facilities. Shares of Nvidia, which doesn't report earnings until May 28, have dropped 12% year to date. Late Wednesday, Nvidia investors breathed a sigh of relief after the Trump administration scrapped the implementation of a controversial Biden-era rule on AI chip exports. Last month, however, Trump tightened another Biden chip export rule, saying slower, made-for-China chips need a license. Consequently, Nvidia on April 15 said it would book a $5.5 billion inventory charge . (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long AAPL, ABT, BMY, LLY, ETN, NVDA. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
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The Berkshire Hathaway 60th Anniversary book seen at the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on May 2, 2025. Alex Harring | CNBC

OMAHA, Neb.  Transpacific wire transfers. Checks arriving unexpectedly in the mail. People standing at the ready, poised to shell out tens of thousands of dollars. Such was the scene in the months leading up to and during Berkshire Hathaway 's annual meeting last weekend. The chance to obtain memorabilia signed by legendary CEO Warren Buffett sent shareholders on a mad dash to participate in a silent auction during what turned out to be a monumental gathering. In true Buffett fashion, it was all for a local charity serving his native Omaha. Attendees of the annual meeting could buy an exclusive anniversary book titled "60 Years of Berkshire Hathaway" on site. However, 18 copies signed by Buffett and author Carrie Sova, were only available via an auction to benefit Stephen Center, a shelter serving the Nebraska city where Berkshire is headquartered. Buffett pledged to match every dollar raised for the organization, which offers housing and addiction recovery programs. With the 94-year-old's contribution, the event raised more than $1.3 million, according to Chris Knauf, CEO of the Stephen Center. "There are truly no words that can adequately express mine and our gratitude for this incredible generosity," Knauf told CNBC in an interview. "It's just phenomenal." In the first phase, eight books were auctioned online ahead of the meeting, with the highest bid $100,000. Then, on Friday and Saturday, 10 books were auctioned during the "Berkshire Bazaar of Bargains" event. More than 50 bids came in, with some as high as $60,000. The book took on an unexpected significance after Buffett shocked the investing world during the event with a surprise announcement that he planned to step down from the CEO role at year-end.

Warren Buffett does a walkthrough of the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 3, 2025. David A. Grogen | CNBC

Knauf said two additional signed books were set aside for donors who were friends with the late Charlie Munger. Buffett's longtime business partner was featured prominently in the publication. That brought the total number of signed copies supporting the Stephen Center to 20. One of the winning bidders was Matthew Rodriguez, a 43-year-old real estate professional. Rodriguez said he monitored the online auction's leaderboard, then pulled the trigger with a $50,000 bid about 15 minutes before it closed. "It's going to be a pretty priceless artifact in my library," Rodriguez said. As a self-proclaimed "fan boy" of Buffett, Rodriguez said he was excited to support an organization with the billionaire investor's stamp of approval and liked that every dollar he could contribute would be matched. Because Rodriguez lives in Omaha, he was also familiar with the Stephen Center's local impact.

Wires from Singapore

Rodriguez was one of several donors to quickly reached out to the center after Buffett first announced the initiative in the company's annual shareholder letter released in February. The "Oracle of Omaha" shared details about the book and the plan to fundraise for the local group in the letter, but did not explicitly lay out the steps for obtaining a signed edition. Before shareholders realized there was an auction, some sent checks directly to the charity in case it ended up being first-come, first-serve, Knauf said. When Stephen Center representatives called to let them know the process, some who weren't planning on coming to the meeting told them to keep the money as donations, citing their affection for Buffett, he said. "What Mr. Buffett has done for me, what Mr. Buffett has done for my family, is immeasurable," Knauf recalled hearing in these conversations with shareholders. "If the least we can do is write a check for this charity, then we want to do it." The Stephen Center ended up collecting more than $45,000 from donors tied to Buffett and the annual meeting outside of the auction. Beyond monetary support, Knauf said he expects Buffett's selection of the center to help spread awareness of the role of shelters play in local communities. "We are a homeless shelter and addiction recovery campus in Omaha, Nebraska," Knauf said. "Did I ever think that we would be doing wire transfers from Singapore? I did not."

Shareholders enter the venue on the day of the Berkshire Hathaway Inc annual shareholders' meeting, in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S., May 3, 2025. Brendan McDermid | Reuters

Helping the homeless

A portion of the funds will help support a renovation of the space housing an addiction recovery program, Knauf said. Other donations will go toward construction of a women and children's center, he said. These plans come as the organization tries to aid the growing community of unhoused people in Omaha, Knauf said. He pointed to data from an annual count showing the homeless population has grown nearly 10% from last year, with what he called a particularly substantial spike in families, children and senior citizens. For shareholder Jay Ji, this mission hit close to home after his family experienced economic troubles as a child. The investment manager placed a winning bid of around $20,150 and toured the Stephen Center to see first-hand where the money would go. "I want to just do my part," the 43-year-old said. "I'm more determined to try to find ways to to make sure that ... fewer families will experience those kind of hardships, and whenever possible, to deploy some resources to help." In addition to the signed books, Buffett said during his famous annual question-and-answer session that Berkshire sold around 8,000 copies of the anniversary book at the meeting.

A legacy of giving back

Also new to this year's gathering was a gigantic claw crane, which shareholders could pay $10 for a chance to win prizes tied to Berkshire's holding companies. Proceeds from the crane benefit Hope Center for Kids, an Omaha-based organization providing after-school and summer care for children. Both efforts underscore Buffett's decades-long emphasis on charitable giving. For more than two decades, Buffett had auctioned off a private lunch to benefit San Francisco-based nonprofit Glide. The final winner of this event in 2022 shelled out more than $19 million. Taken together, the Berkshire CEO's 21 lunches collectively raised more than $53 million.

The Pilot truck simulator seen at the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on May 2, 2025. Alex Harring | CNBC
Bill Gates arrives for a press conference to launch the Global Polio Eradication Initiative at the European Commission's Berlaymont headquarters in Brussels on October 11, 2023.

Billionaire Bill Gates announced on Thursday that he will double his charitable giving to $200 billion over the next 20 years.

In a blog post, the Microsoft co-founder wrote that he was motivated by the many challenges facing the world, such as children's health and climate change, as well as the late Andrew Carnegie's admonishment of wealth hoarding.

"People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that 'he died rich' will not be one of them," Gates wrote. "There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people."

Gates is currently the world's fifth richest person with a $168 billion fortune, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The $200 billion commitment assumes his charitable foundation's endowment will grow through investments.

The Gates Foundation, founded by Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, in 2000, has already given away more than $100 billion. After Bill Gates has given away "virtually all" of his wealth, the foundation will close at the end of 2045, he said.

Gates is one of few billionaires to publicly step up their charitable giving as nonprofits and universities reel from federal funding cuts. Despite his increase in giving, he said philanthropists cannot cover the multibillion-dollar foreign aid cuts by the U.S. and other wealthy countries.

"The United States, United Kingdom, France, and other countries around the world are cutting their aid budgets by tens of billions of dollars. And no philanthropic organizationeven one the size of the Gates Foundationcan make up the gulf in funding that's emerging right now," he wrote. "It's unclear whether the world's richest countries will continue to stand up for its poorest people."
Tensions between India and Pakistan are rising, and Chinese defense stocks are surging after Pakistan's apparent use of China-made weapons to down Indian jets.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar claimed on Wednesday that Pakistan deployed Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets in a clash with India's air force, according to local state media.

AVIC, through its subsidiary AVIC Chengdu Aircraft, manufactures the J-10C fighter jets reportedly used by Pakistan in the recent conflict. Another subsidiary, AVIC Aerospace, which produces military aircraft and helicopters, saw its Hong Kong-listed shares rising over 6%.

And Shenzhen-listed stocks of AVIC Chengdu Aircraft surged as much as over 16%. It last traded 8.31% higher at 11.40 a.m. local time. On Wednesday, its stocks rose 17.05%, marking the most significant gain since last October.

Shares of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, which builds military and civilian vessels, inched up 0.4%.

"Pakistan is the largest buyer of Chinese arms, including fighter jets, air defense systems, naval vessels, and UAVs," said Yang Zi, associate research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Coinbase agreed to acquire Dubai-based Deribit, a major crypto derivatives exchange, for $2.9 billion, the largest deal in the crypto industry to date.

The company said Thursday that the cost comprises $700 million in cash and 11 million shares of Coinbase class A common stock. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year.

Shares of Coinbase rose more than 5%.

The acquisition positions Coinbase as an international leader in crypto derivatives by open interest and options volume, Greg Tusar, vice president of institutional product, said in a blog post  which could allow it take on big players like Binance. Coinbase operates the largest marketplace for buying and selling cryptocurrencies within the U.S., but has a smaller share of the global crypto market, where activity largely takes place on Binance.

Deribit facilitated more than $1 trillion in trading volume last year and has about $30 billion of current open interest on the platform.

"We're excited to join forces with Coinbase to power a new era in global crypto derivatives," Deribit CEO Luuk Strijers said in a statement. "As the leading crypto options platform, we've built a strong, profitable business, and this acquisition will accelerate the foundation we laid while providing traders with even more opportunities across spot, futures, perpetuals, and options  all under one trusted brand. Together with Coinbase, we're set to shape the future of the global crypto derivatives market."

Tusar also noted that Deribit has a "consistent track record" of generating positive adjusted EBITDA the company believes will grow as a combined entity.

"One of the things we liked most about this deal is that it's not just a game changer for our international expansion plans  it immediately diversifies our revenue and enhances profitability," Tusar told CNBC.

The deal comes at a time when the crypto industry is riding regulatory tailwinds from the first ever pro-crypto White House. Support of the industry has fueled crypto M&A activity in recent weeks. In March, crypto exchange Kraken agreed to acquire NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion, and last month Ripple agreed to buy prime broker Hidden Road.

By structuring the deal as a cash-and-stock transaction, Coinbase still should have bandwidth to make other acquisitions if there is an opportunity. As of Dec. 31, Coinbase had $8.5 billion in cash on its balance sheet.
Wall Street cheered on Thursday as the first green shoots from President Donald Trump's trade negotiations emerged, one day before the one-month anniversary of the April 9 tariff pause and just ahead of key talks with China . Officials from the U.S. and United Kingdom announced that the countries have agreed to the outline of a trade deal . The news helped fuel a broad rally for stocks, with the small-cap Russell 2000  a barometer for confidence about the economy  outperforming its large-cap counterparts in the session. .RUT 1D mountain Small cap stocks outperformed on Thursday. The U.K. agreement was not at the top of the priority list for investors worried about the global economy, but any progress is positive right now. "The US-U.K. trade deal is ultimately a positive development and a sign that after months of turmoil, we may be incrementally moving towards de-escalation of the global trade war," Martin Frandsen, equities portfolio manager at Principal Asset Management, said in a statement. The bullish hope is that incremental progress can build into something more substantial and certain. In particular, traders who bought stocks Thursday are implicitly betting that something positive will come from talks with China. Trump said Thursday he expects the scheduled discussions with Chinese officials this weekend to be "substantive." U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on " Power Lunch " said that lowering tariffs on China as a result of those talks is "on the table." "We think this is an opportunity to find some stability with these folks. China's market and economy is so different from our own. It's so hard to fit a square into a circle in a way that's fair. So that's a much longer conversation. This talk is about can we get to a stable place, and maybe that's a foundation for something more," Greer said.
Jack Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ Courtesy of SandboxAQ

A version of this article first appeared in CNBC's Inside Wealth newsletter with Robert Frank, a weekly guide to the high-net-worth investor and consumer. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox. Private investment firms of the ultra-rich, rattled by President Donald Trump's tariffs, continued to scale back deal-making in April.

Last month, single-family offices made 40 direct investments, down 31% month to month, according to data provided exclusively to CNBC by Fintrx, a private wealth intelligence platform. April's tally also represents a 47% year-over-year decline. However, artificial intelligence-related startups are still garnering attention from family offices, accounting for half of last month's direct deals. In early April, quantitative AI firm SandboxAQ finalized its Series E round of $450 million after upsizing the fundraise twice due to investor demand, CEO Jack Hidary told CNBC. SandboxAQ raised some $300 million last December from investors including a host of billionaires and their family offices, such as venture capitalist Jim Breyer, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and Two Sigma co-founder David Siegel. The round was extended this spring, raising an additional $150 million from Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio's family office and a cohort including Google and Nvidia , an existing partner of SandboxAQ. The Palo Alto, California-based firm, which spun off from Alphabet in 2022, is chaired by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and counts his family office, Hillspire, as a backer. "These are very value-added family offices because they know the world of tech well. They know the world of finance well," Hidary said. "These are experienced executives and entrepreneurs who lend a hand in advising us and are active in doing so."

SandboxAQ uses AI and quantum technology to make large-scale predictions and statistical analysis that it markets to a variety of industries, like companies doing drug discovery, cybersecurity, navigation or financial modeling. Its technology analyzes large numerical datasets to make predictive AI models. Hidary, a serial tech entrepreneur, said professionally managed family offices and large institutions have developed a greater appetite in the past six or seven years for deep-tech startups that cater to businesses. "They used to see deep tech as something they didn't touch. It's not their purview. They didn't make their money, you know, doing that," he said. "But now it turns out they understand that actually it's lower risk to invest in deep moat companies." "What they realize, after years of investing in consumer-oriented tech  tech that helps you manage your pet's food or something like that  it sounds great. It builds up a lot of users quickly, but it's easily commoditized," he said.

Get Inside Wealth directly to your inbox The Inside Wealth newsletter by Robert Frank is your weekly guide to high-net-worth investors and the industries that serve them. Subscribe here to get access today.
I challenged myself to a two-day "vibe coding" bootcamp. Courtesy of Ernestine Siu

As someone who chats with startup founders for a living, I've always admired the "builders." I have a lot of respect for their technical ability to dream up an idea and code it into existence, but it's not something I could ever do. Even the thought of coding gives me painful flashbacks to my college statistics course, in which we learned the programming language "R," and let's just say I did not find it enjoyable. So when I came across the term "vibe coding," my immediate thought was, "great, more tech bro lingo." But after going down a rabbit hole, I discovered something that really resonated with me. The term was coined by Andrej Karpathy, co-founder of OpenAI and former head of artificial intelligence at Tesla, who posted on X in February, "There's a new kind of coding I call 'vibe coding', where you fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists." "I just see stuff, say stuff, run stuff, and copy paste stuff, and it mostly works," he wrote. Simply put, vibe coding is coding with the help of artificial intelligence. Today, AI-powered code generation tools like Replit and Cursor are making it possible even for non-technical people and those without experience with software engineering to create functional apps or websites.

For people who are not technical today ... I think that AI is just the biggest unlock. So we're going to have many more people who are going to be able to build apps. Sherry Jiang Co-founder and CEO, Peek

Startup founders aren't the only ones using it  Big Tech is also outsourcing some of its coding to AI. Last week, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that as much as 30% of the company's code is now written by artificial intelligence.

I learned how to 'vibe code' in 2 days

One fine morning in April, I discovered a two-day "vibe coding" boot camp in my area which advertised that class takers could "go from zero to one, creating functional apps in just 48 hours." That was my chance to get on the other side and see what the hype is all about. The class, called "Code with AI," took place in person in an office-turned-classroom over a single weekend. We were simply asked to bring our laptops and a project idea. I showed up about half an hour early on Saturday morning to get myself set up, which involved three simple steps: Download and sign up for the free version of Cursor Download NodeJS Sign up for the free version of Vercel's v0 The boot camp, which costs $300 Singapore dollars (about $233), is run by Sherry Jiang, co-founder and CEO of fintech company Peek, and Agrim Singh, co-founder and CTO of AI-powered hardware design assistant Niyam AI. Both Jiang and Singh say that their own startups were largely built using the same AI tools and methods that they taught through the class.

Just being able to write code is, I think, no longer going to be a huge differentiation in this current day and age. But if you are a really good software engineer, your productivity is just going to 10x. Sherry Jiang Co-founder and CEO, Peek

Here's an abridged version of how the weekend went. The classes on both days began with a quick slideshow on what we'd be working on that day. On Saturday, we focused on narrowing down a project idea into a clearly defined product, then prototyping it. On Sunday, I worked on actually building out our product and integrating AI into them. I used Gemini 2.5 Pro, a large language model, to help clarify and narrow down my project idea into a clean product requirements document. I decided to create a negotiation training tool. From there, I used v0 to prototype and develop the user interface of the tool. Then, I used Cursor to build out my product and integrate AI into it. All that may sound complicated or overwhelming to the unfamiliar, but the process was quite feasible in practice. Surprisingly, the most difficult part for me was picking an idea. I bounced between different options, ranging from an instant paperwork translator to a Tinder-for-dogs (to help match dogs for playdates). Ultimately, I settled on a web-based AI-powered negotiation trainer that helps teach users how to negotiate in different settings and situations, and with different personalities through written and spoken drills  which I successfully built out by the end of the weekend. In hindsight, I realize I should have gone with the second option: Tinder-for-dogs.

Major takeaways

I was amazed to find that the process did not involve coding at all. I learned that vibe coding is more about patience and prompt engineering  or knowing how to prompt or instruct the AI tools  than it is about coding. Much of the class was about learning how to write out our prompts for the AI tools. "AI is the dumbest smart thing out there ... you have to be super specific," Singh said to a class of about 30. As long as you can read, write and follow instructions, you can probably vibe code, I learned. "Just being able to write code is, I think, no longer going to be a huge differentiation in this current day and age. But if you are a really good software engineer, your productivity is just going to 10x," said Jiang. As a result, startups may not need to raise as much money as hiring costs may also decrease, she added. "For people who are not technical today ... I think that AI is just the biggest unlock. So we're going to have many more people who are going to be able to build apps," she said. Aspiring entrepreneurs who have felt held back by their lack of technical knowledge can now at least get a boost from AI.

I see a ton of these people like making like, $10,000 to $20,000 a month off of a app they vibe coded, when they didn't know how code months ago. Sherry Jiang Co-founder and CEO, Peek
People gather in front of the shattered glasses of a restaurant outside the Rawalpindi cricket stadium after an alleged drone was shot down in Rawalpindi on May 8, 2025.

India fired attack drones into Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least two civilians, the Pakistani military said. India, meanwhile, accused its neighbor of attempting its own attack, as tensions soared between the nuclear-armed rivals.

India acknowledged that it targeted Pakistan's air defense system, and Islamabad said it shot down several of the drones. India said it "neutralized" Pakistan's attempts to hit military targets. It was not possible to verify all of the claims.

The exchanges came a day after Indian missiles struck several locations in Pakistan, killing 31 civilians, according to Pakistani officials. New Delhi said it was retaliating after gunmen killed more than two dozen people, mostly Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir last month. India accused Pakistan of being behind the assault. Islamabad denies that.

Both sides have also traded heavy fire across their frontier in disputed Kashmir, and Pakistan claimed it killed scores of Indian soldiers. There was no confirmation from India.

Late Thursday in Indian-controlled Kashmir, residents of the city of Jammu reported hearing explosions and sirens. Shesh Paul Vaid, the region's former director-general of police, said there was a complete blackout in Jammu following loud blasts. "Bombing, shelling, or missile strikes suspected," he wrote on social media.

Jammu is close to the Line of Control, the de factor border that divides the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to avenge the deaths in India's missile strikes, raising fears that the two countries could be headed toward another all-out conflict. Leaders from both nations face mounting public pressure to show strength and seek revenge, and the heated rhetoric and competing claims could be a response to that pressure.

The relationship between countries has been shaped by conflict and mutual suspicion, most notably in their dispute over Kashmir. They have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region, which is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety.

With tensions high, India evacuated thousands of people from villages near the highly militarized frontier in the region. Tens of thousands of people slept in shelters overnight, officials and residents said Thursday.

About 2,000 villagers also fled their homes in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

Mohammad Iftikhar boarded a vehicle with his family on Thursday as heavy rain lashed the region. "I am helplessly leaving my home for the safety of my children and wife," he said.

India fires drones at Pakistan

India fired several Israeli-made Harop drones at Pakistan overnight and into Thursday afternoon, according to Pakistani army spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, who said 29 were shot down. Two civilian were killed and another wounded when debris from a downed drone fell in Sindh province.

One drone damaged a military site near the city of Lahore and wounded four soldiers, and another fell in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital, according to Sharif. "The armed forces are neutralizing them as we speak," he told state-run Pakistan Television.

In Lahore, local police official Mohammad Rizwan said a drone was downed near Walton Airport, an airfield in a residential area about 25 kilometers (16 miles) from the border with India that also contains military installations.

India's Defense Ministry said its armed forces "targeted air defense radars and systems" in several places in Pakistan, including Lahore.

Blackout in Gurdaspur district

New Delhi, meanwhile, accused Pakistan of attempting "to engage a number of military targets" with missiles and drones along the Line of Control that divides Kashmir and elsewhere along their border. "The debris of these attacks in now being recovered from a number of locations," it said.

At a news briefing, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday rejected India's claim that Islamabad carried out any attack in Indian Punjab. "These accusations are an attempt to incite anti-Pakistan sentiment among the Punjabi Sikh population in India," he said.

Seated alongside Dar, the military spokesperson, Sharif said Pakistan shot down 29 Indian drones after they violated its airspace.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told parliament that so far Pakistan has not responded to India's missiles attacks, but there will be one. Later Thursday, Indian authorities ordered a night-time blackout in Punjab's Gurdaspur district, which borders with Pakistan.

The Harop drone, produced by Israel's IAI, is one of several in India's inventory, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance report.

According to IAI, the Harop combines the capabilities of a drone and a missile and can operate at long ranges.

The two sides have also exchanged heavy fire over the past day.

Tarar said that the country's armed forces have killed 40 to 50 Indian soldiers in the exchanges along the Line of Control. India has not commented on that claim. Earlier, the army said one Indian soldier was killed by shelling Wednesday.

Sikh Temple in Kashmir

Tarar denied Indian accusations that Pakistan had fired missiles toward the Indian city of Amritsar, saying in fact an Indian drone fell in the city. Neither claim could be confirmed.

India's Foreign Ministry has said that 16 civilians were killed Wednesday during exchanges of fire across the de facto border.

Pakistani officials said six people have been killed near highly militarized frontier in exchanges of fire over the past day.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri denied that New Delhi has targeted civilians and a key dam, as Pakistan has alleged. He, in turn, accused Pakistani forces of targeting civilians, including at a Sikh Temple in Kashmir, where he said three Sikhs were killed.

Flights remained suspended at over two dozen airports across northern and western regions in India, according to travel advisories by multiple airlines. Pakistan resumed flights nationwide after a suspension at four airports, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Retail investors snapped up shares of Nvidia and Tesla over the past week, but dumped Apple as tariff concerns roiled individual stocks, according to JPMorgan. Individual traders poured $1.2 billion and $1.1 billion on net into shares of Tesla and Nvidia, respectively, according to the bank. Those big inflows came despite net flows to large-cap stocks slowing across the board from the week before. (Net flows subtract the effect of shares that were sold versus those that were bought). Nvidia and Tesla have both been Main Street favorites since late 2022 and the advent of trades tied to the rise of artificial intelligence. Nvidia was the most-bought security by mom-and-pop investors on balance in 2024, while Tesla claimed the No. 3 spot, according to data from Vanda Research. The stocks have hit a rough patch this year. Nvidia has tumbled more than 12% in 2025 following two years of monster gains, while Tesla has plunged nearly 30% amid slowing sales and a backlash against CEO Elon Musk's push into politics. NVDA TSLA YTD mountain Nvidia and Tesla, year to date To be sure, average investors spurned other megacap technology stocks. JPMorgan found Apple led the outflows among single stocks, with retail investors pulling about $400 million in the period. Apple shares have fallen about 7% in May after the iPhone maker's latest earnings report . Investors have been concerned about what President Donald Trump's steep tariffs against China mean for Apple's bottom line, given its dependence on manufacturing there. Additionally, JPMorgan reported profit-taking in Microsoft following its postearnings rally. The stock lost $170 million in retail investors' dollars during the latest week.
"We recognize the strategic goal of reducing energy dependence on third countries, and Slovakia is ready to work on this together with the European Union but ... this is simply economic suicide to agree that neither gas, nor nuclear, nor oil [can be imported from Russia], that everything must end just because some new Iron Curtain is being built between the Western world and perhaps Russia and other countries," Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said Wednesday, in comments reported by Slovak news agency TASR and translated by Google.

Slovakia and Hungary, whose governments have maintained warm ties with Moscow despite the war in Ukraine, described the EU's latest plans as a "serious mistake" that would harm the region.

The EU's latest proposals have already prompted a furious response from eastern European nations which have traditionally been more reliant on cheaper energy supplies from Russia, and which repeatedly warn of higher energy prices for consumers as a result of banning such supplies.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted the EU to ban most seaborne imports of Russian oil, coal and refined petroleum products , but reducing gas flows has proved more difficult. In 2024, almost 19% of the EU's gas and LNG imports still came from Russia, according to data from the European Commission , although that's down from 2021 when 45% of the region's gas came from the major oil and gas exporter.

The European Commission announced plans on Tuesday to phase out Russian gas, nuclear energy and liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports by the end of 2027, saying the move "paves the way to ensure the EU's full energy independence from Russia."

Russia's allies in Eastern Europe say Brussels plans to end all Russian gas and energy imports in the coming years are tantamount to "economic suicide" and a threat to the region's energy security and economy.

In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico prior to their talks in Moscow on Dec. 22, 2024.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Wednesday that the EU's proposals were "politically motivated" and a "serious mistake."

"It threatens energy security, drives up prices and violates sovereignty. They want us to bear the cost of their reckless support for Ukraine and its rushed EU accession. We firmly reject this," the minister commented on X.

Both Hungary and Slovakia have pushed back against previous EU initiatives to cut energy ties with Moscow, instead opting to maintain supplies amid fears of mounting energy costs at home.

Both have also been vocally critical of giving more military and financial assistance to Ukraine and have previously threatened refused to back the EU's regular extensions of sanctions against Russia. Both looked to extract concessions from the bloc before approving their renewal, most recently in March.

In announcing its latest plans to distance itself from Russia, the EU said Tuesday that its "roadmap" to phasing out all Russian energy imports would first introduce a ban on all imports of Russian gas (both pipeline and LNG) under new contracts and existing spot contracts, which would take effect by the end of 2025, before all remaining imports are phased out by the end of 2027.

The Commission's legislative proposals, to be presented in June, will require approval from the European Parliament and a qualified majority of member states, meaning the plans cannot be vetoed by just a few countries.

"We can adopt it without unanimity," European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jorgensen said in a press conference Tuesday, adding, "I hope that everybody will vote for it, obviously, but if they don't, that is also ok, that is also part of the European Union that sometimes the majority makes decisions when necessary."

He added that the bloc was currently in an "unacceptable situation" in which it was dependent on a Russian state and leader, President Vladimir Putin, who had "chosen to weaponize energy." He added that importing Russian gas had indirectly helped to fill the Kremlin's "war chests" to continue its war against Ukraine.

The Commission said in its statement Tuesday that it envisaged a "gradual and well-coordinated" approach across bloc, with member states being asked to prepare national plans by the end of this year "setting out how they will contribute to phasing out imports of Russian gas, nuclear energy and oil." It's uncertain whether Slovakia and Hungary will accede to the request.

A Commission spokesperson told CNBC Wednesday that it "will work closely with all Member States on the implementation of this plan, especially with those mostly concerned. This is why we are proposing a gradual and well-managed phaseout, which is backed by continuous efforts at diversification and better use of energy infrastructure."

CNBC has asked the Kremlin for a response to the EU's proposals and is awaiting a reply.
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A Standard Chartered analyst who predicted bitcoin hitting $120,000 by the second quarter now says his price call is "too low." "I apologise that my USD120k Q2 target may be too low," Geoffrey Kendrick, head of digital assets at Standard Chartered, said in a tongue-in-cheek comment shared with clients via email Thursday. Last month, Kendrick wrote a note saying that he expects bitcoin to reach an all-time high of around $120,000 in the second quarter of 2025 on the back of a "strategic asset reallocation away from US assets" and "accumulation by 'whales' (major holders)." "We expect these supportive factors to push BTC to a fresh all-time high around USD 120,000 in Q2," Kendrick said at the time. "We see gains continuing through the summer, taking BTC-USD towards our year-end forecast of 200,000."

On Thursday, Kendrick said his $120,000 bitcoin price call now "looks very achievable" and that this may even be too low a target. "The dominant story for Bitcoin has changed again," the Standard Chartered analyst said. "It was correlation to risk assets ... It then became a way to position for strategic asset reallocation out of US assets." "It is now all about flows. And flows are coming in many forms," he added. His comments come as bitcoin once again topped the $100,000 level. The price of the cryptocurrency was last trading up by 4.5% at $$100,511.22, according to Coin Metrics. In recent years, analysts have picked up on a pattern that shows bitcoin trading in a similar way to risk assets such as U.S. technology stocks  the rationale being that increased inflows of more institutional capital into bitcoin makes it more prone to the same market risks equity markets face.

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Kendrick  who has long held a bullish position on the cryptocurrency  said that U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds have seen $5.3 billion of inflows in the past three weeks, suggesting more institutional money is piling in. He pointed to several examples of large investors allocating part of their portfolios to bitcoin, including software firm MicroStrategy ramping up bitcoin purchases, the Abu Dhbai sovereign wealth fund holding BlackRock's IBIT bitcoin ETF, and the Swiss National Bank buying shares of MicroStrategy. MicroStrategy is widely considered a proxy for bitcoin.
Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch  an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. Markets Rally: Stocks surged on Thursday, climbing even further during President Donald Trump's press conference announcing a trade deal with the United Kingdom. The rally, which was broad-based and led by sectors such as energy, industrials, banks, and consumer discretionary, gained momentum as additional details on the deal framework became public  a possible sign that investors are optimistic about reduced trade barriers and increased market access. One deal highlight that was most interesting to us was the U.K.'s agreement to buy airplane parts, most notably a $10 billion "Boeing procurement." This development confirms the logic behind our decision last month to add Boeing to our Bullpen , based on the thesis that its planes could be used to reduce bilatiral trade deficits between the U.S. and its trading partners. Shares of Boeing added more than 3% Thursday. Trump also struck an upbeat tone that this weekend's planned talks between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Rep. Jamieson Greer, and Chinese officials will be "substantive" and could lead to tariffs rates coming down. Goldman talk: One of the best-performing Club stocks Thursday is Goldman Sachs , with shares rising roughly 3%. Investment banking rival Morgan Stanley , which we no longer own, also is having a strong day. What's driving the outperformance? Investors may be betting that the U.K. trade deal means more are on the way  and by extension, a lot of the uncertainty that crimped dealmaking activity at the start of the year could start to subside. We got a chance to hear Goldman's president and chief operating officer, John Waldron, discuss the backdrop for deals earlier Thursday in an interview on CNBC. John Waldron offered plenty of good insight on mergers and acquisitions and initial public offerings, so it's worth reading them at length. "I think we can actually get back to a reasonable capital markets level of activity because ... the backlog and pipeline remains very, very strong," Waldron said. "I think there's fundamental demand for those capital markets transactions with a little bit more of a certain backdrop." CNBC's Carl Quintanilla then asked Waldron whether M & A or IPOs would see the rebound first. "Well, I think M & A is healthier," Waldron responded. "I think there's a fair bit of demand for M & A. I think scale is still a big underlying driver of M & A. Technology spend, need to really create breadth and operating leverage in your business. So, I think there's really good underpinnings for M & A. IPOs are harder because IPOs are really the riskier element of what market participants will express as a point of view. So, I think IPOS probably lag. ... Those in [in the media] love to talk about the capital markets decline. And volumes in April were obviously down meaningfully. But if you look at it in the round, we've actually had a reasonable year thus far, and I think if we get a little bit of a more certain underpinning, we could end up having a good end of the year and the second half could be strong. But we definitely need a stronger underlying economic footing to get there." Funny enough, Reuters reported shortly after the interview that the U.S. corporate travel and expense company Navan has hired underwriters for an IPO that could value the company at more than $8 billion. Goldman Sachs was selected as the lead underwriter. Up next: Club name Texas Roadhouse reports after the closing bell Thursday, giving us a closer look at how its comparable store sales fared after the weather disrupted start to the first quarter. Margins will be in focus, especially management's thoughts on beef prices through the rest of the year. Other companies reporting Thursday are Coinbase , Lyft , Paramount Global , Expedia , Affirm , Solventum , Toast , Cloudflare , and DraftKings . There are no major earnings or economic reports Friday. (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading. AppLovin  The mobile ad tech company jumped 11.9% after first-quarter results that beat analyst expectations. AppLovin also announced it would sell its mobile gaming business in a $400 million deal. Carvana  Shares jumped 10.2% after the online used car marketplace posted better-than-expected first-quarter results . Arm Holdings  U.S.-listed shares of the British chip designer fell 6.2% after the company provided disappointing guidance for the current quarter . That overshadowed fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue that beat expectations. Kenvue  The consumer health stock gained 4.1% on the heels of the company's better-than-expected results for the first quarter. Adjusted earnings came in at 24 cents per share, above the 23 cents that analysts polled by FactSet were expecting. The company's revenue of $3.74 billion also beat the consensus estimate of $3.68 billion. MercadoLibre  U.S.-listed shares of the Uruguay-based e-commerce and payments firm advanced 6.5% following the company's first-quarter results. MercadoLibre earned $9.74 per share on revenue of $5.94 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet expected a profit of $8.27 per share on revenue of $5.47 billion. Cleveland-Cliffs  Shares of the steelmaker plunged 15.8% after its first-quarter results missed analyst estimates. The company lost 92 cents per share, excluding items, while analysts polled by FactSet called for a loss of 82 cents per share. Revenue also fell short of expectations. Fortinet  The cybersecurity company pulled back 8.4% on lackluster full-year guidance. The company sees adjusted earnings are expected to come in between $2.43 and $2.49 per share. The midpoint of that range coming in just below the LSEG consensus estimate of $2.47 per share. Peloton  The digital workout company dipped 6.7% after posting a steeper-than-anticipated loss for the fiscal third quarter. Peloton lost 12 cents per share, while analysts polled by LSEG expected a loss of 6 cents per share. Crocs  The footwear company soared 9.8% after it reported upbeat earnings and revenue for the first quarter. However, the company announced it was withdrawing its full-year guidance " due to macroeconomic uncertainties stemming from global trade policies ." Drug stocks  Shares of key drugmakers tumbled after Politico, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that President Donald Trump was planning to pursue a Medicare price plan that would slash drug costs. Eli Lilly and Regeneron fell 3.3% and 2.4%, respectively, while AbbVie shed 1.3%. Amgen and Bristol Myers also moved more than 1% lower. Shopify  The commerce technology platform slid 0.5% after the company's adjusted operating income came in below analyst expectations. Warner Bros. Discovery  The media conglomerate's stock popped 5.3% after CNBC's David Faber reported, citing sources, that the company was considering separating its linear networks from cable.  CNBC's Alex Harring, Hakyung Kim and Lisa Kailai Han contributed reporting. Correction: Peloton reported fiscal third-quarter results. A previous version misstated the quarter.
Here are Thursday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Barclays upgrades International Flavors to overweight from equal weight Barclays said it sees an attractive entry point for the fragrance company. "In the current market environment we think investors are looking for uncomplicated stories with limited downside risk to numbers. These two things are particularly hard to come by of late in our traditional Staples coverage, but we think IFF ticks both boxes." Wedbush downgrades Uber to neutral from outperform Wedbush said it's concerned that the company's "beats" are in the "rear view mirror" following earnings on Wednesday. "Shares of UBER have appreciated considerably over the last few years, as the business model recovered postpandemic. Notably, in recent periods, the magnitude of beats versus estimates has contracted materially as performance has caught up to investor expectations." RBC upgrades Mosaic to outperform from sector perform RBC said shares of the potash mining company are attractive. "We expect phosphate markets to remain tight given steady demand growth and limited supply, supporting elevated prices, while Mosaic trades at just 4-4.5x on forward 12-mo spot EBITDA." JMP Citizens upgrades OppFi to market outperform from market perform The Wall Street firm said shares of the subprime lender are compelling. "We are becoming more constructive on shares of OppFi, the all-digital subprime lender, and upgrading our rating to Market Outperform and establishing a price target of $13.50." Bank of America reiterates Nike as buy Bank of America said the shoe giant is "well-positioned to navigate tariffs." "Nike has worked to reduce its China sourcing exposure since the tariffs in 2018, running scenario planning for months given the rising tensions." Bernstein reiterates Nvidia as outperform Bernstein said Nvidia's datacenter opportunity remains robust. "The datacenter opportunity is enormous, and still early, with material upside still possible." Baird reiterates Apple as outperform Baird said it's standing by shares of the tech giant. "Apple still benefits from a strong eco-system, strong cash flow and dominant high-end market position. We believe executing on AI will be critical to improving the investment narrative, and expect more at WWDC next month." Morgan Stanley reiterates Disney as overweight Morgan Stanley said it's sticking with the stock following earnings on Wednesday. "Looking ahead, the macro wall of worry remains but easing compares, two new cruise ships, and incremental investments in US parks attractions keep the potential intact for Disney's Experiences segment to support FY26-FY27 double digit adj. EPS guidance - now off of a higher adj. EPS base in FY25." BMO reiterates Netflix as outperform The firm said it's bullish on Netflix's new interface. " Netflix announced a revamped UI [user interface] for TV and Mobile experiences. Integrating enhanced content recommendation and personal discovery into the core offering should reduce churn and improve engagement." Wells Fargo reiterates Alphabet as overweight Wells said it expects Alphabet to move aggressively into AI search. "We believe the time to debate changes in search behavior has come to a close. Expect Google to more aggressively exploit its distribution advantage, pushing AI Search in the main search bar. Expect disruption to follow, but better sooner than later." Bank of America reiterates Carvana as buy Bank of America says the online used car company is well positioned for growth following earnings on Wednesday. "With CVNA trading at 25x our 2026E EBITDA, we remain constructive on significant share gains in a low-penetration industry shifting Online, and improving convenience-factor with faster deliveries and better selection." JPMorgan reiterates Arm as overweight JPMorgan said it's sticking with Arm following earnings on Wednesday. "Our Overweight rating is based on Arm's strong leadership profile in semiconductor compute architecture and it being well positioned to intercept the increasing demand for higher performance compute capabilities while optimizing for energy efficiency." Morgan Stanley reiterates Alphabet as overweight The Wall Street firm said the time to buy Alphabet is "now." "GOOGL sentiment has (again) troughed due to AI-disruption fears and more recently 1) 1Q:25 decelerating paid click growth and 2) today's press reports of Apple talking with other partners (OpenAI, Perplexity AI) to power its next generation "search" and also revealing that searches on the Safari browser dropped for the first time in April." Deutsche Bank downgrades Coty to hold from buy Deutsche said it sees too many negative catalysts for the beauty company following earnings. "While we believe that COTY is generally prioritizing the right initiatives in a difficult operating environment, we downgrade the stock to Hold following FY3Q25 results acknowledging recent underperformance and arguably depressed valuation, but seeing slower category growth trends, particularly in the US." Bernstein downgrades Hain Celestial to market perform from outperform Bernstein said it's concerned about the "abrupt" CEO change. "We are downgrading HAIN from Outperform to Market-Perform since the abrupt CEO transition, announcement of a strategic review of the portfolio, disappointing results and guide down, and adjustment to the company's credit agreement suggest that it will be some time before the company is on a firmer footing." Bank of America upgrades Bradesco to buy from neutral The firm said shares of the Brazilian bank are attractive. "We upgrade Bradesco to Buy from Neutral following the release of better-than-expected 1Q25 results and stock underperformance YTD." Bank of America upgrades National Vision to buy from underperform Bank of America said the eyewear company's strategic initiatives are working. "We upgrade National Vision (EYE) to Buy from Underperform given multiple signs that EYE's strategic initiatives (begun in 4Q24) are working." Bank of America downgrades Archer-Daniels-Midland to underperform from neutral Bank of America said the agribusiness company's earnings headwinds were worse than expected. " ADM's 1Q results offered investors some relief, with management maintaining its '25 EPS guide of $4.00-4.75, albeit expecting earnings at the low-end of the range."
Toyota Motor forecast a 21% profit decline for the current financial year Thursday, as the strain from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and an appreciating yen take some of the shine off strong hybrid demand.

The world's top-selling automaker expects operating income to total 3.8 trillion yen ($26 billion) in the year to March 2026, versus 4.8 trillion yen in the year that just ended. That was roughly in line with the 4.75 trillion yen average of 25 analysts surveyed by LSEG.

Toyota faces the risk of being hit by widespread fallout from Trump's tariffs, not only from the impact on its U.S.-bound exports but also because of the potential for a downturn in consumer sentiment, in the U.S. and elsewhere. price rises can lead to a decline in consumer sentiment in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The lower profit for the coming year was due to the negative impact from a stronger yen, as well as higher material prices and the impact of tariffs, Toyota said in a presentation.

Like other global automakers doing business in the world's top economy, Toyota could face high labor costs and be forced to spend more on investment if it decides to expand its U.S. production base further.

While Toyota has seen its vehicle sales in China fall less than other Japanese automakers, it has still struggled to halt a sales decline in the world's biggest auto market amid heavy competition from Chinese brands.
Nvidia investors are breathing a sigh of relief after the Trump administration scrapped the implementation of a controversial Biden-era rule on AI chip exports. Just how long they should exhale, though, remains up for debate. The policy in question, introduced in the waning days of former President Joe Biden 's term, would have established a three-tiered system for regulating the exports of high-powered artificial intelligence chips. Often called the "AI diffusion rule," it represented a broadening of the Biden administration's yearslong effort to curtail China's access to advanced semiconductors over national security concerns. It had been set to take effect May 15. "The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation," a Commerce Department spokesperson said Wednesday in a statement to CNBC's Kif Leswing. "We will be replacing it with a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance." When the AI diffusion rule was first announced, Jim Cramer blasted it as "absurd." Nvidia also has been critical of the policy  and on Tuesday, CEO Jensen Huang used public comments to warn about the risks of American companies being unable to compete in the Chinese AI market. In a statement Wednesday to CNBC's Kristina Partsinevelos, a spokesperson for Nvidia said the chipmaker welcomed the Trump administration's "leadership and new direction on AI policy." The AI diffusion rule crafted by the Biden administration divided the world into three groups, with varying levels of access to the cutting-edge AI chips made by Nvidia and rivals such as Advanced Micro Devices . The overarching goal was to try to limit the potential for advanced AI chips to be rerouted into China from other nations. The first tier consisted of 18 U.S. allies, including Japan and Germany, that would have generally been exempt, enabling them to obtain AI chips in a business-as-usual manner. A second, much larger group of tier two nations, such as Israel, would have essentially capped the amount of AI chips they could import without securing a license from the U.S. government. Then, in the third tier were China, Russia and other countries subject to U.S. arms embargoes, which would have remained subject to strict export controls previously put in place by the Biden administration, first in 2022 and then toughened in 2023. President Donald Trump has kept those Biden-era export controls, which forced the likes of Club name Nvidia and AMD to design throttled-back versions of their most capable products for the Chinese market. However, last month, the Trump administration made them even more restrictive, telling companies that those made-for-China chips were now too powerful to be shipped without a license. Consequently, Nvidia on April 15 said it would book a $5.5 billion inventory charge , and AMD said Tuesday it expected a $1.5 billion revenue hit this year. That change in policy from the Trump administration was a clear setback for Nvidia and to a lesser extent AMD, which we exited at higher prices at the end of December. The decision to scrap the AI diffusion rule, on the other hand, is a helpful one in the short run  reflected by Nvidia's 3% pop in the final hour of trading Wednesday. Shares opened higher Thursday but then drifted modestly lower in a stronger broader market on U.S.-United Kingdom trade news. Nevertheless, some on Wall Street are still wondering what the Trump administration has in mind to replace the Biden AI diffusion policy. That cohort includes analysts at Bernstein. They told clients on Thursday the news certainly removes a short-term overhang on AI chipmakers, but added they "suspect we have not heard the last of this." Analysts at Deutsche Bank struck a similar tone. "While this news is a welcome relief to AI-related semi names in the near term, as the complexity of the AI Diffusion rule is removed, we still believe the U.S. government's overriding goal to restrict access to AI semi's remains unchanged," Deutsche Bank analysts wrote to their clients late Wednesday. In late April, Reuters reported that one option being considered by the Trump administration was replacing the tiers with government-to-government agreements  an idea the Bernstein analysts argued would potentially be worse than the Biden policy because it figures to be time-consuming and could result in AI chip access being used as a tool in the Trump team's trade negotiations over tariffs. "Other (better) options could conceivably involve reducing the number of countries/markets classified as 'Tier-2' to focus on the ones where back-door China access is a relevant concern, while leaving allied countries more free to purchase," Bernstein wrote. Another potential risk for Nvidia is the Trump administration's so-called sectoral tariffs focusing on semiconductors and other electronics. The Commerce Department last month said it opened a national security probe into those industries, a precursor for Trump to impose targeted duties under a 1960s trade law. Nvidia pledged on April 14 to produce up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure in the U.S. over the next four years  an initiative that could help soften the blow of any potential sectoral tariffs on chips and AI servers used in data centers. The bottom line is Nvidia has found itself in an increasingly precarious geopolitical position during Trump's second White House stint because of escalating U.S.-China trade tensions  and it's why Jim recommended in mid-April that investors should book some profits in the once red-hot AI stock. Overall, sentiment on Wall Street since then has improved, buoyed by hopes of trade deals and tariff relief. Plus, the recent earnings reports from the largest U.S. tech firms dispelled another fear lingering over Nvidia's stock  revealing concerns that Big Tech would curtail its AI massive spending got a bit ahead of itself. Still, the geopolitical ground that Nvidia is walking on has not yet fully stabilized. (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long NVDA. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled the broad outline of a trade agreement with the United Kingdom. The deal is the first by the United States with a country whose imports were subject to new tariffs imposed by Trump in early April. The U.S. has a trade goods surplus with the U.K. Many specifics about the deal were not immediately clear, and nothing was signed during the Oval Office event. "The final details are being written up," Trump said. "In the coming weeks we'll have it all very conclusive." He said that the deal includes "billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports," and that the U.K. will "reduce or eliminate numerous nontariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products."

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A fact sheet from the White House said that the trade deal will: Keep in place a 10% blanket U.S. tariff on U.K. imports.

Adjust tariffs on U.K. autos so that the first 100,000 vehicles imported from U.K. car manufacturers each year are subject to a 10% rate, and any additional vehicles face 25% rates.

Create a "$5 billion opportunity for new exports" for U.S. farmers, ranchers and producers, including more than $700 million in ethanol exports and $250 million in American beef and other agricultural products.

Commit both countries to working together to enhance industrial and agricultural market access.

Close loopholes and increase U.S. firms' competitiveness in the U.K.'s procurement market.

Streamline customs procedures for U.S. exports.

Establish commitments on intellectual property, labor and the environment.

Secure the supply chain of U.S. aerospace manufacturers through preferential access to high-quality U.K. aerospace components.

Create a secure supply chain for pharmaceutical products.

Require the U.S. to negotiate an "alternative arrangement to the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum." That includes creating a "new trading union for steel and aluminum." U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who joined Trump remotely, said, "We've built an incredible platform for the future." But some experts downplayed the impact of the deal, saying the path taken that the U.S. took with the U.K. cannot easily be repeated with other nations where America has a large trade deficit. "It's a very small win, and it's limited in scope," said Josh Lipsky, chair of international economics at the Atlantic Council, on CNBC's "The Exchange" later Thursday. While the Oval Office event was ongoing, Trump's Truth Social account posted a screenshot indicating U.S. tariffs on the U.K. will stay at 10%. Asked if that baseline tariff is a template for future trade deals, Trump said, "That's a low number." "They made a good deal," Trump said of the U.K. "Some will be much higher because they have massive trade surpluses." The chart also shows that U.K. duties on U.S. goods will shrink from 5.1% to 1.8%. It was unclear Thursday how those figures were tabulated.

Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Source: Truth Social

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in the Oval Office that she will travel to the U.K. next week to continue talks over U.S. beef exports. Trump earlier said on Truth Social that the agreement is "a full and comprehensive one," adding, "Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!" But 10 Downing Street suggested that negotiations with the U.S. were ongoing. "Talks on a deal between our countries have been continuing at pace and the Prime Minister will update later today," a spokesperson for Starmer said in a statement overnight, after The New York Times first reported on the U.S.-U.K. announcement. The statement added that Starmer "will always act in Britain's national interest," and called the U.S. "an indispensable ally for both our economic and national security."
Joe Giddens - Pa Images | Pa Images | Getty Images

The U.S.-U.K. trade deal announced by President Trump on Thursday will result in some wins across the autos, agriculture and industrial sectors, but the overall impact on trade will be limited, according to a freight CEO whose company handles shipments across the Atlantic Ocean route. For most U.K. importers, the deal terms disclosed to date would not affect the majority of products, Andy Abbott, CEO of niche ocean liner company Atlantic Container Line, tells CNBC. "A lot of this deal is smoke and mirrors," Abbott said. "What we heard today is just noise for most U.K. imports. It doesn't affect the majority of products." For one, he said the U.K. government is not weakening its food standards on meat imports, so any hormone-treated beef from the U.S. "is not on the table." The National Cattlemen's Beef Association called the deal a "tremendous win," in a statement on Thursday, but the US Meat Export Federation said it needed more details. While U.S. automakers blasted the deal for giving preferential tariffs' treatment to British cars over U.S. automakers' models made in Mexico and Canada, U.K.-manufactured cars are at the upper end of the pricing spectrum, such as Lotus, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, Jaguar Land Rover, and Mini. So, while the deal will soften the blow for luxury car companies, "I don't see anyone moving from a British car to a Ford because of a 10% tariff," Abbott said. A separate deal for the U.K. when it comes to steel tariffs could be good news for U.S. companies like industrial equipment maker Cummins, and high-tech steel importers in the aerospace and auto sectors, Abbott said.

A fact sheet from the White House calls for an alternative to the tariffs on steel and aluminum for the U.K. It also detailed a plan for the first 100,000 vehicles imported from U.K. car manufacturers each year to face a 10% rate, and any additional vehicles a 25% tariff. And it estimates a $5 billion opportunity for farm exports, including $700 million in ethanol and $250 million in beef and other ag products. But with the 10% tariffs as a baseline, Abbott says most British products imported to the U.S. are likely to get more expensive. "The news today may prompt U.S. importers of U.K. products to raise prices sooner rather than later, as they assume no relief below the 10% tariff level is coming," he said. "Most have been swallowing the extra cost until now." United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on CNBC on Thursday that this deal is the framework other countries should look to as a model, with the U.K. the sixth-largest economy in the world, and is "the exact type of deal we should be making."

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Britain is set to sign a trade deal with the U.S., making it the first country to do so after the world's largest economy announced stiff "reciprocal" tariffs against friends and foes alike in April.

The White House is due to hold a news conference at 10:00 a.m. ET (3 p.m. London time) on Thursday in the Oval Office.

In a post on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday, "The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come."

"Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement. Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!"

A spokesperson for the office of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer told CNBC: "The United States is an indispensable ally for both our economic and national security. Talks on a deal between our countries have been continuing at pace and the Prime Minister will update later today."

The New York Times first reported that a U.K.-U.S. announcement would be made on Thursday.



Britain, which runs a trade deficit with the U.S., was spared the higher reciprocal tariffs when Trump announced his "liberation day" duties, although it was still hit with the baseline 10% levy. It is also subject to the U.S.' 25% duties on steel, aluminum and vehicles, which early reports suggest may play a key role in the deal to be announced Thursday.

The U.K.'s central bank cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point on Thursday. The Bank of England said in a statement that global growth prospects had weakened as a result of tariff uncertainty and announcements, but added that negative impacts on U.K. growth and inflation were "likely to be smaller."

The decision came after the U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday held rates steady, noting that risks to both higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen.

 CNBC's Chloe Taylor, Holly Ellyatt and Erin Doherty contributed to this story.
Saudi Arabias Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Aljubeir is in India on an unannounced visit and held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday, May 8, with a focus on de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.Aljubeirs visit to New Delhi comes as the already frosty ties between India and Pakistan plummet further following the Indian militarys targeted strikes on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK)."A good meeting with @AdelAljubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia this morning, Jaishankar said in a social media post. "Shared Indias perspectives on firmly countering terrorism, he said.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also landed in New Delhi around midnight last night on a scheduled visit amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.Araghchi will hold wide-ranging talks with Jaishankar shortly. He is also meeting President Droupadi Murmu in the afternoon.In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces early Wednesday, May 7, carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets, including Bahawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit, and Muridke, the base of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India decided to carry out the "proportionate strikes to bring the perpetrators and planners of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack to justice as there was "no demonstrable step from Pakistan to act against terrorist infrastructure on territories under its control.
IndiGo has extended the suspension of its direct flights to Almaty in Kazakhstan and Tashkent in Uzbekistan until June 14 due to operational constraints related to aircraft range caused by airspace restrictions, an airline official said on May 8.The airline had initially halted daily services on these routes from Delhi until May 7, following the closure of Pakistani airspace on April 24 amid rising regional tensions. As a result of the closure, Indian carriers heading west have been forced to take longer flight paths. Given the increased distance and IndiGo's Airbus narrow-body aircraft are unable to complete non-stop journeys to Almaty and Tashkent."With the same restrictions and limited rerouting options, unfortunately, Almaty and Tashkent are outside the operational range of IndiGo's current fleet," the airline had earlier said.IndiGo had previously announced that flights to Almaty would be suspended from April 27, and to Tashkent from April28, both initially until May 7. However, the latest update confirms that services will remain suspended until June 14.On 25 April, IndiGo indicated that around 50 of its international routes would require longer routing, which could lead to minor adjustments in schedules. These changes are part of the broader impact on aviation operations stemming from the geopolitical fallout between India and Pakistan.Following the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where in 26 died, India launched retaliatory strikes under Operation Sindoor on May 6-7 and targeted nine terror targets in Pakistan. In response, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian airlines on April 24. India later reciprocated by denying access to Pakistani carriers on April 30.The escalating tensions and resulting airspace restrictions continue to disrupt regional air travel and have added operational challenges for carriers like IndiGo, particularly those operating on longer international routes.
While most have also urged de-escalation, their statements reflect a growing global recognition that India cannot be expected to tolerate cross-border terrorism without consequence.

India has said that its targeted strike on May 7called Operation Sindoor was a calibrated military response aimed at destroying terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Unlike in the past, when the international community often counselled both sides with a sense of equivalence, there is a notable shift this time: the world appears to be acknowledging who the aggressor is.

"India has the right to take reasonable and proportionate steps to defend itself and to dismantle the vile terrorist infrastructure that has caused death and continues to threaten them," UK's Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. More importantly, he added that terror groups based in Pakistan not only endanger India but also pose a threat to Western interests.

The support from UK has been bipartisan. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak , a leader of conservative party and a vocal backer of India on security matters, was even more forthright: No nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from land controlled by another country. India is justified in striking terrorist infrastructure. There can be no impunity for terrorists, his statement read. It is among the clearest endorsements of Indias right to retaliate.

Earlier, following the Pahalgam attacks, British Conservative MP Priti Patel called on the UK to deepen its counter-terrorism collaboration with India. Most victims were killed at point-blank range by gunshots to their heads, she reminded the House of Commons, highlighting the brutality of the attack.

Patel argued that India should not be asked to show restraint in the face of such savagery.

We want to avoid a state-on-state military escalation. Were also clear that India has the right to take reasonable and proportionate steps to defend itself and to dismantle the vile terrorist infrastructure that has caused death and continues to threaten them. And we know that terrorists based in Pakistan threaten India and Western interests, she said.



Today in the House of Commons I reiterated my condolences for those impacted by the atrocity that took place in Pahalgam. We must stand with those affected by terrorism. The UK must work with our friends in India to tackle terrorist threats and engage with India, Pakistan and key pic.twitter.com/8RXezaJHx0

 Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) May 7, 2025

The UK ranks sixth globally in military strength, according to the 2025 Global Firepower Index.

Israel, no stranger to pre-emptive counter-terror actions, offered one of the strongest expressions of support.

Israel stands with India in its fight against terrorism, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Despite its small size, Israel ranks 15th globally in military power and is widely respected for its advanced technology, intelligence capabilities, and rapid strike capacity.

France, which has consistently supported India in counter-terror operations since the 2019 Pulwama-Balakot strikes, stood firmly with New Delhi. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, in a call with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar , described the Pahalgam killings as an act of barbarity and said, France expresses its unwavering solidarity with the Indian people.

In a follow-up post on X, Barrot added: India is struck by a violent terrorist attack in the face of such barbarity, our solidarity is unwavering. At the same time, France issued a diplomatic call for restraint, although it did not question Indias right to neutralise terror threats.

France, a key NATO and EU military power, holds the seventh position in the Global Firepower rankings.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, in a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi , expressed his countrys support for Indias stance on terrorism. While the official readout was restrained, Dutch MP Geert Wilders took to social media to offer a blunt assessment: Kashmir is 100% Indian, he posted, adding the hashtag #PakistanBehindPahalgam.

His comments, though unofficial, reflect growing frustration in Europe over Pakistans continued harbouring of terrorist infrastructure.

The Netherlands ranks 36th in global military strengthmodest by comparison, but influential through its NATO alliances and strong diplomatic voice within the EU.

US President Donald Trump did not explicitly support the Indian strikebut his words left little doubt about the origin of the provocation. Tit for tat, he told a conservative radio show when asked about the tensions between India and Pakistan.

Trump indirectly pointed the finger at Pakistans role in igniting the conflict. His tit for tat framing subtly implies that he believes that the terrorists who killed people 26 people in Pahalgam on April 22 had the blessings of the Pakistani establishment, and therefore, Indias response was not an act of aggression but a necessary countermeasure.

The United States continues to rank first in the Global Firepower Index, making Trumps remarks symbolically significant.

The United Kingdom, France, Israel, the Netherlands and several other countries have expressed support for Indias right to retaliate following the terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians.India currently operates 36 Rafale fighter jets from France and is set to induct 26 more Rafale-Marine aircraft by 2030 under a 63,000 crore deal signed in April 2025.
North Korea on Thursday fired several ballistic missiles towards its eastern waters, South Korea's military said, adding to a run of weapons tests that have raised animosity in the region.South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the weapons fired from an area around the eastern port city of Wonsan were presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles. The South's military didn't immediately say how far they flew. The Joint Chiefs said the military has strengthened surveillance while sharing the launch information with the United States and Japan.It was the North's first known ballistic activity since March 10, when it fired several ballistic missiles hours after US and South Korean troops began an annual combined military exercise, and the country's sixth launch event of the year.Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated in recent months as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continues to accelerate the development of his nuclear and missile programme and supply weapons and troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine.Thursday's launch came a day after North Korean state media said Kim urged munition workers to boost the production of artillery shells amid his deepening alignment with Moscow.After denying its war involvement for months, North Korea last month confirmed for the first time that it had sent combat troops to help Russia in recapturing parts of the Kursk region, which had fallen to a surprise Ukrainian incursion last year.Recent South Korean intelligence assessments suggest that North Korea has sent about 15,000 soldiers to Russia, and that nearly 5,000 of them have been killed or injured while fighting against Ukrainian forces. Washington and Seoul have also accused North Korea of supplying Russia with various types of military equipment, including artillery systems and shells and ballistic missiles.
Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Akio Toyodas 6 trillion ($42 billion) plan to buy out Toyota Industries Corp. is progressing, with the parties involved having picked financial advisers and working toward a tender offer as soon as November, people familiar with the matter said.



The special purpose vehicle established by Toyoda for the buyout is being advised by Nomura Holdings Inc., while Toyota Industries has appointed SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. as its adviser, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private matters.



The companys special board committee, created to evaluate the proposal as per government guidelines, has meanwhile hired Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., they said. The plan now is for Toyodas special purpose company to carry out a tender offer for all of the shares in Toyota Industries as soon as November, following presentations to shareholders, the people said.



Akio Toyoda will put in personal investment of his own, as will Toyota Motor, according to the people. Although Akio is chairman of the worlds No. 1 carmaker, his direct ownership stands at less than 1%, while Toyota Industries has a 9.1% stake in the manufacturer. Toyota Industries shares rose as much as 4.6% to a record in early morning trading in Tokyo on Thursday. The company is worth around 5.6 trillion ($39 billion), up more than 30% since news of the buyout became public on April 25.

The developments show that the buyout  which would be Japans largest-ever and among the worlds biggest  is proceeding swiftly. Toyodas plan to take the supplier of textile looms, forklifts and parts for Toyotas cars private has been widely speculated upon in Japan. Some investors are uncertain if the move marks a consolidation of his power over the Toyota empire; others see it as a positive step toward strengthening corporate governance by unwinding cross-shareholdings.



Representatives for Toyota Industries, Toyota Motor, Nomura, SMBC Nikko Securities and Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley declined to comment.

Last month, Toyota Motor said it was considering various possibilities, including a partial investment in Toyota Industries, but that nothing had been decided. Toyota Industries said separately that it was considering all possibilities, including capital policies, to enhance the corporate value of the group.



Theres a complex web of cross shareholdings among Toyota group companies with Toyota Motor holding 24.2% of Toyota Industries shares and Toyota Fudosan Co., a private real estate developer chaired by Toyoda, owns 5.32% of the supplier. Japan is accelerating efforts to unwind such arrangements among companies, aiming to improve corporate governance, enhance transparency and boost shareholder returns.



Toyodas buyout plan comes as Toyota seeks to rebuild trust in its governance after a series of regulatory scandals were uncovered at a pair of subsidiaries that included Toyota Industries.
OpenAI is saying that it can help govern AI or evolve security and safety controls. However, clearly, as a company that stands to profit from AI adoption, there could be a conflict of interest here. If this partnership program is successful, it continues a trend that were seeing away from public sector-supported frameworks to govern technology and toward private-sector best practices, he said. We should also consider how seriously other countries will take OpenAIs claim that it will be an ally in providing democratic AI, something it hasnt even clearly defined. It makes it clear that its primary partner is the US government. What are other countries that have recently entered into trade disputes or even more serious conflicts with the US to make of that association?

Jackson felt particularly strongly about where the current AI trends may lead if OpenAI delivers on its stated goals.

Lets look at it from the perspective of the services that OpenAI is offering to bring to citizens through partnering with governments. Theres a concept called disintermediation, which examines how technology companies are usurping the relationships that democratic governments have with their citizens by providing the key information and services that citizens historically depended on the state for. What OpenAI is proposing would without a doubt represent a power shift from the state to a private company for a pretty considerable range of informational interactions, he said. For example, OpenAI suggests it could provide customized ChatGPT to citizens, which would localize language and imbue cultural considerations into the service. The implication is that the partner government would then use this platform to deliver some set of services to those citizens. However, instead of [the government] owning the relationship with citizens, OpenAI captures that.
After retreating from the public eye for nearly 15 years, Father Guido Sarducci appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night to share his insights on the election of the new Pope. As the senior gossip columnist for the Vatican newspaper, a one-time Saturday Night Live regular and the alter ego of comedian/writer Don Novello, Sarducci is uniquely positioned to comment on the conclave happening in Rome to anoint a successor to Pope Francis.

Colbert reviewed some of the favorites for the job, such as Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Luis Antonio Tagle. But Sarducci says its anybodys ball game at this point. Theres a number of frontrunners, but anyone could get it, he offered.

As proof, Sarducci pointed to a controversial conclave in the 1750s. For months, they would have 90 ballots. These guys just want to go home, but they cant pick anybody, he explained. And they are all eating this minestrone soup. This fly comes, buzzes all around the room. Everybodys looking, and then he lands in this cardinals soup. They think its a miracle, hes chosen to be Pope.

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Unconventional to be sure, but the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways. The cardinals all joined in for a Latin version of For Hes A Jolly Good Fellow, and that was that.

Of course, the event had consequences, Sarducci noted. At the next conclave, one cardinal snuck in his own fly to smuggle into the soup.

Despite his conviction that anyone could get the Pope gig, the good Father did have a prediction about who would emerge victorious once the white smoke billows from the Sistine Chapel. I think its fixed, he revealed. Benedict XVI is going to be the Pope again. Thats my prediction.

Theres one problem with that prognostication, Colbert argued. Benedict XVI is dead.

That's what you think, corrected Father Sarducci. Its a rumor. Its like Elvis. Hes not gone away.

Colbert objected again  he saw the funeral!

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Ah, but no one has seen Benedict since the funeral, Sarducci retorted. Hes coming back, taking the papal name of Benedict XVI the Second.

Colbert wondered if viewers could understand the Pope election process better by watching the movie Conclave. Sarducci didnt comment on the films accuracy, but admitted he was bored by the story. If Conclave had been animated, Sonic the Hedgehog-style, it could have been shorter and more entertaining.

Colbert thanked Sarducci for his Vatican insights, wondering why someone with Sarduccis tenure in the Catholic Church wouldnt have at least made monsignor by now.

I don't know, they keep screwing me over, Sarducci lamented after being assured repeatedly that hed be in the next group promoted. But it turns out a new obstacle was keeping him out: Then they say you can't have a tattoo.
Whether youre about to walk into a helicopter blade, or Patton Oswalt made a sorta weird joke at a Comic-Con, its important to know your coworkers have your back.

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14 Queen Latifah Said No to a Cast Weight-Loss Quota Some bigwigs wanted all four leads on Living Single to lose weight, and Queen Latifah wasnt having any of that: We are what women look like. We're not going to lose weight for whoevers idea of what were supposed to look like. Advertisement

13 Jackie Chan Salvaged a Nearly-Fatal Stunt While filming 1992s Supercop, Michelle Yeoh was performing an elaborate stunt that involved rolling off a roof onto the hood of a car driven by Jackie Chan. When she landed, her fall was supposed to be cushioned by a shattered windshield, but she bounced right off instead. Chan was able to reach around the windshield, grab her clothes and usher her out-of-control body into a safe landing.

12 Chris Pratt Threw His Weight Around for Bryce Dallas Howard When he found out how big the pay disparity between the two of them was going to be for Jurassic World, Pratt lobbied to close the gap: You guys dont even have to do anything. Im gonna do all the negotiating. Were gonna be paid the same, and you dont have to think about this, Bryce. He got reasonably close, too, as she reportedly made $8 million to his $10 million.

11 A Near-Fatal Miscommunication Before filming a water scene for 1953s The Cruel Sea, actor Donald Sinden told an assistant director that he couldnt swim, but they thought he was joking. For some reason, Sinden still decided to jump into a huge water tank that was simulating a storm. Had it not been for his perceptive co-star Jack Hawkins noticing he never came back up to the surface, Sinden could easily have drowned. Advertisement Advertisement

10 You Got a Problem With Melanie Lynskey? Then Youve Got a Problem With Christina Ricci A member of the Yellowjackets production crew confronted Lynskey in an oddly personal line of questioning about her body: What do you plan to do? Im sure the producers will get you a trainer. Theyd love to help you with this. Tawny Cypress and Christina Ricci rushed to get her back, and Juliette Lewis wrote a strongly-worded letter to producers.

9 Jet Li Stopped a Runaway Horse While filming The Forbidden Kingdom, Li noticed that costar Yifei Liu was having trouble stopping her horse after filming a shot of the two galloping at high speed down a narrow mountain road. Li kicked his horse back into high gear, caught up to Liu and her horse and grabbed the reins, slowing both animals down to a stop. Advertisement

8 An Extra Risked It All to Desegregate On-Set Bathrooms On the set of Gone With the Wind, actor Lennie Bluett brought it to Clark Gables attention that the bathrooms were segregated. Gable then delivered an ultimatum to the director: If you dont get those goddamn signs down, you dont have a Rhett Butler on this film. Advertisement

7 Tom Cruise Saved Elisabeth Shue From Getting Diced Up by a Helicopter While filming 1988s Cocktail, an aerial photographer came in for a landing to review the shots hed gotten. Shue began running over to get her notes, but was coming from a dangerous angle that would have put her on a collision course with the still-spinning rear propeller. Cruise tackled her to the ground just in time. Advertisement

6 Will Smith Made Up for a Botched Theatrical Roll Out WarnerMedia ratfucked the talent when they decided to release King Richard (2021) on HBO Max the same day it came out in theaters. Smith reached into his own pockets, which were $40 million deeper because of the film, to pay the rest of the cast some of what they may have otherwise made.

5 David Harbour Saved Finn Wolfhard From Patton Oswalt When Oswalt was moderating a panel at San Diego Comic-Con, he introduced Wolfard as an actor born with the greatest porn name ever. Wolfhard, who was 17 at the time, seemed unsure how to respond, and Harbour approached and told him to ignore the comment. Advertisement

4 Dolly Parton Saved a Little Kid While filming 2020s Dolly Partons Christmas on the Square, a nine-year-old actor stepped into the path of a moving vehicle while resetting a scene, and it took none other than Parton herself to scoop her to safety. Advertisement

3 Robin Williams Wouldnt Abide by Child Labor Law Violations While filming a water scene for Jumanji, young Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce were exhausted and struggling with the schedule. Producers insisted on working overtime, but Williams drew a line: No, we are not doing any extra time. Youre going to let everybody out now, and were going to come back next week. Advertisement

2 Pierce Brosnan Stopped a Runaway Van On the set of Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Brosnan noticed an improperly parked stunt van jostle loose and start rolling toward a sunbathing Uma Thurman. He sprinted to the van, jumped in the drivers seat and slammed on the brakes.
Kelsey Grammer is primarily known for making TV comedies, with a specialization in farcical dinner parties. But the Frasier star recently penned a very serious, very personal, book about his late sister Karen Grammer, who was tragically kidnapped, raped and murdered in 1975. Karen: A Brother Remembers is also very much also about Grammers efforts to cope with grief and trauma, which for a time involved too much drinking and drug abuse."

Seemingly, a big part of his healing process was writing this earnest memoir, and one of the key moments in the book is when Grammer connects with his sisters boyfriend from that time. After learning his name from the police report, Grammer meets with a man named John, who it turns out was the reason that Karen Grammer initially traveled to Colorado where the tragedy occurred.

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John shared previously-unseen photos and letters with Grammer, filling in gaps in his understanding of his sisters life. And, remarkably, it turned out that years after Karens death, John once visited the fake Boston bar where everybody knows your name.

Rather extraordinary is the fact that John made his way in time to Florida State University and then to California. Los Angeles in fact  to be an actor, Grammer wrote. And on one occasion he booked a job on a very popular sitcom called Cheers.

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Grammer went on to explain that the man who could offer me insight into my sisters final days was a guest star on the show. Neither of us knew it. Somehow, John did not connect that I was Karens brother. And I could have had no idea until recently that he had been with her in the winter of 75. And in Colorado Springs. And in her life when she was killed.

While its not surprising that Grammer didnt know about John, somehow, Karens boyfriend didnt realize that the guy playing Dr. Frasier Crane was her older brother. As he tells it, it wasnt until a few years after his appearance on Cheers that he read an article in TV Guide that spoke of my tragic past and my sister Karen. He finally made the connection, Grammer noted.

Despite learning about this wild coincidence, John still didnt reach out. He did not contact me. And I think it is likely that the moment we spoke on the phone  he had the chance to finally say what he had come to say all those years ago, Grammer theorized. He said our home was cold when he visited after Karens funeral. It was. Maybe he didnt feel safe. Safe enough to explain their connection. And why she had gone there.
On paper, Tesla CEO and Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk sounds like he should be cool and likable, but Elon Musk isnt on paper. Hes on Twitter, and hes the biggest loser ever.

As John Mulaney lamented during tonights episode of his Netflix talk show Everybody's Live with John Mulaney, it wasnt that long ago when resenting the federal government and thinking that it sucks was a cool thing that cool, normal, non-fascist people did while listening to indie music. Mulaney, who spent roughly 30 seconds of his opening monologue tonight insisting that he is a liberal person with liberal thoughts and liberal opinions about the role of the government in our lives, misses the time when everyone thought the president was a scumbag, but planes still took off and landed without crashing, vaccines saved lives and cancer researchers had funding.

We miss the 1990s, too.

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Hysterically, Mulaney suggested that, if a time-traveler from 2025 went back and described the architect of Americas social and economic downfall to an average person in the 1990s in superficial terms, they would think Musk is da bomb.

Well, many people the 2010s did, too, and look where that got them.

I miss the days when it was the cool, fun people who were the ones that thought that government sucked, Mulaney admitted after hastily clarifying his personal politics. Now, we all have to act like we think governments good because, like, worse people think the government sucks. Its a mess.

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As for the man responsible for so much of the mess, Mulaney says that, if you strip him down to some basic facts and omit a whole bunch of treason, Musk would have been a rock star during the Clinton administration. Honestly, if you told us in the 90s that there would be a man who invented an electric car and cut government spending, wed be like, Oh this sounds like a great guy! Mulaney said of Musk. And then youre like, Hes also an African immigrant and on the spectrum,' and wed be like, Who is this international Forrest Gump of a fella?

But its not the case, Mulaney explained, stating the obvious.

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Now, to clarify, Musk didnt invent an electric car so much as he bought the company Tesla and the title of founder from actual inventors. And, to be extra clear, hes only cutting government spending in the programs that actually help taxpayers, and his lucrative and dubiously acquired government contracts more than offset those savings.

But Mulaneys point still stands that, were Musk the man whom he pretends to be, hed be the Forrest Gump of the 1990s. Its just a shame that Jenny has to die because Forrest defunded all the AIDS programs.
Mulaney hates that he has to care about what the FBI is up to now

John Mulaney says that one of the biggest bummers of the current Trump administration is that everyone with a conscience now has to care about what wide-eyed Kash Patel is going to do to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, an organization so lame that they monogram their own windbreakers.

On tonights episode of Everybodys Live with John Mulaney, the superstar stand-up comedian and bizarro late-night host ranted about the rollout of Real ID restrictions on air travel and entering government buildings. However, to caveat the comical destruction of a federal government program when the Trump administration is destroying actually helpful initiatives, Mulaney opened the show with a monologue about how it sucks that we have to worry about the government sucking too much instead of having a patriotic disdain of our most important public institutions.

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But, as far as importance goes, Mulaney is a doubter of the FBIs efficacy at catching real criminals ever since they made a big stink about cracking the case on Lori Loughlin and a bunch of other rich people buying their kids admission into elite colleges, a thing that literally everyone already knew was happening.

While Mulaneys takedown of the highest law enforcement agency in the United States is certainly humorous, hes not being fair to the FBI when he says that all they do is bust rich people for buying their kids way unto the University of Southern California. In addition to cracking down on rich people getting preferential treatment in the college admissions process and wearing stupid shirts with their own name on it, the FBI also performs invasive, expensive and taxpayer-funded surveillance programs targeting countless American citizens who havent been accused of any crime.

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But, ultimately, as Mulaney seems to understand, the possibility of the Executive Branch weaponizing one of the most powerful federal organizations in the country for even more aggressively political purposes than their usual snooping is a terrifying thought  its so scary and shocking that Patels eyes are popping out of his head.
Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks got along swimmingly when they made Young Frankenstein, Brooks writes in his memoir All About Me: My Remarkable Life in Show Business. But their disagreement over one key scene was so fierce that the two friends almost got into a fistfight.

The scene in question? Wilder had the bright idea that Dr. Frankenstein and his newly created Monster, played by Peter Boyle, should break into the musical number Puttin on the Ritz. Brooks agreed that it was a very funny idea, but he had a good reason for not wanting to film it. I said, No, no, no, we cant do that, Brooks told The Los Angeles Times, as reported by Far Out. It will make it silly.

On the surface, Brooks reasoning makes no sense. Wasnt silly the point? Of course, but only within the reality of the comedy story. It was too far out. I was afraid it might have made the screenplay border on being unbelievable, he says in his memoir, contending the musical number would tear the continuity of the movie to pieces.

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Wilder argued back  the scene made total sense: Its proof of how incredible Frankensteins creation is.

But was it simply a joke for jokes sake? My movies are not about jokes, Brooks told The Los Angeles Times. They are about behavior, and behavior can be very funny.

The creative clash got so heated that it nearly turned into a brawl. After the two men calmed down, Wilder offered a compromise: Do me a favor. Film it, and well take a look at it. If it doesnt work, I promise well throw it out.

That was a big ask. This wasnt Wilder saying, Lets try some alternate dialogue and see which version works best. Puttin on the Ritz was a huge musical number that involved costumes, choreography, sets and music. As alternate takes go, it would be expensive and time-consuming.

But Brooks agreed to give it a try, on the condition that if test-screen audiences agreed that it was too silly, hed cut it out of the final film.

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Those test audiences roared with laughter. Brooks had no choice but to turn to Wilder during the screening and admit, Gene, you were absolutely right. Not only does it work, but it may be one of the best things in the whole movie.

Brooks said hed never had such a heaping helping of humble pie. The scene took the comedy to a level of craziness beyond satire, and the director couldnt have been happier to admit defeat. I have never been so wrong in my life.
This week began with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer ordering government officials to update their contingency plans in the event of all-out war. He noted that current plans are some 20 years old and badly out of date.

Then the next day, we witnessed the kinetic confrontation between India and Pakistan experience a major escalation, with the very real possibility the two nations may continue to escalate to a more geographically widespread conflict.

C-suites need to be asking their teams: Are we prepared for any event, including war, that may impact on our personnel, infrastructure, supply chain, customers, and other facets of our business?
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Will the Conservatives survive as a major political force? I can hardly believe I have asked that question. They are the most successful party in human history.

Theyve been around since 1834  longer if we include an earlier faction known as the Tories. Could they really go the way of the dodo, fax machines and floppy disks?

After last weeks local elections  in which the Conservatives lost every council they had controlled  their possible extinction no longer seems an idle thought. They were trounced by Reform UK, who did even better than expected.

An opinion poll yesterday highlighted the Conservative Partys alarming predicament. YouGov put Reform at 29 per cent, Labour at 22 and the Tories at 17. These are not freak findings. They confirm a trend.

So what should the Tories do? Getting rid of Kemi Badenoch is one option, but few in the party have much appetite for that just now. The poor woman has only been leader for six months. Surely she must be given a chance. In any case, where is the candidate who would do much better?

Kemi may not be a fixture but the first thing the Tories must do is to come up with policies that convince voters they are capable of tackling the big challenges of our age.

And here, of course, there is already a dispute. Those on the Left of the party say it must cleave to the centre ground or it will lose votes in southern England to the resurgent Lib Dems.

Those on the Right say that they are being outflanked by Reform, which is thriving with policies that could justly be described as Thatcherite. The best way for the Tories to recover is to offer similar policies with greater conviction.

Kemi Badenoch may not be a fixture but the first thing the Tories must do is to come up with policies that convince voters they are capable of tackling the big challenges of our age, Stephen Glover writes

The Conservative Party leader takes the floor during Prime Minister's Questions yesterday

They have just unveiled a so-called Deportation Bill, which they would introduce if re-elected. It assumes  rightly, of course  that Labour will fail to control mass immigration. It also acknowledges  again, correctly  that migration is the No 1 concern of numerous voters.

In fact, a poll before last weeks council elections found, in areas where they took place, that 67 per cent of respondents planning to vote Reform said that what mattered most to them are national policies on immigration.

Politicians who fail to grasp the pre-eminence of immigration as an issue are heading for a fall. This group includes Sir Keir Starmer, who is predictably failing to stem boats crossing the Channel (there are more of them) and has just signed a trade deal with India that is bound to increase the number of workers coming from that country.

Immigration has become a burning issue to a greater extent than before Brexit. Indeed, many people reasonably feel that Brexit has turned out to be a kind of betrayal because already high levels of immigration pre-2016 have doubled or even trebled in recent years.

The Tories are therefore right to nail their colours to the mast with a robust Deportation Bill. Although it essentially brings together previous ideas aired by Kemi, it shows how she would go much further than the Government.

It is also more specific than Reform, some of whose policies on immigration, though forthright, remain vague as to execution. For example, Nigel Farages party has implausibly said it will return illegal migrants to France without explaining how the French can be persuaded to take them back.

Kemi Badenoch is certainly offering a revolution with her ten-point outline Bill. There will be automatic deportation for anyone who arrives in Britain illegally. Foreign criminals will be sent packing. MPs will be asked to approve a legally binding cap on migration.

The putative Bill also envisages disapplying the Human Rights Act from all immigration matters. This means that lawyers would no longer find it easy to frustrate the deportation of illegal immigrants or foreign criminals under legislation misguidedly introduced by Tony Blairs administration.

But does this go far enough? Should the Tories commit to withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), whose court made a legally inept judgment that threw a log in the way of the last governments plan to send illegal migrants to Rwanda?

Richard Ekins, a law professor at Oxford and head of the Judicial Power Project at the admirable Policy Exchange think-tank, believes that withdrawal from the ECHR might be ideal. But disapplying the Human Rights Act would be a good start.

This is because it would immediately exclude numerous vexatious cases in our own courts. The European Court of Human Rights tends to be drawn out in its deliberations, and less coercive than domestic courts. Its rulings, though technically binding, can be evaded.

Nevertheless, the Tories should  like Reform  advocate pulling out of the ECHR. They fear the political consequences of doing so, and in particular of being compared to Russia, which was expelled from the ECHR in 2022. Yet civilised countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand are not members.

This is all highly theoretical, of course. The Tories are in no position to introduce a Deportation Bill in the foreseeable future, and may never be. Their immediate challenge is to convince voters that they will tackle immigration with the same determination as Reform. Declining to leave the ECHR implies weakness.

There is an even bigger problem for the Conservatives, which is that people will understandably ask why during 14 years of office they failed to introduce any of the measures that now form part of its Deportation Bill.

This is Kemi Badenochs difficulty across the board. Reform promises substantial tax cuts plus huge extra investment in the NHS, while cheerfully advocating the nationalisation of British Steel. Yet voters seem not to worry that Nigel Farages sums dont add up.

If Kemi were to promise huge tax cuts  which I pray she one day will  many people would say that at the end of 14 years the Tories had raised taxes to their highest level in British peacetime history. Why should we trust them again?

Why should we believe the Tories, who allowed welfare spending to balloon in their latter days, if they come forward with a programme to reduce sickness benefit and encourage people back to work?

At Prime Ministers Questions yesterday, the Conservative leader pointed out the shortcomings of the Governments Net Zero policies only to have her own enthusiastic support for renewables while in office quoted back to her by Sir Keir Starmer.

The weight of those 14 years is a heavy burden on Mrs Badenochs shoulders. Only the passing of time, and fading memories, are likely to lift it. Even then, some wont forget or forgive.

But the Tories can only try. Their best hope is not to be a kind of Reform-lite but to champion policies that are authentically Tory  I would say Thatcherite. The higher Reform and Nigel Farage rise, the more their weaknesses and contradictions will be exposed.

All the same, it will be a long and hard road for the Conservatives. Their Deportation Bill  ignored though it was by the BBC and many media outlets  is an impressive first step in the partys path back to power.
Here, FEMAIL has revealed how her fashion choices have evolved

Usha Vance didn't start off in the spotlight, but her wardrobe clearly got the memo once husband JD Vance's political ambitions took off.

While she seemed to take a 'less is more' approach when it came to her fashion choices while working as a lawyer, her sense of style underwent a revamp after she was skyrocketed into the spotlight.

The entire world has watched on as Usha's outfits have transformed from plain tops and boring shirts to elegant dresses and bold patterns.

She has certainly come into her own when it comes to her ensembles, oozing confidence in figure-hugging gowns and eye-popping jumpsuits - a far cry from the minimal outfits she wore in the early years of her career.

But the Indian-American mother-of-three, now 39, has been fiercely honest about how she has no plans to change the way she dresses to fit in to 'MAGA Land.'

Earlier this year, a reporter who pointed out that she looks quite different from the 'blondes, Botox and facelifts, and nine-inch heels' elsewhere on the political scene, and she was quick to shut them down.

As Usha continues to shine in her stunning looks, FEMAIL has recapped her fashion transformation from start to finish. Take a look back at how her style has changed.

Keeping it simple during her early years: As Usha worked her way up as a lawyer, she seemed to take on a 'less is more' approach with her fashion

Usha Vance didn't start off in the spotlight, but her wardrobe clearly got the memo once her husband, JD Vance 's political ambitions took off

FEMAIL has recapped her fashion transformation from start to finish. Take a look back at how her style has changed

Usha grew up in a middle class household in San Diego, California. She was born to two Indian immigrants, who had moved to the US just before her birth.

A yearbook photo of Usha during high school showed that she seemed to take on a 'less is more' approach when it came to her fashion, as she sported minimal makeup and a plain black top in the snap

Her dad worked as a medical engineer and a lecturer at San Diego State University while her mom was a molecular biologist.

Usha graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 2003, and was described as a 'leader' and a 'bookworm' by her peers.

A yearbook photo of Usha during high school showed that she seemed to take on a 'less is more' approach when it came to her fashion, as she sported minimal makeup and a plain black top in the snap.

After high school, Usha headed to Yale University, where she received a bachelor's degree in history in 2007.

She then headed to Cambridge to get her master's in history, before she returned to Yale to study law.

It was during law school that she met JD - in the fall of 2010 - when they crossed paths at the school's library.

Usha and JD met in 2010 at Yale Law School and an image of the couple during the early years of their romance showed that Usha's sense of style had yet to evolve

They wed in 2014, and welcomed their first child together in 2017: a baby boy. They went on to welcome another son in 2020, followed by a daughter in 2021

They hit it off immediately and quickly started dating, and within three years, he proposed.

An image of the couple during the early years of their romance showed that Usha's sense of style had yet to evolve.

The photo featured her wearing a blue striped tank top with a pair of black sunglasses placed on the top of her head, while JD opted for a simple plaid button-up.

They wed in 2014, one year after they both graduated, and moved to San Francisco soon after, where she started working for the law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson and he landed a job at the venture capital fund Mithril Captial.

They relocated back to Ohio in 2017, and they welcomed their first child together that summer: a baby boy. They went on to welcome another son in 2020, followed by a daughter in 2021.

Gaining confidence as she stepped into the spotlight: Once JD entered the world of politics, Usha traded simple tank tops for elegant dresses

As her husband began to emerge as a prominent political figure, Usha was often seen by his side sporting classy dresses. She's seen in May 2022

She traded in plain tank tops and simple 'fits for elegant gowns that sent a message of confidence. They're seen in November 2022, after JD won the senate election

Usha and JD were first skyrocketed into the spotlight after he announced that he was entering the GOP Senate Primary in Ohio in mid-2021.

He went on to win the Republican primary in May 2022, and beat out Democratic nominee Tim Ryan that fall.

As her husband began to emerge as a prominent political figure, Usha was often seen by his side sporting classy dresses.

She traded in plain tank tops and simple 'fits for elegant fitted gowns.

After the primary in May 2022, the two stepped out together and Usha opted for a chic, red, figure-hugging dress.

And on election night later that year, she was seen donning a gray midi dress adorned with a white and pink flower pattern.

According to personal stylist and image consultant Cynthia Kennedy, the casual pattern and fit of Usha's election night dress suggested someone not too invested in projecting power

According to personal stylist and image consultant Cynthia Kennedy, the casual pattern and fit suggested someone not too invested in projecting power.

'This dress is stunning - bold florals meet a sleek silhouette, and it just works. It's feminine, modern, and tailored without feeling overly "done,"' she exclusively told DailyMail.com of the look.

Cynthia explained that Usha's ensemble choice for the outing sent a message of her being self-assured, refined, and not afraid to have a little fun with fashion.

When asked about how she adjusted to the sudden attention, Usha previously told Free Press that she prided herself on being relatable to women across America, and her clothes certainly depicted that.

'People have just been quite accepting,' she said. '[On the campaign trail], people would come up to me, because, maybe, they identified with me in certain respects - they would come and give me hugs.

'I remember a woman came up to me, a black woman came up and gave me a giant hug and said, "I love you so much."'

Embracing brighter colors and bolder outfits: During her husband's campaign trail, Usha wore 'playful' and 'fashion-forward' ensembles

Usha stepped into the spotlight and delivered a powerful speech at the Republican National Convention that month, wearing a piercing blue dress

Two days later, she rocked a bright red dress. Cynthia said of the ensemble, 'This is such a power moment - the kind of red that turns heads in the best way'

After Donald Trump announced that JD was going to be his running-mate in July 2024, it seemed the entire country had their eyes on both JD and Usha.

And while in the past, Usha stayed mostly to the side while her husband took front and center, she stepped into the spotlight and delivered a powerful speech at the Republican National Convention that month.

For the event, she donned a bold blue dress that contained a sweeping neckline and one off-the-shoulder sleeve, oozing confidence as she took to the stage.

Two days later, she rocked a bright red dress, coordinating with other party wives like Melania Trump.

'This is such a power moment - the kind of red that turns heads in the best way,' Cynthia said.

'The tailoring really flatters her shape, and the midi length keeps the whole look polished and refined without feeling too formal.'

Her appearances on the campaign trail started to look more curated, with brighter colors - which read approachable but not without intention.

Cynthia described her outfits as 'fresh and unexpected,' while also 'playful, bold, and fashion-forward.'

Her appearances on the campaign trail started to look more curated, with brighter colors - which read approachable but not without intention

Cynthia described her outfits as 'fresh and unexpected,' while also 'playful, bold, and fashion-forward'

On one occasion, she donned purple pants, and on another, she wore a dramatic maroon jumpsuit with a striking bowtie.

'The magenta pants bring all the energy - playful, bold, and fashion-forward,' Cynthia told FEMAIL.

'It feels like she's having fun with fashion and fully owning her style - not afraid to stand out, and totally in her element.'

Cynthia added of her maroon jumpsuit, 'This is sleek, chic, and a little unexpected - and I love it. It's a great choice for evening, and the color is rich without being too loud.'

Refusing to fit in with 'MAGA Land': Usha told reporters after becoming Second Lade of the United States that she had no plans to change her sense of style

When it came time for the inauguration in January, Usha ensured all eyes would be on her in a bubblegum pink Oscar de la Renta ensemble

For the ball afterwards, Usha looked dazzling in a sparkly blue strapless gown that fit perfectly on her frame

When it came time for the inauguration in January, Usha ensured all eyes would be on her in a bubblegum pink Oscar de la Renta ensemble.

A cashmere coat, matching scarf, and high-fashion price tag marked her full transition into the conservative elite's preferred look: expensive, soft, and on-message.

'This look is elegant, refined, and quietly powerful,' Cynthia said of Usha's inauguration ensemble.

'The all-pink palette feels soft and feminine but still makes a statement - like she knows exactly what she's doing.

'The tailoring is spot-on and gives the whole outfit structure without feeling too stiff.'

For the ball afterwards, Usha looked dazzling in a sparkly blue strapless gown that fit perfectly on her frame.

At an AI Summit in France weeks later, she opted for a slate-blue satin dress with a wrap bodice.

It was a safe choice that could have come from any politician's playbook, according to Cynthia.

At an AI Summit in France weeks later, she opted for a slate-blue satin dress with a wrap bodice

It was a safe choice that could have come from any politician's playbook, according to Cynthia, as she said, 'This gorgeous satin dress is understated in all the right ways'

'This gorgeous satin dress is understated in all the right ways,' she said.

'It flows beautifully when she moves, and the long sleeves keep it feeling elegant without being overdone.'

She explained that the look exudes effortless glamour, graceful, timeless, and power.

For a joint session of Congress in April, Usha wore a cream oversized blazer and wide-leg pleated trousers.

It was a departure from earlier bold patterns, but not exactly a standout moment.

'This look is the definition of quiet confidence,' Cynthia said. 'The soft neutrals feel elevated but effortless - like she's not trying too hard, yet still looks completely put together.'

While Usha has certainly embraced the public eye, she admitted that it has had it's downsides to Free Press.

For a joint session of Congress in April, Usha wore a cream oversized blazer and wide-leg pleated trousers. It was a departure from earlier bold patterns

Usha (seen last month in a bright patterned dress) has made it clear that she had no plans to change her sense of style to fit in with 'MAGA Land'

A journalist for Free Press said they asked Usha what it was like to be an 'Indian-American woman in MAGA Land - with all the blondes, Botox and facelifts, and nine-inch heels'

'I'm laughing because it would be really hard for me to be blonde,' she responded, adding, 'For what it's worth, my reception into this world has been really positive.' She's seen last month

'It's a very strange life that we lead, where there are lots of people who have just imagined all sorts of narratives about us and what we think and what we do and why we do it and how much planning goes into it and all these sorts of things,' she admitted.

'To me, the highest priority right now is to be actually a normal person.'

And she made it clear that she had no plans to change her sense of style to fit in with 'MAGA Land.'

The journalist said they asked Usha what it was like to be an 'Indian-American woman in MAGA Land - with all the blondes and Botox and facelifts, the low-cut blouses and nine-inch heels,' and she started laughing.

'I'm laughing because it would be really hard for me to be blonde,' she responded, adding, 'That color would look totally absurd.

'For what it's worth, my reception into this world - and I'm not from a particularly wealthy background, not from a very fashion-oriented background personally or professionally - has been really positive. People don't seem to care all that much what I look like.'
Kmart Australia shoppers have spotted a new bargain version of a popular space-themed tech device - but it's been upgraded with an added feature.

The popular mass retailer has just launched its own Anko Galaxy Projector Speaker, which retails for $49.

Store regulars were quick to recognise that this newly released product was similar to the extremely popular Mirabella Genio Wi-Fi Nebula & Star projector, which is also available at Kmart for $69.

The new galaxy projector promises to 'transform any room into a captivating cosmic wonderland', according to the product description.

It boasts 13 interchangeable projection slides, which light up the room to create an instant outer space atmosphere.

Among the projection options are 'starry skies, mesmerising galaxies and calming nebulae'. There's also the option of either coloured or black and white projections.

However, a key difference with Kmart's new galaxy projector is that it's been upgraded with the addition of a built-in wireless Bluetooth speaker.

This connectivity allows for a fully immersive sensorial experience, enabling users to connect to the device to simultaneously play their choice of music while the projector lights up the room.

Kmart Australia have quietly launched the Anko Galaxy Projector Speaker $69

The Anko Galaxy Projector Speaker $69 has 13 different space-themed projections to choose from - including coloured and black and white options

Alternatively, the speaker also has the option of being used in 'white noise' mode.

The device comes in-built with 19 different white noise settings, each creating 'the perfect atmosphere for relaxation, sleep, or meditation'  again, simultaneously as celestial projections are cast onto the ceiling and walls.

Another feature of this device is a convenient timer function, which ensures the projector automatically switches off after a desired length of time.

The timer is especially useful for anyone that uses their galaxy light as an aid for falling asleep  meaning they won't have to worry about later waking up to switch it off.

Kmart shoppers have already been won over by the similar Mirabella Genio Wi-Fi Nebula & Star projector, which has been described by fans as 'magical'.

However, a common gripe customers had with it was that it required a wifi connection in order to work properly.

'You can use it on just one basic setting [without wifi]. We took it away with us with no internet and it turned on and worked well enough for the kids to use it as a night light,' one mum explained online.

The new Anko Galaxy Projector Speaker doesn't appear to have that issue as it works without an internet connection. The device is also USB powered.

The new Kmart Anko Galaxy Projector Speaker $49 has been likened to the Mirabella Genio Nebula and Star Projector $69, which is seen in use in this room image

The Mirabella Genio Nebula and Star Projector $69 was beloved by kids and parents for casting colourful starry landscapes onto walls and ceilings - as demonstrated in this picture

The original Mirabella Genio projector was beloved by both kids and even adults for casting colourful stars onto walls and ceilings.

'We just got one each for my kids and they love it. I will admit I have thought about getting myself one,' commented one online fan.

'It is like the new-age glow in the dark moons,' another woman marveled.

Another parent said she got the projector to help her baby with sleep training, while others said their school-aged children love the light.

The original Mirabella Genio projector raced off shelves when it was first launched over four years ago  with many shoppers saying at the time that they struggled to find it in stock.

'They sold out fast at Xmas and will again now the cat is out of the bag,' one woman said at the time.

Although the Mirabella Genio Nebula and Star Projector is slightly more expensive than the new Anko Galaxy Projector Speaker, both devices are far cheaper compared to other higher end galaxy projectors on the market, which can set you back anywhere from $80 to a whopping $550.
Britons' have gone mad for the viral Dubai chocolate in recent times, but the hype might be coming to an end.

Influencers have jetted across the globe to get their hands on the milk chocolate bar, created by Dubai-based Fix Dessert Chocolatier, which is filled with crispy knafeh, pistachio cream, and tahini spread.

It didn't take long for dozens of confectioners to create their versions, with Lidl and Waitrose among the supermarkets flogging alternative takes of the chocolate bar in the UK.

However, Lindt's iteration has met a slew of negative reviews on Ocado, indicating that the buzz might be nearing its end.

The customer insights are so negative that the Lindt's Dubai chocolate is among the worst-rated on Ocado, according to The Grocer.

The Swiss chocolatier introduced the 10 treat in December, which caused such a fierce storm on TikTok that Waitrose imposed a two-bar limit.

In a surprising turn of events, Ocado found that it has largely failed to impress its customer base and achieved a lowly average of 2.8 stars out of five, with one complaining that it's 'not worth the hype or the price'.

The reviews meant Lindt's version ranked lower than Munchies Orange Share Bag, Werther's Original Chocolate Covered Caramels, and Wagon Wheels Original.

Dubai chocolate has caused a storm online - but the craze might be nearing its end after a number of Ocado reviewers rated Lindt's poorly (pictured: The original Dubai chocolate)

Of the 50 customers that ranked the famous product, just 40 per cent said they would recommend it to others.

Writing on the website, one wrote, 'Overpriced and I don't taste enough pistachio in it. Would not buy it again.'

Another said, 'I don't love it... And for a tenner I definitely need to love it. I don't hate it, but it's just nothing special which is a shame as I'm a massive pistachio fan, and there just isn't enough pistachio flavoured products in the UK.

A third wrote, 'Not worth the money. It needs a much thicker layer of pistachio. I didn't really enjoy it, I've had much better.'

A fourth said, 'Don't believe the hype. It was nice, don't get me wrong but not worth the money. I got the same effect by putting M&S pistachio creme on a honey nut shredded wheat. Spend the money on some chocolate baklava instead.

MailOnline has contacted Lindt for comment.

In November, hundreds of shoppers queued up in the rain for hours in the western German city of Aachen to get their hands on the Lindt bar - with only 100 on offer.

The most dedicated fans said they travelled over 4,000 miles to get their hands on the sweet treat.

One Ocado shopper claimed that the 10 Lindt chocolate bar is 'not worth the hype or the price'

Ocado users reviewed the viral Lindt Dubai-style chocolate bar - and many were unimpressed with the treat

With their camping chairs and waterproof jackets in hand, customers entering the store were greeted with staff members in white chef outfits and offered a sample of the Dubai style chocolate.

They were then ushered over to buy a single bar bearing a unique number to add an element of exclusivity.

Speaking to the Independent after leaving the Lindt store in Aachen with the bar in hand, Zi Cheng Lai, 23, from Malaysia, said: 'Its a hype, a trend on social media, with people waiting in long lines.

'We want to try it out here and be part of it.'

Elsewhere in Stuttgart, Leon Faehnle told AFP: 'I waited 10 hours. I've been here since midnight just to taste this chocolate.'

Unlike the Ocado reviewers, an influencer called Angelina told her followers on TikTok that the bar was a 'dream'.

The London-based creator said the chocolate featured a swirl design that looked like 'a piece of art painted by Vincent Van Gogh' and was 'creamy milky perfection' that melted in her mouth.

The Dubai style chocolate was created in 2021 by British-Egyptian entrepreneur Sarah Hamouda.

Hundreds of customers lined up to get their hands on Lindt's Dubai style chocolate bar in Stuttgart, southern Germany on November 15

After leaving the Lindt store in Aachen with the bar in hand, Zi Cheng Lai, 23, from Malaysia, said: 'Its a hype, a trend on social media, with people waiting in long lines'

The Dubai-based businesswoman founded Fix Dessert Chocolate as a response to her pregnancy cravings and love of dessert, with 'Fix' standing for 'freaking incredible experience'.

'To be honest, not at any point did I think this was going to become global,' Sarah told CNN.

'It's insane what's been happening,' she added in response to the demand for the 'Can't Get Knafeh of it' bar from people all over the world.

This is certainly apparent over on X, where people are issuing shout-outs to Dubai residents to help them source a bar.

'Whoever is travelling back from Dubai to London could you get me a fix dessert chocolatier chocolate bar cause I'm dying to try it,' wrote one fan.

Another said: 'I need to go to Dubai and try Fix Dessert chocolates immediately.'

And a third wrote: 'I'm gonna buy that fix dessert knafeh flavored chocolate bar once I get back to Dubai.'

For Hamouda, creating Fix has been a labour of love. She said: 'We take a lot of time and effort, and put a lot of love into our bars.
A terrifying trend that sees men shoving themselves into unsuspecting women before walking off unfazed has left women in the UK terrified.

Women in London have been sharing details of horrifying attacks where they have seen them shoved, chased and even punched on public transport - or while simply walking or travelling in the city during the day.

Taking to social media, many have been recounting the horrific incidents in which they were 'body slammed' with no warning - in a worrying trend which seems to originate from Japan.

The misogynist practice, dubbed 'butsukari otoko' (which literally translates to a 'bumping man') sees incel men deliberately ramming into women at crowded train stations.

In a recent TikTok, one 20-year-old woman was left with whiplash after she was body slammed to the ground while walking along Mile End canal in East London.

'Please, if you're in London you need to be so careful,' social media creator Ayla Mellek (@aylamellek) said. 'Because I just got assaulted today in broad daylight.'

The influencer shared how she and a friend were strolling along to enjoy a brunch at the Blue Ivy cafe and it was 'quite a busy day'.

'There were cyclists, runners, just people walking, mothers with prams, it was bustling, people with dogs.

'I'm walking with my friend and there's this guy running towards me. He's massive, double my height, six foot four, he had muscles all over his shoulders and he was dressed in blue and he was running.

In a recent TikTok , one social media star has shared how it has made its way over to the UK after recalling being pushed while walking along Mile End canal in East London

In April, after attending a concert, one woman revealed how she was followed by a 'creepy man' while trying to make her way back home from Highbury and Islington in London

Elsewhere in March, one millionaire businesswoman who was 'violently attacked' on a London tube called for an urgent review of the network's Help Points after she was left waiting for 30 minutes

'He literally to me was just somebody who was running along the canal - a lot of people jog - and we were walking.

'He's grunting, and I can hear he's grunting as he's getting closer to me, deep, deep grunting and growling.

'So I twist my body so he can get past me because it is a bit crowded. There was a gap for him to get past me, but instead of going in this gap, this guy ran at me at full force and body slammed me to the ground.

'With so much force, this guy slammed me in the chest. I twisted in the air and landed face down on the floor.'

Speaking to Metro, she added: 'After he collided with me, I heard a grunt of satisfaction come from him.

Bear in mind, he is huge and around 6ft4 tall. As he came towards me, I turned my body to make a gap for him to run through, but instead he ran at me at full speed and completely bodied me.

It felt like he was trying to knock me into the canal, but the way by body was turned it meant I hit the ground instead.

Even a couple of hours later, Ayla's hands and palms were still red from where she had taken the brunt of the fall.

'My head landed on grass and my body landed on concrete, and then he just ran away,' she continued. 'I was in so much shock I just started crying immediately.'

The problem first came to light in May 2018, when a video of a man ramming into multiple women at Shinjuku Station was widely circulated on X/Twitter and YouTube

Some runners helped her up while a friend she was with tried to call out to the man who shoved her - but he was 'long gone'.

When they got to the cafe, Ayla called her boyfriend on the phone, where another diner couldn't help but hear the conversation.

Walking up to them, she revealed that they saw the same man push an elderly man in

Ayla then called the police and reported it - because she didn't know if initially he 'panicked and ran away' after seeing her fall. After finishing her meal, she realised that a kind stranger had paid for it after hearing of her ordeal.

'There are such kind people out here that look out for other people, so thank you so much,' she said in her post.

'I got so lucky I didn't hit my head on like a concrete slab or a nail... there's lots of boats along that canal, lots of boat hooks.'

In a follow-up video, Ayla reflected how she has come to learn how her incident was likely an example of butsukari otoko.

'Why do they do this? Because these disgusting men get like "off" on this feeling of violating and physically degrading and hurting women,' she expressed.

Creator @sandyinjapannn , who is based in East Asia, has made a series on videos on the topic, and in November interviewed a woman about her experiences with butsukari otoko

'In their minds, women are taking up space on the sidewalks, women are taking up space in society - and it's a dominance thing. This "trend" from Japan is now in London. It's very subtle - they do it in a way it looks deniable.'

'This needs to be taken seriously. I'm in contact with the police and the police are also dealing with this. If you ever see anything like this in public - please do report this. It's a disgusting, growing trend.'

Creator @sandyinjapannn, who is based in East Asia, has made a series on videos on the topic, and in November interviewed a woman about her experiences with butsukari otoko.

'I've had run-ins with them on the train,' she revealed. 'Also while walking on the streets.

'I saw a dude like, choosing women on the street to ram into them. So I tried to go around him, he chased me and rammed into me. He was probably around 50s to 60s.'

The problem first came to light in May 2018, when a video of a man ramming into multiple women at Shinjuku Station was widely circulated on X/Twitter and YouTube.

The unsettling 43-second clip showed a man - who gained notoriety as the 'Shinjuku Station Tackle Man' - wearing a black backpack as he walked around the precinct picking his targets before forcefully shouldering at least four women.

While the perpetrator in that case was never identified, another 'butsokari otoko' was apprehended by Japanese police in July 2020 - after Daisuke Nagata was accused of slamming into six women at Keikyu-Kamata Station in Ota Ward.

In a follow-up video , Ayla reflected how she has come to learn how her incident was likely an example of butsukari otoko

Nagata, then 45, allegedly used his arms and elbows to bump into these women, including a 19-year-old, on four separate days, according to The Tokyo Reporter.

Nagata, who worked as a 'temportary employee' at the time, denied the specific allegations against him while conceding 'I've done this dozens of times' without being caught.

'When I got off a train once, my arm happened to hit a woman's chest and it felt good,' he reportedly told police.

'So I thought about how to do the same without being accused. I've done this dozen times.'

However, he continued, he 'quit' assaulting women in May 2020 after realising it was 'embarrassing'.

However, the trend has now reached the UK's shores.

Ayla's story is just one example of the trend which has been plaguing Japanese women on public transport.

However, the aggression isn't always so 'subtle'. More and more women have been speaking about instances where men have punched or chased them down the street.

In April, after attending a concert, one woman revealed how she was followed by a 'creepy man' while trying to make her way back home from Highbury and Islington in London.

'I get off the train at Highbury and Islington, I've passed the corner to go up Highbury and Islington station road, and there's this guy - he's camouflaged, hooded up - and he's clocked me. It's dark,' presenter T (@tiktoktee_) explained.

'I've gone up the road and he's started following me. So instinctively I knew that this is not a good egg.'

She started running and came across some bikes.

'I ran to the bike, turned the bike on, waiting for it. As I was waiting for it I could see that he was coming. Man came around the corner, saw that I got on the bike. As I got on the bike - he chased me.

'It's not safe for women anymore. It's so brazen now, it's very scary. I don't know what's going on, but it's not safe anymore. Take a cab - but sometimes even the cabs aren't safe. Do whatever you need to do. I have never been so scared in my life, I'm shaking.

Elsewhere in March, one millionaire businesswoman who was 'violently attacked' on a London tube called for an urgent review of the network's Help Points after she was left waiting for 30 minutes.

Sally Wynter was travelling home from work on the Victoria line when she 'felt a punch' and a man 'knocked her sideways' into the train's glass window.

She was stood was left waiting for half an hour for a response from the intercom despite being 'traumatised' by the assault.

A man in 30s was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of assault following the incident just after 4.30pm on March 27.

The suspect left the carriage at Green Park after the 'frightening' attack which left Sally 'completely in bits' .

After getting off at Oxford Circus she went to one of the tube network's emergency Help Points where she was hoping to get immediate assistance.

Taking to TikTok, the entrepreneur who sold her alcohol brand MUHU five years ago in a deal worth over 1 million after growing up on benefits, said: 'I pressed the emergency button and it made a flashing light. It made an intercom connection sound and then nothing happened.

'I pressed it again, nothing happened. I thought maybe someone was coming. No one was coming.'

While she was waiting at the help point Sally, who was raised in Haringey, North London, rang the police and was told to wait for a British Transport Police (BTP) officer to arrive.

'I was waiting for about 30 minutes at the [emergency] point underground after pressing the button like four times,' she continued.

Ms Wynter stood was left waiting for half an hour from a response from the intercom despite being 'traumatised' by the assault last Thursday

'No replied, no one showed up.' She went on to ask: 'Do these help points even work?'.

She was told by police on the phone that her suspected attacker matched the description of someone who kicked a child at the Green Park ticket hall shortly after her incident.

However, they allegedly walked free after the children's parents decided against pressing charges.

Speaking to the Standard, she said: 'There were tears streaming down my face and I actually talked to two old ladies to ask them for some tissues.

'That phases me as a sad reflection on the lack of care we have for each other as human beings in a big city like London.'

After posting her ordeal on TikTok she was contacted by Transport for London (TFL) but said it is 'difficult' to have 'confidence' in TfL and the police following the incident.

Sally has now called for an urgent meeting with the mayor to lobby for an audit of all emergency Help Points at major stations.

She has also called on Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander to review all rail Help Points across Britain.

It comes after last year an Office of Rail and Road audit last year found 25 per cent of stations had at least one machine reported as broken.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London: 'The Mayor's thoughts are with Sally Wynter following the incident she experienced on the London Underground last week. Everyone should be and feel safe in London.

'The British Transport Police are investigating and an arrest has been made. The Mayor urges anyone with information to get in touch with them.

'All passengers who use the TfL network deserve to be and feel safe, with complete confidence that if things do go wrong, help is always available.

'In most cases, TfL staff serve Londoners incredibly well, taking deep pride in delivering an excellent service and supporting customers when needed, including in complex and sometimes distressing situations.'

Siwan Hayward, TfL's Director for Security, Policing and Enforcement, said: 'Safety is our top priority and we are truly sorry for the experience that Ms Wynter had seeking help at one of our stations.

'It must have been very distressing and it should not have happened. Everyone should feel safe when travelling on our network.

'If anyone is a victim or witness of a crime they should be able to access help and support straight away.

'We train our staff to support customers and to help report incidents to the police. We are investigating as a matter of urgency why Ms Wynter did not get the help she should have and have reached out to her to offer support.'

A BTP spokesperson at the time said: 'A man in his 30s from the South Norwood area has been arrested on suspicion of assault, following an incident on a Victoria Line train on March 27. He remains in police custody.

'We continue to appeal to witnesses or anyone with information to get in touch by texting 61016 or calling 0800 405040 quoting reference 523 of 27 March.'

FEMAIL has approached Metropolitan Police, the British Transport Police and the Mayor's Office for comment.

A spokesperson from the BTP said: 'The publics safety is our number one priority, and we work tirelessly alongside our policing partners and the rail industry to protect everyones journeys on the railway network and prevent all forms of violent, abusive, and intimidating behaviour.

'We encourage all passengers who see or experience crime to report it to us so we can take action. You can discreetly report crimes or concerns via text 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40. In an emergency, always call 999.'

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: 'Nothing is more important to the Mayor than keeping Londoners safe and he has made tackling violence against women and girls a top priority, with record investment from City Hall and tough action to catch the perpetrators.

'The Mayor recently announced record 1.16bn investment for the Met which will save 935 neighbourhood police officer roles and ensure officers are visible in our high streets and working proactively with local communities to help build a safer London for all.'
Martin Lewis has issued a stark wake-up call to people who have applied - or wish to apply - for credit.

The Money Saving Expert founder, 52, was speaking on an episode of The Martin Lewis Podcast when he pointed out that members of the public with 'a perfect credit score' are often baffled when they are 'rejected from an application'.

This elusive figure is determined by a credit reference agency and the number 'indicates how likely you are to repay anything you borrow,' according to the Lloyds Bank website. And typically, someone's 'score' is based on their previous borrowing history, as well as other factors.

Yet, while it's normal to be reassured by a healthy number, the pro warned that people with a high rank shouldn't be complacent.

'The credit score that you get from credit reference agencies is only a loose indication of how they think a typical lender would look at you,' Martin told listeners.

'You dont have a single number that dictates your credit rating or your credit score in the UK. Each lender scores you differently based on its own profitability wish list.'

In the podcast, he was also eager to draw attention to the fact that, unbeknownst to most people, lenders look at other information beyond a person's credit score when assessing a credit application.

While lenders are 'getting information from your credit file - that's what's on your credit score,' they're also looking at 'any past dealings' they've had with the applicant.

The Money Saving Expert founder, 52, was speaking on an episode of The Martin Lewis Podcast (pictured)

And, while such past dealings can affect the outcome of someone's credit application, lenders in fact rely just as much on a third key source of information: the individual's application form.

And crucially, [lenders] are getting information from your application form,' Martin reminds listeners.

It may seem obvious, but people tend to forget that the application form matters insofar as it details their income which, in turn, indicates whether they will be able to repay or not.

'The big thing thats on there that isnt your credit file is your income,' the finance guru explained.

And that makes a massive difference because when you apply for products, lenders arent just looking at your credit score, trying to predict your future behaviour based on your past.

Theyre also doing an affordability score.'

He pointed out that members of the public with 'a perfect credit score' are often baffled when they are 'rejected from an application for credit'

While someone might have a perfect credit score, which shows that they behave well financially, the reality is that a lender needs to feel confident that the person has 'the income to repay the product'.

If they don't, Martin adds, they will 'still be rejected'.

Martin's advice regarding credit applications comes after he warned older women affected by state pension changes to be wise to fake compensation websites, which may encourage them part with their personal information.

Fraudulent websites targeting UK-based pensioners are claiming that compensation is available, Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaigners said.

Bogus websites may request personal details from 1950s-born women, make the false claim that a compensation scheme has been announced or even try to give the impression that they are connected with Mr Lewis.

Waspi said that one woman in Derbyshire reported that she had been asked to provide copies of her birth certificate and bank details through an online form, before realising it was a scam.

Martin said: 'The word scammers underplays the danger, of what are often organised criminal gangs using psychologically adept tactics to steal from people.'

He added: 'Even if they're not asking for money, they could be trying to take your information as part of a wider fraud.

Martin (pictured) has warned women affected by state pension changes about fraudulent compensation websites

'Be incredibly careful, don't click advertising or other links on social media, unless it is from a validated trusted source.

'And to be very plain, I don't do adverts nor allow anyone to use my name for endorsements. All my information will always be on my site MoneySavingExpert.com, so if you can't find it there, and see it elsewhere, it's very likely a scam.'

Waspi chairwoman Angela Madden said: 'Waspi has fielded dozens of queries from women following an alarming spike in fraudulent websites appearing in recent days.

'The need for compensation is so urgent that it is the most vulnerable women who are at risk from scammers. The behaviour of opportunists who seek to exploit them is nothing short of disgraceful.'

She suggested that people contact Action Fraud if they have shared sensitive information or feel they are at risk.

Those who are worried they may have been scammed should also contact their bank or building society. Many banks have signed up to the 159 service, which enables people who are worried about scams to get through to their provider on an easy-to-remember number.

Fran McSweeney, head of services at Independent Age, said: 'While scams can be very sophisticated, there are things people can do to protect themselves.

'Never be rushed into sharing personal details out of the blue and contact your bank if you think you've been tricked into revealing any of your banking details. If what you're told sounds unlikely or too good to be true, it probably is.'

Waspi is seeking a judicial review to force the Government to reconsider its decision to rule out a compensation package for women affected by the way changes to the state pension age were communicated.

A previous report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PSHO) suggested compensation ranging between 1,000 and 2,950 could be appropriate for each of those affected.

But in December 2024, the Government said that, while it accepted the ombudsman's finding of maladministration and apologised for there being a delay in writing to 1950s-born women, a blanket compensation scheme, which could cost taxpayers up to 10.5 billion, cannot be justified.
A woman who relocated from the UK to Spain has revealed the reasons why she'll never move back to Blighty.

Georgia, who is in her twenties, moved to the Costa Del Sol more than five years ago and says her new life in Spain is so much better than the gloomy weather in the UK.

She now shows off her life in the sun on her TikTok account and makes videos sharing her advice to other potential expats.

The influencer, who is self-employed, says that when she goes back to her homeland she often gets a 'reverse culture shock'.

Georgia told her TikTok page: 'It isn't just about the weather, it is the lifestyle in general.

'I feel like I am a healthier person in Spain because of the food that I eat and the amount of time I spend outdoors.'

She noted that one of the key differences between Spain and the UK was the cost of living, adding that prices in England have skyrocketed.

'I honestly don't think I'd be able to afford to live in England again,' she added.

Georgia, who is in her twenties, moved to the Costa Del Sol more than five years ago and says Spain is better than the UK

Georgia has also fallen in love with the sociable culture in Spain and says she enjoys the wealth of activities the country has to offer

'I know prices have gone up everywhere but it's so expensive now and having [the sun] on your doorstep for cheaper is a no brainer.'

House prices across Britain have surged by an average of 13,000 over the last 12 months, according to a new analysis by Purplebricks.

The online estate agent says homes in every region in the UK have appreciated on average - particularly in the north-west, where homes have risen in value by eight per cent.

Georgia has also fallen in love with the sociable culture in Spain and says she enjoys the wealth of activities the country has to offer.

She said: 'It's so normal to socialise during the week and not just wait for the weekends, which is something that I love about living here.

'Whether it's going for a drink, a coffee, or breakfast, there's always stuff to do during the week and at the weekend.

'You really don't have to spend a lot of money. We usually spend our weekends having a walk around, seeing friends, going for a drink or having tapas.'

Georgia claims that the people in Spain are also much more friendly than in the UK.

The influencer, who is self-employed, says that when she goes back to her homeland she often gets a 'reverse culture shock'

Her TikTok clip racked up more than 80,000 likes and more than a thousand comments, with users expressing their thoughts on the video

She says Spanish nationals will often make an effort to chat with her in the mornings, whereas she was ignored in Britain.

'In the mornings, people that you don't even know will say good morning to you,' Georgia said.

'I think it's just such a nice way to start the day. In England, that would be weird to do [but] it's normal for strangers to speak to you and engage in conversations which is so nice.'

Her TikTok clip racked up more than 80,000 likes and more than a thousand comments, with users expressing their thoughts on the video.

One person wrote: 'I'm Spanish and moving to the UK has affected me so much.'

Another penned: 'I am looking to move from the UK.'

A third said: 'Im moving to Spain from London next month... cannot wait.'

A fourth commented: 'I feel so much freer, happier, healthier here.'
The Princess of Wales made a heartfelt tribute to her mother-in-law as she joined members of the Royal Family for a service marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day at Westminster Abbey today.

Kate took to today's Service of Thanksgiving in London to remember the end of the Second World War in Europe and to commemorate those who fought to bring peace to Europe and the rest of the world.

She accompanied her husband Prince William, as they put on a united front just days after Prince Harry's bombshell plea for 'reconciliation'.

The 43-year-old opted for a striking ensemble today, complete with a black and white polka dot Alessandra Rich dress and a black fascinator by Juliette Botterill.

Kate added a sentimental touch to her outfit by adding a pair of earrings that previously belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales.

The earrings, gifted to Diana before her wedding to the then-Prince Charles in 1981, became Diana's firm favourites and she sported them on royal tours of Australia, Canada and Italy.

Collingwood, a jewellery firm that was a favourite of the Spencer family, presented them to Diana before she became Princess of Wales.

Diana wore them on several occasions throughout her marriage, including during her tour of the US in 1985, where she paired them with a lacy white gown and the Lover's Knot tiara for a gala dinner at the British Embassy.

Princess Catherine of Wales made a sentimental tribute to her mother-in-law and donned a pair of earrings that once belonged Diana, Princess of Wales at todays VE Day service

Diana also sported them with the form-fitting black dress she wore at the Vanity Fair party at the Serpentine Gallery in November 1994 in London, which then later became known as the Revenge Dress.

Kate has donned the earrings as a sweet nod to her late mother-in-law several times, including in her official portrait marking her 40th birthday.

Elsewhere today, William looked smart in a navy suit with a household decision tie and Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Neck Order. He also donned gold jubilee, diamond jubilee, platinum jubilee, and coronation medals.

It was announced in February that mother-of-three Kate, who has made a gradual return to public duties following cancer treatment, would be attending today.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla led a host of senior royals in London as they commemorated the sacrifices of Second World War veterans and their generation.

They were joined by Prince William, Kate, Prince Edward, Sophie, Princess Anne, Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was also present as well as former PMs such as Rishi Sunak, Lord David Cameron and Boris Johnson - but there was unsurprisingly no Prince Harry or Meghan Markle, five years after they stepped down as senior royals.

A handwritten note on a wreath from the Prince and Princess of Wales said: 'For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War, we will remember them.' Another from the King on his wreath stated: 'We will never forget.'

It was revealed that Kate would attend today's Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in February

Kate put on an elegant display in a black and white polka dot dress from Alessandra Rich dress and a black fascinator by Juliette Botterill

Kate styled her sleek brunette tresses in an intricate up-do for the occasion, perfectly showcasing her black fascinator

The earrings, which Kate has worn on several occasions, were gifted to Diana by Collingwood, a favourite jewellery firm of the Spencer family

Kate and Queen Camilla are seen at the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London

On May 8, 1945 the nation celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day with church bells ringing out across the country and people gathering to revel in the end of hostilities, with crowds gathering outside Buckingham Palace calling for King George VI.

After almost six years of fighting against Hitler's Nazi regime peace was declared, although the war against Japan would continue until August 15 that year.

During today's service ten-year-old Alexander Churchill, the great-great-grandson of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, lit a candle of peace as young members of the congregation handed out white roses to Second World War veterans.

The live televised service on BBC One began with a national two-minute silence at 12pm in honour of those who made sacrifices during the conflict, both on the front line and at home, to protect people's freedom and shared values.

Members of the Royal Family began arriving at Westminster Abbey at about 11.50am. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh made their way into the historic church, followed by the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Also present were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

Today's event comes after the Royal Family paid tribute to veterans at a VE Day memorial in London on Monday.

Kate joined her husband Prince William and children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis as they put on a united front following Prince Harry's call for 'reconciliation'.

King Charles and Queen Camilla also watched the commemorations marking the end of the Second World War in Europe.

The Prince and Princess of Wales bowed their heads as they paid tribute to people killed in conflict

Kate laid flowers at the Innocent Victims' Memorial on Thursday following a Service of Thanksgiving

A young girl handed Kate with the bouquet before she laid them down at the Innocent Victims' Memorial

Their royal highnesses each cut sombre figures as they stood at the memorial

Kate was the picture of elegance and poise as she laid floral tributes at the Innocent Victims' Memorial following the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

Kate greeted Second World War veterans and guests following a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

The Princess of Wales laid flowers on the Innocent Victims' Memorial after the Thanksgiving Service had concluded

Kate elegantly bent down to lay the posy of flowers at the memorial while flanked by Prince William

After laying their floral tributes, the Prince and Princess of Wales solemnly bowed their heads to pay their respects

William adoringly looked on as his wife Kate carried the floral tribute

The Princess was the picture of elegance as she carried the tributes while sporting her Alessandra Rich frock

The 43-year-old opted for a glowing makeup look for the occasion, complete with a touch of pink lipstick

The Prince of Wales looked smart in a Lounge Suit with a household decision tie and Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Neck Order

The Princess greeted two young girls with a handshake after the memorial service on Thursday

Pictured: The Princess of Wales arrives at Westminster Abbey to attend the Service of Thanksgiving

The mother-of-three added an elegant fascinator by Juliette Botterill to her ensemble on Thursday

The royal mother-of-three carried an elegant brown leather bag to complete her stunning ensemble

Mother-of-three Kate was glowing in a berry ensemble, rewearing her beloved Emilia Wickstead pleated coat dress, alongside a matching Sean Barrett pillbox hat with a bow, beige Gianvito Rossi 105 pointed pumps, and earrings.

She added a gold winged RAF brooch to pay tribute to a deep family connection on her side of the family - her paternal grandfather Peter Middleton, who served as a fighter pilot during the Second World War.

While observing the military procession along the Mall, Kate sat with her daughter Princess Charlotte - who recently celebrated her 10th birthday.

She was also seen chatting animatedly with 101-year-old Bernard Morgan, Ambassador for the Royal British Legion, who was the youngest RAF sergeant to land on D-Day.

They were joined by Prince George, 11, and Prince Louis, seven, who kept William looking sharp by brushing off his uniform on the specially built dais on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace.

Discussing the events, a palace aide said: 'The King, Queen and other members of The Royal Family are much looking forward to all the week's VE Day events, when they will unite with the rest of the nation and those across the Commonwealth and wider world in celebrating, commemorating and giving thanks to the wartime generation whose selfless devotion duty and service should stand as an enduring example to us all  and must never be forgotten.'

Meanwhile, Charles was wearing Naval Uniform No.1 dress, with no medals or decorations, as his grandfather King George VI wore on the palace balcony on VE Day in 1945  while William wore RAF No.1 Uniform.

Camilla was dressed in a sapphire blue wool crepe dress and coat, by Fiona Clare, with the 12th Royal Lancers Brooch, the regiment of her late father Major Bruce Shand.

The Princess of Wales was met by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle

Kate is seen as she arrived at the Thanksgiving Service to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day

Pictured: (From L to R, front row) King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and the Princess of Wales and (L to R, back row) the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent at the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

Kate and William put on a united display today following Prince Harry's bombshell plea for reconcilliation

Pictured: Catherine, Princess of Wales at the thanksgiving service to mark The 80th anniversary of VE Day

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate at Westminster Abbey this afternoon

Kate briefly cast her eyes downwards as the Service of Thanksgiving took place at Westminster Abbey on Thursday

The Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla attend a service of thanksgiving in London on Thursday

The sun was shining as the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived at Westminster Abbey for the service

Kate placed her small brown leather bag on the floor as the service at Westminster Abbey took place

Pictured: The Prince and Princess of Wales attend a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London on the 80th anniversary of VE Day

Today's event follows Monday's fly past, which the Prince and Princess of Wales watched with their children (from L to R) Prince George, Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte

The Duke of Edinburgh wore Army No.2 Service Dress of the Scots Guards, while Duke of Kent wore Field Marshal No.2 Service Dress.

Princess Anne, who was also present, wore the uniform of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal's Volunteer Corps) with no decorations.

The late Queen Elizabeth II, as Princess Elizabeth, wore the military uniform for her palace balcony appearance on VE Day 1945 as a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Services.

Nato allies joined 1,300 members of the armed forces for the procession in the city, and the words of Sir Winston Churchill's 1945 victory speech were spoken by actor Timothy Spall to kick off events for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

In Whitehall, the Cenotaph was draped in a large Union flag, with the south and north face of the landmark covered. It was the first time the war memorial has been draped in Union flags since it was unveiled by King George V more than a century ago, in 1920.

Crowds started to gather on The Mall on Monday morning, with some arriving the day before to secure a good viewing spot. Caroline Tomlinson, 59, travelled from Doncaster to witness the parade and camped overnight.

Dressed in Union flags, she said: 'I've been watching lots of footage from 1945 when everybody was gathering outside the palace, so just great to be a part of it here we are again 80 years later to do the very same. I got here at 2pm yesterday afternoon, sat in the red chair all night, had a little bit of sleep.

'I'm used to this, I've been to the other events. I've been to the Platinum Jubilee, the Coronation, the Queen's funeral, Royal weddings. Sleeping over is now my thing. It was very cold but I dressed accordingly and got through it. Slept about three times in one-hour bursts.

Kate and William joined other members of the Royal Family to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day today

The Prince and Princess of Wales are seen as they arrived at Westminster Abbey for the service today

Kate and William joined other members of the Royal Family to attend the a service on the 80th anniversary of VE Day

Kate gave William a sweet smile as he spoke with attendees at the memorial service in London today

Pictured: The Princess of Wales at the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London on the 80th anniversary of VE Day

King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate took their seats inside Westminster Abbey

Pictured: A general view of Thursday's Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London

The royal father-of-three wore gold jubilee, diamond jubilee, platinum jubilee, and coronation medals today

Kate and William took to Thursday's service to remember the end of the Second World War in Europe

'I came here alone, the community is always so lovely. I'm absolutely hoping to catch a glimpse of the Royals.'

Michael Burn, 67, arrived at The Mall outside Buckingham Palace on Monday morning. Dressed head to toe in a Union flag suit he said: 'Obviously I'm very patriotic so I make the most of any of these events, the coronation or anything like that I'll be here.

'I think we've been very lucky that we've had 80 years of peace and these are very troubled times at the moment and we've got to think about all those that have the ultimate sacrifice and there's very few of them left now because they're all over 100. This is the last time we will celebrate the day in this sort of scale.'

Speaking of his suit and holding a seven foot Union flag he said: 'I bought this for the London 2012 Olympics and have worn it at every Royal event since. 'I can still get into it,' he joked.

Lizzie McCrae MacIntyre, a retired Women's Royal Air Force veteran, arrived at the Admiralty Arch at 4am to see the parade.

Ms MacIntyre, who travelled from Surrey, said: 'It's so important to remember those that didn't make it home. My dad was military, my brother was Air Force.'
Asda, one of the UK's best-loved supermarkets famous for its bright green branding, 'rollback' prices and beloved 'pocket tap', is celebrating its 60th anniversary this month.

As the UK's third-largest food retailer with more than 1,200 stores and 145,000 employees nationwide, the supermarket is equally cherished for its George clothing range - currently fronted by supermodel Yasmin Le Bon - and its Living homeware brand.

But despite having been trading as Asda for six decades, shoppers are only just realising what the acronym actually stands for.

And, while the business's origins can be traced back even further - all the way to the 1920s - 1965 represents an important moment when the brand as we know it today was born.

So how did Asda get its four letter name? It all has to do with a merger that occurred exactly sixty years ago.

In 1965, Peter and Fred Asquith, sons of the Yorkshire butcher W.R. Asquith - who forty years earlier had expanded the family business across the north of England by establishing six additional stores - saw an opportunity to further grow the company that their father had passed down.

By now, the brothers had already established a self-service supermarket inspired by the US megastore Piggly Wiggly in the former Queens cinema in Castleford.

And, after the success of that store, they had opened a second one in Edington, with both trading under the name 'Queens'.

Asda shoppers are only just realising how the supermarket giant, which turns 60 this month, got its name

In 1965, Peter Asquith built his first supermarket from scratch, tactically situating the new megastore next to a car park to draw in customers.

Around this time, as the Asquith brothers had been focused on developing their business, a group of dairy farmers from West Riding had been forging partnerships in a bid to expand their own ventures in food retail.

Banding together under the name Hindell's Dairy Farmers Ltd. in 1949, the group was fronted by Noel Stockdale.

So, in 1965, when the Asquith brothers were looking for a buyer to take over their in-store butchery operation, the Dairy Farmers Ltd. reached out to Stockdale and proposed they enter into a merger.

When Stockdale approved the partnership, the new operation came to be known as Associated Dairies & Farm Stores Ltd, an alliance that would go on to become the one of the world's most successful supermarket giants.

Using Asquith and Dairy, Asda was the name bestowed on the business.

Despite the name originating six decades ago, people are still discovering how it came about today.

According to the Express, newsreader Alastair Stewart tweeted: 'Without Google, do you know what the name ASDA derives from?'

Asda was officially formed 60 years ago when the Asquith brothers merged their butchers business with a group of fairy farmers

Someone commented: 'I don't know anything without Google, so no.'

Another said: 'No, sorry, but about 35 years ago I used to know what BEJAM stood for!

'It was all the initials of the owners/children, I think! We had to learn about the company to 'earn' stars on our name badges, like McDs!'

Not everyone was in the dark though. One woman proudly exclaimed: 'YES! I had a four-week summer job on George and they had a week's training about this!!!'

Over the following six decades, the franchise would continue to grow into a multinational supermarket giant, opening stores in the US under the name Walmart.

Shortly after the merger, the company acquired Government Exchange Mart (GEM), a major US discount retailer, where they went on to achieve great retail success, including in opening the first food store to also sell general merchandise.

As part of their revamping GEM stores, Asda also introduced the very first discounted petrol filling station, which would become an integral part of their company.

Then in 1968, Associated Dairies bought out the Asquith brothers share of the company - though Peter remained a consequential force in the business.

Supermarket Yasmin Le Bon (pictured) is the current face of Asda's popular George clothing range

The Oxford-born model poses with items from the George clothing range

By the 1970s, Asda boasted 30 stores across the country and were in the midst of developing plans to expand to the south of the UK, by which point they appointed Peter Firmston-Williams to support the expansion.

Peter oversaw Asda's expansion into the south, with stores opening in Newport, Plymouth and Gosport.

In 1977, one landmark moment in the supermarkets advertising history would go on to become an essential part of the brand's identity. It was during this year that the supermarket released its first ever TV ads with the famous 'pocket tap'.

So famous was the pocket tap that it was added sign-language dictionary to refer to the supermarket.
The sofa is brand new, sumptuous and oh-so strokable. It has a buttery velvet finish, which lends itself beautifully to vacuuming stripes into the fabric, if thats your thing (and it is most definitely Roo Days thing).

Its cream, though. Cream! Who buys a cream velvet sofa just a few weeks away from giving birth? Perched on this lovely sofa with Roo and her massive bump, Im nervous for her, and for this sofa. If her waters break now, all is doomed. And when the baby arrives

I know, everyone has said that, says the 30-year-old cleaning influencer who appears to be after the original cleanfluencer Mrs Hinchs (gleaming) crown.

Everyone says, get a dark sofa you can wipe clean, but Id rather have a sofa that Im going to want to sit on.

She could argue that, in a world where everything is content, there is a huge career opportunity here. What better test for a cleaning influencer than having the ultimate mess machine  a leaky newborn. What I can promise is that Ill be really honest about the mess. I know how difficult things are going to get with grubby fingers, sick, God knows what else.

If you are addicted to cleaning videos on social media channels such as Instagram and TikTok, you will have heard of Roo Day. She is one of an army of cleanfluencers (she prefers the term content creator) who cant seem to scrub their shower screen without filming the process for all the world to see. Before you write that off as frivolous, consider that more than two million of us follow her socials, where she posts daily.

Her little mini-films are notable for making you feel a bit giddy. While some cleanfluencers film in a dreamy, sensual style (think Nigella making a chocolate cake, but much less messy), Roos cleaning mostly happens at speed, against a timer. And while many of her ilk claim to adore cleaning, and get a deep satisfaction from it, Roo is more everywoman in her approach.

Roo says of her baby's imminent arrival: 'What I can promise is that I'll be really honest about the mess'

Her trademark voiceovers  a bit sweary; with much talk of cleaning the s*** out of this place  are super-fast too. Particularly on Whizz Around Wednesdays, when she cleans her entire house in an hour.

Her hair will be as silky smooth as her floors by the end of the process too, because she tends to do hers while wearing a hair masque, which gets to work as I scrub. Now Roo has written a book, Getting S*** Done, revealing the tricks of her trade. Its standing upright on the windowsill above the sink when I arrive in her spotless kitchen in Hertfordshire, displayed like an ornament, the gold-embossed lettering glinting in the sunshine. I studied journalism so writing a book is like the dream come true, she says.

As a journalist from the previous generation, part of me wants to give her a shake. As Im removing my shoes to walk on her pristine carpets, Im having very unclean thoughts. A young woman with her training and talent could have been exposing corruption and bringing down governments. A book about how to get into the crevices, in the more literal sense? Really, Roo?

But, well, she does have a lovely home and its undeniable that she  and the army of cleanfluencers battling it out for sponsorship deals and endorsements  is on to something.

Because what do I do after I spend a day with her? I go home and shriek about what a hovel we live in. I tell my husband to get off the sofa  ours suddenly seems a particularly manky shade of grey  so I can vacuum some lines into it. When our handheld cleaner isnt up to the task, I order a new one on Amazon.

The CleanTok community on TikTok boasts an astonishing 150 billion views globally. On Instagram, there are 11 million posts under the hashtag #cleaning. It is both a cultural phenomenon and seriously big business (thats a lot of new vacuums).

Why is this content so addictive? Dr Ceri Bradshaw, a psychologist at Swansea University, has said cleaning clips are soothing to the brain, offering instant examples of someone fixing something that needs to be fixed.

Roo says that, like it or loathe it, everyone has to clean. Whatever your age, background, whatever type of house you live in, you have to do it.

She confesses that shes been up since 5am preparing for my arrival. And that actually she isnt a naturally neat type. Her mother  mindful of the teenage years when Roo would collect mugs under her bed with lifeforms growing in them  is more shocked than anyone that she grew up to be a cleaning guru.

It wasnt the sort of house where you had to keep your bedroom clean. It was actually quite cluttered  I think thats where my minimalism comes from.

Her parents divorced when she was young; her dad was a plasterer and her busy mum ran a gymnastics club. The secret to Roos career trajectory? She reckons its that she wasnt raised by neat freaks and (my jaw drops) doesnt actually like to clean. Im naturally cant-be-a**ed, so my approach is more, lets just get this s*** done.  I tell her that my generation grew up with the idea that if we studied hard enough, we could get good jobs and afford cleaners. She recalls times when her mother did, indeed, have a cleaner, but points out that you still have to run a home, which is a messy old business.

Very few of her friends do have cleaners, interestingly.

I think people are really taking pride in cleaning their own homes. I think social media has helped because its almost made it cool to look after your space.

Of course Roo is not the first to capitalise on this. Mrs Hinch arrived on the social media scene in 2018, smelling of Zoflora and brandishing a soon-to-be-sold-out Minky sponge.

She is still the undisputed queen of the genre, with multiple bestselling books and her own range of products. Last year she made 4.4 million.

Roo is cut from a different J-cloth. You are more likely to find her speed-cleaning in her pyjamas than in an apron. She hates even the idea of a pinny. And Marigolds? They can get in the (beautifully scented) bin.

I will wear gloves if Im using bleach, or if Im doing a big clean, but I tend not to do that.

The whole Marigolds thing is a bit old-fashioned.

My thing is more about habit-stacking, doing little things as I go along rather than turning the big clean into an event.

For the uninitiated, habit-stacking means building small, positive habits into your existing routine. I used to spend three full hours on a Saturday cleaning my flat, but who has the time for that? Now Im all about the hacks and getting it done quickly. Some of the hacks in her book might seem a bit basic  use the time the kettle is boiling to wipe down the kitchen counters  but, as she points out, no one tells you this stuff.

So how did she become the one to tell us? Around 2022 she was working for MTV, providing celebrity news for social media, so I was used to editing and creating content.

At the time she had bought her first home  a flat in Hertfordshire  with her partner Mark, a bathroom designer. They were addicted to home improvements and wanted to show their quirky flat (very pink; very fun) off to full advantage. So I just started to post some stuff on TikTok. There was no intention to go viral. It was completely organic. Its that thing of wanting to show off something you are proud of.

Some of her early posts  which did go viral  featured her vacuuming stripes into a teal sofa which became almost as famous as she did. She gets out the vacuum cleaner and demonstrates, debating whether to have the stripe running down the side of the seat cushions too. She didnt invent the art  I just saw it on TikTok  but it has become part of her shtick, much in the way that Mrs Hinch became known for cushion chopping (if you know, you know).

Roo does have a lovely home and it's undeniable that she  and the army of cleanfluencers battling it out for sponsorship deals and endorsements  is on to something

I read the other day that vacuum lines are tacky, she admits. But I dont care. Look how uniform that is. You can immediately tell that sofa is freshly vacuumed. Its that thing of, if nobody notices it, has it really happened?  So carpet and sofa lines are a way of saying, look, everyone, I have been bloody cleaning all day? Exactly that. You need to get your well-dones in after sweating your t**s off and cleaning, she says, in very typically Roo Day-speak.

She laughs about not letting Mark sit on said sofa. If he tries to, Ill say, what are you doing? Thats for guests to see. After everyone has seen it, then we can sit on it.  Madness, yes, but everyone is at it, even vacuuming themselves out of rooms to achieve neat lines on the carpet. Cordless vacuums are best, apparently, because a cord can mess up the pattern.

The cleaning giant Shark (yes, Roo is an ambassador) even has a section on its website about line-creating tips. To begin with, posting cleaning content was just a hobby (I was just making videos of things Id be doing anyway), but as her followers began to build, so did the realisation she could make a bona fide career out of it.

She acquired a manager. I mean there wasnt a big plan 

I didnt look that far ahead  but I realised that people seemed to like what I was offering. That included lifestyle tips too. Spending a day with Roo came to mean not just cleaning with her, but finding out what shed had for breakfast, how she was coping with a hangover.

She started to live pretty much with the video recorder on her phone always running.

There is an extraordinary post on her social media of her doing her positive pregnancy test, after two years of trying. She didnt actually post it until well into the pregnancy but the fact that she made it shows just how second nature it had become.

Isnt it all a little Truman Show? Well it can be. I do find that Im lying in bed at 2am, answering comments. As Im going along, with everyday life, I will be thinking of the voiceover commentary I will do. At the same time life is really good so Im happy to share it.

Earlier this year, she and Mark moved into their first house  a swish conversion of an old stable block. She fell in love with the expansive window in the master bedroom, with its view of fields. Ill be honest, I thought, that will look amazing on my socials and think of the content.

And very lucrative content, clearly. Although she wont talk figures (I dont think thats appropriate, says her manager), this is a 650,000 house and Mark drives a Tesla.

The question now, as she prepares to become a mum (the baby is due next month and the nursery is almost Insta-ready) is whether she can continue to deliver her life hacks while coping with a newborn.

I have no idea, she says, candidly. I dont think I want to move into mumsy content. I still want the cleaning to be the pillar but I do have to decide how much I want the baby to be part of it. Do I do that without showing their face, for example? I think Ill need to work that out as I go along.

Her babys face may not be on show. His or her vomit may well be, though  the ultimate test for my Shark Stain Striker, she says, ever on-brand.

Never mind her cleaning career, will this lovely sofa survive what is to come?

Come back and ask me in a year, she says.
The Spanish Royal Family has taken legal action to protect Princess Leonor's privacy for the first time, reports claim.

The alleged invasion of privacy occurred in Chile, when Leonor was enjoying free time from her current navy training onboard the Juan Sebastian de Elcano, which she commenced in January.

The training course has seen the 19-year-old live apart from family and friends for months as she travels the world.

However, the princess's travels haven't gone without speculation. Earlier this year, photographs of the eldest child of King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain in a Chilean shopping centre surfaced.

The Royal Family reportedly consider the images a breach of Leonor's privacy, resulting in them taking legal action for the first time, according to Lecturas.

Chilean news outlet biobiochile.cl further claimed that the Spanish Embassy in Chile filed a complaint with the National Police regarding the photographs, which showed Leonor inside a shopping centre in Punta Arenas.

The Spanish Royal Family claimed that a staff member responsible for monitoring the shopping centre's security cameras granted a Chilean media outlet access to the images and thus breached data protection regulations in Chile, the outlet said.

The report further claimed that the palace considered the images of Leonor to be 'unacceptable'.

Spain's Royal Family have reportedly taken legal action to protect Princess Leonor's privacy (seen in October)

Amid the speculations, Leonor received a special visit from her mother last week at the Port of Fuerte Amador in Panama City.

In an adorable moment, the pair threw royal protocol to the wind as they reunited after months apart last Saturday.

Letizia flew over 8,000 miles across the globe to see her beloved daughter. She and her daughter had not seen each other since January, when she set sail aboard the Juan Sebastian de Elcano.

Moving video footage from the Spanish Royal Household captured the moment they were finally reunited, with Leonor running across the port to greet her mother.

She was soon embraced in an effusive hug that was so powerful Leonor had to take her hat off, while the Queen had tears in her eyes.

They were then pictured excitedly catching up, as Leonor, who previously graduated from UWC Atlantic in South Wales, has been on a whirlwind adventure.

Letizia's visit to Panama was an unofficial trip, sources at Zarzuela Palace told Spain's Hola! Magazine.

And their moving reunion was made all the more special - as it was the weekend Mother's Day is celebrated in Spain.

The 19-year-old was snapped during her free time from her naval training ship Juan Sebastian Elcano (seen with Queen Letizia in Panama earlier this month)

Spain's Crown Princess Leonor was greeted by her mother Letizia after disembarking from the Spanish Navy training ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano

Pictured: King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Crown Princess Leonor, and Infanta Sofia during the Concert of Princess of Asturias Awards in Oviedo, Spain, in October

While Leonor was smartly kitted out in her naval uniform, her mother had chosen to wear matching shades of white in casual jeans, T-shirt and white trainers.

For the Crown Princess's training cruise, she is sailing through two oceans, and visiting 10 ports and eight countries in America, according to La Vanguardia.

She will stay in her stopover in Panama until May 6, where she's been enjoying exploring.

The Princess of Asturias, as she is also known, participated in a visit to Panama Viejo, took a short walk to the Cathedral Tower and visited several rooms of the Museum (of Panama Viejo), which has a commemorative plaque of the visit of His Majesty the King 2019.

Her Royal Highness and the Queen participated in the reception on board that traditionally takes place and had lunch at the El Nacional restaurant in the old town in Panama.

Leonor has so far been to Peru, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay. She is soon due to pass through Colombia and the Dominican Republic, before concluding her journey in New York.

The 19-year-old has been serving on the 'Juan Sebastian de Elcano' as a first midshipman.

Letizia's welcome marked the first visit the heir to the throne has received from family and loved ones since she set sail on January 11, when she set sail in Cadiz.

The Princess of Asturias appeared delighted to see her mother during her travels around the world on a naval training cruise

Meanwhile, her parents smiled and waved goodbye, while King Felipe documented the milestone by snapping photographs of Leonor.

She is following in the footsteps of her father, Felipe, and her grandfather, King Juan Carlos, who also carried out a similar trip.

Leonor - who began three years of military training in 2023 - looked just the part in her navy uniform.

As she is the heir to the throne, Leonor will one day take the title of Commander in Chief of the armed forces, alongside being the Queen of Spain.

She therefore has to spend three years in each section of defence and has already spent a year at the General Military Academy of Zaragoza.

Last month, Leonor enjoyed a break from naval training as she took a dip in the sea at a sunny spot in Uruguay.

The future queen was aboard the training ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano when she enjoyed well-earned time off with her fellow midshipmen.

Showing off her style, the Princess of Asturias wore flip flops, shorts and a white T-shirt as she slung a trendy tote bag over her shoulder.

Alongside her fellow naval trainee, Leonor wondered through the beaches La Mulata near Montevideo, which was half an hour from the hotel where the royal was staying.

Leonor is clearly following in her mother Queen Letizia's footsteps, who is known for her style prowess.

She spent a year with the Spanish army before training to be a marine and will then move onto her final rotation at the General Air Academy.
The glamorous wives of politicians stole the show with their chic fashion choices at the VE Day Celebrations on Thursday.

Samantha Cameron, 54, oozed sophistication in a vintage-style green gown as she attending the service at Westminster Abbey to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day with her husband, former prime minister David Cameron.

The businesswoman, 54, donned the Jacquetta Lace Maxi Dress from own clothing label Cefinn, which retails at 360.

The lace ensemble featured a signature tie-collar and scalloped edging and she completed the look with a chic wide brimmed hat and cream stilettos.

Meanwhile the UK's 'first lady' Victoria Starmer turned heads in a royal blue gown from luxury fashion brand ROKSANDA for the occasion.

The NAIARA top, which retails at 245, was paired with the matching skirt which retails at 695. However it is understood that she rented the outfit for the day and paid for it herself.

Glamorous Lady Starmer added a matching fascinator and cream stilettos to complete her effortlessly stylish ensemble.

The mother-of-two arrived at the Abbey without her husband Prime Minister Keir, who was likely already inside the venue.

Samantha Cameron oozed sophistication in a vintage-style green gown as she attending the service at Westminster Abbey to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day with her husband, former prime minister David Cameron

Akshata Murty wowed in a bright red vintage-style tweed jacket and matching pencil skirt as she arrived with her husband, former prime minister Rishi Sunak.

The Indian heiress and businesswoman completed the chic ensemble with a black fascinator and matching heels.

On May 8, 1945 the nation celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day with church bells ringing out across the country and people gathering to revel in the end of hostilities, with crowds gathering outside Buckingham Palace calling for King George VI.

After almost six years of fighting against Hitler's Nazi regime peace was declared, although the war against Japan would continue until August 15 that year.

During today's service ten-year-old Alexander Churchill, the great-great-grandson of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, will light a candle of peace as young members of the congregation hand out white roses to Second World War veterans.

The live televised service on BBC One began with a national two-minute silence at 12pm in honour of those who made sacrifices during the conflict, both on the front line and at home, to protect people's freedom and shared values.

Members of the royal family began arriving at Westminster Abbey at about 11.50am.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh made their way into the historic central London church, followed by the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Meanwhile the UK's first lady Victoria Starmer turned heads in a royal blue gown from luxury fashion brand ROKSANDA for the occasion

Akshata Murty wowed in a bright red vintage style tweed jacket and matching pencil skirt as she arrived with her husband and former prime minister Rishi Sunak

The businesswoman, 54, donned the Jacquetta Lace Maxi Dress from own clothing label Cefinn, which retails at 360

The lace ensemble featured a signature tie-collar and scalloped edging and she completed the look with a chic wide brimmed hat and cream stilettos

David Cameron looked dapper in a three-piece suit an he donned a matching emerald green tie to his wife's dress

Also present were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

When the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence made their way through the abbey, they stopped to talk and shake hands with members of the congregation.

Sophie was seen folding a handkerchief and dabbing her nose after taking her seat.

The Prince and Princess of Wales then arrived.

Kate was wearing a white polkadot dress by Alessandra Rich and hat by Juliette Botterill, and earrings which belonged to William's late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

The Prince was dressed in a lounge suit with Household Division tie and his Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Neck Order.

William was also wearing his Golden, Diamond, Platinum and Coronation medals.

The pair were met by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, and guided inside to meet a line-up of dignitaries including the Archbishop of York.

Lady Stramer's NAIARA top, which retails at 245, was paired with the matching skirt which retails at 695

Glamorous Lady Starmer added a matching fascinator and cream stilettos to complete her effortlessly stylish ensemble

It appeared that the mother-of-two arrived at the Abbey without her husband Britain's Prime Minister Keir, who was likely already inside the venue

The Indian heiress and businesswoman completed the chic ensemble with a black fascinator and matching heels

Akshata's sophisticated ensemble featured a sharp collar and three quarter length sleeves

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak looked smart in a navy suit as accompanied his wife into the Abbey

Sunak and his wife arrived to attend a service of thanksgiving to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day

After them, the King and Queen arrived at the abbey to the sound of a trumpeters' royal fanfare.

Charles was wearing a lounge suit with medals and neck order.

Camilla was dressed in a white crepe silk dress and white coat with black stitching by Anna Valentine, with a black and white hat by Philip Treacy.

The Queen was also wearing a brooch of the 12th Lancers.

Her father, Major Bruce Shand, served with the 12th Lancers during the Second World War and was awarded the Military Cross in 1940 during the retreat to Dunkirk, and again in 1942 for his efforts in North Africa.

A national two-minute silence was then held at midday.

The King, the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales stood motionless around the Grave of the Unknown Warrior near the West Door in solemn tribute to those who fought for freedom during the Second World War.

The 78 veterans amid the 2,000-strong congregation joined in the moment of reflection as they observed the silence.

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate at Westminster Abbey this afternoon

The Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla attend a service of thanksgiving in London today

The Prince and Princess of Wales attend a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey today

The Princess of Wales and Camilla attend a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

The Princess of Wales is met by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle

At the end of the two minute-silence, the choir sang an introit of the well-known moving extract from Robert Laurence Binyon's 1914 poem For The Fallen, which features the words 'At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them'.

The King moved forward to lay a wreath at the black marble Grave of the Unknown Warrior, followed by the Prince of Wales.

The King's message read simply: 'We will never forget' and was signed Charles R.

William wrote: 'For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War. We will remember them.' The white card was signed both 'William' and 'Catherine'.

Their floral tributes were made of seasonal flowers including pink, white and peach roses, which would have been found in bloom 80 years ago on May 8. 1945.

The prince stepped back and bowed his head in tribute after leaving his wreath.

Charles placed his wreath on behalf of the nation and the Commonwealth while William did so for the veterans and the Second World War generation.

At their side, watching from his wheelchair, was veteran Ken Hay, 99, who served in the infantry regiment.

Second World War artefacts including a gas mask and an air raid warden's helmet, representing the armed forces and the Home Front, were processed through the abbey.

The Royal Family stood with the congregation as the symbols of the conflict, from the Imperial War Museum's collection, were carried and placed near the High Altar.

Amid the hymns, wartime anthems formed the soundtrack to the anniversary commemorations with The White Cliffs Of Dover sung by Zizi Strallen and When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World) played by the RAF band.

At the end of the service, the tune of We'll Meet Again made famous by forces sweetheart the late Dame Vera Lynn will be heard.

The song was channelled in 2020 by the late Queen Elizabeth II, who expressed the sentiment in her televised address to the nation at the start of the pandemic.

On VE Day, the then-Princess Elizabeth, just 19, secretly celebrated among the crowds who gathered on the streets of London with sister Princess Margaret, jubilant that peace had come to Europe after Nazi Germany's surrender.

A setting of words from Psalm 46 by Sir John Rutter, which was composed specially for a service to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day in 2020 that was unable to go ahead due to the Covid-19 lockdown, will be performed for the first time on television today.

An extract of Sir Winston's VE Day speech will be played in the church, and actor Josh Dylan will read a moving letter by Fredrick Burgess, a serving soldier on the front line, written to his seven-year-old son.
Fans have praised The Prince and Princess of Wales for a touching tribute to fallen World War II soldiers - which was written without 'any pomp or circumstance'.

The Prince and Princess of Wales joined other members of the Royal Family as well as veterans and politicians at Westminster Abbey today to honour Second World War veterans and their generation.

The service began with a national two-minute silence at 12pm in honour of those who made sacrifices during the conflict, before King Charles and William laid wreaths of seasonal flowers.

A small detail on the handwritten message they penned to accompany their commemorative wreath caught the eye of royal enthusiasts.

'For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War, we will remember them,' the note read.

However, it was the way they signed their names, simply 'William' and 'Catherine', that impressed on onlookers.

'William and Catherine. No titles, no pomp, just their names,' one woman said on X.

'Oh, how lovely,' another replied.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have been applauded by fans after they signed their names simply 'William' and 'Catherine' on a handwritten note to honour veterans on VE Day

The royal couple joined other members of the Royal Family as well as veterans and politicians at Westminster Abbey today for a national service of thanksgiving for VE Day

The service began with a national two-minute silence at 12pm in honour of those who made sacrifices during the conflict, before King Charles and William laid wreaths

It comes after Meghan Markle posted an emotional birthday tribute to her eldest child Archie on his sixth birthday on Tuesday - but she did not use his title.

Sharing an image of her son standing on a balcony while looking at the sea during sunset, the mother-of-two revealed the couple hosted an 'incredibly special' party for Archie last weekend.

In a caption accompanying the snap, the Duchess of Sussex wrote: 'Our son. Our sun. Happy 6th birthday to Archie! Thank you for all of the love, prayers, and warm wishes for our sweet boy. Hes six! Where did the time go?

'(And for all of you who came to celebrate with us at his party last weekend, thank you for making his birthday so incredibly special).'

It was previously revealed that Meghan still calls herself Her Royal Highness to friends.

At the end of last month, the 43-year-old sparked controversy after her friend Jamie Kern Lima shared a picture of a food hamper with a note that said it was 'With the compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex'.

However, a spokesperson for the Sussexes denied she is flouting the Megxit deal agreed with the late Queen.

Although no laws were passed or documents signed to prevent their use, Harry and Meghan's agreement with the late Queen and senior officials was that they would stop using the word 'Royal' and their HRH titles after they quit duties and emigrated to the US to become 'financially independent' from the Crown.

'William and Catherine. No titles, no pomp, just their names,' one woman said on X in a response to the message atop a wreath of seasonal flowers

Meghan Markle shared an image of Archie (pictured) to mark his sixth birthday. She did not use his royal title in the caption accompanying the snap

The post, which omitted the young royal's title, comes after Meghan sparked controversy after it was revealed that she still calls herself Her Royal Highness to friends

Critics have said that the image of the note with some organic ice cream and jam, published, was a tacit plug for Meghan's As Ever lifestyle range, while also promoting her new podcast episode with her friend Jamie.

A source close to the royal couple suggested that the image shared by Jamie Kern Lima was taken before the Duchess launched her As Ever brand in early March.

They added that while Meghan and Harry do not publicly use 'HRH', their titles remain.

A source close to the royal couple suggested that the image shared by Jamie Kern Lima was taken before the Duchess launched her As Ever brand in early March.

They added that while Meghan and Harry do not publicly use 'HRH', their titles remain.

In the podcast, Jamie Kern Lima claimed that she had been sent the jam last year.

The Sussexes have never had their HRH taken away by Queen Elizabeth II or King Charles.

A spokesman for the Sussexes told MailOnline that they do not use HRH titles for commercial purposes.

Meghan Markle is pictured with her eldest child, Archie, who celebrated his sixth birthday on May 6

However, Jamie's hamper image suggests that Meghan does use it with friends and in personal correspondence.

The 'HRH, The Duchess of Sussex' note was spotted on a card by eagle-eyed royal fans last month.

The gift basket was sent to Meghan's friend, CEO of IT Cosmetics Jamie, when she had in-laws staying and the Duchess wanted to help out.

A screenshot of the hamper has since circulated online after featuring on Jamie's podcast on Sunday - and appears to feature the Duchess' homemade strawberry spread.

The basket also includes two jars of Straus organic ice cream, some flowers, mint, and the note with Meghan's royal title embellished on it.

Some royal fans reacted angrily, with one writing on X: 'I thought they couldn't use HRH?'

Another said: 'She's not to [use] it per the Queen!'

Royal commentator Ingrid Seward said: 'I think if her late grandmother-in-law Queen Elizabeth was still around she would be highly offended, as she was very sensitive about that.

The gift basket and HRH note was sent to Meghan's friend, CEO of IT Cosmetics Jamie Kern Lima. Meghan's spokesman denies that she is using it for commercial gain

'The Queen didn't remove HRH but told them not to use it. But she isn't here anymore so maybe Harry and Meghan think they can get away with it.'

She told The Sun: 'Remember she removed the HRH titles from both Diana and Sarah Ferguson'.

Buckingham Palace released a statement after Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals in January 2020 to embark on a new life together in California.

The statement said: 'The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.'

HRH, an abbreviation of His/Her Royal Highness, is used as part of the title of some members of the royal family.
The mom-to-be, 31, and her husband are expecting their baby boy this month

Tiffany Trump has shared a glimpse into the very luxurious nursey she has prepared ahead of her son's birth.

President Donald Trump's youngest daughter, 31, and her husband, Michael Boulos, are set to welcome their first child later this month.

And, with her due date fast approaching, the excited mom-to-be took to Instagram to reveal a glimpse of the kids' room set up and ready to go.

The adorable blue-and-white space - complete with a model Air Force One dangling from the ceiling - is decked out with a whole host of high-ticket items as well as a few softer touches.

The larger pieces of furniture that dominate the space include a white $700 convertible crib from Babyletto which boasts acrylic slats to offer parents 'the best views of their little one.'

'Modern and functional, an included toddler bed conversion kit allows you to seamlessly convert from crib to toddler bed to daybed as your babe grows,' the description reads online.

Tiffany also coordinated with a an all-white six-drawer dresser with a 'cushioned topper' - priced at $1,299 from Pottery Barn Kids.

Elsewhere, the nursey boasts a $1,628 sheepskin linen nursing chair from Oilo which 'swivels, gently glides, and reclines.'

Tiffany Trump has shared a glimpse into the very luxurious nursey she has prepared ahead of her son's birth

The larger pieces of furniture that dominate the space include a white $700 convertible crib from Babyletto which boasts acrylic slats to offer parents 'the best views of their little one'

Tiffany also coordinated with a an all-white six-drawer dresser with a 'cushioned topper' - priced at $1,299 from Pottery Barn Kids

The nursey boasts a $1,628 sheepskin linen nursing chair from Oilo which 'swivels, gently glides, and reclines'

Other smaller touches included $249 jumbo giraffe plushie from Pottery Barn Kids and a $119 woven hamper from Crate & Barrell as well as a small wooden lawn chair, an alphabet mural and a large custom sofa.

Tiffany proved her eye to detail after also adding a blue Hermes Avalon Cabriole blanket at $1,300, a Meli-Melo Plaid Louis Vuitton throw at $1,090 and an elephant-themed musical mobile from Living Textiles at $59.99.

The Peter Rabbit theme from Tiffany's baby shower was also replicated in the new space - with gentle touches including a cuddly toy and several of the book series.

In sharing the snaps, Tiffany described the light and airy space as her 'dream nursery' before crediting many of the brands and designers that helped bring it to life.

She first gave a shoutout to Louisiana-based company Posh Exclusive Interiors that specializes in stylish spaces with high-end materials and elegant aesthetics.

Each project ranges in price, but a typical job cost can range from $15,000 to a staggering $1 million, per Houzz.

The expectant mom also credited Door and Cabinet, FJ Kashanian Rugs and Ambella Home.

Tiffany publicly confirmed that she was expecting her first child in mid-December, months after her father announced it to the world.

Other smaller touches included $249 jumbo giraffe plushie from Pottery Barn Kids (left) and a $119 woven hamper from Crate & Barrell (right)

Tiffany proved her eye to detail after also adding a blue Hermes Avalon Cabriole blanket at $1,300

She also included a Meli-Melo Plaid Louis Vuitton throw at $1,090

Dangling from the crib, was an elephant-themed musical mobile from Living Textiles at $59.99

Donald excitedly shared the news that he was going to become a grandfather again while speaking at the Detroit Economic Club back in October.

He recognized several guests in the crowd, including businessman Massad Boulos, who is Tiffany's father-in-law, and then delivered the good news.

'He happens to be the father of Tiffany's husband, Michael, who's a very exceptional young guy,' said the President.

'And she's an exceptional young woman. And she's going to have a baby. So that's nice.'

Since then, she has been documenting her pregnancy online, often showcasing her growing baby bump in Instagram snaps and videos.
Fans of Sir David Attenborough have been left shocked after realising how many prestigious titles and Fellowships he holds.

The nature broadcaster, who turned 99 on Thursday, has achieved a lot in his lifetime, studying Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge before joining the BBC in 1952.

He has since travelled the world, discovering different climates in India, China and the Arctic, and reporting on numerous animal species - all while warning viewers about the effects of climate change and pollution.

Sir David was first knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth for his efforts in 1985 before receiving another knighthood, a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael And St George, by Charles, then Prince of Wales, in 2022.

But lovers of Sir David were left gobsmacked when they realised how many titles he actually holds.

Sir David has been awarded 11 titles over the years, which means he has more letters that come after his name than in it. These include OM, GSMG, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS, FSA, FRSA, FZS, FRSGS and FRSB.

David Attenborough is 17 letters, but the titles add up to a whopping 36 letters.

A page posted Sir David's impressive CV on X, which racked up many comments, with people applauding him for his work in the realm of wildlife, nature and the environment.

Sir David was first knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth for his efforts in 1985 before receiving another knighthood in 2022 (pictured)

One wrote: 'He deserves every single one of them.' Another penned: 'This wonderful man has seen and done so much.'

A third said: 'Thanks for narrating nature Sir. It was my Sundays as a kid.' A fourth joked: 'I think someone just accidentally leaned on the keyboard.'

Sir David holds the Order of Merit (OM), which is described by the Royal Family as a 'very special distinction' given to those who have significantly contributed to the 'the defacement of the Arts, Learning, Literature, and Science or such other exceptional service as we are fit to recognise.'

He also has had the Order of St Michael and St George bestowed upon him (GSMG). It is given to those who have given their service in a foreign country, or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs.

Sir David was also awarded the Companion of Honour (CH) for his contribution to the realm of science. Only 65 members at any one time are allowed to hold this title.

Dame Maggie Smith, Lord Coe, Stephen Hawking, John Major and Desmond Tutu were also awarded these titles. However, only few have both the Order of Merit and the Companion of Honour like Sir David.

Sir David holds the Order of Merit (OM), which is described by the Royal Family as a 'very special distinction'

A page posted Sir David's impressive CV on X, which racked up many comments

The environmentalist also has the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) under his belt. Those who are given this title must have given their personal service to the British monarchy.

Sir David was given the CVO in 1991 for producing the late Queen Elizabeth's Christmas broadcast a number of times over the years.

The nature lover has a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), which was created by King George V during World War I to reward services to the war effort.

CBE is the highest ranking Order of the British Empire award, followed by OBE and then MBE and it is given to those who have made a positive impact in their work.

Along with having many awards from the Firm, Sir David is also a Fellow at many charities that align with his life's work.

He has a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) title, which is granted for a substantial contribution to the advancement of science.

The biologist is also a member of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA), a charity made up of historians and archaeologists.

Sir David is also a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA), a charity championing social progress and sustainable development founded in 1754.

The historian is a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS) which is the world's oldest active biological society.

Sir David is a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London (FZS), a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (FRSGS) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB), all of which demonstrates his outstanding work to nature, wildlife and life sciences.
The Prince and Princess of Wales joined the King and Queen at the concert

The Prince and Princess of Wales looked to be in high spirits as they joined King Charles and Queen Camilla - as well as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh - at a deeply moving concert commemorating VE Day on Thursday.

William, 42, and Kate, 43, beamed as the stepped out for tonight's event at the Horse Guards Parade in London, presented by Zoe Ball, with performances echoing the historic celebrations 80 years ago.

It included music from the era, as well as stories of veterans from the Second World War - including a very emotional testimony of a man who lost his family during the Birmingham Blitz, delivered by Richard Armitage - who was seated along with 12,000 people in the audience.

Elsewhere, Their Majesties, Charles, 76, and Camilla, 77, smiled as they made an appearance for an evening of music, along with Prince Edward, 61, and his wife Sophie, 60.

The royals were animated as ever, and chatted away to veterans in the Royal Box all night, joining in with waving Union Jack flags around during the more upbeat performances.

The artists featured included the cast of World War II musical Operation Mincemeat, West End legend Samantha Barks - who offered her powerful rendition of We'll Meet Again to close off the show with no dry eye in the house - Fleur East, Calum Scott, John Newman, The Darkness, Toploader and Tom Walker.

Elsewhere, Brian Cox - celebrated for his role in Succession - delivered a moving re-enactment of Winston Churchill's iconic wartime speech.

Audiences were also be treated to recreations of scenes reviving the beloved TV series, Dad's Army. Other actors who lent their voices this evening were Joan Collins, Mary Berry and Sheila Hancock.

The Prince and Princess of Wales looked to be in high spirits as they joined King Charles and Queen Camilla - as well as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh - at a concert commemorating VE Day on Thursday

Elsewhere, Their Majesties, Charles, 76, and Camilla, 77, smiled as they made an appearance for an evening of music, along with Prince Edward, 61, and his wife Sophie, 60

William and Kate were all smiles as they made their appearance at the concert, with other members of the Royal Family, this afternoon

Kate - pictured - beamed as she chatted along with others in attendance at the Royal Box this afternoon

William (pictured) chuckled as he chatted with Sir Keir, the Prime Minister, who he sat next to this evening

In another moving moment tonight, the King used a keynote speech on the day Britain celebrated the end of war in Europe 80 years ago to call for greater efforts towards global peace

With conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East and across the African continent, His Majesty suggested it was timely to remind ourselves of the words of our great wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill, who said 'Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war'

It was timed to echo the wartime address of King George VI to the nation on VE Day eight decades ago

The King added: 'It is now eighty years since my grandfather, King George VI, announced to the nation and the Commonwealth that 'the dreadful shadow of war has passed from our hearths and our homes'. The liberation of Europe was secured

The King highlighted similar anniversaries across Europe over the course of the last year, ranging from Monte Cassino to Arnhem

He also spoke of how 'profoundly moved' he was to have joined the veterans of D-Day last June in Normandy 'as they returned to honour their comrades who never came home'

Charles called for peace - as he made a poignant speech at the moving VE Day concert this evening

The King reflected on his mother's experiences with celebrating VE Day - which the concert commemorated

The Royals in attendance included the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh

The King and Queen waving their flags as they leave the concert this evening, which took place in London

Camilla, pictured, was the image of elegance as she attended the concert with her husband tonight

Kate, pictured, beamed as she enjoyed tonight's concert with her husband, Prince William, in London

Prince Edward and his wife Sophie were among the royals in attendance at the concert this evening

The Queen beamed as she chatted with others in the Royal Box during tonight's very moving concert

King Charles, pictured, was all smiles as he attended the concert, with other royals, this evening

Samantha Barks - pictured - finished off the concert with a very moving rendition of wartime classic We'll Meet Again

Willard White was among the impressive musicians who performed poignant ballads at the concert

Richard Armitage (left) with Blitz orphan Jeff Borsak during the concert this evening, after delivering a moving speech

Richard had audiences tearing up as he delivered a very emotional account of a boy orphaned in the war

Performers dressed as Kings Guard performed during the concert celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day

Toploader, the band, performed their hit tune, Dancing in the Moonlight on the VE Day concert stage

Host Zoe Ball, donning a glitzy dress, spoke on stage as she introduced various acts throughout the evening

Iain Glen, Dylan Llewellyn, guest, guest, Kevin Eldon, Daniel Mays and David Bradley performed scenes from Dad's Army

Rom Walker, pictured, performed on stage during the concert - in a moving performance this evening

Victor Ray, pictured, was among the glitzy performers who took part in the concert this evening

Brian Cox performed excerpts from the speeches of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill

Justin Hawkins of The Darkness during the concert celebrating VE Day's 80th anniversary this evening

John Newman, pictured, was among the talented performers who took to the stage this evening

Keala Settle, pictured, performed a powerful ballad as she joined other singers and actors on stage tonight

Fleur East performing an homage to music from the era, as she performs at the VE Day concert tonight

Strictly Pro dancers Michelle Tsiakkas and Kai Widdrington during the concert celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day

Emma Barton, Claire Sweeney and Michelle Hardwick performing a tribute to The Andrew Sisters

The concert included music from the era, as well as stories of veterans from the Second World War, with 12,000 people in the audience

In another moving moment tonight, the King used a keynote speech on the day Britain celebrated the end of war in Europe 80 years ago to call for greater efforts towards global peace.

King Charles's speech in full Ladies and Gentlemen, It is now eighty years since my grandfather, King George VI, announced to the nation and the Commonwealth that the dreadful shadow of war has passed from our hearths and our homes. The liberation of Europe was secured. His words echo down through history as all this week, and especially today, we unite to celebrate and remember with an unwavering and heartfelt gratitude, the service and sacrifice of the wartime generation who made that hard-fought victory possible. While our greatest debt is owed to all those who paid the ultimate price, we should never forget how the war changed the lives of virtually everyone. Now, as then, we are united in giving utmost thanks to all those who served in the Armed Forces, the uniformed services, the Home Front - indeed all the people of this country, the Commonwealth and beyond whose firm resolve and fortitude helped destroy Nazism and carry our allied nations through to V.E. Day. That debt can never truly be repaid; but we can, and we will, remember them. Over the course of the last year, there have been 80th anniversaries across Europe, from the hills of Monte Cassino to the Lower Rhine at Arnhem. Last June, my wife and I were profoundly moved to join veterans of D-Day at the new national memorial overlooking Gold Beach, as they returned to honour their comrades who never came home. In January, as the world marked the liberation of Auschwitz, I met survivors whose stories of unspeakable horror were the most vivid reminder of why Victory in Europe truly was the triumph of good over evil. All these moments, and more, combine to lead us to this day, when we recall both those darkest days and the great jubilation when the threat of death and destruction was finally lifted from our shores. The celebration that evening was marked by my own late mother who, just nineteen-years-old, described in her diary how she mingled anonymously in the crowds across central London and, in her own words, walked for miles among them. The rejoicing continued into the next day, when she wrote: Out in the crowd again. Embankment, Piccadilly. Rained, so fewer people. Conga-ed into House. Sang till 2 a.m. Bed at 3 a.m.! The Allied victory being celebrated then, as now, was a result of unity between nations, races, religions and ideologies, fighting back against an existential threat to humanity. Their collective endeavour remains a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when countries stand together in the face of tyranny. But even as we rejoice again today, we must also remember those who were still fighting, still living with conflict and starvation on the other side of the world. For them, peace would not come until months later with V.J. Day  Victory in the Pacific  which my father witnessed at first-hand from the deck of his destroyer, H.M.S. Whelp. In remembering the past, we must also look to the future. As the number of those who lived through the Second World War so sadly dwindles, the more it becomes our duty to carry their stories forward, to ensure their experiences are never to be forgotten. We must listen, learn and share, just as communities across the nation have been doing this week at local street parties, religious services and countless small acts of remembrance and celebration. And as we reach the conclusion of the 80th Anniversary commemorations, we should remind ourselves of the words of our great wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill, who said Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war. In so doing, we should also rededicate ourselves not only to the cause of freedom but to renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict. For as my grandfather put it: We shall have failed, and the blood of our dearest will have flowed in vain, if the victory which they died to win does not lead to a lasting peace, founded on justice and established in good will. Just as those exceptional men and women fulfilled their duty to each other, to humankind, and to God, bound by an unshakeable commitment to nation and service, in turn it falls to us to protect and continue their precious legacy  so that one day hence generations yet unborn may say of us: they too bequeathed a better world. Advertisement

With conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East and across the African continent, His Majesty suggested it was timely to remind ourselves of the words of our great wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill, who said 'Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war'.

'In so doing, we should also rededicate ourselves not only to the cause of freedom but to renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict,' he said.

'For as my grandfather [King George VI, who was monarch during the Second World War] put it: "We shall have failed, and the blood of our dearest will have flowed in vain, if the victory which they died to win does not lead to a lasting peace, founded on justice and established in good will."

'Just as those exceptional men and women fulfilled their duty to each other, to humankind, and to God, bound by an unshakeable commitment to nation and service, in turn it falls to us to protect and continue their precious legacy  so that one day hence generations yet unborn may say of us: "they too bequeathed a better world".'

It was timed to echo the wartime address of King George VI to the nation on VE Day eight decades ago.

The King added: 'It is now eighty years since my grandfather, King George VI, announced to the nation and the Commonwealth that "the dreadful shadow of war has passed from our hearths and our homes". The liberation of Europe was secured.

'His words echo down through history as all this week, and especially today, we unite to celebrate and remember with an unwavering and heartfelt gratitude, the service and sacrifice of the wartime generation who made that hard-fought victory possible. While our greatest debt is owed to all those who paid the ultimate price, we should never forget how the war changed the lives of virtually everyone.

'Now, as then, we are united in giving utmost thanks to all those who served in the Armed Forces, the uniformed services, the Home Front - indeed all the people of this country, the Commonwealth and beyond whose firm resolve and fortitude helped destroy Nazism and carry our allied nations through to V.E. Day. 'That debt can never truly be repaid; but we can, and we will, remember them.'

The King highlighted similar anniversaries across Europe over the course of the last year, ranging from Monte Cassino to Arnhem.

He also spoke of how 'profoundly moved' he was to have joined the veterans of D-Day last June in Normandy 'as they returned to honour their comrades who never came home'.

Highlighting his visit to Poland in January to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz, he spoke of meeting survivors 'whose stories of unspeakable horror were the most vivid reminder of why Victory in Europe truly was the triumph of good over evil.'

Charles continued: 'All these moments, and more, combine to lead us to this day, when we recall both those darkest days and the great jubilation when the threat of death and destruction was finally lifted from our shores.'

In a sweet personal tribute he also recalled the experience of his own mother, then Princess Elizabeth, who memorably recalled in her diary how, at the age of just nineteen, mingled anonymously in the crowds across central London and 'walked for miles' among them.

'The rejoicing continued into the next day, when she wrote: "Out in the crowd again. Embankment, Piccadilly. Rained, so fewer people. Conga-ed into House. Sang till 2am. Bed at 3am.!"' the King said.

He added: 'I do hope your celebrations tonight are almost as joyful, although I rather doubt I shall have the energy to sing until 2am, let alone lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace!'

Returning to his theme of global peace and unity, Charles highlighted how the Allied victory 80 years ago was the result 'of unity between nations, races, religions and ideologies, fighting back against an existential threat to humanity'.

He said: 'Their collective endeavour remains a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when countries stand together in the face of tyranny.

'But even as we rejoice again today, we must also remember those who were still fighting, still living with conflict and starvation on the other side of the world.

'For them, peace would not come until months later with V.J. Day  Victory in the Pacific  which my father witnessed at first-hand from the deck of his destroyer, H.M.S. Whelp.'

The King said it was their legacy - and our responsibility today - to remember the past by looking to the future.

'As the number of those who lived through the Second World War so sadly dwindles, the more it becomes our duty to carry their stories forward, to ensure their experiences are never to be forgotten,' he said.

'We must listen, learn and share, just as communities across the nation have been doing this week at local street parties, religious services and countless small acts of remembrance and celebration.'

The Prince held a Union Jack flag as he chatted to his wife, the Princess of Wales, at tonight's concert

Kate accessorised her ensemble with pearls - both in her necklace and in her earrings - for the concert tonight

William and Kate, pictured, looked to enjoy a chat with one another as they took in the concert tonight

William and Kate waved Union Jack flags around, as they took in the poignant performances tonight

Kate and William, pictured, were in high spirits as they enjoyed the music and speeches this evening

Queen Camilla, pictured, was all smiles as she attended, along with her husband King Charles, this evening

William and Kate, pictured, held onto their flags as they chatted with others in the Royal Box today

The Royal Box featured not only members of the family, but honoured and respected veterans this evening

Charles and Camilla were both in high spirits as they held onto Union Jack flags this evening, at the concert

Charles wore a navy pin-stripe suit, whereas Camilla sported a smart black jacket for the event tonight

Camilla,wearing a black and white embroidered ensemble, was in high spirits as she attended this evening

The Prince and Princess of Wales pictured during the concert celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day

Kate tied her tresses back, with a velvet bow, and opted for an all-white ensemble for the concert

The Prince and Princess smiled as they enjoyed chatting with others in the Royal Box this evening

Kate clapped and smiled as she enjoyed the music - and very poignant performances - this evening

William enjoyed an animated conversation with the Prime Minister, Sir Keir, at the concert today

The Prince and Princess waved Union Jack flags together, as they enjoyed moving and exciting performances

William and Kate, pictured, could be seen enjoying conversations with one another as the concert kicked off

Charles chatted to, and shook hands, with respected guests in the Royal Box in attendance this evening

Charles and Camilla waved Union Jack flags together, while watching the many moving performances this evening

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, opted for a pastel pink ensemble - accessorised with golden earrings

The Duchess smiled as she enjoyed chatting with others in attendance at the Royal Box this evening

The Duchess threw a dusky pink scarf over her outfit this evening, wearing her blonde hair back

Sophie, pictured clapping and holding onto a Union Jack, was among the royals in attendance at the concert this evening

Pictured: The Duchess of Gloucester chatting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the concert this evening

Kate, the Princess of Wales received a kiss from veteran Harry Richardson as she attended the concert

Charles giggled with other guests, as he happily waved a Union Jack flag in attendance at the concert

William held onto a Union Jack flag, as did his wife Kate, as the pair enjoyed the moving concert

William and Kate were all smiles as they took in the very moving performances this evening at the concert

William and Kate smiled as they chatted, while attending the concert with other Royal Family members

The Princess beamed, sporting an all-white outfit, as she and William sat next to one another this evening

Charles couldn't hold his grin back - as he made an appearance at the concert, with his wife, this evening

A beaming Charles waved at delighted wellwishers as he made an appearance at the event this evening

Charles and Camilla were all smiles as they made their way to their seats for the concert this evening

The King - who made a moving speech at the event - was pictured waving at crowds from the Royal Box

The King and Queen were in high spirits as they enjoyed attending the concert together this evening

Charles, looking dapper in a pin-stripe suit, was in high spirits as he and his wife made their arrival

Kate laughed along with other guests as she beamed on arrival at the concert - along with her husband

Kate shook hands with Sir Keir, as she made her way to her seat for the moving concert this evening

The Princess was glamorous, opting for a sophisticated make-up look, as she attended the concert

Kate showed off a stunning velvet bow, as she pinned her hair back in an up-do, for the evening concert

The Princess of Wales stunned in an all-white ensemble for the concert - in London - this evening

Kate was a vision in a monochrome look, featuring a tulle and lace skirt and white blazer, this evening

Kate donned a string of pearls to accessorise, whereas William opted for a black suit and blue tie

The Princess pulled her tresses back in an updo, adorned with a black bow, for the evening of music

The royal wore her long locks, which were gently waved, in an up-do and kept her make-up glamorous

The Prince and Prime Minister appeared to be in deep conversation as they exchanged greetings today

King Charles III pictured waving during the live celebratory concert to conclude the national V-E Day

William and Kate smiled as they made their arrivals for the VE Day concert this evening, along with the King and Queen

The Prince and Princess of Wales looked to be in high spirits as they joined King Charles and Queen Camilla at a concert commemorating VE Day on Thursday

Elsewhere, Their Majesties, Charles, 76, and Camilla, 77, smiled as they made an appearance for an evening of music

Pictured: Veterans arriving for the celebratory concert, commemorating VE Day, taking place this evening

Veterans, pictured, made their arrival for the concert, set to include a number of moving performances, this evening

The royals were effortlessly elegant as they attended the festivities this evening. Mother-of-three Kate stunned in an all-white ensemble, rewearing an effortlessly elegant Cream Tailored Boucle and Chiffon Midi Dress by Self-Portrait.

It featured a blazer-like top bodice which cinched at the waist, teamed with a flowing tulle and lace skirt.

To accessorise, the Princess donned a string of pearls, and ornate earrings.

Boosting her height, Kate wore some beige suede heels and also carried onto a black leather clutch.

She kept her make-up sophisticated and glam, with a smokey shadow that accentuated her eyes and a dusky pink lipstick.

And pinning her long wavy tresses back, the Princess wore a hair bow from Jigsaw.

Her husband, William, meanwhile was smart in a black suit - and deep blue tie.

Elsewhere, looking dapper, Charles wore a lounge suit with medals and neck order Meanwhile, his wife Camilla opted for a navy blue and white jumpsuit by Anna Valentine with a long navy blue embroidered coat.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Lady Victoria Starmer pictured arriving for the concert

Sir Keir pictured greeting Rachel Reeves, as they take their seats for the concert taking place this evening

Angela and Sir Keir pictured chatting as they both took their seats ahead of the concert this evening

Angela held onto a Union Jack Flag as she greeted Keir, the Prime Minister, ahead of the concert

Sir Keir and Rachel, pictured clapped and held onto Union Jack flags as they attended this evening

The pair were among the VIPs in attendance at the concert, commemorating VE Day, this evening

Lisa Nandy pictured ahead of the concert, which is taking place this evening to commemorate VE Day

Angela Rayner, who is among the guests this evening, pictured enjoying lively conversation ahead of the concert

Yvette Cooper and Angela Rayner pictured chatting as they took their seats at the concert this evening

Keir Starmer and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, pictured greeting one another with a hug during the concert

Defence Secretary John Healey pictured among those in attendance this evening, for the moving concert

Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle (centre) pictured taking his seat ahead of the concert

Also in attendance this evening was Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, pictured taking her seat

Britain's Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and her husband Ed Balls pictured among the concert arrivals

Leader of the Opposition and of the Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch (right) was among the guests

Members of the audience pictured waving their Union flags during the concert celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day

A general view of concert goers during a concert to mark the 80th Anniversary of VE Day at Horse Guards Parade

Pictured: A guest dressed in a Union Jack suit attended the concert to mark the 80th Anniversary of VE Day

Pictured: A smiling, Union Jack-clad attendee enjoying herself ahead of the concert starting up this evening

Red, white and blue were the theme which many attendees incorporated in their ensembles this evening

People posing for a photo with a Winston Churchill lookalike at the concert celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day

Excited guests accessorised their costumes in fun and unique ways this evening - including a giant rose

Bucket hats and fedoras were aplenty as concertgoers made very dapper fashion choices, featuring Union Jacks

Taking their seats, many in the audience were happy to wave their flags ahead of tonight's concert

One delighted audience member sported a Union Jack waistcoat for tonight's festivities - as well as a hat

Audiences sported Union Jack ensembles to commemorate the 80 year anniversary of VE Day this evening

Attendees showed up clad in red, white and blue, as they readied to tune into an evening of music

Commemorative hats and flags were at the ready as thousands attended the concert this evening

Those in attendance stuck to theme, and opted to commemorate the colours of the union jack in their outfits

Brits waved their flags as they showed up to attend the concert at the historic Horse Guards Parade

Pictured left to right: Emma Barton, Michelle Hardwick and Claire Sweeney who are performing as The Andrew Sisters at the celebratory concert

Left to right: Neil Jones, Carlos Gu, Karen Hauer, Amy Dowden, Kai Widdrington and Lauren Oakley arriving ahead of the concert

To accessorise, she donned a Britannia brooch, featuring the union flag, which belonged to her late mother-in-law; Queen Elizabeth II.

It comes as earlier today, Kate made a heartfelt tribute to her mother-in-law as she joined members of the Royal Family for a service marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day at Westminster Abbey.

She took to today's Service of Thanksgiving in London to remember the end of the Second World War in Europe and to commemorate those who fought to bring peace to Europe and the rest of the world.

The mother-of-three was accompanied by her husband Prince William, and opted for a striking ensemble today, complete with a black and white polka dot Alessandra Rich dress and a black fascinator by Juliette Botterill.

Kate added a sentimental touch to her outfit by adding a pair of earrings that previously belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales.

The earrings, gifted to Diana before her wedding to the then-Prince Charles in 1981, became Diana's firm favourites and she sported them on royal tours of Australia, Canada and Italy.

Collingwood, a jewellery firm that was a favourite of the Spencer family, presented them to Diana before she became Princess of Wales.

Diana wore them on several occasions throughout her marriage, including during her tour of the US in 1985, where she paired them with a lacy white gown and the Lover's Knot tiara for a gala dinner at the British Embassy.

It was revealed that Kate would attend today's Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in February

Earlier today, Kate put on an elegant display in a black and white polka dot dress from Alessandra Rich dress and a black fascinator by Juliette Botterill

Kate and Queen Camilla are seen at the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London

Diana also sported them with the form-fitting black dress she wore at the Vanity Fair party at the Serpentine Gallery in November 1994 in London, which then later became known as the Revenge Dress.

Kate has donned the earrings as a sweet nod to her late mother-in-law several times, including in her official portrait marking her 40th birthday.

Elsewhere today, William looked smart in a navy suit with a household decision tie and Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Neck Order. He also donned gold jubilee, diamond jubilee, platinum jubilee, and coronation medals.

It was announced in February that mother-of-three Kate, who has made a gradual return to public duties following cancer treatment, would be attending today.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla led a host of senior royals in London as they commemorated the sacrifices of Second World War veterans and their generation.

They were joined by Prince William, Kate, Prince Edward, Sophie, Princess Anne, Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was also present as well as former PMs such as Rishi Sunak, Lord David Cameron and Boris Johnson - but there was unsurprisingly no Prince Harry or Meghan Markle, five years after they stepped down as senior royals.

A handwritten note on a wreath from the Prince and Princess of Wales said: 'For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War, we will remember them.' Another from the King on his wreath stated: 'We will never forget.'

On May 8, 1945 the nation celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day with church bells ringing out across the country and people gathering to revel in the end of hostilities, with crowds gathering outside Buckingham Palace calling for King George VI.

After almost six years of fighting against Hitler's Nazi regime peace was declared, although the war against Japan would continue until August 15 that year.

During today's service ten-year-old Alexander Churchill, the great-great-grandson of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, lit a candle of peace as young members of the congregation handed out white roses to Second World War veterans.

The live televised service on BBC One began with a national two-minute silence at 12pm in honour of those who made sacrifices during the conflict, both on the front line and at home, to protect people's freedom and shared values.

Members of the Royal Family began arriving at Westminster Abbey at about 11.50am. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh made their way into the historic church, followed by the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Also present were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

Today's event comes after the Royal Family paid tribute to veterans at a VE Day memorial in London on Monday.

Kate joined her husband Prince William and children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis as they put on a united front following Prince Harry's call for 'reconciliation'.

King Charles and Queen Camilla also watched the commemorations marking the end of the Second World War in Europe.

The Prince and Princess of Wales bowed their heads as they paid tribute to people killed in conflict

Kate laid flowers at the Innocent Victims' Memorial on Thursday following a Service of Thanksgiving

A young girl handed Kate with the bouquet before she laid them down at the Innocent Victims' Memorial

Their royal highnesses each cut sombre figures as they stood at the memorial

Kate was the picture of elegance and poise as she laid floral tributes at the Innocent Victims' Memorial following the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

Kate greeted Second World War veterans and guests following a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

The Princess of Wales laid flowers on the Innocent Victims' Memorial after the Thanksgiving Service had concluded

Kate elegantly bent down to lay the posy of flowers at the memorial while flanked by Prince William

Mother-of-three Kate was glowing in a berry ensemble, rewearing her beloved Emilia Wickstead pleated coat dress, alongside a matching Sean Barrett pillbox hat with a bow, beige Gianvito Rossi 105 pointed pumps, and earrings.

She added a gold winged RAF brooch to pay tribute to a deep family connection on her side of the family - her paternal grandfather Peter Middleton, who served as a fighter pilot during the Second World War.

While observing the military procession along the Mall, Kate sat with her daughter Princess Charlotte - who recently celebrated her 10th birthday.

She was also seen chatting animatedly with 101-year-old Bernard Morgan, Ambassador for the Royal British Legion, who was the youngest RAF sergeant to land on D-Day.

They were joined by Prince George, 11, and Prince Louis, seven, who kept William looking sharp by brushing off his uniform on the specially built dais on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace.

Discussing the events, a palace aide said: 'The King, Queen and other members of The Royal Family are much looking forward to all the week's VE Day events, when they will unite with the rest of the nation and those across the Commonwealth and wider world in celebrating, commemorating and giving thanks to the wartime generation whose selfless devotion duty and service should stand as an enduring example to us all  and must never be forgotten.'

Meanwhile, Charles was wearing Naval Uniform No.1 dress, with no medals or decorations, as his grandfather King George VI wore on the palace balcony on VE Day in 1945  while William wore RAF No.1 Uniform.

Camilla was dressed in a sapphire blue wool crepe dress and coat, by Fiona Clare, with the 12th Royal Lancers Brooch, the regiment of her late father Major Bruce Shand.

Pictured: (From L to R, front row) King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and the Princess of Wales and (L to R, back row) the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent at the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate at Westminster Abbey this afternoon

Today's event follows Monday's fly past, which the Prince and Princess of Wales watched with their children (from L to R) Prince George, Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte

The Duke of Edinburgh wore Army No.2 Service Dress of the Scots Guards, while Duke of Kent wore Field Marshal No.2 Service Dress.

Princess Anne, who was also present, wore the uniform of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal's Volunteer Corps) with no decorations.

The late Queen Elizabeth II, as Princess Elizabeth, wore the military uniform for her palace balcony appearance on VE Day 1945 as a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Services.

Nato allies joined 1,300 members of the armed forces for the procession in the city, and the words of Sir Winston Churchill's 1945 victory speech were spoken by actor Timothy Spall to kick off events for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

In Whitehall, the Cenotaph was draped in a large Union flag, with the south and north face of the landmark covered. It was the first time the war memorial has been draped in Union flags since it was unveiled by King George V more than a century ago, in 1920.

Crowds started to gather on The Mall on Monday morning, with some arriving the day before to secure a good viewing spot. Caroline Tomlinson, 59, travelled from Doncaster to witness the parade and camped overnight.

Dressed in Union flags, she said: 'I've been watching lots of footage from 1945 when everybody was gathering outside the palace, so just great to be a part of it here we are again 80 years later to do the very same. I got here at 2pm yesterday afternoon, sat in the red chair all night, had a little bit of sleep.

'I'm used to this, I've been to the other events. I've been to the Platinum Jubilee, the Coronation, the Queen's funeral, Royal weddings. Sleeping over is now my thing. It was very cold but I dressed accordingly and got through it. Slept about three times in one-hour bursts.

'I came here alone, the community is always so lovely. I'm absolutely hoping to catch a glimpse of the Royals.'

Michael Burn, 67, arrived at The Mall outside Buckingham Palace on Monday morning. Dressed head to toe in a Union flag suit he said: 'Obviously I'm very patriotic so I make the most of any of these events, the coronation or anything like that I'll be here.

'I think we've been very lucky that we've had 80 years of peace and these are very troubled times at the moment and we've got to think about all those that have the ultimate sacrifice and there's very few of them left now because they're all over 100. This is the last time we will celebrate the day in this sort of scale.'

Speaking of his suit and holding a seven foot Union flag he said: 'I bought this for the London 2012 Olympics and have worn it at every Royal event since. 'I can still get into it,' he joked.

Lizzie McCrae MacIntyre, a retired Women's Royal Air Force veteran, arrived at the Admiralty Arch at 4am to see the parade.

Ms MacIntyre, who travelled from Surrey, said: 'It's so important to remember those that didn't make it home. My dad was military, my brother was Air Force.'
Disney fans have threatened to 'boycott' the new Lilo & Stitch live-action remake after a shocking new detail emerged.

The new film is set to hit theaters on May 23 - nearly 23 years after the beloved animate classic captured the globe.

But supporters of the original 2002 movie were left outraged when the director of the new version admitted that they took out one of the most popular moments.

In fact, many fans have now announced that they won't go see the upcoming film in theaters thanks to the change.

Lilo & Stitch follows an alien monster who accidentally ends up on Earth after escaping from his creator.

Two aliens named Jumba and Pleakley head to Earth to hunt him down, while a Hawaiian girl name Lilo adopts him believing that he's a dog.

Stitch naturally causes mayhem for Lilo and her older sister, Nani, all while Jumba and Pleakley are always hilariously one step behind him.

Throughout their journey to try to get Stitch back, Jumba and Pleakley are forced to wear disguises in an attempt to try to look human - and in the original, Pleakley opts to wear a dress and women's wig.

Disney fans have threatened to 'boycott' the new Lilo & Stitch live-action remake after a shocking new detail emerged

The new film is set to hit theaters on May 23 - nearly 23 years after the beloved animate classic captured the globe

But supporters of the original 2002 movie were left outraged when the director of the new version admitted that they took out one of the most popular moments

But in the trailer for the new version, many were quick to notice that Pleakley was disguised as a man rather than a woman.

Now, in a new video shared to TikTok, director Dean Fleischer Camp confirmed that Pleakley does not dress as a female in the live-action remake.

His admission came while he was responding to some of the comments that were left on the trailer for the live-action Lilo & Stitch.

When one fan asked why Pleakley wasn't seen in his iconic dress, he explained, 'I have had people message me saying, 'Why is Pleakley not wearing the dress?''

'And I just want to say, I tried,' the director added, as he looked angrily at the camera.

An image of his original concepts for the film then flashed across the screen, which showed Pleakley indeed wearing women's clothing and a long-haired red wig.

But Dean's confirmation that Pleakley will not dress as a woman in the new movie left fans all across the globe outraged, and they rushed to the comment section to slam Disney over it.

'Baby when he said he tried, he means Disney said no. Given the political climate - it's not shocking Disney wanted no part,' one user theorized. 'Sad, but I won't blame the director. I'll blame Disney.

During the movie, characters Jumba and Pleakley wear disguises in an attempt to try to look human - and in the original, Pleakley opts to wear a dress and women's wig

But in the trailer for the new version, many were quick to notice that Pleakley was disguised as a man rather than a woman

Now, in a new video shared to TikTok, director Dean Fleischer Camp confirmed that Pleakley does not dress as a female in the live-action remake

When one fan asked why Pleakley wasn't seen in his iconic dress, he responded, 'I tried.' An image of his original concepts for the film then flashed across the screen, which showed Pleakley indeed wearing women's clothing and a long-haired red wig

Someone else replied to that comment, 'And not see the movie, right? If Disney is afraid to include drag, and you recognize that as shameful, why go?

'If you wait you can still appreciate it without paying ticket prices.'

'If you give money to the movie, you are rewarding the company for behavior and choices like this,' another user added.

'Disney are such cowards if they don't include Pleakley in a wig and dress no way a movie made for an audience 20 plus years ago had a more accepting climate than current times, we're really regressing,' scathed a different viewer.

'I'm glad to hear you tried but still really disappointed in the decision,' a fifth comment read.

A sixth said, 'I don't blame you, but I won't be watching this simply because Disney has been making horrible choices lately that are too conservative.'

'Dean tell me exact who told you 'no' on the Pleakley dress I just wanna have a few words,' someone else commented.

'Why would you revealed the Pleakley [news] before the movie came out? You just gave everyone a reason not to go,' said another user.

'I'm going to skip this one in theaters because they changed Pleakley... I fear the soul of this movie has been lost and [that's a] warning sign of it,' announced a different person.

Dean's confirmation that Pleakley will not dress as a woman in the new movie left fans all across the globe outraged, and some said they were not going to see it in theaters because of it

Upset fans also flooded X, formerly Twitter, with one writing, 'I'm so serious when I say boycott Lilo & Stitch if Disney didn't put Pleakley in a bob and a dress.

'It's crystal clear catering to the fascist and anti-trans rhetoric plaguing the world right now. F**k Disney.'

'GIVE ME PLEAKLEY IN A DRESS OR CANCEL THE MOVIE,' another angry user said.

DailyMail.com has contacted Disney for comment.

Disney has taken numerous strides to become more inclusive in recent years, but some people have felt that the company has gone too far in its 'woke' decision making as of late.

Its recent live-action remake of Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler was marred in controversy, facing immense backlash over a series of changes it made from the original - including reimagining the Seven Dwarfs as a diverse group of 'magical creatures' of all heights, gender and race.
The Princess of Wales put her best fashion foot forward in a chic monochrome ensemble as she attended the concert commemorating VE Day on Thursday evening.

Kate, 43, contrasted an all-white dress with accents of black accessories for the event.

The mother-of-three stepped out in a glamorous pure white Self Portrait blazer dress, turning heads as she joined her husband, Prince William, 42, in honouring those who took part in the war effort at Horse Guards Parade in London.

The elegant 400 frock - which channels old Hollywood glamour - is made from boucle, chiffon and fine lace and looks like two separate garments upon first glance.

Ever the epitome of style and grace, the mother-of-three understands the strength in a good core wardrobe, as she the statement gown in 2021 and 2022.

Kate decided to accessorise her look with pearl earrings and a necklace from Susan Caplan, a talented jewellery who was also behind the royal's accessories when she attended the Holocaust Memorial Service in January.

In a post, Susan on Instagram said: 'We are honoured that the Princess of Wales has chosen to wear our earrings & necklace for the VE Day concert in Horse Guards Parade, marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.'

The Princess also pulled her wavy chocolate brown tresses back and fastened them in place with a 20 black bow hairclip from one of her favourite high street stores, Jigsaw.

Kate first sported the oversized black velvet bow in December, for the Royal Foundation carol service at Westminster Abbey, and the accessory was hailed a 'triumph' by the Mail's fashion editor.

The Princess of Wales turned heads as she stepped out in a glamorous pure white Self Portrait blazer dress

Kate pulled her wavy chocolate brown tresses back and fastened them in place with a 20 black bow hairclip from one of her favourite high street stores, Jigsaw

Kate decided to accessorise her look with pearl earrings and a necklace from Susan Caplan, a talented jewellery who was also behind the royal's accessories when she attended the Holocaust Memorial Service in January

She paired her sophisticated ensemble with pointed nude heels, a stacked pearl necklace to match her earrings and a Chanel black crossbody bag with gold metal detailing.

She donned glamorous makeup for the occasion, opting for grey smoky eyeshadow and a natural base with a hint of contour.

Kate was snapped beaming alongside her husband as they stepped out for the event which will see performances echoing the historic celebrations 80 years ago.

It included music from the era, as well as stories of veterans from the Second World War, with 12,000 people in the audience.

Elsewhere, Their Majesties, Charles, 76, and Camilla, 77, smiled as they made an appearance for an evening of music.

The artists featured included the cast of World War II musical Operation Mincemeat, West End legend Samantha Barks - who will offer her powerful rendition of We'll Meet Again - Fleur East, Calum Scott, John Newman, The Darkness, Toploader and Tom Walker.

The Prince and Princess of Wales looked to be in high spirits as they joined King Charles and Queen Camilla - as well as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh - at a concert commemorating VE Day on Thursday

William and Kate were all smiles as they made their appearance at the concert, with other members of the Royal Family, this afternoon

Kate - pictured - beamed as she chatted along with others in attendance at the Royal Box this afternoon

The Prince and Princess of Wales pictured during the concert celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day

Kate paired her sophisticated ensemble with pointed nude heels, a stacked pearl necklace to match her earrings and a Chanel black crossbody bag with gold metal detailing

The Princess pulled her tresses back in an updo, adorned with a black bow, for the evening of music

William (pictured) chuckled as he chatted with Sir Keir, the Prime Minister, who he sat next to this evening

The Prince and Prime Minister appeared to be in deep conversation as they exchanged greetings today

King Charles III pictured waving during the live celebratory concert to conclude the national V-E Day

William and Kate smiled as they made their arrivals for the VE Day concert this evening, along with the King and Queen

The Prince and Princess of Wales looked to be in high spirits as they joined King Charles and Queen Camilla at a concert commemorating VE Day on Thursday

Elsewhere, Their Majesties, Charles, 76, and Camilla, 77, smiled as they made an appearance for an evening of music

Pictured: Veterans arriving for the celebratory concert, commemorating VE Day, taking place this evening

Veterans, pictured, made their arrival for the concert, set to include a number of moving performances, this evening

Elsewhere, Brian Cox - celebrated for his role in Succession - delivered a moving re-enactment of Winston Churchill's iconic wartime speech.

Audiences were also be treated to recreations of scenes reviving the beloved TV series, Dad's Army. Other actors who leant their voices this evening were Joan Collins, Mary Berry and Sheila Hancock.

It comes as earlier today, Kate made a heartfelt tribute to her mother-in-law as she joined members of the Royal Family for a service marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day at Westminster Abbey.

She took to today's Service of Thanksgiving in London to remember the end of the Second World War in Europe and to commemorate those who fought to bring peace to Europe and the rest of the world.

The mother-of-three was accompanied by her husband Prince William, and opted for a striking ensemble today, complete with a black and white polka dot Alessandra Rich dress and a black fascinator by Juliette Botterill.

Kate added a sentimental touch to her outfit by adding a pair of earrings that previously belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales. The earrings, gifted to Diana before her wedding to the then-Prince Charles in 1981, became Diana's firm favourites and she sported them on royal tours of Australia, Canada and Italy.

Collingwood, a jewellery firm that was a favourite of the Spencer family, presented them to Diana before she became Princess of Wales.

Diana wore them on several occasions throughout her marriage, including during her tour of the US in 1985, where she paired them with a lacy white gown and the Lover's Knot tiara for a gala dinner at the British Embassy.

Members of the audience pictured waving their Union flags during the concert celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day

A general view of concert goers during a concert to mark the 80th Anniversary of VE Day at Horse Guards Parade

Pictured: A smiling, Union Jack-clad attendee enjoying herself ahead of the concert starting up this evening

Red, white and blue were the theme which many attendees incorporated in their ensembles this evening

People posing for a photo with a Winston Churchill lookalike at the concert celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VE Day

Excited guests accessorised their costumes in fun and unique ways this evening - including a giant rose

Bucket hats and fedoras were aplenty as concertgoers made very dapper fashion choices, featuring Union Jacks

Taking their seats, many in the audience were happy to wave their flags ahead of tonight's concert

One delighted audience member sported a Union Jack waistcoat for tonight's festivities - as well as a hat

Audiences sported Union Jack ensembles to commemorate the 80 year anniversary of VE Day this evening

Diana also sported them with the form-fitting black dress she wore at the Vanity Fair party at the Serpentine Gallery in November 1994 in London, which then later became known as the Revenge Dress.

Kate has donned the earrings as a sweet nod to her late mother-in-law several times, including in her official portrait marking her 40th birthday.

Elsewhere today, William looked smart in a navy suit with a household decision tie and Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Neck Order. He also donned gold jubilee, diamond jubilee, platinum jubilee, and coronation medals.

It was announced in February that mother-of-three Kate, who has made a gradual return to public duties following cancer treatment, would be attending today.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla led a host of senior royals in London as they commemorated the sacrifices of Second World War veterans and their generation.

They were joined by Prince William, Kate, Prince Edward, Sophie, Princess Anne, Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was also present as well as former PMs such as Rishi Sunak, Lord David Cameron and Boris Johnson - but there was unsurprisingly no Prince Harry or Meghan Markle, five years after they stepped down as senior royals.

A handwritten note on a wreath from the Prince and Princess of Wales said: 'For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War, we will remember them.' Another from the King on his wreath stated: 'We will never forget.'

On May 8, 1945 the nation celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day with church bells ringing out across the country and people gathering to revel in the end of hostilities, with crowds gathering outside Buckingham Palace calling for King George VI.

After almost six years of fighting against Hitler's Nazi regime peace was declared, although the war against Japan would continue until August 15 that year.

It was revealed that Kate would attend today's Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in February

Earlier today, Kate put on an elegant display in a black and white polka dot dress from Alessandra Rich dress and a black fascinator by Juliette Botterill

Kate and Queen Camilla are seen at the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London

During today's service ten-year-old Alexander Churchill, the great-great-grandson of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, lit a candle of peace as young members of the congregation handed out white roses to Second World War veterans.

The live televised service on BBC One began with a national two-minute silence at 12pm in honour of those who made sacrifices during the conflict, both on the front line and at home, to protect people's freedom and shared values.

Members of the Royal Family began arriving at Westminster Abbey at about 11.50am. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh made their way into the historic church, followed by the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Also present were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

Today's event comes after the Royal Family paid tribute to veterans at a VE Day memorial in London on Monday.

Kate joined her husband Prince William and children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis as they put on a united front following Prince Harry's call for 'reconciliation'.

King Charles and Queen Camilla also watched the commemorations marking the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Mother-of-three Kate was glowing in a berry ensemble, rewearing her beloved Emilia Wickstead pleated coat dress, alongside a matching Sean Barrett pillbox hat with a bow, beige Gianvito Rossi 105 pointed pumps, and earrings.

She added a gold winged RAF brooch to pay tribute to a deep family connection on her side of the family - her paternal grandfather Peter Middleton, who served as a fighter pilot during the Second World War.

The Prince and Princess of Wales bowed their heads as they paid tribute to people killed in conflict

Kate laid flowers at the Innocent Victims' Memorial on Thursday following a Service of Thanksgiving

A young girl handed Kate with the bouquet before she laid them down at the Innocent Victims' Memorial

Their royal highnesses each cut sombre figures as they stood at the memorial

Kate was the picture of elegance and poise as she laid floral tributes at the Innocent Victims' Memorial following the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

Kate greeted Second World War veterans and guests following a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

The Princess of Wales laid flowers on the Innocent Victims' Memorial after the Thanksgiving Service had concluded

Kate elegantly bent down to lay the posy of flowers at the memorial while flanked by Prince William

While observing the military procession along the Mall, Kate sat with her daughter Princess Charlotte - who recently celebrated her 10th birthday.

She was also seen chatting animatedly with 101-year-old Bernard Morgan, Ambassador for the Royal British Legion, who was the youngest RAF sergeant to land on D-Day.

They were joined by Prince George, 11, and Prince Louis, seven, who kept William looking sharp by brushing off his uniform on the specially built dais on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace.

Discussing the events, a palace aide said: 'The King, Queen and other members of The Royal Family are much looking forward to all the week's VE Day events, when they will unite with the rest of the nation and those across the Commonwealth and wider world in celebrating, commemorating and giving thanks to the wartime generation whose selfless devotion duty and service should stand as an enduring example to us all  and must never be forgotten.'

Meanwhile, Charles was wearing Naval Uniform No.1 dress, with no medals or decorations, as his grandfather King George VI wore on the palace balcony on VE Day in 1945  while William wore RAF No.1 Uniform.

Camilla was dressed in a sapphire blue wool crepe dress and coat, by Fiona Clare, with the 12th Royal Lancers Brooch, the regiment of her late father Major Bruce Shand.

The Duke of Edinburgh wore Army No.2 Service Dress of the Scots Guards, while Duke of Kent wore Field Marshal No.2 Service Dress.

Princess Anne, who was also present, wore the uniform of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal's Volunteer Corps) with no decorations.

Pictured: (From L to R, front row) King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and the Princess of Wales and (L to R, back row) the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent at the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate at Westminster Abbey this afternoon

Today's event follows Monday's fly past, which the Prince and Princess of Wales watched with their children (from L to R) Prince George, Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte

The late Queen Elizabeth II, as Princess Elizabeth, wore the military uniform for her palace balcony appearance on VE Day 1945 as a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Services.

Nato allies joined 1,300 members of the armed forces for the procession in the city, and the words of Sir Winston Churchill's 1945 victory speech were spoken by actor Timothy Spall to kick off events for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

In Whitehall, the Cenotaph was draped in a large Union flag, with the south and north face of the landmark covered. It was the first time the war memorial has been draped in Union flags since it was unveiled by King George V more than a century ago, in 1920.

Crowds started to gather on The Mall on Monday morning, with some arriving the day before to secure a good viewing spot. Caroline Tomlinson, 59, travelled from Doncaster to witness the parade and camped overnight.

Dressed in Union flags, she said: 'I've been watching lots of footage from 1945 when everybody was gathering outside the palace, so just great to be a part of it here we are again 80 years later to do the very same. I got here at 2pm yesterday afternoon, sat in the red chair all night, had a little bit of sleep.

'I'm used to this, I've been to the other events. I've been to the Platinum Jubilee, the Coronation, the Queen's funeral, Royal weddings. Sleeping over is now my thing. It was very cold but I dressed accordingly and got through it. Slept about three times in one-hour bursts.

'I came here alone, the community is always so lovely. I'm absolutely hoping to catch a glimpse of the Royals.'

Michael Burn, 67, arrived at The Mall outside Buckingham Palace on Monday morning. Dressed head to toe in a Union flag suit he said: 'Obviously I'm very patriotic so I make the most of any of these events, the coronation or anything like that I'll be here.

'I think we've been very lucky that we've had 80 years of peace and these are very troubled times at the moment and we've got to think about all those that have the ultimate sacrifice and there's very few of them left now because they're all over 100. This is the last time we will celebrate the day in this sort of scale.'

Speaking of his suit and holding a seven foot Union flag he said: 'I bought this for the London 2012 Olympics and have worn it at every Royal event since. 'I can still get into it,' he joked.

Lizzie McCrae MacIntyre, a retired Women's Royal Air Force veteran, arrived at the Admiralty Arch at 4am to see the parade.

Ms MacIntyre, who travelled from Surrey, said: 'It's so important to remember those that didn't make it home. My dad was military, my brother was Air Force.'
Party Rings have unveiled a major change to the shape of the popular biscuit - for the first time in forty years - and shoppers have already flocked to one supermarket to clear the shelves of them.

The kids' party treat now come in fish shape, Fox's Burton's Companies has revealed.

In 1983, Party Rings were released and the icing topped shortcake biscuits have proved a hit with kids and adults alike ever since.

Since the new announcement, Asda customers has emptied shelves of to get their hands on the Under The Sea Minis.

Party Ring fans flocked to social media to share snaps of empty shelves were the new treat is supposed to be.

One customer wrote: 'Brand NEW Fox's Party Rings Under The Sea Minis in Bags, either very popular or haven't arrived at our ASDA yet!'

Another said: 'Yes same as my store yesterday only they filled them with normal party rings x'

Someone else added: 'I was fuming ha ha. I will try again tomorrow x'

Fox's Burton's Companies has unveiled a major change for its much-loved Party Rings biscuits, with fun fish shapes now on offer

Meanwhile a fourth said: 'Must look out for these.'

Another said: 'Has anyone found any of these in the North West? Hoping to get some to take on a seaside holiday in a few weeks.'

Davina Valetti Marketing Controller of Party Rings said: 'Under the Sea Minis is an exciting milestone for the Party Rings brand.

'It's not every day you change something that's been loved for over 40 years  but we think people are going to be pleased what we've done. We're still bringing the party, just with a fun new twist.'

The innovation comes as the brand also recently launched a new limited-edition Strawberry flavour.

Party Rings Strawberry can be picked up Home Bargains, Farm Foods, Poundland and Iceland for just 0.90 per pack.

It comes after B&M has just dropped a game-changing treat that's sending UK snack lovers into a frenzy - and it's an unusual take on two much-loved sweet staples.

Imported all the way from Australia, these delectable biscuits are now gracing UK shelves, much to the delight of sweet-toothed Brits.

Party Ring fans flocked to social media to share snaps of empty shelves were the new treat is supposed to be

One customer wrote: 'Brand NEW Fox's Party Rings Under The Sea Minis in Bags, either very popular or haven't arrived at our ASDA yet!'

The Under The Sea Minis are available now at Asda in packs of six mini bags for just 1.50, but it appears they are selling out fast

Cadbury Caramilk Double Stuff Oreos combine the beloved chocolate with the accidentally vegan biscuit

The Cadbury Caramilk Double Stuff Oreos reimagines the classic chocolatey Oreo cookie, but with a twist.

Two golden biscuits are sandwich with a caramelised white chocolate creme filling, proving for a more saccharine variant on the beloved delicacy. The melt-in-your-mouth experience is priced at 2.99 for a 131g pack.

Shoppers have been taking to social media to express their enthusiasm.

On the popular New Foods UK Facebook group, one foodie wrote: 'I don't like Oreos normally, but these I'd try.'

Many rushed to give their compliments, dubbing the treats 'absolute must-haves'.

'Best ones yet,' one fan penned.

The post racked up more than 2,600 reactions; however, not everyone was as enchanted - with one writing: 'OMG! Go away! I feel my blood sugar levels rising just looking at them.'

The buzz is undeniable, with many eager to get their hands on the biscuits.

This launch is part of a broader trend of unique snack offerings making their way to the UK.

Previously, B&M introduced the Australian-exclusive Cadbury Dairy Milk Lamington bar, which quickly became a fan favourite.

Sweet treat fans looking to indulge in something special should head over to the nearest B&M store.

But if caramel isn't your style, other flavour variations are sold by the bargain retailer as well, such as Cinnamon Roll, Mint and Neapolitan Double Stuff Oreos, Metro reported.
Jeff Bezos would ask candidates if they thought they were a 'lucky person'

A former Amazon boss has revealed one of Jeff Bezos's 'favourite' questions to ask candidates in job interviews, the answer he would look for - and the replies that would guarantee a rejection.

Dan Rose, who was an executive at Amazon for six years before becoming VP at Facebook, said the billionaire would ask interviewees if they were a 'lucky person'.

He said Bezos would favour potential employees who answered that they thought of themselves as lucky but had taken advantage of the luck that has come their way.

The ex-Amazon executive explained that Bezos used the unusual question to gauge whether a candidate was 'humble', an 'optimistic person' and someone who 'manifests success'.

'When I worked at Amazon 1999-2006, Jeff Bezos' favourite interview question was 'Are you a lucky person?' What a great way to filter for optimists and people who manifest success,' Dan said in a post to X.

'If you're a successful, optimistic, humble leader, the right answer starts this way: 'Yes, I'm the luckiest person on earth. I've worked hard to get to this point in my career, but a lot of things also had to go right, and I've taken full advantage of my luck.'

Dan said the question was used as a metric for finding workers who were optimistic, as Bezos thought the trait showed 'leadership potential and likelihood of success'.

'Perceiving yourself as lucky is a good proxy for optimism,' he said.

A former Amazon executive has revealed one of Jeff Bezos's favourite questions to ask candidates in job interviews

When I worked at Amazon 1999-2006, Jeff Bezos favorite interview question was are you a lucky person? What a great way to filter for optimists and people who manifest success.  Dan Rose (@DanRose999) February 29, 2020

'Humility is also important, and it's easy to filter out false humility ('humble brags') in follow-up questions. This isn't the only question, it's a conversation starter and opens to door to exposing someone's personality beyond their resume.'

Dan, who went on to turn Facebook from a 130-staff business to 35,000-employee company, also revealed the answers that would see Bezos knock candidates out of the running.

'Two wrong answers: 1) No, I've never felt lucky, but I've been able to overcome all the bad things that always happen to me,' he said.

'2) No, I've never needed luck because I am better/smarter/stronger than everyone else.'

Amazon is known for its meticulous recruitment strategies when employing its corporate team.

Former employees and those who have applied for positions at the trillion-dollar corporation have reported having to endure multiple interviews, some lasting hours or all day.

One man who worked at Amazon in its early stages alongside Bezos long before he became one of the wealthiest men in the world said he was a 'hands-on leader' with an 'unmistakable magnetism to him.'

Steve Yegge, 56, from Washington, started working at Amazon in 1998 as a technical program manager, four years after Bezos launched the company out of his garage.

Bezos would favour potential employees who answered that they thought of themselves as lucky but had taken advantage of the luck that has come their way (stock image)

Speaking with Business Insider, he added that he was so 'focused on the mission' that he sometimes overlooked problems in the office.

'He didn't seem to care about anything other than his mission,' Steve said. 'It didn't matter if the toilet was dirty or if engineers were being paged all night long.

'He seemed to only care if it started slowing him down. Maybe that's the kind of leader you have to be. Successful leaders don't take no for an answer.'

Steve described the Amazon offices as 'dark and grungy,' but added that despite the unappealing space, the atmosphere was amazing.

'Once you stepped into the building, there was a crackle in the air. You could feel that something really big was going on  and it was all centered on Jeff,' he continued.

Steve admitted that there was a lot of 'pressure' and an expectation 'that everybody had to work all the time.'

'People avoided asking for time off. Some employees would berate others,' he added.

'A friend of mine worked in a closet because that's the only place where there was room for a desk.'

A man (left) who worked at Amazon when it was just starting up as revealed what Jeff Bezos was really like long before he was a billionaire

He recently told Business Insider recently that the Amazon founder (seen in 1997) was a 'hands-on leader' with an 'unmistakable magnetism'

When he first started at the company, Steve said he 'helped coordinate projects' before he eventually began 'leading the engineering team.'

He continued to 'work his way up' and eventually found himself working with Jeff directly on a 'secret project:' a platform 'that was meant to be something like Reddit.'

'I didn't know enough about distributed computing to pull off what Jeff wanted in his desired timeframe,' he admitted.

'I felt the project wasn't feasible at the time, but I was scared to deliver that message to Jeff.'

In 2005, Steve said Google made him a 'great offer' so he decided to leave Amazon.

Looking back, he confessed that he 'didn't really like working' there and doesn't 'agree with the company's practices,' but he was grateful that he got the time he did with Jeff.

'I've worked under other CEOs, including Google's Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, and they didn't typically pull senior employees together for impromptu chats, but Jeff would do this quite often,' he concluded.

'He'd reset us and change how everyone in the company thought about things. He challenged people every day, but I never saw him get mad or swear in my almost seven years there.

'He had this electric presence, a magnetism to him that was unmistakable.

'He was never difficult to work with, even though he could be difficult to work for at times because of his super-high expectations.'

In response to Business Insider's story, Amazon told the publication in a statement, 'An anecdote from one person isn't representative of what it was like to work at Amazon then or what it's like now.'
An urgent warning has been issued to millions of women after the carcinogen formaldehyde was detected in dozens of popular personal care products.

While experts have long been concerned about the presence of the substance in chemical hair-straightening and relaxing treatments, a new study has revealed it is in far more products than previously thought, including shampoo, lotions, body soap, and even eyelash glue.

Formaldehyde, a toxin used as a preservative, can escape from products in gas form over time - especially when they come into contact with heat - and it is then inhaled, causing anything from minor side effects like eye and respiratory irritation, to major health issues like an increased risk of head and neck cancers if repeatedly exposed.

These risks are heightened if an area like a bathroom or bedroom is poorly ventilated.

The American Cancer Society notes that in animal and human studies, formaldehyde has been linked to various forms of cancer including in the nose, the upper throat, the stomach and it has also been shown to increase the risk of leukemia.

In the recent study by the Silent Spring Institute - an organization dedicated to uncovering the environmental causes of breast cancer - 70 Black women and Latinas living in the Los Angeles area were asked to track their use of personal care products over a period of five to seven days.

Each time participants used a product, they logged the information using a smartphone app developed by Silent Spring. The app also prompted the participants to take a photo of each ingredient label.

The team analyzed over 1,100 products, looking for formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasing preservatives - chemicals that gradually release formaldehyde over time - in the products' ingredient lists.

An urgent warning has been issued over the detection of cancer-causing formaldehyde in dozens of common personal care products

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Fifty-three percent of participants reported using at least one personal care product that listed formaldehyde releasers on its label.

And many of the products with formaldehyde releasers that participants reported using were applied daily or multiple times per week.

The researchers did not divulge which products they tested.

DMDM hydantoin was the most common formaldehyde releasing preservative.

Roughly 47 percent of skincare products and 58 percent of hair products with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives contained DMDM hydantoin.

The team also identified several others, but exposure scientists Dr Robin Dodson stresses their list is not definitive.

'Those are just the ones we knew to look for. There could be more that we're not aware of,' she says.

Companies add formaldehyde to personal care products to extend their shelf-life.

Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are often used as an alternative but serve the same purpose.

Given that formaldehyde is known to cause cancer in humans, the study authors say the findings reveal both critical safety gaps in how personal care products are regulated in the US and their disproportionate health impacts on women of color, as most of the products found to contain these substances cater to Black and Latina women.

Dr Dodson explained: 'We found that this isn't just about hair straighteners. These chemicals are in products we use all the time, all over our bodies.

'Repeated exposures like these can add up and cause serious harm.'

The cancer expert says one way to reduce exposure would be to require that companies add warning labels to formaldehyde-releasing products like they do in Europe.

She agrees it can be hard for the average consumer - and even chemists - to identify a formaldehyde releasing preservative on a label.

'They have long, weird, funny names, and they typically don't have the word formaldehyde in them,' she says.

While warning labels might be a good first step, Dodson says banning the use of formaldehyde releasers altogether would be the best-case scenario.

'Ideally, companies shouldn't be putting these chemicals in products in the first place.'

While experts have long been concerned about the presence of the substance in chemical hair-straightening and relaxing treatments, a new study has revealed it is in far more products than previously thought

Gas can escape from these products over time - especially when in contact with heat - and it is then inhaled, causing, at best, eye and respiratory irritation and, at worst, increased risk of head and neck cancers in the long term

Another way consumers can protect themselves and their communities is to advocate for better legislation, the researchers say.

The European Union and at least 10 US states have banned or proposed to ban formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in personal care products.

In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a national ban on formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in hair straighteners, but it has yet to be enacted.

The study was part of a larger effort called the Taking Stock Study, a community-engaged research collaboration between Occidental College, Black Women for Wellness, Silent Spring, and Columbia University.

The project investigates how exposures to chemicals in beauty products contribute to health inequities for Black women and Latinas in California.

Janette Robinson Flint, the executive director at Black Women for Wellness, says Black consumers live in a society governed by White beauty standards.

For this reason, she claims they use many different personal care products - many of them made with toxic ingredients - to conform to that ideal.

While they might have learned to avoid beauty products with formaldehyde on the label, many Black women are not familiar with formaldehyde releasers, the experts say.

'We're trying to do the right thing,' Flint concludes. 'But there needs to be more government oversight. We shouldn't have to be chemists to figure out what kinds of products will make us sick.'
Fears over a multi-state measles outbreak are growing after a person infected with the virus traveled from Illinois to Missouri.

The individual  who is not vaccinated  visited the St Louis Aquarium, a popular attraction that sees more than a thousand visitors a day, and may have infected an untold number.

They also ate at a restaurant, although the name or type was not revealed, before returning to southern Illinois.

They were in the aquarium from 1 to 6pm last Wednesday, April 30, with officials warning visitors they could have been exposed.

It comes amid a major outbreak in Texas, where more than 800 people have been sickened and two young girls, aged six and eight, have died. It is the biggest outbreak to hit the US in two decades.

Measles is the most infectious disease in the world, with a patient able to pass it on to nine out of ten unvaccinated people they expose to the virus.

The outbreak is currently condensed in Texas, with Gaines County in the Panhandle region at the epicenter, but in recent weeks cases have spread to seven other states.

No measles cases in Missouri have been linked to the patient to date, although people are being urged to monitor for symptoms, including a large, red rash.

The above map shows Missouri and Illinois and the locations where measles exposure alerts have been issued in the area in recent days

There is also no evidence at this point that any measles cases in Missouri or Illinois are linked to the outbreak in Texas.

Missouri has detected three measles cases so far, although none of these have been linked to the sick patient who visited from Illinois.

Two of the cases have been detected in New Madrid county, in the south of the state, while the third was detected in a child in Taney County, in the state's southwest, who had recently returned from abroad.

In Illinois, a total of six measles cases have been detected to date, including four in Marion County  which includes the patient who traveled to Missouri's aquarium.

Two other cases were detected last month in Cook County, Chicago, but these were linked to international travel.

The cases in southern Illinois have already prompted warnings for people who visited local grocery stores, a gym, restaurant and a launderette.

In Missouri, the patient who visited the aquarium has been unable to give officials a 'concrete' timeline of their movements.

Dr Mati Hlatshwayo Davis, the director of health for St Louis, told a local broadcaster: 'We are only as strong as the willingness for individuals to speak to us and to provide details.

'We are trying to get more information from the individual.'

St Louis aquarium said that 939 people visited the attraction on the day the measles patient was there, including a school group.

Visitors are now being contacted to warn them that they may have been exposed to the virus and to ask them to report any symptoms.

A young boy infected with measles (stock image)

The aquarium says that all its surfaces are cleaned multiple times throughout the day and that animals cannot get the disease.

Officials say the best way to prevent an infection with measles is to get vaccinated against measles.

The risk of being infected is slashed by about 93 percent after just one shot and 97 percent after two, estimates suggest.

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Measles is a highly infectious disease spread by coughs or droplets in the air, and can infect nine out of ten unvaccinated people that are exposed to it.

The disease starts in a similar way to the flu, with coughs and a fever, but patients will quickly develop the characteristic rash, which starts on the head before spreading across the whole body.

The disease attacks the immune system and weakens it, raising the risk of other infections  like pneumonia  which can be fatal.

Doctors treat measles using antibiotics for secondary infections, as well as drugs to reduce fever and other symptoms.
Guiding China-Russia relations in new era to always forge ahead

10:32, May 08, 2025 By He Yin ( People's Daily

Chinese President Xi Jinping is paying a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation to attend celebrations in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

As unprecedented global changes unfold at a faster pace and the international order faces profound adjustments, China-Russia relations in the new era have always been forging ahead despite a complex external environment, demonstrating the relations' defining features of everlasting good-neighborliness and friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination and mutual benefit, cooperation and win-win.

Xi's upcoming visit will further deepen political mutual trust between the two countries, add new substance to strategic coordination, foster a right view of the World War II history, uphold international fairness and justice, bring more benefits to the two peoples, and contribute more stability and positive energy to the international community.

Leadership of the two heads of state is the greatest political advantage and fundamental guarantee for the high-quality development of China-Russia relations. This visit will mark Xi's 11th trip to Russia since 2013. Xi and Putin will hold the first in-person meeting this year and have strategic communication on China-Russia relations under new circumstances and on a series of major international and regional issues.

Last year, the two countries solemnly celebrated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Xi and Putin met three times, jointly steering the development of bilateral relations and the reform of the global governance system.

This year, Xi talked with Putin via video meeting on Jan. 21 and held a phone conversation with him on Feb. 24, conducting in-depth strategic communication on major international and regional issues and steering China-Russia relations at a critical moment.

China and Russia have found a path of "non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party" in developing their relations. It is a pioneering effort in forging a new model of major-country relations, and has set a fine example for relations between neighboring countries, serving as an anchor of stability in a turbulent world.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Great Patriotic War and the World Anti-Fascist War. As the two main theaters of Asia and Europe in World War II, China and Russia made immense sacrifice and major, historic contributions to secure the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, save their respective nations from demise, and also save the future of mankind.

The two sides previously agreed that they will jointly remember history, honor the martyrs, foster a right view of the World War II history and defend the outcomes of the victory of the war and the post-war international order, and uphold international fairness and justice.

Xi's attendance at the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, following his participation in the 70th anniversary celebrations in 2015, is reflective of support by China and Russia to each other's commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.

The painful lessons of World War II serve as a stark reminder that the law of the jungle and the logic of "might makes right" offer no viable path for human coexistence. Peace over war, cooperation over confrontation, and mutual benefit over zero-sum rivalry -- these are enduring themes of a peaceful, progressive, and prosperous human society.

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN. China and Russia, as founding members of the UN and permanent members of the UN Security Council, shoulder a special responsibility for safeguarding the international system with the UN at its core.

The two countries will further strengthen their close coordination in the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, and other multilateral platforms, rally the Global South, shape global governance in the right direction, unequivocally oppose acts of unilateralism and bullying, and jointly promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

China and Russia are good neighbors that cannot be moved away, and true friends who share weal and woe, support each other and achieve common development. At the significant historical juncture marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN, China and Russia will continue deepening strategic coordination, practicing true multilateralism, jointly defending the UN-centered international system and the outcomes of World War II victory, working together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and creating a better future for the world.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming)
A doctor is urging the public to look out for the warning signs of the deadly condition that killed Pope Francispneumonia.

Speaking on BBC's Morning Live, Dr Xand van Tulleken said it was wrong to assume the illness, which causes inflammation of the lungs, only affects older, vulnerable people.

Pneumonia is caused by either a bacterial or viral infectionsor by something entering the lungs, such as food or water, he said.

This triggers the immune system to release white blood cells, also known as leukocytes, to ward off infection and inflammation.

However, these cells can sometimes clog up tissue in the lungs, causing dangerous breathing difficulties.

Dr Tulleken said one of the most widely believed myths about pneumonia is that it only strikes in winter.

'You've got to be alert to it even in the summer, it's not just a winter problem', the doctor explained.

'In the winter, the NHS might expect 2,000-4,000 cases a week, but in the summer, you could be getting anywhere from 700-1,500 cases. It is a year-round thing,' he added.

Dr Xand spoke on BBC's Morning Live to dispel the common myths surrounding the deadly bacteria

Pneumonia triggers the immune system to release white blood cells, which can result in the air sacs in the lungs getting blocked

The GP also said that pneumonia is not as contagious as people may think, given that it is the inflammation of the lungs, rather than a virus.

He said: 'Think of pneumonia as an opportunity that bacteria have seized to start infecting your lungs because of some other problem.

'Frequently people get an upper respiratory tract infection, something like Covid or a cold or a cough, bit of bronchitis, that changes the microbiome in the lungs, which is an opportunity for bad bacteria to overgrow and cause problems much deeper in your lungs and that interferes with the oxygen getting in and the carbon dioxide getting out.'

However, Dr Van Tulleken warned that pneumonia is 'almost always caused by an infection', which can spread if people don't take necessary precautions such as taking time off work or school and washing their hands.

Symptoms of pneumonia can start suddenly or come on over a few days, including a cough, shortness of breath, a high temperature, chest pain, body aches, loss of appetite and extreme tiredness.

Older people with pneumonia may also feel confused.

According to the doctor, however, these symptoms may not always be present, making it an 'easy thing to miss'.

He said the only sure way to get a diagnosis is by having a chest x-ray, but urged people to contact their GP if they experience symptoms.

There are some tell-tale signs of pneumonia, but Dr Xand said sometimes it is easy to miss

Dr Van Tulleken compared human lungs to sponges

Dr Van Tulleken also warned that pneumonia can be 'life-threatening at any age'.

'Your lungs are like sponges. Imagine a sponge that's been left by the sink and you never squeeze it out and let it dry, it gets a bit "rotty" and smelly. That's essentially what's happening in pneumonia,' he explained.

'The fluid gets into the air spaces in the lungs, reducing air flow and blood flow, allowing bugs to grow in the lungs, and that's what causes the problem.'

The NHS warns that babies, older people and people with heart or lung conditions are most at risk of getting seriously ill, which could result in hospitalisation.

Treatment usually includes antibiotics to kill infections, and most people get better in two to four weeks.

Those who are at a heightened risk of getting seriously ill may be given fluids and antibiotics in hospital, as well as oxygen to help them breathe.

Patients may also be sent for a chest x-ray and blood tests to check for other conditions.

Finally, Dr Van Tulleken suggested a few things people can do at home to aid recovery from infections that can trigger pneumonia.

Whilst cough syrups may seem like a good way to help ease the symptoms of a chesty cough, it is actually better to cough and clear the mucus out of the lungs.

'You want to cough, and get the mucus out of your lungs', he explained.

Dr Xand said there are some things you can do at home to aid recovery and reduce the risk of spreading infection

Data shows there were 2,592 confirmed cases of 'walking pneumonia' cases in England and Wales between October 2023 and March 2024  seven times the level seen (364) in 2022/23

He demonstrated a deep breathing exercise that doctors say helps to keep the lungs ventilated, and free of infection.

'Put a hand on your tummy and take a deep breath in and puff your tummy out, so that you really open up the bottom of your lungs,' he said.

Hold that for two to three seconds and then you can let it out with a big huff.

'That may give you a bit of a cough, but that's good. Repeat that three or four times. What you're doing there is keeping your lungs ventilated, which keeps the blood flowing and it doesn't give these bugs an opportunity to settle in your lungs.'

Pope Francis died following a cerebral strike and subsequent heart failure as he was likely immunocompromised following a battle with pneumonia

The warning comes as the UK recorded its highest number of cases of a form of pneumoniaknown as mycoplasma pneumonialast year.

This version of the condition, caused by an infection of a specific species of bacteria called mycoplasma pneumoniae is also known as 'walking pneumonia'.

It has earned this name because of its initially mild symptoms that allow many patients to continue their daily activities.

However, this gives the bacteria the opportunity to spread further as its host interacts with other people.

It mostly affects young children, and can trigger a host of complications, including life-threatening brain swelling.

The recent surge is thought to be partly due to the hangover from Covid lockdowns  when pandemic measures interrupted the spread of routine bugs and weakened immune systems within populations.

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, said: 'In 2023 we saw particularly high levels of children with mycoplasma attending UK emergency departments.

'Unlike most years, high levels of infections continued well into the summer.'
A mother has revealed the alarming effect that exposure to household damp and mould had on her faceresulting in dramatically swollen lips and cheeks.

Joanna Hayes, 42, and her two-year-old daughter broke out in painful red rashes, blisters and extreme swelling, which they believe are linked to the grim state of their home.

Ms Hayes, from Worcestershire, was forced to call an ambulance earlier this year, when she struggled to breathe and almost lost consciousness.

Doctors at the hospital confirmed she was having an extreme allergic reaction to mould spores in her home.

This can happen when microscopic fungi particles in the air are inhaled, triggering the over-reaction of the immune system.

Ms Hayes and her daughter moved into the two-bedroom council flat in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, last June but within months the property was engulfed by black spores.

Disturbing images show mould spreading across the walls as well as shoes in the bottom of a cupboard.

Mushrooms were also visibly growing on the sofa in the damp living room.

Joanna Hayes, 42, suffered a horrific allergic reaction after living in a mould-riddled flat that was so damp mushrooms started growing on the furniture

At one stage, she was taken to hospital after her lips swelled up to twice their normal size after she went into anaphylactic shock

Ms Hayes and her two-year-old daughter broke out in painful red rashes and blisters they believe are linked to the grim state of their home

The charity worker is now too scared to enter the property and she and her daughter have been forced to sleep in their car.

'Soon after we moved in, we noticed shadows on the walls and black mould,' she said.

'I initially treated it myself but the mould got worse and worse the colder it got to the point where the wallpaper was falling off.

'When the wet weather set in, the damp and mould became more and more obvious.

'When I open my daughter's bedroom door in the morning, a huge wave of freezing cold air hits me.

'There is a big patch of mould in the living room and even mould under the bed. It is everywhere.'

Mould tends to thrive in warm, humid environments and can be hard to spot in your home.

In England, approximately two million people are living in homes with significant damp and/or mould, official figures suggest.

Two-year-old Awaab died from a respiratory condition caused by black mould at his home in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, in 2020

It is estimated up to 1,250 deaths in the UK every year are attributed to black mould exposure.

While there aren't specific figures for the number of children who have died from the dangerous fungi, one poignant case is that of two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died in December 2020 after exposure to mould in his home.

The spores in the one-bedroom housing association flat where he lived with his parents in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, triggered a deadly respiratory condition.

Mr Abdullah repeatedly raised the issue with Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) but no action was taken.

RBH said it was 'truly sorry' for Awaab's death.

Ms Hayes is now demanding Community Housing, which owns the flat, to destroy the mould or find her a new home.

She added: 'I reported it to Community Housing and the team did a mould wash, but it didn't work and it just keeps coming back.

'Me and my daughter have started to suffer endless chest infections and ENT issues so my two-year-old needs an inhaler.

'She shouldn't need an inhaler at two, she's just exhausted.'

The mother described paramedics' shock at the state of her home when they arrived to take her to hospital earlier this year.

She said: 'I told the paramedics about the mould and they went into my daughter's room. They said the conditions were unacceptable.

'The reaction made me realise that something sinister is going on in the flat and the mould spores are having a physical impact on my health.

'I'm in fear for my life and I can't risk dropping down dead in the property and leaving my two-year-old to fend for herself.'

They moved into the two-bedroom flat in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, last June but within months the property was engulfed by black spores

'I told the paramedics about the mould and they went into my daughter's room. They said the conditions were unacceptable,' the single mother said

'There is a big patch of mould in the living room and even mould under the bed. It is everywhere,' she added

She is currently having allergy tests conducted by the GP, but they have advised her to leave the property due to the health risks.

Signs of mould at home can often go undetected, but it often involves fuzzy black, white, green or black patches on the walls, and a damp and musty smell.

Inhaling or touching the spores that mould releases into the air can cause an allergic reaction, such as sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes and a skin rash.

Mould can also trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory problems, cause coughing, wheezing and breathlessness.

The microscopic fungus causes these conditions by releasing thousands of toxic particles into the atmosphere.

Ms Hayes said: 'My daughter has been a little trooper throughout all of this, but I need to think of her and I don't know where else to turn.

'I feel like we've been abandoned by Community Housing.'

Community Housing has apologised for the conditions in her flat and said it will continue to support her to feel 'safe and well' in her home.

A spokesperson said: 'We are sorry that Ms Hayes has been experiencing problems with damp and mould in her home.

'We have been working closely with her to rectify the problem and deal with other repairs she has reported.

'We have further works planned to treat the affected areas and have kept Ms Hayes informed of the progress of this.

'We will continue to support her and carry out repairs to enable her to feel safe and well in her home.'
Scientists are a step closer to creating a 'fountain of youth' treatment that could help humans live into their ninetiesand beyond.

The injections involve the 'anti-ageing molecule' klotho, a type of protein that is naturally produced by the body.

Levels of klotho, named after the mythological Greek figure Clotho, who spun the thread of human life, naturally decline as we get age.

This process occurs at the same time we start experiencing age-related maladies like weaker bones, loss of muscle mass and declining cognitive abilities.

Now, Spanish scientists have developed a klotho-based treatment that both increased levels of the protein in mice and boosted the lifespan of the rodents by a fifth.

The experts said this is the equivalent of adding an extra 16 years to an 80 year-old human's lifespan.

Not only did these mice live longer they showed improved muscle strength, bone density and brain function.

While further research is needed before the treatment can be trialled on humans, the authors of the new study claim it could make a massive contribution to improving the ageing process.

Scientists are a step closer to creating a 'fountain of youth' treatment that could not only help people live longer but also spend more of their later years in good health

In the study, published in the journal Molecular Therapy, experts from the University of Barcelona used a specially modified virus to deliver klotho into the mice's cells.

This harmless virus carried the biological blueprints for cells to produce the protein, enabling the mice to boost their klotho levels over a long period.

Mice were given the virus via two injectionsone into a vein in the body and the other directly into the brain.

This enabled it to bypass the natural barrier that normally protects the vital organ and allowed scientists to examine klotho's effect on the brain.

In total, three groups of mice were tested.

One received the treatment at six months of age, another got the dose at 12 months, and a final group of six month old mice got a placebo to act as a control.

Male mice injected at 12 months were found to live the longest (31.5 months on average), a fifth longer than the control group who only lasted 26.3 months.

The average mouse lives for roughly 12 to 18 months.

The researchers noted that klotho levels were the highest among the animals injected at one year old.

This chart from the study shows the survival over time of the different groups of mice. The dark blue line shows mice injected at 12 months, the light blue those injected at six months of age and the black lines shows the placebo group. Mice injected when they were a year old survived the longest

Researchers also tested the mice on their physical fitness and found those in the treatment group performed better in experiments measuring coordination and muscle strength.

Tissue analysis showed mice on klotho had less internal scarring on their muscles and were generally more muscular.

Female mice on the treatment, however, did not see the same lifespan extension due to severe health complications that the scientists said were not related to the treatment.

However they did develop stronger bones.

Analysis of brain tissue also showed mice of both sexes showed signs they were developing new neurons in the hippocampus, an area of the brain closely linked to learning.

This suggests the treatment could combat age-related dementia.

Currently the implications for using the treatment in people remain limited.

Mice aren't humans, and many drugs and treatments that have shown promise on rodents have failed to replicate this success when trialled on people.

Also of note is that many of the tissue samples used in the analysis only came from a limited number of rodents, between three and four, which could limit the results.

However, Joan Roig-Soriano, an expert in neuroscience and author of the new study, said techniques that can provide klotho to humans are already available.

'We now have viral vectors that can reach the brain after being administered intravenously, which would make it easier to safely transfer this therapy to humans,' he said.

'Another option would be to administer the protein directly as a drug instead of using viral vectors, but we still need to find an efficient way to deliver it and ensure it reaches the target organs,' he said.

Previous research has shown klotho can improve brain function in old primates and 'de-age' the brains of mice by decades.

Klotho was originally discovered by Japanese researchers who found that the amount produced by mice could affect how long the rodents lived.
A mother of-two was left fighting for her life after contracting deadly toxic shock syndrome from an old tampon that had been stuck inside her for up to a year.

Anna Osborn, 30, from Indiana, had no idea that the menstrual product was lodged in her vagina, collecting lethal bacteriaand doctors symptoms like pain and fever down to recurrent urinary tract infections.

The ordeal began in October 2023, when the therapist first began suffering severe pelvic pain.

She visited the GP, who prescribed antibiotics, assuming the problem was a bacterial infection.

But within a few months Ms Osborn found she was getting 'constantly sick', suffering back-to-back fevers and extreme fatigue.

The doctor simply prescribed more antibiotics.

She said: 'Every time I finished an antibiotic dose, I immediately started getting sick again. I knew my body was fighting something.'

'Doctors just couldn't figure it out.

Ms Osborn went to numerous hospital appointments to try and get a diagnosis and treatment plan for her pain

'I was told I must just have a low pain tolerance or I'm being over dramatic. I was just brushed off by a tonne of doctors. It felt like my organs were shutting down. There was no other way to describe it.'

She considered the possibility that her IUD, an intrauterine device inserted into the womb to prevent pregnancy, was disloged and that this was causing the pain.

In February last year, doctors finally performed a vaginal exam to check for complications related to her birth control.

'This was the first time a doctor had done a vaginal exam', Ms Osborn said.

What the doctor eventually discovered left them both 'traumatised', she said.

'The doctor had never seen anything like this before. She saw a little piece of something and thought maybe this is the endometriosis.

'She started pulling on it, then I heard her say "oh my god, I think it's a tampon". She pulled the entire thing out and we were both in complete shock.'

She wasn't entirely sure how long the tampon had been stuck inside her, but said that she hadn't used one since 2023, just after she got her IUD inserted.

Doctors originally dismissed her pain, telling her that she was being dramatic and must have a low pain threshold

She said: 'When they put the IUD in, I was already not feeling well. It's so hard to tell but knowing I had so many issues before this, I would date it back as far as six months to a year.

'I didn't notice it at all [during sex]. The body tissue had grown over it. I didn't feel anything. I even had a smear in the year before and nothing was mentioned,' she added.

Ms Osborn was then immediately treated for toxic shock syndrome, which is thought to affect just one in every 100,000 people.

The condition is a life-threatening response to toxins produced by bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus (staph) and group A streptococcus (strep).

When a tampon is left in for more than eight hours, bacteria has a longer amount of time to multiply.

Tampons, especially high-absorbency ones, can stick to the vaginal walls, causing tiny abrasions that bacteria can seep into and enter the bloodstream.

Once in the body, the S. aureus bacteria permeates the bloodstream and infects bodily tissues, which can also lead to tissue death and necessitate limb amputations.

When staph infects the body, a massive immune response is triggered, driving inflammation and worsening symptoms like fever and muscle aches.

Ms Osborn is now urging women to advocate for their health if they feel like anything is wrong

Toxic shock can be deadly due to the breakneck speed at which it ravages the body and ramps up the immune system.

Severe drops in blood pressure caused by shock can mean inadequate blood flow to vital organs such as the heart and kidneys, causing widespread damage.

TSS can also cause mini blood clots to form in the bloodstream, further reducing blood flow to organs.

And the heart may struggle to pump blood effectively due to the severe drop in blood pressure, potentially leading to cardiovascular collapse.

Prompt diagnosis and treatment is crucial for preventing death due to toxic shock, which can be fatal in 30 to as much as 70 percent of cases.

Thankfully, Ms Osborn made a full recovery. But she believes she would had died if she hadn't 'pushed' her case with doctors.

She is now urging all women to advocate for their health if they think something is wrong.

'I didn't even know toxic shock syndrome was real and actually happened to people. I just asked 'is my body rotting from the inside out'? I didn't know what was going to happen to me. It was so scary,' she said.

'I say to other people just follow your gut. If you feel like something is wrong, then keep pushing.

'I'm glad I didn't just give up and go with the UTI diagnosis. I really felt the need to advocate for myself and my health. It kept me alive. 'I wouldn't be here otherwise.'
America's biggest fast food meat supplier has revealed that it is reformulating its recipes in line with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's crackdown on food additives.

Tyson Foods, which is based out of Arkansas and counts McDonald's, Taco Bell, KFC, Burger King, and Popeyes among its top customers, says it has been 'proactively reformulating' food products containing petroleum-based synthetic dyes.

There are at least seven dyes that fall into this category: Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 - many of which have been linked to cancer and hyperactivity.

Tyson has promised to strip the dyes from the products by the end of this month, with these changes relayed to its clients.

Tyson Foods also owns dozens of popular brands including Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright Brand, Aidells, State Fair and Big AZ.

An analysis by DailyMail.com found that many products sold in grocery stores and by food vendors, including its Big AZ Chili Cheese Dogs, Hillshire Farm Cheddarwurst Dinner Sausages and Big AZ Angus Cheddar Cheeseburgers, contain synthetic colors and flavorings but the exact dyes are not specified on the company website.

The ingredients lists for some products simply state that manmade colors or flavorings have been 'added'.

Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King did not say how the changes would impact the flavor of the products.

America's biggest fast food meat supplier has revealed that it is reformulating its recipes in line with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's crackdown on food additives

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However, he highlighted that most of the meat company's retail-branded products, including Tyson chicken nuggets, do not contain synthetic dyes.

Natural alternatives to the manmade colorants which have been implemented by other food giants include ingredients like beet juice, pomegranate juice, turmeric, saffron, carrot juice, and paprika.

No products that Tyson offers in school nutrition programs include petroleum-based synthetic dyes, King said.

The company supplies a number of food products to schools including chicken patties, meatloaf, beef burgers and hotdogs.

It does not publicly disclose the exact number of schools it directly supplies within the US.

Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said last month that the agency plans to remove synthetic food dyes from the US food supply by revoking authorizations of some and working with the industry to voluntarily remove others.

Kennedy said that the efforts to remove additives from food were necessary to address chronic diseases in children and, without evidence, suggested that it would address rising rates of conditions ranging from ADHD to food allergies.

A 2021 report from California's Environmental Protection Agency also linked artificial dyes to 'hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems' in some children, particularly those with ADHD or other existing behavioral disorders.

Red 40 as well as Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 also contain benzidine, a human and animal carcinogen permitted in low levels.

Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said last month that the agency plans to remove synthetic food dyes from the US food supply by revoking authorizations of some and working with the industry to voluntarily remove others

Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King confirmed that it plans to finish work on eliminating them from its production process by the end of May

According to the FDA, ingestion of free benzidine raises the cancer risk to just under the 'concern' threshold, or one cancer in 1 million people.

BHT, meanwhile, is an additive used to keep food fresh. It also may be found in beauty products like lip glosses and lotions, as well as chewing gum.

The research on BHT is mixed, though some studies have suggested that it long-term exposure cause liver and thyroid issues in mice by disrupting hormones.

Several states have made steps to ban or restrict these additives. In 2024, California became the first state to ban schools from serving foods containing red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1, blue 6, and green 3.

And New York state officials called for the removal of red dye No. 3, propylparaben, brominated vegetable oil (BVO), potassium bromate, titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide, and BHA.
Elisabeth Weber grew up an ultra-conservative Christian and used to protest outside abortion clinics.

The now 31-year-old mother from South Carolina believed at the time that she was doing the right thing.

But now, Weber has found herself in the crosshairs of the very abortion laws she once supported, unable to terminate her pregnancy, even after her baby had died.

She was overjoyed to be pregnant again, naming the child Enzo despite not knowing the gender because, in her heart, she felt certain it was a boy.

But at her nine-week ultrasound, doctors couldn't find a heartbeat. They told her the fetus measured just over six weeks, about the size of a pea.

Follow-up tests confirmed that the baby had died. Her doctors recommended a termination to avoid infection or a potentially life-threatening hemorrhage.

But because of South Carolina's near-total abortion ban after six weeks  one of the strictest in the country  she was forced to carry the non-viable pregnancy for weeks.

In a tearful video posted online, Weber said: 'I grew up very Conservative Christian. We stood outside of abortion clinics. Like, that was my growing-up years.

Elisabeth Weber, 31, was forced to carry her dead baby for weeks by South Carolina's anti-abortion laws, which are among the most restrictive in the country

'But what you guys need to understand with these laws is it's not just people who are going having elective abortions that are being affected... because my baby is dead, my baby doesn't have a heartbeat, my baby is gone, but I am not allowed to do anything about it.'

Sobbing, she added: 'I just sit here and wait for another week and suffer and have a chance at hemorrhaging and have a chance at infection all because of these stupid laws.'

South Carolina imposed a six-week fetal heartbeat law in May 2023, which forbids all abortions after week six, around the time a fetal heartbeat is first detected.

The few exceptions include when the pregnant mother is experiencing a medical emergency or fetal anomaly, and in cases of rape or incest reported to law enforcement during the first trimester.

In cases where a heartbeat is not detected at six weeks, patients are still asked to wait at least another two weeks to prove a pregnancy is non-viable and that due care has been taken, according to lawyers in the state.

After doctors first concluded Weber's baby was dead, she was sent home to try to miscarry the fetus naturally.

But her morning sickness continued unabated and she did not miscarry, leading her to return to doctors to ask for a termination.

They refused, saying they could not end the pregnancy unless she was hemorrhaging or suffering from sepsis, a life-threatening blood infection.

Growing up an ultra-conservative Christian, the now 31-year-old mother from South Carolina believed at the time that she was doing the right thing. She is pictured above with her partner Thomas during a separate pregnancy

The above map shows abortion access by state

Weber then went to another hospital, where tests showed her white blood cell count was very high, suggesting an infection, but that staff at this hospital also concluded they couldn't end the pregnancy.

What followed was a grueling three-week wait before doctors finally decided they would be able to end the pregnancy.

She had a dilation and curettage, where the cervix is dilated using medication and a surgical instrument is inserted that gently removes the tissue lining the uterus to end the pregnancy.

She is heartbroken by the whole process, saying it led her to take weeks off work and delayed her getting the chance to mourn her dead baby.

She has set up a GoFundMe to help cover expenses, which has so far raised $5,211 out of the $6,500 goal.

Weber has three other children aged six, five and 18 months. She also had a son who died in 2018 from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

She is no longer an ultra-conservative and said she has left her religion and did not vote for President Donald Trump.

She was a member of the International House of Prayer, an ultra-Christian group that often takes a pro-life view on abortion.

She revealed her issues in a post on TikTok, that has now been viewed more than 213,000 times.
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Effortlessly cool and perennially chic, French women are often admired for their timeless approach to fashion. They dont follow trends, instead opting for a wardrobe full of everyday basics in neutral colours (mostly blacks, blues and whites, and the occasional pop of red) that can be worn for years to come.

Below, weve listed nine wardrobe staples youll see every French woman wearing come summer. And the best part? Theyre all from H&M.

A linen shirt

French women wear this breezier take on the classic button-down with everything from matching linen trousers to jeans and midi skirts. On those crisp mornings, just throw a knit over your shoulders and youre good to go.

A striped tee

Its a bit of a cliche but no French-girl capsule wardrobe is complete without a Breton top. Whether its a long-sleeve or short-sleeve iteration, tuck the tee into jeans and pair the outfit with some ballet pumps and a straw tote.

A lightweight blazer

Another summer wardrobe staple, a lightweight blazer can be dressed up with a white tank top and a poplin midi skirt, or dressed down with some jeans and a white tee.

A midi skirt

@frannfyne

Speaking of white midi skirts  theyre everywhere this summer. Let the volume do the talking and either neatly tuck a shirt into the waistband, or go for the more casual look with an oversized T-shirt.

A slim straight jean

A timeless favourite in the wardrobes of Parisian influencers, the key here is to go for high-rise and ankle-grazing silhouettes in shades of blue or white.

A lightweight knit

@melodiebanfield

Even French summers can be a little unpredictable, so a lightweight knit is the ultimate layering piece. You can wear it over a tee on chillier days  or thrown over the shoulder a la Parisians.

A ballet flat

Perfect for running around town (or the farmers market), ballet pumps are the footwear of choice for French women thanks to those ever so popular two-tone Chanel flats.

A minimalist sandal

Once the weather turns hot, swap the ballet flats for a pair of minimalist sandals. Leather flip-flops offer a chic alternative, as do leather slides.

A basket bag

@juliesfi

Of course, no list of summer wardrobe staples would be complete without a basket bag. Be it a shopper or a crossbody, it can be worn to the office, out to dinner and elsewhere.
The daughter of Bay Area radio legend has been hit with felony charges for allegedly lying about being impregnated by a former star of The Bachelor.

Laura Michelle Owens, the 34-year-old daughter of Ronn Owens, allegedly engaged in the deception from May 2023 to June 2024, all to seek child support from Scottsdale's Clayton Echard.

She is said to have given Echard oral sex twice during a May 2023 encounter, with the TV hunk ending leaving Owens distraught after trying to end their fling the next day.

Eleven days after that, Owens claimed to be pregnant.

The Bachelor Season 26 star denied having sexual intercourse with her, and Owens dropped the paternity case months later.

At the time, Owens claimed she suffered a miscarriage.

A seven-count indictment indictment - alleging perjury, forgery, tampering with evidence, and fraud - insists otherwise.

Filed in Arizona Tuesday, it alleges Owens altered an ultrasound image, fabricated a pregnancy video, and lied multiple times under oath to paint the reality star as the parent.

Moreover, Owens' alleged web of lies also included lying about her miscarriage. Echard, 32, celebrated her indictment in a statement to social media.

Laura Michelle Owens, the 34-year-old daughter of Ronn Owens, allegedly engaged in the campaign of deception from May 2023 to June 2024,

She sought child support from Scottsdale's Clayton Echard, the star of The Bachelor Season 26. He denied ever having sex with her, and Owens dropped a paternity case against him months later

Ronn Owens, now retired at 79, was the host of a ten-minute weekday radio program that aired in San Francisco for 46 years called the Ronn Owens Report. Its final episode aired in 2021.

His daughter maintains she never faked a pregnancy, and that she is being victimized by a coordinated campaign called 'Justice for Clayton' that's surfaced online.

She issued a statement Tuesday as well.

'These charges appear to be the product of intense public pressure, not impartial judgment,' a portion read.

'They reflect a system that responded to online outrage, ignored procedural protections, and moved forward based on narrative rather than fact.

'It is difficult not to see them as part of a broader effort to discredit me, discourage me, and make an example out of me,' it continued.

'I intend to meet these accusations head-on - and I will defend myself, fully and relentlessly, through every step of this process.'

Echard, who starred on the reality show in 2022, said, 'Justice is finally served,'

'This nightmare is over,' he told his nearly 300,000 followers on Instagram.

Owens maintains she never faked a pregnancy, and that she is being victimized by a coordinated online campaign called 'Justice for Clayton'. She issued a statement Tuesday saying she would continue to fight the case in court

Ronn Owens, now retired at 79, was the host of a ten-minute weekday radio program that aired in San Francisco for 46 years called the Ronn Owens Report. Its final episode aired in 2021. He's seen here with his daughter the year before

'I am so ready to not have to think about this anymore... I have not been this happy.

'This is a weight of two years lifted off my shoulders. It feels good.'

He added how the 'weight' brought by the Maricopa County Attorneys Office lengthy investigation into his claims was now 'lifted.'

The probe was called after a judge cast doubt on Owens' paternity case nearly a year and a half ago.

The jurist, at the time, called Owens complaint alleging she had a one-night stand with Echard was 'premature at best,' and 'at worst...fraudulent.'

The paternity case was filed not long after Echard pegged Susie Evans as the Bachelor winner and mere months after their split in the fall of 2022.

The pair are believed to have hooked up. But Echard said his encounters with Owens did not involve full sex, meaning it was impossible for him to have gotten her pregnant.

Echard's lawyers successfully swayed the court after alleging the daughter of the retired radio host has attempted similar schemes several times before.

Echard did admit Owens performed oral sex on him, during a brief encounter on May 20, 2023.

Court documents and witness accounts compiled on Justice For Clayton chronicle several of these alleged accusations, including one from man who accused Owens of faking a pregnancy in 2014 and another from Michael Marraccini in early 2016.

Both men, as well as another unnamed partner and an accuser named Greg Gillespie, claim Owens lied about them fathering her nonexistent children.

Those claims have yet to be proven, but were enough to convince a grandy jury Tuesday there was enough for a case.

As for Echard, Owens demanded he 'take a prenatal paternity test' to prove his parenthood, after using a fake ultrasound image and a 'fabricated ... pregnancy video' to make her claims.

She then insisted she had a miscarriage - a claim found to be false in family court.

Within 11 days, Owens was claiming she was pregnant. She continues to insist she was.
My wife and I live in Australia and recently visited family in England. One day, we booked a Hertz hire car so we could visit my wife's grandparents. One of them is unwell and this may be the last time she is able to see them.

I asked for a Mercedes GLA when I booked - which would be either a petrol or diesel car, or a hybrid. But when I turned up, I was was given a Polestar electric vehicle.

Neither of us had driven an EV before, and this caused huge problems.

Our journey was a 560-mile round trip from London to the Lake District, with a stop in Birmingham on the way home to see my uncle. The maximum mileage of the car in peak conditions is about 250 miles.

We had to stop to charge four times for about 40 minutes each, and also kept having to veer off course to find a charger.

Electric shock: This reader was surprised to be handed a Polestar EV - similar to this one - when he rented a car to drive from London to the Lake District (stock image)

This totally derailed our trip and meant we missed our dinner with my uncle in Birmingham at 5pm. We didn't arrive there until 9pm.

It was a freezing winter day and we kept the heating off to conserve battery. The card Hertz gave us to pay for charging also didn't work.

This completely ruined our day, and by the end my wife was in tears. N.L, Brisbane

Helen Crane, of This is Money, replies: I am sorry to hear about your traumatic trip in this electric car. This was an important and emotional day for your wife, and the vehicle Hertz gave you just wasn't up to the job.

Baffled to be given an electric car, you requested a replacement when you arrived at the Hertz office to pick it up - but the assistant told you that only EVs were available. You say they were rude and told you to 'take it or leave it'.

The lack of petrol cars may have been because you were in central London, where many non-electric vehicles must pay the 12.50 daily ULEZ charge, so perhaps Hertz keeps a smaller internal combustion-engined fleet there.

You and your wife can also only drive an automatic - which is the norm down under - and this ruled out many of the cars.

But it is Hertz's responsibility to give you a car that is the equivalent to the one you booked and if that isn't available it is standard car hire industry practice to upgrade people.

You were reluctant to take the EV, but the desk assistant assured you there were charging points 'everywhere' and that the car would charge fully in 15 minutes, so you set off.

This easy charging was far from the case, in your experience. You made one stop to charge on the way to the Lake District, which took around 40 minutes.

This only charged the car's battery to around 50 per cent - which might have been down to the freezing weather and depends on how fast the charger available was.

EVs don't charge as quickly when it is very cold, and the battery will also run down faster - but you can't have been expected to know this, as total novices.

When hiring an electric car, you must pay for charging in the same way you would pay for fuel in a petrol car. Unfortunately, while charging an EV at home is cheap, on the move it can be expensive.

You paid 112 in total for charging, which you claimed was more than double what you might have paid in petrol for a similar journey.

CRANE ON THE CASE Our weekly column sees This is Money consumer expert Helen Crane tackle reader problems and shine the light on companies doing both good and bad. Want her to investigate a problem, or do you want to praise a firm for going that extra mile? Get in touch: helen.crane@thisismoney.co.uk

Chargers can be cheaper or more expensive depending on who runs them and how fast they are, but you didn't know this.

Hertz had given you a payment card for charging, which would add the cost of the charging to your final Hertz bill, rather you paying out of pocket upfront. However, you couldn't make it work.

When you arrived at the grandparents' home, you plugged the car in and hoped the four-hour stay would allow it to charge enough to get you home.

But in fact, it charged the car by just a measly 3 per cent. While EVs can charge via a regular three-pin plug, this is painfully slow. They really need a dedicated charger, which of course your wife's elderly grandparents didn't have.

After leaving the Lakes, you had to charge the car twice on the way to Birmingham and both times had to veer wildly off course to find a high-powered charging point.

All in all it took you seven hours to drive from the Lakes to Birmingham - a trip that could be done in three and a half hours in good conditions.

You arrived at 9pm, having missed dinner with your uncle and with your wife cold, fed up and in tears.

You had to make a final charging stop on the way from Birmingham to London, which meant you didn't get back to your hotel until 1:30am - not ideal as you had a sightseeing tour booked first thing the next day.

You couldn't complain when you returned the car early the next morning, as the office wasn't yet open - but you did so afterwards with the help of your UK-based uncle.

Hertz refused to reimburse you, saying that only EVs were available at the time and that it didn't take responsibility for customers' charging issues.

You were then hit with an extra cost when you checked your bill. The petrol car you originally booked included unlimited mileage, but only 300 miles were included on the electric car. Extra miles were charged at 24p per mile.

It meant that in total, the rental cost you 252 including the fee for the hire, extra mileage and charging costs.

Can a car hire firm give me an EV?

You selected a petrol Mercedes GLA when you booked. You've sent me a screenshot to show that, on the website, cars are clearly marked as electric - and the one you opted for was not.

This is standard car hire industry practice to show whether a car is petrol / diesel or electric and many people do not want to hire EVs due to the extra hassle.

Plain to see: I also checked Hertz's website, and EVs are clearly marked

But when you later complained to Hertz, it simply said you booked a 'medium car' and the booking didn't specify whether it was petrol, hybrid or electric.

Hire firms are allowed to swap the car you've booked for a similar or higher-spec car, if it isn't available.

Hertz's website states that 'similar' means 'that the vehicle you rent may not be the exact make and model as the vehicle displayed, although it will be from the same car group, meaning that it will be comparable in size and performance to that vehicle.'

Is an EV comparable to a similar-sized petrol car? The problem here is that it's so subjective. For someone who regularly drives an EV, and was only going 100 miles, the Polestar EV you were given might not have been a problem.

But for you, it was a disaster. The car was totally unsuitable for your trip, and you were told the car would be electric with any reasonable notice, you would have cancelled and booked elsewhere.

Being able to spring an EV on you at the rental garage, when you're eager to get away, doesn't seem fair.

It would seem sensible to have an option where drivers can opt out of EVs during the booking process, if they don't feel comfortable driving one or don't think it's suitable for their trip.

Given how upset you were about this experience, I contacted Hertz to ask if it would reconsider reimbursing you.

It said the limited car choice you were offered on pick-up was because you required an automatic. But many tourists aren't able to drive manual cars or don't want to, and I agree with you that there should have been better options.

Hertz also clarified that the charging card you were given was not broken, but would only work with chargers operated by Shell, with which it has a partnership. This could have been explained better.

However, Hertz added that it recognised that you were disappointed with your experience during an important time.

Therefore, it has provided a refund of your hire fee and charging costs as a gesture of goodwill.
S4 Capital saw a significant decline in first-quarter revenue as the ad group's technology clients continue to prioritise artificial intelligence spending over marketing.

Sir Martin Sorrell's advertising agency revealed like-for-like turnover fell by 14.3 per cent in the three months ending March, while reported sales slumped by 15.3 per cent to 178.2million.

Sorrell, 80, noted customers remained cautious amid 'volatile global macroeconomic conditions' resulting from tariffs, the Ukraine war, cooling US-China relations and tensions in the Middle East.

S4's net revenue from technology services plunged by 36.4 per cent to 15.4million due partly to lower activity from one major customer.

Tech firms' focus on enhancing AI capacity instead of advertising led to marketing services turnover shrinking by 13.9million to 148.3million.

On a regional basis, net revenue in the Americas - its largest market - fell by 11 per cent to 130.5million despite solid growth in Latin America, while trading in Europe was hit by subdued activity in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.

Restrained behaviour: Sir Martin Sorrell (pictured) noted customers remained cautious amid 'volatile global macroeconomic conditions'

S4 Capital shares decreased 4.5 per cent to 24.65p on Thursday morning, taking losses to around 47 per cent over the past year.

However, S4 expects to perform better over the second half of the year, supported by the 'phasing of new business revenue' and a ramp-up in work from major clients such as GM and Amazon.

During the first quarter, the London-based company struck new partnerships with the likes of Samsung, software developer Asana, and Jack Dorsey's payments platform, Square.

S4 also gained a deal worth at least $20million in annual turnover, which it calls a 'whopper', with an unnamed firm in the telecommunications, media, and technology sector.

Consequently, the group anticipates its annual net revenue and operational earnings before nasties will be broadly similar to last year's levels.

Sorrell said: 'We continue to focus on our larger, scaled relationships with leading enterprise clients and our drive for margin improvement through greater efficiency, utilisation, billability and pricing.'

London-born Sorrell set up S4 in 2018 after spending over three decades as chief executive of WPP, which he built into the world's largest advertising business.

Like at WPP, he expanded the company through dozens of acquisitions, including Dutch firm MediaMonks, marketing consultancy MightyHive, and film studio Caramel Pictures.

However, this approach screeched to a halt in 2022 when accounting issues forced S4 to delay publishing its full-year results twice.
Have YOU got a story?

Just a few years ago, Danielle Pieton was a super fit road cyclist who had just achieved her long-held dream of moving to France.

The Brit, now 51, was excitedly beginning her new life abroad, having just set up a successful business with her partner.

That was until January 2022, when she underwent the Moderna vaccine for Covid and had her world turned upside down within a matter of hours.

Rushed to hospital with chest pain, the cyclist spent two weeks in intensive cardiac care, and was left needing a permanent pacemaker having suffered complete heart block, she said.

Now Ms Pieton, from Cornwall, revealed she is still learning to live with her 'damaged body', having recently been diagnosed with Post Vaccine Syndrome (PVS), for which there is no cure.

She told MailOnline: 'I spent over two years wanting to be dead as the symptoms were so dreadful.

'Just today my head felt like I was being injected with helium.

'Previous to this I was a very fit 48-year-old road cyclist, full of energy and dreams.'

Have YOU got a story? Email katherine.lawton@mailonline.co.uk

Danielle Pieton (pictured) said she was a fit and healthy road cyclist before she had the Moderna vaccine in 2022

Ms Pieton in hospital after falling seriously ill, shortly after having the Moderna jab

Ms Pieton, who now lives in Seez, in the French Alps, said she still suffers from intermittent chest pain and breathlessness, but is finally able to walk most days and ride an e-bike.

Less than 12 hours after the vaccine she suffered 'intense dizziness, breathlessness and chest pain', she explained, before being rushed to hospital where she spent a fortnight in intensive cardiac care.

The then 48-year-old was left with a permanent pacemaker, having been diagnosed with complete heart block, she said.

The cyclist left hospital unable to walk unaided, she added, with no answers as to what had happened to her.

'The dizziness was almost unbearable, with intense head pressure (I thought my head was going to explode),' she said.

'Constant fatigue, pins and needles in my hands and legs, numbness in my feet and face, blurred vision, severe muscle loss, ongoing chest pain and breathlessness.'

Ms Pieton was then given six months of vestibular rehabilitation, she said, as well as six months of 'vision re-education, endless physio and muscle rehab'.

'My doctor and various consultants tested me, keeping me in hospital for lumbar punctures, MRIs [...] and tried countless meds to try and help me,' she said.

'Three years on I'm learning to live with my damaged body, still dizzy with intermittent chest pain and breathlessness and determined to live my best life and do as much as I can. I'm now able to walk, and ride an e-bike.'

Ms Pieton had already had two Pfizer vaccines prior to her Moderna jab, with seemingly no side effects.

'There are days where I'm bed ridden,' she revealed, explaining what her life is like now.

'I would just want to exit my body.

Just a few years ago, Ms Pieton was a super fit road cyclist who had just achieved her long-held dream of moving to France

The Brit was excitedly beginning her new life abroad, having just set up a successful business with her partner

'I just cannot cope with the sensations going around in my body.'

MailOnline has contacted Moderna for comment.

While Covid vaccines have unquestionably prevented millions of deaths, studies in recent years have linked them to chronic conditions affecting an undetermined number of people worldwide.

Last month, it was reported that experts at Yale University have discovered an alarming syndrome linked to the mRNA Covid vaccines.

The previously unknown condition - dubbed 'post-vaccination syndrome' - appears to cause brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus and exercise intolerance.

The findings, from a well-respected institution, suggest more research on post-vaccination syndrome is needed, independent experts said.

The next phase of the research will be to ascertain how widespread the condition is and who is most at risk.

Thousands of people have said that Covid vaccines injured them since the shots were rolled out in 2021.
Eighty years ago, the Allied fight against Nazi tyranny came to an end.

At 3pm on May 8, 1945, Winston Churchill told the nation in his radio broadcast that it was 'your hour' and 'your victory'.

As news of the end of the Second World War in Europe spread, so did the country-wide rejoicing.

London was swamped by hundreds of thousands of people celebrating the end of five years of toil and sacrifice - even if the war against Japan was still ongoing.

A decade ago, when Britain's marked 70 years since the end of the war, esteemed historians Jonathan Mayo and Emma Craigie recounted VE Day minute by minute in the Mail, as it happened in 1945.

Now, we have used their words to again to reveal how the day progressed, from 7am until midnight.

Our live coverage has now ended but for a full recap see below
More than a year after a missing Colorado mom was found drugged and murdered, her friends say they are done waiting for answers: they want justice.

In April 2024, investigators confirmed what many had feared for years. Suzanne Morphew, a 49-year-old mom-of-two who vanished from her home in Maysville on Mother's Day in 2020, hadn't just up and left her family. She had been killed.

Suzanne's husband Barry Morphew had been the prime suspect in the wake of her disappearance and was charged with murdering his wife in 2021. Barry protested his innocence and the case was later dropped by prosecutors who wanted to find her body before going to trial.

Suzannes remains were finally discovered in a shallow grave near Moffat, in a dumping ground known as 'The Boneyard', in September 2023, more than three years after she was last seen alive.

Her corpse was in such a poor condition that investigators were unable to determine precisely how she was killed. But in her bones they discovered traces of a cocktail of powerful animal tranquilizers, suggesting she had been sedated before her death.

For those who knew Suzanne, the details were difficult to stomach. But the long-awaited break in the case brought with it a semblance of hope that justice was close.

However, 12 months on, no arrests have been made and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is refusing to provide any updates.

As another Mothers Day approaches, one of Suzannes friends, Tisha Leeway, tells the Daily Mail she is furious that, still, no one has been held accountable.

Suzanne Morphew was reported missing on Mother's Day 2020. Police believe she was killed the day before

Barry Morphew (left) was charged with murdering his wife in 2021. He pleaded not guilty and the case was later dropped by prosecutors who wanted to find Suzanne's body before going to trial

Im so frustrated that there hasnt been an arrest, fumed Leeway. They have the body, they have the autopsy. So why the silence? Why the lack of progress?

Ive seen cases tried with less evidence than they have right now, so why hasnt there been an arrest? Were coming up on the fifth year Suzanne deserves better than this.

Leeway said she hopes whoever is responsible for her friend's death spends every day looking over their shoulder.

That person has to go to bed and live with what theyve done for the rest of their life, so I believe theyre already in a prison within themselves, said Leeway.

Leeway believes she knows who is responsible for Suzannes death and is hopeful an arrest will be made by the end of the year.

Recently, a video emerged on social media, appearing to show a smiling Barry Morphew, 57, posing for selfies with his youngest daughter while out to dinner in Utah.

Leeway said the footage made her sick to her stomach.

It makes me sick to think that somebody gets to continue to live their life and have no cares in the world, and it seems his daughters have moved on too, she said.

Barry Morphew has denied any involvement in his wife's death. He sued local officials for $15m for malicious prosecution but the case was dismissed by a judge last year

After the autopsy came back, I thought things wouldve switched around, but I guess not.'

Suzanne was first reported missing by her neighbors in the afternoon of May 10, 2020, after her daughters, who were away on a trip, raised the alarm when they were unable to reach their mom to wish her a happy Mothers Day.

It was believed Suzanne had left home for a bike ride but failed to return.

Barry Morphew told police he was out of town for a landscaping job three hours away in Broomfield. Hed left home in the early hours of the morning and last saw his wife sleeping in bed, he claimed.

Within hours, Suzannes bike would be found abandoned down a steep embankment close to the Morphew home, in a scene police believe was staged. Her helmet was discovered days later, roughly a mile away, at the side of a highway.

Suspicions quickly mounted, and a media firestorm was ignited.

A tearful Barry Morphew released a brief video appeal to the public asking for information.

Suzanne, if anyone is out there that can hear this that has you, please, we'll do whatever it takes to bring you back, Barry said.

The cap of a tranquilizer dart was found in the dryer of the Morphew home wrapped in recently washed bedding, records show

Barry admitted to using tranquilizers to hunt deer

Suzanne was being treated for cancer at the time of her death

Meanwhile, a huge manhunt was launched, with authorities scouring rural terrain, diving in lakes, and deploying K9 units to find Suzanne - but there was no trace.

In conversations with police, Barry insisted he and Suzanne shared a happy and healthy marriage, police records show, but a subsequent investigation would suggest otherwise.

For two years, Suzanne had been engaged in a long-distance affair with her former classmate, Jeff Libler, a married dad-of-six living in Michigan.

The fling involved overnight trips to other states and the pair regularly exchanged racy photos - including the last known image of Suzanne alive, showing her posing in a bikini in the sunshine on the morning police believe she was killed.

Liebler has never spoken publicly about the case.

Barry also had a profile on the extramarital dating site Ashley Madison, while texts between the couple included in court documents detailed a series of explosive rows, accusations of abuse and infidelity, and one text from Suzanne telling her husband, 'I'm done'.

In other texts to a friend, Suzanne had likened Barry to Jekyll and Hyde and claimed hed put a gun to his head and threatened to pull the trigger if she left him, the court documents showed.

When Barry was questioned by police two days after Suzanne disappeared, police noted he had scratches on his hands and arms.

A search of the Morphew home found a live .22 caliber bullet by Suzannes bed, and a needle cap from a tranquilizer dart was found in the dryer, tangled up among washed bed sheets.

Suzanne Morphew is seen sporting the gray Crested Butte hoodie she was wearing when she was murdered, in a photo of her cooking breakfast with her mother-in-law Shirley in August 2018

Suzannes official cause of death was listed as homicide by unspecified means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication'

Barry would insist he and Suzanne shared a happy and healthy marriage, police records show, but a subsequent investigation would reveal otherwise

A text sent by Suzanne to Barry saying 'I'm done' is seen above

Investigators also recovered empty tranquilizer darts, a needle used to inject tranquilizer chemicals into the darts, and a dart gun.

Barry Morphew admitted to using a tranquilizer gun to shoot deer so he could harvest their horns, but said he was unsure how the cap got in the dryer, court records show.

Although she wasn't reported missing until the afternoon of May 10, investigators accused Barry of murdering Suzanne sometime in the evening of May 9 and disposing of her body in the early hours.

The last communication from Suzannes phone was made at 2.13pm on May 9, roughly 30 minutes before Barry returned home from work.

Barrys phone entered and exited airplane mode several times over the next 24 hours, authorities said.

The door of his truck was opened numerous times between 3.25am and 5am and was backed up into the homes garage at least once.

Further arousing suspicion was Barrys activity in Broomfield. He was captured on surveillance making several trash runs at numerous locations around town, but appeared to be doing little work, police noted.

In a stunning development, Barry was arrested and charged with Suzannes murder in May 2021, but the case would collapse before making it to trial, with prosecutors deciding to withdraw the charges until Suzannes body could be found.

Barry had pleaded not guilty.

Barry made a series of trash dumps in Broomfield on the day Suzanne was reported missing

Barry's daughters told ABC in 2023 they have never questioned his innocence

Suzanne Morphew's remains were found in the fall of 2023. Cadaver dogs are pictured at the scene where Chaffee County Sheriff's officers, FBI and CBI were searching in Colorado

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation declined to answer any questions when approached by DailyMail.com

Barry would later sue local officials for $15million in damages, claiming they fabricated evidence and engaged in conspiracy. That case was dismissed by a judge last year.

Barry has staunchly denied any wrongdoing in Suzannes death.

He appeared alongside his daughters, Macy and Mallory, for an interview with ABC in 2023, during which he stated he was absolutely not her killer.

A source close to Barry told the author of this article in 2023 that they have never questioned his innocence and claimed he is incapable of masterminding such a violent crime.

He has a very big heart, said the source, who requested anonymity.

He's not a details man either. He can be messy, so he'd leave a trail. I don't see him as being detailed enough to think of everything.

Barry's attorney has not returned a request for comment. Attempts to reach Suzanne's daughters, Macy and Mallory Morphew, were unsuccessful.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation declined to comment on whether Barry is still a suspect in the case, with a spokesperson stating only: Im sorry, but because this remains an ongoing investigation, there's nothing I can share at this time.

Tisha Leeway said she's hopeful an arrest will be made by the end of the year

This May, as she does every year, Leeway will be hosting a memorial for Suzanne

Suzannes official cause of death was listed as homicide by unspecified means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication, according to a coroner's report.

The coroners office noted that the combination of tranquilizers detected on Suzannes remains is typically used to immobilize wildlife and can cause sedation and numbness.

Also found near Suzannes remains was a weathered bullet, leisure wear, and a patterned balaclava, the Daily Mail reported at the time. The caliber of the round has not been disclosed.

This May, as she does every year, Leeway will be hosting a memorial for Suzanne.

This years service will take place in Boulder, where she and a group of other advocates for Suzanne have planted a tree in her honor.

Suzanne would have turned 54 last month.
A British soldier has been left with an eye-watering bill after shattering his femur and skull falling from a waterfall in Thailand while taking photos at a tourist hotspot.

Liam Gibson, 21, was visiting the idyllic Na Muang Waterfall 2 when he slipped and tumbled onto a rock ledge metres below.

The member of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was 'bleeding out' for hours, passing in and out of consciousness from the pain, as medics tried to reach him in the isolated spot on Koh Samui.

For more than two hours, his girlfriend Lucy Baldwin, 20, clung to Liam's body as he was stranded inches from a 100m drop.

The devastated beautician told MailOnline: 'When I saw the state he was in, I was just in sheer panic.

'I had to hold him so he wouldn't slip further down the waterfall with my arms and legs wrapped around him, sitting in a pool of his blood.

'He had bone sticking out of his leg, you could see his skull. It was absolutely horrific'.

Five hours later, Liam - who 'lights up every room he walks into' - was taken to a local hospital where they rushed him into emergency surgery for three major operations and multiple blood transfusions.

Liam Gibson, from Hartlepool, was visiting the idyllic Na Muang Waterfall 2 when he slipped and tumbled onto a rock ledge metres below

His childhood sweetheart, Lucy Baldwin, had to wrap her arms and legs around him so he wasn't dragged further down the waterfall while he passed in and out of consciousness

The waterfall is considered a popular tourist spot and a TikTok favourite, despite claiming the lives of two tourists in 2019

Lucy explained: 'The doctors discovered he had completely shattered his femur in three pieces, broken his right arm, shattered his left hand, shattered his eye socket, cheek bone, nose and skull and had multiple open wounds to the bone on his left leg.'

Liam, from Hartlepool, has been recovering slowly in hospital over the last three weeks but can not have the reconstructive surgery on his leg that he needs until he reaches England.

With medical bills piling up and a medjet needed to bring him home, the childhood sweethearts are faced with a bill of more than 100,000.

The serviceman is now stranded in Thailand and the couple, who were only a week into their month-long backpacking trip, have set up a a GoFundMe to try bring him home.

'The medical bills are just so expensive and obviously the longer he's there the more they're going up which is why its so urgent to bring him home,' Lucy said.

Recalling what became 'the worst experience of my life' started off as the 'perfect day', she says.

'We had rented a moped and was just exploring the island when I saw the waterfall on TikTok,' Lucy said.

'There was loads of families at the waterfall and Liam was taking pictures when I realised he had been gone just a bit too long.

'Funny' Liam joined the army straight after school, where has served for five years, and frequently does charity events to raise money for men's mental health

The desperate couple, who met in school when they were 13, put off making the fundraiser as long as possible because 'we're not the kind of people to be asking for money'

'It was absolutely horrific - when you see someone you love in that state, you just go into full survival mode,' the beautician said

Liam has been recovering slowly in hospital over the last three weeks but can not have the reconstructive surgery on his leg that he needs until he reaches England

'Funny' Liam joined the army straight after school, where has served for five years, and frequently does charity events to raise money for men's mental health

'I was shouting and shouting for him when I spotted him on on the rock ledge passed out.

'I tried to climb down and reach him but I couldn't so I started screaming for help - in the end a local Thai boy helped reach him.'

Lucy believed that if he had fallen all the way down the waterfall, Liam would have instantly died from the 100m drop - which was the fate of two tourists years earlier.

When she finally got to him, she said 'there was just so much blood everywhere especially considering we were sitting in a waterfall with the water washing it away constantly'.

She continued: 'It just showed how fast he was bleeding out.

'It was absolutely horrific - when you see someone you love in that state, you just go into full survival mode.

'All I could do as we waited for help was to keep talking to him and try and keep him with us.

'We ended up tying his leg with a T-shirt to stop the bleeding but Liam kept thinking he was going to die because no one was showing up.

'But obviously it had been so long even I doubted if someone was coming, if this was it.

'It was awful - the worst thing I have ever experienced, watching him be in absolute agony, just excruciating pain.'

The Foreign Office said they 'are aware of a British man who is hospitalised in Thailand and stand ready to provide assistance'.

Five hours after the fall, Liam reached a local hospital where they rushed him into emergency surgery for three major operations, multiple blood transfusions and gave him antibiotics

Doctors said Liam had shattered his eye socket, cheek bone, nose and scull and had multiple open wounds as well as severely breaking his leg

'I had to hold him so he wouldn't slip further down the waterfall with my arms and legs wrapped around him, sitting in a pool of his blood,' his childhood sweetheart said

The Tourism Authority of Thailand and local police have also been contacted for comment.

Shockingly, Liam is not the only person to have been horrifically mutilated by visiting the popular tourist spot.

In 2019, two holidaymakers both died after slipping on the rocks of the enchanting waterfall.

David Rocamundi Conesa, 26, had been with seven other friends hiking the 0.6mile trek to the top of the waterfall in the July of that year when the Barcelona resident slipped.

Police believed he was trying to clamber down over the wet surface of the boulders and rescue workers found David's lifeless body lying in a pool between boulders near the bottom of the waterfall later that night.

He had a six-inch long wound on his head and was pronounced dead at the scene but was only recovered the next morning because it was too dark to reach the area.

David, in blue shorts and white vest, posed looking down over the water as it splashed over the rocks

David's friends told police that after taking pictures at the top of the waterfall, he left the group and decided to walk back down on his own

David Rocamundi Conesa, 26, had been with seven other friends hiking the 0.6mile (1km) trek to the top of the idyllic Na Muang 2 waterfall in Koh Samui on Saturday afternoon

Friends of the victim are comforted as rescue workers recover the body of David

In that November, French tourist Bastien Palmier, 33, also fell to his death after ignoring warning signs to try and take a selfie at the beauty spot.

Palmier was standing near the 260ft high waterfall's cliff edge while either taking a selfie, or trying to get into position for a selfie, when he slipped and fell to his death on the sharp, wet rocks and into the pool below.

Police and rescue workers retrieved the tourist's body, which was floating face-down in the water.

The Frenchman's forehead had been split open and his body was covered in cuts and bruises from the fall. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Palmier's friend, Thomas Mechin, told police he had invited his 'childhood friend' on a dream holiday to see him at his new home in Thailand.

He said that they had reached the top of the waterfall when 'Bastien wanted to go further into the prohibited zone that was near the cliff edge'.

Bastien Palmier was with a friend visiting the Na Mueang 2 waterfall on the island of Koh Samui in Surat Thani when he fell to his death

Na Mueang Rescue Unit on the island of Koh Samui, Thainland, taking the body of a French tourist up the 260ft high Na Mueang 2 waterfall

Bastien Palmier fell to his death after ignoring warning signs and climbing over a rope to take a selfie, his friends told Thai police

The French tourist was declared dead at the scene when rescue workers found his body with a head injury and saw he was covered in cuts and bruises from the fall

Thomas told police he 'warned him to stay away but he didn't listen' and he 'crossed the rope that was closing off the area'.

Palmier was 'trying to take a selfie on the edge of the waterfall' when he slipped and fell, Thomas told officers.

Police said that retrieving the body was made more difficult by the slippery rocks but after three hours the rescuers were finally able to carry him out of the waterfall by tying him to a stretcher, which was dragged up with ropes.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Phuwadol Wiriyawarangkul the spot where Palmier fell is roped off and there is a sign warning tourists of the danger.
Donald Trump picked Pete Hegseth as his Defense Secretary so he could get a grand military parade to mark his birthday.

Unlike others, he knew Hegseth wouldn't push back on the idea that was ridiculed when he proposed it during his first term, claim Defense Department staffers who spoke under condition of anonymity to DailyMail.com.

And now the president is set to get the parade he has always wanted on June 14  co-incidentally the date of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US Army, the 109th Flag Day and Trump's 79th birthday.

'We needed someone to lead us in multiple zones of conflict around the world', one department source said of Hegseth.

'What we got, in effect, is a party planner.'

Army and Defense Department staffers have strict orders as they plan the four-mile military parade  an event many have quietly criticized as frivolous and overtly political.

'Make it big. Make it long. And, whatever you do, no more Hitler comparisons,' our source said the Pentagon has been told.

The 6,300-troop parade has been dubbed within the Pentagon as the 'Trumpenparade.'

Donald Trump picked Pete Hegseth as his Defense Secretary so he could get a grand military parade to mark his 79th birthday

Defense department staffers told DailyMail.com Hegseth wouldn't push back on President Trump's big wish, despite it being ridiculed when he proposed it during his first term

The closest President Trump got to the military parade he desired was during his first term for his 2019 July 4 celebration entitled 'Salute to America'

The label is a riff off the German word Truppenparade, or military march, and in this context refers to the one staged for Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday less than five months before the outbreak of World War II.

On April 20, 1939, Hitler showcased at least 40,000 troops and 162 Luftwaffe airplanes flying overhead in Berlin to convey domestic unity around his Third Reich and warn Allied powers about Nazi Germany's military might.

The parade marked one of the most brazen propaganda moves of the 20th century.

Trump became obsessed with the idea of reviewing a grand military parade in Washington D.C. after attending Bastille Day commemorations with French President Emmanuel Macron in 2017.

Trump said he wanted a bigger military presence on Pennsylvania Avenue than the one on Paris's Champs-Elysees that so impressed him.

On orders from the White House, the Pentagon planned such a parade in 2018 despite reluctance by military brass who objected, saying troops and military funding shouldn't be used for political or personal purposes.

It was then, our sources told us, that the label 'Trumpenparade' was first used in the Defense Department to mock what was widely seen as an indulgence.

Trump ended up canceling the parade when members of Congress, pundits and the public scoffed at the $92million cost estimate.

US Army soldiers work on an armored Bradley Fighting Vehicle on display in front of the Lincoln Memorial for US Independence Day celebrations at the National Mall in Washington D.C. for 'Salute to America'

The 6,300-troop parade, planned as part of the Army's 250th anniversary celebration, has been dubbed within the Pentagon as the 'Trumpenparade'  a play on the one staged for Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday less than five months before the outbreak of World War II

President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron at Bastille Day in 2017, which allegedly inspired Trump to want one of his own for his birthday

He accused D.C.'s Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser of price gouging the federal government for security and logistical fees, even though most of the parade costs would have stemmed from transporting military aircraft, equipment and personnel to the city, housing and feeding troops while there, and other logistics.

Demands for such a parade in Trump's second term started even before he re-took office in January, the sources claim.

His transition team made it known in meetings with Defense Department envoys to Mar-a-Lago that he expected the grand event on his 80th birthday next year.

Under Hegseth, military brass have been ordered to find ways to make a parade work rather than ways to push back against it. Defense Department spokespeople, meanwhile, were instructed to tell reporters there would be no parade when asked about it over the winter.

Hegseth called the planned event 'the biggest and most beautiful military parade in our nation's history'.

Hegseth's staff worked with Army brass to organize a parade as part of that branch's 250th-anniversary celebrations, which were already scheduled for the weekend of June 14 of this year  coinciding with Trump's 79th birthday, not his 80th.

It was on June 14, 1775, that the Second Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Continental Army, which later became the United States Army. June 14 is also Flag Day, commemorating the adoption of the U.S. flag in 1777.

Army Spokesman Colonel Dave Butler said the parade 'will be an excellent addition to what we already have planned.'

'We want to make it into an event that the entire nation can celebrate with us.'

Demands for the parade in Trump's second term started before he re-took office in January, the sources claim, stemming back from being mentioned in meetings with Defense Department envoys at Mar-a-Lago

Trump wants a bigger parade than the one that impressed him in Paris on Bastille Day 2017 which he watched alongside French President Emmanuel Macron

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the feds should be prepared to pay millions of dollars to repair the pavement they chew up if they use military tanks

Plans entail bringing in 6,600 soldiers from at least 11 corps and divisions nationwide. Those could include a Stryker battalion with two companies of Stryker vehicles, a tank battalion and two companies of tanks, an infantry battalion with Bradley vehicles, Paladin artillery vehicles, Howitzers and infantry vehicles.

All but 300 of those soldiers would be marching in the parade, while the rest would do logistical and support work.

Army Spokesman Col. Dave Butler said the parade 'will be an excellent addition to what we already have planned' - referencing the parade for the 250th anniversary of the Army

Plans also include 50 helicopters, seven Army bands, a parachute jump by the Golden Knights and possibly a couple thousand veterans, military college students and battle reenactment buffs.

A concert and fireworks show are expected to follow the parade, which is likely to stretch from Arlington, Virginia, where the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery are located, across the Potomac River and into D.C.

Trump told NBC's Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker that the 'big, beautiful' parade will be more about patriotism than ego.

'I view it for Flag Day, not necessarily my birthday. Somebody put it together,' he said, distancing himself from plans.

But if it goes ahead this year, there is a possibility Trump could decide Washington should host an annual military parade like Bastille Day or May Day in Moscow  meaning he would get his wish of such a show on his 80th birthday.

Meanwhile, a group called 'No Kings' is organizing a mass protest for June 14, describing the parade as 'a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday'.

Plans entail bringing in 6,600 soldiers from at least 11 corps and divisions nationwide - including a possible appearance by a Stryker battalion

An annual parade like Moscow's May Day could even be a possibility if Trump sees the one in June as a success

Defense officials have estimated the cost could be as high as $45million and that individual Army units would bear the cost, potentially impacting funds used for training.

Trump told Welker the cost would be worth it.

Aides apparently have convinced Trump that holding the parade as part of the Army's already-scheduled anniversary celebration  rather than planning it for his 80th birthday next year  will help justify the cost.

Some equipment and troops were already included in the Army's anniversary festival, which was planned to feature a display of helicopters, Humvees and armored vehicles on D.C.'s National Mall.

Still smarting from recent scandals involving Hegseth and outgoing National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, the administration also sees holding the parade sooner rather than later as a way to repair perceptions that the military has become weak and unorganized under its watch, a source said.

One sticking point apparently came with a request by the White House over the winter that the parade include massive missiles like those flaunted by North Korea, South Korea, Iran and Russia to showcase their military capabilities.

Military brass apparently have been able to talk Trump's team out of the idea.

Another sticking point is whether tanks will be included. As she did in 2018, D.C. Mayor Bowser recently warned that if tanks are used on city streets, the feds should be prepared to pay many millions of dollars to repair the pavement they chew up.

Defense officials have estimated the cost could be as high as $45million and that individual Army units would bear the cost

Still recovering from Hegseth and Mike Waltz blunders, the administration reportedly sees holding the parade as a way to repair perceptions that the military has become weak and unorganized under its watch

If social media comments are any indication, plans for Trump's military parade are no more popular now than they were in 2018, especially given that the economy is nose-diving and Trump  who never served in the military, famously claiming he had bone spurs to avoid the Vietnam-era draft  is slashing government spending, including on veterans' programs.

'That's some North Korea s**t,' a poster wrote on Reddit.

'The parade glorifies him, not the troops,' wrote another.

One poster urged the many critics on Reddit not to forget that the Army's 250 birthday is a 'pretty big milestone.'

'Everyone stop clutching your pearls and embarrassing yourself,' they said.
Dick Smith has warned Anthony Albanese's ambitious plans for renewable energy will spark Spanish-style blackouts - leading to Australia embracing nuclear power by 2040 to avoid relying on coal and gas.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton resoundingly lost the election, and his own seat, with a plan to build seven government-run nuclear reactors in every mainland state to meet a net zero by 2050 target for eliminating carbon emissions.

'I spoke to him on the phone during the campaign for about 15 minutes; I gave him no advice about policy or anything like that; I just said, "You're making the right decision, that's good leadership",' Mr Smith told Daily Mail Australia.

The Coalition planned to have nuclear power make up 38 per cent of Australia's energy mix by 2050, with renewables making up 62 per cent of electricity generation in 25 years' time.

Labor, by contrast, wants renewable energy to make up 82 per cent of Australia's electricity generation by 2030, rising to 98 per cent by 2040 and 100 per cent by 2050 based on batteries being able to store wind and solar energy.

'The plan is to go to high levels of renewables but without the baseload power,' Mr Smith said.

'I have absolutely no doubt that we will go to nuclear - in the meantime, we will expand coal and gas because going to high levels of renewables is unaffordable because of the staggeringly high battery cost.

'We'll have to put all this extra gas in for the back-up for when the batteries run flat; that's an enormous amount for gas than we have now or we'd have to stop exporting it. We'll find that we're not going to get to zero carbon by 2050.'

Dick Smith has warned Anthony Albanese 's ambitious plans for renewable energy will spark Spanish-style blackouts - leading to Australia embracing nuclear power by 2040 to avoid relying on coal and gas

Mr Smith is urging Mr Albanese to consider nuclear energy

Mr Smith, an 81-year-old entrepreneur, said last month's blackouts in Spain and Portugal, during Australia's election campaign, demonstrated the flaws of being too reliant on renewable energy.

This was an energy grid which had intermittently sourced 100 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources shortly before the massive blackout across the Iberian Peninsula.

'They got to over 90 per cent renewables in one week and then the next week, they had a 12-hour blackout,' he said.

'They were linked to the French nuclear grid but that didn't save them.

'They haven't said what the failure is yet, it hasn't been announced, but I have no doubt it's because very high levels of renewables are not reliable.'

NSW Labor Premier Chris Minns last year extended the life of Lake Macquarie's coal-fired Eraring power station by two years to August 2027.

Mr Smith said more state governments were likely to extend the life of coal-fired power stations to avoid blackouts, even though the Australian Energy Market Operator's chief executive Daniel Westerman last week said there was 'no going back' on renewables.

'I believe AEMO will tell the government, "Look, the only safe way - especially after what happened in Spain - is to extend coal power",' Mr Smith said.

Mr Smith, an 81-year-old entrepreneur, said last month's blackout in Spain and Portugal, during Australia's election campaign, demonstrated the flaws of being too reliant on renewable energy (pictured are children in Barcelona eating by candlelight)

'It's going to be really interesting when we start getting announcements from the Labor Party that they're going to extend coal and then we get announcements from the Labor Party that they'll put more gas turbines in.'

Mr Smith predicted a future federal government in 2040 would have to embrace nuclear power, predicting small modular reactors would be part of the mix, despite not yet existing, so Australia could meet its net zero by 2050 target.

Instead of coal and gas, nuclear power would be the alternative using the process of fission - splitting atoms - to heat water to create steam, which powers a turbine that creates electricity.

This would see Australia join 32 other nations that have nuclear reactors, as the likes of billionaire Bill Gates developed cutting-edge nuclear technology.

'It will be maybe 2040 - it will be a long time away; the whole country by then will support it because what will happen is we'll find that we're not going to get to zero carbon by 2050,' Mr Smith said.

'By then, it will probably be something completely new - by 2040, I would imagine it will be something quite new; I would imagine small modular reactors will be available by then.

'It will take another five to 10 years of extending coal and gas before we do it.

'I can see us getting there but it's another 15 to 20 years away - it will be new politicians in 10 or 15 years' time and they'll just be the reality of it.'

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton resoundingly lost the election , and his own seat, with a plan to build seven government-run nuclear reactors in every mainland state to meet a net zero by 2050 target for eliminating carbon emissions

With battery storage technology unlikely to improve, he predicted a future federal government in 2040 would have to embrace nuclear power, predicting small modular reactors would be part of the mix, despite not yet existing, so Australia could meet its net zero by 2050 target

COALITION'S PLANNED NUCLEAR REACTORS

Callide power station, central Queensland Tarong power station, Queensland's Burnett region Liddell power station, New South Wales Hunter Valley Mount Piper power station, New South Wales central west Loy Yang power station, Victoria's Gippsland Northern power station, South Australia's Port Augusta region Muja power station, Western Australia's South West region Advertisement

Mr Smith said state governments would be convinced of the need for nuclear power 'because there is simply no alternative' - leading to them lifting bans.

'We will have blackouts - you can't run a country on intermittent solar and wind; it is impossible,' he said.

'I understand every state has a ban on nuclear power, as well we have a federal ban on nuclear power, so those bans will have to be lifted.

'We're one of the largest sellers of uranium in the world but we have legislation stating you can't even consider it and that is completely ridiculous.

'We'll have to change legislation in each state and federal.'

The Dick Smith Electronics chain founder was skeptical about the possibility of battery storage technology being able to provide cheap baseload power, that ran consistently regardless of the weather like a coal-fired power station.

'If there was a staggering breakthrough, something that we know nothing about at the moment, yes, it would then be possible,' he said.

'The problem with going to high levels of renewables is the very high cost of storage, whether it's pumped storage or battery storage, it's incredibly costly.'
A top economist has busted the 'avocado' stereotype, arguing young Australians really do have it tough when trying to get onto the property ladder.

AMP deputy chief economist Diana Mousina, 36, claimed the 'divide between the have and the have nots has probably never been wider in Australia that it is right now'.

Millionaire property tycoon Tim Gurner famously claimed in 2017 young Australians could not afford a property because they kept wasting their money on superfluous spending such as $19 smashed avocado.

The 'avocado on toast' image quickly became a stereotype for Millennials and Gen Z in the ongoing debate about whether or not Boomers had it financially easier than successive generations.

Ms Mousina recently told The Fred Schebesta Show that while some Aussies from the 'avocado-eating generation' needed to pull in their spending, a lot were struggling to get into the real estate market because of reasons beyond their control.

The median dwelling price in Australia is about $814,000 and in Sydney it's about $1.3million.

Ms Mousina said it would take someone 11 years on an average income of $100,000 to save for a 20 per cent deposit.

'Do people want to wait 11 years of saving to be able to purchase their home when it took five years a few decades ago?' Ms Mousina said.

AMP deputy chief economist Diana Mousina, 36 (pictured), claimed the 'divide between the have and the have nots has probably never been wider in Australia that it is right now'

'This is why people feel like they can't get into the market - they can't succeed because they have this drag of having to save for a long time.'

The AMP economist noted the 'spending behaviours of young people are different to what they were a few decades ago' but that it's 'normal' to spend more on services.

'The idea of this avocado-eating generation I think it does have some merit to it,' she said.

'There is partly an excuse of young people perhaps not wanting to save as much or not being able to save as tightly perhaps as their parents or their grandparents.

'But at the same time Australia does have an affordability problem.'

Ms Mousina noted that although Australia wasn't the only country suffering from this problem, it did have a secondary issue that was exacerbating matters.

Half of Australia lives in three cities- Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

The economic expert explained in other countries such as the United States, people are far more spread out and are able to buy property regionally.

'But even our regional home prices are unaffordable on the typical metrics that you would look at,' she added.
With a mixture of pride and sombre memories of wartime sacrifice, Britain's oldest surviving Second World War servicewoman today commemorates the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Joan Harrison, 107, is deaf and nearly blind, yet she clearly recalls the moment that the war came to an end, as she sat at the wheel of her Auxiliary Territorial Service ambulance.

Newcastle-born Joan Brown, as she was then, had volunteered for war work at the outbreak of hostilities and quickly picked up the nickname, 'Brownie'.

As news of Victory in Europe broke in the early evening, a serviceman came rushing towards the then 27-year-old to tell her of the momentous good news.

She recalled: 'Everything was still. Then, all of a sudden, he came running down the concrete path to the ambulance and said, "Brownie! The war is over!"

'I said he must be kidding. And he said, "No, the war's over!"

'I jumped out - I don't think I even locked it, which was a crime, and ran with him to the NAAFI [Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes] where everyone was gathering.

'Hats were flying in the air. It was all men. It got a bit boisterous, and some officers came down and called "order".

Joan Harrison, 107, is Britain's oldest surviving female Second World War veteran. Above: In bed at her care home, Posandane Nursing Home, near Penzance, in Cornwall

Joan clearly recalls the moment that the war came to an end, as she sat at the wheel of her Auxiliary Territorial Service ambulance

'The men calmed down. The officers were saying, you're still in the Army, you know, get to your beds. But they couldn't do much about the sheer joy of the moment.'

Born in Portsmouth, Joan moved with her parents to Hong Kong at age 13.

Her father, a Royal Navy admiralty engineer overseer, managed the harbour there.

His work then took them north to Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

When war broke out, Joan joined up with the women's regiment, the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), initially spending two years in civil defence before being sent to Camberley, in North-West Surrey.

There, she trained for 18 months to become an ambulance driver and driving instructor for the ATS, including maintaining the vehicles, a role that would place her at the heart of the war effort.

'It was heavy work. We didn't have a choice. We had to be drivers because the men were needed elsewhere,' she added.

At one point they were stationed in barracks in Edinburgh that were deemed unsuitable for the men because of the terrible conditions.

She recalls: 'It was so awful, cold, wet and horrible. We slept in our great coats.'

Joan is proud to have driven ATS ambulances, just like the late Queen Elizabeth.

Joan with Paula Rogers, CEO of the Women's Royal Army Corps Association

Joan Brown, as she was then, had volunteered for war work at the outbreak of hostilities and quickly picked up the nickname, 'Brownie'

Joan (centre) with a group of British soldiers at the rear of an ambulance

Joan Brown's wartime driving permit, which was valid until the end of January in 1946

Joan Brown's dog-eared pay book

Reflecting on this period, Joan considers her time in the army as 'the best time of her life.'

She was later stationed at Boyce Barracks, in Aldershot, a training centre for the Royal Army Medical Corps and it was there that she met Charlie Harrison, the man who would become her husband.

After the war, they settled in the Midlands and although they tried to start a family, they were never able to have children. Instead, they formed a close bond with their nephew.

Joan's vivid recollections of her time in the ATS have been recorded by two charities - the Women's Royal Army Corps Association and Legasee.

The latter helps the public understand the impact of military activity and preserving the stories of veterans.

Joan is confirmed as being four months older than Ena Collymore-Woodstock, OD, MBE, who is also 107 and lives in Barbados.

The pocket knife issued to Joan by the ATS during her war service

Joan proudly posing for a photo in her uniform

The Jamaican was previously thought to be the oldest surviving female army veteran.

Now residing at Posandane Nursing Home, near Penzance, in Cornwall, Joan, like all ATS women, was later supported by the ATS Old Comrades Association, which evolved into the WRAC Association.

This servicewomen's charity continues to provide invaluable camaraderie and sisterhood to Joan and her fellow veterans to this day.

Paula Rogers, CEO of the WRAC Association, said: 'It was wonderful to be invited to meet Joan and hear her wartime stories.

We are privileged to count many ATS veterans within our Association, alongside women of all ages who have or are currently serving in any of His Majesty's Armed Forces.

'As we remember the sacrifices made during two world wars, other conflicts and in peacekeeping, we are hugely proud of the contribution women made to bringing about the end of WWII.'
A new Mail podcast has launched, revealing Erin Patterson's courtroom reaction to the testimony of Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor of the mushroom poisoning which killed his wife and two friends.

The Australian mother-of-three has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The Mail's 'The Trial of Erin Patterson' podcast is covering proceedings.

Pastor Ian Wilkinson took to the witness box for the first time on Monday, with court reporter Wayne Flower recounting the atmosphere inside the courtroom and Patterson's reaction to his entrance.

During testimony, Wilkinson accused Patterson of deliberately poisoning the party, acting strangely around her guests going into the pantry, and using a separate plate to differentiate her smaller portion of the toxic beef Wellington.

Australian reporter Wayne Flower described Wilkinson as a 'very personal sort of guy', who struggled to hold back tears as he described the death of his wife, Heather, and friends Don and Gail Patterson.

Pastor Ian Wilkinson took to the witness box for the first time on Monday, with court reporter Wayne Flower recounting the atmosphere inside the courtroom. Listen here

Erin Patterson reportedly 'stared' at the sole survivor of the deadly lunch as he delivered testimony. Listen here

The Trial of Erin Patterson is available now, wherever you get your podcasts. Listen here

'He looked remarkably well, considering what he's been through: being the lone survivor of that lunch', Flower told 'The Trial' podcast.

'When he came into the courtroom, Erin had tears in her eyes, but she soon became more composed and just stared at him.

'Ian Wilkinson, he's a very personal sort of guy. You have to feel for him. There was a lot of nervous laughter from him throughout the day when he was talking about some really horrific experiences.

'There were also times when you could tell he was choking back tears. I'd suggest that the jury couldn't help but feel for the guy.'

Wilkinson told the court that after serving the lunch, Patterson lied to her guests that she had been recently diagnosed with cancer.

He then outlined what happened when the couple returned home and began to feel unwell.

View of the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court, where the trial is taking place. Erin Patterson denies the charges against her.

Erin Patterson allegedly served a death-cap mushroom laced Beef Wellington to visitors to her home in Leongatha, Australia.

Wayne Flower: 'Erin had tears in her eyes, but she soon became more composed and just stared at him.' Listen now

Award-winning crime reporter Caroline Cheetham abridged Wilkinson's statement on the podcast.

'At around 11 o'clock, as Wilkinson and Heather were going to bed, she started to feel unwell', Cheetham said.

'All of a sudden, Heather abruptly got out of bed and went to the laundry room. Wilkinson said he could hear her vomiting into the sink.

'Very shortly afterward, he also started to feel sick, and they both then had sickness and diarrhea all night. It was so extreme that they both just camped in separate toilets for pretty much the whole night.'

Simon Patterson, Erin's ex-husband, then arrived at Ian and Heather's home and called an ambulance for the elderly couple.

It was only after a night in the hospital, Wilkinson claims, that the spectre of poisoning was raised by doctors.

Cheetham summarised: 'Husband and wife were put in adjoining beds, and they managed to get some sleep. But early the next morning, they were woken by a team of nurses who raised them down the corridor to the urgent care unit.

'That's when they were told they had suspected mushroom poisoning The doctor said to them it was an extremely serious situation.'

Wilkinson spent three weeks in a coma. When he awoke, he discovered his wife and friends Don and Gail Patterson had succumbed to the poison.

Over the next week, the medical staff that treated the attendees of the lunch will give their statements. The prosecution will be trying to prove that Erin Patterson deliberately poisoned those who ate the meal.

The trail continues.

To listen to The Trial of Erin Patterson ad-free, subscribe to The Crime Desk - the home of arresting podcasts from the makers of The Trial.

Become a member by clicking here, for ad-free access to every show across The Crime Desk network  including over 200 episodes of the UK's No.1 True Crime series - The Trial and On The Case and so much more.
Joe and Jill Biden are re-emerging from their post-White House life to hit back against a spate of new books revealing embarrassing details about the former president's declining health.

Their first big joint stop will be an interview on ABC's The View on Thursday morning but the former first couple have other options they are considering, including a massive deal to publish their tell-all memoirs.

Biden is already hard at work on his own tome about his White House years, writing at his home office in Delaware and his post-presidential office in Washington D.C.

But a joint book deal for the couple could land them $30 million, insiders told the Daily Mail.

The offer, however, is contingent on Jill, who, experts say, could be worth $15 million alone.

Jill Biden kept a diary during her White House years, so she has plenty of memories to draw upon - and the family could use the money.

'She could write a very explosive book if she wanted to,' a former White House aide told the Daily Mail.

Joe and Jill Biden are plotting their comeback after exiting the White House - above the couple in the Oval in July 2024 after the then-president explained to the nation his decision not to seek a second term

The former first lady, however, would be required to reveal what she saw happen in regards to her husband's mental health, the hours after his disastrous presidential debate with Donald Trump, and the details behind his decision to exit the 2024 race.

And that could be the holdup.

Jill Biden is her husband's biggest defender, and, while a book of her own would allow her to shape the family narrative on a tour to promote it, she would be grilled about reports she covered up his decline.

Any publisher would want all the behind-the-scenes details, particularly for a seven-figure deal.

There could be another way for her to deliver.

A fan of Prince Harry's infamous tell-all 'Spare,' the former first lady could go scorched earth on those high-profile Democrats who turned their backs on Joe Biden.

The list of people she could target is long and distinguished: Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, George Clooney, Chuck Schumer and all the other Democrats who privately and publicly urged Biden to step down.

And she has long been said to have a grudge against Kamala Harris.

Her thoughts on the actions of the party's powerful, along with details about the family's discussions surrounding the 2024 presidential campaign, could make for a powerful best seller.

'She's his grudge-holder for sure, and there are definitely plenty of people she will never talk to again, but it's unlike her to take public swings at specific individuals or lay blame. It's just not her style. That's what is going to sell books, though,' a former Biden aide said.

There is a greater issue at play however: money.

While $30 million is about half of the $65 million advance Barack and Michelle Obama received for their memoirs, that amount could go along way in helping out the Biden family.

Hunter Biden is around $15 million in debt from his legal fees from several federal cases, along with lagging sales of his art and his memoir, sources told the Daily Mail.

The family could use the income. They were never wealthy to begin with and offers have not poured in post-presidency.

'Given the financial state that her son is in and the lack of interest in paid speaking engagements for both of them, they could be forced to think twice about her personal and specific they get in their books,' a former aide said.

No final decision has been made by the Bidens. Biden's post-presidency office did not respond to request for comment.

President Joe Biden left viewers stunned during the June 27 presidential debate as he stared into space and fumbled for answers

Hunter Biden is said to be $15 million in debt from his legal fees, above Hunter and wife Melissa Cohen at federal court in Wilmington, Del., in June 2024

Two massive books are looming over the Bidens' heads: both of which promise new details about Joe Biden's decline.

Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, comes out May 20th.

Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf have their book - 2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America - coming out on July 8.

In all four books about those final Biden White House years will be out by summer's end. Authors Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes book Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House and Chris Whipple's book Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History, are already out.

Some of the new information they reveal is eye-opening, particularly when it comes to what aides knew about the president's health and the actions they took to conceal Biden's condition from the public.

But the Biden pushback also has begun.

It's an uphill climb for those loyal to the former president. The June 27th debate, where Biden struggled and fumbled as Trump stood by, changed the public perception of him.

The sight of the 80-year-old commander in chief pausing to gather his thoughts and find his words sent shockwaves through the country. It led to his downfall.

Jill Biden was there for it all. She was in a room in Atlanta, just a few feet from the debate stage as her husband had an on-air meltdown.

She was with the family at Camp David after the debate, where they huddled to discuss ways to deal with the fallout.

And she was with Joe Biden at their beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware, where he was recovering from COVID and ultimately decided to step down as the Democratic nominee.

Many of the Biden's long-time loyal aides, who defended him repeatedly in the White House, are rallying around him once again.

After journalist Alex Thompson won a prestigious award from the White House Correspondents' Association for his coverage of Biden's health, some former White House aides went online to criticize him.

'Not a great look hawking a book based on a false premise while accepting an award based on the same false premise,' former Biden aide Chris Meagher wrote on X. 'Yes, Biden was old, but that's a lot different than an allegation of mental decline that kept him from being able to do the job, which there is no evidence of.'

Thompson replied: 'Some Biden people don't want you to buy the book. Read it and make up your own mind.'

There have long been reports of tensions between Jill Biden and Kamala Harris

George Clooney, Joe Biden, Julia Roberts & Barack Obama at a Los Angeles fundraiser - Clooney would later say it was this fundraiser where he got concerned about Biden's health

Jill Biden has always been Joe Biden's biggest defender

Meanwhile, Dawsey, Taylor and Arnsdorf report in their book that 'top White House aides debated having [Biden] undergo a cognitive test to prove his fitness for a second term but ultimately decided against the move,' per an excerpt that ran in The New York Times.

More juicy details from both tomes are expected to emerge in the coming days.

The Bidens are fighting back themselves.

In addition to the joint appearance on ABC's The View on Thursday, Jill Biden accepted a role with the Milken Institute to work on women's health issues.

And Joe Biden did a sit down with BBC News, his first post-presidency interview. He was asked about his decision to remain in the 2024 contest for as long as he did.

'We had become so successful in our agenda it was hard to say now I'm going to stop now. I meant what I said when I started, that I'm preparing to hand this to the next generation, the transition government. But things moved so quickly, and it made it difficult to walk away,' he said.

'It was a hard decision,' he admitted.

'I think it was the right decision,' he said and then paused for several seconds to gather his thoughts before noting: 'It was just a difficult decision.'
India and Pakistan's tit-for-tat strikes following a terror attack in India-controlled Kashmir two weeks ago have reignited fears of a potential nuclear conflict in one of the world's most volatile regions.

Both countries possess roughly 170 nuclear warheads, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), and though the world has seen numerous flare-ups between the two neighbours over the decades, yesterday's strikes are a chilling reminder of the speed at which the stakes can escalate.

India insists its attacks, launched as part of Operation Sindoor, were 'focused, measured and non-escalatory' and targeted only 'terrorist infrastructure' in the eastern Pakistani region of Punjab and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Masood Azhar, the leader of designated Pakistani Islamist terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), reportedly confirmed that his brother and other family members and aides were killed in a strike on the Subhan Allah Mosque in Bahawalpur, according to Indian media and BBC Urdu.

Pakistani officials denied this and described India's attacks as an 'act of war' that hit civilian areas, before shooting down up to five Indian fighter jets and launching retaliatory strikes across the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border separating India- and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

At least 31 civilians in Pakistan and at least 13 in India have already been reported dead, with other nations warning against any further action that could tip the conflict into a full-scale war that 'the world cannot afford,' according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Following the initial trading of missile attacks, several Indian drones have reportedly been downed by Pakistani air defence systems and an Indian soldier was killed in Pakistani shelling at the LoC - though Pakistan claims it has killed dozens more Indian servicemen.

India has now evacuated tens of thousands of citizens from their homes near the LoC in India-administered Kashmir in anticipation of further retaliatory attacks, and claims to have knocked out Pakistani radar arrays and SAM (surface-to-air missile) sites.

Meanwhile, the tit-for-tat strikes have forced the international community to confront the nuclear dimension of the India-Pakistan standoff and the devastating consequences that could occur should the violence continue to escalate.

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India's Agni-V missile, with a range of 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles), lifts off from the launch pad at Wheeler Island off India's east coast

Pakistan's Hatf-IV Shaheen-1 missile, an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, taking off during a test-firing from an undisclosed location

Pakistani nuclear-capable cruise missile is seen after being launched from a submarine during a test firing at an undisclosed location in Pakistan

India's nuclear policy is built around a long-standing commitment to 'credible minimum deterrence' and a 'No First Use' (NFU) doctrine.

However, experts have noted that India's posture on nuclear weapons has evolved in recent years as its arsenal was modernised and diversified, and some officials have cast doubt on whether the NFU policy remains sacrosanct.

India's warheads are primarily plutonium-based, produced at military sites outside international safeguards, and its estimated 172 nuclear warheads can now be delivered via land, sea and air.

Delhi therefore boasts a fully established nuclear triad, having fielded nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) such as the INS Arihant and introduced multiple missile delivery platforms.

India's Agni series of missiles form the backbone of its land-based deterrent, with the latest Agni-V capable of reaching targets over 5,000 kilometres away according to the CSIS Missile Defence Project - enabling Delhi to hit all of Pakistan and large parts of China.

Islamabad, by contrast, rejects any commitment to a No First Use policy.

Its nuclear posture is guided by what it calls 'full spectrum deterrence', allowing Pakistan to unleash its nuclear weapons when faced with a conventional military threat.

Islamabad's arsenal is also estimated at 170 warheads, but analysts caution it is expanding faster than any other nuclear state.

Most of Pakistan's warheads are thought to be deployed via mobile launchers and short-to-medium range missile systems, including the Shaheen, Ghauri, and Babur platforms.

The Shaheen-III is believed to offer a range of 2,750 km, enough to strike any part of India.

While Pakistan has not yet fully developed a nuclear triad, there are indications it is working to introduce a credible sea-based deterrent, having held missile launch tests from conventional submarines.

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India and Pakistan have relatively comparable nuclear arsenals, but at the conventional military level, their capabilities begin to diverge.

India, one of the world's largest economies and its most populous nation, fields over 1.2 million active soldiers and an additional 250,000 personnel in its navy and air force. This dwarves Pakistan's forces, which total fewer than 700,000.

Delhi also vastly outspends cash-strapped Islamabad in conventional military terms.

SIPRI's 2024 data shows India's military budget reached $86 billion, nearly nine times Pakistan's $10.3 billion.

Yet defence experts caution that Pakistan's military capabilities remain 'in the same order of magnitude' as those of India, thanks in part to its formidable arsenal of short- and medium-range missiles, and the fact that - unlike India - it need not divert substantial military resources to monitoring China.

Both countries are also racing to modernise their military arsenals and warfighting capabilities.

Pakistan derives much of its military technology from Russia and China - some 82% of Pakistan's military imports between 2019 and 2023 came from Beijing, according to SIPRI.

India, meanwhile, once heavily reliant on Russia, has in recent years diversified its purchase of defence equipment westwards, primarily to the benefit of France and the US.

Military aviation experts suggested that joint Pakistani-Chinese manufactured fighter jets used Chinese missiles to shoot down Indian air force assets - including Rafale and Mirage fighters produced by France's Dassault Aviation - in yesterday's retaliation, alongside export versions of Russia's Su-30 and MiG-29.

India unleashes strikes across eastern Pakistan and Kashmir overnight

The remnants of what appears to be a French manufactured fighter jet lies on the ground after being shot down in Wuyan in India-administered Kashmir's Pulwama district May 7, 2025

An army soldier examines a building damaged by a suspected Indian missile attack near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan controlled Kashmir, in Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Researchers warned in 2019 that a nuclear exchange in such a densely populated region could leave 125 million people dead within days, laying out a hauntingly detailed account of the havoc such a conflict would wreak.

Their article, published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 2019, reported that a nuclear war would 'kill tens of millions of people immediately and would create enormous environmental impacts, causing famines that affect millions  or even billions  around the world'.

'The direct effects of this nuclear exchange would be horrible; the authors estimate that 50 to 125 million people would die, depending on whether the weapons used had yields of 15, 50, or 100 kilotons,' the article read.

'The ramifications for Indian and Pakistani society would be major and long-lasting, with many major cities largely destroyed and uninhabitable.

'Smoke and radioactive particles would 'spread globally within weeks... cooling the global surface, reducing precipitation and threatening mass starvation'.

Recognising the potential for a cataclysmic fallout should the conflict between India and Pakistan intensify, world powers have called for cooler heads to prevail.

China, which has supported Pakistan in developing its military capabilities and supplied technological input to enhance Islamabad's missile forces, said: 'India and Pakistan are neighbours who cannot be moved away, and both are also China's neighbours. China opposes all forms of terrorism.

'We call on both India and Pakistan to prioritise the overall situation of peace and stability, maintain calm and restraint, and avoid taking actions that would further complicate the situation.'

US President Donald Trump meanwhile characterised the clash as 'a shame'. 'They've been fighting for a long time... I just hope it ends very quickly,' he said.

Turkey, a Muslim-majority country that has long had close military and economic ties with Pakistan, took aim at India for 'running the risk of starting all-out war' and urged both sides to 'show good sense'. It also advocated for an independent investigation into the April 22 attack.
To the people of Warrington, he was a baby who was very much loved and never to be forgotten.

From the school children who emptied their piggy banks to help pay for his funeral to the mothers who tended his grave under the shade of a towering beech tree, and even to the rookie police constables on the first rung of their career ladder, the name Baby Callum always stirred certain feelings, unique to this close-knit Cheshire community.

For more than 25 years he was their little unknown warrior. A newborn baby smothered after taking his first breaths, someone had wrapped his tiny body in bin bags and dumped him in the woods, close to a childrens theme park.

The only clues to his identity lay in his DNA, but, despite an extensive investigation in which police questioned hundreds of young women, took swab samples from teenage girls at three high schools, and made repeat appeals in the months and years that followed, his mother was never traced.

Until two years ago that is, when, following a combination of painstaking, old-fashioned police work and an advancement in DNA science, the breakthrough finally came.

At exactly 3.10pm on Friday March 24, 2023, an email dropped into the inbox of two female detectives at Cheshire Constabulary, with the subject line: Are You Sitting Down?

It was an amazing moment, we just stood up in the office and hugged each other, we couldnt believe we had done it, recalls Detective Inspector Hannah Friend, who by then had worked on the cold case for more than a year.

So many officers had looked at this case over the 25 years, it had become one of those that was almost legendary in the force.

The funeral procession for Baby Callum at St Elphin's Church in Warrington

The child was named Callum after being found in the Callands area of the town

His death and discovery brought the community together, with residents from all walks of life contributing to fund the funeral

I even remember as a young, probationary officer my tutor telling me about it. Baby Callum was one of those stories that got passed down. So to finally solve it was amazing.

Named Callum by police after the suburb of Callands where he was found on March 14, 1998, everyone had always assumed hed been killed and dumped by a scared, unmarried teenage girl. But the truth was much more perplexing and disturbing, the impact of which, the Mail can reveal, has devastated the babys family and sent shockwaves through the whole community once again.

For what forensic scientist Mike Walbank discovered, in his laboratory in Abingdon, near Oxford, was that Callum was a genetic match to a man called Matthew Sharkey, 28, whose details had been uploaded on to the national DNA database when he was arrested for a minor, unrelated offence.

Using public records, the team began piecing together a family tree for Mr Sharkey, to work out his relationship to the baby. It was quickly established that there was a 36billion-to-one probability that Matthew was Baby Callums full, older brother, which inevitably led them to his mother  Joanne Sharkey.

But, contrary to all the predictions of the criminal psychologists profiling the case back in 1998, Sharkey had not been an unmarried teenager. She was, they were shocked to discover, a married woman of 28 who already had a young son but had managed to hide the pregnancy from everyone, including her husband.

Earlier this year, Sharkey, now 55, appeared before Liverpool Crown Court, where she admitted a charge of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Last month she walked free after the judge, Mrs Justice Jennifer Eady, refused to send her to prison, saying her case called for compassion. Sharkey wept as she was handed a two-year prison term, suspended for two years, and ordered to undergo treatment for her mental health problems.

Psychiatrists who assessed Sharkey agreed she had been in the grip of severe post-natal depression, following the birth of her first son Matthew, when she fell pregnant a second time, in the summer of 1997.

Joanne Sharkey was identified as Callum's mother around 25 years later

Last month she walked free after the judge said her case called for 'compassion'

The moment Cheshire Constabulary arrested the 55-year-old

The court heard how, back then, Sharkey had just returned to her full-time job as a housing benefits officer at West Lancashire Borough Council following her maternity leave and was struggling to cope with work and looking after Matthew, who had just turned one.

She became severely depressed and believed she couldnt do this again. With her husband working shifts, the couple were like ships in the night, the court was told, and Sharkey decided not to tell him about the pregnancy. Instead, she tried to ignore it and kept it secret.

As she put on weight, she started wearing baggy clothes and said it was due to overeating at Christmas.

She gave birth alone, in the bathroom of the familys smart, semi-detached home in Liverpool, three months later.

She claimed to remember little about the quick and easy labour but told police officers that when the baby began to cry she just had to make him quiet... I covered his nose, his mouth.

He was found with wads of tissue in his nose and mouth. She wrapped the baby in two tightly knotted bin bags, then drove to nowhere in particular, dumping his body in woodland 30 miles away, close to the Gullivers World Theme Park in Warrington.

Police bodycam footage filmed after she was arrested and played to the court showed Sharkey insisting Neil, her husband of 31 years, knew nothing about it.

In a statement read in court, Mr Sharkey, 56, revealed he was sticking by his wife whom he said hed loved since the first time I saw her.

He admitted he wasnt the greatest husband and father or the easiest person to live with in 1998, and that he blamed himself for what happened. He added that his wife was an amazing mother who had single-handedly raised their son.

However, he also admitted her arrest had fractured their family to the core and the Mail can reveal that, while his side of the family have been supportive, some close relatives on her side have been left so distressed and unable to accept what she has done that they have cut her out of their lives.

A source close to the family, who didnt want to be named, told the Mail: This has been so upsetting, the whole experience has made me ill. Im not in touch with her now because of all this.

Another added: It has all been very difficult.

The discovery of the body of the unidentified baby boy, by a man out walking with his son and dog, shocked the town.

In the days that followed, Cheshire Constabulary launched a murder investigation, codenamed Operation Wistful, which involved a team of officers contacting hospitals, community midwives and carrying out extensive house-to-house inquiries.

When Mothers Day arrived eight days later, on March 22, churches held special services and said prayers for the infant, who by then had been named Callum, and appeals were made in newspapers and on the television and radio.

Police were even given permission to take DNA samples from 300 teenage girls at local schools, such was the desperation to solve the mystery.

Shelley McCabe, who was 30 at the time, had two young children and was living in Old Hall, close to Gullivers World, when she heard about the sad discovery.

Newly married, she had recently been told by doctors that she and her second husband, Trevor, then 27, would never be able to conceive a child together because of fertility problems  a fact that compelled her to do something to help.

I was very upset and depressed at that time, she told me. Id married Trevor the year before and, although he treated my two eldest as his own, I wanted to give him a child. I felt our marriage was incomplete and we were going through a difficult period.

So, as soon as I heard the babys body had been found, I was straight on to the police to ask what I could do to help.

Thats when I became involved in fundraising for the funeral and the headstone. The police said otherwise he would be buried in an unmarked grave and I just couldnt have that.

A funeral date was set for July 27, at St Elphins Parish Church, and Mrs McCabe, who worked in a supermarket, started a collection, contacting friends, colleagues and local businesses for donations.

Kids were emptying their piggy banks and giving over their birthday and Christmas money, she adds. It affected the whole community, everyone wanted to do something.

Reverend Nicky Lees, who was one of three ministers who officiated at Callums funeral, said everyone was deeply saddened by the case. I did a lot of work over the months that followed with women who had lost babies, she says. I had phone calls from several women. There was one lady in particular who was upset because her baby had been stillborn, others who couldnt have children  people in the community found it hard. It tugged at their heart strings. It wasnt an easy time. The poor man who found him, everyone was affected by it.

Mrs McCabe raised 1,800 towards the service and picked out Callums tiny white coffin, which was carried down the aisle by a lone pallbearer to Eric Claptons Tears In Heaven  the song the pop star wrote as a tribute to his own young son who had died in an accident a few years earlier.

Around 150 residents attended the 45-minute service, including local schoolchildren who each made cards which they placed on his casket.

He was buried in the shade of a beech tree, next to the grave of another baby boy, in Warringtons Manchester Road cemetery.

It was a very, very sad day because nobody had any answers, nobody knew what had gone on, remembers Mrs McCabe.

Rev Lees says: When Callum was found, there was a general feeling of helplessness, but giving him a funeral made people feel better because it meant we were able to do something for him.

His final resting place lies next to another baby who had died. I remember his mother was at the funeral and she said, Theyre lying in peace together, which I thought was very nice. It was a peaceful spot. I went a few times in the weeks and months afterwards.

His headstone, which was donated by a local stonemason, was engraved with a picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the inscription: Baby Callum, Precious Child of God. With love from the people of Warrington.

Mrs McCabe also sought solace at Callums grave, especially in those early days, as she struggled to accept she wouldnt be able to have another baby.

But then, she says, a miracle occurred. Around that time, she fell pregnant with her third child, Arran.

Its actually a lovely story, she says. My son was born on St Patricks Day 1999, just a few days after the anniversary of Callum being found. I really believe God was looking down on me.

I was meant to help Callum and I was rewarded with Arran. He made our family complete.

Like the police at the time, Mrs McCabe had always expected Callums mother to be a schoolgirl, so she, too, was shocked when Sharkey was revealed as the mother.

She must have been very poorly to have done what she did. Nobody really knows her circumstances, Mrs McCabe says.

Detective Inspector Friend, who had just become a new mother herself when she took on the case, also admits detectives initially wrestled with the idea that a husband could be unaware his wife was expecting a baby when they lived under the same roof.

But after questioning the couple separately over many hours, she says: Im comfortable that that was the case, however unlikely it seems.

I wonder whether the fact DI Friend had just become a mother and then became pregnant with her second baby while the investigation was still ongoing made her more determined to find out what had happened to Callum.

I think anyone with compassion would be driven to solve this, she says. The fact that I happened to be pregnant during the investigation was a coincidence, but it perhaps did make it more challenging.

I was watching Sharkey being interviewed, listening to her talking about how shed ended her childs life and, at the same time, I could feel my own baby kicking inside me... it was a strange dynamic but, ultimately, Im a professional.

The aim for us was to find out who that little boy was, who he belonged to, what had happened to him, who was involved and bring them to justice  and we did that.

She also accepts the decision to downgrade the charge from murder and concedes that Sharkeys guilty plea of manslaughter, on the grounds of diminished responsibility, was the right one.

On the bare facts she is a woman who killed a baby and hasnt gone to jail for it, DI Friend adds.

But as a mother you cant help but think what that was like, having to live with looking at your other child for 25 years, thinking you should have two sons. There is no worse punishment than that.
The annual cost of sending a child to state secondary school has now reached more than 2,200, a hike of 30 per cent in three years.

A new report says parents are now paying out significantly more on day-to-day school costs than in 2022.

These include packed lunches and snacks, uniforms, PE kit, bags, school transport and trips.

The research was carried out by Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP).

They found the minimum cost of sending a child to secondary school is now around 2,275 a year, while for primary school it is 1,000 a year.

In 2022, when similar research was carried out, the cost for secondary was only 1,755 and for primary it was 865.

The researchers said key drivers of the rise were increased costs of food and stationary, as well as the increased need for technology.

There has also been a marked increase in what secondary school pupils are required to have, for example materials for design and technology.

The annual cost of sending a child to state secondary school has now reached more than 2,200, a hike of 30 per cent in three years

The researchers called on the Government to widen eligibility for free school meals to reduce food costs for more families.

The findings are based on the Minimum Income Standard (MIS) research undertaken by the CRSP, based at Loughborough University.

This which set out what the public thinks is needed for a minimum socially acceptable living standard in the UK.

Researchers calculated what parents who took part in focus groups agreed was needed to meet children's minimum educational needs.

Using wraparound childcare, learning a musical instrument or taking part in after-school clubs are not included in the calculation.

The 2024 costs represent a 16 per cent increase for parents of primary children and a 30 per cent rise for families of secondary children compared to 2022, the report said.

One parent from Wales told the researchers: My children often feel that they are judged by others and feel left out as they can't afford to take part in other activities and won't ask for stationery items and often get behaviour points as they don't have the equipment needed.

Kate Anstey, head of education policy at CPAG, said: Parents are struggling to cover household bills while also forking out for pencils and PE gear at school. And still their children get priced out of school activities.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: Rising costs in recent years have affected families significantly and we know that things like the cost of food and lunches have increased in recent years.

Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), added: Schools are operating under severe budgetary pressures and are also facing a raft of rising costs, which strictly limits the help they are able to provide.
The Italian Job is giving Britains intelligence agencies sleepless nights. In the classic movie, the gang of cockneys led by Charlie Croker (played by Michael Caine) hijacks a truck full of stolen gold after disabling Turins traffic lights.

The lights are manipulated by a bungling boffin played by Benny Hill, who somehow manages to hack a clunky central computer and cause city-wide traffic jams, allowing Crokers crew to intercept the consignment of bullion.

The movie was made in 1969 but this aspect of its plot resonates now more than ever. Only today, its not the traffic-management tech that fascinates but the cars themselves, which have become computers on wheels.

Brimming with sensors and cameras, with wireless connections to networks controlled by their manufacturers, they have become the latest pawns in the global battle for supremacy being waged by the worlds superpowers.

And as Chinas share of the UK car market is now more than 10 per cent  and set to grow rapidly in the months and years to come as Beijing is increasingly priced out of the US market by President Trumps tariffs  that presents us with a serious problem.

China could cripple the traffic in London by cutting the controls of, lets say, 400 electric cars in one go, so they couldnt be moved, Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, warned recently, saying there is a strong security case for banning the sale of all Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs).

He added: This is not a scare story, its an actual possibility.

Since all new vehicles are connected to the internet, they can be rendered inactive from afar with relative ease, a concept that was graphically illustrated in Ukraine after Russian troops occupied the city of Melitopol and stole advanced farm vehicles from a John Deere dealership in 2022.

Under president Xi Jinping, creating critical dependencies in foreign states is not an accident but a tool for China

Electric vehicles wait to be exported by ship from Shanghai

The Russians had shipped the machines 700 miles to Chechnya but were unable to use any of them since they were tracked and their systems shut down remotely by John Deere.

So while we are right to worry about spyware on our mobile phones, we ought also to bear in mind that EVs are giant pieces of spyware. And the threat of an Italian Job on British cites, shutting them down by disabling EVs at the command of the Chinese Communist Party, is only one chilling scenario haunting our security agencies.

EVs are the perfect tools for sabotage, surveillance, espionage  and even targeted assassinations. Chilling demonstrations of how to take control of electric cars have become a staple of cybersecurity conferences.

One group of Chinese hackers has published a report on how they tricked the self-driving software on a Tesla into swerving into oncoming traffic. Others have shown how a vehicles boot controls, windscreen wipers and even brakes can be activated remotely.

It was reported last week that firms working on British defence contracts have warned staff not to connect their mobile phones to Chinese-made EVs out of fear that sensitive data could be extracted and transmitted to Beijing.

It is safe to assume that every defence supplier is concerned about the tech in Chinese-built cars, one defence firm source was quoted as saying. Not only could your car download your journeys, it could also scrape your text messages, voicemails and even sensitive work documents from your mobile.

The firms reportedly include the defence giants BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Thales.

The move follows tighter restrictions imposed by the Ministry of Defence on EVs entering sensitive military sites and training bases, with chiefs insisting that staff driving not only Chinese EVs but also cars with Chinese components park at least two miles from sensitive buildings.

Rows of Chinese-made EVs dominate Bristol's port as the country floods Britain with cars

All MGs are now made in China, with the firm employing only 46 workers at its old Longbridge plant - with them restricted to inspecting imports

Despite these concerns, the Government is throwing open the door to Chinese EVs in its fanatical desire to reach its Net Zero targets. Even before Donald Trumps Liberation Day tariffs last month, these vehicles were coming under close scrutiny in America and the EU, both of which have imposed levies on imports.

As a result, China is scouring the globe for new markets in which to dump its growing mountain of cars. That makes the UK  which has so far shied away from introducing new tariffs on foreign cars  an even more attractive market for the likes of BYD, Ora, Geely and XPeng, as well as MG and Volvo, which are owned by China.

All MGs are now made in China, with the company employing just 46 workers at its old Longbridge plant, whose job these days is restricted to inspecting imports.

Chinese EVs are cheap, in part as a consequence of generous state subsidies and massive over-production. Chinese manufacturers have helped raise the number of sub-30,000 EV brands for sale in the UK from nine to 29 over the last year, according to online marketplace AutoTrader.

These include the Leapmotor T03 (15,164) and GWM ORA 03 (24,995). AutoTrader estimates that Chinese firms could grab a quarter of the market  400,000 cars per year  by 2030, which is when the Government has decreed that the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will end.

The dangers of Beijings growing dominance of our car sector have been clear for some time, but largely ignored by government.

It was two years ago that Professor Jim Saker, President Of The Institute Of The Motor Industry, warned: The threat of connected electric vehicles flooding the country could be the most effective Trojan horse that the Chinese establishment has to potentially paralyse or hold the UK to ransom. Similarly, the ability to track, eavesdrop or even remotely take control of a vehicle has not been lost on the Chinese Communist Party, which banned Tesla cars from what it regarded as sensitive sites, including military compounds, housing complexes and other government affiliated venues, such as meeting and exhibition halls.

During the World University Games in Chengdu in July 2023, Teslas were barred from parts of the city to be visited by President Xi Jinping.

And it is not just the cars themselves that offer opportunities to data-hungry secret services. Two Chinese companies, CATL and BYD, which between them control half the global supply of EV batteries, have set their sights on dominating EV ancillary industries, including charging networks and energy storage systems.

Both companies have close links with the Chinese Communist Party and have benefited from substantial subsidies. This opens up another set of security risks, since storage and charging systems need to be linked to a nations electrical grid.

Chinese car exporters will no doubt give guarantees of good behaviour  as TikTok, Hikvision, Huawei (and of course Jingye, the owner of British Steel) have all done in the past  but such assurances are simply not credible when these companies, like all Chinese firms, are ultimately beholden to the Communist Party.

A swathe of Chinese laws compel all companies, whether fully state-owned or nominally private, to cooperate on intelligence gathering and national security  the latter a very sweeping term in China. They simply cannot say no.

It has been argued that Chinese car companies would not engage in underhand activities because it would kill their businesses. But you would have to be very naive to buy that view.

While evidence of Beijing exploiting its control over Chinese cars on British roads may be thin on the ground at the moment, if our relations with China were to deteriorate sharply  perhaps as a result of an invasion of Taiwan  the weaponisation of technology by China would become a chilling reality. Beijing already routinely uses trade, investment and market access as tools of coercion.

The seriousness of the threat was starkly illustrated by the discovery in 2023 of a Chinese-made tracking device in then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks car during a disturbing security sweep.

The device came sealed inside a part imported from China and had been installed by the manufacturer. Though the model was not disclosed, the official prime ministerial cars are not Chinese made.

The Government neither confirmed nor denied the report, but former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said he had been reliably told that it was true. Those devices that theyve been putting into Downing Street cars, although they wont admit it, [led to them] tracking where the Prime Minister was going, knowing who he is seeing. This is exactly what they can do.

The Government is pushing ahead with plans to ditch its own fleet of petrol and diesel cars by 2027, and there appears to be no prohibition on buying Chinese replacements.

In a report published last month, the Department for Transport said all central government cars and vans will have zero emissions by the end of that year. This totals around 30,000 vehicles, since the Government has one of the largest vehicle fleets in the UK.

Intriguingly, one of the few exceptions will be the Prime Ministers gas-guzzling Range Rover.

Computers control nearly every aspect of the operation of a modern motor vehicle  and an EV in particular. The average electric car has around 2,000 chips and is festooned with sensors and cameras. Their functions range from assisting with parking and monitoring the cars health and maintenance, to providing alerts, adjusting operations and warning the driver about issues.

They are also connected, meaning they send and receive information in real time. This facility enables the manufacturer or insurer to remotely monitor vehicle and driver performance or to update software. As cars move towards more autonomous driving and artificial intelligence (or machine learning) plays an ever greater role, so the flow of data will multiply.

Imported EVs and related equipment can, of course, be swept for spyware, but that is to miss the point  that EVs are, in and of themselves, giant pieces of spyware. Gathering and transmitting information is intrinsic to their operation, and their software is regularly updated. As Jim Sakar, who is also head of the Centre For Automotive Management at Loughborough University, has warned: Even with regulation and strict homologation [the vehicle approval process] there is no way of stopping a car manufacturer having control of the vehicle and its data if the technology is already designed to allow it.

Small internet-connected cellular modules, the type of device that was implicated in tracking the Prime Ministers car, act as a kind of gatekeeper and manager.

They are a vital component in the system that controls elements such as sensors, cameras, audio, geolocation capability and the engine, as well as managing the flow of vast amounts of data in and out of the vehicle. Cellular modules are not covertly placed, they are an essential part of a modern control system, yet  in the wrong hands  they are potentially a far more dangerous weapon than the most potent piece of spyware, since they determine the operation of the vehicle itself.

Charles Parton, a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, has written that British security services are petrified by the nightmare of such powers in the hands of a hostile state.

Parton, a former British diplomat who spent more than two decades specialising in China, has done more than anybody else to raise awareness of the dangers posed by cellular modules, the production of which is dominated by China. Its companies control almost two-thirds of the global market and seem on track to establish a near monopoly through the familiar tactics of heavy subsidies, cheap finance and other handouts. Ultimately, youve got to ban any Chinese module in any vehicle and youd have to do it quite quickly, says Parton.

If this were not challenge enough, the use of Chinese-made cellular modules goes far beyond EVs. They have a vast array of applications and can be found in power grids, manufacturing plants and payments systems, as well as items with online connectivity such as vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, smart meters and fitness trackers that are part of what is known as the Internet Of Things. To ensure that such systems run efficiently, they collect huge amounts of data and metadata for analysis, processing and response management. They also deliver software updates to improve functionality, Parton wrote in a report for the Council On Geostrategy.

In other words, they are an indispensable  and extremely powerful  part of our lives and increasingly central to the smooth functioning of a modern economy.

And it should not be forgotten that, for China, creating critical dependencies is not an accident, but a tool  indeed a goal  of Chinese Communist Party policy.

This was set out in stark terms by Xi Jinping himself in a 2020 speech to Chinas Central Financial And Economic Affairs Commission. We must tighten international production chains dependence on China, forming powerful countermeasures and deterrent capabilities based on artificially cutting off supply to foreigners, he said.

Two more versions of The Italian Job have been made over the years, one by Hollywood in 2003 and another by Bollywood in 2012, with the later versions reflecting developments in computers and the internet.

Yet the first Italian Job still reflects modern reality in two key respects: Just as Mr Bridger (Noel Coward) masterminds the heist from his distant prison cell, so modern-day cyber spies can create mayhem remotely via the internet and tools such as EVs.

And as for the slapstick of the bumbling egghead Benny Hill, can there be any better metaphor for the Governments confusion and dithering in the face of the growing threat from Chinese EVs?

Ian Williams is author of Vampire State: The Rise And Fall Of The Chinese Economy (Birlinn), which is out now.
Sir Keir Starmer has reached the exasperated stage. It happens to most prime ministers and it is when they no longer bother to hide their impatience with the mosquitoes that buzz around their heads in the Commons.

They try to swat these irritants with lordly denunciations. They deplore opponents opportunism  quite forgetting that they themselves once resorted to such low gambits. They gabble, not noticing that they are starting to sound pettish.

Amid this combustive energy, they do much sighing and make it evident that critics have no idea. No idea of the pressures that they, the great leader, must endure. No idea of the real world.

They dismiss opponents as irresponsible nay-sayers, nihilistic talkers-down of the economy who never back Britain. No one understands how hard it is to govern! No one understands the pressures. The loneliness!

Behold the PM as neglected genius, the selfless stalwart who remains at the helm, soaked by spindrift, dogged by fatigue, even while these PYGMIES complain about his achievements.

Its enough to make you snap an asparagus spear into six pieces and masticate, feverishly, until green juice dribbles from the side of your lips. Like blood.

Sir Keir, a prosaically dutiful fellow, spends ages preparing for the weekly PMQs. This time, surely, Kemi Badenoch would ask him about the India free trade deal. Overnight there had been much comment about provisions in the deal which will favour Indian businesses and allow them to send staff to work in Britain without having to pay National Insurance here.

Sir Keir entered at 11.55am with a folder decorated by jazzy tabs. So convinced was he that India would feature large in the coming session that he asked the Trade Secretary, Jonnie Reynolds, to sit beside him.

Sir Keir Starmer seemed shocked to not receive any questions concerning his India trade deal, with Kemi Badenoch instead asking about winter fuel payments

Mr Reynolds, the Cabinets one success story, was clapped heartily on the back. Rachel Reeves was absent. Ditto David Lammy. So was Ed Miliband. Mr Miliband seldom attends PMQs. Because it triggers unhappy memories or because his presence would allow Tory MPs to poke fun at him?

Beside Mr Reynolds sat Yvette Cooper, looking as if she had not slept for days. Further down the bench: Wes Streeting, perky. Sir Keir opened by noting the tensions between India and Pakistan. He then leaned back to await the first of the inevitable questions about his India trade deal. There came... none.

It was infuriating. You go to all the trouble of preparing a quiverful of zingers and no one mentions the subject. Like baking a delicious cake for the village fetes tea stall, only for no one to cut a single slice.

Kemi Badenoch asked, instead, about winter fuel payments. Sir Keir started gabbling peevishly. Mrs Badenoch was calm and unusually focused.

Labour MPs did not enjoy the exchanges.

Some massaged their necks. Ian Byrne (Lab, Liverpool West Derby) even nodded agreement as the Tory leader made her attacks.

Sir Ed Davey rose, to groans. He, too, asked about winter fuel payments and about Donald Trump. He also raised the film industry and essayed a lame wisecrack about James Bond and Paddington Bear.

The House laughed with pain. But not Sir Keir. He was too caught up with indignation to see any joke.

His reply to the Lib Dem leader  with whom he may one day have to coalesce  was unusually snippy. Labour MPs sat in still silence, not sure how to react.

Sir Keir did not even smile when Tessa Munt (Lib Dem, Wells & Mendip Hills) asked one of her multi-paragraph epics. Ms Munt has no idea what a dribbler she is. The chamber groaned again, and laughed, and cheered ironically when she finally came to a halt.

A guide dog on the floor in front of her rolled over and stuck its four legs in the air, stiff as a corpse. Sir Keir could have taken the mickey out of Munt. It might have cheered his demoralised troops.

But he was too caught up in his own, noble tribulations to see the fun in that.
Anthony Albanese's arch nemesis Max Chandler-Mather rumbles on despite the Green's exit from parliament, with the pair exchanging more barbs at each other via the media.

Chandler-Mather, who lost his re-election bid, said it will be relief not to have put up any longer with the abuse he regularly received in the House.

Speaking to Triple J on Tuesday, Mr Chandler-Mather said he was often 'screamed and yelled at' by Labor members in the House - to the point where it made him feel ill - and that Mr Albanese had often levied 'personal abuse' at him.

Mr Albanese hit back at those accusations on ABC 7.30 on Wednesday.

'He should have a good look at the way that he asks questions in the parliament,' the Prime Minister said.

'Maybe what he needs is a mirror and a reflection on why he's no longer in parliament.

'This is a guy who stood before signs at a CFMEU rally in Brisbane describing me as a Nazi.

'It's a bit rich for him of all people...who has been rejected by his own electorate after just one term.'

Anthony Albanese's bitter feud with arch-rival Max Chandler-Mather has erupted again

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) pushed back on Max Chandler-Mather's claims that he was personally abusive towards the ex Greens MP, saying he 'needs a mirror'

Following Mr Albanese's attack, Mr Chandler-Mather doubled down.

'I feel like the PM launching into another attack on someone who isn't even in parliament, rather than celebrating a historic win, proves my point, which is this is how the political class treats people who fight for renters and real change,' he said.

'Compare this to his kind words for Dutton.'

Following his election win, Mr Albanese said he had spoken to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to apologise on behalf of Labor supporters who booed at the mention of the Liberal leader's name.

'No. What we do in Australia is we treat people with respect,' he said at the time.

'I thank Peter for his generous words at the end of what has been a very hard fought campaign, and I want to take this opportunity to wish Peter and his family all the best for their future.'

Mr Albanese and Mr Chandler-Mather have had a long-running feud.

While in parliament, Mr Chandler-Mather earned the nickname of 'Albo's nemesis' due to his clashes with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over housing policy.

Mr Chandler-Mather said the Prime Minister called him a 'joke' and personally abused him during his time in parliament

Mr Chandler-Mather lost his Brisbane-based seat of Griffith to Labor in Saturday's federal election

In 2023, tensions first flared up during a debate over the $10billion Housing Australia Future Fund.

As Mr Albanese was leaving the House of Representatives chamber, he reportedly turned back and directed an angry remark to Mr Chandler-Mather, saying: 'You're a joke, mate.'

Last year, Mr Chandler-Mather questioned why the Prime Minister was able to rake in an extra $115,000 a year in rental income while he lives rent-free at The Lodge and Kirribilli House during a housing crisis.

These confrontations led many young Australians to see Mr Chandler-Mather as a strong voice representing their concerns about the housing crisis.

Mr Chandler-Mather and the three other Greens in the lower house seem likely to all lose their seats, including party leader Adam Bandt.

Daily Mail Australia's Political Editor Peter Van Onselen called the surprising result in the Bandt's seat on Tuesday morning.

Latest figures from the Australian Electoral Commission showed Labor's Sarah Witty leading Mr Bandt on a two-candidate-preferred basis by 2,235 votes with only 4,216 postal votes yet to be tallied, and the Labor candidate is winning the postals 63 per cent to 37 per cent.

That represents and 8.92 per cent swing against Mr Bandt, who had held the seat since 2010.

Of the four Greens MPs elected in 2022, only Elizabeth Watson-Brown remains a contender for the seat of Ryan in western Brisbane.

Liberal-National candidate topped the primary vote, but it has developed into a contest between Ms Watson-Brown and Labor's Rebecca Hack, who is likely to be favoured by preference flows.
A new bronze statue in Times Square that was meant to combat racism received instant mockery for being 'obnoxious' and 'reinforcing stereotypes' about women of color.

The statue, Grounded in the Stars by Thomas J Price, is a 12-foot tall woman intended to be a 'stark contrast' of two statues in Duffy Square of Father Francis Duffy and George M. Cohan.

'In a culture that increasingly encourages a faster pace, Grounded in the Stars is an introspective meditation on humanity,' the artist website said.

The work was created with the idea of 'disrupting traditional ideas' of what a 'triumphant figure and challenges' should be defined as, the website continues.

The statue depicts a women in a plain t-shirt and pants, with braided hair, an expressionless face and her hands resting on her hips.

'Price's work offers viewers a unique opportunity to experience Times Square in a new light, and share in a moment of personal reflection and empathy amidst the hyperactivity of the district,' the website continued.

Yet, the statue has sparked online mockery as it's 'woke' messaging is dragged.

One user on X wrote: 'How does this statue erected in Times Square "confront perceived notions of identity and representation," It's just some obnoxious looking overweight black woman, it's reinforcing those preconceived notions.'

The statue, Grounded in the Stars by Thomas J Price, is a 12-foot tall woman intended to be a 'stark contrast' of two statues in Duffy Square of Father Francis Duffy and George C. Cohan

The work was created with the idea of 'disrupting traditional ideas' of what a 'triumphant figure and challenges' should be defined as. The statue depicts a women in a plain t-shirt and pants, with braided hair, an expressionless face and her hands resting on her hips

'How about something that looks less like someone complaining their "order wasn't right,"' another said.

'If I was black I'd be p***ed. So this is supposed to represent black women? Obese and cheap with Walmart clothes?' one commented.

Another declared that the statue only 'reinforces the fat, impatient black woman stereotype.'

'Why erect a statue with [resting b**** face] that wants to speak to the manager?' one wrote.

'I don't know why everyone else is freaking out, but personally I find it odd that they're putting up a statue - something used normally to elevate or commemorate a person who has accomplished something great - but they're doing it this time with someone who isn't known for any accomplishment,' one comment said.

'The message seems to be to praise her for her immutable characteristics, rather than her character, and I find that troubling,' they continued.

Many comments took issue with the apparent reinforcing of stereotypes that the statue is intending to counter.

'In her depiction, one recognizes a shared humanity, yet the contrapposto pose of her body and the ease of her stance is a subtle nod to Michelangelo's David,' the website said.

Grounded in the Stars is intended to contrast statues of two white men in Times Square, George M Cohan and Francis Duffy

'I hope Grounded in the Stars and Man Series will instigate meaningful connections and bind intimate emotional states that allow for deeper reflection around the human condition and greater cultural diversity,' said the artist Thomas J Price

One user on X wrote: 'How does this statue erected in Times Square "confront perceived notions of identity and representation," It's just some obnoxious looking overweight black woman, it's reinforcing those preconceived notions'

Price wrote: 'Times Square stands as an iconic symbol and site of convergence, uniting people from all walks of life, individual stories, and experiences intersecting on a global platform.

'The intention of my public works is to become part of the place they inhabit and its physical, material history, as well as the visitors that pass through and around the location, no matter how fleeting.

'I hope Grounded in the Stars and Man Series will instigate meaningful connections and bind intimate emotional states that allow for deeper reflection around the human condition and greater cultural diversity,' he said.

The fictitious character of the statue is intended to carry 'familiar qualities' from her stance to her everyday clothing.

Grounded in the Stars was erected on April 29 and is set to stand on Broadway and 46th Street until June 17 later this year.
More than 50 percent of Canadians no longer feel safe or welcome traveling to the United States amid heightened tensions between the two nations.

The shocking revelation comes on the back of President Donald Trump's repeated attempts to pressure Canada and the nation's leaders into becoming the 51st state of America.

He has also imposed significant tariffs on America's northern neighbors, arguing that the United States needs 'nothing' from Canada to justify his trade war.

The survey of 1,626 people conducted for the Association for Canadian Studies found 52 percent of participants agreed with the statement: 'It is no longer safe for all Canadians travelling to the United States.'

Broken down into age brackets, 59 percent of respondents aged above 55 agreed, and 47 percent aged between 18 and 54.

Additionally, 54 percent of total participants agreed with a statement that they don't feel welcome in the United States anymore.

A whopping 60 percent in the above 55 age bracket agreed with that sentiment.

Meanwhile, just 27 percent said they disagreed with the statement, with 19 percent unsure.

More than 50 percent of Canadians no longer feel safe or welcome traveling to the United States amid heightened tensions between the two nations

During the recent election, Canadians came out strongly to vote for Liberal candidate Mark Carney, banishing 'Canada's Trump' Pierre Poilievre in what was largely seen as a referendum on Trump north of the border

CEO and President of the Association for Canadian Studies Jack Jedwab warned the National Post this could have serious ramifications on the US tourism sector and relations between the neighboring nations.

'If Canadians have serious concerns about this, it has ramifications for our ongoing travel and interaction with Americans and with the United States,' he said.

'It's something that needs to be addressed and it's something that Mr. Carney needs to help Mr. Trump understand.

'There are economic ramifications arising from Canadians not feeling secure when travelling to the United States and not feeling welcome in the country that we generally see as the home of our main allies.'

But the biggest shock of the poll found that significantly more participants did not know how to respond to a question about Trump's recent comments that the border between Canada and America is no more than an 'artificially drawn line.'

Some 53 per cent of respondents voted they either agreed with the statement (23 percent) or were unsure how they felt (30 percent).

For respondents between 18 and 24, 39 per cent said 'I don't know.'

Jedwarb warned the results indicated young Canadians in particular might be 'more vulnerable' to that messaging from Trump.

The survey of 1,626 people conducted for the Association for Canadian Studies found 52 percent of participants agreed with the statement: 'It is no longer safe for all Canadians travelling to the United States'

The shocking revelation comes on the back of President Donald Trump 's repeated attempts to pressure Canada and the nation's leaders into becoming the 51st state of America

'The most surprising part was that younger people were less sure about (the line/boundary being artificial), so they may be sort of more vulnerable to that type of rhetoric,' he said.

During the recent election, Canadians came out strongly to vote for Liberal candidate Mark Carney, banishing 'Canada's Trump' Pierre Poilievre in what was largely seen as a referendum on Trump north of the border.

A poll conducted by DailyMail.com determined the majority of Canadian voters were going to the ballot boxes with the consideration of who would be best suited to stand up to Trump.

Carney assured Canadians he would 'win this trade war with America' and continue to build a relationship with Trump despite 'a crisis that we did not create.

'As I've been warning for months, America wants our land, our water, our resources, our country... never,' he said.

Carney said these were not 'idle threats,' adding: 'President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us.'

'That will never, ever happen. But we also must recognize the reality that our world has fundamentally changed,' he said to applause.

He met with Trump in the Oval Office earlier this week, where the President doubled down on his '51st state' plans.

He met with Trump in the Oval Office earlier this week, where the President doubled down on his '51st state' plans

The explosive meeting was intended to foster better relations between the two nations as they seek to come to an agreement over the imposition of massive tariffs.

Trump said if the two nations joined together it would be a 'wonderful marriage.' He added: 'But it takes two to tango, right?'

Carney told the former real estate developer flatly: 'There are some places that are never for sale,' mentioning the White House and Buckingham Palace.

Trump refused to give up hope, jovially adding: 'I say ''never say never''.'

He went on to hail the meeting a success, later telling reporters: 'We had a very great meeting. No tension, we want to do what's right for our respective peoples.'
A US Army veteran who was killed in a road rage incident nearly four years ago was able to forgive the man who fatally shot him - thanks to artificial intelligence.

Christopher Pelkey, 37, was shot dead by Gabriel Paul Horcasitas while on his way home from a church softball game in Chandler, Arizona on November 13, 2021, according to an online fundraiser.

Horcasitas has since been found guilty of Pelkey's manslaughter. But before he was sentenced, the court heard from an AI-generated version of Pelkey himself.

The heartbreaking AI video was created by Pelkey's sister Stacey Wales, who felt that the shooter needed to hear what the Army veteran would have told him.

'To Gabriel Horcasitas, the man who shot me: It's a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances,' the AI said, according to Fox 10.

'In another life, we probably could have been friends,' it continued, noting: 'I believe in forgiveness and in [a] God who forgives. I always have and I still do.'

The four-and-a-half minute long video went on to include real video clips taken while Pelkey was still alive and showed a real photo he once took with an 'old age' filter, ABC 15 reports.

'This is the best I can ever give you of what I would have looked like if I got the chance to grow old,' the AI version of the Army vet said. 'Remember, getting old is a gift that not everyone has, so embrace it and stop worrying about those wrinkles.'

Christopher Pelkey, 37, was killed in a road rage incident on November 13, 2021

He was fatally shot by Gabriel Paul Horcasitas, who has since been found guilty of his manslaughter

Pelkey was on his way home from a church softball game when the incident occurred

He concluded by saying, 'Well, I'm gonna go fishing now. Love you all. See you on the other side.'

The video moved Judge Todd Lang so thoroughly that he decided to sentence Horcasitas to 10 and half years in jail - one year more than the state prosecutors were asking for.

'I love that AI,' he said after the video played in his courtroom. 'Thank you for that.

'I felt like that was genuine; that his obvious forgiveness of Mr. Horcasitas reflects the character I heard about today.'

He added that the video 'says something about the family, because you told me how angry you were and you demanded the maximum sentence.

'And even though that's what you wanted, you allowed Chris to speak from his heart as you saw it,' the judge told Wales, noting: 'I didn't hear him ask for the maximum sentence.'

The AI-generated video provided another benefit as well - giving Pelkey's family some closure.

'There was something about seeing Chris and the man that I knew and the belief that I thought in my head that Chris would have forgiven this guy,' said his older brother, John, who - like the rest of the family - was unaware his sister was making the video.

At Horcasitas' sentencing last month, Pelkey's family played an AI-generated video in which the Army veteran could address his shooter

It was lovingly created by his sister, Stacey Wales, who felt his voice was missing from the victim impact statements

'To see his face and to hear his voice say it, just waves of healing washed over my soul,' John continued. 'Because that was the man I knew.'

Wales' teenage son also thanked her in the aftermath, saying he 'needed to hear from Uncle Chris one last time.'

But creating the AI video was no small feat - and was not something Wales had originally planned to do.

Instead, she told NPR how she had kept a list for two years of everything she would like to say to the man who killed her brother, but could not think of what to write once it actually came time to write her victim impact statement.

At that point, she reached out to as many people from Pelkey's life as possible to provide the judge with a full picture of the man she knew - from his elementary school teacher, to his high school prom date and the soldiers he served with on three tours to the Middle East.

In the end, Wales said she had nearly 50 victim impact statements - but still felt like something was missing.

'He doesn't get a say,' she realized of her brother. 'He doesn't get a chance to speak.'

Wales included real clips of her brother in the AI-generated video

He had served three tours in the Middle East before he was fatally shot

Wales then decided to sit down at her computer and write 'what he would have said,' and when she was done she realized, 'That was pretty good. I'd like to hear that if I was the judge,' she told AZ Family, noting that even though she had not yet forgiven Horchasitas, her brother would have.

Then, Wales turned to her husband, Tim, and their friend Scott Yentzer, who together have been working on AI for years, to get Pelkey to say these words himself.

The problem, they soon realized, was that there was not a single program that was designed to make a video like this.

They also needed a long, clear audio clip of Pelkey's voice and a photo of him looking straight at the camera - neither of which Wales had.

So the trio instead used multiple AI programs to create the four and a half minute long video, using his funeral photo.

Still, NPR reports, they had to digitally remove the sunglasses from atop Pelkey's hat and trimmed his beard.

Recreating his laugh was also difficult, Wales said, because most clips of Pelkey laughing were filled with background noise.

Wales said her teenage son thanked her for creating the video

It wound up providing Pelkey's family with some closure

When the project was finally finished, Wales reached out to victim's rights attorney Jessica Gattuso to tell her about the video.

At first, Gattuso said she was hesitant to play the video in court because nothing like that has ever been done before.

But after seeing the video, the lawyer said she felt compelled that it should be viewed at the hearing.

'I knew it would have an impact on everyone, including the shooter, because it was a message of forgiveness,' she explained.

And that's just who Pelkey was, his sister said, telling how everyone who knew her brother 'agreed this capture was a true representation of the spirit and soul of how Chris would have thought about his own sentencing as a murder victim.

'He was the best of us,' Wales said of her brother. 'What he believes was clear. What he believes was pure. And what he loved was for everyone.

'And that's the reason why this worked, is because his blanket of love.'

Judge Todd Lang was so moved by the video that he sentenced Horcasitas to 10 and a half years behind bars

Still, legal experts say the use of artificial intelligence in judicial hearings may be a slippery slope.

In fact, the Arizona State Supreme Court has convened a committee 'to examine AI use and make recommendations for how best to use it.'

In this case, Arizona State law professor Gary Marchant - who serves on the committee - said he thinks the use of the emerging technology is fine.

'If you look at the facts of this case, I would say the value of it overweighed the prejudicial effect, but if you look at other cases, you could imagine where they would be very prejudicial,' he explained.

'The judicial system is moving to address this as proactively as possible,' he continued. 'The problem, of course, is there are so many different possibilities here - some of which are more acceptable than others.

'How you draw the line is going to be very difficult, but certainly the courts seem to be moving forward to try to deal with this,' he said.
Labour's woke leadership has made the party a 'hostile environment' for working-class voters, a senior Labour peer claimed yesterday.

Maurice Glasman said the 'lanyard class' had alienated traditional supporters who are now flocking to Reform UK instead.

His intervention came as Keir Starmer faced a growing Labour backlash over the loss of votes to Nigel Farage's party in last week's local elections and in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, in what was one of the party's safest seats.

The 45-strong Red Wall group of Labour MPs also called for a change of direction, including restoration of the winter fuel payment, saying the Prime Minister's pledge to go 'further and faster' in the same direction had 'fallen on deaf ears'.

And another Labour MP last night told the under-fire leadership that he would 'swim through vomit' to vote against their benefit cuts.

Lord Glasman, founder of the Blue Labour movement that has attracted interest from some senior government figures, said many self-styled 'progressives' had been too quick to condemn legitimate concerns about immigration, grooming gangs and other issues as being 'far Right'.

The life peer said: 'For 20 or 30 years now, Labour culture has been a hostile environment for working-class people. If you say what you think, then you get condemned. The inability to let people express their grief. We see people in pain and we call them far Right or populist or racist or sexist  they are just speaking.'

Lord Glasman said last week's results showed Labour would get turfed out in an election unless it starts to listen to ordinary voters.

Labour 's woke leadership has made the party a 'hostile environment' for working-class voters, a senior Labour peer has claimed. Pictured: Keir Starmer speaking during PMQs

Maurice Glasman (pictured) said the 'lanyard class' had alienated traditional supporters who are now flocking to Reform UK instead

'Reform is a working-class insurrection against the progressive ruling class,' he said. 'The only way to counter it is for the Government to lead the insurrection.'

Lord Glasman told a New Statesman event at the Policy Exchange think-tank in London a 'battle is fully ongoing' within No 10 about whether to change course to try to reconnect with the party's traditional roots.

The peer, who is close to the PM's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, warned that doing so would involve 'doing something that has never been done, which is turning things round in office'.

He savaged the Government over its refusal to hold a national public inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal, describing the rape of mostly young white girls by gangs of predominantly Pakistani origin men as 'the ultimate desecration of human life'.

Calling for televised trials of those involved in perpetrating and covering up the scandal, he said it was 'a festering wound'.

Lord Glasman also criticised the Labour leadership for embracing wokery, saying future generations would look back on this time as a 'period of progressive insanity' where 'you could lose your job for saying completely normal things'.

Lord Glasman did not spell out what he meant by the 'lanyard class' of professionals but he suggested it included those running big HR departments who have introduced woke culture into workplaces.

'There has got to be a culture change,' he said. 'This thought policing of what is acceptable discourse, the power of HR departments, has got to be targeted to create a political space in which people who created our movement are allowed to speak.'

Labour lost last week's Runcorn and Helsby by-election to Reform by just six votes, as the right-wing party overturned a 14696-vote majority. Pictured is Nigel Farage and Runcorn's new MP Sarah Pochin

Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden warned Labour MPs about Reform, telling a behind- closed-doors meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party: 'A new fight is taking shape. It's a fight between our values and a nationalist politics of the Right. It's a battle for the very heart and soul of our country.'

A string of Labour MPs suggested they could rebel over the Government's plan to cut disability benefits by 5billion.

Left-winger Ian Byrne claimed he was ready to 'swim through vomit' to vote in the Commons against the plans.

He said the cuts would be 'devastation for disabled people'.

In the Commons, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch challenged Sir Keir to reinstate the winter fuel payment, saying: 'Even his own MPs are saying it's wrong. He's refused to listen to me on this, will he at least listen to his own party and change course?'

But the PM defended means-testing the payment, effectively ending it for ten million pensioners. Chancellor Rachel Reeves added: 'That policy stands.'
German investigators leading the probe into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are urgently calling on the Metropolitan Police to revive their investigation.

They have issued a stark warning that their prime suspect, convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner, could soon walk free from prison.

With Brueckners release looming in September, pressure is mounting following explosive revelations from a Channel 4 documentary and newly uncovered evidence found in a German factory, which authorities believe may link him to the three-year-olds 2007 abduction.

The materials, unearthed at a disused box factory in Germany, include a vile catalogue of depraved documents, children's clothing, small bikes, and more than 75 swimsuits and toys believed to belong to young girls.

Some were reportedly buried beneath the body of Brueckner's dead dog, which was exhumed during the police search.

'The clock is against the case here and investigators do not want to see Brueckner walk free,' a source told The Sun.

'Their best option could be intervention from UK cops but they have to be prepared to take it on. There are 20,000 pages of Madeleine evidence and the Germans are ready to translate the lot.'

So far, Brueckner has not been charged in connection with Madeleine's disappearance.

Prime suspect Christian Brueckner arrives in court in Braunschweig, Germany, in October

Madeleine McCann (pictured) went missing on May 3, 2007, aged three. She has never been found

A metal suitcase discovered by German police in 2016. It reportedly contained photos of girls

He has repeatedly denied any involvement, claiming that the accusations are baseless.

In 2016, officers discovered up to 8,000 files at the site, including USB sticks and hard drives containing what are alleged to be disturbing images and graphic stories of child abduction.

One document reportedly described drugging a mother and daughter outside a pre-school and abusing a four-year-old blonde girl  a chilling echo of the real-life tragedy that unfolded in Portugal in 2007.

A laptop and satellite navigation system seized from the same location are also said to have traced Brueckner's movements around the Arade Dam, just 35 miles from Praia da Luz.

Photos later emerged of Brueckner posing nude at the dam, having scrawled a crude mask over his own face  a bizarre and deeply sinister image that added to growing suspicions around him.

While no forensic proof has yet been uncovered linking Brueckner definitively to Madeleine's disappearance, German prosecutors have said they are convinced she is dead, and that Brueckner is responsible.

'We have strong evidence that Madeleine McCann is dead and that our suspect killed her,' German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told 60 Minutes Australia in 2020.

'We don't have the body and no parts of the body, but we have enough evidence to say our suspect killed Madeleine McCann.'

This position remains unchanged, The Sun confirmed this week.

Bottles and substances found inside a Jaguar matching the description of Brueckner's vehicle

Among the items found in the bolthole in Neuwegersleben were 75 child's swimming costumes

This laptop was reported to have been handed to German police and allegedly contains information that could link Brueckner to Madeleine's disappearance

Police recovered three black-market guns and ammunition - alongside bottles of substances suspected to be chloroform or ether, both of which can cause unconsciousness

An insurance document reportedly proves for the first time Brueckner was at a festival in March 2008 where he allegedly all but confessed to killing Madeleine

A Channel 4 documentary airing tonight features disturbing new details of the investigation, including accounts from informants and previously unreleased police evidence  fuelling renewed calls for British police to step up their own efforts.

One disturbing detail allegedly supporting the case against him is an insurance claim signed by Brueckner that placed him in Orgiva, Spain, in March 2008  coinciding with a hippy festival where, according to an informant, he confessed to knowing what happened to Madeleine.

Helge Busching, a former acquaintance of Brueckner, told German authorities:

'Christian asked me if I was still going to Portugal. I replied: 'I'm no longer going to Portugal because there are too many problems there on account of the missing child.'

'It is indeed strange that she disappeared without a trace.'

Christian replied: 'Yes, she did not scream.'

Brueckner has dismissed Busching's testimony as 'not even worthy of comment', but prosecutors say his insurance claim supports Busching's timeline and Brueckner's presence at the event.

The discovery of chemicals believed to be chloroform or ether, unlicensed firearms, and Skype chats with fellow paedophiles, have further painted a harrowing picture of a man who 'changed at night', according to witnesses interviewed in the documentary.

The Metropolitan Police were present during a 2023 search of the Arade Dam, where material was recovered and sent to Germany. The Met has said it remains open to any new evidence.

A photograph thought to show Christian Brueckner at the Arade Dam - a key location in the Madeleine McCann investigation which Portuguese police searched in 2023

German police unearthed the disturbing cache of materials at a former box-making factory owned by Bruecker (pictured in 2020)

Plastic boxes, electronics and a bathtub dumped outside Brueckner's run-down bolthole

Brueckner is likely to walk free from prison later this year unless prosecutors are able to conclusively charge him

Kate and Gerry McCann, Madeleine's parents, hold pyjamas similar to those of their daughter during a press conference in June 2007

A spokesperson for the force said: 'We continue to support Madeleine's family to understand what happened on the evening of 3 May, 2007 in Praia da Luz. This includes working with our colleagues in Germany and Portugal. Our thoughts remain with the family.'

Despite their commitment, Operation Grange, the unit set up to investigate Madeleine's case, has had its funding cut again, receiving 108,000 this year, down from 192,000 previously. The case has now cost UK taxpayers almost 13.5 million over 18 years.

Last week marked both the 18th anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance and what would have been her 22nd birthday.

In a statement, Kate and Gerry McCann said: 'As we arrive at the 18th anniversary of Madeleine's abduction, we'd like to thank our faithful supporters once again for standing by us and never forgetting about Madeleine.

'The years appear to be passing even more quickly and whilst we have no significant news to share, our determination to 'leave no stone unturned' is unwavering. We will do our utmost to achieve this.

'May is also Madeleine's birthday  her 22nd this year. No matter how near or far she is, she continues to be right here with us, every day, but especially on her special day. We continue to celebrate her as the very beautiful and unique person she is. We miss her.'
Britain should take pride in its VE Day 80 celebrations, the Prime Minister said, as stars of stage and screen prepare for tonight's sell-out tribute concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Sir Keir Starmer said events marking today's 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe were 'a hugely important part of our history, of which we should be extremely proud as a country'.

Tonight, Classic FM presenters Myleene Klass and Dan Walker will lead a star-studded line-up for a two-and-a-half hour spectacular at the prestigious west London venue.

The event is sponsored by the Daily Mail and will feature performances from mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins and dancing from Strictly star Nadiya Bychkova.

Tonight's show will also include first-hand recollections from military veterans and those who lived through the conflict.

Former pop star Ms Klass, whose father served in the Merchant Navy, said it was 'both humbling and an honour' to be involved.

She said: 'With it (VE Day) being 80 years now, and as our serving personnel from that time reach an age many never thought they'd see, it's essential we keep their sacrifices and memory alive.'

Former BBC Breakfast star Walker told the Mail he considered it 'a real privilege' to be 'standing on that stage introducing some amazing people'.

Myleene Klass (pictured) is among a host of celebrities set to attend a sell-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day

The former pop star will join her Classic FM colleague Dan Walker (pictured) to lead a star-studded line-up for a two-and-a-half hour spectacular at the prestigious west London venu.

The event will also feature performances from mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins (pictured) and dancing from Strictly star Nadiya Bychkova

And Air Marshal Sir Simon Bollom, chairman of hosts SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, said the Second World War saw a period of 'unending sacrifice across the Armed Forces', adding: 'We want the last World War Two veterans to know that their sacrifice is recognised, and we will not forget it.'

In a poignant reminder of that sacrifice, Sir Keir also pointed out that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine showed the Second World War was not 'just history'.

He said: 'I've got children who live in peace and in a democracy as a result of other people. The reminder, with the Ukrainian contingent in the procession, that the idea this was all just history... is completely wrong.

'Those values of freedom and democracy matter today.'

The concert will be broadcast live on Classic FM from 8pm.
Footage of a standoff between a Frontier Airlines gate agent and a passenger went viral after the flier showed up only to find he was required to pay a check-in fee.

The passenger, who asked to remain anonymous, said he raced to the airport in North Carolina for his flight to Boston with 50 minutes to spare, but was faced with a $25 fee upon check-in.

After a week-long business trip, the 45 year old father of three thought he had made it just in time but then found out he had unknowingly missed the airline's 60-minute check in window.

He left the electronic check-in point to speak to an employee, who informed him he was required to pay a $25 fee as per the airline's policy.

Before he began filming the interaction, he told the New York Post that the interaction became unpleasant as the staff who greeted him rudely insinuated it was his fault.

'They all kind of started chiming in, "Well, you should have checked the website," like not in a professional or polite way. They were like, "it was your fault for not checking the website. Sorry, it's on you,"' he said.

A 20-minute disagreement ensued before the passenger gave in and decided to pay the fine. He muttered under his breath as he reached for his wallet that he is 'never flying this sh***y airline again.'

'When I said that, the lady who I was talking to took a step back and gasped, and was like, "How dare you curse at me? I'm not checking you in. I don't have to check you in,"' he said. 'And my reaction was, "You will check me in." I think those were the words that I used.'

A Frontier Airlines passenger was shocked to be faced with a $25 fee to check in after arriving with 50 minutes to spare, but was even more baffled by the confrontation he had with the employees at the check-in gate

A 20-minute disagreement ensued before the passenger gave in and decided to pay the fine. He muttered under his breath as he reached for his wallet that he is 'never flying this sh***y airline again'

But by insisting he should be checked in, the gate agent 'shut off completely' and 'absolutely refused' to check him in.

It was then that two other Frontier gate agents pointed their phones at the passenger and said, 'You thought you were gonna get on your flight?'

What baffled the passenger was the response he had from the staff, as he told the Post: 'What was remarkable to me also is that not one person on their side took the professional route or the high road.'

'Listen, it's my money at the end of the day, and when somebody is caught off guard with a charge that they feel is in some ways unfair or unreasonable, of course, they have a right to express themselves,' he continued.

'It's not okay to be disrespectful of somebody for no reason, but I was not being disrespectful to them personally, in my opinion.

'I thought that they were being disrespectful to me out of the gate because I was complaining about a fee that I was completely caught off guard by.'

The passenger eventually even threatened to call police and the employees brought officers over to the check-in gate.

'I had a very, very professional conversation with two officers who were there and were completely empathetic. They 100 percent seemed to agree with where I was coming from,' he continued.

What baffled the passenger was the response he had from the staff, as he told the Post: 'What was remarkable to me also is that not one person on their side took the professional route or the high road'

'I asked them, off the record, essentially, am I being ridiculous here? And they both with serious expressions, sympathetic expressions, shook their heads, "No, we see these sorts of disagreements with this airline frequently, and this is probably not gong to be the last one."'

The viral video sparked online debate as some people were outraged by the airline employees' attitude, while others blamed the passenger for his late arrival.

'I don't care who's right or wrong. The way that he's being treated makes me never wanna fly Frontier Airlines,' one commenter wrote.

'Wow the disrespect and unprofessionalism is maddening acting like it's a damn joke, total disgrace do better Frontier Airlines,' another said.

'Even if he is in the wrong the response is very unprofessional.'

'Every one of them should be fired. Frontier Airlines shame on you if you don't. Never fly Frontier.'

'Frontier requires you to check in at least an hour before or the system won't allow you to check in but their behavior is beyond unacceptable,' one wrote.

Another commented: 'It is required for anyone on any airlines to pre-check in if you're 30 minutes before your boarding and didn't check in an hour before, it sounds like he thinks that he is above the rules. It's policy.'

'When I said that, the lady who I was talking to took a step back and gasped, and was like, "How dare you curse at me? I'm not checking you in. I don't have to check you in,"' the passenger said. 'And my reaction was, "You will check me in." I think those were the words that I used'

The viral video sparked online debate as some people were outraged by the airline employees' attitude, while others blamed the passenger for his late arrival. 'I don't care who's right or wrong. The way that he's being treated makes me never wanna fly Frontier Airlines,' one commenter wrote

'Arriving 30 minutes before a flight is crazy though,' one said.

'Regardless of how wrong a patron may be, the unprofessional, incendiary behavior shown should be a cause for dismissal. The first step of de-escalation is empathy not teasing,' one comment read.

The passenger said: 'I'm sure I'm not the first person to have complained about a fee. I'm also 100 percent sure that I wasn't complaining in as extreme a way as others have.'

His ordeal ended with a $500 JetBlue ticket home to his family before he was reimbursed by the airline following a complaint.

A spokesperson for the airline said in a statement that they were 'aware of what occurred and have been directly in touch with the customer. The individuals in question, who work for a third party contractor, are no longer associated with the Frontier account.'
Joe Rogan slammed the famous conservative author who criticized him on his own show, claiming he is 'not an expert' and that he should 'shut the f**k up.'

British political commentator Douglas Murray challenged Rogan over the guests he brings on his show to discuss alternative theories about history and geopolitical issues during his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience last month.

The podcaster denied that he was treating some of his guests provide 'alternative theories' as serious historians.

After the clash went viral, Donald Trump appeared to back Murray and took to his Truth Social account to promote the author's new book.

On Tuesday, Rogan rehashed the debate with his guest Cameron Hanes, a fellow podcaster and renowned outdoorsman.

Rogan admonished Murray for attacking the qualifications of his guests and claimed the historian uses 'tactics' and not 'facts' in his argument.

'This idea that an expert, like Douglas Murray, I love him dearly, I think he's a brilliant man, [but] he's got a degree in history. Or, excuse me, he's got a degree in English. Bachelor's degree,' Rogan said.

'He's not an expert either. Unless we're talking about Shakespeare. Shut the f**k up. Because you're not an expert either. You know what I mean?'

Joe Rogan slammed the famous conservative author who criticized him on his own show last month

British conservative Douglas Murray (pictured) challenged Rogan over the 'dangerous' guests he brings on his show

Hanes agreed, telling Rogan he thought Murray came across as 'pompous' and that damaged his credibility.

'This appeal to experts, just because you have a degree, you're not always right. You're wrong all the time,' Rogan said

'He used tactics rather than facts. So the tactic was an appeal to experts like that. Like that's not what we're here for what we're here for is to get down to business so what he's doing is like putting you on the defensive right away out of the gate.'

The columnist and author told Rogan to his face that he thinks he's responsible for a misinformation problem in society.

'I feel you've opened the door to quite a lot of people who now got a big platform, who have been throwing out counter-historical stuff of a very dangerous kind,' Murray said to Rogan.

Murray offered podcaster Darryl Cooper and Holocaust denier Ian Carroll as examples of the kind of Rogan guests who have shared questionable information.

Daryl Cooper has said that not only did the Nazis not intend to murder millions but that Winston Churchill is the main villain of World War Two.

'These guys are not historians, they're not knowledgeable about anything,' Murray said.

The comic denied that he was treating some of his guests who may provide alternative theories on the past as serious historians

'No one is calling Ian Carroll a historian,' Rogan shot back.

'But then why listen to their views on Churchill?' Murray insisted.

'If you only get the contrary view, which is - "isn't it fun if we all pretend that Churchill was the bad guy of the 20th century?" - at some point you're going to lead people to think that's the view. And that's horses**t of the most profound kind.'

'I don't think about it that way,' Rogan doubled down. 'I just think, I'd like to talk to that person.'

But Murray wasn't having it and concluded: 'There's a point at which "I'm just raising questions" isn't valid anymore... You're not asking questions  you're telling people something.'
Denmark is seeking a meeting with the US ambassador amid concerns American intelligence agencies have ramped up spying on Greenland.

President Donald Trump has made no secret of his ambitions to annex Greenland, sparking genuine concern among locals and Danish authorities.

Amid reporting from the Wall Street Journal that US authorities have increased spying efforts as part of Trump's campaign, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen issued a stern warning.

'We do not spy on friends,' he said. 'I have read the article in the Wall Street Journal and it worries me greatly.'

Rasumussen revealed he intends to 'call in the US acting ambassador for a discussion at the foreign ministry to see if we can confirm this information, which is somewhat disturbing.'

Trump has repeatedly said he wants to take over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic, refusing to rule out annexation by force.

The rhetoric has sparked a diplomatic crisis between the US, Denmark and Greenland.

According to the WSJ piece, two sources with knowledge of the order claim Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard issued a 'collection emphasis message' last week, which will direct resources to monitoring Greenland.

Denmark is seeking a meeting with the US ambassador amid concerns American intelligence agencies have ramped up spying on Greenland

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen issued a stern warning to his US counterparts and said he intends to 'call in the US acting ambassador for a discussion'

The goal is to learn more about the movement within Greenland for independence from Denmark, as well as gauge sentiment on America's extraction of resources.

'Intelligence collection resources are inherently limited,' the insider said, adding that they're usually reserved for 'perceived threats, not allied countries.'

As per the order, intelligence agencies can use spies on the ground, as well as intercept communications and utilize surveillance satellites, to gain the information necessary.

Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha visited Greenland last month, but were treated with contempt by officials who were furious about the 'aggressive' trip.

Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede called the trip 'highly aggressive,' while locals refused to even meet with the couple.

Egede noted that 'it has not extended any invitations for any visits, neither private nor official.'

Tupilak Travel in Nuuk revealed that he US Consulate had reached out to them to schedule a meet-and-greet with Usha, but they politely declined due to the 'underlying agenda.'

And Vance issued an extraordinary attack on Denmark about Greenland's independence - the very same message that the WSJ claims spies are trying to learn more about.

Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha visited Greenland last month, but were treated with contempt by officials who were furious about the 'aggressive' trip

President Donald Trump has made no secret of his ambitions to annex Greenland, sparking genuine concern among locals and Danish authorities

'What we think is going to happen is that Greenlanders are going to choose through self-determination to become independent of Denmark,' he said.

He said the United States was no longer willing to 'pick up the tab' for Europe to keep the region safe.

'If the people of Greenland are willing to partner with United States, and I think they ultimately will, we could make them much more secure. We could do a lot more protection, and I think they would fare a lot better economically as well,' he said.

The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have said only Greenlanders can decide the territory's future.

However, they have found themselves treading a delicate line between firmly dismissing US ambitions over Greenland and trying to maintain good ties with their traditional ally.

A US State Department spokesperson said the department does not comment on intelligence matters and referred to an earlier comment from National Security Council spokesperson James Hewitt, who said Trump has been very clear that the US is concerned about the security of Greenland and the Arctic.
Malcolm Turnbull's public attacks on Donald Trump earlier this year may have cost him his cushy job as an advisor to one of the world's biggest private equity firms.

After his departure from politics, the former prime minister joined New York-based Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) in 2019 as one of its Asia Pacific senior advisors.

In the well-paid role, Mr Turnbull counselled the firm on doing business in the region using the knowledge and contacts he built through his corporate and political careers.

But Mr Turnbull no longer appears on the firm's website after he was reportedly shown the door following his highly publicised spat with Trump.

In an interview with Bloomberg in March, Mr Turnbull called the US president 'chaotic, rude, abrasive and erratic' before criticising his stance on global trade and predicting that China would 'take massive advantage' of him.

Trump fired back on his Truth Social network that Mr Turnbull was a 'weak and ineffectual' leader and 'never understood what was going on in China'.

Not to be outdone, Mr Turnbull then called Trump a 'billionaire bully' in a National Press Club speech and urged other Australian politicians to 'stand up' to him.

KKR has extensive investments in the US, China and Australia, with one source telling the Australian Financial Review that Mr Turnbull had been cut loose to avoid rocking the boat in waters already made choppy by Trump's trade wars.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) has been dumped as an advisor from global investment and buy-out firm after taking public swipes at Donald Trump

Trump (pictured) fired back and called Mr Turnbull a 'weak and ineffectual' leader and said that he 'never understood what was going on in China'

In one deal he helped broker for KKR as part of a $100million funding round, he introduced the firm to AI robotics company Advanced Navigation, of which he is also an investor and serves on the board of directors.

The appointment marked a return to the world of finance for Turnbull, a former lawyer who held a host of high-profile corporate roles before entering politics as a local member of parliament in 2004.

In the 1990s, Turnbull was the local managing director of global investment bank Goldman Sachs.

He was also an investor in one of Australia's first internet service providers, OzEmail, reportedly buying a stake for $500,000 in 1994 and selling it for $57million to MCI Worldcom five years later.

Turnbull had several shadow ministry and cabinet positions for the Liberal party and coalition government before orchestrating a leadership coup and becoming prime minister in September 2015.

He was himself unseated as prime minister in another leadership challenge in August 2018 by Scott Morrison, one of four Australian prime ministers to be overthrown by their own party in a decade.

Turnbull's first appointment since leaving politics put him in the company of several Australian leaders to take up financial advisory roles after leaving office.

The former Labor prime minister, Paul Keating, became an adviser to the investment bank Lazard Australia, while the former New South Wales premier Bob Carr became a consultant to the country's biggest investment bank, Macquarie Group.

Turnbull had several shadow ministry and cabinet positions for the Liberal party and coalition government before orchestrating a leadership coup and becoming prime minister in 2015

KKR counts more than two dozen senior and industry advisers among its personnel.

They provide counsel on the investment implications of trends and developments in public policy, regulation, societal needs and technology around the world.

Among the other senior advisers KKR brought on board with experience in the Asia Pacific region were former HSBC group chairman John Bond and former Qantas chairman Leigh Clifford.

Former Singaporean minister Lim Hwee Hua also served as an advisor.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Turnbull's office for comment.
Parents in Queensland could soon face criminal charges for smacking their children as the state moves to potentially outlaw corporal punishment in the home.

The Queensland Law Reform Commission (QLRC) is reviewing the state's criminal code, which provides a legal defence for parents, carers, and teachers who use physical discipline, so long as it is deemed 'reasonable'.

The proposed changes aim to remove or significantly limit this defence, granting children the same legal protection from assault as adults.

Under the new laws, any form of punishment that causes injury such as striking with a wooden spoon or belt, would be outlawed.

The use of any force on a child's head, face, or neck would also be banned.

The review has been welcomed by more than 100 health and welfare experts, including the Daniel Morcombe Foundation and Bravehearts.

Among the strongest advocates is Dr Justin Coulson, a parenting expert, father-of-six, and host of Happy Families, Australia's most downloaded parenting podcast.

'We have over 60 years of evidence showing that smacking is unhelpful,' Dr Coulson told Daily Mail Australia. 'It does not benefit children and is best avoided.'

Parents in Queensland could soon face criminal charges for smacking their children as the state moves to potentially outlaw corporal punishment in the home.

Dr Justin Coulson (pictured) says smacking creates worse outcomes for children and parents

He explained that smacking operates on a 'dose-response' model, where outcomes worsen as smacking becomes more frequent or severe.

'The more often children are smacked, the worse the outcomes tend to be,' he said.

Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr also weighed in on the smacking debate, expressing her support for the proposed reforms.

'As a mum of two, I hear the old arguments like, "We were hit as kids and turned out fine",' Barr said on Thursday's program.

'But those arguments don't really hold up anymore. We didn't have seatbelts either.'

But social commentator Prue MacSween has criticised the move, describing the proposed law changes as an unnecessary intrusion into family life.

'No one condones extreme discipline that will harm a child,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'But I came from a generation that got a smack on the backside when I deserved it and it hasn't caused long-term mental angst for me. These experts are confusing this form of parental discipline with corporal punishment or abuse.'

Sunrise host Natalie Barr weighed in on the smacking debate during the show on Thursday

Barr (pictured with her two sons) says arguments in favour of smacking 'don't hold up'

Prue MacSween (pictured) says its an unnecessary move into parents lives by government

MacSween said parents being unable to properly discipline their children had created a generation of children growing up with no boundaries or respect.

'Parents are being sidelined by these bloody intrusive do-gooders, probably the same people who have influenced our shocking education system that is churning out kids who don't even know the basics,' she said.

Dr Coulson acknowledged the concerns about government overreach but said it had a role to protect children, a vulnerable group in society.

'Some will roll their eyes and say "It's just a tap,' but that 'tap' can become the default parenting tool,' he said.

'When smacking becomes the go-to method, it dulls a parent's ability to respond constructively. It can escalate - some parents begin to smack harder or more frequently.'

The father-of-six said other countries had already passed similar laws.

'Around 67 countries have introduced legislation banning smacking to protect children,' Dr Coulson said.

'These nations have acknowledged the harm it causes - to relationships, academic performance, and mental health - and decided to take action.'

The expert said some parents confused punishment with discipline.

'Usually, you can't solve the problem in the heat of the moment,' he said.

'First, you diffuse the situation. Then, when everyone is calm, you can address the issue constructively.'

The QLRC is expected to deliver its recommendations on the legislation later this year.
A man has been accused of secretly filming 40 people and multiple children inside their homes by peering through their windows.

Queensland Police arrested a 32-year-old man at a Maroochydore home on the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday following a raid on February 10.

It's alleged detectives under operation Xray Pelham found child exploitation material on devices during the earlier search.

However, further analysis of the man's phone allegedly revealed photos and videos of about 40 people inside their homes, taken between late 2021 to February 2025.

Police allege the people did not know they were being filmed.

Officers were able to identify 23 of the people filmed, including four children, through door-knocking and extensive investigation.

All the alleged victims lived in Maroochydore.

About 17 people in photos and videos are still unidentified.

Police arrested a 32-year-old man (left) at a Maroochydore home and charged him with allegedly recording his neighbours without their knowledge

It is unclear if any of the remaining alleged victims are children.

'Police will allege the man filmed people from outside their homes, largely through windows, on his mobile phone,' a Queensland Police spokesman said.

The 32-year-old man was charged with 36 offences.

Those included 29 counts of observations or recordings in breach of privacy, five counts of indecent treatment of children under 16 and one count each of indecent treatment of children under 12 and stalking.

Footage showed the man being instructed to allow officers inside his home shortly before his arrest on Monday.

He was refused police bail and is due to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Sunshine Coast CIB Officer in Charge Detective Senior Sergeant Robert Lowry said though work is ongoing to identify the remaining people, he's pleased with the current result.

'I appreciate this is a confronting incident for people living in Maroochydore and appreciate the community's cooperation as we completed our thorough investigations,' he said.

'Detectives will continue to prioritise the privacy and well-being of those affected.'

Queensland Police urged anyone with information regarding the identity of the remaining alleged victims to contact Policelink or Crime Stoppers.
A cash appeal has been launched for the grieving father of a fatal house fire which killed three children, as their mother fights for life under police guard.

Six people managed to escape the property when it went up in flames on Merritt Street in Harristown, Toowoomba, about 12.30am on Wednesday.

The body of a nine-year-old boy was later found inside, after his mother Ellouisa Brighton Gibson, 36, her partner Justin Gibson, 34, and five children were rushed to hospital.

On Thursday, police revealed two girls, aged four and seven, had also died from their injuries overnight at Queensland Children's Hospital.

Police revealed on Thursday that Mr Gibson and the eldest child, 18, had desperately tried to help others escape the flames, braving the flames to try to pluck the youngsters to safety.

Detectives said emergency workers had found the mother out the front of the building as it was engulfed by the inferno.

Now family friend Grace Halaufia has begun a GoFundMe appeal to support Mr Gibson and the surviving children in the wake of the tragedy.

I would like to raise money for his children, childrens medical expenses, accommodation, and other support needed in this hard time, she posted on the fundraiser page.

A child has died after a horror fire engulfed a home in Toowoomba overnight

Mother-of-five Ellouisa Brighton Gibson (pictured) has been put under police guard as she fights for life in hospital in a serious condition

Three of the five children were killed after succumbing to their injuries from the fire

Justin is a hard working disability support worker who has always put other before himself as well as a dedicated father.

'This event has been unimaginable and any support would be greatly appreciated.

So far the page has raised $1090 of its $10,000 goal.

Ms Halaufia said Mr Gibson, who was the father of some of the children involved in the fire, is not yet ready to discuss details of the fatal blaze publicly.

Justin wishes for the details to remain somewhat private as this is an extremely tough time for him and his children with unfortunate casualties. she wrote.

Detectives have now launched an investigation into the cause of the blaze after police declared it as suspicious.

The home remained a crime scene during the day on Wednesday as police investigated the fire with homicide detectives called in.

The 36-year-old mothers remains in a critical condition at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital under police guard. Police say they are not looking for anyone else.

One of the Gibson children caught in the Toowoomba fire

Homicide detectives were called to assist in Queensland Police's investigation on Wednesday

Queensland Police confirmed it is treating the fire as suspicious

'The 18 year old male and the 34 year old did assist with removing or assisting with the children getting from that premises,' said Detective Superintendent George Marchesini on Thursday.

'And I believe the 36 year old woman had escaped that house as well, was located towards the front of the premises.

'We have detectives from the Darling Down district, along with the homicide investigation unit assisting this investigation.

'We also brought in other specialist teams to assist, and some of that takes part with the forensic and scientific examination at the scene.

'As part of our investigation, we'll be looking at any interaction or communication from the family with police prior to this incident.'

The two men were taken to a Toowoomba hospital with Mr Gibson in a stable condition with serious injuries while the teenager is believed to have a hand injury.

They were discharged on Thursday morning. An 11-year-old boy was uninjured, police said.

Det Supt Marchesini said they were still waiting to interview the mother about blaze.

'We have been unable to speak with the woman at this stage,' he said.

The home of Ellouisa Brighton Gibson, 36, (pictured) and partner Justin Gibson, 34, in Harristown, 130km west of Brisbane, erupted up in flames just after midnight on Wednesday

'That is something our investigators are working on with the hospital to arrange, but will happen dependent on her condition, how that progresses.

'We're continually getting updates from the hospital at this stage - it's very difficult to ascertain. We know she will have been hospital for an extensive period of time.

'We're just waiting on further confirmation of the hospital, and we'll be in contact with them quite regularly through the days.'

He added: 'From what we've been advised at this point in time, she is in a critical condition, so has survived obviously last night and is expected to survive.

'But things can change quite quickly.Obviously we're hoping that she does, and that's not wanting to just be able to speak with her, but in terms of her surviving this incident.'

Detective Inspector Renee Garske confirmed investigations would include whether domestic violence had played a role in the fire.

Neighbours smashed windows in an attempt to free the children from the home.

Neighbour Will Cuffe ran to help the family as soon as he saw the fire.

We were awake and heard some loud shouting, so we went to see what was happening and saw a lot of people out on the street, he told The Courier Mail.

Queensland Police confirmed it is treating the fire as suspicious

We heard the smoke alarms, then saw the smoke and flames. After we saw the smoke, it took about three minutes and the house just went up in flames

We saw the mother, the father and some of the young kids. The mother was holding the kids and taking them to the ambulance.

Two of the young kids were walking, but they were really badly burnt. he said. The dad had a cut on his arm.

A witness who phoned Triple-0 said the home was fully engulfed by the time he ended the call to emergency services.

Queensland Fire and Rescue Service station manager Neil Goodman said fire crews located the nine-year-old's body near the front door.

'Once (crews) could bring the fire under control sufficiently, just near the front door, they located one (deceased person),' Mr Goodman told 7News.

The familys dog survived the fire and was being cared for by a neighbour.

Mr Goodman said firefighters were greeted with a 'wall of flame and heavy smoke' when they arrived at the scene as the fire mostly impacted the front of the home.

'The guys had quite a difficult time making access and getting in to conduct a primary search,' Mr Goodman said.

After speaking with a family member who was 'hysterical', Mr Goodman advised fire and rescue crews on where they might be able to find the missing child.

'We're all fathers, we've all got children, so its always hard, it's a little bit harder when its sort of similar to your own situation,' Mr Goodman said.

It took about 30 minutes for four fire crews to extinguish the fire.

Anyone with information or relevant vision, including CCTV or dashcam footage, is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

Lifeline 13 11 14
A government worker is accused of stealing $49,000 of taxpayer funds to pay for four personal overseas holidays.

Australian Federal Police began investigating the Sydney woman Quan Liu on June 2024, following reports that a public servant was illegally using taxpayer money to fund her personal trips over a period of 14 months.

Officers executed a search warrant at Liu's home in December and accused her of stealing $49,000 of public money.

Liu allegedly used the funds to cover flights and accommodation for four overseas holidays.

Police have also alleged the government employee used a falsified visa letter, which claimed she was travelling for work, in an attempt to cover her tracks.

On top of the charges tied to her holidays, Liu is accused of arranging a false document to help a foreign national to obtain a visa for entry into Australia.

She was charged with one count each of dishonestly obtaining a gain from a Commonwealth entity, abuse of public office and delivering a document that is false or misleading to a material particular in connection with the proposed entry of a non-citizen into Australia with an application for a visa.

Liu faced Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.

A Sydney government employee is accused of stealing taxpayer funds to pay for four overseas trip (stock image)

She was granted conditional bail.

The worker is set to appear before the same court on July 2.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Office of Local Government NSW for comment.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt has officially conceded, blaming everyone but himself as he attributed his loss to the redistribution of his Melbourne seat, a voter backlash against Peter Dutton and preferences from One Nation and Liberal voters.

'A short time ago I called the Labor candidate for Melbourne, Sarah Witty, to concede, congratulate her and wish her all the best as the next Member for Melbourne,' he told reporters at 2.15pm.

'The Greens got the highest vote in Melbourne, but One Nation and Liberal preferences will get Labor over the line.

'To win in Melbourne we needed to overcome Liberal, Labor and One Nation combined, and its an Everest we've climbed a few times now, but this time we fell just short.

I want to thank the Melbourne community for regularly giving me the highest vote, including this election, and to thank you for the last 15 years and the chance to do some amazing things together.'

Bandt said that there was a number of seats where the Greens were second, creating a new colour of political persuasion.

'Mix red and blue together and you get purple,' he said.

'There's now a swathe of seats where Labor MPs owe their political life to Liberal preferences and the Greens are there in those seats as the real opposition to the two-party system.'

He claimed that was the fate of his own seat of Melbourne, which had been redistributed to include many more Liberal voters.

He also claimed there was a 'huge riptide from Liberal to Labor' over the five-week election campaign, where Dutton was damaged by his policy alignment with Donald Trump.

'People in Melbourne hate Peter Dutton and with a very good reason. They have seen his brand of toxic racism on display for many years, they have seen his time as Immigration Minister, they seen him make comments about Melbourne and like me, many of them wanted him as far away from power as possible,' Bandt added.

'Despite us making it very clear that we shared their position, my initial take is that some votes leaked away from us as people saw Labor is the best option to stop Dutton.'

The third reason Bandt gave was preferences as he claimed Labor would win his seat on Liberal and One Nation preferences.

'It is not like traditional contests where Labor just has to be Liberal. The Greens have to beat Labor and Liberal combined, he added.

'More people in Melbourne voted Greens than anyone else. We got the highest vote but Liberal and One Nation preferences will get Labor over the line.'

He did not address any of his own mistakes in leading the party during his 25 minute statement.

Bandt said he was 'really proud of what I have achieved as leader of the Greens'.

'We have achieved the highest vote in Greens history, he said.

'I leave with the vote for the Greens higher than when I started and the biggest representation ever in parliament.'

Labor's Witty has ousted him from the seat he's held since 2010.
Erin Patterson covered her mouth while holding a tissue as her daughter spoke about eating leftovers of the ultimately fatal lunch in a video interview played in court.

The video, recorded on August 16, 2023, showed Patterson's nine-year-old daughter, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, sitting on a couch wearing a baby-blue and pink hoodie, black tracksuit pants and pink runners.

Patterson's daughter, who is now 11, answered questions about her mother's lunch while sitting next to a tin of colouring pencils and a box of tissues on a desk beside her.

The daughter, who nervously played with a tissue, told a police officer she didn't know why she was there.

Patterson, who became visually emotional and covered her mouth upon seeing her daughter, took shallow breaths and choked back tears.

In the video, her daughter said she thought she was being interviewed because of 'the lunch at my mum's house'.

'I wasn't there so I don't know what happened,' the daughter said.

She said her mother told her that she 'wanted to have a lunch with my grandparents (Don and Gail) and Heather and Ian', but she couldn't remember when she was told.

'I can't remember what she said I just remember that she was going to have lunch,' the daughter said.

'I just remember she was going to have lunch at the dining table, she just wanted to talk to them and, I guess, have lunch with them. She said she just wanted to talk about adult stuff.

'I'm pretty sure it was the day before but I don't remember.

'I don't remember (when the lunch was), it was a couple of weeks ago, on a weekend. I think it was Saturday.'

The daughter said her mother told her that she, her brother and her brother's friend would be seeing a movie while the lunch took place.

She told police her mum was making coffee before they left the house to go to the movies.

'I remember it was in the oven and there was some kind of meat, I could only see meat but there was probably something else,' she said.

'Yes (I was able to look into the oven to see the meat), I think, after that, I just went to watch some TV.'

She said Erin dropped the children off to 'Macca's' at Leongatha for lunch about 11.30am, and they walked about 200m to the cinema to see the movie Elemental.

'Mum didn't stay, I think it was about 11.30am, actually I think it was 12.30. I can't remember that well, (the movie started) 12.30pm,' the daughter said.

'Dad picked us up (after the movie) and I think he drove (my brother) back to mum's house.'

The daughter recalled she came home about 9pm after spending time with her father Simon Patterson.

(We would) usually play on tablets together and go to bed, she said.

She said her brother was on the computer when she arrived home and she started playing on the tablet with her mother.

In the video, the daughter said she believed her mother started to feel sick the day after the lunch.

She just needed to go to the toilet a lot and felt sick in the guts, she said.

She said that she had diarrhea and her tummy was sore.'

The daughter believes her mum went to the toilet 'about ten times'.

She said during that next day they played Monopoly and ate mashed potatoes, steak and beans for dinner but did not have gravy.

In the video played the court, the police officer also asked Patterson's daughter about the plates they had at home.

Theyre just round plates, she said.

Theres a black and green one, some white ones.'

The daughter said her mother had the same as us for dinner that night but Patterson 'wasnt that hungry, so didnt eat that much' due to feeling unwell.
The haunting rattle of loud bangs were the last sounds heard from a helicopter moments before it plunged into New York's Hudson River - killing a family of five and the pilot.

On Wednesday, a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that witnesses told investigators they heard deafening 'loud bangs' erupting from the helicopter, moments before it broke into three pieces and spiraled out of the sky on April 10.

The report states witnesses heard 'loud bangs emanating from the helicopter before it broke up and descended into the river.'

Agustin Escobar, a Siemens executive from Spain, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal and their three children aged four, eight and ten were killed when the sightseeing chopper plummeted into the Hudson River.

The family were on vacation in New York to celebrate the birthday of one of their daughters.

A rotor blade was seen in extraordinary video plummeting into the water, with aviation experts saying that this likely occurred because the main rotor blades separated from the aircraft and sliced the tail.

The NTSB also revealed in the preliminary report that the chopper pilot, Sean Johnson, had just returned from a 10-day break.

Agustin Escobar, a Siemens executive from Spain, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal and their three children, aged four, eight and ten, took photos just before the crash

Harrowing footage captured the moment the helicopter rotor blade flew off and splashed into the Hudson River after the deadly crash

Johnson was rostered to fly 10 days on, 10 days off - a relatively standard schedule for a pilot.

He had logged more than 790 hours of flying experience, and the ill-fated flight was his eighth of the day. The seven prior flights on the same helicopter had occurred without a problem.

During the flight, Johnson was wearing computer-augmented sunglasses, which had the capability to record both video and audio, but the glasses were never recovered from the crash site.

The report states debris from the aircraft was found as far away as Hoboken, New Jersey - on a rooftop near a transit building.

Michael Roth, 71, who owns New York Helicopter which provided the tour and the chopper, said the aircraft was running out of fuel before it crashed.

'He [the pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn't arrive,' Roth told The Telegraph.

Roth said he was devastated by the crash and agreed with other experts that the video appears to show the main rotor blades had broken off.

'The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren't on the helicopter,' he told the New York Post.

The family were on vacation in New York to celebrate the birthday of one of their children. Heartbreaking photos showed the Escobar family posing on the helipad and inside the aircraft before the crash

Emergency responders were seen pulling the remnants of the destroyed helicopter from the murky water of the Hudson River

The family had just arrived from Barcelona and embarked on their first day touring the Big Apple

'And I haven't seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business. The only thing I could guess  I got no clue  is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don't know.'

While the NTSB is yet to reveal an official cause, aviation lawyer who was a helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps Justin Green said it appeared a 'catastrophic mechanical failure' left the pilot with no chance to save the helicopter.

It is possible the helicopter's main rotors struck the tail boom, breaking it apart and causing the cabin to free fall, Green said.

'They were dead as soon as whatever happened happened,' Green said. 'There's no indication they had any control over the craft.

'No pilot could have prevented that accident once they lost the lifts. It's like a rock falling to the ground. It's heartbreaking.'

At the time of the crash, it was cloudy with winds around 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.

Surface visibility was considered good  10 miles  but it was cloudy as a system is moving into the region, bringing light rain to the region this afternoon and evening. The water was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is a breaking news story. More to come.
A glamorous college student made a improper turn at a red light and was suddenly arrested and transported to an ICE detention center.

Ximena Arias-Cristobal has lived in Georgia since she was four. But due to local law enforcement's strict coordination with ICE, she was quickly transported to the Stewart Detention Center after making the illegal turn on Monday, according to ABC 9.

The 19-year-old student was chained by her wrists and ankles as she was taken into the facility where will be trapped for over a month before she sees a judge.

After being pulled over, Arias-Cristobal told the police officer she had an international license - but not with her.

Online records show that she was arrested for driving without a valid license and failure to obey traffic control devices.

Arias-Cristobal had attempted to apply for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) when she came into the country in 2010 but her mother said the program ended a year earlier.

DACA allowed children of undocumented immigrants in the United States to apply for a protected status that defers deportation every two years.

When Dalton Police booked her into the Whitfield County Jail she was asked of her residency status, per booking procedure.

Ximena Arias-Cristobal, 19, has lived in Whitfield County since she was four but since she made an illegal turn on a red light on Monday she has been held in the Stewart Detention Center

Chained by her wrists and ankles, she was taken into the facility where she is set to stay detained for over a month until she appears before a judge. Online records show that she was arrested for driving without a valid license and failure to obey traffic control devices

A GoFundMe for the teenager, created by Hannah Jones, said that she came into the country in 2010 at the age of four and had not qualified for the DACA program which ended a year earlier

In a cruel twist of fate, Arias-Cristobal is being held in the same facility as her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar who was detained in Tunnel Hill two weeks ago for speeding.

Attorney Terry Olsen said that it's likely Arias-Cristobal's mother will be 'arrested or detained within a month or so.'

On a GoFundMe for the teen, Hannah Jones said Arias-Cristobal had babysat her children for years, and added: 'We adore her.'

Jones told the news outlet that the teenager is 'the most precious human' and believed her international license allowed her to drive legally.

The GoFundMe has raised $31,770 as of Wednesday evening, and are intended to help pay for an immigration lawyer and bond.

Arias-Cristobal's younger sister told the outlet: 'They came in with big dreams because they wanted a big future for my older sister. And, you know, my sister goes to college, and she was an honor student since middle school.'

'And she runs. She loves to run. It's her passion, and the only reason they came is to follow my sister's dreams,' her sister said.

Her mother, translated through Arias-Cristobal's younger sister, further told the outlet: 'My dad has his own company, and they called a lawyer to see if they could get a job permit or a visa, and they said that they hadn't hit that status to get one yet'

Jones said Arias-Cristobal had babysat her children for years, and added: 'We adore her.' She told the outlet that the teenager is 'the most precious human' and believed her international license allowed her to drive legally

Attorney Terry Olsen said that is is likely Arias-Cristobal's mother will be 'arrested or detained within a month or so,' and that her daughters would be removed with her to keep the family together

Her mother, translated through Arias-Cristobal's younger sister, further told the outlet: 'My dad has his own company, and they called a lawyer to see if they could get a job permit or a visa, and they said that they hadn't hit that status to get one yet.'

Georgia State Representative Kacey Carpenter said in a letter on the teen's behalf: 'The reality is, the conversation has always been that we need to get hard criminals out of the country.

'Unfortunately, the people that aren't hard criminal are getting caught up in the wash. It seems like we are much better at catching people that committing misdemeanors than people that are actually a danger to society.'
READ MORE: How a single arrest led to the rescue of SEVEN children

An Aussie tourist allegedly wanted for armed robbery has been arrested after his name was flagged during a biometric screening at an airport in Thailand.

The Australian man, identified by officials as 'Mr Mc', was arrested on May 3 at 8.30pm at the International Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, the country's capital.

Mr Mc was on Thai Airways flight TG432 from Bali, Indonesia, to Thailand and was flagged by authorities while he was trying to board a connecting flight to Phuket.

The airport's immigration system flagged the Aussie tourist's name during a routine biometric screening, according to the Immigration Bureau.

The screening showed he was banned from entering Thailand and that he had an active arrest warrant for an armed robbery from the Phuket Provincial Court.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Chaiwat Chansuwan, Deputy Superintendent of Investigation at the Chalong Police Station, confirmed the Australian had a standing arrest warrant.

Officials did not disclose the nature of the offence or when it took place as the case is still under Thai criminal investigation.

However, the warrant alleges the Australian man committed a 'robbery with or using a firearm' and that he also 'used a vehicle to commit an offence' while in Phuket.

The Australian man, identified by officials as 'Mr Mc', was arrested at the International Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok (pictured)

The airport's immigration system flagged the Aussie tourist's name during a routine biometric screening, which alerted authorities to an outstanding warrant

'The arrest was smooth and the suspect did not resist the police,' a police spokesman said.

'The Immigration Division 2 successfully caught him and handed him over to the relevant authorities for further legal action.'

Mr Mc had passed immigration control, but was flagged after his face was scanned at the airport's automated biometric identification system.

The Thailand Digital Entry Card (TDAC) system, powered by Facial Recognition technology, was introduced in November 2024 and uses passenger's biometric data.

Passengers who have registered can use their biometric data to bypass traditional passport or boarding pass checks including baggage drop, security checks and boarding.

The system is also used to match arriving passengers to any outstanding warrants, entry bans and Interpol red notices.

Mr Mc's faced was scanned, which alerted authorities to a red flag and triggered an additional screening.

As a result, the Australian man was detained and prevented from continuing to Phuket. He will remain in detention until his case is processed.

The warrant alleges the Australian man committed a 'robbery with or using a firearm' and that he also 'used a vehicle to commit an offence' while in Phuket

It's understood Mr Mc will not be allowed to remain in the country, with authorities withholding his identity as formal extradition or prosecution procedures.

Mr Mc will remain in detention until his case is processed.

Mr Mc could face heavy penalties if he is convicted of armed robbery as it carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under Thailand's criminal code.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, California with a message: Donald Trump is serious about tariffs and it's time to invest in the United States.

Bessent appeared at a small private reception organized by Presidential envoy for Special Missions Richard Grenell on Sunday at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, prior to his speech at the conference.

The treasury secretary spoke to the exclusive gathering, previewing his speech with about 150 attendees that included political and economic heavyweights.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr, Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Exchange Commissioner Mark Uyeda were present for the reception as well as financial titans Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, Pershing Square Capital Founder Bill Ackman, Starwood Capital Group Chair Barry Sternlicht, and BNY CEO Robin Vince.

President of Paraguay Santiago Pena was also present as well as Congressmen Darrell Issa and Abe Hamadeh.

'It was incredible,' Grenell told the Daily Mail in an interview about the event.

'I realized that there was really an opportunity to showcase what is happening in America by showcasing people getting comfortable with the idea of America first.'

He said that some Silicon Valley tech investors were already widely supportive of Trump's efforts and Wall Street bankers were getting on board.

The event took place at the same time as a reception hosted by Citadel hedge fund manager Ken Griffin that was across the street.

Sources familiar with Griffin's relationship with the White House told Daily Mail he is growing frustrated that no one is answering his calls and has become a bit of a punchline in the West Wing.

A representative for Griffin has rejected assertions that he does not have contact with the White House.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attends the Milken Institute Global Conference 2025 in Beverly Hills, California.

Actor, producer and entrepreneur Jessica Alba addresses the Milken Conference

A reception after Milken was hosted by Tactic Global, a newly-formed DC consulting firm with Leonardo Scatturice, Sole Cedro, Barry Bennett, Caroline Wren and Ryan Coyne (left to right)

'It's no surprise that Ken Griffin isn't getting his phone calls returned,' Caroline Wren, a longtime fundraiser for Trump told the Daily Mail. 'Ken Griffin has repeatedly and publicly criticized the America First policies that President Trump is enacting, and then privately complains about a lack of access to Trump. You can't have it both ways.'

It's not a surprise, as Griffin remains a vocal critic of Trump.

At a World Economy Summit in Washington, DC, last month, Griffin complained that Trump was moving too fast and risking the American 'brand.'

'It can be a lifetime to repair the damage that has been done,' he said.

For weeks, Bessent has been quietly trying to reassure investors after the president announced a 90 day pause on global tariffs for every country except China. But at the same time, he is warning financial elites that Trump is serious about bringing manufacturing, production, and high-paying jobs back to the United States.

Despite the handwringing and stress from global investors in the conference audience, Bessent warned critics they were underestimating the president.

'He proved them wrong in his first term and he's proving them wrong today,' Bessent said.

He explained calmly that the administration was 'preparing the soil' for an economic boom in the United States and 'planting the seeds,' urging companies to invest more in America.

'Next we harvest and we want you to harvest with us,' he said. 'Hire your workers here, build your factories here, make your products here, you'll be glad you did.'

Citi Group CEO Jane Fraser attended a reception after Milken

US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and Michael Milken (L) speak at the 28th annual Milken Institute Global Conference

Ric Grenell, special presidential envoy for special missions of the United States organized the reception which coincided with one hosted by Trump critic Ken Griffin

The appearance of Trump officials at the swanky conferences and receptions for elites can be problematic politically, if they give any sign of downplaying the president's agenda to make wealthy investors happy.

But former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon praised Bessent's appearance as 'epic.'

'Bessent delivered the message. Trump is not backing off,' he said. 'He is requiring global commercial relationships to favor America and American workers and they jumped onboard.'

The message was well received, Grenell said, praising Bessent's impact in the room.

'I think Scott is very calm, smart, judicious,' Grenell said.

The Wall Street investors who support the existing political system, Grenell said, are very used to getting what they want for short term gain, but Bessent and is urging them to think bigger and more longterm.

'We have to be making things again and that requires a change in the current paradigm,' Grenell said.
Anti-Israel protesters suffered instant karma when they stormed the main library at Columbia University only to remain stuck inside when school officials would not let them leave without identification.

Shocking videos posted online Wednesday evening showed dozens of people wearing keffiyehs and masks banging drums in a sprawling room at the Butler Library and hanging signs.

They repeated anti-Israel slogans for nearly an hour and renamed the library 'Basel al-Araj Popular University' after a Palestinian militant whom Israel has accused of planning a large scale attack, according to the New York Times.

But when the raucous demonstrators tried to leave the library, they were blocked by security guards at the Ivy League university unless they showed a proper school identification - leading to an hours-long standoff.

In one of the videos from the scene, guards could be seen telling the protesters they will be arrested for trespassing if they did not produce their school ID cards.

The blockage soon led an angry mob to try to push through the shuttered doors of the library, chanting 'Let us out, let us out, let us out' while their counterparts on the outside chanted 'Let them out.'

The group then continued to push and shove at the security guards, leaving one woman visibly injured on the ground.

In the end, nearly 70 demonstrators were taken into custody for trespassing, and at least one protester and two security guards were injured in the assault - which came as university officials try to appease the Trump administration to regain some of its federal funding.

Anti-Israel protesters who stormed Columbia University's main library on Wednesday suffered instant karma when school officials would not let them back out without identification

The chaos inside the library led even more protesters to gather outside - and prompted the school's president to call police

The protest was apparently organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest, which shared its five demands online

The chaotic scene began at around 3pm when the protesters first entered Butler Library, pushing past a library security guard carrying tote bags and backpacks before heading up the stairs to the main reading room.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest - which is taking credit for the demonstration - claimed at the time that more than 100 people stormed the library.

'The flood shows that as long as Columbia funds and profits from imperialist violence, the people will continue to disrupt Columbia's profits and legitimacy,' it said in a statement.

'Repression breeds resistance - if Columbia escalates repression, the people will continue to escalate disruption on this campus,' the group warned.

It said it was demanding 'full financial divestment from Zionist occupation, apartheid and genocide; an academic boycott of all compliant institutions, including the cancelation of the Tel Aviv Global Center; cops and ICE off our campus' and an end to 'Columbia's occupation of Harlem.'

The group also demanded 'amnesty for all students, staff, faculty and workers targeted by Columbia University's discipline.'

The scene prompted public security officials at the school to evacuate students who were not involved in the disruption from the library, the Times reports.

Meanwhile, guards told the demonstrators that they would not be allowed out if they did not produce their school ID.

People take part in a pro-Palestinian protest at Butler Library on the campus of Columbia University in New York

Scenes from inside the library showed people in masks and keffiyehs banging drums and hanging signs

At least one protester appeared to have been injured as an angry mob tried to push its way out of the library

Eventually at around 5.20pm, a group of about seven people were allowed to leave the building - while the remainder presumably refused to show their IDs.

A few minutes later, one protester was seen being brought out in handcuffs by the university's public safety department - which now employs several dozen peace officers who have the authority to make arrests.

In an apparent attempt to be let out of the library, the fire alarm began sounding at around 5.30pm, before going silent a few minutes later.

The situation then turned more chaotic, leaving one protester injured and escaping through the back entrance of the library in a stretcher.

Soon after, demonstrators in support of the protesters inside the building also began assembling outside - chanting 'no cops, no KKK, no fascist USA' as they too tried to overpower the security guards blocking their way.

By around 7pm, Columbia University's Acting President Claire Shipman announced she had called police to the scene.

'The individuals who disrupted activities in Butler Reading Room 301 still refuse to identify themselves and leave the building,' she said.

'Due to the number of individuals participating in the disruption inside and outside the building, a large group of people attempting to force their way into Butler Library creating a safety hazard and what we believe to be the significant presence of individuals not affiliated with the university, Columbia has taken the necessary step of requesting the presence of the NYPD to assist in securing the building and the safety of our community.

'Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community,' Shipman added.

Nearly 70 demonstrators were taken into custody for trespassing

She concluded by saying the university 'strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today.

'We are resolute that calls for violence or harm have no place at our university.'

Officers were soon captured on cell phone video entering the library - which caused a shriek from inside.

Within half an hour of Shipman's announcement, demonstrators were seen being escorted out of the building, their hands restrained behind them with zip ties.

Police have since confirmed they responded to a 'trespassing scene' at the Ivy League university and charges against the protesters were pending.

But the chaotic scene had already attracted the attention of elected officials, with Mayor Eric Adams taking to X to condemn the demonstration.

'As I've said repeatedly, New York City will always defend the right to peaceful protest, but we will never tolerate lawlessness,' he said.

'To our Jewish New Yorkers, especially the students at Columbia who feel threatened or unsafe attending class because of these events: know that your mayor stands with you and will always work to keep you safe.'

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also said she was briefed on the situation and was grateful for the public safety officials who kept students safe, according to ABC 7.

'Everyone has the right to peacefully protest. But violence, vandalism or destruction of property are completely unacceptable.'

President Donald Trump has already revoked more than $400 million in federal funding from the Ivy League school for its prior 'mishandling' of protests against Israel

Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik agreed with his decision following the protest on Wednesday

Rep. Elise Stefanik went even further, writing: 'While Columbia students try to study for finals, they're being bombarded with chants for a "global intifada."

'Not a single taxpayer dollar should go to a university that allows chaos, antisemitism and civil rights violations on its campus,' she said, agreeing with President Trump's decision to revoke more than $400 million in federal funding from the Ivy League school for its prior 'mishandling' of protests against Israel.

In a letter on Tuesday, school officials said the funding cut resulted in 180 staff members being laid off.

'Columbia's leadership continues discussions with the federal government in support of resuming activity on these research awards and additional other awards that have remained active, but unpaid,' the letter said.

'We are working on planning for every eventuality, but the strain in the meantime, financially and on our research mission, is intense.'

It now remains unclear whether Wednesday's chaos will lead the Trump administration to further revoke the school's funding.

But officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement told Fox News they were monitoring the situation - and will fingerprint everyone who was arrested to determine if they are noncitizens.

Those who are may then face deportation.

'Time to make a point,' an ICE official said.

The State Department also warned foreign students about the consequences of breaking the law.

'Foreign university students in America have been put on notice: If you break the law or support terrorism in our country, we will revoke your visa,' it said.

'This administration will not tolerate noncitizens causing mayhem on our college campuses.'
The cause of death for a Jefferies banker who worked grueling 100-hour weeks was revealed to be a toxic mix of fentanyl and cocaine.

Carter McIntosh, 28, was discovered dead on his couch in his Texas apartment on January 27, with police finding a 'white powdery substance' and a rolled-up $100 bill nearby.

The circumstances surrounding his death were mysterious, prompting local police to launch an investigation into a 'possible overdose.'

The Dallas medical examiner ruled his manner of death an accident from the 'toxic effects' of fentanyl and cocaine on Friday, according to Business Insider.

'Our hearts grieve for Carter and our sincere condolences to his family, coworkers, and friends. Carter is missed by many at Jefferies and beyond,' Jefferies CEO Richard Handler told the outlet.

Sources told the New York Post that the young Wall Street banker was pushing 100-hour weeks before his tragic death - with insiders revealing he was 'worked like a dog' with 'unsustainable hours' while juggling high-stakes multi-million dollar deals.

McIntosh worked at Jefferies as an investment banking associate for the firm's team covering technology, media and telecommunications.

He joined the bank in September 2023, and had previously worked as an analyst at Moelis & Co until June 2023.

Carter McIntosh (pictured), 28, was discovered dead on his couch in his Dallas apartment on January 27

Before that he was an equity research analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York City until the Spring of 2021.

McIntosh graduated from Seton Hall University in New Jersey with a bachelor's degree in finance a few years earlier.

The shocking discovery of his unsustainable workload put a spotlight on Wall Street's ruthless work culture.

McIntosh, who joined prestigious investment bank Jefferies after stints at Goldman Sachs and Moelis, was 'a grinder,' a source told The Post.

'He was a really hard worker and he was on a very difficult team in Dallas. They gave him a lot of s**t.'

The California native had been prescribed medication for attention deficit disorder (ADD), according to the police report.

That put into question whether he may have overdosed on Adderall - a stimulant notoriously used by bankers to cope with brutal schedules.

'Tons of people at the bank take it,' a Jefferies insider told The Post.

The Dallas medical examiner ruled his manner of death an accident from the 'toxic effects' of fentanyl and cocaine

Sources claimed that the promising young Wall Street banker was punishing 100-hour weeks at Jefferies before his tragic death

Multiple sources at Jefferies exposed a disturbing look into the life inside the Dallas office, where young bankers like McIntosh faced relentless pressure under managing directors Lawrence Chu and Nicholas Brown.

'The guys are kind of ruthless on that team,' one source revealed, calling the hours 'unsustainable.'

'You are working with increasingly difficult people who are going to give you s**t no matter what you send them,' one source said.

'These kids are geared towards blaming themselves rather than blaming the system. So they just work harder and sleep less, eat less, and work out less.'
Wild footage captured the moment a dog owner had to jump into her pool twice to save her clumsy pooch from drowning in her backyard.

Shannon Tremaine and her dad Vincent were forced to act fast when their Miniature Schnauzer, Chloe, fell into a pool in their Adelaide backyard.

In the viral footage, Ms Tremaine could be seen opening a gate and letting her dog explore the area surrounding the pool for the first time.

'If she falls in, at least we're here,' Vincent said.

'That's the thing I'm most worried about is her falling in when we're not here,' Ms Tremaine said.

Vincent appeared pretty confident the family pet wouldn't fall into the water, but his daughter wasn't so sure.

'I think she'll stumble in because she's clumsy,' Ms Tremaine said.

As she predicted, Chloe wandered into the pool area and immediately slipped into the water.

Shannon Tremaine jumped into the pool to save her dog Chloe (pictured)

Ms Tremaine's dad Vincent had to step in to help rescue Chloe (pictured)

Although canine companions are famous for giving the doggy paddle a try in circumstances like this one, Chloe could be seen panicking.

As the Miniature Schnauzer struggled to keep her head above water, Ms Tremaine waited momentarily before jumping into the pool to save her dog.

One side of the pool was visibly very deep and Ms Tremaine needed her dad's help to rescue Chloe.

'At first we thought she would be fine because she used to be able to swim and I thought she would swim to me [when I jumped in] then I could scoop her up,' Ms Tremaine told Yahoo.

'But when I realised she was swimming down instead of up it was terrifying.'

'That went well,' Vincent remarked as he lifted his dog out of the water.

Vincent and Ms Tremaine dried Chloe off with a towel, but moments later the clumsy pooch ended up in the water for a second time.

In a subsequent video, Ms Tremaine explained Chloe got distracted by her dad eating his breakfast and fell in as she attempted to get a closer look.

Chloe fell immediately into the pool after being allowed to explore the area for the first time

After rescuing Chloe once, Ms Tremaine jumped in a second time to save her clumsy dog (pictured)

Once again Ms Tremaine jumped in after her to save the dog.

However, Chloe didn't make things easy for Ms Tremaine as the owner struggled to keep her dog afloat in the opposite end of the pool, which was shallower but very slippery.

The clip, which has been watched more than 48million times in just five days, attracted the attention of some trolls who criticised Chloe's swimming skills and the owners for not acting sooner.

One viewer commented: 'That dog has like no survival instincts - because tell me why it started doing synchronised swimming under water????'

'I have never seen a dog thats THAT bad at swimming like immediately swimming circles UNDERWATER,' another wrote.

'Girl didnt even stumble she walked STRAIGHT in,' a third added.

After the clip went viral, Ms Tremaine sat down with Chloe in an adorable interview-style clip to answer some of the internet's most asked questions.

Ms Tremaine explained Chloe used to be able to swim, which is why she didn't immediately jump in.

The pooch was diagnosed with vestibular disease last year and Ms Tremaine believes this has affected her ability to swim as it impacts her balance under water.

Ms Tremaine assured viewers Chloe received the all-clear from the vets soon after the incident.
READ MORE: Wild theory emerges after dachshund is reunited with her owners

The 12-year-old may be using a train to travel

Boy last seen at in Virgina, north-east of Brisbane

An urgent search has been launched for a missing 12-year-old Queensland boy who vanished without a trace four days ago.

Caspian, 12, was last seen at a property on Northlink Place, Virginia, about 13km north-east of Brisbane, on May 4 and has not been seen or heard from since.

He is described as Caucasian in appearance, approximately 155cm tall with a slim build, light brown hair and blue eyes.

Caspian was last seen wearing a green T shirt, denim shorts and black shoes.

It is believed Caspian may be utilising the train to travel to the Gold Coast.

Police have urged Caspian or anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact police.

Frantic friends and family have issued desperate pleas on social media, calling for anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact police.

Police told Daily Mail Australia Caspian is believed to be travelling with another boy and girl who were also reported missing.

The 12-year-old boy was last seen at an address in Virginia, north-east of Brisbane, and may be using trains to travel to the Gold Coast

Caspian is believed to be travelling with 12-year-old Jasmine (pictured) and 13-year-old Jude who was also reported missing on May 3

The three missing children were spotted taking the bus from Coorparoo Square heading towards the city (pictured, missing 13-year-old Jude)

Caspian is believed to have taken the 204 bus from Coorparoo Square heading towards the city at 5pm along with 12-year-old Jasmine and 13-year-old Jude.

Jasmine was also reported missing on May 4, with her parent's asking the community for help in locating their daughter in a Facebook post shared on Tuesday.

'She was wearing checked pink PJ shorts, black hoodie which says Everest on it, with light brown shirt under and white and black Nike shoes,' they wrote.

'She was wearing jean shorts before changing into her PJ shorts in the video. Her hair would probably be down.

'We are super worried about her safety and well being. We would like to know she is safe and that they are all safe.'

Anyone with information is being urged to contact police link on 131 444.
Donald Trump is expected to announce a trade deal between the United States and the United Kingdom on Thursday.

The president, who has sought to improve America's standing in trade relations after accusing many partners of ripping them off, previewed a major deal to be made on Thursday.

Trump wrote: 'Big News Conference tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M., The Oval Office, concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!!'

The New York Times reported that the country in question was the United Kingdom. DailyMail.com has reached out to the White House for comment.

A UK official said on Tuesday that the two countries had made good progress on a trade deal that would likely include lower tariff quotas on steel and autos.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been rushing to seal a pact with America before his big Brexit 'reset', due to be unveiled at a summit with the EU on May 19.

According to the Financial Times, the package on the table includes quotas that could protect UK exports of cars and steel, as well as reductions in the headline rates.

In return Britain is expected to make concessions on a new 'digital tax', as well as lowering tariffs on US cars and farming products.

Donald Trump is expected to announce a trade deal between the United States and the United Kingdom on Thursday

Prime Minister Keir Starmer (pictured left) has been rushing to seal a pact with America before his big Brexit 'reset', due to be unveiled at a summit with the EU on May 19

Trump's top officials have engaged in a flurry of meetings with trading partners since the president on April 2 imposed a 10 percent tariff on most countries, along with higher 'reciprocal' tariff rates for many trading partners, though those rates were later suspended for 90 days.

Britain was not among the countries hit with additional tariffs, because it imports more from the U.S. than it exports there.

Trump has also imposed 25 percent tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum, 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and 145 percent tariffs on China.

On Tuesday, Trump said that he and top administration officials would review potential trade deals over the next two weeks to decide which ones to accept.

Last week, he said that he has 'potential' trade deals with India, South Korea and Japan.

Trump raised the prospect of a Transatlantic trade deal when they met at the White House in February - before the president unveiled his 'Liberation Day' tariff barrage.

Hopes have dwindled of the United Kingdom getting an exemption from the 'baseline' 10 per cent charges on goods entering America.

Starmer has ruled out several concessions the US was thought to be looking for as the price of a deal.

Starmer has ruled out several concessions the US was thought to be looking for as the price of a deal

These include reductions in food standards rules that limit imports of American agricultural goods and changes to online safety legislation that some US politicians believe limit freedom of speech.

Over the past few months, the administration has launched, relaunched, and edited a battery of tariffs  ranging from 10 percent to 145 percent  targeting nearly every type of imported good.

Trump said Wednesday he would think about tariff exemptions for child-related products like car seats and diapers in order to bring the cost of them down.

Tariffs on China are hitting parents hard in their wallets.

Virtually every car seat, stroller, bassinet and changing table sold in the U.S. is made in China.

Trump has doubled Chinese tariffs, causing the prices of these items to increase.

I don't know. I'll think about it, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about exemptions for childcare products.

I want to make it nice and simple. I'm not looking to have so many exemptions that nobody knows what we're doing. We have to make it very simple but Ill take a look at it.

The president's comments came as investors anxiously await planned trade talks between Washington and Beijing on Saturday, which could mark the first step in resolving a potentially damaging trade war between the world's top two economies.
A council has sparked uproar after pushing ahead with plans to reduce the speed limit to 40km/h in of Australia's most affluent areas.

A proposal to drop the speed limit in Sydney's eastern suburbs - including Bronte, Bondi Junction and Tamarama - will be introduced after five years of debate.

Roads that were 50km/h will be slowed across half of Waverley Council, from south of Bondi Road and Syd Einfeld Drive.

The affected area also includes part of Oxford Street.

Signs for the new speed limits are currently being installed with the decreases to be fully effective by mid-June.

The introduction of the lowered speed limits followed an 'awareness campaign' by Waverley Council between 2019 and 2020, before Covid lockdowns began.

It received less than 200 responses in a Local Government Area of 64,000 people.

Of those surveyed, 75 per cent were in favour of dropping the speed limit.

Blanket 40km/h speed zones will be effective across east Sydney by mid-June (pictured, highlighted areas show affected streets)

However, the introduction of the lower speed limit shocked many residents and several shared their complaints online.

'The Eastern Suburbs already has too much traffic  this is just going to create more jams,' one wrote.

'The problem isn't speed, it's moronic pedestrians glued to their phones.'

'Kids doing 45km/h on E-Bikes is what will kill someone in Waverley,' another wrote.

Another described the move as 'total insanity' and an example of 'bureaucrats out of control'.

Waverley Councillor Michelle Stephenson told the Daily Telegraph: 'Many residents raised concerns about pedestrian safety as well as the need for cars to travel slower in neighbourhoods.

'These quieter streets will enable kids to walk and cycle safely to school which has been a big concern for residents who live in the Bondi Beach community.

'A drop from 50 to 40km/h will save lives and serious harm in the event of an accident and the statistics support this.'

Residents shared anger over the dropped speed limits online, claiming they would worsen traffic jams

The council's website states its new 40km/h speed limit 'provides a major safety benefit'.

The claim is supported by data from Transport for NSW 'finding there is a four-metre improvement in reaction distance, and up to an 11-metre braking distance improvement in wet weather conditions'.

In conjunction with the decreased speed, Waverley Council has already rolled out 'traffic calming treatments' including pedestrian crossings, kerb extensions and speed bumps.

The speed limits across nearby City of Sydney Council have also been dropped in a move supported by Transport NSW.

The reductions are backed as part of the department's goal to have no deaths or serious injuries on Australian roads by 2050.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Waverley Council for further comment.
It was a simple comment about littering that allegedly led to James Callahan being stabbed to death outside a kebab shop.

The 22-year-old had stopped for a meal on Beaumont Street in Hamilton, Newcastle in the early hours of November 17 at the time of the alleged attack.

More details have emerged since six people were arrested and charged with murder over the incident - including allegations that the girlfriend of one of the accused helped her partner to avoid arrest.

Mr Callahan and a friend were eating on the footpath when a woman threw some of her kebab out a car window as she drove past, according to a police fact sheet submitted to court and seen by The Sydney Morning Herald.

Mr Callahan made a comment about littering, prompting several of the woman's friends to fight him, police allege.

A patrolling police car broke up the scuffle, but although Mr Callahan and his friend moved to a nearby street, a car followed him and the woman's friends attacked again, police claimed.

One allegedly swung a metal pole at him while another kicked and punched him.

Police allege another man, Ryan Sampson, then got out of the car and stabbed Mr Callahan several times in the back and neck while he was lying face down, with one of his arms held out defensively.

It was a simple comment about littering that allegedly led to James Callahan (pictured) being allegedly stabbed to death outside a kebab shop

Teelah Cooper (pictured right) allegedly helped her boyfriend Ryan Sampson (pictured left) to avoid arrest after the incident

Ryan Sampson (pictured) allegedly stabbed Mr Callahan in the back and neck while he was lying face down

Cooper (pictured) is accused of being an accessory after the fact to murder and concealing an indictable offence

Sampson's girlfriend, Teelah Cooper, called Sampson back to the car and drove away with him, police alleged.

The next day the couple sold their car, obtained another one and drove to Queensland, where Sampson was arrested, the document alleged.

Cooper is accused of being an accessory after the fact to murder and concealing an indictable offence.

Sampson and Cooper allegedly exchanged hundreds of calls while Sampson was behind bars, in breach of her bail conditions, with Cooper 'using another name to disguise her identity'.

Her bail was revoked and she was remanded in custody, but last week Justice Stephen Rothman in the NSW Supreme Court granted her bail with strict conditions. She will face court again on June 11.

Sampson, Jason Talbot, George James Fernando, Frank Allen and Alivia Briggs have been charged with murder over the alleged attack.

Dianne Fernando has been charged with principal in the second degree to murder.

A GoFundMe page for Mr Callahan's family paid tribute to the keen fisherman and environmentalist as a 'loved son, a brother and a remarkable friend'.

'I cannot thank him enough for the friendship he gave those around me, He could light up the universe with his smile and loved looking after his mates,' the page said.
Tom Homan has issued a chilling deadline to controversial Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as she continues to taunt him over the Trump administration's ambitious deportation agenda.

Trump's border czar told Fox that Ocasio-Cortez has been 'educating the worst of the worst [on] how to evade law enforcement,' referring to 'Know Your Rights' webinars she has held for migrants who could come face to face with immigration authorities.

The firebrand New York Democrat has repeatedly taunted Homan about exercising her right to free speech in her lessons, last week telling a Queens town hall event: 'Come for me. Do I look like I care?'

But on Wednesday, Homan warned that Ocasio-Cortez may not always be able to act with such impunity, telling her to read up on a new amendment which takes effect tomorrow.

'It's a crime to take steps to... not comply with ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] removal orders or not comply with ICE actions taken in custody,' he said.

'You can't hinder your own removal that was ordered by the federal judge. I would like AOC to read Title 8, United States Code 1253 because it's starting tomorrow.'

The ruling states any actions taken to prevent the departure of an illegal alien is now a criminal offense. An alien who willfully fails to depart the United States within 90 days of a final removal order is also subject to penalties under the order.

Homan said that Ocasio-Cortez could in fact be giving her constituents legal advice that could land them in hot water.

At a town hall in her district on Friday, Ocasio-Cortez spoke bluntly about Homan's comments

Trump's border czar told Fox that Ocasio-Cortez has been 'educating the worst of the worst [on] how to evade law enforcement,'

Pictured: ICE officials deporting an accused gang member and foreign fugitive after entering the US 10 times

'The tables have now turned, 'he said. 'She's educating people how to get prosecuted, because you have a final order.

'It is illegal to not comply with that order.'

Homan has asked the Justice Department to investigate the Democrat for impeding ICE's actions and potentially endangering federal authorities as they try to carry out Trump's ambitious deportation agenda.

The duo have been publicly sparring for months now, culminating last Friday in Ocasio-Cortez publicly calling Homan out and telling him: 'Come for me.'

'Tom Homan said he was going to refer me to DOJ because I'm using my free speech rights in order to advise people of their constitutional protections. To that I say: Come for me, do I look like I care?'

Ocasio-Cortez asserted that 'there's nothing illegal about it and if they want to make it illegal, they can come take me.'

She continued to hammer at the Trump administration for what she called 'completely illegal' deportations to El Salvador and Guatemala, which she described as 'sanctioned kidnappings.'

Homan hit back, telling Fox: 'I take pleasure [that] I can live in her mind rent-free every day, but we all know exactly what she's doing.'

Ocasio-Cortez asserted that 'there's nothing illegal about it and if they want to make it illegal, they can come take me'

The progressive politician has released multiple videos and resources for migrants, including hosting an education webinar on her social media instructing those illegally in the U.S. on whether they have to comply with officials carrying out Trump's deportation orders.

In the videos, people are instructed to ask for warrants if ICE comes knocking, and taught how to tell the difference between several types of warrants ICE agents may have.

Homan earlier said: 'I've asked DOJ, where's that line of impediment, of interference. Now, if someone stands in your way prevents you from from arresting somebody, put your hands on them, that's impediment.'

'But what line is telling people to hide from ICE, not open the door, where do you cross that line? I'm asking the Department of Justice to give us that line.'

Trump vowed in his 2024 campaign to conduct the largest-ever deportation of illegal immigrants in US history once back in office.

And Homan has been tasked with bringing that vision to life.

'Game's over. We're going to look for these public safety threats, and we're going to take them off those streets in New York and every other sanctuary city,' he said.

'As a matter of fact, every sanctuary in the city, we're going to triple the workforce. We're going flood the zone with officers.'
A woman who claims her love-rat ex lied about everything, including seven secret children, has revealed a surprising new twist.

Cassandra Taulaki from the Gold Coast, Queensland, was left heartbroken and homeless after her partner, who used the fake name of 'Marcus Bennet', allegedly conned her into thinking he was a successful businessman.

Believing she found the man of her dreams, she sold everything she owned and moved to Dubai, only to find out she had been conned.

In an attempt to warn others, the mother-of-two, took to social media where her jaw- dropping account of her year-long relationship amassed millions of views.

Then in March Ms Taulaki went into labor with her former lovers child, before she had a chance to post the ending to her amazing story.

Initially she promised to return with the final details of the bizarre romance, saying they were 'worth the wait' but now says her lips are sealed.

'I know everyone is dying for the rest of the story, I have only just scratched the surface,' she said.

'There is so much more to it and it gets pretty crazy, especially when I am in Dubai with Marcus and the lies I uncover.

'The story has been picked up by producers and I am under contract with them so I have to put the story on hold for now as they want to be the ones who tell it from beginning to end.'

Going by the alias Marcus Bennet, the man (pictured) allegedly lied about everything, even claiming he had no children, but it's now believed he has at least seven

Cassandra Taulaki thought she'd met the man of her dreams when she started dating the Pacific Islander at the end of 2023

Ms Taulaki was bombarded with messages after she went public with her story

Tongan-born Ms Taulaki thought her dreams were unfolding when she started dating the Pacific Islander 'Marcus' at the end of 2023.

The single mum was looking for love and the successful jet-setter appeared to tick all the boxes.

The tall, dark and handsome engineer told her that he was in Australia for Christmas before returning to his well-paid job in the Middle East.

'His name obviously is not Marcus,' Ms Taulaki revealed in social media posts lifting the lid on the alleged deception.

'He has many names actually - Paul, Pauly, Dartanian, Sam, Ryan, Dox, Antonio...

'He said he was 32 years old and was a civil engineer in Dubai and was returning to Dubai in Feb 2024.'

Ms Taulaki said the lies kept coming, from a fictional family to life events that simply never happened.

'He told me he had four brothers, all of which are not real people,' she said.

The single mum was looking for love and the successful jet-setter (pictured) ticked all the boxes. She believed he was a member of the Australian Defence Force, but has since found out the convincing snaps were taken in costumes he hired

Taulaki sold everything she owned to move to Dubai with her new man and is now homeless and broke with a baby due next week

'He told me he was in the Australian Defence Force. It was believable, he had photos in his military uniform.'

She has since found out the convincing snaps were taken in costumes he hired.

In March 2024, her boyfriend had delayed his return to Dubai to send more time together and Ms Taulaki says she was footing the bill for everything.

'He had money when I met him, that's why I wasn't suspicious,' Ms Taulaki said.

'Then he must have ran out of money and that's when he spun a story about the ATO and his money being tied up in Dubai.

'That made sense to me because that's what would usually happen if he was in the situation he was telling me he was in.'

By May the pair were expecting a baby, and Ms Taulaki said that's when his alleged con became even more complex.

She received messages on Facebook from a man she believed was his twin brother, offering congratulations.

He even photoshopped himself to make it look like he had a twin

She has shared her story in social media vowing to expose his lies

The twin later got back in touch with her to ask for money towards a surprise birthday gift for 'Marcus'.

Ms Taulaki later found out there was no brother - and the fake account had been set up by her boyfriend using edited pictures of himself to look like they were twins.

'He photoshopped himself in,' she said. 'He is so delusional.'

In March this year Ms Taulaki took to social media, posting a series of videos of her now ex-boyfriend, vowing to 'expose' him for what he had done

Within hours, she was flooded with messages from a string of women who knew 'Marcus' and had similar stories to tell - including seven who were mothers to his children.

'You see this kind of thing in movies and documentaries and I couldn't believe this has happened to me,' Ms Taulaki told Daily Mail Australia.

'I fell for a man who wasn't even real - he lied about everything, his name, his age, his job, his family, his entire life.

'We had made plans for our future and our life together, but it was a future that was built on the foundation of all his lies and I had no idea who I was really dealing with.

'He was creating a world of fake accounts and fake people - and doing this for years to other women.'

She has been flooded with messages from a string of women who knew Marcus and had similar stories to tell.

Many other people started to share their own experiences with Marcus online

'Who pretends they have a twin brother and photoshops themselves in to photos to look legit and sends to girls?'

Believing they had a future together, Ms Taulaki sold everything she owned in October to head to Dubai to start a new life.

'I sell everything, I close my business and my plan is to go to New Zealand and see my family and let them know I am pregnant and that I have met a really great guy and we are building a life together and they will meet him at Christmas,' she explained.

'Marcus' parents had [supposedly] bought us an apartment on the Gold Coast and the plan is to go to Dubai for a few months and then come back to Australia and move into this apartment that his parents have bought for us and have the baby.'

But Ms Taulaki said when she arrived in New Zealand things started to unravel.

'There were a few red flags and I'm starting to think, 'that's strange',' she admitted.

In Dubai, Taulaki became more suspicious after his story about a five-year work contract and flash apartment 'didn't add up'.

After some detective work online, she finally realised his whole story had allegedly been fake.
A Wisconsin gym-goer has claimed he was kicked out of a Crunch Fitness franchise because he proudly displayed his support for President Donald Trump - though police say his ouster was a result of his harassing other members.

Michael Green, 42, is now suing the Fitness Ventures LLC - a Crunch franchisee with locations in 27 states, claiming he was discriminated against for wearing a 'Trump 2024' hat, the Independent reports.

Green admits in the lawsuit he still does not 'understand what happened' when he was escorted out of the Madison location on March 30.

But he has come to the conclusion 'someone at the gym had a perceived issue with me and decided to weaponize the police against me.'

'I had been wearing a pro-Trump hat during prior gym visits, but stopped du to the stares I would get from staff and members,' he wrote in the federal complaint he filed himself.

'Perhaps it was some kind of retaliation for being a Trump supporter, even worse a black Trump supporter in Dane County.'

Green is now arguing that the gym violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by 'engaging in discriminatory practices' against him.

He is seeking $75,000 in damages, which he says is 'enough that [it] may provide a deterrent from similar behavior in the future.'

Michael Green, 42, of Wisconsin, claims he was kicked out of a Crunch fitness for wearing a 'Trump 2024' hat

He was escorted out of the Madison location on March 30. A gym in Burbank is pictured here

According to his complaint, Green was working out at the gym on March 30 when he was suddenly 'approached by a staff member and two Madison Police officers.

'The staff member said that I was being "aggressive" to gym members,' he recounts. 'I still have no clue what exactly is going on, the staff member was extremely vague.'

He said he then asked if he could use the shower before he left, and was told that he couldn't - at which point he went into the locker room 'to change clothes as quickly as I could.'

As soon as he left the locker room, Green claims he was confronted by 'six to 10 Madison police officers.

'I asked them what was going on, they explained thy were called to make sure I left the premises, and I left as instructed.'

Once outside, though, Green claims he realized he had left some of his belongings inside the gym - and called the office to see if a staffer could give his items to one of the cops at the scene.

But the complaint says the officers soon left, and the Crunch employee told him to meet him at the gym entrance to pick up his stuff.

'While walking towards the gym, I flagged down a Madison Police officer and asked them if they could get my items instead of me approaching the gym,' Green wrote. '[T]he officer agreed.'

Green is now suing Fitness Ventures LLC, a Crunch franchisee with locations in 27 states

At that point, Green said he called the gym to tell the staff member that a police officer would be returning to collect the items rather than himself.

But the situation quickly escalated when Green complained abut the 'vulgar, racist stereotyping rap music' the gym plays, which he says 'paints African Americans in a fictional, terrible light.'

The staffer then allegedly denigrated black people - which Green responded to with a homophobic slur.

The police incident report obtained by the Independent, though, tells a completely different story.

It says police were dispatched to the gym on March 30 after an employee complained about a member who was allegedly 'causing a disturbance' and asked to have police standing by when staffers removed him.

The guest - Green - had allegedly 'approached other gym members and screamed and cursed at them' because he wanted to use their equipment.

The police report notes that members of the gym asked the manager to have Green removed, but did not want to file charges against him.

It also says that only two officers responded to the call - not the half dozen Green claimed - and they escorted him to the locker room, then stood outside as he gathered his belongings.

In the end, the police report says, officers told Green not to return to the gym for the remainder of the day and he was seen walking away.

'The case is closed on our end,' a Madison police spokeswoman told The Independent.

But this is not the first time Green has filed a discrimination lawsuit against a gym.

In fact, just two weeks before he filed the federal suit against Fitness Ventures LLC, he sued Anytime Fitness - making similar accusations.

Green says he is being discriminated against for his support of President Donald Trump

In that suit, Green says he would repeatedly receive sneers from his fellow gym-goers for 'show[ing] my support of our president by wearing different types of Trump apparel such as hats, book bags, t-shirts, etc.'

Then on February 4, Green said another member snickered at him and told him 'I'm wondering why your black and you like Trump so much.'

Green claims in the lawsuit that he ignored the man and 'told him I'd train him instead of arguing with him.

'As I worked out, I explained to him what kind of exercises I was doing and why I was doing them. I did that throughout my workout,' he admits.

'At some point in the morning, one of the Anytime staff members showed up and asked me what was going on,' he continued.

'I explained to him that I was trying to train that guy so he could stop being concerned about my political leanings.... He told me that it was my fault that I chose to be pro-Trump, then he told me to stop bothering the guest.'

In the aftermath, Green said he complained to Anytime Fitness about the employee - and when he went to a different location later that day, he received a phone call from someone claiming to be the vice president of the gym.

The vice president informed him that he wanted to cancel Green's contract, but Green continued his workout.

By the time he was changing out of his exercise clothes, Green claimed Madison police came and escorted him out.

But Green decided to press matters and mentioned Richard Johnson, who he said was 'a young African American man that Madison police recently beat to death and used the Dane sheriff to help them attempt to cover it.

'Apparently that angered the cop, which set up a path for a rough night of abuse by law enforcement, starting with me bein arrested for trespassing,' he wrote.

Green did not name Madison police as a defendant in either lawsuit - and apparently came to the conclusion that the fault lies with Dane County (which he did not name as a defendant either).

He described the county in his latest suit as being 'extremely liberal' and derides the residents as being biased against conservatives.

'The anger I feel about this can only be overshadowed by an overall sense of sadness,' he writes.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Fitness Ventures LLC, Anytime Fitness and Madison police for comment.
A staggering number of bodies have been discovered across several gorgeous Oregon rivers - and officials revealed the tragic reason those people died.

On Monday, Multnomah County authorities announced they had recovered at total of eight bodies from the Willamette and Columbia Rivers since April 1.

'The number is not unusual, though it is tragic,' the Multnomah County Sherriff's Office said.

While the medical examiner is still investigating their cause and manner of death, police believe the victims took their own lives or accidentally drowned.

'However, the majority of the eight bodies recovered this April and May are the result of drowning caused by suicide,' the sheriff's office said.

Multnomah County is the smallest county in Oregon, with only 465 square miles and a population of 789,698, and is known for its lush forest and stunning waterfalls.

It attracts tourists with its plethora of outdoor activities from hiking and rafting to kayaking - but authorities are warning the waters can be treacherous.

On Sunday, the body of missing kayaker Marcelus Angelo Rodriguez, 20, was pulled from the Willamette River.

Multnomah County authorities announced they had recovered at total of eight bodies from the Willamette (pictured) and Columbia Rivers since April 1

On Sunday, the body of missing kayaker Marcelus Angelo Rodriguez (pictured), 20, was pulled from the Willamette River

Rodriguez went missing on April 12 and was last seen in 'distress,' according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

'A short time later, witnesses stated the individual, a lone adult male, was seen going over the falls and did not resurface,' police said.

Two weeks later, police said, '[they received] reports of a body found along the shore of the Willamette River, just north of Meldrum Bar Park in Gladstone.

'Deputies quickly responded to the location and observed the body in a difficult to reach location along the shoreline.

'The Marine Unit was able to access the location using boats and recover Marcelus.'

Rodriguez's family put out a statement warning others to be cautious while out on the water.

'We, the family of Marcelus Angelo Rodriguez, are truly devastated by the tragic event that unfolded this past Saturday in the Willamette Falls area, and we would not wish this experience on anyone,' they said.

'We would like to first warn others to always be aware of their surroundings and to NEVER enter this river without wearing a life jacket or, at the very least, exercising extreme caution, as the forces of nature can quickly become overwhelming and deadly.'

Police believe the victims took their own lives and said it is not unusual for more bodies to be found on the water in the spring

The Multnomah County sheriffs office discovered another body on Saturday in the Columbia River near the 18500 block of Northeast Marine Drive, reported OregonLive.

The person appeared to have died from an accidental drowning after they fell from a dock earlier in the day, police said.

Officials said there is no reason to believe there is any suspicious activity nor any connections between the bodies.

It is not uncommon for an increase in discovers along the water during the spring, according to the sheriff's office.

Police attribute the findings to increasing water temperature, water currents and increase water activity as reasons why more remains are discovered.
Democrat fundraiser turned Republican Lindy Li became tense when asked why she fought for liberal politicians when she didn't really believe in them.

The political strategist once referred to Trump as 'a serial rapist' and served as the woman's chair of the Democrat National Committee.

But after the election, Li suddenly became so disgusted with her party that she fundraised for the president's inaugural.

Li, 34, has since become a popular figure to critique the Democrats on Fox and other networks as Trump went about his first 100 days in office.

Journalist Tara Palmieri brought Li onto her podcast and confronted Li on how her political evolution squares with her former standing within the Democrat Party.

'People can totally change but the question is: You worked for a campaign,' Palmieri said.

Li responded that she 'didn't have a choice' which Palmieri shrugged off, saying: 'Nobody has to work.'

The former Dem operative asked: 'You're not getting it, politics is my entire life. What do I do without politics?'

'So you don't believe in what you're doing?' questioned Palmieri.

Democrat fundraiser turned Republican Lindy Li (pictured right) became tense when asked why she fought for liberal politicians when she didn't really believe in them

A consummate liberal who once referred to Trump as 'a serial rapist' and the woman's chair of the Democrat National Committee, after the election Li became so disgusted with the party that she fundraised for the president's inaugural

'What should I do, become a teacher? Are you asking me to change my profession?' responded Li.

Palmieri then pointed out that Li was pitching around a book that she suggested might even turn into a movie.

'I actually think that if you're going to stand up and speak for other people as a surrogate, if you're gonna' work for a campaign and now you're gonna' come out with a book, like, you should believe in what you're saying,' said Palmieri.

She asked: 'If you didn't believe it then, how are we supposed to believe you now?'

'This is my truth, take it or leave it. Tara Palmieri, I don't need you to believe me, I have the receipts,' Li said.

Li was also questioned about how allegedly Joe Biden 'gave [her] free reign of the White House,' including letting her take calls from the Lincoln Bedroom.

She claims that she'd asked Palmieri's producer not to 'share' those details.

Palmieri asked: 'Why are you being sensitive about a book that you're putting out?'

Journalist Tara Palmieri brought Li onto her podcast and confronted Li on how her political evolution squares with her former standing within the Democrat Party

'Because it's in draft form right now, it's not even done, so you're sharing a form that's not even done. [Your producer] promised me that you wouldn't be sharing this,' Li said.

'But if it's like a fact it's a fact, if you wrote it, you were probably going to publish it, right? Why would you share it and not publish it,' Palmieri responded.

Li - who at one point in the interview declares that 'this is my truth' - then bizarrely claims that she's 'working with someone else' on the book and she herself 'didn't write that line.'

Palmieri then asks if the ghostwriter 'just made that up' which Li denies.

'That is just not a version... again, your producer said he wouldn't share, it's in draft form. My book is not out yet, it's not even available for pre-orders, it's not ready for public consumption,' Li said, stumbling.

It's not the first attack on Li's political change of stripes, as a conservative on Fox News raked her over the coals for going from helping build up Kamala Harris' war chest to Donald Trump supporter.

On The Will Cain Show, right-wing podcast host Wade Stotts took her to task for her changing position and called her 'delusional' for thinking she could go from Democrat fundraiser to Trump supporter.

Cain and Li discussed Democrats' hypocrisy on trade issues and tariffs in the past before Stotts attempted to rake her over the coals.

During the 2024 election , Lindy was considered a consummate Democratic influencer combined with her ability to fundraise for the Democratic Party

But that all came crashing down on Election Day, when Harris lost badly and it was clear that Democrats had seriously oversold their chances at beating Donald Trump. That infuriated Li, who had invested a great deal of personal time and energy in the campaign

'Yeah, I'm not surprised at this behavior. These are people with no core beliefs. They just say whatever's most advantageous to them personally at that moment,' he said of Democrats, before turning to Li.

'You know, it's almost as bad as a person who raised tens of millions for Kamala trying to pass herself off as a right-wing influencer the second her team loses. So I don't know what Lindy thinks about that, but just my opinion.

Li immediately shot back: 'I've been on Fox News for years saying that I'm a conservative Democrat. This is not a sudden switch at all. It's been a years-long evolution, and I've been warring against the leftist faction of the Democratic Party for years.'

Stotts continued in, saying he was stunned that Li had the gall to say the Democrats were hypocritical.

'It's hilarious to hear Lindy Li slamming Democrats for being duplicitous. She was a Democrat until five minutes ago. The only belief she's kept from six months ago is that she should be in charge of moving large sums of money. And that's it,' he said.

He added: 'If you think you're going to be able to avoid conversations about your loyalty, you're delusional.'

Stotts read out paraphrased versions of past opinions Li held - that Trump has a 'Christo-fascist' view of America, that Ruper Murdoch 'broke Democracy' and 'anti-woke is code for anti-Black' - and said 'now you're on Fox, talking about how fickle other people are.'

'Which version of you was the real version and why should we listen to you now?'

She was outraged that for months, Democrats had told her and others that Harris would easily sweep the election and encouraged them to raise more money and work harder. Crestfallen, she explained that she realized that top leaders in the Democratic Party were just 'lying' to her the entire time

Li was a high-energy fundraiser and failed Congressional candidate before making the shocking 180 after an extraordinary journey though a crazy year in Democratic politics culminating in Kamala Harris' historic loss to Donald Trump

She was a high-energy fundraiser and failed Congressional candidate before making the shocking 180 after an extraordinary journey though a crazy year in Democratic politics culminating in Kamala Harris' historic loss to Donald Trump.

During the 2024 election, Lindy was considered a consummate Democratic influencer combined with her ability to fundraise for the Democratic Party.

She was invited to join events with President Joe Biden, Harris, and First Lady Jill Biden and she championed all of them on her social media platform.

Born in China, she moved to America at the age of four and went to Princeton. She self-described herself as a book worm and a wallflower who majored in philosophy, championing issues of climate change and even ran and won and unlikely campaign for class president.

After college, she took a job at Morgan Stanley, but continued pursuing a dream of running for political office. She worked enthusiastically to boost Democrats for decades, interning with former congressman Joe Sestak, and even unsuccessfully running for Congress herself at the age of 25.

In many ways Lindy Li could have been the next rising political star in the Democratic Party.

A Chinese immigrant, whose great-grandfather was murdered by communists, ran as an inspirational figure who believed in the promise of America. But every attempt at running for office ended in the establishment figures in Pennsylvania crushing her political aspirations.

She continued on as a fundraiser and a media personality, trashing Trump and his MAGA movement at every opportunity.

Lindy Li could have been the next rising political star in the Democratic Party

She continued on as a fundraiser and a media personality, trashing Trump and his MAGA movement at every opportunity

Named by WIRED magazine as one of the top influencers of the 2024 election, Li was invited to the Democratic National Committee last August as an official credentialed influencer and given access to events.

On TV she celebrated Bidens vitality, Kamala Harris political strengths and condemned Trumps racism and the overall toxicity of the MAGA movement.

At the last Kamala Harris campaign rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Li was there in the front row with prominent figures and Bidens daughter Ashley and others to cheer on Harris as the historic first female president on the United States.

But that all came crashing down on Election Day, when Harris lost badly and it was clear that Democrats had seriously oversold their chances at beating Donald Trump.

That infuriated Li, who had invested a great deal of personal time and energy in the campaign.

She was outraged that for months, Democrats had told her and others that Harris would easily sweep the election and encouraged them to raise more money and work harder. Crestfallen, she explained that she realized that top leaders in the Democratic Party were just 'lying' to her the entire time.

That inspired her to go public to criticize the campaign for their obvious failures and outrage at the way Democrats spent her and her fellow donors money.

She was angry, but still a Democrat who wanted to voice her criticism and frustration for the party.

It was just startling how there was no sense of responsibility. They essentially set $2 billion on fire in 100 days, she said in an interview after the election with NewsNation.

For Li to criticize the party post-election was a massive shift in her life, but one she did not expect would change her political identity.

Her criticism was not received well by the wounded Democratic influencer community who had sat with her in the same events with Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and White House officials.

All I did is tell the truth I literally thats all I did, all I did is tell it like it was, she reflected.

Li estimated to DailyMail.com that she had raised funds within six-figure range for the Trump transition team in the short time she started soliciting donations. The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment.

Republicans, Li said, accepted her with open arms, even inviting her to Trump's club Mar-a-Lago for the year-end fundraisers and festivities. She did not go to Mar-a-Lago but was touched by the warm welcome that Trump supporters were willing to give her.

With Democrats, Li said she fought tooth and nail just to get recognized. Republicans, she said, were far more welcoming.

Its like night and day, she said, citing daily communications from Republicans on the committee.

Many Democrats are furious at her betrayal, but Li argued they made a mistake by failing to recognize their failures and accept criticism.

Theyd rather destroy the critics rather than than accept that the party might have done something wrong, its more convenient to blame me, she said.

Li says her family and lose friends are accepting of her identity flip, but the influencers she spent time with during the election are now out to destroy her.
John Fetterman had an outburst that made one of his own staffers cry when meeting last week with a teachers' union - the latest story of the maverick Pennsylvania Senator's health troubles.

The meeting took place the day before a bombshell report blew the lid off of the closely guarded health history of her 55-year-old Pennsylvania senator husband.

Fetterman was talking to representatives from a teachers union in his home state when things went haywire.

The senator began repeating himself, shouting and questioning why 'everybody is mad at me,' 'why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do' and slamming his hands on a desk, according to one person who was briefed on what occurred.

As the meeting deteriorated, a staff member moved to end it and ushered the visitors into the hallway, where she broke down crying.

The staffer was comforted by the teachers who were themselves rattled by Fetterman's behavior, according to a second person who was briefed separately on the meeting.

Asked about the meeting with teachers union representatives, Fetterman said in a statement through his office that they 'had a spirited conversation about our collective frustration with the Trump administrations cuts to our education system.'

He also said he 'will always support our teachers, and I will always reject anyone's attempt to turn Pennsylvanias public schools into a voucher program.'

John Fetterman had an outburst that mad one of his own staffers cry when meeting last week with a teachers' union, in the latest story of the maverick Pennsylvania Senator's health troubles

The meeting happened the day before a bombshell report blew the lid off of the closely guarded health history of her 55-year-old Pennsylvania senator husband

Reached by telephone, Aaron Chapin, the president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association who was in the meeting with Fetterman, said he didnt want to discuss what was a private conversation.

The interaction at Fetterman's Washington office came one day before a report by New York Magazine citing several individuals who made concerning accusations against him and claimed he was not taking his medication.

Only one staffer was willing to go public with the claims and Fetterman has denied them.

Some of the anonymous staffers shared marital strife and political disagreements with his wife Gisele.

Former Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson is the most public face of the story, titled 'The Hidden Struggle of John Fetterman.'

One year after Fetterman's release from the traumatic-brain-injury and neuropsychiatry unit at Walter Reed Hospital, Jentleson wrote a letter the division's director who treated Fetterman there.

'I think John is on a bad trajectory and I'm really worried about him,' Jentleson wrote in the 1,600-word email with the subject line: 'Concerns.'

He added that the senator 'won't be with us for much longer' if he doesn't change his behavior, with Jentleson claiming these are 'the things you said to flag, so I am flagging.'

Fetterman was talking to representatives from a teachers union in his home state when things quickly devolved

He began repeating himself, shouting and questioning why 'everybody is mad at me,' 'why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do' and slamming his hands on a desk, according to one person who was briefed on what occurred

One of the things he was told to flag: that Fetterman purchased a gun, though Jentleson admits the senator 'takes all the necessary precautions, and living where he does I understand the desire for personal protection.'

Jentleson is referring to the hard-scrabble small town of Braddock where Fetterman served as mayor and still lives.

Fetterman is accused of everything from the physical - 'not taking his meds' to eating fast-food multiple times a day - to the mental - lying, 'self-centered monologues,' 'conspiratorial thinking; megalomania' - among his issues.

The senator is also allegedly obsessed with social media despite admitting it was an 'accelerant' of his depression and driving 'recklessly' to the point that staffers refused to ride with him and a police officer said it was 'a miracle no one died' after one accident last June.

Jentleson also argued that 'every person who was supposed to help him stay on his recovery plan has been pushed out.'

The former chief of staff later said in an interview a year after writing the letter that he's telling his side of the story because he believes Fetterman's trajectory has taken him out of consideration to lead the Democrats going forward.

'Part of the tragedy here is that this is a man who could be leading Democrats out of the wilderness but I also think he's struggling in a way that shouldn't be hidden from the public.'

Fetterman's campaign is also reportedly bleeding money and losing small-dollar donors ever since he met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

As the meeting deteriorated, a Fetterman staff member moved to end it and ushered the visitors into the hallway, where she broke down crying

Asked about the meeting with teachers union representatives, Fetterman said in a statement through his office that they 'had a spirited conversation about our collective frustration with the Trump administrations cuts to our education system'

The author, Ben Terris, spoke to Fetterman ahead of publication and got a text message from him asking: 'Why is this a story?'

He added that the number of staffers leaving is typical for Washington and he is the 'best version' of himself right now.

Fetterman also denied claims that toward the beginning of his first term, he had to be spoken to for 'an hour' with staffers 'trying to trying to convince him, to talk him out of some crazy fantasy' that he wouldn't be allowed in the Senate.

He also said there is no truth to accusations that he began to 'sour' on his own party after bipartisan efforts to prevent him from wearing his trademark hoodie and shorts to the Senate floor.

Things became somewhat more complicated when asked about arguments over Gaza; he is a staunch Israel supporter, and has met with Trump with his wife Gisele, herself having come to the U.S. as an illegal migrant. Gisele reportedly did not want to join the meeting.

Fetterman called their disagreements 'very common in political marriage' and said Gisele 'has her own voice'.

Gisele, for her part, told New York Magazine that Jentleson is trying to harm her husband and lied to her about his health.

The Pennsylvanian had been the only Democrat senator to grace the halls of Mar-a-Lago after Trump's historic second win in November.

The interaction at Fetterman's Washington office, described to The Associated Press by the two people who spoke about it on the condition of anonymity, came the day before a report by New York Magazine's Ben Terris (pictured) where several individuals made concerning accusations against him and claimed he is not making his medication

Former Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson (pictured) is the most public face of the story, titled 'The Hidden Struggle of John Fetterman'

He described Trump's mental acumen as strong as ever while speaking to the New York Magazine about the visit.

The meeting went smoothly, lasting around 75 minutes, and Fetterman came out thinking the president had a different persona than he does in public and had 'fully engaged' in the conversation.

'His faculties havent slipped at all,' he told the magazine. 'Its not that I admire it - I acknowledge it, and if you dont, you do it at your own peril politically.'

Fetterman has also been keen to get to know Trump's top cabinet picks, which has led him to also meet with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

He even voted for Attorney General Pam Bondi, making him the only Democrat to do so.
Two men have been found guilty of murdering an Indigenous teenager who was chased into bushland and bashed with a metal pole.

Another man was convicted of manslaughter, and a woman was acquitted over the attack on Cassius Turvey in Perth's eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022.

The 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy died in hospital 10 days later from complications related to severe internal head injuries, causing outrage across the nation.

In front of a packed courtroom on Thursday, Jack Steven James Brearley, 24, and Brodie Lee Palmer, 29, were convicted of murder by a jury after three days of deliberations.

Mitchell Colin Forth, 27, who was also on trial in the West Australian Supreme Court for Cassius' murder, was convicted of manslaughter.

Aleesha Louise Gilmore, 23, was acquitted by the jury of eight men and four women.

Prosecutor Ben Stanwix told the jury at the start of the mammoth 12-week trial that Brearley delivered the fatal blows while 'hunting for kids' because somebody had smashed his car windows.

It was alleged Forth and Palmer aided him, and along with Gilmore, they had a common purpose on the day.

Indigenous teen Cassius Turvey, 15, had fled into bushland with a group of other kids before he was killed, the court heard

Two men have been found guilty of murdering the teenager (pictured is memorial for Cassius)

Prosecutors said Mechelle Turvey's (middle) sons' death was the end of 'a complex series of events that had absolutely nothing to do with him'

Brearley denied he struck Cassius with a pole, saying he only punched him after the teen knifed him and that Palmer did the deed, which he in turn denied as the two men attempted to blame each other for the murder during the trial.

The jury was told the attack on Cassius in bushland near a creek was 'the end point of a complex series of events that had absolutely nothing to do with him'.

They started on October 9 when Forth, Brearley, Gilmore and another man, who was also on trial for lesser charges, Ethan Robert MacKenzie, 20, allegedly 'snatched two kids off the street' and unlawfully detained them, punching, kicking and stabbing one of them.

The next incident happened three days later, on October 12, when a group of school-aged kids allegedly went to Gilmore's home and 'almost certainly in retribution' smashed the windows of Brearley's car.

Mr Stanwix told the jury it was 'tit-for-tat escalation' and Brearley and Forth had later used a car as a weapon and chased down two boys, hitting one of them.

The following day, Gilmore's brothers warned that a group of teens could be coming to their family home, where Brearley also lived, looking for a fight.

Brearley and his co-accused allegedly armed themselves with metal poles pulled from shopping trolleys before driving off to search for youths.

About the same time, Cassius and a group of about 20 fellow students caught a bus to the same area to watch a fight being talked about on social media.

Cassius died 10 days after he was struck by a metal pole in October 2022

Prosecutors said Brearley chased Cassius down and deliberately struck him in the head with a metal shopping trolley pole (pictured is Cassius on bus CCTV shortly before the attack)

Brearley, Forth and Palmer intercepted them near the field and in a series of incidents, Brearley was allegedly slashed with a knife, and another boy was struck in the face with a metal pole.

Cassius and some other 'terrified school kids' fled into nearby bushland.

'Cassius didn't make it as far as the fence when the accused Brearley caught up with him,' Mr Stanwix said.

'He was caught, knocked to the ground and deliberately struck to the head with a metal pole.'

Cassius was struck at least twice, the impact splitting his ear in half and causing bleeding in his brain.

His death shocked the community and the attack was described by some, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, as racially motivated, although Mr Stanwix said this wasn't the case in his opening remarks.

All up, the five defendants variously faced 21 charges over the events of October 9 and 13.

The jury found them guilty of all except Gilmore's murder charge, and a stealing charge faced by Brearley.

Sentencing has been set for June 26.

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A nursing home has been ordered to pay almost $400,000 to a nurse who was sacked because she was Chinese and her manager preferred Filipino workers.

Wei Han worked as a registered nurse for St Basil's Homes on a permanent part-time basis for more than nine years at its facility in Lakemba, western Sydney.

Before she was sacked in January 2020, Ms Han complained she was bullied and discriminated against because she was Chinese, according to a Tuesday decision from Justice Yaseen Shariff in the Federal Court.

Filipino staff members 'ganged up' on her and the general manager, who was also Filipino, favoured workers of his own race, she claimed.

Ms Han emailed her Filipino manager saying she felt she was being 'repeatedly targeted by' another employee and 'no longer felt safe to work at St Basil's'.

She also complained by email about the 'lack of teamwork' at the facility after other staff members refused to help her with caring for residents at the home.

In response, the manager sought accounts from other staff members and then fired Ms Han for failing to provide necessary care to residents.

The first judge assigned to the matter, Justice Steven Rares, found that instead of properly investigating Ms Han's complaints, the manager had 'turned the tables' and levelled 'trumped up' allegations against her.

Wei Han worked as a registered nurse for St Basil's Homes on a permanent part-time basis for more than nine years at its facility in Lakemba, western Sydney (pictured)

Ms Han also complained by email about the 'lack of teamwork' at the facility after other staff members refused to help her with caring for residents at the home (stock image)

Justice Rares concluded that 'St Basil's had dismissed Ms Han because of her race because it in essence... preferred workers of a different race', the decision said.

In weighing the amount in damages to award, Justice Shariff was satisfied that St Basil's conduct had caused Ms Han to suffer loss and damage.

'The contraventions (of the Fair Work Act) contributed to her suffering mental harm. They have also led to her suffering economic loss,' the judge said.

Ms Han had once enjoyed her work as a nurse and led an active social life, but she was no longer social after the events at St Basil's, and felt 'embarrassed and ashamed about what has happened to her'.

She had also suffered acute anxiety and had to be hospitalised twice due to panic attacks, Justice Shariff noted.

St Basil's was ordered to pay $321,559 in compensation and $60,000 in pecuniary penalties.

Managerial staff at the Lakemba Facility involved in the events relating to Ms Han are no longer employed there, the decision said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted St Basil's Homes for comment.
Baker Brooke Bellamy has been seen in public for the first time since being accused of plagiarism in her best-selling cookbook.

She broke cover with her husband Justice Bellamy - making a fashion statement by wearing Crocs with socks - as they visited a Brisbane office block housing a firm of lawyers and financial planners.

Brooke has kept firmly hidden from view since RecipeTin Eats founder Nagi Maehashi accused her of stealing recipes for her debut cookbook Bake with Brooki.

The couple were pictured leaving her Brooki Bakehouse in Fortitude Valley in inner Brisbane on Thursday, wearing chef-favoured clogs.

Dressed in Birkenstock clogs and an oversized hoody, newly-pregnant Brooke looked downcast as she engaged with her husband, clad in pale Crocs and grey socks.

The rubber clogs are popular amongst chefs, bakers and kitchen hands due to their comfort and safety in the demanding kitchen environment and are designed to be non-slip, preventing falls on potentially slippery surfaces

It's the first time the pair have been seen together since allegations of copyright infringement came to light.

Last week, Ms Maehashi raised claims two of her recipes had been taken without permission or attribution.

Sally McKenney, the US author and blogger behind Sally's Baking Addiction, came forward with similar claims about Ms Bellamy hours later.

Ms Bellamy has denied the accusations, saying she had been making and selling her recipes well before Ms Maehashi's were published.

Brooke Bellamy and husband Justice scene in Brisbane on Thursday

The couple were pictured wearing clogs - shoes popular with chefs and bakers

The saga took a turn on Wednesday night at the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards in Melbourne where both Brooke and Nagi were nominated for Illustrated Book of the Year category.

She then appeared to take a subtle swipe at Brooke, who was a no-show at the event despite being nominated.

'It's so exciting. I'm very nervous, but also very happy to be here amongst all this incredible talent,' she said.

While Brooke was nowhere to be seen, Nagi took the prize for her cookbook RecipeTin Eats: Tonight.

Losing out to her nemesis was the latest blow for Brooke, who also was stripped of her ambassadorship for the Academy for Enterprising Girls; a government program to help girls think like an entrepreneur and start their own business one day.

'Brooke Bellamy was recently engaged to conduct a small number of promotional activities for the Academy for Enterprising Girls program over the coming months,' an academy spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

'While we make no legal assessment on the allegations aired in the media, we have informed Bellamy that we will not move forward with the engagement at this time.'

The plagiarism row took a further twist on Wednesday night when award-winning chef/restaurateur Luke Mangan accused Ms Maehashi of not crediting him appropriately for one of his recipes.

He said that while she did provide a footnote credit to him for a butter chicken recipe she had used online and in her book, she should have got in touch to say she was using it, and to provide a link to his website.

Brooke has kept a low profile in the wake of the plagiarism scandal

The pair live inner city Brisbane with their young daughter and

'If a recipe is borrowed one should be asked for permission,' he said.

'To my knowledge we were not asked to use that particular recipe.'

He said he would expect any one who uses his recipes should include the name of the book it came through and credit both his website and the restaurant name.

Ms Maehashi adapted Mr Mangan's butter chicken recipe - adding salt and a low-fat cream option - and referenced the chef in a footnote online.

Mr Mangan was not mentioned in the print copy but it did feature a QR code linking to the online credited version.

Ms Maehashi's book includes the statement 'the author and the publisher have made every effort to contact copyright holders for material used in this book'.

Both Mr Mangan and Ms Maehashi were contacted by Daily Mail Australia for comment.

The plagiarism row erupted on Tuesday when Ms Maehashi posted a series of claims that Ms Bellamy had copied recipes for her million-dollar book.

Celebrity cook Nagi Maehashi (pictured) has taken a cryptic swipe at rival Brooke Bellamy at the 2025 Australian Book industry Awards

The allegations relate to Ms Maehashi's caramel slice and baklava recipe, along with Ms McKenney's Best Vanilla Cake recipe.

Ms McKenney posted on social media, saying she was first alerted to the similarity months ago.

She said her recipe was first published in 2019.

'One of my recipes was also plagiarised in this book and also appears on the author's YouTube channel,' she said.

'Original recipe creators who put in the work to develop and test recipes deserve credit - especially in a best selling cookbook.'

Ms Bellamy issued a plea for privacy in the wake of the fresh claims made by Ms McKenney on Wednesday.

'The past 24 hours have been extremely overwhelming,' a statement read.

'II have had media outside my home and business, and have been attacked online. It has been deeply distressing for my colleagues and my young family.

The couple are currently embroiled in a plagiarism dispute after the RecipieTin Eats founder accused Brooke of copying recipes for her tome Bake with Brooki (pictured)

'While baking has leeway for creativity, much of it is a precise science and is necessarily formulaic. Many recipes are bound to share common steps and measures: if they don't, they simply don't work.

'My priority right now is to ensure the welfare of the fantastic team at Brooki Bakehouse and that of my family.'

Bake With Brooki is a bestselling cookbook published by Penguin in October last year and retails for $49.99.

Ms Bellamy quickly became a global sensation after sharing videos on TikTok, which receive millions of views each day.

She is best known for her cookies and has opened pop-up stores in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Both Penguin and Ms Bellamy deny the allegations.

'I did not plagiarise any recipes in my book which consists of 100 recipes I have created over many years,' Ms Bellamy said on Tuesday night.

'In 2016, I opened my first bakery. I have been creating my recipes and selling them commercially since October 2016.'

Ms Bellamy posted an image showing her caramel slice, which dated back to December 2016.

'On March 2020, RecipeTin Eats published a recipe for caramel slice. It uses the same ingredients as my recipe, which I have been making and selling since four years prior,' she said.

While the Brisbane baker insisted she did not copy the recipes, she 'immediately offered to remove both from future reprints to prevent further aggravation'.

In Ms Maehashi's Instagram post, she described Ms Bellamy of 'profiting' from the alleged plagiarised recipes.

Ms Maehashi claims she first raised concerns with Penguin in December.

'I put a huge amount of effort into my recipes. And I share them on my website for anyone to use for free,' she said.

'To see them plagiarised (in my view) and used in a book for profit, without credit, doesn't just feel unfair. It feels like a blatant exploitation of my work.'

Ms Maehashi is the founder of popular website, RecipeTin Eats, which has 1.5 million followers on Instagram.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has defected to the Liberal Party from the Nationals and is expected to seek a senior role.

'I am eager to fight for the best interests of all Australians as part of the Coalition,' she said in a statement.

'I believe I will be more effective in this regard if I am a member of the Liberal Party, especially as the party faces a significant rebuild after Saturday.

'A rebuild I feel obliged to play a robust part in.

'I want to bring back our core values of liberty, individual freedom and responsibility, the rule of law, free market and economic prosperity, minimal government intervention, a fair go and, most of all, love for our nation, Australia.'

Senator Price is a member of the Country Liberal Party and is entitled to select her party room in Canberra.

During her first term from 2022 to 2025 she chose the Nationals - but will shift to the Liberals after the election.

Reports suggest she will join conservative Angus Taylors camp in the fight for the party's leadership against the more moderate Sussan Ley.

Price became the face of the No campaign against the Indigenous Voice to Parliament and became a favourite in the party's conservative wing.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has defected to the Liberal Party from the Nationals and is seeking a senior role

Earlier in the election campaign, many Australians said she was Prime Minister material after she gave an insightful perspective on the Australia Day debate

Earlier in the election campaign, many Aussies said Price had leadership potential after she shared her perspective on the Australia Day debate.

'Our country is strongest when we stand together,' she wrote in an opinion piece.

'As my Indigenous heritage taught me, we all belong to this place equally. Regardless of race or heritage, your conception on this land means you belong to it.

'Everyone gets the opportunity to pitch in to this place we call home, and gets the loyalty of mateship in faithful return.'

But during the election campaign she sparked controversy when she promised to 'Make Australia Great Again' - just as Peter Dutton was trying to distance himself as much as he could from Donald Trump.

On election night, Price unleashed during an interview with ABC star Sarah Ferguson after she was asked if she was the reason the Coalition lost.

'Jacinta, Peter Dutton has lost his seat,' Ferguson said on Saturday night.

'With your embrace of Donald Trump, Make Australia Great Again, are you part of that loss?'

A seething Price immediately blamed Labor for capitalising on her mistake.

On election night, Senator Price unleashed during an interview with ABC star Sarah Ferguson after she was asked if she was the reason the Coalition lost

'If you swing enough mud in an election, it sticks,' she responded.

'We did see a Prime Minister who absolutely mislead the Australian people all the way through and was rarely called out for his conduct. I think it is deceitful.'

Ferguson and Price then proceeded to talk over one another in a heated exchange, before the ABC host pleaded: 'Let's just talk about this sensibly, Jacinta.'

Price vented her frustration before insisting Trump did not own the copyright on making things great again.

'Can I just say, in terms of wanting this country to be great: Donald Trump doesn't own those four words,' Price said.

'The media can go through your personal Facebook photos, and find a picture that was taken, in jest, at Christmas time, and then smear you with it, that is the problem.'

She is, of course, referring to a picture of her wearing a MAGA hat alongside a man in a MAGA Santa hat, which emerged after her 'Make Australia Great Again' gaffe.

She made the gaffe at a bowling club in Perth on April 12, just as the Coalition was trying to distance itself from the American leader in the wake of his imposition of tariffs on Australia.

Senator Price was introducing Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who was also at the luncheon, when she evoked the polarising US President.

'[The Liberal party will] ensure that we can make Australia great again, that we can bring Australia back to its former glory, that we can get Australia back on track,' she said.

Her words were immediately seized on by Labor, and the comment was widely reported.

Labor's campaign spokesperson Jason Clare said the Coalition 'just want to import US polices and US slogans to Australia'.
Two teen best friends were laid next to each other 'holding hands' after they died in a horror 75mph crash on their way to their school leavers ball, a court was told.

Kiea McCann, 17 and Dlava Mohamed, 16, died after the car they were travelling in, crashed into a tree in County Monahan, Ireland on July 31, 2023.

Anthony McGinn, 61, who was a friend of the McCann family, was put in a 'position of trust' to drive the two young girls to the Debs ball in Monaghan Town, the court heard.

McGinn has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing their deaths as well and causing serious bodily harm to Dlava's sister, Auin Mohammed, during the same incident.

Monaghan Circuit Court heard how McGinn ignored the pleas from his teen passengers to 'slow down' as he drove at nearly double the speed of a 50mph zone.

His car, a white BMW then careered and collided with a tree on the N54 at around 75mph in the Legnakelly area, killing the two girls and injuring another.

It was also heard that front passenger, who was Kiea's date, Oisin Clerkin asked McGinn to 'slow down', but the driver did not respond.

'He was driving really fast and it scared me. None of the girls said anything. Kiea looked scared. I said 'Goodbye' to Kiea and I woke up in hospital,' he told Gardai in a statement.

Upsetting scenes unraveled at the sentencing as family and friends of the two girls were shown footage of their final moments where the car was involved in the horror crash.

Kiea McCann and Dlava Mohamed were laid next to each other 'holding hands' after they died in a horror 75mph crash, an Irish court was told

Kiea McCann (left), 17, and Dlava Mohamed (right), 16, died after the car they were travelling to their school leavers ball in left the N54 and crashed into a tree in the Legnakeely area on July 31 2023

Anthony McGinn, 60, of Drumloo, Newbliss, County Monaghan, pleaded guilty to several charges including dangerous driving causing death and serious bodily harm

The incident took place on a stretch of the N54 between Clones and Smithborough on 31 July between 6.15pm and 7pm

The court was told McGinn was shown dashcam footage of the horror crash after his arrest and confessed that he had 'no answer' and did not 'know what speed [he] was doing.

Following this, there was an outburst from Kiea's father, Frankie, who according to the Irish Mirror said: 'If this man won't send you down. I'll never forget you, you fu**ing b**tard.'

Families later read aloud their impact statements, with Kiea's mother Teresa sharing how she had 'trusted' the 61-year-old family friend to take her child to the Deb's Ball safely.

'When we got to the scene, Kiea was already gone. Her dad tried CPR on her. Nothing would bring her back,' she said.

'Kiea and her best friend were robbed of their lives. They were put side by side holding hands on the grass as me and my husband lay beside them.'

Her heartbroken mother revealed that Kiea's 18th birthday present was her headstone, as the family had been left with only memories and pictures of the teen.

Kiea's father, Frankie, who tried revive the two teenagers at the scene of the crash, described his child as a 'gift from God'.

At the sentencing, he spoke of his heartbreak, explaining Kiea would be able to get married or have her own family, describing her passing as a 'death sentence' for their family.

Dlava's father, who had brought his family from war-scarred Syria to Ireland, said his daughter's dreams had died with her, adding that he lost a piece of all of his children on that fateful day, as well as his heart.

He asserted that he wanted the most severe punishment for McGinn, adding that he wanted 'justice, not revenge'.

A cortege of motorbikes and cars followed the hearse carrying the white coffin as it moved slowly through the town on August 1, 2023

Hundreds of people formed a guard of honour as the hearse carrying the remains of Kiea McCann passed through Clones on August 1, 2023

Dlava's sister, who had experienced severe injuries in the collision, said the incident had forever changed the trajectory of her life, explaining her sister had been accompanying her to the Deb's ball.

Recalling the crash, Auin said she had told McGinn to 'stop' before 'everything went black'. She told the court that she had not known the two teenagers were dead for months.

Breffni Gordon, mitigating, told the court McGinn was seriously injured in the collision, and was remorseful.

They also added that the driver had apologised to the victims' families and he had entered an early guilty plea.

McGinn also lost his job, income as well as his relationship with his wife and children, the court was told.

Sentencing is due to take place next Wednesday at May 14.
Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Prices move to leave the Nationals party room to join the Liberals adds up to one thing: she is eyeing off a leadership role within the party.

Northern Territory Country Liberal MPs and senators are entitled to declare for either party room once elected, and Price chose to join the Nationals when she entered the Senate three years ago.

But her move to the Liberal Party room gives her the chance to run for deputy Liberal leader on a ticket with Angus Taylor, who is taking on current Liberal deputy Sussan Ley for the top job now that Peter Dutton has lost both the election and his seat.

Price couldnt have challenged for the Nationals leadership - held by David Littleproud - from the Senate, given that leaders are by convention expected to sit in the lower house.

But she can run for the deputy Liberal leadership, even though it is unusual for a senator to hold the role.

And in the future, Price could even seek to become Liberal leader in her own right, if she challenged for one of the NTs lower house electorates at the next election or beyond.

Ley is running on a leadership ticket with Queenslander Ted OBrien as her candidate for deputy.

Taylor had hoped to run on a ticket with Dan Tehan from Victoria, but Tehan isnt willing to play the political game of joining a ticket - leaving Taylor to approach Price to fill the void.

Jacinta Price with her husband Colin Lillie. The Country Liberal Party senator's party switch is a political power play that could put her on a leadership trajectory

The Liberal leadership race is shaping up as a competition between moderate Sussan Ley (left), who is the current deputy leader, and conservative Angus Taylor

Taylor hails from the conservative wing of the Liberal Party, which has been in thrall to Prices performance ever since she fronted the No campaign against the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

She has the strong backing of senior conservatives such as former prime minister Tony Abbott, who Daily Mail Australia understands encouraged Price to make the switch.

We also hear that, prior to today, Price had sounded out making a tilt for the Nationals leadership even if it broke the convention that the leader needs to reside in the House of Representatives.

However, given that the Nationals performed strongly holding all but one of their lower house seats, her overtures were rejected.

Price is unlikely to bring any form of factional numbers with her in a ticket-based leadership showdown.

But she does provide Taylor with a female running mate to take on Ley and OBrien at a time when the party is struggling with women voters.

Sources tell Daily Mail Australia that Ley has more numbers than Taylor at the moment, adding to the Taylor camp's desperation to find a running mate.

Price is one of the highest profile Coalition parliamentarians after her role in the Voice campaign, but has at times struggled with her performance beyond that narrow remit.

Daily Mail Australia understands former PM Tony Abbott encouraged Jacinta Price to make the switch

Some Liberals are also concerned that Price is loose with her rhetoric, a criticism that was levelled at Ley during her stint as Peter Duttons deputy.

There are no good options in this, one Liberal MP lamented.

Nonetheless, with powerful backers her shift to the Liberals will be interesting.

It will also help the Liberal Party rebuff Nationals efforts to enlarge their share of the shadow cabinet.

The junior Coalition partners share of the joint party room has grown after so many Liberals lost their seats on Saturday evening.

One limiting feature of a Taylor-Price ticket is that both candidates are seen as conservatives, leaving remaining moderate MPs less likely to vote for them.

And all of the candidates in the contest are regionally-based - at a time when the Coalition will need to find a way to reclaim the dozens of city-based seats it has lost to Labor.
Russia reportedly broke its 'humanitarian' ceasefire just hours after it came into effect on Thursday, with Kyiv reporting ground assaults in several areas in Ukraine.

A Ukrainian military spokesperson told Reuters today that Russian troops had continued operations in parts of the eastern front into Thursday.

The air force also said that Russian aircraft had launched guided bombs on the Sumy region three times.

The Russian ceasefire, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the World War Two defeat of Nazi Germany, went into effect at midnight Moscow time (2100 GMT).

Putin had presented the truce as a 'humanitarian' gesture which, the Kremlin said, would test Kyiv's readiness for peace.

Ukraine never agreed to the truce and has maintained that the ceasefire is a farce - a 'game'.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instead called Putin's bluff, demanding a 30-day ceasefire instead on Wednesday, which Russia did not accept.

Both sides have made overtures to peace negotiations, though U.S. mediated talks in recent weeks have failed to make substantial progress.

Casting doubt on the Kremlin's truce, Kyiv accused Moscow of hundreds of violations during a previous, 30-hour ceasefire Putin ordered for Easter.

Russian T-72 battle tanks drive during preparations for the general rehearsal of the annual military parade ahead of Victory Day celebrations, in downtown Moscow, May 7

An explosion of a drone is seen during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 7, 2025

Emergency workers and firefighters conduct search and rescue operations in collapsed houses after Russian drone attack on Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on May 6, 2025

Viktor Trehubov, a military spokesperson for Ukraine's eastern front, said Russian troops had continued to attack Ukrainian soldiers in the east after the ceasefire kicked in.

Ukraine's general staff said in its readout on the state of play that there had been 139 clashes on the entire front line as of 10 p.m. Ukrainian time (1900 GMT) on Wednesday and 196 for the last day as of 8 a.m. on Thursday.

It did appear relatively quiet overnight, and Ukraine's military said there had been no Russian missiles or drones in Ukrainian airspace since the ceasefire kicked in.

A Reuters witness near the front in eastern Ukraine said early on Thursday he could hear no sounds of fighting.

"During the current day, May 8, as of 8 a.m., no missile strikes or use of strike UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) were recorded in Ukrainian airspace," the air force said on Telegram.

As of 9:00 am (06:00 GMT), the Ukrainian capital Kyiv was quiet, in contrast to 24 hours earlier when the city had reverberated with the sound of explosions from waves of Russian airborne attacks, and outgoing Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire.

Hours before the pause took effect, Moscow unleashed a barrage of drone attacks across Ukraine. Zelenskyy said earlier that a mother and child were killed in Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a signing ceremony following talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025

Ukrainian POW Vladyslav cries while on a call with his mother after finding out that his father was killed in combat after arriving in Ukraine on May 6, 2025 in Chernihiv, Ukraine

Firefighters work at the site an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 7, 2025

Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that his country stood by its offer to observe a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia.

"We are not withdrawing this proposal, which could give diplomacy a chance," he said in his nightly video address.

Russia, he said, had made no response to the 30-day offer except for new strikes.

"This clearly and obviously demonstrates to everyone who the source of the war is," the Ukrainian president added.

He also appeared to acknowledge the numerous drone attacks that have been targeting Russian sites, including the city of Moscow, as the World War Two commemorations approached.

"It is absolutely fair that Russian skies, the skies of the aggressor, are also not calm today, in a mirror-like way," he said on Wednesday.

Ukraine launched dozens of drones towards Russia earlier this week, forcing all four city airports in Moscow to close on Tuesday.

State media reported the military had shot down 105 Ukrainian drones from Monday overnight.

Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of the city, said that at least 19 drones were destroyed on their way to the capital as it prepares for Victory Day celebrations this week.

An explosion of a drone is seen during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 7, 2025

Local people react at the site where a drone hit a five-storey residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine, 7 May 2025

A mother holds her son, hoping to see his father Stanislav who has been a prisoner of war for over three years on May 6, 2025 in Chernihiv

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has acknowledged the risk to foreign delegations travelling to Moscow in the midst of a major war.

He warned on Saturday that his government could not guarantee the safety of parties travelling to Moscow to attend the parade.

'Our position is very simple for all countries traveling to Russia on May 9: We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,' he said, adding that Russia could orchestrate provocations including 'arson, bombings and so on only to blame us'.

In turn, the Kremlin was pressured to make assurances to some 20 world leaders attending its Victory Day parade on Friday.

'Our military and special services are taking all necessary measures to ensure that the celebration of the great victory takes place in a calm, stable and peaceful atmosphere,' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

He also said authorities had jammed internet connections ahead of the parade, citing the threat from Ukraine.

'As long as guests are here, until May 10, we need to be ready for restrictions,' he added.

Russia's Nizhny Novgorod airport in the west was closed for about one-and-a-half hours early Thursday 'to ensure flight safety of civil aircraft', according to a Federal Air Transport Agency spokesperson.

Ukrainian soldiers from the 115th Brigade Mortar Unit conduct mortar training, as members of the Anti-UAV unit test an FPV drone inhibitor in Lyman, Ukraine, on May 6, 2025

A firefighter works to extinguish a fire in Sumy, Ukraine in this photo released on May 6

Firefighters respond to the aftermath of a Russian drone strike on the Britaniya restaurant on May 6, 2025 in Kharkiv

World leaders including China's Xi Jinping, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic were all heading to Moscow to mark the occasion.

The Kremlin has said Russian forces will honour Putin's order for the duration of the holiday period, but will respond 'immediately' if attacked.

Putin announced the truce last month, calling it a 'humanitarian' gesture, after pressure from the United States to halt Russia's assault on Ukraine.

The Russian president also rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire in March.

Ukraine has said it does not believe Russia will adhere to the truce and accused Moscow of hundreds of violations during a previous, 30-hour ceasefire Putin ordered for Easter.

The White House has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress towards a peace deal between the warring sides, despite Trump's efforts.

US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday called on the two to enter direct talks.

Russians from outside Moscow visiting the heavily policed capital on Wednesday ahead of the parade appeared unfazed.

'We are from Rostov-on-Don. Nothing scares us,' said 22-year-old student Valeria Pavlova. The southern city serves as a command and logistics hub for the Ukraine offensive and has regularly been targeted.

'It's much calmer here,' she added.

Russian servicemen march towards Red Square for the general rehearsal of the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 7, 2025

Emergency responders work to rescue an injured individual trapped under rubble aftermath of a recent Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on May 7, 2025

But scenes at airports in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities were more chaotic on Wednesday.

Ukraine launched a barrage of drones at Russia earlier in the day, forcing airports to halt traffic. Around 60,000 people's flights were disrupted, according to Moscow.

Kyiv's drone attacks disrupted about 350 flights Tuesday and Wednesday, Russia's Association of Tour Operators said.

Social media videos showed people sleeping on the floor and airports with rows of over a dozen planes queuing on the tarmac.

'It will be a parade of cynicism,' Zelenskyy said on Thursday.

'There is just no other way to describe it. A parade of bile and lies.'
Donald Trump hailed a 'great' Transatlantic trade deal today insisting it will 'open up' the UK - despite claims the country has been 'shafted'.

The US President said the agreement would be 'really good' for both sides, as British businesses welcomed some relief from his brutal tariffs.

Charges on cars and steel exports to the States will be lowered in return for the UK slashing its own levies and loosening restrictions on farming markets.

In an on-camera call between the leaders, Mr Trump praised Brexit for making the arrangements possible.

Sir Keir said he and Mr Trump - who was accompanied by British ambassador Lord Mandelson in the Oval Office - had managed to 'achieve something that many people tried to achieve for many years'.

However, a chart displayed by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in the White House suggested the US has trebled its tariffs on the UK since Mr Trump took over - and Britain has more than halved its tariffs on American goods.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the country had been 'shafted' and it was more evidence that Brits 'lose' when Labour negotiates.

Sir Keir spoke to workers at Jaguar Land Rover in Solihull after his call with the US President, saying he had them in mind when he was discussing the deal. The car manufacturer said the arrangement would save thousands of jobs.

The National Farming Union said the government had 'listened to the concerns' of farmers and maintained food standards, but expressed doubts about the impact on arable producers.

Under the new package:

The impact of the eye-watering 25 per cent levies on cars will be eased with a quota of 100,000 a year that will be charged at a lower rate of 10 per cent. That will roughly cover the UK's annual exports;

The 25 per cent tariffs on steel exports to the US will be reduced to zero;

There will be reciprocal access to markets for beef, but the UK government insisted food standards will not be compromised for products such as chlorinated chicken and hormone-treated beef;

British-made Rolls Royce engines will be excluded from tariffs but Mr Lutnick said the UK was going to buy 10billion worth of Boeing aircraft;

Britain is still hoping to head off the threat of an assault on the pharma sector, but conceded that 'work will continue' on that front;

The Digital Services Tax is 'unchanged' as a result of the agreement, according to Downing Street, despite speculation over concessions. Instead the nations will 'work on a digital trade deal';

Sir Keir said the Government is 'discussing' the British film industry with Mr Trump's team after he threatened to put 100 per cent tariffs on the sector.

Donald Trump said the agreement would be 'really good' for both sides - as British businesses hope for relief from his brutal tariffs

In an on-camera call between the leaders, Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to negotiators and the 'special relationship'

The premiers raised the prospect of a Transatlantic trade deal when they met at the White House in February

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the country had been 'shafted' and it was more evidence that Brits 'lose' when Labour negotiates

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Mr Trump said Britain had been 'a little closed' but was now agreeing to drop obstructions to trade and 'non-tariff barriers'.

He said the UK will be 'fast-tracking American goods through their customs process' so that US exports will go through a 'very, very quick' form of approval.

'There won't be any red tape, things are going to move very quickly both ways,' he said.

Mr Trump added that the 'final details' are still being 'written up'.

'The actual deal is a very conclusive one we think, just about everything has been approved,' the US President said.

Sir Keir said: 'We've always had a fair and balanced arrangement between our countries, this builds on that.

'Hugely important for sectors like car manufacturing, and for steel and aluminium and so many others.

'Yes, we can finish ironing out some of the details but there's a fantastic platform here.'

Mr Trump said: 'The US and UK have been working for years to try and make a deal and it never quite got there.

'It did with this Prime Minister, so I want to just congratulate you.'

Sir Keir said: 'With this President and this Prime Minister we've managed to achieve what many people tried to achieve for many years, and I'm really pleased.'

The PM added: 'It's really good to have got this deal over the line, tribute to both teams, tribute to our countries and tribute to your leadership.'

After Sir Keir hung up on the call, Mr Lutnick claimed the US has 'opened up new market access, ethanol, beef, machinery, all the agricultural products' in the UK.

He added: 'They've agreed to open their markets, and that will add five billion US dollars of opportunity to American exporters.

'So the question is, why would they do that now, because they've never done it before? And we still have a 10 per cent tariff on which will produce six billion US dollars of revenue for the US.

'So the idea was, how did they keep their jobs, protect their economy and do the best for their people, while opening the market for us?'

The UK has 'found the ways to do that so that we have new access, but the UK workers are protected, and that was the balance', Mr Lutnick said in answer to his own question.

In the House of Commons tonight, Tory shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith warned the US-UK agreement is a 'Diet Coke deal, not the real thing'.

'Conservatives do welcome the news of a reduction in selected tariffs on things like automotive exports and steel today,' he told MPs.

'Any reduction is better than no reduction. Jobs and investments were at risk and all mitigation is to be welcomed.

'But... we're still not back to the position as it was at the beginning of February  perhaps he can clarify.

'British goods will still be more expensive in the US than they were before. For all the special relationship, that puts us in the same category of countries as Burundi and Bhutan.

'And more than what's in this deal today is what is not. From the little the government has shared, it's clear that the deal doesn't go anything like far enough. It's a Diet Coke deal, not the real thing.

'It's not the comprehensive free trade agreement that a true plan for growth requires.'

Mr Griffith had earlier told the Commons: 'Unfortunately this is not the historic free trade deal we were promised.'

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds insisted the trade deal does not include any concessions on the digital services tax, the Online Safety Act, or the NHS.

Speaking to reporters in Westminster, Mr Reynolds said: 'Just to be absolutely clear about what is not in this agreement.

'There is nothing in this agreement in relation to online harms or the Online Safety Act.

'There's nothing in this agreement in relation to digital services tax. Nothing in the agreement in relation to the NHS.'

On the government's efforts to reduce or even remove the 10 per cent tariffs Mr Trump has imposed on most goods entering the US, Mr Reynolds added: 'The process by which we will continue the negotiation with the US about those wider tariff lines and the 10 per cent reciprocal tariff continues. There is no deadline for that.'

Mr Reynolds also said: 'I think it is also vindication of the cool, calm, engaged approach we've taken to the US, even though this has been the challenging agenda for every country in the world.'

Speaking at the JLR base, Sir Keir said that he had 'discussions last night' with Mr Trump, joking that he was not happy it had been in the middle of the Arsenal match against Paris St Germain

Mr Trump said it would be a 'big, exciting day' for America and Britain - pointing to the announcement in the Oval Office at 3pm UK time

The president said the agreement will be 'comprehensive' and 'cement' ties with the UK

Speaking at the Jaguar Land Rover plant earlier, Sir Keir said that he had 'discussions last night' with Mr Trump, joking that he was not happy it had been in the middle of Arsenal's match against Paris St Germain.

Asked about any assurances he could give to businesses that the deal would not be ripped up by the US, Sir Keir said: 'We've been negotiating this text for a long time. I had discussions with Donald Trump along the way, including discussions last night, we're clearly in agreement.'

He said that there is 'a written text' that will be available and 'this is an agreement that is absolutely clear'.

Sir Keir added: 'We've worked well together, we respect each other, the President and I, and we trust each other, and have trusted each other through this process.'

The premier acknowledged there was no certainty about the position of the UK film industry yet, following Mr Trump's threat to impose levies on movies made outside America.

'Obviously there aren't any tariffs in place on film at the moment,' he told reporters.

'Of course, we're discussing it with the President's team. We'll take the same approach as we've taken on other issues.

'For me, what matters is acting in the national interest and making sure that everything that we do is good for working people in this country whether it's steel and aluminium, whether it's car building, whether it's pharmaceuticals or film, we are brilliant in these things.'

Sir Keir seemed to be taken by surprise by Mr Trump publicly teeing up the deal overnight - as his day was earmarked for VE Day commemorations.

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey praised the news this afternoon as he confirmed a cut to interest rates to help boost the economy.

Mr Bailey said it would help reduce uncertainty, adding: 'I very much welcome it, and very well done to those involved.'

NFU President Tom Bradshaw said the deal was needed 'as a direct result of tariffs introduced by the US administration in April'.

'This is not something anybody wanted,' he said.

'We appreciate the government's efforts in listening to our concerns, particularly around maintaining high standards, protecting sensitive agricultural sectors and securing reciprocal access for beef,' Mr Bradshaw said.

'For several years, we've campaigned with the UK's agricultural attaches in Washington for market access for British beef, a product globally respected for its quality and strong environmental credentials. These efforts have contributed to enabling the UK government to secure ring-fenced access for British beef exports to the US.

'However, the inclusion of a significant volume of bioethanol in the deal raises concerns for British arable farmers. We'll be engaging closely with our members to help them understand and prepare for the potential impact.'

JLR chief executive Adrian Mardell said: 'The car industry is vital to the UK's economic prosperity, sustaining 250,000 jobs.

'We warmly welcome this deal which secures greater certainty for our sector and the communities it supports.'

It is Mr Trump's first trade deal since his so-called 'Liberation Day' trade assault on April 2. He has since delayed, reannounced and overhauled tariffs amid crashing stock markets and concerns over the sustainability of the US debt mountain.

The premiers raised the prospect of a Transatlantic trade deal when they met at the White House in February.

British hopes of escaping the 'baseline' 10 per cent tariffs altogether dwindled during the talks.

The PM had been rushing to seal a pact with America before his big Brexit 'reset', due to be unveiled at a summit with the EU on May 19.

There are concerns that could have enraged Mr Trump, who has claimed the bloc was created to 'screw' the US.

Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social site last night: 'Big News Conference tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M., The Oval Office, concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!!'

He added today: 'The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.

'Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement.

'Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!'

Lord Mandelson said the deal was 'not the end, it's the end just of the beginning'.

'It also provides us with the platform, the springboard, to do what I think will be even more valuable for both our countries in the future and that's creating a technology partnership between the United States and the United Kingdom so that we can harness science and technology in order to create future industries and future jobs,' he said.

He also cheekily offered Mr Trump a discount on a Rolls Royce car as the President noted up he ended up buying a Tesla at an event with Elon Musk recently.

Sir Keir has repeatedly rejected suggestions that the UK will need to choose between partnerships with Europe or America, saying the national interest 'demands that we work with both'.

Economists have warned that Mr Trump's policies are set to spark a global slowdown and wreak havoc with Chancellor Rachel Reeves' attempts to revive growth.

Brexiteers pointed out that the UK was the first to secure a deal, after former president Barack Obama's notorious warning that Britain would be at the 'back of the queue' if it left the EU.

The announcement comes just two days after the UK said it had agreed a trade deal with India, which Sir Keir hailed as a 'landmark deal'.

Overall trade in goods between the US and UK is largely balanced, with 59.3billion exported to the US and 57.1billion imported

Commons Leader Lucy Powell insisted that food standards have been a 'red line' for the Government in the negotiations.

In the House this morning, Conservative MP Mark Pritchard asked for a debate on 'the concerns of British farmers... chlorinated chicken, hormone-fed beef and, of course, antibiotics in pig farming'.

'Can the minister assure the House, assure Shropshire farmers and British farmers that British agriculture is safe with this trade deal?' he said.

Ms Powell replied: 'These issues are still unfolding, but he's absolutely right to praise the work of the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade for the amazing work that they've done to get us to this point today.

'But he will be aware that the issues that he raises of food standards and agriculture have been red lines for this Government in those trade talks, and he will get the details later today.'
The family of a young woman murdered by her ex-boyfriend has been rocked at the discovery her killer was let out of prison on day release.

Melbourne University student Adriana Donato, 20, was at a friend's home in August 2012, when her former boyfriend, James Stoneham, then 21, came to look for her.

She got in his car to speak to him and he drove her to a park where he killed her with a hunting knife.

During sentencing at the Supreme Court in November 2013, Justice Michael Croucher heard that Stoneham, who pleaded guilty, planned the murder for weeks.

Justice Croucher issued a prison sentence of 19 years, with a non-parole period of 14-and-a-half years.

But in early April, a member of Adriana's family spotted Stoneham at their local shopping strip in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne.

'I didn't believe he could be out in the community. We dismissed (the relative). We thought she was being ridiculous,' Grace Donato told The Age.

Ms Donato was told by police that Stoneham had been transferred about a month earlier to the Judy Lazarus Transition Centre in Melbourne's CBD.

Adriana Donato had been at a friend's birthday celebration before her ex-boyfriend killed her

James Stoneham pleaded guilty to the murder of Adriana Donato and was sentenced to 19 years in prison

Some prisoners are moved to the centre towards the end of their sentence as part of a supervised pathway back into society. Stoneham had not been granted parole.

Ms Donato had listed herself on the Victorian Victims Register in February to be notified of developments in the timing of any parole application or release.

Corrections Victoria had checked the list twice but it was not consulted just before Stoneham's transfer to the centre.

'I am devastated, traumatised and angry that this can even happen,' Ms Donato said.

'I think Victorians would be shocked. They need to know this is happening to me and others as well.'

Ms Donato was contacted by Corrections Victoria in April who apologise for the mistake and reassured her of changes made to ensure the issue was not repeated.

'We sincerely apologise and deeply regret the distress caused to Ms Donato,' a Department of Justice and Community spokesperson.

'As soon as the breakdown in process was identified, this person in custody was moved to another prison.'

Adriana's mother Grace Donato (pictured) has taken aim at a Victorian government policy which saw thousands of prisoners' sentences reduced due to the Covid pandemic

Corrections Victoria has put additional processes in place to prevent the mistake happening in the future and state government minister Enver Erdogan also made an apology.

'I extend my deepest sympathies to Ms Donato for what has occurred,' he said.

'This is an appalling error and it is completely unacceptable.'

Ms Donato also took aim at a Victorian government policy from 2021 which saw thousands of prisoners' sentences reduced due to the Covid pandemic.

Inmates were granted an emergency management day (EMD) - a day deducted from their sentence - to compensate for disruptions in prisons like 24 hour-lockdowns.

While four days is the maximum amount of EMDs permitted for prisoners under the Corrections Act 1986, prisoners were given one for each day in lockdown during the pandemic, which included 14-days of mandatory quarantine for new inmates.

'I want that 14 months reversed for (Stoneham) and all other violent offenders who have received this,' Ms Donato said.

She was not alone with a Parliament of Victoria petition to restrict emergency management days for violent and high-risk prisoners receiving 3,700 signatures as of Thursday evening.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Corrections Victoria for comment on the petition.
A private student has been hauled off a Virgin plane after he allegedly made a bomb threat in a 'spur-of-the-moment' comment in front of his peers.

The ninth-grade student boarded the plane at Melbourne Airport last Wednesday on a trip with other Mentone Grammar students.

On the plane, he made a 'threatening remark', allegedly similar to a bomb threat, which concerned flight staff.

Cabin crews approached Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers, who arrived at the departure gate to escort the young boy from the plane.

An AFP spokeswoman confirmed officers had investigated the incident.

'The AFP responded to a request for assistance from airline staff at Melbourne Airport on Wednesday, April 30, after a passenger allegedly made threatening remarks to crew members after boarding a domestic flight,' she said.

AFP officers at Melbourne Airport attended the gate and escorted the passenger from the aircraft.

Investigations determined there was no threat to public safety.

A Melbourne schoolboy from Mentone Grammar was hauled from a plane after allegedly making a 'threatening' comment

An Australian Federal Police spokeswoman said no arrests were made in relation to the alleged incident on the Virgin plane

The spokeswoman confirmed no-one was arrested in relation to the incident despite it being a criminal offence to make threats.

Mentone Grammar principal Andy Muller defended the incident but said the boy could not rejoin his classmates on the plane.

'Who among us has not done something in the spur of the moment when we were 14 or 15,' he told the Herald Sun.

'The student is remorseful and understood immediately that there are consequences for (such actions).'

A Virgin Australia spokeswoman said: 'Safety is our top priority and at the core of everything we do.'

The class had been embarking on an 'interstate immersion program' at the time.

Students in the program could go to Cape York, Sunshine Coast or Cairns in Queensland, Darwin, Kununurra, the Coral Coast in Western Australia or South Australias Kangaroo Island.

The trips allowed students to have 'unique experiences' with a 'focus on service in the community they are visiting'.

Menton Grammar charges $36,207 per year for tuition for year nine students and was contacted for comment.
Newly elected German chancellor Friedrich Merz has scrapped Angela Merkel's open border policy, and has issued orders to turn undocumented migrants away from the nation.

Alexander Dobrindt, the new interior minister, rescinded Merkel's 2015 order, which had previously allowed hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers to enter Germany, many of whom were fleeing civil war in Syria.

The new rules would now see everyone without proper documentation, apart from children and pregnant women, turned away if they try to get into Germany from a neighbouring country.

Merz agreed to also allow Syrians to be deported back to their home country, and has suspended family reunions.

Dobrint also ordered a massive increase in border force personnel, with local media reporting that a further 3,000 cops are being brought in for a total of 14,000 border guards.

Merz, who made the order on his first day in office, pledged during the election to crack down on migration.

This pledge came following a spate of knife and car attacks carried out by non-Germans that galvanised support for the hard-right AfD party, which is now neck-and-neck with the CDU/SDU alliance in the polls.

Dobrint said during a press conference: 'This issue is about clarity, resoluteness and control.

Newly elected German chancellor Friedrich Merz (pictured) has scrapped Angela Merkel's open border policy

An officer of the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) escorts a group of migrants near Forst, eastern Germany on October 11, 2023

Suspected illegal migrants sit on the ground after they were detained by German police during their patrol along the German-Polish border to prevent illegal migration, in Forst, Germany, September 20, 2023

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends the election of German Chancellor at the Bundestag in Berlin, Germany, 6 May 2025

'It's clear that we want to take stronger steps against illegal immigration and the result must be that we deploy a bigger police presence at the borders for that. The numbers remain significantly too high.'

Merz defended the policy on Wednesday, saying: 'The European Union must send a signal to those who are setting off for Europe without valid entry permits.'

'And above all, we need to send a signal to the smuggling organizations that these routes will become much more difficult in the future  and that at some point, they will be closed altogether. That is the right and strong common signal.'

But that same day, Switzerland, which shares a border with Germany, criticised Merz's move.

It wrote in a statement on X: 'From Switzerlands perspective, the systematic pushbacks at the border constitute a violation of current law. Switzerland regrets that Germany has taken these measures without consultation.'

Merz succeeds former chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose government collapsed six months ago. He was elected by MPs on Tuesday and officially nominated as chancellor by the country's president the same day.

Scholz, too, had been under pressure to curb migration as shelters across the country had been filling up for years.

His government tried to speed up asylum procedures and also negotiated agreements for countries to take unsuccessful asylum seekers back in exchange for more opportunities for legal immigration.

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz is congratulated as he is elected chancellor by parliament in second round of voting in the German lower house of parliament Bundestag

Officers of the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) escort a group of migrants near Forst, eastern Germany on October 11, 2023

A German police officer at a checkpoint near the border with France, in Lauterbourg, Germany, 07 May 2025

A German federal police Bundespolizei officers stops a vehicle during a patrol along the German-Polish border to prevent illegal migration near Forst, Germany, October 12, 2023

In February, just days before the election, Mr Scholz's government had also extended by six months the border checks it imposed on all its frontiers last autumn as it attempted to cut the number of migrants arriving in the country.

The government said at the time that the increase of border controls led to a drop in migrants trying to cross Germany's borders.

The European Union's visa-free travel area known as Schengen allows citizens of most member states to travel easily across borders for work and pleasure. Switzerland also belongs to Schengen although it is not an EU member.

According to the EU, member states are allowed to temporarily reintroduce border controls in cases of a serious threat, such as internal security. But it also says border controls should be applied as a last resort in exceptional situations, and must be limited in time.
A bar in Barcelona sparked fury by imposing a 'table hogger' charge on customers who overstay their welcome.

Bar Perfetto has clamped down on dilly-dallying tourists, doubling the price of coffee for those who take more than an hour to finish their drink.

Despite being a popular tourist spot, the recent introduction of a 'time surcharge' on its terrace has divided opinion among patrons.

A small sign on each table explains in Spanish and English how the policy works.

A coffee, for example, costs 1.60 (1.36), But if you take more than 30 minutes to finish, the price goes up to 2.50 (2.13).

If you are there for more than an hour, it increases to 4 (3.40).

A photo of the chart explaining the surcharges was shared on X this week, with some questioning the policy's legality.

The bar's owner, named only as Massimo, defended the move after some branded it 'theft'.

He told El Diario that he placed the 'warning' on tables following a fight between customers.

He explained: 'It was one night when some people waiting for a table got tired and confronted those sitting there, who had been waiting for hours without consuming anything...

A bar in Barcelona sparked fury after imposing a 'table hogger' charge for customers who overstay their welcome. Bar Perfetto has clamped down on dilly-dallying tourists and has even doubled the price of coffee for those who take more than an hour to finish their drink

A small sign on each table explains in Spanish and English how the policy works. A coffee, for example, costs 1.60 (1.36) But if you take more than 30 minutes to finish, the price goes up to 2.50 (2.13) If you are there for more than an hour, it increases to 4 (3.40)

'It's a way to raise awareness... you can't go for hours without consuming anything, otherwise the business isn't profitable.'

The policy has divided opinion online, with some supporting it, claiming that half an hour for a coffee 'is more than enough'.

However one passerby told El Diario: 'I wouldn't sit here. Mostly because of the manners. I don't want to have to keep an eye on the clock when I'm in a bar.'

The woman, who lives nearby, blamed the policy on the neighbourhood being 'colonised by tourists'.

'All the bars are designed for outsiders, and the ones with affordable prices end up charging us 4 for a coffee if we go over our time,' she fumed, adding that she feels 'completely expelled' from her neighbourhood.

Massimo said the policy has not affected his business, before claiming he only implements it 'when there are a lot of people on the terrace'.

He added: 'We only charge this if we have customers waiting. Nobody likes to see people occupying a table you want to sit at if they're not consuming anything.'

It comes after a string of rip-offs has plagued holiday hotspots, creating chaos in typically idyllic destinations and sparking fury from holidaymakers who have fallen foul of the 'tourist traps'.

Last month a British woman was left fuming after being billed extra for two ice cubes at a Costa del Sol beach bar.

Brit Viv Proops, who visited the Havana Beach Bar in Estepona, took to social media to rant about the extra cost.

'On Playa del Cristo beach today. Ordered an ice coffee at Havana Beach Bar and was charged for a coffee and charged extra for two ice cubes. Is that normal?', the Brit wrote.

'Is ice always an extra billable item? Seems a bit petty minded in my opinion!!', she added.

Ms Proops said she was charged 4.50 (3.80) for a coffee, and an additional 50 cents (34p) for ice cubes.

Another tourist had a similar experience in Costa del Sol when she was charged a 'ludicrous' fee for place setting at a restaurant.

Commenting on Ms Proops' Facebook post Ceri Helena Ward said: 'Crazy! I couldn't believe it when we were charged at cover charge of 1.50 (1.30) each in the area, and when we asked what it was for, they said 'cutlery, napkins, table mats'.

'I said we didn't eat, only had drinks, they said they would take the charge off. BUT why is a restaurant charging for these items as a separate thing?!

'Are we to eat with our hands or take our own items with us?! We live in Competa, and before that Mallorca, we've never seen such a ludicrous charge before.'

Meanwhile a Briton lashed out after being charged a 'rip-off' fee for a sachet of HP sauce in Benidorm in early May.

The tourist was visiting the holiday hotspot with her family before stopping for a peaceful breakfast at The 4 Kings bar on Avenida Mediterraneo.
This is the moment two British holidaymakers get into a furious row over a sunbed at a three-star Lanzarote hotel.

A disgruntled woman is seen telling a sunbather that she is going to complain about her to the manager at the Hyde Park Lane apartments on the Spanish island.

Footage shows the woman, who appears to have a Scottish accent and is wearing a pink cover up, accusing the other Brit of taking a spot which members of her group had been occupying 'all week'.

The tourist lying on the sunbed warns her 'don't be rude' and tells her to 'turn around and walk away'.

Holidaymaker Callum Lines, who can be heard shouting 'Karen' at the woman in pink, witnessed the commotion while sunbathing poolside and decided to film the row.

'The Scottish lady said they had been using those beds all week, accusing the couple lying down and moving their items,' Lines, 31, said.

'Just to the left, out of shot, was a sign stating no reservation of sunbeds. I'm not sure this was the case though'.

The holidaymaker, from Leamington Spa, said the Scottish woman then left to hunt down hotel management - who he said never showed up.

'There were plenty more available beds - all with equal sun exposure - so this really wasn't needed,' Lines said.

The woman, wearing a pink cover up, was spotted accusing a couple of being in the spot she had been using 'all week'

In footage of the incident, she could be heard saying: 'Don't be cheeky, don't be smart-mouthed either'

The two women are seen pointing at each other angrily during the poolside row

'I've always got two pence to share even when it's probably not required, but you come away for a rest and some relaxation.'

Lines said he was also on the receiving end of the woman in pink's complaints.

In the video the angry woman claimed she had been there all week and said she now had to relocate.

Lines chipped in: 'Excuse me is there somebody underneath you? Are you sat on someone?'

The woman on the sun lounger said: 'Get your facts right before you start accusing people,' to which the other woman responded: 'That's what I said to you.'

The sunbathing woman then tells her: 'Don't be rude, turn around and walk away.'

The fuming woman denies being rude, to which Lines pipes up: 'Get out of her face then.'

The bikini clad sunbather continued: 'Turn around and walk away,' but the other woman insists that her group had been sitting in the spot before her.

'They've had to move,' she said, but the woman responded: 'I don't care.'

The man laying beside her piped up and told the woman to 'go away,' and Lines reassured him that the fiasco was being filmed.

The woman in pink then said: 'Sitting here and you say you didn't move and take their stuff away.'

The other Brit quickly fired back: 'But why ain't they got their names on them then?

'You come over here rude, turn around and walk away. You've picked on the wrong person, turn around and walk away now.'

The angry lady told the sunbathers she was going to report them to management before Lines yelled out and called her a 'Karen'.

The woman in pink hits back at Mr Lines as he repeatedly shouts 'Karen' while filming her

She then turned on him and said: 'Don't be cheeky, don't be smart mouthed either.

'You don't know who you're talking to and you don't know who we're here with.'

Lines quipped: 'Ronnie Pickering?' But she said: 'Just keep your f******g mouth shut.'

One woman wearing a black cap and bikini could be seen gesturing to the 'Karen' to walk away.

The pair went back and forth as the woman in pink claimed someone had moved their beds.

It comes after holidaymakers in Tenerife were caught using a trick to reserve sunbeds which social media users branded 'pathetic'.

In a Tiktok clip, dozens of sun worshippers were seen waiting by the empty pool area at a hotel in Playa de las Americas during the early hours of the morning.

The Scottish woman left to hunt down hotel management - but they never showed up

The guests appeared to be standing still in designated spots in a bid to 'reserve' a space for one of the sunbeds being unloaded onto the area.

One holidaymaker could even be seen reading his book as he stood in position, before swiftly turning his attention to the loungers as the hotel employees began distributing them out.

In the comments, over 130 viewers, many of whom appeared to identify as British, rallied together to condemn the 'miserable' move.

One person wrote, 'Pathetic really. F*****g grown ups,' while another said, 'This isn't what going on holiday is about... misery.'
A dog suffered horrific injuries when it was bitten by a venomous adder while out on a walk through a housing estate.

Owner Adam Penn's nine-year-old Springer Spaniel Willow was left with a shocking open wound on her face, leaving Adam with a 2,500 vet bill.

Adam first noticed Willow had swelling behind her head and a lack of appetite. Initially he believed she had been stung by a wasp.

Her symptoms got worse and the lump became an open wound. Adam took her to the vets where they discovered Willow had been bitten by a venomous adder.

Adders are the only venomous snake in Britain and while their venom is of little danger to humans, a bite can prove fatal for dogs.

Adam, a dad-of-two, said: 'I was really shocked.

'She's unlucky but she's lucky to be alive. If it was a smaller dog, then it could have been fatal.'

Willow was placed on a drip and given antibiotics because it was too late for her to be given anti-venom medication.

Adam Penn and his Springer Spaniel Willow, who is now recovering after being bitten by the adder

Adam said his beloved pet is 'lucky to be alive' after undergoing medical treatment

Adders are the only posionous snake native to the UK and their bites can prove fatal for dogs

She is still on antibiotics and painkillers and she will need ultraviolet light treatment which will help the healing process. So far, the vets have charged Adam 2,500.

Adam, of Northwich, Cheshire, said: 'It was really touch and go because her blood pressure had dropped.

'She's nineyears old but she's a young nine so before this had happened, I thought we might have another six or seven years with her.

'I didn't question saving her - I asked the vets to do what he could do with her.

'When the anaesthetic had worn off, she started to recover and she's just been a fighter.'

Adders normally live in open habitats such as heathland, moorland, woodland edges and coastal areas so Adam, a manager of a pub, was shocked that Willow was bitten while walking on a housing estate.

He said: 'I live on a normal housing estate.

'But around six or seven years ago, I saw an adder - we have a river near us so that's where they are expected to be.

Adam and Willow pictured before she was bitten by the snake on her walk

Adam first noticed Willow had swelling behind her head and a lack of appetite

'We were in the middle of the houses so to find out that it's an adder, was scary.

'My whole family also weren't aware that adders could be in the middle of a housing estate.'

According to the Pet Health Club, every dog can react differently to an adder bite but some symptoms could be having two small puncture wounds, drooling, bruising, swelling and an increased heart rate.

Adam, who is originally from Warrington, Cheshire, now wants other animal owners to look out for the symptoms and signs that their pet has been attacked by an adder.

He said: 'Dogs can get bitten by adders on their neck or on their nose or on their bellies when they are rooting through bushes.

'You need to realise when your pet isn't normal and then investigate it.'

Last month, a Jack Russell was killed after being bitten by the venomous snake in Thetford Forest, Suffolk.

The family dog, Donnie, was out being walked by Logan Mathers, 17, when an adder shot out and bit the two-year-old Jack Russell on the face.

The family dog, Donnie, was out being walked by Logan Mathers, 17, last week on Wednesday in Thetford Forest, Suffolk

Sadly, the beloved family pet died shortly after being bitten by the snake

Donnie was taken straight to a vet for treatment while slipping in and out of consciousness.

Logan's 19 year-old-sister, Molly, rushed to meet her brother who was left 'traumatised', and little Donnie's health deteriorated despite being given anti-venom medication and antibiotics.

Sadly, the beloved family pet died in the early hours of Saturday morning, mother Ali said.

She said: 'The whole family went over on Saturday morning to say goodbye to our beautiful boy.

'He really was so full of life.

'We are absolutely heartbroken and just can't believe it. We want to stop another dog being hurt.'

The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) advise that swelling can cause serious problems to dogs if bitten on the face or neck - and the venom can cause severe illness and death.
When Karen Hawthornthwaite left home with Benji, a Lhasa Apso who had provided invaluable comfort to her autistic son during the Covid lockdown, she could not have known it would be her last walk with the beloved family pet.

The 54-year-old teaching assistant was just yards from her home in the Lancashire market town of Darwen when a pocket-size American bully dog came bounding across the road and began mauling her dog.

A desperate struggle ensued as the pocket bully's owner, who had been walking the dog with neither a muzzle nor a lead, attempted in vain to pull the animal away.

Helped by passers-by, Hawthornwaite battled to extract Benji's leg from the dog's jaws in scenes that were captured on CCTV.

The two bloody and interminably long minutes that followed were, she said, like a scene from a horror movie.

'I was coming down the street and I'd seen this guy with this pocket bully breed off the lead,' said Hawthornwaite. 'It ran straight across the main road.

'The owner had no control over it whatsoever. I said to myself, "That dog is going to get run over." I didn't think any more of it.'

But worse was to follow for Benji, who had become part of the family in the five years since Hawthornwaite bought him to help ease the anxiety of her son Riley during the global pandemic.

Benji, a Lhasa Apso who acted as a therapy dog for 16-year-old Riley Hawthornwaite, left, is seen with the teenager and his 19-year-old sister Caitlin before he was fatally attacked

Pursued by its owner, an unmuzzled and unleashed pocket-size American bully dog is seen bounding across the road before mauling Benji in a brutal two-minute attack

Benji is seen at the vets' surgery following the attack last month, which left the seven-year-old dog with a feeding tube after he refused to eat

'When the attack first happened, the owner was telling me to pull Benji away, even though the dog had my boy's leg in his mouth,' said Hawthornwaite.

'I thought, "If I do this, I'm going to pull his leg off."

'The owner was thumping the dog with his fists. The woman across the road was thumping the dog too, screaming at [it] to let go.

'I can't stop thinking of Benji's face when it was happening. The owner gave an almighty pull and it eventually loosened; I've no idea how, everything's a bit of a blur.

'It took the efforts of multiple neighbours for the dog to let go. It was like a horror movie. This dog had blood all over its face, and so did Benji.

'I couldn't go inside because my son has autism and suffers from anxiety so I didn't want him to see all the blood.

'The owner took the dog away. Benji was shaking like mad.'

The owner of the pocket bulldog later signed an acceptable behaviour contract specifying that the animal should be kept on a lead at all times in residential areas.

The incident left Benji, pictured while still alive, with a 3cm deep incision in his front leg, which had to be amputated. However, an infection developed and he had to be put down a week later

With its face bloodied, the pocket bully is held by its owner in the aftermath of the attack

But with Benji dead and her son inconsolable, Hawthornwaite believes the dog poses a risk to public safety and should be put down.

'My son is autistic and when Covid hit he wouldn't leave the house at all,' she said.

'He suffers from autism and anxiety, and we bought Benji to try and help him get out of the house, but unfortunately this didn't work.

'My son is absolutely heartbroken and he wants this other dog dead now. This dog needs to be put down. For everybody's safety, it needs to be put down.

'I don't know where this dog is now, and I'm petrified of it doing it again. I certainly don't want anybody to go through what I am going through.

'All dogs should be on leads, especially if they are on main roads. It's horrendous, knowing what dog it was - and the fact it was unmuzzled is just not right.

'Next time with this dog, it could be a child, it could be anybody.'

A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: 'Having thoroughly reviewed all the circumstances and sought expert advice, it was deemed that this incident did not meet the criteria of any offences under the Dangerous Dog Act.

'However, in order to reduce the likelihood of a similar incident happening again, the owner of the pocket bulldog was given an acceptable behaviour contract under the ASB, Crime and Policing Act, 2014 with specific conditions which include ensuring their dog is on a lead at all times in residential areas.'
A guitar-playing, karaoke-loving cardinal is in the mix to become the next leader of the Catholic Church.

Filipino bishop Luis Antonio Tagle, aka 'Asian Francis,' is one of the favorites bidding to win the conclave vote.

But, despite being a top contender, the 67-year-old has been embroiled in a recent scandal that threatens to tarnish his reputation.

The process of electing a new Pope began yesterday when 133 cardinals sealed themselves into the Sistine Chapel for the centuries-old ritual of conclave, a secretive vote to elect the 267th pontiff following the death of Pope Francis.

Among them was karaoke fanatic Tagle, an unexpected candidate who previously laughed when asked if he had considered the idea that he might one day take the Vatican's reins.

The once inconspicuous cardinal shot to fame after footage of him performing John Lennon's Imagine on stage went viral online last year.

Since then, he has won the hearts of many Catholics with his progressive approach, infectious smile, and humble demeanor.

However, Tagle has recently come under scrutiny after he was accused of mishandling child sex abuse claims.

A guitar-playing, karaoke-loving cardinal is in the mix to become the next leader of the Catholic Church. Filipino bishop Luis Antonio Tagle, aka 'Asian Francis', is one of the favorites bidding to win the conclave vote

But, despite being a top contender, the 67-year-old has been embroiled in a recent scandal that threatens to tarnish his reputation

The once inconspicuous cardinal shot to fame after footage of him performing John Lennon 's Imagine on stage went viral online last year

Since then he has won the hearts of many Catholics with his progressive approach, infectious smile, and humble demeanor. Pictured: Pope Francis (R) speaks with Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

Just days ago campaign group Bishop Accountability claimed Tagle and Italian cardinal Pietro Parolin, both front-runners to be the next pontiff, cannot be trusted to protect children from abuse.

Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of Bishop Accountability, accused Tagle, former Archbishop of Manila, of doing nothing to pull the church in the Philippines out of the 'dark ages' of abuse.

She also highlighted that guidelines on dealing with sexual abuse cases have not been published on the webpages of the Manila archdiocese.

'If Cardinal Tagle cannot even get his brother bishops from his home country to publish guidelines, what on earth can we expect for him to achieve as pope of a global church?' asked Doyle.

On Saturday evening the The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines issued a rare statement on clerical sexual abuse, defending Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle on the issue before the process to elect a new pope began.

In its statement, the CBCP said Tagle had 'actively participated' in developing and implementing the guidelines, both in Imus and later in Manila.

Tagle was born in Imus, near the capital region Metro Manila, to Catholic parents who worked in a bank. Pictured: Luis Antonio Tagle (R) is congratulated by his family as he cries after the ceremony where he was appointed by the pontif as cardinal in 2012

The process of electing a new Pope began yesterday when 133 cardinals sealed themselves into the Sistine Chapel for the centuries-old ritual of conclave, a secretive vote to elect the 267th pontiff following the death of Pope Francis. Pictured: The moment the doors to the Sistine Chapel were closed, marking the beginning of the secretive Conclave

'Since his appointment to a full-time position in the Roman Curia, Cardinal Tagle no longer holds direct authority over any diocese in the Philippines,' the statement added.

It also noted the key role Tagle - who served as archbishop of Manila between 2011 and 2019 - had played in crafting pastoral guidelines on sexual abuse that were disseminated in 2003.

Like the late Argentine pope, Tagle hails from a country far from the Catholic Church's traditional power base of Europe and came to Rome with an outsider's view.

He was born in Imus, near the capital region Metro Manila, to Catholic parents who worked in a bank.

'He's [from] a very simple family  not poor but not rich,' Mary John Mananzan, a missionary benedictine sister who has known Tagle for decades told The Guardian.

Tagle reportedly initially wanted to become a doctor, but entered the church after a priest tricked him into applying to a seminary in Quezon City.

He obtained a doctorate at the Catholic University of America and became Bishop of Imus and, later, archbishop of Manila.

He was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.

Some who have put Tagle on unofficial short lists for the next pope say he would be a shoo-in to succeed Francis if cardinal electors are looking for as close a similarity as possible in order to assertively continue Francis' progressive streak.

If Tagle were elected, it would also likely signal to the world's 1.4 billion Catholics that the cardinals want to go forward with Francis' vision of generally opening up the Church to the modern world by not choosing a man who might roll back some of the late pope's reforms.

It would also mean his fellow cardinals had shrugged off question marks over his management abilities.

'He would represent a continuity of what Pope Francis has been doing,' said Rev. Emmanuel Alfonso, a former student of Tagle's who has known him for decades.

'He's really like Pope Francis in terms of his love for the poor, his approachability and so on.'

When Tagle hosted Francis for a visit to the Philippines in 2014, the visit drew the largest crowds in the history of papal travel, including a Mass that attracted up to 7 million people

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle leads the Rosary for Pope Francis outside the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore), following the death of the pontiff, in Rome, Italy, April 24, 2025

Tagle would be the first pope from what is now considered Asia, although in the early Church some popes hailed from what is now called the Middle East, technically part of Asia.

Tagle, who looks younger than his 67 years and likes to be called by his diminutive nickname 'Chito', has headed the Vatican's Dicastery for Evangelization, effectively the Church's missionary arm, for the past five years.

That position gave him enormous influence over national churches in developing countries.

As archbishop of Manila, and before as bishop of the Philippine city of Imus, Tagle gained pastoral experience in running dioceses in Asia's largest Catholic country.

By bringing him to the Vatican in 2020, Francis gave him one more notch in experiences seen as helpful to papal candidates.

Tagle's move to Rome brought criticism from then-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who oversaw a bloody 'war on drugs' that killed thousands of Filipinos during his 2016-2022 administration.

The main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica where the new Pope will appear for the first time

Tagle, the former archbishop of Manila, would be the first pope from what is now considered Asia, although in the early Church some popes hailed from what is now called the Middle East, technically part of Asia

Duterte said Tagle had been removed from Manila for meddling in national politics.

The Philippine Catholic bishops' conference denied those accusations forcefully.

Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, a conference official made a cardinal in 2024, called Duterte's claim 'unbelievably ludicrous'.

Many cardinals already know Tagle personally, and many may see an attraction in having a pope from Asia, viewed by Church leaders as an important region of growth for the faith.

When Tagle hosted Francis for a visit to the Philippines in 2014, the visit drew the largest crowds in the history of papal travel, including a Mass that attracted up to 7 million people.

Tagle, who speaks Italian, English, and Spanish as well as his native Tagalog, now has five years of experience with the Vatican's arcane bureaucracy, although some cardinals may think even that is not enough to run the global Church.

One possible weakness in Tagle's candidacy is that he was involved in a management scandal three years ago.

In 2022, Francis removed him from a second job as titular head of a Vatican-based confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social services organisations working in more than 200 countries.

Francis fired the entire leadership of the group, called Caritas Internationalis, following allegations of bullying by top management.

Tagle's role, akin to a chancellor of the organisation, was mostly symbolic and ceremonial. He was not directly involved in day-to-day running and was generally admired by staffers.

Unlike Francis, Tagle enjoys a global reputation as a theologian, which could help him gain votes from moderate cardinals concerned by some of Francis' off the cuff utterances, which led to what some called confusion about Church teachings.

In the 1990s, he served on the Vatican's International Theological Commission under German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was known as a strict adherent to traditional doctrine and would later become Pope Benedict XVI.

Rev. Joseph Komonchak, Tagle's professor at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., said the cardinal was one of his best students in 45 years of teaching.

'Not the least of Chito's virtues was the joy that he radiated on everyone who encountered him,' said Komonchak. 'He had a fine sense of humor, which endeared him to his fellow students.'

Rev. Robert Reyes, a seminary classmate who has known Tagle for more than 50 years, said Tagle has an ability to connect with people and a simple style of living. When he first became a bishop in 2001, he didn't own a car.

'He preferred to take rides, to hitch a ride with someone driving to a place that perhaps both of them were going to,' said Reyes.

While 67 is sunset age in many organisations, it is considered young in the Vatican, because few cardinals want a very long pontificate.
A man has appeared in court accused of the murder of a customer who was stabbed to death in a bank.

Father-of-three Gurvinder Johal was attacked in broad daylight at a branch of Lloyds in Derby city centre at around 2.35pm on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old restaurant owner, who had been banking his takings according to friends, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Haybe Cabdiraxmaan Nur was subsequently charged with murder and made a brief appearance at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court this morning.

Nur, 47, spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth via a Somali interpreter during the eight-minute hearing. There was no application for bail, and Nur, of Normanton, Derby, was remanded into custody to appear at Derby Crown Court tomorrow.

District Judge Stephen Flint told him: 'A crown court judge will decide what happens next in this case. That judge will also decide what happens to you.'

The judge also offered his condolences to the family and friends of Mr Johal, many of whom attended court and sat in the public gallery during the hearing.

Derbys Police said a man in his 30s, who was also arrested in connection with the incident, had been released without any further action.

The Lloyds Bank customer stabbed to death in a city centre branch has been named locally as restaurant owner Gurvinder Singh Johal

The man in his 30s was fatally stabbed at Lloyds Bank on St Peters Street on Tuesday afternoon

Mr Johal, known to friends as Danny, owned and ran the Hen and Chickens Bar and Grill restaurant in Shelton Lock.

Police were called to Lloyd's Bank in St Peter's Street, Derby, at around 2.30pm on Tuesday afternoon and despite an air ambulance attending, the victim, in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene.

His death has been called 'senseless' by close friend Councillor Ajit Atwal, leader of the Lib Dem group on Derby City Council, who knew him personally. He told DerbyshireLive the restaurateur was 'the most hard-working and devoted family man'.

He added: 'It's a sad day for Derby. It makes no sense what has happened. Something must have gone terribly wrong for him to be killed in this way.

'He was a good businessman and nothing was ever too much trouble for him. He was humble, quiet and a kind guy and would always go above and beyond for everyone.

Officers were investigating outside the bank on Wednesday morning, where a cordon remained in place

'His family are devastated and cannot understand what has happened. He was just getting on with his life - it's just senseless.'

A friend said the victim had gone to the Lloyds branch to bank his restaurant's weekend takings - having been unable to visit on the Monday because of the bank holiday.

He said Mr Johal was a 'lovely guy' who known as Smiler because he was 'always so happy' and had three children aged between one and seven.

It is understood the victim had just returned from a family holiday in India.

Superintendent Becky Webster, of Derbyshire Police, previously said: 'This is an absolutely devastating incident in the heart of our city.

'For the family of the victim, we know life will never be the same again, and our thoughts are with them as they begin to deal with their tragic loss.

'Those who witnessed the incident and offered first aid tried to help at the scene will also be understandably devastated by what happened, and there will of course be the impact on the wider community from such a shocking event.

A 47-year-old man has been charged with murder following an investigation

'Officers have worked through the night on this investigation and two men were arrested yesterday and they remain in police custody.

'I know people will be concerned by what happened in St Peter's Street yesterday, and we understand those concerns. What we can say at this time is all the information we have suggests this was an isolated incident. No-one else was physically hurt, and we are not looking for anyone else in relation to it.

'We know the St Peter's Cross area of the city has been a concern for residents, businesses and visitors, and there has been significant work with partners over the last 12 months around that area, as well as the wider city centre.

'Again, at this stage it does not appear that the incident is linked to any of the individuals involved in the type of anti-social behaviour that have been seen in the St Peter's Cross area.

'I would like to thank the community and ask them to come together and support each other at what will be difficult days ahead.'
Iran has 'categorically' denied any involvement after reports said the Israeli embassy in London was the alleged target of five Iranian men arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.

The men were arrested at locations across England on Saturday after a suspected plot 'to target a single premises' was uncovered, the Metropolitan Police said.

The embassy in Kensington, west London, is understood to have been the suspected target of the alleged plot, but police declined to share further details.

In a post on X, Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said: 'Iran in no uncertain terms categorically rejects any involvement in such actions and confirms that we have not been informed of any allegations via proper diplomatic channels.

'Iran has urged the UK to engage so that we may assist any probe into credible allegations. Timing and lack of engagement suggest that something is amiss.'

Mr Araghchi said there had been a 'history of third parties bent on derailing diplomacy' and 'provoking escalation resorting to desperate measures, including false flag operations'.

'Iran stands ready to engage to shed light on what has truly transpired, and we reiterate that UK authorities should afford our citizens due process,' he said.

Iran has 'categorically' denied any involvement after reports said the Israeli embassy (pictured) in London was the alleged target of five Iranian men arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi (pictured) 'categorically' denied Iran's involvement in the plot

Pictures of a raid in Rochdale shows three officers dressed in black and two other men dressed in camo gear escorting a suspect out of a property

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's counter-terrorism command, said: 'There are significant operational reasons why we cannot provide further information at this time.

'As soon as possible we will look to share further details and in the meantime we would ask the public to remain vigilant and contact us if you have any concerns.'

The Israeli embassy has been approached for comment.

The five arrested were a 29-year-old man in the Swindon area, a 46-year-old man in west London, a 29-year-old man in the Stockport area, a 40-year-old man in the Rochdale area and a 24-year-old man in the Manchester area.

The first four men were arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, and the fifth was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

Warrants of further detention were secured on Monday for four of the men, with the 24-year-old released on bail with conditions to a date in May.

Another three Iranian men were arrested on Saturday at three addresses in London as part of a separate counter-terrorism operation under section 27 of the National Security Act 2023.

Undercover police officers also swooped on a suspected Iranian terrorist in Swindon on Saturday after posing as customers in a cafe

Pictured: A group of Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers outside a home in Rochdale during another raid on Saturday

Pictured: Police forensic officers search a house on May 04, 2025 in Rochdale, England, following a counter terrorism raid

A window in the property in Rochdale that was raided appears to have been smashed. Locals reportedly heard a series of loud explosions before the suspects were detained

Security minister Dan Jarvis told the Commons on Tuesday the two operations that took place were some of the 'largest counter state threats and counter-terrorism actions we have seen in recent times'.

Iran was the first foreign power to be listed on the top level of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs) earlier this year, aimed at protecting the UK from malign foreign influence.

It means anyone who is directed by the regime to carry out activities in the UK must declare it or face five years in prison once the scheme comes into force in July.

In October last year, the head of MI5, Ken McCallum, said authorities had stopped 20 state-backed plots hatched by Iran in the UK since 2022.
Despots Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have pledged to take on the world order together as 'old friends.'

Seen today in Moscow to celebrate Victory Day with Putin, China's president Xi said that his nation was 'ready to work with Russia to promote an equal, orderly, multiolar and inclusive economic globalisation.'

He said Beijing would stand with Moscow in the face of 'hegemonic bullying', adding: 'in the face of the international counter-current of unilateralism and hegemonic bullying behaviour, China will work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major world powers.'

He added that he was 'visit Russia against at the invitation of my old friend president Putin.'

President Xi is the most high-profile guest at Vladimir Putin's Victory Day celebrations, in which Russia is celebrating victory over the Nazis during the Second World War.

The Russian leader said today: 'The victory over fascism, achieved at the cost of enormous sacrifices, is of lasting significance.

'Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand guard over historical truth, protect the memory of the events of the war years, and counteract modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism', making a thinly veiled reference to his own justification to his invasion of Ukraine.

Xi said they would 'jointly promote the correct view of the history of World War Two, safeguard the authority and status of the United Nations, resolutely defend the rights and interests of China, Russia and the vast majority of developing countries, and work together to promote an equal, orderly, multipolar, and inclusive economic globalisation'.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) during their meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace, on May 8, 2025 in Moscow, Russia

Russian servicemen march towards Red Square for the general rehearsal of the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 7, 2025

Members of Russia's National Guard keep order as a column of tanks T-80BVM moves along a road on the day of a rehearsal for a military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025

The two leaders spoke after approaching each other along a red carpet from opposite ends of one of the Kremlin's most opulent halls and shaking hands in front of the cameras. Each greeted the other as 'dear friend'.

Though Russia was allied with the West in the fight against the Nazis, its celebrations are totally out of step with Europe's celebrations.

While almost all of Europe is today celebrating VE Day, Russia is holding its own ceremony tomorrow with a huge military parade on Red Square in central Moscow to mark the massive Soviet contribution to defeat Nazi Germany.

Even if the end of World War II in Europe spawned one of the most joyous days the continent ever lived, Thursday's 80th anniversary of V-E Day is haunted as much by the specter of current-day conflict as it celebrates the defeat of ultimate evil.

Hitler's Nazi Germany had finally surrendered after a half-decade of invading other European powers and propagating racial hatred that led to genocide, the Holocaust and the murdering of millions.

That surrender and the explosion of hope for a better life is being celebrated with parades in London and Paris and towns across Europe while even the leaders of erstwhile mortal enemies France and Germany are bonding again.

Germany's new foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, paid tribute to 'the enormous sacrifices of the Allies' in helping his country win its freedom from the Nazis and said that millions of people were 'disenfranchised and tormented by the Nazi regime.'

'Hardly any day has shaped our history as much as May 8, 1945,' he said in a statement. 'Our historical responsibility for this breach of civilization and the commemoration of the millions of victims of the Second World War unleashed by Nazi Germany gives us a mandate to resolutely defend peace and freedom in Europe today.'

Russian President Vladimir Putin (2-R) and China's President Xi Jinping (C) attend their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 8 May 2025

The aircraft of President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping is seen landing at Moscow's Vnukovo-2 Airport in Moscow, Russia on May 7, 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping speak during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 8, 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin, second left, talks during meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, center right, at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 8, 2025

A motorcade transporting Chinese President Xi Jinping before his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 8, 2025

His comments underscore that former European enemies may thrive - to the extent that the 27-nation European Union even won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize - but that the outlook has turned gloomy over the past year.

Bodies continue to pile up in Ukraine, where Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion started the worst war on the continent since 1945. The rise of the hard right in several EU member states is putting the founding democratic principles of the bloc under increasing pressure.

And even NATO, that trans-Atlantic military alliance that assured peace in Europe under the U.S. nuclear umbrella and its military clout, is under internal strain rarely seen since its inception.

'The time of Europe's carefree comfort, joyous unconcern is over. Today is the time of European mobilization around our fundamental values and our security,' Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a Dutch memorial event in the lead-up to the celebrations.

It makes this unlikely stretch of peace in Europe anything but a given.

'This peace is always unsure. There are always some clouds above our heads. Let's do what we can, so that peace should reign forever in Europe,' Robert Chot, a Belgian World War II veteran, told a solemn gathering of the European legislature.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola sounded gloomy.

'Once again war has returned to our continent, once again cities are being bombed, civilians attacked, families torn apart. The people of Ukraine are fighting not only for their land, but for freedom, for sovereignty, for democracy, just as our parents and our grandparents once did,' she told the legislature on Wednesday.

'The task before us today is the same as it was then to honor memory, to protect democracy, to preserve peace,' Metsola said.

Commemorations have been going all week through Europe, and Britain has taken a lead. Here too, the current-day plight of Ukraine in its fight against Russia took center stage.

Members of the delegations, led by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, attend a welcoming ceremony before their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 8, 2025

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 8, 2025

'The idea that this was all just history and it doesn't matter now somehow, is completely wrong,' U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. 'Those values of freedom and democracy matter today.'

In London later Thursday, a service will be held in Westminster Abbey and a concert, for 10,000 members of the public, at Horse Guards Parade. In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to oversee a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe.

And in Berlin, Chancellor Friedrich Merz will again highlight how Germany has remodeled itself into a beacon of European democracy by laying a wreath at the central memorial for the victims of war and tyranny.
Nigel Farage is facing calls to discipline a Reform councillor for posting a meme about Adolf Hitler during commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Joel Tetlow, who was elected to Lancashire County Council last week, shared an image linking Nazi attempts to invade Britain in 1940 to present-day migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.

In it, aides of the fascist dictator who killed millions suggest he invade the UK 'slowly' in small boats carrying a few men at a time.

Mr Tetlow, who represents Accrington North, added the comment: 'Let's be grateful this idea was never put to him. Or the world as we know it would be a whole lot different.'

He shared it on Tuesday, the day after King Charles had led VE Day commemorations in London.

He deleted the post from Facebook when confronted by journalists, and later said he had meant no 'disrespect especially with it being around VE Day'.

However Sarah Sands, the Labour MP for Hyndburn, which includes Accrington, said he should be suspended.

'If he had any regard for this country's traditions or the sacrifice that our armed forces played, he would not be downplaying Hitler's attempts to invade Britain to score political points,' she said.

Joel Tetlow, who was elected to Lancashire County Council last week, shared an image linking Nazi attempts to invade Britain in 1940 to present-day migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.

In it, aides of the fascist dictator who killed millions suggest he invade the UK 'slowly' in small boats carrying a few men at a time.

Tuesday was also the day that Reform UKs newest MP, Sarah Pochin, took her seat in the House of Commons after her by-election success over Labour.

'Anyone who is truly patriotic would not be sharing such disgraceful content so publicly. He is now an elected representative and frankly needs to do better.'

Party leader Mr Farage and his senior aides have been at pains to show they are professionalising the party, with vigorous vetting for election candidates, after controversies ahead of the general election last year.

In a statement sent to Sky News Mr Tetlow, who works as a renewable energy consultant, said the post had been taken out of context, adding: 'The boats that are coming in on a daily basis of up to 1,000 per day has been happening for the past four years or more, and are showing no signs of abating.

'We do not know who these people are, and I was likening it to an invasion. Just as in Greece they used a wooden horse to sneak into Troy during the Trojan War, disguising their soldiers inside.

'We just want to protect our great country and the citizens within it. I feel that this post is being taken out of context.'

Tuesday was also the day that Reform UKs newest MP took her seat in the House of Commons after her by-election success over Labour.

Sarah Pochin was flanked by party leader Nigel Farage and chief whip Lee Anderson as she arrived in the Commons.

She then took an oath of allegiance to the Crown, which all MPs are required to do before they can take their seat in Parliament.

In one of the closest parliamentary contests ever, former Tory councillor Ms Pochin became the MP for Runcorn and Helsby after she defeated the Labour candidate by just six votes.

Labour had won with a majority of almost 14,700 less than a year ago but a by-election was triggered when former MP Mike Amesbury quit after admitting punching a constituent.
White smoke has finally risen from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel - indicating that cardinals have elected a new pope on the second and final day of conclave.

That means the winner secured at least 89 votes of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

The name will be announced later, when a top cardinal utters the words 'Habemus papam!' Latin for 'We have a pope!' from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica.

The cardinal then reads the winner's birth name in Latin, and reveals the name he has chosen to be called. The new pontiff is expected to appear on the balcony overlooking St Peters Square within an hour.

Cheering crowds erupted outside in St Peter's Square as they waited to discover who had been elected as the next pope.

Hailing from 70 different countries, the 133-strong group of cardinals gathered in the Vatican for the centuries-old ritual to elect the 267th pontiff following the death of Pope Francis last month.

Chants of 'Abbiamo Papa, ole, ole,ole' and 'Viva il Papa' could be heard from the thousands that had rushed towards the square and the flags of dozens of countries were being waved in front of stunningly sunlit St Peter's Basilica.

Older cardinals who didn't participate in the conclave rushed out to the square and lined up as military bands played the Italian and Holy See national anthems.

Spotted in the crowd were American Cardinals Sean O'Malley and Donald Wuerl, both of whom are over 80 and didn't vote.

Swiss Guards have taken position in front of front of St. Peter's Basilica.

A marching brass band in blue uniforms led a contingent of Swiss guards through the crowd to a central spot below the balcony, generating another huge roar from the crowd.

The Pontifical Swiss Guard is the official security force of the Vatican, and holds a ceremonial and a protective function.

And now more marching bands are celebrating the election of a new pope in a parade that includes large groups in military dress uniforms.

White smoke has finally risen from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel - indicating that cardinals have elected a new pope on the second and final day of conclave

Swiss guards gather after white smoke rose from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel

Swiss Guards and music band enter the parvis of St Peter's basilica before the first appearance of the new Pope, after the cardinals ended the conclave

Swis guards march as white smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel where 133 cardinals are gathering on the second day of the conclave

Swiss Guards take position on the parvis of St Peter's basilica before the first appearance of the new Pope

White smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new pope has been elected at the Vatican

People react as white smoke (unseen) signals that cardinals elected a new pope

Prelates celebrate on St Peter's Square as cardinals signaled they elected a new pope during their conclave

Chants of 'Abbiamo Papa, ole, ole,ole' and 'Viva il Papa' could be heard from the thousands that had rushed towards the square and the flags of dozens of countries were being waved in front of stunningly sunlit St Peter's Basilica

People react as white smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel

People waiting in the crowd hug after seeing the white smoke

Cheers erupted in St Peter's Square

Faithful react to the white smoke

A nun reacts as white smoke (unseen) signals that cardinals elected a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8

Priests embrace each other as they react to white smoke from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel

Nuns react to the white smoke indicating that a new pope has been elected

The smoke had begun billowing from the chimney just after 6pm sending pilgrims into an explosion of joy.

Shortly before the white smoke a seagull and its infant chick were seen by the chimney prompting applause and cheers.

Then as the crowd watched the adorable scene on large TV screens as the mother fed the little infant white smoke began to appear.

French Cardinal Dominque Mamberti is expected to announce the identity of the new Pope in the next few minutes.

The new Pontiff will be taken from the Sistine Chapel to the Stanza delle Lacrime(Room of Tears) to dress in his new white robes before passing back to acknowledge colleagues and then onto the balcony to greet and bless pilgrims.

Last night's first round of voting prompted groans around the square after black smoke was seen rising from the chimney, indicating no result had been reached.

Black smoke was also seen this morning, showing the second round had, equally, not yielded a result.

Up to four votes a day can take place from then, two in the morning and two in the afternoon, with white smoke confirming a new pope has been chosen.

It was unlikely that the cardinals would come to a consensus with the first few votes, given that previous elections have taken a number of days.

The longest conclave in history was almost three years, when Pope Gregory X was elected.

White smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel during the conclave to elect a successor of late Pope Francis, at the Vatican

Black smoke was also seen at 10.52am UK time this morning, showing the second round had not yielded a result

It was bizarrely followed by some white smoke, which is meant to indicate that a new pope has been elected - but this appears to have been a mistake

The 133 cardinal-electors entered the Sistine Chapel in solemn procession yesterday to start the conclave

People gathered near a screen displaying a live feed of the chimney on the Sistine Chapel

The shortest lasted just 10 hours and ended with the election of Pope Julius II in 1503.

In recent history the next leader of the Catholic Church has usually been elected within two or three days.

But the outcome this time round was reached within 24 hours, indicating that many cardinals united around a clear favourite.

The first two or three rounds of voting are generally seen as a 'jockeying' for position, and it is usually not until later rounds that a winner comes forward.

Of the 252 living cardinals, 138 are under 80 and therefore eligible to vote in the conclave.

16 are based in North America, 54 in Europe, 24 in Asia, 4 in Central America, 18 in South America and 4 in Oceania.

To emerge as the next pontiff, one man needs to secure a two-thirds majority, or 89 ballots.

The frontrunner was thought to be Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, from the Philippines, who would have been the first Asian pope.

Pietro Parolin, the current secretary of state for the Vatican, was also considered to be a leading candidate.

Cheering crowds were seen waiting outside in St Peter's Square as they waited to discover who has been elected as the next pontiff

Tens of thousands of faithful patiently waited for the result

Spectators have waited hours in St Peter's Square in hope of a result

Nuns walk near Saint Peter's Basilica, on the second day of the conclave to elect the new pope

Thousands of worshippers packed into St Peter's Square to watch the action unfold on giant screens

People at St. Peter's square waited to see smoke pour from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel

Nuns pray on St Peter's Square on the second day of the conclave

Nuns run to get a position, as the gates open giving access for the public to the front of St. Peter's Basilica

Statues of St Peter's basilica on the second day of the conclave, in The Vatican

The voting cardinals were yesterday urged to 'invoke the help of the Holy Spirit' to help them elect a pope 'whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history'.

They started the process by attending a special mass in St Peter's Basilica where senior cardinal Giovanni Battista Re urged those voting to set aside 'every personal consideration' when selecting a new leader.

At around 3.30pm UK time, 133 cardinals eligible to vote in this year's conclave filed into the Sistine Chapel to begin the election but not before taking a collective and individual oath of secrecy.

Thousands of worshippers packed into St Peter's Square to watch the action unfold on giant screens including the moment the doors to the Sistine Chapel were closed at around 4.47pm.

Crowds of around 45,000 people gathered in front of the Vatican to await the outcome of the first round of voting and eventually saw black smoke billowing from the chimney at around 8pm.

At around 9.40pm, the Vatican released a statement explaining the delay in releasing the smoke which was blamed on translation issues.

By that time, speculation had spread over the reason for the hold up.

'They probably need more time,' Costanza Ranaldi, a 63-year-old who travelled from Pescara in Italy's Abruzzo region to the Vatican, said.

Barbara Mason, who made the journey from Canada, added: 'I don't want it rushed - whatever they need to do to make the right decision.'

Gabriel Capry, a 27-year-old from London, stayed to follow proceedings even after the black smoke appeared last night.

He said: 'My hope is that cardinals will choose a man who can be a peacemaker and could reunify the church.'

For many, watching the process turned out to be a perfect 'aperitivo' activity.

Caffe Centrale, on the main drag of the Veneto hometown of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a papal favorite, filled up with locals and journalists awaiting the first sign of smoke.

Bonora, a supporter of Parolin, said that when he returns to the town of 2,600, he asks to be called 'Don Piero,' the way a parish priest would be addressed rather than 'eminence,' a cardinal's honorific. Piero is the Veneto dialect for Pietro.

Parolin, 70, is a veteran diplomat who was Francis' secretary of state, essentially the Holy See's prime minister and No. 2 to the pope.

Caffe Centrale, on the main drag of the Veneto hometown of Cardinal Pietro Parolin (pictured), a papal favorite, filled up with locals and journalists awaiting the first sign of smoke on Wednesday

For many, watching the process turned out to be a perfect 'aperitivo' activity

A seagull stands on one of the statues in St. Peter's Square on the second day of the conclave

Today - the second day of voting - there were no sermons or signing in process, with ballots underway this morning.

After black smoke rose this morning, the cardinals sat down for lunch before resting prior to the next round of voting.

Cardinal Battista Re, who is not eligible to take part in the conclave because he is over 80, said this morning that he expected to 'find white smoke' when he returned to Rome this evening.

The first sign of the new pope's priorities will be revealed in the name he chooses.

After the announcement 'Habemus Papam'  'We have a pope'  from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica is followed first by the revelation of the new pontiff's baptismal name, in Latin, followed by his papal name.

A Pope Francis II would signify continuity with the late pontiff's pastoral legacy and his prioritising of the marginalised.
A teenage girl who allegedly led police on a high-speed chase casually told cops 'It was only a little one,' after being slapped with cuffs.

The 17, along with two males, both 14, and a 12-year-old girl allegedly travelled in a stolen Mazda CX-3 from Victoria, and on Thursday led cops on a wild pursuit from Edmondson Park in Sydney's southwest to Bondi Junction in the eastern suburbs.

Four youths were eventually arrested about 10.30am by two rookie constables on their first day on the job, after the dumping the vehicle and Bondi Junction Railway Station.

'It wasn't even that bad of a chase,' the alleged driver told awaiting cameramen from Nine News.

'It was only a little one.'

One of the older boys allegedly in the vehicle was then asked whether he thought the chase had been 'smart'.

'Yep,' he replied.

The alleged chase began after police tried to stop a Mazda CX-3 on the Hume Highway at Edmondson Park.

The group was arrested - two boys aged 14, and two girls aged 12 and 17 (pictured one of the arrested teens)

One of the teens told media the chase had just been 'a little one' following her arrest

When the vehicle failed to stop, officers chased it along the M5 Motorway towards the M7 at Prospect but it was called off due to safety concerns.

Polair began tracking the vehicle from the air as it sped through Milperra, where the pursuit started again.

But it was ended once again when items were thrown from the moving car at a pursuing police vehicle.

Despite efforts to evade capture, the stolen Mazda was tracked eastbound along the M5, weaving through the suburbs of Alexandria, Zetland, Centennial Park, Randwick, and eventually Bondi Junction.

At approximately 11.20am, the car was abandoned inside the Bondi Junction Railway Station bus interchange.

All four occupants fled on foot into the train station.

Plain clothes officers spotted the group, sparking a foot chase through the station.

The four were arrested shortly after - two boys aged 14, and two girls aged 12 and 17.

The pursuit ended in a foot chase through the station (pictured two of the arrested teens)

Police had abandoned the pursuit in Sydney's southwest following safety concerns but PolAir remained tracking the children

One of the boys behind the alleged pursuit replied 'yep', when asked if the behaviour was 'smart'

The group were taken to Surry Hills Police Station and were assisting officers with inquiries, police said.

The chase shocked Bondi residents as it tore through the suburb.

They described seeing a masked driver running red lights and weaving on the wrong side of the road.

'The car ran a red light, just missing a car,' one person said.

'The male driver had his face covered up and there were a few in the car.'

'The car went through a red light past me on the wrong side of the road and then about 10 undercover cars and police cars were chasing them,' another said.
Germany has sacked a top NATO general after he reportedly made a rape joke in front of a female British army officer.

Major General Hartmut Renk, 62, was dismissed from his role as deputy commander for Ukraine support in the alliance after he was heard saying: 'If rape is inevitable, then relax and enjoy,' during a meeting.

The offensive comment reportedly sparked outrage in the room, where a number of NATO colleagues were said to be present.

The British military officer then lodged a formal complaint, prompting an urgent investigation by Germany's defence ministry.

According to German news website Der Spiegel, Renk admitted to making the remark, claiming it was meant as 'ironic and sarcastic' motivation - a defence that failed to prevent his dismissal from his posting in Wiesbaden, west Germany.

The scandal reached the highest levels of Germany's military and government with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Carsten Breuer, the head of the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, becoming personally involved in reviewing the case.

Pistorius later confirmed that Renk had been dismissed from his critical role due to the gravity of the incident.

According to Spiegel Renk's NATO career is now effectively over. A planned promotion to a different posting to NATO's Norfolk command base in the US has been scrapped over the rape comments, and his early departure from Wiesbaden has already been initiated.

Major General Hartmut Renk was dismissed from his role as deputy commander for Ukraine support in the alliance after he was heard saying: 'If rape is inevitable, then relax and enjoy,' during a meeting

The scandal reached the highest levels of Germany's military and government with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (pictured) and Carsten Breuer, the head of the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, becoming personally involved in reviewing the case

Renk is now to be temporarily retired in the autumn.

The general, who joined the Bundeswehr in 1982 and previously served in Afghanistan and Kosovo, has become the second high-ranking German officer in a year to be pulled from a top NATO post.

Last year, a separate officer was recalled to Germany after being caught taking classified documents home from NATO headquarters in Brussels.

But the incident is another blow to Germany's efforts to reshape its armed forces under Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ambitious slogan 'Germany is back'.

The centre-right leader has pledged a massive funding boost and structural reform of the Bundeswehr to address its reputation for being underfunded, disorganised, and underprepared for modern conflict.

A string of recent scandals, including the infamous 2024 leak of a secret call among Luftwaffe officers discussing the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine, has cast doubts over the Bundeswehr's internal discipline and NATO reliability.

Germany's defence minister has refused to comment further on the Renk case, citing confidentiality over personal matters.

A spokeswoman told The Times: 'For reasons of data protection and personal rights, we are generally unable to make any statements on personal issues, regardless of the facts requested or persons mentioned.

She added: 'Irrespective of your specific inquiry and as a matter of principle, there is no room for sexualised misconduct in the Bundeswehr and appropriate measures will be initiated and implemented without exception and consistently, regardless of the individual, if possible cases become known.'
Putin's TV propagandists have threatened 'nation of freaks' Britain with 24 hours notice to leave - or be sunk under a nuclear tidal wave.

And despite calling a three-day unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine starting today, his Kremlin-paid studio warriors vowed to wipe cities Kyiv and Lviv off the map in the coming days.

Russia propaganda broadcasts are choreographed by the Putin regime, and the new bilious tone is more anti-British than ever, blaming London for leading the West in standing up for - and arming - Ukraine.

Pro-Putin war fanatic and propagandist Igor Markov, an ex-Ukrainian MP, asked: 'Don't we understand that [Britain] is waging a war against us?

'Ukraine is a proxy. Britain is waging all these drones....

'How long can we tolerate this?

'Can't we find some former British colony that would suddenly.want to take revenge for centuries or years of humiliation, that would suddenly [be given] hypersonic missiles and drones?

'And start burning British ports, British ships.submarines.

'Until they begin to feel on their own skin the evil that they bring, they will not calm down.'

Pro-Putin war fanatic and propagandist Igor Markov, an ex-Ukrainian MP, said of Britain: 'What a nation of freaks'

Vladimir Solovyov said the answer was to launch Putin's new Poseidon high-speed nuclear-armed underwater drone at Britain, creating a tidal wave which would drown the population

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives for his talks with China President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, May 8, 2025

Markov claimed he had been twice to Britain: 'I, as a simple citizen, saw so many ugly people, a degenerating nation.

'If a pretty woman walks past, she is either Slavic or Italian...

'What a nation of freaks, degenerates!

'So vile, cynical. And skilled in their vileness. What a nightmare.

'Why have the British been pestering us for centuries?'

But Putin's top propagandist Vladimir Solovyov said the answer was to launch Putin's new Poseidon high-speed nuclear-armed underwater drone at Britain, creating a tidal wave which would drown the population.

Frothing Solovyov said: 'I have friends in Britain - wonderful people, beautiful by the way

'You just need to tell them: 'Guys, you have 24 hours, either learn to breathe underwater.or leave [Britain].'

A similar chilling threat was issued against Ukraine, with military expert Andrei Klintsevich telling state TV viewers that Putin will make major decisions on the war on 10 or 11 May.

A Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile

Pictured: Russia's only intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test site explodes during Sarmat missile maintenance

Frothing Solovyov said: 'I have friends in Britain - wonderful people, beautiful by the way'

Markov railed against Brits on propagandistic TV

Solovyov said that Russia had the capability of drowning millions with tidal nuclear weapons

Solovyov warned Ukraines: 'Everything is going towards this anyway.

'There will be no Lviv or Kyiv - these cities will not exist.

'We will rebuild them later.

'Therefore, I strongly advise the residents of these cities to leave urgently now.

'Leave the employees of the military recruitment centres, local authorities, SBU, military facilities there..

'And civilians urgently need to leave these cities.

'Take everything you have and go to Poland, well, anywhere.

'If there are too many of you, they won't be able to block the border.

'You'll break the border.'

Putin will on Friday stage a massive military show of strength in Moscow's Red Square, ostensibly to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe.

The parade is seen as a warning to Ukraine and Europe of further military adventures by the Kremlin.
Labour MPs have been warned they face the 'fight of our lives' against Nigel Farage in the wake of local elections.

Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden appealed for the party to pull together in 'a battle for the very future and the heart and soul of our country'.

But the stark message, at a behind closed-doors meeting last night, comes amid evidence of deepening rifts on the government benches.

The Labour Growth Group, an influential caucus of new MPs, has sounded the alarm that Mr Farage will become PM unless the UK gets out of an 'economic doom loop'.

Pressure is mounting on Rachel Reeves as stalling growth wreaks havoc with her spending plans.

The Niesr think-tank has become the latest forecaster to downgrade Britain's prospects, cautioning that the Chancellor might have to fill a black hole of more than 60billion in the government's books.

Donald Trump's trade war has been blamed - although Ms Reeves' massive national insurance raid is also seen as helping to crush activity.

Labour MPs have been warned they face the 'fight of our lives' against Nigel Farage (pictured) in the wake of local elections

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Pressure is mounting on Rachel Reeves (pictured) as stalling growth wreaks havoc with her spending plans

Chris Curtis, chair of the Labour Growth Group, told the Guardian: 'Britain is stuck in a complete economic doom loop. We've had low growth.

'That's led to pretty awful cuts. It's led to public services that are broken. And it's led to disillusionment and division among the country...

'Until we get out of that economic doom loop, Nigel Farage is going to become prime minister. I think the stakes are that high.'

Mr Curtis said Whitehall was 'hooked on business as usual and will need shock therapy to get off it  No 10 talks about governing as insurgents, but we're often behaving like caretakers of decline. They have to be more forceful in driving that culture through the system.'

As panic spread following Reform's surge in the local elections - when Labour lost nearly 200 councillors and the previously safe Commons seat of Runcorn - the Red Wall group of MPs have demanded a 'break away from Treasury orthodoxy'.

Left-wingers have been calling for a 'wealth tax' to replace cuts to the winter fuel allowance and benefits.

There has also been a push from so-called 'Blue Labour' faction for a stronger crackdown on immigration.

Niesr predicted that the UK economy will grow by 1.2 per cent this year 'amid low business confidence, high uncertainty and rising cost pressures'.

In its previous forecasts in February, Niesr had pointed to 1.5 per cent growth in 2025.

As a result, the think-tank said the Government is now expected to miss its fiscal rules requiring UK national debt as a share of the economy to fall and to be on course for a budget surplus.

In the Government's spring statement, Ms Reeves said state finances were on track to give a headroom worth around 9.9billion by 2029-30.

Niesr's forecasts suggest this could now be set for a shortfall of 62.9billion over this time frame, suggesting the Treasury could need to look at more spending cuts or tax increases to achieve a surplus.

Stephen Millard, Niesr interim director, said: 'The Chancellor's self-imposed and arbitrary fiscal rules have led to a situation where twice a year the Chancellor has to either find further departmental savings or announce politically unpalatable tax rises.

'The uncertainty created by this leads to low investment and lower growth, the precise reverse of what the government wants to achieve. We have to rethink the fiscal framework.'

It is the latest body to trim back the UK's economic growth contexts amid pressure from changes to US tariff policies on the global economy.

Last month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its UK growth forecast by 0.5 percentage points to 1.1 per cent for this year.

Adrian Pabst, deputy director for public policy at the organisation, said: 'The Government's ambition of boosting growth and living standards in every part of the United Kingdom requires a comprehensive, credible plan of economic transformation which is yet to emerge.

Keir Starmer (pictured) is trying to keep a lid on frustration from a variety of Labour factions

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'While planning reform and infrastructure investments in London and the South East will add to GDP growth, we need higher public investment in second-tier cities and poorer regions to unlock greater business investment.'

The Conservatives meanwhile accused Ms Reeves of 'playing fast and loose with the public finances'.

Shadow chancellor Mel Stride added: 'She should have learned lessons after she was forced into an emergency budget in March.

'Now she is once again teetering on the edge of breaking her own fiscal rules.

'This inevitably means rising speculation about further painful tax rises come the autumn, all at a time when businesses are in desperate need of certainty, and households are worried about rising bills.'
A frustrated passenger says he saved 70 on 'ridiculous' train fares from Manchester to London by flying via Iceland.

Muscab Salad, 22, was on his way home to London when he discovered the return train back to the capital was 130.

Shocked at the 'ridiculous' price, he began searching for alternative travel arrangements - and found he could fly to Keflavik in Iceland with Jet2 for just 21.

Once there, Mr Salad, from west London, spent 18 hours sightseeing and exploring the city.

He then took a 36 flight back to London the same evening, with the whole trip costing him a total of 57.

As well as saving 75, Mr Salad told how flying through Iceland was a bonus as he has always wanted to visit.

In his viral online video documenting his trip, he is seen enjoying a hot chocolate in the Icelandic town before he is off to try the country's national dish, Hakarl.

The content creator said he also visited a thermal bath and spoke to locals while walking around the city.

Muscab Salad, 32, was on his way home to London from Manchester but refused to take the 130 train

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That's why he's gone to Iceland: Mr Salad took a huge detour to avoid overpriced train tickets - instead flying to Keflavik for 21

In his viral video, Mr Salad said: 'I definitely recommend day trips, do it more, f*** the trains.'

He continued: 'I was in Manchester and needed to get back to London. [Going via Iceland] was so much cheaper.

'I wanted to go to Iceland at some point so I thought I might as well do the flight route back.

'I saw the price of the tickets and got the idea, it was 130 because it's more expensive in the morning.

'I went in the morning and I came back in the early morning the next day.

'I needed to be in London by afternoon so I had time. In total the flight was 57.

'I flew there and back with budget airlines, it was literally half the price. It just makes more sense, it was so much cheaper.

'I went around the town. I had the food there, I spoke to random people. It was just a fun day out, it wasn't like a full holiday.

In his viral video, Mr Salad said: 'I definitely recommend day trips, do it more, f*** the trains'

Mr Salad is pictured in Iceland, where he spent the day enjoying local culture and national cuisine

'I went to a thermal bath and had the national dish which is fermented shark. It was better than I expected.'

Mr Salad claims the price of trains in the UK is not justified and that it is too expensive compared to European countries.

The traveller said he would do a similar trip again instead of paying for the train and would recommend it to others looking to explore other cities.

He said: 'Train tickets in the UK are expensive, I feel like everyone knows that. Even if you book in advance it's still expensive, it's still cheaper to fly.

'It's cheaper to meet up in Spain than meet up in Manchester, that's how ridiculous it is. We have the most expensive trains in Europe, it's not justified.

'I would 100 percent do it again. Seeing another country is not a bad thing, it's a bonus.

'I'm happy I got to experience Iceland. I recommend that people travel, it's a lot cheaper than people think.'
Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip star Ochuko Ojiri has been charged with a terror offence after a police probe into terrorist financing.

The 53-year-old art dealer, who has appeared on the hit BBC shows for several years, is due to appear before Westminster magistrates' court tomorrow.

He is the first person to be charged with a specific offence under section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000.

This includes eight counts of failing to make a disclosure during the course of business within the regulated sector.

The charges against the TV personality, full name Oghenochuko Ojiri, relate to a period from October 2020 to December 2021.

Ojiri, from West London, was previously the owner of a vintage shop in London called Pelicans & Parrots that shut its doors in 2021.

Ochuko Ojiri, 53, has been a regular face on BBC shows for several years

Police said today that he had become the first person to be charged with a specific offence under section 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000

The shop, which was dubbed 'the coolest place in London', sold contemporary furniture, curated houseware and gifts.

Ojiri, an antiques specialist, first appeared on screens on the BBC's Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

He then became a regular on Bargain Hunt, gaining a reputation for his enthusiastic on-screen demeanor and love of hats.

Ojiri has also starred on Antiques Road Trip since 2021 - travelling around the UK while attempting to make a profit on forgotten items.

Away from his broadcast career, Ojiri founded the Ramp Gallery, a venue specialising in emerging and contemporary artists.

He has previously described his love of collecting items including contemporary art, paintings, prints, sculpture and drawings.

Ojiri has gained a reputation for his enthusiastic on-screen demeanor and love of hats

'I'm absolutely obsessed, in love and infatuated,' he told the BBC.

Asked what he liked about appearing on Bargain Hunt, he said: 'Who doesn't like a bargain? I certainly do.

'I also love the passion of the contestants, and their many likes and dislikes.'

Ojiri said he also enjoyed travelling during his television work, adding: 'Every time you set out, it's an adventure with endless possibilities.

'When I find something I love my heart pounds. There's no other feeling like it!

The investigation that prompted the charges against Ojiri was carried out by officers from the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit (NTFIU), which is part of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command.

The Treasury, HMRC and the Met's Arts & Antiques Unit were all also involved in the probe, police said.

Ojiri has not worked on BBC programmes since 2023.

A BBC spokesman said: 'It would not be appropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.'
The two Hawksmoor customers who thought they were polishing off a bottle of Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande and tried to order another didn't realise how lucky they had it.

Because while they were prepared to fork out 250 for a bottle of the vibrant, well-structured red, the wine they had just enjoyed was far, far, far more expensive.

Due to a very pricey mistake by the member of staff serving them at the Manchester branch of Hawksmoor, the wine they had just drunk was in fact a 2001 Chateau Le Pin Pomerol.

The celebrated red wine comes in at 4,500 a bottle and is regarded as amongst the most expensive in the world.

Now the full story of how the bottle of wine came to be accidentally sold in 2019 has been revealed for the first time by the chief executive of the steak restaurant empire.

Hawksmoor boss Will Beckett has now spilled the details of the viral incident, which took place in 2019, for the first time to the Go To Food podcast.

Mr Beckett recalled the moment the new assistant general manager realised she had served the wrong bottle and then had to pretend they had run out to avoid repeating her mistake.

** Were YOU the lucky diners? Email noor.qurashi@mailonline.co.uk **

Pictured, right, the wine the customer was set on ordering when he was handed the 4,500 red (left)

The lucky diners had been enjoying a meal at the upmarket Hawksmoor steak restaurant in 2019 in Manchester when a 'mortified' staff member realised her error

He said that she was working a shift when two guys ordered a bottle of wine.

And yeah, its like a spendy bottle of Bordeaux, 200-something quid, he continued. She trots off to a wine room... has a quick look around, grabs bottle, comes back, opens it, says is this the bottle, [they say] Yep, yep, yep.

'[She] pours the wine, goes about her business. About an hour, they're like, "can we have another bottle of that"?

'She's like, "yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah", goes back, it's weird, there isn't another bottle of that. That doesn't usually happen.'

He added: 'I think at that moment, she's like, "oh my f***ing god, I've given them a bottle of Chateau Le Pen 2001".

'Four and a half thousand pound bottle of wine.'

He said the staff member 'styled it out at the table' and told the customers 'I'm really sorry guys, we don't have any more of that'.

Mr Beckett continued: 'They're like, "oh no problem, maybe we'll have something, something, something", they got another bottle of wine. Paid and left.

'And obviously, end of shift, she says to the general manager at the time, "what's happened"?

'So I get a text message, middle of the night, wake up and read at quarter to seven in the morning, "Will, this has happened".'

Mr Beckett's tweet about the incident went viral and saw reservations for the restaurant skyrocket

Mr Beckett said he was using Twitter a lot of the time and so posted about the mix-up.

On the social media site, he wrote: 'To the customer who accidentally got given a bottle of Chateau le Pin Pomerol 2001, which is 4500 on our menu, last night - hope you enjoyed your evening! To the member of staff who accidentally gave it away, chin up! One-off mistakes happen and we love you anyway.'

Mr Beckett said he closed the app and then realised later on the tweet had gone 'crazy viral'.

He added: 'I think it got like, I don't know, like 65,000 likes, you know, 20,000 retweets, like millions of views.

'And over the course of 24 hours, this story turned into a global news story.

'People who work here's parents were calling them from like Australia, Croatia, Chile, to kind of say, we've just seen your restaurant on the television.'

Mr Beckett revealed the company had made 'way more money' than was lost because of the blunder, which saw diners flock to the restaurant in their droves.

He said: 'And I mean, Hawksmoor got busier for like, it just had this little blip for a couple of weeks.

'We made way more money with that than we lost by giving away that thing.'

Hawksmoor, which came second in Time Out's top 16 eateries in the city, boasts that the vintage is a 'tremendous effort' on its menu

The restaurant, which came second in Time Out's top 16 eateries in the city, boasts that the vintage is a 'tremendous effort' on its menu.

'Its deep ruby/plum/purple colour is accompanied by an extraordinary perfume of creme de cassis, cherry liqueur, plums, liquorice, caramel, and sweet toast,' it says.

The pricey bottle of red is the most expensive wine on offer and the beverage is listed under a section headed 'rarities'.

If the lucky diners had ordered the cheapest bottle of red on the menu - a 2014 Armigero, Sangiovese Riserva - for 26, the eatery would have been out of pocket by 4,474.

The second priciest bottle is a 1996 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, which would set them back 1,750.

Chateau Le Pin, which crafted the drink, is described as 'built on the bedrock of the twin factors of excellence and rarity' on the website Cult Wines.

Located in Bordeaux, it is one of the smallest estates in the region and produces some of its most expensive wines.

The rarity of the red is the reason behind its sky-high price, which is expected to rise over time as more of the finite stock is drunk.
TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp has defended her husband's plans to re-open a Victorian pub - after locals claimed the new venue would provide a 'deluxe box seat' for upskirters.

Kirstie's husband Ben Andersen wants to reopen the former boozer on Latimer Road in North London.

His property company Wentworth Anderson has recently withdrawn plans to reinstate a historic lightwell at the property after locals complained that it could be used for upskirting.

Lightwells were traditionally used to allow air and light into pub cellars, reducing the need for electricity.

In the initial plans, a lightwell was set to be put in place near the pub's entrance, which caused fury among locals - including one who penned a 500-word missive on why the lightwell shouldn't be allowed, describing it as akin to 'a voyeur's deluxe box seat.'

Upskirting was made a criminal offence in 2019.

Mr Andersen has now withdrawn the plans, saying he will come up with an alternative.

Meanwhile Kirstie, 53, said there was a huge amount of support for the venture.

Kirstie Allsopp's husband Ben Andersen has been criticised for his plans to reopen the Victorian pub

Kirstie Allsopp's husband has been criticised for the plans for the pub's refurbishment

Speaking last night, the Location, Location, Location star said: 'We really really want to open that pub. The community wants us to open that pub. There is a need for that pub.

'Wentworth Andersen very much hope to open that pub as soon as possible.'

Wentworth Anderson bought the historic property in 2023 and are hoping to turn it back into a traditional pub.

That included reinstating a grille on the pavement outside which would once have allowed air into the basement cellar - necessary for the storage of beer barrels.

But some living nearby said the plan to bring back a metal grille last used at least half a century ago would flout rules under the Equality Act 2010 because it would obstruct people with disabilities, visual impairements or wheelchairs from using the pavement.

Wentworth Andersen withdrew the application to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) on May 2.

It follows the withdrawal of a previous application to replace the cellar cooling and kitchen extract systems and alter a rear flue.

While some derided bringing back the historic lightwell, others did support it.

The former lightwell can be seen paved over to the left of the photo, original plans could have seen it reinstated

Plans showing the ground and basement floors of the pub with the area where the lightwell is hatched off

Local man Mark Martin said: 'Pubs deserve all the help they can get.

'Most campaigns are against pubs closing, not them re-opening!

'I really cannot see how the restoration of something that was previously there can be objected to.

'Pubs are community assets, and restoring original features deserves wholehearted support from the council.'

But others hated the idea, with one female local saying the lightwell plans were akin to 'a voyeur's deluxe box seat', adding: 'If the goal was to create a wholly inappropriate and wildly tone-deaf feature, then mission accomplished.

'Surely, surely, we've evolved beyond designing our streets like the set of a Victorian peep show?

'If this is heritage, then perhaps we should also bring back gas lamps and cholera.'

Previously known as Ariadne's Nectar Bar, it was bought by the company in 2023 and renovation work is ongoing.

Property development company Wentworth Anderson - run by Location, Location, Location star Allsopp's husband Ben Andersen - is redeveloping the pub on Latimer Road in north London

But not everyone is happy with every part of the Victorian building's restoration.

Last year the project fell foul of neighbours when a huge sign appeared on the side of the building with 'Allsopp's' written on it.

The owners were criticised, with some saying that they were imposing Kirstie's name on the area.

It later transpired that her great-great-grandfather owned a beer brand which is now being revived by her cousin Jamie and is expected to be sold in the pub.

Plans to bring back the lightwell were also criticised by locals.

One even wrote a huge letter blasting the idea as 'baffling and frankly retrograde'. Others said it was planning by stealth as it made them worry that by introducing light it would pave the way for conversion of the basement into flats.

Documents submitted to RBKC show that Wentworth Andersen want to reinstate the original lightwell which once lay on the pavement outside the Victorian boozer.

They would use conservation grade black grilles painted in black gloss.

The owners were criticised, with some saying they were imposing Kirstie's name on the area

Speaking of the fact the lightwell could be used by perverts, one local let rip, saying: 'Community spaces are precious, and their return is usually cause for celebration.

'However, any enthusiasm I felt has been thoroughly eclipsed by the baffling and frankly retrograde decision to reintroduce a design feature that belongs firmly in the past - if not in the bin.

'Not only am I a woman who enjoys strolling through her neighbourhood without fearing a low-angle photo shoot, I'm also a mother to a young daughter.

'And now I find myself wondering whether this grille is intended as some sort of open-air museum piece on how not to design public infrastructure.

'Given that upskirting has been a criminal offence since the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019, one might assume the days of designing public spaces that actively enable it were behind us.

'Yet here we are, with a planning proposal that seems to forget the last decade ever happened.

'What's next - a request to reinstall the pillory outside the tube station for 'character'?

'Should I be grateful the application doesn't include a ladder and subscription viewing service?

It transpired that her great-great-grandfather owned a beer brand which is now being revived by her cousin Jamie and is expected to be sold in the pub

'In short: I would rather not have to explain to my daughter why, in her own neighbourhood, she must avoid a certain patch of pavement lest she inadvertently become the star of someone's grainy underground film.

'Will we be installing signs advising women to tread lightly? Or perhaps issuing skirts with built-in blackout panels for passers-by?

'The proposed lightwell is to be installed directly next to the entrance of a commercial pub, because clearly, nothing says 'welcome in for a pint' like an open viewing grid underfoot.

'The fact it was concreted over more than two decades ago speaks volumes.

'Someone, somewhere, clearly saw it for what it was: a liability, not a legacy.

'It's as though the entire idea was lifted straight from a time capsule-and not in a charming way.

'I support the reopening of the pub wholeheartedly - but this lightwell is an absurd inclusion.

'It is unsafe, outdated, and frankly inappropriate for a borough that claims to value public safety, especially for women and girls.'

And now, plans to bring back a lightwell - which traditionally gave light to cellars - have been dropped

Another said: 'We write to place the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on notice that approval of this application, in its current form, would likely constitute a breach of the council's statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010, and would expose the authority to both public law challenge and private law liability.'

Another said: 'I've lived in this area most of my life, and I've never once seen a grille outside that pub.

'If it ever did exist, it must've been a lifetime ago-and if that's the case, the applicant should be required to show proper evidence, not just make claims without proof.'

Following complaints earlier this year about building materials being left on the pavement, others said they worried the pub owners were trying to usher basement flats in through the back door.

'Now, conveniently, the developer wants to reinstate a pavement vault lightwell providing light, air, and access to the basement. It's a textbook setup for conversion,' they said.

'This is development by stealth and it's precisely the kind of piecemeal planning strategy that the courts have already warned against.'

Another said: 'This is not lawful development; it's a transparent attempt to sidestep proper planning scrutiny.

'Reopening a public house serves the community. Reopening a lightwell serves the developer.'

Allsopp, 53, and Andersen have been a couple for more than two decades and they have two teenage sons.
A UK-US trade deal is a 'Brexit benefit', the Tories said today, nine years after Barack Obama said that leaving the EU would put Britain at the 'back of the queue'.

They spoke out ahead of an announcement Donald Trump is expected to make at the White House this afternoon that would ease his protectionist tariffs.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is also due to make a statement on Thursday after the US president teased the announcement of a 'major trade deal' with a 'big, highly respected country' overnight.

The Government has been pursuing a deal with the US to reduce the impact of sweeping tariffs imposed by Trump last month, which placed a 10 per cent levy on all UK exports and a 25 per cent charge on steel, aluminium and cars.

If Mr Trump does announce a deal with the UK, it will be the first agreement since he announced the tariffs on April 2.

But it is expected to be narrow in scope, affecting key affected sectors of the economy, rather than the comprehensive agreement Brexiteers have been hoping for since 2016.

During a state visit to the UK in April 2016, just two months before the referendum, Mr Obama triggered outrage among Leave supporters when he claimed quitting the EU would put Britain 'at the back of the queue' for a US trade deal.

Tory shadow business and trade secretary Andrew Griffith said: 'A comprehensive UK US trade deal would be welcome and another Brexit benefit.'

They spoke out ahead of an announcement Donald Trump is expected to make at the White House this afternoon that would ease his protectionist tariffs.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is also due to make a statement on Thursday after the US president teased the announcement of a 'major trade deal' with a 'big, highly respected country' overnight.

Number 10 had been expecting the announcement of a deal, but the timing of Mr Trump's post came as a surprise, given Sir Keir was due to focus on VE Day commemorations on Thursday.

Reports have previously suggested a deal could see the UK reduce some tariffs on American products, as well as changing the digital services tax that currently affects mainly US tech companies.

But the Government has ruled out lowering food standards to allow more US agricultural products into the country, or watering down the Online Safety Act, which some in America regard as placing restrictions on freedom of speech.

Speaking to the London Defence Conference, Sir Keir said: 'Talks with the US have been ongoing and you'll hear more from me about that later today.

'But make no mistake, I will always act in our national interest, for workers, businesses and families, to deliver security and renewal for our country.'

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said he would hold a press conference in the Oval Office at 10am Washington time (3pm UK time) 'concerning a major trade deal with representatives of a big, highly respected, country. The first of many!!!'

There have been signs that the teams are closing in on a package to reduce the impact of the president's eye-watering 25 per cent levies on car and steel imports.

The UK is also hoping to head off the prospect of an assault on the pharma sector.

It will be Mr Trump's first trade deal since his so-called 'Liberation Day' trade assault on April 2. He has since delayed, reannounced and overhauled tariffs amid crashing stock markets and concerns over the sustainability of the US debt mountain.

The premiers raised the prospect of a Transatlantic trade deal when they met at the White House in February.
Kemi Badenoch has been told to stop 'chasing Nigel Farage's tail' in the face of Reform UK's poll surge.

Ex-Tory chancellor George Osborne warned the Conservative leader that aping Reform 'isn't going to work' as she seeks to revive her party's fortunes.

Mrs Badenoch, who has led the Tories since November, suffered a catastrophic blow last week when her party were wiped out in local elections across England.

The Tories lost more than 600 councillors and all 15 of the councils they controlled going into last Thursday's contests - among the worst results in the party's history.

By contrast, Reform gained more than 650 council seats and took control of 10 local authorities in a stunning night of success for Mr Farage.

But Mr Osborne, who was in charge of the Treasury between 2010 to 2016, cautioned that merely copying Reform would not win voters back to the Conservatives.

He urged Mrs Badenoch to steer away from so-called 'culture war' subjects, such as transgender issues, and to focus more on the economy.

His warning came as Mrs Badenoch faced claims that only 25 Tory MPs attended a drinks party she hosted last night, with one MP describing a 'flat' atmosphere.

Kemi Badenoch has been told to stop 'chasing Nigel Farage 's tail' in the face of Reform UK's poll surge

Reform gained more than 650 council seats and took control of 10 local authorities last week in a stunning success for Mr Farage

Ex-Tory chancellor George Osborne warned the Conservative leader that aping Reform 'isn't going to work' as she seeks to revive her party's fortunes

Mrs Badenoch has insisted she is 'confident' she will lead the Tories into the next general election, despite reports MPs are holding meetings to discuss ousting her.

The Tory leader last night held a drinks event for her MPs, but a source told Sky News: 'Only 25 MPs showed up... (Tory co-chairman Nigel) Huddleston having to ring around to get people there.'

One MP said: 'The prosecco was flat and the atmosphere was flatter still.'

But Mrs Badenoch's team dismissed the report as 'wrong', telling MailOnline there were 'comfortably more' than 25 MPs in attendance.

'She didn't serve prosecco and the atmosphere was positive', a senior source added.

'This is almost certainly a Labour briefing trying to distract from Labour mayors, councillors, Red Wall MPs and former PMs writing to tell Keir Starmer to change course.'

Despite the pressure on Mrs Badenoch following last week's local election results, Mr Osborne suggested she would remain as Tory leader until the next general election.

'I think she's got a better chance than anyone else,' the ex-chancellor told LBC's Andrew Marr.

'Not least because she's in the post, and I don't think anyone really thinks switching leader is the solution to the problem.'

But Mr Osborne warned Mrs Badenoch she would not restore the Tories' fortunes by attempting to copy Reform.

'I don't personally think chasing Nigel Farage's tail is going to work. And if you want Nigel Farage, why not have Nigel Farage?,' he said.

'I think the 10-year trend inside the Conservative movement of trying to copy the Brexit Party or UKIP or now the Reform Party has not really worked.'

He added: 'Personally, there's a big space at the moment in British politics for someone who's got a plan to grow the British economy, which strikes me as the main concern for most of the public.

'So, if we spoke a little bit less about transgender toilets and a bit more about taxes, then we might be on to something.

'No Conservative opposition in my lifetime has got back without winning back credibility on the economy and making that the central offer at the election.'
A 'woke' council has been warned by the advertising watchdog over claims wood-burning stoves are 'cosy killers' that produce deadly air pollution.

Brighton & Hove City Council launched a campaign in December against the use of stoves and open fires amid statements that they create a particularly dangerous form of air pollution known as PM2.5s.

'Scaremongering' billboards stated the stoves produced more small-particle emissions than road traffic in the whole of the UK and were behind the deaths of 'one in 20 people over the age of 30'.

But after receiving complaints, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) issued a warning to the council that such claims cannot be made if they are not 'backed up by adequate evidence.'

Owners of wood-burning stoves said the clean air campaign led to 'a climate of fear and intimidation' in which they were named and shamed and verbally abused in the street.

Chimney sweeps in Brighton and Hove also reported they had been asked to park away from the homes of their customers for fear of alerting neighbours to the presence of a wood-burning stove.

Critics of the 'misleading' Cosy Killer campaign add that it forced many elderly people to go cold this winter.

Brighton resident Molly, 68, said: 'I was so worried about using my wood burner. I felt I was being shamed by the council, so instead of lighting it I piled on my woollen clothes.

Brighton & Hove City Council has been warned by the Advertising Standards Agency over its 'cosy killer' campaign launched over the winter months

Andy Genovese, who runs Hove Wood Burners, said the ASA warning vindicated his belief the campaign fell foul of the watchdog's guidelines

Mr Genovese said candles, air fryers and toasters are 'far more problematic' than wood burners in terms of producing particulates in the home

'As a result my house was really cold and I seemed to catch more winter bugs. I'm not happy with the council at all.

'It was misleading and unnecessarily woke and they created a 'them and us' scenario, pitting neighbour against neighbour.'

Another elderly resident said: 'I rely on my wood burner in the winter because gas and electricity is just so expensive these days.

'We live in fuel poverty and yet you have the council being alarmist about the effects of using wood burners.

'We used it only sparingly as a result but we were cold all winter. It's a classic case of council scaremongering and it's not fair.'

Despite the concerns raised by the Cosy Killer campaign, wood burners are legal to use in the UK and some 1.5million homes across the nation are estimated to have them installed.

Andy Genovese, who runs Hove Wood Burners, said the ASA warning vindicated his belief the campaign fell foul of the watchdog's guidelines.

He said: 'In conducting such a campaign they have harmed small local solid fuel businesses, domestic manufacturers and a genuinely innovative British success story.

Wood burners are legal to use in the UK and some 1.5million homes across the nation are estimated to have them installed (file pic)

Owners of wood-burning stoves in Brighton and Hove said the clean air campaign led to 'a climate of fear and intimidation' in which they were verbally abused in the street (file pic)

'The council has wilfully misinterpreted scientific studies into air pollution and waged war on wood stoves.

'If they had read beyond the headlines of the studies they would have found candles, air fryers and toasters are far more problematic in terms of particulates in the home.

'The studies they cited show wood stoves sit well within the Government safety margins while a host of other household activities clearly do not.'

He added: 'As regards air pollution outside the home, eco-design stoves account for less than five per cent of airborne particulates, less than cigarette smoke and considerably less than road traffic.

'It is hard to come to any conclusion other than the council are either very poorly advised or they had another agenda when this misconceived campaign was launched. It looks like a waste of taxpayers' money.'

A spokesperson for the ASA confirmed it had received a complaint about the campaign.

She said: 'We wrote to the advertiser with an Advice Notice, explaining that if consumers are likely to understand a claim as an objective one, then advertisers are required to hold adequate supporting evidence to substantiate said claim.

'We told Brighton and Hove city council that they shouldn't make objective claims in relation to the effects of wood burners and open fires if those claims can't be backed up by adequate evidence.

The pollutants - PM2.5s - are said to be worse than all of the UK's road traffic put together

'We issue an Advice Notice where we consider there are potential problems under our advertising rules but do not consider the issues raised are so significant as to warrant a full formal investigation.'

Councillor Tim Rowkins, cabinet member for Net Zero and Environmental Services at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: 'All the statements included in this campaign were substantiated with DEFRA or Public Health England references, based on research which is available in the public domain, and which have now been added to our website.

'Wood burning stoves and open fires are a risk to public health, particularly in cities.

'We have a duty as a local authority to make people aware of this and will continue to do so.'

Particulate pollution is widely agreed to be the air pollutant with the biggest impact on human health, increasing the risk of respiratory and heart conditions, as well as hospital admissions.

Children growing up exposed to particulate pollution are more likely to have reduced lung function and can develop asthma as the tiny particles penetrate the lungs and enter into the bloodstream.
A death row inmate suffered an excruciating execution after making a critical last meal mistake.

Wesley Ira Purkey, who had been on death row since 2004, was found guilty of raping and murdering 16-year-old Jennifer Long back in 1998.

The killer also brutally murdered Mary Bales, 80, after beating her with a claw hammer but he faced justice after neighbours caught him attempting to burn her body.

He was arrested before being found guilty of the double murder and placed on death row in January 2004.

But when he was executed in July 2020, Purkey, 68, was suffering from dementia.

Due to the disease, it is not clear whether he understood what was going to happen to him judging by how he treated his last meal.

Purkey had requested pecan pie as his final meal but asked officers to save it for him for later, apparently unaware that there would be no later for him.

When it eventually came to his execution, Dr Gail Van Norman, a medical expert, said Purkey likely experienced an 'excruciating' death rather than the intended painless death.

Wesley Ira Purkey, who had been on death row since 2004, was found guilty of raping and murdering 16-year-old Jennifer Long back in 1998

Purkey was executed by lethal injection in July 2020 while was suffering from dementia

Purkey had requested pecan pie as his final meal but asked officers to save it for him for later, apparently unaware that there would be no later for him

Wesley Ira Purkey violently raped and murdered the 16-year-old girl, and then dismembered, burned, and dumped the young girl's body in a septic pond

He also was convicted in state court for using a claw hammer to bludgeon to death an 80-year-old woman who suffered from polio and walked with a cane

The autopsy of Purkey revealed he had suffered a sudden accumulation of fluid in both lungs which would have led to him having difficulty breathing due to the coughing up of frothy, pink sputum, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Van Norman said this would cause a near drowning experience for the inmate that would likely be 'among the most excruciating feelings known to man', and the filling of Purkey's lungs could only have happened while he was still alive.

He added: 'It is a virtual medical certainty, that most, if not all, prisoners will experience excruciating suffering, including sensations of drowning and suffocation from [the lethal injection drug] pentobarbital.'

Purkey's first victim, Jennifer Long, was last seen at East High School in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 22, 1998, before she disappeared.

She had been lured into Purkey's car before he took her back to his home where he reportedly stabbed her to death and dismembered her body with a chainsaw.

The killer is then said to have burned her body in a fireplace before placing her remains in a septic pond in Clearwater, Kansas.

But to this day, Long's remains are yet to be found.

Before his execution took place, Purkey appeared to show remorse for his actions.

His final words were reportedly: 'I deeply regret the pain and suffering I caused to Jennifer's family.

'I am deeply sorry. I deeply regret the pain I caused to my daughter, who I love so very much.

'This sanitised murder really does not serve no purpose whatsoever.'
A security guard at a popular tourist spot in Bali has described the moment he fell and fainted during an alleged brawl involving an Australian man.

Three members of Finns Beach Club's security made statements in Denpasar District Court on Thursday at the trial of south-west Sydney man Mohamed Rifai who is accused of assault.

A brawl allegedly broke out between five Aussies and up to 15 security staff at Finns Beach Club on February 11 when tourists are said to have attacked staff after being asked to leave.

One of the security team, Made Bagus Yohanandita, described his head and mouth injuries from the incident to the court, as well as the loss of some teeth.

The court heard that Mr Yohanandita saw his colleague take one of the group of Australians out of the club and helped bind his hands with cable ties.

'At that time, another foreigner suddenly came and hit me,' he said.

'I fell onto the floor and then I don't remember what happened later. I fell and fainted.'

Mr Yohanandita said he 'felt really sure' that Rifai was the alleged perpetrator because he remembered the tattoo on the Australian's stomach.

Australian man Mohamed Rifai (pictured) is fronting court in Bali over a brawl outside world famous Finns Beach Club during which a security guard claims Rifai hit him

'I got injuries to my head and my mouth and I lost my teeth,' Mr Yohanandita said, telling the court that he still experienced pain three months later.

Security guard Gede Ngurah Alit Sujana told the court he saw Rifai hit his colleague.

'I was about two meters from him. When I saw (Mr Yohanandita) was hit, I ran,' he said.

Head of security Nyoman Mertayasa also took the stand, telling the court he had been inside the club when there was an altercation between Australian and Singaporean customers.

'They were warned several times, but an altercation happened repeatedly between them,' he said.

'I decided to take one of them outside. I thought it had finished. But apparently there was another incident in the parking area.'

Rifai and the security guards reportedly tried to reach an agreement during the legal process, witnesses told the court, but to no avail.

Mr Sujana and Mr Mertayasa have also been detained at Kerobokan Prison as part of the nine security staff accused of 'group assault' over the melee.

The court heard that security guard Made Bagus Yohanandita fainted after he was hit during the melee and still experiences headaches nearly three months later

Rifaim, 27, denied that he was the one who hit Mr Yohanandita after the guards' statements, adding there were many people at the scene.

'I don't remember whether it was me,' he said.

'When the incident happened, the situation was chaos.'

Asked by one judge whether he was drunk at the time of the incident, Rifai said he had not been drinking alcohol.

Neither Rifai or his father, who attended court on Thursday, made a comment following the session.

But Rifai's lawyer Sabam Antonius told reporters the court was not showed CCTV to identify who hit Mr Yohanandita.

'My client just (defended himself) because there was fighting,' he said.

The matter will return to court on May 15, with more witnesses expected to give statements.

Rifai faces up to five years behind bars in Indonesia if he's found guilty.

The four other Australians involved in the incident were not charged after Bali police deemed them to be 'witnesses' to the alleged brawl.
The stock market exploded after Donald Trump struck a huge trade deal with the United Kingdom, the first such agreement since he launched a global trade blitz last month.

Within minutes the Dow rose by over 500 points after Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed to a massive multi-billion dollar tariff pact.

The president said that America will raise a staggering $6 billion from the 10 percent tariffs that will remain on the UK. And the U.S. will also collect over $5 billion in 'new export opportunities' for ranchers and farmers.

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said at Thursday's Oval Office announcement that the UK agreed to purchase $10 billion worth of Boeing planes.

He also revealed that Trump agreed to let Britain send 100,000 cars into American with only a 10 percent tariff, which protects tens of thousands of jobs for people in the auto industry in the UK.

'This would've taken us 3 years  Trump got it done in 45 days,' Lutnick said. 'Trump gets deals done.'

The deal hands a big political victory to a key ally Keir Starmer, who has been negotiating behind the scenes with the White House for weeks.

Starmer did not travel to Washington, D.C., for the announcement, instead holding a press conference in the West Midlands of Britain.

He did, however, join the announcement by phoning in to the Oval Office.

Donald Trump announced Thursday morning his first big trade deal since Liberation Day was struck with the United Kingdom. He was flanked at an Oval Office meeting by Vice President J.D. Vance and British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson

Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not attend the announcement in Washington, D.C., but did join virtually from the United Kingdom

In an apparent effort to bring even more countries to the table, Trump insisted that the deal is mutually beneficial, saying: 'This is now turning out to be a really great deal for both countries.'

The president promised many more deals would follow with other countries after his 'Liberation Day' tariffs sent the world economy into a tailspin last month.

Wall Street started to surge as details of the deal were unveiled.

'This morning I'm thrilled to announce that we have reached a breakthrough trade deal with the United Kingdom  incredible country,' Trump said in the Oval Office.

'Today is a Victory Day for World War II  we won the war together exactly 80 years ago so there could be no more perfect morning to reach this historic agreement.'

Trump previewed that more deals are coming soon as the final documents are drawn up and signed in the coming days.

'Today's agreement with the UK is the first in a series of agreements on trade that my administration has been negotiating for the past four weeks,' the president said.

Trump revealed some specific details of the deal, including bringing in $6 billion in external revenue through a 10 percent tariff.

He also said that it would increase the national security of both the U.S. and UK by securing the pharmaceutical supply chain and establishing an aluminum and steel trading zone.

Lutnick said that the UK opening their market has added $5 billion in opportunity to American exporters specifically when it comes to cars, steel and agriculture.

Trump revealed some specific details of the deal, including bringing in $6 billion in external revenue through a 10 percent tariff

Trump, meanwhile, said that tariffs on British films were still being discussed but he could come to a deal.

'James Bond has nothing to worry about,' the president said.

That response came after a reporter noted that it was a 'great day for James Bond' because the vehicle deal between the U.S. and the U.K. would allow for the U.K. to send 100,000 cars into the U.S. with a lower 10 percent tariff, a boon for British carmaker Aston Martin, the car Bond famously drove.

'And you know, Sean Connery was a friend of mine,' Trump also noted.

He said the late Scottish actor, who was the original Bond in films, helped the president get permitting for his Trump International golf club in Aberdeen, Scotland.

'This Deal shows that if you respect America, and bring serious proposals to the table, America is OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Many more to come  STAY TUNED!' Trump said on Truth Social after his announcement.

Lutnick said that the UK opening their market as part of this deal will add $5 billion in opportunity to American exporters specifically when it comes to cars and automobile parts, steel and agriculture.

A UK official said on Tuesday that the two countries had made good progress on a trade deal that would likely include lower tariff quotas on steel and cars.

Starmer has been rushing to seal a pact with America before his big Brexit 'reset', due to be unveiled at a summit with the European Union on May 19.

It is the second big win for Starmer this week after he also sealed a trade pact with India on Tuesday.

'The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social early Thursday morning.

He added: 'Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement. Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!'

Stock futures in the U.S. were up over night but have fallen slightly since Trump's news broke around 6:30 a.m.

The markets and all major indices opened with a slight bump after a month of volatility and downturn.

Trump's top officials have engaged in a flurry of meetings with trading partners since the president on April 2 imposed a 10 percent tariff on most countries, along with higher 'reciprocal' tariff rates for many trading partners.

He later suspended those rates from taking effect for 90 days amid an international meltdown and stock market crash.

Britain was not among the countries hit with additional tariffs since the UK imports more from the U.S. than it exports there.

Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on cars, steel and aluminum, as well as a 25 percent tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico, and whopping 145 percent tariffs on China  making it nearly impossible for the CCP to trade with the U.S.

Trump's top officials have engaged in a flurry of meetings with trading partners since Liberation Day

On Tuesday, Trump said he and top administration officials would review potential trade deals over the next two weeks to decide which ones had acceptable terms.

Last week, the president said he has 'potential' trade deals worked out with India, South Korea and Japan.

He also raised the prospect of a transatlantic trade deal when Trump met with Starmer at the White House in February - before the president unveiled his 'Liberation Day' tariff barrage.

Hopes have dwindled of the United Kingdom getting an exemption from the 'baseline' 10 percent charges on goods entering America.

Starmer has ruled out several concessions the U.S. was thought to be considering as the price of a deal with Britain.

Trump said Wednesday he would 'think about' tariff exemptions for child-related products like car seats and diapers in order to bring the cost of them down.

Tariffs on China are hitting American parents hard in their wallets.

Virtually every car seat, stroller, bassinet and changing table sold in the U.S. is made in China.

Trump said Wednesday he would 'think about' tariff exemptions for child-related products like car seats and diapers in order to bring the cost of them down

Since Trump doubled Chinese tariffs, the prices of these items are set to increase even more.

When asked about considering exemptions for childcare products in the tariffs, Trump said: 'I don't know. I'll think about it.'

'I want to make it nice and simple,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. 'I'm not looking to have so many exemptions that nobody knows what we're doing. We have to make it very simple but I'll take a look at it.'

The president's comments came as investors anxiously await planned trade talks between Washington and Beijing on Saturday, which could mark the first step in resolving a potentially damaging trade war between the world's top two economies.
Police are searching for a man who stabbed a baby elephant seal multiple times on a beach cove.

The defenceless creature was viciously knifed in Neskowin, Oregon, between 8 and 11.30pm on March 16.

Fortunately, the animal miraculously survived the attack and has mostly recovered, according to authorities.

The seal was treated by the Marine Stranding Team before it was relocated, officials said. It began to heal by mid-April with no signs of lasting injuries.

Investigators have now appealed to the public to help them identify the attacker and NOAA has released a sketch matching his description.

Authorities describe the suspect as a white man standing at about 5 feet 10 inches with black-and-white hair, a groomed beard, and a 'large gap' between his front teeth.

A witness told officials he was sporting thick-lensed aviator glasses, dark trousers, a thin blue-and-light-green fleece top, and a low-profile black cap with a logo depicting an orange four-track excavator with the word 'timber' on it.

NOAA are also seeking a vehicle seen in a parking lot next to the cove behind some apartments.

Police are searching for a man who stabbed a baby elephant seal multiple times on a beach cove. The defenseless creature had been near a condominium in Neskowin, Oregon , before it was viciously knifed between 8 and 11.30pm on March 16. Pictured: A stock image of a baby elephant seal

Investigators have now appealed to the public to help them identify the attacker and NOAA has released a sketch matching his description

Authorities describe the suspect as a white man standing at about 5 feet 10 inches with black-and-white hair, a groomed beard, and a 'large gap' between his front teeth

The inside of his dark blue 1990s Dodge or Chrysler van was described as cluttered and the rear passenger window on the driver's side was covered in plastic.

Michael Milstein, a public affairs officer with NOAA told The New York Times: 'Young elephant seals like this often spend time on their own, learning to hunt and growing larger, before eventually returning to breeding areas in and around the Channel Islands off Southern California'.

The federal Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits harassing, harming, killing or feeding wild elephant seals and other marine mammals.

Violators can face federal criminal penalties of up to $100,000 (75,000) in fines and up to 1 year in jail.
A former Britain's Got Talent finalist wept uncontrollably and said he had 'lost everything' after being cleared of raping two women.

Andrew Johnston, 30, shot to fame on the hit ITV show as a choirboy in 2008, coming third in the final. He was accused of sexually assaulting two women within months of each other and gripping them both by the throat.

But today at Southwark Crown Court, Mr Johnston, who had been studying for a two year diploma in opera at the Royal Academy of Music at the time, was acquitted of two counts of rape.

It comes amid allegations he had made the aggressive gesture during sex and refused to wear a condom.

Johnston was charged with raping and sexually assaulting one woman and raping another, but informed the court both had told 'a pack of lies'.

He described their encounter as 'fast, energetic, maybe a bit passionate' but said he was never aggressive, always used a condom and that the sex was consensual.

A jury of nine women and three men cleared him of all the charges. Dressed in a grey suit, Johnston sobbed uncontrollably following the verdict.

Speaking after his acquittal, he told reporters outside the court: 'I'm just glad it's over, it's been super stressful.

Andrew Johnston (above) was cleared of raping two women

He was just 13 when he finished in third behind dancer George Sampson on the second series of the ITV talent show

'It's been five years of this, people doubting me, and I've not been able to say anything for five years, so I've only just been able to get my say and, thankfully, the right decision has been made, but I just want to go home now and see my dog.'

Asked what was next for him, Mr Johnston said: 'Get my life back. Slowly be rebuilding my life, because I've lost everything over this last five years.'

The alleged offences happened a number of years after Johnston shot to fame as a choirboy on the show, Maryam Syed KC, prosecuting, told the jury previously.

Ms Syed said Johnston, of Carlisle, Cumbria, had been 'engaging in consensual sexual activity' with one of the women, but he allegedly removed his condom, and she 'repeatedly told Mr Johnston to stop' but he did not.

The other woman told police she engaged in consensual sex with the singer and asked him to use a condom.

The woman said she started to feel his hands around her neck and 'no matter how many times she removed them', he kept putting his hands back around her throat, Ms Syed said.

He then stopped and removed the condom, then carried on with the sex, it was alleged.

Johnston was charged with raping and sexually assaulting one woman and raping another, but informed the court both had told 'a pack of lies'

Andrew Johnston, 30, shot to fame on the hit show as a choirboy in 2008, coming third in the final

The first alleged victim had said: 'He was pushing my hands up, holding them in one hand, kind of round my wrists, and having a hand on my throat.

'And I said "stop" a few more times and then I said it really loudly.'

In her police interview the second complainant was asked by a detective about Johnston grabbing her neck during sex.

She said: 'I don't know whether it was a choking thing - I don't think it was.

'He's a very strong guy and he's looking straight ahead of me, not looking at me.

'It felt like it was just a force of habit or something that was just happening, and was very hard and was very strong.

'I didn't, I couldn't contextualise it being a a fun, sexy thing.'

She said Johnston's grip was 'just fixed there.'

The singer, who was born in Dumfries, Scotland, but moved when he was about eight months old, released an album that went to number four in the UK charts and appeared on tour with other Britain's Got Talent finalists

Rupert Kent, defending Johnston, had suggested the two women 'colluded' and asked the second complainant why the other woman had sent her a selfie either squinting or winking.

'I put to you that it is not her sending a selfie. It is designed to say "We got him"', said Mr Kent.

'No it is not', she replied. 'I can't tell you the context, but at no point was there any feeling that it was a victory. It still doesn't feel like a victory.'

Johnston said sex with the first complainant was 'absolutely consensual' but told jurors: 'I was energetic, fast, I was attracted to her. I was a bit passionate. I was never aggressive towards her at all.

'I wore a condom at all times.'

He accepted that he had been messaging a lot of different women at this time, including a friend of the first woman.

'It was stupid, immature. I probably hurt people's feelings. I wasn't wanting anything more permanent at the time. I should have been more open that I wasn't.'

He said he met the second complainant on the dating app Hinge and they agreed to see each other at a bar.

Mr Johnston had been on trial at is on trial at Southwark Crown Court (above), where he denied two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault

'We had a really interesting conversation. We got on really well.'

He said she invited him back to her flat.

'We started kissing. I was getting unchanged, she was getting unchanged. We then just began to have sex.'

He said that the sex lasted about four or five minutes.

'I never removed the condom. I did not remove the condom.'

Johnston denied gripping either woman by the throat.

He added that a few days later the woman invited him to her flat and offered to cook him meatballs, but he stood her up.

'I stood her up. It wasn't nice. I was seeing quite a few people at the time, that's why I didn't communicate.'

In her closing speech prosecutor Maryam Syed told jurors: 'Rape is not about sex. It is about power, it is about control, it is about coercion - physical and mental.

'And it is a sad fallacy that a women can be told that rape is an "easy accusation" to make - did it look remotely easy to you for either of them?'

She described the victims' 'concern and worry' in reporting Johnston.

'He's had a television career, a recording career, provided to him by Simon Cowell - one of the most influential people in music.

'The consequences of reporting are real.

'When we opened this case, I said you would hear in evidence hallmarks of similarity - striking hallmarks of similarity. We say there are.

'The defence say, well, of course there are, because they've concocted it, they've got their heads together.'

But she added: 'Sex without a condom is not consent and is rape, and not being listened to when you say "stop" repeatedly is rape.'

Mr Kent told jurors in his closing speech that Johnson is a 'young man who is being cancelled by these two women.'

'They have used (his) approach - be it energetic or hard - to consensual sex as the platform for their exaggeration and embellishment to falsely elevate what happened on those occasions to rape.'

Mr Kent said Johnston had been portrayed 'as a media-trained hoodwinker' and accepted he 'would have had some media training by Mr Cowell and his cast of people for a couple of years until he was 15 or 16.

'(But) that hardly created the devious actor, the villain that ultimately the prosecution are urging you to believe Mr Johnston is.

'He's not a rapist, he is not a rapist.

'What he is, to his credit and looking at the better side of him, is a man with a talent for singing - he hasn't sang a note since (the allegations) but that talent won't have disappeared.

'What he is not is the man the prosecution have painted him to be, a man with a propensity to do these violent things to women.'

The singer, who was born in Dumfries, Scotland, but moved when he was about eight months old, released an album that went to number four in the UK charts and appeared on tour with other Britain's Got Talent finalists.

He was just 13 when he finished in third behind dancer George Sampson on the second series of the ITV talent show.

He won a 1m record deal with Syco Music, a label owned by Simon Cowell, and his album 'One Voice', released in September 2008, made it to number five in the UK charts.
A power outage hit several areas of the Spanish island of La Palma in the Canary Islands on Thursday, just a week after national outages.

Local media reported that thousands of locals and holidaymakers across the island were left without power for nearly two hours after a blackout occurred at around 10am local time.

The affected areas included Los Llanos de Aridane, Brena Alta, Santa Cruz de La Palma and Fuencaliente.

More than twenty towns were left without in the dark in these areas, stretching from north to south of the island, before Endesa and Red Electrica begun working on restoring power.

Javier Llamas, the mayor of the town of Aridane, told a local radio station at around midday that: 'More than half of the power outage has already been restored.'

Local media reports explained how the power outage could potentially affect up to 30,000 people in La Palma.

'The source is unknown for now, but everything points to a problem at the Los Guinchos power plant,' La Radio Canaria said.

La Palma Island Council urged residents to remain calm, avoid overwhelming emergency services, call 112 only if absolutely necessary, and prioritise saving battery life on mobile devices.

The Los Guinchos power plant supplies 90 percent of the electricity on the Canary Island of La Palma, which belongs to Spain

Local media reported that thousands of locals and holidaymakers across La Palma (pictured) were left without power for nearly two hours after a blackout occurred at around 10am local time

La Palma (pictured) was not affected by the massive blackout that hit most of Spain and Portugal, including their capitals, Madrid and Lisbon, on April 28

They also recommended that once power was restored, people should avoid turning on their electronic devices at the same time to avoid overwhelming the power grid.

The island's Energy Minister, Fernando Gonzalez, expressed his concern over the recurrence of these incidents, stating that 'the blackouts cause serious harm, especially to the most vulnerable sectors and to companies whose production is disrupted.'

For this reason, La Palma council has called for 'rigorous monitoring' of electrical infrastructure, as well as 'exhaustive inspections' to detect possible deficiencies.

La Palma was not affected by the massive blackout that hit most of Spain and Portugal, including their capitals, Madrid and Lisbon, on April 28.

Airports were disabled, and shops and offices were left in the dark.

Traffic was gridlocked, flights were grounded, and trains were suspended while people waited to be rescued from elevators and were left without water supplies.

Whole cities were cut off with mobile networks, Wi-Fi, ATMs and card machines inoperative during the disruption, which began around 12.30pm last Monday.

Renfe, the national rail operator in Spain, confirmed the outage and its impact in a statement at the time.

A view shows a dark metro station in Madrid during a widespread power outage that struck Spain and Portugal last week

People get out of subway cars at Baixo-Chiado station after the blackout that occurs in the morning on April 28, 2025

Shoppers at a Spanish supermarket fill their baskets by torch light amid the blackout

People with their luggage wait outside Humberto Delgado airport following a general electricity shutdown in Lisbon on April 28, 2025

'At 12:30 p.m., the entire national electricity grid was cut off. Trains stopped and there were no departures at any station,' the statement said.

By 7am local time on April 29, more than 99 per cent of energy demand in Spain had been restored, the country's electricity operator Red Electrica said.

Portuguese grid operator REN said the following morning all the 89 power substations had been back online since late the night before and power had been restored to all 6.4million customers.

'We have never had a complete collapse of the system,' Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a televised address following the chaos.

He described the problem in the European grid as a 'strong oscillation' and added that the cause was still being determined.

Sanchez asked the public to refrain from speculation and said no theory about the cause of the outage had been discarded.

He also thanked the governments of France and Morocco where energy was being pulled from to restore power to north and southern Spain.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.
A 68-year-old father accused of drugging his two daughters and systematically raping them for a year has been arrested by Brazilian police.

The elderly man, who was not named by police in Juazeiro do Norte, in the state of Ceara, Brazil, tied the sisters to filthy mattresses surrounded by human faeces and rotting trash in a makeshift prison in his home, cops believe.

Shocking police evidence photos show one daughter with her feet tied together with a makeshift hobble while the other sister is comatose on a stained bed.

Both sisters were shockingly thin and are said to be suffering from severe malnutrition and dehydration.

They were rescued in a police raid on May 5after a tip off to police from a horrified neighbour.

Sources told police that they believed he had been abusing them for at least a year.

The sisters, aged 36 and 38, are recovering in an emergency care unit in the Limoeiro neighborhood.

Police reportedly received an anonymous tip-off about the conditions the women were being held in, and arrived to the home to discover what reports describe as a 'private prison'.

The women were found tied up in a makeshift prison

The elderly man (pictured), who was not named by police in Juazeiro do Norte, in the state of Ceara, Brazil, has now been arrested and charged

Both sisters were shockingly thin and are said to be suffering from severe malnutrition and dehydration

Police believe their father began raping them when their mother left the house for a hospital appointment a year ago and never came back.

He reportedly told police had tied up his daughters to 'stop them falling out of their beds'.

Horrific images from inside the house show mounds of rubbish and belongings, with the father and his daughters living in squalid conditions.

One neighbour said: 'I always suspected something was wrong, but we never imagined it was this horrific.'

A local TV station which spoke to two people who witnessed the crime scene said that the women were sexually abused and were not being fed properly.

The father was taken to the city's Women's Defence Police Station, where he was charged with domestic violence, mistreatment, psychological violence, and unlawful imprisonment.

He could also face rape charges once his daughters have been medically examined for signs of sexual abuse.

Police believe their father began raping them when their mother left the house for a hospital appointment a year ago and never came back

The case was followed by a local who attended the scene and posted videos on social media showing the moment the victims were removed from the house.

In a statement, local police confirmed that it had arrested a man on suspicion of domestic violence.
Cabinet minister Lucy Powell today made a House of Commons apology following claims she 'belittled' rape survivors with her comments about grooming gangs.

The Leader of the Commons sparked fury by suggesting during a radio show last week that group-based child abuse was a 'dog whistle' issue.

She faced calls to resign over the remarks, but Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer backed her after accepting her apology.

Ms Powell, Labour MP for Manchester Central, reiterated her apology this morning in her first appearance at the Commons' despatch box since the row erupted.

She said in a message to survivors and victims: 'I am very sorry for those remarks, as I made clear over the weekend.

'I and every member of this Government want your truth to be heard wherever that truth leads.

'Your truly appalling experiences need to be acted on, for those responsible to be accountable and face the full force of the law and for justice to be served.

'I would never want to leave the impression that these very serious, profound and far-reaching issues, which I have campaigned on for many years, should be shied away from and not aired. Far from it. No stone will be left unturned.'

Cabinet minister Lucy Powell made a House of Commons apology following claims she 'belittled' rape survivors with her comments about grooming gangs

Sarah Wilson, a victim of the Rotherham scandal, said Ms Powell's comments showed what survivors have been 'up against all these years'

The issue of group-based child abuse - including by gangs of Pakistani origin - was put back into the spotlight after Labour denied a request for a new Whitehall-led inquiry.

The Government has instead favoured locally-led probes, although Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has ordered a 'rapid audit' into the scale of the issue across Britain.

During an appearance on a BBC Radio 4's Any Questions last Friday, Ms Powell was asked by Tim Montgomerie, a Reform UK member and political commentator, if she had seen a recent Channel 4 TV documentary on grooming gangs.

She responded: 'Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now do we... let's get that dog whistle out shall we'.

Sarah Wilson, a victim of the Rotherham scandal, said Ms Powell's comments showed what survivors have been 'up against all these years' and why they have not been 'listened to  they never cared and never will'.

Speaking in the Commons today, Ms Powell promised the Government would 'leave no stone unturned' in pursuing child grooming gangs.

During business questions, Tory MP Katie Lam asked Ms Powell: 'Many members of the grooming and rape gangs that systematically abused white working-class girls have never faced justice, and neither have the councillors, officials and police officers suspected of collusion and cover-up.

'So, can we have a debate on the need for a national inquiry into these disgusting crimes, and will the Leader tell us please who exactly it is she believes is using these horrors as a, I quote, 'dog whistle'?'

Ms Powell replied: 'We are all, everybody up and down this country, horrified about the crimes that have been committed over many, many years by despicable grooming gangs

'And that is why we first and foremost are implementing the many, many recommendations from the recent inquiries, many of which, most of which in fact, sat on the shelf until the general election last year.

'Those recommendations include issues like mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse, something that I have campaigned on, the PM, the Home Secretary and the Safeguarding minister (Jess Phillips) have campaigned on for many, many years.

'We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the truth and justice and accountability is got wherever it is needed for those victims of these terrible atrocities.'
The family of a Massachusetts congressman revealed their daughter tragically died on a trip to Italy after suffering a 'wave of nausea' during a dinner with friends.

Molly McGovern, the daughter of Rep. James McGovern, passed away aged just 23 last month after flying to Rome for Easter Sunday.

Three days later, she died minutes after being hit with nausea while enjoying a dinner out with a group of friends, with her heartbroken family saying it was a fitting end to her joyous life, per the Boston Globe.

'Anytime you were with Molly McGovern you knew you were going to have a good time,' her sister Kathleen Gearan said. 'And she made sure of it.'

Her family said she was diagnosed with a rare cancer almost six years ago shortly after her 18th birthday, and made sure to live life to the fullest as she battled the disease.

'She had a great 23 years, but who would have thought the last five years would be the best,' her mother Lisa McGovern said at a eulogy for her daughter on Saturday.

'There were little miracles everywhere.'

Her father said in a statement after her death last month that 'even as she faced a rare cancer diagnosis, she did so with relentless courage, optimism, and tenacityrefusing to let her illness slow her down.'

Molly McGovern, the daughter of Rep. James McGovern, passed away aged just 23 last month after flying to Rome for Easter Sunday

Molly had been diagnosed with cancer almost six years ago, and passed away last month after suffering a 'wave of nausea' during a dinner with friends

Molly's mother said her passing in Italy came as she travelled to the city of Assisi, which she said had special meaning to her religious daughter.

'Her everyday necklace was a St. Francis medallion,' she said in the eulogy.

At the time of her death, Molly was studying political science and international affairs at Northeastern University, and was known as a popular figure in the halls of Congress when visiting her father.

When she travelled to Italy last month, she reportedly exchanged texts with former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was friends with Molly and her father, a Democrat.

Pelosi was preparing to go to Italy for Pope Francis' funeral, and she grew close to Molly after her husband Paul Pelosi was assaulted in a home invasion in 2022.

The former Speaker told the Boston Globe that Molly sent her husband a 'box of sunshine' after the attack to lift his spirits, and said she was heartbroken to learn she died just hours after they last texted each other.

She said she reached out to her father to tell him: 'I think his holiness, who was so saintly, decided he wanted another angel in heaven. And that would be Molly, because she was so good.'

Molly's friends and family said she didn't let her cancer diagnosis stop her from living life to the fullest, and her father said she 'treated her cancer as a nuisance'

Her father said after her death last month that 'even as she faced a rare cancer diagnosis, she did so with relentless courage, optimism, and tenacityrefusing to let her illness slow her down'

Her older brother Patrick (seen with mom Lisa, Molly and her father) said Molly was his 'best friend and favorite person', and said in his eulogy: 'Mollys heart is so big, and she went out of her way every single day to share that love with everybody she met'

Pelosi was reportedly among those who attended Molly's funeral in Massachusetts over the weekend.

Former President Bill Clinton was in attendance, as were multiple US senators and representatives.

At Molly's eulogy on Saturday, her father joked that when he learned that his daughter passed away, 'My first thought was 'Oh my God, poor Pope Francis', quipping that his daughter would be a handful even in heaven.

'She hated bullies, she hated cruelty, and she wanted everyone to love each other,' he added.

The congressman said his daughter bravely fought her cancer for years and most people who met her had no idea she had the illness.

'She always looked great,' he said. 'She decided to treat her cancer as merely a nuisance.'

Her older brother Patrick said Molly was his 'best friend and favorite person', and said in his eulogy: 'Mollys heart is so big, and she went out of her way every single day to share that love with everybody she met.

'Ive never met such contagious, inclusive love and she had so much of it. For those on the receiving end of it, it was the best feeling in the world.'
Half century on, China-EU economic ties deepen amid global uncertainties

Xinhua) 11:10, May 08, 2025

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- As China and the European Union (EU) mark 50 years of diplomatic ties in 2025, their economic partnership is showing renewed strength and resilience, even against the backdrop of mounting global uncertainties.

Bilateral trade has expanded more than 320-fold over the past five decades, now standing at around 780 billion U.S. dollars, according to China's General Administration of Customs (GAC).

In the first quarter (Q1) of this year, trade between the two sides reached 1.3 trillion yuan (about 180.5 billion U.S. dollars), up 1.4 percent year on year. This translates to over 10 million yuan in trade every minute.

Behind these figures lies not just massive trade volume, but increasingly diversified and innovation-led cooperation.

In Q1, China's imports of advanced equipment from the EU jumped 30.4 percent to 64 billion yuan, accounting for nearly a third of China's total imports in this category. Meanwhile, China's exports of industrial robots and high-end machine tools to the EU surged 81.9 percent and 11.7 percent, respectively.

For many European multinationals, these trends are translating into long-term investment decisions and expanded innovation footprints in China.

Oliver Zipse, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, told Xinhua in a recent interview that China is not only BMW's largest single market but also a vital hub for innovation.

Highlighting China's growing role in innovation, particularly in AI, Zipse said BMW plans to integrate AI technology from Chinese startup DeepSeek into its latest models in China later this year.

Likewise, European companies across various sectors are also strengthening their local presence.

Earlier this year, German industrial giant Siemens opened its first industrial ecosystem hub in western China. Leading Danish energy efficiency solution provider Danfoss officially launched its new campus in Nanjing, the company's very first carbon-neutral factory in China, in line with China's green development drive.

These moves came as China takes concrete steps to expand high-standard opening-up. Despite mounting protectionism and geopolitical tensions, the country has remained focused on building a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment for foreign firms.

According to this year's government work report, China will ensure national treatment for foreign-funded enterprises in areas such as access to production factors, license application, standards setting, and government procurement.

Earlier this year, China released a new action plan to stabilize foreign investment. It includes 20 targeted measures to further expand market access, encourage foreign equity investment, and expand pilot programs to open up fields such as telecommunication and medical services.

China's unwavering efforts to open up, as well as the steady growth of the Chinese economy, have strengthened many European multinationals' determination to tap win-win opportunities in the world's second-largest economy.

Danfoss President and CEO Kim Fausing told Xinhua that the company is confident in China's market, citing its strong growth in sectors like data center, marine, and energy storage achieved last year.

He added that the company looks forward to deepening cooperation with Chinese partners to accelerate the green transition in China, and at the same time for the purpose of shared wins.

Wang Lingjun, deputy head of the GAC, said that China and the EU remain each other's most important trading partners, with highly complementary economies and closely intertwined interests.

"In a world marked by economic instability and growing uncertainties, China and the EU, with close communication and cooperation, jointly uphold free, open trade and investment, and maintain stable industrial and supply chains in the world, which will bring more stability and certainty to both sides and the global economy," Wang said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A British stalker who travelled to Bali after threatening to kidnap a US travel influencer told her that he wanted to 'go 50 Shades of Grey' on her, a court heard.

In a video Rob Keating sent to social media personality Alexandra Saper, he also suggested she needed 'kidnap insurance' and threatened, 'I'm going to tie you up to this bed right here and I'm going to spank you', a trial was told.

The reference to the bestselling S&M themed erotic 50 Shades Of Grey novels written by author E.L. James was included in an hour of footage shown to a jury of clips, involving clips Keating sent to Ms Saper over the course of almost a year.

Referring to Ms Saper as his 'Spartan Queen', Keating warned her he was practicing his 'disguises' and that she needed to take out 'kidnap insurance' - adding: 'I will see you when you agree to meet me, or I have a suitcase for you to fit in.'

Following his 'incessant' messaging, the 39-year-old defendant travelled to the Indonesian island Bali on a one-way ticket with rope in his luggage, Portsmouth Crown Court heard.

Giving evidence in person, Ms Saper, 33, said that after reporting him to local police in Bali, they forced her to act as 'bait' for Keating by agreeing to meet him in public before she escaped by travelling to Laos.

The influencer is a former lawyer who now earns a living from her Instagram page called 'The Wayfaress', which has more than 100,000 followers.

Keating is a traffic worker who was living in his sister's garage in the Hampshire town of Havant at the time of the alleged offences.

A British alleged stalker has been accused of travelling to Bali after threatening to kidnap US travel influencer Alexandra Saper (pictured)

Rob Keating (pictured), from Havant in Hampshire, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of stalking involving serious alarm or distress at Portsmouth Crown Court

Ms Saper (pictured) subsequently flew to Laos - a country further north in South East Asia - because she was concerned about her safety

He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

Video footage from clips that Keating sent via email to Ms Saper between August 2022 and January 2023 have been shown to the jury.

In one undated video, Keating described a sexual fantasy in which he told the influencer: 'I'm going to tie you up to this bed right here and I'm going to spank you.'

Most videos are filmed inside his sister's garage, where he was living at the time he sent them, but some are filmed outside or while he appears to be at work. In some, he can be seen wearing a high-vis jacket.

In a video filmed in August 2022, Keating said he wanted to 'punish' Ms Saper and 'breathe on' her, and described his fantasy of touching her intimately.

In a video filmed the next month, Keating said, 'I want to go 50 Shades of Grey on you', and told Ms Saper he had flights left over from lockdown which he could use.

Keating said in another video that his 'ability to meet women has rocketed' since he began contacting Ms Saper, but suggested that he would remain celibate for her.

In the same month, he also said he believed she was 'allowing him' to 'run with it' regarding his contact with her, before adding: 'Either that, or you're not interested and not watching these videos and I've lost my mind or something.'

Alexandra Saper (pictured) has told the court she started receiving emails from her alleged stalker on an almost daily basis

Alexandra Saper is pictured here outside Portsmouth Crown Court on Tuesday this week

In a video from December 2022, Keating said: 'You're going to have to reply to me eventually - there's talk about coming to Bali to get you.'

In a video filmed early the next month, Keating said: 'Things you're going to need for 2023: number one, kidnap insurance against white British men who keep sending you messages.

'Either you're going to be relationshipped, or kidnapped, one of these things is going to happen.

'Number two: You're going to have to prepare yourself for silly jokes and fun.

'Number three: The third thing you're going to need - do I say - a bouncier bed. That's a bit crude, I don't like that terminology.'

Later in the same video, he said: 'I will see you when you agree to meet me, or I have a suitcase for you to fit in. Be warned - get insurance.'

On January 15, Keating sent Saper a video in which he described looking for 'intelligent attractive females' at night.

He called the video the 'Spartan queen kidnap show' and said 'I'm trying on some disguises'.

Ms Saper (pictured) was said to have become particularly alarmed when Keating allegedly travelled to Bali and began visiting places she was known to frequent

Ms Saper, 33, is a former lawyer who earns a living from her Instagram page The Wayfaress

Speaking about himself in the third person, Keating said: 'He's the man who wanders around at night and looks for intelligent attractive females to have his way with.'

Keating later added: 'He knows his Spartan queen is getting kidnapped, she's getting put in his suitcase.

'What I would give now to pick up that suitcase and go to the airport and get on with this.'

Three days later, Keating again said: 'I'm out here practising my disguises ready for your imminent kidnap. I can come and shove you in my suitcase and kidnap your a**.

'I will put you in a Bali villa and you will become a Spartan queen.'

Keating travelled to Bali at the end of January 2023.

Giving evidence behind a screen, Ms Saper spoke of the ordeal, telling the court: 'He was sending me 15 emails a day telling me where he was and what he was doing.'

Ms Saper was able to see the emails because they were being sent to her spam folder, rather than being automatically deleted.

The alleged stalking began when Keating sent a message to Alexandra Saper (pictured) on Instagram in 2022, the court heard

Ms Saper told the trial that she did not share anything publicly until she had contacted the police in the UK and the US

She added: 'I blocked him on everything and never responded, so that was a pretty clear indication of not wanting contact.

'I knew things weren't getting through to him like a normal person'.

Before Keating arrived in Bali, she had not believed that he would really travel to the country, saying: 'I was aware that he was talking about coming to Bali, but I didn't think it would actually happen.'

Keating sent her a picture of a one-way ticket to the Indonesian island prior to his arrival.

Ms Saper said that after Keating arrived in Bali, she was told by police to send him an email - written and sent by a friend from her account - saying that she wanted 'no more contact' with him but that they should meet in a 'public place'.

She said this was meant to be bait for Keating, but did not say what the result of this email was.

On why she sent this email, she said: 'There was a man who was trying to find me and hurt me in my own home and the police said they wouldn't do anything to help unless I did this.'

The police did not help, however, and she fled to Laos so that they were no longer in the same country because she was 'terrified' of him, the court heard.

Ms Saper said that after Keating arrived in Bali, she was told by police to send him an email - written and sent by a friend from her account - saying that she wanted 'no more contact'

Giving evidence behind a screen, Ms Saper (pictured on social media) told of the ordeal, saying: 'He was sending me 15 emails a day telling me where he was and what he was doing.'

From there, she informed her social media followers that she was being stalked.

She told the trial that she did not share anything publicly until she had contacted the police in the UK and the US.

Ms Saper said: 'I shared because I wanted my life back - there was nothing I could do staying in hiding. I was sick, I couldn't eat, I was depressed.

'The police didn't do anything to help me and this was my last-ditch effort.'

Keating was arrested on his arrival back in the UK in March 2023 and a 'black rope' was found in his suitcase, the court heard.

He told police in an interview that he was not sexually attracted to Ms Saper, but said 'she had shown an interest in him and there could be something there' between them.

He allegedly continued to stalk Ms Saper between September and November last year, while he was living in Horsham in West Sussex, before being arrested again.

The trial continues.
Freed British hostage Emily Damari has slammed the Pulitzer Prizes board for giving an award to a Palestinian who is 'the modern-day equivalent of a Holocaust denier'.

Emily, 28, said the committee had 'failed' on 'a question of humanity' after it gave out the esteemed honour to 32-year-old Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha.

Toha has repeatedly called for Israeli captives not to be referred to as 'hostages', labelled them as 'killers' and denied accounts that they were tortured.

On Ms Damari specifically, he posted on January 24 - just five days after she was freed after 15 months in hell - to Facebook: 'How on earth is this girl called a hostage?'

He shared footage showing she was in the IDF, and wrote: 'So this girl is called a "hostage"?

'This soldier who was close to the border with a city that she and her country have been occupying is called a "hostage"?'

Defiant Emily Damari waves her wounded hand as she went into surgery to treat injuries inflicted by Hamas

Ms Damari was cowering in a bomb shelter with her best friend Gali Berman, 27, at home in Kfar Aza when Hamas stormed the kibbutz and slaughtered her neighbours.

The terrorists killed Ms Damari's dog, shot her in the hand and leg and dragged them both into Gaza along with Ziv, Gali's twin brother.

A Palestinian doctor calling himself 'Dr Hamas' then carelessly stitched the nerves in Ms Damari's hand together leaving her in endless pain for more than 15 months in captivity.

While Emily served as a police border guard, she was targeted and kidnapped as a civilian. Her distraught family had to conceal this fact over fears of what might happen if Hamas found out.

But after being freed on January 19, Toha chose to twist that narrative to suggest that Emily somehow was not a hostage.

Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha has repeatedly called for Israeli captives not to be referred to as 'hostages'

He posted similar comments about Agam Berger, a 20-year-old who was carrying out compulsory national service as an unarmed border observer when terrorists shot dead her friends and kidnapped her into Gaza in her pyjamas.

And Toha questioned Israeli forensics - the details of which were shared with international partners - that showed nine-month old baby Kfir Bibas and his brother Ariel, four, were strangled to death by Hamas.

Now the writer has been handed a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his portrayal of the Gaza War in The New Yorker.

Ms Damari, whose best friends Gali and Ziv remain in captivity, hit out at the decision in an open letter to the board published on social media this morning.

She wrote: 'I was at home in my small studio apartment in Kibbutz Kfar Aza when Hamas terrorists burst in, shot me and dragged me across the border into Gaza.

'I was one of 251 men, women, children and elderly people kidnapped that day from their beds, their homes and a music festival.

'For almost 500 days I lived in terror. I was starved abused, and treated like I was less than human. I watched friends suffer. I watched hope dim.

'And even now, after returning home, I carry that darkness with me - because my best friends, Gali and Ziv Berman, are still being held in the Hamas terror tunnels.

'So imagine my shock and pain when I saw that you awarded a Pulitzer Prize to Mosab Abu Toha. This is a man who, in January, questioned the very fact of my captivity.

Ms Damari with Romi Gonen, who was kidnapped during the Nova music festival in Israel on October 7, 2023

'He posted about me on Facebook and asked, "How on earth is this girl called a hostage?" He has denied the murder of the Bibas family. He has questioned whether Agam Berger was truly a hostage.

'These are not word games - they are outright denials of documented atrocities.

'You claim to honor journalism that upholds truth, democracy, and human dignity. And yet you have chosen to elevate a voice that denies truth, erases victims and desecrates the memory of the murdered.

'Do you not see what this means? Mosab Abu Toha is not a courageous writer. He is the modern-day equivalent of a Holocaust denier. And by honoring him, you have joined him in the shadows of denial.

'This is not a question of politics. This is a question of humanity. And today, you have failed it.'

Haunting footage from October 7, 2023 showed Hamas kidnapping Shiri Bibas, 32, as she clutched her young boys Ariel and Kfir.

Hamas put out a sickening video weeks later where they told Shiri's husband, Yarden, 34, that his wife and children had been killed.

It was hoped this was a sadistic trick, but in February this year Hamas confirmed their deaths and sent Israel back three coffins. Unbelievably, Israeli forensics then showed the body in Shiri's coffin was not hers.

The terrorists finally returned her remains the following day and tests showed the babies had been throttled to death with Israel sharing these findings for international verification.

However, when the BBC covered the story, Toha condemned them. He wrote: 'Shame on BBC, propaganda machine.

'If you haven't seen any evidence, why did you publish this? Well, that's what you are, filthy people.'

In another post Toha dismissed torture allegations, writing: 'When the Israeli hostages were released, did you see any torture signs? Even the soldiers among them?'

This despite footage of male prisoners being released horrifying the world. Eli Sharabi, 53, freed after 471 days, told the UN he was beaten, starved and kept in chains that tore his skin. 'I weighed 44 kilos,' he said. 'Half my body weight.'

Others have reported being held in chains, being beaten, fed donkey food and sexually violated.

The Pulitzer board said Toha was honoured for essays that 'combine deep reporting with the intimacy of memoir to convey the Palestinian experience'.

A spokesman for the board said: 'The Pulitzer Board is committed to recognising excellence in reporting, literature, history and culture, and the selection process for each award is based on a review of the submitted works.'

The Mail has asked them to respond to Ms Damari's post.
Former President Joe Biden's failed aid pier in Gaza dozens of US troops injured and one dead in an orgy of carnage that's only just been exposed by a new report.

More than 60 US service members were injured as a part of Biden's floating aid pier in Gaza, a number significantly higher than had been previously disclosed, per a Pentagon Inspector General report published this week.

The pier, announced by Biden during a televised address to Congress in March 2024, was a massive endeavor that took about 1,000 U.S. service personnel from the Army and Navy to execute.

But bad weather and distribution challenges inside Gaza limited the effectiveness of what the US military says was its biggest aid delivery effort ever in the Middle East.

The pier was only operational for about 20 days and cost about $230 million.

The Pentagon had said three US troops suffered non-combat injuries in support of the pier. But the new report by the Pentagon Inspector General said that the number was actually 62.

One 23-year-old soldier, Army Sgt Quandarius, was medically evacuated in critical condition after a forklift accident. He died at a Veterans Affairs hospital five months later.

Stanley was a motor transport operator and was critically injured when high winds and heavy seas damaged the pier, causing four Army vessels to become beached.

More than 60 US service members were injured as a part of former president Biden's floating aid pier in Gaza, and one was killed, according to a new report

The pier, announced by Biden during a televised address to Congress in March 2024, was a massive endeavor that took about 1,000 U.S. forces and cost about $230 million

Sgt. Quandarius Stanley, 23, was a motor transport operator and was critically injured when high winds and heavy seas damaged the pier. He died five months later

'Based on the information provided, we were not able to determine which of these 62 injuries occurred during the performance of duties or resulted off duty or from pre-existing medical conditions,' the report said.

The pier became a sore point in Congress, where Republicans branded it a political stunt by Biden, who was under pressure from fellow Democrats to do more to aid Palestinians after months of staunchly supporting Israel's punishing war on Hamas.

While it brought in sorely needed aid to a marshalling area on Gaza's shore, the 1,200-foot-long floating pier had to be removed multiple times because of bad weather.

The Inspector General said that the US military did not meet the standards for the equipment.

'Nor did they organize, train, and equip their forces to meet common joint standards,' the report said.

The Defense Department formally pulled the pier from the Gaza shore on June 28, 2024, and declared an end in mid-July to the mission to bring aid into the territory besieged by the war between Israel and Hamas.

All together, the military moved nearly 20 million pounds of aid onto the Gaza shore in what officials said was the 'largest volume of humanitarian assistance' ever delivered into the Middle East.

But aid agencies had difficulty moving the food brought ashore to areas further into Gaza where it was needed most because humanitarian convoys came under attack.

Challenges to aid delivery in Gaza persist.

The United Nations and Palestinian representatives at the International Court of Justice have accused Israel of breaking international law by refusing to let aid into Gaza, after Israel began on March 2 to cut off all supplies to the 2.3 million residents of the Palestinian enclave.

The massive pier project was hampered by unexpected bad weather and security issues, as well as persistent safety issues

While it brought in sorely needed aid to a marshalling area on Gaza's shore, the 1,200-foot-long floating pier had to be removed multiple times because of bad weather

The Inspector General said that the US military did not meet the standards for the equipment

Israel has defended its blockade against aid entering Gaza, alleging that Hamas steals supplies intended for the civilian population and distributes them to its own forces, an allegation that Hamas denies.

While pummeling the strip with airstrikes, it has banned any food, water, shelter or medication from being trucked into the Palestinian territory, where the UN says the vast majority of the population is reliant on humanitarian aid to survive.

Israel says the blockade aims to pressure Hamas to release the hostages it still holds.

Of the 59 captives remaining in Gaza, 21 are believed to still be alive, President Donald Trump said Tuesday, revealing that three had died.

The current blockade has lasted longer than any previous Israeli halt in aid to Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war began.

Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023 and Israel froze aid to Gaza for two weeks.

Now, Gaza is entering its third month without supplies. Thousands of trucks queue along the border of the territory, waiting to be let in. Community kitchens are closing down and bakeries are running out of fuel. Families spend hours waiting in line for small portions of rice.
Outraged parents of students at a Bay Area school, founded by Mark Zuckerberg's wife Priscilla Chan, are demanding to know why it will be closing next year.

The Primary School, which operates two tuition-free elementary schools a stone's throw away from Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park, announced in April that the 2025-2026 school year would be its last.

The announcement did not offer much in the way of an explanation for why, only telling parents 'more details will come.'

Chan, 40, is a pediatrician and much of her day-to-day work involves directing millions of dollars worth of philanthropic contributions through her and her husband's charity, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Chan founded the Primary School through the foundation in 2016, with its mission being to serve low-income families in this very affluent area of California.

Parents of the roughly 450 students at the East Palo Alto school, which offers pre-K through sixth grade, are now saying that Chan did not attend the Zoom meeting where they were told it would be shutting down.

Reneisha Hunt, who has a three-year-old child at the school, said it was difficult to hear the devastating news 'from the faculty and not [Chan].'

'She was not on the Zoom. She wasn't attending it,' Hunt told KRON 4, adding that her child had been on the waiting list for the Primary School 'since he was in my stomach.'

Parents with children at the Primary School in East Palo Alto were frustrated that Priscilla Chan (pictured with husband Mark Zuckerberg at a billionaire's wedding last year) did not attend a Zoom meeting where they were all told the school would be shutting down next year

Chan founded the school in 2016 to serve low-income families in the affluent area of California that Meta is based in (Pictured: Chan poses with students from the school in November 2023)

It appears Chan's last publicly known visit to the school was in November 2023, when she was photographed reading a picture book to a Kindergarten class

It appears Chan's last publicly known visit to the school was in November 2023, when she was photographed reading a picture book to a Kindergarten class.

Kyleigh Whitley, whose son and niece attend the East Palo Alto location, said that the staff members she spoke to seemed confused.

'Since Ive heard the news, Ive spoken with a couple of different staff members and it was a shock to them,' she said. 'Everyone is really disappointed about it.'

Some parents have questioned why there can't be a fundraising effort to save the school, especially because the closure announcement said the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative 'will make a $50M investment over the next few years in the East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and East Bay communities.'

DailyMail.com approached the Primary School's board and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative for comment.

The Primary School's Board Chair, Jean-Claude Brizard, also did not immediately return a request for comment.

Over the next year, the school's board of directors has pledged that some of that $50 million will go toward setting up 529 education savings accounts for the students.

These kinds of accounts, typically used for college, can also be used to pay for tuition at public or private K-12 schools, a change brought about by President Donald Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's investment will also fund 'transition specialists' that will help parents move their kids to new schools in the area.

Pictured: The modest building for The Primary School in East Palo Alto. The school is just 2.8 miles from Meta's sprawling headquarters in Menlo Park

The Primary School's impending closure comes as Zuckerberg appears to be on a mission to mend his public image as someone who comes across 'robotic,' something he has previously admitted applies to him (Pictured: Zuckerberg and Chan pose in front of Porsches)

Zuckerberg announced the school's founding in 2015, saying in a Facebook post that he was 'so proud of Priscilla.'

'It's inspiring to see Priscilla grow as an entrepreneur and leader. I'm looking forward to watching with pride as she develops The Primary School into a great resource for our community,' he added.

'The goal is to support families and help children from underserved communities reach their full potential.'

The Primary School's impending closure comes as Zuckerberg appears to be on a mission to mend his public image as someone who comes across 'robotic,' something he admitted applies to him in a 2019 interview with NBC News' Lester Holt.

The Meta CEO has long been sharing his love for Brazilian jiu-jitsu by posting pictures of himself sparring with people. More recently, he shared what supplements he takes every morning.

Amid the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, he lamented the fact that the average American has fewer than three friends while attending a conference this week hosted by tech company Stripe.

His solution is to get socially disconnected people to make friends with AI companions.

'I think people are going to want a system that knows them well and that kind of understands them in the way that their feed algorithms do,' Zuckerberg said Tuesday. ''For people who don't have a person who's a therapist, I think everyone will have an AI.'
A vile child abuser's courtroom sobs couldn't erase the haunting final image of a 4-year-old boy who endured unimaginable torture before his tragic death.

The tears of Crystal Stephens, 48, didn't prevent a judge from sentencing her to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Wednesday for the savage murder of her ex-boyfriend's son, Brandon Steckler Jr., in 2018.

The nonverbal autistic boy was found lifeless in a Las Vegas apartment with 27 rib fractures, malnutrition, bruises, burns, sepsis, pneumonia, and methamphetamine in his system.

His injuries were so severe that medical professionals struggled to determine a cause of death, according to Clark County prosecutors.

'We've had a number of these cases before this,' Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Hamner said. 'This might be the worst child homicide I've ever had.'

In February, Stephens pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping resulting in substantial bodily harm and child abuse.

In return, she would no longer face the death penalty.

'I'm terribly sorry for my horrific actions,' Stephens said, crying as Clark County District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt handed down the sentence.

Little Brandon Steckler Jr. was found lifeless in a Las Vegas apartment with 27 rib fractures, malnutrition, bruises, burns, sepsis, pneumonia and methamphetamine in his system

The killer told police she had been caring for Brandon and his sister while their mother stayed in a shelter for victims of domestic violence

Crystal Stephens, 48, the ex-girlfriend of Brandon's father, Brandon Steckler Sr.

Police found Brandon on July 30, 2018, bruised and burned inside Stephens' apartment on East Silverado Ranch Boulevard.

She had called police, claiming Brandon had drowned. Investigators later discovered drug residue and paraphernalia in her home.

Despite doctors' efforts, he died the next day. The Clark County coroner ruled the death a homicide.

His injuries included broken ribs, a lacerated liver, broken collarbone, collapsed lung, and possible rat bites, according to court documents.

Stephens told police she had been caring for Brandon and his sister for two weeks while their mother, Ariel Watts, stayed in a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

Watts reportedly had asked Stephens to take care of the children.

Authorities had previously received five reports to Child Protective Services regarding Brandon and his family, but a state child welfare report stated CPS investigated only once and deemed the allegations unsubstantiated, 8NewsNow reported.

At the sentencing, Stephens said she took full responsibility for her actions and was committed to maintaining her mental health and sobriety.

She did not explain why she abused the boy so brutally. Her public defender, Anna Clark, said her client knows 'there is no justification for Brandon's killing.'

On Wednesday, Stephens was seen sobbing inside the Nevada courtroom where she sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole

Police found Brandon (pictured) on July 30, 2018, bruised and burned inside an apartment on East Silverado Ranch Boulevard in Las Vegas

Authorities previously received five reports to Child Protective Services regarding Brandon and his family, but a state child welfare report stated CPS investigated only once and deemed the allegations unsubstantiated

Brandon's family described him as a joyful, loving child.

'The hole his absence has left behind is as immeasurable as the love he gave so freely,' his grandmother, Cynthia Mosley, said.

'That was stolen from us in the most heartbreaking and inhumane way. Her cruelty has inflicted a wound that will never fully heal.'

His father, Brandon Steckler Sr., shared the nicknames he had for his son: 'Tuku,' for 'too cool,' and 'happy feet.'

'I will say his story long after he's dead and gone,' he said. 'Because that is my boy, and he will always be in my heart.'

Stephens has remained in custody at the Clark County Detention Center since her arrest in 2018.

While Nevada has the death penalty, the state has not put a person to death since 2006.
A Maine mom whose son allegedly murdered his wife and then beat her with a fire poker begged him to stop amid the horrifying violence, according to court documents.

Former SpaceX employee Samuel Whittemore, 34, is accused of murdering his yoga-teacher wife Margaux Whittemore, 32, and attempting to kill his mom Dorothy Whittemore, 67.

The women were attacked by Whittemore at his mother's home on February 19, according to investigators.

Margaux fled outside and was killed, before the former SpaceX engineer allegedly ran back inside and began choking and beating his mom who had dialed 911, per court documents.

'Please stop it Sam. What are you doing?' she allegedly yelled at him, according to a dispatcher who was on the line at the time.

When police arrived, they found the numbers '911' smeared in blood on the wall, with Whittemore standing naked in the middle of the road.

The bloodbath unfolded just weeks after the newlywed couple had returned home from a trip around the world to settle in Belfast, Maine.

Dorothy told investigators the attack occurred after Margaux informed her Whittemore had been having trouble sleeping.

Samuel Whittemore, 34, is accused of murdering his yoga-teacher wife Margaux Whittemore, 32, (pictured together) and attempting to kill his mom Dorothy Whittemore, 67

A 911 dispatcher said they overheard Dorothy begging her son to stop as he allegedly beat her during the bloodbath

Whittemore then followed his wife downstairs 'in a rage' and began brandishing a poker at her and his mom, according to court filings.

She escaped outside, while Dorothy ran to an upstairs bedroom to call the police, the documents state.

Margaux's naked body was later found in the driveway covered in stab wounds and had blunt force trauma injuries, according to investigators.

At some point Whittemore is believed to have returned inside and discovered his mom hiding before choking and beating her and pushing his knee onto her chest so that she couldn't breathe, per the court documents.

The chaos only came to an end when Whittemore's father returned from a trip away and confronted his son, who jumped out of a window, according to the filings.

Winthrop Police Department and Maine State Police said when they arrived Whittemore was muttering about 'murder' and the year 1776.

He later told the cops: 'I can't believe I killed my wife,' and 'I can't confront reality right now', the court documents allege.

Dorothy was found cowering under her bed and was taken for treatment at the hospital.

The women were attacked by Whittemore at his mother's home on February 19, according to investigators

Margaux was a lifestyle influencer who had recently moved back to Maine with her husband

Whittemore has so far been deemed unfit to stand trial pending a mental evaluation

Whittemore has so far been deemed unfit to stand trial pending a mental evaluation. His next court action is scheduled for May 29.

Margaux's gruesome murder stands in stark contrast to her glamorous life as a travel and lifestyle influencer.

Her picturesque wedding to Whittemore by a lake in Acadia National Park last September was documented on her Instagram.

The couple met in 2021, the same year he quit SpaceX where he worked as a senior avionics systems engineer.

He was at Elon Musk's rocket company from 2015, with a break from November 2018 to July 2020 where he also took off sailing the world.
A doctor who claimed he hid spycams in bathroom air fresheners because he wanted to compare his 'small penis' with other men has been jailed.

Yu Young Um, 34, secretly recorded over 24 people over the course of more than three years as they went to the toilet in a Scotland Airbnb and at staff accommodation.

The anaesthetist was found guilty of 23 charges in April following a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court and jailed for 18 months on Thursday, the Crown Office said.

Prosecutors told how Yu Young Um installed the cameras at his property in the Hyland Area of Glasgow, which he had partially rented out.

It was only when one victim became suspicious after noticing two air fresheners which appeared to be facing the toilet and shower that the truth emerged, prosecutors said.

On closer inspection, hidden cameras were discovered inside the plastic containers, and a further search found a third device inside a smoke alarm.

The victim contacted police and the cameras were seized along with a mobile phone, laptop and storage device which contained recordings of several people.

Yu Young Um was also found guilty of covertly filming people in private situations within staff accommodation at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

Yu Young Um, 34, secretly recorded over 24 people over the course of more than three years as they went to the toilet in a Scotland Airbnb

On closer inspection, hidden cameras were discovered inside the plastic containers

Yu Young Um was also found guilty of covertly filming people in private situations within staff accommodation at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary

Fraser Gibson, procurator fiscal for Glasgow and Strathkelvin, said: 'Ju Young Um carried out these invasive offences in a calculated and premeditated manner.

'He abused a position of trust to significantly violate the privacy of numerous individuals for his own sexual gratification.

'I give thanks to all those involved in securing this prosecution, which has held Um accountable while also protecting others from harm.

'We will continue to take action against those responsible for this type of offending as we strive to keep the communities we serve safe.'

The offences took place between November 2020 and August 2024.

In his evidence, the convict said he was diagnosed with 'suspected gigantism' as a teenager which was 'possibly' why he had a 'small penis'.

Yu Young Um will remain on licence for a further nine months once he is released from prison, during which time he will be subject to close monitoring and supervision.

His name has been added to the sex offenders register for 10 years.

A third device was found inside a smoke alarm. Yu Young Um was added to the sex offenders register for 10 years

A total of 21 men and nine women, four of whom were doctors, were filmed by Yu Young Um, who was diagnosed as having a form of body dysmorphia following his arrest.

The 34-year-old initially recorded his first victim in secret through a window as he showered, using a mobile phone, but then decided to take things up a notch, attaching a camera to a smoke alarm of a fellow doctor's bedroom.

One medic said he felt 'shocked and betrayed' at being filmed using the toilet at Yu Young Um's home in Glasgow's Hyndland area after going for dinner.

Another had nine recordings made of him showering and using the toilet over a three-month period.

Ju Young Um said he did not seek medical help until 20 years after being diagnosed with suspected gigantism. He was later suspended from his work as a doctor, with his lawyer telling the sentencing his client was aware of the 'harm and distress he has caused his victims' and acknowledged his crimes were 'morally wrong'.

Sheriff Owen Mullan told Ju Young Um his actions had met the threshold for a custodial sentence because of the 'shock and distress suffered by victims'.

Detective Sergeant Cameron Gilchrist, of Police Scotland, said: 'Ju Young Um now faces the consequences of his despicable and distressing actions.

'Our thoughts remain with his victims who had their privacy violated. We hope that his sentencing will bring them some comfort.

'Sexual crime, of any nature, is not to be tolerated and we will thoroughly investigate any reports made to us, no matter how much time has passed.

'I would urge people to come forward and you can be assured of being fully supported by officers and our partner agencies.'
The self proclaimed Democratic socialist defended his private jet use

Bernie Sanders offered a bizarre defense for using private jets while traveling the country to speak on his 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour, during which he slammed billionaires.

The democratic socialist and environmental campaigner said he should not be expected to 'wait in line' for commercial flights.

Sanders, 83, a longtime Vermont senator and two-time presidential candidate, said he made 'no apologies' for the trips.

He told Fox News that 'you run a campaign, and you do three or four or five rallies in a week, the only way you can go around to talk to 30,000 people,' is by private jet.

'You think Im going to be sitting on a waiting line at United while, what, 30,000 people are waiting around?' Sanders said. 'Its the only way you can get around. No apologies for that.'

Last month, Sanders was spotted along with fellow progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jet setting from stop to stop aboard a cushy Bombardier Challenger jet that reportedly costs $15,000 per hour to operate.

The jet itself comes with a price tag ranging from $5 million to $7 million. During his 2020 presidential campaign, Sanders splashed out nearly $2 million on private flights.

In another defense of his jet use Sanders argued: 'When's the time you saw Donald Trump during campaign mode at [Washington] National Airport?'

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., told Fox News host Bret Baier that he flys on private jets because he can't be bothered to wait in a line at United as crowds of thousands wait to hear him speak

Sanders reasoned that campaign travel necessitates private jet travel

Fox News Channel's 'Special Report' host Bret Baier quickly shot back: 'But he's also not fighting the oligarchy.'

Already this fiscal year, Sanders has spent nearly a quarter million dollars on private jet travel, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

The disclosures reveal that Sanders' campaign fund, Friends of Bernie Sanders, has spent upwards of $221,000 in the first quarter of 2025.

Despite his gas-guzzling jet usage, Sanders has loudly championed environmental causes like 'The Green New Deal.'

The initiative, which failed to gather enough support in Congress, sought to reform carbon emissions and fossil fuel manufacturing.

'Climate change is the single greatest threat facing our planet,' Sanders posted on X in 2016.

Private jet use is by far the most polluting way to fly.

Nine years later Sanders told Fox News: 'At a time when the people on top are doing phenomenally well, when seniors, working class people are struggling, people want to hear action to stand up to the people who have the wealth and the power.

'That's what campaign travel is about. We've done it in the past. We're gonna do it in the future.'

However, it is unclear what office Sanders is campaigning for, though he has filed the necessary paperwork to run again in 2030, when he will be 89-years-old.

The self-proclaimed Democratic socialist has also teased that his current term in the Senate, which he just won reelection to in November, could be his last.

The pair of socialists were spotted traveling in a private jet this week while on their 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour

Sanders spent close to a quarter million dollars on private jets in the first quarter of FY2025

Though Sanders' political campaigning days seem to be waning, the oligarchy tour has served as a profile raising pedestal for fellow progressive Ocasio-Cortez.

AOC, the 35-year-old leader of the progressive 'Squad', has enjoyed a measurable boost in support as the tour has brought the Queens native to Colorado, Arizona and beyond.

Polling that's come amid the tour shows she could prove a formidable challenger to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, though that race wouldn't come for years.

AOC, for her part, appears to prefer commercial travel.

She flew first-class on JetBlue from New York to Las Vegas before speaking to a massive crowd in Sin City on the oligarchy tour, the New York Post reported.
A Texas cop has become an internet sensation after saving a woman from choking by using the Heimlich maneuver.

Cecilia Torres was celebrating early retirement at a Mexican Sugar restaurant in Houston on Thursday when she swallowed too much Carne Asada.

Luckily for Torres, Houston Police Lieutenant Jamaal Martin was also grabbing a quick bite at the restaurant, and he rushed to her rescue.

'While everyone around her began to panic, Lt. Martin moved quickly and performed the Heimlich maneuver, successfully clearing her airway,' his department said in a Facebook post which was liked by 5,700 people and shared more than 270 times.

Houston Police also shared a photograph of Martin in his uniform beside a recovered Torres holding a flower bouquet in the same post.

Social media users inundated the comments section with praise for the Houston cop's heroics - as well as for his good looks.

'Umm wowza! I vote for him to be the centerfold in a cop calendar!' one woman wrote beside a flame emoji. 'Good job officer.'

Another woman joked that Torres 'saw him coming and began to choke' on purpose to secure an interaction with the handsome man in uniform.

'Kidding, lol,' the woman added. 'But seriously.. does the empty ring finger imply what the ladies hope it does?'

Houston Police Department Lieutenant Jamaal Martin (right) has become an internet sensation after saving Cecilia Torres (left) from choking at a restaurant by using the Heimlich maneuver

Houston Police Department shared the story via a Facebook post. People inundated the comments section with praise for the lieutenant's heroics - as well as for his good looks

'Dang. He can choke me anytime,' one woman commented. 'Houston's finest is really fine,' another added, while one user said: 'Give that man a medal and my number!'

'He can save me anytime,' another woman said beside a flame and blowing-kiss emoji. 'Good job hero.'

The choking woman's daughter even chimed in, saying: 'Thank you so much for saving my mom. We are forever grateful  you are truly a godsend.'

Torres described the restaurant ordeal to Fox News, revealing that she wasn't even conscious by the time Martin came to her rescue.

'So I ordered the carne asada skillet, and we were having a good time eating,' she said. 'That's when I felt it went to the wrong side, so I figured I'd just drink some water, it'll disappear. Big mistake.'

Torres said she started panicking and several people tried to help, but the food stayed stuck in her throat.

'I remember I was starting to turn to purple and I remember everybody screaming, call 911. To be honest, I didn't feel I was going to make it.

'Then my daughter came and tried to help me. That's all I remember.'

She later found out that Martin came to her rescue just in time.

Luckily for Torres, Houston Police Lieutenant Martin (pictured) was also grabbing a quick bite at the restaurant, and he rushed to her rescue on Thursday evening, his department said

Houston Police Department shared the story via a Facebook post. People inundated the comments section with praise for the lieutenant's heroics - as well as for his good looks

'I think had I been earlier, or five minutes later, I think I would not have been able to respond like I did or been there at all,' the lieutenant told Fox News.

'I just pushed her daughter out the way. The way they described it made it seemed like I pushed her hard, but I didn't mean to.

'But I kind of just moved her out the way and began to perform the Heimlich maneuver.

'As a man of faith, I always pray that I ask God to order my steps to place me in the right places at the right time.'

'He was there at the right time. I owe it to God,' Torres added. 'First of all, I don't believe in fate, but I think it was all God.

'At the end of the day, when I got home, and I was able to process what was happening. I was able to tell God I see how he is working through my life and just continue to ask him to use me and allow me to be a vessel.'
A British woman murdered outside her holiday home in France was buying a small property to live by herself after serving divorce papers on her husband, MailOnline can reveal.

Karen Carter, 65, had viewed and agreed a sale on a charming one-bedroom cottage she planned on retiring to in the tranquil village of Tremolat.

And she had just bought a cross-breed puppy with a wealthy businessman she had recently begun an affair with, her best friend has revealed.

Beverley Needham, 69, told how her 'beautiful' friend was looking to move into the 135,000 property in September and start afresh in the French countryside with her new dog she had named Haku.

Mother-of-four Mrs Carter was stabbed to death last Tuesday outside a guesthouse she ran in the village with husband Alan, who had been at home in South Africa.

She had just returned from a wine-tasting party held at the home of 74-year-old Jean-Francois Guerrier, who she had begun a romantic relationship with in recent months.

Speaking for the first time today, Ms Needham, originally from Manchester but who has lived in Tremolat for 33-years, told how she had dinner with Mrs Carter the night before she was murdered.

Karen Carter (pictured with husband Alan) was found dead on her property in the village of Tremolat, east of Bordeaux, after returning from a night out on Tuesday, April 29

Jean-Francois Guerrier is understood to have been involved in a romantic affair with Mrs Carter, who was killed outside her home in Tremolat last Tuesday

The Carters' quaint 250-year-old farmhouse became the scene of a grisly murder mystery

Mrs Carter, a 65-year-old married mother, was found outside a property she ran in the village of Tremolat last Tuesday evening after going for drinks at the Cafe Village

Sitting outside her large converted farmhouse, less than half a mile from the crime scene, she told MailOnline: 'I can still picture her walking down the path to the house, huge smile on her face holding a bottle of wine.

'She also brought me some soy sauce as I was cooking her chicken in ginger and garlic.

'Karen was great fun, she said 'darling, I have wine' and plonked the bottle down on a sideboard. It's still there, I can't bear to move it.

'I saw her the night before she died. She seemed very tired. I think the relationship with her husband Alan was weighing heavily on her mind.

'She told me that she had served him divorce papers and that he was refusing to sign. She told me the relationship with Alan was over and said 'I'm done'.

'They both owned the guesthouse where she was staying and where she died. Karen wanted to keep it solely as a rental property and was in the process of buying a one-bedroom home in Tremolat where she wanted to live by herself.

'Alan saw France as a holiday. He was here for just two weeks a year but Karen was here a lot of the time alone. This is where she wanted to be.

'I was helping her buy the house. It had a large field at the back that was also for sale separately. She wanted the land for her new dog.

'The owner of the house had the property bequeathed to them and had no intention of living there. I'd seen them moving furniture out.

'I asked them if they would be prepared to sell even though the house wasn't on the market and they said they would.

'Karen came with me to view the property and fell in love with it instantly. She said 'this is perfect.'

Mrs Carter divided her time between France and South Africa, where she had grown up.

Her husband flew from the marital home in East London, on South Africa's Eastern Cape, and visited the scene of his wife's murder on Tuesday night.

Beverley said: I've spoken to Alan, he's devastated but he denied that Karen had served him divorce papers but that's what she told me 24 hours before she was killed.

'Alan was also aware that Karen was buying this new home for herself.

'It's tough, they were married 30 years and had four children.'

Mr Guerrier, pictured on May 7, paid tribute to a 'lovely lady' as he broke his silence

Former Paris restaurateur Beverley said she has spoken to police investigating her friend's murder twice.

She is mystified as to who would want to harm her but said the officer she spoke to told her that another woman in the village was 'jealous' of Mrs Carter.

The woman had a long-held obsession with Mr Guerrier, a former managing director for Fujitsu Services, but the relationship between them was 'one-way'

Ms Needham said father-of-three Mr Guerrier, who used to live in Surrey before returning to his family home in Tremolat, had become close to Mrs Carter and was helping her set up a French bank account as well as guiding her through local bureaucracy.

He had accompanied her the Wednesday before she died to pick up the dog from a breeder who was friends with his daughter.

Ms Needham said: 'Jean-Francois is a charming man who likes company of women, he always has. he has a lot of female friends.

'He's lived in Surrey in England, where his youngest daughter grew up, he's also lived in Belgium and the United States but the house he's in now has been in his family for years.

'He's someone who does a lot for the community, he helps the local homeless.

'Jean-Francois and Karen had grown close over recent weeks, he was her confidante and was helping her out with paperwork for things like setting up a bank account.

'But she never told me that they were together as a couple. She was very discreet and private it about her relationship.

'She knew the village was gossiping and would say to me 'oh please don't ask me about Jean-Francois' and I would joke and say 'I'm not bothered. It's not as interesting as you think Karen!'

'I don't know anyone who would want to harm her or who held any kind of grudge. She was dynamic and a lovely, lovely person.

'Everyone loved her because if you needed anything, she was always there.

'She was streetwise because she grew up in South Africa and she was fit and strong but in Tremolat she wouldn't have been on guard. There is never any danger here.'

The sunlit village of Tremolat, a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in south west France

Mrs Carter managed properties in the French village of Tremolat

Mrs Carter had been dating retired businessman Jean-Francois Guerrier (pictured) who has a farmhouse close to the Carters' holiday home

A prison housing dangerous sex offenders is located just 17 miles away in the town of Mauzac-et-Grand-Castang.

But Ms Needham added: 'The killer has to have some connection with the villagethere are many hunters here who have long, sharp knives for cutting meat. Was someone paid to do it?

'The police did tell me that they were aware of a woman who was jealous of Karen and me because we were friendly with Jean-Francois who she was absolutely obsessed with.

'Although he was gentle and perfectly civil with this woman, he kept his distance and was far more affectionate with us.'

Detectives investigating the murder believe the killer almost certainly knew Mrs Carter and held a 'grudge' against her, either personally or due to the fact she had entered into a new relationship with Mr Guerrier.

The businessman had hosted a wine tasting event at his converted farmhouse, high in the hills above Tremolat last Tuesday evening, which had been attended by Mrs Carter.

She left around 10pm and had promised to phone him when she was home safe but no such call was made.

Mr Guerrier called round to her home to check on her and found her body sprawled on the driveway.

Despite the best efforts of medics, she died at the scene from severe blood loss having been stabbed eight times in her chest, groin, arm and leg.

Mr Guerrier was initially questioned but later released.

A 69-year-old neighbour of Mrs Carter - Marie Laure Autefort - was arrested and quizzed for 48 hours until she too was freed having been able to prove she was elsewhere during the killing.

Mr Guerrier is now looking after Mrs Carter's puppy at his home. He has laid low since finding her body but broke his silence yesterday to say 'She was a lovely lady.'

Mr Carter has previously stated that while aware of his wife's close relationship with the tech company executive he still felt 'a sense of betrayal'.

He is currently staying with a friend near Tremolat as he sorts funeral arrangements.

He said: 'This is deeply upsetting for us. We are just trying to come to terms with what happened.

'We have all of the grief. We've spent the last few hours in Tremolat. It's been very difficult coming back to the village.

'We are still struggling with everything. I just want to focus on the investigation.'
Secretary of State Marco Rubio poked fun at his unprecedented number of important and high profile positions within President Donald Trump's administration.

Beyond running the entire State Department, the former senator was most recently appointed as acting national security adviser. Mike Waltz vacated the post after being reassigned as nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations following a scandal.

He's been appointed by Trump as the acting head of USAID and the acting national archivist topping his list of powerful jobs.

Rubio, speaking at the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute Gala on Wednesday evening, listed out all of his jobs.

He poked fun about how he was single-handedly helping improve efficiency within the federal government.

'When I joined the administration, early on they said, you know, one of the initiatives we are pursuing is to increase efficiency in government,' Rubio said in his remarks. 'In essence they want to be able to do more while, you know, spending less.'

'And for example, they said, one of the things we want you to look at is consolidation. Can you take, for example, what today are four jobs and give them all to one person? And I said, that sounds like a great idea, let's do that across the government,' Rubio recalled.

'Little did I know they just meant me,' he concluded in hitting the punch line.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio joked on Wednesday evening about helping save the U.S. government money and increasing efficiency by holding four position in President Donald Trump's team

Rubio is Secretary of State, Acting National Security Advisor, Acting Archivist of the National Archives and acting Director of USAID

Beyond leading the State Department and acting as NSA, Rubio is also the Acting Archivist of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and acting Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

He got the NSA job after Waltz was ousted following a scandal where he seems to mistakenly add a journalist to a group chat discussing with other Cabinet officials attack plans on a Houthi target earlier this year.

Waltz is now nominated to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, a position that some say is a demotion but Trump says he would prefer over NSA.

Rubio jabbed on Wednesday night that he was gunning for a fifth position  U.S. Surgeon General.

'It's always flattering to receive an award and be recognized,' he said before listing positions he has or is holding.

'You were Speaker, you were a member of the Senate, you were the chairman of this  you're now secretary of state, and National Security Adviser, and the acting archivist, and the acting USAID director,' he said to laughs.

'And the surgeon general, no I'm kidding, I'm not that,' Rubio added, before admitting: 'I wanted it, I wanted it, you get a uniform. Did you know you get a uniform if you're the Surgeon General?'

Rubio took over as NSA after Mike Waltz (pictured) was booted from the position as reassigned to nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

'I wanted it, but they'd given it away. You know what'd be good? Library of Congress, that'd be a good job.'

Trump this week nominated Casey Means to be Surgeon General after he pulled his pick Janette Nesheiwat.

Nesheiwat's credentials came into question last month after CBS News reported she graduated from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine rather than the University of Arkansas School of Medicine.

Means is a physician and chronic disease entrepreneur with close ties to the Make America Healthy Again (MAGA) movement.
A cameraman who died following a mid-air crash while filming a world record attempt by 'Human Swan' Sacha Dench had raised concerns about stress before the tragedy, an inquiry has heard.

Dan Burton, 54, died after his paramotor was in collision with one flown by colleague Ms Dench, a climate activist, in the Highlands in Scotland on September 18 2021.

Ms Dench, an Australian biologist known as the 'human swan' for how she follows swans migrating from Russia to the UK, was trying to travel 3,000 miles around the UK by paramotor to highlight climate change ahead of the Cop26 conference.

She survived but suffered serious injuries in the crash, which occurred near Loch Na Gainmhich in Sutherland, Caithness.

A fatal accident inquiry at Tain Sheriff Court today heard that concerns had been raised about stress by those involved in the expedition including Mr Burton, due to a '24/7' workplace culture.

The potential for a collision between pilots had been highlighted on a risk assessment form, the hearing was told.

Giving evidence, Charlotte Harrison-Littlefield, who used to be social media manager for Conservation Without Borders, a charity founded by Ms Dench, told how she had been involved as a volunteer.

She said she was then paid as the project exceeded the planned timescale, and told the inquiry she was 'concerned' about stress.

Climate activist Sacha Dench attempted a world first circumnavigation of mainland Britain - she is pictured here at Glasgow Science Centre in June 2021

Dan Burton, 54, died after a horror mid-air crash near Unapool in the Scottish Highlands while working as a cameraman on a round Britain charity flight in a motorised paraglider

Paramotorist Sacha Dench (second right) is seen chatting with her team, including Dan Burton (left), as they check the weather in Stevenston, North Ayrshire, in June 2021

She described the expedition as 'travelling around the coast of UK, a part of it was trying to break a world record', and said it also involved interviews and 'content' for Cop26'.

Giving evidence, Ms Harrison-Littlefield said Mr Burton had raised concerns about stress, and there had been a 'heated' conversation between workers, volunteers and the two pilots.

She added that Ms Dench was 'the boss in this scenario' and 'there was no hard outcome', the inquiry heard.

Ms Harrison-Littlefield said that 'whilst on expedition we were essentially volunteering 24/7, it was seven days a week'.

She also spoke of being 'concerned' about stress, with the group typically camping with people they interviewed, the inquiry heard.

Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'There were several occasions where Dan Burton expressed to me and others about frustrations with the working environment and general progress of expedition.

'The expedition was chronically behind in terms of where we should be geographically and how many people we interviewed. The time the expedition was due to take - six weeks - was extended to be a lot more.

'It was quite a stressful working environment - we were asked to get a lot done and didn't have time. Conversations about realistic ends were not always heard.

Biologist Sacha plummeted from the sky during her 3,000-mile journey around Britain in a motorised paraglider after colliding with Mr Burton

Joanna Lumley, 75, (left) met with Sacha Dench, 43, (right) before her horrific crash in which Mr Burton died, to film her upcoming ITV documentary ahead of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November

The actress (centre) is seen here alongside Sacha Dench (left) and Dan Burton (right) in 2021

'There was at one point a big conversation about wellbeing, stress and aims that I remember got quite heated, that I remember involved every member of expedition crew.

'I believe the outcome was just a general decision for us to try harder not to stress each other out - I don't believe there was a hard outcome.'

She added: 'Work related stress came from Sacha Dench as she was essentially the boss in this scenario.'

Ms Harrison-Littlefield recalled how, on the day of the accident, the only two people left on the expedition apart from Ms Dench and Mr Burton were herself and another woman who acted as 'ground crew'.

The pilots had flown past the agreed meeting point and waved as they passed, the inquiry heard.

Ms Harrison-Littlefield gave a statement to police saying that one of the electric paramotors was out of use the day of the accident and so a petrol paramotor was used instead.

The statement said: 'Today she tried mixing 20 per cent butanol with 80 per cent petrol and did the first flight with no issues which was around 1.10mins.

'On the second flight which was just outside Dorness where the accident occurred she flew past Dorness past Scourie where we were supposed to meet.'

Sacha Dench (pictured in June 2021 in the Scottish town of Stevenston), who is known as the 'Human Swan', was aiming to circumnavigate Britain in her adapted electric paramotor

Tragic Dan Burton is seen here in 2021 preparing for a flight from Stevenston beach, on the west coast of Scotland

Ms Dench (pictured in a photo she previously shared on social media) suffered serious injuries in the mid-air collision that happened in September 2021

Ms Harrison-Littlefield said the ground crew drove to Ullapool and attempted to contact the pilots but found that a tracking app 'hadn't updated in a while'.

They then decided to drive the route where the pilots had last been seen but came across emergency services, the inquiry heard.

Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'We were advised that one of the flyers had passed away - after a period of time we were advised it was Dan Burton.'

She said there had been a 'kind of away day' but 'no formal training had been provided', and she had a pre-existing St John Ambulance qualification in first aid.

When asked by fiscal depute Jemma Eadie if one of her roles was to be a first aider, Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'Not in any official capacity.'

Ms Eadie said: 'Does it come as a surprise to you that your name has been put down as first aider on risk assessment?'

Ms Harrison-Littlefield said: 'Yes, to my knowledge I don't remember it being an official part of my capacity on the expedition.'

A 20-minute film shown at Cop26 in Glasgow in November 2021 - and an hour-long TV documentary by actress Joanna Lumley - were previously aired as tributes to Mr Burton.

Paramotorist Sacha Dench is seen here at the Kelpies near Falkirk in 2021 after arriving back in Scotland as she launched her record-breaking attempt, aimed at raising climate awareness

While Miss Lumley initially told The Times she wanted to back away from the project, relatives of both Ms Dench and Mr Burton urged her to broadcast the programme.

Both films used footage shot by father-of-two Mr Burton, whose funeral at Topsham, Devon, was on October 8 2021.

Miss Lumley was a keen supporter of Miss Dench's Round Britain Climate Challenge.

She said after the tragic accident: 'Please say how heartbroken I am and that Dan was the best company, brave as a lion and an expert in his field.

'All thoughts and prayers are with his family and with Sacha, who is the best of the best and has become a darling friend.'

The Absolutely Fabulous star became aware of climate activist Ms Dench - a distant relative of Dame Judi Dench - after spotting her fundraising campaign.

Miss Lumley said previously: 'Sacha Dench's adventures are stories you can only dream of - facing down all barriers and blessed with the courage of a lioness she literally soars into history books, and inspires everyone.

'Sacha is clawing attention towards the greatest crisis mankind has faced in recorded time.'

The inquiry continues in front of Sheriff Neil Wilson.
The parents of a 5-year-old Alabama girl are desperate for answers after she was was found to have ingested a large amount of alcohol commonly found in cleaning products after being picked up from school.

Little Algeria Singleton was limp and 'slobbering at the mouth' when her parents arrived at Collins-Rhodes Elementary School in Prichard outside Mobile on April 28.

Her mother, Mary Singleton, said neither she nor her husband, Albert, 47, had been contacted by the school, despite their daughter's alarming condition.

'The school teachers came out to the van with her, but they was carrying her instead of her walking,' Mary told WKRG.

'The nurse, she broke it down as to where she probably felt like it was like an ear infection. But it was nothing of that nature.'

The teacher then handed the child to her parents, urging them to seek emergency care.

'She was slobbering at the mouth, she was heavy, and the teacher handed her to me, saying we probably needed to take her to the ER,' Mary told WALA.

Algeria was rushed to Children's and Women's Hospital in Mobile, where she spent two days in the ICU.

Algeria Singleton, 5, was limp and 'slobbering at the mouth' when her parents arrived at the girl's elementary school to pick her up on April 28

Algeria's mother, Mary Singleton (left), said neither she nor her husband, Albert (right), 47, had been contacted by the school, despite their daughter's alarming condition

Doctors found she had consumed a large amount of ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, which is commonly found in products like hand sanitizers, skincare items, perfumes, and some food packaging materials, according to the Chemical Safety Facts Organization.

The girl's blood-alcohol content was recorded at 0.29 percent - more than four times the legal driving limit of 0.08 percent for adults in Alabama.

'How is this even possible?' Albert asked. 'Where was the supervision?'

A toxicology report confirmed the presence of ethanol, though how Algeria accessed it remains unclear.

Albert said his daughter was unresponsive from about 3 pm, when they picked her up at school, until around 3 am the next morning.

Algeria was discharged from the hospital on April 30 and is recovering slowly, AL.com reported.

The family said they did not plan to send her back to the school for the rest of the year.

The Singletons are now desperate for answers as to what happened that day and how their little girl may have accessed the substance.

Doctors found she had ingested a large amount of ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, which is commonly found in products like hand sanitizers, skincare items, perfumes, and some food packaging materials

The family said they do not plan to send her back to the school for the rest of the year. Pictured: Collins-Rhodes Elementary School in Pritchard, Alabama

The Singletons (pictured with family) are now desperate for answers as to what happened that day and how their little girl may have accessed the toxic substance

'It's hard to deal with when you see your child walking into school and being carried out, you know, and you don't have any idea what's going on,' Albert told WALA.

'We feel betrayed,' Mary added to WKRG. 'Because of the way the whole situation was handled. Bad. You know, and they know us personally and they could have did a better job reaching out.'

The Mobile County Public Schools System did not respond to several news outlets' requests for comment.

Albert said the incident is being investigated by the Prichard Police Department, Mobile County Sheriff's Office and the Mobile County District Attorney's Office.

Police told WALA they may pass the case to the Child Advocacy Center.
A cocky drug boss, who brazenly showed off his 'diamond teeth', solid gold chain and wads of cash as he advertised cocaine and cannabis for sale on social media, has received a hefty prison sentence, as the rest of his gang were collectively jailed for a total of 46 years.

Damon Greenslade, who operated the 'Dmo' line, which flooded the streets of Cheshire with cocaine, MDMA, cannabis and other illicit substances, had the name of the line tattooed on himself, as well the phrase 'can't stop, won't stop'.

He recruited juveniles into his gang to act as street dealers, threatening and using violence to control them.

Greenslade would be supplied with large amounts of drugs, which he was responsible for distributing, with the help of a large network of street-level dealers and couriers out on delivery.

Even when police were closing in on him and he had been arrested twice and bailed in connection with the investigation, Greenslade changed his address and continued to operate the major drugs line.

But his empire finally came crashing down when he was detained last August alongside 12 others in the organised crime group, who have now been sentenced to a total of more than 46 years.

A court heard how the 'Dmo' drug line offered special discounts, treasure hunts and 'complimentary' cannabis joints as a shameless marketing ploy to customers.

They would send flare messages and used social media to advertise the sale of drugs and even had bespoke items adorned with the brand name, such as lighters.

Cocky drug boss Damon Greenslade, who brazenly showed off his 'diamond teeth', solid gold chain and wads of cash as he advertised cocaine and cannabis for sale on social media, has been jailed for 16 years

Greenslade's empire came crashing down when he was detained last August alongside 12 others in the organised crime group, who have now been sentenced to more than 46 years

Gang members showed off their expensive watches and the drugs they sold on social media

Between March 21, 2020 and June 21, 2023, the drugs line operated within Congleton in Cheshire and surrounding areas, a court heard.

Associates Patrick Bruce and Daniel Greenslade were responsible for supplying Damon Greenslade with the bulk amount of drugs.

He was then responsible for the large-scale supply and distribution of cocaine, MDMA, cannabis and THC edibles in the area and surrounding towns.

The drugs were sourced from beyond county lines, often with junior members of the gang being sent to collect the drugs and return them to several market towns within Cheshire.

Next in command to Damon Greenslade were Lewis Charlesworth, Reece Evans and Jason Acton, who each controlled street-level dealers.

These included Kane Smith, Nathan Edge, Bradley Dale and Ethan Taylor, a court was told.

Dillon Sweeney was a courier, delivering and collecting drugs and money on behalf of Damon Greenslade.

Sutton acted as a middleman between Patrick Bruce and Damon Greenslade, as well as being responsible for drug supply in Alderley Edge.

Footage from Cheshire Police shows the moment that Damon Greenslade was arrested

Between March 21, 2020 and June 21, 2023, the gang operated a drugs line operated within Congleton in Cheshire and surrounding areas

The gang is believed to have supplied up to 333kg of cannabis and up to 9kg of cocaine

Police seized large amounts of cannabis, cocaine, and other illicit drugs with a combined estimated street value of up to 81,008

Tyler Meadows assisted in the storage and exchange of significant quantities of drugs and cash.

Operation Chekov was launched by Cheshire Police as a proactive investigation into the group.

Officers compiled extensive evidence of a phone number attribute to the 'Dmo' line which was sending messages relating to drugs supply.

During the investigation, large amounts of cannabis, cocaine, and other illicit drugs with a combined estimated street value of up to 81,008 were seized.

Police also recovered a total of 41,433.73 in cash, as well as other high value items such as jewellery, vehicles and designer goods.

The gang is believed to have supplied up to 333kg of cannabis, and between 8kg and 9kg of cocaine, Cheshire Police said.

In January 2021, Evans and Smith were arrested in Congleton for drugs supply offences.

The home address of Damon Greenslade was also searched in January 2021 but despite this, the drugs line remained active, with him becoming paranoid about police.

Reece Evans, 23, of Congleton, Cheshire, was jailed for seven years

Damon Greenslade, who headed up the vast drugs operation, was jailed for 16 years

He had changed his address and was constantly reporting on the movements of drones and police vehicles.

In January 2022, police executed four raids in Congleton and Macclesfield, targeting Damon Greenslade, Charlesworth, and Evans.

A mobile phone was seized from the bedroom of Damon Greenslade, which was confirmed to be the graft phone in control of the 'Dmo' drug line.

The remainder of the suspects were then identified as gang members following the forensic download of the mobile phone.

In June 2023, a strike day was conducted targeting addresses in Cheshire and Greater Manchester. During the strike action, almost all of the gang members were arrested, and cash and drugs were seized.

Tyler Meadows was arrested for her involvement on July 31, 2023.

Members of the organised crime group have now been sentenced to a combined 46 years for their involvement.

A total of 13 individuals appeared at Chester Crown Court between Wednesday, April 30 and Friday, May 2 for their role in the conspiracy.

Damon Greenslade, 33, of Congleton, Cheshire, who was also charged with being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, was handed 16 years and four months.

Jed Sutton, 26, of Alderley Edge, Cheshire, received a six-year prison sentence

Patrick Bruce, 41, of Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, was jailed for three years and 10 months for conspiracy to supply class B drugs

Daniel Greenslade, 34, of Macclesfield, Cheshire, was given 10 years and three months, while Reece Evans, 23, of Congleton, Cheshire, was jailed for seven years.

Jed Sutton, 26, of Alderley Edge, Cheshire, was given six years, Lewis Charlesworth, 20, of Congleton Cheshire, who was also charged with being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, was jailed for four years and six months, and Kane Smith, 22, of Congleton, Cheshire, was handed a 16-month sentence suspended for 18 months.

Tyler Meadows, 23, of Congleton, Cheshire, was given 21 months, suspended for two years.

Jason Acton, 23, of Congleton, Cheshire and Nathan Edge, 21, of Congleton, Cheshire - who was also charged with being concerned in the supply of class B drugs - were both handed a two-year Community Order.

Meanwhile Patrick Bruce, 41, of Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, was jailed for three years and 10 months for conspiracy to supply class B drugs.

He was imprisoned alongside Dillon Sweeney, 29, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, who was also charged with being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, for 18 months, which was suspended for 18 months.

Bradley Dale, 20, of Congleton, Cheshire, who was also charged with being concerned in the supply of class B drugs, was given a 12-month Community Order.

Ethan Taylor, 20, of Congleton Cheshire, who was also charged with producing class B and being concerned in the supply of class B drugs, was given a 12-month Community Order.

Lewis Charlesworth, 20, of Congleton Cheshire, was charged with being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and jailed for four years and six months

Daniel Greenslade, 34, of Macclesfield, Cheshire, was given 10 years and three months

Detective Constable Sam Needham of Cheshire Police said: 'This has been a lengthy and complex investigation into a group of people intent on bringing illegal substances into Cheshire.

'These individuals thought they could reap the benefits of their criminal activity, purchasing high value items such as jewellery, vehicles, and designer goods, but this case demonstrates that crime really does not pay.

'Not only have they had a large amount of items and cash seized from them, but the leading members of the drugs conspiracy have been sentenced to a combined total of more than 46 years.

'This reflects the severity of drug-related crimes and the misery it causes to not just drug users, but entire communities.

'Damon Greenslade, who controlled the Dmo drugs line, specifically sought out and exploited juveniles into the ranks of the crime group, threatening and using violence to maintain control over those younger members, no doubt promising them rewards in return for their work.

'However, Damon Greenslade - who bragged 'can't stop, won't stop' and even had the phrase tattooed on himself along with the name of the drugs line - now has 16 years in prison to contemplate his actions and be reminded of his corrupt decisions..

'I hope the severity of the sentence handed down to Damon Greenslade in particular serves as a warning to those involved in similar criminality that this activity will not be tolerated in Cheshire.

'While this investigation has made sure a significant quantity of drugs has been taken off the streets, we will continue to fight against such behaviour and ensure those who are intent on fuelling such activity are brought before the courts.'
First lady Melania Trump is skipping President Donald Trump's whirlwind trip to the Middle East next week.

Daily Mail confirmed the first lady's absence as the president visits Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates over the course of three and a half days.

The Middle East trip was supposed to be the president's first big foreign swing of his second term.

But due to the death of Pope Francis, Trump traveled to Rome first. Melania, a Catholic, accompanied him on that trip.

The first lady hasn't fully moved back into the White House since Trump was sworn-in in January.

Instead she's been splitting time between Mar-a-Lago, where she and the president lived during the four years he wasn't in office, and Trump Tower in New York.

Trump plants a kiss on Melania's cheek during Mother's Day event at the White House

First lady Melania Trump (right) accompanied her husband, President Donald Trump (left) to Pope Francis' funeral in Rome late last month, but will be skipping next week's three-country tour of the Middle East

First lady Melania Trump (left) splits off from her husband President Donald Trump (right) on the tarmac at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey after their trip to Rome

Son Barron, now 19, is a college freshman at NYU.

Melania was in Washington on Thursday hosting two White House events ahead of the president's departure to the Middle East.

The first is a mother's day luncheon for military mothers, which the president was also set to attend.

The second is a former first lady Barbara Bush postage stamp unveiling - with several Bush family members expected to attend - though not former President George W. Bush and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Trump has been critical of both Bush brothers.

The president will depart Monday for his three-country Middle East trip.

He's expected to be greeted with lots of fanfare - as major global issues are expected to be discussed.

Saudi Arabia has been the host of the recent U.S.-Russia talks as Trump aims to put a stop to the war in Ukraine.

Melania Trump participates in a celebration of military mothers in the East Room of the White House

First lady Melania Trump attends the International Women of Courage award ceremony at the State Department earlier this month

First lady Melania Trump (left) stands alongside President Donald Trump (center) and the Easter Bunny (right) during the annual Easter Egg Roll, which took place last month

President Donald Trump (left) and first lady Melania Trump (right) arrive hand-in-hand to the Commander-in-Chief inaugural ball on inauguration day in January

While Qatar has played a major role in attempting to get a Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

One aim of the second Trump administration is to get Saudi Arabia to sign onto the Abraham Accords, a significant piece of foreign policy inked at the end of the first Trump administration.

The Abraham Accords normalized relations between Israel and the UAE and Israel and Bahrain.

Hamas' October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel was designed to stop Saudi Arabia from joining the pact.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS, has since indicated that the kingdom will not normalize relations with Israel until there's a move toward Palestinian statehood, something unlikely with conservative Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in power.
John Swinney has confirmed he will vote against legalising assisted dying amid concerns that vulnerable people could feel undue pressure to end their lives.

The First Minister said he will oppose the bill when it is voted on by MSPs for the first time on Tuesday.

Announcing his decision to journalists in the Scottish Parliament, he also cited concerns about the impact on people who feel they are a burden on their families and the State, as well as the impact on the relationship patients have with doctors and the risk that the legislation may end up being extended further in the future.

He also spoke emotionally about his wife Elizabeth Quigley, who has multiple sclerosis, and said he couldnt contemplate having a discussion with her about the issue.

Mr Swinney said: I have come to the conclusion that I cannot support the bill and will be voting against it on Tuesday.

There are three fundamental reasons why I have come to that conclusion. Firstly, I am concerned that passage of this legislation will fundamentally alter the relationship between patients and clinicians.

It is a No from John Swinney as MSPs prepare to vote on the assisted dying bill next week

John Swinney has said he can't contemplate talking about assisted dying with his wife Elizabeth Quigley, who has MS

'In my view there is a real danger of undermining the role that we all believe is effectively performed by medical professionals of protecting and enhancing human life.

'If any possibility or indeed obligation is applied to medical professionals to advise patients about assisted dying I judge that the relationship between doctor and patient would be changed in an irrevocable and detrimental fashion.

Secondly, I am concerned that those who are vulnerable in our society and those who may consider themselves a burden to their families or to the State may feel undue pressure to end their life prematurely.

'I am very careful of the views of many individuals and organisations on this point and I can see no means of avoiding such a situation emerging in relation to the bill.

Thirdly, as much as I recognise the efforts to tightly define the bill, if a decision is taken to pass this legislation then I am not sufficiently confident that there will be no further developments through the judicial process that could see the provisions of the bill extended to take in other broader circumstances that would extend the intentions of parliament, and I would not wish to enable such undesirable situation to develop.

MSPs will have a free vote when Liberal Democrat Liam McArthurs proposals are voted on at stage one on Tuesday and Mr Swinney insisted he did not want to influence anyones vote but felt people were keen to hear his views as First Minister.

Mr Swinney said his Christian faith was part of his judgement when considering the issue, which he previously voted against twice, but said the consideration he gave this time was incredibly difficult.

When asked if he had discussed the issue with his wife, a BBC journalist, Mr Swinney said: I couldnt contemplate having the conversation about the question of assisted dying with my wife knowing the health challenges that she faces and the fact that, as you all know, she has terminal illness. I could not contemplate that conversation.

Mr McArthur said: Given John Swinneys position on this issue in the past, I have always been aware that I was unlikely to win his support.

'Nevertheless, I would like to thank him for his considered approach, the time he has taken to discuss the issue with me and his recognition that in this vote he does not speak for his party but solely on a personal basis.

He will know that this is an issue on which an overwhelming majority of people of Scotland believe a change in the law is required.

'Public polling is consistent across age range, disability status, geographic area and religious belief: Scots want a change in the law to allow terminally ill people the choice of an assisted death.
The only suspect in the Madeleine McCann case could flee to a country without an extradition treaty if he walks free from prison in four weeks' time, it is feared.

Christian Brueckner is currently in German jail for raping a woman in 2005 in the part of Portugal's Algarve region where three-year-old Madeleine went missing in 2007.

But the 47-year-old German national's seven-year prison term is set to end with his release this September - which is much earlier than prosecutors had hoped for after he was acquitted of unrelated sexual offences in court last October following a trial.

Brueckner is under investigation on suspicion of murder in the McCann case but has denied any involvement in the girl's disappearance and has not been charged.

Now, a new Channel 4 documentary has examined how investigators face a race against time if they are to make a charge before Brueckner is released from prison.

Prosecutors have previously said that they 'have evidence that he killed Madeleine McCann', and the new programme revealed a document that shows German police are in possession of an 80GB hard drive and a separate laptop linked to Brueckner.

Details of what is on these devices is unknown, but it is understood there are 'crucial images from Brueckner's time in Portugal' and 'evidence said to be key in persuading police that Madeleine died shortly after her disappearance', the documentary said.

Prosecutors will now have to consider whether this evidence is strong enough to charge Brueckner before he is released and could potentially leave the country.

Madeleine McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner arrives in court in Braunschweig, Germany, last October. He was acquitted of unrelated sexual offences following a trial

Madeleine McCann went missing on May 3, 2007, aged three. She has never been found

A metal suitcase discovered by German police in 2016. It reportedly contained photos of girls

Police discovered USB sticks and memory cards buried beneath the body of Brueckner's dog

The wallet in which the USB sticks and memory cards were found by investigators

Bottles and substances found inside a Jaguar matching the description of Brueckner's vehicle

During the documentary which aired last night, The Sun's foreign editor Nick Parker said: 'There is every chance with his track record that he could just disappear.

'He could get out of Germany and vanish, God knows where. Should that happen, it's very difficult to see where the McCann inquiry might go.'

Timeline of events since Madeleine McCann disappeared 2007  May 3: Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley, Leicestershire, leave their children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in southern Portugal while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant. Nothing is amiss when Mr McCann checks on the youngsters just after 9pm, but when his wife goes back at about 10pm she finds Madeleine missing. Jane Tanner, one of the friends dining with the McCanns, reports having seen a man carrying a child earlier that night.  May 14: Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese property developer Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an 'arguido', or formal suspect, but this is later withdrawn.  August 11: Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.  September 7: During questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both 'arguidos' in their daughter's disappearance. 2008  July 21: The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the 'arguido' status of the McCanns and Mr Murat. 2011  May 12: Scotland Yard launches a review of the case after a request from home secretary Theresa May, supported by prime minister David Cameron. 2012  April 25: Scotland Yard detectives say they believe Madeleine could still be alive, release an age-progression picture of how she might look as a nine-year-old, and call on the Portuguese authorities to reopen the case, but Portuguese police say they have found no new material. 2013  July 4: Scotland Yard confirms it has launched its own investigation, Operation Grange, into Madeleine's disappearance two years into a review of the case. It has 'genuinely new' lines of inquiry and has identified 38 people of interest, including 12 Britons.  October 24: Portuguese police confirm that a review of their original investigation has uncovered new lines of inquiry, and they reopen the case. 2014  January 29: British detectives fly to Portugal amid claims they are planning to make arrests.  June 3: Sniffer dogs and specialist teams are used to search an area of scrubland close to where Madeleine went missing.  December 12: Detectives begin questioning 11 people who it is thought may have information on the case. 2015  September 16: The Government discloses that the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine has cost more than 10million.  October 28: Scotland Yard cuts the number of officers working on the inquiry from 29 to four. 2019  May 3: Local media reports say Portuguese detectives are investigating a foreign paedophile as a suspect in the abduction of Madeleine. 2020  June 3: Police reveal a 43-year-old German prisoner, later named as Christian Brueckner, has been identified as a suspect in Madeleine's disappearance.  June 4: Scotland Yard's Operation Grange, which had received 12.3 million in funding up to April 2020, is still a missing person inquiry as detectives have no 'definitive evidence whether Madeleine is alive or dead'. 2022  April 21: Brueckner is made an 'arguido', a formal suspect, by Portuguese authorities.  October 11: Brueckner, now 45, is charged with three counts of rape and two charges of child sex abuse, unrelated to Madeleine's disappearance. 2023  May 22: An area near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz, is sealed off as police prepare to start searching.  May 23: Searches begin with police divers in the water, and teams including officers with sniffer dogs and rakes and metal poles are seen working on the banks. 2024  February 16: Brueckner goes on trial for three counts of rape and two charges of child sex abuse at a court in Brunswick, Germany.  October 8: Brueckner is acquitted of all charges. Advertisement

Rob Pattinson, an investigative journalist for the newspaper, added: 'Legally, he could be out in weeks. After that, he's a free man and he can go wherever he wants.

'And of course that brings with it the risk he goes to a country with a non-extradition treaty, where he can't be brought back to Germany.'

Last October, Brueckner was cleared at a court in Brunswick of three charges of aggravated rape and two of sexual abuse of children.

Prosecutors had argued for him to be handed a 15-year sentence for the sex offences.

Brueckner had already been serving a seven-year prison term in Germany for raping a woman in 2005 in Portugal.

He had been on trial since February last year over the other offences he was alleged to have committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.

Defence lawyers said there was a lack of evidence, with witnesses who were not credible  and suggested Brueckner might not have been charged if he had not been a suspect in the McCann case.

Kai Feldhaus, chief reporter for German newspaper Bild, told the documentary: 'The prosecution hoped to get a guilty verdict that will a) keep the accused in jail and b) pave the way for a Maddie case.

'Well, this hope wasn't fulfilled at all. The court declared the accused not guilty of all five counts.

'They can opt for applying for a new arrest warrant concerning the Maddie case, they can press charges concerning the Maddie case. But they said on numerous occasions that they don't have enough to charge, so this is a very risky game.'

Brueckner spent many years in Portugal, including in the resort of Praia da Luz around the time of Madeleine's disappearance in May 2007.

The Brunswick state court had jurisdiction for the case last year because Brueckner had his last German residence in that city in Lower Saxony.

German prosecutors said at the time that the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance would continue despite his acquittal.

Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said after the case last October: 'Christian Brueckner is our prime suspect and he's the only suspect we have in the Maddie McCann case.

'We have evidence that he killed Madeleine McCann, but it's not the time for us to put it on the table and to decide if we could charge him or if you could go for an arrest warrant or something like that in the Madeleine case. Maybe we'll come to this point in the next year.'

As things stand, Brueckner will be released from jail in September - and Mr Wolters told Sky News in January that there was 'currently no prospect of an indictment in the Maddie case'.

The prosecutor said he could apply for a new arrest warrant for Brueckner to remain in custody beyond September, but Brueckner's defence team have said they would oppose such an appeal.

Madeleine disappeared from her bedroom during a family holiday in the resort town of Praia da Luz while her parents were dining with friends nearby.

Her fate remains a mystery and no body has ever been found.

German police said in June 2020 that McCann was assumed dead and that Brueckner was likely responsible for it.

In April, ministers approved more than 100,000 in additional funding for Scotland Yard detectives investigating Madeleine's disappearance.

Now, German investigators are urgently calling on the Metropolitan Police to revive their investigation after newly uncovered evidence found in a German factory which authorities believe may link him to Madeleine's abduction.

The materials, unearthed at a disused box factory in Neuwegersleben, Germany, include a vile catalogue of depraved documents, children's clothing, small bikes, and more than 75 swimsuits and toys believed to belong to young girls.

Some were reportedly buried beneath the body of Brueckner's dead dog, which was exhumed during the police search.

'The clock is against the case here and investigators do not want to see Brueckner walk free,' a source told The Sun.

'Their best option could be intervention from UK cops but they have to be prepared to take it on. There are 20,000 pages of Madeleine evidence and the Germans are ready to translate the lot.'

In 2016, officers discovered up to 8,000 files at the site, including USB sticks and hard drives containing what are alleged to be disturbing images and graphic stories of child abduction.

One document reportedly described drugging a mother and daughter outside a pre-school and abusing a four-year-old blonde girl - a chilling echo of the real-life tragedy that unfolded in Portugal in 2007.

A laptop and satellite navigation system seized from the same location are also said to have traced Brueckner's movements around the Arade Dam, just 35 miles from Praia da Luz.

Photos later emerged of Brueckner posing nude at the dam, having scrawled a crude mask over his own face - a bizarre and deeply sinister image that added to growing suspicions around him.

While no forensic proof has been uncovered linking Brueckner definitively to Madeleine's disappearance, German prosecutors have said they are convinced she is dead and that Brueckner is responsible.

Among the items found in the bolthole in Neuwegersleben were 75 child's swimming costumes

A llaptop allegedly contains information that could link Brueckner to Maddie's disappearance

Police recovered three black-market guns and ammunition during their search

A photograph thought to show Christian Brueckner at the Arade Dam - a key location in the Madeleine McCann investigation which the Portuguese police searched in 2023

Christian Brueckner with his lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher in Braunschweig on October 2, 2024

'We have strong evidence that Madeleine McCann is dead and that our suspect killed her,' German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told 60 Minutes Australia in 2020.

'We don't have the body and no parts of the body, but we have enough evidence to say our suspect killed Madeleine McCann.'

This position remains unchanged, The Sun confirmed this week.

The Channel 4 documentary features disturbing new details of the investigation, including accounts from informants and previously unreleased police evidence  fuelling renewed calls for British police to step up their own efforts.

One detail allegedly supporting the case against him is an insurance claim signed by Brueckner that placed him in Orgiva, Spain, in March 2008.

This coincides with a hippy festival where, according to an informant, he confessed to knowing what happened to Madeleine.

An insurance document is said to prove for the first time Brueckner was at a festival in March 2008 where he allegedly all but confessed to killing Madeleine

German police unearthed a disturbing cache of materials at a former box making factory

Plastic boxes, electronics and a bathtub dumped outside Brueckner's run-down bolthole

Kate and Gerry McCann, Madeleine's parents, hold pyjamas similar to those of their daughter during a press conference in June 2007

Gerry and Kate McCann hold a picture of Madeleine as they make an appeal from the holiday apartment days after she disappeared

Helge Busching, a former acquaintance of Brueckner, told German authorities: 'Christian asked me if I was still going to Portugal.

'I replied: 'I'm no longer going to Portugal because there are too many problems there on account of the missing child.'

'It is indeed strange that she disappeared without a trace.' Christian replied: 'Yes, she did not scream'.'

Brueckner has dismissed Busching's testimony as 'not even worthy of comment', but prosecutors say his insurance claim supports Busching's timeline and Brueckner's presence at the event.

The discovery of chemicals believed to be chloroform or ether, unlicensed firearms, and Skype chats with fellow paedophiles have further painted a harrowing picture of a man who 'changed at night', according to those interviewed in the documentary.

The Met Police were present during a 2023 search of the Arade Dam, where material was recovered and sent to Germany. The Met has said it remains open to any new evidence.

Prosecutors insist Madeleine is dead but are yet to disclose evidence supporting this theory

A police tent in the Arade Dam area. Materials were sent to German authorities for further analysis but it is not known if any decisive evidence was found

Police are seen searching areas around the Arade Dam in Portugal in May 2023

Police at the Ocean Club hotel on May 4, 2007, a day after Madeleine was reported missing

A spokesperson for the force said: 'We continue to support Madeleine's family to understand what happened on the evening of May 3, 2007 in Praia da Luz.

'This includes working with our colleagues in Germany and Portugal. Our thoughts remain with the family.'

Despite their commitment, Operation Grange, the unit set up to investigate Madeleine's case, has had its funding cut again, receiving 108,000 this year, down from 192,000 previously.

The case has now cost UK taxpayers almost 13.5million over 18 years.

Last week, Madeleine's family marked the 18th anniversary of her disappearance by remembering her as a 'very beautiful and unique person' ahead of what would be her 22nd birthday.

A statement from her parents Kate and Gerry McCann and the family said: 'The years appear to be passing even more quickly and whilst we have no significant news to share, our determination to 'leave no stone unturned' is unwavering. We will do our utmost to achieve this.'

'Madeleine McCann: The Unseen Evidence' is available to stream on Channel 4
Jill Biden appeared to give her former president husband Joe a secret signal on The View after co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin asked a very risky question.

Biden, 82, was asked about Democrat insiders saying he'd suffered a sharp cognitive decline during his final year in office and began answering the question.

But after a few moments of relatively fluid speech the former president suddenly stopped and said: 'I've spoken enough.'

Jill, who was sat beside her husband, picked up the answer without a beat, sparking theories she may have nudged him or kicked him under the table to shut him up.

The former first lady has long been accused of hiding her ailing husband away during his doomed 2024 presidential campaign and telling him not to stand down despite growing outrage over his clear mental decline.

But she angrily denied 'sequestering' him during Thursday's live appearance on the ABC show.

Meanwhile, Biden was also seen sporting a mysterious band aid on his left hand.

The president was previously seen with a bruise on the same hand, sparking theories about whether he had undergone some kind of infusion for the benefit of his health.

When he was asked the question on his mental health, Biden awkwardly cut himself off mid-answer as he gave a halting and mumbling performance on the show.

Former President Joe Biden suddenly stopped talking while answering a dangerous question about his cognitive decline on The View Thursday

His wife, former first lady Jill Biden, picked up without a beat, sparking theories she'd nudged or kicked him to shut him up as he interrupted himself to say he had 'spoken enough'

Biden was also seen sporting a mysterious band aid on his hand during Thursday's show

The president was previously spotted with bruising on the same area of the same hand, sparking speculation that he may have undergone an infusion to boost his health

Jill's sudden interjection appeared rehearsed, as she added in her retort that she was infuriated by books about her husband's struggles in office because 'nobody saw how hard Joe worked.'

The conversation lingered on allegations of Biden's mental cognition, with Whoopi Goldberg at one point minimizing his disastrous debate against Trump last June as 'just a bad night.'

The awkward moment came after Biden was greeted warmly by The View hosts as he jogged out to the studio, in an apparent attempt to look sprightly as he re-entered the limelight.

But moments later, Biden had to clear a huge lump of phlegm from his throat and paused his sentence to deal with the unpleasant vocal issue.

Biden said he 'wasn't surprised' Kamala Harris lost to Donald Trump in the 2024 race.

'(Trump) still got seven million fewer votes' than in their 2020 showdown, Biden said, adding that Trump went with 'the sexist route' during the campaign to 'undercut' Harris' bid for the presidency.

Biden was welcomed with soft-ball questions as he began the interview, with Whoopi Goldberg asking him first off the bat: 'Well, how are you?'

Ana Navarro also quipped that he could serve as the 'next Pope', seemingly digging at Trump's meme of himself becoming the next papal leader amid the ongoing Conclave.

The octogenarian jogged as he entered the studio to a big cheer, in an apparent attempt to look sprightly as he re-entered the limelight

The conversation lingered on allegations of Biden's mental cognition, with Whoopi Goldberg at one point minimizing his disastrous debate against Trump last June as 'just a bad night'

The interview is a rare public appearance for Biden since he left the presidency almost four months ago.

This week, he gave his first solo interview to BBC Radio 4's Today program, where he claimed he took so long to bow out of the 2024 presidential race because he was so 'successful' in office before implying Harris would have lost anyway.

Biden also raised eyebrows with his appearance at the funeral of Pope Francis last month, as he was seen gripping a priest's arm as he struggled to walk down a set of stairs.

In his interview earlier this week, Biden whispered, mumbled, coughed, and paused for long moments as he conducted his first broadcast since leaving office.

When asked why he did not end his 2024 campaign earlier, he said: 'I don't think it would have mattered.'

Much of Biden's presidency was overshadowed by questions about his cognitive state. After a disastrous debate against Donald Trump on June 27 last year he took nearly a month to finally end his reelection bid, finally calling time on July 21.

That gave Harris just 106 days to build-out a presidential campaign, and she ultimately lost to Trump in November.

'It's a question lots of people ask you, Mr. President  did you leave it too late? Should you have withdrawn earlier, given someone else a bigger chance?' BBC journalist Nick Robinson asked.

'We left at a time when we had a good candidate,' Biden said of Harris in the interview that aired Wednesday morning. 'She was fully funded.'

Biden also raised eyebrows with his appearance at the funeral of Pope Francis last month, as he was seen gripping a priest's arm as he struggled to walk down a set of stairs

'And what happened was, what we had set out to do, no one thought we could do,' the former president added. 'We had become so successful in our agenda, it was hard to say, 'I'm gonna stop now.''

Biden also took the opportunity to hit out at his successor Donald Trump, accusing him of 'modern-day appeasement' in his attempts to end the Russia-Ukraine War.

'What the hell's going on here? What president ever talks like that?' he added about Trump's plans to annex Greenland and Canada.

'That's not who we are,' he continued. 'We're about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation.'

The ex-president struggled throughout the interview to properly articulate his thoughts, refusing to address Trump by his name.

He also mumbled and took long pauses, sighing heavily and speaking in a whisper at times.

Biden also voiced his worries about relations between US-Europe declining under the Trump administration, as Allied nations marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day this week.

He called it 'foolish' to think Putin would concede if parts of Ukraine were given in a peace deal.

The appearance on The View also comes as a diary Jill Biden reportedly kept during their time in the White House is set to be used in a tell-all book

The appearance on The View also comes as a diary Jill Biden reportedly kept during their time in the White House is set to be used in a tell-all book.

The former First Couple have faced a slew of embarrassing articles and books on Biden's decline in office, and Biden is said to have been preparing a book to combat the allegations.

Insiders told the Daily Mail the couple could land a book deal worth $30 million.
A woman who took abortion pills during lockdown has been cleared of illegally terminating a pregnancy.

Nicola Packer, 45, had taken abortion medication at her home on November 6, 2020.

The then 41 year-old had taken prescribed medications mifepristone and misoprostol when she was around 26 weeks pregnant, jurors were previously told.

She later delivered a foetus, which she brought to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in a backpack the following day.

Today, she has been found not guilty of 'unlawfully administering to herself a poison or other noxious thing' with the 'intent to procure a miscarriage'.

The 45-year-old cried and wiped her eyes with a tissue after she was acquitted at Isleworth Crown Court, while some of the five people supporting her in the public gallery hugged as the verdict was read aloud.

Packer had also been in a bondage, dominance and submission (BDSM) relationship with a husband and wife, who could not be identified for legal reasons, the court was previously told.

The trio had been part of the BDSM 'scene' and had also been residing together shortly after the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 and during the relevant period, prosecution had said.

Nicola Packer, 45, (pictured) had taken abortion medication at her home on November 6, 2020

Jurors previously heard how Packer consensually adopted a 'submissive' role with the man, with the wife having agreed to the dynamic but that it be limited to oral sex.

Sexual intercourse was not a part of their agreement. the court was told, despite it appearing they 'may have in fact engaged in sexual intercourse'.

The legal limit for taking medication at home for an abortion is 10 weeks.

Prosecutors alleged that Packer knew she had been pregnant for more than 10 weeks, which she denied.

Jurors rejected the prosecution's case to find the 45-year-old not guilty of having an illegal abortion.

The typical full gestation term is 40 weeks and the outer limit for abortions in the UK is 24 weeks.

Her best friend, Helen Tumbridge said Parker had been 'persecuted' for a 'tragic accident'.

Outside Isleworth Crown Court, she said of the not guilty verdict: 'It's hard to have the words really. Nikki's lived with this for four and a half years.

Today, she has been found not guilty of 'unlawfully administering to herself a poison or other noxious thing' with the 'intent to procure a miscarriage'

'It's honestly felt like she's been persecuted for four and a half years for a tragic accident and the trauma that she's had to carry every single day is unimaginable.

'And so we're sort of all floored, really, because this is what we wanted. But it's been, it's been terrifying, actually, for everyone, terrifying.'

She also urged for calls made by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) to reform abortion legislation.

'Nikki and I have spoken about (abortion law reforms) a lot, and we both said that we really believe it, until the law has changed and abortion is decriminalised, then women are going to remain second-class citizens in this country,' Ms Tumbridge said.

'And frankly, what's happened to Nicola has shown that, and thank God the jury can see the sense of it.'

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, who went to court to support Ms Packer during the trial, said the investigation had been 'cruel and unnecessary' as she called for law reform.

'It must be an immense relief for Nicola to have avoided conviction,' she said: 'But it is completely unacceptable that she was forced to endure the indignity and turmoil of a trial.

'Having met Nicola at the Crown Court recently, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact that this cruel and unnecessary investigation has had on her life over the last four and a half years.

Mrs Packer later delivered a foetus, which she brought to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (pictured) in a backpack the following day

'The true injustice here is the years of her life stolen by a law written decades before women had the vote, for a 'crime' which doesn't even apply in two nations of the United Kingdom.

'Nicola's experience, in her own words, includes being taken from her hospital bed to a police cell, denied timely access to essential medical care, and spending every penny she had on lawyers defending her case.

She said it was 'utterly deplorable' and 'not justice', before adding: 'I do not see how this law can be defended any longer.'

Her fellow Labour MP Stella Creasy described the case as a 'shocking wake up call to many that women are still being investigated and prosecuted for having an abortion today in this country.'

She added: 'It is a timely reminder of the consequences of basing this healthcare service on criminal legislation.'

Following the verdict, British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) said it was 'never in the public interest' to prosecute women for abortions.

Katie Saxon, chief strategic communications officer at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service of BPAS, said a woman who had sought medical care had her 'life picked by apart by prosecutors and reported in the national press' after experiencing a 'traumatic event'.

'Prosecuting women for 'illegal' abortion is never in the public interest, and no woman should ever have to go through this again,' she said.

'In recent years, we have seen record numbers of women investigated for suspected illegal abortions.

She added: 'Women are being arrested straight from the hospital ward, their homes searched, and their children taken away. This cannot continue.

'Members of Parliament have a moral duty to decriminalise abortion for women and end the threat of police, prosecutions, and imprisonment once and for all.'

The Crown Prosecution Service said its prosecutors 'exercise the greatest care' when considering 'traumatic cases' like the trial of Nicola Packer.

A spokesperson said: 'Our prosecutors exercise the greatest care when considering complex and traumatic cases such as this one.

'We recognise the profound strength of feeling these cases evoke, but have a duty to apply laws passed by Parliament fairly and impartially.

'The role of the Crown Prosecution Service in this case was not to decide whether Nicola Packer's actions were right or wrong; but to make a factual judgement about whether she knew she was beyond the legal limit when she procured an abortion.

'Prosecutors considered there was enough evidence to bring this case for a court to decide, and we respect the jury's decision.'

The Government said any changes to abortion laws in the UK are 'a matter of conscience for parliamentarians rather than the Government'.

A Government spokesperson said: 'All women have access to safe and legal abortions on the NHS.

'We recognise that this is an extremely sensitive issue, and there are strongly held views on all sides of the discussion.

'That is why, by longstanding convention, any change to the law in this area would be a matter of conscience for parliamentarians rather than the Government.

'Decisions to prosecute, within existing legislation, are for the CPS and are incredibly rare.'
A star witness in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial is reportedly MIA, throwing the disgraced Bad Boy mogul's sex trafficking case into chaos.

Opening statements are set to begin next week. But federal prosecutors have been left scrambling.

They can't find one of the female victims who is central to their case. She does not live in New York where the Combs' trial is being held.

Lead prosecutor Maurene Comey told US District Judge Arun Subramanian on Wednesday that they are having a difficult time contacting 'Victim 3' and her attorney.

Prosecutors had mentioned Victim 3 plans to disclose 'very personal and explosive details' concerning abuse she allegedly suffered under Combs.

Comey told the judge that even if they are able to reach the unnamed victim, she 'may not show up.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs appeared in court this week and faced potential jurors as opening statements is expected to start on May 12

Combs' former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, is expected to be one of the key witnesses and plans to use her own name when she takes the stand.

Defense attorney Teny Geragos demanded that the prosecution make a decision by the end of the week on whether they still plan to call Victim 3 to testify.

The prosecutions' admission that they cannot reach one of their star witnesses came as a shock after they told the judge in an April 29 memo that Victim 3 'did not wish to use a pseudonym during her testimony.'

Prosecutors filed a third superseding indictment in April that added an additional charge of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution related to Victim 3.

Combs is facing a total of five counts, including racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution in connection to four alleged victims who were forced to participate in drug-fueled 'freak offs', prosecutors claim.

Combs is pictured in a n artist sketch as he watched potential jurors enter the courtroom on May 7

Combs' legal team has said the addition of charges are nothing new.

'These are not new allegations or new accusers,' the defense attorneys said. 'These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships. This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion.'

Prosecutors this week tried to play down the bombshell news that one of their star witnesses possibly dropping from the case. Comey told the judge there are still 'many, many acts of racketeering apart from Victim 3.'

While Victim 3's identity remains unknown to the public, Geragos said in court the woman has been around Combs 'for a long time.'

Combs has plead not guilty to all the charges. His defense team has said the alleged victims are ex-girlfriends who willingly participated in threesomes.

Prosecutors have said 'Victim 1', Cassie Ventura, plans to testify using her own name.

Before he was indicted on federal charges, Combs was regarded as a revered producer and businessman. He is pictured here in 2022 as he accepts the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 BET Awards in June 2022

The judge had approved prosecutors' request for Victims 2 and 4 to testify under pseudonyms.

Combs appeared in court this week as both sides questioned potential jurors. More than 600 potential jurors filled out questionnaires, which included questions about their feelings about domestic partner violence, their hobbies and the types of music and media they consume regularly.

A total of 45 have made it to the final stage of jury selection on Wednesday.

Both sides will come back on Friday where both sides will go over which individuals they want to strike off the jury list.

Combs, who has been sporting gray hair and beard, told the judge on Monday that he was ' a little nervous' and asked Judge Arun Subramanian for a bathroom break.

In a shocking decision, Combs rejected a last-minute plea deal from prosecutors last week.

He faces life in prison if convicted on all charges.

For more on this shocking case, search for The Trial of Diddy wherever you get your podcasts, from the No.1 True Crime series - The Trial.
A nephew of two Alcatraz robbers slammed Donald Trump for claiming no one has ever escaped the notorious California prison that he wants to reopen.

David Widner, 58, of Leesburg, Georgia, is convinced his uncles John and Clarence Anglin  one of the prison's most notorious escape stories  made it off the island alive, despite the US president claiming the lock-up joint was inescapable.

'That would be a lie,' David, a safety manager and co-author of the book Escaping Alcatraz which details his uncles' escape, exclusively told DailyMail.com. 'There have been several escapes and more than one where they don't know what happened to them.

'So they can't say it was unescapable, because it was.'

He says the FBI spent years questioning his family as agents investigated the theory they had fled to Mexico following the audacious 1962 jailbreak.

'If they really believed that my uncles didn't make it, they would have stopped looking for them,' he said.

'Still to this day, they have not stopped looking for them. So why would you be looking for someone you believe to be dead? It's still an open case, so why not close the case?'

This week, Trump vowed to reopen Alcatraz as he continues to crack down on violent criminals and illegal migrants.

David Widner, 58, Leesburg, Georgia, (pictured right, with brother) is convinced his uncles John and Clarence Anglin made it off the island alive, despite the US president claiming the lock-up joint was inescapable

John Anglin (left with a friend) made it to dry land with his brother Clarence and Frank Morris, his nephew is convinced. 'If they really believed that my uncles didn't make it, they would have stopped looking for them,' said David Widner.

David even has cutouts of his uncles. 'There have been several escapes and more than one where they don't know what happened to them'

In a post shared to Truth Social on Sunday night, Trump said: 'The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.'

Trump has directed the Bureau of Prisons to work alongside the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security to 'reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt' Alcatraz.

He said the notorious facility, which once held famed gangster Al Capone, will 'house America's most ruthless and violent offenders.'

The order comes as Trump has repeatedly clashed with the courts as he tries to send accused gang members and illegal migrants to a notorious prison in El Salvador.

Maximum security Alcatraz, which was shut down in 1963, will provide Trump a workaround to those court orders barring him from carrying out the mass deportation scheme.

As the Republican gears up for this new venture, the question of whether the Anglin brothers and fellow inmate Frank Morris successfully escaped from Alcatraz still remains one of the biggest mysteries of the prison.

The convicted bank robbers spent six months using spoons and forks to dig holes in the walls surrounding the air vents in their cells.

On the night of the escape, they used painted papier-mache heads topped with hair collected from the prison barber shop to fool the guards into thinking they were asleep in bed.

Trump vowed to reopen Alcatraz as he continues to crack down on violent criminals and illegal migrants. He said the notorious facility will 'house America's most ruthless and violent offenders'

They squeezed through the hole and made their way from the prison roof to the water's edge carrying a makeshift raft crafted from 50 pilfered cotton raincoats.

The fugitives' bodies have never been found, but the FBI concluded in 1979 that all three must have drowned in the freezing, shark-infested waters surrounding the prison.

David, however, says the FBI's announcement was part of an elaborate cover-up, designed to protect the Federal Penitentiary's fearsome reputation.

A total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts from Alcatraz in its 30-year history - making Trump's claims false.

Out of those, 23 were caught alive, six were shot and killed, and two are known to have drowned attempting the 1.25-mile swim to shore through brutal currents.

Five, including the Anglins, who were incarcerated there in 1957, and Morris, who had been an inmate there since 1960, are listed as 'missing and presumed drowned.'

The story of the June 11, 1962 escape was later turned into the 1979 film starring Clint Eastwood called Escape From Alcatraz.

Eastwood played bank robber Morris, who had an IQ of 133, putting him in the smartest two percent in the population.

John Anglin was pictured with a car with a Mexican plate, making Widner believe that is where he ended up

They were thought to have escaped to Mexico and later Brazil after leaving the prison. This photo was believed to be them, but David said he has since learned who those men actually are.

John Anglin (pictured) and his brother Clarence were strong swimmers, their nephew says.The fugitives' bodies have never been found, but the FBI concluded in 1979 that theymust have drowned

David says his uncles were strong swimmers who would regularly bunk off school as kids to swim in the ocean off Tampa, Florida.

He can still recall his mother, Marie  who was raised with her 13 siblings in the nearby town of Ruskin  being quizzed by the FBI when he was a small boy.

But this week, when announcing his intention to reopen Alcatraz, Trump said: 'It represents something very strong, very powerful in terms of law and order. Our country needs law and order. Alcatraz is, I would say, the ultimate, right?

'But it's right now a museum, believe it or not. A lot of people go there. It housed the most violent criminals in the world and nobody ever escaped.'

David believes Trump isn't 'aware of my uncles' story and I would love to talk to him about that.'

'I would love to tell him that to reopen that prison would be a huge cost and you would lose all of the history because all of the cells  including my uncles'  would no longer be available for people to see.

'In my opinion, it would be cheaper to build an underground prison if he wants to keep them out of the public eye.

'To me, preserving the history would make more sense than turning it back into a prison.'

The maximum security prison, which was shut down in 1963, will provide Trump a workaround to court orders barring him from carrying out the mass deportation scheme

As for what he would tell the 47th president about his uncles is that they were stronger swimmers and 'water was the last deterrent.'

'They were a lot smarter than people gave them credit for and there's no doubt in my mind that they made it. It was not an inescapable prison,' he said. 'If you got out of that building, you have escaped Alcatraz.'

In 1992, a drug smuggler called Fred Brizzi, now deceased, claimed to have flown the Anglin brothers to Mexico a short time after their escape.

A photo later emerged that experts said showed the brothers standing next to a termite mound on a farm in Brazil.

Another twist came when it was leaked in 2018 that US authorities had been sitting on a letter reportedly written by John Anglin five years earlier.

The note was sent to police in San Francisco in 2013 and stated: 'My name is John Anglin. I escape [sic] from Alcatraz in June 1962 with my brother Clarence and Frank Morris.

'I'm 83 years old and in bad shape. I have cancer.

'Yes we all made it that night but barely! Frank passed away in October 2005. His grave is in Alexandria under another name. My brother died in 2011,' it read.

The prison is now a museum, as Trump referenced. The order comes as Trump has repeatedly clashed with the courts as he tries to send accused gang members and illegal migrants to a notorious prison in El Salvador

Alcatraz's cafeteria provided simple but filling fare for inmates including Al Capone, Mickey Cohen and Machine Gun Kelly

David wrote a book about Alcatraz his uncle's escape

'If you announce on TV that I will be promised to first go to jail for no more than a year and get medical attention, I will write back to let you know exactly where I am. This is no joke this is for real and honest truth.'

However, David doesn't believe his uncle is still alive.

'My mom is fixing to turn 90 so John would probably be 96. There are only two sisters left and all the brothers have passed away out of 14 kids, seven girls and seven boys,' he told DailyMail.com.

'So the chances of them still being alive at this age are very slim. My whole goal and mission was to get my mom to see her brother again but I don't think that will happen at this point.

As for where he believes his relatives were hiding? He doesn't believe they ever left Mexico.

'For a long time, I thought they ended up in South America, in Brazil. With recent research, I now don't believe they ever left Mexico once they made it over there,' he said.

'They had an older brother that they confided in 100 percent and he was in touch with them for 25 years after the escape. He made regular trips to Mexico to see old friends and he was questioned about that by the FBI.

'I have a picture of Uncle John standing next to his car in the 1950s and once I scanned it and zoomed in, I saw the tag on the front of his car was a Mexican tag. So they had ties to Mexico long before they committed the robbery and went to Alcatraz.

The story of the June 11, 1962 escape was turned into the 1979 film starring Clint Eastwood called Escape From Alcatraz

'There were some leads in Brazil and Brizzi came to the family with his elaborate story about running into them at a bar in Rio.

'My mom recorded that conversation and when I first heard it my reaction was: "I know he is lying." I could just tell,' he said.

Brizzi gave his mother some photographs that he claimed were 'taken while he was there, including two guys he had travelled down with.'

'He never said they were John and Clarence but we started looking at it and wondering whether it was them,' David told DailyMail.com.

'When the experts did their facial recognition and came back and said that it was highly likely to be them, then I really started believing it and I made myself believe it.

However, he later found out that the men in the photograph were not John and Clarence, but he's not quite ready to reveal their true identities.

'I know who the two guys are and it's not them. I can't say who it is, that will be something that is coming out soon. One of them is still alive.'
Two nations on earth still treat the Second World War as a sort of moral scripture, remembering it as their greatest and most noble moment. They like to measure their standing in the world by proclaiming their part in it.

Their ideas about good and evil, right and wrong, are measured against it. If at any time they wish to luxuriate in the comforting warmth of past triumph, it is always there to provide this, like an old army greatcoat on a cold night.

These two countries are, rather worryingly for us, Britain and Russia.

It was when I lived in Moscow in the early 1990s that I realised this extraordinary parallel. Parades, black-and-white war films, sentimental songs, reminiscences, all spread the same message. We saved the world.

Just as we revered our Spitfire pilots, the Soviets worshipped the young tankists who had gone into battle against Hitlers invading armies. For them it was the Great Fatherland War. For us it was the Finest Hour.

We knew little of their war and they knew less of ours. The Russians were barely aware of D-Day. Most British people these days have the vaguest idea of the millions who died in the gigantic battles of the Eastern Front which first stopped and then reversed the German tide.

Though neither of us tend to call them Germans. The Russians called them Fascists, whereas we like to say they are Nazis. The political name underlines the belief that this was a crusade against evil.

This, of course, is where the two stories part. Until 1941, the Soviets had been the allies of Hitler, under the Nazi-Soviet pact, which is why they prefer the word fascist to the word Nazi.

Just as we revered our Spitfire pilots, the Soviets worshipped the young tankists who had gone into battle against Hitlers invading armies, Peter Hitchens writes

Whereas after 1945 we, like the rest of Western Europe, needed the Germans to help man the defences against the Soviet menace. So we, and they, preferred to speak of Nazis  obviously a different kind of German who was no longer around.

Well, I was brought up on the war and will revere those who fought and suffered in it till I die. My toys and games, my reading and my imagination, were  like most boys of my generation  dominated by it.

My father, a naval officer, went right through it, spending gruelling months on the Murmansk convoy run (where, as he recalled, the Soviets were not anxious to admit they were getting help from us, and treated him and his shipmates coldly). My mother, a member of the Womens Royal Naval Service (WRNS) known as the Wrens, endured the blitzes of London and Liverpool.

I am still reduced to jelly by films such as The Cruel Sea and In Which We Serve. Celia Johnsons performance as a naval wife, and her little speech about its joys and sorrows, has me weeping every time, especially since she is wearing the Crown of Neptune brooch which my mother used to wear, a sort of secret sign of membership of an exclusive society, to all those women whose husbands went down to the sea in ships, and risked their lives there.

So dont call me heartless and unpatriotic when I tell you that I have now had about enough of these commemorations. Leave them to the Russians from now on.

Their current state  as a despotic aggressor  is so ignominious that they need all the borrowed glory they can get from the past. Their blighted, declining, poor, grim, unfree country has need of such illusions.

Vladimir Putin, who started a costly war he cannot finish, needs all the morale-boosting he can get as the tanks rumble through Red Square today, though they probably wont impress his chief guest, Chinas despot Xi Jinping. Russias past is more inspiring than its present. But while our celebrations have been moving, do we really need to cling so hard to events from 80 years ago?

We really ought to have folded them up, like a garment, and put them aside by now. Honour the dead, but do not live in the past. The other day I looked up the London newspapers for June 18, 1895, the 80th anniversary of the colossal victory of Waterloo, which began, for us, an era of prosperity, power and peace almost unprecedented in history.

While our celebrations have been moving, do we really need to cling so hard to events from 80 years ago?

The anniversary was barely mentioned. And why should it have been? The last stragglers of the furious fighting at the Waterloo farms of Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte had almost all marched off into the dark.

Britain in 1895 was immeasurably wealthier and greater than it had been 80 years before. And perhaps this is the point.

The United Kingdom of 2025 is of course in a thousand ways richer, healthier and more comfortable than it was in 1945. But, compared with the mighty imperial nation that went to war in 1939, we are a minnow.

And for many years after 1945, those who lived in the crumbling, smashed-up, unpainted, rubble-infested, rationed world that was this country immediately after the war felt more like the inhabitants of a defeated nation than of a victorious one.

That may be why they welcomed so readily the Churchillian idea that 1940 had been our finest hour in a thousand years of history. Which of course it was. Making peace with Hitler would have been the path to unlimited shame, and who knows what miseries.

But what a price we paid. Within a few years the Empire we had supposedly fought to preserve had melted away, including Burma which William Slims superb armies had fought so hard to wrest back from Japan.

And what of Poland, whose independence we had gone to war to save in 1939? On the June 8, 1946, a grand victory parade was held in London to commemorate the courage of those who fought. But Polish soldiers and airmen, ferocious fighters whose bravery had done so much to secure victory, were not allowed even to take part.

This is perhaps the harshest illustration of the way we had become subservient to Stalin, the wicked mass murderer and tyrant whose enormous armies had ensured Allied victory in Europe. Stalin intended to turn Poland into a subject province of his Communist empire and wanted no reminders of pre-Communist Polands fighting prowess.

Our victory, preferable as it was to defeat, was not an unmixed triumph for the forces of good. We had beaten one monster by allying with another. There are many lessons to be learned from this if we wish to learn them.

One of them is always to stay strong enough to defend yourself. Another is to be careful what you start, as you do not know how it might end.

Contrary to the standard myths, the Left  which always claims to have been very anti-Nazi  opposed rearmament against Hitler till the very last moment. And what saved us in 1940 were the RAF fighters, the radar and the naval destroyers  all defensive weapons  which the reviled Neville Chamberlain had been busily building against Labour opposition since 1935.

The sad truth was that the Britain of the late 1930s could not afford to be a superpower and, once war came, had to hand a second-hand conflict over to the USA and USSR, who had their own ideas about how it should end.

I say now, God Bless all those who fought on the right side in that war, from my late father to the stocky, humorous Red Army veterans, still surviving, who I used to see drinking a little too much vodka on the streets of Moscow on Victory Day, when I lived there 35 years ago.

But war is still hell, and wrecks lives, and should not be worshipped or glorified. Give thanks that we survived. Concentrate now on surviving the dangers to come, with wisdom and humility.
Two master distillers - one American, one Scottish - revealed how they craft their signature spirits, unlocking secrets between the ages-old whiskey vs. bourbon transatlantic debate during exclusive interviews with the Daily Mail.

Kings Co Distillery in Brooklyn, New York, and Glenkinchie Distillery in East Lothian, Scotland, may be an ocean apart, but both are home to the meticulous, science-driven craft of producing smooth, flavorful spirits.

Each relies on the time-honored steps of malting, fermenting, distilling, and maturing - often, and perhaps surprisingly, culminating in aging their spirits in American oak barrels.

While the core processes are strikingly similar, subtle distinctions - and legal requirements unique to each country - create key differences, such as bourbon, which by law, can only be produced in the United States.

Founded in 2010, Kings County Distillery crafts American whiskey, bourbon, rye and single malt entirely grain-to-grass, right along the historical Brooklyn waterfront.

'We are the first craft distillery to open up in New York City since prohibition,' Colin Spoelman, cofounder of the distillery, told the Daily Mail.

While whiskey - or whisky, depending on where you are - is broadly defined as a distilled, alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash, bourbon is uniquely American: a distinct type of whiskey bound by strict US legal standards.

One key standard is the grain mash, which must be made up of at least 51 percent corn to qualify as bourbon - and at Kings Co, they have plenty of it.

Two master distillers - one American, one Scottish - revealed how they craft their signature spirits, unlocking secrets between the ages-old whiskey vs. bourbon transatlantic debate during exclusive interviews with the Daily Mail

Colin Spoelman (pictured), cofounder of Kings County Distillery in Brooklyn, New York, crafts American whiskey, bourbon, rye and single malt entirely grain-to-grass, right along the historical waterfront since 2010

Kings County Distillery was the first craft distillery to open up in New York City since prohibition

'Once a month, we'll use this yellow tube, which is a transport auger, and we'll have a tractor trailer come and essentially dump 40,000 pounds of corn up the tube into one of our two grain silos,' Spoelman explained.

'All of our grain is grown in upstate New York, and then we also use a lot of barley,' he added. 'The barley that we use is imported from the United Kingdom.'

Meanwhile, over 4,000 miles away, Glenkinchie's brand ambassador, John Johnstone, is busy crafting Scottish whisky at one of the Four Corners distilleries of Johnnie Walker.

The process begins with water and spring barley. As the barley grows, it produces sugar, which is stored in the grain as starch.

To access the sugar, the starch must be converted through malting. By controlling the natural process of germination, the starch is unlocked and transformed into sugar, which is then used to create alcohol.

The process is much the same for Spoelman's crew across the Atlantic, though their recipe may include ingredients like corn, yeast and the unmistakable touch of classic New York City tap water.

Mashing is the next step. However, in Scotland, the process looks a little different - the grains are steeped and made into more of a tea-like consistency.

In the video, the two distillers walk through the step-by-step process of transforming the raw, clear spirit into the rich, golden liquid found in stunning glass bottles on shelves - one of the biggest differences lying in how and where their spirits are aged.

While whiskey - or whisky, depending on where you are - is broadly defined as a distilled, alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash, bourbon is uniquely American: a distinct type of whiskey bound by strict US legal standards

John Johnstone (pictured), brand ambassador of Glenkinchie Distillery in East Lothian, Scotland, utilizes many of the same techniques while crafting spirits - however, bourbon is uniquely American: a distinct type of whiskey bound by strict US legal standards

One key standard of bourbon is the grain mash, which must be made up of at least 51 percent corn to qualify as bourbon - and at Kings Co, a tractor trailer will come dump 40,000 pounds of corn up the yellow tube once a month

'American whiskey requires charred new American oak barrels,' Spoelman explained.

'We fill about three to four barrels a day, depending on what recipe we're doing, and we can only use the barrels once to be called American whiskey, so most barrels end up becoming Scotch whiskey barrels for their second life.'

Across the pond, Johnstone showcased rows of reused American oak barrels, explaining how the rough, seasoned wood imparts bold new flavors to the maturing spirit.

'You'll find that more than 90 percent of Scotch whisky will mature in bourbon casks,' Johnstone told the Daily Mail.

'The law in the United States only allows their industry to use the barrel once, then they have to get rid of it,' he added. 'We could use that barrel for another 100 years.'

After three years, the liquid will finally begin to taste like a real, true whiskey.

Bridging two worlds an ocean apart, the two distillers - joined by Johnnie Walker's master blender - had the rare chance to taste each other's creations firsthand.

'I have not been to this distillery, I don't know this distillery very much,' Spoelman said after being handed a bottle from Glenkinchie. 'It's my first time trying it, I can't wait. I'm excited about this.'

Bridging two worlds an ocean apart, the two distillers had the rare chance to taste each other's creations firsthand, with Spoelman describing the Scottish whiskey as a 'classic scotch, more creamy and vanilla'

In the video, the two distillers walk through the step-by-step process of transforming the raw, clear spirit into the rich, golden liquid found in stunning glass bottles on shelves - one of the biggest differences lying in how and where their spirits are aged

Johnstone, staring at the glass of Kings County whiskey in his hand, said: 'Can I just say what a privilege and a pleasure it is for me to be trying a whiskey that's been made some 3,000 miles away. Absolutely wonderful'

Smacking his lips after the first taste, Spoelman described the Scottish whiskey as a 'classic scotch, more creamy and vanilla'.

'It's not super overbearing, it's not super singular - the nice thing about it is that depth of flavor I recognize a little bit from our own whiskeys, so for that, I like it,' he said in response to the transatlantic sip.

Johnstone, staring at the glass of Kings County whiskey in his hand, said: 'Can I just say what a privilege and a pleasure it is for me to be trying a whiskey that's been made some 3,000 miles away. Absolutely wonderful.'

'Really, really lovely,' Johnstone said after indulging in a taste, noting how he picked up on hints of spice. 'If you're in to smoky whiskey's, you absolutely would love it.'

After trying the Manhattan-based whiskey, Emma Walker, Johnnie Walker's blender, said: 'That's lovely - that lovely spicy, softness, sweetness and vanilla that comes through'.

'I'm looking forward to hopefully, in the near future, being able to come to New York, to Brooklyn, and to be able to try the whiskeys with you in person.'
A policeman who was accused of 'brutality' after a video of him raining punches onto the head of a prone suspect went viral has been cleared on all counts by a jury.

A shocking clip of PC Richard Williams punching the man in Porthmadog, north Wales at least nine times was viewed 500,000 times within a matter of hours.

In response, politicians demanded an urgent investigation into whether he had used 'excessive force', with a Conservative Senedd member branding it 'police brutality'.

But after going on trial for assault causing actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation, PC Williams insisted he had been defending a female colleague.

The 43-year-year old denied using excessive violence, saying he had acted after the suspect, Steven Clark, had gone towards PC Einir Williams in what looked like a 'rugby tackle.'

Today a jury at Caernarfon Crown Court cleared the North Wales Police officer on both counts.

PC Williams is the second officer from the same force to be acquitted by a jury of assaulting a suspect during an arrest in the past two weeks.

Their acquittal was today welcomed by the local Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers.

PC Richard Williams, 43, pictured arriving at court, was today acquitted of assault causing actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation over a violent arrest which went viral

This is the shocking moment PC Richard Williams grabs a suspect and rains punches on his head

Saying both constables had been 'vindicated', its general secretary, Lewis Davies, said: 'Our officers make split second decisions every day, to protect both themselves and the wider public.'

However PC Williams could still face misconduct proceedings.

Giving evidence at his trial, PC Williams had told the jury that he had been an officer for 21 years.

He claimed that during the attempt to arrest Mr Clark in May 2023 his colleague 'went falling backwards quite heavily on to the grass' with the suspect on top of her.

'My concern was for Einir,' he said in evidence, saying he had dragged Mr Clark away.

'I was acting in her defence.'

PC Williams said the suspect 'seemed to be very strong and was pulling away from me'.

'I'm thinking he's under the influence of drugs,' he added.

Questioned by his barrister, Simon Kealey KC, PC Williams maintained he hadn't intentionally strangled Mr Clark.

'He's just assaulted my colleague,' he said.

PC Richard Williams denied using excessive violence, telling jurors he had acted after the suspect, Steven Clark, went towards his female colleague in what looked like a 'rugby tackle'

A separate clip shows suspect Steven Clark being led to a police van with his eye and face visibly swollen

PC Williams said he put Mr Clark in a headlock to 'control' him on the ground as he was resisting him.

'I'm in a state of shock at this time.

'He's assaulted my colleague.

'This is the first time someone has assaulted a female colleague of mine in my presence.'

PC Williams told jurors he made 'little, short punches' with his weaker arm as 'distraction strikes.'

The Taser-armed officer said he 'couldn't realistically use' his personal protective equipment which also included a baton and spray.

He said it appeared his colleague had a 'nasty' fall.

'I thought she was out of it.'

Giving evidence himself, Mr Clark told jurors: 'I wasn't being violent at all.'

Footage of the arrest was taken by a neighbour and posted online, sparking widespread shock.

In the clip, moments before the officer starts throwing punches, a man's voice can be heard shouting: 'Stop resisting!'

As the violence begins, the woman filming the arrest gasps in horror and cries out: 'Oh my God!'

She then throws open the window and shouts over to the officers.

The man  who is barefoot - can then be heard groaning incoherently amid more shouts of 'Stop resisting!' as the male officer tried to handcuff him while his female colleague tells the suspect to calm down.

Prosecuting counsel Richard Edwards previously told jurors that officers had been about to handcuff Mr Clark, who was suspected of common assault.

However he told them he had a bad wrist due to an accident, with the situation escalating into violence.

Tammy Humphreys, who lived opposite, began recording what was happening after hearing Mr Clark making 'daft' noises.

'Miss Humphreys opened the window and shouted across the street towards the officers "Im sure youre not meant to punch him like that",' Mr Edwards said.

He said Mr Clark sustained 'swelling and bruising'.

The prosecutor told jurors: 'A police officer doesnt have free rein to do whatever they want to effect an arrest.

'The defendant says he was simply using reasonable force in the circumstances to arrest Steven Clark who, he says, was resisting.

'The Crown say the defendants actions have gone beyond reasonable force and hes physically assaulted Steven Clark.'

After the video went viral, Gareth Davies, Conservative Senedd member for the Vale of Clwyd, branded it 'police brutality'.

In a tweet copying in North Wales Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman and then Home Secretary Suella Braverman he added: 'What are you doing? Surely we're better than this?'

Mr Davies added that he was 'not sure on the circumstances leading up to it'.

In response, Ms Blakeman wrote: 'I've seen the footage this morning and I take this very seriously.

'There is an investigation ongoing so we can understand the incident fully and we have referred the matter to the IOPC.'

At the time North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin said: 'The video that is circulating of the arrest of a male in Porthmadog is concerning.'

Meanwhile Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, signed an open letter demanding answers over concerns that the officer had used 'excessive force'.

The force referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) which later passed a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Following PC Williams' acquittal, IOPC director Derrick Campbell said: 'It was appropriate for the evidence from our investigation of force used against the man to be tested in court.'

North Wales Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison said: 'We acknowledge the decision of the court who found PC Williams not guilty of assault having seen all the available evidence in this case.

'Police officers have to deal with conflict on a daily basis which requires instant decision making to help keep the public safe.

'There has rightly been an independent investigation given the concerns raised about the level of force used, this was conducted by the IOPC and we will now liaise with the IOPC in relation any potential misconduct procedures.'

Just last week PC Ellis Thomas, 24, was found not guilty of grievous bodily harm after being accused of kneeing a teenager in the groin, causing him to lose half a testicle.

The incident happened when Harley Murphy - then 17 - was arrested for being drunk and disorderly outside a nightclub in Bangor, Gwynedd, in January 2023.

PC Thomas was cleared last month after telling Mold Crown Court that he took Mr Murphy to the floor by sweeping his legs from underneath him during his arrest, but did not knee him in the groin.

Today North Wales Police Federation general secretary Mr Davies told Mail Online he 'welcomed' the decisions of the two juries who had 'vindicated' his members.

'The results are a huge relief to the officers, their family and friends, and we are pleased to have been able to support both officers throughout the processes,' he said.

'Our officers make split second decisions every day, to protect both themselves and the wider public.

'We welcome working with the IOPC in order to bring both matters to a conclusion.'
A much-loved college dean has been killed in a crazed shooting, allegedly at the hands of a campus security guard who also injured another woman during the bloodshed.

Jesse Figueroa, 40, shot Cameisha Denise Clark, 35, at the Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Inglewood close to Los Angeles on Friday.

Clark died from a gunshot wound in hospital on Monday, while another woman was treated for injuries. The shooting was described by the mayor as targeted.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said Figueroa has been charged with murder and attempted murder over the horrific incident.

Figueroa also faces several further counts for possessing a firearm as a felon. He is due to appear in court May 29 and could face life in jail if convicted.

Inglewood Mayor James Butts said the tragedy appeared to be an incident of 'workplace violence', but charging documents did not lay out a possible motive.

'(Figueroa) was a current employee at the college... he had some disagreement about something he felt that the dean had done,' Butts added.

The DA's office also shared a charging document with DailyMail.com describing the shooting as malicious and premeditated.

Much-loved college dean Cameisha Denise Clark, 35, has been killed in a crazed shooting by a campus security guard who also injured another woman during his rampage on Friday

Jesse Figueroa, 40, opened fire at the Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Inglewood close to Los Angeles on Friday, officials have said. He is pictured during his arrest

Clark's family said she had been recently promoted to dean of student affairs at the school.

'Cameisha uplifted everyone fortunate enough to cross her path,' her family said in a statement to KNBC.

'Her leadership, integrity, and deep sense of purpose helped shape futures of countless students from the campus of Clark Atlanta University to Spartan College.

'She believed in the potential of others even when they could not yet see it in themselves.'

Social media was flooded with tributes to the well-liked dean.

Friends remembered her as 'always smiling, always kind' and a 'girls' girl'.

'You couldn't find a single person with a bad word to say about her, because there wasn't one. She was that person,' one friend wrote on Facebook.

'The one who did everything right. She gave life everything she had, worked hard, loved harder, and still got taken from us.'

Clark earned her doctoral degree with a 3.9 GPA, according to the friend, before landing her 'dream job' at the California college 'far from her home' in Atlanta.

Clark earned her doctoral degree with a 3.9 GPA, according to the friend, before landing her 'dream job' at the California college 'far from her home' in Atlanta, Georgia

Friends remembered Clark (pictured) as 'always smiling, always kind' and a 'girls' girl'

Figueroa was pictured during his arrest, wearing a white t-shirt and black jeans. It's not known whether cops snared him or if he surrendered at the scene

'That's not easy and she did it with grace,' her friend wrote. 'And now she's gone? It's not fair. It's not right. I'm furious. I'm shattered.'

Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said the Figueroa had previous convictions, though they did not reveal what they were.

District Attorney Hochman condemned the rampage as a 'horrific act of gun violence' which shook the close-knit college.

'Any student, faculty member or employee should feel safe and secure going to school,' he said in a statement.

'This horrific act of gun violence has shaken Spartan College and our entire community.

'We will file all appropriate gun enhancements in this case and send a clear message to criminals that violence will not be tolerated in Los Angeles County.'

Figueroa was pictured during his arrest, wearing a white t-shirt and black jeans. It's not known whether cops snared him or if he surrendered.

DailyMail.com has contacted the DA's office and local police for further information.
Fresh questions were asked about Downing Street's sense of direction under Sir Keir Starmer today - after bungling officials gave the wrong location for the PM's press conference.

The gaffe meant journalists were forced into a last-ditch scramble to get to the correct venue in order to quiz Sir Keir about his trade deal with Donald Trump.

The mix-up by No10 staff came after they confused the Jaguar Land Rover plant in Coventry with the car-maker's factory in Solihull - some 34 miles away.

Sir Keir was actually attending the Solihull facility, where he spoke by phone to the US President to announce a trade agreement.

It meant political reporters, who had followed No10's instructions and travelled from London to the Coventry plant, had to make a last-minute alteration to their journeys.

It prompted further suggestions that Downing Street had been taken by surprise by the speed with which Mr Trump was announcing the US-UK trade deal.

Sir Keir's day had previously been earmarked for VE Day commemorations.

Theo Usherwood, Times Radio's political correspondent, was forced explained to listeners why he was reporting from a taxi this afternoon.

'I'm in a cab, because No10 sent us to the wrong address,' he said.

Fresh questions were asked about Downing Street's sense of direction under Sir Keir Starmer - after bungling officials gave the wrong location for the PM's press conference

The gaffe meant journalists were forced into a last-ditch scramble to get to the correct venue in order to quiz Sir Keir about his trade deal with Donald Trump

The mix-up by No10 staff came after they confused the Jaguar Land Rover plant in Coventry with the car-maker's factory in Solihull - some 34 miles away

Theo Usherwood, Times Radio's political correspondent, was forced explained to listeners why he was reporting from a taxi this afternoon

He added: 'They sent us to a car manufacturing plant in Coventry when, in actual fact, we're meant at one half an hour away up the road in Solihull.'

Usherwood said it 'speaks to the fact that this has been a very hastily-arranged press call'.

'The PM bounced into it by the President who is eager to prove to Americans he has it all in hand and he is signing trade deals off at a rate of knots,' he added.

Speaking to Sir Keir from the White House this afternoon, Mr Trump said the agreement would be 'really good' for both sides.

The US President boasted the bond between the US and UK will be 'stronger than ever before'.

'I want to thank Prime Minister Starmer,' he added. 'He's been terrific for his partnership in this matter.

'It's really an external and an internal bond between our two countries. It will soon be stronger than ever before. We have a great relationship.

Im in a cab, because No 10 sent us to the wrong address.



The PMs eager speech to show Trump he has it all in hand will have to be postponed as his hastily arranged press call has sent the lobby to the wrong car manufacturing factory plant. @TheoUsherwood | @FifiGlover pic.twitter.com/vf7MYuv5KS  Times Radio (@TimesRadio) May 8, 2025

'I want to just say that the representatives of UK have been so professional, and it's been an honour doing business with all of them, and in particular the Prime Minister.'

The US-UK trade deal is a 'fantastic, historic day' for the two countries, Sir Keir said, adding it was 'apt' it was signed on VE Day.

The PM told Mr Trump: 'This is a really fantastic historic day in which we can announce this deal between our two great countries, and I think it's a real tribute to the history that we have of working so closely together.'

'This is going to boost trade between and across our countries.

'It's going to not only protect jobs, but create jobs, opening market access, and as you say, Donald, the timing couldn't be more apt.

'Because not only was it 80 years ago today that victory came for Europe after and at the end of the Second World War, but of course on that the UK and the US stood together as the closest of allies.'
This is the moment a prisoner who had a relationship with two jail staff tried to flee from police after escaping from a hospital and going on the run for a week.

Harri Pullen, 27, had been in a relationship with jail nurse Elyse Hibbs, 27, and engaged in phone sex with prison officer Ruth Shmylo, 26, over a four-year period in HMP Parc, Bridgend, Wales.

Pullen was later freed from jail, only to return to a life of crime when he was caught dealing drugs on an e-bike just months later.

After being wrestled to the ground by plain-clothed police officers he was taken to hospital to be checked over.

At which point he fled officers while still in handcuffs, dramatically running through the car park and hospital bays before jumping into a 'getaway car' to flee.

He then spent a week at large and was eventually discovered hiding in a countryside farmhouse outside Newport, south Wales.

Police tracked him down where he again tried to flee in a Mercedes - and ran off on foot after ditching the car.

Newport Crown Court heard that Pullen was followed by police a cul-de-sac before he trued to flee on foot.

Harri Pullen, 27, was rearrested after fleeing from prison and later being chased down police

Pulled spent a week at large and was eventually discovered hiding in a countryside farmhouse outside Newport, south Wales

Bodycam footage shows the moment Pullen sped past officers in the Mercedes, and was arrested once more after being threatened with a Taser and police dog.

Bodycam footage shows the moment Pullen sped past officers in the Mercedes, and was arrested once more after being threatened with a Taser and police dog.

'Officers arrested Pullen in a cul-de-sac after being red dotted by Taser and chased by a police dog.'

The 27-year-old had an illicit affair with Hibbs as he served time behind bars, something that would lead to her being jailed after admitting misconduct in public office.

He then went onto 'manipulate' Shmylo into phone sex after calling her from his cell, with the prison officer being spared prison over the alleged romance after being cleared of the same charge following a trial.

A court heard Pullen had been free for a matter of months following this when he was injured resisting officers who caught him drug-dealing on an e-bike.

Prosecutor Alex Granville said Pullen was found with five wraps of crack cocaine, a burner phone, an iPhone and 90 inside a black bum bag.

He said: 'The defendant was conveyed to custody but after complaining of head pain he was transported by police for medical care.'

Mr Granville said that while at Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, Gwent, four women family members tried to visit Pullen but were told they were 'unable to stay.'

Pullen had been in a relationship with jail nurse Elyse Hibbs, 27, and engaged in phone sex with prison officer Ruth Shmylo, 26, over a four-year period in HMP Parc, Bridgend, Wales.

He repeatedly phoned prison officer Shmylo, pictured, to tell he loved her in a series of calls from his cell

Pullen also had an 'inappropriate relationship' with prison nurse Hibbs, pictured

He added: 'Having been taken out to the van he asked to use the toilet so was taken back inside. Upon having used the toilet and exiting the building the defendant ran off from officers.

'They proceeded to run after the defendant. He ran through the car park and ambulance park, down the ramp and towards the exit of the hospital.

'After about 20 seconds of running the officers were about 20 meters behind the defendant who was still in handcuffs in a front position.

'At this point a vehicle appeared to reverse up the ramp from the exit of the hospital, the passenger door was opened and the defendant got in and it left at high speed.'

Julia Cox, defending, said Pullen was 'immature' and suffered from 'hypochondria' believing that he has had a brain tumour for approximately four years.

She added: 'This was not anything that was pre-planned. It was more opportunistic than that.'

'It was upon his family's attendance at the hospital he in his words 'lost his head'.'

Pullen pleaded guilty to 11 charges including possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, dangerous driving, and escaping lawful custody.

He was injured while resisting arrest, before escaping from police while still in handcuffs after making a run for it at the hospital

The drug dealer was wrestled to the ground by officers in the street in front of shoppers

Pullen was arrested by plain clothes officers after being caught selling drugs on an e-bike

Pullen appeared via videolink from Cardiff Prison and played with his hair and chatted with prison officers throughout the hearing.

Judge Daniel Williams jailed Pullen, of no fixed abode, for a total of six years.

He told him: 'Police saw you on an electric bike with another in the centre of Newport on March 26.

'You were riding the bike and in possession of crack cocaine, some five wraps, as well as a quantity of cash and two phones, one of which was a burner phone.

'In custody you complained of head pain so you were taken to Grange Hospital where when you were walking to the police van having left hospital you made off.

'You got into what's best described as a getaway car and spent seven days at large.

'You were ultimately arrested on the 2nd April but not before you involved yourself in a police chase of sorts.'

At the end of the hearing Pullen said: 'Thank you and I apologise.'

Shmylo was sacked from her job at HMP Parc in Bridgend, and Pullen was moved to another prison

Shmylo, pictured, described by her barrister as 'very pretty', told the court Pullen 'fixated' on her and forced her to take his calls

Hibbs, pictured, met the prisoner while giving him medical treatment in her jail, and he contacted her on Instagram

Former prison nurse Hobbs was previously jailed for her inappropriate relationship with Pullen when he was behind bars.

Shmylo was sacked from her job as a prison officer over the alleged romance with Pullen after he called her for phone sex from his cell but cleared of criminality during a trial.

During Shmylo's trial in December 2023 the court heard Pullen had been moved to HMP Manchester - also known as Strangeways - and added her to his approved calls list but their conversations were recorded by officials.

The calls, played to the court, included Pullen repeatedly telling her 'I love you.'

She was sacked from her job after other complaints involving 'flirtatious' behaviour with inmates and wearing 'skin-tight trousers' to work.

But the court heard she had previously made corruption reports of her own against other staff who were colluding with inmates to tamper with prisoner's food.

Claire Wilks, defending, said Shmylo should have been treated as a whistleblower but was instead 'hung out to dry' by bosses at the controversial HMP Parc and called 'a grass' by her colleagues and assaulted.

Ms Wilks said it was no surprise that given her previous treatment at the jail she wouldn't report phone calls with Pullen as she feared the consequences.

Shmylo, of Treforest, Pontypridd was cleared of one charge of misconduct in a public office

Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe told the court that after being arrested Shmylo admitted she had phone sex with Pullen.

Mr Cobbe said: 'She conceded during the course of her interview that she had had phone sex with the inmate.

'She explained this was principally the inmate saying things to her, noting that 'I was listening for the best part of it'.

'That means she was actively engaging in phone sex with the inmate - or some of it.'

Shmylo told the jury she cried when Pullen tried to initiate phone sex.

Ms Wilks asked her: 'Did you have any sexual arousal from the phone calls?'

Shmylo answered: 'No. The first time when I came to be aware Harri was masturbating I asked him to stop. I repeatedly asked him to stop and I cried.

'It made him really angry and his exact words were: "You're making out like I'm kind of nonce".

'It was like I had insulted him because I was crying and I was repeatedly saying: "I'm not doing this I'm not doing this."'

Shmylo, of Treforest, Pontypridd was cleared of one charge of misconduct in a public office.

Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe told the court that after being arrested Shmylo, pictured, admitted she had phone sex with Pullen

Nurse Hibbs claimed she was 'pressurised' into flirting with Pullen but a judge sent her to prison for six months.

After being released Hibbs was taken to disciplinary hearing by the Nursing Midwifery Council to decide if she was fit to carrying on her career.

The hearing found that her 'fitness to practise' was impaired by her conviction, and she was handed a 12 months suspension order.

This means that she may practice nursing again once the 12 months order is lifted to carry on her career.

Qualified health worker Hibbs met the prisoner while giving him medical treatment in her jail and he contacted her on Instagram.

Mr Cobbe said: 'The calls between them were flirtatious. They talk about the prison, staff within the prison, he tells her that he loves her and she tells him he doesn't know her to love her.

'He tells her that he loves her and she tells him that she loves him too. The calls included references to the defendant's existing partner and the inmate continuously suggested he would replace him and be in a relationship with her.'

Cardiff Crown Court heard the two swapped messages on Instagram by contacting each other through an account held by the inmate's friend.

Hibbs quit her post at HMP Parc in July 2021 and was arrested a week later and admitted exchanging messages with Pullen.

Elyse-May Hibbs, 25, was jailed for six months after admitting misconduct in a public office

She told police she was scared to end the contact after he had previously threatened her.

Mr Cobbe said: 'She explained that she and the inmate were never in a sexual relationship of any kind at all.

'She accepted she should have reported the matter but that she got in too deep and couldn't get out.'

Hibbs, of Newbridge, Gwent, admitted misconduct in a public office.

Adam Sharp, defending Hibbs, said the prisoner was known within the system to be a 'particularly manipulative individual'.

He said: 'She was young, impressionable, inexperienced and vulnerable to the malign influence of the inmate who sought to exploit her.'

Mr Sharp said Hibbs had 'dedicated a significant part of her adult life' to nursing but her conviction meant she would be banned from the profession.

Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, told Hibbs: 'You knew what you were doing was wrong, you had training but nevertheless you went ahead and formed what was clearly an emotional relationship with this prisoner.

'Although you were young you held a position of responsibility as a nurse and as a member of prison staff. You failed to report initial contact despite advice from a colleague and training you had had.

'You engaged in flirtatious relationship initially, you failed to report the on-going contact and you failed to report that this inmate had upon him and in custody an unlawful device.'
More pupils should learn army-style discipline through school-based cadet schemes, a think thank has urged.

The New Britain Project (TNBP) is calling for the number of schools offering the programme to double from 268 to 500 by 2029.

Research shows Combined Cadet Force (CFF) units in schools can reinforce discipline and standards of behaviour.

In addition, cadet participants have better attendance, aspiration, resilience and a greater sense of belonging.

TNBP, a centre-Left think tank, said increasing cadet participation among pupils would likely have public backing.

Its polling of 2,000 adults found 55 per cent back extending cadets into more schools, with just seven per cent opposed.

And 60 per cent of those polled said they would encourage their child or someone they know to join the cadets.

In addition, 62 per cent thought cadets help pupils feel a greater sense of national duty.

More pupils should learn army-style discipline through school-based cadet schemes, a think thank has urged (pictured: the late Queen Elizabeth II visiting Eton College's CCF in 2010)

The CCF is a voluntary, school-based programme supported by the Ministry of Defence but its focus is not army recruitment.

Pupils take part in structured, challenging activities aimed at building character  including fieldcraft, first aid, leadership tasks and expeditions.

Research from Northampton Universitys Institute for Social Innovation and Impact (ISII) found one benefit of CCF is better behaviour in schools.

The paper said: A significant minority of children do not have a homelife that imposes standards and discipline, or positive role models.

For these children, being a member of a CCF contingent may be the first time they have been told that they cannot do something, but must behave in certain ways.

For such children, the social impact of the CCF cannot be overstated.

TNBP said the case for expanding the CCF programme is stronger than ever amid rising behaviour challenges in schools and high pupil absence.

It has called on the Government to set a long-term ambition to make cadets a mainstream offer in state secondary schools, alongside music, sport, art and the Duke of Edinburghs Award.

The New Britain Project (TNBP) is calling for the number of schools offering a Combined Cadet Force scheme to double from 268 to 500 by 2029

Currently, only one in 13 state secondary schools currently offer cadets and around 80 schools stuck on a waiting list.

The think tanks poll, conducted by More In Common, found 73 per cent of respondents thought cadets could improve pupil health, while 59 per cent said it would help mental health.

Anna McShane, director of TNBP, said: The CCF isnt a silver bullet. It cant replace investment in teaching, mental health, or youth services.

But it is a practical, proven tool, already in use in hundreds of schools, that could be scaled to support thousands more pupils, especially those who stand to benefit the most.

A Government spokesman said: 'Cadets make an immense contribution to both their communities and their own personal development, building discipline, leadership skills and resilience while creating opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.

'We are supporting this valuable programme, including through the Cadet Expansion Programme, which will continue to receive 3.6 million in government funding this academic year and the 180 million supporting cadet schemes overall.

'We are working closely across government departments to ensure these vital opportunities remain accessible to young people from all backgrounds.'
Robert Prevost has been named as the new Pope and will become Francis' successor following two days of voting inside the Sistine Chapel.

The pontiff, who will be named Pope Leo XIV, is the 267th Holy Father - becoming the religious leader of Catholics across the globe.

The 69-year-old is also history's first American pope.

His name was announced after cardinal Mamberti uttered the words 'Habemus papam!' Latin for 'We have a pope!' from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica.

Chants of 'Leon, Leon' ran through the crowds who had gathered in St Peter's Square, with some appearing to be shocked, mouthing 'An American?'.

In his first words, Pope Leo said 'Peace be with you', offering a message of peace and dialogue 'without fear.' The pontiff recalled he was an Augustinian priest, but that he was above all a Christian above all and a bishop, 'So we can all walk together.'

He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

Pope Leo's appointment was revealed just after 5pm UK time on Thursday when white smoke was seen rising from the Sistine Chapel, confirming the news to the world.

Leaders across the globe have already offered their congratulations to the 69-year-old pontiff, including US President Donald Trump, who said he will 'look forward to meeting' Pope Leo in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Robert Prevost, an American, has been named as the new Pope

Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica after his election

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican

Faithful gather at St. Peter's Square as Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States is elected

People watch newly elected Pope Leone XIV as he appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica

People hold an American flag as they react to the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as the first ever US born Pope

Faithful pray as U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected by the conclave as new pope

A woman prays as Pope Leo is announced at the Vatican

People holding a US flag react as Pope Leo XIV, history's first American Pope, is announced as the the 267th Pope

The US President wrote: 'Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope.

'What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!'

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the pontiff's as a 'momentous moment' and said that he looks 'forward to meeting the Holy Father and continuing to work closely with the Catholic Church'.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also congratulated Pope Leo's appointment with a plea for continued support from the Vatican.

In a post on X Mr Zelensky wrote: 'Ukraine deeply values the Holy See's consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation's military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians.

'At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraine's efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace.'

Meanwhile, Russian President Putin said he trusted the new pope will maintain constructive dialogue based on Christian values.

'I am certain that the constructive dialogue and interaction that has been established between Russia and the Vatican will develop further on the basis of the Christian values that unite us,' Russian news agencies quoted Putin as saying.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV delivers his first words as pope

People watch as newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica

A woman appears emotional as she reacts to the newly elected Pope Leo XIV

Faithful react to the announcement that US Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected by the conclave as new pope

Nuns pray in the crowd following the announcement that Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected by the conclave as the new pope

Faithful cheer as newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica

White smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new pope has been elected at the Vatican

White smoke has finally risen from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel - indicating that cardinals have elected a new pope on the second and final day of conclave

People react as white smoke (unseen) signals that cardinals elected a new pope

Prelates celebrate on St Peter's Square as cardinals signaled they elected a new pope during their conclave

Faithful react to the white smoke

A nun reacts as white smoke (unseen) signals that cardinals elected a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8

Cardinal Prevost had emerged in recent days as a contender which was a surprise as normally cardinals steer away from those that come from a 'superpower'.

The tennis-loving cardinal  who is also known as Father Bob  is seen as the 'least American of the Americans' and is seen as a silent reformer who would carry on the work of Pope Francis.

He was a popular choice with the Latin American and North American cardinals, although he has kept his views on topics such as women clergy and same sex unions noticeably quiet.

Chants of 'Abbiamo Papa, ole, ole,ole' and 'Viva il Papa' could be heard from the thousands that had rushed towards the square and the flags of dozens of countries were being waved in front of stunningly sunlit St Peter's Basilica.

Older cardinals who didn't participate in the conclave rushed out to the square and lined up as military bands played the Italian and Holy See national anthems.

Spotted in the crowd were American Cardinals Sean O'Malley and Donald Wuerl, both of whom are over 80 and didn't vote.

A marching brass band in blue uniforms led a contingent of Swiss guards through the crowd to a central spot below the balcony, generating another huge roar from the crowd.

The Pontifical Swiss Guard is the official security force of the Vatican, and holds a ceremonial and a protective function.

Hailing from 70 different countries, the 133-strong group of cardinals gathered in the Vatican for the centuries-old ritual to elect the 267th pontiff following the death of Pope Francis last month.

Last night's first round of voting prompted groans around the square after black smoke was seen rising from the chimney, indicating no result had been reached.

Black smoke was also seen this morning, showing the second round had, equally, not yielded a result.

Swis guards march as white smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel where 133 cardinals are gathering on the second day of the conclave

Swiss guards gather after white smoke rose from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel

Swiss Guards and music band enter the parvis of St Peter's basilica before the first appearance of the new Pope, after the cardinals ended the conclave

Swiss Guards take position on the parvis of St Peter's basilica before the first appearance of the new Pope

People waiting in the crowd hug after seeing the white smoke

Cheers erupted in St Peter's Square

Cheering crowds were seen waiting outside in St Peter's Square as they waited to discover who has been elected as the next pontiff

Tens of thousands of faithful patiently waited for the result

Spectators have waited hours in St Peter's Square in hope of a result

Thousands of worshippers packed into St Peter's Square to watch the action unfold on giant screens

People at St. Peter's square waited to see smoke pour from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel

Up to four votes a day can take place from then, two in the morning and two in the afternoon, with white smoke confirming a new pope has been chosen.

It was unlikely that the cardinals would come to a consensus with the first few votes, given that previous elections have taken a number of days.

The longest conclave in history was almost three years, when Pope Gregory X was elected. The shortest lasted just 10 hours and ended with the election of Pope Julius II in 1503.

In recent history the next leader of the Catholic Church has usually been elected within two or three days.

But the outcome this time round was reached within 24 hours, indicating that many cardinals united around a clear favourite.

The first two or three rounds of voting are generally seen as a 'jockeying' for position, and it is usually not until later rounds that a winner comes forward.

Of the 252 living cardinals, 138 are under 80 and therefore eligible to vote in the conclave.

16 are based in North America, 54 in Europe, 24 in Asia, 4 in Central America, 18 in South America and 4 in Oceania.

To emerge as the next pontiff, one man needs to secure a two-thirds majority, or 89 ballots.

The frontrunner was thought to be Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, from the Philippines, who would have been the first Asian pope.

Pietro Parolin, the current secretary of state for the Vatican, was also considered to be a leading candidate.
Jaguar Land Rover is looking to replace its current advertising agency just months after the company faced a backlash over its controversial rebrand.

The company launched a review of its global creative account - currently held by Accenture Song and its in-house agency Spark44 until mid-2026 - following widespread criticism over its campaign, The Telegraph reported.

Critics of the radical rebrand - including Nigel Farage and Elon Musk - accused the carmakers of abandoning their 'jag-man' heritage.

It comes after the company announced plans to shift to electric vehicles with a bizarre new advertisement featuring brightly dressed models but no cars.

The group also abandoned its iconic 'growler' cat badge, replacing it with a curved geometric J and L symbol.

Defending the campaign late last year, JLR's Managing Director Rawdon Glover told the Financial Times: 'If we play in the same way that everybody else does, we'll just get drowned out.'

Teaser images of the new Jaguar concept set to be unveiled in Miami suggest the car will not have a rear windscreen

A still from Jaguar's 'copy nothing' rebrand advert - which was criticised for featuring no cars

Jaguar says its new philosophy will 'command attention through fearless creativity' - a phrase that suggests it knew it would spark a backlash with its new look

However sales plunged by more than a quarter in 2024 with Jaguar selling 33,320 cars, a significant drop from the 61,661 sold in 2022 and the 161,601 sold in 2019.

Jaguar's failed campaign follows a series of other similar woke rebrands from other big corporations such as Nike and Coca-Cola.

Most infamously in April 2023, Bud Light collaborated with transgender TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney in a social media promotion - prompting a widespread boycott campaign and significant drop in Bud lights sales.

Last night Jaguar insisted that any review into the creative accounts was not linked in any way to public outrage over the re-brand.

Rawdon Glover, managing director of Jaguar, has fired back at those who criticised the car brand's much maligned rebrand this week

The new rebrand (above) attracted accusations the company has gone 'woke' - after putting out an advert featuring no cars

This is the new Jaguar logo - a roundel made up of the letter 'J' that looks the same both ways up

The classic Jaguar 'leaper' bonnet ornament that inspired the decades-old logo. These were scrapped in 2005 - and are now almost gone completely from the firm's branding

A spokesperson for Jaguar Land Rover added: 'As a matter of policy JLR does not comment on any supplier arrangements.

They continued: 'The reinvention of the Jaguar brand was planned to attract significant global attention and comment; we wanted to spark online debate and get people talking about us.

'The scale of the reaction has been unprecedented; this shows just how much of an emotional attachment Jaguar has with so many people.

'Accenture Song is our incumbent agency; contracted into 2026; They have been working with JLR and our House of Brands for over 4 years now and this has been a successful partnership.'

Accenture Song have been contacted for comment.
President Donald Trump gushed over first lady Melania Trump's mothering Thursday at an East Room event celebrating military moms ahead of Mother's Day.

The Trumps entered the East Room together, as the president headed to the podium to introduce his wife.

Melania hasn't moved back into the White House full-time, instead splitting her time between Washington, D.C., Mar-a-Lago and New York's Trump Tower.

'I especially want to thank one of the best moms that I know, that I've ever seen. Sometimes she's almost too good,' Trump told the mostly female crowd about his wife. 'She is so good with Barron, but he's grown up strong and nice. He's a good boy. He's a good student,'

He then added, 'So I want to thank you, you've done a good job.'

In a rare emotional moment, the 78-year-old president also paid tribute to his own mother, Mary, who passed away in the year 2000.

'I had a great mother, I had a mother - she was such an angel,' he said. 'She could be very tough, I will say. She had her tough moments, some difficult moments she had, Pam,' he continued, calling attention to Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was seated front row.

'But overall very, very good, I would tell you, a great one,' the president added.

President Donald Trump gushed over first lady Melania Trump 's mothering Thursday at an East Room event celebrating military moms ahead of Mother's Day

President Donald Trump (right) stands alongside first lady Melania Trump (left) at an East Room event celebrating military moms ahead of Sunday's Mother's Day holiday

Mary Anne MacLeod Trump was born in Scotland - something the president had called attention to earlier Thursday when regaling the fresh U.S.-U.K. trade deal.

The first lady made brief remarks to the military moms.

'Motherhood. The life-changing events that makes women invincible and exposed at the same time,' the first lady said.

'It's remarkable, really, that my son's life creates unimaginable, unpredictable concerns and triggers for me, even until this day,' she noted. 'All caring mothers understand this rare feeling - nothing against fathers,' she said with a laugh, motioning to the president who stood at her side.

'But in my opinion, and I'm sure everyone in this room agrees, only a mother can grasp this particular point,' Melania added.

She then spoke of the 'personal sacrifice' given by military mothers and the challenges of caregiving.

'I urge you to prioritize your well being, nurture yourself,' she advised. 'For your strength is the bedrock of a brighter future for our children. By caring for ourselves, we empower the next generation to thrive together.'

The military moms event marked the first of two East Wing events on Thursday, with Melania slated to make a second White House appearance to roll out a postage stamp featuring the late first lady Barbara Bush.

President Donald Trump (left) and first lady Melania Trump (right) enter the East Room together for an event celebrating military moms on Thursday

President Donald Trump (right) gives his wife (left) a kiss as she took the stage at a military moms Mother's Day event Thursday in the East Room

President Donald Trump (left) also planted a kiss on Melania Trump (right) as she was seated in the East Room audience

Melania attended Barbara Bush's funeral in 2018 without her husband, who had been deeply critical of two of Barbara's sons - former President George W. Bush and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Neither the ex-president nor governor are expected at the White House Thursday.

Daily Mail reported earlier Thursday that Melania won't accompany the president on his trip to the Middle East next week.

Trump leaves Monday and will travel overnight to Saudi Arabia and then head to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, returning to the White House Friday.

She did travel with him to Rome last last month to attend the funeral of Pope Francis.

The president was asked about a new Pope being chosen as he exited the first lady's event.

'I've seen the smoke but I haven't seen the Pope,' Trump said, later saying that he was honored new Pope Leo was an American.
The world has not fully woken up to the fact that Pakistan has become an 'Islamic extremist, nuclear-powered state', Indian security analyst Sarjan P Shah warned on the latest episode of the Mail's 'Apocalypse Now?' podcast.

Tensions between India and Pakistan reached their highest level in almost a decade on Wednesday after 31 people were killed in missile strikes against Islamabad controlled Kashmir.

India claims the strikes targeted 'terrorist infrastructure' in the disputed region. Many view the attack as retaliation for the killing of 22 Indian tourists by four gunmen in Pahalgam on the 22nd of April.

Indian officials described the perpetrators as terrorists who had 'cross-border links' to Pakistan.

Speaking to the Mail's special correspondent David Patrikarakos, security analyst Mr Shah said the latest escalation between the two countries is a result of Pakistani officials increasingly extreme and hawkish rhetoric towards India.

Listen to 'Apocalypse Now?' wherever you get your podcasts. Listen now

Mr Shah said the latest escalation between the two countries is a result of Pakistani officials increasingly extreme and hawkish rhetoric towards India

Indian Air Force soldiers arrive at Pampore in Pulwama district of Indian controlled Kashmir, Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Pakistan's Hatf-IV Shaheen-1 missile, an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, taking off during a test-firing from an undisclosed location

He explained: 'A week before the 22nd of April, Pakistan's army general, Asim Munir, delivered an incendiary speech.

'What stood out to me, and I think all close observers of Pakistan, was the intransigence and almost Islamofascist ideology that the general expressed.

'To resounding applause, he described Kashmir as Pakistan's jugular vein  and then a week later, we saw this incident.

'What most people have not yet recognised is the gradual seep of extremist interpretations of Islam throughout Pakistani society.

'The world has failed to see that, in many ways, Pakistan is truly an extremist Islamic, nuclear-powered state.'

On Thursday, both sides accused the other of using drones to attack its separate territory inside of Kashmir.

Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan. When British India was partitioned, the contested region sought independence but later acceded into India after Pakistan tried to invade the entire territory.

Kashmir is now a hotbed for tensions, with India, Pakistan and China all controlling swathes of the majority Muslim province.

Mr Shah then described what he called Pakistan's 'crazy Ivan strategy', denoting the nation's low threshold for the use of its nuclear weapons.

Indian school students take part in a mock drill at Rajkiya Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in New Delhi, India, May 7 2025

India fired missiles at Pakistani territory early on May 7, killing several people, according to Pakistan, which said it had begun retaliating in a major escalation

Pakistan is assumed to possess around 170 nuclear warheads, making it the world's sixth greatest nuclear power.

Due to its small economy and population size compared to India, Pakistan has always threatened it would deploy its warheads in the event of a war between the two nations.

'India has consistently maintained a no first strike policy', Mr Shah said.

'In contrast, Pakistani nuclear doctrine maintains the right to first strike  which makes sense given their conventional inferiority against India's armed forces.

'But there's an additional layer to this  there's a phrase in Hindi I like to use, which translated into English, would be something like, Pakistan's crazy Ivan strategy.

'Pakistan's nuclear doctrine tries to send a message to the world that the country is actually crazy enough to use these things.

'The message is, we have a low threshold to activate our nuclear arsenal, as Pakistan believes it is its best deterrent against India, or any adversaries.

'India has now started calling their bluff  and are seeing how it can go, in order to express a zero-tolerance policy as far as terrorism in Kashmir is concerned.'

Search for 'Apocalypse Now?' with special guest Sarjan P Shah, wherever you get your podcasts.
An aristocrat accused of killing her baby was questioned about the death today by her lover who is jointly accused of carrying out the crime.

In extraordinary scenes, Constance Marten was cross-examined by her partner Mark Gordon about how they went on the run with their baby Victoria.

They hoped to prevent her being taken into care after losing custody of their other four children.

Gordon, 50, who has been charged alongside Marten, 37, with manslaughter by gross negligence, stood in the dock firing off questions after being allowed to represent himself in the case.

Earlier this week, Judge Mark Lucraft told jurors that Gordons barrister, John Femi-Ola, KC, had withdrawn in the middle of trial, leaving the accused in the unprecedented position of being able to directly question his co-defendant about whether they were responsible for their childs death.

Constance Marten was cross-examined by her partner Mark Gordon today about how they went on the run with their baby Victoria

Gordon, 50, has been charged alongside Marten, 37, with manslaughter by gross negligence over the death of their baby Victoria in 2023

Months after the couple went on the run, camping in a flimsy tent on the South Downs in freezing temperatures, the infant was found dead  buried under rubbish in a shopping bag discarded in a shed on March 1, 2023.

Due to the state of decomposition, experts have been unable to say whether Victoria died of hypothermia or if she was smothered by her sleeping mother in the cramped tent.

Gordon stood in the dock haltingly reading a list of more than 88 questions to his lover about why they decided to go camping with their newborn, asking her: Would you have anticipated the death of our baby?

She wept as Gordon continued: Did the baby die as a result of lack of love?

Marten replied: No, of course not. I cant say why she died. It was the opposite of lack of love.

The defendant, who had a pink sheet wrapped around his head, asked: Did you intend to cause the baby harm?

The couple went on the run with their baby to prevent her from being taken into care after losing custody of their other four children, they claim

Months later, while the family were camping in a tent on the South Downs in freezing temperatures, the infant died. Pictured, Marten and baby Victoria

Marten replied: No, of course notI do not know if I passed out, that was how I woke up [on top of her]. There was quite a lot of blood underneath me.

During the bizarre exchange, Gordon often referred to himself in the third person asking: Was your husband asleep when you fell asleep?

Marten, wearing a navy cardigan and white blouse, replied: Yeah, when I woke up, Mark was fast asleep.

Gordon bowed towards Marten, adding: I cant stress to you enough the importance of being clear. Thank you.

During proceedings, the judge had to interrupt Gordon a number of times for making speeches instead of asking questions.

Earlier, Marten told jurors that her prejudiced family did not want her alive. She claimed her aristocratic family had tampered with 15 vehicles nearly killing them in a cat and mouse game because she had chosen to have children with her black boyfriend.

She said: Theres a few people in my biological family who see me as an embarrassment.

Some people who are privileged think they are above the rules. It is harrowing, you are up against these people who will stop at nothing, who have endless resources and connections.

Marten accepted she had treated Victoria despicably by discarding her body in a shopping bag, leaving the child in a soiled nappy.

Police in Brighton found Victoria dead in a shopping bag, which had been buried under rubbish and discarded in a shed

But minutes later she angrily refused to continue giving evidence, claiming she had been defamed by an abhorrent prosecutor.

Later, Marten told jurors that the case against her was prejudiced, rounding on Prosecutor Joel Smith, KC, saying: You are diabolical.

The couple deny the gross negligence manslaughter of their daughter and causing or allowing her death between January 4 and February 27 2023.

The defendants were convicted at an earlier trial of concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice. The trial continues.
The first American pope in history has been named as Robert Francis Prevost in a landmark conclusion to the Conclave on Thursday.

Prevost, 69, was born in Chicago, Illinois and began studying to become a priest with the Catholic Church at the age of 18, before going on to graduate from Villanova University in Pennsylvania with a degree in mathematics four years later.

He spent much of his early life in South America and also holds Peruvian citizenship, and was said to have been seen as the 'least American of the Americans' who were in the running at the Conclave.

A popular figure in the church who served as the head of Pope Francis' vetting process for new bishop nominations, he has been notably quiet about his views on topics such as women in the clergy and same sex unions.

He waded into gender ideology while serving as a bishop in Chiclayo, Peru in 2012, saying that 'the promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don't exist.'

Following his graduation in Pennsylvania, Prevost first went to Peru in 1985 as a missionary before being named the Roman Catholic Diocese for the Chulucanas region that same year.

Prevost - also known as Father Bob - returned to work as a pastor in Chicago in 1987 for one year before becoming the head of the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo, Peru - a role he kept for a decade.

In 1998, he was elected as the head of the Augustinian Province of Chicago, making him one of the leading religious figures in the United States.

The man he succeeded to lead the Vatican, Pope Francis, brought Prevost to Italy in 2023 and handed him a prominent post heading into the Conclave, a process where cardinals vote in secret to elect the new Pope that was watched in anticipation by millions.

Robert Francis Prevost, 69, was named as the first American pope in history on Thursday

The Chicago-born leader spent much of his early life in South America and also holds Peruvian citizenship, and was said to have been seen as the 'least American of the Americans' who were in the running at the Conclave

Prevost is pictured shortly after being ordained as a priest with Pope John Paul II

Although he makes history as the first American pope, the Chicago-born religious leader has not been shy about his disapproval of President Donald Trump in the past.

He has taken so social media a number of times to criticize the Trump administration's moves on immigration repeatedly and expressed support for progressive causes.

'Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?' he said in one tweet.

The new Pope also shared several articles that address JD Vance's stance on immigration. One of them is titled: 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.'

Despite holding a prominent post at the Vatican, Prevost was not among the bookies' favorites heading into the Conclave.

This was primarily because he is an American, with no US citizen ever holding the position of Pope before in history.

Prevost was born in Chicago, Illinois and began studying to become a priest with the Catholic Church aged 18, before going on to study mathematics at Villanova University in Pennsylvania four years later

The future pope is pictured (red circled) in the second grade

Prevost seen during his time as Prevost of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru

Prevost at a mass for Pope Francis on April 30 following his predecessor's death last month

The new pope seen hosting a birthday party in Peru in July 2019

Prevost is also a Peruvian citizen, and he lived in the South American country for many years as a missionary and then archbishop.

While working under Francis, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the Pope.

In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals, suggesting he would at least be Francis choice in any future conclave.

The Rev. Fidel Purisaca Vigil, the communications director for Prevosts old diocese in Chiclayo where he previously served, remembered Prevost as a warm and kind man who ate breakfast with his staff each day.

'No matter how many problems he has, he maintains good humor and joy,' he told the Associated Press.

James Martin, a Jesuit priest who is also the editor-at-large of America Magazine, said on X after Prevost was announced as the new pope that he had similarly happy memories of the clergyman.

'I know Pope Leo XIV to be a kind, open, humble, modest, decisive, hard-working, straightforward, trustworthy, and down-to-earth man. A brilliant choice. May God bless him,' he said in a post.

Prevost emerged victorious at the Conclave on Thursday, a process where cardinals vote in secret to elect the new pope that was watched in anticipation by millions

The new pope, pictured in Peru in 2015, has been praised by those who knew him as a warm, kind man committed to the clergy

Prevost enters the papacy not without some scandal in his past, and some have already pointed to an incident over two decades ago when he became embroiled in the Catholic Church's child abuse controversy.

In 2000, he came under scrutiny for allowing Father James Ray, an Augustinian priest who had been suspended from the ministry nine years before due to allegations of sexual abuse of minors, to reside at his St John Stone Friary in Chicago.

He would go on to take a public stance against the way that the Catholic Church handled the pedophilia scandal, telling La Republica in 2019 that it must move away from its culture of cover-ups.

'We reject the cover-up and secrecy, that does a lot of damage, because we have to help the people who have suffered from the bad act,' he said.

He urged victims to come forward, adding: 'Many times it was shut up and don't talk, you can't ask for that.

'On behalf of the Church we want to tell people that if there was any offense, if they suffered or are victims of the bad actions of a priest to come and denounce it, to act for the good of the Church, of the person and the community.'
Robert Prevost has been named as the new Pope and will become Francis' successor following two days of voting inside the Sistine Chapel.

In a historic first, the 69-year-old American missionary who made his name ministering in Peru, has been elected pope  the first American to ascend to the Catholic Church's highest office in its 2,000-year history.

Stepping onto the world stage as Pope Leo XIV, the new pontiff's first decision has sent a powerful signal about the direction he may take the Church.

The name was announced to cheering crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square by a senior cardinal early today.

The choice of papal name, the first glimpse into the vision of a new pope, is no small matter in the Vatican.

It is steeped in tradition and carefully considered, often providing clues to the papal agenda.

'The papal name Leo unsurprisingly shows a Pope who is going to be strong during a time of crisis, historically,' Catholic priest and blogger Ed Tomlinson told the Independent.

Robert Prevost, an American, has been named as the new Pope

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican

Tomlinson also noted: 'It seems likely to be a continuation of Francis's liberalisation.'

The last pope to bear the name was Leo XIII, who reigned from 1878 to 1903 and is remembered for his intellectual leadership and his encyclicals on the rights of workers.

The first, Leo the Great, ruled from 440 to 461 and is revered as a Doctor of the Church for defending orthodox teachings during a time of political and theological upheaval.

The adoption of a papal name is an ancient tradition, dating back to the 6th century when Roman-born Mercurius declined to rule under a name honouring a pagan god and instead became John II.

It became customary by the 11th century and has since evolved into a deeply symbolic act.

'Even now, as we are waiting for the new pope, the name with which he will present himself will help us to understand the horizon towards which he wants to proceed,' said Rev. Roberto Regoli, historian at Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University.

Prelates celebrate on St Peter's Square as cardinals signaled they elected a new pope during their conclave

People watch newly elected Pope Leone XIV as he appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica

A nun reacts as white smoke (unseen) signals that cardinals elected a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8

Names like John, Benedict, and Gregory have been popular over the centuries.

Since the mid-20th century, however, the focus of name selection has shifted, now signalling the new pontiff's priorities and the theological or pastoral legacy he hopes to uphold.

'A Pope Francis II would have signalled a continuation of the late pontiff's focus on pastoral care and the marginalised.'

Pope Francis himself even joked that his successor might be John XXIV, referencing the progressive legacy of the Second Vatican Council era.

Conversely, had Cardinal Prevost taken the name Pius, it would have echoed a more traditionalist tone.

The name Peter, considered sacred in Catholic tradition, has never been chosen - out of reverence for Saint Peter, the Church's first pope.

Leo the Great (Pope from 440 - 461)

A towering figure in early Christendom, Leo I earned his title 'the Great' not just for his courage, famously persuading Attila the Hun to spare Rome, but for defining Church doctrine.

At the Council of Chalcedon in 451, Leo's teachings triumphed, establishing the belief in Christ's dual natureboth human and divinestill held by the Church today.

Leo II (Pope from 682-683)

A gentle soul and eloquent preacher, Leo II's papacy was brief but compassionate.

Known for his charity and musical interest, his key act was confirming the Sixth Ecumenical Council's condemnation of Monothelitism - a doctrine suggesting Christ had only one will.

A gentle soul and eloquent preacher, Leo II's papacy was brief but compassionate

Leo III (Pope from 795 - 816)

Neither an outstanding churchman nor an astute politician, Leo III is remembered basically for one thing: making history on Christmas Day in the year 800.

Inside the original St Peter's Basilica, he crowned Charlemagne as Emperor, effectively launching the Holy Roman Empire.

But controversy surrounded him - rumours swirled of immorality, and he lacked noble birth, which didn't sit well with everyone.

Leo III (750-816). Italian Pope of the Roman Catholic Church

Leo IV (Pope from 847-855)

A papal builder and defender, Leo IV rebuilt churches wrecked by Arab raiders and erected the mighty Leonine Wall to protect the Vatican.

He united Italian cities to win the sea Battle of Ostia and even left his mark on Christian art - a rooster atop St Peter's Basilica, a symbol of Peter's denial of Christ still seen on churches today.

Leo V (Pope in 903)

A pope for just over two months in 903, Leo V's reign ended in betrayal. He granted tax relief to the canons of Bologna but was soon overthrown and imprisoned by the ambitious Cardinal Christopher, who took the papacy for himself.

Leo likely died in captivity. Whether from murder or natural causes remains a mystery.

Pope Leo V. Leo, born in Ardea near Rome, was pope for thirty days in 903 AD

Leo VI (Pope in 928)

Chosen in chaotic times by the powerful Roman noblewoman Marozia, Leo VI ruled for just seven months. His most memorable acts? Sending bishops back to their dioceses, banning castrati from marrying, and urging Christians to rise against Arab raiders - promising heavenly rewards for those who died defending the faith.

'Whoever died faithful in this struggle will not see himself refused entry into the heavenly kingdom.'

Leo VII (Pope from 936-939)

He had little ambition towards the papacy, but consented under pressure from the political powerbroker Alberic II of Spoleto.

He helped broker peace between Alberic and King Hugh of Italy through an arranged marriage and appointed a German archbishop to reform the Church.

Notably, he allowed, but did not enforce, the expulsion of unbaptised Jews.

Leo VIII (Pope from 963-964)

Pope Leo VIII (c. 915  1 March 965) was a Roman prelate who claimed the Holy See from 963 until 964 in opposition to John XII and Benedict V and again from 23 June 964 to his death.

Today, he is considered by the Catholic Church to have been an antipope during the first period and the legitimate Pope during the second.

An appointee of Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, Leo VIII's pontificate occurred after the period known as the saeculum obscurum or the dark century.

Leo IX (Pope from 1048-1054)

Leo IX crisscrossed Europe calling councils and implementing sweeping reforms. He stood firm on papal authority but his bold stance led to the EastWest Schism, a split between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.

His lowest moment? Being captured by Norman forces in 1053 and held for nine months in captivity.

The reign of Leo IX is memorable for two reasons. First is the extensive reforms he implemented within the church. Second is his forceful support of papal supremacy, which led to a formal break with the Eastern Orthodox Church in 1054.

Leo X (Pope from 1513-1521)

He spent all the money he could gather to build Rome into a great city, but his failure to take Martin Luther seriously led to the Protestant Reformation.

Four issues dominated the reign of Leo X: the unsuccessful efforts of the fifth Lateran Council to reform the church, his building programmes for Rome, political ambitions to dominate Italy, and the Lutheran Reformation.

Portrait of Pope Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de' Medici and Luigi de' Rossi, ca 1518

Leo XI (Pope in 1605)

The shortest reign of any Leo - just 26 days. Known as the 'Lightning Pope,' Leo XI died of fever, likely worsened by exposure during his official coronation events.

Aged nearly 70 at election, he honoured his uncle Leo X with his papal name but never had the chance to leave a legacy

Leo XII (Pope from 1823-1829)

A deeply conservative pope, Leo XII ruled during turbulent times. Frail in health but strong in will, he enforced harsh lawsincluding restrictions on Jews owning property and raised taxes that failed to rescue the Papal States' struggling finances.

His reign was defined more by tradition than transformation.

Leo XIII (Pope from 1878-1903)

Leo XIII reigned for a quarter of a century. At 67, he took over a Church facing modern challenges: science, socialism, and the rise of democracy.

The time was one of great scientific and technological advancement, as well as social, political, and economic upheaval. Western society was becoming more democratic. More people were getting the right to vote.

Instead of resisting change, Leo sought dialogue, laying the groundwork for the Church's future engagement with the modern world.
A top congressional Republican has confirmed he was married by an Islamic teacher with connections to Hamas, the Islamic Brotherhood and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., married his soon-to-be ex-wife, Rana Al Saadi, a naturalized American from Iraq, in 2014. The two were wed by Mohammad Al-Hanooti at the Dar Al-Hijirah Islamic Center in Falls Church, Virginia.

Al-Hanooti had taught as the center's imam, or leader, from 1995 to 1999 and was a widely respected among the capitol's Islamic community, according to CAIR.

But the teacher was also considered to be radical. He taught about the importance of jihad and advocated for holy wars against non-Muslims while he taught there.

All of this was unbeknownst to Mills, an Army veteran who fought in Iraq, the lawmaker bizarrely explained to The Blaze.

Dar Al-Hijrah, where Al-Hanooti taught, was also attended by 9/11 hijackers Hani Hanjour and Nawaf al-Hazmi in early 2001.

The pair later crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon, which is just six miles from the islamic center where Mills was married.

'We all have to be ready for the jihad with our properties and our souls,' Al-Hanooti said in 1998. 'Allah will rain his curse on the Americans and the British.'

Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., explained that he was married by an Islamic cleric that taught jihad because his wife needed proper certification to return to her home country Iraq to visit an ailing relative, adding that the teacher, Mohammad Al-Hanooti, was one of the only people able to help the couple out

Mills' wife Rana Al Saadi, President Donald Trump and Mills

Sheikh Mohammed Al-Hanooti speaking at Dar Al-Hijirah Islamic Center. Though he died shortly after marrying Mills and his wife, questions have arisen over the congressman's connection to the controversial figure

'The curse of Allah will become true on the Jews,' Mills' wedding officiator taught at the time.

The cleric is also reportedly an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Reports further indicate that Al-Hanooti, born in Palestine in 1937, was a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and a fundraiser for Hamas.

Mills, meanwhile, is a conservative Christian who represents a fairly red district along the Florida coast.

He has repeatedly invoked his Christian faith on the campaign trail and in Congress and told The Blaze he attends Word of Faith church near Orlando, Florida.

However, an anonymous source close to Mills revealed to The Blaze that the Republican became a practicing Muslim after marrying his wife.

Getting combative with The Blaze over the phone, Mills explained the wedding administered by Al-Hanooti was meant to protect his wife as she traveled to Iraq to visit an ailing relative.

She 'wouldve been arrested' without documentation of her religious marriage to Mills, the congressman told The Blaze.

Al-Hanooti, was sick at the time and died 'months' after the wedding, Mills recounted. 'I dont know the damn guy.'

Mohammad Al-Hanooti taught at the Dar Al-Hijirah Islamic Center in Falls Church, Virginia from 1995 to 1998. Mills married his wife at the location, which has been tied to extremists, in 2014

Al Saadi worked in the first Trump administration and as a translator while the U.S. was in Iraq

Iranian activist Sarah Raviani told Washington law enforcement she and Mills got into a domestic dispute at his residence earlier this year. No wrongdoing was done, both have said, and no charges have been filed. Mills is in the midst of a divorce from Al Saadi, he has said

Mills claimed he would do anything for his family and that Al-Hanooti was 'the only Iraqi imam that her mom [could] get in contact with who would do this for us.'

'I don't know anything about his involvement in the co-conspirator thing,' the congressman told the outlet of Al-Hooti's connections to Hamas and the Islamic Brotherhood.

The Florida Republican also shared that he and his wife, Al Saadi, who served in the first Trump administration on Middle Eastern affairs, are in the midst of a divorce.

'Weve been going through divorce proceedings for 2.5 years and have been separated for three years,' he told the outlet.

The update comes after the lawmaker was embroiled in a controversial domestic dispute earlier this year with a pro-Iranian activist, Sarah Raviani, 27, who told the police 'her significant other for over a year' at the time 'grabbed her, shoved her, and pushed her out of the door,' according to The Blaze report.

Both Mills and Raviani denied any wrongdoing and charges have not been filed.

However, a spokesperson for Washington's Metropolitan Police Department did confirm to the Daily Mail that 'the matter is still open.'

A picture of Raviani and Mills together in Turkey in April

Mills and Raviani both went on a trip to Syria together this spring amid the fighting in the country and the recent overthrow of its government, pictures posted by Raviani show.

Images show the pair sitting at a table next to each together with Rep. Marlin Stuzman, R-Ind., and what appear to be Turkish officials.

Mills' office did not respond to The Daily Mail's request for comment.
A baby boy has been found dead in a river after he was swept away from his parents' car following a collision on May 1.

Police have said the body of nine-month-old Oliver Cox was found in the Trinity River in Big Flat, northern California in a tragic update on Tuesday.

'During the search efforts, an out-of-the-area diver who had travelled to the location to assist in the search located Oliver deceased and submerged in the river,' the Trinity County Sheriff's Office said.

'Deputies who were in the area searching for Oliver were contacted and responded to the scene. Oliver was removed from the river and his family notified.

'Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Oliver.'

The police search was assisted by Search and Rescue teams from Shasta and Trinity counties, Cal OES, the California Highway Patrol, the US Coast Guard and CalFire.

Oliver was traveling in a Lexus sedan with his mother, 19, and father, 21, as they drove on State Route 299 in the early hours of May 1, Keith Krick from the California Highway Patrol told McClatchy News.

His mother was driving when the car 'traveled off the road, down an embankment and into the Trinity River,' he said.

Police have said the body of nine-month-old Oliver Cox (pictured) was found in the Trinity River in Big Flat, northern California in a tragic update on Tuesday after he went missing May 1

A baby boy has been found dead in a river after he was swept away from his parents' car following a collision on May 1. (Pictured: the search effort in Big Flat, northern California)

Trinity County Search and Rescue shared several photographs of the three-day search mission for baby Oliver, which involved scouring the Trinity River and surrounding terrain

As the couple frantically scrambled to free themselves and their baby from the sinking car, Oliver was swept away.

The parents suffered 'moderate injuries' and were taken to the hospital for treatment, according to officials.

Police are investigating what led to the crash. Neither drugs or alcohol are thought to have been a factor.

Trinity County Search and Rescue shared several photographs of the three-day search mission for baby Oliver.

'We have spent many hours and miles meticulously searching the river banks by land, water and air,' rescuers wrote before Oliver was found.

A baby boy has been found dead in a river after he was swept away from his parents' car following a collision on May 1. (Pictured: the search effort in Big Flat, northern California)

Trinity County Search and Rescue shared several photographs of the three-day search mission for baby Oliver, which involved scouring the Trinity River and surrounding terrain

'The terrain has been extremely challenging. Steep, rocky and in some areas impassable.

'The majority of your search team are parents ourselves. The thought of a family having to go through this is unfathomable and extremely heartbreaking.'

Oliver's aunt described him as a happy baby in an interview with Action News Now.

'He was always playful, always happy to see everybody,' Michelle Huskey told the news outlet. 'He loved his mommy more than anything.'
Pope Leo XIV's first words when he stepped out onto the loggia were 'peace be with you all' after he was elected on Thursday evening in Rome.

Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old longtime Cardinal, became the first American ever chosen to lead the Roman Catholic church.

The election of the new pope came on the second day of the Conclave in front of a jubilant St. Peter's Square. Once he was selected, many in the crowd proudly held up American flags.

He is now the 267th Pope and during his speech, he spoke in Italian before switching to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

Seen as a man who has similar attitudes on reform to the late Pope Francis, whom he thanked in his remarks, Pope Leo will be closely watched by the world to see what he does in the coming days and weeks.

World leaders have already offered their congratulations to the pontiff, including US President Donald Trump, who said he will 'look forward to meeting' Pope Leo in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old longtime Cardinal, said 'peace be with you all' immediately after stepping out to greet the chanting crowds in St. Peter's Square

Addressing the masses in St. Peter's, the new Pope said: 'We have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue.

Pope Leo called on people to 'show our charity' to others 'and be in dialog with love.'
An Arkansas father who fatally shot his 6-year-old daughter while putting her to bed told police 'I don't know what happened' when asked about the unimaginable crime.

Jordan Chadick, 45, shot his daughter, Caroline, in the head with a single bullet on May 29, 2023 while putting her to sleep in his Hot Springs apartment.

He later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced earlier this month to 30 years in prison.

The tragedy followed an earlier argument between Jordan and his estranged wife and mother of their two children, Melissa, who had asked him to leave her home.

Though Jordan initially resisted, he eventually left with Caroline.

Later that evening, the Garland County Sheriff's Office responded to a shooting at his apartment.

Police arrived to find Jordan soaked in blood and Melissa holding Caroline's 'lifeless' body, which was 'covered in blood,' Law & Crime reported.

Immediately following the shooting, Jordan made three calls, though none of them were to 911 or emergency personnel.

One of the calls was reportedly to Melissa to confess to the unthinkable crime, according to officials.

Jordan Chadick, shot his 6-year-old daughter, Caroline, in the head with a single bullet on May 29, 2023 while putting her to sleep in his Hot Springs apartment

Police arrived to find Jordan soaked in blood and his estranged wife, Melissa, holding Caroline's 'lifeless' body that was 'covered in blood'

Melissa later confirmed to officials she and Jordan had been arguing that day and he left her home with Caroline, adding that when she arrived at his home later that night, he met her outside and told her to 'get ready, get ready.'

That's when she ran inside and discovered her daughter's body, officials said.

A day later, investigators interviewed Melissa's sister, Michelle Merriott, who was reportedly on the phone with Melissa when she arrived at Jordan's apartment. Her sister also rushed to the scene with her husband Todd Merriott.

She told police that while she was at the scene, she overheard Jordan telling Melissa, 'we got to get our stories straight,' court records revealed.

Her husband told investigators that Jordan told him the 'gun hit my hip,' court records showed.

A neighbor told officials that the couple - who were separated at the time - fought a lot and that one the night of the incident, she heard a loud bang and Jordan scream, court records said.

The neighbor explained that when she went to his apartment to see what was going on, Jordan told her 'everything is not okay' and 'oh my God, my daughter's dead, what have I done,' according to the court documents.

She left to call 911, and when she returned, Jordan opened the door. She then overheard Jordan confessing to his wife, 'I just killed our daughter.'

Authorities believe Jordan was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time, though he insisted in initial police interviews the shooting was 'accidental'

Jordan Chadick's Hot Springs apartment complex

Melissa Chadick (left) and Jordan Chadick (middle) shared two daughters, including Caroline (right)

Jordan told officers he had been putting Caroline to bed and retrieved a gun he kept 'for protection.' He said, 'I don't know what happened' when asked how the shooting occurred, according to court documents.

Authorities believe Jordan was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time, though he insisted in initial police interviews the shooting was 'accidental.'

He was reportedly 'smelling of alcohol' and had a long history of substance abuse, including methamphetamine, officials said.

Other witnesses close to the couple confirmed Jordan's history of meth and alcohol abuse, stating that when he was intoxicated, he always carried a gun.

One witness recalled an instance when Jordan had pointed a gun at Melissa's head, something that happened 'several times' throughout their marriage, according to court records.

When police later interviewed Jordan, he provided inconsistent accounts of the events leading up to his daughter's death.

Jordan was arrested on August 1, 2023, and was initially charged with first-degree murder.
A pervert doctor who secretly spied on 30 different people has been jailed for 18 months.

Ju Young Um, 34, hid tiny cameras in air fresheners and a smoke alarm in the bathroom and spare bedroom of his flat in Hyndland, in Glasgows west end.

Um also filmed a friend and doctor at staff accommodation in Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

The anaesthetist filmed people naked, showering, using the toilet and having sex but denied doing anything illegal.

Instead, he claimed he had body dysmorphia - a condition where sufferers obsess over apparent flaws in their appearance. Um said this was only diagnosed after he was arrested.

However, a jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court decided that Ums sick acts were done for his sexual gratification.

Um was found guilty to a total of 23 charges against the Sexual Offences Act between November 2020 and August 2023.

Of his 30 victims, 21 were men and nine were women. Three of the men and one woman were doctors.

Dr Ju Young Um, 34, who has secretly recorded more than 30 people over the course of more than three years

Sheriff Owen Mullan told Um: Given the seriousness of this matter, it is rightfully acknowledged that the custodial threshold has been passed.

You were convicted unanimously and the jury did not accept your position at trial. Your victims were friends, colleagues and some who rented a room from you - they were unaware of your activities.

Jurors heard of the shock and distress suffered by some of your victims. They also heard you had hours and hours of footage and this spanned over a number of years.

Because of the gravity of this offence, a custodial sentence is the only appropriate disposal.

Um was also put under supervision for nine months upon his release from prison and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

The court heard that Um initially recorded his first victim in secret with a mobile through a window while he showered.

He later attached a camera to a smoke alarm of the fellows doctors bedroom at the hospital. The footage also captured intimate footage between the man and his partner.

Fiscal Lauren Aitchison asked the doctor what he thought about Ums actions.

Um hid cameras inside air fresheners in order to secretly film people

He replied: It makes me feel shocked, betrayed and disgusted. Not only because it invaded my privacy but my now wifes as well.

I feel like I let her down letting this person into our lives - someone who I trusted in work in a professional capacity. I feel let down and horrified.

Another doctor was filmed on the toilet at Ums home. He initially knew Um from university and went for dinner at his house.

The doctor stated that he was shocked and betrayed upon learning that he had been spied on.

Jurors were told that a further medic had nine recordings made of him showering and using the toilet over a three-month period.

Um rented out his spare bedroom to others at his property on Airbnb. Miss Aitchison said in her closing speech to jurors: Um violated their trust - he recorded them naked, showering, using the toilet and on some occasions having sex.

He had the videos saved automatically into a folder which was backed up on hard drives and pen drives just in case.

Um told jurors in his evidence that he was diagnosed with suspected gigantism when he was a teenager and claimed he was concerned about how his body looked compared to others.

Jurors heard that he did not seek medical help until 20 years later.

Miss Aitchison added: His diagnoses of body dysmorphia does not come until after he was arrested.

He said all these years led to extremes of secretly recording people. Why wait until you are caught to get private treatment?

Um further said he did not want to view images on Google in case he came across illegal photographs.

He also claimed that he did not view pornography as it was exaggerated and bigger than your normal male.

Um stated that he also did not compare himself with his patients as they were people who trusted him.

It is believed he has latterly been working as a lecturer and is presently suspended from working as a doctor.

Ian Sievwright, defending said his client is aware of the harm and distress he has caused his victims.

The lawyer added: He is a highly educated man - a hospital doctor who lost his job and career and is now on the sex offenders register.

He accepts wrongdoing and accepts on reflection that his behaviour was morally wrong and was criminal.

Following the sentencing, Fraser Gibson, procurator fiscal for Glasgow and Strathkelvin, said: Ju Young Um carried out these invasive offences in a calculated and premeditated manner.

He abused a position of trust to significantly violate the privacy of numerous in-dividuals for his own sexual gratification.

I give thanks to all those involved in securing this prosecution, which has held Um accountable while also protecting others from harm.

Detective Sergeant Cameron Gilchrist added: Ju Young Um now faces the consequences of his despicable and distressing actions.
There are two John Swinneys vying for control of the First Ministers personality.

Theres Honest John, with the polite-but-businesslike demeanour of a provincial mortgage-lender. Hed foreclose on your house in a heartbeat but hed ask how little Amy was getting on with her clarinet first. Hes a ruthless character  you need to be in politics  but ultimately a decent bloke.

Honest John opened First Ministers Questions with a fitting VE Day tribute to those who had given the ultimate sacrifice. He recalled his uncle Thomas Hunter, who died in action in Italy 35 days before hostilities ceased.

He was killed shielding his mates from Axis forces and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Swinney quoted a verse, John 15:13, inscribed on a Bible given to the family: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

It was a moving elegy for a young man lost to his family and for a generation lost now to all of us. The debt we owe them is eternal and unpayable.

Barely had Jekyll finished, than Hyde came out snarling. This is the other side of his character. Yobbo John is a political brute, a tactical lout, a verbal thug. He holds his opponents in contempt and wants them to know it.

At the time, the commentariat called his notorious tell the Brits to get off speech a political misjudgement. The only misjudgement was in saying out loud what he sincerely believes. Hes a fundamentalist in a better suit.

Yobbo John was pulled up by Russell Findlay over his pledge to provide 100,000 additional GP appointments, which rather pales to the 500,000 fewer appointments handed out since Swinney became First Minister.

John Swinney can be both polite and businesslike and a political brute

Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay branded Mr Swinney's pledge to provide 100,000 additional GP appointments 'a pathetic con'

It was, the Tory leader rasped, a pathetic con.

Is the limit of John Swinneys ambition just to undo a small amount of the damage inflicted by John Swinney? he demanded.

Swinney insisted his pledge would make an impact on access to GP services. He didnt specify if this impact would be good or bad.

Findlay quoted from a recently disclosed message in which Nicola Sturgeons described her governments NHS recovery plan as awful. This was quite the revelation: not that Sturgeon had no faith in her own policies but that one of her messages had somehow survived The Great Deletion.

Swinney was most displeased that his political foes were not supporting him.

They condemn absolutely everything, he fizzed. Theyve got absolutely nothing constructive to contribute.

The peanut gallery behind him lapped it up. I am once again begging the SNP to look up the definition of opposition.

Amid all the squalling  the Nationalist and Tory benches ought to be sponsored by Nurofen  Swinney let slip an insight into his towering hubris. He assured Findlay that hed be happy to answer questions on health not just before the election but after it, when I will remain as First Minister.

Talk like that a few weeks before polling day is confidence, a whole year before is arrogance.

We have Anas Sarwar to thank for a demonstration of how easily Honest John can slip into Yobbo John. He pulled Swinney up for telling Labour MSP Mark Griffin to find something else to moan about when he raised the plight of homeless children.

Honest John paled. I may have used language that was not worthy of me, he mumbled. If the mans opinion of himself was any higher, health and safety would make him wear a harness.

He carried on in this slightly chastened vein for a few more sentences until  snap!  the eyes narrowed and the face twisted. Yobbo John was in the room with us now.

He barked that his opponents could have shown their concern for child homelessness by voting for his budget.

No wonder I complain about the Labour Party whinging about things, he sneered.

From apology to doubling down, Honest John to Yobbo John, in a matter of seconds. Its not hard to tell which John Swinney is in control.
The voting history of the first-ever American pope shocked few when it was revealed on Thursday that he participates in Republican primaries.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was born in Chicago, Illinois and is of French and Italian descent, is a registered Republican. He has voted in GOP primaries and general elections when he is in the country, according to his voting record.

His registration, however, should not be confused with support for President Donald Trump.

A 2014 tweet is going viral where Prevost called Jesus a migrant and some of his social media content has been critical of the president.

Turning Point Action published his history showing that as recently as August 2023, Prevost was registered as a Republican and voted in the 2024 presidential election.

The new pope, who chose the name Pope Leo XIV, has a 'strong Republican' record, and according to conservative nonprofit's data, he is staunchly pro-life  not an unusual stance for the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Robert Prevost who has been named as the new Pope and will go by Pope Leo XIV

Conservative nonprofit Turning Point Action revealed the new American pope's voting history and the fact that he is a registered Republican

But his registration and participation in Republican primary elections should not be confused with support for President Donald Trump (pictured alongside first lady Melania Trump at the funeral for Pope Francis in Rome on April 26, 2025)

Prevost, 69, spent many years living abroad and did not participate in U.S. elections during many of those stints overseas or down south.

But when stateside, he voted in Republican primaries and general elections in the U.S.

Pope Leo did not vote in the 2016 or 2020 presidential election but did in the 2024 race. It is unclear who he voted for.

Though a registered Republican, it's pretty clear that Prevost does not support much of Trump's agenda.

The new pope made a series of social media posts critical of the president's policies and often reposts sentiments critical of the Trump administration.

Prevost specifically criticized the White House's actions regarding immigration and in the past has expressed support for progressive causes.

The last time Prevost posted something to X was on April 14. The post he retweeted slams the Trump administration's deportation of illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador.

'Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?' the post reads.

A post made on X by Cardinal Prevost in 2014 is going viral where he called Jesus a migrant

Pope Leo did not vote in elections when he was on out-of-country assignments  but was shown to participate in several Republican primaries and the general elections, including the 2024 presidential election

The Chicago-born pope did not vote in the 2016 nor 2020 presidential elections

Pope Leo XIV also shared several articles that address Catholic Vice President J.D. Vance's stance on immigration.

One of the articles is titled: 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.'

In 2017, Pope Leo reposted a message in support of DACA recipients, which are undocumented migrants brought illegally to the U.S. by their parents when they were children.

Pope Leo spent the majority of his career in Latin America and even became a naturalized citizen of Peru.
A major search and rescue operation has been launched for a British man who didn't return from a solo mountain expedition in New Zealand.

Eli Sweeting, 25, sparked concern on Sunday when he failed to return from a trip up the mile-high Mitre Peak near Milford Sound.

Around 60 search and rescue volunteers as well as 10 police officers supported by helicopters have been scouring the area but rescue efforts were halted earlier today due to bad weather and difficult terrain but are set to resume tomorrow.

Mr Sweeting's family are also flying out to help with the search.

Family friend Samantha Eastwell, 31, told MailOnline: 'We are all just trying to stay positive, they keep seeing a light so they don't know whether he is alive but when they keep having to call off the search because of the weather.

'He's a very outdoorsy guy and has been in New Zealand for a while. He was dressed for the conditions but [his sister] Serena told me Eli had only packed for one night.

'The whole family is very, very worried for him and are flying out there now.'

The family has launched a Gofundme appeal to raise money for the search and rescue effort.

A major search and rescue operation has been launched for Brit Eli Sweeting after he failed to return from a solo mountain expedition in New Zealand

He has not been heard from since Sunday, when he went to hike the mile-high Mitre Peak near Milford Sound (pictured with his sister Serena)

Sister Serena Sweeting said: 'Being in the mountains and adventure is what my brother lives for and he spends lots of time preparing for these adventures and training.

'My brother is one of the kindest, most compassionate people in my life and he has always been there for me.

'He inspires me to live and get out of my comfort zone as well as listens and genuinely wants to know you and your story.

'Anybody who has met him will know what I mean. He has such a positive, vibrant and supportive energy.

'We just want him home safe.'

Mr Sweeting, who is originally from Bristol moved to New Zealand after graduating from the University of Derby with a degree in outdoor leadership and management.

Until recently he had been working for a boat cruising company but has also worked as a kayak guide and in fields including climbing and watersports.

Darryl Wilson, CEO of Wilsons Abel Tasman, told Stuff NZ Eli is a 'bright, engaging, fill the room type person'.

Mr Sweeting, who is originally from Bristol moved to New Zealand after graduating from the University of Derby with a degree in outdoor leadership and management

Around 60 search and rescue volunteers as well as 10 police officers supported by helicopters have been scouring the area

He added: 'Our thoughts are with the family and those who know him, because it is a trying time for everyone, a concerning time.

'Eli is a very resilient individual, so we hope and pray at this point.'

Police said a large number of people had been working through arduous terrain, supported by helicopter crews.

Detective Tracy Ward added: 'There is also a huge amount of local support being provided by tourism operator Real NZ at Milford Sound.

'Roughly 60 search and rescue volunteers, 10 police staff and numerous helicopter and tourism staff are working hard to find the missing man.

'The search area is relatively contained but incredibly rugged and difficult to navigate once off the track.

'At times, the search teams are only able to progress 250 metres in an hour.

'While no items of interest have been positively linked to the missing man, a number of clues are being followed up on, and we remain hopeful that there will be a positive outcome.

'The man we are looking for is experienced in the outdoors, and we believe he has suitable clothing and provisions, which can make all the difference.'
A Missouri mayor publicly criticized her white voters, accusing them of turning their backs on Black women in leadership after voting her out in favor of a new, white candidate.

Tishaura Jones, the former St. Louis mayor, suffered a staggering 28-point defeat to Mayor Cara Spencer last month, marking one of the worst losses for an existing mayor in the city's last 50 years, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

However, the 53-year-old politician blamed her loss to racial bias amongst her voters, accusing them of booting her from office because she is Black.

'I think St. Louis needs to have a conversation with itself about why it no longer trusts Black women to lead,' Jones said in an interview with St. Louis Public Radio on Thursday.

'My dad always told me - and it's an old phrase - that Black women have to work twice as hard to get half as much,' she added.

'Well, I feel like we work five times as hard and get nothing in return.'

Just four years ago, voters from St. Louis's north side and its white progressive neighborhoods rallied behind Jones, propelling her into the mayor's office.

Fast forward to last month's re-election, and Jones' voter base had ultimately crumbled - white progressive neighborhoods that once championed her shifted their support to Spencer, the very candidate Jones defeated in 2021.

Tishaura Jones (pictured), the former mayor in St. Louis, Missouri, publicly criticized her white voters, accusing them of turning their backs on Black women in leadership after voting her out in favor of a new, white candidate

Jones suffered a staggering 28-point defeat to Mayor Cara Spencer (pictured) last month, marking one of the worst losses for an existing mayor in the city's last 50 years

Jones believes her loss had far more to do with race - and the fact that Spencer is a white woman - than with her record in office, asserting that 'St. Louis needs to have a conversation with itself about why it no longer trusts Black women to lead'

Jones' ousting follows the loss of three other Black female leaders from office, a point she highlighted during the interview

Explanations for the shift varied - disappointment in her activist base, missteps with grant programs, etc.

However, voters on both the north and south sides repeatedly voiced frustration with Jones' handling of basic city services - from trash pickup to pothole repairs - as well as her response to the massive snowstorm that hit the state in January.

What may have swayed voters was Spencer's straightforward yet resonant promise to St. Louis: a swift return 'back to basics', Post-Dispatch reported.

Yet Jones believes that even her Black voter base on the north side turned away from her, claiming they held unrealistic expectations during her four years in office.

In the radio interview published Thursday, Jones expressed frustration that voters overlooked a major achievement during her tenure - the city's homicide rate dropped by 40 percent from a record high in 2020 to a 10-year low last year.

'That's what the people wanted back in 2021,' Jones' said during the segment. 'And then they moved the goalposts to potholes and trash and snow removal.'

She also emphasized her efforts to begin revitalizing north St. Louis after decades of decline, but said she was never truly given the opportunity to deliver lasting change for city residents.

'There's no patience there,' Jones said. 'The expectations there are so high to deliver and deliver immediately to address the decades of neglect in four years, and that is impossible.'

In the radio interview published Thursday, Jones expressed frustration that voters overlooked a major achievement during her tenure - the city's homicide rate dropped by 40 percent from a record high in 2020 to a 10-year low last year

In last month's re-election, Jones' voter base had ultimately crumbled - white progressive neighborhoods that once championed her shifted their support to Spencer, the very candidate Jones defeated in 2021

What may have swayed voters was Spencer's straightforward yet resonant promise to St. Louis: a swift return 'back to basics'

But for Jones, it wasn't just about the city's day-to-day issues. She believes her loss had far more to do with race - and the face that Spencer is a white woman - than with her record in office.

During the interview, Jones shared that when she campaigned in south city - a neighborhood that supported her in the previous election - no one could provide a clear reason for why they were voting her out of office.

'And if you can't give me a reason or something that I have particularly done, then the only default is race,' Jones said, according to the Post-Dispatch.

Jones' ousting follows the loss of three other Black female leaders from office, a point she highlighted during the interview.

Cori Bush, a former US Representative, was voted out of office in 2024. Darlene Green, the former Comptroller, also lost re-election last month. Kim Gardner, the former circuit attorney, resigned in 2023 in the midst of a controversy.

Jones asserted that not only do the residents of St. Louis need to reflect on their views of Black women in power, but the Democratic Party - especially the progressive Democrats - must also have that same conversation.

She said she wasn't sure about the future of the progressive movement she once led, adding that she didn't know anyone who could carry on the work she had already started.

According to her, others lack consistency and loyalty, according to the Post-Dispatch.

Despite her comments on the radio show, Jones revealed that she has mostly tuned out of politics since her defeat, Post-Dispatch reported. Although she teased a 'comeback' on social media, she never hinted at anything political.

Additionally, she shared that she's almost finished with a children's book she began writing while in office and is now exploring new career paths, including consulting, writing another book or starting a podcast.
Vice President JD Vance on Thursday reacted to the news of the newly elected Pope Robert Prevost, who took the name Leo XIV.

Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election!' the vice president wrote on X. 'I'm sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!'

Vance converted to the Catholic faith in 2019 and was one of the last public officials to meet with Pope Francis before he died.

The vice president did not respond the pope's old posts on X when he was Cardinal Provost and shared op-eds and articles critical of President Trump and Vance on the issue of immigration.

In January, Vance cited the Christian concept of 'ordo amoris,' (rightly ordered love) during an interview defending President Trump's immigration policies, citing a hierarchy of Christian obligations to one's family and fellow citizens before others in the world.

'You love your family, and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country, and then after that you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world,' Vance said in an interview on Fox News.

He later defended his reasoning on social media.

'The idea that there isn't a hierarchy of obligations violates basic common sense,' Vance wrote on social media.

In early 2025, Prevost shared two articles in reaction to Vance's argument.

The first article was a critical op-ed authored by author Kat Armas published by the more progressive Catholic news website the National Catholic Reporter.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance delivers remarks

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican,

'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others,' the headline read as Armas criticized Vance for using the medieval concept to defend his vision of immigration.

'The empire's vision of love is built on scarcity, but the kingdom of God is built on abundance,' she wrote. 'If we find ourselves asking, 'Who is my neighbor?'  we are already missing the point. The better question is: How do I love without limits?'

The second article was by Jesuit priest Sam Sawyer of the Jesuit Review that was also critical of Vance's position.

Cardinal Robert F. Prevost in Peru in 2023.

Pope Francis from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica

'Pope Francis' letter, JD Vance's 'ordo amoris' and what the Gospel asks of all of us on immigration,' the headline read, as Sawyer complained that 'many Catholics, and quite possibly the majority of Catholics, voted not only in toleration but in eager support of a view of immigration and immigrants that is starkly different than the one taught by the church.'

Sawyer added that he was 'a little surprised by the pope's choice to intervene' in the debate but suggested that 'his intervention reflects both a concern and a hope for how U.S. Catholics allow the Gospel to purify us and call us to conversion about our response to immigrants.'

Without naming Vance directly, Francis addressed the concept of 'ordo amoris' specifically in a February letter to the United States on the issue of immigration.

'The human person is a subject with dignity who, through the constitutive relationship with all, especially with the poorest, can gradually mature in his identity and vocation,' Francis wrote in a letter to the bishops of the United States. 'The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the Good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.'

United States Vice President JD Vance meets with His Holiness Pope Francis on Easter Sunday

Pope Francis meets with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Vatican

Despite their public clash, Vance met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Easter during his trip to Rome.

The private meeting lasted only for a few minutes.

"I know you have not been feeling great, but it's good to see you in better health,' Vance told Pope Francis and added, "I pray for you every day."

The next morning, Vance reacted to the news of Pope Francis's death.

'I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill,' he said. 'But Ill always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful.'
The newly elected Pope Leo XIV has made a moving tribute to his predecessor in his first speech as the leader of the Catholic Church.

Robert Prevost gave a heartfelt appraisal to Pope Francis, who died aged 88 on Easter Monday last month, as he addressed adorning crowds in Rome after being unveiled as the 267th pontiff.

The 69-year-old, who is also history's first ever American Pope, appeared in front of jubilant followers on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, telling them 'Peace be with you' and offering a reminder of God's unconditional love.

'And Pope Francis, in fact, was always courageous, and he blessed Rome. The Pope that blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world on that Easter morning,' he added.

Pope Leo went onto thank Francis for his work and his 'brother cardinals' who have chosen me to be the successor of Peter'.

Crowds had been joyously waving flags and chanting 'Habemus Papam' - the Latin for 'we have a Pope' - since white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel shortly after 5pm UK time on Thursday, indicating that cardinals had elected a new pontiff.

The pontiff, who will be named Pope Leo XIV, today became the religious leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe and someone believed to be called as the successor to St Peter, who was the first.

As his predecessor, Francis brought Prevost to Italy in 2023 and handed him a prominent post heading into the Conclave, serving as the head of the vetting process for new bishop nominations.

Robert Prevost, an American, has been named as the new Pope. In his first speech as the leader of the Catholic Church, he made a moving tribute to his predecessor

Pope Francis who died aged 88 on Easter Monday last month. He was described by Pope Leo as 'always courageous'

Robert Francis Prevost receives his biretta from Pope Francis as he is elevated in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican in September 2023

Prevost was born in Chicago, Illinois and began studying to become a priest with the Catholic Church at the age of 18, before going on to graduate from Villanova University in Pennsylvania with a degree in mathematics four years later.

He spent much of his early life in South America and also holds Peruvian citizenship, and was said to have been seen as the 'least American of the Americans' who were in the running at the Conclave.

He waded into gender ideology while serving as a bishop in Chiclayo, Peru in 2012, saying that 'the promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don't exist.'

Following his graduation in Pennsylvania, Prevost first went to Peru in 1985 as a missionary before being named the Roman Catholic Diocese for the Chulucanas region that same year.

Prevost - also known as Father Bob - returned to work as a pastor in Chicago in 1987 for one year before becoming the head of the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo, Peru - a role he kept for a decade.

In 1998, he was elected as the head of the Augustinian Province of Chicago, making him one of the leading religious figures in the United States.

While he makes history as the first American pope, the religious leader has not been shy about his disapproval of President Donald Trump in the past.

Despite this, the US leader was one of the first notable figures to congratulate Pope Leo on his new role, he will 'look forward to meeting' the new pontiff in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV delivers his first words as pope

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican

Faithful gather at St. Peter's Square as Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States is elected

People hold an American flag as they react to the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as the first ever US born Pope

A woman appears emotional as she reacts to the newly elected Pope Leo XIV

Faithful react to the announcement that US Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected by the conclave as new pope

The US President wrote: 'Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope.

'What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!'

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the pontiff's as a 'momentous moment' and said that he looks 'forward to meeting the Holy Father and continuing to work closely with the Catholic Church'.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also congratulated Pope Leo's appointment with a plea for continued support from the Vatican.

In a post on X Mr Zelensky wrote: 'Ukraine deeply values the Holy See's consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation's military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians.

'At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraine's efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace.'
A teenage motorcycle rider has been rushed to hospital in a critical condition after he reportedly hit a pole in Sydney's southwest.

The tragic accident occurred on the Orange Grove Road in Liverpool at about 9:30pm on Thursday night.

Daily Mail Australia understands the teen may have turned his head to look at friends behind him who were flashing their headlights from a car.

He reportedly struck the pole and was thrown from the motorcycle.

He was treated by NSW Ambulance for a serious leg injury before being taken to hospital for further treatment, NSW Police said.

He reportedly had one leg partially amputated and suffered a compound fracture to the other.

The motorbike rider's friends were pictured looking distraught as emergency services attended the scene.

The northbound lanes of Cumberland Highway were closed for several hours while crash investigators examined the scene.

The riders mates looked on in shock as emergency crews worked to save his life
A single fingerprint on a cigarette pack has led to an arrest in the nearly 50-year-old cold case of a young woman found strangled in the backseat of her car.

Willie Eugene Sims, 69, of Ohio, was taken into custody this week and charged with murder in the January 1977 slaying of 24-year-old Jeanette Ralston, Santa Clara county prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Ralston, a mother-of-one, was last seen alive leaving the Lion's Den bar in San Jose, California with a previously unidentified man just before midnight on January 31, 1977.

She was found dead in the back seat of her Volkswagen Beetle the next day, with a medical examiner concluding she was strangled with a long sleeve shirt that was tied around her neck.

An autopsy also showed evidence of sexual assault, and police said at the time it appeared the killer tried to light her car on fire - but it failed to burn.

For nearly five decades, authorities were left stumped.

But a breakthrough finally came last August, when officials decided to retest the fingerprints found on a pack of cigarettes that were left in the vehicle.

'Just about a year ago, I was like "Hey, let's run those prints again to see if we get lucky,"' Santa Clara Deputy District Attorney Rob Baker told KGO.

Willie Eugene Sims, 69, of Ohio , was taken into custody this week and charged with murder

He is accused of strangling and sexually assaulting 24-year-old Jeanette Ralston in the back seat of her Volkswagen Beetle on January 31, 1977

The breakthrough in the case came when authorities decided to retest the fingerprints found on a pack of cigarettes inside Ralston's car

Luckily, they were able to get a match - Sims, of Ashtabula County, Ohio, who had been serving in the US Army and was stationed at nearby Fort Ord at the time of Ralston's death.

Investigators with the Santa Clara District Attorney's Office then traveled to Ohio to collect Sims' DNA.

They found it was consistent with the DNA found under Ralston's fingernails and on the shirt that was used to strangle her.

Additionally, Baker noted 'all of the key witnesses in this case are still alive.'

'Every day, forensic science grows better and every day criminals are closer to being caught,' District Attorney Jeff Rosen said.

'Cases may grow old and be forgotten by the public. We don't forget and we don't give up.'

Following Sims' arrest, Baker said he called Ralston's son - Allen Ralston, who was just six years old when his mother was killed.

'We can't bring her back, but hopefully we can answer a lot of questions that the family may have had and try to get them some closure and hopefully justice in that way,' the deputy DA said.

Ralston's now adult son, Allen, said he is grateful to the police for their persistence

Allen, in turn, said he was grateful for the officers' dedication to his mother's case.

'Without the Santa Clara detectives, the whole team that's worked on this for 49 years - how do you thank somebody like that and not feel guilty you didn't thank them enough?' he pondered to WOIO.

The son tried to share his gratitude with a social media post thanking the detectives for their persistence.

'You have undoubtedly made a six year old kid happy after all these years,' he wrote. 'Thank you from the bottom of my heart on a job well done.'

Sims has now been arraigned on the murder charge and is due to be extradited to California. He faces 25 years to life behind bars.
Residents in Wyoming are in uproar as feral animals in the area are digging up the graves of their loved ones in the local cemetery.

Rawlins Cemetery has been plagued by a group of prairie dogs who have been digging in and around graves as locals are furious over the disturbance of their loved ones graves.

Janice Martinez and her husband, who visit the cemetery every day, shared their anger over the dog holes across the grounds, Cowboy State Daily reported.

In a Rawlins based Facebook group, Martinez wrote: 'I cannot believe the damage "ground squirrels" are causing to our cemetery. Maybe whoever's in charge of this should take a drive through the cemetery and take a look at the daily destruction these animals are doing.'

In response to the issue, the City of Rawlins Government wrote in a Facebook post that its Park Division would be 'increasing efforts to control the ground squirrels.'

'Our priority is to create an environment where our loved ones' resting place is treated with respect. These animals have caused major damage to our cemetery,' the post said.

'Their burrows and tunnels create unstable ground, which then damages gravestones and irrigation. They are also very destructive to turf.'

Some of the combative efforts that the city has said they plan to implement include tripling the number of T-trap bait stations for their annual placement of Rozol, which can be used to combat prairie dogs, rats and gophers.

Rawlins Cemetery has been plagued by a group of prairie dogs who have been digging in and around graves as locals are furious over the disturbance of their loved ones graves

'Our priority is to create an environment where our loved ones' resting place is treated with respect. These animals have caused major damage to our cemetery,' the City of Rawlins Government said

Some of the combative efforts that the city has said they plan to implement include tripling the number of T-trap bait stations for their annual placement of Rozol, which can be used to combat prairie dogs, rats and gophers

'Rozol will be placed in the stations this spring and again in late summer,' the post added. The city furthered that risk toward 'non-target' species is being monitored.

But the issue has stirred the local community and is a struggle known to many cemeteries.

Darin Edmonds, superintendent of the Campbell County cemetery district, told the Cowboy State Daily: 'People get squirrely about anything digging underground where their loved ones are.

'Prairie dogs are a nuisance and their holes are unsightly, but it's one of those things that can happen in rural Wyoming.'

Edmonds said that cemeteries in 'the middle of nowhere' often run into problems with persistent prairie dog digging.

'Prairie dogs probably do the most damage, visibly and physically, of any critter I've encountered,' he added. 'But in Wyoming, you're subject to the natural tendencies of wildlife.'

After trials and failures to flood the dogs out, Edmonds said the most effective way to rid cemeteries of the issue is poison.

'Poisoning is probably the best remedy, fortunately or unfortunately,' he said. 'We went out to the extent of that environment, applied poison, and it seemed to work.'

Janice Martinez wrote: 'I cannot believe the damage "ground squirrels" are causing to our cemetery. Maybe whoever's in charge of this should take a drive through the cemetery and take a look at the daily destruction these animals are doing'

'Prairie dogs are a nuisance and their holes are unsightly, but it's one of those things that can happen in rural Wyoming,' said Darin Edmonds

'You could try live trapping them, but the quickest, shortest and most effective remedy is to poison them.'

The damage, however, remains a sore point for those with loved ones buried at Rawlins.

Martinez told the outlet: 'I read the post about the new poisoning system. It breaks my heart to see graves being dug up, stones covered in dirt and new holes dug on a daily basis.'
Vice President JD Vance revealed Monday his 'best friend' in President Donald Trump's cabinet is Marco Rubio and also shared his thoughts about running for president in 2028.

The vice president was asked by Fox News host Martha MacCallum in an interview about a recent comment from Trump about theoretical Republican nominees to be his successor.

During Sunday's interview with NBC's Meet the Press, host Kristen Welker asked him about potential standard bearers for the MAGA movement in his absence.

Trump replied, 'You look at Marco, you look at JD Vance, whos fantastic.'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is a rising star in the administration, as Trump has given him three extra jobs: acting administrator for USAID, acting lead archivist, and acting national security adviser.

As the vice president, Vance is the most obvious choice to succeed Trump, but Rubio has impressed the president and his supporters because of his loyalty.

'I don't want to get involved in that,' Trump said about Vance. 'I think he is a fantastic brilliant guy, Marco is great, there is a lot of them that is great, I also see tremendous unity.'

Vance indicated to MacCallum he was not concerned about any political rivalry with Rubio.

U.S. President Donald Trump is joined by Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, US Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

'He is probably my best friend in the administration,' Vance said. 'We hang out and talk all the time.'

Vance also praised Rubio for 'doing a really good job' in the Trump administration and said that the president was not preparing to endorse his successor for quite some time.

Both Rubio and Vance were close competitors during the 2024 campaign to serve as Trump's running mate, but the president ultimately selected Vance, a much younger and less experienced politician.

Vance sidestepped the question about running for president himself in 2028.

S Vice President JD Vance (L) and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attend a meeting with El Salvador president

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2ndL) speaks during a cabinet meeting with US President Donanld Trump (C) in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC

'We have to do a good job for the American people and if we do that the politics will take care of themselves,' he said.

Trump told Welker he felt the Republican was full of stars who would make great presidents in four years.

'I could name 10, 15, 20 people right now just sitting here,' he said.

Trump added that despite 'so many people' wanting him to run for a third term, he was not 'looking' to run for president again.

'I'm looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody and turn it over to somebody, ideally a great Republican to carry it forward,' Trump said.
Sussan Ley has announced she will run for the Liberal Party leadership, and candidly admitted that it had failed women during the election campaign.

In her first interview since the Coalition's crushing election defeat, Ley confirmed she will run for the top job when MPs meet in Canberra on Tuesday morning. If she is successful she will be the party's first ever female leader.

Sunrise host Nat Barr asked the former pilot and taxation officer if she had the numbers to beat tipped frontrunner Angus Taylor - who has linked up with Jacinta Nampijinpa Price - and Ley said she was optimistic.

'We have great talent... and I welcome nominations across that party room,' the Member for Farrer said.

Barr also confronted Ley, 63, about the party's poor performance with female voters at the polls.

'You were the most senior woman there ... why didn't you get more women voting for you in this last election?'

Ley admitted the Coalition got it wrong by not focusing more on policies that would benefit female voters, who outnumber males.

'We did let the women of Australia down,' she said.

Sunrise host Nat Barr asked Sussan Ley - who revealed she wants to be Liberal Party leader - why it did not get more women voting for them

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has moved to the Liberal Party from the Nationals and is backing Angus Taylor for the leadership

Ley said it was 'part of the conversations' that she had been having since Saturday and that she would 'continue' to have.

'We have to understand why people didn't support us, that they weren't inspired by our policy offerings and that they didn't believe we were the best choice to lead the country forward.

'It's about having the conversations that I have described, it's about making sure that I am listening to my colleagues and to demonstrate to them we want a strong approach that includes everyone.

'I want to harness all of the talent in my team, take it forward under my leadership and meet the Australian people, because clearly we didn't do that at the last election.

'We do need to reflect a modern Liberal Party.'

Barr asked Ley if she was aware of the term 'the glass cliff'.

'For everyone at home that term means a woman is given a senior position where the risk of failure is high. It is pretty, probably, common knowledge that your party has a woman problem.

'Is that what's happening here? They're putting you in to clean up the mess?'

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor (with wife Louise) is also seeking the party's leadership

Sussan Ley is a longtime Liberal frontbencher and one of the frontrunners for the party leadership - what could be seen as a poisoned chalice

Ley responded, saying: 'I'm putting my hand up, Nat. I'm determined and convinced that I am the right person to lead the party forward at this time, and I think my appointment would send a strong signal to the women of Australia.

'We can win the next election. And this is a moment to look forward and bring the Australian people with us on this journey.'

Ley is being backed by Alex Hawke who was instrumental in Scott Morrison securing the party's leadership and served as Immigration Minister under him.

The Coalition's problem with women voters was illustrated on last week's Q+A program on the ABC.

Genevieve Neich, a communications staffer for toll-road operator Transurban, lashed the Liberal Party's policies as off-putting to women.

'We know that Peter Dutton visited 17 petrol stations along his campaign trail but at the same time did not release a single policy on women, specifically,' she said.

The audience applauded Ms Neich - a resident of the Sydney suburb of Mosman - before she added that politicians needed to address policies that matter to women.

'I just don't see Peter Dutton's campaign touching on any of those at all,' she said.

ABC's Q&A audience member Genevieve Neich (pictured on Monday) said Australian women 'got the ick' from the Liberal party's election campaign

Ms Neich claimed young women had 'got the ick' from the Opposition's campaign and asked panellists - Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, Nationals' Bridget McKenzie and former senior Liberal George Brandis - what elected leaders were doing for women and girls.

Senator McKenzie replied that it would be a 'step forward' when women's policy did not equal or equate to childcare policy in Australia.

'Women need to be heard, they need to be able to see leaders that they can resonate with,' she told Ms Neich and the audience.

'Women need to be able to hear what we've got to say, that means speaking in a language and a way that resonates with women rather than how it's typically been done.'

Senator McKenzie argued many of the Coalition's policies benefitted both men and women, noting that women were on the 'frontline of the cost of living crisis'.

'Women also fill up the car, they also go to petrol stations,' she said.

'They're the ones that are embarrassed usually, having to work two jobs to actually get the school fees or soccer fees paid.

'They're the ones having to put things back out of the shopping trolley in front of everyone because they can't afford it.'

Ms Neich called out Opposition Leader Peter Dutton for visiting 17 petrol stations (pictured) but failed to mention a policy which benefited women specifically while on his campaign trail

Ms McKenzie noted the Coalition was doing well in early polls but had lost a lot of female voters by saying it would end work-from-home, as women are disproportionately represented in WFH jobs.

Mr Dutton announced work from home would be scrapped for federal public servants and if he was elected, 80 per cent of Commonwealth employees would need to attend the office full-time.

Days after announcing the policy and receiving widespread backlash, the Coalition backflipped but the damage to its election campaign had been done.
Donald Trump's administration could gain yet another Fox News alum and long-time ally as he's set to appoint Judge Jeanine Pirro United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.

Pirro, 73, would replace interim appointment Ed Martin, who Trump withdrew the nomination for the job on Thursday, promising instead 'somebody who will be great.'

That somebody appears to be Pirro, who before her tenure on Fox has a host of both her own show and a commentator on several others, had a decades-long career as judge, prosecutor, and politician.

Trump confirmed the pick - though didn't say whether she would be nominated to serve permanently - in a Thursday evening post to his Truth Social account.

'I am pleased to announce that Judge Jeanine Pirro will be appointed interim United States Attorney for the District of Columbia,' he wrote, before listing Pirro's credentials.

Trump lauded Pirro's status as a trailblazer for women in law enforcement and her work prosecuting domestic abusers.

'She excelled in all ways. In addition to her Legal career, Jeanine previously hosted her own Fox News Show, Justice with Judge Jeanine, for ten years, and is currently Co-Host of The Five, one of the Highest Rated Shows on Television,' he added.

'Jeanine is incredibly well qualified for this position, and is considered one of the Top District Attorneys in the History of the State of New York. She is in a class by herself. Congratulations Jeanine!'

Donald Trump 's administration could gain yet another Fox News alum and long-time ally as he's set to appoint Judge Jeanine Pirro (pictured) United States Attorney for the District of Columbia

Pirro, 73, would replace interim appointment Ed Martin, who Trump (pictured) withdrew the nomination for the job on Thursday

Pirro did not appear in her regular spot on Fox's 'The Five' on Thursday evening with no comment made on her absense.

'Jeanine Pirro has been a wonderful addition to The Five over the last three years and a longtime beloved host across FOX News Media who contributed greatly to our success throughout her 14-year tenure. We wish her all the best in her new role in Washington,' a Fox News Media spokesperson told DailyMail.com in a statement.

Trump said Thursday that he would pull his nomination of Ed Martin Jr. to be the top federal prosecutor for the nations capital, bowing to bipartisan concerns about the conservative activist's modest legal experience and divisive politics.

Trump abandoned his pick to lead the nation's largest U.S. Attorney's office two days after a key Republican senator said he could not support Martin for the job due to his defense of rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

'He's a terrific person, and he wasn't getting the support from people that I thought,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about the status of Martins confirmation.

Trump later added: 'But we have somebody else that will be great,' indicating the announcement will be made in the next two days.

Trump said he still wants to bring Martin into the administration, whether at the Justice Department or elsewhere, and signaled that he had little capacity to call on-the-fence senators to lobby them: 'I can only lift that little phone so many times in a day.'

Within minutes of Trump's announcement, Martin jokingly posted a doctored image of himself on social media dressed in papal garments with the words, 'Plot twist' - alluding to the breaking news that a new pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church.

A spokesperson for Martin didnt immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Born in Elmira, New York, the daughter of Lebanese American parents Pirro knew she wanted to be a lawyer from the age of six.

The fictional TV criminal defense attorney, Perry Mason, was, she told DailyMail.com earlier this month, her inspiration.

Fresh out of Albany Law School she was appointed Westchester County's Assistant District Attorney in 1975 and within two years had approached her boss, DA Carl Vergari, to urge him to apply for federal funding to establish a bureau specializing in domestic violence cases.

In 1990, she was appointed the first female judge in Westchester County. She was on the bench for three years before she decided, she says, 'I don't belong here.'

She explains, 'I loved being a judge, but I realized I was really a referee, and my nature is a fighter. That's why I ran for DA.'

She smiles, 'I was perfect as a DA. I just loved to fight. When I ran for that office, I had to do a press conference with my then husband, who was furious about it at the time. I had to convince people that I would have enough time to take care of my children, because I had little kids.

'Now, the fact that I was running against a guy who had three kids and whose wife was pregnant with a fourth, they could care less about.'

Judge Jeanine (second from left), Alina Habba, Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk and Eric Trump seen at a party for Trump's inaugural

Ed Martin speaks at an event hosted by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington

Did that anger her? 'It annoyed the s**t out of me,' she says, 'but I have the ability to channel my anger in a way where, all right, let's make this work. You know? I'm going to make this work. I'm going to get in there and I'm going to take care of women and I'm going to take care of children. I'm going to take care of victims.'

She was elected in November 1993 and again in 1997 and 2001 before announcing, in May 2005, that she would not be seeking re-election.

Instead, she turned to politics. In August 2005 she embarked on a short-lived run at the Republican nomination to challenge Hillary Clinton in the Senate before dropping out that December.

In 2006 she ran for Attorney General but was beaten by Andrew Cuomo. The day after her defeat she got a call from Warner Brothers, she says, offering her a television show.

Her initial reaction was one of disbelief, she admits, 'I said, 'Why would you want me on television?'

Her daily show, 'Judge Jeanine Pirro' debuted in 2008 and would go onto win a daytime Emmy for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program in 2011. It was cancelled that same year by which time Pirro had already inked a deal with Fox for her hit show, 'Justice with Judge Jeanine.'
Donald Trump has called for a 30-day 'unconditional' ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

In an intervention that piles pressure on the two sides, the US President warned his country and its partners will impose further sanctions if the month-long truce 'is not respected'.

It comes just days after the Trump administration said it will step aside in peace negotiations in a bid to ensure Ukraine and Russia engage in direct talks.

But the US President's latest remarks indicate America was willing to continue its role as a mediator.

'Talks with Russia/Ukraine continue. The U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire,' Trump said on his Truth Social network shortly after speaking to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

'If the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions.'

Trump said that 'both countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations' to halt the conflict that started when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The US president said he wanted any ceasefire to then build to a 'lasting peace.'

Donald Trump and other top US officials have stepped up warnings in recent weeks that Washington is prepared to walk away from its role as a broker if there is no progress soon

Trump opened talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin in February in a bid to end the war that he had previously pledged to end within 24 hours of starting his second term

'It can all be done very quickly, and I will be available on a moment's notice if my services are needed.'

Trump opened talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin in February in a bid to end the war that he had previously pledged to end within 24 hours of starting his second term.

But he has shown growing impatience, first with Zelensky and more recently with Putin as the fighting has continued.

Trump and other top US officials have stepped up warnings in recent weeks that Washington is prepared to walk away from its role as a broker if there is no progress soon.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he spoke with Trump today, adding that their telephone call went 'very well'.

He said his country was ready for talks on the war with Russia 'starting this minute' and 'in any format' but insisted that there first had to be a full ceasefire.

The conversation lasted about 20 minutes and focused on 'diplomacy and the ceasefire' that the United States and Ukraine are trying to establish with Russia, a senior Ukrainian official.

The official added that the two leaders also discussed a minerals deal ratified by the Ukrainian parliament.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he spoke with Trump yesterday, adding that their telephone call went 'very well'.

An explosion of a drone is seen during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 7, 2025

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zelensky wrote: 'Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire starting right now, from this very moment  a 30-day silence.

'But it must be real. No missile or drone strikes, no hundreds of assaults on the front. The Russians must respond appropriately  by supporting the ceasefire.

'They must prove their willingness to end the war. This isn't the first time, we are offering this once again.

'Thirty days that could become the beginning of years of peace. A ceasefire, lasting and reliable, will be a real indicator of movement toward peace.

'America can help with this. The world needs America now just as it did eighty years ago.'

Russian President Vladimir Putin for his part ordered a three-day ceasefire for Thursday's 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, for which Moscow threw a vast military parade attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Ukraine dismissed the ceasefire as theatrics and said that Russia had broken its own order after just a few hours.

Earlier this week US Vice President JD Vance said Moscow was asking for too much from Ukraine.

Emergency responders work to rescue an injured individual trapped under rubble aftermath of a recent Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on May 7, 2025

Firefighters work at the site an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 7, 2025

Emergency workers and firefighters conduct search and rescue operations in collapsed houses after Russian drone attack on Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on May 6, 2025

Earlier this week US Vice President JD Vance said Moscow was asking for too much from Ukraine

The US and Ukraine signed a minerals deal last week - just two months after the extraordinary Oval Office row between the countries' leaders.

The agreement is based on access to Ukraine's natural resources, including aluminium, graphite, oil and natural gas, in exchange for ongoing military support.

Days before the deal was signed, the White House said it will step back from mediating peace talks between Ukraine and Russia after a ceasefire deal was spurned by Vladimir Putin.

Tammy Bruce, a spokesman for the State Department, said the US would no longer 'fly around the world at the drop of a hat'.

Instead, she added, Washington will be leaving negotiations 'between the two parties'.
It is during times of crisis that world leaders prove they can navigate difficult situations - and the royals are no exception.

The Prince of Wales showed this innate ability through his diplomatic efforts at Pope Francis's funeral.

William was hailed for a subtle movement which helped pave the way for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian premier Volodymyr Zelensky.

He chose to discreetly step aside from a huddle that formed between political leaders including not only Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky but also French president Emmanuel Macron.

The Ukrainian chief hailed the summit as a 'good meeting that has the potential to become historic', while the White House said it was 'very productive'.

The Prince of Wales displayed his canny capability to read the room like a true statesman and King-in-waiting.

William had already shown his ability to keep a calm head in the midst of a crisis when in 2011, at just 28-years-old, he was sent to Christchurch in New Zealand.

The city had been devastated by a 6.1-magnitude earthquake which left 185 dead. It remains the worst natural disaster to hit the country this century.

During his visit to New Zealand following a devastating earthquake, Prince William gave a moving speech to more than 40,000 mourners

Prince William wearing a traditional Maori cloak during the service to remember those who died in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake

Prince William at Pope Francis's funeral. During the ceremony, William was hailed for a subtle movement which helped pave the way for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

During this visit, the prince gave a moving speech to more than 40,000 mourners.

William, who was there representing Queen Elizabeth II, spoke of his sympathy and admiration for the people of Christchurch.

'I convey to you Her Majesty's message of deep sympathy and condolence,' he said in his address.

'My grandmother once said that grief is the price we pay for love. Here today, we love and we grieve,' William added to loud applause.

With the 'heartfelt good wishes' of the Queen, her son Prince Charles, 'and other members of my family, I say it to you kia kaha, be strong,' William said, using an indigenous Maori term.

After his speech, William mingled with around 400 relatives and partners of those who perished in the quake and its aftermath.

He was also escorted around the city, where he reportedly spent more than an hour talking to rescue workers.

Reflecting on the prince's visit, firefighter Terry Gyde told The Independent: 'We are from the Commonwealth and Commonwealth countries always stick together.

Prince William chose to discreetly step aside from a huddle that formed between political leaders at Pope Francis's funeral

Mr Zelensky hailed the summit on the sidelines of the ceremony as a 'good meeting that has the potential to become historic', while the White House said it was 'very productive'

William speaking to mourners in Christchurch in 2011. William, who was there representing his grandmother, spoke of his sympathy and admiration for the people of Christchurch

'We look up to royalty and to have the future King of England come here and recognise us for some of the things we did is quite gratifying.'

The visit was hailed as a morale boost for Christchurch, where the death toll was still rising and large areas remained cordoned off.

William also found time for private meetings with family members of those who died in the Pike River Mine disaster in November 2010.

Kate Monk - who is the mother of one of the 29 miners who perished - said she was 'touched' the prince had found time to meet her.

She told The Guardian: 'William spoke to every person from all the families. He seems a very genuine person who shows real compassion.

'He spoke briefly about his mother - how [bereavement] felt as a 15-year-old - he really could relate.'

William is not the first, and certainly won't be last, member of the Royal Family to demonstrate they were a true statesman in the time of a crisis.

Queen Elizabeth II did so during her visit to Aberfan in 1966 following the horrific collapse of a colliery tip which killed 144 people, most of whom were children.

Mourners in Christchurch in March 2011. The city was devastated by a 6.1-magnitude earthquake which left 185 people dead

The Prince of Wales is presented with a Maori cloak. The visit was hailed as a major morale boost for Christchurch

Denise Morgan, whose sister was killed, said: 'To me that day, she didn't come as the Queen, our monarch. She came as a mother, to sympathise, to empathise, to really appreciate what everybody had been through that day.'

Although the Queen was criticised for waiting until eight days after the disaster before she visited the Welsh mining village.

Meanwhile, William's father Charles revealed he was a true monarch-in-waiting during his response to the 2011 riots which saw Britain rocked by a week of violent rioting and looting.

In her bestselling book The Palace Papers, Tina Brown has revealed that it was the then-Prince of Wales who stepped up after the mayhem had ended and visited concerned locals - even after the media circus had moved on.

Brown writes that when the unrest began the Royal Family were in Balmoral, while the country's politicians were 'offline in their villas'.

'By the time the ruling class had returned from their sunny vacations, the youthful fury had dissipated like a tropical storm,' she said.

It was Prince Charles who was spurred into action to use programmes from his charity to help those affected.

The Queen and Prince Philip in Aberfan following the collapse of a coal slip which killed 144

Charles speaking to children in Tottenham following the riots in 2011. He visited the area five times, without the Press present

For example, the Prince's Trust pledged to work with young people in Croydon to stop them getting involved with gangs.

And, after politicians had travelled to the affected areas for a photo opportunity, it was Charles who returned to the hardest hit areas.

Charles's response to the 2011 crisis, according to Brown, showed that he was 'more than just a faddish dilettante'.

She said: 'He tried to show Britain that he was a worthy - and humane - monarch-in-waiting.'
In the wake of World War II, the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten brought a sense of hope and renewal to a weary nation.

On November 20, 1947, the couple exchanged vows at Westminster Abbey in front of 2,000 invited guests, while thousands more lined the streets of London to witness the grand occasion.

The ceremony marked the beginning of what would become the longest royal marriage in British history.

Princess Elizabeth was the tenth member of the Royal Family to marry at the Abbey - a venue steeped in personal significance.

It was there that her father, King George VI, was crowned 11 years earlier, and where she herself would be crowned just five years after her wedding.

For her bridal gown, Elizabeth turned to British couturier Norman Hartnell, who submitted 12 designs. One was approved in mid-August, less than three months before the ceremony.

With wartime rationing still in effect, the dress was paid for using clothing coupons. In a heartfelt show of support, people from across the country sent the Princess their own coupons to contribute, though these were returned.

Inspired by Botticelli's Primavera, the gown was crafted from duchesse satin sourced from Dunfermline and spun from silkworms imported from Nationalist China.

Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten in a exquisite gown designed by Norman Hartnell

It was adorned with thousands of pearls and embroidered with motifs symbolising post-war rebirth - roses, jasmine blossoms and ears of wheat - all stitched in silver and gold thread produced at Lullingstone Castle and woven by Warner & Sons.

According to Hugo Vickers in his book Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, Hartnell's manager imported 10,000 tiny pearls from the United States, declared them at customs, and paid the duty.

The gown featured a 13-foot silk tulle train attached at the shoulders, and Hartnell secretly included a four-leaf clover on the left side of the skirt, so the Princess' hand could rest upon it during the ceremony.

Hartnell carried the same delicate aesthetic into the bridesmaids' dresses, worn by Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Margaret Elphinstone, Pamela Mountbatten, and Diana Bowes-Lyon.

He also designed outfits for key royal women, including an apricot brocade ensemble for Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) and a gold and blue chenille gown for Queen Mary.

The bride's footwear - ivory satin sandals - was imagined by Hartnell and made by Rayne, with silver buckles studded with tiny pearls to match the dress.

Due to enormous public interest, Hartnell had his Bruton Street premises whitewashed and curtained to maintain secrecy during the gown's production.

For her 'something borrowed,' Princess Elizabeth wore the Queen Mary Fringe Tiara.

With wartime rationing still in effect, the dress was paid for using clothing coupons. In a heartfelt show of support, people from across the country sent the Princess their own coupons to contribute, though these were returned

Norman Hartnell submitted 12 designs. One was approved in mid-August, less than three months before the ceremony

According to Hugo Vickers in his book Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, Hartnell's manager imported 10,000 tiny pearls from the United States, declared them at customs, and paid the duty

In the wake of World War II, the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten brought a sense of hope and renewal to a weary nation

Princess Elizabeth was the tenth member of the Royal Family to marry at the Abbey - a venue steeped in personal significance

The gown featured a 13-foot silk tulle train attached at the shoulders, and Hartnell secretly included a four-leaf clover on the left side of the skirt, so the Princess' hand could rest upon it during the ceremony

The bride's footwear - ivory satin sandals - was imagined by Hartnell and made by Rayne, with silver buckles studded with tiny pearls to match the dress

After the ceremony, members of the Royal Family joined the bride and groom on the balcony of Buckingham Palace

Hartnell also designed outfits for key royal women, including an apricot brocade ensemble for Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) and a gold and blue chenille gown for Queen Mary

The entire event was recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio to a global audience of 200 million listeners, making it one of the most significant public events of the post-war era

Originally a Collingwood necklace gifted to Queen Mary by Queen Victoria in 1893, it was later transformed into a diamond fringe tiara by Garrard in 1919.

On the wedding day, the tiara snapped as it was placed on Elizabeth's head. A jeweller from Garrard swiftly repaired it and it was returned to the Princess by police escort.

As a result of the rushed repair, a small gap remained between the centre fringe and the adjacent spike - an imperfection visible in photographs from the day.

Completing her bridal ensemble were two pearl necklaces - the Queen Anne and Queen Caroline designs - gifts from her father, King George VI.

The entire event was recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio to a global audience of 200 million listeners, making it one of the most significant public events of the post-war era.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's wedding was more than a royal celebration - it was a moment of unity and national pride, signifying a new chapter for both the monarchy and the country.
Prince William took to X to share a heartfelt message to the naturist today

The Prince of Wales has shared a message to David Attenborough to mark his 99th birthday today.

In addition to sharing his birthday wishes, Prince William told his X followers how the naturalist has offered him a 'sense of hope and optimism' in protecting the planet.

The message read, 'As he turns 99 today, in his new film, Sir David has once again reminded us of the need to protect natural habitats - this time those beneath the ocean.

'He has dedicated his life to ensuring we understand the realities of what mankind is doing to the planet.

'However hard hitting his message is, Sir David always leaves us with a sense of hope and optimism that all is not lost and this film is no different.'

The post, which included a sweet snap of the pair together, concluded, 'We must act together, with urgency, to restore our oceans. Happy Birthday, David. W'

William has repeatedly revealed his admiration for David, and recently called him an inspiration to 'my children and me'.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, William hailed the naturalist's 'lifetime of extraordinary service to our planet'.

The Prince of Wales has shared a heartfelt birthday post to David Attenborough to mark his 99th birthday today

He said: 'May we all raise a glass to a true giant  and continue the mission he has led with such grace and urgency.'

In Sir David's new documentary, Ocean, which airs in cinemas today  his birthday  he reflects on his mortality and what he has learnt from a lifetime studying the Earth, saying: 'After living for nearly 100 years, I now understand that if we save the sea we save our world.'

Sir David is closely involved in William's Earthshot Prize, which gives 1 million every year to five projects tackling climate challenges.

He has also worked with King Charles on numerous environmental causes.

William added: 'We celebrate not just a milestone of years, but a lifetime of extraordinary service to our planet.

'Through his boundless curiosity, gentle wisdom and unwavering commitment... he has brought the wonders of Earth into our homes and into our hearts.

'His voice has become a guiding light in our understanding of nature, and his message  that we must cherish and protect our planet  has never been more vital.

'He has inspired my children and me in so many ways.'

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, Prince William hailed the naturalist's 'lifetime of extraordinary service to our planet'

He said: 'May we all raise a glass to a true giant  and continue the mission he has led with such grace and urgency'

In Sir David's new documentary, Ocean, which airs in cinemas on Thursday  his birthday  he reflects on his mortality and what he has learnt from a lifetime studying the Earth, saying: 'After living for nearly 100 years, I now understand that if we save the sea we save our world'

Prince George and siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis put wildlife questions to Sir David in an interview filmed by their parents and released on social media - to one question about his favourite animals, Sir David replied 'I think I like monkeys best'

It was the response of his son Prince George to one of Sir David's shows on extinction that inspired William to act on climate change.

The then seven-year-old told his father: 'I don't want to watch any more  why has it come to this?'

Later that year, Prince George and siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis put wildlife questions to Sir David in an interview filmed by their parents and released on social media.

Sir David's new film focuses on the industrial fishing method of bottom trawling which, he says, is 'draining the life from our oceans'.

He added: 'When I first saw the sea as a boy, it was thought of as a vast wilderness to be tamed and mastered for the benefit of humanity. Now, as I approach the end of my life, we know the opposite is true.

'After living for nearly 100 years, I now understand that if we save the sea we save our world.'

Sir David is expected to make a rare public appearance at the London premiere of the documentary.
Of all the public criticism levelled at the Duke of Sussex in recent days, the comments from his old friend Ben Goldsmith were possibly the most significant.

Tragic but true  Prince Harrys behaviour is unforgivable, the 44-year-old financier, who grew up with the duke, said this week.

The reference to forgiveness is thought to be in response to Harrys extraordinary BBC interview last Friday in which the prince admitted that a reconciliation with the Royal Family would be difficult because of his tawdry memoir, Spare, and his criticism in numerous interviews.

Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book, Harry, 40, said. Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things.

But the importance of Bens intervention this week should not be underestimated.

For the Goldsmith family  particularly Bens sister Jemima  were so close to Princess Diana and her sons that rumours persisted that the two were sisters.

Such claims were unfounded even though Dianas mother, Frances Shand Kydd, was rumoured to have had a long-running affair with Jemima and Bens father, billionaire Sir James Goldsmith.

Harry's extraordinary BBC interview last Friday, in which the prince admitted that a reconciliation with the Royal Family would be difficult because of his tawdry memoir, Spare

Financier Ben Goldsmith, pictured with his wife Jemima Jones, called Prince Harry's behaviour 'unforgivable'

Ben is the first former pal of the duke to condemn him publicly. But, if Harry thinks those comments are strong, he should hear what his old chums are saying in private.

For friends tell me they are disgusted by Harrys interview, in which he made a number of explosive personal claims such as that he didnt know how much longer his father had after his cancer diagnosis.

He also claimed that those who wish [him] harm would consider his defeat last Friday in a legal challenge over his taxpayer-funded security in Britain as a huge win.

One friend told me: I dont know whats more disgusting  Harrys comment about his fathers health or his suggestion that people want him dead.

Its very sad, but we all know that he doesnt want to hear things he disagrees with.

A handful of British friends are still in touch with Harry, including Mark Dyer who recently stepped down as a trustee from the princes beleaguered Sentebale charity, businessman Charlie van Straubenzee and Lord (Charles) Vivian. But, I am told, many are reluctant to say anything out of turn for fear they will be cut off.

Actor Dominic West, once so close to Harry that they trekked to the South Pole together, revealed he had been cut off by the duke

Mark Dyer, who recently stepped down as a trustee from the beleaguered Sentebale charity, pictured with Harry

Harry's old friend Charlie van Straubenzee, who married Daisy Jenks in 2018

Indeed, anyone in doubt about how willing Harry is to drop friends need look no further than Dominic West.

The Crown actor, 55, was so close to his fellow Old Etonian that they trekked to the South Pole together in aid of the charity Walking With The Wounded in 2013.

However, ten years later, West revealed that he had been cut off by the duke.

A close friend of the actor told me they had fallen out after the expedition with injured servicemen and women, including double amputees, when West told a series of anecdotes about the trip at a joint press conference.

West revealed they had celebrated completing their 208-mile trek by drinking champagne from one of their co-adventurers prosthetic legs.

Two of the Aussie guys stripped naked and ran round the pole but most of us  Harry included  just went on a two-day bender with the Icelandic truck drivers who had brought some lethal home brew with them, West told the press conference in 2014.

There was a lot of liquor drunk. We all drank champagne out of [one of the teams] favourite prosthetic legs.

But it seems the prince did not see the funny side of his disclosures.

Harry threw a s*** fit, Wests friend told me in 2022. He accused Dominic of invading his privacy. Dominic told him not to be ridiculous. They havent spoken since.

West, who also starred in US drama The Wire, appears to have backed up the claims. Speaking of his broken friendship with Harry in 2023, he said: We sort of [lost touch because] I said too much in a press conference, and so, we didnt speak after that.

I think I was asked what we did. What we did to celebrate when we got [to the South Pole] and I probably said too much.

If only the increasingly isolated Harry was prepared to listen to those who say too much again, he might find a way to mend fences with old friends  and, perhaps, with members of his own family.

Sign up for Richard Edens Royal Newsletter.
Billionaire Don Hankey has listed his luxury Florida mansion for nearly $44 million  the highest asking price in the ultra-wealthy town of Highland Beach.

The oceanfront estate, built in 2017, spans 11,000 square feet and sits on 120 feet of beachfront.

Hankey purchased the modern property in 2021 for $29.5 million, according to PropertyShark.

It includes a double-decker patio with an infinity pool looking out to the ocean that Hankey installed at a cost of $250,000.

Nicknamed 'the king of the subprime car loan,' Hankey made his fortune through the Hankey Group, which profits largely from auto loans.

He made headlines last year after putting up a $175 million appeal bond for Donald Trump in his New York civil fraud case.

Hankey has faced his own legal battles after the Department of Justice came after his company twice for allegedly violating a law that protects military personnel from foreclosure and repossession.

The company settled both cases in 2017 and 2022 respectively.

The double-decker patio with an infinity pool was installed by Hankey at a cost of $250,000

Its modernist interior features include lava stone floors and walls, a living green wall and a floating stone fireplace.

'From the moment you walk in, you're enveloped by stunning ocean views with every detail thoughtfully curated to enhance the connection to the outdoors while maintaining complete privacy,' the property's listing agent Samantha Curry with real estate firm Douglas Elliman told Mansion Global.

The home comprises seven bedrooms, seven full and two half bathrooms as well as a private gym, a wet bar, a terrace with a hot tub and a glass-enclosed office.

Additional luxury features include a separate kitchen designed purely for catering, a home theater, a garage that fits six cars and an elevator for easy access to all four floors of the property.

'Homes of this caliber and scale rarely become available in the Highland Beach market,' Curry said.

The small coastal town of Highland Beach, just miles east of Boca Rotan had a median sale price of $1.2 million in February, according to Redfin data.

There are currently a handful of other eight-figure Highland Beach properties on the market, including a $39.9 million mansion still under construction.

The highest end of the Florida property market could not be more different from the rest of the state.

Billionaire Don Hankey offered Trump a a $175 million appeal bond last year

The property, built in 2017, takes in 120 feet of ocean frontage

The home comprises seven bedrooms, seven full and two half bathrooms

Modernist interior features include lava stone floors and a floating stone fireplace

The small coastal town of Highland Beach is just miles east of Boca Rotan

The luxury property includes a garage that fits six cars

The property's listing agent Samantha Curry described the property as 'rare' for the area

Condo owners are facing rising HOA fees and insurance premiums forcing a wave of distressed sales.

However, rising natural disasters and increased costs are putting off sellers.

This perfect storm is forcing prices down, with some homeowners having to slash as much as 40 percent off their asking prices.

According to a recent study three metro areas in Florida are set to face a price crash in 2025.

Tampa, Winter Haven and Palm Beach were all listed as at risk of falling prices.
The most dangerous states in America have been ranked by US News and World Report.

In the number one spot for the second time in two years was New Mexico, known for its beautiful desert scenery, dry climate and the White Sands National Park.

The danger level of all 50 states was determined by their violent crime and property crime rates, which were based on FBI data.

The FBI defines violent crime as assault, rape, manslaughter and murder. Property crime is generally things like burglary, vehicle theft and arson.

New Mexico ran away with it on violent crime, with a per capita rate of 749 per 100,000 residents. Its property crime rate, 2,887 per 100,000, was the exact same as Washington state.

Ironically, the state is where the critically acclaimed crime drama 'Breaking Bad' took place.

Walter White, the character who became the most notorious meth dealer in the southwestern US, lived with his family in Albuquerque, the most populous city in New Mexico.

In real life, Albuquerque has a crime rate well above the national average. Police in the city of half a million people reported that felony arrests went up 12 percent in the first quarter of this year.

New Mexico was the dangerous state for the second year in a row on a list produced US News and World Report (Pictured: Santa Fe, the state's capital, where violent crime jumped five percent since last year)

Colorado was the second most dangerous state, largely due to its absurdly high property crime rate (Pictured: The Rocky Mountains towering over Breckenridge, a well known ski town in the state)

In Santa Fe, the state capital, the crime rate increased five percent since last year, according to the city's police department.

The second most dangerous place to live in was deemed to be Colorado, a state with 36 percent less violent crime than New Mexico.

However, it earned the silver medal for treachery based on its absurdly high property crime rate that nearly eclipses New Mexico's.

Colorado isn't typically thought of as an especially dangerous area, with most Americans associating the western state with the gorgeous Rocky Mountains and luxurious ski resorts like Aspen or Breckenridge.

However, another list from WalletHub that came out last October ranking the safest states in the US put Colorado in a dismal 42nd place.

Louisiana, which ranked second in last year's list from US News, got a little safer this year, now occupying the third spot.

The Bayou state had a 15 percent higher violent crime rate than Colorado but eight percent fewer property crimes.

Much of Louisiana's crime is centered in New Orleans, though the city recently has been seeing significant progress on lowering the number of shootings, car jackings and armed robberies.

New Orleans (pictured) is much of where Louisiana's crime takes place as its most populated city

Memphis, Tennessee, is another high crime city that drags down the state as a whole

New Hampshire was ranked the safest state by US News and World Report. It had 85 percent less violent crime and 69 percent less property crime than New Mexico

Rounding out the top five most dangerous were Tennessee and Arkansas, two southern states.

Last year, they were listed at number six and number four, respectively, meaning they both improved based on the methodology used by US News.

Alaska, Washington, California, Nevada and South Carolina finished out the top 10 most dangerous states.

The safest state to live was New Hampshire, which had 85 percent less violent crime and 69 percent less property crime than New Mexico.

The second safest place for Americans was Maine, while Idaho came in third.
Scientists have discovered that the 28 most populous cities in the US are sinking, with 34 million people living in the affected areas.

Researchers found ongoing groundwater extraction for drinking water and other uses is the most common cause of the sinking, though other forces are at work in some places.

The study, conducted by Columbia University, found that while coastal cities are at risk, some of the areas sinking fastest were actually landlocked cities such as Fort Worth and Dallas.

But coastal Houston is the fastest-sinking city in the country, with almost half of its area dipping more than one fifth of an inch per year. Some spots are sinking even faster  up to 2 inches per year.

Dallas and Fort Worth aren't far behind, sinking at rates of roughly 0.16 and 0.2 inch per year, respectively.

The study also highlighted New York's LaGuardia Airport, parts of Las Vegas, Washington DC and San Francisco as rapidly sinking zones.

The 28 cities are home to nearly tens of millions of people, and more than 60 percent if this total population lives in just eight cities: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, Philadelphia, San Antonio and Dallas.

The researchers note that these cities have seen more than 90 major floods within the last 25 years, and suggest that this is due in large part to the fact that they're sinking.

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'As cities continue to grow, we will see more cities expand into subsiding regions,' said lead author Leonard Ohenhen, a postdoctoral researcher at the Columbia Climate School's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

'Over time, this subsidence can produce stresses on infrastructure that will go past their safety limit,' he added.

Ohenhen and his colleagues used satellite data to map sinking down to the millimeter in all US cities with populations over 600,000.

They also looked at the amount of groundwater pumping in affected counties and linked it to ground sinking.

Coastal cities tend to be more prone to ground sinking due to the combined effects of groundwater pumping and sea level rise.

But multiple interior cities, such as Denver, Oklahoma City and Nashville, are experiencing moderate sinking.

Those three are sinking roughly 0.04 to 0.08 inch per year.

About one percent of land in the 28 cities is experiencing sinking that could impact critical infrastructure such as buildings, roads and rail lines.

Houston, Texas is the fastest-sinking city in the country, with over 40 percent of its area subsiding more than one fifth of an inch per year. Pictured: people walk through floodwaters in Houston during Hurricane Harvey in 2017

A 2023 study also found that the weight of buildings in densely urbanized areas may be contributing to ground sinking. New York's more than one million buildings are pressing down on the Earth so hard that they have become an important factor in the city's subsidence

The Palos Verdes Peninsula is sinking toward the Pacific at a rate of four inches per week

Even though that percentage seems small, these areas tend to be located in the densest parts of these cities, which contain up to 29,000 buildings.

From this perspective, the most hazardous cities are San Antonio, where one in 45 buildings are at 'high risk' of damage from ground sinking, Austin, Fort Worth, and Memphis.

Across the US, and in interior cities especially, ground sinking is mainly driven by groundwater pumping, the researchers concluded.

When water is extracted from aquifers made up of saturated fine-grained sediments and not replenished, the pore spaces between the sediment particles can collapse.

This causes the lower layers of the aquifer to condense and become compacted, and results in sinkage at the surface, according to the researchers.

In Texas, this is made even worse by oil and gas drilling, they explained in their report.

And there are other factors at play too.

Roughly 20,000 years ago, interior North America was covered by a towering ice sheet that made the land along its edges bulge upward.

Those researchers found that New York's (pictured) more than one million buildings are pressing down on the Earth so hard that they have become an important factor in the city's subsidence

That ice sheet is long gone, but some of the bulges still exist, though they are subsiding at rates of 0.04 to 0.12 inch per year.

This is adding to ground sinking observed in New York City, Indianapolis, Nashville, Philadelphia, Denver, Chicago and Portland, according to the researchers.

The team published their findings in the journal Nature Cities on Tuesday.

A 2023 study also found that the weight of buildings in densely urbanized areas may be contributing to ground sinking.

Those researchers found that New York's more than one million buildings are pressing down on the Earth so hard that they have become an important factor in the city's subsidence.

New construction may be playing a role too. A more recent study found that some buildings in Miami are sinking in part due to subsurface disruptions caused by buildings going up nearby.

The researchers urge cities to use their data to develop mitigation strategies for ground sinking and flood risk.
It has been drifting silently over our heads for the last 50 years.

But the out-of-control Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 is finally hurtling back towards Earth.

Astronomers predict that the 500kg (1,100 lbs) landing module could hit the planet as early as tomorrow afternoon.

Now, this ominous map reveals the major cities around the world that could be hit, and London is directly in the firing line.

Other cities that could be struck by the falling craft include Brussels, Budapest, Abu Dhabi, Hiroshima, Rio de Janeiro, and many others.

Astronomers currently believe Kosmos 482 will re-enter the atmosphere within 14 hours either side of 08:34 BST on Saturday, May 10.

However, there is still a lot of uncertainty over the craft's re-entry path as even small movements in its orbit could produce big changes.

While the odds of being hit by Kosmos 482 are small, scientists warn that a direct collision with a populated city could prove deadly.

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A 500-kilogram section of the Soviet Kosmos 482 satellite is hurtling towards Earth, and experts have now revealed where it might land (artist's impression)

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Dr Marco Langbroek, an astronomer and satellite tracker at the Delft University of Technology, has used the latest observations of this spacecraft to calculate where it might fall.

Previously, Dr Langbroek calculated that the landing module could impact anywhere within latitude 52 degrees north and 52 degrees south.

In the UK, that put anywhere south of Cambridge, Ipswich, and Milton Keynes at risk of being hit.

Now, further observations of Kosmos 482's orbit have allowed Dr Langbroek to work out the trajectory it will take as it falls, and what cities it will pass over.

Comparing this path to a list of cities with over one million residents, there are a significant number of densely populated areas that could be at risk.

In Europe, the craft could impact London, Brussels, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, or a number of other major cities.

In North America, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Calgary and Havana are all under the re-entry path.

Meanwhile, in South America, Brazil is particularly exposed to risk, with Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Natal all in the firing line.

Dr Marco Langbroek, an astronomer and satellite tracker at the Delft University of Technology, has used the latest observations of this spacecraft to calculate where it might fall. Kosmos 482 could fall anywhere under the blue path. Red dots represent cities with over one million residents

The major cities which could be hit by Kosmos 482 London

Algiers

Durban

Rio de Janiero

Salvador

Natal

Philadelphia

Phoenix

Brussels

Vienna

Budapest

Bagdad

Abu Dhabi

Fuzhou

Hiroshima

Pyongyang Advertisement

Nor is the rest of the world entirely safe with major Asian cities such as Hiroshima and Sapporo in Japan, Fuzhou in China, Nagpur in India, and Pyongyang in North Korea all under the path.

Even sparsely populated Australia does not escape risk, with Brisbane directly under the possible landing pathway.

In a blog post sharing his findings, Dr Langbroek says: 'The risks involved are not particularly high, but not zero: with a mass of just under 500 kg and 1-meter size, risks are somewhat similar to that of a meteorite impact.'

Additionally, the risks of a substantial impact are higher due to Kosmos 482's unique construction.

The spaceship known as Kosmos 482 was launched by the Soviet Union on March 31, 1972, from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The craft should have been Venera 9, one of the Soviet Union's missions to the nearby planet of Venus.

However, after engine issues left the spacecraft stranded in Earth's orbit, the Soviet space programme covered up their mistake by renaming the craft 'Kosmos' - a generic title for objects in orbit.

During that fatal engine failure, the newly renamed Kosmos 482 broke into four pieces.

The Kosmos 482 probe was initially launched in 1972 by the USSR as part of a mission to Venus but broke into four pieces after an engine failure. Pictured: An earlier prototype of Kosmos 482, the Venera 4

Astronomers now believe a bright object heading towards Earth at 17,000 mph (pictured) is the landing module of the spacecraft, the only piece which hasn't yet fallen to Earth

Two of those pieces burned up over New Zealand within days - although the USSR denied any involvement at the time.

Scientists now believe that an object hurtling towards Earth at 17,000 mph is Kosmos 482's landing module, the final missing piece of the probe.

Professor Patrick Hartigan, an astronomer from Rice University, told MailOnline: 'It could very well hang together as it comes in, as it was meant to survive on Venus, so it is built like a little tank.'

While the lander was originally built with a parachute landing system, experts suggest these have either already deployed and would be destroyed on re-entry or have long since failed.

That means there will be little to slow the landing module's approach besides friction with the atmosphere.

Professor Hartigan predicts that the craft 'will initially come in at about 8 km per second (17,895 miles per hour), but it will slow down a lot before it hits to around 150 miles per hour or so.'

He adds: 'I think of its impact as being about the mass and velocity of a speeding motorcycle.'

So, while a collision with a populated area could certainly be deadly, it won't be as devastating as a collision with a large asteroid, which would release a deadly blast of energy on impact.

The titanium landing module of Kosmos 482 (pictured) was designed to withstand the Venus atmosphere, and so is likely to impact Earth in one piece

If the probe's parachutes fail to deploy, scientists estimate that it will hit Earth at around 150 miles per hour, giving it the impact force of a speeding motorcycle. Pictured: a mock-up of the Soviet Venera 7 probe, which has a similar parachute design to Kosmos 482

Likewise, because the craft is quite small, the chances of any individual person being hit are extremely small.

'Statistically, it will probably end up in the ocean, but it might hit land. You'd have to be colossally unlucky to get hit,' says Professor Hartigan.

However, right now, it is impossible to say with any degree of certainty exactly where it will land.

Since the spacecraft is so low to Earth, it is invisible in the daytime and hidden in Earth's shadow at night, which means astronomers can only make quick observations around dawn and dusk.

Likewise, factors such as space weather and how Kosmos 482 interacts with the atmosphere mean that a lot could change.

Professor Hartigan says: 'The probe is orbiting the Earth, and the atmospheric drag, especially at the closest approach of its elliptical orbit, has been bringing it down.

'Where it comes down is going to depend a lot on the decay in the last few orbits. It goes around about once every 90 minutes, so even a small timing error translates to a big distance.'

In their page on the spacecraft, NASA says: 'The time and location of atmospheric re-entry should be known more accurately over the next few days, but the uncertainty will be fairly significant right up to re-entry.'
In the battle against climate change, controversial experiments are set to take place in Britain within the next five years.

The UK government's Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) has allocated 57 million for so-called 'geoengineering' projects that aim to slow global warming.

Outdoor trials expected to start as soon as 2027 will include 'brightening clouds' in order to reflect sunlight away from Earth.

Marine Cloud Brightening involves ships spraying saltwater into the sky to enhance the reflectivity of low-lying clouds.

The salt will force water droplets in the clouds to come together or 'coalesce', which will make them more reflective and stop so much sunlight reaching Earth.

'You may indeed not be able to see any effect from the ground at all, but you should be able to measure it using equipment that flies through the cloud,' said Professor Mark Symes, programme director for ARIA.

Scientists will build the required sprayers and carry out indoor tests before any outdoor trials take place, at as yet undecided locations in the UK, in the winter of 2027 to 2028.

Initially, the saltwater sprays will cover an area 330 feet wide, but the outdoor trials could be scaled up to several miles before the end of the decade.

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Geoengineering methods could be used to stop so much sunlight reaching Earth. Pictured, London during hot weather, April 30, 2025

According to Professor Symes, such an outdoor trial will be essential to determine the widespread feasibility of Marine Cloud Brightening.

'Modelling and indoor studies are vital, and they can tell us a lot, but they cant tell us everything that we wish to know about feasibility or the impacts of these approaches,' he said.

'Really, to fill that missing gap requires doing real world experiments and collecting real world data, which means experiments that are outdoors.'

However, some scientists are concerned that expensive endeavors could fail or even backfire, causing destructive weather patterns and making climate change worse.

Mike Hulme, a professor of human geography at the University of Cambridge, warned that Aria is leading the world down a 'slippery slope'.

'57 million is a huge amount of taxpayers money to be spent on this assortment of speculative technologies intended to manipulate the Earths climate,' he told the Telegraph.

'Just because they work in a model, or at a micro-scale in the lab or the sky, does not mean they will cool the climate safely, without unwanted side-effects, in the real world.

'There is therefore no way that this research can demonstrate that the technologies are safe, successful or reversible.

Experts hope that by reflecting some sunlight back into space, they can curb the impact of global warming. Pictured, cyclists making their way through Richmond Park during a spectacular sunrise in London

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'The UK Government is leading the world down what academic analysts call "the slippery slope" towards eventual dangerous large-scale deployment of solar geoengineering technologies.'

Meanwhile, Dr Naomi Vaughan, professor of climate change at the University of East Anglia UEA, said sunlight reflecting methods could create a 'new risk' to society.

What is geoengineering? Geoengineering is the large-scale manipulation of environmental processes that affect Earth's climate, in an attempt to halt global warming. Globally, projects include injecting chemical aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight and absorbing CO2 dissolved in seawater. But critics have concerns that expensive geoengineering endeavors will backfire, causing destructive weather patterns and making climate change worse. Advertisement

'Scientists are cautious about solar radiation management research because of how it could be used or misused in the future,' she said.

In all, 57 million has been allocated by ARIA for 21 geoengineering projects which will include five outdoor trials, The Telegraph reports.

Another University of Cambridge-led project receiving part of the funding is described as an early exploration for the potential of Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI).

It would involve a study on how milligram quantities of mineral dusts age in the stratosphere while contained in an air balloon.

During this controlled experiment, none of these materials will be released into the atmosphere, and all the materials will be returned to the ground for recovery and analysis by scientists, ARIA said.

Scientists at Yale University in Connecticut have already proposed Stratospheric Aerosol Injection at the north and south poles to reverse ice loss.

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection is where tiny particles, typically sulfur dioxide (SO2), are released into the stratosphere by planes to reflect sunlight (AI-generated depiction)

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection is where tiny particles, typically sulfur dioxide (SO2), are released into the stratosphere by planes to reflect sunlight. Scientists at Yale University have already proposed this approach at the north and south poles to reverse ice loss

Typically, Stratospheric Aerosol Injection involves the release of tiny sulfur dioxide (SO2) particles into the stratosphere by planes to reflect sunlight.

In March 2023, it was revealed scientists had conducted two open-air experiments to test solar radiation management  reflecting sunlight away from the Earth.

This project, not funded by ARIA, launched a high-altitude weather balloon that released sulfur dioxide in the stratosphere  the second layer of the atmosphere.

Once injected into the stratosphere, sulfur dioxide forms sunlight-reflecting sulfate aerosols, said to have a cooling effect similar to that of a major volcanic eruption.

However, in high levels, sulfur dioxide can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and corrosive damage to the airways and lungs.

Globally, other geoengineering projects include sucking carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the air with giant fans.

There's also 'ocean fertilization' (adding nutrients to the upper ocean to stimulate plant growth) and 'afforestation' (planting trees in areas where there was previously no forest).

But there's concerns countries will pursue poorly-regulated geoengineering projects in secret  especially sun-blocking which could have 'unintended consequences'.

These could include regional droughts, crop failures and shifts to the Atlantic jet stream, which could drag hurricanes and tropical diseases north.

A Bill Gates-backed project has already launched balloons over Baja, Mexico releasing sunlight-reflecting aerosols into Earth's stratosphere.

ARIA said in a statement that all experiments being funded are 'subject to an environmental impact and legal assessment, which will be made publicly available before any outdoor experiment takes place'.

'[They will be] developed through engagement and consultation with local communities and in line with local regulations and requirements.

'[They will be] limited in size, scale, and time-bound, so the effects dissipate within 24 hours or are fully reversible.'
Whether it's from a classroom globe or one of NASA's stunning satellite images, most people are pretty familiar with how our planet looks.

But a rarely seen angle of Earth is now freaking people out.

In a viral post on X, which has been seen more than 33 million times, a user shares a picture of 'the side of planet Earth we aren't used to seeing'.

This strange view of a planet seemingly devoid of any land has sent social media into a frenzy, with one commenter writing: 'This is scary'.

Most of us are used to seeing Earth from the Northern Hemisphere because this half of the globe is home to 68 per cent of the planet's land.

However, although it is a well-known fact, it is easy to forget that over 70 per cent of the Earth's surface is covered by water.

In the so-called 'oceanic hemisphere', the side of the planet which has the most water, 89 per cent of the surface is covered by ocean and only 11 per cent by land.

Presented with a baffling view of this side of the 'blue planet', one commenter joked: 'Earth should actually be called water.'

In a viral post on X, formerly Twitter, a social media user has shared a picture of 'the side of planet Earth we aren't used to seeing' and people are freaking out

The picture shows Earth's 'oceanic hemisphere', the side of the planet with the most water, where oceans cover 89 per cent of the surface

On social media, people have been freaked out by this unusual perspective, with one commenter dubbing it the 'scary side'

Another commenter joked that with 71 per cent of the planet covered by oceans, Earth should really be called 'water'

This viral image shows the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, the largest ocean on the planet.

The Pacific covers a jaw-dropping 63 million square miles and contains more than half of Earth's 'free' water - water that isn't bound to minerals in rocks.

This ocean is so staggeringly large that all of the continents could comfortably fit inside the Pacific Ocean basin.

In the image, you can just make out the green of New Zealand in the lower left while part of Antarctica is peeking out over the corner of the globe in the lower right.

In the top right-hand corner, you can also just make out the west coast of North America.

However, there is a little more land on this side of the planet than the image makes out, but these islands are so small as to be difficult to see

This side of the planet also contains the Hawaiian Islands, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, as well as many other Polynesian, Melanesian, and Micronesian island nations such as French Polynesia and the Phoenix Islands.

The oceanic hemisphere captured in this incredible image is also the location of Point Nemo, the most remote location on Earth.

We are used to seeing the 'blue marble' view of Earth, which mainly shows the Northern Hemisphere, where 68 per cent of the planet's land is located

At Point Nemo, the most remote point captured in this image, you would be so far from land that the closest humans would be on the International Space Station

A commenter joked that this was like seeing the 'back of Earth's head'

One social media user mused that aliens might think Earth was lifeless if they saw this side of the planet

One commenter complained that the Pacific Ocean is 'too damn big'

In the centre of the Pacific Ocean, Point Nemo is so far from any land that the nearest humans are on the International Space Station 254 miles (408km) above.

Seeing this vast expanse of water has left some social media users feeling quite uncomfortable.

One commenter wrote: 'The Pacific Ocean is too damn big!'

Another chimed in: 'You ever realize how much of our planet is actually... water? Now you do. 165 million km of deep, humbling silence.'

'Could be some aliens out there looking and seeing this thinking "well, no life there worth checking out, it is just another waterworld",' one commenter mused.

With another adding jokingly: 'The back of Earth's head is crazy'.

But not everyone was so upset by this image, and many seemed to find it quite appealing.

'Drop me off there,' a commenter wrote.

The view of the planet sparked a reflective mood in some commenters, with one contemplating the ocean's '165 million km of deep, humbling silence'

Other users seemed attracted to this quiet side of the Earth, with one asking to be dropped off there

A social media user dubbed the oceanic hemisphere as the 'most peaceful part of the planet'

One social media user wrote: 'Makes me wonder what mysteries are hiding beneath all that water!

While another added: 'Looks peaceful.'

One social media user even dubbed this the 'most peaceful part of the planet.'

Meanwhile, some less geographically aware social media users were simply baffled by what they were seeing.

One commenter asked, 'WHERE IS THIS?' while another wanted to know: 'Is this Antarctica?'

And for some internet-dwelling conspiracy theorists, seeing the other side of the planet was simply too much to handle.

One conspiracy theorist wildly claimed: 'This is the bottom of the flat Earth. This picture is made from beneath and the flat surface is spherical, and that is where there is confusion that the Earth is flat or spherical.

Another confused commenter wrote: 'How is there not an oval or flat earth if all the land seems to be on one side?!'

The ocean in the image isn't as devoid of land as the photo would suggest. There are many small islands not visible, such as the Phoenix Islands (pictured)

For some internet-dwelling conspiracy theorists, seeing the other side of the planet was simply too much to handle

Conspiracy theorists couldn't seem to understand how seeing another side of the Earth was possible

One commenter questioned whether the image was 'fake' and wondered if the Earth might not be 'round at all'

While another suggested: 'Looks very fake to me. Maybe the earth is not round at all.'

However, as for Kiwi commenters, many were just happy to see New Zealand firmly at the centre of the map for once.

A commenter wrote: 'The first map of the world with ONLY New Zealand.'

Another joked: 'Looks like New Zealand has the entire Pacific to themselves.'
Sometimes, on a date, it can be impossible to tell what the other person is thinking.

Do they find me attractive, or annoying? Will they want to see me again?

Now experts have discovered that when people evaluate the attractiveness of a face, their gaze focuses on the features they find the most appealing.

And tracking their gaze could give you insight into how much they fancy you.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota recruited 154 adults to take part in their study.

They used eye-tracking technology to monitor where people looked while viewing a set of photographs, and asked them to rate how attractive they found them.

Their findings revealed that when people stared longer at particular areas of the face they were more likely to rate the picture as attractive.

So, can you guess where they are?

On a date it's common to gaze into each other's eyes - but scientists have now discovered exactly where your date will be looking if they're attracted to you

Reality star Kim Kardashian is renowned for her pout - but does it mean a man fancies you if he stares at your mouth?

Overall, for faces rated as more attractive, participants tended to spend more time looking at the mouth, nose and cheeks  an area called the central triangle.

They also spent more time looking at the hair and mouth.

On the other hand, increased attention to the forehead and neck were linked to lower attractiveness ratings.

Further analysis revealed that when male participants were rating female faces, the strongest predictor of a high attractiveness rating was a prolonged gaze at the mouth.

This ties in with previous research that suggests men often focus on features linked to fertility or youth.

Women, meanwhile, were more likely to stare at a mans eyes and hair if they found him attractive.

This could be because they may place more importance on status or trustworthiness  such as grooming and eye contact.

The study, published in the journal The Laryngoscope, reads: Increased gaze at the mouth in females and eyes and hair in males is associated with significantly higher ratings of attractiveness by observers of the opposite sex.

The scientists used eye tracking technology to monitor which parts of the face were most looked-at (stock image)

They said their findings could be important for aesthetic treatments or even plastic surgery, as it could help guide treatment plans towards changes that have the biggest visual impact.

A recent study found that despite the popularity of lip plumping treatments, men actually prefer women with natural-sized lips.

Researchers from the University of Sydney asked 32 men and women to rate how attractive they found faces whose lips had been manipulated to different sizes.

Analysis revealed that while women preferred slightly plumped lips on female faces, men preferred women with natural-sized lips.

However, both men and women rated men with thinner lips as more attractive.

Lip size has previously been linked to being an indicator of genetic sex, reproductive health and fertility.

But the researchers warned that constant exposure to enhanced lips could lead to lip dysmorphia, adding that there is clear evidence that when participants were exposed to a new lip size, that lip size became the new norm.
The US military may soon have an army of faceless suicide bombers at their disposal, as an American defense contractor has revealed their newest war-fighting drone.

AeroVironment unveiled the Red Dragon in a video on their YouTube page, the first in a new line of 'one-way attack drones.'

This new suicide drone can reach speeds up to 100 mph and can travel nearly 250 miles. The new drone takes just 10 minutes to set up and launch and weighs just 45 pounds.

Once the small tripod the Red Dragon takes off from is set up, AeroVironment said soldiers would be able to launch up to five per minute.

After the weapon selects its target, AeroVironment video revealed that the Red Dragon goes into dive-bomb, slamming into the target like a missile.

Although the damage of the drone's explosive payload will likely vary based on what it hits, AeroVironment showed Red Dragon striking everything from tanks and military vehicles to enemy encampments and small buildings.

Red Dragon arrives as military officials have openly said the country is in a fight to maintain 'air superiority' as drones have changed the entire landscape of the battlefield - flying remote-controlled bombs into targets all over the world.

However, the new one-way attack drone is raising some moral issues. Since the suicide robot can choose its own target in the air, the US military may soon be taking life-and-death decisions out of the hands of humans.

An AI-powered 'one-way attack drone' may soon give the US military a weapon that can think and pick out targets by itself

US defense contractor AeroVironment said in a video that their new 'suicide drone' is ready for mass production

AeroVironment said that this autonomous and intelligent weapon is ready for mass production.

Simply put, the US military will soon have swarms of bombs with brains that don't land until they've chosen a target and crash into it.

The AI-powered drone also carries up to 22 pounds of explosives and can strike targets on land, in the air, and at sea.

Unlike other US military drones, which can carry their own missiles, Red Dragon is the missiles, with its manufacturers saying it's been built 'for scale, speed, and operational relevance.'

The lightweight drone was designed for quick deployment and flexibility on the battlefield, allowing smaller military units to deploy Red Dragon from almost anywhere.

Once airborne, its AVACORE software architecture functions as the drone's brain, managing all its systems and enabling quick customization.

Red Dragon's SPOTR-Edge perception system acts like smart eyes, using AI to find and identify targets independently.

Despite Red Dragon's ability to choose a target with 'limited operator involvement,' the Department of Defense (DoD) has said it's against the military's policy to allow such a thing to happen.

In 2024, Craig Martell, the DoD's Chief Digital and AI Officer, said: 'There will always be a responsible party who understands the boundaries of the technology, who when deploying the technology takes responsibility for deploying that technology.'

Additionally, the DoD updated its own directives to mandate that 'autonomous and semi-autonomous weapon systems' always have the built-in ability to allow humans to control the device.

Red Dragon's makers said the drone is 'a significant step forward in autonomous lethality' as it can make its own targeting decisions before striking an enemy

Soldiers would be able to launch swarms of the Red Dragon thanks to its easy setup that allows users to launch up to 5 per minute

Red Dragon's SPOTR-Edge perception system acts like smart eyes, using AI to find and identify targets independently

Red Dragon can carry is similar to the Hellfire missiles carried and launched by larger US drones.

These drones typically strike the same kind of targets as Red Dragon, but since it requires precise targeting and guidance for the missiles to hit their target, the simplicity of the suicide attack by a swarm of Red Dragons removes many high-tech complications.

The US Marine Corps have become heavily involved in the evolution of drone warfare in recent years.

Lieutenant General Benjamin Watson said in April that, because of the widespread use of drones by America's allies and enemies, 'we may never fight again with air superiority in the way we have traditionally come to appreciate it.'

While the US is keeping a tight leash on AI-powered weapons, other nations and militant groups have allegedly ignored the ethical issues in recent years, including terror groups like ISIS and the Houthi rebels.

In 2020, the Centre for International Governance Innovation noted that both Russia and China were pursuing AI-driven military hardware with fewer ethical restrictions than the US.

As for Red Dragon, AeroVironment said that the suicide drone uses a 'new generation of autonomous systems' which allow it to make its own decisions once the operator launches it.

The drone's ability to rely on its own advanced computer systems without remote control guidance means Red Dragon is able to fly in areas where GPS and other communications don't work.

However, the drone still comes equipped with an advanced radio system, ensuring US soldiers can stay in contact with the weapon once it's airborne.

On their website, AeroVironment called Red Dragon 'a significant step forward in autonomous lethality.'
Police are warning the public about a new scam in which criminals pose as representatives from major US banks to trick victims into handing over their money.

Scammers are sending text messages that appear to come from institutions like Bank of America, PNC Bank, and Wells Fargo, claiming there's an issue with the recipient's account.

The message instructs the victim to either call a specific number or wait for an incoming call from someone posing as a bank representative.

When the call happens, the scammer appears to have access to the victim's personal banking information, including recent transaction history, making the interaction seem legitimate.

Once trust is established, the fraudster instructs the victim to 'secure' their funds by withdrawing cash and either depositing it into a traditional or cryptocurrency ATM, or by purchasing gift cards.

The scammer then steals the deposited funds or gift card information.

In just one week, several victims in Maryland lost a combined $95,000 to the scheme.

Authorities in Washington and Pennsylvania have also received reports of similar fraudulent texts.

Police are urging the public not to respond to these messages or call any number provided.

Police are warning the public about a new scam in which criminals pose as representatives from major US banks to trick victims into handing over their money

Scammers are sending text messages that appear to come from institutions like Bank of America, PNC Bank, and Wells Fargo

Instead, victims should call their bank directly using the number listed on the back of your debit card, or go to the bank in person to verify that your account is safe and report the suspicious text.

One of the scam text messages received by victims in Maryland said: 'Wells Fargo Alerts: We've received a request to transfer $730 via Zelle. Was this you?'

Users were then promoted to reply with 'Yes,' 'No' or 'Stop' to opt out of text alerts.

One victim replied no and was told their account was locked and a representative will call them shortly.

Other messages include some from Bank of America that warn users there is an issue with their account that needs to be addressed immediately.

Stephanie Zufall, of Hanover, Pennsylvania, told local 8WGAL that she was scammed out of thousands of dollars.

'I received a text message from my bank  or I thought was my bank  Wells Fargo fraud center, asking me to verify a transaction from Apple Pay,' she said.

The transaction was for $1,300, and Zufall replied 'No' to the message.

Within minutes, she got a call from someone claiming to be with the Wells Fargo fraud department who knew her purchase history.

The text messages claim there's an issue with the recipient's account

The message instructs the victim to either call a specific number or wait for an incoming call from someone posing as a bank representative

Zufall was told to withdraw all her money from Wells Fargo and transfer it to 'a secured account was going to be set up for use.'

After transferring the funds, the man on the phone hung up and her money disappeared. She lost a total of $3,000.

Wells Fargo told Zufall that because she withdrew and transferred the money on her own, there was nothing it could do.

Another recent example of this scare tactic is E-Z Pass smishing texts.

The term 'smishing' is a combination of SMS (Short Message Service) and 'phishing,' and these messages aim to steal your passwords, credit card information or other sensitive details.

Over the last several weeks, people have reported text messages that appear to come from E-Z Pass or some other toll company saying: 'Final Reminder: You owe an outstanding toll. Pay by March 31 to avoid additional fees or legal action.'

While it may look legitimate, this message was sent by a scammer trying to get their hands on your money.

But there are ways to identify a smishing scam before it's too late.

First, it's important to know that a bank will never ask you to move or withdraw money or pay anyone, including yourself.

If you get a text asking you to do so, this is a scam, even if it looks like it legitimately came from your bank.

Smishing texts often include links to click or phone numbers to call. Never click or call unless you have confirmed through a legitimate source that the text actually came from your bank.

And if the text asks you to send personal information such as your pin number, login credentials or social security number, this is a major red flag.

Do not send the information and report the incident immediately.

Knowing the telltale signs of a smishing scam is more important today than ever, as these schemes are on the rise in the US.
Olivia Dunne shared snaps of herself in a leopard-print bikini as she enjoyed the end of her college gymnastics career with a beach vacation in Florida on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old shared a clip as she posed with her older sister Julz, who wore a black two-piece as they strolled in the surf in Hutchinson Island South.

The star is apparently also searching for somewhere to live, as she wrote on TikTok: 'First-semester grad school done, house hunting at the beach, bought a NYC apt, and walking to get a pina colada, life is sweet like cinnamon.'

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Break: Influencer and swimsuit model Livvy Dunne showed off her figure in a bikini on a beach

Fresh out of college, Livvy is starting off on her own after calling it a career on her time in gymnastics.

An injury in her final season of college led to the fifth-year senior gymnast focusing more on her social media and modeling career than sports.

At the weekend, Dunne was spotted at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

She appeared to have a bit of an awkward moment during her 'Riders Up' call - sounding confused and shooting a weird look off camera at the end.

Dunne posted a TikTok showing off her wardrobe for the event and responded to a comment saying her version of the call 'was a tough watch'.

'I couldn't hear myself because of the echo of the microphone,' Dunne, 22, wrote, adding a crying emoji.

In addition to horse racing, Dunne will be likely make many more appearances in Pittsburgh to watch boyfriend Paul Skenes pitch for the Pirates.

Pair: Dunne and her sister, Julz, walked through the waves in south Florida

Ouch: Dunne recently had an awkward moment in Kentucky that she blamed on a microphone echo




Anti-Israel protesters' stunt backfired when they stormed the main library at Columbia University on Wednesday - only to get stuck inside.

Videos posted online showed dozens of people wearing keffiyehs and masks banging drums in a sprawling room at the Butler Library, renaming the library 'Basel al-Araj Popular University' after a Palestinian militant whom Israel has accused of planning a large scale attack, according to the New York Times.

But when the raucous demonstrators tried to leave the library after the rally , they were blocked by security guards at the Ivy League university unless they showed a proper school identification - leading to an hours-long standoff.

Backfired! Anti-Israel protesters who stormed Columbia University's main library on Wednesday were locked inside when school officials would not let them back out without identification

In one of the videos from the scene, guards could be seen telling the protesters they will be arrested for trespassing if they did not produce their school ID cards.

In the end, nearly 70 demonstrators were taken into custody for trespassing, and at least one protester and two security guards were injured in the assault - which came as university officials try to appease the Trump administration to regain some of its federal funding.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest - which is taking credit for the demonstration - claimed at the time that more than 100 people stormed the library.

Rally: The chaos inside the library led even more protesters to gather outside - and prompted the school's president to call police

Demands: The protest was apparently organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest, which shared its five demands online

It said in a statement: 'The flood shows that as long as Columbia funds and profits from imperialist violence, the people will continue to disrupt Columbia's profits and legitimacy.'

'Repression breeds resistance - if Columbia escalates repression, the people will continue to escalate disruption on this campus,' the group warned.

It said it was demanding 'full financial divestment from Zionist occupation, apartheid and genocide; an academic boycott of all compliant institutions, including the cancelation of the Tel Aviv Global Center; cops and ICE off our campus' and an end to 'Columbia's occupation of Harlem.'

The group also demanded 'amnesty for all students, staff, faculty and workers targeted by Columbia University's discipline.'

The scene prompted public security officials at the school to evacuate students who were not involved in the disruption from the library, the Times reported.

Meanwhile, guards told the demonstrators that they would not be allowed out if they did not produce their school ID.

Demonstation: People take part in a pro-Palestinian protest at Butler Library on the campus of Columbia University in New York

Inside: Scenes from inside the library showed people in masks and keffiyehs banging drums and hanging signs

Violent: At least one protester appeared to have been injured as an angry mob tried to push its way out of the library

After around two hours of protesting, a group of about seven people were allowed to leave the building - while the remainder presumably refused to show their IDs.

The situation then turned more chaotic, leaving one protester injured and escaping through the back entrance of the library in a stretcher.

Soon after, demonstrators in support of the protesters inside the building also began assembling outside - chanting 'no cops, no KKK, no fascist USA' as they too tried to overpower the security guards blocking their way.

By around 7pm, 4 hours after the rally began, Columbia University's Acting President Claire Shipman announced she had called police to the scene.

She said: 'The individuals who disrupted activities in Butler Reading Room 301 still refuse to identify themselves and leave the building.'

'Due to the number of individuals participating in the disruption inside and outside the building, a large group of people attempting to force their way into Butler Library creating a safety hazard and what we believe to be the significant presence of individuals not affiliated with the university, Columbia has taken the necessary step of requesting the presence of the NYPD to assist in securing the building and the safety of our community.

'Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community.'

Arrested: Nearly 70 demonstrators were taken into custody for trespassing

She concluded by saying the university 'strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today.

'We are resolute that calls for violence or harm have no place at our university.'

Within half an hour of Shipman's announcement, demonstrators were seen being escorted out of the building, their hands restrained behind them with zip ties.

Police have since confirmed they responded to a 'trespassing scene' at the Ivy League university and charges against the protesters were pending.

But the chaotic scene had already attracted the attention of elected officials, with Mayor Eric Adams taking to X to condemn the demonstration.

he said: 'As I've said repeatedly, New York City will always defend the right to peaceful protest, but we will never tolerate lawlessness.'

'To our Jewish New Yorkers, especially the students at Columbia who feel threatened or unsafe attending class because of these events: know that your mayor stands with you and will always work to keep you safe.'

New York Gov Kathy Hochul also said she was briefed on the situation and was grateful for the public safety officials who kept students safe, according to ABC 7.

'Everyone has the right to peacefully protest. But violence, vandalism or destruction of property are completely unacceptable.'

Political moves: President Donald Trump has already revoked more than $400million in federal funding from the Ivy League school for its prior 'mishandling' of protests against Israel

Agreement: Republican Rep Elise Stefanik agreed with his decision following the protest on Wednesday

Rep Elise Stefanik went even further, writing: 'While Columbia students try to study for finals, they're being bombarded with chants for a "global intifada."

'Not a single taxpayer dollar should go to a university that allows chaos, antisemitism and civil rights violations on its campus,' she said, agreeing with President Trump's decision to revoke more than $400million in federal funding from the Ivy League school for its prior 'mishandling' of protests against Israel.

In a letter on Tuesday, school officials said the funding cut resulted in 180 staff members being laid off.

The letter said: 'Columbia's leadership continues discussions with the federal government in support of resuming activity on these research awards and additional other awards that have remained active, but unpaid.'

'We are working on planning for every eventuality, but the strain in the meantime, financially and on our research mission, is intense.'

It now remains unclear whether Wednesday's chaos will lead the Trump administration to further revoke the school's funding.

But officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement told Fox News they were monitoring the situation - and will fingerprint everyone who was arrested to determine if they are noncitizens Those who are may then face deportation.

An ICE official said: 'Time to make a point,;

The State Department also warned foreign students about the consequences of breaking the law.

It said: 'Foreign university students in America have been put on notice: If you break the law or support terrorism in our country, we will revoke your visa. This administration will not tolerate noncitizens causing mayhem on our college campuses.'
The Happy City Index looks at several key factors to determine 'happiness'

The world's happiest city has officially been crowned and it's a European capital that's taken this year's crown.

An annual ranking, the Happy City Index looks at several key factors to determine how 'happy' a city is.

Cities are judged on their governance and civic engagement, economy, health, environment and mobility to determine how happy their residents are.

And this year's winner? Copenhagen.

The Danish capital is a 'vital hub for culture, governance and economic activity', explains the Happy City Index.

It picks up a whopping 1,039 happiness points in the Index helping it soar to the top of the podium.

The city is 'deeply committed to environmental sustainability' while 69 per cent of its transport is 'environmentally friendly'.

And Copenhagen even has its very own Happiness Museum. The 'small museum about the big things in life' helps teach visitors exactly why Denmark is quite so happy.

An annual ranking, the Happy City Index looks at several key factors to determine how 'happy' a city is. This year's winner is Copenhagen

The Danish capital is a 'vital hub for culture, governance and economic activity', explains the Happy City Index

Second on the list is Zurich with a total of 993 happiness points. Switzerland's largest city is 'renowned for economic strength, high quality of life and commitment to sustainability'.

The city also has plenty of 'eco-friendly' transport options, 'strong renewable energy initiatives' and a robust health service.

Singapore is the top-scoring city outside Europe, picking up a total of 979 points to place third in the index.

It scores highly for its 'world-renowned universities', high levels of 'civic engagement' and extremely low unemployment rate.

Another Danish city, Aarhus, grabs fourth place on the list with 958 points. The country's second-largest metropolis, Aarhus has a 'robust economy' and high levels of 'civic engagement'.

Antwerp in Belgium rounds off the top five with a score of 956 points, beating Seoul into sixth place (942 points).

London, the highest-scoring UK city, fails to make the top 20 instead landing in 31st place.

However, it still earns a high score of 842 points and is celebrated for its 'extensive and efficient transport network'. The city falls slightly down the rankings due to its high obesity rate (26 per cent).

Second on the list is Zurich with a total of 993 happiness points. Switzerland's largest city is 'renowned for economic strength, high quality of life and commitment to sustainability'

London, the highest-scoring UK city, fails to make the top 20 instead landing in 31st place

WORLD'S HAPPIEST CITIES 1. Copenhagen, Denmark 2. Zurich, Switzerland 3. Singapore, Singapore 4. Aarhus, Denmark 5. Antwerp, Belgium 6. Seoul, South Korea 7. Stockholm, Sweden 8. Taipei, Taiwan 9. Munich, Germany 10. Rotterdam, Netherlands 11. Vancouver, Canada 12. Vienna, Austria 13. Paris, France 14. Helsinki, Finland 15. Aalborg, Denmark 16. Berlin, Germany 17. New York, USA 18. Dresden, Germany 19. Brussels, Belgium 20. Geneva, Switzerland 21. Porto, Portugal 22. Barcelona, Spain 23. Oslo, Norway 24. Dublin, Ireland 25. Milan, Italy 26. Roskilde, Denmark 27. Reykjavik, Iceland 28. Auckland, New Zealand 29. Adelaide, Australia 30. Minneapolis, USA 31. London, UK Source: Happy City Index Advertisement

York is the next happiest UK city (63rd place) with 771 points while Reading scores next-highest (88th place, 742 points).

Manchester (101st place, 713 points) and Bristol (103rd place, 708 points) round off the UK top five.

New York is the highest-scoring city in the USA coming in 17th position in the ranking with 902 happiness points.

The Big Apple picks up high scores for education, civic engagement and sustainability.

However, it slips down the rankings due to lower scores in healthcare. New York has an obesity rate of 41.9 per cent.
Donnie Wahlberg's Blue Bloods spinoff Boston Blue has cast Sonequa Martin-Green.

The 40-year-old former Walking Dead actress will play Lena Peters, a detective whose family has a law enforcement background.

In the show Peters is partnered with Danny Reagan, 55-year-old Wahlberg's reprised Blue Bloods role, according to a Variety report.

Both Wahlberg and Martin-Green appeared at a CBS press briefing in Los Angeles on Wednesday to announce the update.

Lena reportedly said about the show's main characters, 'We love the Reagans. We have all loved the Reagans for so long. And I feel that well love the Peters too.'

She added, 'Im super excited for this partnership, and to be back in a CBS family  and in this family, your family. It means a lot, and Im grateful for it. I think were going to have a good time.'

Donnie Wahlberg's Blue Bloods spinoff Boston Blue has announced a new casting; pictured in October

Former Walking Dead actress Sonequa Martin-Green will play Lena Peters, a detective whose family has a law enforcement background; pictured April 25

Donnie, an executive producer on the forthcoming series, described Sonequa as 'not the first choice  the only choice.'

Per Variety, he stated, 'One thing about Blue Bloods and how beloved it was is because there are so many law enforcement families in this country. Theres not just the Reagans. Theyre in every state, every city, every town, everywhere, and there are other families around that have stories to tell too.'

Turning to the novel series, he noted, 'Dannys story will continue the Reagan family. You cant have Danny without Reagans  therell be connective tissue. But were also going to get to discover a new family and and carry on the tradition of telling their stories.'

The offshoot show was confirmed by CBS in February, along with the update that the story would move from New York City to Boston.

Blue Bloods debuted in 2010, following a family of New York City cops led by patriarch Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck).

In addition to Danny, family also included Frank's son Jamie (Will Estes) and daughter Erin (Bridget Moynihan).

The series, which ran for 14 seasons spanning 293 episodes, came to a close with the finale in December 2024.

Donnie is said to be at odds with ex co-star Tom over the spinoff.

The Blue Bloods series finale aired in December

Sonequa pictured in The Walking Dead

Donnie is said to be at odds with ex Blue Bloods co-star Tom Selleck over the spinoff

RadarOnline reported earlier this year that he was furious to learn about Donnie's new leading role, with a source calling his moving forward with the show a 'huge betrayal' and 'the end' of their friendship.

Selleck, 80, reportedly fought to stop Blue Bloods from ending.

'This is a HUGE betrayal,' the insider dished to the outlet. 'The Reagans never left New York. Now Danny's just up and moving to Boston? Selleck is furious. It's like throwing the rest of the cast away, including the star.'

It was added, 'Tom considered himself this father figure to Donnie and helped him with his acting skills, and now he's found out everything going on behind his back. It's a huge burn. He feels a sense of betrayal and is furious over the news.'

The site also claimed Wahlberg could have stopped the Boston Blue from happening, but was more enticed by money than loyalty.
Netflix viewers have been captivated by an 'addictive' and 'twisty' thriller series that is 'worth of a binge'.

Packed full of suspense, The Madness is an eight-part limited series available to watch on the streaming platform.

It delves into the tale of news commentator Muncie Daniels (Colman Domingo) who discovers the dead body of a 'notorious white supremist,' according to the synopsis.

He soon finds himself caught up in the homicide investigation and is framed for the murder.

Alongside Domingo, the thriller stars Marsha Stephanie Blake, John Ortiz and others.

The Madness has received raving reviews since it premiered back in 2024 and has a respectable 76 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Netflix viewers have been captivated by 'addictive' and 'twisty' thriller, titled The Madness, that is 'worth of a binge'

Packed full of suspense, The Madness is an eight-part limited series available to watch on the streaming platform.

It delves into the tale of news commentator Muncie Daniels (Colman Domingo, pictured) who discovers the dead body of a 'notorious white supremist,' according to the synopsis.

FandomWire described The Madness as 'a strong political, psychological chess match worthy of a binge'.

While The Telegraph rated the series four out of five stars and dubbed it 'instantly addictive'.

Fans of the show took to the review site to leave their thoughts and penned: 'This movie is a must watch, binge worthy movie! Its 0629 in the morning and I just watched the entire series from start to finish. Definitely check it out.';

'I loved this series - I found it to be a compelling story and Colman Domingo was absolutely great as the main character!! I became a Domingo fan! Had to see it to the end!!!';

'Great show! Loved it. I was on the edge of my seat all the way to the ending.';

'I really enjoyed this thriller. There were some moments where I questioned some of the reactions and motivations. But by the end I wanted to know how it ended. Ultimately enjoyed it.'

Though not everyone has been so impressed and on watcher commented: 'The script starts off well but loses its way with many scenes that add nothing to the story.

'Character decisions often don't make sense. The plot could have been resolved in four episodes if they hadn't tried to just fill the runtime.'

The Madness has received raving reviews since it premiered back in 2024 and has a respectable 76% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

FandomWire described The Madness as 'a strong political, psychological chess match worthy of a binge'

Another thriller on Netflix, titled Unseen, left fans in 'a puddle of tears'.

The crime drama delves into the story of a house cleaner called Zenzi Mwale (Gail Mabalane), who is searching for her missing husband.

As the tale unravels, 'a dreaded criminal syndicate dredges up past tragedies and ultimately drives her to violence,' according to the synopsis.

Alongside Mabalane, the South African action series stars Waldemar Schultz, Dineo Langa and others.

Stream The Madness on Netflix now.
Naga Munchetty opened up about being a victim of medical misogyny before being diagnosed with adenomyosis during Thursday's installment of Lorraine.

The journalist, 50 - who presents BBC Breakfast every Thursday to Saturday alongside Charlie Stayt, 62 - appeared on the ITV programme to chat to step-in host Christine Lampard, 46, about her condition and her new book.

Adenomyosis, which affects one in ten women in the UK, occurs where the lining of the uterus starts growing into the muscle in the wall of the womb.

Naga was diagnosed with the condition in November 2022, but had been suffering with symptoms since the age of 15, but felt as if she wasn't being listened to and it took 32 years for her to get a diagnosis.

But the fact that it took so long for her to find out what was wrong, the star feels as if it stopped for from being the best version of herself.

Speaking with Christine, Naga said: 'We're all trying to be the best we can, I was being prevented being the best I could.'

Naga Munchetty opened up about being a victim of medical misogyny before being diagnosed with adenomyosis during Thursday's installment of Lorraine

Naga started her period at 15 and went on to develop 'extreme pain', would throw up, pass out and have really, really heavy periods (pictured in younger years)

Naga started her period at 15 and went on to develop 'extreme pain', would throw up, pass out and have really, really heavy periods.

Recalling conversations with her doctor, she said: 'I probably wouldn't have used the language I use now when I saw a doctor.

'I just said my periods are really heavy and painful. "Oh you'll grow out of it!"'

Doctors told her to go on contraception, and while it was a relief to her symptoms, it didn't explain why she was feeling so unwell.

It was only when she had a scan and they found a cyst on her ovary, that she was then told she had adenomyosis.

She explained: 'The uterine wall grows outside, the endometrium grows outside the uterus. So it spread into my pelvis and lower back.

'It can affect people in different ways.

'The pain is when hormones react, it tears the muscles you have heavy bleeding, but it was never diagnosed.

The journalist, 50, appeared on the ITV programme to chat to step-in host Christine Lampard , 46, about her condition and her new book

The presenter's book, named Critical Conversations on the Womens Health Crisis (and How to Thrive Despite it), explores other men and women's experiences.

Naga said of her novel: 'The book is almost like a hand book, it's born out of the fact I've experience medical misogyny.

'Being ignored, my symptoms being ignored. But it's not about me.

'It's just as someone who understands what it feels like to be told "Oh it's probably nothing", "You'll grow out of it", "Have a baby - that will fix it", "It will get better as you get older".

'Just speaking to dozens of men and women about their experiences about being ignored and thinking there is something here.

'Something that the medical world is not listening to. Beit, not enough research, not enough education, not enough time to listen and not hearing when someone is saying "I'm not coping". So that is what this is for.'

During the 32 years before her diagnosis the response was that she just 'had to get on with it'

Naga said: 'We all know women who have been told its probably nothing.

'Other women are dealing with it. It's normal.

'You spend a long time thinking is it me, am I really weak? Am I just not coping as a woman? Am I not like the other women who are just getting on with life?'

Naga presents BBC Breakfast every Thursday to Saturday alongside Charlie Stayt, 62 (pictured)

Before she was diagnosed, in 2019 Naga opted to get sterilised in an attempt to stop her symptoms because she thought it was her 'only option'.

Female sterilisation is a permanent type of contraception, which requires keyhole surgery, where the fallopian tubes are blocked or cut to stop sperm meeting an egg.

For Naga, she said the procedure wasn't a tough decision as she and her husband James Haggar, 52, were certain they didn't want children.

She said: 'I knew I didnt want children and I didnt want to be reliant on hormones or the regimen of the pill because it didnt fit with my lifestyle. It felt like it was my only option.'

Naga completely ruled out a hysterectomy because she didn't believe it would eradicate her pain.

Today, Naga takes the hormonal contraceptive pill to prevent periods and is on HRT for the perimenopause.

Watch Lorraine on ITV weekdays from 9am.
A Place In The Sun fans were left reeling over Laura Hamilton's property choices for a guest on Tuesday's episode of the Channel 4 show.

The installment saw the property expert, 43, try and help Jan find her perfect holiday home in La Duquesa, Spain.

Jan, who lives in North Yorkshire, brought her son Jordan along for the ride to help her make a decision.

The retired emergency call handler had a budget of 130,000 so that her four sons and seven grandchildren could come and visit.

Right at the start of the episode, Laura addressed that Jan had a walking stick with her, explaining she doesn't have it all the time.

Jan said: 'I have up and down days. I do have a couple of joint issues.'

A Place In The Sun fans fume over Laura Hamilton's (pictured) property choice for guest - as they rage 'thanks, but no thanks'

The instalment saw the property expert, 43, try and help Jan (pictured) find her perfect holiday home in La Duquesa, Spain

Jan (pictured) explained that she has joint issues and that is why she uses a walking stick - and explained that moving to a hot country would help

Laura asked: 'When you're in the heat, benefits?' to which Jan replied: 'Absolutely. That's why I want to come here.'

Yet unfortunately the search didn't get off to a good start.

Laura showed her a third-floor apartment with a lift.

But unfortunately Jan wasn't a huge fan of using lifts, making that apartment and the next home not viable.

Jan did end up liking a three bed apartment with a roof terrace priced at 126,000.

While looking around with Jordan she pointed out that there was 'a lot of stairs' but the views that it gave were 'spectacular'.

Speaking about the apartment afterwards, Jan told Laura: 'Its great  only problem is its lots and lots of steps for me unfortunately.'

Laura responded: I thought you might say, theres no lift, that's good, because you werent keen on lifts...

'But too many stairs.'

Those watching at home were shocked that Laura gave her an option that involved that many stairs.

Those watching at home were shocked that Laura gave her an option that involved that many stairs

Jan did end up liking a three bed apartment with a roof terrace priced at 126,000 (pictured) but there was one major issue

One asked: 'Why offer someone with mobility problems a place in a hilly town and loads of stairs?'

'If I ever went on that show, and they said Laura will be your host, I'd say thanks, but no thanks.'

'An utter s*** tip and how would this work with her mobility issues?'

'Hills with mobility issues??'

The end of the episode saw Laura, Jan and her son gather to discuss what they were going to do.

The last property ticked all her boxes, the size, location, but she didn't want to put the work into the apartment to change it.

It was on the market for 132,000 and she decided to make an offer of 125,000.

'That would have to be my maximum offer,' Jan said.

Laura told her that she could try, labelling it a 'good offer', and after the phone call with the estate agent, she got a call back.

The offer got rejected and Jan decided to leave it with them.

A Place In The Sun airs on Channel 4.
Amazon Prime has added a 'bingeable' crime drama to the streaming service - and fans tell others to 'give it a watch if you haven't already'.

The Fall, which is created, written and directed by Allan Cubitt, hit our screens all the way back in 2013 on BBC Two.

After three successful series, it concluded in 2016.

An IMDB synopsis reads: 'A Detective Superintendent from England investigates a politically-sensitive murder in Belfast.'

The show follows DSU Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson) try and catch a serial killer Peter Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan) who prays on women.

The Fall has been available to watch on BBC iPlayer, but the series will be removed from the site very soon.

Amazon Prime adds 'bingeable' crime drama to streaming service - and tells others 'give it a watch if you haven't already' - pictured Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan

The Fall, which is created, written and directed by Allan Cubitt, hit our screens all the way back in 2013 on BBC Two

But luckily fans will still be able to watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Those who have watched it have rushed online to share their rave reviews, with one writing on Reddit: 'Its a very tense watch. Phenomenal performances all round especially both Jamie Dornan and Gillian Anderson.

'Theres 3 seasons all of which are equally as good as each other. Its such a binge-able show. Give it a watch if you havent already. '

A second added: 'It's absolutely great, it's tense and sophisticated. I'd definitely recommend.'

While a third commented: 'Brilliant in every aspect of a series. '

'This show was absolutely fantastic,' wrote a fourth.

Another enthusiastic viewer added: 'I watched this a while ago and really liked it. One of those shows that I wish would have gone on for more than 3 seasons, but I'm also glad they didn't drag it out too long. '

The programme has received an impressive 85 per cent on the Tomatometer, as well as 85 per cent on the Popcorn meter.

Those who have watched it have rushed online to share their rave reviews online - saying it's 'brilliant in every aspect'

An IMDB synopsis reads: 'A Detective Superintendent from England investigates a politically-sensitive murder in Belfast'

Meanwhile others have taken to IMBD to share their thoughts.

One said: '"The Fall" is a very well filmed and developed story. The acting of all the cast is accurate and right where it needs to be. No more, no less.'

'AMAZING - the most perfectly executed programme ever,' wrote another.

'Top quality,' added a third.

Praising its overall production, another wrote: 'The Fall is brilliantly shot. It's slow, careful and deliberate direction synchronise with the plot and leading protagonists. Gillian Anderson is mesmerising.'

The Fall has a star-studded cast; as well as Gillian, John Lynch plays ACC Jim Burns, Stuart Graham is DCI Matthew Eastwood, Niamh McGrady plays PC Danielle Ferrington and Archie Panjabi plays Professor Reed Smith.

Meanwhile Bronagh Waugh plays Peter Paul Spector's wife.

Valene Kane plays Rose Stagg, Jonjo O'Neill plays Tom Stagg and Laura Donnelly takes on the role of Sarah Kay.

Elsewhere, TV fans were left gripped by a 'masterpiece' period drama.

The English, written and directed by Hugo Blick, hit our screens back in 2022.

The revisionist Western six-part series landed on Amazon Prime Video in the US, but was also released on BBC Two for those in the UK.

Although it was released three years ago, some have only just noticed the drama is available to watch on iPlayer.
Emmerdale villain Joe Tate was pushed out of a window in a vengeful act in Thursday's episode.

In dramatic scenes, the character, played by Ned Porteous, was found in a heap outside after seemingly being shoved from the first floor during a surprise party.

Joe has been at the centre of a series of significant storylines during his on-and-off run on the soap.

He left the Yorkshire village in 2005 after 10 years before returning in 2017, but a year later he was seemingly murdered by nemesis Cain Dingle in a chaotic climax.

To viewers' shock, he made a second comeback at Christmas but has since been racking up the enemies, attacking two Dingles in a bid to get a kidney amid his dialysis treatment, while also having an affair with Dawn Fletcher.

His behaviour appears to have come back to bite him in Thursday's episode as chaos unfolded at a birthday do for Lydia Dingle leaving Joe fighting for his life.

Emmerdale villain Joe Tate was pushed out of a window in a vengeful act in Thursday's episode

In dramatic scenes, the character, played by Ned Porteous, was found in a heap outside after seemingly being shoved from the first floor during a surprise party (pictured)

And fans have gone wild with speculation as to who committed the act against Emmerdale's most hated character.

'A part of me is thinking Kerry or Noah but I could be completely wrong.'

'Really enjoyed tonights episode. True whodunnit set up, nicely done with a nod to the past (Tom Kings window). #Emmerdale'

'Im calling it It was Clemmie #Emmerdale'

'Was he trying to clean the windows and slipped?'

'I think Im calling Lucas atm tbh'

'Emmerdale! I think its Dawn or maybe even Clemmie but shes little so Im not sure how.'

'I'm calling it out now, it's Clemmie !'

And fans have gone wild with speculation as to who committed the act against Emmerdale's most hated character

'Therell be a queue round the block of potential pushers of Joe'

'What have you done Clemmie Reed'

'My money is on Clemmie.'

'He was dizzy from the spiked drink and fell himself'

Oliver Young first portrayed the figure in the Yorkshire village from 1995 until 2005 when he left the area with Zoe Tate and her daughter Jean.

Ned reprised the character in 2017 but Joe was then believed to have been murdered by Cain in 2018, making his return to the role at Christmas six years later all the more shocking.

He's been racking up the enemies ever since, attempting to take half-brother Noah Dingle's kidney amid his dialysis treatment, before turning to Caleb as his next victim, even more sinister given he is a member of his family.

The villain then disappeared before telling his victim over the phone: 'It's a work trip. Illinois this time of year is all just wind and rain.'

Joe has been at the centre of a series of significant storylines during his on-and-off run on the soap

He has racked up a host of enemies since his return to the soap at Christmas, many of whom attended Thursday's party

During the evening, Joe interacted with a number of guests including Ruby Fox-Miligan, played by Beth Cordingly (pictured, right)

Among his misdemeanours over the last few months has been his tryst with Dawn Fletcher (pictured, left) with whom he shared a dance

His behaviour came back to bite him in an episode which also saw Kim Tate (pictured, left), played by Claire King, warn Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley, right) that there could be a murder

Chaos unfolded at a birthday do for Lydia Dingle leaving Joe fighting for his life (pictured L-R: Cain, Caleb Milligan, Charity Dingle, Kerry Wyatt, Dawn, Billy Fletcher and Eric Pollard)

After Caleb asked him how he is feeling, Joe added: 'Yeah, late night. How are they treating you?'

From his hospital bed, Caleb said: 'Doctors are giving me a load of meds. I feel like a right druggie.'

Discussing a police investigation into the attack, he added: 'They found the car; they're dusting it for prints.

'I want to talk to you when you get back though.'

In a bid to throw Caleb off the scent, Joe said: 'Sure! I'm not sure how much help I can be. When I got there, whoever did that to you had gone... I've got to go for a meeting, but you take care of yourself, okay?'

It turned out Dr Crowley was in the room with Joe for the call and the assailant justified his contact with his victim, saying: 'I think it would be odd to not check up on Caleb.'

The doctor responded: 'He's not your problem anymore. Shaun's been released this morning pending an investigation and now we're flying him to Thailand as requested. It's not cheap.'

Joe said, 'Money well spent. And my car?', to which Dr Crowley replied, 'Discreetly delivered back to Home Farm.'

Joe appeared to quit the village in heart-stopping scenes in April a whopping 30 years on from his soap debut, but returned once more in the same month

Needing a kidney, he tried to take Noah Dingle's (right) before attacking Caleb and taking his in a shocking plot development

Ned made a shock return as Joe at Christmas six years after he was believed to have been murdered (pictured)

The key character (pictured, in 2018) has been at the centre of a series of significant storylines during his on-and-off run on the programme

After hearing Joe's plan to flee for god, the doctor said: 'You've just had your op. You shouldn't be travelling and not without trained medical staff.'

But the iconic character was hellbent on leaving the area, adding: 'I'm aware of the risks. I can't stay here. I've got medics waiting for me when I arrive in Dubai. Time to move on.'

A car was then shown driving Joe away from the village in what seemed to be the villain's final exit from the soap.

But of course it was not the end for the pivotal character and Joe then had an affair with Dawn and even blackmailed her daughter, Clemmie.
Nicole Kidman was the talk of the town on Monday when she debuted an edgy new haircut at the 2025 Met Gala in New York.

The Australian actress, 57, stepped out at the Metropolitan Museum of Art sporting a slick pixie cut by Adir Abergel which delighted her admirers.

But as close-up photos emerged of the new look, fans began to speculate if the star's new hairstyle was in fact be a wig.

Nicole's habit of wearing wigs in Hollywood movies has earned her a cult following over the years.

The Hollywood star has rarely showcased her natural hair in films since the early days of her career, and almost exclusively wears wigs for all of her movie roles.

An Aussie stylist has now weighed in on her most radical red carpet look and believes her new short style could be a mix of her real hair and extensions.

Nicole Kidman was the talk of the town on Monday when she debuted an edgy new haircut at the 2025 Met Gala in New York

'This could be Nicole's real hair with the length at the back disguised under some artfully placed, clipped or glued in hair pieces,' Bixie Colour hairstylist Andrew Newport said.

'This look, which appears to have been achieved by hair magic, could have been created by taking the hair at the back of the head and braiding tightly to the scalp. Nicole's real hair is featured at the front fringe, plus the hair extensions at the nape would be dressed over the disguised hair.

'This would take a bit of work and considerable time but is 100% achievable.'

Speculation about Nicole's new do kicked off just hours after the Baby Girl star walked the red carpet and fans flocked to her hairstylist Adir's Instagram page.

Adir shared several photos and videos of Nicole's short hair as she walked the red carpet, expressing pride in his work.

And while followers sang his praises, many still believed he had styled a wig rather than Nicole's own hair.

One fan went so far as to ask Adir outright, but the hairstylist managed to side-step the question and chose not to confirm or deny.

'As a hairdresser of 32 years I have to say, this hair out shined the dress! Stunning... You are amazing. Is it a wig or did you cut her hair?' the follower asked.

'Thank you baby. I am truly touched,' Adir responded without answering the pointed question.

The Australian actress, 57, stepped out at the Metropolitan Museum of Art sporting a slick pixie cut by Adir Abergel which delighted her admirers

Even Italian hairstylist Marco Bresciani Testa said: 'Great job Well done that Wig suit the perfection [sic] and @nicolekidman makes it so real!'

Other fans left their own comments about Nicole's hair, with one saying: 'She always has the best wigs! Love the look!'

'I hope this is not a wig she looks amazing,' said another.

'She looks stunning! If the hair isn't actually cut short it should be,' someone else commented.

'The hair is so striking but it's gotta be a wig, right? She looked classical gorgeous in a years by way,' one person speculated.

Another said, 'Beautiful wig,' as someone else wrote: 'Is this a wig or she really did cut all her hair?'

'Please tell me it's not a wig because she looks stunning with this cut,' yet another praised.

'You should always do her wigs,' a final comment read.

An Aussie stylist believes the look was created with her real hair and extensions

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Nicole and her hairstylist Adir for further comment.

Whether the new hair is real or a wig, there is one thing Nicole's fans can agree on - it looks incredible.

Many praised the star for ditching her common use of hairpieces and showing her 'real' hair.

'Omg Nicole Kidman on the MET stairs fiercely gorgeous. Love the short hair on this lady!' wrote one.

Another said: 'Wow! Nicole Kidman looked stunning. Love love love her new hair style.'

Someone else said, 'NICOLE KIDMAN SHORT HAIR THE WORLD IS HEALING,' while one more wrote: 'Obsessed with Nicole Kidman's hair cut'.

Yet another pondered, 'Oh snap, when was the last time we've seen Nicole Kidman's real hair?' while one more agreed: 'Nicole Kidman with her real hair today'.

'This could be Nicole's real hair with the length at the back disguised under some artfully placed, clipped or glued in hair pieces,' Bixie Colour hairstylist Andrew Newport said

'NICOLE KIDMAN SHORT HAIR NO WIG,' shouted one more fan while another chimed in: 'Nicole Kidman SANS WIG?'

Nicole looked incredible in a custom black Balenciaga gown, fitting in with the Superfine: Tailoring Black Style theme.

She struck her best sultry expression as she flaunted her new look, slicking back her blonde tresses which featured a brunette undercut.

Her backless gown was cinched at her waist and hips with decorative belts, and the Baby Girl star accessorised the look with black gloves.

The actress finished her glamorous look with silver and diamond leaf motif pieces by Cindy Chao and added a pop of red to her lips.

One of the few times Nicole has displayed her naturally curly hair in a movie was in her first feature film, 1983's BMX Bandits.

Interestingly, she is known to get a little touchy when asked about her use of wigs.

She hung up on The Kyle and Jackie O Show last year when asked about her wigs and also shut down a similar question from a journalist at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2018.

Speculation about Nicole's hair kicked off just hours after the Baby Girl star walked the red carpet when fans flocked to hairstylist Adir's Instagram page

Nicole looked incredible in a custom black Balenciaga gown, fitting in with the Superfine: Tailoring Black Style theme

Footage surfaced of the cringeworthy moment the star rolled her eyes and swiftly branded the question 'awful'.

The Oscar winner appeared dumbfounded after a male podcast host asked her to to rank her favourite films according to the wigs she wore in them.

As the press conference burst into laughter, Nicole responded in disbelief: 'It's a very wiggy movie, did you say?'

The panel adjudicator then repeated the question, saying: 'He [the podcast host] was saying... he was ranking all your movies by wig and where do you feel like this [Destroyer] falls in terms of that?'

Nicole widened her eyes and pursed her lips, before declaring: 'That is an awful question! I am shutting that question down!'

The adjudicator agreed Nicole didn't need to entertain the discussion and suggested they 'move on' to a more suitable question.

Nicole's caginess on the subject has led to some wild conspiracy theories.

During an episode of their What's The Tee podcast, RuPaul and Michelle Visage jokingly suggested the actress could be using wigs to hide the fact she is bald.

RuPaul said 'absolutely nobody does wigs like Nicole', sparking a lighthearted debate about her changing hairstyles.

'The irony is that we rarely ever see Nicole Kidman's hair,' RuPaul said.

Michelle swiftly responded: 'I think she's bald!'

'She's not bald!' replied RuPaul, correcting her.

'She's just got curly hair that ends up being very brittle.'
Welcome to The Group Chat with Lucy Manly, where Australia's most-trusted society insider shares the hottest gossip BEFORE it makes the news

Pip forgets to do her homework

Activewear supremo Pip Edwards really can achieve anything she sets her mind to.

And that includes being the face of Women's Health magazine, despite her well-documented fondness for a drink and a dart.

But it wasn't her naughty habits that had the eastern suburbs gossips throwing shade this week, rather her loose lips.

She was attending an event for the high-tech glasses produced by Ray-Ban and Meta, for which she is an ambassador, when she apparently made some rather amusing announcements.

Pip Edwards certainly looked the part as a brand ambassador for Ray-Ban Meta glasses, but guests who attended a PR event this week say she didn't know the first thing about the product

My spy tells me that when asked about the shades, she laughed awkwardly and said, 'I hope you can shop on these!' before regaling fellow party-goers with tales of the big night she'd just had.

According to my insider, she seemed to lack knowledge of the glasses' tech specs which was a little awkward because a top Ray-Ban exec had flown in from Asia for the occasion.

Come on, Pip. We all know the golden rule of brand endorsements: Thou must know the product that thou spruik! Max Markson could tell you that.

And we hear she was given ample opportunity to do her homework, with Meta's PR geeks providing extensive briefing documents to talent and their agents in the days prior to the event, including key talking points about the product and its functionality.

They even provided some handy videos, I am told.

So, how much was Pip paid to wear a pair of cutting-edge specs that she didn't really know much about? Well, we don't know for sure, but short-term brand deals this high end are usually in the tens of thousands.

In other words, certainly worth sitting through a 10-minute YouTube tutorial.

Of course, Pip wasn't the only one turning heads at the Ray-Ban x Meta event.

Pip is the current face of Women's Health magazine...

... despite her well-documented fondness for smoking darts (pictured in October 2020)

High-profile stylist and Instagram creator Kim 'thekimbino' Russell stunned the room to silence when she announced she was skipping Australian Fashion Week.

'When asked by the event's host Laura Dundovic how would she be using the glasses at Fashion Week, Russell responded, "I'm not going."

'The room went deathly quiet - you could have heard a pin drop. The glasses were launched globally to align with Fashion Week!' one mortified guest spilled.

Best friends forever?

The marriage split of popular eastern suburbs couple Nicholas and Litsa Stavropoulos has caused much hand-wringing among their high society friends who feel compelled to pick a side in the break-up.

And I hear glamorous project manager Pembe Bekir became collateral damage in the split after she offered Nicholas a shoulder to cry on.

This gesture didn't sit well with Bekir's one-time best friend and couture bridalwear designer Lillian Khallouf. They were once 'thick as thieves' but now don't speak.

Coincidentally, Pembe's own marriage also recently ended, and Lillian remains friends with Pembe's ex-husband Deniz, who was once close friends with Nicholas.

'Lillian unfollowed her after Litsa and Nicholas split up,' a source tells me.

That's all we know for now. As soon as we get more details, you'll be the first to know.

Pembe Bekir (left) became collateral damage after popular eastern suburbs couple Nicholas and Litsa Stavropoulos split up. She offered Nicholas a shoulder to cry on, which didn't sit well with Bekir's one-time best friend and couture bridalwear designer Lillian Khallouf (right)

Nicholas and Litsa Stavropoulos are pictured in happier times, lounging on a luxury yacht

Laura Hazzouri (left) and 'chicken heiress' Jessica Ingham (right) are said to have fallen out too

But that's not the only friendship rift making the rounds.

We hear whispers so-called 'chicken heiress' Jessica Ingham and influencer Laura Hazzouri have fallen out.

Perhaps the duo ran out of things to talk about after they both dropped Roxy Jacenko, the PR supremo who first introduced them?

Long-time Daily Mail readers will know Ingham and Jacenko used to be BFFs but had a falling-out over their (wait for it) luxury candle business, XRJ.

Hazzouri, who lives in Milsons Point with her property developer husband and three sons, was managed by Jacenko's influencer talent agency The Ministry of Talent, but subsequently sided with Ingham.

Doyles on the move

The most talked-about couple in the Sutherland Shire, Matthew and Kelsea Doyle, are making property moves after quietly welcoming a baby boy in December.

Matthew, a cashed-up developer, ended up in the slammer for trying to smuggle $85million worth of cocaine into Australia back in 2019. Kelsea, who was not involved in the plot, loyally stood by her husband as he served his time behind bars.

Now a free man and father of two, Matt is selling his Burraneer home and hopes to fetch anywhere between $2.4million and $3million for it.

The most talked-about couple in the Sutherland Shire, Matthew and Kelsea Doyle (pictured), are making property moves after quietly welcoming a baby boy in December

The property, described as an 'entertainer's dream' in the effusive language of real estate agents, boasts pristine finishes and a luxury plunge pool.

The Group Chat revealed in January the Doyles had moved to Oak Park in south Cronulla, despite rumours they had been eyeing off a home in Rose Bay.

And finally... guess who, don't sue!

She wants to 'freshen up' her nose, but this socialite can't find a plastic surgeon willing to take the risk.

Why? Her poor schnozz is already overworked from previous surgeries - as well as her, er, extracurricular activities.

With all options exhausted, she may have to go overseas to find a dodgy operator willing to put their scalpel to her flimsy septum...
Sunday Brunch presenter Simon Rimmer was reduced to tears when telling his daughter, Flo, the impact his fathers death had on his life.

Father and daughter were speaking on the latest episode of the Mails The Apple & The Tree podcast, which pits parents against their adult children to ask intimate questions about their shared family history.

TV Chef, Simon, 61, recalled how turning sixty had created an angst within him, which he only managed to come to terms with after his father passed away two months later.

Simon is best known for his work with Mail podcast host Tim Lovejoy, presenting Something for The Weekend between 2006 and 2012.

Sixty was the only birthday I ever had that I was bothered about, Simon said.

Simon Rimmer, 61, was reduced to tears when telling his daughter, Flo, the impact his fathers death had on his life. Listen here

Simon recalled how turning sixty had stirred an angst within him. Listen now

Thirty, forty, fifty  they never bothered me. I wasnt happy: it felt like a lot of the sides of my life were almost teetering. It was as though if things went the wrong way, the whole house of cards could come tumbling down.

I knew my dad was fading. I knew we were on borrowed time with him. He died two months after that, and it really brought me back into focus.

Flo Rimmer, 27, who works in sales, admitted she was worried about her fathers behaviour on the advent of his sixtieth birthday.

You were quite emotional and sad, she commented.

You were regretful about certain things that had gone a different way, or where your life was.

That made me quite sad because youve done amazing things. I remember saying to you that night, you need to take a step back and actually look at where you are and what youve become.

Maybe yeah, you havent hit certain milestones  but that doesnt mean you havent been successful.

Simon juggled a successful presenting career with the managing of multiple restaurants across Manchester.

He is also an author of cookbooks and has appeared as a contestant on shows Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Mastermind.

In tears, Simon described the death of his father and how remembering some advice he had given him as a child cured him of his gloom at aging.

Simon juggled a successful presenting career with the managing of multiple restaurants across Manchester

Flo Rimmer, 27, who works in sales, admitted she was worried about her fathers behaviour on the advent of his sixtieth birthday. Listen here

Struggling to speak, he said: When he died, we were all there together at his hospital bed. We got to say goodbye.

All of my drive, all of my ambition, started when I was 9 and my dad said to me, if I had my time again: I would never work for anybody else.

He told me hed only do what he wanted to do  and I have never had a proper job.

My dad was my hero. He taught me everything about being a human being.

I will never get over it  I never want to. Thats something I have learned about grief; you never want to get over it.

To listen to the full episode now, search for 'The Apple & The Tree', wherever you get your podcasts.
Amaury Guichon has weighed in on his Australian cooking show Dessert Masters and revealed whether he would be keen to return for another season.

The renowned pastry chef, who appeared as a judge alongside Melissa Leong for seasons one and two of the high-rated Channel Ten cooking series, admitted he remains hopeful the show will return.

'I do hope so ... I think they're gonna have a third season,' the 34-year-old exclusively told Daily Mail Australia at his chocolate pop-up store event in Sydney.

'We have two great seasons. I love doing [Dessert Masters] because I have other shows in the US. But here, there is really something special.

'The people are so passionate about what they do that you can really see it on the screen.'

Dessert Masters dominated the ratings when it aired in 2023 and 2024 with Amaury and Melissa at the helm.

Amaury Guichon (right) has weighed in on his Australian cooking show Dessert Masters and if he's keen to return for another season. Pictured with his co-star Melissa Leong (left)

Its first season saw a group of Australian pastry chefs compete for a $100,000 prize and deliver a ratings salve for the network in the highly competitive reality TV market.

The premiere episode had 451,000 Australians tuning in across all the major cities and viewers heaped praise on the TV veteran.

Dessert Masters is set to return for another season, but the network has bought itself some time by delaying a formal announcement until after the second season has aired.

'Last year, there was a strong appetite for the debut of Dessert Masters,' a Ten spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia last year.

'In 2024, we are delighted to plate up second helpings.'

Amaury, who is based in Las Vegas, flew to Sydney on Wednesday to attend his exclusive Chocolate by Amaury Guichon pop-up event in Martin Place hosted by American Express Delicious Month Out.

The chocolatier looked sharp in a fitted white shirt and black trousers as he posed alongside his Dessert Masters co-judge Melissa Leong.

Melissa, 43, showcased her chic style in a Gucci neckscarf and a black power suit, while accessorising with a small black YSL handbag.

MasterChef fan favourites Khanh Ong (far left), Reece Hignell (centre left) and Hayden Quinn (far right) were among the guests who attended the intimate opening

The renowned pastry chef, who appeared as a judge alongside Melissa Leong for seasons one and two of the high-rated Channel Ten cooking series, admitted he remains hopeful the show will return

Former MasterChef fan favourites Khanh Ong, Reece Hignell and Hayden Quinn were among the guests who attended the intimate opening.

The pop-up store, located at Ground Floor, 20 Martin Place in Sydney, will provide culinary connoisseurs never before access to purchase one of Amaury's chocolate masterpieces, but the first 100 American Express Card Members each day can receive a complimentary chocolate creation from the renowned pastry chef.

'I am so excited to share my passion down under during this exclusive collaboration with American Express in Sydney!' Amaury said.

The event runs for three days from May 8 to May 10, from 10am to 5pm.
Steph Claire Smith is just days away from giving birth to her second child with husband Josh Miller.

The influencer, 31, who shares son Harvey, four, with her partner, took to Instagram on Wednesday to reveal how she is preparing to welcome the new addition.

Sharing images to her Stories, the KICPOD co-host could be seen packing a bag to take to the hospital in preparation for her bundle of joy.

In the photo, Steph packed nappies into a suitcase already filled with various baby items, such as clothes, dummies, a soft blanket, and swaddling cloths - and one item with a dinosaur print.

Steph, who is unaware of the baby's gender, also uploaded a picture of a sweet note she received from her team at KICPOD.

The message included several glamorous shots of Steph flaunting her pregnant belly, with the words: 'A little KIC chick is about to hatch... Congratulations Steph!'

Steph Claire Smith is just days away from giving birth to her second child with husband Josh Miller, and on Wednesday she revealed how she is preparing to welcome the new addition

The envelope was inscribed with, 'Good luck, Steph,' above a love heart.

It comes after Steph and her husband Josh used the Spinning Babies method to prepare for the birth of their second child.

The pregnant fitness influencer filmed her husband holding up their mattress while watching an instructional tutorial for one of the recommended exercises.

In videos uploaded to her Stories last month, Steph could be heard laughing while Josh held up the bottom end of the mattress to keep her aloft on an angle.

Steph flaunted her baby bump, which she cradled with one arm while holding her iPhone up with the other, and chuckled as she documented the humorous moment.

'Do you have to stay there?' she asks Josh and he turns his eyes to the video.

'I do have to stay here,' he deadpans, making her laugh harder at the idea of lying on a diagonal angle.

In the second video, she could be seen relaxing on the up-turned mattress, as she practised one of the body balancing exercises for pregnancy and labour.

Sharing images to her Stories, the KICPOD co-host could be seen packing a bag to take to the hospital with her in preparation for her bundle of joy

Steph also uploaded a picture of a sweet note she received from her team at KICPOD

This will be Steph and Josh's second child as the couple already share four-year-old son Harvey

'Trying the Spinning Babies moves. Josh is holding up the bed like a champ for one of them,' the influencer captioned the video.

Spinning Babies is an approach 'to optimise the physical relationship between the bodies of the mother and baby for pregnancy comfort and easier childbirth,' per the website that offers 'Parent Class' videos.

It was devised by American midwife Gai Tully, who describes it as 'practical birth preparation and baby positioning to fit the pelvis and reduce pain in childbirth'.

'During birth, babies descend through the pelvis by turning to fit each curve in the passage,' the Spinning Babies website explains.

'Babys turns are fetal rotation. If fetal rotation can be made easier, birth is easier for everyone. If practiced daily, an easier labor and birth are likely.'
The beloved child star Jonathan Lipnicki gave a dispiriting update on the status of his career in a new interview.

Lipnicki, 34, is best known for going toe-to-toe with star Tom Cruise in the Oscar-winning blockbuster Jerry Maguire (1996).

'I had some really good things that happened when I was younger,' the former child actor admitted while speaking with People.

But he described a bumpy road to becoming a successful adult actor, even after he recently attempted a career comeback.

'It's totally fine to say I'm not where I want to be career-wise,' he said, adding that he's 'all right' with the state of his career at the moment. 'Everything we're doing in this life is nearly impossible.'

Lipnicki called acting 'the thing I want to do for the rest of my life,' and said, 'I think you just have to believe it's going to happen and do everything in your power to take action in the right direction.'

The beloved child star Jonathan Lipnicki gave a dispiriting update on the status of his career in a new interview; pictured in Jerry Maguire (1996)

Lipnicki, 34, is best known for going toe-to-toe with star Tom Cruise in the Oscar-winning blockbuster Jerry Maguire (1996); pictured together in 1998 in LA

'I had some really good things that happened when I was younger,' the former child actor admitted while speaking with People . But he described a bumpy road to becoming a successful adult actor

Lipnicki followed up his star-making turn in Jerry Maguire with a major supporting parts in Stuart Little (1999) and Stuart Little 2 (2002)  which featured the voice of Michael J. Fox as the eponymous mouse  as well as a role in 2002's Like Mike, among other films.

However, his output in the 2000s slowed to a trickle as he took time off from acting to make high school his primary focus.

Afterward, he devoted himself more seriously to his craft by taking acting classes, which he called the 'best thing' he could have done for his career.

Since honing his acting skills, Lipnicki has largely nabbed roles in small independent films, as opposed to the big-budget, major studio releases that he primarily appeared in as a child.

He also diversified his acting work by starting to take on stage roles around LA, and more recently he has begun working behind the camera as a producer.

He managed to develop an enviable physique in recent years thanks to mixed martial arts (MMA) training, as his family owns a company that promotes MMA fights.

However, he has resisted the temptation to pursue MMA fighting headlong, as acting seems to still be his overriding passion.

He has been wildly prolific since focusing again on acting. He had two films released in 2016, but in 2017 he appeared in a whopping six features and one short film. Since then, he has appeared in just one or two films per year, aside from a fallow period in the first years of the Covid-19 pandemic.

'It's totally fine to say I'm not where I want to be career-wise,' he admitted. He said his adult career was 'half-and-half,' with half his films being good but underseen, while half were of poorer quality

'I just really want to turn this ship around,' he said after admitting he turned down around five films the past year. But a new TV gig has given him renewed hope; pictured on The Joe Schmo Show

He appeared earlier this year on the TBS comedy series The Joe Schmo Show, in which people are pranked into thinking they're appearing on a reality show  even though it's fake. Lipnicki said he enjoyed playing an ego-driven version of himself; seen on The Joe Schmo Show

Lipnicki said his guest appearance on the TBS revival of The Joe Schmo Show  in which people are misled into believing they are appearing on a fake reality series  has now become one of the things he is most 'proud' of.

He plays himself on the show, but in name only, as his character is a comical, ego-driven version of the former child star.

The actor said the show, which forced him to get outside of his 'comfort zone,' is a 'step in the right direction' for his career.

Although the most in-demand actors tend to be those who are most professional on set, Lipnicki enjoyed getting a chance to be on his 'worst' behavior. 'There was something empowering about that in a weird way.'

The longtime actor told People his career was now 'half-and-half' as an adult, with half of his projects being more forgettable, while he thought the other half were solid films  even though few people have seen them.

Lipnicki was careful to say that he had 'no regrets' about other the films he has appeared in as an adult, but he also admitted that he needed to be 'careful' about what projects he signs on to going forward.

He admitted to turning down around five films he was offered in the past year in order to focus more on quality projects.

'I just really want to turn this ship around,' he admitted.

'I pray every night for clarity on where I need to go, and I'm confident the best is yet to come for me,' Lipnicki continued. 'And I think you just have to believe that. If you're going to pursue this, you're doing yourself a disservice not to dream big.'
Coronation Street stars are at war with soap bosses after stars Samia Longchambon and Sair Khan were cleared to cash in with lucrative brand deals, while others were denied, it's been claimed.

The ITV soap has been hit by a string of budget cuts in recent months, with many big names opting to leave the show in a mass exodus.

Now, sources are claiming that some big names have been able to boost their earnings with outside brand deals, with Samia previously featuring in a promotional clip for Marks and Spencer alongside her husband Sylvain.

Sair, 37, was allowed to upload a glossy video of a 2,500 Italian oven from Bertazzoni despite ITV rules banning commercial deals for soap stars, without approval from bosses.

This move has reportedly angered some stars of the ITV soap, with one insider telling The Sun that they've been blocked from accepting similar work offers.

The actress, who claimed they've had two brand deals blocked, told the publication: 'It's one rule for the polished PR favourites, and another for the rest of us.

Coronation Street stars are at war with bosses after stars Samia Longchambon (pictured) and Sair Khan were cleared to cash in with brand deals, while others were denied, it's been claimed

Sources are claiming that some big names have been able to boost their earnings with outside brand deals, despite strict rules, while others have been denied (star Sair is pictured)

'We've been told time and time again: no ads, no endorsements  not so much as a candle on Instagram.

'People are keeping quiet as they don't want to rock the boat or get the boot but there's a lot of anger.

A representative for Coronation Street told The Sun: 'We do not discuss individual cases, but the cast are aware that all requests for commercial deals go through an approvals process and are dealt with on a case by case basis.'

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Coronation Street for comment.

Samia has starred as Maria Connor on Coronation Street since 2000, while Sair joined the cast as Alya Nazir in 2014.

Internal documents state that any outside work must be pre-approved, must not conflict with ITVs commercial partners or damage an actors characters integrity.

It's been reported the ITV soap is in trouble due to an alleged cash crisis and a revolt from the cast over poor working conditions and low salaries.

In January, an insider claimed some of the show's well known actors could see their scenes in the Rovers Return cut to save cash.

Samia appeared in a promotional video for Marks and Spencer alongside her husband Sylvain, to promote their seasonal menu

Sair was allowed to upload a glossy video of a 2,500 Italian oven from Bertazzoni, despite ITV rules banning commercial deals for soap stars, without approval from bosses

Soaring TV production costs and a collapse in advertising revenue are said to have put the future of the long-running soap in jeopardy and sparked a number of budget cuts

And as more well-established stars are paid more per episode, the show is said to be relying more on its newer characters as those actors are paid less.

Salaries on the cobbles vary significantly with established stars like Bill Roache said to earn 2,000 per episode while newbies usually get 400 per appearance

Gail Platt - played by Helen Worth for 50 years - appeared in just 26 out of 304 episodes in her final year on the soap, while Bill only played Ken for 48 episodes.

While some of the show's mid-ranking and younger actors are been said to be worried they'll be written off the show in order to keep the more established stars.

Last year, the show's new boss warned the multiple characters will face the boot as she opened up about several 'unexpected exits' in 2025.

Since November, Charlotte Jordan, Sue Cleaver, Sue Devaney, Colson Smith, and Luca Toolan  have all announced they will be leaving the show.

Other actors have reportedly vented their fury on a WhatsApp group over fears they could be next.

A source said: 'There's a WhatsApp group which has been pinging with messages about concerns of where the axe will fall next.'

'It's a tough time on the soap and it's filtering down. There is a feeling more people will be cut to save money and to keep the best-paid stars like Bill Roache and Jack P Shepherd on board.'

The insider added that cast members have also complained about the long working hours.

They added: 'Filming is tough. One person moaned they were 'worked like dogs'. The days of bumper pay are gone.'

Last month, it was also reported that bosses have a new plan up their sleeves to raise some more funds, and have applied to trademark the 'Corrie' brand.

According to The Mirror, they have filed an application with the UK's Intellectual Property Office to be able to flog branded products for fans to buy.

The publication claimed the paperwork was filed last month and once approved, would last for 10 years, preventing other parties from using the famous Corrie name.

It is said bosses want to use the well-known brand to sell the likes of toiletries, cosmetics, kitchen utensils, bed linens and even perfumes.
Hilaria Baldwin furiously denounces an unnamed celebrity in her new memoir - and many readers suspect she may be discussing Amy Schumer.

Amy was scathing about Hilaria in a 2023 comedy special, calling her a 'sociopath' and mocking her for pretending to be from Spain.

She also took aim at Hilaria and her husband Alec Baldwin for having 'a von Trapp amount of children, and they named them all - Im not sure, but very Spanish names like Jamon, Croqueta and Flamenco.'

Now in her new book Manual Not Included, Hilaria, who has seven children, has blasted a nameless 'famous person' for discussing her and her family in a 'show.'

Accusing the celebrity of saying 'nasty and untrue things' about her, Hilaria said she became 'sick with stress' when she first heard the news that she and her family would be a target of jokes in the special.

Hilaria also said that the unnamed celebrity made 'derogatory remarks' about her children, and that at one point after the special dropped 'I found one of my boys crying in bed, asking why this woman was making fun of him.'

Hilaria Baldwin (left) furiously denounces an unnamed celebrity in her new memoir - and many readers suspect she may be discussing Amy Schumer (right)

Since tying the knot in 2012, Alec and Hilaria have welcomed seven children - which is in fact the exact number of Von Trapp progeny in The Sound Of Music.

All seven children have indeed been given Spanish names, Carmen, 11, Rafael, nine, Leonardo, eight, Romeo, six, Eduardo, four, Maria, four, and Ilaria, two.

In her new book, Hilaria accused the celebrity many readers think is Amy of discussing her in a show,' saying she 'even tried to bait me and Alec via Instagram.'

She claimed she and Alec 'didn't engage with her and I guess I am proud of that,' adding that the situation 'made me mad at the system.'

Hilaria continued: 'I dont need to use her name and I dont want any problems with her, and I would like to be left out of any articles that mention her, because she has nothing to do with me. A total stranger.'

She recalled being 'sick with stress' upon hearing that a comedy special would come out in which she and her family would be mocked.

On the day of the show's release, Hilaria went for a run but fell down because she was so preoccupied, and was left crying and bleeding from her leg.

Hilaria wrote in her memoir that the special 'gutted me because I couldnt understand how someone could be so inherently cruel.'

Amy ribbed Hilaria and Alec Baldwin for having 'a von Trapp amount of children, and they named them all - Im not sure, but very Spanish names like Jamon, Croqueta and Flamenco'

Since tying the knot in 2012, Alec and Hilaria have welcomed seven children - which is in fact the exact number of Von Trapp progeny in The Sound Of Music

However she maintained that 'I don't need an apology' from the mystery star, witheringly stating: 'No matter what, I hope I never meet her.'

In her 2023 Netflix special Emergency Contact, Amy claimed to have met Hilaria 'years ago' backstage at Saturday Night Live, where she allegedly spoke with a 'very thick Spanish accent' and described herself as being 'from Espana.'

Amy joked: 'They have a von Trapp amount of children, and they named them all - Im not sure, but very Spanish names like Jamon, Croqueta and Flamenco.

She continued: 'And all of this would be fine and beautiful, except that "Hilaria from Espana" is actually Hillary from Boston. This woman is in no way Spanish. Her parents are not from Spain. No one in her life is from Spain. Youre going: "What?!" Did you think I was just doing a really racist Spanish impression?'

Amy added: 'So, Im not trying to bully a sociopath. I have a point, OK? I think what had happened was she went to Spain. And Ive been lucky enough to go to Spain. Some of you have been. Its great, right? Dont you love it? I loved it, too. But Hillary from Bostonloooved it!'

In her 2023 Netflix special Emergency Contact, Amy claimed to have met Hilaria 'years ago' at Saturday Night Live, where she allegedly spoke with a 'very thick Spanish accent'

She went on: 'My point is that all evidence points to this woman, since she met her husband, has straight up pretended to be from Spain.'

Amy then brought up the legal battle Alec was facing over the fatal shooting on the set of his western Rust in November 2021.

The saga culminated in a judge dismissing the involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Concluding her takedown of Hilaria, Amy vamped: 'And her husband shot someone... find someone who can stand you.'

One week after the special bowed, an interview ran in which Hilaria said: 'It is a ridiculous thing to be cruel to another person,' via Romper.
Celebrity chef Shannon Bennett made his long-awaited return to MasterChef Australia on Wednesday night and it was an emotional experience for viewers.

The Melbourne-born culinary expert, 49, appeared on the popular Channel Ten cooking series for the first time since 2023 to help contestants prepare a pea puree.

'Just a little bit of cooking. Show you a couple of things!' Shannon said as he took them through the steps to prepare the dish.

His top-notch culinary skills left the contestants in awe, with Callum Hann remarking: 'I'm loving watching Shannon cook! Every time you watch one of these guru chefs, you always learn something'.

Emotional fans took to social media to share their excitement at seeing Shannon in the kitchen.

'I was so teary seeing him back in the studio. He is a hero and in my mind should have been one of the new judges last year,' one person wrote.

Celebrity chef Shannon Bennett made his long-awaited return to MasterChef Australia on Wednesday night

The Melbourne-born culinary expert appeared on the popular Channel Ten cooking series for the first time since 2023 to help contestants prepare a pea puree

'He has all the skills and is empathetic. Hopefully he will be a judge one day if that is what he wants.'

'You learn from the legend,' a second person added and a third wrote.

'He made it look easy.'

Last month, Shannon's ex-partner Madeleine West welcomed her seventh child - her first that he is not the father to.

The 47-year-old shared a glimpse at her newborn in an Instagram post, 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, nor has she revealed the father's identity.

Madeleine recently opened up about her seventh pregnancy at the age of 47.

The star already shares five daughters and one son with Shannon, who she was in a relationship with from 2005 to 2018.

Emotional fans took to social media to share their excitement at seeing him in the kitchen, after his ex-partner Madeleine West recently welcomed her seventh child. Pictured together in 2016

Last month, Shannon's ex-partner Madeleine West welcomed her seventh child - her first that he is not the father to

In an interview with 60 Minutes, she said she was 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",' she told host Tara Brown.

'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.'

The TV star - who shares Phoenix, 19, Hendrix, 16, Xascha, 14, Xanthe, 12, and twins Xalia and Margaux, 10, with Shannon.
The Office star Ralph Ineson has been handed 'substantial' compensation from Disney after he was injured while fighting an ogre on set.

The actor, 54 is perhaps best known for playing office boss David Brent's obnoxious pal Finchy in the UK version of the sitcom.

The star has enjoyed a fruitful acting career in the two decades since the mockumentary series, penned by Rick Gervais, but had an unpleasant experience while filming scenes for a Disney TV series sequel to Willow.

He sued the company for 150,000 after he sustained permanent shoulder damage while filming the show in Bridgend, south Wales.

The screen star was dressed as knight Commander Ballantine while battling a nine-foot ogre named The Scourge when he 'fell awkwardly' after slipping on fake foam gravel, according to his lawyers.

It was claimed he caught his foot on some steps and the resulting injuries to his right arm now stop him from taking on 'physical' roles 'involving fighting and horse-riding'.

The Office star Ralph Ineson has been handed 'substantial' compensation from Disney after he was injured while fighting an ogre (pictured as knight Commander Ballantine in the Willow sequel)

He sued the company for 150,000 after he sustained permanent shoulder damage while filming the show in Bridgend, south Wales (pictured in 2021)

But Ralph has received some good news after winning compensation from Disney for the incident, The Sun reports.

The star is thought to have accepted the sum and a source said: 'He is happy the whole thing has been put to bed.

'There is not much doubt he suffered a bad injury.'

His lawyer, David White, added: 'The claimant felt the immediate onset of pain. He stoically kept quiet until the end of the shoot before speaking up.'

Ralph rose to prominence when he first appeared in The Office as divisive Yorkshireman Chris Finch in 2001.

He went on to play Amycus Carrow in the last two Harry Potter movies and Cleftjaw in Game of Thrones.

In papers filed with the High Court in London, barrister David said Ralph was hurt while filming at night at The Gales at Dragon Studios in Bridgend.

It is claimed he fell because the pressures of filming deadlines meant fake foam gravel was not raked properly and obscured the steps on which he caught his foot.

Ralph rose to prominence when he first appeared in The Office as divisive Yorkshireman Chris Finch in The Office in 2001 (pictured, far left)

In March 2023 it was announced the adventures of Willow Ufgood, starring Warwick Davis (pictured), would not continue on Disney+

The eight-episode season was set decades after the original 1988 movie and, alongside Ralph (pictured), starred Warwick, Val Kilmer and Joanne Whaley

In 2023, it was announced the adventures of Willow Ufgood would not continue on Disney+, with the streaming service cancelling the Willow prequel series.

The eight-episode season was set decades after the original 1988 movie and starred Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer and Joanne Whaley.

It debuted in late December 2022 and concluded January 2023.

The series brought back Warwick, 53, as Willow Ufgood, who led a new group of misfits on a perilous journey.
Celebrity cook Nagi Maehashi has taken a cryptic swipe at rival Brooke Bellamy.

The pair are currently embroiled in a plagiarism dispute after the RecipieTin Eats founder accused Brooke of copying recipes for her tome Bake with Brooki.

Prior to her win at the 2025 Australian Book industry Awards (ABIA) on Wednesday, Nagi shared a short clip in which she issued her excitement over her nomination in the Illustrated Book of the Year category.

'Hi, it's Nagi here from RecipeTin Eats published by Pan McMillan,' she began the clip.

'I'm very excited to be at the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards. I've been shortlisted!' she added before excitedly holding up a copy of her book RecipeTin Eats: Tonight.

She then appeared to take a subtle swipe at Brooke, who was a no-show at the event despite being nominated for the same award.

Celebrity cook Nagi Maehashi (pictured) has taken a cryptic swipe at rival Brooke Bellamy at the 2025 Australian Book industry Awards

'It's so exciting. I'm very nervous, but also very happy to be here amongst all this incredible talent,' she said.

'What an honour to be shortlisted and having a great night.'

Nagi walked away the from ABIAs, held in Melbourne on Wednesday, with the prize for Illustrated Book of the Year for her cookbook RecipeTin Eats: Tonight.

A simple message on the ABIA Instagram page read: 'The winner of the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) Illustrated Book of the Year is: RecipeTin Eats: Tonight (Nagi Maehashi, Macmillan) Congratulations!'

The book awards night is the latest chapter in the feud between the two chefs.

Nagi sparked a firestorm last week when she claimed the former travel blogger-turned-baker copied her caramel slice and baklava recipes.

The couple are currently embroiled in a plagiarism dispute after the RecipieTin Eats founder accused Brooke (pictured) of copying recipes for her tome Bake with Brooki

Prior to her win at the 2025 Australian Book industry Awards (ABIA) on Wednesday, Nagi appeared to take a subtle swipe at Brooke who was a no show at the event, despite being nominated for the same award.

The RecipeTin Eats founder made the first accusation on April 29, sharing a lengthy blog post to her website and a series of slides to her Instagram account.

Nagi said she first raised concerns with Penguin publishing in December after a reader emailed her highlighting 'remarkable similarities' between her caramel slice recipe and the version in the newly released Bake with Brooki.

'I put a huge amount of effort into my recipes. And I share them on my website for anyone to use for free,' Maehashi wrote.

'To see them plagiarised (in my view) and used in a book for profit, without credit, doesn't just feel unfair. It feels like a blatant exploitation of my work.

'To me, the similarities between the recipes in question are so specific and detailed that calling these a coincidence feels disingenuous.'

Nagi added that profiting from plagiarised recipes was 'unethical'.

'It's a slap in the face to every author who puts in the hard work to create original content rather than cutting corners,' she wrote.

She also claimed Brooke plagiarised other authors, which she did not name.

'It's so exciting. I'm very nervous., but also very happy to be here amoungst all this incredible talent,' she said 'What an honour to be shortlisted and having a great night'

A simple message on the ABIA Instagram page read: 'The winner of the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) Illustrated Book of the Year is: RecipeTin Eats: Tonight (Nagi Maehashi, Macmillan) Congratulations!'

However, hours after the allegations first surfaced, US baker Sally McKenney of Sally's Baking Addiction fame claimed on Instagram that Brooke had also copied her vanilla cake recipe.

Two days later, Nagi claimed Brooke may have copied 'virtually word for word' the recipe for Portuguese tart from the late Bill Granger's 2006 cookbook.

'It is so blatant to me that the wording in the method part of the recipe is copied almost exactly,' Nagi told East Coast Media.

'To me, it is the biggest and strongest example of plagiarism that I have seen by this author.'

Both Penguin and Brooke denied the allegations, with the baker saying she had been making and selling her recipes for years before Nagi's were published.

'I did not plagiarise any recipes in my book which consists of 100 recipes I have created over many years,' Bellamy said.

'In 2016, I opened my first bakery. I have been creating my recipes and selling them commercially since October 2016.'

Brooke added that she was deeply distressed by the allegations and for being attacked online by social media trolls.

Brisbane baker and social media sensation Bellamy (pictured) did not attend

She was was nominated for the same award for her own cookbook Bake with Brooki, which Maehashi claims contains plagiarised recipes

'I do not copy other people's recipes,' she said.

'Like many bakers, I draw inspiration from the classics, but the creations you see at (her Brisbane bakery) Brooki Bakehouse reflect my own experience, taste, and passion for baking, born of countless hours of my childhood spent in my home kitchen with Mum.'

While the Brisbane baker insisted she did not copy the recipes, she 'immediately offered to remove both from future reprints to prevent further aggravation'.

Brooke has since hunkered down at her Brisbane home and issued a plea for privacy as she closed her personal Instagram account to the public after savage attacks by trolls.

'The past 24 hours have been extremely overwhelming,' she said in a statement last week.

'I have had media outside my home and business, and have been attacked online. It has been deeply distressing for my colleagues and my young family.

'While baking has leeway for creativity, much of it is a precise science and is necessarily formulaic.

'Many recipes are bound to share common steps and measures: if they don't, they simply don't work.

It's the latest twist in the feud between the two chefs this week following heated plagiarism allegations

Brooke has denied the allegations, claiming she has been making the recipes years before Maehashi

'My priority right now is to ensure the welfare of the fantastic team at Brooki Bakehouse and that of my family.'

Nagi also pleaded with social media users, fans and supporters to leave Bellamy alone in a video shared to Instagram.

'Please stop the trolling,' Maehashi said.

'Now I know I've made serious allegations, but this does not justify the personal attacks that I've seen online against Brooke Bellamy.

'I do not support it, and I'm asking you to stop. I know that this is just a very, very small percentage of people online. I know the majority of people are good, fun, normal people.

'Share your opinions, have heated debates, support Brooki, support me, disagree with both of us, think we're pathetic, whatever you want, but just keep it respectful, no trolling, no hateful comments.'

Nagi said Penguin denied the allegations, saying via lawyers: 'Our client respectfully rejects your client's allegations and confirms that the recipes in [Bake with Brooki] were written by Brooke Bellamy.'

The ugly food row saw Brooke dropped as an ambassador for the government's Academy for Enterprising Girls.

Meanwhile, Nagi also faced criticism from celebrity chef Luke Mangan who said she had failed to credit him properly for a recipe she used in one of her cookbooks

Meanwhile, Nagi also faced criticism from celebrity chef Luke Mangan who said she had failed to credit him properly for a recipe she used in one of her cookbooks.

RecipeTin Eats has 1.5million followers on Instagram and Maehashi has also authored award-winning cookbooks Dinner and Tonight.

Brooke quickly became a global sensation after sharing videos on TikTok, which receive millions of views every day.

She is best known for her cookies and has opened pop-up stores in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
DJs Fisher and Chris Lake will join forces for a special one-night only pop-up show this Saturday.

The world famous DJs will take to the stage at a secret outdoor venue in Sydney, promising an unforgettable four-hour performance of beats and bass, and Liquid I.V. is the Official Hydration Partner of the event.

The artists are currently dominating the ARIA Club Charts, with Fisher at number one and Chris Lake at two.

Fisher's latest track Stay has held the top spot for seven consecutive weeks, while Chris Lake's Ease My Mind continues to captivate audiences after eleven weeks on the charts.

Tickets for this exclusive event will go on sale to registered fans on Friday from 12:30pm AEST.

DJ Paul Fisher is known for his dynamic performances and infectious personality and has established himself as a global dance phenomenon.

DJs Fisher and Chris Lake will join forces for a special one-night only pop-up show on Saturday, May 10

From Grammy nominations to sold-out shows worldwide, his impact on the electronic music scene is undeniable.

Meanwhile, Chris Lake is renowned for bridging underground vibes with mainstream appeal.

It's been a big 12 months for Fisher, after he and his wife Chloe welcomed their first child together.

The former model gave birth on June 20, to a baby girl they named Bobbi Maree.

Taking to Instagram, the pair were thrilled to share the exciting news.

'HELLO WORLD, meet our baby girl,' they captioned their joint post.

'Bobbi Maree Fisher. Born 20 June 2024. The happiest day of the year.'

The Gold Coast-born star said he had to reschedule his New York shows at the time so he could be by his wife's side.

The world famous DJs will take to the stage at a secret outdoor venue in Sydney, promising an unforgettable four-hour performance of beats and bass

Tickets for this exclusive event will go on sale to registered fans on Friday from 12:30pm AEST

The house DJ, who performs under the moniker DJ Fisher, and his wife shared the pregnancy news to Instagram on Christmas Eve 2023.

'The greatest gift of all. I've waited my whole life for you,' Chloe wrote on Instagram alongside an image in which her husband cradled her bump.

Chloe, who has previously had four miscarriages, took a moment to share her empathy for those struggling with infertility and revealed she had battled for several years to conceive via IVF.

'After 4 years of trying to convince, 1000s of needles, eight rounds of IVF, multiple surgeries, I've lived this nightmare and I know this pain and suffering all too well,' she said.

Chloe is a model and swimwear designer and the founder of Australian brand Aloe Swimwear.
Mob Wives star Renee Graziano has revealed the incredible results she achieved after using the popular Hollywood weight loss medication Mounjaro.

Mounjaro, which like Ozempic is an injectable originally developed to treat diabetes, has been taken by celebrities ranging from Meghan Trainor to Whoopi Goldberg.

Now Renee, the daughter of a former consigliere to the Bonnano mafia family, has become one of the latest famous faces to shed pounds with the help of the drug.

The 55-year-old has been posting up a storm to her Instagram page, proudly displaying her slimmed-down figure in swimwear and fitted clothing.

In the caption of one snap she posted this week, Renee trumpeted: 'OH BABY IM DOWN 52lbs  I love sharing my weight-loss journey with yall because truthfully, Ive been so hard on myself behind the scenes.'

Baring the emotions behind her weight loss process, she wrote: 'Ive battled self-criticism in the past! Ripped myself down to the ground!! I truly was so sick and tired of my life and my inability to lose weight so I thought Id eat until I felt better.'

Mob Wives star Renee Graziano has revealed the incredible results she achieved after using the popular Hollywood weight loss medication Mounjaro; pictured in 2018 (left) and now (right)

Renee wrote: 'THAT NEVER HAPPENED, I felt like I was constantly falling shortof how I should look, feel, and keep up with what society tells us is acceptable.'

She encouraged fans: 'Thats why, when I see photos that show the real, visible change, My clear eyes and genuine smile I have to share. I want everyone to know if I can do it you can do it! its all possible!!

Renee dished: 'Between taking my weekly MOUNJARO shot for the 1st 5 months, the. making sure I took the right supplements (dm me I will share what take) weekly chats with my therapist and doing all the work behind my insecurity, I havent felt the need for a plastic surgery short cut'.

She clarified: 'Although I do believe whatever makes you happy and doesnt jeopardize your life do it!' confessing she uses 'a little Botox' and a 'touch of lip filler.'

Renee, who has been candid about her turbulent struggle with substance abuse and is currently on the wagon, discussed the impact of her physical transformation.

'The substantial amount of weight that I have lost really has made me feel and look younger than I have in a long time,' she wrote. 'My mind is clear and My body has transformed, and more importantly, so has my confidence.'

Renee told viewers: 'Whatever goal youre working toward, know this: you can do it. Be patient. Be kind to yourself. And dont give up. But always remember if your like me your recovery must come first!!'

The mafia scion was arrested and charged on suspicion of DUI in January 2022, after she crashed her Nissan Murano into an empty parked car.

Renee, who is pictured in 2017, wrote that she was 'truly was so sick and tired of my life and my inability to lose weight so I thought Id eat until I felt better'

The 55-year-old has been posting up a storm to her Instagram page, proudly displaying her slimmed-down figure in swimwear and fitted clothing

She later spoke out, insisting 'no drugs or alcohol were involved' in the incident, that she 'never' appeared before a judge and that her case was 'thrown out.'

More than a year later, in September 2023, she suffered a near-fatal fentanyl overdose after which she had to learn to walk again.

The life-threatening ordeal prompted her to go to rehab and get sober, and she has since been frank about her previous struggles with substance abuse.

Renee confessed to 'self-medicating' with drugs as she coped with various personal crises, including the death of her father Anthony Graziano and the collapse of her marriage to mobster Hector 'Junior' Pagan.

Mob Wives was infamously rocked by scandal when Anthony was sentenced to a year and a half of prison after Junior wore a wire to surveil him for the authorities.

Now Renee feels that she was 'was never addicted to drugs' but used them as a 'comfort' amid the tumult in her life, she told Page Six last year.

'In some strange way, I think sometimes that self-medicating kept me alive,' she said. 'Because I think if I would have really had to live through it without medicating, I might not have made it. That's the truth, and I don't even like to talk that way.'
Aubrey Plaza is appearing in her first role since husband Jeff Baena's death in January.

The 40-year-old actress will star alongside Margaret Qualley in Honey Dont!, whose trailer was released by Focus Features on Wednesday.

Screenwriters Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke penned the dark comedy, which follows local detective Honey ODonahue (Qualley) as she investigates a string of deaths tied to a questionable church.

Plaza commands attention as a police officer working with O'Donahue within the first seconds of the teaser.

Chris Evans also emerges, starring as the unscrupulous religious figure at the heart of the film's investigation.

The movie is slated for an August 22 release.

Aubrey Plaza is appearing in her first role since husband Jeff Baena's death in January

In the dark comedy Honey Don't! Plaza commands attention as a police officer working with main character Honey O'Donahue

Aubrey's husband Jeff was found dead in his Los Angeles home earlier this year, after taking his own life.

She and Baena had been separated since September 2024, an LA County Medical Examiner's autopsy report obtained by DailyMail.com later revealed.

The White Lotus star was in New York when his body was discovered on January 3.

The report detailed that the Life After Beth director had been 'experiencing marital difficulties' in his final months, and was in therapy.

It also stated that Plaza had been concerned for her estranged husband's wellbeing.

Shortly after his death, a representative for Plaza said in a statement, 'This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.'

In the wake of Jeff's passing, Aubrey has deleted her Instagram account.

She did, however, put on a brave face to appear as a presenter during Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary special in February.

This is the first time fans will see Aubrey back to work on the big screen, months after her husband's shock suicide

Margaret Qualley (pictured in March) plays local detective Honey ODonahue, who investigates a string of deaths tied to a questionable church

Aubrey and Jeff began dating in 2011, and quietly married in 2020; pictured in 2016

As Aubrey grieves and moves forward, she is expected to star in Zach Woods forthcoming project The Accompanist.

It will also star child actress Everly Carganilla and Hollywood heavyweight Susan Sarandon.

Deadline broke the news this week, revealing that the former Parks and Recreation star will play a welfare agent sent to investigate a childs claim that her grandfather nearly got her family killed.

Per the outlet, a synopsis reads: 'When 9-year-old Emily (Carganilla) accidentally tells her school nurse that her dementia-stricken grandpa almost got them killed, rookie child-welfare agent Sarah is sent to their house to investigate.

'A botched extraction ensues and Emily is taken and placed with Sylvia (Sarandon), a new foster parent. Sylvia is mysterious, witchy, funny, and unpredictable.

'Her natural warmth and playfulness are complicated by the fact that she is haunted by visitations from her past.'
The man who allegedly crashed his car through the front gates of Jennifer Aniston's home has been charged with stalking and vandalism.

The Los Angeles County District announced charges have been filed against Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, in a press release accusing him of stalking the Morning Show star.

LA County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced that Carwyle has been charged with one count of felony stalking and one count of felony vandalism after the incident at Aniston's Bel-Air home on Monday.

The release claims that Carwyle has been 'repeatedly' harassing Aniston between March 1, 2023 to May 5, 2025 by sending her 'unwanted social media, voicemail, and email messages.'

In addition, Carwyle faces an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm.

Carwyle, who hails from Mississippi, could face three years in state prison if he is convicted as charged, according to the press release.

The man who allegedly crashed his car into the front gate of Jennifer Aniston's home has been charged with stalking and vandalism; Aniston pictured 2024

'On May 5, at around 12:20 p.m., the alleged harassment culminated when he allegedly crashed his vehicle through her front gate, causing substantial damage, and stopped in her driveway. He was arrested by her security guard before law enforcement arrived,' the release noted of the incident.

The LAPD investigated the incident and Deputy District Attorney Sam Hulefeld of LADAs Stalking and Threat Assessment Team is now prosecuting the case.

'Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities,' district attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in the news release. 'My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.'

'I want to thank law enforcement and our Stalking and Threat Assessment Team, particularly Deputy District Attorney Sam Hulefeld, for their outstanding work in this case,' he also said.

Carwyle has an arraignment scheduled for May 8 in Dept. 30 of the Airport Courthouse and prosecutors are set to ask that a statutory bail of $150,000 be placed on the accused.

DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Aniston for comment.

Aniston was home at the time of the terrifying incident.

The suspect was apprehended by Aniston's security team, who reportedly held him at gunpoint as they awaited for the Los Angeles Police Department to arrive, according to TMZ.

Aniston's security team are said to have dashed to the car after the crash and remove the driver from the vehicle. They detained him during their wait for police, who subsequently arrested him.

On Tuesday, LAPD confirmed to DailyMail.com that Carwyle was the person identified and booked for felony vandalism in connection to the crash that happened at the Friends star's property.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle allegedly drove his car through the front gate of Aniston's home on Monday

The suspect was apprehended by Aniston's security team, who reportedly held him at gunpoint as they awaited for the Los Angeles Police Department to arrive

The LAPD have investigated the case, which is now being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Sam Hulefeld of LADAs Stalking and Threat Assessment Team

Police told TMZ that they are 'reviewing social media posts' under the suspect's name.

Per the outlet, 'a Facebook page with several bizarre and rambling posts' can be found under Carwyle's name.

This includes one, in which Aniston is referred to as his 'bride' and, at least, five additional posts featuring her full name.

It is unknown at this time, if that account is connected to the suspect or someone else with the same name.

Officer Jeff Lee, who is a spokesperson for the LAPD, previously said the incident occurred at approximately 12:20PM PT and that police were responding to a call about a 'burglary suspect' at the residence who 'ran his vehicle through the gate to the residence.'

Aniston's security team are said to have dashed to the car after the crash and remove the driver from the vehicle. They detained him during their wait for police, who subsequently arrested him

Aniston did not come into contact with the suspect, police said, and law enforcement sources said she was not hurt. It has also been reported that he did not enter the home.

A public information officer with the LAPD said the driver 'rammed his vehicle through the gate to the residence and gained access to the property.'

'There was a security guard on premises who was able to detain that suspect until officers arrived, at which time they took him into custody without incident.'

The officer added: 'The resident was home at the time.'

Representatives for Aniston previously declined to comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.
Iconic SBS newsreader Lee Lin Chin has made an unexpected return to social media after a two year absence.

The veteran presenter, 72, recently shared a throwback image of her as a young journalist to Instagram.

'I'm back from being locked out of this account for over 12 months. The reason I was blocked? I can't say for sure, but my last published posts give me quite the inclination,' she wrote beside the image.

The Jakarta-born star then revealed she believed she was banned from using the platform for publicly expressing her political views.

'I'll have more to say shortly, but for now, as always, free, free Palestine!' Lee wrote.

'Thanks to Elle Savage on TikTok for this trip down memory lane. Even as a teenage girl, I knew my straight fringe was an undeniable slay. xLee.'

Iconic SBS newsreader Lee Lin Chin has made an unexpected return to social media after a two year absence. Pictured

Many of Lee's followers took to the comment section to express their joy over her return.

'You are an absolute Queen and Legend. Welcome back, fiercer,' one person wrote.

'Welcome back! We have missed you,' another added.

In March last year, it was reported Lee was flying well under the radar.

According to New Idea, former co-workers had not seen or heard from Lee, who resigned from the Australian broadcaster SBS in 2018, for some time.

One close colleague said 'she came halfway out of retirement' to film a commercial in 2023, 'then promptly went underground again'.

Another friend told the publication 'I couldn't tell you exactly where she is... she has never liked doing interviews because she simply doesn't like talking about herself'.

It's understood the former broadcaster splits her time between Sydney, Singapore and London.

The veteran presenter, 72, recently shared a throwback image of her as a young journalist to Instagram

Lee revealed she believed she had been banned from for publicly expressing her political views

The journalist began presenting the weekend 6.30pm World News in 1988, before quitting in 2018.

In 2020, The Guardian reported that Chin resigned after 30 years with the network because of the 'mistreatment of staff'.

She claimed there were systemic issues at SBS, including the management style and culture.

The anchor was one of the country's most popular media personalities and well known for her flamboyant outfits and dry sense of humour.
Kim Kardashian showed off her bombshell assets when she changed out of her Met Gala look into a sizzling afterparty ensemble.

The 44-year-old reality TV superstar swung by Pharrell Williams' After Hour Uno Tournament and Teyana Taylor's bash in the Times Square EDITION hotel.

During the evening's festivities, Kim was seen hobnobbing with two of her glamorous gal pals - Ciara, 39, and La La Anthony, 45.

But it was Kim's own look that stole the show, offering up a generous helping of cleavage and cinching in her enviably trim waistline.

She has now fired up her Instagram page to offer a few insights behind the custom Dilara Findikoglu - including behind-the-scenes images of her donning the look.

Her new album included Dilara's sketch of the outfit, marked up with explanations of the various pieces used to play up Kim's attributes to full steamy advantage.

Kim Kardashian showed off her bombshell assets when she changed out of her Met Gala look into a sizzling afterparty ensemble

Her new album included the designer's sketch of the outfit, marked up with explanations of the various pieces used to play up Kim's attributes to full steamy advantage

Dilara's labels pointed out that there was 'antique lace to cover the breast area,' as well as a 'sheer tail' and a 'jacket and skirt both in python.'

The designer noted the 'sexy 18th century inspired python jacket' had 'ruffled hips and a subtle bustle' - a clever way to highlight Kim's famously voluptuous behind.

Kim's new Instagram album also featured behind-the-scenes images of her being helped into the outfit and glammed up for her latest night out.

Earlier on Monday, she turned heads as she made a show-stopping arrival at the Met Gala in a Chrome Hearts, crocodile-embossed leather dress that hugged her hourglass figure paired with a chic hat covering her eyes.

For this year's Met Gala, which had the theme of 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,' Kardashian attended the event alongside her half-sisters Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner.

Their other siblings and the Kardashian-Jenner matriarch were notably absent from this year's star-studded soiree.

Their sister Khloe Kardashian supported them from home and shared social media posts of herself watching her sisters on the livestream.

Kourtney Kardashian also did not attend this year as she opted to stay home with her husband Travis Barker and their one-year-old baby son Rocky.

The 44-year-old reality TV superstar swung by Pharrell Williams ' After Hour Uno Tournament and Teyana Taylor's bash in the Times Square EDITION hotel

During the evening's festivities, Kim was seen hobnobbing with two of her glamorous gal pals - Ciara, 39, and La La Anthony, 45

But it was Kim's own look that stole the show, offering up a generous helping of cleavage and cinching in her enviably tiny waistline

She has now fired up her Instagram page to offer a few insights behind the custom Dilara Findikoglu - including behind-the-scenes images of her donning the look

Dilara's labels pointed out that there was 'antique lace to cover the breast area,' as well as a 'sheer tail' and a 'jacket and skirt both in python'

The designer noted the 'sexy 18th century inspired python jacket' had 'ruffled hips and a subtle bustle' - a clever way to highlight Kim's famously voluptuous behind

Kim's new Instagram album also featured behind-the-scenes images of her being helped into the outfit and glammed up for her latest night out

The Kardashian-Jenner matriarch Kris Jenner also skipped this year's Met Gala.

Before walking the red carpet, however, she was seen scolding a security guard after she took an awkward tumble in her dress.

In her post-Met Gala clip, the SKIMS founder was no longer wearing her oversize hat and had changed into what appeared to be a black blazer.

Underneath the chic outerwear, which had embroidered details on her sleeves, she wore a very low-cut top.

She seemingly kept her hair and makeup the same but had taken off the heavy diamond choker necklaces that she was wearing for her red carpet walk up the Met steps.

Ciara also wore a similar garment with a plunging, low-cut neckline. And La La Anthony wore a strapless, black top paired with a large, diamond-encrusted cross necklace.

The reality TV personality, 44, was seen hanging out with an iconic pop star and a close pal, who is an actress and MTV alum, after leading the glam parade on fashion's biggest night

Kardashian took to her Instagram Story to share a clip of herself in a dimly-lit venue with flashing lights and loud music

In the video, she was posing with a pout beside her friends

The trio were seen laughing and smiling as they enjoyed each other's company after changing out of their Met Gala looks

Earlier, Kardashian was heading to the museum alongside her 11-year-old daughter North when she had a stumbling mishap.

Kardashian faced a near-fall when a security guard accidentally stepped on her dress.

After stumbling forward, she angrily turned towards the man and said something to him before she held up her hand with a harsh look on her face.

The awkward moment was caught on camera and shared to TikTok.

Tension seemingly did not end there, as Kardashian glared back while hopping into a pick-up vehicle before hitting the famous steps at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Kardashian decided to don some leather in a long bodycon dress with matching large fedora by Chrome Hearts.

The look was definitely representative of the 'Tailoring Black Style' theme as it took inspiration from the zoot suit outfits worn by black men in the 1930s and 1940s.

She accessorized with several diamond necklaces which cascaded down her chest along with matching dangling earrings.

Her raven-colored locks were worn down and though most of her face was covered up by her fashionable headwear, it could be seen that she was wearing plenty of make-up.

After making a glamorous arrival at the Met Gala with her sisters, Kim celebrated at an afterparty without her sisters

She was caught scolding a security guard after he caused her to take an awkward tumble as she headed to the Met Gala 2025

Meanwhile, North West teased her debut at the Met Gala 2025 alongside her mother amid a bitter custody drama with Kanye West, which ultimately did not happen.

The nepo baby showcased her wild style as she two posted a few TikTok videos together showing off their respective looks.

North donned a matching cowhide jacket and shorts combination along with black Nike high crew socks and a pair of black leather Rick Owens sneakers which retail for $1,200.

She accessorized with several long silver necklaces as well as turquoise and silver earrings.

North also added a bit of color to her hair with varying shades of blue dye in her long locks, which were pulled into braids that cascaded down to her hip.

North also wore plenty of make-up, including a swipe of nude lip.

Their appearance comes just days after Kim's ex, Kanye West, complained about not being able to see his kids in a livestream Wednesday.

The Chicago native, 47, who has publicly clashed ex-wife Kim about her parenting of their daughter.

On Wednesday, West vented about not seeing North, as well as his three younger kids - daughter Chicago, seven; and sons Saint, nine, and Psalm, five. 'F*** all these f***** n*****,' said West, who was recently banned from Twitch.

'I'mma go get these kids, bro. I'm talking to the lawyers - it gets to the point where I don't lose my f***in' mind where I got to get used to not seeing my kids,' he ranted in a room while clad in an all-black ensemble and a mask.

The Stronger artist added, '[DJ] Akademiks put that battery in my back, bro - cause I was in the airport by myself  I'mma go get these kids, man!'

Dailymail.com has reached out to Kardashian's reps and West's rep Milo Yiannopoulos for further comment on this story.

In his rant, West said, 'Why you got all these black kids that are just sitting there at school ... trying to jump up and down for McDonald's, n*****.

West, who previously complained about the lack of public support from Jay-Z and Beyonce, added, 'None of these celebrity n***** give a f*** about anything but their next cheeseburger, n*****!'

West, who recently returned from Japan, has been working on new music and corresponding with his fans on social media about the upcoming slate of releases.

He previously posted a series of tweets on March 19 in which he said that he was put off by a white woman being in control of his black children.

West also rankled Kim a year before their split when he revealed that he and the socialite had once broached the comment of getting an abortion when she was pregnant with North.

The shock reveal came in the middle of 2020, when West ran a presidential campaign, complete with a rally in Charleston, South Carolina.

West said he received a 'message from God' after he and Kardashian debated about getting the procedure.

The New Workout Plan artist  who recently said he should have procreated with Kim's pal Paris Hilton instead of her  was slammed by people in the comment thread of a Hollywood Unlocked Instagram post for his frenetic behavior in relation to seeing his kids.

One commenter, referring to content on West's X feed, said that 'maybe swastikas and molestation of family members aren't kid friendly.'

Others said West was hurting his own cause with the public meltdown when the custody case eventually hit court.

'Kim don't even have to bring the evidence to court,' one user said. 'The judge can just look on her phone on a calm Wednesday morning.'

West's comments directed at his ex-wife came in reaction to a planned collaboration between his daughter North and rapper Playboi Carti, 28, which he opposes.

North West made her debut at the Met Gala 2025 alongside her proud mom Kim amid bitter custody drama with Kanye West

North shared a quick video of the two before getting their glam on

'So Kim got the name and likeness over my black children,' the Bound 2 artist said on X, formerly Twitter.

The 24-time Grammy winner continued: 'So a white women has control over the name and likeness of my black children and then speaks to carti about putting my daughter on a song with him.'

West added that 'these [dumb a**] celebrities be trying to play with me in my face.'

The Runaway artist explained in an earlier tweet that he wasn't comfortable letting North work with Playboi Carti, even though he is not directly involved with the project.

'I decided North wont be doing any songs with Carti,' West said. 'How it look for me to get left off the album and then he ask Kim to have vocals from my daughter.'

The Paranoid vocalist added, 'I dont a f*** about none of this industry s*** and how its a skims line in the first place and I dont give a f*** what no comments.'

West cited his beliefs in terms of how gender relates to co-parenting, saying that 'the man has the first and final say over his kids.'

The Gold Digger artist previously said that 'the man makes the final decision.'

Meanwhile, Kanye West complained about not seeing his kids in a livestream Wednesday

West was seen embracing North after she took part in The Lion King's 30th anniversary concert at Hollywood Bowl last May

West was critical of Playboy Carti for not collaborating with him amid recent controversies, citing how he included him on his 2024 hit single CARNIVAL.

'Hey North your dad gave me my biggest song and co sign and I left him off of my album because of his tweets ... oh but north you my niece I gotta use your vocals.'

The Through the Wire vocalist said Playboy Carti was out of line in going behind his back to seal the collab with North: 'I held my tongue about [not] being on carti album. Him going to my ex to ask my daughter to be on a song 2 days later was too far ... nobody finna play with me.'

West was seen embracing North on Hulu's The Kardashians last month after she took part in The Lion King's 30th anniversary concert at Hollywood Bowl last May.

Other relatives on hand to support the eldest child of West and Kardashian last year included her grandmother Kris Jenner and aunt Kourtney Kardashian, who attended with her husband Travis Barker, also an accomplished entertainer.

West last month declared himself as a voice for the voiceless amid the sensitivities of contemporary cancel culture.
Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Sigalit 'Siggy' Flicker was appointed to the Holocaust Memorial Council by President Donald Trump Tuesday.

The president announced the appointment of the Bravo alum and a number of others via his Truth Social platform Tuesday: 'They are all strong supporters of Israel, and will ensure we NEVER FORGET. Congratulations to all!'

Flicker, 57, said in a tweet Tuesday: 'President Trump Thank you for the privilege & honor to represent and NEVER FORGET.' (She added emojis of the American and Israeli flags to the social media correspondence with the commander in chief.)

The new members replace Biden-era appointees on the council whose employment Trump terminated April 29.

Following Trump's win over Democratic challenger Kamala Harris last fall, Flicker told Dailymail.com exclusively that she felt Bravo producers had punished her for her political leanings.

'My first season was great, they presented me as I am  emotional but loving and very into relationships,' Flicker said November 8. 'Then, in my second season, they had learned that I voted for Trump in the 2016 election and the producers hated it.'

Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Sigalit 'Siggy' Flicker, 57, has been appointed to the Holocaust Memorial Council by President Donald Trump, 78

Following Trump's win over Democrat Kamala Harris last fall, Flicker told Dailymail.com exclusively that she felt Bravo producers had punished her for her political leanings.

Flicker's appointment came just more than a year after her son Tyler Campanella was arrested in connection with on five misdemeanor charges in connection with the January 6, 2021 attacks on the U.S. Capitol.

Campanella, according to court documented reviewed by NBC News , was taken into custody in New York City more than three years after the group effort to overturn 2020 presidential election results in which President Joe Biden defeated incumbent Donald Trump.

Campanella had been seen in social media photos Flicker had posted to her social media pages, according to an FBI affidavit.

She captioned one image, 'I love patriots so much. Stay safe Tyler. We love you.'

Flicker also posted the hashtag #StoptheSteal and emojis on her posts, the FBI said.

Campanella's phone was inside of the U.S. Capitol on the day of the attacks, according to the FBI, which cited phone records it had subpoenaed in their probe.

The account linked to the phone was with an auto dealership called Bayside Chrysler, which employed Campanella in its sales department, according to the FBI.

According to NBC News, footage culled from inside of the Capitol during the melee 'appears to show the man federal authorities identified as Campanella entering then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi's suite, and even walking into the room where Pelosi's laptop was stolen.'

The new members replace Biden-era appointees on the council whose employment Trump terminated April 29

The Bravo alum celebrated the high-profile appointment from the president with friends on X

The Bravo alum was pictured seated next to Trump at an event last year during the campaign

Flicker, who appeared on the seventh and eighth seasons of the Bravo series, is an ardent supporter of Trump's.

She identifies herself as an 'Israeli/American Patriot' with the hashtag #MAGA on her Instagram page, which had more than 644,000 followers as of 2024.

Her main photo on her account was a picture of her standing next to Trump, holding the Israeli flag.

Other notable names in Trump orbit she's seen posing with in pictures on her page include former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Trump's current lawyer Alina Habba.

She was also seen in multiple selfies posing outside of Trump's private jet.

Following Trump's win over Democrat Kamala Harris last fall, Flicker told Dailymail.com exclusively that she felt Bravo producers had punished her for her political leanings

Flicker has repeatedly shown her support for Trump via her social media platforms

(L-R) Margaret Josephs, Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Dolores Catania and Flicker made up the show's season eight cast in 2009

No evidence exists that Flicker herself was at the Caption the day of the attacks, which led to the deaths of seven people, according to a bipartisan Senate report cited in The New York Times in October of 2022.

Flicker denied being in Washington D.C. during the timeframe of the attacks in a January 13, 2021 video she put on her Instagram account, urging followers not to 'believe all the bulls**t that's out there.

She said, 'I'm getting fake news alerts again! Supposedly they're saying that I was at the Capitol on January 6 for the rally. Not me. But the girl who, I don't know what picture's circulating around, she better be pretty.'

Flicker continued in the clip, 'I've been in Florida since December 3rd. Headed back to Jersey soon. Hey, but you know what I have to say? Just keep me relevant, that's all I have to say!'
MasterChef Australia star Andy Allen has praised Lauren Zonfrillo, the widow of his late co-star Jock.

Jock, who was found dead aged 46 in a Melbourne hotel room in 2023, co-judged alongside Andy on hit cooking show MasterChef Australia from 2020 up until his death.

Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Andy, 37, shared a photo that showed him holding a copy of Lauren's recently released book Till Death Do Us Part, in which she candidly opens up about life after Jock.

Andy praised Lauren's candid account, offering a simple six word review.

'In awe of you @laurenzonfrillo,' Andy wrote, while urging his 385,000 followers to pick up a copy of the memoir.

It comes after Andy recently opened up about his final meeting with Jock, revealing he saw the late celebrity chef just a couple of hours before he died.

MasterChef Australia star Andy Allen has praised Lauren Zonfrillo, the widow of his late co-star Jock

In a sit-down interview with 7NEWS Spotlight earlier this month, Andy, 37, recalled how he met Jock for lunch the day before his body was discovered.

'I've got hairs standing up already,' he told Liz Hayes as he looked back on his and Jock's final meal together, a moment he reflects back on a lot.

Andy went on to reveal he had no idea that there was anything amiss during his last meeting with the celebrity chef.

'That's the thing that hurts the most,(be)cause it was so sudden,' he told Liz with tears in his eyes.

Elsewhere in the heartbreaking interview, Andy recounted the moment he was given the news of Jock's passing by Lauren.

The chef admitted the grief of losing his close friend hit him 'straight away', a feeling that made him instantly ill.

'As soon as I got off the phone, I ran straight to the bathroom and I vomited everywhere,' he said.

Andy also shared how he still grieves his friend daily.

Jock, who was found dead aged 46 in a Melbourne hotel room in 2023. He is pictured here with his wife Lauren

Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Andy, 37, shared a photo that showed him holding a copy of Lauren's recently released book Till Death Do Us Part, in which she candidly opens up about life after Jock

'I always think of him. And I miss him, I miss him so much. It's crazy that that never goes,' he said.

'That being reminded of him wherever I go and no matter what I do, it is still as strong as the day that he passed two years ago.'

Andy's raw on-screen moment comes after he shared a heartfelt tribute to his late co-star on the second anniversary of his death.

He also recently shared a throwback photo to social media of he and Jock together and captioned it with some bittersweet words.

'Two years since we lost the great man, Jock Zonfrillo. I miss him more than ever,' Andy wrote.

Last year, Andy told how it was 'really difficult' grieving in the public eye.

'It was the hardest time of my life, I had never had tragedy like that hit me so close, it was very uncharted waters and multiply that by it being in the public eye; it was really difficult,' he told the Herald Sun.

'In awe of you @laurenzonfrillo,' Andy wrote, while urging his 385,000 followers to pick up a copy of the memoir. Pictured: Lauren and Jock Zonfrillo

Andy recently opened up about his final meeting with Jock Zonfrillo , revealing that he saw the late celebrity chef just a couple of hours before he died

Andy detailed his heavy emotional toll and told how he spent a 'full day crying' after travelling to Sicily to mark Jock's birthday.

'I spent a full day just crying, in a couple of hour increments, just having a good old cry, then I would be quiet... then I would go again,' he shared.

Jock was found dead at the Zagame's House hotel in Carlton, near Melbourne's CBD, at around 2am on May 1, 2023.

At the time, his wife Lauren was in Italy with their two children and had phoned Victoria Police to request a welfare check because he stopped answering her calls.

Jock's death came just one day before the 2023 season of MasterChef was due to premiere, and it was delayed in arriving on air for a week 'out of respect'.
Even though she orchestrates the Met Gala, one of the most prestigious events in the fashion world, Anna Wintour consistently skips the afterparty.

The feared Vogue boss, 75, explained her reason for never attending the bash that follows the glamorous fundraising gala, while appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Wednesday.

Wintour  who is facing calls to 'step down' from Met Gala after 'stale and forgettable' 2025 event  was joined by her co-chair at this year's gala, rapper A$AP Rocky, 36.

While discussing how Rocky's grandmother attended the late night party, Seth pointed out, 'Anna, you famously don't ever go to the afterparties' to which she jokingly replied, 'I don't. I live vicariously through Rocky.'

Meanwhile Seth quipped that she has a 'very noble reason' for not attending. 'You feel as though your presence will affect behavior,' the show host added.

'I think they're done with me. I'm certainly done with myself at that point. I go downstairs to the war room to thank the team that worked so hard all night,' Anna replied.

Even though she orchestrates the Met Gala, one of the most prestigious events in the fashion world, Anna Wintour, 75, consistently skips the afterparty

The feared Vogue boss explained her reason for never attending the bash that follows the glamorous fundraising gala, while appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Wednesday

Seth then showed a photo of Anna  who had an awkward moment on the red carpet at the event  with her large team.

'And just a shoutout to that team. This is the amount of people it takes to... to pull it off. Really, really something.'

He then turned to Rocky, whose girlfriend Rihanna revealed her third pregnancy at the event, stating, 'And now, you hosted your own afterparty.'

'Yes, I did,' the hip hop star replied, as Anna quipped: 'He's just coming from it.'

'I was going to say. How late? Be honest, how late did it go?' Seth asked, after previously sharing a photo of Rocky and his grandmother at the afterparty.

'Well that picture of my grandmother is us walking out of the afterparty at 8:00 A.M'

'Your grandmother made it till 8:00 A.M.' a shocked Seth asked.

'Yes,' he replied, as Anna jokingly inquired, 'What is she on?'

'Now, you know your grandmother better than me. Were you surprised she made it to 8:00 A.M., or knowing her, was that just normal?' the host asked.

'She was waiting on her boo to show up,' Rocky replied, after previously revealing his grandmother was hoping to meet one of the other co-chairs, Colman Domingo, 55.

'This is a heartbreaking story,' Seth joked as Anna chimed in she had Colman's phone number and Rocky teased that she needed to 'hook that up.'

While discussing how her co-chair A$AP Rocky's grandmother attended the afterparty, Seth pointed out, 'Anna, you famously don't ever go to the afterparties' to which she jokingly replied, 'I don't. I live vicariously through Rocky'

Meanwhile Seth quipped that she has a 'very noble reason' for not attending. 'You feel as though your presence will affect behavior,' the show host added

'I think they're done with me. I'm certainly done with myself at that point. I go downstairs to the war room to thank the team that worked so hard all night,' Anna replied

Seth then showed a photo of Anna with her large team

Meanwhile Rocky shared that he hosted his own afterparty

Seth shared a photo of Rocky and his grandmother at the afterparty, as the hip hop star revealed they left the bash at 8:00 A.M.

There were a number of after parties that followed the flashy fashion event, including a star-studded one at the PUBLIC hotel in New York City.

Playing host to the riskiest after-party of the night, the Ian Schrager owned PUBLIC welcomed stars including Janelle Monae, Bebe Rexha and Coco Rocha for an exclusive, cocktail-fuelled celebration.

Ensuring she claimed the spotlight, Monae, 39, exposed her breasts in a provocative black-and-white co-ord as she partied with guests on Monday evening.

Anna's interview comes after she was advised to step down from the Met Gala by a leading PR expert after this year's event was blasted as 'forgettable' and declared 'dead' by spectators across the globe.

The biggest night in fashion took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Monday but failed to deliver the star power and glamour of years past.

The 2025 theme - Superfine: Tailoring Black Style - presented an opportunity for 'boundary-pushing' looks, but big names such as Kim Kardashian, Hailey Bieber, and Kendall Jenner, struggled to stand out in their unremarkable looks.

Now, leading PR expert Sarah Schmidt has advised Wintour to end her three-decade reign and pass on the baton in a bid to introduce 'radical imagination.'

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Schmidt, who is the President of Interdependence, suggested that Wintour stepping down from the Met Gala could be the 'most strategic move.'

She pointed out that in doing so, she would not only be able to walk away 'with her legacy intact' but also uphold the Met Gala's prestige and prevent it from becoming a 'relic.'

Schmidt said: 'If Anna Wintour were to step down now, it could be the most strategic move of her career  a final act that reasserts her power by knowing when to pass the torch.

'This year's Met Gala was polished but forgettable, and that's the problem. When fashion's biggest night feels safe, it stops shaping culture and starts chasing it.'

There were a number of after parties that followed the flashy fashion event, including a star-studded one at the PUBLIC hotel, where Janelle Monae exposed her breasts in a provocative look

It comes after Wintour was advised to step down from the Met Gala by a leading PR expert after this year's event was blasted as 'forgettable' and declared 'dead' by spectators across the globe

Vogue editor-in-chief Wintour has been the Met Gala chair or co-chair since 1995, although skipped duties in 1996.

In 2023, actress Julia Fox hit out at Wintour and the Met Gala and called for her to step down.

In an explosive interview with DailyMail.com at the time, she said: 'To be honest with you, the Met Gala has never spoken to me - I mean look at who is running it.

'If it was about fashion, I'd be there but it's not,' she went on. 'It's about politics, privilege, who your parents are and how much money you make.'

'She [Anna Wintour] just won't quit - how long is she going to keep going?' Julia added.

PR expert Schmidt argued that Julia's viewpoint of Wintour and the Met Gala being 'stale' was a fair assessment.

'Julia Fox wasn't wrong to call it stale, she was just early,' she continued. 'A new curator could inject the risk, relevance and radical imagination that Gen Z craves, while Anna exits with her legacy intact.

'And in a hyper-social era where TikTok sets trends faster than couture can catch up, even the format of the Met Gala may need a reboot: less fortress, more feed.

The biggest night in fashion took place on Monday, but failed to deliver the star power and glamour of years past, as big names such as Kim Kardashian, Hailey Bieber (pictured), and Kendall Jenner, struggled to stand out in their unremarkable looks

'The bigger risk is holding on too long and watching the institution she built become a relic of past relevance.'

As it currently stands, there are no whisperings on whether Wintour intends to step down from her Met Gala chair duties.

In an interview with Good Morning America which aired on Monday morning, Wintour told co-anchor Michael Strahan about the pressure of the job.

She said: 'Each one is very different.

'And this one has been, I think, particularly meaningful and emotional and has a real heightened sense of purpose, because of the times that we're living in.'
Celebrity chef Matt Preston has recreated a TikTok viral dessert for a fraction of the price.

The cooking connoisseur, 63, who rose to fame as a judge on MasterChef Australia, took to Instagram on Wednesday to share his version of Dubai chocolate, a sweet treat that is trending on social media.

The indulgent dish, which is, in simple terms, a chocolate bar wrapped around a crispy pistachio filling, was dreamed up by Dubai local and Fix Dessert Chocolatier's Sarah Hamouda and costs $29 - and that's without the expensive delivery fee.

However, Matt has made the delicacy a little easier to nab and a lot cheaper to eat thanks to making his own recipe inspired by the viral chocolate.

'We made a heavy brick of Dubai chocolate for same price as two scrawny bars!' he captioned the clip, which has amassed 33.6K views.

'Think chunky chocolate, loads more crispy filling. It's like Dubai Chocolate got jacked and swole,' he humorously added.

Celebrity chef Matt Preston (pictured) has recreated a TikTok viral dessert for a fraction of the price

The indulgent dish, which is, in simple terms, a chocolate bar wrapped around a crispy pistachio filling, was dreamed up by Dubai local and Fix Dessert Chocolatier's Sarah Hamouda and costs $29 - and that's without the expensive delivery fee

Matt explained that he did pay $25 for a jar of pistachio paste but said it would be even less pricey to make his own version.

'In retrospect, it would have been cheaper to grind my own paste, which would have been a bit of palaver, but also would have pretty much halved the cost' he told Delicious.

He also ordered some silicone chocolate moulds to set his bars which he said 'only cost a few bucks'.

Once he had all his ingredients, the bar he ended with cost $40 to make - but it also weighed a whopping 500 grams - which is half a kilo, about twice the size of many on the market, including the viral Fix Dessert Chocolatier bar which weighs 200 grams.

If that was still too expensive, Matt suggested using a cheaper nut paste - such as walnuts or hazelnuts, ending up with a bar that costs $20 per 500 grams.

Few foods in recent memory have caused such a global stir as the renowned Dubai chocolate bar.

The delectable treat, which found fame on social media last year, contains a mix of pistachio and crispy kataifi pastry known as 'angel hair'.

Also known as 'Can't Get Knafeh Of It', it was created by Sarah Hamouda as a new way to satiate her pregnancy cravings.

The delectable treat, which found fame on social media last year, contains a mix of pistachio and crispy kataifi pastry known as 'angel hair'

Like Willy Wonka's golden ticket, chocolate fans around the world are clamouring for a taste of the confection, which is in desperately short supply.

In the UK, Lidl and Waitrose are among the supermarkets flogging their own versions of the original creation  prompting long queues and empty shelves.

However, it appears this exclusivity is leading to a chocolate black market, as manufacturers are producing cheap and dangerous knock-offs.

According to an investigation in Germany, Dubai chocolate bars imported from the Middle East are filled with nasty additives and contaminants.

This includes palm oil, green food dyes, toxins produced by moulds and even chemical compounds thought to be carcinogenic.

The investigation was conducted by Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office (CVUA) Stuttgart, an office in Baden-Wurttemberg focusing on food safety.

Following Can't Get Knafeh Of It's viral attention last year, the experts tested eight imported samples of copycat Dubai chocolate  five from the UAE and three from Turkey.

As well as ground pistachio and kataifi, the Dubai chocolate bar's filling contains tahini, a smooth paste made from ground sesame seeds.

But the investigation found traces of palm oil - a cheap and accessible oil high in saturated fat, which has long been linked with health issues like heart disease.
Simon Cowell has revealed his surgeon feared he would never walk again following his near-fatal e-bike crash.

The music mogul, 65, broke his back in 2020 after being thrown off an electric bike when he was testing the vehicle at his home in Malibu, California.

He underwent extensive surgery after the shock accident including having a metal rod put in his back to stabilise it and he has overhauled his lifestyle in the years since.

Now, Simon has spoken more about the devastating impact of the crash, revealing his surgeon didn't know if he'd be able to 'fix' his back due to the severity of the injury.

Speaking to Elizabeth Day on the How To Fail podcast, Simon revealed he 'could have died' in the accident and his surgeon warned him he might never walk again.

He shared: 'He showed me the X-ray and he said ''look, I'm not going to lie Simon, I don't know if I can fix this, which means you probably won't walk and secondly, the operation could take 11 hours''.

Simon Cowell (pictured in April) has revealed his surgeon feared he would never walk again following his near-fatal e-bike crash

The music mogul, 65, broke his back in 2020 after being thrown off his electric bike while he was testing the vehicle at his home in Malibu, California (pictured on an e-bike in 2024)

'They said the obvious - it could go wrong - and all I could think about was my family and everything. In that moment you kind of realise the most important thing is your health and don't do stupid things.'

The former X Factor judge said the horror accident was a major 'wake-up call' about his 'crazy' lifestyle and taught him to stop taking risks in life.

'It was a wake-up moment, which is I'm crazy,' he explained.

'It kind of happened for a reason because I thought I was fit but then when I had to do all the physio after, just walking, they make you walk very quickly, I pretty much couldn't move and then I started to walk a lot and thought ''oh God, I was in a really bad place''.'

Reflecting on the accident itself, Simon revealed he was thrown from his e-bike after it did a massive 'wheelie' due to the power of the throttle, and said he immediately knew he had broken his back.

'I shipped it in from England, couldn't wait to drive it. I was in the driveway and my son was there and I pulled the throttle, it did the biggest wheelie and it threw me like 7-8ft in the air,' he said.

'I landed on my back and the second I landed I thought ''s**t, I know I've broken my back'' because I could feel it.

'The first thing I did was ''can I move my hands?'', yes, ''can I move my feet?'', yes, OK, that's not too bad.'

Now, Simon (pictured in 2024) has spoken more about the impact of the crash, revealing his surgeon didn't know if he'd be able to 'fix' his back due to the severity of the injury

Simon said it led him to realise his health was 'more important' than anything else and focus on his family life with his partner Lauren Silverman and their son Eric (all pictured in September)

Though his surgeon initially feared he would be paralysed from the accident, Simon has made a full recovery and says he is now fitter than he was before the crash.

He has since shed three stone and has gradually ditched smoking, which saw him have 80 cigarettes a day at the height of his habit.

In 2023, he told The Sun: 'I was so close to living the rest of my life in a wheelchair, it gives you a completely different outlook on life. In a positive way.

'It hurt - trust me - when it happened, but good things happened off the back of it.'

Simon said it led him to realise his health was 'more important' than anything else and he completely overhauled his lifestyle to find a better work-life balance.

The accident also made him focus on his family life with his partner Lauren Silverman and their son Eric, 11, and he also cut down on his work amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Simon previously smoked up to 80 cigarettes per day before reducing his use to just two each day in 2017 after falling down the stairs of his London home.

He used to work through the entire night, but he now refuses to work past 6pm or on his days off.
Paris Hilton looked sensational as she attended her skincare brand Parivie's launch party in New York City on Wednesday alongside her sister Nicky Hilton and pal Martha Stewart.

The socialite, 44, put on a leggy display in a hot pink floral mini dress which featured a round neckline, short sleeves, and a tassel trim.

Keeping with the signature pink theme, Paris added height to her frame with a pair of hot pink bow court heels as she posed up a storm at swanky private members club, Zero Bond.

She further accessorised her glamorous look with pink satin gloves, diamond silver designer shades, and a statement diamond choker necklace.

To complete her look, Paris toted her essentials in a Parivie branded mini heart embellished bag.

Meanwhile, Nicky, 41, put on a leggy display in a baby pink mini dress as she joined her sister and pal Martha at the bash, 83, at the bash.

Paris Hilton, looked sensational in a hot pink floral textured mini dress as she attended her skincare brand's, Parivie, launch party in New York City on Wednesday

The socialite's sister Nicky Hilton, 41, also cut a stylish figure in a baby pink mini dress as she and pal Martha Stewart, 83, turned up to the bash to show their support for Paris's new venture

Her chic ensemble featured a sleeveless design, cut-out detailing, and silver bows at the bust.

The fashion designer added height to her frame with silver sparkly court heels.

To complete her look, she styled her blonde locks in a voluminous blowout as she joined Martha for several snaps in front of a lavish red, pink, and white floral display.

Meanwhile, Martha looked effortlessly chic in a silk blue blouse and matching wide-leg trousers.

She added height to her frame with a pair of nude heels and toted her essentials in a mini black bag as she was joined by her makeup artist, Daisy Toye.

Also in attendance at the event were Vinettria, Darya Hope, Mary Holland Nader, Katya Tolstova, Jonathan Cheban, Joanna Czech, Taylor Quitara, Mia Moretti, Stacey Bendet, Danielle Mareka, and Orrin Campbell.

Paris's new skincare brand Parivie falls under the 11:11 Beauty, a joint venture between Hilton's 11:11 Media and Guthy-Renker, the company behind JLo Beauty and Cindy Crawford's Meaningful Beauty.

Paris's chic ensemble featured a round neckline, short sleeves, a tassel trim, and a mini length which highlighted her long pins

Keeping with her signature pink theme, Paris added height to her frame with a pair of hot pink diamante bow court heels as she posed up a storm at swanky private members club, Zero Bond

She further accessorised her glamorous look with pink satin gloves, diamond silver designer shades, and a statement diamond choker necklace

The businesswoman styled her blonde locks in voluminous waves and wore a radiant makeup palette, including a swipe of nude lip gloss (L-R Nicky, Paris, and Stacey Bendet)

To complete her look, Paris toted her essentials in a Parivie branded mini heart embellished bag

Meanwhile, Nicky's chic ensemble featured a sleeveless design, cut-out detailing, and silver bows at the bust

To complete her look, she styled her blonde locks in a voluminous blowout and appeared in high spirits during the event, beaming for the cameras

The fashion designer took up the chance to get a sweet snap with Joanna Czech, who looked effortlessly chic in a red cardigan featuring structured shoulder pads

Meanwhile, Martha looked effortlessly chic in a silk blue blouse and matching wide-leg trousers

She added height to her frame with a pair of nude heels and toted her essentials in a mini black bag as she was joined by her makeup artist, Daisy Toye

The full Parivie skincare line includes a cleanser, serum, moisturiser, night cream, neck cream, and an overnight treatment.

The Items include a $38-125 price range and will be available to purchase on site from May 19.

Speaking about her new skincare brand, Paris told Allure in March: 'I wanted it to be something that when people see it, they know it's me.'

And she has certainly achieved that goal with Parivie's metallic hot-pink gradient packaging.

While discussing the brand's future, Paris told Allure: 'This is definitely (just) the beginning, this is going to be a whole lifestyle brand.'

Following the successful launch party, Paris and Nicky were all smiles as they made their way to a private after-party in New York's West Village.

The iconic sister duo were joined by pal Stacey who looked phenomenal in a baby pink racer top and a matching floral applique skirt.

DJ Mia Moretti cut a stylish figure in a nude sequin dress, which she layered over a graphic T-shirt, as she hit the decks to play several of Paris's favourite hits

Paris also decked the place out with hot-pink branded pillows to promote her new skincare line

Paris's pals Vinettria and Darya Hope also attended the bash. The pair put on a glamorous display as they posed for several snaps

Meanwhile, Jonathan Cheban cut a trendy figure in a blue denim designer jacket and a classic black T-shirt

Mary Holland Nader put on a leggy display in a satin pink blazer, bra, and mini skirt as she smiled for the cameras alongside Katya Totstova

Meanwhile, Danielle Mareka beamed for the cameras as she and Orrin Campbell posed with one of Paris's custom face pillows

Following the successful launch party, Paris and Nicky were all smiles as they made their way to a private after-party in New York's West Village
Adria Arjona looked radiant as she beamed alongside Oscar Isaac at a screening of the second season of Andor.

The actress, 33, who plays Bix Caleen in the Disney+ Star Wars spin-off show, lead the cast in attendance for a screening of upcoming episodes on Wednesday.

Adria was seen posing for snaps with Star Wars actor Oscar, who was enlisted as the host of the screening held at the Crosby Street Hotel in New York City.

She looked effortlessly stylish in a figure-hugging capped-sleeved black maxi dress featuring a boat neckline and dropped back.

The actress paired the simple-yet-elegant dress with black leather stilettos and her brunette locks were left down in natural waves.

Other stars in attendance included Swedish acting legend Stellan Skarsgard, 73, who plays Luthen Rael in the series, and Benjamin Bratt, who plays Senator Bail Organa.

Adria Arjona looked radiant as she beamed alongside Oscar Isaac at a screening of the second season of Andor in New York City on Wednesday

Adria was seen posing for snaps with Star Wars actor Oscar, who was enlisted as the host of the screening held at the Crosby Street Hotel

Andor follows Cassian Andor, a character who first appeared in the 2016 movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

The series serves as a prequel to the film in the early days after the Galactic Republic became the Empire.

Three episodes of the spin-off are set to be released every Tuesday for the next three weeks.

It comes after Adria attended the premiere of season two at the Lightroom in north London last month with her partner Jason Momoa.

She looked incredible in a silk one-shoulder green dress courtesy of Saint Laurent and paired the dress with pointed-toe brown pumps and accessorised with a few statement rings.

Meanwhile, fellow actor Jason wore a pale pink single-breasted blazer and matching tailored trousers, teamed with a crisp white shirt.

Among some of the very first to react to season two of Andor was Jordan King, who put it in his 'top five' shows.

He said: 'It is the best TV you will see this year, and cements the shows place in my all-time Top 5.

Andor follows Cassian Andor, a character who first appeared in the 2016 movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

She looked effortlessly stylish in a figure-hugging capped-sleeved black maxi dress featuring a boat neckline and dropped back

The actress paired the simple-yet-elegant dress with black leather stilettos and her brunette locks were left down in natural waves

The actress, 33, who plays Bix Caleen in the Disney+ Star Wars spin-off show, lead the cast in attendance for a screening of upcoming episodes on Wednesday

Other stars in attendance included Swedish acting legend Stellan Skarsgard, 73, who plays Luthen Rael in the series

Benjamin Bratt, who plays Senator Bail Organa, was also in attendance, alongside Adria, Oscar, Stellan, writer Beau Willimon and director Ben Mendelsohn

The series serves as a prequel to the film in the early days after the Galactic Republic became the Empire

Three episodes of the spin-off are set to be released every Tuesday for the next three weeks

'Its mature, its knotty, its uncompromising, and its emotional in ways you wont see coming. And *that* arc? Astonishing.'

The Observer echoed Jordan and wrote: 'The second season, somehow, eclipses [the first] in an impressive fashion, building a masterful narrative arc that is undeniable in its prescience to the rising fascism around the world.'

While The Daily Beast described it as 'thrillingly intricate, suspenseful, tragic and hopeful'.

In a gushing review by the Daily Telegraph, Andor was dubbed 'Star Wars' earthiest instalment yet'.

Variety went a step further and proclaimed the second season 'cements itself as the gold standard of what modern Star Wars can be.'

While Forbes wrote how it was 'brimming with intense action, suspenseful spy games and a tremendous cast of rich characters'.

It comes after Adria attended the premiere of season two at the Lightroom in north London last month with her partner Jason Momoa

She looked incredible in a silk one-shoulder green dress courtesy of Saint Laurent and paired the dress with pointed-toe brown pumps

Among some of the very first to react to season two of Andor was Jordan King, who put it in his 'top five' shows

Back in 2023, Diego Luna and Stellan Skarsgard looked somber as they filmed intense scenes for the second instalment.

Luna who plays Cassian Andor was deep in conversation with Skarsgard, who plays Luthen Rael, as the pair shot the scenes.

Other stars in the Faye Marsay, Denise Gough and Andy Serkis.

Andor is available to stream on Disney+.
Danielle Lloyd showed off her extreme weight loss as she posed in a gym selfie on Wednesday.

The former Miss GB, 41, took to her Instagram to reveal to her fans that she had dropped 23 pounds, which is just under two stone.

She showcased her abs, tiny waist and toned physique in matching grey gym gear as she geared up for a Pilates class.

Danielle penned in the caption: 'Spray tans & pilates wednesday's are my favourite. Feeling so body confident. 23lb down.'

Her followers were quick to comment under her post saying how great she looked as they penned: 'Wow! You look incredible!',

'Looking fab beaut.', 'You look amazing.', 'Looking great babe.', 'You look absolutely amazing, go girl xx.'

Danielle Lloyd showed off her extreme weight loss as she posed in a gym selfie on Wednesday

The former Miss GB, 41, took to her Instagram to reveal to her fans that she had dropped 23 pounds, (just under two stone)

She showcased her abs, tiny waist and toned physique in matching grey gym gear as she geared up for a Pilates class

Last September Danielle revealed how she maintains her trim figure after turning her back on cosmetic surgery.

She has previously undergone liposuction, a Brazilian bum lift, a boob job, eye-lift and jaw-tightening procedures.

Yet she is refusing to go under the knife again and has even had her lip fillers dissolved in search of a more natural look.

In an exclusive chat with MailOnline, the mother-of-five revealed she's found another method for weight loss - taking ketone supplements.

'They help me feel good about myself and they burn fat as well,' she explained.

Ketones are molecules the liver naturally produces and uses as fuel when it is running low on energy from carbohydrates  burning fat for fuel.

In recent months, several celebrities have been turning to Ozempic to use weight - a weekly injection that helps lower blood sugar by helping the pancreas make more insulin that can also result in weight loss.

While Danielle has not gone down this route, she confessed: 'I wouldn't say never. But I feel like I know how to lose weight.

Back in 2021 she showed off a weight loss transformation too as she posted this to her social media

The model shares sons Archie, 14, Harry, 10, and George, 13, with ex Jamie O'Hara. She has son Ronnie, six, and daughter Autumn, two, with husband Michael O'Neill

She is seen confidently displaying her figure last year

She has documented her weight loss over the years (seen in 2021)

'I go to the gym. I can lose weight quite quickly because I know how to eat, workout for me etc. I take ketones - but I just wouldn't do anything that would be a risk my health.

'I think a lot of people probably do it because I've seen loads of people now that look so slim and they do it very quickly.'

It's concerns about her health - and her children - that also prompted her decision to stop going under the knife.

The model shares sons Archie, 14, Harry, 10, and George, 13, with ex Jamie O'Hara. She has son Ronnie, six, and daughter Autumn, two, with husband Michael O'Neill.

She underwent a boob job and liposuction after welcoming Ronnie, explaining: 'I got really badly trolled over my weight gain and that made me want to have it done.

'At the time, I was glad that I had it because I felt good about myself. But now I look back and think like, "Oh my God. I put my life in danger. What if I didn't wake up?"'

She continued: 'Michael's also told me no more, but I wouldn't want to do it. I don't want to put myself through that.

She looked incredible last month in a white swimsuit

'Imagine not waking up and not being there for my kids? Or them saying, "what happened" and it's "oh, she was having a bit of cosmetic surgery because she didn't feel good about herself." I can't justify it. I want to be here for as long as possible for my kids.

'Ive even had my lips dissolved because I feel more comfortable in my own skin now. Having a daughter I want her to feel that she doesnt need to change herself.'

Danielle has also learned how to deal with the trolls.

She confessed: 'The trolling actually hasn't been as bad anymore. I think it's because I've distanced myself from that "celebrity' world" going to the opening of an envelope and all that!

'I'm not interested in that in that stuff anymore. I've just grown and I'm stable in my family. I'm stable in my relationship. I've just become a different person now.'

Danielle's focus remains her family and she recently learnt just how important it is not to take their safety for granted.

In October, Danielle was caught up in a terrifying home invasion that saw thieves ransack her house for items including a 100,000 Richard Mille watch and a gold Cartier bracelet worth 20,000.

Police believe she was targeted by the same gang that broke into Manchester City Jack Grealish's home.

While Danielle and her family were out at the time, the alarm sent alerts to their phones and they watched through an app as the gang tore through their home.

'It was just horrible watching it,' she recalled. 'They were in and out in 90 seconds. They went straight to my bedroom and just ransacked it.

'I rang my neighbour and him and his son went round to the house and they missed the robbers by less than a minute.

'It was probably a good thing because of what could have happened. They had crowbars and hammers with them to break down the glass and the door.'

Since then, Danielle and her family have moved three times and she's currently building her dream home from the ground up, with the hopes of moving in next year.

She's never been shy showing off her figure

Last September Danielle revealed how she maintains her trim figure after turning her back on cosmetic surgery

'I just couldn't wait to get out of the house,' she explained. 'I think it was more harsh on the kids. Ronnie couldn't sleep for months on end. He was in our bed and he was just so upset.'

Since the robbery, Danielle has been taking extra precautions to prevent it happening again, being mindful of what she posts on social media and when.

'We had the best security at the house that you could possibly have, but it still happens. You've just got to be really careful,' she says.

'I'm trying not to put out as much stuff on social media but after something like that, you never truly feel 100 percent safe.

'It made me realise that having material things just doesn't even matter. I just want to be happy.'
Chinese FM congratulates new German FM

Xinhua) 11:15, May 08, 2025

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has congratulated Johann Wadephul on his new role as German foreign minister and promised to work with him.

In his congratulatory message dated Tuesday, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China and Germany are two major countries with significant global influence.

Over the 53 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries, by overcoming differences in history and in national conditions, have developed a stable and pragmatic relationship with a broad strategic vision, making positive contributions to the development of China-EU relations and global stability and prosperity, he said.

In today's world, where turbulence and transformation are intertwined and the tides of unilateralism and protectionism are surging, China and Germany should respect each other, seek common ground while shelving differences, promote exchanges and mutual learning, and pursue win-win cooperation, so as to elevate their all-round strategic partnership to a higher level and jointly safeguard an equitable and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, Wang said.

The Chinese top diplomat said he is willing to establish a sound working relationship with Wadephul and looks forward to meeting him at an early date for in-depth exchanges.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Brooklyn Beckham's ex Lexi Wood has praised the Beckhams as she revealed what the family are really like behind closed doors amid reports of a 'family feud'.

The Beckham family have been at the centre of a feud that has pitted Brooklyn, 26, and his wife Nicola Peltz, 30, on one side, and the rest of the family on the other.

Things came to a head when Brooklyn and Nicola were no shows at any of David's 50th birthday celebrations last week, with The Mail revealing that a rift with Nicola is at the centre of the breakdown in relations.

Following claims Nicola is keen to distance herself from 'toxic' Victoria and David, Canadian reality star Lexi weighed in on her experience with the showbiz couple.

Lexi, 27 - who stars on the Bravo reality series Summer House - appeared on The Viall Files podcast where she discussed dating Brooklyn and Cindy Crawford's son Presley Gerber.

Asked by host Nick Viall about dating the nepo babies, she mused: 'It's so funny because those are the types of families that I'm used to.'

Brooklyn Beckham 's ex Lexi Wood has revealed what the Beckhams are really like behind closed doors amid reports of a 'family feud'

The Beckham family have been at the centre of a feud that has pitted Brooklyn, 26, and his wife Nicola Peltz , 30, o n one side, and the rest of the family on the other

Lexi continued: 'Like, families that are in the industry, that give each other advice, work with each other where they can, like that are so close, travel together, live together, they do so much together.

'That mindset is your family has your back period. I do feel like those families are great.'

Asked specifically about the Beckhams, Lexi was pressed on how it felt dating the son of 'one of the sexiest men alive.'

Nick asked: 'How does it feel to date someone whose dad is, like, kind of a daddy?' as Lexi burst into laughter.

She responded: 'I feel like he was just always Brooklyn's dad. I feel like immediately I didn't think anything of it. And then he just was his dad.

'They're a beautiful family. Victoria, she's the style icon. They're the coolest family.'

She went on: 'Both families have raised such great families. And just being so close and having those same like morals and values that I have so innately it was just so nice being around them.'

Lexi was keen not to dwell too much on her former flames out of 'respect' for their new partners, but mused: 'Brooklyn is in a great relationship and I'm so happy for him.

'I'm the type type of ex that I'm actually friends with a lot of my exes and I want them to move on.'

Lexi was catapulted into the limelight when she was spotted kissing Brooklyn in Los Angeles in April 2018.

The model who was dubbed Playboy's model of the month in 2017 also featured in Vogue Japan before moving into reality TV - she now lives in New York.

Lexi, 27 - who stars on the Bravo reality series Summer House - appeared on The Viall Files podcast where she discussed dating Brooklyn and Cindy Crawford's son Presley Gerber

Lexi was catapulted into the limelight when she was spotted kissing Brooklyn in April 2018. She modelled for the likes of Playboy and Vogue Japan before moving into reality TV

The Canadian model - who posed for the likes of Playboy and Vogue Japan before moving into reality TV - now lives in New York (pictured in April)

Amid claims of the family feud, David and Victoria are said to be 'deeply sad' about the rift, while reports the pair were unwelcoming towards Nicola have been shut down by sources close to the couple.

Friends of the Beckhams told The Mirror the couple backed Nicola 'at every opportunity' and that there was 'no anger but just a deep sense of sorrow about how things have turned out.'

The source added: 'They have gone above and beyond to help Nicola with her endeavours.'

Noting that the family attended the premiere of Nicolas film Lola in Los Angeles last year, they went on: 'Victoria was even on crutches after injuring her foot but wouldnt miss it for the world as she knew how important it was for Nicola, and her son.'

MailOnline has contacted the Beckhams' representative for comment.

Rumours of the family rift began to ramp up around the time of David's 50th birthday last week, which culminated with a massive party held at London's esteemed Michelin-star restaurant Core on Saturday night.

The bash was attended by A-list stars including Tom Cruise while David and Victoria's children Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20, and Harper, 13, all attended, though Brooklyn was notably absent.

It was claimed Brooklyn and Nicola pulled out of attending the Met Gala with the intention of attending David's birthday party, but were no shows at both events.

Brooklyn was reportedly planning to attend David's party, but felt too uncomfortable to come after he felt Nicola was being blamed for the rift with his family.

Friends of the Beckhams told The Mirror the couple backed Nicola 'at every opportunity' and that there was 'no anger but just a deep sense of sorrow about how things have turned out'

Claims that Brooklyn and Nicola were rebuffed when they asked David and Victoria to celebrate David's birthday privately were also said to be untrue.

Sources close to Nicola told TMZ they wanted 'to get together privately' to avoid Romeo's girlfriend Kim Turnbull as the couple are said to 'have a problem' with her.

Brooklyn also missed out on David's early celebrations in Miami last month as well as parties in the Cotswolds, France and London this week.

Following the birthday party snub, it was revealed Brooklyn also declined an invitation by his father to join him and his brothers on a 'boys' fishing trip to celebrate his 50th.

The Mail revealed David invited Brooklyn on a short break six months ago when he began planning, yet his son failed to go despite arriving in the UK the day he went with Romeo and Cruz.

Sources have suggested that Brooklyn's decision was influenced by his American actress wife Nicola.

'Brooklyn was asked to join them ages ago,' one claimed. 'Then he came to London in time but he didn't go. Once again David made the best of things and had a great time with Cruz and Romeo.'

David still offered an olive branch to his son as he shared snaps from the trip, as he captioned one of his posts: 'You were missed @brooklynbeckham.'

Rumours of the family rift began to ramp up around the time of David's 50th birthday last week, which culminated with a massive party held at London's Michelin-star restaurant Core

Brooklyn and his wife Nicola were no-shows at any of David's birthday events last week despite allegedly pulling out of the Met Gala to attend (pictured at the gala in 2022)

The Mail revealed Romeo's girlfriend Kim Turnbull is being made the 'scapegoat' in the feud between Brooklyn and David.

Kim and Brooklyn were undeniably close for a brief period  as photographs of them together in 2016 show - but suggestions that they were ever an item are wide of the mark, according to well-informed sources who spoke to The Mail.

In fact, younger brother Cruz personally shut down the gossip recently when he responded to an Instagram post showing a picture of Romeo and Kim together.

In a now-deleted message, one user commented: 'It's appropriate to date your brother's ex too? Cool.'

Cruz replied: 'Brooklyn and Kim never dated.'

One friend told the Mail's Katie Hind at the weekend: 'This is nothing to do with Kim and is all about Nicola.

'All David and Victoria want is their son back  and they will be there to welcome him any time.'

Family friends claim Brooklyn's wife has a pattern of 'starting an argument' before family events and then preventing her husband from attending.

Some believe that friends of Nicola have been behind the briefings about Kim being the cause of Brooklyn's rift with his family, some of which went so far to claim that he had told them he refused to come to any event at which Kim was present.

The Mail revealed that Romeo's girlfriend Kim Turnbull (pictured) has been made the 'scapegoat' in the feud

A source close to the family told MailOnline: 'Brooklyn was close to Kim because she was dating Rocco and they all hung out in a tightknit friendship group. But that was years ago. Brooklyn and Kim were close, but there was never any romance.

'It seems Nicola doesn't like Brooklyn spending any time with the Beckhams full stop and is using his previous closeness to Kim and her getting in with the family as a reason to not be around them.

'She denies it, but Nicola has been controlling him since the wedding. The family - including the brothers - have had enough of it.

'This is the narrative that's been put out to other news outlets, that Romeo is dating his brother's ex-girlfriend - and that's really weird, so that's why they wouldn't want to be around the family when she is there.

'But none of this is true. And it's really upset Romeo and his parents because Kim is seemingly being used by Nicola as a reason to start the rift. Romeo is furious at the suggestion that he would bring an ex-girlfriend of Brooklyn into the family when there never was any romance.'
Dakota Johnson was joined by her mother Melanie Griffith at a screening of her new film Materialists at the London Hotel in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The actress, 35, cut a glamorous figure for the event as she slipped into a white sleeveless dress with a low cut neckline.

The garment also featuered a cream hemline while Dakota accentuated her natural beauty with a light palette of makeup.

Melanie also looked incredible in a brown sheer turtle neck top which she tucked into a pair of blue jeans.

Wrapping up in a beige trench coat, the actress added height to her frame with a pair of brown boots and completed her look with a matching handbag.

Melanie shares Dakota with fellow actor Don Johnson who she was briefly married to for less than a year in 1976.

Dakota Johnson was joined by her mother Melanie Griffith at a screening of her new film Materialists at the London Hotel in Los Angeles on Wednesday

The actress, 35, cut a glamorous figure for the event as she slipped into a white sleeveless dress with a low cut neckline

The garment also featuered a cream hemline while Dakota accentuated her natural beauty with a light palette of makeup

Dakota was also joined by her brother Jesse Johnson, who is the son of Dakota's father Don Johnson and actress Patti D'Arbanville

In Materialists, Dakota stars as Lucy, a New York City matchmaker whose business gets complicated as she finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex. She stars in the film opposite Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal.

Dakota also recently signed on to star opposite Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett in Verity, the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel by the same name.

The 50 Shades of Grey star is currently in a relationship with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

The pair were seen holding hands on a trip to India in January which came after a source shut down rumours they had split.

In March 2024, an insider told People that the pair had been engaged for 'years' but 'were in no rush to get married.'

'Sure, they've had issues and taken breaks in the past, but things are great now,' they added. 'They both love their career. They are balancing things the best they can.'

More recently, in August 2024, their rep debunked split rumors to E! and insisted they 'are happily together.'

Melanie also looked incredible in a brown sheer turtle neck top which she tucked into a pair of blue jeans

Dakota posed for a snap at the event with Materialists director Celine Song

In Materialists, Dakota stars as Lucy, a New York City matchmaker whose business gets complicated as she finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex

Dakota was also joined by her brother Jesse Johnson, who is the son of Dakota's father Don Johnson and actress Patti D'Arbanville

The 50 Shades of Grey star is currently in a relationship with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

Last year, Martin made a rare remark about his fiancee as he called her one of his 'best friends' in an interview with Rolling Stone.

'It is important to say that [romantic love] is such a big factor in everything, even though it feels right to keep it precious and private; I'm not denying its power,' he told the magazine.

While they have famously kept their romance out of the spotlight, back in 2022, she recalled to Vanity Fair how they met through a friend and 'never really left each other.'

Additionally, she has spoken about loving his two children Apple, 20, and Moses, 18, who he shares with ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow, with 'all' her heart.

'I love those kids like my life depends on it,' she told Bustle of how she likes being a stepmom last year.
Rebekah Vardy has left the UK after being ordered to pay Coleen Rooney a huge sum in their Wagatha Christie settlement following the years-long legal battle.

The TV personality, 43, shared a snap of herself jetting out of the country on a budget flight after being ordered to pay 1.4million to Coleen.

While Coleen shared her 'relief' that the ordeal had finally come to an end, Rebekah was clearly in no mood to hang around as she took the early morning flight.

Breaking her silence in a statement on Wednesday, Coleen, 39, insisted 'time and money should have been put to better use' in the scathing message to Rebekah.

Rebekah agreed to pay 1,190,000 of Coleen's legal bill, plus a further 212,266 in assessment costs, after sensationally losing their high-profile libel case.

This takes the total Rebekah must pay to at least 1,402,266.20. MailOnline understands she has already paid some of the bill, including 800,000 four years ago and 100,000 last year.

Rebekah Vardy has left the UK after being ordered to pay Coleen Rooney a huge sum in their Wagatha Christie settlement following the years-long legal battle

While Coleen shared her 'relief' that the ordeal had finally come to an end, Rebekah was clearly in no mood to hang around as she took the early morning flight

Breaking her silence in a statement on Wednesday, Coleen, 39, insisted 'time and money should have been put to better use' in the scathing message to Rebekah

She wrote: 'The ruling yesterday in my favour finally brings this claim to an end, it's a relief and brings closure for my family and I.

'Throughout this long process, I am grateful that the judgements have consistently gone my way.

'However, as I have always maintained this claim did not need to be made or run for as long as it did.

'The time and money should have been put to better use.

'I want to thank my legal representatives, management, friends and family for their guidance and constant support.

'Thanks also to the public and many well wishers who have been in touch with such kind messages.

'This episode is not something I ever wanted in my life however I am thankful for the way my family and team have dealt with it.

'We look forward to moving on with our lives.'

She wrote: 'The ruling yesterday in my favour finally brings this claim to an end, it's a relief and brings closure for my family and I'

The WAG agreed to pay 1,190,000 of Coleen's legal bill, plus was ordered to pay a further 212,266 in assessment costs, after sensationally losing their high-profile libel case

This takes the total Rebekah must pay to at least 1,402,266.20. MailOnline understands she has already paid some of the bill, including 800,000 four years ago and 100,000 last year

Coleen must also pay Rebekah a total of 135,097.50 in costs under the terms of court orders from 2024, which will be set off against what Rebekah must pay.

A source close to Rebekah told MailOnline on Tuesday: 'It's a huge relief for Rebekah that this long legal battle is now coming to an end.

'She's looking forward to putting the whole ordeal well and truly behind her.

'Now shes just focusing on the future. And there are some big plans coming up for her now that she just wants to get cracking with.'

Coleen ran up a legal bill of more than 1.8 million while successfully defending herself against Rebekah's High Court claim in 2022.

After losing their High Court showdown, Rebekah was ordered to pay 90 percent of Coleen's legal costs.

In written submissions to a specialist costs court hearing on Tuesday, Rebekah's barrister, Juliet Wells, said Coleen's total legal bill of 1,833,906.89 'has now been settled at 1,190,000, being [approximately] 1,125,000 plus interest of [approximately] 65,000'.

The court heard that while Coleen was also asking for a further 315,000 in 'assessment costs', Costs Judge Mark Whalan ordered Rebekah to pay 212,266.20 of Coleen's assessment costs, inclusive of VAT but before interest, on top of the 1.19 million settlement.

Rebekah has made many attempts in the past to bring down the sum she is expected to pay for Coleen's legal costs which were set at 1,833,906.89 (Pictured: Rebekah and her husband Jamie Vardy)

The post that started it all: Coleen accused Rebekah's social media account of leaking stories

Coleen pictured with her husband Wayne Rooney outside the Royal Courts of Justice in May 2022

While Mrs Wells previously called for the 'grossly disproportionate' assessment costs to be capped at 'no more than 100,000', Judge Whalan said the amount awarded was 'reasonable and proportionate'.

He added that while there had been 'extraordinary expenditure of costs' on both sides, he was 'generally happy' the outcome was a 'commercially satisfactory conclusion' for the pair.

'I do mean it when I say that I hope that this is the end of a long and unhappy road,' he added.

Rebekah's lawyer previously argued Coleen's team had used a 'kitchen sink' approach when calculating the total and included 'over 120,000 of costs to which Coleen has no entitlement'.

It was also claimed the bill included costs for one of the WAG's team to stay at Nobu - a five star luxury hotel - and 'substantial dinner and drinks charges as well as mini bar charges'.

The lawyer said Coleen's 1,833,906.89 legal bill was over three times her 'agreed costs budget of 540,779.07'.

But Coleen's lawyer, Robin Dunne, had argued it was 'frankly outrageous' to accuse them of dishonesty.

Rebekah unsuccessfully sued the I'm A Celeb star in the High Court in 2022 after she was publicly accused of leaking stories about her to the press.

The catalyst for the famous Wagatha Christie case was a dramatic open letter written by Coleen and posted on social media in October 2019 in which she revealed she had turned detective to figure out who had been leaking the stories.

Coleen publicly claimed Rebekah's account was the source behind three newspaper stories featuring fake details she had posted on her private Instagram profile - her travelling to Mexico for a 'gender selection' procedure, her planning to return to TV and the basement flooding at her home.

Penning that she had a 'suspicion' of who it could be, Coleen told her millions of followers that 'to try and prove this' she 'came up with an idea'.

'I blocked everyone from viewing my Instagram stories except ONE account,' she wrote.

For the next five months, she uploaded 'a series of false stories' to see if 'they made their way' into the press.

'And you know what, they did!' she penned 'The story about gender selection in Mexico, the story about returning to TV and then the latest story about the basement flooding in my new house.'

She continued to build suspense, writing: 'It's been tough keeping it to myself and not making any comment at all, especially when the stories have been leaked, however I had to. Now I know for certain which account/individual it's come from.

A court artist sketch of Rebekah wiping away tears as she gave evidence at the Royal Courts Of Justice

Court artist sketch of Coleen and Wayne Rooney (left) and Rebekah Vardy (right) sitting near to each other in the front row at court

'I have saved and screenshotted all the original stories which clearly show just one person had viewed them.'

And then, she delivered her final iconic line: 'It's.......... Rebekah Vardy's account.'

What followed was a tearful appearance from Rebekah on ITV's Loose Women in February 2020 in which claimed the stress over the dispute had caused her to have anxiety attacks so severe she 'ended up in hospital three times'.

The emotional display was met by Coleen with a statement to say she did not want to 'engage in further public debate' on the matter.

Four months later, in June 2020, Rebekah began legal proceedings against Coleen for libel with her lawyers alleging she had 'suffered extreme distress, hurt, anxiety and embarrassment as a result of the publication of the post and the events which followed'.

At the first preliminary hearing in London's High Court in November the same year, Mr Justice Warby ruled that Coleen's famous letter 'clearly identified' Rebekah as being 'guilty of the serious and consistent breach of trust'.

He concluded the 'natural and ordinary' meaning of the posts was that Rebekah had 'regularly and frequently abused her status as a trusted follower of Mrs Rooney's personal Instagram account' by secretly informing the press of Coleen's 'private posts and stories'.

When the case returned to the courts in February 2022, a series of explosive messages between Rebekah and her agent Caroline Watt were revealed with Coleen's lawyers alleging they were about her.

When the case returned to the courts in February 2022, a series of explosive messages between Rebekah and her agent Caroline Watt were revealed with lawyers for Coleen (pictured) alleging they were about her

Rebekah denied that one message calling someone a 'nasty b****' was in reference to Coleen.

When asked by defence lawyers to present Ms Watt's phone so they could further investigate the WhatsApp messages, they were told it had fallen into the North Sea when Ms Watt was on a boat during a holiday.

Coleen was denied permission to bring a High Court claim against Ms Watt for misuse of private information to be heard alongside the libel battle as it was brought too late.

Ms Watt was then dubbed not fit to give oral evidence, revoked permission for her witness statement to be used and withdrew her waiver which would have allowed journalists to say whether she was a source of the leaked stories.

Coleen's barrister then told the High Court Rebekah 'appears to accept' her agent was the source of the leaked stories and argued her new statement suggested this but Rebekah claimed she 'did not authorise or condone her'.

In May 2022, the women finally came face-to-face in court to give evidence as the Wagatha Christie trial began in the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Coleen secured her victory the next month when Mrs Justice Steyn delivered her verdict, dismissing the claim made by Rebekah and finding Coleen had proved the meaning of her famous accusatory letter was 'substantially true'.

Whilst Coleen said she was 'pleased' the judge had ruled in her favour, Rebekah declared she was 'extremely sad and disappointed' at the decision.

MailOnline has reached out to representatives for Coleen Rooney for com
Laura Hamilton showed off her toned figure in a black bikini as she enjoyed a relaxing spa day with her close pal Hayley Sparkes on Wednesday.

The A Place In The Sun presenter, 42, took to her Instagram after a trip to retreat amid her busy work schedule where she flaunted her physique.

She looked great as she enjoyed the hot tub and indoor swimming pool while putting on a confident display with her abs on display.

Laura penned in the caption: 'What a wonderful day at The Glasshouse Detox and spa retreat!'

'Thank you so much for having us! Non stop catching up and such a beautiful setting to relax and unwind from our busy schedules xx.'

Laura was sporting a stylish 155 bikini from Strictly Star Tess Daly's brand, which she has proven herself to be a huge fan of as she also wore the item last month and last December.

Laura Hamilton showed off her toned figure in a black bikini as she enjoyed a relaxing spa day with Hayley Sparkes on Wednesday

The A Place In The Sun presenter, 42, took to her Instagram after a trip to retreat amid her busy work schedule where she flaunted her physique

It comes after last month Laura posed up a storm in the same stylish bikini as she enjoyed some downtime while viewing properties in Dubai.

She tagged the Rixos Premium Hotel in a post, a luxury five-star establishment in the heart of the city, which has its own beach.

In a caption, she explained that she was visiting the United Arab Emirates to view properties, though it is unclear if it was for A Place In The Sun.

She wrote: 'A weekend of chill before some property viewings in Dubai begin'

Fans were quick to praise the TV star for her show-stopping display in the pictures.

Comments included: 'You're my favourite'; 'Laura you're so beautiful in every way.'

While it is not known if the properties Laura was viewing will be featured on the show, her co-presenter Jean Johansson previously that that they were exploring new locations.

Jean, 43, told The Sun in December: 'We are going to different countries. We are in Turkey for the first time. Thats great.

'Completely new and different landscapes, completely different needs from the house hunters.

She looked great as she enjoyed the hot tub and indoor swimming pool while putting on a confident display with her abs on display

Laura then penned in the caption: 'What a wonderful day at The Glasshouse Detox and spa retreat!'

Laura was sporting a stylish 155 bikini from Strictly Star Tess Daly 's brand, which she has proven herself to be a huge fan of as she also wore the item last month and last December

'Exploring the food and the culture.

'It is a different-looking episode. I think people are going to like that.'

Jean added that the show would be returning to Dubai as part of the show's shake-up for the first time in over a decade.

A Place In The Sun is set to undergo a major overhaul in 2025, as Channel 4 recently confirmed two huge changes to the beloved travel series.

The series has not only moved to a new 6pm timeslot, rather than its previous 4pm programming, but it is also exploring new climates, according to The Mirror.

The show is featuring new locations including the Mediterranean isle of Gozo - part of the archipelago of Malta - and the historical towns of Lake Garda in Italy.
Taylor Hill opted for a casual look as she stepped out in New York City on Wednesday evening with husband Daniel Fryer.

The former Victorias Secret Angel wore a white lace top paired with flared navy jeans and black heeled boots as she strutted through the streets of Manhattan.

Taylor, 29, threw on a black cardigan patterned with floral embroidery, and completed the look with a white leather bag sporting a black pooch, slung over her shoulder.

Her French-inspired pixie cut was styled in loose waves, drawing attention to her signature thick eyebrows and a glossy lip.

The venture capitalist also went for a simple, stylish look, donning a matching white shirt as he linked arms with his wife of two years.

He accessorized with a chunky silver watch, while the supermodel showed off several glittering rings and a maroon nail set as she gazed at her phone.

Taylor Hill opted for a casual look as she stepped out in New York City on Wednesday evening with husband Daniel Fryer

The former Victorias Secret Angel wore a white lace top paired with flared navy jeans and black heeled boots as she strutted through the streets of Manhattan

Ending the evening at Italian restaurant Gemma at the Bowery Hotel, the loved-up pair were joined by a friend.

The trio looked deep in conversation as they conversed over glasses of white wine at the eatery, which is headed up by chef Andrea Taormina, and serves up seasonal cuisine with an extensive Italian wine list.

Taylor and Daniel are set to celebrate their second wedding anniversary next month, after tying the knot in Tylers hometown of Winter Park, Colorado, in 2023.

The model originally met the London-born, Geneva-raised venture capitalist at JazzFest in 2019.

He popped the question two years later at the Hotel II San Pietro di Positano in Italy with a large emerald-cut, three stone-diamond ring.

At the time, Taylor, who boasts 23.9million Instagram followers, said: It was a magical fairytale and my dream wedding!

Despite being born in Illinois, Hill picked Colorado as the setting of her big day because she was raised there from birth and the state means a lot to her and her family.

'Colorado has always been my constant, my rock, my home, and my heart,' the IMG Model told Vogue at the time.

Taylor, 29, complemented the look with a black cardigan embroidered with white flower designs, and finished off her outfit with a statement leather bag

Daniel and Tyler are gearing up to mark two years since their wedding day, which took place in June 2023 in Winter Park, Colorado

In 2023, she also bid goodbye to her long brown hair and has since explained that the preference for shorter, bobbed styles has influenced her fashion choices.

'I'm loving it,' she told PEOPLE. 'It was such a big change, but it was an exciting change.

'I had all this hair my whole life, so I've always wanted to cut my hair. I always was like, 'I feel it would be really fun.' I had this feeling.'

She added: 'It was like  I feel like it would make sense on me. And I cut my hair and then all of a sudden all my clothes made sense.

'It was just weird, like, 'Oh, this was why I couldn't wear that skirt.'

Tyler and Daniel enjoyed glasses of white wine at Italian restaurant Gemma in New York, where they were spotted in conversation with a friend

The lovebirds met at JazzFest in Asepn in 2019, and the venture capitalist popped the question two years later at the Hotel II San Pietro di Positano in Italy
Kanye West took aim at Kim Kardashian, referenced his sex life with Bianca Censori, and continued to profess his love for Adolf Hitler as he released the music video for his vile new song, Heil Hitler (Hooligan Version).

The rapper, 47, took to X/Twitter on Thursday to share the clip, which showed a group of shirtless black males draped in animal skins professing their love for Hitler.

His chosen day to release the song was also of significance because it fell on VE Day - the 80 year anniversary of when fighting against Nazi Germany in Europe came to an end.

In the song, Kanye rapped that he had 'so much anger' inside of him adding: 'these people took my kids from me and they froze my bank account.'

The Chicago native has publicly clashed with ex-wife Kim, 44, about the co-parenting of their 11-year-old daughter, North and their three younger kids - daughter Chicago, seven; and sons Saint, nine, and Psalm, five - claiming he has not been allowed to see them.

He claimed that be became a Nazi because of his custody battle, singing: 'With all of my money and fame I still don't get to see my children / N*****s see my Twitter but they don't see how I be feeling / So I became a Nazi, yeah b***h, I'm the villain.'

The line, 'N****r, heil Hitler' is repeated 15 times in the song.

Kanye West took aim at Kim Kardashian and continued to profess his love for Adolf Hitler as he released the music video for his vile new song, Heil Hitler (Hooligan Version)

The rapper, 47, took to X/ Twitter on Thursday to share the clip, which showed a group of shirtless black males draped in animal skins professing their love for Hitler

Kanye has publicly clashed with ex-wife Kim, 44, about the co-parenting of their 11-year-old daughter, North and their three younger kids - daughter Chicago, seven; and sons Saint, nine, and Psalm, five - claiming he has not been allowed to see them

Kanye also referenced his wild antics with new wife Bianca Censori - who he has been accused of 'controlling' by parading her around in near-naked ensembles.

In the song he claimed to be a 'cuck'.

Cuckholding is widely used to describe the fetish where people (usually men) are turned on by their partners having affairs.

He sang: 'Guess I am a cuck, I love when people f**k on my b***h', later adding: 'She reaching down in my pants. She got the world in her hands.'

Kanye also addressed his wild social media exchanges, which has seen him temporarily banned from several sites, including X.

He sang: 'They don't understand the things I say on Twitter'.

The song ended with Kanye sampling one of Hitler's speech in 1935, which translates to: 'Whether you think my work is right, whether you believe that I have been diligent.

'That I have worked, that I have stood up for you during these years, that I have used my time decently in the service of my people.

'You cast your vote now, if yes, then stand up for me as I stood up for you.'

After posting his new music video, Kanye appeared on a livestream with internet personalities Sneako and Adin Ross as he continued to defend his love of Hitler.

Adin asked: 'Do you think that Hitler would've liked you for being Black?' to which Kanye insisted he would.

He explained: 'I would've been one of the scientists that America ended up cleaning up and bringing in and having serve America after the fact - I'm a scientist so...'

Kanye has remained in the crosshairs of controversy for much of the year amid a torrent of posts propagating antisemitism.

In the song, Kanye rapped that he had 'so much anger' inside of him adding: 'these people took my kids from me and they froze my bank account'

His chosen day to release the song was also of significance as it fell on VE Day - the 80 year anniversary of when fighting against Nazi Germany in Europe came to an end

Heil Hitler (Hooligan Version) lyrics I've got so much anger in me / Got no way to take it out Think I'm stuck in the Matrix / Where the f**k is my nitrous? Guess I am a cuck / I love when people f**k on my b***h Things that I'm posting on Twitter they're saying Ye don't say that N****s can see me in public I'm driving all all-chrome Maybach With all of my money and fame I still can't get my kids back With all of my money and fame I still don't get to see my children N****s see my Twitter but they don't see how I be feeling So I became a Nazi, yeah b***h I'm the villain N****r, heil Hitler / N****r, heil Hitler They don't understand the things I say on Twitter N****r, heil Hitler They don't understand the things I say on Twitter All my n*****rs Nazi, heil Hitler N****r, heil Hitler / N****r, heil Hitler All my n*****rs Nazi, heil Hitler She don't want to f**k in Japan, I put the chrome on the Benz N****r, heil Hitler She reaching down in my pants /She got the world in her hands N****r, heil Hitler / N****r, heil Hitler / N****r, heil Hitler All my n*****s Nazis, heil Hitler N****r, heil Hitler /N****r, heil Hitler All my n*****s Nazis, heil Hitler N****r, heil Hitler / N****r, heil Hitler / N****r, heil Hitler / N****r, heil Hitler Advertisement

On February 11, the shop on Kanye's Yeezy Website - which he advertised with an expensive ad during the Super Bowl - was taken offline by Shopify after he was selling a white shirt with a black swastika in the center. He has also frequently made posts praising Adolf Hitler.

Kanye spoke more about the controversy in a series of posts on February 20 - promising to wear the swastika shirt onstage at the Super Bowl.

'Next year I'm performing at the superbowl wearing my wittle T shirt,' he said. 'People with money bought my wittle t shirt.'

He added that Shopify 'gave [him his] account back' after taking down his store after controversy erupted over the shirts, but that he was 'not going to use it.'

Sources close to Kim told DailyMail.com that she is now taking extra precautions and has hired guards to be with her 24/7 amid his erratic behavior.

The reality star has also told relatives to be careful sharing anything about her children online, the source revealed.

She has instructed her closest allies not to post about their locations or upload photos or messages that could identify where they might be.

'She's absolutely horrified,' the source told the Daily Mail. 'Like every time things get bad with Kanye, somehow they get worse.'

They finalised their divorce in 2022 and agreed to joint custody of their children, but the conflict between them has continued.

Kanye also referenced his wild antics with new wife Bianca Censori - who he has been accused of 'controlling' by parading her around in near-naked ensembles

Earlier this week, Kanye caused more controversy when he stormed out of an interview with Piers Morgan.

During the interview, Kanye first took umbrage at Piers using the surname West in his opening scene-setting intro, correcting the broadcaster - who clearly addressed him as 'Ye' in his first question - he said: 'I don't use the term West, you know, the whole drop the slave name idea?'

'Ok, so we just call you Ye, yeah?' Piers replied, and he responded: 'Yes sir.'

Piers then asked Kanye, who was joined by social media star Sneako, how his life had been recently, with Kanye noting the background, and where he was record the interview.

He said: 'You see that view?... Judge it on the view on the answer how my life is, judge me by the view.'

Piers responded: 'The view is Majorca, I've been there. It's a beautiful place, and for all intents and purposes, you seem very relaxed and happy.

'That is in direct contrast to your public image at the moment, over the last couple of years, led by your ferocious [he begins to interrupt] Well, hang on. Let me finish the question'

Ye hit back: 'But I already disagree, it's not in contrast, there's so many people and artists that are championing the idea of someone being able to just express who they really are, and have been able to go through the war of being attacked by the banks, being attacked, you know, by the banks - that's the best way to put it!

'Being attacked by the banks, and to still be here with this view is, you know, that's the win. So I think that's, I'm in contrast to your contrast.'

On February 11, the shop on Kanye's Yeezy Website - which he advertised with an expensive ad during the Super Bowl - was taken offline by Shopify after he was selling a shirt with a swastika

Piers then attempted to finish his question, saying: 'OK, but the point I was gonna make is that, I watch what you put out on X - you've got 32 million followers, so you're one of the most followed people'

A bristling Ye retorted: 'Now, look, right now you're not going to take inches off my dick, bro. Like, how many followers do I have?'

When Piers asked how many the correct number was, Ye said the journalist had a staff of people who could look up the figure. Piers replied: 'I'm told it's 33 million now. So congratulations, you're slightly bigger following than I thought'

But the irritated rapper, who has four children by Kim Kardashian, began comparing himself to former music legends, saying the Piers Morgan Uncensored host was trying to undermine him.

He said: 'Your information is correctI'm a gift, bro. I mean, why do all you people in media act like you haven't played my songs at your weddings or graduations or at funerals, and when your child was born, you know, you take somebody that's living like a [John] Lennon, a Michael Jackson, and you just take all this time to, like that nuance right there, it's idiotic.

'It just shows the hate that you put out for people that put love. There's so much love in the art I put out.'

A baffled Piers added: '...What are you talking about? I haven't said anything?'

Ye concluded: 'Now you are not taking accountability or responsibility No sir, this is what you get for now we can, we can circle back when you can count.'

Taking off his mic, he then stormed off the set, leaving the interview in little more than two minutes.

Earlier this week, Kanye caused more controversy when he stormed out of an interview with Piers Morgan

Following the short-lived chat, Kanye himself took to X to post: 'Lets have a real interview someday Its all love,' brushing off the fact he'd made an early exit.

And in his video, Piers went onto call him out over the post, saying: 'But the trouble is, Ye, it's not all love is it?

'It actually all hate, it's hate towards everybody including your family, your ex wife towards Jewish peple towards other peple towards rappers, you've become a hate machine, fuelled on social media, all this vicious sentient to a vast audience and that is wrong.'

Calling for Kanye to be removed from X, Piers went onto defend his decision to have him on his show for an interview, saying: 'I did because he's not been held to account properly on X, he's getting away with this and it's amplifying his message.

'Now if Ye wants to have a proper interview with me about all this, I will do that, but if he wants to play silly games he can swing for it.

'If you want to sit in front me Ye get on a plane come to London and come to my studio and let's do this man to man face to face and you can be held accountable for your despicable actions on social media, let's see if you're manly enough to do that, or is it easier to attack people like Kim like Paris Hilton, the women, is it easier to attach them on social media then it is to face up to me.

'We'll see, some people think I shouldn't bother sitting down with you anymore, that's how far your stock has fallen.'
Lorraine Kelly has lead the stars wishing a happy 99th birthday to broadcasting 'legend' Sir David Attenborough.

The biologist, who is famous for his nature documentaries and unequivocal climate change campaigning, celebrated his 99th birthday on Thursday.

It also marked the cinema release of his latest documentary, Ocean, which explores how undersea life and environment has changed over Sir David's life and how there is still hope for preservation.

Among the celebrities who paid tribute to him on his birthday was fellow broadcaster Lorraine, 65, who shared a snap of the pair after she interviewed him.

'Happy 99th Birthday Sir David - a giant of a man,' Lorraine wrote. 'The best of us. Total legend. I'm honoured to have met you.'

Another star to wish Sir David a happy birthday was BBC journalist Amol Rajan, who hailed him 'the greatest living Briton'.

Lorraine Kelly has lead the stars wishing a happy 99th birthday to broadcasting 'legend' Sir David Attenborough

Sir David's birthday marked the cinema release of his latest documentary, Ocean, which explores undersea life and environment has changed (Seen with King Charles on Tuesday)

Amol, 41, wrote: 'In a few hours time, David Attenborough will be 99. Aside from being the greatest living Briton, the best broadcaster of all time, the most influential advocate for Nature ever, and the most mesmerising voice of them all, the boy from Leicester - who celebrated his 19th birthday on VE Day - has done more for public understanding of Science than anyone since Charles Darwin.

'Cherish him! Savour the fact that you share this precious blue marble, dangling in the infinite darkness, with someone who has fought so hard and so long to preserve it. Grief teaches us many lessons; one of the most vital is that you must not wait until its too late before registering your gratitude or servicing your moral debts.

'I have written to Sir David to say thank you, though we have met only once and briefly. What an astonishing man; what an inspirational life. And by his own account, he's certainly not done yet.'

TV presenter and farmer Jimmy Doherty, known for his show Jimmy's Farm, also wished the national treasure a happy birthday.

'Wishing the legend that is Sir David Attenborough, a very happy 99th birthday!!' Jimmy, 49, said.

'I had the pleasure of interviewing him as part of a show I presented for the BBC called the Museum of Life in 2010, telling the story of the scientific work carried out by the Natural History Museum.

'For decades Sir David has been sharing the wonders of our natural world and inspired millions, including myself. Happy birthday David!! #davidattenborough #happybirthday.'

The Prince of Wales also shared a message to Sir David to mark his 99th birthday, as he told his X followers how the naturalist has offered him a 'sense of hope and optimism' in protecting the planet.

'Happy 99th Birthday Sir David - a giant of a man,' Lorraine wrote. 'The best of us. Total legend. I'm honoured to have met you'

Another star to wish Sir David a happy birthday was BBC journalist Amol Rajan, who hailed him 'the greatest living Briton'

TV presenter and farmer Jimmy Doherty, known for his show Jimmy's Farm, also wished the national treasure a happy birthday

'Wishing the legend that is Sir David Attenborough, a very happy 99th birthday!!' Jimmy, 49, said

Jimmy said: 'I had the pleasure of interviewing him as part of a show I presented for the BBC called the Museum of Life in 2010'

The message read: 'As he turns 99 today, in his new film, Sir David has once again reminded us of the need to protect natural habitats - this time those beneath the ocean.

'He has dedicated his life to ensuring we understand the realities of what mankind is doing to the planet.

'However hard hitting his message is, Sir David always leaves us with a sense of hope and optimism that all is not lost and this film is no different.'

The post, which included a sweet snap of the pair together, concluded: 'We must act together, with urgency, to restore our oceans. Happy Birthday, David. W'

William has repeatedly revealed his admiration for Sir David, and recently called him an inspiration to 'my children and me'.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, William hailed the naturalist's 'lifetime of extraordinary service to our planet'.

He said: 'May we all raise a glass to a true giant  and continue the mission he has led with such grace and urgency.'

In Sir David's new documentary, Ocean, he reflects on his mortality and what he has learnt from a lifetime studying the Earth, saying: 'After living for nearly 100 years, I now understand that if we save the sea we save our world.'

The Prince of Wales also shared a message to Sir David to mark his 99th birthday, as he told his X followers how the naturalist has offered him a 'sense of hope'

He said: 'May we all raise a glass to a true giant  and continue the mission he has led with such grace and urgency'

Sir David is closely involved in William's Earthshot Prize, which gives 1 million every year to five projects tackling climate challenges.

He has also worked with King Charles on numerous environmental causes.

William added: 'We celebrate not just a milestone of years, but a lifetime of extraordinary service to our planet.

'Through his boundless curiosity, gentle wisdom and unwavering commitment... he has brought the wonders of Earth into our homes and into our hearts.

'His voice has become a guiding light in our understanding of nature, and his message  that we must cherish and protect our planet  has never been more vital.

'He has inspired my children and me in so many ways.'
Victoria Beckham showed fans how she got her glam on ahead of husband David's 50th birthday dinner that her son Brooklyn didn't attend amid their 'family feud' with his wife Nicola Peltz.

The feud has pitted Brooklyn, 26, and his wife Nicola Peltz, 30, on one side, and the rest of the family on the other.

Things came to a head when Brooklyn and Nicola were no shows at any of David's 50th birthday celebrations last week, with The Mail revealing that a rift with Nicola is at the centre of the breakdown in relations.

Victoria, 51, filmed herself getting her hair done by her stylist pal Ken Paves as he fixed it into a ponytail.

The former Spice Girl looked incredible in a midnight blue from her autumn-winter collection and accentuated her natural beauty with a light palette of makeup.

Chatting to fans in the clip, she said: 'So we are here getting ready for tonight's dinner. Ken is perfecting the pony. Just finished my makeup.

Victoria Beckham gave her fans a behind the scenes look at how she got her glam on ahead of husband David's 50th birthday dinner

The fashion designer, 51, filmed herself getting her hair done by her stylist pal Ken Paves as he fixed it into a ponytail

'I'm creating my full lip tonight using my 1.5 nude lip liner and dress from my new collection.'

It comes after Brooklyn's ex Lexi Wood praised the Beckhams as she revealed what the family are really like behind closed doors amid reports of a 'family feud'.

Lexi, 27 - who stars on the Bravo reality series Summer House - appeared on The Viall Files podcast where she discussed dating Brooklyn and Cindy Crawford's son Presley Gerber.

Asked by host Nick Viall about dating the nepo babies, she mused: 'It's so funny because those are the types of families that I'm used to.'

Lexi continued: 'Like, families that are in the industry, that give each other advice, work with each other where they can, like that are so close, travel together, live together, they do so much together.

'That mindset is your family has your back period. I do feel like those families are great.'

Asked specifically about the Beckhams, Lexi was pressed on how it felt dating the son of 'one of the sexiest men alive.'

Nick asked: 'How does it feel to date someone whose dad is, like, kind of a daddy?' as Lexi burst into laughter.

Chatting to fans in the clip, she said: 'So we are here getting ready for tonight's dinner. Ken is perfecting the pony. Just finished my makeup'

It comes after Brooklyn's ex Lexi Wood praised the Beckhams as she revealed what the family are really like behind closed doors amid reports of a 'family feud'

She responded: 'I feel like he was just always Brooklyn's dad. I feel like immediately I didn't think anything of it. And then he just was his dad.

'They're a beautiful family. Victoria, she's the style icon. They're the coolest family.'

She went on: 'Both families have raised such great families. And just being so close and having those same like morals and values that I have so innately it was just so nice being around them.'

Lexi was keen not to dwell too much on her former flames out of 'respect' for their new partners, but mused: 'Brooklyn is in a great relationship and I'm so happy for him.

'I'm the type type of ex that I'm actually friends with a lot of my exes and I want them to move on.'

Lexi was catapulted into the limelight when she was spotted kissing Brooklyn in Los Angeles in April 2018.

The model who was dubbed Playboy's model of the month in 2017 also featured in Vogue Japan before moving into reality TV - she now lives in New York.

Amid claims of the family feud, David and Victoria are said to be 'deeply sad' about the rift, while reports the pair were unwelcoming towards Nicola have been shut down by sources close to the couple.

Friends of the Beckhams told The Mirror the couple backed Nicola 'at every opportunity' and that there was 'no anger but just a deep sense of sorrow about how things have turned out.'

The source added: 'They have gone above and beyond to help Nicola with her endeavours.'

Noting that the family attended the premiere of Nicolas film Lola in Los Angeles last year, they went on: 'Victoria was even on crutches after injuring her foot but wouldnt miss it for the world as she knew how important it was for Nicola, and her son.'

MailOnline has contacted the Beckhams' representative for comment.

Rumours of the family rift began to ramp up around the time of David's 50th birthday last week, which culminated with a massive party held at London's esteemed Michelin-star restaurant Core on Saturday night.

The bash was attended by A-list stars including Tom Cruise while David and Victoria's children Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20, and Harper, 13, all attended, though Brooklyn was notably absent.

Victoria will be glad to relax and unwind at her dinner given claims of an ongoing family feud between the Beckhams and their son Brooklyn's wife Nicola Peltz

Rumours of the family rift began to ramp up around the time of David's 50th birthday last week, which culminated with a massive party held at London's Michelin-star restaurant Core

It was claimed Brooklyn and Nicola pulled out of attending the Met Gala with the intention of attending David's birthday party, but were no shows at both events.

Brooklyn was reportedly planning to attend David's party, but felt too uncomfortable to come after he felt Nicola was being blamed for the rift with his family.

Claims that Brooklyn and Nicola were rebuffed when they asked David and Victoria to celebrate David's birthday privately were also said to be untrue.

Sources close to Nicola told TMZ they wanted 'to get together privately' to avoid Romeo's girlfriend Kim Turnbull as the couple are said to 'have a problem' with her.

Brooklyn also missed out on David's early celebrations in Miami last month as well as parties in the Cotswolds, France and London this week.

Following the birthday party snub, it was revealed Brooklyn also declined an invitation by his father to join him and his brothers on a 'boys' fishing trip to celebrate his 50th.

The Mail revealed David invited Brooklyn on a short break six months ago when he began planning, yet his son failed to go despite arriving in the UK the day he went with Romeo and Cruz.

Sources have suggested that Brooklyn's decision was influenced by his American actress wife Nicola.

'Brooklyn was asked to join them ages ago,' one claimed. 'Then he came to London in time but he didn't go. Once again David made the best of things and had a great time with Cruz and Romeo.'

David still offered an olive branch to his son as he shared snaps from the trip, as he captioned one of his posts: 'You were missed @brooklynbeckham.'

The Mail revealed Romeo's girlfriend Kim Turnbull is being made the 'scapegoat' in the feud between Brooklyn and David.

Kim and Brooklyn were undeniably close for a brief period  as photographs of them together in 2016 show - but suggestions that they were ever an item are wide of the mark, according to well-informed sources who spoke to The Mail.

In fact, younger brother Cruz personally shut down the gossip recently when he responded to an Instagram post showing a picture of Romeo and Kim together.

Brooklyn and his wife Nicola were no-shows at any of David's birthday events last week despite allegedly pulling out of the Met Gala to attend (pictured at the gala in 2022)

In a now-deleted message, one user commented: 'It's appropriate to date your brother's ex too? Cool.'

Cruz replied: 'Brooklyn and Kim never dated.'

One friend told the Mail's Katie Hind at the weekend: 'This is nothing to do with Kim and is all about Nicola.

'All David and Victoria want is their son back  and they will be there to welcome him any time.'

Family friends claim Brooklyn's wife has a pattern of 'starting an argument' before family events and then preventing her husband from attending.

Some believe that friends of Nicola have been behind the briefings about Kim being the cause of Brooklyn's rift with his family, some of which went so far to claim that he had told them he refused to come to any event at which Kim was present.

The Mail revealed that Romeo's girlfriend Kim Turnbull (pictured) has been made the 'scapegoat' in the feud

A source close to the family told MailOnline: 'Brooklyn was close to Kim because she was dating Rocco and they all hung out in a tightknit friendship group. But that was years ago. Brooklyn and Kim were close, but there was never any romance.

'It seems Nicola doesn't like Brooklyn spending any time with the Beckhams full stop and is using his previous closeness to Kim and her getting in with the family as a reason to not be around them.

'She denies it, but Nicola has been controlling him since the wedding. The family - including the brothers - have had enough of it.

'This is the narrative that's been put out to other news outlets, that Romeo is dating his brother's ex-girlfriend - and that's really weird, so that's why they wouldn't want to be around the family when she is there.

'But none of this is true. And it's really upset Romeo and his parents because Kim is seemingly being used by Nicola as a reason to start the rift. Romeo is furious at the suggestion that he would bring an ex-girlfriend of Brooklyn into the family when there never was any romance.'
Imogen Anthony is known to be a dedicated fan of all things edgy.

And the ex-girlfriend of KIIS FM star Kyle Sandilands was doing what she does best on Thursday night.

Imogen, 33, posed up a storm as she attended the Wings Independent Fashion Festival in Sydney.

The model opted for a top in the shape of a cross that bared her midriff and left little to the imagination and put lots of side boob on display.

She paired the unusual crop with a pair of PVC trousers and chunky gothic platform boots.

Imogen added even more edge with a cowboy hate bearing an image of a skull with red horns.

Imogen Anthony (pictured) is known to be a dedicated fan of all things edgy

Imogen, 33, posed up a storm as she attended the Wings Independent Fashion Festival in Sydney

The model opted for a top in the shape of a cross that bared her midriff and left little to the imagination and put lots of side boob on display

She completed the ensemble with a white fur shawl and carried a graffiti purse with the word 'faith' on it.

For makeup, she chose a glass skin look with rosy cheeks and bold eyeliner as well as pink lip gloss.

Imogen also had on a bracelet that matched her bag and some rings as well as a black and white manicure.

It comes after the influencer admitted she turned into a 'Karen' during a run-in with some children in Byron Bay.

Imogen, 33, took to Instagram to reveal she was forced to give some children a stern talking to after she witnessed them tormenting the local fauna.

She shared a short clip that showed a pelican preening itself on the sand, revealing the animal was a target of some holidaying kids.

'I saw two kids torturing this pelican by chasing and throwing stuff at it,' she wrote over the video.

Imogen added that the sight of the children tormenting the pelican forced her into 'Karen' mode.

She paired the unusual crop with a pair of PVC trousers and chunky gothic platform boots

Imogen added even more edge with a cowboy hate bearing an image of a skull with red horns

She completed the ensemble with a white fur shawl and carried a graffiti purse with the word 'faith' on it

'I went Karen on their a**es and threatened to find their accommodation and talk to their parents,' she revealed.

Imogen then offered some words of advice for parents who would let their children behave in such a way.

'Don't have kids if you cant teach them to do the right thing. Over entitled little s***s that have no care for animals whatsoever,' she wrote.

That wasn't the end of the situation, however, with Imogen saying she had to chastise the children a second time.

Captioning the video, Imogen wrote: 'Worst part is they came back when they thought I was gone.

'But, little did they know, I could still see them and I had to tell them off a again... ridiculous.'

She ended her post with: 'Kids or not, we should be teaching them to respect animals, not to torment them for viewing pleasure.'

Imogen and her ex-boyfriend Kyle Sandilands were together for eight years.

For makeup, she chose a glass skin look with rosy cheeks and bold eyeliner as well as pink lip gloss

Imogen also had on a bracelet that matched her bag and some rings as well as a black and white manicure

She had her bright orange locks down and straightened

The media titan announced his shock split from the Big Brother VIP star on The Kyle and Jackie O Show in November 2019.

She has sine moved on with new partner Harley Jones, with the pair tying the knot during a Vegas wedding in 2022.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at Australian Fashion Week in 2024, the social media star ruled out a 'real-life wedding' and said the couple won't be starting a family anytime soon.

'No, I'm unconventional. That's how I roll,' she said. 'I'm not in any rush for anything like that. I'm in no rush to have kids.'

However, she didn't completely rule out the idea of babies in the future.

'Maybe one day. It's not out of the picture, out of the question. I'm just not, I ain't racing. I'm good,' she added.

Meanwhile, Kyle has since moved on with wife Tegan Kynaston, whom he married in 2023.

The couple also share a son, Otto, who they welcomed into the world in August 2022.
Before Jennifer Aniston's alleged stalker plowed into the gate of her Los Angeles home, he reportedly harassed her on social media for years, and the clues escaped authorities.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, was arrested on Monday afternoon for felony stalking and vandalism after he crashed into the front gate of Aniston's residence while she was inside.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office announced charges were filed against Carwyle and prosecutors intended to request a $150,000 bail on Thursday's arraignment.

Carwyle is also accused of sending Aniston 'unwanted social media, voicemail, and email messages' starting in March 2023, with the last message sent on the same day of the crash, according to the district attorney's office.

An insider source previously told DailyMail.com that Aniston was 'furious' with the Los Angeles Police Department for releasing her address. The source added that Aniston 'expected more protection from police.'

Social media posts allegedly from Carwyle have also been unearthed following the crash.

It hasn't been confirmed if the account is associated with the suspect or an individual with the same name, and the posts appear to have been taken down.

Several posts referred to Aniston as his 'bride,' including one posted in October, allegedly referring to the actress as 'Jennifer Aniston Carwyle.'

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, was charged with felony stalking and vandalism after allegedly crashing into Jennifer Aniston's gate outside her Bel-Air home

Unearthed social media posts described a disturbing desire to marry Aniston from an account with the suspect's name

Carwyle has an arraignment hearing on Thursday, and prosecutors announced they intend to request a $150,000 bail

Another post allegedly said that he and Aniston would be 'mended together' before incoherently drawing comparisons to Adam and Eve.

The District Attorney's Office accused Carwyle of 'repeatedly harassing the victim,' and added that the harassment 'culminated when he allegedly crashed his vehicle through her front gate, causing substantial damage, and stopped in her driveway.'

Aniston's security rushed to the scene and reportedly 'held him at gunpoint' until they waited for the LAPD to arrive.

Officer Jeff Lee previously said that police responded to a call about a 'burglary suspect.'

Aniston was home at the time of the crash but never came in contact with the suspect, according to police.

Carwyle had complained about back pain after the crash and was taken to the hospital. The case was then handed over to the LAPD's Threat Management Unit.

Sources previously told local ABC affiliate, KABC, that Carwyle had a 'minor' criminal history.

In addition to the stalking and vandalism charges, Carwyle also faces a charge for aggravating the threat of great bodily harm.

Aniston's security reportedly held the suspect at gunpoint until LAPD arrived on the scene to arrest him

Jennifer Aniston was at home during the incident, but her security apprehended the suspect, and she never came in contact with him

'Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities,' District Attorney Hochman said.

'My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.'

Hochman added that Deputy District Attorney Sam Hulefeld of LADA's Stalking and Threat Assessment Team is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Carwyle could face three years in a state prison.

The office said evidence of stalking culminated in the crash into Aniston's Bel-Air home, which was previously the site of her wedding to her ex-husband, Justin Theroux

Aniston has owned her Bel-Air property since 2011 and used the mansion as a venue for her wedding to her ex-husband, actor Justin Theroux.

The actress gave fans a glimpse into her home during a photoshoot in 2018 with Architectural Digest.

The sprawling mansion features four bedrooms, six-and-a-half bathrooms, a wine cellar, a pool, and a guesthouse.

Aniston's representatives previously declined requests to comment on the impending investigation.
A legendary publicist who was responsible for building Baywatch into one of television's most iconic series has passed away.

Paul Nichols died at his home in Weatherford, Texas, on March 14 aged 77.

No cause of death has yet been disclosed.

The news was shared by his family on Wednesday.

He died only 12 days after his wife of 31 years, Linda, passed away, making it a double tragedy for the Nichols family.

Nichols was a publicist working at The Lippen Group in 1991 and worked tirelessly to stop the show from being cancelled and instead become syndicated globally.

The series went on to become a powerhouse money-maker, generating $70million and attracting a weekly audience of 1.1 billion in 142 countries at its peak.

Baywatch aired from 1989 until 2001 with 241 episodes in all. The beach drama starred David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth and Nicole Eggert.

A iconic figure behind the Baywatch TV series has passed away at t he age of 77. Here are Yasmine Bleeth, David Charvet, Jaason Simmons, David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson and Alexandra Paul

The legendary show's publicist Paul Nichols died at his home in Weatherford, Texas, on March 14

The show focused on Lt. Mitch Buchannon (Hasselhoff), who was the dedicated leader of a group of lifeguards on Malibu Beach in Los Angeles.

Although this prime-time soap opera featured a lot of sand, sun and bikinis, it also tackled many serious themes and had multifaceted characters.

There was also a Baywatch movie made in 2017, starring The Rock and Priyanka Chopra.

Paul was born in Delaware in 1948 and graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism from Penn State University in 1970.

He started out as a DJ then went into showbusiness.

His first big job was on the talk show The Mike Douglas Show, based in Philadelphia.

In 1980, he relocated to California to work for John Davidson, Douglas' talk-show successor.

He also was employed at Group W, All American Television and Sony Pictures Television.

Paul was a publicist working at The Lippen Group in 1991 when he helped to stop the show from being cancelled

The series went on to become a powerhouse money-maker. Baywatch aired from 1989 until 2001 with 241 episodes in all. The beach-set drama starred David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson, both pictured

It comes after Baywatch actor Michael Newman died at the age of 68 in October.

He was best known for his role as lifeguard Mike 'Newmie' Newman on the hit TV series.

The actor also starred on Baywatch Nights for three episodes in 1996.

Newman passed away due to complications related to Parkinson's Disease, according to PageSix. He was first diagnosed with the disease in 2006 at the age of 50.

Newman was the only Baywatch actor who had worked as a lifeguard in real life.

In October Michael Newman died at the age of 68. He was best known for his role as a lifeguard on the hit TV series Baywatch

Michael is picured center at top, just above David Hasselhoff

He appeared on 150 episodes of the show, which was the most appearances of any character, with the exception of main star David Hasselhoff.

The actor was also working as a full-time firefighter while starring on Baywatch.

His struggle with Parkinson's disease was mentioned on the recent documentary After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun.

'This terminal disease has allowed me a lot of thinking time, which I maybe didn't want, but it's brought me wisdom,' Newman told People in August.

'My body has changed so slowly that I hardly notice it, yet I am constantly reminded that Parkinson's has now become the center of my life,' he added.

He appeared on 150 episodes of the show, which was the most appearances of any character, with the exception of main star David Hasselhoff

Newman also said, 'I am cherishing the days that I get to be on this earth with family and friends. I'm taking life seriously.'

He shared that the words he lives by are, 'It's not a run-through.'

Michael's Baywatch alter ego Newmie was based on himself as he was a lifeguard in real life.

The actor wasn't intended to star on the show and was first employed as a stuntman, but he eventually got to be right at the heart of the action.

'I was too useful for them to get rid of me,' he said.

'I basically started off as a stuntman, and after seven years of being out of the opening credits, I finally was anointed and allowed to be in the front of the show.'

After his stint on Baywatch, Michael retired from acting because he found it 'hard' to 'look natural' on camera. He explained: 'If you didn't have to be there, why would you be? Let's be honest  there's not too many actors that have survived the years of working in Hollywood.'

He admitted there are negative sides to the industry that led to his exit.

Newman attending the premiere of After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun in August

Douglas Schwartz, Michael Berk, Ingrid Walter, Carmen Electra, Matthew Felker, Jeremy Jackson, Nancy Valen, Michael Bergin, Brandy Ledford, Michael Newman, Erika Eleniak, Alexandra Paul, Jaason Simmons, Nicole Eggert, Traci Bingham and David Chokachi

Michael said: 'Having to deal with the people who scratch your name out on the script and put their name on there? That kind of thing  you never get used to that.'

Michael is survived by his wife, Sarah, their son Chris and daughter Emily, as well as granddaughter Charlie.

Newman appeared in the 1999 movie Enemy Action with co-stars C Thomas Howell and Louis Mandylor.

The thriller was about two Air Force officers who are after a stolen high-tech smart bomb.
Co-stars Pom Klementieff and Hayley Atwell commanded attention in sexy black ensembles as they stepped out at the Korea premiere of their new movie Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning.

Pom, 39, went for a risque look, with a black, pinstripe ensemble weaving around her neck but leaving much of her chest exposed, as she pouted and posed in Seoul.

The backless outfit included an elegant train which draped onto the carpet, drawing attention to pointed, metallic heels.

The French actress, who has portrayed assassin Paris in the action films since 2017, kept things classic with silver earrings and simple makeup as she cast a smouldering glance, with her short ice-blonde tresses slicked back into curled edges, providing a striking contrast to the dark outfit.

British actress Hayley was spotted beaming as she modelled a figure-hugging v-necked black dress over a dazzling, bejewelled undergarment.

Hayley, 43, who reprises her role as former-thief-turned-IMF-agent Grace, completed the ensemble with a trio of silver hoops on each ear, with her dark tresses pulled back into a sleek style.

Pom Klementieff and Hayley Atwell wowed in black dresses in Korea at the premiere of their new movie Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning

Tom Cruise beamed at the camera while sporting large, black sunglasses

Pom, 39, went for a very risque look, with a black, pinstripe ensemble weaving around her neck but leaving much of her chest exposed

Tom Cruise, 62, was all smiles in an all-black suit with oversized shades as he formed a heart with his hands, joining his co-stars to promote the highly-anticipated eight film in the Mission Impossible franchise.

It marked Tom's twelfth visit to the country for a movie, with his first visit in 1994 with Interview with the Vampire.

He gushed: 'Movies are my dream, and coming to Korea is the same.

'It was my dream to come to Korea a long time ago. I can't believe it's already the 12th time I've achieved it. I wonder if it's real.

'It also means that the movie life has been that long. I'm proud to share this work with Korean fans once again, which is a dream and a whole goal of life.'

Reprising his role as the titular hero Ethan Hunt, Tom takes on his biggest mission yet, after a tense cliffhanger saw the spy determined to track down cyber weapon The Entity and learning that his team was betrayed and his 'secrets compromised.'

The film, which has faced multiple delays, is finally due to hit cinemas on May 23 2025.

On Tuesday, the Marvel stars attended the movies premiere in Tokyo, alongside actors Simon Pegg, Greg Tarzan Davis and Christopher McQuarrie.

British-US actress Hayley was spotted beaming as she modelled a figure-hugging v-necked black dress over a dazzling, bejewelled undergarment

Tom Cruise joined his co-stars to promote the highly-anticipated eight film in the Mission Impossible franchise

Tom said, 'Movies are my dream, and coming to Korea is the same'

The trip marked Tom's twelfth visit to the country for a movie, with his first visit in 1994 with Interview with the Vampire

Tom said, 'It was my dream to come to Korea a long time ago. I can't believe it's already the 12th time I've achieved it. I wonder if it's real'

Pom turned heads in a racy clear plastic midi dress, as she ditched her underwear under the ensemble which boasted a panelled red top and skirt at the front and back.

On Saturday, Tom was joined by his rumoured new girlfriend Ana de Armas, whose love affair was confirmed in a DailyMail+ exclusive, for David Beckham's star-studded 50th birthday bash, with the star later spotted in a background of a snap shared from the party on Instagram.

While Tom had seemingly arrived on his own at the swanky celebrations at Notting Hill's Core restaurant on Saturday, hours later the facade dropped as he was spotted leaving in a car with the actress.

The couple made an effort to hide their relationship as they left the venue in the early hours shielded by umbrellas, before ducking behind the seats as they sat together in the back of the vehicle.

Pom left little to the imagination in a racy transparent plastic midi-dress at the premiere of the film in Tokyo, Japan

In the new movie, Hayley plays Grace, a former thief turned IMF agent and ally to the actor's character, Ethan Hunt

Pom's short ice-blonde hair was slicked back into curled edges, providing a striking contrast to her dark outfit

Tom beamed as he celebrated the event with excited fans

While they were trying to conceal their appearance together, bleary-eyed Tom appeared to find the whole thing quite amusing as he was spotted laughing and smiling as their sneaky moment was caught on camera.

Ana, who was wearing an elegant strappy black dress, meanwhile kept her head down as she avoided being photographed with Tom, following their best efforts to keep their joint attendance quiet.

Earlier in the evening, Tom made a low-key arrival at the celebration, following a series of reports that his girlfriend was also invited to the star-studded event.

Tom appeared to enter the venue solo, spotted sitting in the back of a black cab as he pulled up to the exclusive spot.
Simon Cowell has revealed he once turned down $150,000 from a couple who asked him to judge them having sex.

The media mogul, 65, is perhaps the most famous TV judge in the world for his stints on shows like The X Factor, American Idol and Britain's Got Talent.

Simon's reputation as a tough, no nonsense judge won him millions of fans - including a man who approached him with a very unusual request.

'One timethis is a true storyI was in a restaurant and this guy comes up to me and he said, 'I love your show,' Simon said on the How To Fail podcast.

'Thank you very much. 'Will you take a picture?' Sure. 'This is my wife.' Nice to meet you.'

Simon recalled the couple then asked: 'Would you judge us having sex?'

Simon Cowell has revealed he once turned down $150,000 from a couple who asked him to judge them having sex

The media mogul, 65, is perhaps the most famous TV judge in the world for his stints on shows like The X Factor, American Idol and Britain's Got Talent

The TV star assumed the offer was a joke, adding: 'I went, are you winding me up?

'And they said, 'No, we'll pay you.' Well how much? And it was actually a lot of money. And I thought, do I? No, I just can't do it.' It was $150,000.'

Although Simon found the interaction, 'bizarre', the music mogul explained why he enjoys these kinds of fan moments.

'I am very shy,' he said. 'I can't go to a pre-party. It's the worst thing in the world making small talk with people I don't know. If we have a common subject, I'm pretty good.'

Simon feels he became much better at small talk when he became famous because his career in the limelight was an instant ice-breaker.

'Instantly, they know you, you're talking about something I likewhich is the shows, the artists, whateverso it kind of helped me with my shyness,' he said.

It comes after Simon revealed his surgeon feared he would never walk again following his near-fatal e-bike crash.

The star broke his back in 2020 after being thrown off an electric bike when he was testing the vehicle at his home in Malibu, California.

He underwent extensive surgery after the shock accident including having a metal rod put in his back to stabilise it and he has overhauled his lifestyle in the years since.

It comes after Simon revealed his surgeon feared he would never walk again following his near-fatal e-bike crash

The star broke his back in 2020 after being thrown off his electric bike while he was testing the vehicle at his home in Malibu, California (pictured on an e-bike in 2024)

Now, Simon has spoken more about the devastating impact of the crash, revealing his surgeon didn't know if he'd be able to 'fix' his back due to the severity of the injury.

Speaking to Elizabeth Day on the How To Fail podcast, Simon revealed he 'could have died' in the accident and his surgeon warned him he might never walk again.

He shared: 'He showed me the X-ray and he said ''look, I'm not going to lie Simon, I don't know if I can fix this, which means you probably won't walk and secondly, the operation could take 11 hours''.

'They said the obvious - it could go wrong - and all I could think about was my family and everything. In that moment you kind of realise the most important thing is your health and don't do stupid things.'

The former X Factor judge said the horror accident was a major 'wake-up call' about his 'crazy' lifestyle and taught him to stop taking risks in life.

'It was a wake-up moment, which is I'm crazy,' he explained.

'It kind of happened for a reason because I thought I was fit but then when I had to do all the physio after, just walking, they make you walk very quickly, I pretty much couldn't move and then I started to walk a lot and thought ''oh God, I was in a really bad place''.'

Reflecting on the accident itself, Simon revealed he was thrown from his e-bike after it did a massive 'wheelie' due to the power of the throttle, and said he immediately knew he had broken his back.

'I shipped it in from England, couldn't wait to drive it. I was in the driveway and my son was there and I pulled the throttle, it did the biggest wheelie and it threw me like 7-8ft in the air,' he said.

'I landed on my back and the second I landed I thought ''s**t, I know I've broken my back'' because I could feel it.

'The first thing I did was ''can I move my hands?'', yes, ''can I move my feet?'', yes, OK, that's not too bad.'

Now, Simon (pictured in 2024) has spoken more about the impact of the crash, revealing his surgeon didn't know if he'd be able to 'fix' his back due to the severity of the injury

Simon said it led him to realise his health was 'more important' than anything else and focus on his family life with his partner Lauren Silverman and their son Eric (all pictured in September)

Though his surgeon initially feared he would be paralysed from the accident, Simon has made a full recovery and says he is now fitter than he was before the crash.

He has since shed three stone and has gradually ditched smoking, which saw him have 80 cigarettes a day at the height of his habit.

In 2023, he told The Sun: 'I was so close to living the rest of my life in a wheelchair, it gives you a completely different outlook on life. In a positive way.

'It hurt - trust me - when it happened, but good things happened off the back of it.'

Simon said it led him to realise his health was 'more important' than anything else and he completely overhauled his lifestyle to find a better work-life balance.

The accident also made him focus on his family life with his partner Lauren Silverman and their son Eric, 11, and he also cut down on his work amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Simon previously smoked up to 80 cigarettes per day before reducing his use to just two each day in 2017 after falling down the stairs of his London home.

He used to work through the entire night, but he now refuses to work past 6pm or on his days off.
Will it be: 'Arise, Sir Tom Cruise?'

Sources close to the matter say that 'Cruise's team have been sounded out' about the possibility of a knighthood  and believe that he may get the award as soon as next month in King Charles's Birthday Honours.

Cruise, 62, wouldn't be the first American to be granted an honorary knight or damehood.

Steven Spielberg, Angelina Jolie and Bill Gates were all given the award by the late Queen Elizabeth II as a direct gift of the sovereign. It is the only title that non-British citizens are eligible for.

If Cruise were to be ennobled in the next honours list, expected to be published on June 8, it might even mean a joint trip to the Palace with his friend David Beckham, 50, who has hopes in that direction, too.

In the case of Cruise, the actor has done a huge amount for British film over the years  honours are awarded to US citizens who have contributed to British science, fashion, military service and arts  and has warm links with the Royal Family, having escorted Prince William and Kate Middleton to the Top Gun: Maverick premiere in London in 2022.

Sources close to the matter say that 'Cruise's team have been sounded out' about the possibility of a knighthood. (Pictured: Cruise with Prince William and Kate in 2022 atTop Gun: Maverick premier in London).

If Cruise were to be ennobled in the next honours list, expected to be published on June 8, it might even mean a joint trip to the Palace with his friend David Beckham who has hopes in that direction, too

That same year, he also was also mobbed by fans during an unscheduled walkabout in Windsor before appearing in a concert to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

It was a surprise to many when he made the special visit, fist bumping and waving to the crowds as he walked to the Royal Windsor Horse Show event ground.

He then hosted the Platinum Jubilee Celebration  A Gallop Through History, which saw more than 500 horses and 1,000 participants pay tribute to the Queen.

During a TV interview at the time, Cruise said he didn't hesitate for a second when asked to take part in the event.

'It is a wonderful event and I feel very privileged to be here. I was very honoured,' he said.

'I love the history of England, and I just have great respect for the Queen... She is just a woman I greatly admire. She is someone who has tremendous dignity. I admire her devotion and what she has accomplished is historic.

'Presidents, world leaders, people of all walks of life, not just in America but the world, knows dignity and devotion and kindness  something I've always felt about her.'

He also revealed a previous brush with royalty during the interview, recalling how he met the late Prince Philip at a Buckingham Palace charity dinner in 2017.

Cruise said: 'He was telling me a wonderful story about how he got the first helicopter into Buckingham Palace during [the Queen's] coronation. I was this close to going, "I'd like to land a helicopter, if you ever need a helicopter, someone to pick you up, I think I could put it right there".'

Tom Cruise and Ana De Armas arrived at Battersea Heliport together in March 2025

The actor is being garlanded with a British Film Institute (BFI) Fellowship on Monday for his services to UK film just as British-American Christopher Nolan was  a month before it was announced that Nolan, 54, was to get a knighthood.

Cruise has chosen to shoot numerous films, including many Mission: Impossible movies, in England  on location in London, Birmingham, North Yorkshire and the Lake and Peak Districts  showcasing and investing in British craft expertise and bringing jobs, skills and training.

He describes himself as an 'Anglophile' and has been based in the UK for much of the past two decades; he has an apartment in Knightsbridge, central London, and a larger countryside home tucked away in Kent.

He's often seen helicoptering from Battersea, south west London, and has been recently accompanied by actress Ana de Armas, 37, who he is understood to be dating.

A Scientologist for many years, his 32-year-old daughter Bella lives in Croydon and works at the Scientology Centre in East Grinstead. It's not thought that there are any concerns over his religion which would impact his chances of a knighthood.

The BFI Fellowship will also acknowledge Cruise's support for the cinematic experience  he always urges audiences to see all films on the big screen and recently said how much he had enjoyed watching Ryan Coogler's film Sinners in the cinema.

Cruise  who is in South Korea promoting his last Mission: Impossible film, due for release in the US on May 23  said in a statement released by the BFI that he was 'truly honoured' by the award.

In perhaps a final bid in his decades-long honorary knighthood campaign, he added: 'I have been making films in the UK for over 40 years and have no plans to stop. The UK is home to incredibly talented professionals  actors, directors, writers and crews  as well as some of the most stunning locations in the world. I'm grateful for all the BFI has done to support UK filmmaking and this incredible art form we share.'
Millie Court ensured all eyes were on her as she posed for a slew of sizzling snaps on Instagram on Thursday.

The Love Island star, 29, turned up the heat in a tiny black bikini that showed off her jaw-dropping figure.

The skimpy two-piece from White Fox Boutique featured a triangle top and thong bottom, which was adorned with white strap detailing.

Millie curled her golden blonde locks and accessorised with a gold statement bracelet and earrings.

The beauty appeared in high spirits as she posed up a storm by the pool in a mystery sun-soaked location.

She captioned the sexy snaps: 'Ok I guess Ill book another flight then'

Millie Court ensured all eyes were on her as she posed for a slew of sizzling snaps on Instagram on Thursday

The Love Island star, 29, turned up the heat in a tiny black bikini that showed off her jaw-dropping figure

It comes after Millie shared a glimpse into her recent holiday in the Maldives with her boyfriend Liam Reardon.

Last month, the reality star shared an array of photos on her Instagram grid of her and Maldives-based entrepreneur Carla Virgos on a boat trip.

The TV personality posted a snap of herself climbing the boat's ladder to get out of the water with her head tipped backwards as she showcased her physique.

Millie donned a red and white polkadot bikini with a simple statement necklace neatly placed in her decolletage.

The star also shared a couple of snaps of her snorkelling which flaunting her figure in the clear water as she swam around a small shipwreck.

In one of the photos the influencer posted, Millie and Carla posed on the beach together with the crystal clear sea and blue horizon in the background.

Millie shared a photo of her and her bricklayer beau, Liam, 25, looking cosy as she snuggled up to his chest outside a restaurant whilst the sun was going down.

The skimpy two-piece from White Fox Boutique featured a triangle top and thong bottom which was adorned with white strap detailing

Millie curled her golden blonde locks and accessorised with a gold statement bracelet and earrings

The beauty appeared in high spirits as she posed up a storm by the pool in a mystery sun-soaked location

She wore a low cut white bikini top which complimented her tanned skin whilst Liam was shirtless.

The reality stars won the seventh series of Love Island in 2021 and had a year-long relationship before briefly splitting in July 2022. They have since reconciled and have been going from strength to strength.

And in June Millie openly 'hinted' she is ready for Liam to pop the question and has already 'showed' him the style of engagement ring she would like.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, she said: 'He's the one in control of proposing and I've gave a little hint and showed him a ring that I would like.

'Not that it means he'll do it any time soon but I thought better he knows now so when he does decide to, in the future, he knows what ring I like.

It comes after Millie showed off her stunning figure whilst on vacation in the Maldives. Millie donned a red and white polkadot balcony style bikini

Millie was on vacation with her boyfriend Liam Reardon (pictured)

'He also knows what I would like proposal-wise as well, so where it would be and stuff'.

Millie went onto say that the couple have been much happier in their relationship since 'doing long distance'.

She said: 'It's amazing, he lives in Wales now and I'm in Essex so we're doing long distance but it's actually working really well.

'We managed to get that time together where I'll come down to Wales for a week, he'll come down to Essex, and it's almost like it's working because the time that we have apart we can crack on with work and solely focus on that.

'Then when we're together we really look after our relationship and actually spend quality time together.'

The reality star admitted the pair 'struggled' with balancing a relationship as well as fame after first coming off Love Island, but despite splitting for a short period of time they 'always knew they wanted to be together'.

In one of the photos the influencer posted, Millie and Carla posed on the beach together with the crystal clear sea and blue horizon in the background

The reality stars won the seventh series of Love Island in 2021 and had a year-long relationship before briefly splitting in July 2022

Speaking as the face of VO5's Summer Festival Edit, Millie told MailOnline: 'I just think that we've got used to life as it is now.

'I think coming off the show as many couples, it is a struggle to sort of navigate this new life as well as navigating a relationship.

'So having that time apart meant that we could really get to terms with this new lifestyle and everything sort of happening with that.

'Then when we came back together it was like we'd got used to it and we were in a much more comfortable position with life and career and it meant that we could fully focus on our relationship

'We always wanted to be together, we knew that, it was just timing that was hard and it's much better this time around.'
Ariel Winter detailed the agonizing effect that being body shamed as a child had on her mental health while starring as Alex Dunphy on ABC's hit series, Modern Family.

In a rare interview, since taking a step back from the spotlight, the actress admitted the relentless scrutiny over her body had a profound affect on her mental health.

'That was a major part of my teenage years,' she told People of the online criticism for the way she dresses and being a woman with curves.

The SAG Award winner, 27, went on to describe being bombarded by cruel headlines saying she 'looked terrible or pregnant or like a fat slut'

'It was just everywhere. It was every headline I read about myself,' Winter recalled. 'I mean, I was 14.'

Winter, who was navigating going through puberty in the spotlight, explained , at the time, she 'was on an antidepressant in high school that caused' her 'to gain 30 lbs.'

Ariel Winter detailed the agonizing affect that being body shamed as a child had on her mental health while starring as Alex Dunphy on ABC's hit series, Modern Family; seen in 2024

'I couldnt lose that weight, but I prioritized my mental health over that weight. I wasnt willing to sacrifice my well-being,' she said.

After she got older and tried a different medication, Winter said she 'happened to lose all that weight' and was immediately accused of being 'way too skinny' or 'on drugs.'

'I was just a growing, changing person. It was really, really hard to be torn down constantly,' the performer emphasized.

This resulted in her struggling to look at herself in the mirror and 'love' herself.

After years and years of fighting back with body shamers, Winter said she, now, understands that 'no matter what' she was going to be 'a target.'

After moving out of her hometown in Los Angeles and going to therapy, she finally feels comfortable in her own skin.

'I went on a journey of self-healing,' Winter said. 'A big part of it was just realizing you dont get to redo your childhood. Its gone. And that hit me so hard.'

She continued: 'I really had to focus all my time on healing that past because now I want my future to be great. I want to have a family of my own, and I have to be healed to the best version of me to be able to pour into being a mom myself someday.'

In a rare interview, since taking a step back from the spotlight, the actress admitted the relentless scrutiny over her body had a profound affect on her mental health

'Would it be nice if people would shut the f**k up about how I look? Sure. Is it going to happen? No. But do I particularly care anymore? No. I have so many other things that Im doing that I want people to care about that have nothing to do with the way I look,' she said.

Winter, who made her acting debut in a Cool Whip commercial at age four, also stated that she feels grateful not to have fallen into addiction, like many other child stars do.

'Ive been blessed with opportunities and blessed to have the resources to seek healing. Ive got great people around me and a great second chance, and thats major,' she said.

During her interview with People, Winter also opened up about her decision to move out of her hometown of Los Angeles.

After her hit series Modern Family wrapped in spring 2020, Winter and her boyfriend Luke Benward packed up and moved out of the city to Nashville, Tennessee.

'I just left the city of LA. It holds some not so great memories for me, and I'm young and never lived anywhere else, and thought, "Why not?"'

At 14, the Department of Child and Family Protective Services removed Winter from her home with her mom, Chrisoula Workman, and placed her under the guardianship of her sister, Shanelle Gray.

'I went on to have a great rest of my teenage years thanks to being under her custody,' Winter said.

Three years later, Winter was 'legally emancipated and declared an adult' and has 'since refrained' from talking to her mom, according to People.
She's been placed at the centre of a family feud, being made the 'scapegoat' for Brooklyn Beckham's no shows at his father David's 50th birthday celebrations last week.

And Kim Turnbull has decided to take her mind off the drama by jetting off to Ibiza, taking to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to announce the 'exciting' trip.

Romeo Beckham's girlfriend, 22, posted a photo of Spain's Balearic Islands from a plane window, captioning the dramatic shot: 'Back on the island for something exciting.'

She also put on a brave face amid the tension, which has seen sources close to Brooklyn's wife Nicola Peltz suggest the couple 'have a problem' with her, by uploading a slew of photos to her social media account.

The Mail previously revealed Romeo's girlfriend Kim is being made the 'scapegoat' in the feud between Brooklyn and David.

One snap showed Kim wearing a cropped black cardigan over a cropped black vest top, adding a thick black overcoat as she stared into the lens.

Kim Turnbull has decided to take her mind off the Beckham family drama by jetting off to Ibiza, taking to Instagram on Thursday to announce the 'exciting' trip and post a slew of photos

Romeo Beckham's girlfriend has been made the 'scapegoat' for Brooklyn's no shows at his father David's 50th birthday celebrations (pictured with Romeo)

The DJ added some faded blue jeans and accessorised with a silver chain necklace, wearing her brunette tresses in a high ponytail.

A further video showed her wearing an oversized navy leather jacket with embroidered brand logos over a black top, adding black jeans as she mixed music on some DJ decks at a Maison Crivelli show.

She also showed off a black leather Balenciaga handbag set worth 5,700 in a further snap.

And Kim offered a closeup of a lilac sequin buttoned coat in one photo, adding some Chanel gemstone necklaces to the look.

Romeo's beau captioned the update: 'On the latest episode.'

Rumours of a Beckham family rift began to ramp up around the time of David's 50th birthday last week, which culminated with a massive party held at London's esteemed Michelin-star restaurant Core on Saturday night.

Sources close to Nicola, 30, told TMZ they wanted 'to get together privately' to avoid Kim as the couple are said to 'have a problem' with her.

Brooklyn also missed out on David's early celebrations in Miami last month as well as parties in the Cotswolds, France and London this week.

Following the birthday party snub, it was revealed he also declined an invitation by his father to join him and his brothers on a 'boys' fishing trip to celebrate his 50th.

The DJ, 22, posted a photo of Spain's Balearic Islands from a plane window, captioning the dramatic shot: 'Back on the island for something exciting'

A video showed her wearing an oversized navy leather jacket with embroidered brand logos over a black top, adding black jeans as she mixed music on DJ decks at a Maison Crivelli show

Some polaroid photos saw Kim in a tight-fitting black vest top and black trousers as she sat on a chair, adding white socks

In a selfie, the DJ pouted in her leather jacket, accentuating her looks with a natural makeup palette

She also showed off a black leather Balenciaga handbag set worth 5,700 in a further snap

And Kim offered a closeup of a lilac sequin buttoned coat in one photo, adding some Chanel gemstone necklaces to the look

The Mail revealed David invited Brooklyn on a short break six months ago when he began planning, yet his son failed to go despite arriving in the UK the day he went with Romeo and Cruz.

Sources have suggested that Brooklyn's decision was influenced by his American actress wife Nicola.

'Brooklyn was asked to join them ages ago,' one claimed. 'Then he came to London in time but he didn't go. Once again David made the best of things and had a great time with Cruz and Romeo.'

David still offered an olive branch to his son as he shared snaps from the trip, as he captioned one of his posts: 'You were missed @brooklynbeckham.'

Kim and Brooklyn were undeniably close for a brief period  as photographs of them together in 2016 show - but suggestions that they were ever an item are wide of the mark, according to well-informed sources who spoke to The Mail.

Rumours of a family rift ramped up around the time of David's 50th birthday last week, which culminated with a party held at London's Michelin-star restaurant Core on Saturday night (pictured: Harper Beckham, David, Victoria Beckham, Brooklyn and Nicola in 2023)

The Mail revealed Kim is being made the 'scapegoat' in the feud between Brooklyn and David (pictured: the Beckhams minus Brooklyn in April)

In fact, younger brother Cruz personally shut down the gossip recently when he responded to an Instagram post showing a picture of Romeo and Kim together.

In a now-deleted message, one user commented: 'It's appropriate to date your brother's ex too? Cool.'

Cruz replied: 'Brooklyn and Kim never dated.'

One friend told the Mail's Katie Hind at the weekend: 'This is nothing to do with Kim and is all about Nicola.

'All David and Victoria want is their son back  and they will be there to welcome him any time.'

Family friends claim Brooklyn's wife has a pattern of 'starting an argument' before family events and then preventing her husband from attending.

Some believe that friends of Nicola have been behind the briefings about Kim being the cause of Brooklyn's rift with his family, some of which went so far to claim that he had told them he refused to come to any event at which Kim was present.

A source close to the family told MailOnline: 'Brooklyn was close to Kim because she was dating Rocco and they all hung out in a tightknit friendship group. But that was years ago. Brooklyn and Kim were close, but there was never any romance.

Brooklyn and his wife Nicola were no-shows at any of David's birthday events last week despite allegedly pulling out of the Met Gala to attend (pictured at the gala in 2022)

On Wednesday, Kim defiantly performed a set at a Maison Crivelli event in London as she took her mind off the 'family feud'

'It seems Nicola doesn't like Brooklyn spending any time with the Beckhams full stop and is using his previous closeness to Kim and her getting in with the family as a reason to not be around them.

'She denies it, but Nicola has been controlling him since the wedding. The family - including the brothers - have had enough of it.

'This is the narrative that's been put out to other news outlets, that Romeo is dating his brother's ex-girlfriend - and that's really weird, so that's why they wouldn't want to be around the family when she is there.

'But none of this is true. And it's really upset Romeo and his parents because Kim is seemingly being used by Nicola as a reason to start the rift. Romeo is furious at the suggestion that he would bring an ex-girlfriend of Brooklyn into the family when there never was any romance.'

On Wednesday, Kim defiantly performed a set at a Maison Crivelli event in London as she took her mind off the 'family feud'.

The DJ appeared in great spirits as she made a solo appearance at the launch of Maison Crivelli's Safran Secret at The ICA on Wednesday.

Kim confidently posed for photos before taking to the decks to entertain party-goers.
Cristiano Ronaldo's girlfriend made her debut at the Met Gala in New York City on Monday evening.

Beauty Georgina Rodriguez, 31, wore a sexy, low-cut black dress with lace on the chest that resembled a negligee meant for the bedroom.

But the gown was actually inspired by a very classy British royal: Princess Diana.

The long frock was very similar to the slip dress designed by John Galliano that the princess wore to the Met Gala in 1996.

It was the first and last time the popular royal, who died at age 36 in 1997, attended the high-profile fashion event.

Cristiano Ronaldo's girlfriend made her debut at the Met Gala in New York City on Monday

Georgina Rodriguez wore a sexy black dress that resembled a negligee meant for the bedroom. But the dress was actually inspired by Princess Diana. It was similar to the slip dress designed by John Galliano that the princess wore to the Met Gala in 1996

Cristiano Ronaldo accompanied by his partner Georgina in 2023

Vetements creative director Guram Gvasalia cut up 10 different tailored jackets and coats to make the gown.

'After that we cut those dresses up and merged them into one evening gown, entirely stitched by hand, giving it a real Vetements Couture treatment,' Gvasalia shared.

'Archetypal masculine garments were reworked into a sensual personalized silhouette,' added the designer.

She was meant to look like a princess.

'I wanted to give Georgina that Princess moment,' he added.

'She is today's People's Princess and the Queen of People's Hearts. Not every dress needs to be a fairytale story, but this one is.'

Rodriguez also wore a large diamond Chopard necklace inspired by Diana's choice of jewelry in the 1990s.

Rodriguez said the Met Gala was a 'magical night.'

'Thank you always to God, to my family and to my team for accompanying me in every dream,' she wrote in Spanish on Instagram.

The stunner seen leaving The Mark Hotel alone. Rodriguez also wore a large diamond Chopard necklace inspired by Diana's choice of jewelry in the 1990s

Princess Diana, Princess of Wales with her sons Prince William and Prince Harry attend the Heads of State VE Remembrance Service in Hyde Park on May 7, 1995 in London

In the Hulu documentary In Vogue: The 90s, it was revealed by Galliano that the Princess took out the corset from the original design.

He was surprised.

'I just remember her getting out of the car,' Galliano said. 'I couldn't believe it. She'd ripped the corset out.

'She didn't want to wear the corset,' he said. 'She felt so liberated. She'd torn the corset out. The dress was much more sensuous.'

Last year Ronaldo said that he and his teenage son can go days without speaking because of their competitive natures.

The Portuguese soccer legend - who is dad to Cristiano Jr., 14, and seven-year-old twins Eva and Matteo via a surrogate, and Alana, six, and Bella, two, with partner Georgina - is proud that his kids are every bit as passionate and emotional as he is, and he won't hold back against them when they are playing games together.

Diana wore a similar gown to the Council Of Fashion Designers Of America Gala Ball In New York in 1995

Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, he said: 'I was in the Red Sea a couple of days ago, I play every day padel. Me and Cristiano Jr get mad, we don't speak for like two days.

'This is why I'm happy, even the small one Matteo [gets competitive], I like it. It shows they have personality.

'Seriously, my kids, they are like me. I don't teach them but they see by example because sometimes when I lose I get angry, sometimes I cry, depends on the moment.

'They are kind of the same, so even with my kids I compete, I always want to win. I don't give nothing for free.'

Cristiano currently plays for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr and his eldest son is with their youth team, with the youngster having previously turned out for both Juventus and Manchester United's academies while his dad was in the senior squads.

However, the 39-year-old striker isn't putting too much pressure on the teenager to succeed.

He said: 'This generation, it is difficult to tell them something and let them do it.

'They will always see their daddy as an example, they see me every day in what I do, at home, in training, or in a game. They see me work a lot.

'Right in this moment, Cristiano want to be a football player but I don't make big pressure, I make a little.

'He's 14 years old, he has pressure already to be the son of Cristiano [senior]. Let him do his own mistakes, but I hope that in the future he can be a professional player.

'If he doesn't become a player, maybe another job, but I will always support him. We cannot put pressure on our sons because we are famous.'
Jennifer Aniston's alleged stalker made a bizarre shirtless appearance in court days after he was arrested for crashing into the front gates of the star's $21m mansion while she was inside.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, shot cameras chilling glares and smiles as he appeared behind glass in a custody area of a Los Angeles courtroom, while wrapped in an anti-suicide blanket, to face felony stalking and vandalism charges on Thursday.

Aniston was home when Carwyle crashed his Chrysler PT Cruiser through the gate of her home in the wealthy Bel Air neighborhood. A security guard stopped him in her driveway and held him at gunpoint before police arrived and arrested him.

There were no reports of anyone being injured.

Carwyle is also accused of sending Aniston 'unwanted social media, voicemail, and email messages' starting in March 2023, with the last message sent on the same day of the crash, according to the district attorney's office.

Mississippi man Carwyle did not enter a plea, or speak at all during the arraignment hearing, but intently stared at the courtroom and placed his hands on the glass during the hearing.

Jennifer Aniston's alleged stalker made a bizarre shirtless appearance in court days after he was arrested for crashing into the front gates of the star's $21m mansion while she was inside - pictured Jimmy Wayne Carwyle

Aniston was home when Carwyle crashed his Chrysler PT Cruiser through the gate of her home in the wealthy Bel Air neighborhood

The possible intruder was apprehended by Aniston's security team and held at gunpoint as they awaited for the Los Angeles Police Department to arrive

It was determined he must go through mental-health court to determine whether he is competent to face the charges against him.

Judge Keith L. Schwartz doubted whether Carwyle would understand him when a prosecutor requested that the defendant, who will remain in jail, be ordered not to get near Aniston.

Carwyle's lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Toral Malik, said: 'I dont believe him staying away from Ms. Aniston will be an issue at this time.

But at a prosecutors' insistence, Schwartz issued the order anyway.

'You are not to have any contact with Jennifer Aniston under any conditions' the judge said.

He was also ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from her home.

Judge Schwartz set bail at $150K and called for the next hearing to take place at the Mental Health Court in Hollywood on May 22.

DailyMail.com exclusively spoke with a friend of Carwyle who said: My hopes were that someone, somewhere would see this and get him the help that he needs. Jimmy is a good man, but his drug use caused his mental instability.

I pray that this thing that Jimmy Carwyle has done, gets enough attention, that he gets the help that he needs. Please be in prayer for Jimmy, that the Lord work all this out for his good.

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a new release: Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities.

Carwyle, 48, shot cameras chilling glares and smiles as he appeared behind glass in a custody area of a Los Angeles courtroom Thursday

It was determined he must go through mental-health court to determine whether he is competent to face the charges against him

Carwyle was wrapped in a blanket during the court appearance

Carwyle was ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from Aniston's home and away from the star

Mississippi man Carwyle did not enter a plea, or speak at all, but intently stared at the courtroom and placed his hands on the glass during the hearing

Carwyle was ordered to stay away from Aniston - pictured at the home

'My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.

An Aniston attorney who attended Thursday's hearing declined comment, and other representatives of the Friends star have not responded to comment requests.

Carwyle also faces an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm. If convicted he could get up to three years in prison.

An insider source previously told DailyMail.com that Aniston was 'furious' with the Los Angeles Police Department for releasing her address. The source added that Aniston 'expected more protection from police.'

Social media posts allegedly from Carwyle have also been unearthed following the crash.

It hasn't been confirmed if the account is associated with the suspect or an individual with the same name, and the posts appear to have been taken down.

Several posts referred to Aniston as his 'bride,' including one posted in October, allegedly referring to the actress as 'Jennifer Aniston Carwyle.'

Another post allegedly said that he and Aniston would be 'mended together' before incoherently drawing comparisons to Adam and Eve.

The District Attorney's Office accused Carwyle of 'repeatedly harassing the victim,' and added that the harassment 'culminated when he allegedly crashed his vehicle through her front gate, causing substantial damage, and stopped in her driveway.'

Aniston's security rushed to the scene and reportedly 'held him at gunpoint' until they waited for the LAPD to arrive.

Officer Jeff Lee previously said that police responded to a call about a 'burglary suspect.'

Aniston was home at the time of the crash but never came in contact with the suspect, according to police.

Carwyle, 48, was charged with felony stalking and vandalism

Unearthed social media posts described a disturbing desire to marry Aniston from an account with the suspect's name

Police are investigating social media posts and messages that potentially indicate stalking

Carwyle had complained about back pain after the crash and was taken to the hospital. The case was then handed over to the LAPD's Threat Management Unit.

Sources previously told local ABC affiliate, KABC, that Carwyle had a 'minor' criminal history.

In addition to the stalking and vandalism charges, Carwyle also faces a charge for aggravating the threat of great bodily harm.

'Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities,' District Attorney Hochman said.

'My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.'

Hochman added that Deputy District Attorney Sam Hulefeld of LADA's Stalking and Threat Assessment Team is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Carwyle could face three years in a state prison.

The office said evidence of stalking culminated in the crash into Aniston's Bel-Air home, which was previously the site of her wedding to her ex-husband, Justin Theroux

Aniston has owned her Bel-Air property since 2011 and used the mansion as a venue for her wedding to her ex-husband, actor Justin Theroux.

The actress gave fans a glimpse into her home during a photoshoot in 2018 with Architectural Digest.

The sprawling mansion features four bedrooms, six-and-a-half bathrooms, a wine cellar, a pool, and a guesthouse.

Aniston's representatives previously declined requests to comment on the impending investigation.
The Secret Lives of Mormon of Wives is already bringing drama and the second season doesn't premiere until next week.

When season one ended last year, Jen Affleck, 25, and her husband Zac Affleck, 28, were the talk of the town, not just because of his 'disrespect' towards his wife, but also because he falsely kept claiming he was related to Ben Affleck.

Jan revealed she and Zac separated shortly after season one ended, which is where viewers will find them in season two - living apart and going to therapy.

'Just because of everything that we went through last year and because of everything we've had to do so much therapy,' she explained to People.

As for living apart, the soon-to-be mom of three said, 'It's all a blessing in disguise, but I definitely think it is daunting coming back to MomTok because we have gone through so much being a part of it,' Jen said.

'But again, we're learning so much on the way, so only taking the positives right now.'

The Secret Lives of Mormon of Wives is already bringing drama and the second season doesn't premiere until next week, as Jen Affleck, 25, revealed she and husband Zac Affleck, 28, separated after season one

Zac and Jen are still figuring out their marriage and for the moment at least, Zac has put medical school in Arizona on the back burner.

'He still hasn't officially decided,' she said of whether he'll continue down that path.

'He still has about five months to decide, but as of right now, I think his priority is just supporting me and so I guess we'll see,' she told the outlet.

While in therapy, the couple tried ketamine and Jen called it a 'life changer.'

'Definitely life changing  and I never thought I would try ketamine,' she told Us Weekly. 'But when youre looking for anything to help you try anything.'

After she and Zac moved from Utah to Arizona, she wasn't feeling well and checked into a wellness center.

'Spent 11 days away from my loved ones, focusing on healing and working through my trauma,' Jen wrote via her Instagram Story in March.

'It was definitely one of the most challenging and impactful experiences Ive ever had. Not the pregnancy journey I expected, but definitely what baby and I needed.'

When season one ended last year, Jen, 25, and Zac, 28, were the talk of the town, not just because of his 'disrespect' towards his wife, but also because he falsely kept claiming he was related to Ben Affleck

Shortly after season one ended Jan and Zac separated which is where viewers will find them in season two - living apart and going to therapy

'Just because of everything that we went through last year and because of everything we've had to do so much therapy,' she explained to People

As for living apart, the soon-to-be mom of three said, 'It's all a blessing in disguise, but I definitely think it is daunting coming back to MomTok because we have gone through so much being a part of it'

'But again, we're learning so much on the way, so only taking the positives right now'

The couple are living apart while expecting their third child together.

They are already parents to a 22-month-old son named Lucas and a 3-year-old daughter named Nora who were 'beyond excited' to hear the news.

The couple shared the news of their upcoming new bundle of joy in February.

Jen said she was surprised to learn of her pregnancy: 'I was a few days late, and while it was a surprise, we both had a feeling there was another baby waiting for us,' told People.

'We were very excited, there were a lot of emotions after a very crazy year!,' Jen said.

While they do not know the sex of their third child just yet, Jen senses they are having a girl.

'I have a strong feeling its a girl,' she explained. 'Ive dreamed about this little girl for a while now, and I truly believe shes the one Im carrying.'

Jen called having a big family a 'dream.'

Zac and Jen are still figuring out their marriage and for the moment at least, Zac has put medical school in Arizona on the back burner

'He still hasn't officially decided,' she said of whether he'll continue down that path

The star, who has two siblings of her own, said: 'Having been raised with numerous foster kids, I've always dreamed of a big family, and seeing that dream come true is both exciting and fulfilling.

'It can be daunting to think about raising three babies while pursuing my career, but I want to show women and mothers that they can achieve anything they set their minds to, no matter how unrealistic it may seem,' she said.

Coincidentally, Jen is not the only woman in her family expecting a child - her sister is also now pregnant.

'My sister also recently found out shes pregnant after many years of trying with IVF, so we couldnt be more excited to embark on this journey together,' she said.
The BBC's VE Day 80th Anniversary celebration saw an unlikely addition to its lineup on Thursday, as iconic rock band The Darkness took to the stage.

In a show that featured renditions of 1940s classics such as We'll Meet Again and I Got Rhythm, the famous group took to the stage to perform for the many war veterans, and members of the Royal Family, in attendance.

The concert, which took place at London's Horseguards Parade, is the last of many events this week to mark the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, which was the day the Second World War finally came to an end in Europe in 1945.

While many fans were quick to praise the band and lead Justin Hawkins for their energetic performance, others shared their confusion at the decision to sign them, considering the audience in attendance.

Taking to X, fans noted that many veterans may prefer some of the older songs in the show, quipping they 'didn't know' The Darkness had such a large following in war heroes.

This was a sentiment that appeared to be echoed by Queen Camilla, as the camera caught her covering her ears, while she chatted to 107-year-old World War Two bomber pilot Harry Richardson.

The BBC 's VE Day 80th Anniversary celebration saw an unlikely addition to its lineup on Thursday, as iconic rock band The Darkness took to the stage

While many fans were quick to praise the band and lead Justin Hawkins for their energetic performance, others shared their confusion by the decision to sign them

This was a sentiment that appeared to be echoed by Queen Camilla , as the camera caught her covering her ears, while she chatted to World War Two bomber pilot Harry Richardson

Sharing their thoughts on the performance, posts on X included: 'Harry Richardson, 107 years old World War 2 bomber pilot;

'We owe him and his heroic colleagues so much;

'So we wheel out The Darkness singing ''I believe in a thing called love'' Don't know whether to laugh or cry

'Wasn't aware of the 100-year-old veterans at this VE Day concert being big fans of The Darkness but there we are!'

'Nope. The Darkness does not fit here. At all; Not sure how The Darkness fit into this;

'Watching the VE Day concert, and I didn't expect to see The Darkness performing;

'The Darkness at the VE Day concert is so random and not really a war time theme.'

However, others praised the band's show, with comments including: 'The Darkness reminding us that I Believe In A Thing Called Love is an absolute banger;

Taking to X, fans noted that many veterans may prefer some of the older songs in the show, quipping they 'didn't know' The Darkness had such a large following in older war heroes

However, others praised the band's show, sharing their thoughts on X

'The Darkness playing I Believe In Thing Called Love was not on my VE Day bingo list;

'These 107-year-old veterans of VE Day are loving The Darkness banging out I Believe In A Thing Called Love.'

Elsewhere, Their Majesties, Charles, 76, and Camilla, 77, smiled as they made an appearance for an evening of music, along with Prince Edward, 61, and his wife Sophie, 60.

The mother-of-three stunned in an all-white ensemble, rewearing an effortlessly elegant Cream Tailored Boucle and Chiffon Midi Dress by Self-Portrait.

The artists featured include include the cast of World War II musical Operation Mincemeat, West End legend Samantha Barks - offering her powerful rendition of We'll Meet Again - Fleur East, Calum Scott, John Newman, Toploader and Tom Walker.

Elsewhere, Brian Cox - celebrated for his role in Succession - delivered a moving re-enactment of Winston Churchill's iconic wartime speech.

On May 8, 1945 the nation celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day with church bells ringing out across the country and people gathering to revel in the end of hostilities, with crowds gathering outside Buckingham Palace calling for King George VI.

After almost six years of fighting against Hitler's Nazi regime peace was declared, although the war against Japan would continue until August 15 that year.
As President Donald Trump had hoped, carmakers are starting to shift gears on manufacturing.

But much of the industry reaction is centered on electric vehicles  technology Trump has repeatedly criticized, even as his trade policies help bring it stateside.

Volkswagen Group, the second largest automaker in the world in 2024, is preparing to join the growing list of automakers looking to rejig its US factories in response to the tariffs.

The German automaler's luxury brand, Audi  which assembles most of its lineup in its home country, Hungary, Mexico, Slovakia, Spain, and China  is planning to make some of its crossover and SUV models in America.

'We want to localize more strongly in the USA,' a company spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

'To this end, we are currently examining various scenarios. We are confident that we will make a decision on this in consultation with the Volkswagen Group before the end of this year as to what this will look like in concrete terms.'

On a recent earnings call, Audi CFO Jurgen Rittersberger added that Audi plans to launch 10 new models in the US, with production locations to be announced in 2026.

While no final decision has been made, sources speaking to German trade publication Automobilwoche say Audi is scouting three potential locations in the US.

Audi is reportedly looking at bringing manufacturing capacity to the US

The frontrunner plant reportedly in consideration is in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where its parent company Volkswagen already builds the ID.4 electric crossover.

Since the Audi Q4 E-tron shares a similar platform with the ID.4, the plant could be adapted relatively quickly to handle production without starting from scratch.

Volkswagen also builds the Atlas and Atlas Sport at the Chattanooga facility, and several thousand vehicles from the plant are exported each year  boosting US GDP in the process.

Shifting production lines to make room for Audi models could slow some of those exports, but it would deepen the domestic supply chain.

Another potential site is in South Carolina, where VW is breaking ground on a new factory to build electric-based pickups and SUVs under the Scout Motors name.

The third option remains undisclosed. An Audi spokesperson didn't immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

President Trump has claimed that his 25 percent tariffs will revive American manufacturing after decades of decline.

Some automakers are now localizing production of EV platforms theyve already poured billions into  creating a reshuffling of global supply chains that aligns with White House goals, even if not with its messaging.

The Q4 E-tron, an electric crossover, is reportedly one of the cars in consideration to move to US plants

Audi's CFO, Jurgen Rittersberger, said the company hopes to launch ten new cars in the US in the next year

Audi currently builds most of its cars in Europe, China, and Mexico

Audi is a great example: the company has been launching multiple electric concept vehicles and has bet heavily on customers going EV.

Hyundai, too, has doubled down on building its Ioniq electric series in Georgia during the second Trump administration.

Honda said plans to keep Civic Hybrid production in Indiana in response to the tariffs.

Even startups are getting the message.

Jeremy Snyder, chief commercial officer of the newly-unveiled Slate electric truck company, told DailyMail.com that US EV manufacturing is a no-brainer.

'Building EVs for a new company is the only obvious solution,' Jeremy Snyder, the CCO of Slate told Daily Mail.com.

'Current EV problems are a education and infrastructure issues that are being corrected over time.

'For drivers, it is simply a better experience. You pull into your parking spot, you plug in, you wake up to a full "tank" every single day.'
A top-selling car brand has issued a recall over a potential fire risk.

Hyundai is recalling 620 units of its 2025 Palisade SUV due to a defect that could lead to an engine fire.

The issue stems from an insufficient seal on the controller for the vehicle's electric oil pump, which may let moisture seep into the electronics and short the system.

Hyundai said a supplier is at fault for the issue. A machine with a faulty spring produced the seals for the 620 cars.

The recall, which the company announced on May 5, is precautionary. Hyundai said it has not received any reports of fires from Palisade owners.

Owners can still drive their cars and will receive a recall notice in the mail after July 4.

As a preventive measure, the company is advising impacted Palisade owners to park their SUVs away from buildings until they can get their free repair.

Hyundai didn't specify how long it will take for the company to supply parts for the issue.

Hyundai is recalling 620 of the popular three-row Palisade SUV

'In the event of a safety-related defect in one of our vehicles, Hyundai acts swiftly and efficiently to recall and fix the problem at no cost to affected customers,' a company spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

The Palisade has been an important part of Hyundai's North America rebrand.

Hyundai, which initially entered the US market with low-cost, cheap-to-make vehicles, has leaned into luxury offerings like the Palisade.

The three-row SUV, which major review publications compared to mid-tier offerings like the Toyota Highlander and the Ford Explorer, sold 110,055 units last year.

Hyundai has reported selling 36,737 copies so far this year. That puts it on pace for a 7 percent increase in the full year.

Customers have responded to the car's lush interior and simple, boxy design.

But the company is planning a reboot in 2026 that will bring even more daring body lines to the vehicle.

The next iteration of the Palisade, which debuted for the US market at this year's New York International Auto Show, has stacked LED headlights and a silver, angled accent in the rear pillar that is reminiscent of some Land Rover models.

The Palisade is one of the cars Hyundai has introduced to increase its luxe-level offerings

Jose Munoz, Hyundai's CEO, recently revealed a newly designed Palisade SUV

The Palisade is getting a major refresh for the 2026 model year

Hyundai's older products came to market as cheaper alternatives to American-made vehicles

The company has also redone the designs on the Santa Fe, Tucson, and Ioniq 6 to up the brand's luxury appeal across the lineup.

The Korean manufacturer has been making moves for several years that might insulate some of its lineup from the huge impacts of President Donald Trump's sweeping 25 percent automotive tariffs.

Hyundai built a multi-billion-dollar megaplant in Georgia that is set to produce the Ioniq series of electric cars.

The company initially launched plans to build the factory in 2017.

Recently, Hyundai announced further investment in US manufacturing for its EV line.

Now, the company is working to build more battery and steel capacity to supply to its new Georgia plant.

President Trump has touted Hyundai's investment as a policy win for his administration several times.
Bangladesh on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the intensified conflict between India and Pakistan and urged both neighbours to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could make the situation worse in the region.

A foreign ministry statement said Dhaka was closely observing developments in the two neighbouring countries and expected it to be defused for the people in the region. aIn the spirit of regional peace, prosperity and stability, Bangladesh remains hopeful that tensions will be diffused through diplomatic endeavours, and that peace will ultimately prevail for the benefit of the peoples in the region,a the foreign ministry statement said. Dhakaas reaction came hours after Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan, including Bhawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit. The attack was a retaliation against the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmiras Pahalgam on April 22 that had killed 26 people.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshas policeas inspector general Baharul Alam on Wednesday said police superintendents of border districts were ordered to ensure that no militants enter the country amid the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict.
Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland have today announced the next stage of public engagement as part of a review of the Causeway Coastal Route between Derry and Belfast.

Supported through the Government of Irelands Shared Island Fund, an audit, which was launched last year, is reviewing existing signage and infrastructure along the route.

The overarching aim of the audit is to provide greater alignment and synergy between the visitor experience on the Causeway Coastal Route with that experienced on the Wild Atlantic Way.

The Paul Hogarth Company were appointed last year as the consultancy team to undertake the audit and they have been working closely with Tandem Design.

A public survey carried out as part of the first round of public engagement revealed that while the Causeway Coastal route is much loved, it is negatively impacted by infrastructure issues including road conditions, congestion and parking, particularly at popular destinations along the route.

Now, as part of a second stage of engagement, The Paul Hogarth Company want to hear from residents, business owners and interest groups along the Causeway Coastal Route in relation to improving signage and wayfinding along the 120-mile stretch.

A strong theme from the initial consultation was that signage was inconsistent, unclear or of poor-quality.

It is hoped that signage can be streamlined, updated and enhanced to help people move through the landscape more confidently and enjoyably, while respecting the character and capacity of each location.

The public input will be used to shape a final Action Plan, which will guide the delivery of signage and wayfinding improvements along the route.

It will also help identify priority areas for improvements, support consistent, place-sensitive design, and align with other emerging plans and funding opportunities.

As part of the second round of engagement, a public information drop-in session will take place at the Marine Hotel in Ballycastle on Thursday, May 15 from 3pm until 7pm.

An online survey will also be available from next week, with further details to follow.

Esther Dobbin, Regions and Investment Manager at Tourism Northern Ireland, said: Tourism Northern Ireland is delighted with the progress of the Causeway Coastal Route audit to date.

We would encourage everyone with an interest in the Causeway Coastal Route to complete the online survey or attend the public engagement session to share their thoughts and ideas on the emerging infrastructure strategy.

James Hennessey, Director at The Paul Hogarth Company said: Were proud to be working in partnership with Tourism Northern Ireland on this important project.

The Causeway Coastal Route is one of the islands most iconic journeys, and this strategy is about ensuring it remains a world-class experience for visitors and communities alike.

Public input is central to shaping the future of the route, and we look forward to hearing peoples views during this next stage of engagement.
The renowned Saintfield-based choir, The Lindsay Chorale, will be performing a special concert at the Guildhall on Sunday, May 18.

Derry City and Strabane District Council has announced that the event, which takes place from 3.00pm, hopes to raise much needed funds for the Mayors chosen charity, The BUD Club, a vital local organisation supporting children and young adults with additional needs.

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Established in 1997, The Lindsay Chorale is known for its rich repertoire of classical, sacred, and contemporary choral music. Their visit to Derry offers music lovers a unique opportunity to hear one of Northern Irelands most accomplished amateur choirs in the majestic surroundings of the Guildhall. Having previously performed with The Priests and for Derry Girls creator, Lisa McGee, audience members are in for a treat with this special afternoon of music.

The choir will be led by Musical Director Keith Acheson on the day. Keith is an Irish composer and conductor based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After obtaining a BMus (Hons) in 1996 he was awarded a PhD in Composition from the Ulster University. Along with many pieces for choir, he has had work performed by the likes of the Ulster Orchestra, Gemini Ensemble, HuuJ Ensemble and Arco String Quartet.

Taking to the famous Guildhall organ, Daniel Clements will accompany the choir and provide the decadent musical background that will add to the atmospheric afternoon.

Speaking ahead of the event, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr, encouraged the public to come along and support the cause: Im absolutely thrilled to welcome The Lindsay Chorale to our beautiful Guildhall for what promises to be a very special afternoon of music and community spirit. This free concert is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy world-class choral singing while supporting a cause that is close to my heart. The BUD Club provides life-changing support for families across our district, and I would encourage everyone to come along, donate what they can, and enjoy a truly uplifting event.

The choir, which has performed across the UK and Ireland, also expressed their excitement about the upcoming concert:

We are honoured to be performing in the historic Guildhall and to be part of an event that supports such an inspiring local charity. Music has the power to connect communities, and we hope our performance will not only entertain but also make a meaningful contribution to the vital work of The BUD Club, said Keith Acheson, Musical Director.

The concert is free to attend, and no booking is required. The concert will start at 3.00pm, and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Voluntary donations will be collected on the day in aid of The BUD Club.

For more information about the Mayors charity, please visit: www.derrystrabane.com/about-council/mayor/mayor-s-charity
A meeting has taken place between BT management and Derry City and Strabane District councillors and chief executive John Kelpie.

The move followed BTs shock announcement last week it was closing its Derry operation with the loss of 140 jobs.

Commenting on the meeting which took place on Wednesday morning, Cllr Christopher Jackson (Sinn Fein) said there was a lot of fear amongst those employees directly affected.

Cllr Jackson was speaking at Wednesday afternoons meeting of Councils Governance and Strategic Planning committee; he described the situation as very bleak.

We wanted to ensure those that made the proposal to close the local office, affecting 140 jobs, were categorically clear there is a real ambition for growth within this Council area, said Cllr Jackson.

There are really exciting plans for our river front and there is a real momentum particularly in the field of artificial intelligence and IT and the field of connectivity, he added.

Cllr Sandra Duffy (Sinn Fein) said nobody in the BT meeting really felt it was a consultation.

It is more this is the direction of travel and this is what is happening, she said.

I know we have also met and discussed the issue with some of the employees of BT. A lot of those employees have been very loyal employees of BT for 20 years plus.

In fact, BT has acknowledged the average length of service of their employees was 14 plus years on that site, which tells you the dedication people have to the site and to the company.

So, it is really disappointing to see that BT is moving towards a centre of excellence or a hub, as they call it, in Belfast.

I do welcome the fact BT is talking about the relocation of some of the [Derry] staff but it is disappointing that that is not going to incorporate all the staff who have been very loyal and given their time to do whatever BT needed over the last number of years.

We need to do what we can to support the 140 people who are facing redundancy at this time.

Cllr Rory Farrell (SDLP) said everyone at the meeting with BT was united in anger and disgust at the prospect of 140 jobs leaving the city.

He added: While we welcome the engagement with BT, our view is it was a box ticking exercise. BT framed the discussion as these are proposals that 140 jobs may leave Derry. They arent proposals. This is a fait accompli.

It is a done deal and unfortunately, these roles, some of them are moving to India, some of them are moving to Belfast.

None of them are going to stay in this city and district. That is devastating for the people directly impacted.

BT are also saying there is this enhanced redundancy package but it is capped at 12 years.

So, if youve worked 15 years, 20 years, 25, 30 - in some cases there are people who have given their entire adult life to working in BT - very little of that is going to be reflected in the redundancy payment.

We think that is wrong. We as a group put that to BT management but they were having none of it whatsoever.

Ald Derek Hussey (UUP) described the treatment of the BT employees as absolutely scandalous.

He added: A skilled workforce still exists here and I hope through Business and Community there will be interaction with ministers at Stormont as to how they direct investment to this area to utilize those particular skills that have now been created.

Cllr Gary Donnelly described the meeting with BT as depressing.

The BT rhetoric was eloquent. It was fancy. But it said nothing. It was nonsense. I feel that we just wasted our time. It was a box ticking exercise. It wasnt about modernising or strategically enhancing the business. It was corporate greed.

If we came out of that meeting today feeling down or depressed, how must the loyal workers feel? It is a slap in the teeth to them and this district in general because people have helped that particular company to create vast amounts of wealth and when it comes to it, they are just treated like dirt.
Detectives investigating reports of burglaries in the city centre of Derry are appealing for information and witnesses.

At around half past 10 last night, Wednesday, May 7, police received a report of a suspected burglary and suspicious activity in the Palace Street area, and of two males leaving a church hall. Officers responded and noted damage to the church hall door, and a window smashed.

READ NEXT: Police investigating assault during music event in Derry

They also discovered there was further damage inside the building. Officers on patrol in the city centre subsequently arrested a 34-year-old man on suspicion of burglary and he remains in custody at this time.

Police are also investigating a report of a burglary at commercial premises in Waterloo Place, believed to have occurred sometime between 1.00am on Wednesday morning, May 7, and when it was reported to police at 7.00am the same day. Damage was caused to windows and cash reported as taken.

Officers are also appealing for information following a report of burglary at commercial premises in the Strand Road area. Sometime between 6:30pm on Sunday, May 4 and 20 past midnight on Monday, May 5, it was reported that the glass pane of the front door of the property was damaged. Entry was gained to the premises and a sum of money was taken during the incident.

Enquiries are ongoing into each of these incidents. A line of enquiry, at this time, is that some of these incidents may be linked.

Police appeal to anyone with information or footage which may assist the investigation to call 101, quoting reference 1959 of 07/05/25 or online via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org/
Three Derry students have been awarded an All Ireland Scholarship which will cover the full duration of their undergraduate studies.

Patrick Barber (North West Regional College), Sean Faulkner (Loreto College, Coleraine) and Kiernan Nash (Lumen Christi College) were honoured at the All Ireland Scholarships Awards Ceremony on the 25th of April in University Concert Hall, University of Limerick.

READ NEXT: NI university leaders unite to call for political agreement on tuition fee rise

In attendance at the ceremony was All Ireland Scholarships Sponsor JP McManus, Guest of Honour and CEO of Cuan Mhuire Bruree, Sr Agnes Fitzgerald, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick ODonovan TD, and Director of Skills, Strategy and Policy, Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland, Graeme Wilkinson as well as the family, friends and school representatives of the scholarship recipients.

Commenting at the awards ceremony, All Ireland Scholarships Sponsor JP McManus said: I am honoured to be here to celebrate the outstanding academic achievements of these 125 students.

To date, 1,924 students have received an All Ireland Scholarship and 1,382 of those students have since graduated from university. Today is a very special occasion for the class of 2024, their families, friends, and teachers. We wish them all the very best as they pursue their studies and university and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the years to come.
A new patient record system designed to put Northern Ireland at the forefront of health service delivery has gone live across the region.

The encompass system is described as a clinically and operationally-led integrated care record system which allows for a single digital care record for every citizen in Northern Ireland who receives health and social care.

Thursday will see it go live at the Southern and Western Trust, following the South Eastern, Belfast and Northern trusts which went live over the last 18 months.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt described a significant milestone in Northern Irelands health and social care service.

Its introduction across the trusts places HSC Northern Ireland in the forefront of digital transformation of health service delivery, he said.

This has been a concerted effort across the whole of the health and social care system since it was first announced in 2020, and I want to sincerely thank each of those who have played a key role in getting us here.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and has allowed Northern Ireland to modernise our systems and fundamentally improve how we deliver care.

Tom Simpson, deputy chief digital information officer at the Department of Health, said: Today is a really important day for the transformation of our health and care sector.

This isnt just a new IT system, it is about changing how the sector works so that our staff have the right tools to deliver the best service for all in Northern Ireland.

Encompass streamlines how care is delivered by giving care workers quick access to the right information at the right time.

It eliminates heavy paper records, reduces repeat tests and helps hospital-based pharmacists manage medicines more safely.

It also provides better quality data to help improve services for the future and achieve better outcomes.
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Arm's strong quarter overshadowed by weak guidance and rising costs

Arm Holdings posted strong fiscal fourth-quarter results, but its cautious first-quarter guidancecalling for lower-than-expected revenue and earningsdisappointed investors. Weaker licensing activity, mounting expenses, and uncertainty in smartphone and broader markets have cast doubt on near-term growth despite continued momentum in AI server and data center deployments.

Arm Holdings reported a robust fiscal fourth quarter, with revenue rising 34% year-over-year to US$1.24 billion, driven by strong royalty contributions. The chip design firm posted a net income of US$584 million and an operating income of US$655 million, with gross margin reaching an impressive 98.4%. License and other revenue came in at US$634 million, while royalty revenue closely followed at US$607 million. The company's annualized contract value, a key measure of future sales, reached US$1.37 billion.

In prepared remarks, Arm noted that the fourth quarter marked a strong finish to an outstanding year, with record revenue surpassing US$1 billion for the first time. For the full fiscal year 2025, Arm's revenue exceeded US$4 billion, with royalty revenue breaking US$2 billion. During the quarter, Nvidia began full production of its Armv9-based Grace Blackwell superchip and saw growing adoption of its AI desktop, DGX Spark, powered by this chip. Meanwhile, Google and Microsoft announced rapid expansions of their Arm-based data center chips.

Despite the solid finish to the fiscal year, Arm's outlook for the fiscal first quarter appeared conservative. The company guided revenue between US$1 billion and US$1.1 billion, with earnings per share projected at 30 to 38 cents. Operating expenses are expected to hover around US$625 million as the firm ramps up investments in engineering capacity.

Analysts acknowledged Arm's recent strong performance but raised concerns about the near-term outlook. Bloomberg Intelligence noted that while fourth-quarter revenue exceeded expectations due to stronger royalties, softer licensing activity and potential weakness in the smartphone and broader markets could weigh on upcoming quarters. "This will likely dampen the upside from AI servers," it added.

According to Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the bottom-line beat from resilient royalties but cautioning that weaker-than-expected licensing activity and rising expenses suggest margin pressure ahead. "We think Arm is building its engineering base quickly, given the demand to come," the firm said, maintaining a positive long-term view on Arm's prospects given its broad market drivers.

Evercore ISI noted that while the quarterly results were stronger than expected, Arm's forward guidance fell short of consensus on key metrics, signaling a cautious stance as macroeconomic uncertainties persist.

Arm financial summary (US$m) Financial 4QFY24 1QFY25 2QFY25 3QFY25 4QFY25 Y/Y (%) Sales 928 939 844 983 1,241 33.73 Gross profit 887 906 812 955 1,213 36.75 Operating income 22 182 64 175 410 1763.64 Profit 224 223 107 252 210 -6.25

Source: Arm, May 2025

Arm key metrics Metrics 4QFY24 1QFY25 2QFY25 3QFY25 4QFY25 Y/Y (%) License & Other (US$m) 414 472 330 403 634 53.14 Royalty (US$m) 514 467 514 580 607 18.09 Number of extant Arm Total Access licenses 31 33 39 40 44 Number of extant Arm Flexible Access licenses 222 241 269 295 314 Annualized contract value(US$m) 1,182 1,193 1,253 1,270 1,365 15.48 Remaining performance obligations (US$m) 2,484 2,168 2,385 2,325 2,226 -10.39

Source: Arm, May 2025

Royalty revenue market share (%) Market share by chip value FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 Arm 38 42 44 46 49 x86 53 45 41 40 39 Other 9 13 15 14 12

Source: Arm, May 2025

Article edited by Jerry Chen
President Michael D Higgins has led congratulations in Ireland following the election of the new Pope Leo XIV.

Mr Higgins said Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American, becoming Pope was an immensely significant moment for all those of faith and goodwill around the world.

Irish premier Micheal Martin said the new Pope has the best wishes of all Irish people, while Northern Irelands First Minister Michelle ONeill said it was a day of profound significance.

The new Chicago-born pontiff addressed crowds of thousands at St Peters Square at the Vatican shortly after white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday evening.

Mr Higgins said: This is an immensely significant moment for all those of faith and goodwill around the world who look to the papacy for spiritual guidance, moral clarity and global leadership at a time described by his predecessor Pope Francis as needing the vocation of diplomacy.

Pope Leo XIV assumes this important role at a time of great challenges for the world.

I send Pope Leo my very best wishes as he begins his pontificate, and I welcome his statement that he is prepared to lead with compassion, wisdom and an enduring commitment to the values of peace, justice and human dignity.

The president added: Ireland enjoys a long-standing and deeply rooted connection with the Holy See.

It is founded on shared values of interdependence, and the responsibility that goes with it, as well as historical ties.

We in Ireland very much look forward to maintaining and deepening that relationship with Pope Leo, as we continue to share the project of fostering dialogue and understanding between peoples and nations.

Irish premier Mr Martin said: The scenes of great joy and celebrations in St Peters Square are a reflection of the hopes and goodwill felt by people of the Catholic faith from all around the world towards the new Pope.

I hope that this groundswell of best wishes towards Pope Leo XIV will give him strength and support as he takes on the immense responsibility of his pontificate.

I know that he has the best wishes of all Irish people, of all traditions.

The Taoiseach added: I also send my congratulations to the people of the United States, a country with which Ireland enjoys such a deep and strong relationship.

To have a Pope from their country is a source of great pride and an honour for their nation.

I wish Pope Leo XIV every strength, good health, and the required spiritual guidance as he begins his mission of leading the Catholic Church at a time of challenge, building on the pastoral direction and achievements of Pope Francis.

I look forward to working with Pope Leo XIV as an important and influential partner in addressing the many and interlinked challenges facing our world, as we work for peace, justice and sustainable development for all.

This is a day of profound significance for Catholics in Ireland and worldwide, as Pope Leo XIV assumes his role of spiritual leader. I hope he will use his influence to stand up for the marginalised and oppressed, champion peace, and lead with courage and compassion  just as pic.twitter.com/zfPZw4Ludw  Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) May 8, 2025

Northern Irelands First Minister, MS ONeill, has described the appointment of Pope Leo XIV as a day of profound significance, urging the American Pope to stand with Gaza.

In a post on X, she wrote: This is a day of profound significance for Catholics in Ireland and worldwide, as Pope Leo XIV assumes his role of spiritual leader.

I hope he will use his influence to stand up for the marginalised and oppressed, champion peace and lead with courage and compassion, just as his predecessor, Pope Francis, did.

As the genocide in Gaza continues and a devastating famine looms, I encourage the Pope to stand unwaveringly for the rights of the Palestinian people to life, dignity and freedom, and to urgently use his influence to help bring an end to this barbaric genocide.

Irelands deputy premier Simon Harris said it was a momentous occasion for millions of Catholics around the world.

He said: The election of a new Pope is always a significant moment, not only for the Catholic Church but for the broader global community.

As Tanaiste and on behalf of the Government of Ireland, I extend our heartfelt congratulations and wish him every success for his pontificate.

I have no doubt he will continue to build on the extraordinary legacy left behind by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, who taught us all the importance of kindness and humanity.

The Tanaiste added: Ireland shares a long and enduring relationship with the Holy See, rooted in deep historical, cultural and spiritual ties.

We in Ireland value this connection, and we look forward to continuing and strengthening our close engagement with the Holy See under Pope Leo XIVs leadership.

In a time marked by complex global challenges, from poverty and conflict to climate change, the role of moral and spiritual leadership is more vital than ever.

We hope to work together with His Holiness in the pursuit of peace, justice, and solidarity amongst people.

Catholic Primate of All Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin said he welcomed the new Pope with great joy.

He added: At the end of February I and the other Irish archbishops  Dermot Farrell, Kieran OReilly, Francis Duffy  met with him, and he came across as a humble and respectful listener, wanting to learn as much as possible about the Church in Ireland.

He is a calm, affable and approachable person. He is a friend of Ireland and no doubt the Augustinian communities at home will be delighted with the news.

Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor Alan McGuckian said: Addressing the crowds gathered in Rome earlier this evening, Pope Leo XIV reminded everyone of the universality of the Church and that God loves us, all of us.

In a world torn apart by conflict, war and confusion, he encourages us to be heralds of peace and unity.

The Church of Irelands Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, John McDowell, said his church rejoiced with our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters.

He said: I wish to pass on the good wishes of the Church of Ireland not only to Pope Leo but also to the bishops, priests and Catholic people of Ireland as they enter in closer communion and closer knowledge of their new Chief Shepherd.
Its like a living eulogy - thats how one listener described the reaction on RTEs textline to Joe Duffys RTE retirement announcement on Thursday. It came as quite the shock after 37 years at the broadcaster, 27 of those spent at the helm of the ever-popular Liveline where Duffy became the nations agony uncle; a proverbial master of misery.

Loyal listeners almost mourned Joes departure from RTE which will take effect on June 27 when he will sign off from Liveline for the last time. I want to preface what I say next by saying I often enjoyed listening to Liveline; it was a window to ordinary Ireland where people could vent and air their issues, big and small. That said, good riddance to Joe Duffys huge wages at RTE - his salary has been a burden on the Irish taxpayer for decades.

Joe Duffy was paid 3,806,739 in the ten years from 2014 to 2023, an average of 380,000 per year, according to figures released by RTE themselves. The figures for 2024 have not yet been released. Joe Duffy was consistently in the top two or three earners at RTE in those ten years, joined mostly at the top by Ryan Tubridy and Ray DArcy. The average worker in Ireland earned around 440,000 in the same ten-year period. Thats hard to stomach, lets be honest.

RTE earnings have long been a bugbear for people in this country and that feeling was certainly amplified in 2023 amid the payments scandal. The saga unearthed many financial failings at the broadcaster funded by the State, and therefore us as taxpayers. Kevin Bakhurst took the reins from Dee Forbes, who still hasnt answered for the RTE scandal by the way, and set about making some changes. That said, people in ordinary Ireland who Joe spoke to daily remain unconvinced to say the least. Was anyone really held accountable?

READ NEXT: 'I will explain a bit more on the Late Late' - Joe Duffy announces shock RTE retirement

Fast-forward to the summer of 2024 and a new headline about the failing broadcaster - RTE bailout: Households to stump up 725m over three years for broadcaster - pull the other one, lads. You couldnt really make it up. Just a year after we found out RTE was paying for advertising clients to attend the Champions League final, and shelling out 5,000 on flip-flops, we were handing them even more money. In the year previous, Joe Duffy was the top earner on 351,000. The top five presenters alone pocketed 1.4m in 2023. RTE has promised reform and cutbacks, but salaries are only now being capped at 250,000. That talent pool will eat into quite a bit of that bailout.

The first star signing of the Bakhurst era at RTE was Patrick Kielty who came right in at that ceiling - 250,000 to present 30 or so Late Late Shows every year. Public service media is very important but there are heads of State earning less than some of our national treasure presenters. I often listen to regional or local radio instead of RTE or the big commercial broadcasters, and the talent there is often just as good. They might be getting some Government funding too, but I can guarantee you none of their presenters earn 250,000 a year.

It is an organisations prerogative to pay big wages, but when it comes to public money, the question has to be asked: was Joe Duffy ever value for 400,000 a year? I mean no offence to Joe Duffy and his listeners loved him, tuning in day in, day out. He said it himself in his own retirement statement; people trusted him and that is very important when people are sharing personal stories of utter hardship at times, from hospital waiting lists to serious health battles. I would still argue that the person taking those calls is not worth a wage that could pay ten Special Needs Assistants in schools, for example.

People will shout apples and oranges and say the Government funds a lot of things seemingly less important than SNAs or healthcare facilities, but we always have to ask if were getting value. Why shouldnt we ask the question? Ireland has lost the run of itself before and still does regularly. Lets not mention the housing tsar saga. Would Liveline be diminished that much if Joes replacement was someone from one of the local or regional radio stations earning maybe 80,000 a year - I dont think so.
The damage had been done when the BBC published an article which alleged that former Louth TD Gerry Adams had ordered the killing of an informant, the former Sinn Fein leader has told a libel trial.

Mr Adams is suing the BBC over what he called a grievous smear in a broadcast 10 years later that alleged he had sanctioned the killing.

The cross-examination of Mr Adams, 76, concluded on Thursday after seven days of evidence, as part of his defamation case against the broadcaster at the High Court in Dublin.

He claims a BBC Spotlight programme, and an accompanying online story, defamed him by alleging he sanctioned a killing for which he denies any involvement.

Former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson was shot dead in 2006, months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent for 20 years.

In 2009 the Real IRA admitted killing Mr Donaldson, and the Spotlight programme was broadcast in September 2016.

Mr Adams legal team says his reputation as a peacemaker had suffered an unjustified attack because of the broadcast of the BBC programme, and the online article with the headline: Gerry Adams sanctioned Denis Donaldson killing.

He said the allegation was made by an anonymous, unidentified person that we dont even know exists.

On Thursday Mr Adams continued taking questions from Paul Gallagher SC, barrister for the BBC, who said that the report containing the allegation was not the only article those accessing the broadcasters website would see.

Mr Gallagher introduced other articles on the BBC website relating to the killing, including a statement by the Donaldson family that they did not believe the Provisional IRA was involved, which was published two days later, as well as reports published in subsequent years relating to arrests and charges over the murder.

However, Mr Adams said the horse had bolted and the damage had been done as the programme had been broadcast and the article was put online.

While holding up a printed copy of the online article which contained the allegation that he had sanctioned the killing, he asked: Did this remain on the website?

Mr Gallagher told him he was well aware the article did remain online, as it was the matter on which he had based his case.

Mr Adams later added that he had checked the website that morning and the article remained online, adding that it still says he sanctioned the killing.

He said bringing up different articles about the Donaldson case was somewhat subterfuge, as the piece including the original accusation remained online, adding that the headline with the allegation that he had sanctioned the killing was what most people would read.

He added: Why didnt the BBC take this down?

Mr Adams further alleged that the BBC had not mentioned these other emerging details in its response to his solicitor.

Mr Gallagher raised comments that Mr Adams made in a radio interview the day after the broadcast, in which he said journalists were entitled to ask questions and he did not run away from them.

The former Sinn Fein leader replied that journalists have their work to do but there are rules they have to obey, adding: Particularly when theyre a public broadcaster.

The jury were shown a video which was embedded into the article, which shows Mr Adams denying the central allegation.

In the video he says: Its a lie and I totally repudiate it and categorically and specifically deny it.

He goes on to say that the allegation was made by an anonymous self-professed agent of the British state and asked: Whose agenda does that serve?

Mr Gallagher put it to Mr Adams that he had been offered the opportunity to make a statement to the programme in a pre-recorded interview or in a detailed statement.

The former Sinn Fein president said he had answered the question previously when he said he had referred the matter to his solicitors.

The BBCs defence team raised several articles in which allegations of Mr Adams membership of the IRA and its Army Council had been made by several people.

Mr Gallagher put it to Mr Adams that the reason he did not sue other publications over these allegations was because he was a member of those groups.

Judge Alexander Owens intervened before Mr Adams could respond, and said it was not for the jury to decide whether he was a member of the IRA or Army Council.

Mr Gallagher further raised an article written under the pseudonym Brownie, which has been acknowledged by Mr Adams to be a nickname that he has used on occasion.

In the specific article under that name, Double Talk, the author says that they are a member of the IRA.

Mr Adams denied that he wrote Double Talk when it was put to him by Mr Gallagher that he was the author.

He said it was instead written by Richard McAuley, who was present in court, adding that a small group of people had formulated similar pieces.

Mr Gallagher put it to him that the piece involves the author saying they had a wife and young child at the time, which Mr McAuley did not but Mr Adams did.

The barrister said the reason he had not sued other publications was because this article and other matters would be raised in court, but Mr Adams maintained he did not write the piece.

He reiterated that he had not sued publications over those claims as he had been advised he would not get a fair hearing by his lawyers, and that Mr Gallagher should call his solicitor to the witness box.

The BBCs defence said this was seeking to shift focus and deflect from matters that made Mr Adams uncomfortable.

Elsewhere, Mr Gallagher asked Mr Adams if he had ever received requests from constituents to ensure they were not subjected to kneecappings or other punishments.

He said he had received submissions on a whole range of issues and had publicly opposed those punishments, and worked strenuously with senior Sinn Fein official Martin McGuinness to find alternatives to kneecapping.

Mr Gallagher also said that Mr Adams had carried the coffins of prominent IRA members during their funerals.

Mr Adams replied: Youre trying to persuade this jury I had no reputation whatsoever because I attended funerals?

He added: And therefore Spotlight could say whatever they want about me and I would have no redress?

He also said it did not stop the family of Alan McBride, who was killed in the Shankill bombing in 1993, of meeting and working with him.

Mr Gallagher said he was raising a reputation about Mr Adams that was referred to in numerous articles.

The BBCs defence team ended its cross-examination of Mr Adams shortly after midday.

After Mr Adams legal team declined an opportunity to re-examine him, Judge Owens posed his own questions.

The judge asked him whether his preference not to get into the politics of condemnation of the activities of the IRA could be taken as approval for those actions.

Mr Adams said that was not the case and that he was trying to go beyond the politics of condemnation and deal with the politics of peacekeeping.

Judge Owens also asked Mr Adams to elaborate on comments he made relating to the Brighton hotel bombing, in which the Provisional IRA targeted then prime minister Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative cabinet in 1984.

Civilians were killed and injured in the attack.

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Mr Adams reiterated that he believed the IRA were justified in principle in an armed response to British occupation.

He said he had reservations about civilians being killed but he did think it was a legitimate response by the IRA to what Margaret Thatcher was doing in our country.

However, he said by no stretch of the imagination was there ever unconditional support for the IRA and that there were things that were totally reprehensible and totally wrong.

He said civilian casualties were the responsibility of anyone who put a bomb in a public place.

Asked if he believed if it would have helped the peace process if the IRA had killed the entire British cabinet, Mr Adams said: I dont think its up to me to speculate on, it didnt happen.

But we did succeed in bringing about peace.

He said there were efforts in Ireland over long periods of time by many different republicans and insurgents to kill British politicians, including the murder of Lord Cavendish in Dublin in 1882.

Asked for further reflections on the campaign of violence, Mr Adams added: My big regret is that so many people were killed and particularly civilians.

My abiding regret is that it took so long to get a peace process together.

The case continues.
This May, the island of Ireland becomes a giant sketchbook as National Drawing Day returns on Saturday 17 May, and a special workshop is taking place in Louth at the Creative Spark Downtown Hub in Dundalk, as well as an event at Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda, to mark the day.

Coordinated by the National Gallery of Ireland in partnership with over 60 museums, galleries, arts centres and libraries across 23 counties, this much-loved annual event invites everyone  from seasoned sketchers to first-time doodlers  to pick up a pencil and get creative.

Whether you're at home, in the classroom, or out and about, everyone is invited to get involved in National Drawing Day. For those who cant attend in person, a dedicated online hub here features a full list of participating venues, the days schedule at the National Gallery of Ireland, and a wealth of drawing activities and creative resources to enjoy wherever you are.

At the Creative Spark Downtown Hub, artist Maria Atanackovic will be holding a fun and hands-on workshop for 812 year olds. At Highlanes Gallery, there will be an Drop in and Draw event running from 11am to 4pm.

The National Gallery of Ireland will host a packed programme of free events to suit every kind of drawer. Kicking off the day, the inimitable Fintan Mahon will lead a lively life drawing session for adults in the historic Shaw Room, complete with live Irish Sign Language interpretation.

Read also: Dundalk Grammar student Eoin Larkin celebrated at UCD Quinn School

Meanwhile, for those seeking a more tranquil experience, the Education Studio will be transformed into a quiet drawing haven. Outdoors, the front lawn becomes an open-air studio with facilitated en plein air sketching. Throughout the Gallery, visitors can watch as artists Cara Rose, Michael Wann, and Ciara OConnor create drawings live  including OConnors striking use of thread as a drawing tool.

In the Library & Archive Reading Rooms, a special pop-up display will reveal rarely-seen sketches and drawings from the Gallerys own archives, shining a light on how drawing has always been at the heart of artistic practice.

Families are warmly welcomed with face-painting inspired by the national collection, and a joyful drawing session with beloved illustrator Tarsila Kruse. Free drawing kits will be available to borrow throughout the day, and dont miss a 10% National Drawing Day discount in the Gallery Shop.

Sinead Rice, Head of Education at the National Gallery of Ireland, said: This year we celebrate National Drawing Day on 17 May 2025 with a full programme of events at the Gallery and at dozens of partner venues across the island of Ireland and online. Drawing Day is for everyone! Check out your nearest venue, or draw from home, and make your mark this year.
Above: Brian Roche, Autodesk Construction Cloud, with Louth County Council Director of Services, Ger Murphy, and MC Neil Delamere pictured with representatives from the Harcourt Technologies Ltd who were named as winners in the Innovation in Construction (Company T/O Up to 100m) category for the Grange Close 3DCP Residential Scheme, Dundalk, at the 2025 Irish Construction Excellence Awards

Four Louth County Council-supported projects were recognised at the prestigious 2025 Irish Construction Excellence (ICE) Awards, which were held at the Convention Centre in Dublin on Thursday, 1st May.

The ICE Awards celebrate outstanding achievement across the construction sector in Ireland, showcasing innovation, quality, and impact across a range of disciplines and project types. The four Louth projects that won awards are:

Innovation in Construction (Company T/O up to 100m): Grange Close 3DCP Residential Scheme, Dundalk

Public Building (Over 10 million): Drogheda Civic Offices

Judges Silver Award - Civil Engineering: Drogheda Port Access Northern Cross Route (PANCR)

Judges Silver Award  Residential Social & Affordable (Over 20 million): Duiche Roden, Dundalk

Harcourt Technologies Ltd were named as the winners in the Innovation in Construction (Company T/O Up to 100m) category for the pioneering 3D concrete printed housing scheme at Grange Close, Dundalk, which continues to gain national recognition for its innovative construction approach.

Read also: Great turn out for the Dundalk Chamber business seminar

Recently honoured at the Irish Building and Design Awards (IBDA) and the Building and Architect of the Year Awards (BAYA), the Drogheda Civic Offices, delivered by Townlink Construction Ltd, added another accolade to its name by being named as winners in the Public Building (Over 10 million) category.

The Housing Infrastructure Services Company (HISCo) took home the Judges' Silver Award for the Drogheda Port Access Northern Cross Route (PANCR), a transformative infrastructure project connecting the M1 motorway to Drogheda Port.

O'Hare & McGovern, in collaboration with van Dijk Architects, Cluid Housing and Sonas, were also awarded a Judges Silver Award in the Residential Social & Affordable (Over 20 million) category for Duiche Roden, an age-friendly residential development in Dundalk that comprises 134 high-energy-rated residential units along with a community building.

Above: Representatives from O'Hare & McGovern, van Dijk Architects, Cluid Housing and Sonas, pictured with ICE Awards judge Emer Byrne and the Judges Silver Award for the Residential Social & Affordable (Over 20 million) category for Duiche Roden

David Conway, Chief Executive of Louth County Council, paid tribute to the winners, saying: "These awards are a testament to the ambition, innovation, and partnership that define our approach to development in Louth.

"From cutting-edge construction technologies to transformative public infrastructure, these projects are delivering real impact for communities across our county. We would like to congratulate the respective winners and let them know that we are proud to work with such forward-thinking partners who help bring our vision for Louth to life."

For more information on the 2025 Irish Construction Excellence (ICE) Awards, visit https://iceawards.ie
Two Louth students have been awarded an All Ireland Scholarship which will cover the full duration of their undergraduate studies.

Julia Fossett and John Wu were honoured at the All Ireland Scholarships Awards Ceremony on the 25th of April in University Concert Hall, University of Limerick.

In attendance at the ceremony was All Ireland Scholarships Sponsor JP McManus, Guest of Honour and CEO of Cuan Mhuire Bruree, Sr Agnes Fitzgerald, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick ODonovan TD, and Director of Skills, Strategy and Policy, Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland, Graeme Wilkinson as well as the family, friends and school representatives of the scholarship recipients.

Commenting at the awards ceremony, All Ireland Scholarships Sponsor JP McManus said: I am honoured to be here to celebrate the outstanding academic achievements of these 125 students. To date, 1,924 students have received an All Ireland Scholarship and 1,382 of those students have since graduated from university. Today is a very special occasion for the class of 2024, their families, friends, and teachers. We wish them all the very best as they pursue their studies and university and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the years to come.
The damage had been done when the BBC published an article which alleged that Gerry Adams had ordered the killing of an informant, the former Sinn Fein leader has told a libel trial.

Mr Adams is suing the BBC over what he called a grievous smear in a broadcast 10 years later that alleged he had sanctioned the killing.

The cross-examination of Mr Adams, 76, concluded on Thursday after seven days of evidence, as part of his defamation case against the broadcaster at the High Court in Dublin.

He claims a BBC Spotlight programme, and an accompanying online story, defamed him by alleging he sanctioned a killing for which he denies any involvement.

Former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson was shot dead in 2006, months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent for 20 years.

In 2009 the Real IRA admitted killing Mr Donaldson, and the Spotlight programme was broadcast in September 2016.

Mr Adams legal team says his reputation as a peacemaker had suffered an unjustified attack because of the broadcast of the BBC programme, and the online article with the headline: Gerry Adams sanctioned Denis Donaldson killing.

He said the allegation was made by an anonymous, unidentified person that we dont even know exists.

On Thursday Mr Adams continued taking questions from Paul Gallagher SC, barrister for the BBC, who said that the report containing the allegation was not the only article those accessing the broadcasters website would see.

Mr Gallagher introduced other articles on the BBC website relating to the killing, including a statement by the Donaldson family that they did not believe the Provisional IRA was involved, which was published two days later, as well as reports published in subsequent years relating to arrests and charges over the murder.

However, Mr Adams said the horse had bolted and the damage had been done as the programme had been broadcast and the article was put online.

While holding up a printed copy of the online article which contained the allegation that he had sanctioned the killing, he asked: Did this remain on the website?

Mr Gallagher told him he was well aware the article did remain online, as it was the matter on which he had based his case.

Mr Adams later added that he had checked the website that morning and the article remained online, adding that it still says he sanctioned the killing.

He said bringing up different articles about the Donaldson case was somewhat subterfuge, as the piece including the original accusation remained online, adding that the headline with the allegation that he had sanctioned the killing was what most people would read.

He added: Why didnt the BBC take this down?

Mr Adams further alleged that the BBC had not mentioned these other emerging details in its response to his solicitor.

Mr Gallagher raised comments that Mr Adams made in a radio interview the day after the broadcast, in which he said journalists were entitled to ask questions and he did not run away from them.

The former Sinn Fein leader replied that journalists have their work to do but there are rules they have to obey, adding: Particularly when theyre a public broadcaster.

The jury were shown a video which was embedded into the article, which shows Mr Adams denying the central allegation.

In the video he says: Its a lie and I totally repudiate it and categorically and specifically deny it.

He goes on to say that the allegation was made by an anonymous self-professed agent of the British state and asked: Whose agenda does that serve?

Mr Gallagher put it to Mr Adams that he had been offered the opportunity to make a statement to the programme in a pre-recorded interview or in a detailed statement.

The former Sinn Fein president said he had answered the question previously when he said he had referred the matter to his solicitors.

The BBCs defence team raised several articles in which allegations of Mr Adams membership of the IRA and its Army Council had been made by several people.

Mr Gallagher put it to Mr Adams that the reason he did not sue other publications over these allegations was because he was a member of those groups.

Judge Alexander Owens intervened before Mr Adams could respond, and said it was not for the jury to decide whether he was a member of the IRA or Army Council.

Mr Gallagher further raised an article written under the pseudonym Brownie, which has been acknowledged by Mr Adams to be a nickname that he has used on occasion.

In the specific article under that name, Double Talk, the author says that they are a member of the IRA.

Mr Adams denied that he wrote Double Talk when it was put to him by Mr Gallagher that he was the author.

He said it was instead written by Richard McAuley, who was present in court, adding that a small group of people had formulated similar pieces.

Mr Gallagher put it to him that the piece involves the author saying they had a wife and young child at the time, which Mr McAuley did not but Mr Adams did.

The barrister said the reason he had not sued other publications was because this article and other matters would be raised in court, but Mr Adams maintained he did not write the piece.

He reiterated that he had not sued publications over those claims as he had been advised he would not get a fair hearing by his lawyers, and that Mr Gallagher should call his solicitor to the witness box.

The BBCs defence said this was seeking to shift focus and deflect from matters that made Mr Adams uncomfortable.

Elsewhere, Mr Gallagher asked Mr Adams if he had ever received requests from constituents to ensure they were not subjected to kneecappings or other punishments.

He said he had received submissions on a whole range of issues and had publicly opposed those punishments, and worked strenuously with senior Sinn Fein official Martin McGuinness to find alternatives to kneecapping.

Mr Gallagher also said that Mr Adams had carried the coffins of prominent IRA members during their funerals.

Mr Adams replied: Youre trying to persuade this jury I had no reputation whatsoever because I attended funerals?

He added: And therefore Spotlight could say whatever they want about me and I would have no redress?

He also said it did not stop Alan McBride, who had family members killed in the Shankill bombing in 1993, of meeting and working with him.

Mr Gallagher said he was raising a reputation about Mr Adams that was referred to in numerous articles.

The BBCs defence team ended its cross-examination of Mr Adams shortly after midday.

After Mr Adams legal team declined an opportunity to re-examine him, Judge Owens posed his own questions.

The judge asked him whether his preference not to get into the politics of condemnation of the activities of the IRA could be taken as approval for those actions.

Mr Adams said that was not the case and that he was trying to go beyond the politics of condemnation and deal with the politics of peacekeeping.

Judge Owens also asked Mr Adams to elaborate on comments he made relating to the Brighton hotel bombing, in which the Provisional IRA targeted then prime minister Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative cabinet in 1984.

Civilians were killed and injured in the attack.

Mr Adams reiterated that he believed the IRA were justified in principle in an armed response to British occupation.

He said he had reservations about civilians being killed but he did think it was a legitimate response by the IRA to what Margaret Thatcher was doing in our country.

However, he said by no stretch of the imagination was there ever unconditional support for the IRA and that there were things that were totally reprehensible and totally wrong.

He said civilian casualties were the responsibility of anyone who put a bomb in a public place.

Asked if he believed if it would have helped the peace process if the IRA had killed the entire British cabinet, Mr Adams said: I dont think its up to me to speculate on, it didnt happen.

But we did succeed in bringing about peace.

He said there were efforts in Ireland over long periods of time by many different republicans and insurgents to kill British politicians, including the murder of Lord Cavendish in Dublin in 1882.

Asked for further reflections on the campaign of violence, Mr Adams added: My big regret is that so many people were killed and particularly civilians.

My abiding regret is that it took so long to get a peace process together.

Later, a lawyer who represented the family of Mr Donaldson at the time of the Spotlight programme said the allegations against Mr Adams in the programme were not raised with the relatives in advance of the broadcast.

Ciaran Shiels said the family did not believe Mr Adams had anything to do with the killing.

The case continues.
The new Pope Leo XIV has the best wishes of all Irish people, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said.

Mr Martin said the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope was a source of great pride for the US.

Irish President Michael D Higgins said it was an immensely significant moment for all those of faith and goodwill around the world.

The new Chicago-born pontiff addressed crowds of thousands at St Peters Square at the Vatican shortly after white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday evening.

Irish premier Mr Martin said: The scenes of great joy and celebrations in St Peters Square are a reflection of the hopes and goodwill felt by people of the Catholic faith from all around the world towards the new Pope.

I hope that this groundswell of best wishes towards Pope Leo XIV will give him strength and support as he takes on the immense responsibility of his pontificate.

I know that he has the best wishes of all Irish people, of all traditions.

The Taoiseach added: I also send my congratulations to the people of the United States, a country with which Ireland enjoys such a deep and strong relationship.

To have a Pope from their country is a source of great pride and an honour for their nation.

I wish Pope Leo XIV every strength, good health, and the required spiritual guidance as he begins his mission of leading the Catholic Church at a time of challenge, building on the pastoral direction and achievements of Pope Francis.

I look forward to working with Pope Leo XIV as an important and influential partner in addressing the many and interlinked challenges facing our world, as we work for peace, justice and sustainable development for all.

This is a day of profound significance for Catholics in Ireland and worldwide, as Pope Leo XIV assumes his role of spiritual leader. I hope he will use his influence to stand up for the marginalised and oppressed, champion peace, and lead with courage and compassion  just as pic.twitter.com/zfPZw4Ludw  Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) May 8, 2025

Northern Irelands First Minister, Michelle ONeill, has described the appointment of Pope Leo XIV as a day of profound significance, urging the American Pope to stand with Gaza.

In a post on X, she wrote: This is a day of profound significance for Catholics in Ireland and worldwide, as Pope Leo XIV assumes his role of spiritual leader.

I hope he will use his influence to stand up for the marginalised and oppressed, champion peace and lead with courage and compassion, just as his predecessor, Pope Francis, did.

As the genocide in Gaza continues and a devastating famine looms, I encourage the Pope to stand unwaveringly for the rights of the Palestinian people to life, dignity and freedom, and to urgently use his influence to help bring an end to this barbaric genocide.

Mr Higgins said: This is an immensely significant moment for all those of faith and goodwill around the world who look to the papacy for spiritual guidance, moral clarity and global leadership at a time described by his predecessor Pope Francis as needing the vocation of diplomacy.

Pope Leo XIV assumes this important role at a time of great challenges for the world.

I send Pope Leo my very best wishes as he begins his Pontificate, and I welcome his statement that he is prepared to lead with compassion, wisdom and an enduring commitment to the values of peace, justice and human dignity.

He added: Ireland enjoys a long-standing and deeply rooted connection with the Holy See.

It is founded on shared values of interdependence, and the responsibility that goes with it, as well as historical ties.

We in Ireland very much look forward to maintaining and deepening that relationship with Pope Leo, as we continue to share the project of fostering dialogue and understanding between peoples and nations.

Irelands deputy premier Simon Harris said it was a momentous occasion for millions of Catholics around the world.

He said: The election of a new Pope is always a significant moment, not only for the Catholic Church but for the broader global community. As Tanaiste and on behalf of the Government of Ireland, I extend our heartfelt congratulations and wish him every success for his Pontificate.

I have no doubt he will continue to build on the extraordinary legacy left behind by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, who taught us all the importance of kindness and humanity.

The Tanaiste added: Ireland shares a long and enduring relationship with the Holy See, rooted in deep historical, cultural and spiritual ties.

We in Ireland value this connection, and we look forward to continuing and strengthening our close engagement with the Holy See under Pope Leo XIVs leadership.

In a time marked by complex global challengesfrom poverty and conflict to climate changethe role of moral and spiritual leadership is more vital than ever.

We hope to work together with His Holiness in the pursuit of peace, justice, and solidarity amongst people.

The Church of Irelands Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, John McDowell, said his church rejoiced with our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters.

He said: I wish to pass on the good wishes of the Church of Ireland not only to Pope Leo but also to the bishops, priests and Catholic people of Ireland as they enter in closer communion and closer knowledge of their new Chief Shepherd.
Cork County Council has been urged to set up toy libraries so that children can share, swap and find new toys  and do their bit for the environment at the same time.

According to Cork North-West Fine Gael TD John Paul OShea, facilities similar to those available in libraries elsewhere could be established in local libraries and this would reduce consumption of toys, save money for families, and facilitate access to play for children.

There are so many benefits for families and children when they have access to a toy library, he said.

Toy libraries allow families to borrow or donate toys so children can try new things and give them back when they are no longer interested.

Toys are some of the biggest generators of plastic waste on the planet, with as many as 80% of toys ending up in landfill, incinerators, or the ocean once children are done with them.

By using a toy library, children can try out toys and see what they like and dont like without parents having to buy new toys.

The new Toy Libraries Ireland association will provide information, resources, and training for groups that want to set up a non-profit toy library.

We have seen successful toy libraries in Carrickmacross, Monaghan and Clonmel, Tipperary that could be used as a model for potential toy libraries in Cork.

Anyone thinking about starting their own toy library can register on www.toylibrariesireland.org.

I encourage Cork County Council to set up toy libraries through our vast library structure we have across Cork.

There is a clear need for toy libraries, and every family should be able to access one.
A Cork TD has echoed the calls of a world renowned rugby player to urgently progress plans for the Cork to Limerick motorway.

Munster rugby player Peter OMahony was recently asked by media what the thing he would miss least about the life of a pro rugby player when he retires was.

Well, the Cork to Limerick road is something I wont miss, to be honest with you. Its a torturous bastard of a road, he said.

The government should really pull their thumb out and sort that road, I cant understand it. Too late in my career now for that to be sorted!

Labour Party TD for Cork North Central, Eoghan Kenny, agreed with Mr OMahony, urging minister for transport Darragh OBrien to progress the project.

I listened to one of Ireland and Munsters greatest ever players, Peter OMahony who said he wont miss driving the bastard of a road that is the N20, Cork to Limerick Road. To be honest, I dont blame him. It is absolutely dreadful, Mr Kenny told The Echo.

One of the biggest concerns [constituents had] on the doorstep was the fact that in 2025 we dont have a motorway connecting our second and third largest cities. It is simply unacceptable at this stage.

Every year we speak about the high volume of road traffic accidents, inadequate upkeep of the road and the measly amount of funding secured to develop the project. If the minister wont listen to me perhaps he will listen to Peter OMahony.

Im calling on Minister OBrien now to make this an absolute priority, he must open his eyes and ears and see outside the pale for just a minute and realise that we are below here in Cork with inadequate infrastructure. Now its about action, and the minister has that power. He controls the purse strings.

Last week, Fine Gael TD for Cork North West, John Paul OShea asked the Taoiseach for an update on the M20 Cork to Limerick project in the Dail.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said in response: The Government is very supportive of the motorway. I understand it has gone through the various planning stages.

There will be a further review of the national development plan and I expect the project will be included in that. As the deputy knows, the project has gone through route selection and so forth. It is something that people eagerly await.

He added that the Government has seen the transformative impact that bypasses have had on towns like Ballyvourney and Macroom.

The M20 will have a transformative impact in terms of the Limerick-Cork nexus and economic development that could arise from greater and faster connectivity, he added.
A terminally ill pensioner who was a childhood friend of Rory Gallagher is begging Cork City Council to move him from a damp flat which he says fills with fumes when neighbours light fires.

David Kearney, a 69-year-old retired forestry and construction worker who is suffering from end-stage COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and emphysema, has been told by doctors that he has perhaps two to four years to live.

In September of last year, Mr Kearney moved into a council flat on Cherry Tree Rd, a flat identical in age and design to the flats in the Noonans Road area, which the council has said it favours demolishing.

Mr Kearney said he was waiting two months for the council to install a replacement boiler, so he tried to warm the flat by lighting the fire in his living room.

The whole place filled up with smoke. I got in a professional chimney sweep, and he said the whole chimney is cracked, so I couldnt light it again, he said. The chimney is lined with soot and creosote, thats a substance like tar that clings to the inside of the chimney, and the whole place smells of it.

Although Mr Kearneys fireplace was covered over by the council, the chimneys in the flats are interconnected, so whenever a neighbour lights a fire, smoke leaks in.

You can smell the creosote in the air, and everything you eat tastes of it. Last week I had to get the fire brigade out the fumes got so bad.

Having only 28% lung capacity, Mr Kearney has to sleep with the windows open at night. The creosote in the air catches me when I lie down, he said.

Last week, unable to breathe, Mr Kearney had to be taken to hospital by ambulance.

I gave the council 18 doctors letters explaining my medical condition before the council moved me into this place, and still they put me here.

The flat is damp, with fungus growing on the bedroom wall, and rodents have got through open holes drilled in the external walls.

Working in Germany for decades, Mr Kearney had saved about 10,000 to cover his funeral expenses, but he has spent about half of it trying to make the flat habitable.

A native of Daltons Avenue, he grew up next door to the legendary Katty Barrys pub  We knew her as Kitty. Outsiders would call her Katty.

A childhood friend of Rory Gallagher, he would meet Rory when the Cork bluesman was touring Germany, and he would bring his old friend on a tour of Berlins old taverns.

Mr Kearney said he was not asking for much from Cork City Council.

I just want to go to a place where Im not inhaling creosote every day, where Im not being made sick, he said.

Paddy OBrien, advocate for the elderly, said Mr Kearney had sent numerous emails, letters, and phone calls to City Hall explaining his plight. This is not right. Daves health has deteriorated in the dreadful conditions in the flat, Mr OBrien said.

Hes not looking for special treatment, but what hes enduring is unacceptable.

Mr OBrien said he was calling on the council to give this decent man some comfort and dignity in his final years.

Cork City Council was asked for comment.
COBH woman Jackie Baumann is raising awareness of functional neurological disorder (FND) and how seizures significantly impact her daily life.

FND can present with a wide range of neurological symptoms. The condition can affect movement, while also causing sensory issues, cognitive issues, and seizures.

Ms Baumann has seizures almost daily and has been out of work for 17 months as a result.

It has a huge impact on not just me, but my kids and my husband, people who are around me when having these seizures, said Ms Baumann.

That is the hardest thing for me, is my children having to see me like this daily.

It is hard, they are used to it now, but it is still upsetting for them.

FND symptoms can vary from person to person, and can include functional weakness and tremors, sensory and cognitive issues, seizures, and speech and swallowing difficulties.

Associated symptoms can include pain, fatigue, and anxiety.

Ms Baumann spoke about the challenges.

To be honest, you just have to get on with it, really, she said. Its not easy. Ive had seizures out and about. I have had seizures at home. I try my best to keep going.

I try to stay positive and take it each day as it comes. Every day is different with it, so when you have a good day you just enjoy it. And when you have a bad day you just remember you will have a good day again.

I am lucky I have my kids and husband around me to keep me positive. I am doing a course in Cobh at the Further Education & Training Centre. I do that three mornings a week, just two hours in the morning to get out. They have been very supportive.

Established in 2023, FND Ireland is the first Irish charity dedicated to advocating for and supporting those living with FND.

The support services provided by FND Ireland include the monthly peer support group meetings for people living with the condition, for family members, and for carers supporting people with FND.

The peer support group meetings allow the FND community to get together and share relevant information and experiences.

Mallow is one of the locations where FND Ireland host a peer support group.

FND Ireland chairperson Eamon McPartlin told The Echo that the peer support groups play an important role.

So many people with FND think they are the only one in their local area who live with it. So, it is very challenging to get support and that is because we dont have the dedicated treatment clinics, until we get the clinic up and running in St Jamess in Dublin initially, Mr McPartlin said.

That is why the FND peer support groups are so important. In Mallow, people come together and they can share their experiences openly, he said.

The biggest thing people get out of the FND Ireland peer support groups is to know that they are not alone.

That people can share with others and by sharing with others, it helps and supports others.

Ms Baumann said: Eamonn [McPartlin] reached out to say he was doing the FND peer support group in Mallow.

I just find because I didnt know anybody with it and it was so unknown, it was lovely for myself and my husband to be able to speak to other people about FND, and who understand how it affects your daily life.

It is just nice to be able to talk to other people who understand, really. Everybody in there has completely different symptoms and different aspects of FND.

Mr McPartlin adds that more needs to be done to raise awareness among the public.

Although FND is the second-most common reason that people see a neurologist in this country, most people in Ireland have never heard of it.

The biggest hurdle with the majority of people is that they have never heard about the condition, he said. With FND, when there is not that awareness in the general public it is very difficult.

The other challenge for the public to understand is how broad the symptoms of FND can be. It can be a challenge to explain to someone that someone with functional seizures can have the same day-to-day challenges as someone living with epilepsy.

FND Ireland also recently presented to Oireachtas members in Leinster House.

Speaking to The Echo, Padraig Rice, Social Democrats health spokesperson and TD for Cork South Central, has called on health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to deliver improved services for FND patients.

Irelands network of neurological services remain under-resourced and understaffed and, in some cases, completely absent, said Mr McPartlin.

Despite the fact that around 9,000 people in Ireland live with FND, there is not one specialist FND service in the country.

This makes Ireland a complete outlier in Western Europe. Funding must be provided to address this major gap in the States neurological services. The minister for health must deliver for FND patients and their families.

For anyone wishing to contact FND Ireland to find out more about their services and the support they provide, visit their website at www.fnd.ie.
The six-month-old baby girl at the centre of a child cruelty trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court was examined by a doctor who testified yesterday that there were initial concerns that the child might have suffered a brain injury because of bleeding found in a scan.

The infants 31-year-old father denies counts of cruelty to the baby, assault causing harm, and causing her serious harm.

The 31-year-old from Co Cork pleaded not guilty to the three separate charges when arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

He denied assault causing harm, assault causing serious harm, and cruelty to the child  on various dates from November 25, 2020, to January 2021, when his daughter was around six months old.

Consultant paediatrician Rosina McGovern said that doctors at Cork University Hospital (CUH) were extremely concerned by what was shown by the CT scan when the infant was first admitted.

This subdural haemorrhage was evidence of tearing of tissues connecting the right and left sides of her brain caused by a back-and-forth acceleration and deceleration and is associated with abusive head trauma, Dr McGovern testified.

The childs parents brought her to CUH at 9pm on January 4, following a visit to South Doc after the child had been vomiting for eight hours.

The child had no history of trauma or falls but presented with a number of bruises on her face, cheek, stomach, abdomen, and right buttock, as well as abrasions on her left temporal area, her cheek, her nose, and her parents offered no explanation for these marks.

Dr McGovern said:

She was lethargic, and she couldnt smile or wasnt vocalising which you would expect in a five-month-old, and there was concern that she might have suffered some brain dysfunction.

She said an x-ray revealed the child had suffered a broken collar bone which was very unusual in a five-month-old.

She said she believed the childs injuries constituted serious harm as defined in Irish law as an injury that creates a substantial risk of death or causes serious disfigurement or substantial loss or impairment of mobility of the body or function of a bodily member or organ.

Cross-examined by defence counsel Ray Boland SC, Dr McGovern agreed the childs condition improved after treatment and was no longer lethargic after January 8, 2021, and was behaving as a five-month-old would be expected to when discharged from CUH on January 18.

Judge Dermot Sheehan asked the seven women and five men of the jury to return to Cork Circuit Criminal Court today for the case, which is expected to last at least until May 16.
Gambling and cannabis addictions resulted in a man agreeing to deliver 25,000 worth of cannabis but he has managed to clear himself of these addictions since the crime was detected in January 2022.

Ravi Lauria, aged 34, of Kent Road, Ballyphehane, pleaded guilty to the crime and was given a three-year suspended jail term by Judge Helen Boyle at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

He pleaded guilty to the charge brought against him by Detective Garda Ruairi McGovern, namely having cannabis for sale or supply when its street value exceeded 13,000 on January 25, 2022, in Cork city .

Judge Boyle said: You were actively involved in the drugs trade in that you were making a delivery on behalf of someone else  you were dealing for someone else.

While it is at the lower end [for the most serious offences of dealing drugs with a street value exceeding 13,000], you were assisting the sale or supply of drugs in Cork city, she said.

You had an addiction to cannabis and gambling at the time. You saved the State the time and expense of a trial. You present now as a person who is clean and sober and no longer gambling.

You have returned to work. You have not come to adverse garda attention since this was detected.

I am satisfied there are exceptional circumstances [to allow for a departure from a minimum 10-year sentence]. You have completed your recovery from addiction. But you will have to follow this up for the rest of your days in relation to gambling and cannabis addictions.

In all the circumstances, the judge said that a sentence of three-years suspended was appropriate.
A 63-year-old woman asleep in her own home said today it was beyond evil to be attacked by her husband who poured boiling water over her and struck her head with a claw-hammer.

64-year-old Noel Twomey of 18 Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny, Cork, faced sentencing today at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where Detective Garda Mick Dolan described the background to the extremely violent attack and read the impact statement on behalf of the victim.

My name is Jackie Twomey and on the 15th January 2024 my life changed forever. That night when I was in bed asleep my husband of 40 years came to my bedroom and brutally assaulted me. He had boiling water and a claw hammer with him and attacked me with both.

"It was beyond cruel and evil what he did to me. He poured the boiling water on me and hit me a number of times over the head with the hammer. He didn't seem to care about the damage he was doing to me. I thought I was going to die, I remember the pain and screaming. I couldn't believe what was happening. I was in CUH for six days and needed a lot of follow up care. That was the physical side.

"The psychological trauma is worse. I don't think I will ever be the same person as I was before that night, I fear going to bed and I fear just sleeping. The nightmares return every night, the pain and memories are there all the time but worse at night. Its hard to put in words how my life has changed and the anxiety and terror that have become part of my life. I should have been safe asleep in my own bed.

I have a very supportive family and friends who are 100% behind me. I hope I get peace someday and can be happy but that possibility seems far away. I need that evil man to be gone for good. I want to thank the gardai, the paramedics, the staff at the CUH and my own doctor. I never thought I would be in a courtroom reading a victim impact statement. I never thought my life would change so much or that I would be living with ongoing physical and psychological pain. I could write about what the days were like after the attack trying to recover but its still the fear inside me now that's taking over at night. I do hope I get peace sometime in the future.

Seamus Roche defence senior counsel said the accused had written a letter of apology to his wife.

He said that he would prefer to have sentencing put back for a psychiatric report because he said the attack was extraordinary and clearly had a psychiatric overlay.

64-year-old Noel Twomey of 18 Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny, Cork, faced sentencing today at Cork Circuit Criminal Court

Emmet Boyle prosecution barrister said the DPP was of the view that it was at the most serious level necessitating a pre-mitigation sentence of 10 to 15 years because of factors including the premeditation involved, the fact that the victim was asleep and defenceless in her own home and the ferocity of the assaults involving boiling water and a claw hammer.

Judge Dermot Sheehan agreed to adjourn sentencing for the psychiatric report until June 26 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Det Garda Dolan said the accused man was seen near his home soaked in blood and carrying a bloodstained hammer at 5am on Monday January 15 at Bakers Road, Gurranabraher, Cork. Mr Roche suggested that the accused actually flagged down a garda car.

The detective said that after being out socialising with family members the injured party returned home and went to bed. Noel Twomey was at home that night and awake when his wife returned, and he watched her on CCTV as she approached the house.

He made the conscious decision to boil a pot of water and retrieve a claw hammer from the tool box after she had gone to sleep in bed.

When the water was boiling he took the pot and the hammer and paced the flat for some time before entering the bedroom. He proceeded to pour the boiling water on his wife before striking her over the head with the hammer a number of times.

He expressed surprise that she was able to jump up and leave the property.
The Bishop of Cork and Ross and the Bishop of Cloyne have welcomed the election of gifted man Pope Leo XIV as the new leader of the Catholic Church.

Meanwhile Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said that new Pope has the best wishes of all Irish people.

Pope Leo XIV emerged onto the balcony of St Peters Basilica in Rome to cheers and applause from a packed St Peters Square yesterday evening. He was formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost from Chicago, and is 69 years of age.

The new pontiff is the 267th pope and becomes the religious leader for 1.4bn Catholics around the globe.

Speaking following the election of Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork and Ross said: Its very encouraging to hear the key points made by the Holy Father in his first remarks. He emphasised the need for unity and peace in the world and in the Church.

Pope Leo also has a connection with Cork and Ross Diocese because until last year, he was a bishop in Peru.

Many of the priests and religious sisters in our diocese have also spent time as missionaries in Peru.

Bishop Gavin added: Pope Leo XIII, the last pope to take the name Leo, issued an important document in 1891 on the social teaching of the Church. And this new Pope is someone who has ministered with among the poor in Peru.

I invite the people of our diocese to pray for Pope Leo as he becomes our chief shepherd and guides us closer to the Risen Lord.

Speaking to The Echo, Bishop of Cloyne William Crean described the new Pope as a very gifted man.

He is a man that has been very close to Pope Francis, he said. His background is very interesting. His mother was Italian and father was French.

He joined the Augustinian Order and was a priest with them all of his life. He spent quite a bit of time in South America.

What I found most interesting reflecting on it, Pope Francis was a Bishop in South America in Peru. Pope Francis in a sense plucked him out and brought him to Rome as the senior man in the congregation for Bishops.

Really what Pope Francis did was he gave him a huge amount of responsibility for finding the new leaders of the church all over the world. That gives him a global perspective of the church already. Bishop Crean added: The fact he has been in Rome and he was very close to Pope Francis. I imagine that he has a good feel for the vision that Pope Francis was offering for the church and to the world.

He is probably not as flamboyant or as charismatic as Pope Francis was. But he sounds like a man that has a clear sense of mission.

I imagine that he will take up all of the strands that Pope Francis has initiated.

I imagine that he will have a strong sense of the vision for care of the earth. I would say this man has a great capacity to unify where there might have been areas of tension.

Obviously he has to grow into his situation. But I have a sense that from reading his background, that he will want to take up the key elements of Francis and carry it forward. The Taoiseach said he looks forward to working with Pope Leo XIV.

On behalf of the Government and the people of Ireland, I offer warm congratulations to Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election as Pope Leo XIV.

The scenes of great joy and celebrations in St. Peters Square are a reflection of the hopes and goodwill felt by people of the Catholic faith from all around the world towards the new Pope.

Cardinals following the election of Cardinal Robert F. Prevost as the 267th pope, choosing the name of Pope Leo XIV, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025(AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

I hope that this groundswell of best wishes towards Pope Leo XIV will give him strength and support as he takes on the immense responsibility of his pontificate. I know that he has the best wishes of all Irish people, of all traditions.

I also send my congratulations to the people of the United States, a country with which Ireland enjoys such a deep and strong relationship. To have a Pope from their country is a source of great pride and an honour for their nation.

TAOISEACH LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH NEW POPE

The Taoiseach added: I wish Pope Leo XIV every strength, good health, and the required spiritual guidance as he begins his mission of leading the Catholic Church at a time of challenge, building on the pastoral direction and achievements of Pope Francis.

I look forward to working with Pope Leo XIV as an important and influential partner in addressing the many and interlinked challenges facing our world, as we work for peace, justice and sustainable development for all. White smoke was seen coming from the Sistine Chapel at around 5.10pm on Thursday evening, indicating that a successor to Pope Francis had been chosen by the 133 cardinals of the papal conclave.

The new pope was elected on the fourth count and on the second day of voting.

The secret conclave meeting to elect a new pope had only just begun some 24 hours earlier.

The 133 cardinals had voted on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, with black smoke emitted from the chapel chimney twice, indicating that nobody had been elected.

On Thursday afternoon, white smoke began to emerge out, with onlookers on hand to observe as the Church confirmed it had its new leader.

This conclave was thought to be one of the most diverse of any meeting of cardinals before, representing some 70 countries and hailing from places like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga, which had not had a cardinal before.

The new Pope will have the challenge of following in the footsteps of the late Francis, whose popularity saw him dubbed the peoples pope.

An Augustinian friar, the new Pope is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

International development charity Cafod said Pope Leos years as a missionary in Peru mean he can bring into his papacy the vital perspective of the global south, elevating voices from the margins to centre stage.

Pope Francis had been outspoken against war and division, and with his first words Pope Leo indicated he will follow suit.

He told the huge crowds in St Peters Square Peace be with you, as he preached a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelisation.

Speaking to The Echo, Cobh based priest Fr Acquin Casey also welcomed the appointment of Pope Leo XIV and looked forward to what lies in store for the new leader of the Catholic Church.

I think it is a very exciting day for the church. He has a long term ahead of him. Looking at the scenes and the commentary from Rome I think we are in a very happy place this evening.

I am surprised at how fast he has been elected and maybe that is a very good thing, that he obviously emerged as a Pope that stood out. Speaking to The Echo about the election of Pope Leo XIV , Whitechurch based priest Fr Gabriel Burke said that his past experience should prepare him well for the role.

White smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel during the conclave to elect a successor of late Pope Francis, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

He has worked in the Augustinians and he has worked in Latin America. He will have a more universal view of things. He has been dealing with Bishops from all over the world in the last few years.

The last few Popes have kind of focused on Europe and European problems. Whereas the church is really universal.

The problems of the African church and the upcoming churches in Asia. He will have a much broader view. Donoughmore based priest, Fr Eamonn McCarthy said:

It will be interesting to see how it unfolds. It is also very interesting that he is American. I was thinking we might get an African or an Asian Pope.

So an American Pope brings a different flavour to things, given the political situation in the world.

But interesting too from a Cork connection that he spent some time in the mission in Peru. So he might already be known to Cork priests to dedicated themselves to the mission in the Peru over the years.

Fr McCarthy added: Other than that, it is amazing how the Holy Spirit works and we will see how it unfolds.

He seems to be fresh and healthy. He held the role as the head of the congregation for appointing Bishops in Rome, which is no small task.

So it means that he will be familiar with many of the Bishops around the world, which will put him in a very interesting position.

He second message was in Spanish, he is obviously very fluent in Italian and no doubt English is his native tongue. That makes it very interesting as well.

Giving his reaction, Independent Ireland Leader Michael Collins said on the newly elected Pope Leo XIV:

This is a significant moment for all of us who hold faith and tradition close to heart. We hope the new pontiff will guide with wisdom and compassion, grounded in the teachings that have given strength to Irish communities for generations.

We remember Pope Francis and his deep commitment to the poor and the marginalised. We now look ahead in hope that the new pope will steer the Church with clarity, integrity and a renewed understanding of the role faith plays in the life of nations. Northern Irelands First Minister Michelle ONeill has described the appointment of Pope Leo XIV as a day of profound significance, as she urged the Pope to stand with Gaza.

In a post on X, she wrote: This is a day of profound significance for Catholics in Ireland and worldwide, as Pope Leo XIV assumes his role of spiritual leader.

I hope he will use his influence to stand up for the marginalised and oppressed, champion peace, and lead with courage and compassion - just as his predecessor, Pope Francis, did.

As the genocide in Gaza continues and a devastating famine looms, I encourage the Pope to stand unwaveringly for the rights of the Palestinian people to life, dignity, and freedom, and to urgently use his influence to help bring an end to this barbaric genocide.

The Church of Irelands Archbishop of Armagh and Archbishop of Dublin have also sent their good wishes to the new Pope.

Pope Leo XIV will hold an audience on Monday morning with the worlds media, the Vatican press office said.
Confucius Institute Indonesia Communication Forum launched to boost Chinese language education

Xinhua) 11:16, May 08, 2025

Guests cut the ribbon at the establishment ceremony of the Confucius Institute Indonesia Communication Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 7, 2025. The Confucius Institute Indonesia Communication Forum was officially established in Jakarta on Wednesday, marking a significant step forward in the country's Chinese language education cooperation mechanism. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain)

JAKARTA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The Confucius Institute Indonesia Communication Forum was officially established in Jakarta on Wednesday, marking a significant step forward in the country's Chinese language education cooperation mechanism.

The newly formed mechanism comprises eight Confucius Institutes and one Confucius Classroom operating across Indonesia. It aims to strengthen collaboration and resource sharing among member institutions, enhance the quality of Chinese language teaching, and deepen cultural exchanges between China and Indonesia.

The mechanism operates in accordance with the regulations of the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF), with a general assembly of all members serving as the highest decision-making body responsible for drafting bylaws and overseeing key matters.

Wang Siping, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, highlighted Indonesia's growing demand for Chinese language education in recent years. According to him, Indonesia has seen its Confucius Institutes and Classrooms play an increasingly vital role in promoting educational cooperation and nurturing bilingual talent between the two countries.

"In recent years, bilateral cooperation between China and Indonesia has deepened across trade, technology, and cultural sectors, yielding fruitful results," Wang said at the inauguration ceremony, adding that the newly established forum "will help integrate resources and strengthen synergy, injecting new momentum into the high-quality development of Chinese language education in Indonesia."

Zhao Lingshan, vice chairman and secretary-general of CIEF, noted that the forum would facilitate resource sharing and complementary strengths among its members, improve the quality of educational offerings, and better respond to local needs.

"The formation of the forum will expand academic collaboration networks, foster student and faculty exchanges, and promote joint research and greater integration between academia and industry," said Gede Rasben Dantes, vice rector of Ganesha University of Education, which has jointly established a Confucius Institute in Bali with Xinyang Normal University of China.

He emphasized that Chinese is not only one of the world's most important languages but also a crucial bridge in diplomacy, economics, education, and cultural exchanges.

Guests cut the ribbon at the establishment ceremony of the Confucius Institute Indonesia Communication Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 7, 2025. The Confucius Institute Indonesia Communication Forum was officially established in Jakarta on Wednesday, marking a significant step forward in the country's Chinese language education cooperation mechanism. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Research from 2020 shows that 50% of women had experienced some form of digital abuse in Ireland.

Moreover, it is estimated that one in 10 women has experienced cyber violence across the world.

The World Health Organisation has acknowledged that there is not a single agreed-upon definition for violence against women.

It entails various forms of abuse, such as physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, including coercive control.

The digital age has only introduced more forms of abuse in the online world, creating the need to introduce more monitoring techniques to protect the online presence of young women and girls around the globe.

Violence against women is nothing short of a global health issue, and spreads like a virus in the online community.

The correlation between the digital age and the rise of violence against women must be acknowledged. New forms of abuse have been created, such as image-based abuse and doxxing, which involves revealing personal information such as home addresses or phone numbers.

Research from the organisation UN Women shows that approximately 58% of women and girls across the world have faced some form of online harassment.

In the 2010s, image-based abuse became a spotlight issue. This entails the sharing of intimate images and is often used as a form of coercive control or blackmail.

The recent Netflix hit Adolescence has highlighted how online material influences young boys opinions of their female peers.

Although this has made people aware of this epidemic, there is still a persistent need to educate the younger generation on the harmful effects of certain content online.

There has been a subsequent rise of misogynistic social media influencers who profit from enforcing their prejudice towards women across their platform to influential young boys and men in every corner of the globe.

Infamous social media star Andrew Tate uses his online presence to promote the idea of male dominance over women, enforcing harmful stereotypes to young boys and men across the world.

While toxic masculinity is a topic that deserves a separate article entirely, it can be recognised as a harmful contribution to the rise of violence against women.

It needs to be made aware in schools and the community that this sort of violence against women is not appropriate behaviour and should not be normalised within the online community.

While many aspects of the Irish legal system are severely flawed in combating violence against women, Ireland and the European Union are making strenuous efforts to hold those committing cybercrime accountable.

Since 2021, it has been illegal to threaten to share, publish, or distribute intimate images of someone without their consent, regardless of whether there is an attempt to cause harm.

Cocos Law was created in light of the tragic death of a 21-year-old woman who died by suicide as a result of extreme cyberbullying.

Since its implementation, nearly 100 cases have been prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecutions in three years.

Unfortunately, however, there are no strict regulations that are liable to prosecute those spreading misogynistic hate speech in digital space.

It is important to highlight, however, that Ireland has implemented a hate speech bill which makes it a criminal offence to spread threatening material. Between 2000 and 2020, only five people were convicted.

Cocos Law is a step in the right direction in acknowledging how the digital world can contribute to violence against women.

In 2024, the European Parliament introduced its first form of directive aiming to combat violence against women. This calls on member states to create stronger resistance against this form of violence, as well as better assistance for victims, and to introduce initiatives to gather a wider understanding of the definition of sexual assault.

The relationship between the digital age and violence against women is an epidemic that needs to be eliminated immediately.

Misogyny can be likened to a rotten fungus - it will continue to grow and spread unless something stands in the way to mitigate its presence.

Immediate priority needs to be made to alleviate the dangers of the misogynistic presence of the digital age in schools and the broader community.

The time is now to lessen the misogynistic pressures of the digital age and create a safer space online for women and girls.
THE furore about hip-hop group Kneecap has been unprecedented in recent times, but there is a history of artists who got embroiled in controversy for speaking out.

When a band is asked by the Taoiseach to urgently clarify statements they made about Gaza and Israel, youd be forgiven for thinking that they were actual politicians, but Kneecap are a young music group.

I doubt if many of those discussing them these last few weeks can even name one of their tracks, which are not really on mainstream daytime radio here. The band generally operates on the margins of the pop scene.

They have successfully made inroads in to a very tough music industry, and they have been one of the foremost acts to spread love and pride in the Irish language in the last few years.

Their two recent sold-out shows in Cork demonstrated the great energy they bring to their live performances, and, in a recent column here, I mentioned that only a few years previously I was DJing alongside Kneecap in a tiny gym on Probys Quay to a small crowd.

They were actively supporting Palestine long before October 7, 2023, and they have always been a group that backs small grassroots community events.

Their progress has looked fairly swift, but was built on years of touring and, of course, the excellent recent movie, also named Kneecap, which gives their story a slightly more comic edge.

Writing about Kneecap only months ago here, I mentioned that hip-hop is a music format that historically never gave a damn about what others thought; but all that has changed in recent times. The most commercially successful music genre in the world is too worried about upsetting people these days, and it makes the success of Kneecap even more refreshing. There are still some rappers not so afraid of hurting their careers, and speaking up (about injustice). Kneecap will continue to do so in 2025!

At the time, I didnt realise that they would soon be getting more coverage than Benjamin Netanyahu.

Kneecap have made a lot of people uncomfortable, but isnt this one of the prime functions of art?

Their pro-Palestinian messaging has been consistent with an active interest in a number of causes, and many of their comments on Gaza have been echoed by not only other artists here, but by politicians, too.

There is something intensely direct about hip hop that always causes unease and much of the recent controversy has been people choosing to literally dissect the words they spoke from the stage regarding Hamas and MPs. The British establishment is very uncomfortable with Kneecap, but Britain and the US are funding the terrible situation in Gaza. Shouldnt art comment on and question war?

Sinead OConnor, another Irish artist who was not afraid to speak out, said she wanted to fight the real enemy, and its fair to say the real enemy here isnt a bunch of young rappers from Belfast.

Sinead, like Kneecap, was blackballed and boycotted and her words probably hurt her career, but she kept her integrity intact and she remains a symbol of an artist whose defiance was proven right with time.

The situation in Gaza continues to unfurl fresh horror, but it is happening right now, at a time when column inches and radio and television shows are dissecting a rap group rather than the politicians and establishments that are not only letting it happen, but backing it.

In Ireland, I grew up in an era when the music stars of the day led the fight against injustice and spoke about the horror of famine and other issues. With mass starvation looming in Gaza, I cant help but think of the non-stop media coverage of Africa that was propelled by Band-Aid and Live-Aid in the mid-1980s. Ireland patted itself on the back for the amount of money it raised and our big stars, like Bob Geldof and Bono, were front and centre and never afraid to speak up. Both are much quieter these days. As for the rappers all over the world? Its even more embarrassing. A genre built on fighting injustice and delivering a direct line to the disenfranchised has largely sat back and ignored the most voiceless of people as they continue to starve and die and be murdered.

Kneecap are not the problem here, and they should not be the story.
Kenneth Fox

A planning application has been submitted for over 380 apartments in Bluebell in Dublin.

Dublin City Council and the Land Development Agency are looking to build beside the Grand Canal. They say it comes after more than a year of extensive consultation with the local community.

150 of the units will be social homes, with the rest going to the cost-rental scheme.

The site is located on Bluebell Avenue and Bluebell Road, Bluebell, Dublin 12.

The proposed development will consist of:

Demolition of existing above-ground structures on site, including the existing 36 no. 2 bed maisonettes and the existing community facility known as the Bungalow (which is being relocated within the site), and the construction of a residential development set out in 5 no. blocks, ranging in height from 5 to 9 storeys to accommodate 383 no. apartments, 3 no. community / cultural units and a creche; The site will accommodate 141 no. car parking spaces, 945 no. bicycle parking spaces, storage, services and plant areas. Landscaping will include a new central public plaza, residential courtyards, and a western linear parkland which includes relocated allotments; The 5 no. residential buildings range in height from 5 storeys to 9 storeys accommodating 383 no. apartments comprising 22 studios, 131 no. 1 bed units, 192 no. 2 bed units (30 no. 2 bed- 3 person and 162 no. 2 bed- 4 person) and 38 no. 3 bed units. The residential buildings are arranged centrally on the site and around residential courtyards at podium and ground level. Balconies and terraces to be provided on all elevations at all levels for each block. The breakdown of residential accommodation is as follows:

Block 1 is a 7 to 8 storey building accommodating 80 no. units comprising 1 no. studio, 28 no. 1 bed units, 43 no. 2 bed units, 8 no. 3 bed units.

Block 2 is a 6 to 9 storey building accommodating 86 no. units comprising 23 no. 1 bed units, 50 no. 2 bed units, 13 no. 3 bed units.

Block 3A/3B is a 6 storey building accommodating 83 no. units comprising 10 no. studios, 43 no. 1 bed units, 30 no. 2 bed units.

Block 4A/4B is a 5 to 6 storey building, accommodating 70 no. units comprising 1 no. studio, 22 no. 1 bed units, 34 no. 2 bed units, 13 no. 3 bed units.

Block 5 is a 5 to 7 storey building accommodating 64 no. units comprising 10 no. studios, 15 no. 1 bed units, 35 no. 2 bed units, 4 no. 3 bed units

They said any person within four weeks from the date of publication of this notice, apply to An Bord Pleanala for a screening determination as to whether the development would be likely to have significant effects on the environment.

Dublin City Council said they are now open to submissions or observations in relation to the proposed development, dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development would be situated, may be made on their website before 23:59pm on June 19th, 2025.

You can make a submission about the development here.
High Court reporters

Libel lawyer Paul Tweed has asked the High Court to strike out a defence of truth being pleaded in a defamation case he is taking against a US publisher.

Mr Tweed claims part of an academic book entitled Subversion: The Strategic Weaponization of Narratives is defamatory because it falsely portrays him as a "subversive, covert agent" of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The book was published by the Georgetown University Press in 2023 and written by Andreas Krieg, who teaches in Kings College, London.

The court heard that Mr Tweed claims, among other things, the book falsely claims he improperly writes warning letters and/or institutes legal proceedings for the purposes of silencing voices in the West who are critical of the UAE.

It also falsely claims he is portrayed as a solicitor who uses his legal practice improperly to protect or advance the UAE political regime, he says.

The book also contains an argument about how certain countries use decentralised networks of a variety of actors, paid agents, wilful pawns and sometimes useful idiots in order to mobilise information networks with the ultimate goal of undermining social, political consensus.

Mr Tweed claims damages and seeks an injunction requiring the removal of the book from sale or the correcting of the allegedly defamatory paragraphs.

The claims are denied and Georgetown Press pleads the defence of truth.

On Thursday, Mr Justice Micheal O'Higgins began hearing arguments on a motion filed on behalf of Mr Tweed as to why the defence truth should be struck out or alternatively the defendant should be required to amend its defence. The defence will deliver its reply on Friday.

Mr Tweed specialises in defamation law and is representing former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams whose action against the BBC is currently at hearing in the High Court. He also represents businessman Declan Ganley in a case against the US news broadcaster CNN which has yet to be heard.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

New research finds that consumption and investments by the worlds wealthiest people has disproportionately impacted climate change. Overearth / iStock / Getty Images Plus

The carbon footprint of the worlds wealthiest 10 percent has been responsible for two-thirds of global heating over the past 35 years, new research has found.

The planets rapid temperature rise has driven heat waves and drought in the poorest areas of the world.

Our study shows that extreme climate impacts are not just the result of abstract global emissions, instead we can directly link them to our lifestyle and investment choices, which in turn are linked to wealth, explained lead author of the study Sarah Schongart with the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science at ETH Zurich, in a press release from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). We found that wealthy emitters play a major role in driving climate extremes, which provides strong support for climate policies that target the reduction of their emissions.

The researchers looked at the contribution of groups within societies with the highest emissions and discovered that the richest one percent contributed 17 times the worldwide average to droughts in the Amazon and 26 times more to rises in monthly occurrences of one-in-100-year global heat extremes.

The research sheds new light on the links between income-based emissions inequality and climate injustice, illustrating how the consumption and investments of wealthy individuals have had disproportionate impacts on extreme weather events, IIASA said.

The impacts were found to be especially severe in the Amazon, southern Africa, Southeast Asia and other vulnerable tropical regions, all of which have contributed the least amount to the worlds emissions.

We found that the wealthiest 10% contributed 6.5 times more to global warming than the average, with the top 1% and 0.1% contributing 20 and 76 times more, respectively. For heat, this imbalance is more pronounced at the grid-cell-level: the wealthiest 10% and 1% contributed over 7 and 25 times more than the global average to the increase in frequency of pre-industrial 1-in-100-year heat extremes during months with peak summer temperatures, the authors wrote in their paper published in Nature Climate Change.

The research team used a modeling framework that combined climate simulations and economic data to trace emissions from various global income groups and assess the contributions of each to specific climate extremes.

They discovered that emissions from the richest 10 percent of people in China and the United States alone each resulted in an increase of two to three times the heat extremes in vulnerable regions.

If everyone had emitted like the bottom 50% of the global population, the world would have seen minimal additional warming since 1990, said study co-author Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, leader of IIASAs Integrated Climate Impacts Research Group, in the press release. Addressing this imbalance is crucial for fair and effective climate action.

The authors emphasized the importance of emissions that are embedded in financial investments, not just personal consumption. They argue that targeting the portfolios and financial flows of high-income individuals could lead to substantial climate benefits.

This is not an academic discussion  its about the real impacts of the climate crisis today, Schleussner added. Climate action that doesnt address the outsize responsibilities of the wealthiest members of society, risks missing one of the most powerful levers we have to reduce future harm.
(Photo: Courtesy Vatican News)Pope Leo XIV, after being elected as the 267th pontiff on May 8. 2025 on the balcony of St. Peter's

Pope Leo XIV, the 69-year-old Chicago-born cardinal elected as the Catholic Church's 267th pontiff, spent many years as a missionary in Peru and is the first North American to hold the papacy.

"Peace be with all you," Pope Leo XIV said from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday, May 8, in his first public words.

In his first words as Pope, Leo, whose name is Robert Francis Prevost, spoke fondly of his predecessor Francis.

"We still hear in our ears the weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis who blessed us," he said.

"United and hand in hand with God, let us advance together," he told cheering crowds.

US President Donald Trump was one of the first people to approve of Pope Leo, the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.

- TRUMP COMMENTS

"It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope," Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform. "What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

Upon his election, Britain's Telegraph newspaper noted, "Insiders have long thought that the US was the world's only superpower and had more than enough geopolitical clout, without taking over the papacy as well."

"He was not one of the obvious candidates, but he knows everybody, he spent 30 years as a missionary, he has languages," a Vatican insider told the newspaper.

According to South Cook News, the Pope was born Robert Francis Prevost in Dolton, Illinois, to Louis Prevost, a Glenwood School District 167 superintendent, and Millie Prevost, a librarian.

His parents were of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent, and Prevost served as an altar boy.

Although he moved to Peru three years after his ordination in 1982, he returned regularly to the United States to serve as a pastor and a priest in his home city.

He attended Villanova University, which was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine. He graduated in 1977 with a degree in mathematics and joined the Augustinian order of Catholic priests, according to CBS Philadelphia.

Augustinians are followers of St. Augustine, a North African monk and bishop born in 354 AD, who was keenly aware of human nature and desires for community. The order says its members are "called to Restlessness," a quality seen as a "divine gift."

The Illinois native spent two decades in Peru as an Augustinian missionary and later as the bishop of Chiclayo. He's a citizen of Peru and speaks fluent Spanish and Italian.

The last pontiff to choose the name Leo was more than 100 years ago. Pope Leo XIII led the Church from 1878 to 1903.

The first pope of the name, Pope Leo the Great, led the Church from 440-461.

Pope Leo XI had one of the shortest pontificates in history, lasting less than a month, from April 1, 1605, until his death on April 27, 1605.

After graduating from Villanova, Prevost studied at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago and was ordained as a priest in 1982.

The election of Cardinal Prevost came as a surprise, Catholic priest and blogger Ed Tomlinson said.

- CONTINUATION OF FRANCIS PATH

"It seems likely to be a continuation of Francis's liberalization," he told The Independent newspaper.

"As 80 percent of the cardinals who took part in the conclave were appointed by Francis, it is not all that surprising that someone like Prevost was elected, even if he was only recently appointed," Paul Kirkby commented for BBC News.

"He will be seen as a figure who favored the continuity of Francis' reforms in the Catholic Church."

According to the BBC commentator, Prevost is believed to have shared Francis' views on migrants, the poor, and the environment.

As a cardinal, he challenged the views of US Vice-President JD Vance, a man who converted to Catholicism.

He reposted a post on social media platform X critical of the Trump administration's deportation of a US resident to El Salvador, and shared a critical comment piece written about a TV interview given by Vance to Fox News.

"JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others," read the post, repeating the headline from the commentary on the National Catholic Reporter website.
Understanding Ultra-wideband-UWB: a basic 101 introduction Ultra-wideband, UWB has been in existence for many years, but it is now coming to the fore to be used in many types of application including automotive technology and other areas where proximity sensing is needed.

Home  Radio & RF technology  this page

UWB ultrawideband Includes:

UWB basics

In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to precisely locate and communicate with devices in real-time is becoming paramount.

While technologies like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi continue to perform well, a new contender called Ultrawideband, UWB has emerged, promising unprecedented accuracy and security in short-range wireless interactions.

UWB isn't just another incremental improvement in wireless communication; it's a fundamentally different approach to transmitting and receiving radio waves.

Instead of relying on narrow frequency bands and continuous sine waves, UWB utilizes a signal spread across a very wide spectrum of radio frequencies.

This unique characteristic gives it a distinct set of advantages, making it a game-changer in various applications, from precise positioning and secure access to high-bandwidth data transfer.

UWB development

The development of UWB technology stems from work that was undertaken by the US military into defining the behaviour of microwave networks to impulse or transients. The work which was started in 1962.

Traditionally networks had been characterised according to their response in the frequency domain where parameters such as amplitude and phase with respect to frequency are important. However the new approach which was to spawn the first ideas about ultra wide band or UWB technology looked at the impulse response.

At the time measurements were difficult to make as test equipment with a sufficiently high bandwidth was not available.

The fact that the research was investigating an area where the supporting technologies such as test equipment were not sufficiently developed placed restraints on the research, but nevertheless investigations into the technology continued.

Having looked at the response of microwave networks to impulses, the next major step forward occurred when the techniques were applied to radiating systems. Once this work commenced in 1968 it soon became obvious that UWB technology could be used for radar and communications applications.

The rate at which work was undertaken was increased in the 1970s and 80s as the supporting technologies became available. During this period it was termed carrier free or impulse technology.

The term ultra wide band or UWB was only coined in the later 1980s by the US Department of Defense. However by this time many patentees had been awarded and a considerable degree of development had been invested in the technology.

Development of UWB technology was primarily intended for military applications and it was classified. As a result little development took place in the commercial arena.

However in the years following 2000, commercial wireless communications became established. Technologies such as 802.11 (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth and others became established.

These paved the way, and showed the flexibility offered by wireless communications for a very wide variety of applications from mobile phone peripheral connectivity to mobility and connectivity for laptops. These technologies and others grew rapidly.

Accordingly commercial applications for ultra wideband UWB became very apparent and commercial exploitation started

One of the major limitations to the speed at which UWB could enter the commercial marketplace was legislation. In view of the fact that UWB occupies a wide bandwidth, even though at a low power level, it has to exist alongside traditional transmissions without causing any undue interference.

Accordingly the legislative bodies and in particular the FCC in the USA have been proceeding with caution.

Any changes in direction required will be far more difficult to address in later years once UWB technology is firmly established. Despite this UWB transmissions are allowed, provided that they remain within a given power density and frequency profile. This ensures that the allowed transmission levels do not cause any noticeable interference to existing transmissions.

What is UWB? - the FCC definition

To date the FCC in the USA has approved UWB for indoor and short range outdoor communication, but with restrictions on the frequencies over which the transmission can spread as well as the power limits. This will enable the UWB transmissions to communicate successfully, but without affecting existing 'narrowband' transmissions

To achieve these requirements the FCC has mandated that UWB transmissions can legally operate in the range 3.1 GHz up to 10.6 GHz, at a limited transmit power of -41dBm/MHz. Additionally the transmissions must occupy a bandwidth of at least 500 MHz, as well as having a bandwidth of at least 20% of the centre frequency. To achieve this last requirement, a transmission with a centre frequency of 6 GHz, for example, must have a bandwidth of at least 1.2 GHz. Consequently, UWB provides dramatic channel capacity at short range that limits interference.

The fact that very low power density levels are transmitted means that the interference to other services will be reduced to limits that are not noticeable to traditional transmissions. Additionally the lowest frequencies for UWB have been set above 3 GHz to ensure they do not cut across bands currently used for GPS, cellular and many other services.

Basic concepts

As the name implies UWB, ultra wide band technology, is a form of transmission that occupies a very wide bandwidth. Typically this will be many Gigahertz, and it is this aspect that enables it to carry data rates of Gigabits per second.

Unlike traditional radio systems that transmit information by modulating the amplitude, frequency, or phase of a continuous carrier wave within a narrow band,

Despite the single named used for the ultra wideband (UWB) transmissions, there are two very different technologies being developed.

The fact that UWB transmissions have such a wide bandwidth means that they will cross the boundaries of many of the currently licensed carrier based transmissions. As such one of the fears is that UWB transmission may cause interference.

However the very high bandwidth used also allows the power spectral density to be very low, and the power limits on UWB are being strictly limited by the regulatory bodies.

In many instances they are lower than the spurious emissions from electronic apparatus that has been certified. In view of this it is anticipated that they will cause no noticeable interference to other carrier based licensed users. Nevertheless regulatory bodies are moving forward cautiously so that users who already have spectrum allocations are not affected.

At its core, UWB is a radio technology defined by its exceptionally wide bandwidth, typically exceeding 500 MHz or occupying more than 20% of its center frequency, as regulated by bodies like the FCC and ITU-R. This vast spectral occupancy is the key differentiator between UWB and narrowband or broadband wireless technologies.

Carrier free direct sequence ultra wideband technology: Using this form of UWB, communication or sensing is done by sending a series of very short, low-power pulses. These pulses, often just a few nanoseconds in duration, contain a wide range of frequencies spread across the ultrawide bandwidth.

Using this form of UWB, communication or sensing is done by sending a series of very short, low-power pulses. These pulses, often just a few nanoseconds in duration, contain a wide range of frequencies spread across the ultrawide bandwidth. MBOFDM, Multi-Band OFDM ultra wideband technology: This form of ultra wideband technology uses a wide band or multiband orthogonal frequency division multiplex (MBOFDM) signal that is effectively a 500 MHz wide OFDM signal. This is 500 MHz signal is then hopped in frequency to enable it to occupy a sufficiently high bandwidth.

Advantages of UWB

The unique spread spectrum nature nature of UWB gives it several distinct operational advantages:

Precise Time-of-Flight (ToF) Measurement: The for the pulsed form of UWB, the extremely short duration of UWB pulses allows for highly accurate measurement of the time it takes for a signal to travel between two devices. By multiplying the ToF by the speed of light, the distance between the devices can be determined with centimeter-level accuracy. This is a significant advantage over technologies that rely on signal strength (RSSI), which can be affected by environmental factors and provide much less precise distance estimations.

High Bandwidth for Data Transfer: The vast spectral occupancy of UWB enables the transmission of large amounts of data over short distances. While the power levels are low to avoid interference with other radio services, the sheer bandwidth allows for data rates significantly higher than Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and competitive with some Wi-Fi standards for short-range communication.

Robustness Against Multipath Interference: In indoor environments, radio signals often bounce off walls, furniture, and other objects, creating multiple signal paths (multipath). Narrowband signals can experience fading and distortion due to these reflections interfering with the direct signal. However, the short pulses of UWB have a high time resolution, allowing the receiver to differentiate between the direct path signal and the delayed reflections, mitigating the effects of multipath interference and ensuring more reliable communication and accurate ranging.

Low Power Consumption: Despite its wide bandwidth, UWB typically operates at very low power levels. This is partly due to the short duty cycle of the pulses. This low power consumption makes it ideal for battery-powered devices and applications where energy efficiency is critical.

Coexistence with Other Radio Technologies: UWB signals are spread across a wide frequency range at very low power spectral density. This "noise-like" characteristic makes it less likely to interfere with narrowband and carrier wave transmissions operating in the same frequency bands.

Applications of UWB Technology

The unique capabilities of UWB  precise positioning, high bandwidth, robustness, and low power consumption  have opened the door to a wide array of innovative applications across various industries

Precise Location and Tracking: This is arguably the most transformative application of UWB. Its centimeter-level accuracy makes it ideal for: Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS): Navigating within buildings like shopping malls, hospitals, and warehouses with much greater accuracy than Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-based systems. Asset Tracking: Real-time tracking of valuable assets in logistics, manufacturing, and healthcare, improving efficiency and reducing losses. People Tracking: Locating personnel in industrial environments for safety and workflow optimization. Social Distancing Solutions: Enabling accurate proximity detection for workplace safety and contact tracing.

Secure Access Control: UWB's precise distance measurement and inherent resistance to relay attacks make it a highly secure technology for:

Hands-Free Car Keys: Automatically unlocking and starting vehicles as the user approaches with their UWB-enabled smartphone or key fob, offering enhanced security against theft.

Building and Room Access: Providing seamless and secure entry and exit to buildings and restricted areas without the need for physical keys or keycards.

High-Bandwidth Short-Range Communication: While not its primary focus, UWB's high bandwidth capabilities enable fast and reliable data transfer for applications like: Device-to-Device File Sharing: Quickly transferring large files between nearby UWB-enabled devices.

Wireless Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR): Providing low-latency, high-bandwidth connections for immersive AR/VR experiences.

Contactless Payments: Enabling secure and convenient hands-free payments at point-of-sale terminals.

Gesture Recognition and Interaction: UWB's ability to sense subtle movements and distances can be used for: *Point-and-Control Interfaces: Interacting with smart devices by pointing gestures with a UWB-enabled remote or smartphone.

Smart Home Automation: Triggering actions based on user proximity and gestures within a room.

Automotive Applications: Beyond keyless entry, UWB is finding applications in: Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS): Enhancing the accuracy of proximity sensors and enabling new safety features.

Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Communication: Facilitating precise localization and communication between vehicles and infrastructure.
Former US President Barack Obama jokingly told his wife, Michelle Obama, that she's "next up" following the death of her mother, Marian Robinson, in May 2024.

Michelle revealed the moment during a recent episode of her podcast, "In My Opinion (IMO)," which she co-hosts with her brother, Craig Robinson. In the episode, the former first lady recalled that shortly after her mother's passing, Barack turned to her and said, "Well, you're next up."

"I'm not really ready to be next up. I told him, 'You're next up and Craig is next up. I delegate that power to you,'" she replied.

Michelle later explained that the joke was about stepping into the role of family elder and caretaker, a transition that comes when both parents are gone.

She and Craig also reflected on the emotional impact of losing a parent, describing it as a "major shift" in life. However, they noted that Robinson had spent years preparing them for her passing and had left them clear instructions for her memorial.

This is not the first time Michelle gave insight into her relationship with Barack on the podcast. The former first lady previously discussed her frustrations with her husband's punctuality and described it as one of her biggest pet peeves.

Michelle explained that Barack often waits until the exact time they are supposed to leave before starting to get ready, such as heading to the bathroom or searching for his glasses. She emphasized that, in her view, a scheduled departure time means being fully prepared to walk out the door, not just beginning to prepare. Michelle noted that this difference in punctuality stems partly from Barack's laid-back "island time" upbringing in Hawaii, but she also acknowledged that he has improved over their 30 years of marriage.

It was previously reported that Barack was 35 hours late to his scheduled engagements throughout 2014 while he was still serving as president.
Prince Harry is facing the toughest chapter yet in his strained relationship with the royal family, as insiders reveal trust has completely broken down between him and his relatives.

A source close to the royal family says the ongoing rift isn't just about past disagreements. "I genuinely think nobody trusts him, and that's the bottom line," the source shared.

"They don't trust him and Meghan, and that's why they can't have a relationship. Maybe there's room to forgive, but they won't forget."

The tension grew even worse after Harry's BBC interview last week, in which he talked about King Charles' cancer battle.

"I don't know how much longer he has," Harry said, sparking anger among those close to the king, PageSix said.

Critics quickly pointed out that such personal comments should have never been shared publicly.

Royal historian Hugo Vickers was especially critical. "It was disgraceful to talk about Charles's health," he said. "If he's not speaking to him, how does he even know anything about it?"

Vickers also compared Harry's actions to those of his late mother, Princess Diana, saying she too once struggled with trust within the family. He recalled how Prince Philip warned Diana about leaking private conversations to the presssomething he believes Harry is now repeating.

Prince Harry visited London in April to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, but reports say King Charles chose not to meet with him during the trip.

London (AFP) - Prince Harry said Friday he wanted to reconcile with Britain's royal family, but was 'devastated' at losing a court battle over his security that meant he felt unable to return to the c https://t.co/ocauU3YUke pic.twitter.com/wsdxCubXpb  zeta panama (@zetacompa) May 2, 2025

No Response from King Charles as Harry Reaches Out

A source explained that Harry reached out to his father but "never heard back." Harry had hoped to discuss his security concerns, but Charles remained silent.

Harry, 40, recently lost a legal challenge to regain publicly funded security for himself and his family while in the UK.

Prince Harry has expressed concern that his American security team can't fully protect Meghan, Prince Archie (6), and Princess Lilibet (3) without access to British intelligence.

According to Marca, after a recent court ruling, Prince Harry indicated that returning to the UK with Meghan, Prince Archie (6), and Princess Lilibet (3) is unlikely for now.

He emphasized that without access to British intelligence, his US-based security team cannot adequately ensure their safety.

Royal biographer Hugo Vickers has strongly criticized Prince Harry's handling of his relationship with the royal family.

Vickers argued that Harry's continued public complaints have only deepened the divide and suggested that private reconciliation would have been more effective.

He also questioned Harry's judgment, claiming that his actions may have severely damaged any hope of repairing ties with King Charles.

As Buckingham Palace stays silent, it's unclear what comes next for Harry.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama is under fire after revealing the financial burdens of living in the White House, sparking a wave of backlash across social media.

During an appearance on "The Diary of a CEO" podcast, the mom-of-two spoke candidly about the unexpected costs that came with her eight years as First Lady, including the need to cover expenses for food and some travel.

"It's expensive to live in the White House," the 61-year-old said. "Many people don't know, but much is not covered. You're paying for every bit of food you eat."

"You're not paying for housing and the staff in it, but everything, even travel," she added.

No Free Perks  Even for Family Travel

Michelle also noted that if she or her daughters traveled without the president, the costs came out of pocket.

"If you're not traveling with the president, if your kids are coming on Bright Star  the First Lady's plane  we had to pay for their travel to be on the plane," she said.

While the Obamas reportedly entered the White House in 2009 with a net worth just over $1 million, their fortune ballooned to an estimated $70 million by the time they left office in 2017.

Michelle's comments didn't sit well with many online. Social media users quickly reacted, accusing her of being tone-deaf and out of touch with ordinary Americans.

One critic posted on X:

I have never heard a first lady with so much disdain for the office of the President and for her own country.  LHGrey (@grey4626) May 4, 2025

A second wrote:

Awww, she had to buy her own food?! My God the travesty! I feel so sorry for the Obama's. They are so discriminated against.



I mean, they both went to the top universities in the world, earned degrees, had successful careers and was a two time president, but other than that...  Scott Wickstrum (@swickstrum) May 5, 2025

Another said:

It must have been incredibly difficult for her to cover food and daily expenses, she would have much preferred if Americans (maybe those whites she despises so much) had taken responsibility for those costs.  Andreaisonline (@AndreaisonX) May 4, 2025

Others were even more blunt:

Its weird, because my job doesnt cover my food costs or travel expenses either, nor my husbands. Very strange.  JayJay McMaster, CD (@tantrumblue1) May 5, 2025

Ummmmm, this is a really bad look and is going to fall flat if she wanted to garner sympathy.



No one in America gets anything for their family for free because of their job.  Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) May 4, 2025

You mean everything you want is just magically covered by the taxpayers?!!!



Oh no! It must be miserable to have your own private plane covered but have to pay extra for some food or your kids.



Shes Fing insufferable.  Martha Bueno (@BuenoForMiami) May 4, 2025

Former "The View" co-host Meghan McCain also weighed in. "It would be cool if Michelle Obama had literally anything positive to say about anything," McCain tweeted.

Property Moves and Divorce Rumors

The former First Lady's recent remarks come amid reports that she and Barack Obama are attending therapy together and discussing the future of their marriage. A source told Radar Online the couple is working on dividing their assets in the event of a potential divorce.

"They want to have everything ironed out in advance," an insider said. "The last thing they want is an ugly fight with lots of nasty legal filings."

Adding fuel to the speculation, their former Martha's Vineyard summer home  the sprawling 30-acre Blue Heron Farm  was recently listed for nearly $40 million. The Obamas bought a different estate on the Massachusetts island in 2020.
Key Takeaways

A new drug combo lowered LDL cholesterol by nearly 49% in a study

It may help people whose LDL stays high despite taking statins

The combo includes a new drug called obicetrapib and existing drug ezetimibe

THURSDAY, May 8, 2025 (HealthDay News)  A new drug combo lowers "bad" LDL cholesterol for people whose levels remain high even after taking statins.

The new pill pairs a new drug called obicetrapib with an existing one, ezetimibe. In a Phase 3 clinical trial, this combo reduced LDL levels by nearly 49% over about three months, according to Cleveland Clinic researchers.

The results were presented Wednesday at the European Atherosclerosis Society meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, and simultaneously published in The Lancet.

High LDL is one of the leading risk factors for heart disease, and we have such a poor handle on controlling that risk, Dr. Corey Bradley, a cardiologist at Columbia University, told NBC News. Many people have such a high LDL they will require multiple agents to control it.

The trial included 407 people with an average age of 68. Even though they were taking cholesterol-lowering medications, everyone had LDL levels above 70 mg/dL. Researchers divided participants into four groups: One took the combo pill; two groups took each drug separately; and another group took a placebo. All participants continued their usual cholesterol medications.

Dr. Ashish Sarraju, a preventive cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, led the study.

We need to give patients and their doctors all the options we can to try to get LDL under control if they are at risk for, or already have, cardiovascular disease, Sarraju said. In higher-risk patients, you want to get LDL down as quickly as possible and keep it there as long as possible.

High-risk patients are those who have had a stroke or heart attack, or are likely to have one. Even high-intensity statins are sometimes not enough to bring LDL to safe levels.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends keeping LDL below 100 mg/dL  and under 70 mg/dL for high-risk patients.

The trial was funded by NewAmsterdam Pharma, the Dutch company that makes obicetrapib. The company plans to speak with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the course of the year, about possible approval of the combo drug, a spokesperson told NBC News.

In the past, some similar drugs have not worked. Dr. Robert Rosenson of Mount Sinai Health System noted that some drugs in this class have failed to prevent strokes or heart attacks. But I am cautiously hopeful, he said.

NewAmsterdam Pharma is now running another trial to see if the combo drug not only lowers cholesterol but also protects against major heart events.

While lifestyle changes like eating healthy, exercising and avoiding smoking can help lower LDL, many people still struggle to reach safe levels. Only about 20% of patients are able to manage their LDL, said Bradley, of Columbia.

More information

The Mayo Clinic has more on lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol.

SOURCE: NBC News, May 7, 2025

What This Means For You

If you have high LDL despite taking statins, this new drug combo may offer another way to lower your risk of heart problems.
Chinese-made weapons supplied by the United Arab Emirates have been identified with Sudan's paramilitaries, Amnesty International said Thursday, as drone attacks prompted civilians to flee the army-held aid hub of Port Sudan.

The Britain-based watchdog said that its research had detailed the use by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of sophisticated Chinese-made artillery and guided bombs in its war with the regular army, now in its third year.

Abu Dhabi has repeatedly denied arming the RSF, despite reports from UN experts, US politicians and international organisations.

Amnesty said its research was based on weapons used by the RSF in operations in the western region Darfur and during its loss of the capital Khartoum in March.

It did not mention the long-range drones used by the paramilitaries to attack army-controlled cities in the east and south in recent days.

"Sophisticated Chinese weaponry, re-exported by the United Arab Emirates, has been captured in Khartoum, as well as used in Darfur in a blatant breach of the existing UN arms embargo," Amnesty said.

It said it identified "Chinese GB50A guided bombs and 155mm AH-4 howitzers" through analysis of video footage and photos of RSF attacks.

It said "the only country in the world that has imported AH-4 howitzers from China is the UAE" in a 2019 deal, relying on data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

In a brief statement on its social media pages, the Chinese embassy in Sudan urged its citizens to "leave Sudan immediately", without providing an explanation or details.

"This news concerns Chinese individuals, not institutions," it said.

- Long-range drone strikes -

Amnesty's report came as the RSF pressed its long-range drone attacks on army-held cities.

On Thursday morning, drones targeted the country's main naval base just north of Port Sudan, seat of the army-backed government, as well as the southern cities of Kosti and Tendelti, two sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

One source said air defences had shot down 15 drones over Port Sudan overnight.

A drone strike also hit Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman, killing two young girls, medical charity Doctors Without Borders said.

The attack was the first this week on the capital, where the RSF remains stationed west and south of Omdurman.

Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast had been a safe haven and the country's main aid hub, hosting United Nations offices and hundreds of thousands of displaced people, until drone strikes blamed on the RSF began on Sunday.

UN chief Antonio Guterres warned the attacks "threaten to increase humanitarian needs and further complicate aid operations", his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

More than two years of war have killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted 13 million, according to UN figures.

On Tuesday, the army-backed government severed ties with the UAE, accusing it of supplying the RSF with the advanced weapons systems it has used to strike Port Sudan.

The UAE denied the allegation, adding that the internationally recognised administration "does not represent the legitimate government of Sudan".

- 'No choice but to leave' -

Since losing nearly all of greater Khartoum to the army in March, the RSF has ramped up their use of long-range drones.

The strikes on Port Sudan have hit key facilities including the country's last functioning international airport, its largest working fuel depot and the city's main power station.

At Port Sudan's bustling main bus station, civilians were scrambling to leave.

"You can't get a ticket without booking over a day in advance now, all the buses are booked," said bus company employee Mahmoud Hussein.

Among those fleeing was Haidar Ibrahim, preparing to travel south with his family.

"The smoke is everywhere and my wife suffers from asthma," he told AFP. "We have no choice but to leave."

Many of those who had sought refuge in Port Sudan have been displaced multiple times.

The war has effectively split the country in two, with the army holding the north, east and centre, and the RSF in control of most of Darfur and parts of the south.

bur-maf/bha/dv
Former US president Joe Biden said Thursday he was not surprised Kamala Harris lost the 2024 election to Donald Trump and blamed her defeat on Republicans taking the "sexist route."

Biden, in an interview with ABC's "The View," also denied claims made in recent books that he had suffered a cognitive decline in his final year in office.

"They are wrong. There's nothing to sustain that," the 82-year-old said.

Former First Lady Jill Biden, who appeared on the show too, also rejected the allegations of her husband's mental decline and denied claims that she had created a "cocoon" around him at the White House.

"The people who wrote those books were not in the White House with us and they didn't see how hard Joe worked every single day," she said. "He wasn't hiding somewhere. I didn't have him, you know, sequestered in some place."

Biden said the sole reason he abandoned the presidential race was "because I didn't want to have a divided Democratic Party."

The former president also launched a few jabs at Trump, saying his Republican successor has "had the worst 100 days any president's ever had."

"I think he has done, quite frankly, a very poor job in the interests of the United States of America," he said.

Asked about Harris's loss to Trump, Biden said he was disappointed but "wasn't surprised -- not because I didn't think the vice president was qualified first to be president -- she is.

"I wasn't surprised because they went the sexist route... this is a woman, she's this, she's that," he said.

"I've never seen a quite as successful and a consistent campaign undercutting the notion that a woman couldn't lead the country, and a woman of mixed race," Biden said.

The former president also said he talks to Harris frequently and "she's got a difficult decision to make about what she's going to do."

"I hope she stays fully engaged," he said.

cl/dw
Japanese gaming giant Nintendo forecast Thursday that it would sell 15 million units of its hotly awaited Switch 2 console in the current financial year but warned US tariffs could hit its bottom line.

The successor to the Switch -- the third best-selling console ever behind Sony's PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS -- is set to hit shelves worldwide on June 5.

While the "Super Mario" maker is diversifying into theme parks and hit movies, around 90 percent of its revenue still comes from the Switch business, analysts say.

However the unit sales forecast is more conservative than the 16.8 million expected in a survey of Bloomberg economists.

The Switch, a handheld and TV-compatible device that became a must-have gadget during pandemic lockdowns, has sold around 150 million units since its launch in 2017.

For the financial year that ended on March 31, Nintendo reported a 43.2 percent fall in full-year net profit to 278.8 billion yen ($1.9 billion), as gamers wait to splash their cash on the Switch 2.

It sold 10.8 million Switches, down 31.2 percent year-on-year, while software sales hit 155.4 million units, a decrease of 22.2 percent.

Nintendo forecast a net profit of 300 billion yen for the current financial year but warned that US trade tariffs could impact its earnings.

"Changes to tariff rates may affect our financial forecast. We will continue to monitor the situation to respond to changes in market conditions," it said.

- Hot pre-orders -

The company last month revealed details about the Switch 2, a hybrid console like its predecessor.

However the price has raised eyebrows at over a third more than the original Switch in major markets including the United States, where it will cost $449.99.

A Japanese-only version for domestic consumers will cost 49,980 yen ($350).

Nintendo delayed pre-orders for the Switch 2 in the United States by two weeks as it assessed the fallout from President Donald Trump's trade levies.

But last month it boasted of higher-than-expected demand in Japan for pre-orders of the new console.

"If final tariffs do not come down... then prices will need to rise further, which will dampen demand," David Gibson of MST Financial told AFP ahead of the earnings release.

"But keep in mind Nintendo tends to set the price of its hardware and not change them," he said.

Since Trump's first term, Nintendo has been shifting production from China to Vietnam, Gibson said.

"So it is likely that 70 percent plus of shipments to the USA for Switch 2 can come from Vietnam and tariffs can be minimised."

The Switch 2 will have eight times the memory of the first Switch, and a 7.9-inch (20-centimetre) screen -- up from 6.2 inches for the original.

Its controllers, which attach with magnets, can also be used like a desktop computer mouse.

A new function will enable users to temporarily share games with friends and play together.

News that the next title in the Grand Theft Auto video game series had been postponed to May 2026 is a positive for Nintendo, Atul Goyal of Jefferies said this month.

"It sure makes Nintendo's competition far less intense" in terms of game launches, he wrote in a note.

"We earlier wrote that the 2025 holiday season could belong to both Sony (GTA6) and Nintendo (Switch 2 games)," he said.

"But it now looks that the console for this holiday season is" the Switch 2, he predicted.

hih-jug-kaf/dan
As the wind sweeps the vast plains and badlands of eastern Montana, a storm stands on the horizon.

Its electricity can already be felt in public county commission and planning board meetings in the basements and cramped offices of courthouses, on social media in the form of spirited debates, and within the pages of local newspapers striving to convey the immensity  and complexity  of a ubiquitous development facing Big Sky Country.

For nearly three decades, industrial wind farms have been cropping up throughout the state, slowly dotting their way across the map eastward from the Rockies and westward from North Dakota. To date, Montana has 1,040 turbines across 31 projects as of February, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The latest development: the Glendive Wind Project, an up-to-800 megawatt planned array of some 100 turbines centered on the counties of Dawson, Prairie and McCone. Slated to break ground in 2026, the project is currently being negotiated with the worlds largest producer of solar and wind energy by market capitalization NextEra Energy.

For area farmers and ranchers, it is a golden opportunity to seize an alternative income source. For declining rural communities, the trend offers an injection of economic activity, an enlarged tax base, impact fees which local governments can spend however they see fit  and a charged atmosphere of debate that threatens to erode the tightly knit web of relationships that such communities depend on for their very survival.

Public debate whirls around fundamental questions of short-term economic urgency versus long-term economic sustainability; the property rights of participating landowners versus the potential environmental, health and valuation impacts on neighboring properties; and the promised benefits to the community as a whole versus the radical transformation of the rural landscape.

It is against this backdrop that an increasingly vocal contingent of area residents have risen up in a sustained attempt to restrict or outright kill these planned industrial wind farm projects. This quixotic contingent asserts an ever-growing litany of arguments for opposing the spinning giants, not least of which is the eyesore.

In recent months, shedding has often been cited as a chief objection, referring to the potential of fiberglass and carbon fiber wind turbine blades to erode into the environment, endangering livestock, cropland and livelihoods.

Opponents also cite a potential for harming migratory birds and bats, the carcasses of which some claim are often eaten by predatory wildlife such as coyotes before they can be found for evidence.

As to the tempting financial benefits wind farms represent, opponents acknowledge that there may be at least short-term profits to landowners as well as to the larger community, but maintain that such profits are not substantial enough to justify the risks and uncertainties.

The sentiments of wind farm opponents are best crystallized in a statement by former state legislator and rancher Ric Holden, who for months has been active in organizing resistance by alerting the public to the dates and times of key meetings of the local government.

I dont want to live in a Billings skyline, and I dont want to live in the Seattle skyline. I want to live in Big Sky Country, Holden said at the March meeting of the Dawson County Planning Board, brandishing a large poster illustrating the relative height of a modern wind tower against the heights of several large landmarks. That poster over the last few months has been a mainstay prop at all of Holdens public appearances.

The primary strategy used by wind farm opponents has been to lobby county commissions and planning boards to enact zoning regulations that define how far back wind turbines must be set from non-participating residences, property lines, city limits and state parks  even if such limits could render industrial development impossible.

To convince government bodies that zoning is a good thing, wind opponents have relied on a mix of published studies, anecdotal evidence and at times forceful appeals to conscience.

If this goes on through, if you allow this to go any farther, what else are you going to do for 30 pieces of silver? Terry Osborn, a Glendive-area landowner asked the planning board at its April meeting, which drew some 30 residents and business leaders.

Feeling the heat, planning board members emphasized that while the voluntary appointed body is statutorily charged with researching the matter and submitting a recommendation, the county commission will be the final arbiter of any new zoning regulations, if any.

For its part, NextEras Ross Feehan has noted that zoning is not the only way forward, offering drafts of legally binding development agreements to address residents concerns without, as consultant for NextEra Mike Newton has put it, letting the genie out of the bottle in terms of instating potentially irreversible zoning laws.

As to the question of private property rights, some opponents argue that the issue is not as clear as it may seem.

I dont think this is really a property rights issue, because anything thats subsidized  and I have a lot of land, I can do what I want  but if Im taking your money in tax dollars to do that, then its not really my property right anymore, Glendive resident Luke Gambee said.

It is worth noting that while most public comments have been against wind projects or at least in favor of zoning, there are many wind proponents who choose not to speak up for a variety of reasons. Some wish to remain silent so as not to lose cohesion with their neighbors, as has frequently been expressed off-the-record to local reporters. Others are bound by confidentiality clauses in lucrative contracts they have signed with NextEra.

Meanwhile in the neighboring counties of Prairie and McCone, separate but overlapping groups have emerged to oppose wind farms. County commission meetings in Prairie have seen crowds of dozens debate the issue in a county with a population of about 1,000 people. The planning board there is nearing completion of an updated growth policy, paving the way to allow the county to eventually adopt zoning.

Dawson and McCone already have current growth policies.

Whether the wind continues to blow unobstructed as it has for thousands of years or churns massive blades to help power the Western energy grid, anything could happen in the coming months and years as local governments deliberate over the matter.

It remains to be seen whether these multi-generational communities can weather the storm and stick together, whatever it may bring
Fairfield, MT (59436)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 71F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 48F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Each spring, as sure as there will be blooming daffodils and morel mushrooms, veterinarians and wildlife officers will receive calls concerning orphaned and lost wild animals. Most are from good folks trying to lend a helping hand, while others are searching for an excuse to keep the animal as a pet.

Unfortunately, everyone is likely to lose. As a wildlife officer, Ive been to animal doctors offices to help resolve such issues, as theyve done their best to preserve their clients business while explaining the circumstances with a professionals eye. Ive been to houses in mid-summer to remove wildlife that had been adopted after such tragedies. Many refused to understand why they couldnt keep Rocky raccoon, frequently accompanied by tears and, all too often, anger. It was a job I often dreaded.

I believe many of these situations begin as a perceived good deed, but end with animals dying in their care or with a bite and a trip to the emergency room. Laws may also be violated. Unless theres an obvious problem, such as broken bones or bleeding wounds, its best to leave baby animals alone.

While living in the wild can be perilous, many concerns are misplaced. Those wild babies are seldom orphaned or lost, but are learning the ropes of living on their own. Removing them damages their chances for survival, steals them from their parents and exposes you and your pets to health-threatening parasites and diseases. Typical scenarios can be categorized by either FEATHER or FUR.

Fur

Raccoons, opossums, and skunks often raise their young in close proximity to humans. As they grow, the young begin following their parents on feeding forays or wander out on individual exploratory missions.

These critters should not be handled, regardless of the cute factor. Theyll inflict bites and can carry disease, especially for domestic animals. While incidents of rabies are rare, its still a factor. Distemper and parasitic infestations are common. Keep garage doors closed and dont leave pet food on the porch at night. Open trash is an absolute magnet. Ignore this advice and you may want to keep your family doctor, not your veterinarian, on speed dial. You may also want to find a remedy that will help remove that malodorous skunk aroma, too.

Deer fawns are found along trails, fields and woodlots. They appear helpless and scared, begging for a helping hand. They arent lost, their mothers are never far away and shell watch helplessly as you steal her offspring. Their fear is of you. Fawns should never be removed from where theyre found. If moved, return them to the area immediately. Possession is illegal and often results in the animal being euthanized.

Rabbits nest in a variety of habitats. They dont stay with their offspring, avoiding contact because that will only draw predators to the nest. They feed their young at night and the nest will empty in about three weeks. Bouncing little bunnies are already feeding on their own.

Baby squirrels leave their nest to test their climbing skills. If they fall, their parents will fetch the pup and return it to safety. They have alternate nesting sites should one be damaged.

Avoid contact and give squirrels plenty of time to fix their own problems.

If youre having issues with furbearers, the Division of Wildlife has a list of licensed removal experts that can help. You can call 1-800-WILDLIFE for advice and to obtain information that can help you contact a licensed rehabilitator.

Feather

Baby birds are either nestlings or fledglings. Nestlings are flightless, lack feathers or are covered in down. Theyre often found after winds blow them or their nest from a tree. Its best to return the bird to the nest or construct one to place it in.

Fledglings have feathers covering their body and are just learning to leave the nest; they leave for short periods and perch on branches or hop on the ground. If seen, keep control of your pets. The parents will continue to bring food until its capable of living on its own.

No, young birds will not be abandoned because youve touched them. That was your grandparents way of telling you to leave those birds alone. Age is fostered by experience, which leaves behind wisdom.

Ducks and geese will nest in shrubbery and yards near bodies of water. Young will separate from their brood in search of food. Often, local parks are home to mallards and Canada geese which like to nest in unlikely places. They also enjoy marching their young across streets and lawns and geese will graze with their goslings like a herd of cattle. Enjoy the parade and watch your step.

Its also good to keep in mind that waterfowl can be very protective. Some adult geese and swans have excessively bad attitudes and are known for attacking people who get too close. Its all fun until you get your face flapped.

Rules. Here are some basic rules when dealing with wildlife:

 Think before you act. Check for nests before cutting trees or clearing brush and, when possible, delay work until autumn.

 Educate children to respect wildlife, emphasizing wild animals shouldnt be handled.

 Keep pets inoculated against parasites and diseases and under control so they dont raid nests.

 Contact wildlife officials before taking action; call 1-800-WILDLIFE.

 Dont expect to keep wild animals.

From the African savannas to the fencerow behind the yard and the depths of Lake Erie, natural mortality and predation is part of that famous circle of life. Theres no big, bad wolf or Scar from the Lion King. Theyre animals living as they were designed. As uncomfortable as it can sometimes make our human psyche; One must die so many might live is an especially true concept in all of our wild places. We may choose to look away, but we should never choose ignorance.

Let us permit nature to take her own way; she better understands her own affairs than we.

 Michel de Montaigne
Honeybee swarms are natures way for bees to propagate or reproduce the species. Swarms typically happen in spring, but they can occur throughout the summer season when conditions in the hive warrant. Seeing a hive swarm is a hypnotizing and exciting sight, as thousands of bees pour out of the hive and hover in the air. They climb higher and higher and slowly shift in the air, as if a breeze is pushing them in one direction or the other. As you watch with amazement, the buzzing noise increases, and you can only hope your swarm will land close by on a low tree branch or bush so you can retrieve them effortlessly and not climb a tree.

Many swarms will land close by in a tree to assemble before they start their journey to a new location. Swarms may land and stay for a few minutes, an hour or even a day, then take off just as suddenly, unpredictably disappearing from sight.

Its a sad feeling seeing a swarm from your hive fly tree top high, knowing that you just lost half of a productive hive. One mans loss is another mans treasure surely comes to mind, and you hope that maybe one of the swarm boxes that you set out will be in range to attract them. Many times, they may find an unoccupied hive in your apiary and set up shop.

There are a great many variables in beekeeping, but trust me, dear reader, if you have bees, no matter how closely you manage your hives, your hives will eventually produce a swarm.

Who owns a swarm?

There are many management practices that can lessen or mitigate swarming in your bee yard, but eventually, you will produce a swarm.

When your neighbors bees take off and land in your yard or swarm box, are they legally yours? Do you know if they actually came from your neighbors hives? Even if they did, theyre still presumed to be free-range bees.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture classifies bees as livestock, but unlike open-grazing cattle in the 1800s, they do not carry a registered brand to determine ownership.

Some beekeepers do mark their queens with a spot of paint on their thorax, which is located just behind the head. However, color coding is mainly used to help locate the queen within the hive and determine the age of the queen.

For queens reared in 2025, the color is blue; 2024 was green, and in 2026 the color will be white. Other colors used are yellow in years ending in two and seven, and red in years ending in three and eight. This is a universal code that most commercial beekeepers use, but you can use any color you like to help identify and locate your queens.

The Posci art pens you can buy at art supply stores come in a wide variety of colors and are safe to use on queens.

Its been recorded that some queens have lived as long as 10 years. My buddy Mike had a breeder queen he grafted from for five years before he lost it in a swarm.

Unless the beekeeper was in his apiary and was actively trying to catch his swarm, my opinion  shared by most beekeepers  would be the old finders keepers natural law. If they landed on your property or in your swarm box, my opinion is theyre yours.

Understanding how swarms relocate

Tom D. Seeley, professor at Cornell University, authored the definitive book on bee swarming, Honeybee Democracy. His book explores, through years of research, how swarms collectively make decisions on where and when to relocate. Seeleys experiments proved that swarms can relocate up to three miles away from their original home. Many other fascinating findings showed swarming bees favored a new home with a southern exposure or entrance.

Seeley caught more than 60 swarms set up in more than 100 sites in his study in 1976. His guidelines, first published in the magazine Gleanings and Bee Culture and as a Cornell Cooperative Extension bulletin, stated that a good location is about 15 feet off the ground, highly visible but fully shaded and facing south. This study showed that swarm traps with an attractive scent applied, such as lemongrass oil, will improve the traps success as much as five times as ones that dont use scent.

Seeleys other significant findings were the size of the nest or cavity the bees preferred. His studies showed bees favored using a bee box of about 40 to 50 cubic liters, which is roughly the equivalent of your standard 10-frame hive. The school of thought is that a smaller-sized cavity or fewer boxes are not as attractive to the swarm because there wont be sufficient room for honey storage and brood production for bees to survive the winter. Bees typically store and consume up to 40 pounds of honey to make it through the winter.

Swarm traps

My advice about swarm traps is to place your traps in easily-accessible places, like on tree lines or fence posts, and place them no higher than your height or a short step ladder. The main reasons are that I believe higher locations will not substantially increase your success, and the added benefits of increased safety for yourself. Negotiating a box up and down a ladder with a full box of bees can be challenging, with a little risk involved. A successful trap, loaded with a huge swarm, is hard to maneuver up a 10-foot ladder, especially with no help available.

You must take down the loaded trap after you smoke them inside and tape the entrance. Seal the entrance in the early morning or late evening with heavy tape when all the foragers are back in.

When you bring your trap back to your apiary, place it in the exact spot youre going to transfer them into your empty hive. You can open the swarm box and wait when the bees are out to transfer it into their new home and they will find your new hive entrance by smell.

After you transfer the swarm, you might want to place the swarm box back at the same location because Ive caught multiple swarms in the same location in one season. I even caught a second swarm as fast as two days later.

Get your boxes up now, as prime time for swarming in northeast Ohio is now through June, and check them every three to four days.

You should see scout bees going in and out of the boxes, and sometimes see a lot of activity. This is a sure sign that theyre checking it out, and you may get a swarm in the next few days or week.

Do not overspray your lure or lemongrass oil. This will act as a repellent and may attract a swarm to land and cluster close by or underneath the side of your swarmbox.

Add the lure near the entrance hole and apply a small amount near a branch near the tree.

Relure the box after a week or after prolonged or heavy rain. The rewards of running your bee trap line, other than FREE BEES, are to get out and experience and enjoy the great outdoors as you become more aware of the flowering trees, shrubs and weeds that support our important pollinators.
As we drove home from our North Carolina vacation, we received a text from my nephew who was overseeing things at home for us, doing chores each day.

Look what I found! Todd messaged us, along with a picture of a newborn foal.

My sister had been checking on the mare pony while we were gone, and she saw no sign of impending birth. Equine mares of every size and shape really dont like to give a single hint that birth is imminent, for fear a human will actually witness the big event.

We know a woman who could afford the best set-up for her horses, including cameras situated at various areas of her birthing pens. She would get up every few hours through the night during foaling season, in hopes of watching the moment of arrival. She said mares in foal seem to even know how to avoid cameras capturing the moment. Until I heard her tell this, I thought it was a situation limited only to our own experience, but I now know it to be quite universally true.

The picture of the little newborn filly made us excited to close the miles between us. The foal was up and strong and perky, and we couldnt wait to meet her.

As soon as we got home, we headed to the barn. Fancy Pants is an incredible mama, and the filly seemed weeks old rather than just hours old. The fillys color is a lovely shade of coffee with lots of cream, a perfect white dot on her left side, with four white legs. Her tiny white tail flicking, she was happy to show off for us.

When the morning is sunny and nice, Doug leads her mama to our western pasture, and the filly prances alongside her. Watching a days-old foal run and kick is a pure treat like no other. I have a hard time getting much else done, feeling drawn to the lovely show taking place in our chestnut pasture. It is better than a Broadway show.

Each morning when I return to the house, I start jotting down a list of possible names, but nothing seems quite right for this little beauty. I manage to convince myself I need to watch her run and play a little bit longer, and surely a name will come to me.

And the rest of the chores calling my name will surely wait
MILLVALE, Pa.  Each wall in St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale, Pennsylvania, tells a story: a miner dead from an accident, beggars asking for food, mothers weeping next to tombstones, Jesus stabbed by soldiers.

Although cruel on the surface, each one represents a larger picture, extending beyond the church walls, to detail the immigrant experience in America, the sacrifices of war and the cost of both.

The church, located on the outskirts of downtown Pittsburgh, is unlike many others in the region; it was the first Croatian Roman Catholic church in the country and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is most famous for its murals painted by Maxo Vanka, a Croatian immigrant, in the 1930s, which intertwine traditional religious depictions with the American immigrant experience and war.

The murals have been deteriorating rapidly over the years, but since 2008, the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka has been restoring them through state and federal grants. The organization is currently looking for donations to fund the last leg of work needed to complete the mural restorations, because, to them, there is no greater piece of art than art that is timeless.

They are unique because they were painted back in 37 and 41 but they still feel contemporary. They still reflect whats happening in our world today, said Anna Doering, executive director of The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka. Theyre important because they tell the story of the time they were painted in. They represent the Croatian heritage and the immigrant contributions to America back in the day.

History

St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church was established in 1900 to meet the demands of a growing Croatian population in Pittsburgh. At the time, it is estimated that the Croatian population in Pittsburgh ranged from roughly 40,000 to 200,000.

Soon after it was built, however, disaster struck: a fire burned down most of the original church. A smaller church was rebuilt a year later, but when Father Albert Zagar became priest in 1931, he saw the blank, plaster walls as a problem.

After seeing some of his work, Zagar asked Vanka to paint murals in the church; he wanted to add more life to the church while representing the local community. Maximilian Vanka spent the first eight years of his life working as part of a peasant family before his biological grandfather lifted him out of poverty and took him under his wing.

He immigrated to the United States in 1934 at the age of 45 when his American wife, Margaret Stetten, convinced him to move to New York and escape the growing threat of fascism in Croatia, then part of Yugoslavia. His experience growing up in poverty and being an immigrant would shape his work throughout his life.

He started the first set of murals in 1937, which included one of his most famous pieces, Immigrant Mothers Raise Their Sons for American Industry. The second set of murals was painted in 1941, including The Croatian Mother Raises Her Son For War.

In total, Vanka painted 25 murals in the church that blend traditional depictions of the crucifixion and pieta with the immigrant experience in America during the industrial revolution and war. Some of the murals are based on real-life incidents. Vanka painted Immigrant Mothers Raise Their Sons for American Industry after a coal mining accident in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

Other paintings speak to the harm caused by World War II and Vankas anti-war perspective, including The Croatian Mother Raises Her Son For War, where mothers wear Croatian mourning dresses and weep over an open casket surrounded by a field of unmarked gravestones, and Christ on the Battlefield, where soldiers stab a crucified Jesus. In another painting, Mary on the Battlefield, Mary is seen bending the bayonets of attacking soldiers.

The murals speak to the casualties of war and the cost immigrants pay, whether they leave or stay. For Jessica Keistars, one of the art conservators at the church, the murals showcase a universal immigrant experience that many people can connect to.

I had a great grandpa who worked in mines and got really, really hurt and then died a couple years after (due to) his injuries. One of the other women on the team (of conservators) her grandfather worked in the steel mills, Keisters said. I think were all connected to it, that even if you are not Croatian American, you can see the story of the journey from one place to America, and how theres hardships on both ends.

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Reconstruction

Over time, the murals started to incur water stains, soot build-up and damage from weather-related events like Hurricane Ivan, which caused extensive flooding and damage in Millvale. Vanka also used commercial-grade paint on the plaster walls; the combination has led to efflorescence, in the murals  a build-up of salts the plaster excretes in the presence of moisture.

The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka was established in 1991 by church members as a way to invite foundations and other organizations to get involved in restoring the deteriorating murals. The work to restore the murals began in 2008, a meticulous, multi-step process conducted by 14 art conservators and conservator technicians.

First, an art photographer will take a photo of the mural before the conservators put up a scaffold, said Keisters. The murals are then cleaned by brushing off dirt and applying a water-based solution. Afterwards, conservators will fix gaps from cracked plaster with fill material and retouch damaged areas with watercolor or pastel paint  this paint can be reversed or retouched later if needed.

According to Doering, the work to restore the murals has been conducted as funding has become available. The church has received funding from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, individual donations and through state grants like a Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development grant.

In 2022, the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka applied for a Save Americas Treasures grant, administered by the National Park Service, and was awarded roughly $470,000 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The damage to the murals was continuing, so we wanted to address it as fast as possible, Doering said, about applying for the grant. In the past three years, the funding has allowed the organization to complete some of its most tricky murals, including Transcendent Vision, on the ceiling of the church and sections on the high walls.

The society had $140,000 left of the grant to be reimbursed, but it was canceled by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in early April. The federal agency said it terminated the grant to realign with President Donald Trumps executive order Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.

On April 30, however, the grant was reinstated by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka submitted for its final reimbursement.

But, Doering is unsure how quickly it will get approved. Reimbursements are typically granted within 3-5 business days, but she is concerned it will take longer with the reduced staff at the federal agency. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, initially made up of 75 employees, is expected to reduce its staff by 80%. The agency laid off its employees to comply with Trumps executive order to reduce the size of seven federal agencies.

Fortunately, the church has already raised enough money to match the remaining funding. However, Doering said the society is planning for the worst scenario and is accepting more donations as work continues on the final phase of murals.

After conservators finish the mural they are working on now, the last mural will be the center mural by the altar. Doering estimates work will begin on that, most likely near the end of 2025. Doering adds that the biggest impact of initially losing the federal funding has been redirecting their efforts elsewhere before completing the murals.

For instance, the society will be installing climate control technology, with the goal of preserving the murals for the long term, in June instead of starting on the final mural in summer. To spread the word, the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka hosts tours for the public and educational programs for middle school and high school students.

We consider this a test. Its really a chance to talk about justice and injustice and the impact of war. What do you see in these murals, and how does that make a connection to whats going on your own life today? said Doering. Everyone can walk in and find their story in the mural.

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The society recently held a Community Day on April 27 where visitors could view the murals, participate in raffles and eat food. Barbara White, a resident of Pittsburgh, was there on community day with her friend from Columbus, Ohio.

This wasnt her first time visiting, though. White has been coming to St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church for roughly 30 years now. She has seen the improvement in Maxo Vankas murals, which she said were in much worse condition, and is stunned by the progress conservators have made.

But why does she keep coming back all these years later? To remind herself that sometimes history isnt always history.

These murals really speak to what is going on today. Were involved in several wars, if not genocide, and people need to understand that this is not something new. And so many of the people pictured in these were immigrants. Immigrants are important, they built this country. I think its important as well to support immigrants today, White said. It really (shows) the more things change, the more they stay the same.

To donate, visit https://themaxovankamurals.ddock.gives/?showBg=. For more information, visit https://vankamurals.org/.

(Liz Partsch can be reached at epartsch@farmanddairy.com or 330-337-3419.)
COLUMBUS  O-H? I-O! The 97th Ohio FFA Convention kicked off with pride and purpose as thousands of young agricultural leaders gathered to celebrate the impact of the 96-year-old organization that is as dedicated as ever to preparing them for leadership, personal growth and career success.

With nearly 30,000 members across 342 chapters in Ohio, the Buckeye States FFA convention was a showcase of how far FFA has evolved beyond its roots as Future Farmers of America to embrace the full spectrum of careers possible in agriculture and industry.

Among those attending were students from the Putnam County Leipsic FFA chapter, including Mia Valdez, Lindsay Frankart and Jackson Spitnale, who shared their experiences and reflections on their membership with Farm and Dairy during an interview at the Ohio Expo Center.

Valdez reflected on the organizations impact on leadership development.

In school, you have to take charge. If you want something to happen, youre going to have to create it yourself, she said, emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes and taking initiative, whether by serving on student committees or planning school events.

For Spitnale, hands-on learning sparked his initial interest in joining.

What pushed me into joining FFA was to know more about woodworking. Like, making benches and stuff, he said. He added that FFA has helped him make a lot more connections  and meet new people.

The students also shared a favorite FFA memory from the national convention: slipping notes under the door of a neighboring hotel room that turned into a late-night game of Uno with new friends from Illinois.

And then they missed their alarm the next morning and got in trouble for it, Frankart said, adding that such bonding experiences make their involvement in FFA unforgettable.

Everybodys like family, she added. We just grow a tight bond.

Awards

The convention also served as an opportunity to recognize outstanding achievements from across the state. Several newly chartered FFA chapters were honored for joining the organization for the 2024-2025 academic year, including Buckeye Local FFA, Hicksville FFA, Jefferson Township MVCTC FFA, Logan Elementary Middle School FFA, Maysville FFA, Northridge Local FFA, RussiaUVCC FFA, Six District Educational Compact FFA and Unioto PRCTC FFA.

Celebrating the spirit of teamwork and excellence, the Ohio FFA Foundation recognized the Top 10 overall chapters  those that exemplified the FFAs mission to build communities, strengthen agriculture and grow leaders. This years top chapters included Cardington, Covington UVCC, Felicity Franklin, Miami East MVCTC, Monroe Central, National Trail MVCTC, Ridgemont, Southeastern, Versailles and Wilmington.

Among individual recognitions, Ohios candidates for the prestigious Star American FFA Degree were also announced. Earning this distinction signifies years of dedication to agricultural experience, leadership and service. Joanna Hamilton, of Felicity Franklin FFA, was named the Ohio Star American in Agriscience. Maddox French, of United FFA, was selected as Ohios Star American in Placement, and Delaney Jones, of Allen East FFA, was honored as the states Star American Farmer. They will represent Ohio this fall at the 98th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.

CDEs

Career Development Events (CDEs) were another highlight of the convention, showcasing students academic and technical skills in various disciplines.

In the Agricultural Biotechnology CDE, students demonstrated their understanding of lab safety and scientific methodology. The state-winning team came from the Fort Loramie FFA Chapter, and the top individual performer was Evan Ballard of the Global Impact FFA Chapter.

Speaking with Farm and Dairy, members of the Fort Loramie FFA team shared insights into their award-winning efforts.

The contest format included an online exam held in December, followed by a state-level practical assessment involving lab safety and a demonstration of technical skills. The team also completed a collaborative activity where they were challenged to solve a real-world problem using biotechnology methods.

That problem is a big one: addressing the avian flu. Team members also demonstrated lab techniques such as interpreting a Gram stain, using a micropipette and analyzing lab safety data sheets.

We just love science and stuff  and with it being tied into ag, it just makes it a lot more personal to us, I feel like, said team member Madison Pleiman.

Preparation for the event involved countless hours of individual and group practice. The most challenging part?

I would have to say probably the team activity, said Jared Baker. Making sure everybody has a part and knows what theyre talking about. Cause we only have an hour to put that together  To come up with an idea, make our slides look good, and then ultimately end up presenting that to a judge.

Cramming, Pleiman added.

The experience, however, is already paying off. Baker, for instance, is headed to Auburn University in Alabama to pursue animal sciences and pre-veterinary studies.

I definitely think it would be cool to do some genetics research in the field of veterinary medicine. And I feel like this competition definitely helped me, he said.

When asked for advice for first-time FFA or CDE participants, the group encouraged open-mindedness.

Be willing to try new things. Branch out, Pleiman said. I honestly didnt think that I would be good in this contest  But then, here we are.

You might not know anything about it, but you can learn, added team member Ava Schaffer.

I feel like people who think of FFA think its like (only) a farmers organization, like animals, livestock. There are so many opportunities in it, Baker concluded. And there really is truly something for everybody.

Keep an open mind. That diversity of opportunity is something Derek McCracken, a former ag teacher and FFA advisor at Halston High School in western Ohio, knows well. Now the founder of The Owls Nest, an ag education resource company, he spoke about his years in the classroom and what FFA offers todays students.

I think, at least in my perspective at my school, those were some of the brightest kids, he said. Their ambition is high to achieve great things. The high-achieving students in our school really gravitated to the program because it allowed them to have that competitive edge through CDEs and things like that.

Some of McCrackens former students have become business owners, even building companies from their Supervised Agricultural Experience projects. Others have gone on to medical school or pursued various careers in agriculture.

FFA really prepares your students for doing a lot of different things within the career aspect after high school, he said.

His advice for new members?

Theres a vast variety of opportunities. You never know what youre going to be good at or what youre going to be interested in. Keep an open mind and step out of that comfort zone to try some of those new things.

That spirit of curiosity and courage was the theme of a heartfelt keynote address by outgoing Ohio FFA President Anna Moeller, who reflected on her own journey in the organization and the challenges that shaped her path.

I have always believed that everything happens for a reason, she said, adding that through her experience she realized that what once felt like a disappointment was actually part of a greater plan  one that turned out to be far more extraordinary than she could have imagined.

We can have faith in believing that what lies just ahead is so wildly wonderful that sometimes we have to be prepared through trials to experience and appreciate these blessings to come fully, she said.
MANTUA, Ohio  Two men and a sledgehammer. Thats all it took to take down the Kotkowskis 80-foot concrete silo.

The silo was damaged by a fire last fall that destroyed the Kotkowskis barn and killed two-thirds of their goat herd. When its concrete staves hit the ground on May 1, it brought the couple one step closer to closing the final chapter on their farm life in Portage County.

Blair and Karen Kotkowski had been waiting for the silo to come down to build their new modern beef barn. Once the building is started, they will feel good about their plans to retire to Colorado, starting a new chapter out west.

Its pure relief after that silo came down, Blair Kotkowski said.

Fire

The Kotkowskis main barn  formerly a tie-stall dairy barn  burned down Oct. 31. They lost 24 goats in the fire, including fall-born kids, some equipment and all of their second- and third-cutting hay.

Nine days after the barn fire, one of their silos caught fire and the remaining silage inside smoldered for weeks. Both the fire department and manufacturer advised the Kotkowskis that letting the silo fire burn out on its own was the safest option. This has been the standard since three firefighters were killed in a massive silo explosion in Marshallville, Ohio in 1985.

While the smoldering silo wasnt bothering anyone, it was impeding progress to build a new barn to replace the one razed by the fire. The silo was too close for comfort to the proposed site of the new facility.

The Kotkowskis operated a dairy, milking about 45 or 50 cows, until 2018. Then, they got into beef cattle and meat goats, as well as growing hay and crops.

This farm has always had cattle, Karen Kotkowski said.

After the fire, though, they were forced to sell off their small cow-calf herd as they lacked the feed to get them through the winter. They retrofitted an open pole barn with walls to give their goats shelter while they kidded through the winter.

They had about a dozen Kiko goats left and got a handful more from a woman who read about their barn fire in the Farm and Dairy. The woman, from Erie, Pennsylvania, needed to downsize her herd of Spanish meat goats due to sudden health issues in her family. She connected with the Kotkowskis and sold them some of her goats for a fair price, Blair said.

Silo demo

Blair said he called four companies before he found the one that would end up demolishing his silo. No one else wanted to take on the job, he said. He finally found Franklin Silo Repair in a classified ad in Farm and Dairy.

Ephraim Renno, owner of Franklin Silo Repair, drove more than five hours from near Lancaster, Pennsylvania to the Kotkowskis farm in Mantua, Ohio. He and one employee started by taking down the metal support hoops that wrap around the silo.

Then, Renno calmly took a sledgehammer and began strategically breaking out staves around the base of the silo. A small crowd of friends and family had gathered at the Kotkowskis equipment barn to watch the progress. It took less than two hours from the time Renno arrived to the time the silo hit the ground.

It collapsed sideways into the open area where the old barn stood, just as planned. The silage at the bottom of the silo reignited once it was exposed to the fresh air, but the local fire department assessed the situation and found it wasnt a hazard.

Renno said hes demolished 300 to 400 silos in Pennsylvania and surrounding states, although hes gone as far as Colorado for one job. About 90% of his work is repairing silos and 10% is demolition.

Im having fun, he said.

Coda

With the silo down, they can start building for the future, although its one they wont be around for.

Blair and Karen have plans to move to Colorado this summer, taking some of their goats with them. Theyll come back to the area occasionally, but the day-to-day farm operations will be managed by a cousin, David Novak, and their neighbor, Mark Brugmann, owner of the nearby O.K. Brugmann Jr. Ready-Mix Concrete LLC and Brugmann Family Farms.

Brugmann has already been helping Blair with harvesting and will move his cattle onto the farm once the new barn is up.

Mark and his sons want to stay in farming, Blair said. Theyll take care of farming the land and get cattle back out here.

Related content:
The UKs fight against devastating pests and diseases has been reinforced with 10m in new funding to support cutting-edge surveillance projects using genomic technology.

Defra's new funding will use genome sequencing to track and identify pathogens affecting animals, plants and aquatic life  enabling rapid response to disease outbreaks such as bird flu.

Unveiled on Thursday (8 May), the investment will back the Genomics for Animal and Plant Disease Consortium (GAP-DC), led by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

Genome sequencing, which decodes the full genetic makeup of organisms including viruses and bacteria, can provide detailed insight into how diseases spread and mutate.

When bird flu is detected in poultry, for example, this technology enables scientists to pinpoint the virus strain and trace its route of transmission, aiding containment efforts.

The economic stakes are high: invasive species alone are estimated to cost the UK economy 4 billion annually, while plant diseases such as ash dieback are predicted to incur losses of 15bn in the coming decades.

Livestock outbreaks, including avian influenza, have already cost the poultry meat industry over 100 million in just two years.

APHA interim chief executive, Dr Jenny Stewart warned that disease presented a significant risk to farmers, global trade and human health.

She said: This vital funding and collaboration with world leading experts will help APHA identify and tackle disease risk more effectively.

This research will lead to significantly advanced surveillance capabilities to protect UK borders from new and existing threats.

The research, conducted in partnership with seven expert institutions, will aim to improve the speed and precision of pathogen detection at UK borders.

It will also respond to both emerging and established disease outbreaks, as well as explore spillover eventswhere diseases jump from wildlife to humans or domestic animals.

The funding, provided by Defra and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will support surveillance work over the next two years.
Prospective postgraduate students in agriculture are being reminded that the deadline to apply for NFU Mutuals prestigious 2025 Centenary Award is fast approaching.

Now in its 15th year, the awardlaunched by the NFU Mutual Charitable Trustprovides selected master's and PhD students with bursaries covering up to 75% of their course fees.

The scheme, which closes for applications on 30 June 2025, supports individuals undertaking postgraduate studies in agriculture at UK universities.

Created to commemorate NFU Mutuals centenary in 2010, the award aims to establish a lasting legacy for the future of British farming.

Since its inception, 56 students have benefited from the bursary, helping to advance research, innovation, and leadership in the agricultural sector.

The 2025 programme is open to those with a 2:1 or above in an agriculture-related degree who have secured a place on a relevant postgraduate course starting in 2025/26.

Applicants must also demonstrate that their studies align with at least one of the awards four priority areas.

These include the application of science and innovative technologies to enhance productivity, efficiency, and profitability for UK farming businesses.

Another focus is building resilience and safeguarding the physical and mental wellbeing of those living and working in the UK agricultural industry.

Tackling the risks of climate change while maintaining food security to improve the sustainability of UK agriculture is also a key consideration.

Finally, identifying opportunities for supporting nature and biodiversity in the development of farming and land management practices in the UK is included as a priority.

Jim McLaren MBE, chairman of NFU Mutual said: Our award aims to champion research and innovation for UK agriculture, whilst supporting individuals who have a drive to make a difference to the industry in their future careers.

A panel of judges will assess applicants based on academic merit, commitment to UK agriculture and their potential to lead in the sector.

Four students were awarded bursaries in 2024, including Esther Rowntree (University of Cambridge), Jemima Brown (Harper Adams University), Alexander Cumming (University of Cambridge), and Eleanor Cameron (University of Warwick).
Farmers are being encouraged to register as hosts for this years Open Farm Sunday, as the national event gears up to welcome thousands of visitors in June.

Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF) is calling on farmers across the UK not to miss the chance to open their gates and connect with the public.

The initiative, which starts on 8 June, offers a unique opportunity to share the realities of food and farming with people from all walks of life.

Annabel Shackleton, manager of Open Farm Sunday at LEAF, said inviting visitors onto farms is a powerful way to shift public perception.

Inviting people on farm, no matter how few or how many, is a sure-fire way to help put public perception of farming on the right track, said Mrs Shackleton.

Our farmers produce nutritious food that we can fundamentally trust by maintaining incredibly high standards, all while working hard to farm sustainably and safeguard nature. These important achievements deserve showcasing."

Highlighting the work of LEAF Marque certified farms, Mrs Shackleton said these farms are already making significant contributions to nature while producing food.

Many of the farms dedicate at least 15% of their land to natural habitats to help restore ecosystems and build landscape resilience.

By keeping farming front of mind, Open Farm Sunday helps foster lasting trust and appreciation among consumers about the vital role farmers play in producing nutritious food while working in harmony with nature, she added.

Farmers interested in taking part can access free registration, along with a wide range of downloadable resources, through the Open Farm Sunday website.

The platform also provides recorded webinars, promotional materials and event guidance to help hosts tailor the experience to their farm.

LEAF's Trybooking service is also available to help manage visitor numbers and time slots.

Last years event had a notable impact on public attitudes: according to survey data, 87% of visitors said they left with greater trust in British farming, and 91% were motivated to buy more British produce.

Our visitor research shows that farmers hold the key to peoples commitment to support British farming, said Mrs Shackleton.

By hosting Open Farm Sunday, you can turn that key and cultivate stronger community connections that promote farmings commitment to a more sustainable approach while driving demand for produce grown in the UK.
Iceland has abandoned its 2025 cage-free egg commitment, becoming the first among major UK retailers to do so.

The supermarket chain had committed in 2016 to sourcing only cage-free whole eggs by the end of this year.

However, that commitment has now been quietly removed from Iceland's website, indicating a policy reversal.

A spokesperson told The Grocer that the move was to help customers during the cost of living crisis, prioritising affordability over cage-free sourcing.

Iceland stated it still supports consumer choice and will continue offering free-range and barn eggs, while trying to provide higher-welfare options at prices people can afford.

The move has drawn criticism from animal welfare campaigners, with the Humane League calling it a "deep betrayal" of their customers and animals.

Claire Williams, campaigns manager at the charity said: Iceland has axed their commitment to stop selling whole eggs from cruelly caged birds from their website.

"An overwhelming majority of the public thinks caging hens is wrong, but Iceland seemingly doesnt care."

Dame Joanna Lumley, who fronted a petition with the Humane League demanding Iceland keep their cage-free promise, said the decision "pains me deeply".

I believe that the British public are committed to seeing farmed animals treated with kindness and decency. However, there is no better symbol of cruelty to farmed animals than a hen in a cage.

"Iceland said they would get their hens out of cages by the end of the year, but they are so far failing to do it. "
Farming communities in Yorkshire are facing increasing concern about their future prospects, with 65% of them fearing for the long-term viability of their farms.

A new survey has highlighted significant worries over rising costs, profitability, tax changes and the lack of supportive policies from the government.

The results have prompted the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to reassess and strengthen its support for the regions farmers.

The survey by the society also revealed concerning wellbeing trends, with nearly a third (30%) of respondents rating their wellbeing as not good or poor,.

Meanwhile, more than a third (36%) of farming businesses reported a decline in their mental health over the past year.

It comes as farmer confidence across the UK has plummeted to historic lows following 18 turbulent months, marked by soaring input costs, extreme weather events, rural crime and delays in planning processes.

The recent unexpected closure of the governments Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme has further exacerbated the strain.

Allister Nixon, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, said the survey's responses suggests that there has never been a more opportune time to listen to farmers.

The findings of our survey clearly show that it is vital that the Yorkshire Agricultural Society continues to develop its programme of support to ensure it remains relevant and impactful during these times.

"The society has an important role to play in helping farmers to navigate uncertainty, see opportunities, foster community spirit, provide networks that connect those working in the industry and encourage the next generation.

While concerns about business sustainability are widespread, the survey also found that 72% of farmers would feel confident seeking help if their wellbeing were affected.

In addition, many farmers identified opportunities in areas such as strong beef and lamb prices, renewable energy, diversification and direct sales.

Mr Nixon added: We should be proud of our British farmers - we want farming to thrive and so as we review our year-round programme of activities, we will be using this feedback to guide the support that we offer.

The society is preparing for the 166th Great Yorkshire Show in July, where MPs and government ministers will hear directly from farmers.
The NFU has welcomed the UK-India trade deal, describing it as a 'balanced and considered' agreement that addresses key concerns around food and farming.

The deal, the first free trade agreement (FTA) signed under the Labour government, will cut tariffs on 90% of UK exports to India.

Within agri-food, reductions will apply to whisky and gin, salmon, chocolate, biscuits, and lamb  the latter a major lobbying focus for the NFU.

The government insists the deal does not compromise food safety or biosecurity, with all imports still required to meet the UKs high regulatory standards.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: Were pleased to see a balanced and considered outcome of the trade negotiations with India.

"Throughout these negotiations we have urged the government to stand its ground and to honour its commitments to British farmers when striking free trade deals.

"Overall, this deal will be reassuring for many farm businesses and we urge the government to maintain this balanced approach in all future trade negotiations.

Mr Bradshaw praised ministers for heeding calls to protect the UKs most sensitive agricultural sectors by retaining existing tariffs on sugar, chicken, eggs and pork  a key demand to prevent exposure to unfair competition.

He also welcomed full market access for high-quality British lamb, calling it great news for livestock producers across the UK.

Additional elements of the agreement include the potential for all UK Geographical Indications (GIs) to receive Indias highest level of protection  currently only extended to wines and spirits.

Tariffs on whisky and gin will fall from 150% to 75%, and further to 40% within ten years. Automotive tariffs will also drop significantly, from over 100% to 10% under a quota.

The NFU said it would conduct further scrutiny of the agreement once full treaty details are published.
The NFU has issued a measured but cautious response to the new US-UK trade agreement, which Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump have hailed as a breakthrough deal.

The agreement is expected to significantly reduce tariffs on key UK exports to the United States, including cars, aluminium and steel.

Speaking from the White House, President Trump, with Sir Keir on speakerphone, called the deal a pivotal moment, saying US-UK ties would be stronger than ever before

Sir Keir welcomed the deal, calling it a fantastic, historic day for both nations, adding it would be hugely important for sectors like car manufacturing, and for steel and aluminium and so many others.

However, the NFU has urged caution, noting that while the agreement includes positive outcomes for certain agricultural areas, other sectors could face difficulties.

In return for lifting steel and aluminium tariffs and a 100,000-car quota at 10% duty, the UK has made concessions in two key farming sectors.

As part of the deal, the US will be granted access to the UK beef market via a tariff rate quota (TRQ) of 13,000 tonnes (shipped weight) of hormone-free beef.

In return, the UK has secured 13,000 tonnes of ring-fenced access to the US beef market. Additionally, the agreement allows for the full liberalisation of the UK bioethanol market to US imports.

All other tariffs remain unchanged under the agreement, and the 10% additional tariff imposed by the United States continues to apply to all UK exports to the US.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw acknowledged the complex backdrop to the negotiations, pointing to recent US-imposed tariffs as a key factor.

He said: We find ourselves in this position as a direct result of tariffs introduced by the US administration in April. This is not something anybody wanted.

Mr Bradshaw underscored the NFUs continued engagement with the government to ensure British farmers are protected in any international deal.

He also welcomed commitments secured by the government in line with longstanding NFU priorities.

We appreciate the governments efforts in listening to our concerns, particularly around maintaining high standards, protecting sensitive agricultural sectors and securing reciprocal access for beef.

One of the agreements more notable inclusions is a provision granting ring-fenced access for British beef exports to the US.

Mr Bradshaw praised this outcome as the result of years of lobbying: Weve campaigned with the UKs agricultural attaches in Washington for market access for British beef, a product globally respected for its quality and strong environmental credentials.

"These efforts have contributed to enabling the UK government to secure ring-fenced access for British beef exports to the US.

Despite this progress, concerns remainparticularly over the inclusion of large volumes of US bioethanol.

The inclusion of a significant volume of bioethanol in the deal raises concerns for British arable farmers, the NFU president warned.

Well be engaging closely with our members to help them understand and prepare for the potential impact.

Looking ahead, Mr Brdshaw warned that agriculture should not be disproportionately affected by future trade arrangements.

He concluded: Our biggest concern is that two agricultural sectors have been singled out to shoulder the heavy burden of the removal of tariffs for other industries in the economy.

"While we understand this, we also know that today is the start, not the end, of a process and UK agriculture cannot continue to shoulder such imbalances in future negotiations.
Indias textile and apparel (T&A) exports to the United Kingdom have seen strong momentum recently, rising from $1.41 billion in 2022 to $2.05 billion in 2024a cumulative growth of over 45 per cent. This upward trend elevated India as the fourth-largest supplier of garments to the UK, capturing approximately 6 per cent of the UKs apparel import market by 2023. With the UK importing $19-20 billion worth of apparel annually, this marks a significant gain for Indian exporters. Notably, Indias shipments to the UK were already growing at a rate of ~20 per cent year-on-year by late 2024, even before any trade concessions. This strong performance provides a solid foundation as India and the UK signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in May 2025, which is expected to further accelerate bilateral textile trade.

Exhibit 1

India's textile and apparel (T&A) exports to the UK surged 45 per cent from 2022 to 2024, and the conclusion of FTA this week promises further momentum with zero tariffs. Exports are forecast to hit $2.8-3.0 billion by 2026, pushing India to the third spot among UK suppliers. Cost advantage, improved access, and rising demand position India to rival Bangladesh in the coming years.

Source: TexPro

Competitive position: India vs. other top exporting countries

Once the UK-India FTA enters into force, India is expected to gain a significant competitive edge in the UK market through zero tariffs, improving its position relative to key apparel exporters:

China remains the UKs top supplier (~$5 billion, 25% share) but continues to face 12 per cent tariffs. The FTA gives India a cost advantage, making it a preferred alternative for price-sensitive UK buyers amid the ongoing China+1 sourcing shift. While Chinas dominance will persist short term, India is likely to erode its share gradually.

Bangladesh, the second largest supplier (~$4.6 billion), already enjoys duty-free access and lower labour costs. However, India now matches it on tariffs and can compete through a broader product range, faster scalability, and fewer capacity bottlenecks. The value gap is expected to narrow significantly by 2026.

Turkiye currently ranks third but is expected to be overtaken by India by 2025-26, as Turkiyes exports grow slowly and Indias tariff-driven momentum lifts its UK market share beyond Turkiyes ~$3 billion level.

Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan benefit from FTAs or GSP+ but remain smaller players. Indias higher capacity and stronger product diversity will help it pull ahead of this group, becoming a clear third pillar alongside China and Bangladesh.

Beyond tariffs, Indias advantages lie in its raw material base, skilled workforce, and value-added offerings. The FTA is also likely to trigger new investments and faster production turnaround, improving Indias long-term appeal to UK retailers.

Exhibit 2

Source: TexPro

In terms of export growth (in per cent) of the top 10 textile exporters to the UK (2022-2024):

Vietnam, Morocco, Portugal, Bangladesh, and Cambodia saw the strongest growth.

India posted a solid +45 per cent, ahead of Turkiye and Pakistan.

China and Italy showed declines, highlighting sourcing shifts.

Table 1: Indias T&A Exports to the UK  Actual and Projected (USD billion)

Sources: Ministry of Commerce & Industry data (202224); projections for 202526 assume FTA-driven acceleration.

India-UK FTA: A turning point for Indian textile & apparel exports

Table 1 illustrates the anticipated boost in Indias textile and apparel (T&A) exports to the UK following the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Having reached $2.05 billion in 2024, exports are projected to grow at a robust 15-20 per cent annually, reaching approximately $2.4 billion in 2025 and $2.8 billion by 2026. This outlook is supported by strong industry momentum and consistent trends observed in other post-FTA trade environments.

Between 2022 and 2024, even before the FTA came into force, Indias exports to the UK grew at an impressive average annual rate of ~20 per cent, reflecting rising demand and improving price competitiveness. With the FTA now in place, this growth is expected to accelerate further, driven by tariff elimination, enhanced market access, and growing buyer confidence.

By 2026, India is forecast to become the third-largest T&A exporter to the UK, capturing a 10-12 per cent market share, up from approximately 6 per cent in 2023. This shift signals a significant realignment in UK sourcing patterns, positioning India as a central player in the post-FTA trade landscape.

Impact of the FTA: Tariff elimination and market access

The UK-India FTA eliminates tariffs on nearly 99 per cent of Indian textile and apparel exports, ending the 8-12 per cent import duties that previously limited Indias competitiveness. With this move, Indian products gain duty-free parity with key rivals such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, and a ~12 per cent cost advantage over Chinese suppliers, who still face standard MFN tariffs in the UK.

Key immediate effects:

Cost Advantage : Indian exporters can now offer UK buyers ~10 per cent lower prices or retain higher margins, significantly enhancing competitiveness.

: Indian exporters can now offer UK buyers ~10 per cent lower prices or retain higher margins, significantly enhancing competitiveness. Improved Market Access : Streamlined customs processes and mutual recognition of standards reduce non-tariff barriers, enabling broader and faster entry, especially for small and medium-sized exporters.

: Streamlined customs processes and mutual recognition of standards reduce non-tariff barriers, enabling broader and faster entry, especially for small and medium-sized exporters. Demand Surge: The UKs apparel import market, valued at approximately $20 billion annually, presents a substantial opportunity. With UK buyers already increasing orders from India in late 2024 in anticipation of the FTA, demand is expected to accelerate in 202526.

In essence, the FTA removes Indias largest structural barriertariffsplacing it on equal footing with top competitors and unlocking new growth potential.

Expected changes in market share and rankings (2025-26)

The FTA is expected to significantly enhance Indias standing among textile and apparel exporters to the UK:

Market Share : Indias share of UK imports could rise to 10-12 per cent by 2026, up from ~6 per cent in 2023. This growth reflects increased competitiveness and buyer confidence and could result in India doubling its share within two years.

: Indias share of UK imports could rise to 10-12 per cent by 2026, up from ~6 per cent in 2023. This growth reflects increased competitiveness and buyer confidence and could result in India doubling its share within two years. Ranking Shift : India is on track to become the third-largest supplier to the UK by 2025, overtaking Turkiye. If exports reach $2.8-3.0 billion by 2026, India will substantially narrow the gap with Bangladesh (~$4.5 billion) and set the stage for a potential contest for the #2 position in the longer term.

: India is on track to become the third-largest supplier to the UK by 2025, overtaking Turkiye. If exports reach $2.8-3.0 billion by 2026, India will substantially narrow the gap with Bangladesh (~$4.5 billion) and set the stage for a potential contest for the #2 position in the longer term. Product Segment Leadership : Key gains are expected in ready-made garments, home textiles, and made-upscategories previously impacted by high tariffs. India could rise to second place in specific niches such as womens cotton apparel and home furnishings.

: Key gains are expected in ready-made garments, home textiles, and made-upscategories previously impacted by high tariffs. India could rise to second place in specific niches such as womens cotton apparel and home furnishings. Retailer Dynamics: Major UK retailerssuch as Marks & Spencer, Tesco, and Primarkare likely to expand sourcing from India, capitalising on the cost savings and diversified product offerings enabled by the FTA. India is well-positioned to grow in both high-volume basics and premium, value-added segments.

Thus, the UK-India FTA represents a strategic inflection point for Indias textile and apparel exports. By eliminating tariffs and improving access to a $20 billion market, it empowers Indian exporters to grow market share, secure stronger buyer relationships, and reshape UK sourcing dynamics. By 2026, India is set to become one of the top three suppliers to the UK, with sustained momentum driving long-term trade expansion.

Insights from similar FTAs and trade preferences

Historical trade deals highlight how preferential access can drive export growth, supporting strong expectations for India post-FTA:

Bangladesh leveraged duty-free access under the EUs EBA and UKs GSP schemes to become a dominant apparel exporter to the UK, growing from $0.5 billion in 2001 to ~$5 billion by 2023. Its 12 per cent cost edge over India was a key factor. With the FTA removing this gap, India is now positioned to narrow the export lead, though Bangladesh will retain most of its duty-free status even post-LDC graduation.

Vietnam, under the UKVFTA since 2021, grew UK exports by ~9.4 per cent annually, even during global slowdowns. While its UK market share remains modest (~$0.7 billion), its experience shows that even in flat markets, FTAs support consistent growth. India, with a larger base, could grow faster under similar conditions.

Turkiye enjoys duty-free access via the UK-EU customs union and the UK-Turkiye FTA. Despite proximity advantages, its UK export growth has plateaued (~$2 billion, ~10 per cent share). Indias tariff parity and larger capacity puts it in a strong position to outpace Turkiye by 2026.

Other developing countries like Cambodia (EBA) and Pakistan (GSP+) have also benefited from reduced tariffs. These cases confirm that zero-duty access consistently enhances UK market presence. India, having lacked such access until now, is poised to catch up rapidly.

In essence, past FTAs show that tariff elimination fuels export growth, even in stable or competitive markets. So, once the UK-India FTA is implemented, India is expected to see a significant rise in apparel exports by 2025-26, following patterns similar to other nations discussed above.

Conclusion

The UK-India Free Trade Agreement is set to significantly boost Indias textile and apparel exports to the UK in the next 1-2 years. Fibre2Fashion projects Indias T&A exports to reach roughly $2.4 billion in 2025 and $2.8-3.0 billion in 2026, implying vigorous annual growth of 15 to 20 per cent or more. These forecasts are supported by historical parallels (other FTAs and preference schemes that drove export surges) and by industry optimism on the ground. Indian exporters will benefit from zero tariffs, improved market access, and a newfound cost advantage, enabling them to win a larger share of the UKs ~$20 billion import market. By 2026, India will likely rise to become the third-largest supplier to the UK in this sector (up from fourth), narrowing the gap with Bangladesh (#2) and China (#1).

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (PN)
Vietnams textile and garment exports (excluding yarn and fibre) grew by 12.8 per cent year-on-year (YoY), reaching $11.764 billion during JanuaryApril 2025, according to the Customs IT and Statistics Department of the General Department of Customs under Vietnams Ministry of Finance.

During the first four months of 2025, Vietnams yarn exports eased by 1.2 per cent YoY to $1,394.205 million. In volume terms, yarn exports increased by 5.0 per cent, with the country exporting 620,308 tons of yarn during the same period.

Vietnam's textile and garment exports (excluding yarn and fibre) rose 12.8 per cent YoY to $11.764 billion during JanuaryApril 2025, with the US as the top market. Yarn exports slipped 1.2 per cent in value but rose 5.0 per cent in volume. Cotton and fabric imports also surged. VITAS has set a 2025 export target of $4748 billion for textiles, garments, and yarn.

On a month-on-month basis, textile and garment exports rose by 0.2 per cent to $3.067 billion in April 2025 compared to the previous month. Yarn exports dipped by 6.2 per cent in value and 7.1 per cent in volume in April 2025. The country exported 161,870 tons of yarn, valued at $361.423 million during the month.

The United States remained the largest market for Vietnams textile and garment exports, accounting for 43.84 per cent of the total, equivalent to $5.158 billion in the first four months of 2025. Japan and South Korea were also key markets, with exports amounting to $1,406.077 million and $1,028.772 million, respectively.

For Vietnams yarn exports, China was the largest buyer, accounting for 44.90 per cent of total shipments, valued at $626.160 million. Yarn exports to India were valued at $29.123 million during JanuaryApril 2025.

As for imports, Vietnams cotton imports rose by 7.7 per cent YoY to $1,077.540 million during JanuaryApril 2025. The volume of imported cotton increased by 23.9 per cent YoY to 624,735 tons. The country also imported 404,377 tons of yarn, valued at $901.294 million, reflecting an 11.8 per cent increase in value and a 7.0 per cent rise in volume. Fabric imports totalled $4.869 billion, up 8.5 per cent YoY.

In 2024, Vietnam exported textiles and garments worth $37.036 billion, up 11.2 per cent from the previous year. It also exported 1.873 million tons of yarn, valued at $4.407 billion. Yarn exports rose by 1.2 per cent in value and 5.0 per cent in volume. The country imported 1.503 million tons of cotton, valued at $2.884 billion, with value and volume growing by 1.8 per cent and 12.3 per cent YoY, respectively. It also imported 1.243 million tons of yarn, valued at $2.713 billion, reflecting a 23.8 per cent increase in value and an 18.1 per cent rise in volume. Fabric imports reached $14.905 billion, up 14.5 per cent YoY.

The Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) has raised its 2025 export target for textiles, garments, and yarn to $4748 billion.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
Palliser Capital ("Palliser") today published a letter regarding progress of the nomination and appointment process for the new Palliser-proposed independent outside director candidates to help reconfigure the Board of Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (9009 JT) ("Keisei" or the "Company"). Palliser's letter also addresses important points that were misrepresented in the Company's press release of April 30 and repeats its call on Kobayashi-CEO and the current Board to focus on measures to resolve the wider governance and capital allocation failings detailed in Palliser's materials as part of the Company's new Medium-Term D2 Plan on May 21, 2025.

Full details relating to Palliser's ongoing engagement, including its detailed open letter to the Keisei Board, and accompanying presentation, and independent expert findings are available at KEISEI100.com

Full text of the letter follows:

8 May 2025

3-3-1 Yawata, Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture 272-8510

Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd. ("Keisei" or the "Company")

Dear Kobayashi-CEO and the Members of the Keisei Board of Directors

Engagement with Palliser-Proposed Candidates1

We refer to our open letter to the Keisei Board of Directors on 24 April and the Company's initial public response on 30 April titled "Notice Regarding the Progress of Dialogue with Palliser" ("Company Statement"). We also refer to the nomination process which is now in-progress in respect of the new Palliser-proposed independent outside director candidates, including the candidate interviews which took place at the Company's offices yesterday.

As the Company Statement correctly points out, Palliser first wrote to the Board about independent outside director candidates on 5 March, nearly four months ahead of the 2025 AGM and after repeated efforts to engage more broadly after the 2024 AGM. However, some important points were then misrepresented in the Company Statement:

First : Palliser wrote privately on five separate occasions on 5 March, 12 March, 15 March, 21 March, and 2 April to request a meeting with members of the Nomination/Compensation Committee (" Committee ") regarding Palliser-identified Board candidates. As we repeatedly explained, we identified a number of best-in-class Japanese independent outside director candidates, but it was our and their preference to first gather important information about Keisei's currently opaque director nomination process, better understand management's perspectives on Board composition, and gauge the Company's interest in working collaboratively on a consensual appointment process before finalising our proposals and providing the names of the candidates. After our requests went unaddressed, we provided background information on the candidates on 2 April and put our questions on the nomination process forward in writing this letter went unanswered. The Board's persistent refusal to meet with us or respond to our basic questions is, unfortunately, consistent with the rejection of our previous meeting requests on 11 September 2024, 9 October 2024, 31 October 2024, and 6 December 2024. In respect of which, Keisei's IR team instructed us that having exercised shareholder rights at last year's AGM, Palliser would now have to " re-earn the right to meet with the Board or Management despite being one of the Company's largest shareholders. Following the Committee's and the wider Board's refusal to engage constructively, we provided full names of the candidates to the Company privately on 23 April, for the Committee to sincerely consider the candidates.

: Second , contrary, therefore, to what the Company Statement suggests, it is evidently both our genuine intention and expectation that Keisei will nominate the proposed candidates at the AGM. Palliser decided in good faith not to formally exercise shareholder rights to propose the candidates itself, in the belief that the Company would be open-minded and recognise the importance of a consensual process given the multiple shortcomings of the Board's current configuration. This is why we encouraged the Company to engage in private on multiple occasions to better understand our concerns and how we think these could be easily addressed.

, contrary, therefore, to what the Company Statement suggests, it is evidently both our genuine intention and expectation that Keisei will nominate the proposed candidates at the AGM. Palliser decided in good faith not to formally exercise shareholder rights to propose the candidates itself, in the belief that the Company would be open-minded and recognise the importance of a consensual process given the multiple shortcomings of the Board's current configuration. This is why we encouraged the Company to engage in private on multiple occasions to better understand our concerns and how we think these could be easily addressed. Third , our open letter did not suggest that the Company had refused to conduct candidate interviews. In fact, we said that we were pleased the Company has finally indicated a willingness to engage with our proposed candidates.

Subsequent to our letter and publication of our analysis, our meeting with Inside Director Oka-san last Friday at the Company's offices to discuss the director candidates and the positive measures the Company can take, and shareholders expect to see, in the D2 Plan was an encouraging first step. However, further constructive dialogue with Palliser and other shareholders, as Keisei has foreshadowed in the Company Statement, including with the Committee, is needed.

This initial momentum is helpful and encouraging on the assumption that the interviews were conducted in good faith as part of a rigorous, transparent, and objective evaluation of the candidates which implicitly recognises the urgent need for holistic Board reconfiguration at Keisei and the merits of the individual profiles, including their cultural fit. In our view, the nomination of all four of these candidates should be a straightforward matter, if the nomination and review process is conducted appropriately and in good faith by the Committee.

That said, to ensure the Committee conducts a transparent process, we encourage the Company to promptly disclose updates on the status of the nomination process, as well as the comprehensive reconfiguration of the Board at the 2025 AGM, to bring Keisei in line with key peers, as discussed with Director Oka-san and set out in Palliser's materials.

Finally, following our 24 April letter and accompanying presentation and independent expert report, the Company's decision to now publish its D2 Plan on 21 May 2025 a number of weeks later than expected is a positive step. As discussed, to convincingly address the Company's persistent underperformance and chronic undervaluation, it is important that the D2 Plan includes a set of credible and transparent peer- and TSE-aligned measures. As explained by the detailed analysis in our 24 April materials, in addition to comprehensive governance measures, this should include a properly calibrated capital allocation framework with a pathway to right-size Keisei's stake in OLC, a peer-aligned dividend payout ratio and share buyback programme, and performance-linked management compensation. We trust that the Company will take this additional time to reflect further on what's needed in this regard to ensure that the new MTP showcases an approach that can help rebuild market trust.

While we remain available for further dialogue with Keisei management on the D2 Plan and the appointment of the new independent outside director candidates, we and other Keisei stakeholders expect prompt further detail from the Company on the advancement of the candidates' nominations and the Board's proposed governance initiatives to regain market trust and resolve the Company's undervaluation.

Sincerely,

For and on behalf of

Palliser Capital (UK) Ltd

James Smith

Chief Investment Officer

About Palliser Capital

Palliser Capital is a global multi-strategy fund. Our value-oriented investment philosophy is applied to a broad range of opportunities across the capital structure with a focus on situations where positive change and value enhancement can be achieved through thoughtful, constructive, and long-term engagement with companies and across a range of different stakeholder groups. Palliser Capital is one of the largest Keisei shareholders with a stake in excess of 4.5%.

1 This letter is sent to you on behalf of Palliser Capital (UK) Ltd (together with its affiliates, "Palliser", "we", "us" or "our

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250507596743/en/

Contacts:

Media

Prosek Partners

Forrest Gitlin Kiki Tarkhan Brian Schaffer

Pro-Palliser@Prosek.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 7, 2025) - Moon River Moly Ltd. (TSXV: MOO) (OTCQB: MRIVF) ("Moon River" or the "Company") announces that, as a result of a review (the "Review") of the Davidson Project Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) Technical Report dated April 2, 2024 (the "Davidson Technical Report") by staff of the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC"), the Company is issuing the following news release regarding disclosure on its Davidson Project.

In connection with the Review, the Company has filed an amended technical report entitled the Revised Davidson Project Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) Technical Report (the "Revised Davidson Technical Report") dated April 2, 2024 with an effective date of February 22, 2024.

The Company is amending the Davidson Technical Report to address comments raised by the OSC in the course of their review. The Revised Davidson Technical Report includes changes and additions to disclosure regarding the PEA including the addition of an author on the cover page and amendment of the expert relied upon by the authors, details regarding how the site visit was undertaken, addition of required cautionary language regarding disclosure of historical mineral resource estimates and adjacent property disclosure, addition of a statement regarding the Davidson Project geology and its relevance to the QP's judgement that a detailed geological model based on lithological units is not required, addition of further language confirming that the survey quality met industry standards and was sufficient for use in constructing a block model, addition of details on the assumptions used to estimate the mineral resource, including the assumed $100 per tonne total all-in operating costs, that justify the >0.3% MoS2 cut-off grade used; highlighting of the base case >0.3% MoS2 cut-off grade and removal of the estimate for >0.0% - 0.01 % MoS2 cut-off grade material from certain tables and removal of the term "NI 43-101 resource estimate" and replacing it with "mineral resource".

The changes made to the Technical Report are disclosure changes. There are no technical changes to the estimates and results for the mineral resources or the preliminary economic analysis of the Davidson Project.

In addition to filing the Revised Davidson Technical Report, the Company has revised its website and corporate presentations to conform to the changes made to the report.

The Revised Davidson Technical Report is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.moonrivermoly.com.

About Moon River

Moon River is a Canadian-based resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral projects. Moon River is focused on the development of the Davidson Property which hosts a large molybdenum-tungsten deposit and is located near Smithers, British Columbia. The Company also holds 25% of one of the largest molybdenum mines in North America, the Endako Mine Complex also located in British Columbia.

Qualified Person(s)

The scientific and technical content of this news release was reviewed, verified, and approved by Mr. Brian LeBlanc, P. Eng., President of AMPL, and a "Qualified Person" ("QP") as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. LeBlanc is the QP responsible for the scientific and technical information contained in this press release.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends", "expects", "plans" and similar expressions, which are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company, represent the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release, and are based on certain assumptions that the Company has made in respect thereof as at the date of this press release.

Although the Company believes the expectations and material factors and assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date hereof, there can be no assurance that the expectations and assumptions in the PEA, will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties including risks detailed in the Company's continuous disclosure, which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

These risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Readers are cautioned that events or circumstances could cause results to differ materially from those predicted, forecasted or projected. The forward-looking statements contained in this document speak only as of the date of this document. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, except as required by applicable laws. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251042

SOURCE: Moon River Moly Ltd.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / May 7, 2025 / Star Copper Corp. ("Star Copper" or the "Company") (CSE:STCU) is pleased to report that, further to its news release dated May 6, 2025, the previously announced plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") will become effective on May 9, 2025 (the "Effective Date").

Star Copper shareholders of record as at the close of business on May 8, 2025 (the "Shareholders") will receive, for each existing common share of the Company (ISIN: CA8549371091; CUSIP: 854937) held immediately prior to the Effective Date: (i) one identical replacement common share of Star Copper under a new ISIN / CUSIP (ISIN: CA85512H1047; CUSIP: 85512H104) (each, a "New Star Copper Share"); and (ii) one-third of one common share under a new ISIN / CUSIP (ISIN: CA02074C1005; CUSIP: 02074C100) (each whole common share, a "Spinco Share") in the authorized capital of Alpha Copper Corp. No fractional Spinco Shares will be distributed under the Arrangement; any fractional Spinco Shares that result from the Arrangement will be rounded down to the nearest whole number without any compensation paid to the applicable Shareholders in lieu of any such fractional Spinco Shares. The Company's transfer agent, Computershare Investor Services Inc., will act as depositary in connection with the Arrangement.

As previously announced, under the Arrangement the Company's 100% interest in the Okeover copper-molybdenum project located immediately north of the coastal City of Powell River, British Columbia (the "Okeover Project"), along with related assets and liabilities, will be spun out to the Shareholders through the Shareholders receiving Spinco Shares. Further information regarding the Arrangement is included in the Company's information circular dated April 1, 2025, which is filed under Star Copper's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Star Copper Corp. (CSE:STCU)(OTC PINK:STCUF)(FWB:PP00)

Star Copper is focused on contributing to the green economy by finding and developing copper resource assets in stable jurisdictions. The Company is positioned to earn a 60-per-cent interest in the Indata copper-gold project located in north-central British Columbia. After the acquisition of Cavu Energy Metals, the Company has acquired 100% of the Star copper-gold porphyry project in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia, as well as the 100% owned Quesnel project in the middle of the Quesnel Trough, host to a number of alkalic copper-gold porphyry deposits running northwest across western British Columbia. Subject to the completion the Arrangement, the Company also holds a 100% interest in the Okeover Copper-Molybdenum project north of Powell River.

For more information visit https://starcopper.com/

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Star Copper Corp.

~Darryl Jones~

Darryl Jones, CEO, President & Director

Star Copper Corp.

Contact Star Copper

Invictus Investor Relations

+1 (604) 788-9533

walter@invictusir.com

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or" should" occur or be achieved. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, including: the completion of the Arrangement, including the Effective Date of the Arrangement; and, the trading of New Star Copper Shares on the CSE, FSE or the OTC Market, are all forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward- looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Star Copper, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation, the ability to satisfy all closing conditions of the Arrangement and the receipt of all regulatory approvals required therefore, the ability of the Company to complete proposed exploration work on its mineral properties, the results of exploration, the continued availability of capital on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Company, and changes in general economic, market and business conditions. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these items. Star Copper does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Star Copper Corp.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/star-copper-confirms-effective-date-of-spin-out-of-okeover-project-1025272
When fierce storms and hail tore through Middle Tennessee, homeowner Terra B. braced for a long, frustrating battle with her insurance company. What she didn't expect was for her contractor, Quality Exteriors, to become her strongest advocate-and her biggest ally.

"Jaime Westenbarger was incredible," Terra recalled. "He showed up when he said he would, talked directly with State Farm-more than once-and didn't let them brush off my damage. Because of his persistence, I got my entire roof and gutters replaced."

NASHVILLE, TN / ACCESS Newswire / May 7, 2025 / When fierce storms and hail tore through Middle Tennessee, homeowner Terra B. braced for a long, frustrating battle with her insurance company. What she didn't expect was for her contractor, Quality Exteriors, to become her strongest advocate-and her biggest ally.

"Jaime Westenbarger was incredible," Terra recalled. "He showed up when he said he would, talked directly with State Farm-more than once-and didn't let them brush off my damage. Because of his persistence, I got my entire roof and gutters replaced."

It's a story that resonates across Nashville, Franklin, and Chattanooga, where Quality Exteriors has quietly built a reputation for honest, fast, and affordable roofing solutions. From emergency roof repairs to complete replacements, their team is known for doing more than installing shingles-they stand by homeowners when it matters most.

A Trusted Name for Nearly Two Decades

Founded in 2006 by two brothers and MTSU graduates, Quality Exteriors began with a simple mission: do the job right, no shortcuts. Since then, they've become a go-to name in Middle Tennessee roofing, thanks to an unwavering commitment to quality and customer service.

Now headquartered in Murfreesboro with a strong presence throughout the region, they're one of the top GAF Master Elite Contractors in the nation-an elite status awarded to only 1% of roofing contractors nationwide. They're also a CertainTeed Shingle Master, which means customers can count on the highest standards in materials, workmanship, and warranties.

"Whether it's a major storm or regular wear and tear, we treat every roof like it's protecting our own home," said a company spokesperson. "We take pride in being responsive, budget-conscious, and trustworthy. That's how we've grown-one roof and one relationship at a time."

When Speed and Honesty Matter Most

For longtime customer Antonio Montiel, that combination of responsiveness and integrity is why he's trusted Quality Exteriors with three different homes over the last 15 years.

"These guys are quick to respond to calls or texts when you need them most," Montiel said. "They tell you the truth. I highly recommend them for any roofing project."

Whether it's a routine Nashville roof repair , an emergency Franklin storm damage fix , or a full-scale Chattanooga metal roofing installation , homeowners can expect speed, clarity, and craftsmanship from start to finish.

Quality Exteriors' service lineup includes:

Residential & Commercial Roofing

Storm Damage Repair

Metal Roofing & Asphalt Shingles

Insurance Claim Assistance

GAF & CertainTeed Certified Installations

And with a team that handles communication directly with insurance adjusters-just like they did for Terra-the process stays simple and stress-free for homeowners already dealing with enough.

About Quality Exteriors

Founded in 2006, Quality Exteriors is a family-owned roofing and exterior renovation company serving Nashville, Franklin, Chattanooga, and greater Middle Tennessee. As a GAF Master Elite Contractor and CertainTeed Shingle Master, the company is recognized nationally for its excellence and trusted locally for its values. From storm damage to energy-efficient upgrades, Quality Exteriors delivers protection, performance, and peace of mind.

Office Hours & Service Area

Quality Exteriors is centrally located at 1616 West End Ave, Ste. 1701, Nashville, TN 37203. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, and Saturday, Sunday they are closed.

For more information or to schedule a free inspection and no-obligation quote, call Smart Choice Roofing at (615) 956-2112 or visit the website to gain more information https://qualityexteriors.com/

Media Contact:

Max Collett

Contractor Independence LLC

(806) 808-0330

SOURCE: Quality Exteriors

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/from-hailstorm-headache-to-homeowner-win-how-quality-exteriors-t-1025267
CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Newsfile Corp. - May 7, 2025) - Tenaz Energy Corp. ("Tenaz", "We", "Our", "Us" or the "Company") (TSX: TNZ) is pleased to announce financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2025.

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and related management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on Tenaz's website at www.tenazenergy.com. Select financial and operating information for the three months ended March 31, 2025 appear below and should be read in conjunction with the related financial statements and MD&A.

HIGHLIGHTS

Corporate Update

We completed the previously announced acquisition of NAM Offshore B.V. ("NOBV") on May 1, 2025 (the "Acquisition"). Concurrent with closing of the Acquisition, NOBV was renamed Tenaz Energy Netherlands B.V. ("TEN"). As a result of free cash flow and other purchase price adjustments from the effective date of January 1, 2024 until closing on May 1, 2025, Tenaz Energy received approximately 15 million at completion. Based on preliminary estimates, net working capital of our TEN subsidiary at close is approximately neutral, excluding the current portion of any future contingent earn-out payments.

First Quarter Operating and Financial Results

Production volumes averaged 2,893 boe/d (1) in Q1 2025, up 3% from Q4 2024, reflecting lower downtime from our non-operated assets in the Netherlands and initial contributions from Canadian drilling.

We drilled three gross (2.4 net) wells in Canada, which produced at an initial net rate of approximately 870 boe/d (45% crude oil). Capital cost of the program was $8.3 million net to Tenaz.

Funds flow from operations (2) ("FFO") for the first quarter was $1.0 million ($0.03/share (2) ) as compared to $8.3 million ($0.30/share) in Q4 2024, primarily due to higher interest and transaction costs and the absence of a prior period tax adjustment recorded in Q4 2024.

Net loss for Q1 2025 was $5.3 million ($0.19/share), as compared to net loss of $0.5 million ($0.02/share) in Q1 2024. The increase in net loss was primarily driven by interest expense for the senior notes issued in Q4 2024 and transaction costs for the Acquisition.

We ended Q1 2025 with a $0.5 million net debt (2) position, as compared to a $10.0 million positive adjusted working capital (2) position at the end of 2024, with the change primarily driven by our Q1 Canadian drilling program and transition costs for the Acquisition. We had an unrestricted cash balance of $135.7 million at the end of Q1 2025.

In February 2025, we renewed our NCIB and obtained approval to purchase up to 2.5 million additional shares. During Q1, we retired 62 thousand shares at an average cost of $13.42 per share. Since the beginning of the NCIB program in Q3 2022, we have retired 2.1 million common shares (7.5% of basic common shares) at an average cost of $3.11/share.

Guidance

Pursuant to the close of the Acquisition, we updated our production and capital guidance reflecting its forecasted contribution for the eight-month period following closing. On an annual average basis for 2025, TEN will add approximately 6,100 to 6,400 boe/d to our annual guidance range, resulting in updated guidance of 9,000 to 9,500 boe/d. We plan to invest $55 to $61 million in the acquired assets for the remainder of 2025, resulting in consolidated Drilling and Development capital expenditures of $85 to $95 million. The revised program is expected to be entirely self-funded within both our Netherlands and Canada business units.

FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL SUMMARY





Three months ended



Mar 31 Dec 31 Mar 31 ($000 CAD, except per share and per boe amounts)

2025 2024 2024 FINANCIAL







Petroleum and natural gas sales

17,692 16,285 17,886 Cash flow from operating activities

(3,811 ) 23 6,218 Funds flow from operations(2)

953 8,299 7,043 Per share - basic(2)

0.03 0.30 0.26 Per share - diluted(2)

0.03 0.26 0.24 Net income (loss)

(5,308 ) (6,037 ) (557 ) Per share - basic

(0.19 ) (0.22 ) (0.02 ) Per share - diluted(3)

(0.19 ) (0.22 ) (0.02 ) Capital expenditures(2)

9,320 4,962 3,816 Adjusted working capital (net debt)(2)

(497 ) 9,953 48,740 Common shares outstanding (000)

End of period - basic

27,550 27,610 26,703 Weighted average for the period - basic

27,595 27,542 26,779 Weighted average for the period - diluted

32,715 32,279 29,494



OPERATING

Average daily production

Heavy crude oil (bbls/d)

951 1,097 1,149 Natural gas liquids (bbls/d)

71 78 70 Natural gas (Mcf/d)

11,225 9,836 10,005 Total (boe/d)

2,893 2,814 2,887



Netbacks ($/boe)

Petroleum and natural gas sales

67.95 62.90 68.08 Royalties

(5.38 ) (5.00 ) (5.81 ) Transportation expenses

(3.09 ) (2.99 ) (2.99 ) Operating expenses

(28.45 ) (33.38 ) (26.05 ) Midstream income(2)

3.48 4.24 4.29 Operating netback(2)

34.51 25.77 37.52



BENCHMARK COMMODITY PRICES

WTI crude oil (US$/bbl)(4)

71.42 70.28 76.97 WCS (CAD$/bbl)

84.43 81.32 77.80 AECO daily spot (CAD$/Mcf)(5)

2.13 1.48 2.50 TTF (CAD$/Mcf)(6)

20.65 19.00 11.83 (1) The term barrels of oil equivalent ("boe") may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. Per boe amounts have been calculated by using the conversion ratio of six thousand cubic feet (6 Mcf) of natural gas to one barrel (1 bbl) of crude oil. Refer to "Barrels of Oil Equivalent" included in the "Advisories" section of this press release. (2) T his is a non-GAAP and other financial measure. Refer to "Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures" in the section "Advisories". (3) Per share metrics calculated using the weighted average common shares for the applicable period. (4) W TI represents posting price of West Texas Intermediate ("WTI") crude oil. (5) AECO is the natural gas price index for Alberta. (6) TTF is the price for natural gas in the Netherlands.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

After closing the NOBV acquisition on May 1, we have now embarked on our journey as a significant European natural gas operator. Through great cooperation and diligent work among the NOBV staff, our Calgary team, NAM and Shell, we were able to close two months ahead of our original schedule.



Our people are the most important determinant of our long-term success. On behalf of our Board of Directors, we extend the warmest of welcomes to all new members of the Tenaz team, both from NOBV and from other organizations, that have joined us. We are extraordinarily fortunate to have the team we do.



NOBV has been renamed Tenaz Energy Netherlands B.V. ("TEN"). As a result of free cash flow and other purchase price adjustments from the effective date of January 1, 2024 until closing on May 1, 2025, Tenaz Energy received approximately 15 million at completion. Based on preliminary estimates, net working capital of our TEN subsidiary at close is approximately neutral, excluding the current portion of any future contingent earn-out payments.



TEN is the entity that will execute our corporate vision in the Dutch North Sea ("DNS"). This region offers many opportunities to deliver safe, secure and low-emission energy for Europe in an era of persistent supply uncertainty. The Dutch government is reinforcing its commitment to accelerate responsible natural gas development in the DNS. The recent sector agreement between the offshore gas industry and the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth marks a key step in unlocking the region's full gas potential. By streamlining approval processes and fostering industry-government collaboration, the agreement paves the way for more efficient and accelerated development of critical energy resources, enhancing both economic growth and energy security.



Our extensive transition activities were executed with strong collaboration among a wide group of technical and commercial vendors, ranging from local oil and gas service companies to large international firms. Notably, vendors such as SAP and PwC Canada played key roles in supporting our industry-leading, full-suite greenfield implementation of cloud-standard SAP as our enterprise resource planning ("ERP") system. In addition to our ERP rollout, we successfully executed software solutions for hydrocarbon accounting, permit-to-work, real-time data collection, and gas dispatching, among other systems. These investments enabled a safe and seamless transition of operatorship to Tenaz and also established a scalable IT platform for our future growth.



Our business model seeks to secure advantage in two ways that are differentially present in the international asset market. First, purchase multiples are typically lower outside of North America, implying higher base rates-of-return on the initial acquisition investment. In our view, the Acquisition has been demonstrated to be an example of this first aspect. The second step is having a greater opportunity to improve the production and unit cost profile after becoming operator of the acquired assets. Often, the types of assets we pursue have been historically underinvested, usually as a result of not being core to larger-company sellers. We believe this opportunity is present in the TEN assets, and now we begin execution of our operating plans to realize this potential.



Prior to the Acquisition, NOBV had a low level of capital activity. Our objective is to ramp up investment as rapidly as is efficient and practicable, while maintaining our top priority of safe operation. We recognize that the more capital-intensive activities such as drilling and barge-based workovers have a significant lead time for final design, permitting and contracting. During the transition period, Tenaz conducted preparatory work for the optimization and development program initially identified during our evaluation of the acquired assets. We are now conducting a tender process for key services including barges, drilling services and long-lead materials. Our aspiration is to commence these activities in Q4 2025, including the spudding of the first well on our DNS operated assets. Subject to rig availability and permitting timelines, we intend to execute a multi-well drilling campaign targeting production growth in 2026 and beyond. Our infrastructure, including both offshore platforms and onshore processing, is generally underutilized. We have a number of technically-mature drilling prospects which, if successful, could generate production growth with minimal incremental infrastructure investment. This aspiration for increased investment, including drilling during 2025, drives our revised capital investment guidance. We intend Drilling and Development capital investment of $55 to $61 million in the acquired assets, bringing corporate guidance to $85 to $95 million during 2025.



With respect to TEN production, operational performance has been strong for the first four months of 2025 at approximately 11,000 boe/d (99% gas), which is the same production rate we reported when we announced the acquisition in July 2024. Each year, the months of May and June are the main turnaround period for both the offshore and onshore assets, driven by weather and services availability, among other scheduling factors. As a result of planned downtime, most of which is expected to be executed in Q2, we expect full-year 2025 production from the acquired assets to average approximately 10,000 boe/d (including the four months which occurred before closing). Production will only be accounted for in our corporate total for the eight months after closing. As a result, the annual average addition to our 2025 corporate guidance is 6,100 to 6,400 boe/d to Tenaz's consolidated production, bringing our corporate total to 9,000 to 9,500 boe/d.



In the non-operated Netherlands assets which we owned before the Acquisition, Q1 2025 production was approximately 1,000 boe/d, a 21% increase from Q4 2024 and approximately flat to Q1 2024. The main driver of the production improvement was reduced downtime. As previously disclosed, Eni Energy Netherlands B.V. plans a development well in the L10/L11a license area ("L10 Malachite") targeting an undeveloped natural gas pool situated between two already-developed pools. The L10 Malachite well is planned for drilling in the second half of 2025, with production now likely to commence in 2026.



During Q1 2025, TTF gas reached its highest pricing since 2023 at 47/MWh ($20.85/Mcf ), driven by stronger year-over-year demand from the heating and the power sectors, larger-than-normal storage withdrawals, and sustained competition for global LNG. Q1 was the first period since Russian gas ceased transiting Ukraine, resulting in a loss of approximately 1.2 Bcf/d of pipeline supply. With no ability to meaningfully flex other pipeline imports or domestic production, LNG imports into the EU and UK during Q1 rose by 13% on a year-over-year basis, and by 46% above the average in summer 2024.



Looking forward, the natural gas market's focus is on building storage for the next heating season from a low starting point. Until recently, EU storage mandates signaled an inflexible requirement to fill storage to 90% of capacity by November 1, 2025. While this policy did not impact prior-winter gas prices, it kept the forward curve structure in backwardation and did not provide an opportunity for economic storage injections. The EU is now expected to loosen the storage mandate, and a slight contango has returned to the curve as a first step to assist storage builds.



Contango in the curve coincided with a sharp pullback in front month prices as markets reacted to US tariffs, with resulting expectations of lower natural gas demand from decreasing growth in power consumption and overall economic activity. At the same time, the Chinese reaction to tariffs, and the same fears of lower economic growth in Asia, have increased LNG cargo availability. Nonetheless, we do not think assumptions of a significant loosening in the global LNG market have been confirmed. While Chinese LNG imports are lower so far this year due to a warmer-than-normal winter, other global demand has remained flat or higher on a year-over-year basis, suggesting competition for cargoes may again be a feature of this summer's market.



At present, the TTF marker price stands at approximately 34.25/MWh ($15.70/Mcf), with the forward price for the second half of 2025 at 35.75/MWh ($16.40/Mcf). We are approximately 52% hedged for our 2025 TTF exposure at an average price of 35.45/MWh ($16.30/Mcf).



Turning to Canada, we executed a three gross (2.4 net) well drilling program using unstimulated horizontal wells in Q1. The wells were put on production late in the quarter. In aggregate, the wells had an initial net rate of 870 boe/d (45% oil), while facing some remaining constraints for oil battery capacity and natural gas handling. While our Rex formation sites typically have excess processing capacity, our 2025 program was conducted in the Glauconite and Ellerslie pools with less battery capacity. As a result, battery constraints are still being addressed at two of the new wellsites to allow the wells to produce to their full potential. The Canadian drilling program had a capital cost of $8.3 million net to Tenaz, including drilling, completion, equipping, tie-in and facility expansion.



Individual results from the Canadian wells were as follows:

Single-leg horizontal drilled in the Glauconite A Pool at Watelet. This well was drilled to a depth of 1,480 meters total vertical depth ("TVD") and 3,842 meters total measured depth ("MD"), with a total lateral length of 2,160 meters, successfully extending the pool by more than one mile. The initial gross rate was 610 boe/d (57% gas) at 87.5% working interest.

Multi-lateral horizontal well in the Glauconite D Pool waterflood at Leduc Woodbend. The three-leg multi-lateral was drilled to a TVD of 1,388 meters and a MD of 4,151 meters, with 2,530 meters of open lateral in the Glauconitic Sand. Initial gross rate was 90 boe/d (30% gas) at 52.4% working interest.

Multi-lateral horizontal well in the Ellerslie A Pool at Watelet. The four-leg multi-lateral was drilled to a depth of 1,478 meters TVD, 6,221 meters MD, with 4,473 meters of productive length in the Ellerslie reservoir, which was extended to the east of prior wells. The well had an initial gross rate of 300 boe/d (40% gas) at 100% working interest.

With respect to the Watelet gas plant we purchased a year ago, throughput has increased from approximately 6 MMcf/d at the time of purchase to approximately 10 MMcf/d today. The increase in throughput has been achieved through a combination of higher Tenaz equity production, primarily from the recently drilled wells, and increased third-party processing business.

While Canadian production during Q1 averaged 1,924 boe/d, it currently stands at approximately 2,450 boe/d, reflecting about 930 boe/d from the three new wells, which is in line with our budget expectations. We believe that performance from the new wells can be optimized once battery constraints are ameliorated.

Q1 2025 funds flow from operations ("FFO") totaled $1.0 million, impacted by $6.1 million in combined transaction costs and interest expense during the quarter. Cash flows produced by the acquired assets from the January 1, 2024 economic effect date until the closing date of May 1, 2025 were accounted for as an adjustment to cash-at-closing. Had closing occurred on January 1, 2025, incremental FFO from the acquired assets for Q1 2025 would have been approximately $51 million. Tenaz expects to generate positive free cash flow for the remainder of 2025, half of which will be directed to contingent earn-out obligations. Our balance sheet will reflect our estimate of the contingent earn-out obligations as of our Q2 2025 report.

Tenaz ended Q1 2025 with net debt of approximately $0.5 million, primarily due to Canadian capital investment and transaction costs for the Acquisition. Liquidity remains strong, bolstered by senior notes issued in November 2024 and approximately 15 million received subsequent to Q1 2025 when we closed the Acquisition. Our current unrestricted cash balance is now approximately $151 million. Further enhancing liquidity, we have a $20 million undrawn revolving credit facility from National Bank of Canada.

Within our officer corps, Senior Vice President David Burghardt will be shifting responsibilities now that the Acquisition has closed. Mr. Burghardt had been responsible for management of our non-operated Netherlands assets, which will now be consolidated within our TEN subsidiary. Mr. Burghardt will shift to the newly-created position of SVP, Investor Relations. He is well suited to this role given his capital market experience as President and CEO of our predecessor Altura Energy, his knowledge of Tenaz' assets and ongoing business model, and his history of working in Europe for Vermilion Energy before he founded Altura. Tenaz will now put greater focus on investor relations and corporate marketing, reflective of increased market capitalization and broader investor interest as Tenaz has grown.

We continue to return value to shareholders through our NCIB program and maintain a strong acquisition pipeline. Despite macro volatility, we believe market conditions remain favorable for disciplined acquisitions. In closing, our Board and employees remain aligned with shareholders. We are committed to driving long-term value and disciplined execution in 2025 and beyond.

/s/ Anthony Marino

President and Chief Executive Officer

May 7, 2025

About Tenaz Energy Corp.

Tenaz is an energy company focused on the acquisition and sustainable development of international oil and gas assets. Tenaz is the second largest operator of natural gas assets in the Dutch sector of the North Sea and develops crude oil and natural gas at Leduc-Woodbend in Alberta. Additional information regarding Tenaz is available on SEDAR+ and at www.tenazenergy.com. Tenaz's Common Shares are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "TNZ".

ADVISORIES

Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures

This press release contains the terms funds flow from operations and capital expenditures which are considered "non-GAAP financial measures" and operating netback which is considered a "non-GAAP financial ratio." These terms do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP. In addition, this press release contains the term adjusted working capital (net debt), which is considered a "capital management measure." Accordingly, the Company's use of these terms may not be comparable to similarly defined measures presented by other companies. Investors are cautioned that these measures should not be construed as an alternative to net income (loss) determined in accordance with GAAP and these measures should not be considered to be more meaningful than GAAP measures in evaluating the Company's performance.

Funds flow from operations

Tenaz considers funds flow from operations to be a key measure of performance as it demonstrates the Company's ability to generate the necessary funds for sustaining capital, future growth through capital investment, and settling liabilities. Funds flow from operations is calculated as cash flow from operating activities plus income from associate and before changes in non-cash operating working capital and decommissioning liabilities settled. Funds flow from operations is not intended to represent cash flows from operating activities. A summary of the reconciliation of cash flow from operating activities to funds flow from operations, is set forth below:

($000) Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 Cash flow (used in) from operating activities (3,811 ) 23 6,218 Change in non-cash operating working capital 2,895 6,114 (2,900 ) Decommissioning liabilities settled 585 1,065 2,597 Midstream income 1,381 1,097 1,128 Amortization of deferred financing costs (97 ) - - Funds flow from operations(1) 953 8,299 7,043 (1) FFO per share (basic) is calculated as FFO divided by the weighted average common shares outstanding. Diluted FFO per share adjusts for the impact of potentially dilutive securities using the treasury stock method. For the periods presented, FFO per share was as follows: Q1 2025: $0.04 basic, $0.03 diluted; Q4 2024: $0.30 basic, $0.26 diluted; Q1 2024: $0.26 basic, $0.24 diluted.

Capital Expenditures

Tenaz considers capital expenditures to be a useful measure of the Company's investment in its existing asset base calculated as the sum of exploration and evaluation asset expenditures and property, plant and equipment expenditures from the consolidated statements of cash flows that is most directly comparable to cash flows used in investing activities. The reconciliation to primary financial statement measures is set forth below:

($000) Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 Exploration and evaluation expenditures 311 501 518 Property, plant and equipment expenditures 9,009 4,461 3,298 Capital expenditures 9,320 4,962 3,816

Free Cash Flow ("FCF")

Tenaz considers free cash flow to be a key measure of performance as it demonstrates the Company's excess funds generated after capital expenditures for potential shareholder returns, acquisitions, or growth in available liquidity. FCF is a non-GAAP financial measure and is comprised of funds flow from operations less capital expenditures. A summary of the reconciliation of the measure, is set forth below:

($000) Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 Funds flow from operations 953 8,299 7,043 Less: Capital expenditures (9,320 ) (4,962 ) (3,816 ) Free cash flow (8,367 ) 3,337 3,227

Midstream Income

Tenaz considers midstream income an integral part of determining operating netbacks. Operating netbacks assists management and investors with evaluating operating performance. Tenaz's midstream income consists of the income from its associate, Noordtgastransport B.V. and excludes the amortization of fair value increment of NGT that is included in the equity investment on the balance sheet. Under IFRS Accounting Standards, investments in associates are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Income from associate is Tenaz's share of the investee's net income and comprehensive income.

($000) Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 Income from associate 1,144 917 888 Plus: Amortization of fair value increment of NGT 237 180 240 Midstream income 1,381 1,097 1,128

Adjusted working capital (net debt)

Management views adjusted working capital (net debt) as a key industry benchmark and measure to assess the Company's financial position and liquidity. Adjusted working capital (net debt) is calculated as current assets less current liabilities and long term debt, excluding the fair value of derivative instruments. Tenaz's adjusted working capital (net debt) as at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 is summarized below:

($000) March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024 Current assets 191,401 188,537 Current liabilities (53,744 ) (40,304 ) Net current assets 137,657 148,233 Fair value of derivative instruments 218 (5 ) Long-term debt (138,372 ) (138,275 ) Adjusted working capital (net debt) (497 ) 9,953

Operating Netback

Tenaz calculates operating netback on a dollar or per boe basis, as petroleum and natural gas sales less royalties, operating costs and transportation costs, plus midstream income. Operating netback is a key industry benchmark and a measure of performance for Tenaz that provides investors with information that is commonly used by other crude oil and natural gas producers. The measurement on a per boe basis assists management and investors with evaluating operating performance on a comparable basis.

Per Share Ratios

Funds flow from operations per basic share is comprised of funds flow from operations divided by basic weighted average common shares. Funds flow from operations per diluted share is comprised of funds flow from operations divided by diluted weighted average common shares.

Barrels of Oil Equivalent

The term barrels of oil equivalent ("boe") may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. Per boe amounts have been calculated by using the conversion ratio of six thousand cubic feet (6 Mcf) of natural gas to one barrel (1 bbl) of crude oil. The boe conversion ratio of 6 Mcf to 1 bbl is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. Given that the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil as compared to natural gas is significantly different from the energy equivalent of 6:1, utilizing a conversion on a 6:1 basis may be misleading as an indication of value.

Forward-looking Information and Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "budget", "forecast", "guidance", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "potential", "intends", "strategy" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, this press release contains forward-looking information and statements pertaining to our beliefs about the regulatory approach to natural gas development in the DNS; matters relating to TEN including expectations for our business, operations and our financial position; Tenaz's capital plans and activities, and our anticipated operational and financial performance; expected well performance; optimization and development opportunities; our production and capital guidance including forecast average production volumes and capital expenditures for 2025; the ability to grow our assets domestically and internationally; and the Company's business model and strategy.



The forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release and report reflect several material factors and expectations and assumptions of Tenaz including, without limitation: the continued performance of Tenaz's oil and gas properties in a manner consistent with its past experiences; that Tenaz will continue to conduct its operations in a manner consistent with past operations; expectations regarding future development; the general continuance of current industry conditions; the continuance of existing (and in certain circumstances, the implementation of proposed) tax, royalty, tariff and regulatory regimes; expectations regarding future acquisition opportunities; the continued availability of oilfield services; and the continued availability of adequate debt and equity financing and cash flow from operations to fund its planned expenditures.



Tenaz believes the material factors, expectations and assumptions reflected in the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these factors, expectations, and assumptions will prove to be correct.

The forward-looking information and statements included in this press release are not guarantees of future performance and should not be unduly relied upon. Such information and statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information or statements including, without limitation: changes in commodity prices; changes in the demand for or supply of Tenaz's products; unanticipated operating results or production declines; changes in tax or environmental laws, royalty rates or other regulatory matters; changes in development plans of Tenaz or by third party operators of Tenaz's properties, increased debt levels or debt service requirements; inaccurate estimation of Tenaz's oil and gas reserve volumes; limited, unfavorable or a lack of access to capital markets; increased costs; a lack of adequate insurance coverage; the impact of competitors; a failure to obtain necessary approvals as proposed or at all and certain other risks detailed from time to time in Tenaz's public documents.



The forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, and Tenaz does not assume any obligation to publicly update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required pursuant to applicable laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251139

SOURCE: Tenaz Energy Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 7, 2025) - Battery Mineral Resources Corp. (TSXV: BMR) (OTCQB: BTRMF) ("Battery" or "BMR" or the "Company") announces that the Company has been issued a cease trade order ("CTO") by the British Columbia Securities Commission ("BCSC") for missing the filing deadline of April 30, 2025 for the following periodic disclosure documents (collectively "Annual Filings"):

the audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024;

the management's discussion and analysis relating to the audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024; and

the certification of the foregoing filings as required by National Instrument 52-109 - Certification of Disclosure in Issuers' Annual and Interim Filings.

The company has been delayed in making the Annual Filings, in large part due to the additional analyses required in accounting for certain financing and other transactions which occurred in 2024, as well as certain tax adjustments. The company anticipates making the Annual Filings in the near-term and will provide a further update to shareholders once the Annual Filings have been made. At the time of filing, a news release will be issued indicating that the Annual Filings have been submitted. Upon filing the Annual Filings, the Company expects that the CTO will be revoked within one to two business days (in Canada), as is the customary practice.

Despite the CTO, a beneficial security holder of the Company who is not, and was not at the date of the CTO, an insider or control person of the Company, may sell securities of the Company acquired before the date of the CTO if the following apply: (a) the sale is made through a "foreign organized regulated market", as defined in section 1.1 of the Universal Market Integrity Rules of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada; and (b) the sale is made through an investment dealer registered in a jurisdiction of Canada in accordance with applicable securities legislation. Holders of the Company's securities are urged to consult with their own investment advisors or legal counsel about the implications of the CTO.

The Company confirms that, other than as disclosed in prior press releases and material change reports, there have been no material business developments since the filing on November 29, 2024 of the Company's latest interim financial reports for the period ended September 30, 2024.

About Battery Mineral Resources Corp.

Battery Mineral Resources' mission is to build a mid-tier copper producer and has recently initiated mine and mill operations at the Punitaqui Mining Complex, a historic copper-gold-silver producer, in the Coquimbo region of Chile. The Company's portfolio also consists of two cobalt assets and one lithium asset located in North America and two graphite assets in South Korea. The Company is focused on providing shareholders accretive exposure to copper and the global mega-trend of electrification while being focused on growth through cash-flow, exploration, and acquisitions in favorable mining jurisdictions. Further information about BMR and its projects can be found on www.bmrcorp.com.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections of the Company on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation, the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to complete exploration and development activities, the ability of the Company to timely complete the Annual Filings and revoke the CTO, risks related to share price and market conditions, the inherent risks involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties, the ability of the Company to meet its anticipated development schedule, government regulation and fluctuating metal prices. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Battery undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251163

SOURCE: Battery Mineral Resources Corp.
The film "Black Ox," directed by Tetsuichiro Tsuta, a graduate of the Department of Imaging Art, Faculty of Arts, atTokyo Polytechnic University (President: Hiroaki Yoshino; Address: Nakano-ku, Tokyo, hereinafter, "TPU"), won the top prize, the Firebird Award, at the 49th Hong Kong International Film Festival.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250430321582/en/

A scene from the film "Black Ox"

At the 49th Hong Kong International Film Festival, held from Thursday, April 10, to Monday, April 21, 2025, the film "Black Ox," directed by Tetsuichiro Tsuta, a graduate of the Department of Imaging Art, Faculty of Arts, atTPU, was awarded the top prize, the Firebird Award, in the Young Cinema Competition, which is the first in Japanese film history.

"Black Ox" is a film inspired by the "Ten Ox-Herding Pictures," depicting the path to enlightenment in Zen Buddhism in ten illustrations, and filmed using 70 mm film for some scenes for the first time in Japanese feature films. The movie also uses the music of composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, who expressed his intent to participate before his passing.

The jury reviews this movie: "This artistic creation, emerging from diverse cultural backgrounds, weaves together unique philosophical and aesthetic perspectives, sharp historical insight, and vivid depictions of nature. It constructs an unexpected and original cinematic world-one that draws the viewer into a specific time and place, yet paradoxically elevates the experience into something universal and transcendent."

Director Tsuta said, "I believe that my experiences as a student in creating movies using films led to this honor. While the film industry is heavily digital, the essence of movies is now and always has been analog film, and this is not going to change in the future. 'Onko-chishin': learn from the wisdom of the past. I hope you will be able to experience this work, filled with a love for analog film, in a cinema."

"Black Ox" is scheduled for screening at the Mooov Film Festival in Belgium from Saturday, April 26, to Thursday, May 1, 2025, and at the Jeonju International Film Festival in South Korea from Wednesday, April 30, to Friday, May 9, 2025, and will be released in cinemas nationwide in Japan in January 2026.

Tetsuichiro Tsuta

Born in Miyoshi, Tokushima Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Imaging Art, Faculty of Arts, atTokyo Polytechnic University in 2007. After graduation, he worked on producing films independently while working part-time at the Waseda Shochiku Movie Theater in Takadanobaba. In 2009, his "Islands of Dreams" was selected for the Pia Film Festival and received the Audience Award. In 2013, his "The Tale of Iya" was awarded a Special Mention at the 26th Tokyo International Film Festival. His latest, "Black Ox," is due for nationwide release in January 2026.

Tokyo Polytechnic University

TPU's origin dates back to the founding of the Konishi Professional School of Photography in 1923. From its start, it has offered an education that fuses technology and art, and in 2023, TPU celebrated its centenary.

It has two faculties: the Faculty of Engineering, in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture (Information Technology Course, Mechanical Engineering Course, Electrical and Electronics Course, Architecture Course), and the Faculty of Arts in Nakano-ku, Tokyo (Departments of Photography, Imaging Art, Design, Interactive Media, Animation, Manga, and Games).

URL https://www.t-kougei.ac.jp/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250430321582/en/

Contacts:

Public Relations, General Affairs Planning, Tokyo Polytechnic University

Tel.: 81-3-5371-2741

E-mail: university.pr@office.t-kougei.ac.jp
SINGAPORE, SG / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Art of Franchising (AoF), the specialist franchising consultancy division of Eccelerate PTE LTD, today announced the launch of a new partnership profit-share model and pro-bono initiative aimed at supporting the continued growth and long-term success of the franchising industry in the Philippines.

Founded in 2021 by Aaron Yeo (Chief Strategy Officer), Wayne Yia (Chief Financial Officer), and Edmund Chan (Chief Investment Officer), Eccelerate PTE LTD established the Art-of-Franchising (AoF) brand in 2024 to focus exclusively on franchising consultancy. With franchising contributing 7.8% to the Philippines' GDP and employing approximately two million people (International Trade Administration, 2022), the sector remains a dynamic and vital component of the country's economy.

"We recognize the incredible entrepreneurial spirit within the Philippines," said Aaron Yeo, Chief Strategy Officer at AoF. "However, like all fast-growing sectors, there are challenges that come with rapid expansion. Our goal is to provide entrepreneurs with the right foundation to ensure they are positioned for sustainable, long-term success."

To address common hurdles faced by emerging franchisors, AoF is introducing a partnership-based model that aligns the firm's success with that of its clients. Rather than charging heavy upfront consultancy fees, AoF invests its expertise and resources alongside franchise owners, tying their success directly to client outcomes. Select businesses will also benefit from pro-bono services, offering additional support to promising enterprises that demonstrate exceptional potential.

"By structuring our relationships around mutual success, we ensure that our goals are fully aligned with our clients," said Wayne Yia, Chief Financial Officer at AoF. "If the franchise succeeds, we all succeed. This approach fosters transparency, quality, and lasting partnerships - while also reducing initial costs for entrepreneurs."

According to industry studies, newer franchise systems worldwide often face higher closure risks, largely due to issues such as business model, unit economics, and scalability. AoF's strategy is designed to address these areas by focusing on robust business foundations, careful system development, and strategic growth planning.

"Our method prioritizes building businesses that are profitable, scalable, and ready for franchise expansion," said Edmund Chan, Chief Investment Officer at AoF. "We are committed to tailoring our support specifically for the Philippine market, respecting its unique dynamics and vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem."

Backed by their industry partners, AoF has supported over 1,000 franchises in Singapore & Asia, many of which have grown into multinational corporations or public companies. Their services include online franchise courses, a full franchise development program, business model redesign, strategic investor and valuation preparation - all crafted to foster growth and stability.

In addition to its standard offerings, AoF will offer pro-bono consultancy to a select group of high-potential businesses each year, helping more entrepreneurs access expert support without financial barriers.

"The Philippines has an exciting future ahead in franchising," added Edmund Chan. "Our goal is to help entrepreneurs maximize their opportunities through structured support, proven systems, and dedicated partnership. Even for businesses not yet ready for franchising, we offer pathways to growth through connections to investors and additional business development support."

For more information, visit https://www.art-of-franchising.com or connect with the team on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/business-engineer/

Media Contact:

Organization: Art of Franchising

Contact Person Name: Aaron Yeo

Website: https://the-art-of-franchising.com/

Email: enquiry@the-art-of-franchising.com

City: Singapore

State: Singapore

Country: Singapore

SOURCE: Art of Franchising

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/art-of-franchising-launches-pro-bono-and-profit-share-program-to-1022162
BlackBerry expands CCOE Curriculum with free cybersecurity training for women, students, government and low-access communities, fostering a more inclusive and skilled cyber workforce

CYBERJAYA, MALAYSIA / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / BlackBerry Limited (NYSE:BB)(TSX:BB) today announced several new initiatives in support of the Government of Malaysia's efforts to upskill and grow local talent and foster diversity in the nation's fast growing cybersecurity sector. To mark the 12-month anniversary of the Malaysia Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCoE), BlackBerry is providing scholarships for cybersecurity training to numerous women cyber-defenders, people with limited access to education and qualifications, as well as university lecturers and students.

At a ceremony and open day in Cyberjaya today, BlackBerry also revealed it will soon be introducing EC Council Learning, an enhanced cybersecurity skill development platform to expand the CCoE's comprehensive curriculum with self-paced learning model for Malaysian Government employees, helping more men and women to complete courses in their own time. The hybrid cybersecurity program, featuring online and in-person modules, is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Just over a year ago, Malaysia envisioned the Malaysia Cybersecurity Center of Excellence as a global hub for workforce training, skill development and intelligence-sharing. Today, through partnerships with BlackBerry, ASEAN and global leaders, the nation is advancing this mission-equipping Malaysians with critical cyber-skills to boost capacity, inclusivity and defense against digital threats.

Over 40% of attendees at the Malaysia CCoE last year were women, reflecting positive diversity in the nation's cybersecurity sector. To build on this progress and create more opportunities for all, BlackBerry is expanding its partnership with the ISC2 Malaysia Chapter to offer 50 scholarships for Malaysian women to access specialized training at the CCoE. The flexible program will include in-person and online courses from June to July 2025, with recruitment starting this month. In addition, BlackBerry is working with 42KL, a tuition-free, self-paced computer science academy, to sponsor 25 CompTIA ITF+ certifications for individuals with limited access to traditional education opportunities.

This news follows the recently announced partnership with Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp) to launch the CyberNext Program, a national initiative designed to equip Malaysian students and educators with essential cybersecurity skills. In Phase One of the partnership, BlackBerry and TalentCorp, together with training partners ISC2 and CompTIA, are offering free cybersecurity training for 1,000 students and 250 lecturers at the world-class facility, commencing from July.

Senior Vice President for BlackBerry Secure Communications in APAC, Tash Stamatelos said, "In collaboration with the Government of Malaysia, we are proud to witness the Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCoE) thrive in its first year-strengthening partnerships, expanding programs, and offering scholarships that help to build digital human capital and support diversity in the cybersecurity sector. As a hub for learning, training, and collaboration, the CCoE is laying a strong foundation for cross-border and cross-sector engagement, advancing Malaysia's ambition to lead in cybersecurity excellence across ASEAN."

Jodi Robinson, High Commissioner of Canada to Malaysia, said "In late 2024, the Government of Canada pledged a $3.9M CAD investment in cybersecurity skills training programs at the Malaysia CCoE, to be implemented by the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and BlackBerry - a clear example of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy in action. On this first anniversary, I commend the progress the Malaysian Government, BlackBerry, and its partners are making at the CCoE in addressing the critical shortage of cyber skills and advancing diversity in the sector. I look forward to the CCoE developing into a hub of regional cybersecurity excellence in Southeast Asia."

For more information on the Cybersecurity Center of Excellence and the courses available, please visit here. To register for interest in the ISC2 scholarships for women, please visit here. To find out more about 42KL, please visit here.

##

About BlackBerry

BlackBerry (NYSE:BB)(TSX:BB) provides enterprises and governments the intelligent software and services that power the world around us. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company's high-performance foundational software enables major automakers and industrial giants alike to unlock transformative applications, drive new revenue streams and launch innovative business models, all without sacrificing safety, security, and reliability. With a deep heritage in Secure Communications, BlackBerry delivers operational resiliency with a comprehensive, highly secure, and extensively certified portfolio for mobile fortification, mission-critical communications, and critical events management.

For more information, visit BlackBerry.com and follow @BlackBerry.

Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and EMBLEM Design, are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.

Media Contacts:

BlackBerry Media Relations

+1 (519) 597-7273

mediarelations@BlackBerry.com

SOURCE: BlackBerry

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/malaysia-cybersecurity-center-of-excellence-marks-first-anniversa-1025140
Deal will see Tripledot Studios acquire 10 studios, significantly expanding operations in key strategic markets, including the US and Asia

Subject to deal closing, Tripledot Studios will operate 12 studios across 23 cities serving 25 million daily active users globally, with annual gross revenues of nearly $2B

The acquisition will be half cash, funded from a combination of cash on the balance sheet and new debt, and half equity making AppLovin a minority shareholder in Tripledot Studios

Tripledot Studios, one of the world's fastest-growing mobile game developers, is today announcing the acquisition of AppLovin's mobile games studio portfolio for approximately $800 million. The half cash, half equity deal will see AppLovin become a minority shareholder in Tripledot Studios while allowing Tripledot to expand its footprint in key strategic markets, including the US and Asia. As a result of this deal and subject to its closing, Tripledot Studios will operate a total of 12 studios with more than 2,500 team members across 23 cities globally. Tripledot will have over 25 million daily active users and annual gross revenues of nearly $2 billion, making it one of the top five independent mobile game studios globally by revenue.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250507417818/en/

Tripledot Studios Co-founders Eyal Chameides (Chief Product Officer) and Lior Shiff (CEO)

Founded in London in 2017 by gaming industry veterans Lior Shiff, Akin Babayigit and Eyal Chameides, Tripledot Studios is one of the world's largest casual games developers. Tripledot Studios has developed and operates over 25 live games, including hit titles like Woodoku, Solitaire.com, Nut Sort and Triple Tile, and has been profitable from its second year of operation. In 2023 Tripledot was named as the fastest growing company in Europe by the Financial Times.

"Creating and operating games is our passion," said Lior Shiff, Co-Founder and CEO of Tripledot Studios. "Our mission is to become the world's most successful mobile game studio. Acquiring AppLovin's games portfolio is a big step towards achieving that goal taking us from being a high-performing challenger to a true global leader. It gives us additional scale, diversification and access to the best talent globally. We're thrilled to welcome these incredible teams to Tripledot."

Tripledot Studios Strategic Rationale:

This acquisition brings three key strategic advantages that will set Tripledot Studios apart in the global mobile gaming industry:

Game Portfolio Diversification and Shared Expertise: Tripledot is one of the world's fastest growing mobile gaming studios, with no single game generating more than 10% of the total net revenue once this acquisition is complete. Partnering with AppLovin's mobile games studio portfolio makes Tripledot the largest European mobile gaming company with expertise in both in-app purchase and in-app advertising business models. This enables Tripledot to create games for a much larger global audience and leverage best-in-class practices across marketing, product, AI and monetisation

Tripledot is one of the world's fastest growing mobile gaming studios, with no single game generating more than 10% of the total net revenue once this acquisition is complete. Partnering with AppLovin's mobile games studio portfolio makes Tripledot the largest European mobile gaming company with expertise in both in-app purchase and in-app advertising business models. This enables Tripledot to create games for a much larger global audience and leverage best-in-class practices across marketing, product, AI and monetisation Access to a Global Talent Pool: Tripledot's global footprint and expanded capabilities create an opportunity to leverage highly specialised experts across product, tech, marketing and art in a wider range of global geographies and creating better player experiences for tens of millions of people every day

Tripledot's global footprint and expanded capabilities create an opportunity to leverage highly specialised experts across product, tech, marketing and art in a wider range of global geographies and creating better player experiences for tens of millions of people every day Instant Scale: Pending regulatory approval and closing of the deal, this acquisition will makeTripledot Studios one of the largest mobile developers and publishers globally and will supercharge its already comprehensive data science and AI capabilities delivering a better experience for our players

Adam Foroughi, Co-founder and CEO of AppLovin, said: "Seven years ago, we began acquiring gaming studios to help train our earliest machine learning models. However, we've never been a game developer at heart. We have immense respect for the creativity it takes to build games, including from teams in our studios. Today, we're announcing we've finalized a deal to sell all of our Apps business to Tripledot Studios. I have watched Lior build his company from the ground up and I have immense respect for his and the Tripledot team's ability to run a games company. Lior and his team are some of the best operators in the business and give me incredible confidence they are the right partner to help these studios thrive going forward."

Tripledot Studios currently has offices in London, Warsaw, Minsk, Barcelona, Jakarta and Melbourne. They will be acquiring the following 10 studios and popular titles in an additional 17 cities across the North America, Europe and Asia:

Lion Studios makers of Hexa Sort, Wordle! and Found It

PeopleFun makers of Wordscapes, Wordscapes Solitaire and Bricks n Balls

Belka Games makers of Clockmaker and Train of Hope

Zenlife Games makers of Cooking Madness and Word Connect

Leyi makers of West Game and Mecha Fire

Magic Tavern makers of Project Makeover, Matchington Mansion and Modern Community

Athena Studio makers of Woody Block Puzzle and Woody 99

Clipwire Games makers of The Price is Right Bingo, Bingo Story and Monopoly Bingo

Zeroo Gravity makers of Cash Tornado, Jackpot Masters Slots and Carnival Tycoon

Machine Zone makers of Mobile Strike and Game of War

The acquisition is expected to close by early summer 2025, pending regulatory approvals. Raine Group acted as the lead financial advisor, together with BofA Securities, and Latham Watkins acted as the legal counsel for Tripledot Studios. Aream Co acted as the financial advisor and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich Rosati acted as the legal counsel for AppLovin.

About Tripledot Studios:

Founded in London in 2017 by gaming industry veterans Lior Shiff, Akin Babayigit and Eyal Chameides, Tripledot Studios mission is to be the most successful mobile games studio in history. Our games reach 25 million people around the world every day. In the last 6 years, Tripledot Studios has developed and operates over 25 live games, including hit titles like Woodoku, Solitaire.com, Nut Sort and Triple Tile. Tripledot operates 12 studios across 23 cities globally, has more than 2,500 team members, makes nearly $2 billion in gross revenue annually and has been profitable from its second year of operations.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250507417818/en/

Contacts:

Contacts for Tripledot Studios:

Mark Beck CMO

Mark.Beck@tripledotstudios.com

Bryce Keane Communications Advisor

Bryce.Keane@tripledotstudios.com
Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and screening technologies, has been awarded a contract by Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) to deliver state-of-the-art checkpoint screening solutions across all terminals at Dubai International Airport (DXB). This initiative marks a significant step in advancing security operations and enhancing the passenger experience at one of the world's busiest airports.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250507977475/en/

Smiths Detection has been awarded a contract by Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) to deliver state-of-the-art checkpoint screening solutions across all terminals at Dubai International Airport (DXB)

"As part of this contract, Smiths Detection will provide its latest, most advanced technologies for checkpoint screening, including the HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX Model-S, an industry-leading computed tomography (CT) screening system," said Smiths Detection President Jerome de Chassey. "We are proud to be awarded this contract, and the deployment of this cutting-edge technology will significantly enhance both the security and efficiency of passenger screening processes."

The new systems, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities, offer superior image resolution, automatic detection, and quicker, more accurate threat identification. These innovations will contribute to a seamless travel experience while ensuring the highest standards of safety for all passengers.

DAEP continues to lead the way in adopting innovative technologies that improve operational efficiency and security. The introduction of advanced screening solutions aligns with its ongoing commitment to providing a secure, seamless, and world-class airport experience.

Smiths Detection's innovative approach to airport security is backed by decades of expertise in delivering solutions that meet the dynamic needs of the aviation industry. Their cutting-edge technology will continue to shape the future of air travel, ensuring safe and secure skies for millions of passengers worldwide.

For more information on Smiths Detection's advanced airport security solutions, please visit: www.smithsdetection.com.

About Smiths Detection

Smiths Detection is a global leader in the development and delivery of advanced security technologies, providing solutions that ensure safety and security in a wide range of applications including airports, borders, and critical infrastructure. Smiths Detection's product portfolio spans from screening systems and chemical detectors to mobile solutions that enhance security across diverse environments.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250507977475/en/

Contacts:

Media Contacts:

FTI Consulting

Tom Hufton/Matthew Young/Liam Gerrard

sc.smithsdetection@fticonsulting.com

+44 (0)20 3727 1000

Smiths Detection

Corrina Gee, Head of Communications

Corrina.Gee@smithsdetection.com

+44 (0)79 0970 9811
Ende Mai leitete US-Prasident Donald Trump mit der Unterzeichnung mehrerer Dekrete eine weitreichende Wende in der amerikanischen Energiepolitik ein. Im Fokus: der beschleunigte Ausbau der Kernenergie.



Mit einem umfassenden Manahmenpaket sollen Genehmigungsprozesse reformiert, kleinere Reaktoren gefordert und der Anteil von Atomstrom in den USA massiv gesteigert werden. Ausloser ist der explodierende Energiebedarf durch KI-Rechenzentren, der eine stabile, CO-arme Grundlastversorgung zwingend notwendig macht.



In unserem kostenlosen Spezialreport erfahren Sie, welche 3 Unternehmen jetzt im Zentrum dieser energiepolitischen Neuausrichtung stehen, und wer vom kommenden Boom der Nuklearindustrie besonders profitieren konnte.



Holen Sie sich den neuesten Report! Verpassen Sie nicht, welche Aktien besonders von der Energiewende in den USA profitieren durften, und laden Sie sich das Gratis-PDF jetzt kostenlos herunter.



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STOCKHOLM, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --

January-March 2025

Total sales MSEK 39 606 (39 260)

Organic sales growth 3 percent (7)

Real sales growth within technology and solutions 5 percent (7)

Operating income before amortization MSEK 2 525 (2 357)

Operating margin 6.4 percent (6.0)

Earnings per share, SEK 2.29 (1.84)

Earnings per share before IAC, SEK 2.36 (2.12)

Net debt/EBITDA ratio 2.5 (2.9)

Cash flow from operating activities 1 percent (-15)

Comments from the President and CEO

"A good start to the year.

We started 2025 with an improved operating margin of 6.4?percent (6.0) in the first quarter, supported by improvements across all business segments. Both security services and technology & solutions improved the operating margin.

Organic sales growth was 3 percent. Real sales growth in technology and solutions reached 5 percent, reflecting continued progress in shifting towards higher-margin technology and solutions services.

Operating cash flow improved compared to last year and our balance sheet remained strong.

A RESILIENT BUSINESS

In a time characterized by heightened global uncertainty and geopolitical risks, clients navigate an increasingly complex risk landscape. Our long-term partnership approach, strengthened by deep security expertise, a global presence and AI-enabled digital capabilities, sets us apart as the preferred partner in the market.

Our resilient business model has consistently proven its strength over time. By primarily delivering local security services in close proximity to our clients, we limit exposure to shifts in the global trade landscape and macro volatility. Although uncertainty remains, we had no material impact in the first quarter. We remain vigilant, closely monitoring development together with our clients.

We have had a strong focus on portfolio management in our security services business. Combined with substantially better margins on new sales through our improved offering, we have materially improved the profitability. In North America, we have addressed the low-margin contracts, allowing us to shift our focus towards profitable growth. During the coming twelve months we will address the majority of non-performing contracts in Europe and Ibero-America. We are continuously enhancing our offering, laying a strong foundation for sustained margin growth over time.

The business optimization program initiated at the start of the year is on track to achieve MSEK 200 in annualized savings by the end of 2025.

We continue to evaluate our business mix and presence to sharpen long-term performance and competitive position. In the first quarter, we successfully completed the divestment of our airport security business in France. We are assessing our strategic options related to the business unit Securitas Critical Infrastructure Services (SCIS) and expect to conclude the assessment during the year.

CREATING LONG-TERM SHAREHOLDER VALUE

Our first-quarter performance, with 16 percent growth of earnings per share, is aligned with our plan, and we remain committed to achieving our target of 8 percent operating margin by?the?end of 2025. We continue to shape Securitas into a company well-positioned to consistently deliver long-term value to our shareholders."

Magnus Ahlqvist

President and CEO

PRESENTATION OF THE INTERIM REPORT

Analysts and media are invited to participate in a telephone conference on May 8, 2025, at 9.30 a.m. (CEST) where President and CEO Magnus Ahlqvist and CFO Andreas Lindback will present the report and answer questions. The telephone conference will also be audio cast live via Securitas' website www.securitas.com

To follow the audio cast of the telephone conference via the web, please follow the link www.securitas.com/en/investors/financial-reports-and-presentations/

A recorded version of the audio cast will be available at www.securitas.com/en/investors/financial-reports-and-presentations/

after the telephone conference.

For further information, please contact:

Micaela Sjokvist, Vice President, Investor Relations +46 76 116 7443

ABOUT SECURITAS

Securitas is a world-leading safety and security solutions partner that helps make your world a safer place. Nine decades of deep experience means we see what others miss. By leveraging technology in partnership with our clients, combined with an innovative, holistic approach, we're transforming the security industry. With approximately 336 000 employees in 44 markets, we see a different world and create sustainable value for our clients by protecting what matters most - their people and assets.

Group financial targets

Securitas has four financial targets:

8-10 percent technology and solutions annual average real sales growth

8 percent Group operating margin by year-end 2025, with a >10 percent long-term operating margin ambition

A net debt to EBITDA ratio below 3.0x

An operating cash flow of 70-80 percent of operating income before amortization

Securitas AB (publ.)

P.O. Box 12307, SE-102 28 Stockholm, Sweden

Visiting address:

Lindhagensplan 70

Telephone: +46 10 470 30 00

Corporate registration number: 556302-7241

www.securitas.com

This is information that Securitas AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above,

at 8.00 a.m. (CEST) on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/securitas/r/securitas-ab-interim-report-q1-2025---january-march,c4147092

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/1062/4147092/3435706.pdf Q12025_eng_final

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/securitas-ab-interim-report-q1-2025--januarymarch-302449747.html
94% of FTSE 100, 90% of FTSE 250 companies adopt Proxymity to strengthen shareholder democracy

Digital investor communications platform hits 2600 issuer milestone among largest listed companies

LONDON, GB / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Leading digital investor communication platform, Proxymity, has announced a landmark achievement with 94% of FTSE 100 and 90% of FTSE 250 companies signed up to its digital proxy voting platform - a significant step towards revolutionizing shareholder democracy. This milestone is paving the way for other markets, including Australia where Proxymity has a 84% adoption rate of the ASX50.

Proxymity Logo

Proxymity Logo

The overwhelming adoption of Proxymity's platform among listed companies illustrates the ever-growing confidence that the UK's leading companies place in its platform to deliver real-time, end-to-end digital connection among issuers, intermediaries, and investors, at a time of increasing shareholder engagement and activism.

The ongoing challenges and frustrations with traditional proxy voting systems risk creating a disconnect between companies and shareholders, as evidenced by instances of poor communication during this proxy voting season.

Corporations have been quick to remedy this by enabling Proxymity's unique Vote Connect. The Vote Connect service enables issuers to publish "golden source" meeting announcements and agendas directly to investors and, in return, investors can send their votes straight to issuers.

Through the utilization of Proxymity Vote Connect, investors gain access to real-time governance information and can cast their votes up until the market deadline. This extended timeframe, averaging an additional 5 working days, allows investors more time to make well-informed governance decisions, resulting in voters engaging with issuers over 48 hours earlier. Issuers also benefit from the ability to monitor voting intentions in real-time, leading to more informed voting outcomes and ultimately enhancing overall governance practices for all stakeholders involved.

With such a significant uptake in the FTSE 100, the index for one of the world's leading financial markets, Proxymity is paving the way for better investor communications in the UK. Over the last year, Proxymity's platform has seen increased adoption from HSBC, State Street, Clearstream and Citi, plus many more planned. With over 2600 issuers across 25 markets, Proxymity is ushering in a new era of investor communications that benefits the entire financial ecosystem.

Dean Little, Co-Founder and CEO, Proxymity, said: "We are delighted to reach this significant milestone with almost 100% of FTSE 100 companies utilizing our platform. Currently, with over 2600 issuers worldwide, we are growing at a rapid pace, ensuring we are at the forefront of the technological and digital evolution that is urgently needed to achieve true shareholder democracy."

Jonathan Smalley, Co-Founder, and COO, Proxymity added: "This accomplishment showcases the hard work of our Proxymity team and further, the demand for our product in the global market. As we continue to expand following our recent launch in the US, we remain committed to innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring we continue to play a key role in digitizing and improving investor communications worldwide."

ENDS

About Proxymity

Proxymity connects the world's ecosystem of issuers, intermediaries, and investors digitally in real-time, bringing unprecedented transparency, efficiency, and accuracy to traditional slower, manually based, processes. Trusted by the world's largest financial institutions, it is the leading digital investor communications platform, servicing customers around the globe. Proxymity's ground-breaking technology has also been recognized industry-wide, with recent awards including AST "Best Asset Servicing Technology 2023" and GC Magazine's "FinTech of the Year (Asia) 2023".

Our solutions give public companies confidence that their AGM/EGM agendas are transmitted as "golden source" and provide institutional investors with the time to research and vote on corporate decisions, as well as actual digital confirmation that their votes have been received. The digital-native platform, built on highly scalable technology, provides full compliance with the latest regulations such as the Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD II).

The company is backed by a global consortium of the industry's most influential financial institutions, representing seven of the world's top ten Global Custodians managing over $200 trillion in assets under custody (BNP Paribas, BNY Mellon, Citi, Computershare, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Borse, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, Mediant, State Street).

For more information, visit www.proxymity.io

Notes to Editors

For more information, please contact:

Sapience Communications: Richard Morgan Evans, Sergio Cortes Allsopp

020 3195 3240 | proxymity@sapiencecomms.co.uk

Contact Information

Sapiene Communications

PR Team

proxymity@sapiencecomms.co.uk

0203 327 8422

SOURCE: Proxymity

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/94-of-ftse-100-overall-shareholder-communications-with-proxymitys-di-1025066
Celonis, the global leader in Process Mining and Process Intelligence, today announced that it has been named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Process Mining Platforms for the third time. Celonis was placed in the Leaders' Quadrant, being positioned highest on the Ability to Execute axis and furthest on the Completeness of Vision axis once again.

"We are honored to be named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Process Mining Platforms for the third year in a row," said Alex Rinke, co-CEO and co-founder of Celonis. "We believe this recognition is a testament to our pioneering product innovation, our system-agnostic Process Intelligence platform, and our impressive global partner network. This recognition wouldn't have been possible without the dedication and commitment of our customers, partners and Celonauts. Looking ahead, what excites me most is the huge potential for Celonis to enable our customers to maximize the ROI from their AI investments."

"Celonis gives us a strategic roadmap for AI. With the visibility provided by process intelligence, we can focus our AI efforts where they'll have the greatest impact on the business," said Brian Dodson, Business Process Improvement Manager and Celonis Center of Excellence lead at Smurfit Westrock, a global leader in sustainable packaging. "For example, with an AI copilot powered by Celonis and built on contextualized, harmonized business data, we're optimizing inventory management, boosting efficiency, and delivering greater value to our operations teams worldwide."

The Celonis Process Intelligence Platform utilizes its Process Intelligence Graph (PI Graph) and object-centric process mining (OCPM) to create a digital twin of the business operations. It provides the essential process knowledge and business context AI needs to be effective for the enterprise, empowering faster, more-informed decisions and impactful actions. Celonis enables companies to maximize the ROI of AI by:

Identifying AI use cases with real business value

Developing agents and copilots with AgentC integrations and APIs

Using pre-built apps from partners powered by PI and AI

Intelligently orchestrating agents, end-to-end processes, alongside existing RPA bots or workflows

Monitoring the business improvements delivered by AI and automation deployments

Beyond the walls of a single company, Celonis extends process optimization across partner organizations through Celonis Networks, enabling shared process transparency and improvement across multi-enterprise processes like supply chains.

To learn more about the latest innovations from Celonis and how they enable companies to realize value from their AI investments read this article Celonis named a Leader on 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant. Process Intelligence Platform fuels AI success and innovation

Notes to editors

The 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant on Process Mining Platforms is available here.

Find more information on Process Mining and the Celonis Process Intelligence Platform here.

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Process Mining Platforms, Tushar Srivastava, Marc Kerremans, David Sugden, 15 April, 2025.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, and MAGIC QUADRANT is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Celonis

Celonis makes processes work for people, companies and the planet. The Celonis Process Intelligence Platform uses industry-leading process mining and AI technology and augments it with business context to give customers a living digital twin of their business operation. It's system-agnostic and without bias, and provides everyone with a common language for understanding and improving businesses. Celonis enables its customers to continuously realize significant value across the top, bottom, and green line.

Celonis is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and New York City, USA, with more than 20 offices worldwide.

2025 Celonis SE. All rights reserved. Celonis and the Celonis "droplet" logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Celonis SE in Germany and other jurisdictions. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508686623/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact

press@celonis.com
Headquarters includes AI Centre of Excellence - the RegBrain AI Lab - and commitment to create 200 new jobs

Multi-million pound investment follows growth at the leading global RegTech, with revenue and employees doubling over the past year

CUBE's customers will benefit from open access to the facilities including RegBrain AI Lab, RegTheatre and RegCinema

LONDON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CUBE, a global leader in Automated Regulatory Intelligence (ARI) and Regulatory Change Management (RCM), has officially opened its new global headquarters located at the iconic City of London building, Tower 42, and confirmed the impressive growth trajectory of the company over the last year - doubling of revenue, employees and the number of countries CUBE now operates in.

The new cutting-edge AI Centre of Excellence, RegBrain AI Lab, signals the multi-million pound investment CUBE is making to advance the role of innovation and AI in regulatory intelligence, compliance and risk across the financial services sector and adjacent regulated industries. Alongside the unveiling of its new headquarters, CUBE has made a commitment to create 200 jobs over the next 12 months, half of which are expected to be based in the UK.

The opening of CUBE's new headquarters follows a transformative year of strong growth, supported by its strategic partnership with Hg, a leading investor in European and Transatlantic software and services businesses. CUBE has increased its revenue by over 200% in the last year and now serves 1,000 customers globally, and has significantly grown its global team footprint - which now stands at 700 employees across 20 countries. In the year CUBE also completed two landmark US-based acquisitions acquiring three regulatory intelligence businesses.

Commenting at the launch of CUBE's new global headquarters, CUBE's Founder & CEO Ben Richmond, said: "We chose an iconic City of London location for our new global headquarters as we believe it's the perfect place to continue CUBE's growth. London is unquestionably a world-class tech hub and a global leader for AI and innovation. We're proud to further build out our global operations and investment from the UK and aim to be a benchmark for building successful global tech businesses here. Our performance in the last year highlights the progress we have made so far."

Since launching in 2011, CUBE has become a leading global regulatory technology company partnering with some of the largest financial institutions globally who leverage CUBE's platform to streamline their complex regulatory intelligence and change management processes. In addition, CUBE recently launched RegPlatform Intel, its latest purpose-built solution to help financial services firms in the mid-market remain compliant in today's ever-changing global regulatory landscape.

Richmond continued: "We've experienced considerable growth over the past year and we wanted a global HQ that reflects the ambition and scale of our expanding team. We want to reimagine the future of work and how we collaborate with customers, which is why we created a space that fosters partnership and drives continuous technological innovation. Our new AI Centre of Excellence - RegBrain AI Lab - will be at the forefront of AI innovation. We will continue to deliver smart, agile solutions for our customers in response to the rapid pace of global regulatory change."

CUBE's base of strategic and long-term customers will benefit from open access to the facilities in its new global headquarters, which not only includes the RegBrain AI Lab but also an innovative RegTheatre and RegCinema. These have been purposefully designed to drive collaboration with industry participants across the financial services sector to progress the role of innovation and AI in compliance and risk.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2682034/CUBE.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cube-opens-new-global-hq-and-ai-centre-of-excellence-in-city-of-london-302449254.html
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. ("West Red Lake Gold" or "WRLG" or the "Company") (TSXV: WRLG) (OTCQB: WRLGF) is pleased to report on sales of the gold produced from the Madsen Mine bulk sample.

To date the Company has sold 2,350 oz. of the 2,498 oz. that were produced in the bulk sample.

The gold was sold at a weighted average gold price of US$3,293 per oz. in sales that took place between late March and early May, for proceeds to date of US$7.7 million.

The remaining gold will be sold on final settlements with the refiner.

QUALIFIED PERSON

The technical information presented in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Maurice Mostert, P.Eng., Vice President of Technical Services for West Red Lake Gold and the Qualified Person for technical services at the West Red Lake Project, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

ABOUT WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES

West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. is a mineral development company that is publicly traded and focused on advancing and developing its flagship Madsen Gold Mine and the associated 47 km2 highly prospective land package in the Red Lake district of Ontario. The highly productive Red Lake Gold District of Northwest Ontario, Canada has yielded over 30 million ounces of gold from high-grade zones and hosts some of the world's richest gold deposits. WRLG also holds the wholly owned Rowan Property in Red Lake, with an expansive property position covering 31 km2 including three past producing gold mines - Rowan, Mount Jamie, and Red Summit.





ON BEHALF OF WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES LTD.

"Shane Williams"

Shane Williams

President & Chief Executive Officer

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Gwen Preston

Vice President Communications

Tel: (604) 609-6132

Email: investors@wrlgold.com or visit the Company's website at https://www.westredlakegold.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT AND FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "planned", and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events. Forward-looking information is based on current expectations of management; however, it is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information in this news release and include without limitation, statements relating to the plans and timing for the potential production of mining operations at the Madsen Mine, the potential (including the amount of tonnes and grades of material from the bulk sample program) of the Madsen Mine; the benefits of test mining; any untapped growth potential in the Madsen deposit or Rowan deposit; and the Company's future objectives and plans. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Company's securities; fluctuations in commodity prices; timing and results of the cleanup and recovery at the Madsen Mine; and changes in the Company's business plans. Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will continue with its stated business objectives and its ability to raise additional capital to proceed. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Additional information about risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024, and the Company's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2024, copies of which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/400440b4-4eed-4a85-b93c-b58f89913dd8
Die Finanzwelt ist im Umbruch! Nach Jahren der Dominanz erschuttert Donald Trumps erratische Wirtschaftspolitik das Fundament des amerikanischen Kapitalismus. Handelskriege, Rekordzolle und politische Isolation haben eine Kapitalflucht historischen Ausmaes ausgelost.



Milliarden stromen aus den USA  und suchen neue, lukrative Ziele. Und genau hier kommt China ins Spiel. Trotz aller Spannungen wachst die chinesische Wirtschaft dynamisch weiter, Innovation und Digitalisierung treiben die Markte an.



Im kostenlosen Spezialreport stellen wir Ihnen 5 Aktien aus China vor, die vom US-Niedergang profitieren und das Potenzial haben, den Markt regelrecht zu uberflugeln. Wer jetzt klug investiert, sichert sich den Zugang zu den neuen Wachstums-Champions von morgen.



Holen Sie sich den neuesten Report! Verpassen Sie nicht, welche 5 Aktien die Konkurrenz aus den USA outperformen durften, und laden Sie sich das Gratis-PDF jetzt kostenlos herunter.



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Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global IoT solutions provider, is collaborating with companies across the integrated SIM (iSIM) value chain to simplify and accelerate iSIM adoption. Quectel, together with Giesecke Devrient (G+D) and Vodafone IoT, have collaborated to streamline iSIM processes, create more tightly integrated market offerings and accelerate iSIM adoption in the manufacturing process.

iSIM offers significant operational cost and flexibility advantages to organisations and as a result, its adoption is significantly increasing. Analyst firm, Juniper Research, estimates that the number of iSIMs installed in connected devices globally will increase from 800,000 in 2024 to more than 10 million by 20261. This prediction covers the introductory phase of the technology, with the firm estimating that the number of iSIM connections will grow to 210 million by 2028 when take-up of the technology becomes more widespread.

The iSIM is set to transform IoT by offering a future-proof, tamper-resistant solution that is adaptable with new network technologies. Despite its advantages, some device manufacturers have faced challenges integrating iSIM due to having to contract with multiple network providers to ensure devices are compatible in individual countries and regions.

By combining the capabilities of Quectel, Vodafone IoT, and Giesecke+Devrient, the iSIM adoption process is significantly simplified creating a unified, streamlined iSIM solution that automatically connects in over 180 countries worldwide using Vodafone's extensive global IoT network. For large scale IoT deployments, this can result in significant cost savings as engineers are not needed to set up or manually configure devices.

"By working together to deliver iSIM we are breaking down the barriers to mass-scale adoption and helping to smooth the path to iSIM for customers across the globe," commented Dominik Hierl, SVP Sales EMEA, Quectel Wireless Solutions. "We see iSIM as a transformative innovation that will reduce costs, accelerate time to market and limit friction and management burdens across IoT. iSIM enablement is a further foundational capability for Quectel as we help customers build a smarter world."

"At G+D we recognize the important role iSIM will play and have already been at the forefront of other iSIM firsts in the world of connectivity and IoT. As such we're always excited to partner with other like-minded experts to take solutions in this market to the next level," said BeeGek Lim, Head of Business Line Digital Offerings at G+D.

Substantial savings can be made by organisations who use iSIMs because they lower the bill of materials (BOM) cost by removing the need for traditional SIM cards. In addition, by adding iSIM to chipsets or modules, the number of components required can be reduced, with fewer vendors involved thereby reducing the overall complexity of production and size of the device.

About Quectel

Quectel's passion for a smarter world drives us to accelerate IoT innovation. A highly customer-centric organization, we are a global IoT solutions provider backed by outstanding support and services. Our growing global team of 5,600 professionals sets the pace for innovation in cellular, GNSS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules as well as antennas and services.

With regional offices and support across the globe, our international leadership is devoted to advancing IoT and helping build a smarter world.

For more information, please visit: www.quectel.com, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

About Giesecke+Devrient

Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) is a global SecurityTech company headquartered in Munich, Germany. G+D makes the lives of billions of people more secure. The company shapes trust in the digital age, with built-in security technology in three segments: Digital Security, Financial Platforms and Currency Technology.

G+D was founded in 1852 and today has a workforce of more than 14,000 employees. In the fiscal year 2023, the company generated a turnover of 3 billion euros. G+D is represented by 123 subsidiaries and joint ventures in 40 countries. Further information: www.gi-de.com.

About Vodafone IoT

Vodafone IoT is a global leader in managed IoT connectivity services. With over 200 million devices connected across more than 180 countries, we provide businesses with reliable and secure IoT solutions, enabling them to effectively manage, monitor, and operate their IoT devices.

Our extensive network partnerships, spanning over 760 networks worldwide, allows us to deliver global IoT solutions that empower businesses to digitalise, transform and maximise the benefits of IoT.

By adopting IoT, businesses can benefit from smarter resource management, reducing emissions, and enhancing operational efficiency helping them to operate more sustainably.

For more information, please visit Vodafone IOT, follow us on X at @VodafoneIoT or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/vodafoneIoT.

_________________________ 1 https://www.juniperresearch.com/press/pressreleasesover-10m-global-isim-devices-forecast-within-two-years/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508880035/en/

Contacts:

Media contact: media@quectel.com
A day of expert panels and prestigious honours for the UK's most impactful health innovations

LONDON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Galien Foundation, the premier global institution dedicated to honouring innovators in life sciences, is proud to announce the Prix Galien UK Forum and Awards Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, 5 June, 2025, in London.

Celebrating excellence in life sciences, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical innovation, the 2025 event will bring together industry leaders, researchers, policymakers, and patient advocates to engage in meaningful dialogue on the future of health and medicine. The Forum, hosted at the Science Museum, will feature a full day of thought-provoking panels, followed by the prestigious Prix Galien UK Awards Ceremony at the Natural History Museum, featuring this year's illustrious keynote speaker, Roland Sinker, CBE, Chief Executive of the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The 2025 Forum will also include two keynote presentations from Prof. Ara Darzi, Baron Darzi of Denham, Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery and Co-Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London, and Dr. Tony Wood, Chief Scientific Officer, GSK. This year's Forum panels will tackle some of the most pressing and promising areas of health innovation, including:

Panel 1: Advances in International HTA Collaboration: How will joint clinical assessments impact patient access to medicines in Europe?

Chair: Dr. Mel Walker , Life Sciences Strategic Advisor and CEO, Access InVivo

Panelists: Niklas Hedberg , Chief Pharmacist at the Swedish national governmental authority, the Dental and Pharmaceuticals Benefits Agency and Co-Chair, the EU Member States Coordination Group under HTAR Dr. Sam Roberts , Chief Executive, NICE Dr. Gregory Rossi , Senior Vice President Head of Oncology Europe and Canada, AstraZeneca Valentina Strammiello , Director of Strategic Initiatives at the European Patients Forum Dr. Steffen Thirstrup , Chief Medical Officer at European Medicines Agency



Panel 2: Advances in Individualised Medicine: Are breakthrough therapies for ultra rare diseases within reach?

Chair: Dame June Raine , Former Chief Executive, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

Panelists: Avril Daly , President of EURORDIS Dr. Gregory Friberg , Chief Research & Development Officer, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Dame Sue Hill , CSO for England, Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS Dr. Janet Woodcock , Former Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Prof. Matthew Wood , Professor of Neuroscience, Deputy Head Medical Sciences Division (Innovation), University of Oxford, Director and Chief Scientific Officer Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre, Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine



Panel 3: Advances in Treatment for Obesity and its Co-Morbidities: Global Challenges and Opportunities for Prevention and Population Health

Chair: Naveed Sattar , Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine, University of Glasgow, and Chair of Obesity Healthcare Goals Programme

Panelists: Prof. Rachel Batterham , Senior Vice President of International Medical Affairs at Eli Lilly and Company Prof. Melanie Davies , Professor of Diabetes Medicine, University of Leicester Prof. Simon Griffin , Professor of General Practice, University of Cambridge Vicki Mooney , Executive Director, European Coalition for People living with Obesity



Panel 4: Advances in the Treatment of Symptoms in Mental Health/Mood Disorders: How can healthcare systems deliver solutions at scale to address the global mental health crisis?

Chair: Prof. Kathryn Abel , Mental Health Mission Co-Chair; European Research Council Fellow and National Institutes of Health Research Senior Investigator

Panelists: Prof. Michael Browning , Lead of Mood Disorders Translational Research Collaboration, Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist and Professor of Computational Psychiatry at the University of Oxford Andrew Grill , Actionable Futurist and Bestselling Author of Digitally Curious Dr. Vanessa Pinfold , Co-Founder/Research Director, McPin Foundation and Chair of the Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders Catherine Owen Adams , CEO Acadia Pharma Sanket Shah , President & Board Member, Otsuka Precision Health



"The Prix Galien UK Forum and Awards Ceremony represents a vital opportunity to spotlight the trailblazers who are redefining the future of global health. By bringing together the world's top scientists, innovators, and advocates, we not only celebrate life-changing achievements but also foster the cross-sector collaboration needed to drive the next wave of discovery. It is an honour to support and recognise those who work tirelessly to improve the human condition," said Bruno Cohen, Chairman of The Galien Foundation.

Following the Galien Forum, the Prix Galien Awards Ceremony will honour winners in the following categories: "Best Pharmaceutical Product," "Best Biotechnology Product," "Best Digital Health Solution," "Best Medical Technology Product," "Best Public Sector Innovation," and "Best Health Equity Innovation."

"As science advances at an extraordinary pace, events like the Prix Galien UK Forum and Awards Ceremony are essential in highlighting and celebrating how research can be translated into real-world health impact," said Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, David Weatherall Chair of Medicine, University of Liverpool; NHS Chair of Pharmacogenetics, Chair of the Prix Galien UK Committee. "From personalised medicine to equitable access, we have the tools and the knowledge to transform patient care across the globe. It is a privilege to contribute to a platform that champions innovation with purpose."

To learn more about the Prix Galien UK Forum and register to attend, please visit: https://www.galienfoundation.org/galien-forum-uk-2025-program

About The Galien Foundation

The Galien Foundation fosters, recognises and rewards excellence in scientific innovation to improve the state of human health. Our vision is to be the catalyst for the development of the next generation of innovative treatments and technologies that will impact the state of medical practice and save lives.

The Galien Foundation oversees and directs the Prix Galien's activities in the UK as part of an international awards program dedicated to advancing innovative medicines development. The Prix Galien operates through chapters in 14 countries and Africa, with a new chapter launched in India in 2024 and plans for Prix Galien Japan in 2026. The Prix Galien was created in 1970 by Roland Mehl in honour of Galien, the father of medical science and modern pharmacology. Worldwide, the Prix Galien is regarded as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in biopharmaceutical research.

For more information, visit www.galienfoundation.org .

Follow the Foundation on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/GalienFoundation/

https://twitter.com/GalienFdn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-galien-foundation/

Media Contact (UK):

Julian Tyndale-Biscoe

Finn Partners

Julian.Tyndale-biscoe@finnpartners.com

+44 20 3217 7060

Media Contact (Global):

Kara Bradley

Finn Partners

Kara.Bradley@finnpartners.com

646-213-7243

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Perth, Western Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Krakatoa Resources (ASX: KTA) is pleased to announce the company is participating in the upcoming 121 Mining Investment Conference in London. Mark Major, CEO of Krakatoa Resources will be presenting about the Company's recent and future planned activities.

121 Mining Investment London will be hosting over 110 mining companies and more than 650 sophisticated investors for two days of pre-arranged, targeted 1-2-1 meetings.

Alongside the curated schedule of pre-booked meetings matching investors with appropriate projects, the conference programme will provide expert commentary and the latest market intelligence on key industry developments.

This year's event is being held on May 12-13.

Any investors who would like to attend 121 Mining Investment London can register for a free pass here.

About 121 Mining Investment

The 121 Mining Investment global event series connects portfolio managers and analysts from institutional funds, private equity groups and family offices with mining company management teams for 1-2-1, private in-person meetings.

121 Mining Investment has an ever-expanding global portfolio, currently covering London, New York, Cape Town, Dubai and Singapore, as well as online editions throughout the year.

About Krakatoa Resources

Krakatoa Resources is advancing the high-grade antimony and gold Zopkhito Project in Georgia. Krakatoa is commencing exploration work to turn the high-grade foreign resource in to a JORC Resource, with modelling supporting the continuation of the Sb-Au system to depths well below previous exploration and potential for parallel mineralisation veins untouched by exploration. We look forward to meeting with key stakeholders and investors.

SOURCE: 121 Mining Investment Conference
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Contour Design, a global leader in ergonomic computer input devices, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Active Key business from Cherry SE. Active Key, based in Germany, is a recognized provider of high-quality, specialized keyboards and mice designed for environments where cleanliness, durability, and reliability are critical, including medical and industrial spaces.

The acquisition significantly broadens Contour Design's product portfolio and expands Contour's leadership in workplace health and safety solutions. By integrating Active Key's expertise in hygiene-oriented technology with Contour's ergonomic innovation, the company will offer an even broader, more comprehensive product portfolio to its global customer base.

"This acquisition is a pivotal moment for Contour Design, aligning perfectly with our mission to enhance health and safety at workplaces," said Erik Stannow, Chairman of the Board at Contour Design. "Active Key's deep expertise in hygienic input devices complements our ergonomic strengths, allowing us to meet the growing demands of health-conscious industries."

Kenneth Nielsen, CEO of Contour Design, commented, "We're happy to welcome Active Key to the Contour Design family. Their strong portfolio and commitment to product quality match our own. Together, we will accelerate innovation and broaden our reach - particularly in Europe, North America, and the Middle East. This acquisition strengthens our position in health and safety solutions while enhancing our capability to serve multiple sectors."

While the transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks, Contour and Cherry agreed on a transition process aimed at securing long-term potential and operational continuity of Active Key business.

Contour Design remains firmly focused on its core ergonomic product lines which continue to be the foundation of the business. Active Key will be introduced as a complementary brand within the Contour portfolio, ensuring continuity for existing customers and enriching the company's offering. The integration, which includes the dedicated Active Key team and associated assets, will leverage the combined strengths of both entities in product development, market reach, and distribution channels.

The acquisition, which includes all relevant employees and assets, is expected to close in the coming weeks, subject to regulatory approvals. Cherry SE and Contour Design are working collaboratively to ensure a seamless transition. Contour Design is majority-owned by Polaris Private Equity.

About Contour Design: Contour Design is a leader in developing, designing, and marketing innovative ergonomic input devices, including RollerMouse, UniMouse and SliderMouse. Trusted by professionals worldwide for over 30 years, Contour products are engineered to reduce physical strain, prevent injuries, and enhance comfort and productivity during computer use. Contour Design is majority-owned by Polaris Private Equity.

About Cherry SE: Cherry SE is a global manufacturer of computer input devices such as keyboards, mice, microphones, and headsets for applications in office, gaming, and industry for hybrid work, as well as hardware and software solutions in digital healthcare. Since its founding in 1953, CHERRY has been synonymous with innovative and durable high-quality products developed in-house specifically to meet customer needs.

Contact

Contour Design Nordic A/S

Sefer Soylemez

Chief Marketing Officer

Adress: Nyropsgade 43, 1sal, 1602 Copenhagen, Denmark

Tel: +45 41 508781

E: press@contourdesign.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.

https://news.cision.com/contour-design-nordic-a-s/r/contour-design-signs-agreement-to-acquire-active-key-business-from-cherry-se,c4146834

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/23754/4146834/3434870.pdf Press release (PDF)

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Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSX: CNQ) (NYSE: CNQ) announces that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on its common shares of C$0.5875 (fifty-eight and three quarter cents). The dividend will be payable on July 3, 2025 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 13, 2025.

As previously announced, in March 2025 the Board of Directors increased the quarterly dividend by 4% per common share. Canadian Natural's growing and sustainable dividend demonstrates the confidence that the Board of Directors has in the sustainability of our business model, our strong balance sheet and the strength of our diverse, long life low decline reserves and asset base. The Company's leading track record of growing and sustainable dividend continues, with 2025 being the 25th consecutive year of dividend increases with a compound annual growth rate ("CAGR") of 21% over that time.

Canadian Natural is a senior crude oil and natural gas production company, with continuing operations in its core areas located in Western Canada, the U.K. portion of the North Sea and Offshore Africa.

CANADIAN NATURAL RESOURCES LIMITED

T (403) 517-6700 F (403) 517-7350 E ir@cnrl.com

2100, 855 - 2 Street S.W. Calgary, Alberta, T2P 4J8

www.cnrl.com



SCOTT G. STAUTH

President



VICTOR C. DAREL

Chief Financial Officer



LANCE J. CASSON

Manager, Investor Relations



Trading Symbol - CNQ

Toronto Stock Exchange

New York Stock Exchange

Certain information regarding the Company contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Such statements are subject to known or unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Refer to our website for detailed forward-looking statements and notes regarding Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures at www.cnrl.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251222

SOURCE: Canadian Natural Resources Limited
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Provenance Gold Corp. (CSE: PAU) (OTCQB: PVGDF) (the "Company" or "Provenance") is pleased to announce a significant expansion of the land package at the Eldorado project in eastern Oregon through a combination of staking and an option agreement that increases the size of the package by 4529.25 acres (18.33 km2). The total area of the Eldorado package is now approximately 5670 acres (22.95 km2) and covers a district-scale land position in highly prospective geology.

Acquisition Highlights

The Company has been granted an option to acquire 100% of the Sunday Hill Property on the terms outlined below, through an option agreement encompassing 10 mineral claims covering 198.4 acres (0.80 km 2 ) (Figure 1).

The historical Sunday Hill Mine located within the Sunday Hill Property was drilled and re-evaluated by Capri Resources in the 1980's. Capri reported a near-surface gold-bearing zone averaging 23.15 g/t gold with a historical resource of 231,000 tons. The zone was reported to be within 10.7 meters of the surface, 7.6 meters thick, widening to 18.3 meters at its deepest underground exposure, 61 meters down dip (Hogg, 1927). The gold horizon remains open in all directions (Castleon Summary Report., 1993).

Additionally, the historical Randall Mine which reportedly hosts another near-surface open-ended gold zone containing a historical resource of 207,000 tons at a grade of 8 g/t gold, is located 500 meters south of the Sunday Hill gold deposit (Report on the Sunday Hill and Adjacent Mines, Malheur County Oregon, F. Holcapek Professional Engineer, May, 1935). A historical surface soil map prepared by Capri shows a gold enriched soil zone that connects the Sunday Hill and Randall deposits and extends beyond the edge of the soil grid.

The above referenced resource estimates for mine sites on the Sunday Hill Property are considered historical in nature, are based on prior data prepared by a previous property owner, and do not conform to current CIM categories. While the Company considers the estimates to be reliable, a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current resources in accordance with current CIM categories and the Company is not treating the historical estimates as a current resource. Significant data compilation, re-drilling, re-sampling and data verification may be required by a qualified person before the historical estimates can be classified as current resources. There can be no assurance that any of the historical mineral resources, in whole or in part, will ever become economically viable. In addition, mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Company is not aware of any more recent estimate prepared for the Sunday Hill Property.

Capri reported that in 1926 "a weighted average for 21 samples of 5.75 g/t gold" was sampled across a 1189 by 152-meter area of altered diorite that is located proximal to the Sunday Hill and Randall Mines (PR by Capris Resource Ltd. April 4,1984).

Staked 285 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mineral claims covering 4330.85 acres (17.53 km 2 ) known as Eldorado East, approximately 5 km east of the core Eldorado property (Figure 1).

Staked 14 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mineral claims covering 260 acres (1.05 km 2) approximately 1 km northeast of the core Eldorado property (Figure 1).

Historical reports dating back as early as the 1920s and 1930s report numerous locations and zones of strong gold mineralization, including projected bulk-tonnage mineralization across the new claims, extending far beyond Sunday Hill.

Historical geological studies reported that the historic mines and prospects across the new claim area hosted high-grade mineralization in strongly altered diorite, and also in the metasedimentary rocks adjacent to the diorite. Geologists and miners at the time were looking for high-grade underground deposits but described pervasively mineralized diorite over extensive areas.

The numerous historical mines, prospect pits and evidence of intense wide-spread historic placer mining across the expanse of this new acquisition area testify to the major potential of this new acquisition and solidify Provenance's position as an early key player in this new district.

Figure 1 - Eldorado Project Land Status. The Mormon Basin surrounds Sunday Hill and extends southward and southeastward to include much of the new acquisition area. Several historical prospects and historic placer mining extend beyond the Mormon Basin and across the span of the new claims.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5654/251264_c06926d824fcbb76_001full.jpg

Project Highlights

The Eldorado and Eldorado East claim blocks are both located within a large northeast-trending structural zone that hosts mineralized diorite bodies exposed at surface. Provenance has recognized a very strong correlation between these diorite bodies, including their margins with historic lode gold and gold placer deposits along this broad structural zone. Provenance believes these diorite bodies are related and possibly connected at depth. Further, the reported structural style of these diorites matches that seen at Eldorado (Figure 2).

Within this gold-bearing structural zone, one area on the southwestern margin of a large diorite intrusion stands out with its exceptional number of historic lode and placer deposits. Many, even minor side drainages in this area, have been historically placer mined. This important area is named the Mormon Basin and extends across much of Provenance's new claim block. The Mormon Basin hosts numerous historic high-grade lode and placer gold mines dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s but it has seen very little systematic or modern exploration. Provenance believes the Mormon Basin hosts extensive undiscovered bulk gold mineralization similar to that already confirmed at Eldorado.

Additionally, historical descriptions of these gold deposits describe very similar excellent metallurgical recoveries of the gold, with abundant free-milling gold and recoveries of plus-90 percent by utilizing combined gravity and floatation (Castleon Summary Report., 1993).

Provenance believes the near-surface historical gold mineralization in and around the Mormon Basin is part of a potentially large bulk gold system that includes both the original Eldorado and the new Eldorado East expansion. The Company has begun initial ground truthing, data compilation and review work.

Rauno Perttu, Provenance's CEO, stated, "We have an exceptional project in Eldorado that continues to get better with additional exploration. We have just initiated our new drilling program to expand the already known gold system. We recognize the size and potential of this original area which is a key part of what we believe is a new large scale gold district. While we remain focused on expanding and exploring the significant already known potential at Eldorado, we are delighted to be able to secure the Eldorado East land including the Sunday Hill Property, making this a new district scale opportunity. Provenance has an advanced property at Eldorado, that we are continuing to expand and define. With this acquisition and expansion, we believe we additionally control what may become the next major discovery in this new district. The back loaded nature of the terms of this option agreement mean there is no material impact on the Company's available funds for the initial RC drilling program which is fully funded."

Figure 2 - Photo of a historic mine pit face shows the pervasive mineralized veining in the diorite. Gold invaded the diorite along these fractures, creating bulk tonnage and locally high-grade mineralization.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5654/251264_c06926d824fcbb76_002full.jpg

Option Agreement for the Sunday Hill claims within Eldorado East

The Company has signed a binding option for the Sunday Hill Project from Nevada Select Royalty, Inc. ("Nevada Select"). Nevada Select is an arms-length subsidiary of Gold Royalty Corp. (NYSE: GROY), a leading growth and Americas-focused precious metals royalty company.

The Company has been granted an option to acquire the Sunday Hill Project, which Eldorado East encompasses for total consideration of US$400,000, which is payable as follows:

$35,000 on or before June 18 th 2025

2025 $45,000 on or before February 18 th 2026

2026 $45,000 on or before February 18 th 2027

2027 $75,000 on or before February 18 th 2028

2028 $100,000 on or before February 18 th 2029

2029 $100,000 on or before February 18th 2030

Upon exercise of the option, the Company will grant to Nevada Select a 3% royalty on net smelter returns from the project. 1% of this royalty can be bought back for US$2,000,000.

Qualified Person

The technical content disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Jo Price, P.Geo., M.Sc., a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

About Provenance Gold Corp.

Provenance Gold Corp. is a precious metals exploration company with a focus on gold and silver mineralization within North America. The Company currently holds interests in Nevada, and eastern Oregon, USA.

Provenance is also active on social media and invites investors to follow us on X to stay up to date with our latest news and developments:

https://x.com/ProvenanceGold

On behalf of the Board,

Provenance Gold Corp.

Rauno Perttu, Chief Executive Officer

Safe Harbor Statement: Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange, nor its regulation services provider, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251264

SOURCE: Provenance Gold Corp.
Scottsdale, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Defyne MD, a premier aesthetics and regenerative medicine practice led by board-certified plastic and reconstructive microsurgeon Dr. Oren Tessler, MD, proudly introduces state-of-the-art fat grafting treatments that redefine natural beauty and long-term wellness. Defyne MD offers state-of-the-art solutions that use the patient's own fat to enhance contours, restore volume, and improve skin quality.

These advanced procedures, ranging from cellulite reduction to breast augmentation, are performed while patients are awake, ensuring a safer, more comfortable experience without the risks of general anesthesia.

"At Defyne MD, we go beyond traditional aesthetics to offer solutions that integrate beauty with long-term health," said Dr. Tessler. "Fat grafting is not just about restoring volume, it's about harnessing the body's regenerative power to improve skin quality, symmetry, and overall well-being. These procedures allow us to achieve results that are both transformative and sustainable."

Defyne MD Unveils the Latest Breakthroughs in Fat Grafting Innovations

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/251272_eaa0c89d34cf18a7_002full.jpg

Defyne MD's cutting-edge fat grafting treatments include:

A Technology for Flawless Skin: Address cellulite at its root with A Technology, a groundbreaking method that utilizes fat-derived regenerative cells to smooth dimples and enhance skin texture. This non-invasive solution delivers visibly firmer, more youthful skin.

EVFT Breast Augmentation: Experience the future of breast augmentation with the Enhanced Volume Fat Transfer (EVFT) method. This innovative approach uses the patient's own fat to create naturally beautiful contours without implants, ensuring stunning, long-lasting results.

AlloClae Skin Rejuvenation: Rejuvenate and tighten skin with AlloClae technology, a transformative treatment combining fat grafting and regenerative science. Achieve improved volume, elasticity, and tone for a radiant, youthful glow.

Fat Banking for Future Treatments: Secure your aesthetic and medical future with fat banking. Defyne is the first fat banking clinic in the Southwest. This advanced process preserves fat extracted during liposuction for later use, reducing the need for repeated procedures, ensuring convenience, and providing access to younger, healthier cells for a variety of applications.

Defyne MD is redefining beauty and regenerative care with cutting-edge fat grafting treatments that deliver personalized, natural results to enhance aesthetics and overall well-being.

"Fat grafting is a regenerative therapy that enhances skin health and provides a sustainable alternative to synthetic fillers and implants," said Dr. Tessler. "With fat banking, we're empowering patients to plan for their future, ensuring they always have access to their own natural tissue for aesthetic and medical treatments."

Unlike traditional fat grafting techniques that require general anesthesia, Defyne MD's innovative approach allows patients to remain awake during the procedure, offering:

Reduced risks associated with general anesthesia

Faster recovery and minimal downtime

A comfortable, in-office experience with no hospital stay

"Our approach prioritizes patient safety, comfort, and long-term results," said Dr. Tessler. "By performing these procedures while patients are awake, we not only enhance the recovery process but also provide a more precise and natural outcome tailored to each individual's needs."

Advancing the Future of Regenerative Aesthetics Fat grafting at Defyne MD goes beyond simple cosmetic enhancement. It represents a shift toward regenerative, sustainable beauty solutions. The ability to bank fat for future use ensures that patients have ongoing access to their own natural tissue for aesthetic and medical treatments, reducing the need for synthetic fillers or repeat liposuction procedures.

"As plastic surgeons, we're shaping the future of aesthetics and regenerative care," said Dr. Tessler. "With fat banking, patients are empowered to take control of their aesthetic journey, ensuring they have access to the most advanced and natural solutions available."

For more information, please visit DefyneMD.com.

About the company: More about Dr. Tessler and Defyne Plastic Surgery: Dr. Oren Tessler, MD, is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive microsurgeon and the founder of Defyne, a Phoenix and Scottsdale-based practice transforming plastic surgery through minimally invasive, technology-driven solutions. Known for the proprietary Defyne Method, Dr. Tessler delivers personalized, regenerative results without general anesthesia, ensuring less downtime and natural-looking outcomes tailored to each patient's unique goals. With an MD/MBA from McGill University and advanced training at Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Tessler combines expertise with innovation. His career highlights include over 30 publications, groundbreaking contributions like the first complete hand transplant at Massachusetts General, and a nomination to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' National Autologous Breast Reconstruction Workgroup. At Defyne, he empowers patients with a holistic, patient-first approach to aesthetic care. For more information, visit DefyneMD.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251272

SOURCE: Plentisoft
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / MFE-MEDIAFOREUROPE N.V. ("MFE") today published the offer document for its voluntary public takeover offer ("Offer") for the shares of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE (ISIN: DE000PSM7770) ("ProSieben") following the approval by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, "BaFin").

The offer document (in German and a non-binding English translation), the exemption document pursuant to Article 1, para. 4, lit. f), and para. 5, lit. e), of the EU Regulation No. 2017/1129 on prospectus requirements (relating to the offering and admission to trading of the newly-issued MFE A shares) and other information pertaining to the Offer are published on the following website: https://www.mfemediaforeurope.com/en/governance/voluntary-public-takeover-offer-to-the-shareholders-of-prosiebensat-1-media-se/.

Further, as of today, copies of the German version of the offer document and respective non-binding English convenience translations will be held for dispatch free of charge at BNP Paribas S.A., Niederlassung Deutschland, Senckenberganlage 19, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany (inquiries via email to frankfurt.gct.operations@bnpparibas.com indicating a complete mailing address or email address).

Amsterdam-Cologno Monzese, 8 May 2025

Department of Communications and Media Relations

Tel. +39 022514.9301

e-mail: press@mfemediaforeurope.eu

http://www.mfemediaforeurope.com

Investor Relations Department

Tel. +39 022514.8200

e-mail: investor.relations@mfemediaforeurope.eu

http://www.mfemediaforeurope.com

MFE-MEDIAFOREUROPE is an international holding company that brings together Europe's leading commercial broadcasters. MFE-MEDIAFOREUROPE is based in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, and fiscal resident in Italy. It controls Mediaset S.p.A. and Grupo Audiovisual Mediaset Espana Comunicacion (both fiscal resident in their respective countries) and is the main shareholder of the German broadcaster ProsiebenSat1. MFE-MEDIAFOREUROPE is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (Ticker: MFEA, MFEB) and on the Spanish Stock Exchanges (Ticker: MFEA).

Important Notice

This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell ProSieben shares. The final terms of the takeover offer, as well as other provisions relating to the takeover offer are set out solely in the offer document authorized for publication by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht). Investors and holders of ProSieben shares are strongly advised to read the offer document and all other documents relating to the takeover offer as soon as they have been made public, as they will contain important information. The offer document for the takeover offer (in German and a non-binding English translation) with the detailed terms and conditions and other information on the takeover offer are published amongst other information on the internet at https://www.mfemediaforeurope.com/en/governance/voluntary-public-takeover-offer-to-the-shareholders-of-prosiebensat-1-media-se/. The takeover offer will be implemented exclusively on the basis of the applicable provisions of German law, in particular the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act (Wertpapiererwerbs- und Ubernahmegesetz - WpUG), and certain securities law provisions of the United States of America relating to cross-border takeover offers. The takeover offer will not be conducted in accordance with the legal requirements of jurisdictions other than the Federal Republic of Germany or the United States of America (as and to the extent applicable). Accordingly, no notices, filings, approvals or authorizations for the takeover offer have been filed, caused to be filed or granted outside the Federal Republic of Germany or the United States of America (as and to the extent applicable). Investors and holders of ProSieben shares cannot rely on being protected by the investor protection laws of any jurisdiction other than the Federal Republic of Germany or the United States of America (as and to the extent applicable). Subject to the exceptions described in the offer document and, where applicable, any exemptions to be granted by the respective regulatory authorities, no takeover offer will be made, directly or indirectly, in those jurisdictions in which this would constitute a violation of applicable law. This press release may not be released or otherwise distributed in whole or in part, in any jurisdiction in which the takeover offer would be prohibited by applicable law. The Bidder reserves the right, to the extent permitted by law, to directly or indirectly acquire additional ProSieben shares outside the takeover offer on or off the stock exchange, provided that such acquisitions or arrangements to acquire will comply with the applicable German statutory provisions, in particular the WpUG, and Rule 14e-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act"), and the offer price is increased in accordance with the WpUG, to match any consideration paid outside of the takeover offer if higher than the offer price. Shareholders should be aware that the Bidder may purchase securities, for example, in open market or privately negotiated purchases. If such acquisitions take place, information on such acquisitions, including the number of ProSieben shares acquired or to be acquired and the consideration paid or agreed, will be published in German and in a non-binding English translation without undue delay if and to the extent required under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, the United States or any other relevant jurisdiction. The takeover offer will be made for the securities of a German company admitted to trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and Luxembourg Stock Exchange (Bourse de Luxembourg) and will be subject to the disclosure requirements, rules and practices applicable to companies listed in the Federal Republic of Germany, which are different from those of the United States and other jurisdictions in certain material respects. The financial information relating to the Bidder and ProSieben included elsewhere, including in the offer document, are prepared in accordance with provisions applicable in the Federal Republic of Germany and are not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States; therefore, it may not be comparable to financial information relating to United States companies or companies from other jurisdictions outside the Federal Republic of Germany. The takeover offer will be made in the United States pursuant to Section 14(e) of, and Regulation 14E under, the Exchange Act (subject to certain exemptions therefrom), and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. Shareholders from the United States should note that ProSieben is not listed on a United States securities exchange, is not subject to the periodic requirements of the Exchange Act and is not required to, and does not, file any reports with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Any contract entered into with the Bidder as a result of the acceptance of the takeover offer will be governed exclusively by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be difficult for shareholders from the United States (or from elsewhere outside of Germany) to enforce certain rights and claims arising under United States federal securities laws (or other laws they are acquainted with) since the Bidder and ProSieben are located outside the United States (or the jurisdiction where the shareholder resides), and some or all of their respective officers and directors reside outside the United States (or the jurisdiction where the shareholder resides). Shareholders of ProSieben may not be able to sue a non-United States company or its officers or directors in a non-United States court for violations of United States securities laws. It also may be difficult to compel a non-United States company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a United States court's judgment. To the extent that this press release contains forward-looking statements, they are not statements of fact and are identified by the words "intend", "will" and similar expressions. These statements express the intentions, beliefs or current expectations and assumptions of the Bidder and the persons acting jointly with it. Such forward- looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections made by the Bidder and the persons acting jointly with it to the best of their knowledge, but are not guarantees of future accuracy (this applies in particular to circumstances beyond the control of the Bidder or the persons acting jointly with it). Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and are usually beyond the Bidder's control or the control of the persons acting jointly with it. It should be taken into account that actual results or consequences in the future may differ materially from those indicated or contained in the forward-looking statements. It cannot be ruled out that the Bidder and the persons acting jointly with it will in future change their intentions and estimates stated in documents or notifications or in the offer document.

SOURCE: MFE-MEDIAFOREUROPE N.V.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/publishing-and-media/acceptance-period-for-mfes-voluntary-public-takeover-offer-for-prosieben-comme-1025347
BANGKOK, May 8, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - After a hugely successful 2024 edition last November, DigiTech ASEAN Thailand & AI Connect 2025 - The Southeast Asian "Digital Solutions for Business" exhibition and networking platform for the global tech and digital markets - is set to return bigger and better in Bangkok, Thailand at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre from 19-21 November 2025.The recently concluded 2024 edition attracted over 8,600 trade visitors from 44 countries, with over 350 technology exhibitors and brands from 10 countries showcasing their cutting-edge solutions. There were over 1,500 business-matching meetings held between trade buyers and sellers. The event also saw the conduct of over 70 well- attended conference sessions conducted by over 90 industry gurus.This year, DigiTech ASEAN & AI Connect 2025 will continue to serve as a key industry gathering and market platform to present the latest digital and AI solutions for businesses across ASEAN. This event provides digital and technology vendors with an effective "face-to-face" opportunity to engage with their targeted markets across 6 key sectors, namely, Business Software, Cybersecurity, E-Commerce & Digital Marketing, Data & Cloud, Smart Solutions and IoT and Artificial Intelligence.Ms. Peerayaphan Pongsanam, Assistant Director of IMPACT Exhibition Management Co., Ltd., the organiser said, "DigiTech ASEAN Thailand and AI Connect 2025 is about facilitating business deals, partnerships, collaborations, and networking for the global tech and digital industry. This 3-day event also provides the platform for the industry to exchange views and stay updated on the latest trends and market opportunities."Thailand offers robust growth in digital and AI sectors, supported by government initiatives and a tech-savvy population. The country's digital economy is projected to contribute 30% of GDP by 2030, driven by rapid digital transformations, emergence of new technologies, and growing demands for digital tools and solutions. The current value of Thailand's digital economy is estimated to be at US$30 billion (2023).On internet and mobile penetration, Thailand has over 57 million internet users or 82% of its population, with mobile penetrations exceeding 130%. Its AI market is seeing rapid growth with a market size of US$200 million (2023), growing at a CAGR of 20% to 25% through 2027. At the same time, the E-Commerce sector is growing at 15% annually.As Thailand continues to "push its 4.0 economy agenda with focus on digital transformation and cloud adoption, it has seen over 50% growth in the numbers of data centres, over the last three years, making it" third in ASEAN with the most numbers of data centres. In 2024, there were more than 30 data centre investment projects approved by Thailand's Board of Investment, amounting to over THB 100 billion. Another THB 260 billion of investments in this sector is in the pipeline over the next three years.Overall, the Southeast Asian technology market sector is experiencing rapid growth as businesses look towards adopting digital solutions to enhance their efficiency, profitability and competiveness. The SME software market alone is expected to grow at a CAGR OF 7%, valued at US$12.9 billion, while the AI market will grow at a CAGR of 18% by 2032. These projections indicate robust market growth for the Southeast Asian tech industry, augmented by supportive government initiatives that encourage businesses to hasten their adoption of digital technologies.For years now, DigiTech ASEAN & AI Connect is organized to support and facilitate this market growth environment. Ms. Paphatsarin Wongphanusap, Head of Recruitment Services at Protoss Technology Co., Ltd., a regular exhibitor, said, "This is our third consecutive year at DigiTech ASEAN Thailand, and each year we have gained new customers and partners. This year, we witnessed even greater international interest, making it an especially vibrant event."Echoing similar sentiment, Mr. Namya Wayuparb, Managing Director of Kintone (Thailand) Co., Ltd., said, "We have been participating every year, and it's clear that interests in digital transformation is growing in the Thai market. I will like to encourage everyone to explore Kintone in the upcoming edition to discover what we have to offer."The importance of DigiTech ASEAN and AI Connect is underscored by the fact that the event is hosted by two Thai ministries, namely Ministry of Digital Economy & Society and Ministry of Higher Education, Service, Research and Innovation, along with many local and international partners and supporting organisations.The 2025 edition of DigiTech ASEAN Thailand and AI Connect will take place at Hall 7 and Hall 8, IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre, Bangkok, Thailand from 19th to 21st November 2025.For more information, please visit www.digitechasean.comNOTES TO EDITORS: Download the high-resolution images at this link:https://tinyurl.com/yyfc3py4About IMPACT Exhibition Management Co. Ltd.IMPACT Exhibition Management Co., Ltd. is the leading exhibition organiser in Thailand. We organise and manage professional trade and public exhibitions, conferences, meetings and training, working in hand with international trade associations, organisers, and corporations across a broad spectrum of industries.For media enquiry, please contact:Ms. Surerat Kraimanee (Star)Marketing ManagerIMPACT EXHIBITION MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.10th Fl., Bangkok Land Building47/569-576 Popular 3 Road, Banmai Sub-district,Pakkred District, Nonthaburi 11120GREATER BANGKOK, THAILAND.Office: +66 (0)2833 6336Mobile: +66 (0) 96 515 5667E-mail: sureratk@impact.co.thWebsite: www.digitechasean.comDr. Sanjay Kumar, PH.D.PR and Communication ManagerOffice: +66 (0) 2833 5290Mobile: +66 (0) 84 327 7267E-mail: sanjayk@impact.co.thWebsite: www.digitechasean.comSource: IMPACT Exhibition Management Co. Ltd.Copyright 2025 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
PUNE, India and AUCKLAND, New Zealand, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, announced an expanded collaboration with the University of Auckland (UoA) through an internship program to boost industry and academia innovation. The agreement was formalized through a Letter of Intent (LoI) signed by Harshvendra Soin, President of Asia Pacific and Japan Business at Tech Mahindra, and Professor Dawn Freshwater, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland. The signing took place in the presence of The Right Honourable Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, during his recent visit to New Delhi.

The collaboration extends the initial agreement based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in September 2024 between Tech Mahindra and UoA. It is part of the University of Auckland's ongoing efforts at the New Zealand Centre in IIT Delhi and includes participation from all eight universities in New Zealand. This collaboration exemplifies Tech Mahindra's commitment to nurturing global talent and setting new standards for association between industry and academia. The internship program, which will commence in the second half of 2025, will offer students from New Zealand universities hands-on experience with emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and quantum computing, thus enhancing their employability and fostering technological innovation.

Harshvendra Soin, President - Asia Pacific and Japan Business, Tech Mahindra, said, "We recognize the vital role of bridging academia and industry as a catalyst for innovation and cultivating a future-ready workforce in the digital era. By fortifying technology ecosystems in both New Zealand and India, we are establishing a solid foundation for sustained innovation, economic progress, and collaboration. This effort has the potential to transform industries worldwide. Our continued collaboration with UoA is a significant step in this direction."

The collaboration further aims to accelerate research and innovation across various industries, including banking, healthcare, financial services, insurance, and government. It will focus on emerging technologies in AI and ML, such as spiking neural networks and 1-bit large language models (LLMs), while also enhancing quantum security through post-quantum cryptography. These innovations will have significant applications in healthcare, particularly in drug discovery and the development of personalized digital biomarkers.

Professor Dawn Freshwater, The University of Auckland's Vice-Chancellor, said, "The University is delighted to be partnering with Tech Mahindra on this new initiative, which not only provides exciting internship opportunities for New Zealand university students but, equally importantly, exemplifies the dynamism of the emerging India-New Zealand relationship in the areas of research and innovation."

The extended collaboration marks a significant milestone in strengthening Tech Mahindra's presence in New Zealand, reinforcing its commitment to skilling, and creating growth opportunities in the India-New Zealand corridor.

For more information on Tech Mahindra, please contact: media.relations@techmahindra.com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2539364/Tech_Mahindra_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/tech-mahindra-and-the-university-of-auckland-strengthen-collaboration-to-boost-industry-academia-innovation-302449888.html
ELKO, NV / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Lithium Corporation (OTCQB:LTUM), a mineral exploration company committed to advancing North America's energy independence through domestic critical mineral resources, is pleased to announce the commencement of its 2025 summer field work. For the upcoming year, the Company will continue to focus on critical minerals, with generative efforts related to Lithium, Fluorspar, Rare Earths, and Antimony currently being initiated.

To facilitate and expediate these efforts, Brian Goss, currently the Company's Vice President of Business Development, will also assume the role of VP, Exploration. Brian brings extensive expertise and strategic leadership to guide the Company's exploration activities. As the founder of Rangefront Mining Services, based in Elko, Nevada, Brian has played a pivotal role in geological services across the mining and exploration sectors. In addition to his entrepreneurial leadership, he has held executive positions at various companies, including serving as President of Lithium Corporation from 2014 to 2017.

Lithium Corporation welcomes Brian to his expanded role and is eager to embark on a new field season focused on unlocking the full potential of the Company's diverse portfolio of critical mineral prospects.

About Lithium Corporation

Lithium Corporation is a mineral exploration company dedicated to securing North America's energy independence through domestic critical mineral resources. As one of the few Project Generators in North America's critical minerals sector, the Company leverages its extensive exploration expertise to focus on energy metals with the goal of helping achieve energy independence for North America.

The Company's dual operational focus spans two worldclass mining jurisdictions, with promising lithium prospects in Nevada, USA, and a diverse portfolio of titanium, rare earth elements, graphite, fluorspar, and antimony properties in British Columbia, Canada. Lithium Corporation is committed to driving a secure and independent energy future for North America through strategic investments in energy metals exploration and related opportunities, such as renewable energy generation and energy storage solutions.

Contact

Tom Lewis, President & CEO

775-410-5287

info@lithiumcorporation.com

www.lithiumcorporation.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Tom Lewis"

Tom Lewis, President & CEO

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This current report contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future.

Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with mineral exploration and difficulties associated with obtaining financing on acceptable terms. We are not in control of minerals prices and these could vary to make development uneconomic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our most recent annual report for our last fiscal year, our quarterly reports, and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lithium Corporation (OTCQB-LTUM) 1031 Railroad St. Ste 102B Elko NV 89801 (775) 410-5287 www.lithiumcorporation.com

SOURCE: Lithium Corporation

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/lithium-corporation-commences-2025-field-work-1025285
YORK, United Kingdom, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- South Wales and Gwent Police have selected Simpson Associates for their Joint Data Analytics Programme (JDAP) initiative. This programme aims to revolutionise intelligence-led policing, improve resource allocation, and enhance public safety through the application of data-driven insights.

Developing Data Capabilities for Improved Policing

Simpson Associates will develop a scalable Data Analytics Platform to integrate real-time operational data, aiming to improve data accessibility for analysis. The three core objectives of this initiative are:

Infrastructure and Technology: Implementing a robust and scalable infrastructure to support both forces data objectives.

Implementing a robust and scalable infrastructure to support both forces data objectives. Data Analytics: Creating a unified data analytics platform to support data-driven insights across both forces.

Creating a unified data analytics platform to support data-driven insights across both forces. Advanced Insights: Equipping the forces with predictive analytics to inform strategic, tactical, and operational decisions in real time.



The implementation of this platform is expected to provide a secure, high-performance analytics platform to strengthen forecasting, demand and capacity planning, and operational readiness. The anticipated benefits include:

Supporting evidence-based decision-making through forecasting, trend analysis, and predictive modelling of operational scenarios.

Enabling more effective resource planning and deployment by providing a centralised view of demand, capacity, and capability across the forces using a centralised data office.

Facilitating the early identification of risks and emerging issues to help prevent crime and protect vulnerable individuals.

Providing officers and staff with self-service access to accurate, timely, and consolidated data insights, reducing reliance on siloed information and manual processes.

A Future-Ready Investment

This initiative demonstrates the transformative power of using data for good and highlights how advanced analytics can support operational effectiveness across both South Wales and Gwent Police.

With the first phase of JDAP implementation underway, both forces and Simpson Associates are committed to ensuring that this initiative delivers tangible benefits to officers, analysts, and the communities they serve.

"We are thrilled to be working with South Wales and Gwent Police on this transformative initiative. Through this programme of work, we're supporting both forces in establishing a centralised data office and implementing the core foundations needed to drive advanced analytics. Our goal is to empower each force with secure, scalable, and self-sufficient data capabilities, enabling smarter decision-making, more efficient resource deployment, and ultimately, improved public safety. We're proud to support a programme that aligns so closely with our shared vision for data-driven policing, and we look forward to seeing how JDAP complements and enhances day-to-day operations across both forces." - Dave Kerby, Account Director for Blue Lights at Simpson Associates

About South Wales Police

South Wales Policeis the largest police force in Wales with a workforce of over 3,500 police officers and a community of 1.34 million to protect (42% of Wales's population). The force covers diverse urban, rural, and coastal communities, including Cardiff and Swansea, as well as 63 of the 100 most deprived communities in Wales.

Their mission of "Keeping South Wales Safe" is guided by their vision of being the best at understanding and responding to the needs of the people they serve. The force prioritises community engagement, crime prevention, and public safety through innovative policing strategies, including facial recognition technology and city centre safety initiatives?.

About Gwent Police

Gwent Police'smission is improving trust and confidence. They strive to be an inclusive, caring, and connected organisation, delivering an outstanding service for the communities of Gwent. The force covers an area of 600 square miles, serving five local authority regions: Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport, and Torfaen.

Employing more than 2,500 individuals, including police officers, staff, police community support officers, and around 50 volunteer special officers, Gwent Police is dedicated to crime prevention and public safety. The force collaborates with other Welsh and English police services to improve operational efficiency in areas such as air support, firearms, and forensic investigation.

About Simpson Associates

With over 3 decades of experience and having worked with over 60% of UK police forces, Simpson Associates is a leading data transformation partner that helps purpose-led organisations harness the power of data for good.

As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, and winner of the Microsoft Community Response Partner of the Year 2024/25,we hold Specialisations in AI Platform on Microsoft Azure, Analytics on Microsoft Azure, Data Warehouse Migration to Microsoft Azure and Migrate Enterprise Applications to Microsoft Azure, as well as holding Solutions Partner designations in Data & AI (Azure); Digital & App Innovation (Azure); Infrastructure (Azure) and Security. In addition to this, we are a Databricks Partner, an IBM Gold Partner and a Denodo Partner.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e6523129-4e4c-47da-b557-b9f17adf36a9

katherine.tarbitt@simpson-associates.co.uk
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market is anticipated to grow from estimated USD 39.61 billion in 2025 to USD 59.67 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period. The major factors driving the Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market include the increased need for energy efficiency and the global trends toward carbon neutrality and sustainability. There is a significant increase in the number of wind energy installations around the world. As installations rise, there is a corresponding increase in demand for effective O&M services to ensure the performance and longevity of wind turbines. O&M practice is changing quickly due to the development of new technology such as predictive maintenance, remote monitoring, and artificial intelligence. Technologies allow owners/operators to have a proactive approach to detecting issues and minimizing downtime. The support for renewable energy projects from government incentives and policy is also a driver of the market. From an environmental perspective, there is a shift towards sustainability. This drives the O&M market as many operators are adopting more sustainable practices for maintenance and retaining or refurbishing used components rather than eliminating them altogether.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market"

203 - Tables

60 - Figures

239 - Pages

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=6726436

The offshore segment is expected to register the highest CAGR in the Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market during the forecast period.

The offshore segment of the wind turbine operations and maintenance (O&M) market is clearly changing due to the growth of offshore wind installations and the use of newer technologies. The offshore O&M sector is integrating predictive maintenance strategies, often integrated through AI and IoT deployment to provide real-time monitoring and detection of potential faults and current and/or anticipated failures to limit downtime as well as maintenance costs. The deployment of autonomous systems, like drones and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), is increasing inspection and maintenance efficiencies. With these technological advancements, the offshore sector is starting to see a realized focus on sustainability, as companies and organizations begin to adapt and implement environmentally friendly maintenance strategies and equipment to minimize their overall environmental footprint.

The scheduled segment accounted for the larger share of the overall Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market.

The unscheduled maintenance of wind turbines is becoming more salient due to the complexity and size of wind energy projects. Unscheduled maintenance is defined as reactive maintenance because it is the result of unplanned equipment failure or breakdown. Unscheduled maintenance can also incur large amounts of downtime due to unplanned failures. Some of the factors creating the need for unscheduled maintenance are age of turbine fleet, harsh environmental conditions, and larger wind turbine sizes. To reduce unscheduled maintenance, the O&M market is increasingly using predictive analytics, remote monitoring, and drone inspections to identify faults before they happen. Along with the introduction of innovation in equipment, the wind turbine O&M market is looking to build supply chain continuity and reliability, as well as workforce training and preparedness. Predictive analytics, digital twins, and better monitoring are reducing surprise failures or unscheduled maintenance. There is a push towards proactive maintenance strategies to improve turbine uptime and reduce emergency interventions.

North America is estimated to be the third-largest Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market during the forecast period.

The North America Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market size is projected to reach USD 10.45 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 6.7% between 2025 and 2030. In the US, wind energy generation capacity grew to a total installed capacity of approximately 152 gigawatts (GW) in 2023, which is an increase of about 46% from 2019. Wind energy accounted for about 12% of the electricity provided in the country in 2023. The leading wind generation state in 2023 was Texas, with Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Illinois also leading in wind generation. Each of these leading states has wind resources that provide benefits for highly productive wind projects, along with infrastructure that allows wind generation projects to be constructed. Increased wind generation can also be attributed to improvements in technology that allow for greater turbine capacity and lower energy costs. Wind power has become one of the cheapest forms of power generation in the US.

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Key Market Players

The Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market is dominated by major players that have a wide regional presence. Some of the key players in the Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance Market are Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, S.A.U. (Spain), Vestas (Denmark), GE Vernova (US), Nordex SE (Germany), Suzlon Energy Limited (India), Envision Group (China), SANY Renewable Energy Co., Ltd. (China), and Goldwind (China).

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, S.A.U.

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, S.A.U., a subsidiary of Siemens Energy AG, designs, manufactures, and sells both onshore and offshore wind turbines. The company also offers monitoring and maintenance of wind farms. Its services include diagnostic, energy thrust, multi-brand services, and offshore logistics services. The company operates under two segments: Wind Turbines and Service. It offers operation and maintenance services through its Service segment. The company uses digital tools to predict, detect, and fix problems remotely. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, S.A.U. has installed over 130 GW of installed wind power capacity in the world, including over 130 installed capacity of onshore wind turbines, and it is one of the leaders in offshore wind with over 8 GW installed capacity.

GE Vernova

GE Vernova is a global leader in the electric power sector, with products and services that create, transfer, orchestrate, convert, and store electricity. The company's goal is to design, manufacture, deliver, and service technologies to support a more reliable, secure, and sustainable electric power system, while permitting electrification and ultimately decarbonization. It has three business segments, namely, Power, Wind, and Electrification. The Wind segment provides operations and maintenance services. GE Vernova's Onshore Wind division provides reliable and proven wind turbines: 2.8-127m, 3.6-154m, and 6.1-158m. To date, GE Vernova has created and installed approximately 57,000 wind turbines, totaling more than 120 GW of installed capacity, globally, in both onshore and offshore applications. The company has a geographical presence in the US, Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East & Africa.

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Highlighted by a 23.39% Increase in Revenue to $7,278,536 - a New Quarterly Revenue Record, and the Completion of 4,230 Meters of Drilling at the Golden Chest Mine

COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc. (NYSE American:IDR) ("IDR", "Idaho Strategic" or the "Company") today announced its consolidated operating and financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2025. The Company's production-backed exploration business plan is in full effect in 2025, resulting in the highest quarterly revenue in Company history and a significant reinvestment of cash flow in drilling and other exploration activities. Operating and financial results for the first quarter include:

Operational Performance: Q1 2025 % Change Q1 2024 Ore Tonnes Processed 11,337 10.01% 10,300 Average Flotation Feed Grade (gpt) 8.67 -15.91% 10.31 Ounces Produced 2,900 -6.93% 3,116 All-In Sustaining Cost Per Ounce ($USD) $1,430.90 21.98% $1,173.10

Financial Performance ($USD): Q1 2025 % Change Q1 2024 Revenue $7,278,536 23.39% $5,898,938 Total Cost of Sales $3,580,450 16.98% $3,060,701 Gross Profit $3,698,086 30.30% $2,838,237 Net Income Attributable to IDR $1,608,979 -25.89% $2,171,109 Earnings Per Share (EPS) $0.12 -29.41% $0.17 Average Realized Gold Price $2,848.74 44.73% $1,968.28

Idaho Strategic's President and CEO, John Swallow stated, "Continuing with our impressive results in 2024, we enjoyed year over year record quarterly revenue. And while we did show slightly lower grades at the mill and a modest decrease in ounces produced, more important is that our production-backed exploration business plan also allowed for a more than 5-fold increase in drilling investment during the quarter over the prior year. Together with our investment plans for the remainder of 2025 as outlined below, it is easy to see that our team is hitting on all cylinders and at the right time given the unprecedented level of investment/work planned for 2025.

It is important to note that this will be the year that the benefits of full implementation of our 'production-backed exploration' business plan are felt across almost our entire asset base. During 2025 we are already executing our largest exploration program ever at the Golden Chest Mine; stepping out with additional exploration and first and second round drilling in the broader Murray Gold Belt; completing a phase 1 drill program at Eastern Star; constructing and commissioning our new Paste Backfill System; advancing the permitting and equipment purchasing for the Murray Mill onsite at the Golden Chest; completing a large scale radiometrics and soil sampling program at our Lemhi Pass project; flying radiometrics, magnetics, and lidar at our Mineral Hill project; all while continuing to execute on our current mine development and gold production.

Reinvesting cash flow back into the business is a key part of our plan, however increased expenses are obviously reflected in our AISC and EPS when it comes to financial reporting. For instance, in the first quarter, we expensed $1,371,433 primarily related to exploration drilling at the Golden Chest Mine, in 2024 the comparable figure was $267,848. We also made the decision to incentivize our team with company-wide stock options intended to support long-term thinking and shareholder alignment, for which we recognized a non-cash expense of $495,146 during the quarter (the last option grant to our folks was in 2022). And finally, while not directly related to exploration or drilling, during this reporting period we decided to exchange a non-essential and troublesome piece of Sandvik mining equipment for a credit toward future mining parts from an OEM mine supplier. This decision resulted in a non-cash expense of $239,898, which is the net amount between the stated book value of the mining equipment and the value of the parts credit received. However, even after these increased investments/expenses/charges, the Company still reported in excess of $1.6m in net income for the quarter.

It is/was the willingness to invest in this type of longer-term business approach that I believe sets Idaho Strategic apart from many others in our industry. In my opinion, the decisions we made along the way have enabled us to reinvest heavily in value-added exploration while further growing the potential for enhanced shareholder returns and the possibility to share in future success with our team members. The full implementation of our production-backed exploration business plan across our asset base is something that I consider a major milestone for the Company."

Golden Chest Highlights for Q1 2025 Include:

In the first quarter of 2025 ore tonnes processed at the New Jersey Mill increased by approximately 10.01% to 11,337 dry metric tonnes resulting in gold production of 2,900 ounces at an average flotation feed grade of 8.67 grams per tonne ("gpt").

All-in sustaining cost per ounce of gold in the first quarter of 2025 was $1,430.90, which is an increase of approximately 21.98% over the first quarter of 2024. Cash costs per ounce remained flat at $846.22 in 2025, compared to $846.84 in 2024. The increase in All-in sustaining costs is largely a result of 4,230 meters of drilling completed during the first quarter of 2025 in alignment with the Company's production-backed exploration business plan. The Company expects drilling and exploration activities to accelerate during the second quarter and/or while weather is optimal and current gold prices allow for increased reinvestment in our growing asset base .

Significant progress was made at the New Jersey Mill with the construction of the new tailings filtration circuit, which was 80% complete at the end of the first quarter. Commissioning of the tailings filtration circuit will take place in the second quarter and full commissioning of the Paste Backfill Plant at the Golden Chest Mine is expected to occur in the second half of 2025.

Results from drilling at the Golden Chest were released during the first quarter of 2025. Drilling highlights from 5 different areas of the mine were announced in a press release titled Idaho Strategic Announces High-Grade Drill Results Including 1.3 Meters of 150.25 Grams per Tonne Gold .

Rare Earth Highlights for Q1 2025 Include:

During the quarter the Company announced its REE exploration plans for the 2025 field season in a press release titled Idaho Strategic Announces its Plans for the 2025 Rare Earth Elements Exploration Field Season in Alignment with President Trump's Recent Executive Order .

Corporate Highlights for Q1 2025 Include:

Awarded Company-wide stock options to directors, management, and employees intended to incentive long-term commitment to the Company and alignment with shareholder value creation. The non-cash stock option expense for the first quarter related to the recently issued stock options was $495,146 during the first quarter.

Notes accompanying the financial statements below can be found in the Company's quarterly report filed this morning with the SEC on EDGAR.

Qualified person

IDR's Vice President, Grant A. Brackebusch, P.E. is a qualified person as such term is defined under S-K 1300 and has reviewed and approved the technical information and data included in this press release.

About Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc.

Idaho Strategic Resources (IDR) is an Idaho-based gold producer which also owns the largest rare earth elements land package in the United States. The Company's business plan was established in anticipation of today's volatile geopolitical and macroeconomic environment. IDR finds itself in a unique position as the only publicly traded company with growing gold production and significant blue-sky potential for rare earth elements exploration and development in one Company.

For more information on Idaho Strategic Resources, please visit www.idahostrategic.com or call:

Travis Swallow, Investor Relations & Corporate Development

Email: tswallow@idahostrategic.com

Phone: (208) 625-9001

Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) For the Three-Month Periods Ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 March 31, 2025 2024 Revenue: Sales of products $ 7,278,536 $ 5,898,938 Total revenue 7,278,536 5,898,938 Costs of Sales: Cost of sales and other direct production costs 3,030,829 2,558,913 Depreciation and amortization 549,621 501,788 Total costs of sales 3,580,450 3,060,701 Gross profit 3,698,086 2,838,237 Other operating expenses: Exploration 1,371,433 267,848 Management 264,745 109,100 Professional services 183,738 154,244 General and administrative 237,018 160,663 Loss on sale of equipment 239,898 4,409 Total other operating expenses 2,296,832 696,264 Operating income 1,401,254 2,141,973 Other (income) expense: Equity income on investment in Buckskin Gold and Silver, Inc (1,346 ) (1,867 ) Timber revenue net of costs (3,856 ) (13,357 ) (Gain) loss on investment in equity securities - 453 Interest income (185,395 ) (19,635 ) Interest expense - 20,565 Total other (income) expense (190,597 ) (13,841 ) Net income 1,591,851 2,155,814 Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest (17,128 ) (15,295 ) Net income attributable to Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc $ 1,608,979 $ 2,171,109 Net income per common share-basic $ 0.12 $ 0.17 Weighted average common share outstanding-basic 13,666,321 12,513,374 Net income per common share-diluted $ 0.12 $ 0.17 Weighted average common shares outstanding-diluted 13,735,770 12,673,172

Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,306,124 $ 1,106,901 Investments in US treasury notes 8,077,325 7,775,193 Gold sales receivable 1,833,385 1,578,694 Inventories 1,171,594 899,924 Joint venture receivable 1,927 2,892 Other current assets 337,448 378,469 Total current assets 12,727,803 11,742,073 Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 15,868,020 12,904,065 Mineral properties, net of accumulated amortization 10,994,040 10,573,349 Investment in Buckskin Gold and Silver, Inc 342,782 341,436 Investment in joint venture 435,000 435,000 Investments in US treasury notes, non-current 6,995,829 7,208,930 Reclamation bond 330,110 249,110 Deposits 373,566 567,667 Total assets $ 48,067,150 $ 44,021,630 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 1,022,270 $ 1,006,078 Accrued payroll and related payroll expenses 561,805 564,090 Notes payable, current portion 1,330,738 709,381 Total current liabilities 2,914,813 2,279,549 Asset retirement obligations 310,296 305,409 Notes payable, long term 2,339,803 1,023,358 Total long-term liabilities 2,650,099 1,328,767 Total liabilities 5,564,912 3,608,316 Stockholders' equity: Preferred stock, no par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued or outstanding - - Common stock, no par value, 200,000,000 shares authorized; March 31, 2025- 13,668,780 and December 31, 2024-13,665,058 shares issued and outstanding 46,554,464 46,059,318 Accumulated deficit (6,764,974 ) (8,373,953 ) Total Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc stockholders' equity 39,789,490 37,685,365 Non-controlling interest 2,712,748 2,727,949 Total stockholders' equity 42,502,238 40,413,314 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 48,067,150 $ 44,021,630

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by forward-looking words such as "intends", "potential", "believe", "plans", "expects", "may", "goal', "assume", "estimate", "anticipate", and "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, assumptions, intentions, or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information includes, but are not limited to, Idaho Strategic Resources' potential to deliver Q2 2025 financial performance that is in-line, better, or worse than Q1 2025; the benefit that the Company believes its production-backed exploration business plan provides; the potential for the Company to initiate and complete all of its planned drilling and exploration activities during 2025; the potential for the Company's drilling and exploration activities to be value-added; the Company's plans to commission it tailings filtration system at the New Jersey Mill and commission its paste backfill plant at the Golden Chest in 2025; the potential financial and operational benefits of implementing the tailings filtration system and paste backfill system; the potential for the Company's stock option awards to have the intended effect on directors, management, and employees; the continuation of the waiting list of people who want to work at Idaho Strategic; and the potential for the Company to continue to make decisions that are in the best interest of the business which may not be the optimal decision from a financial reporting perspective. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of Idaho Strategic Resources as of the date such information is provided and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of IDR to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Investors should note that IDR's claim as the largest rare earth elements landholder in the U.S. is based on the Company's internal review of publicly available information regarding the rare earth landholdings of select companies within the U.S., which IDR is aware of. Investors are encouraged not to rely on IDR's claim as the largest rare earth elements landholder in the U.S. while making investment decisions. The forward-looking statement information above, and those following are applicable to both this press release, as well as the links contained within this press release. With respect to the business of Idaho Strategic Resources, these risks and uncertainties include risks relating to widespread epidemics or pandemic outbreaks; interpretations or reinterpretations of geologic information; the accuracy of historic estimates; unfavorable exploration results; inability to obtain permits required for future exploration, development or production; general economic conditions and conditions affecting the industries in which the Company operates; the uncertainty of regulatory requirements and approvals; fluctuating mineral and commodity prices; the ability to obtain necessary future financing on acceptable terms; the ability to operate the Company's projects; and risks associated with the mining industry such as economic factors (including future commodity prices, and energy prices), ground conditions, failure of plant, equipment, processes and transportation services to operate as anticipated, environmental risks, government regulation, actual results of current exploration and production activities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, permitting timelines, capital and construction expenditures, reclamation activities. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from this forward-looking information is available in Idaho Strategic Resources filings with the SEC on EDGAR. IDR does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or other such factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

SOURCE: Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/idaho-strategic-reports-first-quarter-2025-operating-and-financial-performance-1025265
LumiThera Inc., a medical device company offering photobiomodulation (PBM) treatment for ocular damage and disease, today announced the topline results from the LIGHTSITE IIIB Extension Trial, a prospective, open-label trial in dry (non-neovascular) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) subjects. The extension trial followed subjects that completed the pivotal LIGHTSITE III trial and resumed treatment for 13 months with the Valeda Light Delivery System. Dry AMD is a leading cause of central vision loss in people over 55 in developed countries.

Valeda is the first FDA-authorized treatment (November, 2024) to improve vision in dry AMD patients. In the pivotal U.S. LIGHTSITE III trial, Valeda met the primary endpoint and was shown to be safe and effective. Valeda demonstrated an improvement in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) for 24 months of >5 letters or equivalent to one line improvement on the eye chart.

"The LIGHTSITE IIIB Extension Trial results extend two-year pivotal trial vision benefits out to 4.5 years and showed an excellent safety profile," stated David Boyer, MD, FASRS, Retina Vitreous Associates Medical Group, Beverly Hills, CA. "This is very exciting data for early to intermediate dry AMD patients. The 4.5-year follow-up included a 20-month no-treatment period between the two trials, wherein the patients still maintained some vision benefit from the earlier pivotal trial and recovered vision upon retreatment in the extension trial."

The trial results were presented on May 7th at the 2025 Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology 2025 (ARVO) by co-investigators Diane Do, MD, FASRS and Quan Dong Nguyen, MD, MSc, FARVO, FASRS, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University.

The ARVO Annual Meeting is the premiere gathering for eye and vision scientists from across the globe, at all career stages, students, and those in affiliated fields to share the latest research findings and collaborate on innovative solutions and was held May 4 8inSalt Lake City, Utah

"The primary endpoint of the trial was BCVA gain. After another 13 months of treatment, although the size of the study population of LIGHTSITE IIIB is relatively small, >60% of the subjects that received Valeda treatment in both studies were still showing a benefit in vision of over one line," indicated Quan Dong Nguyen, MD. MSc, FARVO, FASRS, Professor of Ophthalmology, Medicine, and Pediatrics at the Stanford University School of Medicine. "What is exciting is this is the first and only FDA-authorized treatment that can improve vision with extended benefits out to 4.5 years, suggesting that earlier and extended treatment provides the best outcomes."

"There is now a non-invasive treatment for dry AMD patients that can improve vision and address the disease earlier, before permanent vision loss," stated Clark Tedford, Ph.D., President and CEO, LumiThera, Inc. "The extended trial results demonstrate that Valeda is potentially modifying the trajectory of vision loss in dry AMD patients and can offer sustainable benefits over several years with continued treatment."

About AMD

AMD is a leading cause of vision loss for people aged 65 and older. Losing central vision can make it harder to see faces, drive, or do close-up work like cooking or fixing things around the house. The overall prevalence of AMD is estimated to increase 7-fold with age, from 4.2% in those aged 45-49 years, to 27.2% in those aged 80-85 years. Globally, the prevalence is estimated to increase by 20% between 2020 (195.6 million) and 2030 (243.3 million).

About LumiThera

LumiThera, Inc. is an ophthalmic medical device company that is Harnessing the Power of Light to offer a comprehensive approach for detecting, treating, and monitoring retinal diseases, specifically dry AMD.

LumiThera is the leader in ophthalmic PBM innovation with its flagship product, the Valeda Light Delivery System. Multiwavelength Valeda treatments are for patients suffering from dry AMD. The Food Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized marketing of Valeda treatment for dry AMD patients to improve vision. Valeda is CE Marked in the EU, UKCA Marked in the UK, and is available in select countries in Latin America.

AdaptDx Pro is a portable dark adaptometer that utilizes artificial intelligence to deliver a uniform patient experience. Impaired dark adaptation speed indicates rod-mediated dysfunction, one of the first functional signs of retinal disease. AdaptDx Pro is available in the U.S. and Canada.

NOVA Vision Testing System is a comprehensive electrophysiology platform that provides objective assessment of the entire pathway for visual and neuro-visual disorders. Visual evoked potential is available in the U.S. and select countries outside of the U.S. Electroretinography is only available outside of the U.S.

For more information on Valeda, visit www.lumithera.com. AdaptDx Pro and NOVA are available through LumiThera Diagnostics, Inc. and Diopsys, Inc., respectively.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508837574/en/

Contacts:

Allison Dabney

marketing@lumithera.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Optimi Health Corp. (CSE: OPTI) (OTCQX: OPTHF) (FSE: 8BN) ("Optimi" or the "Company"), a Canadian drug manufacturer and formulator of GMP-grade MDMA and natural psilocybin, has completed its largest international export to date of MDMA capsules to Australia, supporting the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) under the country's Authorised Prescriber Scheme.

The shipment, conducted in partnership with Mind Medicine Australia, included 1,000 GMP MDMA capsules in both 40mg and 60mg strengths. Import approval was granted by Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), with matching export permits issued from Health Canada. The capsules were manufactured and shipped under Optimi's Drug Establishment Licence (DEL), authorizing global distribution for PTSD treatment through licensed pharmacy networks and authorised clinics across Australia.

In a major step forward for access, the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) recently announced that it will fund MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans diagnosed with PTSD. This marks the first time a federal agency in Australia has committed to reimbursing psychedelic-assisted treatment, reinforcing national momentum toward broader mental health care solutions and highlighting the need for safe, GMP-supplied medicines.

Source: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/health/mental-health/dva-to-fund-psychedelic-medicine-for-veterans-with-ptsd-depression/news-story/4a56bca1577561bf22fe6368f3d2fb91

Mind Medicine Australia welcomed the announcement as a meaningful step toward broadening access to care for those who need it most.

"The announcement from the Department of Veterans' Affairs to fund MDMA-assisted therapy is a major endorsement of this treatment approach," said Peter Hunt AM, Chair of Mind Medicine Australia. "It demonstrates growing recognition at the highest levels of government that these therapies can offer meaningful recovery for people living with PTSD."

"Our team has worked hard to reach this point, and it's incredibly meaningful to know that patients are now being treated with the MDMA capsules we've manufactured and delivered into the country," said Dane Stevens, CEO of Optimi. "The support of the Department of Veterans' Affairs is a major step forward for patient access, and we're proud to work alongside Mind Medicine Australia to ensure this treatment is delivered safely and responsibly within a regulated framework."

Key Highlights

Shipment includes 1,000 GMP-certified MDMA capsules in 40mg and 60mg strengths

Department of Veterans' Affairs to fund MDMA-assisted therapy for Australian veterans with PTSD

Import approval granted by Australia's TGA, with matching export permits from Health Canada

Export conducted under Optimi's Drug Establishment Licence, authorizing prescription for the defined therapeutic indication of PTSD

Capsules to be dispensed through authorised pharmacy networks and clinics nationwide

Ordering From Optimi

Entities interested in accessing Optimi's GMP 40mg and 60mg MDMA capsules can contact:

Australia: Mind Medicine Australia

Global Inquiries: sales@optimihealth.ca

About Optimi Health Corp.

Optimi Health Corp. is a Health Canada-licensed, GMP-compliant manufacturer and supplier of natural psilocybin and MDMA. Dedicated to producing high-quality psychedelic products, the Company aims to support the global advancement of mental health therapies through rigorous compliance, innovation, and collaboration.





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On Behalf of the Board

JJ Wilson, Chair of the Board

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies, certain of which are unknown. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result," "are expected to," "expects," "will continue," "is anticipated," "anticipates," "believes," "estimated," "intends," "plans," "forecast," "projection," "strategy," "objective," and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements. These statements may involve estimates, assumptions, and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct, and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Optimi's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include but are not limited to those factors which are discussed in the Company's long form prospectus dated February 12, 2021, a copy of which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Except as expressly required by applicable law, Optimi undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Optimi to predict all of them or assess the impact of each factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251151

SOURCE: Optimi Health Corp.
Reno, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Western Exploration Inc. (TSXV: WEX) (OTCQX: WEXPF) (the "Company" or "Western Exploration") is pleased to announce results from a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on its flagship Doby George resource at the Aura gold project located in Nevada's prolific Elko county ("Doby George" or, the "Project").

PEA Highlights:

Base Case After-tax NPV of US$70.7M and an IRR of 25.4% using a gold price of US$2,150 increasing to US$211.2 M with a 62.2% IRR utilizing a US$3,000/oz gold price (see upside metal price to base case metal price comparison in Table 1)

Total Life-of-Mine ("LOM") after-tax net cash flow of US$271.2M over a five-year project life using US$3,000 gold price

Average annual operating cash flow of $112.1M and a less than 18-month payback period using US$3,000 gold price

LOM all-in Sustaining cost of US$1,197 per ounce at US$3,000 gold price and US$1,152 per ounce at the base case of gold price being US$2,150

LOM average grade of 1.01 g/t Au creating potential for significant profit margins

Estimated pre-production capital costs of US$115.2M excluding upfront Working Capital of US$12.4M which is credited back to the operation on year five



Watch the CEO news summary HERE





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Darcy Marud, President and CEO of Western Exploration, commented: "In 2022, Western Exploration outlined a plan to take the Doby George project to a PFS study. With the completion of the PEA we have achieved another milestone towards that goal. The PEA demonstrates Doby George to be a low-capex, potentially profitable development project with a rapid payback, all using conservative gold price expectations."

Mr. Marud added "The focus of the current PEA was to demonstrate the viability of Doby George, while outlining a project scope that maximizes the return on investment for our stakeholders. We focused on maximizing value by preserving grade, bringing ounces forward, minimizing capital outlay and identifying future opportunities to further enhance the project. Those opportunities include an exploration plan looking to expand the resource at Doby George, the feasibility of oxide resources at Wood Gulch and improvements to recovery through additional test work."

The PEA was completed by Kappes, Cassiday & Associates ("KCA") as lead independent consultant, and supported by RESPEC Company LLC ("RESPEC") on mineral resource estimation, mine planning and production scheduling, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").1 The Company intends to file the technical report in respect of the PEA (the "Technical Report") on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Western Exploration's issuer profile within 45 days of the date of this news release.

Figure 1: Location of the Doby George Resource, one of three key resources within our flagship Aura Project.

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Economic Sensitivities

Sensitivity of the project economics to gold prices is shown in Table 1, showing the base case gold price used for the PEA, as well as the upside case.

Table 1: Doby George 2025 PEA Economics



Base Case Upside Case Gold Price (US$/oz) 2,150 3,000 Average Annual Operating Cash Flow(1) (US$) 63.3M 112.1M Pre-Tax NCF(2) (US$) 132.4M 336.5M Pre-Tax NPV5(3) 94.7M 265.9M Pre-Tax IRR(4) 31.8% 75.7% After-Tax NCF(2) (US$) 103.7M 271.2M After-Tax NPV5(3) (US$) 70.7M 211.2M After-Tax IRR(4) 25.4% 62.2% Payback Period(5) (years) 2.7 1.4 Notes :

(1) Averaged over full production years 1 to 4

(2) NCF means net cash flow

(3) NPV5 refers to net present value at 5% discount rate

(4) IRR means internal rate of return

(5) Pre-production capital, excluding sustaining capital



Capital Costs

Capital costs for the Project are summarized in Table 2. Capital costs associated with the mining operation were estimated by RESPEC and based on contract mining. Pre-stripping costs were based on the mine production schedule in Table 4 below. Capital costs in processing, support and infrastructure include: three-stage crushing; heap leaching and gold recovery, along with support and infrastructure costs associated with laboratory, water & power distribution; and general site services were estimated by KCA. Reclamation and closure costs of US$10M were estimated by KCA not including an estimated salvage value of US$5.4M. Sustaining capital is estimated at US$10.5M and is largely related to heap leach expansion contemplated in Year 2.

Table 2: Project Capital Costs



Pre Production LOM Sustaining

(US$M) (US$M) Mining 2.8 0.2 Pre Stripping 14.7 0 Processing, Support, and Infrastructure 78.5 10.3 Owners Costs 9.0 0 Indirect Costs 2.3 0 EPCM 7.9 0 Working Capital (1) 12.4 0 TOTAL(2) 127.6 10.5 Notes :

(1) Working Capital is credited in Year 5

(2) Values are rounded and may not sum perfectly



Operating Costs

Operating costs for the Project are summarized in Table 3. Mining operating costs were estimated by RESPEC and based on estimated anticipated equipment hours and personnel requirements at a 25% markup for contractor rates. The off-road red-dye diesel fuel price in this estimate was assumed to be US$0.86/L. All other operating costs were estimated by KCA and based on first principles on certain components where possible, such as reagent and power consumption, along with benchmarking with similar operations for other components, such as labor, maintenance, and discretionary expenses.

Table 3: Project Operating Costs



LOM Total

(US$ M) Per Tonne Processed

(US$) Mining 153.0 13.42 Processing 77.2 6.77 G&A 23.4 2.05 TOTAL 253.6 22.24



Mine Production Schedule

The PEA mine production schedule includes mining of leach material and waste from three pits, Daylight, Twilight and Westridge. Westridge is the largest pit and will be developed in 3 phases with production commencing in Year 1 and ramping up to full production in Year 3. Daylight and Twilight will be developed in Years 1 and 2, respectively. Leach material will be sent to a centralized crushing plant and then stacked on a leach pad. The waste material will be sent to designed waste rock storage facilities (WRSF) or used as partial backfill.

Pre-stripping at Daylight and Westridge is required to develop sufficient stockpiles to feed the crusher. The production schedule requires seven months of preproduction.

The process schedule was developed with full production from year 1 through year 4 to a full 2.7 million tonnes per year. Table 4 shows the mine production schedule.

Table 4: Mine Production Schedule*

Year Tonnes Ore Mined

(kT) Waste Tonnes

Moved

(kT) Gold Grade

(g/t) Gold Contained (koz) Gold Recovered

(koz) -1 179 2,659 0.64 4

1 2,749 11,623 1.08 96 61 2 2,625 16,121 1.04 88 56 3 2,719 10,339 0.97 85 60 4 2,737 3,158 0.93 81 53 5 394 198 1.33 17 18 TOTAL 11,403 44,098 1.01 370 248 *May not sum due to rounding



Mining and Processing

The mineralized material will be mined by standard open-pit mining methods using a contractor-owned and operated mining fleet consisting of 92-tonne haul trucks and 17-m3 loading units. Mineralized material would be transported to the crushing circuit for processing then crushed material will be processed by conventional heap leaching methods. The nominal processing rate will be 2.7 million tonnes per annum or 7,500 tonnes per day. Three-stage crushing of the material to 12.7 mm, will be followed by conveyor stacking onto a multi-lift heap leach pad. Dilute sodium cyanide solution will be applied to the heap, with the pregnant gold bearing solution effluent from the heap being processed in a carbon adsorption-desorption recovery (ADR) plant. Gold will be produced in the form of dore bars from the on-site smelting process.

Table 5 below shows the key production parameters for the mine and processing units used in the generation of production and cash flow profiles.

Table 5: Mining and Processing Parameters



LOM Mining

Total Waste Tonnes Mined (Mt) 44.1 Total Processed Tonnes Mined (Mt) 11.4 Total Tonnes Mined (Mt) 55.5 Heap Leach Gold Recovery Percentages

Westridge Oxide 67% Day Light Oxide 71% Twilight Oxide 62% Mixed 40%



Mineral Resource Estimation

The mineral resource estimate ("MRE") relating to the PEA was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 using the CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves adopted by CIM Council. The effective date of the MRE, which has been prepared by RESPEC in accordance with NI 43-101, is January 27, 2025. The MRE is shown in Table 6 below.

Table 6: Doby George Mineral Resource Estimate at the Aura Project

2025 Doby George Mineral Resources (1)

Cutoff

Au (g/t) Tonnes Au (g/t) Au

(oz.) Indicated 0.17 13,662,000 0.90 394,000 Inferred 0.17 3,270,000 0.68 71,000



Notes :

1. The effective date of Doby George's MRE is January 27, 2025.

2. The project mineral resources comprise all model blocks at a cutoff grade of 0.17 g Au/tonne for all material within optimized pits.

3. The gold cut-off grade for Doby George Mineral Resources is based on a gold price of US$2,150/oz, an average gold recovery of 66%, and cost assumptions including: US$3.02/t cost for open-pit mining, US$6.52/t processing cost, US$1.89/t processed G&A cost, and US$5.00/oz Au refining cost. An average royalty of 3% has also been applied to cutoff grade determination.

4. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by geology, environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues.

5. There are no known factors related to metallurgical, environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, marketing, or political issues which could materially affect the mineral resource estimates contained in this news release.

6. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in apparent discrepancies between tonnes, grade, and contained metal content.

7. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. An inferred mineral resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an indicated mineral resource. It is reasonably expected that the majo rity of inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to indicated mineral resources with continued exploration.

The Doby George MRE includes the West Ridge, Daylight, and Twilight deposits. RESPEC modeled the mineral resource estimate for gold as follows:

Constraining gold mineral domains of low- and high-grade mineralization were modeled on 30 m-spaced vertical sections and transposed to long sections centered at 6 m mid-block locations. The Doby George geological model and other relevant geological data were used to guide the modeling of mineral domains.

A block model with 6 m by 6 m by 6 m blocks was coded with the gold domains using the 6 m-spaced long section interpretations.

Drill-hole assays were composited to 3 m length, honoring the mineralized gold domains.

Gold grades were interpolated into the block model using gold mineral domains to explicitly constrain grade estimations. RESPEC utilized Inverse Distance Cubed (ID3) and Quadrupled (ID4) interpolations for the estimation, achieving a localizing effect in the high-grade domain, and applied ID3 interpolation to the low-grade domain estimate. Individual domain grades were weight averaged to produce fully block-diluted reported mineral resources.

Technical Information and Qualified Persons

The PEA was completed by KCA of Reno, Nevada as lead independent consultant, and supported by RESPEC of Reno, Nevada on mineral resource estimation, mine planning and production scheduling, in accordance with NI 43-101.2 The Company intends to file the Technical Report on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Western Exploration's issuer profile within 45 days of the date of this news release.

The PEA is preliminary in nature, includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. The Company has not defined any mineral reserves for the Doby George resource at the Aura Project. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

For readers to fully understand the information in this news release, reference should be made to the full text of the Technical Report, once filed, including all assumptions, qualifications and limitations therein. The Technical Report is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context.

The PEA has been prepared by independent representatives of KCA and RESPEC, each of whom is a "qualified person" (within the meaning of NI 43-101) (each, a "qualified person") and independent of Western Exploration for purposes of Section 1.5 of NI 43-101. Each qualified person has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release in the respective sections of the PEA for which they are responsible. At the effective date of the PEA, each qualified person has certified that, to the best of their knowledge, information, and belief, the parts of the PEA for which they were responsible, contain all scientific and technical information required to be disclosed to make the PEA not misleading. The affiliation and areas of responsibility for each qualified person involved in preparing the PEA are provided below.

Travis Manning, P.E. of KCA - processing design and costs, metallurgy, recovery and cash flow

Mr. Michael S. Lindholm, C.P.G. of RESPEC - geology, data base and MRE

Kyle Murphy, P.E. of RESPEC - open pit design, mine planning, scheduling and costing

About Western Exploration

Western Exploration is focused on advancing the 100% owned Aura Project, located approximately 120 kilometers/75 miles north of the city of Elko, Nevada. The Aura Project includes three unique gold and silver deposits: Doby George, Gravel Creek, and Wood Gulch. Western Exploration is comprised of an experienced team of precious metals experts that aim to lead the company to becoming North America's premiere gold and silver development company.

Additional information regarding Western Exploration can be found on Western Exploration's corporate website (www.westernexploration.com) on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Western Exploration's issuer profile.

For more information please contact:

Cautionary Statements Regarding Estimates of Mineral Resources

This news release uses the terms measured, indicated, and inferred mineral resources as a relative measure of the level of confidence in the resource estimate. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources are not mineral reserves and that the economic viability of resources that are not mineral reserves has not been demonstrated. The mineral resource estimate disclosed in this news release may be materially affected by geology, environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. The mineral resource estimate is classified in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum's "CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves" (CIM) incorporated by reference into NI 43-101. Under NI 43-101, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies or economic studies except for preliminary economic assessments. Readers are cautioned not to assume that further work on the stated resources will lead to mineral reserves that can be mined economically.

Inferred mineral resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. On October 31, 2018, the SEC adopted new mining disclosure rules ("S-K 1300") that are more closely aligned with current industry and global regulatory practices and standards, including NI 43-101, although there are some differences in the two standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits contain in this release may not be comparable with information made public by U.S. companies that report in accordance with S-K 1300.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements, by their nature, require the Company to make certain assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Any statement that involves predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always, using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "interpreted", "management's view", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "potential", "feasibility", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This news release contains the forward-looking information pertaining to, among other things: the results of the PEA being achieved; a Technical Report being filed within 45 days (if at all) supporting the results of the PEA described in this news release; the significance of the results of the PEA; the ability of exploration activities, including drilling, to accurately predict mineralization; management's expectations on the grade and extension of mineralization; the accuracy of results from prior exploration activities conducted at the Aura Project; the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate the mineral resource estimate disclosed in this news release; the prospects, if any, of the Doby George, Wood Gulch and Gravel Creek mineral deposits; the potential profitability and/or viability of Doby George and the extent of the potential profitability of Doby George; the PEA production schedule; the capital and operating costs involved in the Project; the potential for expansion at Doby George; the feasibility of oxide resources at Wood Gulch; and improvements to recovery through additional test work. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the ability of exploration activities (including drill results) to accurately predict mineralization; errors in management's geological modelling; the ability of Western Exploration to complete further exploration activities, including drilling; the uncertain nature of exploration activities; property and royalty interests in respect of the Aura Project; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; risks relating to mining activities; the global economic climate; metal prices; dilution; environmental risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Western Exploration cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither Western Exploration nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. Western Exploration does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law.

For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements and forward-looking information made in this news release concerning Western Exploration, please refer to the continuous disclosure record of Western Exploration on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Western Exploration's issuer profile. The forward-looking statements set forth herein concerning Western Exploration reflect management's expectations as at the date of this news release and are subject to change after such date. Western Exploration disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251211

SOURCE: Western Exploration Inc.
Predictmedix AI Inc. (CSE: PMED) (OTC: PMEDF) (FRA: 3QP) ("Predictmedix" or the "Company"), a leading provider in AI-driven health and safety solutions, is proud to announce its participation as one of four profiled companies in an exclusive European investor roadshow spanning Budapest (Hungary), Zagreb (Croatia), and Belgrade (Serbia) from May 17 to May 21, 2025.

The roadshow comes at a pivotal moment in Predictmedix AI's growth trajectory. With the company already trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and having recently secured significant investment from prominent German family offices, this European tour offers a strategic platform to expand its shareholder base and deepen engagement with institutional and high-net-worth investors across the continent.

"Europe is becoming an increasingly critical market for us-both from a capital markets standpoint and a commercialization perspective," said Dr. Rahul Kushwah, COO of Predictmedix AI. "As we continue to scale our disruptive AI solutions for health and safety screening, this roadshow allows us to directly connect with investors who share our vision of a safer, smarter, and more resilient world."

Roadshow Highlights:

Budapest, Hungary

Date: Saturday, May 17 Time: 9:00 AM 4:00 PM

Venue: Varosliget Cafe Restaurant

Zagreb, Croatia

Date: Monday, May 19 Time: 5:30 PM 9:30 PM

Venue: International Hotel Zagreb

Belgrade, Serbia

Date: Wednesday, May 21 Time: 6:00 PM onwards

Venue: Crowne Plaza Belgrade

This roadshow will feature curated presentations and in-person discussions with some of Europe's most influential investors and family offices. Predictmedix AI will spotlight its proprietary non-invasive technologies, particularly Smarthealth AI stations, that have already demonstrated traction in North America, especially in workplace safety, healthcare, and public event screening.

The Company also announces that it has issued 850,000 common shares to a senior technology consultant, who has worked with the Company for several years, as compensation for services rendered. In addition, the Company has settled outstanding indebtedness of $64,806.45 owed to the same consultant through the issuance of an additional 1,150,000 common shares. All shares are subject to a four-month statutory hold period in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Details of the company's recent product validations, pilot programs, and strategic partnerships can be found in earlier press releases available at: https://predictmedix.com/press-releases/

About Predictmedix AI Inc.

Predictmedix AI Inc. (CSE: PMED) (OTC: PMEDF) (FRA:3QP) is an emerging provider of rapid health screening and remote patient care solutions globally. The Company's Safe Entry Stations powered by a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) use multispectral cameras to analyze physiological data patterns and predict a variety of health issues including 19 physiological vital parameters, impairment by drugs or alcohol, fatigue, or various mental illnesses. Predictmedix AI's proprietary remote patient care platform empowers medical professionals with a suite of AI-powered tools to improve patient health outcomes. To learn more, please visit our website at www.Predictmedix.com or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results of the Company. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. The Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulations under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any Page 4 of 4 future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein, such as, but not limited to dependence on obtaining regulatory approvals; the ability to obtain intellectual property rights related to its technology; limited operating history; general business, economic, competitive, political, regulatory and social uncertainties, and in particular, uncertainties related to COVID-19; risks related to factors beyond the control of the Company, including risks related to COVID-19; risks related to the Company's shares, including price volatility due to events that may or may not be within such party's control; reliance on management; and the emergency of additional competitors in the industry.

All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except required by law.

Disclaimer: The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to diagnose, eliminate, cure or contain the COVID-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time.

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED NOR DOES IT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508276464/en/

Contacts:

Dr. Rahul Kushwah, COO

rahul@predictmedix.com

(647) 889 6916
New modules protect against social media profile impersonations, breaches, and internal leaks

Outpost24, a leading provider of cyber risk management and threat intelligence solutions, today announced the integration of two new Digital Risk Protection (DRP) modules to its External Attack Surface Management (EASM) platform. The Social Media and Data Leakage modules are now offered alongside the Leaked Credentials and Dark Web modules to enhance customer insights into the entire attack surface.

From access to private and exclusive sources, strong automation capabilities, and powered by advanced threat intelligence, Outpost24's new DRP modules assist organizations in getting a full overview of external threats and risks, empowering proactivity and prioritization.

With threat actors leveraging information on social media profiles to launch attacks against companies, the Social Media DRP module monitors organizations' profiles as part of the attack surface. From the real-time tracking of social media impersonation, external breaches, and internal leaks, this module enables organizations to respond faster to threats and incidents as they emerge.

Likewise, an organization's sensitive documents are an integral asset to keep protected from external eyes. The Data Leakage DRP module detects potentially leaked documents and potentially leaked source code, providing organizations with enough time to react appropriately.

Together, these attack surface monitoring modules empower companies to:

Respond faster to threats as they emerge on social media

Detect leaked documents and source code and inform teams before they become a problem

Protect their reputation and reduce the risk of phishing or fraud

Prevent confidential information from spreading by catching issues early

"Organizations often forget that threat actors use the information on public social media profiles to launch targeted attacks or even to impersonate executive leadership," said Omri Kelter Chief Product Officer at Outpost24. "But they absolutely do, and it's extremely important that security teams track this. We've built our DRP modules for Social Media and Data Leakage based on rich threat intel and accelerated automation so that organizations can get the full context behind each new alert."

To learn more about Outpost24's EASM Platform with Digital Risk Protection modules, including the new Social Media and Data Leakage additions, please click here.

About Outpost24

Outpost24 offers industry-leading Attack Surface Management solutions that keep security teams one step ahead of emerging threats. They help thousands of organizations around the world to identify, protect, and monitor digital risks before they can be exploited. Outpost24 was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Sweden, with offices in the US, UK, France, Belgium, and Spain. Visit https://outpost24.com/ for more information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508501710/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact

Tila Pacheco

Eskenzi PR

tila@eskenzipr.com


ABU DHABI, UAE, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hidden Road today announced that its ADGM entity, Hidden Road Partners CIV (AD) Limited, has received In-Principle Approval (IPA) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM to operate as a regulated financial services firm. Pending final regulatory approval, Hidden Road will be authorized to offer clearing and prime brokerage services across its global suite of traditional and digital asset products to institutional investors in the UAE.

"Receiving our IPA from ADGM marks a significant milestone for our business," said James Stickland, UAE CEO, Hidden Road. "ADGM's high regulatory standards make it a key market for institutional growth."

The IPA underscores the firm's ongoing commitment to global compliance and transparency across traditional and digital asset markets. This milestone builds upon Hidden Road's growing network of regulatory approvals, certifications and licenses:

Hidden Road Partners CIV NL B.V. is licensed as a MiFID investment firm and as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider ("CASP") by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM);





Hidden Road Partners CIV UK Limited is authorized as an AMLD5 and MiFID investment firm by the UK Financial Conduct Authority; and





Hidden Road Partners CIV US LLC is a Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)-registered Futures Commission Merchant (FCM), a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)-member broker-dealer, and a member of the National Futures Association (NFA) and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (FICC).

"Our goal from day one has been to equip clients with seamless access both to traditional and digital markets," said Noel Kimmel, President at Hidden Road. "We continue to actively pursue regulatory approvals around the world to deliver on that commitment, recognizing the confidence and transparency that follows when operating under clear regulatory frameworks."

Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief of Market Development at ADGM, said, "ADGM congratulates Hidden Road on receiving its IPA from the FSRA to operate as a regulated financial services firm. The expansion of their services within the international financial centre is a testament to the immense opportunities available within Abu Dhabi. We look forward to Hidden Road receiving their Financial Services Permission (FSP) and their contribution to ADGM's dynamic ecosystem."

Hidden Road's IPA from ADGM's FSRA follows its recent definitive agreement on April 8, 2025, to be acquired by Ripple, a leading provider of digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions, for $1.25 billion. With the backing of Ripple's significant balance sheet, Hidden Road will exponentially expand its capacity to service its pipeline and become one of the largest non-bank prime brokers globally. The deal is expected to close in the coming months, subject to regulatory approvals.

About Hidden Road

Hidden Road Partners is the global credit network for institutions, enabling seamless access to traditional and digital markets. Conflict-free and built on a modern technology stack, we remove complexity and cost in prime brokerage, clearing and financing. For more information, please email info@hiddenroad.com .

Media Contact

Carissa Felger/Sam Fisher

Gasthalter & Co.

HiddenRoad@gasthalter.com

+1 (212) 257-4170

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DUBAI, UAE, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit , the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is pleased to introduce new yield opportunities in fixed savings to Bybit Card users. Available on Bybit Earn, a new savings products will allow Bybit Card users to generate returns by staking their USDT.

For yield seekers during market turbulences, savings products with steady returns offer an alternative for traders to effectively allocate their capital. Bybit combines substantial returns and stability with this exclusive promotion for Bybit Card users. From now to June 30, 2025, 23:59 PM UTC, Bybit Card users may access the 90-day Fixed Savings plan on Bybit Earn and earn up to 8% APR on their USDT savings. The rewards are structured in two tiers:

VIPs only: Staking 200 to 5,000 USDT for 4% APR

Staking 200 to 5,000 USDT for 4% APR Non-VIPs: Staking 1,000 to 10,000 USDT for 8% APR

The most widely used stablecoin in the world, USDT facilitates instant crypto transactions while offering the stability merchants and buyers expect. As of May 2025, USDT, USDC, BTC and AVAX are available as cashback options for Bybit Card users.

With over 1.7 million cards issued-and counting, the Bybit Card is the go-to choice the global crypto community. The Card empowers users with an everyday crypto payment solution, offers unmissable perks including exclusive access to premier events and services, and is packed with rewards fit for the crypto lifestyle. The Bybit Card's growth story is one of the digital asset industry's, complementing the rise in crypto adoption and supporting its customers on their wealth building journey.

Key Features of the Bybit Card:

Instant virtual card: users will get a versatile card instantly, compatible with Apple Pay and Google Pay.

users will get a versatile card instantly, compatible with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Crypto convenience : spending in crypto, and cash withdrawals from any ATM worldwide that supports Mastercard for added convenience with the physical card.

: spending in crypto, and cash withdrawals from any ATM worldwide that supports Mastercard for added convenience with the physical card. No annual fees and up to 10% cashback

and Year-round perks: 100% rebates on selected partners including Netflix and ChatGPT, plus air lounge access, early-bird access to Tomorrowland Brasil 2025, and seasonal benefits

100% rebates on selected partners including Netflix and ChatGPT, plus air lounge access, early-bird access to Tomorrowland Brasil 2025, and seasonal benefits Multi-asset support: USDC, USDT, BTC, ETH, AVAX, and more.

The offer is available for eligible Bybit Card users only, restrictions apply. New users may apply for here: Bybit Crypto Card: Your Ultimate Crypto Debit Card .

Bybit / TheCryptoArk / TheBybitCard

About Bybit

Bybit is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com .

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com

For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media

Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube



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Fintech Miconex is building on the success of its digital gifting product in Europe by launching digital gift card technology in Canada, alongside EML Payments.

Miconex operates over 200 closed loop gift card programs globally with almost $60 million in local spend delivered. Its Downtown Gift Card program is active across North America, with 42 district branded programs and over $15 million in sales in Canada. The local gift cards enable downtowns to capitalize on the 'shop local' opportunity and divert online spend into local communities.

The launch includes the introduction of digital e-cards and the tokenization of physical cards, both allowing Miconex's local gift cards to be added to digital wallets, enabling contactless payment technology.

Colin Munro, CEO, Miconex, said: "Our digital advancements in Canada tap into the growing trend for digital wallets and mobile payments in Canada, and for supporting local businesses, enabling districts to give consumers choice and flexibility in how they buy and spend local gift cards. This is the future of local gifting."

Patrick Hall, Chief Commercial Officer, EML Payments, said: "We're thrilled to partner with Miconex to bring our digital private label gifting solutions to Canada, making it easier than ever for people to give thoughtful, flexible gifts. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to innovation and delivering convenient, customer-first experiences."

Kingston, London, Victoria, Barrie, Peterborough and Red Deer are some of the districts set to launch digital versions of their existing Downtown Gift Card programs alongside Miconex.

Katie Woodcock, Downtown Kingston BIA, said: "The Downtown Kingston BIA and its members are thrilled that the Downtown Gift Card is going digital. This update will make it even easier to shop local and support the diverse range of businesses that makes our downtown so special. With just a quick tap on their smartphones, visitors can explore everything our vibrant downtown has to offer while contributing to its continued growth and success."

Press information

Miconex's objective is simple: providing communities with a tangible means to retain spend in their locality, providing essential support for local businesses of all types and sizes through its Downtown Gift Cards and Town City Gift Cards. With Miconex, local and loyal shopping becomes not only easy for customers, but desirable, contributing to the evolution of high streets and downtowns around the world.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250428276595/en/

Contacts:

Kelly Topping: kellytopping@mi-cnx.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Elysee Development Corp. (TSXV: ELC) (FSE: QLDN) is pleased to announce its unaudited financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2025 ("Q1 2025"). All dollar amounts are in Canadian funds.

Highlights from the Q1 2025 results include:

Net income of $1,922,864 ($0.07 per share) in Q1 2025 as compared to $278,436 ($0.01 per share) in Q1 2024;

Total investment income of $2,124,739 in Q1 2025 as compared to $394,915 in Q1 2024;

Net Asset Value per share increased to $0.49 per share as of March 31, 2025 from $0.42 per share on December 31, 2024; and

Cash on hand as of March 31, 2025 of $ 1,886,015.

During the first three months of 2025 Elysee's investment portfolio recorded a realized gain on securities of $479,550, interest and dividend income of $54,024 and an unrealized gain on securities of $1,583,261, offset by general and administrative expenses of $201,875.

Guido Cloetens, President and CEO of Elysee Development Corp. made the following statement:

"The strong performance of the price of gold during the first quarter of 2025 had a positive impact on the gold mining sector, and gold producers in particular. Many exploration and development companies are still undervalued, however. In recent weeks some of the smaller companies Elysee owns have received take-over proposals. We're seeing a notable increase in M&A activity, and we expect this to continue if the price of gold remains strong.

With a current cash position of almost $2 million we are well positioned to profit from opportunities that may arise in the coming months."

In the latter part of Q1 2025 the Company realized gains by reducing its positions in Dundee Precious Metals Inc., Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., Almonty Industries Inc. and others. Investments were made in Premium Resources Ltd., a gold-linked note issued by West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd and several developing copper and gold companies.

On February 23, 2025 Calibre Mining received an initial merger proposal from Equinox Gold. Equinox subsequently increased its bid on April 24 to 0.35 shares of Equinox for every share of Calibre Mining, with shareholders of both companies approving the merger on May 1, 2025. On completion, the new entity will become the third largest equity investment of Elysee after US Vanadium and Arizona Sonoran Copper Company.

The most significant investments on March 31, 2025 were U.S. Vanadium LLC (privately held), Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc., Dundee Precious Metals Inc., Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Wesdome Gold Mines Limited and OceanaGold Corporation.

During the three months ended March 31, 2025 the Company did not purchase any of its shares pursuant to a Normal Course Issuer Bid. There were 28,321,613 shares outstanding at the end of the period.

For more information on these investments and others made during the period, please refer to the MD&A dated May 6, 2025 on SEDAR+ or on our website at www.elyseedevelopment.com.

On March 31, 2025, Elysee's net asset value ("NAV") was $0.49 per share compared to $0.42 on December 31, 2024. NAV is a non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) measure calculated as the value of total assets less the value of total liabilities divided by the total number of common shares outstanding as at a specific date. For the purpose of this calculation, share purchase warrants held by Elysee were valued using the Black-Scholes model calculation, as reported in our annual and quarterly financial statements. The term NAV does not have any standardized meaning according to GAAP and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. There is no comparable GAAP measure presented in Elysee's financial statements and thus no applicable quantitative reconciliation for such non-GAAP financial measure. The Company believes that NAV can provide information useful to its shareholders in understanding its performance and may assist in the evaluation of its business relative to that of its peers.

The Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis are available for viewing on SEDAR+ and at www.elyseedevelopment.com.

Grant of Restricted Share Units

On May 6, 2025 the Company granted a total of 100,000 restricted share units (RSUs) to directors and officers in accordance with the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange and the company's equity incentive plan. The RSUs will vest annually in three equal tranches starting May 7, 2026, and once vested, each RSU will entitle the holder thereof to receive a common share in the capital of the company. The RSU grants are subject to regulatory approval.

FOR FURTHER IN FORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as the term is defined in the Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements - This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, oral or written, made by itself or on its behalf, except as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251212

SOURCE: Elysee Development Corp.
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - NeoTerrex Minerals Inc. (TSXV: NTX) ("NeoTerrex" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its fully-funded exploration plans for the 2025 field season. Work will focus on its critical mineral assets, with an emphasis on its rare earths projects. The work planed includes surface prospecting, geological mapping, surficial geochemistry and drilling. An initial budget of $2 Million has been set aside for the program but may be increased based on results or other material factors.

Highlights

Exploration primarily targeting rare earth minerals

Follow-up on numerous discoveries made in 2024

Projects located in a favorable jurisdiction with up to 45% exploration tax credit incentive for the critical and strategic metal sectors

Mount Discovery Rare Earth Elements ("REE") Project

A spring exploration program is underway and is focusing on the portion of the project where rare earths-bearing carbonatite were previously identified with the objective of determining the extent of the REE mineralization and host lithology. A portion of the samples extracted will be used for mineralogical studies to determine the source minerals for the rare earths. The carbonatite is adjacent to the King showing were channel sampling intersected 3.25% Total Rare Earth Oxide ("TREO") over 27.5 metres in 2022 (for additional details see NeoTerrex website).

Galactic REE Project

Additional surface work is to be conducted on the Galactic project and will follow-up on the 38 critical minerals discoveries made on the project in 2024 (see NeoTerrex December 6th, 2024 news release). The principal objective is to evaluate the occurrences for their potential for sizeable volume and extract additional samples for mineralogical studies. Among the 2024 discoveries to be visited are:

Gemini I: 0.47% Dysprosium, 0.9% Neodymium, 0.88% Niobium

Ceres I: 1.63% Neodymium

Pegasus I: 1.1% Niobium, 902 ppm Tantalum

Andromeda Sector: 0.3% Dysprosium, 562 ppm Tantalum, 0.6% Neodymium, 9.25% Zirconium

Centaurus I: 1.04% Niobium, 0.24% Dysprosium, 0.28% Neodymium

Canis Major: 0.21% Dysprosium, 0.45% Niobium, 3.79% Zirconium

The 2025 program will also focus on expanding on last year's program whereas less than 20% of the surface area of the project had been prospected at the time. The targeted areas include both radiometric and magnetic anomalies, and areas where elements often associated with REE mineralization were identified in the 1970s.

Strange Lake West REE Project

A maiden exploration program is planned for the rare earths Strange Lake West project located in northeast Quebec, 6 kilometres west of the Strange Lake heavy rare earth deposit of indicated resource of 278 million tonnes at 0.93% TREO and inferred resources of 214 million tonnes at 0.85% TREO (Micon International, 2017).

The project is centered on an area with a geological and geophysical signature similar to the Lac Brisson Pluton area which contains the Strange Lake deposit, and in an area where several rare earths occurrences had been discovered several years ago but not followed up on. Historical samples from the project have returned up to 1.4% TREO, including significant heavy REE values in some areas.

The upcoming exploration program will target these anomalies and mineralized areas, with the aim to locating additional mineralization like that that of the nearby deposit.

Gravitas Tungsten-Gold Project

Initial field work on the Gravitas project will focus on various portions of the property where mineralization had been reported in the past. A priority will be to locate and sample the historic Petosa tungsten zone which was first identified in the 1930 with subsequent recorded work having exposed tungsten-bearing minerals over widths varying from 1 to 5 metres within a porphyry extending over 150 metres in length. Historical grab samples had recorded tungsten values ranging between 0.5% and 4% tungsten (W), while a 1941 government-sponsored metallurgical testing established an 87.25% recovery rate (GM14469). Other areas were gold and base metals have been identified will also be visited and sampled. Most of the work will focus on the portion of the project located on strike with Vior's pass-producing Belleterre gold mine. The first phase of the program is expected to be completed by the end this month.

Monument REE Project

Exploration on the Monument project is schedule to start mid-summer and is to focus on the central portion of the property. The project is located west of the Montviel carbonatite (another significant REE deposit in Quebec) and within a geological/geophysical similar that of the deposit. Thick glacial sediments have masked the geology, but a cluster of unexplained electromagnetic anomalies along a regional magnetic high similar to the nearby REE deposit provide a compelling exploration target.

Revolver REE Project

A surface exploration program is scheduled to be undertaken during the summer months on the Revolver project, where the Company had discovered 21 news occurrences last year. The program will focus on the western portion of the project where results had returned the highest value in heavy rare earths, mostly Dysprosium.

Advanced exploration

Advanced exploration, including drilling is to be undertaken upon completion of the summer programs.

NeoTerrex is well financed with a working capital of $4 million and no debt. The Company has discovered numerous rare earths occurrences on several of its projects which require follow-up exploration to determine their extent. The reader is invited to view the Company's website for more information on these projects.

Qualified Persons

Technical and scientific aspects of this news release have been reviewed, verified, and approved by Mathieu Stephens, P.Geo., President and CEO of NeoTerrex, the Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About NeoTerrex

The Company is currently advancing its prospective critical minerals projects located in the Province of Quebec, with the majority located within or near areas with excellent infrastructure. NeoTerrex is positioning itself to capitalize on the growing critical minerals sector in North America by identifying new deposits in favorable locations.

For further information, please contact:

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements, including without limitation, statements pertaining to NeoTerrex's future plans, objectives or goals including its 2025 exploration plans and budget. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the Company's disclosure documents on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251234

SOURCE: NeoTerrex Minerals Inc.
Golden Cross is advancing exploration at the Reedy Creek Gold Project, 10 km northeast of and contiguous to Southern Cross Gold's recent Sunday Creek gold discovery

Historical drilling at Reedy Creek revealed high-grade gold intercepts including 11m at 31.4 g/t gold and 2m at 174.42 g/t gold1

Recent soil geochemical sampling identified a ~3km-long gold-in-soil geochemical anomaly

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Golden Cross Resources Corp (TSXV: AUX) (OTC Pink: ZCRMD) ("Golden Cross" or the "Company"), a company focused on high-grade gold exploration at the historic Reedy Creek Goldfield in Victoria, Australia, is pleased to provide an update on its Reedy Creek Gold Project, in Victoria's prolific Lachlan Fold Belt. The Company's modern exploration approach, grounded in a proven structural model, is targeting known gold mineralization directly adjacent to the Sunday Creek gold discovery made recently by Southern Cross Gold.

Figure 1: Golden Cross' Reedy Creek Project is located 10 km northeast of Southern Cross Gold's recent Sunday Creek gold discovery, in Victoria's prolific Lachlan Fold Belt

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5159/251249_127c03b3e4c579f5_002full.jpg

Reedy Creek: Historic High-Grade Gold Intercepts

Located just 10 km northeast of Sunday Creek, historical drilling at Reedy Creek points to a potential high-grade gold system. Significant intercepts1 include:

2.0m at 174.4 g/t gold

11.0m at 31.4 g/t gold

These shallow intercepts demonstrate very high gold grades but were never followed up with deeper or systematic drilling. Golden Cross intends to apply modern structural, geochemical, and geological tools to define its scale and continuity.

~3km Gold-in-Soil Anomaly Suggests Potential Large-Scale System

Supporting a planned drill campaign this summer is a recently outlined gold-in-soil anomaly stretching more than 3 kilometers in length and running parallel to a regional anticline-similar in style to structures hosting mineralization at Sunday Creek. Gold-in-soil anomalies are critical early indicators of mineralized systems, especially in epizonal deposits where gold is often closely associated with fault zones and vein swarms near surface.

The anomaly identified at Reedy Creek aligns with mapped folding and structural complexity, suggesting the potential for multiple pathways for gold deposition-a key requirement for high-grade, vertically extensive gold systems.

"In epizonal gold systems like those found in this region of Victoria, gold-in-soil anomalies often sit directly above ladder-style vein systems," said Alan Till, VP Exploration. "The scale and strength of the anomaly at Reedy Creek gives us confidence we're targeting the right structures."

Structurally Controlled High Grade Gold Systems

The gold mineralization at Reedy Creek is strongly constrained by regional folding and faulting. The detailed mapping being undertaken by Golden Cross Resources is crucial to developing a robust 3D model of the gold mineralization within the Reedy Creek goldfield. The structural and geological mapping will be used to guide the upcoming drilling programs as its scope is expanded out across the Reedy Creek goldfield, and to other regional target areas.

Interrogation of the Company's Lidar dataset has identified more than 1,350 artisanal mine workings dating back to the late 1800s. The mapping of these workings shows they closely follow the structural trends that host the gold bearing quartz veins. As such they are an important early stage targeting tool that enables the company to swiftly vector in on gold mineralization.

"Testing the Ladder": A Strategy That Delivered at Sunday Creek

Golden Cross is adopting the same exploration model that led to the breakthrough discovery at Sunday Creek: the "Testing the Ladder" approach. This strategy focuses on identifying stacked, steeply dipping high-grade gold bearing quartz veins (the "rungs" of a ladder) that can deliver multiple intercepts from a single drill hole when drilled at depth. The high-grade quartz veins forming these rungs are connected by a halo of lower grade mineralization within the intervening host rock.

Shorter historical holes from past drill campaigns could have potentially missed many of these deeper vein intersections. At Reedy Creek, past drilling at hole RWD01 reported the following grade intervals2:

0.8 m @ 21.7 g/t Au from 40.8 m

0.7 m @ 239.64 g/t Au from 68.7 m

By drilling deeper and along structurally favorable trends, Golden Cross aims to define the vertical extent, continuity, and true size of the potential system.

"Golden Cross is using the same formula that led to the Sunday Creek discovery, which turned Southern Cross Gold into a billion-dollar company," said CEO Matthew Roma. "With historical high-grade intercepts, a 3km gold-in-soil anomaly, and modern exploration tools now in hand, we believe Reedy Creek holds significant upside potential."

Drilling Set to Begin in June 2025

Golden Cross is in the process of consolidating and studying historical workings, structural mapping, geochemistry, and previous drill results (see Figure 2 below) to design its Phase 1 Diamond drill program, commencing in June. The fully funded 6,000 metre program will begin with 2,000 metres at the Prince of Wales and Wieneroider Ridge targets. Additional drill phases will follow as geological modeling and results evolve. The Company will provide an update on the drilling program in a future news release.

Figure 2: Significant historic drill results within the current exploration target Area

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5159/251249_127c03b3e4c579f5_003full.jpg

References:

1.)Refers to Fosterville South Exploration news release dated April 27, 2022 (link here)

2.)Refers to Fosterville South Exploration news release dated Oct 14, 2021 (link here)

Omnibus Incentive Plan and RSU Grant

Additionally, the Company announces that Shareholders approved the company's new 20% fixed omnibus incentive plan (the "Plan") at its Annual General & Special Meeting held on May 6, 2025. The Plan allows for the maximum of 12,072,173 options and restricted share units (the "RSU's) to be issued.

Under the Plan, the Company has granted 1,210,000 RSU's to directors and officers of the Company, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. The RSU's will vest over a two-year period.

About Golden Cross Resources

Golden Cross Resources (TSXV: AUX) (OTC Pink: ZCRMD) is a Canadian mineral exploration company engaged in the advancement of its "Reedy Creek" high-grade gold project (the "Project") in Victoria, Australia, which is comprised of two tenements of land located approximately 10km northeast of and contiguous to Southern Cross Gold's Sunday Creek gold discovery. Past drilling at the Project revealed high-grade gold intercepts including 11m at 31.4 g/t gold and 2m at 174.42 g/t gold1. Golden Cross plans to commence its Phase 1 diamond drill program at the historic Reedy Creek Goldfield in Q2 2025 to confirm and expand known high-grade gold mineralization.

For more information visit: www.goldencrossresources.com

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Alan Till, VP Exploration and a Qualified Person for Golden Cross Resources as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Till has examined information regarding the historical exploration at Golden Cross's "Reedy Creek" high-grade gold project, which includes his review of the historical sampling, analytical and procedures underlying the information and opinions contained herein.

Management cautions that historical results were collected and reported by operators unrelated to Golden Cross and have not been verified nor confirmed by its Qualified Person; however, the historical results create a scientific basis for ongoing work in the Golden Cross property. Management further cautions that historical results, discoveries and published resource estimates on adjacent or nearby mineral properties, whether in stated current resource estimates or historical resource estimates, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved on the Golden Cross property.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur and include disclosure of anticipated exploration activities. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements were made. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Such factors include, among others, risks related to: the accuracy and reliability of historic drilling results as it relates to planned exploration; the ability of the Company to raise funds for exploration activities and property maintenance costs at Reedy Creek; reliance on technical information provided by third parties on any of our exploration properties; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays due to pandemic; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis which is available under Company's SEDAR profile at: www.sedarplus.ca

Although Golden Cross has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Golden Cross disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251249

SOURCE: Golden Cross Resources Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Cordoba Minerals Corp. (TSXV: CDB) (OTCQB: CBDMF) ("Cordoba" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a transformational transaction that delivers substantial value to shareholders. The Company has entered into a definitive framework agreement (the "Framework Agreement") to sell its remaining 50% interest in the Alacran Project - one of Colombia's most advanced copper-gold development assets - along with all other exploration assets in Colombia and certain accounts receivable (the "Transaction").

The sale will be executed through the divestment of Cordoba's wholly owned Colombian subsidiaries, Minerales Cordoba S.A.S. and Exploradora Cordoba S.A.S., to Veritas Resources AG ("Veritas"), which currently holds the other 50% of the Alacran Project. Currently, Veritas is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of JCHX Mining Management Co., Ltd. ("JCHX"), a strategic partner and 19.81% shareholder of Cordoba. Upon closing, Veritas will be owned by a consortium of experienced mining investors, with JCHX continuing to hold 55% of Veritas.

The Transaction delivers:

Immediate cash proceeds of US$88 million at closing

at closing Up to an additional US$40 million in potential deferred and contingent payments

in potential deferred and contingent payments A streamlined focus for Cordoba as it evaluates new opportunities to create shareholder value

"This transaction represents an opportunity to expedite the advancement of the Alacran Project and will be an excellent outcome for Cordoba shareholders," commented Sarah Armstrong-Montoya, President & CEO. "JCHX is a global leader in mine development and operations and brings proven underground mining expertise to the Alacran Project-one of Colombia's most advanced copper-gold assets. With a strong track record in delivering large-scale international mining projects on budget and ahead of schedule, JCHX is well-positioned to unlock the full potential of the Alacran deposit alongside its consortium partners."

Transaction Terms

Under the terms of the Framework Agreement, Cordoba will receive:

A cash payment of US$88 million at closing (the "Closing Cash Payment"); and

(the "Closing Cash Payment"); and A deferred payment of US$12 million , payable upon the earlier of: commencement of commercial production at the Alacran Project, or 36 months from the closing date.

, payable upon the earlier of:

In addition, Cordoba may receive a contingent payment of either US$8 million or US$28 million, depending on the prevailing copper price at the time of commercial production at the Alacran Project. If the copper price falls below a certain threshold, Cordoba may not receive this contingent payment.

A success fee is payable in connection with the Transaction to an arm's length financial advisor. Ivanhoe Mines Consulting Services (Beijing) Co., Ltd. is entitled to receive a cash fee of 1% of the first US$100 million of proceeds received by Cordoba in connection with the Transaction.

Use of Proceeds and Shareholder Distribution

Cordoba intends to distribute the net proceeds from the Closing Cash Payment to its shareholders, after settling all outstanding liabilities and obligations, but will retain US$5 million for ongoing corporate purposes (the "Distribution"). Cordoba is required, pursuant to the terms of the Framework Agreement, to use commercially reasonable efforts to make the Distribution within six months of closing of the Transaction, subject to necessary approvals from shareholders, the TSXV, and other applicable regulatory authorities. Cordoba estimates that the amount of the Distribution will be between US$65-70 million.

Termination of Prior Agreements and Debt Repayment

Following completion of the Transaction:

All prior agreements with JCHX under the original framework agreement dated December 8, 2022, will be terminated; and

Cordoba's outstanding bridge loan debt to an affiliate of JCHX, entered into on December 26, 2024, will be repaid through the assignment of an equivalent loan made by Cordoba to Minerales to the same affiliate of JCHX.

Conditions to Closing

Closing of the Transaction is subject to customary conditions, including but not limited to:

Approval by the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV");

Approval by Cordoba shareholders at a special meeting of shareholders (the "Cordoba Meeting"); and

Approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") for the Alacran Project by Colombia's Autoridad Nacional de Licencias Ambientales ("ANLA").

Closing is dependent, among other things, the timing of the approval of the EIA from the ANLA and the shareholder approval. Further details of the Transaction will be included in the management information circular to be provided to shareholders ahead of the Cordoba Meeting. Cordoba anticipates that the Cordoba Meeting will be held in or around August 2025, but in no event later than September 15, 2025. It is a requirement of the Framework Agreement that the Transaction is completed by December 31, 2025.

Following closing of the Transaction, Cordoba will continue to be a publicly-listed company on the TSXV with the Company's Perseverance property in its portfolio. Following closing, the Company will search for business development opportunities, and Ivanhoe Electric Inc., one of Cordoba's current significant shareholders, will continue to hold the majority of the Company's shares.

Related Party Transaction

The Transaction constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") because JCHX and its affiliates are significant shareholders of Cordoba (holding, in aggregate, greater than 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company). The Company is relying on the exemptions from the minority approval requirements and formal valuation requirements under sections 5.5(e) and 5.7(c) of MI 61-101, as the Transaction is supported by an arm's length control person, being Cordoba's significant shareholder, Ivanhoe Electric Inc. ("Ivanhoe"). Ivanhoe is not an interested party in the Transaction and is at arm's length to the interested party, JCHX.

As a related party transaction, the board of directors of Cordoba (the "Board") constituted a special committee of independent directors (the "Special Committee") for the purposes of, among other things, considering the Transaction, reviewing, directing and supervising the process to be carried out by the Company and its professional advisors in assessing and negotiating the Transaction, and considering and making recommendations to the Board with respect to the Transaction. The Special Committee is composed of William (Bill) Orchow, Dr. Diane Nicolson, Luis Valencia Gonzalez, and Terry Krepiakevich. In considering the Transaction, the Special Committee retained Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP as its independent legal counsel and Haywood Securities Inc. ("Haywood") as its independent financial advisor.

Haywood has provided a fairness opinion in respect of the Transaction. The Company is exempt from the requirement to obtain a formal valuation in accordance with MI 61-101. A copy of the fairness opinion will be included in the management information circular to be sent to Cordoba shareholders prior to the Cordoba Meeting. In addition, Haywood has provided an opinion to the Special Committee, stating that, in their opinion and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications contained in the fairness opinion, as of the date of the fairness opinion, the consideration to be paid pursuant to the Transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to the shareholders of the Company (other than JCHX and its affiliates). After careful consideration and deliberation, the Special Committee determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of Cordoba and is fair to shareholders of the Company (other than JCHX, and its affiliates) and unanimously recommended to the Board that the Board approve the Transaction. Following receipt of the unanimous recommendation by the Special Committee, the Board determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of Cordoba and is fair to shareholders of the Company (other than JCHX and its affiliates) and unanimously approved the Transaction.

Further information regarding the Transaction will be contained in a management information circular that Cordoba will prepare, file and mail to its shareholders in advance of the Cordoba Meeting. Copies of the main transaction documents and management information circular will be available in due course on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Cordoba

Cordoba Minerals Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the exploration, development and acquisition of copper and gold projects. Subject to the completion of the Transaction, Cordoba is jointly developing the Alacran Project with JCHX Mining Management Co., Ltd., located in the Department of Cordoba, Colombia. Cordoba also holds a 51% interest in the Perseverance Copper Project in Arizona, USA, which it is exploring through a Joint Venture and Earn-In Agreement. For further information, please visit www.cordobaminerals.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY

Sarah Armstrong-Montoya, President and Chief Executive Officer

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements relating to the Alacran Project and the advancement thereof, including the timing of advancement, statements with respect to the Transaction, including the completion of the Transaction and the expected timing of completion, the expected approvals required for the Transaction and Distribution, including the approval of the TSXV, ANLA, and shareholders of Cordoba, the treatment of the existing debt owed by Cordoba to an affiliate of JCHX, the use of proceeds from the Transaction, and the expected benefits from the Transaction. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which Cordoba operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include title to mineral property risks; reliability of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates; going concern risks; the availability of capital and financing generally for the development of the Alacran Project; a deterioration of security on site in Colombia or actions by the local community that inhibits access and/or ability to productively work on site; community relations and construction activities; fluctuations in the price of metals and the anticipated future prices of such metals; stock market volatility; unanticipated changes in general business and economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; certain shareholders exercising significant control over the Company; foreign entity risks; loss of key personnel; negative operating cash flow; changes in interest or currency exchange rates; risks related to foreign operation including changes to taxation, social unrest, and changes in national and local government legislation; regulatory risks; uninsured risks; environmental risks; competition; risks related to participation in joint ventures; legal disputes or unanticipated outcomes of legal proceedings; changing global financial conditions; force majeure; conflicts of interest; cyber security incidents; and the potential effects of international conflicts on the Company's business; human error, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251261

SOURCE: Cordoba Minerals Corp.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Kelt Exploration Ltd. (TSX: KEL) ("Kelt" or the "Company") reports its financial and operating results to shareholders for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. The Company's financial results are summarized as follows:

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Three months ended March 31

(CA$ thousands, except as otherwise indicated)

2025



2024



%

Petroleum and natural gas sales

142,501



126,391



13

Cash provided by operating activities

86,929



62,493



39

Adjusted funds from operations (1)

78,214



61,176



28

Basic ($/ common share) (1)

0.40



0.31



29

Diluted ($/ common share) (1)

0.39



0.31



26

Net income and comprehensive income

18,979



11,847



60

Basic ($/ common share)

0.10



0.06



67

Diluted ($/ common share)

0.09



0.06



50

Capital expenditures, net of A&D (1)

104,746



80,181



31

Total assets

1,512,752



1,282,456



18

Net debt (1)

150,024



31,961



369

Shareholders' equity

1,086,264



1,018,604



7

Weighted average shares outstanding (000s)











Basic

197,531



194,655



1

Diluted

200,525



198,285



1



(1) Refer to advisories regarding Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Kelt's unaudited consolidated interim financial statements and related notes for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 will be available to the public on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and will also be posted on the Company's website at www.keltexploration.com on May 8, 2025.

Kelt's operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025 are summarized as follows:

OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Three months ended March 31

(CA$ thousands, except as otherwise indicated)

2025



2024



%

Average daily production

















Oil (bbls/d) (2)

9,444



8,758



8

NGLs (bbls/d)

5,631



3,497



61

Gas (Mcf/d)

149,637



123,931



21

Combined (BOE/d)

40,015



32,910



22

Production per million common shares (BOE/d) (1)

203



169



20

Net realized prices, before derivative financial instruments(1)











Oil ($/bbl)

93.32



90.15



4

NGLs ($/bbl)

41.07



52.18



-21

Gas ($/Mcf)

2.93



2.94



-

Operating netbacks ($/BOE) (1)











Petroleum and natural gas sales

39.57



42.20



-6

Cost of purchases

(0.81 )

(1.61 )

-50

Combined net realized price, before derivative financial instruments (1)

38.76



40.59



-5

Realized gain (loss) on financial instruments

1.77



-



-

Combined net realized price, after derivative financial instruments (1)

40.53



40.59



-

Royalties

(4.23 )

(5.02 )

-16

Production expense

(9.54 )

(10.42 )

-8

Transportation expense

(3.51 )

(3.46 )

1

Operating netback (1)

23.25



21.69



7

Landholdings











Gross acres

791,558



791,879



-

Net acres

590,525



578,975



2



(1) Refer to advisories regarding Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures.

MESSAGE TO SHAREHOLDERS

Kelt Exploration Ltd. ("Kelt" or the "Company") reports its financial and operating results to shareholders for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

Kelt's average production for the three months ended March 31, 2025 reached a new Company high quarterly production average record of 40,015 BOE per day, up 22% from average production of 32,910 BOE per day during the corresponding quarter in 2024. Production for the first quarter of 2025 was weighted 38% oil and NGLs and 62% gas. Operating income was weighted 80% oil and NGLs and 20% gas.

Kelt's realized average oil price during the first quarter of 2025 was $93.32 per barrel, up 4% from $90.15 per barrel in the first quarter of 2024. The realized average NGLs price during the first quarter of 2025 was $41.07 per barrel, down 21% from $52.18 per barrel in the same quarter of 2024. Kelt's realized average gas price for the first quarter of 2025 was $2.93 per Mcf, relatively unchanged from $2.94 per Mcf in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

On a barrel of oil equivalent basis, Kelt realized $38.76 per BOE in sales, down 5% from $40.59 per BOE in the first quarter of 2024. In addition, the Company realized $6.4 million in gains from derivative financial instruments, adding $1.77 per BOE to its netback in the first quarter of 2025.

For the three months ended March 31, 2025, petroleum and natural gas sales were $142.5 million and adjusted funds from operations was $78.2 million ($0.39 per share, diluted), compared to $126.4 million and $61.2 million ($0.31 per share, diluted) respectively, in the first quarter of 2024. On March 31, 2025, net debt was $150.0 million or 0.5 times annualized first quarter 2025 adjusted funds from operations.

Net capital expenditures incurred during the three months ended March 31, 2025, were $104.7 million. During the first quarter of 2025, the Company spent $48.6 million on drill and complete operations, $45.1 million on facilities, pipelines, and equipment and $10.7 million on a seismic shoot.

Kelt expects to spend $325.0 million on its capital expenditure program during 2025, a decrease of 1% from its previous forecast. Production during 2025 is forecasted to average between 44,000 and 47,000 BOE per day, an increase of 33% at the low end of the range and an increase of 42% at the high end of the range compared to average production of 33,115 BOE per day in 2024. Adjusted funds from operations for 2025 is forecasted to be $325.0 million or 6% lower than the Company's previous forecast of $345.0 million. The Company reduced its forecasted 2025 average WTI oil price by 9% from US$69.00 per barrel to US$63.00 per barrel. On December 31, 2025, the Company expects to have net debt of $126.0 million, representing 0.4 times forecasted 2025 adjusted funds from operations.

2025 Guidance

The Company's 2025 capital expenditure budget of $325.0 million includes the drilling of 33 (28.6 net) wells and the completion of 34 (29.6 net) wells during the year. The 2025 capital expenditures are expected to be allocated as follows: $194.0 million for drilling and completing wells, $110.0 million for facilities, pipeline, and equipment and $21.0 million for land and seismic.

Preparation of the 2025 capital expenditure budget includes the following forecasted average commodity price assumptions (with average 2024 commodity prices shown for comparative purposes):

Commodity Index 2025 Forecast 2024 Change WTI Crude Oil (USD/bbl) 63.00 76.56 (18%) MSW Crude Oil (CAD/bbl) 82.75 98.70 (16%) NYMEX Henry Hub Natural Gas Daily Index (USD/MMBtu) 3.90 2.25 73% DAWN Gas Daily Index (USD/MMBtu) 3.65 1.97 85% AECO NIT 5A Gas Daily Index (CAD/GJ) 2.46 1.39 77% STATION 2 Gas Daily Index (CAD/GJ) 1.85 1.13 64% Exchange Rate (USD/CAD) 0.7150 0.7299 (2%) Exchange Rate (CAD/USD) 1.3986 1.3700 2%

Financial and operating highlights for the Company's 2025 forecast compared to its 2024 results are highlighted in the table below:

Financial and Operating Highlights

($ MM, unless otherwise specified) 2025 Forecast 2024 Change Production [2]





Oil & NGLs (bbls/d) 16,500 - 18,000 12,298 40% Gas (MMcf/d) 165,000 - 174,000 124,902 36% Combined (BOE/d) 44,000 - 47,000 33,115 37% P&NG Sales [1] 611.0 468.4 30% Adjusted Funds from Operations [1] 325.0 222.0 46% AFFO per share, diluted ($/share) [1] 1.60 1.11 44% Capital Expenditures, net of A&D [1] 325.0 333.1 (2%) Net Debt, at year-end [1] 126.0 124.9 1% Net Debt / AFFO ratio 0.4 x 0.6 x (33%) Notes:

[1] Refer to advisories regarding "Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures".

[2] Percent change for production is calculated using the mid-point of each production range.

In its Pouce Coupe/Progress/Spirit River Division, Kelt has drilled two Montney wells at Pouce Coupe West, on its high deliverability gas land block. Kelt has completed these wells in the second quarter and will put them on production with the expected start-up of the newly constructed third-party gas plant at Gordondale West in late May.

At Pouce Coupe North, Kelt has drilled two Montney wells which are expected to be completed and put on production in the third quarter of 2025.

In its Wembley/Pipestone Division, Kelt completed three Montney wells on the 14-2 pad. These wells were drilled in 2024. In addition, the Company drilled four wells off its 9-17 pad and expects to complete these wells during the second quarter of 2025. Kelt has moved a rig over to its 6-9 pad where the Company has a 5-well pad development drilling program underway.

At Wembley, during the first quarter of 2025, Kelt drilled and completed two (1.18 net) wells in the Charlie Lake formation which are now on production.

At Wembley/Pipestone, Kelt expects to increase its firm service raw gas processing capacity from 59 MMcf per day to 124 MMcf per day by the end of 2025. The Company has 50 MMcf per day of gas processing service at the third-party owned Albright Gas Plant, which the Company has been advised by the owner, is expected to commence operations during June 2025. Kelt also has 15 MMcf per day of new gas processing capacity at an expansion of an existing third-party gas plant at Pipestone, which is expected to commence operations by the end of 2025.

In its Oak/Flatrock Division, Kelt has now completed an extensive 3-D seismic shoot covering approximately 286 square kilometres or approximately 70,400 acres (110 sections). Drilling at Oak is planned for the second half of 2025.

Management looks forward to updating shareholders with 2025 second quarter results on or about August 7, 2025.

Changes in forecasted commodity prices and variances in production estimates can have a significant impact on estimated funds from operations and profit. Please refer to the advisories regarding forward-looking statements and to the cautionary statement below.

The information set out herein is "financial outlook" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The purpose of this financial outlook is to provide readers with disclosure regarding Kelt's reasonable expectations as to the anticipated results of its proposed business activities for the calendar year 2025. Readers are cautioned that this financial outlook may not be appropriate for other purposes.

ADVISORY REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of and of the words "will", "expects", "believe", "plans", potential", "forecasts" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the following: Kelt's expected price realizations and future commodity prices; its expected oil and NGLs weighting; the cost and timing of future capital expenditures and expected results; the expected timing of wells bring brought on-production; the expected timing of production additions from capital expenditures; the ability to show significant production growth; the expected timing and processing capacity from the start-up of third party facilities; and the Company's expected future financial position and operating results.

Certain information with respect to Kelt contained herein, including management's assessment of future plans and operations, contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Kelt's control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, currency exchange rate fluctuations, imprecision of reserve estimates, environmental risks, competition from other explorers, stock market volatility and ability to access sufficient capital. As a result, Kelt's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur.

In addition, the reader is cautioned that historical results are not necessarily indicative of future performance. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless expressly required by applicable securities laws.

Certain information set out herein may be considered as "financial outlook" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The purpose of this financial outlook is to provide readers with disclosure regarding Kelt's reasonable expectations as to the anticipated results of its proposed business activities for the periods indicated. Readers are cautioned that the financial outlook may not be appropriate for other purposes.

NON-GAAP AND OTHER KEY FINANCIAL MEASURES

This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures and other specified financial measures, as described below, which do not have standardized meanings prescribed by GAAP and do not have standardized meanings under the applicable securities legislation. As these non-GAAP, and other specified financial measures are commonly used in the oil and gas industry, the Company believes that their inclusion is useful to investors. The reader is cautioned that these amounts may not be directly comparable to measures for other companies where similar terminology is used.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

Net realized price

Net realized price is a non-GAAP measure and is calculated by dividing the Company's P&NG sales after cost of purchases by the Company's production and reflects Kelt's realized selling prices plus the net benefit of oil blending and third-party natural gas sales. In addition to using its own production, the Company may purchase butane and crude oil from third parties for use in its blending operations, with the objective of selling the blended oil product at a premium. Marketing revenue from the sale of third-party volumes is included in P&NG sales as reported in the Consolidated Statement of Net Income and Comprehensive Income in accordance with GAAP. Given the Company's per unit operating statistics disclosed throughout this press release are calculated based on Kelt's production volumes, and excludes the sale of third-party marketing volumes, management believes that disclosing its net realized prices based on P&NG sales after cost of purchases is more appropriate and useful, because the cost of third-party volumes purchased to generate the incremental marketing revenue has been deducted.

Combined net realized prices referenced throughout this press release are before derivative financial instruments, except as otherwise indicated as being after derivative financial instruments.

Operating income and operating netback

Operating income is a non-GAAP measure calculated by deducting royalties, production expenses and transportation expenses from petroleum and natural gas sales, net of the cost of purchases and after realized gains or losses on derivative financial instruments. The Company also presents operating income on a per BOE basis, referred to as "operating netback" or "operating income per BOE", which allows management to better analyze performance against prior periods, on a comparable basis, and is a key industry performance measure of operational efficiency.

See the "Adjusted Funds from Operations" section of Kelt's Management's Discussion and Analysis as at and for the three months ended March 31, 2025, which provides a reconciliation of the operating netback from P&NG sales, which is a GAAP measure.

Capital expenditures

"Capital expenditures, before A&D" and "Capital expenditures, net of A&D" are measures the Company uses to monitor its investment in exploration and evaluation, investment in property plant and equipment, and net investment in acquisition and disposition activities. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is Cash used in investing activities, and is calculated as follows:

Three months ended March 31

(CA$ thousands)

2025



2024

Cash used in investing activities

82,758



76,389

Change in non-cash investing working capital

21,988



3,792

Capital expenditures, net of A&D

104,746



80,181

Property acquisitions

-



(669 ) Capital expenditures, before A&D

104,746



79,512



CAPITAL MANAGEMENT MEASURES:

Funds from operations and adjusted funds from operations

Management considers funds from operations and adjusted funds from operations as a key capital management measure as it demonstrates the Company's ability to meet its financial obligations and cash flow available to fund its capital program. Funds from operations and adjusted funds from operations are not standardized measures and therefore may not be comparable with the calculation of similar measures by other entities. The most comparable GAAP measure is "Cash provided by operating activities". Funds from operations and adjusted funds from operations are calculated as follows:





Three months ended March 31

(CA$ thousands)

2025



2024

Cash provided by operating activities

86,929



62,493

Change in non-cash working capital

(9,241 )

(2,266 ) Funds from operations

77,688



60,227

Settlement of decommissioning obligations

526



949

Adjusted funds from operations

78,214



61,176



Net debt (surplus) and net debt (surplus) to adjusted funds from operations ratio

Management considers net debt (surplus) and a net debt (surplus) to adjusted funds from operations ratio as key capital management measures to assess the Company's liquidity at a point in time and to monitor its capital structure and short-term financing requirements. The "net debt (surplus) to adjusted funds from operations ratio" is also indicative of the "net debt to cash flow ratio" calculation used to determine the applicable margin for a quarter under the Company's Credit Facility agreement (though the calculation may not always be a precise match, it is representative).

"Net debt (surplus)" is equal to bank debt, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, net of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivables and accrued sales and prepaid expenses and deposits. The Company believes that using a "Net debt (surplus)" non-GAAP measure, which excludes non-cash derivative financial instruments, non-cash lease liabilities, and non-cash decommissioning obligations, provides investors with more useful information to understand the Company's cash liquidity risk.

Net debt (surplus) is calculated as follows:

(CA$ thousands)

March 31,

2025



December 31,

2024

Bank debt

102,766



108,993

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

114,718



80,463

Cash and cash equivalents

(89 )

(228 ) Accounts receivable and accrued sales

(64,159 )

(60,236 ) Prepaid expenses and deposits

(3,212 )

(4,109 ) Net debt (1)

150,024



124,883



SUPPLEMENTARY FINANCIAL MEASURES

"Production per common share" is calculated by dividing total production by the basic weighted average number of common shares outstanding, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

P&NG sales, cost of purchases, gain (loss) on derivative financial instruments, royalties, revenue after royalties and derivative financial instruments, production expenses, transportation expenses, financing expenses, gross and net G&A expenses, realized gain (loss) on foreign exchange, other income (expense), share based compensation expense and depletion and depreciation on a $/BOE basis is calculated by dividing the amounts by the Company's total production over the period.

Adjusted funds from operations per share (basic and diluted), and net income and comprehensive income per share (basic and diluted) is calculated by dividing the amounts by the basic weighted average common shares outstanding.

MEASUREMENTS

All dollar amounts are referenced in thousands of Canadian dollars, except when noted otherwise. This press release contains various references to the abbreviation BOE which means barrels of oil equivalent. Where amounts are expressed on a BOE basis, natural gas volumes have been converted to oil equivalence at six thousand cubic feet per barrel and sulphur volumes have been converted to oil equivalence at 0.6 long tons per barrel. The term BOE may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A BOE conversion ratio of six thousand cubic feet per barrel is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead and is significantly different than the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil and natural gas. This conversion factor is an industry accepted norm and is not based on either energy content or current prices. Such abbreviation may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. References to "oil" in this press release include crude oil and field condensate. References to "natural gas liquids" or "NGLs" include pentane, butane, propane, and ethane. References to "liquids" include field condensate and NGLs. References to "gas" in this discussion include natural gas and sulphur.

ABBREVIATIONS

A&D Acquisitions and Dispositions P&NG Petroleum and Natural Gas MD&A Management's Discussion and Analysis TSX the Toronto Stock Exchange KEL trading symbol for Kelt Exploration Ltd. on the TSX GAAP Generally Accepted Accounting Principles SEDAR+ the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval bbls barrels bbls/d barrels per day Mcf thousand cubic feet Mcf/d thousand cubic feet per day MMcf million cubic feet MMcf/d million cubic feet per day Oil includes crude oil and field condensate combined BOE barrel of oil equivalent BOE/d barrel of oil equivalent per day NGLs natural gas liquids

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251263

SOURCE: Kelt Exploration Ltd.
Surrey, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - INEO Tech Corp. (TSXV: INEO) (OTCQB: INEOF) (the "Company" or "INEO"), acknowledges issue of the Coenda Holdings Investments ("Coenda") press release of May 6, 2025. The press release contains a number of misleading statements regarding the Company's business direction, governance, and Coenda's plans for the Company. The Company will address these statements in due course. The Company is aware that Mr. Akbas is contacting shareholders directly. Shareholders are reminded that they do not need to take any action. Management will provide shareholders with an Information Circular for the Special Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for August 8, 2025 (the "Meeting"). The Information Circular will include relevant information regarding management's plans for INEO, as well as a fulsome account of INEO's relationship with Coenda, including previously undisclosed emails and other electronic communications received by INEO, Directors, officers and other stakeholders, from Mr. Kerem Akbas. Shareholders are encouraged to wait for the Information Circular before making any determinations with respect to voting at the Meeting.

In addition, INEO advises that INEO has received two anonymous emails with purported news releases from "concerned investors" who claimed to be long term investors in INEO. The communications have been delivered from anonymous email addresses and without attribution, and demand that management "make a deal", or the press releases will be released to the general media. There is no indication of what the content of that deal would be. Separately, the press releases were forwarded to members of management by Mr. Kerem Akbas. Mr. Akbas did not advise how he obtained the press releases. The press releases contain misleading and defamatory information and innuendo regarding INEO, members of management and the Board, and certain of INEO's significant customers and their management. The information is false, and potentially fraudulent, and certain of the information could only have been obtained from confidential sources. Management anticipates that the press releases, if distributed, would cause significant harm to INEO's business relationships. The Company is monitoring media for the potential distribution of these false press releases, and will address misleading statements where necessary. Shareholders and investors are cautioned not to accept the information set out in such press releases, if issued.

About INEO Tech Corp. (TSXV: INEO) (OTCQB: INEOF)

INEO Tech Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary, INEO Solutions Inc., operates the INEO Media Network, a digital advertising and analytics solution for retailers. INEO's patented technology integrates and monetizes digital screens with theft detection sensor gates at the entrance of retail stores. The Company's cloud-based platform uses IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology to deliver customized digital advertising to each retail location based on the demographic mix of customer traffic at each location. The Company also deploys the INEO Welcoming Network technology through a SaaS-based solution to larger retail chains. INEO is headquartered in Surrey, Canada and publicly traded on the TSX-Venture Exchange under the symbol "INEO" and on the OTCQB-Venture Market under the symbol "INEOF".

For more information please visit:

Websites:

www.ineosolutionsinc.com

www.ineoretailmedia.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ineosolutions

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Important factors - including the availability of funds, acceptance of the Company's products, competition, and general market conditions - that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR+, including the annual and interim financial statements and MD&A. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251274

SOURCE: INEO Tech Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Lion Rock Resources Inc. (TSXV: ROAR) (FSE: KGB) (OTC Pink: LRRIF) (the "Company" or "Lion Rock") is pleased to announce Board of Director appointments of two seasoned mining executives. Nav Dhaliwal, a capital markets expert with more than 20 years of success in leading and advising mining companies, has joined the Company as Executive Chairman and director. Additionally, Laurence Farmer, who currently serves as General Counsel and Vice President of Strategic Development, for Osisko Development Corp., joins as Lion Rock's new, independent director, replacing Nicholas Rodway who has resigned as a director of the Company.

Nav Dhaliwal, Executive Chairman and Director of Lion Rock, stated, "I'm excited to be joining Lion Rock at such an important time for the Company and for the critical minerals sector. Volney is a multi-commodity, critical minerals project in South Dakota with comprehensive historic sampling showing high-grade lithium, gold, and tin. Crucially, it is located entirely on private land and has excellent access to infrastructure - allowing for accelerated permitting and year-round work programs. With the U.S. laser focused on building its domestic critical minerals supply, our timing, our location, and our asset quality couldn't be better. We have a team in place with deep technical and corporate development expertise. I am pleased to be working with Dale and Laurence to take the Company to a new level and look forward to a catalyst-filled rest of year."

Dale Ginn, President and CEO of Lion Rock, commented, "I'm very pleased to welcome Mr. Dhaliwal and Mr. Farmer to the Board. Both executives have long, successful track records in the mining sector and have been instrumental in delivering considerable growth in shareholder value. Nav and I have built and operated companies as a team for over a decade, and we look forward to Lion Rock's growth together. Mr. Dhaliwal has funded and built a series of successful junior miners, most notably as the founding CEO of Bonterra Resources, which made the award-winning Gladiator discovery. Mr. Farmer's experience is equally impressive, particularly with corporate development in critical metals. His experience with the Osisko group of companies will undoubtably benefit us as Lion Rock matures from early-stage exploration towards development."

Nav Dhaliwal is a capital markets expert with 20+ years of maximizing shareholder value in the mining sector. He has a top tier track record of identifying undervalued companies and facilitating growth through improved market awareness, optimal financing, and astute corporate leadership. Mr. Dhaliwal has built a global financial network of institutional investors, family offices, analysts, brokers, and high net worth investors. He has long standing relationships with all major gold and energy metal funds and has raised over $500M for exploration and development companies. Mr. Dhaliwal is currently president, CEO and director, of Renegade Gold, as well as Executive Chairman of Badlands Resources, and director of Mason Graphite.



Laurence Farmer is an experienced legal and financial executive, and is currently serving as General Counsel, Vice President of Strategic Development, and Corporate Secretary at Osisko Development Corp. Mr. Farmer is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Electric Elements Mining Corp., a privately-held exploration company focused on precious and critical metals projects, spun out from Osisko Development in November 2023. Additionally, he brings more than a decade of international experience in mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, and capital markets. Mr. Farmer's career includes practicing corporate law with Norton Rose Fulbright in Montreal and London, followed by investment banking with RBC Capital Markets in London. Throughout his distinguished career in the mining sector, he has played key roles in developing, structuring, and closing transactions exceeding US$20 billion in aggregate value. He holds dual Bachelor of Civil Law and Juris Doctor (B.C.L./J.D.) degrees from McGill University and is a member of the Quebec Bar.

The Company thanks Mr. Rodway for his many years of service and wishes him well in his future endeavours.

About Lion Rock Resources Inc.

Lion Rock Resources Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company committed to advancing high-grade gold and lithium projects across North America. The Company's flagship asset, the Volney Project, is located in South Dakota's Black Hills, a mining-friendly jurisdiction surrounded by active gold operations. The Volney Project hosts high-grade gold, lithium and tin mineralization, with historic drill results showing gold grades of up to 18.2 g/t, lithium concentrations as high as 5.3% Li2O, and tin grades up to 2.5% Sn. The Company is led by an award-winning team with a proven track record of mineral discoveries, project development, and financing.

On Behalf of the Board

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", "potential", "indicative" and similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information is based on the current expectations of management of the Company. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, risks and uncertainties inherent in the exploration and development of mineral properties, fluctuations in commodity prices, counterparty risk, market conditions, regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, changes to the Company's strategic growth plans, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. In making the forward-looking statements in this press release, the Company has applied several material assumptions. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251250

SOURCE: Lion Rock Resources Inc.
Initial Cash Proceeds of US $88 Million to be Paid on Closing with an Additional US $12 Million Paid upon Commercial Production

US $100 Million Purchase Price Represents a Value per Cordoba Minerals Corp. Common Share of US $1.10 or CDN $1.52

Ivanhoe Electric Anticipates Receiving a Cash Distribution of Over US $40 Million from the Initial Proceeds

Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Ivanhoe Electric Inc. (NYSE American: IE) (TSX: IE) ("Ivanhoe Electric") Executive Chairman Robert Friedland and President and Chief Executive Officer Taylor Melvin are pleased to announce that Ivanhoe Electric's 63%-owned subsidiary, Cordoba Minerals Corp. (TSXV: CDB) (OTCQB: CDBMF) ("Cordoba") has signed a definitive Framework Agreement (the "Agreement") for the sale of the remaining 50% of the Alacran Copper Project to a consortium of investors including JCHX Mining Management Co., Ltd. ("JCHX"), a 19.8% shareholder of Cordoba, for US $88 million in cash on closing, US $12 million in a deferred payment, and up to US $28 million in a contingent payment (the "Transaction"). JCHX acquired its initial 50% of the Alacran Copper Project in May 2023 for total cash consideration of US $100 million (refer to Ivanhoe Electric's May 8, 2023 news release).

Mr. Melvin commented: "Today's announcement is an excellent outcome for Cordoba and all of its shareholders. Upon closing, JCHX and its consortium partners will be in a strong position to fund and advance the development of the Alacran Copper Project. This transaction will be an important milestone for Ivanhoe Electric towards the monetization of our long-term investment in the Alacran Copper Project. Proceeds received from the transaction will be used to support our U.S.-based projects and other exploration initiatives."

The Agreement was signed on May 8, 2025. Ivanhoe Electric has completed an 8-K filing of the Agreement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

A consortium, including JCHX, will acquire the remaining 50% ownership in the Alacran Copper Project for total cash consideration of up to US $128 million

The Transaction will be completed through the sale of two of Cordoba's indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries, Minerales Cordoba S.A.S. and Exploradora Cordoba S.A.S., to Veritas Resources AG, an entity that currently holds the other 50% interest in the Alacran Copper Project.

Terms of the transaction include:

1) initial cash payment of US $88 million payable by the consortium upon closing;

2) deferred cash payment of US $12 million on the earlier of:

a) commencement of commercial production at the Alacran Copper Project; or

b) 36 months from the closing date; and

3) a potential contingent cash payment based on the prevailing copper price at the time of commercial production at the Alacran Copper Project:

a) US $8 million if the copper price is between US $12,000 and US $13,000 per tonne; or

b) US $28 million if the copper price is greater than US $13,000 per tonne.

After retaining a US $5 million working capital reserve, the payment of taxes, fees, and other costs associated with negotiating and closing the transaction, and after settling all outstanding liabilities and obligations, it is estimated that approximately US $65 to US $70 million in cash will be available for distribution to Cordoba shareholders, of which Ivanhoe Electric's share would be over US $40 million.

It is a requirement of the Agreement that the Transaction is completed by December 31, 2025. Closing of the transaction is subject to certain conditions, including but not limited to:

1) approval by the TSX Venture Exchange;

2) approval by Cordoba shareholders at a special meeting of shareholders held in or around August 2025, but in no event later than September 15, 2025; and

3) approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Alacran Copper Project by Colombia's Autoridad Nacional de Licencias Ambientales.

Following the closing of the Transaction, Cordoba will continue to be a publicly listed company on the TSX Venture Exchange with its 51%-owned Perseverance Copper Project located in Arizona. Cordoba can earn up to 80% interest in the Perseverance Copper Project by completing a total of CDN $14.2 million in exploration expenditures by April 2026. In addition, Cordoba will search for business development opportunities. Ivanhoe Electric will continue to hold the majority of the Company's shares.

The disclosure of the transactions in this press release is necessarily of a summary nature and is qualified by text of the Agreement itself, which will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Cordoba Minerals Corp.

Cordoba Minerals Corp. (Cordoba) is a publicly traded copper-gold developer with high-potential projects in underexplored, world-class porphyry copper belts. Cordoba has a management team with a demonstrated track record of acquiring, exploring, and developing mineral projects in the Americas and around the world, and the strong financial and technical backing of cornerstone investors, Ivanhoe Electric and JCHX. Cordoba trades on the (TSXV: CDB) and (OTCQB: CDBMF).

Website: www.cordobaminerals.com

About Ivanhoe Electric

We are a United States domiciled minerals exploration company with a focus on developing mines from mineral deposits principally located in the United States. We seek to support American supply chain independence by finding and delivering the critical metals necessary for electrification of the economy, with a focus on copper. We use our accurate and powerful Typhoon geophysical surveying system, together with advanced data analytics provided by our 94.3% owned subsidiary, Computational Geosciences Inc. ("CGI"), to accelerate and de-risk the mineral exploration process as we seek to discover new deposits of critical metals that may otherwise be undetectable by traditional exploration technologies. We believe the United States is significantly underexplored and has the potential to yield major new discoveries of critical metals. Our mineral exploration efforts focus on copper as well as other metals including nickel, vanadium, cobalt, platinum group elements, gold and silver. Through the advancement of our portfolio of electric metals exploration projects, headlined by the Santa Cruz Project in Arizona as well as other exploration projects in the United States, we intend to support the United States' supply chain independence by finding and delivering critical metals necessary for the electrification of the economy. We also operate a 50/50 joint venture with Saudi Arabian Mining Company Ma'aden ("Ma'aden") to explore for minerals on ~48,500 km2 of underexplored Arabian Shield in Saudi Arabia.

Website: www.ivanhoeelectric.com

Contact Information

Follow us on X

Ivanhoe Electric's Executive Chairman Robert Friedland: @robert_ivanhoe

Ivanhoe Electric: @ivanhoeelectric

Ivanhoe Electric's investor relations website located at www.ivanhoeelectric.com should be considered Ivanhoe Electric's recognized distribution channel for purposes of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Regulation FD.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable U.S. and Canadian securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Ivanhoe Electric, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect Ivanhoe Electric's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this news release.

Such statements in this news release include, without limitation statements related to the ability and timing of Cordoba and JCHX to obtain all necessary regulatory and third party approvals and satisfy other applicable conditions to close the transaction, including approval of the transaction by the Cordoba shareholders and the TSX Venture Exchange and approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Alacran Copper Project by Colombia's Autoridad Nacional de Licencias Ambientales; the payments and net proceeds contemplated under the Agreement; the amount of any dividend to Ivanhoe Electric and the use of those proceeds; and Cordoba's ability to earn up to 80% interest in the Perseverance Copper Project.

Forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Such statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various factors, including the inability of Cordoba and JCHX to successfully obtain all necessary regulatory and third party approvals and satisfy other applicable conditions to the transaction; the ability to close the transaction on the timeline anticipated, or at all; the receipt by us and Cordoba of all of the payments called for by the Agreement and such payments being applied in the manner currently anticipated; changes in the prices of copper or other metals Ivanhoe Electric is exploring for; the results of exploration and drilling activities and/or the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations; the final assessment of exploration results and information that is preliminary; the significant risk and hazards associated with any future mining operations, extensive regulation by the U.S. government as well as local governments; changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with Ivanhoe Electric to perform as agreed; and the impact of political, economic and other uncertainties associated with operating in foreign countries, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economy. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements and risk factors described in Ivanhoe Electric's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

No assurance can be given that such future results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Ivanhoe Electric cautions you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Subject to applicable securities laws, Ivanhoe Electric does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release, and Ivanhoe Electric expressly disclaims any requirement to do so.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251270

SOURCE: Ivanhoe Electric
Highlights:

Meridian has engaged Ausenco do Brasil Engenharia Ltda. (Ausenco) to undertake a definitive feasibility study ("DFS") of the Cabacal Au-Cu project; DFS targeted to be completed prior to the end of 1H 2026.

Meridian Signs Corporate Agreement with Aurubis AG, Europe's largest smelter group;

Meridian and Aurubis to establish technical exchange to optimize Cabacal's Cu + Au-Ag sulphide concentrates : Optimize Cabacal's Cu +Au-Ag sulphide concentrates for flash (copper) smelter performance;

Establishment of corporate framework to advance the export of Cabacal's future Cu-Au-Ag concentrates to Europe; and To advance Meridian's compliance with the EU Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and the OECD Due Diligence.



LONDON, UK / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Meridian Mining UK S (TSX:MNO)(Frankfurt/Tradegate:2MM)(OTCQX:MRRDF) ("Meridian" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has appointed Ausenco do Brasil Engenharia Ltda ("Ausenco") to undertake the Definitive Feasibility Study ("the DFS") for its advanced Cabacal Au-Cu project ("Cabacal"), located in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Ausenco is an internationally respected engineering firm with extensive global and Brazilian experience in conducting feasibility studies on projects similar to the scale of Cabacal. On completion of the DFS, Meridian will be positioned to make a final investment decision on the Cabacal build in 2026.

Mr. Gilbert Clark, CEO, comments: "Having completed the PEA and PFS on Cabacal, the later delivering nearly a billion dollars in NPV for Cabacal, I'm delighted to continue this long-term relationship with Ausenco by having them perform Cabacal's DFS. With Ausenco's "A" team on the DFS who are already familiar with Cabacal means that we can kick off the study immediately, progress it rapidly, and after its potential successful reporting, focus on the build.

I'm very pleased to have established an important corporate relationship with Aurubis that will greatly help to grow the Company from being a resource developer to a mining and exporting company. With the Agreement, we can now start preparing the Company to be compliant with the import regulations of Germany and the European Union, look to access strategic European equity and project financing facilities while maintaining our schedule to be Brazil's next near-term copper-gold-silver concentrate exporter".

Cabacal Definitive Feasibility Study Launch

Cabacal's Pre-Feasibility Study (effective date March 10, 2025) delivered strong economic results with a base case after-tax NPV5 of USD 984 million and 61.2% IRR from a pre-production capital cost of USD 248 million ("the PFS"). This provides a strong platform from which to launch Cabacal's DFS and it is expected that the core elements of the PFS will be further developed to the DFS level with minimal change.

An updated resource and mine plan will be produced using drill results obtained after the PFS database was cut off. This will include such recent highlighted drill results1 of :

Cabacal's process flowsheet is expected to remain similar to that devised for the PFS with a moderately finer primary grind to be adopted.

Ausenco has developed a schedule to complete Cabacal's DFS and the time needed to generate the additional data required for the study's completion. This indicates that the study should be completed before the end of 1H 2026. The company has advanced on complementary contracts related to the DFS with groups such as Brazil's GE21 who were part of the PFS success.

Aurubis LOI

Meridian and Aurubis ("together the Parties") - a globally leading non-ferrous metals group - have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent to initiate a long-term corporate relationship and technical exchange to optimize Cabacal's future high-quality copper-gold-silver sulphide concentrates ("the LOI"). The Parties will explore and exchange technical ideas to optimize future Cabacal clean high-grade copper concentrate, with payable gold and silver credits, as outlined in Cabacal's PFS, for Outotec flash smelter performance. Flash smelters are the most common type of copper smelters in Europe, where Aurubis operates two sites; Hamburg (Germany) and Zlatitsa-Pirdop (Bulgaria).

The Parties will also work together to advance Meridian's future compliance to the EU Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance. The result of this co-operation by the Parties is that the Company will be prepared for the future regulatory compliance to export Cabacal's copper concentrates to the 3rd largest market for copper concentrates, the European Union.

Strategic Equity and Project Finance Process

Meridian is actively engaging with international and domestic project finance banks and funds to advance the project financing process alongside the progress of the DFS. The LOI presents an opportunity to potentially access both debt and equity capital from German and other European government-backed institutions. This includes debt guarantees under the UFK Untied Loan Guarantee scheme and equity from the KfW2-managed Raw Materials Fund. Meridian's management has over a decade of funds management and banking relationships with KfW. Such future arrangements would be associated with a copper concentrate off-take agreement, of a proportion of Cabacal's production, that would benefit a smelter group such as Aurubis or European manufacturers requiring copper units.

About Meridian

Meridian Mining is focused on:

The development and exploration of the advanced stage Cabacal VMS gold-copper project;

The initial resource definition at the second higher-grade VMS asset at Santa Helena as the first stage of the Cabacal Hub development strategy;

Regional scale exploration of the Cabacal VMS belt to expand the Cabacal Hub strategy; and

Exploration in the Jauru & Araputanga Greenstone belts (the above all located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil).

The Pre-feasibility Study technical report (the "PFS Technical Report") dated March 31, 2025, entitled: "Cabacal Gold-Copper Project NI 43-101 Technical Report and Pre-feasibility Study" outlines a base case after-tax NPV5 of USD 984 million and 61.2% IRR from a pre-production capital cost of USD 248 million, leading to capital repayment in 17 months (assuming metals price scenario of USD 2,119 per ounces of gold, USD 4.16 per pound of copper, and USD 26.89 per ounce of silver). Cabacal has a low All-in-Sustaining-Cost of USD 742 per ounce gold equivalent & production profile of 141,000-ounce gold equivalent life of mine, driven by high metallurgical recovery, a low life-of-mine strip ratio of 2.3:1, and the low operating cost environment of Brazil.

The Cabacal Mineral Reserve estimate consists of Proven and Probable reserves of 41.7 million tonnes at 0.63g/t gold, 0.44% copper and 1.64g/t silver (at a 0.25 g/t gold equivalent cut-off grade).

Readers are encouraged to read the PFS Technical Report in its entirety. The PFS Technical Report may be found under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.meridianmining.co

The PFS Technical Report was prepared for the Company by Tommaso Roberto Raponi (P. Eng), Principal Metallurgist with Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC; Scott Elfen (P. E.), Global Lead Geotechnical and Civil Services with Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC; John Anthony McCartney, C.Geol., Ausenco Chile Ltda.; Porfirio Cabaleiro Rodriguez (Engineer Geologist FAIG), of GE21 Consultoria Mineral; Leonardo Soares (PGeo, MAIG), Senior Geological Consultant of GE21 Consultoria Mineral; Norman Lotter (Mineral Processing Engineer; P.Eng.), of Flowsheets Metallurgical Consulting Inc.; and, Juliano Felix de Lima (Engineer Geologist MAIG), of GE21 Consultoria Mineral.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Meridian Mining UK S

Mr. Gilbert Clark - CEO and Director

Meridian Mining UK S

8th Floor, 4 More London Riverside

London SE1 2AU

United Kingdom

Email: info@meridianmining.co

Ph: +1 778 715-6410 (BST)

Stay up to date by subscribing for news alerts here: https://meridianmining.co/contact/

Follow Meridian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeridianMining

Further information can be found at: www.meridianmining.co

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information or forward-looking statements for the purposes of applicable securities laws. These statements address future events and conditions and so involve inherent risks and uncertainties, as disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Meridian's most recent Annual Information Form filed on www.sedarplus.ca. While these factors and assumptions are considered reasonable by Meridian, in light of management's experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, Meridian can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Meridian disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise.

1 Meridian Mining News Releases of February 24, 2025 and April 29, 2025.

2 KfW, "Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau",is the German state-owned investment and development bank, based in Frankfurt SOURCE: Meridian Mining SE

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/meridian-appoints-ausenco-brazil-as-lead-engineer-for-the-caba%c3%a7al-definitive-feas-1025381
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Founders Metals Inc. (TSXV: FDR) (OTCQX: FDMIF) (FSE: 9DL0) ("Founders" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has completed the expenditure requirements for Stage 2 of its Option Agreement on the Antino Gold Project in Suriname. The Company has submitted an audited report demonstrating that it has completed the required US$10,000,000 in exploration and development expenditures stipulated in the amended and restated Option Agreement with Lawa Gold N.V. ("Lawa") and Nana Resources N.V. ("Nana").

Upon completing Stage 2, Founders will increase its ownership stake in the Antino Project to 70% (51% from Stage 1 plus an additional 19% from Stage 2). To finalize Stage 2, Founders expects to deliver all payments and the outstanding internal concept study on the project, by month's end (Table 1).

"Reaching this major milestone ahead of schedule demonstrates our commitment to rapidly advancing the Antino Gold Project," said Colin Padget, CEO of Founders Metals. "The exploration results to date have exceeded our expectations, and the internal concept study currently being finalized will provide valuable insights into the project's world-class economic potential."

Table 1: Summary of Founders' requirements under Stage 2 of the Option Agreement

Requirement Details Status Work Expenditures US$10,000,000 Completed Cash Payment US$1,500,000 In Progress - expected completion in the coming weeks Share Issuance 95,000 common shares of FDR Concept Study Delivery of an internal concept study (similar to a preliminary economic assessment) by an independent qualified professional

Stock Options and RSU Grant

The Company also announces that, pursuant to its Option and RSU Plans, it has granted a total of 2,950,000 Stock Options ("Options") and 1,380,000 Restricted Share Units ("RSUs") to directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Company. The Options are exercisable at a price of C$4.70 per share and expire five years from the date of grant. Options and RSUs will vest over a period of three years, with one-third vesting on each of the first, second, and third anniversaries from the date of grant.

About Founders Metals Inc.

Founders Metals is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on advancing the Antino Gold Project located in Suriname, South America, in the heart of the Guiana Shield. Antino is 20,000 hectares and has produced over 500,000 ounces of gold from surface and alluvial mining to date1. The Company is fully financed for up to 60,000 metres of drilling in 2025.

1 2022 Technical Report - Antino Project; Suriname, South America. K. Raffle, BSc, P. Geo & Rock Lefrancois, BSc, P.Geo.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Per: "Colin Padget"

Colin Padget

President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director

Contact Information

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Company's recently completed financings and the future or prospects of the Company. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect ", "is expected ", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market, and economic risks, uncertainties, and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, other factors may cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management discussion and analysis. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251254

SOURCE: Founders Metals Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) (OTCQX: LSANF) ("Los Andes" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company will be attending and participating in the upcoming 121 Mining Investment London event ("121") on 12-13 May 2025.

The 121 conference is London's largest dedicated mining investment event with over 100 companies and more than 400 sophisticated investors attending for two days of pre-booked 1-2-1 meetings.

Alongside the curated schedule of pre-booked meetings matching investors with appropriate projects, the conference program will provide expert commentary and the latest market intelligence on key industry developments.

About Los Andes Copper Ltd.

Los Andes Copper Ltd. is an exploration and development company with an 100% interest in the Vizcachitas Project in Chile. The Company is focused on progressing the Project, which is located along Chile's most prolific copper belt, into production. Vizcachitas is one of the largest copper deposits in the Americas not controlled by the majors and the Company believes it will be Chile's next major copper mine.

The Project is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit, located 150 kilometres north of Santiago, in an area of very good infrastructure. An independent technical report for the PFS, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, is available on the Company's SEDAR profile.

Los Andes Copper Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: LA.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251284

SOURCE: Los Andes Copper Ltd.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Sranan Gold Corp. (CSE: SRAN) (FSE: P84) ("Sranan" or the "Company") understands that community engagement at the start of exploration is essential for effective advancement of its Tapanahony Gold Project in Suriname. The concessions are granted by the government of Suriname, but permission to operate must be given by the tribal leaders. With the help of the concession holder, Sranan is pleased that the local leaders and the village population are enthusiastically behind its program. A "krutu" (a gathering of local captains and community members) was held in the village of Poeketi recently to discuss the Company's plans.

The name "Sranan" was selected for the Company to reflect the commitment to the history and culture of Suriname. The local villages are part of the Aucan Maroon nation that live along the Tapanahony River in Suriname. The Tapanahony Project lies within a region of mining by the Maroon people, whose long history of mining created the exposures at the project. As with the Rosebel and Merian mines in Suriname, gold resource and development can improve the livelihood within the communities, when carried out with respect, cooperation and communication.

Leaders of the Poeketi Village accompanied Sranan's team to site following the "krutu" and Sranan's commencement of the field program (see Figure 1). The village leaders proposed a site to construct a camp for drilling with access to water and local trails, and a crew of experienced and skilled men from the village are being employed to assist in camp building. Other community residents are assisting in mapping and sampling.

Dr. Dennis LaPoint, EVP Exploration and Corporate Development of Sranan Gold, commented: "Sranan Gold strongly believes in leveraging the experience and expertise of a Suriname technical staff. We are committed to respecting local traditions and regulations while conducting our exploration efforts, and maintaining positive relationships and building trust with the communities in which we operate through ongoing communication, in order to provide long-term benefits for all stakeholders."

Figure 1: Sranan Gold team with leaders from Poeketi Village and future technical team to be developed.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10997/251078_75a8fd4ba4a7a878_001full.jpg

About Sranan Gold

Sranan Gold Corp. is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets in Suriname. The highly prospective Tapanahony Project is located in the heart of Suriname's modern-day gold rush. Tapanahony covers 29,000 hectares in one of the oldest and largest small-scale mining areas in Suriname. There is significant production from saprolite by local miners along a 4.5-kilometre trend, where several areas of mining have been opened.

Sranan Gold is also exploring its Aida Property consisting of five mineral claims covering an area of 2,335.42 hectares on the Shuswap Highland within the Kamloops Mining Division.

Qualified Person

Dr. Dennis J. LaPoint, Ph.D., P.Geo. a "qualified person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this release. Dr. LaPoint is not independent of Sranan Gold, as he is the Company's EVP Exploration and Corporate Development.

For more information, visit sranangold.com.

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENT OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking statements

Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws including, without limitation, the timing, nature, scope and details regarding the Company's future exploration plans. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release.

Forward-Looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251078

SOURCE: Sranan Gold Corp.
Company exits stealth after multi-year enterprise build-out; new capital fuels expansion of ACRA platform usage into public-sector and national defence-related projects



Backers include Scout Ventures, Artis Ventures, and angel investor Gokul Rajaram



Valarian Defence aims to meet rising global demand for secure, compartmentalized systems

LONDON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Valarian, the company behind ACRA - a platform for enforced isolation and compartmentalized infrastructure - today emerged from stealth, announcing $7 million in new strategic funding, bringing its total seed to $20 million.

With rising demand for control-first security postures, this latest capital injection will fund the public launch of Valarian Defence, an offering built specifically for governments and institutions operating in high-risk, mission-critical environments.

The round was co-led by defence-focused Scout Ventures and Artis Ventures, both making rare investments outside the United States, with participation from angel investor Gokul Rajaram. Previous investors have included Molten Ventures, IQ Capital, and MD One.

"Our conviction in Valarian isn't just about the technology - it's about what it represents: a next generation of dual-purpose software. Seeing innovation like this coming out of the UK shows how geographically global this problem set is," said Cody Huggins, partner at Scout Ventures.

Founded by operators with frontline experience, Valarian brings together expertise from military, finance, and systems domains. Max Buchan, a former international finance operator, and Josh McLaughlin, a former U.S. Army officer and Palantir executive, created Valarian's ACRA platform based on their experiences in environments where trust routinely fails.

After a few years of building and hardening ACRA to accommodate the needs of regulated enterprises, Valarian is now scaling its platform into national security and critical coordination environments where traditional security approaches have proven inadequate.

"We built ACRA because the environments we came from didn't trust shared infrastructure - and now that skepticism is becoming standard," said Max Buchan, Valarian's Co-Founder and CEO. "The more sophisticated the threat landscape becomes, the less room there is for improvisation in how institutions protect communications, data, and operational continuity."

To date, the company has developed two core product lines: Privileged Communication and External Comms Capture for regulated enterprises, while Valarian Defence extends these capabilities to government-grade deployments requiring enforced compartmentalization and secure coordination infrastructure.

"Breaches don't just leak sensitive data anymore - they disrupt discretion, decision-making, and the ability to respond," said Josh McLaughlin, Co-Founder and COO of Valarian. "Valarian Defence is about helping governments and institutions retain control even when everything else is under stress."

The company will use the new capital to expand its government partnerships, develop additional deployment pathways, and bring platform-level containment to environments previously reliant on retrofitted security measures.

To learn more, visit: www.valarian.com

About Valarian

Valarian delivers infrastructure for institutions operating at the front lines of risk. Its platform, ACRA, enforces isolation, auditability, and control-designed to contain threats and preserve operational integrity when assumptions about trust fail.

Valarian serves both regulated enterprises and national security programs with compartmentalized systems for secure communication, compliance, and continuity. Its core offerings include Privileged Communication, a tightly permissioned collaboration suite, and External Comms Capture, a tool for monitoring and archiving messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram. For government and defence contexts, Valarian Defence extends ACRA's architecture to environments where discretion, coordination, and jurisdictional control are non-negotiable.

Founded by leaders from the military, financial, and technical domains, Valarian builds with the belief that critical systems deserve architecture-not improvisation.

To learn more, visit: www.valarian.com

Press Contact

Luca Sesti

Luca.Sesti@lcscomms.co

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/valarian-emerges-from-stealth-with-20m-in-seed-funding-launches-valarian-defence-amid-global-infrastructure-shift-302449126.html
In Beijing, Onegin hits with stirring sentiments

11:17, May 08, 2025 By Chen Nan ( China Daily

In 1962, the China National Opera House in Beijing presented Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, the first time it had been performed in China.

With a stellar cast of renowned Chinese artists, the performance opened the door for Russian operas to be interpreted in Chinese, laying the foundation for future artistic exchanges between the two giant neighbors.

Now, 63 years later, the China National Opera House is carrying this historical legacy forward, drawing on both its rich traditions and the changing tides of international art. In a remarkable collaboration between Chinese and Russian artists, the operatic production of Eugene Onegin has been reimagined through a contemporary lens, and was staged at the China National Opera House from April 29 to May 1.

Eugene Onegin is a monumental work that brings together the lyrical depth of Alexander Pushkin's narrative poetry and the emotional power of Tchaikovsky's music. The timeless themes of love, regret, and societal roles in Pushkin's novel are beautifully conveyed through Tchaikovsky's compositions.

This latest production represents a significant collaboration between China and Russia, drawing on the talents of both countries' finest artists. It is a joint production by the China National Opera House and the Russian State Academic Drama Theatre, also known as the Volkov Theatre, which was named after Fyodor Volkov and founded in 1750.

The production features Russian artists including conductor Vasilii Valitov; Alexander Sozonov, chief director of the Volkov Theatre; and acclaimed set and costume designer Olga Kuznetsova.

According to Sozonov, at its heart, Eugene Onegin explores universal human emotions  unrequited love, regret, the passage of time and the pain of missed chances. These are not bound to any single era, but are timeless concepts.

"We broke the linear narrative, with the story unfolding through a series of flashbacks, as the characters reflect on their past, piecing together the truth of their lost youth," Sozonov said.

"This modernized structure and the use of multimedia and dynamic stage designs bring a fresh perspective to a story that has had such a profound impact on Russian literature and opera. The core philosophy behind this reimagined Eugene Onegin is not to change a note but to reinterpret the soul. This concept is reflected in the innovative use of theater technology and storytelling, bringing the opera into a contemporary context while maintaining the integrity of the original work."

What makes this production unique is the integration of projections that unfold as the story progresses. When Tatyana opens her diary, her poetry and thoughts appear as projections, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that blurs the line between reality and memory. These fragmented memories come alive on stage, weaving together the past and present, transforming the opera into an immersive and multilayered experience for the audience.

Sozonov said this was his first time working with Chinese artists and that he was impressed by how passionate they are about the opera.

"For Russians, Eugene Onegin is more than an opera  it's a piece of national identity. The passionate reaction of the Chinese artists made me very excited and proud. What was particularly unforgettable for me was that during rehearsals the Chinese actors not only memorized their own lines, but also understood the entire flow of the script, including the lines of other characters," Sozonov said, adding that "they care about the entire production, not just their roles".

The production features a dual cast, highlighting the cultural exchange between the two countries. The role of Onegin was portrayed by the baritone Alexander Sukhanov and the tenor Yuan Chenye, a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. The role of Tatyana was shared by the soprano Ekaterina Morozova and the China National Opera House's soprano Cai Nan.

"When we had our first meeting with Sozonov, I was impressed by his vision for this opera  fresh, bold, and creative," Yuan said. "I grew up reading classic Russian novels and listening to Russian music, especially Tchaikovsky. I was honored to be a part of this collaborative production."

"Even though it's a very Russian story, the emotional dynamics  falling for someone who doesn't love you back, realizing what you had only when it's gone  are completely universal. Tchaikovsky's music allows the audience to feel the characters' inner turmoil almost instinctively," Yuan added.

The collaborative operatic production is part of the "2024-25 China-Russia Years of Culture" and also marks the 185th anniversary of Tchaikovsky's birth.

"As this collaborative production of Eugene Onegin opens a new chapter in the two countries' cultural exchange, it proves that the power of great art can transcend borders, creating a universal language that speaks to the heart of all people," Sozonov said.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
Series A round led by Sofinnova Partners and Earlybird Venture Capital with syndicate including Eli Lilly and Company

Funds to advance clinical development of heart failure lead candidate and expand platform targeting the regulatory genome

HAYA Therapeutics, SA, a biotechnology company pioneering precision RNA-guided regulatory genome targeting therapeutics that reprogram disease-driving cell states for rare, common, chronic and age-related diseases, announced that the company has raised $65 million in Series A funding. The financing will accelerate the clinical development of HAYA's lead long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) targeting candidate HTX-001 in heart failure and the continued expansion of its RNA-guided regulatory genome pipeline development engine. This investment emphasizes investor confidence in HAYA's groundbreaking science and positions the company to deliver on its mission of bringing disease-modifying, precision medicines faster and more efficiently to patients. The round was led by Sofinnova Partners and Earlybird Venture Capital, with participation from Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly), ATHOS, +ND Capital, Alexandria Venture Investments and LifeLink Ventures, with additional support from existing investors Apollo Health Ventures, Longview Ventures (an affiliate of Broadview Ventures), 4see ventures, BERNINA Bioinvest and Schroders Capital.

"This is a defining moment for HAYA as we are advancing our lead program into the clinic. This funding validates our organization, pioneering approach and vision for improving the way chronic and complex diseases are treated by creating a new generation of therapies that reprogram disease-driving cell states into healthy ones," said Samir Ounzain, Ph.D., Co-founder and CEO of HAYA Therapeutics. "We're excited that Sofinnova Partners, Earlybird and our syndicate of investors share our vision for the potentially industry changing nature of our platform as we move beyond traditional approaches by leveraging novel therapeutic targets emerging from the regulatory genome."

The company will use the funds to initiate clinical trials for HTX-001, HAYA's first-in-class lncRNA-targeting therapy for heart failure, initially focused on non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (nHCM). In parallel, the company will strengthen its platform capabilities and expand its pipeline of disease-modifying therapies across multiple therapeutic areas-including pulmonary fibrosis, obesity and age-related common and chronic diseases.

"HAYA's platform unlocks the dark genome's therapeutic potential by targeting disease-driving cell states via long non-coding RNAs. This novel approach opens a new frontier in precision medicine, moving beyond traditional target classes to address disease at its epigenetic and cellular roots. Leading this round alongside Earlybird reflects our deep conviction in the HAYA team and their mission to develop safer, more effective therapies across a broad range of indications, including their lead program in nHCM, as they advance it toward the clinic to address a major unmet need," noted Henrijette Richter, Managing Partner at Sofinnova Partners.

The core of HAYA's proprietary platform maps and decodes the biology of the regulatory genome, also referred to as the "genome's dark matter" or "Dark Genome," which constitutes 98% of the human genome. While the regulatory genome does not code for proteins it is now recognized as the master control layer of gene expression and cell identity. HAYA has developed the most comprehensive atlas of the regulatory genome by combining integrated multimodal functional genomics with a stack of proprietary computational and machine learning methodologies, enabling the precise identification and modulation of pathogenic cell states across diverse diseases. HAYA's regulatory genome platform enables the development of RNA-guided therapeutics with unprecedented precision, speed and scalability. This next-generation approach is designed to go beyond symptom management and directly reprogram the cellular drivers of disease.

To support its strategic growth, HAYA recently assembled an industry-leading C-level suite to drive scalable growth, business and clinical development and expand strategic collaborations with pharmaceutical and technology partners. The company recently announced a partnership with Lilly, one of the largest collaborations to date in the regulatory genome space, focused on RNA-based drug targets for obesity and metabolic disorders.

About HAYA Therapeutics

HAYA Therapeutics is a precision medicines company developing programmable therapeutics targeting regulatory RNAs derived from the dark genome, a cell information processing unit, to reprogram pathological cell states for a broad range of diseases, including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and cancer. The company is using its innovative platform to gain novel insights into the biology of disease cell states and the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that regulate them. HAYA's lead therapeutic candidate is HTX-001, in development for the treatment of heart failure. HAYA is also developing a pipeline of lncRNA-targeting precision therapies for the cell-specific treatment of diseases in other tissues.

HAYA is headquartered at the life sciences park Biopole in Lausanne, Switzerland with laboratory facilities in San Diego. For more information on the company, please visit our website at www.hayatx.com. Follow us on X and LinkedIn.

About Sofinnova Partners

Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm in life sciences, specializing in healthcare and sustainability. Based in Paris, London, and Milan, the firm brings together a team of professionals from all over the world with strong scientific, medical, and business expertise. Sofinnova Partners is a hands-on company builder across the entire value chain of life sciences investments, from seed to later-stage. The firm actively partners with ambitious entrepreneurs as a lead or cornerstone investor to develop transformative innovations that have the potential to positively impact our collective future.

Founded in 1972, Sofinnova Partners is deeply established in Europe, with 50 years of experience backing over 500 companies and creating market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners manages over 4 billion in assets. For more information, please visit: sofinnovapartners.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508776403/en/

Contacts:

Media Contacts:

HAYA Therapeutics

Michelle Linn

Founder and CEO of Linnden Communications

Email: michelle@linndencom.com



Sofinnova Partners

Bommy Lee

Head of Communications

Email: blee@sofinnovapartners.com

+33 (0) 6 47 71 38 11
Sekur to Offer SekurSend Email Compromise Protection to All SekurMail Users

MIAMI, FL AND VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Sekur Private Data Ltd. (OTCQB:SWISF)(CSE:SKUR)(FRA:GDT0) (" Sekur " or the " Company "), a leading Swiss-hosted cybersecurity and private communications platform, is pleased to announce that it has started its marketing campaign targeting up to 1 million consumers , specifically email users compromised by data breaches in the USA.

Sekur is launching several campaigns at a time when cyberattacks on emails have exponentially increased. Just rencently, an article described the latest hack where 1.8 billion Gmail users have been compromised , and users' data is already for sale on the dark web. The Company is also gearing up to market its technology to over 5 million businesses in the financial, legal, and real estate sectors in the coming weeks. The first campaign for consumers landing page can be visited by clicking here: https://promo.getsekur.com/sekurmail .

Sekur's Communications Suite offers a secure privacy platform for encrypted email, messaging and VPN -soon to be enhanced with multi-tiered user authorization for elevated enterprise security. As global demand for secure mobile communications accelerates-projected to reach $88.8 billion by 2032 -Sekur is strategically positioned within a $14.5 billion market growing at a 19.8% CAGR.

Swiss Privacy Protection

Sekur's solutions are hosted exclusively in Switzerland, ensuring user data remains secure from external data access requests. Switzerland's robust Federal Act on Data Protection, in place since 1993, upholds strict privacy standards, prohibiting unauthorized data processing and protecting against the publication of information based on leaked "secret official discussions." This regulatory framework provides a unique level of data privacy protection, reinforcing Sekur's commitment to safeguarding user information.

About Sekur Private Data Ltd.

Sekur Private Data Ltd. is a Swiss-hosted cybersecurity and privacy communications provider. offering a secure suite of tools to protect governments, businesses and individuals from unauthorized access and cyber threats. With solutions such as SekurMail, SekurMessenger, and SekurVPN, Sekur provides an accessible and reliable means of digital communication and data storage, grounded in Swiss privacy standards. Sekur sells its solutions through its website www.sekur.com , approved distributors and telecommunications companies globally. Sekur serves governments, businesses and consumers worldwide.

CONTACT:

Alain Ghiai

President and Chief Executive Officer

SEKUR PRIVATE DATA LTD.

Email: connect@sekur.com

www.sekurprivatedata.com

Tel: +1.305.347.5114

Follow Sekur on:

X

LinkedIn

YouTube

For sales brochure on our enterprise security solutions, or partnership opportunities, contact: partners@sekur.com .

To find out more about Sekur's privacy communications solutions visit: https://sekur.com

For more company information, please visit: https://sekurprivatedata.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "project" and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they do not guarantee future performance. Sekur cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Sekur's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the future of the Company's business; the success of marketing and sales efforts of the Company; the projections prepared in house and projections delivered by channel partners; the Company's ability to complete the necessary software updates; increases in sales as a result of investments software development technology; consumer interest in the Products; future sales plans and strategies; reliance on large channel partners and expectations of renewals to ongoing agreements with these partners; anticipated events and trends; the economy and other future conditions; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in Sekur's prospectus dated May 8, 2019, filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available on www.sedarplus.ca. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Sekur undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

SOURCE: Sekur Private Data Ltd.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/sekur-private-data-ltd.-launches-marketing-campaign-to-consumers-1025334
DDRCC-25-076 ("Hole 76") confirms and extends high-grade gold mineralization at Blackjack with 25.0 m of 5.04 g/t gold, within 86.4 m of 1.65 g/t gold , and a separate interval of 12.2 m of 4.55 g/t gold within 94.0 m of 1.15 g/t gold

Hole 76 was the deepest hole ever drilled at RC Gold with a drilled length of 810.8 m and strong gold mineralization encountered at the bottom of the hole suggests this high-grade gold zone continues deeper at the Blackjack zone

Hole 76 is the second hole of a fully funded 30,000 m drilling program planned at RC Gold for 2025

Drilling has resumed for the summer program with the first of four planned drills currently turning at the Blackjack deposit.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Sitka Gold Corp. (TSXV: SIG) (FSE: 1RF) (OTCQB: SITKF) ("Sitka" or the "Company") is pleased to announce recently received assay results from its ongoing 2025 diamond drilling campaign at its road accessible RC Gold Project ("RC Gold" or the "Project") located approximately 100 km east of Dawson City in Yukon's prolific Tombstone Gold Belt. Results from DDRCCC-25-076 ("Hole 76") returned 94.0 m of 1.15 g/t gold including 12.2 m of 4.55 g/t gold, and a separate interval of 25.0 m of 5.04 g/t gold, including 1.8 metres of 54.70 g/t gold within 86.4 m of 1.65 g/t gold (see Table 1). Drilling is currently underway at the Blackjack zone and up to 3 additional drill rigs are expected to begin turning in the coming weeks as part of a fully funded 30,000 metre diamond drilling program planned for 2025.

Table 1: Highlights from most recent assay results





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/251268_0b80b0101460ab6b_002full.jpg

"The results from Hole 76 are very encouraging, confirming that the higher-grade gold mineralization intersected at depth in Holes 68 and 75 extends both laterally and to depth and could represent a large, continuous zone of significant tonnage," said Cor Coe, Director and CEO of Sitka Gold. "While Hole 76 was the deepest drill hole completed to date at RC Gold, with a length of 810.8 metres, assays from the bottom of the hole returned strong gold values within mineralized metasediments, indicating that gold mineralization likely extends even deeper. We are now extending Hole 76 further into the depths of this gold system to continue tracking this promising high-grade gold zone as we push towards what could be the source of the Blackjack gold deposit. With a fully funded 30,000 metre diamond drill program currently underway, which will more than double the total amount of our drilling completed at RC Gold to date, we're excited to test the depth potential of this impressive gold system and to begin exploring several other high-priority targets across the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (see Figure 3)."

Figure 1: Cross Section of DDRCCC-25-075 and DDRCCC-25-076, which is the deepest hole drilled to date at the Blackjack zone. Hole 76 was drilled to a length of 810.8 m, approximately 100 metres deeper than any previous drilling and demonstrates that gold mineralization continues to persist laterally and at depth. Strong gold grades encountered at the bottom of the hole suggest this gold zone continues even deeper into the system.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/251268_0b80b0101460ab6b_003full.jpg

Figure 2: Plan map of drilling at the Blackjack Deposit showing the location of holes DDRCCC-24-068, DDRCCC-25-075 and DDRCCC-25-076 (this release).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/251268_0b80b0101460ab6b_004full.jpg

Figure 3: The Clear Creek Intrusive Complex in the western portion of the RC Gold Project is a cluster of intrusions all with known gold mineralization and numerous current drill target areas highlighted by the magenta hatched areas.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/251268_0b80b0101460ab6b_005full.jpg

Figure 4: Longitudinal section of completed drill holes at the Blackjack Zone. Higher-grade mineralization is defined in a southeast plunging mineralized corridor with gold grades increasing at depth, as observed with the increasing prevalence of higher-grade gold results in recently completed drill core (purple colour), and suggests that drilling is vectoring towards the source of this gold system. The pit-constrained mineral resource shell from the 2023 MRE is shown in orange with the added resources from the updated MRE published earlier this year shown in yellow (see news release dated February 26, 2025).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/251268_sitkafig4.2.jpg

Figure 5: Examples of drill core from the interval beginning at 492.0 m within the larger interval that reports 94.0 m of 1.15 g/t gold. Mineralization consists of abundant narrow sheeted veins cutting a feldspar megacrystic quartz monzonite intrusion.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/251268_0b80b0101460ab6b_007full.jpg

Figure 6: Examples of instances of visible gold observed throughout hole DDRCCC-25-076. Visible gold is found in sheeted quartz veins and is often associated with bismuthinite, scheelite, and arsenopyrite. Additional images of visible gold observed in Hole 76 can be viewed HERE.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/251268_sitkafig6.jpg

Table 2 - Summary of significant drill hole assays from this release





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/251268_0b80b0101460ab6b_009full.jpg

DDRCCC-25-076

Drill hole DDRCCC-25-076 was drilled to a length of 810.8 m at an azimuth of -37o and a dip of -75o to step out from the high grade mineralization intersected in hole DDRCCC-25-075 which intersected 352.8 m of 1.55 g/t gold from 341.5 m including 108.9 m of 3.27 g/t gold and 45.0 m of 4.52 g/t gold. Hole 076 intersected several narrower zones of well-mineralized quartz monzonite cutting broad zones of altered metasediments along with several broad structural zone within the metasediments containing abundant cm-scale sheeted quartz veins with multiple occurrences (over 60) of visible gold. Hole 076 ended in 4.8 m of 0.86 g/t gold in sheeted veins cutting metasediments.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control

On receipt from the drill site, the HTW/NTW-sized drill core was systematically logged for geological attributes, photographed and sampled at Sitka's core logging facility. Sample lengths as small as 0.3 m were used to isolate features of interest, otherwise a default 2 m downhole sample length was used. Each sample is identified by a unique sample tag number which is placed in the bag containing the core to be assayed. Core was cut in half lengthwise along a predetermined line, with one-half (same half, consistently) collected for analysis and one-half stored as a record. Standard reference materials, blanks and duplicate samples were inserted by Sitka personnel at regular intervals into the sample stream. Bagged samples were placed in secure bins to ensure integrity during transport. They were delivered by Sitka personnel or a contract expeditor to ALS Laboratories' preparatory facility in Whitehorse, Yukon, with analyses completed in North Vancouver.

ALS is accredited to ISO 17025:2005 UKAS ref. 4028 for its laboratory analysis. Samples were crushed by ALS to over 70 per cent passing below two millimetres and split using a riffle splitter. One-thousand-gram splits were pulverized to over 85 per cent passing below 75 microns. Gold determinations are by fire assay with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-AES) finish on 50 g subsamples of the prepared pulp (ALS code: Au-ICP-22). Any sample returning over 10 g/t gold was re-analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish on a 50 g subsample (ALS code: Au-GRA21). In addition, a 51-element analysis was performed on a 0.5 g subsample of the prepared pulps by an aqua regia digestion followed by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) finish (ALS code: ME-MS41).

About the Flagship RC Gold Project

The RC Gold Project consists of a 431 square kilometre contiguous district-scale land package located in the heart of Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt. The project is located approximately 100 kilometres east of Dawson City, which has a 5,000 foot paved runway, and is accessed via a secondary gravel road from the Klondike Highway which is usable year-round and is an approximate 2 hour drive from Dawson City. It is the largest consolidated land package strategically positioned mid-way between the Eagle Gold Mine and the past producing Brewery Creek Gold Mine.

The RC Gold Project now has pit-constrained mineral resources that are contained in two zones: the Blackjack and Eiger gold deposits with 1,291,000 ounces of gold grading 1.01 g/t gold in an indicated category and 1,044,000 ounces of gold grading 0.94 g/t gold in an inferred category at Blackjack and 440,000 ounces of gold grading 0.50 g/t gold in an inferred category at Eiger. These resource estimate numbers are supported by the recently updated technical report for RC Gold, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 standards, entitled "Clear Creek Property, RC Gold Project NI 43-101 Technical Report Dawson Mining District, Yukon Territory", prepared by Ronald G. Simpson, P. Geo., of GeoSim Services Inc. with an effective date of January 21, 2025. This report is available on SEDAR+ (http://www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company's website (www.sitkagoldcorp.com).

Both of these deposits begin at surface, are potentially open pit minable and amenable to heap leaching, with initial bottle roll tests indicating that the gold is not refractory and has high gold recoveries of up to 94% with minimal NaCN consumption (see News Release July 13, 2022).

As of the end of 2024, the Company has drilled 72 diamond drill holes into this system for a total of approximately 25,136 metres. Other targets drilled to date include the Saddle, Josephine, Rhosgobel and Pukelman zones. The resource expansion drilling in 2023 at Blackjack produced results of up to 219.0 m of 1.34 g/t gold including 124.8 m of 2.01 g/t gold and 55.0 m of 3.11 g/t gold in drill hole DDRCCC-23-047 (see news release dated September 26, 2023) and in 2024 results of up to 678.1 metres of 1.04 g/t gold starting from surface in DDRCCC-24-068, including 409.5 metres of 1.36 g/t gold, 93.0 metres of 2.57 g/t gold and 5.5 metres of 17.59 g/t gold (see news release dated October 21, 2024). Drilling in 2025 includes hole DDRCCC-25-075 which intersected 352.8 metres of 1.55 g/t gold including 108.9 metres of 3.27 g/t gold. (see news release dated October 21, 2024).

A planned 30,000 metre diamond drilling program for 2025 is currently underway at RC Gold.

RC Gold Deposit Model

Exploration on the Property has mainly focused on identifying an intrusion-related gold system ("IRGS"). The Property is within the Tombstone Gold Belt which is the prominent host to IRGS deposits within the Tintina Gold Province in Yukon and Alaska. Notable deposits from the belt include: Fort Knox Mine in Alaska with current Proven and Probable Reserves of 230 million tonnes at 0.3 g/t gold (2.471 million ounces; Sims 2018)(1); Eagle Gold Mine with current Measured and Indicated Resources of 233 million tonnes at a grade of 0.57 g/t gold at the Eagle Main Zone (4.303 million ounces; Harvey et al, 2022)(2); the Brewery Creek deposit with current Indicated Mineral Resource of 22.2 million tonnes at a gold grade of 1.11 g/t (0.789 million ounces; Hulse et al. 2020)(3); the Florin Gold deposit with a current Inferred Mineral Resource of 170.99 million tonnes grading 0.45 g/t gold (2.47 million ounces; Simpson 2021)(4); the AurMac Project with an Inferred Mineral Resource of 347.49 million tonnes grading 0.63 gram per tonne gold (7.00 million ounces)(5) and the Valley Deposit, with a current Indicated Mineral Resource of 4.05 million oz gold at 1.66 g/t gold and an additional Inferred Mineral Resource of 3.26 million oz at 1.25 g/t gold(6). The technical and scientific information disclosed from neighboring properties does not necessarily apply to the current project or property being disclosed.

(1) Sims J. Fort Knox Mine Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, USA National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report. June 11, 2018. https://s2.q4cdn.com/496390694/files/doc_downloads/2018/Fort-Knox-June-2018-Technical-Report.pdf

(2) Harvey N., Gray P., Winterton J., Jutras M., Levy M.,Technical Report for the Eagle Gold Mine, Yukon Territory, Canada. Victoria Gold Corp. December 31, 2022. https://vgcx.com/site/assets/files/6534/vgcx_-_2023_eagle_mine_technical_report_final.pdf

(3) Hulse D, Emanuel C, Cook C. NI 43-101 Technical Report on Mineral Resources. Gustavson Associates. May 31, 2020. https://minedocs.com/22/Brewery-Creek-PEA-01182022.pdf

(4) Simpson R. Florin Gold Project NI 43-101 Technical Report. Geosim Services Inc. April 21, 2021. https://sedar.com/GetFile.do?lang=EN&docClass=24&issuerNo=00005795&issuerType=03&projectNo=03236138&docI d=4984158

(5) Thornton T., Jutras M., Malhotra D. Technical Report Aurmac Property Mayo Mining District, Yukon Territory, Canada. JDS Energy and Mining Inc. February 6, 2024. https://banyangold.com/site/assets/files/5251/banyan_gold_ni_43-101_technical_report_2024_03_18.pdf

(6) Burrell H., Redmond D.J., Haggarty P., Rogue Gold Project: NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate, Yukon Territory, Canada. Snowline Gold Corp. May 15, 2024. https://snowlinegold.com

Upcoming Events

Sitka Gold will be attending and/or presenting at the following events*:

121 Mining Investment - London, England: May 12 - 13, 2025

Canaccord Global Metals and Mining Conference - Henderson, NV: May 20 - 22, 2025

Yukon Mining Alliance - Dawson City, Yukon: July 9 - 14, 2025

Takestock Stampede - Calgary, AB: July 2, 2025

Precious Metals Summit, Beaver Creek, Colorado: September 9 - 12, 2025

*All events are subject to change.

About Sitka Gold Corp.

Sitka Gold Corp. is a well-funded mineral exploration company headquartered in Canada with over $25 million in its treasury and no debt. The Company is managed by a team of experienced industry professionals and is focused on exploring for economically viable mineral deposits with its primary emphasis on gold, silver and copper mineral properties of merit. Sitka is currently advancing its 100% owned, 431 square kilometre flagship RC Gold Project located within the Tombstone Gold Belt in the Yukon Territory. The Company is also advancing the Alpha Gold Project in Nevada and currently has drill permits for its Burro Creek Gold and Silver Project in Arizona and the Coppermine River Project in Nunavut.

*For more detailed information on the Company's properties please visit our website at www.sitkagoldcorp.com.

The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Gilles Dessureau, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration of the Company, and a Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

SITKA GOLD CORP.

"Donald Penner"

President and Director

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-Looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions and the Company's anticipated work programs.

These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market uncertainty and the results of the Company's anticipated work programs.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251268

SOURCE: Sitka Gold Corp.
Stride Ventures, a leading growth credit firm with a global footprint, in partnership with global management consultancy Kearney, today launched the Global Venture Debt Report 2025 at a London event co-hosted by both firms. The report presents the most comprehensive, data-driven analysis of the global Venture Debt (VD) and Growth Lending (GL) landscape across India, the GCC, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508997982/en/

Global Venture Debt Report 2025 By Stride Ventures and Kearney

As venture capital funding becomes selective, alternative financing is gaining ground. The report reveals Europe's VD and GL market reached $19.78 billion in 2024, growing at a 21% CAGR since 2018. While deal volumes declined due to macroeconomic pressures, adoption of structured debt continues to deepen across the continent.

"The European growth lending ecosystem is at an inflection point-scaling fast, maturing steadily, and moving beyond traditional equity-first mindsets," said Ravneet Mann, Partner (UK), Stride Ventures. "The UK, in particular, is cementing its status as Europe's most active venture debt hub, underpinned by progressive reforms, late-stage startup activity, and strong institutional participation. This report aims to offer clarity, benchmarks, and foresight for founders, investors, and regulators navigating this evolving capital landscape."

Europe's VD landscape is transforming, with the UK emerging as the most active market, accounting for ~18% of all VD/GL deals in 2024. Late-stage companies drew 82% of total VD/GL value. In a survey of 200+ founders, VCs, and investors, 82% cited growth financing as the top use case for venture and growth lending. Fintech remained the leading sector for VD/GL deployment in FY26. The survey predicts fintech will attract the highest VD (47%) in FY26, followed by healthtech (28%) and cleantech (25%) reflecting a shift toward mission-driven, regulation-resilient sectors. Despite macroeconomic headwinds that cut European deal volume from 967 in 2023 to 589 in 2024, the venture debt-to-VC ratio rose from 16% in 2018 to 30% in 2024-highlighting momentum.

Europe has a fragmented regulatory landscape, with no unified definition of venture debt. Although "growth lending" is more commonly used to capture non-dilutive debt financing tailored for venture-backed and high-growth companies, typically at late stages of their scale-up journey, it includes the broader scope of structured debt instruments-ranging from term loans to asset-backed and warehouse financing.

In the UK, reforms through Mansion House and FCA regulations aim to unlock initiatives like 1B+ in pension fund capital and foster a transparent, innovation-friendly funding environment.

"Venture debt is increasingly establishing itself as a crucial financing tool in the global venture ecosystem. As this asset class expands, it plays a vital role in helping founders scale efficiently while preserving equity. Yet, it remains underutilized in many markets-offering untapped potential," said Sebastian Drescher, Partner, Kearney. "As a former founder, I understand the need for diverse financing avenues. The next phase of growth will depend on how well global ecosystems integrate venture debt as a mainstream instrument."

While Europe's market shows maturity and depth, it faces uneven adoption. By contrast, in the GCC VD surged at a 54% CAGR from 2018-2024. In India, the venture debt market reached $1.23 billion in 2024-just 10% of total VC flow-indicating significant room for growth.

Europe's strengths lie in deal value and institutional appetite. The absence of harmonised frameworks limits innovation and seamless cross-border capital flows. To unlock its full potential, the region can diversify its lender base-currently ~30 active VD players compared to 250+ in the US-and expand beyond the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

The Report Link:

https://www.strideventures.global/reports

Stride Ventures - https://www.strideventures.global/

Kearney https://www.kearney.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508997982/en/

Contacts:

Sammit Prabhakar; +91-9773755928
The joint venture further strengthens ICEYE's focus on developing space-based defense technology.

HELSINKI and DUSSELDORF, Germany, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rheinmetall and the globally leading SAR satellite manufacturer ICEYE are further intensifying their cooperation. The two companies intend to establish a joint venture for satellite production. A memorandum of understanding to this effect was signed on May 8, 2025.

Rheinmetall is to be the majority shareholder in the new joint venture named Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions with 60 per cent of the shares, while ICEYE will hold 40 per cent. The foundation is still subject to definitive agreements and official approvals.

As part of a Rheinmetall Space Cluster in Germany, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions is to manufacture satellites, starting with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites and subsequently other space solutions. Production is to take place at the Neuss site, among others, and is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2026.

"With the establishment of the new joint venture, we are making further inroads into the space domain," says Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. "We are thus not only responding to the increased demand for space-based reconnaissance capabilities among armed and security forces worldwide, but also contributing to the preservation and expansion of Germany as a centre of technology. Our highly qualified colleagues at the Neuss site are being given a promising new perspective for the future. We are delighted to expand our cooperation with our proven partner ICEYE."

"ICEYE aims to be the primary provider of critical infrastructure for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) to allied nations. We are excited to deepen our strategic collaboration with Rheinmetall by establishing a joint venture. This joint venture further strengthens our focus on developing space-based technology for the needs of global defense markets and securing sovereign defense capabilities for Europe," saysRafal Modrzewski, CEO and Co-founder of ICEYE.

SAR satellites offer the advantage over conventional satellites that they can generate high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions or time of day. These are very detailed and make even the smallest objects on the earth's surface identifiable. This can bring decisive advantages for the armed forces in terms of surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance, or their own positioning on the battlefield.

Back in June 2024, the Dusseldorf-based technology group Rheinmetall announced its participation in the world's largest fleet of radar reconnaissance satellites. In September 2024, Rheinmetall and ICEYE had further intensified their cooperation. In the course of this, Rheinmetall had secured exclusive rights to market the SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellites to military and government end users in both the German and Hungarian markets.

The first major milestone in the intensified cooperation between Rheinmetall and the SAR satellite company ICEYE was reached in November 2024. To meet Ukraine's urgent need for SAR imaging satellite reconnaissance capabilities, Rheinmetall and Ukraine had signed a contract with the support of the German government. The agreement extends the SAR data and other support that Ukraine received from ICEYE during the war.

About ICEYE

ICEYE delivers unparalleled persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth, faster and more accurately than ever before.

Owning the world's largest synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation, ICEYE provides objective, near real-time insights, ensuring that customers have unmatched access to actionable data, day or night, even in challenging environmental conditions. As a trusted partner to governments and commercial industries, ICEYE delivers intelligence in sectors such as defense and intelligence, insurance, natural catastrophe response and recovery, security, maritime monitoring, and finance, enabling decision-making that contributes to community resilience and sustainable development.

ICEYE operates internationally with offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, the UK, Australia, Japan, UAE, Greece, and the US. We have more than 700 employees, inspired by the shared vision of improving life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation.

Media contact: press@iceye.com

Visit www.iceye.com and follow ICEYE on LinkedIn and X for the latest updates and insights.

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Canuc Resources Corporation (TSXV: CDA) (QTCQB: CNUCF) ("Canuc") and Macdonald Mines Exploration Ltd. ("Macdonald Mines") are pleased to announce the completion of the previously announced arrangement ("Arrangement") whereby Canuc has acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Macdonald Mines (the "Macdonald Mines Shares"), subject to delivery of post-closing documentation to TSXV and final TSXV acceptance.

The Arrangement results in Canuc acquiring 100% of Macdonald Mines Shares and a successor entity to Macdonald Mines becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Canuc, such that all of the assets and liabilities of Macdonald Mines are now beneficially owned by Canuc. Pursuant to the Arrangement, Canuc issued an aggregate of 73,768,343 shares and shareholders of Macdonald Mines received 1.497 Canuc shares for each Macdonald Mines Share (the "Exchange Ratio"), including approximately 1,796,400 Canuc shares issued as a result of the recent exercise of an aggregate of 1,200,000 BMK warrants.

"Significant opportunities and synergies accrete to both Canuc Resources and MacDonald Mines shareholders from this acquisition. The SPJ Project, currently held by MacDonald Mines, spans more than 19,710 hectares (~200 km2) in east Sudbury, one of Canada's most storied mining jurisdictions which has contributed to Canada's national wealth over three separate centuries and through two world wars. The San Javier Project, held by Canuc, is located in Sonora State Mexico, in an area that has supported small scale artisanal silver, gold, copper and anthracite mining for over 200 years, and which has not yet been comprehensively explored with modern technologies or considered with present day models of ore genesis."

"The prospect of delivering new discoveries in premier extractive jurisdictions by application of modern AI enhanced geological modelling, and also, concurrently, of developing cash flow opportunities from abandoned mine tailings and old mine workings, gives us great confidence in our 'go forward' strategy. We anticipate being able to provide meaningful shareholder updates in the months ahead," said Christopher Berlet BSc (Mining), CFA, President & CEO of Canuc Resources Corp.

Outstanding options and warrants of Macdonald Mines may be exercised in accordance with their respective terms into shares of Canuc at the Exchange Ratio, representing approximately 2,867,504 Canuc shares issuable on exercise of outstanding BMK options and an aggregate of 14,970,000 Canuc shares issuable on exercise of outstanding BMK warrants. On April 3, 2025 and April 22, 2025, an aggregate of 1,200,000 BMK warrants were exercised and Canuc has issued an aggregate of 1,796,400 shares at the Exchange Ratio in satisfaction of the exercise of an aggregate of 1,200,000 BMK warrants.

About MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd.

Founded in 1935, MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. was a mineral exploration company focused on the evaluation, acquisition, and development of precious and critical metals properties in Ontario. The company's flagship project, the 100% owned Scadding, Powerline, Jovan Project (the "SPJ Project"), spans 19,710 hectares and is situated approximately 40 kilometers northeast of the prolific Sudbury Mining Camp and near to the extensive infrastructure of the adjacent Sudbury Mining District.

The SPJ Project encompasses several centers of critical and precious metal mineralization interpreted to be related to a mineral system that can form IOCG and affiliated critical and precious mineral deposits. Included within the Project is the historical Scadding Gold Mine and associated gold mineralized system and gold bearing tailings. Minerals of interest on SPJ include copper (Cu), gold (Au), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni) and rare earth elements (REE).

About Canuc

Founded in 1952, Canuc Resources Corporation is a junior resource company focusing on the San Javier Silver-Gold Project in Sonora State, Mexico. The San Javier Silver-Gold Project evidences silver, gold and copper mineralization interpreted to be related to a mineral system that can form silver dominant IOCG and affiliated deposits. The Company also generates cash flow from natural gas production at its MidTex Energy Project located in Central West Texas, USA where Canuc has an interest in eight (8) producing natural gas wells and has rights for further in field developments.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information. All information, other than information of historical fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" and includes any information that addresses activities, events or developments that each of Canuc and/or MacDonald Mines (collectively, the "Corporations") believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future.

When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "believe", "hope", "may" and similar expressions, as well as "will", "shall" and other indications of future tense, are intended to identify forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is based on current expectations and applies only as of the date on which they were made. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking information include. Factors such as uncertainties regarding government regulations could also affect the results. Other risks may be set out in the Corporations respective annual financial statements, MD&A and other publicly filed documents.

The Corporations caution that there can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. There is Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required by law, the Corporations do not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking information contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

NEITHER THE TSXV NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSXV) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE

None of the securities to be issued pursuant to the Arrangement have been or will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements. Any securities issuable in the Arrangement are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon available exemptions from such registration requirements pursuant to Section 3(a) (10) of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable exemptions under state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251293

SOURCE: Canuc Resources Corporation
MUNICH, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 7th REPT BATTERO releases its latest energy storage batteries and energy storage systems during Intersolar Europe 2025 Munich. It is the third time that REPT BATTERO has joined the Intersolar series panel. At this exhibition, REPT BATTERO brought 392Ah new generation high-capacity energy storage battery, which expected to be put into production shortly as well as the new Powtrix 6.26MWh energy storage system which is built on the new 392Ah battery.

6.26 MWh BESS: Adaptation & Flexibility to Meet Diverse Needs

The new REPT BATTERO Powtrix 6.26MWh energy storage system combines both safety and high-efficiency at a relatively low cost while it operating. Powtrix 6.26 MWh energy storage system is built on new 392Ah battery integration. According to product specifications, 392Ah cells have better performance in terms of energy capacity compare to other 300Ah+ series cells. In sum, 392Ah battery cells combined both high energy efficiency and ready for large-scale production needs.

Moreover, 392Ah cells have conducted multiple operational tests under extreme conditions. For example, during GB 44240---2024 penetration test, 392Ah cells maintain stable operating conditions with 0 fire outbreaks and explosions accidents.

As for the whole system, Powtrix preserved the traditional design of 20ft container which means that the energy density of the system is improved by 20%, with the maximum round trip efficiency can hit over 95% that can guarantee client's ROI profits. Furthermore, the whole station's area is saved by 16% and the on-site installing working hour is decreased by 18%, a friendly choice for buyers who may have investment concerns.

4 Authoritative Certifications: Built for all scenarios

Powtrix system equipped new thermal control technology which enables cells to operate safely from cold and snowy areas to high temperature deserts. The structural stability of Powtrix meets seismic requirements of lEE693, protection level of the shell is IP55, corrosion resistance level hits C4/C5 requirements, and the high-voltage module has been designed to meet the IP67 protection level. All these features are integral to the strong structural design of this product and grant Powtrix system to fight all kinds of violent operating scenario. In addition, REPT BATTERO makes specific modifications for BESS systems to combat all types of risks in harsh shipping scenarios.

Furthermore, REPT BATTERO presented a safety risk assessment model based on data analysis of operating cycle, covering battery body, BMS failures and thermal management dysfunctions to provide comprehensive solutions for system risk control.

In the face of the rapid growth in the scale of energy storage systems and the frequent fire accidents in global energy storage projects, the development of multidimensional safety protection systems has become a significant challenge for major manufacturers. Recently REPT BATTERO conducted a fire test experiment to Powtrix system with CSA group and the experiment results prove that Powtrix system successfully contain fire outbreak within 1 adjacent cell modules.

Together for a brighter future

To bring exquisite user experiences, REPT BATTERO set up multiple customer services center in countries like Germany, United States, Australia, Indonesia and China to cover our clients all over the world. "We work closely with our customers to assess their energy needs, site conditions, grid requirements. From there, we design tailored solutions that align with their operational goals." Said by Francisco, sales director of REPT BATTERO Germany Branch during the launch event of Powtrix system on May 7th. "We provide thorough technical training and after-sales support to help our partners operate and maintain their systems with confidence - maximizing long-term reliability and performance. We also actively engage with local utilities, grid operators to explore flexible business models - including peak shaving, load shifting, and ancillary services - all aimed at generating greater value for our customers."

According to data from CNESA and InfoLink, in 2024, the shipment volume of REPT BATTERO energy storage batteries ranked top five in the world, and the shipment volume of energy storage batteries in the household storage sector ranked second in the world. The company's excellent market performance is a testament to the recognition it has received from partners and clients, as well as its precise control over technological innovation and product matrix layout.

Looking forward, REPT BATTERO will continue to refine its global energy transformation strategy, with a view to promoting the global green and low-carbon cause from multiple perspectives, including technology evolving, research and development input, product innovation.

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JetZero All-Wing Airplane Demonstrator Project Milestones Achieved

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Applied Dynamics International (ADI), a global leader in aviation innovation, and JetZero, the pioneering company developing the Z4, an all-wing airplane, today announced the successful achievement of key demonstrator milestones.

Z4 All-Wing Airplane

With up to 50% lower fuel burn compared to existing commercial airliners, JetZero's Z4 offers the aviation industry a clear path

JetZero's Flying Qualities Lab (FQL) has achieved major milestones with the successful integration of pilot controls, including Safran throttle, rudder pedals, flap and speed brake handles; Woodward trim panel; and BAE Systems active control sidesticks. JetZero's FQL is an advanced test and evaluation platform where pilots and engineers can rapidly develop the flight control laws (CLAW), connected to a physics-based real-time simulation of the full all-wing airplane. As laws are developed in the FQL, they are then transferred to the ITF for the next step in testing.

JetZero's Integration Test Facility (ITF) lab has also achieved major milestones with the successful integration of the Thales Flight Control Computers (FCC) hardware and software to the pilot controls, including BAE Systems active control sidesticks, enabling pilot-in-the-loop testing of the flight control system. This represents a critical set of milestones allowing for Z4 interoperability testing of the airplane equipment in a simulated flight environment to proceed, prior to installation in the full-scale demonstrator airplane. JetZero's ITF is an advanced test and evaluation platform where nearly all of the airplane electrical and electronic systems are installed and taken through exhaustive interoperability and performance testing in a simulated flight environment.

One of JetZero's missions is "solving for time." Through JetZero's digital engineering and lab strategy, they aim to accelerate development of a Part 25-Transport Category Airplane. JetZero team members have extensive backgrounds at major manufacturers and system suppliers and understand the complexities. The JetZero demonstrator airplane uses proven, qualified components already flying on Part 25 airplanes to reduce risk. The main challenge isn't individual components, it's integration. That's where labs are essential, preventing costly surprises and significantly reducing risk.

JetZero is using a three-lab approach to decouple systems integration from airframe construction, running both in parallel. This accelerates development by building the airplane while ensuring systems are ready when the airframe is complete. The three labs include: a Flying Qualities Lab, an Integration Test Facility, and an Iron Bird.

The Air Force has been very supportive and shares the urgency around solving for time. They recognize the barrier of today's longer development schedules and are pushing to restore the innovation and speed that once defined aerospace, replacing manual, federated processes and tools that slow progress with a digital thread.

"Many of us entered this field with excitement about building incredible aircraft, but bureaucracy and antiquated tools can dampen that spirit," said Bethany Davis, Head of Airplane Systems and Labs at JetZero. "That's why the Air Force emphasizes 'buying back time' and strongly supports our digital tools, lab-driven rapid prototyping approach. It's a strategic move to accelerate critical aerospace capabilities."

The partnership between ADI and JetZero came as a result of ADI's experience developing and deploying industry's top aerospace and defense digital twin platform and a proven track record accelerating the airplane development journey through flight test and type certification.

"Traditional aerospace development required experts in one location," said Scott James, ADI's president and CEO. "The use of remotely accessible labs, enabled by our ADEPT edge computing platform, changes the calculus. A test engineer in Florida can pilot the simulation-based flight test, while a control systems expert in Montreal and a hydraulics specialist in Michigan work on the same test in real-time, each seeing the data and analytics they need. This real-time collaboration, regardless of location, brings specialized insights together more efficiently than ever."

Remote testing helps solve one of the biggest challenges for a commercial OEM: finding and keeping specialized talent. Team members come in for physical tests but can work from anywhere once remote environments are ready. This has helped JetZero build a global operation, with team members across the U.S. and around the world. JetZero's digital setup gives them access to top talent, no matter where they are, and top talent is what's required to achieve dramatic innovation in the aviation world.

SOURCE: Applied Dynamics International

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/adi-and-jetzero-announce-key-demonstrator-milestones-1024712
ELGIN, ILLINOIS / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Hastings Equity Partners is proud to announce the formation of Industria Power + Data, a new organization bringing together a national network of leading electrical services companies under one unified brand. Industria Power + Data's family of best-in-class electrical services and automation providers will deliver comprehensive solutions to the nation's leading industrial, technology, commercial and GC players across the public and private sectors.

Industria Power + Data

Industria Power + Data Logo

Industria Power + Data represents a strategic evolution in Hastings Equity's long-standing mission to build a market-leading platform in the electrical services and automation space. By aligning the portfolio of companies under the Industria brand, Hastings and management believe they will develop a stronger, more cohesive organization capable of delivering scalable, high-quality electrical and data infrastructure solutions from coast to coast.

With a deep bench of expertise in commercial, industrial, and retail building construction, as well as in data centers, distribution & logistics facilities, and general building automation, Industria Power + Data offers clients unmatched technical capability, regional experience, and reliability. As has been the case historically, the new brand will continue to prioritize safety, performance, and innovation as it expands its national footprint.

"The formation of the Industria Power & Data brand will provide our customers with a unified offering of services and solutions across the country while still maintaining the strengths of each of our respective companies.", said Ed Maslak, CEO of Industria Power + Data. "We are truly excited about this next phase of growth." Grant Reckhow, Principal at Hastings Equity Partners, added, "The Industria Power + Data brand helps us further unify the platform and moves us closer to our goal of creating the top non-union electrical service provider in the country."

Industria Power + Data is built on a foundation of highly respected regional electrical service providers, each with a history of excellence and a commitment to delivering mission-critical projects on time, on budget, and most importantly, safely. This new alignment not only strengthens service delivery but also streamlines integration and enhances growth opportunities for partners and clients alike.

Hastings Equity will continue to support Industria Power + Data through targeted acquisitions, technology investments, and operational leadership as the platform grows its presence in key U.S. markets. The launch of Industria is a testament to Hastings' proven track record of building world-class businesses in the industrial services sector.

About Industria Power + Data

Industria Power + Data is a national electrical services organization backed by Hastings Equity. It unites a nationwide group of leading electrical service providers to offer comprehensive solutions for industrial, technology, commercial and GC players across the public and private sectors. With expertise in commercial, industrial, retail, data centers, distribution centers, and building automation, Industria Power + Data is committed to delivering exceptional quality, service and safety on every project. Visit industriapowerdata.com for more information.

About Hastings Equity Partners

Founded in 2004, Hastings Equity Partners is a lower middle-market private equity firm. Hastings invests first institutional capital in North American founder-led companies within the industrial and business services sectors, where it has deep operating and investing experience. As a preferred capital partner, Hastings seeks to empower businesses to reach their full potential. For almost two decades, the firm has formed long-term partnerships with entrepreneurs while utilizing a hands-on approach to enhance operations, provide strategic support, and accelerate growth. Learn more at https://www.hastingsequity.com/

SOURCE: Industria Power + Data

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/hastings-equity-launches-industria-power-data-uniting-national-e-1024730
HYDERABAD, India and DALLAS, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyient Limited, a global Intelligent Engineering solutions company, has been recognized as a leader in Engineering, Research & Development (ER&D) Services in the Zinnov Zones 2024 rankings. This recognition highlights Cyient's ongoing commitment to technological excellence and innovation across industries.

With a relentless focus on innovation, Cyient has expanded its leadership presence across 11 key zones, demonstrating significant upward movement from the previous year's rankings. The company has secured leadership positions in ER&D, Digital Engineering, Aerospace, Semiconductors, Telecommunications, Medical Devices, Industrial, Industry 4.0, and Data & AI Engineering, underscoring its expertise in shaping the future of global industries. Compared to 2023, Cyient's leadership footprint has grown from nine to eleven verticals, showcasing its remarkable progress and influence in the engineering and digital landscape.

A key highlight of this year's recognition is Cyient's rapid rise to Tier 1 status in Aerospace, Telecommunications, Semiconductors, and Healthcare, showcasing its leadership in driving innovation and digital transformation across these sectors.

Marking a historic milestone, Cyient has achieved its first-ever leadership ranking in Medical Devices, solidifying its role as a key player in healthcare technology by pioneering advancements in medical technology, enhancing patient care, and optimizing operational efficiencies.

Cyient has excelled in ER&D and shown impressive growth in Digital Engineering, Industrial, Industry 4.0, and Data & AI Engineering. Its leadership in these areas highlights its ability to provide advanced digital transformation solutions, helping businesses stay competitive in a technology-driven world. The company's continued progress in Digital Engineering reinforces its role as a trusted partner for future-ready solutions.

Zinnov Zones, an annual benchmarking report, evaluates global engineering service providers based on their capabilities, service offerings, and market impact. The 2024 rankings underscore Cyient's growing influence in the engineering and digital ecosystem, highlighting its ability to drive industry transformation through innovation, scalability, and customer-centric solutions.

Sidhant Rastogi, President, Zinnov, said, "Cyient has strengthened its engineering innovation muscle through strategic partnerships and next-gen solutions across key industries, and building expertise in product development, digital services, and semiconductor design. Its collaboration with SkyDrive Inc. accelerates eVTOL aircraft development, while the partnership with MassMedic drives MedTech innovation. The alliance with eSync reinforces Cyient's position in automotive semiconductors and OTA connectivity, and multi-year agreements with Airbus and Deutsche Aircraft highlight its leadership in aerospace engineering. Additionally, the establishment of a semiconductor subsidiary enhances Cyient's ASIC design and manufacturing capabilities, that has helped anchor its leadership in the 2024 Zinnov Zones for ER&D and Digital Engineering."

Sukamal Banerjee, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Cyient, acknowledged the recognition with appreciation, stating, "Being recognized as a leader by Zinnov Zones in multiple domains, including our first-ever ranking in Medical Devices, is a proud moment for us. This recognition reaffirms our commitment to innovation, deep industry expertise, and strong ecosystem partnerships. At Cyient, we remain dedicated to driving transformative solutions that redefine industries, particularly in healthcare, where we are committed to improving patient outcomes and operational efficiencies worldwide."

About Cyient

Cyient (Estd: 1991, NSE: CYIENT) delivers intelligent engineering solutions across products, plants, and networks for over 300 global customers, including 30% of the top 100 global innovators. As a company, Cyient is committed to designing a culturally inclusive, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable tomorrow together with our stakeholders.

For more information, please visit www.cyient.com

Follow news about the company at @Cyient

Gowtham Uyalla Kaizzen PR +91 99892 22959 gowtham.uyalla@kaizzencomm.com Phalguna Hari jandhyala Cyient Phalguna.Harijandhyala@cyient.com



About Zinnov:

Founded in 2002, Zinnov is a global management consulting and strategy advisory firm with a presence in New York, Santa Clara, Seattle, Houston, London, Paris, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Gurgaon and Pune. With a team of experienced consultants, subject matter experts, and research professionals, Zinnov has partnered with Global Enterprises, Fortune 2000 companies, Global System Integrators, and Private Equity firms across their value creation journeys to develop actionable insights - across revenue, talent, innovation, scale, and optimization. For more information, visit Zinnov .

For Media Queries -

Nitika Goel

Chief Marketing Officer, Zinnov

media@zinnov.com

+91 98450 16255

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 08, 2025, the UAE's leading digital platform for tourist visa applications, has expanded its services to meet the rising demand from travelers in India, Turkey, South Africa, the Middle East, and across the globe. As tourism to Dubai continues to grow, VisaGo.ae is simplifying access to UAE visas through a fully online, transparent, and multilingual platform.

The website offers fast, secure access to 30-day and 60-day UAE tourist visas, available as single-entry or multiple-entry options. Users can apply for Dubai visa online within minutes, track the status in real-time, and opt for the express Dubai visa service for guaranteed processing within 12 business hours.

A major innovation is the newly launched "Check UAE Visa Requirement" feature. This intelligent tool provides real-time, personalized assessments to help customers instantly determine whether they need a visa in advance. It also outlines exact document requirements by nationality, offering unmatched clarity and saving travelers time during the application process.

"Our mission is to make visiting the UAE as seamless as possible," said Amy Sarkis, COO of Visa Go LLC FZ. "Whether you're traveling from India, South Africa, or the GCC, our visa requirement checker ensures you're fully informed before you apply."

VisaGo.ae is trusted by thousands of travelers for:

Easy, fully digital visa application process

Transparent pricing with no hidden fees

Multilingual human support in English, Arabic, Urdu, and Turkish

Real-time application tracking and express services

Visa eligibility tool customized by nationality



Whether you're a tourist, a business traveler, or planning a quick visit, VisaGo.ae offers a fast, reliable, and secure way to get your UAE tourist visa.

About VisaGo.ae

VisaGo.ae is operated by Visa Go LLC FZ, a licensed Dubai-based travel agency under UAE immigration law. The platform specializes in helping global travelers obtain UAE tourist visas online with full transparency, multilingual support, and express processing options.
Preliminary results published by International Federation of Robotics

Automakers in the United States have invested in more automation: total installations of industrial robots in the car industry increased by 10.7%, reaching 13,700 units in 2024. These are preliminary results, presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

"The United States has one of the most automated car industries in the world: The ratio of robots to factory workers ranks fifth, tied with Japan and Germany and ahead of China," says Takayuki Ito, President of the International Federation of Robotics. "This is a great achievement of modernization. However, in other key areas of manufacturing automation, the US lags behind its competitors."

Robots from abroad

The majority of industrial robots are imports from overseas, as there are few robot manufacturers producing in the United States. Globally, 70% of installations are produced by four countries: Japan, China, Germany and South Korea. Within this group, Chinese manufacturers are the most dynamic, with production for their huge domestic market more than tripling in five years (2019-2023). This puts them in second place after Japan. China's success is based on their national robotics strategy. Its manufacturing industry installed a total of about 280,000 units per year between 2021 and 2023, compared to a total of 34,300 installations in the United States in 2024.

US vs. China robot market

In China, robotics and automation are penetrating all levels of production. This is evidenced by its high robot density of 470 robots per 10,000 employees in manufacturing the third highest in the world, surpassing Germany and Japan in 2023. The United States, on the other hand, ranks only tenth among the world's most automated manufacturing countries with a robot density of 295 robots per 10,000 employees. The country's automation is heavily concentrated in the car sector: Around 40% of all new industrial robot installations in 2024 are in automotive

At the Automate Show 2025 in Detroit, IFR's Jane Heffner will present the preliminary figures on robot installations: Wednesday, 14 May at 10:30 am (Automate Show Theatre). The Robotics Executive Roundtable by IFR will then discuss the trends and technologies driving the industry today.

https://www.automateshow.com/agenda/automate-show-theater

Full text press release at:https://ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/

About IFR

www.ifr.org

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508978600/en/

Contacts:

International Federation of Robotics

PRESS OFFICER

Carsten Heer

phone +49 (0) 40 822 44 284

E-Mail: press@ifr.org
COSTA MESA, CA / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Charlie's Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:CHUC) ("Charlie's" or the "Company"), an industry leader in the premium vapor products space, today announced that this month the Company is launching 2020 Premarket Tobacco Application ("PMTA")-submitted 60ml e-liquid SKUs in select states that have enacted U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") PMTA certification requirements.

In order to combat illicit vapor product sales at the state level, North Carolina, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin, and others have begun to heavily restrict vapor product sales. Charlie's is among the select minority of e-liquid manufacturers that offers adult consumers PMTA registry-compliant flavored e-liquids. Launching under the Company's flagship PACHAMAMA brand, the new Charlie's line consists of five award-winning flavors, including customer favorites "Fuji" and "Mint." Existing wholesale and retail accounts will have the opportunity to reserve inventory before Charlie's accepts new customer orders.

Today's announcement further demonstrates (i) Charlie's commitment to full regulatory compliance, and (ii) the Company's determination to monetize its portfolio of more than 640 products with active PMTAs under FDA regulatory review.

"Less than 1% of the PMTAs for e-liquids, e-cigarette products, and devices have survived FDA's regulatory gauntlet," explained Ryan Stump, Charlie's Chief Operating Officer. "Unlike the vast majority of companies that sell vapor products in the United States, Charlie's has invested millions of dollars on the submission of its PMTAs to create some of the most robust and comprehensive PMTA submissions in the industry. We intend to continue to monetize these very valuable assets."

About Charlie's Holdings, Inc.

Charlie's Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:CHUC) is an industry leader in the premium vapor products space. The Company's products are sold around the world to select distributors, specialty retailers, and third-party online resellers through subsidiary company Charlie's Chalk Dust, LLC has developed an extensive portfolio of brand styles, flavor profiles, and innovative product formats.

For additional information, please visit Charlie's corporate website at: Chuc.com and the Company's branded online websites: sbxvape.com, CharliesChalkDust .com , enjoypachamama.com, and Pacha.co .

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to statements regarding the Company's overall business, existing and anticipated markets and expectations regarding future sales and expenses. Words such as "expect," "anticipate," "should," "believe," "target," "project," "goals," "estimate," "potential," "predict," "may," "will," "could," "intend," variations of these terms or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions, are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company's control. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to: the Company's ongoing ability to quote its shares on the OTCQB; whether the Company will meet the requirements to up-list to a national securities exchange in the future; the Company's ability to successfully increase sales and enter new markets; whether the Company's PMTA's for its nicotine-containing products will be authorized by the FDA, and the FDA's decisions with respect to the Company's future PMTA's for nicotine products; the Company's ability to manufacture and produce products for its customers; the Company's ability to formulate new products; the acceptance of existing and future products; the complexity, expense and time associated with compliance with government rules and regulations affecting nicotine, synthetic nicotine, products containing nicotine substitutes, and products containing cannabidiol; litigation risks from the use of the Company's products; risks of government regulations; the impact of competitive products; and the Company's ability to maintain and enhance its brands, as well as other risk factors included in the Company's most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, annual report on Form 10-K, and other SEC filings. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.

Investors Contact:

IR@charliesholdings.com

Phone: 949-570-0691

SOURCE: Charlie's Holdings, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/charlies-holdings-otcqb-chuc-to-launch-pmta-registry-compliant-p-1025282
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / SouthGobi Resources Ltd. (TSXV:SGQ)(HK:1878) ("SouthGobi" or the "Company") announces that, on April 2, 2025, Southgobi Sands LLC ("SGS"), the Company's wholly-owned Mongolian subsidiary, received a letter from a plenipotentiary representative of the Mongolian government (the "Notice") which invited SGS to participate in negotiations to determine the Mongolian state's ownership interest in SGS, being the legal entity which holds the Company's coal mining licenses in Mongolia.

The Notice states that, in furtherance of Mongolia's National Wealth Fund Law which was passed in April 2024, the Mongolian government resolved on February 5, 2025 to appoint a plenipotentiary representative (the "Plenipotentiary Representative of the Mongolian Government") to negotiate with legal persons holding a mining license for a deposit designated by the Mongolian government as a strategically important deposit ("Mineral Deposits of Strategic Importance") in relation to determining the proportionate interest the Mongolian state has in such legal entity or whether to replace the Mongolian state's interest with a royalty interest.

The Company has been advised by its Mongolian legal counsel that the Government of Mongolia is empowered to participate on an equity ownership basis with the license holder in the exploitation and/or mining of each Mineral Deposit of Strategic Importance on terms to be negotiated between the Government of Mongolia and such license holder. Based solely on the knowledge of the Company's Mongolian legal counsel, the Company is aware that various other license holders of Mineral Deposits of Strategic Importance have entered into similar negotiations with the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Mongolian Government.

As at the date of this announcement, the deposits covered by four of the Company's Mongolian mining licenses have been designated as Mineral Deposits of Strategic Importance by Mongolian government authorities. The relevant mining licenses relate to the Company's Ovoot Tolgoi Mine and the Soumber Deposit.

On April 24, 2025, SGS initiated preliminary discussions with the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Mongolian Government. The Company anticipates that the discussions between SGS and the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Mongolian Government will continue and both parties will endeavour to engage in good faith for the purpose of arriving at a mutual and constructive understanding and agreement. The Company intends to fully cooperate with the Mongolian government and provide all necessary information to the extent permitted by applicable law.

The Company will continue to monitor developments concerning changes in the scope of the Mineral Deposit of Strategic Importance and the consequential impact, if any, on the Company and its business and operations, while seeking to protect its lawful interests and rights over its mineral deposits.

The Company will issue further announcement(s) to update shareholders and potential investors regarding material developments as and when necessary.

Shareholders and potential investors of the Company should exercise caution when dealing in the shares of the Company.

If there is any inconsistency or discrepancy between the English and Chinese version, the English version shall prevail.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information included in this press release that is not current or historical factual information constitutes forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including negotiations with the plenipotentiary representative of the Mongolian government and timing of the meeting of the Parliament of Mongolia. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "could", "should", "seek", "likely", "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on certain factors and assumptions including, among other things, the Company's discussions with the plenipotentiary representative of the Mongolian government and other similar factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from what the Company currently expects. Actual results may vary from the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue importance on forward-looking statements, which speaks only as of the date of this disclosure, and not to rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it is under no obligation and does not undertake to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, further events or otherwise at any particular time, except as required by law. Additional information concerning factors that may cause actual results to materially differ from those in such forward-looking statements is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the website of the Hong Kong regulatory filings and disclosures of listed issuer information. These can be found under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ and HKEXnews respectively, at www.sedarplus.ca and www.hkexnews.hk.

About SouthGobi

SouthGobi, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange, owns and operates its flagship Ovoot Tolgoi coal mine in Mongolia. It also holds the mining licences of its other metallurgical and thermal coal deposits in South Gobi region of Mongolia. SouthGobi produces and sells coal to customers in China.

Contact: Investor Relations Email: info@southgobi.com Mr. Ruibin Xu Chief Executive Officer Office: +1 604 762 6783 (Canada) +852 2156 1438 (Hong Kong) Website: www.southgobi.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: SouthGobi Resources Ltd.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/southgobi-announces-notice-from-mongolian-government-plenipotentiary-and-designat-1025426
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - DARK STAR MINERALS INC. (CSE: BATT) (FSE: P0W) (the "Company" or "Dark Star") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases dated April 1, 2025 and April 22, 2025, it continues to move forward with the acquisition of a 100% interest in the Bleasdell Lake uranium project (the "Bleasdell Project") consisting of over 515 ha in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada (the "Acquisition") from two arms length vendors (together, the "Vendors") in accordance with a mineral purchase agreement dated April 18, 2025 (the "Agreement"). Accordingly, the Company has made the second cash installment of $75,000 CAD and issued 5,000,000 common shares (each, a "Share") of Dark Star at a deemed price of $0.06 per Share to the Vendors.

Mr. Marc Branson, President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Dark Star states: "We are excited about the next phase of the Company as we build upon the historical resource at Bleasdell Project, and look to further explore our portfolio of assets."

For more information on the Acquisition and the Bleasdell Project, see the Company's news releases dated April 1, 2025, and April 22, 2025, filed under its profile on SEDAR+.

RSU Grant

Dark Star also announces the grant of 1,750,000 restricted share units (each, a "RSU") to a certain consultant of the Company. All RSUs vest 100% on the date this is four (4) months from the date of award. Upon vesting, each RSU represents the right to receive one common share in the capital of the Company in accordance with the Company's Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan.

The grant of the RSUs is subject to acceptance by the CSE.

About Dark Star Minerals Inc.

Dark Star Minerals Inc. is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of critical mineral resources, specifically the rare earth complex. Dark Star has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Ghost Lake claims located in the prolific CMB of Labrador, which consists of 28,575 ha of contiguous claim blocks, and has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Bleasdell Project consisting of over 515 ha in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Marc Branson"

Marc, Branson, President, CEO and a director

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251247

SOURCE: Dark Star Minerals Inc.
LONDON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Gautam Sahgal, former CEO of leading employee engagement platform Perkbox, has partnered with CSMA to invest in and further develop Parliament Hill, the UK's leading provider of membership association benefits platforms.

As part of this strategic partnership, Gautam Sahgal and CSMA will jointly invest in the continued growth of Parliament Hill, focusing on advancing its technology, expanding its commercial offering, and scaling its impact across the membership sector.

Sahgal, who has been appointed Executive Chairman of Parliament Hill, brings a strong track record of building and transforming businesses. He previously led Perkbox through a period of international expansion and product development. Perkbox was subsequently acquired by Great Hill Partners in June 2024. Prior to his time at Perkbox, Gautam successfully turned around Thomsonlocal, saving it from liquidation and transforming it into a digital listings business.

Joining him as CEO of Parliament Hill is Joel Tobias, a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in the benefits, rewards, gift card, and affiliate marketing sectors. His leadership roles have included senior positions at Perkbox, LifeWorks, NextJump, and NetVoucherCodes, bringing deep commercial and operational expertise to drive the next phase of Parliament Hill's growth.

Gautam Sahgal, Executive Chairman of Parliament Hill, said:

"I'm delighted to bring my experience to Parliament Hill at such a pivotal moment. Membership associations face increasing pressure to acquire, engage, and retain their members - and the key to doing so is by delivering real, tangible value. These are unique, targeted audiences who need a universal product that works for all, but also tailored, bespoke solutions that speak directly to their needs. The scale we're starting with - over 6 million users - is truly exciting and gives us a strong foundation to build something market-leading."

Joel Tobias, CEO of Parliament Hill, added:

"This is an incredible opportunity to reimagine the role of member benefits. Our ambition is to build a platform that's modern, agile, and focused on the specific needs of the membership organisations we serve - offering them world-class engagement tools and unrivalled value for their members."

Colin Slinn, CEO of CSMA, commented:

"CSMA acquired Parliament Hill in 2018 and we're thrilled to partner with Gautam and Joel to invest further in its future. With the right leadership, resources, and strategy, we're confident Parliament Hill will become an even stronger force in the membership space."

Through this partnership, Parliament Hill will accelerate innovation in benefits technology, curate an expanded range of offers tailored to diverse member needs and strengthen its position as the go-to platform for membership organisations looking to deliver exceptional value.

About CSMA

CSMA is the parent company of Boundless, a membership organisation dedicated to helping current and former public sector workers make the most of their free time, offering access to exclusive deals, events, experiences, and benefits for over 100 years. For more information, please visit www.boundless.co.uk.

About Parliament Hill

Parliament Hill is the UK's market leader in building and managing benefits platforms for professional membership associations, serving over 6.2 million members across a wide range of industries. For more information, please visit www.parliament-hill.co.uk

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ex-perkbox-ceo-gautam-sahgal-partners-with-csma-to-invest-in-and-scale-parliament-hill-302449835.html
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - CopAur Minerals Inc. (TSXV: CPAU) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has engaged Thorne Solutions LLC, based in Carson City, Nevada, to support permitting efforts at the Company's Kinsley Mountain and Troy Canyon gold projects, both located in Nevada. These two projects are past-producing gold mines with potential for near-term advancement.

A recent site visit was conducted by Copaur management in Nevada, including an on-site meeting with the team at Thorne Solutions LLC, a consultancy with extensive experience in securing exploration and production permits in the state. Thorne Solutions specializes in guiding mining projects through the regulatory process from initial drilling through to production or restart.

As part of the site visit, additional samples were collected from the Troy Canyon Gold Mine and have been submitted to ALS Laboratories for processing and analysis.

Troy Canyon, Old Mine site

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7895/251256_c0db700aa4d02977_002full.jpg

Jeremy Yaseniuk, CEO of Copaur Minerals, commented, "Both Kinsley and Troy Canyon are compelling projects that we believe hold strong potential for renewed development. The Kinsley project last operated under Alta Gold in the 1990s but was shut down in 1997 after only two years of production. Operations and equipment were relocated to Reno in anticipation of a larger-scale operation that, for various reasons, did not proceed. Troy Canyon produced gold for just 14 months before being abruptly shut down due to the enforcement of a 1935 U.S. Congressional law prohibiting private gold production. During our recent site visit, we were amazed to see ore carts and buckets still full-frozen in time since the last day of work."

Stock Option Grant

The Company also announces that its Board of Directors has approved the grant of 3,000,000 stock options to directors, officers, employees, and consultants. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.15 per common share and are valid for a period of five (5) years from the date of grant. The options were granted in accordance with the Company's Stock Option Plan.

About CopAur

CopAur is an exploration company focused on developing projects within the emerging, mineral-rich mining regions of Nevada. The Company is backed by a dynamic and experienced team of resource professionals advancing its projects in Nevada with the flagship project being Kinsley Mountain Gold Project, a Carlin-style project located 90 kilometres south of the Long Canyon mine (currently in production under the Newmont/Barrick joint venture, Nevada Gold Mines).

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF COPAUR MINERALS INC.

Jeremy Yaseniuk, Chief Executive Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance, including the Company's plans to settle part of the Loan principal in Debt Units and the requirement of obtaining TSXV approval. All such statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to vary from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, they should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions on the date of this news release, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revised any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251256

SOURCE: CopAur Minerals Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Canada's Best Managed Companies co-leaders, Lorrie King and Derrick Dempster, along with their dedicated team members, sponsors, and program winners, joined David Chelich, Sector Head, Global Energy and Diversified Industries, Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV), to open the market to celebrate the esteemed 2025 Canada's Best Managed Companies winners.





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkpTycIKpwo

With a legacy spanning over three decades, the Canada's Best Managed Companies program remains the benchmark of excellence for privately-owned Canadian businesses. Established in 1993 by Deloitte, the program has drawn countless companies aspiring to earn the prestigious designation through a thorough and demanding evaluation process. This process carefully examines their leadership capabilities in key areas such as strategy, culture and commitment, capabilities, innovation, governance, and financial performance.

We are grateful to our esteemed program sponsors, Deloitte Private, CIBC, EDC, Norton Rose Fulbright, The Globe and Mail, and TMX Group, whose support has been instrumental in the success of the Canada's Best Managed Companies program.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251300

SOURCE: Toronto Stock Exchange
The appointment of six executives in Austria, Brazil, Italy, Norway, Spain, and the UK bolsters Taxbit's commitment to driving responsible digital asset adoption

NEW YORK, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Taxbit , the enterprise-grade tax and accounting compliance platform for digital assets, continues to expand globally by appointing six executives in Austria, Brazil, Italy, Norway, Spain, and the UK. The executives bring regulatory knowledge and policy development experience to Taxbit's growing team of regional experts.

"In-market expertise is vital to our mission at Taxbit - driving innovation and regulatory clarity worldwide. In both Europe and Latin America, policymakers are making significant strides in delivering advanced regulatory frameworks for digital assets with a view to ensuring all businesses meet best practices for tax and accounting standards. Bringing on board these global industry leaders is vital to maintaining a harmonious dialogue with government, ensuring our customers receive best-in-class service and counsel, and achieving our growth goals in this rapidly evolving industry."

- Michelle O'Connor , VP of Global Market Expansion

Georg Brameshuber , appointed as an Austrian Executive, has served as a Board of Advisors for Blockchain for Europe and Digital Asset Association Austria member. In addition to his experience co-founding Validvent.tax, an Austria-based consultancy, Brameshuber brings over ten years of experience across various roles in the blockchain space, accounting, and law.

Antonio Lanotte , appointed as an Italian Executive, has served as Ambassador for Italy in the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC), member of the Board of Advisors for Blockchain for Europe, member of the EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum (EU4Blockchain) and INATBA, member of UN Dynamic Coalition on Blockchain Assurance and Standardization (DC-BAS), and brings over twenty years of experience as a tax advisor and CFO.

Magnus Jones , appointed as a Nordic Executive, serving as co-founder of Cointegrity, Ambassador for Norway in the GBBC, VP of Regulation at European Web3 Organisation, member of INTERPOL's Expert Group on the Metaverse, Crypto Expert for the OSCE, board member of the Nordic Blockchain Association, and K33. He brings over fifteen years of experience at EY, specializing in tax and law.

Torstein Thinn , appointed as a Nordic Executive and Co-founder of Cointegrity, established and led the world's first cryptocurrency task force at the Norwegian tax administration, and headed the Nordic collaboration on crypto. Thinn also served as CFO at NBX, Norwegian Blockchain Exchange, and CEO of AKJ, a turn-key crypto fund platform, bringing over twenty-five years of experience in finance.

Dion Seymour , appointed as British Executive, serves as Crypto and Digital Assets Technical Director at Andersen LLP, an international tax and accounting advisory firm with offices in 179 countries. He has over 18 years of tax experience and, from 2018, gained significant experience in cryptoassets by leading HMRC's approach to crypto and representing HMRC at an international level with the OECD's Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) negotiations. He is co-chair of the OECD's business advisory group for CARF, a member of Solana Foundation's Superteam UK Policy Advisory Board, a member of CryptoUK policy board, and chair of the tax working group for the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales (ICAEW).

Nicole Dyskant , appointed as Brazilian and Spanish Executive, has been an advisor for Taxbit LATAM since June 2024. With over twenty-five years of practical experience and regional expertise, Dyskant serves as Global Senior Advisor in Regulatory & Public Affairs at Fireblocks and is currently co-chairing the 100 Women in Finance Brazil Committee.

"Latin America is one of the world leaders in cryptocurrency adoption, especially in the field of payments and cross-border remittances. With renewed attention and focus on expanded use cases for crypto, adoption is driving demand for greater regulatory clarity. Taxbit's commitment to the advancement of this technology through responsible digital asset adoption is unparalleled in this industry, and I am thrilled to be expanding my role at Taxbit and joining this new team of incredible leaders."

- Nicole Dyskant, Taxbit Executive in Residence for Brazil and Spain

Taxbit's Executives in Residence program reinforces the company's commitment to bridging the gap between innovation and regulation. This series of appointments follows the announcement of Dr. Max Bernt, Global Head of Regulatory Affairs and Managing Director of Europe, in April 2024, and Faustine Fleuret as French Executive in Residence in March 2025. While initially launched to support strategic expansion across Europe, with solutions addressing MICA, CARF, DAC7, DAC8, CESOP, and IFRS compliance for cross-border payments and digital asset activity, Taxbit's vision extends well beyond the EU.

The program is part of a broader global growth strategy led by Michelle O'Connor, an early employee of Taxbit and now VP of Global Expansion and Innovation. Under her stewardship, Taxbit is actively scaling its regulatory-grade infrastructure into mature and emerging markets, prioritizing regions where digital asset adoption and regulatory clarity are advancing. From North America to Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, Taxbit is building a unified compliance backbone that supports governments, enterprises, and institutions navigating the evolving global digital assets economy.

About Taxbit

Taxbit is the premier tax and accounting compliance platform designed by CPAs and tax attorneys to simplify compliance and reporting for digital assets. Enterprises, financial institutions, and government agencies trust our comprehensive, end-to-end solution to compliance and ensure accuracy. Taxbit is certified with SOC 1 Type 1, SOC 2 Type 2 attestation, and ISO 27001 standards. With over $235 million in funding from top global investors like Ribbit, IVP, Paradigm, Haun Ventures, and PayPal Ventures, Taxbit is headquartered in Draper, Utah, and has offices in Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Washington, D.C., Amsterdam and London. Discover more at www.taxbit.com .

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/taxbit-expands-global-presence-with-six-executive-appointments-across-the-united-kingdom-europe-and-latin-america-302450153.html
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global temperature data logger market is projected to be valued at USD 529.0 million in 2025 and reach USD 701.1 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The temperature data logger market is growing significantly. It is fueled by several factors, such as industrial automation, Industry 5.0, real-time data management, the rising need for data analytics, and the increasing focus of industries to improve efficiency, facilitate predictive maintenance, and simplify manufacturing processes. The widespread development of AI, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and sensing technologies in industries such as pharmaceuticals & biotechnology, food & beverage storage and transport, medical device monitoring, cold chain logistics, chemical and industrial process control, HVAC systems, and environmental monitoring (e.g., agriculture and research labs) to boost the growth of the said market.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=156456443

Browse in-depth TOC on "Temperature Data Logger Market"

120 - Tables

55 - Figures

200 - Pages

Temperature Data Logger Market Report Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2025 $ 529.0 million Estimated Value by 2030 $ 701.1 million Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% Market Size Available for 2023-2030 Forecast Period 2025-2030 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Type, Wireless, Configuration and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Stringent performance requirements for advanced applications Key Market Opportunities Incorporation of temperature control systems in food safety management Key Market Drivers Increase in penetration of temperature data loggers in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries

The USB segment is estimated to contribute a significant share during the forecast period.

USB-based data loggers are widely used across industries for their ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and reliability. Users can program sampling intervals, set alarm thresholds, and download recorded data by connecting the logger directly to a computer, eliminating the need for additional hardware or complex setups. USB data loggers' primary advantages are their simplicity and accessibility, as they require no specialized infrastructure. They are also cost-effective, making them ideal for budget-conscious applications without compromising essential features. Many USB loggers have configurable alarm settings that alert users when temperature readings fall outside predefined ranges, ensuring timely interventions. These devices often boast long battery life, allowing for prolonged monitoring periods without frequent maintenance. Temperature data loggers are widely used in various applications. The food and beverage industry ensures proper storage and transportation conditions for perishable goods, preventing spoilage and ensuring compliance with safety standards. In the pharmaceutical sector, these loggers track temperature-sensitive products like vaccines and medications during storage and transit, maintaining product efficacy. Researchers use USB loggers for environmental monitoring, recording ecosystem temperature variations to support climate studies. Furthermore, manufacturing industries rely on these devices to monitor machinery and processes requiring specific temperature ranges, ensuring quality control and operational efficiency.

The reusable data loggers' segment is set to exhibit the highest growth rate in the temperature data logger market during the forecast period.

Reusable temperature data loggers are durable, multi-use devices designed to record and monitor temperature data over multiple applications. They are engineered for repeated deployment after data retrieval and recalibration, making them a cost-efficient solution for industries requiring continuous or long-term temperature monitoring. These devices are commonly used in sectors like pharmaceuticals, food storage, and cold chain logistics, where accurate and consistent data collection is critical. Reusable temperature data loggers offer several key advantages. Their ability to be reused across multiple cycles significantly reduces operational costs, making them an economical choice for businesses with frequent temperature monitoring needs. They are designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions, ensuring reliable performance in extreme settings such as frozen storage, high humidity, or outdoor monitoring. These devices often feature advanced capabilities, including large data storage capacity, wireless connectivity, and real-time alerts, enhancing their versatility and efficiency. Additionally, reusable loggers can integrate with cloud platforms or IoT systems, enabling remote monitoring and compliance with strict industry regulations such as Good Distribution Practices (GDP) or HACCP. Their extended battery life and robust construction increase their value, especially in demanding applications.

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Asia Pacific is pegged to grow the fastest throughout the forecast period.

The Asia Pacific region is growing fastest in the temperature data logger industry with increasing industrialization, expanding automation, and heavy demand for real-time monitoring across different industries. Asia Pacific held the largest share of the temperature data logger market in 2024, and this trend is likely to continue over the next few years. China, India, and Japan are the major contributors to Asia Pacific's temperature data logger market growth. Fast-track industrialization across Asia has created a conducive environment for the temperature data logger market growth. In particular, expanding pharmaceuticals, cold chain logistics, and industrial manufacturing are generating massive demand for temperature data loggers. The growth of the temperature data logger market in Asia Pacific is also driven by the escalating demand for temperature loggers from the overseas markets of other Asian countries, North America, and Europe. Fresh-key (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd provides a complete cold chain IoT monitoring solution, including temperature data loggers for the global food supply chain, with customers in dozens of countries such as America, Oceania, and Asia.

Key Players

The temperature data logger companies are competitive with several tier 1 players, including Onset Computer Corporation (US), HIOKI E.E. Corporation (Japan), Testo SE & Co. KGaA (Germany), ELPRO-BUCHS AG (Switzerland), and Dickson (US).

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Strategic analysis of the Hospital Asset Management Market reveals a high-growth landscape driven by digital transformation, patient safety demands, and regulatory compliance, particularly in North America. However, high initial costs and data security concerns require targeted entry strategies. Vendors should prioritize developed regions with mature IT infrastructure for early gains, while offering scalable, cost-effective solutions for emerging markets. Partnering with healthcare IT integrators and providing robust training/support services will be key to overcoming technical and adoption barriers and capturing long-term growth.

LEWES, Del., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Hospital Asset Management Market Size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 30.60% from 2026 to 2032, according to a new report published by Verified Market Research. The report reveals that the market was valued at USD 48.94 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 414.18 Billion by the end of the forecast period.

The hospital asset management market is gaining momentum as healthcare facilities embrace digital transformation. With rising investments in RFID, IoT, and cloud-based solutions, hospitals are optimizing workflows, reducing theft, and improving patient outcomes.

Key Highlights of the Report:

Market Size & Forecast: In-depth analysis of market valuation and projected CAGR through 2032.

In-depth analysis of market valuation and projected CAGR through 2032. Technology Trends: Insights into RFID, RTLS, IoT, and AI adoption across hospital infrastructure.

Insights into RFID, RTLS, IoT, and AI adoption across hospital infrastructure. Regional Insights: Comparative study of North America, Europe, APAC, and emerging markets.

Comparative study of North America, Europe, APAC, and emerging markets. Competitive Landscape: Profiles of leading players, strategies, and recent mergers or acquisitions.

Profiles of leading players, strategies, and recent mergers or acquisitions. Growth Drivers & Challenges: Detailed breakdown of market enablers and restraints shaping the industry.

Detailed breakdown of market enablers and restraints shaping the industry. End-User Segmentation: Evaluation of asset management in public, private, and specialty hospitals.

Why This Report Matters:

This report provides actionable intelligence to help stakeholders understand shifting dynamics in hospital asset management, uncover opportunities in smart healthcare investments, and make informed business decisions backed by data-driven insights.

Who You Should Read This Report:

Healthcare administrators & CTOs

Market research professionals

IoT and RFID solution providers

B2B healthcare suppliers

Investors seeking growth opportunities in digital healthcare systems

For more information or to purchase the report, please contact us at: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/download-sample?rid=40291

Browse in-depth TOC on "Global Hospital Asset Management Market Size"

202 - Pages

126 - Tables

37 - Figures

Report Scope

REPORT ATTRIBUTES DETAILS STUDY PERIOD 2021-2032 BASE YEAR 2024 FORECAST PERIOD 2026-2032 HISTORICAL PERIOD 2021-2023 UNIT Value (USD Billion) KEY COMPANIES PROFILED AiRISTA Flow Inc., CenTrak Inc., GE Healthcare, IBM Corporation, Novanta Inc. (ThingMagic), Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Sonitor Technologies, Stanley Healthcare, and Zebra Technologies Corporation. SEGMENTS COVERED By Product, By Application, By End-User And By Geography. CUSTOMIZATION SCOPE Free report customization (equivalent up to 4 analyst's working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope

Global Hospital Asset Management Market Overview

Market Driver

Surge in Demand for Real-Time Equipment Tracking: Hospitals oversee numerous assets across various departments, including beds, infusion pumps, ventilators, and surgical instruments. Manual tracking results in delays, misplacement of objects, and inefficiency. The increasing utilization of technologies such as RFID, RTLS, and BLE facilitates real-time asset visibility, decreases search duration, and curtails superfluous acquisitions. The pursuit of asset usage optimization is propelling investments in intelligent tracking systems in hospitals worldwide.

Growing Need to Improve Patient Care and Safety: Hospitals face mounting pressure to provide superior treatment while adhering to stringent operational budgets. The misplacement of assets or downtime of essential medical devices can significantly affect patient care. Asset management systems guarantee that essential equipment is maintained, accessible, and accurately calibrated. This enhances workflow efficiency, accelerates response times, and elevates patient satisfaction scores-essential objectives for healthcare institutions pursuing operational excellence.

Rising Healthcare Digitalization and Regulatory Push: The worldwide healthcare industry is experiencing digital revolution, propelled by regulatory requirements and legislative incentives. Governments and health authorities are enforcing enhanced compliance in asset tracking and maintenance to augment patient safety and mitigate liability. Hospital asset management systems include automatic compliance monitoring, audit trails, and maintenance notifications. This conforms to regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA (U.S.), MDR (EU), and Joint Commission requirements, facilitating widespread use.

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Market Restraint

High Initial Implementation and Integration Costs: Although hospital asset management systems offer long-term cost advantages, they need substantial initial expenditures in hardware, software, and infrastructure. Expenses encompass RFID tags, sensors, networking, cloud integration, and personnel training. For hospitals with constrained IT budgets, particularly in emerging economies, these expenses can be exorbitant. Moreover, the connection with pre-existing legacy systems can be intricate and protracted, hence deterring early adoption.

Data Security and Privacy Concerns: Given that hospital asset management systems produce substantial volumes of sensitive data, encompassing equipment utilization and patient mobility, security emerges as a significant issue. Any violation or unauthorized access may result in regulatory penalties and harm to reputation. The transition of hospitals to interconnected devices and cloud-based solutions is impeded by concerns regarding cyberattacks, data breaches, and non-compliance with data protection requirements such as GDPR and HIPAA.

Lack of Skilled Workforce and Technical Know-How: The effective implementation and functioning of hospital asset management systems necessitate proficient IT teams and healthcare personnel who comprehend digital workflows. Numerous healthcare facilities, particularly in rural or under-resourced areas, are deficient in specialists qualified to develop or sustain such systems. Insufficient technical proficiency hinders installation, diminishes user adoption, and escalates dependence on external vendors-impeding scalability and constraining return on investment for stakeholders.

Geographical Dominance

North America leads the Hospital Asset Management Market owing to its advanced healthcare infrastructure, early implementation of IoT and RFID technologies, and robust legislative frameworks facilitating digital transformation. Significant investment in intelligent hospital technologies, along with an emphasis on patient safety and operational efficiency, establishes the region as a global frontrunner. U.S.-based entities and medical facilities establish standards in automation and real-time monitoring of healthcare assets.

Key Players

The "Global Hospital Asset Management Market" study report will provide a valuable insight with an emphasis on the global market. The major players in the market are AiRISTA Flow Inc., CenTrak Inc., GE Healthcare, IBM Corporation, Novanta Inc. (ThingMagic), Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Sonitor Technologies, Stanley Healthcare, and Zebra Technologies Corporation.

Hospital Asset Management Market Segment Analysis

Based on the research, Verified Market Research has segmented the global market into Product, Application, End-User and Geography.

Hospital Asset Management Market, by Product Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) Devices Real-time location systems (RTLS)

Hospital Asset Management Market, by Application Hospital Asset Management Pharmaceutical Asset Management

Hospital Asset Management Market, by End-User Hospitals and Clinics Pharmaceutical Companies





Hospital Asset Management Market, by Geography North America U.S Canada Mexico Europe Germany France U.K Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific ROW Middle East & Africa Latin America



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HIGHLIGHTS

Channel sampling across Cowboy State Mine returned TREO grades up to 13,651 ppm (1.37%)

15 of 106 samples exceeded 4,500 ppm TREO

Magnet rare earth oxides (MREO) averaged 1,023 ppm, approximately 28% of total TREO composition

Heavy Rare Earth Oxides (HREO) averaged 464 ppm, representing ~13% of TREO composition

Results will be incorporated into the resource model in support of Pre-Feasibility Study, which remains on track for completion in late 2025



DENVER, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Rare Earths Limited (ASX: ARR | OTCQX: ARRNF | ADR: AMRRY) (ARR or the Company) is pleased to report the results from a mapping and channel sampling program across the Cowboy State Mine (CSM) area, part of the Halleck Creek Rare Earths Project in Wyoming. A total of 106 channel samples were collected across Red Mountain by geologists from Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc (WRI), ARR's wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, in collaboration with technical support from Geosyntec.

Assay results confirmed elevated rare earth mineralization across the Red Mountain area, including a standout sample grading 1.37% (13,651ppm) Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO). TREO grades of Red Mountain Pluton (RMP), the rare earth bearing rock type, ranged from 711 ppm to 13,651 ppm with an average of 3,661 ppm. On average, magnet rare earth oxides1 (MREO) account for approximately 28% of the total rare earth content (1,023 ppm), while heavy rare earth oxides2 (HREO) represent around 13% (464 ppm). A total of 15 samples exceeded 4,500 ppm TREO, indicating areas of elevated-grade material within the system.

These results further highlight the southern portion of Red Mountain as hosting some of the highest-grade material observed to date for the CSM area. The channel sampling data is currently being incorporated into an updated geological model and mineral resource estimate for the CSM area. This model will assist mine planning and support the Pre-Feasibility Study, which remains on track for completion in late 2025.

Chris Gibbs, Chief Executive Officer, said:

"Halleck Creek is shaping up to be the next major rare earths project in the United States. With the high-value core four magnet rare earths including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium consistently present across the Cowboy State Mine, we are advancing one of the few U.S. projects capable of supplying these critical materials at scale.

What's especially encouraging is the continued confirmation of these core four rare earths across the sampled area. In particular, terbium and dysprosium are vital for high-temperature magnet performance and remain in extremely limited supply outside of China. Based on our Scoping Study, they are expected to contribute over 25 percent of project revenues, despite representing a small percentage of overall tonnage.

Importantly, we don't need federal permitting reform to move forward. Being located on state lands in Wyoming gives us a clear and streamlined path to development. With China's recent export bans on terbium and dysprosium, the national importance of Halleck Creek as a secure domestic source has never been clearer.

As outlined in our Updated Scoping Study3, a staged development could see first production as early as 2029. With its scale, simplicity and multi-generational resource potential, Halleck Creek has the attributes to become one of America's most significant rare earths projects."

Detailed announcement with JORC Table and technical report can be found here.

This release was authorized by the Chairman of American Rare Earths.

About American Rare Earths Limited:

American Rare Earths (ASX: ARR | OTCQX: ARRNF | ADR: AMRRY) is a critical minerals company at the forefront of reshaping the U.S. rare earths industry. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc. ("WRI"), the company is advancing the Halleck Creek Project in Wyoming-a world-class rare earth deposit with the potential to secure America's critical mineral independence for generations. Located on Wyoming State land, the Cowboy State Mine within Halleck Creek offers cost-efficient open-pit mining methods and benefits from streamlined permitting processes in this mining-friendly state.

With plans for onsite mineral processing and separation facilities, Halleck Creek is strategically positioned to reduce U.S. reliance on imports-predominantly from China-while meeting the growing demand for rare earth elements essential to defense, advanced technologies, and economic security. As exploration progresses, the project's untapped potential on both State and Federal lands further reinforces its significance as a cornerstone of U.S. supply chain security. In addition to its resource potential, American Rare Earths is committed to environmentally responsible mining practices and continues to collaborate with U.S. Government-supported R&D programs to develop innovative extraction and processing technologies for rare earth elements.

Investors can follow the Company's progress at www.americanree.com

For further information contact:

Susan Assadi

Media Relations US

sassadi@americanree.com

347 977 7125



Beverly Jedynak

Investor Relations US

Beverly.jedynak@viriathus.com

312 943 1123

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1 MREO = Pr6O11, Nd2O3, Tb4O7, and Dy2O3

2 HREO = Y2O3, Eu2O3, Gd2O3, Tb4O7, Dy2O3, Ho2O3, Er2O3, Tm2O3, Yb2O3, and Lu2O3

3 ASX Announcement 7 March 2025

Halleck Creek Project

American Rare Earths Channel Sampling Program at Halleck Creek
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Cummins Inc.:

Cummins

The word "archive" is often associated with past, dead things. The preservation of endless stacks of paper files with unintelligible words and video footage wrapped around old projector wheels whose technology is long lost to history. Collections of slides in mislabeled bags and boxes - that seem to dissolve in our very hands - full of trinkets, tchotchkes, and the miscellaneous parts to those trinkets and tchotchkes. Obscure labels, unfamiliar names and irrelevant places that, to the untrained eye, mean little. And all these, we imagine, are being dusted off and sorted by their keeper, the archivist, who is buried below the mountains of past, dead things.

But not Lori.

Cummins Heritage Center's lead archivist, Lori Ann Lindberg, paints an entirely different picture.

"We are not keepers of dead things," she informs. "We keep living documents that were created by living human beings that carry information that's filled with life."

Lori Ann Lindberg

Archivists, Lori argues, have a way of looking into the future by using objects from the past - something important and timely for a company like Cummins, which continues to push the industry forward with first-of-its-kind technologies and products. Every day, Lori discovers new stories about Cummins' 106-year history. Many of these reaffirm the values, innovations and aspirations the company continues to uphold and practice today.

One item that has stood out to Lori during her time as Cummins' archivist is a letter written by J. Irwin Miller, a former president and chairman of Cummins for over 40 years.

Miller was a staunch supporter of civil rights. While serving as the 1963 President of the National Council of Churches, he and the Council co-sponsored Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington. At the time, a potential investor wrote to Miller, expressing displeasure over Cummins' hiring of people of color and other marginalized groups. In response, Miller firmly stated that he would not stop hiring these individuals - all types of people worked at Cummins, and that was the way it would remain. He emphasized that this diversity contributed to Cummins' success. Miller concluded his letter by suggesting that the investor should consider placing their money elsewhere.

"That letter resonated with me, and I just got so emotional reading it because it's at least 70 years old now. It shows that this is Cummins, this is the way Cummins is and the way it's going to stay," Lori says. "And it's one of the things that I love about this company, and the fact that I can keep that evidence is just a point of pride to me."

If you've ever had the privilege of visiting Lori and the Cummins Heritage Center, you know that Lori has a special way of taking you along with her into Cummins' past. She knows nearly all there is to know about Cummins, though she would refute such a statement and argue that there's much more she has left to uncover.

The Center is surrounded by - sturdy - boxes of Cummins magazines, training manuals, letters, photos and plaques, with nearly every wall covered in vintage Cummins advertisements, posters and banners. There are tables with old engine schematics and components renderings, and cabinets full of global gifts, pins and paperweights. Just when you think you've seen all there is to see, a row of engines, from Cummins' first to nearly every decade after, leads you toward the restoration side of the Center. It's here where Cummins' litany of Indianapolis 500 race cars, a 1938 Cadillac, and a 1935 Auburn, receive their fine-tuning.

But the question remains: how does one become an archivist, much less for a global company?

Lori's path to becoming an archivist began in music. Lori graduated from Indiana University's School of Music, now Jacobs School of Music, studying opera theater. Growing up in Indiana, Lori sprang at the opportunity to explore the states and headed to Southern California. After several years in Los Angeles, Lori eventually found her home in San Francisco. It was here that she began working for a record store chain and soon developed a passion for organizing while sorting through crates of music records.

Lori characterizes her career as an archivist as a second birth. "I became a totally different person. And I found that passion," she says. "I just, you know, I love it."

That passion led to Lori receiving her Master of Library and Information Science, and for many years, Lori worked at various big corporations as their archivist while teaching scholars the art of archiving. Her work teaching led her to create the first master's program in the country for Archives and Records Administration.

Eventually, Lori moved back to Indiana and, in 2020, applied for an archivist position at an undisclosed company. She had a feeling, though, that the company was Cummins, as it had just celebrated its centennial anniversary. Lori was right, and the rest was, well, history. Lori began as a contractor before officially joining Cummins full-time in 2023.

"You know everybody when you grow up in Indianapolis, you know - and you know Cummins," Lori laughs. "My dad was a supervisor for Chrysler at the electrical plant. You didn't grow up in the automotive industry and not know about Cummins."

Lori says she can still remember how her dad's face lit up when the Dodge Ram came out with the Cummins engine. "He was just biting at the bit to drive one of those Dodge Rams. It was the coolest thing. So, I always had a great impression of Cummins from very young."

Lori may work in Cummins archives, but she doesn't stay confined to the Heritage Center. She often attends meetings across Cummins' Business Units, actively hunting for new information to add to the collection. These meetings give her a look into the future, allowing her to stay on the pulse of where Cummins is heading.

According to Lori, the Cummins Heritage Center staff does their best to be truthful in everything they do and collect. They want to portray Cummins' true story most accurately.

"I hope that the Cummins Heritage Center really reflects the many positive aspects of the company, as well as the great influence of Cummins," Lori expresses, "not only on its industry through its products but through its people and with its people and on its people."

When future leaders and archivists are collecting Cummins artifacts, they won't need a magnifying glass to see that Lori was one of the people whose passion for the company captured and created a legacy.

Explore more Cummins Stories.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cummins Inc on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Cummins Inc

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cummins-inc

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Cummins Inc

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/industrial-and-manufacturing/the-keeper.-the-preserver.-the-archivist.-1025451
BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Vault Cares Network, a trusted ally in navigating complex healthcare, offering expert second opinions and access to world-class providers and powered by Vault Strategies, is proud to announce its new partnership with PlacidWay, a global leader in medical tourism and international healthcare facilitation. Together, the organizations will offer expanded access to world-class medical treatments and cost-saving options for patients seeking care outside traditional networks or across borders.

This strategic collaboration brings together Vault Cares Network's personalized, concierge-level support with PlacidWay's robust international network of accredited hospitals, specialists, and healthcare facilities spanning over 60 countries.

"At Vault Cares, our mission has always been to find the right care at the right time for every member we serve," said Dalton Jensen, Senior Vice President of Network Development. "By teaming up with PlacidWay, we can now offer members and employer groups a broader range of high-quality options - including specialized surgeries, second opinions, and advanced treatments - at a fraction of the domestic cost and often with shorter wait times."

Through this partnership, Vault Cares Network members can explore affordable alternatives for procedures such as orthopedic surgery, bariatric care, dental restoration, fertility treatment, and more - all while receiving the same hands-on guidance Vault Cares is known for. PlacidWay's multilingual team and international logistics coordination ensure a seamless experience from initial consultation to post-care travel arrangements.

"We're thrilled to partner with Vault Cares Network, an organization that shares our values of transparency, quality, and patient empowerment," said Pramod Goel, CEO and founder of PlacidWay. "This collaboration is more than a service expansion - it's about providing people with choice and control over their healthcare journeys, no matter where they live."

Employers and brokers working with Vault Cares will now have the ability to integrate international care options into their benefit strategies, providing members with life-changing treatments while helping to reduce overall plan costs.

About PlacidWay

PlacidWay is a leading global medical tourism company, connecting patients with safe, affordable, and high-quality healthcare solutions around the world. With a network of over 2,000 accredited medical centers in more than 60 countries, PlacidWay empowers individuals and employers to make informed healthcare decisions by offering transparency, multilingual support, and personalized guidance throughout the entire care journey. From cosmetic and dental procedures to complex surgeries and integrative treatments, PlacidWay is redefining how and where care is delivered. To learn more, visit www.placidway.com.

About Vault Cares Network

Vault Cares Network boasts a meticulously curated system of the finest healthcare providers, comprising a select group of top-tier facilities and specialists. With a stringent vetting process, we ensure that each provider meets our exacting standards of excellence, delivering unparalleled care to our patients. Our network encompasses a comprehensive range of medical specialties, ensuring that patients have access to the highest-quality treatments and services available. Through our commitment to quality and innovation, Vault Cares Network strives to optimize patient outcomes and satisfaction, providing peace of mind and confidence in every aspect of their healthcare journey. To learn more about the Vault Cares Network, please contact cares@allthingsvault.com or visit www.vaultcaresnetwork.com.

SOURCE: Vault Cares Network

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/vault-cares-network-partners-with-placidway-to-expand-global-access-t-1025266
Charitable Impact sees mothers as the backbone of Canada's generosity economy.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Most of us can remember it clearly: our mother helping a neighbour, volunteering at school, or guiding us to give a few dollars to someone in need. These moments may have seemed small, but they were the beginnings of something much bigger. According to John Bromley, CEO and Founder of Charitable Impact, they are critical building blocks of Canada's generosity economy.

"Too often, we talk about giving in terms of big donations and heroic acts, which can feel out of reach for many of us. We overlook the everyday acts of giving. We don't spend enough time thinking about and acknowledging how and where we learn to give and what our culture of giving is rooted in," says Bromley. "For many people, it starts with their mother."

This Mother's Day, Charitable Impact is shining a light on the often overlooked role mothers and caregivers play in shaping how generosity is lived, taught, and passed on in Canada. From managing family charitable donations and giving time to causes needing support to modelling empathy through everyday actions, mothers are frequently the frontline architects of a culture of giving.

Mothers Are the Infrastructure of Generosity

Across Canada, women are more likely than men to donate money, contribute food, and give material goods. In fact, data shows that more women give financially compared to men; when it comes to food and other goods, the gap widens even further.

These everyday acts of care are part of a broader pattern. Women make up 70% of Canada's nonprofit workforce and are consistently more likely to involve their children in volunteering and charitable activities. "Women have always played a central role in giving whether through managing household budgets, volunteering in their communities, or passing down a family ethos of acting generously," says Bromley. "It's often under the radar, but it's real and it's powerful. That quiet, consistent leadership is critical to the continued development of the next generations of active participants in giving back in Canada. After all, where do you go to learn about giving back?"

Research from Charitable Impact's Charitable Allowance Program, a tool that helps kids learn about charitable giving by practicing it, suggests that the parents most likely to adopt new tools for teaching generosity tend to be moms. They see giving as a core part of raising responsible, community-minded kids.

Broader trends support that insight: a study by the Angus-Reid Institute in partnership with Charitable Impact found that conversations during childhood at home appear to impact giving behaviour. 64% of those categorized as Super Donors - people who give regularly and without being prompted - say they were exposed to concepts of charity and altruism by their parents. In contrast, an equal percentage of those who give almost nothing say they were not.

How Mothers Are Raising the Next Generation of Givers

For Erica Lam, a Vancouver-based mom who signed up her 6-year-old for a Charitable Allowance, generosity has become a regular part of family life. "I often worry about giving my son too much - whether it's new toys, screen time, or saying "yes" too often. Charitable Allowance gave us a way to shift the conversation toward helping others and taking action. When I asked what he cared about, he said cleaning plastic from the oceans, something he had learned about in school. It was really neat to explore that with him, and see him discover what matters to him and how he can respond to it."

As youth engagement in charitable giving continues to decline and societal divisions deepen, the need to teach about giving back and to model ways of doing it has never been more urgent. And that modelling begins where children are shaped most, at home. "We don't raise generous kids by accident," Bromley emphasizes. "It takes intention and often, it starts with mothers saying, 'this matters, here's why, and watch what I'm going to do about it.'"

A tool to build future donors

But mothers don't do it alone. It takes a village of the right people and the right tools. One such tool is Charitable Allowance - a simple way for parents or mentors to set aside funds for the children and youth in their lives to give to causes they care about. It creates space for families to have meaningful conversations about giving and helps children connect their values to real-world action.

This Mother's Day, Recognize the Real Generosity Leaders

Whether it's helping a child donate to a food bank or talking through a cause at bedtime, mothers across Canada are shaping the next generation of donors. This Mother's Day, they deserve more than a thank you. They deserve recognition.





Help your child discover causes they care about

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How to have a conversation with your kid

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How to have a conversation with your kid

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About Charitable Impact

Charitable Impact is a modern giving platform that helps Canadians engage more deeply and intentionally with charitable giving. Operating as a donor-advised fund, it offers flexible tools and support for people to plan their giving, support the causes that matter to them, and collaborate with others to grow their collective impact. Whether giving individually or through communities, users can explore, organize, and amplify their generosity-all in one place.

Since 2011, more than 210,000 people have given through Charitable Impact, donating over $1.5 billion to more than 14,800 registered charities across Canada. Charitable Impact is built on the belief that giving should be accessible, personal, and meaningful-empowering anyone to create the change they want to see in the world.

Learn more at https://charitableimpact.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251129

SOURCE: Charitable Impact
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Power BI's powerful trend analysis features allow EHS teams to track key metrics over time, including quantitative data such as injury/incident rates (DART, TRIR, LWDC, etc.) and qualitative results from compliance audits, as well as spatial data. Visualizing trends from this collected data makes it easier to identify patterns and shifts in safety. This comprehensive trend analysis helps companies proactively identify potential hazards before they escalate into serious incidents, aiding in the prevention of accidents, or costly regulatory violations. Additionally, integrating data from multiple sources enhances the accuracy and depth of insights gained. This empowers decision-makers to implement targeted and effective interventions and EHS Management Programs.

Benefits of Power BI Dashboards for EHS Data Analysis:

1. Proactive Risk Management

With Power BI dashboards, EHS professionals can shift from a reactive to a proactive approach in managing both environmental and safety risks. By analyzing trends in real-time, organizations can identify rising risks-such as increased spikes in workplace injuries, or gaps in compliance-before they lead to more severe consequences. For example, if Power BI shows a pattern of workplace accidents during certain shifts, safety managers can introduce preventive measures to reduce the danger and increase safety.

2. Improved Efficiency and Data Comprehension

At Antea Group, our Business Intelligence team works directly with organizations to visualize large amounts of complex EHS data in an easily digestible format. Traditional reporting methods often involve sifting through spreadsheets or static reports, which can be time-consuming and difficult to interpret.

With Power BI dashboards, key metrics are summarized visually, making it faster and easier for EHS teams to identify and address issues. By streamlining data analysis, Power BI significantly boosts efficiency in tracking safety. For instance, rather than poring over complex spreadsheets, EHS teams can quickly view visual summaries of accident rates or audit results, saving time and enabling quicker responses to any issues that arise.

3. Data-Driven Decision Making

Power BI dashboards provide EHS professionals with the data they need to make informed decisions. Real-time insights into safety incidents, environmental audits, and compliance statuses help organizations allocate resources effectively. For example, if a dashboard reveals that a particular department is consistently falling short in waste management practices, management can take immediate action to address the issue.

4. Regulatory Compliance and Risk Mitigation

Compliance with environmental regulations (e.g., EPA standards, OSHA guidelines) is a critical part of EHS management. Power BI dashboards help organizations stay on top of compliance by providing a clear overview of audit results, regulatory violations, and corrective actions. These dashboards offer an at-a-glance view of compliance metrics, ensuring that safety and environmental protocols are consistently followed.

By continuously monitoring compliance status, organizations can avoid costly fines, penalties, or legal issues. For example, if the dashboard highlights repeated failures in meeting EPA standards, management can take immediate corrective actions to prevent potential fines or penalties.

Conclusion

Power BI dashboards offer EHS professionals a dynamic and interactive way to monitor and analyze trends in safety performance. By providing real-time data visualization, trend analysis tools, and interactive dashboards, Power BI allows organizations to track key metrics like incident rates, compliance audit results, and any other metric vital to your business.

For organizations looking to enhance their EHS audits, Antea Group can provide comprehensive dashboards so you can fully understand your data.

If you are interested in exploring EHS Data Analytics, reach out to our Business Intelligence team for more information.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Antea Group on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Antea Group

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/antea-group

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Antea Group

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/benefits-of-power-bi-dashboards-for-ehs-data-analysis-1025521
LEXINGTON, Ky., May 08, 2025("Zoerkler" or "the Company"), an Austria-based manufacturer and supplier of high-performance transmission components for the aerospace & defense, automotive, rail, and industrial industries. Zoerkler will be integrated into MiddleGround's portfolio company, Xtrac, a leading designer, manufacturer, and supplier of high-performance transmissions and mechatronics for top-level professional motorsport and specialist high-performance automotive applications.

Headquartered in Jois, Austria, Zoerkler is a leading manufacturer of gearing solutions and transmission systems specializing in high-performance applications serving industrial and mobility end-markets, including motorsport, automotive, aerospace & defense, agriculture, and rail. Zoerkler's capabilities span the entire value chain, with an emphasis on R&D and prototyping activities that allow small-series production with high-batch-size spare parts to serve customers in short lead times that are best-in-class for the industry.

"We're very excited to welcome the Zoerkler team to the Xtrac platform. Zoerkler is well-established and highly regarded in the industry and offers a unique opportunity to bring a complementary transmission and drivetrain component specialist to our portfolio," said John Stewart, Founding and Managing Partner of MiddleGround. "This acquisition underscores our commitment to partnering with leading technology and engineering companies aligned with our Mobility Thesis. Further, Zoerkler brings attractive end-market diversification to our Xtrac platform, allowing us to unlock new segments and customer demand, expand our high-performance engineering expertise into aerospace & defense, and other segments, and augment Xtrac's long-term growth potential."

As a trusted partner of several blue-chip customers for high-quality components, including Leonardo, Safran, Mercedes AMG, Porsche, Honda and Comer Industries, Zoerkler has established a meaningful network which will enhance Xtrac's product line and expand its offerings into highly attractive markets, whilst ensuring focus on serving long standing core motorsport and high performance automotive customers. The company's production capabilities complement Xtrac's, and its world-class manufacturing quality will unlock existing demand from both current and new motorsport and high-performance automotive customers. Further, Zoerkler's additional machining capacity will facilitate higher production volumes and new programs across the Xtrac platform.

"For over 100 years, Zoerkler has been recognized for superior quality and innovation in developing and producing premium drive systems," said Bernhard Wagner, CEO at Zoerkler. "Joining forces with a cutting edge, market-leading brand like Xtrac will create new engineering and manufacturing synergies for both businesses. Additionally, MiddleGround's operational expertise, combined with their support of our core values of quality, precision, reliability, and safety, makes them an ideal partner as we enter this next phase of growth."

"Adding Zoerkler to the Xtrac platform is highly exciting. As well as providing additional capacity and an established presence within Europe, the addition of Zoerkler will bring new products, precision manufacturing capacity, and an established aerospace presence, allowing us to better serve the complex needs of our customers," said Adrian Moore, CEO at Xtrac. "Zoerkler's unwavering commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction perfectly aligns with our mission, which prioritizes R&D, technological advancements, and the continuous development of our team, with exceptional customer service."

With the acquisition of Zoerkler, MiddleGround is further building on its extensive experience in electric drive systems manufacturing and the powersports aftermarket segments. Having already invested in Helix, a leading designer and manufacturer of the world's most power-dense electric motors and inverters, and New Eagle, a leading provider of proprietary hardware and software technology solutions that are mission-critical for the development of mechanical control systems for a variety of applications, including autonomous and electric vehicles, MiddleGround continues to expand its portfolio of companies within the mobility sector.

About Zoerkler GmbH & Co KG

Headquartered in Jois, Burgenland, AT, Zoerkler is a leading manufacturing company specializing in high-performance drive systems for the aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors. Founded more than 120 years ago, the firm is family-owned and owner-managed. They are guided by the principle "the spirit of precision", and pay attention to quality, precision, reliability and safety in products as well as actions. Zoerkler is a reliable partner for companies worldwide in the development and production of high-quality drive systems. With expertise spanning the entire development process-from design and prototyping to series production-Zoerkler delivers customized solutions that meet the highest industry standards. For more information, please visit http://www.zoerkler.at .

About Xtrac

Based in Berkshire in the UK and Indiana and North Carolina in the US, Xtrac is a prominent ambassador for the UK's world-renowned motorsport industry.

Established in 1984, the company employs around 500 highly qualified employees, including those trained through Xtrac's award-winning apprentice and undergraduate schemes to work on global customer programmes, supplying world-class transmission and driveline products, including gearboxes, differentials, and gearchange systems. It exports around 70 per cent of its manufacturing output to Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, and the US.

Xtrac works mainly with the high-performance automotive sector alongside its traditional heartland of the motorsport industry. Customers of its high-performance automotive and motorsport business sectors rely on its specialist expertise, augmented by the company's substantial investment in research and innovation supported by advanced design, engineering and manufacturing resources.

For further information, please visit www.xtrac.com .

About MiddleGround Capital

MiddleGround Capital is a private equity firm based in Lexington, Kentucky with over $3.85 billion of assets under management. MiddleGround makes control equity investments in middle market B2B industrial and specialty distribution businesses. MiddleGround works with its portfolio companies to create value through a hands-on operational approach and partners with its management teams to support long-term growth strategies. For more information, please visit: https://middleground.com/ .
MUNICH, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ampace, a leading innovator in advanced energy storage solutions, officially launched its forward-looking ONEN Strategy at Intersolar Europe 2025 in Munich on May 7 at 14:00 CET. The company also showcased its latest full-stack energy storage portfolio, spanning residential, C&I, UPS, and portable energy storage products. At the same time, Ampace's Chile project was shortlisted for the Smarter E Award 2025 - Outstanding Project, marking another milestone in the company's global deployment capabilities.

At the heart of Ampace's presence this year is the ONEN Strategy - a comprehensive roadmap that stands for One-Stop Energy. ONEN reflects the company's vision to build a fully integrated, scenario-driven energy storage ecosystem. It is underpinned by four strategic pillars: High-Efficiency Product, High-Compatibility System, High-Confidence Safety, and High-Value Service. This strategy represents not only a technical framework but also Ampace's long-term commitment to global energy transformation and customer-centric innovation.

During the launch event, CTO from Ampace, Dr.Yuan, emphasized its belief that safety and innovation are inseparable. The "O" in ONEN represents Zero, symbolizing Ampace's uncompromising standard for zero safety incidents. "ONE" stands for leadership and continuous innovation, while "N" symbolizes infinity, the limitless possibilities enabled by a resilient and future-ready storage ecosystem.

Ampace also unveiled the new PR-S4 residential energy storage system, designed specifically for European households. With a compact form factor 35% smaller than the industry average, PR-S4 offers up to 40kWh capacity, supports 15,000 cycles and a 15-year design life, and meets top-tier global safety standards including ISO 13849 PL-d and IP66. Its modular design enables simple installation, expansion, and maintenance.

In the C&I space, Ampace presented high-performance storage systems with 100-500kWh capacity, fast response (0.5-1CP), and extreme environmental adaptability from -30C to 55C. Ampace also highlighted upcoming innovations such as a 4,800kWh containerized energy storage system built with next-generation GT40 cells and intelligent thermal management.

The company's Chile project, shortlisted for The Smarter E Award - Outstanding Project, further demonstrated Ampace's capabilities in real-world deployments. In a seismically active region, Ampace delivered a stable, high-safety C&I system tailored to harsh environmental conditions.

As the energy storage industry continues to evolve, Ampace remains committed to its core values: real safety and high value. With the ONEN Strategy now officially launched, Ampace is poised to empower energy storage across all scenarios and to partner with global customers on the journey toward a sustainable energy future.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ampace-launches-onen-strategy-at-intersolar-europe-2025-302450291.html
Regulatory News:

Azelis (Brussels:AZE), a leading global innovation service provider in the speciality chemical and food ingredients industry, today held its Annual General Meeting ("AGM") in Antwerp, Belgium.

At the AGM of Azelis Group NV (the "Company"), 88.90 of all shares entitled to vote were represented.

The AGM approved for the fiscal year 2024 the payment of a gross dividend of (rounded) 0.23 per share, net (rounded) 0.16 per share after deduction of Belgian withholding tax of 30% 1. The ex-dividend date will be 27 June 2025, record date 30 June 2025, and the dividend (coupon no. 4) will be payable as of 1 July 2025, via our paying agent KBC Bank NV.

All other proposed resolutions were approved as well, including:

the renewal of the appointment of AU-R-ORA BV with permanent representative Anna Bertona as executive director of the Company for a term expiring at the AGM approving the annual accounts for the financial year ending on 31 December 2028;

the renewal of the appointment of Cloudworks BV with permanent representative Thijs Bakker as executive director of the Company for a term expiring at the AGM approving the annual accounts for the financial year ending on 31 December 2028;

the renewal of the appointment of Mr. Tom Hallam as non-executive and independent director of the Company for a term of 4 years, expiring at the AGM approving the annual accounts for the financial year ending on 31 December 2028; he will continue to serve as chair of the Audit- and Risk Committee;

the appointment of Mrs. Lily Wang as non-executive and independent director of the Company for a term of 4 years, expiring at the AGM approving the annual accounts for the financial year ending on 31 December 2028;

the renewal of the appointment of Mr. Bert Janssens as non-executive director for a term expiring at the AGM approving the annual accounts for the financial year ending 31 December 2028; and

the renewal of the appointment of Mr. Kristiaan Nieuwenburg as non-executive director for a term expiring at the AGM approving the annual accounts for the financial year ending 31 December 2028

The presentation of the Company to the shareholders will be made available on the Shareholders Meeting section of the Azelis corporate website.

The minutes of the AGM, including all the resolutions and voting details, will be made available on the Azelis corporate website within the legal deadline.

About Azelis

Azelis is a leading global innovation service provider in the speciality chemical and food ingredients industry present in 65 countries across the globe with over 4,300 employees. Our knowledgeable teams of industry, market and technical experts are each dedicated to a specific market within Life Sciences and Industrial Chemicals. We offer a lateral value chain of complementary products to more than 62,000 customers, supported by +2,800 principal relationships, creating a turnover of 4.2 billion (2024). Azelis Group NV is listed on Euronext Brussels under ticker AZE.

Across our extensive network of more than 70 application laboratories, our award-winning teams help develop formulations and provide technical guidance throughout the customers' product development process. We combine a global market reach with a local footprint to offer a reliable, integrated, and unique digital service to local customers and attractive- business opportunities to principals. Top industry-rated by Sustainalytics, Azelis is a leader in sustainability. We believe in building and nurturing solid, honest, and transparent relationships with our people and partners.

Impact through ideas. Innovation through formulation.

www.azelis.com

1 Lower withholding tax rates may be applicable depending on the specific situation of each shareholder.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508334446/en/

Contacts:

Azelis

investor-relations@azelis.com
Kelowna, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Strathmore Plus Uranium Corporation (TSXV: SUU) (OTCQB: SUUFF) ("Strathmore" or "the Company") announces that it has received conditional approval to list its common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") and will voluntarily delist its common shares from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").

The CSE offers a more cost-effective platform with a streamlined regulatory framework that is well-suited for the Company's current stage of development. Despite the change in exchange, we will continue to meet all obligations as a reporting issuer under Canadian securities and SEC regulations.

The Company expects to delist its common shares from the TSX-V on May 9, 2025 and list its common share on the CSE on May 12,2025 .The Company will remain a "reporting issuer" under applicable Canadian securities laws throughout the process. The Company will retain the trading symbol "SUU" and its shares will continue to be quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol "SUUFF".

In connection with its listing on the CSE, the Company has prepared and filed a listing statement dated May 7, 2025 available under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca

2025 Exploration Plan and Budget

In conjunction with the CSE listing, Strathmore is pleased to announce the 2025 exploration plan and budgets for work to be completed this year at the Agate and Beaver Rim projects. Note that the budgets and work plan are contingent on prevailing market conditions.

Agate Project

The Agate project is in the Shirley Basin Uranium District of central Wyoming. In 2023 and 2024, Strathmore completed 200 exploration holes on the project that delineated uranium mineralization. Based upon the continuing success of expansion of the mineralized deposit, an additional 100 holes are planned on the project in summer 2025, including 5 core holes for assays and disequilibrium studies. The following details the planned exploration and budget estimate:

Year 2025 - Agate

Exploration Drilling and Site Studies: $260,000 USD



Beaver Rim Project

The Beaver Rim project is in the Gas Hills Uranium District of central Wyoming. Strathmore completed a successful drilling program in autumn 2024 on the project that delineated uranium mineralization. Based on this success, an additional 6 holes are planned for summer 2025. The following details the planned exploration and budget estimate:

Year 2025 - Beaver Rim

Exploration Drilling and Site Studies:

$182,000 USD



About Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp.

Strathmore has three permitted uranium projects in Wyoming: Agate, Beaver Rim, and Night Owl. The Agate and Beaver Rim properties contain uranium mineralization in typical Wyoming-type roll front deposits based on historical and recent drilling data. The Night Owl property is a former producing surface mine that was in production in the early 1960s.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed on behalf of the company by Terrence Osier, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration of Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp., a Qualified Person.

Cautionary Statement: "Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as the term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release".

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, any information contained in this news release may be a forward-looking statement that reflects the Company's current views about future events and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the words "may," "might," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "intend," "plan," "objective," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "potential," "target," "seek," "contemplate," "continue" and "ongoing," or the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology intended to identify statements about the future. Forward-looking statements may include statements regarding the TSXV delisting and the CSE listing. Although the Company believes that it has a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement, we caution you that these statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our expectations of the future, about which we cannot be certain. The Company cannot assure that the actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251320

SOURCE: Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp.
COLUMBIA, SC / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / South Carolina's legal system is undergoing significant discussion and potential change, particularly concerning personal injury claims and liability laws. Legislative proposals like S.244 and H.3497 have spurred considerable debate across the state, touching on complex issues like how fault is shared and the rising costs of business liability insurance.

Image source: Shutterstock

Amidst these evolving legal dynamics, The Jeffcoat Law Firm has established itself as a steadfast advocate for individuals impacted by these laws. With deep roots in South Carolina, the firm actively shapes a legal environment that prioritizes fairness for citizens.

This article explores the firm's dedicated role and perspective within this critical landscape, drawing on decades of experience advocating for injured South Carolinians. Recent reports highlight the financial pressures on certain sectors. For instance, liquor liability insurers in the state have paid out approximately $1.77 for every $1 premium since 2017, adding urgency to the reform discussions.

The Genesis of Advocacy: Michael Jeffcoat's Journey to Championing the Individual

Michael Jeffcoat's connection to the Columbia area runs deep, with family roots extending back before the Revolutionary War. Growing up in a household committed to public service significantly shaped his values and aspirations from a young age. This foundational influence led him to decide on a legal career as early as the fourth grade, viewing law as a direct path to aiding others. He pursued this ambition diligently, earning a B.A. in Political Economy and Philosophy from Wofford College in 1994.

Roots in Service and a Calling to Law

Following his undergraduate studies, he immediately enrolled at the University of South Carolina School of Law, further cementing his dedication to the legal profession. During his time there, he gained practical experience through clerkships at the U.S. Attorney's Offices in Columbia and Seattle and the South Carolina Attorney General's Office, ultimately receiving his Juris Doctor in 1997.

From Corporate Defense to Fighting for Plaintiffs

Initially launching his career at a large corporate law firm in Columbia, Michael Jeffcoat primarily handled environmental regulatory matters, defending companies. However, representing large entities didn't align with his core motivations. "When I went to law school, I didn't know...I wanted to be a lawyer for injured people, but the more I saw...in the early years of practicing law...the more it became clear to me that I needed to be a plaintiff's lawyer," Jeffcoat recalls.

This conviction marked a turning point in his professional journey. He found that representing individuals against powerful organizations resonated more deeply with his inherent sense of justice. It became clear that his passion lay in championing the rights of ordinary people, and this realization led him to take a bold step.

In 1999, Michael Jeffcoat started Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers , initially as a solo practitioner, building the plaintiff-focused practice he envisioned. The firm grew steadily over the years, adding dedicated lawyers and expanding its reach, fueled by a consistent commitment to client well-being and achieving substantial results for those it represents.

Navigating South Carolina's Shifting Legal Landscape: The Fight for Fair Liability Laws

Understanding the Current Tort Reform Debate

The South Carolina Legislature has recently been the focus of intense debate surrounding tort reform, particularly concerning liability laws. Key legislative proposals, such as Senate Bill S.244 and House Bill H.3497 , aim to modify how fault and damages are assigned in civil lawsuits. These are known legally as "joint and several liability."

Much of the discussion centers on the rising costs of liquor liability insurance and its impact on bars and restaurants, some of which face potential closure. Business groups and insurers advocate for changes, arguing that the current system unfairly burdens businesses and sometimes holds them fully responsible, even if only partially at fault.

Conversely, victims' advocates and trial lawyers express concern that these reforms might make it harder for injured individuals to receive full compensation, potentially shielding negligent parties. This complex debate reflects a fundamental tension between protecting businesses and ensuring adequate recourse for those harmed by negligence. The tension is underscored by the fact that nearly half of the state's 170-member legislature are lawyers themselves, influencing the dynamics of such debates.

The Jeffcoat Firm's Perspective: Advocating for Accountability and Access to Justice

The Jeffcoat Firm's core philosophy centers on "helping individual people who are up against powerful forces," a principle directly relevant to the ongoing tort reform discussions in South Carolina. Michael Jeffcoat's active leadership positions the firm firmly within the advocacy sphere. These include serving as a State Delegate to the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and being a longtime South Carolina Association for Justice (SCAJ) board member.

These national and state organizations traditionally champion the rights of plaintiffs and work to preserve robust access to the justice system for injured individuals. Reflecting this alignment, the firm approaches proposed reforms with a focus on ensuring accountability for negligent actions and maintaining fair compensation avenues for victims.

Advocates often voice concerns about the potential for certain reforms to inadvertently protect insurance companies or large corporations at the expense of individual citizens' rights. Michael Jeffcoat's motivation echoes this sentiment: "...I saw and learned...what big corporations and insurance companies do and how they behave," he recalls.

This perspective underscores the firm's commitment to a legal system in which powerful entities are held accountable, and individuals have a fair chance to seek justice. This stance is particularly pertinent when considering reforms like S.244, which some critics labeled a potential "Trojan Horse" benefiting insurers.

More Than Litigation: A Commitment to Clients and Community

Putting Clients First: Empathy, Technology, and Results

At The Jeffcoat Firm, the guiding principle has always been to prioritize the needs of their clients above all else. Since its founding in 1999, the firm has dedicated itself to assisting individuals during challenging times, offering expertise across various practice areas. These include catastrophic car accidents, wrongful death claims, cases of nursing home neglect and abuse, motorcycle and truck accidents, dog bites, slip and fall incidents, product liability issues, workers' compensation claims, and medical malpractice suits.

Beyond personal injury, Michael Jeffcoat also heads the helm of a team providing robust representation in professional license defense and criminal defense matters . He emphasizes the dual focus: "Yes, we're about results for people - at the end of the day, that's what matters - ...we want to take care of our people... That's what we're here for." This commitment is reflected in client-friendly approaches like their No-Fee Guarantee, ensuring clients do not pay unless the firm recovers compensation for them, demonstrating a strong belief in their abilities and their clients' cases.

Giving Back to the South Carolina Community

The Jeffcoat Firm's commitment extends significantly beyond the courtroom walls, deeply embedding itself within the fabriclients' South Carolina community. Reflecting Michael Jeffcoat's upbringing, which was influenced by public service, the firm actively participates in initiatives to make a positive local impact.

A prime example is their "Pay It Forward" program, conducted in partnership with WACH Fox television. Through this initiative, the firm recognizes and rewards deserving individuals or organizations making a difference in the community with a $500 award each week. This program exemplifies their dedication not just to legal justice but also to fostering goodwill and supporting community heroes throughout the state.

This consistent community engagement underscores the firm's holistic approach. They view their role as encompassing both legal advocacy and civic responsibility, strengthening the communities where they live and work.

Looking Ahead: Continued Advocacy in an Evolving System

As the legal landscape in South Carolina continues to evolve, TheFirm'soat Firm remains unwavering in its commitment to representing individuals facing injury or injustice. Legislative changes may alter procedures or standards, but the firm's core mission-to champion individual rights against powerful entities-persists.

With over two decades of experience navigating complex personal injury law, the team is well-prepared to adapt to shifts in the legal environment while maintaining its focus on client advocacy. They understand the profound impact legal outcomes have on people's lives and remain dedicated to securing fair treatment and just compensation.

The firm's continued engagement in professional organizations like the AAJ and SCAJ ensures it stays at the forefront of legal developments, advocating for rules that protect citizens. Ultimately, its enduring presence serves as a vital resource for South Carolinians needing skilled legal representation to ensure justice prevails in an often complex system.

Protecting Your Rights in a Changing Legal World

The Jeffcoat Firm, guided by Michael Jeffcoat's unwavering dedication to individual justice, is an experienced and principled advocate for South Carolinians. Their deep understanding of personal injury law and active participation in state and national justice associations like AAJ and SCAJ make them a vital voice amidst ongoing discussions about legal reform in South Carolina.

As the legal terrain shifts, their commitment to securing fair representation and accountability for their clients remains constant. The firm has consistently shown its capacity to achieve significant results while prioritizing the well-being of those it represents.

If you or a loved one has been injured or faces a challenging legal situation in South Carolina, understanding your rights is crucial, especially in light of potential legislative changes. The experienced team at The Jeffcoat Firm possesses the knowledge and dedication needed to navigate these complexities. They are ready to listen to your story and help you understand your options. Contact them for a consultation about your case and learn how they can assist you.

Contact Info:

Name: Hallie Howe

Email: hallie.howe@thejeffcoatfirm.com

Organization: Jeffcoat Firm

Phone: 803-573-0869

Website: https://scinjurylawfirm.com/

SOURCE: Hallie Howe

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/how-jeffcoat-injury-lawyers-lead-the-charge-in-legal-reform-advo-1024823
Industry Whispers Suggest a New Powerhouse in the Making: A Technology-Driven Unicorn from Eastern Europe Could Be on the Horizon

As global investors increasingly shift focus toward innovative infrastructure in the Web3 and blockchain sectors, market analysts and insiders are quietly discussing the rise of a new contender, one that is redefining traditional digital systems through Blockchain-as-a-Service, decentralized identity solutions, and next-generation financial platforms.

DELAWARE CITY, DELAWARE / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / In recent months, SourceLess Inc., a Delaware-based Web3 technology infrastructure company, aligned with its Blockchain-as-a-Service strategy, has quietly become the subject of increased attention among financial analysts and blockchain insiders. Whispers across investment circles and industry forums suggest the company may be positioning itself for a major leap-potentially joining the elite group of tech unicorns emerging from Eastern Europe.

SourceLess - The Next Unicorn of Eastern Europe

Whispers in the Financial Sector Suggest a Potential Powerhouse Technology Unicorn Emerging from Eastern Europe

While no official announcement has been made, multiple independent sources indicate that SourceLess is actively building a globally integrated ecosystem of digital services and blockchain-powered technologies. The company's reach spans sectors from decentralized identity to encrypted automotive solutions, with a growing number of strategic subsidiaries registered in Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

Key Subsidiaries and Global Reach

The group comprises core entities such as CCoin Finance in Laos-currently valued at approximately $1.3 billion-and SourceLess Europe in Luxembourg, which manages regulatory compliance and financial architecture within the European Union. With strategically positioned operations in Romania, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and Moldova, the organization maintains a globally diversified footprint, enabling scalable deployment and regulatory alignment of blockchain-driven infrastructure and financial technologies across multiple international markets.

Technological Edge

Among its standout innovations are STR.Domains, a decentralized DNS system with a $210 million short-term revenue projection, and ARES AI, valued at aprox. $420 million. By integrating blockchain into daily interactions in a user-friendly way, SourceLess takes technology to a new level-redefining digital systems and web addresses into an entirely new and upgraded format. Through this transformation, SourceLess modernizes traditional systems using blockchain, establishing itself as an innovative force in the digital technology landscape.

Perhaps most compelling is the development of a blockchain-based automotive encryption system under SourceLess Motorsport. Integrating the proprietary SLNN Mesh Network, this innovation is positioned to address rising global demands for vehicular cybersecurity and autonomous data integrity.

The STR.Talk Ecosystem

SourceLess also operates STR.Talk, a dual-platform innovation combining secure messaging and decentralized payments. With its web version (strtalk.net) focused on P2P conferencing and the app version (strtalk.app) offering a hybrid of WhatsApp-style messaging and Revolut-like financial features, STR.Talk is seen as a potential disruptor in both communication and fintech spaces.

Projected Valuation and Outlook

This places SourceLess Inc.'s group valuation between $3 billion and $5 billion, citing strategic assets, pending patents, and large-scale user interest, including 1.5 million pre-registrations for STR.Domains. These figures, while not yet publicly confirmed by company officials, have sparked speculation that SourceLess Inc. could be on track to join the ranks of Eastern Europe's most valuable tech enterprises.

Final Thoughts

Although the company has yet to release an official statement, available indicators reflect a strategic convergence of technological innovation, market readiness, and diversified asset positioning. While the prospect of a unicorn-status IPO remains speculative, SourceLess Inc. is steadily emerging as a key player to watch in the evolving landscape of blockchain infrastructure and Web3 technologies.

SOURCE: Bussiness Media

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/publishing-and-media/sourceless-the-next-unicorn-of-eastern-europe-1025126
LaPrairie, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Margaux Real Estate Investment Trust (TSXV: ALFA.UN) ("Margaux" or the "Trust") announces the resignation of Mr. Pierre Colas as a Trustee of the Trust, effective immediately. Mr. Colas will continue to hold the position of Treasurer of Margaux.

Margaux is also pleased to announce the appointments of Mrs. Katia Marquier and Mrs. Helene Fortin as Trustees of the Trust, effective immediately, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Both Mrs. Marquier and Mrs. Fortin are Chartered Professional Accountants and bring extensive business and financial expertise to the board of trustees (the "Board").

President of the Board of Trustees, Chief Executive Officer and trustee Michel Lassonde states: "Katia and Helene's strong financial acumen, combined with their deep experience in business leadership and governance, will bring valuable perspective to the Board. Their appointments reflect our ongoing commitment to strengthening Margaux's governance framework with seasoned, independent professionals capable of supporting the Trust's continued growth and long-term value creation."

ABOUT MARGAUX REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST

Margaux is a real estate investment trust established by a contract of trust dated October 29, 2021, as amended, in Quebec. Margaux owns and operates three self-storage facilities in Quebec. The storage facilities are located in Cowansville, Roxton Pond and Drummondville, Quebec. The Drummondville facility is currently comprised of 100,000 square feet of land on which there are 48 self-storage units, with the construction of additional facilities expected to be completed in the coming months. The Cowansville facility is comprised of approximately 500,000 square feet of land on which there are two buildings housing 90 self-storage units. The Cowansville facility also includes a parking space which can accommodate up to 70 RVs as well as an additional parking lot which is leased to a nearby hospital on a long-term basis. The Roxton Pond facility is comprised of approximately 100,000 square feet of land divided in two lots and on which there are presently five buildings housing 181 self-storage units.

For further information, please contact:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

This news release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements, including without limitation, statements pertaining to: regulatory approval of Katia Marquier and Helene Fortin's appointments as trustees of the Trust and Margaux's expected completion of construction of additional self-storage facilities. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the Company's disclosure documents on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Margaux does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.



NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR OVER U.S. NEWSWIRES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251335

SOURCE: Margaux Real Estate Investment Trust
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE" or "the Exchange") today welcomed the listing of McFarlane Lake Mining Limited ("McFarlane Lake" or the "Company"). The common shares of the Sudbury-based gold exploration company, which previously traded on the Cboe Canada exchange, were listed for trading on the CSE today under the symbol MLM.

McFarlane Lake is currently advancing multiple properties in its portfolio. These include the past-producing McMillan/Mongowin gold properties, located 70 kilometres west of Sudbury, the past-producing West Hawk Lake property located immediately west of the Ontario-Manitoba border and the High Lake gold property located east of the Ontario-Manitoba border. The Company also owns the Michaud/Munro mineral properties situated 115 kilometres east of Timmins along the so-called "Golden Highway."

"At approximately US$3,400 per ounce, the price of gold continues to rise amid global geopolitical uncertainties and the dearth of new mines being brought into production," said James Black, the CSE's Vice President, Listings Development. "The Canadian Securities Exchange has always been an ideal home for junior mining companies and we are pleased to welcome McFarlane Lake to the Exchange. We wish the Company success with its exploration program."

About the Canadian Securities Exchange:

The Canadian Securities Exchange is a rapidly growing exchange invested in working with entrepreneurs, innovators and disruptors to access public capital markets in Canada. The Exchange's efficient operating model, advanced technology and competitive fee structure help its listed issuers of all sectors and sizes minimize their cost of capital and enhance global liquidity.

Our client-centric approach and corresponding products and services ensure businesses have the support they need to confidently realize their vision.

The CSE offers global investors access to an innovative collection of growing and mature companies.

STAY CONNECTED WITH THE CSE

=============================

Website: https://thecse.com/

Blog: https://blog.thecse.com/

CSE TV on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/csetv

CSE's "The Exchange for Entrepreneurs" Podcast: https://blog.thecse.com/category/cse-podcast/

Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/canadian-securities-exchange

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSE_News

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canadianexchange/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianSecuritiesExchange/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251344

SOURCE: Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE)
Sensata Technologies (NYSE: ST) today announced financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

"We started the year with a strong first quarter which exceeded the high end of our guidance ranges. These results reflect early progress from our focus on the key pillars that I shared earlier this year of improving our operational performance, optimizing our capital allocation, and returning Sensata to growth. I look forward to further advancing our work on these priorities to enhance Sensata's resilience and create shareholder value over time," said Stephan von Schuckmann, Chief Executive Officer of Sensata.

Operating Results First Quarter

Operating results for the first quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter of 2024 are summarized below. These results include non-GAAP financial measures, each of which is defined and reconciled to the most directly comparable GAAP measure later in this press release.

Revenue:

Revenue was $911.3 million, a decrease of $95.5 million, or 9.5%, compared to $1,006.7 million in the first quarter of 2024.

Operating income:

Operating income of $122.2 million, or 13.4% of revenue, decreased by $22.6 million, or 15.6%, compared to operating income of $144.8 million, or 14.4% of revenue, in the first quarter of 2024.

Adjusted operating income was $166.5 million, or 18.3% of revenue, a decrease of $22.0 million, or 11.7%, compared to adjusted operating income of $188.5 million, or 18.7% of revenue, in the first quarter of 2024.

Earnings per share:

Earnings per share was $0.47, a decrease of $0.03, or 6.0%, compared to earnings per share of $0.50 in the first quarter of 2024.

Adjusted earnings per share was $0.78, a decrease of $0.11, or 12.4%, compared to adjusted earnings per share of $0.89 in the first quarter of 2024.

Sensata generated free cash flow of $86.6 million in the first quarter of 2025, and ended the quarter with $588.1 million of cash on hand.

During the first quarter of 2025, Sensata returned approximately $118.4 million to shareholders, including $100.5 million of share repurchases and $17.9 million in quarterly dividends of $0.12 per share paid on February 26, 2025.

Guidance

For the second quarter of 2025, Sensata expects revenue of $910 to $940 million, inclusive of recovery of tariff cost, and adjusted EPS of $0.80 to $0.86.

Q2-2025 Guidance $ in millions, except EPS Q2-25 Guidance Q1-25 Q/Q Change Revenue $910 $940 $911.3 0% 3% Adjusted Operating Income $169 $177 $166.5 1% 6% Adj. Operating Margin 18.6% 18.8% 18.3% 30 bps 50 bps Adjusted Net Income $117 $125 $116.6 0% 7% Adjusted EPS $0.80 $0.86 $0.78 3% 10%

Revenue includes approximately $20 million related to expected tariff recovery from customers.

Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted Net Income, and Adjusted EPS are not expected to be impacted by tariffs, as $20 million of expected tariff revenue would be offset by $20 million in expected related tariff expense.

Adjusted Operating Margin, excluding the dilutive impact of tariff revenue and related expense, is expected to be in the range of 19.0% 19.2%.

The tariff expectations included in guidance reflect trade policies in effect as of May 8, 2025.

Conference Call and Webcast

Sensata will conduct a conference call today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its first quarter 2025 financial results and its outlook for the second quarter of 2025. The dial-in numbers for the call are 1-844-784-1726 or 1-412-380-7411. Callers should reference the "Sensata Technologies Q1 2025 Financial Results Conference Call." A live webcast of the conference call will also be available on the investor relations page of Sensata's website at http://investors.sensata.com. Additionally, a replay of the call will be available until May 15, 2025. To access the replay, dial 1-877-344-7529 or 1-412-317-0088 and enter confirmation code: 1025213.

About Sensata Technologies

Sensata Technologies is a global industrial technology company striving to create a safer, cleaner, more efficient and electrified world. Through its broad portfolio of mission-critical sensors, electrical protection components and sensor-rich solutions, Sensata helps its customers address increasingly complex engineering and operating performance requirements. With more than 18,000 employees and global operations in 14 countries, Sensata serves customers in the automotive, heavy vehicle off-road, industrial, and aerospace markets. Learn more at www.sensata.com and follow Sensata on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We supplement the reporting of our financial information determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") with certain non-GAAP financial measures. We use these non-GAAP financial measures internally to make operating and strategic decisions, including the preparation of our annual operating plan, evaluation of our overall business performance, and as a factor in determining compensation for certain employees. We believe presenting non-GAAP financial measures is useful for period-over-period comparisons of underlying business trends and our ongoing business performance. We also believe presenting these non-GAAP measures provides additional transparency into how management evaluates the business.

Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered as supplemental in nature and are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In addition, our non-GAAP financial measures may not be the same as, or comparable to, similar non-GAAP measures presented by other companies.

The non-GAAP financial measures referenced by Sensata in this release include: adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share ("EPS"), adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, free cash flow, organic revenue growth, market outgrowth, adjusted corporate and other expenses, adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"), net debt, and gross and net leverage ratio. We also refer to changes in certain non-GAAP measures, usually reported either as a percentage or number of basis points, between two periods. Such changes are also considered non-GAAP measures.

Adjusted net income (or loss) is defined as net income (or loss), determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, excluding certain non-GAAP adjustments which are detailed in the accompanying reconciliation tables. Adjusted EPS is calculated by dividing adjusted net income (or loss) by the number of diluted weighted-average ordinary shares outstanding in the period. We believe that these measures are useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in analysis of ongoing operating trends.

Adjusted operating income (or loss) is defined as operating income (or loss), determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, excluding certain non-GAAP adjustments which are detailed in the accompanying reconciliation tables. Adjusted operating margin is calculated by dividing adjusted operating income (or loss) by net revenue. We believe that these measures are useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in analysis of ongoing operating trends.

Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities less additions to property, plant and equipment and capitalized software. We believe that this measure is useful to investors and management as a measure of cash generated by business operations that will be used to repay scheduled debt maturities and can be used to fund acquisitions, repurchase ordinary shares, or for the accelerated repayment of debt obligations.

Organic revenue growth (or decline) is defined as the reported percentage change in net revenue calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP, excluding the period-over-period impact of foreign exchange rate differences as well as the net impact of material acquisitions and divestitures and product life-cycle management for the 12-month period following the respective transaction date(s). We believe that this measure is useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in analysis of ongoing operating trends.

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income (or loss), determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, excluding interest expense, net, provision for (or benefit from) income taxes, depreciation expense, amortization of intangible assets, and the following non-GAAP adjustments, if applicable: (1) restructuring related and other, (2) financing and other transaction costs, and (3) other, net. We believe that this measure is useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in analysis of ongoing operating trends.

Gross leverage ratio is defined as gross debt divided by last twelve months (LTM) adjusted EBITDA. We believe that gross leverage ratio is a useful measure to management and investors in understanding trends in our overall financial condition.

Net debt is defined as total debt, finance lease, and other financing obligations less cash and cash equivalents. We believe net debt is a useful measure to management and investors in understanding trends in our overall financial condition.

Net leverage ratio is defined as net debt divided by last twelve months (LTM) adjusted EBITDA. We believe the net leverage ratio is a useful measure to management and investors in understanding trends in our overall financial condition.

In discussing trends in our performance, we may refer to certain non-GAAP financial measures or the percentage change of certain non-GAAP financial measures in one period versus another, calculated on a constant currency basis. Constant currency is determined by stating revenues and expenses at prior period foreign currency exchange rates and excludes the impact of foreign currency exchange rates on all hedges and, as applicable, net monetary assets. We believe these measures are useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in analysis of ongoing operating trends.

Safe Harbor Statement

This earnings release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "forecast," "continue," "intend," "plan," "potential," "opportunity," "guidance," and similar terms or phrases. Forward-looking statements involve, among other things, expectations, projections, and assumptions about future financial and operating results, objectives, business and market outlook, megatrends, priorities, growth, shareholder value, capital expenditures, cash flows, demand for products and services, share repurchases, and Sensata's strategic initiatives, including those relating to acquisitions and dispositions and the impact of such transactions on our strategic and operational plans and financial results. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other important factors relating to our operations and business environment, and we can give no assurances that these forward-looking statements will prove to be correct.

A wide variety of potential risks, uncertainties, and other factors could materially affect our ability to achieve the results either expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, risks related to instability and changes in the global markets, supplier interruption or non-performance, changes in trade-related tariffs and risks with uncertain trade environments, the acquisition or disposition of businesses, adverse conditions or competition in the industries upon which we are dependent, intellectual property, product liability, warranty, and recall claims, public health crisis, market acceptance of new product introductions and product innovations, labor disruptions or increased labor costs, changes in existing environmental or safety laws, regulations, and programs, and the impact of our recently reported cybersecurity incident or other incidents that may occur in the future.

Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties, risks, and potential events including, but not limited to, those described in Item 1A: Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and as may be updated from time to time in Item 1A: Risk Factors in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other subsequent filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update these statements other than as required by law.

SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES HOLDING PLC Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (In thousands, except per share amounts) (Unaudited) For the three months ended March 31, 2025 2024 Net revenue 911,255 1,006,709 Operating costs and expenses: Cost of revenue 638,667 689,260 Research and development 36,809 45,314 Selling, general and administrative 86,026 88,046 Amortization of intangible assets 20,577 38,515 Restructuring and other charges, net 6,980 782 Total operating costs and expenses 789,059 861,917 Operating income 122,196 144,792 Interest expense (37,973 (38,395 Interest income 4,290 3,738 Other, net 2,128 (11,544 Income before taxes 90,641 98,591 Provision for income taxes 20,722 22,570 Net income 69,919 76,021 Net income per share: Basic 0.47 0.51 Diluted 0.47 0.50 Weighted-average ordinary shares outstanding: Basic 148,498 150,480 Diluted 148,816 150,921

SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES HOLDING PLC Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands) (Unaudited) March 31,

2025 December 31, 2024 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents 588,139 593,670 Accounts receivable, net of allowances 695,193 660,180 Inventories 661,080 614,455 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 153,815 158,934 Total current assets 2,098,227 2,027,239 Property, plant and equipment, net 812,284 821,653 Goodwill 3,383,812 3,383,800 Other intangible assets, net 476,032 492,878 Deferred income tax assets 292,334 288,189 Other assets 114,449 129,505 Total assets 7,177,138 7,143,264 Liabilities and shareholders' equity Current liabilities: Current portion of long-term debt and finance lease obligations 2,130 2,414 Accounts payable 480,424 362,186 Income taxes payable 36,358 29,417 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 274,682 317,341 Total current liabilities 793,594 711,358 Deferred income tax liabilities 231,120 235,689 Pension and other post-retirement benefit obligations 28,733 27,910 Finance lease obligations, less current portion 20,627 20,984 Long-term debt, net 3,177,278 3,176,098 Other long-term liabilities 77,152 80,782 Total liabilities 4,328,504 4,252,821 Total shareholders' equity 2,848,634 2,890,443 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity 7,177,138 7,143,264

SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES HOLDING PLC Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (In thousands) (Unaudited) For the three months ended March 31, 2025 2024 Cash flows from operating activities: Net income 69,919 76,021 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 40,962 33,523 Amortization of debt issuance costs 1,180 1,562 Loss on sale of business 3,916 Share-based compensation 6,851 8,133 Amortization of intangible assets 20,577 38,515 Deferred income taxes (6,647 2,574 Loss on equity investments, net 13,287 Other non-cash gain/(loss), net 5,175 (4,184 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of divestitures (22,734 (62,944 Net cash provided by operating activities 119,199 106,487 Cash flows from investing activities: Additions to property, plant and equipment and capitalized software (32,575 (42,130 Proceeds from the sale of business, net of cash sold 25,635 Other 66 Net cash used in investing activities (6,874 (42,130 Cash flows from financing activities: Payment of employee restricted stock tax withholdings (61 (129 Payments on debt (685 (279 Dividends paid (17,901 (18,056 Payments to repurchase ordinary shares (100,500 (10,052 Purchase of noncontrolling interest in joint venture (79,393 Payments of debt financing costs (39 Net cash used in financing activities (119,147 (107,948 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 1,291 (4,154 Net change in cash and cash equivalents (5,531 (47,745 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year 593,670 508,104 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period 588,139 460,359

Segment Performance (Unaudited)

For the three months ended March 31, in 000s 2025 2024 Performance Sensing Revenue 650,416 713,318 Operating income 142,876 168,968 % of Performance Sensing revenue 22.0 23.7 Sensing Solutions Revenue 260,839 257,839 Operating income 76,066 72,294 % of Sensing Solutions revenue 29.2 28.0 Other Revenue 35,552 Operating income 6,781 % of Other revenue 0.0 19.1

Revenue by Business, Geography, and End Market (Unaudited)

(percent of total revenue) For the three months ended March 31, 2025 2024 Performance Sensing 71.4 70.9 Sensing Solutions 28.6 25.6 Other 3.5 Total 100.0 100.0

(percent of total revenue) For the three months ended March 31, 2025 2024 Americas 40.9 42.6 Europe 27.7 28.3 Asia/Rest of World 31.4 29.1 Total 100.0 100.0

(percent of total revenue) For the three months ended March 31, 2025 2024 Automotive 58.3 55.9 Heavy vehicle and off-road 17.0 18.8 Industrial 15.2 13.4 HVAC (1) 4.3 3.8 Aerospace 5.2 4.6 All other 3.5 Total 100.0 100.0

(1) Heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliations

The following unaudited tables provide a reconciliation of the difference between each of the non-GAAP financial measures referenced herein and the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure. Amounts presented in these tables may not appear to recalculate due to the effect of rounding.

Operating income and margin, income tax, net income, and earnings per share

($ in thousands, except per share amounts) For the three months ended March 31, 2025 Operating Income Operating Margin Income Taxes Net Income Diluted EPS Reported (GAAP) 122,196 13.4 20,722 69,919 0.47 Non-GAAP adjustments: Restructuring related and other 18,316 2.0 1,573 19,889 0.13 Financing and other transaction costs 5,442 0.6 5,442 0.04 Amortization of intangible assets 20,577 2.3 20,577 0.14 Amortization of debt issuance costs 1,180 0.01 Other, net (489 (2,617 (0.02 Deferred taxes and other tax related 2,234 2,234 0.02 Total adjustments 44,335 4.9 3,318 46,705 0.31 Adjusted (non-GAAP) 166,531 18.3 17,404 116,624 0.78

($ in thousands, except per share amounts) For the three months ended March 31, 2024 Operating Income Operating Margin Income Tax Net Income Diluted EPS Reported (GAAP) 144,792 14.4 22,570 76,021 0.50 Non-GAAP adjustments: Restructuring related and other 2,019 0.2 (421 1,598 0.01 Financing and other transaction costs 4,602 0.5 (206 4,396 0.03 Amortization of intangible assets 37,127 3.7 37,127 0.25 Amortization of debt issuance costs 1,562 0.01 Other, net 444 11,988 0.08 Deferred taxes and other tax related 1,286 1,286 0.01 Total adjustments 43,748 4.3 1,103 57,957 0.38 Adjusted (non-GAAP) 188,540 18.7 21,467 133,978 0.89

Non-GAAP adjustments by location in statements of operations

(in thousands) For the three months ended March 31, 2025 2024 Cost of revenue 5,624 1,154 Selling, general and administrative 11,154 4,685 Amortization of intangible assets 20,577 37,127 Restructuring and other charges, net 6,980 782 Operating income adjustments 44,335 43,748 Interest expense, net 1,180 1,562 Other, net (2,128 11,544 Provision for income taxes 3,318 1,103 Net income adjustments 46,705 57,957

Free cash flow

For the three months ended March 31, ($ in thousands) 2025 2024 Net cash provided by operating activities 119,199 106,487 11.9 Additions to property, plant and equipment and capitalized software (32,575 (42,130 22.7 Free cash flow 86,624 64,357 34.6

Adjusted corporate and other expenses

For the three months ended March 31, (in thousands) 2025 2024 Corporate and other expenses (GAAP) (69,189 (63,954 Restructuring related and other 15,767 2,192 Financing and other transaction costs 1,011 3,647 Total adjustments 16,778 5,839 Adjusted corporate and other expenses (non-GAAP) (52,411 (58,115

Adjusted EBITDA

For the three months ended March 31, (in thousands) LTM 2025 2024 Net income 122,375 69,919 76,021 Interest expense, net 138,639 33,683 34,657 (Benefit from)/provision for income taxes (142,162 20,722 22,570 Depreciation expense 174,574 40,962 33,523 Amortization of intangible assets 127,806 20,577 38,515 EBITDA 421,232 185,863 205,286 Non-GAAP Adjustments Restructuring related and other 296,618 11,028 2,019 Financing and other transaction costs 134,157 5,442 4,351 Other, net 7,828 (2,128 11,544 Adjusted EBITDA 859,835 200,205 223,200

Gross and net debt and leverage

As of ($ in thousands) March 31,

2025 December 31, 2024 Current portion of long-term debt and finance lease obligations 2,130 2,414 Finance lease obligations, less current portion 20,627 20,984 Long-term debt, net 3,177,278 3,176,098 Total debt and finance lease obligations 3,200,035 3,199,496 Less: debt premium, net 939 997 Less: deferred financing costs (23,661 (24,899 Total gross indebtedness 3,222,757 3,223,398 Adjusted EBITDA (LTM) 859,835 882,830 Gross leverage ratio 3.7 3.7 Total gross indebtedness 3,222,757 3,223,398 Less: cash and cash equivalents 588,139 593,670 Net debt 2,634,618 2,629,728 Adjusted EBITDA (LTM) 859,835 882,830 Net leverage ratio 3.1 3.0

Guidance

For the three months ending June 30, 2025 ($ in millions, except per share amounts) Operating Income Net Income EPS Low High Low High Low High GAAP 140.7 147.5 79.0 85.0 0.54 0.58 Restructuring related and other 7.5 8.0 7.5 8.0 0.05 0.05 Financing and other transaction costs 0.8 1.0 0.8 1.0 0.01 0.01 Amortization of intangible assets 20.0 20.5 20.0 20.5 0.14 0.14 Amortization of debt issuance costs 1.1 1.2 0.01 0.01 Other, net 0.6 0.8 0.01 Deferred taxes and other tax related 8.0 8.5 0.05 0.06 Non-GAAP 169.0 177.0 117.0 125.0 0.80 0.86 Weighted-average diluted shares outstanding (in millions) 146.0 146.0

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508443976/en/

Contacts:

Media Investors:

James Entwistle

+1(508) 954-1561

jentwistle@sensata.com

investors@sensata.com
Management to Host Conference Call Today at 5 p.m. ET

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / (NYSE:KFS) Kingsway Financial Services Inc. ("Kingsway" or the "Company"), the only publicly-traded US company employing the Search Fund model to acquire and build great businesses, today announced its operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2025.

First Quarter 2025 Consolidated Financial Highlights

Consolidated revenue increased 8.4% to $28.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $26.2 million in the prior year period Kingsway Search Xcelerator ("KSX") revenue increased 23.3% to $11.7 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared to $9.5 million in the first quarter of 2024, primarily due to the Image Solutions and Bud's Plumbing acquisitions Extended Warranty revenue remained flat at $16.7 million in the first quarter of 2025, unchanged compared to the first quarter of 2024; however, cash sales were up 3.7% over prior year and up 9.3% sequentially

Consolidated net loss was $3.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to a net loss of $2.3 million in the prior year period

Twelve month run-rate adjusted EBITDA for the operating companies is $18.0 million to $19.0 million; this number is intended to capture the 12-month trailing adjusted EBITDA of what the company currently owns or has recently acquired and is not intended to be forward-looking guidance

Adjusted consolidated EBITDA decreased $0.7 million to $1.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $2.1 million in the prior year period KSX adjusted EBITDA was $1.9 million in the first quarter of 2025 compared to $1.6 million in the year ago period. The prior year period excludes Image Solutions and Bud's Plumbing Extended Warranty adjusted EBITDA was $0.8 million in the first quarter of 2025 compared to $1.4 million in the year ago period

The Company had total net debt of $53.1 million as of March 31, 2025, compared with $52.0 million as of December 31, 2024

Recent Business Highlights

On March 17, 2025, Kingsway announced the acquisition of M.L.C. Plumbing, LLC (d/b/a Bud's Plumbing Service, "Bud's Plumbing") for $5.0 million. The business is immediately accretive, adding $6.0 million in annual unaudited revenue and $0.8 million in annual unaudited adjusted EBITDA to Kingsway

On April 2, 2025, Kingsway announced the appointment of Rob Humble to be President and CEO of Kingsway's dealer warranty businesses, PWI and Penn Warranty. Mr. Humble's background and compensation structure are both more closely aligned with that of Kingsway's Search Xcelerator CEO's

On April 30, 2025, Kingsway announced the acquisition of @Work International Pty Ltd ("ViewPoint"), a cloud native timeshare software firm headquartered in Australia, by Kingsway's subsidiary Systems Products International Inc. ("SPI Software"), to advance SPI Software's leadership in the vacation ownership software market

Management Commentary

"Kingsway made solid progress in the first quarter of 2025, both financially and strategically," said JT Fitzgerald, Kingsway's President and CEO. "KSX revenue grew 23.3% year-on-year and KSX adjusted EBITDA grew 23.2% year-on-year. Under the surface, our operator CEO's are executing their strategic plans to position their businesses for accelerating growth on both the top and bottom lines.

"Importantly, Kingsway has already completed two acquisitions this year under the KSX umbrella. In March, Kingsway acquired Bud's Plumbing and established KSX Skilled Trade Services, our third KSX operating platform. In April, SPI Software acquired ViewPoint to accelerate its product roadmap and to open up exciting opportunities for geographic and market expansion. I'm thrilled to welcome Rob Casper, who leads the KSX Skilled Trades Services platform, as our newest operator CEO, and to continue supporting Drew Richard, President of SPI Software, who leads the KSX Vertical Market Solutions platform.

"I'm also encouraged by the momentum building in Kingsway's Extended Warranty segment. Although adjusted EBITDA declined year-over-year in the first quarter, the business has returned to growth in cash sales, and key forward-looking indicators of profitability are now solidly positive. After two challenging years marked by industry headwinds and cyclical pressures, Extended Warranty appears to be entering a more favorable phase of recovery, with early signs pointing to both healthy top-line growth and renewed operating leverage.

"Kingsway is well-positioned for the months and years ahead, and the first quarter was another step in the right direction," concluded Mr. Fitzgerald. "Our KSX deal pipeline is robust, and we remain committed to employing the Search Fund model to acquire and grow asset-light, profitable, and recurring revenue services businesses that can deliver compelling returns for our shareholders."

Conference Call and Webcast

Management will host a conference call at 5 p.m. Eastern Time today to discuss the results and host a live Q&A session. Additionally, investors may also submit questions via email to: James@HaydenIR.com.

Conference Call Information

Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025

Time: 5 p.m. Eastern Time

Toll Free: 877-545-0523; Code: 131755

International: 973-528-0016; Code: 131755

Live Webcast Link: https://bit.ly/3YykRi9

Conference Call Replay Information

Toll Free: 877-481-4010

International: 919-882-2331

Replay Passcode: 52464

Replay Webcast Link: https://bit.ly/3YykRi9

About the Company

Kingsway Financial Services Inc. ("Kingsway") (NYSE:KFS) is the only publicly-traded US company employing the Search Fund model to acquire and build great businesses.

Kingsway owns and operates a collection of high-quality B2B and B2C services companies that are asset-light, growing, profitable, and that have recurring revenues. Kingsway seeks to compound long-term shareholder value on a per share basis via its decentralized management model, its talented team of operators, and its tax-advantaged corporate structure.

Non U.S. GAAP Financial Measure

Management believes that non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, provides useful information about the Company's operating results and enhances the overall ability to assess the Company's financial performance. Management uses non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA, together with other measures of performance under GAAP, to compare the relative performance of operations in planning, budgeting and reviewing the performance of its business. Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA allows investors to make a more meaningful comparison between the Company's core business operating results over different periods of time. Management believes that non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA, when viewed with the Company's results under GAAP and the accompanying reconciliations, provides useful information about the Company's business without regard to potential distortions. By eliminating potential differences in results of operations between periods caused by the factors listed in the attached schedules, Management believes that non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA can provide useful additional basis for comparing the current performance of the underlying operations being evaluated. Investors should consider this non-GAAP measure in addition to, not as a substitute for or as superior to, financial reporting measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Investors are encouraged to review the Company's financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP to understand the Company's performance taking into account all relevant factors.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are not historical facts and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected and projected. Words such as "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "seeks" and variations and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements; however, the absence of any such words does not mean that a statement is a not a forward-looking statement. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, but reflect Kingsway management's current beliefs, based on information currently available. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Form 10-Qs and Form 8-Ks filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Additional Information

Additional information about Kingsway, including a copy of its Annual Reports, can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov, on the Canadian Securities Administrators' website at www.sedar.com, or through the Company's website at www.kingsway-financial.com.

For Media Inquiries:

Hayden IR

James Carbonara

(646) 755-7412

james@haydenir.com

For Company Inquiries:

Kingsway Financial Services Inc.

Kent Hansen, CFO

(312) 766-2163

khansen@kingsway-financial.com

Kingsway Financial Services Inc.

Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income (Loss) to Non-GAAP Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA

(in thousands)

(UNAUDITED)

Twelve Months Ended For the Three Months Ended 3/31/2025 3/31/2025 12/31/2024 9/30/2024 6/30/2024 GAAP Net Income (Loss) $ (9,059 ) $ (3,092 ) $ (1,470 ) $ (2,311 ) $ (2,186 ) Non-GAAP Adjustments: Discontinued operations (31 ) - 1 135 (167 ) Changes in fair value; realized gains/losses (1) (173 ) (22 ) (35 ) (176 ) 60 Employee related expenses (2) 2,287 495 390 990 412 Other items (3) 2,866 1,095 225 956 590 Depreciation, amortization, tax and interest expense 13,995 2,876 4,117 3,343 3,659 Total Non-GAAP Adjustments 18,944 4,444 4,698 5,248 4,554 Non-GAAP Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA $ 9,885 $ 1,352 $ 3,228 $ 2,937 $ 2,368

Twelve Months Ended For the Three Months Ended 3/31/2024 3/31/2024 12/31/2023 9/30/2023 6/30/2023 GAAP Net Income (Loss) $ (6,155 ) $ (2,328 ) $ (1,485 ) $ (675 ) $ (1,667 ) Non-GAAP Adjustments: Discontinued operations 1,858 213 1,877 (122 ) (110 ) Changes in fair value; realized gains/losses (1) (423 ) 411 217 174 (1,225 ) Employee related expenses (2) 2,069 467 755 479 368 Other items (3) 3,109 61 1,081 334 1,633 Gain on sale of PWSC (4) (342 ) - - (342 ) - Depreciation, amortization, tax and interest expense 8,687 3,280 177 2,450 2,780 Total Non-GAAP Adjustments 14,958 4,432 4,107 2,973 3,446 Non-GAAP Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA $ 8,803 $ 2,104 $ 2,622 $ 2,298 $ 1,779

(1) Includes realized and unrealized gains and losses on non-core investments; change in the fair value of subordinated debt (net of the portion of the change attributable to instrument-specific credit risk); unrealized gain on the change in fair value of the trust preferred security options; and change in the fair value of the Ravix earn-out (changes in fair value recorded as other income or expense). (2) Employee related expenses includes non-cash expense arising from the grant and modification of stock-based awards to employees; and costs associated with employees assisting during a transition period and are not expected to be replaced once transition period has ended (approximately one year from acquisition date). (3) Other items include: legal expenses associated with the Company's defense against significant litigation matters; acquisition and disposition-related expenses; and other non-recurring items. (4) Gain on sale of PWSC, net of transaction expenses that are included in consolidated operating expenses, as well as income taxes associated with the sale.

Kingsway Financial Services Inc.

Reconciliation of Extended Warranty Segment Operating Income to

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA and Pro Forma Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

(in thousands)

(UNAUDITED)

Twelve Months Ended For the Three Months Ended 3/31/2025 3/31/2025 12/31/2024 9/30/2024 6/30/2024 GAAP Operating Income for Extended Warranty segment $ 5,381 $ 515 $ 1,918 $ 1,704 $ 1,244 Non-GAAP Adjustments: Investment income (1) 1,289 247 394 327 321 Employee costs 50 50 - - - Depreciation 174 38 39 41 56 Total Non-GAAP Adjustments 1,513 335 433 368 377 Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA for Extended Warranty segment $ 6,894 $ 850 $ 2,351 $ 2,072 $ 1,621

Twelve Months Ended For the Three Months Ended 3/31/2024 3/31/2024 12/31/2023 9/30/2023 6/30/2023 GAAP Operating Income for Extended Warranty segment $ 6,627 $ 1,076 $ 2,381 $ 1,778 $ 1,392 Non-GAAP Adjustments: Investment income (1) 1,189 320 314 287 268 Depreciation 233 52 62 57 62 Total Non-GAAP Adjustments 1,422 372 376 344 330 Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA for Extended Warranty segment $ 8,049 $ 1,448 $ 2,757 $ 2,122 $ 1,722

(1) Investment income arising as part of Extended Warranty segment's minimum holding requirements, as well as realized gains and losses resulting from investments either held in trust as part of Extended Warranty segment's minimum holding requirements or from the deployment of excess cash.

Kingsway Financial Services Inc.

Reconciliation of KSX Segment Operating Income to Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

(in thousands)

(UNAUDITED)

Twelve Months Ended For the Three Months Ended 3/31/2025 3/31/2025 12/31/2024 9/30/2024 6/30/2024 GAAP Operating Income for KSX segment $ 6,062 $ 1,743 $ 1,734 $ 1,144 $ 1,441 Non-GAAP Adjustments: Acquisition and employee costs (1) 376 52 65 120 139 Investment income (2) 153 25 33 27 68 Depreciation 488 97 101 110 180 Total Non-GAAP Adjustments 1,017 174 199 257 387 Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA for KSX segment $ 7,079 $ 1,917 $ 1,933 $ 1,401 $ 1,828

Twelve Months Ended For the Three Months Ended 3/31/2024 3/31/2024 12/31/2023 9/30/2023 6/30/2023 GAAP Operating Income for KSX segment $ 5,018 $ 1,343 $ 1,056 $ 1,003 $ 1,616 Non-GAAP Adjustments: Acquisition and employee costs (1) 431 138 128 87 78 Investment income (2) 54 10 12 15 17 Depreciation (3) 88 64 24 - - Total Non-GAAP Adjustments 573 212 164 102 95 Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA for KSX segment $ 5,591 $ 1,555 $ 1,220 $ 1,105 $ 1,711

(1) Costs associated with acquisitions and employees assisting during a transition period and are not expected to be replaced once transition period has ended (approximately one year from acquisition date). (2) Investment income from interest on client deposits (Ravix, CSuite), as well as imputed interest on long-term software contracts (SPI) (3) The June 30, 2024 quarter includes a one-time catch-up for depreciation associated with the finalization of the DDI purchase accounting

SOURCE: Kingsway Financial Services, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/kingsway-reports-first-quarter-2025-financial-results-1025637
Luxembourg, Luxembourg--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Nexa Resources S.A. (NYSE: NEXA) ("Nexa Resources" or "Nexa" or the "Company") announces that the Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders and the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Shareholders were successfully held today at its registered office.

A total of 117,688,927 shares were voted at the Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders and at the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Shareholders, representing 88.86% of the overall votes attached to outstanding shares.

Shareholders voted in favor of all proposed resolutions, as follows:

Resolution - AGM % For % Withheld Reelect Board member:



Flavio Aidar 87.00% 13.00% Appointment of the statutory auditor:



PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 79.35% 20.65% Annual Accounts 2024 100.00% 0.00% Consolidated Financial Statements 2024 100.00% 0.00% Approve the share premium reimbursement and carry forward losses for 2024 100.00% 0.00% Discharge Board members 83.68% 16.32% Remuneration of Board members 99.99% 0.01%





Resolution - EGM % For % Withheld Approve the authorization of the Board to increase share capital 76.14% 23.86% Approve the authorization of the Board to limit or cancel placing preferential rights in public offers 76.15% 23.85% Approve the amendments to article 5.8 of the Articles of Association 76.15% 23.85%

Mentioned percentages do not consider abstention votes, excluded from the calculation of votes cast.

Detailed voting results are also available on EDGAR www.sec.gov and SEDAR+ www.sedarplus.ca.

About Nexa

Nexa is a large-scale, low-cost, integrated polymetallic producer, zinc being our main product, with over 65 years of experience developing and operating mining and smelting assets in Latin America. Nexa currently owns and operates four long-life underground polymetallic mines, two located in the Central Andes region of Peru, and two located in Brazil (one in the state of Minas Gerais and one in the state of Mato Grosso). Nexa also owns and operates one low-cost polymetallic open pit mine, also in the Central Andes region of Peru, and three smelters, two located in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil (Tres Marias and Juiz de Fora), and one, located in Lima, which is Cajamarquilla, the largest smelter in the Americas.

Nexa was among the top five producers of mined zinc globally in 2024 and one of the top five metallic zinc producers worldwide in 2024, according to Wood Mackenzie.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to in this news release as "forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "will," "may," "may have," "would," "estimate," "continues," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "expects," "budget," "scheduled," "forecasts" and similar words are intended to identify estimates and forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Nexa to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may be substantially different from the expectations described in the forward-looking statements for a number of reasons, many of which are not under our control, among them, the activities of our competition, the future global economic situation, weather conditions, market prices and conditions, exchange rates, and operational and financial risks. The unexpected occurrence of one or more of the above mentioned events may significantly change the results of our operations on which we have based our estimates and forward-looking statements.

Our estimates and forward-looking statements may also be influenced by, among others, legal, political, environmental or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of our projects, including risks related to outbreaks of contagious diseases or health crises impacting overall economic activity regionally or globally, as well as risks relating to ongoing or future investigations by local authorities with respect to our business and operations and the conduct of our customers, including the impact to our financial statements regarding the resolution of any such matters.

Our estimates and forward-looking statements may also be influenced by regulatory changes in the countries where we operate, including new trade restrictions, tariff escalations, and policy shifts affecting cross-border commerce and supply chains. Certain forward-looking statements are based on third-party data, market forecasts, and assumptions that may be subject to change. Nexa does not guarantee the accuracy of such external data and disclaims any obligation to update these statements unless required by law.

These forward-looking statements related to future events or future performance and include current estimates, predictions, forecasts, beliefs and statements as to management's expectations with respect to, but not limited to, the business and operations of the Company and mining production, our growth strategy, the impact of applicable laws and regulations, future zinc and other metal prices, smelting sales, capex, expenses related to exploration and project evaluation, estimation of Mineral Reserves and/or Mineral Resources, mine life and our financial liquidity.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable and appropriate by management and qualified persons considering their experience are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies and may prove to be incorrect. Statements concerning future production costs or volumes are based on numerous assumptions of management regarding operating matters and on assumptions that demand for products develops as anticipated, that customers and other counterparties perform their contractual obligations, full integration of mining and smelting operations, that operating and capital plans will not be disrupted by issues such as mechanical failure, unavailability of parts and supplies, labor disturbances, interruption in transportation or utilities, adverse weather conditions, and that there are no material unanticipated variations in metal prices, exchange rates, or the cost of energy, supplies or transportation, among other assumptions.

We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required under securities laws. Estimates and forward-looking statements refer only to the date when they were made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any estimate or forward-looking statement due to new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Estimates and forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and do not guarantee future performance, as actual results or developments may be substantially different from the expectations described in the forward-looking statements. Further information concerning risks and uncertainties associated with these forward-looking statements and our business can be found in our public disclosures filed under our profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and on EDGAR (www.sec.gov).

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251207

SOURCE: Nexa Resources
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Parkit Enterprise Inc. (TSXV: PKT) ("Parkit" or the "Company"), today reported the Company's first quarter 2025 results. Steven Scott, Chair of Parkit, commented:

"Parkit started the year with an acquisition of a new property in Boisbriand, Quebec and continued its strong financial performance. We grew our net rental income and margins in Q1 2025, resulting in a year over year same property NOI growth of 10% and FFO growth of 25%. We renewed 68,000 square feet of leases at 24% higher rates and signed new leases on 43,000 square feet of space. We continue to maintain a strong balance sheet with 94% of our debt being fixed, and will continue to be disciplined on acquisitions, and we expect to increase revenue, NRI and FFO in the upcoming year."

2025 Q1 Results and Recent Business Highlights

Acquisitions and Industrial Operations. Parkit acquired an industrial property for $10.3 million consisting of 62,680 gross square feet on 2.5 acres during the three months ended March 31, 2025. With this acquisition, Parkit continued to grow its portfolio and add to its presence in key markets.

Investment properties revenue and net rental income. Investment properties revenue and net rental income increased as the Company increased its investment properties, signed new leases and streamlined operations. Investment properties revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2025 increased by 18% to $7,121,141, compared to $6,058,520 for the three months ended March 31, 2024. Net rental income ("NRI"), increased by 21% to $4,886,036, for the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to $4,030,416 for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI. Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI, a Non-IFRS Measure, increased by 10%, to $4,368,553, for the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to $3,978,322, for the three months ended March 31, 2024, as the Company executed renewals with tenants and maximized occupancy.

Leasing at market rental spreads. During the three months ended March 31, 2025, Parkit renewed 68,000 square feet with three tenants at 24% higher rates and signed new leases for 43,000 square feet with two tenants at market rates.

Funds from operations ("FFO") increased for the period. The FFO, a Non-IFRS Measure, for the three months ended March 31, 2025 increased by 22%, or 25% per common share, to $1,681,551, compared to FFO of $1,379,969, respectively for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The increase in FFO was a result of additional NRI from investment properties offset by higher financing costs.

Liquidity position. The Company maintained a strong liquidity position with cash and cash equivalents of over $3,100,000 at the end of the period. The Company has unencumbered assets and significant availability on its credit facilities to fund future acquisitions.

Cash flows. Parkit's cash flow from operations was $4,399,171 for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $3,051,907 received for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The increase in cash from operating activities is a result of increased revenues and an increase in cash provided by working capital. Parkit used net cash of $10,915,067 in investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to cash used of $378,887 from investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The higher net cash outflow is a result of investment property acquisition during this period compared to none in the same comparative period. Parkit received net cash of $4,177,299 from financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to cash used of $2,051,746 for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The increase in cash used was a result of proceeds from debt financing less amounts paid for Company shares purchased under its Normal Course Issuer Bid, repayment of debt, interest paid and debt issuance costs.

Net (loss) income for the period. The Company had a net loss of $1,520,800 for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to net income of $164,871, for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The change is a result of an increase in net rental income, offset by net parking loss, unrealized losses from derivative financial instruments, depreciation and finance costs.

Net parking (loss) income for the period. Net parking income includes parking properties income and the share of loss from equity accounted investees. The net parking loss was $196,701 for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to income of $58,993 for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The quarterly losses are a result of seasonality from operations, additional depreciation from property and equipment, a decline in air travel, and an increased financing cost. The results should improve with seasonality, though the economic environment remains uncertain.

Parkit is focused on growing and maximizing cash flows on its industrial portfolio, while streamlining operations of its parking properties.

Further Information

For comprehensive disclosure of Parkit's performance for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and its financial position as at such date, please see Parkit's Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2025 filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Non-IFRS Measures

Management uses both IFRS and Non-IFRS Measures to assess the financial and operating performance of the Company's operations. These Non-IFRS Measures are not recognized measures under IFRS, do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The Non-IFRS Measures referenced in this news release include the following:

Funds from Operations ("FFO") is a Non-IFRS Measure of operating performance as it focuses on cash flow from operating activities. REALPAC is the national industry association dedicated to advancing the long-term vitality of Canada's real property sector. REALPAC defines FFO as net income (calculated in accordance with IFRS), adjusted for, among other things, depreciation, transaction costs, gains and losses from property dispositions, foreign exchange, as well as other non-cash items. The Company believes that FFO can be a beneficial measure, when combined with primary IFRS measures, to assist in the evaluation of the Company's ability to generate cash and evaluate its return on investments as it excludes the effects of real estate amortization and gains and losses from the sale of real estate, all of which are based on historical cost accounting and which may be of limited significance in evaluating current performance.

FFO should not be viewed as an alternative to, in isolation from, or superior to, net income or cash flow from operations, or results from Parkit's comprehensive operations, respectively, or other measures calculated in accordance with IFRS. FFO should not be interpreted as an indicator of cash generated from operating activities and is not indicative of cash available to fund operating expenditures, or for the payment of cash distributions. FFO is simply an additional measure of operating performance which highlight trends in Parkit's core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS financial measures. Parkit's management also uses this Non-IFRS Measure in order to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period and to prepare operating budgets. In addition, while Parkit's methods of calculating FFO comply with REALPAC recommendations, FFO may differ from and not be comparable to FFO used by other companies.

The following table indicates how Parkit reconciles FFO to the nearest IFRS measure.





Three months

ended

March 31, 2025



Three months

ended

March 31, 2024



Change in $



Change in %

Net (loss) income and comprehensive (loss) income $ (1,520,800 ) $ 164,871

$ (1,685,671 )

(1,022.4%)

Add / (deduct):















Share of loss from equity-accounted investees

180,037



122,438



57,599



47.0%

Depreciation

2,391,473



2,123,134



268,339



12.6%

Unrealized loss (gain) on derivative financial instruments

635,154



(1,090,173 )

1,725,327



(158.3%)

Foreign exchange (gain) loss

(4,313 )

59,699



(64,012 )

(107.2%)



















FFO $ 1,681,551

$ 1,379,969

$ 301,582



21.9%

FFO per share $ 0.01

$ 0.01

$ 0.00



24.9%



"Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI" is a non-IFRS financial measure used by management in evaluating the performance of properties fully owned by the Company in the current and prior year comparative periods. Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI enables investors to evaluate our operating performance, especially to assess the effectiveness of our management of properties generating NOI growth from existing properties. Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI is not defined by IFRS Accounting Standards, does not have a standard meaning and may not be comparable with similar measures presented by other issuers.

Net operating income ("NOI") is a non-IFRS measure commonly used as a measurement tool in real estate businesses. NOI is equal to net rental income ("NRI") presented in the Corporation's Financial Statements. NRI is defined as investment properties revenue less investment properties operating costs. NRI does not include interest expense or income, depreciation and amortization, corporate administrative costs, share-based compensation costs or taxes. NRI assists management in assessing profitability and valuation from principal business activities.

Both Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI and NOI should not be viewed as alternatives to, in isolation from, or superior to, net income or cash flow from operations, or results from Parkit's comprehensive operations, respectively, or other measures calculated in accordance with IFRS. Both Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI and NOI should not be interpreted as indicators of cash generated from operating activities and neither are indicative of cash available to fund operating expenditures, or for the payment of cash distributions. Both Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI and NOI are simply additional measures of operating performance which highlight trends in Parkit's core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS financial measures. In addition, Parkit's definition of, and use of, both Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI and NOI, respectively, may differ from, and not be comparable to, Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI and NOI used by other companies.

When comparing the Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI on a year-over-year basis for the three and twelve months, the Company excludes investment properties acquired on or after the beginning of the prior year period. For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2024, the Company excludes investment properties acquired on or after January 1, 2024. The Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI is calculated by taking NOI and excluding the impact of NOI from acquisitions, NOI from straight-line rent and NOI from unstabilized properties.

The Company reconciles the Stabilized Comparative Properties NOI to net rental income as follows:





Three months

ended

March 31, 2025



Three months

ended

March 31, 2024



Change in $



Change in %

Stabilized comparative properties NOI $ 4,368,553

$ 3,978,322

$ 390,231



10%

NOI from newly acquired properties

382,427



-



382,427





Straight line rent

212,166



193,920



18,246





NOI from unstabilized properties

(77,110 )

(141,826 )

64,716





Net Rental income $ 4,886,036

$ 4,030,416

$ 855,620



21%



About Parkit Enterprise Inc.

Parkit Enterprise is an industrial real estate platform focused on the acquisition, growth and management of strategically located industrial properties across key urban markets in Canada. In addition, Parkit has parking assets across various markets in the United States of America. Parkit's Common Shares are listed on TSX-V (Symbol: PKT).

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information in relation to: Parkit continuing to be disciplined on acquisitions, and Parkit's expectations to increase revenue, NRI and FFO for 2025; Parkit's focus on growing and maximizing cash flows on its industrial portfolio, while streamlining operations of its parking properties; and Parkit's focus on the acquisition, growth and management of strategically located industrial properties across key urban markets in Canada. This forward-looking information reflects Parkit's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Parkit and on assumptions Parkit believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: the level of activity in the industrial real estate business and the economy generally; continued consumer interest in Parkit's services and products; Parkit's continued ability to acquire properties that are in-line with its strategic focus, including prioritizing environmental investments; Parkit's continuing ability to grow its portfolio of investment properties; and Parkit's past results continuing to be an indicator of future results. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in or implied by such forward-looking information. These risks, uncertainties, and factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board of directors, third party or regulatory approvals; the actual results of Parkit's future operations; competition; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting Parkit; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; conclusions of economic evaluations and appraisals; the lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals; and the impact that the imposition of trade tariffs, particularly from the United States, may have on the global economy, and the economy in Canada in particular. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Parkit's disclosure documents on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Although Parkit has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risks, uncertainties and factors is not exhaustive. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Parkit as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, Parkit expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.

The expectations to continue to be disciplined on acquisitions and to increase Parkit's revenue, NRI and FFO for 2025 contained in this news release may be considered a financial outlook as defined by applicable securities legislation. Such information and any other financial outlooks contained in this news release have been approved by management of Parkit as of the date hereof. Such financial outlooks are provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and goals relating to the future business of Parkit. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251345

SOURCE: Parkit Enterprise Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Delivra Health Brands Inc. (TSXV: DHB) (OTCQB: DHBUF) ("Delivra Health" or the "Company"), a consumer packaged goods company uniquely positioned in the health and wellness sector, is pleased to announce that its Kuwait-based Dream Water brand distributor is launching the Company's new 60-Count Sleep Gummies in Middle Eastern markets. The Company's 60-Count Sleep Gummies are expected to be available in the distributor's local markets by July 2025.

"This strategic product expansion aims to unlock new growth opportunities by partnering with local distributors who possess deep insights into their regional markets and have a proven ability to deliver strong performance," said Gord Davey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Delivra Health. "This global rollout of the 60-Count Sleep Gummies leverages the traction established by Dream Water Sleep Gummies in both the Canadian and U.S. markets and reinforces the brand's growth strategy. This product format enhances our consumers' choice in Middle Eastern markets, complementing the current Dream Water liquid shots that have been successful in providing sleep solutions."





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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About Delivra Health Brands Inc.

Helping people take control of their health with alternative wellness solutions is what energizes the Delivra Health team! The Delivra Health portfolio features innovative brands like Dream Water and LivRelief, which deliver relief from common everyday issues like chronic pain, anxiety, and sleeplessness. Delivra Health products have allowed millions of customers to reclaim their mobility, energy, and in turn, quality of life. The websites of the Company's two subsidiaries are Dream Water and LivReliefTM. For more information, please visit www.delivrahealthbrands.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements with respect to timing of the availability of the 60-Count Sleep Gummies, the Company's growth opportunities in new and existing markets, and distribution channels for the 60-Count Sleep Gummies.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the cannabis markets where the Company operates; changing consumer habits; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for expansion; political and social uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; employee relations and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on cultivation, production, distribution; and sale of cannabis and cannabis-related products in the markets where the Company operates. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

Additional information regarding this and other risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated March 2, 2021, and under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's management's discuss and analysis for the three and six months ended December 31, 2024 filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Neither TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251339

SOURCE: Delivra Health Brands Inc.
TUPELO, MS / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Being injured because someone else was careless is more than just physically painful-it can be emotionally overwhelming and financially destabilizing. Each year, tens of millions of people in the U.S. require medical treatment due to unintentional injuries. In 2021 alone, over 25.5 million Americans visited emergency departments for such injuries, according to the CDC .

Photo by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA from Pexels

In Jackson, Mississippi, individuals navigating the aftermath of trauma find a unique ally in the MW Law Firm - Mama Justice. Founded by attorney Missy Wigginton, known to many as Mama Justice, the firm is built on a foundation of genuine compassion and legal excellence.

This blend of empathy and expertise is redefining personal injury law in Mississippi and Tennessee, making recovery not just a legal goal but a human one.

Meet Mama Justice: A Heart for Helping, A Drive for Justice

Missy Wigginton didn't just establish a legal practice-she created a refuge for people confronting some of life's most challenging moments. Her mission was simple yet revolutionary: treat every client like family and ensure no one feels alone during the legal process. Her firm's name, Mama Justice, reflects her role as an advocate and her protective, empathetic nature.

This client-first approach has garnered the firm a strong regional reputation, with hundreds of verified five-star client testimonials across platforms such as Google Reviews.

The Power of Compassion in Legal Practice

In an era when the legal profession is often criticized for being cold, transactional, or overly technical, Mama Justice offers something rare and transformative: compassion as a core legal strategy. Compassion is more than kindness-it's a professional asset that enhances trust, improves communication, and reduces client anxiety during some of the most difficult periods in their lives.

Research shows that clients who are trauma survivors are more likely to engage with and trust legal counsel when they feel emotionally supported. Compassionate advocacy creates space for healing while reinforcing a client's autonomy and dignity. At Mama Justice, this philosophy is not an afterthought but embedded in every client interaction, legal strategy, and courtroom appearance.

It's this emotional intelligence that distinguishes Mama Justice from traditional firms. Clients aren't just seeking legal outcomes-they're searching for hope, clarity, and someone who truly listens. And that's exactly what this firm delivers.

Beyond Legal Advice: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Client Advocacy

Experiencing a serious injury can disrupt every facet of life-emotional well-being, employment, finances, and physical health. Recognizing this, Mama Justice adopts a trauma-informed approach that extends beyond traditional legal services. This model emphasizes creating a safe and supportive environment, understanding the impact of trauma, and empowering clients throughout their legal journey.?

Key principles of this approach include:?

Safety and Trustworthiness : Establishing a calm, secure setting where clients feel protected.?

Transparency : Communicating legal processes and setting realistic expectations to avoid surprises.?

Empowerment : Encouraging clients to participate actively in their cases, reinforcing their autonomy and decision-making capabilities.?

Collaboration: Working jointly with clients to develop strategies that align with their needs and experiences.?

By integrating these principles, Mama Justice ensures that clients are legally represented and emotionally supported, fostering resilience and facilitating a more comprehensive recovery process.?

Proven Results: Fighting for Maximum Compensation in Jackson

Empathy at Mama Justice is matched by powerful legal representation. The firm tackles a broad spectrum of personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death cases, including 18-wheeler accidents, workplace injuries, medical negligence, and catastrophic auto crashes. These cases demand deep knowledge of Mississippi personal injury statutes, including Miss. Code Ann.  11-7-13 , which outlines wrongful death claims.

Their results speak for themselves. Some of the most significant case outcomes reported on the firm's website include:

$1.55 Million - 18-Wheeler Accident

$1.0 Million - Company Vehicle Accident

$1.0 Million - 18-Wheeler Crash

$500,000 - Head-On Collision

$475,000 - Drunk Driving Case

$460,000 - Auto Accident

$458,000 - Workplace Injury

These settlements reflect a dedication to securing maximum compensation for medical bills, lost income, rehabilitation, and long-term care. The firm's ability to negotiate assertively-and litigate when needed-ensures clients don't walk away with less than they deserve.

Rooted in Mississippi: Your Local Advocate in Jackson

MW Law Firm isn't a faceless national firm-it is deeply embedded in the Mississippi communities it serves, with offices in Jackson, Tupelo, and Oxford. The Mama Justice Injury Law Firm in Jackson, Mississippi , provides the unique advantage of local insight, ensuring clients receive strategic legal support grounded in community values and jurisdiction-specific knowledge.

In times of tragedy or crisis-such as the rise in traffic-related fatalities and violent incidents reported by WAPT News-having a trusted legal advocate in your city makes a meaningful difference. Mama Justice's connection to the community means they respond as lawyers and neighbors who care.

Take the First Step Toward Justice and Healing

If you or someone you love has been hurt because of another's negligence in Mississippi or Tennessee, the road to recovery begins with understanding your rights. The team at Mama Justice offers free consultations to help you explore your legal options and confidently pursue the justice and compensation you are entitled to.

In today's world, where corporate interests often overshadow individual needs and victims are left navigating confusing legal systems alone, law firms like Mama Justice stand out as beacons of hope. Their value lies not just in the cases they win-but in the lives they restore. They combine the strategic rigor of a top-tier legal team with the heartfelt advocacy of people who genuinely care.

You can reach the MW Law Firm at (833) 626-2587 or visit their website to begin your journey toward justice, clarity, and healing. With their compassion, legal expertise, and unwavering support, you won't have to face this chapter of your life alone.

Name: Mama Justice

City and State: Mississippi/Tennessee

Website: https://www.mamajustice.com

SOURCE: Mama Justice

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/mama-justices-mission-how-compassion-drives-legal-success-in-jac-1025145
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX:SKE)(NYSE:SKE) ("Skeena Gold & Silver", "Skeena" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Hansjoerg Plaggemars as a director of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Plaggemars has extensive experience on public company boards listed in London, Germany, and Australia, including those of the Deutsche Balaton group, a significant institutional shareholder of the Company. Mr. Plaggemars is a seasoned finance professional with extensive experience in structured debt finance, equity capital markets, including capital increases and decreases, reverse takeovers, and restructurings. He began his finance career at KPMG and has served as Chief Financial Officer in various industries, including software, retail, prefabricated housing, and e-commerce, for over 14 years. In 2014, he joined Deutsche Balaton AG and has been running his own consultancy firm, Value Consult, since 2017.

Walter Coles, Executive Chairman of Skeena, commented: "We are pleased to welcome Hansjoerg Plaggemars to our Board. His entrepreneurial insight and capital markets acumen will be a significant asset as we move forward."

Senior Officers & Management Appointments

Skeena is pleased to announce the promotion of Nalaine Morin to Senior Vice President, Environment and Social Affairs. Ms. Morin has been instrumental in advancing the company's permitting process, including the recent submission of the Environmental Assessment Application and Major Mines Permit Application for the Eskay Creek project. Ms. Morin is a nationally recognized professional with extensive expertise in mining and environmental assessments and is highly respected for her efforts to build strong, respectful relationships that honor the role of Indigenous Nations in decision-making on Indigenous lands. Before joining Skeena, she served as the Lands Director for the Tahltan Central Government. Her leadership has earned her several prestigious awards, including the King Charles III Coronation Medallion, the 2021 Skookum Jim Award, and the 2018 Indigenous Trailblazer Award. Ms. Morin also serves on the board of BC Hydro and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of British Columbia and a Mechanical Engineering Technology Diploma from the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Randy Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of Skeena, commented: "We are proud of the strong talent pool we have cultivated within our organization. I am particularly pleased to announce Nalaine Morin's promotion to Senior Vice President, Environment and Social Affairs at Skeena. Her commitment to fostering respectful and collaborative relationships with Indigenous Nations has been instrumental to our success thus far."

"We are also excited to welcome Andrew, Timothy, and Karen to our leadership team-each brings valuable expertise that marks an exciting new chapter for Skeena. With engineering progressing, permitting in motion, and early works planned for this year, we are assembling the right team to ensure the project is construction-ready by year-end."

Skeena is pleased to provide the following Management appointments:

Andrew Osterloh as Vice President of Project Engineering and Construction - Mr. Osterloh is a professional engineer with over 25 years' mining industry experience in process engineering, plant metallurgy and project management. Previously, Mr. Osterloh was at FPX Nickel since joining in June 2021, as SVP Projects & Operations. Formerly, he held project management roles at Fluor Canada and site operations positions at several notable mining projects, including Eskay Creek when it was operated by Barrick, and Huckleberry, operated by Imperial Metals.

Timothy Sewell as Vice President of Health and Safety - Timothy Sewell is a distinguished Health, Safety, Environment, Security, Training (HSEST) and Risk Management Professional, recognized for his leadership, innovation, and analytical abilities. With extensive cross-commodity and cultural experience, he excels in providing vision, influence, reliability, and efficiency in the HSEST field. He has been acknowledged globally for his contributions in the HSEST field which includes the Canadian Institute of Mining's John T. Ryan Regional Safety Award. Mr. Sewell has over 30 years' experience in risk management, emergency response, regulatory and aviation compliance with a background in Environmental Science and Resource Management.

Karen Leven as Vice President of Environment and Regulatory Affairs- Karen Leven is a Canadian Certified Environmental Professional and brings 25 years of mining experience, specializing in environmental and regulatory management. She led Skeena's team in the delivery of the Environmental Assessment and Major Mine permit applications since joining in early 2024. With in-depth knowledge of federal, provincial, and territorial regulatory frameworks, her expertise in environmental science and integrated planning supports her commitment to innovation and sustainability in the mining industry.

About Skeena

Skeena is a leading precious metals developer that is focused on advancing the Eskay Creek Gold-Silver Project - a past producing mine located in the renowned Golden Triangle in British Columbia, Canada. Eskay Creek will be one of the highest-grade and lowest cost open-pit precious metals mines in the world, with substantial silver by-product production that surpasses many primary silver mines. Skeena is committed to sustainable mining practices and maximizing the potential of its mineral resources. In partnership with the Tahltan Nation, Skeena strives to foster positive relationships with Indigenous communities while delivering long-term value and sustainable growth for its stakeholders.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Gold & Silver,

Walter Coles Randy Reichert Executive Chairman President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Galina Meleger

Vice President Investor Relations

E: info@skeenagold.com

T: 604-684-8725

W: www.skeenagoldsilver.com

X / Facebook / LinkedIn / Instagram

Skeena's Corporate Head office is located at Suite #2600 - 1133 Melville Street, Vancouver BC V6E 4E5

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

Certain statements and information contained or incorporated by reference in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or our future performance. The use of words such as "anticipates", "believes", "proposes", "contemplates", "generates", "targets", "is projected", "is planned", "considers", "estimates", "expects", "is expected", "potential" and similar expressions, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "might", "will", "could", or "would" be taken, achieved, or occur, may identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Specific forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the progress of development at Eskay, including the construction budget, schedule and required funding in respect thereof; the timing for and the Company's progress towards commencement of commercial production; and the results of the Definitive Feasibility Study, processing capacity of the mine, anticipated mine life, probable reserves, estimated project capital and operating costs, sustaining costs, results of test work and studies, planned environmental assessments, the future price of metals, metal concentrate, and future exploration and development. Such forward-looking statements are based on material factors and/or assumptions which include, but are not limited to, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and the assumptions set forth herein and in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2024, its most recently filed interim MD&A, and the Company's Annual Information Form ("AIF") dated March 31, 2025. Such forward-looking statements represent the Company's management expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances on the date the statements are made, and are necessarily based on several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date hereof, are not guarantees of future performance. Actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein, and are subject to significant operational, business, economic, and regulatory risks and uncertainties. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including permitting and other government approvals; the receipt and timing of the environmental assessment certificate,; changes in economic conditions, including changes in the price of gold and other key variables; changes in mine plans and other factors, including accidents, equipment breakdown, bad weather and other project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of the Company; environmental risks and unanticipated reclamation expenses; and other risk factors identified in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2024, its most recently filed interim MD&A, the AIF dated March 31, 2025 the Company's short form base shelf prospectus dated March 19, 2025, and in the Company's other periodic filings with securities and regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States that are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca or on EDGAR at www.sec.gov.

Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and the Company does not undertake any obligations to update and/or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/skeena-welcomes-mr.-plaggemars-to-the-board-of-directors-announces-management-cha-1025180
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Canada Rare Earth Corp. (TSXV: LL) ("CREC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has appointed SCP Resource Finance LP ("SCP") as its financial advisor.

The Company is also pleased to announce that it has engaged with SCP to lead an offering of notes (the "Notes") for gross proceeds of up to US$3,000,000. The key terms of the Notes are:

Notes will be issued at a discount of 5.0% of the face amount and will mature 24 months after issuance ("Maturity").

Notes will pay a coupon of 15.0% per annum, payable semi-annually, beginning 6 months after issue.

Notes are unsecured.

Notes are not convertible into securities of the Company.

Notes are redeemable by the Company at any time after issuance. A minimum of one year of interest payments will be payable to noteholders on any redemption prior to Maturity.

Subscribers to the Notes will, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, receive a total of up to 25 million bonus warrants, allocated on a pro-rata basis (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one common share at a price of C$0.05 and will expire 365 days after issuance if not exercised. The Warrants are non-transferrable.

The net proceeds of the offering will be used by the Company for general and corporate working capital purposes.

The Company will service and repay the Notes from revenue generated by its rare earth concentrates and oxides sourcing and trading operations, and/or future financings.

SCP will be paid a commission of 4% of gross proceeds, in cash.

All Notes subscribers will be arm's length parties to the Company.

Regarding the Transaction announced by the Company on January 7, 2025, Canada Rare Earth continues to engage in discussions regarding funding and off-take agreements. The Company expects to provide further details on the transaction in due course.

About Canada Rare Earth Corp.

Canada Rare Earth operates a rapidly expanding global essential minerals business, built on over a decade of success in the rare earth minerals and products sector. Our strategy focuses on leveraging near-term positive cash flow opportunities to support our growth. This includes acquiring and developing proprietary projects, resources, and processing facilities.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the 'safe harbour' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties.

For more information, interested parties can review the Company's filings available at www.sedarplus.ca.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251393

SOURCE: Canada Rare Earth Corp.
Haya Therapeutics, a Lausanne, Switzerland- and San Diego, CA-based biotechnology company pioneering precision RNA-guided regulatory genome targeting therapeutics that reprogram disease-driving cell states for rare, common, chronic and age-related diseases, raised $65m in Series A funding.

The round was led by Sofinnova Partners and Earlybird Venture Capital, with participation from Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly), ATHOS, +ND Capital, Alexandria Venture Investments and LifeLink Ventures, with additional support from existing investors Apollo Health Ventures, Longview Ventures (an affiliate of Broadview Ventures), 4see ventures, BERNINA Bioinvest and Schroders Capital.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate the clinical development of its lead long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) targeting candidate HTX-001 in heart failure and the continued expansion of its RNA-guided regulatory genome pipeline development engine.

Led by Samir Ounzain, PhD, CEO and co-founder, HAYA Therapeutics is a precision medicines company developing programmable therapeutics targeting regulatory RNAs derived from the dark genome, a cell information processing unit, to reprogram pathological cell states for a broad range of diseases, including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and cancer. The company is using its innovative platform to gain novel insights into the biology of disease cell states and the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that regulate them. HAYAs lead therapeutic candidate is HTX-001, in development for the treatment of heart failure. HAYA is also developing a pipeline of lncRNA-targeting precision therapies for the cell-specific treatment of diseases in other tissues.

The company recently announced a partnership with Lilly, one of the largest collaborations to date in the regulatory genome space, focused on RNA-based drug targets for obesity and metabolic disorders.

FinSMEs

08/05/2025
Kind Design, a Miami, Fl-based climate-tech and construction-tech startup, raised $5M in Seed 1 funding, at $30M valuation.

The round was led by Overlay Capital with participation from strategic investors across construction, government, and infrastructure sectors.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its development efforts.

Founded by CEO Anya Freeman, Kind Designs is a climate and building technology startup that addresses the issue of sea level rise. Using sustainable materials and patent-pending 3D printing technology, they create 3D printed living seawalls and living seawall tiles. The products protect coastal communities from flooding and storm surges while creating marine habitats, dissipating waves, and improving water quality.

Since its launch and Seed Round in 2024, Kind Designs has scaled significantlymoving into a 50,000-square-foot facility in Miami, expanding its team to three robots and ten employees, and installing its first 3D-printed seawall in Miami Beach. The company has been printing back-to-back residential and commercial projects since, closing 2024 with $600K in revenue, expanding its product offering and winning its first two government contracts in Florida.

Kind Designs secured Phase 1 grants from both the U.S. Navy (NAVSEA) and U.S. Air Force (AFWERX), with Phase 2 projects now underway at MacDill Air Force Base and the South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility.

The company currently has a $10M residential project pipeline within South Florida and eight projects underway in New York City, marking a strategic expansion beyond Florida.

In 2024, Kind Designs raised $6.5M at a $18M valuation with its Seed round.

FinSMEs

08/05/2025
Medmain has rased 3.3M USD

Medmain, a Fukuoka, Japan-based medtech startup providing an AI-powered cloud system, raised 3.3M USD in funding.

The round was led by One Capital with participation from Niremia Collective and Plug and Play.

The company intends to use the funds to further enhance the development of its product, PidPort, invest in infrastructure for digitalization, strengthen its sales organization, apply for regulatory approval of its pathology AI, and build a foundation for international expansion.

Led by CEO Osamu Iizuka, Medmain is a medtech startup that offers PidPort, an AI-powered cloud system to assist in digital pathology, which is currently used by many clients in a wide range of settings, including remote diagnostic support and consultations between medical institutions, multi-facility conferences, academic conferences, educational use in lectures and training sessions, as well as research and quality control at universities and corporations.

The raise brought the total amount to $18M.

FinSMEs

08/05/2025
Operand, a San Francisco, CA-based AI-enabled consulting company for consumer retail, raised $3.1M in Seed funding.

The round was led by Felicis, with participation from Y Combinator, SV Angel, Soma Capital, and angels including Ali Rowghani, former CFO of Twitter.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its development efforts.

Led by Ram Gorthi (CEO), Arjun Sahney (CTO), and Akhil Iyengar (COO), Operand is building AI agents to replace traditional management consulting, starting with pricing strategy for consumer retail brands. By combining reasoning traces with real-time data integration, it delivers insights typically reserved for Fortune 500 companies.

Customers include Lighthouse Marine Supply.

FinSMEs

08/05/2025
The association said their remarks were disrespectful to the nation and an insult to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country. read more

Recently, netizens slammed Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan for condemning Operation Sindoor.

The actor wrote- My deepest condolences to the families of those injured and killed in this shameful attack. I pray for the souls of the deceased and strength for their loved ones in the days to come.

Khan added, A respectful request to all: stop stoking the flames with rabble-rousing words. It is not worth the lives of innocent people. May better sense prevail. InshaAllah. Pakistan Zindabad!"

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Netizens react

The Indian users on social media slammed the actor and said he shouldnt be allowed to act in India.

One wrote-  Operation Sindoor just gave them a reality checkIndia isnt your playground, Look at the audacity of these people, praying to their god as if divinity will swoop in to save the wrongdoersnewsflash, karma doesnt care about your duas when youre on the wrong side of humanity!

The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has now condemned Fawad and Mahiras comments. The association said their remarks were disrespectful to the nation and an insult to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country.

The statement read, The statements are not just disrespectful to our nation but also an insult to the countless innocent lives lost due to terrorism and the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our country. AICWA reaffirms its strict and complete ban on Pakistani artists, filmmakers, and financiers working in India. No Indian artist will collaborate with any Pakistani talent, nor will any global platform be shared with them.

Media Release



All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) Strongly Condemns Anti-India Statements by Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan



Mumbai, India  The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) strongly condemns the anti-India statements made by Pakistani actress Mahira Khan and pic.twitter.com/pEjqzAgy8a  All Indian Cine Workers Association (@AICWAOfficial) May 7, 2025

It continued, It is time for the Indian film industry to understand that blindly supporting these artists under the pretext of art is a betrayal of national pride. Some individuals in our industry continue to show sympathy and support for Pakistani artists, ignoring the sentiments of our nation. AICWA urges these individuals to stop supporting those who openly disrespect India. This is not just about artit is about standing with your country during critical moments. Our nation must come first.

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KJo also revealed how his friend Apoorva Mehta came to his rescue after his fathers demise read more

In 2024, Karan Johar sold 50 per cent stake of his production house - Dharma Productions to Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer of Serum Institute of India for Rs 1000 crore. The filmmaker recently spoke about this decision and shared that they needed funds for the growth of the company.

I didnt want to do collaborative projects so that all the profitability stays with Dharma Productions. Our biggest hits at that time all had partners because we couldnt finance those films on our own ability, because we were new, Karan told Raj Shamani on his YouTube channel.

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Talking about his late father Yash Johars legacy, he shared, Those who say nepotism, they dont know my history. I inherited goodwill from my father but not money. Before Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, we had 5 flops in a row. Karan recalled that it was his film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai that resurrected Dharma Productions. Kuch Kuch Hota Hais release in 1998 marked the beginning of Dharma Productions as a strong company. What I had was my fathers goodwill and his tremendous belief. He had tremendous goodwill, he was loved a lot but he didnt see success.

KJo also revealed how his friend Apoorva Mehta came to his rescue after his fathers demise. After my dad passed away in 2004, I had to take the company further and I couldnt have done it without Apoorva Mehta (CEO of Dharma Productions). He was my best friend in school and he left his entire life in London and overnight moved back to Mumbai. We have had our own journey. Till date my business acumen is zero but instinct is strong. He takes care of the business part, I am the creative person, said the filmmaker.

Revealing the reason of selling stakes to Poonawalla, Johar said, In 2023, we realised we need to leverage and grow. In our business to grow organically would have taken me another 5-7 years. I needed the fund to grow and today, I am happy with my partnership with Adar. He is an amazing human being and his instincts are very strong. I feel accountable because this is somebody elses money. I need to get success and make my company profitable.
He said, We thought that if wed taken care of the Finnish and the Koreans at that time, we could take care of the Chinese too That was a different game, because when the Chinese came, they came with so much gunpowder. read more

Salman Khan & Aamir Khans co-star Asins husband Rahul Sharma happens to be the founder of the company Micromax. He recently revealed in an interview he turned down more than Rs 6,500 crore funding.

Rahul said, When Meizu was raising a round with Alibaba, we were deep down with them at that time. This was in 2014. We were raising around $800 million (Rs 6,700 crore by 2025 conversion rates). The business was throwing so much of cash, we said, We dont need money. We didnt take that money, we were like, Were doing quite well, and we already have so much of

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He said, We thought that if wed taken care of the Finnish and the Koreans at that time, we could take care of the Chinese too That was a different game, because when the Chinese came, they came with so much gunpowder.

Asin got married to Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma on January 19, 2016 in a Christian wedding ceremony followed by Hindu rituals in New Delhi.

The Ghajini star tied the knot in a simple, private ceremony attended by family and close friends at a resort hotel.

The Catholic style wedding, which took place in the morning around 11, had Asin dressed in a white gown and Rahul, 39, sporting a black suit and bow tie.

It was a beautiful wedding. Everyone looked amazing. It was Asins idea to have a Catholic wedding. We all are very happy, said a close relative of Rahul.

Bollywood superstar and couples close friend Akshay Kumar attended the function. Delhi-based music group Elohim Worship band performed at the wedding.

Everything went great at the wedding. We played 2-3 songs. Asin looked beautiful in her white gown. We had a rehearsal yesterday, said a band member.

According to DNA and Forbes, Sharma enjoys a net worth of Rs 1300 crore and reports also say Asins net worth is around Rs 100 crore. Akshay Kumar, who starred with the actress in Housefull 2 and Khiladi 786, is said to have played Cupid in this love story.

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The evening ceremony, which included jai mala and pheras, atypical of North Indian wedding, was also graced by Akshay.
A day after Operation Sindoor, Islamabad attempted to escalate tensions by targeting Indian cities with drones and missiles. However, the Indian armed forces thwarted the strike in time. Notably, all 15 Indian cities on Pakistans list were of strategic importance to the military read more

Islamabad attempted to escalate tensions by targeting 15 Indian cities with drones and missiles. However, Indian armed forces foiled these attempts using drones and missiles, and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore. File image/AFP

A day after India launched missile strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Islamabad attempted to escalate tensions by targeting 15 Indian cities with drones and missiles.

Officials said the Pakistani military tried to carry out these strikes on the night of May 7. However, the Indian armed forces foiled these attempts using drones and missiles, and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore, they said.

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The move by Pakistan comes after PM Shehbaz Sharif vowed retaliation to Indias Operation Sindoor, saying, Pakistan will take revenge. We will take this war to the end. My Pakistani people, for your safety, our army and our peoplewe will always be united. Pakistan is most affected by terrorism.

Catch all the live updates from here

So, which Indian cities were on Pakistans target? How did India stop the attacks? And what has the Indian government said since? Heres a breakdown of the situation so far.

Indian cities on Pakistans target

Between the night of May 7 and early May 8, Pakistan launched a wave of drones and missiles targeting military installations across Northern and Western India. The 15 targeted cities, all of which are of strategic importance to the military in the region, are as follows:

-Awantipura

-Srinagar

-Jammu

-Pathankot

-Amritsar

-Kapurthala

-Jalandhar

-Ludhiana

-Adampur

-Bhatinda

-Chandigarh

-Nal

-Phalodi

-Uttarlai

-Bhuj

Following Pakistans attack, India neutralised the threat using the Integrated Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (Grid and Air Defence systems), said the Ministry of Defence, adding that debris from the attack site gives strong evidence of Pakistans involvement.

The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks, the ministry said. Today morning Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan.

It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised, it added.

At the same time, Pakistan stepped up its cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), using mortars and heavy artillery. The firing affected several areas in Jammu and Kashmir, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri.

The escalation has led to tragic consequences.

Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The Indian Army also confirmed the death of one of its soldiers during the shelling.

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Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, 32, from Palwal district in Haryana, was stationed in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district and died during intense cross-border fire by the Pakistani Army.

How did India thwart Pakistans bid?

To counter the aerial threat from Pakistan, India deployed its advanced S-400 air defence missile system, which played a key role in intercepting and neutralising incoming targets near the borders.

The S-400 Triumf, developed by Russias Almaz Central Design Bureau, is considered among the most sophisticated air defence systems globally. In India, its also referred to as the Sudharshan Chakra.

Capable of detecting incoming missiles from as far as 600 kilometres and intercepting threats within a 400-kilometre range, the S-400 can destroy a wide variety of aerial threatsincluding aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missilesat varying altitudes.

India deployed its advanced S-400 air defence missile system, which played a key role in intercepting and neutralising incoming targets near the borders. File image/Reuters

India had signed a Rs 35,000 crore deal with Russia to procure five squadrons of the S-400. So far, three have been delivered and fully operationalised by the Indian Air Force.

These squadrons have been strategically deployed along the borders with Pakistan and China. The delivery of the remaining two has been delayed due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, sources told NDTV last year.

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In addition to the S-400, India also used HARPY drones to take out Pakistani air defence radars. These drones are specifically designed for whats known as the suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD).

ndia also used HARPY drones to take out Pakistani air defence radars. These drones are specifically designed for whats known as the suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD). Image courtesy: CNBC TV18

Equipped with a high-explosive warhead, the HARPY can autonomously detect and destroy radar systems by homing in on their electromagnetic emissions. The drone is capable of flying deep-strike missions, day or night, and can stay airborne for up to nine hours.

India gave Pakistan a fortnight to act against terror

The Indian government on Wednesday (May 7) said that the cross-border strikes on terror camps inside Pakistan were a necessary step after Pakistan failed to act against terror infrastructure, even as a fortnight passed following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Indias Operation Sindoor was launched after Pakistan continued to indulge in denials and allegations.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri addresses a press briefing on Wednesday. ANI

You are all aware of the decisions that were announced on the 23rd of April. However, it was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the 22nd April attack be brought to justice, Misri said.

Despite a fortnight having passed since the attacks, there has been no demonstrable step from Pakistan to take action against the terrorist infrastructure on its territory or on territory under its control, he added.

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Misri also said that India had credible intelligence inputs suggesting that Pakistan-based terrorists were planning further attacks. The May 7 strikes were, therefore, carried out as a pre-emptive measure to neutralise those threats.

With input from agencies
India on Thursday neutralised an attempted attack from Pakistan on various locations in northern and western parts of the country. India used its S-400 and Akash weapons systems to foil Pakistans drone assault. But what do we know about them? read more

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Indian officials have named the S-400 air defence system the 'Sudarshan Chakra'. Reuters

India on Thursday neutralised an attempted attack from Pakistan on various locations in northern and western India.

India also disabled an air defence system at Lahore.

Pakistans attempt at escalation despite Indias warnings at retaliation came a day after the Indian military launched Operation Sindoor  which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

On the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks, the statement from India read.

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But what do we know about the S-400 and Akash India weapons systems India used to foil Pakistans assault?

Lets take a closer look:

The S-400 system

The S-400 Triumf is a Russian air defence system.

It is considered one of the worlds best surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems and Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) systems.

It is also thought to be one of the best long-range missile systems.

It is a newer version of Russias S-300 system.

Catch all the live updates from here

The Triumf is made by Russias Almaz-Antey corporation.

As per India Today, Indian officials have dubbed it the Sudarshan Chakra.

As per NDTV, Nato has nicknamed the system as the SA-21 Growler.

The S-400 Triumf is considered one of the worlds best surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. AP

It comprises three components  Missile launchers, a radar and a command centre.

The advanced radar allows it to offer 360-degree surveillance and counter-stealth capabilities.

As per News18, the Triumf radar has a detection range of around 400 kilometres for aircrafts.

It can track targets as far as 600 kilometres away.

It can detect missiles and other system at a range of around 250 kilometres.

It has an altitude coverage of around 30 kilometres.

It uses four types of missiles  40N6, 48N6DM, 9M96E2, and 9M96E.

As per NDTV, The Triumf can hit aircraft, cruise missiles and even quick-moving intermediate range ballistic missiles.

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It can engage up to 80 targets simultaneously when using multiple radars.

Nato members consider the Triumf one of the worlds deadliest systems on the basis of its long-range.

As per Business Today, the Triumf in exercises has shown an 80 per cent kill rate against enemy aircraft.

Russia in fact considers it to be superior to the US MIM-104 Patriot system.

The Triumf can be integrated with systems such as the S-300, Tor and Pantsir, as per Wion.

The Triumf is also used by China  which first purchased it in 2014, as per NDTV.

India and Russia in 2018 signed a $5 billion (Rs 38,000 crore) deal for five Triumf squadrons.

Each squadron comprises 16 vehicles.

India received the first Triumf squadron in December 2021, the second squadron in April 2022 and the third squadron in 2023.

India expects to receive the fourth squadron of the triumphs system by the end of this year.

As per India Today, India has placed one squadron in Pathankot for the defence of Jammu and Kashmir and the other squadron in a position to cover areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat.

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Akash weapons system

India also used its homegrown Akash Air Defense System to ward off attacks from Pakistan.

Manufactured by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Akash is a short medium-range surface-to-air missile system (SAM).

The system was developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

It is 96 per cent indigenous keeping with the governments Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

The Aakash comprises launcher, a missile, a control centre, an integral mission guidance system, a multifunctional fire control radar, a system arming and explosion mechanism, a digital autopilot, C4I (command, control communication and intelligence) centres and supporting ground equipment.

A display of Akash weapon system at Rajpath during the 69th Republic Day Parade. PTI

The Group Control Centre (GCC) acts as the command and control headquarters for the entire system.

Each Akash battery comes with four 3D passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radars and four self-propelled launchers with three interconnected missiles each.

It has a battery-level radar known as Rajendra and a battery control centre.

Its missiles can also self-destruct.

The Akash system can guard against aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles and missiles launched from helicopters.

It has a range of 4. 5 to 25 kilometres.

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The Akash system works on mobile platforms such as battle tanks or wheeled trucks.

As per BEL, it can cover an altitude of 80 kilometres.

It can engage multiple air targets in group mode or fully autonomous mode.

It comes with inbuilt Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM) features.

It can carry conventional and nuclear warheads weighing up to 60 kilos.

The DRDO is currently developing a new version of Akash  known as the Akash (NG).

India is exporting the Akash weapons system to Armenia.

A number of other countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Egypt, and Brazil have reportedly shown interest in buying the system from India.

With inputs from agencies
The government will convene an all-party meet in New Delhi today following Operation Sindoor. A three-day ceasefire will come into effect in Ukraine following Russian President Vladimir Putins announcement read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the chiefs of three services. File image/PTI

It is set to be a busy Thursday with several events lined up for the day.

Firstly, the government has called for an all party meeting today following the Operation Sindoor. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin have announced three-day ceasefire on Special Military Operation in Ukraine following Victory Day celebrations.

Putin is set to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping. The Victory Day celebrations are set to take place across the world to mark the official end of World War II in Europe. In India, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is expected to chair a meeting with key trade promotion bodies today.

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Here is all that is set to take place throughout the day.

Government calls for an all-party meeting

The government has convened an all-party meeting to be held at 11:00 hours on Thursday, May 8th. This measure is being taken amidst a heightened state of national security following Indias execution of cross-border strikes, codenamed Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure situated in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju made the announcement on Wednesday via a post on X, stating that the meeting will be held at Committee Room G-074 in the Parliament Library Building, Parliament Complex, New Delhi. Govt has called an All Party leaders meeting at 11 am on 8th May, 2025 at Committee Room: G-074, in the Parliament Library Building, Parliament Complex in New Delhi, Rijiju said on X.

3-day ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine war

PresidXient Vladimir Putin of Russia, on Monday, announced the implementation of a 72-hour ceasefire within the context of the ongoing Special Military Operation in Ukraine, which is to be observed in deference to the approaching Victory Day celebrations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a hold on war with Ukraine in view of VE Day celebrations. File image/AP

By decision of the President of the Russian Federation, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin, for humanitarian reasons, during the days of the 80th anniversary of the Victory, from midnight on May 7-8 until midnight on May 10-11, the Russian side declares a ceasefire. All military actions are suspended for this period, read a statement issued by the Kremlin.

Putin to hold talks with Chinas President Xi Jinping

Chinas President Xi Jinping will pay an official visit to Russia from May 7-10, during which he will hold talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and attend the Victory Day celebrations, informed the Kremlin.

During the talks, the main issues of further development of relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction, as well as current issues of the international and regional agenda will be discussed, it said.

The two leaders would sign several bilateral inter-governmental and inter-departmental documents during Xis visit at the personal invitation of President Putin, it added.

Victory in Europe Day celebrations

Europe will mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, commemorating the end of World War II in Europe. Across the continent, nations honoured the sacrifices of the wartime generation with a blend of solemn remembrance and celebratory events.

In the United Kingdom, a four-day series of events culminated in a grand military parade and flypast in London on Monday (May 6). King Charles, accompanied by senior royals and veterans, led the commemorations on the first day.

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Piyush Goyal to share FTA details

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is expected to chair a meeting with key trade promotion bodies on May 8 to share details of the free trade agreement (FTA) reached between India and the United Kingdom, reported news website Moneycontrol.

Commerce minister Piyush Goyal is expected to chair a meeting with key trade promotion bodies on May 8 to share details of the free trade agreement (FTA) reached between India and the United Kingdom, a source said.

With inputs from agencies
On May 8, 1945, Great Britain, the United States, and other Allied nations celebrated Victory in Europe Day as World War II came to an end in Europe. Cities across the US, UK, Western Europe, the Soviet Union, Canada, and Australia were filled with flags and banners as crowds gathered to mark the defeat of Nazi Germany. The war would go on to be remembered as the largest and deadliest in history, claiming an estimated 40 to 50 million lives read more

As people heard the news of Germanys surrender, crowds came out to the streets in celebration. Image: The National WWII Museum

On May 8, 1945, World War II came to an end in Europe. As people heard the news of Germanys surrender, crowds came out to the streets in celebration, holding newspapers that announced Victory in Europe (V-E Day).

Also on this day in 1886, the first glass of Coca-Cola was served at a pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, in the US. At the time, the drink had cocaine in it. It became completely free of cocaine in 1929.

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Curious about what happened in history? Firstpost Explainers History Today gets you all of it and much more.

World War II comes to an end

On this day in 1945, Great Britain, the United States, and other Allied nations celebrated Victory in Europe Day, as World War II in Europe came to a close.

Cities across the US, UK, and Western Europe, along with those in the Soviet Union, Canada, and Australia, were filled with flags and banners as people celebrated the defeat of Nazi Germany.

German forces across Europe had finally given up their fight on this day. In Prague, they surrendered to Soviet troops; the same happened in cities like Copenhagen and Oslo, at Karlshorst near Berlin, in northern Latvia, and on the Channel Island of Sark.

Further surrender papers were signed in Berlin and eastern Germany.

Notably, news of the end of the war reached the public by radio late on May 7 in Britain. Many began celebrating straight away, even before the official announcement the next day.

World War II followed just two decades after World War I, with many issues from the first war left unsettled. The second conflict turned out to be the largest and deadliest in history, with an estimated 40 million to 50 million lives lost.

In the United States, celebrations were mixed with sadness over the recent death of President Roosevelt, who had led the country through most of the war. His successor, Harry S Truman, paid tribute to him and ordered flags to remain at half-mast as the nation continued its 30-day mourning period.

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Even so, large crowds gathered in celebration. In New York, around 15,000 police officers were brought in to manage the people who had packed Times Square.

A packed New Yorks Times Square on May 7, 1945. AP/File Photo

But how did the war begin?

By early 1939, German leader Adolf Hitler was set on invading Poland. However, Poland had military agreements in place with Britain and France, who had promised support if Germany attacked.

Despite this, Hitler planned to go ahead with the invasion. But first, he wanted to make sure the Soviet Union would not try to stop him from attacking its neighbour. Hitler then entered secret talks that led to the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact.

The deal included a hidden agreement to divide Poland - Germany would take the west, and the Soviets would take the east.

Confident there would be no resistance from either the Soviets or the British, Hitler ordered the invasion of Poland to begin on August 26. However, a new defence pact between Britain and Poland, signed on August 25, caused him to delay.

At 12:40 pm on August 31, 1939, Hitler gave the final order. German troops crossed into Poland at 4:45 am the next morning.

Jewish civilians are led down a street by German soldiers during the destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto, in Poland, 1943. US National Archives/via Reuters

Britain and France responded by declaring war on Germany on September 3 - Britain at 11:00 am and France at 5:00 pm. World War II had officially begun.

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What happened after the end of World War II?

Fighting between German and Soviet forces continued in some areas on May 9. In Silesia, the Soviets lost 600 more soldiers before the final surrender.

As a result, Victory Day was celebrated in Moscow on May 9. Soviet leader Stalin gave a radio speech saying, The age-long struggle of the Slav nations has ended in victory. Your courage has defeated the Nazis. The war is over.

For Allied troops still serving far from home, V-E Day was a mix of joy and sadness. Although the war in Europe had ended, the fight continued in Asia and the Pacific. Thousands were still in battle, and many others remained prisoners in harsh conditions.

At the close of the Second World War, Germany was split into four zones, each controlled by one of the Allied powers - the United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union.

A jeep of US Army combat engineers unit drives past the destroyed Saint Malo church in Valognes, France, June 24, 1944. Reuters/US National Archives

Berlin, though deep inside the Soviet-controlled area, was also divided among the four countries.

The parts controlled by the Americans, British and French became West Berlin, while the Soviet part became East Berlin.

This arrangement, including how Germany would be occupied and governed, was agreed upon by Allied leaders during the Potsdam Conference, which took place from 17 July to 2 August 1945.

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The last stages of the war in the Pacific brought heavy losses on both sides. But in the end, the Allies won.

Japan agreed to surrender on August 14, and the formal surrender was signed on September 2.

First-ever Coca-Cola is served

On this day in 1886, pharmacist Dr John Stith Pemberton made the first batch of Coca-Cola syrup and took it to Jacobs Pharmacy in Georgia, US.

There, it was tasted, described as excellent, and sold at the soda fountain for five cents a glass.

At the time, the drink contained extract from coca leaves. Cocaine was removed entirely from the formula in 1929.

Pharmacist Dr John Stith Pemberton made the first batch of Coca-Cola syrup. Image: The Coca Cola Company

Soon after launching the drink, a local prohibition law was passed, prompting Pemberton to create a version without alcohol. This led to the drink that was first served on this day in May.

The Pemberton Chemical Company, which later became Coca-Cola, was set up to promote and sell the drink. In the beginning, Coca-Cola was sold only as syrup and mixed at the point of sale. Bottling came later.

After Pembertons death, Asa G Candler took over the company and led it until 1916. Under him, Coca-Cola began to be bottled, the cocaine was removed, and caffeine began to be supplied by Monsanto.

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In later years, Coca-Cola introduced canned drinks in 1955 and went on to acquire other brands like Dasani, Sprite, and Fanta.

This Day, That Year

1541: Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto became the first European on record to reach the Mississippi River.

1902: Mount Pelee erupted on the Caribbean island of Martinique, wiping out the port of Saint-Pierre and killing about 30,000 people - around 15 per cent of the islands population.

1980: After years of global vaccination efforts, Who officially declared that smallpox had been wiped out.
Despite Indias warnings, Pakistan has attempted to attack India. However, its missiles aimed at 15 cities were destroyed, and the air defence system neutralised. Heres how Indian forces have prepared to take on the neighbour, as tensions escalate after Operation Sindoor read more

the Indian Air Force (IAF) is on high alert, with Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets patrolling the skies. Representational image. Reuters

All of India is in wait and watch mode.

This after the Indian Army and Indian Air Force in the early hours of Wednesday carried out strikes on several terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in Operation Sindoor.

At least 13 people have already been killed in cross-border shelling from Pakistan.

Though India has already warned that any military response from Pakistan would result in retaliation, Pakistan has already attempted to hit targets inside India.

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Lets take a closer look at how India is prepared to fend-off Pakistans attacks:

Negated Paks attempt at escalation

India on Thursday said it had negated Pakistans attempts at escalation.

This came after Islamabad attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, India said as per Indian Express.

On the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks, the statement read.

India responded by neutralised an air defence system" at Lahore.

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Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised, it said.

The newspaper reported that India used Israels Harops  an unmanned combat aerial vehicle  to hit Pakistani military targets.

These Harops can loiter in the air close to the designated target and attack it bycrashing into it.

Sources told news agency ANI that India used Harpy drones to destroy Pak air defences.,

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India also used the Russian-made S-400 defence system to shoot down missiles aimed at its cities.

India had called its Wednesday actions focused, measured, and non-escalatory.

Border states preparing as tensions escalate

As per NDTV, Rajasthan and Punjab  both of which border Pakistan  are on high alert.

The leaves of all police have been cancelled and public gatherings have been limited.

The Rajasthan border has been completely shuttered.

Border Security Force personnel have been issued shoot-on-sight orders.

Rajasthans Jaisalmer saw a complete blackout from 12 am to 4 pm.

Police patrolled inner-city areas and made sure locals returned to their homes.

Personnel also conducted awareness campaigns and ensured that the lights were turned off in homes.

Several border villages are also ready to be evacuated.

Anti-drone systems have been operationalised.

Government and private schools in Barmer, Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, and Jaisalmer have been shuttered and examinations deferred.

Business Standard quoted Barmer District Collector Tina Dabi as saying, In view of the national security and emergency situation in Barmer district, . holiday is declared for all the government and non-government (private) schools / educational institutions / CBSE schools / Anganwadis / Madrasas up to class 12th in Barmer district from May 8, 2025 till further orders and the home /common examination to be held from May 8, 2025 is also postponed till further orders.

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Jodhpur District Collector Gaurav Agarwal said, In view of the current situation, a holiday is being declared in all private and government schools and Anganwadis from today till further orders.

A large scale mock drill was carried out on Wednesday evening in Punjabs Amritsar.

Amid India-Pakistan tension, 30-minute blackout drill held in Punjabs Ferozepur Cantonment

Several parts of the city also underwent blackouts as part of a drill.

All of Punjabs border districts have been put on high alert with all public events cancelled, Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora said on Wednesday.

Punjab shares a 532-kilometre border with Pakistan. Therefore, during any military tension, the role of the Punjab government becomes extremely crucial. All districts near the border have been placed on high alert, and for public safety, the government has cancelled all types of public events, Arora said.

Arora said Punjab Police as the second line of defence is also fully prepared.

Punjab Police is providing full support to the Indian Army and working together on future preparations, he said.

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Arora also appealed to the people of Punjab to strictly adhere to all government orders to ensure public safety.

As per Business Standard, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is on high alert, with Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets patrolling the skies from Ganganagar to the Rann of Kutch.

Control rooms set up across Valley

Control rooms have been set up across 10 districts in Kashmir.

In view of the prevailing situation, a Joint Control Room is established at the District Emergency Operation Centre (DEOC), Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar under the overall supervision of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Srinagar, the local district magistrate said in an order, as per India TV.

People walk past closed shops in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir. PTI

The district magistrate said at the control room will coordinate efforts between several departments, track developments and share information.

In view of the prevailing situation, a Joint Control Room is established at the District Emergency Operation Centre (DEOC), Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar under the overall supervision of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Srinagar, the local district magistrate said in an order.

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It shall also act as a grievance redressal platform for the general public, enabling efficient resolution of issues arising in real time," the order said.

Airports shut, flights cancelled

As per NDTV, over two dozen airports across India have been closed till Saturday.

These include Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Pathankot, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Rajkot, Porbandar, Gwalior, Shimla, Dharamshala and Jamnagar.

Amritsar Airport has been shut down until further notice.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP-2) Sirivennela, told ANI that 21 North and North-Western India airports will shut until May 10, and no flights will be operated.

We received information that all flights need to be cancelled and the airport has to be shut down. The whole airport is shut until further notice. As per the central government, 21 airports in North and North-western India will remain shut till May 10. No flights will be operated from here, the police official told ANI.

Reuters quoted the Airports Authority of India as saying that Srinagar airfield has been shut and that there will be no commercial flights operating from the region for the day.

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IndiGo said over 165 flights from multiple domestic airports have been cancelled till May 10 due to restrictions on airspace.

HAL on high alert

Meanwhile, staff at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)  who maintain Indias fighter planes  have been put on high alert, as per The Times of India.

Our staff critical for maintenance have been told to be prepared for any requirement and some have been asked to volunteer in case theres a requirement for travel. Weve already started an additional shift between 7 pm and 11 pm and if needed, we are prepared to work round the clock, a HAL source told the newspaper.

A retired HAL employee earlier told the newspaper that staff worked continuously for over two months during the Kargil war in 1999.

With inputs from agencies
Pakistan has launched missiles and drone attacks on multiple locations in Jammu. The development comes a day after India conducted terror strikes on terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in Operation Sindoor. Earlier, India thwarted Pakistans attempt to target over a dozen locations in northern and western India. But what were the targets? How were the projectiles intercepted? read more

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An area during blackout amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, in Reasi district, J&K. PTI

Pakistan has launched missiles and drone attacks on multiple locations in Jammu including the airport.

The development comes a day after India conducted terror strikes on terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in Operation Sindoor.

It also comes after Pakistan earlier attempted to target over a dozen in northern and western India.

Indian defences seem to have intercepted all the projectiles over Jammu.

But what areas were targeted? And how were the drones intercepted?

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Lets take a closer look:

Eight missiles targetting Jammu

As per News18, eight missiles from Pakistan were directed at Jammu.

The targets included Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia.

All of them were taken down by air defence units including the S-400 Triumf air defence system.

Catch all the live updates from here

Two drones were intercepted and taken down near Jammu University.

Another two Pakistan drones were shot out of the air in Jammus Khor.

Pakistani drones were intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer. The city is seeing a complete blackout. ANI

Indian Express quoted sources as saying that Jammu airport appeared to be a target.

Ministry of Defence wrote on X, Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the International Border in J&K today. The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). No casualties or material losses were reported. India remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people."

Srinagar airport was put on high alert and the defence system was at the ready.

The state capital also witnessed a blackout a little before 10 pm.

Sources said a large-scale attack of drones was occurring along the International Border.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Samba of Jammu Division.

Jammu locals said they heard sirens in multiple places.

Indian Express reported that missile interception systems had been activated across Jammu.

Heavy artillery and drone attacks were reported in Samba.

Attack thwarted in Jaisalmer

ANI reported that Pakistani drones were intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer.

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Explosions were heard and bright flashes seen in the sky.

Defence sources said they were fully ready for such an attack.

We were aware of such an attempt, and we were fully prepared to thwart these attempts from the Pakistani side, defence sources told News18.

Though its an evolving situation but we have neutralised all threats coming from Pakistan. So far, eight projectiles, mostly surface-to-surface missiles, have been shot down by our air defence mechanisms.

Complete blackout in Jammu. Loud explosions  bombing, shelling, or missile strikes suspected. Fret not  Mata Vishnu Devi is with us, and so are valiant Indian Armed Forces, Shesh Paul Vaid, former Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, told Indian Express.

Jammu police asked citizens to switch off all types of lights during black out period. Stay indoors at safe places.

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No unnecessary vehicular movement should be taken, the police added.

Sirens and blackouts galore

NDTV reported that sirens have sounded in Chandigarh and a blackout is on.

Shops have been shuttered and people told to return to their homes.

A blackout has been enforced in neighbouring Mohali too, officials added.

View of a blackout at the Heritage Street near the Golden Temple premises, amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan, in Amritsar, Punjab. PTI

Blackouts are on in Punjabs Amritsar and Haryanas Panchkula.

The Pakistani military is also firing artillery at Punjabs Pathankot  which is around 30 kilometres from the International Border.

Pathankot too is witnessing a blackout.

District authorities say there is no need to panic.

People have been asked to remain in their hopes and keep their lights turned off.

With inputs from agencies
Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, a 32-year-old soldier from Palwal district in Haryana, died in the cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC). The jawan was posted in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district, which has been witnessing intense artillery and mortar shelling by Pakistan after Indias Operation Sindoor read more

Dinesh Kumar, who hailed from Mohammadpur village in Haryana's Palwal district, was killed in cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) on Wednesday. Image courtesy: X/ @NayabSaini

As Pakistan continued its cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army confirmed the loss of one of its soldiers on Wednesday.

Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, a 32-year-old soldier from Palwal district in Haryana, was stationed in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district. The region is witnessing intense artillery and mortar shelling by the Pakistani Army.

#GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS and All Ranks of the #IndianArmy salute the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, who laid down his life on 07 May 2025 during ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control.#IndianArmy stands in solidarity with the https://t.co/O5QGGkQavb  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) May 8, 2025

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Tragically, the assault claimed the lives of at least 13 people, including four children and Lance Naik Kumar. Another 59 individuals were injured in the attack, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

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So, who was Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar? What happened in Poonch? Heres what we know.

About Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar

Dinesh Kumar, who hailed from Mohammadpur village in Haryanas Palwal district, joined the Indian Army in 2014. Recently promoted to the rank of Lance Naik, he was posted in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district, according to his father Daya Ram Sharma, in a Hindustan Times report.

His father said the family received the heartbreaking news in the morning. We were informed that Dinesh, along with four other soldiers, was patrolling along the Line of Control (LoC) and died in the mortar shelling. The entire nation is proud of him, and his sacrifice will be remembered. He was a brave soldier, said the grief-stricken father. His last rites will be performed on Thursday.

The 32-year-old soldier was the eldest of five brothers. Two of his younger brothers are already serving in the army.

His two younger brothersKapil and Harduthave been recruited as Agniveers. His youngest brother Pushpender is a student, and another brother Vishnu is a farmer. Dineshs wife Seema is an advocate and is expecting a child. The couple has a son and a daughter, village sarpanch Bhup Ram told the outlet.

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The entire nation is proud of him. Dinesh wanted to join the army from a young age, he added.

Kumars father also said he would allow Dineshs son to join the army in the future, to carry forward his fathers legacy.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini paid tribute to Kumar and wrote in a social media post, Every citizen of the country is proud of your martyrdom. This country will never forget your sacrifice. I salute this martyrdom.

                         ,     ,            



            pic.twitter.com/5rUtyhgDG9  Nayab Saini (@NayabSainiBJP) May 7, 2025

Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda also expressed his condolences, saying, I salute his martyrdom and offer deep condolences for the bereaved family in the hour of grief.

What is happening near LoC?

The Pakistani Army has opened unprovoked fire across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement, the Indian Army said, During the night of May 7-8, 2025, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked fire using Small Arms and Artillery Guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor areas in J&K. Indian Army responded proportionately.

This marked the 14th straight day of ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

Among the worst-hit was also the Poonch district, where at least 13 people, including women and children, lost their lives, and 59 others were injured due to the shelling.

Residents of a border village described the terrifying ordeal. Suddenly, firing from across the border happened. It was a terrible night for the people here, Abdul Husain told ANI on May 7, pointing to incomplete safety structures. Thirty per cent of the bunkers promised by the government are fully constructed, the rest are not.

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Also read: India-Pakistan tensions: Why J&K residents are readying Modi bunkers

Another woman injured in the attack said, In the early hours, the shelling happened. Our house was completely damaged. I dont know where we will go now.

A nearby gurdwara, Sri Guru Singh Sabha, also sustained considerable structural damage during the shelling.

The fresh wave of shelling comes just a day after India launched Operation Sindoor, a counterstrike mission in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. It involved 24 precision missile strikes on nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), conducted in the early hours of May 7.

These terror bases were reportedly strongholds of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

Responding to the operation, the Ministry of Defence said, Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.

We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held responsible, the statement added.

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With input from agencies
How effective was Operation Sindoor? Now, a day later, satellite imagery reveals that the actions have caused grave damage to the terror infrastructure in the neighbouring country. But thats not it; it has also sent a strong message to the world and delivered a huge blow to Islamabads image on the global stage read more

Members of the media film the inside of the terror camp in Bahawalpur after it was struck by India's Operation Sindoor. Reuters

As people slept soundly in their homes in the wee hours of Wednesday (May 7), the Indian Armed Forces carried out its most daring strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under the codename Operation Sindoor.

The  coordinated and precision strikes carried out by the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy took out 21 terror camps across nine locations linked to three major terror outfits  Maulana Masood Azhars Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hafiz Saeeds Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Syed Salahuddins Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

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Following the completion of Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army posted on X, Justice Served  as the military action was part of a commitment to hold accountable those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 in Kashmir in which 26 people had been killed.

But even as India hailed Operation Sindoors success, Pakistan raised doubts about the efficacy of the strikes, with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif calling it a cowardly attack and warned of further consequences.

Amid this, we analyse the impact of Operation Sindoor on the ground as well.

Terror camps reduced to rubble

Operation Sindoor took aim at five terror bases in PoK and four in Pakistan, targeting the terror groups of LeT, JeM and HM, which have long carried out attacks in India.

Of the 21 sites, the key targets were JeMs headquarters, Markaz Subhan Allah, in Bahawalpur, and Muridke Markaz, which has long been considered the operational and ideological heart of the LeT, and infamous for being Pakistans terror nursery. In fact, it is at this camp that 26/11 terrorists Ajmal Kasab and David Coleman Headley received training for the attacks.

A satellite image shows a closer view of buildings damaged following airstrikes in Bahawalpur following Operation Sindoor. Maxar/Reuters

Now, a day after the strikes, satellite imagery and videos reveal the extent of damage that India has caused to these terror bases.

Satellite images from Colorado-based Maxar Technologies captured both before and after the strike visuals, clearly show the impact of the operation at terror camps in Bahawalpur and Muridke, two major hubs of banned terror outfits.

Reuters reports that there was no loss of civilian life at the Bahawalpur camp as it had moved its students in recent days as speculation grew that it would be targeted by India. However, Masood Azhar, one of Indias most wanted terrorists and the chief of the JeM claimed that 10 members of his family had been killed in Indias strikes.

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A satellite image shows Markaz Taiba following airstrikes in Muridke, Pakistan. Maxar/Reuters

The terrorist said that he had lost his elder sister, her husband, a nephew and his wife, a niece, and five children from the extended family. Ten members of my family were blessed with this happiness together tonight five are innocent children, my elder sister, her honourable husband. My scholar Fazil bhanje (nephew) and his wife and my beloved scholar Fazilah (niece) my dear brother Huzaifah and his mother. Two more dear companions, he said, saying that those killed have become the guests of Allah.

Operation Sindoor kills terrorists

In addition to striking at the hearts of the terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, Operation Sindoor also wiped out numerous 70 terrorists, with no civilian loss of life.

Indias Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that Operation Sindoor eliminated those who targeted and killed innocent civilians. The operation reflects not just our military precision but also our moral restraint. In the words of Lord Hanuman: Jin mohi maara, tin mohi maare. This means we struck only those who harmed our innocents, he said.

In the all-party meeting on Thursday (May 8), he is quoted as saying that around 100 terrorists were eliminated. In Operation Sindoor, precise strikes were carried out on nine terrorist hideouts. Around 100 terrorists were killed. Confirmed information is still awaited, and counting is ongoing," sources quoted the government as having informed the all-party meeting.

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Top security sources also added that restraint was exercised in selecting targets and executing the operation.

Reports have also come in that Indias strikes managed to eliminate JeM terrorist Yaqub Mughal, head of the Markaz Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad. This base has a presence of 50-100 terrorists, and was used as a training centre for the JeM cadre.

People wave the Indian tricolour as they stand next to a sand art by artist Sudarsan Pattnaik in tribute to the Indian Armed Forces after Operation Sindoor at the beach in Puri, Odisha. PTI

The sky turned red

Residents of Pakistan and PoK have described the moment they saw Indian missiles rain down on Wednesday night as part of Operation Sindoor. A local in Pakistans Muridke said he saw four drones. It was around 12:45 in the night. We were asleep one drone came first, followed by three other drones, and they attacked the mosques everything is destroyed, he said while speaking to news agency Reuters.

Another witness added, We were sleeping on the roof. The first missile came with a loud sound. Three more followed, and one even passed directly over us. The sky lit up and it felt like the sky turned red.

Most locals added that there was still fear and panic amongst them, as they were unsure of what the future holds.

Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, along with Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, holds a press briefing following Indias military strikes on Pakistan. Reuters

Impact of Operation Sindoor

Besides the physical damage that Operation Sindoor has caused to terror camps, the Indian strikes have also sent a strong message to the world. In the press briefing, Indian officials stated that Operation Sindoor was not just about the terrorist attack in Pahalgam last month. Rather, it was a response to all significant acts of terrorism sponsored by Pakistan since the attack on Parliament in 2001. a

Analysts believe its a huge blow to Pakistan and its image on the global stage. Operation Sindoor severely diminishes Pakistans ability to hide behind the lack of conclusive evidence to show the Pakistani states complicity in terror attacks against India.

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Security analyst Aadil Mir also told ANI: India has crossed two significant thresholds striking multiple sites and targeting Pakistans heartland. This goes far beyond 2019.

Additionally, Operation Sindoor has pretty much ended the old India-Pakistan relationship. There is little chance of relations going back to the old format of comprehensive/composite dialogues, discussions on Kashmir, people to people cooperation etc. Even the start of conversations to establish normal relations with Pakistan will take considerable time and effort.

With inputs from agencies
India, during Operation Sindoor, used its Rafale jets armed with Scalp (Storm Shadow) missiles and armed with Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (Hammer) precision bombs to hit nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. If Pakistan retaliates, the Rafale fighters will be up against the F-16s. But how do the two fighter planes compare? read more

The French Dassault Rafale aircraft is an integral part of India's fighter jet fleet. Firstpost

India has launched precision strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response for the Pahalgam attack.

Operation Sindoor targeted nine locations  in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bahawalpur, Rawalakot, Chakswari, Bhimber, Neelum Valley, Jhelum, and Chakwal.

India used its Rafale jets armed with Scalp (Storm Shadow) missiles and armed with Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (Hammer) precision bombs.

These jets were up against the Pakistans F-16s.

But how do the fighter jets compare?

The basics

Indias Rafale jets are made by Frances Dassault Aviation.

Pakistans F-16s, also known as the Fighting Falcons, was developed by General Dynamics.

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Follow all updates on Operation Sindoor LIVE here

They are manufactured by US weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

While the Rafale jets are 4.5 generation machines, the F-16s are fourth-generation fighters.

The Rafale is powered by twin engines, while the F-16 is a single-engine craft.

Electronics and weapons

As per Wion, Rafale jets have low radar observability because of their semi-stealth airframe.

They also come equipped with an advanced AESA radar (RBE2-AA).

As mentioned earlier, the Rafale jets are equipped with the Scalp (Storm Shadow) missiles and Hammer bombs.

As per India Today, the Rafale jets also come with 13 India-specific improvements.

The Rafale jet is a 4.5 generation fighter plane. IAF

This includes the Meteor beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile, advanced electronic warfare suites, and superior radar and communication systems.

As per Wion, Rafales SPECTRA EW suite is among the best in its class.

It comes with active jamming, threat identification, radar decoys, and countermeasures against surface-to-air missiles and enemy radar.

As per Eurasian Times, the system can spot 40 targets at a range of 145 kilometres.

The system can also jam and copy enemy radar  making it harder for the F-16s to get a read on it.

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Indian Rafale fighters are also being equipped with the X-Guard fiber-optic towed decoy system  which allows them to dodge both air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles.

The F-16s come equipped with AIM-120C5 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) missiles and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs).

Which fighter is better?

The Rafale is undoubtedly the superior fighter.

While the F-16s AMRAAM worried India initially, the arrival of the Rafale with the BVR missile completely upended their advantage.

As Eurasian Times notes, the Rafale dominates the F-16 in BVR combat.

The Rafales Meteor has the biggest no-escape zone the area in which the target cannot either avoid getting hit or the likelihood of a death shot is extremely high.

The Meteor has a range of 120 kilometres compared to the AMRAAMs 100 kilometres.

While the F-16 is great in dogfights thanks to its lighter airframe and high thrust-to-weight ratio, closing the distance for the F-16s will be a big challenge.

The Rafales manouverability and system also gives it an advantage when the encounter is drawn out.

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The Rafales electronics and stealth also gives it a huge advantage over the F-16.

The advanced AESA radar also lets the Rafale have the first-shot capability over the F-16s.

India Today also pointed out that Pakistan faces numerous challenges when it comes to maintaining its aging fleet of F16s.

The fleet, around 75 fighters, faces maintenance challenges due to Pakistans financial issues and strict US rules on them being used purely in a defensive capacity.

India, on the other hand, has no such constraints with its Rafale fighters.

The Rafale and F-16 have never come up against each other barring in NATO exercises, as per Eurasian Times.

Little wonder then that the eyes of the world are on the clash between the two jets.

With inputs from agencies
Under Operation Sindoor, India carried out precise strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The plan of the operation was devised by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his team. The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), which reports to the National Security Council headed by the NSA, also played a key role read more

People shout slogans as they celebrate in Ahmedabad, Wednesday, May 7, 2025 after India fired missiles into Pakistan and PoK early Wednesday. AP

India-Pakistan tensions are at an all-time high. The Indian armed forces retaliated against the Pahalgam terror attack by launching missile strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on early Wednesday (May 7).

Dubbed Operation Sindoor, India targeted 21 terror camps and training facilities across nine locations in Pakistan and PoK. The strikes were focused, measured, and non-escalatory", ensuring that no military facilities were hit, the government said.

But how did India plan such precise strikes while avoiding unnecessary provocation, as the Ministry of Defence said?

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We will explain.

How Operation Sindoor was planned

After Pakistan-linked terrorists killed 26 men, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam on April 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers.

Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK where attacks against India were planned, avenged the Pahalgam massacre as well as other previous terror attacks that shocked the country. Two of the hit targets included the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) headquarters in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas (LeT) Markaz Taiba in Muridke.

It was National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and his team who planned the precise strikes against Pakistan and PoK under the Sindoor operation.

He led a special team that was tasked with collecting vital intelligence on terrorist activities in Pakistan and PoK, as per a News18 report.

The team identified and monitored new terrorist hideouts to accurately locate every target. These sites were surveilled around the clock, especially the movements or any changes in the terror camps.

After drawing up an extensive attack plan, NSA Doval shared the details with PM Modi. It was agreed during their discussions that only terrorist hideouts would be hit, ensuring minimal collateral damage, reported News18.

NSA Doval then met his team to fine-tune the strategy as per the PMs orders. The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) was charged with gathering final intelligence required for the operations success.

After charting the plan, Doval met PM Modi, who gave his approval. Only selected people were briefed on Operation Sindoor. Later, a control room, under NSA Dovals command, was set up.

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A satellite image shows Markaz Taiba following airstrikes in Muridke, Pakistan, May 7, 2025. Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters

And then between 1.05 am and 1.30 am on Wednesday, the Indian armed forces pulled off Operation Sindoor. At least 100 terrorists were killed in Pakistan and PoK, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting today.

What is NTRO?

The NTRO is Indias technical intelligence wing, which reports to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) and the National Security Council headed by NSA Ajit Doval.

The agency was formed in 2004 in the wake of the 1999 Kargil War. In 2017, the NTRO was put under The Intelligence Organisations (Restriction of Rights) Act, 1985.

This meant the agencys employees would have the same norms of conduct as the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), resricting the freedom of employees.

As per an article in the Raksha-Anirveda magazine, the NTRO is responsible for intercepting and examining communications signals, imagery intelligence, and cyber intelligence. It also provides technical assistance to intelligence agencies like the IB and R&AW.

The agency also maintains a database of information concerning technology and develops advanced tools for intelligence gathering, along with conducting scientific and technical

research and development.

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The NTRO also provides geospatial intelligence and imagery analysis. It works closely with other agencies like the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Indian Space Research Organisation, the National Informatics Centre, and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre, according to the Raksha-Anirveda article.

The piece also noted that the NTRO played a key role by providing intelligence inputs during the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Uri attack, the Balakot airstrike, and the Galwan Valley clash. The agency has helped in detecting and foiling cyberattacks on critical infrastructure in India.

With inputs from agencies
Operation Sindoor saw the Indian Army and Indian Air Force carry out strikes on nearly two dozen terror bases across nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. But how did they plan and execute this historic military action? Lets take a closer look read more

A city view of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In the wee hours of Wednesday, India carried out strikes on terror bases in Pakistan and PoK, dubbed as Operation Sindoor. Reuters

India on Wednesday launched a major attack on terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Operation Sindoor involved all three branches of the Indian military  the Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force.

The strikes themselves, on nearly terror bases in nine locations, were carried out by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

The nine locations supporting terror infrastructure included Bhawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit and Lashkar-e-Taibas base Muridke.

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But how did India carry out a two-pronged attack on terror hubs in Pakistan?

Lets take a closer look:

How India did it

Top government sources told India Today TV that the two-pronged strike was carried out simultaneously by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) used air-to-surface missiles, while the Indian Army launched surface-to-surface missiles, sources said.

As per News18, while the Indian Air Force hit distant targets, the Indian Army struck the nearer ones with loitering munitions including kamakazi drones.

The Indian Air Force used its jets to hit terror locations in Pakistan without straying over the Line of Control.

India deployed its Rafale, Su-30 MKI, and Mirage 2000 jets to launch precision strikes on the terror sites.

Sources say the IAF used Spice-2000 (Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective) Bomb.

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This Israeli-developed bombs were previously used during the 2019 strikes.

The Rafale jet is a 4.5 generation fighter plane. IAF

India also likely used Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (Hammer) bombs  guided munitions with rocket propulsion that can hit targets 70 kilometres away.

Indian Air Forces Rafale jets also used Scalp (Storm Shadow) missiles  which can hit a target from 250 kilometres away.

India used SU30 jets mainly for defence.

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Sources also said India used loitering munition systems including kamikaze drones  also known as suicide drones  to find and destroy targets.

The operation was also carried out within the span of 25 minutes  from 1.05 am to 1.30 am  catching Pakistan unawares and leaving it unable to respond.

Pakistan had to move around its artillery and was thus unable to return fire, sources said.

PTI sources quoted Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as saying that 100 Pakistani terrorists were killed in the strikes.

Sources told India Today the idea behind the attack was to deal a devastating blow to Pakistans terror infrastructure.

It was also to send Islamabad a clear signal  stop giving support to terrorists who attack India.

Sources told the outlet major global powers including the US, UK, France and Russia backed India while China was neutral.

This left Pakistan on its own island diplomatically  other than Turkey.

Sources said this is a significant diplomatic win for India.

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India ready to retaliate

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Wednesday told his counterparts in various countries that India has no intent to escalate tensions but is prepared to retaliate resolutely if Pakistan does so, officials said.

Doval briefed his counterparts in the US, UK, Saudi Arabia and Japan about Indias missile strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He also established contact with Russia and France, officials said.

NSA Ajit Doval. has warned that India will retaliate to any response from Pakistan. Source: Reuters.

NSA briefed his counterparts on actions taken and method of execution, which was measured, non-escalatory and restrained. He emphasised that India had no intent to escalate but was well prepared to retaliate resolutely should Pakistan decide to escalate, an official said.

This came after Pakistans National Security Council on Wednesday said the countrys armed forces have been duly authorised to undertake retaliation at a time, place, and manner of their choosing in response to the Indian military strikes.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over the National Security Council (NSC) meeting, which was attended by cabinet ministers, chief ministers, all services chiefs and senior officers to discuss the situation.

The Armed Forces of Pakistan have duly been authorised to undertake corresponding actions in this regard, the NSC statement said.

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With inputs from agencies
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a press briefing on Thursday, brought attention to the fact that Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist and high-level Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, led funeral prayers for terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor. He also highlighted the presence of Pakistan Army officials read more

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri displaying a picture of terrorist Hafiz Abdul Rauf and members of the Pakistani military at the funeral of terrorists killed during the Operation Sindoor strikes. ANI

Pakistans denials about being uninvolved in the Pahalgam terror attack have been unconvincing to say the least.

India on Wednesday launched Operation Sindoor  targetting nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Around 100 terrorists from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen have been killed in the strikes.

However, what has gained even more attention after the strikes is that the funeral of the terrorists was attended by a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander as well as several members of the Pakistan Army.

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Now, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has highlighted the photograph in a press briefing while accusing Pakistan of trying to wash its hands off terrorism.

But what did Misri say? And what do we know about the photo?

Lets take a closer look:

What did Misri say?

Misri, addressing a briefing on Operation Sindoor on Thursday, wondered why Pakistani terrorists were being given state funerals, in the presence of military officials.

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Misri held up the picture showing Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist and high-level Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, leading funeral prayers for those who died in the Indian missile strikes.

The picture also showed Pakistan Army personnel attending the funeral.

 #BREAKING Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist and a Lashkar e Taiba commander, leads funeral prayers for those killed in Indias strikes pic.twitter.com/YG6W9vuSWp  Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) May 7, 2025

Its also odd that the funerals of civilians are carried out with the coffins being draped in Pakistani flags and state honours being accorded. As far as we are concerned, the individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving terrorists state funerals may be a practice in Pakistan. It doesnt seem to make much sense to us, Misri said.

We have made the point very clearly that all attacks on the morning of May 7 were against carefully selected terrorist infrastructure, terrorist targets. In fact, seeing some of the coverage of the after effects of these strikes, including the funerals for the terrorists that are held yesterday, I think a lot of you have seen the reports and the coverage on media," Misri said.

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If only civilians, if any civilians were killed in these attacks, I wonder what message this picture actually sends to all of you. This is a question that is worth asking, Misri added.

Misri also pointed out that Pakistan had opposed the mention of The Resistance Front (TRF) in the UNSC, despite the fact that the TRF, a front for LeT, had claimed responsibility for the terror attack, not once but twice.

When talks were going on about the Pahalgam at the UNSC, Pakistan opposed the role of TRF (The Resistance Front). This is after TRF claimed the responsibility of the attack not once, but twice Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh clearly said yesterday as well as today, that Indias response is non-escalatory, precise, and measured, Misri said.

Who is Rauf?

Rauf is the chairman of Al Khidmat  a front group of the LeT.

He has been part of the top LeT leadership since 1999.

He has been implicated in facilitating LeTs operations, including the high-profile attack on Mumbai in 2008 which left over a hundred dead and the 2006 serial blasts.

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As per News18, Rauf is frequently seen at public events in Pakistan where he represent LeT front groups.

He has held multiple roles within the LeT.

In 2003, Rauf was appointed the LeTs Director of Public Service.

In 2008, he was appointed the LeTs Director of Humanitarian Relief.

He has also been a public spokesman for the terror outfit.

Rauf also ran propaganda campaigns for the Falah-i Insaniat Foundation (FIF)  an LeT front group.

In 2008, Rauf was sent by LeT chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed with a delegation to oversee the terror groups operations in Bajaur.

The US declared Rauf as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in 2010.

The US then froze his assets and banned any of its citizens from engaging with Rauf.

Did Pakistani forces attend funeral of terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor?

A large number of Pakistan Army and police personnel were seen at the funerals of terrorists killed during Indias cross-border strike, Operation Sindoor, according to reports by PTI and CNN-News18.

Notably, the funeral prayer for Qari Abdul Malik, Khalid, and Mudassir was held in Muridke under heavy security.

The funeral prayer was led by Rauf and was reportedly attended by Pakistani Army personnel.

#BreakingNews | All the people in uniform have turned up for the funeral of all the terrorists who were eliminated in Operation Sindoor



Group Capt MJA Vinod & Lt Gen (R.) Rakesh Sharma share views@AnchorAnandN | #TheRightStand #IndianAirForce #IndianArmy #JaiHind pic.twitter.com/Ww5fxBc1jV  News18 (@CNNnews18) May 7, 2025

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Several members of the civil bureaucracy were also present at the funeral, PTI quoted Tabish Qayyum, spokesperson for the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, political wing of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), as saying.

As per reports, Pakistan Army officers, police, civil officials, and members of the JuD, which was founded by Hafiz Saeed, attended the funeral.

Videos from the scene showed coffins being carried, some draped in the Pakistani flag, with Army personnel participating in the procession.

Sharing the video, Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora posted: Plotting. Assisting. Killing. Inciting. Shielding. Training. Arming. Nurturing. Thats what P-A-K-I-S-T-A-N really stands for. Even after 9/11, 26/11, Abbottabad & now #Pahalgam, how much more proof does the world need?

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs response, calling the strikes an act of war and warning of retaliation, has also come under increased scrutiny.

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Adding to this, Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently admitted that the country had for years supported and funded terror groups, calling it dirty work done for foreign interests.

Will Pakistan retaliate?

In a late-night address on Wednesday, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif said: We make this pledge, that we will avenge each drop of the blood of these martyrs.

Earlier the same day, Pakistans national security council met and authorised the military to respond in defence of the countrys sovereignty at a time, place, and manner of its choosing.

ALSO READ | From Operation Vijay to Operation Sindoor: Indias military operations against Pakistan have evolved

Meanwhile, Pakistan launched one of the most intense rounds of artillery and mortar shelling seen in years, targeting forward villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

CNN-News18 reported that at least 15 people, including four children and a soldier, were killed, and 57 others were injured.

The White Knight Corps, the official handle of the Indian Armys 16 Corps, confirmed that Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5 Field Regiment died in the shelling by Pakistan.

The attack forced hundreds of people to flee their homes or seek shelter in underground bunkers. Several houses, vehicles, and public buildings, including a gurdwara, were damaged, especially in the Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu, and Baramulla and Kupwara in north Kashmir.

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Officials said the Indian Army responded strongly and destroyed several enemy posts responsible for the firing.

Operation Sindoor

In a carefully planned 25-minute operation carried out early Wednesday, the Indian armed forces targeted and destroyed nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The strike was described as measured and non-escalatory, and was a direct response to the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22.

India has clearly stated that its strikes were aimed only at terror camps inside Pakistan. AP

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the decision to launch the proportionate strikes came after Pakistan failed to take any visible steps against terror bases operating from areas under its control.

At a press briefing, Colonel Sophia Qureshi from the Armys Corps of Signals and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force confirmed the mission had been carried out successfully, along with Misri.

Roughly 15 minutes after the operation ended, the Ministry of Defence released a statement: A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where attacks against India have been planned and directed.

With inputs from agencies
A day after Operation Sindoor, Pakistani officials have claimed they brought down Indian drones at multiple locations. However, India has fact-checked the claim, saying the visuals shared are from the Russia-Ukraine war and date back to 2022. This is the latest instance of Islamabads propaganda machinery in overdrive. It has shared multiple fake videos and photos of destroyed fighter jets, Indian soldiers being captured, and even a brigade headquarter being destroyed read more

Vendors sort news papers leading with reports of India firing missiles early Wednesday at terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, in Guwahati, India. Since the operation, Pakistan has flooded social media with misinformation and misleading claims. AP

Just after 1 am, local time, on Wednesday (May 7), the Indian military launched Operation Sindoor, a series of strikes targeting terrorist camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Rafales and MiGs were in the air for less than half an hour, firing missiles that rained hell on nine locations across the border.

But even as the world watched, Pakistan began to wage a battle against India  that of misinformation and propaganda. In fact, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that Pakistan had unleashed a full-blown disinformation offensive on social media in a desperate attempt to shift the focus from ground reality.

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Pro-Pakistan social media handles and even influential political figures are deliberately spreading fake news, fabricating stories of miraculous military victories and heroic retaliation that simply do not exist, the ministry said.

At least eight fabricated claims, including the downing of Rafale jets, have been debunked after they were shared by pro-Pakistan social media accounts and prominent political figures in the neighbouring nation.

Did Pakistan shoot down a drone?

A day after Operation Sindoor, Pakistani media reported that security forces have shot down an Indian drone in Walton area of Lahore. The security officials downed the drone immediately after spotting it while no damages have been reported in the incident.

The Indian drone shot down in Lahore at 0653 hours was not a surveillance drone, but likely a kamikaze drone (a suicide drone that explodes upon hitting its intended target). It can carry up to 40 kg of explosives. India is on the offensive, while Pakistan is on the defensive. pic.twitter.com/bPpUqKg8S9  Pakistan Walli (@pakistanwalli) May 8, 2025

Reports also noted that another drone was destroyed in Diwalian area of Chakwal. However, no any casualty or damages have been reported.

Did this Indian drone really get intercepted in Pakistan



Pakistan-based handles are sharing an old image claiming that the Pakistan Army has intercepted a UAV drone that fell in Gujranwala, Pakistan.#PIBFactCheck



 The image being circulated is from the Ukraine-Russia pic.twitter.com/XdY1D9ZmuQ  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 8, 2025

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Earlier too, Pakistani handles claimed that the military intercepted a UAV drone that fell in Gujranwala, Pakistan. However, the image shared in the post actually dates back to 2022 from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Did an Indian dam collapse trying to stop Pakistans water?

A day after the Pahalgam attack on April 22, India announced that it was putting in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty. As a consequence of this, India briefly stopped water flowing through the Baglihar dam on the Chenab River.

Subsequently, many Pakistan-based social media users began sharing a video of an alleged Indian TV news report of the gates of a dam collapsing. They claimed this was the Kishanganga dam. A voiceover in the video says the same.

India's Kishanganga Dam that was closed to stop water flow to Pakistan has collapsed. pic.twitter.com/zSnUAmYROS  Dr. Syeda Abiha Fatimah Shah  (@DivineBows) May 6, 2025

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Sharing this video, one X user wrote, Breaking: Indias move to block water at the Kishanganga Dam has backfired. The dam gates could not withstand the pressure and collapsed.

However, the claim is false, as the video shows a spill gate collapse in Texas, United States, in 2019.

Did Pakistan down Indias fighter jets?

No.

Shortly after India launched Operation Sindoor, using French-made Rafale jets, Pakistan claimed it had shot down five Indian Air Force jets. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the military had shot down five Indian warplanes, including three French-made Rafales, and officials released a video showing smoke rising from an apparent crash site. Sharif said Pakistani planes never entered Indian territory and only shot down the aircraft after they had delivered their payload.

We were ready to pounce on the enemys planes and throw them in the sea, Sharif told Pakistans Parliament on Wednesday evening. The enemy knows about our capabilities, he added.

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Additionally, multiple pro-Pakistan social media accounts showed Pakistan downing Indias fighter jets.

Propaganda Alert!



Beware of old images shared by pro-Pakistan handles in the present context!



An #old image showing a crashed aircraft is being circulated with the claim that Pakistan recently shot down an Indian Rafale jet near Bahawalpur during the ongoing #OperationSindoor pic.twitter.com/LdkJ1JYuH0  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 7, 2025

However, Indias Press Information Bureau has debunked these claims. One of the videos shared is, in fact, an Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-29 fighter jet that crashed in Barmer, Rajasthan, in September 2024. Similarly, another video claiming to show Pakistan downing a Rafale jet near Bahawalpur is actually that of an IAF MiG-21 fighter jet that crashed in Moga district in Punjab in 2021.

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Another video showing Pakistan shooting down one of Indias jets during Operation Sindoor is from February 2025 and depicts the crash of an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000 aircraft near Shivpuri, Gwalior, which occurred during a routine training mission.

Whats even more surprising is that when Pakistans Defence Minister Khwaja Asif was asked for tangible evidence of downing the Indian jets during a CNN interview, he responded, It is all on social media, and Indian social media, not our social media. The debris of the jets fell on their side. It is all over the Indian media.

Did India wave white flag at LoC?

Shortly after Operation Sindoor took place, Pakistan retaliated with heavy firing along the Line of Control. The shelling has killed 15 civilians on the Indian side, and prompted officials to move residents from the borders to bunkers.

Amidst this, Pakistani media and multiple social media handles shared videos depicting what they claimed was the Indian Army hoisting the White Flag to accept defeat. A report that appeared on Samaa TV said that a white flag was hoisted at the Chora Complex along the Line of Control. Ironically, there is no digital footprint of any Chora Complex along the border within India.

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Videos shared online also made similar claims. However, India clarified that the visuals being shared were from September 2019 of the Pakistan Army raising white flag at LoC to recover bodies of its dead soldiers.

This claim got further credibility after Pakistans Minister Attaullah Tarar publicly endorsed it without a shred of evidence.

Did Pakistan destroy brigade headquarters in Srinagar?

Indian governments fact-checking unit has also debunked claims that Pakistan destroyed an Indian Brigade headquarters in Srinagar in retaliation for Operation Sindoor.

Social media posts falsely claims that Pakistan destroyed Indian Brigade Headquarters.#PIBFactCheck



 This claim is #FAKE



 Please avoid sharing unverified information and rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate information. pic.twitter.com/9W5YLjBubp  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 7, 2025

Social media posts falsely claimed that Pakistan destroyed Indian Brigade Headquarters. This claim is #FAKE. Please avoid sharing unverified information and rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate information, the PIB fact check said.

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Did Pakistan capture Indian soldiers amid Operation Sindoor?

Pakistan Defence Minister on Wednesday claimed that Indian soldiers were captured during Operation Sindoor. He alleged that three Indian soldiers had been taken as prisoner of war as India carried out military strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK.

Later, he made a U-turn, stating that no Indian soldiers were taken into custody. However, he went on to allege  without providing any evidence  that Indian troops were abandoning their posts.

How this is part of Pakistan age-old tactics?

Pro-Pakistani social media handles and prominent Pakistani officials circulating fake images, misrepresenting unrelated videos, and propagating entirely fabricated claims is part of the neighbouring nations attempt to control the narrative, said Indian defence experts.

This strategy, often deployed by Pakistan, is aimed at diverting attention from the effectiveness of Indias action, while simultaneously trying to influence both domestic sentiment and international opinion through false portrayals of battlefield developments, reported news agency IANS.

With inputs from agencies
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri debunked several allegations by Pakistan regarding Operation Sindoor. From Indian strikes in Pakistan and PoK killing civilians to deliberate targetting of religious sites and the Neelum-Jhelum dam, heres how New Delhi took on Islamabad one claim at a time read more

India has debunked several of Pakistans claims regarding Operation Sindoor. On the intervening night of May 6-7, India carried out air strikes on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), killing at least 100 terrorists.

Tensions have increased between the two countries since India carried out strikes in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. On Thursday (May 8), the Indian armed forces neutralised an air defence system in Lahore after Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, as per a government statement.

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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addressed the media on the latest developments today. Misri used the opportunity to debunk disinformation around Operation Sindoor.

Original escalation by Pakistan

Vikram Misri said that there has been a flood of misinformation since Operation Sindoor. He said India is not seeking to escalate the situation, pointing out that the Pahalgam terror attack is the original escalation.

The foreign secretary said the Indian strikes were a response to that escalation. We are not escalating matters, we are responding to the original escalation, he said.

Pakistans Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, had said after Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has every right to respond forcefully to this act of war imposed by India, and a forceful response is being given.

Misri further exposed Pakistan, saying that it opposed the mention of The Resistance Front (TRF), which claimed responsibility for the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, in the press release of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the massacre.

The TRF is a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group.

No civilians were killed

Pakistans Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, earlier claimed that civilians were killed, including women and children in the Indian attack on Pakistan and PoK.

Misri reiterated that India targeted only terror camps and no military or civilian facilities were struck. He said India responded to the original escalation and the strikes were precise, controlled and measured.

The foreign secretary also brought attention to the reportage on the funerals of terrorists, who he said were draped in Pakistani flags and were accorded state honours. As far as we are concerned, the individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists, he said, adding that giving terrorist state funerals may be a practice in Pakistan, doesnt seem to make much sense to us.

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 #BREAKING Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist and a Lashkar e Taiba commander, leads funeral prayers for those killed in Indias strikes pic.twitter.com/YG6W9vuSWp  Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) May 7, 2025

On religious sites

Misri also rejected Pakistans claims that India deliberately struck religious sites during Operation Sindoor.

These claims are completely false again. Pakistan is misusing religious sites to radicalise and indoctrinate terrorists, said the foreign secretary.

He also underlined Pakistans targeted attacks on Sikhs, a gurdwara in Poonch, in which three people were killed.

Pakistan's reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances where concrete evidence is available not just to India but to governments, authorities, and agencies around the world. There are several terrorist attacks around the world where pic.twitter.com/q3BzpJVztm  PIB India (@PIB_India) May 8, 2025

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Pakistans calls for neutral probe

Misri also spoke about Pakistans demand for a neutral investigation into the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. He brought focus to Islamabads track record on such probes during previous terror attacks on Indian soil.

India provided extensive information and evidence related to the involvement of Pakistani terrorists in the case of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, he said, adding that cases were filed, but there was no progress.

Pakistan has consistently stonewalled all efforts to move the investigation, he added.

After the 2016 Pathankot Air Base attack, India gave unprecedented access to the Pakistani team to the site of the attack.

DNA data and details of the addresses of terrorists were shared, along with presenting evidence against office bearers of Jaish-e-Mohammad and the handlers of the terrorists, but there has been no movement, he said.

In all of this, experience has not been positive, Misri added. He called Pakistans call for a joint investigation a delaying tactic.

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Misri also said he was not surprised at Pakistani ministers, including PM Sharif, spreading disinformation about downing multiple Indian jets, including the Rafale.

Pakistans lies began with the birth of the nation as it lied even to the United Nations when it claimed that it was not part of the attack on Jammu and Kashmir after the Partition.

No damage to Neelam-Jhelum dam

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also dismissed Pakistans claim of Indian strikes targeting the Neelum-Jhelum dam in PoK as a blatant lie.

He emphasised that India struck only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK.

If this kind of a claim is a pretext for targeting Indian infrastructure of a similar nature, then Pakistan will be solely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow, Misri warned.

The claim has also been denied by PIB Fact Check on X, calling it baseless.

Social Media post falsely claims India targeted the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in #Pakistan. #PIBFactCheck



 This claim is baseless.



 Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has clearly stated in a press conference that India has only targeted terrorist infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/6GMVoLMIS4  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 8, 2025

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The Pakistan governments security committee on Wednesday alleged India had deliberately targeted the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project, terming it a violation of international conventions.

With inputs from agencies
On Wednesday, Indian missiles struck nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. While some countries backed Indias right to self-defence, others called it an unprovoked violation. Notably, Israel has supported Indias right to defend itself, while Turkey has strongly backed Pakistan, describing the strikes as Indias unprovoked violation of Pakistans sovereignty read more

Indias Operation Sindoor, a targeted response against terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), has drawn attention from around the world.

On Wednesday morning, Indian missiles hit nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoK. The strikes came two weeks after 26 people were killed in an attack by cross-border terrorists in Pahalgam.

India has described the operation as measured and non-escalatory, saying that no Pakistani military sites were hit.

Catch all the live updates from here

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While some countries have supported Indias right to self-defence, others have called out the unprovoked violation.

In this explainer, we explore how different countries have reacted so far, pointing out who supports India and who is siding with Pakistan.

Lets take a look:

UNITED STATES

US President Donald Trump said that India and Pakistan had gone tit-for-tat and hoped that the two nuclear-armed Asian neighbours would avoid any further escalation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also discussed ways to ease tensions between India and Pakistan during a call with his Saudi Arabian counterpart on Wednesday.

It's shame for Pakistan to continuously keep attacking India and her innocent citizens, Mr. Trump.



It's a proud day for Indians.



Jai Hind pic.twitter.com/e6MBgvAcmx  Ayudhika (@Ayudhika1310) May 7, 2025

The Indian Embassy in Washington said in a statement that after the airstrikes, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke to Rubio to update him on the steps taken.

The United States has so far called on both countries to reduce tensions through talks and find a responsible solution.

Analysts told Reuters that the US might stay out of the situation in the early stages because of its focus on diplomatic efforts in Russias war in Ukraine and Israels war in Gaza.

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Last month, Trump said that India and Pakistan would sort out their relationship one way or the other, hinting that the United States was unlikely to step in.

India-born US Congressman Shri Thanedar said terrorism must not be tolerated and should not go unanswered.

He said, India has the right to defend its people, and I stand firmly with our ally in its efforts to dismantle these extremist networks. The United States should always stand with our allies against terrorism.

ISRAEL

Israel extended strong support for India just hours after the precision strike in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Israels Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, posted on X, saying that Israel backs Indias right to defend itself. Terrorists should know theres no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent, he added.

Israel supports Indias right for self defense. Terrorists should know theres no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent. #OperationSindoor   Reuven Azar (@ReuvenAzar) May 7, 2025

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India and Israel have had a close strategic partnership for many years.

Back in 2017, Israeli officials said they supported India hook, line and sinker when it came to terrorism coming from Pakistan. They said that both countries face similar threats and have the right to protect themselves.

ALSO READ | From Bahawalpur to Mudrike: What are the 9 sites India struck in Pakistan, PoK?

UNITED KINGDOM

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK is speaking to both India and Pakistan to encourage dialogue and help reduce tensions.

Rising tensions between India and Pakistan will be of serious concern for many across Britain, Starmer told Parliament.

We are engaging urgently with both countries, as well as other international partners, encouraging dialogue, de-escalation and the protection of civilians, he added.

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gave his full support to Indias Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

In a post on X, he wrote, No nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from land controlled by another country. India is justified in striking terrorist infrastructure. There can be no impunity for terrorists.

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UK shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel pointed out Indias right to take proportionate steps to defend itself and to dismantle the terror networks responsible for past attacks and ongoing threats.

Today in the House of Commons I reiterated my condolences for those impacted by the atrocity that took place in Pahalgam. We must stand with those affected by terrorism. The UK must work with our friends in India to tackle terrorist threats and engage with India, Pakistan and key pic.twitter.com/8RXezaJHx0  Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) May 7, 2025

Terrorists based in Pakistan threaten India and western interests  it was the country that Osama bin Laden was hiding in  and because of the long history of violence being inflicted by terrorists on India, the UK has in place long-standing security cooperation agreements with India, said the British MP.

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TURKEY:

Turkey has shown strong support for Pakistan. The Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan met with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to express his countrys backing following what he called Indias unprovoked violation of Pakistans sovereignty.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif posted on X, Spoke with my dear brother President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and thanked him for Turkiyes solidarity and support with Pakistan at this critical time. Appreciate the prayers of our Turkish brethren for the martyrs of yesterdays heinous missile strikes carried out by India. Briefed him on the valiant efforts of our armed forces who repulsed the enemy with their bravery and professional superiority.

Spoke with my dear brother President Recep Tayyip Erdogan @RTErdogan and thanked him for Turkiyes solidarity and support with Pakistan at this critical time. Appreciate the prayers of our Turkish brethren for the martyrs of yesterdays heinous missile strikes carried out by  Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 8, 2025

We will protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs. Pakistan is grateful for Turkish efforts to promote de-escalation and maintain peace in South Asia, he added.

Turkey has regularly supported Pakistan in its disputes with India. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on both nations to lower tensions after the Pahalgam attack.

During a visit to Pakistan in February 2025, he reiterated Turkeys firm support and said that the Kashmir issue should be resolved through UN resolutions and dialogue, keeping the hopes of the Kashmiri people in mind.

While Turkey has continued to back Pakistan, its ties with India have become more strained. In 2024, Turkey put a full ban on the export of weapons and defence equipment to India, moving its defence ties closer to Pakistan.

It has also expressed distress about Indias role in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), seeing it as a challenge to Turkeys own plans in the region.

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CHINA:

China has called on both India and Pakistan to show restraint and avoid any moves that could make the situation worse.

Responding to Indias strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), a spokesperson from Chinas Foreign Ministry said: China finds Indias military operation early this morning regrettable. We are concerned about the ongoing situation. India and Pakistan are and will always be each others neighbours. Theyre both Chinas neighbours as well."

China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation, it added.

China finds Indias military operation early this morning regrettable. We are concerned about the ongoing situation between India and Pakistan. India and Pakistan are and will always be each others neighbors. Theyre both Chinas neighbors as well. China opposes all forms of  Lin Jian  (@SpoxCHN_LinJian) May 7, 2025

The Chinese government has also said it is important to keep peace and stability in the region, and has urged both sides to resolve their issues through dialogue.

China has been closely watching how events unfold following the airstrikes, especially as Pakistan is one of its closest allies. Since the Pahalgam terror attack, China has condemned the incident while calling for calm and a fair and speedy investigation.

On the diplomatic front, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi on the phone on April 27. Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari.

During the call, Wang said China is watching the situation carefully. He added that tackling terrorism is a shared duty for the world and that China supports a fair investigation without delay, as continued conflict helps no one and does not bring peace to the region.

As an ironclad friend and an all-weather strategic cooperative partner, China fully understands Pakistans legitimate security concerns and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests, said Wang.

RUSSIA:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has urged both India and Pakistan to stay calm and avoid any steps that might make tensions worse.

She said, Russia resolutely condemns acts of terrorism as it opposes any manifestations of it and accentuates the need to join forces globally for an effective fight against this evil."

 Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria #Zakharova:



 We are deeply concerned about the aggravation of military confrontation between #India & #Pakistan.



We urge the parties involved to show restraint in order to prevent further deterioration in the region.https://t.co/GBZplsZd1X pic.twitter.com/3SAWWSbGjw  MFA Russia  (@mfa_russia) May 7, 2025

We call on the parties concerned to exercise restraint in order to prevent the situation in the region from escalating, Zakharova continued.

Russia has shown its support for India by condemning the terrorist attack in Kashmir and has reiterated its commitment to working with India against terrorism in all its forms. President Vladimir Putin called the attack a brutal crime and said it had no justification whatsoever.

A statement from the Kremlin confirmed that Russia remains committed to working with India to fight terrorism in every form.

UAE:

UAE Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has called on India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and avoid further escalation that could threaten regional and international peace."

His Highness reaffirmed that diplomacy and dialogue remain the most effective means of peacefully resolving crises, and achieving the shared aspirations of nations for peace, stability, and prosperity, the statement said.

The UAE has taken an active role in efforts to reduce tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. After the April 22 attack in Kashmir and Indias strikes that followed, Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached out to the UAE, along with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, for help in calming the situation.

The UAE reacted by sending diplomats and opening discussions with both India and Pakistan, urging both sides to remain calm and avoid further military action.

In the past, the UAE has quietly supported India-Pakistan talks, including informal deals to stop cross-border firing. It now appears to be continuing that role during the current crisis.

QATAR:

Qatars foreign ministry posted a statement on X on Wednesday about Operation Sindoor, saying, The State of Qatar is following with deep concern the continued escalation between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Qatar urges both countries to exercise maximum restraint, give priority to the voice of wisdom, respect the principles of good neighborliness, and resolve the crisis through diplomatic means.

Qatars Ministry of Foreign Affairs also called on both sides to solve their disagreements through open and constructive talks, to help keep peace and stability in the region.

With inputs from agencies
Indias strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK have reportedly killed Jaish-e Mohammad (JeM) terrorist Abdul Rauf Azhar, the younger brother of Masood Azhar. His death brings justice to the US journalist Daniel Pearl, who was abducted and killed in Pakistan in 2002. Heres how read more

Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl is photographed in an image sent by his kidnappers. File Photo/Reuters

India has eliminated one of its most wanted terrorists with Operation Sindoor. The Indian armed forces missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) early Wednesday have reportedly killed Jaish-e Mohammad (JeM) terrorist Abdul Rauf Azhar.

Indias precision strikes on terror camps included JeM headquarters in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas (LeT) Markaz Taiba in Muridke. Operation Sindoor has neutralised several high-profile terrorist operatives responsible for spreading terror globally. Azhar is believed to be among those killed.

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Lets take a closer look.

Who was Abdul Rauf Azhar?

Abdul Rauf Azhar, the younger brother of JeM founder Masood Azhar, was behind several terror attacks in India.

Born in 1974 in Pakistan, he plotted the hijacking of the Indian Airlines aircraft IC 814. On December 24, 1999, five masked terrorists hijacked the Delhi-bound plane. The aircraft was eventually flown to Kandahar in Afghanistan, which was ruled by the Taliban.

The hijacking resulted in the release of three dreaded terrorists jailed in India  Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, Mushtaq Zargar and Masood Azhar  in exchange for the nearly 150 passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines Flight.

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh was involved in the killing of the United States journalist Daniel Pearl in Pakistan. Masood Azhar went on to establish the Jaish-e-Mohammad group after his release.

As per a News18 report, Abdul Rauf Azhar was the operational head of JeM and the de facto chief when his brother Masood Azhar was not present. While staying in the shadows, the younger Azhar directed JeMs several heinous terror attacks against India.

Rauf Azhars operatives were behind the 2001 Parliament attack that brought India and Pakistan to the brink of conflict.

In 2005, five terrorists attacked the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Uttar Pradeshs Ayodhya and were shot dead by security personnel. As per News18, the terror attack fitted JeMs ideology and Azhars playbook.

The JeM leader is also believed to have planned and supervised the infiltration of terrorists for the Pathankot attack. Jaish members had attacked the Indian Air Force (IAF) base at Punjabs Pathankot, killing six security personnel, in 2016.

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Azhar, also known as Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, was declared a terrorist by the US in 2010 for recruiting operatives and planning attacks in India and Afghanistan."

However, Indias move to have him blacklisted by the United Nations Security Council in 2022 was blocked by China.

Killing of Daniel Pearl

On January 23, 2002, Daniel Pearl, a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter, was on his way for an interview in Pakistans Karachi with a religious leader as part of his research into Islamist militants.

He was abducted near a hotel by terrorists who claimed to be from a group called the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty.

Four days later, the group sent an email with pictures of the 38-year-old journalist in chains. One of the pictures showed Pearl, who was Jewish, holding a newspaper and another with a gun to his head, as per a WSJ report.

Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was murdered in February 2002. File Photo/Reuters

The group demanded the release of all Pakistani terrorists held by the US. Despite public pleas from Pearls family and others, they did not free the journalist.

On February 1, 2002, Pearl was murdered by the terrorists. Weeks later, a videotape showing Pearls beheading was released, sending shockwaves across the world.

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The case drew global attention. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a British-Pakistani terrorist, was found to be the mastermind of the kidnapping and killing of Pearl. He was convicted in 2002.

According to lawyers of Pearls family, Sheikh helped in organising the kidnapping and detention of the journalist, before directing his captors to kill him, reported Al Jazeera.

In 2007, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed of the al-Qaeda terror group claimed responsibility for Pearls murder.

Pakistans Supreme Court ordered the release of Sheikh in 2021.

Operation Sindoor brings justice to Daniel Pearl

With the killing of Abdul Rauf Azhar, the Indian armed forces have avenged several terror attacks carried out on Indian soil involving the JeM leader. Azhar, whose hijacking of the IC 814 flight led to the release of the mastermind of Pearls killing, has been brought to justice.

Rauf Azhars role in orchestrating the IC-814 hijacking directly facilitated the release of Omar Saeed Sheikh, a key Al-Qaeda operative who went on to kidnap and murder Daniel Pearl, an American-Jewish journalist with the Wall Street Journal. Pearls brutal execution in 2002 shocked the conscience of the world and remains a defining example of the global threat posed by state-protected terror networks, government sources said.

By eliminating Rauf Azhar, India has not only delivered justice for countless Indian victims of terror, but also taken a step toward closure in the long, painful memory of Daniel Pearls killing  a case that symbolised the dangers faced by journalists, the Jewish community, and the broader democratic world, they added.

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With inputs from agencies
Indias alleged use of Israeli-made Harop drones in Pakistan has put a spotlight on this loitering munitions deadly precision and long endurance. From past use in Azerbaijan to current claims in Operation Sindoor, the Harops role is reshaping drone warfare read more

A Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft of the United States Air Force (USAF) flies past a Harop unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) during an aerial display at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore, February 17, 2012. File Image/Reuters

Tensions between India and Pakistan are heating up as India, in response to Pakistans bid to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, reportedly used drones to strike targets in urban town in Pakistan.

Pakistan has claimed that India employed Israeli-made Harop drones  also known as loitering munitions or suicide drones. These claims have directed attention to the Harop drone, its operational history, and its battlefield capabilities.

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In the early hours of May 7, 2025, India launched coordinated air strikes targeting nine terror-related locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), under the codename Operation Sindoor.

The Pakistani military claimed that there were Harop drones, shot down in multiple areas on Thursday, including within the limits of Lahore and Karachi.

Debris is being collected from all impact sites, including within Karachi and Lahore city limits, a spokesperson for the Pakistan military said. We are neutralising them one by one, the spokesperson claimed.

All we know about the Harop

The Harop drone, developed by the MBT Missiles Division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), belongs to a class of weapons known as loitering munitions.

These drones are designed to hover in a designated area for extended periods, identify hostile targets, and destroy them by crashing into them with a built-in explosive payload.

Unlike conventional UAVs, which return after surveillance missions, loitering munitions serve a dual purpose: reconnaissance and attack.

HAROP has a 9-hour endurance to seek targets in a designated area. Image/IAI

The Harop is equipped with an electro-optical (EO) or infrared (IR) seeker to detect, track, and engage static or mobile threats, including radar systems, missile launchers, and command posts.

Capable of autonomous operation with human oversight, the Harop offers a man-in-the-loop control mode, allowing the operator to make final decisions before impact. It is also equipped with abort capability, allowing for mission cancellation mid-flight to avoid collateral damage.

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Some of the drones notable features include:

A wingspan of 3 meters and a length of 2.5 meters.

Maximum speed of 417 km/h.

Operational range of 200 km.

Flight endurance exceeding six hours.

Service ceiling of approximately 15,000 feet.

A 16 kg high-explosive warhead.

Circular Error Probable (CEP) of under one meter, making it highly accurate.

This combination of attributes allows the Harop to loiter over hostile areas, strike from any angleincluding shallow or steep dives  and perform in GPS-denied environments due to its resistance to GNSS jamming.

Harop is combat-proven

The Harop has demonstrated its combat effectiveness in multiple conflict zones. It first gained major attention during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, where Azerbaijan employed the drone to great effect against Armenian forces.

The Harop proved especially effective in targeting enemy air defences and armored units, often in challenging conditions such as freezing weather and heavy electronic warfare interference.

An advisor to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Hikmet Hajiyev, publicly praised the Harops effectiveness during that conflict.

Also Watch:

The drone has also been credited with destroying a Syrian Air Defence SA-22 Greyhound system on May 10, 2018. More recently, on December 9, 2024, the Harop was reportedly used in an attack on Syrian Armed Forces.

This battlefield history underlines the Harops role as a critical tool for neutralising high-value, time-sensitive targets without requiring prior ground intelligence. Its autonomous capabilities and ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) functions allow for real-time adjustments and precision strikes.

Indias use of Harop

India has been a known operator of the Harop drone for over a decade. The Indian Air Force first showed interest in the platform in the mid-2000s and began formal procurement in 2009.

That year, it announced the purchase of Harop systems worth around $100 million. The drones were first publicly unveiled ahead of the Aero India 2009 air show.

By 2019, India had significantly expanded its inventory of these drones. The Indian Air Force decided to add 54 more Harops to its existing fleet of over 100, re-designating them as P-4.

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HAROP is supervised by remote human-in-the-loop mission control and may be aborted if required. Image/IAI

In 2021, India acquired additional Harop systems, specifically to strengthen surveillance and offensive capabilities along the borders with Pakistan and China.

The Indian military is believed to operate the Harop from both ground-based and naval canister-launch platforms, enabling flexibility in deployment across diverse terrains.

Although India has not officially confirmed the use of Harop drones in the current operation, the countrys long-standing procurement and operational integration of the system suggest it forms a core part of its offensive drone arsenal.

Other variants

Apart from India and Israel, several countries have incorporated the Harop into their defence strategies. Azerbaijan is one of the most visible users of the drone, credited with extensive operational success.

The Netherlands recently announced acquisition plans for its Navy, specifically for amphibious and multi-support ships operated by the Koninklijke Marine. Morocco is also reported to be among the drones international customers.

IAI has also developed a more compact version of the drone, known as the Mini Harop. Designed for tactical operations, it offers a shorter endurance of around one hour and is typically launched from light tactical vehicles.

The Mini Harop is particularly effective against fast-moving, fleeting targets in battlefield scenarios where rapid deployment and high accuracy are essential.

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Also Watch:

These drones offer a low-risk, high-impact alternative to manned aerial missions, especially in scenarios requiring stealth, endurance and pinpoint accuracy.

With inputs from agencies
There is nothing surprising in it. After all, this is a country that started lying as soon as it was born, said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri when asked about Pakistans propaganda that it downed Indian jets read more

India on Thursday dismissed claims by Pakistan that it downed 5 Indian jets, saying that this is a country that started lying as soon as it was born.

There is nothing surprising in it. After all, this is a country that started lying as soon as it was born. In 1947, when the Pakistani army claimed Jammu and Kashmir, they lied not to any random person but to the United Nations that we have nothing to do with it So this journey started 75 years ago, said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during a press briefing on Wednesday.

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Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had on Wednesday told CNN that its military had used Chinese-made aircraft to shoot down five Indian fighter jets on Wednesday.

Pakistan claimed it shot down five Indian jets  three French-made Rafales, a MiG-29 and an Su-30 fighter  after India launched airstrikes on terrorist hideouts inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Our jet fighters were J-10Cs that shot down the three French Rafales and other jets," CNN quoted Dar saying on Wednesday.

He added that by 4 am on Wednesday, there was an entire Chinese team at the Foreign Office along with their ambassador being updated on what had taken place.

Meanwhile, Misri put the onus on Pakistan for further escalation and said that any misadventure by the neighboring country will be responded appropriately.

Now if there is an attempt at further escalation by Pakistan, it will be responded to in an appropriate domain and therefore the choices entirely that of Pakistan to make, said Misri.

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With inputs from agencies
This time around, the Opposition has shown full support to the BJP-led central government over its actions to avenge the deaths of 26 people that died in Pahalgam on April 22, a significant shift in tone as compared to the previous missions carried out by India in 2016 and 2019 read more

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in a meeting with Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee leaders and MLAs at Indira Bhawan, New Delhi on February 7, 2024. File Image/X-kharge

The Central government will hold an all-party meeting to brief leaders, both from within the government and the Opposition, on Operation Sindoor on Thursday. The meeting comes a day after India retaliated to the Pahalgam attack by launching precision strikes targeting terror hubs in PoK and Pakistan.

During the meeting, the centre will brief leaders about the objectives of Operation Sindoor, the targets that have been hit, its impact on security and Indias preparedness in the event of Pakistani retaliation, if any.

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This time around, the Opposition has shown full support to the BJP-led central government over its actions to avenge the deaths of 26 people that died in Pahalgam on April 22, a significant shift in tone as compared to the previous missions carried out by India in 2016 and 2019.

Heres how things are different in 2025 than it was five to nine years ago:

When Oppn raised eyebrows over Uri surgical strikes

In 2016, the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a surgical strike in response to the Uri attacks that killed many Indian Army personnel. This operation was met with scepticism from many opposition leaders, with many demanding evidence of the mission.

Following the surgical strikes, the then-foreign minister Sushma Swaraj had personally visited Sonia Gandhi, who was the Congress chief at the time, to brief her about the governments operation across LoC. While Gandhi backed the government over the strikes, Rahul Gandhi, who initially lauded the government, accused PM Modi of playing politics over the blood of jawans.

Balakot air strikes: Same story, different year

The story was the same in 2019 when the government conducted the Balakot air strikes to retaliate against the Pulwama attacks. Some Congress leaders demanded proof of the airstrikes success, leading to political debates and accusations of politicising national security. The BJP criticised these demands, suggesting they undermined the armed forces efforts.

At the time, 21 opposition leaders released a statement saying they were anguished by the blatant politicisation of the sacrifices of armed forces by the BJP.

How are things different this time?

Following Wednesdays operation, leaders from different opposition parties lauded the armed forces for the successful conduction of the mission, with some even praising the BJP-led government.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has expressed full support for the armed forces, emphasising that it is a time for unity. The Congress has also decided to suspend all scheduled party activities.

Apart from this, the Pahalgam terror attack, resulting in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists, has evoked a sentimental response from the public. The widespread outrage and grief made it pertinent for political parties to stick together and present a united front in support of action against terrorism.

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A high alert was sounded in Delhi, and all city government employees leaves were cancelled as hostilities ramped up between India and Pakistan, with several border areas, including Jammu, coming under cross-border shelling read more

A high alert was sounded in Delhi, and all city government employees leaves were cancelled as hostilities ramped up between India and Pakistan, with several border areas, including Jammu, coming under cross-border shelling.

District magistrates in the national capital are holding meetings with their subordinates to review health and disaster management preparedness in case of any emergency, officials said.

Police will stay alert and will keep active. Night vigil has been intensified. We will deploy extra force in every sensitive area, a police officer said.

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In a late evening order, the Delhi governments services department banned its employees from going on leave until further orders.

An official in the New Delhi district said that a review meeting was held to check the preparedness of the health department and the disaster management apparatus.

Another official in the East Delhi district administration said they are analysing the quick response mechanisms and identifying gaps.

Security was heightened across the national capital with additional forces, including paramilitary personnel, being deployed at key installations.

Police sources said special commissioners of all zones are holding meetings with the deputy commissioners of all 15 districts.

The security beef-up comes amid an armed conflict between India and Pakistan. The Pakistani military last night tried to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. The attempts were foiled, and a Pakistani air defence system was destroyed in Lahore.

All DCPs are actively monitoring law and order in their areas. They have already briefed their officers like ACPs and SHOs. DCPs are personally monitoring their area and Delhi Police is ready to deal with any kind of situation, said the source.

According to an official, vigilance has been increased at malls, markets, metro stations, hotels, residential colonies, airports, and other crowded places.

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Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Abhishek Dhania, in a statement, said, As part of ongoing anti-terror measures, the police conducted a thorough security inspection at the Mayur Vihar Phase-1 Metro Station, a vital public installation. During the visit, CISF personnel were briefed, and a focused coordination meeting was held. The station is secured with 41 operational CCTV cameras monitoring every critical point. In each shift, 7 male and 2 female CISF personnel remain deployed to ensure robust, round-the-clock security. This will ensure the safety of the commuters, he added.

Bomb Disposal Squads carried out anti-sabotage checks at several locations.

The districts BDS team conducted anti-sabotage checks at malls, markets, hotels and vital spots to ensure public safety throughout the district. The exercise strengthened vigilance and preparedness against potential threats, DCP (Southwest) Surendra Choudhary said.

Police checks in the city, especially at the bordering areas, have been ramped up, with all the vehicles entering Delhi being checked.

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India has been put on high alert in both land, air and sea as New Delhi anticipates retaliation from Pakistan following Operation Sindoor read more

India has been put on high alert as authorities in New Delhi anticipate retaliation from Pakistan following . A day after the mission conducted by the Indian force, New Delhi shored up its defences across the land, air and sea domains. In the early hours of Wednesday, the tri-service of the Indian military conducted Operation Sindoor. The precision strike targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan.

The attack was a response to the devastating Pahalgam terror attack that led to the death of 26 tourists in Kashmir on April 22. According to The Times of India, the multi-layered air defence network is fully activated on several frontlines.

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The report noted that warships are deployed in the Arabian Sea, and the infantry units in the region are fully stocked and prepared to deal with any form of contingency. In terms of air, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is conducting air patrols with fighter jets and is in close contact with the tri-Service Strategic Forces Command, which handles the countrys nuclear arsenal.

India ramps up its security

All the commands of the Indian military have been put on high alert as a measure of abundant precaution. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in its response. However, it must be said that Indian armed forces are fully prepared to respond to Pakistani misadventures, if any, that will escalate the situation, warned Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a helicopter pilot, at the briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

According to TOI, the military and diplomatic circles are looking closely at what Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munirs next move will be. A few days ago, Munir warned that the Indian military misadventure would be met with a swift and notched-up response. The Indian authorities believe that since Munir is making such proclamations, he has no option but to militarily respond to rally everyone around him in his beleaguered country. There will be great pressure on him to authorise some kind of a response, a senior officer close to the matter told TOI.

If we look at past tensions, Pakistan had managed to surprise India with its Operation Swift Retort. The attack took place a day after the IAF conducted the Balakot pre-dawn air strikes on February 26, 2019, in response to the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed earlier that month.

Lessons have been learnt. It will not be so easy this time. The armed forces have been preparing for the last 15 days and will not let their guard down, another officer told TOI, admitting that India cannot simply make its airspace totally impregnable.

In terms of land, the armed forces have inducted several new weapon systems since Balakot in 2019. Hence, the countrys defence capabilities is much different from what it was.

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With inputs from agencies.
This directive from the central government comes amidst a massive disinformation campaign by Pakistan following Indias Operation Sindoor against terror camps across the border read more

The Indian government has asked all states to crack down on anti-national propaganda and fake news being peddled by pro-Pakistan handles on social media. According to media reports, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed the states to take immediate action against any misinformation.

This comes amidst a massive disinformation campaign by Pakistan following Indias Operation Sindoor against terror camps across the border. Lots of Pakistani accounts have been spreading misinformation since then, including false information about downing of Indian fighter jets and bombing of an Indian air base.

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According to reports, the MHA has asked states to immediately block these handles working at the behest of Pakistani establishment, some of which are operating from abroad as well.

MHA calls for close coordination with states

The centre has also called for close coordination between local governments, the federal government and the armed forces. It is also working on enhancing communication links, especially with vulnerable regions.

It is to be noted that the Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, allows the government to block online content for reasons of national security or public order.

The Operation Sindoor, which began just after midnight on Wednesday, involved a joint strike by the Army and Air Force targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This was in response to the Pahalgam terror attack where 26 people were killed.

The Indian government stated that over 90 terrorists were killed in these strikes, which targeted the infrastructure of terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Following Pakistans condemnation of the strike as an act of war, a significant amount of false information had been disseminated on social media. Several pro-Pakistan accounts made false claims, such as Indian jets being shot down and soldiers being captured, without any evidence.

One widely shared post falsely claimed that the Pakistan Army had shot down an Indian Rafale aircraft near Bahawalpur. However, the image used in the post was actually from a separate incident that occurred in 2021. Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also incorrectly stated that Indian soldiers had been taken prisoner, a claim he later withdrew.

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Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, many states have announced the closure of schools, blackouts in border districts, and the cancellation of leave for police personnel and administration officials read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the chiefs of three services. File image/PTI

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday as the situation along the India-Pakistan border escalated after Islamabad launched air attacks on Jammu, Rajasthan and Punjab. The artillery fire, drone and missile attacks were thwarted by the Indian defence system.

Pakistan launched a series of artillery strikes, drone incursions, and missile attacks targeting multiple locations in Jammu, including a strategic airstrip, just a day after India carried out strikes on terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

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Security agencies reported that Pakistan fired eight missiles, all of which were successfully intercepted by the S-400 air defence system.

Several regions in states like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan have been blacked out in the wave of the aerial attacks.

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, many states have announced the closure of schools, blackouts in border districts, and the cancellation of leave for police personnel and administration officials. The stringent measures were taken by Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, West Bengal and Bihar.

Moreover, flight operations at Bikaner, Kishangarh in Ajmer, and Jodhpur airports have been suspended till May 10 as a precautionary measure. Directions have been issued to tighten security arrangements across the state.

With inputs from agencies
The intruder was caught trying to cross the border and approach the border security fence in the dark at night. The mans body has been handed over to the police, who have recovered some Pakistani farming chemicals from him read more

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers stand guard at the India-Pakistan Wagah border post on the outskirts of Amritsar. Tensions are running high between India and Pakistan after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. AFP

An intruder from Pakistan was shot dead by the Border Security Force (BSF) in Punjabs Ferozpur on Thursday, a day after India successfully carried out precision air strikes under Operation Sindoor.

The intruder was caught trying to cross the border and approach the border security fence in the dark at night. According to a report by News18, the mans body has been handed over to the police, who have recovered some Pakistani farming chemicals from him.

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Meanwhile, Indian Armed Forces foiled attempts by the Pakistani military to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India using drones and missiles last night and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore, officials said on Thursday.

The Pakistani military attempted to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, they said.

These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (Grid and Air Defence systems), the defence ministry said.

The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks, it said.

Earlier today, as many as 15 civilians died as Pakistan continued cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir for the second consecutive day following the launch of Operation Sindoor.

Def Min says 100 terrorists killed

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told political leaders that at least 100 terrorists were killed in yesterdays airstrikes under Operation Sindoor during an all-party meeting on Thursday.

During the meeting, which was attended by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and others, Rajnath Singh said that the precision attacks carried out on nine terrorist hideouts killed 100 terrorists, although the counting is still on.

The government also said that the operation is still underway, and therefore, more details cannot be shared at the moment.

With inputs from agencies
Pakistans shelling of Poonch civilians seen as a war crime and breach of international law read more

On May 7, the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir became the centre of a serious and tragic event. Pakistans military began heavy and random artillery shelling on civilian areas in the Poonch district. The attack went on for almost nine hours and led to the deaths of 15 Indian civilians. More than 40 others were hurt.

Among those killed were four children between the ages of seven and fourteen, four people from the Sikh community, a Muslim cleric from a local madrasa and villagers from places like Mankote, Bandichechian, and Sandigate. Sadly, an Indian soldier, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, also died in the attack.

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As mortar shells hit homes, places of worship and public buildings, the attack showed how dangerous and unstable the LoC has become. It also showed Pakistans clear and cruel disregard for basic international laws. These were not accidentsthey were direct and random attacks on ordinary people and important civilian places.

This attack was not a one-time event. It was part of a bigger pattern of broken ceasefires, back-and-forth attacks and the use of civilian suffering as a weapon. After Indian forces carried out precision strikes on nine terror-linked locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmirin response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civiliansPakistans military didnt strike Indian Army posts.

Instead, they fired on areas where no soldiers were present, hitting civilians. Attacking civilians and public buildings without any military reason breaks international humanitarian law and could lead to serious legal and diplomatic problems for Pakistan.

War crimes and violations

Pakistans actions in Poonch clearly break many rules of international humanitarian law (IHL), human rights law and global treaties. The most important of these are the Geneva Conventions of 1949, especially the Fourth Convention, which is meant to protect civilians during wartime.

Article 27 says civilians must be treated humanely, and Article 32 bans violence like murder and torture. Additional Protocol I (1977), in Articles 51 and 52, also strictly bans attacks on civilians and civilian buildings. Customary international humanitarian lawbased on long-standing practices and court rulingsalso says there must be a clear difference between soldiers and civilians (Rule 1), bans random attacks (Rule 11) and requires military responses to be proportional (Rule 14).

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The killing of non-combatants, like a family of fiveincluding three childrenwho died inside their home, is a clear example of these rules being broken. There were no military targets in the affected villages, so Pakistan cannot claim there was military necessity. This also breaks the rule of proportionality. According to Rule 156 of customary IHL, such serious violations are considered war crimes.

These actions also fall under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998). Article 8(2)(b)(i)(ii) defines war crimes as intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population and civilian objects not being military objectives.

In cases of internal conflict, Article 8(2)(e)(i) bans the same actions. If it is proven that these attacks were planned and aimed at civilians without military targets, then Pakistans shelling in Poonch would be considered war crimes under the Rome Statute.

Indias actions were different. Its strikes were aimed at specific terrorist sites and were meant to stop immediate threats. These operations follow the widely accepted right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

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Briefing on Operation Sindoor on Wednesday Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri referred to the recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) statement on the Pahalgam terror attack, saying that Indias military strikes were in line with the UNSCs call for bringing perpetrators of the meadow massacre to justice.

In comparison, Pakistans random shelling of homes, religious places and public buildingswith no military reasonis not an act of war but a war crime.

Breach of bilateral and international agreements

In addition to the global treaties mentioned earlier, Pakistans actions also directly break the India-Pakistan Ceasefire Agreement of February 25, 2021. This agreement, which both countries publicly supported, helped reduce violence in the years before.

However, in 2025, Pakistan violated the ceasefire 15 times before the May 7 shelling, showing a clear and planned move towards aggression. These violations are not just political problemsthey break international laws that both countries agreed to, especially when ceasefires are clearly declared and recognised by both sides.

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The shelling also goes against the United Nations Charter, specifically Article 2(4), which forbids using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country. Moreover, by intentionally killing civilians, including women and children, Pakistan has violated Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). This article protects the right to life, which applies both during peace and war.

Civilian suffering as strategy

This escalation is not just a military action. It is an attack on the mental well-being and lives of the people in Indias border communities. The mortar and artillery attacks spread far beyond Poonch, reaching Kupwara, Baramulla, Tangdhar and even the outskirts of Srinagar.

Civilian areas like Salamabad, Kamalkote and Batapora were also hit. Local people, like Mohammad Aslam from Salamabad, described sleepless nights filled with fear. The heavy shelling made it impossible to sleep from midnight onward, as he told Hindustan Times. In Chowkibal and Kandi Tangdhar, families hid in bunkers and mud homes, hoping for survival.

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Lt Gen (Retd) Rakesh Sharma, who served in Jammu and Kashmir five times, believes Pakistans goal might be to force people to leave important areas like Poonch by making life unbearable for civilians.

Reports from Bagh Hussain Rathore, a former village leader, support this idea. He told Daily Excelsior that only five to seven per cent of the local population stayed in the area, with most people fleeing due to constant shelling and leaving behind their homes, animals and livelihoods.

Important roads like the Poonch-Kalai national highway and the Sher-e-Kashmir bridge, which are essential for civilian travel and emergencies, were also targeted. These were not military points, but critical lifelines for the local communities, now trapped in trauma and forced to move away.

Political and military responses

Facing a serious humanitarian and security crisis, the Indian government took quick action to coordinate a response. Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha held urgent meetings with district officials and security forces. He assured the public, through official statements and also Hindustan Times reported that food, healthcare and evacuation plans were being set up.

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At the same time, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the shelling during a video call with local officials, saying that civilian areas were the main targets. His comments reflected the fear and displacement felt by the local people.

In terms of military response, India acted carefully. According to the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, the Indian Army responded in a calibrated manner, to avoid escalating the situation.

Civilians as strategic pawns

Pakistan increasingly finds itself under pressure from the international community to act against terror network that its military is widely known to have created over decades. Its attempts to swing the opinion in the UNSC, eyeing to take advantage of being a non-permanent member at this time, have failed. Several UNSC members have sought accountability from it for the Pahalgam terror attack. They viewed Pakistans actions were escalatory in nature.

Several India leaders have called for justice for the people of Poonch and other places targeted by Pakistan, whose actions are being increasingly seen as escalatory. International rules call for protection of civilians even in the times of war, indicating that sooner or later, Pakistan may be held accountable for the suffering of civilians in response to Indias strike on terror hubs which came after New Delhi gave Islamabad a fortnight after the Pahalgam terror attack to act on its own against the perpetrators. But Pakistan was seen shielding the terrorist outfit that claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre not only on its territory but also at the UNSC.

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Indian air defence brings down Pakistani fighter jet in Pathankot and two drones in J&Ks Naushera amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan read more

A Kashmiri man using mobile light during blackout is seen after residents of the city of Jammu reported hearing explosions and sirens in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, on Thursday. AP

A Pakistani Air Force jet has been shot down in the Pathankot sector by Indian air defence, according to ANI, citing multiple sources.

Two Pakistani drones were also shot down by Indian Army air defence units in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

Heavy exchange of artillery fire is on between the two sides in the sector, according to ANI, citing defence sources.

Tensions escalated between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of Indias Operation Sindoor which was launched to avenge Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.

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Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan made attempts to launch attacks inside India, which were foiled by Indias defence systems.

According to reports, Pakistan has also lost two other fighter jets as it attempted to intrude into Indias airspace, including one JF-17 and an F-16.

With inputs from agencies
In the wake of Pakistans deadly shelling in Poonch that killed 12 civilians, including children, India must now consider the full deployment of its advanced Swathi and LORROS systems read more

Local residents stand beside a damaged bus in the Indian-run town of Poonch on May 8, 2025. AFP

Pakistani forces have been targeting civilian areas with heavy shelling in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir after India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday. The Pakistan Armys shelling hit civilian areas, killing at least 13 people, including children, and injured more than 40.

This came in response to Indias Operation Sindoor, which was a joint-strike on terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. As a result, the situation at the Line of Control (LoC) has become tense and dangerous for both peace in the region and the safety of civilians.

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This kind of attack is regarded as a war crime as serious violation of international humanitarian laws and a strong provocation. Given this unprovoked brutal aggression from Pakistan the question arises should India fully use its advanced surveillance and Target Acquisition (SATA) systems, such as the home-grown Swathi Weapon Locating Radar (WLR) and the Israeli-made Long-Range Reconnaissance and Observation System (LORROS), to silence the Pakistani guns?

So far, India has been replying with limited and careful response without targeting civilian areas. However, this careful response hasnt stopped further attacks from Pakistan. In this situation, using advanced systems like Swathi WLR and LORROS is no longer just an optionit may now be a necessary step.

Understanding the capabilities of Swathi and LORROS

Swathi Weapon Locating Radar, developed by Indias Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), is a mobile, phased-array radar system designed for counter-battery operations.

It is capable of detecting and tracking incoming artillery shells, mortars and rockets and precisely locating the source of fire within seconds. With detection ranges extending up to 30 kilometres for artillery and 80 kilometres for unguided rockets, Swathi provides a critical advantage in identifying and neutralising enemy fire sources in real-time.

LORROS, developed by Israels Elbit Systems, complements Swathi by offering day and night reconnaissance capabilities. It incorporates Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) and Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) imaging systems, combined with a laser rangefinder and gyroscopic stabilisation for high-accuracy surveillance.

Capable of identifying vehicular movement up to 25 kilometres away, LORROS allows for constant monitoring of enemy troop movements, artillery setups and logistic lines.

Together, these systems form a robust network that enhances situational awareness, improves target acquisition and enables precision counter-fire operations. Deployed effectively, they can serve not only to deter enemy aggression but also to minimise civilian casualties by ensuring that retaliatory fire is both timely and accurate.

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Operational utility in current conflict

Deploying Swathi and LORROS in the current situation would give the Indian Army a strong advantage. Pakistani artillery has caused many civilian deaths and the accuracy of the Swathi WLR can help India respond better. Swathi can quickly find where enemy fire is coming from, allowing Indian forces to target and destroy Pakistani artillery before it can fire again.

At the same time, LORROS would act like eyes on the battlefield, especially in areas where its hard to see because of the land or weather. It can spot troop movements, command centres and vehicle groups. This gives the army important information for both defence and attack.

Also, using these systems as part of a larger network-based warfare plan would help air and ground forces work together. The data from LORROS can be sent to Swathi to guide firing or to the Indian Air Force for precise strikes. This would create a smooth system of spotting, aiming and attacking.

Humanitarian dimensions and the need for precision

The humanitarian fallout from artillery exchanges is immense as we have seen in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonh. Civilian populations along the LoC are frequently caught in the crossfire, leading to displacement, psychological trauma and infrastructure destruction. In such a context, precision in retaliation becomes not just a military requirement but a moral imperative.

Swathi and LORROS offer the precision necessary to distinguish between military targets and civilian areas. Their deployment would enable India to respond decisively to enemy fire while adhering to the principles of proportionality and distinction under international humanitarian law. This adherence would strengthen Indias moral high ground in the international arena and protect its strategic interests in the long term.

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Furthermore, these systems could be instrumental in creating secure zones or buffer areas where civilian populations are protected by the certainty of swift and accurate countermeasures. Real-time detection of artillery sources could also facilitate the evacuation of threatened zones, minimising casualties and ensuring effective crisis management.

A strategic imperative

In sum, if Pakistan continues with its relentless hostilities, the deployment of Indias advanced SATA systems becomes both a strategic necessity and a tactical advantage. Systems like Swathi WLR and LORROS enhance Indias ability to respond proportionately and precisely to provocations while minimising collateral damage.
Last night, India used S-400 and Akash air defence systems for the first time in a military operation against incoming Pakistani missiles and drones read more

For the first time, S-400 and Akash air defence systems were pressed into action on Wednesday against incoming Pakistani missiles and drones, according to sources.

Last night, India said that Pakistan attempted to attack military sites across northern and western India with missiles and drones. India said that these missiles and drones were successfully intercepted.

Pakistans attempted strikes in India were an apparent response to Indias Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday. India struck nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK), which included the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taibah (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

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Sources have said that Russia-made S-400 and indigenous Akash air defence systems were pressed into action to intercept incoming Pakistani drones and missiles.

Sources said that both hard kill and soft kill technologies were employed against Pakistani drones.

In response to Pakistans attempted attacks last night, India struck air defence radars and systems this morning at a number of locations in Pakistan. India further said that it has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

India said that Pakistan had attempted following places in India last night: Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.

Following Indian strikes in Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif went into a huddle with top civilian and military leaders of the country. Last night, Shehbaz-chared National Security Committee (NSC) had authorised the military to attack India with the force it deems fit at the time and place of their choice.
As Operation Sindoor rattles Pakistan, here are the 4 diversions India used to leave Islamabad stunned by the precision strikes read more

In the early hours of Wednesday, Pakistan was rattled by a significant strike by India under . The precision strikes were conducted by the Indian forces against nine terror camps in Pakistan. While Pakistan was anticipating retaliation from India following the Pahalgam terror attack, the timing of it all left Islamabad surprised and unprepared.

Soon after the Pahalgam attack that led to the death of 26 tourists, several Pakistani politicians warned that India might strike in 36 hours. However, nothing happened in the time frame flagged by Pakistani politicians.

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Operation Sindoor was conducted 2 weeks after the Pahalgam attack, leaving Pakistan unprepared. Part of the reason why Operation Sindoor turned out to be a surprise strike was the diversion tactics used by the Indian government before and even after the mission unfolded. Heres a look at the smokescreen India laid out for Pakistan.

The mock drill

Days before the operation, India announced that it would be conducting civil mock drills at different areas across the country, including the capital. Parts of Delhi, Noida, Mumbai, Bareilly, Bhopal, Lucknow and more became a no-light zone for a short period of time.

The drill aimed to analyse Indias emergency response preparedness as tensions flare with its problematic neighbours. This was the first time the country had witnessed civil drills since 1971. The drills involved air raid sirens going off, activation of emergency control rooms, evacuation rehearsals, and coordination with civil defence staff.

From the outside, it must have been perceived that India would remain busy with conducting civil mock drills are such a large stage. However, the strikes on Wednesday were conducted from 1:05 am, while the drills were scheduled for 4 pm on the same day.

Air drill announcement

Before the operation took place, the Indian Air Force announced that it would carry out a two-day mega military exercise in Rajasthan, along the International Border with Pakistan. The drills started on Wednesday, hours after the strikes.

The IAF termed it as a pre-planned routine training exercise that will involve all the frontline fighter jets, including Rafale, Sukhoi-30 and Jaguar aircraft. According to NOTAM, the exercise began at 3:30 pm on Wednesday and will continue until 9:30 pm on Wednesday. The drills led to the authorities restricting airspace in affected areas.

The India-UK FTA

A day before the strikes were conducted, India and the United Kingdom concluded a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA), marking a significant milestone in their bilateral relations. While the deal was finalised after three years of negotiation, the decision to make the formal announcement on May 6 might have given Pakistan the impression that the Indian governments attention was on the deal.

The pre-recorded speech

Hours after the strikes were conducted, every news channel played a pre-recorded address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Many expected that the prime minister would mention Operation Sindoor. The prime ministers address for the Global Conference on Space Exploration came as a surprise since he is usually known to address the nation live.

Many speculated that by sharing a pre-recorded message, it showed that the Indian government had already decided to conduct the retaliation on May 6-7. Even during the speech, the prime minister dropped hints of an impending strike. Indias space journey is not about racing others. It is about reaching higher together. Together, we share a common goal to explore space for the good of humanity, the prime minister said calmly while the plans of retaliation were underway.

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A page from the history book: Balakot strike

Just before dawn, India struck Balakot on February 26. However, 48 hours before the attack, it was a regular schedule for the prime minister. A day before the strike, PM Modi went to the National War Memorial to pay homage to the Indian armed forces.

While the Indian planes took off at 9 pm, PM Modi was addressing a summit organised by a news outlet. White all these incidents, the prime minister never gave a hint that a strike against Pakistan was underway. At that time, many lauded prime minister for keeping a calm instead of creating a panic.
During the meeting, which was attended by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and others, Rajnath Singh said that the precision attacks carried out on nine terrorist hideouts killed 100 terrorists although the counting is still on read more

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told political leaders that at least 100 terrorists were killed in yesterdays airstrikes under Operation Sindoor during an all-party meeting on Thursday.

The central government called an all-party meeting today to brief the leaders of the opposition about Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist camps in PoK and Pakistan, destroying hubs linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba.

During the meeting, which was attended by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and others, Rajnath Singh said that the precision attacks carried out on nine terrorist hideouts killed 100 terrorists, although the counting is still on.

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The centre briefed leaders about the objectives of Operation Sindoor, the targets that have been hit, its impact on security and Indias preparedness in the event of Pakistani retaliation, if any.

Op Sindoor still on

The government also said that the operation is still underway, and therefore, more details cannot be shared at the moment.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju lamented the spread of fake news over the situation. He said, Many fake news is being propagated to spread fake news, and hence, I appeal to all in this time not to trust any fake news coming out of the country or from within the country and to trust only authentic information.

#WATCH | Delhi | #OperationSindoor | Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju says, "...Many fake news is being propagated to spread fake news, and hence, I appeal to all in this time not to trust any fake news coming out of the country or from within the country and to pic.twitter.com/Gv32IbBsqc  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

He also acknowledged the Oppositions support during this time and said that everyone is working together. The meeting was chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh, who briefed everyone about t Operation Sindoor and all the leaders gave their suggestions. All the leaders have shown maturity at a time when we are all working together. Everyone has hailed and congratulated the armed forces for Operation Sindoor, and said that we will support the government and armed forces. We have received a few suggestions as well, Rijiju said.

Govt has out full support

Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, said, We gave full support, and what Kharge ji said is right  there are certain things that shouldnt be discussed. Everyone simply gave their support.

Sources told News18 that while Gandhi asked the government certain questions about the operation, he did not push for answers, saying, very clearly that we understand how this really works and what the situation is."
With the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty in response to the Pahalgam attack, large dams in Jammu and Kashmir give India ability to use water supplies as a leverage read more

The Baglihar Dam in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban after India cut the flow of water through the dam on the Chenab river following suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. PTI

India is treating the Pahalgam attack as a turning point in the India-Pakistan relationship and Operation Sindoor is just one part of the new Indian approach.

With the intention to set the new normal, India struck nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK). The targets included the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taina (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen, which have bled India for decades.

Beyond the military action, India is laying the groundwork to hit where it hurts the most: the water supply of Pakistan. India has put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and has taken steps that have already rattled Pakistan.

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As previously reported by Firstpost, India has made water central to its approach to Pakistan. If Pakistani actions leads to the flow of blood in Kashmir, India would make sure that waters from India do not flow into Pakistan. In the short run, India is adopting available methods to disrupt the flow of water into Pakistan at a time of peak time in the kharif crop season. In the medium- to -long-term, India has decided to maximise water retention and minimise the flow of waters into Pakistan.

ALSO READ: With Indus Waters Treatys suspension, India is playing long game to corner Pakistan

The many dams in J&K are critical to such an approach. India has started using existing dams and has fast-tracked the completion of new ones.

6 dam projects in J&K that rattle Pakistan

There are 15 large dams in J&K and six projects are built on rivers part of the Indus system  some dams have multiple projects.

Three of them are built on Chenab and two are built on Jhelum  the river joins Chenab later that in turn joins Sutlej that eventually joins Indus in Pakistan.

Indus River System

Of these dams, Baghlihar and Salal dams have made headlines in recent days when they withheld water after desilting and deprived the downstream regions of Pakistan. In a meeting shortly after the withholding of water, Pakistnas Indus River System Authority (IRSA) said that continued deprivation of water by India could cause a 21 per cent water shortage in Pakistans kharif crop season.

1. Baghlihar dam

The Baghlihar dam on Chenab in Ramban has a gross storage capacity of 428.28 million cubic metres (MCM) and live storage capacity of 31.11 MCM.

Live storage refers to the volume of water that a dams reservoir can hold for various purposes, such as irrigation or hydropower generation.

The Baghlihar is a run-of-the-river type of dam. Such dams have minimal water retention capabilities and cannot therefore substantially affect the flow of water because of low storage capacity.

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However, India has not utilised water that it can technically and legally can. Now, that is set to change. Estimates have suggested that India has so far used just around 20 per cent of the waters allowed for usage under the now-suspended Indus treaty.

2. Salal 1-2 dam

Salal 1 and 2 refer to the two phases of the Salal dam in Reasi district of. J&K.

The dam has a gross capacity of 284.1 MCM and live storage capacity of 271.3 MCM.

The reduction of flow via Salal dam had caused a shortage of waters flowing into Pakistan earlier this month.

3. Dul Dam

Dul dam is located in J&Ks Kishtwar.

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and decision to squeezes Pakistans water supply, India has fast-tracked the construction of the next phase of this dam.

Once completed, Dul dam will the be the largest in J&K with the highest live storage capacity of nearly 109 MCM, according to The Indian Express.

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The newspaper reported that Dul will be highly effective in restricting the flow of water into Pakistan. For context, the Baghlihar dam currently the largest in J&K is a third of the expected size of Dul dam.

4. Uri 1-2 dam

The Uri dam is built on Jhelum in Baramulla district of J&K.

As Jhelum is a tributary of Chenab, the activities of the dam add to the activities related to other projects on Chenab.

To be sure, even though India has said that the eventual goal is to disallow as much water as possible to flow into Pakistan, infrastructure to do so does not exist at the moment.

However, sources told The Express that though the dams cannot hold flow of Chenab for a long time, they provide India the capability to regulate timing of the release.

By doing this (closing the sluice gates), even if the choke is for a short while, we demonstrate that we will take coercive steps The Chenab river water irrigates Punjab farmlands, and Pakistan needs to realise we mean to punish them on all fronts, the official told the newspaper.

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To an extent, India now has the ability to induce water-scarcity or minor floods in Pakistan with the tampering of water flow and withholding of water-related information. A sudden release of water or reduction in the flow of water can create some problems in Pakistan, Prof Medha Bisht, a scholar of water governance and transboundary issues in the subcontinent, previously told Firstpost.
We are very proud of our Indian Armed Forces for Operation Sindoor, said Ambani, calling India united, fierce in resolve and unshakable in purpose" in its fight against terrorism. read more

Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani on Thursday (May 8) issued a strong statement in support of the Indian Armed Forces and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lauding their decisive action in Operation Sindoor in executing a series of targeted military strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

We are very proud of our Indian Armed Forces for Operation Sindoor, said Ambani, calling India united, fierce in resolve and unshakable in purpose in its fight against terrorism. The billionaire industrialist praised Modis bold and decisive leadership, asserting that under his watch, India had responded with precision and power to every provocation from across the border.

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Ambanis remarks come at a time of heightened tensions following Indias precision strikes on nine terror launchpads across the LoC on May 7. These strikes, described by the Ministry of Defence as focused, measured and non-escalatory, were Indias first kinetic response after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, including one Nepali national, were killed.

Prime Minister Modis leadership has demonstrated that India will never remain silent in the face of terrorWe will not tolerate a single attack on our soil, on our civilians, or on the brave men and women who defend our nation.

The Reliance chairman pledged the full support of the Reliance family to any measure taken in defence of Indias unity and integrity. India seeks peace, but not at the cost of its pride, security or sovereignty, he added.

According to official statements, Operation Sindoor targeted sites from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed. India refrained from attacking Pakistani military installations, in line with what the government described as a measured military posture focused on anti-terror objectives.

Ambanis statement, released shortly after reports of cross-border shelling by Pakistan in retaliation to the strikes, adds weight to a growing wave of national solidarity.

Ambani closed his message with a call for unity and resilience: Together, we will stand. We will fight. And we will prevail. Jai Hind! Jai Hind ki Sena!

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(File) A member of the Tibetan Youth Congress poses for a photograph before embarking on a motorcycle rally to create awareness about the Panchen Lama in Dharmsala on April 23, 2019. AP

On April 25, the 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima  the worlds youngest political prisoner  turned 36 years old. Yet, his whereabouts still remain unknown to this day. On May 14, 1995, when the Dalai Lama proclaimed that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama, the Chinese authorities immediately abducted him on May 17 and anointed their own Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu (Gyaincain Norbu). Since then, his whereabouts have been completely untraceable. Nor has there been concrete evidence of his status, only fabricated lies from the Chinese authorities.

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China has been cognizant of the importance of the 11th Panchen Lama, given the historical relationship between the Dalai Lamas and the Panchen Lamas in their roles in identifying each others reincarnation. Two possible scenarios could have ignited China to abduct Gedhun Choekyi Nyima chosen by the Dalai Lama. First, the Chinese authorities might have thought that the successor  chosen by the Dalai Lama  would not lend his allegiance to them to rule over Tibet. This brings the second thought that he cant be made the puppet of the Chinese authorities in choosing the next Dalai Lama. Consequently, those scenarios led to the anointment of their own Panchen Lama.

Chinas Fabrication of Lies

If China can alter the historical facts, then fabricating lies about the 11th Panchen Lama is business as usual. Right after the abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama  recognised by the Dalai Lama  China fabricated four major lies about his status at various occasions.

First, the Chinese Spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry said, as reported by the Press Trust of India on June 13, 1995, The so-called issue of the reincarnated child being kidnapped does not exist at all. Conversely, on October 19, 1995, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Chen Jian stated while responding to foreign reporters: Choosing the successor of the Panchen Lama is an affair to be decided by the selection committee, the decision-making authority lies with the Chinese government. When a journalist asked about the status of the boy chosen by the Dalai Lama, as reported by AFP, he added: As far as I know he is safe.

There was a global outcry about the 11th Panchen Lamas whereabouts, including the US Senates unanimous adoption of a resolution urging the Chinese government to support the Dalai Lamas selection of the Panchen Lama. Despite all the concerted pressure from the international community, China evasively undermined the global outcry.

Second, on March 8, 1996, Raidi, deputy secretary of Tibets Communist Party committee, told the reporters (reported AP): Like other children in China, he will enjoy an education of that I can assure you. Another striking lie was fabricated by Wu Jianmin, Chinas representative to the UN in Geneva, on March 30, 1996. As per AFP, he told the UN Committee Childrens Rights: China was protecting him from possible kidnapping by Tibetan separatists. These fabricated lies are a blatant attempt to gain leverage over their imprisonment of the Panchen Lama.

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Third, on August 17, 1996, Chinas State media Xinhua said, The Dalai Lamas illegal appointed Soul Boy is leading a free life, just like other Tibetan Children. After three decades, there has been no slight indication of his parents whereabouts, let alone him.

Fourth, on April 26, 2022, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said while responding to the US calling on Beijing to disclose the real 11th Panchen Lamas whereabouts: The so-called spiritual boy is a normal Chinese citizen living a normal life. This statement is the latest fabricated lie until the next one. One notable shift in Chinas approach to the imprisoned Panchen Lama is that he was labelled as a normal Chinese citizen, which ultimately leads to the assumption that he is being completely assimilated into the Chinese community.

A Puppet Panchen Lama

On January 12, 1996, Chinas Communist Party chief Jiang Zemin met the Chinese-anointed Panchen Lama and said thus: The Communist Party and government hope the 11th Panchen Lama will study well, grow up healthy and inherit the patriotic spirit of previous Panchen Lamas. However, if the Chinese-anointed 11th Panchen Lama tries to follow the footsteps of the predecessor, he would sooner or later land behind the bars. The 10th Panchen Lama spent 14 years in prison or house arrest for criticising the Chinese governments rules in Tibet and the plight of Tibetans.

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Given the history, it is very unlikely that the 11th Panchen Lama  anointed by the Chinese government  would even attempt to challenge the status quo of Tibet under the Chinese authoritarian regime. Instead, Chinas anointed Panchen Lama made some rare visits to the parts of Tibet and urged the local Tibetans to uphold the spirit of the Chinese Communist Party. On the contrary, Tibetans in Tibet dont revere him, let alone the dictums mandated by him.

The lack of Tibetans devotion to him resulted in paying 100 yuan to each Tibetan who would come to seek his blessings. This desperate gesture from the Chinese government indicates that the political investment in their Panchen Lama didnt reap any fruits so far, except a pending future representation when the Dalai Lama passes away.

Chinas three decades of fabricated lies about the real Panchen Lama have led nowhere, except to dodging questions from the international community. More importantly, this pathetic gesture has proven that China still has not been able to rule Tibet completely. Even if the Chinese-anointed Panchen Lama plays his trump card to choose the next Dalai Lama, history will witness yet another bitter episode  one where a fake Panchen Lama appoints a fake Dalai Lama.

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Yeshi Dawa is a former Bureau Chief at Radio Free Asia, Dharamshala and former Academic Administrator at Institute of Leadership & Governance, The Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Now that the Trump administration has withdrawn grants to Harvard and some other universities for their promotion of DEI and Woke ideologies, will the Indian billionaires have a second thought about funding these universities? read more

The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard University is in the eye of the storm over the organisation of the Pakistan Conference under its aegis, in which pro-Pakistan speakers were invited, obviously to whitewash Islamabads image in the wake of the Pahalgam carnage of 26 tourists. To counter the media backlash in India, the institute page has removed the detail of proceedings from its website and supplanted it with a statement claiming that the student organisers along with their faculty advisor were solely responsible for organising the event in which Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Pakistans Ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, also participated.

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This is indeed a poor defence, but whatever role different actors played in organising this event, it is not the first time that Harvard has been involved in anti-India and anti-Hindu projects. One recalls the Dismantling Hindutva Conference held online in 2022 in which Harvard was the key player along with many other American and European universities. It was basically directed at the pro-Hindu policies of the Modi government. Surprisingly, anything going in favour of Hindus in the world rankles these elite institutions even as these claim to be the flag-bearers of diversity or the DEI philosophy.

Coming to the Indian billionaires, many of them have promoted and supported a number of India-centred study centres in many American universities. People like Naryan Murty, Ambani, Mahindra, Piramal, et al have been contributing mammothly to foreign universities but it seems scrutinizing the use of their grants is not always done. Narayan Murthys funding of the Murty Classical Library at Harvard, with Prof Sheldon Pollock as the Chief Editor, is a case in point. Pollock, though a great Sanskritist, has been known to bring in Western bias and present a distorted and degraded interpretation of our scriptural texts, says Indologist Rajiv Malhotra in his book Battle for Sanskrit.

Funding in the name of DEI projects  supposedly aimed at bringing about social justice in India for the marginalized sections  seems innocuous, but actually these projects are carried out with the aim to create divisions in the Indian society on the basis of caste-affirmative action equation and cancel consideration of meritocracy. A classic example is what finds mention in Rajiv Malhotras recent book Snakes in the Ganga (pp. 281-82). The writer points out that a project undertaken by Harvard University to study the tribal Munda languages spoken in Chhattisgarh and Odisha states was not exactly for love of an obscure language but meant to promote a new theory that the Munda speakers were the original inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent which would mean that both Aryans and Dravidians were outsiders! This is a fraught project considering that the Maoist movement rife in that area could be part of the toolkit to dismember India.

On the other hand, when it comes to highlighting Indias positive influence on the world, Harvard is least interested. Malhotras attempts to get its researchers take up projects on Vivekanandas influence on America got lip service only, so did his plea to promote India-loving Transcendentalist Ralph Emersons writings. In case of Thoreau, Harvard simply denied Indias influence. This is surprising because Thoreaus book Walden Pond shows the deep influence of Indian spirituality. Similarly, Harvard ignored such request in the case of Nobel-awardee T.S. Eliot, who had studied Sanskrit texts and used Sanskrit aphorisms in his poems.

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Even in admitting students, Harvard has been faulted for a biased approach. Malcolm Gladwell, the acclaimed author of The Tipping Point, clearly says that it discriminates against Indian students and prefers other races. This attitude had been criticised by the US Supreme Court also which in its 2023 judgment mentioned race-conscious admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina and found them violative of the Equal Protection Clause.

Now that the Trump administration has withdrawn grants to Harvard and some other universities for their promotion of DEI and Woke ideologies, will the Indian billionaires have a second thought about funding these universities? Why dont they divert these funds to Indian universities and provide to Indian students good education  not the so-called American liberal education but the education suited to Indian values  at reasonable cost? The growing strictness about visa regime in America and Canada provides a huge opportunity to the Indian universities, government and the philanthropists to work together and come up with an elaborate world-class education system that will save for the country billions going out on account of foreign education and also help the country realize the vision of a developed nation by 2047.

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Jagdish Batra is an academic and writer, presently working as Professor and Executive Dean at O.P. Jindal Global University, India. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
While it marks a step on the escalatory ladder, India has demonstrated considerable restraint in its selection of targets and method of execution, employing all three services to strike targets in Pakistan and POK for the first time since 1971 read more

Members of the media film the inside of a building after it was hit by an Indian strike in Bahawalpur, Pakistan on May 7, 2025. Reuters

In the early hours of Wednesday (at 01:44 am), India launched Operation Sindoor, hitting nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The strikes were in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 26 people, including one Nepalese, were killed with extreme barbarity.

With Operation Sindoor, India exercised its right to respond and preempt, as well as deter more such cross-border attacks, said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. He also added that the attack was also designed to spread communal tension in India. It was important to bring the perpetrators of violence to justice, he said, adding that Pakistan has a well-deserved reputation for being a haven for terrorism.

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These kinetic measures were a follow-up of non-kinetic measures taken soon after the attack, which include suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, reducing diplomatic presence, asking Pakistani citizens in India to return, stopping trade and closure of airspace.

There have also been increased violations of the Line of Control, with Pakistan resorting to heavy firing in Bhimber Gali in the Poonch-Rajouri Sector. There are reports that ten people have been killed and 38 injured by Pakistani shelling. Firing on the LoC was expected, as there are no other viable targets.

The strikes have been carried out before a planned civil defence security drill across 244 districts of the country for effective civil defence in the event of a hostile attack.

Shortly after the attack, the Indian Army on X posted, Justice has been served, Jai Hind.

The strikes

The air strikes were aimed at specific terrorist camps used to plan and direct attacks on Indian soil. As per the Defence Ministry, the actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature.

The ministry further clarified that the operations did not target Pakistani military facilities, underscoring Indias intent to avoid escalation. Emphasising the strategic restraint exercised by the Indian forces, the Defence Ministry said the selection of targets and method of execution were deliberately calibrated. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution, the ministry said.

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The nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir included Muridke and Bahawalpur, which are the strongholds of terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, respectively. In these two targets, around 25-30 terrorists were killed at each site.

All the nine terror camps were successfully destroyed. The selection of the targets was based on credible intelligence inputs and the role of these facilities in perpetrating the terror activities over the years, including Ajmal Kasab and David Headley being trained at one of the camps targeted. These were locations from where recruitment, indoctrination, training and launching occurred.

Precision strike weapon systems of the three forces, the Army, Navy and Air Force, were used in the attacks as per sources. The forces also used kamikaze drones, also known as loitering munitions, weapons designed to crash into a target, typically carrying a warhead. Prior to the attacks, there is no doubt that precise intelligence would have been gathered regarding the presence of the terrorists and the locations. There is no doubt that there has been tremendous coordination between the three services in planning and execution, and the attacks demonstrated precision technology, careful selection of targets and clinical efficiency in execution.

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In 2016, India carried out precision surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line of Control in PoJK ten days after the Uri attacks, in which four Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists from Pakistan killed 16 soldiers.

In February 2019, a vehicle-borne suicide bomber from JeM targeted a convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Pulwama, killing 40 soldiers. India responded with force, and the Indian Air Force struck terror camps in Balakot on 26 February, across the international border in Pakistan. This was the first time since the 1971 war that the Indian Air Force crossed the international border for military action.

India is prepared for potential retaliation by Pakistan, and there are reports that the air-defence units along the border have been activated. Several flights across the country have also been cancelled and airspace closed to civilian travel. There are also reports that intense artillery fire has opened up over the Line of Control.

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National sentiment

The terror attack has marked a significant shift in the contemporary security narrative, destabilising regional equilibrium and resurrecting cross-border terrorism.

The assault also raised questions about Pakistans claims to be a responsible actor and calls for a recalibration of Pakistans internal security strategy to neutralise non-state actors and reassure the world community of its commitment to counterterrorism.

Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated to President Putin in 2022 that this is not an era of war, the national sentiment has reignited a familiar cycle of grief and anger and a desire for punitive action. It was therefore not surprising that on April 24, in a rare shift from Hindi, he delivered a warning in English: India will identify and punish every terrorist and their backers. It was now politically unaffordable not to take a kinetic action."

Prime Minister Modi monitored the operation through the night, as per sources. Soon after the operation, NSA Ajit Doval spoke with US NSA and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and briefed him on the actions taken. Rubio then posted on his X handle: I am monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely. I echo @POTUS comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution.

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China has expressed concern, urging both nations to avoid escalating tensions. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry called for restraint and said, We are concerned about the ongoing situation. India and Pakistan are and will always be each others neighbours. They are also Chinas neighbours.

China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation, the spokesperson added. The statement is significant as Pakistan sees China as an all-weather friend.

Pakistans reaction

Pakistans Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar said, This attack is unjustified and an absolutely blind aggression. We will obviously retaliate Our response is on the ground and in the air.

Their military spokesperson has said that there were 24 impacts at six locations, killing eight and injuring 35 persons, while two people are missing. There are also reports that LeTs Hafiz Abdul Malik and Mudassir were killed in last nights strike on Markaz Tayyeba in Muridke.

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There will now be a lot of misinformation from Pakistan, which will include the deaths of women and children and the targeting of mosques in the attacks, etc. This is something that needs to be guarded against and countered.

Conclusion

While it is a step on the escalatory ladder. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted, which has sent a message that India is only targeting the breeding grounds of terrorism. Further, the Line of Control and International Border have not been violated by boots on ground.

Indias action reaffirms its commitment to bringing perpetrators of terror attacks to justice. We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable, the Defence Ministry said.

This is also the first time since the 1971 war that all three services have been used together to target Pakistan and PoK-based targets. Even though there were expectations that India could launch some sort of military action based on Indian announcements, the scale and intensity of the missile attacks inside Pakistan have surprised many. There has also been an evolution from manned ground raids post-Uri to precision strikes, which reflects Indias increasing reliance on technology, minimising risks to its own personnel while maximising range and demonstrating sophistication.

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Indias response to Pakistans continued support for terrorism must focus on long-term strategies that impose costs that prevent it from using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.The symbolism of this hard-hitting strike, therefore, is as important as the strike itself. Victory to India is what Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wrote.

There are a range of options across the spectrum of conflict that are available with the government, which will be used at the appropriate time and manner. Presently, India has demonstrated its tri-services professionalism and capability with a calibrated response that has been calculated with power and resolve.

The author is a retired Major General of the Indian Army. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Operation Sindoor reinforces the principle that peace in South Asia cannot be held hostage to the strategic calculus of those who use terror as an instrument of state policy read more

People celebrate the Indian armed forces' missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under 'Operation Sindoor', in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, in Mirzapur, on May 8, 2025. PTI

In a bold and precisely coordinated military operation last night, India launched Operation Sindoor, a deep penetration precision strikes aimed at dismantling entrenched terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan  a country long known to be a breeding ground for anti-India jihadist outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and numerous others. This operation, conducted with surgical precision and strategic restraint, has emerged not only as a tactical victory but also has served a strong geopolitical message to Pakistan, signalling bringing to an end an era of impunity for harbouring terrorism for decades. By carrying out precision strikes deep inside Pakistan, India has delivered a clear strategic response that it now reserves the right to pre-emptively neutralize threats emanating from across its borders.

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The strikes, which took place at nine different locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir including that in Bahawalpur, Punjab and Muridke near Lahore, specifically targeted Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) facilities. These are two of the most notorious terror organisations with a long history of orchestrating attacks on Indian soil  from the 2001 Parliament attack to the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the more recent Pahalgam terror attack in South Kashmir that led to the brutal killing of 26 individuals at the hands of LeT terrorists.

Intelligence inputs had long confirmed that these facilities were not merely hideouts but operational headquarters, being actively used for recruitment, training, and indoctrination of young Pakistani men in jihadist ideology, primarily with the aim of launching them into Jammu & Kashmir and other parts of India to wage terrorism.

The JeM facility in Bahawalpur, under the direct oversight of Masood Azhar, was a central node in this terror network. Intelligence agencies had tracked a series of activities indicating the expansion of this compound over the past year. New dormitories, weapons storage units, and a separate hall for ideological indoctrination and a swimming pool for recreation were being constructed.

Satellite imagery corroborated by on-ground human intelligence suggested that Masood Azhar himself was orchestrating an upgrade of the infrastructure, envisioning it as a terror university of sorts for his cadre. The facility was reportedly housing over 150 trained terrorists along with his own family members in different stages of operational readiness, including several foreign jihadists from Afghanistan and the Gulf, being also groomed for fidayeen (suicide) missions in India.

In Muridke, the strike hit the LeTs long-standing headquarters, which, under the aegis of Hafiz Saeed, has functioned with the veneer of charity under the umbrella of Jamaat-ud-Dawa. This dual-use facility served both as a nerve centre for planning cross-border infiltration and as a madrasa complex where indoctrination and radicalization were conducted under clerical guidance. Indias intelligence establishment confirmed that advanced weaponry, encrypted communication systems, and counterfeit Indian currency were being stored within these compounds, turning them into state-sanctioned terror factories.

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Crucially, Operation Sindoor was conducted with utmost care to avoid civilian casualties, demonstrating Indias military and moral commitment to targeting only terrorists and not the people of Pakistan. Advanced surveillance drones and precision-guided munitions ensured that only specific buildings within the compounds were struck, avoiding adjacent civilian structures.

This distinction is critical, as it reinforces Indias consistent assertion that its fight is not against the Pakistani populace but against the terror infrastructure shielded by elements within the Pakistani state. Despite Pakistans attempt to label terrorists and their families as innocent civilians, the numerous visuals and ground reports have made it abundantly clear that several high profile terrorists of both JeM and LeT have been eliminated in the precision strikes carried out on their multiple facilities.

Furthermore, the aftermath of the operation has revealed even deeper evidence of the state-terror nexus that New Delhi has long accused Pakistan of sustaining. Among the most damning developments was the funeral ceremony for several top LeT operatives killed in the precision strikes. Leading the funeral prayers was Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and the brother-in-law of Hafiz Saeed, himself a UN-designated global terrorist.

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Shocking visuals and eyewitness reports confirmed that senior Pakistani Army officers and police officials were present at the ceremony, standing in solidarity with the slain terrorists. Their attendance was neither covert nor reluctant, it was one that was marked by official protocol, complete with security cordons and coordinated salutes. This public mingling of Pakistans military elite with designated terrorists is a stark indictment of the Pakistani state, further confirming that terrorism is not a fringe activity but a mainstream instrument of its state policy doctrine.

Such open camaraderie between uniformed officials and jihadist leaders underscores what India has long argued on global platforms, that Pakistan remains a state sponsor of terrorism, offering not just logistical and financial support but also ideological and political sanctuaries to terrorists targeting India. The presence of officialdom at terrorist funerals is not just symbolic, it is evidence of a deeply entrenched ecosystem where terrorism and state institutions operate in tandem, shielded from international scrutiny and emboldened by nuclear blackmail.

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This operation also underscores a pivotal shift in Indias strategic doctrine, signalling a clear move from a reactive to a proactive counter-terrorism posture. By striking deep inside Pakistans heartland, well beyond the traditional confines of the Line of Control, India has significantly raised the cost of terrorism for Islamabad. On one hand it has again called out the bluff of Pakistans nuclear threat and on the other it has signalled that geography is no longer a sanctuary for terrorism, and that strategic depth will not shield terror masterminds. This mirrors the evolution in Indias policy of dealing with terrorism from Pakistan as seen earlier in the 2016 Uri surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, but Operation Sindoor surpasses them in both depth and decisiveness.

What differentiates Operation Sindoor from previous actions is the surgical precision combined with strategic ambiguity. While India did not publicly declare the specifics of the operation initially, international intelligence agencies and media sources have independently corroborated the scale and effectiveness of the strikes. This controlled messaging has not only allowed India to maintain escalation control but has also placed Pakistan in a diplomatic dilemma, of denial becoming implausible, while admission would imply acknowledgment of terror infrastructure within sovereign territory.

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Furthermore, Operation Sindoor has also placed the international community on notice. While India has long suffered from cross-border terrorism under the tacit protection of the Pakistani military establishment, global powers had often responded with platitudes and calls for restraint. This time, Indias calibrated yet forceful action has drawn tacit support from several nations, including France, the United States, and Japan, who understand that non-state actors cannot be allowed safe havens within nuclear-armed states.

Perhaps most significantly, the operation has caused visible disruption within Pakistans terror ecosystem. Reports from internal Pakistani sources suggest panic and disarray among jihadist networks, with many top commanders going underground or relocating to more remote areas near the Afghanistan border. It has also widened the civil-military rift within Pakistan, with questions being raised in Islamabad about the wisdom of continuing to protect entities like JeM and LeT at the cost of diplomatic isolation and internal instability.

In conclusion, Operation Sindoor marks a watershed moment in Indias counter-terrorism strategy. It is not just a military success but a strategic declaration of intent, that the Indian state will no longer be a passive victim of cross-border terror, and that it has both the capability and the will to strike back surgically, precisely, and within the bounds of international law. The funeral of terrorists attended by top Pakistani officers has exposed the depth of Pakistans complicity and irreparably damaged its deniability on the global stage.

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Operation Sindoor reinforces the principle that peace in South Asia cannot be held hostage to the strategic calculus of those who use terror as an instrument of state policy. If Pakistan chooses to ignore this message, it does so at its own peril.

Raja Muneeb is an independent journalist and columnist. He tweets @rajamuneeb. The views expressed in this article are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Firstpost.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri dismissed Pakistans claim as a blatant lie and added India has only struck terrorist infrastructure read more

A Pakistan Army soldier stands in front of damaged building after it was hit by an Indian strike in Muzaffarabad, in PoK on May 7. Reuters

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri Thursday (May 8) rejected Pakistans allegations that Indian forces had targeted the Neelum Jhelum Hydropower project in early Wednesday strikes under Operation Sindoor.

Misri dismissed Pakistans claim as a blatant lie and added India has only struck terrorist infrastructure.

India has targeted only and only terrorist infrastructure, and the details of that infrastructure, along with the precise locations, were shared yesterday, he said.

He then warned, If this kind of a claim is a pretext of targeting Indian infrastructure of similar nature, then Pakistan will be solely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow.

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Earlier, Pakistan military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had claimed that Indian strikes had damaged a part of the hydropower project in Pakistan.

What international norms and war laws and customs allow this  that you target water reserves, dams and hydro power structures of another country? he said, without providing any evidence.

This follows Indias targeting of terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the deadly attack on civilians in Pahalgam on April 22nd.

The government stated that the attacks, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, targeted terrorist infrastructure at nine locations: Sawai Nalla, Sarjal, Muridke, Kotli, Kotli Gulpur, Mehmoona Joya, Bhimber, and Bahawalpur, all situated in Pakistan and POK.
China on Wednesday said that it was not familiar if the Chinese jets were involved in the India-Pakistan conflict following Indias strikes on nine terror hideouts in Pakistan and PoK as part of Operation Sindoor on Wednesday. read more

China on Wednesday said that it was not familiar if the Chinese jets were involved in the India-Pakistan conflict following Indias strikes on nine terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as part of Operation Sindoor on Wednesday.

Not familiar with the matter, said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian at a regular media briefing in Beijing.

According to a CNN report, Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had on Wednesday said that its military had used Chinese-made aircraft to shoot down five Indian fighter jets on Wednesday.

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Pakistan claimed it shot down the Indian jets  three French-made Rafales, a MiG-29 and an Su-30 fighter  after India launched airstrikes on terrorist hideouts inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Our jet fighters were J-10Cs that shot down the three French Rafales and other jets, CNN quoted Dar saying on Wednesday.

He added that by 4 am on Wednesday, there was an entire Chinese team at the Foreign Office along with their ambassador being updated on what had taken place.

China remains Pakistans primary source of military hardware, accounting for 81% of the countrys arms imports over the past five years, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

In response to rising tensions following Indias recent military strikes on Pakistan, Beijing on Wednesday called for calm and urged both nations to de-escalate.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the government expressed regret over Indias military action against Pakistan.

With inputs from agencies
Amid growing political tensions in Dhaka, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia returned from London after four months of medical treatment. Her return is seen as a pivotal moment in the oppositions push for early elections and the restoration of democratic rule in Bangladesh. read more

Amid rising political tensions in Dhaka, former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia returned from London on Tuesday after four months of medical treatment. Her return is being seen as a significant moment in the oppositions push for early elections and the restoration of democratic rule following the political upheaval since Hasinas ousting.

Zia, the main rival of deposed PM Sheikh Hasina, leads the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Her party has been demanding that the interim government hold elections by December. As the countrys main opposition party, the BNP has been increasing pressure on the interim administration for a swift return to the polls.

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However, the interim government, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, is prioritising its reform agenda first. Meanwhile, the newly formed student-backed National Citizen Party (NCP) is building a nationwide network and claims that holding elections under what they describe as a pro-BNP bureaucracy would be unfair. They support implementing Yunuss reforms before any vote is held.

A senior BNP leader said, We believe Zias return will strengthen efforts to restore democracy.

Zias return has already added pressure on the interim government to hold elections.

She is Hasinas archrival. Under Sheikh Hasinas rule, several opposition parties, including Khaleda Zias BNP, either boycotted elections or accused the government of vote-rigging. While many saw Hasinas removal as an opportunity to restore democratic elections, doubts have recently emerged about how soon the new government will actually hold polls. The interim administration has said elections could be held in December or by next June, depending on how quickly reforms are carried out.

Zias physical presence in the country holds significant symbolic value for her party, while Hasina remains in exile in India.

Ahead of her arrival, BNP secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Tuesday that her return would help Bangladesh restore the democratic process.

This is a joyous moment for us and the nation. At this crucial time for democracy, her presence marks a significant day for the country. We believe that Khaleda Zias return will facilitate the path to democratic transition, Fakhrul told reporters.

Zia and Hasina have alternated as prime ministers since 1991 when the country returned to democracy after the ousting of authoritarian President HM Ershad.

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In a meeting in the Kremlin, Putin told Xi: Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand on guard of historical truth, protect the memory of events of the war years and counter modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism read more

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping shake hands during a welcoming ceremony before their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 8, 2025. AFP

Chinas Xi Jinping was in Moscow on Thursday for a state visit ahead of the Kremlins grand Victory Day celebrations, as Ukraine accused Russias army of launching air strikes just hours into a supposed truce.

More than 20 foreign leaders are in Russia to attend a vast military parade on Friday marking 80 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, taking place three years into Russias offensive in Ukraine.

Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and has marshalled the memory of Soviet victory against Nazi Germany to justify his campaign and rally society behind the offensive, which has killed tens of thousands of people.

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In a meeting in the Kremlin, Putin told Xi: Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand on guard of historical truth, protect the memory of events of the war years and counter modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism.

Russian society has seen unprecedented militarisation during the Ukraine conflict and the Kremlin has tightly controlled the memory of World War II.

Putin claimed that his offensive against Ukraine is aimed at de-Nazifying the country, which Kyiv called incomprehensible.

Russia has captured swathes of Ukrainian territory and flattened cities and towns across the east with daily bombardments, forcing millions to flee their homes.

Xi told Putin that Beijing stood alongside Russia in the face of hegemonic bullying  a nod to the two countries anti-US stance.

In the face of the international counter-current of unilateralism and hegemonic bullying behaviour, China will work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major world powers, Xi said.

Ahead of the meeting, Putin called Xi his dear friend, while Xi referred to the Kremlin leader as his old friend.

Truce

Putin has ordered his army to stop firing on Ukraine for three days to mark the May 9 celebrations  an order that came into effect at midnight (2100 GMT Wednesday).

But Ukraine, which dismissed the ceasefire as theatrics and never said it would abide by it, said Russia had broken its own order after just a few hours.

Ukrainian authorities said Moscow launched an aerial bomb attack on the northeastern Sumy region overnight.

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During the night, the enemy intensified tactical aviation strikes using guided aerial bombs in the Sumy region, Kyivs air force said.

However, it said that as of 8:00 am, no missile attacks or attack drones were recorded in Ukrainian airspace.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his call for an unconditional 30-day full ceasefire  a US proposal he previously accepted but that was rejected by Putin.

Zelensky denounced Moscows World War II commemorations as a parade of cynicism and renewed calls for support against Russia.

Just as it did 80 years ago, when it finally became clear to everyone: evil cannot be appeased. It must be fought. Together. Resolutely. With force. With pressure, he said on social media.

Ukrainian drone attacks have caused travel chaos across Russia this week, shutting dozens of airports and forcing hundreds of flights to be cancelled or rerouted.

US President Donald Trump has sought to end Moscows assault on Ukraine since his inauguration in January, but has failed to ease hostilities between the enemies.

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The White House has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress and Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday called on the two sides to enter direct talks.

Parade

The Kremlin was forced Wednesday to say it was taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of world leaders in Russia for the parade.

In the run-up to the event, Putin has railed against what he casts as a distortion of Russias World War II history  criticising what he sees in the West as an attempt to downplay the Soviet Unions contribution.

The countless sacrifices made by both our peoples are worth remembering forever. The Soviet Union gave 27 million lives, laying them on the altar of the Fatherland and on the altar of victory, he told Xi.

Trump has in recent days hailed the United States contribution as the most decisive in the allies 1945 victory over Nazi Germany.

World War II is officially remembered in Russia as the Great Patriotic War, beginning with Germanys surprise invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 and ending with Germanys capitulation in 1945.

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The period between 1939 and 1941  when the Soviet Union had a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany and invaded Poland  is glossed over in official history books.
At a time when tensions beween India and Pakistan are at their highest in decades, the European Union (EU) has condemned the Pahalgam attack and backed Indias right to act against terrorists read more

The picture of Himani Narwal next to her husband's body was widely shared after the attack. PTI

The European Union (EU) on Thursday condemned the Pahalgam attack and backed Indias right to act against terrorists.

The EUs statement comes at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan are at their highest point in decades.

After conducting strikes under Operation Sindoor on nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) in the early hours of Wednesday, India on Thursday said that India targeted Pakistans air defence systems earlier in the day. India said these strikes were in response to Pakistans attempted missile and drone attacks across northern and western India on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

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The EU in the statement said that those responsible for the Pahalgam attack must be brought to justice.

Terrorism can never be justified. Those responsible for the attack must be brought to justice. Every state has the duty and the right lawfully to protect its citizens from acts of terror, said the EU.

As for the ongoing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, the EU said it was closely monitoring the situation and called on both parties to exercise restraint, to de-escalate tensions, and desist from further attacks to safeguard civilian lives on both sides.

The EU further said, The EU urges both sides to engage in dialogue. It is vital that India and Pakistan also live up to their obligations under international law and take all measures possible to protect civilian lives.

In strikes inside Pakistan on Thursday morning, India said that it has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore was destroyed.

Last night, India said that Pakistan attempted drone and missile attacks in following places: Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. India said these attacks were intercepted and neutralised.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar spoke to delegates from around the world and maintained one firm stance that Indias response to Pakistan has been targeted and measured' read more

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that he had discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, sharing developments in the India-Pakistan tensions. In both the calls the EAM made it clear Indias response to the recent provocation from Pakistan has been measured.

He also held a call with Italys Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani and shared the same message. India has been measured in its actions. However, any escalation will get a firm response, Jaishankar wrote on X, sharing the information of his phone calls with world leaders.

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Discussed ongoing developments with EU HRVP @kajakallas .



India has been measured in its actions. However, any escalation will get a firm response.



   Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 8, 2025

Deeply appreciate the US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism, he wrote separately in the post, where he spoke about the phone call with Rubio. Tensions between India and Pakistan on Thursday evening after Pakistan conducted coordinated strikes in several parts of India. The attack was intercepted by the Indian air defence system, averting major havoc.

Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening.



Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.



Underlined Indias targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation.



   Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 8, 2025

Indias stance remains firm

Before the evening attack from Pakistan, Jaishankar told his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi that Indias response to the Pahalgam attack was targeted and measured, the same stance he took in the recent post.

Araghchi was in India to co-chair the 20th Joint Commission Meeting between India and Iran. It was the Iranian foreign ministers first visit to India since assuming office in August 2024.

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You are visiting India at a time when we are responding to a particularly barbaric terrorist attack on 22nd April in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. This attack compelled us to respond on 7th May by striking at the cross-border terrorist infrastructure. Our response was targeted and measured. It is not our intention to escalate the situation, Jaishankar told the Iranian FM.

However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response. As a neighbour and close partner, you must have a good understanding of the situation. Once again, a very warm welcome, he added.
India has recovered two China-made missiles that Pakistan launched at Indian fighter planes during Operation Sindoor, according to a report read more

The photograph show the purported remains of a Chinese missile fired at Indian warplanes by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

Debris recovered in Punjabs Hoshiarpur appears to be from a Chinese missile used by Pakistan to intercept Indian warplanes engaged in Operation Sindoor.

In the early hours of Wednesday under Operation Sindoor, India struck nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) in response to the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan said that it mounted an all-round response to the attack involving its air and ground forces.

In the wake of such developments, a report has claimed that Chinese missiles launched by Pakistani fighter planes fell in Punjabs fields. Pakistani fighter planes reportedly launched these missiles at Indian warplanes involved in Operation Sindoor.

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Photographs of fragments of the purported Chinese missiles have surfaced. Firstpost cannot independently verify the claims.

The photograph show the purported remains of a Chinese missile fired at Indian warplanes by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

India recovers China-made PL-15E missile: Report

India has recovered the fragments of at least two China-made PL-15E missiles from the fields of Punjab, according to the report.

The PL-15E is the export version of Chinese PL-15 missile. It is a long-range, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile used by fighter planes. Pakistans China-made JF-17 fighter planes are equipped with these missiles. If missile fragments recovered are indeed of PL-15E, it would be the first known combat use of the missile.

The report says that serial numbers of the missiles, P15E12203023 and P15E12203039, suggest that these missiles may have been fired by the same Pakistan plane possibly at the same Indian target.

The report says that the most notable part about the recovery is the missiles seeker system.

A missiles seeker system is a critical component that allows it to detect, track, and home in on the target. If the adversary gains access to the seeker system, they can learn about its confidential specifications and capabilities, its vulnerabilities and limitations, and gain insights into counter-measures, jamming, guidance, and other critical aspects.
With little leverage over India and Pakistan, Iran appears to be punching above its weight with the offer of mediation following the Pahalgam attack. But the outreach may not be about mediation at all. read more

Days after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian offered mediation between India and Pakistan amid rising tensions in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi toured both the countries.

While Araghchi visited Pakistan over the weekend, he was in India on Thursday.

Even as Iran seeks to mediate between India and Pakistan, it had exchanged missile-fire with Pakistan just last year  Iran conducted airstrikes inside Pakistan on January 16, 2024, in response to bombings that killed around 100 people and Pakistan responded two days later with airstrikes inside Iran.

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ALSO READ: Partners or preachers? The many mediation hopefuls as India-Pakistan tension rise over Pahalgam

Despite Pezeshkians offer, Iran is unlikely to be a mediator even informally  informal backchannels during India-Pakistan tensions are mostly run by Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

Moreover, after Operation Sindoor, Pakistan appears to have set the stage for escalation and another round of cross-border exchange appears only a matter of time. With calls for an attack on India at a feverish pitch in Pakistan, and as Army chief General Asim Munir itches for war, the very possibility of any mediation is doubtful.

Can Iran mediate between India and Pakistan?

Iran does not have necessary leverage or trust with either Pakistan or India to initiate any constructive engagement, says Prof Alvite Ningthoujam, a specialist of West Asian affairs at the Symbiosis School of International Studies, Pune.

Ningthoujam tells Firstpost, Beyond the veneer of normalcy, the India-Iran relationship is not substantial enough for India to consider seeking help from them. A lot of India-Iran engagement is just about keeping the relationship functional. It does not have depth.

Instead of leverage, what Iran has is complexity woven into relationships with both India and Pakistan. Both Pakistan and Iran say the other harbours separatists that use the others soil to mount attacks inside their territories. India is also cautious of Iran as the regime has not just carried out at least one known bombing in India but has also carried out drone attacks at the edge of Indias exclusive economic zone.

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For years, there have also been concerns in India about Iran-sponsored pan-Islamism taking roots in India. Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War, the pan-Islamist sentiment has been visible in India in the form of support for Palestinian groups like Hamas.

Last month, counter-terrorism expert Abhinav Pandya told Firstpost that such a situation serves as a breeding ground for radicalisation and recruitment by anti-India elements.

Pandya said, As pan-Islamism is finding increasing support across India that we see in the form of rising support for pan-Islamist causes like the Palestinian groups, Pakistan is looking for an opportunity to capitalise on this and cultivate more assets for more attacks in more places across the country.

Irans mediation offer beyond mediation

Irans offer for mediation may not have anything to do with India-Pakistan clashes.

To be sure, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi was anyway scheduled to visit India for a meeting of the India-Iran Joint Commission.

Ningthoujam, the West Asia specialist at SIS Pune, says that the talk of peace-making is Irans subtle message to the United States that the country is on the path of peace at a time when the country is engaged in talks with the United States.

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There are also voices that say that Irans offer for mediation is also about seeking new partnerships to project strength and address some core issues.

Israeli journalist Seth J Frantzman has linked Irans outreach to India and Pakistan as a way to seek help for its nuclear programme in the garb of mediation  Pakistan has been a well-known nuclear proliferator in the world that has previously assisted Iran and exported the nuclear weapons know-how to North Korea and Libya.

There are also voices that say that Irans outreach could also be an attempt to lay groundwork for the restoration of trade if a deal is reached with the United States and sanctions are lifted.
As tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif continued to peddle false claims of downing five Indian fighter jets. During a conversation with CNNs Becky Anderson, Asif cried foul about Operation Sindoor, which was conducted by the Indian forces against nine Pakistani terror camps.

When asked about the proof of the claims that Pakistan downed Indian fighter jets, the defence minister simply attributed it to social media without delivering any solid evidence. It is all on social media, and Indian social media, not our social media. The debris of the jets fell on their side. It is all over the Indian media, he claimed when CNNs Anderson pressed for proof.

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In the early hours of Wednesday, the Indian military conducted a tri-service mission called , attacking nine terrorist targets in Pakistan. The precision strikes were conducted as a response to the devastating Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir that led to the death of 26 people on April 22.

Pakistan continues to spread misinformation

While Pakistan acknowledged the strikes and reported 30 casualties, the countrys social media and especially top leaders started spreading false claims about the attack. In light of this, the fact-checking team of Indias Press Information Bureau (PIB) shared numerous tweets in which they explained how Pakistani social media are sharing old and unrelated photos of crashed aircraft, claiming that they were downed Rafale.

Beware of old images shared by pro-Pakistan handles in the present context! An old image showing a crashed aircraft is being circulated with the claim that Pakistan recently shot down an Indian Rafale jet near Bahawalpur during the ongoing Operation Sindoor. #PIBFactCheck: This image is from an earlier incident involving an IAF Mig-21 fighter jet that crashed in Moga district in Punjab in 2021, the bureau wrote on its X handle.

Propaganda Alert!



Beware of old images shared by pro-Pakistan handles in the present context!



An #old image showing a crashed aircraft is being circulated with the claim that Pakistan recently shot down an Indian Rafale jet near Bahawalpur during the ongoing #OperationSindoor pic.twitter.com/LdkJ1JYuH0  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 7, 2025

2 different rhetorics

During the CNN interview, Asif said that Pakistan will try to avoid a full-fledged war with India. However, he maintained that the country would retaliate. There is a possibility of expansion of this conflict into a full-fledged war, which we are trying to avoid, Asif told the American news outlet.

The attack early Wednesday was a clear-cut violation, and an invitation to expand the conflict and maybe convert it into something much wider and much more dangerous for the region, he added. While speaking to international media, Asif claimed that the country will avoid war with India, showcasing a pacifist image.

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Things completely changed when he spoke to the media of his own country, where he continued to take an aggressive stance on the matter. In an interview with Geo News, the Pakistani defence minister said that the country is planning to hit military targets in India. We will never target civilians, he said in the Geo News interview. We will abide by international law. We will contain this international confrontation to military targets only," he furthered.

What is interesting is the fact that while Asif is preaching about Pakistan respecting international law, a few weeks ago, he admitted that the establishment in Islamabad had fostered and funded terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba, the terrorist group whose offshoot claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack.
Misri was responding to a question regarding a claim made by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar that the two NSAs, Ajit Doval from India and Lieutenant General Asim Malik from Pakistan, had communicated read more

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Thursday (May 8) there was no information to confirm that the National Security Advisor (NSA) of India and Pakistan had spoken to each other.

Misri was responding to a question regarding a claim made by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar that the two NSAs, Ajit Doval from India and Lieutenant General Asim Malik from Pakistan, had communicated.

Dar made the remarks during an interview with TRT Worlds Kamran Yousaf.

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Earlier, it was reported that the talks between the NSAs of the nuclear-armed neighbours could signal a potential de-escalation following Indias most successful counter-terror operation on Pakistani soil.

India on Wednesday conducted missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, with Indian forces aiming to target top Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders for their role in orchestrating terror attacks in India.

According to some media reports, diplomatic channels between India and Pakistan are open, although they are believed to be in a crisis mode".

Indian Express earlier reported that Indian charge daffaires in Islamabad Geetika Srivastava has been in touch with key interlocutors in Islamabad.

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has also claimed that the US was leading de-escalation efforts in India conflict.

In a statement to Reuters, Asif also declared that Indias drone incursions into Pakistan on Thursday made Pakistans attack on India increasingly certain.

Indian armed forces on Thursday (May 8) targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, effectively inflicting damage on its air defence units and taking out an air defence system in Lahore, the government said in a statement.

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Belgrade honors Chinese journalists killed in 1999 NATO bombing on 26th anniversary

Xinhua) 13:27, May 08, 2025

BELGRADE, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Wreaths and white roses were laid on Wednesday at a memorial plaque in Belgrade to honor three Chinese journalists killed in the 1999 NATO bombing of the Chinese Embassy, as Serbia and China marked the 26th anniversary of the event.

The commemoration was held at the China Cultural Center in Belgrade, constructed on the site of the former embassy in New Belgrade. Leading the tribute were Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski and Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming.

Stamenkovski emphasized that the anniversary serves as a solemn reminder of the innocent lives lost and a symbol of the enduring friendship between the two nations.

"Let today be a reminder of our shared suffering, but also of the strength of our alliance," she said. "Only together, united and respecting the choices and will of all peoples, will Serbia and China continue to strengthen their partnership for mutual benefit, in service of our national interests, stability, prosperity, and justice."

She described the May 7, 1999, bombing on the Chinese Embassy as a crime committed against China and its people, stressing that it violated the foundations of the UN Charter and numerous international conventions.

Stamenkovski also expressed pride in Serbia's role as China's first free trade partner in Central and Eastern Europe, and the first European country to elevate bilateral ties to the highest level.

Ambassador Li condemned the airstrike as a grave violation of international law and remembered the journalists Shao Yunhuan, Xu Xinghu, and Zhu Ying, who lost their lives in the attack. More than 20 Chinese diplomats were also injured.

He recalled that NATO, under U.S. leadership, launched a 78-day bombing campaign under the pretext of humanitarianism, causing the deaths of over 2,000 civilians, injuring more than 6,000, and displacing nearly one million people.

Li described the bombing as a blow to both Chinese and Serbian sovereignty, but emphasized that the two nations have responded with resilience and have made joint progress since then.

Contrasting the destruction of war with today's flourishing bilateral ties, Li highlighted how the two countries are now focused on rebuilding and revitalization. He also underscored the strength of their 70-year friendship.

Also present at the ceremony were Belgrade Deputy Mayor Vesna Vidovic, representatives from the Serbian Journalists' Association, the Veterans' Association, Chinese enterprises and local residents. They joined in laying flowers in remembrance of the victims.

On May 7, 1999, the clearly marked Chinese Embassy in Belgrade was attacked by NATO missiles during the military alliance's bombing campaign against then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The attack destroyed both the main and auxiliary buildings of the embassy. A memorial plaque was installed at the site in 2009 to honor the victims.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Local police said the nature of the blast was under investigation and rescue and law enforcement teams were deployed read more

Pakistani media is reporting that loud explosions were heard near Sharafi Goth in Karachi, the financial and commercial centre of the nation.

According to reports, police have recovered metal fragments from the site, and the nature of the blast was under investigation. Local administration said rescue and law enforcement teams were dispatched to the scene.

This comes after a loud explosion was heard in the border city of Lahore earlier in the day.

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Meanwhile, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has temporarily suspended flight operations at airports in Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot, Aaj News reported.

According to PAA, the airports in Lahore and Sialkot will remain unavailable for all flights until 12 pm on Thursday (local time). The flight schedules of both domestic and international flights have been impacted due to the suspension, Aaj News reported, according to ANI.

Passengers have been asked to contact their respective airlines to get updates regarding their flight timings and possible delays, ANI reported.

The development comes after Indian armed forces on Wednesday (May 7) carried out precision strikes at the terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people and injured several others.

(With inputs from agencies)
The statement from AQIS comes after India launched Operation Sindoor against terror camps in Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 mostly Hindu tourists read more

In line with Pakistans inflammatory religious rhetoric, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) on Wednesday (May 7) issued a statement condemning Operation Sindoor and called for a renewed jihad across the subcontinent.

The terrorist group also called on the Muslims of the subcontinent to rise up in support of oppressed people. It alleged that the Bhagwa government of PM Narendra Modi was waging a multifaceted campaign to eliminate Islam.

For all the Mujahideen of Islam and the Muslims of the Subcontinent, this war against India is Jihad Fi Sabilillah. It is a duty upon us to engage in this struggle to raise the Word of Allah, defend Islam and Muslims, and support the oppressed people of The Subcontinent. It is now more necessary than ever for the Muslims of the Subcontinent to rise up in support of these stances and objectives, the AQIS said in a statement.

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The statement comes after India launched Operation Sindoor against terror camps in Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 mostly Hindu tourists.

This operation, named Operation Sindoor, targeted and successfully destroyed nine terrorist camps. Reports indicate that over 100 trained terrorists were killed, significantly disrupting the core of the jihadist networks that are supported by Pakistan.

Among the sites targeted was Markaz Taiba, often described as the ideological and operational nerve centre of Lashkar-e-Taiba. The facility was also partly funded by Osama bin Laden, who reportedly donated Rs 10 million to build a mosque and guest house within the complex.

Inflammatory rhetoric aligns with Pakistan states narrative

The inflammatory rhetoric pushed by the AQIS aligns with Pakistans official narrative against India, often targeting Hindus and their tradition.

Engulfed in a military crisis with India, an isolated Pakistan is now relying on religious rhetoric to gather support domestically as well as among the Islamic world.

Ahead of the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir had fuelled the debate around the two-nation theory in a speech.

In his speech, Munir stated that Pakistanis are fundamentally different from Hindus in religion, culture, traditions, thoughts, and ambitions.

You have to narrate Pakistans story to your children so that they dont forget it when our forefathers thought we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life, Munir said.

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Not just the army chief but a similar rhetoric has also been fuelled by Pakistani politicians. Recently, Pakistani Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan declared the first brick of the new mosque in Ayodhya will be laid by Pakistani soldiers. Ayodhya is where India inaugurated a grand Ram temple last year.

The first brick of the new Babri mosque in Ayodhya will be laid by Pakistan Army soldiers, and the first azaan will be given by Army Chief Asim Munir himself, said the senator.

Her comments drew a massive backlash from users on social media.
Pakistani troops continued shelling along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara for the second straight day, targeting civilian areas in Karnah. The escalation follows Indias Operation Sindoor, which struck terror camps across the border. read more

The Indian Army responded to the shelling with return fire. PTI

Pakistani troops continued cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir for the second consecutive day on Thursday. The shelling began after midnight, with Pakistani forces targeting civilian areas in Karnah, officials said.

Most residents in Karnah had already moved to safer places on Wednesday, following the start of shelling after Indias Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror camps across the border.

Earlier, 15 Indians were killed and 43 others injured in heavy firing and shelling by Pakistani forces along the LoC and International Border in the Poonch and Tangdhar areas of Jammu and Kashmir, the Army said.

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The development comes as a frustrated Pakistan resorts to its old tactics of targeting civilians. India conducted Operation Sindoor on Wednesday, carrying out precision strikes on terror outfits in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), in which 80 terrorists are reportedly dead.

The military strikes were carried out under Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army said in a statement released at 1.44 am.

A little while ago, the Indian Armed forces launched Operation Sindoor hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed, the Army said.

Earlier, Pakistani army fired heavy mortars at forward villages along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri early Wednesday, shortly after the Indian armed forces launched missile strikes.
Indian forces Thursday targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, effectively inflicting damage on its air defence units and taking out an air defence system in Lahore read more

Amidst an escalating military crisis between India and Pakistan, a Pakistani senator broke down on Thursday (May 8) while addressing the countrys National Assembly. National Assembly member Tahir Iqbal was seen pleading with Pakistani Army to save the country from Indian strikes.

Iqbal was talking about Indias ongoing military operation against Pakistan, stating, God, please keep this country safe."

I urge all Pakistani lawmakers to unite and pray before the God. Oh Allah, we bow down our heads before you, please save this country, the senator and a former army officer said.

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The video of his speech has now gone viral on the internet.

The Indian armed forces conducted drone and missile strikes inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday and Thursday under Operation Sindoor.

On Wednesday, India struck nine terror camps and took out more than 100 terrorists, according to reports.

On Thursday, India responded to Pakistani attempts to escalate the conflict by targeting Indian air force stations on the intervening night of May 7 and 8. These attacks by Pakistan were neutralised by Indian air defence systems, the government said.

Indian forces Thursday targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, effectively inflicting damage on its air defence units and taking out an air defence system in Lahore.

According to sources, Pakistans HQ-9 missile defence system, made by China, was significantly damaged.

Earlier in the day, loud explosions were heard in several cities of Pakistan, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore. The Pakistani side earlier claimed they shot down several Indian drones overnight.

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US State Secretary Rubio spoke to EAM Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the ongoing situation along the border to urge de-escalation and offer mediation read more

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as the situation along the India-Pakistan border escalated after Islamabad launched air attacks on Jammu, Rajasthan and Punjab. The artillery fire, drone and missile attacks were thwarted by the Indian defence system.

In a statement released by the US State Department, spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, Secretary Rubio spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation. He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications.

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Jaishakar later posted about his conversation with Rubio on X.

Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening.



Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.



Underlined Indias targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation.



   Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 8, 2025

Pakistan launched a series of artillery strikes, drone incursions, and missile attacks targeting multiple locations in Jammu, including a strategic airstrip, just a day after India carried out strikes on terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Security agencies reported that Pakistan fired eight missiles, all of which were successfully intercepted by the S-400 air defense system.

At the same time, Rubio also spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the ongoing situation along the border and delivered the same message to Islamabad about de-escalation and mediation.
Misri asserted that India was not in the mood to escalate tensions and added it was merely responding to the original escalation of the 22nd of April, when Pakistan-based terrorists massacred 26 tourists in Indias Jammu and Kashmir read more

The Indian Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, on Thursday (May 8) briefed the media about Indias latest drone strikes on Pakistan, where he also punctured several false narratives being peddled by Islamabad.

Misri asserted that India was not in the mood to escalate tensions and added it was merely responding to the original escalation of the 22nd of April, when Pakistan-based terrorists massacred 26 tourists in Indias Jammu and Kashmir.

Misri said Pakistans reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism was rooted in a number of instances where concrete evidence was available, not just to India, but to governments and authorities and agencies around the world.

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The briefing came after Indian armed forces on Thursday targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, effectively inflicting damage on its air defence units and taking out an air defence system in Lahore.

Here is what Misri said during the press briefing:

I thought that we would just put some of the aspects related to the events that started on 22nd April with the barbaric terror attack in Pahalgam into further context, because there is a certain amount of commentary that has happened with regard to the events since then. And more than the commentary, there has been a lot of disinformation that has been directed at us from across the border. So, a few things that I would like you to keep in mind.

First of all, there is mention on all sides, of escalation. I think the first point that you have to keep in mind is the attack of 22nd April in Pahalgam is the original escalation.

Secondly, I want to invite your attention to the involvement of the group calling itself The Resistance Front in these attacks. I pointed this out yesterday that this is a group that is a known front for the well-known Pakistan-based terrorist organization, Lashkar-e-Taiba. The group has been reported earlier. I mentioned to you about the Indian authorities providing information to the UN 1267 Sanctions Monitoring Committee. And, in fact, we are going to be meeting with the team again very soon and we will be providing an update to the information that we have provided earlier.

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This was after the fact that the TRF claimed responsibility for this attack, not once but twice -within a few hours after the incident on the 22nd of April, and then again on the morning of 23rd April. And it is perhaps only after the full gravity of the incident was realised by its masters and handlers across the border that it was managed to back off from this claim. Obviously that retraction doesnt convince anybody.

Our intention has not been to escalate matters. We are only responding to the original escalations, as I said. And our response has been targeted, precise, controlled and measured. No military targets have been selected. Only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit.

Now, there are, as I said, a number of issues that have been raised in commentaries and there is a lot of unfounded disinformation and fabrication that has come from across the border, and I would just like to use this opportunity to set the records straight on some of these issues.

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The first of these is Pakistan trying to wash its hands off any and all involvement with terrorism. I think that the Pakistani Information Minister said there are no terrorists in Pakistan. And I think he was challenged on that in the television program in which he was appearing on.

But even if I partially repeat myself from yesterday, I think Pakistans reputation as the epicenter of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances where concrete evidence is available, not just to India, but to governments and authorities and agencies around the world. There are several terrorist attacks around the world where Pakistani fingerprints have been found. I dont need to deliver the point with regards to this audience about where Osama Bin Laden was found, and who called him a martyr.

Pakistan has also for decades pursued cross-border terrorism into India with impunity, and as I said yesterday also, in order to deliberately mislead the international community, they claimed that the terrorist Sajid Mir was dead. They came under pressure and Sajid Mir was then brought back to life, arrested, and is now apparently in Pakistani custody.

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Pakistan is also home to a very large number of UN proscribed terrorists as well as terrorists proscribed by a number of other governments in the world, including of course the Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as their leaders, Masood Azhar and Hafiz Muhammad Saeed.

Both the Defence Minister and the former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, I think, they have done a more eloquent job of this than I could ever do in terms of describing their countrys implication in international terrorism and their involvement in housing these kinds of groups.

These calls for jointly investigating this heinous and barbaric attack in Pahalgam. Again, I think you know the history well on this, you know the track record well, and it is not a bright track record in so far as Pakistan is concerned. In fact, in the pursuit of justice for the victims of multiple terrorist attacks, whether it be Mumbai in 2008, in Pathankot in 2016, or many others. But in particular for these two attacks, India had offered to cooperate. India provided forensic evidence, and urged Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice.

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We, in particular with regard to the Mumbai attacks of 2008, where a Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was captured alive; India provided extensive information and evidence related to the involvement of Pakistani terrorists in this attack. Cases were registered, but you are all aware that these cases have not progressed despite the formation of judicial teams etc., and Pakistan has consistently stonewalled all efforts to move the investigation along.

In fact, with regard to the Pathankot attack as well, a joint investigative team was formed. We gave unprecedented access to the Pakistani team to the site of the attack. Details of call records data, and DNA etc. was shared with Pakistan. We had shared with them, details related  that we had been able to access  the addresses of terrorists. We presented evidence against the office bearers of Jaish-e-Mohammad who had conspired in the attack, and the handlers of the terrorists who facilitated them, and guided them in. But there has been no movement on this.

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So, in all of this, I think the experience has not been positive, and it certainly doesnt give us the confidence now to take at face value, Pakistani assertions of wishing to participate in a joint investigation. These are just delaying tactics. These are just stonewalling tactics.

And in fact, there is reason to believe that Pakistan uses the evidence that we provide only to cover its tracks, and in fact defend the terrorists who we are looking for, and obstruct the path of investigation.

A third point that I wanted to address was the claim that only civilians were killed in the strikes on the 7th of May. We have made the point very clearly that all attacks on the morning of 7th May were against carefully selected terrorist infrastructure, terrorist targets. It is not clear to us, in fact, seeing some of the coverage of the after effects of these strikes, including the funerals for the terrorists that were held yesterday  I think a lot of you have seen the reports and the coverage on media.

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If only civilians were killed in these attacks, I wonder what message this picture actually sends to all of you. This is a question that is worth asking. Its also odd that the funerals of civilians are carried out with the coffins being draped in Pakistani flags, and state honors being accorded. As far as we are concerned, the individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving terrorists state funerals may be a practice in Pakistan. It doesnt seem to make much sense to us.

Pakistan has also claimed that India deliberately attacked religious sites. This is completely false. Again, I have made it clear that the targets were terrorist infrastructure, terrorist facilities, and locations connected clearly with incidents of cross-border terrorism into India. And it is in fact Pakistan that is misusing religious sites as a cover to in fact radicalize, direct, and indoctrinate and train terrorists.

In fact, contrary to what Pakistan is claiming, yesterday Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, hitting a Gurdwara in Poonch and the homes of Sikh community members which came under attack. And we know that at least three individuals were killed in that particular attack.

Pakistan is also making attempts to, in fact just to add to this point, the retaliatory action that Pakistan has taken in fact is impacting civilians. I showed you the picture of the Gurdwara and the Sikh community members who were killed in this. There are other civilians also who were killed and injured in these attacks. In fact, since yesterday morning, a total of 16 civilians have been killed, and 59 others have been injured in the attacks by Pakistan.

Not only this, Pakistan is also making attempts in, as part of its disinformation campaign, to paint our action with regard to cross-border terrorism through the communal angle. If that is the issue, then I think I can do no better than to cite or point you in the direction of the Pakistan Army Chiefs speech of 16 April 2025. I think that is the last word in communal rhetoric.

And in the Pahalgam attack itself, you are aware of the kind of religious profiling that was done there, and perhaps there is a linkage between these two events. I can only say that these nefarious designs will not be allowed to succeed in India. And it is to be noted that people from all faiths, all religions, all regions in India have unequivocally, not just in India, but around the world, have condemned these attacks.

The Pakistani claims of now responding to Indias strikes of the 7th of May. As I said right at the outset, it is India which is responding. The original escalation was by Pakistan on the 22nd of April. We are the ones who are responding to that escalation with the action that was taken yesterday morning. And again, I would like to emphasize that the action was restrained; it was directed towards non-civilian, non-military targets; and confined to terrorist camps. And again, as weve been saying since yesterday, any further action by Pakistan, some of which we are seeing today is nothing but escalation by Pakistan now, once again, and will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately.

One point that I wanted to also address was the allegations to the targeting of a dam, the Neelam Jhelum project in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. I want to say that this is an absolute and complete fabrication and a blatant lie. India has targeted only, and only terrorist infrastructure. And the details of that terrorist infrastructure, together with the location was shared with you yesterday by Col Qureshi and Wg Cdr Singh. I should note that if this kind of claim is a pretext for targeting Indian infrastructure of a similar nature, Pakistan will be entirely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow.

Finally, I want to address some issues that have been raised related to the Indus Waters Treaty, and the disinformation that has been raised in this regard as well. The fact is that there have been fundamental changes in the circumstances in which the Indus Waters Treaty was concluded. And they required, they called for a reassessment of the obligations under the treaty. Over the last year and a half to two years, India has been in communication with the Government of Pakistan. Weve sent several notices to them requesting for negotiations to discuss a modification of the treaty.

India has, for six plus decades now, honoured the treaty, even during periods when Pakistan imposed multiple wars on us, and even when relations were adversarial. Pakistan is the one that has been acting in violation of the treaty, deliberately creating legal roadblocks in India exercising its legitimate rights on the Western Rivers. Any projects that India sought to build on the Eastern Rivers, and even on the Western Rivers, which we are allowed to by the treaty, were always challenged by Pakistan, thereby, hampering our rights to utilise our legitimate waters under the treaty.

In fact, if you see the preamble of the treaty itself states that the treaty was concluded in a spirit of goodwill and friendship. Mark those words, concluded in a spirit of goodwill and friendship.

However, as has been made clear earlier as well, Pakistan has not responded to our request to enter into negotiations for a reassessment of the obligations under the treaty. A number of conditions have changed. This is a treaty that was based on the engineering techniques of the 50s and the 60s. We are living through the first quarter of the 21st century. Technological changes and technological advancements have to be taken into account.

There are demographic changes. There are climate changes that have taken place. There is the imperative of clean energy. And, of course, the terrorism that Pakistan has wreaked in the state of Jammu and Kashmir itself has hampered Indias ability to exercise its rights under the treaty.

Pakistans persistent refusal to respond to our request to enter into Government-to-Government negotiations on the modification of the treaty is in a sense itself a violation of the treaty. And, therefore, India has taken the step of putting the treaty in abeyance until Pakistan abjures irrevocably its support for cross-border terrorism.

Maybe Ill stop there. I mentioned earlier yesterday as well that this is an evolving situation. I would therefore ask all of you to be considerate and restrained. It will not be possible for us or my colleagues from the Armed Forces to share operational details at this point in time. Beyond that, if you have any questions, may I have time for only a few, and Ill try to answer those questions.
Operation Sindoor was launched by India in response to the recent UN Security Council statement, which called for accountability for those behind the Pahalgam massacre and their supporters. read more

Operation Sindoor was carried out in accordance with a recent UN Security Council statement, which emphasised the need to , the Indian government said in a message to the international community. The operation aimed to deter further attacks planned by Pakistan-based terrorist groups.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described the military action as non-escalatory, responsible, and proportionate. He stated that there was clear evidence linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack, including communication networks used by the terrorists in and connected to Pakistan.

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Misri further stated that The Resistance Front (TRF), which claimed responsibility for the attack, is a front for the UN-banned Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Indian intelligence, he said, has identified the planners and supporters behind the attack.

India exercised its right to respond and prevent further cross-border terrorism, Misri told reporters while addressing the press on Indias most successful counter-terrorism operation. He added that the strikes targeted and dismantled terror infrastructure and neutralised terrorists likely to be pushed into India. Misri confirmed that the operation struck key bases of LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Under Operation Sindoor, India conducted missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, with Indian forces specifically aiming to target top Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders for their role in orchestrating terror attacks in India. According to reports, around 80 terrorists were killed in the operation.

UNSCs call to bring perpetrators to justice

Earlier, the UN Security Council strongly condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed by Pakistani and local terrorists.

In a statement on Friday, the 15-member Council said those responsible for planning, carrying out, and supporting this reprehensible act of terrorism must be held accountable and

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The Council also said that all forms of terrorism pose a serious threat to international peace and security.

India carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to eliminate top Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders involved in planning attacks on Indian soil. This is being described as the most successful operation against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism conducted on Pakistani territory.

Indias precise strike

In the early hours of Wednesday, Indian forces launched precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure across the border. According to the Ministry of Defence, the operation was focused, measured, and non-escalatory, with no Pakistani military sites targeted. The strikes were carried out in response to the brutal Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national.

Following the strikes, Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement by firing artillery in the Bhimber Gali area of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army responded in a calibrated manner, officials confirmed.

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Pakistans attempt to spread its propaganda at the international level failed after UNSC kept mum on India-Pak diplomatic row read more

While Pakistan is trying to spread anti-India narratives on the international platform, reports are emerging that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is seeking accountability from Islamabad for the Pahalgam attack. According to the Indian government sources, the UNSC closed-door meeting on the brewing diplomatic and military tensions between India and Pakistan has failed to yield any substantive outcome for Islamabad.

The source told The Times of India that the USNC put a dent in Pakistans ambition to internationalise the matter and sought accountability from Islamabad over the Pahalgam terrorist attack. As per the report, the UNSC expressed concerns over Pakistans nuclear rhetoric and missile tests.

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The source told TOI that the views were expressed individually, and the international body is yet to collectively make any statement on the matter, which also worked in Indias favour since Pakistan was hoping for a statement of condemnation.

What happened at the meeting?

The sources told TOI that in the 90-minute-long meeting, member states condemned the Pahalgam attack and posed questions about the likelihood of involvement of the UN-proscribed Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Former Indian permanent representative to the UN, Syed Akbaruddin, told TOI that the lack of response from the UNSC after the meeting says a lot.

The lack of a response by the Council to Pakistans briefing is a vindication of the Indian stance, said Akbaruddin, who was Indias ambassador to the UN when Pakistan last sought closed-door consultations through China in 2019. The meeting at that time also ended without any formal statement. In both instances, China helped Pakistan to push its narrative.

In the recent meeting, the source told TOI that members disapproved of the false flag narrative and also questioned the targeting of tourists based on their religious identity.

There was broad condemnation of the terrorist attack and recognition of the need for accountability. Some members specifically brought up the targeting of tourists based on their religious faith, the source told TOI. The member states argued that Pakistans missile tests and nuclear rhetoric were escalatory factors. Overall, Pakistans plan to push its narrative internationally backfired with the UNSCs silence.

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Pakistani authorities reportedly admitted that two of their JF-17 fighter jets were reportedly downed as tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad escalate. Meanwhile, Pakistani minister has denied the claims read more

The image shared by Pakistani Air Force showcasing the JF-17C jets equipped with PL-15 missiles for the first time. Image Courtesy: X

As the tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate, Islamabad has reportedly admitted losing two of its JF-17 fighter jets following a retaliation from India.

The conflict between the two nuclear-powered nations spiralled down on Thursday evening after Pakistan conducted a coordinated attack across multiple locations on the India-Pakistan border. India soon retaliated to the provocation and downed Pakistani jets and shelling.

The incident took place just a day after India launched against nine Pakistani terror camps. We regret to confirm that two JF-17 aircraft were lost during active duty, TOI quoted Pakistani Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR).

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Jammu and Kashmir is on high alert

On Thursday evening, Pakistan launched loitering munitions targeting different areas of Jammu. In response to this, the Indian Air Defence units engaged immediately, with anti-aircraft guns actively firing to neutralise the incoming threats. According to News18, the missiles coming from Pakistan were directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia, all of which were intercepted by the Indian air defence units.

Apart from this, Pakistani drones were also intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer. Multiple explosions can be heard in the area, with locals sharing visuals of flashes in the sky.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Jammu, including Akhnoor, Kishtwar, and Samba, and sirens are being heard, as per the visuals shared by ANI. Blackouts were also enforced in Gujarat districts, including Abdasa, Nakhtrana, Bhuj, Mandvi, Bhachau and Kutch.

#WATCH | J&K | A complete blackout has been enforced in Jammu. No explosions or sirens are heard right now. Latest visuals from the city. pic.twitter.com/PisyKoXj3L  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

Defence Sources told News18 that India was aware of such an attempt and it is fully prepared to thwart these attempts from the Pakistani side. Though its an evolving situation, we have neutralised all threats coming from Pakistan. So far, eight projectiles, mostly surface-to-surface missiles, have been shot down by our air defence mechanisms, the source told the network.

The attack comes hours after India foiled Pakistans attempt to target 15 Indian cities. While the border areas are under heavy shelling in Samba, Poonch and other sectors, Jammu was targeted with missiles and drones in an enormous escalation.

Pakistani minister denies the claim

Meanwhile, Pakistans Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has rejected claims that Pakistani jets were downed by India.

Absurd and false claims are being made by India about shooting down an F16 and JF17 fighter jets, Tarar wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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Fake and concocted stories will get you nowhere. Such false claims only reflect your desperation. Denied and rejected, he added.
Multiple explosions rocked the city of Lahore in Pakistan, raising speculations on who was behind the blasts. Some eruptions were also heard near Walton Airport in Lahore read more

A series of loud explosions were heard on Walton Road in Lahore on Thursday morning, sending the city into high alert. According to Pakistani news outlet Samaa TV, police officials said multiple blasts were heard on Walton Road in the Gopal Nagar and Naseerabad areas of Lahore, and some of them were near the Walton Airport.

Videos that are circulating on Pakistani social media showed people running out of their houses in panic as plumes of smoke engulfed the sky. Pakistani authorities claimed that an Indian drone was shot down near the Walton Airport, however, the allegations could not be verified, and there is no mention from New Delhi about any form of drone attack.

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pic.twitter.com/1BF8m1ECnT  Omar Malik (@Mr_OmarMalik) May 8, 2025

It is pertinent to note that an explosion was heard in Lahore a day after the Indian forces conducted against nine terror camps in Pakistan. However, Pakistan is no stranger to terrorist attacks conducted by the terror groups it fostered itself. Hours after the explosion in the country, firings were also heard in Lahores Walton Road. The Pakistani media reported that the shots were fired near DHA Chowk, and police and law agencies are heading to the site for further investigation.

Police are investigating the matter

According to Samaa TV, two loud bangs were heard near Askari 5, in Lahore, with smoke rising from Naval College. In light of this, on Thursday morning, several key air routes in Lahore and Sialkot were temporarily closed for commercial flights due to prevailing regional tensions, according to airport sources told the Pakistani news outlet.

As per the report, the airport closure is expected to remain in effect until 12 noon today. According to a fresh Notice to Airmen (Notam) issued, the Lahore and Sialkot air routes would remain closed till Thursday noon. Several air routes within Lahore and Sialkot have been closed for commercial flights, the Notam added.

As a result of the airspace closure, multiple Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights have been impacted. According to Samaa TV, a PIA flight from Medina, originally bound for Lahore, was diverted to Karachi and a separate flight from Multan to Lahore was also rerouted to Karachi due to operational delays.

With inputs from agencies.

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At an all-party meeting, Union minister Kiren Rijiju has said that Operation Sindoor is still going on read more

The rubble of a building damaged by Indian missile attack, is seen in Muridke, a town in Pakistan's Punjab province, on Wednesday. AP

Union minister Kiren Rijiju said an all-party meeting that Operation Sindoor is still going on.

The government convened an all-party meeting on Thursday for a discussion on Indian strikes on terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) in the early hours of Wednesday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting.

Rajnath informed all parties in attendance that around 100 terrorists were killed in Indian airstrikes, but exact information is being ascertained.

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Rajnath further said that India would respond if Pakistan carries out any attack on India. The government maintained that it would not escalate the situation from its end.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Rijiju said that the discussions were constructive and serious.

The Defence Minister briefed all leaders in detail about Operation Sindoor. Each leader expressed their views with responsibility and maturity, recognising the major challenge the country is currently facing. Across party lines, political leaders said that there is no place for politics in such critical times. All leaders unanimously congratulated our armed forces on the success of Operation Sindoor and assured their full support to the government, with no dissent whatsoever. Several valuable suggestions were also put forward during the meeting, said Rijiju.

VIDEO: Here's What Union Minister Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) said after all-party meeting on #OperationSindoor



"A meeting of all party leaders was held today under the chairmanship of Rajnath Singh. The discussions were conducted in a constructive and serious manner, given the pic.twitter.com/g9sl10INCL  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 8, 2025

Under Operation Sindoor, India struck the the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). These two Pakistan-sponsored terrorist organisations have carried out acts of terror in India for decades. India had blamed LeT for the Pahalgam attack in which terrorists killed 26 people.

Around the same time as the all-party meeting, Pakistani military claimed in a press conference that they had intercepted around a dozen drones in various places in Pakistan. For nearly a day, Pakistan has resorted to aggressive posturing and rhetoric and appears to be setting the stage for an attack on India in response to Operation Sindoor.

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Azhars role in orchestrating the 1999 Kandahar hijack facilitated the release of Omar Saeed Sheikh, a key Al-Qaeda operative, who kidnapped and murdered Pearl. The journalist was beheaded in 2002, an execution that shocked the world read more

Indias Operation Sindoor has not just avenged the deaths of the 26 people in the Pahalgam attack, but also had a far-reaching impact on the global fight against terrorism. The Indian Armed Forces precision strikes on Wednesday reportedly killed Abdul Rauf Azhar, the operational head of Jaish-e-Mohammad and mastermind of the IC-814 hijacking.

Azhar was involved in the kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. Hence, yesterdays strikes on nine terror hubs in PoK and Pakistan delivered justice to the American-Jewish journalist.

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How is Azhar connected to Pearls death?

Azhars role in orchestrating the 1999 Kandahar hijack facilitated the release of Omar Saeed Sheikh, a key Al-Qaeda operative, who kidnapped and murdered Pearl. The journalist was beheaded in 2002, an execution that shocked the world.

An investigative journalist, Pearl disappeared in Pakistans Karachi on January 23, 2002. He was reportedly scheduled to interview a religious leader as part of his research into Islamic extremism.

He was abducted near a cafe, where terrorists captured him and accused him of being a spy. Identifying themselves as the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty, the group demanded the release of Pakistanis imprisoned by the United States.

Is Rauf Azhar dead?

Reportedly, yes. According to a report by News18, officials have said that precision attacks carried out in Pakistans Punjab province killed Azhar.

Among those reported eliminated is Abdul Rauf Azhar  operational head of Jaishe-Mohammad, mastermind of the IC-814 hijacking, and a central figure in international jihadist networks," the officials said.

In Punjab province, the Indian armed forces launched strikes on Bahawalpur and Muridke, targeting and destroying the headquarters of Jaish and Lashkar  two terrorist groups responsible for years of bloodshed and attacks against India.
White smoke from the Sistine Chapel had billowed into the sky on the cardinals second day of voting to announce his election in a secret conclave, while the bells of St Peters Basilica and churches across Rome rang out read more

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in The Vatican, on May 8, 2025. AFP

Robert Francis Prevost became the first pope from the United States on Thursday, picking the papal name Leo XIV after cardinals from around the world elected him leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics.

Tens of thousands of people packed in St Peters Square cheered as Prevost appeared on the balcony of St Peters Basilica, waving with both hands, smiling and bowing.

Peace by with you, he told the crowds.

White smoke from the Sistine Chapel had billowed into the sky on the cardinals second day of voting to announce his election in a secret conclave, while the bells of St Peters Basilica and churches across Rome rang out.

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Crowds of people rushed towards the square to watch the balcony of the basilica, which has been fitted out with red curtains for the first address to the world by the 267th pope.

The new pontiff, who succeeds Argentine reformer Pope Francis, was introduced in Latin with his chosen papal name.

Its an amazing feeling, said an elated Joseph Brian, a 39-year-old chef from Belfast in Northern Ireland, who came with his mother to Rome for the spectacle.

Im not an overly religious person but, being here with all these people just blew me away, he told AFP as people around him jumped up and down in excitement.

There were euphoric scenes as one priest sat on someones shoulders waving a Brazilian flag and another lifted a heavy crucifix into the air in jubilation.

Habemus Papam

Habemus papam, woooo! howled Bruna Hodara, 41, from Brazil, echoing the words to be spoken on the balcony as the new pope is introduced.

She, like others, recorded the historic moment on her phone, as others waved flags and cried out Viva Il Papa!  Long live the pope! in Italian.

Its a once in a lifetime opportunity to be here to see the pope. Its really special Im excited! said Florian Fried, a 15-year-old from Munich, in Germany.

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Pope Francis died last month aged 88 after a 12-year papacy during which he sought to forge a more compassionate Church  but drew anger from many conservatives with his progressive approach.

The new pope now faces a momentous task: as well as asserting his moral voice on a conflict-torn global stage, he must try to unite a divided Church and tackle burning issues such as the the continued fall-out from the sexual abuse scandal.

Some 133 Princes of the Church from five continents  the largest and most international conclave ever  began voting on Wednesday afternoon.

Sworn to secrecy, on pain of excommunication, their only means of communicating their progress to the outside world was by sending up smoke through the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

On Wednesday evening and then again on Thursday lunchtime, the smoke was black, eliciting disappointed sighs from the tens of thousands watching.

But on Thursday afternoon just after 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) the smoke emitted was white, confirming that the Catholic Church has a new spiritual leader.

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It was unknown how many ballots it took to elect the new pope, but it followed recent history in wrapping up in less than two days.

In 2005, Benedict XVI, a German theologian, was elected in four ballots and Francis, in 2013, was elected in five ballots.

While the details of the election will forever remain secret, the new pope had to secure at least two-thirds of votes to be elected.

By tradition, he now enters the Room of Tears  where freshly-elected popes give free rein to their emotions  to don a papal cassock for the first time, before returning to the Sistine Chapel so the cardinals can pledge their obedience.

He will then appear on the balcony along with a senior cardinal, who will announce to the waiting crowds Habemus Papam (We have a pope).

The pope will then give a short speech and impart his first Urbi et Orbi (To the City and the World) blessing.

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Pastor or diplomat

The election has come at a time of great geopolitical uncertainty, which was seen as a key voting issue, along with the rifts within the Church.

Francis was a compassionate reformer who prioritised migrants and the environment, but he angered traditionalists who wanted a defender of doctrine rather than a headline-maker.

Some 80 percent of the cardinal electors were appointed by Francis. Hailing from 70 countries around the world, it was the most international conclave ever.

That was no guarantee, however, that the cardinals would pick someone in his vein.

The question was whether to choose a pastor or diplomat, a liberal or conservative, someone versed in the Curia  the Churchs governing body  or a relative outsider from areas of the world where Catholic faith is thriving.

Before the cardinals were locked into the Sistine Chapel Wednesday, their dean Giovanni Battista Re urged them to choose someone able to protect the Churchs unity.

The next pope must also be able to lead at this difficult and complex turning point in history, amid raging conflicts around the world and the rise of ultra-nationalist parties.

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The Church has also had difficulty in adapting to the modern world, with declining priest numbers and increasingly empty pews in the West.

The papal inauguration usually takes place less than a week after the election with a mass celebrated before political and religious leaders from around the world.

The new pope will likely do a tour of St Peters Square in his popemobile for the first time, before delivering a homily outlining his priorities.
Shortly after US President Donald Trump teased a trade deal with a big nation, reports suggested that America will announce a trade deal with the United Kingdom read more

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer shakes hands with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on February 27, 2025 in Washington, DC, US (Photo: Reuters)

After US President Donald teased that America will be signing a major trade deal with a big and highly respected nation, speculations started to become rife that the country Trump is talking about might be China or India. However, it turns out the United Kingdom will be clinching the gold medal in the race.

A person familiar with the matter told The Washington Post that Trump will announce a trade agreement with the UK on Thursday morning. The deal will become the first one administration will sign with dozens of trading partners standing in line to do the same. The race to sign a bilateral deal with the United States began after Trump, in April, announced tariffs on more than 70 nations worldwide. However, they quickly implemented a 90-day pause on the tariffs, allowing the countries to hold negotiations.

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Experts remain sceptical about trade deals

On Wednesday night, the president teased that a trade deal would be announced with a big nation soon. Big News Conference tomorrow at 10:00 A.M., The Oval Office, concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!! Trump wrote on his social media platform, TruthSocial.

The White House and officials from the United Kingdom have declined to comment on the matter. Meanwhile, experts are sceptical about the deal, with many thinking that any agreement reached in such a short amount of time would be less likely to alter trading barriers to a great extent.

However, the administration officials have suggested Trump might first reach agreements that would serve as frameworks for future negotiations. The news of the agreement between the US and UK was first reported by The New York Times and was seen as a victory for the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The UK premier visited the White House in February and shared an invitation from British monarch King Charles III for a historic state visit, charming the Republican firebrand. Usually, a free trade agreement can run into the thousands of pages and is usually the product of months. Hence, it will be interesting to see how the deal between the two nations would pan out.
The US Department of State supported Indias stance that Pakistan supports and fosters terrorism. The remarks from the department came shortly after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with EAM Jaishankar read more

As the tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate, the US Department of State is aligning with Indias stance that Pakistan supports terrorism. On Thursday, US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce gave an update on the departments secretary Marco Rubios phone call with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

When asked by a reporter how the department reacts to Indias assertion that Pakistan supports and fosters terrorism, Bruce admitted that America believes the same thing. Well, obviously thats the call weve been making for decades, and clearly what happened in Kashmir was awful, Bruce said in response during the Thursday press briefing.

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The State Department spokesperson was referring to the Pahalgam attack that occurred on April 22. Terrorists with links to Pakistani terror groups infiltrated a tourist destination in Pahalgam, killing 26 people and sending shockwaves across India. A diplomatic row ensued between the two nations soon after, which ultimately led to military escalation.

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US calls for de-escalation

During calls with Jaishankar and Sharif, Rubio urged for the de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. Secretary Marco Rubio spoke today with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

The Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation. He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications, the State Department said about the call between Jaishankar and Rubio.

The Secretary reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism, he added. Meanwhile, in his post, the Indian EAM said that he told Rubio that India is taking measured and targeted actions against Pakistan.
As tensions with India are the highest in many decades, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the United States has taken the lead in international efforts to ease tensions read more

Pakistan has confirmed that an international effort is ongoing to ease tensions with India.

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Reuters on Thursday that the United States has been playing a leading role in efforts to ease tensions with India.

Tensions between India and Pakistan are currently at the highest in years. Last month, Pakistan-sponsored terrorists killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam.

In the early hours of Wednesday, India responded with airstrikes on nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) under Operation Sindoor. The sites also included headquarters of terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

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Since Wednesday, India and Pakistan have been exchanging fire at the border and have had two rounds of exchange of missiles and drones.

Even as Asif said that the United States was leading efforts to ease tensions, he said that an attack by Pakistan on India looks increasingly certain in the wake of this mornings attacks by India.

ALSO READ: Partners or preachers? The many mediation hopefuls as India-Pakistan tension rise over Pahalgam

Shortly after Asif was reported as saying that the United States was leading efforts to ease tensions between India and Pakistan, it was reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The details of their conversation were not known by press-time.

India said that it struck Pakistani radar and air defence systems this morning and said that an air defence system in Pakistan, the centre of political power in Pakistan, had been destroyed. India said that strikes were in response to Pakistans attempted missile and drone strikes across northern and western India last night. India said that those missiles and drones were succesfully intercepted by Indian air defences.

Pakistan has vowed to respond to this mornings Indian strikes. Later in the day, Shehbaz held an emergency meeting with the countrys top civilian and military leaders, according to Gew News.

Yesterday, the Shehbaz-chaired National Security Committee (NSC) authorised the Pakistani military to attack India with force they deem fit at the time and place of their choice.

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HONOR has confirmed the launch of HONOR 400 series smartphones at an event in London on May 22nd.

The teaser shows a 200MP camera for the phone, and the company highlights a 200MP ultra-clear AI camera at the end.

The image shows both the phones with the HONOR 400 feature dual rear cameras, and the Pro model has triple rear cameras, so it should include a telephoto camera. The standard model has a flat design, while the Pro model features a curved design.

Based on earlier rumours, the HONOR 400 will pack a 6.55 FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED screen with up to 5000 nits peak brightness, Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chip, 200MP rear camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera, IP65 ratings, and a 5300mAh battery.

The HONOR 400 Pro is said to pack a 6.7 FHD+ 120Hz flat AMOLED screen with up to 5000 nits peak brightness, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, 200MP rear camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera, 50MP telephoto camera, and a 5300mAh battery with 100W fast charging.

The phones are expected to come with Google Gemini, Circle to Search, AI Summary, AI Superzoom, AI Portrait Snap, AI Eraser and other AI functions.

Launch event

The HONOR 400 series event in London starts at 4PM BST (8:30 PM IST), and the company should offer a live stream for the event. It has also started pre-registrations for the phones in the UK, and the countdown reveals that these will go on open sale soon after the launch.

HONOR is also teasing the launch of the phone in Malaysia, so we can expect the launch there soon, and there are also rumours of the phone launching in India, as Madhav Sheth recently revealed that HONOR has received approvals for launching 5 products in India.
After teasers, realme has confirmed the global launch of realme GT 7 series on May 27th at an event in Paris, France. The company already teased an industry-first graphene cover IceSense design.

The realme GT 7 Pro has been confirmed to be powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. The theme associated with the GT 7 series, Power that Never Stops, suggests a continued emphasis on sustained performance and battery longevity.

The launch of the GT 7 series aligns with realmes broader strategic vision. At MWC 2025, the brand outlined a three-year plan aimed at significantly increasing its global user base and strengthening its presence in the high-end smartphone segment. The GT series, positioned as a Next-Level Performance Flagship with AI, is a crucial element in executing this strategy.

For India, the company will launch the realme GT 7 and GT 7T that will be available through realmes official website, Amazon.in, and other mainline channels upon their release, and we should get more details soon.
Courtesy of Justice Necessary

Volunteers at the Period Palooza in Fort Collins on Monday sort and pack bags with menstrual products to be distributed at schools in their region. Grand Junctions Period Palooza will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Grand Junction Holiday Inn & Suites, 2751 Crossroads Blvd.
Saturday Night

Mainly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. NNW winds shifting to E at 10 to 15 mph.
Situation in the State of Palestine: Appeals Chamber reverses the Pre-Trial Chamber's decision on Israel's challenge to the jurisdiction of the Court and remands the matter to the Pre-Trial Chamber

International Criminal Court (ICC) / Cour penale internationale (CPI)

Press Release: 24 April 2025

Today, 24 April 2025, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court ("Court") issued its judgment on the appeal filed by the State of Israel ("Israel") against the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber I on Israel's challenge to the jurisdiction of the Court pursuant to article 19(2) of the Statute ("Impugned Decision"). The Pre-Trial Chamber had rejected Israel's challenge to the jurisdiction of the Court as premature. Accordingly, the Appeals Chamber concluded that the Impugned Decision consists of or is based on a ruling on the jurisdiction of the Court and, as a result, it considered the appeal to be admissible under article 82(1)(a) of the Statute.

On the merits of the appeal, the Appeals Chamber concluded that the Pre-Trial Chamber committed an error of law by failing to sufficiently address Israel's argument that it was entitled to make a jurisdictional challenge under article 19(2)(c) of the Statute. The Appeals Chamber therefore reversed the Impugned Decision and remanded the matter to the Pre-Trial Chamber for a new ruling on the substance of Israel's challenge to the jurisdiction of the Court.

In light of the above, the Appeals Chamber dismissed, as moot, Israel's request for suspensive effect of two arrest warrants issued after the Impugned Decision and "any other legal acts taken by the Court based thereon".

In addition, today the Appeals Chamber, by majority, dismissed Israel's appeal against Pre-Trial Chamber I's decision rejecting Israel's request for an order to the Prosecutor to issue a new notice pursuant to article 18(1) of the Statute. The Appeals Chamber, by majority, Judge Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza and Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa dissenting, found the appeal to be inadmissible, considering that the Pre-Trial Chamber's decision was not a decision with respect to admissibility pursuant to article 82(1)(a) of the Statute.

The Appeals Chamber deciding on these two appeals is composed of Judge Tomoko Akane, Presiding, Judge Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza, Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa, Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze, and Judge Erdenebalsuren Damdin.

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Pakistan And India Say Civilians Killed After India Fires Missiles Into Pakistani Territory

By Daud Khattak May 06, 2025

Pakistan said eight people were killed early on May 7 in missile strikes launched by Indian armed forces and called the attack a "blatant act of war" amid mounting tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

The fighting was the worst in more than two decades and followed an attack by Islamist assailants that killed 26 Hindu tourists in India-controlled Kashmir last month. India blamed Pakistan-based militants for the deadly attack; Pakistan denied involvement.

India said it struck nine Pakistani sites that were "terrorist infrastructure" from which attacks against it were orchestrated.

India said it also suffered deaths among its civilian population. The army said three civilians were killed by Pakistani troops who resorted to "arbitrary" shelling across the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides Kashmir, which is at the center of an 80-year-old territorial dispute between the two countries, and their international borders.

It added that the Indian Army was "responding in proportionate manner."

The director-general of Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif, told a news conference that there had been "24 impacts from India on six places" and these resulted in the killing of eight citizens and the wounding of 35. Another eight are missing.

"Pakistan will return a response to the attack," he said before ending the news conference without taking questions.

He did not mention a report that the country's air force shot down Indian jets in retaliation. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on X that three Indian jets and one Indian drone had been shot down by Pakistan.

State Of Emergency

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif scheduled an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee for 10 a.m. local time on May 7.

The chief minister of Punjab Province, Maryam Nawaz, declared a state of emergency in the province, which borders India. All schools, colleges, and universities will be closed. Police and other security agencies have been placed on high alert, and doctors on leave have been asked to report for duty.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the attack posed a significant threat to commercial air traffic, and the country suspended all flights and operations at the Lahore and Islamabad airports for 48 hours.

An Indian military statement referred to the military action as Operation Sindoor and said nine sites were hit.

"A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched 'OPERATION SINDOOR', hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed," the statement said.

"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistan military facilities have been targeted," the statement said, adding that "India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution."

The ISPR said India fired missiles at three locations -- Muzaffarabad, the main city of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir; Kotli, also in Pakistan-administered Kashmir; and Bahawalpur in Punjab Province. The Bahawalpur and Muridke areas are considered centers for the banned groups Jaish-e Muhammad and Lashkar-e Jhangvi.

The attack sounded alarm bells in Washington, where US President Donald Trump said he had been informed about the attack and hopes the fighting "ends very quickly." In New York, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern about the attack and called for maximum restraint from both countries.

"The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan," Guterres said, according to his spokesman.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted Pakistani national-security adviser Lieutenant General Asim Malik, who is also chief of Pakistan's prime intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to discussed the situation.

Rubio also spoke with his counterpart from India and said he would continue to engage with both New Delhi and Islamabad to reach a resolution to the conflict.

"He is encouraging India and Pakistan to re-open a channel between their leadership to defuse the situation and prevent further escalation," said National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes in a statement.

Soaring Tensions

Tensions have soared between the two countries in the aftermath of the deadly attack on the Hindu tourists.

Hassan Abbas, a professor of international relations at the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, told RFE/RL that while terrorism must always be condemned, Pakistan's hasty framing of the incident as a false-flag operation by India -- without investigation -- is irresponsible. Equally, India's rush to blame Pakistan without credible evidence only deepens mistrust and raises the risk of escalation, Abbas said.

"We need a different kind of courage now -- the courage to imagine cooperation...not confrontation. In a region facing the twin crises of poverty and climate vulnerability, war is a luxury no one can afford," Abbas said.

Hussain Haqqani, former Pakistani ambassador to the United States and senior fellow at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy and Hudson Foundation, told RFE/RL that domestic politics on both sides requires the leadership of the two countries to take a nationalistic stance.

The only sane approach in this situation for India is to demonstrate a strike and for Pakistan to respond in a way that the situation should not flare up, Haqqani said.

"But if one side strikes, then another responds, and then the other strikes again and it continues, then it could go out of control," he added.

Although the people of the two countries are cheering at the moment, it would be the people who would be hurt the most, because the economies of the two countries will suffer, he said.

Tauseef Ahmad Khan, an author and former head of the Mass Communication Department at Federal Urdu University in Karachi, said that India-Pakistan tensions ignite artificial patriotism.

"The 1.5 billion people of the region -- many living in poverty -- are the real victims of this conflict," Khan said.

Indian media is under the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Hindutva" ideology, while Pakistani media is tightly controlled by what he called the deep state, Khan told RFE/RL.

"There's no room left for sanity," he said.

With reporting by Reuters and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/33406535.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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Czech Ground Based Air Defence in NATO spotlight: Anniversary conference discussed the future vision and current challenges

Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic

7.5.2025

Author: by Major Zuzana Sekaninova

The Defence Ministers of the countries united in the so-called Coalition of the Willing and the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) met in Brussels to discuss further support of Ukraine. While the Coalition of the Willing primarily addresses the question of a possible military engagement in Ukraine in case a truce or peace is negotiated, the UDCG addressed Ukraine's urgent needs in regard of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's (AFU) support. That includes the supplies of artillery ammunition, which are the focal point of the Czech ammunition initiative. Defence Minister Jana Cernochova represented the Czech Republic at both events with Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces Lieutenant General Karel Rehka.

Held in Brno, Czech Republic, on April 23-24, 2025, the 25th International Air and Missile Defence Conference confirmed an excellent reputation the Czech Republic enjoys in NATO and beyond. This traditional specialist forum, organised under the auspices of the Czech Air Force Commander Major General Petr Cepelka, attracted a record-high attendance of more than 130 experts from 12 countries, including representatives of NATO nations' armed forces and representatives of key defence industries.

"This conference is not just about sharing information - it is a venue generating new ideas and a common vision of the defence of NATO airspace. The Czech Republic has always sought to enrich these discussions with expertise, experience and clear commitment to be an active and reliable Ally," General Cepelka outlined in his opening remarks.

High credit in NATO and in industry

Its level of expertise, continuity and currency made this conference one of the leading forums of the kind. This year's edition was highly appraised especially thanks to the attendance of senior NATO representatives, including Brigadier General Heinz Volker Samanns, the Head of the Joint Air Power and Space Staff (JAPSSE) at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. BG Sammans underlined the importance of a fully functioning Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) for NATO's cohesion as well for credible deterrence and defence.

"The IAMD is the cornerstone of NATO's collective deterrence and defence posture. A strong IAMD system provides NATO with early warning, freedom of manoeuvre - particularly for our land forces, a rapid response and, at the end of the day, protection of forces as well as the civilian population," Brigadier General Samanns said.

Israeli experience and new generation defences

One of the most inspiring presentations was that of retired Brigadier General Shachar Shohat of Israel. Leveraging on his rich experience, he introduced the Israeli approach to layered air defence that accentuates flexibility, speed, and embracing artificial intelligence. His vision of the modern battlefield resounded with the need for a dynamic approach to new types of threats - including drone swarms and hypersonic missiles.

NATO IAMD and modern warfare

The presentation named "The Importance of NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defence for Deterrence and Defence" sent out a clear message - the IAMD is not an optional component but rather a key pillar of NATO's defence. The following block named "Next-Generation Air Defense in Modern Warfare" underscored the need to employ automation, AI and fast integration of sensors in the looped environment, where every second matters.

Czechia and the GBAD vision

The Czech Armed Forces were represented by Lieutenant Colonel Jaroslav Sekanina of the MoD Force Development Division, who presented a ground-based air defence development strategy for the next 5 to 15 years. He accentuated the modernisation of the very short-range air defence system, fielding of new short-range, medium-range and long-range capabilities and the ambition to build missile defence capabilities in the future.

"Planning missile defence is not just a question of technologies - it demands a clear political-military and expert debate, whose first step has just been made by the means of this conference," LTC Sekanina alluded to the vision of the Czech Armed Forces Chief GBAD Officer Colonel Jaroslav Daverny.

LTC Sekanina underscored the need to prepare the systems for operations in multinational environments in terms of interoperability, mobility and capability to engage low-flying and hard-to-detect targets and preparedness for ballistic threats. The way ahead for the GBAD embraces the integration of new technologies, deepening interoperability in NATO and provision of robust command and control. This panel also discussed the personnel and viable drone warfare solutions, while unmanned aerial systems represent one of the greatest contemporary threats.

From biomimetics to 3D radar: Technologies as the answer

The conference panels which focused on technical aspects offered new perspectives. The presentation on defence operations in GPS restricted environments pointed out alternative navigation and electronic protection methods. Presentation on biomimetics and unmanned aerial systems demonstrated inspiration by nature in the design of more capable platforms.

The AXON company introduced the DEDRONE - a system using AI for the detection and neutralisation of drone threats. European perspectives on legislation and tactical specificities of UAS and C-UAS, including detection using 3D radars in complex environments were also offered to the audience.

Day 2: Electronic Warfare and Interoperability

The second day started with the panel named "Tailored Air Defence Solutions", followed by a contribution on the integration of electronic warfare with air defence using the JREAP-C and LINK-16/TDL protocols. A high premium was placed on real time data sharing and quick decision-making loops in the field.

The conclusion of the conference featured a presentation on using drones for measuring emission and radiation signatures of GBAD systems - the key tool for enhancing survival and efficiency in the electromagnetic spectrum.

Lessons from NATO as well as from academia

The conference speakers included Lieutenant Colonel Rostislav Ruzicka, who formerly served as deputy commander of the 252nd Air Defence Missile Battalion of the Czech Armed Forces 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment, and has been recently posted in the staff of the 1st German Netherlands Corps. He described an effective integration of GBAD and land forces in the HQ 1GNC, which enables a swift response to the changing threats.

The University of Defence and its representatives introduced an analysis of the war in Ukraine from the GBAD perspective. Rector-commandant of the University of Defence Colonel Jan Farlik pointed out the 25-year tradition of the conference and highly valued the effective cooperation between the academia and the military.

Future direction

The final discussion summed up the key messages: flexibility, mobility, adaptation and innovation including AI. The need to plan capabilities early and quickly - including potential missile defence - is an integral part of the objective force much like the need for a multidomain approach.

This year's anniversary edition confirmed the Czech Republic's position as a recognised specialist leader and opened a new phase in planning the defence of airspace in the quickly changing world.

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May 7, 2025

By C. Todd Lopez, DOD News

International Visitors Learn About National Guard Ops

International visitors involved in emergency preparedness and crisis response came to the Pentagon today to learn more about the National Guard.

The visit was part of a larger trip to understand emergency preparedness, management, planning, funding and coordination among federal, state and local government organizations, as well as the private sector.

The State Department's long-standing International Visitor Leadership Program began in 1940 as a way to advance national security strategy priorities and build long-term relationships between Americans and international leaders in government, business, academia and other fields.

In Washington, participants in this IVLP trip  which runs through May 24, 2025  met mostly with federal organizations. At the Pentagon, they learned how the National Guard provides support to their states, neighboring states, the federal government, and other nations as part of the State Partnership Program.

During an hourlong briefing, the participants learned how the guard responds to hurricanes, floods, wildfires and tornadoes, as well as how, through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, it provides assistance to other states.

Part of the discussion involved the guard operations from 2024. Last year, more than 800,000 personnel days were used to support border missions, 927 personnel days were used for search and rescue missions, more than 5,000 personnel days were used for severe weather emergencies, and 154,000 personnel days were used for wildfire-related missions.

The SPP was of special interest to about half the participants, whose own nations have program agreements with the guard units.

Within the program, state National Guards partner with the militaries of U.S. partner allies  about 115 total. The program supports the security cooperation objectives of the U. S. and geographic combatant commands by developing enduring relationships with partner countries and carrying out activities to build partner capacity, improve interoperability, and enhance relations, while increasing the readiness of the U.S. and partner forces to meet emerging challenges.

Josephina Chan Ting, principal disaster risk reduction officer from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Samoa, was one of the participants.

Samoa doesn't have a military of its own, but the nation partnered with the Nevada National Guard through the SPP, and Chan Ting said it's a valuable asset for the island nation.

"I think for us specifically, from my experience, because we're so involved and engaged with the National Guard partnership program, it's quite beneficial for us," she said. "It's really getting that exposure to expertise. So, with the program currently, what we're doing is emphasizing that subject matter expert exchange, where we have the National Guard come over to Samoa and we share best practices."

Previously, the guard in Nevada partnered only with Samoa's police force and fire and emergency services. However, that has expanded to include the disaster management office.

After finishing this trip, Chan Ting said she's very interested in coordination, standard operating procedures and preplanning so everyone knows their role when an event occurs.

"I want to take that back to Samoa," she said. "Ultimately, it's really important to have that discussion during the preparedness and prevention phase before we actually respond because once we respond, if we have everything aligned, the transition should be efficient, and the response should be efficient as well."

Ahmed Mohammed serves as a police officer and branch manager of information on command and control systems with the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters in the United Arab Emirates.

He said he was impressed with the independence of organizations like the guard.

"Each organization knows its roles and responsibilities and ... which phases it comes [in at] regarding responding to an incident or an emergency," he said. "I was amazed by the National Guard, how independent they are, and how they know their specific roles and responsibilities."

The UAE recently established its own concept, which is similar to the guard.

"National Guard is a new concept for us in the UAE," he said. "But today I saw how smoothly National Guard here in the states works and how independent and authorized [they are] to go through any incident with the support of their governor, on the local phase, and on the federal level. The program is amazing, and it's fruitful."

The independence of agencies like the guard, and how emergency response agencies coordinate with each other, are topics he said he'll take back with him to discuss with his own leadership.

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May 7, 2025

By Matthew Olay, DOD News

Experts Say Special Ops Has Made Good AI Progress, But There's Still Room to Grow

The United States' special operations forces community has made commendable progress in embracing and integrating artificial intelligence into the battlespace over the past year, but it still has room to grow to keep pace with adversaries like China.

That was one of the key messages from today's fireside chat at Special Operations Forces Week 2025 in Tampa, Florida. Technology experts explored SOF's use of AI and its ability to adapt and integrate it for defense, as well as leverage it to deliver innovative technology for national security.

U.S. Special Operations Command's most significant AI-related inroads over the past year have been software-related, according to Akash Jain, a leader in the private sector AI industry whose company partners with DOD.

Jain said following a "pivot" to embracing certain AI technologies last year, Socom has been making significant progress with software.

"I think, with the push by senior leaders ... [there's been] an incredible, incredible amount of progress on the acquisition and implementation side for software," Jain said.

"[It's] stuff that's moving really fast and can now become something that everybody across [the] SOF enterprise can use at scale," he added.

Jain said he would rate Socom's overall progress on AI development for the past year as a "six or seven" on a scale of one to 10, noting that he sees areas where the command can continue to grow, including the need to further integrate AI into legacy hardware systems.

Thomas Tull, another AI private sector industry leader, agreed that Socom's renewed push in AI development has been productive.

"[Socom leadership] have all leaned forward and said, 'This is what we're doing, full stop, and we are committed to it'; so, I think you're seeing rapid change for the positive," Tull said.

In terms of AI-related areas where SOF could work to improve, Tull said there's an ongoing need to develop "digital fluency," meaning an ability to not just use AI technology but also understand how it works and then be able to apply it effectively and creatively.

To that end, Tull said Socom has received a head start on improving the command's digital fluency, with roughly 400 of the command's leaders recently completing a Massachusetts Institute of Technology-affiliated six-week course on the topic.

"I think enhancing digital fluency [is important] so that, as you push technology down, you have a workforce that not only is comfortable with it, but frankly, demands it," Tull said.

Tull also said that, while he's glad to see how Socom has embraced the need to integrate AI, the level of that embrace must be absolute to keep up with the pacing threat from adversaries like China.

"You're talking about the ability to pull ahead [and] stay ahead; and [if you fall behind in AI development] I'm not sure that you can catch up," he said.

He added that Socom should one day view AI as "the same as breathing or walking" and that it should eventually be part of every decision the command makes.

Both Tull and Jain agreed that SOF continuing to push industry to develop further advancements in AI is a key to future success on the battlefield.

"[Keep] demanding, keep innovating. That's one of the things that I think separates SOF  globally  is that there is this relentless drive to not be satisfied, to invent new things, to be willing to go first," Tull said, adding that he encourages SOF to be just as demanding when it comes to AI's development.

"Break stuff, come back to us [and] tell us what you need," he said.

Jain called AI's future development an "all-of-American industry" endeavor, and no distinction should be made between the defense industrial base and the non-traditional defense base.

"With AI, I think we have a generational opportunity to kind of set in motion what the future is going to look like," he said.

"So please keep pushing with us and partnering with us. It's been incredible how we've seen that progress over the last year."

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Sudan: Statement by the Spokesperson on the attacks on Port Sudan

European External Action Service (EEAS)

07.05.2025

EEAS Press Team

In light of recent drone attacks on Port Sudan reportedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the European Union expresses its profound concern over the escalation of hostilities in Sudan.

These attacks, which targeted critical infrastructure including civilian facilities, mark a significant and troubling expansion of the conflict into previously unaffected regions, where thousands of Sudanese civilians and international partners had relocated, fleeing active combat zones.

The EU unequivocally condemns the RSF's use of drone strikes against civilian and key targets. Such actions, supported by international backers, not only threaten the safety and well-being of Sudanese civilians and international staff residing in Port Sudan but also undermine regional stability and violate international humanitarian law.

The EU stands in solidarity with the African Union and other international partners in urging all parties involved in the Sudanese conflict to cease hostilities, engage in constructive dialogue, and commit to a peaceful resolution. The EU remains committed to supporting efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in Sudan.

We call upon all stakeholders to prioritise the protection of civilians, ensure unhindered humanitarian access, and work collaboratively towards a sustainable and inclusive peace process. We also repeat our call to all states supplying arms and funds to the belligerents to cease their support immediately and unite in favour of peace.

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Foreign Minister Tsahkna in Washington: The Kremlin understands only the language of strength and action

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

07.05.2025

On 5 and 6 May, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna is in Washington DC, where yesterday he met with members of Congress and think tanks, as well as with former Deputy Secretary of State and US Ambassador to Moscow, John Sullivan, with whom he discussed strengthening the strategic cooperation of Estonia and the USA and the security situation in Europe and the world at large.

At meetings with senators Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and former Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Tsahkna highlighted the close alliance between Estonia and the United States. "The United States is an important ally and strategic partner of Estonia," Tsahkna said, thanking the United States for its significant contribution to ensuring the security of the region.

The foreign minister emphasised that Estonia takes its defence seriously, spending 3.7% of GDP on defence this year and 5.4% of GDP next year. "We are matching every dollar that the US has invested in Estonia's security with 12 dollars in our defence budget," Tsahkna said. "Estonia is committed to a strong NATO and transatlantic relationship."

He added that the acquisition of HIMARS multiple rocket launchers manufactured at the factory of the US company Lockheed Martin and their arrival in Estonia was an example of strong relations and very practical cooperation between Estonia and the USA.

They discussed Russia's aggression and providing continued comprehensive support to Ukraine. "Putin has not changed his goal - he still aims to defeat Ukraine and restructure Europe's security architecture," Tsahkna said, adding that there was nothing to indicate that Russia was interested in peace. "The only language that the Kremlin understands and actually respects is based on strength and real action. At the same time, China, Iran, and North Korea are also following developments in Ukraine. If Russia's aggression in Ukraine is successful, the victims are blamed and the West becomes 'tired', it will be a breeding ground for further acts of aggression around the world."

Talks also covered raising the cost of the war for Russia, including additional sanctions and the use of the frozen sovereign assets of Russia for the benefit of Ukraine.

Minister Tsahkna's meeting with Sullivan touched upon global security and ways of deepening transatlantic relations.

Discussions in influential think tanks focused on geopolitical threats and the strategic response of the West. Dr Nile Gardiner, Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation; Kimberley Kagan, President of the Institute for the Study of War, and Frederick Kagan and Marc Thiessen, representatives of the American Enterprise Institute, highlighted the need to preserve the unity of the US and its allies in defending democratic values.

Today, Tsahkna will speak at the opening panel of the Munich Leaders Meeting titled 'Back to Basics? Revisiting Shared Transatlantic Interests.' On the margins of the conference, Tsahkna will also meet with the new Foreign Minister of Liechtenstein, Sabine Monauni.

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Joint statement by High Representative Kallas, Commissioner Suica and Commissioner Lahbib on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

European Commission

Statement

May 7, 2025

Brussels

For over two months, no humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza. This is the longest such closure the Strip has ever faced and a matter of grave concern. UN agencies, including WFP and UNRWA, report that food stocks are now exhausted and most households lack safe water. Looting of warehouses has restarted. Humanitarians continue to warn that hunger is spreading and deepening in the enclave.

The EU reiterates its urgent call on Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza immediately. Tons of aid, representing supplies for 3 months for the population of 2.2 million, are waiting at the border. Once the blockade is lifted, the nutrition situation could improve very quickly. As the occupying power, Israel is obliged under international law to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the population in need.

The EU is also concerned about the new 'Gaza aid delivery mechanism' reportedly approved by the Israeli security cabinet on 4 May, which runs counter to humanitarian principles, as underlined by UN agencies and humanitarian partners. The mechanism would shift the responsibility for the distribution of aid to non-humanitarian international actors and private security contractors.

Our message is clear: humanitarian aid must never be politicised or militarised. Using aid as a tool of war is prohibited under International Humanitarian Law. Aid must reach civilians in need. The EU also urges Israel to act on the basis of the UN proposals under the 2720 mechanism and to ensure full respect of international humanitarian law and of the core principles of humanitarian action  humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence, by constructively discussing with the UN and designated NGOs.

The EU repeats its call for a resumption of the ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages, leading to a permanent end to hostilities.

The EU reiterates its unwavering support for the Palestinian people. Since 2023 over 3,800 tonnes of aid were delivered via EU Air Bridge Flights and over 450 million of humanitarian aid were given to Gaza. At the occasion of the first ever High-Level Political Dialogue between the European Union and the Palestinian Authority, the Commission announced a multiannual Comprehensive Support Programme worth up to 1.6 billion, to foster Palestinian recovery and resilience.

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India-Pakistan clash sparks global concerns as airstrikes escalate tensions

Global Times

Experts call for political solutions to ease India-Pakistan conflict

By Feng Fan and Xu Keyue Published: May 07, 2025 10:49 PM

India has launched military strikes on nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, which it claimed as "terrorist infrastructure." The Pakistani government condemned the move as "blatant aggression," saying the strikes hit civilian areas in six locations on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, according to the Xinhua News Agency and a statement released by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, said its armed forces have been authorized to carry out "corresponding actions" following the strikes. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif also declared that Islamabad "won't take long to settle the score" and said that military operations were already under way, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera reports.

This round of hostilities marks the deadliest confrontation between the two countries in more than two decades. As of press time, Pakistan's military reported at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured, while India's army said 15 civilians were killed and 43 injured by Pakistan's artillery firing in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the Xinhua News Agency and BBC reported.

Pakistan's military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that the Pakistan Air Force shot down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales, one MiG-29, one Sukhoi, and a combat drone whose debris fell inside Indian territory. "None of the Pakistani aircraft went inside Indian airspace," he added, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

New Delhi described the strikes as "measured, non-escalatory, proportionate and responsible," and said the country has "exercised its right to respond and pre-empt as well as deter more such cross-border attacks," according to Indian Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri.

India said the strike was in retaliation for an April 22 attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which killed 26 people. New Delhi has suggested Pakistan was behind the attack, which Pakistan has denied multiple times, according to media reports.

India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval told counterparts in the US, UK, Saudi Arabia, and Japan on Wednesday that India has no intention to escalate the conflict but is prepared to "retaliate resolutely" if provoked, according to Indian local media NDTV. The briefings came shortly after India conducted "Operation Sindoor" across nine sites.

Pakistan's National Security Committee said India had "once again ignited an inferno in the region," urging the international community to hold India accountable for its "unprovoked illegal actions" and violations of international norms, according to Al Jazeera.

Later on Wednesday, Pakistan's National Security Council (NSC), chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, condemned India's "illegal acts as blatant violations of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity." The NSC asserted that Pakistan "reserves the right to respond in self-defense, at a time, place, and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives," according to the Press Information Department of Pakistan.

The Pakistan Airports Authority has, according to Reuters, announced on Wednesday that all airports in Pakistan are fully functional, and that Pakistan's national airspace is available and safe for civil aviation. Multiple airlines have canceled or rerouted civilian flights in the wake of India's missile attack.

However, media reports said heavy fighting was still ongoing as of press time, with loud explosions and smoke seen around the town of Poonch, and intense shelling and heavy gunfire across much of their de facto border near the Line of Control in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced deep concern over the clashes and urged "maximum military restraint" from both nations, Reuters reported. The UN echoed calls from countries including China, Russia, the US, the UK, France, Japan, the UAE and Qatar, all of whom urged dialogue and de-escalation.

China called on Wednesday morning both India and Pakistan to "remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation," a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday morning.

At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China stands ready to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in the de-escalation of the ongoing tensions.

Lin said that China has made clear its position on the ongoing situation between India and Pakistan. China finds India's military operation early this morning regrettable. "We are concerned about the ongoing situation," said Lin.

India and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbors. They are both China's neighbors as well. China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation, Lin added.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong met with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Wednesday to exchange views on the current tensions. Dar briefed Jiang on India's military strikes and Pakistan's response, reaffirming Islamabad's commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and expressing hope to maintain close communication and coordination with China. Jiang expressed regret over India's operation and reiterated China's call for calm and restraint, according to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan.

Russia's Foreign Ministry also expressed "deep concern" about the escalating military confrontation and called on both countries to exercise restraint. The ministry condemned all forms of terrorism in a statement on its website, Reuters reported.

US President Donald Trump described the fighting as "a shame" and said, "I hope it ends quickly." Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with both countries' national security advisers, urging them to keep communication lines open and avoid further escalation, according to Reuters.

The UK offered to play a diplomatic role in easing tensions. Current tensions between India and Pakistan are a serious concern. The UK government is urging India and Pakistan to show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement.

Chinese experts noted that preventing the escalation of the conflict depends largely on the restraint of both leaderships and diplomatic efforts by the international community.

The Indian air strike was driven more by domestic pressure following the attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir two weeks ago, said Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University. Although India claimed it only targeted terrorist facilities and kept the response restrained, the fact that it entered Pakistani territory introduces a real risk of large-scale conflict, Qian told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Qian added that both sides need to observe a ceasefire and de-escalate first. "History shows that political solutions are the only viable way to ease India-Pakistan conflict."

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Chinese FM advises Chinese citizens, institutions to stay cautious, avoid areas involved in India-Pakistan conflict

Global Times

By Global Times Published: May 07, 2025 04:45 PM

In response to a question on whether the escalating tension between India and Pakistan has affected Chinese citizens there or Chinese airlines flying over the region, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Wednesday that China is closely following the development of the situation. We advise Chinese citizens and institutions in the relevant areas to closely watch and enhance risk awareness about the local situation, and avoid traveling to locations involved in the conflict. In case of emergencies, please immediately contact the Chinese embassy or consulate for assistance, said the spokesperson.

When responding to if China plans to propose any specific initiatives after India explicitly stated Wednesday that in India-controlled Kashmir, its strike targeted terrorism, Lin said the current tensions between India and Pakistan have drawn significant international attention. China is committed to promoting peace talks and maintaining regional stability.

We have noted that both India and Pakistan have expressed their desire to avoid further escalation, Lin said.

"It is our hope that both sides will exercise restraint, meet each other halfway, and properly resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation. China stands ready to continue playing a constructive role in easing the current tensions," Lin stated.

When addressing a question regarding whether China would engage with India and Pakistan to help ease the escalating tensions between the two countries, Lin said on Wednesday afternoon that China stands ready to work with the international community and continue to play a constructive role in easing the current tensions.

Lin said that China has made its position clear on the current situation between India and Pakistan. We find India's military operation early this morning regrettable and are concerned about the evolving situation.

India and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbors. They're both China's neighbors as well. China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation, Lin said, adding that China stands ready to work with the international community and continue to play a constructive role in easing the current tensions.

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Chinese FM responds to whether Chinese side would engage with both sides to ease India-Pakistan tension

Global Times

By Global Times Published: May 07, 2025 04:40 PM

When addressing a question regarding whether China would engage with India and Pakistan to help ease the escalating tensions between the two countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday afternoon that China stands ready to work with the international community and continue to play a constructive role in easing the current tensions.

Lin said that China has made its position clear on the current situation between India and Pakistan. We find India's military operation early this morning regrettable and are concerned about the evolving situation.

India and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbors. They're both China's neighbors as well. China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation, Lin said, adding that China stands ready to work with the international community and continue to play a constructive role in easing the current tensions.

In response to another question regarding the impact on Chinese nationals in the region or Chinese airlines operating over the area amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Lin said that China is closely monitoring the developments.

We advise Chinese citizens and institutions in the relevant areas to stay vigilant about the local situation, enhance safety awareness, and avoid travelling to locations involved in the conflict. In case of emergencies, please immediately contact the Chinese embassy or consulate for assistance, said the spokesperson.

When responding to if China plans to propose any specific initiatives after India explicitly stated Wednesday that in India-controlled Kashmir, its strike targeted terrorism, Lin said the current tensions between India and Pakistan have drawn significant international attention. China is committed to promoting peace talks and maintaining regional stability.

We have noted that both India and Pakistan have expressed their desire to avoid further escalation, Lin said.

"It is our hope that both sides will exercise restraint, meet each other halfway, and properly resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation. China stands ready to continue playing a constructive role in easing the current tensions," Lin stated.

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Pakistan condemns India's 'blatant aggression,' says it brings 'two nuclear-armed states closer to major conflict'

Global Times

By Global Times Published: May 07, 2025 12:03 PM

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday issued a strong condemnation of India's latest military attacks, calling them "blatant aggression" that has "brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict."

"Pakistan strongly condemns India's blatant aggression," the ministry said in an official statement, denouncing what it described as an "unprovoked and blatant act of war." According to the statement, the Indian Air Force used standoff weapons while remaining within Indian airspace to strike civilian areas across the international border in Muridke, Sialkot, and Bahawalpur, and across Line of Control in Kotli and Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. "India's act of aggression has resulted in martyrdom of civilians, including women and children. This act of aggression has also caused grave threat to commercial air traffic," said the statement.

"We strongly condemn India's cowardly action, which is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, international law, and established norms of inter-state relations," the ministry stated.

In the wake of Pahalgam attack, the Indian leadership has once again used the bogey of terrorism to advance its sham narrative of victimhood, jeopardizing regional peace and security. India's reckless action has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict, said the statement.

In its statement, Pakistan asserted its right to respond: "Pakistan reserves the right to respond appropriately at a time and place of its choosing, in accordance with the Article-51 of the UN Charter, and as enshrined in international law."

"The government, armed forces and people of Pakistan stand united in the face of Indian aggression. They will always act with iron resolve to protect and preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan," the statement added.

The Pakistani statement follows the deadliest fighting between the two countries in more than two decades. According to Reuters, Indian forces attacked several targets in Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir on Wednesday. Islamabad claimed it had shot down five Indian fighter jets.

India said it struck nine Pakistani "terrorist infrastructure" sites, some of which reportedly linked to an attack by militants on Hindu tourists that killed 26 people in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month. Islamabad said six Pakistani locations were targeted, with eight people killed, according to Reuters.

As of press time, India's Ministry of External Affairs had not officially responded. However, according to a Wednesday report by TASS, Indian government sources said New Delhi had briefed several countries - including Russia, the UK, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the US - about the Indian military strike, which New Delhi called "Operation Sindoor."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through a spokesperson, urged both sides to exercise maximum military restraint, according to Reuters.

In response to a media inquiry about the ongoing situation between India and Pakistan, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday that China finds India's military operation early this morning regrettable.

"We are concerned about the ongoing situation. India and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbors. They're both China's neighbors as well. China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation," said the spokesperson.

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Statement by Minister of International Development Asmund Aukrust on mass displacement from the Zamzam IDP camp

Government of Norway

News story | Date: 07/05/2025

'I am deeply appalled by the recent brutal attacks by the RSF on the Zamzam, Abu Shouk and al-Salam camps for internally displaced people as well as on the city of Al Fasher in North Darfur. Both those who had to flee the camps and those that are still trapped inside are in urgent need of protection and humanitarian assistance', said Minister of International Development Asmund Aukrust.

'Hostilities during recent weeks have forced more than 400 000 people to flee yet again, and at least 500 people are reported killed, including children and humanitarian workers. The real number is likely to be far higher. As the UN High Commissioner puts it: The horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds.'

'Since famine was confirmed in July last year, Norway has repeatedly called for humanitarian access to Zamzam, where people have struggled to survive with next to no help.'

'While the majority of the population have been forced to leave, an estimated 100 000 civilians are still trapped inside Zamzam. Both those left in Zamzam and the many who have fled to places such as Tawila, are in urgent need of assistance. They lack food, medical help, shelter, clean drinking water and protection.'

'We urge the RSF and all armed groups in North Darfur to protect civilians and to ensure that humanitarian assistance can reach those who need it. It is a clear obligation under International humanitarian law for all warring parties to facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief to civilians.'

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Joint statement on the Israeli plan to expand its military operations in Gaza

Government of Norway

News story | Date: 07/05/2025

Statement by the Foreign Ministers of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain on the Israeli plan to expand its military operations in Gaza.

We, the Foreign Ministers of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain express our grave concern about the reported Israeli plans to expand its military operations in Gaza and to establish a prolonged Israeli presence in the Strip. This would mean crossing yet another line, marking a dangerous new escalation and jeopardizing any prospects of a viable Two-State solution.

A further military escalation in Gaza will only exacerbate an already catastrophic situation for the civilian Palestinian population and threaten the lives of the hostages that remain in captivity.

We firmly reject any demographic or territorial change in Gaza, including any scheme that would force or facilitate the permanent displacement of its population, which would be in violation of international law. We also strongly oppose a system that does not ensure that the entire population gets access to humanitarian aid. Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine, which belongs to the Palestinian people.

For more than two months, Israeli authorities have blocked all humanitarian aid and commercial supplies from reaching the civilian Palestinian population in Gaza. Despite repeated calls on Israel to lift these measures and to facilitate relief, Israel has instead further tightened, rather than eased, the measures. We call on Israel to immediately lift the blockade. It is essential to facilitate relief for all civilians in need, without discrimination, and to follow the other humanitarian principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality.

Together, we call on the Israeli authorities to show restraint. We further call on Israel to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay, in full cooperation with the United Nations and humanitarian organizations, the unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.

What is needed more urgently than ever is a resumption of a ceasefire, and the unconditional release of all hostages. We reaffirm our unwavering support for the two-state solution  Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.

Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland

Simon Harris, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland

Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Luxembourg

Espen Barth Eide, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway

Tanja Fajon, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia

Jose Manuel Albares Bueno, Minister for Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation of Spain

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Iran voices serious concern over escalation of India-Pakistan tensions

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 7, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has expressed Iran's deep concern regarding the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, urging both opposing sides to exercise self-restraint.

Baqaei emphasized the Islamic Republic's principled stance on the importance of respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity, advocating against the use of force in relations between states.

He also said that the rising tension and clashes between the two significant countries, which have maintained friendly and long-standing relations with Iran, cause serious concern for Tehran.

The spokesperson expressed hope that both India and Pakistan would prioritize self-restraint to reduce tension and prevent further escalation with the aim of avoiding giving third parties, particularly the Israeli regime, the opportunity to exploit the situation.

Pakistani officials announced that at least 31 people were killed and 46 injured in escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan. Tensions have been rising since April 22, following a militant attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 Indians, with Pakistan expressing readiness for an international investigation into the incident.

4208**9417

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Yemen will not retreat from supporting Gaza: Ansarullah official

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 7, 2025

President of the Supreme Political Council of Yemen Mahdi al-Mashat said that regardless of the costs, Sana'a will not retreat from supporting the Gaza Strip, warning all Israeli settlers to immediately go to the shelter or leave the occupied Palestinian territories, because the Israeli regime will no longer be able to protect them.

According to Yemen's Saba News Agency, Al-Mashat said that what is happening proves that the Yemeni Armed Forces' attacks against the Israeli regime are painful and will continue.

Mohammed Abdul-Salam, spokesperson of the Ansarullah movement, said in an interview with Al-Masirah TV that Yemen received requests from the United States through Oman, adding that what has changed is the U.S. stance, but the Yemenis' position remains unchanged.

Abdul-Salam also said that the agreement with the U.S. solely applies to targeting American ships in exchange for halting aggression against Yemen, and it is unrelated to the ongoing operations of the Yemeni Armed Forces against the Israeli enemy.

CNN reported on Tuesday that following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of halting American attacks on Yemen, the U.S. military was ordered to stop attacks.

CNN quoted informed sources saying that U.S. President's special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff has been working over the past week to establish a ceasefire with the Ansarullah.

The United Arab Emirates' Al-Ain TV network reported that the Israeli regime was deeply shocked by Trump's announcement of halting attacks on Yemen.

Israel's Channel 12 news also reported that Tel Aviv was not informed in advance of Trump's statement regarding a ceasefire with the Ansarullah, which caused discontent among Israeli officials.

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26 dead, 46 injured amid escalation of tensions between India, Pakistan

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 7, 2025

The escalation of tension between India and Pakistan has left at least 26 people dead and 46 injured, following the Indian airstrikes, according to Associated Press.

India's Defense Ministry declared that nine sites have been targeted, where terrorist attacks against India were allegedly planned.

Indian security officials stated that precision strike weapon systems, including drones, were used to hit militant group headquarters in Bahawalpur and Muridke.

According to the Indian army, Pakistani artillery fire occurred along the de facto border in Bhimber Gali, resulting in the deaths of three civilians in Indian-controlled Kashmir. A missile strike on a mosque in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, killed 13, including women and children.

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed to Geo TV that the Pakistan Air Force has shot down at least five Indian fighter jets in response to India's recent cross-border aggression. India has not confirmed the losses.

In a statement, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan had the right to respond strongly to what he called an "act of war" by India. Sharif also rejected New Delhi's claim that terrorist headquarters in Pakistan had been targeted.

In response to the heightened tensions, authorities in Indian-controlled Kashmir closed schools and colleges in at least seven border areas, including around Srinagar airport.

The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the UN Security Council about the Indian attacks, emphasizing the threat to international peace and security, and reserving the right to respond at an appropriate time.

In a statement released by his spokesperson on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both India and Pakistan to exercise military restraint.

On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to halt the flow of water from India into Pakistan.

Tensions have been rising since April 22, following a militant attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 Indians, with Pakistan expressing readiness for an international investigation into the incident.

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The President: Lithuania is becoming a hub for defense innovation

President of the Republic of Lithuania

May 07, 2025

On Wednesday, President Gitanas Nauseda addressed participants at the Baltic Miltech Summit 2025, an international conference held in Vilnius.

In his welcome address, the President emphasized Lithuania's ambition to become a leader in defense innovation and called on the international business community to actively engage in the growth of the defense industry and seize new opportunities emerging from the growing defense funding.

According to the Head of State, deterrence today emerges as an essential element of foreign and security policy. "History shows that deterrence is only successful when we consistently invest, cooperate, innovate, andmost importantlyensure production," the Head of State stressed.

The President welcomed Lithuania's concrete steps to strengthen its defense sector: starting from next year, Lithuania will be investing between 5 and 6 percent of its GDP in defense, while also creating conditions for the deployment of the German brigade in Lithuania. In addition, Lithuania is actively cutting red tape for defense companies, successfully attracting companies such as Rheinmetall and Northrop Grumman.

President Gitanas Nauseda also highlighted Lithuania's leadership in providing support for Ukraine. In terms of accumulated military and other support, measured as a percentage of GDP, Lithuania is one of the top three supporters of Ukraine in the world.

The Head of State also highlighted that Lithuania is already well-known for its achievements in the high-tech fields like lasers, sensors, and drones, and is strengthening its position within the international space ecosystem by collaborating with the European Space Agency and exploring cooperation opportunities with NASA.

"I invite the business community to take initiative, explore new opportunities for cooperation, and work together to build defense capabilities. Only through collective effort can we ensure lasting peace and security in Europe," Gitanas Nauseda underlined.

The President's Communication Group

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A look at the Defence news 28 April - 4 May

Netherlands Ministry of Defence

News item | 07-05-2025 | 14:53

The Netherlands is going through the process of acquiring long-range weapons. In this way, the Netherlands is contributing to the reinforcement requested by NATO.

The Joint Target Support Centre was established in order to enable the proper deployment of the weapons.

Military relay in tribute to liberators

Ten army personnel participated in a relay of almost 1,000 kilometres, bringing the liberation flame from the beaches of Normandy to the Frisian Kazemattenmuseum. They carried the lit torch in tribute to the people who liberated the Netherlands, now 80 years ago.

The times call for us to be brave again, says minister at march-past

During the Liberation Day march-past in Wageningen, Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans said that through unity and determination, war has been kept at bay for 80 years. In his speech, he went on to say that the danger is closer now than it has been for years, and that the times call for us to be brave again, not because we want to go to war, but to protect the rare privilege of freedom.

About 50 soldiers who played a role in the liberation of the Netherlands 80 years ago attended the ceremony. Among them were veterans from the Netherlands, but also from Canada and the United Kingdom. We owe our freedom to them, the minister added.

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A fiery Five Eyes relationship is sparked

New Zealand Air Force

A chance conversation in Antarctica between a couple of firefighters more than a year ago has led to the United States Air Force Air National Guard arriving in New Zealand for a two-week firefighting exercise.

07 May, 2025

The exercise, Southern Steel, took place at Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Base Auckland and the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Regional Training Centre at Mt Wellington recently. It involved more than 30 US Air Force Air National Guard Fire and Emergency Services Detachment personnel working on a number of firefighting training activities.

"RNZAF Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighter (ARFF) Fire Flights were invited to send representatives to observe and integrate with our US Air Force counterparts," Flight Sergeant Hayden Bayliss said.

"It all started with a conversation between one of our deployed firefighters on Op Antarctica and a then US Air Force Air National Guard Staff Sergeant. Further talks between the two countries' representatives at the Five Eyes Air Force Interoperability Council meetings, and other meetings, opened exercise planning over the next 12 months."

Having the US Air Force Air National Guard deploy to New Zealand and train at Base Auckland was the "missing piece of the puzzle" as it was one of the Five Eyes countries the RNZAF ARFF trade had minimal prior engagement with, Flight Sergeant Bayliss said.

The aim for the team of firefighters from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Hawaii, was to practice the deployment of a US Air Force Air National Guard to the Pacific region. Included in the exercise was competency training in a deployed environment, conducting combined firefighting training with Five Eyes partners and fostering and building key partner emergency services relationships.

The training also involved mission readiness airmen training, aircraft familiarisation, ARFF training, vehicle stabilisation and rescue, HAZMAT, low and high angle rescue, and structural firefighting.

"The RNZAF's people, systems and culture are widely valued by our allies and partner nations. Enhancing Air Force interoperability and interchangeability with the US Air Force Air National Guard by leveraging collective expertise is important to resolving many challenges and, as such, must be enduring," Flight Sergeant Bayliss said.

Making up the US Air Force Air National Guard contingent were two Security Forces personnel, who with support from Air Staff ARFF representatives and units at Base Auckland, were able to join their RNZAF counterparts in a live-firing exercise at Kaipara Air Weapons Range.

"It went beyond just firefighting. The scope of the training grew organically and we achieved some really good collaboration," he said.

"We would like to express sincere gratitude to all contributing units and personnel in what was a successful joint international engagement between Five Eyes partners."

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End unfolding genocide or watch it end life in Gaza: UN experts say States face defining choice

Press releases

Special Procedures

07 May 2025

GENEVA -- Escalating atrocities in Gaza present an urgent moral crossroads and States must act now to end the violence or bear witness to the annihilation of the Palestinian population in Gaza - an outcome with irreversible consequences for our shared humanity and multilateral order, UN experts warned today, demanding immediate international intervention.

"While States debate terminology - is it or is it not genocide? - Israel continues its relentless destruction of life in Gaza, through attacks by land, air and sea, displacing and massacring the surviving population with impunity," the experts said.

"No one is spared - not the children, persons with disabilities, nursing mothers, journalists, health professionals, aid workers, or hostages. Since breaking the ceasefire, Israel has killed hundreds of Palestinians, many daily - peaking on 18 March 2025 with 600 casualties in 24 hours, 400 of whom were children."

"This is one of the most ostentatious and merciless manifestations of the desecration of human life and dignity," the experts said.

The aggression has transformed Gaza into a landscape of desolation, where nearly half of the casualties are children and thousands remain displaced. The group of experts cited over 52,535 deaths, of which 70 percent continue to be women and children, and 118,491 injuries as of 4 May 2025.

Since March 2025, coinciding with the end of the ceasefire, Israel has reinstated an even harsher blockade on Gaza, effectively trapping its population in misery, hunger, and disease. "Under constant bombardment, amid homes reduced to rubble, streets turned into zones of terror and a devastated environment, 2.1 million survivors are facing the direst humanitarian crisis," the experts said. "Food and water have been cut off for months, inducing starvation, dehydration, and disease, which will result in more deaths becoming the daily reality for many, especially the most vulnerable."

Amid this carnage, Israeli statements that fluctuate between outright blocking of aid and conditional releases incumbent on other strategic goals, showcase a clear intent to wield starvation as a weapon of war, and uncertainty in the population for a basic need, increasing the risk for trauma and mental health injuries, they warned.

"Not only is delivering humanitarian aid one of Israel's most critical obligations as the occupying power, but its deliberate depletion of essential necessities, destroying of natural resources and calculated push to drive Gaza to the brink of collapse further corroborates its criminal responsibility," the experts said.

"These acts, beyond constituting grave international crimes, follow alarming, documented patterns of genocidal conduct."

The experts called on states to transcend rhetoric and take enforceable action to immediately end the carnage and ensure accountability for perpetrators.

"The world is watching. Will Member States live up to their obligations and intervene to stop the slaughter, hunger, and disease, and other war crimes and crimes against humanity that are perpetrated daily in complete impunity?"

International norms were established precisely to prevent such horrors. Yet, as millions protest globally for justice and humanity, their cries are muted. This situation conveys a deadly message: Palestinian lives are dispensable, and international law, if unenforced, is meaningless," the experts said.

They recalled that the Palestinian right to self-determination is irrevocable. "States must act swiftly to end the unfolding genocide, dismantle apartheid, and secure a future in which Palestinians and Israelis coexist in freedom and dignity.

"Arrest warrants from the ICC against Israeli leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity require immediate action and compliance. The ICJ Advisory Opinion mandates an end to the prolonged occupation, and the deadline the General Assembly has set is 17 September 2025," the experts said.

Continuing to support Israel materially or politically, especially via arms transfers, and the provision of private military and security services risks complicity in genocide and other serious international crimes, they warned.

"The decision is stark: remain passive and witness the slaughter of innocents or take part in crafting a just resolution. The global conscience has awakened, if asserted - despite the moral abyss we are descending into - justice will ultimately prevail," they said.

*The experts: Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; George Katrougalos, Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order; Gehad Madi, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants; Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association; Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; Astrid Puentes Riano, Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment ; Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences Nicolas Levrat, Special Rapporteur on minority issues; Farida Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the right to education; Ashwini K.P. Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Heba Hagrass, Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities; Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation; Graeme Reid, Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing; Michael Fakhri, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food; Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders: Olivier De Schutter, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights; Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Siobhan Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; Jovana Jezdimirovic Ranito (Chair-Rapporteur), Ravindran Daniel, Michelle Small, Joana de Deus Pereira, Andres Macias Tolosa, Working Group on the use of mercenaries; and Genevieve Savigny (Chair-Rapporteur), Carlos Duarte, Uche Ewelukwa, Shalmali Guttal, Davit Hakobyan, Working Group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas and Bina D'Costa (Chair), Barbara G. Reynolds, Isabelle Mamadou, Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, Laura Nyirinkindi (Chair), Claudia Flores (Vice-Chair), Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Ivana Krstic, and Haina Lu, Working group on discrimination against women and girls. Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts/Working Groups are independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Together, these experts are referred to as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for Special Procedures, the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization, including OHCHR and the UN. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the UN or OHCHR. Country-specific observations and recommendations by the UN human rights mechanisms, including the special procedures, the treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review, can be found on the Universal Human Rights Index https://uhri.ohchr.org/en/

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9 civilians killed, over 40 wounded in India, Pakistan clashes in Kashmir

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 16:56, May 07, 2025

NEW DELHI, May 7 (Xinhua) -- At least nine civilians were killed and over 40 others wounded Wednesday in clashes between Indian and Pakistani troops across the Line of Control in Kashmir, officials said.

The intense firing started shortly after the Indian military carried out airstrikes inside Pakistan and the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir during the early hours on Wednesday.

Indian army officials said they were effectively responding to the shelling and firing from the Pakistani side.

According to officials, the civilian deaths were reported from the worst-hit Poonch district, 185 km southwest of Srinagar city in the Indian-controlled Kashmir. At least 28 people were also wounded in the firing.

Reports said 10 people, including five minor children, were also wounded in the shelling in Uri sector of Baramulla district, while three others wounded in Rajouri district.

Several houses were also damaged due to the shelling in the affected frontier districts, including Kupwara.

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Pakistan restores flight operations after Indian overnight strikes

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 16:48, May 07, 2025

ISLAMABAD, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan on Wednesday restored flight operations in major cities after India attacked civilian settlements in the country.

Earlier, the CAA issued a notification, restricting airspace access for 48 hours, considering the security situation in the country.

The CAA advised travelers to remain vigilant and follow official airline communications to avoid inconvenience, saying the final decision regarding flight schedules and routing remains with individual airlines.

"In view of the evolving regional situation, passengers are advised to stay in contact with their respective airlines for updated information regarding their flights," the CAA said.

Officials from Pakistan Airports Authority told Xinhua that flight operations at major airports returned to normal with both domestic and international flights being operated at all major airports, including Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore, Jinnah International Airport Karachi and Islamabad International Airport.

At least 26 people have been killed and 46 others injured after India carried out strikes on six civilian settlements in Pakistan, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistani army, confirmed during a press briefing on Wednesday.

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UN chief calls for military restraint from India, Pakistan

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:54, May 07, 2025

UNITED NATIONS, May 6 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for military restraint from India and Pakistan.

In a note to correspondents issued by his spokesperson, the UN chief expressed deep concern over Indian military operations across the Line of Control and the international border with Pakistan.

"The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan," the note said.

On Monday, the secretary-general warned that the tensions between the two South Asian neighbors had reached "their highest in years."

He offered his good offices to both governments to help defuse tensions and promote diplomacy, stressing that "a military solution is no solution."

Guterres once again strongly condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. "Targeting civilians is unacceptable -- and those responsible must be brought to justice through credible and lawful means," he said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated following a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam in the Indian-controlled Kashmir on April 22.

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ICC prosecutor discloses 2nd set of evidence vs. Duterte

Philippine News Agency

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora

May 7, 2025, 1:33 am

MANILA -- The International Criminal Court's (ICC) Prosecution has sent to the defense team of Rodrigo R. Duterte the second set of evidence in the crimes against humanity case filed against the former president.

The Prosecution, in a four-page document dated May 5, said it disclosed to the Defense 139 items, which included documentary materials cited in the warrant of arrest for Duterte.

Additional details about the items are classified as "confidential."

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan said the items, tagged as Pre-Confirmation INCRIM Packages 002, 003 and 004, were disclosed to the defense on April 30, according to a document from the Office of the Prosecutor.

It included one item covering the period when Duterte was mayor of Davao City and 15 items covering the barangay (village) clearance operations in the country when he was president.

Khan's office turned over the first set of evidence on March 24.

The pre-trial hearing is set on Sept. 23 to confirm Duterte's charges and determine whether sufficient evidence exist to proceed to a full trial. (PNA)

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Hamas insists on 'comprehensive' deal to end Israeli aggression in Gaza

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 07 May 2025 6:29 PM

A senior official from the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has underscored the need for a "comprehensive" agreement to end the ongoing Israeli aggression across the besieged Gaza Strip.

"Hamas and the resistance factions insist on reaching a comprehensive agreement and a full package to end the war and aggression, along with a roadmap for the day after," political bureau member Bassem Naim was quoted as saying.

"There are desperate attempts ahead of (US President Donald) Trump's visit to the region... to force through a partial deal that would return some Israeli captives in exchange for a limited number of days of food and water -- without any guarantees from any party to actually end the war," he added.

The Palestinian resistance movement has consistently demanded that a truce deal must lead to an end to the Israeli aggression, a full Israeli withdrawal from the blockaded region and a surge in humanitarian aid.

Israel has already drawn widespread condemnation over its plans to expand its military offensive in Gaza.

UN rights chief Volker Turk voiced concerns Wednesday that Israel's plans aim to create conditions threatening the "continued existence" of the Palestinians in Gaza.

"There is no reason to believe that doubling down on military strategies, which, for a year and eight months, have not led to a durable resolution ... will now succeed," he said.

"Instead, expanding the offensive on Gaza will almost certainly cause further mass displacement, more deaths and injuries of innocent civilians, and the destruction of Gaza's little remaining infrastructure."

Madrid, Spain, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, and Slovenia, in a joint statement, said they "firmly reject any demographic or territorial change in Gaza."

Hamas has said it was pointless to continue ceasefire talks with Israel, accusing it of waging a "hunger war" on Gaza.

Meanwhile, Gaza's civil defense agency said the toll from an Israeli strike on Gaza City on Wednesday had risen to at least 33 killed and more than 80 injured, many of them children.

The agency's spokesman Mahmud Bassal said that "civil defense crews, paramedics and volunteers transported at least 33 martyrs and more than 80 injured, about half of them children and some women, as a result of the Israeli air strike" in the al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City.

Footage from Khan Younis's Nasser Hospital showed wounded children crying on hospital beds while bodies covered in blankets arrived in ambulances.

A two-month ceasefire collapsed in March, with Israel resuming intense strikes and imposing a total aid blockade on the Palestinian territory.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa urged the world to put a stop to the "deliberate humanitarian crime" of famine, which he said was being perpetrated in Gaza.

"We appeal to the conscience of humanity. Do not let the children of Gaza starve to death," he said.

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Israel kills 59 Palestinians across Gaza as it expands genocidal war

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 07 May 2025 3:37 PM

Gaza medical personnel reported on Wednesday that the Israeli regime has murdered 59 Palestinians across Gaza since Tuesday, including children and women, as it has decided to expand its genocidal war against the territory.

Medical personnel from the Al-Aqsa Hospital said that on Tuesday, the regime attacked a school that sheltered hundreds of Palestinians and murdered 27 people, including 3 children and 9 women. The regime has attacked this school five times since the start of the war.

Medical personnel from Al-Ahli Hospital said that at dawn, the regime attacked another school-turned-shelter and killed 16 people, including children and women.

Meanwhile, medics also reported that the regime's strikes on the other regions of Gaza have taken the lives of at least 16 Palestinians.

The increased number of assaults comes days after the Israeli regime declared it has decided to expand its war on Gaza.

Since then, it has called on its reserve army and decided to hand over the warehousing and distribution of humanitarian aid to the US private military corporations.

A group dedicated to the exchange of captives has denounced the operation and has said the regime has concluded to give up on the captives and Israel's security in return for occupying the northern part of Gaza.

The Forum has called on Israelis to put pressure on Netanyahu's cabinet to reach an agreement with Hamas instead of escalating its genocidal war.

According to the regime's new plan, the people of Gaza either have to move to the southern part of the enclave or agree to US President Donald Trump's plan and forcibly migrate to other countries.

The Israeli regime has said that it has halted the full implementation of the plan until Trump's visit to West Asia, which will happen in the coming weeks.

The Gaza Ministry of Health has said that since March 18, when the Israeli regime violated the ceasefire agreement and resumed attacks on Gaza, more than 2,500 Palestinians have been killed and 6,800 others have been injured.

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US loses second fighter jet in Red Sea in just over a week

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 07 May 2025 2:47 PM

For the second time in eight days, the US Navy has lost a multi-million-dollar warplane in the Red Sea, officials say.

The two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet, worth around $67 million, went overboard on Tuesday after failing to land on the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier on Tuesday, the US Central Command said.

According to a defense official, the warplane fell off the ship after its tail hook failed to catch the wire that slows down the aircraft. "The arrestment failed, causing the aircraft to go overboard."

Both aviators aboard ejected safely, officials said.

This incident follows a similar mishap just eight days earlier, when another $67 million F/A-18E Super Hornet fell off the same aircraft carrier.

That Super Hornet, along with the tow tractor that was pulling it, fell off the warship on April 28. It "was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft," the Navy said.

The Truman is one of two US warships operating in West Asia, where US forces have been launching airstrikes on Yemen to stop attacks on Red Sea shipping.

The Yemeni armed forces have been attacking Israeli and US targets in the sea in support of Palestinians in Gaza since Tel Aviv launched its devastating war on the besieged Palestinian territory in October 2023.

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Iran urges restraint amid India-Pakistan military attacks

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 07 May 2025 2:25 PM

Tehran has expressed deep concern over escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, urging both sides to exercise restraint.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, in a Wednesday statement, highlighted Iran's principled stance on avoiding the use of force in intergovernmental relations.

The Iranian official described the growing tensions between Pakistan and India as a serious matter of concern for Iran.

He expressed hope that both sides would take steps toward de-escalation and prevent further deterioration by exercising restraint.

He also warned against potential exploitation of the conflict by third parties, particularly the Israeli regime.

Iran, which borders Pakistan and maintains good relations with India, had offered to mediate last month.

India and Pakistan had heavy artillery exchanges along their contested frontier early Wednesday after New Delhi launched "Operation Sindoor" to conduct missile attacks on targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Pakistan said Indian strikes had killed at least 26 civilians and wounded 46 others, and India said Pakistani artillery fire had killed 10 civilians and injured 48 others along the de facto border.

India says its missile strikes specifically targeted "militant infrastructure" in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and the eastern Punjab province of the country.

An Indian Defense Ministry statement said the operation came in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen on April 22.

India has blamed Pakistan-based armed groups for the Pahalgam attack, accusing Islamabad of backing them. Islamabad has denied any role in the attack.

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of authorizing the military action primarily to "shore up" his political support at home.

"The retaliation has already started. We won't take long to settle the score," Asif said.

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Ansarullah: Deal with US will not halt Yemeni strikes on Israel

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 07 May 2025 9:17 AM

The Ansarullah resistance movement says the US pause in airstrikes on Yemen in exchange for a halt on attacks on US warships in the Red Sea does not alter Yemen's position on targeting Israel.

Ansarullah's spokesman Mohammed Abdul-Salam stressed that Yemen's Armed Forces will continue to target Israeli positions in solidarity with Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza Strip.

The agreement with the US has "no connection with our stance on supporting Gaza", Abdul-Salam said, adding "the support of Yemeni nation for Gaza will expand in a better way."

Since the onset of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, Yemeni forces have carried out scores of operations in support of the war-hit Gazans, striking targets throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, in addition to targeting Israeli ships or vessels heading towards ports in the occupied territories.

In support of Israel, the US announced the formation of a maritime task force in the Red Sea in December 2023 to protect the passage of vessels bound for the Israeli-occupied territories.

Yemeni forces responded by ramping up their strikes against strategic and sensitive Israeli and American targets, including US warships and aircraft carriers deployed off Yemen's coastline.

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the US will stop bombing Yemen, saying that the country had agreed to stop targeting ships in the Red Sea.

After Trump made the announcement, Oman said it had mediated the ceasefire deal.

"Yemen's position on the Palestinian issue and its support for Gaza will not change. We received requests from the US through the Sultanate of Oman, and what changed was the US position, while our stance remains unchanged," Abdul-Salam said, adding "the position declared by Trump reflects this".

"The statement made by Oman's Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarifies that this agreement was for halting US aggression against Yemen in exchange for halting attacks on US ships, without any mention of targeting the territory occupied by the Zionist regime."

The Ansarullah spokesman emphasized that the US proposal showed its incompetence and failure, as the country was unable to protect Israeli ships.

Abdul-Salam said Yemen is still evaluating the US position in a bid to ensure that it was not not just a statement.

"If the US resumes its attacks, we will resume operations against Washington," the resistance group's spokesperson said.

On Tuesday, Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi said, "In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping."

Since March, the US, along with Britain and Israel, have carried out multiple airstrikes on Yemen, claiming to have hit more than 1,000 targets. The campaign aims to halt Yemeni military operations against Israel and Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea as well as attacks targeting military sites deep within the occupied Palestinian territories.

On Sunday, the Israeli military failed to intercept a Yemeni missile that successfully struck the heavily fortified Ben Gurion airport. Following the attack, the Yemeni Armed Forces vowed to impose a complete "aerial blockade" on Israel by "repeatedly targeting airports," especially Ben Gurion.

In response, Israeli jets bomed Sana'a International Airport and other civilian infrastructure, prompting Yemen to pledge strikes on Israeli targets with added force.

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Civilian toll mounts as India, Pakistan stand on brink of war

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 07 May 2025 7:51 AM

India and Pakistan have started heavy artillery exchanges along their contested frontier, after New Delhi launched missile strikes on its arch-rival in a major escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

Deaths were reported on both sides on Wednesday. Pakistan said Indian strikes had killed at least 26 civilians and wounded 46 others, and India said Pakistani artillery fire had killed 10 civilians and injured 48 others along the de facto border.

Islamabad said it had shot down five Indian Air Force jets.

Tensions intensified after India launched "Operation Sindoor" at about 1 am on Wednesday, executing synchronized missile attacks against nine "terrorist facilities" across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

India says its missile strikes specifically targeted "militant infrastructure" in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and eastern Punjab province of the country.

An Indian defense ministry statement said the operation came in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, that killed 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen on April 22.

In a post-strike video shared on X, the Indian army said its operations was "focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature."

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of authorizing the military action primarily to "shore up" his political support at home.

"The retaliation has already started. We won't take long to settle the score," Asif said.

According to reports, heavy shelling has now resumed on the Line of Control that separates Pakistan-administered Kashmir from Indian-administered Kashmir.

India has blamed armed groups for the Pahalgam attack which it claims were backed by Pakistan. Islamabad has been denying any role in the attack.

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Saudi Arabia Welcomes Oman's Statement Regarding the Agreement to Ceasefire in Yemen to Protect International Navigation and Trade

Saudi Press Agency

Wednesday 09/11/1446

Riyadh, May 07, 2025, SPA -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's welcome of the statement issued by the Sultanate of Oman regarding the agreement to a ceasefire in Yemen, aimed at protecting international navigation and trade.

The Kingdom reaffirms its support for all efforts to achieve a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis, in a manner that ensures security and stability for Yemen and the broader region.

--SPA

20:08 Local Time 17:08 GMT

0059

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Russia 'Deeply Concerned' About Escalating Military Confrontation Between India, Pakistan

Sputnik News

20250507

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia is deeply concerned about the escalating military confrontation between India and Pakistan, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

"We are deeply concerned about the escalation of military confrontation between India and Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Russia strongly condemns acts of terrorism, opposes any manifestations of it and emphasizes the need to unite the efforts of the entire international community to effectively combat this evil. We call on the parties involved to exercise restraint in order to prevent further deterioration of the situation in the region," Zakharova said in a statement.

Russia also hopes that differences between New Delhi and Islamabad will be resolved through political and diplomatic means, the spokeswoman said.

In the early hours of Wednesday, the Indian Defense Ministry announced the launch of Operation Sindoor, targeting "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan. It later said that 70 "terrorists" were eliminated and stressed that no Pakistani military facilities were attacked. Pakistan's military reported 26 people killed and 46 others injured as a result of Indian strikes. Pakistani media reported that the country's air force shot down five Indian fighter jets.

 Sputnik

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Foreign Secretary statement 7th May 2025

From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon David Lammy MP

7 May 2025

Current tensions between India and Pakistan are a serious concern. The UK government is urging India and Pakistan to show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward.

The UK has close and unique relationships with both countries. I have made clear to my counterparts in India and Pakistan that if this escalates further, nobody wins. The UK was clear in its condemnation of the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam last month. We need all sides to work urgently to see regional stability restored and ensure protection of civilians.

The safety of British nationals in the region will always be our priority. The FCDO continues to monitor developments closely and stands ready to support any British nationals 24/7. Any British nationals in the region should follow the FCDO's travel advice for the country they are in, along with the advice of the local authorities.


New horror in Gaza as double strike on school shelter kills 30

By Daniel Johnson

7 May 2025 - Grim details emerged on Wednesday of Israeli airstrikes on a UN-run school in Gaza sheltering 2,000 displaced people, which reportedly killed 30 Palestinians sheltering there.

The UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, maintained that Israeli forces hit the school in Al Bureij, Middle Gaza, at around 6pm on Tuesday and again at 10.20pm.

"The school sustained severe damage and a fire broke out in the shelter, making it difficult to evacuate the casualties. Residents had to open a hole in the wall to evacuate the dead and wounded," UNRWA told UN News.

Since the start of the war between Hamas and Israel on 7 October 2023, more than 400 schools have received a direct hit, according to satellite imagery analyzed by the UN.

Deadly aftermath

Footage from the scene provided by the UN agency showed walls and floors blown out in the main school building.

In the courtyard, hundreds of people can be seen standing amid crumpled metal sheeting on the morning after the attack, with rubble and wooden planks strewn around where their shelters had been standing just hours earlier.

"Our colleagues are reporting that surviving parents and children are trying to salvage their belongings among the blood and body parts of their relatives and neighbours," UNRWA said.

The agency noted that fatalities included women and children, while search and rescue operations are ongoing for several people still missing.

Many of those living at the school when it was hit have been displaced "countless times" by the war, which began on 7 October 2023, following Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel, UNRWA stressed.

The attack also sparked a fire in an adjacent school where more tents and temporary shelters were burned and damaged.

Education destroyed

According to the UN Satellite Service, UNOSAT, 95.4 per cent of schools in Gaza have sustained damage since the start of the war.

Of the enclave's 564 schools, 501 will either need full reconstruction or major rehabilitation work to be functional again.

"There is no humanity left in Gaza, and no humanity left as the world continues to watch day after day as families are bombed, burned alive and starved," UNRWA said after the latest attack.

Failed strategy won't work: Turk

In a related development, the UN human rights chief Volker Turk on Wednesday condemned Israel's reported plans to forcibly transfer Gaza's population to a small area in the south of the Strip.

The move fuels concern that Israel's intention is to make life for Palestinians "increasingly incompatible with their continued existence in Gaza", he said in a statement.

"There is no reason to believe that doubling down on military strategies, which, for a year and eight months, have not led to a durable resolution, including the release of all hostages, will now succeed," insisted the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Expanding the offensive on Gaza "will almost certainly cause further mass displacement, more deaths and injuries of innocent civilians, and the destruction of Gaza's little remaining infrastructure", he continued.

Rights experts warn of irreversible consequences

Escalating atrocities in Gaza mark a critical moral turning point and demand urgent international action, UN-appointed independent human rights experts said in a statement.

"While States debate terminology - is it or is it not genocide? - Israel continues its relentless destruction of life in Gaza," they warned, citing attacks by land, air and sea, and a soaring civilian death toll.

"No one is spared - not children, persons with disabilities, nursing mothers, journalists, health professionals, aid workers, or hostages," they said, noting that on 18 March alone, 600 Palestinians were reportedly killed, 400 of them children. The independent experts are appointed by the Human Rights Council, are not UN staff members and receive no salary for their work.

Occupied West Bank update

In the occupied West Bank, meanwhile, UN aid teams warned of worsening conditions for Palestinian communities because of "violence by Israeli forces and settlers".

The alert comes after Israeli forces on Monday demolished more than 30 structures in Khallet Athaba, a hamlet in Hebron governorate, displacing nearly a dozen families - or around 50 people.

"This constitutes most of the structures in the community and marks the third and largest demolition there since February," said UN aid coordination office, OCHA. It noted that the area is designated by Israel as a military training zone.

In addition, Israeli forces also began demolishing six homes in Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm on Monday, impacting 17 families. They are among more than 100 buildings slated for demolition, following an Israeli notice issued at the start of the month.

Forcible transfer fears

OCHA described how dozens of families in the camp were given little time on Monday to collect their belongings before their homes were demolished.

The agency highlighted the "strong push" to uproot Palestinians living in the area "once again raising concerns about the risks of forcible transfer of the population".

Under international law, Israel as the occupying power, has the responsibility to protect Palestinians in the West Bank and ensure their safety and dignity, OCHA insisted.

Humanitarian partners are mobilizing assistance, but urgent international engagement is needed to stop these coercive measures and protect vulnerable communities, the UN aid office said.

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Port Sudan: Aid officials call for greater protection as drone attacks continue

7 May 2025 - The UN has renewed its call to end the brutal conflict in Sudan after a surge in drone strikes, including in Port Sudan  the vital hub and lifeline for humanitarian aid.

The escalation is occurring as war grinds on between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who appear to be targeting airports in each other's areas of control.

"Very concerned by ongoing drone strikes on Port Sudan," UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher tweeted on Wednesday.

"International humanitarian law must be respected. Constant care must be taken to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure."

Suffering will worsen

The latest strikes in Port Sudan took place early on Tuesday morning, reportedly targeting the international airport and other infrastructure, including a fuel storage facility and a power transformer.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, issued a statement that day, saying the attacks "will deepen humanitarian suffering and needs, as well as exacerbate the already severe access and logistical challenges that humanitarian actors face in the delivery of urgently needed aid to the rest of the country."

She underlined that the airport is a "lifeline for humanitarian operations" as it is the primary entry point for aid personnel, medical supplies and other life-saving relief.

"Moreover, the availability of fuel in Port Sudan is critical to the dispatch of humanitarian supplies to areas across Sudan in dire need of assistance," she added.

She stressed that damage to critical infrastructure could also disrupt supply chains and increase the price of basic goods, thus worsening what is already the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

Displacement and aid suspension

Drone attacks have also affected Kassala and River Nile states, according to the UN humanitarian affairs office OCHA.

Earlier this week, strikes near the airport in Kassala displaced about 2,900 people and led to the temporary suspension or relocation of some aid activities.

Meanwhile, River Nile state is still facing a power blackout following a drone strike on the transformer station in Atbara on 25 April. The outage is contributing to growing fuel and bread shortages and long lines at gas stations and bakeries.

Cease hostilities now

Ms. Nkweta-Salami noted that since January, attacks on infrastructure across Sudan, such as power stations, water sub-stations, and oil refineries, have caused widespread electricity outages and disrupted access to essential services, including safe drinking water, healthcare and food supplies.

These are serious violations of international humanitarian law and "reflect a consistent failure to comply with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution," she said.

"Every measure must be taken to spare civilians and civilian objects," she said. "Once again, I call on all those involved in this conflict to cease hostilities."

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Beverly Herd 25-2: Kadena AB demonstrates Indo-Pacific readiness with joint elephant walk

Published May 7, 2025

By Senior Airman James Johnson

18th Wing Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) -- In a demonstration of combat readiness and regional deterrence, the 18th Wing conducted a large-scale elephant walk, May 6, at Kadena Air Base, assembling one of the most diverse formations of U.S. military aircraft in the Indo-Pacific.

Kadena AB brought together aircraft that regularly operate out of Kadena, day in and day out from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy, along with U.S. Army Patriot missile batteries, for a single capabilities demonstration, highlighting the strength of America's integrated air and missile defense and its commitment to joint operations.

The formation featured a wide array of advanced platforms, including 24 U.S. Air Force F-35As, eight U.S. Air Force F-15Es, six HH-60 Jolly Green IIs, two MQ-9 Reapers, two MC-130J Commando IIs, six KC-135 Stratotankers, one RC-135 Rivet Joint, one E-3G Sentry, two U.S. Navy EA-18 Growlers, one U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon and two U.S. Army MIM-104 Patriots.

The diversity of capabilities is a testament to the lethality Kadena AB can leverage to deter adversarial aggression in the Indo-Pacific region.

"Working alongside our allies and partners, Kadena stands ready to project airpower throughout the region to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific," said Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, 18th Wing commander.

Bringing together this level of airpower requires coordination and precision across numerous support elements.

"An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore  it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready," said Chief Master Sgt. Brandon Wolfgang, 18th Wing command chief master sergeant. "This kind of teamwork and presence is exactly how we maintain deterrence in the Indo-Pacific."

Personnel from across Okinawa coordinated with the wing's maintenance and operations groups to ensure the precise movement and placement of aircraft, displaying a level of professionalism essential to completing complicated mission sets.

"From maintenance and aircrew to logistics and sustainment, it's a total team effort that reflects the strength and professionalism of the joint team at Kadena," said Col. David Deptula, 18th Operations Group commander.

Events such as this illustrate the 18th Wing's goals to work with partners to ensure the defense of the first island chain and maintain peace in the region.

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Ashworth, Allvin and Saltzman outline fiscal 2026 budget priorities to congressional panel

Published May 7, 2025

Secretary of the Air Force

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The three most senior civilian and military officials from the Department of the Air Force told a congressional panel May 6 that "the strategic landscape has shifted dramatically" and that the Air Force and Space Force need the resources and creative thinking, along with modern capabilities, to meet emerging threats.

That message, along with others, was delivered to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense by Acting Secretary of the Air Force Gary Ashworth, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, and Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman.

The joint appearance before the subcommittee is an annual rite of passage for Department leaders to spell out priorities and answer questions as the lengthy budget writing process gets started.

While there is currently no specific budget number presented for the Department or any federal agency, on May 2 the White House released a broad overview of what it wants for the new budget.

As part of that document, it said the Department of Defense needs $1 trillion. Included were a set of priorities that includes continued development of the F-47 fighter, a "down payment" on the Golden Dome missile defense system, money to ensure "space dominance," and spending to modernize nuclear deterrence. There were no specifics, however, for each service.

As a result, members of the subcommittee could only ask general questions.

"The Department of the Air Force is at an inflection point," Ashworth told the subcommittee in his opening statement.

"We are engaged in a fast-paced race for technological superiority against a well-resourced strategic opponent. However, we simultaneously face personnel and platform challenges affecting our immediate readiness. We must balance our requirement to generate readiness and project power today with the imperative to rebuild our military and develop capabilities so that we can continue deterring our adversaries tomorrow."

Allvin and Saltzman echoed Ashworth in their remarks.

"The strategic landscape has shifted dramatically," Allvin told the subcommittee in his opening statement.

"We now operate in a world where the [People's Republic of China] is not only rapidly modernizing its military but is doing so with a clear intent to coerce its neighbors and reshape the international order. In parallel, we are seeing unprecedented threats to our homeland, and a PRC nuclear 'breakout' that demands unmatched nuclear deterrence capabilities," he said.

Saltzman described a similar circumstance - and similar challenges - in space.

"Space gives us an incredible strategic advantage, but any advantage can become a vulnerability when held at risk," Saltzman told the subcommittee. "In the future, defending the homeland will demand that we first defend the satellites that make that defense possible. To be successful in this effort we must be able to control the space, protecting our capabilities in space while denying an adversary the ability to use space against us. That, in essence, is why we have a Space Force."

"Despite the dramatic rise in space threats and the increasing importance of space, over the last few budget cycles the Space Force has experienced shrinking resources. This disconnect between value and investment creates risk for our nation." Saltzman said. "It is the job of a military service to achieve superiority in its domain, and that's what we do for space. But if we want a Space Force that can secure our nation's interests in, from, and to space, then we must resource it accordingly."

Unlike previous years when specific budget proposals were offered for each service and the discussion was based on detailed questions about program costs, trade-offs and choices, the conversation this year was far more general.

For example, Ashworth was asked to name the Department's three priorities. He named the Trump Administration's focus - protecting the homeland and deterrence which Ashworth said for the Air Force meant continued development of the B-21 bomber, the Sentinel land-based nuclear modernization. The third priority was what the White House is calling Golden Dome, the ambitious nationwide missile defense shield.

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PLA prevents Philippine corvette from entering Chinese territorial waters around Huangyan Dao: spokesperson

Global Times

By Global Times Published: May 08, 2025 11:57 AM

Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command, said on Thursday that on Monday, the Philippine Corvette 35 attempted to intrude into the territorial waters of China's Huangyan Dao. The PLA Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to lawfully track, monitor, issue warnings, and expel the vessel, effectively preventing the Philippine vessel from entering China's territorial waters.

The on-site operations were professional, standardized, justified, and lawful, Tian said.

A map released by the PLA Southern Theater Command showed that the closest distance between the Philippine corvette and the territorial sea baseline of China's Huangyan Dao was 12.4 nautical miles, at 5:31 pm on Monday.

Related remarks by the Philippine side disregard the facts, confuse right and wrong, and attempt to mislead the international community's understanding. Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory. We sternly warn the Philippines to immediately cease its infringements, provocations, and distortion of the truth. The troops of the Southern Theater Command remain on high alert at all times, resolutely defending national sovereignty, security, and maritime rights and interests, and firmly safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, the spokesperson said.

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Pakistan confirms participation of J-10C jets in response to Indian attacks: report

Global Times

By Global Times Published: May 08, 2025 10:51 AM

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday confirmed that J-10C jets participated in Pakistan's response to Indian attacks, media reported, following wide speculations over if Pakistan's equipment procured from China have played roles in the clash that led to the downing of several Indian aircraft.

Speaking at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Dar stated that Pakistan had demonstrated restraint despite India's airstrikes and hostile actions, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

He revealed that Pakistan had received intelligence of a possible Indian attack at 10 pm on Tuesday, prompting defensive measures.

"There were instructions to only target Indian jets that released payloads," Dar said. "This is why only five jets were taken down. Had the directive been different, nearly 10-12 jets would have been struck."

India dismissed report of Pakistan downing jets as "disinformation," Reuters reported.

Following an Indian airstrike, Pakistan's Air Force shot down five Indian fighter jets, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan. Dar stated that while four Indian jets initially attempted to breach Pakistani airspace, they were intercepted. Later, aircraft striking from within Indian territory were targeted in retaliation.

Dar noted that J-10C jets participated in Pakistan's response.

Dar's confirmation on the J-10C's involvement in the incident came after speculations arouse on Wednesday that Pakistan's equipment procured from China could have participated the India-Pakistan clash.

Shares of Chinese defense-manufacturing companies rallied on Wednesday, as the escalation in border tensions between India and Pakistan boosted the outlook for mainland exporters, Bloomberg reported.

Pakistan, which has imported a bulk of the defense equipment including J-10C fighter jets, claimed to have shot down five Indian planes, including a French Rafale jet. This led to speculation that Chinese defense platforms may have been deployed in the conflict, given Pakistan's recent heavy reliance on such arms imports, Bloomberg said.

Most modern domestically-developed Chinese platforms have not yet been battle-tested, said Eric Zhu, a defense analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. "So having the combat record is a plus for their export potential."

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Russo-Ukraine War - 07 May 2025 - Day 1169

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that pressures on the Russian state's ability to finance its planned budget in 2025 will almost certainly increase due to the recent drop in oil prices. Lower oil price expectations have resulted in the Russian Ministry of Finance revising down its forecast for 2025 oil and gas revenues by almost 25 per cent, from 10.94 trillion rubles (USD $135bn) to 8.32 trillion rubles (USD $103bn). Meanwhile, the 2025 budget deficit forecast has increased from 0.5 per cent of GDP to 1.7 per cent of GDP.

Despite this, Russia almost certainly continues to prioritise sustaining elevated military expenditures at the expense of economic resilience. Russia has revised total forecast spending for 2025 up by 830 billion rubles (USD $10.2bn). If oil prices remain low, Russia will almost certainly further deplete its financial reserves to sustain high government spending.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively thwart the Russian enemy's attempts to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him an effective fire effect and exhaustion across the frontline.

Since the beginning of this day, there have been 139 combat clashes.

Russian zagarbniki launched two missiles and 63 aviation strikes using two missiles and 103 cab. In addition, the Russian enemy used 1076 kamikaze drones and carried out 4234 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces eight times tried to storm the positions of Ukrainian defenders near vovchans kih, vovchanskih hutoriv and kamaanka. So far, two combat clashes are ongoing.

In the Kupyans komu direction, Russian forces made six assault attempts in the areas of Glushkivka, New Kruglyakivka and Zagrizovoye.

In the Lyman direction during the day, 24 attacks were recorded in the areas of Kopanok, Grekivka, Kolodyaziv, as well as in the directions of Ridkodub, New Peace and Olgivka.

In the sivers .komu direction, Russian forces six times tried to break through Ukrainian defense near the verkhn kamans kogo and bilogorivka.

In the Kramators komu direction, there were ten combat clashes in the areas of the White Mountain, the Chasovoye Yar and the Predtecinyo. Two Russian attacks are ongoing so far.

In the Toretsky direction, Russian forces 11 times attacked Ukrainian positions, focusing efforts near Scherbinivka, Toretsky and in the direction of Diliyivka.

In the Pokrovsky direction, Russian forces tried 40 times to break through the defense in the areas of Malinivka, Lisivka, Kotlinogo, Zvirovogo, Udacnogo, Novosergiivka, Novooleksandrivka, Nadiivka, Bogdanivka, Andriyivka, as well as in the directions of Bagatyr, Oleksiyivka, New Poltavka and Kotlyarivka. Defense forces repelled 32 attacks, eight more combat clashes continue.

The Russian enemy suffers significant losses - only in this direction Ukrainian soldiers damaged 121 Russian occupiers, 83 of them - irrevocably. Three cars, nine vehicles, four motorcycles and two satellite terminals were also destroyed.

In the Novopavliv direction, Russian forces attacked 22 times in the areas of Konstantinopol, Novosilka, Vilny Pol, as well as in the direction of Novopol, Bagatyr and Odradnogo. Three more fighting clashes are underway. Air strikes were suffered by Novodarivka, Temirivka and Novopil.

In the Gulyajpil s komu direction, the Defense Forces successfully stopped one attempt to advance the Russian opponent near the High. Zagarbniki also caused air strikes on Malinivka, Vysok and Gulyaipol.

Six assaults were recorded in the districts of Stepovoye and Kamiansky in the Orihiv direction.

In the pridniprovsk direction, Russian forces made one useless attempt to attack.

In Kur ini Ukrainian soldiers repelled 17 attacks, one combat is still ongoing. The Russian enemy launched four air strikes, dropped nine controlled airstrikes and fired 277 artillery shells, including one from a reactive arsenal.

In other directions, the situation has not changed significantly.





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Russo-Ukraine War - 08 May 2025 - Day 1170

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that on 4 May 2025, Russian President Putin was reported as stating that since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, 'There has been no need to use those (nuclear) weapons ... and I hope they will not be required.' He also reportedly claimed that 'Russia alone, in fact, is confronting the entire collective West'.

Putin's allusion to the potential Russian use of nuclear weapons continues the trend of ambiguously threatening nuclear rhetoric expressed by Russia's senior leadership since at least 2007, which has heightened since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Russian senior leadership regularly refers to the conflict against Ukraine as a war against the 'entire collective West, as opposed to the initially posited, so-called 'special military operation, implicitly limited in time and scale. The rhetoric evidenced in this trend highly likely seeks to excuse both the length of the conflict, and the continually increasing scale of Russian losses (likely over 950,000 casualties, including 200,000 - 250,000 Russian soldiers killed). It is also highly likely aimed at situating the domestic population for a longer-term conflict and the associated decline in domestic living standards.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively thwart the Russian enemy's attempts to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him an effective fire effect and exhaustion across the frontline.

Since the beginning of this day, there have been 154 combat clashes.

Russian zagarbniki inflicted one rocket and 15 aviation strikes, using one rocket and 25 cab. In addition, the Russians involved 830 kamikaze drones and carried out 2,685 shelling of positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Kharkiv direction throughout the day, Ukrainian troops repelled four Russian attacks in the area of Vovchanska.

In the Kupiansky direction Ukrainian defenders repelled four assaults in the areas of Synkivka, Stepova Novoselivka, New Kruglyakivka and in the direction of Novoosinovoye. One battle is still going on.

In the Lyman direction during the day Russian zagarbniks 21 times attacked the positions of Ukrainians near the settlements of Nadia, Novoyegorivka, Ridkodub, Grekivka, Novomikhailivka, Kolodyazi, Green Valley and Torske. One fight is still going on.

Five Russian assault actions in the areas of Bilogorivka and Fedorivka were repelled by Ukrainian defenders in the Siversk direction.

In the Kramators komu direction, six combat clashes have been recorded in the areas of Chasovoye Yar and Kurdyumivka, of which three are ongoing.

In the Toretsky direction Russians seven times attacked the positions of Defense Forces. The main efforts of the attack were concentrated near Crimea and Toretsk.

Since the beginning of this day in the Pokrovsky direction, Zagarbnic ki units 55 times tried to break through Ukrainian defense near the settlements of Oleksandropil, Elizabethtivka, Hrodivka, Mirolyubivka, Dachenka, Zvirove, Kotline, Udaachne, Novooleksandrivka, Kotlyarivka, Preobrazhenka and Andriyivka. Five clashes are ongoing so far.

Today in this direction, according to preliminary calculations, Ukrainian soldiers damaged 407 Russian occupants, 225 of them - irrevocably; destroyed four cars, 19 motorcycles, a satellite terminal and antenna of BPLA; also damaged a tank and five motorcycles of the enemy.

In the Novopavlivs komu direction, Russian forces attacked 25 times near Rozlivu, Novosilka, Novopol, Privilny and Burlatsky. Twenty-four attacks have already been repelled, one confrontation is ongoing.

In the orihivs komu direction, Ukrainian defenders fought off three Russian attacks in the area of stepovoye and scherbakiv.

In the Pridniprovsk direction, Russian forces made five failed attempts to move forward.

In the Kurs komu direction, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine within a day repelled 16 attacks of Russian zagarbnikiv, two more confrontations are unfinished. In addition, Russian forces launched 8 air strikes using 11 guided bombs and carried out 245 artillery shells to positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements, including three from reactive arson systems.

In other directions, the situation has not changed significantly.





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Cyber lethality: Multidomain training enhances readiness at exercise African Lion 2025

By Maj. Joe Legros May 7, 2025

TUNIS, Tunisia -- Cyber capabilities are a fundamental function of modern warfighting. During African Lion 2025 (AL25) U.S. Cyber Command Soldiers joined Wyoming National Guardsmen and Tunisian Armed Forces cyber teams for an academic exchange to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure, enable secure communication and streamline battlefield coordination.

This first-ever joint, combined exchange in Tunisia, showcased the capabilities of cyber professionals to adapt, innovate and tackle the challenges posed by increasingly sophisticated adversaries.

"Cyber operations are vital in warfighting as they protect and disrupt digital networks, ensuring secure, rapid and resilient communication for strategic decision-making and battlefield coordination," said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. John Williams, a warfighter communications superintendent assigned to the 153rd Communications Squadron, 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard.

Whereas offensive capabilities are often overlooked, the academics-style course highlighted the dual impact of cyber readiness on modern warfare. This was especially significant considering most people tend to think of this domain from a defensive perspective, such as cybersecurity and protection.

"Cyber enhances warfighting capabilities by ensuring command and control systems are protected and functioning when you need them the most," said U.S. Army Capt. Jean-Carlos Cedre, a cyber operations officer assigned to U.S. Army Reserve Cyber Protection Brigade (ARCPB), 335th Signal Command (Theater), U.S. Army Cyber Command, and officer in charge of the AL25 Tunisia cyber team.

The defensive cyber portion of the course focused on incident response techniques, as well as computer forensics and frameworks designed to protect against malicious threats from adversaries. Offensive cyber scenarios simulated cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities, seeking to gain any competitive battlefield advantage.

"From an offensive perspective, cyber can also enable battlefield enhancements by providing windows of opportunity that help tip the battle in favor of our warfighters," said Cedre.

Joining ARCPB in Tunisia, Wyoming Air National Guard's cyber team greatly contributed to the mission, bringing significant experience and expertise forged through a 21-year National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program (SPP) with the Tunisian Armed Forces.

SPP military exchanges have enhanced knowledge in aviation, engineering, and medical best practices, including readiness and warfighting capabilities such as cyber proficiency. These engagements foster interoperability, build trust and ensure both forces are better equipped to tackle emerging threats.

"My experience working with the Tunisian Army was eye-opening," said Cedre. "Their experience, eagerness to learn and natural abilities provided a platform for us to build upon, leading to a highly valuable training event."

The cyber team from Wyoming agreed.

"Collaborating with the Tunisian cyber team was both insightful and rewarding. Their expertise and dedication are complemented by their exceptional hospitality and professionalism," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Schoening, an information technology network operations specialist, assigned to the 153rd Communications Squadron, 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard.

With defensive and offensive cyber skills enhanced, this multinational team is ready to showcase a domain the joint force cannot afford to overlook on an increasingly sophisticated battlefield.

"This training, along with future collaborations, will further solidify our partnership and cultivate highly skilled cyber professionals prepared to meet the challenges of future conflicts," concluded Williams.

Exercise African Lion 2025 is more than a test of technical prowess; it shows the power of multinational collaboration in the face of evolving cyber threats. By pooling resources, expertise and innovations, these cyber warriors are setting the stage for a resilient and secure future.

About African Lion

AL25 is set to be the largest annual military exercise in Africa, bringing together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by SETAF-AF on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multidomain operationspreparing forces to deploy, fight and win.

About SETAF-AF

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.

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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addresses the Global Conference on Space Exploration (GLEX) 2025

India PIB

Prime Minister's Office

Space is not merely a destination but a declaration of curiosity, courage, and collective progress: PM

Indian rockets carry more than payloadsthey carry the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians: PM

India's first human spaceflight mission - Gaganyaan, reflects the nation's growing aspirations in space technology: PM

Many of India's space missions are being led by women scientists: PM

India's space vision is rooted in the ancient philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam': PM

Posted On: 07 MAY 2025 12:37PM by PIB Delhi

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Global Conference on Space Exploration (GLEX) 2025 via videoconferencing today. Welcoming the distinguished delegates, scientists, and astronauts from across the globe, he highlighted India's remarkable space journey at the GLEX 2025, stating that, "space is not merely a destination but a declaration of curiosity, courage, and collective progress". He emphasized that India's space achievements reflect this spirit, from launching a small rocket in 1963 to becoming the first nation to land near the Moon's South Pole. "Indian rockets carry more than payloadsthey carry the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians", he remarked, stating that India's space advancements are significant scientific milestones and proof that the human spirit can defy gravity. He recalled India's historic achievement of reaching Mars on its first attempt in 2014. He highlighted that Chandrayaan-1 helped discover water on the Moon, Chandrayaan-2 provided the highest-resolution images of the lunar surface, and Chandrayaan-3 furthered understanding of the Moon's South Pole. "India developed cryogenic engines in record time, launched 100 satellites in a single mission, and successfully deployed over 400 satellites for 34 nations using Indian launch vehicles", he pointed out, underlining India's latest accomplishmentdocking two satellites in space this yearcalling it a major step forward in space exploration.

Shri Modi reaffirmed that India's space journey is not about competing with others but about reaching greater heights together. He emphasized the collective goal of exploring space for the benefit of humanity. He highlighted India's commitment to regional cooperation, recalling the successful launch of a satellite for South Asian nations. He announced that the G20 Satellite Mission, introduced during India's Presidency, would be a significant contribution to the Global South. He remarked that India continues to advance with renewed confidence, constantly pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration. "India's first human spaceflight mission, 'Gaganyaan,' reflects the nation's growing aspirations in space technology", he pointed out. Shri Modi revealed that, in the coming weeks, an Indian astronaut would travel to space as part of a joint ISRO-NASA mission to the International Space Station. He further outlined India's long-term vision, stating that by 2035, the Bharatiya Antariksha Station would facilitate groundbreaking research and international collaboration. He declared that by 2040, an Indian astronaut would leave footprints on the Moon and added that Mars and Venus remain key targets in India's future space ambitions.

Emphasizing that for India, space is not just about exploration but also empowerment, the Prime Minister highlighted how space technology enhances governance, improves livelihoods, and inspires generations. He noted the vital role of satellites in ensuring the welfare of every Indian, citing their contributions to fishermen alerts, the GatiShakti platform, railway safety, and weather forecasting. He underscored India's commitment to fostering innovation by opening its space sector to startups, entrepreneurs, and young minds. He pointed out that India now has over 250 space startups, contributing to advancements in satellite technology, propulsion systems, imaging, and other pioneering fields. "Many of India's space missions are being led by women scientists", he proudly acknowledged.

"India's space vision is rooted in the ancient philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'", reaffirmed Shri Modi, stressing that India's space journey is not just about its own growth but about enriching global knowledge, addressing shared challenges, and inspiring future generations. He emphasized India's commitment to collaboration, stating that the nation stands for dreaming together, building together, and reaching for the stars together. Concluding his remarks, he called for a new chapter in space exploration, guided by science and the collective aspiration for a better future.

***

MJPS/SR

(Release ID: 2127419)

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Text of PM's address at the Global Conference on Space Exploration via video message

India PIB

Prime Minister's Office

Posted On: 07 MAY 2025 12:46PM by PIB Delhi

Distinguished delegates, Esteemed scientists, Innovators, Astronauts, And, Friends from across the globe,

Namaskaar !

It is a great pleasure to connect with all of you at the Global Space Exploration Conference 2025. Space is not just a destination. It is a declaration of curiosity, courage, and collective progress. India's space journey reflects this spirit. From launching a small rocket in 1963, to becoming the first nation to land near the South Pole of Moon, our journey has been remarkable. Our rockets carry more than payloads. They carry the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians. India's achievements are significant scientific milestones. Beyond that, they are proof that the human spirit can defy gravity. India made history by reaching Mars on its first attempt in 2014. Chandrayaan-1 helped discover water on the Moon. Chandrayaan-2 gave us the highest-resolution images of the Moon. Chandrayaan-3 increased our understanding of the lunar South Pole. We built cryogenic engines in a record time. We launched 100 satellites in a single mission. We have launched over 400 satellites for 34 nations on our launch vehicles. This year, we docked two satellites in space, a major step forward.

Friends,

India's space journey is not about racing others. It is about reaching higher together. Together, we share a common goal to explore space for the good of humanity. We launched a satellite for the South Asian nations. Now, the G20 Satellite Mission, announced during our Presidency, will be a gift to the Global South. We continue to march ahead with renewed confidence, pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration. Our first human space-flight mission, 'Gaganyaan', highlights our nation's rising aspirations. In coming weeks, an Indian astronaut will travel to space as part of a joint ISRO-NASA Mission to the International Space Station. By 2035, the Bharatiya Antariksha Station will open new frontiers in research and global cooperation. By 2040, an Indian's footprints will be on the Moon. Mars and Venus are also on our radar.

Friends,

For India, space is about exploration as well as about empowerment. It empowers governance, enhances livelihoods, and inspires generations. From fishermen alerts to GatiShakti platform, from railway safety to weather forecasting, our satellites look out for the welfare of every Indian. We have opened our space sector to startups, entrepreneurs, and young minds. Today, India has over 250 space start-ups. They are contributing to cutting-edge advancements in satellite technology, Propulsion systems, imaging, and much more. And, you know, it is even more inspiring that many of our missions are being led by women scientists.

Friends,

India's space vision is grounded in the ancient wisdom of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', that is, the world is one family. We strive not just for our own growth, but to enrich global knowledge, address common challenges, and inspire future generations. India stands for dreaming together, building together, and reaching for the stars together. Let us together write a new chapter in space exploration, guided by science and shared dreams for a better tomorrow. I wish you all a very pleasant and productive stay in India.

Thank you.

***

MJPS/ST

(Release ID: 2127421)

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Dual ship commissioning celebrates maritime capability

Issued by Defence Media

8 May 2025

The Royal Australian Navy has welcomed two more Evolved Cape Class Patrol Boats into commissioned service in a ceremony at their homeport of HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin.

The ceremony will give Cape Schanck and Cape Solander the designation of His Majesty's Australian Ships (HMAS), officially recognising their status as commissioned warships in the Royal Australian Navy.

Commander Surface Force, Commodore Terence Morrison, DSM, said the commissioning of the Evolved Cape Class Patrol Boats celebrated the work already conducted by the crew and provided Navy with increased operational capability and greater mission flexibility.

"The commissioning of HMAS Cape Schanck and HMAS Cape Solander demonstrates their importance to Australia and the Australian people, and what we stand for as a nation," Commodore Morrison said.

"It also represents Navy's commitment to protecting Australia and its interests, as well as upholding maritime security and ensuring peace and stability within our region.

"The Evolved Cape Class Patrol boats, named for capes around Australia's coastline, have quickly become the backbone of Navy's commitment to Operation Resolute.

"Navy is proud to commission these vessels and to have them fly the Australian White Ensign."

The ships have been operating as Australian Defence Vessels (ADV), and will continue to be used for the full spectrum of patrol boat operations, including border, resources and fisheries protection, customs and drug law enforcement operations, and international engagement.

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Danish FM to summon U.S. ambassador over reported espionage against Greenland

Xinhua) 13:30, May 08, 2025

OSLO, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Wednesday that he will summon the United States ambassador to Denmark for a meeting following media reports suggesting that Washington plans to intensify espionage activities targeting Greenland.

The move comes after The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that U.S. intelligence agencies have been instructed to identify individuals in Greenland and Denmark who support American strategic objectives for the Arctic island, citing anonymous sources.

"I have read the article, and it worries me a lot - because we do not spy between friends," Rasmussen told Danish broadcaster DR on his way to a meeting of foreign ministers in Warsaw, Poland. Acknowledging that the report could not be verified, Rasmussen noted that it had not been strongly denied by U.S. officials. "That worries me," he added.

He confirmed that the American ambassador will be summoned for talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen. "The aim is to see whether we can have this somewhat disturbing information refuted - and in any case, to make our position clear. It is very concerning if the approach now involves gathering intelligence in Denmark and Greenland," Rasmussen said.

The reported espionage efforts have further strained U.S.-Danish relations, already tense since U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly expressed interest in purchasing Greenland - a proposal that sparked political backlash throughout Denmark.

"All people are impressionable. That's why it is serious if a good friend of Denmark and Greenland is speculating in gathering intelligence and exerting influence with the aim of weakening the unity of the Kingdom and taking over Greenland," Rasmussen said, adding that he did not believe the United States would succeed in such efforts.

Earlier on Wednesday, Denmark's domestic intelligence agency PET issued a written statement noting that there is "an elevated espionage threat and threat of foreign influence against both Denmark and Greenland" due to increased international focus on the region.

Greenland, once a Danish colony, became an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953. It was granted home rule in 1979, expanding its autonomy, although Denmark retains control over foreign affairs and defense.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Prime Minister Carney meets with President Trump

Prime Minister of Canada - Mark Carney

May 6, 2025

Washington, D.C., United States of America

Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, concluded his visit to Washington, D.C., where he met with the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump.

Prime Minister Carney thanked President Trump for his welcome and hospitality, and the spirit and substance of their extensive discussions. The Prime Minister underscored with the President that Canada and the United States are stronger when we work together.

Prime Minister Carney and President Trump discussed the immediate trade pressures facing their nations. The Prime Minister stated Canada's openness to building a new economic and security relationship with the United States - based on respect, built on common interests, and to the benefit of both nations.

To that end, the Prime Minister and the President agreed to continue discussions over the coming weeks. They looked forward to meeting next month at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis.

As the Prime Minister returns to Canada, he remains focused on reinforcing Canada's strength at home. His new government will transform border security, Arctic security, and Canada's investments in national defence. They will build an economy that creates jobs, grows incomes, and withstands shocks - the strongest economy in the G7.

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Prime Minister Carney concludes First Ministers' Meeting

Prime Minister of Canada - Mark Carney

May 7, 2025

Ottawa, Ontario

Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met virtually with provincial and territorial premiers. He was joined by the Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the King's Privy Council for Canada, Dominic LeBlanc.

The productive discussion focused on two pillars: the Canada-U.S. relationship and reinforcing Canada's strength at home.

First, the Prime Minister updated the premiers on his meeting with President Donald J. Trump in Washington, D.C. He emphasized Canada's openness to building a new economic and security relationship with the United States - based on respect, built on common interests, and to the benefit of both nations.

First Ministers also discussed building projects of national interest to diversify the economy, create higher-paying jobs, and build one Canadian economy instead of 13. They agreed to accelerate project approvals, including through a 'one project, one review' approach. The Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to table federal legislation to eliminate federal trade barriers by Canada Day.

Prime Minister Carney will meet with the premiers again on June 2, 2025, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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Xi Jinping Exchanges Congratulatory Messages with President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and the European Union

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: May 06, 2025 20:52

CN FR ES PYC

On May 6, 2025, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to warmly celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union (EU).

Xi Jinping noted that China and the EU are comprehensive strategic partners, as well as two major forces for building a multipolar world, two major markets supporting globalization, and two major civilizations championing diversity. Over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two sides have maintained close exchanges at all levels and across various fields, yielding fruitful outcomes in dialogue and cooperation. People-to-people and cultural exchanges have flourished, and multilateral coordination has delivered solid results. China-EU relations have grown into one of the most influential bilateral relationships in the world, making important contributions to enhancing the well-being of the people of China and Europe and promoting peace and development in the world.

Xi Jinping stressed that as unprecedented global changes unfold at a faster pace, human society has once again come to a critical crossroads. A sound and stable China-EU relationship not only works to the advantage of both sides but also brings benefits to the whole world. Xi Jinping said that he attaches great importance to the development of China-EU relations and is ready to work with President Antonio Costa and President Ursula von der Leyen to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to summarize the experience of the development of China-EU relations, deepen strategic communication, enhance understanding and mutual trust, consolidate the positioning of the partnership, expand two-way opening up, properly handle frictions and differences, and open up a brighter future for China-EU relations. Both sides should uphold multilateralism, safeguard fairness and justice, oppose unilateralism and bullying, join hands to address global challenges, and work for an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, so as to contribute more to world peace, stability, development and prosperity.

The EU leaders noted that over the past five decades, China has achieved the fastest sustained economic growth in its history. The EU and China have established extensive ties and become each other's most important trade partners, making contributions to the well-being of their peoples and economic development and prosperity. Against the backdrop of current global uncertainties and evolving geopolitical dynamics, the EU is willing to deepen its partnership with China, strengthen exchanges and cooperation, uphold the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, jointly tackle common challenges, and promote world peace, security, prosperity, and sustainable development.

On the same day, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council exchanged congratulatory messages with Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen. Li Qiang noted that China is ready to work with the EU to uphold the positioning of the comprehensive strategic partnership, make the China-EU relationship more stable, constructive, mutually beneficial and globally significant, and inject more stability and positive energy into the world.

The EU leaders stated that over the past 50 years, the EU-China relationship has continued to deepen and expand. The EU is willing to work with China to jointly address global challenges including climate change, and safeguard multilateralism and a stable international order.



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China, US to hold economic, trade talks in Switzerland

Global Times

Any dialogue must be based on equality, respect and mutual benefit: FM spokesperson

By Ma Tong and Zhang Yiyi Published: May 07, 2025 10:14 PM

At the invitation of the government of Switzerland, He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council will visit Switzerland from May 9 to 12, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Wednesday.

During his visit to Switzerland, He, as the Chinese lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, will have a meeting with the US lead person Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Chinese expert said the fact that the two sides are going to meet is a good sign, however any progress depends on whether the US corrects its "unjust and illegal" protectionist actions.

Recently, the US said repeatedly it wants to negotiate with China. This meeting is requested by the US side, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday in response to media inquiries about China's expectations for the upcoming meeting.

Lin also noted that China firmly opposes the US's tariff hikes. This position remains unchanged. Meanwhile, as we've stressed many times before, China is open to dialogue, but any dialogue must be based on equality, respect and mutual benefit.

"To pressure or coerce China in whatever way simply does not work. We will resolutely safeguard our legitimate interests and uphold international fairness and justice," Lin said.

The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) earlier on the same day also underscored that the new US administration has taken a series of unreasonable and unilateral tariff measures, which have severely disrupted bilateral economic and trade ties and the international economic and trade order, posing serious challenges to the recovery of the global economy. In order to defend its legitimate rights and interests, China has taken resolute countermeasures.

Recently, the US side has expressed willingness to engage in dialogue on tariffs and related issues through multiple channels. After a careful assessment of the US messages, China has decided to engage with the US side, taking into account global expectations, national interests, and calls from the American industry and consumers, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said China's position has been consistent and that if forced to fight, China will fight to the end. For talks, the door is open.

Any negotiations must be based on mutual respect, equality, and reciprocal benefit. If the US side wants to resolve issues through dialogue, it must face the negative impact of its unilateral tariffs and respect international trade rules, fairness and justice, as well as rational voices from all sectors, the spokesperson said.

As the first meeting between China and the US since the US-launched tariff war, this development sends a "positive signal" to a world troubled by the US tariffs, He Weiwen, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, told the Global Times on Wednesday, but cautioned that any progress depends on whether the US corrects its protectionist actions.

Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, noted that Washington's willingness to seek negotiations in itself reflects the failure of the first phase of its maximum pressure tactics against China, which have backfired and triggered mounting pushback both domestically and internationally.

"Therefore, the US needs to make the right choice and demonstrate sincerity in the upcoming meeting with China," Cui said.

Global, domestic backlash

Bessent, in an interview on Fox News, said the current tariff rates aren't sustainable and were the equivalent of a trade embargo. The talks on Saturday and Sunday will center on de-escalation rather than a big trade deal, according to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday.

"We've got to de-escalate before we move forward," Bessent said, noting the US "doesn't want to decouple."

This is a conciliatory signal from the US under mounting domestic and international pressure, as its chaotic tariff policies continue to disrupt both the global economy and the US industries across the board, Cui said.

Cui further cautioned against the unpredictability of US policy flip-flops that could introduce "significant uncertainty" into the negotiations, as the US has continued to send mixed signals on talks with China and tariffs on Chinese imports.

"The fact that the two sides are going to meet is a good sign, but the key lies on the US side," He noted, stressing that whether any substantial outcome emerges will depend on Washington's willingness to correct its "unjust and illegal" tariff policy - without preconditions or demands on China.

Meanwhile, the US sweeping and erratic tariff policies are facing backlash both at home and abroad.

The US trade deficit in goods and services soared to a record $140.5 billion in March. Year-to-date, the deficit has increased 92.6 percent, as companies and consumers rush to import goods before US government's sweeping global tariffs increase takes hold on July 6, NBC News reported on Tuesday.

US gross domestic product shrank 0.3 percent in the first quarter because of the biggest drag from net exports - the difference between total exports and total imports - in more than a half-century, according to Wells Fargo economists. Other parts of the economy also showed signs of slowing. Consumer spending rose 1.8 percent in the first quarter, the weakest pace since mid-2023, according to the report.

Long-term resilience

Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the decision to engage in talks with the US reflects China's responsibility as a major power to reduce uncertainty in global trade, and also highlights the country's economic resilience and capacity to tackle any external pressures.

Zhou said China's economic development is like a vast ocean - resilient and far-reaching, pointing to efforts such as building a unified domestic market and advancing the Belt and Road Initiative as proof that China's growth is not reliant on any single partner. "There's still enormous room for optimization and global collaboration," he said.

No external shocks can change China's economic fundamentals with a stable foundation, numerous strengths, remarkable resilience and vast potential. Nor can they change the consistent trend of China's steady progress in pursuing high-quality development, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told Wednesday's press briefing.

China is highly resilient under pressure and has a full toolbox to defend our legitimate rights and interests, and stand ready to work with the international community to enhance solidarity and coordination, jointly oppose unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying, safeguard multilateral trading system and uphold international fairness and justice, Lin said.

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Chinese FM refutes US' claims that China cannot bear pressure brought by high tariffs

Global Times

By Global Times Published: May 07, 2025 03:49 PM

Asked to comment on the US' recent repeated claims that China cannot bear the pressure brought by the imposition of high tariffs, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that no external shocks can change the fundamentals of China's economy, which has a stable foundation, many advantages, strong resilience and great potential, or change the solid momentum of China's solid progress in high-quality development.

China has strong ability to withstand pressure and sufficient measures to safeguard its own legitimate rights and interests. China is also willing to unite and coordinate with the international community to jointly resist unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying, maintain the multilateral trading system, and defend international fairness and justice, Lin said.

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China's central bank cuts housing provident fund loaning rates to help stabilize property market

Global Times

By Global Times Published: May 07, 2025 12:04 PM

China's monetary authorities on Wednesday introduced a set of new measures to strengthen the ongoing stabilization of the real estate sector, as China's property market shows more signs of recovery amid rising transactions this year.

Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People's Bank of China (PBC), the central bank, announced at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday a 0.25-percentage point cut in individual housing provident fund loan rates. The rate for first-home loans of more than five years will be lowered from 2.85 percent to 2.6 percent. Rates for other maturities will be adjusted accordingly.

"This policy adjustment is expected to save residents over 20 billion yuan ($2.77 billion) on individual housing provident fund loans annually, which will help shore up housing market demand, stabilize the real estate market and reverse its decline," Pan said.

In addition, Li Yunze, head of the National Financial Regulatory Administration, said at the same event that the authorities will accelerate the roll-out of a financial system aligned with the new development model for the real estate sector, in order to further consolidate the market's stabilization trend.

In March, China's home prices rose in more cities compared with the previous month, as real estate transactions picked up, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released on April 16. The figures add to growing evidence that the real estate sector is stabilizing, thanks to the government's stimulus policies announced in recent months aimed at supporting developers and boosting market morale, Xinhua News Agency reported.

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H.E. Xi Jinping President of the People's Republic of China for the Russian Gazette

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: May 07, 2025 14:03

Learning from History to Build Together a Brighter Future

H.E. Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

For the Russian Gazette

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, and the World Anti-Fascist War. It also marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (U.N.). In this season when "apple and pear trees are blossoming," I will soon pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, joining the heroic Russian people in honoring the history and the fallen heroes.

Ten years ago around this time, I came to Russia to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the victory. During that visit, I made a special arrangement to meet with 18 representatives of Russian veterans who endured the blood and fire of battlefields during the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War and the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Their unyielding resolve and indomitable bearing left an indelible impression on me. In the past few years, General M. Gareyev, Major General T. Shchudlo and other veterans passed away. I pay my deepest tribute to them and to all veteransfrom generals to the rank and filefor their extraordinary service and heroic feats in securing the victory over fascists around the world. We will never forget them. Heroes never perish; their noble spirit lives forever.

During the World Anti-Fascist War, the Chinese and Russian peoples fought shoulder to shoulder and supported each other. In the darkest hours of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Volunteer Group, which was part of the Soviet Air Force, came to Nanjing, Wuhan and Chongqing to fight alongside the Chinese people, bravely engaging Japanese invaders in aerial combatmany sacrificing their precious lives. At the critical juncture of the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, Yan Baohang, a legendary intelligence agent of the Communist Party of China (CPC) who was hailed as the "Richard Sorge of the East," provided the Soviet Union with primary-source intelligence. In the crucible of the war-torn years, the Soviet Union provided China with large quantities of weapons and equipment. China, for its part, shipped much-needed strategic supplies to the Soviet Union. The two countries jointly established a supply line spanning the treacherous Gobi Desert. It was an international lifeline, vital for our mutual support in fighting fascists. The strong camaraderie between our two nations, forged in blood and sacrifice, surges onward unceasingly, mighty as the Yellow River and the Volga. It is an eternal wellspring nourishing our everlasting friendship.

Eighty years ago, the forces of justice around the world, including China and the Soviet Union, united in courageous battles against their common foes and defeated the overbearing fascist powers. Eighty years later today, however, unilateralism, hegemonism, bullying, and coercive practices are severely undermining our world. Again humankind has come to a crossroads of unity or division, dialogue or confrontation, win-win cooperation or zero-sum games. In War and Peace, the great writer Leo Tolstoy observed, "History is the life of nations and of humanity." Indeed, historical memory and truth will not fade with the passage of time. They serve as inspirations that mirror the present and illuminate the future. We must learn from history, especially the hard lessons of the Second World War. We must draw wisdom and strength from the great victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, and resolutely resist all forms of hegemonism and power politics. We must work together to build a brighter future for humanity.

We must uphold a correct historical perspective on WWII. China and the Soviet Union were the principal theaters of that war in Asia and Europe respectively. The two countries served as the mainstay of resistance against Japanese militarism and German Nazism, making pivotal contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression began the earliest and lasted the longest. United as one under the banner of the Chinese united front against Japanese aggression, which was advocated and established by the CPC, the Chinese people launched a relentless struggle against and defeated the brutal Japanese militarists. With immense sacrifice, they carved out an immortal epic of heroic resistance and ultimate victory against Japanese aggression. In the European theater, the Soviet Red Army advanced like an iron tide with unwavering fortitude and valor, crushed Nazi Germany's ambitions and liberated millions from its brutal occupation, writing an epic of victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

History teaches us that light will always overcome darkness, and that justice will ultimately prevail over evil. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and the International Military Tribunal for the Far East condemned the convicted war criminals to perpetual infamy. The justice and integrity of the two landmark trials, their historic significance, and their contemporary relevance stand beyond challenge. Any attempt to distort the historical truth of WWII, deny its victorious outcome, or defame the historic contribution of China and the Soviet Union is doomed to fail. Neither of our two nations will tolerate any act to reverse the course of historynor will the people of the whole world.

We must resolutely uphold the postwar international order. The most significant decision by the international community around the end of WWII was to establish the U.N. China and the Soviet Union were among the first to sign the U.N. Charter. Our permanent membership in the U.N. Security Council is a product of history, earned through blood and sacrifice. The more turbulent and complex the international situation becomes, the more we must uphold and defend the authority of the U.N., firmly uphold the U.N.-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and steadily promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the restoration of Taiwan. Taiwan's restoration to China is a victorious outcome of WWII and an integral part of the postwar international order. A series of instruments with legal effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, have all affirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan. The historical and legal fact therein brooks no challenge. And the authority of U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 brooks no challenge. No matter how the situation on the Taiwan island evolves or what troubles external forces may make, the historical trend toward China's ultimate and inevitable reunification is unstoppable.

China and Russia have all along firmly supported each other on issues bearing on our respective core interests or major concerns. Russia has reiterated on many occasions that it strictly adheres to the one-China principle, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, it opposes any form of "Taiwan independence," and it firmly supports all measures of the Chinese government and the Chinese people to achieve national reunification. China highly commends Russia's consistent position.

We must firmly defend international fairness and justice. Now, the global deficits in peace, development, security and governance continue to widen unabated. To address these deficits, I have proposed to build a community with a shared future for mankind and put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative as a way forward to steer the reform of the global governance system toward greater fairness and justice.

The world needs justice, not hegemonism. History and reality have proven that to meet global challenges, it is important to uphold the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit. It is also important to choose dialogue over confrontation, build partnerships over alliances, and pursue win-win cooperation over zero-sum games. It is equally important to practice true multilateralism, accommodate the legitimate concerns of all parties, and safeguard international norms and order. We firmly believe that people around the world will choose to stand on the right side of history and the side of fairness and justice.

China and Russia are both major countries with significant influence in the world. The two nations are constructive forces for maintaining global strategic stability and for improving global governance. Our bilateral relationship is founded upon a clear historical logic, sustained by strong internal drive, and rooted in profound cultural heritage. Our relationship is neither directed against nor swayed by any third party. Together we must foil all schemes to disrupt or undermine our bonds of amity and trust, and we must not be baffled by transient matters or unsettled by formidable challenges. We must leverage the certainty and resilience of our partnership of strategic coordination to jointly accelerate the shift toward a multipolar world and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

China and Russia are both great nations with splendid civilizations. The Chinese and Russian peoples are both great peoples defined by heroic legacies. Eighty years ago, our peoples won the anti-fascist war through heroic struggles. Eight decades later today, we must take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard our sovereignty, security, and development interests. We should be guardians of historical memory, partners in national development and rejuvenation, and champions of global fairness and justice, and work together to forge a brighter future for humanity.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Regular Press Conference on May 7, 2025

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: May 07, 2025 19:27

AFP: Tensions are escalating between India and Pakistan. Is China in contact with both sides to ease tensions?

Lin Jian: China made clear its position on the ongoing situation between India and Pakistan. China finds India's military operation early this morning regrettable. We are concerned about the ongoing situation. India and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbors. They're both China's neighbors as well. China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation. We stand ready to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in the deescalation of the ongoing tensions.

Reuters: It's a follow-up on the escalation between India and Pakistan. Is there any impact on Chinese citizens there or on Chinese airlines that fly over the region?

Lin Jian: China is closely following the developments of the situation. We advise Chinese nationals and institutions in relevant regions to closely watch the developments, take extra safety precautions, avoid traveling to places involved in the conflict and, in case of emergencies, immediately contact Chinese embassies and consulates there for help.

Beijing Youth Daily: Not long ago, U.S. President Trump said on his Truth Social account that "American Ships, both Military and Commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals. Those Canals would not exist without the United States of America. I've asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately take care of the situation." These remarks have recently met strong opposition from various sectors in Egypt. What's China's comment?

Lin Jian: We noted relevant reports. Egypt has indisputable sovereignty over and right to manage and operate the Suez Canal. We firmly support the Egyptian government and people in defending sovereignty and their legitimate rights and interests, and oppose any acts or statements of bullying.

Shenzhen TV: According to Spanish media reports, the Spanish government recently released the Foreign Action Strategy 2025-2028, stressing the need to deepen Spain-China comprehensive strategic partnership. The measures taken by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to deepen relations with China are not for the short term but an important part of the road map of Spain's diplomacy for the next four years. What's China's comment?

Lin Jian: China appreciates the importance the Spanish government attaches to developing its relations with China and its continuous effort of advancing practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between our two countries. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez paid a successful visit to China not long ago. The two sides jointly issued the Action Plan for Strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and proposed to build a more strategically resilient and dynamic comprehensive strategic partnership. China and Spain also signed multiple cooperation documents on economic and trade ties, education and science and technology, and achieved major cooperation outcomes in new energy fields, including electric vehicles and battery. China stands ready to work with Spain to continue deepening open cooperation, especially practical cooperation in such fields as green development, artificial intelligence and digital economy, so as to bring more benefit to the two peoples and add more impetus to China-EU relations.

Reuters: Russia and Ukraine have launched air attacks overnight on each other's capitals, which disrupted Moscow's key airports for most of the night. How does China view this development?

Lin Jian: China's position on the issue of Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear. We've all along been committed to promoting talks for peace and ending the conflict. Most countries in the international community are also playing a constructive role in their own way for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. The pressing priority is to avoid escalation of tensions, and relevant parties need to build consensus and create conditions for this.

Bloomberg: Earlier today China announced that He Lifeng will be going to Switzerland in part to meet with U.S. senior officials. Can you give us more details about what is Chinese expectations for those talks and also who will be accompanying the vice premier on his trip?

Lin Jian: Recently, the U.S. said repeatedly it wants to negotiate with China. This meeting is requested by the U.S. side.

China firmly opposes the U.S.'s tariff hikes. This position remains unchanged. Meanwhile, as we've stressed many times before, China is open to dialogue, but any dialogue must be based on equality, respect and mutual benefit. To pressure or coerce China in whatever way simply does not work. We will resolutely safeguard our legitimate interests and uphold international fairness and justice.

CCTV: To follow up on the high level meeting on economic and trade affairs between China and the U.S., the U.S. recently has been hyping up that the high additional tariff is unsustainable for Beijing. What's your response?

Lin Jian: No external shocks can change China's economic fundamentals with a stable foundation, numerous strengths, remarkable resilience and vast potential. Nor can they change the consistent trend of China's steady progress in pursuing high-quality development. China is highly resilient under pressure and has a full toolbox to defend our legitimate rights and interests, and stands ready to work with the international community to enhance solidarity and coordination, jointly oppose unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying, safeguard multilateral trading system and uphold international fairness and justice.

CGTN: We noted that China and Zambia recently co-hosted a side event of the group of friends for international cooperation on AI capacity-building at the UN headquarters. Could you share more details with us?

Lin Jian: On May 6, China and Zambia co-hosted a side event of the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity-Building at the UN headquarters. Representatives from more than 70 countries, including Russia, France, Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Ethiopia, as well as international organizations such as the United Nations and the International Telecommunication Union, attended the event to discuss the fair and inclusive development of AI.

President Xi Jinping emphasized that AI can serve as a global public good to benefit humanity. China will continue to engage in broad international cooperation on AI, help the Global South countries in strengthening capacity building, and contribute China's efforts to bridging the global AI divide. This month, China will also host the second Workshop on AI Capacity Building in Beijing, and we welcome broad participation from members of the Group of Friends.

Development is a universal right for all countries, not the exclusive privilege of a few. Any country with a passion for AI, aspirations for capacity building, and confidence in international cooperation can use the Group of Friends as a platform to build consensus and promote cooperation.

EFE: So what is China's view on Colombia's plan to join the Belt and Road Initiative under President Petro's upcoming visit?

Lin Jian: Colombia now chairs the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). China is working with Colombia to actively advance the preparation for the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum. On your specific question, I have nothing to read out at the moment.

PTI: Just a few hours ago, India had an official briefing on the current conflict. They have made it very clear that the targets that were taken today in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir were mainly related to terror infrastructure. And this was also done because India has an additional information about new attacks being planned against the country. I would like you to elaborate on your position that you'll work with the international community. Can you just elaborate on what kind of initiatives that Beijing is planning on that front?

Lin Jian: I answered relevant question just now and stated China's principled position. The international community is following closely what is going on between India and Pakistan. China is committed to promoting talks for peace and keeping the region peaceful and stable. We also noted that both India and Pakistan said they don't hope to see escalation of the situation. We hope India and Pakistan will remain calm, exercise restraint, work in the same direction and handle differences properly through dialogue and consultation. China stands ready to continue playing a constructive role in easing the current tensions.

Bloomberg: A follow-up to the trade talks. Previously, China's position has been that without the U.S. reduction or removal of the unilateral tariffs which got to 145 percent, China would not be willing to talk. Now China has agreed to talk without the U.S. removing any of those tariffs except for the exemptions that were announced a few weeks ago. Why has China changed its negotiating stance? And is your expectation for the meeting that both sides will reduce tariff rate?

Lin Jian: As I just said, there isn't any change in China's position. This tariff war is started by the U.S. If a negotiated solution is truly what the U.S. wants, it should stop threatening and exerting pressure, and seek dialogue with China on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit. China will firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and international fairness and justice, and defend WTO rules and the multilateral trading system.

On specifics about the meeting, please stay tuned.

AFP: I got a question on Ukraine. So Chinese soldiers will march in Moscow on Friday for a military parade to mark the anniversary of the World War Two victory. Ukraine has said yesterday that it sees any participation by foreign army in this parade as support for Russia. So what is China's response to Ukraine?

Lin Jian: The great victory of the World Anti-Fascist War is the result of concerted efforts of all nations and peoples in the world who love peace and support justice. The Chinese people and people of all ethnic groups in Soviet Union made enormous sacrifice and indelible historic contributions to secure the victory. China's attendance at the celebrations hosted by Russia marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union shows that China respects and remembers history and is firmly resolved to defend the outcomes of the victory of World War II.

Bloomberg: When President Xi Jinping goes to Russia this week, he'll have talks with President Vladimir Putin, and one of the topics of conversation will be the Power of Siberia 2 Gas Pipeline, which has been planned to go from Russia across Mongolia to China for years, but has never been started. Can the Foreign Ministry confirm that the Power of Siberia 2 Gas Pipeline will be on the table for discussion and can you offer more details about that?

Lin Jian: China and Russia always carry out friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas, including energy, under the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit. For your specific question, I'd refer you to competent authorities.

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Chinese embassy reiterates three points after US signals planned trade talks not initiated by Washington

Global Times

By Global Times Published: May 08, 2025 12:25 PM

When asked to comment on the US' statement that it will not lower tariffs before negotiations begin and has implied that the talks were not initiated by the US side, following China's recent announcement of upcoming talks with the US side, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US said on Thursday that first, the US side has recently reached out to China through various channels, actively conveying its desire to engage with China on tariffs and other related issues. After carefully assessing the US messages, China decided to agree to hold discussions. The talks are being held at the request of the US side.

Second, it is China's consistent position to firmly oppose the US abuse of tariffs. China will resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, uphold international fairness and justice, and defend WTO rules and the multilateral trading system, according to a statement published on the embassy's website.

Third, this tariff war was launched by the US side. If the US genuinely wants a negotiated solution, it should stop making threats and exerting pressure, and engage in talks with China on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit. China will never accept a situation where the US says one thing but does another, nor will China seek any agreement at the cost of principles or international fairness and justice, the spokesperson cautioned.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Wednesday that at the invitation of the government of Switzerland, He Lifeng, Vice Premier of the State Council will visit Switzerland from May 9 to 12. As the Chinese lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, He will have a meeting with the US lead person Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Recently, the US said repeatedly it wants to negotiate with China. This meeting is requested by the US side, spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday in response to media inquiries about China's expectations for those talks.

Lin also noted that China firmly opposes the US's tariff hikes. This position remains unchanged. Meanwhile, as we've stressed many times before, China is open to dialogue, but any dialogue must be based on equality, respect and mutual benefit.

"To pressure or coerce China in whatever way simple does not work. We will resolutely safeguard our legitimate interests and uphold international fairness and justice," Lin said.

The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) earlier on Wednesday also underscored that the new US administration has taken a series of unreasonable and unilateral tariff measures, which have severely disrupted bilateral economic and trade ties and the international economic and trade order, posing serious challenges to the recovery of the global economy. In order to defend its legitimate rights and interests, China has taken resolute countermeasures.

Recently, the US side has expressed willingness to engage in dialogue on tariffs and related issues through multiple channels. After a careful assessment of the US messages, China has decided to engage with the US side, taking into account global expectations, national interests, and calls from the American industry and consumers, the spokesperson said.

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Meeting with President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez

Vladimir Putin met with President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, who arrived in Russia to participate in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

May 7, 2025

18:20

The Kremlin, Moscow

On the Russian side, the meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Russian part of the Intergovernmental Russian-Cuban Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office, Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Minister of Energy Sergei Tsivilev, Head of the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare Anna Popova, General Director of Zarubezhneft Sergei Kudryashov, and CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of Rosneft Igor Sechin.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrade Diaz-Canel, friends,

I am delighted to welcome each and every one of you to Moscow.

Last time we met was exactly a year ago, and I want to thank you for making the decision to come to Moscow this year to join us in celebrating the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazism. In our country, we call this war the Great Patriotic War because the entire nation - without exaggeration - took part in repelling Nazi aggression.

Cuba contributed to the fight against Nazism. I know that you started your visit with St Petersburg, former Leningrad, and I would like to note that volunteers from Cuba fought alongside the Red Army soldiers outside Leningrad, among other places.

It is very symbolic that your current visit coincides with the 65th anniversary of resuming diplomatic relations on May 8, 1960. Please convey my best wishes and greetings to Comrade Raul Castro.

We are very happy to see you. Welcome!

President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez (retranslated): President Putin,

We are delighted to be in Moscow, we are feeling great and we appreciate your invitation.

Indeed, we mark two significant anniversaries that underscore the depth of our historical ties. The first, and unquestionably the most important, is the anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The second is the 65th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations between our nations.

It is especially symbolic for us to be present on these occasions, as our shared efforts today are focused on preserving historical memory, particularly today, when there are increasing attempts to belittle the decisive role and heroic deed of the Soviet Union, the Soviet people, and the Red Army in defeating Nazism. This Victory was not just a triumph for Russia, but a victory for all of humanity. I believe that saving the humankind is great merit.

Attempts are being taken to rewrite history and give up this legacy, with new signs of resurging fascism on a global scale. I believe that it is our common duty to convey real hostory. That is probably the highest form of tribute we can offer. This is what we are doing by participating in today's commemorative events and standing here with you.

I would also like to pass on to you the warm embrace and greetings from Army General Raul Castro.

Since our diplomatic relations were restored 65 years ago, they have withstood all tests of time. We have shared many emotions and had common challenges, programmes, projects, and thus come to this significant milestone.

History has made it clear: only unity based on mutual cooperation, solidarity, and friendship can enable us to face today's challenges and those that lie ahead.

We are delighted to be here with you today.

<...>

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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's article for Cuban "Granma", Russia and Cuba: Celebrating brotherhood through the years and across distances, dedicated to the 65th anniversary of reinstating diplomatic relations between Russia and Cuba, May 7, 2025

7 May 2025 06:05

762-07-05-2025

What brings us together so closely, so intimately



and endears more and more



the land of snow and the island of coconut palms -



my Russia and my Cuba?



YevgenyYevtushenko



Russia and Cuba, 1963

On May 8, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Cuba will commemorate a momentous date which is the 65th anniversary of reconstituting diplomatic relations. I am pleased to note that despite the geographical distance our two countries remain bound by close ties of brotherhood forged through many years of interaction in the spirit of strategic partnership. These ties were built upon the firm foundation of friendship and trust laid in the 1960s following the triumph of the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro.

Commandante Fidel has done much to advance bilateral relations and to promote the values of peace, freedom, truth and justice in international affairs. For many generations of Russians, his name is associated with selfless dedication to the Cuban people.

I have very warm memories of my meetings with Fidel Castro, including the last one in 2014. The legendary Commandante consistently came up with accurate assessments, an understanding of the nature of the events unfolding in the international arena, a wealth of knowledge, and a sharp mind.

Numerous visits by the leader of the Cuban Revolution to our country, especially the 38-day tour of the Soviet republics in 1963, will forever remain part of Russian-Cuban relations. This seminal event followed earlier trips by then Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces Raul Castro Ruz in 1960 and 1962.

Since then, our friendship with Cuba has only grown stronger. The song Cuba is My Love composed by Alexandra Pakhmutova with lyrics by Nikolai Dobronravov and Sergey Grebennikov and performed over the years by renowned artists such as Iosif Kobzon and Muslim Magomayev comes to mind, along with numerous poems by various authors that are well known even beyond the borders of Russia. An excerpt from one of them by YevgenyYevtushenko can be found in the epigraph to this article.

Looking back through history, we can see striking manifestations of Russian-Cuban friendship, such as the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy's lively correspondence with the Cuban admirers of his talent; the Cuban series of paintings by outstanding Russian artist Vasily Vereshchagin; the numerous visits to our country by the great Cuban chess grandmaster, the third world champion, Jose Raul Capablanca. The herald of the Soviet era poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and the stars of Russian and world ballet Anna Pavlova and Maya Plisetskaya visited Cuba as well. In turn, Cuban prima ballerina Alicia Alonso graced the stage of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre with remarkable performances.

Regular contacts at the top level have always been the driving force of Russian-Cuban relations. President of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez is visiting our country as of this writing to participate in the celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Russia has always deeply appreciated Cuba's contribution to the fight against Nazism, including the assistance provided by the island's democratic, workers' and trade union organisations, which sent essential supplies to the Soviet Union during the war. We honour the memory of Cubans who fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War far from their homeland. Among them are Jorge Vivo, who fought in a partisan unit near Leningrad, his brother Aldo Vivo, who died on Nevsky Pyatachok (Neva Bridgehead), and Enrique Vilar, who fell in the battles for Poland's liberation.

Cuba is Russia's reliable foreign policy ally and top priority partner in Latin America. Our Cuban friends stand in solidarity with us on the vast majority of international issues. We support the World Majority's focus on forming a fairer multipolar world order that takes into account the interests of all nations - medium-sized and small ones - without exception. As members of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations, Moscow and Havana advocate for the consistent rather than selective use of the principles enshrined in this foundational UN document.

I'm convinced that Cuba's accession to BRICS as a partner country on January 1, 2025 will further strengthen our foreign policy coordination. Following its expansion, this group of leading World Majority countries has significantly strengthened its position as a centre for harmonising the interests of the Global South and Global East and one of the pillars of the polycentric world order.

In recent years, the global economy has been objectively and steadily shifting towards Eurasia with new centres of power, growth and globally significant political decision-making becoming increasingly active. In this regard, new horizons are opening up for Cuba as an observer state at the Eurasian Economic Union.

We are interacting closely with Cuba on combatting neo-colonial practices. Thanks to the efforts, including those of our two countries, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on eradicating colonialism in all its forms and manifestations last year, which fully meets the World Majority's key interests. We look forward to continuing joint work in order to declare December 14 the International Day against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations already in 2025. Adopting such a decision in the year that marks the 65th anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples will hold significant symbolic meaning.

Both Russia and Cuba oppose illegal unilateral sanctions, which not only contradict international law, but also hit hard the most vulnerable groups of the population. Russia has consistently advocated bringing an immediate and complete end to the US trade embargo on Cuba. The adoption of the resolution titled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba" at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly once again confirmed the near unanimous solidarity of the international community with the demands of the Cuban people and the rejection of this illegal and unfair policy. We also insist on unconditional removal of Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

We are grateful to Havana for its unfailing support amid the hybrid war being waged by the West against Russia. The Cuban leadership has repeatedly and rightly pointed to NATO's longstanding expansion towards Russia's borders as the root cause of the conflict over Ukraine. It is no less important to achieve full respect for human rights in the territories remaining under the control of the Kiev regime, which, after the violent power grab in 2014, set out to exterminate everything associated with Russia and the Russian world, including the Russian language, culture, traditions, canonical Orthodoxy, and Russian-language media.

The history of mutual assistance between our countries goes back several decades. We continue to help our Cuban friends with specific projects. Close interaction is underway in energy, industry, tourism, agriculture, technology, education, culture, and sports. We are discussing ways to expand the portfolio of bilateral investment initiatives, now numbering over one hundred. This, among other things, has become possible thanks to the Framework Agreement on Cooperation between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Cuba signed in 2023 to encourage the participation of Russian Federation investors in Russian-Cuban projects in the Republic of Cuba.

The Intergovernmental Russian-Cuban Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba Ricardo Cabrisas plays an important role in strengthening our practical cooperation. Most recently, it met in Havana on April 4.

Dynamic dialogue is maintained by our respective parliaments. On March 27, the Commission on Cooperation of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the National Assembly of People's Power of the Republic of Cuba held its second session. Multifaceted cooperation with the involvement of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation is deepening, and interagency contacts are expanding.

I am pleased to note the expansion of educational ties. A programme to grant 100 scholarships annually for Cuban students to study at Russian universities is being successfully implemented. Since 2023, eight Russian language centres opened in Cuba. In 2024, Russian universities launched two geology courses at Cuban universities, as well as a Centre for Targeted Training of Energy and Electronics Specialists. Also in 2024, more than 60 agreements were concluded between Russian and Cuban universities. In April, a branch of the Southern Federal University opened in Havana.

In recent years, the number of Russian tourists visiting Cuba has increased significantly with 186,000 tourists visiting Cuba in 2024.

Throughout its history, cooperation with Cuba has remained multifaceted to the point that you would be hard pressed to find an area that has so far remained untouched. Outer space exploration is no exception. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the flight of the Soviet-Cuban space crew featuring Yury Romanenko and Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez.

I would like to close by citing the great Fidel Castro, "There is no force in the world capable of crushing the force of truth and ideas." This echoes what St Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, the heavenly patron saint of Russian diplomats, had to say, "God is not in strength, but in truth." Russia and Cuba are on the right side of history. We stand ready to continue to work shoulder to shoulder with our Cuban friends on the comprehensive strengthening of ties for the benefit of the peoples of our countries and in the name of global peace and security. Cuba can always count on our unwavering support. I am convinced that this feeling is mutual.

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Russia has acted to obfuscate and embolden the DPRK's unlawful pursuit of weapons of mass destruction: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on North Korea.

From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and James Kariuki

7 May 2025

Location: United Nations, New York

Delivered on: 7 May 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Analysis from organisations like the Open Source Centre has become even more vital in the wake of the expertise gap left by the 1718 Panel of Experts.

One year on, the UK deeply regrets Russia's decision to veto the mandate renewal of the 1718 Panel of Experts.

This was a deliberate act used to obfuscate and embolden the DPRK's unlawful pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, and to conceal Russia's own erosion of the UN sanctions architecture, which it has a responsibility to uphold as a permanent member of this Council.

The Panel's credible, objective and independent reporting enabled this Council and the international community to effectively monitor the implementation of UN sanctions on the DPRK.

Most importantly, the Panel helped prevent the DPRK's unlawful and dangerous development of nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Since Russia's veto last year, there have been over 40 missile tests, including one intercontinental ballistic missile test and one intermediate-range ballistic missile test.

This escalation represents multiple breaches of UN Security Council resolutions, for which we have been deprived of further analysis.

Colleagues, it is obvious that Russia's objective was to clear the path for the expansion of their military relationship with the DPRK.

The DPRK is believed to have supplied 20,000 containers of munitions to Russia, and its artillery and mortar shells account for 60% of those used in Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.

And as we've heard, in the past week, Russia and the DPRK publicly flaunted their agreement to use DPRK troops as mere cannon fodder in that war.

Let me be clear, we cannot allow this brazen disregard towards UN sanctions to become normalised.

The UK will continue to work closely with partners to monitor sanctions evasion, to hold both Russia and the DPRK to account, and to call out those complicit in the DPRK's violations of UN Security Council resolutions.

As we have heard over the course of the NPT Prepcom, this Council should stand firm in its defence of the global non-proliferation regime.

The UK remains steadfast with partners in our shared goal for the DPRK to abandon all nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.

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DPR Korea ploughing ahead with nuclear and ballistic missile programme

By Vibhu Mishra

7 May 2025 - A top UN official has warned that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is ramping up its nuclear and missile programme in defiance of international law, as it moves into the final year of its military plan.

Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council on Wednesday, Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari described a troubling pattern of weapons testing and growing nuclear ambition from DPRK - more commonly known as North Korea.

This includes the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in October 2024 and an intermediate-range hypersonic missile last January.

Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported "open displays" of undeclared uranium enrichment at Yongbyon and Kangson.

"These events have been accompanied by statements reiterating the DPRK's intention to further develop nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, including tactical nuclear warheads, military reconnaissance satellites, and the construction of a 'nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine'," Mr. Khairi said.

North Korea's persistent pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes - in violation of multiple Security Council resolutions - "continues to undermine the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime," he warned.

Ensuring compliance

Mr. Khiari reiterated the UN's call for compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and IAEA safeguards, calling on DPRK to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

He also echoed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for all countries to ensure that their relations with the DPRK "entirely abide" by the relevant Council sections.

"We recall the obligations for all Member States to implement the relevant sanctions measures," he said.

Broader security risks

He also noted broader regional tensions, warning that the Korean Peninsula "remains tense," amid heightened military activity, limited dialogue between north and south - and the growing nuclear risk.

He cautioned that the potential for miscalculation is increasing and urged renewed diplomatic efforts toward sustainable peace and the complete, verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

These must be anchored in dialogue and diplomacy, Mr. Khiari said.

Addressing humanitarian needs

Beyond the security situation, Mr. Khiari urged ambassadors not to forget the reportedly dire humanitarian situation in the country.

"We reiterate the call on the DPRK to facilitate the return of the UN Country Team to strengthen support for its people and advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," he said.

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A Franco-German "reset" for Europe.

Elysee - President of France

Posted on 7 May 2025

As we face war on our continent, fierce global competition, accelerating climate and technological change and the threat of global trade wars, we have agreed on a comprehensive agenda to reset our relationship and strengthen Europe. We want our partnership to be more strategic, more operational, to deliver results for our citizens and for the Union. We will bring the Franco-German reflex and coordination to full swing for a more sovereign Europe, focusing on security, competitiveness and convergence. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has shattered the illusion of guaranteed peace and security in Europe. We have already assumed more responsibilities for our own security, and we will take on more. We will further ramp up our own defence capabilities, also to strengthen the European pillar of NATO. We will increase expenditure on security and defence, support the European defence technological and industrial base and promote a dynamic European preference, building on the Commission's proposals for public and private investment tools. We must deliver on reducing strategic dependencies and the number of defence systems in Europe, developing standardisation and interoperability for a well-functioning market and a "best athlete" logic for the industry, continuing work on the relevant financing options. We must enhance joint production, procurement and acquisition in priority capability areas as agreed at EU level. We will set up regular Franco-German Cabinet meetings on strategic, defence and national security matters: to coordinate our support to Ukraine, our defence planning and production, our strategic defence objectives, as well as on our upcoming national security policy reviews. We will re-energize our bilateral defence cooperation projects to meet our current and future needs, also developing a joint defence innovation program. We stand united and firmly committed to a sovereign and independent Ukraine. We will never accept a dictated peace and will continue supporting Ukraine's defence against the Russian aggression. We will work with the US, Ukraine and European partners towards a full and lasting ceasefire. Once in place, we are ready to contribute to a just and durable peace, with US security support, solid security guarantees, in particular a strong Ukrainian army, to deter any future Russian aggression. We will also coordinate our approach on Russia and the systemic threat it poses to European security. Prosperity is an absolute condition for our sovereignty. We will accelerate and deliver on the EU Competitiveness agenda. To lower energy costs and guarantee security of supply, we will implement a Franco-German 'reset' on energy policies, based on climate neutrality, competitiveness and sovereignty. This means implementing the principle of technologic neutrality: ensuring non-discrimination on all low carbon energies at EU level; implementing a pragmatic approach to low carbon hydrogen; recognising that natural gas can be a bridging technology for EU Member States needing it; and focusing on carbon emissions in our energy targets. Building on a comprehensive view of our energy markets, we commit to plan efficient investments in core networks, including cross-border infrastructure. We agree that any new climate target will require credible strategies, to ensure EU competitiveness and avoid carbon leakage. We also need to urgently alleviate administrative burdens in EU, which suffocate growth, scanning all EU rules and eliminating burdens, whilst not backtracking on our ambitions. We support the Commission's proposals and the need to quickly make simplification real, especially on CSRD and CSDDD. We call for further simplification on EU regulations. We will also accelerate on investment, research, innovation, partnerships and scale effects in key sectors where the EU must retain a competitive edge, such as AI, quantum computing, energy and cleantechs, biotechs, space, semiconductors and defence. We will examine European preference in public procurement, particularly for low carbon products. We will also work on EU competition rules to allow for the creation of global European champions in key sectors. We need public and private investments, particularly in infrastructure. We share the urgent priority of a true Capital Markets Union to channel our savings to European businesses for our green and digital transitions and defence, with an improved level-playing field with our competitors, a renewed EU securitisation market and a European savings product. We will jointly work on a modernized next EU Multiannual Financial Framework, addressing our challenges and advancing on new own resources. We agree, as we face harsher global competition, to promote a new sustainable EU trade agenda, to diversify and derisk our partnerships and value chains, fostering EU competitiveness and ensuring effective safeguards on agriculture and strategic sectors in line with our continued commitment to open, fair and rules-based trade. This must not be mistaken for naivety. Mutually beneficial economic relations require a true level playing field. We will explore ways to create a mutually beneficial trade and investment agenda with the United States. At the same time, no one should doubt our resolve to fully safeguard EU interests and ensure strong responses to adverse actions affecting the EU. We support the Commission to use its toolkit in a swift and robust manner where necessary to protect European interests. We will also promote an effective EU economic security policy. Regarding China, we will coordinate our strategic security assessments and a common approach, in particular on trade and economic security, while pursuing engagement on global stability, climate change, and other areas of common interest. We also wish to seize the moment to coordinate on our national economic and social reform agendas, in particular on labour and taxation policies. We will set up a dialogue platform between French and German social partners and between economic experts. Our leadership is also needed on migration. We will ensure full, speedy and uniform implementation of the European Pact on Asylum and Migration in France and Germany, and deliver on the EU regulation on returns. Our aim is a more strategic steer of the Schengen area and a close coordination on internal borders controls, to ensure its efficient and smooth functioning. Finally, we need reforms for a stable Europe. Internally, to promote democracy, the rule of law and the EU's ability to act. Externally, to prepare for enlargement and to master the challenges of geopolitics, also building on the European Political Community. 75 years after Robert Schuman's declaration of 9 May 1950, we are proud of what Europeans have achieved. We will strive towards these "concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity" every day - jointly, France and Germany, for a more sovereign European Union promoting its interests.

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Taking Europe to heart: On his first full day in office, Foreign Minister Wadephul visits Paris and Warsaw

Germany Federal Foreign Office

07.05.2025 - Article

The day after having assumed office, Foreign Minister Wadephul pays a visit to Germany's most important partners in Europe, France and Poland. Afterwards, he takes part in the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Warsaw. The focus is on a strong Europe - today and tomorrow.

Two capitals, and a strong signal: Having taken over from Annalena Baerbock as Federal Foreign Minister only yesterday evening, Dr Johann Wadephul is already today making his first trip to Germany's closest partners in Europe, travelling to France and Poland. An itinerary that is more than a top diplomat's first official visit: it symbolises Germany's close ties with its European partners - and its clear-cut stance on foreign policy.

The friendship between Germany and France: the heart and motor of Europe

The first stop will be Paris - and it is a deliberate choice. The partnership between Germany and France is not a ritual, but rather forms the backbone of the European project. That is why Foreign Minister Wadephul is this morning joining Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz on a visit to the French capital. There, he will meet with his counterpart JeanNoel Barrot and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Our big goal is to reinvigorate the Franco-German axis. To show that we can speed things up in Europe, and that, together, we have ideas to offer. -- Foreign Minister Wadephul before departing.

Continuing on together to Warsaw: the Weimar Triangle, a bridge for Europe

Afterwards, the two Foreign Ministers will be travelling to Warsaw together - thereby, as well, sending a deliberate signal. GermanFrancoPolish cooperation in the Weimar Triangle is more important than ever today when it comes to ensuring Europe's ability to act in a changing world. In times marked by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and change on a global scale, these three countries' joining ranks is key for stability and cohesion within the EU .

Bilateral cooperation with Poland will also be a focus during Foreign Minister Wadephul's trip to Warsaw. Despite their painful shared history, Poland and Germany cooperate more closely today than ever before - a partnership that is of crucial importance for Europe's security architecture and for a balanced relationship between west and east within the European Union.

War in Ukraine, relations with Great Britain and the United States, EU enlargement: the Gymnich meeting in times marked by strategic questions

In the afternoon, what is referred to as the Gymnich meeting will get underway - a semiannual informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers. It provides an opportunity for candid and confidential discussions, away from protocol procedures. Their talks will once again centre around Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU wants to further increase its military and political support for Ukraine - with the goal of creating the conditions for future peace negotiations that will see Ukraine in a strong position. Ministers will also discuss imposing additional sanctions on Russia.

Besides Ukraine, talks will look at relations between the EU and its strategic partners that are in the spotlight. These include transatlantic relations with the United States and the EU's relationship with the United Kingdom after Brexit. The fact that British Foreign Minister David Lammy is participating in the meeting underscores the continued close coordination between the EU and Great Britain.

Attention is also being given to EU enlargement. During their working lunch on Friday, the Foreign Ministers will discuss the next steps towards membership in the European Union with representatives of the EU candidate countries - who include Ukraine, Moldova and the countries of the Western Balkans.

A firm commitment to responsibility for Europe

With his first trip abroad, Foreign Minister Wadephul is sending a clear signal: for the continuity of Germany's foreign policy, the country's close partnership with France and Poland and the belief in a united Europe that is able to act. The talks in Paris and Warsaw clearly show that Germany stands by its European partners - for peace, security and the cohesion of our continent.

Especially in turbulent times, Germany will remain a reliable partner - one that is engaged, European and ready to assume responsibility.

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Germany Federal Foreign Office

07.05.2025 - Press release

Today, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the Franco-German engine. This unique partnership, rooted in history and focused on the future, remains the backbone of our joint ambition for a united, strong, and forward-looking Europe.

Together, we are driving efforts to make the European Union more sovereign and resilient. Strengthening the ability to act autonomously will be a common priority, with a focus on reinforcing our common defense. We believe in a EU that can act, protect its citizens, defend its democratic values, and speak with a clear voice on the global stage.

We stand united in our enduring support for Ukraine against Russian aggression. We are also working with our Allies and partners all around the world, to tackle crises in the Middle East and Africa. Only through close cooperation can we promote stability, peace, and a global order grounded in international law and human rights.

On May 9th, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the birth of Europe, marked by Robert Schuman's declaration - a symbol of Franco-German reconciliation. We draw strength from his vision: we progress through concrete steps and shared solidarity. In the weeks to come, we will take joint initiatives to translate his vision into new actions.
INTERNATIONAL MARITIME DEFENCE EXHIBITION (IMDEX) - 2025

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 07 MAY 2025 2:54PM by PIB Delhi

Indian Naval Ship INS Kiltan arrived in Singapore to participate in IMDEX Asia 2025 at the Changi Exhibition Centre.

The visit is part of the Indian Navy's operational deployment and underscores the robust maritime partnership between India and Singapore.

During the stay, the ships' crew will engage in a series of bilateral/ multilateral activities, including professional exchanges with the Republic of Singapore Navy and other participating navies of IMDEX Asia 2025.

These engagements aim to strengthen naval cooperation, enhance interoperability, and promote mutual understanding between the two navies.

Guided tours for school children, cross deck visits with participating Navies and curated visits for defence industries are planned to foster greater awareness of maritime security and India's naval heritage.

The visit highlights the Indian Navy's commitment to regional security, stability, and the longstanding friendship between the two maritime partners India and Singapore.

****

VM/SKS

(Release ID: 2127494)

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'Every patriotic Iranian will be angry': Zarif warns against reported U.S. bid to misname Persian Gulf

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 7, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Former Vice President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad-Javad Zarif has warned against any attempt by the United States to misname the Persian Gulf, stating that such a fabrication would anger every patriotic Iranian.

"For the sake of Iran, we will show the world and the occupants of the White House that Iranians, united and speaking with one voice, will not tolerate this short-sighted commercialism," Zarif wrote in Persian on his X account on Wednesday.

"What is being heard about the use of a fictitious name for the Persian Gulf will anger every patriotic Iranian, regardless of their orientation," he said, emphasizing the urgency of taking immediate action, as "tomorrow may be too late for this patriotic solidarity."

The Associated Press, citing two officials, reported that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to announce during an upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia that the U.S. will refer to the Persian Gulf as "the Arabian Gulf."

This is not the first time Trump has sparked controversy over the matter. During his first term in 2017, he attempted a similar move, prompting then-President Hassan Rouhani to advise his American counterpart to "study geography."

Zarif, who was foreign minister at the time, famously said, "Everyone knew Trump's friendship was for sale to the highest bidder. We now know that his geography is, too."

For centuries, the Persian Gulf has been the geographic name for the body of water off Iran's southern coast, as referenced in Greek, Latin, Arabic, and Persian texts, as well as in medieval historical and geographical records.

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Iran condemns politically-motivated attempts at misnaming the Persian Gulf

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 7, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says that politically motivated attempts to alter the historically established name of the Persian Gulf are indicative of hostile intent toward Iran and its people, and are firmly condemned. Such biased actions are an affront to all Iranians.

Araqchi wrote on his X account on Wednesday that the name Persian Gulf, like many geographical designations, is deeply rooted in human history.

Iran has never objected to the use of names such as the Sea of Oman, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, or Red Sea, he said, adding that the use of these names does not imply ownership by any particular nation, but rather reflects a shared respect for the collective heritage of humanity.

"In contrast, politically motivated attempts to alter the historically established name of the Persian Gulf are indicative of hostile intent toward Iran and its people, and are firmly condemned," he said.

Araqchi also said that "such biased actions are an affront to all Iranians, regardless of their background or place of residence."

He expressed the hope that the absurd rumors about the Persian Gulf that are no more than a disinformation campaign by "forever warriors" to anger Iranians all over the world and agitate them.

Araqchi assured that U.S. President Donald Trump is aware that the name Persian Gulf is centuries old and recognized by all cartographers and international bodies and was even used by all leaders of the region in their official communications until as recently as 1960's.

While any short-sighted step in this connection will have no validity or legal or geographical effect, it will only bring the wrath of all Iranians from all walks of life and political persuasion in Iran, the U.S. and across the world, he said.

The Associated Press anonymously cited two U.S. officials as saying on Tuesday that during his visit to Saudi Arabia next week, Trump will announce that the United States will refer to the Persian Gulf as "the Arabian Gulf" or "the Gulf of Arabia."

It was unclear whether that announcement is what Trump touted during the Oval Office meeting with the Canadian prime minister.

If the U.S. president goes ahead with the reported plan, the falsification of the historical and geographical reality will cause widespread resentment inside Iran, which has been involved in negotiations with the Trump administration. Whether that would in turn affect the course of the negotiations will remain to be seen. Iran has said that the talks are exclusively about Iran's nuclear energy program and the sanctions imposed on the country over nuclear-related allegations.

The talks, conducted indirectly, started in April, and three rounds of negotiations have since been held.

The fourth round was postponed due to logistical reasons earlier this month. But Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said earlier on Tuesday that a date was being reviewed for the potential resumption of the talks.

7129**9417

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Iran offers to cooperate with Britain 'if misconduct is established' in the case of arrested nationals

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 7, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says Iran stands ready to assist Britain investigate the case of seven Iranian nationals arrested over allegations of "terrorism" if misconduct on their part is credibly established.

In a late Tuesday post on X, Araqchi said he had been disturbed to learn about the arrests.

"If credible allegations of misconduct are established, Iran stands ready to assist investigations," he wrote. "We call on UK to ensure respect for our citizens' rights and afford them due process."

British police said on Sunday that they had arrested eight individuals, including seven Iranian nationals, in separate operations on suspicion of "terrorism offences."

The arrests come amid ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States. Some analysts speculated in Iranian media that the incident could have been an act of provocation meant to subvert the negotiations, to which Israel is opposed.

4482

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Iran denies reports of proposing direct nuclear talks with US

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 07 May 2025 4:37 PM

Iran's Foreign Ministry has dismissed as "fabricated and baseless" recent media reports that it has proposed direct talks with Washington and that a meeting between the presidents of the two countries is to happen soon.

Spokesman Esmail Baqaei told Press TV on Wednesday that all updates on Iran's diplomatic activities, including indirect talks with the US, are communicated transparently, professionally, and in a timely manner by the Foreign Ministry.

He was referring to a recent report by Israeli media that Tehran is frustrated with the Omani mediation and that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has turned to President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and asked to conduct direct negotiations.

There have also been media speculations that Trump may meet Pezeshkian during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia to push the nuclear talks forward.

Iran and the US have so far held three rounds of Oman-mediated talks on a replacement for the 2015 nuclear deal.

The fourth round had initially been scheduled for May 3 in the Italian capital.

But it was postponed due to what Iran described as "technical and logistical" reasons.

Both sides have so far described their talks as generally productive, including the last round, which was billed as a "constructive" process.

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Araghchi warns of 'wrath of all Iranians' if Trump renames Persian Gulf

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 07 May 2025 11:10 AM

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned of the "wrath of all Iranians" after rumors that US President Donald Trump plans to rename the Persian Gulf during his visit to Saudi Arabia next week.

"Let's hope that the absurd rumors about the PERSIAN Gulf that are going around are no more than a disinformation campaign by "forever warriors" to anger Iranians all over the world and agitate them," Araghchi wrote on X Wednesday.

The warning came after The Associated Press, citing unnamed US officials, said Trump planned to announce in Saudi Arabia that the United States would now refer to the Persian Gulf as the A-r-a-b-i-a-n Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia.

"I am confident that Donald Trump is aware that the name PERSIAN Gulf is centuries old and recognized by all cartographers and international bodies and was even used by all leaders of the region in their official communications until as recently as 1960's," Araghchi said.

"While any short-sighted step in this connection will have no validity or legal or geographical effect, it will only bring the wrath of all Iranians from all walks of life and political persuasion in Iran, the US and across the world," he added.

Araghchi said the name Persian Gulf, like many geographical designations, is deeply rooted in human history.

"Iran has never objected to the use of names such as the Sea of Oman, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, or Red Sea. The use of these names does not imply ownership by any particular nation, but rather reflects a shared respect for the collective heritage of humanity," he said.

"In contrast, politically motivated attempts to alter the historically established name of the Persian Gulf are indicative of hostile intent toward Iran and its people, and are firmly condemned. Such biased actions are an affront to all Iranians, regardless of their background or place of residence," he added.

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FM Araghchi calls for respect for rights of Iranians arrested in UK

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 07 May 2025 8:31 AM

Iran's foreign minister has called on the UK to respect the rights of Iranians arrested in Britain, underscoring Tehran's readiness to assist investigations in the incident.

Abbas Araghchi made the call in a post on his X social media account on Tuesday, after the British media said seven Iranian nationals had been arrested in two major "counter-terrorism operations" across the country.

"Disturbed to learn that Iranian citizens have reportedly been arrested by UK security services," Araghchi wrote.

"If credible allegations of misconduct are established, Iran stands ready to assist investigations. We call on UK to ensure respect for our citizens' rights and afford them due process."

The Metropolitan Police said five men, four of them Iranian nationals, were arrested on Saturday in one operation and thee other Iranians in another, without disclosing their names.

Those arrested were part of a "pre-planned" investigation into an alleged plot to "target a specific premises," the Metropolitan Police said, adding that the "affected site" was made aware and is being supported by police.

Four of the five men arrested at locations across England  two aged 29, one aged 40 and another aged 46  are Iranian nationals. Police said the nationality and age of the fifth were still being established.

The men were arrested in Swindon, west London, Stockport, Rochdale and Manchester, and remain in police custody.

As part of a separate investigation led by the Met, three other Iranian men were arrested in London on Saturday.

The Met said three men  aged 39, 44 and 55  were arrested under section 27 the National Security Act at separate addresses in north-west and west London, and had been taken into custody while searches continued.

Commander Dominic Murphy, the CTC's head, stressed that they were not treating the two investigations into "separate incidents" as linked.

"The investigation is still in its early stages and we are exploring various lines of inquiry to establish any potential motivation as well as to identify whether there may be any further risk to the public linked to this matter," Murphy said.

Investigators would "continue to work tirelessly," he said, adding that there were "several hundred officers and staff working on this."

In April, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei condemned as "baseless and unjust" accusations leveled by Britain that the Islamic Republic was connected with certain criminal groups in Europe.

Baghaei said attributing the actions of certain groups to Iran is a clear blame game meant to cover up Britain's own destabilizing activities, particularly in West Asia.

The spokesman said London repeated its unfounded claims without any evidence despite Tehran's calls for the UK to provide proof supporting its allegations.

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Trump's Reported Move To Rename Persian Gulf Unites Iranians In Outrage

By Kian Sharifi May 07, 2025

If there's one thing that transcends Iranians' personal beliefs and politics, it's the name of the body of water historically known as the Persian Gulf -- a name that has become a point of national pride amid efforts by some Arab states to rename it the Arabian Gulf.

So it came as little surprise that Iranians responded with outrage after a report that US President Donald Trump had endorsed the suggested name change.

The Associated Press reported on May 7 that Trump was planning to announce a change to either the "Arabian Gulf" or the "Gulf of Arabia."

The announcement, the AP report said, would come during Trump's visit to the Middle East next week.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on May 7 dismissed the report as likely part of a "disinformation" effort to "provoke and agitate Iranians worldwide."

He warned that while such a move would carry "no validity or legal or geographical effect," it would "only bring the wrath of all Iranians from all walks of life and political persuasion in in Iran, the US, and across the world."

Can It Hurt Opposition Support For Trump Policies?

Behnam Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), warned that the move risked alienating Trump's support among Iranians who back his strong stance against the Islamic republic.

"This decision will have the inadvertent effect of watering down [Trump's] pro-max pressure constituency inside and outside the US and Iran that has supported the White House's Iran agenda while bolstering voices skeptical of his approach," he wrote on X.

The State Department and White House have consistently used the name Persian Gulf in line with the official policy of the US Board on Geographic Names, which has rejected proposals to change it to "Arabian Gulf."

In contrast, US Central Command and the US Navy often use "Arabian Gulf" in regional communications and documents, especially to align with Arab partners, though their usage sometimes varies between "Arabian Gulf" and the more neutral "the Gulf."

Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, noted that the US military has used the term "Arabian Gulf" for years. But, he added, "In my experience, there's one thing that unites Iranians: ensuring it's called Persian Gulf."

Indeed, Iranian-American organizations with sharply differing political views issued separate statements on X opposing any name change.

"There has always been and will only ever be one name for the Persian Gulf," declared the National Union for Democracy in Iran. The National Iranian American Council echoed the sentiment: "It's the Persian Gulf -- today, tomorrow, and forever."

The name of the waterway is a deeply emotional issue for many Iranians, tied to pride in their country's heritage as the heart of the ancient Persian Empire.

Tensions flared in 2017 during Trump's first term when he referred to it as the "Arabian Gulf," prompting then-President Hassan Rouhani to quip that Trump should "study geography."

At the time, Iran's former crown prince Reza Pahlavi wrote a letter to Trump urging him to refrain from referring to the "historically unchallengeable Persian Gulf" by any other name. Pahlavi's supporters have been reposting his letter on X, though some have questioned the veracity of the reported plan to change the name.

Implications Beyond National Pride

Some have argued that changing the name of the Persian Gulf in the United States can do more than just hurt the pride of Iranians, such as leading to a breakdown in nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington.

Abdolrasool Divsallar, a security expert and adjunct professor at the Universita' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, said the move would be "a very bad decision in a very bad time."

He argued that it would "certainly have major negative implications on the nuclear talks, likely to cause Iran's unexpected reactions."

Meanwhile, Iran-based political commentator Mostafa Najafi speculated that the move could affect the legal status of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb -- three small but strategically important islands in the Persian Gulf that are controlled by Iran but claimed by the United Arab Emirates.

"Tehran backing down in the face of Trump's potential move, encouraged by Arab emirs and monarchs, would deal a major blow to Iran's national security and regional standing," he wrote on X.

This comes months after Trump's executive order in January to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America."

The AP declined to adopt the new terminology, prompting the White House to restrict its journalists from covering most official events.

In response, the AP filed a lawsuit against the administration. In April, a US district judge ruled that the First Amendment protects the wire service from government retaliation over editorial decisions and ordered that its full access to White House events be reinstated.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-persian-gulf-arabian- iran/33407333.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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Iran categorically rejects involvement in alleged plot to attack Israeli embassy in UK

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 08 May 2025 6:11 AM

Tehran has categorically rejected Western media reports about Iranian nationals being involved in an alleged plot to target the Israeli embassy in London.

In a post on his X account on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has not been informed of any allegations via "proper diplomatic channels".

"Iran stands ready to engage to shed light on what has truly transpired, and we reiterate that UK authorities should afford our citizens due process," he wrote.

The United Kingdom has arrested eight men, including seven Iranian nationals, as part of two investigations regarding alleged threats to national security.

London's Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrests on Sunday, saying five men, including four of the Iranian nationals, were detained on suspicion of "preparation of a terrorist act" while the other three were being held under national security legislation introduced in 2023 to counter the actions of hostile states.

They were arrested as part of a "pre-planned" investigation into an alleged plot to "target specific premises," the Metropolitan Police said, adding that the "affected site" was made aware and is being supported by police.

As part of a separate investigation led by the Met, three other Iranian men were arrested in London on Saturday.

The Met said three men  aged 39, 44 and 55  were arrested under section 27 the National Security Act at separate addresses in north-west and west London, and had been taken into custody while searches continued.

In his post, Araghchi pointed to the stories in the media about the alleged involvement of Iranian nationals in a supposed plot to target the Israeli embassy in London and urged the UK to engage so that Tehran may assist any probe into credible allegations.

The top Iranian diplomat warned that third parties are resorting to desperate measures, including false flag operations, to derail diplomacy and provoke escalation.

"Timing and lack of engagement suggest that something is amiss," he said.

In a post on his X social media account on Tuesday, the Iranian foreign minister called on the UK to respect the rights of Iranians arrested in Britain, underscoring Tehran's readiness to assist investigations in the incident.

"Disturbed to learn that Iranian citizens have reportedly been arrested by UK security services," Araghchi wrote.



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Japan-India Foreign Ministers' Telephone Talk

Ministry of Foregn Affairs of Japan

May 7, 2025

On May 7, commencing at 6:40 p.m. (Japan Time) for approximately 15 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a telephone talk with H.E. Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India. The overview is as follows:

At the outset, Minister Iwaya extended his sincere condolences to the victims of the terrorist attack in Kashmir and expressed his deepest sympathy to those who were injured in the attack. Minister Iwaya stated that terrorism cannot be justified for any reason and Japan strongly condemns all forms of terrorism. Minister Iwaya also stated that fair investigation and punishment of offenders of this terrorist attack are important. In this regard, Minister Iwaya stated that Japan is deeply concerned that the recent series of events could lead to further reprisals and escalate into a full-scale military conflict and that urged both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and stabilize the situation through dialogue for the peace and stability in South Asia. In response, Minister Jaishankar explained India's position on the situation.

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Myanmar's ethnic Karen face food shortages amid aid cuts to camps on Thai border

Children under five are living on just 5 US cents a day, aid groups said.

By RFA Burmese 2025.05.07 -- Myanmar residents forced to flee their homes for camps across the border in Thailand are facing growing hardship amid cuts to international aid, with more than 108,000 people now struggling to access stable food supplies, civil society organizations told Radio Free Asia on Wednesday.

Predominantly ethnic Karen from eastern Myanmar's Kayin state, facing brutal village burnings and airstrikes by the junta, have fled en masse to camps in Thailand, where many have lived for years seeking refugee status with no access to jobs or legal documents.

The difficult life of residents in the camps escalated when the U.S. government slashed the budget of the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID.

The United States, through USAID, has been the largest donor, contributing about 69% of the camps' funding as of early 2025. This significant support facilitated essential services including healthcare, food distribution, and sanitation, often implemented by NGOs like the International Rescue Committee and The Border Consortium, according to the Organization for World Peace.

"Because aid donations have continued not to arrive, the refugees' situations will become worse than before, because they have no documents," said Karen Peace Support Network spokesperson Cherry, who only gave one name.

"They have no permission to come and go from the camp without identification, passport or Thai citizenship documents, they have a lot of difficulty in searching for jobs."

Children five years old and under have had their food budget slashed to just five U.S. cents per day, while those over five will receive eight cents a day in allocated food, according to a statement co-published by 20 Karen groups on Wednesday, adding that over one million people in Kayin state and neighboring areas alone are affected by aid cuts.

"Even before these drastic reductions, food provisions were already below the minimum required for survival," the groups said in their statement, attributing it to not only U.S. budget cuts, but steadily declining international support for displaced Karen.

"These aid reductions could not come at a worse time. The Burmese military continues to target homes, schools, plantations, religious sites and medical centers with airstrikes and artillery."

The groups called for a reversal of long-term aid cuts for Myanmar residents of Thailand, existing donors to increase their funding, for Bangkok to grant them the right to work and for the country to lift restrictions on cross-border aid delivery to areas not controlled by the Myanmar military.

While USAID was the primary donor, other countries such as Australia also contributed to funding the camps, though to a lesser extent.

Following the dissolution of much of USAID's programming in Myanmar and Thailand, civil society organizations dependent on their funding have been forced to reduce programming and lay off staff, while others have sounded alarms about the potential rise in HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and vaccine-preventable diseases.

Despite a ceasefire extended to May 31 by the military junta that seized power in a 2021 coup, airstrikes have continued, killing over 200 people and displacing tens of thousands. The ceasefire was declared following the March 28 earthquake that claimed the lives of over 3,700 people in Myanmar.

Translated by Kiana Duncan. Edited by Mike Firn and Taejun Kang.

Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content May not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Meeting Between Italy's Minister for Interior Matteo Piantedosi and Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar

Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Italy's Minister for Interior Mr. Matteo Piantedosi paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

DPM/FM Dar expressed satisfaction at the upward trajectory of Pakistan-Italy relations. He observed that the established architecture of dialogue between the two countries provided an excellent basis for regular interaction. He highlighted that there was immense potential to expand bilateral ties in the areas of trade and investment, security and education.



DPM/FM appreciated Pakistan-Italy's growing cooperation in the area of labour mobility and welcomed the concluding of MoU on Migration and Labour Mobility between Pakistan and Italy as a major milestone.



Minister Piantedosi positively assessed Pakistan-Italy relations and expressed Italian side's keenness to expand cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.

DPM/FM briefed the Italian Minister on India's recent escalatory measures and stated that Pakistan strongly condemned India's cowardly action, which was a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, international law, and established norms of inter-state relations. DPM/FM shared that Pakistan had exercised restraint but India, with its blatant disregard for international law, continued to threaten regional peace.

Minister Piantedosi expressed concern at the escalation of the already tense situation and offered condolences for the innocent lives lost in Pakistan. He called for restraint on both sides.

Both sides agreed to intensify contacts.

07 May, 2025

128/2025

128/2025



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Prime Minister speaks with Prime Minister of the State of Qatar

Prime Miinister's Office - Islamic Republic of Pakistan

May 07, 2025

Islamabad : 7 May 2025

Prime Minister speaks with Prime Minister of the State of Qatar

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from H.E. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, this afternoon.

While thanking Qatar for its solidarity and support to Pakistan at this difficult time, the Prime Minister strongly condemned India's missile strikes targeting six sites in Pakistan, as an unprovoked act of war. He said India's cowardly attack on Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity that had resulted in the death of 26 men, women and children, as well as destruction of few mosques, had imperiled peace and stability in the South Asia region.

The Prime Minister noted that while Pakistan desired peace in the region, Pakistan would resolutely defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity with full vigor and force.

The Prime Minister recalled that in the aftermath of the Pahalgam incident, he had offered a neutral and transparent international investigation to look into India's allegations. Pakistan would be happy if Qatar were to join this effort. However, India had chosen the dangerous path of aggression, which demonstrated its irresponsible State behaviour, and aversion to peace in the region.

The Prime Minister of Qatar expressed condolences for the loss of precious lives. He appreciated Pakistan's commitment to fostering peace in South Asia and said that Qatar wanted to play its role in de-escalating the prevailing situation in the region.

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The National Security Committee (NSC), was convened under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister

Prime Miinister's Office - Islamic Republic of Pakistan

May 07, 2025

Islamabad: 7 May 2025

The National Security Committee (NSC), was convened under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. The forum offered Fateha for the souls of the innocent civilians martyred in India's strikes, extended its heartfelt condolences to the near ones of the martyrs and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. The NSC deliberated upon the grave developments arising out of India's unprovoked, cowardly and unlawful act of war.

On the night of 6/7 May 2025, the Indian Armed Forces launched coordinated missile, air and drone strikes on multiple locations within Pakistan's sovereign territory, including Sialkot, Shakargarh, Muridke and Bahawalpur in Punjab, Kotli and Muzaffarabad in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. These unprovoked and unjustified attacks deliberately targeted the civilian areas, on the false pretext of presence of imaginary terrorist camps, resulting in the martyrdom of innocent men, women, and children, and causing damage to the civilian infrastructure, including mosques. India's act of aggression also caused grave danger to commercial airlines belonging to brotherly gulf countries, endangering the lives of thousands of on-board passengers. Besides, the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project was also deliberately targeted in violation of international conventions.

The NSC unequivocally condemned these illegal acts as blatant violations of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which manifestly constituted acts of war under international law. The deliberate targeting of civilians, including innocent women and children, by the Indian military constitutes a heinous and shameful crime, that is in violation of all norms of human behaviour and the provisions of international law.

Pakistan has been emphatically rejecting Indian allegations claiming the presence of terrorist camps on its territory. It would also be recalled that immediately after 22 April 2025, Pakistan made a sincere offer for a credible, transparent and neutral investigation, which unfortunately was not accepted. The international media personnel had already visited these "imaginary terrorist camps" on 6 May 2025, and more visits were planned for 7 May 2025. However, apprehensive of its falsehood being exposed, and without a shred of evidence about its claims, the Indian leadership, bereft of any morality, has now gone to the extent of attacking innocent civilians in order to satiate its delusional thoughts and short-sighted political objectives. Attacking its innocent people is neither tolerable nor acceptable to Pakistan. India, against all sanity and rationality has once again ignited an inferno in the region, the responsibility for ensuing consequences shall lie squarely with India.

The Armed Forces of Pakistan, in line with the exercise of the right of self defense and response framework outlined in NSC statement dated 22 April 2025, resolutely defended the territorial integrity of Pakistan, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, against the Indian aggression, while also bringing down five Indian fighter aircrafts and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the process.

In consonance with Article-51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence, at a time, place, and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives and blatant violation of its sovereignty. The Armed Forces of Pakistan have duly been authorized to undertake corresponding actions in this regard.

Deeply anguished by India's naked aggression, the entire Pakistani nation greatly appreciates and admires the bravery and courage of the Armed Forces and their timely action in the defense of their motherland. The nation stands galvanized and resolute in the face of any further aggression.

The NSC calls upon the international community to recognize the gravity of India's unprovoked illegal actions and to hold it accountable for its blatant violations of international norms and laws.



Pakistan remains committed to peace, with dignity and honour, and reiterates that it shall never allow any violation of its sovereignty, territorial integrity or permit any harm to its proud people.

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Russian-Venezuelan talks

Vladimir Putin held talks with President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, who has come to Russia on an official visit, at the Grand Kremlin Palace.

May 7, 2025

17:05

The Kremlin, Moscow

The talks began with a meeting of the two leaders in a restricted format and continued over an official breakfast attended by members of both delegations.

Vladimir Putin and Nicolas Maduro discussed the current state and prospects for the development of Russian-Venezuelan cooperation in the political, trade and economic, financial, scientific and technological, as well as humanitarian and cultural areas. They also exchanged views on pressing matters on the international and regional agendas.

Taking part in the restricted format talks on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister - Head of the Russian part of the Intergovernmental Russian-Venezuelan High-Level Commission Dmitry Chernyshenko, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, and Chairman of Rosneft Management Board Igor Sechin.

Following the Russian-Venezuelan talks, the two Presidents signed the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on Strategic Partnership and Cooperation.

* * *

Beginning of Russian-Venezuelan talks in a restricted format

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, friends,

I am delighted to welcome you to Moscow. We have already met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, but I am extremely grateful to you for taking the time to come to the celebrations of Victory in the Second World War. In our country we call it the Great Patriotic War. Victory over Nazism is a special day for Russia and the Russian people.

This year not only marks the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory but also the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries. The celebrations are over, but we have not forgotten this landmark event.

I would like to point out that our relations are based on the Treaty on Strategic Partnership. It offers a solid foundation for our cooperation, and we have achieved tangible results working on this foundation.

Of course, our mutual trade, which is estimated at $200 million, falls short of our aspirations, but the trend is very positive: last year, our trade increased by 64 percent, which is a sign of good progress.

We have promising and well-defined areas of cooperation, and our colleagues are actively working in all of them, including energy, transportation, the pharmaceutical industry, logistics, healthcare and, of course, humanitarian initiatives.

Overall, we are satisfied with how our bilateral contacts are progressing, thanks in large part to the personal attention you devote to this relationship.

We remember our friend Hugo Chavez very well. He was a remarkable leader, not only for your country but for all of Latin America. He was without question a friend of Russia. Today, you are continuing his mission, and we wish you every success. We will have the opportunity to discuss all the areas of cooperation I just mentioned.

Welcome, Mr President.

President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro (retranslated): Thank you very much.

President Vladimir Putin, I remember well visiting the Kremlin alongside Comandante Hugo Chavez. It happened more than once as we began to develop these strong and reliable bonds of friendship - friendship that has stood the test of time. We have succeeded in raising our relationship to a high level.

On behalf of the people of Venezuela, I would like to express our deep admiration and respect as you mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The Soviet people made an extraordinary effort to put an end to a horrific and unlawful war brought about by fascism 80 years ago.

Had that not been achieved, humanity would have entered a period of crime and deep crisis. Owing to the Great Victory of the Red Army 80 years ago, to the courage and heroism of the Soviet people, and to the sacrifice of 27 million lives, Europe - and indeed all of humanity - was saved.

Today, we find ourselves at a crucial crossroads. This is a most fitting moment: 80 years of our bilateral relations, and 80 years since that historic Victory. We now have the opportunity to give fresh impetus to our cooperation and take a significant leap forward across the board.

In the coming years, thanks to the treaty we are set to sign, we will see how relations are prospering between a great Russia, which today plays a pivotal role on the global stage, and Venezuela, which follows the ideals of Bolivar and Hugo Chavez.

We are honoured to be able to share this significant date with you and to join in commemorating the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. We also see this as a Victory.

<...>

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Meeting with President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh

Vladimir Putin met with President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, who arrived in Moscow to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory, in the St Catherine Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

May 7, 2025

20:10

The Kremlin, Moscow

On the Russian side, the meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office, Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Co-Chairman of the Intergovernmental Russian-Mongolian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation Alexander Kozlov, Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov, Minister of Transport Roman Starovoit, Minister of Energy Sergei Tsivilev, Head of the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare Anna Popova, Deputy Minister of Defence Alexander Fomin, First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Vladimir Chistyukhin, Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev, Director General of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexei Likhachev, and CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of Rosneft Igor Sechin.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, friends.

I welcome you all to Moscow on the eve of the momentous 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. I am very pleased to see you participating in person in these anniversary events.

Our countries share heroic chapters of history, and 2024 marked the 85th anniversary of common victory over the Japanese militarists on the Khalkhin-Gol River. Together with you, we celebrated this date during my visit to Ulaanbaatar.

Russia appreciates our cooperation with Mongolia during the Great Patriotic War and during the defeat of the Kwantung Army in 1945. The Red Army tank column and the Mongolian Arat squadron, formed with the funds provided by ordinary Arats, fought for our country, for our common Victory and in August 1945 the Mongolian People's Army took part in operations against the Japanese army. We remember and appreciate that.

Relations of comprehensive strategic partnership with neighbouring and friendly Mongolia are among the priorities of our policy. Political dialogue is developing, heads of government meet, and the mechanism of consultations through foreign ministries is fully operational. We have established cooperation in defence and security, inter-parliamentary ties, and culture and education.

Mongolia is an important trading partner of ours. Last year, our trade increased by 17.5 percent. In the first two months of 2025, it added over 25 percent. We always respond to requests from our Mongolian friends in various areas that are very sensitive and important for Mongolia, including cooperation in the energy sector.

We are very glad to see you. Welcome.

President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh (retranslated): Thank you, Mr President.

Mr President of the Russian Federation,

I am delighted to meet with you in the Hero City of Moscow, where I have come at your invitation to attend the events celebrating the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The Great Patriotic War is a vital victory for all humankind that established peace and stability around the world. It is truly a Victory of all humankind. In the most trying times, in the most difficult years, we have shared all the hardships of this war with you, and we must never forget it.

The Great Patriotic War - and the historic Victory achieved -must remain an undistorted, sacred milestone in our shared history.

In this regard, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you, Mr President, and to the entire Russian people on the anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, on behalf of the people of Mongolia.

Mongolian Armed Forces personnel are to take part in the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory.

Eighty years have passed since our grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought together during the most difficult period of war. Our nations stood united during this war - and in other military operations.

Since the very first days of the Great Patriotic War, the people of Mongolia stood together with the people of Russia. We made our best efforts to pass through those trying times.

The people of Mongolia sent the Revolutionary Mongolia tank brigade and the Mongolian Arat fighter squadron, as well as other forms of essential material assistance to support the Soviet Union in its fight for victory in that war. We are grateful to the Russian side for acknowledging the significant contribution made by the Mongolian people.

Last year, we marked the 85th anniversary of our joint victory in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol in 1939. It was on this occasion that you, Mr President, made your historic visit to Mongolia. That visit played an important role in further promoting and strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between our two nations.

We had talks during that visit, where all issues of bilateral cooperation were discussed, as well as practical implementation of all our agreements.

There are several points I would like to discuss with you, the first one being Thermal Power Plant No 3 in Ulaanbaatar, for which we have signed a upgrade and expansion agreement.

<...>

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Working meeting with head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov

Vladimir Putin had a working meeting with Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov at the Kremlin.

May 7, 2025

18:00

The Kremlin, Moscow

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Kadyrov, good afternoon.

I asked you to join me in this meeting because I knew you were taking part in protocol events and meetings with our foreign guests. We agreed to see each other a long time ago to discuss the current situation in the Chechen Republic. How are things going, Mr Kadyrov?

Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov: Mr President, thank you for finding time in your busy schedule. We got off to a good start this year - with major economic indicators growing by 32 percent, industrial production increasing by 47 percent, and construction booming - it has exceeded 8 million square metres by now.

Vladimir Putin: Chechnya broke another record here, didn't it?

Ramzan Kadyrov: You can say so.

Vladimir Putin: Last year, you had good indicators as well.

Ramzan Kadyrov: We were in the lead, and still are.

The region is becoming more and more attractive to investors every year: 600 investment projects worth 108 billion rubles are being implemented; they are expected to create almost 10,000 jobs. I would like to note that the unemployment rate in Chechnya has dropped to 4 percent. I promised you to reduce it to 5 percent, but we have brought it down to 4 percent.

Mr President, as you know, we place a special emphasis on participating in the special military operation. In total, since the beginning of the operation, Chechnya supplied 55,500 active fighters, including 21,600 volunteers. At the moment, there are more than 11,000 our fighters on the battlefield, including Defence Ministry troops, the National Guard, the Akhmat special force and the combined detachment of the Interior Ministry branch in the Chechen Republic. These fighters fulfil their assigned missions with full dedication. For the entire period [of the special military operation], 7,540 fighters from Chechnya have been decorated with state awards.

The Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov Regional Public Foundation regularly sends humanitarian supplies for civilians to the liberated territory. Their total contribution has exceeded 27,000 tonnes by now. We also pay special attention to the programme to support families of the participants in the special military operation.

Mr President, when you visited Chechnya last year, you had an opportunity to see how much it had changed and what we had achieved with your help. Thank you very much.

Vladimir Putin: You know, I occasionally think back to that working trip, and I have heartening memories of the Chechen people who struck me as hardworking and talented. Of course, as head of the Republic, you can be pleased and proud of the results of the work accomplished in recent years. They are quite obvious, I saw them myself, it's great.

As for your soldiers, I have visited the training centre that you created in Chechnya. I must say that the units formed there are truly multiethnic. I saw young men arrive from all over Russia to train at this centre, which offers top-quality training, at a very high level, and they fight well, really well. As you know, the Chief of the General Staff reports to me almost daily on the situation in all sections along the line of contact. And almost every time, he mentions the fighters trained at your centre, Akhmat members, but not only Akhmat. Men from other regions undergo training at your centre, too, and they are fighting brilliantly.

I am certainly pleased with your current achievements, construction and economic growth in general, and I am sure that the Chechen people can be proud of these accomplishments as much as we are all proud of them. This is good.

Ramzan Kadyrov: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: I saw the beautiful mosque that you built - you initiated the project. As far as I can judge, it is a perfect work of art. I am sure that people are happy to visit the mosque. I also met the religious leaders who serve at this mosque. They are great and wise preachers who stay current and devote themselves to God and the community with deep sincerity and faith.

But I am sure that you have also prepared some documents. Let's see them.

Ramzan Kadyrov: Thank you, Mr President, for your assessment. We will not let you down.

Vladimir Putin: I have no doubt about it.

<... >

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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's article, Russia and Vietnam: 75 Years of friendship, trust and mutual assistance, May 7, 2025

7 May 2025 08:02

763-07-05-2025

Russian-Vietnamese ties have a long history and long-standing traditions. January 30 marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries. The anniversary date provides an opportune occasion to look back, to reflect on the outcomes, and to outline plans for the future.

As a Vietnamese proverb says, "nothing can get in the way of a strong friendship, which flows endlessly like the Mekong River." The worldly wisdom of these words can also be used to describe relations between peoples, such as the peoples of Russia and Vietnam. Indeed, these relations are time-tested and have been hardened during the years of heroic fight of the Vietnamese people against the French colonisers and American aggressors. We know and appreciate the fact that our friends in Vietnam remember the assistance provided by the Soviet Union during and after the war when the country needed to be rebuilt.

This year, Russia and the rest of the free world celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II and the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War, and the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.

More than 20 foreign leaders will come to Moscow for the celebrations in May. We will be pleased to welcome General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Comrade To Lam. The 80th anniversary of declaration of Vietnam's independence (September 2, 1945) and the 50th anniversary of liberation of the South (April 30, 1975) are important dates as well.

The unveiling of a monument to the first President of Vietnam, a great friend of our country, Ho Chi Minh, which took place in St Petersburg in 2023 and was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of his visit to that city, made vivid the great emphasis that we place on commemorating common history. Last year, a sculpture dedicated to Vietnamese internationalist soldiers who took part in the 1941-1942 Battle of Moscow against Nazi invaders was installed in the Patriot Military Glory Park outside Moscow.

Relying on a solid historical foundation, relations between our countries are making great strides. In 2002, our leaders agreed to raise them to the level of strategic partnership, and in 2012 to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership. This advanced status means our ties are close across all areas of cooperation that is steeped in mutual trust.

An intensive political dialogue at the top and high levels promotes bilateral relations. Thus, the year 2024 witnessed a series of major bilateral events, including President Putin's state visit to Vietnam, and his meeting with Prime Minister of the Government of the Vietnamese People's Republic Pham Minh Chinh on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan. In turn, Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man visited Russia. This year, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited Hanoi, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son visited Moscow.

Our views on most international issues are close or overlap. Russia and Vietnam coordinate their steps at the UN and remain fully confident that all countries must consistently respect the principles of the UN Charter. Moscow and Hanoi share the World Majority's focus on forming a multipolar world order that is based on cooperation and a balance of interests of all countries. We appreciate the balanced voice of Vietnam on multilateral platforms, such as the East Asia summits, the ASEAN Regional Security Forum, and the Asia-Pacific Cooperation Forum.

Moscow and Hanoi are firmly committed to establishing equal and indivisible security architecture in the Asia-Pacific region that matches modern realities and is based on universally recognised provisions of international law. In this regard, we are truly concerned by some countries attempting to form a network of restricted-format bloc alliances in the region.

I would like to thank our Vietnamese friends for their balanced approach to the Ukraine settlement. A durable solution to this issue cannot be achieved through reaching a ceasefire or suspending hostilities on the line of contact. To make peace last, the underlying causes of the conflict must be eradicated. First and foremost, it is imperative to eliminate threats to Russia's security arising from NATO's eastward expansion and attempts to drag Ukraine into NATO. It is no less important to ensure full respect for human rights in the territories controlled by the Kiev regime, which, since its violent power grab in 2014, has been pursuing a policy of extermination of everything that reminds Russia and the Russian world, including the Russian language, culture, traditions, canonical Orthodoxy, and Russian-language media.

Dynamically evolving practical cooperation forms the basis of Russian-Vietnamese relations. Despite the challenging international situation and headwinds in the form of anti-Russia sanctions levied by the United States and other unfriendly countries, mutual trade grew by 20.2 percent in 2024 and continues to steadily grow.

The consistent implementation of the Free Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union, of which Russia is a member, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, signed in 2015, has largely made this possible. For our part, we have consistently advocated further strengthening of cooperation between the EAEU, ASEAN, the SCO, and other multilateral entities operating in Eurasia. We are convinced that combining efforts to integrate integrations will not only contribute to the formation of a Greater Eurasian Partnership (this initiative was put forward by President Putin back in 2015), but will also make it possible to move along the efforts to create a pan-continental Eurasian architecture of equal and indivisible security.

The key areas of the comprehensive strategic partnership include cooperation in the fuel and energy sector. The joint venture Vietsovpetro has acted as its flagship for over four decades now. The Russian company Zarubezhneft and the Petrovietnam Oil and Gas Corporation are successfully developing hydrocarbon fields in Vietnam, while Rusvietpetro Company operates in the Nenets Autonomous Area of the Russian Federation with the participation of both of the above companies. Russian Gazprom, the world's leading operator in natural gas production, also works on the Vietnamese continental shelf.

We take pride in our joint endeavours in the manufacturing industry that boast ample use of advanced innovative technologies. Da Nang is home to a plant making Russian GAZ vehicles, some of which are exported to neighbouring countries. The Rosatom State Corporation is implementing a project in Vietnam to build a Nuclear Science and Technology Centre and is ready to step up and get involved in the construction of nuclear power plants, following the recent decision of the Vietnamese leadership to create nuclear energy as a separate branch of national economy.

The long-term activity of the Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technology Centre, which conducts one-of-a-kind research in medicine, environmental science, and materials science, deserves high praise.

Along with mutually beneficial cooperation in research and technology, we are committed to continuing cooperation in education. Training Vietnamese students at Russian universities at the expense of the federal budget within a special quota set aside by the Government of the Russian Federation has a good track record. Each academic year, 1,000 Vietnamese students can take advantage of this opportunity. Joint efforts are underway to create the first Russian school in Hanoi. Vietnamese speaking Russian and Russians speaking Vietnamese are a driving engine bringing our peoples closer. We place great emphasis on cultural exchanges, because Russian music, cinema, and literature are popular in Vietnam, and Russians have always shown interest in a variety of Vietnamese original arts.

People-to-people contacts have always been of great help in promoting humanitarian contacts. Vietnam is famous for its hospitality. You always feel among friends in Vietnam. I had the chance to see it myself on many occasions. The resumption of direct air service has given a boost to tourist flows. In 2024, about 232,000 Russians visited Vietnam, almost 85 percent more compared to the year before that. The number of Vietnamese guests visiting our country is also on the rise, and we are happy to see the number of flights increase and their geography expand.

I'd be remiss not to mention the Russian regions' sizable contribution to promoting bilateral relations. Moscow, St Petersburg, and the Kaluga and Ulyanovsk regions have particularly strong ties with the cities and provinces of Vietnam.

Our countries are facing new increasingly daunting goals that are set by life itself and the evolving international relations which open broad and bright prospects for equal and mutually beneficial partnership between Russia and Vietnam, among other countries, in the interests of joint creative efforts and progress. We feel confident and optimistic looking to the future. In conjunction with our Vietnamese friends, we will continue to work to reach the full potential of our comprehensive strategic partnership for the benefit of the peoples of our countries, and in order to strengthen the multipolar world, and to ensure the universal prosperity.

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Syria: Statement by the Spokesperson on the recent wave of violence in Southern Syria

European External Action Service (EEAS)

07.05.2025

EEAS Press Team

The EU strongly condemns the violent attacks and ensuing clashes which have resulted in a significant number of casualties in Southern Syria over the last days. The EU calls for an end to violence across the country, unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and the respect of international humanitarian law and human rights law in all circumstances.

We also call for a swift, transparent and impartial investigation to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. Relevant UN mechanisms and civil society organisations should also be allowed to access the area and to contribute to establishing the facts.

These incidents further underline the necessity for transitional authorities to fulfil their responsibility in maintaining order and protecting the population all across Syria. It is also a reminder of the urgency of transitional justice and reconciliation efforts, as the only way forward for a peaceful and inclusive transition. The EU stands ready to support Syria in these efforts.

The EU calls on all external actors to fully respect the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, in particular in view of recent attacks and incursions by Israel, which risk undermining stability, exacerbating sectarian tensions and jeopardising the transition. We urge Israel to uphold the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.

The EU remains committed to supporting a peaceful and inclusive transition, free from harmful foreign interference, which guarantees the rights of all Syrians without distinction of any kind.

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Taiwan at center of 'one-theater' defense concept: Former Japanese general

ROC Central News Agency

05/07/2025 09:12 PM

New Taipei, May 7 (CNA) A former Japanese defense officer said Wednesday Taiwan is at the center of a new "one-theater" defense concept, which Japan reportedly proposed to the United States earlier this year in response to growing security challenges posed by China.

Kiyoshi Ogawa delivered his remarks in English during a teleconference organized by New Taipei-based Tamkang University.

The former Japanese general, who retired in 2017, was a commander of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force's Western Army.

In his speech on Japan's defense strategy, Ogawa said Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani reportedly proposed the "one-theater" approach to his American counterpart Pete Hegseth during their meeting in Tokyo on March 30, with the aim of containing China.

According to a report by Japan's Asahi Shimbun on April 14, the new concept links the East China Sea, the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas as one theater where military operations are conducted during wartime. Historically, these areas have been treated separately.

Hegseth reportedly welcomed Nakatani's proposal, unnamed government sources told the Asahi Shimbun.

While the Asahi Shimbun reported senior Japanese defense officials developed the "one-theater" idea, its geographic scope has not been defined. Neither Tokyo nor Washington have publicly confirmed discussions of the "one-theater" concept.

In his speech, Ogawa said Taiwan is definitely at the center of the "one theater" concept.

"To deter a Chinese invasion is very difficult, but I think we can [with joint efforts by regional partners,]" he said.

During last year's Joint Sword-2024A and B exercises, China tested its Taiwan invasion scenarios, Ogawa said.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is likely to attempt to land in central Taiwan by means of "amphibious assault ships or transport helicopters" before heading north and south; namely, northbound to the political and economic capital Taipei and southbound to the port city of Kaohsiung which houses a key navy base, he said.

"China wants to invade Taiwan and achieve total control before foreign forces intervene."

Asked what Taiwan could do to beef up its defense in case of a Chinese invasion, Ogawa said Taiwan's Army needs armored vehicles in order to build up a stronger defense to buy Taipei more time before U.S. and Japanese forces can come to its aid.

Ogawa is currently a senior research fellow at Japanese think tank, Security Strategy Research Institute of Japan.

(By Wu Shu-wei and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/AW

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Growing number of Taiwanese want bigger defense budget: Poll

ROC Central News Agency

05/07/2025 02:11 PM

Taipei, May 7 (CNA) Fifty-one percent of Taiwanese support increasing Taiwan's defense budget, including 44 percent in favor of a "significant increase," a recent survey commissioned by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) has found.

That marked an increase of 4 percentage points from a previous poll in January 2025 and was the first time support for increasing the defense budget had surpassed 50 percent, according to the INDSR, a think tank supported by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense.

The results, published last month in a report authored by Lee Kuan-chen () of the INDSR's Division of Chinese Politics, Military and Warfighting Concepts, also showed strong public skepticism that war was imminent.

Sixty-five percent of respondents said they thought it was "unlikely" that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) will attack Taiwan within five years.

"Despite China's ongoing military intimidation, public expectations of a short-term invasion remain calm and rational," Lee wrote in a summary of the results published on INDSR's website.

The INDSR survey found that 33 percent of respondents identified "China's threat to Taiwan" as the country's top national security concern over the next five years, ahead of the "declining birth rate crisis" at 27 percent and "economic stagnation" at 18 percent.

Confidence in Taiwan's armed forces is declining, with only 14 percent of respondents expressing "strong confidence" -- down from 20 percent in September 2024 -- while those saying they had "no confidence" rose from 25 to 30 percent.

Lee explained that "recent espionage cases within the military may have heightened concerns over security management."

According to the report, 36 percent of respondents believe U.S.-Taiwan relations will worsen under U.S. President Donald Trump's leadership, up 12 percentage points since January 2025.

Lee attributed this shift to "uncertainties in Trump's Taiwan policy," even as Washington continues to send "pro-Taiwan signals."

Nevertheless, public support for U.S.-Taiwan military cooperation remains steady, with 59 percent agreeing that Taiwan should continue purchasing arms and military equipment from the U.S.

Public confidence in Washington's security commitment, however, is weakening, with only 14 percent believing the U.S. would "definitely intervene militarily" -- down from 19 percent in March 2024.

Forty-seven percent also said they believe the U.S. is "unlikely to intervene."

The survey found that 49 percent of respondents favor using "special budgets" to raise defense spending, compared to 42 percent who support "tax hikes" and 31 percent who favor "resource reallocation."

Lee wrote that the preference for special budgets reflected the public's desire for methods "that do not impact other public expenditures."

The findings were based on a public opinion survey for INDSR conducted by National Chengchi University's (NCCU) Election Study Center from March 4 to 9.

The survey gathered 1,285 valid responses through randomized telephone interviews with residents aged 18 and over, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.73 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

(By James Thompson and Wu Shu-wei)

Enditem/ls

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2025/05/07

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

Date

6 a.m. May. 6 (Tue.) to 6 a.m. May. 7 (Wed.) (UTC+8)

PLA activities

9 sorties of PLA aircraft, 9 PLAN ships and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 3 out of 9 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.

1140507_PLA activities.jpg [Open a new window]

1140507_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan.jpg [Open a new window]

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Ministry of National Defense Press Release on the Case of a Graduating Student Disqualified from Military Academy Application Due to Not Meeting the 20-Year Residency Requirement

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2025/05/07

Time: 1140 hours, May 7, 2025

Regarding media reports on "a graduating student disqualified from military academy application due to not meeting the 20-year residency requirement," the Ministry of National Defense (MND) hereby provides the following clarification:

Youths applying for various recruitment programs of the Republic of China (ROC) Armed Forces must undergo a review process by the Selection Committee, encompassing verification of household registration in Taiwan and security investigation. Only those who pass this review are then eligible to register.

The military academy admission prospectus clearly stipulates that applicants must possess ROC nationality and not hold foreign nationality, and must have household registration in the Taiwan area. According to Article 19 of the "Regulations Governing Student and Graduate Status in Military Schools," individuals from the mainland area who have been permitted to enter the Taiwan area must have maintained household registration for a minimum of twenty years to be eligible to apply for admission.

As interpreted by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) in its official correspondence, Article 5, Paragraph 1 of the Enforcement Rules of the Act Governing Relations between the People of Taiwan Area and Mainland Area stipulates that individuals born in mainland China, whose original status was that of a people from mainland China, only convert to the status of people from Taiwan after establishing household registration in Taiwan.

According to a response from the National Immigration Agency (NIA) dated April 17, 2025, the candidate in question was born in Nanjing City (mother is a mainland China citizen). When applying for household registration in 2009, the candidate simultaneously declared the renunciation of mainland China citizenship and was granted permission for residency in Taiwan. Therefore, the candidate does not meet the "20-year residency requirement." The candidate may still apply for relevant ROC Armed Forces programs and pursue their military aspirations in the future, upon meeting the requirements.



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Foreign Minister Tsahkna: lasting peace in Ukraine is our common transatlantic interest

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

07.05.2025

On 6 and 7 May, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna visited Washington DC, where yesterday he participated in the opening discussion of the Munich Leaders Meeting titled 'Back to Basics? Revisiting Shared Transatlantic Interests.'

In addition to Tsahkna, UK Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard, US Representatives Rich McCormick and Jason Crow, the new Vice-President of the German Marshall Fund Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, and Wolfgang Ischinger, President of the Munich Security Conference Foundation Council, also took part in the opening panel of the conference.

In the discussion, Tsahkna underlined that although there was no indication that Russia was interested in peace, Western countries had to stand with Ukraine for a just peace. He pointed out that a stable and rules-based international order is a value that must be protected. "A peace achieved on Putin's terms will not last - it will only bring the next war closer," Tsahkna said. "We must strive for a just and lasting peace that guarantees Ukraine's sovereignty and our common security."

The foreign minister highlighted Estonia's position that Ukraine's long-term security is most effectively protected by NATO membership, but if it takes time to achieve this, Ukraine must be provided with effective deterrence and protective measures with allied forces on the ground. "Estonia will continue to convince allies and partners that it is necessary to support Ukraine in the long term and also to contribute to the deterrence force that ensures Ukraine's security," Tsahkna said, adding that Estonia is ready to contribute a company-sized Land Forces combat unit to the deterrence force.

As an important topic, the foreign minister also spoke about the strategic importance of rebuilding Ukraine, which creates new opportunities for transatlantic cooperation - jobs, securing supply chains and upholding common values.

Speaking about the use of the frozen assets of the Russian central bank for the reconstruction of Ukraine, Tsahkna pointed out Estonia's strong support and real steps to initiate this process. The minister called on the United States to work together to achieve this goal in order to help rebuild Ukraine and restore justice.

On the topic of defence spending, Tsahkna confirmed that Estonia would increase its defence expenditures to 5.4% of GDP and propose an increase in NATO's defence spending as well. "Europe is making a greater effort than ever, but continued US presence is indispensable to credible deterrence."

Tsahkna also took part in the panel on Ukraine titled 'Art of the Deal? Prospects for a Just Peace in Ukraine.'

On the margins of the conference, Tsahkna also met with the new Foreign Minister of Liechtenstein, Sabine Monaun, to discuss closer of cooperation and continued support for Ukraine.

Today and tomorrow, Tsahkna will represent Estonia at the informal meeting of European Union foreign ministers (Gymnich) in Warsaw, where the agenda includes Russia's aggression against Ukraine and relations between the European Union and the United States. In addition, a separate discussion on foreign policy issues will take place on the sidelines of the meeting with the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, David Lammy.

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Speech by President von der Leyen at the EP plenary debate on EU support for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace in Ukraine

European Commission

Speech

May 7, 2025

Strasbourg

Thank you, Vice-President,

Minister,

Honourable Members,

This week we celebrate 80 years since the end of the Second World War. On 8 May 1945 tens of thousands of French men and women walked out on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, overwhelmed with joy. Celebrations were held across Europe, from London, to the Benelux countries, to Copenhagen. The nightmare was finally over. The events of that time had profound consequences for all Europeans. For half of our continent, it marked the beginning of the process of reconstruction and reconciliation. But for the other half, the liberation from Nazism did not bring freedom. It was followed by occupation and oppression. It was a real turning point for Europe.

Eighty years on, we stand at another decisive moment in the history of our continent. The war in Ukraine will eventually come to a halt, but the way the war ends will shape our continent for generations to come. The future of Ukrainians is at stake - but so is ours. A bad deal could encourage Russia to come back for more. It would be a recipe for more instability and insecurity. Instead, a just and lasting peace could usher in a new era of prosperity for Ukraine and help us build a new security architecture in Europe. A just and lasting peace, that ensures Ukraine's sovereignty, respects its territorial integrity, and upholds its European aspirations. This is the crossroads we face, and Europe has a huge stake. So we must do our utmost to strengthen Ukraine's hand.

Because we have all seen how Russia negotiates: they bomb; they bully; they bury promises beneath rubble. Putin wants to force Ukraine into accepting the unacceptable, so the task we face is to help Ukraine stand strong, defy Putin's intimidations, and engage in peace talks based on its own conditions. Today, I would like to focus on how we can do so, and on three priorities for our action. First, support Ukraine's defence. Second, complete the phase out of Russian fossil fuels. And third, accelerate Ukraine's accession path to our Union.

Let me start with the military side - the so-called 'porcupine strategy'. Russia is a permanent threat for the whole of Europe, so Ukraine must be strong enough to deter any future attack - with deterrence through denial. Europe has already supported Ukraine with EUR 50 billion in military aid, but now we must move from a logic of aid to a logic of integration of our defence industries. This is the central element in our White Paper "Readiness 2030". We are encouraging our Member States to place orders directly in Ukraine's defence industry, because this is the most effective and cost-efficient way to support Ukraine's military efforts. We are focusing in particular on defence tech and innovation. Throughout the war, Ukraine has used technology to shift the dynamics on the battlefield, even and especially when Russian forces were stronger in numbers. But we also know that Russia has also learnt from the war. Our goal together with Ukraine is to be so strong that Ukraine is indigestible for any potential invader.

Honourable Members,

As we support Ukraine, we must also continue to undermine Russia's ability to wage war. This is my second point. Fossil fuel revenues remain a key source of funding for the Russian war machine. Let me give you two figures: at the beginning of the war, we spent EUR 12 billion per month on Russian fossil fuels, today we are down to EUR 1.8 billion per month. So, it is our core security interest to stop financing Putin's war-chest. And for this, we must stop spending billions on Russian energy imports. I know that there is a clear majority in the European Parliament in favour of this, last November, you voted to ban all imports of Russian fossil fuels; the Polish Presidency is also working hard for it. But some are still saying that we should re-open the tap of Russian gas and oil. This would be a mistake of historic dimensions. And we would never let it happen. This has to be very clear. Russia has proven, time and again, that it is not a reliable supplier. Putin has already cut gas flows to Europe in 2006, 2009, 2014, 2021, and throughout the war. How many times before they learn the lesson? Dependency on Russia is not only bad for our security, but also for our economy. Our energy prices cannot be dictated by a hostile neighbour.

The good news is, we have achieved incredible progress since the start of the war. That is the dimension, EUR 12 billion per month at the beginning, now down to EUR 1.8 billion. Thanks to energy savings and renewables, we have already cut our gas imports from Russia by 60 bcm per year. And thanks to our partners, we have diversified away from Russia. We have not forgotten, how, in the energy crisis, the United States immediately stepped in with LNG; and how we received additional pipeline gas from Norway; and how countries further away, like Japan and South Korea, worked very closely with us on global markets, to ensure our immediate energy security. If you put it in percentage numbers, we went from 45% of our gas imports coming from Russia, down to 13% now. We went from one-in-five barrels of oil from Russia down to one-in-fifty barrels of oil now - a ten-fold reduction, but we have to go on further. We also have to admit that we see, since the beginning of last year that energy imports from Russia have slightly bounced back. So, we need a final push to phase out Russian fossil fuels. And this is the goal of the roadmap that we presented yesterday. As part of it, we will propose a ban on new contracts with Russia as well as on imports on the spot market, by the end of 2025 the latest. We will work to ban all remaining imports of Russian gas, both pipeline and LNG, by no later than the end of 2027. And we will also tighten controls on Russia's shadow fleet. The era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe is coming to an end.

Honourable Members,

My last point is that we must accelerate Ukraine's path towards membership of our Union. This is not just Ukraine's aspiration. Accession to the European Union can be the strongest security guarantee. And it was a central focus of my latest meeting with President Zelenskyy in Rome. We are working hard with Ukraine to open the first cluster of accession talks, and to open all clusters in 2025. Ukraine joining our Union is the greatest guarantee of a just and lasting peace. In our history, peace and European integration have always gone hand in hand. So let us bring Ukraine inside our Union. Let us walk the path of peace together.

Slava Ukraini, and long live Europe.

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Chinese FM responds to Ukraine's claim that Russia's Victory Day Parade participants support 'aggressor state'

Global Times

By Global Times Published: May 07, 2025 04:43 PM

When asked about China's participation in Russia's Victory Day military parade, scheduled for May 9, and response to Ukraine's claim that any country joining the parade "would look like support for the aggressor state," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that the great victory in the World Anti-Fascist War was the result of the joint struggle of all peace-loving and justice-supporting countries and people around the world. The Chinese people and the people of former Soviet Union have made tremendous national sacrifices and indelible historic contributions to the victory.

China's participation in Russia's celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War reflects China's respect for and remembrance of history, as well as its firm commitment to safeguarding the outcomes of the victory in World War II, Lin said.

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Ceasefire alone cannot bring durable solution to Ukraine crisis: Russia's Lavrov

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 7, 2025

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has argued that a durable solution to the Ukraine crisis cannot be found only through a ceasefire or a halt to hostilities.

"I would like to thank Vietnamese friends for their balanced position on resolving the Ukraine crisis. A ceasefire or a pause on hostilities along the line of engagement only cannot bring a lasting solution to this problem," Lavrov wrote in an article for The International Affairs magazine titled, Russia and Vietnam: 75 years of friendship, trust and mutual assistance.

"For a lasting peace, the root causes of the conflict should be removed," he explained.

He said that addressing threats to Russia's security that arose due to NATO's eastward enlargement and efforts to draw Ukraine into the military alliance should be given priority.

"It is no less important to achieve full respect for human rights in the territories remaining under the control of the Kiev regime, which, after the violent power grab in 2014, set out to exterminate everything associated with Russia and the Russian world, including the Russian language, culture, traditions, canonical Orthodoxy, and Russian-language media," he emphasized.

2050**4353



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Vance Says Putin 'Asking Too Much,' Calls For Direct Talks As Russia, Ukraine Exchange Major Drone Strikes

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service May 07, 2025

US Vice President JD Vance called for direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, saying a deal to end Moscow's war against its neighbor might be out of reach without such contacts.

In comments on May 7, Vance said Russia is "asking too much" but also suggested Ukraine should not be fixated on the idea of a 30-day cease-fire. He said "the gulf is wide" but he is "reasonably optimistic" about the chances of ending the war.

"You don't need to agree with Russian justification of the war, but you need to understand where they are coming from -- making them talk of what it takes for them to end the war," Vance said at an event in Washington. "[The] Russians are asking for certain set of things, and we think they are asking too much."

"The step we need to take right now is we need Russia and Ukraine to start talking to one another," said Vance. "We think it's probably impossible for us to mediate the whole process fully without at least some direct negotiations."

The comments from Vance, who said last week that the biggest war in Europe since 1945 would not end "anytime soon," spoke after Russia and Ukraine exchanged major drone attacks ahead of World War II commemorations on May 8-9.

Russia fired ballistic missiles and dozens of drones at Ukraine overnight, killing at least two people and wounding several others in Kyiv in one of the heaviest attacks in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks yet on May 6-7, targeting Moscow for the third straight night ahead of a May 9 military parade marking Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II. No injuries were reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on May 7 that his country stood by its offer to observe a 30-day cease-fire.

"Ukraine's proposal to cease strikes and establish at least a 30-day ceasefire remains in force," Zelenskyy said. "We are not withdrawing this proposal, which could give diplomacy a chance."

Zelenskyy also indirectly acknowledged the numerous drone attacks that have been targeting Russia in recent days.

"It is absolutely fair that Russian skies, the skies of the aggressor, are also not calm today, in a mirror-like way," he said.

On the diplomatic front, Germany's new chancellor vowed continued European support for Ukraine's defense against Russia and said US engagement is crucial for ending the war and ensuring peace once the fighting stops.

In Kyiv, falling debris from destroyed drones sparked fires in apartments and buildings in three districts, Ukraine's military administration said on social media. A Russian drone strike in the morning hours of May 7 killed two people and wounded six others, including four children, the State Emergency Service reported.

Russia launched four ballistic missiles and 142 drones overnight, Zelenskyy said in social media posts on May 7. In a statement on Telegram, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had destroyed 524 drones.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defense units destroyed at least 14 Ukrainian drones after 10 p.m. local time on May 6. Russian officials said Ukrainian drones were destroyed on their approach to Moscow, whose key airports remained out of operation for most of the night.

Ukraine's drone attack on Moscow was the third in as many nights and comes as the Russian capital prepares for Victory Day celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of the Nazi surrender and the end of World War II in Europe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expects to host Chinese President Xi Jinping and the leaders of several other nations at the May 9 parade on Red Square, announced late last month that Russia would cease fire for 72 hours on May 8-10 and called on Kyiv to do the same.

Zelenskyy has called the measure a pointless propaganda ploy and said Russia should agree to an unconditional cease-fire over at least 30 days, in line with a US proposal launched in March. Ukraine agreed to that proposal, but Russia did not.

Vance seemed to indicate Kyiv should not not press on the issue.

"The gulf [between the Russian and Ukrainian positions] is wide now, but I am reasonable optimistic now. We are trying now to move away from the obsession with a 30-day cease-fire," he said. "If cool heads prevail here, we can stop the killing.

The three-day cease-fire took effect, the Kremlin said on May 8 just after midnight. It said earlier that Russia would respond "immediately" if Ukraine launched an attack.

Air attacks and heavy fighting have persisted despite US President Donald Trump's effort to broker an end to the war, which has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides and a growing number of Ukrainian civilians since Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

US officials have warned Washington could abandon its push for peace if there's no major progress soon, and the future of US military aid to Kyiv is uncertain, adding to pressure on Europe to play a robust role and provide security for Ukraine.

In Paris, on his first trip abroad in office, new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on May 7 that all members of the European Union must boost their defense spending.

"Only in this way can we gradually close our capability gaps and collectively support Ukraine," Merz said at a press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

Merz urged the United States not to walk away, saying that Ukraine can "continue relying on Germany and France in its fight against Russian aggression" but stressing, "We cannot end this war...without a continued involvement of the United States of America; this is not something that Europeans can substitute for."

"Let me say this very clearly as well, ladies and gentlemen, President Trump has our full support when it comes to bringing about an end to the war," Merz said. He added that European countries are ready to participate in any monitoring of a cease-fire "under the leadership, and with the participation of, the United States."

Russia, which seized the Crimean Peninsula and fomented war in the eastern region known as the Donbas in 2014, now controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, and members of the Trump administration have suggested Kyiv would have to cede some territory to Russia if it wants peace.

In his comment in Washington, Vance did not specify what Russian demands or requests were seen by the United States as going too far.

Amid the diplomacy over a potential cease-fire, senior Russian officials have said a peace plan must include, among other things, recognition that four mainland Ukraine regions Moscow claims as its own -- including parts that Kyiv still controls -- are Russian. Russia has also called for a strict limits on Ukraine's military power.

In his first media interview since he left office in January, Trump's predecessor Joe Biden told the BBC that pressuring Ukraine to give up territory in the name of peace was "modern-day appeasement."

Referring to Putin, Biden suggested he wants to control Ukraine and said that "anybody [who] thinks he's going to stop is just foolish."

There was no immediate comment from the White House on Biden's remarks in the interview, which was conducted May 5 and published May 7.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-war-kyiv-moscow- drones/33406896.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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Czech Initiative Criticized For Costs, Quality, And Delays -- But Keeps Ammo Flowing To Ukraine

By Valeriya Yegoshyna, Anna Myroniuk and Schemes May 07, 2025

The Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine emerged in early 2024 as a response to the monthslong suspension of US military aid and Brussels' failure to keep up with the promised pace of shell deliveries , affecting Kyiv's ability to fend off Russia's full-scale invasion.

As many as 16 European countries, led by the Czech Republic, decided to act. They united in an ad hoc coalition to buy artillery rounds for Ukraine. Their aim was considerable: to supply as many as 800,000 large-caliber shells to boost the Ukrainian war effort.

A year into this pledge, Czech officials behind the initiative claim to have supplied twice this amount. Government sources in Ukraine, however, say the numbers are more modest, although they refuse to provide a precise figure, citing security concerns.

Despite claims that the initiative has been a success, it faces fierce criticism from the Czech opposition and Ukrainian NGOs over alleged profiteering, political favoritism, poor quality, and supply delays.

An international consortium of journalists from the Czech Republic (Investigace.cz), the Netherlands (The Investigative Desk and Follow The Money), and Ukraine (Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service RFE/RL) have checked these claims and found that, while specific allegations lack evidence, some criticism is justified.

Shells often arrived in Ukraine later than scheduled, which could have impacted defense planning, the investigation established.

All the participating entities tasked with buying ammunition for Ukraine in the initiative are Czech, and some of them have close ties to government officials, raising concerns about conflicts of interest.

The commissions these companies charge for intermediary work are at least four times higher than those of Ukrainian state arms brokers, who argue they could have bought more ammunition with the donor funds themselves.

The Czech initiative managed more than 1.6 billion euros ($1.8 billion) in European taxpayer money as of late 2024. How effectively these funds are utilized is increasingly important for Ukraine as US aid dwindles and every cent of European support becomes vital.

As for the allegations that the Czech initiative supplied poor-quality ammunition -- which reportedly triggered premature explosions -- the investigation found no evidence. Instead, there were signs that these claims were part of a disinformation effort, possibly orchestrated by Russia.

Smear Campaign?

In the fall of 2024, Czech media began reporting on leaked correspondences addressed to the leaders of the ammunition initiative.

All written in broken English, these letters allege that some fuses for 155mm shells Ukraine received as part of the Czech initiative were defective and had led to premature explosions that damaged artillery and injured military personnel.

One letter, for example, was dated August 2024 and signed by a Ukrainian NGO calling itself the All-Ukrainian Organization of War-Disabled People, Armed Forces, and Combatants.

This entity was registered in Kyiv in 1994, although there is little information available in the public domain about its activities.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the NGO is known to have held only two public events: an exhibition of war-themed cartoons and a roundtable discussion about investments into drone development.

It wrote a letter to Czech President Petr Pavel, calling on him to investigate the supply of allegedly defective shells, describing the problem as "of utmost importance for the security and sovereignty of Ukraine."

The document alleges the ammunition in question came from one of the Czech initiative's participants, Excalibur Army, part of the Czechoslovak Group (CSG). The letter's authors accuse Excalibur Army of sabotage and of having ties to Russia and China.

"We are concerned that the Czech initiative munitions may be a Trojan horse for agents of the Russian Federation," the letter says, before adding that the "ongoing failures of munitions, particularly the M***5 fuses, raise the possibility of sabotage, which is particularly alarming given the ongoing conflict." (Schemes is withholding the full name of the fuses for security reasons.)

CSG, whose subsidiary has been blamed by the Ukrainian "veteran organization" for the problems with munitions, called this "a discredit attempt."

However, citing feedback from Ukrainian authorities, the arms company acknowledged to Schemes and its partners that there had been "minor issues" with shells.

Of 13 documented cases involving abnormal fuse operation (no time frame was provided), the company said three may have come from CSG. The remaining 10, it noted, involved "a different combination of projectile or powder charge" than what CSG or its alliance partner supplied as part of the Czech initiative.

The NGO's letter lists three points of contact as "independent experts" to be consulted: reserve colonels Oleksandr Hromyko, Oleksandr Mamatov, and Oleksandr Poyda.

Schemes tried to contact them for comment.

One of them, Poyda, couldn't be reached since he died a few months after the letter was written to the Czech president. Another expert, Hromyko, said he was not familiar with the document's content.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Hromyko told Schemes over the phone. He eventually recalled it after Schemes cited excerpts from the document.

He said everything laid out in the letter came from his colleague Oleksandr Mamatov, head of the NGO, who "visited the areas (of hostilities) and made such a statement to the members of the organization, so we believed him and assumed it was true."

When Schemes approached Mamatov for comment, he confirmed his suspicions that the Czech initiative had been subjected to Russian sabotage. However, he refused to elaborate on the source of the information or provide any details.

"If fuses are made by the Russians, they won't detonate. You get it, right? It was all of poor quality and supplied from Europe, and I think the components that didn't initiate the explosion came from agents in Russia. That's what I believe," he said.

Questioned about specifics, Mamatov asked Schemes to call him in an hour and then never answered the phone.

Schemes and its partner organizations reached out to Pavel through the Office of the Czech President, which denied receiving the document. Other stakeholders, including the Czech Senate, the Chamber of Deputies, and the Defense Ministry, told the journalists that they had not received this letter, either.

The journalists obtained copies of two similar letters from unknown senders about the shells given to Ukraine as part of the Czech initiative. These had been addressed to Ales Vytecka, who is director of the Intergovernmental Defense Cooperation Agency (AMOS), which operates under the Czech Defense Ministry and coordinates ammunition supplies within the Czech initiative.

Like the Ukrainian NGO's appeal to Pavel, the two letters to Vytecka, which were leaked to the journalists, are dated August 2024 and address the same issue: the alleged early detonation of 155mm rounds due to fuse defects.

The copies of the letters the journalists obtained are not signed but are written as if "on behalf of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people" and mention Ukraine's defense attache office, which was reportedly informed about the problems concerning the donated shells by the Logistics Command of the Armed Forces. The latter didn't respond to Schemes' request for comment.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry and military intelligence, which could have conveyed the message through diplomatic channels, both denied involvement.

In the interview with Schemes' partner Investigace.cz, Vytecka denied receiving any official complaints from Ukrainian authorities about the alleged poor quality of the ammunition.

This was confirmed by Tomas Kopecny, the Czech envoy for Ukraine reconstruction who is also involved in the ammunition effort. He said these letters were not "an official feedback report."

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry refused to comment on the quality of ammunition received under the Czech initiative, citing a ban on revealing information about foreign aid under martial law.

However, a high-ranking source at the ministry told Schemes off the record that the Czech initiative provided no defective ammunition that would prematurely explode.

According to this source, there were instances when shells came with nonmatching supplementary components or lacked these components altogether. However, they added that the Czech intermediaries sorted this out "within 24 hours."

Vytecka told Investigace.cz that participants in the Czech initiative bear full responsibility for the quality of the products they supply to Ukraine. He added his state agency was open to addressing any relevant complaints from Ukrainian authorities, but that none had been lodged.

The donors of the Czech initiative also scrutinize the quality of the ammunition they fund, Kopecny said.

"Representatives of those donor countries that have given some relevant amounts regularly go directly to the factories where the shells are produced or stored," he said. "They come with technical experts to assess the contents, and so on. And then, of course, they are present during the handover. They check whether their taxpayers' funds are being spent according to the contract."

Kopecny added that letters he had seen with allegations about the Czech initiative "looked completely untrustworthy" and "like a disinfo campaign."

Schemes showed copies of the letters to Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, which operates under Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.

He said he hadn't seen these particular letters before but his unit had "already documented previous Russian attempts to launch negative messages about the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine, but this had not turned into a full-fledged media campaign."

"The messages concerned the quality of the ammunition, but there was no evidence to support" the claims they made, he added.

Schemes found several negative mentions of the alleged poor quality of ammunition purchased for Ukraine as part of the Czech initiative.

One of the most recent is a February 2025 statement by Czech opposition politician Andrej Babis, who called the shells "old, moldy, [and] overpriced," adding their acquisition was "untransparent" but provided no evidence for these allegations.

Babis is the leader of the ANO party -- whose name means "Yes" in Czech and is an acronym for the Action of Dissatisfied Citizens. He has been described in the media as a populist billionaire and Russia's backer in the Czech Republic.

Babis says he is "defending the interests of the Czech Republic," and his party is leading the polls ahead of parliamentary elections this autumn. ANO has already said that if it enters the government, it will cancel the munitions initiative for Ukraine.

No Smoke Without Fire

Some of the criticism directed at the Czech initiative is more well-placed than allegations about the quality of its supplies, particularly concerns about conflicts of interest, profiteering, and delivery delays.

When Pavel pledged at the Munich Security Conference in February 2024 that Europe would buy ammunition for Ukraine, it was clear Czech officials would lead the effort. By then, they had already located the shells and moved to raise funds from European countries.

However, what wasn't clear at the time was that the effort would be so heavily centered around Prague: All five companies granted exclusive rights to broker ammunition contracts -- for a commission -- are Czech. The Czech government held no public tenders, and did not disclose the criteria for the selection.

AMOS head Vytecka told Investigace.cz that the Czech participants were "chosen together with Ukrainian partners" and "formally agreed in writing with the Ukrainian Defense Ministry." The latter, however, told Schemes that it "didn't take part in the selection process of the suppliers" and isn't authorized to veto decisions by the Czech authorities.

Two of the companies -- the Czechoslovak Group (CSG) and the STV Group -- are producers of large-caliber ammunition, while the other three -- the Colt CZ Group, Omnipol, and DSS -- act as arms brokers. All five, however, are authorized to source ammunition and sign procurement contracts on Ukraine's behalf.

Czech officials have declined to explain why this list of intermediaries excludes foreign firms or well-known international arms producers and brokers such as the Norwegian-Finnish NAMMO or Germany's Rheinmetall. According to Kopecny, the participating Czech companies were chosen for either their production capacities or their existing networks for sourcing ammunition abroad.

Vytecka said the aim was to involve only a small number of participants in the initiative "Five companies are easier to watch more closely than 20," he said, citing quality control and the "security risk of leaks to the Russians."

However, Schemes and its partners found that the largest participant in the initiative, CSG, has a subsidiary in Russia called Tatra Vostok, which sells trucks and spare parts.

What's the Role Of Tatra Vostok?

In 2022, CSG pledged to exit the Russian market following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, as of 2024, the company still owned Tatra Vostok. Between 2023 and 2024, it also received import certificates in Russia.

In response to journalists' inquiries, CSG stated it was seeking ways to divest from Tatra Vostok and claimed the certificates were "not related to plans to operate in the Russian market." At the time of publication, the investigating journalists had found no evidence contradicting that claim.

CSG has business in Russia dating back to 2017. The company's owner at the time, via affiliated entities, was the largest donor to Milos Zeman, a Russia-friendly former Czech president who was in office from 2013 to 2023. This connection allegedly helped the company expand into Russia and open a civil aviation maintenance and repair center in Ulyanovsk.

Journalists also uncovered indirect links to Russia involving another participant in the Czech initiative, the Colt CZ Group.

In January, iInvestigace.cz and its partners reported that the Colt CZ Group's weapons and ammunition were still reaching Russia through intermediaries in Turkey and Kazakhstan, effectively circumventing sanctions and raising questions about the company's due diligence.

The journalists also noticed that two of the five intermediary firms handpicked by the government for the Czech initiative hold ties with Czech officials, fueling suspicions of favoritism and protectionism.

In July 2024, the Czech media outlet Denik N revealed that Tomas Pojar, a national-security adviser to the Czech government and one of the coordinators of the initiative, was an adviser to CSG. According to Denik N, Pojar denied a conflict of interest.

Responding to questions from Schemes and its partners, CSG told Investigace.cz it doesn't "disclose whether anyone is or has been an external consultant" but uses "experienced professionals and individuals with a history of public service." However, it said current public officials cannot be consultants of the company, and that this "eliminates potential conflicts of interest."

Shortly after the launch of the Czech initiative, CSG's CEO, Michal Strnad, and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala were spotted together during the latter's visit to the United States in April 2024. The two were photographed sharing a table during a state dinner. The Czech government later said Strnad was not part of Fiala's delegation and didn't participate in official meetings at the White House.

CSG isn't the only participant in the ammunition initiative with ties to Czech political figures. One of the Colt CZ Group's compliance and ethics committee members is Petr Kolar, an adviser to President Pavel. Czech journalists have suggested Kolar's role may explain why Pavel visited Colt's US facility during his trip to the United States in November 2023.

"I don't see my position as an adviser to the president and my links to the Colt CZ Group as a conflict of interest. I am sure that, if something were conflicting, the Czech secret services would inform the president and the government immediately," Kolar said in a comment to The Investigative Desk, another Schemes' partner in this project.

"I have nothing to do with this initiative, except that I like it," he added.

While Kolar downplays any concerns, others see the situation differently.

"It is common for any major businessman to maintain good relations with politicians across the political spectrum," said Marek Chromy, chief analyst at Transparency International's Czech office. "However, with CSG and Colt, there is a risk that certain people's influence goes beyond these arms companies and impacts Czech politics. They are thus in an exemplary conflict of interest."

"The lack of information, together with the lack of transparency of some processes within [the Czech Republic], such as the Czech munitions initiative, then raises many questions about their formal and informal influence," he added.

Along with accusations of preferential treatment from the Czech authorities, participants in the initiative have been publicly accused of attempting to generate excessive profits from the supply of ammunition to Ukraine.

In August 2024, Lukas Wagenknecht -- an economist, auditor, and Czech senator at the time -- released a report accusing the Czech initiative of failing to manage donor funds "carefully and effectively."

Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova denied the allegations, calling them "false, unacceptable, lies, and disinformation," and went so far as to label Wagenknecht's actions a security threat to Ukraine's ammunition supply.

The Czech Senate's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Security convened an urgent meeting in September 2024 to address the controversy and invited Wagenknecht to participate. He declined the invitation.

Wagenknecht argued that more ammunition could have been bought for Ukraine if Czech intermediaries hadn't charged such high commissions. The politician based his conclusion on leaked commercial offers.

Schemes and its partners also obtained these documents.

The documents show that in February 2024, Excalibur Army -- a subsidiary of CSG -- offered 155mm M107 artillery shells to the Czech government for 3,200 euros ($3,600) per unit. Around the same time, a Turkish manufacturer offered to sell seemingly similar M107 shells to Excalibur Army for 2,500 euros each.

Based on this, Wagenknecht estimated the intermediary markup could have reached "22 percent," which he argued was "excessively high."

CSG publicly denied profiteering, calling the accusations "attacks based on half-truths and nonsense."

Well-informed government sources in the Czech Republic and Ukraine said the agreed commission for all five companies participating in the initiative doesn't exceed 13 percent, while Kopecny calculates the margin to be 5-10 percent.

This contrasts with the rate of Ukrainian arms brokers, who only charge up to 3 percentfor intermediary services. For instance, Ukraine's state Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) -- established in 2022 to reduce corruption and modeled after NATO's Support and Procurement Agency -- charges just 0.4 percent.

Maryna Bezrukova led the agency for a year before being replaced amid a scandal involving a controversial leadership shake-up in January. She told Schemes that brokers working through the Czech initiative often purchase shells at prices 10-20 percent higher than what the DPA is able to negotiate directly.

"Companies participating in the Czech initiative do not make as much effort to get a lower price as the DPA does. Saving money is not their priority; the main thing is to buy the necessary range of products," she told Schemes in December 2024, a month before being dismissed .

Instead, she asks why the European donor funds are not given directly to Ukraine "for the DPA to buy what the military needs at a cheaper price."

But not everyone who has been involved in Ukraine's defense procurement system shares her view. Oleksiy Petrov, the former head of another state arms broker, SpetsTechnoExport, argues that price alone shouldn't be the central concern.

"The level of bureaucracy and overregulation effective since 2023 in the [Ukrainian] Defense Ministry...does not exist in the Czech initiative," he told Schemes in February 2024, shortly before he himself was dismissed from his post.

"The price is not the most essential question, but the delivery time and the efficiency of delivery. Let the money be there [in the Czech Republic], and they will supply us with the goods we need, they will come [on time]."

However, sources in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to comment on this matter, told Schemes that supplies sent as part of the Czech initiative often don't arrive on time.

"It is difficult to keep to the schedule," one Ukrainian arms industry source told Schemes, adding that this is due to how "this market works."

Imperfect, But It Works

Czech and Ukrainian authorities agree that, despite its flaws, the Czech initiative has helped to improve Ukraine's defense capabilities.

In April, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said the Czech initiative has helped "change the ratio of the number of shells Ukraine and Russia exchange from 1:10 to 1:2." He didn't specify a time frame for this change, but in October 2024 then-Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ivan Havrylyuk said the ratio was 1:8 at the start of that year but that it had improved to 1:2 by the summer.

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces told Schemes that, in January 2025 alone, the Russian Army fired about 790,000 artillery rounds at Ukraine (an average of about 25,500 rounds per day).

A close look at the work of the Czech initiative shows its authors have learned from the mistakes of the previous supply efforts for Ukraine.

Unlike the earlier EU initiative of 1 million rounds, which only took ammunition from inside the European Union and thus faced major sourcing problems , the Czech initiative went overseas. This helped to widen the range of suppliers and resulted in "ammunition being obtained thanks to contacts in countries that often, for geopolitical reasons, do not want to be associated with supplies to Ukraine," said Czech Defense Minister Cernochova.

Open data and insider sources indicate that the Czech initiative sources ammunition globally from Europe and Southeast Asia to Central Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Balkans. Schemes has chosen not to disclose specific procurement locations for security reasons.

'Tougher Without Them'

The Czech arms brokers manage all required documentation, streamlining what is typically a bureaucratic process. Czech Senator Pavel Fischer told journalists that issuing licenses under the initiative is now 10 times faster than before, taking "days instead of months."

Bezrukova, the former head of Ukraine's Defense Procurement Agency, confirmed this.

"The participants of the Czech initiative issue all the documents very fast and supply what is difficult to deliver logistically," she told Schemes. "It would have been much tougher without them."

For geopolitical reasons, some of the countries supplying ammunition to Ukraine through the Czech initiative would refuse to sell it either directly to Ukraine or even via intermediaries. Yet Czech arms brokers have managed to secure deals in these cases as well. How? They use a workaround: purchasing the ammunition as if for their own use, then transferring it to Ukraine.

"The Czech initiative is the seller of documents," a source involved in arms procurement told Schemes. "They issue them, go through export control in all the countries on the way, and negotiate where necessary."

This approach carries significantly higher legal and logistical risks, according to the source, and this is reflected in the higher prices.

"They are entitled to their commission because they take responsibility," the source said, adding that not all of the profit margin ends up in the intermediary's pocket and that they sustain supplementary expenses "critical...for the shells to arrive."

Beyond securing ammunition from hard-to-access markets, another advantage of the Czech initiative is its ability to navigate legal hurdles faced by donor countries.

For instance, some nations are unable to quickly purchase arms for Ukraine due to domestic legal constraints. Denmark, for example, is required by law to conduct a public tender before contracting an arms producer.

The workaround offered by Czech officials is an intergovernmental agreement wherein the Czech Republic purchases the donor's chosen ammunition on its behalf, bypassing the need for a lengthy tender process. That being said, donor countries also have the option to contract and pay producers directly.

The Czech initiative serves as the central coordinator for all such efforts.

Participating companies source ammunition from around the world and submit their offers to AMOS, the Czech Republic's Intergovernmental Defense Cooperation Agency. AMOS compiles the information into a spreadsheet that includes the type of ammunition, quantity, price, and delivery time frame -- though the supplier's identity is not disclosed. Donor countries review the anonymized offers and select the ones they wish to pursue. They then inform AMOS, which either connects them with the supplier or executes the deal on their behalf, depending on their preference.

Czech authorities across various state agencies maintain that, while the workings of the initiative are not publicly disclosed, transparency has been a priority from the outset -- and that donor countries have full access to all relevant information.

"If we really want to help Ukraine, where soldiers and civilians are dying every day, we cannot present details of the purchases to Russia on a silver platter," Cernochova said on X.

In 2024, 16 countries contributed to the initiative. The largest donations came from Germany ($650 million), the Netherlands ($283 million), and Belgium ($227 million). As of July 2024, the Czech Republic itself had contributed more than $38 million.

Officials involved in the initiative are reluctant to disclose exact supply volumes due to security concerns but estimate deliveries amount to tens of thousands of shells per month.

A Ukrainian artilleryman with vast experience of firing both NATO-standard and Soviet-type shells told Schemes that it's virtually impossible for soldiers on the ground to trace ammunition back to its producer.

"You get a shell, and in most cases, there's no label on it -- nothing like 'Made in the USA,' and certainly no indication it was purchased through the Czech initiative," he said from a combat position. Citing martial law restrictions on public commentary regarding military operations, the officer requested anonymity and that his unit not be identified so he could speak freely.

According to him, different shells come from everywhere.

"The country is at war, so shells are being sourced the best way they can be and wherever they can be, so there is no point in cherry-picking. Everyone understands this," he said.

"We play with the cards we are dealt," he added. "You always have a choice not to accept what you are given. And if you have nothing, I have some news for you: You get killed."

Will The Initiative Continue?

In recent months, as US backing has faltered, support from the EU has become increasingly vital for Ukraine.

After US President Donald Trump temporarily halted military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine in March -- a decision that was later reversed -- the EU began exploring new ways to strengthen Ukraine's position on the battlefield and in any future negotiations with Russia.

Initially, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas proposed supplying Ukraine with 1.5 million additional artillery shells by the end of 2025. That plan, however, was blocked by a Hungarian veto. A second proposal -- to allocate 40 billion euros ($45 billion) in aid -- also failed to gain sufficient support from EU member states.

Nonetheless, Kallas's push to increase support for Kyiv survived in a reduced form. In April, she announced a 5 billion euro ($5.7 billion) package -- enough, she said, to purchase 2 million large-caliber artillery rounds for Ukraine -- and claimed to have secured backing for "two-thirds of the initiative."

As of April, several European countries -- including Norway, the Netherlands, and Poland -- as well as Canada pledged a combined 831 million euros ($941 million) in new contributions to the initiative this year.

"We have managed to secure funding, which means that this initiative now has enough resources to supply Ukraine with ammunition every month until September," Czech Foreign Minister Lipavsky said in April.

On May 4, during a meeting with Czech President Pavel in Prague, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine expects to receive a total of 1.8 million shells under the Czech initiative by the end of 2025.

All these ammunition initiatives are indeed helping Ukraine withstand Russian assaults, but they aren't enough to stop them.

Despite renewed diplomatic efforts to reach a cease-fire -- efforts Ukraine has agreed to -- Russia has escalated its attacks. In April alone, dozens of Ukrainian civilians were killed and hundreds more injured in Russian strikes on the regions of Dnipro, Kryviy Rih, Sumy, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Kyiv.

This investigation was carried out by the editorial teams of Schemes (the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service) -- Valeriya Yegoshyna and Anna Myroniuk; Czechia's Investigace.cz -- Zuzana Sotova and Kristina Vejnbender; and the Netherlands' The Investigative Desk -- Laurens Groeneveld and Ilies Hagoug. The project was supported by the Investigative Journalism for Europe Foundation and J ournalism fund Europe , facilitating international collaboration among the participating newsrooms.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/schemes-investigation- czech-ammo-ukraine/33406541.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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Russian Forces Take Control of Lypovoye Settlement in DPR - Defense Ministry

Sputnik News

20250507

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Zapad (West) group of forces has taken control of the village of Lipovoye in the Donetsk People's Republic, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"As a result of active and decisive actions, units of the Zapad group of forces taken control of the village of Lipovoye in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.

 Sputnik

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Our Proposal for a Halt to the Strikes, for a Ceasefire of at Least 30 Days, Still Stands - Address by the President

President of Ukraine

7 May 2025 - 22:01

Dear Ukrainians!

Today, air raid sirens across Ukraine have sounded almost the entire day. Overnight, there was yet another Russian attack with missiles and drones - ballistic strikes and more than 140 attack drones in a single night. It was loud in Kyiv and in other cities. Tragically, there are wounded. Tragically, there are killed. My condolences to all the families and loved ones. Rescue efforts continue all day in Kharkiv, Sumy, and the capital. I am grateful to all our people who save and help every day. Each mobile fire group, all interceptor drone crews, each air defense unit, our combat aviation - I thank you for your effective duty shifts.

Each week, we work to make our Ukrainian skies more protected, and these weeks are no exception. Work continues with our partners, so we can not only receive new air defense systems and missiles for them but also localize the production of the necessary systems and missiles in Ukraine. This is one of the strategic decisions needed. And not just for our country, but for overall security in Europe - the protection of Ukraine's sky is one of the foundations of the future security architecture.

And it is entirely fair that the Russian sky - the sky of the aggressor - is not calm either today. Our proposal for a halt to the strikes, for a ceasefire of at least 30 days, still stands - we are not withdrawing this proposal, as it offers a real chance for diplomacy. But it is Russia that the world sees giving no answer - no response except for new strikes. This clearly and obviously shows who is the source of this war. Russia must end its aggression - and it will have to. The only question is time. War is a loss for everyone, including the aggressor. Sanctions against Russia for this war will increase - and these are significant sanctions. Global justice will also work - in many respects, unfortunately, slowly, but what's important, inevitably. And we are preparing updates on this, and we are expediting justice. Today, there was also a report from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi regarding our active operations in the Kursk and Belgorod regions. We are defending the Ukrainian land from enemy activities along the border. I want to thank every unit, all our soldiers, all our sergeants, and commanders today - thank you all for your resilience and real strength, the strength that Ukraine needs so much.

And one more thing.

Tomorrow, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is set to ratify the economic partnership agreement with the United States of America. The agreement is designed to align with Ukraine's national interests. Security and economy always go hand in hand. We need decades of predictable and tangible economic growth. The strategic vision of America is to create new economic partnerships. This will work for Ukraine's defense and for our defense cooperation. Ukraine's strategic vision is to involve partners in real work here, in Ukraine, to invest here, and develop production on our land. This is exactly what we are doing. It is important that all Members of the Parliament realize the significance of this agreement and support the prospects it opens up.

I thank everyone who stands with Ukraine. I thank everyone who is defending our state.

Glory to Ukraine!

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Ukrainian Cities Quiet In Early Hours Of Kremlin-Backed Cease-Fire

By RFE/RL May 08, 2025

Ukrainian cities were quiet early on May 8 after a three-day cease-fire declared by Russia came into effect, with no reports of long-range drones or missile launches after successive nights of bombardment.

The Ukrainian Air Force said, however, that Russian aircraft twice launched guided bombs on the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine in the early hours of May 8.

The Air Force said the first bombs were launched nearly three hours after the cease-fire came into force. The second round of bombs was launched within two hours, it said on Telegram. There was no word on damage.

Kyiv was quiet in the early hours of May 8. It was not immediately clear if there was a pause in fighting on the front line.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the 72-hour cease-fire to coincide with three days of events in Russia to mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

Putin is hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders for Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, including a military parade on Red Square on May 9.

Other guests include Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has openly challenged the European Union's support for Ukraine, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who made the trip despite EU pressure that visiting Moscow could derail Serbia's ambitions to join the bloc.

The Kremlin said Putin will have bilateral meetings with them on May 9.

Ukraine has not committed to the cease-fire, saying Putin announced it only to create the impression he wants to end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address on May 7 that air raid sirens had sounded across Ukraine during the day after deadly overnight attacks.

"Overnight, there was yet another Russian attack with missiles and drones -- ballistic strikes and more than 140 attack drones in a single night," Zelenskyy said. "It was loud in Kyiv and in other cities. Tragically, there are wounded. Tragically, there are killed."

Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine stood by its offer to observe a 30-day cease-fire in the war, which began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"Our proposal for a halt to the strikes, for a cease-fire of at least 30 days, still stands -- we are not withdrawing this proposal, as it offers a real chance for diplomacy," he said.

Russia has not responded to the 30-day cease-fire offer except for new strikes, he said.

"This clearly and obviously demonstrates to everyone who the source of the war is," he added.

Zelenskyy also appeared to acknowledge the numerous drone attacks that have been targeting Russian sites this week ahead of the World War II commemorations. The attacks forced the closure of airports in Moscow and the grounding of flights.

"And it is entirely fair that the Russian sky -- the sky of the aggressor -- is not calm either today," Zelenskyy said.

The United States proposed the 30-day cease-fire in March and Ukraine agreed. Russia has said such a measure could only be introduced after mechanisms to enforce and uphold it are put in place.

Both countries are under pressure from US President Donald Trump to bring a swift end to the war, the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Putin has said he is committed to achieving peace, but US Vice President JD Vance said the Russians "are asking too much" as the United States tries to bring the two sides to the table.

Vance also suggested Ukraine should not be fixated on the idea of a 30-day cease-fire. He said "the gulf is wide" but he is "reasonably optimistic" about the chances of ending the war.

"The step we need to take right now is we need Russia and Ukraine to start talking to one another," said Vance. "We think it's probably impossible for us to mediate the whole process fully without at least some direct negotiations."

With reporting by Reuters and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine- russia-war-ceasefire-world-war-two-anniversary- victory-day-putin-zelenskyy/33407971.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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Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

Vancouver, May 7, 2025 - Onyx Gold Corp. (TSXV: ONYX) (OTCQX: ONXGF) ("Onyx" or the "Company") announces today that it has entered into an agreement with Cormark Securities Inc. and and Agentis Capital Markets Limited Partnership, as co-lead underwriters on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the "Underwriters"), in connection with a "bought deal" private placement of 5,000,000 common shares of the Company that qualify as "flow-through shares" (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Tax (as defined below) (the "FT Shares") at a price of $1.00 per FT Share, for gross proceeds of $5,000,000 (the "Offering").

Concurrent with the Offering, the Company intends to complete a non-brokered private placement with a strategic investor, a large international gold mining company, of 3,490,343 common shares of the Company ("Non-FT Shares") at a price of $0.85 per Non-FT Share for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $3,000,000 (the "Concurrent Private Placement"). The Company expects aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $8,000,000 between both the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement.

The $3.0 million Non-FT Share placement by the strategic investor is anticipated to bring their total holdings to 9.9% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares on a pro-forma basis.

The Company will use an amount equal to the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the FT Shares, pursuant to the provisions in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"), to incur (or be deemed to incur) eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" that qualify as "flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures" (as both terms are defined in the Tax Act) (the "Qualifying Expenditures") related to the Company's projects in Ontario and the Yukon, on or before December 31, 2026, and to renounce all the Qualifying Expenditures in favour of the subscribers of the FT Shares effective December 31, 2025. If the Qualifying Expenditures are reduced by the Canada Revenue Agency, the Company will indemnify each FT Share subscriber for any additional taxes payable by such subscriber as a result of the Company's failure to renounce the Qualifying Expenditures as agreed.

The net proceeds of the Concurrent Private Placement will be used by the Company for exploration of its mineral properties and general corporate purposes.

The Offering and Concurrent Private Placement are expected to close on or about May 22, 2025, or such other date as the Company and the Underwriters may agree and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals including the conditional approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the FT Shares will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in all Provinces of Canada except for Quebec and/or other qualifying jurisdictions pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The FT Shares issued under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption will not be subject to a hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The Non-FT Shares will be offered by way of the minimum amount exemption provided under Section 2.10 of NI 45-106 and will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities laws.

There is an offering document related to the Offering and the use by the Company of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption that can be accessed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.onyxgold.com. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. persons unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. "United States" and "U.S. person" have the meaning ascribed to them in Regulation S under the 1933 Act.

About Onyx Gold

Onyx Gold is an exploration company focused on well-established Canadian mining jurisdictions, with assets in Timmins, Ontario, and Yukon Territory. The Company's extensive portfolio of quality gold projects in the greater Timmins gold camp includes the Munro-Croesus Gold property, renowned for its high-grade mineralization, plus two additional earlier-stage large exploration properties, Golden Mile and Timmins South. Onyx Gold also controls four properties in the Selwyn Basin area of Yukon Territory, which is currently gaining significance due to recent discoveries in the area. Onyx Gold's experienced board and senior management team are committed to creating shareholder value through the discovery process, careful allocation of capital, and environmentally/socially responsible mineral exploration.

On Behalf of Onyx Gold Corp.

"Brock Colterjohn"

President & CEO

For further information, please visit the Onyx Gold Corp. website at www.onyxgold.com or contact:

Website: www.onyxgold.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyx-gold-corp/?viewAsMember=true

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OnyxGoldCorp

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forwardlooking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements about the Offering (including the completion of the Offering on the terms and timeline as announced or at all, the tax treatment of the FT Shares, the timing to renounce all Qualifying Expenditures in favour of the subscribers and use of proceeds of the Offering), statements about the Concurrent Private Placement (including the completion of the Offering on the terms and timeline as announced or at all), statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions and the Company's anticipated work programs.

These forwardlooking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that the Offering will not close on the anticipated timeline or at all on the anticipated terms; that the Concurrent Private Placement will not close on the anticipated timeline or at all on the anticipated terms; that the Company will not use the net proceeds of the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement as anticipated; that the Company will not receive all necessary approvals in respect of the Offering and Concurrent Private Placement; market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Company's securities; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; fluctuating commodity prices; the future tax treatment of the FT Shares; competitive risks; and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Forward-looking statements are based on certain material assumptions and analysis made by the Company and the opinions and estimates of management as of the date of this news release, including, among other things, that the Offering will close on the anticipated timeline or at all and on the anticipated terms; that the Concurrent Private Placement will close on the anticipated timeline or at all and on the anticipated terms; that the Company will use the net proceeds of the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement as anticipated; and that the Company will receive all necessary approvals in respect of the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement, if applicable.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251232
New Results Continue to Build on Resource Size

12.4 g/t gold over 10.7 m including 27.9 g/t gold over 4.5 m

Discovery of a New Exploration Corridor at Depth

6.2 g/t gold over 7.8 m CW and 4.4 g/t gold over 16.0 m CW

Exploration Driving Production Growth for the Future

TORONTO, May 07, 2025 -- McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) is pleased to announce an update on activity at the Fox Complex's Grey Fox Project. Included in this press release are some of the best drill results we have seen from Gibson. Additionally, drilling has identified a new exploration corridor at depth, successfully refining our previous knowledge and interpretation of the gold bearing structures at Grey Fox.

The current resource at Grey Fox consists of 1,538,000 gold ounces at 3.64 g/t Indicated and 458,000 gold ounces at 3.30 g/t Inferred (see press release of February 4th, 2025). Ongoing drilling is focusing on increasing the known resource at Grey Fox as well as identifying new discoveries below its current endowment.

Unless specified as core widths (CW), all assay intervals in this press release are presented as true widths (TW).

Highlights From Multiple Grey Fox Zones

Impressive Intercepts at Gibson Zone: Hole 25GF-1539 returned 12.4 g/t gold over 10.7 m, including a high-grade interval of 27.9 g/t gold over 4.5 m. Hole 25GF-1548 returned 4.0 g/t gold over 30.1 m, including an interval of 7.8 g/t gold over 11.5 m. The 30.1 meters interval may represent a local or larger scale thickening of typical Gibson mineralization, which is usually up to 5 meters in true width.

Deeper drilling at Grey Fox South (GFS) Zone: The bulk of the resource at GFS lies above 300 m depth. New mineralization 250 meters further below this horizon has been identified and is open along strike and dip; drillhole 25GF-1537 returned multiple good grading intersections, including 6.2 g/t gold over 7.8 m CW and 4.4 g/t gold over 16.0 m CW.

At the 147 Zone: Drillhole 25GF-1563, which had an impressive amount of coarse visible gold, returned an assay value of 48.5 g/t gold over 0.8 m and may represent a new mineralized lens.

Geophysical Target Near Whiskey Jack (WJ) Zone: Promising results were returned, as seen in drillhole 25GF-1532, which graded 5.2 g/t gold over 11.6 m CW.

Discussion of the Q1 2025 Drilling Campaign Results

Table 1 lists the new drilling results that are discussed in this press release.

Table 1. Grey Fox Drill Results

Hole ID From

(m) To

(m) Core Width

(CW) (m) True Width

(TW) (m) Grade Uncapped

(g/t Au) Figure

Reference 25GF-1526 314.0 323.0 9.0 - 3.6 3, 4, 5 25GF-1528 46.0 59.0 13.0 10.5 5.5 5 Including 51.0 57.0 6.0 5.2 11.0 And 261.8 265.1 3.3 2.1 10.0 5 25GF-1530 286.0 292.8 6.8 - 3.7 3, 4,5 25GF-1532 350.2 361.8 11.6 - 5.2 3, 4, 5 25GF-1537 198.1 208.4 10.3 8.7 8.6 8 And 447.0 457.0 10.0 8.6 3.5 8 And 575.3 583.0 7.8 - 6.2 8 And 607.1 623.1 16.0 - 4.4 8 And 628.0 643.0 15.0 - 2.1 8 25GF-1538 302.0 304.6 2.6 - 16.3 3, 4, 5 25GF-1539 90.6 103.0 12.4 10.7 12.4 5, 6 Including 91.6 96.8 5.2 4.5 27.9 And 207.0 209.0 2.0 1.7 2.7 5, 6 25GF-1544 338.0 346.0 8.0 6.2 4.3 5 25GF-1548 129.0 164.0 35.0 30.1 4.0 5, 6 Including 147.0 160.4 13.4 11.5 7.8 And 243.9 247.6 3.7 2.4 17.8 5, 6 25GF-1563 113.4 114.3 0.9 0.8 48.5 7



Figure 1 is a plan view map showing the zones referenced in this press release, located on the Fox Complex Eastern Property.

Figure 1. Plan View Map of the Fox Complex Eastern Property





Within the overall Grey Fox resource, the Gibson Zone accounts for approximately 18% of the Indicated resource with 290,000 ounces, and 50% of the Inferred resource with 245,000 ounces (February 4th, 2025 press release).

In Q1 2025, drilling concentrated primarily in and around the highly prospective Gibson Zone. In addition, a geophysical survey was aimed at enhancing the understanding of potential new Grey Fox mineralization and identifying structural trends that have not been detected through diamond drilling or conventional geological interpretations.

Figure 2 shows a geophysical map of part of the Grey Fox deposit. The northwest-southeast trending geophysical anomalies (chargeability highs) align with the WJ zone, which also trends northwest-southeast.

In early Q1, five holes were drilled across this anomaly, four of which returned good results, including 25GF-1532, which intersected 5.2 g/t gold over 11.6 m CW. These results will be further discussed and represented in plan view and section figures.

Figure 2 also shows that the modelled mineralized lenses (in red) are located coincident with the trend of the chargeability high. This could be an indication of constraints or control of the mineralization and is considered worthy of follow-up as it could enhance grade continuity in this orientation.

The chargeability high may be due to a high carbon (graphite) content observed in drill core. Graphite is often associated with similar gold deposit styles in the region such as at the Macassa Mine in Kirkland Lake (60 km to the southeast). This could be indicative of controlling structures (orientated in a northwest direction) and it will be evaluated going forward.

Figure 2. Plan View Map of the Northwest Area of Grey Fox Showing Highlights of Geophysical Target Drilling





Figure 3 is a surface map with a background of the most recent geological and structural interpretations for Grey Fox that continue to aid in understanding and modelling the mineralized zones. It also shows the positions of the cross sections further presented, A-A', B-B', C-C' and D-D' as straight white lines.

Figure 3. Plan View Map of Grey Fox Showing the Location of Cross Sections A-A', B-B', C-C' and D-D'





Figure 4 is a cross-section showing the five new holes drilled across the geophysical anomalies, together with the potential new lens orientation based on the new drill results. The new modelled lens of steeply dipping mineralization shows good continuity and is parallel to the trend of the Whiskey Jack zone. The extent of the geophysical anomalies is also shown - this is coincident with the surface projection of the mineralized zones seen in Figure 3. This new lens of mineralization remains open for drilling at depth.

Figure 4. New Lens Interpretation; Cross Section A-A' of the Select Geophysical Target Drilling Near WJ Zone





Figure 5 shows key new results from the drilling at the Gibson Zone Expansion. Approximately one third of the meters assigned to the current drilling program is allocated to the Gibson Zone Expansion, due to the better grades and widths seen here (see press release dated February 27th, 2025) and its proximity to the historical Gibson Ramp.

Of particular interest are drillholes 25GF-1539, which graded 12.4 g/t gold over 10.7 m and 25GF-1548, which graded 4.0 g/t gold over an impressive width of 30.1 m. The orientation of these new intercepts, which will be further investigated, could align with the geophysical anomaly described earlier (Figure 2), presenting a new northwest mineralizing corridor perpendicular to the typical northeast trend.

Figure 5. Plan View Map for the Gibson Zone Expansion Drilling and Possible New Lens Orientation





Figure 6 below shows new intercepts received for the Gibson Zone Expansion on a cross section view (section B-B' with location shown on Figure 3).

Given their significance and their proximity to surface (within 150 meters), follow-up drilling to delineate this mineralization is already underway. It is noteworthy that, to date, the typical widths of good grading mineralization at Gibson are usually up to 5 meters in true width, therefore the width of about 30m seen in 25GF-1548 either represents a thickening of the mineralization or the intersection of multiple lenses.

Figure 6. Cross Section B-B' Showing the New Intercepts Received for the Gibson Zone Expansion Drilling





Figure 7 below is a cross-section view (C-C' with location shown in Figure 3) of the drilling focused on 147 zone to test for the continuity of mineralization.

Drillhole 25GF-1563 returned a narrow but high-grade intercept of 48.5 g/t gold over 0.8 m. Figure 7 shows this intercept located just 75 meters below surface and about 40 meters from the historical hole GF11-402, which graded 25.8 g/t gold over 0.8 m CW. These intercepts may represent the same new lens of higher-grade mineralization at the 147 Zone.

Figure 7. Cross Section C-C' Showing a Potential New Higher-Grade Mineralized Lens at the 147 Zone





A close-up photo of the abundant Visible Gold (VG) noted for this intercept in 25GF-1563 is shown in Image 1. Conforming with industry Best Practices to avoid sampling bias in the random sampling protocol, the majority of the observed VG was left in the core box; nonetheless, the sample still returned a respectable grade of 48.5 g/t gold over 0.8 m.

Image 1. Close-Up Core Photo of the High-Grade Intercept for Drillhole 25GF-1563 (48.5 g/t Gold over 0.8 m)





At GFS drillhole 25GF-1537 intersected 8.6 g/t gold over 8.7 m, within the main corridor of mineralization, about 175 meters below surface (see Figure 8; section D-D' with location shown in Figure 3). In addition, a second intercept of 25GF-1537, which graded 3.5 g/t gold over 8.6 m appears to be the down-dip extension of an existing lens at GFS. It can also be seen from the figure that the majority of the defined mineralization is located within 300 meters of surface. This hole was drilled deeper than 300 meters below surface and intersected multiple new zones of mineralization. Some of these new intercepts include: 6.2 g/t gold over 7.8 m CW and 4.4 g/t gold over 16.0 m CW (see Figure 8).

Figure 8. Cross Section D-D' For the New Exploration Corridor Discovered at GFS





The relatively broader core lengths associated with these new intercepts may represent local thickening of typical GFS-style mineralization also described earlier for the Gibson Zone Expansion. It can also be seen in Figure 8 that if mineralization trends northeast-southwest, it remains open along strike in both directions. Further drilling is required to confirm the overall geometry and continuity of this new mineralization.

Results from drillhole 25GF-1537 may demonstrate that it has encountered Black Fox style mineralization below Grey Fox. This is of interest because the Black Fox Mine (3 kilometers to the northwest) produced over one million oz of gold. The upper intervals of 25GF-1537 (8.6 g/t gold over 8.7 m and 3.5 g/t gold over 8.6 m) demonstrate typical "epizonal style" mineralization seen at Grey Fox and is now recognized to occur deeper than first thought (6.2 g/t gold over 7.8 m CW and 4.4 g/t gold over 16.0 m CW) (see Figure 8). This drillhole was completed to a final depth of 600 meters and towards the end of the hole, appears to have intersected Black Fox orogenic-style gold mineralization that supports our previous conceptual ideas that it might occur below Grey Fox. Although of lower grade (2.1 g/t gold over 15.0 m CW), this intersection further confirms that there is orogenic-style gold mineralization below this area of Grey Fox (see press release dated February 27th, 2025). Future deep drilling based on refined geophysical-aided targeting may identify zones of higher-grade mineralization below Grey Fox that could develop into an additional resource base.

Image 2. Rob McEwen With Our Exploration Team Inspecting Drill Core on His Recent Visit to the Fox Complex





Following his recent visit to the Fox Complex, CEO and Chief Owner Rob McEwen commented:

"These encouraging results reinforce our confidence that Grey Fox, our next project in the production pipeline, will become a cornerstone asset for us for years to come.

In addition, we have also finally received the Closure Plan Permit for the Stock Project, which enables us to move forward with development and mining operations. We anticipate production to begin in 2026. The Stock Project currently hosts an Indicated resource of 281,000 oz of gold and an Inferred resource of 182,000 oz of gold ."

A table of drill results at Grey Fox from February 16th, 2025 to April 24th, 2025 that includes hole locations and alignments is available on the Company's website and can be accessed by clicking here.

Technical Information

Technical information pertaining to the Fox Complex exploration contained in this news release has been prepared under the supervision of Sean Farrell, P.Geo., McEwen Ontario's Exploration Manager, who is a Qualified Person as defined by SEC S-K 1300 and Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects."

The technical information related to resource and reserve estimates in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Luke Willis, P.Geo., McEwen Mining's Director of Resource Modelling and a Qualified Person as defined by SEC S-K 1300 and Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects."

New analyses reported herein were submitted as  core samples and assayed by the photon assay method at the accredited laboratory MSA Labs (ISO 9001 & ISO 17025) in Timmins, Ontario, Canada.

CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and information, including "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements and information expressed, as at the date of this news release, McEwen Mining Inc.'s (the "Company") estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations or beliefs as to future events and results. Forward-looking statements and information are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies, and there can be no assurance that such statements and information will prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and information. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results or future events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in the market price of precious metals, mining industry risks, political, economic, social and security risks associated with foreign operations, the ability of the Company to receive or receive in a timely manner permits or other approvals required in connection with operations, risks associated with the construction of mining operations and commencement of production and the projected costs thereof, risks related to litigation, the state of the capital markets, environmental risks and hazards, uncertainty as to calculation of mineral resources and reserves, foreign exchange volatility, foreign exchange controls, foreign currency risk, and other risks. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information included herein, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to reissue or update forward-looking statements or information as a result of new information or events after the date hereof except as may be required by law. See McEwen Mining's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the caption "Risk Factors", for additional information on risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to the forward-looking statements and information regarding the Company. All forward-looking statements and information made in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement.

The NYSE and TSX have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release, which has been prepared by the management of McEwen Mining Inc.

ABOUT MCEWEN MINING

McEwen Mining Inc. provides its shareholders with exposure to gold, copper and silver in the Americas by way of its 3 mines located in the United States of America, Canada and Argentina and its large advanced-stage copper development project in Argentina. It also has a gold and silver mine on care and maintenance in Mexico. Its Los Azules copper project aims to be one of the world's first regenerative copper mine and is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2038.

Rob McEwen, Chairman and Chief Owner, has a personal investment in the companies of US$205 million and takes a salary of $1/year. He is a recipient of the Order of Canada and a member of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame. His objective for MUX is to build its share value and establish a dividend, as he did while building Goldcorp Inc.

McEwen Mining's shares are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol "MUX".

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MONTREAL, May 07, 2025 - Osisko Development Corp. (NYSE: ODV, TSXV: ODV) ("Osisko Development" or the "Company") announces the results of its annual and special meeting of shareholders of the Company (the "Meeting") held on May 7, 2025. A total of 80,489,188 common shares were voted at the Meeting, representing approximately 58.9% of the total issued and outstanding common shares of the Company as of the record date of the Meeting. A summary of the results for the items voted at the Meeting are as follows:

1. Election of Directors



Each of the directors listed as nominees in Osisko Development's Management Information Circular (the "MIC") dated March 26, 2025, was elected to the board of directors of the Company to serve for the ensuing year or until their successors are duly elected or appointed, with the following results:

Resolution #1

Name of Nominee Votes For % Votes For Votes

Against % Votes

Against Sean Roosen 71,698,457 97.78% 1,628,245 2.22% Charles E. Page 71,853,654 97.99% 1,473,048 2.01% Michele McCarthy 71,745,026 97.84% 1,581,676 2.16% Duncan Middlemiss 71,807,497 97.93% 1,519,205 2.07% David Danziger 71,781,345 97.89% 1,545,357 2.11% Stephen Quin 71,670,048 97.74% 1,656,654 2.26%



2. Appointment of Auditor



PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was re-appointed as the Company's independent auditor and the directors were authorized to fix the auditor's remuneration for the ensuing year, with the following results:

Resolution #2

Name of Auditor Votes For % Votes For Votes

Withheld % Votes

Withheld PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 66,204,156 82.27% 14,269,907 17.73%



3. Approval of the Omnibus Plan



The ordinary resolution to approve the adoption of the Company's omnibus equity incentive plan ("Omnibus Plan") as outlined in the MIC dated March 26, 2025, was passed, with the following results:

Resolution #3 Votes For % Votes For Votes

Against % Votes

Against Omnibus Plan 63,436,273 86.51% 9,890,429 13.49%



The ordinary resolutions for the adoption of the Company's existing stock option and restricted share unit plans (together, the "Existing Plans"), as described in the MIC, were not voted on at the Meeting as the resolution for the Omnibus Plan was approved, which supersedes the Existing Plans.

ABOUT OSISKO DEVELOPMENT CORP.

Osisko Development Corp. is a North American gold development company focused on past-producing mining camps located in mining friendly jurisdictions with district scale potential. The Company's objective is to become an intermediate gold producer by advancing its flagship permitted 100%-owned Cariboo Gold Project, located in central B.C., Canada. Its project pipeline is complemented by the Tintic Project in the historic East Tintic mining district in Utah, U.S.A., and the San Antonio Gold Project in Sonora, Mexico-brownfield properties with significant exploration potential, extensive historical mining data, access to existing infrastructure and skilled labour. The Company's strategy is to develop attractive, long-life, socially and environmentally responsible mining assets, while minimizing exposure to development risk and growing mineral resources.

For further information, visit our website at www.osiskodev.com or contact:

Sean Roosen Philip Rabenok Chairman and CEO Vice President, Investor Relations Email: sroosen@osiskodev.com Email: prabenok@osiskodev.com Tel: +1 (514) 940-0685 Tel: +1 (437) 423-3644



Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.
Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project, Canada

HIGHLIGHTS:

Gold intersected in two zones within one hole; results include: 7.4m @ 5.7g/t AuEq (4.6g/t Au, 0.9% Cu & 5.6g/t Ag) from 405.6m, including 3.1m @ 9.6g/t AuEq (7.4 g/t Au, 1.6% Cu & 10.0g/t Ag) (LDR-25-08) 2.9m @ 10.2g/t AuEq (8.3g/t Au, 1.4% Cu and 3.3g/t Ag) from 463.8m, including 0.4m @ 60.8g/t AuEq (51.3g/t Au, 7.2%Cu & 18.0g/t Ag) (visible gold) (LDR-25-08)

First results of the drill program returned 3.3m @ 6.6g/t Au, including 2.3m @ 9.1 g/t Au (LDR-25-05) (see TSXV/ASX announcement dated 16/17 April 2025)

Golden Eye has never been mined and was last drilled in the early 1990s when gold was less than US$350/oz. The entire drilling target sits outside the current Mineral Resource 1

Additional assay results from a number of drill holes at Golden Eye are expected later this month with visible gold observed in LDR-25-09* (see photo below)





* Visual estimates of mineral abundance should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analyses where concentrations or grades are the factor of principal economic interest. Visual estimates also potentially provide no information regarding impurities or deleterious physical properties relevant to valuations. The Company expects to receive the laboratory analytical results of the recent core sample (including LDR-25-09) in the current quarter.

Significant intersections from historic drilling 2 include: 5.9m @ 34.1g/t AuEq (32.2g/t Au, 1.2% Cu & 27.3g/t Ag) (RD-11) 4.5m @ 21.6g/t AuEq (14.9g/t Au, 4.7% Cu & 54g/t Ag) (RD-28) 8.4m @ 12.7g/t AuEq (11.0g/t Au, 1.3% Cu & 15.8g/t Ag) (RD-20) 7.5m @ 22.1g/t AuEq (16.0g/t Au & 4.7% Cu) (S1-87-1) 10.4m @ 12.2 g/t AuEq (7.3g/t Au, 3.5% Cu & 31.8g/t Ag) (S3-86-4)

include: Cygnus intends to use the new results and the compiled historic drill data, totalling 77 holes for 21,371m, to complete an initial Mineral Resource for Golden Eye

The Golden Eye prospect sits 3km from Cygnus' central processing plant and has existing dual ramp access within 150m of the mineralisation

Gold was a significant part of the historic production within the Chibougamau District, with over 3.5Moz of gold produced alongside 945,000t of copper.3

Cygnus Executive Chairman David Southam said: "Golden Eye is clearly emerging as something special with scope to drive valuable resource growth in the near term.



"Cygnus has intersected high-grade gold mineralisation at Golden Eye, which has an existing dual ramp access that sits within 150m of the mineralisation and is located just 3km from the central processing plant. Given the results to date, which support the historical results, Golden Eye is poised to become a new and additional growth driver for Cygnus at a time of historically high gold prices.



"And it is just one example of what is hiding in the historic data at the Chibougamau Project''.



TORONTO and PERTH, Western Australia, May 07, 2025 -- Cygnus Metals Ltd. (ASX: CY5; TSXV: CYG; OTCQB: CYGGF) ("Cygnus" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its best gold intercepts drilled to date from the Golden Eye prospect within the Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project in Quebec.

Recent results have returned two intervals from parallel mineralised zones at Golden Eye, extending gold mineralisation at depth. The results from the latest assays include:

7.4m @ 5.7g/t AuEq (4.6g/t Au, 0.9% Cu & 5.6g/t Ag) from 405.6m (LDR-25-08) Including 3.1m @ 9.6g/t AuEq (7.4 g/t Au, 1.6% Cu & 10.0g/t Ag)



2.9m @ 10.2g/t AuEq (8.3g/t Au, 1.4% Cu and 3.3g/t Ag) from 463.8m (LDR-25-08) Including 0.4m @ 60.8g/t AuEq (51.3g/t Au, 7.2%Cu & 18.0g/t Au) (visible gold)



These results are in addition to previously released results from Golden Eye (see TSXV/ASX announcement dated 16/17 April 2025) as follows:

3.3m @ 6.6g/t Au from just 131.7m (LDR-25-05) Including 2.3m @ 9.1g/t Au



The recent results highlight not only the potential to establish a high-grade mineral resource at Golden Eye but also that mineralisation remains open at depth, with the vast majority of all drilling at less than ~400m from surface. Additional results are expected this quarter from the remaining four holes of the program, with visible gold also observed in one drill hole (LDR-25-09).

Cygnus intends to use the results from the recently completed drilling alongside the newly compiled historic drill data totalling 77 holes for 21,371m to complete an initial Mineral Resource Estimate for Golden Eye. The best historic drill intercepts2 dating back to the 1990s returned:

5.9m @ 34.1g/t AuEq (32.2g/t Au, 1.2% Cu & 27.3g/t Ag) (RD-11);

4.5m @ 21.6g/t AuEq (14.9g/t Au, 4.7% Cu & 54g/t Ag) (RD-28);

8.4m @ 12.7g/t AuEq (11.0g/t Au, 1.3% Cu & 15.8g/t Ag) (RD-20);

7.5m @ 22.1g/t AuEq (16.0g/t Au & 4.7% Cu) (S1-87-1); and

10.4m @ 12.2 g/t AuEq (7.3g/t Au, 3.5% Cu & 31.8g/t Ag) (S3-86-4).

Golden Eye has existing double ramp access within 150m of the mineralisation and sits less than 3km from the central 900,000tpa processing facility. This makes it a potentially important part in the pathway to the development of the project.

The Chibougamau district has a strong history of gold production as well as copper, having produced 3.5Moz Au at an average grade of 2.1g/t Au.3 Gold grades vary between different deposits, although Golden Eye and Cedar Bay are the two areas with a significantly higher gold grade than other deposits within the camp.

Golden Eye is an excellent example of the value generated through ongoing compilation work which is helping to unlock this historic district while the Company continues to build upon the existing high-grade copper-gold resources with low-risk brownfield exploration.





Figure 1: Composite Long Section of Golden Eye over 600m of strike with significant gold grade of up to 34.1gt AuEq over 5.9m. Mineralisation is still open at depth with 2.9m @ 10.2g/t AuEq intersected in LDR-25-08. Refer to Appendix A of this release for newly released drill intercepts and TSXV/ASX releases dated 15 October 2024, 24/25 March 2025 and 16/17 April 2025 for previously announced drilling results.





Figure 2: Composite Long Section through the Chibougamau North Camp illustrating Golden Eye with intersections of up to 5.9m @ 34.1g/t AuEq. Refer to TSXV/ASX/ releases dated 15 October 2024 and 24/25 March 2025 for previously announced drilling results.

Ongoing Work

Cygnus is continuing to compile the data across the camp and deliver additional drill targets as the Company looks to execute its strategy of value creation through resource growth and conversion drilling. This low-cost, low-risk approach includes both surface and downhole electromagnetics ("EM") to generate brownfield targets around known high quality mineralisation.

This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Directors of Cygnus.

David Southam

Executive Chair

T: +61 8 6118 1627

E: info@cygnusmetals.com Ernest Mast

President & Managing Director

T: +1 647 921 0501

E: info@cygnusmetals.com Media:

Paul Armstrong

Read Corporate

T: +61 8 9388 1474

About Cygnus Metals

Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX: CY5, TSXV: CYG, OTCQB: CYGGF) is a diversified critical minerals exploration and development company with projects in Quebec, Canada and Western Australia. The Company is dedicated to advancing its Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project in Quebec with an aggressive exploration program to drive resource growth and develop a hub-and-spoke operation model with its centralised processing facility. In addition, Cygnus has quality lithium assets with significant exploration upside in the world-class James Bay district in Quebec, and REE and base metal projects in Western Australia. The Cygnus team has a proven track record of turning exploration success into production enterprises and creating shareholder value.

Cautionary Note - Visual Estimates

In relation to the disclosure of visible mineralisation, the Company cautions that visual estimates of mineral abundance should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analysis. Laboratory assay results are required to determine the widths and grade of the visible mineralisation reported in preliminary geological logging. Visual estimates also potentially provide no information regarding impurities or deleterious physical properties relevant to valuations. The Company will update the market when laboratory analytical results become available. The reported intersections are down hole lengths and are not necessarily true width. Descriptions of the mineral amounts seen and logged in the core are qualitative only. Quantitative assays will be completed by Bureau Veritas, with the results for those intersections discussed in this release expected in the current quarter.

Forward Looking Statements

This release may contain certain forward-looking statements and projections regarding estimates, resources and reserves; planned production and operating costs profiles; planned capital requirements; and planned strategies and corporate objectives. Such forward looking statements/projections are estimates for discussion purposes only and should not be relied upon. They are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond Cygnus' control. Cygnus makes no representations and provides no warranties concerning the accuracy of the projections and disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements/projections based on new information, future events or otherwise except to the extent required by applicable laws. While the information contained in this release has been prepared in good faith, neither Cygnus or any of its directors, officers, agents, employees or advisors give any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the fairness, accuracy, completeness or correctness of the information, opinions and conclusions contained in this release. Accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted by law, none of Cygnus, its directors, employees or agents, advisers, nor any other person accepts any liability whether direct or indirect, express or limited, contractual, tortuous, statutory or otherwise, in respect of the accuracy or completeness of the information or for any of the opinions contained in this release or for any errors, omissions or misstatements or for any loss, howsoever arising, from the use of this release.

End Notes

The Mineral Resource estimate at the Chibougamau Project is a foreign estimate prepared in accordance with CIM Standards. A competent person has not done sufficient work to classify the foreign estimate as a mineral resource in accordance with the JORC Code, and it is uncertain whether further evaluation and exploration will result in an estimate reportable under the JORC Code. Refer to Appendix C for a breakdown of the Mineral Resource Estimate. Refer to Cygnus' TSXV/ASX announcements dated 15 October 2024 and 24/25 March 2025. Historic production statistics for the Chibougamau area are recorded in Leclerc. F, Harris. L. B, Bedard. J. H, Van Breeman. O and Goulet. N. 2012, Structural and Stratigraphic Controls on Magmatic, Volcanogenic, and Shear Zone-Hosted Mineralization in the Chapais-Chibougamau Mining Camp, Northeastern Abitibi, Canada. Society of Economic Geologists, Inc. Economic Geology, v. 107, pp. 963-989.

Qualified Persons and Compliance Statements

The scientific and technical information in this announcement has been reviewed and approved by Mr Louis Beaupre, the Quebec Exploration Manager of Cygnus, a "qualified person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Exploration Results disclosed in this announcement are also based on and fairly represent information and supporting documentation compiled by Mr Beaupre. Mr Beaupre holds options in Cygnus. Mr Beaupre is a member of the Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec (P. Eng.), a Registered Overseas Professional Organisation as defined in the ASX Listing Rules, and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposits under consideration and to the activity which has been undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the "Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves". Mr Beaupre consents to the inclusion in this release of the matters based on the information in the form and context in which they appear.

The Company first announced the foreign estimate of mineralisation for the Chibougamau Project on 15 October 2024. The Company confirms that the supporting information included in the original announcement continues to apply and has not materially changed, notwithstanding the clarification announcement released by Cygnus on 28 January 2025 ("Clarification"). Cygnus confirms that (notwithstanding the Clarification) it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original announcement and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the original announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. Cygnus confirms that it is not in possession of any new information or data that materially impacts on the reliability of the estimates or Cygnus' ability to verify the foreign estimates as mineral resources in accordance with the JORC Code. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Persons' findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.

The information in this announcement that relates to previously reported Exploration Results at the Company's projects has been previously released by Cygnus in ASX Announcements as noted in the text and End Notes. Cygnus is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information in these announcements. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Persons' findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcements.

Individual grades for the metals included in the metal equivalents calculation for the foreign estimate are in Appendix C of this release. Metal equivalents for the foreign estimate of mineralisation have been calculated at a copper price of US$8,750/t, gold price of US$2,350/oz, with copper equivalents calculated based on the formula CuEq (%) = Cu(%) + (Au (g/t) x 0.77258). Individual grades for the metals included in the metal equivalents calculation for the exploration results are in Appendix A of this release. Metal equivalents for exploration results have been calculated at a copper price of US$8,750/t, gold price of US$2,350/oz and silver price of US$25/oz. Copper equivalents are calculated based on the formula CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + (Au(g/t) x 0.77258)+(Ag(g/t) x 0.00822). Gold equivalents are calculated based on the formula AuEq(g/t) = Au(g/t) +(Cu(%) x 1.29436)+(Ag(g/t) x 0.01064). Metallurgical recovery factors have been applied to the metal equivalents calculations, with copper metallurgical recovery assumed at 95% and precious metal (gold and silver) metallurgical recovery assumed at 85% based upon historical production at the Chibougamau Processing Facility, and the metallurgical results contained in Cygnus' announcement dated 28 January 2025. It is the Company's view that all elements in the metal equivalents calculations in respect of the foreign estimate and exploration results have a reasonable potential to be recovered and sold.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

APPENDIX A - Significant Intersections from Recent Drilling at Golden Eye

Coordinates given in UTM NAD83 (Zone 18). Intercept lengths may not add up due to rounding to the appropriate reporting precision. Significant intersections reported above 2g/t AuEq over widths of greater than 1m. True width estimated to be 80% of downhole thickness.

Hole ID X Y Z Azi Dip Depth (m) From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Cu (%) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) AuEq (g/t) LDR-25-06 549560 5525483 375 215 -51 474.0 Pending Assays LDR-25-07 549453 5525313 375 215 -55 261.0 Pending Assays LDR-25-08 549524 5525441 375 246 -57 516.0 405.6 413.1 7.4 0.9 5.6 4.6 5.7 including 409.0 412.1 3.1 1.6 10.0 7.4 9.6 463.8 466.7 2.9 1.4 3.3 8.3 10.2 including 463.8 465.2 1.4 2.3 5.7 15.8 18.9 including 464.2 464.6 0.4 7.2 18.0 51.3 60.8 LDR-25-09 549445 5525319 375 238 -54 252.0 Pending Assays LDR-25-10 549489 5525229 375 220 -60 237.0 Pending Assays



APPENDIX B - Summary Logging Details for Mineralised Intersections Observed in LDR-25-09

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Mineral 1 % Mineral 2 % Mineral 3 % Visible Gold (%) Total Sulphide (%) LDR-25-09 74.3 74.7 0.4 Pyrite 0.1 Chalcopyrite 0.1 0.2 LDR-25-09 152.65 157.1 4.45 Pyrite 2 2 LDR-25-09 158.5 159.15 0.65 Pyrite 2 Chalcopyrite 0.1 Sphalerite 0.1 2.2 LDR-25-09 159.15 159.75 0.6 Chalcopyrite 0.2 Pyrite 0.1 Sphalerite 0.1 0.4 LDR-25-09 168.85 169.45 0.6 Pyrite 2 Chalcopyrite 0.1 2.1 LDR-25-09 169.45 170.5 1.05 Pyrite 10 Chalcopyrite 0.2 10.2 LDR-25-09 174.15 174.85 0.7 Pyrite 5 Chalcopyrite 1 6 LDR-25-09 174.85 175.25 0.4 Chalcopyrite 1.5 Pyrite 0.1 1.6 LDR-25-09 177 177.5 0.5 Chalcopyrite 1 Pyrite 0.1 1.1 LDR-25-09 188.9 189.3 0.4 Chalcopyrite 3 Pyrite 0.1 3.1 LDR-25-09 190.3 190.7 0.4 Chalcopyrite 0.5 Pyrite 0.1 0.6 LDR-25-09 193.5 194.1 0.6 Chalcopyrite 5 Pyrite 0.1 5.1 LDR-25-09 197.5 198 0.5 Chalcopyrite 1 1 LDR-25-09 204 204.4 0.4 Chalcopyrite 0.5 0.5 LDR-25-09 204.4 204.9 0.5 Chalcopyrite 0.2 Pyrite 0.2 Sphalerite 0.1 0.5 LDR-25-09 204.9 205.4 0.5 Pyrite 10 Chalcopyrite 0.1 10.1 LDR-25-09 205.4 205.9 0.5 Pyrite 5 Chalcopyrite 0.1 Sphalerite 0.1 5.2 LDR-25-09 205.9 206.55 0.65 Chalcopyrite 3 Pyrite 1 Sphalerite 0.1 4.1 LDR-25-09 208.55 209 0.45 Chalcopyrite 0.5 Pyrite 0.1 0.6 LDR-25-09 209 209.6 0.6 Chalcopyrite 2 Sphalerite 0.2 2.2 LDR-25-09 209.6 210 0.4 Chalcopyrite 7 7 LDR-25-09 210 210.7 0.7 Chalcopyrite 20 Pyrite 20 0.1 40 LDR-25-09 210.7 211.5 0.8 Pyrite 25 Chalcopyrite 2 Stibnite 1 28 LDR-25-09 211.5 212 0.5 Pyrite 2 Chalcopyrite 0.1 Sphalerite 0.1 2.2 LDR-25-09 212 212.9 0.9 Pyrite 4 Chalcopyrite 2 Sphalerite 0.1 6.1 LDR-25-09 214 215 1 Chalcopyrite 0.5 Pyrite 0.2 0.7 LDR-25-09 215 215.8 0.8 Pyrite 4 Chalcopyrite 0.1 4.1 LDR-25-09 220.6 221.3 0.7 Chalcopyrite 1 Pyrite 0.1 1.1 LDR-25-09 222.75 223.3 0.55 Chalcopyrite 3 Pyrite 0.1 3.1 LDR-25-09 226.5 227.1 0.6 Pyrite 2 Chalcopyrite 1 3 LDR-25-09 227.1 228 0.9 Pyrite 20 Chalcopyrite 0.5 20.5 LDR-25-09 228 228.5 0.5 Pyrite 20 Chalcopyrite 8 28 LDR-25-09 228.5 229 0.5 Pyrite 5 Chalcopyrite 0.1 5.1

No visible gold was identified in holes LDR-25-06, LDR-25-07 and LDR-25-10.

APPENDIX C - Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project - Foreign Mineral Resource Estimate Disclosures as at 30 March 2022

Deposit Category Tonnes (k) Cu Grade (%) Au Grade (g/t) Cu Metal (kt) Au Metal (koz) CuEq Grade (%) Corner Bay (2022) Indicated 2,700 2.7 0.3 71 22 2.9 Inferred 5,900 3.4 0.3 201 51 3.6 Devlin (2022) Measured 120 2.7 0.3 3 1 2.9 Indicated 660 2.1 0.2 14 4 2.3 Measured & Indicated 780 2.2 0.2 17 5 2.4 Inferred 480 1.8 0.2 9 3 2.0 Joe Mann (2022) Inferred 610 0.2 6.8 1 133 5.5 Cedar Bay (2018) Indicated 130 1.6 9.4 2 39 8.9 Inferred 230 2.1 8.3 5 61 8.5 Total Measured & Indicated 3,600 2.5 0.6 90 66 3.0 Inferred 7,200 3.0 1.1 216 248 3.8



APPENDIX D - 2012 JORC Table 1

Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (eg cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling. All drilling conducted by Cygnus Metals at the Chibougamau Project was completed under the supervision of a registered professional geologist as a Qualified Person (QP) who is responsible and accountable for the planning, execution, and supervision of all exploration activity as well as the implementation of quality assurance programs and reporting.

All Cygnus drilling reported is NQ size (47.8 mm diameter). Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representativity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used. All sample collection, core logging, and specific gravity determinations were completed by Cygnus Metals under the supervision of a professionally qualified registered geologist.

NQ core was marked for splitting during logging and is sawn using a diamond core saw with a mounted jig to assure the core is cut lengthwise into equal halves.

Half of the cut core is placed in clean individual plastic bags with the appropriate sample tag.

QA/QC is done in house by Cygnus Metals geologists with oversight from the Senior Geologist. The check samples (blanks and standards - 4% of total samples with another 2% of core duplicates taken on half split core) that were inserted into the sample batches are verified against their certified values and are deemed a pass if they are within 3 standard deviations of the certified value. The duplicates are evaluated against each other to determine mineralization distribution (nugget). If there are large discrepancies in the check samples, then the entire batch is requested to be re-assayed. The samples are then placed in bags for shipment to the offsite laboratory's facility.

The remaining half of the core is retained and incorporated into Cygnus's secure, core library located on the property. Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report.



In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this would be relatively simple (eg 'reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay'). In other cases more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (eg submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. Industry standard sampling practices were used with sample lengths ranging from 0.3 m to 1.0 m and respected geological contacts. Sample tags were placed at the beginning of each sample interval and the tag numbers were recorded in an MS Excel database.

Sampling practice is considered to be appropriate to the geology and style of mineralisation. Drilling techniques Drill type (eg core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc) and details (eg core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc). Diamond core was drilled using surface diamond rigs with industry recognised contractors Miikan Drilling. Miikan is a joint venture between Chibougamau Diamond Drilling Ltd., the First Nations community of Ouje-Bougoumou and the First Nations community of Mistissini both located in the Eeyou Istchee territory.

Drilling was conducted using NQ core size.

Directional surveys have been taken at 50m intervals. Drill sample recovery Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed.



Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples.



Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. Diamond core recovery was measured for each run and calculated as a percentage of the drilled interval.

Overall, the core recoveries are excellent in the Chibougamau area. As a result, no bias exists. Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies. All core was geologically and geotechnically logged. Lithology, veining, alteration and mineralisation are recorded in multiple tables of the drillhole database. Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc) photography. Geological logging of core is qualitative and descriptive in nature. The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. 100% of the core has been logged. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken.



If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc and whether sampled wet or dry.



For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique.



Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples.



Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in-situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling.



Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. The NQ diameter the core was sawn in half following a sample cutting line determined by geologists during logging and submitted for analysis on nominal 1m intervals or defined by geological boundaries determined by the logging geologist.

Each core sample is assigned a tag with a unique identifying number. Sample lengths are typically one metre but can be depending on zone mineralogy and boundaries.

This sampling technique is industry standard and deemed appropriate.

Samples sizes are considered appropriate to grain size of the materials being sampled. Quality of assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total. Sample (NQ size half core) preparation and fire assay analysis were done at Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd ("BV") in Timmins, Ontario, and ICP-ES multi-elements analysis was done at BV in Vancouver, B.C.

Samples were weighed, dried, crushed to 70% passing 2 mm, split to 250 g, and pulverized to 85% passing 75 m.

Samples are fire assayed for gold (Au) (50 g) and multi-acid digestion ICP-ES finish, for 23 elements (including key elements Ag, Cu, Mo).

Samples with visible gold or likely to have gold grains are analysed with metallic screen fire assay.

Samples assaying >10.0 g/t Au are re-analysed with a gravimetric finish using a 50 g charge. Samples assaying >10% Cu are re-analysed with a sodium peroxide fusion with ICP-ES analysis using a 0.25 g charge. For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc, the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc. None used. Nature of quality control procedures adopted (eg standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established. At Bureau Veritas, laboratory QC procedures involve the use of internal certified reference material as assay standards, along with blanks, duplicates and replicates. Verification of sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel. Verification of sampling was made by Cygnus Metals and other professional consultant geologists. The use of twinned holes. No hole is twinned. Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols. All logging data was completed, core marked up, logging and sampling data was entered directly into the database.

The logged data is stored on the site server directly. Discuss any adjustment to assay data. There was no adjustment to the assay data. Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation. The location of the drill holes and the aiming points for the orientation of the drill holes were indicated on the ground using identified stakes. The stakes marking the location of the drillholes were set up and located with a Garmin GPS model "GPSmap 62s" (4m accuracy).

Surveys are collected using a Reflex EZ-Shot single-shot electronic instrument with readings collected at intervals of approximately every 30 m downhole plus a reading at the bottom of the hole. Specification of the grid system used. The grid system used is UTM NAD83 (Zone 18). Quality and adequacy of topographic control. A Digital Terrane Model (DTM) has been used to accurately plot the vertical position of the holes, which is considered to provide an adequate level of topographic control. Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results. The drill spacing for recent drilling is considered appropriate for this type of exploration.

Due to the historic nature and mix of underground and surface drilling the drill hole spacing for historic drill results is highly variable. Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied. No resource estimation is made. Whether sample compositing has been applied. No sample compositing has been applied. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type. Recent drilling is orientated approximately at right angles to the currently interpreted strike of the known interpreted mineralisation.

Due to the historic nature of the drilling the drill hole orientation for historic drill results is highly variable. If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. No bias is considered to have been introduced by the existing sampling orientation. Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. Core was placed in wooden core boxes close to the drill rig by the drilling contractor. The core was collected daily by the drilling contractor and delivered to the secure core logging facility. Access to the core logging facility is limited to Cygnus employees or designates. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. No audits or reviews of sampling techniques or data have been undertaken, therefore information on audits or reviews is not yet available.



Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results

(Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.)

Criteria JORC Code Explanation Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings. The data reported within this announcement is from the Chibougamau Project. The Chibougamau project consists of 3 properties which include: Copper Rand, 14,383 ha (15 mining concession and 311 exploration claims) Corner Bay - Devlin (1 mining license, 141 exploration claims owned 100% by CBAY and 17 claims owned 56.4% by CBAY/43.6% Pan American Silver) Joe Mann (2 mining concessions, 82 claims owned 100% by CBAY, and 68 claims and 1 mining concession owned 65% by CBAY/35% by SOQUEM)

CBAY Minerals Inc. ("CBAY"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cygnus, is the owner of all claims and leases, except where otherwise noted above.

The properties collectively making up the Project are in good standing based on the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (Ministere de l'Energie et des Ressources Naturelles) GESTIM claim management system of the Government of Quebec. The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area. All tenure is in good standing. Exploration done by other parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. The Chibougamau Copper and Gold project comprising Corner Bay, Devlin, Cedar Bay and Joe Mann has seen an extensive exploration history dating back to the early 1900s. The Preliminary Economic Assessment (as referred to in the Company's announcement of 15 October 2024) provides a detailed history of the exploration activities undertaken by previous explorers.

Corner Bay was first identified as a prospect in 1956 1956 - 1972 eight drilling programs totalling 1,463 m and various geophysical and electromagnetic (EM) surveys 1973 - 1981 Riocanex and Flanagan McAdam: ground geophysical surveys and 43 diamond drill holes 1982 - 1984 Riocanex and Corner Bay Exploration: 38 drill holes and metallurgical test work 1988 - 1991 Corner Bay Exploration: diamond drilling, geophysical surveys and geological characterisation with initial MRE 1992 - 1994 SOQUEM optioned and acquired a 30% interest, and completed diamond drilling 1994 Explorations Cache Inc and Resources MSV Inc: diamond drilling 2004 - 2006 GeoNova and MSV: 98 diamond drill holes and first Technical Report on the Corner Bay project reporting a MRE 2007 - 2009 Campbell: diamond drilling and bulk sample 2012 - 2019 CBAY / AmAuCu: diamond drilling and MRE

Devlin identified in 1972 by airborne survey flown by the MERN 1979 - 1981 diamond drilling, geophysical surveys 1981 development commenced

Joe Mann identified in 1950 with the commencement of mining activities occurring in 1956 The Joe Mann mine operated underground during three different periods from 1956 to 2007 In July 2012, Resources Jessie acquired the Joe Mann mine property, but conducted only surface exploration work

Cedar Bay was discovered prior to 1927 by Chibougamau McKenzie Mines Ltd From initial discovery to 2013 various surface and underground drilling campaigns and geophysical surveys undertaken by various companies

Colline was first discovered with mapping and sampling and then drilled in the 1950s with follow up drilling in 1955. In the 1950s a shaft was sunk but the deposit was never mined The deposit was later tested with three drill holes and six regional drill holes throughout two drilling campaigns in 1984 and 1986/87 Exploration at Colline has been halted historically with the discovery of and focus on other deposits in the region

Golden Eye (previously known as Dore Ramp) was drilled in a few different phases from 1984 to 1992. A total of 47 drill holes from surface are reported during that period A double ramp of approximately 1 kilometre was excavated in 1991-92 to a vertical depth of 160 meters Underground drilling campaign of 46 holes totalling 10,200 meters tested the deposit mainly to a depth of 240 meters (only five holes tested the deposit between 300 and 600 meters)

Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation. Corner Bay and Devlin are located at the northeastern extremity of the Abitibi subprovince in the Superior province of the Canadian Shield and are examples of Chibougamau-type copper-gold deposits. The Abitibi subprovince is considered as one of the largest and best-preserved greenstone belts in the world and hosts numerous gold and base metal deposits.

The Corner Bay deposit is located on the southern flank of the Dore Lake Complex (DLC). It is hosted by a N 15 trending shear zone more or less continuous with a strong 75 to 85 dip towards the west. The host anorthosite rock is sheared and sericitized over widths of 2 m to 25 m. The deposit is cut by a diabase dyke and is limited to the north by a fault structure and to the south by the LaChib deformation zone.

The Corner Bay deposit consists of three main mineralized lodes (subparallel Main Lode 1 and Main Lode 2 above the dyke, and Main Lode below the dyke that make up the bulk of the deposit. The Corner Bay deposit has been traced over a strike length to over 1,100 m to a depth of 1,350 m and remains open at depth.

The mineralization is characterized by veins and/or lenses of massive to semi-massive sulphides associated with a brecciated to locally massive quartz-calcite material. The sulphide assemblage is composed of chalcopyrite, pyrite, and pyrrhotite with lesser amounts of molybdenite and sphalerite. Late remobilized quartz-chalcopyrite-pyrite veins occur in a wide halo around the main mineralization zones.

Devlin is a flat-lying, copper-rich lodes-hosted deposit in a polygenic igneous breccia that is less than 100 m from the surface. The tabular bodies have been modelled as four nearly horizontal lodes: a more continuous lower zone and three smaller lodes comprising the upper zone. Mineralization is reflected as a fracture zone often composed of two or more sulphide-quartz lodes and stringers. Thickness of the mineralized zones range from 0.5 m to 4.4 m. It has been diluted during modelling to reflect a minimum mining height of 1.8 m.

The Joe Mann deposit is characterized by east-west striking shear hosted lodes that extend beyond 1,000 m vertically with mineralization identified over a 3 km strike length. These shear zones form part of the Opawica-Guercheville deformation zone, a major deformation corridor cutting the mafic volcanic rocks of the Obatogamau Formation in the north part of the Caopatina Segment. The gabbro sill hosts the Main Zone and the West Zone at the mine, while the South Zone is found in the rhyolite. These three subvertical E-W (N275/85) ductile-brittle shear zones are sub-parallel to stratigraphy and to one another, with up to 140 m to 170 m of separation between them. These shear zones are hosted within a stratigraphic package composed of iron-magnesium (Fe-Mg) carbonate and sericite altered gabbro sills, sheared basalts, and intermediate to felsic tuffs intruded by various felsic intrusions. The Joe Mann gold mineralization is hosted by decimetre scale quartz-carbonate lodes (Dion and Guha 1988). The lodes are mineralized with pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite disposed in lens and lodelets parallel to schistosity, and occasionally visible gold. There are some other minor, mineralized structures, e.g., North and South-South Zones, with limited vertical and horizontal extensions.

The Cedar Bay deposit is hosted by a sheared and altered gabbroic-anorthosite of the DLC. The meta-anorthosites are typically comprised of 70% to 90% plagioclase, which has been heavily altered to epidote and albite. The Cedar Bay deposit generally has a northwest strike and dips steeply to the northeast. The gold-copper sulphide veins average approximately 1.5 m in width and are tens to hundreds of metres in strike length. The individual mineralization lenses have approximately 3:1 down dip to along strike anisotropies. The veins are comprised of pyrite and chalcopyrite with some gold and minor sphalerite. The main alteration minerals are chlorite, quartz, and carbonates. Locally, pyrrhotite dominates the vein mineral assemblage. Pyrrhotite has a very heterogeneous distribution within the mineralization. Drill hole Information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes:



easting and northing of the drill hole collar

elevation or RL (Reduced Level - elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar

dip and azimuth of the hole

down hole length and interception depth

hole length. If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. All requisite drill hole information is tabulated elsewhere in this release. Refer Appendices A and B of the body text. Data aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (eg cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated. For recent results, drill hole intersections are reported above a lower cut-off grade of 2g/t AuEq over widths of greater than 1m. Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high-grade results and longer lengths of low-grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail. A maximum of 1m internal waste was allowed. The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. Individual grades for the metals included in the metal equivalents calculation for the exploration results are in Appendices A, B and C of this release. Metal equivalents for exploration results have been calculated at a copper price of US$8,750/t, gold price of US$2,350/oz and silver price of US$25/oz. Copper equivalents are calculated based on the formula CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + (Au(g/t) x 0.77258)+(Ag(g/t) x 0.00822). Gold equivalents are calculated based on the formula AuEq(g/t) = Au(g/t) + (Cu(%) x 1.29436) + (Ag(g/t) x 0.01064). Metallurgical recovery factors have been applied to the metal equivalents calculations, with copper metallurgical recovery assumed at 95% and precious metal (gold and silver) metallurgical recovery assumed at 85% based upon historical production at the Chibougamau Processing Facility, and the metallurgical results contained in Cygnus' announcement dated 28 January 2025. It is the Company's view that all elements in the metal equivalent calculations have a reasonable potential to be recovered and sold. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results.



If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported.



If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (eg 'down hole length, true width not known'). All intersections reported in the body of this release are down hole.

For recent drill holes, holes are drilled as close to orthogonal to the plane of the mineralized lodes as possible.

True width is estimated to be about 80% of the downhole drill intersection Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported. These should include,but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. Refer Figure 1 (Long Section of Golden Eye) and 2 (Long Section through the Chibougamau North Camp illustrating Golden Eye) in the body of the announcement.

Below cross section of LDR-25-08 (Refer Figure 3 at the end of the announcement)

Plan view of recent drilling relative to historic drilling and the 1992 ramp access (Refer Figure 4 at the end of the announcement) Balanced reporting Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results. Recent infill and expansion drilling at Golden Eye totals 6 holes for 1,954m, with assay results for 2 drill holes received to date. All results greater than 2g/t AuEq over greater than 1m width have been reported. Visible gold has been reported in respect of hole LDR-25-09. Visual estimates have not been provided for the remaining holes on the basis that no visible gold was observed. Other substantive exploration data Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples - size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances. There is no other substantive exploration data. Further work The nature and scale of planned further work (eg tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling).



Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. The Company plans to conduct drill testing of additional mineralisation as well as step out drilling of existing lodes to further enhance the resources quoted in this release. More information is presented in the body of this report.

Diagrams in the main body of this release show areas of possible resource extension on existing lodes. The Company continues to identify and assess multiple other target areas within the property boundary for additional resources.









Figure 3: Below cross section of LDR-25-08





Figure 4: Plan view of recent drilling relative to historic drilling and the 1992 ramp access



Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eec191d4-79ad-40ae-9993-487bf56e3e8b

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b6ef5b3f-76a2-4c84-ac35-9b2e21255a04

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ba6fce2c-5bd8-4184-bc3b-dd7f075665b9

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4601895b-6a94-47d9-a915-bdf90f7afdbf

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d7a3d9fa-761d-4df9-ac02-5c0f31a69571
Vancouver, May 8, 2025 - Glenstar Minerals Inc. (CSE: GSTR) (OTCQB: GSTRF) (FSE: VO2) ("Glenstar" or the "Company") announces that it has staked 45 mineral claims, representing 900 acres (364 hectares) in Mineral County, Nevada. Mineral County lies approximately 100 miles south of Lake Tahoe and its western boundary abuts the California state border.

The area was targeted after compilation of all available data, including notes of a 1975 field examination contained in the Anaconda Company archives housed at the university of Wyoming.

The claims, known as the Wildhorse Claims, show historical workings that appear to date from the late 1800's and early 1900's. Other claim stakes that the geological team discovered on the property indicate the last time the area was staked was 2011, however, these claims were never registered with the BLM. Preliminary geological assessment of the claims, and the area in general, indicate there are a series of east dipping mineralized zones. Initial field examination of the property identified and sampled a quartz veinlet zone containing in excess of 1 gram per ton gold, 1% copper, and 6,100 ppm of antimony. It was also reported that outcropping zones also contain bismuth and tungsten >200 ppm, which points to a focused intrusive source for the epidote skarn alteration and poly-metallic system.

Several additional areas of exposed copper mineralization were located during the staking of the property. These new zones have not been sampled yet but clearly show that multiple targets for detailed exploration exist on the property.

The geology of the area is complex, with strongly folded and faulted limestones, shale, and metavolcanic rocks of Paleozoic age underly the known mineralization and cover a large portion of the property claims. Importantly, an intrusive mass of rhyolite has intruded the deformed section in a position proximal to the known mineralization. Land slide rubble and boulder bearing gravel units conceal the underlying geology in the northcentral portion of the property.

The economic opportunity at Wildhorse points to the possible discovery of a large, well mineralized skarn system under the surface workings and within the controlling north-south fault zone exposed at surface. Skarns are relatively easy to explore as they respond well to variety of electric geophysical methods including magnetic surveys.

The work program at Wildhorse will begin with a detailed dry stream bed sediment sampling program to explore for additional mineralization on the property. Geologic mapping and detailed rock chip sampling will follow, and then a more extensive work program, following positive results, will be required to conduct a comprehensive geophysical survey. Once completed, the geophysical survey will define possible drill targets.

Glenstar also announces that it has engaged Think Ink Marketing of Santa Ana, California, to conduct a marketing and awareness campaign focused on updating existing stakeholders and shareholders, as well as introducing the Company and its critical mineral exploration projects to a wider audience. The agreement is for an initial term of one month, which can be extended by Glenstar on a month to month basis following evaluation of each campaigns' effectiveness in achieving its goal. The fee for services provided by Think Ink Marketing is USD $50,000 for the first month, and then USD $50,000 for each month the agreement is extended by Glenstar.

About Glenstar Minerals Inc.

Glenstar is a mineral exploration company with a focus on polymetallic minerals. These elements are classified as critical minerals and are essential in the manufacturing of sophisticated electronics and other vital energy technologies. The Company's mission is to leverage its knowledge and connections to explore, acquire, and develop critical mineral and energy metal properties in predominant jurisdictions in North America, and throughout the world.

Glenstar's shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the symbol "GSTR", on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "VO2", and on the Over-the-Counter market (OTCQB) in the United States under the symbol "GSTRF" Following its successful IPO, Glenstar has 24,082,379 shares issued and outstanding.

Robert Marvin, P.Geo (ONT) is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 who has examined the property and directed all exploration activities on the property since initial staking in January 2022.

Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This release may contain certain forwardlooking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of the Company and certain of the plans and objectives of the Company with respect to the same. By their nature, forwardlooking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future and there are many factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forwardlooking statements.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. This release may contain statements within the meaning of safe harbour provisions as defined under securities laws and regulations.

We seek safe harbour.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251277
Autoren Amann, Frank Aschoff, Heiko Baader, Roland Balzer, Horst Dr. Bandulet, Bruno Dr. Barbera, Frank Barisheff, Nick Baudzus, Roman Bauernfeind, Reinhard Dr. Bergold, Uwe Dr. Bernecker, Hans A. Blaschzok, Markus Bock, Robert Dipl.-Kfm. Bocker, Hans J. Prof. Dr. Boehringer, Peter Bogner, Stephan Bonner, Bill Borg, Gregor Prof. Dr. Bozicevic, Falko Brkan, Tiho Brockmann, Claus Browne, John Buchenberg, Wal Buchwalder, Rene Buntrock, Christian Butler, Theodore Buttner, Jurgen Barligea, Ralph Chapman, David Christenson, Gary E. Clark, Jeff DAF Daughty, Richard Dennin, Torsten Dr. Deutsch, Reinhard dottore Droke, Clif DZ Bank AG Eibl, Christoph Eichelburg, Walter K. Eliseo, Jordan Elitebrief Engdahl, F. William Faber, Marc Dr. Feiten, Marco Fekete, Antal E. Prof. Fietkau, Claus-Peter Fischer, Andre Fischer, Martina Flierl, Ralf Foellbach, Paul Dr. rer. nat. Friedrich, Marc Fritsch, Rudy J. Fugger, Horst Furst, Christian Gan, Heiko Gasteiner, Michael Gburek, Manfred Gehrt, Ronald Geyer, Christoph Gilburt, Avi Gleason, Mike Gleason, Stefan Goldberg, Martin GoldMoney Graf, Hans-Wolff Grandt, Michael Dr. h.c. Grass, Claudio Greyerz, Egon von Grummes, Florian Haase, Daniel Hahn, Alexander Hamer, Eberhard Prof. Dr. Hamer, Eike Dr. Hamilton, Adam Hansen, Ole Hartmann, Robert Hedrich, Werner Heibel, Stephan Heidkamp, Bjorn Hell, Sebastian Hellmeyer, Folker Hellwig, Sonia Hemke, Craig Hera, Ron Heuschuch, Oliver Hewitt, Mike Hirsekorn, Alexander Hirt, Walter Hochreiter, Gregor Mag. Hoffman, Andrew Holmes, Frank Hommel, Jason Hook, Captain Hoose, Andreas Hopf, Philip Hurtz, Armin Huster, Hannes Hufner, Martin W. Dr. Hommel, Jason Jubelt, Christian Kagels, Karsten Kamber, Kurt W. Kestermann, Oliver Kilbach, Michael King, Eric Klude, Carsten Klumpp, Frank Kneist Jan Jan, Jan Koning, John Paul Kosares, Michael J. Kuner, Jurgen Kammerer, Christian Kolz, Wilfried Lange, Friedrich A. LBBW Lechner, Christian Leuschel, Roland Lewis, Jeffrey Dr. Lips, Ferdinand Lorch, Matthias Lorenz, Michael Dr. habil. Lundeen, Mark J. Maa, Rudiger Mack & Weise Mahnert, Jorg Malisch, Ralph Manly, Ronan Martenson, Chris Dr. Martin, Paul C. Dr. Mauldin, John Maund, Clive May, Thomas Mayer, Walter Mayr, Richard Meier, Rainer Merk, Axel Meyer, Frank Mezger, Markus Minenportal.de Mittermaier, Christoph Dr. Morgan, David Mross, Michael Muratovic, Tea Muchler, Frank Mullenmeister, Hans Jorg Muller, Johannes Muller, Jurgen Dr. Mohrer, Christian Nef, Rolf Nieuwenhuijs, Jan Nitzsche, Marc Norcini, Dan Nowacki, Jurgen RohstoffRaketen Otte, Max Prof. Dr. OByrne, Mark Paulick, Steffen Pento, Michael Petch, David Pfauntsch, Uli Piepenburg, Matt Polleit, Thorsten Prof. Dr. Proettel, Thorsten Puplava, Jim Porschmann, Thorsten Rabe, Jens Radomski, Przemyslaw Rakhimov, Sean Redaktion Rethfeld, Robert Rettinger, Detlef Dr. Reymann, David Richardt, Florian Richebacher, Kurt Dr. Rickards, James Riemenschneider, Volkmar Dr. Rohstoff-Spiegel Rohstoff-Welt.de Roos, Hubert Roy-Byrne, Jordan Russell, Richard Saiger, Johann A. Salomon, Stefan Savage, Gary Saville, Steve Schall, Lars Schallenberger, Frank Dr. Schiff, Peter Schilbe, Stefan Schiml, Markus H. Schmidt, Mirko Schroder, Robert Schulz, Hans-Dieter Dr. Schafer, Henning P. Senf, Bernd Shedlock, Michael Shepherd, Ceri Siebholz, Dietmar Dr. Siegel, Martin Silberman, Greg Singer, Klaus Smart Investor Smeding, Nadine Smith, David Sobolev, Boris Speck, Dimitri Sprott, Eric St. Angelo, Steve Stahl, Markus Dr. Stanzl, Jochen Steffens, Jochen Steininger, Marius Stemper, Ralph W. Storfner, Sebastian Strehk, Marko Streitmayer, Sven Stoferle, Ronald Peter Mag. Suchecki, Bron Summa, Benjamin Taggart, Adam Taylor, Jay The Gold Report Theuerzeit, Thomas Tiggre, Lobo Todd Stein & Steven McIntyre Torney, Marcel Tschol, Egon Turk, James Ullmann, Werner Vartian, Christian Mag. Vermeulen, Chris Vertrauliche Mitteilungen Vitye, Robert Vogel, Gabor Vogt, Claus von Belang, Nicht Vorndran, Philipp Vronsky, I.M. Waldenberger, Karl-Heinz Warmbein, Uwe Watson, Roland Weber, Wolfgang Weinberg, Eugen Weiner, Keith Dr. West, James Weygand, Harald Williams, Kelsey Williams, Lawrence Willie CB, Jim Wolff, Ernst Wolter, Manfred Wright, Scott Wrzesniok-Robach, Wolfgang Zihlmann, Peter Zimmel, Manfred Zipfel, Hannes
Vancouver, May 8, 2025 - TheNewsWire - Sponsored content disseminated on behalf of West Red Lake Gold. On May 7, 2025, West Red Lake Gold Mines (TSXV: WRLG) (OTCQB: WRLGF) published reconciliation results from the bulk sample program at its 100% owned Madsen Mine located in the Red Lake Gold District of Northwestern Ontario, Canada.

WRLG bulk sampled 14,490 tonnes of ore @ 5.72 grams/tonne Gold, generating 2,498 ounces of gold worth CAD $11.7 million at CAD $4,700/ounce. The Madsen Mill has a permitted throughput of 800 tonnes/day.

West Red Lake Gold is one of only four single-asset companies putting a new gold mine into production in 2025.



Click Image To View Full Size

West Red Lake Gold Bulk Sampling Highlights:

The bulk sample carried an average grade of 5.72 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold ("Au"), 0.7% above the average predicted grade of 5.68 g/t Au for six stopes across three areas.

14,490 tonnes of bulk sample produced 2,498 ounces of gold

Gold recovery in the Madsen Mill averaged 95%

"Delivering tonnes and grade from the mine that align almost exactly with expectations validates all the work we have done to unlock the tremendous value in the Madsen Mine," stated Shane Williams, President and CEO, in the May 7, 2025 press release.

"This achievement underlines that Madsen is on track to become a new high-grade gold mine in 2025."

In the May 7, 2025 video below, WRLG explains why "West Red Lake Gold is Ready to Perform and Built for Today's Gold Bull Market."

The bulk sample included material from three main resource zones at Madsen - Austin, South Austin, and McVeigh.

Close reconciliation between predicted and actual grades and tonnages highlights the effectiveness of definition drilling and detailed stope design in informing accurate modelling of gold mineralization.

West Red Lake Gold has completed over 90,000 metres of definition drilling since October 2023, and the high-confidence tonnes resulting from this ongoing program currently make up approximately 90% of the 18-month detailed mine plan.

Six stopes were drilled, engineered, and mined using the same workflow that the Company plans to implement during regular mine operations at Madsen.



Click Image To View Full Size

"We design stopes to maximize economic benefit in today's gold price environment. This differs from the Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS"), which used a gold price of US$1,680 per ounce when designing stopes," stated Williams.

"Using a gold price just below the long-term consensus gold price of US$2,350 per oz. unlocks significant opportunity at Madsen because, in many areas, a halo of lower-grade mineralization can be profitable to include in the stope design when it surrounds targeted high-grade tonnes."

"In addition, mining larger stopes can lower mining costs by enabling long-hole stoping instead of cut-and-fill methods. We used long-hole stoping exclusively in the bulk sample.

We are excited by the opportunity to mine additional tonnes and ounces at Madsen, potentially lowering operational costs, increasing production, and enhancing overall economics relative to the PFS mine plan," stated Williams in the May 7, 2025 press release.



Click Image To View Full Size

"In a note published on Wednesday, the precious metals team [at Bank of America] led by Michael Widmer said it sees growing potential for gold to hit $4,000 an ounce in the second half of this year," reported Kitco News.

"In March, Widmer and his team predicted that gold prices would hit $3,500 by 2027-a target the precious metal reached in less than a month."

"In the commodities market, timing is critical. I'm betting current macro trends will boost the value of gold," wrote WRLG Co-Founder, Major Shareholder, Strategic Advisor Frank Giustra in 2024.

Giustra was instrumental in the development and growth of several significant gold producers. Gold Corp (Wheaton River) grew from US $17 million to a $21.8 billion market capitalization in a little over five years. Endeavour Mining grew from $180 million to $8 billion in under 7 years.

"It begins with one well-executed mine acquisition, like we are proving with Madsen. It expands through smart deals and leadership," added Giustra.



Click Image To View Full Size

"We acquired Madsen because we believed an accurate geological model, detailed engineering design, and disciplined mining practices would enable exactly this - a mine that delivers to plan. I am extremely pleased to deliver these bulk sample results, and I look forward to ramping up operations at the Madsen Mine in the coming months," stated Williams.

The Madsen deposits presently host an NI 43-101 Indicated resource of 1.65 million ounces of gold grading 7.4 g/t gold and an Inferred resource of 0.37 Moz of gold grading 6.3 g/t gold. [1 .] [2.] [3.]

The technical information presented in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Will Robinson, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration for West Red Lake Gold and the Qualified Person for technical disclosure at the West Red Lake Project, as defined by NI 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects".

Contact: guy.bennett@globalstocksnews.com

Disclaimer: West Red Lake Gold paid Global Stocks News (GSN) $1,750 for the research, writing and dissemination of this content.

Full Disclaimer: GSN researches and fact-checks diligently, but we cannot ensure our publications are free from error. Investing in publicly traded stocks is speculative and carries a high degree of risk. GSN publications may contain forward-looking statements such as "project," "anticipate," "expect," which are based on reasonable expectations, but these statements are imperfect predictors of future events. When compensation has been paid to GSN, the amount and nature of the compensation will be disclosed clearly.

References:

"NI 43-101 Technical Report and Prefeasibility Study for the Madsen Mine, Ontario, Canada", prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. and dated January 7, 2025 (the "Madsen Report "). A full copy of the Madsen Report is available on the Company's website and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca The Madsen Mine deposit presently hosts a National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") Indicated resource of 1.65 million ounces ("Moz") of gold grading 7.4 g/t Au and an Inferred resource of 0.37 Moz of gold grading 6.3 g/t Au. Mineral resources are estimated at a cut-off grade of 3.38 g/t Au and a gold price of US$1,800/oz. Mineral resources as stated are inclusive of mineral reserves. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The Madsen Resource Estimate has an effective date of December 31, 2021 and excludes depletion of mining activity during the period from January 1, 2022 to the mine closure on October 24, 2022 as it has been deemed immaterial and not relevant for the updated report. Please refer to the technical report entitled "Independent NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the PureGold Mine, Canada", prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., and dated June 16, 2023, and amended April 24, 2024. A full copy of the SRK report is available on the Company's website and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca The Madsen Mine also contains Probable reserves of 478 thousand ounces ("koz") of gold grading 8.16 g/t Au. Mineral reserve estimates are based on a gold price of US$1,680/oz. Please refer to the technical report "NI 43-101 Technical Report and Prefeasibility Study for the Madsen Mine, Ontario, Canada" available on the Company's website and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
Highlights:

Newly appointed metallurgical team has been critical in the advancement of revolutionary approaches to the economic recovery of gold, silver and strategic minerals;

Have reviewed and outlined key opportunities for economic recovery of metals within Pt. Leamington deposit with a keen focus on gold extraction; and

Will assist the Company in advancing the Pt. Leamington deposit by overseeing mineralogy and metallurgical testwork and other Callinex deposits through the next stages of development.

VANCOUVER, May 8, 2025 - Callinex Mines Inc. (the "Company" or "Callinex") (TSXV: CNX) (OTCQX: CLLXF) is pleased to announce that it has appointed metallurgists Dr. Peter Kondos and Dr. Yeonuk Choi to the Company's Technical Team. Peter and Yeonuk have collectively over 70 years of experience spanning multiple jurisdictions and deposit styles with a core expertise in the development of groundbreaking applications to the metallurgical recovery of gold, silver and strategic minerals. The duo, who co-founded YaKum Consulting Inc. ("YaKum"), have reviewed and outlined opportunities to advance the Pt. Leamington deposit (the "Deposit") and create immediate value to the Deposit as the Company advances the project moving forward. They will oversee mineralogical and metallurgical testwork at Pt. Leamington and other Callinex deposits through the next stages of development.

Max Porterfield, President & CEO of Callinex Mines stated, "We are honored to have Dr. Kondos and Dr. Choi joined our team and moving forward will oversee testwork on the Point Leamington and other deposits Callinex possesses as they move through the next stages of development, given the Deposit has a considerable gold resource in addition to copper, zinc and silver. Peter and Yeonuk are the perfect additions to our team with a proven track record of being creative innovators at the forefront of new technology to drive value out of significant deposits for some of the true giants of the mining industry."

Dr. Peter Kondos, CEO of YaKum and member of Callinex's Technical Team commented, "I'm excited to get to work on the Pt. Leamington deposit and the rest of Callinex's exciting deposits as they are advanced. After, thoughtful review of the Pt. Leamington we have outlined several key opportunities to refine the recovery of gold and other metals within the deposit economically."

Dr. Yeonuk Choi, President and Chief Technology Officer of YaKum and member of Callinex's Technical Team added, "The Pt. Leamington deposit, and others that Callinex possesses, hold significant potential to obtain good recoveries of all the metals with a keen interest on its gold endowment. Given that the deposit has had very limited metallurgical work historically coupled with advancements of new technologies in recovery of metals we see significant opportunity to add value moving forward."

Collectively, their accomplishments and accolades include:

MetSoc Innovation Award (2016) by the Metallurgy and Materials Society of the Canadian Institute for Mining for successfully developing a thiosulfate leaching circuit to treat double-refractory ore at Barrick's Goldstrike mine in Nevada that can't be treated using conventional processes.

MetSoc Innovation Award (2019) where, as part of Barrick's team, they developed and commercialized the Hot Cure and Lime Boiling Process to recover silver from the pressure oxidation process.

Oversaw the design and construction of Barrick's Pueblo Viejo Mine plant with transformational, proprietary technologies

The combination of research and innovation with practical experience in mining technology has allowed them to receive more than 10 patents and published over 50 times for unique, innovative solutions, such as various non-cyanide gold leaching systems that reduce environmental risk.

Both have held senior roles with Barrick, Noranda, Korea Zinc, Falconbridge, Inco, Cyclic Materials among others.

Dr. Kondos and Dr. Choi serve as adjunct professors at the University of Toronto and Queen's University, respectively.

About Callinex Mines Inc.

Callinex Mines Inc. (TSXV: CNX) (OTCQX: CLLXF) is advancing its portfolio of base and precious metals rich deposits located in established Canadian mining jurisdictions. The focus of the portfolio is highlighted by the rapidly expanding Rainbow deposit at its rich VMS Pine Bay Project located near existing infrastructure in the Flin Flon Mining District. Callinex prepared an indicated mineral resource on the Rainbow deposit of 3.44 Mt grading 3.59% CuEq for 272.4 Mlb CuEq (238.3 Mlb Cu, 56.9 Mlb Zn, 37.6 koz Au, 692.8 koz Ag, 2.3 Mlb Pb), an inferred mineral resource on the Rainbow deposit of 1.28 Mt grading 2.95% CuEq containing 83.4 Mlb CuEq (72.1 Mlb Cu, 19.5 Mlb Zn, 11.1 koz Au, 222.2 Koz Ag, 0.8 Mlb Pb) and an inferred mineral resource at the Pine Bay deposit of 1.0 Mt grading 2.62% Cu containing 58.1 Mlb Cu (see news release dated July 10, 2023). The second asset in the portfolio is the Nash Creek Project located in the VMS rich Bathurst Mining District of New Brunswick. A 2018 PEA generates a strong economic return with a pre-tax IRR of 34.1% (25.2% post-tax) and NPV8% of $230 million ($128 million post-tax) at $1.25 Zinc (see news release dated May 14, 2018). The third asset, 100% owned Point Leamington Deposit in Newfoundland, is located in one of the richest VMS and Gold Districts in Canada. Callinex prepared a pit constrained Indicated Mineral Resource of 5.0 Mt grading 2.5 g/t AuEq for 402 koz AuEq (145.7 koz gold, 60.0 Mlb copper, 153.5 Mlb zinc, 2.0 Moz silver, 1.5 Mlb lead), a pit constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 13.7 Mt grading 2.24 g/t AuEq for 986.5 koz AuEq (354.8 koz gold, 110.2 Mlb copper, 527.3 Mlb zinc, 6.2 Moz silver, 7.0 Mlb lead) and an out-of-pit Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.7 Mt grading 3.06 g/t AuEq for 168.5 koz AuEq (65.4 koz gold, 13.3 Mlb copper, 102.9 Mlb zinc, 1.4 Moz Ag, 2.6 Mlb lead) (see news release dated October 25, 2021).

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future expenditures. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, among others, the ability to complete the proposed drill program and the timing and amount of expenditures. Except as required under applicable securities laws, Callinex does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/acclaimed-metallurgists-joined-callinexs-technical-team-302449707.html

SOURCE Callinex Mines Inc.
Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp. (TSXV: SUU) (OTCQB: SUUFF) ("Strathmore" or "the Company") announces that it has received conditional approval to list its common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") and will voluntarily delist its common shares from the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").

The CSE offers a more cost-effective platform with a streamlined regulatory framework that is well-suited for the Company's current stage of development. Despite the change in exchange, we will continue to meet all obligations as a reporting issuer under Canadian securities and SEC regulations.

The Company expects to delist its common shares from the TSX-V on May 9, 2025 and list its common share on the CSE on May 12,2025 .The Company will remain a "reporting issuer" under applicable Canadian securities laws throughout the process. The Company will retain the trading symbol "SUU" and its shares will continue to be quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol "SUUFF".

In connection with its listing on the CSE, the Company has prepared and filed a listing statement dated May 7, 2025 available under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca

2025 Exploration Plan and Budget

In conjunction with the CSE listing, Strathmore is pleased to announce the 2025 exploration plan and budgets for work to be completed this year at the Agate and Beaver Rim projects. Note that the budgets and work plan are contingent on prevailing market conditions.

Agate Project

The Agate project is in the Shirley Basin Uranium District of central Wyoming. In 2023 and 2024, Strathmore completed 200 exploration holes on the project that delineated uranium mineralization. Based upon the continuing success of expansion of the mineralized deposit, an additional 100 holes are planned on the project in summer 2025, including 5 core holes for assays and disequilibrium studies. The following details the planned exploration and budget estimate:

Year 2025 - Agate

Exploration Drilling and Site Studies: $260,000 USD



Beaver Rim Project

The Beaver Rim project is in the Gas Hills Uranium District of central Wyoming. Strathmore completed a successful drilling program in autumn 2024 on the project that delineated uranium mineralization. Based on this success, an additional 6 holes are planned for summer 2025. The following details the planned exploration and budget estimate:

Year 2025 - Beaver Rim

Exploration Drilling and Site Studies:

$182,000 USD



About Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp.

Strathmore has three permitted uranium projects in Wyoming: Agate, Beaver Rim, and Night Owl. The Agate and Beaver Rim properties contain uranium mineralization in typical Wyoming-type roll front deposits based on historical and recent drilling data. The Night Owl property is a former producing surface mine that was in production in the early 1960s.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed on behalf of the company by Terrence Osier, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration of Strathmore Plus Uranium Corp., a Qualified Person.

Cautionary Statement: "Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as the term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release".

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, any information contained in this news release may be a forwardlooking statement that reflects the Company's current views about future events and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forwardlooking statements by the words "may," "might," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "intend," "plan," "objective," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "potential," "target," "seek," "contemplate," "continue" and "ongoing," or the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology intended to identify statements about the future. Forwardlooking statements may include statements regarding the TSXV delisting and the CSE listing. Although the Company believes that it has a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement, we caution you that these statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our expectations of the future, about which we cannot be certain. The Company cannot assure that the actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forwardlooking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forwardlooking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.


More than 29 km of exploration strike length along three strong NE-SW magnetic low trends coinciding with EM conductors and cross-cutting faults, providing highly prospective shallow drill targets.

Uranium mineralization is present along a strike length of 800 metres between historical drill holes TL-79-3 (0.057% U 3 O 8 over 3.5 m) and TL-79-5 (0.065% U 3 O 8 over 0.1 m) on the Project (defined below), in addition to the Manhattan Showing with historical results of 59,800 ppm U at surface 1 .

O over 3.5 m) and TL-79-5 (0.065% U O over 0.1 m) on the Project (defined below), in addition to the Manhattan Showing with historical results of 59,800 ppm U at surface . High-resolution geophysical survey - A modern time domain electromagnetic ("TDEM") survey was recently completed, upgrading drill targets through the definition of the three main conductor trends.

The Company is in a strong financial position to explore its projects in the coming 2025 exploration season with the closing of over $1,000,000 CAD.

Vital Battery Metals Inc. ("Vital" or the "Company") (CSE: VBAM | OTC: VBAMF | FRA: C0O), is pleased to announce that it has signed a definitive property option agreement (the "Option Agreement"), dated May 8, 2025, with Standard Uranium (Saskatchewan) Ltd. and Standard Uranium Ltd. (collectively, the "Optionors"), who are arm's-length parties to the Company. Pursuant to the Option Agreement, the Company has been granted the option (the "Option") to acquire a seventy-five percent (75%) interest in the 12,265-hectare Corvo Project (the "Corvo Property" or the "Project") located in the eastern Athabasca Basin region (Please see Figure 1).

The Company believes the Corvo Property is highly prospective for the discovery of shallow, high-grade basement-hosted uranium mineralization akin to the Rabbit Lake deposit and the recently discovered Gemini Mineralized Zone. Located just outside the current margin of the Athabasca Basin, the Project boasts shallow drill targets with bedrock under minimal cover of glacial till. Several outcrop showings of mineralized veins and fractures are present on the Project, notably the Manhattan Showing that returned historical sample results up to 59,800 ppm U at surface and has never been drill tested.

Interim Chief Executive Officer, Mandeep Parmar, commented, "The Company is poised for growth as we have now secured funding from strategic investors to advance our projects. The acquisition of the Corvo Uranium Project is fundamental to the growth of the Company. We're eager to step into a new jurisdiction in the Athabasca Basin, one that is known to host several world-class uranium deposits. Moving forward, the Company is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the global demand for energy and is poised to advance towards its long-term objectives."





Figure 1 - Regional map of the Corvo Property. The Project is located 45 km northeast of Atha Energy's Gemini Mineralized Zone and 60 km due east of Cameco's McArthur River mine.

Following the exercise of the Option, the parties intend to form a joint venture for the further development of the Project. Prior to the exercise of the Option, the Optionors will act as the operator of the Project and will be entitled to charge a 10% fee on expenditures in Year 1, increasing to 11% in Year 2 and 12% in Year 3. Following the exercise of the Option, Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. will retain a 2.5% net smelter returns royalty on the Project, of which 1.0% may be purchased back at any time for a one-time cash payment of $1,000,0002.

No finders' fee are payable by the Company in connection with the Option.

*The Company considers uranium mineralization with concentrations greater than 1.0 wt% U 3 O 8 to be "high-grade".

**The Company considers radioactivity readings greater than 300 counts per second (cps) to be "anomalous".

Option Agreement Details

The Option is exercisable by the Company completing cash payments and share issuances ("Consideration Shares"), and incurring the following exploration expenditures on the Project:

Consideration Payments Consideration Shares Exploration Expenditures Operator Fees Year 1 $50,000 $125,000 $750,000 $75,000 Year 2 $75,000 $275,000 $1,750,000 $192,500 Year 3 $100,000 $325,000 $2,000,000 $240,000 Total $225,000 $725,000 $4,500,000 $507,500



The Consideration Shares issuable in the first year will issued at a deemed price of $0.13 per Consideration Share and will be subject to resale restrictions from which one-quarter of the Consideration Shares will be released every six months for a twenty-four month period. The remaining Consideration Shares will be issuable at a deemed price equivalent to the volume-weighted average closing price of the common shares of the Optionee on the Canadian Securities Exchange in the thirty (30) trading days immediately prior to issuance. Consideration Shares issuable in the second year will be subject to resale restrictions from which one-third will be released every six months for an eighteen month period. Consideration Shares issuable in the third year will be subject to resale restrictions from which one-half will be released every six months for a twelve month period.

Private Placement

The Company is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated April 2, 2025, the Company has completed the previously announced non-brokered private placement of units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.065 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,040,114.40 (the "Offering").

Each Unit consists of one (1) common share of the Company and one (1) transferable common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) common share at a price of $0.10 per share until May 8, 2027. The Warrants contain an accelerated expiry clause (the "Acceleration Clause"). Pursuant to the Acceleration Clause, if the Shares of the Company close at or above $0.20 for ten (10) consecutive trading days on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE"), then the Company may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by issuing a news release announcing the accelerated Warrant term, pursuant to which the Warrants will expire on the 30th calendar day after the date of such news release.

In connection with the closing of the Offering, an aggregate of $35,742.87 was paid in cash and a total of 549,890 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") were issued as finder's fees. Each Finder's Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.10 per share until May 8, 2027.

The net proceeds of the Offering are expected to be used towards advancement of the Company's projects and for general working capital purposes. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day, expiring on August 9, 2025.

A director of the Company participated in the Offering by subscribing for 100,000 Units for gross proceeds of $6,500. The issuance of the Units to the insider of the Company is considered a related party transaction subject to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that the participation by the insider does not exceed 25% of the fair market value of the Company's market capitalization.

The securities issued pursuant to the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws. Accordingly, the securities issued pursuant to the Offering may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Vital Battery Metals Inc.

Vital Battery Metals Inc. (CSE: VBAM | OTC: VBAMF | FRA: C0O) is a mineral exploration company dedicated to the development of strategic projects comprised of battery, base and precious metals in stable jurisdictions. The Company is working to advance its Corvo Uranium & Sting Copper Project.

The Sting Copper Project covers approximately 12,700 hectares and hosts multiple historic Newfoundland and Labrador Government documented mineral occurrences and is located within a 50 km corridor known for significant volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS), copper quartz vein lode and low sulphation epithermal gold showings.

For more information, visit www.vitalbatterymetals.com.

Qualified Person Statement

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Sean Hillacre, P.Geo., President and VP Exploration of Standard Uranium Ltd. and a "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Historical data disclosed in this news release relating to sampling results from previous operators are historical in nature. Neither the Company nor a qualified person has yet verified this data and therefore investors should not place undue reliance on such data. The Company's future exploration work may include verification of the data. The Company considers historical results to be relevant as an exploration guide and to assess the mineralization as well as economic potential of exploration projects. Any historical grab samples highlighted in this release are selected samples and may not represent true underlying mineralization.

References

1 SMDI# 2052: https://mineraldeposits.saskatchewan.ca/Home/Viewdetails/2052; Mineral Assessment reports: MAW00047: Eagle Plains Resources Inc., 2011-2012 & 64E13-0054: Norbaska Mines Ltd., 1979-1980

2 Standard Uranium Announces Agreement to Expand Newly Staked Corvo Project in the Eastern Athabasca Basin News Release, August 24, 2023. https://standarduranium.ca/news-releases/standard-uranium-announces-agreement-to-expand-newly-staked-corvo-project-in-the-eastern-athabasca-basin/

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Mandeep Parmar

Interim Chief Executive Officer, Director

+1 (604) 229-9772

info@vitalbatterymetals.com

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, including statements regarding the Project acquisition bringing a low-risk opportunity, the Company building a strong battery metals portfolio with low-risk opportunities that positively impact the Company and its shareholders and the Company providing an initial work plan are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Project and its mineralization potential; the Company's objectives, goals or future plans with respect to the Project; the commencement of drilling or exploration programs in the future; the anticipated results of any drilling or exploration programs conducted in the future; statements with respect to the Offering and the intended use of proceeds therefrom; completion of the Option. These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fff4dee9-c392-4c6b-8c30-1baf60265483


F1 bosses worry about skyrocketing green fuel costs

Formula 1 team bosses are becoming increasingly alarmed at the imminent skyrocketing cost of powering the 2026 generation of cars.

Isack Hadjar, Miami GP 2025

 Red Bull

In a paradoxical twist, the electrical component of the power units next year will increase to a whopping 50 percent - but the cost of the fuel is set to multiply by a factor of ten.

This year's more standard fuel costs teams about $30 a litre, but one engine manufacturer reportedly mentioned at the recent F1 Commission meeting that the fully-sustainable fuel next year will tip the scales at an incredible $300 per litre.

Christian Horner, who leads the Red Bull team which is setting up its own power unit subsidiary in collaboration with Ford, played down the concerns.

Personally, for us, it's not a significant issue, he said. Maybe a certain bracket should be introduced going forward, Horner added, referring to potential tweaks to the budget cap.

But fuel is potentially one of the bigger performance differentiators. The fuel companies seem very engaged in that, he said.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff explained why the fuel costs are set to skyrocket.

It's that the whole supply chain and energy contribution needs to be green, he said. "To achieve all of that, you need a certain specification of ingredients that is very expensive - and it's coming in much more expensive than anyone thought.

So we need to look at whether there's anything we can tweak to bring the per-litre price down.

However, Mercedes is also believed to be extremely confident about its likely competitiveness at the start of the new regulations, in part because of the ingenuity and investment of team fuel partner Petronas.

We want to be open-minded, said the Austrian. Petronas has been a great partner of ours. They're fully committed technically to the project, and with them we're evaluating if there's a regulation that can be changed to make it more financially sustainable.

(GMM)
Mick Schumacher admits attending Cadillac launch

Mick Schumacher, having attended the Miami GP last weekend, has confirmed reports that he was also present for Cadillac's F1 logo launch on Saturday.

Mick Schumacher, Belgian GP 2022

 Haas

Despite stepping down as Mercedes' reserve driver this year, the former Haas driver was reported to have travelled to Miami for secret Cadillac talks.

I was there briefly and took a look around, the 26-year-old, who was dropped by former Haas boss Gunther Steiner at the end of 2022, told Sky Deutschland when asked about the red-carpet Cadillac event that took place at Queen Miami Beach.

The logo was presented, and it looked very nice - the Cadillac logo and Formula 1 underneath. A very exciting topic and an exciting project, the German said when asked about F1's new eleventh team that will debut in 2026.

Schumacher, however, stopped short when asked if he is really being considered for one of the two cockpits. Let's see what happens next year, said the Alpine WEC driver.

His friend Sebastian Vettel told RTL this week: It would be nice if Mick got a second chance in Formula 1.

(GMM)
Talks underway for Imola's F1 contract renewal

Talks about renewing Imola's expiring contract are underway, according to Italian media.

Emilio Romagna GP 2024

 Red Bull

The president of the race promoter, Formula Imola, is the well-known former team owner Gian Carlo Minardi. He was asked by Sky Italia about F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali's recent claim that Imola will struggle to continue to co-exist on a calendar that already has a longer deal in place with Monza.

Our job is to show that we are capable of continuing to organise a grand prix, to put into difficulty those who will have to decide how to draw the calendar, the 77-year-old said as the last race in Imola's existing contract approahces.

Negotiations have already started, Minardi added. The next few days will be important because everyone will be there and it will be easier to sit around a table.

Crucially for Imola, the event retains the support of the president of the local Emilia-Romagna region, Michele de Pascale.

He told La Gazzetta dello Sport: For the institutions it is not a question of budget because there is strong interest in continuing. If we need a state, we have a state, he laughed.

Negotiations have been underway for some time, Pascale added. Monza does not prevent Imola from also being there.

Also commenting on Imola's negotiations is Flavio Siniscalsi, head of the department for sport at Italy's council of ministers. The efforts of local and national authorities are crucial, he said.

We must encourage and strengthen inter-institutional collaboration.

(GMM)
Mobile money and bank fraud cost Ghana GH10m in 2024  BoG to tighten cyber watch

Mohammed Ali Business News May - 08 - 2025 , 11:20

The Bank of Ghana is tightening digital security measures after cyber and technology-related fraud caused losses totalling nearly GH10 million in 2024.

The First Deputy Governor, Dr Zakari Mumuni, made this known on May 7, 2025, during a stakeholder engagement held at the Bank Square in Accra.

He told participants drawn from financial institutions and regulatory bodies that digital fraud was becoming more complex and widespread, with both banks and mobile money operators increasingly targeted.

According to the Banks 2024 fraud report, cyber and tech-related fraud cases rose in both frequency and impact, with reported losses climbing from GH8.9 million in 2023 to just under GH10 million last year.

Many of the threats, the Bank said, are difficult to trace and often originate outside the country.

To address this trend, the Bank of Ghana is revising its Cyber and Information Security Directive, which was first issued in 2018.

The updated rules will reflect new risks arising from artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data protection, and digital management.

Dr Mumuni indicated that the revised directive would be flexible enough to accommodate the different operational capacities of financial institutions.

In addition, the Bank is expanding the reach of its Financial Industry Command Security Operations Centre (FICSOC).

The centre, which currently monitors and shares information on cyber threats among participating banks, will be extended to cover all regulated financial institutions.

These include savings and loans companies, microfinance firms, insurance providers, pension funds, and capital market operators.

The Cyber Security Authority has named the Bank of Ghana as the Sectoral Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) lead for the financial industry. This designation gives the Bank responsibility for coordinating incident response and intelligence sharing within the sector.

Dr Mumuni cautioned that no financial institution can handle digital threats on its own.

We must share intelligence, align standards, and build systems that can protect the integrity of the financial sector and the trust of those who use it, he said.

He added that a single breach at one institution could affect others, given the increasing links between financial platforms, service providers, and regulatory systems.

Dr Mumuni also noted that the Bank wants to make basic cyber monitoring tools and warning systems accessible to every licensed institution, including rural banks and mobile money operators, to help protect customers and maintain public confidence in the formal financial system.
Mushroom innovation sparks rural transformation in Northern Ghana

Kweku Zurek Business News May - 08 - 2025 , 14:05

In the heart of Ghanas Northern Region, a mushroom agribusiness is rewriting the narrative of rural entrepreneurship, job creation, and women's empowerment. DeliMush, a beneficiary of the Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) and Mastercard Foundation, is not only producing gourmet mushroom products but also growing opportunities for women and youth.

Founded with a vision to transform the mushroom value chain, DeliMush has carved out a niche in processing fresh, locally cultivated mushrooms into healthy, plant-based food products. These include mushrooms in tomato, pepper and onion saucecatering to a rising demand among health-conscious consumers. But the business model goes far beyond food.

At DeliMush, were not just processing mushrooms, were preserving livelihoods, promoting wellness, and proving that sustainable, plant-based innovation can start right at the farm gate. Our goal is to nourish people and empower smallholder mushroom farmers, said Aisha Abdallah, Co-founder of DeliMush.

With funding and technical support from KIC and the Mastercard Foundations Initiative for Youth in Agricultural Transformation (IYAT), the enterprise has expanded into training and capacity-building for rural women. These training programmes equip participants with skills in mushroom cultivation, packaging, and business management, providing them with pathways to sustainable income and self-reliance.

Several of the trained women have launched their own mini mushroom farms, becoming part of DeliMushs growing supply network. The model provides a stable market for their produce, enabling them to reinvest in their households and communities while contributing to food security and environmental sustainability.

Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, Executive Director of KIC, praised the initiatives community-centred approach: When we invest in businesses that are rooted in community needs, the results are transformational. DeliMush is proof that sustainability and innovation can uplift entire communities.

The ripple effects are evidentmore inclusive local economies, reduced rural unemployment, and increased participation of women in agribusiness. By combining eco-friendly practices with social enterprise principles, DeliMush exemplifies a new wave of agribusinesses focused on impact as much as income.

As the partnership between KIC and Mastercard Foundation continues, more young entrepreneurs are expected to benefit from mentorship, funding, and business development opportunities under the IYAT programmefurther strengthening the agricultural value chains in underserved regions.
Its a new government but same old challenges with creative sector

Richmond Adu-Poku Showbiz News May - 08 - 2025 , 07:00 6 minutes read

IN 2024, Ghanas ever-faithful political pendulum swung back, as it tends to do every eight years or so, gently nudging the National Democratic Congress (NDC) back into power after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) completed its full choreography on the governance stage.

The baton passed hands, the banners changed colour, and the speeches were dutifully dusted off and redeployedhope, as always, made a grand entrance.

For the creative sector, there was cautious optimism that this change might finally be more than cosmetic. Artists, musicians, filmmakers, and cultural entrepreneurs dared to dreamagainthat this time, someone in power might actually listen, invest, and deliver. But as the confetti settled and the sound of campaign drums faded into bureaucratic shuffling, reality began to sink in.

Four months into the NDCs administration, what was billed as a renaissance is starting to look suspiciously like a reruncomplete with the usual suspects: recycled policies, recycled promises, and the ever-reliable were still assessing the situation press statement. The revolution that was advertised is beginning to resemble a reboot of an old series, just with updated fonts and a slightly better social media team.

To many in the creative industry, it feels like watching a well-worn play with a new cast but the same tired script. The paint may be fresh, but the walls are the same. And while hope hasnt been entirely evicted, its definitely sleeping with one eye open.

The Black Star Experience: A Star is (Re)born or Just Recast?

Launched with pomp and plenty of patriotic pageantry on May Day 2025 at the iconic Freedom and Justice Monument, the Black Star Experience strutted onto the national stage as the NDCs glittering flagship initiativean ambitious effort to reposition Ghana as Africas cultural crown jewel. Think year-round festivals, vibrant diaspora homecomings, curated history trails, and all the creative trimmings.

On paper, its a masterstroke. But as many in the industry will tell you, the devil is always in the detailsand in this case, the devil may have simply changed his outfit.

Scratch beneath the glossy brochures and ceremonial speeches, and a different narrative emerges. Insiders are whisperingsome shoutingthat this experience feels more like a rebranded rerun than a bold new chapter. Same script, different title, quipped one seasoned creative, whos clearly seen enough administrations roll in with glittering slogans and roll out with nothing but selfies and unfinished pilot projects.

The creation of a new secretariat tucked neatly inside the presidency was meant to signal gravitas. Instead, its raised more than a few skeptical eyebrows. Why, critics ask, do we need yet another officeespecially one that seems to mirror the mandates of the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture like a bureaucratic doppelganger? Is this streamlining or simply stacking?

To many observers, its not so much a visionary leap as it is a redundancy roadshowcomplete with overlapping job descriptions, circular consultations, and a chorus of creatives wondering if anyones actually listening. The Black Star may be back, but whether its rising or just rotating in orbit remains to be seen. (Read Black Star Experience is not a rebranded 'Year of Return'  Rex Omar clarifies)

GHAMRO: Music Royalties Held Hostage

Meanwhile, Ghanas music industry is stuck on pause. The Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) still lacks a valid operating license, revoked by the Attorney General over long-standing compliance failures. That includes ignoring key reforms recommended by a 2017 Mediation Committee, like structural transparency and financial accountability.

GHAMROs leadership insists politics is to blame. But whether its red tape or red flags, the musicians pay the price. No license means no royaltiesonly rising frustration among artistes who feel abandoned by both their regulators and the new administration.

Demolition Blues: The Fantasy Dome Fiasco

As if that wasnt enough, the creative sector was dealt a heavy blow with the abrupt demolition of the $25 million Fantasy Dome in Accra, despite a court injunction. Once a beacon of promise for large-scale events, the Domes destruction sent shockwaves through the industry. Entrepreneur Baba Sadiq called it a monumental setback, underscoring the government's mixed signals on infrastructure investment.

To add insult to injury, plans to shutter the Grand Arena and the Palms by November have only deepened uncertainty. What was supposed to be a renaissance for creative spaces now feels more like a retreat.

Creative Sector or Creative Neglect?

Ghanas creative industry has long punched above its weightfrom music and film to fashion and festivals. Its a cultural powerhouse and a source of livelihood for thousands. Yet the same obstacles persist: poor infrastructure, erratic funding, and a lack of political will.

When the NDC returned to power, many hoped it would prioritise the artsnot just as campaign candy, but as a serious economic and cultural pillar. So far, the results have been underwhelming.

Time for Talk to Meet Action

Rhetoric is no longer enough. The creative sector doesnt need another committee, press release, or launch party. It needs action. Here's what the NDC must do to walk its talk:

 Develop a Real Strategy: Create a comprehensive roadmap for the creative economyone thats driven by data, designed with stakeholder input, and backed by actual funding.

 Fix GHAMRO, Fast: Resolve the license crisis and put transparent systems in place so that musicians can earn what theyre owed.

 Invest in Infrastructure: Replace words with bricks. The sector needs performance venues, recording studios, and exhibition spacesnot bulldozers.

 Provide Real Funding: Support creatives with grants, soft loans, and tax incentives. Passion alone wont pay the bills.

 Listen to the Industry: Bring creators to the table. Their insights are invaluableand often, more grounded than government consultants.

The Bottom Line

Culture is not a luxuryits an economic engine, a source of national pride, and a powerful tool for soft power. The NDCs Black Star Experience could still become a defining initiative. But without decisive action, it risks becoming yet another chapter in Ghanas long saga of political showmanship and artistic sidelining.

The creative sector is watching, waitingand increasingly weary of recycled promises. The question is no longer what will be done, but when. Ghanas artists have shown resilience. Its time their government matched it with results.
Next article: Its a new government but same old challenges with creative sector

Public Relations in the era of TGMA26

Andy Pratt Showbiz News May - 08 - 2025 , 10:00 5 minutes read

I HAVE been yearning for so long to write a piece about Public Relations (PR) in Ghana, with particular emphasis on the show-business industry. I guess this is the right opportunity.

If you are familiar with the show-business industry in Ghana, you would notice that these individuals--MC Portfolio, Vida Adutwumwaa, Tilly Akua Nipaa are very prominent in that space.

In recent weeks, they have dominated the conversation surrounding the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA26). They have been vocal in serving as Public Relations Officers(PRO) for King Paluta, Stonebwoy and King Promise, respectively. Without a doubt, they appear very committed to their duties. I admire their dedication and passion.

But before I continue, let me attempt to define in simple terms what Public Relations is.

Definition of Public Relations

Public Relations is a strategic communication process that builds and maintains positive relationships between an organisation (or individual) and its key stakeholders. The stakeholders may include the public, media, investors, employees, customers and potential customers.

The goal of PR is to shape public perception, enhance reputation, and build trust through carefully planned messaging, media engagement, and relationship management. And strategies take time to build and implement.

From this definition and many others from different textbooks, the common words that run through are Strategic, Planning, Process and Reputation. For any Public Relations campaign to be effective, there should be strategies and careful planning. Effective PR does not happen on the spur of the moment.

Misconception About Public Relations

Now that I have clearly defined Public Relations, let me go to the misconception. PR is NOT just about talking. Yes, talking is part of it, but it is not the totality. In fact, proper PR is practiced with more strategies, more writing and less talking. When the strategies are right, the talking is less.

Additionally, PR is not happenstance. It doesnt happen on the spur of the moment, where suddenly, someone should be appointed to speak on an issue with little or no strategy.

Unless, of course, there is a crisis that needs immediate attention. Even in a crisis, you have a 24-hour window to gather adequate facts before addressing the issue. So, again, it is all about building strategies for effective communication.

It appears the Show-Business industry in Ghana misses that part of building effective strategies or perhaps I dare say they fail to engage professional PROs. There is more concentration on the talking than building strategies to implement. It's like decorating a building that has no foundation.

PR is Not A Tool For An Attack

I have listened to all three PROs representing the music brands. On some occasions, they have all engaged in heated debates to position their artiste well for the TGMA Artiste of the Year award.

Anytime I watch or listen to the three PROs speak on radio or on TV, it either feels like a political debate where one must by all means dominate or outdo the other(s) with either a ferocious argument or an attack on the other opponent(s).

Though in some instances, all have made sound arguments and presented empirical evidence to prove who is worthy of the Artiste of the Year award, it more often sounds as though one who advances more arguments on behalf of his/her artiste will win the grand prize.

Perhaps, it is their aim to shape conversation around their artiste in order to influence the public one way or the other. Well, in doing so, this may or might have already ended in some strained relationships.

PR is Primarily Strategic

Goal-Driven: PR begins with defining objectiveslike enhancing brand reputation, managing crises, or driving investor interestall of which require meticulous planning.

Effective PR strategies involve analyzing audiences, competitors, and industry trends to craft tailored narratives. All these are backed by research. From objective observation, it is indicative, and evident that the three PROs have a clear objective--to garner attention to propel their artiste for the grand prize--Artiste of the Year.

When Talking is Needed

Strategy Without Communication is Ineffective: Even the best plans fail without compelling messaging and outreach. Hence, if the communication is ineffective, the strategies will crumble.

Therefore, talking is critical for nurturing media contacts, influencers, and stakeholders, but these interactions should be guided by strategic priorities.

Communication Without Strategy is Directionless: Random media hits, interviews, debates or social media posts do not guarantee a long-term reputation or achieve a desired or measurable outcome.

Unfortunately, Ghanas show-business industry seems to have embraced this form, which doesnt yield much results or often misfires. A reactive response (talking) is only effective if underpinned by a preemptive strategy.

Beyond the Awards

Public Relations is a continuous process and not an event. That is why it is imperative to have a proper strategy. These strategies dictate the choice of tactics (e.g., press releases, Radio/TV interviews, storytelling, articles, social media posts, influencer collaborations, events, etc), ensuring alignment with broader business goals. Of course, all these tactics and tools are more often preceded by rigorous research.

PR is a balanced interplay of both strategic planning and effective communication, but its foundation lies in building robust strategies that guide targeted messaging.

If you are a PR student or practitioner, you could feel that the objective of managing and shaping the public image and reputation of a celebrity brand, organisation, or individual is normally heavily lost.

The Show-Business industry in Ghana should take into consideration, how effective PR could influence their brand and reputation. There should be more business beyond the show. An excellent PR with all the available tools protect reputation and a good reputation brings the business.

Conclusion

PR is more about building strategies, with talking serving as the vehicle to execute them. Talking is just one of the tools, not the only tool for effective PR.

As noted by PR experts, "PR is a long game" where strategic groundwork determines the impact of communication efforts. PR is a huge investment into a brand that yields intangible results. Much attention should be dedicated to properly nurture PR in Ghana's Show-Business.
Kwabena Adu-Boahene's memo from EOCO cells on how monies were used for national security operations 'irrelevant' - Bright Simons

Bright Simons Opinion May - 08 - 2025 , 09:09 4 minutes read

The former head of one of the three main agencies constituting Ghana's national security system is under trial for stealing public funds designated for intelligence operations.

He has written a letter from detention darkly hinting at two things:

1. The monies that his private companies received from national security accounts and other government agencies were to be used for sensitive intelligence and security operations.

2. Unless his continued trial and detention are halted, he shall be forced to disclose some of these operations, details of which could embarrass senior politicians from both major political parties.

He tried to insinuate that national security agencies bribed members of parliament to facilitate the passage of laws of interest to the government.

He is alleging that even the then opposition party, now ruling party, received funds, vehicles, and other forms of support from the national security agencies ahead of recent elections.

The stated intent of all these murky expenses is the cohesion and stability of the country.

In previous commentary, I have warned how the murky way in which national security operations are funded has led to the some of the few instances of overt embezzlement in Ghana. Ghana is a country where public officials rarely embezzle public funds. They tend, instead, to prefer kickbacks.

At some point, serious conversations must be had about the setup of the national security auditing regime. The auditor general is not currently fit for this purpose. In fact, it is not fit for tackling most organised modes of misusing public funds.

However, as far as the criminal charges against the former spy boss is concerned, this letter is irrelevant.

If national security agencies wish to set up a special corporate vehicle for confidential operations, why would they do so in the name of one of the seniormost spy bosses in the country? Highly implausible. Why are there no actual classified records of any of this?

If the national security establishment wants to efficiently disburse funds for "dirty operations", why would it do so through illiquid real estate investments and the purchase of luxury items, for instance? How does that facilitate undercover payments for national security objectives?

Most vitally, the theories and allegations being urged on us by the former spy boss are up against the work of one of Ghana's most formidable investigators, Raymond Archer. Even as a private citizen, his craft was of daunting precision. Now that he has the full apparatus of the security state at his beck and call, I would be very surprised if he will leave any gaps of the kind suggested by the former spy boss.

Even what fragments we know about the investigation so far, if put together, shows that many payments from the bank account of the shady companies set up by the former spy boss have been traced to purely commercial activities and numerous luxury purchases.

What has the buying of a lamborghini for a high-end car rental service, for instance, got to do with bribing MPs to pass laws in parliament favorable to the government?

Hence, while the letter from the former spy boss makes for titillating reading and raises serious concerns about potential rot in national security, I do not see any real impact on the substantive charges laid against him.

Furthermore, the cryptic way he has presented the information, to maximise its sensational value without presenting any actual evidence, means that it is not even usable by the anti-corruption agencies.

If he is alleging actual wrongdoing by the national security agencies, then he can present clearer, actionable, evidence to any of the anti-corruption agencies. Otherwise, this looks like an attempt to blackmail the state to back off under vague and veiled threats of embarrassing some important people.

Obviously, the state would give credence to the insinuations if it relented for even a second. My analysis is that, for that same reason, the letter will only encourage the prosecution to double up their efforts.

If the state continue to put out information that folks like myself can independently verify, the public would be better served. It would make attempts to throw mud at the picture harder.
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Julius Malema: South African politician hits out after failing to get UK visa

bbc.com International News May - 08 - 2025 , 06:30 2 minutes read

South African firebrand opposition politician Julius Malema says he has been denied a visa to attend a conference in the UK on 10 May.

Malema said the UK had no "substantial justification" for its decision, and he saw it as an "attempt to silence a dissenting political perspective".

In a leaked letter to Malema's deputy, the UK High Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson, said the Home Office had been unable to process his visa application in time for his trip.

Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, is a fierce critic of what he sees as "Western imperialism", and also advocates the nationalisation of white-owned land in South Africa.

A Home Office spokesperson told the BBC that they do not comment on individual cases.

In a post on X, the EFF said the High Commission had "actively delayed the processing and approval" of their leader's visa so that he could not speak at the University of Cambridge on 10 May.

He had been invited by the university's African Society to address its Africa Together Conference, the EFF added.

In his letter, which the BBC has been told is genuine, Mr Phillipson said that he wanted to "personally apologise" that the Home Office in the UK had been "unable to process the application in time owing to the necessary steps required to consider visa applications and the unfortunate timing of some recent UK Bank Holidays".

He added that he had taken a "personal interest in the issue" over the last week.

"I recognise that this will be deeply disappointing, especially as the delegation applied in advance and some paid for priority service," Mr Phillipson said, in the letter to the EFF's Godrich Gardee.

Mr Phillipson added that the Home Office had agreed to refund the application fee.

Malema said on X that the EFF delegation had been promised that "everything would be sorted", but received a "regret letter just hours before our departure".

"This is unacceptable and spineless," he added.

The UK had a bank, or public, holiday on 5 May.
10-Member national airline task force inaugurated

Maclean Kwofi May - 08 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read

The government has initiated measures towards reviving the national airline by inaugurating a 10-member task force.

The national airline task force is mandated to start the process of developing a business model and operational framework for the proposed project.

It is also required to coordinate engagements with potential strategic and technical partners, oversee regulatory compliance and the certification process, including facilitating initial operational arrangements like staffing, fleet acquisition and route planning.

Since the collapse of Ghana Airways in the early 2000s, there had been various attempts to establish a reliable home-based airline to provide regional, sub-regional and international air transport services for the country.

Despite winning the bid to partner the government to revive the national airline project, Ashanti Airlines Limited (AAL) failed to meet the crucial deadline, rendering the entire efforts which started in 2017 to have the national carrier in the skies unsuccessful.

Members

The 10-member national task force is chaired by a former Managing Director of the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), Charles Asare.

Other members are Twumasi-A Selby, an aviation expert - Vice-Chair; Yvonne Opare, MD of GACL; Joyce Bawa Mogtari, a senior presidential advisor; Ellis Hugh-Tamakloe, an aviation expert; Benjamin Ahlijah; Patricia Bonsu, an aviation expert; Rev. Stephen Arthur, Director-General, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA); Daniel Acquah, a former Deputy Director-General, GCAA, and Eric Tetteh-Addison.

The terms of reference for the task force, among other things, include the provision of periodic reports and recommendation to the office of the President through the Ministry of Transport.

Commitment

The Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, who inaugurated the task force in Accra yesterday, said the government would leverage lessons from the past to re-establish the national airline.

It is part of the government's policy to make Ghana the aviation hub of West Africa and take advantage of the many potential benefits it comes with to facilitate our socio-economic development agenda.

It will facilitate the development of the tourism industry in the country, provide a sense of national pride, self esteem and employment opportunities for many qualified nationals in the aviation industry, Mr Nikpe added.

He said the hub concept required that the government strategically positioned the aviation industry through the establishment of a home-based carrier and equipped airports with state-of-the-art facilities.

The minister said it would also provide quality operations and services to make it the preferred point of origin and destination for both scheduled and non-scheduled flights.

The task force is in fulfilment of President John Mahamas promise to revive and restart a transparent process for the national airline project, he said.

Significance

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Transport, Mabel Sagoe, further said that the importance of air transport could not be underestimated as it facilitated international trade, connected people and strengthened socio-economic development worldwide.

Ghana is recognised as one of the first countries in the sub-region to establish a national airline which became a symbol of our national pride and dominated the West coast routes with an impeccable record in the aviation industry.

Unfortunately, the story is different today, she said.
Next article: Kwabena Adu-Boahene's memo from EOCO cells on how monies were used for national security operations including paying MPs allowances

Ghana, Algeria sign mutual visa exemption agreement

Augustina Tawiah May - 08 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read

Ghana and Algeria have signed an agreement on mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and service passports.

A joint communique issued in Accra after the official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to Algeria from April 29 to 30, said the two countries also discussed the possibility of extending the mutual visa exemption arrangement to ordinary passport holders.

The visit, which was at the invitation of Algerias Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad of Algeria, Ahmed Attaf, underscored the shared commitment of Ghana and Algeria to strengthen their long-standing partnership and enhance cooperation in priority sectors.

The communique said as part of the visit, bilateral discussions were held between the two foreign ministers, followed by an expanded working session.

It said both sides reaffirmed their determination to deepen bilateral cooperation and agreed on a roadmap of priority actions, including increasing high-level political contacts through regular exchange of visits; establishing a mechanism for political consultations through the signing of a memorandum of understanding; updating and finalising draft agreements under negotiation and proposing new legal instruments to strengthen the cooperation framework and holding the fourth session of the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation in Accra before the end of 2025 to identify and implement cooperation projects in areas such as higher education and vocational training, justice, transport, agriculture, health, the pharmaceutical industry, agro-industry, and building materials.

Africa response

The communique said the two ministers stressed the need for coordinated African responses to regional and global challenges, pointing out that they both emphasised the principle of African solutions to African problems, and underscored the need to prioritise dialogue, reconciliation, and negotiated settlements in addressing conflicts on the continent.

In the Sahel region, both ministers expressed deep concern over the ongoing security and humanitarian crises.

They agreed that a solely military approach could not resolve the complex challenges facing the region.

Instead, they advocated for a comprehensive strategy that addresses the root causes through increased investment in development, education, infrastructure, and the creation of economic opportunities for youth.

On the question of Western Sahara, the communique said both parties reaffirmed the necessity of a political solution based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the principles of the UN Charter and the AU Constitutive Act that ensured the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination.

Middle East

Regarding the situation in the Middle East, it said the ministers expressed deep concern over the ongoing hostilities in Gaza and reiterated their firm support for a two-state solution that would guarantee the Palestinian people their legitimate right to an independent and sovereign state.

It said they also reaffirmed the need for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations system, particularly the Security Council, in line with the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration, to ensure equitable representation of African countries in global governance.

The statement said Mr Ablakwa expressed his appreciation to the Algerian authorities for the warm welcome and extended an invitation to Mr Attaf to undertake a reciprocal visit to Ghana.
Implement automotive policy to boost local vehicle assembly - Rana Motors urges govt

Joshau Bediako Koomson May - 08 - 2025 , 09:57 4 minutes read

The Chief Operations Officer of Rana Motors, Kassem M. Odaymat, has urged the government to expedite the implementation of the Ghana Automotive Development Policy (GADP), stating that several pending policy measures were stalling growth and job creation in the sector.

According to him, although the policy was passed nearly four years ago, key aspects remained unimplemented  a situation, he said, continued to constrain the plants production capacity and ability to expand local employment, especially among young engineers.

Launched in 2019, the GADP is a government initiative aimed at transforming the country into a regional hub for automotive manufacturing in West Africa.

It was developed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with stakeholders, including international carmakers, local assemblers and regulators.

Today, we are operating at just a fraction of our full capacity.

We could easily multiply our output and workforce if the policy were fully implemented, Mr Odaymat said.

He made the call when the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism paid a working visit to the Rana Motors Assembly Plant in Accra today (May 7).

The visit was part of the committees duty to go round the industrial zones to identify performing companies, get their operations and also find out what their challenges are.

Ban enforcement

Mr Odaymat, who's also the President of the Ghana Automobile Distributors Association, also called for the enforcement of a ban on the importation of used vehicles older than 10 years, the implementation of a 35 per cent import duty on used vehicles aged between one and five years and the application of the Ghana Standards Authoritys homologation standards to all imported vehicles.

He explained that those steps were crucial to creating a level playing field for local assemblers, who were investing in training, infrastructure and modern assembly lines.

Without these measures, used vehicles continue to flood the market, directly competing with brand new vehicles assembled in Ghana, he noted.

According to Mr Odaymat, assemblers in the country had already made concessions by agreeing that vehicles between five and 10 years old could continue under the current duty regime to ease pressure on consumers, but stressed that at least the 35 per cent duty should apply to cars under five years old.

He also pointed out inconsistencies in the enforcement of homologation, which certified that vehicles met local technical and safety standards.

We, the new vehicle assemblers, are bearing the cost of homologation, yet many imported used vehicles are not being subjected to the same standards, he said, calling the situation unfair and counterproductive to the policys goals.

Long-term plans

Touching on the companys long-term plans, the chief operations officer said Rana Motors had designed its facility to meet all phases of assembly, from Semi Knocked Down (SKD) to Complete Knocked Down (CKD).

He, however, stressed that moving up the value chain required building capacity and increasing production volumes.

He also disclosed that the company had the infrastructure to scale production from 35,000 units annually to 75,000, should the market conditions improve and policy issues be resolved.

He emphasised the potential of component manufacturing as the next frontier, noting that such operations could employ 10 to 20 times more people than vehicle assembly itself.

Component manufacturing investors need assurance of volume, and that comes from a fully functioning and enforced policy, he said.

Commendation

The Chairperson of the committee, Hottordze Roosevelt Alexander, commended Rana Motors for its high local content and contribution to job creation.

He also praised its operations, noting that most of the staff, including engineers and managers, were Ghanaians.

Our dream is to make sure that every Ghanaian youth, regardless of background, gets something to do.

Now that we have a company employing our people like this, we are very happy, he said.

He gave an assurance that the committee had taken note of the challenges raised and would engage relevant authorities to address them.
LadMA Assembly Members reject MCE nominee, call for Akrong

Daily Graphic May - 08 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read

There was drama at the La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly (Ladma) in Accra last Tuesday following the rejection of the President's nominee for Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Alfredos Nii Anyetei, amid general sentiments among assembly members that long-serving party stalwart and current Chief Whip of the assembly, Aaron Akrong, should be the right man for the top role.

The assembly refused to give Mr Anyetei the endorsement he required because he failed to garner the needed 2/3 majority of votes to be confirmed as MCE, as nine of the 14 assembly members of Ladma who voted for his confirmation voted against and only five voted "Yes."

The MP for the area, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, who also doubles as the Deputy Minister of Local Government, and the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, who were both in support of the nominee and were present at the event, expressed surprise at the turn of events.

Following President John Dramani Mahama's nomination of persons for approval to head the 29 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Greater Accra Region last month, Mr Anyetei took his turn for his assembly members to confirm him, but they failed to give him the nod.

The failure to garner even the 50 per cent needed for a mandatory re-vote means the President cannot re-nominate him for consideration and has to nominate another person.

Rejection, preference

The announcement of the results of the voting by the designated Electoral Commissioner was met with cheers as party faithful and community members chanted revolutionary songs in support of the verdict.

Events at the scene indicated that both the crowd of NDC sympathisers and assembly members were in unison that the job of MCE for La Dade Kotopon should be given to Aaron Akrong, who they affectionately call Ice Tee.

They said he had served the assembly for nearly two decades and was instrumental in ensuring victory for the party in the last general election.

Aaron has been an assembly member for over 15 years, has been the chief whip for the assembly for over 12 years and knows all the dynamics of the assembly.

He is very experienced and well placed to take the mantle, apart from being our own," one of the NDC protesters told the Daily Graphic.

"This is the gentleman who worked tirelessly to bring the party to power, aside from all these credentials.

Why do we have to treat him like that? He has dedicated his whole life to the party and constituency; he deserves to be rewarded," another said.

Regional minister

Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Minister expressed disappointment in the assembly members for not approving the nominee, saying it's a big rejection of President Mahama, who now faces a huge dilemma to nominate a new person as MCE for La Dade Kotopon.
Previous article: Kwabena Adu-Boahene's memo from EOCO cells on how monies were used for national security operations including paying MPs allowances

President Mahama on how he has fulfilled 72% of 120-day pledge

Kester Aburam Korankye May - 08 - 2025 , 08:21 4 minutes read

President John Mahama has made substantial progress in fulfilling his 120-day social contract with Ghanaians, achieving 72 per cent of his 25 key pledges within the self-imposed timeframe.

A detailed assessment by the Daily Graphic reveals that 18 of those promises have been fully implemented, while the remaining seven are ongoing processes or awaiting legislation.

These achievements have been celebrated within government circles as repayment of the faith reposed in President Mahama by the electorate in December last year.

Broadcast

And as the government, through a live broadcast across various platforms last night, highlighted its performance in relation to the 120-day social contract, it hinted of a sense of satisfaction, and also a sense of humility in admitting to yet-to-be-fully-achieved targets.

The Presidents voice on the broadcast was a familiar tone of soberness, a clear conviction of purpose, but also a humble recognition of holding the fate of thousands of youth in particular in his hands.

It was a motion picture of events that summed up the 120 days of President Mahamas current tenure, featuring the events of particular relevance to his pledge to reset the country from a path of decline to a stage of fulfilment, including the signing of the Bills that abolished the Electronic Transaction Levy and betting tax into law, the launch of initiatives intended to enhance job opportunities for the youth, among others.

It also featured testimonies from people from the streets who shared their own views about his personality, vision, compassion for the average person and sense of duty to his role as President.

Actions

As he accounted for his 120 days in office, President John Dramani Mahama yesterday assured the nation of his commitment to deliver tangible results to drive the nation from gloom to bloom, make corruption unattractive, and punish those that steal from the public purse.

He revealed, for instance, that the financial commitments of the stalled National Cathedral were being audited by international audit firm, Deloitte and Touche, while various personalities of interest have been interviewed in ongoing investigations into the African Games expenses.

He further stated that audit and investigations were also ongoing into recruitment into the security services, while unresolved violent incidents and murders had been opened to bring justice to victims.

President Mahama said accounting to the citizenry as his government reached the 120-day mark, was not merely to tick boxes but a shift to a more serious outlook about how responsible governance should be.

Achievements

Among the earliest achievements of the President was the abolition of several unpopular taxes, including the Electronic Transaction Levy, commonly called E-levy, and the 10 per cent tax on betting wins, delivering immediate relief to businesses and individuals.

The government also convened a National Economic Dialogue to craft a sustainable fiscal strategy, and held the National Education Forum in Ho where experts and stakeholders shared ideas about how to improve and sustain a development-oriented policy for the sector.

In a move to strengthen accountability, the administration has finalised a stringent Code of Conduct for public officials, unveiled at the Presidency only this week.

That code came with a directive that banned all government appointees from buying state assets such as land, vehicles and shares, marking a significant step towards curbing corruption.

Social welfare advances

True to his word, President Mahama has implemented a tuition-free policy for first-year students in public tertiary institutions and extended free tertiary education to persons with disabilities.

The distribution of free sanitary pads to schoolgirls nationwide is also underway, addressing a critical barrier to education for young girls.

Job creation

The newly established Accelerated Export Development Council is poised to enhance Ghanas export sector, with its advisory committee sworn in last Monday.

Job creation initiatives such as "Adwumawura" and the National Youth Employment Programme have also taken off, providing opportunities for thousands of young Ghanaians.

Several key initiatives also remain in progress, including a review of vehicle import taxes to support agriculture and industry, as well as amendments to the Customs Act to lift restrictions on salvaged vehicles.

Compensation for victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage is being processed, with initial payments expected shortly.

In the realm of security, efforts to eliminate vigilante influence within state agencies are advancing, while long-dormant cases, including the murder of journalist Ahmed Suale, have been reopened for fresh investigation.

The government is, however, challenged by the enormity of the fight against illegal mining, with the sophistocated network of actors in the environmental crime proving a handful in the last four months.

This is in spite of the government enforcing a strict ban on illegal mining in forest reserves and introducing the "Tree for Life" and "Blue Water Initiative" to promote environmental sustainability as counter-activities to reverse the incidence of illegal mining.

The "Black Star Experience", a flagship tourism project, was successfully launched at the Black Star Square on May 1, signalling a renewed push to showcase Ghanas cultural heritage.
Next article: Tackling complexities of galamsey: Govt pledges to fund pollutants removal from rivers, farmlands

MPs demand action on Odaw River encroachers

Daily Graphic May - 08 - 2025 , 12:10 4 minutes read

Dredge Masters Limited (DML), a subsidiary of Jospong Group, has earned high praise from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Works and Housing for its ongoing dredging works in the Odaw River and the Korle Lagoon in Accra.

During a field inspection tour last Tuesday, the Chairperson of the Committee, Vincent Oppong Asamoah, expressed satisfaction with the company's progress, noting that they were pleased with the ongoing dredging works in both the Odaw River and the Korle Lagoon.

The field inspection exercise was part of efforts by Parliament to monitor flood control measures ahead of the heavy rains expected in the capital this year.

So far, you (Dredge Masters Limited) are doing a very good job and we are impressed with what you are doing, he said.

He, however, charged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and particularly the Mayor of Accra, to take immediate action against Accra's perennial flooding.

Mr Asamoah stated that with the rainy season fast approaching, it was imperative that the MMDCEs, and particularly the Mayor of Accra, take immediate steps to ensure that these matters were addressed.

Sanitation must be taken seriously, and encroachers must be relocated.

We cannot afford to be reactive; we must be proactive if we want to save lives and reduce economic losses associated with flooding, he stated.

Law enforcement

He stressed the importance of law enforcement and the local governments responsibility in addressing the underlying causes of flooding.

The district and municipal assemblies are key players in this. Issues of sanitation and encroachment fall squarely within their jurisdiction. Ghana has good environmental and sanitation laws but our biggest problem is enforcement.

Along this river (Odaw River), for instance, there are numerous encroachments, and from what we have been told, some of these individuals were even compensated to vacate but they still remain here, he said.

He further pointed out an operational challenge that could undermine the entire dredging effort.

The sand and silt that are being removed from the canals are currently being deposited on the banks. If these areas remain occupied or unmanaged, the material could easily find its way back into the drains during the rains, thereby rendering the entire project ineffective.

This defeats the purpose of dredging, which is to clear the waterways and prevent flooding, Mr Asamoah observed.

The MP for Techiman South, Martin Kwaku Adjei-Mensah Korsah, a member of the committee, similarly expressed concern over the increasing rate of encroachment along the waterways.

It is worrying to see people putting up buildings in flood-prone zones, despite repeated warnings.

This is dangerous.

We must begin to prioritise human life over illegal construction.

Whenever floods destroy lives and properties, the state is forced to spend huge sums on relief and reconstruction and funds that could have gone into schools, hospitals and other essential services are used for this, he indicated.

He, therefore, called for urgent and strict enforcement of planning and sanitation regulations by the city authorities.

During the tour, the committee observed that silt removed from the canals during dredging was being temporarily deposited along the banks, awaiting evacuation.

However, there was a real danger that the silt could be washed back into the drains during heavy rains, rendering the entire operation futile.

We cannot allow all this effort and investment to go to waste. If the silt re-enters the canal, it defeats the purpose of the dredging.

The MMDCEs, especially the Mayor of Accra, must ensure that the right measures are taken quickly, Mr Asamoah emphasised.

Dredging

Earlier, the Deputy Managing Director of DML, Samuel Borquaye, who oversees the dredging works in both the Odaw River and the Korle Lagoon, explained that the company was undertaking maintenance dredging works in the Odaw River.

We started from Caprice and have now reached Circle, and from here well move towards Korle Lagoon, he disclosed.

The purpose, he said, was to desilt the channels to prevent flooding during the rainy season, especially with the forecast of downpours this year.

He highlighted some key challenges affecting their work, particularly the indiscriminate dumping of refuse by residents along the waterways.

This makes the dredging process more difficult than it should be.

We need to change our attitude when it comes to waste disposal, he lamented.

With proper planning and investment, this place could be developed into a beautiful site for tourism.

But for that to happen, we must go back to the drawing board and work on both infrastructure and public behaviour.

Our hope is that by completing the dredging, we can significantly reduce the risk of floods and protect lives and property, Mr Borquaye said.
Next article: World Asthma Day commemorated with call for access to treatment

Tackling complexities of galamsey: Govt pledges to fund pollutants removal from rivers, farmlands

Biiya Mukusah Ali May - 08 - 2025 , 12:03 4 minutes read

The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Dr Murtala Mohammed Ibrahim, has expressed the governments commitment to fund the remediation of polluted rivers and reclaim contaminated farmlands.

He said the government was also willing to support relevant state institutions to eliminate illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey', in the country.

Dr Ibrahim made this known in a speech read on his behalf at the 4th Annual Transformational Dialogue on Small-Scale Mining organised by the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) at Fiapre, near Sunyani, in the Bono Region yesterday.

The dialogue, organised on the theme: Eliminating illegal mining in Ghana - The will and The bill, is to discuss and share knowledge on ways to eliminate illegal mining and harness the full potential of the small-scale mining sector for integrated rural development and economic growth.

It brought together representatives of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, Association of Women in Mining in Africa and Ghana, the Regional House of Chiefs, Large-Scale Mining companies, students and civil society organisations, among others.

Dr Ibrahim said the issue of galamsey remained one of the most pressing environmental and socio-economic challenges confronting the country.

"Yet, we also stand at the threshold of a new opportunity that allows us to rethink, reimagine, and reform how we mine and manage our natural capital," he said.

Dr Ibrahim said in tackling the complexities of galamsey, the government recognised that enforcement alone could not be the answer, stating that, "We need innovation, education, and meaningful community engagement."

"This is where higher educational institutions must rise, not only as centres of academic excellence, but also as drivers of sustainable development," he said.

Dr Ibrahim said the ministry was committed to strengthening partnerships with institutions to seek science-driven, community-centred solutions to the crisis of environmental degradation.

Land restoration

He, therefore, charged tertiary institutions to lead applied research in sustainable mining technologies and land restoration and train the next generation of environmental scientists, geologists and policy advisors.

Dr Ibrahim urged them to engage with mining communities to raise awareness, change behaviours and shape policy and national strategy with the benefit of evidence and expertise.

He asked UENR to partner with the ministry to generate data on soil resources in terms of their types, nutrient content and carbon content for a detailed examination of the health of soil systems and remediation techniques and methods.

He said the study was required to provide the government with the data needed to monitor not only environmental rehabilitation out of the galamsey menace but also the sustainable usage of resources.

Heavy metal pollution

Dr Ibrahim said even though soil nutrients and moisture levels could always renew within a shorter period for crop cultivation, heavy metal pollution could limit and even eliminate the soils use for crop cultivation.

Dr Ibrahim said the cost of environmental degradation due to galamsey was 2.8 per cent of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2017, explaining that it rose to about 18 per cent by December 2024.

He said the deterioration of the country's renewable and non-renewable environmental resources would exacerbate poverty among vulnerable rural communities and amplify natural disasters and climate risks.

Threat

For his part, the Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, said galamsey continued to threaten national development by destroying farmlands and polluting river bodies, forest reserves and the entire eco-system of the country.

He said the menace, if not stopped, could displace communities and undermine legal mining operations.

Mr Akwaboa said the fight against galamsey required not only robust laws and regulation but also unwavering commitment and political will.

"Therefore, the fight against galamsey was not about law enforcement, it was also not about leadership, governance, education and community empowerment but a moral and sacred duty we bear for future generations," he said.

Mr Akwaboa urged the participants to go beyond dialogue, use the platform to forge real partnerships, share best practices, and provide recommendations that would shape the future of small-scale mining in Ghana.

Writer's email: [email protected]
Government to ban political appointees from accessing state scholarships

Beatrice Laryea May - 07 - 2025 , 22:29 2 minutes read

President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his governments intention to introduce legislation aimed at reforming the administration of government scholarships and barring political appointees from benefiting from them.

Speaking during a national address on Wednesday, May 7, to give an account of his performance in the first 120 days in office, President Mahama emphasized that the proposed bill will be presented to Parliament as part of broader efforts to promote transparency, fairness, and integrity in the allocation of state-sponsored scholarships.

He noted that the move is designed to eliminate political patronage and reduce corruption in the scholarship system, ensuring that opportunities are awarded based on merit and genuine need.

"To ensure fairness and transparency and eliminates political patronage and corruption in awarding government scholarships, we promise to lay before parliament a new bill to streamline administration and prohibit political appointees from accessing government scholarships," he said.

"Cabinet has given policy approval for the new scholarships authority bill to be laid before parliament to fulfill this promise. I hope parliament will consider and pass this bill expeditiously when it resumes sitting. This bill will establish the Ghana Scholarships Authority, a fair and transparent system focused on needy and deserving students and national development priority areas," he stressed.

Regarding the One Million Coders Programme, the President highlighted it as a cornerstone initiative for building a digitally inclusive, data-driven economy.

He said the programme aims to equip one million young Ghanaians with essential digital skills tailored for the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) industries.

"The pilot training began in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono, and Upper East regions. The technology sector is a key pillar of Ghana's economic reset, and we're taking bold steps to equip our youth to be the future of work," he explained.
Im here to serve with clean, clear heart and mind  New KATH CEO to staff

Graphic.com.gh May - 08 - 2025 , 14:11 3 minutes read

The new acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo has indicated that his priority was to further enhance the capacity of the hospital to fully meet the expectations of clients and not to pursue any personal agenda.

I have not come to inherit anybodys friends or enemies but have assumed this position with a clear mind and a clean heart and prepared to work with all stakeholders to make the sole tertiary facility in the Ashanti Region fully achieve its mandate for the benefit of the country, he stressed.

Dr. Baidoo was speaking at his inception meeting with his management team on Wednesday [May 7, 2025] after assuming duty following his nomination by the President and subsequent appointment by the Board of the hospital on Monday.

Dr. Baidoo stressed the importance of team work emphasizing that he was ready and prepared to run an open-door administration for the purposes of strengthening the operational capacity of the hospital in the discharge of its mandate of providing tertiary healthcare services, training and research.

As the sole tertiary hospital of its kind in this part of the country, we owe it a duty to work collectively to advance the hospitals mission as a centre of excellence in specialist medical, training and research, he concluded.

Dr. Baidoo was warmly welcomed by members of his management team with the directors taking turns to pledge their full support to ensure the success of his tenure.

A special presentation was put together to brief the Ag CEO about the current state of the hospital and the outstanding challenges that needed to be addressed to further enhance its capacity to provide quality specialist services to the public.

The Ag. CEO later had an introductory meeting with staff of the General Administration Unit who constituted the immediate support group to the central management of the hospital. The meeting was also aimed at fostering a strong working relationship between the new CEO and the administrative personnel.

In his address, Dr. Baidoo expressed gratitude for the warm reception accorded him by the staff since his assumption of office and underscored the importance of teamwork in the delivery of quality healthcare services.

He stressed that his doors were always opened and the staff members were free to submit suggestions and proposals aimed at improving the operations of the hospital anywhere they meet him.

Mr. Atta Tweneboah Jnr., the head of the unit, welcomed the new CEO on behalf of the staff and pledged their full support to him. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration as we are committed to supporting your vision for KATH, he stated.

Staff members of the unit who were given the opportunity to introduce themselves expressed optimism about the future of the hospital under the new leadership of Dr. Baidoo given his approachable demeanour and openness to dialogue.

Until his appointment, Dr. Baidoo, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and a Fellow of the West Africa College of Surgeons and Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, was the head of the Trauma and Orthopaedics Directorate of the hospital and the chairman of the Ashanti Regional division of the Ghana Medical Association.

He took over from Prof. Otchere Addai-Mensah who served as the CEO of KATH from December 1, 2022 to April, 2025, marking the beginning of a new leadership era at the hospital.
Next article: President Mahama on how he has fulfilled 72% of 120-day pledge

Kwabena Adu-Boahene's memo from EOCO cells on how monies were used for national security operations including paying MPs allowances

Enoch Darfah Frimpong May - 08 - 2025 , 08:50 5 minutes read

Kwabena Adu-Boahene, a former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau who has been charged with stealing, along side three other persons including his wife has sent a memo to the current National Security Coordinator on how some of the monies were spent on national security operations.

From the cells of the Economic and Organised Crime (EOCO), he sent the confidential memo dated May 5, 2025 through his lawyer to the National Security Coordinator and explained that under the circumstances, he was alerting him that he may be compelled to disclose "matters relating to special operations, activities and funding" of national security.

He attached a table of special operations expenditure summary including the payment of allowances to Members of Parliament in the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament and the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament for the Enactment of the National Signals Bureau (NSB) Act in 2020.

That memo, including a covering letter from his lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, have since been leaked on social media.

The other accused persons are Angela Adjei Boateng, Mildred Donkor and Advantage Solutions Limited.

The Attorney General filed the charges on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.

Attached below is a copy of the letter from his lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea dated, May 6, 2025.

Dear Sir.

THE ARRAIGNMENT OF KWABENA ADU-BOAHENE IN THE CRIMINAL COURT AND THE NATIONAL SECURITY IMPLICATIONS

We act as lawyers for Kwabena Adu-Boahene.

As you are no doubt aware, the Attorney-General has arraigned our Client, a former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau, on various criminal charges. Please find attached the widely-circulated charge sheet and the facts as narrated by the Honourable Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine (MP), on the 30th day of April 2025.

Our Client has instructed us that a cursory look at the case from the documents you inherited underscore the fact that the pith of the Hon. Attorney-General's case are matters bothering on national security.

Besides, the intended prosecution violates the Security and Intelligence Agency Act, 2020 (Act 1030) and the National Signals Bureau Act, 2020 (Act 1040).

We attach a Memorandum under the hand of our Client who is at the moment incarcerated at Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) cells.

May we count on your usual sense of professionalism in your evaluation and the proffering of the critical understanding of the matters therein contained.

Yours faithfully,

Samuel Atta Akyea

Zoe, Akyea & Co

Attached below is a copy of the memo from Kwabena Adu-Boahene to the current National Security Coordinator including a summary of the special operations expenditure

Subject: URGENT - Matters Relating to Special Operations Activities and Funding

Your kind attention is drawn to certain developments that have arisen following our unsuccessful attempt to meet, due to scheduling conflicts, with your good office.

You would recall that, subsequent to my arrest and detention in EOCO cells, the Attorney-General of the Republic has been very vocal in a number of press briefings, where he brands my wife and I as criminals and alludes to transactions between a certain "National BNC" account and "Private BNC" accounts purportedly owned by us.

I cannot tell where the AG gets his theories from; but as your good office would have learned by now, the matter relates to transactions between your Special Services Account (Special Operations Account - "Coordinated Account") and SPV account *BNC Communications Bureau," duly authorised and created for the national security exigencies of the time - and for which my wife (duly vetted) and the UMB were instrumental in facilitating.

It is bizarre that the Attorney-General attempts to link unrelated transfers, withdrawals, and refunds for Special Operations with assets we do not own and a few we own which mostly predate the 2020 transactions he raised. A cursory look on the part of anyone would reveal these facts.

I am also disturbed to note that the services of bloggers and social media influencers have been employed to post and run commentary on these lies, to amplify the matter and bring prominence to this malicious agenda against not just our persons, but the National Security as well.

As this ridiculous drama unfolds, some forty-nine (49) million Ghana cedis of Special Operations funds have now become the subject of court action, where my wife and I, as well as other affiliates, are being accused with charges including stealing and causing financial loss to the state.

I have tried to withhold classified information from my interrogators, but I deem it prudent to inform your good office that in light of the current developments, we run the risk of public disclosure of the following National Security and Intelligence operations expenditure items:

COPIES ATTACHED BELOW

I give you my highest assurances that Angela and I would never steal public funds, as is being deliberately and wickedly portrayed by the Attorney-General. In any case, how does one steal public funds in the manner being described by the Attorney-General without being flagged by the Auditor-General?

Further, I give you my highest assurances that Angela and I would never take what does not belong to us, even if privately arranged. We are full of content with the modest blessings God has given us.

What is evidently clear is that the EOCO boss, Raymond Archer is deliberately misrepresenting or distorting the facts to the authorities, and in the process causing unnecessary sensation that could embarrass the government and national security, and I am craving your urgent intervention to avert it before it becomes too late.

My best regards, from BOCO cells.

Writer's email: [email protected]

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Next article: Im here to serve with clean, clear heart and mind  New KATH CEO to staff

'Madam' who aided HIV-infected sex worker to continue working jailed for trafficking

Justice Agbenorsi May - 08 - 2025 , 14:20 3 minutes read

The Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced a 32-year-old commercial sex worker to 20 years imprisonment for trafficking four young women from Nigeria to Ghana to engage in prostitution.

According to court documents filed by the state, the presiding judge, Hathia Ama Manu, heard that the convict, Patience Gold, also known as Gold and a Nigerian national, unlawfully administered a herbal concoction to assist one of the survivors in terminating a pregnancy.

She was also reported to have assaulted one of the victims.

Gold was charged with four offences: human trafficking, illegal abortion, assault, and prostitution. For human trafficking, she was handed a 20-year sentence. She received a five-year sentence for illegal abortion and two months each for assault and prostitution.

The sentences are to run concurrently, meaning Gold will serve a maximum term of 20 years in prison.

Facts of the case

Presenting the facts, Assistant Superintendent of Police Samuel Ahiabor told the court that on March 22 and 27, 2025, the convict trafficked four young women from Benue State, Nigeria, to Ghana under the pretext of offering them jobs as bar attendants at her drinking spot in Asankra-Moscaso. Upon arrival, however, she forced them into prostitution.

The victims refused to work, and the accused forcibly and under duress shaved their pubic hair, removed their fingernails, and made them swear an oath that if they failed to work as commercial sex workers to repay the money she claimed to have spent on them, they would go mad, the prosecutor said.

Fearing for their lives, the victims engaged in prostitution, with the proceeds being collected by the convict. The court also heard that one of the victims informed Gold she was already pregnant before arriving in Ghana.

On March 28, 2025, the prosecutor said the convict administered a herbal concoction to the victim and illegally terminated the pregnancy.

In another incident on March 12, 2025, a different victim fell ill and sought medical attention. She was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. The convict, knowing her medical status and fearing she would not be patronised in Asankra-Moseaso when the news became public, moved her to a different location to continue the prostitution, and continued to collect the proceeds, ASP Ahiabor said.

On March 25, 2025, Gold reportedly visited the new location to collect proceeds and was given GH300. Dissatisfied with the amount, she assaulted the victim, causing a facial injury.

She also seized the victim's HIV/AIDS medication supplied by the hospital and left, the prosecutor added.

Following the incident, the victim informed the other victims, and together they went to the Asankrangwa Police Station to report their ordeal.

This led to the arrest of Patience Gold and her subsequent prosecution at the Circuit Court.
Next article: See the areas that will be affected by ECG's planned maintenance today, May 8

Previous article: President Mahama on how he has fulfilled 72% of 120-day pledge

President Mahama issues ultimatum to VRA over flood mismanagement

Kweku Zurek May - 08 - 2025 , 07:14 2 minutes read

President John Dramani Mahama has issued a warning to the leadership of the Volta River Authority (VRA), stating that any repeat of the devastating Akosombo Dam spillage that caused widespread flooding in 2023 would lead to their forced resignation or dismissal.

In a televised national address on Wednesday, May 7, to mark his first 120 days in office, President Mahama disclosed that a special technical committee, led by former VRA CEO Ing. Kirk Koffi, had been established to review the disaster and provide concrete recommendations.

This administration set up a committee chaired by Ing. Kirk Koffi, a former VRA CEO. The committee has recommended strategies to prevent future occurrences including establishing what is called a controlled spill flood plan and implementing downstream engineering solutions for flood management, Mahama stated.

He described the 2023 flooding as a man-made disaster and said the new administration was determined to prevent a recurrence through proactive and accountable governance.

I have directed that the recommendations be implemented immediately, the President declared.

Mahama added that the VRA management would be held directly accountable for any future negligence. I have further indicated that if they are not properly implemented and another destructive VRA flooding occurs like in 2023, the VRA CEO and deputies must resign or be sacked, he warned.

The 2023 flooding caused severe destruction in downstream communities, displacing thousands and sparking national outrage over the handling of the crisis.

As part of efforts to deliver justice and relief to victims, President Mahama also announced that a compensation process had begun, with budgetary allocations already made and a dedicated team in place to coordinate disbursements.

He called on traditional leaders and residents in affected areas to support a smooth and peaceful compensation exercise.
All promises in first 120 days fulfilled - President Mahama

Beatrice Laryea May - 07 - 2025 , 22:09 2 minutes read

President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his governments commitment to laying a strong and decisive foundation for what he described as resetting Ghana and building the Ghana we want together.

Delivering a national address on Wednesday, May 7, to give an account of his first 120 days in office, President Mahama highlighted the strides made as of now, describing them as evidence of a new governance approach rooted in transparency, accountability, efficiency, and urgency.

The President noted that his administration had fulfilled all initial commitments made within the 120-day period, and urged citizens to rally around a common purpose to confront national challenges and build a more prosperous and united future.

"We laid out a social contract with you, the people of Ghana, with specific promises for this critical initial period. Tonight, I'm pleased to report to you that we have fulfilled these promises. From forming a lean government and establishing a road, robust code of conduct to taking decisive action to scrap burdens of taxes, initiating inquiries into past round doings, launching major job creation programs, tackling illegal mining, reviving our environment, promoting our tourism and export sector, streamlining scholarships, supporting vulnerable populations, and holding our security agencies accountable," he said.

"The foundation for resetting Ghana and building the Ghana we want together is being laid with speed and determination. These actions are not merely check boxes on a list. They signify a fundamental shift in how government operates with transparency, accountability, efficiency, and a profound sense of urgency for the well-being of every Ghanaian," he said.

While expressing satisfaction with the progress made so far, he acknowledged that much remains to be done to realise the vision of a better Ghana, and called on all citizens to join efforts and work together toward that goal.

"Fellow citizens, I take my promises seriously, and my word is my bond. Although we've established a solid foundation in this first 120 days, considerable work remains on a journey to realize the Ghana we all want together," he said.

"This journey requires the collective effort of all of us, and I'm profoundly grateful for the mandate you have given me and my government to lead this nation. Your trust is our most valued assets, and we'll continue to work tirelessly to deserve that trust."

"And so I call upon every Ghanaian in every city, town, and village, in every sector of our economy, across every political divide to join hands with us. Let us continue to work hard together, united by one purpose and a shared vision to overcome the challenges and build a brighter, more prosperous future for our beloved nation. I thank you for receiving me in your homes. I thank you for your attention this evening. May God bless you all, and may God bless our homeland, Ghana," he added.
Next article: New pope revealed as US cardinal Robert Prevost. He'll be known as Pope Leo XIV

Who is Pope Leo XIV, the US cardinal Robert Prevost who has just been introduced as the new Pope

Graphic.com.gh May - 08 - 2025 , 17:36 2 minutes read

Pope Leo XIV is the 267th pope and appears on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica to greet the crowd.

The new pope is revealed as Robert Prevost of the US, the first American pontiff in history. He will be known as Leo XIV.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States has been elected the 267th pope and stepped onto the balcony of St. Peters Basilica as the new leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics.

Prevost, 69, from Chicago, Illinois, is the first ever pope from the United States. He will be known as Leo XIV.

A leader with global experience, he spent much of his career as a missionary in South America and most recently led a powerful Vatican office for bishop appointments. He is expected to build on Pope Francis reforms.

He worked for a decade in Trujillo, Peru, and was later appointed bishop of Chiclayo, another Peruvian city, where he served from 2014 to 2023. Prevost also holds a Peruvian passport and has been a Peruvian citizen since 2015.

In an interview with Vatican News shortly after he became the leader of the Dicastery for Bishops, Prevost said: I still consider myself a missionary. My vocation, like that of every Christian, is to be a missionary, to proclaim the Gospel wherever one is.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was a Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops is considered a highly capable and experienced leader.

He serves in the vital role as leader of the powerful Vatican office for bishop appointments, assessing candidates and making recommendations to the pope.

Born in Chicago, he is a member of the Augustinian religious order  of which he went on to lead as global superior  and spent many years working in Peru.

He was later Bishop of Chicalayo, Peru, before being chosen by Francis to lead the Vaticans bishop office.

While it is often said cardinal electors would always shy away from choosing a pope from the US due to Americas global political influence, Prevosts long experience in Peru may help mitigate that.
Well provide security for Ablekuma North collation  Police

Samuel Duodu Politics May - 08 - 2025 , 09:57 2 minutes read

The Ghana Police Service has expressed its readiness to provide security for the collation of the Ablekuma North constituency 2024 parliamentary election results.

The Police gave the assurance at a press conference held in Accra last Tuesday.

The Director of Public Affairs, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Grace Ansah-Akrofi, stated that the police are always ready to provide security for elections, and that it was up to the Electoral Commission (EC) to finalise security arrangements with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the collation process.

EC

The EC said it was still awaiting assurance from the Ghana Police Service regarding protection for the collation of the Ablekuma North parliamentary election results.

Until the police provide the necessary security guarantee, the Returning Officer cannot proceed to review the results and make a final determination on the winner.

The EC had scheduled a meeting with the IGP to discuss security arrangements, but the meeting had not taken place because the IGP was reportedly unavailable.

The EC said it could not proceed without police clearance, while the police insisted that the EC should follow up with the IGP to set a date for the meeting.

This development has further delayed the conclusion of the electoral process in the constituency, leaving residents in anticipation of a representative in the Ninth Parliament.

Before Parliament went on recess, the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, in his closing remarks, expressed the hope that the issue would be resolved for the constituency to have a representation when the House reconvened for the next session.

Candidates

The contest for the Ablekuma North parliamentary seat is between Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie of the NPP and Ewurabena Aubynn of the NDC.
Atuguba questions NPPs sudden notion of unfairness over Chief Justice suspension

Gertrude Ankah Politics May - 08 - 2025 , 10:23 3 minutes read

A former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice William Atuguba says a sudden notion of unfairness, particularly from members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the ongoing constitutional process on three petitions asking for the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo from office was questionable.

To him, what was happening amounts to selective outrage concerning a long-established constitutional process.

In a television interview with TV3 on Wednesday, May 7, Justice Atuguba questioned: Why suddenly these notions of unfairness? This has been in place all these years, he said, referencing similar proceedings that led to the removal of former Electoral Commission Chair Charlotte Osei and a former head of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

"These were seen as dual constitutional processes. So what is so special about this?

Justice Atuguba added that President Mahama has not breached the law. He explained that once the Chief Justice was served with a copy of the petition, as required, she was afforded the opportunity to respond.

He said although the Chief Justice initially requested seven days to do so, the President extended the deadline to 10 days, which he said demonstrated goodwill, not malice.

He further rejected claims that the executive was encroaching on the judiciarys independence, warning that any concentration of power in one arm of government poses a threat to democracy.

If you overpower one [arm of government], you make it all-in-all. Tyranny is not far away, he cautioned, underscoring the principle of checks and balances.

Justice Atuguba acknowledged claims that the removal effort may be part of a wider judicial reseta term critics say was hinted at by opposition figures, including President Mahama when he was in opposition.

However, he challenged that interpretation. Was it only the President who said the courts were biased? Was he the one who started calling the Supreme Court Unanimous FC? Or was he stating a fact of public knowledge? The courts belong to the people, he said.

Justice Atuguba cited multiple constitutional provisions to emphasise that all governmental powersexecutive, legislative and judicialemanate from the people and must be exercised for their benefit.

He also lamented the politicisation and leaks surrounding what should be a confidential legal process. This whole thing is supposed to be held in camerathere should be secrecy. Unfortunately, in this case, a lot of issues that were supposed to be held in secrecy are already out in the public, he said.

He referred to Article 146 of the Constitution, which outlines the procedure for removing a Chief Justice or other superior court judges, noting that a prima facie case must be established before any further steps are taken.

President John Dramani Mahama has suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo after a prima facie case was established in three separate petitions calling for her removal.

A five-member committee has been formed to investigate the petitions, as required by the Constitution.

The suspension has sparked a national debate.

Related article:

Partisan politics fueling mistrust in Chief Justice's removal petition process - Kwaku Ansa-Asare

Suspension of Chief Justice: Minority parties support President Mahama

Protesters want Chief Justices suspension reversed
Next article: President Mahamas first 120 days in office is full of 'cocktail of failed promises' - NPP

Mahamas first 120 days in office is uninspiring  Afenyo-Markin

Gertrude Ankah Politics May - 08 - 2025 , 22:49 3 minutes read

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin says President John Dramani Mahamas first 120 days in office was uninspiring.

He has therefore accused President Mahama of offering self-congratulatory praise without delivering real progress in his account of his first 120 days in office.

At a press conference in Accra on Thursday [May 8], the Minority Leader said President Mahama exaggerated his achievements in governance reform, tax relief, job creation, and the fight against illegal mining, while ignoring Ghanas most pressing challenges when he gave a national address on his first 120 days in office on Wednesday night.

President Mahama had said his administration had ushered in a new era of governance marked by transparency, efficiency, and urgency.

We laid out a social contract with you, the people of Ghana, with specific promises for this critical initial period. Tonight, Im pleased to report that we have fulfilled these promises, the President stated.

He cited key accomplishments, including the formation of a lean government, the removal of burdensome taxes, the introduction of a new code of conduct, job creation initiatives, efforts to tackle illegal mining, and reforms in tourism, environmental policy, and the scholarship system.

These actions are not merely checkboxes, President Mahama said. They signify a fundamental shift in how government operates, while noting that more work remains.

But Mr Afenyo-Markin in reacting to the president;s account described the address as a recycled failure wrapped in rhetoric.

He accused the President of making lofty claims without tangible results.

The President set the questions, wrote the exam, marked the script, and gave himself a distinction, he said. But the Ghanaian people are not fooled.

He argued that most of the initiatives President Mahama touted were not new but repackaged campaign promises or rebranded versions of previous programmes that have yet to yield meaningful outcomes.

This isnt a presidency charting new territory, Mr Afenyo-Markin said. Its a return flight to the familiar  where promises are repackaged and accountability is replaced by applause.

He also attacked the governments claim of fighting illegal mining, alleging that forest reserves continue to be destroyed while foreign nationals involved in illegal operations are quietly deported instead of prosecuted.

Illegal mining has flourished under his [Mahama] silence, he said. Soldiers who once led enforcement efforts have been made redundant.

On security, the Minority Leader expressed concern over what he called the politicisation of the military, alleging that promotions are increasingly driven by party loyalty rather than professional merit.

Army generals are being promoted not by rank but by political loyalty, he said. This erodes the integrity of our national security structure.

He further criticised the Presidents handling of violent conflict in Bawku, saying it lacked urgency and compassion.

Theres been neither decisive intervention nor compelling empathyThe people expected a reset. What theyre seeing is recycled failure., he said
Next article: Ya-Na encourages Bawumia after election Defeat: 'You lost a battle, not the war'

President Mahamas first 120 days in office is full of 'cocktail of failed promises' - NPP

Timothy Ngnenbe Politics May - 08 - 2025 , 15:53 4 minutes read

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described the first 120 days of President John Dramani Mahama's government as an uninspiring one that is laced with failed promises and retardation across the various sectors.

Apart from being accused of what they referred to as "executive lawlessness", the party also said President Mahama was superintending over a government that preached inclusiveness but was practicing divisiveness.

At a press conference held at the NPP headquarters in Accra on Thursday to respond to President Mahama's national address in which he gave an account of his first 120 days in office, the NPP stressed that the reset agenda promised by the NDC had become a breakdown of governance system and businesses.

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, who addressed the press, accused the President of exercising "executive lawlessness" leading to the sacking of numerous civil servants and replacing them with persons affiliated with the NDC.

"We now have two Ghana - one for the NDC and one for other Ghanaians. This was not the reset President Mahama promised Ghanaians, he stressed.

Among the key issues he raised as constituting the basket of failed promises were failure to decisively deal with illegal mining; resurgence of power outages; failure to implement the 24-hour Economy policy; and failure to reduce import duties.

The Minority Leader expressed reservation about what he described as the gradual collapse of businesses, weakening of the private sector, attack on the judiciary, and fragile security in the country.

Galamsey

During the peak of the campaign for the December 7, 2024 elections, there was heightened call by environmentalists, CSOs, the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, and some labour unions for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to declare a state of emergency over the galamsey scourge.

Environmental activists and other stakeholders also mounted pressures on the NPP administration to revoke the law that permits mining in forest reserves (L.I 2462), but that did not happen.

In the heat of the campaign, the NDC presidential candidate (President Mahama) promised to repeal L.I 2462 when given the mandate.

He also promomised to ban mining in forest reserves and take steps to restore the countrys degraded landscape.

At the press conference, Mr Afenyo-Markin said it was worrying that after 120 days on office, President Mahama had failed to keep his promise on dealing with galamsey.

"Illegal mining has flourished in the full glare of the President; foreigners involved in galamsey are deported instead of being prosecuted; he criticised former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for not doing much about galamsey, but he is now giving excuses. He has failed to declare state of emergency," he said.

Dumsor

Additionally, he said after inheriting stable power supply, President Mahama had plunged the country into darkness, although he promised to improve on the power sector.

"We have witnessed persistent power outages these 120 days of President Mahama, and we do not even know where our Minster of Energy and Green Transition is. We are using torchlights to search for our Energy Minister, but we cannot find him," he said.

The Minority Leader said the erratic power supply situation in the country has forced some businesses to fold up while others were also suffocating.

Mr Afenyo-Markin also said the 24-hour Economy policy the President promised Ghanaians had become mirage.

He said instead of building up on the one district, one factory (1D1F) industrialisation policy the previous government had implemented, President Mahama had abandoned it and was also not implementing the 24-hour economy.

Education and social policy

The Minority Leader said although President Mahama made a plethora of promises in the education and social sector, not much had been done in redeeming those commitments.

He cited commitments such as no-academic fee for all first year tertiary students, free tertiary education for persons with disability, and distribution of free sanitary pads to school girls as some of the failed promises.

These were headline-grabbing pledges intended to ease burdens on students and parents. But how many of these have been truly fulfilled? The reality is stark: not a single first-year university student has received a fee-free education under this policy so far, he said.

Lean government

Mr Afenyo-Markins also alleged that despite the promise by President Mahama to run the leanest and most efficient government, more persons had been appointed to political positions than expected.

This government has gone to great lengths to create the impression that it is cutting down on expenditure by appointing fewer ministers.

They parade this move as an act of prudence and fiscal discipline, but in reality, it is nothing more than political theatre designed to deceive the Ghanaian people, he said.

He indicated that the supposed reduction in ministerial appointments had little to no impact on the ballooning cost of government.
Supreme Court losing credibility over loyalty appointments  Justice Atuguba

Gertrude Ankah Politics May - 08 - 2025 , 11:11 3 minutes read

A retired Supreme Court judge, Justice William Atuguba, has raised concerns over what he describes as a troubling trend of politically motivated judicial appointments, warning that such practices are eroding the credibility and integrity of Ghanas highest court.

Speaking in an interview on TV3s The Pulse on Wednesday, May 7, Justice Atuguba decried what he called a growing pattern of showmanship appointmentswhere politically aligned individuals are promoted over more competent and senior judges.

He cautioned that this development under successive governments threatens the independence of the judiciary and the future of constitutional governance in Ghana.

His comments come in the wake of President John Dramani Mahamas nomination of seven Court of Appeal justices to the Supreme Court bench. The nominees include Justices Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei, Gbiel Simon Suurbaareh, Senyo Dzamefe, Kweku Tawiah Ackah-Boafo, Philip Bright Mensah, Janpere Bartels-Kodwo, and Hafisata Ameleboba.

Their nominations were formally communicated via a letter dated April 29, 2025, signed by the Presidents Executive Secretary, Dr Callistus Mahama.

While the nominations conform to Article 144(2) of the 1992 Constitution and are currently before the Judicial Council for consideration, Justice Atuguba expressed concern over the increasing politicisation of the process.

Competent seniority, when bypassed, is bad. Not just seniority for its own sake, but the competence that comes with experience must never be ignored. That doesnt serve the country well, he said.

He cited instances where seasoned judges had been overlooked or delayed in elevation, only to later prove their worth by authoring leading or unanimous decisions on the Supreme Court bench  a trend he described as symptomatic of a flawed and politicised system of selection.

You pick people over and above competent seniors, and when the regime changes, those same seniors are brought in and they write the leading judgments, he noted. That tells you something about the quality being ignored in the name of politics.

Justice Atuguba stopped short of commenting on the merits of individual nominees but emphasised the need for a rigorous, merit-based vetting process, grounded in legal scholarship and a proven track record of fairness  rather than loyalty to a political regime.

Justice Atuguba also criticised the increasing centralisation of power in the presidency, particularly in relation to state appointments, and called for constitutional reforms to decentralise authority and strengthen independent institutions.

If you're not careful, you end up surrendering the power of a whole country to one man for just a few minutes, he warned. We dont need strongmen; we need strong governance systems.

He further argued that the Supreme Courts core function  the interpretation and enforcement of the Constitution  demands appointees who are not only proficient in legal doctrine, but also deeply grounded in jurisprudence and constitutional law.

The most important part of the judicial system is constitutional law, he said. Thats why we must prioritise depth of legal reasoning  not just courtroom popularity.

Justice Atuguba also criticised the exclusion of legal academics and Bar members from the selection process, arguing that Ghanas apex court needs a balance of practical and academic legal minds to enrich constitutional discourse and deliver well-rounded jurisprudence.

Related article:

President Mahama nominates seven judges for appointment to Supreme Court bench
Techiman South, Ayawaso West Wuogon cases reopened - President Mahama

Mohammed Ali Politics May - 07 - 2025 , 22:29 2 minutes read

President John Dramani Mahama has said he has reopened investigations into "several politically linked violent incidents," including the 2020 Techiman South election shooting and the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election disturbances, pledging that justice will be pursued for all victims.

In a national address on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, to give an account of his first 120 days in office, President Mahama said investigations had been revived into a number of cases that had remained unresolved for years.

He noted that both the 2020 and 2024 election-related killings were being revisited, and some had already seen progress in court.

We promise to open investigations into major unresolved criminal cases, including the 2020 election killings, the murder of Ahmed Suale, and the tragic death of Silas Wulo Chame, Mr Mahama said during the televised speech.

In the Techiman South case, where two persons were killed during the 2020 general election, Mr Mahama disclosed that three individuals had been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and were now facing trial at the High Court.

Touching on the death of Silas Wulochame in Banda, Mr Mahama explained that a fresh request had been submitted to the Chief of Army Staff to release military personnel implicated in the incident.

According to him, the crime scene has also been revisited as part of the reopened investigation.

On the January 31, 2019 by-election violence in Ayawaso West Wuogon, where 18 persons sustained injuries, the President stated that his government would not allow the matter to be ignored.

He revealed that Assistant Superintendent of Police Azugu, who was said to have played a central role in the security operation on the day, is now cooperating with the National Investigations Bureau to help identify and prosecute others involved.

We will not let that matter die without justice being served to the victims, Mr Mahama said.

He stressed that the drive to reopen these cases was not only about accountability but also about restoring public trust in the justice system. Delivering justice is crucial for national healing and trust in our institutions, he added.

Mr Mahama also mentioned ongoing investigations into deaths that occurred during the 2024 elections, listing areas such as Damongo, Nkoranza South, Funsi North, and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba.

He said these incidents were being handled by a newly formed special task force under the Inspector General of Police.

These are senseless deaths that should never again happen in our nation. Elections are to choose leaders, not to murder our citizens, he said.

He also disclosed that the Attorney-General was preparing a report for Cabinet, which would propose compensation for victims and families affected by politically motivated violence.

PLAYBACK: What President Mahama said about his 120 days in office performance
First One UI 8 beta build for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra appears on test servers

The Samsung Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra may have launched with One UI 7, but when it comes to One UI 8 they will have to wait for an over-the-air update like all the other Galaxys. This could come sooner than expected, though.

The first One UI 8 beta build for the Galaxy S25 Ultra has been spotted by Tarun Vats. The new firmware is S938BXXU3ZYEA / S938BOXM3ZYEA / S938BXXU3BYEA.

Looking back a generation, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra got a One UI 7 test build back in May 2024. A number of delays pushed the stable rollout to April of this year. That was a major update, however, that significantly reworked the One UI parts of the firmware, not just the base Android OS. One UI 8 will reportedly build on 7 and should be a simpler update.



First One UI 8 beta build for Galaxy S25 Ultra appears on test servers

According to Vats, the first public One UI 8 beta for the Galaxy S25 series will be out in mid-June. How that beta performs will be indicative of how long we will have to wait for a stable release.

A video demo and some screenshots from early One UI 8 builds have already leaked. Below is a fresh video that shows off Samsung's progress in polishing the transition animations in One UI:

Latest One Ui 8 Build ZYEA animations: pic.twitter.com/upzRNpef5b  IposDev (@DevOfIpos) May 8, 2025

The first phones that will run the new software out of the box will be the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7, which are expected in late July or early August.

Interestingly, previous Galaxy foldables have launched with the same major One UI version as that years Galaxy S series (just with a minor version update). This suggests that One UI 8 is further along its development than 7 was at the same time last year.

Samsung is already looking ahead too, with leaks suggesting that its working on One UI 8.5 for the future Galaxy S26 series.

Source

Samsung Galaxy S25

Samsung Galaxy S25+

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Leak: the second wave of the Galaxy S25 Edge launch is coming on May 21

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge was supposed to be out already, but some behind-the-scenes changes pushed its unveiling to May 13. Thats just the unveiling, though, there will be a short pre-order window as usual and a leakster claims to have info on when open sales will start.



Save the date: Galaxy S25 Edge coming to more regions on May 21

Some countries, its not clear which ones, will see the S25 Edge debut on May 21. Presumably, this is referring to a second wave of availability. Ice Universe did warn that only two countries will be included in the initial launch: South Korea and China. Those arent the only ones, however, Samsung Canada did have a slip-up that revealed the pricing. Here are some more unofficial details on specs and pricing.

Weve also heard that there will be another wave on May 30, though that may be revised since the second wave was initially rumored for May 23, not the 21st.



Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (renders) in Titanium Jetblack, Titanium Icyblue and Titanium Silver

Either way, the announcement should be followed by a short pre-order window with sales starting the week after the announcement, typically on a Friday.

We should get more clarity on the official timeline next week.

Source
Nearly three years since the launch of the WH-1000XM5, Sony is finally ready to introduce a new version of its premium over-ear headphones. Sonys highly anticipated WH-1000XM6 made an unexpected appearance in an Amazon Spain listing (since deleted), revealing a plethora of key specs and pricing ahead of their launch.



Sony WH-1000XM6 leaked image (credit: Reddit)

A Reddit user also posted a leaked image of the headphones revealing their redesigned headband and folding hinges, which would be a move back to the XM4 design, making the headphones easier to store.

The XM6 are set to bring a multitude of improvements over their predecessor, including a new QN3 HD Noise Cancelling processor. According to the listing, the QN3 is 7x faster than the QN1 chip inside the outgoing XM5s. This should improve the sound quality coming from the headphones as well as their noise cancellation.



WH-1000XM6 listing on Amazon Spain

Sony will opt for 30mm dynamic drivers and is bringing a total of 12 microphones (6 on each side) with Multi Noise Sensor technology with AI enhancements.

The XM6 are also retaining their Hi-Res Audio, LDAC and DSEE Extreme support alongside the 360 Reality Audio with head tracking. The listing also confirms a 10-band customizable EQ, Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint pairing.

The XM6 are also getting Adaptive Sound Control, Quick Attention mode, Background Music, Wind Noise Reduction, and Speak to Chat. Battery life is rated at 30 hours with a 3-minute quick charge bringing back three hours of playback.

The XM6s listed dimensions are 25.69cm x 20cm x 7.83 cm, with a weight of 254 grams. They will be available in Black, Platinum Silver, and Midnight Blue. The retail package consists of a carrying case, a USB-C cable, and a 1.2m 3.5mm cable.

Sony XM6 will cost $449.99 and are expected to launch as early as next week between May 14 and May 16.

Via (in French)
Update: The search is now over - we selected Skena as our official partner in Indonesia!

Over the past few years, we have rapidly grown our audience in Indonesia. Our detailed specification database, up-to-date news coverage and unbiased detailed reviews made us a household name in the world's fourth most populous country.

These days, we get over 20 million page views per month from Indonesian readers, with mobile traffic accounting for nearly 14 million of those.

We seek a local partner to help us better monetize our Indonesian traffic. An exclusive partner with good connections and knowledge of the local advertising market to form a lasting, mutually beneficial partnership similar to what we have in a series of other markets.

If you want to join forces with the largest global website in the tech industry drop us an email at with the subject PARTNER-INDONESIA. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Since we started getting job applications we need to clarify - this isn't a job offer. We are looking for an advertising agency to be our representative in Indonesia. Please don't send CVs.
Guam would have more locally trained nurses with today's pinning ceremony for 27 graduating practical nursing students of Guam Community College.

The time-honored nursing tradition before they transition from students to health care professionals will start at 11 a.m. today in GCC's Multipurpose Auditorium, Building 300 in Mangilao. Doors open at 10:30 a.m.

GCC, in a release, said the ceremony symbolizes the graduates' dedication to serve the islands community as they join the ranks of Guams tireless nursing professionals.

The event will include the traditional lighting of candles and recitation of the Florence Nightingale Pledge.

Associate Dean Dorothy Duenas, RN, BSN, MSN, will deliver the keynote address, and other dignitaries, including GCC President Mary A.Y. Okada, will personally congratulate the hardworking cohort.
Funding was frozen, again, on Thursday for the Office of the Attorney Generals allegedly illegally procured project to feed and house homeless and drug-addicted residents.

Superior Court Judge Elyze Iriarte on Thursday afternoon moved to issue another 11-day restraining order freezing the funding for the $1.1 million Dignity Project, which the AGs office secured using money from the Guam Opioid Recovery Advisory Council.

Its the second restraining order issued, after Judge John Terlaje last week froze the project funding on the same day that Tropical Palm Hotel was to start accepting clients.

Attorney General Douglas Moylan on Thursday told Judge Iriarte that another 20 clients are waiting to enter the hotel, on top of the 20 who were not able to get shelter last week.

Arguments were supposed to proceed Thursday morning over the legality of the $1.1 million contract that Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero alleges Moylan secured without her signature, and in violation of Guam procurement law.

Leon Guerrero, through her attorneys, also accuses Moylans office of threatening to prosecute a Department of Administration employee who questioned the deal.

Terlaje disqualifies himself from case

Moylan and legal counsel for the governor, attorneys Jeffrey Moots and Leslie Travis, appeared in Judge Terlajes courtroom at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

But Judge Terlaje disqualified himself from the case, after the AGs office produced a witness list that had Sen. Therese Terlaje on it, according to arguments made in Iriartes courtroom.

Sen. Terlaje is the acting chairperson of the Opioid Council, according to the witness list and Moylan.

She and Judge Terlaje are also siblings.

The council is not being sued by the governor.

Shortly after the Thursday morning disqualification, Moylan told the Pacific Daily News that with the restraining order expired and a judge pending, he intended to proceed with accepting Dignity Project clients at Tropical Palm Hotel.

But the case was reassigned to Iriarte, and the AG and Adelups attorneys were back in her courtroom by 2 p.m.

Moylan and Travis spent some time arguing over the timing of the disqualifying witness list, before Iriarte.

Travis told Iriarte that the AG knew about the conflict, but failed to disclose it earlier, resulting in the case being delayed by Judge Terlajes last-minute disqualification.

Travis said she and the judge were both handed the list for the first time on Thursday morning.

Another motion

The attorney motioned for another restraining order to freeze the Dignity Project funding.

Travis also asked the court for more time to respond to the AGs arguments in writing.

The AG appealed to Iriarte to not freeze the Dignity Project funding again, and said he was ready to proceed with arguments by Friday morning.

He told Iriarte that the homeless and drug-addicted residents are being harmed by the freeze, and that Tropical Palm was the only hotel that agreed to house them.

Moylan asserted that the witness list containing Sen. Terlajes name was filed on Wednesday afternoon.

He noted the case was moving very quickly, and had only started 10 days prior.

Iriarte ultimately ordered the parties to appear back before her court on Monday for arguments.

She said she would issue a restraining order for the Dignity Project that will expire on May 19.

Iriarte did not make any rulings on the legality of the $1.1 million contract.

She said the restraining order was issued to keep the status quo while the case moves forward.

Opioid Council

One of the key arguments in the AGs defense is that the funds for the Dignity Project were authorized by the Opioid Council.

Moylan asserts the council has authority to spend opioid settlement money as it sees fit, without the governors approval.

The AGs office serves in an administrative role over the Dignity Project, on behalf of the Opiod Council

Adelup attorney Travis has argued before the court that Moylans signature, not the councils, is on the contract with Tropical Palm that triggered the lawsuit.

Besides not getting the governors signature, the lawsuit also alleges the AGs office secured the contract on a sole-source, or non-competitive, basis, but did not comply with requirements to do so.

Travis has told the court that if the Opioid Council had signed the contract, it would likewise be named in the suit.

The AG on Thursday told Iriarte that the council was a party to the case, and unable to represent itself due to the exclusion.

Moylan has pointed repeatedly to an Aug. 29 meeting where the council approved the use of money for the Dignity Project.

Council records show Sen. Terlaje, now a witness in the case, was present at the meeting.

Her office did not respond to an emailed request for comment on Thursday. She appeared briefly in Iriartes courtroom.

Also named on the AGs witness list Thursday were:

AGs office investigator Maria Apuron

AGs office general accounting supervisor

Deputy Attorney General Fred Nishihira

Dignity Project leader Tahni Duenas

A Dignity Project applicant

Moylan told the court he may modify the list by next week.
Canton Fair showcases remarkable strength of China's export-import sector

People's Daily Online) 13:39, May 08, 2025

Purchasers learn about the products at the 137th China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, May 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Guobao)

The 137th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, concluded in south China's Guangdong Province on May 5, showcasing the remarkable strength of China's export-import sector.

"This year's Canton Fair seems more crowded than any previous session," said Ting Young Kang, national council member of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) and chairman of the international commercial affairs committee of the MCCC. Ting, who is also the director of Sun Jiang Trading Sdn Bhd, has attended every Fair since his first visit with his father in the autumn of 1990.

"The Canton Fair brings together over 30,000 export enterprises and more than 200,000 global buyers. This is what makes the Fair so appealing," Ting remarked. He added that Malaysian and Chinese companies enjoy complementary strengths, and their cooperation showcases the resilience of bilateral ties. He hopes enterprises of the two countries will seize opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation and jointly address global uncertainties.

"The 137th Canton Fair drew an impressive 288,000 overseas buyers. This reflects multiple economic trends and profound shifts in global trade patterns," said Wang Xianqing, former dean of a logistics research institute at Guangdong University of Finance and Economics.

Wang further explained that the Fair's expanding network demonstrates how market diversification and multilateral cooperation help withstand external pressures. "Together with trade partners, we reaffirm our commitment to the multilateral trading system while strengthening China's pivotal role in global supply chains."

Intended export transactions onsite amounted to $25.44 billion, marking a three percent increase compared to the 135th session held last spring. Notably, over 60 percent of these deals were made with Belt and Road partner countries.

"Our company received numerous buyers from emerging markets, particularly from South America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, while European clients also showed strong interest, reflecting our expanding global reach," said Xue Xinyu, general manager of foreign trade of Zhejiang XINGX Refrigeration Co., Ltd.

"Our company was previously over-reliant on the U.S. market, but the Canton Fair gave us broader opportunities," Xue said. While the company expects its U.S. exports to decline by about 20 percent this year, expansion in Europe and other markets will offset this drop, with overall business projected to grow by approximately 10 percent.

"The outstanding results of the session showcase how Chinese foreign trade enterprises have transformed the event from a traditional trading platform into a global industrial chain hub through technological innovation, institutional openness, and market diversification," observed Deng Jiangnian, a researcher at the Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences. He added that this not only counters unilateralism but also marks China's shift in foreign trade from scale expansion to value creation.

In addition, a multitude of new products, technologies, designs, materials, and manufacturing processes were showcased. Green, low-carbon, and smart products garnered significant attention, serving as key drivers for securing orders and expanding market share. Companies displayed over 4.55 million products on-site, including 1.02 million new products, 880,000 green low-carbon ones, and 320,000 intelligent ones.

In the Service Robots Zone, 46 robot companies collectively showcased China's latest advancements in service robots and related industrial chains, making it a prominent highlight of the event.

Zhang Qingfu, vice-president of Haier Overseas Electric Appliances Corp, a subsidiary of Chinese home appliances giant Haier Group, said that compared to European standards, Haier's latest washing machine models save 60 percent energy, large-capacity refrigerators save 20 percent energy, and heat pump dishwashers save 40 percent energy, gaining favor from many overseas buyers.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Hongyu)
Catholic faithful on Guam are celebrating the selection of Pope Leo XIV  the first American-born pope  who was chosen by a conclave of cardinals to lead the worlds 1.34 billion Catholics.

With much joy, excitement and gratitude to our Lord, the Church on Guam joins the rest of the world in welcoming American-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV as the newest Successor of Saint Peter, Archbishop of Agana Ryan P. Jimenez said in a statement Friday.

The new pope greeted crowds at St. Peters Basilica with the words, Peace be with all of you, according to Vatican News service.

Pope Leo XIV, 69, was born in Chicago and spent his career as a missionary in Peru, according to the Associated Press.

Jimenez described the selection of the pope as  a historic occasion, a time many of us will recall years later in our lives. A time to pause and pray.

I ask all Catholics on Guam to join me in praying for Pope Leo XIV. May he shepherd our people with the deep love and compassion of Jesus Christ, steadfastly upholding the tenets of our faith and extending the Light of Christ to all people with wisdom, courage and humility, Jimenez said in his message. We pray for the protection of Pope Leo XIV from all demonic and earthly forces which seek to harm him. Let him be of strong health, mind and spirit amid the rigorous, demanding schedule of the Pontificate. Dear Lord, surround him with good, faithful, holy advisors and friends and infuse in him the constant guidance of the Holy Spirit in all his decisions, thoughts and actions.

A Mass of intention for Pope Leo will be celebrated in all parishes of the archdiocese on Sunday.

Pope Leo succeeds Pope Francis, who was the first pope from Latin America. Francis died on April 21.
The Guam Police Department and McDonalds announced the return of the once-popular Coffee with a Cop program during a joint press conference Thursday at the Tamuning McDonalds.

Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio first thanked McDonalds franchise owners Joe and Marcia Ayuyu for another of several partnerships over the years between the two entities.

We always look forward to our partnership with McDonalds, and the opportunity to use their restaurants as a way for us to get out and engage with our community, said Ignacio.

The program is more than police officers showing presence at a restaurant and taking selfies with happy children. Police business that is normally conducted at one of the police precincts can also be done over coffee.

The program is being re-launched in conjunction with the celebration of National Police Week, scheduled for next week.

The first installment of Coffee with a Cop is set for 7 to 9 a.m. on May 13, at the new McDonalds store in Mangilao.

This is a long-standing partnership with McDonalds of Guam and Saipan. Im excited, said Ignacio. I encourage all of you to come out and join us. If youre part of a neighborhood watch group, or youre just a concerned citizen, or if theres something that you want us to address, please come out and for Coffee with a Cop. I will talk about anything and everything that people want to talk about that concern them about their safety.

Ignacio said this program breaks perceived barriers.

You know were not officers in a uniform that work in an office in Sinajana or Dededo. This allows us to connect with the community on a personal level, he added. And I think whats more important is that you have somebody that you can sit down and listen to you.

If You Go Coffee with a Cop, a police outreach program meant to engage more members of the public, will be held from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. May 13 at the Mangilao McDonalds. Anyone can stop by to learn about the police department, inquire as to the status of their case, or even file a police report. {related_content_uuid}406b26f4-2f7e-486c-9c40-fda35d8de6ec{/related_content_uuid}
A man and a woman are accused of using a credit card stolen during a rental car burglary to go on an afternoon shopping spree, according to a magistrates complaint filed in Superior Court.

Vincent John Anderson Cruz, 45, was charged Thursday with burglary to a motor vehicle as a second-degree felony, theft of property as a third-degree felony and four counts of fraudulent use of a credit card as a third-degree felony.

Leilani Michelle Atoigue Peredo, 45, was charged with attempted fraudulent use of a credit card as a third-degree felony, four counts of fraudulent use of a credit card as a third-degree felony, theft of property as a third-degree felony and theft by receiving as a misdemeanor.

At 1:15 p.m. April 27, a woman parked her rental car at the Emerald Valley parking lot on Cabras Highway in Piti. She locked the car and walked around to take pictures, and when she returned to the car, the front passenger window was smashed and two bags were taken.

A Chinese passport, a wallet, $200 in cash, $70 worth of Japanese yen, a Japanese ID, debit cards, credit cards and other items totaling $510 were missing.

Surveillance video showed a black Toyota Corolla pulling into the lot and parking next to the rental car. The vehicle operator  later identified as Cruz  looked into the car, broke the window, took the items and left, according to the complaint.

At 2:38 p.m., the Toyota arrived at a 76 gas station, and a woman  later identified as Peredo  made two attempts to buy a cell phone, cigarettes and fuel valued at $270 with a credit card.

At 3 p.m., the woman was notified that someone tried to use her stolen credit card at the Ypao 76 station for a $300 purchase, which was declined.

At 3:51 p.m., at the Anigua Store, the card was used for a $29.88 purchase.

At 4:28 p.m., Cruz and Peredo went to Island E-Pro, shopped for seven minutes and Peredo bought $239.35 worth of merchandise, according to the complaint.

At 5:33 p.m., they went to Kmart and bought $408.96 worth of merchandise, then Peredo went to Shine Market at 6:27 p.m. and bought $74.41 worth of merchandise with the same credit card.

On May 7, Port Police found the two in a Piti home and brought them in for questioning. Peredo told police she had been coerced by Cruz, her boyfriend, to use the stolen card. She provided information about the stolen items and agreed to retrieve them.

If found guilty of all the charges, Cruz faces 35 years in prison, and Peredo faces 19 years in prison.

Cruz was held on $3,000 cash bail, and Peredo was held on $1,000 cash bail.
Eithen James Franklin Aquiningoc Mendiola took the witness stand on Thursday in front of Superior Court Judge John C. Terlaje and told the jury about the day that he stabbed Ryan Loo Chaco to death.

Mendiola, 25, originally faced murder, aggravated murder and aggravated assault charges in connection with Chacos death on Sept. 8, 2024. In a superseding indictment filed about three weeks ago, Mendiola now faces charges of complicity to commit aggravated murder and murder.

He was arrested as a suspect, along with Frank Joseph Reyes Jr., who was charged with arson, desecration, obstructing government function and destruction of evidence.

The prosecution claims that Mendiola and Reyes agreed to kill Chaco, and they did so on Sept. 9, 2024. They killed him and set his home on fire to destroy evidence, said Special Assistant Attorney General Curtis Van de veld.

Defense attorney William Bischoff said a conspiracy to kill Chaco on Sept. 9 is unlikely, considering his client Mendiola already admitted to killing him the night before.

Mendiola testified that was the same night that he agreed to be Chacos partner, Mendiola said. He was a newly single father, no longer with his kids mother, and in between places to call home. Mostly, he said, he spent time at the Dededo Skate Park.

So when his relatively new friend Chaco offered him a place to stay in exchange for doing home maintenance and plant nursery care, Mendiola agreed. Chaco seemed like a good guy, he said.

Chaco then told Mendiola to take what he wanted from Chacos clothes. Thats when Chacos demeanor changed, Mendiola testified, and he realized that partner meant something else to Chaco.

He kept telling me to pat his crotch, but I didnt want. Then he said the way he was treating me, it was turning him on. Then I tried to turn away from him and he got on top of me and was choking me, testified Mendiola.

After more struggles and another chokehold, Mendiola said he made it to a nearby knife on a table and with Chaco still attached to his back, he stabbed backward across his neck until Chaco released him.

But Chaco was still aggressive, said Mendiola, so he stabbed him again until he fell. Later, he testified that he watched Chaco take his last breath, and that he also covered his body with a blanket because he didnt like looking at the body. He felt like he was in shock as he looked for help outside the house. He found none.

He called 911, too, and gave his name, but told the dispatcher that he did not know where he was. Mendiola said he later got ahold of his mom, who sent her brother to find him. He found him walking on the side of the road.

By the morning of Sept. 9, Mendiola said he wanted to turn himself in. He told Reyes what he did, and Reyes said he would take care of it.

Guam Fire Department personnel found Chacos charred body inside a burning structure on Sept. 9, 2024. When the Guam Police Department took over the investigation, and got a report from the medical examiner, they learned that Chaco was stabbed 14 times in the front of his body, and half of the stab wounds were lethal.

Mendiola and Reyes were arrested on Oct. 14, 2024, more than a month after the incident. A third person, Joe Ehder, was also arrested as a suspect.

Closing arguments are scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. Friday.

Van de veld said he would take about two hours for his part; Bischoff said hed need 10-15 minutes.

The judge said hed like to give the case to the jury no later than 1 p.m.
A former Office of Civil Defense planner accused of corruption pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he falsified timesheets and misappropriated government funds.

Leo Rustum J. Espia was indicted April 25 on charges of theft by deception as a second-degree felony, tampering with public records as a third-degree felony, certifying officer malfeasance as a misdemeanor, misapplication of entrusted funds as a misdemeanor and official misconduct as a misdemeanor.

The charges all carry the special allegation of committing a crime against the community.

The Office of the Attorney Generals Government Corruption Division brought the charges in connection with alleged actions Espia took while employed with the Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense from Sept. 1, 2017 to April 26, 2022.

He was one of six staffers indicted last month.

Espia entered his not guilty plea before Magistrate Judge Sean Brown. Brown, noting that Espia had no criminal record, released him on a $2,000 personal recognizance bond and ordered him to check in with probation monthly.

Espia waived the right to a speedy trial and demanded a trial by jury.

Brown ordered Espia to obey all laws, and placed no curfew or travel restrictions on him.

The judge said Espia is not to interact with people who have felony convictions, and he is to have no contact with other defendants or witnesses in the government corruption case in which he is accused.

Neither the judge nor Assistant Attorney General Monty May had immediate access to the names of others involved in the case.

I dont know who to tell you to stay away from, Brown said.

Espia is accused of certifying payroll timesheets that were incorrect. The case is related to millions of dollars of spending flagged in audits by the Office of Public Accountability.

Other staffers accused in the case include Joel Valenzuela, Patrick T. Leon Guerrero, Michael Taijeron, Marie Quenga and Civil Defense Administrator Charles Esteves. All but Valenzuela, who had not secured a lawyer, pleaded not guilty before Brown last week.

Valenzuela is scheduled to return to court May 15.

Leon Guerrero, Valenzuela, Taijeron and Esteves face misdemeanor charges of certifying officer malfeasance and official misconduct, with the special allegation of committing a crime against the community. Quenga was also charged with tampering with public records, a third-degree felony.

Espia, who was in charge of the Emergency Operations Center, was fired from the office in 2022 after former Homeland Security advisor Samantha Brennan accused him of storing sensitive government information on a private server.

Espia denied the accusations and appealed his firing to the Civil Service Commission. Last week, Adelup confirmed finalizing a settlement with Espia over the appeal.
More than $300,000 was raised by the Guam Memorial Hospital Volunteers Association for the hospital during the groups milestone 60th Anniversary Charity Ball on April 26.

GMHVA, in a release, said its grateful for the generosity of community sponsors, partners, and supporters who helped the organization reach its fundraising goal of over $300,000 from the event.

These funds will directly support urgently needed equipment for Guam Memorial Hospital, GMHVA said.

The Boots and Baubles-themed ball at Dusit Thani Guam Resort drew more than 700 guests to celebrate and support Guams only public hospital.

One of them, Taling Taitano, won the grand prize  a brand-new Ford Ranger STX pickup truck. Taitano received the keys during a presentation held at the Triple J Auto Group showroom on May 5.

The other raffle prize drawing winners:

$5,000 cash, baby grand prize  Lucas Akimoto

Round-trip United Airlines ticket, bonus prize  Annie Diego

Round-trip United Airlines ticket, bonus prize  Gloria Cortez

The evening featured stunning student artwork and live music from Joe Guam and The Frequency.

One of the evenings highlights  touching tributes, most notably honoring the late Margaret Ann Jones with the Legacy of a Lifetime acknowledgement.

This was more than a celebrationit was a statement of love for our hospital and our island, Charity Ball co-chair Jenny Cruz said in a statement. Seeing the community come together with such energy and compassion was deeply moving and speaks to the incredible legacy of GMHVA.

Co-chair Julie Jones Murrell, daughter of honoree Margaret Ann Jones, expressed her familys gratitude.

It was an honor for my family and me to co-lead this event and witness the love and respect so many have for my mothers service. This ball was a beautiful reflection of GMHVAs history, and we are so proud to help carry that mission forward, she said.

Colors of Compassion winners

As part of the Colors of Compassion high school art contestpresented in collaboration with Artspace Guahanthe Artspace Board carefully reviewed all 40 student submissions and selected the Top 10 finalists.

Gala attendees then cast their votes during the event to determine the final Top 5 winners.

Our youth brought color, heart, and creativity to this event, GMHVA president Terese Calvo said in a statement. Their work reminds us of the hope and talent that exists right here in our community.

All 40 pieces were exhibited during the gala, drawing admiration from hundreds of attendees.

The winners:

1st place: Luna Thomas, 10th grade from Southern High School

2nd place: Hope Hutapea, 10th grade from St. Johns

3rd place: Arianna Cruz, 11th grade, George Washington High School

4th place: Connor Canos, 10th grade, Simon Sanchez High School

5th place: Gabriella Calvo, 11th grade from Notre Dame High School

The Top 5 student artists received cash prizes totaling $1,000 and their work will be framed on display at GMH for public viewing soon.

60-year legacy

As part of the evenings tribute, GMHVA debuted a short-form video chronicling the organizations 60-year legacy of service.

GMHVA said its 60th Anniversary Charity Ball was not only a celebration of six decades of serviceit was a call to action for the next.

Through volunteerism, donations, and community partnership, GMHVA remains committed to advancing healthcare access and quality for the people of Guam, it added.

To learn more about GMHVA and future opportunities to support, visit https://www.gmhvolunteers.org.
Arguments over the legality of Attorney General Douglas Moylans contract to feed and house homeless and drug addicted residents stalled Thursday morning, with Superior Court Judge John Terlaje disqualifying himself from the case.

Moylan told the Pacific Daily News he would start moving clients into the Tropical Palm Hotel, with the 10-day restraining order that froze $1.1 million for the Dignity Project ending Thursday.

He has maintained that spending for the project is legal.

Funding for the project was frozen last week after Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero sued, alleging the AGs office never got her signature before securing the Tropical Palm contract, in violation of the law.

The lawsuit also alleged the attorney general threatened to prosecute a government employee who questioned the unsigned contract.

Adelup spokesperson Krystal Paco-San Agustin said the lawsuit was reassigned to Judge Elyze Iriarte as of 11:45 a.m.

The spokesperson deferred to the courts for further scheduling in the lawsuit.

It is not immediately clear when proceedings will start again.

Moylan and legal counsel for the governor, attorneys Jeffrey Moots and Leslie Travis, appeared in Judge Terlajes courtroom at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

Counsel for the governor was expected to argue for an injunction to stop the use of public funds, and Moylan to defend his offices procurement of the funds.

But before arguments began, the AG asked for a sidebar, or private conversation, with the judge.

Attorneys approached Terlaje and could be seen speaking quietly before Travis, for the governor, could be heard loudly objecting to statements made by Moylan and Assistant Attorney General Ramiro Orozco.

Terlaje recessed the hearing and told parties to come back at 10:30 a.m.

But the AG was getting ready to leave the courtroom just a few minutes after parties were scheduled to reappear.

Based on information that we brought to the judge's attention, before the judge started the proceedings, (he) had made a decision that facts existed under the law that we would compel his disqualification, Moylan said.

He noted that the case has been expedited, and is moving quickly. It was on appeal before the Supreme Court of Guam up until just two days prior to Thursday, he added.

The AG said he was not at liberty to discuss the conversation he had with Terlaje Thursday morning.

While the cause for the disqualification was not specified, it is notable that Sen. Therese Terlaje, who is the judges sister, is named on a witness list that the AGs office filed a day before the Thursday proceedings in the case.

Sen. Terlaje is named on the witness list as the acting chair of the Guam Opioid Recovery Advisory Council.

The AGs office has pursued the Dignity Project using opioid lawsuit settlement funds that the council is responsible for.

Moylan has pointed repeatedly to an Aug. 29 meeting where the council approved the use of money for the Dignity Project. Council records show Sen. Terlaje was present for the meeting.

However, the governor has not named the opioid council in its lawsuit over the Dignity Project.

Adelup attorney Travis has argued before the court that Moylans signature, not the councils, is on the contract with the Tropical Palm that triggered the lawsuit.

One of the key arguments in the AGs defense is authorization from the opioid council. Moylan asserts the council has authority to spend opioid settlement money as it sees fit, without the governors approval.

This story will be updated.
Mames yan Matias, a heartfelt new childrens book that illuminates the foster care journey while celebrating island heritage and the strength of community, will be launched on May 14, according to the Guam Bar Association.

The book launch also helps mark Foster Care Awareness Month.

It will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, at Harvest House in Barrigada.

The Guam Bar Association said it invites educators, child welfare professionals, community leaders, and members of the public to join the launch event, a celebration of youth, cultural heritage, and our shared responsibility to care for and support one another.

Mames yan Matias follows the emotional journey of two young children separated from their parents, guiding readers of all ages through the complexities of foster care.

Through its simple yet powerful narrative, the book helps readers understand the work being done by families, social workers, and the courts to ensure children are safe, supported, andwhen possiblereunited with their families, the Guam Bar Association said in a release.

Designed for students, families, educators, and child welfare professionals, Mames yan Matias offers a meaningful way to start conversations about family, loss, hope, and healing.

Its accessible language is thoughtfully crafted to ensure young readers can relate to and comprehend the themes, while providing adults with a helpful tool for navigating these challenging topics.

English, CHamoru, Chuukese versions

The book is available in English, with translations in CHamoru and Chuukese, reflecting the significance of island languages in maintaining cultural connections across generations, GBA said.

In emphasizing the importance of understanding and preserving the Guam heritage, the story incorporates repeated adjectives to make learning the island languages more engaging and memorable for readers.

This repetition, combined with a glossary of key terms, helps younger readers better grasp the meaning of the vocabulary.

Special prompts are also included throughout the story to encourage interaction, whether the book is being read by a teacher to a class or by caregivers to children at home.

With approximately 600 children currently in foster care on Guam, Mames yan Matias aims to make a lasting impact by offering a compassionate, clear understanding of the foster care process, the Guam Bar Association said. It serves not only as an educational tool but also as a call to action, inspiring readers to approach these sensitive situations with empathy, care, and an increased awareness of their role in supporting children in need.

Collaboration

GBA said the development of this book was a thoughtful and collaborative journey, shaped by the insight and care of Carmen Ulloa-Kasperbauer, a former news executive and journalist, now a trusted content consultant.

Her efforts were inspired by the heartfelt leadership and clear vision of Guam Bar Association President Attorney Jacqueline Terlajea devoted foster parentand Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood of the District Court of Guam, former president of the Pacific Judicial Council, GBA said.

Both women have spent many years working on complex cases involving child abuse, neglect, domestic issues, and criminal matters, bringing a depth of understanding and compassion to this project, according to GBA.

Their shared commitment to justice and the well-being of children helped create a meaningful resource that informs, connects, and resonates with readers of all ages, GBA added.

The publication of Mames yan Matias was made possible through the generous collaboration of the Guam Bar Association, Pacific Judicial Council, and the Guam Economic Development Authority.
A Dededo man faces federal criminal charges after being accused of flying a drone near a military base.

Billy Cao Cruz was indicted in the District Court of Guam on charges of failure to register an aircraft and violation of national defense airspace. Prosecutors also filed a notice of forfeiture for the drone.

On Feb. 1, Cruz operated a DJI Mavic Mini 4 Pro unmanned aerial vehicle knowing that the aircraft was not registered under Title 49, United States Code, Section 44103, charging documents state.

In addition, Cruz flew the drone in National Defense Airspace around Camp Blaz, United States Marine Corps Base, the documents state.

Federal law requires commercial drones to be registered, and recreational drones have to be registered if they weigh more than 250 grams (0.55 pounds).

Drone pilots are not allowed to operate within controlled airspace near an airport unless they have permission, and they are not allowed to fly over or around national security areas such as military bases and national landmarks.

If Cruz is found guilty of the charges, the drone will be subject to forfeiture under federal law.

Previous incidents

On Jan. 14, 2024, a drone flying over the base was taken down by Guam Army National Guards security force Team Binadu, according to the military.

During a ceremony in October, officials said the unit was the first to use new interceptor technology to take down a drone in the U.S. homeland.

In June 2022, Air Force personnel confiscated a drone being flown near Ritidian overlook after it entered military airspace, the Air Force said at the time.

The operators were issued federal citations.
The Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense, in conjunction with the Mariana Regional Fusion Center, federal and military partners, continue to monitor events surrounding the region including reports of the recent launch of an unidentified projectile out of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea today.

No immediate threat was assessed for the Marianas from the reported launch, said acting Homeland Security Advisor Lucia Perez. Events such as these will continue to be monitored by our office, while working with local, military, and federal partners.
Raymond James & Associates Inc. successfully hosted its Inaugural Micronesia Investment and Retirement Plans Conference for its clients in the region, bringing together a distinguished lineup of finance professionals, industry experts, and business leaders to discuss evolving trends in capital markets, wealth management, and retirement planning across the region.

The April 24 conference at Hyatt Regency Guam welcomed over 150 attendees.

It featured an engaging agenda of expert-led sessions, panels, and networking opportunities, spotlighting topics such as estate planning, alternative investments, and retirement plan solutions tailored for the broader Micronesian market.

Keynote remarks were delivered by Jason Miyashita, CIMA, CPWA, CPFA, CRPS, AIFA, managing director of Asia Pacific Group of Raymond James, and Bert White, Western Divisional director of Raymond James & Associates.

Virtual insights from Lawrence V. Adam III, CFA, CIMA, CFP, Raymond James chief investment officer, Private Client Group, kicked off the conference with a comprehensive capital markets outlook, highlighting key economic indicators, market trends, and strategic opportunities for long-term investors in todays evolving financial landscape.

We are honored to welcome our colleagues from the mainland and grateful for their partnership in making this inaugural conference a success, Miyashita said in a statement. Their presence underscores Raymond James deep commitment to serving the Micronesia region with the same level of excellence, insight, and innovation that defines our global network.

Raymond James said the initiative demonstrates its long-term commitment to Guam and the broader Micronesian region, focused on bringing world-class financial expertise, personalized advisory services, and strategic retirement planning solutions to local markets.

It said this also represents a major step toward building lasting economic partnerships and fostering financial empowerment throughout the Pacific.

Were proud to bring this level of expertise and engagement to Guam and the broader Micronesia region, Miyashita added. It is our goal to continue building trusted relationships that support long-term financial well-being for our clients and communities.

Additional conference highlights included:
From strengthening individual green growth hubs to collaborating and sharing knowledge for sustainable development, the Local2030 Islands Network is set to take the next step with the launch of the Green Growth Partnership Community of Practice, UOG said in a release.

Austin Shelton, Ph.D., director of the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant, made the announcement in April in Busan, South Korea at the 10th Our Ocean Conference on stage, next to conference founder and 68th Secretary of State John Kerry.

The Local2030 Islands Network is a global platform advancing island-led, culturally informed sustainable development solutions.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero committed Guam as a founding island member of the Local2030 Islands Network and Shelton serves as a member of its steering committee.

The Local2030 Islands Network facilitates the Green Growth movement in islands across the globe.

Shelton described the networks new initiative as Green Growth for resilient islands.

It builds on the networks existing communities of practice  and is informed by leading examples like the Sustainable Development Goal dashboards created by Hawaii, Guam and Ireland.

The network will expand peer learning, increase in-country technical capacity, foster collaboration within and across islands, and share best practices for holistic ridge-to-reef management rooted in circularity, localization and regeneration, Shelton said.

The launch of the Green Growth Partnership Community of Practice will be shared through the networks Virtual Island Platform.

This free, open-access resource aims to create new opportunities for collaboration across fields, help identify and measure Sustainable Development Goals outcomes and support scalable solutions to critical island and ocean challenges.

Through curriculum co-development, training programs and the continued growth of SDG dashboards, we aim to support transparent tracking of commitments  including those made here at the Our Ocean conference  and drive progress toward national and global sustainability and climate resilience goals, Shelton said. Together, through a commitment to green growth and collective action, we can lead the way toward a regenerative and resilient future.

In 2023, the UOG Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant announced a partnership with the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program for the expansion of Green Growth initiatives across the Western Pacific, supported by a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of State through the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program.

The grant supports the growth of the Local2030 Islands Network and the Green Growth initiative in the Marshall Islands, the CNMI, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau.

Soon after, Palau and the CNMI launched their own Green Growth initiatives in 2024. The Marshall Islands followed, with President Hilda Heine, Ed.D., announcing their commitment to launch their initiative during the 16th UOG Conference on Island Sustainability in April.

The Our Ocean Conference marked its 10th anniversary with the theme, Our Ocean, Our Action.

The event served as a key platform for setting concrete directions for international cooperation on sustainable ocean development. It also provided a forum for global dialogue on implementing agreements to advance the future of the oceans, including the U.N. Treaty on Plastic Pollution.
Firefighters responded to a grassfire on Mount Santa Rosa in Yigo Thursday afternoon.

Several areas near the summit of Mount Santa Rosa were engulfed in flames as of 4 p.m., while a smaller fire near the base of the hill appeared freshly extinguished.

Guam Fire Department spokesperson Lt. Nick Garrido said GFD units and Andersen Air Force Base Fire and Emergency Services were fighting different areas of a grassfire.

There were units on the Mount Santa Rosa area by the antenna and along Route 15, Garrido said.

Theres no immediate threat to residents within the area, but he said should the air quality feel unsafe, GFD encourages residents to evacuate accordingly.

Were asking all the residents to please be safe and take precautions and heed the call of GFD, said Yigo Mayor Frances Lizama, who was on the scene Thursday.

Stay away from the fire, the smoke area, most especially those with health issues, she said.

Lizama, Yigo Vice Mayor Pedro Blas and staff helped direct traffic, and advised residents about the situation.

The mayor said GFD contacted her office for help informing residents a little before 3 p.m. Thursday.

Mayors staff were using a backhoe to knock down foliage by the Guam Waterworks Authority water tank, and build firebreaks.Lizama said she was advising residents not to proceed further up the mountain, past the water tank, though some did.

{p class=p1}Were trying to prevent any vehicles that are passing to catch fire, especially with the wind blowing. We may have embers that are flying. We want people to be safe, she added.




Haiti - Politic : $125M for drinking water in the Great North





On Wednesday, May 7, 2025, Alfred Fils Metellus, Minister of Economy and Finance, and Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), signed an amendment to the agreement for the Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Project for Urban, Peri-Urban, and Rural Areas in the Far North of Haiti.



With a total budget of US$125 million, the implementation strategy for this project will now be better adapted to Haiti's fragile context, thereby improving its development effectiveness.



This program aims to improve household sanitation conditions in Haiti. It will allow to :



 Strengthen sectoral regulation as well as the technical and commercial management of technical operating centers (CTEs);



 Increase access to water and sanitation services for urban and rural residents; and improve hygiene practices.



Thanks to the Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Project for Urban, Peri-Urban, and Rural Areas, 11,200 households in the Great North will have access to basic water services in rural areas; and access to drinking water for 122,125 households will be improved.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Closing of the NECTAR project : A decisive step for the future of education in Haiti





On Tuesday, May 6, in Petion-ville, the French Ambassador to Haiti, Antoine Michon, attended the closing ceremony of the New Citizen Education with a Focus on the Future (NECTAR) project. This curriculum reform project has led to a comprehensive overhaul of the 3rd cycle of primary and secondary education programs. Launched in 2019, it was implemented by the Ministry of National Education and funded to the tune of 8 million by the French Development Agency (AFD).



The project notably led to :

 The design of the Curriculum Orientation Framework;

 The production of 164 teaching sequences;

 The piloting of the new programs in 20 pilot schools in the West and Center departments;

 The provision of equipment;

 The training of teaching and administrative staff;

 The implementation of a digital platform;

 The launch of an educational web radio station.



The success of this project relies on the strong partnership between French and Haitian stakeholders. Continuing this fruitful collaboration, the Ambassador reaffirmed France's commitment to supporting educational reforms in Haiti, while emphasizing the importance of sustaining the project's achievements.



This was a unique opportunity for stakeholders to recognize the project's achievements. Yves Roblin, Director General of the Ministry, emphasized that this has helped consolidate efforts to reform Haitian schools and provide the country's youth with a quality education. "NECTAR is a strategic and deeply transformative project for the Haitian education system. Over the past five years, this project has sparked reflection, facilitated action, and produced tools of great administrative and educational utility. [...] The initial objectives were achieved, the planned deliverables were submitted within the agreed deadlines, and we now have a solid foundation for further engagement in educational reform. [...] Education in Haiti faces many challenges, but it is also driven by a deep desire for transformation. The NECTAR project has provided us with a method, tools, and collective energy," concluded Roblin.



From Ambassador Michon's perspective, NECTAR reflects France's commitment to supporting structural reforms in the Haitian education system. "NECTAR is not just another project. This is a major step toward a more equitable, coherent education system, more deeply rooted in the country's cultural, economic, and social realities. [...] This project has laid the foundations for a Haitian school system based on the acquisition of essential skills, openness to the world, sustainability, and civic values, fundamentally placing the student at the center of the education system."



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





FLASH : A batch of 385 visas for Brazil has arrived

The Visa Application Center for Brazil (CAVB), operated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM-Haiti), informs that "all those who submitted their applications in 2024 or 2025 are taking time to process. Due to the current situation, the Brazilian Embassy in Haiti has encountered logistical constraints related to air transport, limiting the production of approved visas. A first batch of 385 visas has been received and is being distributed. Others will follow soon; we ask you to be patient. Thank you for your understanding."



Ouanaminthe : Major Flooding

The heavy rains that hit the city of Ouanaminthe on May 5, 2025, caused significant flooding, particularly in the working-class neighborhood of Gaya. Joanis Fleury, head of Civil Protection for the Northeast, reported a provisional toll of 3,286 flooded homes and 4,365 families affected. Authorities, in collaboration with Civil Protection, quickly implemented emergency measures to assist those affected. No loss of life has been reported.



Diaspora : Legal Consultation on Immigration

The Consulate of the Republic of Haiti in Orlando informs the Haitian community in Central Florida that the Consular Post and the organization "FLIC" will provide a legal consultation on immigration on Saturday, May 10, 2025, between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the Consulate's premises located at 1616 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.



Pope : 2 Votes, 2 Black Smokes

Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 9:00 p.m. (Vatican Time), black smoke rose from the small chimney protruding from the Sistine Chapel, to the left of St. Peter's Basilica. Therefore, no Pope was chosen by the college of 133 cardinal electors following this first ballot. This vote is not surprising, since since 1878, ever since the conclave was established in the Sistine Chapel, the first smoke of the conclave has always been black. This Thursday, May 8, at 9:15 a.m., the electors of the Supreme Pontiff will have to vote twice (in the event of non-election in the first ballot). This morning at 11:50 a.m., black smoke was seen again. The next vote begins at 4:30 p.m....



IOM : 18 Water Pumps Rehabilitated

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has rehabilitated 18 water pumps in Croix-des-Bouquets and Tabarre, improving access to drinking water for thousands of people. As part of this initiative, 54 community members were trained to maintain the pumps, thus strengthening social cohesion between host communities and displaced families.



MMSS : Concrete results expected soon

On Wednesday, May 7, 2025, Jack Ombakale, spokesperson for the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMSS), announced on Radio Television Caraibes that decisive operations were underway and that concrete results were expected, remaining discreet about details classified as strategic. Ombakale acknowledged that the mission's initial commitments had been delayed, but emphasized that the terrain was now better controlled. He stated : "We understand the tactics of the armed groups. We know what happened in Kenscoff, Savien, and around the National Police Academy," also reiterating that the mission was acting with the resources at its disposal.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















The Trump administration's trade battles and sudden decisions have raised doubts in Europe about US digital products. Microsoft wants to counteract this: In the latest blog post by Microsoft's General Counsel and President, Brad Smith emphasizes the close economic ties and promises that Microsoft will not withdraw from Europe.

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Five assurances

In the blog post, Smith formulates five digital assurances to Europe. Microsoft wants to increase its data center capacities by around 40 percent over the next two years and expand to 16 countries in Europe. To achieve this, Microsoft intends to invest tens of billions of euros annually.

Microsoft President Brad Smith formulates five key assurances to Europe in the blog post. (Image: Microsoft)

The European data centers are to operate independently and be managed by EU citizens. Microsoft wants to implement and respect European laws. Furthermore, Microsoft assures that it will not cease its cloud activities in Europe, even if foreign governments demand it. In this unlikely event, the company intends to take legal action against this.

As Trump has dismissed almost all members of the body responsible for monitoring the exchange of data between the USA and the EU (EU-US Data Privacy Framework), Microsoft undertakes in the blog post to continue to protect European data and offer additional encryption options. Smith mentioned the EU Data Boundary project, which enables Microsoft customers to store and process their data within the EU.

Furthermore, the company wants to expand and actively support cyber security in Europe. As an example, Smith cited the support for Ukraine, where Microsoft helped to distribute Ukraine's data securely in Europe at the beginning of the war of aggression.

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Microsoft fights for the favor of its customers

Since US President Trump took office for the second time, many US companies such as Amazon, Microsoft and Google have been fighting for the trust of European customers. Microsoft is positioning itself as a strong partner for Europe that wants to create digital stability.

According to Smith, it is "essential that we maintain the trust of countries and governments in our technologies." No wonder, as the European market accounts for more than a quarter of Microsoft's revenue.

(wid)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
Apple's European management is facing changes, according to a report. Mark Rogers, Vice President for Western Europe, will leave the company in the fall. The manager has worked at Apple for a total of 27 years, twelve of which  as Vice President since 2013 . In his position, he is responsible for Germany, France, the UK and other important Western European countries. The US business news agency Bloomberg was the first to report on the appointment.

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All of Europe under a new boss

Interestingly, Rogers has a second area of responsibility in addition to his Western European portfolio, which is even more important: he also holds the title of Vice President of Global Enterprise Sales. This means that he is also responsible for Apple's global sales to enterprise customers. Rogers reports to Mike Fenger, the VP of all sales. Roger reports to Fenger, who in turn reports directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

There have already been other major changes in Apple's sales organization recently. Fenger had taken over a co-sales manager, Doug Beck, until 2023. Following Rogers' departure, his responsibilities are now to be split, according to Bloomberg. Juan Castellanos, Vice President for the Central and Eastern Europe plus Middle East and Africa regions, will also take over the Western European market. Vivek Thakkar, who is currently responsible for enterprise sales in the USA and business with carriers there, will take over Global Enterprise Sales. There will be no change in the reporting chain to Fenger.

Further changes in India and in AI

Apple also restructured in other regions in 2023. At that time, India was given its own Vice President of Sales for the first time, as the world's most populous country is becoming increasingly important for Apple  as a sales and production region. Other structures were also addressed in this context.

Other management changes at Apple mainly affected the Group's current pain points. For example, Apple restructured its Siri department after massive problems with modern AI, and another up-and-coming area, robotics, was taken away from the current head of AI.

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Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen. Preisvergleiche immer laden Preisvergleich jetzt laden

(bsc)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
NATO's Locked Shields joint cyber security exercise, which has been held annually since 2010, is currently taking place again in Tallinn, Estonia. The event has been running for its 15th anniversary since April 21 and ends tomorrow, Thursday, May 9, 2025, where the troops of the participating countries practice fending off cyber attacks and thus ensuring greater resilience in "cyberspace".

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A spokesperson for the Bundeswehr explained to heise security that during these "live-fire exercises", the "participants counter interdepartmental and multinational hybrid threats from cyber and information space". Specifically, "real-time attacks on computer networks and critical infrastructure systems (KRITIS) are simulated by an attacking team (Red Team) from Tallinn (Estonia), which must be repelled by a total of 17 Blue Teams."

Locked shields: not only troops active in the exercise

According to the Bundeswehr, one of these Blue Teams, Team 2, consists of members of the Cyber and Information Space (CIR) branch of the armed forces and comprises around 200 exercise participants; they are based in Kalkar. The team is being led "this year by our partners from Singapore", "who are contributing their valuable experience from the Indo-Pacific region to the exercise. The team also includes numerous members from other departments", such as the BMI, the BSI and others, as well as from industry, the Bundeswehr explains further.

The German soldiers also comment on some of the focal points: "One of them is aimed at defending against cyber attacks on KRITIS in a civilian and military context, such as energy or water supply or radar systems and air defense in a fictitious exercise scenario created by NATO. In this context, in addition to technical skills, methods and cooperation with civilian companies, the handling of incidents in the information environment (such as social media) and the legal assessment of actions are also trained and evaluated by NATO."

Like other democratic countries, Germany is currently "more than ever the focus of state and non-state actors who use hybrid means to destabilize our society. However, the Bundeswehr is professionally equipped to deal with hybrid threats from the cyber and information space and is an important partner for all security actors." The scenarios must be practiced regularly, for which NATO's Locked Shields exercises have provided a framework since 2010, in which 41 nations now participate.

The Bundeswehr spokesperson continues: "With the Locked Shields exercise, the CIR is thus jointly meeting the growing challenges in the cyber security domain and increasing the resilience of society as a whole. After all, national security provision in cyber and information space can only be achieved jointly in an interdepartmental, international approach that explicitly includes civilian partners."

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NATO itself writes on LinkedIn, for example, that almost 4,000 IT security experts are taking part in the exercise. "Locked Shields is unique in the scope and depth of collaboration between nations, universities, international organizations and industry partners, who bring to the exercise specialized systems, advanced skills and cutting-edge technologies from around the world, representing the best expertise in their respective industries," the defence alliance says of the exercise.

One of the focal points of the Locked Shields exercise in 2024 was to prevent phishing and "defend containers".

(dmk)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
Following "urgent calls for help" from the USA, the University of Bremen and the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) have begun to secure scientific data sets from there. The two research institutions from Bremen and Bremerhaven announced this and added that the long-term goal is to make the data publicly available. However, this would take some time. The project, which is being carried out with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will initially focus on data on earthquakes and hot springs. The storage of the data is secured in the short term, but the foreseeable loss of services, for example for processing, is problematic.

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Against the hostility towards science

As the University of Bremen explains, the action initially involved the Seismicity Catalog Collection with data on more than four million earthquakes from 2150 BC to 1996 AD. The United States Earthquake Intensity Database, which has also been secured, contains data on damage and the perceived intensity of more than 23,000 earthquakes in what is now the USA and other states between 1638 and 1985. The US authority responsible for this has already announced that this collection will no longer be supported. Other databases have already been secured. All content is to be integrated into the open access library PANGAEA.

This is in response to "urgent calls for help from the scientific community and NOAA employees", explains Frank Oliver Glockner from the AWI and assures: "In the short term, the storage of the data is secured." However, the complex services of the US institutions actually responsible cannot be completely replaced in the short term. The Rector of the University of Bremen, Jutta Gunther, adds that "without data, there is no research  freely accessible scientific data is essential for research and innovation worldwide". We take responsibility "to ensure that this knowledge is preserved in the future". Anti-science movements must be countered together with researchers from the USA.

It is worrying "when political decisions jeopardize long-term access to fundamental scientific data", adds Michal Kucera, Vice-Rector for Research and Transfer at the university. He is referring to various measures taken by the Trump administration, some of which have serious consequences for science. Even during his first term in office, he exerted influence on research, among other things to delegitimize measures against climate change. In the face of massive budget cuts, thousands of researchers from the USA warned of a climate of fear at the end of March and called for an end to the latest "major attack on science".

(mho)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
Distance Technologies, a startup based in Helsinki, has partnered with defence company Patria to develop a glasses-free display that overlays real-time 3D tactical data directly onto a vehicle's windshield.

A new Finnish technology is set to change battlefield awareness by replacing traditional screens and headsets with mixed reality windshields in armoured vehicles.

The system, which requires no special eyewear, uses artificial intelligence and eye-tracking to adapt to where users are looking, showing layered digital information in the drivers natural line of sight.

Urho Konttori, co-founder and CEO of Distance, described the system as offering super sensing abilities. He said the mixed reality (MR) interface enables operators to access battlefield data, terrain maps and AI-generated insights without diverting attention from the road or compromising visibility in smoke or darkness.

Mixed reality is all about understanding exactly whats in front of you and then mixing the synthetic signal on top of it, Konttori said.

Unlike traditional heads-up displays, which project basic information at a fixed focal distance, Distances technology presents a so-called infinite pixel depth. This allows digital objects to appear in the correct spatial context, making the display feel indistinguishable from reality.

The project will be deployed in Patrias six-wheel drive defence vehicles as part of its eALLIANCE programme, which is supported by Finnish government funding. The aim is to test the technology in operational military settings by 2027.

Distances approach eliminates external light leakage, meaning vehicles equipped with the display cannot be visually located by the light from the screen  a risk often associated with digital cockpit devices.

Jussi Makinen, Distances chief marketing officer, said the companys mission is to reduce burden, not add to it.

Our technology is all about adding value without requiring headsets or complex tools, he said. It can be used with minimal training.

The technology was first developed for the automotive sector to ensure cost-effective mass production before being applied to defence use. Distance emerged from stealth mode in 2024 after securing a $2.7 million pre-seed investment and an $11.1 million round led by Google Ventures.

The MR system transforms any transparent surface into a display. It does this using light field optics that adapt to a viewers position and eye movement, fusing computer-generated visuals with the natural environment. The technology has been tested on aircraft, including fighter jets, and is now being tailored for use in armoured vehicles.

Patria, which produces defence systems and armoured vehicles for Nordic and EU forces, said the partnership reflects its commitment to building national capabilities in AI and sensor fusion.

The city of Arlington, Virginia hosted a demonstration of the MR windshield earlier this week, where the prototype was shown embedded in a Patria 6x6 platform. The final version, to be delivered by 2027, is expected to be significantly more advanced.

Distances founder Konttori previously served as CTO at Helsinki-based XR firm Varjo, where he helped develop the first retina-resolution headset. After leaving Varjo, he launched Distance to focus on display solutions that do not rely on wearable devices.

The new collaboration coincides with rising defence spending in Europe. On Tuesday, Germany approved a 500 billion fund for military and infrastructure investment. The move has intensified calls across the continent for increased technological readiness in defence.

HT
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) says it has received early indications that hundreds of Chinese nationals may apply for work-based residence permits related to the construction phase of the plant. Migris Tuuli Huhtilainen , who oversees permits and seasonal labour, said that while the exact figure is unclear, the agency is preparing for a substantial group.

Conflicting statements have surfaced about the expected number of Chinese workers at a major battery materials plant under construction in Kotka, southeastern Finland.

My understanding is that they are from China, and we are talking about hundreds of people, she said. These are preliminary estimates.

The plant, being built in the Keltakallio industrial area, is Finlands first facility for producing cathode active material used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. Construction began this spring, and the 800 million site is expected to begin production in 2027.

The main contractor is China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), which insists that Chinese workers will not be involved in the construction phase beyond a limited number of managerial staff.

Lin Tao, deputy project manager at CHEC, said around 80 subcontracts will be issued, primarily to Finnish firms, covering earthworks, foundation, structural, technical, and equipment installation. He said that up to 100 Chinese technicians could be brought in only if no suitable expertise is found in Finland.

That would be a backup plan. The goal is to hire locally first, Lin said.

Construction is expected to employ 500 to 600 people in total. Rego Oy, a Helsinki-based firm coordinating subcontractors, said the management team currently numbers about 30, split between Finnish and Chinese professionals.

Heikki Schemeikka, CEO of Rego, said local contractors remain the priority. Its unfortunate if theres misinformation circulating. Of course there are international bids, but we are primarily looking for workers in Finland, he said.

Speculation about the workforce has also reached local hospitality providers, who have reported inquiries linked to a potential influx of Chinese workers. Migris estimate is based on advance notifications typically shared by employers or embassies when large groups are involved. The Finnish Foreign Ministry said it had no direct information but noted that data might have come from Finlands embassy in Beijing.

The ownership of the plant reflects a joint venture structure. Easpring Finland New Materials is owned 70% by Beijing Easpring Material Technology and 30% by Finnish state-owned Finnish Minerals Group (FMG).

Timo Strengell, head of battery value chain operations at FMG, confirmed that Chinese technical personnel will be essential during the start-up phase. He expects around 50 Chinese experts to be employed when production begins.

This is their technology. We want them here to teach us. We dont have similar facilities in Finland, Strengell said.

He also dismissed claims of large numbers of Chinese workers during construction. Absolutely not. If hundreds were coming, they would all need permits. Thats not even practical, he added.

Once operational, the factory is expected to employ around 270 people directly, all of whom will be recruited from Finland.

HT
The feature, written from Helsinki, paints a bleak picture of everyday life in the country repeatedly ranked first in the UNs annual World Happiness Report. It features interviews with residents from across Finland who express scepticism about the title.

British newspaper Daily Mail has published a critical report questioning Finlands reputation as the worlds happiest country, describing its capital as grey, impoverished, and burdened by social problems.

Weve been named the happiest people in the world... but we think its nonsense, the article begins.

The newspaper interviewed residents queueing at the Hursti food bank in central Helsinki, including Alexander, 63, an unemployed tailor. Its bull****, he said. Our government is cutting everything. We were tied to Nokia for a long time, but when it collapsed, so did the country.

Hursti food bank staff say demand has risen sharply. Sini Hursti, who runs the centre, reported that over 2,000 people now seek assistance each week. When I see these queues, I cant agree Finland is the happiest country, she told the paper. Her father Heikki Hursti, now deputy director, added that the number of first-time visitors is growing, including students and families.

The report also points to economic pressures. According to the Daily Mail, Finlands unemployment rate is around 9 percent, nearly double that of the UK. While gross wages are higher in Finland, heavy taxation reduces take-home pay. Recent government decisions to cut housing and parental benefits, freeze unemployment support, and increase healthcare fees were highlighted as signs of a weakening welfare system.

In East Helsinki, the paper visited Vaasankatu and Sornainen, referring to the area as Helsinkis red-light district and describing scenes of drug use and arrests. Daniel Schrack, 30, a homeless drug user, said: I think Finland is far from the happiest place on earth. Ive been waiting for housing for eight years.

The article notes ongoing public order issues and refers to Piritori in Alppiharju and Kontula in East Helsinki as areas associated with drugs and gang activity. It describes Helsinkis railway station as equipped with needle disposal boxes, suggesting widespread drug use.

The report also explores the psychological toll of the long, dark winters and geopolitical anxieties stemming from Finlands proximity to Russia. It includes interviews with residents in Lappeenranta, near the Russian border. Pekka Tiimo, a fire safety officer, said he is concerned about future security threats. I have a gun at home, but that wouldnt stop much if Russia invaded, he said.

Maritta Tiimo, a local hairdresser, said happiness is subjective. People have their own situations. Thats what decides if theyre happy.

Some interviewed by the newspaper acknowledged the benefits of Finnish society. Onerva Girs, a 22-year-old teacher, said: Being born in Finland is like winning the lottery. We complain a lot, but Id rather live here than anywhere else.

Niko Suokko, 28, a traffic engineer, suggested the index measures the potential for happiness. If the government works, transport works, you have a job and education  you have the chance to be happy.

While the article challenges Finlands top position in the UNs World Happiness Report, it also notes aspects of the welfare state many Finns value, such as free education, healthcare, and low crime rates.

The Daily Mails assessment has drawn attention in Finland, where officials and media outlets reacted to the coverage. Critics say the happiness ranking oversimplifies well-being by relying on surveys rather than reflecting systemic inequalities.

Wille Rydman, Minister of Economic Affairs, commented that Finland faces significant structural issues despite positive global perceptions. There are real challenges, especially for low-income households, he said in a separate interview.

The World Happiness Report is compiled by the University of Oxfords Wellbeing Research Centre, in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

HT
Griffin concedes, ending six-month challenge of Nov. 5 election

Six months and two days after North Carolinians went to the polls, the 2024 election is finally over. On Wednesday, Republican Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin conceded, ending a lengthy court battle over the state Supreme Court seat he narrowly lost to Democratic Justice Allison Riggs.

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The concession came two days after a Trump-appointed federal judge ordered the State Board of Elections to certify Riggss victory. Griffin was given a week to appeal the ruling, but opted to concede instead.

In a statement, Griffin broke his six-month silence on the case, which involved a series of election protests calling for over 60,000 voters to be removed from the count. Challenged voters included those whose voter registrations were allegedly missing a drivers license or Social Security number; overseas and military absentee voters who did not include a copy of their photo ID with their ballot; and so-called Never Residents who voted under inherited North Carolina residency through their parents or legal guardians.

Federal District Judge Richard E. Myers II rejected Griffins election protests not based on their substance, but their timing. He said that voters who followed the procedures known to them at the time they cast their ballots could not be removed later due to a change in rules or their interpretation.

Griffin said he respected the judges ruling while disagreeing with the analysis. He also commended the state Supreme Court and state Court of Appeals for previous rulings that affirmed the basis of his protests.

The courts have affirmed that voter ID is required for all absentee ballots and that you must be a resident of North Carolina to vote in North Carolina elections, Griffin said. These holdings are very significant for securing our states elections.

Future litigation on these issues will likely appear, but will not apply to the 2024 general election results.

In a statement, the North Carolina Republican Party said it respected the courts opinion but remained "concerned about the serious election integrity issues this litigation brought to light.

If Griffin had appealed, the case may have ended up at the U.S. Supreme Court. But after being handed a partial loss by the Republican-majority state Supreme Court and a Trump-appointed federal judge, Griffin may have reevaluated his chances of coming out on top.

I hope we return to a time when those who lose elections concede defeat rather than trying to tear down the entire election system and erode voter confidence, said Karen Brinson Bell, who was executive director of the State Board of Elections before the board's new Republican majority sacked her on Wednesday.

Its unclear whether Griffins court losses and eventual concession will discourage future losing candidates from using similar arguments to try and flip their races after the fact.

In a statement, Riggs said that shes glad the will of the voters was finally heard.

Its been my honor to lead this fight  even though it should never have happened  and Im in awe of the North Carolinians whose courage reminds us all that we can use our voices to hold accountable any politician who seeks to take power out of the hands of the people, she said.

* * * * *
Ariel Sharon  2001-2006

The 2005 disengagement from Gaza was, for Ariel Sharon, the antithesis of both his nature, as well as lifes direction. Born in 1928 on moshav Kfar Malal to obdurate, mistrustful Russian parents, he was instilled with a deep-seated disdain for Arabs, amplified by the 1929 riots. He developed an inordinate sense of self-confidence and a compulsive work ethic, focusing deeply on details and an uncanny knowledge of Israels terrains. He was recognized for his analytical military brilliance, having served in every Israeli war from 1948 until his retirement in July 1973...
(JTA) - David Horowitz, a former '60s radical turned right-wing firebrand who decried what he called the "the efforts of the radical left and its Islamist allies to destroy American values," died Tuesday after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 86.

His death was announced by the David Horowitz Freedom Center, the think tank he founded with Peter Collier in 1988.

A self-described agnostic Jew who wrote in 2016 that he had never been to Israel, he nonetheless became one of the fiercest critics of Democrats he claimed "empowered" Israel's enemies, including Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, ISIS and Hamas.

In campaigning against Islamism after 9/11, he became a savage and what many said was a bigoted critic of Islam itself, writing once that "to call Islam a peaceful religion is laughable" and, in another instance, that Islam is "a problematic religion and source of violence." The Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League both termed him "anti-Muslim."

Having become an early supporter of Donald Trump's bid for the presidency, he lambasted fellow conservatives who didn't support the then-developer and TV star's candidacy. In a controversial 2016 essay in the hardline right-wing Breitbart News, he accused the conservative Jewish writer William Kristol and other "Never Trumpers" of trying "to weaken the only party that stands between the Jews and their annihilation, and between America and the forces intent on destroying her."

In recent years he was a fierce defender of some of the first Trump administration's most contentious stances, including its travel ban on a group of mostly Muslim countries, and its policy of separating undocumented immigrant children from their parents at the border. Stephen Miller, the Jewish senior Trump adviser thought to be an architect of those policies, considers himself one of Horowitz's proteges.

In 2017, in a harbinger of current Trump administration policies, Horowitz's Freedom Center launched a campaign against "sanctuary campuses" for failing to report undocumented immigrants to authorities.

Horowitz honed his take-no-prisoners approach to activism as a leader of the New Left, a fiery political movement that emerged in the 1960s with the University of California, Berkeley as its epicenter.

Horowitz earned his master's in English from Berkeley in 1961 and returned to the campus in 1968. He served as co-editor of the radical magazine Ramparts, which preached revolution "by any means necessary" in its opposition to the Vietnam War and support for far-left regimes.

Horowitz was also a supporter and associate of the Black Panthers, a radical Black Power group. By his own account, Horowitz's political conversion was sparked by the disappearance and murder in 1974 of Betty Van Patter, a friend who he recommended for a job with the Panthers. Horowitz suspected the Panthers in the murder, which remains unsolved.

"My life as a leftist began with a May Day Parade in 1948, when I was nine years old, and lasted for more than twenty-five years until December 1974, when a murder committed by my political comrades brought my radical career to an end," he wrote in 1986.

By the end of the 1970s, Horowitz began to further question his Marxist views, and like a number of Jewish "red diaper" babies raised in leftist homes (he was born in Queens to parents who were Communist Party members) he became disillusioned with a movement that he felt ignored the violent excesses of the far left.

In 1984, he voted for Ronald Reagan and co-authored a Washington Post op-ed attacking his old comrades for supporting Cuban dictator Fidel Castro as well as the Sandinistas, a revolutionary leftist movement in Nicaragua.

In 1988, he and Collier founded the Center for the Study of Popular Culture, which became the David Horowitz Freedom Center. Its activities include a database of alleged left-wing activists, the Jihad Watch blog and a magazine dedicated to exposing the excesses of "political correctness" on college campuses.

After the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the foundation increasingly focused on Islamist terrorism. Its targets included Students for Justice in Palestine and pro-Palestinian Berkeley professors it accused of fomenting antisemitism. In 2016, the Freedom Center launched a poster campaign targeting pro-Palestinian student activists as "Jew haters" and terrorists' allies. As the posters drew criticism, a pro-Israel campus group funded by the late casino magnate Sheldon Adelson was compelled to issue a statement saying that while they had made a "modest" grant to the center, they had not funded the campaign.

Horowitz, deeply critical of Palestinians, claimed that their goal is to erase Jews from the Middle East. "No people have shown themselves as so morally sick as the Palestinians," he said at Brooklyn College in 2011.

Horowitz was a polarizing figure, earning praise from those who said his views were prescient, and derision from others who described him as a hate-monger.

"David was an incredible resource to me and many other Jewish students facing terror sympathizers and haters on hostile college campuses, before it became national news," Hannah Grossman, a reporter at the right-wing Manhattan Institute think tank, wrote on X.

The Southern Poverty Law Center lists the Freedom Center as a hate group, saying its projects "give anti-Muslim voices and radical ideologies a platform to project hate and misinformation."

He was the author or co-author of dozens of books, whose titles reflect his political compulsions, including "The Shadow Party: How George Soros, Hillary Clinton, and Sixties Radicals Seized Control of the Democratic Party" (2017); "BLITZ: Trump Will Smash the Left and Win" (2020), and "Dark Agenda: The War to Destroy Christian America" (2018).

Horowitz was married four times. His survivors include three children by his first marriage; in 2008 a daughter, Sarah, died of heart complications at age 44. He wrote about her in his 2009 book, "A Cracking of the Heart."
Betty L. Stone, 99, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother passed away peacefully on Jan. 3, 2025. She is survived by her two daughters, Cindy Stone (Dr. Mark Glazer), Debbie Stone (David Glaser) and her four granddaughters, Kim Goldstein (Coye Kistler), Sarah Glaser, Emily Glaser and Natalie Glazer. She was married for 48 years to Dr. Arthur Stone, a periodontist and a captain in the U.S. Navy and a WWII veteran who pre-deceased her.

Betty was born in Boston, Massachusetts on June 1, 1925, and was the daughter of Ruth and Harry Liebman, and the sister of Helen Simon. She graduated from Boston Teacher's College with a B.S. in Education in 1947 and taught elementary school both in Boston and in Beaufort, South Carolina, until the birth of her first daughter. In addition to her college degree, Betty received a master's degree in Guidance from Rollins College in 1971.

Betty and Arthur lived in many different locations due to his military service, but settled in Maitland, Florida after his retirement, where Betty returned to teaching and taught school in the Orange County school system for 22 years, retiring in 1990. She spent the last 13 years of her active teaching career as a middle school math teacher at Glenridge Middle School. In addition to teaching, Betty enjoyed playing bridge, reading, traveling, bowling, taking daily walks and playing the piano. She and Arthur traveled extensively after she retired and she continued traveling with her sister after Arthur's passing, including taking numerous river cruises in Europe and the United States. Betty enjoyed spending a summer vacation every year at her daughter Debbie's house in the Berkshires in Massachusetts and attending the Glimmerglass Opera Festival in Cooperstown, New York.

Betty moved to Nashville in 2021 to be nearer to her daughter Cindy and until the time of her passing, lived in independent living at Richland Place, where she participated in many activities, including bridge and mah jongg, and spent precious family time with Cindy and her family. She greatly enjoyed her time with the Richland Place community and forged strong friendships during her residence. Betty had special relationships with her four granddaughters and served as a wonderful role model to them.

Betty was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with her husband, Arthur.

Special thanks are due to all of Betty's Vanderbilt doctors, especially her internist, Dr. Parul Goyal.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Planned Parenthood or The Temple Congregation Ohabai Sholom.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Republican, signed legislation on Monday to prohibit the states agencies from using the term West Bank.

The bill, which passed in the Arkansas General Assembly earlier this month, is considered to be the first time that a U.S. state has required its documents to call the area that Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 Six-Day War by the biblical names of Judea and Samaria.

It is the intent of the General Assembly to: (1) Refer to the land controlled by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War by its historical name of Judea and Samaria, wit...
(JTA)  An amendment saying that criticism of the Israeli government is not antisemitic was added to the Antisemitism Awareness Act today in a Senate committee hearing.

The amendment was proposed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Jewish progressive leader, and approved in a 12-11 vote in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

The committee adjourned before voting on the bill itself and another piece of legislation, the Protecting Students on Campus Act, which would require schools to share information about how students can file civil rights complaints through the Depart...
(JNS)  Sandra Hagee Parker, chairwoman of the Christians United for Israel Action Fund, called on April 28 to prevent U.S. taxpayer-funded contracts going to those supporting boycotts against Israel.

We are not here to try and change the hearts and minds of people who hate Israel, Hagee Parker, the daughter of CUFI founder Pastor John Hagee, said at the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem. What they are not entitled to do is weaponize taxpayer dollars. Nobody has a right to gain a government contract while hating on our closest ally.

CUFI, which claims more than 10 million member...
May 11, 11 a.m.  1 p.m.  The second workshop in a four-part series titled Dismantling Hate: Tackling Antisemitism Together. Part 2, Combatting Stereotypes and Myths. This session will addres common sterotypes, misconceptions and myths about Jewish people and Judaism. Lef by Director of education Stephen Poynor. For more information and to register, visit hmrec.org.

May 18, 1 p.m.  Summer Youth Series, Fighting Spirit: Krava Maga & Jewish History, Session 1, hosted by Shaan Saar Orlando, this series inspires young people to embrace values of respect, awareness and social responsibility....
(JNS)  The third round of talks on Irans nuclear program took place in Oman last Saturday as the United States hopes to restrain the Islamic Republic through negotiations.

The talks have garnered mixed reactions from Israel supporters, with some calling for a wait-and-see approach and others, viewing past as prologue, warning that Iran will only use the talks to buy time, rebuild its capabilities and persist in its malign activities.

To Western thinking negotiation means compromise and reconciliation, but Irans ayatollahs see it as a way to recover from defeat and ready for renewed confront...
(JTA)  Israels government approved a plan on Sunday to conquer and occupy the Gaza Strip, a major expansion of its military campaign there and a sign that the war is far from ending.

The plan passed unanimously in Israels cabinet despite warnings by the countrys military chief that it will endanger the lives of the hostages still held by Hamas. It will also trigger an extensive call-up of military reservists, many of whom have already served for extended periods during the war.

The plan was approved alongside a new structure for delivering humanitarian aid, which Israel has blocked from th...
(Israel Hayom via JNS)  The Tel Aviv District Court sentenced Moti Maman, 73, to 10 years in prison after convicting him of contact with a foreign agent and unlawful entry into an enemy state.

Maman admitted that he had twice entered Iran, where he met with Iranian intelligence agents to discuss conducting terrorist activity in Israel. He also spoke with them about the prospect of carrying out assassinations of senior Israeli officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) Director Ronen Bar and former prime...
(JNS) - At exactly 8 p.m. on April 29, a siren pierced the air across Israel. But this time, it was not a warning of incoming missiles. It marked the beginning of Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror.

In cities and towns nationwide, the country and its people paused - hearts heavy with grief and pride - to remember those who gave their lives in defense of the State of Israel.

The moment was most poignantly felt at Jerusalem's historic Ammunition Hill, where 1,200 people gathered for an emotional English-language ceremony organized by The Michael Le...
(JNS)  Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas claimed that in the Quran, the Jewish Temple is described as being in Yemen.

In the Noble Quran, and I believe that also in other divine books, it says that the [First and Second] Temples were in Yemen, said Abbas on April 23 in a televised speech during the 32nd PLO Central Council meeting in Ramallah.

He made the remarks in the context of his claim that Israeli authorities were targeting Jerusalems Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is built on the Temple Mount, where the Jewish Temple used to stand.

The Jews say, This is ours, that was ours  No....
(JTA)  As the Antisemitism Awareness Act heads to a Senate committee for a crucial vote, 10 progressive Jewish organizations have signed a letter opposing the legislation for representing an endorsement of the Trump administrations efforts to weaponize antisemitism.

Voting in favor of this legislation in this current political climate would represent an endorsement of the Trump Administrations escalating efforts to weaponize antisemitism as a pretext for undermining civil rights, deporting political dissidents, and attacking the fundamental pillars of our democracy, making the Jewish com...
IDF intercepts drone smuggling assault rifles from Egypt

By JNS Staff

(JNS)  The Israel Defense Forces intercepted a drone attempting to smuggle weapons from Egypt into Israeli territory late on Monday night.

IDF surveillance teams identified the UAV entering Israeli airspace. Israeli forces promptly downed the drone and, upon examination, discovered it was transporting 10 M-16 assault rifles, as well as ammunition. The seized arms were handed over to security personnel for further investigation.

This event is part of a broader pattern of recent smuggling attempts along the Israeli-Egyptian b...
(JNS)  Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.

 Psalms 126:5

After a year of profound heartbreak, Yom Haatzmaut arrives as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people. Even amid pain, we celebrate the miracle of Israels rebirththe harvest of dreams sown through centuries of sacrifice and hope.

Seventy-six years ago, David Ben-Gurion stood in Tel Aviv and proclaimed the birth of the modern-day Jewish state. It fulfilled a 2,000-year-old dreama miracle shaped through sacrifice, courage and unyielding hope. Today, we honor that founding vision, even as Israel confronts on...
(JNS)  Borrowing a nifty lyric from the Beastie Boys (those white-hot, hip-hop Jewish sensations): (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Hate Jews!).

Yes, the original rap song focused on an altogether different Right: the one to Party!  once an eager rallying cry at college. But those were different collegiate days  before social justice and self-importance transformed mirthful campuses into humorless hotbeds of antisemitism.

Keggers officially traded for keffiyehs.

Faculty and student priorities took an extreme hard-left and Islamist turn on Oct. 8, 2023  the day after 1,200 Israeli...
(JNS)  April 22, 2025, may be remembered as a turning point in the history of Israeli public diplomacy, and rightly so. On that day, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs harnessed the power of social media to expose the Palestinian Authority as the enemy it is.

From the official @Israel account on X, a powerful statement was posted: The Palestinian Authority isnt educating children, its indoctrinating them. Maps without Israel. Teachers praising martyrdom. Textbooks that glorify terror. As long as they teach hate, theres no hope for peace. Stop ignoring it. Stop funding education that...
(JNS)  As we celebrate the 77th year of Israels independence this Yom Haatzmaut, the need for Israels existence as the worlds only Jewish state is paramount for the Jewish peoples survival. As we remember the brave men and women who died fighting to make the promised land a reality and celebrate all Israel has become, we must continue to push back against the rise of antisemitism and anti-Zionism that threaten Israels survival. To do that, we must not only advocate for a continued strong U.S.-Israel relationship and a secure Israel; we must fight antisemitism in the United States and fo...
New York police arrest over 70 protesters from Columbia University campus

Xinhua) 14:24, May 08, 2025

NEW YORK, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A pro-Palestinian protest broke out at Columbia University on Wednesday afternoon and more than 100 demonstrators occupied part of the university's main library, leading to the arrest of some 75 individuals.

Tensions escalated quickly as clashes erupted between protesters and university public safety officers. Protesters were pushed back toward the library entrance, and two safety officers sustained injuries during the confrontation. A fire alarm was triggered amid the chaos.

Protesters chanted slogans including "No cops. No K.K.K. No fascist U.S.A." and "Free Palestine."

The New York police entered the main campus of Columbia University at the university's request around 6 p.m. local time (2200 GMT) and made arrests on the grounds of trespassing.

This marks the most significant protest at Columbia University since the demonstrations in April 2024 and resulted in a big number of arrests to date.

Earlier this week, Columbia University's faculty and staff held vigils to protest the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's detention of three international students and vowed to continue weekly vigils until all detainees are released.

"Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams," according to a statement from Claire Shipman, acting president of the university.

New York City authorities also responded. Eric Adams, mayor of New York City, called the demonstrators' action "unacceptable."

"To those protesting on campus who do not attend Columbia: exit the campus immediately or you will be arrested. We will not tolerate hate or violence in any form in our city," said Adams in a post on social media.

Columbia University has been at the center of pro-Palestinian protests. In April 2024, a massive protest at the university led to over 100 arrests.

In March, the Trump administration also withdrew 400 million U.S dollars in federal funding from Columbia University, citing the failure to curb anti-semitism on the campus.

The current protest could complicate negotiations between the federal government and university officials seeking to restore federal funding.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Hefei builds powerful cluster of quantum technology enterprises

15:26, May 08, 2025 By Han Junjie ( People's Daily

China's independently developed third-generation superconducting quantum computer, Origin Wukong, is exhibited at the 2024 World Manufacturing Convention held in Hefei, east China's Anhui province, Sept. 20, 2024. (Photo by Wang Yushi/People's Daily Online)

Along Yunfei Road in the Hefei National High-Tech Industry Development Zone, east China's Anhui province, prominent "quantum" signs appear at regular intervals. The road is known as "Quantum Street" to many locals.

On both sides of the road, there are more than 30 leading quantum technology enterprises, covering quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum measurement - forming the most concentrated quantum industry cluster in China.

Among the trailblazers is QuantumCTek Co., Ltd., whose exhibition hall offers a window into the development of quantum technology. A massive screen displays live footage of the "Beijing-Shanghai Backbone" project, a quantum-secured communication backbone line connecting Beijing and Shanghai.

"Traditional digital encryption risks being compromised in the face of massive computational power," explained Peng Chengzhi, chief scientist of QuantumCTek. "Quantum key distribution, however, offers a robust defense against such threats, securing data even as computing capabilities advance."

Founded in 2009, QuantumCTek was pivotal in a major project by Hefei (the capital city of Anhui province) to establish a quantum communication experimental demonstration network. "We built the world's first quantum communication network," said Zhou Lei, the company's vice president. "What was once confined to laboratory prototypes has now evolved into industry-grade technology."

An employee of ZL Cryogenic in Hefei, east China's Anhui province, assembles ultra-low-temperature dilution refrigerators used in quantum computing. (Photo by Liu Yucai/People's Daily Online)

The company's quantum key distribution devices, once the size of refrigerators, have shrunk to the size of standard video recorders, a clear sign of technological progress. "Today, our systems can be directly integrated into various types of devices, cutting installation costs significantly," Zhou added.

QuantumCTek's technological advancement helped spur the creation of a quantum metropolitan area network for Hefei that leads the country in scale, number of users and applications, as well as the "Beijing-Shanghai Backbone" project. The launch of the world's first quantum satellite, named Micius, further extended secure communication from urban areas and intercity domains to outer space.

"Hefei has become a key hub for quantum technology innovation, hosting nearly a third of China's quantum tech enterprises," said Lyu Bo, deputy director of Hefei's science and technology bureau. "The city has attracted more than 70 upstream and downstream enterprises in the quantum industry chain, ranking first in the country," he added. From basic research and core technological breakthroughs to engineering development and commercialization, Hefei has laid the groundwork for a robust, integrated quantum ecosystem.

Another major milestone in quantum computing came earlier this year when Chinese scientists unveiled a superconducting quantum computer prototype named "Zuchongzhi 3.0" with 105 qubits, setting a new record in quantum computational advantage within superconducting systems. This achievement places China at the forefront of both superconducting and photonic quantum computing pathways.

Inside the laboratory of Hefei Origin Quantum Computing Technology Co., Ltd, a large cylindrical instrument bearing the name "Origin Wukong" takes center stage. This third-generation, China's independently developed superconducting quantum computer represents one of the country's most advanced programmable and delivered superconducting quantum computers.

In a laboratory of QuantumCTek Co., Ltd. in Hefei, east China's Anhui province, researchers are calibrating a quantum diamond probe scanner. (Photo by Huang Yangyang/People's Daily Online)

The launch of "Origin Wukong" made Hefei the first city in China to establish a homegrown superconducting quantum computer manufacturing chain. Since its launch, the machine has received more than 20 million remote visits from 139 countries and regions globally, completing over 340,000 quantum computing tasks in sectors like fluid dynamics, finance, and biomedicine.

Beyond technological advancements, Hefei has cultivated a thriving quantum industry ecosystem by hosting top-tier platforms for industrial exchanges. The city has organized four consecutive conferences on quantum technology and industry, alongside high-end academic forums and events, facilitating collaboration across the entire quantum industry chain. These efforts have bridged upstream and downstream projects, and attracted innovation resources and talent, fostering the clustering of quantum enterprises and positioning Hefei as a globally influential hub for quantum technology.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Pakistan has warned it will "avenge" those killed by Indian air strikes that New Delhi said were in response to an attack in Kashmir, signalling an imminent escalation in the worst violence in decades between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

At least 43 deaths have been reported so far, with Islamabad saying 31 civilians were killed by the Indian strikes and firing along the border, and New Delhi adding at least 12 dead from Pakistani shelling.

"We make this pledge, that we will avenge each drop of the blood of these martyrs," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in an address to the nation late Wednesday.

India's army said it destroyed nine "terrorist camps" in Pakistan in the early hours of Wednesday, two weeks after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on tourists in the Indian-administered side of disputed Kashmir -- a charge Pakistan denies.

Pakistan military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said five Indian jets had been downed across the border.

An Indian senior security source, who asked not to be named, said three of its fighter jets had crashed on home territory.

The two sides have exchanged heavy artillery fire along the Line of Control that divides Kashmir, which both countries claim in full but administer separately.

The South Asian neighbours have fought two full-scale wars over the divided territory since they were carved out of the sub-continent after gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

"There were terrible sounds during the night, there was panic among everyone," said Muhammad Salman, who lives close to a mosque in Pakistan-administered Kashmir that was hit by an Indian strike.

"We are moving to a safer place... we are homeless now," added 24-year-old Tariq Mir, who was hit in the leg by shrapnel.

India said that its actions "have been focused, measured and non-escalatory".

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of launching the strikes to "shore up" his domestic popularity, adding that Islamabad "won't take long to settle the score".

On Wednesday night, the Pakistani military spokesman said firing was "ongoing" at the Line of Control and that Islamabad would take retaliatory action against the air strikes.

Chaudhry reiterated Pakistan's "right to respond, in self-defence, at time, place, and manner of its choosing," adding that the armed forces had been "authorised" to do so by the government.

The largest Indian strike was on an Islamic seminary near the Punjab city of Bahawalpur, killing 13 people, according to the Pakistan military.

A government health and education complex in Muridke, 30 kilometres (20 miles) from Lahore, was blown apart, along with the mosque in Muzaffarabad -- the main city of Pakistan-administered Kashmir -- killing its caretaker.

Four children were among those killed in Wednesday's attacks, according to the Pakistan military.

Pakistan also said a hydropower plant in Kashmir was targeted by India, damaging a dam structure, after India threatened to stop the flow of water on its side of the border.

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the operation was New Delhi's "right to respond" following the attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir last month.

Pakistan has denied any involvement in that assault, which killed 26 people, mainly Hindu men, on April 22.

In Muzaffarabad, United Nations military observers arrived to inspect the mosque that Islamabad said was struck by India.

Residents collected damaged copies of the Koran from among concrete, wood, and iron debris.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, residents fled in panic from the Pakistani shelling.

"There was firing from Pakistan, which damaged the houses and injured many," said Wasim Ahmed, 29, from Salamabad village. "People are fleeing."

India had been widely expected to respond militarily to the Pahalgam attack, which it blamed on Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba, a UN-designated terrorist organisation.

The two nations had traded days of threats and tit-for-tat diplomatic measures, and Pakistan conducted two missile tests.

The Indian army has reported nightly gunfire along the heavily militarised Line of Control since April 24.

Diplomats and world leaders have piled pressure on both countries to step back from the brink.

"The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan," the spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres said.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump called for a halt to the fighting, adding: "If I can do anything to help, I will be there."

Rebels in Indian-administered Kashmir have waged an insurgency since 1989, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan.

India regularly blames Pakistan for backing armed groups fighting its forces in Kashmir, a charge that Islamabad denies.
Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as the first U.S. Pope in history. He will take the name Leo XIV.

A missionary who spent part of his career as a minister in Peru, Prevost led the office of bishops. He is 69 years old.

The crowd erupted in cheers on Thursday as white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel's chimney, indicating a successor to Pope Francis had been chosen.

"May peace be with all of you," were Prevost's first words as Leo XIV. He delivered his message in Italian and then switched to Spanish to send greetings to the community he led as archbishop Chiclayo, Peru.

Prevost was the prior general of the Order of St. Augustine of Hippo, devoted to early Christianity. The Associated Press detailed that the order works in dozens of countries and promotes a contemplative spirituality, communal living and service to others.

Speaking to NBC News last week, Nelson Jesus Perez, the archbishop of Philadelphia, had described Provost as a "wonderful, gentle, profound man of God." He added that he was a "great gift to the church and the world."

This is a story in development

Originally published on Latin Times
Four Seasons Resort Langkawi announces the appointment of Jude Fernando as its new Executive Chef. A Four Seasons veteran with more than 20 years of international experience, Chef Jude takes the reigns of the Resort's diverse culinary program, including Malaysian mainstay Ikan-Ikan, beachfront favourite Kelapa Grill, and new north Indian restaurant HAVA.

Blending global inspirations with local ingredients, Chef Jude crafts dining experiences that are authentic yet innovative. Menus honour gastronomic heritage while also drawing inspiration from his years abroad.

A native of Sri Lanka, Chef Jude's passion for cooking was nurtured in his mother's home, where the soulful curries and fragrant spices of his homeland left a lasting impression. After earning his culinary certification, he embarked on a career that would take him from the tropical shores of the Maldives to the English countryside to the heart of Zurich's fine dining scene.

In 2002, he joined Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa as a commis chef, marking the start of an exceptional journey with the brand. He served as Banquet Chef during the opening of Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai in 2008, then returned to the property as Executive Chef in 2011 - a full-circle moment in his career. His tenure has also included time at Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, allowing him to expand his culinary approach and hone his ability to navigate different cultures. During his tenure with Four Seasons, he has been promoted 11 times, evolving into a leader known for inspiring excellence.

Now at Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, Chef Jude ensures each restaurant delivers a distinct and immersive experience. Led by his vision, chefs prioritize local, seasonal ingredients, utilizing the island's bounty of fresh produce and aromatic herbs. He also encourages teams to experiment with new flavours while remaining rooted in authenticity.

Chef Jude brings a renewed focus on sustainability at Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, with the team on a mission to strengthen partnerships with local farmers, expand zero-waste initiatives, and minimize plastic use in kitchens. These steps go hand in hand with Chef's emphasis on creativity and personalization, all in service of creating a meaningful connection with diners.
White Lodging, a privately owned industry leader in urban and lifestyle hospitality development and management, announced that Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Chris Anderson has been named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

As Chief Operating Officer, Anderson will lead the revenue and operational strategies across the company's hotel and restaurant portfolio, including sales, marketing, food and beverage, guest satisfaction and curated programing.

Anderson joined White Lodging in 2015 and most recently served as the company's Chief Commercial Officer with responsibility for food and beverage, business strategy and communication, marketing, sales, and revenue management. He has been a driving force in White Lodging's success, navigating complex changes in the hospitality industry and leading the development of brand, marketing, and revenue generating strategies as the company transitioned from its suburban roots into a leader in urban and lifestyle hotels and restaurants.

Prior to joining White Lodging, Anderson spent seven years with Marcus Hotels & Resorts, where he spearheaded the company's marketing, brand, sales and revenue management strategies. Earlier in his career, Anderson spent 15 years with Marriott International at large resorts, convention hotels, and urban properties such as the Atlanta Marriott Marquis and the Tampa Marriott Water Street Hotel and Marina.

Anderson received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Missouri, with minors in economics and marketing. In 2018, he was awarded the 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Marketing from the Hospitality Sales, Marketing Association International. He is also the author of the Amazon book "I'm Not Buying It," which focuses on technology in the ever-changing world of connected consumerism and how to turn skeptical generations into loyal customers.
Vision Hospitality Group proudly announces the addition of Humberto Fermo as the new General Manager of the Moxy Boulder, which opened last year near the CU Boulder campus. The hotel welcomed its first guests last June, marking a significant milestone as the first hotel to open in Boulder since 2018 and has quickly become the go-to hotel and bar on University Hill.

Fermo is a dynamic and solutions-driven hospitality leader with over 20 years of comprehensive experience in hotel operations, financial management, and cross-functional leadership. With a proven track record across premier lifestyle and multi-property brands, he excels in guiding teams to achieve excellence in service standards, team development, and market positioning. Fermo was most recently the general manager of Kimpton's Hotel Monaco in Denver and prior to that was the GM at two different Indigo Hotels in Austin, Texas, and Rochester, Minnesota.

Fermo will oversee the entire team and will direct operations, manage responsibility for financial performance, and oversee guest services for the property.

Moxy Hotels, a part of Marriott Bonvoy's Distinctive Select portfolio, offer a playful hotel experience that steps outside of a conventional hotel stay and promotes a social center to both locals and adventure seeking travelers. The property features an incredible walk-through courtyard open to the public, featuring 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and anchored by Michelin Bib-Gourmand award winner Mister Oso and Aviano Coffee scheduled to open Spring 2025. The outdoor lounge spaces have fire pits, and comfortable seating, creating a perfect setting for guests to relax and unwind. The hotel is managed by Vision Hospitality Group of Chattanooga, Tenn.
Accor, a global leader in hospitality is pleased to announce the appointment of Shareena Ali as Vice President of PR & Communications for the Middle East, Africa, Turkiye & Asia Pacific (MEA APAC) region, within the Premium, Midscale & Economy division.

In this strategic role, Shareena joins the MEA APAC Executive Committee and will lead the development, integration, and execution of Accor's regional PR and communications strategy across over 1,000 properties in the division. Her focus will span corporate communications, brand storytelling, executive positioning, media relations, crisis communications, and the amplification of key commercial, development and brand initiatives across the region's dynamic markets.

She will also play a key advisory role in supporting the group's senior regional leaders, working closely with Duncan O'Rourke, CEO of Accor MEA APAC - Premium, Midscale & Economy, and Kerry Healy, Chief Commercial Officer of the same division, on their communications and positioning needs. Shareena will remain based at Accor's regional headquarters in Dubai.

With over two decades of international experience, Shareena is a Chartered Marketer and seasoned communications strategist who has held senior leadership roles across the UK and the MENA region, both in-house and agency-side. Her cross-sector expertise spans hospitality, travel, arts and culture, government, luxury, technology, and heritage, bringing a deep understanding of nuanced markets and brand building.

Prior to joining Accor, Shareena was a Senior Consultant with Burson Global, where she led international and regional media strategy, partnerships, and thought leadership for high-profile clients including the Saudi Public Investment Fund's Boutique Group, the Saudi Ministry of Culture, Ithra - The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Diriyah Art Futures, Noor Riyadh, and AlUla. She also supported energy and innovation leaders such as ADNOC and AHLAT.

Her destination marketing credentials are equally extensive. As International PR Director at Miral Destinations, she promoted Yas Island and Saadiyat Island in partnership with the Department of Culture & Tourism - Abu Dhabi. She also served as International PR Director for Atlantis, The Palm, developing market-specific media and influencer strategies across Europe, the UK, US, Asia Pacific, and MENA to grow global visitation and elevate executive profiles.

Previously, Shareena was Global Head of PR, Brand and Social for Big Bus Tours, overseeing communications across 26 cities and leading a team of 16 across international hubs. She was also a Senior Communications Manager for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, working within the UK Government's Department for Culture, Media & Sport.

Her career foundation was built through communications roles with KPMG and Boston Consulting Group in London.

A British native, Shareena holds a BSc (Hons) in Management Sciences from Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City University London, and completed postgraduate qualifications with the Chartered Institute of Marketing. She brings to Accor a unique combination of strategic insight, brand acumen, stakeholder management, and market agility - particularly across high-growth and culturally diverse environments
Cendyn, a global integrated hotel technology and services company, and Amadeus, a leading technology provider for the travel industry, today released metrics from the companies Hospitality Group and Business Performance Index (the Index). The overall health index reached the highest level in four quarters. The aggregated Index reflected performance for all segments  Group, Corporate Negotiated, GDS, and Events  and shows 1Q2025 achieved 109.1 percent compared to 2024.

Top overall health index markets include:

Louis 121.0 percent Philadelphia 1 percent New Orleans 9 percent New York City 6 percent Tampa 6 percent Austin 0 percent Phoenix 0 percent Chicago 3 percent Houston 8 percent Miami 8 percent

In addition, the top growth markets specific to Group performance were New Orleans (156.4 percent), Philadelphia (124.3 percent), Washington D.C. (118.5 percent), San Francisco (112.9 percent), and Chicago (112.5 percent).

The Index combines event data from Knowland by Cendyn with hotel booking data from Amadeus Demand360 business intelligence solution to provide aggregate views of the key drivers of hotel performance. The aggregated index reflects performance or health for all segments  Group, Corporate Negotiated, Global Distribution System (GDS), and Events. It offers filters for event market segments and booking industries, empowering hoteliers, destination marketing organizations, and convention and visitor bureaus to adapt strategies effectively.

Key insights from the Index are as follows:

Overall health index once again reaches highest level in four quarters. The aggregated Index reflects performance for all segments  Group, Corporate Negotiated, GDS, and Events  and shows that 1Q2025 achieved 109.1 percent compared to 2024.

The aggregated Index reflects performance for all segments  Group, Corporate Negotiated, GDS, and Events  and shows that 1Q2025 achieved 109.1 percent compared to 2024. Strong group performance continues. The Group Index was at 107.4 percent due to a 2.6 percent increase in room nights and a 4.7 percent increase in average daily rate (ADR) with ten consecutive quarters of growth.

The Group Index was at 107.4 percent due to a 2.6 percent increase in room nights and a 4.7 percent increase in average daily rate (ADR) with ten consecutive quarters of growth. Indirect channels show ongoing growth. Overall, GDS grew again this quarter, at 109.5 percent, compared to Q1 last year. This was due to a 7.4 percent increase in room nights and a 2.0 percent increase in ADR.

Overall, GDS grew again this quarter, at 109.5 percent, compared to Q1 last year. This was due to a 7.4 percent increase in room nights and a 2.0 percent increase in ADR. Negotiated performance increases. The Negotiated Index score was 104.8 percent due to a 1.2 percent increase in room nights and a 3.5 percent increase in ADR.

The Negotiated Index score was 104.8 percent due to a 1.2 percent increase in room nights and a 3.5 percent increase in ADR. Events lead in growth. The highest segment and almost equivalent to last quarter's volume, event volume was 114.6 percent versus the same period the previous year.

The highest segment and almost equivalent to last quarter's volume, event volume was 114.6 percent versus the same period the previous year. Meetings spur growth opportunities. Hotels of all sizes experienced growth in Q1 due to the meetings and events industry. The average attendee size held steady at 146 guests. The average space used was higher than in Q4 2024, moving from 3,410 sq.ft. to 4,186 sq.ft. St. Louis meeting volume was the highest, at 171.8 percent, Austin was 131.1 percent, and Philadelphia was 129.6 percent.

Download the full report

By using industry-leading data from Knowland by Cendyn and Amadeus Demand360, along with the industry-leading sales and catering solution, Amadeus' Delphi, hoteliers can develop precise, data-driven strategies to boost group sales and efficiently manage the entire process from lead to event execution.

About the Hospitality Group & Business Performance Index methodology

The Hospitality Group & Business Performance Index uses a multi-factor weighting system that balances metrics such as group, corporate transient, and GDS room nights with average daily rate (ADR) performance. Each factor is averaged to provide a final index score, ensuring a more accurate overall performance assessment.

About Cendyn

Cendyn is a global hospitality cloud-based technology company that enables hotels to drive revenue, maximize profitability, and create deeper connections with guests through its integrated solutions. Serving hoteliers for nearly 30 years, Cendyn drives commercial success for hotels through its Find, Book, Grow promise: find the right guests, drive them to book direct, and grow loyalty and revenue across the spectrum of digital guest interactions.

Cendyn has over 35,000 customers worldwide in more than 150 countries generating more than $20 billion in annual hotel revenue. The company supports its growing customer base from locations across the globe, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Bangkok, and India. To find out more, visit cendyn.com

Kim Dearborn

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Radisson Hotel Group, one of the worlds leading hotel groups, reaffirms its commitment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East region as it prepares to participate in the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) this May in Riyadh. With a focus on shaping the future of the regional hospitality sector, the Group continues its ambitious growth, aligning closely with the Kingdoms Vision 2030.

Currently, Radisson Hotel Groups Middle East portfolio includes almost 100 hotels in operation and under development. The Group is on track to reach 150 hotels, resorts, and serviced apartments in the region by 2030, reinforcing its position as a leading hospitality provider.

In Saudi Arabia alone, Radisson Hotel Group currently boasts 47 properties in operation and under development. This represents nearly half of the Groups footprint in the Middle East, underscoring the Kingdoms strategic significance within its expansion strategy.

Recent openings in the Kingdom include the opening of Radisson Hotel Groups first hotel in Madinah:Radisson Hotel Madinah, further strengthening its presence across the holy cities, as well as the opening of the 310-key Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre, Riyadh Minhal further solidifying the Groups presence in the capital. Upcoming openings include Radisson Blu Hotel, Riyadh Al Sahafa, Radisson Hotel Jeddah Tahlia Street, both opening in Q2, and Radisson Collection Residence, Riyadh, and Radisson Hotel & Residences, Makkah Thakher City, set for a Q4 opening. each aligned with the Groups strategy to serve both religious and leisure tourism markets.

The Group has also deepened its local partnerships through a notable agreement with Knowledge Economic City (KEC) with the sighing of Park Inn by Radisson in Madinahs Islamic World District and an MoU signed with the Saudi Tourism Authority during Arabian Travel Market (ATM), further cementing its collaborative role in supporting the Kingdoms tourism ecosystem.

Saudi Arabia remains one of our most dynamic and strategic markets globally. Our continued investment and development in the Kingdom reflect both our confidence in the Saudi market and our commitment to delivering relevant hospitality solutions that meet the needs of our guests and owners. Our ambition is to work hand in hand with visionary partners to help shape a sustainable and thriving future for tourism in the region. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Global Chief Development Officer, Radisson Hotel Group

Following a record-breaking global performance in 2024, Radisson Hotel Group is aiming to build on its momentum through tailored brand strategies, a commitment to operational excellence, and collaborative partnerships that support long-term growth.

About Radisson Hotel Group

Radisson Hotel Group is one of the world's largest hotel groups with nine distinctive hotel brands, and more than 1,600 hotels in operation and under development in 120 countries. The Group's overarching brand promise is Every Moment Matters with a signature Yes I Can! service ethos.

The Radisson Hotel Group portfolio includes Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, and prizeotel brought together under one commercial umbrella brand Radisson Hotels.

Radisson Rewards is our international rewards program that delivers unique and personalized ways to create memorable moments that matter to our guests. Radisson Rewards offers an exceptional experience for our guests, meeting planners, and travel agents at over 550 hotels in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Radisson Meetings provides tailored solutions for any event or meeting, including hybrid solutions placing guests and their needs at the heart of its offer. Radisson Meetings is built around three strong service commitments: Personal, Professional and Memorable, while delivering on the brilliant basics and being uniquely 100% Carbon Neutral.

The health and safety of guests and team members remain a top priority for Radisson Hotel Group. All properties across the Group's portfolio are subject to stringent health and safety requirements, as outlined in the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol.

More than 100,000 team members work at Radisson Hotel Group and at the hotels licensed to operate in its systems. For more information, visit our corporate website. Or connect with Radisson Hotels on:

LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
AI news is coming in hot  every single day. A new groundbreaking platform, feature, update. Well, sometimes its groundbreaking, and sometimes were yet to see how life and business changing (or not) its going to be.

Heres just one example. Have you been Ghiblifying your memes or profile pictures on ChatGPT lately? Youre not alone. Despite the controversy its ignited, OpenAIs new image generator soared in popularity, drawing a million users within an hour - so many that it briefly crashed. But the image generator wasnt the only thing OpenAI launched over the past couple of months.

OpenAIs new AI agent, Operator, is taking over tasks that people used to handle themselves  including booking hotels. Travelers can now let AI compare accommodation options and book rooms in seconds, pushing hotels to rethink how they attract and engage guests. Do AI agents have the potential to transform hotel booking as we know it? We spoke with Jiri Vinarek, Staff Data Scientist at Mews, to learn more.

But lets start from the beginning.

Whats OpenAIs Operator again?

Operator is an AI-powered digital agent that can interact with websites just as humans would. The feature is powered by a new model called Computer-Using Agent (CUA). Using a browser, Operator can look at webpages and independently type, click or scroll, without needing any custom API integrations. Users can take control of the browser anytime. Operator also asks for help when login, payment, or CAPTCHA verification is needed.

Unlike traditional search engines or AI assistants that merely provide information, Operator can take action - whether thats reserving a table at a restaurant, buying tickets for an event or booking a room at your hotel.

Currently, Operator is available as a research preview and only for OpenAI Pro users in the U.S. Its research preview status means that Operator has certain limitations and will be improved based on user feedback. But it already gives us a glimpse into what the future travel booking may look like.

What does this mean for hoteliers like you? Lets break it down.

What hoteliers need to know about AI agents like Operator

The fact that AI can browse the web, click buttons, and complete tasks without needing API integrations or human intervention introduces a brand new type of digital interaction, one with entirely different rules. AI is already shaping hospitality, but AI agents like Operator are potentially flipping the script on how travelers book hotels.

From passive search to active execution

Traditionally, travelers visit a search engine, browse multiple OTAs and hotel websites, compare reviews, and finally make a booking decision. Operator drastically cuts this entire process. Instead of searching, users can simply type:

"Find and book me the highest-rated, pet-friendly boutique hotel in Paris for under $300 per night, including breakfast."

Operator handles the rest  skimming through sites, checking availability, and even making the reservation. Users can also customize their preferences. For example, a traveler could instruct the agent to always book hotels with free breakfast and flexible cancellation policies. Once given a task, Operator autonomously browses websites, compares options, and completes the booking process.

The future of digital visibility for hotels

With AI agents making choices on behalf of travelers, the rules of digital visibility for your hotel are changing. Soon, youll no longer market to humans alone, but to AI agents as well. This raises key questions:

How do AI agents decide which hotel to book?

Which websites do they prefer?

What type of content or data will influence their decision-making?

How these questions unfold will decide if your hotel gets booked or overlooked in the AI agent-driven web. The technology is still in its early days, and while the answers arent clear yet, its worth watching how it develops. In the meantime, you can start by optimizing your hotel for AI search.

Right now, Operator is more of a cool tech demo than something thats going to take over overnight. It still needs a lot of manual input, which makes sense  its better to keep things controlled than let it run wild. But whats really interesting is how this could shake up search engines. Since people interact with Operator directly instead of using a search engine, ads could become less effective, and switching between search engines might be easier than ever. Jiri Vinarek

Challenges for hoteliers

AI agents are reshaping how bookings happen, creating new challenges for your hotel. Heres what to be aware of.

A potential decline in direct bookings

Lets face it, AI agents are likely to prioritize OTAs over hotel websites. Since OTAs like Booking.com or Expedia already have a strong, AI-friendly online presence, they could be the first choice for agents like Operator when booking accommodations. This could mean facing increased dependency on OTAs, leading to higher commission fees.

What you can do:

Make your booking engine user-friendly and offer guests the option to customize their stay with add-ons and upgrades, encouraging them to book directly.

Provide incentives to encourage guests to use direct booking (e.g., member-exclusive rates, perks for booking directly).

Make sure your hotel website is AI-friendly with a simple, clear booking process to increase the chances of AI agents prioritizing your hotel.

Of course, it might as well be that OTAs will lose some of their power. It will be interesting to see if this will make OTAs more impactful or rather obsolete. The agent will be able to easily traverse many pages for direct booking, something that would be time-consuming for a human , says Jiri Vinarek.

Integration challenges in an API-less reality

AI agents like Operator dont rely on APIs. This means that traditional integrations wont be necessary, but youll need to optimize your website for AI-driven interactions.

What you can do:

Your website should be easy for AI agents to navigate (clear layouts, structured data, and straightforward design).

Test how well AI agents interact with your booking system and adjust as needed.

Brand recognition issues

Since Operator executes tasks based on user preferences, brand loyalty could shift from traditional marketing efforts to AI recommendations. If a user has interacted more with certain brands in the past, AI agents may favor those options in future searches.

What you can do:

Invest and strengthen brand awareness so customers actively request your hotel.

Use AI-powered personalization to build lasting guest relationships before Operator becomes mainstream.

Opportunities for hotels

Are there upsides to robots handling our travel bookings? Definitely. Its all about adapting, especially when the technology is still in its early stages.

Improved guest experience

If AI agents like Operator become travel assistants, hotels could tap into these systems to create hyper-personalized experiences. Picture an AI that remembers a guests past stays, preferred room, and favorite breakfast - hotels that use this data will have the upper hand.

To make it work, you need solid first-party data such as guest preferences, past stays, and feedback, and a PMS that gives you more time to interact with guests, captures this data, links it to guest profiles, and synthesizes it. The more you know about your guests, the better you can tailor their experience and make them feel right at home.

Reduced booking friction

By handling (often cumbersome) booking processes instantly, Operator could increase conversion rates for hotels that optimize their websites correctly. If AI can easily navigate a hotels booking system, guests may be more likely to complete their reservations.

Make sure your booking process is simple, fast, and AI-friendly. Plus, offer transparent pricing and clear policies to reduce AI decision-making friction.

AI-powered pricing strategies

Operator will likely compare prices across different platforms, making dynamic pricing even more critical. Hotels with real-time pricing adjustments can boost revenue by staying competitive in AI-driven bookings.

To succeed, use AI-driven revenue management tools such as a revenue management system (RMS) for dynamic price adjustments and monitor how Operator interacts with different pricing models. Ligula Hospitality Group runs 41 hotels across Sweden, Germany, and Denmark. With Atomize RMS, a Mews company, they automate over 8,000 rates and 6,000 vouchers  way more than any human could handle. AI makes their pricing faster and smarter.

How Mews can help your hotel stay ahead

OpenAIs Operator is a glimpse into the future of travel. AI-driven agents will soon be making booking decisions on behalf of travelers, and your hotel must be ready. Mews gives you the tools to stay ahead.

With its cloud-based platform and open API, Mews easily connects with AI-driven booking systems, making sure hotels remain easy to find and book. Features like automated check-ins, dynamic pricing, and real-time updates help hotels keep pace with the speed AI demands, all while boosting direct bookings.

If you want to hear more about the combo of AI and hospitality, check out the chat between Mews CEO Matt Welle and Mews VP of Product and Engineering Conor Winders.

About Mews

Mews is the leading platform for the new era of hospitality. Powering over 12,500 customers across more than 85 countries, Mews Hospitality Cloud is designed to streamline operations for modern hoteliers, transform the guest experience and create more profitable businesses. Customers include BWH Hotels, Strawberry, The Social Hub and Airelles Collection. Mews was named Best PMS (2024, 2025) and listed among the Best Places to Work in Hotel Tech (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025) by Hotel Tech Report. Mews has raised $410 million from investors including Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Kinnevik and Tiger Global to transform hospitality.

www.mews.com

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Citadines Raffles Place at CapitaSpring Sold for SGD280 Million in Singapore



Weekly Hotel Industry Asia Pacific News Roundup from HVS

Citadines Raffles Place at CapitaSpring Sold for SGD280 Million in Singapore

Singapore-based CapitaLand Commercial Trust (CapitaLand CT), a wholly owned sub-trust of CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CapitaLand ICT), divested 100% of its interest in Glory SR Trust with its joint venture partners  Singapore-based CapitaLand Development and Singapore-based Mitsubishi Estate Asia, to an undisclosed third-party buyer. Prior to the sale, CapitaLand ICT owned a 45% stake in Glory SR trust. Glory SR Trust owns the serviced residence component of CapitaSpring, which is understood to be the 299-key Citadines Raffles Place. The agreed asset value was SGD280 million based on a 100% basis, hence valuing Capitaland ICTs stake at SGD126 million. With this sale, CapitaLand ICT is expected to reduce its pro-forma aggregate leverage from 38.7% to approximately 38.4%, assuming the net proceeds are fully used to repay existing debt. This transaction would reflect an exit yield of approximately 3.6% for CapitaLand ICT. Centrally located in Singapores CBD, Citadines Raffles Place is part of the mixed-use building, CapitaSpring, and opened in February 2022. The serviced residence features a fitness centre, a swimming pool, shared working space, a residents kitchen, and a launderette.

HCP and BGO Capital Partners Acquired Sydney Potts Point Central Apartment Hotel for AUD31.5 Million in Australia

Australia-based Hotel Capital Partners (HCP) and US-based BentallGreenOak Strategic Capital Partners LLC (BGO Capital Partners), a subsidiary of US-based Sun Life Financial Inc., jointly acquired the Sydney Potts Point Central Apartment Hotel for AUD31.5 million. This equates to approximately AUD450,000 per key. Located at a 20-minute drive from Sydneys Kingsford Airport, the 70-key serviced apartments possess a ground-floor food and beverage outlet, and a rooftop terrace offering expansive views of Sydney's CBD. This transaction marks Australias largest brokered strata amalgamation deal since the pandemic, underscoring sustained investor appetite for urban adaptive reuse opportunities. HCP and BGO Capital Partners plan to convert the serviced apartment into a co-living facility. This project will be managed by Australia-based UKO Group Services Pty Ltd (UKO), the countrys largest co-living operator.

Kasumigaseki Capital Acquires Hotel in Kobe, Japan

fav hospitality group Co., Ltd. (FHG), a subsidiary of Japan-based Kasumigaseki Capital Co., Ltd. (Kasumigaseki Capital), has announced the acquisition of a business hotel in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, for an undisclosed amount. The property, which features a site area of 619 square metres and a total gross floor area of 3,543 square metres, represents a strategic addition to FHGs expanding hospitality portfolio. Kobe City, the seventh-largest city in Japan, is approximately a 20-minute train ride from Osaka. FHG currently operates 15 hotels under its distinct lifestyle brands, including fav and seven x seven, and has a pipeline of 30 planned hotel development projects across Japan. This latest acquisition marks another milestone in the groups ongoing growth.

Construction of a New Passenger Terminal at Dong Hoi Airport in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam

Dong Hoi Airport in Vietnam is set to undergo a major expansion with the construction of a new Passenger Terminal 2. Currently, Dong Hoi Airport operates with one passenger terminal, T1, with a designed capacity of 500,000 passengers per year. Located in Quang Binh province, the VND1.75 trillion project forms part of a wider airport development plan, which also includes the enlargement of the aircraft apron. Terminal 2 will be built on a site of nearly 12,000 square metres and will comprise two above-ground floors and a mezzanine level, featuring distinct zones for departures and arrivals to streamline passenger flow. Once complete, the new terminal will boost the airports capacity to accommodate up to three million passengers annually and includes plans for expansion to accommodate up to five million passengers if needed. This expansion comes as passenger growth at Dong Hoi Airport continues to outpace the national average across Vietnams airport network. It is anticipated that by the end of 2025, the airport will handle close to one million passengers, underscoring the urgent need for upgraded infrastructure.

HVS is the world's leading consulting and valuation services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming, and leisure industries. Established in 1980, the company performs more than 4,500 assignments per year for virtually every major industry participant. HVS principals are regarded as the leading professionals in their respective regions of the globe. Through a worldwide network of over 50 offices staffed by 300 experienced industry professionals, HVS provides an unparalleled range of complementary services for the hospitality industry. For further information regarding our expertise and specifics about our services, please visit www.hvs.com.
Schroders acquires W Edinburgh Hotel from Nuveen Real Estate - Image Credit Marriott International



A summary of European hotel transactions provided by HVS

Tristan acquires easyHotel from ICAMAP, Ivanhoe Cambridge and Haji-Ioannou

London-based real estate investment manager Tristan Capital Partners, via its European Property Investors Special Opportunities 6 fund, has entered an agreement to acquire 100% of the share capital of easyHotel from Luxembourg-based fund manager ICAMAP, Canadian real estate company Ivanhoe Cambridge, and the creator of the easyHotel brand Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. The transaction is said to value the company at some 242 million (49,000 per room). EasyHotels portfolio currently includes around 50 hotels totalling 4,900 rooms across Europe, of which 17 are franchised and 32 owned / leased. Via a new royalty arrangement, easyGroup is set to continue providing the easyHotel brand to the new owners.

KSL acquires JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa from Aareal Bank

American private equity firm KSL Capital Partners, working with operating partner EQ Group, has acquired the five-star, 266-room JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa from Germanys Aareal Bank, for an amount reported to be some 140 million (526,300 per room). The property is situated on its own private island, Isola delle Rose, a 15-minute boat ride from St. Mark's Square on the main island of Venice. Opened in 2015, the hotel includes five restaurants, a bar, a rooftop pool, and 12 event rooms. This is the first equity investment by KSL's European Capital Solutions, targeting top-tier travel and leisure assets in Europe.

Schroders acquires W Edinburgh from Nuveen Real Estate

London-based asset manager Schroders Capital has acquired the five-star, 244-room W Edinburgh, UK, from Nuveen Real Estate, the real estate arm of American asset manager Nuveen, for a price reported to be over 100 million (410,000 per room). The property is situated in central Edinburgh on the edge of the 1bn St James Quarter, which comprises retail, residences and F&B outlets, some ten minutes walk from the Royal Mile. The hotel opened in November 2023 under a long-term management agreement with Marriott International, and includes a rooftop restaurant operated by Sushi Samba, two bars and five meeting rooms.

AKF and Sampension acquire Comwell Copenhagen from AP Ejendomme and Keva

Danish real estate investment company AKF, together with Danish pension fund manager Sampension, has acquired the four-star, 484-room Comwell Copenhagen Portside Dolce by Wyndham hotel in Denmark from Danish real estate company AP Ejendomme and Finnish pension fund Keva for approximately DKK 1 billion (DKK 2 million per room), which is equivalent to approximately 134 million (277,000 per room). The property is situated by the waterfront and various transportation links, in Copenhagens Nordhavnen district. The hotel was developed and built in 2021 and includes a restaurant, bar and 17 meeting rooms, covering over 25,000 sqm of floor area.

Villa dEste acquires Hotel Regina Olga on Italys Lake Como from R Collection

Italian owner-operator Gruppo Villa dEste has acquired the four-star, 83-room Hotel Regina Olga in Cernobbio, Italy, from Italian owner-operator R Collection Hotels. Cernobbio is located on the west shore of the lake, some 5 kilometres north of the town of Como, with the hotel situated 150 metres from the edge of the lake. The property has been closed for the past few years, and the new owners plan to carry out extensive renovations to create a 60-room hotel with food and beverage spaces and an outdoor swimming pool. Last month, Villa dEste also acquired the five-star, 18-room Vista Palazzo Lago di Como and the four-star, 50-room Albergo Terminus in Como, as reported in this newsletter.

Bordoy Hotels acquires the Grand House Algarve in Portugal

Spanish owner-operator Bordoy Hotels has acquired the five-star, 31-room Grand House Algarve in Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Portugal. The property is situated at the easternmost point of the Algarve, just across the river from Spain. The hotel includes a restaurant, bar and rooftop terrace. Following this transaction, Bordoys portfolio includes a total of nine hotels (789 rooms), with the newly acquired property being its first outside of Spain.

Little Big Group acquires Duke of Richmond Hotel in Guernsey from Red Carnation

Guernsey-based owner-operator Little Big Group has acquired the four-star, 77-room Duke of Richmond Hotel in Guernsey, from London-based owner-operator Red Carnation Hotels. The property is situated on the islands west-side, just a 10-minute walk from St Peters port. The hotel includes a restaurant and bar, a cafe and four meeting rooms. Following this transaction, Little Big Groups portfolio in Guernsey increases to four properties.

InterSPA acquires Hotel Lamm in Germany from Kevin Bauer and David Specht

German recreational facility developer InterSPA Group has acquired the four-star, 46-room Hotel Lamm in Baiersbronn, Germany, from German hoteliers Kevin Bauer and David Specht. The property is situated in the Northern Black Forest region, around an hours drive east of the French city of Strasbourg. The hotel includes a restaurant, pool and sauna. InterSPA will take over operations in May and plans to expand the hotel to 200 rooms by converting unused space and adding a new building with 36 rooms. The development will also include chalets set around a newly created natural lake. In April 2025, InterSPA also acquired the former four-star, 157-room Dorint Seehotel & Resort Bitburg Sudeifel in Germany, as reported in this newsletter.

HVS is the world's leading consulting and valuation services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming, and leisure industries. Established in 1980, the company performs more than 4,500 assignments per year for virtually every major industry participant. HVS principals are regarded as the leading professionals in their respective regions of the globe. Through a worldwide network of over 50 offices staffed by 300 experienced industry professionals, HVS provides an unparalleled range of complementary services for the hospitality industry. For further information regarding our expertise and specifics about our services, please visit www.hvs.com.
Signing ceremony with Marriott International President and Chief Executive Officer Anthony Capuano and CEO of VERKEHRSBUERO Martin Winkler - Image Credit Marriott International

Marriott International has signed an agreement with VERKEHRSBUERO HOSPITALITY to open five hotels in Austria, introducing more than 1,100 rooms across the Tribute Portfolio, AC Hotels, and Four Points Flex by Sheraton brands.

The hotels, which are expected to be converted from existing VERKEHRSBUERO HOSPITALITY properties under the Austria Trend Hotels brand, signify a strategic shift in the Austrian hospitality industry.

Marriott International Inc. has announced a significant expansion in the Austrian market through a new agreement with VERKEHRSBUERO HOSPITALITY. The deal will see five existing VERKEHRSBUERO HOSPITALITY properties converted into Marriott-branded hotels, adding more than 1,100 rooms to Marriott's Austrian portfolio.

The properties will span Marriott's Tribute Portfolio, AC Hotels, and Four Points Flex by Sheraton brands. This includes the anticipated debut of the Four Points Flex by Sheraton brand in Austria.

VERKEHRSBUERO HOSPITALITY is taking a pivotal step in the Austrian hospitality industry by converting its five Austria Trend Hotels. The move aligns with the company's aim to diversify its portfolio and promote sustainable growth while continuing to provide unique experiences for its guests.

The Four Points Flex by Sheraton brand is set to premiere in Austria with four properties. By the third quarter of 2025, Austria Trend Hotel beim Theresianum is expected to convert to the Four Points Flex by Sheraton Vienna Hauptbahnhof, and Austria Trend Hotel Salzburg Messe will transition into Four Points Flex by Sheraton Salzburg Messe. Austria Trend Hotel Anatol is expected to convert into Four Points Flex by Sheraton Vienna Mariahilf in 2026.

Furthermore, after extensive renovations, Austria Trend Hotel Ananas will transition into a dual-branded hotel, featuring Four Points Flex by Sheraton Vienna Naschmarkt and AC Hotel by Marriott Vienna Naschmarkt.

The historic Parkhotel Schonbrunn will join Marriotts Tribute Portfolio as part of the multi-deal agreement. Located near Schonbrunn Palace, the landmark hotel combines Viennese elegance with top-tier comfort.

Marriott's portfolio in Austria includes 21 properties and nearly 4,000 rooms. The country hosts 14 of the company's brands, serving various experiences across traveler segments and travel purposes.
Image Credit Versante Hotel

Deloitte Restructuring Inc., acting as the Court Appointed Receiver and Manager of certain assets of International Trade Center Properties Ltd., Hotel Versante Ltd., and RCC Holdings Ltd., has enlisted Colliers Hotels and Colliers Insolvency Group to act as advisors in the sale of the 100-key Versante Hotel in Richmond, British Columbia.

The Versante Hotel, opened in mid-2021, consistently outperforms several other Richmond-area hotels in average daily rate due to its unique room offerings, superior service levels, and differentiated guest experience.

The Versante Hotel, a recently constructed luxury lifestyle hotel in Richmond, British Columbia, is now available for investment opportunities. Colliers Hotels and Colliers Insolvency Group have been appointed by Deloitte Restructuring Inc., the Court-Appointed Receiver and Manager of certain assets of International Trade Center Properties Ltd., Hotel Versante Ltd., and RCC Holdings Ltd., to manage the sale.

The hotel opened its doors in mid-2021 and is a purpose-built establishment that reflects a contemporary design standard. Its bold aesthetics, superior finishes, and thoughtful design make it a top-tier choice for leisure and business travelers.

Furthermore, the Versante Hotel consistently surpasses many other hotels in the Richmond area in terms of average daily rate. This strong performance is attributed to its unique room offerings, elevated service levels, and differentiated guest experience, all contributing to robust revenue per available room (RevPAR).

The hotel's revenue streams are diverse, deriving from guest rooms, leased food and beverage services, and efficient meeting spaces. These varied income sources support attractive operating margins, making this an enticing prospect for potential investors.

The Versante Hotel is in a prime location in North Richmond, near Vancouver International Airport, making it an ideal choice for travelers. Its excellent location and strong amenity base offer a compelling upside in Greater Vancouver's high-barrier lodging market.

This sale provides a rare chance to acquire a premier, newly built hotel in a sought-after location. The Versante Hotel's recent construction, high performance, and strategic location near Vancouver International Airport make this an investment opportunity worth considering in the bustling Metro Vancouver area.

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Live Music Industry News: Bocelli, NIVA, EVA and More

In the latest live music industry news, Andrea Bocelli has signed an exclusive 5 year agreement for his live performances with AEG, in collaboration with his management team and WME.

The agreement covers all five continents and all ticketed live events.

This extraordinary partnership marks a fundamental new chapter for Andreas global career, said Veronica Berti and Francesco Pasquero, co-managers of the Maestro. We are extremely pleased to sign with such exceptional partners who have proven not only to be up to the challenge of this ambitious project, but who have also shown a deep commitment to the artistic vision. The next ten years will be crucial in consolidating Maestro Bocellis role as a global music icon, and we are honored to become part of such a remarkable family.

More Live Music Industry News

 NIVA Executive Director Stephen Parker issued a strong statement opposing Trumps efforts to defund the NEA:

The cancellation of National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants and proposed funding cuts in the Presidents budget undermine the billions of dollars in economic activity that nonprofit live performance stages help generate in every state. These institutions support jobs, strengthen local economies, and serve as the cultural heartbeat of thousands of communities across the country.

Particularly concerning are reports that grants awarded months or years ago for projects already completed by organizations may not be paid out. If true, this is unacceptable and will jeopardize the ability of some of these organizations to keep their doors open and put real jobs at risk.

We urge Congress to prioritize robust NEA funding, particularly for venues, presenters, and festivals, and call on the White House to restore the grants nonprofit stages rely on to continue operating and serving communities nationwide.

 EVA, the tech platform that connects performers with corporate and private events, just celebrated its 10th anniversary with EVAlution Fest, a mini-festival at Eastside Bowl in East Nashville featuring up-and-coming artists, pyro performers, live art activations, and much more.

EVA has booked more than 2,000 events and paid out over $6 million to working performers since its founding in a college dorm room in 2015.

 FTC vs. The TICKET Act  The Federal Trade Commission last week issued an FAQ clarifying its Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees. In it, the FTC warns speculative ticket sellers and clarifies fee transparency rules.

In contrast to the FTC warning, The TICKET Act carves out a specific exception for so-called concierge ticket buying services as long as they disclose to consumers if a ticket being offered for sale is a speculative ticket and that the seller does not have actual or constructive possession of the ticket. [Details here]

 The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) snd Live Nation opened applications for their free 2025 live music accelerator program. [Learn more here.]

Find the latest Live Music Industry News under LIVE INDUSTRY NEWS tabs above.

Bruce Houghton

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Berkshire Agricultural Groups Receive Over $124K in State Grants

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The Healey-Driscoll Administration has announced significant grant funding to support agricultural initiatives across Massachusetts, with several organizations in Berkshire County receiving awards.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) will manage these grants through three programs: the Agricultural Fairs Infrastructure Grant Program, Farmers Market Sustainability Grant Program, and Buy Local Grant Program.

"Agricultural fairs are an important part of Massachusetts' farming history and traditions," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "These fairs, along with farmers markets, highlight the strength of our agricultural industry. The grants will help them stay active and provide valuable cultural, educational, and economic opportunities to our communities."

Through the Farmers Market Sustainability Grant Program, four Berkshire County farmers markets will receive funds to enhance their operations. The Lee Farmers Market has been awarded $4,000. Roots Rising, which manages the Pittsfield Indoor and Outdoor Farmers Markets, will receive $10,000.

"Pittsfield's farmers market is an important part of our community, and it is vital that we invest in the farmers to ensure there is healthy food available for all here in Pittsfield and the Berkshires," said State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier. "I am proud that we are investing in farmers markets that bring our communities together and, in turn, the farmers that feed us."

The Sheffield Association, overseeing the Sheffield Summer and Winter Farmers Markets, has also been granted $10,000. Additionally, the Williamstown Farmers Market will receive $8,574.50. These grants aim to bolster strategic planning and consumer marketing efforts, ultimately increasing customer engagement and sales for local farmers within these markets.

Furthermore, Berkshire Grown has been awarded $91,788.96 through the Buy Local Grant Program. This funding will support their ongoing efforts to connect local farmers with their communities and educate consumers on the importance of purchasing locally grown products. Berkshire Grown plays a vital role in raising awareness and increasing demand for farm-fresh goods throughout the region.
The Select Board had a difficult debate on Tuesday over which agency should get to buy its police cruisers.

Clarksburg Board OKs Sale of Cruiser to MCLA



Both Adams Officer Kevin Stant, left, and MCLA lt. Mark Denault advocated for their departments, citing the need to update their fleets. CLARKSBURG, Mass.  What town officials hoped would be a simple matter of disposing of two police cruisers turned into a difficult debate on money, timing and integrity.

The 2022 Ford Explorer and older Chevrolet Tahoe have been sitting since last fall when Police Chief Michael Williams retired; the police department was dissolved in March.

On Tuesday, the Select Board voted to sell the Ford to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts for $30,000.

But the decision came after a long debate on whether they should go with the second, the Adams Police Department.

"We've been wanting to release the cruisers since March," said Chair Robert Norcross. "MCLA has been right on top of it since day one in saying they're interested in that cruiser, and they talked to Ron and got a ... Kelly Blue Book quote, and MCLA came right back and said, yes, they would do that."

Town Administrator Ronald Boucher said Adams and the town of Cheshire had also indicated interest in the vehicles.

Adams offered the higher price of $45,000 for both, with plans to put the 2022 cruiser on the front line and use the older Tahoe for the K9. Cheshire had offered $35 for both.

Last week, the board decided to give Adams a deadline to come back with confirmation on its offer after a meeting with its Finance Committee. It did but needed one more step.

"This is on the Select Board's agenda for tomorrow [Wednesday]," said Adams Police Officer Kevin Stant. "We made it very clear that it was something that we were interested in. So I do appreciate you guys taking the time to look over this offer. I know it's a little bit more complex than what MCLA has presented, but that would be something that we'd be able to give you a definitive answer on tomorrow after the completion of the Select Board meeting."

MCLA Lt. Mark Denault, who had appeared before the board last week , reiterated that the college had already approved his bid and was ready to cut a check.

"The only thing I would say to that is, MCLA has been ready right from the start," he said. "It's been a month now that we've been ready to purchase this car. Last week, I thought we did purchase this car."

Norcross said he felt that his word and the integrity of the town was at issue and that Adams hadn't confirmed its bid on time.

"I feel like we've been stringing Mark along," he said. "I feel like we're going back on our word."

Select Board member Daniel Haskins, however, said he had spoken to Adams on that Tuesday before the deadline. "I did talk to him, we didn't prolong it," he said. "I don't know, foresee that as going back on our word, because we did hear from Adams that Tuesday."

He though the Adams' offer would bring in the most for the town.

Colleague Colton Andrews felt a bit in the middle, noting that Adams had offered a higher bid on time, but it also came with a contingency, and that MCLA has been willing to purchase the Ford immediately.

"I don't necessarily think Mark should be penalized because of our discrepancy," he said. "I understand your situation [to Stant]. Like, you guys need a cruiser. You guys need a cruiser [to Denault]. Mark's been very straightforward, very open from the get go. ... we have a lot of moving parts. We want to maximize our return. We want to get the most we can."

They discussed concerns of whether the Adams Selectmen would reject the idea, though Stant said it was very unlikely. The town's fleet is aging and the K9, he said, is sitting home because it's cruiser died.

Boucher said he had thought it would be a simpler to sell the cruisers to a governmental agency but the town hadn't been prepared for the interest. The board thought a bidding process would be better the next time.

In the end, Norcross and Andrews voted to award the Ford to MCLA and then auction the Tahoe; Haskins voted against.

"I just personally feel I'll lose my integrity by not following through," said Norcross.
There were fewer voters and a shorter meeting in Dalton on Wednesday night as the annual town meeting continued.

Second Round: Dalton Town Meeting Passes Recall, Capital Plan Bylaws



It still took nearly 200 voters 2 1/2 hours to get through a dozen articles on Wednesday. DALTON, Mass.  After a contentious first meeting on Monday , the annual town meeting continued on Wednesday.

Some 170 registered voters got through the remaining 19 of 31 articles on the warrant during a meeting that lasted a little more than 2 1/2 hours. Two of the remaining 12 articles were tabled, and one failed.

Voters approved an amended version of the recall petition, Article 29, which creates a process for recalling elected officials before the end of their term.

The citizens' petition originally proposed starting the process with an affidavit of intent signed by at least 50 registered voters to initiate a recall election. Voters amended this to 200 signatures.

The remaining process was unchanged. Once the affidavit is given to the town clerk, voters will be given a blank petition that needs to be returned within 20 working days with signatures from no less than 50 percent of the voters who participated in the last annual town election.

If there are enough certified signatures, the town clerk will submit the petition to the select board, who will notify and order the election within 60 to 90 days.

A majority vote is required to recall an officer, but the recall is only effective if the total votes for and against exceed 80 percent of the votes cast in the most recent annual town election.

The reason for recall must align with the following reasons: lack of fitness, conviction, neglect of duties, and misfeasance.

Voter Henry Rose emphasized that the recall petition is not personal and is like the impeachment process on the federal level.

"We hope we don't have to use it. We are unlikely to use it, but we should have it," he said.

Rose said the recall process outlined is well thought out and more accessible than the existing state-level recall provision.

"With all due respect, Mr. Rose, I do believe this is politically motivated. The reason is I compared the signatures [from] when we did a disciplinary hearing and the people who signed this petition, there are an awful lot of the same signatures [from the people] at that discipline hearing," Select Board Chair Robert Bishop said.

"At that disciplinary hearing, people threatened us, called us names, told us they would vote us out of office, called us assholes. We had to be walked through a side door with the police for doing our jobs."

Select Board member Robert Collins apologized for the language and said he was the only board member to support the recall bylaw

Voter Tony Pagliarulo advocated for creating a town charter as a potential alternative to a recall election bylaw since it could address multiple governance issues.

Rose argued that the process Pagliarulo outlined for creating a charter "sounds like an awful lot of work that we're not going to be able to do."

This is a way residents have more control over the accountability of their elected officials, said voter Rachel Branch, and Peter Hodges said, it "seems like a basic tool. It's not easy to implement. It doesn't seem like you can use it frivolously."

After some debate and explanation from Police Chief Deanna Strout, voters approved by secret ballot 95-69, utilizing $90,000 of free cash for the purchase of a police cruiser.

Strout explained that the department has 13 officers total and nine cruisers: three patrol cruisers, one cruiser for the K9 unit, one spare unit in case one is in the shop, one training or court travel car that is not equipped for patrol, two detail cars that are used for road details, and an administration cruiser.

The two detail cars have more than 100,000 miles, and will be traded in with the purchase of this new cruiser. One has 123,896 miles and another has 107,911 miles.

"When we order a cruiser, we order it in July. It takes 10 months to get it in, so it'll be another year before we see a cruiser. And we've gotten a cruiser every year since 2013, as far as the records that we could get, except for one year when we didn't get a cruiser, we got portable radios instead," Strout said.

The cruisers go through a systematic rotation: active patrol for about four years, then move to spare, then training, and finally to detail, she explained. "We also have less people driving them, so we can save on the mileage, and we take very, very good care of them, so we can drive them longer."

The purchase includes the cost of the lights, sirens, computer, and radio equipment.

Some voters expressed skepticism of the need for a new cruiser and were concerned about the cost. Those in favor emphasized the need and applauded the work Strout has done to defend the police budget.

Daniel Filiault, the former police chief who retired 2004, vouched for the chief's integrity, stating she wouldn't request the cruiser without a genuine need, especially considering the price is small compared to other items.

Voters approved utilizing $250,000 of free cash for the purchase of a truck and trailer with sewer flushing equipment for the Department of Public Works.

The department needs to replace its sewer truck, which is a 1992 International that was an Army surplus. "We use it to tow the trailer, which is a 2007, which has, I think, a little over 3,000 hours on it," said Edward "Bud" Hall, DPW superintendent.

Hall explained during the meeting that he obtained quotes for a truck and trailer, which were closer to $275,000, not $250,000.

The Finance Committee did not get input from Hall when it amended the article to $250,000, Hall said.

Bishop proposed an amendment to request $540,000 for a vacuum truck, equipped with both sewer flushing equipment and catch basin cleaning equipment.

A vac truck would replace the department's two trucks and trailer and would be more versatile, Hall said.

The town currently rents a vac truck to clear the more than 500 catch basins in town. Renting is cheaper, Collins argued. The main concern surrounding this apparatus is the maintenance cost.

The amendment failed, but voters approved the $250,000 for a sewer truck and trailer.

Voters approved the establishment of a Capital Planning Committee, which would prepare a Capital Improvement Plan financing plan with a five-year forecast of revenues and expenses.

Bishop highlighted how the board voted 4-1 not to recommend accepting this article because it does not include having a Select Board member on the committee.

"The other thing that really bothers me about this has been, given the new town manager, I think this would be courteous enough to let him or her decide if they need this committee. It also says the town manager chooses this committee, and the very people that signed this just busted the Select Board for not being open about the town manager search committee, so now they're saying it's OK for one person to do it, and we did it with multiple people on the Select Board," he said.

Finance Committee member Thomas Irwin said this capital planning committee is based on the town of Lee's committee.

Several voters expressed how they did not see an issue with the establishment of the committee and felt it would be beneficial.

"I think that having this capital planning committee would only benefit the town, considering the financial dire straits that we're in right now, and that's landed us into the situation where we're having to ask a zillion questions about every tiny little spending cut that we need to make," voter April Van Deusen said.

She said if voters had been aware of significant upcoming expenses, such as Town Hall repairs and police station costs, it could have influenced decisions regarding the construction of Wahconah Regional High School.

Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson said one of his goals when he first started was the creation of a comprehensive capital plan.

"In four years, I've not been able to do that. I've done many, many things, but the creation of a capital plan is a substantial undertaking. And if you look back at town reports, and this one, and the one that will be coming out next year, you'll see that I've been involved in a variety of projects  that I have simply not been able to get to it," Hutcheson said.

"It was one of my first goals when I got here, so I'm not going to advocate one way or the other. I would just note that I personally was not able to find sufficient time to devote to making a detailed capital plan for the town."

Two of the remaining 12 articles were tabled and one failed.

Voters tabled Article 27, to amend the noise bylaw, and Article 24, to authorize the borrowing of $880,000 for the capital expense of Town Hall improvements.

Voters failed Article 30, to rescind the Stretch Energy Code bylaw in its entirety.

Voter Greg Schnapp expressed that although he supports proactive climate change preparedness and energy conservation building codes, but argued that the code induces obstacles that may limit its effectiveness and accessibility.

Schnapp raised concerns about whether grant funding sufficiently offsets compliance costs relative to the benefits of building affordable homes and emphasized how electrification may not meet the diverse needs of residents, particularly in regions with harsh winters and unreliable energy infrastructure, as Massachusetts relies on electricity from neighboring states.

Several other voters highlighted how 90 percent of Massachusetts communities have already adopted the stretch code, and terminating it would be a step backwards, and it cause Dalton to lose access to $200,000 to $600,000 in annual Green Community grants.

The state's base building code will be equivalent to the current stretch code in two to three years, another voter said.

All other articles passed with no discussion or following clarification.
Safe Haven facilities use a 'housing first' model to address homelessness, mental health and substance abuse.

'Safe Haven' Facility Coming to Pittsfield

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  An upcoming supportive housing facility will be a "Safe Haven" for people struggling with mental illness, substance use disorder, and homelessness.



Christine Haley, Berkshires site director from the state Department of Mental Health, told the Homeless Advisory Committee on Wednesday that a Maplewood Avenue property will become a Safe Haven this summer. The facility will employ a "housing first" model to provide an alternative to shelter placement.

"The model is based on engaging people and eventually trying to get them housed," she said.



"You don't have to be agreeing to have treatment. You don't have to take medications. You don't have to be stable. You don't have to be sober. You don't have to want to be sober. It's a real harm reduction model."



The seven-bed shelter is projected to open at the beginning of July and will be operated by Clinical & Support Options, a nonprofit community behavioral health agency. Job listings identify the location as 39-41 Maplewood Ave., a multi-unit building that was recently renovated.



The Safe Haven program serves chronically unhoused individuals who are also struggling with addiction and major mental illness conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, and more.



The Massachusetts Association for Mental Health explains: "Many Safe Haven clients choose to engage (or re-engage) in behavioral health treatment, but this is not a requirement to receive Safe Haven housing. A successful transition to permanent housing  often with ongoing support services or directly into permanent supportive housing  is the most important goal and expected outcome for all clients."



For admission, a person has to be eligible for services from the state Department of Mental Health.



"They have to go through the eligibility process," Haley said.


Pittsfield Investigation Clears Wiggins of Student Improprieties

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Four of the five executive summaries on alleged staff misconduct at Pittsfield High School have been released, including for Pittsfield High's former dean of students, Lavante Wiggins.

Wiggins is identified as "administrator 1" in the report.

Three administrators and two teachers, past and present, were investigated by Bulkley Richardson and Gelinas LLP for a range of allegations that surfaced or re-surfaced at the end of 2024 after Wiggins was arrested and charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for allegedly conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine in Western Massachusetts.

BRG, commissioned by the School Committee, found that sexual abuse allegations against Wiggins were unsubstantiated, including a claim that he paid three students to attack another one.



"In December 2024, federal law enforcement authorities arrested and charged an administrator at Pittsfield High School ("PHS") (to whom we will refer in this report as "PHS Administrator 1) with federal narcotics offenses," the executive summary reads.



"Shortly thereafter, print, broadcast, and online news media began reporting unrelated allegations of misconduct by PHS Administrator 1 and other PHS administrators and educators. Contemporaneously, in her Facebook livestreamed social media feed, a former Pittsfield resident (to whom we will refer as the "Former Pittsfield Resident")', claimed that she had sources providing information about long-standing instances of PHS teachers and administrators abusing minors, and she publicly named some of those individuals."



The Pittsfield Public Schools then learned that the Department of Children and Families opened separate child abuse and neglect investigations against Wiggins, two other PHS administrators, and two former teachers.



The School Committee retained BRG on Dec. 31, 2024, to investigate the allegations and report findings to the school officials. Four executive summaries have been released, with the fifth pending.



Wiggins has been charged in the U.S. District Court with conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The firm received no evidence that any of the alleged criminal activity occurred during school time, on school property, or with PHS students.



"Other than publicly available federal court charging documents, we had access to no other information or evidence regarding these accusations made against PHS Administrator 1. Because the case remains pending, federal and local law enforcement officials were unable to provide any other information on the case," the firm wrote.



"However, the Principal stated that shortly after PHS Administrator 1's arrest, a member of the United States Attorney's Office advised her that it appeared that none of his alleged narcotics activities had occurred at PHS or with students."



Wiggins was also investigated for allegations of sexual abuse of a student, for telling one student that another wanted to have sex with them, noncompliance with a student's restraining order against another student for sexual assault, and for paying students to attack another student.



Those allegations were found to be unsubstantiated with the exception that there were no determinations on whether he complied with the student's restraining order because the firm was unable to interview anyone with direct knowledge of the accusation.

In December 2022, two PHS students reported to a teacher and vice principal that Wiggins or a former teacher was engaging in sexual relations with a PHS student in a car, and shortly after, admitted that they based their allegation on rumors from their friends.



During the Title IX investigation, one student could not identify the male staff member involved and both were uncertain of the identity of the female student, stating that they could not recall where they heard the rumor. The female student asserted she had no sexual or inappropriate relationship with Wiggins and that she never entered his car.



"After the investigation, both DCF and PPS concluded that there was no credible basis for the allegation which was unfounded," the summary reads.

In spring 2023, three students assaulted and beat another PHS student. The attacked student's mother then sent emails to the school resource officer and principal stating that her son received information that Wiggins paid the three to beat her son and tried to pay two other students, who declined.



She acknowledged that she had not been able to fact-check the allegations.

"During the PHS investigatory meeting, PHS Administrator #1 denied paying or offering to pay students to beat PHS Student #5. It appears that the Principal and Deputy Superintendent found the allegations unsubstantiated," the summary reads.

"We found no evidence that PHS Administrator #1 paid PHS Students #10, #11 and #12 to beat PHS Student #5. Accordingly, we find that the information gathered fails to substantiate this allegation."



In November 2024, a PHS student alleged that another student assaulted her at an off-campus party, and when answering to those charges, the accused student claimed that Wiggins "mentioned" that the victim wanted to sleep with them.



"The PHS Principal understands that PHS Administrator #1 testified in court and denied making the statement alleged. During our interview, on advice of counsel, PHS Administrator #1 declined to respond to our questions about this allegation," the summary reads.



"During our investigation, we were unable to interview any individual with direct knowledge of this allegation and, therefore, make no finding as to whether PHS Administrator #1 made this statement to PHS Student #15."



At the time Wiggins applied for the position in March 2021, he did not have a secondary-level certification from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.



While the administrator did not have the proper licensure at the time he applied for the position, the summary states that PPS followed the proper protocols and applied for a DESE waiver when it decided to appoint him to the position. BRG notes that it has not seen the waiver application but presumes from DESE's waiver that PPS had an external public posting for the position, listed and gave reasons for not hiring its licensed applicants, and indicated that its unlicensed applicant was qualified for the position.



It was explained that of the three other applicants, one had no understanding of the use of data in student interventions, one lived in the district but had not been rehired, and one had no administrative experience or knowledge in restorative procedures.



"During this time period, DESE's Office of Educator Licensure granted emergency licenses for unlicensed applicants who had graduated from an accredited university or college (PHS Administrator #1's college was accredited) and had relevant work experience in the relevant certification area," the firm wrote.



"PHS Administrator #1 applied for and obtained an emergency license from DESE, which was valid for two years. After his first license expired, he applied for and obtained a second emergency license from DESE. DESE was authorized to issue emergency licenses from 2020 through 2023, so long as the individual had made progress toward or obtained the applicable DESE license."



According to Wiggin's personnel file, at the time of his reappointment in August 2024, he was pursuing a license and had completed some of the tests necessary to obtain the license.
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venerdi 9 maggio 2025, 00:03 - Last updated: 10:13

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This article is automatically translated

Really? Really?. At first, he doesn't understand, but when you explain that yes, the new Pope is American like him, he almost gets emotional. He is a young Californian priest, 32 years old, who has been in Rome since last October studying at the pontifical university and is now living his moment in history. He looks towards the balcony where the 'Habemus papam' has just been announced, and the name of Robert Prevost has echoed. A few minutes earlier, he shouted 'yeah' along with another American priest to express their enthusiasm for the announcement of the new Pope, but when he realizes he is American, he is struck silent with emotion. The other priest explains: Prevost is Augustinian, born in Chicago, but was a missionary for ten years in Peru. A way to emphasize, while the square around them cheers and applauds, that the successor of the Pontiff is a religious man who hasn't stayed closed within the corridors of power of the Catholic Church but has worn out his shoes among the poor and the marginalized. A missionary, indeed. He speaks excellent Italian, doesn't he? the two American priests ask for confirmation, and they are moved, just like Leo XIV, when the new Pope greets the Peruvian community in Spanish, where he lived for a decade. Then, they kneel during the Ave Maria. All around, it's a square (but not only, even the entire Via della Conciliazione) that vibrates: perhaps it was taken by surprise, perhaps it wasn't the name everyone expected, but the words of Pope Leo have ignited it. The first shock was at 18:08 when unexpectedly, there was the white smoke, accompanied by an 'ooooh' even more intense than usual, by applause, by the rush to enter St. Peter's Square. In the time that passes between the smoke and the announcement of the new Pontiff's name, a conviction circulates among the faithful that will be disproved: You'll see, it will be Cardinal Parolin, otherwise they wouldn't have done it so quickly. Antonio Colicchia, a Roman, is 68 years old, a retiree, and when he sees the white smoke, his eyes get a bit teary. My wife and I made a very long journey to be here and greet the new Pope - he recounts - a 24-hour journey. For twenty years we have lived in Brisbane, Australia, but when we understood there would be a conclave, we decided to leave, we couldn't miss it. Beside him is a friend from Friuli, from Codroipo, Aurelio Gierotto, 70 years old: There's only one problem - he jokes - after the white smoke our wives ran into the square and we have to find them. The emotions of St. Peter's Square have a thousand colors on the day of Leo XIV like those of the Iraqi flag that a nun happily waves. Next to her is Yaldo Basilio, auxiliary bishop in Baghdad, who collaborates with Cardinal Louis Raphael I Sako, patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iran. He recounts: In Baghdad, we had a special relationship with Pope Francis who in 2021, despite the pandemic and despite the threat of ISIS, decided to come to Iraq. You'll see, the new Pontiff will also be close to those who suffer, to the poor, to the most humble. When the Missionary Pope appears from the window of St. Peter's, it seems almost as if the Holy Spirit had listened to the prayers of the bishop of Baghdad. The waiting and the surprise. Waiting for the new Pope to present himself to the world after the white smoke, a Roman lady who has also experienced other conclaves smiles because in front of her there is a wall of people blocking her view, she jokes with her son: They're all tall today. But then, when the name echoes in St. Peter's Square, when everyone, all 150,000 who gathered, raise their hands to the sky to take photos with their smartphones, she explains: Yes, we were taken by surprise. We didn't expect it. We thought it would be an Italian or, perhaps, a Filipino. Instead, it's an American. Someone whispers Trump will be happy, others who know Robert Prevost's biography better shake their heads, saying that due to his sensitivity on immigration and the humble, the distances are considerable. Annalisa Spiezzia nods in agreement, next to her a priest with Prevost's photo explains that he met him in Brindisi in 2023 and that he's good. She hopes he will address the world situation, stop the massacres, the wars. The square is incredulous, then happy, the American surprises only at first, then conquers, chants rise: Pope Leo. Because he was very emotional, like us... admits Francesca, 30, with her mother Rosa. Mina Neri, with wide, tearful eyes: Let's hope the Holy Spirit acted, let's hope in the legacy of Francis, let's hope he will be the Pope of everyone, welcoming and progressive, who won't lose the young along the way. And the young are there: for faith, for curiosity, for the aperitif. They have flocked to St. Peter's, from the university, from work. All crammed into the subway, for a beautiful femauroevansta. Like Cristian Izzo, 24: I'm not a believer but it's a historic moment, I was born in 2000, it's the first pope of my generation. Alessia Rampon rushed from La Sapienza: It was overwhelming, very emotional, I liked the speech focused on peace, and Lorenza: An epochal moment, impressive. The emotion that unites, he seemed like a very emotional man to us but also he didn't have the usual expression of a Pope, more buttoned-up, diplomatic and America has taken it all. The comments accompany the slow flow. Marco, a political science student at Luiss, was in the library when he heard about the white smoke and rushed to St. Peter's. The Holy Spirit chose well, he repeatedly said the word 'everyone'. Near him, Ginevra jokes: An American Pope at a time like this was needed. An unforgettable day, for some tourists by chance. We came to see Caravaggio, we went to visit Francis at Santa Maria Maggiore at 5:30 PM, in Piazza di Spagna we heard the bells ringing and ran here like crazy, recounts Maria Franca Colombo from Milan with her husband Pier Antonio Grossi and Paola Gigoni from Livorno. They leave reassured: He gave a beautiful speech, recalled Francis, surprised us with the plenary indulgence, and celebrated the Ave Maria. The emotion remains in the alleys of Borgo, the American is talked about even at the outdoor tables in the shadow of the Cupolone. And it's not the name of a cocktail.
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North Korea fired a flurry of various types of ballistic missiles into its eastern sea, the latest weapons test that could be linked to exports to Russia, South Koreas military said.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected a number of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) launched from the eastern port city of Wosan between 8.10am to 9.20am local time.

The missile that went furthest travelled about 800km (497 miles) but the military didn't immediately confirm the exact number of missiles it detected.

Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for JCS, said it is investigating the possibility of the tests linked to North Koreas weapon exports to Russia as Moscow and Pyongyang have agreed to military cooperation in the war in Ukraine.

The tests likely involved a short-range ballistic missile system launched from mobile vehicles, possibly modelled after Iskander, Russia's powerful missile system, Mr Lee said.

It also included large-calibre rocket artillery systems, which experts say blur the line between traditional artillery and ballistic systems due to their self-propulsion and guided flight, he added.

People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a train station in Seoul ( AFP via Getty Images )

It was the first known ballistic missile test by North Korea since 10 March when it fired a number of short range missiles, after US and South Korean troops began an annual combined military exercise, and the country's sixth launch event of the year.

North Koreas military tests  part of its frequent missile launches amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula to demonstrate its military power  are being more closely monitored by South Korea, the US, and Japan as its leader Kim Jong Un continues to accelerate the development of his missile programme and supplies weapons and troops to support Russias war in Ukraine.

The launches came a day after North Korean state media said Mr Kim urged munition workers to boost the production of artillery shells amid his deepening alignment with Moscow.

After repeated denials, North Korea and Russia for the first time confirmed that North Korean military troops have been sent to fight on Ukrainian frontline.

Pyongyangs military claimed that its soldiers helped Russia to "completely liberate" the Kursk border region after an order from Mr Kim.

Moscow also acknowledged the North Korean involvement, with Russian president Vladimir Putin issuing a statement thanking the North for sending troops to support his forces and promising not to forget their sacrifices.

It comes as the Russian representative to the United Nations defended Moscows cooperation with Pyongyang, saying they are developing relationships in all spheres and it is in conformity with international laws.

As for Russias cooperation with Pyongyang, we have voiced our position more than once. North Korea is our close neighbour and partner and we are developing relations with it in all spheres, Vasily Nebenzya said at the UN Security Council meeting on North Korea.

This is our sovereign right. Russias cooperation with North Korea is developed in conformity with international law and is not aimed against any third countries. Neither is it a threat to countries of the region or the international community. Naturally, Russia will continue developing this cooperation, he said.

He added that North Korean units "took an active part in the liberation of Russian territories.
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Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, Indian airlines have grounded flights at over two dozen airports across the northern and western regions of the country.

Major domestic carriers issued travel advisories, informing passengers of suspended operations until Saturday.

Affected airports include Amritsar in Punjab and Srinagar in India-controlled Kashmir, both bordering Pakistan.

India's Civil Aviation Ministry has yet to release an official statement regarding the airport closures.

Ministry spokeswoman Beena Yadav declined to comment on the situation Thursday.

The widespread cancellations have caused significant disruption for travellers.

open image in gallery A man sits in his house damaged by Pakistani artillery shelling in Poonch, along the Line of Control in Indian-controlled Kashmir ( AP )

IndiGo, India's largest domestic airline, cancelled 165 flights on Wednesday. Air India and Air India Express also reported a similar number of cancellations.

The sudden closure of Amritsar airport, located near the Pakistani city of Lahore, forced Air India to divert two international flights bound for Amritsar to New Delhi.

India and Pakistan are teetering on the edge of a fresh military crisis after New Delhi launched missile strikes inside Pakistani territory on Wednesday, targeting what it called terror training camps to avenge Aprils massacre of 26 Indian tourists in India-controlled Kashmir.

India blames Pakistan for backing the gunmen, an accusation that Islamabad denies.

open image in gallery Indian soldiers guard at a market in Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir ( AP )

Soon after the killings, the two countries swiftly moved to close their respective airspace in April, and India has shut some of its airports.

The cancellation of flights has resulted in woes for passengers.

Rahul, a 32-year-old Indian businessman who goes by a single name, had a flight from Dubai to Chandigarh on Wednesday, which was cancelled after closure of the Indian airport.

The airline offered him a rescheduled flight to Delhi and then a bus ride to Chandigarh.

Rahul's work got delayed back home, but he didn't complain.

Its a security situation. I understand," he said.

open image in gallery Paramilitary soldiers stand guard as investigators collect pieces of a suspected Indian drone at the site of a drone crash in Karachi, Pakistan ( AP )

On Thursday, Pakistan claimed it had killed 40-50 soldiers by shelling Indian military installations along the Line of Control, the de facto border in Kashmir, in retaliation for Wednesdays pre-dawn airstrikes by India.

At least 16 civilians and an Indian soldier were killed in heavy shelling in Indias Poonch district, Indian police said.

Pakistan said it downed 25 Indian kamikaze drones, while India said it shot down 15 missiles.

Also on Thursday, French officials said at least one Indian-owned Rafale fighter jet was shot down during Wednesdays Operation Sindoor.
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Pakistans military claimed it shot down five Indian Air Force jets, including three French-made Rafales, in a major escalation of cross-border hostilities potentially marking the first combat loss of the advanced aircraft.

Pakistans military spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif, told reporters on Wednesday that the jets were targeted from within Pakistani airspace in retaliation for earlier Indian airstrikes.

He said Indian operations had killed at least 26 civilians across Pakistan, including women and children. Another five civilians were reported dead due to Indian shelling along the Line of Control in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

We only targeted Indian planes after they attacked Pakistan, Lt Gen Sharif said. Indian officials, so far, have remained silent on the matter.

Indias Press Information Bureau, however, warned people against old images being circulated on social media by pro-Pakistan handles. "An old image showing a crashed aircraft is being circulated with the claim that Pakistan recently shot down an Indian Rafale jet near Bahawalpur during the ongoing Operation Sindoor. #PIBFactCheck: This image is from an earlier incident involving an IAF MiG-21 fighter jet that crashed in Moga district in Punjab in 2021," PIB posted on its official X handle.

The Pakistani military said the downed aircraft included three Rafale fighter jets and one each of Russian-made Su-30 and MiG-29 models. Indian authorities have not issued a statement responding to the claims.

If verified, the downing of the Rafale fighters would represent the most significant loss for the Indian Air Force in decades and could signal a turning point in the volatile relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

A senior French intelligence official told CNN that at least one Rafale operated by India was brought down by Pakistani forces. French authorities are looking into whether more than one Rafale jet was shot down, the official added, according to CNN anchor Jim Scuitto. The Independent could not verify these claims.

Earlier, Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed that Pakistan Air Force reduced Indian jets to smithereens, as he warned the country would avenge the deaths of those killed by Indias strikes. In an hour-long air battle, our pilots blew up the jets of the enemy to smithereens, he said in an address to the nation on state television Wednesday night local time. It only took a few hours for the enemy to fall on its knees, he claimed.

Pakistans defence minister Khwaja Asif told CNN that their armed forces responded with missile fire, downing Indian jets in a dogfight, calling it a befitting lesson.

When pressed for evidence by a CNN anchor, Mr Asif said: Its all over the social media. Its Indian social media. Not our social media. The debris of these jets fell into the Indian occupied Kashmir and it is all over the Indian media today.

You are the defence minister, responded the anchor. The reason to talk to you about today is to not talk about the content all over social media. I am asking for a very specifically for the evidence. For example, was there any Chinese equipment used by Pakistan to down these Rafale jets, as I understand you are alleging them to be.

No Chinese equipment, said Mr Asif, adding We have Chinese planes ... but they are manufactured and assembled in Pakistan now. However, Mr Asif did not provide any evidence supporting the claim about the downing of the Indian jets.

The Rafale, a twin-engine, multirole fighter capable of launching from both aircraft carriers and land bases, is among the most advanced jets in the Indian fleet. Designed by Dassault Aviation, the aircraft was acquired as part of New Delhis efforts to upgrade its military capabilities and reduce reliance on Russian-origin systems.

India initially procured 36 Rafales and signed an additional deal last month with Dassault to purchase 26 more for the navy in a contract worth Rs 630bn (6.1bn). The new batch is expected to be delivered by 2030.

Photos from Wuyan, a village in India-administered Kashmir, showed wreckage believed to be an external fuel tank. Trevor Ball, an associate researcher at Armament Research Services, said it likely belonged to a Mirage or Rafale aircraft, though he could not confirm whether the plane had been shot down.

Paramilitary soldiers patrol a street in Srinagar, India, on 7 May 2025 ( AFP via Getty )

John E Pike, director of the US-based GlobalSecurity.org, told The New York Times that the jets could have been downed by either surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles. Pakistan has both, he said.

Pakistan said at least 31 of its civilians had been killed and 46 wounded and that India "had ignited an inferno in the region". This included deaths from the strikes and border shelling.

Islamabad pledged to respond "at a time, place and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives and blatant violation of its sovereignty", emphatically rejecting Indian allegations it had terrorist camps on its territory.

"For the blatant mistake that India made last night, it will now have to pay the price," Mr Sharif said in a televised address on state broadcaster PTV. "Perhaps they thought that we would retreat, but they forgot that...this is a nation of brave people."

Mr Asif told broadcaster Geo News that Islamabad would only strike Indian military targets and not civilians, in retaliation. India told more than a dozen foreign envoys in New Delhi that "if Pakistan responds, India will respond", fuelling fears of a larger military conflict in one of the world's most dangerous  and most populated  nuclear flashpoint regions.

The Independent has reached out to the office of defence minister Rajnath Singh for comment.
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The dramatic flare-up of tensions and targeted cross-border strikes between India and Pakistan this week has raised the spectre of a first all-out war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in decades.

The two countries have fought two wars since independence over the disputed region of Kashmir  and three in total  and the picturesque Himalayan valley is once again at the centre of their standoff. Already arguably the most highly militarised region in the world, with hundreds of thousands of troops and paramilitary forces deployed to maintain security in Indian-administered Kashmir at the best of times.

But taken together, the Indian and Pakistani militaries boast a total of around 2 million armed forces personnel. It means an all-out conflict would be one of the largest by number of combatants since the end of the Second World War.

Heres how the two militaries compare against each other

open image in gallery Indian Border Security Force personnel (dressed in brown) and Pakistani Rangers (dressed in black) take part in the Beating Retreat ceremony at the India-Pakistan Wagah border post ( AFP via Getty Images )

Indias military is ranked fourth by think tank Global Firepower out of a total 145 nations, while Pakistan ranked 12th in 2024. Additionally, India falls in a higher tier of military power than Pakistan, as per the Military Watch Magazine.

India has one of the largest standing armies globally, with over 1.47 million active-duty soldiers.

India has 1.4 million active personnel in its defence forces  1,237,000 in the army, 75,500 in the navy, 149,900 in the air force, and 13,350 in the coast guard. Pakistan's strength is thinner, with under 700,000 personnel, of whom 560,000 are in the army, 70,000 in the air force, and 30,000 in the navy, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

open image in gallery Data shows how India and Pakistan fared in army, air force and navy in the past year ( The Independent )

The London-based think tank says Pakistans defence spending was a tenth of its neighbour last year.

In 2024, India spent around $86bn last year on defence, becoming Asias second-largest military spender after China and sixth globally.

On the military resources, ammunition and battle vehicles, India has another edge over Pakistan with nearly double the number of tanks than Pakistan has. India has a total of 4,201 tanks against Pakistans 2,627, according to Global Firepower. India leads on the airpower front as well with an estimated total of 2,229 aircraft, as compared with 1,399 of Pakistans.

open image in gallery Indian Air Force (IAF) soldiers march at Hindon Air Force station in Ghaziabad ( AFP via Getty Images )

The two nations are almost identical in terms of nuclear capabilities. India possesses around 172 nuclear warheads, while Pakistan is close behind with around 170, US-based think tank Arms Control Association said, citing data from 2024.

open image in gallery India's nuclear-capable Agni III missile rolls past during rehearsal for the Indian Republic Day parade ( AFP via Getty Images )

With 170 plutonium-based nuclear warheads on short- and medium-range systems, Pakistan already has enough nuclear firepower to deter a nuclear attack from India and obliterate much of the subcontinent, the Arms Control Association said.

Pakistan continues to produce fissile material and retains the option to use nuclear weapons first against non-nuclear military threats, it said.

open image in gallery Pakistani military personnel stand beside a Ghauri nuclear-capable missile during a Pakistan Day military parade in Islamabad ( AFP via Getty Images )

Military experts in Pakistan claimed their smaller armed forces have already proven their capabilities by downing Indian warplanes  including a French Rafale  in the latest cross-border escalation. Indian authorities have not issued a statement responding to the claims of Pakistan downing Indias Rafale jets. The Independent has reached out to the office of defence minister Rajnath Singh for comment.

The perception here in Islamabad is of pride and jubilance. The Pakistani military, especially Pakistani Air Force, is seen to have done a wonderful job. India has struck all civilian targets because there were no militants there as these were previously banned sites, said Abdullah Khan, managing director of the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.

But Pakistan, in retaliation, did it for all the military targets and we downed a number of Indian jets. Despite limited in numbers and capabilities, Pakistan engaged Indian military targets successfully not only in the air but also along the line of control and struck Indian aircraft on their own territory, he told The Independent over a phone call from Islamabad.

According to experts, while India is visibly better armed and can afford a longer conflict, a war with Pakistan is not going to bode well for its vulnerabilities against China.

open image in gallery Indian soldiers rehearse ahead of the Republic Day parade at Rajpath in New Delhi ( Getty Images )

open image in gallery An Indian soldier raises his hands as he guides an operator sitting inside a tank ahead of rehearsals for parade ( Getty Images )

open image in gallery Pakistani army tanks take part during the winter collective ten-days military exercise ( AFP via Getty Images )

Both states can afford a short, limited conflict but neither state can afford a drawn-out, high-intensity conflict. Even a few weeks of high-intensity conflict would seriously strain both countries militaries. India can afford a drawn out conflict more than Pakistan, but getting drawn into such a conflict would expose India to risks on its other front with China, said Christopher Clary, associate professor at the department of political science at University of Albany.

The current high-tension conflict, he said, is more about bluster and posturing than an actual drawn out war.

open image in gallery Pakistani military personnel travel on a tank during a Pakistan Day military parade ( AFP via Getty Images )

This is about being able to declare a political victory at home, rather than meaningfully degrading adversary military capabilities. That means this conflict is more about posturing than war-fighting  though there is serious fighting in small pockets and for brief periods, he tells The Independent.

Governments are in the business of saying they are prepared even when they are unprepared, Clary says.

"The Indian forces are about double the size of Pakistan's forces... if it came to a war, India will win," says Sky's security and defence analyst Michael Clarke.
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India launched strikes on Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir on Wednesday, an assault its neighbour called a "blatant act of war" as tension spirals between the nuclear-armed rivals after a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir last week.

India said its Operation Sindoor struck nine Pakistani sites on Wednesday that provided "terrorist infrastructure" and from which attacks against it were orchestrated. Its military spokesperson said the sites were completely destroyed.

Sindoor, which refers to the red vermilion powder worn by married Hindu women, is an apparent reference to the widows left by the 22 April attack that killed 26 men, most of them Hindu.

open image in gallery Smoke billows after an artillery shell landed in the main town of Poonch district in India's Jammu region on 7 May 2025 ( AFP/Getty )

India accuses Pakistan of backing the massacre, a charge Pakistan denies. Both had also expelled diplomats and citizens, ordered the border shut and closed their airspace for each other ahead of Wednesdays strikes.

Here's a look at multiple conflicts between the two countries since their bloody partition in 1947:

1947  Months after British India is partitioned into a predominantly Hindu India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan, the two young nations fight their first war over control of Muslim-majority Kashmir, then a kingdom ruled by a Hindu monarch. The war killed thousands before ending in 1948.

1949  A UN-brokered ceasefire line leaves Kashmir divided between India and Pakistan, with the promise of a U.N.-sponsored vote that would enable the region's people to decide whether to be part Pakistan or India. That vote has never been held.

1965  The rivals fight their second war over Kashmir. Thousands are killed in inconclusive fighting before a ceasefire is brokered by the Soviet Union and the United States. Negotiations in Tashkent run until January 1966, ending in both sides giving back territories they seized during the war and withdrawing their armies.

1971  India intervenes in a war over the independence of East Pakistan, which ends with the territory breaking away as the new country of Bangladesh. An estimated 3 million people are killed in the conflict.

open image in gallery India Pakistan Kashmir Timeline ( AP )

1972  India and Pakistan sign a peace accord, renaming the ceasefire line in Kashmir as the Line of Control, a heavily fortified stretch of military outposts that divide the region between them. Both sides deploy more troops along the frontier, turning it into a heavily fortified stretch of military outposts.

1989  Kashmiri dissidents, with support from Pakistan, launch a bloody rebellion against Indian rule. Indian troops respond with brutal measures, intensifying diplomatic and military skirmishes between New Delhi and Islamabad.

1999  Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri fighters seize several Himalayan peaks on the Indian side of the territory. India responds with aerial bombardments and artillery. At least 1,000 combatants are killed over 10 weeks and a worried world fears the fighting could escalate to nuclear conflict. The U.S. eventually steps in to mediate, ending the fighting.

open image in gallery India Pakistan Kashmir Timeline ( AP )

2016  Militants sneak into an army base in Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing at least 18 soldiers. India responds by sending special forces inside Pakistani-held territory, later claiming to have killed multiple suspected rebels in surgical strikes. Pakistan denies that the strikes take place, but it leads to days of major border skirmishes. Combatants and civilians on both sides are killed.

2019  The two sides again come close to war after a Kashmiri insurgent rams an explosive-laden car into a bus carrying Indian soldiers, killing 40. India sends carries out air strikes in Pakistani territory, claiming to have struck a militant training facility. Pakistan later shoot down an Indian warplane and captures a pilot. He was later released, deescalating tensions.

open image in gallery An Indian paramilitary personnel patrols along the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar ( AFP/Getty )

2025  Militants attack Indian tourists in region's Pahalgam resort town and kill 26 men, most of them Hindus. India blames Pakistan for the attack, something Islamabad denies, and vows revenge on the attackers, sending tensions to their highest point since 2019. Both sides cancel visas of each other's citizens, recall diplomats, shut their only land border crossing and close their airspace to each other. New Delhi also suspends a crucial water-sharing treaty with Islamabad.

The following week, explosions were heard in several places across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir as India said it had attacked "terrorist infrastructure" in nine sites. Pakistan vowed to respond to the attacks. India fired missiles across the border into Pakistani-controlled territory early on Wednesday at 1.44am local time (8.14pm GMT). Up to 26 strikes were fired on at least six locations, a Pakistani military spokesperson told news agencies. At least eight civilians, including a child, were killed in India's pre-dawn airstrikes, Islamabad said. At least 35 others were injured.
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As the rest of the world urges calm, India and Pakistan are once again teetering on the edge of full-blown conflict amid their most serious military escalation in decades.

India said its air force struck nine sites inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in a pre-dawn raid early on Wednesday, claiming its Operation Sindoor targeted terrorist camps and infrastructure. Pakistan says at least 31 people, including women and children, were killed, despite Indian officials insisting there were no civilian casualties.

Pakistan shot down several Indian aircraft during the strikes, at least three of which came down on the Indian side of the de facto border. The question now is whether that  as well as heavy shelling in Kashmir that Indian police say has killed at least 13 civilians  will be deemed enough of a response.

Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said Wednesday morning that Islamabad has every right to respond to the act of war and the entire nation stands with the Pakistani forces, whose morale and spirits are high. Pakistan has every right to give a robust response to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given, Mr Sharif said.

Analysts say the question is not whether Pakistan will retaliate to the Indian strikes, but how powerful the response will be.

The Himalayan region of Kashmir is at the heart of decades of hostilities between India and Pakistan which both claim the Muslim majority region in whole but control it only in part. The two countries have fought two of their three full-scale wars since independence over the region.

New Delhi has long accused its neighbour of harbouring and backing groups waging an active militant insurgency in the Indian-administered side of Kashmir. It says it has evidence Pakistan was involved in the 22 April terror attack on Pahalgam in Kashmir where 26 people were killed, most of them tourists. Islamabad has rejected the allegations and called for an independent investigation.

open image in gallery Local residents stand outside a mosque of an Islamic seminary partially damaged by a suspected Indian missile attack ( AP )

Pakistan has a history of swift counterattacks  its something were taught in army training as well. So, a retaliation is not a question of 'if' but 'when'. Pakistan will have to respond to satisfy its domestic audience. Not doing so would invite criticism for both the Shehbaz Sharif government and the Pakistan Army, retired Lt Col JS Sodhi told The Independent.

Pakistan will avoid targeting any major military installation in India, as that would be seen as an act of war. Instead, we can expect them to strike civilian infrastructure or bombing at border areas which could cause civilian casualties, a move intended to send a message without provoking full-scale war.

The army veteran said Pakistan is likely to limit its retaliation to a less lethal blow to avoid escalation, noting that China  a vital ally to Islamabad  has already urged calm and has a vested interest in keeping tensions between India and Pakistan under control.

Responding to the Indian strikes, the Chinese foreign ministry said the Xi Jinping government finds "Indias military operation early this morning regrettable.

China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation," a spokesperson added.

Lt Col Sodhi said Chinas influence over Pakistan would be a key factor in deescalation, arguing that Beijing has no interest in a major conflict on its western flank while it pursues its own interests to the east.

China would not allow Pakistan to escalate it into a full-fledged war as its number one target is Taiwan, he said.

open image in gallery Metal debris lies on the ground in Wuyan in south Kashmir's Pulwama district ( Reuters )

India has previously used targeted airstrikes across the Line of Control (LoC) as retaliation for major militant attacks  notably in 2016 and 2019  which makes the recent strikes part of an emerging pattern in India's military doctrine. The last military escalation saw a brief but fierce dogfight between a Pakistan Air Force pilot and an Indian Air Force pilot which ended with Pakistan capturing Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman after his fighter jet was shot down. The pilot was eventually returned to India, helping to bring tensions back under control.

But the stakes now appear higher, as well as the danger of a pattern of escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman warned that the current tit-for-tat dynamic is higher up the escalatory ladder than in past confrontations.

open image in gallery ( The Independent )

Mr Kugelman, an American foreign policy author and expert specialising in South Asia, said Wednesday mornings strike was one of the most intense in years, and that Pakistans response would surely pack a punch as well.

These are two strong militaries that, even with nuclear weapons as a deterrent, are not afraid to deploy sizeable levels of conventional military force against each other, Mr Kugelman told the Associated Press.

The escalation risks are real. And they could well increase, and quickly.

While Wednesdays events mirror those of 2019 in many ways, there are concerns that both sides could be willing to push their conventional military activity further this time around.

Decision makers in both states now have a higher risk appetite for conflict initiation and escalation than prior to 2019, said Frank O'Donnell, a non-resident fellow at the South Asia Program at the Stimson Center, a think-tank in Washington, as they had managed then to clash without nuclear weapons being used.

But without a clear mutual sense of the precise actions, that could trigger inadvertent escalation, he added.

Each side will think they are in a better position than last time, said Muhammad Faisal, a South Asia security researcher based at the University of Technology, Sydney. It is only when we see actual combat that we will find out.
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India conducted a series of airstrikes in Pakistan early on Wednesday, targeting what it claimed were Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad facilities used to plan terrorist attacks on Indian territory, including last months assault in Kashmir.

The strikes marked a sharp escalation in tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Pakistan claimed the Indian attack killed at least 31 civilians and injured 57 and vowed to retaliate. It also claimed to have shot down five Indian fighter jets involved in the attack.

A subsequent exchange of heavy shelling along the Line of Control, the de facto border in Kashmir, killed 13 people on the Indian side, including a soldier.

The Indian defence ministry denied killing civilians and maintained that the strikes, launched between 1.05am and 1.30am, targeted infrastructure meant to plan and direct attacks against India. It claimed that seven of the nine targeted sites were used by Lashkar and Jaish, Islamist groups designated by the United Nations Security Council as terrorist organisations, as well as the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.

India accuses Pakistan of backing separatism and militancy in Kashmir, the majority Muslim restive Himalayan region claimed in full by both countries but held only in part. Pakistan rejects the claim.

In recent years, Indian officials have blamed either Lashkar or Jaish for most of the deadly attacks in the country, including the 22 April assault at the tourist town of Pahalgam in Kashmir that left 26 people dead, mostly Hindu tourists.

open image in gallery Paramilitary soldiers patrol a street in Srinagar, India, on 7 May 2025 ( Middle East Images )

Who are Lashkar-e-Taiba?

Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Army of the Righteous, was founded by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed around 1990 as the armed wing of Markaz-ud-Dawa-wal-Irshad, an Islamist missionary organisation in Pakistan established in the 1980s to resist the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

According to the UN, Lashkar has carried out numerous strikes on Indian forces in Kashmir since 1993 as well as major attacks elsewhere in India like the 2008 assault on Mumbai and the 2006 train bombings.

It has been designated a terrorist organisation by the UN and the US. In 2002, Pakistan banned Lashkar and froze all its assets. In 2014, the US expanded sanctions on the group to cover additional leaders and affiliated front groups.

Indian and foreign experts claim Lashkar received training and financial support from Pakistans powerful spy agency ISI in the 1990s, allegedly in return for recruiting and training Islamist militants for operations in India. Pakistan has consistently denied any involvement in supporting terrorism.

Islamabad maintains that Lashkar is banned and its founder jailed, but critics say the group continues to operate under the cover of charitable fronts like Jamaat ud Dawa and retains a strong presence.

India said it struck Lashkars expansive headquarters in Muridke near Lahore where the Mumbai attackers were allegedly trained.

open image in gallery Hafiz Saeed addresses a rally held to show solidarity with Muslims in Kashmir in Islamabad in 2008 ( AFP/Getty )

Who are Jaish-e-Mohammed?

Jaish-e-Mohammad, the Army of Prophet Mohammad, was founded by Masood Azhar after his release from an Indian prison in exchange for 155 hostages on an Indian Airlines plane that his associates had hijacked to Afghanistan in 1999.

Jaish, like Lashkar, is based in Pakistans Punjab province.

The group was blamed for the 2001 attack on Indias parliament, leading to Pakistan banning it in 2002.

In spite of the ban, Indian and American officials claim that Jaish operates freely in Pakistan. It also maintains links with Al Qaeda and the Taliban, according to the UN.

Jaish has claimed responsibility for several suicide bombings of Indian forces in Kashmir in recent years.

India said it targeted Jaishs headquarters, Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, in the overnight strikes.

Azhar, while largely out of the public eye, is reported to remain active near Bahawalpur, where he runs a religious institution. He publicly mourned the death of 10 family members killed in Indias strike on Markaz Subhan Allah, a Deobandi seminary in Bahawalpur.

open image in gallery Satellite images from Maxar show the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah compound in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, on 2 May 2025 ( Maxar Technologies )

Who are Hizb-ul-Mujahideen?

Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, launched in 1989 reportedly with ISI backing, is the dominant indigenous Kashmiri militant group fighting against Indian rule in the Himalayan region.

Seen as aligned with the Islamist sociopolitical organisation Jamaat-e-Islami, the group advocated for majority Muslim Kashmir to join Pakistan. In recent years, however, its position has been more ambiguous.

In its initial years, its chief ideological competitor was the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, an older militant group which advocated for independence from both India and Pakistan before giving up arms in the mid-1990s.

The Hizb formalised its structure in June 1990, approving its constitution and appointing Syed Salahuddin as its leader. Internal divisions over conformity with the ideology of its patron, Jamaat-e-Islami, soon led to a split, however, with one faction led by Syed Salahuddin and the other by Hilal Ahmed Mir, who was killed in 1993.

Kotli in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which India said was one of the places struck by its forces, reportedly hosts one of Hizbs oldest facilities.
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Pakistan has accused India of deploying Israeli Harop drones in a string of strikes on the neighbouring country, fuelling fears of a dangerous military escalation in South Asia.

The Pakistani military claimed on Thursday that India had used loitering munition drones to target multiple places, including major urban centres Karachi and Lahore.

The military said in a statement they shot down 25 Harop drones using electronic countermeasures and physical force. The debris of Israeli-made Harop drones is being collected from different areas of Pakistan, they added.

In a televised briefing, military spokesperson Lt General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said drones were neutralised in Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, and near Karachi. One drone, he said, partially struck a military target near Lahore, injuring four soldiers and damaging equipment.

As we speak, the process of India sending across these Harop drones, this naked aggression, continues, he said. The armed forces are on a high degree of alert and neutralising them.

open image in gallery Residents gather as police personnel inspect the site where a drone was reportedly shot down in Karachi on 8 May 2025 ( AFP via Getty )

open image in gallery Debris of a missile in a field on the outskirts of Amritsar, India, on May 8, 2025 ( AFP via Getty )

One drone reportedly also crashed in the village of Sarfaraz Leghari in Sindh province, killing a civilian and injuring another. Police confirmed the incident while eyewitnesses described the drone hovering over the area before being intercepted and falling near a canal.

My brother Mukhtiar Ahmed, who was only 25, was martyred, Jabbar Laghari, a teacher from the village, said.

The Harop is a loitering munition, or kamikaze drone, developed by the Israel Aerospace Industries. The suicide drone has nine-hour endurance to seek targets in a designated area, locate and identify them, plan an attack route, then pursue the strike from any direction at a shallow or steep dive, according to its maker.

It can be launched from sealed canisters aboard land and naval platforms.

The drone carries a 23kg warhead and retains a man-in-the-loop feature, allowing human operators to abort attack or retarget mid-flight, according to the Hindustan Times.

Harops combat success was recognised during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, where it was used by Azerbaijan against Armenian forces, The Week reported.

India reportedly bought over 100 Harop drones in 2021 to bolster defences along its borders with Pakistan and China.

open image in gallery Residents gather as police personnel inspect a site cordoned off with barricade tapes after an alleged drone was shot down in Karachi on 8 May 2025 ( AFP via Getty )

India has not officially responded to Pakistans allegation of sending drones across. But the defence ministry claimed it had neutralised drones and missiles launched from Pakistan to target sites in the north and the west of the country.

The ministry also claimed to have targeted Pakistani air defence systems in a targeted and measured retaliation.

open image in gallery Kashmiri women grieve after their house is damaged by shelling from Pakistan at Salamabad village in Uri, north of Srinagar, Kashmir, on 8 May 2025 ( EPA )

Our response was targeted and measured. It is not our intention to escalate the situation, foreign minister S Jaishankar said during talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Thursday.

However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response.

Amid diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict between the nuclear-armed South Asian nations, Iran has stepped in to mediate. Mr Araghchi, who visited Islamabad before arriving in New Delhi, said Tehran hoped the parties will exercise restraint to avoid an escalation of tensions in the region.

The Indian military launched a series of strikes on what it claimed was terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan early on Wednesday. The attack, it said, was retaliation for the 22 April terror attack in Kashmir that left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu tourists.

India has blamed the attack on Pakistan, which it has long accused of harbouring and backing separatist militancy in Kashmir, the restive Himalayan region that both countries claim in whole but control only in part.

Pakistan said its military shot down five Indian fighter jets and a combat drone involved in the strikes, a claim dismissed as misinformation by the Indian embassy in Beijing.
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Explosions were heard in several places in Pakistan on Wednesday as India said it had attacked "terrorist infrastructure" at nine sites and Pakistan vowed to respond to the attacks.

India fired missiles across the border into Pakistani territory early on Wednesday at 1.44am local time (8.14pm GMT).

It said the strikes at nine locations "where terrorist attacks against India have been planned" were retaliation for the massacre of 26 people at the tourist town of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on 22 April.

"A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed," the Indian government said in a statement.

"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution," it said.

The strikes killed at least 31 people, Pakistani officials said on Thursday, as prime minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to "avenge" the deaths.

Mr Sharif said India must suffer the consequences for its cowardly attack.

For the blatant mistake that India made last night, it will now have to pay the price," Mr Sharif said in a televised address on state broadcaster PTV.

"Perhaps they thought that we would retreat, but they forgot that...this is a nation of brave people."

The missiles, early on Wednesday, struck locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the country's eastern Punjab province, according to three Pakistani security officials. One of them struck a mosque in the city of Bahawalpur in Punjab, where a child was killed and a woman and a man were injured, one official said.

Pakistani officials claimed five Indian planes had been shot down, including three French-made Rafales, and some soldiers taken prisoner. The Indian government made no official statement, but earlier, an Indian official speaking to Reuters said a fighter jet had crashed in Indian-administered Kashmir and the pilot was taken to hospital.

The officials said Pakistan had launched retaliatory strikes, without providing any details. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media on the record.

open image in gallery In this photo released by the Inter Services Public Relations, a person injured in the Indian missile attack receives treatment at a hospital in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, on 7 May 2025 ( AP )

Heavy shelling took place throughout the night and Thursday morning across the de facto border in Kashmir. The Indian army said 12 Indian civilians and a soldier had been killed by "indiscriminate" firing on the Indian side, while another five civilians were reported dead due to Indian shelling in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Pakistani authorities in capital Islamabad closed schools on Wednesday after the strikes.

open image in gallery Police officers look on as a cameraman films the Bilal Mosque after it was hit by an Indian strike in Muzaffarabad ( REUTERS )

The two sides have made contact following the strikes, Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar said.

There has been contact between the two, yes, he told TRT World.

We do not want this situation to escalate, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the Pakistani defence minister, told Bloomberg on Wednesday, hours after the strikes. But if there are hostile acts initiated from the Indian side, we have to respond.

Speaking to Geo TV on Wednesday evening, Mr Asif warned there was a "clear and present" threat of possible nuclear escalation between India and Pakistan.

On Thursday, following Mr Sharifs statement to avenge the deaths, Indian officials met with more than a dozen foreign envoys and told them: If Pakistan responds, India will respond.

How did we get here?

The development comes amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours in the aftermath of an attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir last month.

India blames Pakistan for backing the gunmen behind the 22 April killing of 26 people, most of them Indian Hindu tourists, and has described it as a terror attack. Islamabad denies the charge.

open image in gallery Indian security officers inspect the site of the Pahalgam attack on 23 April 2025 ( AP )

Both countries have expelled each others diplomats and nationals, as well as closed their borders and shuttered airspace. India has also suspended a critical water-sharing treaty with Pakistan.

A Pakistani minister last week said his country had credible intelligence that an Indian strike was imminent. There has been no military action from India so far.

Heres where the situation stands since the attack:

World leaders urge de-escalation

After an initial wave of condemnations of the attack on tourists, world leaders called for both sides to avoid escalation.

Reacting to the rising India-Pakistan tensions, US president Donald Trump called it a shame and hoped that it would end "very quickly".

"It's a shame, we just heard about it," Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. "I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They've been fighting for a long time."

The US president added: "I just hope it ends very quickly."

US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said on X he was "monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely" while adding that Washington will continue to engage the nuclear-armed Asian neighbours towards a "peaceful resolution.

The Indian embassy in Washington said Indian national security adviser, Ajit Doval, spoke with Mr Rubio and briefed him about India's military actions.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking member of the US Senates foreign relations committee, has urged restraint, saying she is gravely concerned by reports of military escalation between India and Pakistan.

The world can ill afford instability in South Asia, she wrote in a statement.

United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, was very concerned about Indian military operations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, his spokesperson said on Tuesday while calling for maximum military restraint from both countries.

"The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan."

International pressure has been piling on both New Delhi and Islamabad  which fought two of their three wars over disputed Kashmir  to ease tensions. Senior officials from the US, China, Russia and Saudi Arabia have urged both sides to exercise restraint. Iran has offered to mediate.

Meanwhile, both nations have launched an aggressive diplomatic campaign to shore up support for their positions.

open image in gallery India's prime minister Narendra Modi looks on during the ceremonial reception of Angola's president Joao Lourenco in New Delhi on 3 May 2025 ( AFP via Getty )

India has made efforts to highlight what it called the cross-border link to the attack by briefing diplomats of dozens of countries.

The diplomatic outreach this time has been quite extensive and the idea for India would be to showcase whatever evidence it has to its partners and to make a case that whatever actions might be coming from its side has the support of its partners and allies," said Harsh Pant, foreign policy head at the Observer Research Foundation think tank in New Delhi.

Pakistan has offered to cooperate with an international investigation into the attack and reached out to dozens of foreign diplomats. Islamabad, however, said that it will match or exceed any military action by India.

Tensions on the border

The Indian army has said its troops have exchanged gunfire with Pakistani soldiers along the de facto border, the Line of Control, in Kashmir, blaming the neighbour for unprovoked firing for 10 straight nights. Islamabad, meanwhile, has accused India of violating a ceasefire.

open image in gallery A Kashmiri woman walks towards her home at Tilawari village near the Line of Control in Indian-administered Kashmir ( AP )

In Kashmir, Indian forces have launched a huge operation to hunt the April 22 attackers. At least 2,000 people have been detained and questioned. Some have been arrested under anti-terrorism laws that allow authorities to detain people without formal charges. Indian forces also blew off at least nine family homes of suspected rebels, who have been fighting for independence or merger with Pakistan.

The crackdown has led to fear and anxiety in Kashmir, stirring traumatic memories of the regions decades-long insurgency and Indias brutal response.

Praveen Donthi, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, said: Kashmiris are always the first to bear the brunt of any political or military tensions between India and Pakistan.

"The collective punishment imposed on Kashmiris and the state violence unleashed against them further inflames the conflict," he added.

On Monday, Pakistans military test-fired a short-range missile, the second test launch since a medium-range ballistic missile on Saturday.

Indias navy also test-fired missiles last week.

In 2019, a skirmish between the two countries almost spiralled out of control, before US intervention eased tensions.
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Clutching their fathers hand, 12-year-old twins Zain and Zoya tried to escape night-time shelling, part of the deadly crossfire that has erupted between India and Pakistan.

They were fleeing to safety after a loud blast shook their house in the Indian border town of Poonch. But they had barely stepped outside when another explosion tore through the street, killing them both.

They came [into the world] together and they died together, their uncle, Adil Pathan, told The Independent. One of them took their last breaths in my arms.

Their father, Ramees Khan, was injured and remains in a stable condition at a hospital.

open image in gallery Zain and Zoya, the 12-year-old twins killed in Pakistans cross-border fire ( Supplied )

Poonch was one of the areas worst hit when Pakistan launched artillery fire in retaliation for Indias missile strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered territories. India says it was targeting terrorist camps following a militant attack last month in the Himalayan tourist haven of Pahalgam in Kashmir in which 26 civilians were killed.

The town lies some 30km from the Line of Control  the 740km-long de facto border between India and Pakistan  and is surrounded by mountains on three sides.

A Sikh temple, an Islamic school, and dozens of houses have been damaged by Pakistani fire in Poonch since Indias missile strikes, The Independent has learnt.

We do not want war. If the Indian government wants war, then it should be a full-fledged war. It is us who are paying with our blood for these hostilities. Our kids have died but it should not happen to other parents, said Mr Pathan.

Poonch, a district where many Kashmiris had settled to escape hostilities in villages closer to the border, is no stranger to sporadic breakouts of fire from both sides.

open image in gallery Kashmiri women grieve inside their house damaged after cross-border shelling from Pakistan, at Salamabad village in Uri, north of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir ( EPA )

Sajid Bukhari, a 28-year-old resident, said he had not seen a Pakistani attack of this scale in the area in his entire life.

People ran with what they could and how they could. People were screaming, children were crying and everyone was frightened as we all ran for our lives, he said.

No one, he said, ever expected Pakistan to fire so deep into the Indian side and strike civilians.

open image in gallery Relatives and friends carry the body of Vihaan Barghava, 13, for cremation in Poonch ( AP )

At 1.30am, we began hearing the loud firing and the windows of our home started shaking. At that time, we did not know the gravity of the situation or that India had attacked Pakistan. We knew India would take military action but we did not know when, and when it happened, we were caught off guard. Soon we realised it was a full-blown attack and not just small firing from the hills of Pakistan, Mr Bukhari said.

Eventually, the shelling became intense and began reaching the centre of the town, and I saw houses being struck and people dying in front of me, he added.

Mr Bukhari said those who had a car drove, and those who had no option just walked under the rumbling open skies for 20 to 50km, fearing a strike at any time.

The roads were packed with people trying to leave. It was a traffic snarl, and there was real fear that vehicles could be hit  some actually were. It felt like a war zone. My house is in the main town near the market and our home is more exposed to the mountains, so we moved to a neighbours house overnight. By morning, all our family members had to leave, he said.

open image in gallery The widow of Amarjeet Singh, 51, killed in Pakistani artillery shelling, is comforted during his cremation in Poonch along the Line of Control, in Indian-controlled Kashmir ( AP )

Mobeen Khan, a 38-year-old lawyer, said there was no warning of firing or evacuation orders from the authorities, even as the first strikes killed people in the town.

We put our lives at risk and left the town at the crack of dawn with no information from anywhere of what was happening and where it was safe, he said.

There was no support from the government, no warning from the government. Jets were hovering over us and the walls of our house were shaking.

Mr Khan said his child asked: Papa, what is happening? Why are there noises and why are people screaming? This could scar him for his entire life and these horrific scenes will stick with us forever, he added

open image in gallery A man stands in a damaged house in Poonch ( EPA )

The whole family was awake in fear as firing continued, Mr Khan said. It was the moment when some splinters fell on the terrace of their home that he and his wife packed their bags with what they could and escaped with their two children, four and seven years old, as the day broke at 7am.

The first explosion happened during the night, just 50 metres from my home, and the government did not evacuate anyone. It was horrible. Poonch is really in bad shape, he said.

Relentless fire has continued in Kupwara district, Uri, Sunderbani and Naushera sectors in Rajouri, Akhnoor, and Tangdhar.

In Uris Salamabad  a ghost town after residents fled their homes  Talib Hussian said his house was bombed and he is left with nothing.

open image in gallery A Kashmiri boy inspects a house damaged after cross-border shelling from Pakistan, at Salamabad village in Uri, north of Srinagar ( EPA )

We didnt know where they came from, it was a terrifying moment, he said.

We couldnt recognise each other; I couldnt recognise my own son, and he couldnt recognise me. My house and all my belongings have been destroyed. The only thing I have left is what Im wearing right now.

I have no food, no blankets, nothing is left. Were now at the mercy of God, nothing remains. We constantly fear more shelling. We are scared.

Muhammad Sayed, a student in Salamabad, said: I am a student here but I never witnessed such heavy firing. It was scary and horrible.

open image in gallery A woman wails as she stands outside her house destroyed by Pakistani artillery shelling ( AP )

India called its strikes inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir Operation Sindoor, a symbolic name referring to the vermilion powder worn in the hair parting by married Hindu women. The operation was to avenge the Indian men who lost their lives in the Pahalgam attack, which also left a local pony handler and a Nepali tourist dead.

Indias foreign ministry said that 16 civilians were killed and 59 wounded on Wednesday during exchanges of fire across the border. An Indian soldier was also killed by shelling, according to the Indian army. Indias foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, accused Pakistan of targeting the Sikh community in Poonch and said that three people from the community died when a gurdwara in the district was hit by shelling from Pakistan.

Pakistan said at least 31 civilians, including children, died in Indias missile strikes. The countrys prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, vowed to retaliate, raising fears that the two nuclear-armed countries could be headed toward another all-out conflict. Leaders from both nations face mounting public pressure to show strength and seek revenge, and the heated rhetoric and competing claims could be a response to that pressure.

India fired Israeli-made Harop drones at Pakistan on Thursday, wounding four soldiers. Pakistani army spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said his forces shot down 25 of them. A civilian was killed and another wounded when debris from a downed drone fell in Sindh province.

The relationship between the neighbouring countries has been shaped by conflict and mutual suspicion, most notably in their dispute over Kashmir. They have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region, which is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety.

Flights remained suspended at over two dozen airports across northern and western regions in India, according to travel advisories by multiple airlines.

In Poonch, Mr Bukhari said he is happy that India is avenging the deaths of innocent victims of the terror strike  but the justice for the widows of Pahalgam has also come at a cost for the women of his town.

They were important, but were they more important than the people in Poonch and Uri?
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Satellite images released on Thursday showed the extent of damage in Pakistan after India launched strikes in one of the worst escalations of military conflict between the two nuclear-armed powers in more than five decades.

The comparative satellite images of before and after the strikes released by Maxar Technologies showed damage to mosques and buildings in Pakistans Punjab province.

The pictures showed the impact on the Masjid-e- Markaz Taiba religious school in the industrial town of Muridke in northeastern Punjab, 33km north of Lahore.

Damage was also seen in the aerial images from Bahawalpur in southern Punjab where the Jamia Mosque Subhal Allah complex came under attack after the precision strike.

The Indian defence ministry on Wednesday said it struck nine terrorists' hideouts in various locations of Pakistan after it blamed two terrorist organisations operating from Islamabad for the deadly attack on tourists in its side of Kashmir on 22 April.

open image in gallery This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows Muridke Pakistan after strikes on Wednesday ( Maxar Technologies )

India said "no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted" and it only hit sites "from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed".

However, Pakistan said 31 civilians, including children, were killed in the strikes that hit six locations, calling it an act of war.

open image in gallery A satellite image shows a closer view of buildings damaged following airstrikes in Bahawalpur, Pakistan ( Maxar Technologies )

open image in gallery A satellite image shows a closer view of Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah following airstrikes in Bahawalpur on Wednesday ( Maxar Technologies )

At least 15 civilians have been confirmed dead so far in Indian-administered Kashmir in Pakistani firing at the border.

The Indian government said the strikes launched under Operation Sindoor were part of a commitment to hold accountable those responsible for the attack on tourists in Pahalgam in which 26 people were killed. In the worst attack on tourists in the India-side of Kashmir, a total of 25 tourists and a Kashmiri man were killed at a tourist hotspot after several militants opened fire.

open image in gallery This combination of pictures created on 8 May using handout satellite images courtesy of Maxar Technologies shows the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah compound on 2 May ( Satellite image )

Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said the strikes were unprovoked and said the heinous act of aggression will not go unpunished".

The leader of the country denied involvement in the Pahalgam attack, saying it "wasn't related" to Pakistan, and that his country was "accused for the wrong" reasons.

The targets of the nighttime strikes, Indian officials claimed on Tuesday, were nine facilities allegedly linked to proscribed militant groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The deepest target in Pakistan, the Indian defence ministry said, was Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur which is 100km inside Pakistan.

open image in gallery Masood Azhar, head of Pakistans militant Jaish-e-Mohammed group, seen here attending a pro-Taliban conference in Islamabad ( Reuters )

India said it hit a Lashkar-e-Taiba camp in Muzaffarabad, 30km from the India-Pakistan border.

While Pakistan has denied claims of India striking terror camps, Masood Azhar, chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed, said in a statement that his family members were killed in the strike.

He said his older sister and her husband, his nephew and his nephew's wife, as well as his niece and five children from his family were killed in a strike on the mosque in Bahawalpur, Pakistan.

Masood Azhar, who was in Bahawalpur, is listed as a global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and is sanctioned by countries like the US, UK, and India. He founded the Jaish-e-Mohammed after his release from an Indian prison in a deal for the release of hostages in the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814.
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A wave of flight cancellations and diversions hit Asia, the Middle East, and Europe on Wednesday morning as airlines rerouted aircraft to avoid the Pakistani airspace, which remained closed following India's precision strikes on alleged terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The escalation, one of the most serious between the nuclear-armed neighbours in over two decades, has left northern airspace across the subcontinent nearly empty of civilian aircraft, with both India and Pakistan suspending operations at key airports and multiple international carriers announcing route changes.

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed more than dozens of flights cancelled and rerouted as of Wednesday morning. Airlines from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia confirmed emergency mid-air changes and longer detours over the Arabian Sea and Central Asia to keep aircraft out of the conflict zone.

At least 52 flights to and from Pakistan were cancelled on Wednesday morning, hours after the strike, according to FlightRadar24, which monitors flights worldwide. There were 57 international flights operating in Pakistans airspace when India struck, according to a Pakistan army spokesperson.

By around 1pm on Wednesday just a couple of flights were seen landing in Pakistans major cities, including one flight coming from Abu Dhabi to Lahore.

On Thursday, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said that its airspace had been reopened for flights, but it remains unclear when airlines will resume their regular operations.

Flight Radar shows airspace over Pakistan nearly empty amid flight diversions ( Screengrab/Flight Radar )

In India, 27 airports were closed for commercial operations in northern and western parts, close to the Pakistan border, until 10 May. The shutdown resulted in the cancellation of at least 140 flights on Wednesday.

Indian carriers have cancelled 430 flights on Thursday  about 3 per cent of the countrys total scheduled flights. While airlines in Pakistan cancelled over 147 flights, which amounted to 17 per cent of their daily schedules, according to The Economic Times.

The affected Indian airports include some popular tourist destinations like Amritsar, Ludhiana, Shimla, Dharamsala, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Bikaner, as well as Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.

Gulf carriers like Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Flydubai also cancelled flights to cities in northern Pakistan and India, including Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot, and Amritsar. Emirates urged passengers not to proceed to airports in affected cities and confirmed that flights to Karachi remain operational.

Etihad said three of its flights en route to Pakistan late on Tuesday were forced to return to Abu Dhabi. Services between Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad have been suspended until further notice. Flydubai, which had initially suspended flights, has resumed limited operations to cities like Multan and Faisalabad, citing ongoing safety assessments.

A spokesperson for Qatar Airways said passenger safety remains their priority.

KLM said it would not fly over Pakistan until further notice. Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Korean Air have also adjusted routes, adding several hours to some Europe-bound journeys.

Taiwans EVA Air and China Airlines said that their long-haul flights to London, Milan, Frankfurt, and Rome have been either rerouted for refuelling stops or cancelled entirely. Korean Air said it had switched to a southern route bypassing Pakistan, now flying over Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India.

Lufthansas Delhi-Frankfurt service was seen rerouting southwest near Surat, adding distance compared to its usual route. Airline shares across the region, including EVA Air and China Airlines, dipped on Wednesday.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines said the situation was being closely monitored and raised concerns about GPS spoofing and operational disruptions near conflict zones. It warned these could become serious flight safety issues if not addressed.

Indias Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered the closure of several northern airports including Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Dharamshala and Amritsar. Domestic carriers such as IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air India have suspended services to these destinations, with Air India offering refunds and rescheduling waivers to affected passengers.

In Pakistan, all civilian airspace has been closed for 48 hours. The military said 57 international flights were passing through its airspace when Indian strikes began.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel guidance on Tuesday night. British nationals are now advised against all travel within 10km of the India-Pakistan border and against all travel to Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The advisory urges travellers to remain vigilant, monitor local news, and liaise with airlines for real-time updates.

Travellers currently in India or Pakistan are encouraged to register with the FCDOs travel alert system and consult the GOV.UK travel pages before making new plans.
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India said it had conducted precision strikes in Pakistan in an overnight military operation, days after a terrorist attack in Kashmir left 26 people dead and escalated tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

New Delhi has blamed Islamabad for the 22 April attack in the restive Himalayan region, which both countries claim in whole but hold only in part.

The targets of the nighttime strikes, Indian officials claimed on Tuesday, were nine facilities allegedly linked to proscribed militant groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Pakistan's prime minister Shehbaz Sharif called the Indian strikes an "act of war" and said Islamabad reserved the right to "give a strong response".

The Pakistani military claimed its air defences shot down five Indian fighter jets involved in the strikes. The two militaries also exchanged fire along the Line of Control, the de facto border in Kashmir, causing civilian casualties on the Indian side, local media reported.

India claimed its military had carefully selected strike targets in Pakistan to avoid hitting civilian and military infrastructure. The targets were chosen based on intelligence assessments identifying them as operational or training hubs for militants.

The locations spanned from Bahawalpur in the south to Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in the north.

The targets included Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur which India claimed was linked to the Jaish leadership, alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters Markaz Taiba in Muridke, and two alleged hubs of cross-border terrorism in Muzaffarabad and Kotli.

The Indian air force reportedly used Rafale fighters armed with SCALP cruise missiles and precision bombs to strike the targets. Indian officials described the mission as "focused and non-escalatory", with the narrow objective of dismantling terrorist capabilities without provoking a broader conflict.

Pakistani officials reported at least 31 casualties, including women and children, and damage to civilian infrastructure, though this could not be independently verified.

The Pakistani military said it had responded with "measured deterrence" and denied the existence of active militant camps at the targeted sites.

The overnight operation was the most expansive military action by India against Pakistan since the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, which were carried out in response to a militant attack on paramilitary soldiers in Kashmir.
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Thailand has issued nationwide health alerts after confirmed outbreaks of anthrax and Streptococcus suis, a bacterial infection locally known as deafness fever, from eating or handling raw pork.

Public health authorities in the Mukdahan province have identified three confirmed anthrax cases so far, Pattaya Mail reported. While one of the patients has since died, the other two are being treated in local hospitals.

Surveillance has been ramped up across the region and 636 people traced as having had contact with the infected persons, the media outlet reported. Of those, 538 have completed a mandatory week of monitoring for symptoms affecting the skin and the gastrointestinal tract. The remaining 98 people remain under observation and are receiving a preventative course of Doxycycline.

Anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is typically contracted by contact with infected animals or contaminated soil. It does not spread between people.

The resilient spores of the bacterium can persist in the environment for decades.

Health officials have urged the public to consume only cooked beef and avoid having raw or undercooked meat.

open image in gallery A butcher cuts a piece of meat ( Reuters )

Separately, a surge in Streptococcus suis infections in the Phrae province has caused 14 confirmed cases and at least two deaths, public health minister Somsak Thepsuthin said.

The bacterial illness, dubbed deafness fever due to its potential to cause permanent hearing loss, has been linked to the consumption of traditional raw pork dishes such as larb moo, a spicy minced pork salad.

Mr Thepsuthin said most patients had recently consumed raw pork, especially larb moo.

He advised that individuals experiencing high fever and muscle pain, especially those who might have handled or eaten raw pork, should urgently seek medical care. Prompt treatment is crucial, as Streptococcus suis infection can cause permanent hearing loss if it is left untreated, the public health ministry said in an advisory.

Mr Thepsuthin said that inter-agency coordination was underway to monitor the situation and maintain public confidence, and regular updates would be issued as investigations progressed.

Health authorities, meanwhile, continue to emphasise food safety and proper preparation of meat as key steps to prevent further spread.
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Millions of the worlds poorest people are set to suffer the consequences of Donald Trumps decision to cut US aid  with funding for developing nations to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis expected to plummet to zero this year.

Leaked Congress files show that more than 80 per cent of aid projects supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have had their funding terminated, while the Trump administration has made clear that climate-related products are one the lowest priority areas. Africa  home to 23 of the world's 28 poorest countries  will be the hardest hit by the cuts,

Mohamed Adow, from the Nairobi-based climate think tank Power Shift Africa, believes that these cuts could not have come at a worse time for Africa.

They will directly affect initiatives that help communities build resilience against climate impacts, such as droughts, floods, and desertification, he says.

In Kenya and Ethiopia, for instance, USAID has been pivotal in promoting sustainable agriculture practices and water management systems that are crucial in the face of increasingly erratic weather patterns, while in Zambia and Zimbabwe USAID has been supporting water conservation and renewable energy projects.

The leaked files show numerous terminated projects that are examples of what Adow suggests, including a $35 million (26m) project improving climate resilience in Ethiopian pastoral areas, a $40m project boosting water management systems in Kenya, and a $25m project in Zambia pushing low emission alternatives to cooking with charcoal.

This marks a dramatic shift from the last few months of Joe Bidens presidency.

At the end of 2024, the US government announced record climate finance provision , totalling $11 billion: A figure seven-times greater than the $1.5bn recorded in the first year of the Biden Administration in 2021, which came in the wake of Trumps first term.

In November, meanwhile, countries gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, at the COP29 Climate Conference, where they came up with a brand new global target for the worlds developed countries to collectively provide at least $300 billion in climate finance to the worlds poorest countries by the year 2035. That total is nearly triple the $115.9bn that countries provided in 2022  the last year for which there is complete global data  with the extra billions set to provide a crucial lifeline for developing countries looking to both adapt to their rapidly changing climates.

But while the about turn from the US has created worrying funding gaps in the short term, experts in the field have said that there is still hope that other countries of the world will be able to rally round and meet that multi-billion dollar climate finance target.

For starters, there is the fact that the US has not traditionally been one of the largest contributors to climate finance. Japan, Germany, the EU and France  which collectively provided more than 50 per cent of global climate finance aid in 2022  all gave significantly more than the US that year to help developing nations adapt to a changing climate.

Even the Biden-increased spend of $11bn in 2024 would still only come third on the 2022 list after Germany and Japan.

Based on its historical emissions or its GDP, the US should be responsible for some 40 per cent of climate finance, says Ian Mitchell, from the Center for Global Development (CGD) think tank. But in most years, it has provided less than 10 per cent of the total.

With the US out the picture for at least the next four years, there is hope that other countries will feel motivated to fill in the gap .

Other countries in Europe have also cut their aid budgets, but there is particular pressure on them to maintain their climate finance numbers, says Gaia Larsen, director of climate finance access at the World Resources Institute (WRI) research NGO.

Then there are emerging economies like UAE  which runs Alterra , a $30bn climate-focused investment fund  and China, which announced in September that it would invest $50bn in infrastructure in Africa over the next three years. However, experts warn that the kind of loan-based finance that these sources offer is no match for the financing that USAID used to give, much of which came in the form of grants.

For Bella Tonkonogy, an expert at the Climate Policy Initiative think tank, perhaps the biggest cause for optimism can be found in the developing countries themselves, many of which have rapidly-growing economies and increasingly powerful financial institutions of their own.

Countries like Vietnam and the Philippines are now building renewables with a lot of local finance, says Tonkonogy. Countries including Kenya have also said that they want to shore up their own finances and become less reliant on donor countries.

open image in gallery Climate protesters have repeatedly hit out at the Trump administration ( EPA )

But even before Trumps latest term in the White House is up, the US cuts to climate aid may never be quite as drastic as President Trump intends due to a quirk in how foreign aid is tracked by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which is the forum of wealthy nations that oversees and tracks foreign aid spending.

Climate is not an aid category in itself, according to the OECD, but is instead a secondary category that can be tagged to other aid types, such as energy, health, or development. So funding of some projects could continue, even if it is not marked as being climate-based.

Members of the [Trump] administration have said that they are still interested in investing in new markets... And investing in renewable energy [is] a big part of that, says Tonkonogy.

Where the US is investing in infrastructure abroad, it seems likely that the administration will also look to make that infrastructure weather- and disaster-resilient, which will be their way of ensuring that investments are suitably-adapted to changes in the climate, even if they never acknowledge it as that, adds Tonkonogy. Which will help the countries in which it is built.

The US government is, for example, a major financial backer via the IDFC of the Lobito Rail Corridor, which is a huge infrastructure project connecting cobalt and copper mines in Zambia and DR Congo to the port of Lobito, Angola, in a project seen as seeking to counter growing Chinese influence in the region.

The US ambassador to Angola recently confirmed that plans have so far not been affected by Trumps spending cuts. Climate resilience remains a key aspect of how the project is being designed and implemented.

There is one scenario where the US government just completely pulls back and stops investing in anything overseas, suggests Tonkology. But if the US does continue to invest abroad, it is likely that there will be at least some tacit financial support of climate [issues].

This story is part of The Independents Rethinking Global Aid project
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Memorial Day weekend is upon us. While the holiday commemorates US military personnel, it also comes with big discounts across the board. This is especially true at Amazon, which launched its Memorial Day sale earlier this week.

The retail giant has dropped prices of thousands of items. Current highlights include $100 off Sonys WH-1000XM5 headphones (was $399.99, now $298, Amazon.com), which have been superseded by the all-new WH-1000XM6 ($448, Amazon.com), and Rings battery video doorbell (was $99.99, now $54,99, Amazon.com) reduced to its lowest-ever price.

Aside from tech, Dysons supersonic nural hair dryer (was $499, now $399, Amazon.com) has plummeted in price, and Sharks robot vacuum (was $699.99, now $399.99, Amazon.com) is now one of the lowest prices Ive seen.

Ive covered sales events like Memorial Day for years, and have tracked prices for the best part of a decade. With hands-on experience with most of these products  and insider knowledge of which prices are real and which are inflated  heres all you need to know about the Amazon Memorial Day sales.

When does Amazons Memorial Day sale start?

This year, Memorial Day is on Monday, May 26, but Amazons sale started early, with discounts on appliances, tech, beauty products and more. Below are the best of the bunch, but Ill be keeping it updated.

Best Amazon Memorial sale deals

open image in gallery ( Alex Lee/The Independent )

Fitness and wellbeing editor Emilie Lavinia has written about a saving on her Oura ring 3, but if youre looking to get the must recent model, Amazons discount might be a better choice. When senior tech critic Alex Lee put it to the test, he said it is the best smart ring on the market. With the best sleep tracking of any wearable and a lot of science to back it up, it provides the most comprehensive health and wellness offering, even if it lacks a few of the bells and whistles of its competitors. Now reduced to its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

Apple AirTag four-pack: Was $99, now $74.99, Amazon.com

open image in gallery ( Apple )

Apples AirTag is one of the best GPS trackers on the market. Its slim enough to fit in  or stick on  almost anything, making commonly misplaced items easy to find. In his review, senior tech critic Alex Lee found it ridiculously easy to track a host of lost items.

The only drawback with AirTags is that they dont have a keyring hole, so you have to buy an extra AirTag accessory. However, this four-pack is excellent value and should save you a little money.

Roku express 4k: Was $39, now $29.99, Amazon.com

open image in gallery ( Amazon )

Tech critic Steve Hogarty found that the Roku express 4k is the best budget streaming device you can buy. It has all the functionality of the more expensive Roku streaming stick, minus fancier features like voice control and Dolby Atmos sound. This is one of the best deals weve seen for this streamer, but prices for this tend to yo-yo, so you need to be quick.

Ninja creami: Was $229.99, now $199.99, Amazon.com

open image in gallery ( Ninja )

When it first launched, the Ninja creami sold out everywhere almost instantly. Having tested it recently for IndyBest, I can firmly say that it more than lives up to the hype, making delicious ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbets at a fraction of the cost of traditional ice cream makers.

Maybelline New York lash sensational sky high mascara: Was $12.99, now $8.32, Amazon.com

open image in gallery ( Ava Welsing-Kitcher )

This is probably the drugstore mascara I will always reach for by default, noted beauty writer Ava Welsing-Kitcher in her review of the best drugstore mascaras. It lasts all day, doesnt transfer onto my lids during or post-application, and layers well on the topside of my lashes without clumping up, she added.

Dyson V8: Was $469.99, now $349.99, Amazon.com

open image in gallery ( Dyson )

Dyson vacuums are incredibly expensive  if you ask me, the brands prices are a little inflated. However, one of the best ways to save on Dyson vacuums is to buy an older generation, like the V8, V10, and V11. Their suction is still much stronger than most of the rest of the market. The tradeoff is a very short runtime, especially with this V8, Dysons oldest cordless, but these vacuums are still worth having if you live in an apartment or small home.

JBL clip portable speaker: Was $79.95, now $49.95, Amazon.com

open image in gallery ( JBL )

For the ultimate on-the-go speaker, you cant go wrong with this JBL model. Its waterproof, dust-proof, and comes with a built-in carabiner clip so you can take it with you wherever you go. It has a seriously impressive run-time of 12 hours and has been reduced by nearly 40 percent.

Weleda skin food light moisturizer: Was $18.99, now $13.99, Amazon.com

open image in gallery ( Louise Whitbread )

Loved by the likes of Hailey Bieber and Rihanna, Weledas budget moisturizer has some hefty A-lister approval. In Amazons Memorial Day sale, you can get it for $13.99 thanks to the 26 percent discount. The formula is easy to apply, and its a soothing treat thats great to reach for when skin is feeling a bit more parched than usual.

Braun electric shaver series 9 pro: Was $319.99, now $254.91, Amazon.com

open image in gallery ( Braun )

IndyBests favorite luxury electric shaver now has 20 percent off at Amazon. Our grooming expert and tester Lee Kynaston loved how lightweight, gentle, but effective this model was. He wrote that the results were some of the best  and smoothest he achieved during the testing process. Its a luxury product with a valuable discount.

Coway AP-1512HH air purifier: Was $229.99, now $169.99, Amazon.com

open image in gallery ( Amazon )

The Coway air purifier promises to clean spaces up to 361 sqft in just 12 and a half minutes  while the IndyBest team is yet to test it, its a trusted brand I have no trouble recommending. It also has an eco mode to conserve energy.
China rolls out red carpet for tourists during May Day holiday

Xinhua) 15:52, May 08, 2025

BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Free coconuts at the airport, free parking in government buildings, and even a tourism official opening her own home to stranded travelers -- during the past May Day holiday, local governments in China put on their "VIP guest" mode, offering visitors not just sights to see, but warm, human-centered gestures.

At Sanya's airport, train station, night markets and tourist sites, visitors were handed free coconuts, a simple but sunny welcome to Hainan's tropical charm.

For many tourists, that first sip of cool, sweet coconut water literally became their very first taste of this popular tropical destination in southern Hainan. Tourist Liu Wenwen was so impressed that upon arrival she exclaimed, "It's so refreshing! The coconut is as sweet as the city itself."

Xuan'en, a small county in Hubei Province and home to just 100,000 residents, witnessed a tourist influx of over 650,000 within the first three days of the holiday.

When four visitors couldn't find a hotel room, they ended up spending the night somewhere truly unexpected: the home of the county's culture and tourism chief, Wang Jufang.

Working late that night, Wang got word that four travelers had called the local hotline in distress, as there were no rooms left anywhere in town. Without hesitation, Wang handed the key to her apartment in the county to a colleague and told her to make the guests comfortable. She then spent the night in her old house outside the county.

"I figured if I were in a strange town with no place to sleep, I'd be anxious too," she said.

The tourists left without ever meeting their host, but they watered her plants and tidied the house before they left.

Official data shows that a record 314 million domestic trips were made during the five-day May Day holiday, marking a 6.4 percent increase from last year. As domestic travel surged, hospitality extended far beyond drinks and beds.

For the ever-growing number of self-driving tourists, finding a place to park can make or break a holiday. In cities like Suzhou, Jingmen, and Xianyang, tens of thousands of parking spaces in government agencies, enterprises, and public institutions were opened for free to ease the parking pressure.

In some areas, local traffic officers prioritized assistance over penalties. Instead of fining tourists who parked in non-designated areas, they focused on helping visitors enjoy a smooth and worry-free travel experience.

Meanwhile, from Anhui to Gansu provinces, canteens in various government agencies, enterprises, and public institutions were opened to the public, offering tourists hearty meals at unbeatable prices.

In Hongcun, an ancient village in east China's Anhui Province, a five-dish set meal plus soup costs just 10 yuan (about 1.4 U.S. dollars). In Dunhuang, a key stop on the ancient Silk Road, travelers could enjoy a 20-yuan buffet meal.

While the affordable food provided a pleasant surprise for travelers, rich cultural experiences also met their needs. Dozens of museums extended their opening hours, added ticket slots, and suspended the usual Monday closures to ensure that no visitor was turned away from their cultural treasures.

During the five-day May Day holiday, museums across China recorded more than 60.49 million visits, setting a new record and marking a 17 percent increase year on year.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
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Donald Trump has promised a very big and exciting day for US-UK relations as the two countries were set to agree a trade deal.

The US President earlier said there would be developments in trade talks with a big and highly respected country.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who had been due to spend the day focusing on events to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, said he would act in our national interest to deliver security and renewal for our country.

The Prime Minister is expected to say more on the deal later on Thursday, while Mr Trump has promised a press conference at 10am in Washington, 3pm UK time.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said: This should be a very big and exciting day for the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

He added: The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.

Because of our long-time history and allegiance together, it is a great honour to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement. Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!

Speaking to the London Defence Conference, Sir Keir said: Talks with the US have been ongoing and youll hear more from me about that later today.

But make no mistake, I will always act in our national interest, for workers, businesses and families, to deliver security and renewal for our country.

But Downing Street declined to be drawn on whether it recognised Mr Trumps characterisation of the deal as full and comprehensive.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Weve always been clear that we want to do a deal thats in the British national interest, and support a substantial UK-US trading relationship.

Those talks are continuing and we look forward to providing an update later today.

The Government has been pursuing a deal with the US to reduce the impact of sweeping tariffs imposed by Mr Trump last month, which placed a 10% levy on all UK exports and a 25% charge on steel, aluminium and cars.

Ministers are expected to update MPs on talks with the US with a statement in the Commons later on Thursday.

Number 10 had been expecting the announcement of a deal, but the timing of Mr Trumps post came as a surprise, given the focus on VE Day commemorations.

In a further sign Downing Street was caught off guard by the presidents announcement, journalists covering the Prime Ministers response were inadvertently sent to a factory in the West Midlands around 16 miles from the plant where Sir Keir was due to speak.

Asked whether it had come as a surprise, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: We have been progressing this deal over the last few weeks and months, and officials have been in the US progressing these talks over the last few days as well.

Weve obviously been working at pace to do the deal, and to do a deal that is in British national interests.

The deal with the UK will be the first agreement since Mr Trump announced the liberation day tariffs on countries around the world on April 2.

Reports have previously suggested a deal could see the UK reduce some tariffs on American products, as well as changing the digital services tax that currently affects mainly US tech companies.

But the Government has ruled out lowering food standards to allow more US agricultural products into the country, or watering down the Online Safety Act, which some in America regard as placing restrictions on freedom of speech.

The Liberal Democrats called for MPs to be given a vote on any trade deal with the US so the agreement could be properly scrutinised.

Daisy Cooper, the partys deputy leader and Treasury spokeswoman, said: A good trade deal with the US could bring huge benefits, but Liberal Democrats are deeply concerned that it may include measures that threaten our NHS, undermine our farmers or give tax cuts to US tech billionaires.

If the Government is confident the agreement it has negotiated with Trump is in Britains national interest, it should not be afraid to bring it before MPs.

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey welcomed news of the deal, saying it would help to reduce uncertainty.

But he added that Britain would still be affected by US tariffs on other countries, saying he hoped the UK-US deal would be the first of many.
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Days into Harvey Weinstein 's first sexual assault trial in 2020, prosecutors privately spoke for the first time with a former model who alleged that he had forced oral sex on her.

But that jury was never told about Kaja (KEYE-ah) Sokola's claim. Prosecutors have said they still were investigating the allegation when Weinstein, a onetime movie tycoon-turned- #MeToo pariah, was convicted in February 2020 of charges based on other women's accusations.

On Wednesday, Sokola began to tell a new jury her story.

Sokola didn't look at Weinstein as she walked past him and onto the witness stand in a Manhattan courtroom where he's on trial again. An appeals court overturned his 2020 rape and sexual assault conviction, sending those charges back for retrial, and prosecutors subsequently added another sexual assault charge based on Sokola's allegations.

As she began testifying about her life before the alleged 2006 assault, Weinstein looked toward her, with his right hand across his mouth.

Weinstein, 73, has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. His lawyers contend that his accusers consented to sexual encounters with him in hopes of getting movie and TV opportunities, and the defense has emphasized that the women stayed in contact with him for a while after the alleged assaults.

The women, meanwhile, say the Oscar-winning producer used the prospect of show business work to prey on them.

The Polish-born Sokola, 39, sued Weinstein after industry whispers about his behavior toward women became a chorus of public accusations in 2017, fueling the #MeToo movement and its calls for accountability for sexual misconduct. Prosecutors have said Sokola eventually received $3.5 million in compensation.

She was introduced to Weinstein while on a modeling trip to New York in 2002, when she was 16, according to prosecutors.

In her lawsuits, Sokola said that shortly after she met Weinstein, he invited her to lunch to discuss her career but then sexually assaulted her. The lawsuits alleged he sexually harassed and emotionally abused her for years afterward.

The criminal charge stems from one instance when Sokola maintains that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in a Manhattan hotel in May 2006.

Prosecutors have said it happened after Weinstein arranged for Sokola to be an extra in the film The Nanny Diaries and met her visiting older sister, whom she was trying to impress.

She was proud of knowing him, her sister, cardiologist Dr. Ewa (pronounced EH-vah) Sokola, told jurors Wednesday.

She said the three of them met in a hotel lobby, chatted for about an hour about Italian movies and the heavyset Weinstein's heart health, and then he and the model left the table together.

Kaja Sokola was tense when she returned about a half-hour later  like somebody waiting for the result of an exam or the Oscars  but didn't say anything about the alleged sexual assault, Dr. Sokola told jurors.

She said she was shocked to learn about the claim over a decade later, when she read about it in a magazine article.

Weinstein's lawyers will get a chance to question Kaja Sokola in the coming days. In an opening statement last month, defense attorney Arthur Aidala questioned why she waited years to come forward. Prosecutors have argued that accusers were reluctant to speak up because of Weinstein's wealth and influence.

Prosecutors have said Sokola's attorneys contacted them on the eve of Weinstein's first trial to say she was willing to be interviewed. Prosecutors have said they soon spoke with her and began investigating, but didn't initially pursue charges because Weinstein was convicted and the coronavirus pandemic loomed.

They revived the Sokola investigation after New York's highest court reversed Weinstein's conviction.

Weinstein's lawyers fought unsuccessfully to keep Sokola's allegation out of the retrial. They accused prosecutors of smuggling an additional charge into the case for the improper purpose of bolstering the credibility of other accusers.

One of the others, Miriam Haley, testified last week that Weinstein forced oral sex on her in 2006. The third accuser in the case, Jessica Mann, is expected to testify later.

The Associated Press generally does not name sexual assault accusers without their permission, which Haley, Mann and Sokola have given.
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Archaeologists have uncovered fragmented skulls from a Guatemalan cave where people were sacrificed in a brutal Maya ritual to appease the rain god.

The Cueva de Sangre, or "blood cave", was first discovered in the 1990s during a survey of the archaeological site in Peten.

Bones bearing marks of traumatic injury were found scattered on the floor, but they werent well studied until recently.

Now, researchers have presented evidence showing the cave was used by the Maya people for ritual human sacrifice some two millennia ago.

Researchers, including Michele Bleuze from California State University, found signs of the bones having been subject to ritual dismemberment.

One skull fragment, for instance, bore a mark on one side indicating it was struck by a tool like a hatchet. A similar mark on an infants hip bone was likely made around the time of death.

That the bones were scattered on the floor and not buried, with some arranged in a strange way, further indicated their use in a ritual, researchers said.

Moreover, archaeologists found items known to have been used in rituals, such as obsidian blades and red ochre, in the cave.

Mayan pottery found in a Yucatan Peninsula cave ( Medina-Elizalde via Eurekalert )

In all, the cave site contained more than 100 adult and juvenile human bone fragments.

Deposition of human remains within subterranean spaces held a special cultural significance across Mesoamerica because of the importance of the sacred, animate Earth in Amerindian Indigenous cosmology, researchers wrote.

Given the brutal nature of the injuries on the bones and their high density in the cave, researchers concluded that the Cueva de Sangreit was a site of Mayan ritual human sacrifice sometime between 400BC and 250AD.

The types of skeletal elements present, trauma, arrangement of bones, and bone modifications strongly support the sacrificial nature of the deposition, they wrote.

The cave can be reached via a small opening that descends into a passageway opening into a pool of water. For ancient Maya, it was likely open only during the dry season from March to May after which the rains would have rendered it inaccessible.

Researchers said the brutal human sacrifice rituals were likely intended to appease the Mayan rain god Chaac, but further studies, including DNA analysis of the bones, were needed to better understand the nature of such practices.

Future research, they said, could also shed more light on life in Central America before the Spanish conquest.
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A woman has been cleared of carrying out an illegal abortion during Covid lockdown.

Nicola Packer, 45, took abortion medicine at home in November 2020 and later took the foetus to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in a backpack, her trial at Isleworth Crown Court heard.

Ms Packer cried and wiped her eyes with a tissue after she was acquitted of the charge of unlawfully administering to herself a poison or other noxious thing with the intent to procure a miscarriage at the southwest London court on Thursday.

The 45-year-olds best friend said she was persecuted for a tragic accident as Helle Tumbridge joined calls from MPs, royal colleges and abortion providers for reform to abortion law.

Nikki and I have spoken about [abortion law reforms] a lot, and we both said that we really believe it, until the law has changed and abortion is decriminalised, then women are going to remain second-class citizens in this country, Ms Tumbridge said.

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, who went to court to support Ms Packer during the trial, branded the four-and-a-half-year investigation cruel and unnecessary as she urged reform of the law.

The true injustice here is the years of her life stolen by a law written decades before women had the vote, for a crime which doesnt even apply in two nations of the United Kingdom, she said. Nicolas experience, in her own words, includes being taken from her hospital bed to a police cell, denied timely access to essential medical care, and spending every penny she had on lawyers defending her case.

The case will have been a shocking wake-up call to many that women are still being investigated and prosecuted for having an abortion today in this country, said another Labour MP, Stella Creasy, calling for a change to the law so that the right to choose is a human right.

Both Labour backbenchers are believed to be laying separate amendments in parliament on decriminalising abortion in England and Wales, with MPs set to vote on a change to the law this summer.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) said the trial of Ms Packer had shown just how outdated and harmful current abortion law is.

President Dr Ranee Thakar said: Restrictive abortion laws in England and Wales nurture an environment of fear, stigmatisation and criminalisation. They needlessly subject women to prolonged investigation, criminal charges, and custodial sentences for ending their own pregnancy.

The RCOG said it had joined with healthcare professionals and experts from over 30 other medical, legal and public health bodies to call on parliament to take urgent action to protect womens essential reproductive rights and stop these criminal proceedings.

open image in gallery Ms Packer seen at Isleworth Crown Court while she was standing trial ( PA Wire )

Katie Saxon, chief strategic communications officer at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), said: A woman who sought medical attention after experiencing a traumatic event has had to endure a protracted police investigation and public trial, her private life picked apart by prosecutors and reported in the national press, at a huge emotional and financial cost. Prosecuting women for illegal abortion is never in the public interest, and no woman should ever have to go through this again.

In recent years, we have seen record numbers of women investigated for suspected illegal abortions. Women are being arrested straight from the hospital ward, their homes searched, and their children taken away. This cannot continue. Members of parliament have a moral duty to decriminalise abortion for women and end the threat of police, prosecutions, and imprisonment once and for all.

The government said any changes to abortion laws in the UK are a matter of conscience for parliamentarians rather than the government.

All women have access to safe and legal abortions on the NHS, a government spokesperson added. Decisions to prosecute, within existing legislation, are for the CPS and are incredibly rare.

Abortion provider MSI Reproductive Choices said the verdict showed common sense and compassion but urged legal reform to stop women facing criminal prosecution.

The trial heard Ms Packer had told two midwives that she had taken abortion pills received in the post from an NGO then known as Marie Stopes, now called MSI Reproductive Choices.

Jonathan Lord, the clinician in charge of Ms Packers care while working at MSI and co-chair of the RCOG abortion taskforce, said: No woman should ever have to endure institutionalised public shaming and humiliation, yet alone in 2025 in England.

The issue is not simply that Nicola had the misfortune of encountering some callous organisations or individuals, but that our current abortion laws directed and encouraged the actions taken against her.

Whats happening, the horrific way the women and their children are being treated  including those with premature labours and natural later pregnancy losses  is a national scandal.

Ms Packer, then 41, took the prescribed medications mifepristone and misoprostol when she was around 26 weeks pregnant during the second coronavirus lockdown, jurors previously heard.

The legal limit for taking medication at home for an abortion is 10 weeks. The typical full gestation term is 40 weeks and the outer limit for abortions in the UK is normally 24 weeks, though there are grounds where there are no limits.

Prosecutors had alleged Ms Packer knew she was pregnant for more than 10 weeks, which she had denied, speaking of her shock and surprise at being pregnant.

She tearfully told the jury of nine women and three men that she would not have taken the medication if she had known how far along she was, telling the court: I wouldnt have put the baby or myself through it.

Ms Packer, who sat near her defence team throughout the trial, did not discover she was pregnant until she took a test on 2 November 2020, the court heard.

She took abortion medication on 6 November and went to hospital the following day, having passed a foetus into the toilet, her trial was told.

Jurors heard Ms Packer spent the night of 7 November in hospital and was arrested by police the next day.

Following six hours of deliberations, the jury reached its unanimous not guilty verdict. Ms Packer was supported by five people in the public gallery, with some hugging each other after the verdict was read to the court.

The Crown Prosecution Service said its prosecutors exercise the greatest care when considering traumatic cases like the trial of Ms Packer.

The spokesperson continued: We recognise the profound strength of feeling these cases evoke, but have a duty to apply laws passed by parliament fairly and impartially.

The role of the Crown Prosecution Service in this case was not to decide whether Nicola Packers actions were right or wrong, but to make a factual judgement about whether she knew she was beyond the legal limit when she procured an abortion.

Prosecutors considered there was enough evidence to bring this case for a court to decide, and we respect the jurys decision.
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Constance Marten has claimed a member of her aristocratic family doesnt want me alive and will stop at nothing to get what they want as she was cross-examined by her partner Mark Gordon.

The mother, who is standing trial over the death of her fifth baby while on the run, told jurors at the Old Bailey she was tracked by private investigators who she believes tampered with their cars.

She said all hell broke loose with her influential family after she returned from a trip to Peru several years ago pregnant with her first child with Mr Gordon, who is now representing himself in court after his barristers withdrew.

Under questioning from her co-defendant, she said the couple were being watched and photographed in a cat and mouse game with her estranged family.

Ms Marten told jurors that they were pursued by private investigators, that multiple vehicles they had used stopped working and that she found a GPS tracker on one.

She told the jury she was very fearful after their car exploded shortly after the birth of Victoria, their fifth child, who they had concealed from the authorities to stop her being taken into care like their four other children.

I just feel that after I spoke out about a family member of mine eight years ago thats why I feel that this person doesnt want me alive and feel that he might be behind the explosion of the car, she said.

She said they previously spent several months living in a camper van to evade her family, but the steering later failed, adding: Theres a few people in my biological family that see me as an embarrassment and are scared that I will speak out against them and will stop at nothing to get what they want.

I think some people from privilege think they are above the rules. Its harrowing because you are up against these people who will stop at nothing and have endless resources and connections and I just dont feel that I can get away from them.

open image in gallery Constance Marten at the Old Bailey last year ( PA )

Ms Marten also claimed the couple were victims of prejudice and she was told in no uncertain terms by her family that she could not buy a house with her trust fund if she was still with Mr Gordon.

At some point you have got to accept someones decisions and choices if they are an adult, she added. I feel that Mark and I have received a huge amount of prejudice, especially from my family.

Ms Marten, 37, and her partner Mr Gordon, 50, deny gross negligence manslaughter of their daughter Victoria and causing or allowing her death in January 2023.

The prosecution alleges Victoria died from hypothermia or was smothered while co-sleeping in a "flimsy" tent after they took her off-grid on the South Downs amid a high-profile manhunt.

Victorias decomposing remains were later found stashed in a rubbish-filled shopping bag in a disused allotment shed.

Marten told jurors that the tent was intended to be a "pit stop" to avoid "prying eyes". She wept as she said that she would "turn back time" if she knew Victoria was in danger, adding that they "spent so long trying to protect her".

Under questioning from Mr Gordon, she said she was left suicidal after her other children were taken into care by social services and he is the only reason she is still alive.

She described taking Victoria on the run as a selfless act, adding: Mark and I dont relish being on the move constantly it is a constant upheaval you cant put down roots anywherebut we did it because we love our daughter so much. It was a parental love, it was a selfless act.

She said she did not know if she fell asleep, blacked out or fainted but woke up slumped over the lifeless infant.

Asked by Mr Gordon if Victoria died as a result of lack of love, she replied: I cant say why she died. I have got a strong faith in God  maybe it was her time. But it was the opposite of a lack of love.

I love being a mum thats what I want to do with my life. Some people think, in this day and age, get a career but for me being a mum is the best job in the world.

open image in gallery Constance Marten with baby Victoria under her coat ( Metropolitan Police )

She later called prosecution counsel Joel Smith KC diabolical and heartless as he asked her whether leaving Victorias body in a bag filled with rubbish was a "despicable thing" to do.

Mr Smith you are diabolicalI find the way you cross examine me really uncouth, she said. You really are a heartless human being.

After he questioned her journalism experience and why she gave fake names at hotels while on the run she broke down the in dock, telling the court she found Mr Smith abhorrent and she was tired of being grilled and my character being defamed.

I understand that I am being prosecuted but I am just not going to sit here and be spoken to like that, she added in the outburst.

Ms Marten also hit out at the police, who she said wanted their pound of flesh, adding: I just passed out from exhaustion and although they are not directly responsible the onus is on them. They should know that doing a big manhunt with a parent whos just given birth  its just completely unnecessary.

Last year, the parents were convicted of concealing the birth of the child and perverting the course of justice in a previous trial.

The retrial continues.
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A man who murdered Metropolitan Police sergeant Matt Ratana has lost bids to challenge his conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal.

Louis De Zoysa fatally shot the police sergeant twice in a holding cell in Croydon, south London, in September 2020.

De Zoysa, aged 27, was given a whole-life order in July 2023 after he was found guilty of murder at Northampton Crown Court.

At a hearing on Thursday, De Zoysas barristers told the Court of Appeal that he should be allowed to challenge his conviction and sentence, on the grounds that he was wrongly deemed fit to plead and stand trial, and that his sentence should not have been a whole life order.

However in a ruling, Dame Victoria Sharp, Mr Justice Goss and Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb dismissed the appeal bids.

Dame Victoria said: All applications will be refused, for reasons which we will give in writing.

Sergeant Matt Ratana was three months away from retirement at the time of his murder ( Metropolitan Police )

The judge added that the written reasons for their decision will come at a later date.

An inquest in November 2023 heard Ratanas colleagues failed to conduct a safe, thorough and systematic search. De Zoysa had been arrested and searched but officers failed to find the gun he had in an underarm holster, despite discovering bullets in his pocket.

After arriving at Croydons Windmill Road custody centre, de Zoysa was allowed to walk without an officer gripping his arm, or handcuffs.

De Zoysa later managed to move his handcuffed arms from behind his back to fire at Sgt Ratana.

The New Zealand-born officer, 54, who had served in the Met Police for almost 30 years and was three months from retirement, was hit in the chest by the first of three shots discharged by de Zoysa within three seconds.

A second bullet struck him in the thigh before de Zoysa was wrestled to the ground by other officers, as a third round hit the cell wall.
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Political and religious leaders have congratulated the new Pope who has become the first American head of the Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV emerged onto the balcony of St Peters Basilica in front of a packed St Peters Square, cheered on by jubilant crowds as he made his first public appearance as pontiff.

The election of the new Pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, from Chicago, was quickly hailed an honour and exciting time by US President Donald Trump.

Posting on his Truth Social platform about the 69-year-old pontiff, Mr Trump said: What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Mr Trump drew criticism over the weekend after sharing an artificial intelligence-generated image of himself dressed as the pope on social media.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the election as a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom and globally while the Church of Englands current most senior bishop said he looks forward to working with the new Pope.

Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who is currently de facto head while the Church of England seeks a new archbishop of Canterbury following Justin Welbys resignation, said: Pope Leo XIVs many years of pastoral experience, his commitment to justice, and his deep spirituality are an example of life lived in service to Jesus Christ.

He added: As Anglicans we give thanks for his call to Christians to be bridge-builders across the divisions of our world, and the divisions that continue to exist between churches.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated the Pope and pleaded for continued support from the Vatican.

In a post on X Mr Zelensky wrote: Ukraine deeply values the Holy Sees consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federations military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians.

At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraines efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace.

US vice president JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism as an adult, congratulated the new Pope saying Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!

The new Pope previously shared posts on social media that were critical of the Trump administration, including in February sharing a opinion piece which chastised the US vice president as wrong about some aspects of Christian teaching.

The secret conclave meeting had taken only around 24 hours to choose their new leader, giving the Church a pope less than three weeks after the death of his predecessor Francis.

Crowds had been joyously waving flags and chanting Habemus Papam, the Latin for we have a Pope, since white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel shortly after 5pm UK time on Thursday.

The new pontiff is the 267th Pope, becoming the religious leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe and someone believed to be called as the successor to St Peter, who was the first.

In his first words as Pope, the new pontiff told the adoring crowd: Peace be with you.

International development charity Cafod said Pope Leo will be a voice of wisdom in a fractured and divided world, and that his years as a missionary in Peru mean he can bring into his papacy the vital perspective of the global south, elevating voices from the margins to centre stage.

The 133 cardinals had voted on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, with black smoke emitted from the chapel chimney twice, showing no-one had been elected.

But in the bright sunshine of Thursday afternoon, white smoke began to billow out, with onlookers bearing witness to history as the Church confirmed it had its new leader.

Bells tolled to confirm the news, perhaps in a marker of the confusion at previous conclaves where the colour of the smoke was not completely clear.

Three UK cardinals took part in conclave, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Cardinal Arthur Roche, as did Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell who has mainly ministered in the US and been based in Rome for some years.

Only those cardinals aged under 80 were eligible to cast a ballot, and this conclave was thought to be one of the most diverse of any before, representing some 70 countries.

Pope Francis had appointed some 108 of the 133 cardinals who took part in the conclave to choose his successor.

Pope Leo will have the challenge of following in the footsteps of the late Francis, whose popularity saw him dubbed the peoples pope.
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Second World War veterans were joined by the King and prime minister at Westminster Abbey on Thursday, as the nation marked 80 years since fighting against Nazi Germany ended on that momentous day in 1945.

Charles and other members of the royal family honoured the sacrifices of those who brought peace to Europe during a moving thanksgiving service in London.

It began with a two-minute silence at noon, which was observed by millions of people across the country as union flags flew at full mast.

The King led the service as he left a floral tribute at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior on behalf of the nation and the Commonwealth. A handwritten message from the King on the wreath read: We will never forget.

open image in gallery The King led the service as he left a floral tribute at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior on behalf of the nation and Commonwealth.

Prince William left a wreath a few moments after his father, in a tribute to veterans and the generation who lived through the conflict. Both wreaths featured flowers which would have been in bloom in May 1945.

Some 78 veterans attended the service, including 99-year-old Ken Hay, who served with the 4th Dorset infantry regiment, in his wheelchair by the side of Charles and William as the Abbey observed the national two-minute silence.

The senior royals and other members of the monarchy met some of the veterans in the nave at the end of the service, with William warmly placing his hand on one elderly mans shoulder and Kate crouched down to meet one woman in a wheelchair, holding her hand as she chatted.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria lay down flowers after attending the service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey ( AP )

During the service, Alexander Churchill, 10, the great-great-grandson of the wartime leader, lit the VE Day candle of peace and prime minister Keir Starmer also read out a Bible verse.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, called for peace in the world as he warned the good resulting from the Second World War is under threat again.

He said: Let us then on this 80th anniversary, with some of the veterans who fought for those freedoms with us here, make a new commitment to be those who, in the words of Jesus, make peace.

open image in gallery During the service, the Archbishop of York warned that the good resulting from the Second World War is under threat again ( PA )

The congregation heard wartime leader Sir Winston Churchills radio broadcast announcing the end of hostilities, which concluded with the words: Long live the cause of freedom.

Second World War artefacts, including a childs gas mask, a sailors cap and an air raid wardens helmet, representing the armed forces and the Home Front, were processed through the abbey.

open image in gallery Winston Churchills great-great-grandson lights a candle for peace ( PA )

At the end of the service, the royal family took time to greet veterans as they left the abbey, and Camilla and Kate laid flowers at the Innocent Victims Memorial.

Peter Kent, a 100-year-old Normandy D-Day veteran from Westminster, shared his memories of the war, having served in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Adventurer.

The centenarian, who was not part of the abbey service but watched events from outside, said: So many young boys got killed, so many dead bodies on the beach  it was just a big waste of life.

It was terrible.

The father of two and former theatre worker said it means a lot to see people still honouring those who served.

open image in gallery Kate, Princess of Wales, speaks to a veteran during the service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey ( Jordan Pettitt/Pool/AP )

We wouldnt have the freedom we have today if it wasnt for those men.

Victory in Europe Day marks the formal surrender of Nazi Germany and the end of the war in Europe.

Churchill, the prime minister, announced on the radio on 8 May 1945 that the war in Europe had come to an end after Germany surrendered the day before.

People took to the streets to celebrate with street parties and big celebrations, as well as attending church services to thank God for the victory.

It also marked a moment of sadness and reflection, as millions had lost their lives or loved ones during the conflict, and life had irreversibly changed.

Four days of events commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day culminate on Thursday evening with a concert in Londons Horse Guards Parade. Over the past few days, a military parade was staged in the capital, followed by an RAF flypast watched from Buckingham Palace by the royal family.

Additional reporting by PA
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Migrants who want to come to the UK for work will have to speak fluent English under Labours latest immigration crackdown.

Under plans due to be published next week, people applying for a UK work visa will have to demonstrate they can speak English to A-level standard.

Home Office officials have decided that the current standard, which is equivalent to a foreign language GCSE, is too low for people to fully integrate.

The new standard, equivalent to a foreign language A-level, will allow people to express themselves fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions, The Times first reported.

Applicants will also have to demonstrate the ability to write detailed text on complex subjects.

Responding to the reports on Thursday, the prime ministers spokesperson said the government was focussed on bringing down the last governments record high and tackling the root causes behind it.

The immigration white paper will set out a bold package of measures to do just that. Language, being able to communicate are central parts of integration," they added.

The governments immigration white paper is due to be published next week and is also expected to include plans to restrict asylum seekers ability to stay in the UK due to family connections.

The Home Office are looking at ways they can restrict net migration to the UK ( PA Archive )

A senior government source told The Sun that lawyers were weaponising Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to claim that people should stay in the UK because of their right to a family life.

They said: The ECHR has taken the mickey for far too long and we will change the law to give primacy to our sovereign parliament.

Further restrictions on students and workers bringing dependents to the UK are also expected.

Visa applications from certain nationalities, who are deemed most likely to overstay and claim asylum in the UK, could also be restricted under the plans.

It comes after concerns that many people who come to the UK on work or study visas are later lodging claims for asylum, and living in Home Office hotels until their claims are decided - at a huge cost to the taxpayer.

The white paper will be seen as a chance to show voters that Labour is serious about bringing down levels of immigration.

The party is reeling from poor results at the local elections, which saw Nigel Farages anti-immigration party Reform UK take control of 10 local councils and add a fifth MP to its ranks.

Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, admitted on Wednesday that Labour faces a generational battle against a nationalist politics of the right.

A government spokesperson said: Under our Plan for Change, our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system, linking immigration, skills and visa systems to grow our domestic workforce, end reliance on overseas labour and boost economic growth.
Philip Jarman is a 101-year-old Second World War veteran, but he has little truck with the celebratory clamour that accompanies our numerous wartime anniversaries: the bunting, the obligatory fly past, the royal gloss. Eighty years ago, he was still fighting a brutal war in Burma, and his reticence goes beyond mere end dates. Weve got war all wrong, he insists, disconsolately chasing crumbs around his plate. After 1945, we didnt have these repeated celebrations. We got on with building back Britain. In the years following VE Day, we were in no mood to celebrate.

The outpouring of joy on that one May day in 1945  according to Ruth Bourne, a 98-year-old Bletchley Park veteran, a feeling that was almost electric  speaks to the grinding toil of war directly preceding it, a painstaking slog through privation and pain.

In the words of one former female soldier, wartime Britain was dull and difficult, spiked with occasional horrible bits of news.

The country had earned its celebration on 8 May, but the euphoria was not protracted. News archive confirms that the 1950s, Sixties and Seventies slid by with minimal pomp and ceremonial recall  Britain was too busy facing down problems in a post-imperial world to get excited about a war which ended with two new superpowers calling the shots.

Even the fallen had to make do with scaled-down memorialisation. Jarman explains: Wed been badly bombed. And we knew war monuments did not work.

After the First World War, Britain had witnessed an unprecedented public art campaign; in a country scorched by the loss of nearly one million young men, memorials, cenotaphs, and monuments sprang up in market squares and city centres nationwide, but they had not stopped a second war.

Lets have no more stone crosses or war memorials in the 1918 sense of the word, insisted one disconsolate soldier. In a country desperate to crack on with the peace after five-and-a-half long years of fighting, the Second World Wars 380,000 military casualties were bunched up on pre-existing war memorials. Only outstanding services like the Commandos enjoyed their own iteration in stone.

open image in gallery Phillip Robinson holds a picture of his younger self ( Supplied )

The real sea change in Second World War commemoration came in the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher, when a full-scale war in the Falkland Islands and an upscaling of the conflict in Northern Ireland ushered in a new era of jingoism and dewy-eyed pride.

Britain needed to remind itself, and the world, of our unequivocal fight for freedom in the 1940s, positing good versus evil in the context of British military encounters. Four decades after the end of the conflict, the nation doubled down on an outstanding victory narrative as, one by one, our great wartime leaders  Churchill, Alanbrooke, Montgomery  died, making way for an elderly rank and file to have their moment in the sun.

By the 1980s, crucial distance had been established; where once the Second World Wars death toll had been dwarfed by the First, now in the modern era, few could believe the scale of the devastation and havoc wreaked by a conflict that quickly became a cornerstone of our national identity. Lest we forget, our entire nation bent its neck to an all-consuming war effort in the name of King and Country.

open image in gallery A memorial to the bevin boys, young men who were conscripted to work in coal mines during the war ( Supplied )

The record-breaking Overlord Embroidery was given its own museum and the gallant efforts of men who risked life and limb on D-Day and beyond were re-remembered. In 1984, the IRA detonated a bomb in Brightons Grand Hotel during the Conservative Party Conference. Thatcher emerged from the rubble to channel her inner Churchill and face down her attackers. The government will not weaken. This nation will meet that challenge. Democracy will prevail. The martial prime minister had already learnt the value of binary language and military prowess.

Since then, another 40 years have passed and remembering has gathered pace. Commemoration in stone and marble reveres the legions who fought from our former colonies, the millions of women who played their part, and even the animals and children caught up in the mindless wreckage. We live in a modern era when being seen is all-important and living a long life is taken for granted.

open image in gallery Philip Jarman pictured with Dunlop ( Supplied )

Philip Robinson, 99, was balloted (compelled) to serve underground, mining coal as a bevin boy. The absence of a uniform, and later a memorial, burned deep; when finally four Kilkenny stones in the National Memorial Arboretum arrived to honour the bevin boys war in 2013, he was delighted. But others, like Philip Jarman, are still equivocal about the role of commemoration. He is one of the few remaining survivors from the Second World War; today returning to memories of a war that killed his brother, his sister-in-law and his best friend, is challenging. And he insists we get the tone all wrong.

open image in gallery Dunlop with Bletchley Park veteran Ruth Bourne ( Supplied )

Reluctantly, Jarman tells me the story of Richard Combes, his childhood friend who joined the navy in 1939: I was looking forward to him coming home on leave. But his father said, Im afraid youll not be seeing Richard this weekend. I joked, Has he been confined to barracks? Mr Coombes retort was quietly devastating. He was on HMS Hood.

That shook me so much that, although his parents lived nearby, I couldnt bear to go and see them for six months. He was their only child. The quiet parlour, the ticking clock, the terrible pain, the accountant and his wife without their precious boy. Jarman never went back. Oh dear, he says, youve made me dredge it all up.

The Bismarcks sinking of HMS Hood, the largest battleship of its kind, in May 1941 was felt nationwide. The aft magazine exploded and the ship sank within minutes. From a 1,418-strong crew, there were three survivors. Silently, I wonder how Mr and Ms Combes marked VE Day. Jarman concedes it might be touching after all this time to find his friends name on a monument; Combes R. A. L. etched in perpetuity, so I plan a trip to the famous Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Apparently, Richard was listed there when they adjusted the monument to make space for thousands more deaths at sea in a devastating Second World War.

open image in gallery ( Supplied )

I arrived in late May 2024, a week before the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day. The whole area had been cordoned off for the Kings arrival, so I couldnt access the naval memorial. How ridiculous, said Jarman. It felt ridiculous. A buoyant sounding brass band practised on the shoreline; anticipation in Portsmouth was mounting. A high green metal wall blocked my way to the giant obelisk, and two security guards refused me access. They offered to take a picture of Richards name instead. One shrugged apologetically. Its all a bit celebratory, isnt it? Like weve forgotten what war is about.

I nodded, and felt strangely gutted. An engraved name isnt much, but it is better than nothing. The Commonwealth Graves Commission insist that the memorial is accessible at all times. I can confirm this is not true.

Eighty years after the D-Day landings, it felt like commemoration had been sidestepped for celebration on an epic scale. I watched the ceremony on TV a week later and wondered if perhaps Jarman had a point. Has confected national pride and triumphalism engulfed our recall of what war is really all about?

Likewise, 80 years after VE Day, it is worth being mindful of what victory meant. Yes, 8 May 1945 saw an extraordinary outpouring of joy: young surviving servicemen and women celebrating a free and peaceful life that now unfolded in front of them, but what of the impact of war not caught on the cameras, beyond the bombed-out houses, hidden in empty bedrooms, and silent sitting rooms? An aching hole that no amount of ticker tape or jitterbugging could bring back. The real cost of war.

Tessa Dunlops Lest We Forget, War and Peace in 100 British Monuments is out now
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Nations across Europe will celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day - or Victory in Europe Day - which marks the day where fighting against Nazi Germany ended during the Second World War.

Prime minister Winston Churchill announced on the radio on 8 May 1945 that the war in Europe had come to an end after Germany surrendered the day before. While the war continued in other parts of the world and many people were being kept as prisoners of war abroad, people in the UK celebrated the end of the war for them.

People took to the streets to celebrate the end of fighting with street parties and big celebrations, as well as attending church services to thank God for the victory. It also marked a moment of sadness and reflection, as millions had lost their lives or loved ones during the conflict and life had irreversibly changed.

Why do we mark VE Day?

Every year to this day, 8 May has marked a symbolic day where we continue to remember those who fought and were affected by the Second World War. It has also become a day to celebrate peace and reflect on the hardships of war.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has said that VE Day - and the Allied victory - marks one of our finest hours as a country. He said: Today we come together to celebrate those who fought for our freedom.

open image in gallery VE Day marked the end of fighting in Europe and the Second World War was coming to an end ( Getty )

How was VE Day celebrated in 1945?

As well as street parties and church services, huge crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace, cheering on as King George VI and his family, including the then-19-year-old future Queen Elizabeth II, came out onto the balcony and waved.

Elizabeth and her younger sister Princess Margaret would later go out and celebrate with the crowds in secret. Having served as a driver and mechanic during the war for the Auxillary Transport Service, the future queen wore her uniform to blend into the crowds. The sisters would later go and dance at The Ritz hotel in celebration.

The late Queen reflected on her VE Day celebrations in a rare BBC interview in 1985, where she said: My sister and I realised that we couldn't see what the crowds were enjoying so we asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves.

I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief.

St Pauls Cathedral was dramatically illuminated on the evening of VE Day following a midday service with the mayor of London in attendance.

open image in gallery King Charles III takes the salute from the military procession marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day ( PA )

How is VE Day typically commemorated?

In honour of how VE Day was first celebrated in 1945, every year people mark the day with street parties and church services. Typically, the royal family marks the occasion with Second World War veterans to watch a military procession down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace, as well as a flyover from the Royal Air Force.

This year, King Charles III and Queen Camilla hosted a tea party for the veterans and members of the Second World War generation at the palace on Monday.

open image in gallery The Queen Mother wipes her eye as she stands on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the 50th anniversary of VE Day with the late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret ( PA )

Why is this year important?

As well as marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe, this is the first major milestone VE Day where none of the royal family members who were alive for the first ever celebration are here, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

open image in gallery Charles and Camilla on the balcony of Buckingham Palace ( PA )

What VE Day celebrations are ongoing today?

There will be a two-minute silence to remember those who fought in the Second World War at 12pm. The Union Jack flag will fly at full mast, and London's Cenotaph will become a focal point of quiet reflections and tributes.

The Royal Albert Hall will host a concert called VE Day 80: The Party on Thursday evening. Organised by SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, it will feature the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.

The royal family will attend a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, before the King and Queen attend a live celebratory concert from Horse Guards Parade to conclude the national VE Day commemorations.
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The Governments data reforms have moved closer to becoming law as ministers faced calls to do more to protect artists from artificial intelligence (AI) developers.

The Data (Use and Access) Bill cleared the House of Commons on Wednesday evening, with the Government successfully resisting proposals by critics of the legislation to include changes relating to AI and copyright.

Peers previously amended the Bill in a bid to protect creatives from having their copyrighted work used to train AI models without permission or remuneration, although these changes were removed by the Government during the committee stage of the legislation in the Commons.

Opposition MPs failed to reinstate the protections on Wednesday as the Government argued the amendments pre-empted the results of its copyright and AI consultation and it does not want to legislate in a piecemeal fashion.

Instead, the Government pledged to conduct an economic impact assessment of the policy options put forward in its consultation.

The consultation has been widely condemned by high-profile figures in the creative sector, including musicians such as Sir Elton John, Annie Lennox, Sir Paul McCartney and Kate Bush, who say the Governments plans to make it easier for AI models to be trained on copyrighted material amount to the theft of music and will decimate the sector.

The Commons exchanges came after creatives, industry leaders and politicians gathered in central London to call on the Government to scrap plans that would allow AI developers to use creative content without permission or payment.

Speaking in the Commons, technology minister Sir Chris Bryant said the creative industries should be remunerated for the work that they have produced and copyright law will remain robust and clear.

He said there is a text and data mining exception already in UK law, adding: That is a text and data mining exception for the sole purpose of research for a non-commercial purpose. I think that is absolutely clear in law, and I dont think it needs any clarifying.

Intervening, Labour MP Stella Creasy (Walthamstow) said: The Government did open a consultation that has, for many of our constituents who work in the creative industries, prefigured a substantial change in copyright when it comes to AI.

She added that the creative industries being able to benefit from and protect their own work is what is at stake here.

Sir Chris replied: I share the concerns, namely that we wanted to make sure, in this very fast changing world, that the creative industries in the UK are able to be remunerated for the work that they have produced, were not in the business of giving away other peoples work to a third party for nothing.

He added: The only circumstance in which we would advance with the package of measures that were included in the consultation is if we were to believe that we were advancing the cause of the creative industries in the UK, rather than providing danger or legal peril to them.

Labour MP Alison Hume, a Royal Television Society writer of the year award winner, urged tech firms to tell us what they are doing behind our backs, and pay up.

The MP for Scarborough and Whitby, who won the award in 2008 for her work on CBBCs Summerhill, said: At the moment, AI companies do not have to tell anyone what theyre stealing from the internet, from whom they are stealing and why they are stealing it.

Ms Hume said she understood the Government wants more time, but added: I worry that in the gap between this data Bill becoming law and a new Bill which addresses transparency in copyright, everything that can be scraped will be scraped.

She later added: Necessity is the mother of invention, and without a legal instruction for AI companies to reveal what they are using free of charge, theres surely no incentive for the AI industry to come up with the solutions to make it simple for original creators and collecting societies to assert their rights.

Giles Martin, a Grammy-winning English record producer and son of Beatles producer George Martin, said ahead of the debate: The Government seem to be more and more influenced by large technology companies, seem more impressed by them.

(If) Paul McCartney today writes Yesterday, that should belong to him, or he should just say what happens to that, or his voice. He should say what happens to his voice and right now, with the Government, theyre not doing enough to protect artists.

If you make something, if something is yours, it shouldnt be taken by a company and used without your permission. Its as simple as that.

UK Music claims the Bill would put creatives at risk after amendments put forward by Baroness Kidron to ensure transparency and international compliance safeguards were removed.

The protest saw industry leaders and creatives call on the Government to make changes to the Bill to ensure that companies training generative AI models, such as ChatGPT, disclose whether work by a human creator has been used and protect creatives under existing copyright rules.

A Government spokesperson said: Currently, creatives are not being fairly compensated for their content and only the largest rights holders have the power to effectively assert their rights.

We want to enhance their ability to be paid for the use of their material. UK AI developers also face greater innovation barriers than their international competitors, pushing AI innovation overseas.

The Governments objectives are to deliver a solution which will ensure increased control and transparency for rights holders and access to high-quality material to train leading AI models in the UK.
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Top technology firms are set to meet with the Justice Secretary for the first time to look at how artificial intelligence and technology could be used to tackle violence in prisons and cut re-offending.

Shabana Mahmood is urging companies including Microsoft, Amazon Web Services and Google to work with ministers as part of Government plans to use technology to overhaul the justice system.

Using data to help probation officers improve risk assessments and tracking offenders in the community are among some of the aspects to be considered.

How digital platforms could help rehabilitate offenders and help them integrate back into society is also on the agenda for ministers and around 30 companies meeting on Thursday.

The move follows a pledge from the Lord Chancellor to introduce technology to stop probation staff drowning in paperwork when more time could be spent supervising offenders.

Meanwhile, the backlog of crown court cases also stands at a record high.

Ms Mahmood said: We inherited a justice system in crisis, with prisons close to collapse and staff overburdened and under pressure.

We need bold ideas to address the challenges that we face  supporting our staff, delivering swifter justice for victims, and cutting crime.

Today, we have an analogue justice system in a digital age.

The UK has a world-leading and growing tech sector, and I know our tech firms have a huge role to play in delivering our Plan for Change to make streets safer.

Julian David, chief executive of trade association TechUK  which co-organised the event, said the roundtable presents an excellent opportunity for the tech sector to showcase the transformative role technology can play in modernising the criminal justice system.

After the meeting, a follow-up event for the whole industry to apply to present their ideas is expected in the coming months.

Microsofts UK public sector general manager Amanda Sleight said: Microsoft is committed to advancing the ethical use of AI technology to reduce the administrative burden on prison and probation staff, allowing them more time to focus on delivering high-quality frontline services, reducing recidivism and helping integrate offenders back into society.

The Conservatives suggested the Governments plans were not even close to being enough to reform the justice system.

Shadow justice minister Kieran Mullan said: After 14 years in opposition, Labour still have no answers beyond putting criminals back out on to the streets and soon will be scrapping short sentences for offenders  this announcement is not even close to being enough.

Labour are clearly out of their depth.
One week in and the turquoise tsunami of new Reform UK councillors is already making some less welcome waves. A couple have already relinquished their party allegiance, while there are embarrassing, at best, allegations about the views expressed or endorsed by others in the past on social media.

After taking majority control of 10 councils plus two mayoralties, there will now be unprecedented scrutiny on the partys personalities, policies and performance

How are the new councillors doing?

Many are very new to politics, let alone running a local authority, so they will have much to learn. As things stand, two individuals formally elected as Reform councillors are no longer Reform councillors. Donna Edmunds, elected to represent Hodnet Ward in Shropshire, has quit Reform UK, having already been suspended by the party because shed asked the voters to lend their votes to Reform only for the short term. She has described the party as a cult and accused the partys leader, Nigel Farage, of treating its members with contempt.

The other early, less willing defector is Luke Shingler. Elected as a candidate for the Galley Common ward in Warwickshire, his employment by the Royal Air Force has created complications, as, to be clear, he explained during the campaign: On Thursday 1 May, I will still appear on the ballot paper under the Reform UK Party, I can not change this. If elected, I cannot stand as a Reform councillor, I will have to be an independent councillor representing YOU until I leave my employment.

Other now successfully elected Reform candidates have suffered adverse accusations about their past social media postings, which have endorsed (or at least reposted) extremist, particularly Islamophobic material, support for Tommy Robinson, or memes involving Adolf Hitler. One such is Joel Tetlow in Lancashire. Two Labour MPs have called for Reform to suspend him after a photo of Hitler was shared on his official Facebook page with a joke about small boat crossings in the English Channel.

Doesnt this sound a bit familiar?

Yes indeed. Throughout the previous incarnations of Reform UK  the Brexit Party and Ukip  various councillors and members of the European parliament would attract the wrong sort of publicity for inadvisable comments or actions. There was also, its fair to say, more than the usual amount of internecine quarrelling, including a fight in the parliament building which left one Ukip MEP hospitalised. As Farage remarked at the time: It never looks good... you see third world parliaments where this sort of thing happens...

Less violent but no less serious disagreements, factionalism and splits have long plagued the hard right and damaged Farages ambitions to create a more respectable and disciplined party as an alternative government. Recent internal feuds with Rupert Lowe MP and Ben Habib, the former deputy leader, suggest old habits on the far right die hard.

What about the vetting process?

After some notably unsuitable Reform candidates had to be disowned before the general election last year, Farage promised in March that this time round weve been vetting, I bet, to a standard that no other party has ever done before for local council elections. Perhaps, but it hasnt been 100 per cent successful. Part of the problem may be that the sheer unexpected success the party has enjoyed means that many paper candidates, ie not expected to win, are now elected councillors with a job that they didnt particularly want to do.

A more fundamental reason is that the party still hasnt really made up its mind about some of the issues Lowe, for example, has been championing  whether to back Robinson, endorse mass deportations, and to publish a proper manifesto with policies and plans. When there is no such document or clarity on policy and values, then Reform candidates, and now MPs, mayors and councillors, are bound to stray far from the party line, or basic decency. (Though it is only fair to add that Farage has taken a hard line against Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.) Farage apparently wants approval on all Reform council leaders, but that may not be sufficient to ensure control.

Whats the defence?

The usual lines: its a new party (albeit one with a continuity of Farage leadership and broad anti-immigration, anti-EU pitch for decades); all political parties have rogue elements; and that Reform UK is unfairly held to a higher standard than others.

Whats the future hold?

It could get messy. The one council that Ukip ever held, Thanet, was lost when half the partys councillors defected to form an independent group in opposition to their former colleagues (in a row about redeveloping a former airfield). Because so many Reform councillors have been elected to send a message to Westminster and on national slogans, and their plans for their counties are vague or non-existent, there is plenty of scope for rows, division and bitter defections. Indeed, that was one of the abiding features of Ukip in the European parliament, and with Ukips modest presence at Westminster, where their maverick MP, ex-Tory Douglas Carswell, continually clashed with Farage.

Is Reform UK the Tory Party Mk 2, or a radical-right alternative, or a precursor to merger and collation with, say, a Jenrick-led Conservative Party? Is it a party happy to accept the likes of Liz Truss or Suella Braverman? Or is it a break with a failed uniparty past? Pro-Putin, pro-Trump, pro-both or pro-neither? NHS or not? Workers rights or not? Do they even know?

The unusually fractious, cranky and generally argumentative people that Farages various political vehicles have tended to attract may well mean that hell find this latest lot no easier to lead, though recent stunning successes have placed him in a dominant position. A party of 230,000 members but an underdeveloped system of internal democracy and culture of unity will be inherently unstable. Better than anyone, after more than a quarter of a century in politics, Farage understands that farce is never a promising prelude to power.
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Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump are on the brink of announcing a new trade deal after nearly five years of negotiations.

The previous government began discussions for a free trade agreement in May 2020 with then-president Joe Bidens administration.

Now, Mr Trump has said "major trade deal" will be announced with a "highly respected country" on Thursday, widely believed to be a reference to the UK.

Sir Keir's spokesman has promised an update from the prime minister on Thursday, too, all but confirming a deal has been done.

While the UK initially received the lowest possible tariff rate under Mr Trump's trade war, with 10 per cent taxes applied on exports to the United States, it was later left at the same rate as the rest of the world.

But Thursday's announcement confirms a coup for Sir Keir, with his fawning diplomatic approach to Mr Trump appearing to have paid off.

What could a trade deal look like?

Sir Keir Starmers government has made no pretence over the fact that it is not looking for a traditional comprehensive trade deal. Instead, it is pushing for an agreement based around the growth of future industries, such as biotech, new pharmaceuticals and artificial intelligence.

The proposal is that the UK and US research base, coupled with the money markets in New York and London, would create a powerhouse for the latest industrial revolution, which could shape the future of the world.

The US largely embraces this idea, but there are caveats, and the negotiations have been complicated by President Trumps tariffs.

open image in gallery In February, prime minister Keir Starmer met with US president Donald Trump and vice-president JD Vance ( PA )

While a final deal would see close integration for those future growth industries, it now would also mean deals on more traditional areas to remove tariffs altogether.

The biggest issue  as is often the case  will be how far it affects agricultural products. Mr Trumps team would like the UK to allow chlorinated chicken or beef with added hormones. But the UK does not want to go this far.

There could also be demands for the UK to repeal legislation on tech controls, which the White House says affects free speech.

In the end, the quick deal will be closer to the UK vision on future growth technologies, but the ongoing question is how much Sir Keir will have to compromise in other areas.

What does the UK trade with the US?

The US continues to be Britains largest single-country trading partner, followed by Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland and France. As a bloc, trade with the EU is significantly higher.

The UK has nearly no trade imbalance with the US when it comes to goods, exporting 59.3bn and importing 57.2bn in 2024.

This has likely contributed to the fact that Britain has not been in Mr Trumps firing range when it comes to extra tariffs  and why a trade deal is on the cards.

Currently, the UK is facing a 10 per cent tariff on all goods exported to the US.

British automotive and steel exports are taking a stronger blow, with a separate 25 per cent levy on sales to the US market.

Cars are Britains single largest export to the US, valued at 8.3bn in the year up to November 2024.

The US is also the top buyer of domestic cars, from Aston Martin to Mini; though British brand Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is the most at risk from tariffs, with the US being its top sales market.

This has been a point of tension between Sir Keir and Mr Trump, as negotiations to exempt the UK from these industry-specific tariffs have so far fallen short.

Other industrial exports are also high on the list, with 5.3bn in mechanical power generators and 2.3bn in aircraft sent to the US last year.

Meanwhile, the UKs health and scientific industries are also reliant on the US market.

The UK sent vaccines, medicines and other pharmaceutical products worth 7.3bn to the US last year, and 2.4bn in scientific instruments like microscopes and X-ray equipment.

Britain buys billions in medical and pharmaceutical products from the US, too, meaning that both industries are significantly intertwined, with health secretary Wes Streeting warning that tariffs could pose challenges.

open image in gallery Packets of Brexit Selection Freshly Chlorinated Chicken were shown by campaign group Peoples Vote in 2018 ( Getty )

The UK only imports around 100m in animal products from the US, a point of contention for Mr Trump, who has urged Britons to buy more chlorinated and hormone-treated animal products such as beef and chicken.

Meanwhile, crude oil is Britains leading import from the US, at 8.6bn in the 12 months up to November 2024.

President Trump has suggested in the past that buying more American oil and gas could be a way to curry favour in the global trade war.

Tech at the heart of UK-US trade future

Services are perhaps the most significant element of UK-US trade, representing some 179bn in services exchanged between the two countries.

The UK benefits from an open relationship with the US, exporting twice as many services (124bn) as it imports (55bn).

This includes 52.3bn across various business services, 27.8bn in financial services, and 11bn in insurance and pensions.

Perhaps most importantly, with regards to the new trade deal, the UK exports 10.3bn in telecoms, tech and IT services across the pond  and imported 3.5bn last year.

The tech industry  in particular AI, biotech and quantum  is on the agenda for UK-US negotiations, as both sides seek to deepen their ties in so-called future industries.

On a visit to California last month, UK technology secretary Peter Kyle met with US tech leaders, including OpenAI, Anthropic and Nvidia, touting Britain as a global hub for AI investment.

open image in gallery The UK is keen to attract investment from global tech players, while US companies seek relaxed regulation ( AP )

Both countries have been aligned on tech for some time and have expressed their intentions to steamroll ahead on AI.

In February, both the UK and the US refused to sign an international agreement on AI, which aimed to make development open, inclusive, and ethical.

While the UK cited national security concerns, the US said that overregulation would kill a transformative industry.

Less than one year earlier, both countries  under different governments  had announced a partnership on AI safety.
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Donald Trump has unveiled a "historic agreement" with the UK, the culmination of Sir Keir Starmers months-long charm offensive towards the US president.

A month after his so-called Liberation Day tariffs began to bite, Britain has now achieved a series of significant carve-outs from sweeping tariffs on UK carmakers, steelworks and farmers.

The deal is a major boost for the prime minister, coming hot on the heels of a trade agreement between the UK and India this week.

open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer has taken a deferential approach Donald Trump ( PA Wire )

Donald Trump said the agreement with the UK is a great deal for both countries, while Sir Keir said this is a really fantastic, historic day as he spoke to the US president about the deal on the phone. Here, The Independent looks at how different sectors of Britains economy will be affected.

Cars

The deal, which the UK government has said will save thousands of jobs, will see car export tariffs slashed from 27.5 per cent to 10 per cent, for a quota of 100,000 UK cars. This, the government said, is almost the total the UK exported last year.

The agreement is crucial as it will allow British carmakers to restart sales to the American market. Jaguar Land Rover had suspended US shipments in the wake of Mr Trumps Liberation Day tariff announcements, and Sir Keir was keen to announce the trade deal at the companys Solihull manufacturing plant to offer reassurance to workers at the firm and across the sector.

Steel and aluminium

Mr Trumps 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium will be axed entirely, in a major boost for the beleaguered sector.

The government last month took control of British Steel to prevent the closure of its Scunthorpe blast furnaces and hopes Thursdays trade deal will keep the sector alive.

Agriculture

The two governments have negotiated new reciprocal market access on beef, giving UK farmers a tariff-free quota of 13,000 metric tonnes of meat.

There are concerns that the new reciprocal market access on beef could lead to a decline in food standards. However, the UK government insisted that there will be no weakening of UK food standards on imports, amid concerns a deal could pave the way for the import of hormone-treated beef from the US.

Donald Trump also played down concerns that it could open up UK markets to chlorine-washed chicken, saying the UK will take what they want when it comes to US beef and chicken imports, rather than being forced to accept lower standards.

US agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins added: Specific to the beef, this is going to exponentially increase our beef exports. And to be very clear, American beef is the safest, the best quality, and the crown jewel of American agriculture for the world.

A consistent red line in negotiations has been food standards, amid fears a trade deal could open Britains doors to hormone-injected beef and chlorinated chicken.

open image in gallery Jaguar Land Rover suspended exports to the US ( Getty Images )

Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds and chancellor Rachel Reeves have both ruled out lowering Britain's food standards to get a deal over the line, in a boost to struggling farmers.

Pharmaceuticals

The government also failed to secure carve-outs for tariffs on pharmaceuticals and the remaining 10 per cent reciprocal tariffs imposed on Britain. The government said work will continue on those.

Film and TV

There have also been no concessions secured for the film and TV industry, after Mr Trump threatened to apply a 100 per cent levy on films made outside America, which the PM has been warned would devastate film and TV production in the UK.

Digital services tax

There were also concerns that the US was trying to win concessions on Britains digital services tax, paid by overseas search engines and social media sites on revenues from the UK. But todays deal saw the tax left unchanged. A change to the tax would have been a boost to major American firms such as Amazon, Facebook owner Meta and Google owner Alphabet.

Instead, the two nations have agreed to work on a digital trade deal that will strip back paperwork for British firms trying to export to the US - something the government said would open the UK up to a huge market that will put rocket boosters on the UK economy.

Other areas

Tariffs on ethanol, which Downing Street wrongly claimed is used to produce beer, have been removed entirely.

In addition to this, Downing Street has also said that the US has agreed to give the UK preferential treatment in any further tariffs imposed as part of Section 232 investigations - a process where the US government determines if certain imports threaten US national security.
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Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak all promised - but failed to deliver - a post-Brexit trade deal with the US.

And, less than a year after entering Downing Street, Sir Keir Starmer has got the job done. Or has he?

The prime minister secured what Donald Trump praised as a "great deal for both countries" as he congratulated Sir Keir on the agreement the US and UK had been working for years... and it never quite got there.

Donald Trump teased the announcement of a trade deal, believed to be with the UK, on social media overnight ( PA )

The deal is a coup for Sir Keir and his diplomatic touch with Mr Trump, but major caveats apply.

Sir Keir has not secured the comprehensive free trade deal with the US long-promised by Brexiteers, but simply a carve-out for the UK from Mr Trumps Liberation Day tariffs. Negotiations will continue about a wider trade pact, with key obstacles around agriculture remaining.

Speaking before the deal was announced, Jonathan Portes, professor of economics and public policy at King's College London, told The Independent the trade deal would be damage limitation rather than an economic boost.

That is, it is likely to limit the Trump tariffs, but our exporters will probably still be facing higher tariffs overall than they were last year, he said.

Prof Portes added: This will clearly be a relief to companies and the government deserves credit, but Trumps policies overall remain a huge downside to the global economy and hence to the UK.

As the PM celebrates becoming the first world leader to free his country from Trumps Liberation Day tariffs, The Independent looks at what his predecessors promised in a trade deal with the US.

Theresa May

Theresa May was the first prime minister to chase a post-Brexit trade deal with Mr Trump, with the US president in his first term promising a very big and exciting agreement.

The former PM, who succeeded David Cameron after the EU referendum, said Brexit was an unprecedented opportunity to create jobs in the UK and US.

But as she hosted Mr Trump for his first state visit to Britain, her trade plans began to come unstuck.

The US president at the time warned Baroness Mays Brexit plans would probably end a major trade relationship with the United States. He said he told Theresa May how to do it but she didn't agree, she didn't listen to me. She wanted to go a different route, Mr Trump added.

Ms May was deposed as PM before she could attempt to get a deal over the line.

Boris Johnson

The possibility of a trade deal with the US under Boris Johnson always looked faint. Mr Trump upheld his opposition to the UKs EU exit deal, telling Nigel Farage in a 2019 radio interview that under certain aspects of the deal we cant make a trade deal with the UK.

That was just months before Joe Biden ousted Mr Trump, kicking a trade deal with Britain into the long grass.

Mr Johnson accepted that a trade deal with Britain was not a priority for Mr Biden, adding that the former president had a lot of fish to fry.

The Tory was then forced out of office over various scandals, including the Partygate Covid lockdown breaches, leaving Liz Truss in charge of securing an agreement.

Liz Truss

Liz Trusss tenure as prime minister was so short that she did not even discuss a US trade deal with Mr Biden before being replaced.

Ahead of a September 2022 New York meeting with the US president, she said negotiations over a deal had stalled and accepted it would be years before they were back on track.

Just 49 days later, Ms Truss resigned as Conservative leader and prime minister after her disastrous mini-Budget crashed the economy.

Rishi Sunak

When Rishi Sunak took over as PM, he was left with the reality that a comprehensive free trade deal with the US was an unlikely prospect. I think that for a while now, that has not been a priority, for either the US or UK, he said in 2023.

He shifted Britains approach towards a more narrow agreement, opening the door to a smaller agreement to boost specific sectors.

With Mr Biden focused on the US presidential election, any move towards something more significant looked unlikely.

Sir Keir Starmer

Sir Keir pressed on with the approach adopted by Mr Sunak, pursuing an agreement based on specific sectors instead of a comprehensive trade agreement.

His government has been chasing a deal targeting the growth of future industries, such as biotech, new pharmaceuticals and artificial intelligence.

But negotiations were thrown into turmoil by Mr Trumps Liberation Day tariffs, heightening the urgency with which Britain needed to strike an agreement.

Thursdays deal is much more likely to cover some of the ground talks were originally focused on, while also addressing the US presidents 25 per cent import levies on British cars, steel and aluminium.

In return, the president hopes to have won concessions on access for US tech giants and farmers to the UK market.
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After weeks of negotiations, the UK and US have announced a major trade agreement, marking a significant diplomatic and economic achievement for Sir Keir Starmers government.

The deal follows closely on the heels of a new trade pact with India and comes amid tense economic relations caused by Donald Trumps recent tariffs on UK exports such as steel, aluminium and cars.

Britain has become the first country to reach such an agreement with the States since Mr Trumps Liberation Day tariffs threw the global economy into crisis last month.

Starmers supporters argue that this is precisely the kind of pragmatic diplomacy Britain needs post-Brexit  and a vindication of Labours competence on the world stage.

Reacting to the announcement, The Independents chief political commentator John Rentoul said: He has shown skill and judgement in dealing with Donald Trump, resisting the temptation to denounce the US president for turning on Americas allies, and negotiating patiently to secure a deal that will protect Britain from the worst of Trumps war on prosperity.

Independent reader Rasputin007 commented: So within a few days, the UK under Starmer achieved what the Tories couldn't, two trade deals with the US and India.

And AJames added: By getting deals done early, Starmer is hoping for a jump start ahead of other nations.

Not everyone is convinced, however. ListenVeryCarefully commented: "The only reason these deals are being rushed through is because Starmer is in deep, deep trouble domestically and desperately needs some 'good news' to save his premiership.

With opinions divided, the big question is: Has Starmer handled the US trade deal skilfully, or has he compromised too much for too little?

We want to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments  well feature the most compelling responses and discuss the results in the coming days.

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The UK and US are expected to agree a deal to reduce tariffs on Thursday after Donald Trump promised a major trade deal with a highly respected country.

A month after the US presidents so-called liberation day tariffs came into effect, British negotiators are in Washington and are believed to have finalised a carve-out for the UK.

In a coup for Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Trump is expected to unveil the agreement at an Oval Office press conference on Thursday. The US president promised a "very big and exciting day" for relations between Britain and the US.

open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer has adopted a diplomatic tone in dealings with Donald Trump ( PA )

Mr Trump added that the agreement signed is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.

Writing on Truth Social, he said: Becuase of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honour to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement.

Speaking on Thursday, Sir Keir said: As you know talks with the us have been ongoing and you will hear more from me about that later

But make no mistake, I will always act in our national interest for workers, businesses and families to deliver security and renewal for our country.

Because the world has changed, decisively.

Mr Trump took to his Truth Social platform to announce he would hold a news conference at 10am local time (3pm BST) about a major trade deal with representatives of a big, and highly respected, country.

The government has been pursuing a deal with the US to reduce the impact of sweeping tariffs imposed by Mr Trump last month, which placed a 10 per cent levy on all UK exports and a 25 per cent charge on steel, aluminium and cars.

Reports have previously suggested a deal could see the UK reduce some tariffs on US products, as well as change the digital services tax that currently affects mainly US tech companies.

But the government has ruled out lowering food standards to allow more US agricultural products into the country, or watering down the Online Safety Act, which some in the US regard as placing restrictions on freedom of speech.

It would mark the first deal agreed upon since Mr Trumps sweeping tariffs last month wreaked havoc on global markets and put the UKs public finances in jeopardy.

The deal would be a vindication of Sir Keirs approach to the US president, having been reluctant to criticise Mr Trump and senior members of his administration.

As Labour reels from a bruising set of local election results, it is also a fresh boost for the prime minister, coming hot on the heels of a major agreement struck with India on Tuesday.

The US and UK have been holding talks over a potential trade deal, with chancellor Rachel Reeves saying the government has been working flat out to secure an agreement that would mitigate the impact of the tariffs.

open image in gallery Donald Trump is expected to announce the new trade deal on Thursday ( PA )

Jonathan Portes, professor of economics and public policy at King's College London, told The Independent the trade deal would be damage limitation rather than an economic boost.

That is, it is likely to limit the Trump tariffs, but our exporters will probably still be facing higher tariffs overall than they were last year, he said.

Professor Portes added: This will clearly be a relief to companies and the government deserves credit, but Trumps policies overall remain a huge downside to the global economy and hence to the UK.

The defence secretary declined to comment on reports that a US-UK trade deal would be announced on Thursday.

John Healey told Times Radio: "It's certainly true that the US is an indispensable ally for the UK, both on economic and national security grounds.

"It's also true that since the prime minister visited the White House in February we have been in detailed talks about an economic deal.

"But I have to say, throughout that period, ministers like me have been keen to give the negotiations the space to get the best possible deal for the UK.

"So, we just haven't been giving a running commentary on developments or timelines, so I'm not going to start now."

The Liberal Democrats called for parliament to be given a vote on any US trade agreement, with a warning it could undermine our farmers or give tax cuts to US tech billionaires.

Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Daisy Cooper said: A good trade deal with the US could bring huge benefits, but Liberal Democrats are deeply concerned that it may include measures that threaten our NHS, undermine our farmers or give tax cuts to US tech billionaires.

If the government is confident the agreement it has negotiated with Trump is in Britains national interest, it should not be afraid to bring it before MPs.

The UK announced it had come to terms on a trade deal with India on Tuesday, which will mean dramatic tariff reductions on scotch whisky and car exports to the country.

open image in gallery Rachel Reeves has said the government is working flat out on a deal ( PA )

Levies on aerospace, electricals and other food products will also fall under the agreement, while UK consumers are expected to benefit from tariffs being reduced on some Indian goods such as clothing imported to the country.

Announcing the deal, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said: We are now in a new era for trade and the economy. That means going further and faster to strengthen the UKs economy, putting more money in working peoples pockets.

He added: Today we have agreed a landmark deal with India  one of the fastest growing economies in the world, which will grow the economy and deliver for British people and business.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi described it as a historic milestone and an ambitious and mutually beneficial trade agreement that will catalyse trade, investment, growth, job creation, and innovation in both our economies.
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The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report into last months New Jersey helicopter crash that killed six people, confirming the aircraft was not equipped with any video or data recording devices.

The lack of data could make the investigation challenging for officials, who typically rely on such information to determine what led up to a fatal crash.

According to the agency, the helicopter began to rapidly descend into the Hudson River on April 10 when its main body experienced a structural failure in the tail section, leading to loss of control.

The fuselage, containing the engine and main rotor blade assembly, fully separated from the tail boom. Then, the main motor blades with attached transmission and roof structure detached from the fuselage, causing the structure to fall apart into three major sections: the fuselage, main rotor system and tail boom.

open image in gallery The flight path of the Helicopter involved in the tragic April 10 New Jersey crash that resulted in the deaths of six people ( National Transportation Safety Board )

The helicopters last inspection was February 27.

A Spanish family who died in the crash had rented the helicopter for a sightseeing tour of New York City. They were later identified as Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, both Siemens executives, and their children, aged four, five and 11. The pilot was identified as Seankese Sean Johnson, 36.

open image in gallery A New York Police Department scuba team looks for debris in the Hudson River ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Photos taken of Johnson before the crash show he was wearing computer-augmented sunglasses that had video and audio recording capability. However, the sunglasses were not recovered from the scene.

The helicopter departed Downtown Manhattan around 2.58 p.m. then flew in a teardrop pattern south of the Statue of Liberty then proceeded north along the east side of the Hudson River adjacent to Manhattan, past the George Washington Bridge, where it performed a u-turn, then headed south along the New Jersey side of the river.

As the helicopter approached the Holland Tunnel ventilation towers near Jersey City, it was observed at an altitude between 625 and 650 feet. It then ascended to 675 feet before it started a rapid descent. The data ended at 3.14 p.m. and the helicopters last observed altitude was 125 feet.

open image in gallery Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children were identified as among the victims of the crash ( Facebook )

Nearby witnesses described hearing loud bangs emanating from the helicopter before it broke apart and crashed. Investigators recovered pieces of the aircraft from the river and a rooftop near the Hoboken transit building.

Johnson held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. He held a current Federal Aviation Administration first-class medical certificate and had logged 790 hours of flight experience.

Hed worked a 10 days on/10 days off schedule and the accident flight was his first day back after having 10 days off. The fatal flight was his eighth on the day of the crash.

Officials continue to examine evidence to determine what caused the tragedy. A complete report is usually completed a year after an accident.
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A 36-year-old traveler is suing United Airlines after a piece of the planes ceiling allegedly detached, smacking into the womans head, knocking her out cold, and leaving her with a concussion.

Antranique Wash is seeking up to $1 million in damages over the incident, which her lawyer says continues to affect her client long after the fact.

Attorney Anna McMullen told The Independent that Wash lost consciousness after getting hit with the panel during a flight and that she still struggles with vision impairment and pain, even a year-and-a-half later.

Ms. Wash, like all ticketed passengers, expected her plane to be safe from boarding until she deplaned, McMullen said in an email on Wednesday. United did not ensure that its plane was safe, not only for Ms. Wash, but for all of its passengers. Passengers should not have to fear for their safety on commercial aircraft, and United needs to be accountable.

Wash lives in the Houston area and works as a commercial driver, McMullen said.

A United Airlines spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

open image in gallery Attorney Anna McMullen told The Independent that Wash lost consciousness after getting hit with a ceiling panel ( Getty Images )

The incident over which Wash is suing occurred on November 15, 2023, at the end of a flight from Chicago to Houston, according to a civil complaint filed April 25 in Harris County, Texas.

When the plane landed at Houstons George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Harris County, Texas, a panel fell from the ceiling and struck [Wash] in the head, the complaint states. As a result of the incident, [Wash] sustained severe personal injuries including but not limited to concussion.

United failed to protect and guard [Wash] from the unreasonably dangerous condition existing on its plane, namely a loose and/or dislodged ceiling tile, or to warn her of its existence, the complaint argues. It says Wash was exercising ordinary care when she was suddenly and unexpectedly injured.

As a result of the aforesaid dangerous condition, [Wash] sustained severe and permanent injuries, according to the complaint.

Washs lawsuit accuses United Airlines of various forms of negligence, such as not implementing adequate maintenance procedures.

The carrier owed a duty to ensure the safety of its invitees through the duration of their time within the airplane, her complaint contends.

Wash is seeking a minimum of $250,000 and a maximum of $1 million in consequential and punitive damages, claiming she has suffered physical pain and impairment, mental anguish, loss of earning capacity and enjoyment of life and has been required to lay out significant sums for medical expenses.

United now has until May 20 to formally respond to Washs allegations.

open image in gallery United, which has not yet responded to Antranique Wash's suit, has another two weeks to answer her claims in court ( AFP via Getty Images )

Last month, passengers aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Chicago made headlines after they were forced to hold up parts of the cabins ceiling when a panel came loose mid-flight. Flight attendants eventually re-secured the panel using duct tape, so customers did not have to manually hold it, a Delta spokesperson said at the time.

The aircraft turned back to Atlanta, where passengers deplaned and boarded a different flight a couple of hours later. They were each awarded 10,000 miles, worth about $100, for their troubles. There were no injuries reported, according to Delta officials.

Last year, a JetBlue passenger sued over a life-altering concussion she said she received during a hard landing at an airport in South Carolina, rendering her unable to work in the aftermath.

In 2020, an American Airlines flight attendant received a concussion during turbulence, going airborne and smashing her head against a door at the rear of the airplane. She was left with neck and shoulder pain, blurred vision in one eye, and ringing in one of her ears.

Three years earlier, a Kentucky pulmonologist sued United for a concussion he said airport police gave him after he refused to give up his seat on an overbooked flight. On top of the head injury, Dr. David Dao woke up in the hospital with a broken nose and two broken teeth, his lawyer said. United ultimately gave Dao, who later wrote a book about the harrowing experience, a multimillion-dollar settlement for his injuries.
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Investors are suing UnitedHealth Group, alleging the company misled them by failing to disclose information on how the company was being affected by the backlash over its response to the December killing of CEO Brian Thompson.

Investor Roberto Faller filed a proposed class action lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, alleging that UnitedHealth inflated its stock price by projecting earnings per share of $29.50 to $30 in December. The suit claims the company reaffirmed this forecast in January, despite internal struggles and growing public backlash over its high rate of claim denials and Thompsons death.

Faller argues that UnitedHealth failed to disclose necessary strategic adjustments, leading to a significant stock price drop of about $130 on April 17, 2025  the company's worst single-day performance in over 25 years.

The lawsuit seeks class action certification and unspecified damages for investors who purchased shares between December 3, 2024, and April 16, 2025.

UnitedHealth Group Chief Executive Andrew Witty and Chief Financial Officer John Rex are also named as co-defendants in the complaint.

open image in gallery UnitedHealth Group is facing a lawsuit from investors who allege the company misled them by failing to disclose backlash over its response to the shooting death of UHC CEO Brian Thompson. ( Getty )

The Independent has contacted UnitedHealth Group for comment.

Suspected gunman Luigi Mangione, who turned 27 on May 6, has pleaded not guilty to federal murder charges, which could carry the death penalty, for allegedly killing Thompson, 50, outside of a Manhattan hotel on December 4.

The now-infamous Ivy League graduate also faces separate state charges in New York and Pennsylvania. Mangione was found in a Pennsylvania McDonalds six days after Thompsons death. He has yet to make a plea in the state.

open image in gallery Luigi Mangione, who recently turned 27, faces a slew of federal and state charges for allegedly killing Brian Thompson. ( Getty )

Mangione's lawyers are seeking to dismiss his state murder charges, arguing that the New York case and parallel federal death penalty prosecution amount to double jeopardy.

A GiveSendGo fundraiser created to help Mangione with his legal fees topped $1 million on Tuesday, just in time for this birthday. The fundraiser now has a goal of $1.5 million.

Mangione is due back in state court on June 26 while his next federal court date is set for December 5.
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The Trump administration is considering releasing the audio of former president Joe Bidens interview with special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Bidens handling of classified documents and released a report questioning the former presidents mental acuity.

No plans have been finalized, as President Donald Trump and his advisers have not made a concrete decision, two Republicans briefed by Trump officials told Politico.

But Bidens team is reportedly preparing for the audio to be released.

The audio would likely negatively contribute to Bidens image, given Hurs final report, released last year, depicted the former president as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.

open image in gallery Former president Joe Bidens cognition became a huge point of contention last year when special counsel Robert Hur described him as having a poor memory in his final report ( Getty )

Hur, who was tapped to investigate Bidens alleged mishandling of classified documents, said Biden appeared to have significant limitations and could not remember key moments of his life, such as when he was vice president or when his son Beau Biden died. Hur said Biden also had a hazy memory when recalling the events of Afghanistan.

Biden defended himself, saying the interview was exhaustive and asked him to recall events going back more than 40 years. The former president highlighted his cooperation with investigators, saying he provided the special counsel with at least 10 hours of interviews over two days.

But Republicans clung to Hurs findings about Bidens memory and demanded former attorney general Merrick Garland release the audio tapes  a request that the White House rejected.

At the time, politicians were preparing for the 2024 presidential election, and Bidens physical and mental fitness were a major point of contention between Republicans and Democrats.

For refusing to turn over the audio files, Republicans accused Democrats of staging a cover-up to make Biden appear more fit than he was.

open image in gallery Special counsel Robert Hur declined to bring criminal charges against Biden for his mishandling of classified documents, which were found his garage and personal office ( Getty Images )

"We all know why they don't want to turn over the audio because it will ... show exactly what we all saw on the debate stage a couple weeks ago," Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said in July  a reference to Bidens poor debate performance against Trump.

The White House contended it did not release the tapes to prevent future witnesses from cooperating in high-profile cases out of fear of later retribution.

The Independent has reached out to the White House and a representative for Biden for comment.

The Trump administration will need to decide relatively soon because a judge overseeing a lawsuit brought by the House Judiciary Committee to compel the Justice Department to release the tapes has ordered the parties to file a joint motion by the end of May to resolve the matter without further litigation.

However, if the Trump administration does choose to release the tapes, it would be bypassing Bidens claim that executive privilege shields the audio from being released. That could set a precedent for other judges to point to if there were to be a similar matter involving Trump, who often points to executive privilege to justify his own actions.
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Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency is poised to roll out special software to speed up sweeping federal layoffs, as the billionaire prepares to step back from the agency.

The software, known as AutoRIF, is an updated version of a decades-old Pentagon program  though it has been used very little in recent years. The name AutoRIF comes from "Reduction in Force," a term used to describe mass layoffs, according to the U.S. Office Of Personnel Management.

Multiple sources confirmed to Reuters that under direction from Musk and DOGE officials, software developers from the OPM have now created a more user-friendly web-based version over the past few months.

The new version provides targets for layoffs much more quickly than the current manual process, which is labor-intensive, the sources said.

open image in gallery Musk is expected to step back from his role fronting DOGE ( AFP via Getty Images )

OPM will lead demonstrations and user testing will begin in the coming weeks, one of the sources told Reuters. Wired previously reported on the revamp of the software.

The update has not been publicly confirmed by DOGE.

Currently, most federal RIFs are done manually, with human resource employees having to work on spreadsheets containing data on employee seniority, veteran status and performance, sources told Reuters.

DOGE is reportedly planning to roll out AutoRIF in line with huge cuts at federal agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is set to eliminate some 80,000 jobs. The Internal Revenue Service has said it wants to slash its payrolls by 40 percent, according to media reports.

The tool will allow agencies "to remove a massive number of federal employees from their positions," if it works, Nick Bednar, an associate professor of law at the University of Minnesota told Reuters.

open image in gallery Musks involvement in government and aid cuts has proven controversial ( AFP via Getty Images )

"What DOGE has started is going to continue without Elon Musk," he said.

News of the layoff streamlining software comes after around 260,000 government workers already have accepted buyouts, early retirement or been laid off since Trump returned to the White House in January.

The process has been controversial after some workers from key agencies were mistakenly fired and had to be rehired.

At the same time, despite being very close to Trump and a key figure in the administration, Musk announced last month he would be stepping back from the agency to focus more on Tesla and his other companies.

Reuters contributed to this report
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A member of Georgia's advisory committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has resigned after his charges associated with a deadly hit-and-run came to light.

DeAndre Pickett, who was first appointed in 2020, was charged with vehicular homicide and hit and run in August 2024, court records show. He posted a $50,000 bond two days after his arrest and then appeared to have resumed his official duties.

Joseph Banks III died in the crash, Fox5 reported. Now, the victims family is speaking out.

"He hit a human being and did not stop," Latoya Banks, the victims sister, told the outlet. "Joseph was crossing the street and a vehicle struck and hit him, and he died on impact.

Pickett was appointed to another term as recently as March, records show.

But then, Banks got involved. She got in touch with the government agency in April.

open image in gallery DeAndre Pickett, a member of the Georgia advisory committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, resigned after homicide charges came to light ( Fulton County Sheriff's Office )

"I was like, you know what? Let me just Google him," she told Fox5. "That's when everything popped up, his credentials. He was just appointed to his second term for the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights. I was shocked.

The commission is made up of eight commissioners, four of whom are appointed by the president and four by Congress. Each state has an advisory committee, which is approved by the eight commissioners. Each advisory committee member has a four-year term.

After his reappointment, Pickett wrote in a post on LinkedIn: This appointment is incredibly meaningful to me. As someone who understands the challenges faced by communities that are often overlooked and underestimated, I am eager to contribute to shaping policies that reflect our true realities, uphold our rights, and honor the dignity of every Georgian.

Banks objected to his role on a commission advocating for civil rights.

"You're fighting for civil rights or you're empowering the youth. You're a mentor, you know, all of these great things, to the public or on paper or whatever. But he killed a human being," she said.

A spokesperson for the commission confirmed to the outlet that he resigned after being asked about the allegations.

The Independent has reached out to the commission and an attorney for Pickett.

His attorney told the outlet that the case was still active, so Pickett couldnt comment, but said in a statement: We extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Mr. Joseph Banks.

"This is an unimaginable tragedy, and Dr. Pickett is overwhelmed with profound remorse and sorrow. Dr. Pickett has been a steadfast presence in the community throughout his life - committed to public service, civic engagement, and the well-being of those he has served, he continued. His record of service has been both meaningful and consistent, and this incident stands in stark contrast to the values he has long upheld."
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Sitting down for a highly anticipated live interview on The View, Joe Biden assailed his successor in the White House, claiming that Donald Trump was doing a very poor job in the interest of the United States throughout the first 100 days of his presidency.

Additionally, the former president took a swipe at the current commander-in-chiefs fixation on him, noting that Trump only continues to bring him up because of Bidens 2020 election victory.

I beat him, Biden bluntly noted.

So its been 100 days, and you have waited to speak out until now. Why is now the right time for you to speak out? View co-host Ana Navarro asked the former president, wondering what his honest assessment of Trumps first three months in office was.

I think he has done, quite frankly, a very poor job in the interest of the United States of America, the ex-president declared. I think, you know, the greatest alliance in the history of the world is NATO, not a joke. And hes blown it up. I was able to expand it.

open image in gallery Former President Joe Biden appeared for his first live TV interview since Donald Trump's inauguration, claiming that the president is fixated on him because "I beat him." ( ABC News )

Biden added that he was worried about the long-term impact of Trumps foreign policy on the world, including the presidents seemingly close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

I have known Putin for over 45 years. Hes a dictator, Biden grumbled before also taking aim at Trumps handling of healthcare and Social Security.

Liberal co-host Joy Behar, meanwhile, brought up Trumps obsession with Biden and his White House tenure, noting that the president has mentioned you and your family and your administration at least 580 times since entering the White House.

 Why is he so fixated on you and blaming you for everything? Behar wondered.

I beat him, Biden snarked as the audience roared with laughter. Im used to dealing with bullies.

Saying she promised she would ask this question, Behar also brought up how Trump is obsessed with Bidens use of an autopen to sign preemptive pardons for members of his family and prominent Democrats right before leaving office.

Now hes calling for investigations and claiming the pardons are void and vacant, she declared, prompting Biden to react: Oh, hes vacant!

And on that note, we are going to break, because that was the dropping of the mic! Whoopi Goldberg reacted.

After former first lady Jill Biden sat down at the table midway through the broadcast, the hosts brought up the sweeping allegations that the former president was suffering through a dramatic decline in his cognitive fitness in the final year of his term, asking the couple about the numerous books detailing these claims.

They are wrong. Theres nothing to sustain that, the former president replied. Mrs. Biden, meanwhile, also dismissed these books because the authors were not in the White House with us and didnt see how hard Joe worked every single day while in office.

I think he was a great president and if you look at things today, give me Joe Biden any time, she added to applause.

At the same time, resident conservative host Alyssa Farah Griffin pointed out that former President Barack Obama, among others, had expressed concerns about Bidens ability to do the job for another four years.

Can I ask what your relationship is with President Obama and how you address those concerns that they raised? Griffin asked.

Look, I think that the only reason I got out. The race was because I didnt want to have a divided Democratic Party. It was a simple proposition, and so thats why I got out, Biden responded. The race. I thought it was better to put the country ahead of my interests, my personal interests. Im not being facetious. Im being deadly earnest about that.

open image in gallery Joe Biden made his 11th appearance on The View, which has become a safe haven for him in recent years. ( ABC News )

After Biden defended his final few months in office, saying he did a pretty d*mn good job, the other hosts appeared to brush aside questions about his age and mental fitness. Whoopi Goldberg, for instance, attributed the disastrous Trump debate to merely a bad night for the former president.

The former first lady also objected to claims that she created a sort of cocoon around her husband and limited his interactions with the media to hide his condition, saying he wasnt hiding somewhere and she didnt have him sequestered away. She also hit back at those who compared her to Lady Macbeth.

It was very hurtful, especially from some of our so-called friends, she said.

The Bidens appearance on The View, which has long been a safe haven for the former president as this marked his 11th time on the show, appears to be part of a concerted media effort to respond to recent books about his cognitive decline and fitness while in office.

In their book Fight, which was released last month, veteran political reporters Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes paint a picture of the battle within the White House as Bidens age and gaffes became an increasing issue, prompting prominent Democrats to urge him to step aside and allow Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place.

Meanwhile, CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios correspondent Alex Thompson have collaborated on the upcoming book Original Sin, which will be released later this month and is about Biden's decline, its cover-up, and his disastrous choice to run again. During a CNN appearance on Wednesday night, Navarro  who is also a CNN commentator  said she felt that the former president was trying to preempt the news cycle.

There's books that are coming out that are basically arguing that he was practically brain dead and that there was a massive cover-up by his administration, she declared on CNN NewsNight. And I think he wants to get ahead of it and respond and put out his version.

Earlier this week, Politico reported that Biden had hired his former deputy press secretary Chris Meagher to help publicly defend his reputation as he looks to become more engaged publicly following Trumps first 100 days. The View sitdown, which is his first live television interview since Trumps inauguration, looks to be the first big test of this new strategy.

The timing of Bidens appearance on The View is notable because it comes after the 100-day mark, a period in which former presidents have typically avoided criticizing their predecessors, Politico noted. Now Biden can take on Trump more directly, the people said. It is also a venue he has often retreated to at fraught moments dating back to 2007, including his first interview after launching his 2020 presidential run and last September as the first sitting president to do so, during which he called Trump a loser.

The interview also comes after he sat down with the BBC for an interview that was released on Wednesday, in which he tore into his successor on multiple levels.

Specifically, he called Trumps suggestion that Ukraine give up territory to Russia in order to bring an end to the war modern-day appeasement, adding that he was gravely concerned about NATO potentially breaking up.

What the hells going on here? What president ever talks like that? Biden also said about Trumps proposals to annex Greenland and make Canada the 51st state. Thats not who we are. Were about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation.
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Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman reportedly reduced a staffer to tears amid outbursts of why does everyone hate me? during a meeting with a teachers union.

Fetterman soon began repeating himself as he shouted, questioning why everybody is mad at me and why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do, as he slammed his hands on his desk, one person briefed on the event said.

A staffer eventually ended the meeting and moved the visitors into the hallway, where she began crying. She was comforted by the teachers, who were also unnerved by Fettermans actions, a second individual told about the meeting said.

The meeting took place at Fettermans office in Washington and was described by two anonymous sources to The Associated Press. The events took place the day before the release of a New York Magazine article in which former staff and advisers shared apprehensions about Fettermans mental health.

The Associated Press also reported on a 2024 letter sent by Fettermans previous Chief of Staff, Adam Jentleson, who told a neuropsychiatrist who had overseen the senators depression treatment that the senator showcased concerning behavior, suggesting that he was not taking his medications.

Jentleson said Fetterman tended towards long, rambling, repetitive and self-centered monologues.

Fetterman said in a statement to The Independent that he had a spirited conversation with the teachers union about our collective frustration with the Trump administrations cuts to our education system.

He added that he "will always support our teachers, and I will always reject anyones attempt to turn Pennsylvanias public schools into a voucher program.

Earlier this week, Fetterman was asked to respond to the story in New York Magazine, saying that it was a one-source hit piece and some anonymous sources, so theres nothing new.

John Fetterman talks to reporters outside the chamber during a vote at the Capitol in Washington, March 13, 2025. He has rejected allegations of reckless behavior amid reports about his mental health ( AP )

A reporter asked him what he would say to those concerned about him.

Theyre not. Theyre actually not concerned. Its a hit piece. Theres no news, said the senator.

The meeting with the teachers union is yet another addition to the questions surrounding Fettermans behavior and mental health following the stroke he suffered during his 2022 Senate campaign. About a month after he was sworn in, he spent six weeks at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center being treated for depression.

The senator is also facing criticism from Pennsylvania Democrats who are outraged at his willingness to work with President Donald Trump.

Fetterman has been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, which leads to the weakening and enlargement of the heart muscle, as well as auditory processing problems following the stroke. He has been outspoken about his struggle with his mental health, and he has urged others to get the help they need.

He said on the Joe Rogan podcast in November that he had fought off thoughts of self-harm.

I was at the point where I was really, you know, in a very dark place. And I stayed in that game and I am staying in front of you right now and having this conversation, said Fetterman.

But some of those who have worked alongside the senator remain concerned that his recovery isnt finished.

Jentleson wrote in his letter last year that Fetterman wasnt seeing his doctors, that he had pushed away people who had helped him stick to his recovery plan, and that he may not be taking his medications.

He added that Fetterman had been driving recklessly and was showing signs of paranoia.

Overall, over the last nine months or so, John has dismantled the early-warning system we all agreed upon when he was released, said Jentleson. He has picked fights with each person involved in that system and used those fights as excuses to push them out and cut them off from any knowledge about his health situation.

Jentleson told New York Magazine that he was taking his concerns public out of fear for Fettermans health and for his staff. On Tuesday, Fetterman told CNN that Jentleson has a weird grudge.

If youre really concerned about someone, you could say, Hey, lets sit down. Can we talk? Its not  like going to the media, he told the network.

I stand by what I said, and I hope he gets the help he needs, Jentleson told CNN.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
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Actor Jon Voight, one of Trumps three special ambassadors to Hollywood, says the presidents recently announced threat to place 100 percent tariffs on foreign-made films was greeted with enthusiasm by the industry, despite numerous press accounts from insiders that the plan could cripple film production.

Weve gotten a lot of good response from people, Voight told Variety on Wednesday. Were really rolling up our sleeves and working. I think we have a good plan, and were just beginning. This little team of mine has worked very hard to try to figure out things. The union people and producers give their expertise and understanding to this problem, and were working together. A lot of people had a lot of input and were listening to everybody.

Voight has submitted a comprehensive plan to Trump, including federal tax incentives, significant changes to several tax codes, the establishment of co-production treaties with foreign countries, and infrastructure subsidies for theater owners, film and television production companies, and post-production companies, according to his manager, Steven Paul.

The actor argues that such steps are needed to keep Hollywood and the larger U.S. as a prosperous film production hub, as other locales like the UK, Canada, and Hungary offer generous film incentives.

Its come to a point where we really do need help, and thank God the president cares about Hollywood and movies, Voight added in the Variety interview. He has a great love for Hollywood in that way. Weve got to roll up our sleeves here. We cant let it go down the drain like Detroit.

Industry unions were split on Trumps tariff idea after it was proposed in a Sunday night Truth Social post.

Trump has said he plans to meet with film industry figures to discuss tariff idea ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The United States needs a balanced federal response to return film and television jobs, Matthew D. Loeb, the president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which represents much of Hollywoods behind-the-scenes talent, said in a statement. IATSE recommended that the Trump administration implement a federal film production tax incentive and other domestic tax provisions to level the playing field for American workers.

The Teamsters union celebrated the tariff idea , calling it a strong step toward reining in the studios un-American addiction to outsourcing our members work.

The White House has walked back the tariff plan, describing it as a non-final proposal, while Trump has said hell meet with industry figures.

Im not looking to hurt the industry; I want to help the industry, Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday. Were going to meet with the industry. I want to make sure theyre happy with it, because were all about jobs.

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced this week that he wants to collaborate with Trump on a $7.5 billion federal tax incentive for the film industry.
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Several cast members of the popular musical Les Miserables are planning a boycott of the show when President Donald Trump is due to be in the audience at the Kennedy Performing Arts Center next month, according to a report.

Trump is scheduled to attend a big-dollar fundraiser and performance of the hit musical on June 11, but at least 10 to 12 prominent cast members are planning to boycott, according to CNN.

The cast was given the option to not perform the night Trump will be in the audience, and both major cast members and members of the ensemble are among those sitting out, the network reports.

The reported rebellion follows the presidents crackdown against woke culture at the center, including ousting the institutions leadership and placing MAGA loyalist Richard Grenell in charge.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump is due to attend a big-dollar fundraiser and performance of the hit musical on June 11, but at least 10 to 12 cast members are planning to boycott, according to CNN. ( Getty Images )

Trump, who inserted himself as the boards chair, will also hold a fundraiser to benefit the institution on the same night as the performance.

Grenell, the centers interim director, said that he was not aware of the alleged boycott in a statement to CNN, but added that the center will no longer fund intolerance.

Any performer who isnt professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, wont be welcomed, Grenell said.

In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldnt hire - and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience. The Kennedy Center wants to be a place where people of all political stripes sit next to each other.

After Trump entered office in January, the Kennedy Center canceled performances including the Gay Mens Chorus of Washington, D.C. and childrens musical Finn, which has LGBT+ themes. The center claimed the cancellations were due to financial and scheduling concerns, the Associated Press reported at the time.

At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN, Trump said when he overhauled the leadership.

open image in gallery Trump inserted himself as the boards chair earlier this year. The rebellion follows the presidents crackdown against woke culture at the center, including ousting the institutions leadership and placing MAGA loyalist Richard Grenell in charge. ( AFP via Getty Images )

The co-creators of the musical that celebrates an anti-monarchist French uprising in 1832 complained when Trump featured music from Les Mis during his 2016 presidential campaign, The Guardian reported at the time.

After he walked into a rally in Miami to the track Do You Hear the People Sing? the co-creators alleged that the campaign did not seek their permission.

Trump now presides over a board that is predominantly Republican, including Attorney General Pamela Bondi and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Traditionally, the bipartisan board was divided between Republican and Democratic appointees.
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A former fundraiser for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who switched her allegiance to President Donald Trump following his election win, fell apart spectacularly in an interview about her upcoming tell-all book.

Lindi Li accused podcaster Tara Palmeri of ambushing her, after she was asked a relatively simple question about the contents of the book in which she had unfettered access to parts of the White House.

The 34-year-old served as the Democratic National Committee Mid-Atlantic Regional Chair and stumped for vice president Harris during the 2024 presidential election. Following Trumps win, she now describes herself online as a DNC critic supporting the GOP.

Li is currently working on her new book titled Unburdened and reportedly claimed in it that Biden had given her free reign of the White House.

Challenged about this claim by Palmeri on a recent episode of her podcast, The Tara Palmeri Show, Li attempted to answer vaguely  before becoming visibly flustered and frustrated.

Former Biden campaign fundraiser Lindy Li, who has switched allegiance to Donald Trump, melted down in an interview about her upcoming book ( The Tara Palmeri Show )

You could go to places that were usually cordoned off, she said, to which Palmeri replied: Like where?

Li added: Like when you go there on a tour, its usually roped off. Or at Christmas parties, it is like, areas are, youre just not allowed there.

Like what parts? Palmeri pressed her.

Li responded: I wasnt in the residence. I dont know the specific part, the names of the parts. I dont know what youre trying to get at.

Palmeri noted several other details of the book that Li claimed were still in draft form and being written by a ghost writer, prompting the recent Trump-convert to become irritated  saying she had asked Palmeris producer not to share details of the text.

Its not even done. So youre sharing a form thats, like, really rough and I specifically he promised me that you wouldnt be sharing this rough draft its not ready to be published and youre sharing a draft thats not done, Li said.

Palmeri then questioned why Li would write something in her draft book if it was not a fact, to which Li began to become more flustered, reiterating she had not written specific parts of the book.

After more back and forth, Li  visibly annoyed  asked Palmeri: Are you just here to ambush me? Like what is going on now?

After the sweeping Democratic loss in the presidential election in November, Li was one of the first within the party to blame the result on over-progressiveness  including the selection of Harris running mate Tim Walz.
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Sources say First Lady Melania Trump has spent fewer than two weeks at the White House since her husbands inauguration in January.

While Melania is expected to make a rare return to Washington, D.C., on Thursday to unveil a postage stamp honoring former First Lady Barbara Bush and attend a ceremony for military mothers, she has been noticeably absent from the limelight during her husbands second term.

The first lady has made a handful of appearances in recent months beside her husband, including attending Pope Franciss funeral the day before her 55th birthday and the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn.

Two sources told The New York Times that since Donald Trump returned to office on January 20, the former model is estimated to have spent less than 14 days at the White House.

That estimate might be generous, the report added, citing other sources.

open image in gallery Melania Trump, pictured beside her husband, President Donald Trump, last month, has stayed fewer than 14 days at the White House, sources say ( Getty )

Paolo Zampolli, the former modeling agent who first spotted Melania in Milan in 1995 and introduced her to Trump at New Yorks Kit Kat Club in 1998, said that claims about the first ladys absence from the White House were misleading.

She loves the White House, said Zampolli, the incumbent U.S. special representative for global partnerships. And she loves the role of serving as our first lady.

Unlike her predecessors, Melania is not believed to live at the White House full-time.

Instead, she is reported to have slipped out of the spotlight and made Trump Tower in New York, where her son Barron goes to university, her primary residence.

Regulars at Mar-a-Lago, where the president spends many weekends, say they dont often see Melania around the resort, according to The Times.

open image in gallery Melania Trump is believed to split her time between New York and Florida, sources say ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Ahead of President Trumps return to the Oval Office in January, Melania outlined her future plans during an interview on Fox & Friends.

I will be in the White House, she began. And, you know, when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach.

Her priority, she said, was to be a mom, to be a first lady, to be a wife.

At the 2016 and 2020 GOP conventions, Melania gave prime-time speeches in support of her husbands nomination.

Her brief appearance at last years Republican National Convention marked one in a handful of times she has stood by her husbands side during the campaign trail.

She was absent during the presidents numerous court appearances  including Trumps five-week-long criminal hush money trial  until she re-emerged in several Fox News interviews while also posting a spate of cryptic social media posts to promote her self-titled memoir, Melania.
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More than 70 pro-Palestinian protestors were arrested after they filled the library at Columbia University on Wednesday.

The university requested the New York Police Department on campus after chanting protestors forced their way into the Butler Library, many wearing headscarves and masks.

Two university security officers were injured, according to a statement from the acting university president Claire Shipman. Secretary of state Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said the visa statuses of those involved would be reviewed.

The arrests marked the latest tumult over the Israel-Hamas war on the Ivy League campus, which has been home to prominent protests, large police operations, and immigration arrests of activists in recent months and years.

Activists said campus officers responding to the protest choked and beat them.

The protesters were repeatedly asked for identification and to leave, and were repeatedly told that failure to comply would result in violations of our rules and policies and possible arrest for trespassing, according to the university.

These actions are outrageous, Shipman wrote in the statement, adding, Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community.

At the direct request of Columbia University, the NYPD responded to an ongoing situation on campus where individuals have occupied a library and are trespassing, police officials told The Independent. Multiple individuals who did not comply with verbal warnings by the NYPD to disperse were taken into custody. Charges are pending.

NYPD returned to campus on Wednesday after high-profile mass arrests of protesters in 2024 ( Getty Images )

The flood shows that as long as Columbia funds and profits from imperialist violence, the people will continue to disrupt Columbia's profits and legitimacy, the activist group Columbia University Apartheid Divest wrote on Substack of the demonstration. Repression breeds resistance - if Columbia escalates repression, the people will continue to escalate disruptions on this campus.

Activists said the demonstration was inspired by Basel al-Araj, a Palestinian activist and writer who was killed in Ramallah in 2017. Israel accused al-Araj of plotting terror attacks on Israeli targets.

The demonstration comes at a sensitive time for Columbia, which is currently negotiating to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding the Trump administration pulled this spring while alleging the university had failed to stop campus antisemitism amid widespread campus protests over the war in Gaza.

In March, Columbia announced a series of reforms largely in line with the Trump administrations conditions to restore funding, including banning face masks during protests and expanding a campus police force.

Representative Stefanik, a vocal critic of Columbia, hammered the university on X after the arrests.

President @realDonaldTrump is right: not a single taxpayer dollar should go to a university that allows chaos, antisemitism, and civil rights violations on its campus. Columbia must act  enough is enough, she wrote.

Riot police previously arrested over 100 activists on campus in 2024 when demonstrators occupied a building, the first such mass arrests since the anti-Vietnam War protests.

In addition to threatening Columbias funding, the Trump administration has arrested multiple legal permanent student activists who were part of the campus Palestine movement, including Mohsen Mahdawi, who was released in April, and Mahmoud Khalil, who remains in detention.
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The Trump administration is pushing nations facing steep tariffs to adopt Elon Musks Starlink satellite system, according to The Washington Post.

Two weeks after President Donald Trump announced 50 percent tariffs on products from the small African country of Lesotho, its communications regulator met with people from Starlink, which SpaceX owns.

Starlink had been looking to get access to customers from the country; however, the company was only handed a 10-year internet service license in Lesotho after Trump revealed the tariffs and called for trade negotiations.

As the government of Lesotho negotiates a trade deal with the United States, it hopes that licensing Starlink demonstrates goodwill and intent to welcome U.S. businesses, an internal State Department memo said, according to The Post.

Musks company also signed distribution agreements with two Indian providers in March, and it has been at least partially accommodated in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Vietnam.

The paper obtained a number of internal government messages that outline how U.S. embassies and the State Department have urged countries to remove obstacles for American satellite companies, and they often mention Starlink by name.

People stand at Griffith Observatory in LA as they view a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a payload of 22 Starlink internet satellites into space, after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base, on March 18, 2024. Some countries have fast-tracked regulatory approvals for Starlink as they may enter trade negotiations with the U.S. ( Getty Images )

However, the documents do not show that the White House has been asking for favors for the satellite company in exchange for tariff relief. They suggest that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told officials that they should urge countries to enact regulatory approvals for the satellite company. This comes as the White House is arguing for trade talks.

The Biden administration also urged embassies to adopt Starlink and other satellite internet services, cables obtained by The Post reveal.

However, no deals have been struck since the Trump tariffs were announced.

Even so, Indian officials have fast-tracked Starlink approvals with the idea that it would help them get trade deals with the U.S.

Its not likely to be an explicit element of the trade negotiations with the U.S., but the Indian side sees this as an important lubricant that facilitates a deal, one person briefed by Indian leadership told The Post.

The State Department told the paper in a statement that Starlink is an American-made product that has been game-changing in helping remote areas around the world gain internet connectivity. Any patriotic American should want to see an American companys success on the global stage, especially over compromised Chinese competitors.

The only consideration in the Trump administrations trade negotiations with other countries is whats best for the American people  which includes American companies succeeding at home and abroad, White House spokesperson Kush Desai told The Post. President Trump will not tolerate any conflicts of interest, and every administration official is following ethical guidelines set by their respective agencies.

However, some experts who spoke to the paper said the actions make sense as the U.S. competes with China in the area of worldwide telecommunications, and Starlink is the top actor in satellite internet connectivity both in the U.S. and globally.

Foundation for American Innovation senior fellow Evan Swarztrauber told The Post, "When Elons name is attached to anything, theres all sorts of feelings. But if he werent the CEO of SpaceX, I dont think most people would have a problem with the U.S. government advocating for American companies to get international market access.

He added: We want American satellite companies to do well abroad, especially as our main competition is China. The U.S. has a lead in space, and we should double down on getting other countries to grant regulatory approvals for our companies. Otherwise, it will be Chinese companies that benefit from market access.
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Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts in remarks Wednesday emphasized the vital importance to the nation of an independent judiciary in what appeared to be a thinly veiled swipe at Donald Trump, though he didnt mention the presidents name.

The judiciarys role, Roberts emphasized in comments at a public event in Buffalo, New York, is to decide cases but, in the course of that, check the excesses of Congress or the executive.

He noted: "In our Constitution ... the judiciary is a coequal branch of government, separate from the others, with the authority to interpret the Constitution as law and strike down, obviously, acts of Congress or acts of the president.

He cautioned: "That innovation doesn't work if ... the judiciary is not independent," Roberts warned.

"Its job is to obviously decide cases, but in the course of that, check the excesses of Congress or the executive, and that does require a degree of independence."

His comments drew a long round of applause from the judges and lawyers at the event in Western New York to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the federal court there. Roberts was born in Buffalo but moved to Indiana when he was 10 years old.

Trump has repeatedly, insultingly attacked judges whose decisions he disagrees with often triggering chilling threats against them by his supporters and has called for their impeachment.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the relentless attacks against the judiciary appear aimed at undermining judicial independence  which she said is essential to democracy.

"A society in which judges are routinely made to fear for their own safety or livelihood ... is one that has substantially departed from the norms" of a democratic system, she warned. She did not mention Trumps name.

Asked Wednesday about calls by Trump and some of his allies to impeach judges who rule against his administration, Roberts emphasized that he had issued a statement on that issue earlier this year.

Impeachment is not how you register disagreement with decisions, he repeated to the crowd.

Roberts, a conservative appointed by President George W. Bush in 2005, authored the controversial opinion when the court ruled that Trump had some immunity from criminal prosecution for acts considered part of his official duties.

The court hears oral arguments next week on Trump's aim to end the constitutional right to birthright citizenship for anyone born in the United States.
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A former Tesla employee claims he was fired by the company for setting up a website attacking Elon Musk after he became increasingly disenchanted with the companys CEO over his role in the Trump administration.

Matthew LaBrot, 35, told Business Insider that he set up the Tesla Employees Against Elon site on Thursday, April 24, in order to reach out to other disaffected staff members.

The simple site provides points of contact and states plainly in an open letter that Tesla is at a pivotal moment, arguing that Musks political activities, notably heading up the administrations DOGE arm, are harming the company and jeopardizing its future.

The damage done to Elons personal brand is now irreversible and as the public face of Tesla, that damage has become our burden, it states.

We are now at a crossroads: continue with Elon as CEO and face further decline as customers abandon the brand, or move forward without him and allow our products and mission to succeed or fail on their own.

open image in gallery An activist demonstrates outside of a Tesla showroom in Washington, D.C., on March 29 2025 ( Alex Wong/Getty )

Our products are not the problem. Our engineering, service, and delivery teams are not the problem. The problem is demand. The problem is Elon, the message concludes.

LaBrot claims that, a day after setting the site live, he drove his Cybertruck  newly painted with the slogan Pro Clean Energy, Pro Sustainability, Pro EV, Pro Tesla, Anti Elon  to a Tesla Takedown rally in California.

Less than 24 hours later, he says he received a call from Teslas Human Resources department notifying him that his contract was being terminated for using company resources to build a website that did not align with its perspective, an accusation he denies.

The Independent has reached out to Tesla for comment.

The incident marked a sad end to LaBrots successful career with the electric vehicle manufacturer, which began in 2019.

I wasnt planning on working anywhere else, he said. I was very happy with my position, and I could have continued to work in that role my whole life.

A former Best Buy and Starbucks employee who had moved into real estate, LaBrot says that he first joined Tesla because he believed in its sustainability ethos and rose quickly through its ranks. He eventually secured a program management role for sales and delivery training in North America and even appeared in demonstration videos.

LaBrot said he first became concerned about the worlds richest mans leadership when he acquired Twitter in 2022 and turned it into X. Later, he regretted that he had decided to stick my head in the sand rather than speak out.

open image in gallery A protester holds a sign reading Sell That Tesla in front of a Tesla driver during a rally outside a dealership in San Francisco, California, on March 25 2025 ( AP )

His concerns grew as Musk became more vocal in support of Trump as last years presidential election progressed. The billionaire ultimately donated at least $277m to the presidents war chest.

LaBrot says the tipping point for him personally was the moment on the day of Trumps inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in January when Musk performed a controversial salute.

When your CEO makes one of those decisions, it pulls the company along with it, his former employee reflected.

For his part, Musk has attempted to reassure company shareholders and staff that his political operations would have no bearing on Teslas results, insisting: I think people really care about the quality of the product as opposed to whether they agree or disagree with the CEOs views.

The CEO of any given company is going to have political views. At the end of the day, what matters is if Tesla makes a great product, and people like buying great products.

open image in gallery Elon Musk makes a controversial gesture as he speaks during Donald Trumps inaugural parade in Washington, D.C., on January 20 2025 ( Getty )

LaBrot increasingly came to believe that Musks rationalizing of the situation did not correspond with what was actually happening on dealership forecourts.

By election time, we really started to realize that these customers wed expected to see werent coming, he said.

We didnt have to do a ton of overcoming objections because those customers just stopped coming.

When protests and acts of vandalism began to happen at dealerships in the U.S. and Europe in response to the DOGE-driven mass firing of federal workers, LaBrot felt the company was insufficiently forthcoming in internal communications and offered scant guidance on how sales staff should handle the hostility.

Theyre talking about struggling sales and how do we increase the close rate, without talking about this humongous elephant in the room, he said.

open image in gallery A person protesting Musks actions as part of the Trump administration outside of a Tesla showroom in Seattle, Washington, on February 13 2025 ( Manuel Valdes/AP )

Of his decision to break ranks and speak out by publishing Tesla Employees Against Elon last month, La Brot concluded: When it went live, I felt so relieved, like a weight had been lifted.

This statement Ive been trying to put into words, been expressing in company meetings  finally publishing it was a really good feeling.

Earlier this month, Musk and Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm reacted angrily to a Wall Street Journal report alleging that the carmaker was in the process of headhunting a new CEO to replace the billionaire in response to company profits declining by 71 percent in the first quarter.

Denholm called the story absolutely false and said: The CEO of Tesla is Elon Musk and the board is highly confident in his ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead.
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Donald Trump is appointing Fox News host and former New York prosecutor Jeanine Pirro to serve as interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., after the president announced earlier Thursday he would be pulling his support for the full nomination of Ed Martin, who currently holds the role.

Jeanine is incredibly well qualified for this position, and is considered one of the Top District Attorneys in the History of the State of New York, Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday evening. She is in a class by herself.

The president touted Pirros time as Westchester County District Attorney and work establishing the first domestic violence unit in a prosecutors office, calling her a powerful crusader for victims of crime.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.

Jeanine Pirro has been a wonderful addition to The Five over the last three years and a longtime beloved host across FOX News Media who contributed greatly to our success throughout her 14-year tenure, a FOX News Media spokesperson told The Independent in a statement. We wish her all the best in her new role in Washington.

Since Trump took office, Pirro has steadfastly defended the administration.

White House hasnt made final announcement on pick to replace Ed Martin, but reportedly considers Pirro highly qualified ( Getty )

She has voiced her support for the invocation of the wartime Alien Enemies Act to summarily deport alleged gang members.

In a March segment, she said she was not disturbed by migrants, including asylum seekers, being deported before they got full hearings in a court, adding, The only due process I believe in is the legal way to enter this country.

Current staffers who spoke with The Independent noted that when the president was initially tapping a slew of Fox News personalities to fill out his administration  Pirro now makes 23 former network employees hired for Trumps second term  she had openly wondered why her name wasnt called.

Judge Jeanine wasnt too thrilled that she didnt get picked because shes been so loyal, one network employee noted. Indeed, as the staffers pointed out, her loyalty to Trump has been unwavering since he first entered politics as she was one of the first Fox News hosts who openly embraced his 2016 presidential run.

Additionally, while Pirro tends to be in a generally good mood behind the scenes, two sources said that the now-former Fox News host was in a great mood these past 48 hours. Notably, while Pirro hosted The Five on Wednesday, she was absent for Thursdays broadcast and was replaced by Fox News commentator Johnny Joey Jones.

Meanwhile, a number of former network staffers reached out to The Independent to weigh in on the president hiring the longtime pro-Trump Fox host as a US attorney for the District of Columbia.

What a god-d*mned joke, one former Fox producer texted immediately after Pirros appointment was announced.

Another ex-Fox News producer jokingly wondered why so many network personalities were jumping ship to the Trump administration rather than just sticking it out with the conservative cable giant.

I dont even understand why any of the Fox Newsers that have accepted jobs in the administration would even want them! Dont they realize they have it made already? the former staffer snarked. Grifting is the easiest job in the world, and being DC attorney or Def Sec is actually hard!

But yeah, Jeanines super qualified, they added. Shell do great.

Pirro was among the top Fox News talent who endorsed at times this false notion of a stolen election, media executive Rupert Murdoch said during a defamation suit from Dominion Voting Systems against the news channel, which was later settled in 2023 for $787 million.

Producers for Pirro reportedly warned network executives one of the former prosecutors election-time segments was rife w[ith] conspiracy theories and bs and is yet another example why this woman should never be on live television.

Before the January 6 attack, Pirro compared efforts to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election to the American Revolutionary War, wondering if there was anyone in Congress willing to battle for the America that those soldiers fought for, the one that you and I believe in." (She later condemned the storming of the Capitol.)

Trump said earlier Thursday he wouldve liked to see Martin get nominated, but pulled his nomination as Republican senators like North Carolinas Thom Tillis announced they wouldnt back the conservative attorney.

To me, it was disappointing. Ill be honest. I have to be straight. I was disappointed, a lot of people were disappointed, but thats the way it works sometimes, Trump said.

Martin reportedly lost support over failing to originally disclose appearances on Russian state media and for his stances on the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, which has included ordering the firings of lawyers who brought January 6 charges and pushing for reduced sentences for those convicted in the riot.

Martin, a conservative attorney who backed Trumps Stop the Steal movement, falsely claiming the 2020 election was stolen, was also physically present on the larger Capitol grounds during the insurrection.

During his brief stint as interim U.S. attorney, Martin threatened to investigate Democrats, academic institutions, and some critics of billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk.
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Donald Trump over the weekend floated the possibility that Marco Rubio, his secretary of State, could run for president in 2028.

The remark, made during an interview with NBCs Meet the Press, was notable given that Trump himself ran against Rubio for the GOP nomination for president in 2016, eventually winning the contest that year. At the time, the two men engaged in one of the bitterest spats of the Republican primary field.

Trump, who once dubbed his Cabinet secretary Lil Marco, told NBCs Kristen Welker in an interview which aired Sunday that Rubio and others who could run for the Republican nomination in 2028 were fantastic, adding that he himself was not seriously looking at ways to run for a third term. The latter idea had been floated in recent weeks by Steve Bannon, his former White House chief strategist, and other MAGAworld allies.

You look at Marco, you look at JD Vance, whos fantastic, Trump said. You look at  I could name 10, 15, 20 people right now just sitting here.

open image in gallery JD Vance and Marco Rubio have both been floated by Donald Trump as potential successors ( REUTERS )

Rubio, who was Trumps Cabinet nominee to sail through the Senate with the cleanest confirmation process of any of the presidents picks, has become the face of the administrations efforts to redefine which civil rights apply to US visa holders and noncitizens in the country legally or otherwise. Rubio, along with the president, has taken the position that noncitizens do not have the protected right to engage in protests or other forms of typically-protected speech, particularly when it does not align with the White Houses support for Israels government.

He once served as a semi-moderate voice in the Senate and was part of a bipartisan group known as the Gang of Eight who led an effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform in 2013, under Barack Obamas second term in office. The effort failed.

Now, Rubio serves in a hardline Republican administration which has publicly stated its aim to deport up to one million people during the presidents first year in office. As the nations top diplomat, hes also been on hand for major shifts in American foreign policy, including the moment Trump and JD Vance blew up at Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, during a tense Oval Office meeting.

His appeal among the MAGA base remains low, however, and its likely that the onetime senator would be forced to carve out a more hawkish platform than a true acolyte of the presidents, like Vance, were he to run in 2028 amid a crowded Republican field. A poll in April found him nominally tied with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for the nomination, though both men trailed Vice President JD Vance by a massive 50-point gulf.

The two are also, according to NBC News, good friends. Rubio and Vance are likely to discuss any potential plans with one another before making them public, possibly blunting the edge that either candidate would take against their opponent in a head-to-head matchup.

Theyve got a really good personal and professional relationship, so if theyre both running, I have no doubt there will be a [conversation] about it beforehand, a person familiar with their dynamics told NBC News this week.

open image in gallery Many joked that Rubio, a foreign policy hawk, wanted to sink into the couch during Donald Trumps Oval Office confrontation of Volodymyr Zelensky ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Rubio has one key advantage over Vance  he won election in Florida first in 2010, when the state was a comparatively much purpler place. Vance has, for all of his MAGAworld credentials, never won an election without Donald Trumps endorsement and the backing of the Trump political machine. But thats also, paradoxically, Vances biggest strength: even if Donald Trump personally rides off into the sunset through 2028, the vice president remains a close ally of Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.

Both are similar in one regard: they have issued damning criticism of the current president, only to walk it all back after joining the presidents sphere of influence. Vance once referred to the president as potentially Americas Hitler, while Rubio laid out his own blunt assessment of Trumps supporters during his bid for the presidency in 2016.

I can tell you this: whatever happens in this election, for years to come, there are many people on the right, in the media, and voters at large, that are going to be having to explain and justify how they fell into this trap of supporting Donald Trump, because this is not going to end well, one way or the other, said Marco Rubio in a 2016 CNN interview.

The younger Trump threw his own segment of the Trump network behind Vance before his father did during the Ohio Republicans 2022 bid for US Senate, which Vance won after rocketing past other Republicans with actual statewide elected experience to snag the job. Similar in age and spirit as a fellow terminally-online culture warrior, Trump Jr. had the senators back again when it came time for his father to pick a running mate in 2024  the first, but possibly not last, occasion where Vance came out the victor over Rubio and a list of other Republicans.

With the president now officially ruling out a fourth run for the White House next cycle, all eyes are on the two biggest-name Republicans in his inner circle as both will likely jockey for the spotlight over the next three years.
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The UK and US are expected to announce a trade deal today, after President Donald Trump teased an upcoming announcement of what he said was a major trade deal.

Posting on Truth Social on Wednesday night, Trump said the deal was with a big, and highly respected country but did not specify which country it was.

People familiar with negotiations told The New York Times that a deal had been struck with the UK after officials, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, went to Washington, D.C. for negotiations.

Big News Conference tomorrow at 10:00 A.M., Trump wrote. The Oval Office, concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!!

Trumps White House trade adviser Peter Navarro pledged last month that the administration would reach trade deals with 90 countries in 90 days. Experts said there was no way he could achieve that mark.

Trump told Time magazine in a recent interview that he had already struck 200 trade deals. But he told moderator Bill OReilly in a phone-in town hall last week that the country had potential trade deals when asked about rumoured agreements with India, Japan and India.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, told the House this week that the U.S. was currently in trade negotiations with 17 of the 18 very important trading relationships.

President Donald Trump has teased an upcoming announcement about what he says is a major trade deal. ( AP )

It was reported earlier Wednesday that the UK was days away from securing a trade deal with the U.S. which would lessen the impact of Trumps tariffs.

The UK has been in talks with the Trump administration as part of an attempt to agree on a carve-out from tariffs, which are wreaking havoc on the global economy.

Officials told the Financial Times that the trade deal could be agreed on in the next few days as U.K. officials arrived in Washington, D.C. this week.

The deal could include quotas that would exempt a certain number of U.K. exports from the full impact of 25 percent tariffs on the British car and steel industry.

Whatever the announcement Thursday, Trump will likely want to keep some of his tariffs in place. The president believes the import taxes can generate massive revenues for a heavily indebted federal government even though other countries see the whole point of striking a deal as getting rid of tariffs.

Theyre a beautiful thing for us, Trump said recently about tariffs. If you can use them, if you can get away with using them, its going to make us very rich. And well be paying off debt, well be lowering your taxes very substantially because so much money will be taken in that well be able to lower your taxes even beyond the tax cut that youre going to be getting.

Though Trump has said that countries hit by tariffs pay them, its actually U.S. importers that pay the levies, and typically pass some if not all of the extra costs onto their American consumers in the form of higher prices.

Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Stockholm is flatly rejecting a demand by the U.S. that the Swedish communitys City Planning Office gut DEI programs, and that local American embassy contractors and suppliers must not be involved in any diversity operations.

Stockholm Vice Mayor for City Planning Jan Valeskog called the anti-DEI demand bizarre and completely absurd, and said Stockholm will never agree to it.

Its contrary to everything we stand for, said Valeskog, the Sweden Herald reported. They should withdraw these peculiarities,

He warned that the American embassy has now risked future trouble with Stockholm.

If the U.S.A. terminates its acquaintance with the City Planning Office, the embassy will have a hard time getting building permits if they, for example, want to rebuild. It's their headache, not ours, said Valeskog.

He optimistically told Newsweek: I expect the embassy to withdraw its bizarre demand directed at the City of Stockholms City Planning Department.

As City Planning Councillor Jan Valeskog says,



"if the USA terminates its acquaintance with the City Planning Office, the embassy will have a hard time getting building permits if they, for example, want to rebuild. It's their headache, not ours."https://t.co/MF5vLQu4bM        (@graeme_from_IT) May 7, 2025

Vakeskog added: People in Stockholm and Sweden are surprised and upset that President Trump, through the U.S. Embassy, is trying to oppose diversity, equality and inclusion in Sweden. On the contrary, these are values that we strive for and stand up for in Stockholm.

The demand was made in a letter addressed to Stockholms City Planning Office, Radio Sweden reported. Included with the letter was a contract in which the planning office and any contractors doing or wishing to do business with the U.S. to agree to ditch any DEI-like policies that run afoul of the Trump administrations anti-discrimination policy.

Letters to contractors doing or wishing to do business with the U.S. were the same.

The contract was to be signed and sent back within ten working days, the letter demanded. Thats not happening, said Valeskog.

President Donald Trump looks on after disembarking from Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport last week ( REUTERS )

Officials in other European countries, including France, Netherlands and Denmark, have also reported similar demands from the Trump administration. Those letters appear to have been sent only to companies, not to government agencies or authorities.

Letters were also sent out by U.S. embassies in Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain.

The French Economy Ministry reported in late March that "a few dozen" French companies doing or looking to do business with the U.S. had received letters with an attached form demanding the companies certify that they "do not practice programs to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

France's Ministry of Foreign Trade called the demand unacceptable interference in national affairs.

"France and Europe will defend their companies, their consumers, but also their values," the ministry said in a statement.

France legally requires companies with more than 250 employees and significant turnover to have boards made up of 40 percent female members in a bid to rectify past discrimination, among its many national laws addressing diversity.

After U.S. anti-DEI letters were sent last month to companies in Spain, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson told Newsweek the Spanish government "considers the defense of equality and diversity to be the central pillar of all its policies  and especially of its feminist foreign policy."

In this regard, there will be no step backwards in defending the rights of women and the LGTBQ community in Spain and its companies," the spokesperson added.

The U.S. State Department did not reply by deadline to a query about the conflict from The Independent.
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A children's hospital in Wisconsin said it accidentally disposed of the brain of a young woman that was donated for research. The woman had undergone pioneering gene treatments for a rare degenerative disease, and researchers hoped studying her brain would provide them with invaluable data.

Ashtyn Fellenz died at age 24 on December 5, 2024. As a child, she was diagnosed with Canavan Disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes the degeneration of the coating that protects nerves and a loss of white matter in the brain, according to Fox 6.

Typically, children suffering from the disease progressively lose the ability to move their muscles and effectively become locked in to their own bodies. Without treatment, most children with the disease die before the age of 10.

In 2003, when she was three years old, Fellenz underwent experimental surgery that saw a functional gene injected into her brain, with the hopes that it would displace the defective one. While it didn't cure her disease, it did buy her a decade's worth of life.

Dr Paola Leone, a professor of Cell Biology at Rowan University, requested that Fellenz's brain be preserved after her death, hoping that it could provide priceless data about both the disease and the body's response to her experimental treatment.

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin's Milwaukee campus. The hospital accidentally discarded the brain of Ashtyn Fellenz, a 24-year-old woman who died from Canavan Diease. The brain was meant to be donated for scientific research that could have helped scientists better understand the illness and pioneering genetic treatments that woman had received when she was a child. ( Google Maps )

While 16 other children also received similar treatment, the circumstances of her death made her brain especially ideal for preservation.

According to Leone, most Canavan patients die in their homes, and their brain tissues degrade by the time they can be properly autopsied.

Fellenz, however, died at Children's Hospital Wisconsin, where doctors could work quickly to save her brain.

"The scenario was perfect," Leone told Fox 6. "She was in the hospital. The dry ice was there, ready to go."

Donating the brain was always the plan following her death, according to her parents, Scott and Arlo Fellenz.

It was no question that we had to do that, Scott said. It was a big part of her legacy.

Unfortunately, the secrets of Fellenz's brain will never be uncovered.

When she died on December 5, officials at Children's Wisconsin decided that a previous donation consent form signed by her parents was out of date and that they would need to fill out another before the brain could be shipped to Living BioBank at the Children's Hospital in Dayton, Ohio.

Despite Leone providing Children's Wisconsin with the consent form, a month passed and the sample still hadnt been sent.

On January 13, more than a month after Fellenz's death, Dr Lauren Parsons, Director of Pathology at Children's Wisconsin, wrote an email to Leone thanking her for her "patience" and noting that "holidays and some leadership transitions" had kept the staff tied up, according to Fox 6.

Two more months passed without the brain being sent, Leone said, adding that many of her emails questioning the hold up were left unanswered.

Scott Fellenz told the broadcaster that Parsons "literally ghosted [Leone] for two months."

In March, Arlo Fellenz called the hospital demanding answers. Her call was returned from the hospital's "grief services" workers, who wanted to set up a meeting. She waved off the meeting and demanded they tell her what they needed to say over the phone.

The hospital then told the family they had accidentally disposed of Fellenz's brain.

"They tossed out her brain. How can you do that with a brain?" Arlo said during an interview with Fox 6.

Half of Fellenz's brain did eventually get shipped to Ohio, but Leone was most interested in the information that the other half  the half that had not received the experimental injection  could reveal.

Fellenz's father said it felt like he had lost his daughter again. For Leone, the loss also represents a loss of potential knowledge that could have helped people suffering from gene conditions.

"This would have just led, just paved the way for any other application of gene therapy into the brain to let us know if gene therapy can persist," she told the broadcaster. "Its a loss of information that would have been precious and cited for the years to come, for the centuries to come, because this is the one and only specimen, not just for Canavan, for any other gene therapy,"

A spokesperson for Children's Wisconsin said they were profoundly sorry for the error.

"We were honored to support Ashtyns familys wish for her legacy to help others. As we communicated to the family when this error was discovered, and reiterate now, our team is profoundly sorry this happened, and we continue to take steps to reinforce our protocols to help ensure this does not occur again, they said in a statement.

The availability of human tissue to support life-changing and lifesaving medical research is critical to offering hope to families. We take seriously our work to support research through proper tissue collection, storage and usage. We are deeply grateful for Ashtyns life and for her familys advocacy and care, and again offer our most sincere regret and apology."

When questioned further by Fox 6, the hospital said they have a comprehensive process to manage donated tissue, aspects of which were not followed, leading to the error.

The Fellenz family have now hired an attorney to represent them, and would use any money to help with Canavan research.
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The United States will cut $50 million worth of aid a year to the southern African country of Zambia because of the systematic" theft of medicines and medical supplies the money paid for, the U.S. ambassador said Thursday.

The U.S. had discovered in 2021 that medicines and supplies that were meant to be provided free to Zambians had been taken and were being sold by pharmacies across the country, U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzales said at a press briefing.

He said that an investigation of around 2,000 pharmacies in Zambia between 2021 and 2023 found that nearly half of them were selling medicines and products paid for by U.S. aid funds.

The Zambian government had failed to do enough to address the corruption after the U.S. informed it of the theft scandal in April 2024, Gonzales said.

There was no immediate government comment Thursday.

The $50 million is part of $128 million the U.S. gives to Zambia a year for medicines, medical supplies and other support for its health sector. Gonzales said the cuts would affect medications for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, three critical diseases affecting Zambians.

The United States is taking necessary steps to safeguard, and ensure the accountability of, American taxpayer funds, Gonzales said.

The action was separate to President Donald Trump's decision to cut U.S. foreign aid across the world, Gonzales said.

He said that the U.S. investigation into the theft also found that medications and supplies for Zambia paid for by the Global Fund and other international donors were also being sold in pharmacies.

Gonzales said he had recommended to officials in Washington that the U.S. start cutting the aid from January next year to give Zambia time to plan new procurements of the life-saving drugs.

___

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
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The Australian woman accused of poisoning her estranged husbands parents did not appear as sick as her guests after the fatal lunch in July 2023, a nurse who assessed her has testified.

Erin Patterson is on trial for allegedly serving a meal laced with deadly mushrooms that killed her former husbands father, mother and aunt  Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson  and left his uncle, Ian Wilkinson, critically ill.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder and attempted murder brought against her.

Cindy Munro, who testified on Thursday, said Ms Patterson seemed calm and didnt look unwell at the Leongatha Hospital when she was examined two days after hosting the lunch at her home in Victoria, Australia.

The nurse also alleged that Ms Patterson resisted treatment.

By midday on 31 July 2023, the jury heard, Ms Patterson was in a noticeably different condition than her guests, who had been hospitalised with severe vomiting and diarrhoea.

She didnt look unwell like Ian and Heather, Ms Munro said.

I recall Ian being so unwell that he could barely lift his head off the pillow. Erin was sitting up in bed in the trolley and she didnt look unwell to me.

She said Ms Patterson was reluctant to receive treatment, including IV fluids and liver medication, and told hospital staff that she didnt want it.

open image in gallery Grave sites for Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson are at the Korumburra cemetery in Victoria, Australia ( EPA )

The staff suspected the guests were sick from mushroom poisoning and were concerned that Ms Pattersons two children might have been exposed by eating the leftovers.

At that stage she said, No, no I scraped off all the mushroom and the children were not unwell, Ms Munro told the court.

She didnt want to cause any hassle. She didnt want to take them out of school and that was when she became quite teary, quite worried.

Ms Munro said she warned Ms Patterson that toxins could have spread to the meat her children ate and that she eventually agreed to have them checked.

Earlier on Thursday, Dr Veronica Foote told the court Ms Patterson discharged herself from the hospital on 31 July 2023 after just five minutes.

Ms Pattersons decision to leave against medical advice led another concerned doctor to call police when she did not return after the agreed 20 minutes.

Dr Foote said that, after speaking with Ms Patterson and conducting a physical examination, she suspected the patient was moderately dehydrated and showed signs of a gastro illness.

open image in gallery Erin Patterson's estranged husband Simon Patterson leaves the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court in Morwell, Victoria, on 1 May 2025 ( EPA )

Ms Pattersons sister-in-law, Tanya Patterson, told the court on Thursday that she was there when a toxicologist shared her blood test results and remarked that her potassium levels werent as low as typically seen in someone who had experienced diarrhoea.

I stayed and heard the toxicologist say Erin was fine and well enough to go home, she said.

After an initial assessment at Leongatha, Ms Patterson was transferred to Monash Medical Centre for advanced care. Paramedic Eleyne Spencer testified that Ms Patterson told them she had diarrhoea up to 30 times before going to the hospital but didnt need to use the toilet during the hour-and-40-minute trip to Monash.

Ms Patterson complained of a headache, rating it 7 out of 10 in pain. Ms Spencer described Ms Patterson as calm and nonchalant during the journey.

The trial continues.
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New Zealand, long the butt of jokes for its disproportionately large sheep population, is seeing its human numbers creep closer to those of its ovine counterparts. While sheep still outnumber people, the gap is narrowing, according to new government data.

The latest figures reveal a ratio of 4.5 sheep per person, a significant drop from the 22 sheep per person recorded in 1982. This shift reflects a changing agricultural landscape in New Zealand, where sheep farming once reigned supreme.

Back in 1982, sheep farming for wool and meat was the nations primary economic driver. However, the global rise of synthetic fibres has led to a sustained decline in wool prices, forcing farmers to diversify their land use, according to industry representatives. This adaptation has contributed to the shrinking sheep population, now standing at 23.6 million compared to a human population of 5.3 million.

By land area, New Zealand is about the size of the United Kingdom, but it has a human population 13 times smaller than the UK. That means theres plenty of room for sheep.

open image in gallery Sheep on farm land at the base of the crown range in Queenstown, New Zealand ( Getty )

For close to 150 years, the sheep industry was the backbone of New Zealands economy, and numbers boomed, peaking in 1982 when there were more than 70 million sheep and just 3.2 million people. Before Lord of the Rings brought waves of tourists to the country, images of green fields filled with placid sheep against backdrops of snow-capped mountains dominated the countrys marketing abroad.

But over years of decline for global wool prices since  and despite recent rallies  the national flock has steadily diminished. Now, dairy holds the biggest share of New Zealands agriculture and horticulture-dominant export market.

In 2023, Stats NZ, a government agency, said New Zealand in 2022 dipped below five sheep per person for the first time. The national flock had lost a million more sheep in Tuesdays figures, which recorded livestock numbers as of June 2024.

Toby Williams, a spokesperson for sector lobby group Federated Farmers, said sheep farmers have switched to more lucrative pursuits  dairy, or the conversion of land from farming to pine forestry in order to sell carbon offsets.

If Im really honest, the wool industry is almost at that tipping point, if not already there, of not having a wool industry anymore, he said.

The government has drawn up measures intended to slow the decline, including an announcement in 2024 that they will place limits on the scale of farmland that can be converted to carbon forestry.

New government procurement guidelines launched in April urge the use of New Zealand wool products  such as carpets and insulation  in newly constructed or refurbished public buildings. But those measures are not expected to halt declining sheep numbers.

Some sheep-farming countries are recording similar trends. New Zealands closest neighbour Australia  the source of most of the sheep jokes about New Zealanders  is also home to more sheep than people, but the national flock is shrinking there too.

The gap is slimmer: there are about three sheep per Australian.
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Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle shares more than just a warm smile and infectious laugh with Pope Francis.

Like the late Argentinian pontiff, Tagle hails from outside Europes traditional Catholic power base, bringing a fresh perspective to the Vatican.

Before white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday evening, signalling that a new Pope has been elected, some said that Tagles similarities to Francis could position him as a frontrunner.

The identity of the pope and the name he has chosen as pontiff will be announced to the world from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica shortly. The new pope will then step forward to deliver his first public address and blessing to the gathered crowds.

Follow our live coverage of the conclave here

Tagle, who looks younger than his 67 years and likes to be called by his diminutive nickname Chito, has headed the Vaticans Dicastery for Evangelisation, effectively the Churchs missionary arm, for the past five years. That position gave him enormous influence over national churches in developing countries.

While 67 is a sunset age in many organisations, it is considered young in the Vatican because few cardinals want a very long pontificate.

Choosing Tagle could signal a clear intention to continue the progressive path of Francis, embracing a more open and modern Church. His potential election would indicate a rejection of candidates who might reverse some of Franciss reforms, reassuring the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics of the Churchs continued trajectory.

It would also mean his fellow cardinals had shrugged off question marks over his management abilities.

He would represent a continuity of what Pope Francis has been doing, said Rev Emmanuel Alfonso, a former student of Tagles who has known him for decades. Hes really like Pope Francis in terms of his love for the poor, his approachability and so on.

open image in gallery Francis greets Tagle, the then archbishop of Manila, and a group of migrants, during his weekly general audience at the Vatican, September 2017 ( AP )

Tagle, the former archbishop of Manila, would be the first pope from what is now considered Asia, although in the early Church some popes hailed from what is now called the Middle East, technically part of Asia.

As archbishop of Manila, and before as bishop of the Philippine city of Imus, Tagle gained pastoral experience in running dioceses in Asias largest Catholic country. By bringing him to the Vatican in 2020, Francis gave him one more notch in experiences seen as helpful to papal candidates. Tagles move to Rome brought criticism from the then Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, who oversaw a bloody war on drugs that killed thousands of Filipinos during his 2016-2022 administration.

Duterte said Tagle had been removed from Manila for meddling in national politics.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines denied those accusations forcefully. Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, a conference official made a cardinal in 2024, called Dutertes claim unbelievably ludicrous.

Many cardinals already know Tagle personally, and many may see an attraction in having a pope from Asia, viewed by Church leaders as an important region of growth for the faith. Young people feel comfortable with him. When Tagle hosted Francis for a visit to the Philippines in 2014, the visit drew the largest crowds in the history of papal travel, including a mass that attracted up to 7 million people.

open image in gallery People attend a rosary prayer service with Tagle for the health of Pope Francis in St Peters Square, 25 February ( AP )

Tagle, who speaks Italian, English, and Spanish as well as his native Tagalog, now has five years of experience of the Vaticans arcane bureaucracy, although some cardinals may think even that is not enough to run the global Church.

One possible weakness in Tagles candidacy is that he was involved in a management scandal three years ago. In 2022, Francis removed him from a second job as titular head of a Vatican-based confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social services organisations working in more than 200 countries.

Francis fired the entire leadership of the group, called Caritas Internationalis, following allegations of bullying by top management.

Tagles role, akin to a chancellor of the organisation, was mostly symbolic and ceremonial. He was not directly involved in the day-to-day running and was generally admired by staffers.

Unlike Francis, Tagle enjoys a global reputation as a theologian, which could help him gain votes from moderate cardinals concerned by some of Franciss off-the-cuff utterances, which led to what some called confusion about Church teachings.

In the 1990s, he served on the Vaticans International Theological Commission under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a German known as a strict adherent to traditional doctrine who would later become Pope Benedict XVI.

The Reverend Joseph Komonchak, Tagles professor at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC, said the cardinal was one of his best students in 45 years of teaching.

Not the least of Chitos virtues was the joy that he radiated on everyone who encountered him, said Komonchak. He had a fine sense of humour, which endeared him to his fellow students.

open image in gallery Tagle wearing his biretta hat, after Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as a cardinal during a ceremony on 24 November 2012, at St Peters Basilica at the Vatican ( AFP/Getty )

Fr Robert Reyes, a seminary classmate who has known Tagle for more than 50 years, said Tagle has an ability to connect with people and a simple style of living. When he first became a bishop in 2001, he didnt own a car.

He preferred to take rides, to hitch a ride with someone driving to a place that perhaps both of them were going to, said Fr Reyes.

Whats the geographic breakdown of the cardinals who will elect the new pope?

There is no rule that cardinals electing a new pope vote a certain way according to their nationality or region. But understanding their makeup in geographic terms can help explain some of their priorities as they open the conclave on Wednesday to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.

A cardinal who heads the Vaticans liturgy office might have a very different set of concerns than the archbishop of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. A cardinal who runs a large European archdiocese with hundreds of priests likely has other priorities than the Vatican ambassador ministering to war-torn Syria or the archbishop of Managua, Nicaragua, whose church has been under siege by the government.

There are currently 135 cardinals under the age of 80 and eligible to vote, hailing from 71 different countries in the most geographically diverse conclave in history. Already, two have formally told the Holy See that they cannot attend for health reasons, bringing the number of men who will enter the Sistine Chapel down to 133.

A two-thirds majority is needed to be elected pope, meaning that if the number of electors remains at 133, the winner must secure 89 votes.

Here is a regional breakdown of the full 135 cardinal electors, according to Vatican statistics and following the Vaticans geographic grouping.
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Pope Franciss successor will be elected in the coming days in a millennium-old ceremony known as the papal conclave. During the conclave, the 135 eligible Cardinal Electors of the Catholic Church will sequester themselves and elect a new pope in isolation.

During that time, they will have no contact with the outside world and they will vote repeatedly, in written ballots and verbal declaration, until one of them achieves a two-thirds majority.

Every failure brings sighs from the crowds in St. Peters Square as the votes, burned with a chemical admixture, send up a plume of inky black smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

White smoke, signalling a new pope has been elected, provokes cheers and celebrations and the beginning of a new papal era.

The history of the conclave, especially during the Italian Renaissance that I teach and research, tells us a lot about how the papacy is both a religious and a political office.

The Pope is at once the supreme pontiff of the Catholic Church as well as the absolute monarch of Vatican City. He is both bishop of Rome and prince of the smallest sovereign state in the world.

open image in gallery Cardinals make their way in the Sala Regia to enter the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican to start the conclave to elect the successor of the late Pope Francis ( Vatican Media )

Politics of the papacy

In the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, the Vatican was the capital of a much-larger Papal State. This territorial buffer around Rome at its height bordered the territories of Florence, Naples, Milan and Venice, and covered much of northern Italy.

Popes wielded great influence in the dramatic politics of famous Italian families like the Medici: it was a Medici pope, Clement VII, who helped negotiate the installation of the first Medici duke in Florence.

Apocryphal accounts persist of Julius II, the so-called Warrior Pope, leading a charge over the walls of Bologna in 1506.

At the same time popes, and Catholic policy, had profound consequences for European and global politics: Clements successor Paul III excommunicated Englands King Henry VIII, cementing the English break with Rome in 1538.

Alexander VI was more audaciously imperial: he sponsored the treaty that arbitrarily divided the entire world outside of Europe between Spain (his home country) and Portugal in 1494.

open image in gallery Nuns wait at St Peter's Square on the second day of the conclave ( Reuters )

Alexander VIs historical infamy is perhaps outdone only by his son, Cesare Borgia, made famous by his mention in Niccolo Machiavellis book The Prince.

Becoming pope was a big deal for a cardinal and his family. Leading candidates known as papabili (pope-ables) began strategising and negotiating even before popes died.

When a pontiff died, those cardinals abroad began their travels to Rome, construction began on the temporary cells that would house them all during the sequestration and the real work of electing a pope began.

Enea Silvio Piccolomini left a detailed memoir of his election as Pius II in 1458. In it he describes a process of negotiating, threatening, cajoling and strategising that make the scheming in the recent movie Conclave look unsophisticated.

Renaissance Italy wrestled with and ultimately reconciled itself to the political nature of the papacy.

Many, including popes such as Pius II, expressed discomfort with the political power of the papacy. While it was a clear factor in the schism of European Christendom that led to the emergence of the Protestant churches in the 16th century, in early modern Italy the political power of the papacy was a reality of the diplomatic milieu.

open image in gallery Pope Pius XII led Vatican City during World War II ( AP )

The empty throne

The conclave marks a special place in early modern history as a time when ordinary political order was overturned for a brief period known as the sede vacante (the Vacant See).

The Vacant See was a time when identities were swappable and when, as one Paolo di Grassi told a judge in 1559, in Vacant See [Romans] are the masters. The People are the Masters. Di Grassi had, during the Vacant See of November 1559, pursued his own longstanding grudges against his enemies and been involved in at least one armed brawl.

While they waited for a new pope, Romans and everyone else might have passed the time with another favourite vice: gambling on the conclaves outcome.

European princes and other potentates of the church paid close attention to conclaves, tried to smuggle information in and out and steer the conclave in favour of their preferred candidate.

open image in gallery People gather in St. Peters Square to await a glimpse of smoke signalling whether a new Pope has been elected ( AP )

In 1730, for instance, Cardinal Lambertini smuggled a letter out of his conclave thanking a benefactor for their donations to his future ordination as Pope Benedict XIV.

The election held everyones attention as a rare and unusually impactful event in the Roman calendar.

While Romes streets thrummed with tension during the chaotic days of a Vacant See, the conclave proceeded serenely and secretly within the Vaticans walls.

The use of white smoke to mark the election of a pope only began in the 20th century. During the Renaissance, the sound of bells would be a more effective way to spread the news through Rome, before the new pope was announced to the city and the world.

Much turns on that announcement now, as much did in previous centuries. The conclave elects both a pope and a head of state. While Vatican City is magnitudes smaller than the Papal State of the past, it remains a sovereign state.

Papal pronouncements shape not just religious thought but political action, through voting, advocacy and more. Todays crowds might be less raucous than Renaissance Romans, but they are nonetheless invested in the results.

Colin Rose is an Associate Professor of European and Digital History, Brock University

This article was originally published by The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article
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Pope Leo XIV has appealed to world leaders to pursue peace, not war, in his first Sunday address to crowds in St Peters Square, Vatican City.

The new pope, formally Cardinal Robert Prevost, called for an authentic and lasting peace in Ukraine, a ceasefire in Gaza, and the release of all Israeli hostages.

The Chicago-born pontiff also welcomed fragile ceasefire agreement signed by India and Pakistan on Saturday.

No more war, the pope said, delivering his speech in Italian.

Wearing a simple white papal cassock and his silver pectoral cross, he repeated a frequent call of the late Pope Francis and noted the recent 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Pope Leo said todays world was living through the dramatic scenario of a Third World War being fought piecemeal, again repeating a phrase coined by his predecessor.

open image in gallery No more war! the pope said, delivering his speech in Italian ( AP )

Nearly 100,000 people gathered in St Peters Square and on the Via della Conciliazione leading to the Vatican to hear the new pontiffs first Sunday address.

They broke into applause at the call for peace on what was a joyous occasion despite his solemn message.

It was the first time that Leo had returned to the loggia since he appeared to the world on Thursday evening following his election as Pope  the first ever from the United States.

The new pope said he carried in his heart the suffering of the beloved people of Ukraine, and he appealed for negotiations to reach an authentic, just and lasting peace.

open image in gallery Nearly 100,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square and on the Via della Conciliazione leading to the Vatican ( AP )

Leo also said he was profoundly saddened by the war in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid and the release of the remaining hostages held by the Hamas militant group in the besieged strip.

He added, however: There are so many other conflicts in the world.

Leo also noted that Sunday was Mothers Day in many countries and wished all mothers, including those in heaven, a Happy Mothers Day.

The crowd, filled with marching bands in town for a special Jubilee (Holy Year) weekend, erupted in cheers and music as the bells of St Peters Basilica tolled.

On Saturday evening, the Pope made his first trip outside the Vatican to visit a Catholic shrine and pay respects at the tomb of his predecessor, Francis, who lies in nearby Santa Maria Maggiore.

At the end of the visit there, the Pope told those in the shrine that he wanted to come to pray for guidance in the first days of his papacy, according to a Vatican statement.

The 69-year-old Chicago-born missionary was elected 267th pope on Thursday following the death of Francis on 21 April.
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A conclave to select the new head of the Catholic Church is now underway following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday.

The transition process involves an intricate series of rituals and has remained largely unchanged for 800 years.

It governs the transfer of power for both the spiritual leader of the global Catholic Church and the head of the Vatican state.

Understanding the key terminology surrounding this transition is crucial to navigating the news in the coming days.

Here is the lowdown on the key terms and players involved in the conclave.

Who is the Vatican camerlengo?

This is the chamberlain, the cardinal in charge of formally verifying the popes death, and then sealing his room and study.

Between then and the election of the new pope, the camerlengo administers the goods and temporal rights of the Holy See.

The current one is the Irish-born American Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

open image in gallery Irish-born American Cardinal Kevin Farrell ( AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File )

Who is in the College of Cardinals?

There are 252 cardinals worldwide, and as a body, they are in charge of the Holy Sees affairs in-between popes, albeit with limits. Of them, 135 are cardinal electors, who gather in the Vatican to choose the new pope.

For centuries, they have chosen one of their own. The vast majority of the electors  108  were made cardinals by Pope Francis, according to Vatican statistics.

What is the conclave?

This is the closed-door meeting of the cardinal electors to choose the new pope in the Sistine Chapel. Its name, literally "with a key, was used in the 13th century to describe the process of locking up the cardinals until the election was completed.

It must begin no more than 20 days after the death or resignation of a pope.

The electors are sequestered from all outsiders for the duration; the last three popes were chosen within days.

open image in gallery Cardinals adjust their mitre hats during a final Mass celebrated by cardinals inside St. Peter's Basilica before the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican ( AP )

Who is the dean of the College of Cardinals?

The current dean is Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. He is the head of the College of Cardinals who informs the rest of the cardinals and the ambassadors to the Holy See of the popes death once he learns of it from the camerlengo.

He convenes the conclave and presides as the electors take their oaths. Once a new pope is chosen, the dean asks him if he accepts and what name he wants to be called.

What is the Domus Santa Marta?

This Vatican guesthouse, built in 1996, specifically houses cardinals during a conclave and is used at other times as a hotel for visiting priests and Vatican officials.

Pope Francis never moved out after he was elected pope, choosing to live in suite 201, rather than the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace.

open image in gallery Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell sealing Pope Francis's private apartment ( Vatican Media )

What does extra omnes mean?

A Latin phrase for all out, it's spoken by the master for papal liturgical celebrations, currently Italian Archbishop Diego Ravelli, to ask all those present except the cardinal electors to leave the Sistine Chapel to begin the voting process during the conclave.

Why is the popes ring called the fishermans ring?

Each pope gets this ring at the Mass marking the beginning of his pontificate. It bears this name because Jesus told St. Peter, the first pope, that he would be a fisher of men.

Until the 1990s, it was destroyed upon a popes death. Now, its annulled, or marked in such a way that it cant be used as a seal.

What are the General Congregations?

This is the name given to the gathering of all members of the College of Cardinals after the popes death and before the start of the conclave to discuss major church affairs.

All cardinals who aren't infirm take part in this meeting in the Vaticans Apostolic Palace. They also discuss preparations for the conclave, under oath and in secret.

What does it mean when they say, Habemus Papam?

This Latin phrase translates to We have a pope.

These are the words used by the protodeacon of the College of Cardinals to announce from the loggia of St. Peters Basilica that a new pope has been elected. He then says the new pope's birth name and the name he has chosen to use as pope, also in Latin. The current protodeacon is French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti.

open image in gallery Pope Francis at the end of the Easter mass in St. Peter's Square ( AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia )

Who are the infirmarii?

These are the three cardinals, chosen by a random drawing from the electors, who are charged with gathering the ballots of any electors who are ill during the conclave.

What does Pope Francis motto miserando atque eligendo mean?

This is Latin for having had mercy and choosing him  a phrase that Francis chose as his motto when he was elevated to bishop and kept as his papal seal.

It was drawn from the homilies of St. Bede the Venerable, an 8th-century monk. It comes from the Gospel narrative of St. Matthew, a tax collector whom Jesus called to follow him.

Who are the revisers?

These are the three cardinals, chosen by random drawing from the electors, who are charged with reviewing the ballots during the conclave.

What is a rogito?

This is the document, or deed, listing key details of the popes life and papacy that is placed in his coffin.

Its written in Latin by the master for papal liturgical celebrations. A copy is kept in the Vatican archives.

Who are the scrutineers?

These are the three cardinals, chosen by random drawing from the electors, who are charged with reviewing each ballot and announcing it to the assembled conclave after each round of voting. They then tally the votes  to win the election, two-thirds of the votes are necessary  and they also burn the ballots.

What does the saying sede vacante mean?

This is Latin for vacant seat, the period between the popes death or resignation and the election of a new one.

open image in gallery The Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major ( Getty Images )

What is St. Mary Major?

This is the basilica in Rome where Pope Francis said he wants to be buried.

Francis is breaking with the tradition of his predecessors who are buried inside the Vatican, saying he wanted to be near his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, the Salus Populi Romani, a Byzantine-style painting of the Madonna draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus who in turn is holding a jeweled golden book.

The icon is located in the church, first built in the 5th century and devoted to the Virgin Mary.

In his will, Francis said he wanted a simple underground tomb with only Franciscus written on it.

What does the text Universi Dominici Gregis contain?

This Latin phrase means the Lords whole flock. Its the Vatican constitution that regulates the processes from a popes death until a new one is elected.

St. John Paul II issued it in 1996 during his papacy, and Pope Benedict XVI twice amended it, most significantly by removing John Paul's provision that after about 12 days of balloting a simple majority could elect a new pope rather than a two-thirds majority.

If the conclave lasts that long, the top two vote-getters go to a runoff, with a two-thirds majority required to win. Neither of the top two candidates cast a ballot in the runoff.

open image in gallery White smoke was seen billowing out from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in 2013 ( AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File )

What does white or black smoke mean during a papal transition?

After each round of voting in the Sistine Chapel, the ballots are burned in a special furnace to indicate the outcome to the outside world.

If no pope is chosen, the ballots are mixed with cartridges containing potassium perchlorate, anthracene (a component of coal tar), and sulfur to produce black smoke. But if there is a winner, the burning ballots are mixed with potassium chlorate, lactose and chloroform resin to produce the white smoke.

Bells are also rung to further signal that there is a new pope.
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In the Veneto town of Schiavon, Italy, the anticipation of a papal conclave has transformed the local Caffe Centrale into a buzzing hub of speculation and aperitivo.

Locals and journalists alike have gathered, eyes fixed on a large television screen broadcasting images from St. Peter's Square, specifically the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel.

As 133 cardinals cast their initial votes, the townspeople of Schiavon, near Vicenza, sipped wine and awaited the first puff of smoke.

Much of the local interest centred on Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a papal favourite and a native son of the Veneto region.

"We're waiting, and we're rooting for him," said Giacomo Bonora, raising a glass of red wine spritz, a local favourite.

Mr Bonora referred to Cardinal Parolin by his local nickname, "Don Piero", a term of endearment typically used for parish priests in the Veneto dialect.

open image in gallery Cardinal Pietro Parolin is considered a frontrunner in the conclave ( AP )

He noted that when Cardinal Parolin returns to his hometown of 2,600, he prefers this familiar address over the formal title of "eminence".

The scene in Schiavon offered a glimpse into the personal connection between a small Italian town and its cardinal, now a prominent figure on the world stage during a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Parolin, 70, is a veteran diplomat who was Pope Franciss secretary of state, essentially the Holy Sees prime minister and No. 2 to the pope.

Outside, a city worker stopped to show the parish sacristan a photo of Cardinal Parolin when the town celebrated his elevation to secretary of state 12 years ago. Everyone is hopeful, but officials have been instructed not to speak to the media until a new pope is elected.

Angelo Cisalto, the sacristan at the town's St. Margherita parish church, was heading home to keep an eye on the smoke coming out of the chimney.

If it is white, it is his job to go and ring the church bells.

open image in gallery White smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in 2013 to signify the election of Pope Francis ( AFP/Getty )

Mr Cisalto, 84, remembers Cardinal Parolin as a child, 14 years his junior, and always devout.

He used to dress up as an altar boy, and at home, in his garage, he had a little altar, where he would play saying Mass, Mr Cisalto recalled. He is a very good, very humble person."

Back at Caffe Centrale, clients ordered plates of cold cuts as the closed meeting of cardinals dragged on long past the expected hour. TV reporters whose air times had passed headed out for the night. Finally, black smoke emerged.

Tomorrow, we'll do it again, Mr Bonora said.

Locals recalled that Cardinal Parolin came regularly to Schiavon before his mother died last summer. His father died when he was 10, and he entered the seminary in nearby Vicenza at 14. For a period, he was a parish priest in the foothills town of Schio before joining the Vatican's diplomatic corps.

While closely associated with Francis pontificate, Cardinal Parolin is much more demure in personality and diplomatic in his approach to leading than the Argentine Jesuit he served  and he knows where the Catholic Church might need a course correction.

Many see him as embodying Francis' pastoral message while being more open to conservative points of view. While his career has been spent in Italy, his job as a Vatican diplomat has seen him travel the world, giving him a global perspective.

If he were elected, he would return an Italian to the papacy after three successive outsiders: St. John Paul II (Poland), Pope Benedict XVI (Germany) and Francis (Argentina).
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Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen has voiced serious concerns over a report in the Wall Street Journal alleging that the US has ordered its intelligence agencies to intensify spying activities in Greenland.

Mr Rasmussen stated he would summon the acting US ambassador to Denmark for clarification.

Speaking to reporters at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Warsaw, Mr Rasmussen expressed his unease, saying: "I have read the article in the Wall Street Journal and it worries me greatly because we do not spy on friends."

He further emphasised his intention to address the issue directly, adding, "We are going to call in the US acting ambassador for a discussion at the foreign ministry to see if we can confirm this information, which is somewhat disturbing."

The Wall Street Journal report, published on Tuesday and citing two anonymous sources, claims that the US is escalating its intelligence gathering on Greenland, linking this activity to President Donald Trump's previously stated interest in acquiring the island.

The intelligence gathering reportedly will focus in part on identifying individuals in Greenland and Denmark who support the Trump administrations interest in taking over the island.

Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen ( AP )

A US State Department spokesperson said the department does not comment on intelligence matters.

The spokesperson referred to an earlier comment from National Security Council spokesperson James Hewitt, who said Mr Trump has been very clear that the US is concerned about the security of Greenland and the Arctic.

Mr Trump has repeatedly said he wants to take over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic.

He has refused to rule out annexation by force, creating a diplomatic crisis between the US, Denmark and Greenland.

The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have said only that Greenlanders can decide the territory's future.

However, they have found themselves treading a delicate line between firmly dismissing US ambitions over Greenland and trying to maintain good ties with their traditional ally.
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European Union foreign ministers will hold formal discussions later this month on a demand to review an EU pact governing trade ties with Israel over its conduct of the war in Gaza, the blocs top diplomat said Thursday.

Israels ongoing blockade of humanitarian assistance for Gaza forced a leading aid group to shut its community soup kitchens Thursday as it faced empty warehouses and no replenishment of supplies in the war-battered enclave.

At the same time, the war in Gaza is about to enter a new phase, where Israel plans to expand and intensify our operations, according to the armed forces chief of staff.

The frustration among the (EU) member states, that we cant stop this, is tremendous, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters after chairing informal talks between the blocs foreign ministers in Poland.

Ties between the EU and Israel  which are major trading partners  are governed by a so-called Association Agreement. It stipulates that their ties shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles.

The Dutch government has said that it intends to block the agreement pending an EU review into whether the Israel government is complying with the pact, which entered force in 2000. Kallas said the ministers would discuss this on May 20.

It is very important to signal at this moment that we are greatly concerned by the continuous blockade for access of humanitarian aid and the Israeli decision to intensify the war effort, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said.

He said that Dutch concerns are very broadly shared among European countries.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon was among those backers.

The world has clearly failed on the test of humanity, she said. We have to act more seriously because we are really facing a clear violation of the international law and humanitarian law.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that its more important than ever that the voice of Europe raises against what is happening right now in Gaza. He said the EU will never accept the displacement of people from Gaza.

But the EU is deeply divided over how to respond to the conflict, and it holds little leverage over Israel. Austria, Germany and Hungary have backed the Israeli government, while Ireland, Spain and Slovenia have been vocal in their support for the Palestinians.

Last year, Ireland, Spain and Slovenia also tried to press their EU partners to examine whether Israel has broken the rules, without success, and Kallas did not appear optimistic about success on May 20.

You know very well that on certain issues we have very divergent views, she said.
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White smoke ascended from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday evening, announcing the election of the 267th pope.

The new pontiff's identity and chosen name will soon be revealed from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, followed by their first public address and blessing.

Among the contenders is Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, 69, the Archbishop of Bologna.

A "street priest"reminiscent of Pope Francis, Cardinal Zuppi's career saw rapid advancement under the former pontiff.

Appointed to lead the affluent Archdiocese of Bologna in 2015, he was elevated to cardinal in 2019.

He is closely affiliated with the SantEgidio Community, a Rome-based Catholic charity that was influential under Francis, particularly in interfaith dialogue.

open image in gallery Cardinal Zuppi, pictured in 2019 ( AP )

Cardinal Zuppi was part of SantEgidios team that helped negotiate the end of Mozambiques civil war in the 1990s and was named Francis peace envoy for Russias war in Ukraine.

He traveled to Kyiv and Moscow after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to the Holy See for help in winning the release of 19,000 Ukrainian children taken from their families and brought to Russia during the war. The mission also took him to China and the United States.

After making him a cardinal, Francis made clear he wanted him in charge of Italys bishops, a sign of his admiration for the prelate who, like Francis, is known as a street priest  someone who prioritises ministering to poor and homeless people and refugees.

Zuppi would be a candidate in Francis tradition of ministering to those on the margins, although his relative youth would count against him for cardinals seeking a short papacy.

open image in gallery Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi looks up during a final mass celebrated by cardinals inside St Peters Basilica, before the conclave to elect a new pope ( AP )

In a sign of his progressive leanings, Zuppi wrote the introduction to the Italian edition of Building a Bridge, by the Rev. James Martin, an American Jesuit, about the churchs need to improve its outreach to the LGBTQ+ community.

Zuppi wrote that building bridges with the community was a difficult process, still unfolding.

He recognised that doing nothing, on the other hand, risks causing a great deal of suffering, makes people feel lonely, and often leads to the adoption of positions that are both contrasting and extreme.

Zuppi's family also has strong institutional ties: His father worked for the Vatican newspaper LOsservatore Romano, and his mother was the niece of Cardinal Carlo Confalonieri, dean of the College of Cardinals in the 1960s and 1970s.
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Cardinal Robert Prevost has become the first US leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church  taking the name Pope Leo XIV and telling the world: Peace be with you all.

The new pontiff had to overcome the taboo against a US pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere, but was able to do so after the fourth vote of the secretive conclave that chooses the pontiff. White smoke billowed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, signifying the 133 cardinal electors had made their decision after two days of ballots.

Follow the latest updates in our live blog

Pope Leo appeared on the central balcony of St Peters Basilica about an hour after the smoke went up at around 6pm local time. Peace be with you all, he told the cheering crowd, speaking in fluent Italian. He also spoke in Spanish during his brief address, but did not say anything in English.

The late Pope Francis brought the 69-year-old to the Vatican in 2023 as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. Originally from Chicago, Pope Leo has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru. He has given few media interviews and rarely speaks in public.

President Donald Trump swiftly congratulated the new Pope: What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Other world leaders, from Sir Keir Starmer in the UK to Vladimir Putin in Russia, also lined up to congratulate the pontiff.

open image in gallery A nun reacts as white smoke signals that cardinals elected a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican ( AFP via Getty )

Leo becomes the 267th Catholic pope after the death last month of Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American pope and had led the Church for 12 years and widely sought to open the staid institution up to the modern world.

Francis enacted a range of reforms and allowed debate on divisive issues such as womens ordination and better inclusion of LGBT+ Catholics.

Leo thanked Francis in his speech and repeated his predecessors call for a Church that is engaged with the modern world and is always looking for peace, charity and being close to people, especially those who are suffering.

open image in gallery People react as white smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel ( Reuters )

The last pope to take the name Leo led the Church from 1878-1903 and was known for his devoted focus on social justice issues, and is often credited with laying the foundation for modern Catholic social teaching.

The new pope has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis, especially his commitment to social justice issues.

It was the largest and most diverse conclave to decide the next pope in its centuries-old history, with many of the appointees, from 70 countries, picked by the late Pope Francis himself.

On Wednesday morning, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said the election of the new pope is not a simple succession of persons, in his homily during mass at St Peters Basilica.

He urged cardinals to pray for a pope who knows how best to awaken the consciences of all and the moral and spiritual energies in todays society.

open image in gallery Large crowds celebrate on St Peters Square as they witness white smoke after a new pope is elected ( Getty )

May the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede with her maternal intercession, so that the Holy Spirit will enlighten the minds of the Cardinal electors and help them agree on the Pope that our time needs, he said.

While the conclave for the late Pope Francis lasted two days, the longest in history lasted nearly three years with the election of Pope Gregory X in 1271.

Once a cardinal achieves the required 89 votes, he is asked if he accepts the role, and once he says yes, he must choose a papal name.

Then, he is taken to a small chamber off the Sistine Chapel called the Room of Tears, named for the emotional weight of the responsibility ahead, where he puts on the white papal vestments.

Unlike Francis, who spurned much of the trappings of the papacy, Leo wore a traditional red papal garment over his white cassock.

open image in gallery Cardinals went through multiple rounds of voting before reaching their decision ( Vatican Media )

As a cardinal, Leo was twice elected prior general, or top leader, of the Augustinians, the 13th-century religious order founded by St Augustine. Francis clearly had an eye on him for years, moving him from the Augustinian leadership back to Peru in 2014 to serve as the administrator and later archbishop of Chiclayo.

He remained in that position, acquiring Peruvian citizenship in 2015, until Francis brought him to Rome in 2023 to assume the presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. In that job, he would have kept in regular contact with the Catholic hierarchy in the part of the world that counts the most Catholics.

Ever since arriving in Rome, the Chicago-born cleric has kept a low public profile, but he was well known to the men who count.

Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing him to the most senior rank of cardinals.

The bells of the cathedral in Perus capital of Lima tolled after the election was announced. People outside the church expressed their desire for a papal visit at one point.

For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country, said elementary school teacher Isabel Panez, who happened to be near the cathedral when the news was announced. We would like him to visit us here in Peru.

The Rev Fidel Purisaca Vigil, the communications director for the Popes old diocese in Chiclayo, remembers the cardinal rising each day and having breakfast with his fellow priests after saying his prayers.

No matter how many problems he has, he maintains good humour and joy, Rev Purisaca told the Associated Press.

While his public comments have been rare, the new Pope said during a 2023 Vatican press conference: Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church.

Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report
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For the first time in history, an American has been elected as Pope.

The idea of an American pope has often been dismissed, even by theologians in the United States in the run-up to this weeks conclave. So few expected Robert Prevost to walk out onto the balcony at the Vatican as the new head of the Catholic Church.

And yet, on Thursday the Chicago-born cardinal-bishop, known by friends as Bob, made history after becoming the 267th pope  the first time in the Churchs 2,000-year history that an American has been appointed to lead it.

Prevost  who has joint Peruvian citizenship and spent years living and working in the South American country  has chosen to be known as Leo XIV. As Bishop of Chicago, the 69-year-old pontiff once oversaw the largest Archdiocese in North America.

open image in gallery Robert Prevost, from Chicago, Illinois, has become the 267th pope, the first time in 2,000 years that an American has been appointed to lead the Catholic Church ( Reuters )

Prior to his election, many observers had questioned him as a candidate, due to his relatively young age and inexperience. Some speculated that cardinals would also wish to select a European, following 12 years of tenure by Pope Francis  an Argentinian  and considered it unlikely a pontiff would emerge from the U.S.

The Reverend James Bretzke, a theology professor at John Carroll University in Ohio, told USA Today this week that a diplomat was required to replace Pope Francis, adding: Americas image in the world simply is too powerful  and to be blunt, ugly.

Vatican insiders had described Prevost as a dark horse candidate who quietly rose to prominence in the days just before the conclave, having been made a cardinal-bishop in February this year. In terms of leading the Catholic Church, he has been described as a dignified middle of the road leader, compared with Francis, who was considered a progressive pontiff, and more conservative alternatives.

Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope.

open image in gallery Prior to his election, many observers had questioned him as a candidate, due to his relatively young age and inexperience. Some speculated that cardinals would also wish to select a European, following 12 years of tenure by Pope Francis  an Argentinian ( AP )

In early 2025, Francis again demonstrated his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals.

He has championed the importance of on-the-ground work. In a 2023 interview with Vatican News, he said: One must not give in to the temptation to live isolated, separated in a palace, satisfied with a certain social level or a certain level within the church.

He added: The authority we have is to serve, to accompany priests, to be pastors and teachers.

However, Prevost has also expressed less progressive stances, including more negative views of the LGBT community.

According to The New York Times, in an address to bishops in 2012, Prevost bemoaned the fact that western media fostered sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel, pointing to the homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.

While in South America, he told local media that the promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that dont exist.

He has also been criticized by survivors of child abuse.

open image in gallery Prevost, who holds both American and Peruvian citizenship, previously served as prefect of the Vaticans Dicastery for Bishops, which handles various administrative and pastoral responsibilities of the Holy See, including the vetting nominations for bishops around the world ( AP )

In 1999, Prevost was elected provincial prior of the Midwest Augustinians. A year into the role, he allowed Father James Ray, a priest then accused of abusing minors whose ministry had been restricted since 1991, to reside at the Augustinians' St. John Stone Friary in Chicago in 2000, despite its proximity to a Catholic elementary school.

When Prevost was Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, three victims reported to civil authorities in 2022 after there was no movement on their canonical case filed through the diocese, according to the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).

Victims have since claimed Prevost failed to open an investigation, sent inadequate information to Rome, and that the diocese allowed the priest to continue saying mass, attaching photos of the priest saying mass after their complaint to their letter. SNAP filed a complaint against Prevost on March 25, 2025.

Prior to his ascension to Holy Father, Prevost served as prefect of the Vaticans Dicastery for Bishops, which handles various administrative and pastoral responsibilities of the Holy See, including vetting nominations for bishops around the world. Prevost was initially appointed a member of the Dicastery in 2020 before later becoming its head.

He also served as the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, where nearly 40 percent of the world's Catholics reside.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1955, Prevost grew up in the citys south suburbs, where he lived in Dolton with his parents and two brothers.

Reports claimed he was a fan of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. The record, however, was set straight on Thursday  at least by his brother, who confirmed he had always been a White Sox fan.

open image in gallery Onlookers wave American flags following the announcement that Chicago-born Prevost had been elected as the new pope ( REUTERS )

Growing up, a steady stream of priests passed through his family home, and the youngster reportedly had a positive experience of parish life, serving as an altar boy and attending school in the St. Mary of the Assumption parish on the far South Side.

Former classmates shared how, even as a boy, he was destined to become pope.

It was pretty apparent back then that was going to be his route, former classmate John Doughney told the Chicago Sun-Times, speaking before Prevost was elected.

For him, I think it was a true calling, Doughney said. And, even as a young teenager, he knew what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go.

Others recalled a sense of humor in class.

He was kind of a little trickster, too, Joseph Merigold, who used to sit near Prevost in class, said. Used to poke me in the back of the head with a pencil all the time because I was a kidder. So he definitely had a sense of humor that a lot of people wouldnt know because he wasnt really that outgoing.

Merigold added that Prevost was the smartest person in the class and was in the No.1 seat, indicating his classroom performance.

Prevost was remembered as a good singer from the choir who cared about people and looked for the good in things, according to Marianne Angarola, who also grew up in Dolton and went to school with him.

He was the pride and joy of every priest and nun in that school, Angarola told The Chicago Tribune. Everybody knew he was special.

open image in gallery Prevost leads the recitation of the Holy Rosary for Pope Francis' health in St Peter's Square prior to the last Popes death ( AP )

Prevost was sent to study canon law at the Angelicum in Rome and was ordained as a priest in the city in 1982. After completing his studies, he was invited to work in the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas, in northwestern Peru, which held strong connections with the U.S. Augustinians.

In 1999, he was elected provincial prior of the Midwest Augustinians, and two years later, in 2001, he was elected prior general of the worldwide Augustinian order, a post he held for two six-year terms.

In 2014, he returned to northwestern Peru, after Francis named him apostolic administrator of the Chiclayo diocese.

The Rev. Fidel Purisaca Vigil, the communications director for the diocese in Chiclayo, recalled how the Prevost used to rise each day and have breakfast with his fellow priests after saying his prayers. No matter how many problems he has, he maintains good humor and joy, Purisaca said in an email to The Associated Press, following Prevosts appointment.

After arriving in Rome, Prevost kept a low public profile, but was well known to the men who count.

Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope.

In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals.

open image in gallery In 2014, Provost returned to northwestern Peru, after Francis named him apostolic administrator of the Chiclayo diocese. He was appointed a member of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2020, and later became its head ( AP )

Prevost is an expert in canon law, a system that functions like a constitution and legal system specifically for the Catholic Church, affording him appeal to the more traditional wings of the Vatican.

However, it remains to be seen how he will respond to the actions of U.S. President Donald Trump, who posted his congratulations on his social media platform Truth Social after the announcement that Prevost was Pope.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country, Trump wrote. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

open image in gallery It remains to be seen how he will respond to the actions of President Donald Trump, who posted his congratulations on his social media platform Truth Social after the announcement that Prevost was Pope ( AFP/Getty )

Earlier this year, Prevost publicly voiced opposition to remarks by Vice President JD Vance on the theological concept of ordo amoris.

JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others, Prevost wrote on X.

Prevosts latest post on X was a repost of an account criticizing the Trump administrations policy on immigrant deportations.

Additional reporting by Rhian Lubin
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Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State for the last 12 years and its top diplomat, has emerged on nearly every shortlist as an obvious papal contender.

White smoke has billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday evening, signalling that a new Pope has been elected.

The identity of the pope and the name he has chosen as pontiff will be announced to the world from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica shortly. The new pope will then step forward to deliver his first public address and blessing to the gathered crowds.

Follow our live coverage of the conclave here

As the Vatican's number two, he is perhaps the candidate best known to the 133 cardinal electors who will enter the Sistine Chapel for the start of the secret conclave on Wednesday.

Parolin - a 70-year-old from a small town in Italy's deeply Catholic northern Veneto region - is said to be a steady administrator who could bring some calm after three consecutive papacies that were at times tempestuous.

Parolin's personality is not as charismatic as that of Francis, but some cardinals may see that as a plus.

"Parolin is like Clark Kent without the superman part - mild-mannered, industrious, respected, but not flashy," said one person, a layman, who knows him well, referring to the famous comic book character with two personalities.

His role has brought him into contact with cardinals worldwide, both in Rome and during visits to their home countries - a familiarity that could prove crucial in the secretive world of the conclave.

Two cardinals from two African countries, for example, probably know Parolin just as well or even better than they know each other.

Under Pope Francis, who died on April 21, the number of occasions all the world's cardinals could meet altogether in Rome was limited.

open image in gallery Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin ( AP Photo/Michael Sohn, file )

"We have to get to know each other" has been a common refrain to reporters from otherwise tight-lipped cardinals entering and leaving pre-conclave meetings known as "General Congregations".

Parolin is seen as a quiet diplomat who is pragmatic rather than conservative or progressive. He occasionally had to quietly put out fires caused by the late pope's remarks.

Francis, an Argentine who was the first pope from the Americas, gave media interviews and sometimes spoke off the cuff in public.

"He (Parolin) knows how to take a punch for the number one and for the institution," said one cleric currently based abroad who has worked with him and has known him for many years, who asked not to be identified because of the secretive nature of the conclave.

One such recent occasion was when the late Pope suggested last year that Israel's military campaign in Gaza might amount to genocide. Parolin agreed to meet with the then-Israeli ambassador to the Vatican, Raphael Schutz, who told him that Israel wanted the pope to say more about Israel's right to defend itself.

When Francis said Ukraine should have the "courage of the white flag" to end the war there, the comment drew widespread criticism from allies of Kyiv but was hailed by Russia. Parolin quietly told diplomats that the pope meant negotiations, not surrender.

Career focused on diplomacy

Parolin entered the minor seminary when he was 14 and was ordained in 1980. He has spent nearly all of his career in Vatican diplomacy, in Rome and around the world. He has never headed a Catholic diocese, which would have given him more pastoral experience.

But those who know him say this is not a deficit because, in running an organisation as complex as the Vatican's central administration and representing the pope around the world, he has had many contacts with many members of the faithful.

"He travelled to many places and dealt with all categories of people in diverse regional, cultural and linguistic environments. He knows the universal Church," the overseas cleric said.

Some conservative-leaning cardinals in the U.S. and Asia have expressed disagreement with Parolin because he is the main architect of a secret 2018 Vatican agreement with China.

open image in gallery Parolin welcomes US Vice President JD Vance at the Vatican ( Vatican Media )

They call the deal, which gives Chinese authorities some say in who will serve as Catholic bishops, a sell-out to the Communist Party. Supporters say it is better than no dialogue at all between the Church and China and that even Pope Benedict, known as more conservative than Francis, favoured it.

Another criticism is that under Parolin's watch, the Secretariat of State lost some U$140 million in a botched investment in a London property.

The deal led to a Vatican corruption trial in which Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who was one of Parolin's top deputies, was convicted of embezzlement and fraud.

Parolin testified at the trial but was not among those accused. Becciu denies wrongdoing and is appealing the verdict.
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Cardinals have entered a second day of secretive deliberations within the Vatican, as the search continues for a successor to Pope Francis.

Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday afternoon, which signalled an unsuccessful first round of voting.

The conclave, comprised of 133 eligible cardinals, reconvened on Thursday morning, tasked with electing the 267th pontiff to lead the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church through a period of global uncertainty.

Here are some things to know about the election of the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church.

Why is the conclave being held now?

The conclave was called after Francis died on April 21 at age 88. There was a delay between his death and the conclave to allow time for a funeral, burial and a period of mourning.

It was also necessary to give cardinals time to arrive in Rome from all corners of the Earth, and to let them get acquainted before entering the conclave, an ancient ritual steeped in mystery and ritual.

What happens in a conclave?

open image in gallery Cardinal Pietro Parolin takes the oath inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican at the start of the conclave to elect the successor of late Pope Francis ( Vatican Media )

The cardinals are cut off from the world while at the Vatican, between residences and the Sistine Chapel, where they vote in secret  and in silence  beneath Michelangelos famed ceiling fresco of the Creation and his monumental Last Judgment.

The process  fictionalised in the 2024 political thriller Conclave  is said to be guided by the Holy Spirit, and is designed to be both contemplative and free from outside interference.

They began the mystery-steeped ritual of choosing a new pontiff with a morning Mass before entering in procession into the Sistine Chapel.

To maintain secrecy and security, the Vatican asked cardinals to hand over their phones for the duration of the conclave and is deactivating cellphone coverage.

It also was using signal jammers around the Sistine Chapel and the Domus Santa Marta hotel and adjacent residence where the cardinals are sleeping to prevent surveillance and communication with the outside world.

White or black smoke signals?

open image in gallery Black smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel during the cardinals' conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican ( Associated Press. )

The electors cast paper ballots, and voting continues until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority, or 89 votes.

After voting, ballots are burned in a special stove  black smoke signals no decision, while white smoke means a new pope has been chosen.

Electors must be under 80 years old, and are more geographically diverse than ever. They represent Catholicisms growing presence in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as well as its traditional power base in Europe.

How long does it take?

The longest conclave in history lasted nearly three years, but its reasonable to assume that this conclave will be much, much shorter.

Cardinals this week said they expect a short conclave, though it will likely take at least a few rounds of voting.

For most of the past century, it has taken between three and eight ballots to find a pope. John Paul I  the pope who reigned for 33 days  was elected on the third ballot in 1978.

His successor, St. John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

Who are the contenders?

open image in gallery Cardinal Pietro Parolin arrives in St. Peter's Basilica to attend a mass on the eight of nine days of mourning for late Pope Francis ( Associated Press )

There are no official candidates for the papacy, but some cardinals are considered papabile, or possessing the characteristics necessary to become pope.

After John Paul II broke the Italian hold on the papacy in 1978, the field has broadened considerably, such that cardinals from far-flung countries are now seen as contenders.

The past three popes have hailed from Poland (John Paul II), Germany (Benedict XVI) and Argentina (Francis).

Of the 133 cardinals expected to vote at the conclave, 108 were appointed by Francis.

They may feel a loyalty to continuing his legacy  even though the late pontiff didnt choose cardinals based on ideology, but rather for their pastoral priorities and geographical diversity.

What happens after a new pope is chosen?

Once a candidate receives the necessary votes and accepts, he chooses a papal name and enters the Room of Tears  named for the emotional weight of the responsibility ahead  to don his papal vestments.

Minutes later, he is introduced to the world from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica with the proclamation in Latin: Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam! (I bring you tidings of great joy: We have a pope!)

That will be immediately followed by the revelation of his baptismal name, in Latin, followed by the papal name he has chosen.

A line that stretches back to St. Peter and Jesus

open image in gallery Pope Francis with Archbishop of Kinshasa, Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, during the ordinary public Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals in Saint Peters Basilica at the Vatican, 05 October 2019 ( EPA )

Every new pope is seen as a successor to St. Peter, the apostle believed by Catholics to have been appointed by Jesus as the head of the church.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells him, You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, a verse that forms the biblical basis for the papacy.

According to tradition, Peter traveled to Rome to spread the Christian message and was martyred there during the reign of the Emperor Nero, around 64 A.D., as Christians were being persecuted.

He was said to be crucified upside down at his own request, considering himself unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus.

St. Peters Basilica now stands over what is believed to be his tomb.

Why does the pope matter beyond the Catholic Church?

Though the pope leads a religious institution, his influence extends far beyond it.

Pope John Paul II played a pivotal role in supporting the Solidarity movement in his native Poland and encouraging resistance to Soviet domination in Eastern Europe.

His moral leadership was credited by many with helping to hasten the end of the Cold War.

Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America, became a prominent voice on global issues from climate change to migration and economic inequality.

He called for compassion toward refugees, warned against the dangers of nationalism, and urged action to protect the planet  stances that resonated well beyond church walls, and at times put him at odds with political leaders.

A name to signal a papal direction

The first sign of the new popes priorities will come in the name he chooses.

A Francis II might signal a new popes embrace of Francis legacy of prioritising the poor and marginalised; a Pius would hint at a traditionalist restoration.
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The first-ever American-born pope inherits a world in crisis.

In his first remarks as Pope Leo XIV, Chicagos Robert Francis Prevost prayed for peace.

He said it nine times during Thursdays brief address.

Peace be with you.  This was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God, he said in Italian, explaining his choice of words as he spoke to a crowd and the world from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica.

I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.

Leo XIVs vision for the Catholic church is one of peace and justice and building bridges ready to receive, with open arms, all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love. A united church must seek peace, charity, closeness, especially to those who are suffering, he said.

His urgent message of peace confronts vast suffering and death from brutal wars, simmering tensions among nuclear powers, a long shadow of abuse within a church he now leads, and humanitarian outrage from his home country following three months of chaos under Donald Trumps administration.

By treaty, the Vatican has exercised neutrality in wars for a century, and the pope is barred from mediating global conflicts unless requested by warring parties. But Leo XIVs ascent thrusts him into a period of global turmoil, with both worshippers and a growingly secular American public closely watching whether his message will resonate.

open image in gallery The world is watching how Pope Leo XIV responds to global crises after the death of Pope Francis, who repeatedly called for ceasefires in Gaza and Ukraine ( Getty Images )

Catholics Vote Common Good, an American progressive Catholic activism group, hailed Leo XIVs election as a new day for modern American Catholicism.

The conclave gave us something we could have only dreamed of, wrote the groups national co-chair Denise Murphy McGraw. A pope who is as committed to social justice as we are  and as was our beloved Pope Francis, she said.

Leo XIV succeeds Francis, who repeatedly demanded a ceasefire in Gaza and condemned Israels devastation. Francis also called the Holy Family Church in Gaza every night since the beginning of the war, speaking with church leaders and displaced Palestinians sheltering inside.

A white popemobile built for his 2014 visit to Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank is to be transformed into a mobile health clinic to treat Palestinian children, among one of the final missions he blessed in the months before his death on April 21.

Israels President Isaac Herzog said in a statement that he is looking forward to enhancing the relationship between Israel and the Holy See, and strengthening the friendship between Jews and Christians in the Holy Land and around the world.

May your papacy be one of building bridges and understanding between all faiths and peoples. May we see the immediate and safe return of the hostages still held in Gaza, and a new era of peace in our region and around the world, he said.

Francis also repeatedly promoted peace in Ukraine and maintained an open line of communication with Kyiv throughout Russias ongoing assault. After meeting with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky in October 2024, Francis, while not explicitly naming Russia as the aggressor, appealed for Ukrainians not to be left to freeze to death and stop the killing of innocent people.

Ukraine deeply values the Holy Sees consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federations military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians, Zelensky wrote following Leo XIVs election.

At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraines efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace, he added.

open image in gallery Palestinian clergymen hold mass for late Pope Francis at the Holy Family Church in Gaza on April 21 ( AFP via Getty Images )

The papal conclave also selected Leo XIV despite allegations that he had mishandled sexual abuse cases involving priests in both Peru and the United States. Survivors of abuse are now demanding accountability from the new pope and a grave reckoning that should follow.

We were once the children of the church, reads an open letter from Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests sent in the moments after Leo XIVs election.

The sex offender in the collar commits two crimes: one against the body, and one against the voice, survivors wrote. The grand pageantry around your election reminds us: survivors do not carry the same weight in this world as you do.

Leo XIV also will face a church that stands on the threshold of a hopeful and inclusive new chapter for LGBT+ communities, according to GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis.

With his leadership, there is an extraordinary opportunity to inspire billions around the world and further embrace LGBTQ people with compassion, dignity, and love, she said.

He can build on the progress already made and help create a Church that truly reflects the universal message of acceptance and care for all, she added.

open image in gallery Leo XIV has repeatedly criticized immigration policy under both Trump administrations ( AP )

Leo XIV  the Latin Yankee, as he is known in Rome  follows the Jesuit legacy of Francis in South America.

Leo XIV spent 20 years as a missionary among Perus poorest communities, and was so enamored with the country he became a naturalized citizen there. Leo XIV and Francis, an Argentine who became the Churchs first leader from South America, maintained intimate connections to Latin America and across the global south, and were attuned to the unrest, violence and economic devastation that has fueled instability across continents.

During Trumps first presidency, Leo XIV shared several posts on social media criticizing the presidents agenda, particularly his actions against refugees, Trumps racism and nativism, and family separation policies.

He reposted a statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2017 against Trumps order halting refugee admissions. Another post mourned Americas descent into an immoral nation by abandoning Syrian refugees. He also shared a post saying there is nothing remotely Christian, American or morally defensible about Trump-era family separations in immigration cases.

He shared another post from Democratic Senator Chris Murphy in 2017, condemning cowardice in Congress to pass gun control after a massacre in Las Vegas.

Leo XIV did not post in 2024, but in 2025 he posted five times  including two posts criticizing Vice President JD Vance for his widely derided views on the concept of Christian love and Trumps immigration policy.

His most recent post on X shares criticism of Trumps meeting with El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele, who has agreed to detain deported immigrants from the United States in his notorious prison. Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet? the post says.

Trump congratulated Leo XIV shortly after his election, calling the appointment of an American pope an honor and saying he looks forward to a meeting that will be a very meaningful moment.

Vance, who posted his congratulations more than an hour later, wrote: Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church.
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The first hint of the new pope's direction has come with the name he picked.

USA Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, was elected the new pope and leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday and has taken the name Pope Leo XIV a senior cardinal announced to crowds in St. Peter's Square.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vatican's powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

After the traditional announcement of "Habemus Papam"  "We have a pope"  from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the new pontiff's baptismal name was revealed, followed by the all-important papal name, laden with symbolic meaning.

Read more: First American pontiff Robert Prevost takes Catholic Church helm amid increasing global turmoil

Peace be with all you," Pope Leo XIV said from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday, in his first public words.

Papal name historically signifies strength during crisis, Catholic commentator says

The election of American-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has come as a surprise, Catholic priest and blogger Ed Tomlinson said.

It seems likely to be a continuation of Franciss liberalisation, he told The Independent.

open image in gallery New Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, stands for a portrait at the end of the consistory where Pope Francis elevated 21 new cardinals in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca, File) ( AP )

As for his choice of Papal name, Tomlinson said it had a long history.

The papal name Leo unsurprisingly shows a Pope who is going to be strong during a time of crisis, historically, he said.

The last pope to choose the name Leo was more than 100 years ago. Pope Leo XIII led the Church from 1878 to 1903. The first pope of the name, Pope Leo the Great, led the church from 440-461.

Pope Leo XI had one of the shortest pontificates in history, lasting less than a month - from 1 April 1605 until his death on 27 April 1605.

Whats in a name?

A Pope Francis II would have singalled a continuation of the late pontiff's focus on pastoral care and the marginalised. Interestingly, Francis himself jokingly suggested his successor might be John XXIV, referencing the progressive pope of the Second Vatican Council era.

Conversely, selecting Pius, the most frequently used papal name of the 20th century, would clearly indicate a traditionalist taking the helm.

As Natalia Imperatori-Lee, chair of religious studies at Manhattan College, noted, "In the deepest recesses of their mind, when they start the conclave, everyone will walk in there with a name in their head."

The chosen name will offer a crucial first glimpse into the new pope's vision for the Catholic Church.

History of papal names

open image in gallery Pope Francis speaks during a news conference aboard the papal flight on its way back from Brazil in 2013

For most of the Catholic Church's first millennium, popes used their given names. The first exception was the 6th century Roman Mercurius, who had been named for a pagan god and chose the more appropriate name of John II.

The practice of adopting a new name became ingrained during the 11th century, a period of German popes who chose names of early church bishops out of a desire to signify continuity," said the Rev. Roberto Regoli, a historian at Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University.

For many centuries, new popes tended to choose the name of the pope who had elevated them to cardinal. John was the most popular, chosen by 23 popes, followed by Benedict and Gregory, each with 16.

Only starting in the mid-20th century did new popes begin to choose names signaling the aim of their papacy, Regoli said.

Even now, as we are waiting for the new pope, the name with which he will present himself will help us to understand the horizon towards which he wants to proceed," Regoli said.

Some names have been out of use for centuries, like Urban or Innocent.

I dont think anyone will pick Innocent, Imperatori-Lee said, given the abuse and other scandals that have rocked the church. I dont think that would be the right choice."

Recent names of Popes

open image in gallery Pope Francis waves to onlookers from his popemobile as his motorcade passes by on the way to another "Meeting With Families" at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines ( The Associated Press )

FRANCIS

Pope Francis, elected in 2013, took the name of St. Francis of Assisi, known for his humility, life of poverty and love of all creatures.

With it, Francis signaled a papacy focused on those who are often seen as outsiders, including the poor, prisoners and the LGBTQ+ community, while promoting peace, brotherhood and care of the environment.

BENEDICT

Last chosen by German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, elected in 2005. Pope Benedict XVI said he wanted to pay homage to Benedict XV, who led the church during World War I and dedicated himself to healing the rifts of war, and to the 6th century St. Benedict, founder of Western monasticism, who helped spread Christianity throughout Europe.

One of Benedict XVIs priorities was trying to revive the faith in Europe. If we get a Benedict, then we will know that the cardinals chose to see Francis as an anomaly," Imperatori-Lee said.

JOHN PAUL

The papacy's first composite name was chosen by Cardinal Albino Luciani in 1978 to honor Pope John XXIII, who opened the Vatican Council II process that reformed the Catholic Church, and Paul VI, who closed it.

The name signaled a commitment to reforms, including sidelining the Latin Mass in favor of local languages and opening to other faiths, most significantly Judaism. John Paul Is papacy lasted just 33 days. Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who succeeded him, chose the name John Paul II.

JOHN

Chosen 23 times by popes, most recently in 1958 by Pope John XXIII. John can refer to St. John the Apostle, one of Jesus' 12 apostles and the author of one of the Gospels, or St. John the Baptist, the prophet who baptized Jesus.

John the XXIII was a pope that no one expected a lot from, but had a colossal impact on the church," Imperatori-Lee said. So that could be a sign of what they want their pontificate to be like."

PAUL

Chosen six times, most recently in 1963 by Paul VI. St. Paul the Apostle spread the teachings of Jesus in the 1st century.

PIUS

It is associated with popes known for their traditionalist, anti-reform bent. Pius IX ordered the kidnapping of the Jewish boy Edgardo Mortara in 1858 and raised him Catholic in the Vatican after learning he had been secretly baptized by a housekeeper.

Pius X was the early 20th century anti-modernist who inspired the anti-Vatican II schismatic group, the Society of St. Pius X. Pius XII was the World War II-era pope criticized for not speaking out sufficiently about the Holocaust.

"It is now a name that is hostage to some Catholic groups that can be considered traditionalists," Regoli said.

New directions for a Pope

A new pope is free to choose a name never used before, as Francis did.

This would open a new season and could mean that his program is not in line with any of his predecessors, so an even more personalized program," Regoli said.

Imperatori-Lee suggested another name that might signal a continuation of Francis' legacy: Ignatius, for the founder of Francis' Jesuit order.

It would be interesting," she said. "We've never had one of those."
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Ever since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, the annual military parade to honour the defeat of Nazi Germany has been a shadow of former years.

The displays of state-of-the-art tanks and intercontinental ballistic missiles in Moscows Red Square have gone, while world leaders, even Moscows allies, have been wary of standing alongside Putin to watch the procession of military prowess.

The invasion has devastated Ukraine and cost Russias military thousands of tanks and hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

open image in gallery A solitary T-34 tank rolls through Moscows Red Square last year ( Reuters )

Before the all-out war in Ukraine, Victory Day, celebrated a day later than VE Day, became a parade not just to honour the sacrifices of a previous generation but also to burnish Putins image of post-Soviet Russia being restored to its former greatness.

In 2023 and 2024, however, one single tank rolled across Red Square, while a mere 9,000 troops walked behind it, a significant cut compared to previous years. Much of Russias more modern equipment was  and still is  in use in Ukraine. The single tank was a Second World War-era T-34, carrying the banner that the Soviet Union used when it defeated Nazi Germany alongside other allies. The model is not in combat use.

In 2023, one of the parades most recognisable events, the Immortal Regiment march  during which attendees proceed through Moscows Red Square holding portraits of their Second World War veteran relatives  was also scrapped. Experts speculated that this was because of Kremlin concerns that, should people wish to hold up their relatives killed in Ukraine, it would expose a more accurate reflection of the number of Russian losses in the invasion, a figure that Moscow has consistently suppressed.

Analysts believe just 51 vehicles were involved in the 2023 procession. That is a quarter of the 200 pieces of military hardware that rolled through the streets of Moscow in 2020 when Russia marked the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. In 2022, a few months after Russia invaded Ukraine, the number of vehicles involved was as high as 131, about the same level as pre-Covid parades.

In 2024, the number of military vehicles increased from 50 to 60 due to a growth in the number of armoured fighting vehicles and armoured cars.

open image in gallery Russian servicemen take part in the Victory Day military parade in Moscow in 2024 ( EPA )

Dozens of cities across Russia and occupied Ukraine have also been forced to cancel their events owing to security concerns. The city of Sevastopol, on the southwestern shores of the Crimean peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Putin in 2014, has announced that it will cancel this years parade. It is the third year running that it has done this.

In Moscow, where events are too important to Putins projection of power to cancel, a complex web of air defences has been erected to protect against possible Ukrainian aerial assaults. Multiple drone strikes in the run-up to Fridays parade forced airspace closures at all four of the citys airports.

The Kremlin said there would also be disruptions to mobile phone signals.

open image in gallery Russian fighter jets fly over Red Square during the Victory Day military parade rehearsal earlier this week ( AP )

Putins conveniently timed call for a temporary truce has been all but dismissed by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has said Kyiv will not play games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putins exit from isolation on 9 May.

In a video from Independence Square on Thursday morning in the Ukrainian capital, Mr Zelensky described Moscows Victory Day as a parade of bile and lies  and fear.

But Russian officials are adamant that after several years of smaller parades, this years event will be very large scale, as Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin's top foreign policy adviser, said recently.

At least 29 foreign leaders, including Chinese president Xi Jinping and Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico, who is the leader of a European Union member, will attend the event, according to Mr Ushakov.

Russian state broadcaster Zvezda even claimed that US secretary of state Marco Rubio might attend, though the Kremlin said it had no information on his plans.

Irrespective of who attends, the possibility of Russia recreating its pre-war military parades is slim. Much of its equipment is either destroyed or in use in Ukraine.
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For nearly 800 years the Catholic Church has utilised the process of the conclave to elect a new pope.

Conclave means with a key, indicating the cardinal-electors are locked up with a key to conduct their deliberations.

With no direct communication to the outside world, a key feature of the papal election process is the use of smoke to signal the result of ballots and to announce the election of a new pope.

open image in gallery People in St Peters Square react to the white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel ( Reuters )

Black smoke means a new pope has not been elected. White smoke means there is a new pope.

So where does this tradition come from  and how do they achieve the different coloured smoke?

Sending messages with smoke

Smoke signals are one of the oldest forms of long-distance communication between humans. For millennia, smoke signals have been used to indicate danger, to call for a gathering of tribes/nations, to transmit news and to warn of enemy invasions

Many indigenous peoples (such as those of North America, South America, China and Australia) are known for their sophisticated use of smoke signalling techniques to indicate specific messages to those at a distance.

These techniques can include changing the location of the fire (such as halfway up or at the top of a hill), adjusting the colour of smoke (using different types of foliage or damp/dry foliage) and the interruption or diversion of the smoke column at different intervals to produce particular patterns of smoke.

open image in gallery Priests embrace after the white smoke is seen ( Reuters )

Catholic incense

Catholics utilise smoke in many rituals in the form of incense.

Incense (from the Latin incendere, meaning to burn) signifies prayer, sacrifice and reverence for people and objects. This fragrant smoke symbolises the prayer of the assembly rising up to God. Psalm 141:2 asks may prayer be set before you like incense. In Revelations 8:35, an angel is given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all Gods people.

Catholics inherited their use of incense from its use in Jewish temple rituals and Greek imperial court rituals.

The smoke from the incense is used to show reverence toward the Gospel book, the presiding celebrant, the gifts of bread and wine offered at Mass, the altar, cross, the Easter Candle and the body of the deceased at a funeral.

This holy smoke is a visual and olfactory signal of the congregations offerings of supplication and praise rising up to God.

open image in gallery White smoke rises from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel ( Reuters )

Crafting the smoke

Once the conclave begins, the only form of communication between the cardinal-electors and the outside world will be smoke signals sent through the chimney of a stove specially installed in the Sistine Chapel for the duration of the conclave.

The tradition of burning the ballots goes back to at least 1417, though it wasnt until the 18th century that the first chimney was installed in the Sistine Chapel. At this time, the appearance of smoke at set times indicated no new pope had been elected; while the absence of smoke indicated there was a new pope.

Prior to this it is likely that a new pope was simply announced from the loggia (central balcony) of St Peters Basilica and a written announcement was posted outside for people to read.

Since 1914, white smoke has indicated the election of a new pope. A stereotypical association of the colour of the smoke  white (positive) and black (negative)  lies behind the use of the two contrasting smoke colours.

In 1904, Pius X (who was pope from 190314) mandated that all notes taken by cardinals during the election were to be burned along with the ballots themselves. This burning of notes also increased the volume of smoke, making it clearly visible to the public outside when his successor Pope Benedict XV was elected in 1914.

open image in gallery Large crowds celebrate in St Peters Square ( Getty )

The use of chemicals to ensure either black or white smoke was introduced after the 1958 conclave when damp straw added to papers from an unsuccessful ballot did not ignite at first. White smoke appeared before eventually turning black, causing confusion among the crowd gathered outside.

In 2013, the Vatican Press Office released the chemical formulae used to create black and white smoke.

To generate black smoke, potassium perchlorate and anthracene (a component of coal tar) fuelled with sulfur are electrically ignited. To generate white smoke, potassium chlorate, milk sugar and pine rosin are ignited.

Using these smoke signals, the cardinals can communicate from within the conclave immediately and directly to the faithful awaiting the announcement of the Churchs 267th Pope.

Clare Johnson is a Professor of Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology and Director of the ACU Centre for Liturgy, Australian Catholic University

This article was originally published by The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article
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NASA is preparing to prioritize launching rockets to Mars in 2026  a drastic change in priorities that happens to align with President Donald Trumps priorities, while also benefiting billionaire Elon Musks SpaceX.

The unexpected change comes on the heels of the White House 2026 budget proposal, which includes increased funding for Mars-related projects by $1 billion and the promise to pay for the launches.

We are evaluating every opportunity, including launch windows in 2026 and 2028, to test technologies that will land humans on Mars, NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens told Politico.

The White House hinted that Mars missions would be a priority of the Trump Administration last month after the president met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, indicating in a press release after the two met that the US and Italy would partner on a Mars mission as soon as next year.

NASA employees who would typically be in the know about such plans, however, were left in the dark about a potential push to Mars, a senior official told Politico.

Though there are other companies in the running to make rockets for such missions, Musks SpaceX announced plans to land one of their rockets on the planet in 2026.

open image in gallery SpaceX founder Elon Musk has long advocated for Mars missions, often donning a shirt reading Occupy Mars ( Getty Images )

NASAs shift in priorities may also help fulfill a goal Trump expressed during his inauguration speech to land the first astronaut on Mars.

While NASAs new plan is in line with Trump and Musks interests, it may face blowback from lawmakers who have legally required the space agency to maintain a long-term human presence on or near the moon.

Last fall, Musk announced that his companys first mission to Mars would be in 2026, likely when the next Earth-Mars transfer window  meaning when the two planets are aligned in their orbits  opens in November 2026.

The Tesla co-founder has long pushed an outlandish plan to establish a self-sustaining colony on the Red Planet in order to save humanity from extinction.

He has previously predicted an uncrewed landing could happen as soon as 2026, with humans there before 2030.

Its not about going to Mars to visit once, but it is to make life multi-planetary so that we can expand the scope and scale of consciousness to better understand the nature of the universe and to ensure the long-term survival of civilization in the hopefully unlikely event that something terrible happens to Earth that there is a continuance of consciousness on Mars, Musk told Fox News host Jesse Watters earlier this week.

He said going to Mars served as an insurance plan for humans, predicting that Earth would somehow be incinerated by the sun in hundreds of millions of years. While the star may swallow the Earth it wont be for billions of years.

Musk has long triumphed the idea of colonization of the Red Planet, and since 2000 has pushed for Mars missions while donning Occupy Mars T-shirts.

Scientists, however, have said Musks Mars vacations will not happen any time soon due to the complicated design and mission for SpaceXs Starship rocket, among other concerns. Previous test flights have resulted in fiery explosions.
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Forget castles or country manors, increasing numbers of couples are opting to get married on a cruise.

Travel agents and cruise lines are seeing a surge in interest from people looking to tie the knot while on board their favourite ship.

P&O Cruises reported a record number of bookings for weddings on the water last year, up 12 per cent.

Several other cruise brands offer wedding ceremonies at sea, including Celebrity Cruises, Cunard, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Virgin Voyages and Holland America Line.

Dave Mills, chief commercial officer at online travel agent Iglu, said weddings at sea are becoming an increasingly popular option, especially for couples aged 40-plus who are looking to combine their love of cruising with a good-value ceremony.

Mills said: The beauty of a wedding at sea is that a single point of contact at the cruise line will take over the wedding planning and details, and everything is scalable from a small, intimate ceremony to a huge, lavish event.

At the same time, of course, customers will have a built-in honeymoon and precious time to spend with loved ones. Each year we will be involved in many such events, increasing slowly but surely in line with overall growth in cruising and a better awareness of the opportunity to do such a romantic thing.

Lines limit the number of weddings allowed to ensure each couple is rightly the centre of attention on the day. Cunard for example, allows one wedding per ship per day, so early booking is key.

Read more: Best cruise deals for 2025

Wedding packages typically range from 1,000 to 3,000, on top of the cruise fare.

Packages differ but may include a wedding cake, music, food, drinks and spa treatments.

In comparison, the average cost of a wedding in the UK is 20,822, according to Bridebook, so a cruise ceremony and party may work out cheaper  although you would have to convince your guests to pay to attend.

Phil Evans, managing director at Cruise Nation, said: Couples have the same benefits as a normal wedding abroad, but with so much more.

Incredible sunshine, relaxation and beautiful food across multiple destinations, and thats not to mention the incredible range of activities on board, such as bars, classes, pools, restaurants and plenty of other things to keep your guests entertained during travel days.

Here is how two couples celebrated their big day on the water...

Sir Richard Branson officiated at our luxury cruise wedding

open image in gallery Sir Richard Branson officiated at the wedding of Ben and Emma aboard Valiant Lady ( Virgin Voyages )

Ben Killeen and Emma Thomas from Hampshire were not avid cruisers when they first met on a dating app back in 2015, but soon caught the bug on a Virgin Voyages sailing in 2022. They loved the experience so much that they got married on board a Virgin ship, marking their fourth cruise with the brand.

The couple got married aboard Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady during a five-night Celebration Voyage from Miami to Bimini last year, stopping off at Puerto Plata, and, to top it off, their ceremony was officiated by Sir Richard Branson.

Ben, 29, a sales manager for a job board, said: We were looking at different options, and then this opportunity came up.

It was surreal when we realised it was Sir Richard Branson who would be there.

The pair opted for a $4,000 (3,000) You, Me And The Sea package, which includes intimate ceremonies for the couple and a captain or ships officer to officiate. This is separate from the cruise fare.

Other perks include priority boarding, streaming of the ceremony, music and decorations, $200 (150) on-board credit and one beauty treatment each.

Read more: Virgin Voyages boss  why no children is key to a successful cruise

Emma, 32, a cabin crew member, said: It was all so luxurious. You can go get your hair done, the guys can get a trim or a haircut, and we even went up to Richard Bransons rooftop! We had a few beers that morning and chilled in the Jacuzzi  where else can you do that?

The view was incredible. I remember looking out at the scenic beauty of Puerto Plata and thinking, Wow, were getting married right here. Its such an amazing memory to look back on.

Once dressed in her halter-neck satin maxi dress, Emma was escorted by a crew member to the ceremony in the Perch  a relaxation space on the top deck - with Puerto Plata in the background.

Passengers can choose the venue on board and have a song to walk down the aisle to, or just go straight into the ceremony, which is what they did. You can also select your cake fillings and bouquet.

Emma said: Sir Richard Branson met us there, and it was a bit of a blur, but in the best way. He was so warm and welcoming.

We didnt have any guests  it was just us  but we had Virgin Voyages crew members watching, which was lovely. We were asked if we wanted to say our own vows or if wed prefer Richard to say something. We opted for him to say a few words and it was just perfect.

After the ceremony, they headed to The Wake, Virgin Voyages high-end steakhouse, for dinner.

Emma added, It felt like we were in New York. We got to cut the wedding cake there and just soak in every moment.

It was also Scarlet Night that evening, a big party around the ship, and Boy George was doing a DJ set, making the day even more special.

Emma added: It was the most amazing experience. [Friends and family] didnt believe us until we showed them the photos.

It was high-energy and infectious. I get emotional talking about it because I loved it so much. Theres just something magical about it  the people, the places, the experiences. It was luxury from start to finish. I cant recommend it enough.

We spend our life on cruises, so had to get married on one

open image in gallery Sail Away cruise writers Dan and Jay were married on a Holland America ship ( Jay Cannon )

Cruise content creators and magazine publishers Jay Cannon, 32, and Dan Wailing, 29, have been on more than 70 cruises together since they met in 2020, so it made sense for them to get married on board.

Jays first sailing was as a 12-year-old with Fred Olsen, and he introduced an initially sceptical Dan to cruises in 2021.

Since then, they have built one of the biggest YouTube cruise channels in the UK  Sail Away with Dan and Jay  with 41,000 subscribers, and launched Sail Away magazine in October 2023.

They had enquired about a wedding ceremony with Celebrity Cruises but ended up getting an offer from Holland America Line to pay for it after reviewing its Nieuw Statendam ship.

Holland America Line packages range from $1,800 (1,350) for a symbolic non-legal ceremony to between $2,000 (1.500 )and $2,500 (1,900) for an official harbourside ceremony and from $3,000 (2,250) for a wedding ashore.

These prices include features such as priority boarding, a wedding coordinator, private ceremony, an officiant, music and photos.

The couple were married aboard Nieuw Statendam in September 2024 during a sailing around Turkey, Greece and Egypt.

They were welcomed aboard with champagne in the cabin and rose petals on the bed.

Read more: Holland America Line returns to the UK after 10 years

The pair even got a mention on the ships tannoy and were complimented on their suits by passengers as they headed to their intimate ceremony in the B.B. King's Blues Club on board.

They walked in to Wait a Minute by Willow, and Youve Got the Love by Florence and the Machine, played after they exchanged vows with their proud parents watching.

Jay said: There wasnt anywhere else that we could have gotten married, [other] than a cruise ship. It seemed a natural fit for us.

It was a beautiful venue, and the captain presided over the ceremony. It was like having a wedding over two weeks, as we enjoyed the whole ship during the sailing.

Once we had the service, we got into our swimwear, which you cant usually do at a wedding.

We then had our first dance in the evening at BB Kings Blues Club. It was a dream come true.

Jay adds that the cost of a cruise wedding can work out cheaper than doing something on land. He said: Everything was arranged [for us], including dinner and pictures, the only thing we didnt have was the wedding car.

Read more: The best ships you must travel on in your lifetime
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Stepping off the catamaran onto Hydras ancient harbour feels like entering a living painting  an island caught between myth and a Mediterranean daydream. Unlike the high-energy crowds of Santorini or Mykonos, Hydra is calm, considered and blissfully car-free. On this diminutive island just 75 minutes from Athens, donkeys transport visitors luggage, fishermen sit quayside mending their nets, and the island soundtrack features the gentle sound of water lapping the shore and the rhythmic clopping of hooves. This Saronic Island jewel delivers the charm of the Cyclades, without the chaos and crowds.

Even on my fourth visit, Hydra still waves her magic wand. I dont think I will ever tire of her hidden coves, whitewashed alleyways leading to bougainvillea-bright courtyards and the proud Neoclassical mansions standing testament to the islands naval history.

Read more: A guide to the best island-hopping routes in Greece

Hydras magic is both aesthetic and visceral. A preservation order bans motor vehicles  only an ambulance, fire truck and refuse lorry are permitted. No motorbikes either. All goods, from groceries, building materials and household supplies, are transported by donkeys and mules.

open image in gallery Donkeys offer a mode of transportation on car-free Hydra in Greece ( Rebecca Hall )

The island is not just quaint; its transformative. Hydra has the largest herd of working equines in the world, and the absence of engines lends a softness to life. Animals are relaxed, people are unhurried. Even the cats  Hydra is full of them  are mellow and happy to saunter over for a scratch rather than dash away.

With no traffic noise to contend with, the peacefulness seeps into your soul. I found myself breathing deeper, moving more slowly and absorbing Hydras rare, undisturbed energy.

Read more: The best Greek island hotels for sea views and romantic retreats in Crete, Corfu, Mykonos and more

Artists have long been drawn to its shores, from Leonard Cohen, who lived here and whose song Bird on the Wire was said to be inspired by the island, to Jeff Koons, whose 2022 exhibition transformed the Deste Foundation Project Space Slaughterhouse into a sunlit shrine to Apollo. This edgy, seasonal art venue is perched dramatically above the sea, crowned by a massive bronze and copper alloy sun.

For a more traditional side of history, visit the Historical Archive Museum of Hydra near the port. Inside its handsome Neoclassical mansion, I enjoyed the naval paintings and intricate ship models, and pored over handwritten letters that tell the story of Hydras vital role in the Greek War of Independence.

open image in gallery Explore Hydras pretty coves, coastal towns and beaches by boat ( Discover Greece )

While the ports charms are undeniable, Hydra invites you to explore further. You can saddle up and ride a horse through olive groves, past centuries-old chapels  there are over 300 to discover dotted across the island. You could also charter a boat to circle the island and discover secluded beaches only accessible by sea, or cross to nearby Dokos island to dive among ancient shipwrecks and underwater cliffs.

For a taster of authentic island life, try traditional line fishing experiences aboard wooden caiques run by local fishermen whose families have worked these waters for generations.

open image in gallery Hydras sunsets are magical  and come without the crowds of Santorini ( Rebecca Hall )

As travel fever once again grips popular Greek islands such as Santorini and Mykonos, Hydra offers a compelling alternative. No airport chaos, no hours-long ferry rides, no jostling for the perfect sunset snap. Ferries are expensive throughout Greece, and the 75-minute catamaran ride from Athens to Hydra is no exception, starting from 60 (50) return. But then you are there, in a place that feels both preserved and alive, chic yet authentic.

Read more: Out with Santorini, Mykonos and the Acropolis  in with these new Aegean gems for the ultimate Greece holiday

open image in gallery Mandraki Beach Resort is a serene boutique hotel in Hydra, Greece ( Mandraki Beach Resort )

Whether youre swimming beneath ancient cliffs, sipping wine on a sand-speckled terrace, exploring bold art installations, or simply watching the sunset from the harbour, Hydra has a way of making you slow down, breathe deeper and stay longer.

Yes, Mykonos has pulsing beach clubs and Santorini has its famous sunsets  but Hydra has soul. And that is the Greek island escape Im chasing.

Read more: This region of Greece is beautiful, crowd-free and a Unesco site  and youve probably never heard of it

How to do it

Where to stay

The five-star Mandraki Beach Resort (from 280 per night) is set on Hydras only sandy beach. Tucked into Mandraki bay  a 10-minute water taxi ride from the harbour, transfers provided until 11pm  this former 19th-century shipbuilding yard has been reimagined into a unique escape with just 17 suites decked out with natural materials, original stone archways and soft linens. The real treat is Captain M, the resorts open-air restaurant, where dishes such as cauliflower couscous salad and seabream with creamed potatoes are seasonal and rooted in Greek tradition with playful modern twists. I enjoyed dinner with a chilled glass of assyrtiko as the sun set over the Peloponnese.

Easyjet flies from London Gatwick to Athens from 90 return; catch the 75-minute catamaran from Athens to Hydra, from 60 (50) return.

Rebecca Hall was a guest of Mandraki Beach Resort

Read more: The best hotels in Crete, from family-friendly resorts to mountain retreats
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A new travel frontier is opening up this summer, with Frontier Airlines launching a new direct service to an iconic stretch of East Coast beach.

The ultra-low-fare carrier will begin a twice-weekly nonstop service between Trenton-Mercer Airport in New Jersey and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina from July 10  and to celebrate is offering basic no-baggage fares as low as $49.

The resort city of Myrtle Beach sits on one of the most celebrated shorelines on the East Coast  a strip of golden granules known as the Grand Strand that stretches continuously for 60 miles (97km).

open image in gallery Murrells Inlet, to the south of Myrtle Beach, is a culinary haven ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

"People choose to visit the Myrtle Beach area for lots of reasons," writes Discover South Carolina's Libby Wiersema, "but it mostly boils down to this: options for fun."

She continues: "With 60 uninterrupted miles of beautiful sandy beaches, this coastal strip... is the necklace that strings together a diversity of beach destinations."

Take your pick, she says, from the quiet fishing village of Little River to the luxury resorts of North Myrtle Beach, and from the culinary haven of Murrells Inlet to the Southern pace of Pawleys Island.

Frontier Airlines is also launching a thrice-weekly nonstop service between Baltimore/Washington International Airport and Chicago OHare International Airport on July 7.

From the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic, and down the Eastern Coast, we are thrilled to announce these new routes as we continue our mission to offer our ultra-low fares to more travelers in more destinations, said Josh Flyr, vice president of network and operations design, Frontier Airlines.

We cant wait for more consumers this summer to experience The New Frontier, proving that affordable air travel can also offer unmatched comfort and convenience.

open image in gallery Frontiers new service to Myrtle Beach begins on July 10. Above are Frontier aircraft at Denver Airport ( AFP/Getty )

Frontier currently flies to Myrtle Beach from Cleveland, Long Island and Philadelphia.

In total, 10 airlines offer services to Myrtle Beach, from states including Colorado, Texas, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey.

But currently, the only direct New Jersey flights to Myrtle Beach are run by Spirit and United Airlines.

The former offers services from Newark and Atlantic City, with prices starting from $77, and the latter from Newark, with fares starting from around $140.
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Race Across the World has wrapped up for another year, with Wednesdays final episode concluding with four teams competing to be the first to reach the southernmost tip of India.

Over the past eight weeks, the teams navigated themselves through a line-up of destinations from China to India, trekking across the foothills of the Himalayas, stopping in bustling cities like Shangri-La, Delhi and Mumbai, as well as ticking off two wonders of the modern world at the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal.

The first episode, which aired on 23 April, introduced us to five intrepid duos who set off on the 14,000km race that took 51 days to complete.

Among the teams are brothers Brian and Melvin, mother and son Caroline and Tom, sisters Elizabeth and Letitia, young Welsh couple Fin and Sioned and the unlikely duo of previously married couple-turned-friends Yin and Gaz.

This year, the teams trekked across China, Nepal and India. The pairs travelled through towns, cities and rural areas with a limited budget and resources carried in backpacks, making decisions as to what transport they would use, which route to take, where they would sleep and how much to spend.

After launching the race at the Great Wall of China, the teams ticked off seven checkpoints, before setting their sights on being the first to reach the final destination at Kanniyakumari in India.

While we will have to wait another year for the next season of Race Across the World, heres a summary of the locations our teams navigated as we look back on the colossal journey undertaken.

The start

The Great Wall of China

open image in gallery This years teams kicked off their journey at the Great Wall of China ( Getty/iStock )

The race began at the Great Wall of China, overlooking the village of Huanghuacheng, around 80km north of Chinas capital, Beijing. A fitting start for such a long trek, the walk across the entire Great Wall would certainly compete for an extensive journey in itself, stretching over 21,000km. One of the new seven wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China, is the largest manmade project that represents over two thousand years of Chinese history. The series of fortifications starts in the east at Shanhaiguan in Hebei province and ends at Jiayuguan in Gansu province to the west.

Checkpoint one

Huangling, China

open image in gallery Huangling in China is known for drying out chillis and other crops on rooftops ( Getty/iStock )

Around 2,000km to the south of the Great Wall is the first checkpoint, Huangling in the Jiangxi province, which has nestled on the slopes of Huayi Mountains for over 500 years. This community is famous for its Hui-style architecture and drying chillies on rooftops, creating a colourful birds-eye view. This picturesque village, dotted with historical buildings and ancient sites, is surrounded by a scenic spread of lush greenery across the mountain slopes. The town is six centuries old, but lay in a dilapidated state until 16 years ago, when it transformed into a rural tourist hotspot. The teams were told to reach Huangling via cable car, then alight to cross the Leixin Suspension Bridge before finally checking into the Huangling Shaiqiu Hotel.

Checkpoint two

Sanya, China

open image in gallery The 108m-tall Guanyin of Nanshan is situated just off the coast of Sanya ( Getty/iStock )

In the second episode, the five teams prepare to leave Huangling for a 2,700km journey to the city of Sanya, on the southern tip of Hainan Island. Along the way, the teams stopped at different places from glitzy cities to deep rural gems, including the cosmopolitan city of Xiamen on the coast, the Longji Rice Terraces near Guilin, and the ancient town of Fenghuang. After traversing much of southeastern China, the leg ends with Sanya, one of Chinas most southerly cities. Sanya attracts much of the wealthy elite in China due to its tropical climate, but as a result of this weather, it is also prone to monsoon storms. The city has several beaches along its coastal areas, including Dadonghai Bay and Yalong Bay, while one of its most impressive cultural landmarks is the Nanshan Temple. The temple is dominated by a statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of compassion and stands taller than the Statue of Liberty, as its three connected portraits look out while standing on an artificial islet. The Yazhou Ancient City, Yalong Tropical Paradise Forest Park and Wuzhizhou are also among other popular places to visit in Sanya.

Checkpoint three

Shangri-La, China

open image in gallery Shangri-La was named after the fictional paradise in 2001 ( Getty/iStock )

Departing Sanya, the teams this week travelled through southwest China, stopping in key transport hubs such as Kunming and Nanning, spotting monkeys in Guizhou, and visiting the worlds largest musical fountain in the sustainability-driven city of Liuzhou. The goal is to reach Shangri-La, a city on the edge of the Tibetan plateau in the heart of the Hengduan mountain range. The city was known for centuries as Zhongdian, but in 2001 it was renamed after the fictional utopia described in James Hiltons Lost Horizon in an effort to entice more tourists. The city has a cultural heritage that blends Chinese and Tibetan, as seen through its architecture, such as Yunnans largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, Songzanlin Monastery, and its mix of vibrant courtyard-style homes and temples. Shangri-La also attracts visitors each year to its annual horse racing festival, usually held in June.

Checkpoint four

Varanasi, India

open image in gallery The sacred city of Varanasi ( Getty/iStock )

As the Himalayas separating Shangri-La from India present a gargantuan challenge capable of humbling even the worlds most fearless adventurers, the remaining four teams were flown to the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu to restart their race. Set in a valley surrounded by mountains, this bustling city is home to traffic-jammed alleyways, historic cultural sites, seven Unesco World Heritage Sites and the picturesque and peaceful Garden of Dreams. Checkpoint four is Varanasi, one of the worlds oldest continuously inhabited cities and a site of profound spiritual importance. Situated on the banks of the Ganges River in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, its a major pilgrimage site for Hindus, as well as Buddhists and Jains. Home to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, one of the most sacred Hindu sites in India and the Manikarnika Ghat, one of the holiest cremation grounds among the sacred riverfront ghats, Varanasi is a frenetic and unforgettable city that marks our intrepid travellers fourth checkpoint.

Checkpoint five

McLeod Ganj, India

open image in gallery Dalai Lama Temple, Tsuglagkhang Complex, one of the many religious sites in McLeod Ganj ( Getty/iStock )

After reaching Varanasi, Indias spiritual capital, the racers discovered their next checkpoint would be McCleod Ganj, a journey that would take them 1,500km northwest. The highly elevated town, known as a hill station, is home to the 14th Dalai Lama and has a large Tibetan community after he and many others sought refuge here in 1959 after an uprising against the Chinese in Tibet. This story is told in the Tibet Museum in McLeod Ganj, which puts on exhibitions showcasing Tibets history, culture and situation in the present in exile. The town also draws thousands of visitors coming in search of blessings and Buddhist wisdom, as well as domestic travellers looking to avoid soaring temperatures. To get there, the Race Across the World teams needed to traverse one of the most populated areas on Earth, before climbing nearly 7,000 feet into the foothills of the Himalayas within the district of Himachal Pradesh. The area was named after Donald Friell McLeod, who was a Lieutenant Governor during British colonial rule in India. The Himalayan town has lots of scenic viewpoints over the foothills, including areas such as Triund and the Naddi View Point, while colourful houses, monasteries and temples are dotted across the hillside.

Checkpoint six

Sasan Gir, India

open image in gallery Gir National Park is home to free-roaming Asiatic lions ( Getty/iStock )

The sixth checkpoint saw teams travelling a colossal 1,900km to the south of India, heading through the countrys largest state, Rajasthan, the Great Indian Desert and colourful cities such as Amritsar, Jodhpur and Pushkar. The teams were aiming for Sasan Gir, gateway to the Gir National Park, a wildlife destination with large stretches of grassland and the last remaining natural habitat of the endangered Asiatic lion. The park is also home to 40 species of mammals and 425 bird species, with crocodiles, jackals, eagles and owls often seen roaming. However, the park mainly attracts visitors from all over the world to spot the lions on their safari and tour packages. This is due to Gir National Park in Gujarat being the only place in the world, aside from Africa, where you can spot lions roaming free in the wild. The small Sasan Gir village, home to the Maldhari and Siddi communities, also has plenty of hotels and resorts to stay in near the national park. The park has 1,412 square metres of dry deciduous forest, and stays very hot all year round, with its lowest temperature 28C in the winter, and highs of 39C in the summer.

Checkpoint seven

Panaji

open image in gallery The baroque Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception church is the centrepiece of Panaji ( Getty/iStock )

For the penultimate checkpoint, the teams trekked 1,500km south of Sasan Gir to Panaji, the capital of Indias smallest state, Goa. After passing through destinations such as Vadodara, vineyards in Igatpuri and the countrys largest city, Mumbai, the pairs reached the coastal city made up of palm-fringed beaches and colourful streets. Until 1961, the city was under Portuguese colonial rule, with echoes of this heritage still woven through its red-tiled roof buildings, baroque architecture and Goan-Portuguese bakeries selling custard tarts. One notable baroque construction is the towering Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception church, with its bright white facade standing out in a sea of bold buildings and vibrant street art. The city now attracts millions of tourists each year, drawing a young crowd to Goas relaxed beach scene and creatives to its public art, collectives, art festivals and galleries. Panaji also sits on the banks of the Mandovi River, which flows out into the Arabian Sea and has coastal hotspots such as Bamolim Bay and Miramar, attracting beachgoers. The small Olive Ridley sea turtle has been seen nesting at Panajis beaches, and Galgibaga, further down the coast, has a protected area to help the nesting turtles.

The end

Kanniyakumari, India

open image in gallery Famous for its sunrise and sunset, the final destination this series is Kanniyakumari, the southernmost point in mainland India ( Getty/iStock )

To become Race Across the World champions and win a prize of 20,000, the teams had to reach the town of Kanniyakumari first. Located on the southernmost tip of India and a popular pilgrimage point, Kanniyakumari sits at the converging point of three major bodies of water, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. Alongside its sublime coastal views, the town is filled with historic monuments, such as the 95-foot-tall Thiruvalluvar Statue, as well as temples, churches and waterfalls. However, one of its major pulls is being the location for some of the best sunrise and sunset spectacles in the country, as its geography allows for witnessing both, appearing as if the Sun rises and then drops back below the horizon line.

Catch up on this years season on BBC iPlayer

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Want to see wildlife on your next holiday? Youre not alone. In 2022, the World Travel & Tourism Council valued wildlife tourism at $343 billion, and noted it supported some 21.8 million jobs.

While wildlife tourism can help protect wild spaces from development, and animals from threats like poaching, overtourism is increasingly threatening vital habitats.

Tourism growth in Galapagos is currently on a trajectory that is not sustainable, says Tom OHara, communications manager at the Galapagos Conservation Trust. There were 329,475 tourist arrivals in 2023, the highest ever, and the Unesco World Heritage Committee has expressed concern about the impact that this growth is having on the natural environment.

The figure represents a 23 per cent increase in visitors on the previous year, with land-based visitors an increasing concern. In 2024, the Galapagos National Park doubled the price of its entry fee in response.

Local infrastructure such as waste disposal systems cannot cope with the growing pressure, says OHara. This matters for wildlife because poorly managed waste means more plastic and other pollution contaminating the habitats of endemic species such as giant tortoises, flightless cormorants and marine iguanas.

Read more: 39 destinations cracking down on overtourism

open image in gallery A blue-footed booby looks on as tourists walk by ( Donna Johnson )

With more tourists comes the increased risk of invasive species. Something as seemingly innocuous as a seed in the tread of your shoe has the potential to wreak havoc in a sensitive island ecosystem.

Should wildlife overtourism be considered a pressing global issue? Absolutely, and especially in Africa, says Elcia Grandcourt, regional director for Africa, UN Tourism. Wildlife overtourism is becoming increasingly urgent as it coincides with two major global trends: a dramatic decline in global wildlife populations, and a rapid surge in nature-based tourism, one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry.

In Africa, for example, overtourism in the Masai Mara is affecting cheetahs ability to hunt, as well as the wildebeest migration. Excessive safari vehicle traffic on savannahs can disturb predator-prey dynamics, says Grandcourt, while unregulated marine tours may impact nesting sea turtles or coral ecosystems.

And its not just tourist numbers that affect wildlife, but how those tourists behave. Humans can cause animals stress, impacting their ability to hunt and feed, breed, socialise, care for their offspring and live in peace. We now know that activities like mountain biking disturb wildlife more than previously thought, and that swimming with dolphins can, in some cases, make them less likely to socialise, rest or feed.

Read more: The best flight-free holiday destinations from the UK

open image in gallery A Galapagos giant tortoise crosses the road in Santa Cruz ( Nick Dale )

Social media can exacerbate such problems. Instagram and TikTok can normalise unethical interactions, like touching or crowding wildlife  and viral posts can cause visitors to descend en masse. On Australias Great Ocean Road, geotagging  pinpointing a precise location  resulted in crowds descending on a single roadside koala. In some places, geotagging can also inadvertently tip-off poachers.

Governments have responded to overtourism in wild spaces with increased park entry fees  and restrictions. In Norways Svalbard Archipelago, cruises are now banned from going anywhere near polar bears. Others are looking to improve the flow of visitors. In the United States, there are now 11 national parks that require online reservations for peak periods.

SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) technology is being employed to track tourists and animals across national parks in Africa like the Serengeti, Tanzania and Masai Mara, Kenya. Kruger National Park in South Africa also uses satellite imaging, drones, and sensors to collect data in real-time, explains Grandcourt.

And its not as simple as just leaving wildlife alone. When tourism disappears, animals and communities suffer, especially if those communities have become dependent on visitors. Poaching increased during Covid, and in the Masai Mara, loss of income meant land taken back from wildlife for livestock grazing.

open image in gallery When done responsibly, wildlife tourism can benefit both animals and local communities ( Indika Nettigama/Ceylon Wild Safaris )

Read more: From living roofs to smashed peas on toast  what does it take to become a B Corp hotel?

We can no longer separate the economic success of wildlife tourism from its ecological responsibilities, says Grandcourt. Wildlife tourism must work to protect wildlife.

Cath Lawson, a senior programme manager, Eastern Africa, from the conservation group Fauna & Flora, explains that money raised from responsibly managed tourism permits helps protect endangered mountain gorillas from poaching and other threats. Responsible tourism has become the cornerstone of their conservation and crucial to their survival.

People benefit from responsible tourism too. The tourism sector has been a major contributor to the local economic development of both Uganda and Rwanda, with nature-based tourism heavily focused on mountain gorillas, Lawson adds.

While some wildlife areas see overtourism, others suffer from under-tourism. Popular safari destinations undoubtedly suffer under the pressure of visitor numbers, while others are crying out for guests, says Josh Flatman, founder of safari travel company Faran Travel. We aim to educate our travellers to inspire and inform them of destinations they might not have heard of or that don't grab the headlines.

How to help

open image in gallery A little vermilion flycatcher, also known as Darwin's flycatcher, is endemic to the Galapagos ( Agustin Gutierrez )

Look beyond the obvious destinations.People think that sites are famous for a reason and that if they dont do the most well-known thing, they will be missing out. Often, there is a very good alternative, says Sam Clark, co-founder of Experience Travel Group, who specialise in immersive holidays in Asia. There are so many examples of well-managed places, both within and outside of national parks, that sensitively manage tourism numbers and bring in money to the local population.

Choose responsible tourism operators, such as those recommended by conservation trusts in the areas you visit. The Galapagos Conservation Trust lists approved operators.

Follow wildlife watching rules. Fauna & Flora recommend Gorilla Friendly for guidance on behaving carefully around mountain gorillas.

Question behaviour that appears to break guidelines. Question assumptions too: are you absolutely adamant about seeing the Big Five? Tell your guide what you want to see  they may assume that you want to see a leopard simply because everybody else does.

Opt for lesser-spotted species. There are, of course, brilliant alternative wildlife holidays that arent dupes of more popular destinations, but special in their own right.

Eloise Barker is a writer for Responsible Travel

Read more: What happened when we ditched the Canaries for a more sustainable family trip to Paris
King Charles III remembered Queen Elizabeth II's lively VE Day celebrations  including joining a conga line  in 1945 as he delivered a speech exactly 80 years after his grandfather's historic address.

Speaking at 9pm  the same time as King George VI  Charles told a crowd at London's Horse Guards Parade that his mother wrote in her diary that she sang until 2am and went to bed at 3am as the nation celebrated the end of the Second World War.

"I do hope your celebrations tonight are almost as joyful, although I rather doubt I shall have the energy to sing until 2am, let alone lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace," His Majesty joked.
Kashmir Residents told The Independent they are terrified, as it is the common people who will suffer in the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan.

There are queues for petrol and groceries. Theres no business and people have no money, Srinagar shopkeeper Nazir Ahmad said.

On Wednesday (7 May), Indian missiles struck several locations in Pakistan, killing 31 civilians, according to Pakistani officials.

New Delhi said it was retaliating after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir last month.
India conducted mock drills across the country on Wednesday (7 May) after a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir killed 26 people on 22 April.

Tensions flared sharply on Wednesday as India launched strikes on targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, triggering the worst cross-border violence in over 20 years between the two states.

Footage showed multiple regions across India as police practised evacuation plans in case of injuries.

It was the largest civil defence drill in India since 1971, the year India and Pakistan went to war that led to the formation of Bangladesh.
Sir Keir Starmer has said he will always act in our national interest and deliver security and renewal for our country as he discussed an impending announcement on trade talks with the US.

In a speech at the London Defence Conference on Thursday (8 May), the prime minister said: "As you know, talks with the US have been ongoing and you'll hear more from me about that later today.

But make no mistake, I will always act in our national interest, for workers, businesses and families, to deliver security and renewal for our country."
Strong demand for Irish trailer parks was reflected in the bidding for Bettystown Caravan Park in Co Meath, which was bought in recent days by another Irish caravan park operator who is based in the southern area of the country.
People who are exposed to information about cryptocurrency are more likely to take risks with other investments, according to new research from the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. The effect is stronger for those who are less well off.
La Francaise des Jeux bought Premier Lotteries Ireland in 2023

The French company that in 2023 paid 350m for the firm behind the Irish lottery is recouping 35m in cash from the Irish business just 18 months after the deal was finalised.
Its widespread. Every age cohort, every walk of life. Fraud doesnt see the customer, it sees the account, CEO of Bank of Ireland Retail on a scourge of the digital era
Home economics: I am unclear about what the HSE can take under the Fair Deal scheme
Microsoft executive says laid off staff should use AI to help cope with emotional loss
The changing face of work: Why employees from a New York firm chose to move back to Ireland

Moving home helped me take the next step in my career

Eoin Carey is team lead of corporate technology at Millennium Management in Dublin

Azmia Riaz Thu 8 May 2025 at 03:30

Two employees from a New York-headquartered company have spoken about how returning home to Ireland from cities such as London and New York has worked wonders for their careers.
Controversial plans to reduce the impact of herds with a history of bovine TB on TB free herds  shelved previously after farmer pushback  are back on the table, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon confirmed at todays TB summit.

The Farming Independent understands the Minister told the meeting of industry stakeholders of the rising toll of bovine TB (bTB) on Irish farmers and set out a series of new measures aimed at curbing its spread  including a return to movement restrictions for cattle from high-risk herds, a move that has already drawn sharp criticism from farming groups.

Over 41,600 reactors were disclosed in 2024, a 44% increase on the previous year. With this rate of increase, the Minister warned Ireland could be facing 63,000 reactors in 2025.

More than 6,000 farm families were affected by a TB outbreak last year, with herd incidence rising to 6.04%, a 36% increase since 2022.

The economic fallout is severe, with the dairy industry alone estimated to have lost 145 million litres of milk in 2024, and farm gate price losses reaching approximately 70 million. Direct programme costs exceeded 100 million last year, with farmers contributing 8 million more in disease levies and testing.

Minister Heydon said the current approach  focused on testing, culling, and vaccinating badgers  was not enough. Citing a recent study, he called for enhanced biosecurity and tighter controls on the movement of high-risk cattle, including renewed restrictions on herds with a history of TB breakdowns.

These steps are necessary to reduce stress for affected farmers and to protect livelihoods, he said, outlining a five-point plan including reducing the role of wildlife, early detection, biosecurity improvements, and a renewed focus on high-risk cattle movement.

But the reaction from the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) to the proposals has been immediately scathing.

IFA Animal Health Chair TJ Maher said the proposals still have some distance to travel and place undue burden on individual farmers.

Yesterday, IFA published a report completed by ifac which showed that TB is costing farmers over 150 million per annum, Maher said. A lot of the Ministers proposals would put extra costs on farmers  including the extension of restrictions and blacklisting of herds. This places the burden on farmers who, through no fault of their own, are enduring TB outbreaks.

Maher said that for meaningful agreement to be reached, the Department will need to change their direction of travel.
A DUP councillor has hit out at the presence of drag queens and scantily-clad women and men as a row erupted over a request for the use of a local park to host part of the upcoming Lurgan Pride event in Co Armagh.

Lurgan Pride is scheduled to take place in the town on August 16  with the request to use the park to accommodate part of the event discussed at an Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon council meeting.

Opposition to the plans over the park came from some DUP and TUV representatives, citing the recent UK Supreme Court ruling on gender identity  although the legislation doesnt currently apply in Northern Ireland  and expressing concerns over the possible use of the public toilets in the park by people who are not biologically female.

The event in August will include a parade through Lurgan town centre before finishing in Lurgan Park, with around 350 people and live music and speeches to take place close to Lurgan Park fountain.

Alderman Stephen Moutray (DUP, Lurgan DEA) said he was strongly opposed to such an event in a council-owned park, citing a number of reasons.

File photo of a pride flag (Joe Giddens/PA)

Today's News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

In October last year, this organisation for the first time held in Lurgan a small parade in the town centre, and if you had excluded folk from some of the political parties, there really wasnt a great deal of interest, he said.

However, since last December, when the Northern Ireland Executive parties all agreed  quite rightly  to an indefinite ban on puberty blockers for under 18s, Lurgan Pride have indicated that those parties are not now welcome at their events.

I am all for opening our park to as many as possible, but this group is, by its own Facebook statement on March 13, excluding some of our political parties  in fact the same political parties who will make this decision as to whether they can access the park or not.

Previous parades of this type have attracted drag queens, scantily-clad women and men, banners and posters using extreme and sometimes blasphemous language.

In light of that, I cannot support this and I will oppose it. I say that regretfully, because I dont want to stop anyone from using the park, but I do not think its appropriate for a family setting, on a summer Saturday afternoon, and I propose accordingly.

Councillor Keith Ratcliffe (TUV, Cusher DEA) referred to the recent UK Supreme Court ruling on gender identity: I totally agree with Alderman Moutray. He has made some valid points. Myself personally, I dont agree with the movement, and taking that position Im confident that Im reflecting the views of many of our ratepayers in ABC Council.

The paper before us says that the speakers will come from the LGBTQIA charities. Theres nothing in this information before us to make clear where these organisations stand in terms of the recent ruling of the Supreme Court.

Do they respect the ruling and agree to abide by it while using the council facilities? It is the essence of protesting in a free society to campaign for change within the law.

Will those in attendance be advised that the female council toilets are only for the use of biological females?

Unless or until we have clarity on the preservation of female-only spaces, I do not believe as a council we can rubber-stamp this, so I am opposed to this.

Alderman Moutrays proposal to oppose the use of Lurgan Park for the purpose of hosting this years Pride event was seconded by Alderman Paul Greenfield.

Councillor Keith Haughian (Sinn Fein, Lurgan DEA) was concerned about the legalities of simply opposing the Lurgan Pride request.

Is it contravening any equality laws if we reject this request, or is it completely in members hands and a personal choice?" he asked.

Could you just clarify if this is potentially going to put the council in a difficult position, in terms of acceding to the request?

Committee chair, Alderman Margaret Tinsley indicated the meeting would be paused for a five-minute recess, so legal clarification could be sought.

The recess ended up lasting a full 38 minutes, prompting the committee chair to joke, upon resumption of the live feed, that it had been a long five minutes.

Following the committee meeting, councillor Peter Lavery (Alliance, Lurgan DEA) issued the following statement: It was deeply concerning to see elected representatives from the DUP and TUV attempt to exclude Lurgan Pride from accessing council facilities.

Pride events offer people the chance to celebrate who they are and how they love. Allowing access to council facilities is the least we can do to recognise the valuable contribution LGBTQ+ citizens make to our borough.

Alliance is proud to support equality and inclusion for everyone in our society, and looks forward to supporting the event when it comes before council.
A lawyer for the BBC has accused Gerry Adams of repeatedly seeking to deflect questions he is uncomfortable with in relation to the Troubles and his alleged membership of the Provisional IRA.

Paul Gallagher SC said that unlike a normal witness who answers the questions they are asked, the former Sinn Fein leader would shift the focus on to other matters he was interested in instead.
Mayo County Council granted temporary access to apartment to remove plastic items

A woman who denies she is a hoarder has lost an appeal against an order granting a county council temporary access to her apartment to remove thousands of items of plastic waste.

Judge Eoin Garavan, sitting at Castlebar Circuit Civil Court, upheld the ruling of the district court after hearing evidence about the womans living conditions. The court was told Anna Marie Flanagan, aged in her 50s, has lived in emergency accommodation for homeless people in Mayo since 2018.
LATEST | Murder accused Richard Satchwell insisted wife had vanished without trace before gardai found body under stairs, trial hears

Mr Satchwell offered chest freezer in which his wife Tina Sathcwells body had been stored, on DoneDeal for free, court told Trial hears forensic accountant attached to the Garda National Crime Bureau examined the Satchwells' finances

Richard Satchwell is accused of the murder of his wife Tina (inset)

Ralph Riegel Thu 8 May 2025 at 13:25

Murder accused Richard Satchwell (58) maintained to gardai during an interview after his arrest that his wife Tina (45) had vanished without trace from their home while detectives were beginning to excavate his Cork property as part of an invasive search operation.
Gardai seized the cannabis in the raid shortly after 7pm

Some of the seized drugs on display

Two men have been arrested after 460,000 worth of cannabis herb was seized in a raid on a house in Swords, Co Dublin yesterday evening.

Gardai attached to the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT) seized the cannabis and arrested both men following the search carried out under warrant shortly after 7pm.

A total of 46 packages of vacuum-sealed cannabis herb, with an estimated street value of 460,000 (pending analysis) was discovered and seized by gardai, a Garda spokesperson said.

Two men aged in their 20s were arrested at the scene and are currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at Garda stations in the DMR North.

Gardai said the seized drugs will be subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) as investigations are ongoing.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary, Dublin Region (DMR) said that targeting those who sell drugs in our communities remains a top priority for An Garda Siochana.

Drug dealing causes fear, harm and intimidation in our communities, Assistant Commissioner Cleary said.

Yesterdays operation demonstrates my strong commitment to targeting those who cause fear and harm in our communities through their drug dealing activities.
Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was speaking at the INMO annual conference, where it was stated that an average of 11 nurses were assaulted every day.

The safety and security of members while carrying out their duties was a big talking point as the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) annual conference took centre stage in Wexford town on Thursday.

Stark figures put forward by the union showed that an average of around 11 nurses or midwives were being assaulted every day, usually in Emergency Departments across the country where patients facing long waits for treatment and overcrowding.

The members suggested that these frustrations felt by patients are often a significant contributory factor to violent outbursts, which all too often result in nurses and other hospital staff members being injured or verbally abused.

While acknowledging the point as she arrived to give the key note speech at the conference, Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said that there was absolutely no justification for any assaults on healthcare workers, regardless of the situation in any given Emergency Department or hospital.

"Theres absolutely no reason to assault anyone, but particularly a healthcare worker and particularly somebody who is working to support the public, the Minister said. "I take it very seriously what nurses and midwives are saying here today.

"I would acknowledge all of the people who go to Emergency Departments and hospitals in very stressful circumstances and it wouldnt even have occurred to them to assault somebody.

"But we have to be very careful about providing explanations or justifications of any kind for any assault. The situation can be very different in different hospitals. Some are much more overcrowded than we would want them to be. Were trying to increase capacity and change work practices to make it a better environment for everybody  patients and healthcare workers alike. Everybody deserves a safe, comfortable place to get treatment."

However, Minister Carroll MacNeill once again stressed that assaults on healthcare workers were indefensible and would not be tolerated.

"I provide absolutely no justification for any member of the public, in any context, to commit an assault on any healthcare worker.

Given the diverse background of nurses, doctors and other hospital staff, the Minister was also concerned to hear reports that there was a racial element to some of these attacks.

"Im particularly troubled when I hear reports back, anecdotal or otherwise, that theres any racial element to it as well, she said. I just want to be extremely clear that there is no justification for that, whether it's a healthcare worker or a member of An Garda Siochana or anybody else. Theres absolutely no justification for it.

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD speaking to the media at the INMO Conference in Whites Hotel Wexford on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell

Addressing the members on the subject in her speech, the Minister said: "I am so distressed to hear the stories of people who have experienced assault of any kind in our healthcare system. I just want to say very, very clearly that it is absolutely unacceptable that any person in Ireland would experience a threat to them in any place, but in particular in their workplace where they are delivering a service in a kind and committed way to the people in Ireland. We need simply a no tolerance approach to that and I very much stand with you on that.

"You so often see the impacts of violence in different ways in your job and it is simply unacceptable, regardless of race, location, gender, or any other thing.

While conceding that efforts were being made to further increase staffing numbers at hospitals and that increasing capacity was a key concern, the Minister said: There simply isnt any excuse for this, in any context. Im not going to provide any justification for someone whos committed an assault.

In the year from February 2024 to 2025, 3,757 nurses and midwives were assaulted. The union states it works out at over 11 people per day who have been verbally, physically or sexually assaulted in work.

At the conference, members called for the implementation of compensatory payment for nurses and midwives required to work in unsafe conditions, while another motion called on the HSE to introduce appropriate security measures, including an increased security presence, along with the establishment of a clear and supportive reporting system that will encourage nurses/midwives to report all forms of abuse in the workplace.
Irish woman Cliona Ward, who was detained for more than two weeks by US immigration as she returned from a trip to Ireland, is full of gratitude following her release, her sister has said.
After 37 years at RTE and nearly three decades at the helm of Liveline, veteran broadcaster Joe Duffy is hanging up the mic next month and retiring from the national broadcaster.

By providing a platform for the voices of listeners across the country, Duffy became one of the most influential broadcasters in Ireland.

Duffy, aged 69, hosted Liveline for 27 years, during which time it became one of the most popular radio programmes in Ireland and regularly brought in more than 400,000 listeners.

Born in Mountjoy Square in 1956 to his mother Mabel and father Jimmy, Duffy and his family moved to Ballyfermot when he was a child.

Joe Duffy

RTE's Joe Duffy speaking about hanging up Liveline mic after 27 years

Reflecting on his early life in his autobiography, Duffy wrote of his father: No matter how hard he tried, how hard he worked, drink diminished him.

If drink diminished my father, it diminished the family.

Before pursuing a career in the media, he undertook a degree in social work at Trinity College in 1977 and was one of the first people from his area to attend the university.

During his time at university, Duffy became involved in student politics and served as the president of the Trinity Students Union before going on to be the president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).

While serving as USI president, Duffy was part of on-campus protests around access to education and was arrested, spending two weeks in Mountjoy Prison. Before joining the national broadcaster, he worked in the probation service.

Duffy met his wife June Meehan while at Trinity College and they share three children, triplets Ronan, Sean and Ellen, born on March 28, 1995.

Though he is best known for his time in the hosts chair on Liveline, Duffy started out as a producer on RTE in 1989 before taking up a role as a reporter on The Gay Byrne Show.

For his work on The Gay Byrne Show, he received a Jacobs Award in 1992, recognising outstanding contributions to Irish radio.

After presenting a number of other programmes including Soundbyte, Duffy took up the hosts seat on Liveline full-time in 1998. During his time on the programme, Liveline became a national institution and the programmes slogan Talk to Joe became a part of everyday Irish life  Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Duffys show formed an essential part of the national conversation.

In 1991, his brother Aidan died aged just 25 in a road accident on the Maynooth Road. Duffy was presenting on radio that day and first heard about the accident through an RTE news bulletin.

Reflecting on his brothers death in a 2023 interview with the Irish Independent, Duffy said: He was killed at noon when the front of his company van collapsed and he careered under the front of an oncoming truck in Maynooth.

I was presenting Liveline that day and I heard about the accident on the one oclock news. I said to somebody, That sounds like a horrific crash.

"After my programme was over one of my colleagues, Noel Coughlan, told me that my brother had been killed in the accident. I had to then break the news to my mother.

"My wife, June, came over and collected me. I said to June, Her life will never be the same again.

In 2008, Duffy appeared as one of the featured celebrities on the first series of Who Do You Think You Are?, an RTE series tracing each guests family lineage.

In an effort to learn more about his mothers side of the family, Duffy traced back to the birth of his maternal grandmother Grace Ganley, who was born in India in 1902. Through old British military records, he learned his great grandfather Joseph Ganley served in the British Army in India.

Duffy was close to his mother Mabel, who died aged 92 in February 2022. At her funeral mass in St Matthews Church in their native Ballyfermot, Duffy said: Mabel, we were blessed in your often hard life, blessed in your easy passing, and after 94 years on this earth, blessed beyond belief that you were our mother.

"So in this church, your favourite, we say goodbye today. And like so many in your generation, Mabel, you sank the well and we drank the water.

The author of a number of books, Duffy won awards for his books Children of the Rising and Children of the Troubles on the young lives lost during the Easter Rising and during the Troubles.

His autobiography Just Joe was launched by Gay Byrne and published in October 2011.

During his time with RTE, he hosted other programmes including Liveline Callback and the beloved television series The Meaning of Life. He also hosted Joe Duffys Spirit Level, a show looking at the different religions and faiths of Ireland.

The winner of a number of IMRO Awards, Duffy was inducted into the Phonographic Performance Ireland (PPI) Hall of Fame in October 2013.
Patrick ODonovan, the media minister, had previously said that he was not in favour of introducing such a levy - citing a possible increase in cost that would be passed on to consumers

Meghan Markle in her 'With Love, Meghan' lifestyle series on Netflix

A so-called Netflix levy could lead to lower value or quality programming being available to an Irish audience, some subscription services have warned.

It comes in a report which has recommended that Ireland should introduce such a levy on paid media providers, in order to improve the investment in domestic productions.

Patrick ODonovan, the media minister, had previously said that he was not in favour of introducing such a levy - citing a possible increase in cost that would be passed on to consumers.

A report on the feasibility of such a levy, prepared for Coimisiun na Mean, has said that Ireland should introduce such a levy at the at the earliest possible date.

The report, which was compiled by Nordcity Limited and Saffrey LLP, said that the levy should be introduced at a rate of 0.5pc of gross turnover on ad revenue earned, 0.5pc of pay-TV subscription revenue, and 3pc of video-on-demand revenue.

It said that these rates could be gradually increased to 1pc, 1pc and 5pc, respectively.

The report said that the Irish Government believed that Irish households are likely to ultimately pay for the levy themselves through higher subscription fees.

This reflects the position outlined by Mr ODonovan, who had expressed concerns about the levy being passed on to consumers.

But the report found that the assumption of 100pc pass-through to subscribers was not unanimously confirmed" by media service providers.

Subscription services told the report that they take into account a variety of factors when setting their consumer rates and the levy would be one of those factors.

Some [media service providers] suggested that instead of raising prices in Ireland, they may reduce their existing content spend in Ireland and/or commission content of lower value/quality, the report said.

Others said that in countries where the financial obligations of European media services directives were hard to meet, they had reduced content commissioning and increased content licensing.

The report recommended that the levy would apply to the income of media providers, but smaller companies with less turnover could be offered exemptions.

It said that the money generated by such a levy would help domestic Irish productions to pursue "creative excellence while also forging more international partnerships."

The report said that this would improve the financial stability of the domestic production sector.
Catherine Prasifka: Elon Musk should have known that his AI creation Grok would go all woke and turn against him

The X owner failed to learn the lesson taught by Microsofts Tay: when you hand your creation over to the internet, you lose control over it

Elon Musk failed to understand that when you hand your creation over to the internet, you lose control over it.

Catherine Prasifka Thu 8 May 2025 at 03:30

There have been grumblings on X that Grok is woke now  a sentence that is barely comprehensible without the context of 2025, and one that would send a Victorian child into a tailspin.
Supporters of the Markazi Muslim League party burn an Indian flag during a demonstration in Peshawar, Pakistan, to condemn Indian missile strikes. Photo: AP

Indias military strikes against Pakistan have nerves jangling in the UN Security Council and alarm bells ringing in Washington. When nuclear-armed countries attack each other, it is wise to pay attention. What may begin as a skirmish could, with the descent of red mist, become the war to end all wars.

Seething tensions over the disputed Kashmir region date from 1947. India has long accused Pakistan of fomenting separatist violence. Once a princely state, Kashmir today is a heavily-militarised zone administered by India. Blood has been spilled there almost since the once British-ruled subcontinent was partitioned into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.

It was the killing of 25 Indian tourists and a Kashmiri man last month that created the current flashpoint. Kashmir has triggered fighting between the two countries before, in 1947, 1965 and 1999, and between India and China in 1962.

Supporters of the Markazi Muslim League party burn an Indian flag during a demonstration in Peshawar, Pakistan, to condemn Indian missile strikes. Photo: AP

Today's News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

What is so frightening is that both India and Pakistan are nuclear-armed. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Pakistan and India each possess about 170 nuclear warheads. Neither country is a signatory to the UN Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, yet somehow the case for preventing nuclear proliferation has slid down the list of priorities on the global agenda.

In response to Indias attack, the Pakistani government said it had authorised its military to take measures corresponding to the countrys self-defence, at a time, place and manner of its choosing.

It is going to take something more nuanced than plaintive pleas for calm to walk this crisis back

Indias assault was its most extensive in decades, with Pakistan claiming 26 people had been killed.

The situation is on a knife-edge, with India carrying out mock drills, simulated air raids and fire emergencies. They are the first such nationwide operations since 1971. Donald Trump called the strikes a shame and said he hoped the conflict ends very soon.

China has appealed to both sides to de-escalate tensions, but it is going to take something more nuanced than plaintive pleas for calm to walk this crisis back.

Kashmir is Indias sole Muslim-majority region, but in 2019, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi stripped it of its semi-autonomous status. It is claimed by both India and Pakistan, but divided between. A decades-long insurgency has claimed thousands of lives.

The stand-off has defied all attempts at resolution. The absence of a credible international mediator makes it all the more worrying. Americas withdrawal from its role as international policeman has left a vacuum.

The often-derided Ronald Reagan said: Our moral imperative is to work with all our powers for that day when the children of the world grow up without the fear of nuclear war.

The stakes are simply too high for New Delhi or Islamabad to make a miscalculation. Diplomacy must come into play if off-ramps are to be found. Getting sucked into an escalatory cycle would be catastrophic.
Demand is greater than supply and many more houses must be built

Behind Irelands housing figures there are struggling families. There are people who are stuck in the rental sector who want to own their own homes.

I believe we are dealing with a ticking time bomb in this country  the possibility of a whole generation of pensioners renting in the future is unsustainable.

We are nearing boiling point. We have the highest levels of youth outward emigration since 2015. We are losing gardai, teachers and healthcare workers.

I believe the housing crisis is a key threat to our economy.

John OBrien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary

Is Israel treated differently to Russia because it buys weapons from the EU?

It is reported that the Tanaiste has issued condemnation of Israels plan to seize Gaza (Simon Harris among six EU foreign ministers to issue condemnation of Israels plan to seize Gaza, May 7).

What do the six EU leaders hope to achieve by such condemnation?

It is clear Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no interest in listening to any complaint/concerns relating to the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza or the West Bank. What is needed is action, just like the EU took against Russia.

So why double standards? Could it be because many EU states are selling military equipment to Israel?

Michael Moriarty, Rochestown, Co Cork

Contrasting photos from the Vatican were excellent and evocative of scripture

I would like to congratulate you for the excellent contrasting photos from the Vatican (Irish Independent, May 8).

We see the red-robed cardinals assembled under the artistic work of Leonardo Da Vinci in the Sistine Chapel.

In contrast, we have the kneeling pilgrim clad in a hooded hessian robe and sandals and clasping his staff.

You have to consider which is most in keeping with the teaching of Christ  those within the Sistine Chapel or the pilgrim outside.

The Gospel of Mark 6:8-9 quotes: He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff  no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts  but to wear sandals and not put on two coats.

Regarding the pilgrim, as an electrician I wondered why he had chosen bands of green/yellow insulating tape for earth wire to add to his staff.

Paddy Murray, Castlepollard, Co Westmeath

A new front is opening up in the centuries-old world of warring over religion

As an age-old religious war comprising pseudo post-Christianity and radical Islam versus radical Judaism rumbles on, a new religious war is breaking out.

Fundamentalist Islam and nationalist Hinduism have entered the ring. On behalf of which side will the acute sensitivities of the Irish media and populist commentators proselytise?

Eugene Tannam, Firhouse, Dublin 24

Skirts, skorts and shorts camogie controversy was bound to wake up the wags

One wonders if one is allowed to wear a skort on the Dort.

Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9

As VE Day is remembered, rising racism is putting us on same path as the Nazis

Amid the 80th anniversary commemorations of the official end of the war in Europe, its sobering to think that racism, which was at the heart of the evil regime the Allies defeated, has made a comeback.

It is metaphorically crawling its way out of the ruins of the Berlin Bunker to ensnare new generations of Europeans.

I listened recently to an old interview with an Irishman who was among the first Allied soldiers to enter the Nazi death camp of Bergen-Belsen.

Nothing he had experienced in the war up to that point had prepared him for what he saw and felt when he passed through the gates of a man-made hell.

He had lost friends on the battlefield, had numerous brushes with death and had seen the ugliness of war up close, but this left him stunned and disbelieving.

We should never forget that the horrific scenes of mass murder, torture and the classification of entire ethnic groups as sub-human only became possible because people had allowed themselves to fall under the spell of racism.

It started with name-calling, the casting of racial slurs and the dehumanising of people.

In Britain, the VE Day (Victory in Europe) events are lavish and colourful and the relatives of those who served in the war or gave their lives are rightly proud of their sacrifice.

How sad to see, though, in Britain and Ireland, that people are using the national flag to promote hatred of others, such as refugees and asylum-seekers, with cries of Our nation first or Get them out.

Eighty years have passed since the Nazis ran up the white flag. Unfortunately, unreasoning hatred of people on grounds of creed, skin colour or ethnicity still thrives.

Will any of us live to celebrate VR Day  Victory over Racism?

John Fitzgerald, Callan, Co Kilkenny

Remembering the Irish who fought alongside the British to save our world

On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, it is to be remembered that Ireland was neutral, but Irish men fought with the Allies in Europe.

One of them was John ONeill, who emigrated from Bere Island, Co Cork, to England in the 1930s.

He and his comrades fought through WWII until he was killed in action in late 1944. He is buried in the military cemetery near Overloon in the Netherlands.

The late RTE journalist Cathal OShannon joined the RAF when war began. He went on to make the award-winning TV documentary Even the Olives are Bleeding in 1976 on the Irish in the Spanish Civil War.

I would like to give a mention also to the Allied army and civilian engineers who ensured military vehicles, tanks and troops moved quickly into Europe after D-Day on June 6, 1944.

The war in the Pacific was not yet over. Dr Aidan MacCarthy, from Castletownbere, Co Cork, joined the war as an RAF doctor. He survived Dunkirk in 1940 and was next sent to Asia. They were attacked and captured by the Japanese. He survived brutal POW camps and the atom bomb on Nagasaki in August 1945.

He said faith and lots and lots of luck helped him survive.

Mary Sullivan, College Road, Co Cork
What does Amazon's new Vulcan robot do? Why is the new Nothing phone the best affordable option? And how should the DPC respond to TikTok storing data on Chinese servers?
GAA

Noel Horgan: Dublins upset was the greatest since 1966, Cork will see opportunity beckon

It would be hard to convince those of us around long enough to have seen them at their peak that the Tipperary team of the early sixties shouldnt be ranked close to, or at, the top of the list of all-time great hurling sides.
Expansion one of a number of issues addressed under public consultation process

The Project Manager behind the Cork LUAS project says the emerging preferred route for the line could change as a direct consequence of recent public consultation meetings.

The consultation continues this week on the project, which is Corks first light-rail system in over a century, as the 18km long emerging preferred route was published last month. The route has been welcomed positively as a necessary step in unblocking the citys traffic issues, which the team says could help accelerate the project further.
News

Man appears in court accused of multiple unprovoked attacks against women in Athlone

A man has appeared in court charged with a series of unprovoked attacks against women in a midlands town during which he allegedly told one female: Do you want a piece of this? Ill f****** kill you, you b****.
West Cork commuters have received very welcome news with the imminent introduction of an hourly bus service scheduled to commence in the coming weeks.

The new hourly service is due to begin on Sunday, June 29 and buses will run every hour on the hour from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week from Skibbereen to Cork city.

West Cork Connect who will be providing the daily service who posted the news on their social media account said the upgrade has been made possible through a joint effort with the NTA (National Transport Authority). This is a phenomenal step forward for public transport in West Cork. Weve always believed the people of West Cork deserve regular, affordable and reliable transport. We know how much this means to people. The most common email we get is someone asking when the service will run more often.

West Cork Connect added: Between our Route 230 and the Route 237, you will now have access to an hourly bus service, making travel more convention and flexible than ever before. We are thrilled to finally bring this hourly service to life for the community.

Independent Ireland TD for Cork South West Michael Collins welcomed the introduction of an hourly bus service for commuters from West Cork. It is such fantastic news for West Cork. Well done to Damien and his team.
Investigations are ongoing into Tuesday's car chase from Dungarvan, Co Waterford, into Cork involving two male juveniles (stock image)

A dramatic car chase across the Waterford Cork border ended with two teenagers being arrested and detained on Tuesday.

Shortly before 7.30pm on Tuesday evening, gardai on patrol observed a car in the Dungarvan area with several youths on board.

Following a check on the vehicle using the Garda Mobility App, it was revealed that it had been taken without authorisation from a location in Cork city the previous night, Monday, May 5.

The vehicle failed to stop when directed to do so by gardai and a managed containment operation was put in place on the N25 towards Cork.

With the assistance of gardai in Midleton, the vehicle was intercepted and subsequently brought to a halt at the Lakeview roundabout. During the course of the operation, the offending vehicle collided with four stationary vehicles. No injuries were reported.

Two male juveniles were arrested on Tuesday, May 6, and are currently detained at a garda station in the Waterford division under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. Investigations are ongoing, added a garda spokesperson.
A man in Co Donegal was left waiting on an ambulance to come from Co Roscommon. Stock image.

A County Donegal man who suffered a fall outside his home was left waiting almost two hours for an ambulance to come from Co Roscommon.

On Saturday, April 26, 2025, an 86-year-old man fell outside his home in Kilcar.

His daughter called 999 at 11.02am and was told the only ambulance available was in Boyle in Co Roscommon.

The ambulance arrived at the house at 12.40pm, one hour and 40 minutes after being first called.

The man was taken to hospital for treatment but by the time the man arrived, it was over three and a half hours after the first 999 call.

Senator Manus Boyle explained the man had went outside his house for a walk and unfortunately, he fell.

"The weather on that Saturday was very bad.

He was lying for one hour and 40 minutes before the ambulance got to him.

"There is a big difference between Boyle in Roscommon and Kilcar in Donegal.

Follow Independent Donegal on Facebook

"The daughter rang back at 11.43am to see what was holding up the ambulance and was told it would be a further 30 minutes.

"The ambulance arrived at the house at 12.40pm, one hour and 40 minutes after being called.

"The patient arrived at the hospital three hours and 40 minutes after the first 999 call, said Senator Boyle.

Senator Boyle said this is not the fault of the ambulance staff and paramedics as they were more than good" when they arrived at the house.

When the ambulance personnel turned up, they were first class, as they always are.

"We are so lucky to have first class people working for the service but it is just a pity there is not more of them, said Senator Boyle.

Senator Boyle said it was totally unacceptable there was no ambulance available in Donegal to assist the man and said the system is not working.

He believes the reinstallment of an ambulance crew in Killybegs would greatly assist the county.

We have lost an ambulance crew in Killybegs.

The ambulance is still there and it is beggars belief that we cannot put in another crew there.

"What would it cost for a crew to be put in place? It would be a big help because if Donegal was called, they could cover.

"The way it used to be.

"I know it is not possible to cover everything but I think the rural parts of Donegal need a service there that when people ring, they know they are not going to be waiting too long, said Senator Boyle.

Raising the issue in the Seanad, Senator Boyle said the current system in place may work in cities but it does not work in rural areas and he called for an urgent review of the ambulance service.

"Do rural communities not count for anything in Ireland?

"We are out on a limb in County Donegal.

"This is the fourth time I have brought this up since I was first elected to this House. I ask for an urgent review to see what is going on with the ambulance service, said Senator Boyle.
Tornadoes may hit East China's Jiangxi as CMA activates level-III emergency response

Global Times) 16:39, May 08, 2025

(Photo/National Meteorological Center)

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) continued to issue heavy rain and severe convective weather warnings from Wednesday evening to Thursday morning, noting that some areas in East China's Jiangxi Province might experience tornadoes.

Simultaneously, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) initiated a level-III emergency response for meteorological disasters.

The NMC issued a yellow alert for heavy rain, a yellow alert for severe convective weather, and a blue alert for strong winds on Thursday morning.

The NMC forecasted that from 2 pm Thursday to 2 pm Friday, parts of East China's Anhui Province and other areas may experience strong gales exceeding force 10, with maximum winds reaching force 11 or higher. In central and northern Jiangxi, the possibility of tornadoes cannot be ruled out.

Additionally, the NMC forecasted that from 2 pm Thursday to 2 pm Friday, parts of regions will experience heavy to torrential rain, with severe downpours expected in eastern Jiangxi, accompanied by severe convective weather such as thunderstorms, gales and hail.

Furthermore, from 8 am Thursday to 8 am Friday, parts of North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and other regions will face winds of force 5 to 6, with gusts up to force 7 to 8. The central and southern Yellow Sea, as well as most of the East China Sea, will experience winds of force 7 to 8, with gusts up to force 9.

Previously, the NMC issued a blue alert for heavy rain and a blue alert for severe convective weather on Wednesday evening. From 8 pm Wednesday to 8 pm Thursday, the possibility of tornadoes in localized areas of Jiangxi cannot be ruled out.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Water Resources and the CMA jointly issued a yellow meteorological risk warning for mountain torrents on Wednesday evening. From 8 pm Wednesday to 8 pm Thursday, parts of East China's Anhui and other areas may experience mountain torrent disasters, according to Xinhua.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the CMA jointly issued a geological disaster risk warning on Wednesday evening. From 8 pm Wednesday to 8 pm Thursday, parts of southern and western Anhui and other regions face a relatively high meteorological risk of geological disasters, reported Xinhua.

Experts have advised affected areas to strengthen real-time monitoring, flood prevention warnings, evacuation measures and other precautionary efforts. The public is encouraged to stay updated on geological disaster risk warnings and exercise caution when traveling to areas under such alerts, reported Xinhua.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
Tents near the International Protection Office on Mount Street were removed in May 2024

Metal barriers in and around Mount Street have cost Dublin City Council (DCC) over 200,000 in the past year.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that DCC has spent a total of 208,480 on the installation and ongoing maintenance of these metal barriers, which were first erected in May last year.

A spokesperson for DCC said the barriers were put in place to deter people from rough sleeping and camping in the area.

They added that while there are no plans at present to remove the fencing, the situation is regularly reviewed.

The barriers were initially installed after over 200 asylum seekers were removed from tents along Mount Street as part of a multi-agency operation.

In response to the increasing number of people seeking shelter in the area, the council introduced the barriers to prevent further encampments.

The aim was to keep the street clear and ensure that individuals seeking asylum would not set up temporary homes in tents, which had previously become a common sight in the area.

Metal barriers have prevented asylum-seekers pitching tents on Mount Street. Photo: Frank McGrath

The total expenditure for the barriers now stands at 208,480 for the full year, which includes an initial expense of 6,650 for traffic management and the installation of the barriers in May last year.

A further 700 was spent on the removal of equipment shortly after the barriers were put in place. In October, a 700 repair bill was incurred after the barriers were damaged.

However, the most significant expenditure has been the ongoing weekly hire charges, which has totalled 200,430 for the 51 weeks since the installation.

This averages out at almost 4,000 per week.

Despite being viewed as a temporary solution, the ongoing rental of the barriers has sparked criticism, with some questioning whether a more permanent solution should be considered.

The former headquarters of the Irish League of Credit Unions, which is located nearby, is set to be converted into accommodation for asylum seekers.

The building was sold in 2023 for 9.5m and is now owned by Lower Mount Street Accommodation Services, which has applied for permission to convert the property into a refugee centre.

Although the exact number of residents is yet to be confirmed, estimates suggest the building could accommodate up to 700 asylum seekers.

The propertys location, close to the area where asylum seekers have previously been seen sleeping in tents, has raised concerns from local residents.

Many have voiced frustration with the fact they have been living with both tents and metal barriers for over 18 months.

Others have raised concerns about the lack of adequate services and facilities, suggesting the area may not be equipped to handle such a large number of people.
Dublin Zoo is one of the country's most popular visitor attractions

Dublin Zoo is asking visitors to inform staff if they spot any rodents on the premises as it is working with specialists to manage pest control.

Over the weekend, one customer at Dublin Zoo complained how it was overrun with rats,

It was really shocking. Myself and two kids counted seven running very close to us at different times, I nearly stepped on one, it was genuinely grim, they added.

We cant be the only ones who noticed. It must be a health hazard for humans and animals.

Dublin Zoo said it adheres to stringent codes of practice, as laid down by European and Global Associations.

Our dedicated teams work consistently hard to uphold these high standards for both our visitors and animals, a spokesperson said.

Outdoor attractions such as Dublin Zoo experience both increases and decreases in rodent populations annually, which is dependent on weather among other factors.

As an outdoor facility located in a large public park, Dublin Zoo has protocols in place to monitor and manage pest control within the perimeter of the site, excluding any surrounding areas where these practices may differ.

We are working with a team of specialists to manage pest control and have engaged with them regarding the recent sightings.

If visitors observe anything of concern, Dublin Zoo asks that they inform a member of management during their visit, they added.

Dublin Zoo, located in the Phoenix Park, is one of the countrys most popular attractions catering for over 1 million visitors every year.
MEP Maria Walsh has expressed fears that Donald Trumps proposed tariffs on foreign films could place thousands of Irish jobs under threat.

The US President has threatened to impose 100pc tariffs on films made outside of America, saying on his Truth Social platform that he has told government departments to apply the tariffs on any films coming from foreign lands.

So far, there has been no indication of how the tariffs would be imposed by the US government, with MEP for Midlands North West Maria Walsh saying that the threat of such tariffs brings huge uncertainty for Irelands film industry.

Speaking in Brussels, the Fine Gael MEP warned that any potential tariffs threaten the existence of Irelands film sector and place thousands of Irish jobs at risk.

The audio visual industry is worth over 1 billion to Irelands economy, from actor Rob Lowe to Variety magazine, the world recognises our island as a global production powerhouse, she said.

"Trumps latest threat to slap a 100% tariff on foreign movies could wipe out our film industry in an instant. Over 16,000 jobs, many in rural Ireland, hang in the balance. A far cry from Hollywoods drama, the livelihoods of many of my constituents are in doubt as we sit here and debate this morning.

She said that, while the concept of the tariffs seems untenable, work still needs to be done to clarify the US position regarding the issue and bring clarity to the film industry in Ireland.

Unsurprisingly this latest policy seems unworkable, given the international and entwined web of investors, labour and revenue. How can one even define a foreign film in this day and age?

As time has taught us there is always scope for a rollback from the Trump administration. However, while we may hope for such courage, we cannot be complacent and naive

I am calling on the commission and our member states to act with urgency and seek the answers from the US on the policy over the coming days and weeks.
Ursuline College Sligo has earned a second-place finish in the National CANSAT competition finals this week. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the school, as it is their eighth year participating in the prestigious event.

The CANSAT competition challenges students to design a satellite the size of a small can, which is then launched into space aboard a real-life rocket. Once launched, the satellites sensors collect vital data, which the students must analyse and present to a panel of judges in a highly competitive and challenging environment.

The Ursuline College team triumphed in their regional finals, securing their spot at the national level. Despite fierce competition, the teamcomprising Transition Year students Meg Heaney, Ella Niland, Laura Walsh, Katie Mulligan, Rhona Kerlin, and Blathnaid McCarthyimpressed the judges with their technical expertise, attention to detail, and thorough presentation of their data.

The students were mentored by teacher Anthony Carolan, whose guidance was instrumental in their success. Their hard work and dedication paid off, as they clinched second place in the national finals, a remarkable achievement for these young innovators.

"This is an outstanding achievement for the team and a testament to their hard work and determination," said Anthony Carolan. "We are incredibly proud of their success and look forward to future opportunities in this field."

The teams success in the CANSAT competition highlights the growing interest and talent in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in Ireland, inspiring the next generation of engineers, scientists, and innovators.
Brennans Lane was officially opened last week

A transformative project which will help showcase New Ross in all its glory was officially opened last week.

The Brennans Lane project began with detailed planning, design, and community consultation. Works commenced in 2024, with the laneway undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment to enhance safety, accessibility, and vibrancy. The project, executed by contractor MJS Civil Engineering with design and construction management from consultants Avanti Architects, has turned Brennans Lane into a welcoming space that celebrates New Ross heritage and supports local businesses and residents.

Funded by a 500,000 grant from the Department of Rural and Community Development through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Brennans Lane refurbishment project was further supported by match funding from Wexford County Council, with the backing of the elected members, bringing the total investment to 891,000.

The official opening was performed by Minister Dara Calleary, joined by Councillor Pip Breen, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Councillor Bridin Murphy, Cathaoirleach of New Ross Municipal District, Elected Members of Wexford County Council, Oireachtas members from Wexford, and invited guests. The event highlighted the collaborative efforts that have brought this vision to life.

Speaking about the Brennans Lane project, Minister Calleary said: I would like to commend the of members of Wexford County Council, both official and elected members, for their dedication in bringing this important project to completion. Significant work and engagement took place between the local community, New Ross Chamber of Commerce and the local authority to enable the delivery of this project. The connection between local authorities and communities is crucial for the development of projects that address the genuine needs of our towns and villages. This helps to maximise value for money from the investment of public funds. My commitment to support and develop rural towns and villages is underpinned by the objective of Our Rural Future, the Governments policy for rural development, and aims to create the conditions to make rural communities in Ireland more attractive to live, work and participate in.

Official opening of Brennans lane. Photo; Mary Browne

Cllr Pip Breen, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, said: It is with great pride that I stand here at the official opening of Brennans Lane, a project delivered under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. This revitalised laneway is a testament to the power of collaboration, vision, and community spirit, and it marks another significant step in enhancing the vibrancy and appeal of New Ross town.

Cllr Bridin Murphy, Cathaoirleach of New Ross Municipal District, said: This marks a significant milestone for New Ross, as we celebrate the completion of this refurbishment under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. Brennans Lane, once a modest thoroughfare, has been transformed into a vibrant, welcoming space that reflects our ambition for the future of the town.

Eddie Taaffe, Chief Executive of Wexford County Council, stated The refurbishment of Brennans Lane is the latest investment in the public realm of New Ross, and is another significant step forward in the regeneration of the town centre.

Deputy Chief Executive of Wexford County Council and Director of Services, Eamonn Hore, remarked: This project showcases Wexford County Councils dedication to enhancing our communities, fostering pride, and supporting local vitality. The refurbishment of Brennans Lane has transformed it into a safer, more accessible, and vibrant space for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.

Official opening of Brennans lane. From left; Minister James Browne, Cathaorileach Bridin Murphy, District manager Eamonn Hore, Cathaoirleach Pip Breen and Minister Dara Calleary. Photo; Mary Browne

Alan Fitzhenry, District Manager of New Ross Municipal District said: I am delighted to see this excellent project opening for the people of New Ross to enjoy. The Brennans Lane rejuvenation project has seen a serious team effort from everyone at New Ross Municipal District, working closely with the consultant and contractor, along with local businesses and tradespeople. I would like to sincerely thank everyone involved for their tireless work on this project and we look forward to seeing this space come to life.

The refurbishment of Brennans Lane aims to create a safer, more accessible thoroughfare, enhancing connectivity within the town and providing a space for residents, visitors, and businesses to thrive. This milestone underscores Wexford County Councils dedication to investing in the future of New Ross under the Governments rural development policy, Our Rural Future.

Currently in the pipeline for New Ross is the construction of a skate park in Rosbercon, the development of a Norman Visitor Centre on the Quay, the pedestrianisation of Quay Street, and the provision of a Motor Home Park. These interventions will unlock the potential of New Ross town and help it grow and prosper as a major tourist destination town.
Aoife Cullen, Sinead Nolan and Ben Dolan were pictured at the launch of Darkness into Light at the Pieta Centre on Wednesday evening. Pic: JIm Campbell

Mayor Cllr Catherine Walsh pictured with the committee at the launch of Darkness into Light at the Pieta Centre on Wednesday evening. Pic: JIm Campbell

Darkness into Light 2025 will be kicking off around the country early in the morning of Saturday, May 10.

The annual event is organised by Pieta, a charity which focuses on suicide prevention, and allows an opportunity for people to connect with their local community, honour loved ones lost to suicide, and show support for those struggling with mental health challenges.

The funds raised from the event will help support the charity provides essential services to individuals while providing support for the family.

These services include; free therapy sessions, a 24/7 crisis helpline, suicide bereavement support, and community outreach and education to increase awareness around mental health and suicide prevention.

All services provided by Pieta are free of charge and do not require a referral, making them widely assessible and close to the hearts of many families across the county.

The run is set to take place in Wexford in six different locations:

Bunclody

Setting off at 4.15 a.m from the GAA pitch, the group will be making their way down Church St, Main St, Irish St, Hospital Hill, Mill Road, and will finish with a final lap of the pitch.

Enniscorthy

The group will meet in Rapparees/Starlights GAA club in Bellefield and officially set off at 4.30 a.m. The group intends to walk down through the town and back up through the beautiful atmospheric Peace Park, before ending back at the club where they will gather for refreshments.

Read more Darkness into Light 2025: find your nearest walk for Pieta House this Saturday

Aoife Cullen, Sinead Nolan and Ben Dolan were pictured at the launch of Darkness into Light at the Pieta Centre on Wednesday evening. Pic: JIm Campbell

Courtown Harbour

Beginning at 4.15 a.m. the planned road route will bring participants through the village of Courtown and Riverchapel with the intent to finish along by the woods and sea, giving the most stunning sunrise at the end.

Dogs are allowed to partake in the event along with their owners, and Realt Na Mara Saunas have offered free saunas for participants after the event.

Wexford Town

The route will be the exact same as last year, with participants beginning in St Josephs Community Centre in Bishopswater at 4.15. The following 5km route includes White Mill Road, Passing Woodie's, Clonard Road, Summerhill Road, passing Pettitt's SuperValu at St. Aidan's, before returning to St. Josephs Community Centre.

After the walk, participants can enjoy refreshments at the community centre, fostering a sense of togetherness.

Rosslare:

Paticipants will meet at Rosslare Community Centre for a bright starting point at 4.15 a.m. The route will go through Glendale, Grange Little, Mauritiustown, and Doogan's Warren before returning to the community centre.

New Ross:

Meeting at the Apex Sport Health and Leisure at 4.15 a.m. the route will take participants through Healysland, Castlemoyle, Ardross, and Bosheen.

Registration can still be made on the official website.
The inaugural 'Arklow Cars & Coffee' event will take place at Arklow Rugby Club on Sunday, May 11.

Lathan McDonald (centre left), founder of the upcoming 'Cars and Coffee' event at Arklow Rugby Club on May 11, which he'll host with support from friends Markie Wall, Paddy Kilduff, Aubrey Hayes and many more.

A group of Arklow car enthusiasts, who travel to meets the length and breadth of the country, will share their passion with their hometown community on May 11 with the seaside towns first Cars & Coffee charity event at Arklow Rugby Club.

Fatigued by long trips with his tight-knit group of petrolheads to other car groups events, Arklow resident Lathan McDonald recently created a new Facebook group to kick-start the seaside towns cars and coffee scene, while raising vital funds for charity.

After spending long hours on the phone searching for a venue and sponsors, Lathan approached Arklow Rugby Club, who jumped at the opportunity, before getting the go-ahead from suicide prevention charity Futures In Mind (aka Talk to Tom) to raise funds on their behalf.

With car clubs from across the province set to attend, the family event will have something for all ages, from high-spec cars to coffee from the Kul Beans Kaffe drive-thru, stalls and an ice-cream van, with plenty of photo opportunities on the day.

Lathan said: Coffee and car meets are a big trend in Ireland at the moment, and I really wanted to bring something to Arklow, so I said Id make a go of it myself, and I set up the Arklow Cars and Coffee Facebook page.

Ive been on the phone ever since, trying to get a venue, a charity and sponsors for our first event. When I approached Arklow Rugby Club with the idea, they were delighted and gave me the green light within a week.

I cant wait for our first event, and well have car groups from around the country coming down, including the Southside Motoring Club, whom we know very well from their events, he continued.

There will be something for everybody on the day, and car enthusiasts are invited down to show off their motors.

Well have an ice-cream van, stalls, a big raffle, and well be collecting donations, with all proceeds going to Futures In Mind.

Most of all, it will be about bringing the community together, bringing them something a bit different and somewhere they can meet, chat, drink some coffee, check out some cars and make new friends.

Blown away by the response the event has received on social media, Lathan said that it has demonstrated the appetite for cars and coffee events and informed his plans to host a monthly event in aid of different charities.

Ive been pushing the event hard on social media, and its been met by an absolute positivity, he said. The plan is to make it a monthly event and keep growing it and making it better and better. To keep building the cars and coffee scene in Arklow and hopefully get more and more people interested in it, because the events will only succeed if the community, local businesses and car fans come together.

The events will always be charity-focused, and wed hope to mix it up and fundraise for lots of different charities.

The event on May 11 is just the start, and I really think it could grow to become a really big thing for the community and local charities.

Coffee & Cars will take place in Arklow Rugby Club on May 11 from 11am to 3pm. Entry is free.
A Wicklow gastropub and a hotel restaurant were honoured at an awards ceremony that is one of the highlights in the culinary calendar for many restaurants across Ireland.

Founded in 2008 as Cook for Ulster, the Yes Chef awards came into being in 2014 and have since championed so many unsung heroes of the culinary world in both Ireland and Northern Ireland  and the Enniskerry Inn has now joined those ranks.

The awards gathered Irelands top chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers and industry influencers to recognise the individuals and venues shaping the countrys world-class hospitality scene. This year marked a significant milestone for the YesChef Awards with the launch of the new Yes Chef Blue Ribbon for Great Cooking at Affordable Prices  a prestigious accolade introduced to spotlight establishments that deliver exceptional food without the hefty price tag.

Originally known as the Leicester Arms, the Enniskerry Inn has stood in the village since the early 1800s and has welcomed many guests over the some 200 years it has stood on Church Hill. It was taken over in 2016 by The Lawlor family, who went on to put their own stamp on the historic building.

Their reward came on Thursday, April 29, when they were highly commended in the Best Gastropub of the Year in the Leinster category.

Remarking on the commendation, Edel Lawlor said it was a huge honour for the family.

"We attended the Yes Chef Awards at the Radisson Blu, in Sligo, and The Enniskerry Inn proudly took home the award for Best Gastro Pub in the Leinster category. Its a huge honour and a testament to the dedication and talent of our amazing team. This award is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff, whose commitment to hospitality makes The Enniskerry Inn such a special place to work. Were also so grateful to our loyal local customers. Their continued support means the world to us, she said.

Its not the first award for the venue, having won the Best Casual Dining in Leinster at the All Ireland Final of Irish Restaurant Awards in 2022. The Yes Chef Awards reward excellence in the industry and every year, each and every restaurant is inspected by culinary experts.

In another big win for Wicklow, The Arklow Bay Hotel scooped two accolades at the ceremony, with an award for Front of House Team of the Year and Best Hotel Restaurant. The hotel offers fine dining in the Pottery Restaurant, while the recently revamped Ferrybank Lounge is located on the ground floor at the heart of the hotel with a barfood menu and carvery lunch.

Representing the Arklow Bay Hotel, executive head chef Eddie McDermott and restaurant manager Nuno Pessoa were there to collect the awards.

Speaking after the ceremony, Eddie said: We are delighted to receive this level of recognition for the hard work put in by the team- its a team effort.

The Arklow Bay Hotel has a longstanding reputation in the community for serving up delicious dinners. The Pottery Restaurant, which won the Best Hotel Restaurant in Leinster award, offers a nightly Table dHote menu and is very popular among hotel residents and locals. The menu showcases the finest local ingredients with creative dishes that inspire. The restaurant can be booked for dinner, events, family gatherings and business dining.
Staff and students of Temple Carrig School, in Greystones, at the AIB Future Sparks School Impact Awards.

Students at a Greystones school proved what a bunch of bright sparks they were after winning a prize that shines a light on schools making a real difference in social, financial, and environmental success.

Temple Carrig School was announced as the winner of the Judges Special Commendation Prize at the 2025 AIB Future Sparks School Impact Awards, having been recognised for its cross-curricular sustainability junior cycle project between philosophy, science, geography and maths.

The AIB Future Sparks School Impact Awards celebrate the schools that make a positive impact on their community, centred on three key pillars of activity  environmental, social and financial.

These pillars encompass a wide range of activities that contribute to the betterment of communities, including volunteering, fundraising, awareness campaigns, mentoring, peer education, skills-sharing, and environmental conservation.

The awards ceremony took place in Croke Park on Tuesday, April 29, having received 124 submissions from schools across the country.

The event was hosted by digital creator, presenter, and teacher John Sharpson, and participating schools across Ireland were celebrated for their amazing work contributing to the betterment of their communities.

Speaking about their win, Susan Andrews, a teacher at Temple Carrig, said: I think its great that the students get recognition for all of the work that theyve put in. Its important that students feel like their learning is actually impactful.

As part of AIBs commitment to sustainable communities, the AIB Future Sparks School Impact Awards provide a platform to showcase and reward the endeavours schools are undertaking to inspire and ignite positive change, such as fundraising, volunteering, activism, mentoring, and more.

Remarking on the win, Orlaith Ryan, chief customer officer at AIB, said: I want to congratulate all the winners of todays AIB Future Sparks School Impact Awards. We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding contributions made by schools and young people across Ireland through the AIB Future Sparks School Impact programme. These awards not only offer students a chance to engage in a new form of learning outside of the regular syllabus, but also inspire students to continue to make a positive impact on their local communities.
Our beauty expert picks four brands you can trust for a full skincare routine

Its easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to skincare. There is so much information available and so many self-proclaimed experts online giving conflicting advice, youd be forgiven for wanting to give up. I do my best to distil the information I get from actual experts through my work on this column, but sometimes you just want to be pointed in a single direction, safe in the knowledge that you cant go too far wrong.

There are some skincare brands that I believe allow you to do just that  feel confident that whichever of its products you choose, youll be on solid ground. The following are brands Id be happy to use a full skincare routine from, such is my faith in them.

Skingredients

1. Skingredients (via skingredients.com)  When a brand is created by someone who has built a career around skin expertise, you can be fairly sure its going to be good. Jennifer Rocks Skingredients is an excellent example of this. Rock spent years guiding people towards the products and practices which would result in their best skin through her business The Skin Nerd before using all her experience to formulate her own products. I highly rate every single product in this small but perfectly formed range.

Paulas Choice

2. Paulas Choice (via paulaschoice-eu.com)  A friend of mine was struggling with acne when a chance encounter with a drag queen in Belfast changed her life. You need Paula, the queen said, and after ascertaining that Paula was referring to a skincare brand and not another drag queen, my friend made some purchases. She says its the best thing she ever did. Unlike Skingredients, Paulas Choice has a very large range of products, which means almost every skin concern is covered. Unlike some large ranges, though, these products are really effective. If youre confused on which products are best for you, the brand has a guidance section on its website which includes a helpful skin type quiz.

No7

3. No7 (via boots.ie)  A brand that needs no introduction, the Boots beauty brand was launched in 1935. In my lifetime, its been such a constant presence that youd be forgiven for overlooking it. When something is always there, you might forget about it. The launch of the brands Future Renew range, however, led me to use a full No7 skincare routine, and I was impressed. The products are consistent and effective  I guess theres a reason the brand has been a success for 90 years!

Skin Rocks

4. Skin Rocks by Caroline Hirons (via brownthomas.com)  Caroline Hironss skincare expertise became a staple in many a product-lovers life long before the launch of her brand, Skin Rocks, in 2022. After years of trusting Hironss lead when it came to skincare products, I knew I could have faith in a range she was happy to put her name on. I could use only Skin Rocks products for the foreseeable and be happy.

Buying Irish

Luna Butter Balm Lipsticks

Influencer Lisa Jordans beauty brand Luna has an impressive array of products in its range, with all bases covered from foundation to brows and mascara. The brands new Butter Balm Lipsticks have a formula which delivers the pigment of a lipstick but the comfort and hydration of a balm. Honestly, they do feel a bit like butter! With a satin finish, Butter Balm Lipsticks are available in five shades, which include two pinks, two nudes and a red. Rumour has it theres not a Cork woman in the world who doesnt have a Luna by Lisa product in their make-up bag  Im sure this will be a happy addition.

Something old

Chanels Les Beiges Bronzing Cream

When I think of cream bronzer, my mind immediately goes to Chanels Les Beiges Bronzing Cream (55 via brownthomas.com). I cant say for sure that it was the first bronzing cream on the market, but it was certainly the one that got everyones attention. For years, it was the only cream bronzer anyone was talking about. Aside from the chic Chanel pot it comes in, the product itself is great. It blends beautifully, and thanks to a total lack of sparkle and shimmer, it mimics natural bronze brilliantly. Les Beiges Bronzing Cream was initially only available in one shade, which worked for lots of people but not those with dark or fair skin tones, so Chanel introduced two new shades a few years ago which means more people can enjoy the product. Its pricey, but a little goes a long way so a pot will last you ages. For me, even the light shade is too dark in the winter, but Im looking forward to getting back to it this summer.

... Something new

Hoola Wave Original Cream Bronzer

For many people, Benefit has been a go-to brand when it comes to bronzer for as long as theyve worn make-up. Hoola, a matte powder bronzer, is incredibly popular thanks to its matte finish and soft texture which blend beautifully and, like the aforementioned Chanel product, deliver a realistic bronzing effect. Now, Benefit has brought a new Hoola to the party. Hoola Wave Original Cream Bronzer (41 via brownthomas.com) contains jojoba seed oil, shea butter and avocado oil, which means it applies smoothly and leaves the skin feeling nourished. Its not so balmy that it slides around the face though  Hoola Wave stays where you put it. Available in an impressive five shades (this shouldnt really be impressive but unfortunately the bronzer market has a long way to go when it comes to inclusivity), this product will work on most skin tones. If you like the original Hoola, but would like to layer your bronzer or simply prefer a cream, youll like this, which delivers the same shimmer-free natural finish as its predecessor.
Smokey Robinson and his wife are being sued by four former housekeepers. Photo: AP

Four housekeepers who worked for Smokey Robinson have filed a 400m civil lawsuit accusing the Motown legend of rape and sexual assault, and claim his wife knew exactly what was happening but never stepped in to stop it.

The women, identified as Jane Does 1-4 in court filings, allege that Mr Robinson, 85, took advantage of them in areas of his Southern California home where closed-circuit cameras werent located, refused to wear a condom and revelled in humiliating them.

According to the complaints, Mr Robinson left them short on wages and never permitted them rest periods or lunch breaks.

Robinsons agent and publicist did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jane Doe 1 began working for the Robinsons on weekends at their home in Chatsworth, LA, in January 2023, according to the bombshell complaint, which was filed on May 6 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The first sexual assault occurred that March, when Robinson  as he allegedly did on a typical Saturday  would rush home after taking his wife to the nail salon, the complaint states.

It says Mr Robinson assaulted Jane Doe 1 at least seven times over 13 months

Upon returning home Robinson would call [Jane Doe 1] into his blue bedroom, lock the door and escort their dog Shilo out of the room, the complaint goes on.

Robinson, clad only in his underwear, would then place a towel on the bed so as not to soil the bed linens, in preparation for what was about to occur, the complaint contends. Robinson would then sexually assault Jane Doe 1, without protection, while casually ignoring her protestations, the complaint continues.

It says Mr Robinson assaulted Jane Doe 1 at least seven times over 13 months, until she finally quit. She was too scared to tell police for fear of losing her livelihood, shame and embarrassment, and the possible adverse effect on her immigration status, the complaint states.

Defendant Frances Robinson failed to take the appropriate corrective action to prevent defendant Smokey Robinsons deviant misconduct against JD1, despite having full knowledge of his prior acts of sexual misconduct, having settled cases with other women that suffered and experienced similar sexual assaults perpetuated by him, it says.

Jane Doe 2 worked for the couple from 2014 through 2020, and says she was first assaulted two years into her tenure.

Her allegations almost exactly mirror those made by Jane Doe 1, and the complaint says Mr Robinsons brutal sexual advances were constant and even predictable.
Indian strikes hit 'terrorist camps' in Pakistan used as launchpads, recruitment hubs, India saysAct of war  Pakistan PM Shehbaz SharifDFA advises Irish citizens to avoid travelling to border areas of India and Pakistan

Pakistan shot down 12 drones from India that violated its airspace, the military said on Thursday, a day after Indian strikes on multiple targets in the country fanned fears of a larger military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

India sent Israeli Harop drones to multiple locations, including the two largest cities of Karachi and Lahore, and their debris is being collected, Pakistan military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said.

"Indian drones continue to be sent into Pakistan airspace...(India) will continue to pay dearly for this naked aggression," he said.

India's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

India hit "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan in the early hours of Wednesday, two weeks after it accused the Islamic nation of involvement in an attack in Indian Kashmir in which 26 people - mostly Hindu tourists - were killed.

Islamabad had denied the accusation and vowed to retaliate to the missile strikes, also saying it shot down five Indian aircraft. The Indian embassy in Beijing termed reports of fighter jets being shot down as "misinformation".
LATEST | Britain set to strike first deal to cut Trump tariffs

Narrow deal set to lower tariffs on steel, autosDeal would be first since Trump launched tariff war

US President Donald Trump met Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in February in the White House (Carl Court/PA)

Alistair Smout and Andrew MacAskill Reuters Thu 8 May 2025 at 12:41







The United States and Britain will announce a deal to lower tariffs on some goods on Thursday, the first such agreement since US President Donald Trump sparked a global trade war with universal levies.
Chinese president Xi Jinping flew into Moscow yesterday for talks with president Vladimir Putin and a pomp-filled visit that Kyiv has made clear it opposes after Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow shortly before he touched down.

Mr Xi, whose country buys more Russian oil and gas than any other, and which has thrown Moscow an economic lifeline that has helped it navigate western sanctions imposed over its war in Ukraine, landed at Moscows Vnukovo-2 airport soon after Russian authorities said they had brought down another Ukrainian drone outside the capital.
Pope Leo plays tennis and supports AS Roma, says senior priest





Pope Leo XIV, the first US leader of the global Catholic Church, is a keen tennis player and a fan of AS Roma soccer club, according to a senior member of his religious order who has known him for four decades.





The new pope, 69, is known as a supporter of the White Sox baseball team from his hometown of Chicago, and the Vatican's news outlet has a published a picture of him riding a horse in Peru, where he spent many years as a missionary.





"He's a regular tennis player. He would come up and play on our grounds once a week at least," Father Joseph Farrell, Vicar General of the Augustinians, told Reuters on Friday, speaking from the headquarters of the religious order just off St Peter's Square.





He confirmed that Leo was a fan of the Eternal City's biggest soccer club.





"He's (AS) Roma all the way," Farrell said.





The club did not directly confirm it, but welcomed the new pontiff after his election on Thursday.





"AS Roma joins in rejoicing with Rome and the world following the election of Pope Leo XIV, and wishes him all the very best for his papacy," it wrote on X.



Reuters




Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American cardinal from Chicago has been elected Pope, succeeding Francis and taking the name Leo XIV.

Though mooted as one of the papabile  possible popes  heading into conclave, he was not seen as of the favourites for the papacy. Here are five things you need to know about the 267th Pope:

His early life in Chicago

Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1955, Robert Prevost was an alter boy in his youth, attending a parish school and a seminary high school. A son of immigrants, his father was French and his mother was Italian.

Before becoming a priest, he attended Villanova University in Pennsylvania where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics. Upon deciding to become a priest, he joined the Order of St Augustine in 1977 and was ordained in 1982.

His years in Latin America

The American has spent a significant amount of time carrying out missionary work in South America. A holder of Peruvian citizenship, he worked in Peru for many years, first joining an Augustinian mission there in 1985. He led the Augustinian seminary in the city of Trujillo for a decade between 1988 and 1998, where he also taught canon law.

In 2014, he was appointed the bishop of Chiclayo, a city in northwestern Peru. Missionary work in the peripheries  areas considered overlooked as they were far away from Rome  was an important part of Francis pontificate.

His views

Widely viewed as a centrist, Pope Leo XIV is seen as a progressive on a number of social issues, though. Like his predecessor Francis, the new pontiff has publicly expressed his support for poor people and migrants.

On issues within the church, however, he is seen as more conservative. Like Francis before him, he has previously said he is against the ordination of women, meaning the election of Leo XIV may signal a continuation of conservatism on church doctrine.

The first Pope Leo in more than a century

The new Pope has become the first leader of the church in more than a century to take the name Leo, following in the footsteps of Leo XIII, who died in 1903.

According to the Vatican, the new Pope taking up a name signifies a second birth for a new pontiff. The tradition dates all the way back to the first pope, St Peter, who changed his name to Peter from his birth name Simon.

He oversaw the selection of bishops

Entering conclave, the new Pope had served as the head of the Catholic Churchs Dicastery for Bishops. A powerful position within the church, as part of the role he oversaw the selection of new bishops.

He was appointed to the role by Pope Francis in January 2023 and later that same year, he was created cardinal by Francis and has since gone on to be promoted to the position of cardinal bishop.

Serving in this senior role in one of the most powerful departments in the Vatican had Cardinal Prevost well positioned to succeed Francis and introduced him to the key players within the confines of the Vatican.
Evidence found on suspects hard drive suggests Madeleine McCann is dead

Toys and pictures of child abuse are found in a factory formerly owned by chief suspect

Suspect Christian Brueckner. Photo: Getty

Beril Naz Hassan Evening Standard Thu 8 May 2025 at 03:30







Evidence that Madeleine McCann is dead is said to be on a hard drive that was found in a former factory belonging to the prime suspect in her disappearance, Christian Brueckner.
Ruhama Bohbot was at home watching the news when she heard US president Donald Trump say something new: Three of the 24 hostages Israel considered to be alive in Gaza had probably died.
A courtroom sketch shows hip-hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs entering the court in New York for jury selection at his sex-trafficking trial earlier this week. Photo: Reuters

The judge overseeing Sean Diddy Combss sex-trafficking trial has admonished a lawyer close to the hip-hop moguls defence team for referring to the prosecutors in the case as a six-pack of white women in comments on a podcast.

The lawyer, Mark Geragos, said in a May 2 episode of Two Angry Men, a podcast he co-hosts with celebrity news website TMZs founder Harvey Levin, that the racial and gender composition of the six-member prosecution team was interesting.
US cardinal is a relative unknown on the global stageNew pope spent most of his career as a missionary in PeruFriend says he is 'a firm supporter' of Francis' papacySocial media posts critical of Donald Trump and JD Vance

Robert Prevost, the choice of the world's Catholic cardinals to serve as leader of the 1.4bn member Church, is the first pope from the United States and a relative unknown on the global stage. Aged 69 and originally from Chicago, Prevost has spent most of his career as an Augustinian missionary in Peru and became a cardinal only in 2023.

He takes the papal name Leo XIV, and succeeds Pope Francis, who had led the Church since 2013.

Rev Mark Francis, a friend of Prevost since the 1970s, said the cardinal was a firm supporter of his predecessor's papacy, and especially of the late pontiff's commitment to social justice issues.

"He was always friendly and warm and remained a voice of common sense and practical concerns for the Church's outreach to the poor," said Francis, who attended seminary with Prevost and later knew him when they both lived in Rome in the 2000s.

"He has a wry sense of humour, but was not someone who sought the limelight," said Francis, who leads the US province of the Viatorian religious order.

Prevost first served as a bishop in Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023, and became a Peruvian citizen in 2015, so he has dual nationalities.

Pope Francis brought him to Rome that year to head the Vatican office in charge of choosing which priests should serve as Catholic bishops across the globe, meaning he has had a hand in selecting many of the world's bishops.

Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals.

Prevost had been a leading candidate for the papacy, but there had long been a taboo against a U.S. pope, given the country's geopolitical power already wielded in the secular sphere. But Prevost was seemingly eligible because hes also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Francis clearly had his eye on Prevost and in many ways saw him as his heir apparent. He sent Prevost to take over a complicated diocesan situation in Peru, then brought him to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. And in January he elevated him into the senior ranks of cardinals. As a result, Prevost had a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals had.

Prevost has given few media interviews, but some of his social media posts give a clue as to his views on the current leadership of the country he was born in.

In April he reposted on X a Catholic Standard article by an archbishop from El Salvador about extrajudicial Trump administration deportations of migrants. It dealt with the plight of those seized and sometimes flown to countries they did not originally come from, such as El Salvador, where they are kept in harsh conditions, and where hardline president Nayib Bukele is an ally of Donald Trump.

The article by Bishop Evelio Menjivar compares the ordeal of immigrants to the passion of Christ, and states: As with Jesus in the Garden and after His arrest, this suffering includes not only the abuse inflicted upon migrants and refugees by the government, but the lack of noticeable support by people they considered to be friends.

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He also reposted an article from the National Catholic Reporter which was critical of US vice president JD Vance, under the headline: JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.

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Jesus Leon Angeles, coordinator of a Catholic group in Chiclayo who has known Prevost since 2018, called him a "very simple" person who would go out of his way to help others.

Leon Angeles said Prevost had shown special concern for Venezuelan migrants in Peru, saying: "He is a person who likes to help." More than 1.5m Venezuelans have moved to Peru in recent years, partly to escape their country's economic crisis.

In a 2023 interview with the Vatican's news outlet, Prevost focused on the importance of evangelisation to help the Church grow.

"We are often preoccupied with teaching doctrine...but we risk forgetting that our first task is to teach what it means to know Jesus Christ," he said.

Prevost said during a 2023 Vatican press conference: "Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church."

'HE KNOWS HOW TO LISTEN'

Prevost was born in 1955 and is a member of the global Augustinian religious order, which includes about 2,500 priests and brothers, operates in 50 countries and has a special focus on a life of community and equality among its members.

He has a bachelor's degree from Villanova University in Philadelphia, a master's from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a doctorate in Church law from the Pontifical College of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

Prevost first went to Peru as a missionary in 1985, returning to the United States in 1999 to take up a leadership role in his religious order.

He later moved to Rome to serve two six-year terms as head of the Augustinians, visiting many of the order's communities across the world. He is known to speak English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese.

Returning to Rome in 2023, Prevost generally did not take part in many of the social events that attract Vatican officials throughout the city.

Leon Angeles said he is a person with leadership skills, "but at the same time, he knows how to listen. He has that virtue."

"The cardinal has the courtesy to ask for an opinion, even if it's from the simplest or most humble person," she said. "He knows how to listen to everyone."
Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community!

Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
Indias Competition Authority Rolls Out 2025 Cost Regulations Norms

Indias national competition authority has implemented new rules on cost regulations and services to address unfair practices carried out by e-commerce and quick-commerce players in the country.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has announced the implementation of new regulations to curb predatory pricing and deep discounting in the e-commerce and quick-commerce sectors. On May 6, 2025, the regulatory body issued a gazette notification to officially enact the Competition Commission of India (Determination of Cost of Production) Regulations, 2025, with immediate effect.

Earlier in 2025, the CCI had released a draft version of these regulations for public and industry feedback as part of its aim to modernize the framework for evaluating predatory pricing. The window for submitting feedback was open from February 17, 2025, to March 19, 2025.

Significance of the revised regulations

The CCI (Determination of Cost of Production) Regulations, 2025, introduced under the Competition Act, 2002, establishes a revised framework for evaluating potentially abusive pricing practices, particularly predatory pricing by an entity. One of the key changes in the new regulations is the shift from sector-specific benchmarks to a case-by-case assessment model. This flexible approach will enable the Competition Commission to consider evolving dynamics of different industries, especially those in the digital and quick-commerce sectors.

By moving away from fixed cost assessment standards and adopting a more flexible evaluation framework, the regulatory body is better equipped to address complaints of deep discounting and predatory pricing in rapidly changing market environments.

The release of the updated norms comes amid increasing central government oversight of online commerce platforms operating in India, particularly concerning claims of deep discounting and anti-competitive practices. In March, the All-India Consumer Products Distributors Federation filed a formal complaint urging the CCI to examine pricing models used by major e-commerce and fast-commerce entities. This move adds to the scrutiny facing food delivery platforms, which are under investigation for similar allegations in their operations.

Industry feedback and regulatory flexibility

Media reports state that during the public consultation process, several stakeholders raised concerns over the lack of clarity in the draft regulations, particularly on how costs would be assessed in varied sectors like digital markets. The Commission has emphasized that the new norms will be sector-neutral and grounded in a cost-based methodology adaptable to diverse industry models, including the digital economy.

Companies under investigation will be permitted to challenge cost assessments by requesting the appointment of independent experts, though they will bear the associated costs for doing so.

Understanding predatory pricing and its legal context

Predatory pricing refers to a strategy where a dominant company deliberately lowers its prices below the cost of production to drive competitors out of the market. Once rival firms are weakened or eliminated, the company typically raises prices to recoup its losses and consolidate market control. This practice is specifically prohibited under Section 4(2)(a)(ii) of the Competition Act, 2002, when used to unfairly gain or maintain dominance.

To strengthen oversight of such behavior, the 2025 regulation of the Determination of Cost of Production Regulations implements updated cost assessment standards. These revised benchmarks are designed to reflect modern economic thinking, judicial rulings, and international best practices in competition law.
Nesippaya OTT Release Date: Debutant Akash Murali and Aditi Shankar recently headlined this Tamil film, which opened to positive reviews in theatres. Released globally on 14th January, the Vishnuvardhan directorial is finally ready for its digital debut. Watch Nesippaya on SunNXT starting May 16, 2025. The romantic thriller enjoys a strong 9.5/10 rating on IMDb to convince you to stream.

Nesippayas cast and crew

Other than the lead duo, Nesippaya also stars R. Sarathkumar, Prabhu, Khushbu, Kalki Koechlin, Shiv Panditt, Raja, George Kora, Vikkals Vikram, Mathew Varghese, Sriranjani, Parvathi T and Prajna Ravi among others. This Yuvan Shankar Raja musical is produced by XB Film Creators, cinematographed by Cameron Eric Bryson and edited by A. Sreekar Prasad.

Nesippayas plot overview

In 2016, Arjun (Akash Murali) and Diya (Aditi Shankar) are college sweethearts whose relationship faces challenges when Diya receives a job offer in Portugal. Their bond deteriorates due to misunderstandings and differing priorities, leading to a breakup. Seven years later, Arjun learns that Diya has been arrested in Portugal for the murder of Karthik Adhinarayanan, the son of a powerful businessman.

Determined to clear her name, Arjun travels to Portugal, where he teams up with Diya's lawyer, Indrani (Kalki Koechlin), to uncover the truth. Their investigation reveals a web of deceit involving Karthik's family, leading to a dramatic confrontation that tests the limits of love and justice.

Nesippayas review

The Times of India rated the movie 2.5 out of 5, and a part of their review read, In Nesippaya, there's romance, comedy, action, suspense and drama. To the film's credit, the cuts between different genres and timelines have been done smoothly, without taking you out of the proceedings. But even when Nesippaya is pieced together beautifully, the romance and mystery portions fail to work individually. Once Nesippaya goes into full-on thriller mode, it tries to stick to a standard and seen-before template, which further works against the film's favour.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy OTT Release Date - One night, ten lives lost, hundreds injured and a music festival that turned into a living nightmare. On November 5, 2021, what was meant to be a celebration of music, youth, and Houstons hip-hop pride turned into a scene of horror.

Travis Scotts third Astroworld Festival, hosted at NRG Park, ended in one of the deadliest concert disasters in recent history - a crowd crush that killed 10 people, injured over 300, and changed the lives of thousands forever. Now, nearly three years later, Netflix is ready to reopen that wound with its explosive new documentary: Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy, premiering June 10.

Directed by Yemi Bamiro (of Fight the Power) and Hannah Poulter (Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn), this chilling documentary doesn't hold back. Using real footage from the night, frantic 911 calls, raw survivor interviews, and statements from first responders and safety experts, it paints a gut-wrenching picture of how everything went so horribly wrong.

What happened that night?

50,000 fans. One artist. No control. As Travis Scott took the stage that night, the crowd surged forward. People couldnt breathe. Some screamed for help. Some collapsed. Others were trampled. Yet, the music went on. Lights flashed. Beats dropped. But chaos had already taken over. In the panic, 10 people died, the youngest just 9 years old. Over 300 were injured, and the world was left asking  how could this happen at a concert?

More than just a play-by-play, Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy pulls back the curtain on what led to this disaster. From poor planning to overcrowding, to alleged negligence by organisers like Live Nation, the doc unpacks it all. We also hear from security personnel, EMTs, and crowd safety experts, who reveal alarming details, including claims that warnings were ignored and that festival safety protocols were shockingly inadequate.

Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy kicks off Netflixs latest edition of its Trainwreck anthology - a series diving into the most chaotic and controversial events that went viral across the globe. (Remember Trainwreck: Woodstock 99? This is even harder to watch.)

For more news and updates from the world of OTT and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
In Thursdays episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, Hope Logan will be seen hit with news that turns her world upside down. During a visit to Brookes home, Steffy Forrester delivers a painful update Liam is suffering from an inoperable brain tumor. Hope reacts with disbelief, demanding clarity, but Steffy calmly walks her through everything: Liams sudden collapse, the emergency surgery, and the heartbreaking diagnosis.

Despite their history of conflict, Hope and Steffy begin to share in their sorrow. The emotional weight of Liams condition brings a temporary pause to their rivalry. As Hope struggles to absorb the truth, she and Steffy find themselves leaning on each other for supportjust as Liam would have wanted.

Luna shows up to meet Finn

Over at the cliff house, Finn is shocked when Luna arrives without warning. Still adjusting to the revelation that hes her biological father, Finn doesnt immediately welcome the encounter. He urges Luna to leave, but she pleads for his attention and a chance to speak.

Luna opens up about wanting to know him and build some kind of relationship. She believes that the man shes heard aboutcompassionate and caringwouldnt turn her away. Her sincerity catches Finn off guard, even if he doesnt show it outright.

Hope faces Loss, Luna seeks connection in B&B drama | Credit: X

Steffy stands her groundbut is Finn listening?

While Luna reaches out to Finn, Steffys influence looms large. She has made it clear she doesnt want any disruptions to their family, and Finn continues to back her position. However, Lunas emotional honesty might be starting to chip away at his resistance.

Finn doesnt give her the answer she wantsbut he also doesnt slam the door shut. The situation remains fragile, with Steffy and Luna both pulling him in different directions.



Hope faces loss, Luna seeks family, and decisions must be madewill love, grief, or fear win in the end?

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025: Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025 commemorates the birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. He was a legendary Bengali poet, philosopher, and Nobel laureate. His contributions to literature, music, and art have profoundly influenced Indian culture. Tagores birthday is traditionally observed on May 7 in the Gregorian calendar.

However, the Bengali calendar celebration falls on the 25th day of Boishakh. In 2025, this corresponds to May 9 itself. May 9, 2025, is not a nationwide bank holiday. But, schools and banks will be closed in certain states on May 9.

Is May 9 a bank holiday for Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025?

Yes, May 9, 2025, is a bank holiday in West Bengal for Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has included this day in its official holiday list for banks in West Bengal, including Kolkata. Banks in other states will remain open, but in West Bengal, all banking operations will be closed. This will affect services like in-branch banking, cheque clearance, and fund transfers in the state.

Where is Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025 observed as a holiday?

Banks and government offices in these regions may observe the holiday, while others follow the regular schedule:

West Bengal: Kolkata, Howrah, Siliguri

Tripura

Assam (certain cities like Guwahati have bank holidays on other dates such as May 7 for Panchayat elections)

Mizoram

Schools to stay closed on May 9 in these states

Schools and educational institutions in West Bengal will remain closed on May 9 to honour Rabindranath Tagores birth anniversary. The day is marked by cultural programs, poetry recitations, and performances of Rabindra Sangeet, celebrating Tagores literary and artistic legacy.

Cities like Kolkata, Howrah, and Siliguri typically have school closures or cultural programs dedicated to Tagores legacy. Other states may not observe a school holiday on this day, as the celebration is more region-specific.

Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025: Date confusion explained

The dual observance of Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti comes from the difference between the Gregorian and Bengali calendars. Tagore was born on May 7, 1861, and many states in India observe his birthday on this date. But, in West Bengal, the Bengali calendar date of 25 Boishakh is followed for official and cultural celebrations.

In 2025, this date falls on May 9. This explains why May 9 is the bank holiday and school closure day in West Bengal, while other states may mark the occasion on May 7.

Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025: Cultural significance and celebrations

Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti is celebrated with great enthusiasm in West Bengal and Bengali communities worldwide. The day includes cultural events like dance dramas, poetry readings, and musical performances of Tagores compositions. Institutions like Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan, founded by Tagore, are key locations for the festivities.

The celebration honours Tagores contributions to literature, music, art, and philosophy, and his legacy as the author of national anthems for India & Bangladesh. The May 9 bank holiday in West Bengal for Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025 is an important occasion. It shows the cultural pride and literary heritage of the region.

Boishakh 25: May 8 or May 9?

The 25th day of Boishakh in the Bengali calendar overlaps with May 8 or May 9 in the Gregorian calendar, depending on the year. In 2025, it is officially observed on May 9. This aligns with the Bengali cultural calendar and the traditional Poncheeshe Boishakh celebrations.

For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events.
Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025: Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025 is celebrated on May 7 or May 9, depending on the region. It marks the birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Indias Nobel laureate poet, philosopher, and cultural icon. In West Bengal, it is known as Poncheeshe Boishakh. The day honors Tagores lasting contributions to literature, music, and art.

People across India and Bengali communities worldwide celebrate with poetry recitations, Rabindra Sangeet, and cultural programs. They also share heartfelt quotes and messages. As we mark his 164th birth anniversary, many share quotes, Instagram captions, and WhatsApp statuses to honour his timeless influence on social media.

Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025 | Credit: X.com

Top Rabindranath Tagore quotes to inspire and reflect in 2025

Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf.

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; where knowledge is free...

Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.

Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.

Best Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti Instagram captions to share on social media

Celebrating the eternal spirit of Gurudev - the poet who painted with words and sang with his soul.

May Tagores verses inspire your heart and awaken your creativity today and always.

On this Rabindra Jayanti, lets honor the man who gave India its anthem and the world his wisdom.

Subho Rabindra Jayanti! Embrace the light of Tagores poetry and music in your life.

Tagores legacy lives on in every word, every song, and every heart he touched.

Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025 WhatsApp statuses to share inspiration

Happy Rabindra Jayanti! May Gurudevs words guide us towards peace, love, and harmony.

Let us celebrate the poet of freedom and unity, whose words still echo in our souls.

May the melody of Rabindra Sangeet uplift your spirit on this special day.

On Tagore Jayanti, lets pledge to live with courage, creativity, and compassion.

Remembering Gurudevs timeless wisdom - where knowledge is free and the mind is fearless.

Rabindranath Tagore pictures & wishes images 2025

Rabindranath Tagore pictures & wishes images 2025 | Credit: X.com

Rabindranath Tagore pictures & wishes images 2025 | Credit: X.com

Heartfelt Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti wishes and messages 2025

Wishing you a soulful Rabindra Jayanti filled with inspiration from the great poets timeless works.

May Tagores poetry and music bring peace, joy, and creativity to your life this Jayanti.

Happy Rabindra Jayanti! Let the words of Gurudev inspire you to dream big and live freely.

On this special day, may the spirit of Tagore guide your thoughts and actions towards harmony.

Subho Rabindra Jayanti! Celebrate the legacy of the bard who taught us to live with love and courage.

Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti quotes in Bengali to celebrate Gurudevs legacy

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Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025 shayari and poetry to share online

1. Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time

Like dew on the tip of a leaf.

2. Faith is the bird that feels the light

When the dawn is still dark.

3. I slept and dreamt that life was joy,

I awoke and saw that life was service,

I acted, and behold, service was joy.

4. The butterfly counts not months but moments,

And has time enough.

Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025 wishes for teachers & literature lovers

Wishing all teachers and literature lovers a soulful Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti! May Gurudevs wisdom inspire your journey of knowledge and creativity.

Happy Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025! May the poets timeless verses continue to enlighten classrooms and hearts everywhere.

On this special day, let us honor the great teacher and poet who taught us to dream, think, and create. Subho Rabindra Jayanti!

May the spirit of Rabindranath Tagore inspire educators and literature enthusiasts to nurture minds and souls with love and wisdom.

Celebrating Gurudevs legacy today - a beacon for teachers and lovers of literature who shape the future with words and wisdom.

Sharing these inspiring Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2025 quotes, Instagram captions, WhatsApp statuses, and wishes will help you honour Gurudevs immense contribution to literature, music, and culture.

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GSEB SSC Result 2025 out: The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSEB) has just announced the SSC (Class 10) Result 2025 on May 8 at 8:00 AM IST. Over 6.9 lakh students who appeared for the exams held from February 27 to March 13, 2025, can check their Gujarat Board 10th marksheet and results on the official website gseb.org, as well as through DigiLocker, WhatsApp, and SMS services. Students will need their six-digit seat number to access and download their marksheet.

GSEB SSC Result 2025: Official release date & time

The GSEB SSC Result 2025 was declared on May 8, 2025, at 8:00 AM IST. Students can visit the official portal gseb.org to check their Gujarat Board 10th Result 2025 by entering their six-digit seat number. The Gujarat board has ensured easy access by also providing results via DigiLocker, WhatsApp (send seat number to 6357300971), and SMS (send SSC seat number to 56263).

Direct links to check GSEB 10th Result 2025

GSEB Official website: gseb.org (Primary portal to check and download results)

gseb.org (Primary portal to check and download results) DigiLocker (for digital marksheet download)

(for digital marksheet download) GSEB WhatsApp result service: Send seat number to 6357300971

Send seat number to 6357300971 GSEB SMS service: Send SSC Seat Number to 56263

How to check GSEB 10th Result 2025 online?

Visit the official website: gseb.org

Click on the SSC Result 2025 link on the homepage.

Enter your seat number in the login window.

Submit the details to view your Gujarat Board SSC marksheet 2025.

Download and save the GSEB 10th marksheet for future reference.

Steps to download Gujarat Board 10th marksheet 2025 via DigiLocker

Students can also download their GSEB SSC Marksheet 2025 digitally for easy access and safekeeping:

Go to DigiLocker website (digilocker.gov.in) or download the DigiLocker app.

Log in or create an account.

Search for GSEB SSC Marksheet 2025 under issued documents.

Download and print the GSEB 10th marksheet as needed.

Important details on GSEB SSC Result 2025

GSEB SSC Minimum passing marks: 33% in each subject

33% in each subject GSEB SSC Exam dates: February 27 to March 13, 2025

February 27 to March 13, 2025 GSEB SSC Result platforms: gseb.org, DigiLocker, WhatsApp, SMS

gseb.org, DigiLocker, WhatsApp, SMS Original GSEB SSC marksheets will be distributed by schools after results declaration.

FAQs

1. When will the GSEB SSC Result 2025 be declared?

Answer: The Gujarat Board 10th Result 2025 was declared on May 8, 2025, at 8:00 AM IST on the official website gseb.org.

2. How can I check my GSEB SSC Result 2025 online?

Answer: Visit gseb.org, click on the SSC Result link, enter your seat number, and submit to view and download your result.

3. Can I get my Gujarat Board 10th marksheet digitally?

Answer: Yes, students can download their marksheet from DigiLocker using their credentials after the result declaration.

4. What is the minimum passing criteria for GSEB SSC exams?

Answer: Students must secure at least 33% marks in each subject to pass the SSC exam.

5. How can I check my GSEB SSC result via SMS or WhatsApp?

Answer: Send SSC your seat number to 56263 for SMS or send your seat number to WhatsApp number 6357300971 to receive your result.

For more news and updates from the world of Education, keep reading at Indiatimes.
India has launched a large-scale civil defence exercise under the banner of Operation Abhyaas across multiple states, aimed at preparing citizens for emergency situations such as air raids, blackouts, and other man-made crises. States including Maharashtra, Haryana, and Bihar have participated in this exercise, involving both authorities and civilians in coordinated mock drills, blackout protocols, and emergency response simulations.

Mumbai launches phase-wise drills with Blackouts

In Mumbai, mock drills are being held at multiple locations in a phased manner over five days. Maharashtras Director of Civil Defence, senior IPS officer Prabhat Kumar, explained that these drills are meant to train citizens in personal safety and emergency response. The first day of the drill, codenamed Operation Abhyaas, featured joint demonstrations by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Mumbai Fire Brigade, Mumbai Police, and the National Disaster Response Force. Activities took place at several locations including Cross Maidan and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

           



Mock Drill Conducted at Pune Railway Station and Pune Diesel Loco Shed



https://t.co/GHe7mnO3Mb@RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/F7N7OUUjtF  PIB in Maharashtra  (@PIBMumbai) May 8, 2025





Kumar noted that while the average response time was around three minutes, the figure reflected a controlled environment and satisfactory coordination. Unlike combat drills for trained soldiers, he said these civil drills are meant to familiarise citizens with basic safety protocols. The primary focus, he added, was on ensuring smooth coordination between civil defence agencies and the public.

Haryana enforces full blackout in 20 districts

Following Home Ministry guidelines, Haryana organised similar drills across all 20 of its districts. The drills started with a siren and were followed by exercises like evacuation, coordination responses, and a full blackout. Residents were instructed to switch off all lights and stay indoors between 7.50 pm and 8.00 pm.

Haryana: Blackout in Sonipat as part of the nationwide mock drill ordered by MHA pic.twitter.com/0qe1qUagyx  IANS (@ians_india) May 7, 2025





Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi directed Deputy Commissioners and police officers to activate civil defence systems and ensure maximum public participation. The drills were conducted at government offices, public sector locations, and other key infrastructure sites, involving personnel from the Home Guards, Civil Defence Volunteers, NCC, and Disaster Mitras. Guidelines issued to the public included instructions to turn off household lights, disconnect inverters, avoid driving, and remain indoors during the blackout period.

A groom joins the drill before his wedding

A groom in Bihar delayed his wedding by over two hours to take part in the mock drill. Sushant Kushwaha, from Purnia district, chose to participate in the drill instead of immediately departing with his baraat for his brides house in Araria, located 40 km away.

Speaking to the media, Kushwaha said, It is my wedding today, but that is not the only reason why I feel elated. Today, the Indian Army entered Pakistan and launched missile strikes on their terror bases. He added that he had informed his family about his decision in advance and stressed that the nation comes first. Soldiers often leave their wedding venue to go and fight at the borders. If the situation demands, we will also do that, he said.

A coordinated national effort

The nationwide drills were timed with Indias retaliatory strikes on terror camps in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor, following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. The drills under Operation Abhyaas involved simulations of air raids, search-and-rescue operations, and fire emergencies, with the objective of enhancing public awareness and readiness in the face of war-like scenarios.

Across all participating states, the drills have been marked by strong inter-agency coordination, detailed public advisories, and an emphasis on community participation demonstrating that emergency preparedness is no longer limited to the military but extends to every citizen.
Indias Operation Sindoor was a significant counter-terror action, neutralising nearly 100 terrorists, including Abdul Rauf Azhar  a high-ranking Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) leader and one of the masterminds behind the 1999 IC-814 hijacking. This hijacking directly led to the release of Omar Saeed Sheikh, who later kidnapped and murdered Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl in Pakistan in 2002.

The operation was not only a counter-terror strike but also a delayed act of justice  especially for the family of Pearl, whose killing had become a symbol of the dangers of global terrorism.

Precision strikes in Pakistan

The Indian government carried out targeted air strikes under Operation Sindoor in two key locations inside Pakistan  Bahawalpur and Muridke. These areas are widely known to house the terror bases of JeM and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

Among those reportedly killed was Abdul Rauf Azhar, the operational head of JeM. His killing was a key victory in dismantling one of the most enduring and dangerous jihadist networks in the region. Azhars activities had extended far beyond India, involving coordination with international terror groups.

Government sources noted that the operation was focused and specific aimed only at individuals and groups that have long threatened regional and global peace.

Link to the Daniel Pearl case

Abdul Rauf Azhars role in the IC-814 hijacking was critical. The hijacking forced the Indian government to release three terrorists, including Omar Saeed Sheikh. Within two years, Sheikh was in Pakistan and orchestrated the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl.

Pearl, an American-Jewish journalist working for The Wall Street Journal, was abducted in Karachi while investigating terror links. He was brutally executed in a killing that shocked the world and became symbolic of the risks journalists and global citizens face when confronting terror.

With Azhars death, it can be said that justice has also been served in the case of Pearl, 23 years after his murder.

Pahalgam | Credit: X

A message beyond borders

Top Indian officials stressed that Operation Sindoor sends a message beyond Indias borders. It is part of a broader international effort to fight terrorism, especially state-supported networks that continue to threaten democracies and press freedoms.

The operation reinforces Indias stand that counter-terror actions are not directed at any country or community, but strictly at the perpetrators of violence. The focus remains on dismantling networks that have long escaped justice, even when their crimes have global impact.

The United States has backed Indias right to self-defence in this operation. Officials also pointed to the importance of democratic nations and communities, including the American Jewish diaspora, in recognising and addressing the continued threat posed by such terror havens.

A mighty parallel

Daniel Pearls story was later depicted in the 2007 film A Mighty Heart, which focused on the events leading to his kidnapping and the efforts of his wife, Mariane Pearl, to track him down. The film portrayed the challenges journalists and their families face when reporting from high-risk conflict zones.

More than two decades after Pearls murder, Operation Sindoor not only targeted those who facilitated his killing but also sent a strong signal about the long memory of justice.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
India has stated that it did not escalate tensions but merely responded to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. In a special briefing on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the choice to de-escalate now lies with Pakistan. Our approach is not to escalate the situation; we only responded to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Misri said.

He further criticised Pakistans stance at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), where Pakistan opposed the naming of The Resistance Force (TRF)  the group that had already claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. Misri also stated that Pakistans retaliatory actions were affecting civilians through firings along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

PM Modi chairs high-level security review

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting with Union Secretaries to assess national security and inter-ministerial coordination. The review meeting focused on Indias readiness following the terror attack and the retaliatory strikes conducted under Operation Sindoor.

India reviews security after Pahalgam Attack | Credit: X

A statement from the Prime Ministers Office highlighted the need for continued alertness, civil defence strengthening, and tackling misinformation. Ministries were advised to ensure the security of critical infrastructure and coordinate closely with state governments and local agencies. Secretaries from key ministries presented their preparedness plans and reviewed their emergency response systems.

India foils drone and missile attacks

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that on the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to target multiple Indian military locations using drones and missiles. These attacks were aimed at areas including Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Bhuj, among others. Indias Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems successfully neutralised all attempted intrusions.

The Defence Ministry added that Pakistan also tried to hit targets in Adampur, Bhatinda, and Chandigarh. However, all attempts were foiled.

Parliament committees praise armed forces

Indias retaliatory operations, under Operation Sindoor, received wide support within Parliament. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) unanimously adopted a resolution congratulating the armed forces for their actions in targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

PAC Chairperson K C Venugopal said this resolution was passed in the panels first meeting for 202526. Similarly, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas adopted a resolution praising the success of the operation. The resolutions highlighted the bravery and resolve of Indias armed forces and the government's commitment to dismantling terrorist infrastructure in the region.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
UK Member of Parliament Priti Patel has called on the British government to enhance its counter-terrorism cooperation with India following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that killed 26 tourists. Speaking in the UK House of Commons, Patel condemned the attack and asked a series of questions regarding the UKs response, intelligence sharing, and aid monitoring involving Pakistan.

Condemnation of the attack and support for Indias right to defend itself

Patel expressed condolences for the victims and called the killings a barbaric and savage act. She noted that most of the victims were shot at point-blank range. Highlighting that Pahalgam had joined cities like Mumbai and New Delhi in being scarred by terrorism, Patel said India had the right to take proportionate steps to dismantle terror infrastructure threatening its people. She asked the UK to recognise the threat posed by Pakistan-based terror groups.

Demand for clarity on UK security assistance and terror links

Patel questioned whether the UK had offered any security assistance to India after the attack and whether intelligence services had engaged with their Indian counterparts. She asked if Britain could confirm whether the Resistance Front, which claimed responsibility for the attack, was linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba. She also flagged Lashkars reported links with Hamas and pressed the government to confirm if it had any intelligence on cooperation between the two groups.

Questions on UK aid to Pakistan and terror infrastructure monitoring

The MP asked whether the UK had assessed the terror infrastructure in Pakistan and whether safeguards were in place to ensure British aid had not fallen into the wrong hands. She demanded updates on any discussions with Pakistan regarding terrorist activities and asked whether the UK government was monitoring the use of aid distributed via bilateral or multilateral sources.

Priti Patel | Credit: X

Concerns on escalation, diplomatic engagement, and diaspora impact

Patel raised concerns about rising tensions between India and Pakistan and asked what role the UK was playing to de-escalate the situation. She sought updates on diplomatic talks between the two countries and whether the UK had been informed in advance of Indias actions under Operation Sindoor. Patel also asked about additional consular support for British nationals in both countries and how diaspora communities in the UK were being protected from any fallout.

Request for governments assessment on the attack

Finally, Patel requested the UK government to share its assessment on who was behind the Pahalgam attack and whether other malign actors were involved. She stressed that the government must clearly evaluate and communicate the security implications for the UK.

Meanwhile, Indian defence officials confirmed that the army is monitoring ceasefire violations by Pakistan following India's precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.
MrBeast, the YouTuber-turned-entrepreneur whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is going to appear on Amazon with more seasons of Beast Games. According to an IMDB report, Amazon appears to be moving forward with an additional season of Beast Games. However, so far, there is no official announcement on the same yet.

Another report by Deadline highlights that the streamer is currently casting for Season 2 of the MrBeast-led series; there are rumours of a potential two-season order.

Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios head Mike Hopkins appeared to confirm the news during a panel at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Credit: X

MrBeast gave away $25 million in prize money on Prime Video

Mike, in a statement, said that they are going to do a couple more seasons of that. He mentioned the series while describing the success the company has had so far dipping its toes into the creator economy.

On the other hand, MrBeast gave away $25 million in prize money on his Prime Video competition series, which he debuted in December. He was also eager to give away even more cash during the recent conversation for Deadline's Contenders TV, teasing that "another 10 seasons could happen".

However, during that time, he remained ignorant about the show's prospects.

Mr Beast show has to be one of the best shows this year.



Watch Mr Beast games on Amazon Prime video pic.twitter.com/j7QQloQS1H  Judith's Rose   (@DivineMuringani) February 19, 2025





Beast Games set an audience record on Prime Video

In January, Beast Games set an audience record on Prime Video; with this, the show became the streamer's most-watched unscripted series ever in its first 25 days.

So far, the series has racked up 50 million viewers globally in that time frame, also making it the second most-watched and the second most gripping new series of 2024, after Fallout. Well, MrBeast already has a successful YouTube show, and after this, Beast Games is touted "to become the biggest reality competition series ever with 1000 contestants competing with each other for a $5 million cash prize.

BEAST GAME EPISODE 3 IS OUT NOW!



To celebrate, I'm giving away $100,000 total to 10 random people who like and retweet this post!



Go watch it here: https://t.co/Yntf9E7FTN  MrBeast (@MrBeast) December 26, 2024





This is one of the biggest payouts in the television industry. In the show, MrBeast serves as a host and an executive producer.

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.
Operation Sindoor Update: India has confirmed a proportionate and targeted military response to Pakistans attempted escalation on the intervening night of May 7-8, 2025. According to official sources, the Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised multiple Pakistani military assets, including the HQ-9 missile defence system near Lahore. This was followed by an unprovoked aerial and artillery offensive by Pakistan across multiple regions of India.

India defends loudly and clearly

The response came after Pakistan launched drone and missile attacks on as many as 15 military targets in Northern and Western India. The intended targets included military bases and infrastructure in Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.

These attempted strikes were intercepted and neutralised by Indias Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and the advanced Russia-made S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence system, which is capable of tracking and eliminating aerial threats at distances of up to 600 km.

On the heels of Operation Sindoor

The government reiterated that its initial strike under Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan, was carefully calibrated and avoided Pakistani military establishments. The operation was launched in response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives.

India's official statement | Credits: PIB India

Sources said Indian Rafale fighter jets launched air-to-surface missiles, and surface-to-surface missiles were deployed by the Army during Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Intelligence reports suggest over 100 terrorists were eliminated in these coordinated strikes.

Following Operation Sindoor, Pakistan responded by attempting a wide-scale aerial attack using drones and missiles. In addition to the Indian militarys successful interception of these attacks, debris from downed Pakistani drones is being recovered across several locations in India.

On Thursday (May 8) morning, in a retaliatory move, India launched a focused strike on Pakistani air defence radar systems. Notably, a Chinese-made HQ-9 missile defence unit stationed in Lahore was hit and neutralised, rendering the city vulnerable to further aerial threats. Reliable sources confirmed that the Indian Air Force successfully carried out the mission with high precision.

Pakistan, meanwhile, acknowledged that one drone crashed near Lahore and that 12 others were destroyed in areas including Gujranwala, Chakwal, Bahawalpur, Miano, Karachi, Chhor, Rawalpindi, and Attock. Pakistan also reported four injuries among its army personnel in Lahore and the death of a civilian in Miano, Sindh.

Harpy drones were used by the Indian military to target enemy air defence systems. https://t.co/dZqlYQhOXO  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

Tensions escalated further as Pakistan intensified mortar and heavy artillery fire across the Line of Control (LoC) in sectors such as Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir. The cross-border shelling resulted in the death of 16 Indian civilians, including three women and five children. The Indian Armed Forces responded to this aggression with targeted counter-fire to suppress further attacks and prevent loss of life.

A statement issued by the Government of India stressed the countrys commitment to non-escalation. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military, the statement read. Indias response, according to officials, has been measured, proportionate, and consistent with its stated policy of defensive retaliation.

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
Fans of actor Kim Soo Hyun have taken a firm stand against YouTuber Kwon Young Chan, filing a police complaint for defamation. They accuse Kwon of spreading false information about the actors personal life, including serious allegations tied to the late Kim Sae Ron, during livestreams and YouTube broadcasts.

Complaint filed with Seoul Seongbuk Police Station

On May 8, attorney Yang Tae Young, representing the Kim Soo Hyun Fan Association, officially submitted the complaint at the Seoul Seongbuk Police Station. The group also turned in 56 instances of alleged defamatory statements made by Kwon between March and April 2025.

False claims about Kim Soo Hyuns alleged relationship with Kim Sae Ron

The complaint strongly refuted claims made by Kwon suggesting Kim Soo Hyun had a physical relationship with actress Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor.

"The victim, Kim Soo Hyun, has never dated or had sexual relations with Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor, has never committed a crime against the deceased, and has never been found to have a sexual addiction to minors or to be a pedophile," his fans claimed.

Kwon Young Chan accused of misleading the public

The fan association claimed that Kwon introduced himself as a counselling expert and director of a celebrity suicide prevention group, using those titles to boost his credibility. He also claimed to have evidence, which he threatened to release to media outletsfurther worsening the actors public image without confirmation.

Impact of defamation on Kim Soo Hyuns career and reputation

Credit: X

The fan group further claimed that the unfounded accusations have caused significant social and financial harm to Kim Soo Hyun. "Due to the false allegations that were not confirmed, Kim Soo Hyun has suffered social and economic damage that isnt easy to recover from," it said.

Kim Sae Ron's family's press conference sparks renewed backlash

Adding to the controversy, an audio recording was released at a press conference involving Kim Sae Rons family and Kim Se Ui of the Garo Sero Institute. The recording allegedly features Kim Sae Ron speaking about a relationship with Kim Soo Hyun. In the audio, she claimed that Kim Soo Hyun had sex with her when she was in 8th Grade.

Kim Soo Hyun's agency, GOLDMEDALIST, has denied the allegations, and claimed that the audio recording is AI-generated.

Chinese fans rally behind Kim Soo Hyun

LED TRUCKS Support for #KimSooHyun has finally arrived near at the pressconference today from chinese fans, kim soohyun Global fan Union and We Support Team. pic.twitter.com/FphqNNXS2t  kshyawn (@ksoohyawn) May 7, 2025

As the backlash intensified, Kim Soo Hyuns Chinese fans sent support trucks during the press conference held by Kim Sae Rons legal representatives. These fans had earlier parked support trucks outside GOLDMEDALIST's building in Seoul.

For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage here.
The Delhi government has announced the cancellation of all official leave with immediate effect, in a swift response to escalating tensions along the India-Pakistan border. As fears of further military confrontation grow, emergency protocols are being activated across northern India, with the national capitals administration directing complete readiness for any unforeseen situation.

Leave cancelled, schools shut: Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan among states on high alert pic.twitter.com/zkc5BW9Jb3  Harmeet Kaur K (@iamharmeetK) May 8, 2025

Leave cancelled for government officials

According to a late-evening order by the Services Department on Thursday, no official in the Delhi government will be granted leave until further notice. District magistrates across Delhi have been ordered to hold urgent meetings with disaster management and health authorities to assess emergency preparedness.

This move comes just hours after a series of high-intensity developments unfolded across the Indo-Pak border, with Pakistani-origin drones and missiles targeting key Indian military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur. The Integrated Defence Services confirmed that Indian defence systems swiftly neutralised these threats using a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic measures, following standard operating procedures.

No loss for Indian Army yet

Despite the high-risk nature of the attacks, Indian Army officials reported no casualties or material losses. A statement issued by the Defence Ministry underlined that India remains on full alert to defend its sovereignty and the safety of its citizens.

Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones.

No losses.

Threat neutralised by #IndianArmedForces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means.#OpSindoor pic.twitter.com/TZlU9BSR9U  HQ IDS (@HQ_IDS_India) May 8, 2025

Schools closed in Haryana and other states

Meanwhile, the ripple effect of the ongoing conflict has spread beyond the battlefield. As per PTI, all schools in Haryanas Gurugram were declared closed by Thursday evening, as parents received urgent notifications from institutions. The state of Punjab took even more drastic measures, announcing the closure of all schools, colleges, and universities for three days.

These developments follow Indias pre-dawn military action under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday, where the country launched precision strikes on terror launchpads located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was carried out in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians.

Within 24 hours of those strikes, a suspected Pakistani drone attack in Jammu triggered emergency sirens, enforced blackouts, and even led to the abrupt suspension of an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Dharamshala. Explosions were later heard in regions of Punjab and Rajasthan, further amplifying public anxiety.

With no official word on de-escalation yet, both the government and civilians brace for what could become one of the most volatile periods in recent Indo-Pak history.
Hours after India carried out Operation Sindoor on nine terror bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the death of at least 13 civilians after Pakistani forces resorted to heavy artillery shelling and mortar fire across the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The shelling, which reportedly began late Wednesday (May 7) night and continued into the early hours of Thursday, follows Indias Operation Sindoor, a coordinated missile strike targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. MEA also confirmed the injury toll to have reached 59.

Multiple civilian areas hit in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla and Kupwara

According to officials (a source-backed report attached later):

Six civilians died in Poonch, one in Mendhar, and others in various locations in Rajouri, Kupwara, and Baramulla.

Over 55 civilians sustained injuries, with many still in critical condition.

Two CRPF personnel were injured when a mortar shell landed near a bus stand in Poonch town.

A military official said as per PTI, "During the intervening night of May 7 and 8, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked fire using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army responded proportionately.

Heavy cross-border shelling was reported in Krishna Ghati, Shahpur, Mankote, Balakote, Gulpur, and Kerni in the Poonch district, and Laam, Manjakote, and Gambeer Brahmana in Rajouri. In North Kashmir, Uri (Baramulla) and Tangdhar and Chowkibal (Kupwara) witnessed intense shelling that damaged a dozen structures and injured at least nine people.

Area Deaths Injured Sources Poonch District 17 52 - Indian Express: 6 civilians + 1 (Mendhar) + 2 CRPF injured - Hindu: 12 civilians killed across 4 districts (incl. Poonch), 42 injured - Mint: 3 civilians dead, 10 injured (Bhimber Gali + others) - Quint: 10 civilians dead, 38 injured  Mankote 2+ 2+ - Indian Express: 1 woman killed (unconfirmed) - Mint: 1 woman killed + 13-year-old daughter injured  Krishna Ghati - Several - Multiple sources confirm shelling; injured not quantified separately  Shahpur - Unspecified - Reported shelling across sources  Balakote - Unspecified - The Hindu  Kerni, Gulpur - Unspecified - The Hindu  Poonch Town 1 2+ - Ex-serviceman Amarjeet Singh killed (The Hindu) - 2 CRPF jawans injured near bus stand (Indian Express, Quint) Rajouri District - Multiple - Shelling in Laam, Manjakote, Gambeer Brahmana reported - Injuries included in pooled stats Kupwara (Karnah, Tangdhar, Chowkibal) - 9 - The Hindu confirms 9 civilians injured in these areas Baramulla (Uri) - 9 - Reported in The Hindu R.S. Pora - Included - Mentioned in The Hindu (temporary shelters set up), no specific casualty count Overall Totals 20* 60+*







Children and women are among the victims

Among the deceased:

Amarjeet Singh (47), an ex-serviceman in Kamakhan, died after a shell pierced the roof of his home.

A woman was killed in Mankote, while her 13-year-old daughter sustained injuries.

Three children aged between 12 and 14 died in Kalaani and Dungus villages due to direct mortar impacts.

Local residents said this was the first time Poonch town had been affected by such intense shelling since the 1999 Kargil War. Mortars shattered glass in houses, damaged buildings, and created holes in parked vehicles, said a resident of Qazi Mohra, Poonch to The Hindu.

Widespread panic, schools shut, flights cancelled

The relentless firing has created a panic wave in the border districts. Authorities have:

Set up temporary shelters in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, and R.S. Pora.

Ordered the closure of schools and colleges in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch.

Suspended flight operations in Jammu, Srinagar, and Leh, leading to flight cancellations by Air India and route diversions by other airlines.

Indian Army Retaliates

Indian security forces responded to the unprovoked shelling with equal intensity, sources told The Hindu. The cross-border exchange marked the 13th consecutive night of firing since the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. The retaliatory missile strikes under Operation Sindoor had targeted nine known terror facilities across the border, prompting the intensified Pakistani response.

#Indias measured and proportionate response without crossing the airspace, along with the fact that there is no direct military-to-military combat yet, should preclude any threat of nuclear escalation, assuming Pakistan will behave sanely.https://t.co/rcIWsPbavm  The Times Of India (@timesofindia) May 8, 2025

The government is monitoring the situation closely

Emergency response teams remain deployed, while medical personnel in affected hospitals, including Poonch District Hospital, are attending to the injured. A district official told JKNS: Relief efforts are ongoing and all necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety of civilians. Meanwhile, authorities have urged residents to remain indoors or move to designated shelters as the Indian Army continues its response. Stay tuned to Indiatimes for more details.

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
Amid heightened cross-border tensions following missile strikes by Indian armed forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on nine terror bases, 27 airports across northern, western, and central India have been shut for commercial operations. As per a Times of India report, this includes key hubs like Leh, Amritsar, and Jamnagar.

The move has led to widespread disruption of air traffic, with over 430 flights cancelled by Indian carriers on Thursday (May 8) alone. Delhi Airport issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) stating: "Due to changing airspace conditions, some flights have been impacted. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates and alternate travel arrangements."

International travel equally affected

At Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport, four international and 131 domestic flights were cancelled on Wednesday (May 7). According to airport officials, the affected international routes included flights to and from New York, Almaty, Toronto, and Montreal. Of the domestic flights, 66 were departures and 65 were arrivals. Live tracking platform FlightRadar24 reported delays in over 300 flights, with an average delay time of 14 minutes.

A total of 27 airports are now shut for civilian operations until 5:29 AM on May 10 (Saturday). These include tourist and strategic locations such as Leh, Amritsar, Srinagar, Jammu, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Shimla, and economic centres like Jamnagar, Rajkot, Bhuj, Jodhpur, and Bikaner. Other affected airports are Jaisalmer, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Gaggal, Kishangarh, Mundra, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Gwalior, and Hindon. Some airports handling only military charters are also closed.

IndiGo Airlines has also announced the cancellation of all flights to and from the affected airports until May 10, alongside American Airlines cancelling its DelhiNew York service. Air India also suspended flights to and from Leh, Amritsar, Jammu, Srinagar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, Rajkot, and Jodhpur for the same duration. The airline confirmed that two of its international flights en route to Amritsar were diverted to Delhi.

Airspace over Pakistan and western India, particularly the corridor between Kashmir and Gujarat, has been cleared of civilian traffic. Most foreign airlines have rerouted flights through Mumbai and Ahmedabad, avoiding the sensitive zones, according to Flightradar24.

#6ETravelAdvisory: Due to changing airspace conditions in the region, our flights to and from #Srinagar, #Jammu, #Amritsar, #Leh, #Chandigarh and #Dharamshala are impacted. We request you to check your flight status at https://t.co/CjwsVzFov0 before reaching the airport.  IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) May 6, 2025

While many passengers reported delays and overnight disruptions, a few airlines have managed to provide hotel accommodation and meals. Flight operations remain under close watch, with further adjustments likely as the situation evolves. Stay tuned to Indiatimes for more information.

What is Operation Sindoor?

Operation Sindoor is the codename for a military operation launched by India on May 7, 2025, targeting multiple sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. This action was in retaliation for a terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists.

The operation involved airstrikes on nine locations identified as terrorist infrastructure associated with groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). This included Markaz Subhan Allah (Bahawalpur) - JeM, Markaz Taiba (Muridke) - LeT, Sarjal (Tehra Kalan) - JeM, Mehmoona Joya (Sialkot) - HM, Markaz Ahle Hadith (Barnala) - LeT, Markaz Abbas (Kotli) - JeM, Maskar Raheel Shahid (Kotli) - HM, Shawai Nalla Camp (Muzaffarabad) - LeT and Syedna Bilal Camp (Muzaffarabad) - JeM.

India described the strikes as focused and non-escalatory, emphasising that no Pakistani military facilities were targeted. The Indian Air Force deployed Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer bombs during the 23-minute operation.

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
There will be no flights from Hindon terminal for three days. The decision was taken after India launched a air strike on terrorist sites across under the Operation Sindoor in Pakistan and PoK, putting defence forces on high alert. The Hindon terminal, which functions out of the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Ghaziabad, has been temporarily closed due to security reasons.

The suspension of flights from the Hindon airport began on Wednesday and is expected to continue until 5 am on Saturday, May 10, 2025. The shutdown affects several domestic routes, and both airlines and passengers have been advised to stay updated via official channels.

Flight Operations Suspended at Hindon Airport

Currently, around 16 commercial flights operate daily from the Hindon airport, with Air India Express being the primary carrier. These flights connect major cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Goa, Kolkata, Varanasi, Patna, Jaipur, and Bhubaneswar.

Due to Operation Sindoor, these services are on hold. An update will be provided daily, according to Ghaziabad District Magistrate Deepak Meena, who said, Theres no fixed timeline yet. We will share information as we receive updates.

Airlines and Passengers Affected

Air India Express has officially announced flight disruptions due to restrictions placed under Operation Sindoor. Flights to and from Amritsar, Jammu, Srinagar, and Hindon have been cancelled for the time being. The airline posted a message on X (formerly Twitter), advising travellers to monitor alerts and messages for any new information.

#ImportantUpdate



We are offering a full refund or free rescheduling for our flights to and from Amritsar, Gwalior, Jammu, Srinagar and Hindon until 05:30hrs on 10th May 2025.



To change or cancel your bookings online, please visit: https://t.co/20Ow1YVlz6 or #ChatWithTia on pic.twitter.com/sY654Y7T9L  Air India Express (@AirIndiaX) May 7, 2025

Fly Big Airlines, which flies to smaller cities such as Kishangarh, Adampur, Bathinda, and Ludhiana, has also halted services following a directive from the Indian Air Force. Similarly, Star Airs operations on the Hindon-Nanded route are also suspended.

Passenger Experiences and Reactions

According to TOI, travellers have been caught off guard by the sudden cancellations. Sriwats Gopal, who was flying to Patna, said, I only found out when I checked my phone. I called the helpline, and they confirmed there were no flights from Hindon terminal.

Another passenger, Abhishek Jha, shared, Thankfully, I received an update in time. Now Im planning to fly from Delhi to Varanasi on a different date.

Why Hindon Terminal Is Important

The Hindon terminal was launched in 2017 under the Governments Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) to reduce pressure on Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI). Located in Ghaziabad, the terminal is popular among travellers from East Delhi and surrounding areas who prefer avoiding the long drive to IGI.

According to recent updates from the terminals official social media handle, over 4,000 passengers travelled through Hindon airport on Tuesday alone, with 14 flight movements recorded in a single day.

Flights May Resume After May 10

Although there are currently no flights from Hindon terminal, theres hope that normal operations may resume post-May 10, depending on the security situation. Authorities will continue to issue daily advisories regarding the status of Hindon terminal.

Passengers are advised to keep an eye on updates from airlines and the Hindon airport to avoid inconvenience.

Operation Sindoor: 27 airports, including Leh, Amritsar and Jamnaga,r shut; over 400 flights cancelled

Amid heightened cross-border tensions following missile strikes by Indian armed forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on nine terror bases, 27 airports across northern, western, and central India have been shut for commercial operations. As per a Times of India report, this includes key hubs like Leh, Amritsar, and Jamnagar.

The move has led to widespread disruption of air traffic, with over 430 flights cancelled by Indian carriers on Thursday (May 8) alone. Delhi Airport issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) stating: "Due to changing airspace conditions, some flights have been impacted. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates and alternate travel arrangements."

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
The minister met with the director general of PDMA, Dimitris Tsakonas, praising his teams efforts. Referring to the de-escalation of the countrys huge debt , Pierrarakis noted, This is a great achievement, and many congratulations are due to the PDMA, its staff , and its General Director, Mr. Tsakonas.
"It is neither nationally possible nor constitutionally permissible for the country to relinquish by renunciation its sovereignty and sovereign rights, international law and the international law of the sea, the European acquis and the Greek-Egyptian agreement and everything that these confer upon it," National Defence

Minister Nikos stated on Thursday , during his speech at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the surrender of German forces on the island of Symi.

In particular, in his speech, Dendias noted: "It is a great honour and a great pleasure for me to be here today in Symi on the 80th anniversary of its liberation. On May 8, the day that the Second World War ended and of democracy's victory against nazism and fascism, here at the Symi command post, the German forces signed their unconditional surrender. This was the last act in the drama of the Second World War on European soil."

According to Dendias, "over time, the Aegean Sea has been a testing ground of our national responsibility and our national will. The product of this national responsibility is the 2030 Agenda, which we are implementing. The greatest reform of the Greek Armed Forces ever undertaken. At the heart of this reform is the new doctrine of deterrence. A doctrine that takes full advantage of the capabilities, modern platforms and the geographical configuration of the Aegean region. The crowning glory of this new deterrence design is the "Achilles' Shield". A plan that covers all modern potential threats, a holistic approach that aspires to shield the territory and enhance the deterrent power of our country."

The defence minister stressed that he was not one to "ignore geopolitical and numerical reality," but warned that no country, no matter how strong, should expect Greece or the Greeks to back down from protecting the country's sovereignty and sovereign rights, under any government or at any time. "It is clear that Greece and the Greeks, throughout history, do whatever is needed and necessary. Or as the Anglo-Saxons put it, 'whatever it takes'," he added.

   iefimerida.gr
Greece and Egypt have signed a strategic partnership agreement aiming to step up political coordination to safeguard stability in the Eastern Mediterranean region amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

Our bilateral cooperation is based on political, economic, and cultural ties, which are deeply rooted in history and defined by our strong commitment to the values of peace and the full

respect of international law , Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a joint statement.

The two leaders met during the first meeting of the Supreme Cooperation Council, a body they agreed to establish more than a year ago to improve ties.

Both officials reaffirmed their joint stance on the need to respect international law to promote peace in Gaza.

The first priority is for hostilities to stop and restore the flow of humanitarian aid to civilians, Mr. Mitsotakis said in joint statements with Mr. al-Sisi.

He added that Greece supported an Arab-backed plan for the reconstruction of Gaza once a ceasefire is achieved.

Migration also featured prominently on the agenda of bilateral talks.

European governments have long been concerned about potential instability in Egypt, a country of 106 million people where economic hardship has led to increased migration.

Egypt largely halted irregular migration from its north coast in 2016, but the Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos have seen a sharp increase in migrant arrivals, predominantly from Afghanistan and Egypt.

Last year, the European Union announced a 7.4 billion euro ($8.40 billion) funding package and an upgraded relationship with Egypt, partly in an effort to stem migrant flows from Egypt to Europe.

Last month, the EUs executive arm included Egypt on a list of safe countries where rejected asylum seekers could be returned, a move that has drawn scrutiny over Egypts human rights record.

   iefimerida.gr
Athens, whose wider metropolitan area is home to 3.6 million people , narrowly avoided a catastrophic firebut only just, the FT article notes , reminding readers of the devastating fire in 2024, when flames reached the Halandri area after passing through Penteli.
Eurobank has been recognized as the Top Employer for Greeks from Abroad by the nonprofit initiative Hellenism in Action  BrainReGain, for its leadership in helping reverse the countrys long-standing brain drain and reintegrate highly skilled Greek professionals into the domestic job market.

The award

reflects Eurobanks sustained commitment to attracting Greek talent from around the world and aligns with broader national goals of professional repatriation. Over the past three years, the bank has hired 600 professionals, with plans to recruit an additional 300 in 2025, drawing from both the local and international talent pool . Its strategy focuses on renewing the workforce with specialized younger talent while also retaining experienced professionals and ensuring equitable access to training and advancement.

A key part of this approach is Eurobanks active involvement in mentoring programs, professional development, and leadership opportunities for members of the Greek diaspora. These efforts are designed not only to encourage return but to create lasting career pathways that help repatriated professionals build their future in Greece. Most of those returning have come from the UK, followed by the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg, with high demand in sectors such as corporate and investment banking, IT, digital services, risk management, and private banking. Notably, 91% of these hires are in mid- to senior-level roles with competitive compensation.

The award was presented during the annual BrainReGain Conference, Powering Greece Forward, held on May 6, 2025, at the Athens Concert Hall under the auspices of Greeces leading business associations. Eurobank stood out as the only Greek systemic bank among 51 companies honored this year. Natassa Paschali, General Manager and Group Chief Human Resources Officer, accepted the award, emphasizing the banks role in fostering innovation, sustainable development, and long-term job creation across the country.

Eurobank has been a BrainReGain member since 2019, offering mentoring and career guidance to Greeks abroad. Its efforts are also part of a broader initiative, Forward for the Family, which aims to strengthen Greeces demographic resilience by supporting employment, especially in remote and underserved regions. Through strategic hiring and investment, Eurobank continues to play a leading role in shaping a more inclusive and opportunity-driven Greek economy.

#ENGLISH_EDITION #EUROBANK
Greece and Egypt have formally elevated their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi convened on Wednesday in Athens for the first Greece-Egypt High-Level Cooperation Council.

Held at the

Maximos Mansion, the summit marked a significant milestone in the deepening ties between the two Eastern Mediterranean nations, as both leaders emphasized the need for stronger regional cooperation in the face of growing geopolitical uncertainty.

In a joint declaration signed during the meeting, the two countries institutionalized regular diplomatic contact and committed to coordinated action across a range of sectors, including energy, migration, trade, maritime affairs, and cultural exchange. The move formalizes what both governments describe as an already "excellent" relationship, now officially upgraded to a strategic partnership.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis underlined the importance of this alliance in a rapidly changing regional landscape, calling Egypt a key partner for Greece and a pivotal player in broader Mediterranean dynamics. He pointed to the shared interests of the two nations in managing regional challenges and promoting stability. Today, Athens and Cairo are on the same side, Mitsotakis said. In an era of mounting global uncertainty, our countries stand as pillars of stability.

Energy cooperation featured prominently in the talks, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to the GREGY Interconnector, a major project that will link the Greek and Egyptian power grids. This cross-Mediterranean initiative aims to supply Europe with renewable energy from North Africa via Greece, positioning both nations as central players in Europes green transition and energy security agenda.

Migration policy was another key topic, with both leaders stressing the importance of legal pathways for labor movement. Mitsotakis and el-Sisi discussed the implementation of a bilateral agreement on the temporary employment of Egyptian workers in Greece, not only in agriculture but also in construction, manufacturing, and other sectors where legal labor is needed. This initiative is a response to those who argue Europes migration policies are solely about deterrence, Mitsotakis noted, describing it as a model for mutually beneficial migration management.

President el-Sisi echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that the partnership is grounded in historical friendship, mutual respect, and shared interests. He recalled Greeces diplomatic support for Egypt during the turbulent period following the 2011 revolution, praising the countrys role in voicing Egyptian concerns within the European Union. We will never forget Greeces support during a difficult time for Egypt, he said. It speaks to the depth of our relationship.

The two leaders also addressed a series of regional flashpoints, with special attention given to developments in Gaza, Syria, Libya, and Cyprus. Mitsotakis welcomed Egypts leadership in drafting an Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, calling it a pragmatic and necessary starting point for long-term stabilization. On Syria, he stressed the importance of protecting all civilian populations and holding perpetrators of recent atrocities accountable, while calling for renewed political processes in war-torn Libya. On Cyprus, Mitsotakis rejected any notion of a two-state solution, warning that such rhetoric only undermines efforts to restart meaningful negotiations.

During the summit, Greece and Egypt signed three cooperation agreements covering maritime affairs, cultural exchanges, and information and communication technologies. Both governments described these as building blocks for deeper collaboration, not just bilaterally but also within the broader framework of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.

El-Sisi emphasized that the electricity interconnection project with Greece should be viewed not merely as a bilateral initiative but as a strategic regional effort, with implications for Europes energy future. He also expressed strong interest in expanding energy and gas cooperation and welcomed the idea of more Egyptian workers being legally employed in Greece across various sectors.

As the summit concluded, both leaders projected a strong sense of alignment and determination to tackle shared challenges. With this declaration, we are not just reaffirming our intentions, Mitsotakis said. We are putting in place a concrete framework for real, ongoing cooperation in areas that affect the security, prosperity, and future of both our nations.

#ENGLISH_EDITION #GREECE
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to compel Mrs. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a senator representing Kogi central, to delete a satirical apology posted on her social media pages.

Recall that Senator Natasha had published a sarcastic apology to Akpabio on her official Facebook page, with a short video on April 27.

The Kogi lawmaker claimed in the post that she was sorry for the crime of maintaining dignity and self-respect.

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The apology letter was posted despite an order by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, restraining both parties from making public comments about a case of defamation filed by the Senate President, pending the determination of the suit.

READ MORE: I Became Senator Through Elections Not Erection  Senator Natasha Mocks Akpabio In Sacarstic Apology Letter To Senate

Akpabios legal team, led by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria on Thursday, argued before the court that the social media post constitutes a breach of the judges directive.

The Senate Presidents lawyers, therefore, asked court to compel the suspended senator to delete the post from all her social media platforms.

They also wants the court to mandate Senator Natasha to publish a written apology in at least two national dailies and file an affidavit confirming compliance.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, admitted a video evidence showing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, issuing inciting directives which the prosecution said triggered acts of terrorism in the South East.

Justice James Omotoso, the trial judge, on Wednesday, heard from a witness brought by the Department of State Services operative, identified only by the codename BBB, how Kanus inciting statements and directives led to violent destruction in the region.

The witness was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN.

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When the video was played in open court, Kanu was seen addressing his followers in what he called the blessed land of Biafra.

He was also spotted announcing the formation of Eastern Security Network, urging followers to defend their land against what he referred to as Fulani domination.

In the video, Kanu was over heard warning political leaders in the region against compromises.

He issued a directive forbidding the presence of Fulani herdsmen, stating: No Fulani parading as herdsmen shall be allowed in our land. If you are an agent of the Fulani, turn your way this evening.

READ MORE: Nnamdi Kanu Admitted Inciting Public Against Police, Behind Formation Of ESN  Witness Tells Court

Also admitted was a statement dated July 17, 2021, purportedly made by Kanu during his detention.

In it, he declined to make further written statements, asserting he had already addressed the allegations.

He described Nigeria as a zoo and called for resistance against what he termed Fulani domination, accusing political leaders of betraying the people.

In another video, Kanu introduced the Eastern Security Network (ESN), comparing it to regional security outfits like South West Amotekun and said defending the South-East from Fulani herders was necessary.

The court also viewed footage from the #EndSARS protests, where Kanu was seen directing attacks on police and government facilities.

A separate video dated May 30, 2021, showed Kanu declaring a total lockdown in the South-East in memory of fallen Biafrans, instructing residents not to leave their homes.

Another clip showed Kanu asking his followers to procure guns and bullets for self-defence, specifically referencing threats from Boko Haram and labelling Fulani herders as terrorists.

The defence raised no objections, prompting Justice James Kolawole Omotosho to adjourn the matter to May 8 for continuation of the trial.
In a bid to maintain a non-partisan atmosphere, the Anambra State government has prohibited party uniforms during President Bola Tinubus visit to the state on Thursday.

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and other political supporters have been instructed on Wednesday to attend the event at Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square in mufti, avoiding party attire.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, stated that the move was made to prevent political rivalry and maintain decorum during the Presidents visit, which will include a high-level town hall meeting and the commissioning of several legacy projects.

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READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/05/nigeria-needs-action-against-terrorists-not-another-summit-shehu-sani-tells-fg.html

Obiogbolu emphasised, This is to inform you that everybody coming to Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka for the reception of President Bola Tinubu tomorrow, should be in mufti. Please nobody should put on APGA clothes, or Support Groups uniforms.

The decision comes amidst concerns that the timing of the visit could be perceived as a vote of no confidence in the APCs governorship candidate.

A source revealed, The Presidents political party, the APC, had expressed concerns that the visit could be perceived as a vote of no confidence in their governorship candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, especially given the timing in an electioneering period.

The ban on uniforms was one of the conditions for the visit, ensuring a unified reception for the President. Obiogbolu added, The directive was issued to avoid unnecessary political rivalry and public showmanship that could overshadow the purpose of the Presidents visit.

Security has been heightened for the visit, with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps deploying 1,531 officers to ensure safety during the event.
Traditional rulers in Anambra State have conferred a chieftaincy title of Dike Si Mba of Anambra on President Bola Tinubu.

The Monarchs, led by Chairman of Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Chidubem Iweka of Obosi, gave President Tinubu the title in Awka during his official visit to the state.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that Tinubu arrived at the Chinua Achebe International Airport in Umueri around 12:15pm, and was received by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, his deputy, Onyeka Ibezim and other government officials.

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The former governor of Lagos State inaugurated Anambra States first-ever Government House on Thursday, marking a historic milestone more than 30 years after the states creation.

During the commissioning of the New Government House, Tinubu congratulated Soludo and the people of Anambra, describing infrastructure as the backbone of development.

READ MORE: Anambra Bans Party Uniforms Ahead Of Tinubus Visit

He said: Soludo is here providing solution and that solution is in infrastructure and in carrying people along in the area of development. Serving people and building institutions. This is all about democracy, it is about prosperity.

It is environmentally responsive governance. Well done, Mr. Governor for reflecting the quality of governance for the people of Anambra.

Anambra is achieving great heights. Building our tomorrow, today. A leader like Governor Chukwuma Soludo placing Anambra on the path of 21st-century development.

You are a good thinker, you are a solution provider. We can go places together. Building Nigeria. Building the future. Using technology to build and reflect good governance on the people. Promote investment. We must encourage good governance.
Deji Adeyanju, the lawyer representing social media activist VeryDarkMan, has shared an update after his clients release by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

VeryDarkMan was detained by the anti-graft agency for five days before being granted bail.

In a statement posted on social media on Thursday, Adeyanju expressed continued admiration for the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, despite the circumstances surrounding VeryDarkMans detention.

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READ MORE: VeryDarkMan Regains Freedom Following EFCC Detention

He confirmed that no conditions were placed on the bail and revealed that he had personally applied for it, pledging to ensure his clients availability when required. However, Adeyanju noted that the EFCC is still in possession of Verydarkmans phone and car.

Despite everything that has happened, I still like the EFCC Chairman, Adeyanju wrote. And there was no condition for VDMs bail. I was the one who applied for his bail and I made an undertaking to produce him anytime he is needed. His phone and car still with EFCC.

The lawyer also took the opportunity to thank the RATELS, a group of supporters who have been vocal in their protests against government oppression.

He praised their dedication to the cause, calling them one of the most powerful forces fighting against tyranny in Nigeria today.

This is a stand-alone appreciation post to all RATELS worldwide, Adeyanju continued. You guys are not just a movement, you are one of the most potent agitators against oppression and tyranny in Nigeria today. Thank you everyone for all the protest, posts online, and never staying quiet. You are the real heroes. 

In his closing remarks, Adeyanju addressed those who had suggested that Verydarkmans arrest was a distraction, urging them to focus on broader political matters.

Now to those who said VDMs arrest was a distraction, they can go ahead and rescue Nigeria from Tinubus government. Theres no more distraction, he stated.

The comments come as the legal and political debate surrounding Verydarkmans case and activism continues to stir conversation across Nigeria.

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Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has replied Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and other critics who accused him of demarketing Nigeria.

Recall that Obi, in his recent engagement at Johns Hopkins University in the United States of America, described how Nigeria fell off economically within 25 years, leading to a massive increase in the poverty rate.

The former Anambra State governor insisted that he is only telling the truth about the countrys situation, comparing countrys poverty rate with that of China, Indonesia, and Vietnam combined.

The LPs chieftain reiterated that Nigeria has more poor people than the three countries combined.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, however, condemned Obis comments about the country, describing them as disparaging and unflattering remarks.

Speaking on Wednesday while making a speech at Pa Edwin Clarks memorial lecture in Abuja, the former governor insisted that he did not in any way demarket Nigeria but only stated facts.

READ MORE: You Contributed To Nigerias Poverty, Your Behaviour Disturbing  Sanwo-Olu Knocks Peter Obi

He said: I listened to my brother Mike when you talked about, may the Labour of our heroes past not be in vain.

Im happy that Jonathan is here. But I can tell you their sacrifice is in vain.

They have sacrificed for nothing. We where in this country, when people were protesting, when there was no need to protest under Goodluck Jonathan. where are those protesters? Have they died? Where are they?

So why are we saying it (labours of heroes past) should not be in vain? Jonathan increased fuel from N87 to N120 and people were protesting in this country. And when it was N900 they werent protesting.

Again, so why are we saying it (labours of heroes past) should not be in vain? People protested when $1 was N180, and when it was N1500 they werent protesting. Are they dead?
Hon. Olalekan Anjolaiya, a former Lagos State House of Assembly aspirant for Alimosho Constituency II, has officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the Labour Party (LP), citing ideological decay within the opposition party.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, May 8, 2025, Anjolaiya announced his resignation from the PDP, a party he once served as a Local Government Executive member in Alimosho.

He attributed his defection to what he described as the PDPs dwindling ideological integrity and alleged collusion with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

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READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/05/labour-party-suspends-gov-otti-senator-kingibe-others-over-anti-party-allegations.html

According to him, the PDP has lost its essence as a viable opposition force.

The PDP no longer functions as a credible opposition.

It has lost its ideological focus, its moral compass, and its voice. Today, it operates more like an appendage of the APC than a people-centred alternative, Anjolaiya stated.

He criticised the partys inability to resist political influence from the APC, stressing that the PDP had strayed from its founding principles. Anjolaiya described his decision to join the Labour Party as a step towards promoting inclusive and people-oriented governance.

As a proud Awori son of Igando, Alimosho, I believe the days of political intimidation and tribal politics in Lagos are over. The people are ready for a new era of issue-based, inclusive, and people-oriented governance, he added.

His defection adds to the growing list of high-profile exits from the PDP, raising questions about the partys internal cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Operatives of Lagos State Police Command have arrested a suspected traffic robber for allegedly stealing N20 million worth of hair from a moving truck on the CMS-Marina Bridge.

In a statement on Thursday by the Commands Spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that a robbery syndicate member was apprehended in Marinas car pack with a large sack filled with hair.

Benjamin noted that the arrest was a swift response to a tip-off about a highway theft, and detectives of the Ebute-Ero division arrested the injured suspect, who jumped from the bridge.

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He added that the command has also commenced a manhunt to apprehend other members of his gang.

The statement reads: On April 25, 2025, a criminal gang stole a large sack filled with assorted human hairs valued at approximately 20 million from a moving truck, unknown to the driver, while in transit along the CMS-Marina Bridge.

READ MORE: Lagos Police Arrest Two Suspected Vandals For Destroying Roadside Barriers

Responding swiftly to a tip-off, police officers arrived at the scene and successfully apprehended one of the suspects, identified as Austine m in the Marina car park under the bridge with injuries he sustained when he jumped from the bridge into the car park in his bid to evade arrest.

He was found in possession of the stolen items and has been taken to a hospital for proper medical attention under close police watch. A manhunt is currently underway to bring other members of his gang to justice.
Nigerian music star Rema has been honoured with a certificate of recognition by the Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, for his global influence and promotion of African culture through music.

According to a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) by DebutHub on Wednesday, the mayor praised Rema for the joy he brings to people and his role in championing Afrobeat across the world.

The certificate reads: In recognition of his global influence and ability to bring joy to people in Boston and beyond, we honor Rema for championing Afrobeat and promoting African culture worldwide.

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READ MORE: Rihanna Confirms Third Pregnancy, Says It Feels Amazing

His music resonates across continents while preserving the spirit of Africa both in Boston and beyond, Rema continues to inspire by proudly representing the richness of African identity and creativity. On behalf of the City of Boston, we extend our sincere congratulations.

This latest recognition adds to Remas growing list of international accolades as he continues to represent Africa on the global stage.

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Senator representing Kano South, Suleiman Kawu, has formally announced his defection from New Nigeria Peoples Party to All Progressives Congress.

Senator Kawu on Wednesday, cited deepening internal crises and legal disputes within his former party.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that his defection letter was read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary session in Abuja.

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The lawmaker, who was senior special assistant to the president on National Assembly Matters, described NNPP as severely divided and dysfunctional party.

He added that compelling and undeniable developments, including multiple court cases and factional leadership struggles is affecting the party.

The letter partly reads: Pursuant to Section 68, Subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I write to the Senate President on behalf of the Senate.

I write to formally notify the Senate through your esteemed office of my defection from the NNPP to the APC, the largest party in Africa.

READ MORE: APC Will Consider Kwankwasos Return To Safeguard His Political Career  Ganduje

My decision to bid goodbye to the NNPP is anchored on compelling and undeniable developments within the party, which have rendered the party severely divided and dysfunctional.

Over the past months, I have observed a growing number of litigations that have practically torn the party apart and left its structure fractured.

All of which clearly centred on issues of party disunity, functional leadership, and the legitimacy of its operations.

These legal battles have not only eroded internal cohesion but have created parallel and conflicting authorities within the party.

Therefore, in the spirit of democratic accountability and in line with my constitutional right, I have moved to APC, a national platform, an international platform, which I believe will better support my legislative responsibilities and aspirations of the good people of my senatorial district.
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has called on the Federal Government to prioritize decisive action against terrorism over convening more national security summits.

Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, Sani reacted to the Senates latest move to hold a two-day national summit on insecurity.

The Senate had resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to organize the summit, aimed at crafting sustainable strategies to address the worsening security situation across the country, particularly in the North.

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The proposed summit is expected to involve federal, state, and local governments, as well as traditional leaders and other critical stakeholders.

Sani, however, questioned the value of yet another summit, stressing that Nigeria has engaged in numerous such discussions in the past with little to show for them.

READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/05/apc-will-consider-kwankwasos-return-to-safeguard-his-political-career-ganduje.html

He argued that what the country urgently needs is an improved and sustained military and intelligence approach to neutralize terrorist groups, bandits, and kidnappers who continue to wreak havoc.

For us, we have talked too much about insecurity. What is needed for us is to step up our action, because our action as a government and as a nation has not been able to exterminate the activities of bandits and terrorists in our country, he said.

We have had so many talks, summits and conferences about security and what is needed now is more action and we have seen, in the last one and a half decade, how terrorists in the northern part of Nigeria, up till this very time, are unleashing mayhem and havoc on innocent people, burning down villages, kidnapping people and extorting for ransom.

He also urged the government to adopt advanced technology to combat terrorists who now use drones and other modern tools to carry out attacks.
Nigerian chess champion Tunde Onakoya has been gifted a brand new Nord A9 SUV by local automaker Nord Motion following a friendly chess match with the companys CEO, Oluwatobi Ajayi.

On Thursday, Onakoya, the founder of Chess in Slums Africa, expressed his gratitude on X by sharing photos of the SUV and thanking Nord Motion for the thoughtful gift.

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He wrote, Just got home to the most heartwarming surprise from my #nordmotion familythe stunning new Nord A9 SUV. Hands down the most beautiful car Ive ever owned, but even more beautiful is the love behind this incredible gift. Grateful beyond words.

Of course the only way to get the new car was by not losing this match.

READ MORE: Mayor Of Boston Celebrates Remas Role In Championing Afrobeat Worldwide

He also announced that the gift was accompanied by a one-year extension of his ambassadorial contract with the brand.

Onakoya added, I call #OluwatobiAjayiJ the Elon of Africa because while most people only know him for being one of the pioneers made in Nigeria cars, hes also a great thinker and innovator across board.

Proud to extend our partnership as Brand Ambassador for another year. Up Naija. A beauty to behold + made in Nigeria. Thank you #nordmotion for this incredible gift.

In a statement released by Nord Automobiles on Wednesday, it was revealed that the SUV was presented to Onakoya on May 5, 2025. The gesture was described as both a recognition of his international success and a celebration of shared values such as innovation, discipline, and Nigerian excellence.

The statement partly read, In a fitting tribute to the brands spirit of competition, the event included a thrilling chess match between Onakoya and the CEO of Nord Automobiles, Oluwatobi Ajayi. The highly contested game ended in a draw, showcasing the strategic brilliance of both competitors and further cementing their bond.

The friendly rivalry between Onakoya and Ajayi mirrors the passion, precision, and determination that both individuals embody in their respective fields-Onakoya in chess, and Ajayi in automotive leadership.

As his partnership with Nord continues to grow, this new car serves as a symbol of his extraordinary journey. Just like his record-breaking chess game, Onakoyas story is a testament to the power of perseverance, and with every new challenge, theres always another car to match the victory- another game, another car.

The Nord A9 is the second car that Onakoya has received from the company.

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Thirteen individuals were reportedly kidnapped by suspected pirates during an attack on boats, and the Rivers State Police have vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The attack took place along the Isaka River in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Reports indicate that one of the boats was heading to Bonny Island, while the other was en route to the Cawthorne Channel in Bille, located in Degema Local Government Area, when the attack happened on Tuesday afternoon.

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Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the State Police Command, confirmed the abduction on Wednesday and assured the public that an investigation is currently ongoing.

READ MORE: Kano Police Nab Suspect In Fatal Robbery Attack, Recover Weapon

She stated, What we heard was that 13 passengers were abducted. But investigation is ongoing to rescue them and ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to book.

Isreal Pepple, the Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, Port Harcourt Commercial District, provided additional details, revealing that the pirates also looted goods and valuables worth millions of naira.

He said, With the information we gathered, it was 13 persons, including the driver. The other boat was going to Bonny with goods; six people were kidnapped from that boat. So, six plus 13 makes 19.

He mentioned that the union is considering halting operations to pressure the government into taking action, emphasizing that such attacks are becoming increasingly frequent.

Like we said last time, we will have no option because the thing is becoming a routine action, such that as they release one, they come back and kidnap again.

So it is more or less a business for them. So, I think that the Union will go into a meeting and whatever our decision is, we will implement it.

We will not be far from downing our tools to attract the government to take action. You can imagine that just within 2 pm and 6 pm, three boats were attacked, 19 persons were kidnapped, and goods and property were hijacked.

He urged the State Sole Administrator and security agencies to intervene and enhance security along the waterways in the state.

Pepple expressed concern over what he referred to as the underutilization of the military gunboats donated by the Rivers State government to safeguard the waterways.

The irony of it all is that there are gunboats, but no fuel to operate them. The gunboats are there close to this office, but no logistics are provided for them.

So we are also calling on the Sole Administrator to try and do something because it is getting out of hand, Pepple added.
Paris Saint-Germain clinched a place in the Champions League final as goals by Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi gave them a 2-1 win over Arsenal in the second leg of their last-four tie, securing a 3-1 aggregate triumph.

Ruiz crashed in a shot from the edge of the area in the 27th minute at the Parc des Princes to leave PSG firmly in the driving seat after they had withstood an early bombardment from the visitors.

Already leading in the tie after Ousmane Dembeles goal in last weeks first leg, PSG then saw Vitinha have a second-half penalty saved.

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However, Hakimi put the tie beyond Arsenal when he scored in the 72nd minute, even if Bukayo Saka did then pull one back for the visitors.

PSG advance to a showdown in Munich on May 31 against Inter Milan, and it will be the second Champions League final in their history, five years after a defeat by Bayern Munich in Lisbon.

READ MORE: Arsenal Frustrated As Dembele Hands PSG Champions League Advantage

Arsenal saw their European dream come to an end as they fell short of reaching what would have been their second final, 19 years after losing to Barcelona in Paris.

Still without a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, all that is left to play for now for Mikel Artetas side is securing a third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League.

There was an electric atmosphere all evening in Paris, and PSG were able to celebrate getting to a final in front of their fans for the first time, after their victory against RB Leipzig in the last four in 2020 was played behind closed doors during the pandemic.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has appealed to Nigerian media outlets to exercise greater discretion in their coverage of terrorism and violent extremism.

The Minister warned that undue publicity can embolden criminal groups and undermine national security.

Speaking on Wednesday at the seventh edition of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing Series held at the National Press Centre, Abuja, Idris called on newsmen and editors across the country to act as gatekeepers in the fight against insecurity by refusing to glorify the acts of terrorists or propagate their narratives.

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He emphasised that the war against insecurity in Nigeria goes beyond military operations, noting that it also involves an information battle in which terrorist groups seek to manipulate public perception through propaganda, especially on social media platforms.

Idris said: We must deny these groups the undue publicity they crave. We must take them off the front pages and accurately report them as the criminals they are, without glorifying their acts or giving credence to their false narratives.

READ MORE: Gov Zulum Accuses Security Personnel Of Promoting Insecurity In Borno

These are not freedom fighters; they are murderers, kidnappers, and destroyers, and they must be presented as such.

Our armed forces are not only respected by global allies but also feared by those who threaten our collective peace.

Responsible and patriotic journalism is essential to building a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.

One that holds promise not just for our nation, but for the stability and development of the entire West African sub-region.
Nigerian photographer and influencer Toni Payne has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its recent focus on the issue of naira abuse by Nigerian celebrities.

In a passionate social media post on Wednesday, Payne expressed her frustration over what she sees as the countrys misplaced priorities.

She highlighted the more pressing issues in Nigeria, such as poverty, power shortages, and unemployment, while questioning the EFCCs actions regarding money spraying at events.

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READ MORE: AY Confirms EFCC Invitation Over Money Spraying, Warns Public Against Naira Abuse

Naija has the most messed up priorities out of all the problems facing the country. Spraying money (even dollars that isnt their currency) is their issue? Payne said. People are starving, there is no steady power supply, and theres a lack of jobs, and this is what theyre focused on? Im convinced the powers that be want to keep people miserable because why try to remove such a joyful tradition?

She further criticised the constant invitations extended by the EFCC to celebrities over the act of spraying money at social events. Payne also suggested that Nigerians might need to consider hosting their events outside of the country.

Whats the goal? Wow! People should start taking their events out of Naija. If something so minuscule can get you arrested, its insane!! Imagine saying putting it on someones body is a crime. So, if I had your money normally, is that not part of your body? she wrote.

Payne also mentioned how actress Iyabo Ojo had carefully handled the money spraying at an event, yet still faced an invitation from the EFCC.

Destination events are the way to go. Forget that. I trust my people, they will find a way around it. Digital bank alert cards or something, cos wtf, Payne concluded.

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The Lagos State Police Command has arrested one Jemilu Abdullahi and Samsondeen Isiaku for allegedly vandalising streetlight cables along the Ijegun-Jakande Road.

CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command spokesperson, confirmed this in a statement provided to PUNCH on Wednesday.

He explained that the suspects were apprehended on Tuesday, May 6, while allegedly committing the offence during a routine patrol conducted by officers from the Isheri Oshun Division.

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READ MORE: EFCC Nabs 35 Suspects In Edo Over Alleged Internet Fraud Activities

He added that an investigation into the incident is currently underway.

He wrote, On the 6th of March, patrol officers of Isheri Oshun Division, Lagos, arrested two suspects, Jemilu Abdullahi and Samsondeen Isiaku, while vandalising streetlight cables at Ijegun/Jakande Road.

The investigation is ongoing. They will be charged to court accordingly, the police spokesman added.
Node.js 24 has been released. The latest version of the open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime upgrades the Google V8 JavaScript engine to version 13.6 and the NPM package manager to version 11. Node.js 24 also drops support for MSVC, Microsofts C/C++ compiler, and ClangCL is now required to compile Node.js on Windows.

Introduced on May 6 as the Current release of Node.js, Node.js 24 enters long-term support status in October. It can be downloaded from nodejs.org.

The Node.js 24 release features V8 13.6, with new JavaScript features including Float16Array, explicit resource management, and WebAssembly Memory64 support, which adds support for 64-bit memory indexes to WebAssembly. NPM 11, meanwhile, offers performance and security improvements and better compatibility with modern JavaScript packages. With the removal of support for MSVC, ClangCL is now required to compile Node.js on Windows.
Philadelphia City Councilmember Kendra Brooks, who introduced the pro-worker legislation, speaks at a news conference and rally outside Philadelphia City Hall, on Thursday, May 8, about the POWER Act. Read more

After passing multiple new worker protection laws in recent years, Philadelphia City Council passed a bill Thursday intended to make those rules more enforceable.

The POWER Act, which stands for Protect Our Workers, Enforce Rights, was introduced by Councilmember Kendra Brooks in February, with support from a coalition of worker organizations, while facing pushback from some business entities including the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.

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In the last decade, Philadelphia has passed legislation to protect workers from wage theft, ensure paid sick leave, and codify domestic workers rights, yet the Department of Labor needs more tools to adequately enforce them, Brooks said at a Committee on Law and Government hearing on April 25.

These laws are meaningless unless we have the tools to enforce them, she said. Brooks, who was formerly a domestic worker, also noted that workers, especially women of color, who work inside peoples homes, are exposed to all kinds of abuse, exploitation, and disrespect.

The bill now heads to Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers desk, where she can sign it into law, veto it, or let it become law without her signature. In committee, Cara Leheny, from the citys Department of Labor, testified that Parkers team looks forward to working with the Council member to achieve the goals of this legislation.

The legislation will expand workers rights when it comes to financial compensation for damages. It also solidifies the city labor departments ability to certify certain immigration visas and creates a standardized framework for identifying bad actor employers and conducting workplace investigations, among other measures.

Brooks, Council minority leader and member of the progressive Working Families Party, has said the bill holds even greater significance as President Donald Trumps administration rolls back worker protections at the federal level.

Ai-jen Poo, president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, an advocate for the POWER Act, said in March that the legislation recognizes the conditions of being a domestic worker, and noted the opportunity for it to serve as a model for other cities and states.

Legislation like this  that really asserts that if you work in this country, you have rights, and if those rights are violated, you can count on some accountability for that violation  that seems like one of the most important promises and commitments we make to working people in this country, Poo said.

What will the new legislation do?

Employers

In instances of potential employer retaliation, the POWER Act emphasizes that the burden of proof shifts from the employee to the employer if an alleged act of retaliation takes places within 90 days from a worker acting within their rights, such as filing a complaint against the employer or cooperating with an investigation into a potential violation.

An employer can also end up on an expanded Bad Actor Database if they meet certain metrics.

After two years have passed since a violation, employers may be removed from the database if they provide written certifications that theyve notified their workers of their rights and that they wont violate any worker protection ordinances moving forward.

Workers and investigations

In Philadelphia, workers can already collect monetary damages in certain instances, but the POWER Act allows for additional liquidated damages to account for the harm inflicted by an employer. For example, if an employee was a victim of a $1,000 wage theft, then they would be eligible to receive the amount they were originally owed plus an additional $1,000.

In instances of retaliation, both the city and the worker can collect damages. Fines and penalties paid to the city go to a Worker Justice Fund, which supports victims of workplace retaliation.

The Office of Worker Protections, under the POWER Act, has the authority to investigate an entire workplace even if just one complaint is filed, and will be required to report their efforts to Council annually.

Who opposes the POWER Act?

The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, and the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association expressed concerns with the legislation at the April hearing.

Ashley Miscevich, speaking on behalf of the Chamber, said the group supports fair workplace protections but worries the POWER Act will create significant legal, financial, and operational challenges for employers of all sizes, but particularly small and midsized businesses, while undermining Philadelphias competitiveness and job growth.

Our central concern is that this bill, even with amendments, still creates a framework that is unfairly tilted against employers, and particularly those without in-house or HR teams, Miscevich said.

In a statement Wednesday, Shannon Williams, the chambers vice president of advocacy, called for Council to establish a task force to review worker protection ordinances and work with stakeholders to create a different framework.

What challenges remain?

Brooks said Tuesday that she expects the citys Department of Labor, permanently established by Council in 2020, to carry out the bill in a way thats beneficial to both workers and employers.

In 2023, the departments Office of Worker Protections found 84 violations and completed 23 mediations, according to Olive Kuhn, assistant compliance director.

The department is looking to fill vacancies, Leheny said at an April hearing on the act. Since the departments establishment, advocates have also been calling for more funding to staff up the city DOL.

Brooks recognized that funding is even more crucial right now.

Well continue to advocate for more funding and structure around the Department of Labor, because we realize that our federal Department of Labor is not working for us right now, Brooks said. So we need to make sure that we protect our constituents on a local level.

Staff writer Sean Collins Walsh contributed to this article.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel speaks at a news conference outside Penn Presbyterian Medical Center after a West Philly police officer was wounded in a shooting on Thursday. Read more

A 30-year-old man from West Philadelphia has been charged with shooting and critically wounding a Philadelphia police officer during a fight Wednesday afternoon outside Overbrook High School.

Dachan Seay was taken into custody shortly after he showed up at a fight among students and, as police attempted to break it up, fired his Ruger-5.7 pistol, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said Thursday.

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The bullet, a rifle round, ricocheted off the ground or a nearby fire hydrant and into the abdomen of a 26-year-old police officer, leaving him critically wounded, Bethel said. The officer, who has been on the force for about a year, remained hospitalized Thursday morning in stable condition. Police did not identify him.

He is on the road to recovery, Bethel said. He is already up talking.

Seay was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, illegal gun possession, recklessly endangering another person, and multiple other crimes, Bethel said.

The incident erupted around 2:45 p.m. across the street from Overbrook High, near 59th and Oxford Streets. Shortly after classes were dismissed, multiple fights broke out, and officers stationed at the school called for backup, police said.

Meanwhile, Bethel said, someone amid the melee called Seay, who rushed to the school with a gun. Bethel said it was not clear who called Seay or what his relationship was to any students involved in the fight.

But as officers attempted to separate a group of young people clashing in the street, the gun fired, he said. He called Seay a coward who, as an adult, is supposed to come in and de-escalate, not escalate.

Bethel said Seay didnt aim at the officer, but that was beside the point.

You brought a gun to a fight. What was your expectation? So dont be surprised when the gun goes off, he said. I cant say what your intent was, but an apology is not what Im looking for today.

Bethel thanked members of the public for their prayers for the officer, and underscored the challenges police at the scene on Wednesday faced in de-escalating the fights, identifying and arresting Seay, and then trying to save the life of their colleague.

Look at who we are. Look at the service we give to the city, he said.

The commissioner also said that additional officers with a different posture were being stationed outside Overbrook High on Thursday, and that school administrators were working to identify the students involved with Wednesdays fights.

You see a number of kids on the video out there fighting, and I expect that theyre being held accountable, he said.
The Philly Service Award honored Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown on Tuesday with its Making a Better Philly Changemaker Award for his contributions to the local community.

A nonprofit that aims to inspire Philadelphias young people to have a commitment to community service, the Philly Service Award cited Browns work through the A.J. Brown Foundation, especially for underserved communities.

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This city made me stronger, tougher, and more focused  not just as a player, but as a man," Brown said at the awards ceremony. And every time I step onto that field or into the community, I carry that Philly edge with me. You all, Philly, have adopted me. And Im so thankful.

The A.J. Brown Foundation has provided healthy food to students at Laura H. Carnell Elementary School in Oxford Circle and scholarships to recipients at Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical Education High School. He also has partnered with Jefferson Health, Chickies and Petes, Acme, and the Eagles to expand access to resources and opportunities for students.

When selecting our first honoree, we wanted someone who not only inspires students, but also reflects what they are capable of achieving, Philly Service Award executive director Jen Jones said in a statement. Just like the student-led projects we recognize each year, Mr. Browns work is driven by action, not words. He is investing time, energy, and resources to make Philadelphia a better place, and for us, that made him the perfect fit for this honor."

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker attended the ceremony and sent out her thanks to Brown for his community work.

I truly appreciate your kind words and your support, Brown wrote of Parker. It means a lot to be recognized by the city I represent and love. Im grateful for the opportunity to give back and look forward to continuing to make a positive impact in our community.
Reed Blankenship (left) and Cooper DeJean (right) have become tied together as young defensive backs for the Eagles. Read more

Cornerback Cooper DeJean and safety Reed Blankenship became fast friends as soon as DeJean was drafted by the Eagles in 2024.

As DeJean started to establish himself in the secondary, fans began to dub the duo the Exciting Whites, referencing a popular meme featuring a sign above a selection of white wines. One fan even made them T-shirts, which Blankenship and DeJean wore to a game.

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Now, theyre starting a podcast, appropriately titled Exciting Mics.

Blankenship teased the podcast project to The Inquirer during Super Bowl week  Im thinking about starting a little podcast together, he said  and now, on May 15, the show will make its debut. It looks like theyre keeping their first guest a secret ahead of the debut episode drop.

They dont appear to have any white wine in their few teaser photos, but back in February drinking white wine while filming the show, in honor of the meme, was up for consideration.

For a minute there, it looked like the Eagles may not have any active podcasters on the roster, after Darius Slay was cut and signed with Pittsburgh. But thanks to Blankenship and DeJean and new addition AJ Dillon, who hosts the Toonen to Dillon podcast, the important Eagles podcast legacy, started by Jason Kelce with New Heights, lives on. Sixers forward Paul George also hosts his own podcast.
Former Central Bucks Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh and board president Dana Hunter listen to members of the public during a 2022 school board meeting. Lucabaugh, who resigned after Democrats took control of the Central Bucks school board, is being tapped to lead the Centennial School District. Read more

The Centennial School District will appoint Abram Lucabaugh, the former Central Bucks superintendent who resigned in 2023 after Democrats won control of the district and was given a $700,000 payout, as its next superintendent, officials said Thursday.

The Centennial school board plans to vote on an employment agreement for Lucabaugh at its May 27 meeting, according to the Bucks County Intermediate Unit, which facilitated the districts superintendent search process. The intermediate units executive director will lead a community forum with Lucabaugh on May 22 with pre-submitted questions.

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The board is very excited and pleased to introduce Dr. Lucabaugh to our Centennial community, board president Mary Alice Brancato said in a statement. His experience, plans, and ideas elevated him to the top of the many candidates the board reviewed and interviewed.

Lucabaugh said in a statement that becoming Centennials next superintendent is a privilege and an honor.

We have important work ahead of us, and Im confident that together, we can build an environment of excellence where every student has access, opportunity and choice to become the best version of themselves, he said.

In Central Bucks, Lucabaugh was seen as an ally of the former Republican-led board, expressing support for policies that drew backlash, such as restricting the classroom display of Pride flags and banning sexualized content in library books. The board gave him a 40% raise in the summer of 2023, with a $315,000 salary that made him one of Pennsylvanias highest-paid superintendents at the time.

He faced more opposition when he resigned days after Democrats swept the November 2023 school board elections and the outgoing Republican majority granted him a $700,000 separation agreement. Democrats initially authorized a legal challenge to that agreement, but dropped it after concluding they might not win. Lucabaugh, meanwhile, had threatened to sue the board for retaliation.

Lucabaugh, who will replace Dana Bedden as Centennials superintendent, was selected from a pool of 32 applicants from states including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and from as far away as Arizona, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Wisconsin, according to the Bucks County IU. It said that a majority of the Centennial board  which is led by Republicans  authorized the districts solicitor to negotiate an employment agreement with Lucabaugh.

It was not clear Thursday what Lucabaughs salary with Centennial would be; the districts solicitor, Jeffrey Garton, said the employment agreement had not been finalized. Beddens salary last year was $221,000.

One Centennial board member, Tony Sadowski, said he had deep concerns about Lucabaughs tenure in Central Bucks, including discriminatory policies he supported.

Before I even knew the candidates name had become public knowledge, I started receiving messages from community members to confirm the news and voice their concerns, Sadowski, a Democrat, said in an email. He said he was willing to listen to Lucabaugh, but added that division seems inevitable with this choice, which I fear is more motivated by politics than by whats right for our kids.

In his statement, Lucabaugh said he would host forums in the months ahead with the purpose of listening intently, learning your priorities, and engaging in honest conversations.

Lucabaugh began his career in education as an English teacher in the Hatboro-Horsham School District. He spent 11 years as principal of Central Bucks High School East before becoming the districts assistant superintendent of secondary education in 2018, and then superintendent in 2021.

The Bucks IU provided a link for questions to be submitted ahead of the May 22 forum, to be held at 6 p.m. at Log College Middle School in Warminster.
Students and parents arrive at Villanova University in August 2020. Read more

When Pope Leo XIV made his official entrance on the balcony of the Vatican to introduce himself as the leader of the Catholic Church, he was wearing the traditional vestment and had a warm, welcoming presence.

But in the Villanova Class of 1977 yearbook is a picture of Robert F. Prevost, suited up, with bushy eyebrows and some very 1970s sideburns.

Long before becoming head of the Catholic Church, Prevost strolled down the halls of Villanova University working on a bachelor of science in mathematics.

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In 1977, a then-plump-faced Prevost sat for his yearbook picture, unaware of the power he would eventually wield in the Catholic Church.

Much as in the present day, his velvety skin comes through in the photo, and his characteristic upper lip mole highlights his slight smile.

Unlike the kind eyes he showed in his first entrance on the Vaticans balcony, he appears in deep thought, brow slightly furrowed. He may have been thinking about math class, where, according to his former professor Robert Beck, the future pontiff maintained excellent attendance.

Our new pope was not the first math student who went on to seminary, but hes certainly the first one to become the pope, Beck said.

Besides the suit and a polka-dot tie, the biggest difference in Prevosts look is his hairstyle.

Back then, he sported wavy dark hair parted to the side, with chin-length sideburns, a contrast to his now close-cropped gray hair.

But dated hair doesnt make the man.

After leaving his alma mater, Prevost got a master of divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982, becoming a priest that year, and a licentiate and doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome in 1984 and 1987, respectively.

This doesnt mean Prevost never returned to Villanova. In 2014, he received an honorary doctor of humanities, honoris causa, for his work.

It didnt come with a yearbook picture.

Staff writer Max Marin contributed to this article.
Asif Ali plays the son of a Philadelphia deli owner on Hulus hit comedy Deli Boys. His character, Mir Dar, is a Drexel graduate who inherits his late fathers South Philly convenience store  but in real life, Ali had never eaten a Philly hoagie.

The other week, in town for a three-night stand-up run at Punch Line Philly, Ali set out to try some of the citys best hoagies for the first time  with this reporter tagging along for the ride.

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First stop: Riccis Hoagies in South Philadelphia. Inside the old-school corner shop at South 11th and Annin Streets, Ali hovered near the counter, scanning a menu full of options he had seen only on screen.

Thankfully, Ricci Pagliarella, the sandwich shops namesake and founder stood behind the counter. Get what Im havin right here  tuna with sharp provolone and long hots, he shouted over the bustle of the shop.

Ali opted for a turkey hoagie, with sharp provolone, plus hot and sweet peppers.

I feel like Ive had sad knock-off [hoagies], he said. This is legit stuff  the general vibe in here is that these people are very serious and theyre not here to play games."

Hoagie in hand, he stepped outside the century-old shop and took a bite.

Its all about the bread, and this one is fantastic, he said. The pickles are great, and the cheese is really good, too. They got the basics down really, really well. No frills, just high-quality stuff.

He ate about quarter of the sandwich and rated it a solid 7 out of 10  but I have to taste the other ones to then make an assessment.

Next up: Middle Child in Center City, on 11th between Locust and Spruce. The comedian doesnt eat pork, so he ordered the Phoagie, a vegan spin on the classic sandwich.

 READ MORE: The hoagie is Phillys true sandwich icon. Here are the best places to get one.

One thing I noticed about hoagies in the city is that every store takes their packaging very seriously, he said, admiring Middle Childs unique design. Riccis had their own thing  this is more of an updated, interesting kind of deal.

As he unwrapped the Phoagie, he took in the bright avocado and saucy eggplant.

Were tasting eggplant; were tasting the sauce  I want to say its like a soy sauce-y type thing," he said in between bites. The bread is thinner and crispier, which I think really suits the fact that its eggplant and veggies and stuff.

Ali, mid-hoagie analysis and four big bites in, added: I feel like people who are really crushing hoagies have big heads  and I think if you have a big head, you shouldnt take it as a negative," he added. You should take it as a positive that you can down these hoagies in a way my little head cant. If youre a compact person, youre gonna want to come down to Middle Child.

The final stop required a traffic-heavy trek 13 miles north, to Dattilos Delicatessen in Northeast Philly near Bustleton Avenue and Rhawn Street  a shop Ali said reminded him of A.B.C. Deli, the fictional shop at the center of Deli Boys.

This is a deli but also a full-blown store, Tastykakes and all  kind of like A.B.C. Deli," he commented. (In the show, a Tastykake tip leads to an FBI investigation into the delis underground activities.)

After exploring the store and ordering a roast beef hoagie packed with peppers, cheese, and veggies, Ali nestled into the patio seating out front to dig into the last hoagie of the day.

Look at that, he said in awe of overstuffed sandwich basking in sunlight. This is absolutely a stunning piece of art, dare I say.

Its perfectly seasoned, he continued after taking a bite. Were getting the peppers, the cheese  very equal distribution. The roast beef is very soft. This is the perfect amount for me, actually. I like it being packed with veggies. And theyre not skimming on the meat."

Ali deliberated his final rankings aloud, polishing off half of the hoagie. Of all the places I went to today, this would be my No. 1, he said. I dont know if I can give it a 10, because I dont have as much experience with these hoagies  but I would give this a 10."

Dattilos came out on top, Riccis took second, and Middle Child came in third.

You cant lose with either of these  but if you want a classic hoagie thats packed to the brim, its Dattilos," he said.

The thing thats great about this city is that all of the ingredients were great, Ali added. The difference between them is the distribution of ingredients, and I guess Im an abundance guy because this [Dattilos hoagie] is really hitting.

With his mission completed, Ali headed off to the Punch Line for his show.

I just ate three hoagies in Philly, and this has been the greatest day of my life, he said. I will probably be sitting down for this show tonight.
The exterior of Mexican restaurant Anejo at 1001 N. 2nd Street inside Northern Liberties' Piazza complex. The restaurant had to close abruptly on Cinco de Mayo after former investor and embattled restauranteur Tim Lu changed the locks and took over the point-of-sale system. Read more

What, if anything, could cause a Mexican restaurant to close on Cinco de Mayo?

That question was a reality for Anejo in Northern Liberties, which was dark for most of Monday  typically, its biggest sales day of the year  after embattled restaurateur and former investor Tim Lu staged a coup by changing the locks and the point-of-sale system, then bringing in his own team to run dinner service.

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He pretty much stole the restaurant, said Benny Ramos, Anejos general manager. It was a remarkable move.

Lus bold gambit  which was carried out in front of Anejo staffers  was the latest round in a dispute with his onetime partners. The restaurant, meanwhile, is facing eviction and owes nearly $250,000 in back rent and fees, according to court records.

Lu was the co-founder of Glu Hospitality, the now-defunct restaurant group that operated six locations of the Bagels & Co. chain and a portfolio of nine Instagram-forward restaurants, including Figo in Northern Liberties and Chika in Center City, before shutting down in March amid probes from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Pennsylvania State Police over unpaid wages and attempts to serve alcohol without proper liquor licenses. Lu also faces a separate lawsuit from a former Glu Hospitality investor who alleges that Lu assaulted him after he pressed Lu to return a $100,000 deposit.

 READ MORE: The once-high-flying restaurant group Glu Hospitality has shut down amid wage-theft allegations and lawsuits

Ramos said that Lu no longer has a business relationship with Anejo, and that the establishment, in the Piazza complex at 1001 N. Second St., has no affiliation with Glu. But Lus name is on the lease, and he is also listed as the sole owner of the business liquor license.

Lu helped open the third location of the swanky New York City Mexican restaurant in Philly in 2020, splitting ownership with a business partner and the Anejo restaurant group, according to an operations agreement reviewed by The Inquirer. That relationship soured in 2024, when Anejo took Lu to arbitration, attempting to remove him from the partnership over allegations that he embezzled funds.

Lu denies the embezzlement allegations and said hes been boxed out of Anejos operations despite being on the hook for rent and liability insurance, since his name remains on the lease. That, Lu said, is why he showed up at 11 a.m. on Cinco de Mayo with a locksmith, new locks, and a plan to regain control of the restaurants point-of-sale system.

With everything going on, [Anejo] wants to distance themselves from me, and I understand it. But theyre throwing me under the bus without also taking responsibility, Lu told The Inquirer. If I owe this rent, how is it that I have no benefits from the business?

 READ MORE: A former Glu Hospitality investor alleges that he was assaulted when he asked for his money back

He kind of bullied us out of there

Ramos said Anejo lost out on at least $20,000 in the days receipts and had to cancel over 200 dinner reservations. Now, he said, the restaurant is closed for the foreseeable future as they work to settle the dispute.

We hope to continue our lease negotiations with the landlord and resume operations as Anejo under a new lease, a spokesperson for the Anejo Restaurant Group said in a statement. We are also working with the [Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board] to correct the ownership names listed on the liquor license. We will make an announcement on social media when were able to regain possession of the space, but until then anything being served is being done so unlawfully.

Gillian Peterson, a server, showed up at Anejo on Monday morning expecting to take home at least $400 in tips. Instead, she said that she and the rest of Anejos staff were forced to stop work 20 minutes into lunch service as Ramos and Lu argued over who had the right to change the locks and manage the restaurants transaction system.

We couldnt ring in orders. We couldnt run tabs. We couldnt do anything, Peterson said. I was trying to handwrite tickets to give to the kitchen and bar.  I was really upset that we had to shut down but it wasnt possible to keep going with everything Tim Lu had done.

Ramos said he told staff that he would close the restaurant for the day and would pay them regardless, but then he started receiving reports around 6 p.m. Monday that Lu was running dinner out of Anejo with a team that had never worked there.

Peterson said she didnt recognize a single bartender or server when she stopped by Anejo that evening with Jared Navarro, a coworker, to see what was going on. They were serving our food, our alcohol, Peterson said.

Together, they tried to inform patrons that they were being served by what Navarro called scab labor. The thin trickle of diners didnt seem to care, she said.

 READ MORE: From Feb. 2025: The restaurant group behind numerous Philly hotspots has been selling alcohol without proper liquor licenses for months

Lu confirmed that he reopened Anejo for dinner with his own crew because it was Cinco de Mayo. He declined to explain how he sourced the replacement staff, but said that all Anejo employees had been offered the opportunity to work that night.

Navarro doesnt remember it that way. A food runner at Anejo since 2021, Navarro said the restaurants business had been slow recently, so he was counting on his Cinco de Mayo tips.

Lu was acting very condescending and very smug the entire time he was in the building, Navarro said. He kind of bullied us out of there.

Whose lease is it anyway?

The dispute between Lu and Anejo stems from a pending eviction. The Post Bros., the restaurants landlord, filed eviction paperwork against Lu and UC Hospitality Group  the LLC established for Phillys Anejo location  in October 2024. As of April 2025, Lu and UC Hospitality owe more than $246,000 in back rent and other fees, according to court documents.

Some of Tims actions made it impossible for the restaurant to pay rent in time, Anejo Restaurant Groups spokesperson said in a statement. Anejo was working with the landlord to renegotiate a new lease directly with Anejo, and rectify the past issues when Lu began contesting the eviction, which had been stalled leading up to the day of the attempted takeover.

Lu contends that it wasnt necessarily his job to pay the rent. The Anejo Restaurant Groups spokesperson said the group was solely responsible for operations, management, and staffing.

I signed the lease. I have a responsibility, Lu said. But it wasnt my role to pay the rent. I didnt even have access to the money to do it.

Inquirer Food reporter Mike Klein contributed to this article.
LAHORE, Pakistan  India fired attack drones into Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least two civilians, the Pakistani military said. India, meanwhile, accused its neighbor of attempting its own attack, as tensions soared between the nuclear-armed rivals.

India acknowledged that it targeted Pakistans air defense system, and Islamabad said it shot down several of the drones. India said it neutralized Pakistans attempts to hit military targets. It was not possible to verify all of the claims.

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The exchanges came a day after Indian missiles struck several locations in Pakistan, killing 31 civilians, according to Pakistani officials. New Delhi said it was retaliating after gunmen killed more than two dozen people, mostly Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir last month. India accused Pakistan of being behind the assault. Islamabad denies that.

 READ MORE: India fired missiles on Pakistan. Islamabad called it an act of war and said it downed Indian jets.

Both sides have also traded heavy fire across their frontier in disputed Kashmir, and Pakistan claimed it killed scores of Indian soldiers. There was no confirmation from India.

Late Thursday, in Indian-controlled Kashmir, residents of the city of Jammu reported explosions and sirens, followed by a blackout.

Indias Headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff, a central coordinating arm for all Indian armed forces, said military stations in Jammu, Udhampur, and Pathankot were targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. It said the attacks were repelled and no casualties were reported.

Shesh Paul Vaid, the regions former director-general of police, told the Associated Press that the Jammu Airport likely was also under attack and that some of the 50 loud explosions he heard likely were because our defense system is at work.

Jammu and Udhampur are close to the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan. Pathankot is in Indias Punjab state.

Sirens were also heard in some parts of the regions main city of Srinagar, residents said. It was followed by a blackout in the city and other parts of the region.

Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement rejected the Indian claims that Pakistan launched attacks on Pathankot, Jaisalmer, and Srinagar, saying these claims are entirely unfounded, politically motivated, and part of a reckless propaganda campaign aimed at maligning Pakistan.

It added that such actions not only further endanger regional peace but also reveal a disturbing willingness to exploit misinformation for political and military ends.

Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to avenge the deaths in Indias missile strikes, raising fears that the two countries could be headed toward another all-out conflict. Leaders from both nations face mounting public pressure to show strength and seek revenge, and the heated rhetoric and competing claims could be a response to that pressure.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke Thursday to the Pakistani prime minister and Indias External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, urging both sides to de-escalate the situation, the U.S. State Department said.

The relationship between countries has been shaped by conflict and mutual suspicion, most notably in their dispute over Kashmir. They have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region, which is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety.

With tensions high, India evacuated thousands of people from villages near the highly militarized frontier in the region. Tens of thousands of people slept in shelters overnight, officials and residents said Thursday.

About 2,000 villagers also fled their homes in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

Mohammad Iftikhar boarded a vehicle with his family on Thursday as heavy rain lashed the region. I am helplessly leaving my home for the safety of my children and wife, he said.

India fires drones at Pakistan

India fired several Israeli-made Harop drones at Pakistan overnight and into Thursday afternoon, according to Pakistani army spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, who said 29 were shot down. Two civilians were killed and another wounded when debris from a downed drone fell in Sindh province.

One drone damaged a military site near the city of Lahore and wounded four soldiers, and another fell in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital, according to Sharif. The armed forces are neutralizing them as we speak, he told state-run Pakistan Television.

In Lahore, local police official Mohammad Rizwan said a drone was downed near Walton Airport, an airfield in a residential area about 16 miles from the border with India that also contains military installations.

Indias Defense Ministry said its armed forces targeted air defense radars and systems in several places in Pakistan, including Lahore.

Blackout in Gurdaspur district

New Delhi, meanwhile, accused Pakistan of attempting to engage a number of military targets with missiles and drones along the Line of Control that divides Kashmir and elsewhere along their border. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations, it said.

At a news briefing, Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday rejected Indias claim that Islamabad carried out any attack in Indian Punjab. These accusations are an attempt to incite anti-Pakistan sentiment among the Punjabi Sikh population in India, he said.

Seated alongside Dar, the military spokesperson, Sharif said Pakistan shot down 29 Indian drones after they violated its airspace.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told parliament that so far Pakistan has not responded to Indias missiles attacks, but there will be one. Later Thursday, Indian authorities ordered a nighttime blackout in Punjabs Gurdaspur district, which borders Pakistan.

The Harop drone, produced by Israels IAI, is one of several in Indias inventory, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies Military Balance report.

According to IAI, the Harop combines the capabilities of a drone and a missile and can operate at long ranges.

The two sides have also exchanged heavy fire over the past day.

Tarar said that the countrys armed forces have killed 40 to 50 Indian soldiers in the exchanges along the Line of Control. India has not commented on that claim. Earlier, the army said one Indian soldier was killed by shelling Wednesday.

Sikh Temple in Kashmir

Tarar denied Indian accusations that Pakistan had fired missiles toward the Indian city of Amritsar, saying in fact an Indian drone fell in the city. Neither claim could be confirmed.

Indias Foreign Ministry has said that 16 civilians were killed Wednesday during exchanges of fire across the de facto border.

Pakistani officials said six people have been killed near the highly militarized frontier in exchanges of fire over the past day.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri denied that New Delhi has targeted civilians and a key dam, as Pakistan has alleged. He, in turn, accused Pakistani forces of targeting civilians, including at a Sikh Temple in Kashmir, where he said three Sikhs were killed.

Flights remained suspended at over two dozen airports across northern and western regions in India, according to travel advisories by multiple airlines. Pakistan resumed flights nationwide after a suspension at four airports, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
White smoke streamed out of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a new pope had been chosen. Crowds cheered as the Vaticans balcony doors opened to reveal that Robert Prevost would assume the role.

The news broke Thursday evening in Rome, marking the selection of the first U.S. pope in history. Prevost, 69, is a Chicago native and Peruvian citizen. He is a Villanova University graduate. He led the Vaticans bishops and advised Pope Francis selection of bishops around the world, holding several leadership positions within the Catholic Church over the years.

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Prevost revealed that his chosen papal name would be Pope Leo XIV.

Heres what we know about the new pope.

Who is Robert Prevost?

Prevost arrived at the Vatican in 2023. He is described as modest, approachable, and qualified. Since he arrived in Rome, Prevost has kept a low public profile, but he is well-known to the men who count.

His comparative youth when measured against other papal contenders means he could reign for a significant amount of time.

Hailing from Chicago and then living for years in Peru, Prevost served as a missionary and, later, a bishop. During his remarks from the balcony, he spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his years as a missionary and then bishop of Chiclayo, Peru. Cathedral bells rang in Peru to celebrate the representation. The new pope speaks five languages.

ABC News reported that hes a Cubs fan on the South Side, indicative of being tough (and not opting to root for the regional White Sox), though there are conflicting reports over his fandom.

While initial reports suggested he might be a Cubs fan, Prevost grew up rooting for the Chicago White Sox, according to his brother, John Prevost.

He was never, ever a Cubs fan. So I dont know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan, he told WGN in Chicago.

In support of his White Sox bonafides, the Chicago Sun-Times dug through their archives and uncovered a photo of the future pope at the 2005 World Series against the Houston Astros.

What was his time at Villanova like?

Prevost graduated from Villanova with a bachelors degree in mathematics in 1977 and received an honorary doctor of humanities, honoris causa, from the university in 2014, Villanova confirmed. He went on to study at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago and was ordained as a priest in 1982.

Father Arthur Purcaro, Villanovas assistant vice president for mission and ministry, told CNN he was perhaps more stunned than the world over Prevosts elevation to Pope Leo XIV.

I am just overwhelmed, I am in awe, Purcaro said on CNN, just moments after the new pope delivered his first speech to cheering masses at the Vatican.

Purcaro said he and Prevost have been friends for decades and were at the Vatican together last week.

But Purcaro pointed out Prevost has taken a new name and is a new person now that he has been chosen as the 278th pope.

As an Augustinian Catholic institution, we celebrate this significant day for our University community, said Villanovas president, the Rev. Peter M. Donohue. Villanova, built on the teachings of St. Augustine, has always been grounded in advancing a deeper understanding of the fundamental relationship between faith and reason  between spirituality and wisdom. With todays election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, I cannot help but reflect on what his Augustinian papacy will mean to our University community and our world.

How was the new pope chosen?

One hundred thirty-three of the eligible cardinals participated in a secretive voting process known as the conclave. The cardinals had no contact with the outside world, and their votes will not be revealed.

What was Prevosts role before assuming the role of pope?

Prevost led the office that fields bishop nominations worldwide. It is considered one of the most important jobs within the church. As a result, Prevost had a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals have.

What are Pope Leo XIVs views?

Some experts suggest Pope Leo XIV has middle-of-the-road politics and had a close relationship with the progressive Pope Francis, suggesting his leadership would not be an about-face from recent years, albeit more centrist than his predecessor.

Leo, his chosen name, is said to be a nod to Pope Leo XIII, who championed workers rights. Chicago is also at the center of the labor rights movement, as noted by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who spoke with ABC News.

Regarding other topics, Prevosts views on migrant issues and climate change align with those of Francis, Time reports.

Prevost showed care for Venezuelan migrants who came to Peru, according to Reuters. In November, he spoke at a seminar advocating for action against climate change.

Like Francis, Prevost is also against the ordainment of women. But he said he does support women being appointed to higher leadership positions, something Francis did.

His stance on LGBTQ issues appears less progressive than Francis and in some cases anti-LGBTQ, according to outlets like the Advocate. In past speaking engagements, Prevost has emphasized the importance of culturally informed discussions, acknowledging how different regions approach the gender spectrum. His approach suggests a pastoral sensitivity to the LGBTQ community without going as far as his predecessor, who was openly critical of laws that criminalized the LGBTQ community.

LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD said in a statement Thursday that it looked forward to working with Prevost. The group previously met with Francis to discuss LGBTQ rights.

What has President Donald Trump said about Pope Leo XIV?

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Trump said: What greater honor could there be? about the role.

He added via a statement on his social media platform, Truth Social: Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

What happens next?

There will be a ceremony to formally install the new pope in the near future  usually about a week after his election, according to CNN. The ceremony will take place either at St. Peters Square or the Basilica and will feature cardinals, bishops, and other dignitaries.

Staff writer Rob Tornoe contributed to this article, which contains information from the Associated Press.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that it plans to upgrade the technology used to get radar data to air traffic controllers directing planes to the troubled Newark, N.J., airport, and improve staffing to alleviate problems that have caused hundreds of flights to be canceled there.

At the same time, the agency plans to pursue a broader multibillion-dollar plan that will be announced Thursday for long-overdue upgrades to the nations air traffic control system.

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 READ MORE: Avoid at all costs? Newark Airport experiences delays and cancellations as problems mount

A January midair collision between a passenger jet and Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people, followed by a string of other crashes and mishaps, raised alarms about aviation safety and prompted officials to reexamine the system.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says flying remains the safest way to travel because of existing precautions, but the problems in Newark demonstrate the desperate need for upgrades.

We are on it. We are going to fix it. We are going to build a brand new system for all of you and your families and the American people, Duffy said.

The radar system air traffic controllers in Philadelphia use to direct planes in and out of the Newark airport went offline for at least 30 seconds on April 28. That facility relies on radar data sent over lines from New York that may have failed. Some of those lines are old copper phone lines instead of much more reliable fiber optic lines that can handle more data. The reason the FAA is relying on those lines is because the agency moved the Newark controllers out of the New York facility to Philadelphia last summer to address staffing issues.

The FAA says it plans to replace any old copper wires with fiber optics and add three new data lines between its New York facility and Philadelphia. The agency is also working to get additional controllers trained and certified.

It wasnt immediately clear how quickly either of those steps will be completed, but Duffy has said he hopes the situation in Newark will improve by summer. Several controllers remain on extended trauma leave after the radar outage.

In the meantime, the FAA has slowed traffic in and out of Newark to ensure flights can be handled safely, leading to cancellations. On Wednesday, Newark led the nation in cancellations with 41 canceled departures and 43 canceled arrivals, according to FlightAware.com. Thats even after United Airlines cut 35 flights a day from its schedule at the airport starting last weekend.

Weve slowed down the traffic. Safety is our mission. We love efficiency, but safety is critical for us. And so, if we feel like theres issues in the airspace, well slow it down, Duffy said. Were looking at bringing in all of the airlines that serve Newark and having all of them with all of us have a conversation about how do we manage the flights out of Newark.
A new pope has entered the villa Vatican.

With Thursdays announcement that Robert Prevost would become Pope Leo XIV, the internet is scouring his history on X (formerly Twitter) for breadcrumbs about his likes, dislikes, and overall vibe.

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Its a tried and true practice people use to probe the internets latest main character: Is the person going viral a good person? Do they have bad takes? Should they be canceled?

But its not an exercise people have been able to apply to the pope before. While Pope Francis had an official account, he reportedly didnt personally control or use it. It makes Prevost the first-ever pope to have an existing social media history to comb through.

Still, theres not a ton to go off of.

His account (@drprevost) dates back to August 2011. But he appears to use it sporadically, following less than 100 people and tweeting about 400 times over the last decade. And while the account is verified, its worth noting theres no way to prove even all of these tweets were penned by Prevost himself.

The findings show that, in many ways, the incoming pope is just like us: sharing Snoopy memes and weighing in on U.S. politics. He also used his account to post about church events and news.

Its unclear if Prevost altered his account at all leading up to the conclave, though if he did, he didnt shy away from his current views on American politics.

Weeks ago, Prevost decried Vice President JD Vance, calling him wrong for things he said during a Fox News interview about Christianity.

Prevost is also a frequent retweeter, sharing other X users posts that align with his views.

The incoming pope reposted a link last month to an article by Bishop Evelio Menjivar, the auxiliary bishop of Washington D.C., comparing Trumps immigration crackdown to the murder of Archbishop Oscar Romero by El Salvadors right-wing regime in 1980, accompanied by language from noted Catholic commentator and Philly resident Rocco Palmo accusing Trump of laughing at Kilmar Abrego Garcias wrongful deportation, the Daily Beast reported.

His posts over the years also suggest he is pro-gun reform, supports climate change advocacy (something hes been public about before), opposes systemic racism and Trumps immigration crackdown, and backed the Black Lives Matter movement.

In 2020, Prevost tweeted about the death of George Floyd, calling for church leaders to reject racism and seek justice. In 2017, he reposted a tweet from Sister Helen Prejean that voiced solidarity with Dreamers and immigrants.

Combing through internet history is inevitable

Experts suggest the routine of poring through a new online figures digital footprint is a way to humanize them  or in many cases, cancel them.

Its happened to everyone  from Jeopardy!s Ken Jennings to Bachelor winner Rachael Kirkconnell, to The Daily Shows Trevor Noah. Each faced heavy criticism for old social media posts that threatened their careers and reputations (they all respectively apologized and were able to move on).

In 2019, Philadelphia-based comedian Shane Gillis lost his spot on Saturday Night Live before having the chance to debut after problematic videos and old tweets surfaced online.

There was also Ken Bone, the guy who became internet famous in his cable-knit sweater during a 2016 presidential debate but was caught making problematic comments in his Reddit history.

Its not always ill-intended either.

When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce went public with their relationship, Swifties searched through Kelces Twitter history and reveled in the fact that many (though not all) of his old tweets were extremely wholesome.

Fans also turned to now-pop star Sabrina Carpenters earnest tweets from when she was 11 years old and proclaiming her love for Swifts music. Carpenters online fandom celebrated the fact that all these years later, Carpenter would go on to become Swifts opening act and friend.

Experts say the searching is inevitable  especially to rising stars and those at their peak.

You have a generation coming up in social media who were there before they got famous or got into politics or sports, Carol Brown Andrews, a partner at Grindstone Research  which conducts opposition research for political candidates  told CNN. Andrews said that when people transition from the private sector to public sphere, scrutinizing their past internet history is pretty much inevitable.

What else is in the new popes old tweets?

So what does that mean for the incoming pope?

Stateside, internet sleuths are curious about his polarizing views against Trump and Vance and what it will mean moving forward for relations with the first U.S.-born pope. Theyre also delighted by his love for a simple meme.

In the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he reposted a TikTok that made light of social distancing, featuring a couple using a measuring tape to avoid cuddling or sharing finances.

He also shared a Charlie Brown and Snoopy meme that quips in Spanish about being intelligent vs. asymptomatic. A religious meme he re-shared quips about rosary beads being for prayer, not hanging in the car.

Its safe to say the pope is making history in more ways than one.
The Catholic Church has its first U.S.-born pope in Robert Prevost, or Pope Leo XIV.

In a way, the Philadelphia region has its first pope, too.

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Though his roots are in Chicago, Prevost  who was elected to the churchs holiest post Thursday  began his pathway to the papacy at Villanova University, where he earned a mathematics degree in 1977 before rising in the churchs ranks abroad.

Not long after Prevosts debut on the Vatican balcony, a former Villanova classmate and longtime friend, the Rev. Paul Galetto, spoke with The Inquirer about the character and esteem of the newest leader of the worlds largest church.

Prevost is a very commonsense person, Galetto said, a man who likely developed a sympathy for immigration issues during his service in South America and, in recent years, maintained a close working relationship with the late Pope Francis.

Hes just a really good person, hes a prayerful person, said Galetto, pastor of St. Paul Parish in South Philadelphia. He has a great sense of humor.

Of Prevosts decision to choose Leo as his papal name, Galetto said the choice evokes Pope Leo XIII  a 19th-century champion of working people and social justice  and marks a continuation of Francis legacy.

Having been a bishop in Peru and South America, Im sure [Prevosts] focus is on immigration and the movement of peoples, Galetto said.

Galetto met Prevost in the mid-1970s when the two men were studying to be members of the Augustinians, an order within the Catholic Church that values living in harmony and in service to others.

Galetto and Prevost overlapped briefly at Villanova, the private Augustinian Catholic college on the Main Line, and later studied together in Rome in the early 1980s while Prevost earned a canon law degree from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Prevost kept close ties to the Vatican, Galetto said; by his estimation, it was Prevosts proximity to Francis that ultimately played a role in his selection.

He and Francis were very close, Galetto said. The last couple years, they would have lunch together every Saturday. Thats when they made decisions about who would be the bishops.

Prevosts role beginning in 2023 as both a cardinal and a prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops  a top administrative unit within the church  meant the future pope likely came into contact with high-ranking members who vote in papal elections, according to Galetto.

He probably knew most of them, Galetto said.

On the significance of having a U.S.-born pope, Galetto was quick to point out that Prevost also has Peruvian citizenship, speaks Spanish, and in the 1980s and 1990s held a variety of church positions in South America. In 2023, Francis called on Prevost to lead the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Galetto suggested that if Prevost indeed champions the causes of immigrants during his papacy, that sentiment may clash with policies promoted by another prominent American: President Donald Trump.

There is some evidence to suggest a rift; in February, a verified X account linked to Prevost reposted an article published in the National Catholic Reporter with the headline: JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope, Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after the churchs announcement Thursday.

Itll be interesting, since the current administration is so vocal about immigration, Galetto said. Im sure that the cardinals who chose him knew that was going to be a place where the tires and the road meet.
Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal jokes around with a child during a National Night Out Event in the 39th Police District. Read more

Around 11 a.m. Tuesday, a few hours before Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal and her staff would deliver their yearly budget testimony to City Council, one of Bilals staffers fired a gun inside the sheriffs office.

Discharge of a firearm, a responding police officer is heard on police radio telling a dispatcher.

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Sgt. Eric Gripp, a Philadelphia police spokesperson, said the preliminary investigation shows that a civilian employee working for Bilal accidentally discharged a personally owned firearm while at his desk.

Gripp said the staffer sustained a minor cut to his leg when the 9mm bullet grazed his thigh, then entered the chair he was sitting in.

Its like the Wild West over here! said one sheriffs office employee, who was not authorized to speak to reporters and requested anonymity to do so.

The unintentional desk pop did not result in any other injuries.

Police declined to name the shooter, but three sources familiar with the incident identified him as Allen Craig, who is listed in city payroll records as an administrative assistant with a $70,000 annual salary.

Craig could not immediately be reached for comment. Two sheriffs office employees said they believe Craig works in human resources.

Bilal, whose office distributes free gun locks and promotes safe firearm practices, declined to answer most questions Thursday. Through a spokesperson, Bilal confirmed the accidental shooting and said she and her staff take all incidents involving firearms seriously and are committed to a thorough and transparent review of the circumstances.

It was not clear Thursday why Craig, who is not a law enforcement official, was carrying a gun in the sheriffs office, or whether he was authorized to do so.

Two employees in the office said that under Bilals predecessor, Sheriff Jewell Williams, non-sworn employees were prohibited from carrying guns in the office.

A 1995 executive order issued by then-Mayor Ed Rendell prohibits civilian city employees from carrying guns while working unless specifically authorized.

Gripp said Central Detectives are investigating the sheriffs office shooting, not the police unit that handles officer-involved shootings, because the employee was not a sworn officer.

Lauren Cristella, president and CEO of the good-government group Committee of Seventy, on Thursday described the shooting as one more reason this office needs a complete and total overhaul.

Unacceptable does not even begin to describe this incident, Cristella said in a statement. This office has repeatedly failed to meet its basic functions and now their blatant disregard for any type of rules, regulations or standards, including those related to basic safety, has put its staff at risk.

In March, the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, Philadelphias fiscal watchdog, joined the Committee of Seventy in calling for abolishing the sheriffs office as an independently elected office.

Since Bilal took office in 2020, the office has struggled to perform tasks that were once considered routine. Courthouse security incidents skyrocketed due to a shortage of deputies in court buildings, and people who have purchased properties at sheriff sales have waited up to a year to get a copy of the deed, among other problems.

After the shooting on Tuesday, Bilal went before City Council and requested nearly $20 million in new funding, as well as a new training academy for deputy recruits.

The shooting did not come up during the hearing.

The Inquirer reported Wednesday that Bilal also wants to relocate her office from Center City to 2450 W. Hunting Park Ave., a multistory industrial building in Tioga that was formerly part of the Budd Co. manufacturing complex.

Officials in Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers administration have so far declined to comment on Bilals plans for a new headquarters and training academy.
My favorite line from the movie Conclave has been my mantra since Pope Francis died: The church is what happens next.

While hopefully there will be less drama, what happens next for the church hinges on what unfolds behind those locked doors of the Sistine Chapel this week. To navigate a way forward, I encourage the 133 cardinal electors of this conclave to continue Pope Francis progress in including women as leaders, ministers, and decision-makers in the church.

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Consider Pope Francis encounter with Sister Mary Scullion, cofounder of Project HOME, back in 2015. Before his papal Mass on the Parkway, Francis made a pit stop to meet Sister Mary at a pop-up Knotted Grotto at the Cathedral Basilica. They met under thousands of strips of billowing white cloth, each emblazoned with a handwritten knot seeking to be undone.

Although their time together was brief, Pope Francis came to see Sister Mary. He demonstrated a willingness to trust women to point him toward wounds needing healing and ministries of reconciliation unfamiliar to ordained men. He confirmed what many Philadelphians already knew: Women like Sister Mary lead the church in that nonnegotiable first step toward whatever is to happen next  healing.

I also found Pope Francis multiple encounters with Julia Oseka, a senior at my alma mater, St. Josephs University, astonishing. I first met Oseka in 2022 shortly after Francis convened the three-year Synod on Synodality. Colleagues and I from all the Catholic college campuses in the archdiocese created a pathway for her and more than 500 of her peers to participate in a global listening and discernment process.

That synod may prove to be Francis most impactful legacy, because he appointed 54 Synod Mothers to become the first women to participate in a General Assembly of Bishops  with voting status  in church history. Oseka was the youngest among them.

My hope in whats next for the church was renewed not only by media coverage of Oseka dialoguing at round tables with cardinals and bishops, having equal time to share her experience as a Catholic young adult, but also by the paragraph about women in the synods final document, which she ratified along with Pope Francis.

It contains recommendations I couldnt have imagined 12 years ago: naming Mary Magdalene as Apostle to the Apostles, insisting on inclusive language, removing obstacles to women in leadership roles, and including women on seminary faculties. With Osekas help, Pope Francis incorporated into his magisterial teaching a nothing about us without us approach to discerning what happens next in the church.

Then theres Sister Laura Vicuna Pereira Manso, whom I met while making a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2022. As a missionary and with Indigenous peoples of Brazil, Sister Laura was able to share with Pope Francis in more than one private audience the urgency of including women as deacons to ensure there actually can be a whats next for people in ecclesial ecosystems without priests and the natural ecosystems without moral defenders.

Pope Francis appointed Sister Laura as one of two women serving as vice presidents of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon. In other words, he recognized her authority to serve in a governing role in the church while also reforming the Vatican Curia, where women now make up one in four employees and lead five departments.

To be sure, Pope Francis often embraced an it is what it is approach to women in the church. Many are disappointed he didnt restore women to the diaconate during the global synod. Others are hurt by his refusal to consider womens ordination to the priesthood. Theologians rightly note his limited theology about women.

Still, he modeled a forward-looking pastoral style familiar to Catholic female leaders and ministers worldwide. The best evidence of holding space for what happens next? Pope Francis changed his mind about women in the diaconate.

A year ago, he gave an emphatic no in a 60 Minutes interview, but last October, following womens lead and the Holy Spirit, he gave magisterial approval for the question to remain open and for discernment to continue.

I have seen this the church is what happens next posture in our own archbishop, who has invited the people of God in the archdiocese to join him in seeking a pastoral conversion of heart to discern where and how we are called to be church in the nations poorest big city.

I am compelled by his willingness to draw close to the people of his flock, particularly young people, and listen to them. Im inspired by his own trust that the Holy Spirit will guide the church in uncertain times.

My humble advice to our next pope and our archbishop: If we truly want the church to be what happens next for our world, our nation, and our city, then keep trusting fiercely faithful women to lead, minister, and govern in the church.

Maureen H. OConnell is a professor of Christian ethics at La Salle University and director of Synod and Higher Education Engagement with Discerning Deacons.
At the entrance of the National Archives in Washington, D.C., stands a majestic statue of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, with these powerful words carved into its base: The heritage of the past is the seed that brings forth the harvest of the future. It is a vivid reminder that history is not just a pastime for the curious. It is laden with meaning and consequence, and to ignore it is to risk reliving its darkest horrors.

We commemorate May 8 as Victory in Europe Day, or V-E Day, and this year marks 80 years since the final collapse of the Third Reich. It is a day rightly honored, representing the culmination of an extraordinary Allied effort to halt a genocidal regime and end a race war that claimed millions of lives. It was also the beginning of a long and arduous journey toward restoring peace and stability to a world ravaged by years of unthinkable oppression, deprivation, and bloodshed.

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Over time, a narrative has taken hold that casts World War II as the last good war. A war defined by unmistakable heroes and villains, fought for a just cause, and ending in triumph after the Greatest Generation met historys moment.

There is much reverence for that generation, and deservedly so. Many are understandably nostalgic about an era when Americans were so selflessly united in common purpose and moral clarity. In contrast, more recent conflicts, from Vietnam to Afghanistan, have stirred far more complex emotions, shaped by public discord over our involvement, blurred objectives, and moral ambiguity.

Yet, framing World War II as a good war oversimplifies the past.

We remember and teach, not only to honor stories of incredible courage and resilience, but to impart historical lessons. Without those lessons, we and our democratic allies are likely to repeat mistakes that led to the deaths of more than 60 million people, and the greatest devastation and suffering in human history.

History, however, is hard, and demands an honest, objective lens  even when conceding our own missteps challenges our sense of national pride. Consider the juxtaposition of American forces fighting abroad against fascism and imperialism, while inequality and injustice remained deeply rooted at home.

President Franklin D. Roosevelts order to lock up 120,000 Japanese Americans  most of them U.S. citizens  in remote desert and mountain camps, without cause or due process, stands as one of the most shameful chapters in American history.

Moreover, U.S. armed forces  like much of American society in the 1940s  remained racially segregated, and the deep-seated bigotry persisting across the nation exposed a profound disparity between the ideals America championed overseas and the reality on its own soil.

The firebombing of Tokyo in March 1945 offers another powerful example. In one night, the U.S. Army Air Forces incinerated 16 square miles of the city, killing more than 100,000 civilians. With most young men away at war, it was known that the victims would largely be women, children, and the elderly. As horrific as the carnage and destruction were, legitimate military considerations made the operation defensible.

But how many Americans are aware of this episode, let alone that it was a conscious and calculated decision?

Another pivotal and morally fraught dimension of the war was our alliance with the Soviet Union. Make no mistake  the Allies could not have prevailed without the Red Army, which turned the eastern front into a graveyard for Hitlers invasion forces.

But Joseph Stalin was a tyrant in his own right. Throughout his three-decade reign, he orchestrated purges and crackdowns that eliminated political rivals, imprisoned millions in harsh Siberian gulags, and masterminded the deaths of countless others through famine, repression, and terror. He ranks among historys most prolific mass murderers and war criminals, yet the Soviet Union remained our steadfast ally, one we armed and supported until the end.

Am I suggesting we should not have allied with the Soviets or bombed civilian population centers? Of course not. But it is entirely reasonable, and necessary, to reflect on the moral compromises we made without scornfully dismissing such critical thinking as second-guessing or questioning ones patriotism.

We must approach history with honesty and humility, and it is a disservice to those who sacrificed if we whitewash our past and turn away from moral complexities.

There is much reverence for that generation, and deservedly so.

In many ways, those war years stand as Americas finest era. But a true tribute must extend beyond celebrating victories and valor. Selective history only serves those who wish to manipulate it.

In the free and open society we cherish so much, it is not only fair to objectively appraise the military decisions, strategic choices, and domestic policies that shaped our role in the war, it is our obligation.

For the sake of our future  and our humanity  we cannot afford to forget or ignore the hard-earned lessons of World War II.

All of them.

Andy Kutler is the author of the award-winning The Fight of Their Lives: A 21st Century Primer on World War II.
Donald Trump campaigned in Oaks in October 2024. Two suburban Trump supporters are suing John Does for threatening letters they received during the heated campaign. Read more

Two Philadelphia-area Trump voters who received threatening letters weeks before the 2024 election are suing the people responsible.

But they dont know who those people are.

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Robert Butwin Jr. of Tredyffrin Township and Janet Schmidt of Lower Merion, both supporters of President Donald Trump who put Trump lawn signs outside their houses last year, filed a lawsuit this month against John Does who mailed them letters promising consequences for their vote and ominously declaring we know where you live.

The Public Interest Legal Foundation, a conservative law firm, is representing the voters in an effort to use civil courts to track down the source of the threats. In addition to the suit, the firm is offering a $2,000 reward for any information leading to the identity of the people who sent the letters.

The stakes are too high to do nothing, J. Christian Adams, the president of the Public Interest Legal Foundation, said in an interview. When voters get death threats there has to be a response by civil society that this is unacceptable behavior.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Eastern Pennsylvania last week, alleges that whoever sent the letters illegally threatened voters. The suit asked the federal judge to give the firm time to conduct an investigation into the defendants using the court discovery process. Additionally, the suit asked the court to find that the defendants violated federal law with the letters and block them from sending any additional threatening content.

Adams said the firm will use open records to obtain investigative files from police agencies that have looked into the threats. If the investigations are still open, the documents will not be subject to public record law, but Adams said the requests will allow the firm to pick up the investigations if law enforcement has abandoned them.

However, it is not uncommon for law enforcement agencies to leave cases open even after investigations have stalled.

At least one police agency that received a report told The Inquirer on Wednesday that it did not have an active investigation into the threats.

Either the Pennsylvania police have an active investigation going or they dont and if they are punting here then well be getting those records, Adams said.

Threats to voters

Butwin and Schmidt both received letters in October of last year warning them that their support for Trump comes at a cost, according to the suit.

The letter warned of consequences to the economy if Trump won a second term and that more importantly, we know where you live, you are in the database.

In the dead of a cold winters night, this year, or next and beyond, there is no knowing what may happen. Your property, your family may be impacted, your cat may get shot. And more, the letter said.

The letter finished by declaring that a vote for Trump would tread on the writers rights and you tread on me at your peril.

According to a Delaware Valley Journal article at the time, similar letters were reported across the state. The letters arrived in a political cycle that was rife with violence. Just months earlier, Trump survived an assassination attempt on the western side of Pennsylvania.

Plaintiffs are neither public figures nor political operatives; they are simply private citizens who displayed signs supporting the candidate of their choice. They did not seek to be a part of the nasty political discourse. Rather, a bad actor sent it to their door, the lawsuit said.

Capt. Tyler Moyer of the Tredyffrin Township Police Department said the agency did not investigate the letter. Unlike a text message or phone call, Moyer said, it is difficult to trace the origins of physical letters mailed to homes.

If its something that just shows up in your mailbox one day theres very little that we can do with that, Moyer said.

While its unclear how likely it is that the suit will successfully uncover the source of the threats, Adams said taking action was essential. The letters, he said, were frightening for his clients and represented a broader threat to democracy itself.

People should not get death threats based on who they have a sign or a flag for in front of their house, Adams said. That you cant threaten to kill people or their family or their pets, all of which were in the letter, because of who they plan on voting for. Thats just a fundamental principle of America.
A bitter rivalry between two Republican candidates repeatedly interrupted another GOP debate for New Jersey governor Wednesday night.

The first debate in February set the stage for a nasty primary, and that has not changed  at least between former conservative radio host Bill Spadea and former Assembly member Jack Ciattarelli, who lost the Republican primary in 2017, then won the nomination in 2021 before losing the general election by about three percentage points to Gov. Phil Murphy.

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Republicans are hopeful they have a shot at winning the election this year because of the relatively small margin in 2021 and because the state shifted rightward in the 2024 presidential election.

The debate included the three candidates who have raised the most cash: Ciattarelli, Spadea, and State Sen. Jon Bramnick.

Candidates Mario Kranjac and Justin Barbera will be on the primary ballot but did not receive enough campaign donations to qualify for the matching funds required to make it on the stage.

 READ MORE: The first N.J. Republican gubernatorial debate sets the stage for a nasty primary

Here are takeaways from Wednesdays conversation, which was hosted by New Jersey Spotlight News, WNYC, and New Jersey PBS:

Bickering until the end of the debate

Some Republican Party observers were disappointed that Spadea and Ciattarellis rivalry dominated the February debate and interfered with some policy talk. That didnt seem to change anything for the candidates, who continued the cross fire while sitting in a semicircle with moderators David Cruz of NJ PBS Chat Box and Michael Hill of WNYC Morning Edition.

They talked over each other. They called each other insiders. Cruz threatened to shut their microphones off less than 20 minutes into the one-hour discussion.

With just minutes left, Cruz said their arguing had cost us all of our time and shifted to a lightning round.

 READ MORE: Will Donald Trump endorse in the GOP primary for New Jersey governor? Kellyanne Conway thinks so.

One of those final questions was whether each candidate would support the winner of the primary for the general election. Ciattarelli and Bramnick committed to doing so, but Spadea did not answer the question, instead going on offense against Ciattarelli.

The two candidates bickering lasted until the very end of the debate.

A campaign that was too white

Cruz asked Ciattarelli how his campaign is taking a different approach this year, since the candidate previously said he learned from his 2021 loss by realizing his campaign was too white.

Ciattarelli said he now has team members who have helped him reach communities he believes he did not connect with last time.

This time around, weve already spent way more time in places where there are minority communities that we didnt last time, he said.

Spadea called that message racist.

Guys, its not about checking a box on skin color, Spadea said. Voters decide what the voters are going to decide.

Bramnick said that the other two candidates should show more warmth instead of using cold and calculated sound bites.

In the urban centers, let me tell you something, they can feel whether youre empathetic, and right now, if the Republican Party doesnt show empathy, were going to get beat, Bramnick said.

Segregation in New Jersey schools

A lawsuit is playing out in court in which a judge agreed that school segregation is an issue in New Jersey.

Spadea said he is the only candidate talking about a civil rights crisis because of low educational outcomes in Newark and other cities, and argued that school vouchers and charter schools would resolve that issue.

When questioned whether the focus on school choice, which typically results in diverting money from public schools, would exacerbate school segregation, Spadea said segregation is not the issue.

You cant just check a box and all of a sudden say were going to base our decisions on some kids skin color, Spadea said. We need to fix our cities. The Black and brown kids, for the most part, are living in these cities.

Bramnick said he would not require families to bus their children out of the area they live in to attend a different school.

Maybe you can set up magnet schools, he said. Clearly, charter schools are terrific, but moving kids from their house that they decided to live one block from the school, thats not happening.

Mixed opinions on funding Planned Parenthood

The three candidates offered different opinions on whether Planned Parenthood should receive state funding.

Bramnick said he supports continuing funding for womens health services provided by the organization but not for abortion services.

Ciattarelli also said he specifically does not want money going toward abortion services but did not elaborate on whether or not he would fund the organization otherwise. Instead, he wants the state to provide funding to pregnancy resource centers, which are meant to persuade people not to have an abortion. Republicans in the state legislature have accused Attorney General Matt Platkin, a Democrat, of going after these centers.

Spadea said he would veto any funding to Planned Parenthood.

All the candidates want to change the states affordable housing mandate

All three candidates said they are against the states affordable housing policy, which mandates each municipality to contribute its fair share of affordable units.

Were gonna take those units out of the suburbs and shove them into the cities, Spadea said.

Arent the cities already overcrowded? Hill, one of the moderators, asked.

Well, they need more housing, Spadea responded. Many of our city mayors want the affordable housing in their communities. The suburbs dont want them. We should not be building one piece of affordable housing where we dont have the energy, the transportation, or the job infrastructure.

Ciattarelli argued that the states affordable housing policy, which stems from a 1975 New Jersey Supreme Court ruling, is not consistent with the states flood-mitigation requirements. He said he wants to take that position to court. He also said he would appoint two conservative Supreme Court justices to bolster his case. The appointments would reverse a tradition of partisan Supreme Court balance in the state, which Bramnick opposes because he argues Democrats would do the same when given the opportunity. Democrats in the race also differ on whether to maintain partisan balance in the high court.

Republican Justice Anne Patterson is set to retire in 2029, which would be the last year of the next governors term, and Chief Justice Stuart Rabner would retire the following year, meaning Ciattarelli is banking on a second term unless a justice steps down or dies.

The candidates offered various other ideas on how to make the state more affordable.

Spadea argued that ending New Jerseys sanctuary state status would save money and said he would renegotiate pension plans, particularly for new hires coming into the Communications Workers of America and New Jersey Education Association unions.

 READ MORE: Bill Spadea, candidate for N.J. governor, suggested a Jersey DOGE. The states business community booed.

Ciattarelli said he wants to consolidate the states government watchdog agencies and lower utility rates.

Bramnick said he would stop Democrats from allocating money to districts they favor for Christmas tree items and entities like museums.
Gov. Josh Shapiro looks over at Sen. John Fetterman while waiting to speak at a 2022 campaign event before they were elected to their current roles. Read more

Gov. Josh Shapiro briefly responded to reported concerns about Sen. John Fettermans health on Thursday, deferring to the senator and his family on the matter.

Ill just say this: I think the best judge of Sen. Fettermans health is Sen. Fetterman and his family, and Ill leave it to them to discuss that, Shapiro said of his fellow Pennsylvania Democrat.

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He said questions about whether Fetterman is doing the job effectively are for Sen. Fetterman, his family, and the people of Pennsylvania.

Fetterman has faced scrutiny in recent days after former staffers said they worried about his mental health and whether he was carrying out the duties of a U.S. senator.

Former Fetterman staffers pointed to missed meetings, sporadic committee hearing attendance, and an outburst with a group of teachers last week, along with an inconsistent voting attendance record and few public appearances in Pennsylvania, to question his effectiveness as a representative for the state.

A memo obtained by The Inquirer and first reported on in New York magazine outlined concerns from Fettermans former chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, to Fettermans doctor. Jentleson worried in the memo that Fetterman was not taking necessary medication, was behaving erratically, and had isolated himself from friends and colleagues.

Shapiro and Fetterman, both ultra-ambitious Democrats with markedly different styles sharing a politically crucial state, have had a famously chilly relationship.

They occasionally campaigned together cordially in 2022 when Shapiro was running for governor and Fetterman for Senate, but since then they have had few public interactions.

When Shapiro was in the running to be former Vice President Kamala Harris running mate in 2024, reports surfaced that Fetterman advisers had shared with Harris campaign that Fetterman had concerns about picking Shapiro.

His reservation, according to a report in Politico, was that Shapiro was too focused on his own personal ambition.

Shapiro is widely regarded as a possible Democratic candidate for president in 2028, and former Fetterman staffers have said their former boss is also mulling a run.

While Fetterman heavily traversed Pennsylvania when he was running for Senate, he has done few appearances in the state since taking office.

State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams criticized Fettermans absence from Philadelphia in an interview with The Inquirer on Thursday.

This is outrageous. The biggest city in Pennsylvania  a driver of the economy  were in the middle of this assault on a variety of institutions, and hes nowhere to be seen, said Williams, a Philadelphia Democrat.

Williams said he went to Washington last week with residents from Eastwick to advocate for federal dollars to address flooding in the historically neglected neighborhood but was told Fetterman was unable to meet him in person.

Williams noted that Pennsylvanias Republican senator, Dave McCormick, met with the group for nearly half an hour.

I am empathetic to people who have mental health issues, Williams said. I am not empathetic to people who take positions of responsibility and dont do right by it.

Pa. Democrats largely defend Fetterman

Williams, who has been critical of Fetterman in the past, is one of the few Democrats in the state who have spoken out against him.

Several Democrats defended the senator or opted not to weigh in Thursday.

State. Sen. Nikil Saval, a Democrat who represents parts of Center City and South Philadelphia, worked with Fetterman to bring a housing repair program Saval piloted in Harrisburg to Congress. Saval said he has found Fetterman and his staff very responsive.

He said he could not speak to the concerns voiced by former staffers but shared the governors sentiment.

I think its a question for his family, Saval said.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) praised Fetterman amid the scrutiny, calling him an all star. Other Democrats have not rushed to his defense but few have been outwardly critical.

U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Democrat who represents Montgomery County, has been a friend of Fettermans since the two ran for lieutenant governor in 2018 before Dean dropped out of the race to pursue a congressional seat.

Dean said she was proud of him and care[s] only about his well-being.

While she says she continues to work with Fetterman, she couldnt say whether hes effectively doing his job day to day.

I dont have the ability to say that. Hes not in my office, able to judge whether or not Im doing the job appropriately. Im not in his, able to judge whether or not hes doing the job appropriately.

Staff writer Katie Bernard contributed to this article.
Erica Green, Principal, Russell H. Conwell Middle Magnet School speaks out in support of Councilmember Quetcy Lozada and her bill, Philadelphia City Council Chamber, Thursday, May 8, 2025. Read more

For months, Philadelphia City Council members who favor a tough-on-crime approach to the addiction crisis in Kensington have faced criticism for supporting a bill that would dramatically restrict where mobile medical providers can operate in the neighborhood.

It appears Council did not appreciate the feedback.

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At a climactic Council meeting Thursday, lawmakers not only approved that bill in a 13-3 vote, but also set themselves up to potentially go further with a new proposal that would ban mobile medical services in much of Lower Northeast Philadelphia and parts of North Philadelphia.

 READ MORE: Frustrations over Kensington erupted in Philly City Council with heated speeches: How dare you!

The newly approved bill was authored by Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, who represents the Kensington-based 7th District. The legislation will restrict mobile medical providers who perform services like wound care and overdose reversal out of vans and trucks to a designated lot on Lehigh Avenue during the day and a two-block stretch of Kensington Avenue overnight.

It will also prohibit nonmedical mobile service providers, such as those that distribute food to unhoused people, from staying in one place for more than 45 minutes.

This legislation is just the beginning of difficult decisions that were going to have to make in order to take our community back, in order to make our community a healthy one, Lozada said Thursday.

Progressive Councilmembers Rue Landau, Nicolas ORourke, and Kendra Brooks voted no on the measure. Councilmember Brian ONeill was absent.

Providers, harm-reduction advocates, and addiction survivors testified that the Lozada bill would lead to more overdose deaths, saying that medical interventions need to be available to people in addiction where they are, rather than confined to areas designated by the city.

A second bill, introduced Thursday by Councilmember Mike Driscoll, a Lozada ally whose Lower Northeast-based 6th District includes a part of Kensington, has the potential to be even more restrictive.

Driscolls proposal would create a zoning overlay for his district that would prohibit mobile medical providers from operating unless they get a variance from the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment, a process that involves feedback from registered community organizations, which are city-approved neighborhood groups. RCOs, which are often aligned with Council members and are critical of nuisance businesses and in some cases new development, are likely to be overwhelmingly opposed to allowing mobile providers.

Driscoll said part of his motivation for the proposal was a concern that providers could move into his district in the wake of Lozadas bill.

We wanted to make sure that the local community has a say in this, Driscoll said. In particular with Councilwoman Lozadas bill  which I support  we felt there could be migration into the 6th Councilmanic District, and we wanted to make sure that that did not occur without protecting the communitys interests.

As proposed, the bill applies only to Driscolls district. If he moves forward with it, it is all but guaranteed to be approved  thanks to the Philadelphia tradition known as councilmanic prerogative, in which lawmakers default to the wishes of one of their colleagues when it comes to issues pertaining only to their district.

Driscoll argued that forcing mobile service providers to get approval from the zoning board did not constitute a ban, and that not all RCOs would be reflexively opposed to care providers setting up in their neighborhoods.

Every community is different, and everybodys leadership within their civic associations is different, Driscoll said.

Its likely Driscolls proposal will face legal questions over whether zoning law, which regulates land use, can apply to mobile providers operating out of vehicles on public streets.

I dont believe you can regulate streets in a zoning ordinance, said Matt McClure, leader of Ballard Spahrs zoning and land-use team.

Driscoll considered that possibility, he said, but is confident his proposal is legal.

You never really know whether legislation that youre putting forward is legal until such time as it withstands the court challenge, Driscoll said. But I personally think we worked on this enough that it is a good bill and it is legal.

A shift in City Halls approach to Kensington

Lozadas and Driscolls moves are the latest examples of the dramatic shift in City Halls approach to the open-air drug market in Kensington and the citywide opioid crisis, a change that began last year when Mayor Cherelle L. Parker took office and Council established a Kensington caucus led by Lozada.

Parker and those lawmakers have sought to crack down on open drug use in the neighborhood by getting people off the streets and into treatment or the criminal justice system.

The new approach has so far had limited success, as Kensington is still overwhelmed by the addiction crisis and some of Parkers efforts, such as the launch of a Neighborhood Wellness Court, have had rocky rollouts. Local observers say law enforcement sweeps in many cases have merely moved people around the neighborhood, or pushed them into different communities.

 READ MORE: Courts, city say theyre committed to the success of Kensington Wellness Court as program returns after brief hiatus

It nevertheless represents a sharp turn from the policies of former Mayor Jim Kenney, who championed a concept known as harm-reduction, which focuses on keeping people in addiction alive until they are ready to enter treatment.

Last week, numerous opponents of Lozadas bill, including health providers and harm-reduction advocates, testified against the measure during Councils public session, saying it would lead to more people dying from overdoses and accusing Lozada and other Council members of being callous.

The proposed legislation would force these people to leave or mobile providers to leave areas in greatest need of outreach and services, effectively isolating an already marginalized population, said Sam Stern, a physician.

Lozada then fired back with a lengthy and impassioned speech in which she said she was standing up for longtime Kensington residents who say the mobile service providers attract nuisance crimes and litter to their blocks and make residents feel unsafe.

I have seniors who are living with people who are unsheltered on their porches and threatened by those individuals if they call police on them, Lozada said. Would you allow that in your house? Would you allow that on your property? Hell, no. Hell, no. So why should my residents?

This week, Lozada had help in delivering that message as dozens of supporters of her bill testified during public comment, including schoolchildren who read prepared statements.

In a December committee hearing, the Parker administration testified in support of the intent behind Lozadas bill but raised concerns about its implementation. The bill has since been amended by Lozada.

Parker, who has worked closely with the Kensington caucus, is expected to sign the bill into law. It would take effect 60 days later.

Staff writer Fallon Roth contributed to this article.
Patrick Dugan is running for district attorney as a Democrat, but Philly Republicans are working to make him the GOP nominee. Read more

Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect an update from Dugans campaign clarifying his intentions should he lose the Democratic primary and win the GOP primary.

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Democratic district attorney candidate Patrick Dugan has committed to not running as a Republican in the general election in the event that he loses the Democratic primary, Dugan campaign manager Dan Kalai said Thursday.

No Republican filed to run in this years district attorneys race, and the Philadelphia Republican City Committee on Monday launched a campaign to encourage GOP primary voters to write in Dugans name. If 1,000 Republicans vote for Dugan, he would have the option of accepting the GOP nomination and running in November if he loses to incumbent Larry Krasner in the May 20 Democratic primary.

At recent events and in statements from his campaign, Dugan this week said he was a lifelong Democrat committed to winning his partys nomination. But he was evasive when pressed on whether he would accept the GOP nomination if he loses the Democratic primary.

At an event in Port Richmond last week, for instance, he responded to a question about being the GOP nominee by saying, I am running in a Democratic primary. The rest of the stuff, I have no idea whats going on out there.

And in a candidates debate on WURD Radio on Thursday, Dugan said he was not running as a Republican  a phrasing that did not preclude him from running as one in the future.

But on Thursday evening, The Inquirer requested that the Dugan campaign clarify the matter, asking, Will Dugan commit to not accepting the GOP nomination if he loses the Democratic primary?

Kalai responded, Yes, and confirmed the response in a follow-up interview.

Vince Fenerty, who chairs the Republican City Committee, said Thursday evening that he was not aware that Dugan had committed to declining the GOP nomination, but planned to continue the partys write-in campaign regardless.

Were going to keep doing what were doing and hope that everything turns out and see what he ends up deciding afterwards, Fenerty said.

 READ MORE: Larry Krasner and Patrick Dugan to debate Thursday on WURD as Philly DA race enters home stretch

The write-in campaign, which was first reported by the Northeast Times, involves Republican ward leaders and committeepeople reaching out to primary voters with instructions on how to write in Dugans name. The party has launched the website WriteInDugan.com to spread the word.

There would be a chance that Judge Dugan could come back in November and defeat Larry Krasner, Fenerty said. We believe that Judge Dugan would do a better job as district attorney than Larry Krasner."

Many Philly political observers believe Dugan faces an uphill battle in the Democratic primary. Republicans are hoping Dugan could prevail in the general election if he could combine the citys GOP electorate and independents with his Democratic base.

But in a city where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 6-1, the odds of any GOP nominee coming out on top in November would remain a long shot.

Judge Dugan has every intention of running in the General election, as the Democratic nominee, Kalai said in a statement. He has never had any interest in running as a Republican, nor has he discussed it.

The GOP plan, Fenerty said, is based on Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappalas 2023 reelection campaign, in which the moderate Democratic incumbent lost his primary to a more progressive challenger  coincidentally named Matt Dugan, no relation  before winning the general election while running as the GOP nominee.

Patrick Dugan is a military veteran seen as a tough-on-crime alternative to Krasner, a former defense lawyer who has made national headlines as a leader of the progressive prosecutor movement since his shocking victory in the 2017 district attorneys race.

Dugan is running with the backing of the deep-pocketed building trades unions and has raised more money than Krasner, according to the most recent campaign finance reports. But Krasner, who is vying for a third term in office, enjoys superior name recognition, a major advantage in an off-year election cycle that typically sees low voter turnout.

I wish Pat well in the Democratic primary. I hope he wins, said J. Matthew Wolfe, a GOP ward leader. If he doesnt win and we can get 1,000 signatures, then hell have the opportunity to carry the campaign on another few months, which might be valuable in getting his name recognition up.

Fenerty said the citys Republican Party kept this very much under wraps until two days ago, when mail ballots were sent out to voters. The Philly GOP is running the write-in effort as an independent expenditure campaign, which means that it is prohibited from coordinating with candidates, Fenerty said.

Fenerty said he knows Dugan but he emphasized that the GOP is not working with him.

Im sure he knows whats going on, and because he knows we are doing this, if you have looked at any of the fliers, were doing that as an I.E. of Republican City Committee, which is not being coordinated with his campaign staff, Fenerty said.

Kalai also said the GOP effort is unrelated to Dugans campaign.

There has been no collaboration, Kalai said. The Republicans failing to run a candidate has nothing to do with our campaign.

 READ MORE: No Republican is running for Philadelphia DA this year, party leaders say

A Krasner campaign spokesperson said the fact that Republicans approve of Dugan shows he isnt the right choice for Philly Democrats.

Were known by the company we keep, and it says a lot that MAGA Republicans are pushing so hard to get Pat Dugan elected, Krasner spokesperson Anthony Campisi said. Philadelphians want someone who will fight Donald Trump and his billionaire friends, not someone who will get in bed with them in their relentless pursuit of power.

At the Port Richmond event last week, Kalai elaborated on Dugans response to the audience member who asked about the former judges potential nomination by Republicans.

We get this question a lot, Kalai said, adding later that the race is over after the primary.

Krasner has sought to portray himself as stronger than Dugan when it comes to standing up to President Donald Trump, running ads vowing to stand up to Trump and his billionaire buddies. That line of attack for Krasner will likely be boosted by the news that Philly Republicans are working to nominate Dugan.

Without prompting, Kalai noted Trumps role in the race in his response to the audience member at the Port Richmond event.

What I will say is that [Dugan] taking a strong stance against Trump is  thats  Krasner has brought this into the race," Kalai said. So theres not much Krasner can do against Trump that Judge Dugan cant do. Thats a fact. So to answer your question, if I were you, if youre a Republican, reach out to the Republican City Committee. Talk to them. That should answer your questions about that.
For global broker Marsh, one focus of its people risk management is supply chains. According to a recent article by Amy Barnes, the firms head of climate and sustainability, supply chain management has grown in the last five years: from US$15.58 billion to US$24.6 billion. An average car manufacturer, said the article, could have 18,000 suppliers. For these firms, people risks, said Barnes, are one important part of a confluence of many types of risk.
Our alliance with Gilchrist Connell strengthens our ability to provide comprehensive global legal solutions to our clients in the insurance sector, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. We look forward to working together to deliver exceptional results, she said.
Our data shows that cruise travellers have a high propensity to purchase travel insurance. Weve now made it even easier for them to get cover that is better suited for their needs. This launch builds upon our worldwide portfolio of cruise partnerships, where global expertise can be applied to local markets, he said.
Hubs M&A strategy

The acquisition is part of Hub Internationals ongoing mergers and acquisition strategy, which plays a central role in its growth model. Hub has remained active in acquiring firms across North America, focusing on those that enhance its service capabilities, extend its geographic reach, or offer specialized expertise. The firm continues to target opportunities in key sectors such as commercial and personal insurance, employee benefits, retirement planning, and risk advisory.
Willis, a WTW business headquartered in New York City, appointed David Lofstrom as deputy regional leader, New England within corporate risk and broking (CRB) in North America.

Lofstroms new position includes working closely with the full New England team to identify new opportunities while also helping to accelerate growth throughout the region. Based in Boston and reporting directly to Ionel Rizea, chief commercial officer for CRB North America, Lofstrom has over 30 years of industry experience. He joins Willis from Gallagher, where he most recently served as area president in the greater Boston region.

K&B Specialty Insurance, headquartered in Reston, Virginia, hired Laura Pepe as a claims director. K&B is a subsidiary of Roosevelt Road Specialty Insurance, headquartered in New York City.

Pepe has over 17 years of experience in claims operations and strategy, with a strong background in supervising facility, physician, and nursing home claims. She has overseen all aspects of settlements, trials, mediations and indemnity reserves management.

Topics Claims
A Long Island school district is accusing two insurers of ducking their responsibilities to defend and indemnify it against lawsuits by former students claiming they were sexually abused by an elementary school teacher decades ago.

Bay Shore Union Free School District has sued Hartford Insurance Group and CNA Insurance, alleging they are not honoring commercial general liability policies they issued to the district in the 1970s and 1980s.

The New York school district has been named in 45 lawsuits from people who claim they were abused by teacher Thomas Bernagozzi when they were in the third grade.

From about 1970 and 2000, Bernagozzi worked at the districts Gardiner Manor Elementary School and Mary G. Clarkson Elementary School. The lawsuits have been filed against both the school district and Bernagozzi alleging sexual abuse and claiming that the district knew of complaints about the teacher but failed to do enough to prevent the abuse.

The civil lawsuits have been filed under New Yorks Child Victims Act (CVA), which allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse to sue for abuse that occurred many years ago.

Bernagozzi was arrested and criminally charged with abusing two students in December 2023. He has pleaded not guilty.

About half of the 45 lawsuits against the schools have been settled. The district approved a $35 million bond to settle 12 claims not covered by insurance. In addition, the New York State Insurance Reciprocal (NYSIR) has covered a number of others, according to district documents.

In one suit brought by a child victim that has already gone to trial, a jury found the district liable for negligence in supervision, and in acting with reckless disregard for keeping the former elementary school teacher employed despite multiple allegations of him having sexually abused other students. The jury awarded the victim $25 million. However, last month the trial judge overturned that amount and ordered that it be reduced to $4 million or a new trial will be held on damages.

Of the remaining cases, there are 18 for which the district said it has been trying since 2021 to get Hartford and CNA to acknowledge coverage under primary and excess commercial liability policies they issued to the district between 1973 and 1982.

On May 2, the Bay Shore board of education authorized legal action against the insurance companies to enforce what the district believes are the insurers contractual obligations to address claims related to the CVA. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court for Eastern New York.

The 18 lawsuits allege that the school district negligently provided Bernagozzi with unfettered and unsupervised access to minor boys, resulting in repeated incidents of sexual abuse that have caused physical, psychological, and emotional injuries.

The district maintains that Hartford and CNA have repeatedly engaged in obstructive and deceitful tactics, in contravention of the CVA, and to the school districts great detriment.

The district argues that the underlying actions represent the type of substantial potential liability for which it purchased insurance from Hartford and CNA decades ago. Yet the insurers have failed, for four years, to honor their contractual and legal obligations, the suit claims, by engaging in a wait-and-see strategy in response to the passage of the CVA wherein they routinely deny or delay their coverage obligations in an effort to avoid significant financial exposure or impact.

Bay Shore maintains that as part of this strategy the insurers have failed to timely disclaim coverage; furnish all policies or other evidence relied upon for purposes of disclaiming coverage; and/or apprise the school district, with sufficient specificity, of the grounds for their disclaimers.

The school district is asking the court for a declaratory judgment in favor of insurance coverage, as well as redress for the insurers alleged breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and violations of New York general business law and state insurance law.

Topics Lawsuits Carriers Claims New York K-12 Education
The UK has named China as the dominant threat to national cybersecurity after a series of hacks and breaches involving British government departments and critical infrastructure.

China remains the pacing threat in the cyber realm, Richard Horne, the chief of Britains National Cyber Security Center, said in a rare speech on Wednesday. The continued activity that were seeing come from the Chinese system remains a cause for profound and profuse concern, he warned, describing Beijing as an adversary.

Hornes remarks reflect the increasing alarm among British officials about hostile activity by China online even as Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks to improve economic ties with the nation. The UK is trying to navigate a thorny policy approach toward Beijing, one aimed at boosting financial sector links between the two as US President Donald Trump escalates his trade with China.

Read more: Britain to Face More Cyberattacks as AI Adoption Grows, Minister Says

The security threat further complicates Britains China policy. Last year, Bloomberg reported officials concern that Chinese state actors have made widespread  and likely successful  efforts to access UK critical infrastructure networks and security officials have publicly named China-affiliated groups including so-called Volt Typhoon as threats.

Britain has also alleged that China was behind hacks of the Electoral Commission and Members of Parliament. UK officials also said the country was involved in a recent hack into the personal data of armed forces personnel.

Hostile nation states have weaponized their cyber capabilities. And while they might not be using them in pursuit or support of direct conflict, some are operating daily in the Grey Zone, that murky space between peace and war where states and non-state actors engage in competitive activity, Horne said.

The NCSC had tracked more than 200 cyber-security incidents since September and seen the number of significant breaches nationally double compared with the same period a year ago, he added. Horne also warned that hostile online behavior by Russia was linked to physical threats to security as Moscow ramps up efforts to disrupt Ukraine.

It is almost certain that Russia will continue its wider cyber espionage activity against Ukraine and supporting countries to gain strategic advantage in its negotiation strategy, he said. Iran and North Korea also posed ongoing cyber threats, he added, calling on business to increase their resilience against hacks.

In another indication of the Chinese threat, UK government officials last month raised private concerns that Chinese-manufactured drones were being used to take high resolution images of critical national infrastructure sites in the UK.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves also appeared to sharpen the UKs official line against China recently by praising Trumps critique of global trade imbalances.

Photograph: Chief of UKs National Cyber Security Centre Richard Horne, who spoke during the CyberUK Conference at Manchester Central Convention Complex in Manchester, UK, on May 7, 2025. Photo credit: Ryan Jenkinson/Getty Images

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.

Topics Cyber China
The European Unions executive arm is set to propose a new package of sanctions targeting Moscows covert fleet of oil tankers as it seek to crank up pressure on Russia over its war against Ukraine.

The sanctions suggested by the European Commission will cover 60 individuals and entities as well as include restrictions on some 150 vessels, according to people familiar with the matter. That would bring the total number of listed ships to more than 300, one of the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations.

Moscow assembled the shadow fleet of aging and sometimes uninsured vessels to skirt sanctions and a price cap imposed by the EU and its allies. Russian oil has therefore continued to reach world markets, leading European capitals to call for more stringent sanctions on Moscows energy revenue in a bid to pressure President Vladimir Putin to end his war in Ukraine.

Read More: Ukraine Says It Detained Grain Ship From Russias Shadow Fleet

The blocs foreign ministers aim to formally adopt the proposed measures in time for a meeting in Brussels scheduled for May 20, the people said. If passed, the new measures would be the blocs 17th package of sanctions since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

EU sanctions require the backing of all member states and the proposals could change before theyre approved. The blocs measures need renewing every six months, with the next deadline coming up in July. Hungary has repeatedly threatened to veto the measures, before backing down on each occasion.

Still, the EU is exploring ways to extend its sanctions against Russia without requiring the support of all 27 member states, Bloomberg News earlier reported. Among other options, the commission is assessing whether it can convert some restrictions into trade measures, which dont require unanimous consent of all member states but only a qualified majority for approval.

Photograph: Ships anchored along the stretch of East Coast Road in stormy weather in Singapore on Friday, June 14, 2024. Photo credit: Aparna Nori/Bloomberg

Related:

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.

Topics Energy Europe Oil Gas Russia
Marsh Taps FERMAs Beauperin as Client Leader, Risk Management, Europe

Marsh, the insurance brokerage business of Marsh McLennan, announced the appointment of Typhaine Beauperin as client leader, Risk Management, Europe, effective end of June 2025.

Based in Brussels, Beauperin will report to Lorraine Stack, risk management leader, Europe.

In this role, Beauperin will have responsibility for delivering tailored solutions that support European clients risk management needs. She will leverage her extensive experience as well as Marsh McLennans capabilities and intellectual capital across its four businesses to connect clients within the wider risk management community, further enhancing Marshs commitment to delivering exceptional customer experience, innovative solutions and strategic guidance.

Beauperin will join Marsh from the Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA) where she has served as the CEO and secretary general for nearly a decade. During her tenure, she played a key role in shaping the organizations strategic direction and advocating for member associations at both European Union (EU) and international levels. Her leadership significantly strengthened FERMAs advocacy efforts, promoting a risk management-based approach in important European legislation.

Beauperin also holds a number of senior and advisory roles, including as secretary general and Executive Council member at the International Federation of Risk and Insurance Management Associations (IFRIMA) and as Insurance and Reinsurance Stakeholder Group member at the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA).

Commenting on the appointment, Stack said: Typhaine is a dedicated advocate for the risk management profession across Europe and internationally, with a deep understanding of the industry and commitment to driving positive change. With her leadership, I am confident that she will help us deliver ever greater innovative solutions and strategic advice that meet our clients evolving needs.

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Sompo International Holdings Appoints Walsh as Independent Non-Executive Chair

Sompo, the global property/casualty insurer and reinsurer, announced the appointment of Nicholas Walsh as independent non-executive chairman of the Board of Directors for Sompo International Holdings Ltd. (SIH).

Walsh, who has been an independent non-executive director of SIH since June 2022, succeeds James Shea who last month was appointed chief executive officer, Sompo P&C, in addition to his role as CEO and executive director of SIH.

Walsh spent 42 years with AIG, holding numerous leadership positions. He retired in 2014 as vice chairman of AIG Property and Casualty Inc. and previously served as executive vice president of AIG Inc., CEO of AIGs international general insurance business and chair of several AIG regional companies.

Walsh has extensive experience on international boards and international societies. Since 2020, he has been an independent director of McGill Global Solutions LLC, and from 2020-2024 of McGill & Partners Ltd.

From 2014 to 2019, Walsh was an independent director of Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT), a London-based multinational insurance broker, and its U.S. subsidiaries. Walsh also serves as an Independent non-executive director of Endurance Worldwide Insurance Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SIH.

In a separate appointment, Monica Cramer Manhem has been appointed as an independent non-executive director, and Yoshihiro Uotani, Sompos group chief risk officer, has been appointed as a non-executive director to the Board of Directors of SIH.

Cramer Manhem has served as independent non-executive director of SI Insurance (Europe), SA (SIIE), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SIH, since 2023. Prior to this, she was CEO at SiriusPoint International, the largest reinsurance company in Scandinavia. With nearly 40 years of experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry, Cramer Manhem is a seasoned industry executive. She joined Sirius International in 1985 and was a board director between 2014-2022.

Uotani was appointed senior executive vice president of Sompo Holdings in April 2025. He has served as group chief risk officer and executive officer of Sompo Holdings since April 2021. Uotani leads the companys global risk teams and has more than 35 years of experience in the insurance industry, having worked across multiple international locations including Germany, the UK, the US and Japan.

The appointments of Monica and Uotani-san will strengthen even further the depth of expertise within our SIH Board. Monica brings with her broad expertise across underwriting, communications, analytics, strategic and regulatory topics and is a respected industry leader, Shea commented.

As group CRO, Uotani-sans extensive knowledge will help us to navigate a complex and rapidly moving global risk landscape as we continue to take our business from strength to strength, he added.

Sompo is the brand under which Sompo International Holdings Ltd., a Bermuda-based holding company, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, operates its global property and casualty re/insurance businesses. Sompo International Holdings Ltd. is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Japan-based Sompo Holdings Inc., one of the leading property and casualty groups in the world.

Topics Europe Leadership
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, promoted Chris Zeilinga to agency manager of the Hancock-Henry-Shelby-Rush Agency.

Zeilinga joined Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance in 2002 as an agent in Marion County. In 2018, he was promoted to the role of district sales advisor where he provided agents in his area with sales support and training. In his new role, he hopes to build on past successes within the offices of the agency while enhancing customer experience.

Topics Agribusiness
UnitedHealth Group was sued on Wednesday for allegedly concealing how backlash from the killing of a top executive was damaging its business, causing its stock to nosedive after the insurer lowered its 2025 outlook.

In a proposed class action filed in Manhattan federal court, shareholders said the insurer defrauded them after the December 4 shooting of UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Brian Thompson by shifting away from strategies that led to higher-than-average claims denials, without revealing the impact on profitability.

UnitedHealth shares fell 22.4% on April 17, wiping out about $119 billion of market value, after the insurer cut its 2025 forecast for adjusted profit per share to between $26 and $26.50 from between $29.50 and $30.

The insurer cited higher costs in its Medicare business. It had issued the old forecast one day before Thompsons death.

Shareholders said UnitedHealth had previously inflated its stock price by recklessly sticking with its old forecast, even as mounting public anger and an October 17 U.S. Senate report on claims denials caused it to become more patient-friendly.

UnitedHealth had no immediate comment. The insurer has offices in Eden Prairie, Minnesota and Washington, D.C.

Wednesdays lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for UnitedHealth shareholders from between December 3, 2024 and April 16, 2025. Chief Executive Andrew Witty and Chief Financial Officer John Rex are also defendants.

Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty to murdering Thompson in midtown Manhattan, and could face the death penalty.

Mangione has become a hero to some Americans who are unhappy with for-profit health insurers that deny coverage for treatments.

The case is Faller v UnitedHealth Group Inc et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 25-03799.

Topics Lawsuits
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday will call for tens of billions of dollars to overhaul Americas strained air traffic control system to address crumbling infrastructure, dramatic staffing shortfalls and failing technology.

Key questions remain unanswered: Will it work? How long will it take? How much will Congress agree to spend? How will the government avoid the mistakes of prior reform efforts?

Duffy, who will be joined by the CEOs of the largest five U.S. airlines on Thursday to unveil the Trump administration plan, has said the project will take three or four years.

You are starting to see cracks in the system, Duffy said last week. Everythingthe hardware and the softwarehas to be redone.

President Donald Trump, in a post on his social media platform before the announcement, blamed current air traffic control problems on the previous Biden administration and vowed I WILL FIX IT. He offered no details about the plan.

The Federal Aviation Administrations air traffic control networks manifold woes have been years in the making, but a rush of high-profile mishaps, near-misses and a catastrophic crash in January have spiked public alarm and prompted new calls for action.

A mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in January killed 67 people near Reagan Washington National Airport. On Thursday, another Army helicopter forced two flights to abort landings at Reagan.

Last week, controllers overseeing traffic at Newark Liberty International Airport lost communications with airplanes for at least 30 seconds because of a telecommunications and radar failure. Since then, hundreds of flights have been canceled or diverted at the airport just outside New York City.

A series of near misses between airplanes in recent months has further exposed the strain on air traffic control facilities and raised questions about pilot training amid repeated calls for reforms for years.

Fixing the system is a daunting task. Many of the 520 airports overseen by the FAA need new runway safety technology so controllers dont rely on binoculars to see airplanes.

In 2022, for example, the FAA said it was working to end a long-ridiculed, decades-old practice of air traffic controllers using paper flight strips to keep track of aircraft. But adopting the change at 49 major airports will take the FAA until late 2029.

FOUR DAYS OFF EACH MONTH

The FAA is currently about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels and nearly all control towers have staffing shortages. FAA controller staffing has been relatively flat in recent yearsdespite significant hiringand is down 10% from 2012 because of retirements and trainees failing to complete requirements.

Newarks airport has become the poster child for air traffic control issues. After the 30-second communications lapse, several controllers took leave on the same day, compelling United Airlines to cut 35 daily Newark flightsor 10% of its schedule.

At many facilities, controllers are working mandatory overtime of up to 12 hours a day and six-day work weeks to cover shortages. That leaves just four days off each month for what air safety experts widely agree are high-stress jobs.

The FAA, which said in March it planned to hire 2,000air traffic controller trainees this year, will offer retirement-eligible controllers who are under the mandatory retirement age of 56 a lump sum payment of 20% of their basic pay for each year they continue to work.

The Government Accountability Office in September said the FAA must take urgent action to address aging air traffic control systems.

GAO said 51 of the FAAs 138 air traffic control systems are unsustainable. The FAA told the GAO last year not to plan to complete modernization projects for many systems for at least a decade.

Former Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen told Reuters its been a journey of incrementalism with the FAAsome things we got right, some things left to fester over time. One big question, he said, is who will oversee the project.

Trump has said a large company like Raytheon or IBM could be in charge.

It takes years for the FAA to replace outdated systems.

In January 2023, the failure of a key pilot messaging system disrupted more than 11,000 flights in the first nationwide U.S. ground stop since 2001. The FAA said last month it now plans to deploy a new Notice to Airmen system by September after two recent failures of the current system.

A November 2023 report from an independent FAA panel found the agencys air traffic communications systems have been outdated for years and the agency can no longer get spare parts for many systems.

It cited aging FAA air traffic facilities with leaking roofs, broken elevators and heating and air conditioning systems and ancient surveillance radar systems that must soon be replaced at a cost of billions of dollars.

In 2017, then-President Donald Trump called for privatizing the air traffic control system by 2020a plan that went nowhere.

Were proposing to take American air travel into the future finally, Trump said in 2017. Our air traffic control system is stuck painfully in the past Were still stuck with an ancient, broken, antiquated horrible system that doesnt work.
Less than a month before the start of hurricane season, the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been fired.

A spokesperson with FEMA offered no reason for the dismissal, but confirmed to Insurance Journal reports that Cameron Hamilton was removed from the post he held since he was appointed by President Donald Trump in late January.

David Richardson is now FEMA administrator, the spokesperson said.

Richardson since January has been the assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Securitys Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office. He previously served as a U.S. Marine Corps ground combat officer, according to DHS.

The news of Hamiltons firing was first reported by Politico, who said Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Troy Edgar and Trump advisor Corey Lewandowski fired Hamilton early May 8 at Homeland Security headquarters.

Hamiltons dismissal came a day after he testified at a subcommittee hearing of the House Appropriations Committee. In prepared remarks, Hamilton told the subcommittee that FEMA strayed far from its core mission and evolved into an overextended federal bureaucracy.

Instead of being a last resort, FEMA is now frequently used by states as a first responder and a financial backstop for routine issues that should be handled locally, Hamilton continued. This misalignment has fostered a culture of dependency, waste, and inefficiency, while delaying critical aid to Americans in genuine need.

Hamilton acknowledged Trumps creation of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council and said hed respect the independence of the councils review and welcome its recommendations.

Chubb CEO Evan Greenberg is one of about a dozen members of the review council.

However, according to reports, Hamilton told the subcommittee members he did not think it was in the best interest of the country to eliminate FEMA.

Trump has been a critic of FEMA. While touring affected areas of California wildfires and North Carolina floods earlier this year, Trump talked of getting rid of FEMA, which cannot be done without the approval of Congress. He called the agency a very big disappointment.

Related: Trump Proposes Getting Rid of FEMA While Touring Disaster Areas

FEMA recently ended the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, erasing billions of dollars set to be distributed to communities for proactive protection measures. During testimony May 1 before a Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hearing, Robert Gordon, senior vice president of policy, research, and international at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) said the industry trade association was in support of federal resilience and mitigation funding like BRIC.

Related: Loss of FEMA Program Spells Disaster for Hundreds of Communities and Projects

FEMA is the administrator of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). APCIA also urged a long-term reauthorization of NFIP.

Photo: A sign for the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington. (Al Drago/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

Topics FEMA
A recent engineering report on a 46-year-old condominium building in Clearwater found no significant structural problems before cracks were found in a concrete support column this week, according to local news reports.

The Tampa Bay Times and other news sites reported that Karins Engineering firm conducted a milestone inspection in September  in keeping with a 2022 state law that requires inspections after 30 years  and found the building to be in good condition.

The South Beach III condo site on Sand Key, built in the 1970s, was undergoing repairs to a concrete slab in the bottom level of the parking garage Tuesday when workers discovered major cracks and voids in a support column. Earlier reports had suggested it was a horizontal support beam.

Preliminary investigations have suggested that support columns failed in the lower level of the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside, Florida, in 2021, leading to a shocking collapse that killed 98 people. The tragedy led Florida lawmakers to approved strict rules in 2022 requiring regular inspections of most condo buildings in the state and adequate reserve funding for repairs.

At the Clearwater site, the building was evacuated Tuesday evening. The city issued a permit for temporary shoring up of the cracked support structures, and its unclear when residents will be allowed to return, the Times reported.

The Sand Key building was previously inspected in 2021 and an extensive restoration was completed in May 2024. But after that, reports indicated that the lower level parking garage was flooded in Hurricane Milton in October, potentially causing the slab and support structures to deteriorate.

A Clearwater city official said the residences inspection, like dozens of others in the city and across the state, had not been filed by the end of the year, WTSP TV news reported. Those types of delays, and the expense to condo unit owners, led the Legislature to revise parts of the 2022 laws last week.
Graduation

Graduation Information

Iowa Centrals graduation is held in May for the entire years graduates. We graduate students throughout the year as they meet all their degree requirements. Students should consult with their advisor each semester and run a degree audit to monitor their progress toward graduation. Students who have transfer credit should verify that the credit is on the transcript and degree audit.

Students who intend to graduate in a particular semester are to complete the Graduation Declaration when they enroll in courses for that semester. Graduation Declarations are to be completed with an advisor and submitted to the Student Records office in Fort Dodge or to a center office in Storm Lake or Webster City. There is a $25 fee for graduation that is used to defray the cost of gown, diploma and cover, tassel, etc. Every graduate pays the graduation fee for each degree that he/she receives. Total credits, grade point averages, account balances, and financial aid exit interviews are reviewed before degrees are placed on transcripts and diplomas are mailed.

2025 Commencement

Students who have met the requirements for graduation (and declare to graduate) at the end of the 2024 FALL, 2025 SPRING, and 2025 SUMMER semesters are all eligible to attend the Graduation Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 9th. There will be two commencement ceremonies, both on Friday, May 9th in Hodges Fieldhouse. One ceremony will be at 10:00 a.m. CST and the other at 2:00 p.m. CST. Students will be notified by letter and email regarding which ceremony to attend. They will receive this letter and email after the last day to declare to graduate in February, 2025.

The 10:00 a.m. ceremony will include the following

High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED)

Certificates

Diplomas (except nursing)

Associate of Applied Science (except nursing)

Associate of Applied Arts

Associate of Professional Studies

The 2:00 p.m. ceremony will include the following

Associate of General Studies

Associate of Science

Associate of Arts

Practical Nursing

Associate Degree Nursing

Streaming Information

Commencement will be streamed live on YouTube here.

Graduation Letter

Click to view the 2025 Graduation Letter that contains all the information graduates need to know about Commencement.
Veteran radio presenter Joe Duffy has confirmed he will retire next month after almost four decades with RTE.

After 37 years, he will sign off with his final Liveline airing on Friday, June 27. Duffy, 69, has hosted the RTE Radio 1 programme since 1998.

"After 37 wonderful years here in RTE, and 27 years presenting Liveline, it has been an incredible honour and privilege to be part of a programme that relied entirely on trust  the trust of our listeners," Duffy said.

"People felt they could pick up the phone, ring Liveline, and share their lives, problems, stories sad, bad, sometimes mad and funny, their struggles, and their victories. I never took that for granted, not for a single minute."

He added: "RTE has been a great place to work. Public service has always been at its heart. And now, after many happy years, I've decided the time has come to move on. I would like to thank you the listener, for tuning in each and every day  it has been an honour to sit in this seat and hear your stories."

Duffy will contribute to RTE's 100th year commemoration in 2026. RTE will run a process over the coming months to appoint his successor with an announcement expected in the autumn.

Duffy will be Patrick Kieltys special guest on tomorrow nights The Late Late Show to discuss 37 years in broadcasting.

Liveline presenter Joe Duffy, who has confirmed his upcoming retirement from RTE. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Taoiseach Micheal Martin led the tributes to the Liveline host, writing on social media: "Wishing Joe Duffy the very best as he steps back from RTE after 37 years - and 27 years as host of Liveline.

Joe was a constant in our lives, with a warm and generous personality.

"So many were helped by Talking to Joe. An essential part of the national conversation."

RTE's director general Kevin Bakhurst also paid tribute to the retiring journalist, saying he is "an icon of broadcasting".

"Whether breaking stories like the first powerful moments of the 9-11 attacks in the US, or helping the nation navigate the often heart-breaking challenges of a global pandemic, Joe Duffys Liveline doesnt just have its fingers on the pulse, it is the pulse of the nation," said Kevin Bakhurst.

"Joe navigated controversies, unearthed scandals, exposed scams, fought misinformation and shone a light on topics long ignored, from historical abuse to the menopause and healthcare reform. Joe was always the guide, never the story.

"His journalistic insights were perfectly in balance with his human instincts, and Liveline under Joe became both a sanctuary for those seeking justice, and a public square of which Joe was in full control.

"Joe Duffy is an icon of broadcasting, and will be hugely missed by his listeners, his colleagues, and all who picked up the phone to the nations hotline. Id like to wish Joe all our best for his retirement and extend my warmest wishes to June and to Joes family. He might be hanging up on the Liveline, but our loss is surely his familys most welcome gain."

Duffy grew up in Ballyfermot, Dublin. He joined RTE as a producer in 1989.

In 1992, he won a Jacobs Award for his reports on The Gay Byrne Show on radio.

He is the author of several books, including two prize winners, Children of the Rising and Children of the Troubles.
Europe must stay united as the US is "counting on" a divided EU in its trade war against the continent, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said while in Brussels meeting with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

It was the first time the Taoiseach had a formal meeting with Ms von der Leyen since being re-elected.

The two discussed the EU-US negotiations on tariffs and the EUs plan to apply tariffs of up to 95bn on US goods if talks fail.

They also discussed Ireland's rotating presidency of the European Council next year, which will involve chairing contentious and highly complex negotiations on the EU's seven-year budget.

"The US is counting on fragmentation within the European Union," Mr Martin told reporters.

The EU doesnt want to be in this position, so we have to work as a union

Mr Martin said Ireland will put forward any concerns Dublin has about US goods being targeted by tariffs, which will considerably impact the Irish economy.

We will be giving feedback on areas of most sensitivity to the Irish economy, he said.

The Government is particularly concerned about the addition of tariffs on whiskey, bourbon, and the potential for a digital services levy if the trade war escalates.

However, he warned having a "painless" response to a tariff war is impossible. He added that all European economies would be impacted if the EU decides it has no option other than respond to US tariffs.

"We were effective on the last occasion, and we will again give recommendations to the commission and give the feedback on some of the impact of the counter measures," Mr Martin said, referencing the successful lobbying by Ireland, Italy, and France, to avoid tariffs on wine and whiskey.

Foreign drug production

However, "nobodys aims are going to be completely met in the context of a trade war", he added.

Ireland is also anxious over pharmaceutical tariffs and is awaiting a US investigation into the impact on American national security over the reliance of foreign drug production.

Mr Martin said he had spent the last six weeks to two months meeting with several pharmaceutical companies, who are eager for the situation to stabilise, for them to make investment decisions in European and the US.

He said talks so far are still at early stages, and "there is still some distance to go before there is clarity around an outcome that will satisfy the EU and US interests".

Meanwhile, the Taoiseach said he put forward Irelands position that Israels war in Gaza has lost its "moral compass".

Earlier in the day, he said that Gaza was hell on Earth.

I pointed out that the 50-day blockade of food is beyond any moral compass in my view

So far, the EU has failed to build any consensus on the war in Gaza.

However, the Dutch foreign minister called for the EU-Israel Association Agreement to be reviewed in response to Israels latest announcement that it is escalating its onslaught in the enclave.

Meanwhile, the Government will proceed with the Occupied Territories Bill banning goods from illegal Israeli settlements and will ensure that it abides by EU trade law.

Weve taken legal advice on the Occupied Territories Bill and were satisfied with our position on that," Mr Martin said.
Ireland could be set for a papal visit in less than five years, an Irish priest who is a friend of newly elected Pope Leo XIV has said.

During his two six-year terms between 2001 and 2013 as prior general of the Augustinians, Robert Francis Prevost visited Ireland on a number of occasions  including a trip to Cork in 2007.

One of his friends since that time, Fr Tony Finn, says that the new Pope  elected on Thursday by a conclave of cardinals in Rome  loved his time in Ireland and he has no doubt he will be back.

He will come to Ireland, said Fr Finn  who is now based in Galway.

I know that he will come to Ireland at the first opportunity. I'd say less [than five years].

I don't know when, but he'll certainly come. He will go to the US, to Africa, and Peru.

Of Pope Leo's visits to Ireland between 2001 and 2013, Fr Finn  who served in Cork City for eight years before going to Rome in 2005 where here got to know the now pontiff  said: He loved Ireland. He loved the people.

On a visit to Cork at Easter 2007, the now pope is pictured on the altar of St Augustin's Church alongside his fellow Augustinians Fr Jerry Horan, Fr Pat Moran, and Fr Michael Brennock to honour Peg Bolton and Marie Finn for their 50 years singing in the choir.

Whether or not he had a flutter on the horses, attended a GAA game, or even set foot inside a pub, let alone drank a pint of Guinness during his time in Cork or elsewhere in Ireland, Fr Tony Finn is not sure nor is he for telling.

'Very open Pope'

However, he did recall a man who was not adverse to doing his own shopping in a local grocery store off the main direct avenue leading up to St Peters Basilica, Via della Conciliazione, in Rome or getting his own coffee in one of the coffee bars surrounding the Vatican City.

Americas first Pope, who he got to know well while they were both based in Rome, he said: I think he will be a very open Pope. Like Pope Francis, I think he'd be very, very missionary in his outlook.

Fr Tony Finn believes Pope Leo XIV will choose to live in the same Vatican guesthouse that Pope Francis lived in, instead of the Apostolic Palace on the Piazza San Pietro. Picture: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters

I think, from what I know of him personally, he is a very kind, humble, and caring person. There's no airs or graces about him. He just gets on with the work.

He was always hard working, even when he was prior general

Fr Finn believes the new Pope will choose to live in the same Vatican guesthouse Pope Francis lived in, instead of the Apostolic Palace on the Piazza San Pietro.

A guest house for clergy visiting the Holy See, it more recently served as the temporary residence for members of the College of Cardinals participating in the papal conclave.

Fr Finn said: I don't think he would want to be living in a bigger place.

At the moment, he's living in a small apartment. There's no reason why he shouldn't go back to St Martha House, where Pope Francis lived.
Talks aimed at easing teachers concerns about proposed incoming changes to the Leaving Cert between the post-primary teacher unions and the education minister have concluded.

Both the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) are to now put Helen McEntees latest proposals on senior cycle reform to a vote of their members.

Both unions had strongly opposed the Leaving Cert reforms, set to begin in September, with teachers raising concerns around the readiness of schools to roll out the changes, along with the introduction of new project work components.

This project work, called additional assessment components (AACs), is to be worth at least 40% of a student's overall grade in a subject.

Many teachers have also raised concerns around the authentication of work completed as part of these components given the rapid advancements in AI technology.

Last month, teaching delegates passed emergency motions at their annual congress calling for their unions to take industrial action if this round of talks failed to deliver an acceptable outcome".

The TUI is recommending that its members accept the negotiated proposals published on Thursday night in an upcoming ballot.

The ASTI has yet to decide which way it will advise its members to vote. The unions leadership and executive committees are due to meet in the coming days to consider the proposals.

On Thursday night, education minister Helen McEntee said: It is now a matter for the ASTI and TUI to consider this package as part of their own processes.

Proceeding with the introduction of new and revised subjects under senior cycle redevelopment in September is in the best interest of students

It will help to reduce the pressure faced by students, while recognising a broader range of skills and ensuring that students have the skills necessary to thrive and succeed in a rapidly changing world.

Working groups

The proposals include the establishment of various working groups to support the implementation of the senior cycle reform programme, including in areas related to AI, and the implementation of this agreement and workload in schools.

It also includes a commitment to early rapid reviews of revised subjects, including their assessment arrangements and emerging trends in student uptake levels, as well as the development of a right to disconnect policy applicable to schools.

According to the TUI, the proposals also include the payment of the 3% pay increase due under the local bargaining provision of the current public service agreement for co-operation with senior cycle.

The proposals on the table also include a rebalancing of the "Croke Park hours" to allow for teacher-led activities related to senior xycle, as well as a shorter qualifying period of one year for teachers to attain permanency.

The accelerated pace of redevelopment has led to significant concerns from TUI members, TUI president David Waters said on Thursday.

The TUI executive committee has assessed the document and is recommending that members accept it, he added.

The union believes that these proposals are the best that that could be achieved through negotiation, and that they have the potential to allay concerns expressed by teachers in terms of both workload and the resources required by schools and teachers to implement senior cycle redevelopment," he said.

In a separate ballot, the union will seek that  in the event of the negotiated document not being accepted  members vote to engage in a campaign of industrial action, up to and including strike action.

Ballot material will be issued to TUI members next week.
A prisoner who suffered a violent death in Cloverhill Prison in Dublin last year had to be identified by fingerprint evidence due to the extent of his injuries, an inquest has heard.

Martin Salinger, aged 43, a horse and carriage driver from Ballyfermot, was found dead in his cell on D1 landing at Cloverhill Prison in Clondalkin on October 5, 2024, following an alleged row.

The deceased, who came originally from The Liberties, had been in the prison for a couple of months after being remanded in custody on drugs and firearms offences after gardai recovered a handgun and 20,000 worth of cannabis from a property in Ballyfermot.

It is understood three prisoners were in the two-man cell at the time of the fatal incident. One of the other occupants of the cell also sustained injuries during the incident and required treatment in the prison infirmary.

Detective Garda James Cunningham of the Garda Technical Bureau told a sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court on Thursday that he attended Cloverhill Prison for the removal of Mr Salinger in a body bag from the cell on the morning of October 5, 2024.

Det. Garda Cunningham said he subsequently attended Dublin City Mortuary in Whitehall where a postmortem examination was carried out during which finger and palm prints were taken from the victims body for identification purposes.

The coroner, Crona Gallagher, said a statement from Forensic Science Ireland confirmed the identity of the body as that of Mr Salinger. Dr Gallagher revealed that the results of the autopsy showed that the deceased had died from blunt force injuries to the head, neck and face.

Criminal case

Inspector Brian Hanley applied for an adjournment of the case under Section 25 (2) of the Coroners Act on the basis that criminal proceedings have already been initiated in relation to Mr Salingers death. Dr Gallagher granted the application and adjourned the case for a date to be fixed after the conclusion of any criminal prosecution in the case.

No member of Mr Salingers family attended the brief hearing but they were aware of the proceedings.

Another prisoner, Liam ONeill, aged 30, of Garrison Mews, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, was charged with the murder of Mr Salinger at a court sitting last December. Mr ONeill was also charged with assault causing harm to another prisoner during the same incident.
Murder accused Richard Satchwell told gardai that he tried to kill himself due to domestic abuse he was subjected to by his wife Tina, and described one occasion where he alleged her hands were black and blue from hitting him.

In a garda interview when he was arrested on suspicion of her murder on October 10, 2023, two days before her remains were recovered, Mr Satchwell maintained to gardai that he had come back to their Youghal home on March 20, 2017 to find she was gone.

He also detailed incidents of domestic abuse which he said happened a few hundred times during their relationship.

Ill repeat again, he told gardai. Its in many statements already. Shed hit me, throw a plate at me, throw a knife at me, bite me. Shed calm down and apologise for doing it. Did I ever hit her back? No.

He said that he would hide in the attic when family were visiting or wouldnt go to work because he couldnt turn up looking the way [he] did after what had happened.

The 58-year-old, with an address at Grattan St in Youghal, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Tina Satchwell (45), nee Dingivan, at their home between 19 March and 20 March 2017.

The court has also heard Richard Satchwell sold his wife Tinas shoes at car boot sales and told people she was very ill and had gone to England for treatment a month after he allegedly murdered her, a court has heard.

Giving evidence on Thursday, mother and daughter Mary and Julie Crowley said they attended car boot sales where Mr Satchwell was selling items in April and May 2017.

He said that theyd moved into a house that no one had lived in for 12 years, Mary Crowley said. He said shed gotten a very serious respiratory illness.

Shed gone to England. The doctor said lucky you came when you did. I mustve said to him, whatll she say when she comes back and youre flogging her stuff. He said she told me to sell them.

Fellow car boot sale seller Sarah Owens also told the court that she sold items next to Mr Satchwell at one of these sales where he was selling mainly womens clothes along with make-up and accessories.

Ms Owens said Mr Satchwell also told her that his wife was ill because their home had mould problems and that she would never be 100% better.

Furthermore, the court also heard evidence that an account connected with Mr Satchwell advertised a chest freezer on DoneDeal that was free to take away, needed a clean and was giving it away because he needed the space just a few weeks after he said he had last seen her.

It is the prosecutions case that Mr Satchwell murdered Tina Satchwell in March 2017 and stored her body in a chest freezer for a few days before burying her remains in a shallow grave inside their home.

Previous evidence

This week, the trial has heard evidence from gardai involved in the investigation prior to his arrest in October 2023.

Supt Ann Marie Twomey has told the court that after she was appointed senior investigating officer in August 2021, she reviewed all the materials and lines of inquiry and formed the view that Tina Satchwell was not a living person and had met her death through unlawful means.

She said she could not say why an invasive search was not conducted of the Satchwell property in Youghal in June 2017 shortly after Tina was last seen, as she couldnt answer on what the beliefs or thought processes were of investigators at the time.

The court has also heard that Mr Satchwell was in contact with what appeared to be scammers claiming they could provide him with two marmoset monkeys called Terry and Thelma. The court has heard substantial amounts of money were sent to the scammers but no monkeys ever materialised.

On the day Mr Satchwell claimed he last saw her on March 20, 2017, the court has heard he contacted the international monkey rescue group to say that he was in a mess right now because my wife has said she is leaving me over this.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of five men and seven women.
Gardai are examining evidence gathered in a major search operation against a significant Romanian crime group involved in organised prostitution.

Detectives intend to build a case on money laundering charges against the leaders and operators of the gang. More than 100 gardai took part in Wednesday's operation which hit addresses in Dublin and the wider Eastern Region.

Armed officers from the elite Emergency Response Unit and the Armed Support Unit were tasked with supporting the searches. The investigation is being led by detectives at Bridewell Garda Station in Dublins north inner city, assisted by a number of regional and national units.

These included the Dublin Crime Response Team and the Garda National Protective Services Bureau, which has a section tasked with combating prostitution gangs. The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau was also involved and will assist in identifying and examining banking and financial accounts and documentation.

A statement issued by Garda HQ said: Over 100 gardai conducted a search operation across Dublin and wider Eastern Region targeting an organised crime group suspected of being involved in organised prostitution and money laundering offences.

The searches were conducted at several businesses and residential addresses in Dublin, Kildare and Meath. Led by detectives from the Serious Crime Unit based at the Bridewell Garda Station in Dublin, this operation was supported by the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT), Garda National Protective Services Bureau, Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, Emergency Response Unit (ERU), Armed Support Unit (ASU), Garda Dog Unit as well as local teams from the Dublin North Central Crime functional areas.

It said the searches were part of a broader effort by An Garda Siochana to target and dismantle organised crime groups benefitting from organised prostitution.

It said two adult males were arrested on foot of court bench warrants, on unrelated matters, and a third adult male was detained in relation to the sale of drugs. Investigations are continuing.

Louth pipe bombs

In a separate operation targeting organised crime, garda ballistic and technical experts are examining a cache of 20 pipe bombs discovered during a drugs search in Co Louth.

The Divisional Drug Unit, based at Drogheda Garda Station, conducted an operation, based on intelligence gathered following the seizure of drugs.

Cannabis valued at around 190,000 was seized in that operation. On Tuesday, detectives from the unit carried out a search and uncovered the haul of pipe bombs, 20 in total.

Officers immediately cordoned off the scene and requested an Army Explosive Ordnance team. The bomb squad arrived and examined the suspect devices and made them safe. The devices were removed from the area for further examination.

Experts from the ballistic section of the Garda Technical Bureau are conducting examinations on the devices. Detectives are examining the purpose behind such a large haul of pipe bombs and if they were for intended use locally or for possible supply to other gangs.
A 63-year-old woman said on Thursday it was beyond evil to be attacked by her husband who poured boiling water over her and struck her head with a claw hammer while she was asleep in her own home.

64-year-old Noel Twomey of 18 Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny, Cork, faced sentencing on Thursday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where Detective Garda Mick Dolan described the background to the extremely violent attack and read the impact statement on behalf of the victim.

The statement read: My name is Jackie Twomey and on the 15th of January 2024 my life changed forever. That night when I was in bed asleep my husband of 40 years came to my bedroom and brutally assaulted me. He had boiling water and a claw hammer with him and attacked me with both.

"It was beyond cruel and evil what he did to me. He poured the boiling water on me and hit me a number of times over the head with the hammer. He didn't seem to care about the damage he was doing to me.

I thought I was going to die, I remember the pain and screaming.

I couldn't believe what was happening. I was in CUH for six days and needed a lot of follow-up care. That was the physical side. The psychological trauma is worse.

"I don't think I will ever be the same person as I was before that night, I fear going to bed and I fear just sleeping. The nightmares return every night, the pain and memories are there all the time but worse at night. Its hard to put in words how my life has changed and the anxiety and terror that have become part of my life. I should have been safe asleep in my own bed.

I have a very supportive family and friends who are 100% behind me. I hope I get peace some day and can be happy but that possibility seems far away. I need that evil man to be gone for good. I want to thank the Gardal, the paramedics, the staff at the CUH and my own doctor.

"I never thought I would be in a courtroom reading a victim impact statement. I never thought my life would change so much or that I would be living with ongoing physical and psychological pain. I could write about what the days were like after the attack trying to recover but its still the fear inside me now that's taking over at night. I do hope I get peace sometime in the future.

Cork Circuit Court heard that Noel Twomey (pictured) made the conscious decision to boil a pot of water and retrieve a claw hammer from the tool box after she had gone to sleep in bed.

Seamus Roche, defence senior counsel, said the accused had written a letter of apology to his wife. He said that he would prefer to have sentencing put back for a psychiatric report because he said the attack was extraordinary and clearly had a psychiatric overlay.

Emmet Boyle, prosecution barrister, said the DPP was of the view that it was at the most serious level necessitating a pre-mitigation sentence of 10 to 15 years because of factors including the premeditation involved, the fact that the victim was asleep and defenceless in her own home and the ferocity of the assaults involving boiling water and a claw hammer.

Judge Dermot Sheehan agreed to adjourn sentencing for the psychiatric report until June 26 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Det. Garda Dolan said the accused man was seen near his home soaked in his wifes blood and carrying a bloodstained hammer at 5am on Monday, January 15, at Bakers Road, Gurranabraher, Cork. Mr Roche suggested that the accused actually flagged down a garda car.

The detective said that after being out socialising with family members the injured party returned home and went to bed. Noel Twomey was at home that night and awake when his wife returned, and he watched her on CCTV as she approached the house.

He made the conscious decision to boil a pot of water and retrieve a claw hammer from the tool box after she had gone to sleep in bed.

When the water was boiling he took the pot and the hammer and paced the flat for some time before entering the bedroom. He proceeded to pour the boiling water on his wife before striking her over the head with the hammer a number of times.

He expressed surprise that she was able to jump up and leave the property.
Its a long way from the disadvantaged enclave of Rialto in Dublins inner city to the rubble and humanitarian devastation of Gaza, but John Whyte has seen both.

Before joining the UNRWA refugee agency, John oversaw the regeneration of Fatima Mansions that is considered a template of how to tackle disadvantage in this country.
IT WOULD take a lot to get a family to leave the likes of Whistler, a contemporary upside down home with wide ocean and beach views, in a property hot-spot like Corks Fountainstown  but, turns out the vendors have something special up their sleeve, known and loved by them for half a century.

Whistler is a house with studio apartment at the back within a stone's skip of the beach

Selling Whistler are the OBrien family, who built it back 25 years ago and home since to a couple and two boys. Only moving up the road, the family has deep local roots  they own both Pine Lodge (now The Lodge) and famed Bunnyconnellans hospitality ventures, in nearby Myrtleville just to the east along the Coast Roadone of Crosshavens increasingly valued Golden Miles.

Whistler's vendors are to move to fantastically-sited Bunnyconnellan's after taking it off the market

Whistler hits the market with a 1.3 million price guide via agent Roy Dennehy, for a high-end and adaptable four-bed, 2,150 sq ft home, including a self-contained apartment to the rear, plus double garage, at the Fountainstown beach end of the Coast Road.

Why are the OBrien clan selling? Well, great and all as Whistler and its seaside setting and vista is, they have a bigger, even more exotic fish to fry, at the famed Bunnyconnellan cliffs-set site less than a mile away, set to be their new home.

Set in one of coastal Corks most iconic settings, overlooking the mouth of Cork harbour and Roches Point above Myrtleville beach, Bunnyconnellan, or Bunnys, has been in generations of the OBrien familys hands for nigh on 50 years; now its about to take another pivot in that propertys long, 200 year history.

Go Whistler

Bunnys was bought in 1976 by Paddy and Sheila OBrien, who had previous bars in Cork city (the Marina) and in London, and they further developed the former bar/small hotel owned by the Porteous family, making it their own family home for a period too.

Hugely loved by Corkonians and visitor alike, for its position as well as tradition, Bunnys closed post-pandemic when the current generation of OBriens had at peak employed 80 between here and The Lodge (eight chefs alone in Bunnys), citing staffing and accommodation difficulties at the time.

The Lodge trades well still today, whilst the c 6,000 sq ft Bunnys on over five acres was put for sale in 2023, guiding 1.9 million. It featured extensively here at the time, gaining both commercial venture offers and residential traction and interest, both as a dramatic one-off private home, or split into several smaller residential sections.

Ground floor bedroom at Whistler

Turns out, the OBriens picked up on one aspect of the sales pitch (from agents at the time Savills, who had strong inquiries on it) and subsequently decided to restore it as an extended family home, splitting into three sections, for themselves and their adult children, noting their sons  in their 20s  would have the same challenges as any other young person in buying homes for themselves.

Whistler is an upside down home, for the views

They have the design services of an architect friend, Klaus Fleisch from Stuttgart and who has local coastal links too to the area, to adapt the former Bunnys, which grew from an initial tiny cottage back in the 1820s, in fits and starts, to what it famously became.

Conversion back to residential use wont need planning permission thanks to legislative changes brought in a few years back to facilitate the repurposing of former pubs and bar to living quarters.

While there will be some public disappointment that a bar wont run here in such a dramatic setting again I think people will be glad it wont be over-developed says one of the couple, accepting the quip that generations now will be living cheek-by-jowl, in something akin to the famous Kennedy Compound on Cap Codalso coincidentally three houses, on c six acres.

In contrast, Whistler is a one-off, in more ways than one, a must-see, a truly rare opportunity indeed to purchase a substantial, detached residence located in one of South Corks most sought after coastal settings, in a private cul de sac say Dennehy Property.

Open plan upstairs

Whistler had three bedrooms (one en suite) and main bathroom at ground floor, and first floor reception hall, and vast open plan kitchen/living/dining with extensive apex glazing (with electric blackout blinds if needed).

Theres then access to a balcony for views over Fountainstown, Ringabella bay, Ringabella beach, headlands and across to Corks outer harbour where yachts sport and tankers berth off-shore, in an ever changing ocean panorama.

Behind, meanwhile on the stepped site is a self-contained one-bed studio apartment.

The Price Register show half a dozen or so 1m+ sales at nearby Crosshaven, where several on the Point Road were bought for this sort of sum, flattened and rebuilt for new, multi-million euro homes with bells and whistles.

The effect and price premiums put on water views and proximity has spilled over the harbour communitys backing hills to Fennells Bay, Myrtleville and Fountainstown and the Coast Road between the latter two beach locations with another raft of 1m+ sales, including the 1.79m paid for the new build called Medjez-El-Bab.

VERDICT: Canadas Whisler is a well-known snowboarding and ski-resort, at Corks Whistler you can water-ski, surf, kayak and sea swim to your hearts content, then walk back up home for a hot shower and apres ski afterwards.
US President Donald Trump said no when asked if he would reduce his 145% tariffs on Chinese goods as a condition for negotiations.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are set to meet their Chinese counterparts this weekend in Switzerland.
North Korea fired several types of short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern sea, adding to a run of military displays that raised tensions in the region.

South Koreas military on Thursday said it was analysing whether the tests were linked to the Norths weapons exports to Russia during its war in Ukraine.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said multiple missiles were launched from the area around the eastern port city of Wonsan from about 8.10am-9.20am local time, with the farthest travelling about 497 miles.

It did not immediately confirm the exact number of missiles it detected.

Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs, said in a briefing that the North Korean launches were possibly intended to test the performance of weapons it plans to export, as the country continues to send military equipment and troops to fuel Russias war-fighting against Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un pose for a photo during a signing ceremony of a new partnership in Pyongyang (Kristina Kormilitsyna, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool via AP)

Mr Lee said the tests likely involved a short-range ballistic missile system launched from vehicles  possibly modelled after Russias Iskander missile  and also large-calibre rocket artillery systems, which experts say blur the line between traditional artillery and ballistic systems due to their self-propulsion and guided flight.

The Joint Chiefs said South Korean and US intelligence authorities detected the launch preparations in advance and tracked the missiles after they were launched.

The countries were sharing the launch information with Japan, the Joint Chiefs said.

It issued a statement denouncing the launches as a clear act of provocation that threatens peace and stability in the region.

It was the Norths first known ballistic activity since March 10, when it fired several ballistic missiles hours after US and South Korean troops began an annual combined military exercise, and the countrys sixth launch event of the year.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated in recent months as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continues to accelerate the development of his nuclear and missile programme and supply weapons and troops to support Russias war against Ukraine.

Thursdays launch came a day after North Korean state media said Mr Kim urged munition workers to boost the production of artillery shells amid his deepening alignment with Moscow.

After denying its war involvement for months, North Korea last month confirmed for the first time that it had sent combat troops to help Russia in recapturing parts of the Kursk region, which had fallen to a surprise Ukrainian incursion last year.

Moscow also acknowledged the North Korean involvement, with Russian President Vladimir Putin issuing a statement thanking the North for sending troops to support his forces and promising not to forget their sacrifices.

Recent South Korean intelligence assessments suggest that North Korea has sent about 15,000 soldiers to Russia, and that nearly 5,000 of them have been killed or injured while fighting against Ukrainian forces.

Washington and Seoul have also accused North Korea of supplying Russia with various types of military equipment, including artillery systems and shells and ballistic missiles.

Analysts say North Koreas official acknowledgement of its military support for Russia is likely aimed at cementing a deeper, long-term partnership with Moscow and securing greater compensation, potentially including advanced military technology that could enhance the threat posed by Kims nuclear-armed forces.

By formalising its role as a participant in the war, North Korea may also be positioning itself to seek compensation in future negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine, according to a recent report by the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank affiliated with South Koreas intelligence agency.
Venezuelas government acknowledged for the first time that members of the countrys opposition had left the Argentine diplomatic compound where they had sheltered for more than a year.

But the government denied that their arrival in the United States occurred under an international rescue operation as characterised by the political faction and the US State Department.

Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello said the groups movements were negotiated with the government and further alleged that one of the six people who entered the Argentine ambassadors residence in March left the compound in August, contradicting earlier statements from the opposition.

Mr Cabellos statements came roughly 24 hours after US secretary of state Marco Rubio announced on social media that the opposition members were on US soil after a successful rescue.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, left, arrives at the Kremlin in Moscow (Maxim Shemetov/Pool via AP)

The government of Argentine President Javier Milei allowed the six people into the ambassadors residence when authorities loyal to Venezuelas ruling party issued warrants for their arrest, accusing them of promoting acts of violence to destabilise the country.

The group included the campaign manager and communications director of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, as well as Fernando Martinez, a cabinet minister in the 1990s.

Mr Martinez abandoned the compound in mid-December and, according to Venezuelan authorities, appeared before prosecutors.

He died in February.

After Mr Rubios announcement on Tuesday, Ms Machado thanked people involved in what she called an impeccable and epic operation for the Freedom of five heroes of Venezuela.

But Mr Cabello alleged that only four people remained at the embassy after Mr Martinezs departure.

Since late November, the group had denounced the constant presence of intelligence service agents and police outside the residence.

It had also accused the government of president Nicolas Maduro of cutting electricity and water services to the compound. The government denied the allegations.

They put on their show, and in the end, they ended up negotiating, Mr Cabello said on Wednesday during his weekly show on state television.

Mr Cabello did not offer details of the groups movements to reach the US.

But he alleged that Ms Machado negotiated with the government to allow her mother to leave the country, which he said she did so on Monday via a commercial airplane headed to Colombias capital, Bogota.

Ms Machado, who was last seen in public in January, did not immediately respond to Mr Cabellos allegations.

Secretary of state Marco Rubio (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)

Mr Maduros government routinely targeted its real or perceived opponents ahead of last years presidential election, and its crackdown on dissent only increased after the countrys National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.

The election results announced by the Electoral Council sparked protests across the country, to which the government responded with force and ended with more than 20 people dead.

They also prompted an end to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina.

As Mr Cabellos TV show aired, Ms Machados campaign manager, Magalli Meda, said on X that her home was being raided and shared timestamped photos showing men dressed in black, some with their faces covered and wearing bulletproof vests, in a living room.

We denounce that at this moment, while Cabello lies about supposed negotiations for our departure, his repressive arm is violating our home in Caracas, she said.

These images were obtained remotely just moments ago.
India has fired attack drones into Pakistan, with one wounding four soldiers, the Pakistani military said, a day after missiles struck several locations and killed more than two dozen people.

Several drones were shot down, officials said.

Hours after the first drone attacks, Indias Defence Ministry said it targeted air defence systems in several locations in Pakistan, but did not say whether it used drones.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have soared since gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir last month.

India accused Pakistan of being behind the assault but Islamabad denies that.

A resident stands next to a house damaged by Pakistani artillery shelling in Indian-controlled Kashmir (Junaid Bhat/AP)

Indian strikes on Wednesday killed 31 civilians, including women and children, according to Pakistani officials.

More people were killed on both sides of the border in heavy exchanges of fire that followed. It was their worst confrontation since 2019, when the rivals came close to war.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to avenge the deaths in the strikes, raising fears that the two countries could be headed towards another all-out conflict.

The relationship between India and Pakistan has been shaped by conflict and mutual suspicion, most notably in their competing claims over the Himalayan region of Kashmir. They have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, which is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety.

India fired several Israeli-made Harop drones at Pakistan overnight and into Thursday afternoon, according to army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif.

Pakistani forces shot down 25, he said. A civilian was killed and another wounded when debris from a downed drone fell in the province of Sindh.

One drone damaged a military site near the city of Lahore and wounded four soldiers, and another fell in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital, according to Lt Gen Sharif.

The armed forces are neutralising them as we speak, he said on the state-run Pakistan Television early Thursday afternoon.

Rubble surrounds a building that was hit by an Indian missile attack, near Bahawalpur, a city in Pakistans Punjab province (Asim Tanveer/AP)

The Harop drone, produced by Israels IAI, is one of several in Indias inventory, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies Military Balance report.

According to IAI, the Harop combines the capabilities of a drone and a missile and can operate at long ranges.

In Lahore, local police official Mohammad Rizwan said a drone was downed near Walton Airport, an airfield in a residential area about 16 miles from the border with India that also contains military installations.

Local media reported that two additional drones were shot down in other cities in the province of Punjab, of which Lahore is the capital.

In Punjabs district of Chakwal, a drone crashed into farmland. Authorities have secured the wreckage and are investigating the drones origin and purpose.

With tensions high, India evacuated thousands of people from villages near the two countries highly militarised frontier in Kashmir. Tens of thousands of people slept in shelters overnight, officials and residents said.

About 2,000 villagers also fled their homes in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

Flights remained suspended at more than two dozen airports across northern and western regions in India, according to travel advisories by multiple airlines. Pakistan has suspended flights at four of its airports  Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot  according to the Civil Aviation Authority.

Indias Foreign Ministry said that 13 civilians were killed and 59 wounded the previous day during exchanges of fire across the de facto border. An Indian soldier was also killed by shelling on Wednesday, according to the Indian army.

Pakistani officials said six people have been killed near the highly militarised frontier in exchanges of fire over the past day.
Denmark has said it will summon the top US diplomat in the country for an explanation following a Wall Street Journal report about the United States stepping up intelligence gathering on Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory coveted by President Donald Trump.

Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told broadcaster DR outside a meeting with colleagues in Poland that Denmark would summon the US charge daffaires to seek a rebuttal or other explanation following the report.

The Journal, citing two people familiar with the US effort that it did not identify, reported that several high-ranking officials under the US director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had directed intelligence agency heads to learn more about Greenlands independence movement and sentiment about US resource extraction there.

The US embassy did not immediately respond to emails from the Associated Press on Thursday seeking comment on whether the US diplomat in Copenhagen, Jennifer Hall Godfrey, had received a summons.

We are looking at this with quite a lot of seriousness

The Danish Foreign Ministry, in an email, did not comment beyond referring to Mr Rasmussens remarks.

Mr Rasmussen, who has previously scolded the Trump administration over its criticism of Nato ally Denmark and Greenland, said the information in the report was very worrying and we dont spy between friends.

We are looking at this with quite a lot of seriousness, he added.

Greenlands prime minister said last month that US statements about the mineral-rich Arctic island have been disrespectful and it will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said Washington will respect Greenlands self-determination and alleged that Greenlanders dont want to be a part of Denmark.
Russia and Ukraine have both reported attacks on their forces on the first day of a 72-hour ceasefire called by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It came as Ukraines parliament unanimously approved a landmark minerals deal with the US.

The ratification is a key step in setting the deal in motion. It would allow Washington access to Ukraines largely untapped minerals, deepen strategic ties and create a joint investment fund with the US for the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Parliament approved the agreement with 338 members voting in favour, Ukrainian politician Yaroslav Zheleznyak wrote on his Telegram account. No politician voted against it or abstained.

We will not let Putin fool anyone when he does not even keep his own word

This document is not merely a legal construct, it is the foundation of a new model of interaction with a key strategic partner, Ukrainian economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on X.

Russian bombs, meanwhile, struck north-east Ukraine in the opening hours of the ceasefire, killing at least one civilian, Ukrainian officials said.

Artillery assaults took place across the 620-mile front line, although with less intensity than in the previous 24 hours, officials said.

The ceasefire coincides with Russias biggest secular holiday, the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany. Kyiv has pressed for a longer-term ceasefire.

On Thursday Mr Putin welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Kremlin.

Mr Xi, who Mr Putin earlier described as our main guest at Fridays Victory Day festivities, arrived in Russia on Wednesday for a four-day visit.

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of violating its own ceasefire 734 times between midnight and midday on Thursday. He called the ceasefire a farce on social media platform X.

A rescue worker puts out a fire at a building which was heavily damaged by a Russian strike in Sumy, Ukraine (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

He said Russia carried out 63 assault operations along the front line, 23 of which were still ongoing as of midday.

Ukraine responds appropriately and is actively sharing information about the attacks with the US, the European Union and others.

We will not let Putin fool anyone when he does not even keep his own word, Mr Sybiha said.

Russian attacks also took place near Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region on Thursday morning, a press officer for Ukraines 24th Mechanised Brigade, Oleh Petrasiuk, told the Associated Press.

One person died and two were wounded when Russian forces dropped guided air bombs on residential areas near the border in the north-east region of Sumy, the regional prosecutors office said.

Large-scale missile and drone attacks, which have been a near-daily occurrence in Ukraine in recent weeks, were not recorded since 8.30pm on Wednesday, Ukraines air force said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously cast doubt on the ceasefire, calling it manipulation as US-led peace efforts stalled.

A rescue worker searches residential buildings destroyed by a Russian strike in Sumy, Ukraine (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

For some reason, everyone is supposed to wait until May 8 before ceasing fire  just to provide Putin with silence for his parade, Mr Zelenskyy said.

In March, the United States proposed a 30-day truce in the war, which Ukraine accepted, but the Kremlin has held out for ceasefire terms more to its liking.

Russias Defence Ministry meanwhile accused Ukrainian forces of attacking its positions and said its forces would continue to mirror Ukraines actions during the Kremlins ceasefire.

The regions of Belgorod, Lipetsk, Orenburg, Ryazan and Tambov came under a drone threat alert overnight, but there were no reports of any drones being shot down or intercepted.

Russias civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, also briefly imposed restrictions on flights to and from the airport in Nizhny Novgorod.

In welcoming Mr Xi, Mr Putin said that the brotherhood of arms between our peoples, which developed during the harsh war years, is one of the fundamental foundations of modern Russian-Chinese relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic co-operation.

He added that Moscow and Beijing were developing ties for the benefit of the peoples of both countries and not against anyone.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Chinas Xi Jinping shake hands during a welcoming ceremony before their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow (Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool via AP)

Mr Xi, in turn, said that history and reality have fully proved that the continuous development and deepening of China-Russia relations is a necessity for the friendship between the two peoples from generation to generation.

He also called for safeguarding international fairness and justice.

Mr Putin and Mr Xi have met more than 40 times and developed strong personal ties that bolstered the countries strategic partnership as both face tensions with the West.

China has offered robust diplomatic support to Moscow after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and has emerged as a top market for Russian oil and gas, helping fill the Kremlins war coffers.

Russia has relied on China as the main source of machinery and electronics to keep its military machine running after western sanctions curtailed high-tech supplies.
Bill Gates has said he will donate 99% of his remaining tech fortune to the Gates Foundation, which will now close in 2045, earlier than previously planned.

Today, that would be worth an estimated 107 billion dollars (80.6 billion).

The pledge is among the largest philanthropic gifts ever, outpacing the historic contributions of industrialists such as John D Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie when adjusted for inflation.

Only Berkshire Hathaway investor Warren Buffetts pledge to donate his fortune  currently estimated by Forbes at 160 billion dollars (120.6 billion)  may be larger depending on stock market fluctuations.

Its kind of thrilling to have that much to be able to put into these causes

Mr Gates donation will be delivered over time and allow the foundation to spend an additional 200 billion dollars (150.8 billion) over the next 20 years.

The foundation already has an endowment of 77 billion dollars (58 billion) built from donations from Mr Gates, his former wife Melinda French Gates and Mr Buffett.

Its kind of thrilling to have that much to be able to put into these causes, Mr Gates said in an interview with The Associated Press.

His announcement on Thursday signals both a promise of sustained support to those causes, particularly global health and education in the US, and an eventual end to the foundations immense worldwide influence.

Mr Gates says spending down his fortune will help save and improve many lives now, which will have positive ripple effects well beyond the foundations closure. It also makes it more likely that his intentions are honoured.

I think 20 years is the right balance between giving as much as we can to make progress on these things and giving people a lot of notice that now this money will be gone, the co-founder of Microsoft said.

The pledge is a welcome bit of boldness, at a time when optimism is in short supply said, Rhodri Davies, a philanthropy expert and author of the publication, Public Good By Private Means.

This announcement seems like yet more evidence that norms in foundation philanthropy might be shifting away from a default of operating in perpetuity, he said.

The Gates Foundation has long been peerless among foundations, attracting supporters and detractors but also numerous unfounded conspiracy theories.

In addition to the 100 billion dollars it has spent since its founding 25 years ago, it has directed scientific research, helped develop new technologies, and nurtured long-term partnerships with countries and companies.

About 41% of the foundations money so far has come from Mr Buffett and the rest from the fortune Mr Gates made at Microsoft.

Started by Mr Gates and Ms French Gates in 2000, the foundation plays a significant role in shaping global health policy and has carved out a special niche by partnering with companies to drive down the cost of medical treatments so low and middle-income countries could afford them.

The foundation work has been way more impactful than I expected, Mr Gates said, calling it his second and final career.

The foundations influence on global health  from the World Health Organisation to research agendas  is both a measure of its success and a magnet for criticism. For years, researchers have asked why a wealthy family should have so much sway over how the world improves peoples health and responds to crises.

Mr Gates said, like any private citizen, he can choose how to spend the money he earns and has decided to do everything he can to reduce childhood deaths.

Is that a bad thing? Its not an important cause? People can criticise it, he said, but the foundation will stick to its global health work.
Thursday, May 8th, 2025 (12:21 pm) - Score 1,200

Ofcom has today published its Spring 2025 update on UK fixed broadband and mobile coverage, which reveals that full fibre (FTTP) lines now reach 74% of homes (up from 69% in July 2024), while 86% are within reach of a gigabit network (up from 83%) and 62-85% of premises can get an outdoor 5G signal (up from 61-79%).

The regulators latest report is based on coverage and service availability information that has been received from both fixed line ISPs and mobile network operators as of January 2025, which is several months more recent than the July 2024 data used in their last update.

Overall, the UKs coverage of fixed superfast broadband (30Mbps+) remains unchanged at 98%, while 23.68 million premises (74% of homes) can now order a Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) service via various networks (up from 69%). Meanwhile, gigabit-capable broadband (1Gbps+) services are now available to 86% of UK homes or 27.24 million premises (up from 83%).

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The above figure for gigabit coverage is higher than the FTTP figure because a lot of recent gigabit connectivity has also flowed from Virgin Medias upgrade to their existing Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) network via DOCSIS 3.1 technology  theres a lot of overbuild between HFC and FTTP in dense urban areas. Ofcom also splits their premises (inc. business) and homes figures on fixed lines, which can be a bit confusing (gigabit cover is 84% if you look at all premises).

All of this work will help to support the UK Governments 5bn Project Gigabit programme, which aims to further improve the picture for gigabit speed connectivity by using state aid to target connectivity improvements toward the final 10-20% of hardest to reach premises (i.e. helping to extend gigabit coverage nationwide or c.99% by 2030).

However, the number of premises that cannot get a decent broadband (10Mbps+) service  when you include delivery via wireless connections (i.e. 4G, 5G and fixed wireless access)  is currently 48,000 (0.1% of the UK), which is down from 58,000 at the last update. The download speed of 10Mbps (1Mbps upload) also represents the core specification for the UKs Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband.

As for mobile networks, 4G has seen geographic coverage across all network operators (EE, Three UK, O2 and Vodafone) rise slightly to 88-90% (up from 88-89%). The new 1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN) agreement should be starting to improve this, but its a very slow burn. As for 5G, some 62-85% of UK premises can now get outdoor coverage (up from 61-79%), which falls to just 22-44% when looking at outdoor coverage by all operators combined (up from 19-38%). Suffice to say, theres still plenty of work to do.

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Spring 2025 Coverage Data by Region



The following table summarises the latest mobile and fixed broadband coverage figures for Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland individually, although you can get a bit more detail by checking the full Spring 2025 Update.

UK Fixed Broadband Coverage (Residential)

Access to full fibre Sep-23 Jan-24 Jul-24 Jan-25 UK 57% 62% 69% 74% England 56% 62% 69% 75% Northern Ireland 91% 92% 93% 94% Scotland 53% 58% 62% 67% Wales 55% 61% 68% 74%

Take-up of full-fibre services as a percentage of premises with access to full fibre May-23 Jul-24 Jan-25 UK 28% 35% 38% England 27% 33% 37% Northern Ireland 39% 53% 58% Scotland 28% 35% 39% Wales 31% 39% 44%

Access to a gigabit-capable service Sep-23 Jan-24 Jul-24 Jan-25 UK 78% 80% 83% 86% England 78% 81% 84% 86% Northern Ireland 92% 94% 94% 95% Scotland 72% 75% 77% 79% Wales 64% 69% 74% 78%

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Access to a superfast fixed line service (at least 30 Mbit/s download speed) Sep-23 Jan-24 Jul-24 Jan-25 UK 97% 97% 98% 98% England 98% 98% 98% 98% Northern Ireland 98% 98% 98% 99% Scotland 95% 96% 96% 96% Wales 96% 96% 96% 97%

Access to a fixed line service with at least 10 Mbit/s download speed Sep-23 Jan-24 Jul-24 Jan-25 UK 99% 99% 99% 99% England 99% 99% 99% 99% Northern Ireland 99% 99% 99% 99% Scotland 98% 98% 98% 98% Wales 98% 98% 98% 98%

UK Mobile Network Coverage (4G)

Geographic area  coverage range across MNOs Sep-23 Jan-24 Sep-24 Jan-25 UK 80-87% 81-88% 88-89% 88-90% England 92-95% 92-95% 94-96% 94-96% Northern Ireland 88-92% 89-92% 89-95% 89-96% Scotland 59-76% 60-78% 77-80% 78-80% Wales 73-85% 74-87% 83-89% 84-90%

UK Mobile Network Coverage (5G)
By Wesley Morgan, UNSW Sydney and Ben Newell, UNSW Sydney

An emphatic election victory for the incumbent Labor government means Australias rapid shift to renewable energy will continue. As Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said on Saturday:

In 2022, the Australian people voted to finally act on climate change. After three years of progress [] in 2025 they said keep going.

The election result also means the debate about energy policy is now, in broad terms, over. Australias energy future is wind and solar, backed by storage.

Coal and gas will have a fast-declining role to play and nuclear energy will have none at all. Australia is set to be a renewables nation. There is no turning back now.

Cementing renewables investment

By continuing to build renewables capacity, the returned Labor government can position Australia on the world stage as a genuine leader on clean energy.

The Albanese government has set a national target of more than 80% of the main national electricity grid running on renewables by 2030. With such a large majority in parliament, Labor may well be in government at that time.

Australia already has the worlds highest per-capita solar uptake, with about 300,000 solar systems installed each year. One in three Australian homes now has rooftop solar.

Labor is complementing this boom with a new home battery discount scheme, which aims to have more than one million batteries installed by 2030. This will help stabilise the grid by reducing demand at peak times.

But more investment in renewables is needed. The policy certainty of a returned Labor government should help to attract international capital. This is important, because more than 70% of investment in renewables in Australia comes from offshore.

Securing climate consensus

Labors win also means it can finally bed down a national consensus on climate policy.

A recent survey on Australian attitudes to climate action suggested community views can shift if people see action is taken by governments and big business.

This does not mean community opposition to renewable energy will evaporate  especially in regional Australia. The federal government must work with industry players and other levels of government to ensure proper public consultation. The new Net Zero Economy Authority will play an important role in ensuring the regions and their workers benefit from the energy transition.

For its part, the Coalition needs to do some soul-searching. Australian voters returned a number of climate-friendly independents in key seats. The Coalition also failed to win support from younger Australians, who typically view renewables favourably.

All this suggests continued opposition to renewables is unlikely to help the Coalition form government anytime soon. Whats more, continuing to promote nuclear power  which some in the Coalition are pushing for  makes little sense in an increasingly renewables-dominated grid.

Doubling down on international climate cooperation

Labors plans to rapidly expand renewable energy strengthen Australias credentials to host the COP31 UN climate talks with Pacific island countries next year.

Australias bid has strong support from other nations. Turkey  the only other nation with its hand up to host  has so far resisted pressure from Australia to withdraw its bid. In support of their own bid, Turkish representatives pointed to uncertainty in Australia ahead of the May election  however that uncertainty has now passed.

Adelaide will host the talks if Australias bid succeeds. This will be a chance to share our world-beating renewables story  including in South Australia, which is set to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2027.

Australia could also use the talks in South Australia to promote new export industries that use renewable energy, especially plans to produce green iron and green steel at Whyalla.

Hosting rights could attract investment in Australias renewables rollout and help promote exports of critical minerals and green metals. And it would enable Australia to cement its place in the Pacific during a time of increased geo-strategic competition, by promoting a renewables partnership for the whole region.

Australia must move fast and secure the COP31 bid at climate talks in Germany next month. Any delay risks a less ambitious summit next year, because building consensus for new initiatives takes time.

Seizing our economic opportunities

As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said during his victory speech on Saturday, renewable energy is an opportunity we must work together to seize for the future of our economy.

Australia is the worlds largest exporter of raw iron ore and metallurgical coal, both used extensively in offshore steelmaking.

But Australia can create jobs and reduce emissions by refining iron ore in Australia using renewables and green hydrogen.



Image by Sebastian Ganso from Pixabay

The potential export value of green iron is estimated at A$295 billion a year, or three times the current value of iron ore exports. More broadly, our clean energy exports  including green metals, fertilisers and fuels  could be worth six to eight times more than our fossil fuel exports, analysis suggests.

A key challenge for the returned government is assuring markets such as Japan that Australia is a long-term strategic partner, even while redirecting trade and investment away from coal and gas exports and toward long-term clean energy industries.

Embracing Australias future

Australians have delivered a strong mandate for climate action. The returned Labor government must ensure this support is not squandered, and voter trust is not lost.

This means seizing the opportunity, once and for all, to shift Australia from our past as a fossil fuel heavyweight to our future as a renewables superpower.

Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney and Ben Newell, Professor of Cognitive Psychology and Director of the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Killing civilians wholesale, starving them to convince those unaffected to change course, and shepherding whole populations like livestock into conditions of further misery would all qualify as heinous crimes in international law. When it comes to Israels war in Gaza, this approach is seen as necessary politics, unalloyed by the restraints of humanitarianism. When confronted with these harsh realities on the ground, unequivocal denials follow: This is not happening in Gaza; no one is starving. And if that were the case, blame those misguided savages in Hamas.

As the conflict chugs along in pools of blood and bountiful gore, the confused shape of Israels intentions continues in all its glorious nebulousness. Pretend moderation clouds murderous desire. There is no sense that those unfortunate Israeli hostages captured by Hamas in its assault on October 7, 2023 matter anymore, being merely decorative for the imminent slaughter. There is even less sense that Hamas will be cleansed and removed from the strip, however attractive this idea continues to be.

Such evident limits have not discouraged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet, who have decided that more force, that old province of the unimaginative, is the answer. According to the PM, the cabinet had agreed on a forceful operation to eliminate Hamas and salvage what is left of the hostage situation.

A spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces, Brigadier-General Effie Defrin, has explained on Israeli radio that the offensive will apparently ensure the return of the hostages. What follows will be the collapse of the Hamas regime, its defeat, its submission. Anywhere up to two million Palestinian civilians in Gaza will be herded into the ruins of the south. Humanitarian aid will be arranged by the Israeli forces, to be possibly distributed through approved contractors.

The IDF chief of staff, Lt. General Eyal Zamier, confirmed that the approved plan will involve the capture of the Strip and holding the territories, moving the Gazan population south for its defence, denying Hamas and the ability to distribute humanitarian supplies, and powerful attacks against Hamas.

Within the Israeli cabinet, ethnocentric and religious fires burn with bright fanaticism. The Israeli Finance Finister Bezalel Smotrich remains a figure who ignores floral subtlety in favour of the blood-stained sledgehammer. He remains that coherent link between cruel lawmaking and baffling violence. Within a few months, he boasts, we will be able to declare that we have won. Gaza will be totally destroyed. With pompous certitude, he also claimed that the next six months would see Hamas cease to exist.

Such opinions, expressed at the Settlements Conference organised by the Makor Rishon newspaper in Ofra, a West Bank settlement, gives a sense of the flavour. Palestinians are to be concentrated on land located between the Egyptian border and the arbitrarily designated Morag Corridor. As with any potential abuser keen to violate his vulnerable charges while justifying it, Smotrich tried to impress with the idea that this was a humanitarian zone that would be free of Hamas and terrorism.



Gaza 33, Digital, Midjourney, 2025

The program here is clear in its chilling crudeness. Expulsion, relocation, transfer. These are the words famously used to move on populations of sizeable number in history, often at enormous cost. That this should involve lawmakers of the Jewish state adds a stunning, if perverse poignancy to this. They, the moved on in history, the expelled and the condemned wanderers, shall expel others and condemn them in turn. Smotrich also points the finger to desperation and hopelessness, the biting incentives that propel migration. The Palestinians will feel blessed in their banishment. They will be totally despairing, understanding that there is no hope and nothing to look for in Gaza, and will be looking for relocation to begin a new life in other places.

Impossible to ignore in Smotrichs steaming bile against the Palestinians is the broader view that no Palestinian state can arise, necessitating urgent, preventative poisoning. In addition to the eventual depopulation of Gaza, plans to reconstitute the contours of the West Bank, ensuring that Israeli and Palestinian traffic are separated to enable building and construction for settlements as a prelude to annexation, are to be implemented.

The issue of twisting and mangling humanitarian aid in favour of Israels territorial lust has raised some tart commentary. A statement from the Humanitarian Country Team of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, a forum led by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), does not shy away from the realities on the ground. All supplies, including those vital to survival, have been blocked for nine weeks. Bakeries and community kitchens have closed, while warehouses are empty. Hunger, notably among children, is rampant. Israels plan, as presented, will mean that large parts of Gaza, including the less mobile and most vulnerable people, will continue to go without supplies.

The UN Secretary General and the Emergency Relief Coordinator have confirmed that they will not cooperate in the scheme, seeing that it does not adhere to the global humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.

The same point has been made by the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Despite all being solid allies of Israel, they have warned that violations of international law are taking place. Humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool and a Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change.

To date, a promise lingers that the offensive will only commence once US President Donald Trumps visit to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar takes place. But no ongoing savaging of Gaza with some crude effort at occupation will solve the historical vortex that continues to drag the Jewish state risk and oblivion.

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.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Jaguar Mining Inc. ("Jaguar" or the "Company") (TSX:JAG) (OTCQX:JAGGF) today filed its first quarter results, the highlights of which are included in this news release. The interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 and accompanying management's discussion and analysis can be accessed by visiting the Company's website at https://jaguarmining.com or its profile page on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. All figures are in US Dollars, unless otherwise expressed.

First Quarter 2025 Highlights

Financial and operating results for the first quarter are from the Company's Pilar mine which is currently its sole operating mine compared to the first quarter of 2024, when the Company had two operating mines, Pilar and Turmalina. The Turmalina mine remains temporarily suspended following a slump of material at the dry-stack facility that occurred at the MTL complex on December 7, 2024.

Gold production for the quarter from the Pilar mine was 9,924 ounces compared to 16,177 ounces produced from both the Pilar and Turmalina mines in the first quarter of 2024, reflecting a 54% reduction in ore tonnes processed partly offset by a 32% increase in the average head grade.

Gold sold for the quarter from the Pilar mine was 9,544 ounces at cash operating costs of $1,105 per ounce of gold sold and all-in sustaining costs of $1,726 per ounce of gold sold. The realized gold price was $2,845 per ounce in the quarter.

Revenue for the quarter from the Pilar mine was $27.3 million compared to $32.6 million in revenue reported in the first quarter of 2024, which included ounces produced and sold from both the Pilar and Turmalina mines. Despite the reduction in ounces sold, lower revenue was partly offset by higher realized gold prices year-over-year.

Operating costs for the quarter were $10.5 million compared to $18.3 million reported in the first quarter of 2024. Lower operating costs in the current quarter mainly reflect the ongoing suspension of operations at the Turmalina mine.

Net loss for the quarter was $1.6 million (net loss of $0.02 per share) compared to net income of $2.8 million ($0.04 per share) reported for the first quarter of 2024. Adjusted net income, excluding the impact of $5.8 million in expenses recorded due to incident at the MTL complex, was $4.1 million ($0.05 per share) for the quarter.

Free cash flow for the quarter, which is a non-GAAP measure defined below, was an outflow of $(3.2) million compared to an inflow of $3.2 million in the first quarter of 2024. Free cash flow was an outflow of $(339) per ounce of gold sold in the quarter compared to an inflow of $207 per ounce of gold sold in the first quarter of 2024. Free cash flow is calculated based on operating cash flow plus asset retirement obligation expenditures, less sustaining capital expenditures.

Cash position

As of March 31, 2025, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $40.3 million, compared to a balance of $46.4 million at December 31, 2024. Cash and cash equivalents decreased by approximately $6.1 million, mainly reflecting payments made in the first quarter which included $3.1 million relating to environmental and community provisions from to the incident at the MTL complex, and the repayment of $1.7 million of Notes Payable.

Vern Baker, President and CEO of Jaguar, stated: "The first quarter of 2025 was a transitional period, as we navigated our first full quarter of operating with just one mine, while our Turmalina mine remains temporarily suspended. Despite operating with a single asset, our team demonstrated resilience and discipline, delivering a solid performance from the Pilar mine and maintaining a healthy balance sheet. The strong gold price helped offset lower production volumes, and our adjusted earnings underscores the underlying strength of our business. At the Pilar mine, we accelerated both development and diamond drilling beyond our original plan, and we continue to expect production at the mine to gradually increase over the course of the year.

Our strong cash position provides us with the flexibility to navigate near-term challenges as we advance efforts toward a safe and responsible restart at the Turmalina mine. While we do not have a specific restart date, discussions with the governmental agencies are progressing well.

During the quarter, we started rehabilitation work at the Santa Isabel mine which is part of our Paciencia complex. We expect to produce a few ounces from test mining in the third quarter, with ore processed at our Caete plant. Should results prove positive, the Santa Isabel mine could potentially become a source of ongoing production.

Although this year we continue to face some headwinds, we are managing with focus and discipline and remain confident in the strong growth potential that lies ahead."

1 This is a Non-GAAP financial performance measure with no standard definition under IFRS. For more details, refer to the Non-GAAP Performance Measures section of the Company's MD&A.

First Quarter 2025 Results

($ thousands, except where indicated) Three months ended March 31 2025 2024 Financial Data Revenue $ 27,289 $ 32,577 Operating costs 10,549 18,315 Depreciation 2,776 7,161 Gross profit 13,964 7,101 Net (loss) income (1,611 ) 2,827 Per share ("EPS") (0.02 ) 0.04 Adjusted Net income 1,3 4,143 2,827 Adjusted EPS 1,3 0.05 0.04 EBITDA 3,060 12,016 Adjusted EBITDA 1,2 14,683 11,322 Cash operating costs (per ounce sold) 1 1,105 1,167 All-in sustaining costs (per ounce sold)1 1,726 1,608 Average realized gold price (per ounce)1 2,845 2,076 Cash generated from operating activities (259 ) 8,109 Free cash flow1 (3,231 ) 3,246 Free cash flow (per ounce sold)1 (339 ) 207 Sustaining capital expenditures1 3,262 5,102 Non-sustaining capital expenditures1 933 2,876 Total capital expenditures 4,195 7,978 1 Average realized gold price, sustaining and non-sustaining capital expenditures, cash operating costs and all-in sustaining costs, free cash flow, EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted EPS are non-GAAP financial performance measures with no standard definition under IFRS. Refer to the Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures section of the MD&A. 2 Adjusted EBITDA excludes non-cash items such as impairment, foreign exchange, stock-based compensation, fair value adjustments and write downs. For more details refer to the Non-GAAP Performance Measures section of the MD&A. 3 Q1 2025 Adjusted Net Income excludes the impact of $5.8 million of expenses related to the Satinoco incident.

Three months ended March 31 2025 2024 Operating Data Gold produced (ounces) 9,924 16,177 Gold sold (ounces) 9,544 15,692 Primary development (metres) 438 929 Exploration development (metres) - 478 Secondary development (metres) 854 1,082 Definition, infill, and exploration drilling (metres) 5,439 6,843

Non-GAAP performance measures

The Company has included the following Non-GAAP performance measures in this document: cash operating costs per ounce of gold sold, all-in sustaining costs per ounce of gold sold, average realized gold price (per ounce of gold sold), sustaining capital expenditures, non-sustaining capital expenditures, adjusted operating cash flow, free cash flow, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), adjusted EBITDA and working capital. These Non-GAAP performance measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and, therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies.

The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Company's performance. Accordingly, they are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. More specifically, Management believes that these figures are a useful indicator to investors and management of a mine's performance as they provide: (i) a measure of the mine's cash margin per ounce, by comparison of the cash operating costs per ounce to the price of gold; (ii) the trend in costs as the mine matures; and (iii) an internal benchmark of performance to allow for comparison against other mines. The definitions of these performance measures and reconciliation of the Non-GAAP measures to reported IFRS measures are outlined below.

Reconciliation of Sustaining Capital and Non-Sustaining Capital expenditures

($ thousands) Three months ended March 31 2025 2024 Sustaining capital1 Primary development $ 1,688 $ 3,719 Brownfield exploration 231 327 Mine-site sustaining 1,160 949 Other sustaining capital2 183 107 Total sustaining capital1 3,262 5,102 Non-sustaining capital (including capital projects)1 Mine-site non-sustaining 457 2,637 Asset retirement obligation - non-sustaining2 290 239 Other non-sustaining capital1 186 - Total non-sustaining capital1 933 2,876 Total capital expenditures $ 4,195 $ 7,978 1 Sustaining and non-sustaining capital are non-GAAP financial measures with no standard definition under IFRS. Refer to the non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures section of the MD&A. Capital expenditures are included in the calculation of all-in sustaining costs and all-in costs. 2 Asset retirement obligation - non-sustaining is related to expenditures with dam closing projects. Payments related to the Company asset retirement obligation are classified as operating activities in accordance with IFRS financial measures.

Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow1

($ thousands, except where indicated) Three months ended March 31 2025 2024 Cash generated from operating activities $ (259 ) $ 8,109 Adjustments Asset Retirement Obligation 290 239 Sustaining capital expenditures2 (3,262 ) (5,102 ) Free cash flow $ (3,231 ) $ 3,246 Ounces of gold sold 9,544 15,692 Free cash flow per ounce sold $ (339 ) $ 207 1 This is a non-GAAP financial performance measure with no standard definition under IFRS. 2 Further detail on the sustaining capital expenditures composition can be found on the reconciliation of sustaining capital and non-sustaining capital expenditures in the non-GAAP reconciliation.

Reconciliation of Cash Operating Costs, All-In Sustaining Costs and All-In Costs per Ounce Sold1

($ thousands, except where indicated) Three months ended March 31 2025 2024 Operating costs $ 10,549 $ 18,315 General & administration expenses 2,501 1,799 Corporate stock-based compensation 3 9 Sustaining capital expenditures?? 3,262 5,102 All-in sustaining cash costs 16,315 25,225 Reclamation (operating sites) 160 9 All-in sustaining costs $ 16,475 $ 25,234 Non-sustaining capital expenditures 933 2,876 Exploration and evaluation costs (greenfield) 395 582 Reclamation (non-operating sites) 461 255 Care and maintenance (non-operating sites) 224 190 All-in costs $ 18,488 $ 29,137 Ounces of gold sold 9,544 15,692 Cash operating costs per ounce sold2 $ 1,105 $ 1,167 All-in sustaining costs per ounce sold2 $ 1,726 $ 1,608 All-in costs per ounce sold2 $ 1,937 $ 1,857 Average realized gold price $ 2,845 $ 2,076 Cash operating margin per ounce sold $ 1,740 $ 909 All-in sustaining margin per ounce sold $ 1,119 $ 468 1 Capital expenditures are included in our calculation of all-in sustaining costs and all-in costs. 2 Cash operating costs, all-in sustaining costs and all-in costs are all non-GAAP financial performance measures with no standard definition under IFRS. Results may not calculate due to rounding.

Reconciliation of Net Income to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA1

($ thousands, except where indicated) Three months ended March 31 2025 2024 Net Loss (income) $ (1,611 ) $ 2,827 Income tax expense 594 1,249 Finance costs 1,266 745 Depreciation and amortization 2,811 7,195 EBITDA1 $ 3,060 $ 12,016 Changes in other provisions and VAT taxes 406 508 Satinoco event 5,754 - Foreign exchange loss (gain) 5,890 (1,211 ) Stock-based compensation 3 9 Financial instruments (gain) (430 ) - Adjusted EBITDA1 $ 14,683 $ 11,322 1 This is a non-GAAP financial performance measure with no standard definition under IFRS.

Working Capital1

March 31 December 31 ($ thousands) 2025 2024 Cash and cash equivalents $ 40,342 $ 46,357 Non-cash working capital Other current assets: Short term investment 1,871 1,438 Restricted cash 916 923 Inventory 15,977 15,343 Recoverable taxes 4,350 3,933 Other accounts receivable 334 328 Prepaid expenses and advances 2,120 2,226 Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (12,464 ) (15,803 ) Notes payable (1,377 ) (3,044 ) Lease liabilities (1,384 ) (1,363 ) Current tax liability (443 ) (1,422 ) Other taxes payable (321 ) (487 ) Reclamation provisions (8,676 ) (8,585 ) Legal and other provisions (24,976 ) (26,174 ) Working capital1 $ 16,269 $ 13,670 1 This is a non-GAAP financial performance measure with no standard definition under IFRS.

Qualified Person

Scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Eric Duarte, Geo, MBA, FAusIMM, Vice President Business Development, who is also an employee of Jaguar Mining Inc. and is a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

The Iron Quadrangle

The Iron Quadrangle has been an area of mineral exploration dating back to the 16th century. The discovery in 1699-1701 of gold contaminated with iron and platinum-group metals in the southeastern corner of the Iron Quadrangle gave rise to the name of the town Ouro Preto (Black Gold). The Iron Quadrangle contains world-class multi-million-ounce gold deposits such as Morro Velho, Cuiaba, and Sao Bento. Jaguar holds the second largest gold land position in the Iron Quadrangle with over 42,000 hectares.

About Jaguar Mining Inc.

Jaguar Mining Inc. is a Canadian-listed junior gold mining, development, and exploration company operating in Brazil with three gold mining complexes and a large land package with significant upside exploration potential from mineral claims. The Company's principal operating assets are located in the Iron Quadrangle, a prolific greenstone belt in the state of Minas Gerais and include the MTL Mining Complex (Turmalina mine and plant) and Caete Mining Complex (Pilar and Roca Grande mines, and Caete plant). The Roca Grande mine has been on temporary care and maintenance since April 2019. The Company also owns the Paciencia Mining Complex (Santa Isabel mine and plant), which had been on care and maintenance since 2012 and is planned to restart in 2025. Additional information is available on the Company's website at www.jaguarmining.com.

For further information please contact:

Vernon Baker

Chief Executive Officer

Jaguar Mining Inc.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

416-847-1854

Alfred Colas

Chief Financial Officer

Jaguar Mining Inc.

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416-847-1848

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. All of the forward-looking information made in this news release is qualified by the cautionary statements below and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators in Canada. Forward-looking information contained in forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "are expected," "is forecast," "is targeted," "approximately," "plans," "anticipates," "projects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "believe" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might," or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, may be considered to be or include forward-looking information. This news release contains forward-looking information regarding, among other things, the duration of the temporary suspension of the Company's MTL complex in the wake of the slump at its Satinoco dry tailings pile , the cost of resuming operations at the MTL complex, the future stability of the tailings pile in question and safety of the Turmalina mine, the amount, timing and payment terms of any future fines imposed on the Company, as well as any costs and damages arising from any civil or criminal lawsuits, resulting from the tailings pile slump, management's expectations regarding the Company's response to the tailings pile slump and the Company's recovery and remediation efforts at the MTL complex, any information and statements related to expected growth, sales, production statistics, ore grades, tonnes milled, recovery rates, cash operating costs, definition/delineation drilling, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of projects and new deposits, success of exploration, development and mining activities, currency fluctuations, capital requirements, project studies, mine life extensions, restarting suspended or disrupted operations, continuous improvement initiatives, and resolution of pending litigation. The Company has made numerous assumptions with respect to forward-looking information contained herein, including, among other things, assumptions about the future and long-term stability of the Satinoco tailings pile; there will be no unforeseen adverse weather events or other external factors that could delay the Company's recovery or remediation efforts; the current assumptions regarding the extent of the damage and timeline for repairs at the MTL complex remain accurate and will not require significant revision as further assessments are completed; estimated timeline for the development of the Company's mineral properties; the supply and demand for, and the level and volatility of the price of, gold; the accuracy of reserve and resource estimates and the assumptions on which the reserve and resource estimates are based; the receipt of necessary permits; market competition; ongoing relations with employees and impacted communities; political and legal developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations including, without limitation, the impact of any potential power rationing, tailings facility regulation, exploration and mine operating licenses and permits being obtained and renewed and/or there being adverse amendments to mining or other laws in Brazil and any changes to general business and economic conditions. Forward-looking information involves a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including among others: the risk of Jaguar not meeting the forecast plans regarding its operations and financial performance; uncertainties with respect to the price of gold, labour disruptions, mechanical failures, increase in costs, environmental compliance and change in environmental legislation and regulation, weather delays and increased costs or production delays due to natural disasters, power disruptions, procurement and delivery of parts and supplies to the operations; uncertainties inherent to capital markets in general (including the sometimes volatile valuation of securities and an uncertain ability to raise new capital) and other risks inherent to the gold exploration, development and production industry, which, if incorrect, may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described herein. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of gold exploration, development, mining and production, including environmental hazards, tailings dam failures, industrial accidents and workplace safety problems, unusual or unexpected geological formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding, chemical spills, procurement fraud and gold bullion thefts and losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or the inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks). Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking information made in this news release, see the Company's most recent Annual Information Form and Management's Discussion and Analysis, as well as other public disclosure documents that can be accessed under the issuer profile of "Jaguar Mining Inc." on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. The forward-looking information set forth herein reflects the Company's reasonable expectations as at the date of this news release and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
Results in line with expectations and tracking well to full-year guidance

(All amounts expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated)

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 7, 2025) - Torex Gold Resources Inc. (the "Company" or "Torex") (TSX: TXG) reports the Company's financial and operational results for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Torex will host a conference call tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM (ET) to discuss the results.

Jody Kuzenko, President & CEO of Torex, stated: "The first quarter was marked with significant milestones for Torex. We completed the tie-ins at the processing plant not only on time but, more importantly, safely. We also delivered first concentrate production, with regular shipments commencing in April. Earlier this week, we proudly declared commercial production at Media Luna, marking the conclusion of the project phase and the beginning of our transition back to positive free cash flow1 generation.

"Production levels for the quarter were in line with our expectations given the four-week shutdown at the processing plant. Production is expected to pick up during the second quarter through the early stages of ramp up and increase further through the back half of the year, with annual guidance being maintained. All-in sustaining costs1 for Q1 were much better than originally anticipated as initial sales from Media Luna did not commence until early April. As a result, the higher cost ore associated with the commissioning phase of the Media Luna mine will now be recognized in Q2, aligning with initial sales from Media Luna.

"As is typical of our cash flow seasonality, the first quarter was the highest for tax and royalty payments for the year. These payments, coupled with the final capital spend on Media Luna and limited production, necessitated the net $130 million draw on our credit facility per our plan. As we hit our projected free cash flow inflection point mid-year with completion of Media Luna Project spending, we expect to repay the modest amount of debt drawn quickly, particularly as production ramps up under a backdrop of record gold prices.

"With our highest cash outflow and lowest production quarter of the year now behind us, our focus is set on further unlocking value for our shareholders through returning to positive free cash flow, executing our exploration program across the entire Morelos Property, implementing a formal return of capital policy, delivering on full-year guidance for the seventh consecutive year, and ramping up Media Luna to the designed mining rate by mid-2026."

FIRST QUARTER 2025 HIGHLIGHTS

Safety performance: The Company recorded one lost-time injury during the quarter when a contractor suffered an ankle fracture. As at March 31, 2025, the lost-time injury frequency ("LTIF") for the Morelos Complex was 0.59 per million hours worked for both employees and contractors on a rolling 12-month basis. During the quarter, the internal investigation into the fatal carbon monoxide exposure that occurred in December 2024 was concluded and follow up action items are being tracked to completion. In addition, the Company has embarked on a comprehensive 'Next Level Safety' program with a view to ensuring that the operations resumes and maintains its prior fatality free status.

Gold payable production: On a gold equivalent ounce ("oz AuEq") basis, payable production for the quarter was 59,630 oz AuEq 2 , including 58,330 oz Au. Production in the quarter was as expected and driven by the planned four-week tie-in period at the processing plant in connection with the Media Luna Project. The Company is on track to achieve annual payable production guidance of 400,000 to 450,000 oz AuEq 2 .

Gold sold: The Company sold 60,568 oz AuEq 2 at a record quarterly average realized gold price 1 of $2,793 per oz, contributing to revenue of $170.0 million, which was lower than the quarterly average as sales of metal produced from the new circuits as part of the Media Luna Project commenced in April.

All-in sustaining costs 1 : All-in sustaining costs of $1,405 per oz AuEq sold 2 relative to guidance of $1,400 to $1,600 per oz AuEq sold 2 . All-in sustaining costs margin 1 of $1,388 per oz AuEq sold, implying an all-in sustaining costs margin 1 of 50%. Cost of sales was $94.1 million or $1,554 per oz AuEq sold in the quarter.

Net income and adjusted net earnings 1 : Reported net income of $39.0 million or earnings of $0.45 per share on both a basic and dilutive basis. Adjusted net earnings of $35.9 million or $0.42 per share on a basic basis and $0.41 per share on a diluted basis.

EBITDA 1 and adjusted EBITDA 1 : Generated EBITDA of $88.1 million and adjusted EBITDA of $91.8 million.

Cash flow generation: Net cash used in operating activities totalled $9.9 million and $17.7 million before changes in non-cash operating working capital. Net cash used in operating activities (including changes in non-cash operating working capital) of $9.9 million including income taxes paid of $101.6 million, reflecting the annual payment of mining taxes and annual true-up of corporate income taxes, and payment of the 0.5% royalty in respect of 2024 of $4.7 million. Negative free cash flow 1 of $133.3 million is net of cash outlays for capital expenditures, lease payments, and interest, including borrowing costs capitalized. Negative free cash flow was a result of the lower sales volumes due to the four-week tie-in period at the processing plant and capital expenditures of $123.5 million in the first quarter of 2025.

Financial liquidity: The quarter closed with $197.6 million in available liquidity 1 , including $106.5 million in cash and $91.1 million available on the $300.0 million credit facilities, net of borrowings of $195.0 million and letters of credit outstanding of $13.9 million.

Media Luna Project: In late March, the tie-in period was completed at the processing plant and the Company achieved first production of copper concentrate, marking the substantial completion of the Media Luna Project. Effective April 26, 2025, Media Luna reached the production stage, and commercial production was declared. During the quarter, $55.5 million was invested in the project and as of March 31, 2025, physical progress on the Project was approximately 98%.

Exploration and Drilling Activities: In February, the Company announced results from the ongoing drilling program at Media Luna West and results from initial drill testing at Media Luna East 3 . The advanced exploration drilling program at Media Luna West has defined a mineralized footprint of 600 metres ("m") by 400 m with multiple high-grade intercepts. The intercepts indicate the exploration upside to the west of the defined resource boundaries of Media Luna and EPO. Initial drill testing at Media Luna East returned strong results, with multiple high-grade intercepts, many with copper ("Cu") grades in excess of 2%. Drilling at both targets is part of the Company's exploration strategy, which is focused, in part, on unlocking the resource potential of the Morelos Complex in order to enhance and extend the production profile.

Year-end Mineral Reserves & Resources4: At EPO, an inaugural Probable Reserve of 781 koz AuEq was declared in September 2024 and an updated reserve estimate for EPO is currently being undertaken as part of the internal feasibility study. Due to drilling undertaken in 2024 north of the EPO deposit, Inferred Resources at EPO increased 32% to 954 koz AuEq from 721 koz AuEq. At ELG Underground, drilling was successful at replacing depletion with Proven and Probable Reserves increasing 1% to 662 koz AuEq during the year, supporting a reserve life through early 2029, which assumes an average mining rate of 2,800 tpd through 2026 and approximately 2,000 tpd thereafter. At Media Luna, updated mineral reserves and mineral resources primarily reflect results of definition drilling as well as modest refinements to some stope shapes. With the completion of the Media Luna Project, step-out and infill drilling at Media Luna is set to resume in 2025, with the goal of expanding and upgrading mineral resources as well as replacing mineral reserves. The positive results from the 2024 drilling program solidifies annual payable production of at least 450,000 koz AuEq through 2030 and a reserve life out to at least 2035. With approximately 125,000 m of drilling planned in 2025, almost double the metres drilled in 2024, the Company is focused on enhancing the base case production profile beyond 2030, extending the reserve life of the underground deposits, and further showcasing the underlying potential of the broader Morelos Property by testing several regional targets.

1. These measures are non-GAAP financial measures ("Non-GAAP Measures") which are not standardized financial measures under IFRS, the framework used to prepare the financial statements of the Company and might not be comparable to similar financial measures used by other companies. For a detailed reconciliation of each Non-GAAP Measure to its most directly comparable measure in accordance with the IFRS, see Tables 2 to 11 of this press release. For additional information on these Non-GAAP Measures, please refer to the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2025, dated May 7, 2025, which is incorporated by reference into this news release. The MD&A and the Company's unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements and related notes for the three months ended March 31, 2025, are available on Torex's website (www.torexgold.com) and under the Company's SEDAR+ profile (www.sedarplus.ca).

2. Gold equivalent ounces produced and sold include production of silver and copper converted to a gold equivalent based on a ratio of the average market prices for each commodity sold in the period. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, market prices averaged $2,860/oz gold, $31.88/oz silver, and $4.24/lb copper. Guidance for 2025 assumed metal prices of $2,500/oz gold, $28/oz silver, and $4.30/lb copper.

3. For more information on Media Luna drilling results, see the Company's news release titled "Torex Gold Reports Excellent Drill Results from Media Luna West and Initial Results from Media Luna East" issued on February 24, 2025, and filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.torexgold.com.

4. Mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates for the Morelos Complex can be found in tables 12 and 13, respectively, of this press release. AuEq values account for underlying metal prices and metallurgical recoveries used in reserve and resource estimates. For additional information on the mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates for the Morelos Complex, please see the Company's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2024, or the Company's news release titled "Torex Gold Reports Year-end 2024 Reserves & Resources" issued on March 19, 2025, and filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.torexgold.com.

CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST DETAILS

The Company will host a conference call tomorrow at 9:00 AM (ET) where senior management will discuss the first quarter operating and financial results. For expedited access to the conference call, registration is open to obtain an access code in advance, which will allow participants to join the call directly at the scheduled time. Alternatively, dial-in details are as follows:

Toronto local or International: 1-647-846-8914

Toll-Free (North America): 1-833-752-3842

A live webcast and replay of the conference call will be available on the Company's website at https://torexgold.com/investors/upcoming-events/. The webcast will be archived on the Company's website.

Table 1: Operating and Financial Highlights

Three Months Ended Mar 31, Dec 31, Mar 31, In millions of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted 2025 2024 2024 Safety Lost-time injury frequency1 /million hours 0.59 0.61 0.15 Total recordable injury frequency1 /million hours 1.52 1.48 0.97 Operating Results - Gold Equivalent basis Gold equivalent payable produced2 oz AuEq 59,630 105,132 117,054 Gold equivalent sold2 oz AuEq 60,568 110,419 114,106 Total cash costs2,3 $/oz AuEq 1,020 932 944 Total cash costs margin2,3 $/oz AuEq 1,773 1,555 1,079 All-in sustaining costs2,3 $/oz AuEq 1,405 1,112 1,222 All-in sustaining costs margin2,3 $/oz AuEq 1,388 1,375 801 Average realized gold price2,3 $/oz 2,793 2,487 2,023 Financial Results Revenue $ 170.0 295.0 236.5 Cost of sales $ 94.1 153.5 157.4 Earnings from mine operations $ 75.9 141.5 79.1 Net income $ 39.0 60.4 43.1 Per share - Basic $/share 0.45 0.70 0.50 Per share - Diluted $/share 0.45 0.69 0.50 Adjusted net earnings3 $ 35.9 70.6 35.9 Per share - Basic3 $/share 0.42 0.82 0.42 Per share - Diluted3 $/share 0.41 0.81 0.42 EBITDA3 $ 88.1 162.8 98.0 Adjusted EBITDA3 $ 91.8 154.3 113.2 Cost of sales - gold equivalent basis $/oz AuEq 1,554 1,390 1,378 Net cash (used in) generated from operating activities $ (9.9 ) 122.8 79.8 Net cash (used in) generated from operating activities before changes in non-cash operating working capital $ (17.7 ) 136.3 72.5 Free cash flow3 $ (133.3 ) (7.7 ) (59.4 ) Cash and cash equivalents $ 106.5 110.2 113.2 Debt, net of deferred finance charges $ 193.1 62.9 - Lease-related obligations $ 86.5 78.3 44.0 Net (debt) cash3 $ (175.0 ) (33.1 ) 69.2 Available liquidity3 $ 197.6 331.5 405.3

1. On a 12-month rolling basis, per million hours worked.

2. Gold equivalent ounces produced and sold include production of silver and copper converted to a gold equivalent based on a ratio of the average market prices for each commodity sold in the period. Refer to the "Gold Equivalent Reporting" section of the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2025, dated May 7, 2025 for the relevant average market prices by commodity, available on Torex's website (www.torexgold.com) and under the Company's SEDAR+ profile (www.sedarplus.ca).

3. Total cash costs, total cash costs margin, all-in sustaining costs, all-in sustaining costs margin, average realized gold price, adjusted net earnings, adjusted net earnings per share, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow, net (debt) cash and available liquidity are non-GAAP financial measures with no standardized meaning under IFRS and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. For a detailed reconciliation of each Non-GAAP Measure to its most directly comparable measure in accordance with the IFRS as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board see Tables 2 to 11 of this press release. For additional information on these Non-GAAP Measures, please refer to the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2025, dated May 7, 2025. The MD&A and the Company's the Company's unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements and related notes for the three months ended March 31, 2025, are available on Torex's website (www.torexgold.com) and under the Company's SEDAR+ profile (www.sedarplus.ca)

Table 2: Reconciliation of Total Cash Costs and All-in Sustaining Costs to Production Costs and Royalties

Three Months Ended Mar 31, Dec 31, Mar 31, In millions of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted 2025 2024 2024 Gold sold oz 59,756 108,647 111,642 Total cash costs per oz sold Production costs1 $ 56.2 94.7 100.8 Royalties $ 6.0 8.2 6.9 Less: Silver sales $ (1.1 ) (1.8 ) (1.5 ) Less: Copper sales $ (1.2 ) (3.1 ) (3.7 ) Less: Realized gain on foreign currency contracts $ (0.4 ) - - Total cash costs $ 59.5 98.0 102.5 Total cash costs per oz sold $/oz 996 902 918 All-in sustaining costs per oz sold Total cash costs $ 59.5 98.0 102.5 General and administrative costs2 $ 8.7 7.3 8.0 Reclamation and remediation costs $ 1.0 1.0 1.3 Sustaining capital expenditure $ 13.6 11.6 22.4 Total all-in sustaining costs $ 82.8 117.9 134.2 Total all-in sustaining costs per oz sold $/oz 1,386 1,085 1,202 Gold equivalent sold3 oz AuEq 60,568 110,419 114,106 Total cash costs per oz AuEq sold Production costs1 $ 56.2 94.7 100.8 Royalties $ 6.0 8.2 6.9 Less: Realized gain on foreign currency contracts $ (0.4 ) - - Total cash costs $ 61.8 102.9 107.7 Total cash costs per oz AuEq sold3 $/oz AuEq 1,020 932 944 All-in sustaining costs per oz AuEq sold Total cash costs $ 61.8 102.9 107.7 General and administrative costs2 $ 8.7 7.3 8.0 Reclamation and remediation costs $ 1.0 1.0 1.3 Sustaining capital expenditure $ 13.6 11.6 22.4 Total all-in sustaining costs $ 85.1 122.8 139.4 Total all-in sustaining costs per oz AuEq sold3 $/oz AuEq 1,405 1,112 1,222

1. This amount excludes temporary suspension costs of $nil, $3.1 million and $nil for the three months ended March 31, 2025, December 31, 2024, and March 31, 2024, respectively.

2. This amount excludes a loss of $7.6 million, loss of $6.8 million and loss of $4.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, December 31, 2024, and March 31, 2024, respectively, in relation to the remeasurement of share-based payments. This amount also excludes corporate depreciation and amortization expenses totalling $0.1 million, $0.2 million and $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, December 31, 2024, and March 31, 2024, respectively, within general and administrative costs. Included in general and administrative costs is share-based compensation expense in the amount of $2.3 million or $38/oz ($38/oz AuEq) for the three months ended March 31, 2025, $1.6 million or $15/oz ($14/oz AuEq) for the three months ended December 31, 2024, $2.3 million or $21/oz ($20/oz AuEq) for the three months ended March 31, 2024. This amount excludes other expenses totalling $nil, $1.4 million and $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, December 31, 2024, and March 31, 2024, respectively.

3. Gold equivalent ounces produced and sold include production of silver and copper converted to a gold equivalent based on a ratio of the average market prices for each commodity sold in the period. Refer to the "Gold Equivalent Reporting" section of the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2025, dated May 7, 2025 for the relevant average market prices by commodity, available on Torex's website (www.torexgold.com) and under the Company's SEDAR+ profile (www.sedarplus.ca).

Table 3: Reconciliation of Sustaining and Non-Sustaining Capital Expenditures to Additions to Property, Plant and Equipment

Three Months Ended Mar 31, Dec 31, Mar 31, In millions of U.S. dollars 2025 2024 2024 Sustaining $ 13.6 11.6 21.6 Capitalized Stripping (Sustaining) $ - - 0.8 Total Sustaining $ 13.6 11.6 22.4 Non-sustaining Media Luna Project1 $ 55.5 100.5 126.4 EPO Project $ 4.0 0.6 - Media Luna Cluster Drilling and Other $ 0.2 2.4 1.3 Working Capital Changes and Other $ 50.2 12.7 (24.0 ) Capital expenditures2 $ 123.5 127.8 126.1

1. This amount includes a realized gain (or an increase in the capitalized expenditures) of $nil, loss of $0.1 million and gain of $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, December 31, 2024, and March 31, 2024, respectively, in relation to the settlement of foreign exchange zero cost collars that were entered into to manage the capital expenditure risk related to a further strengthening of the Mexican peso.

2. The amount of cash expended on additions to property, plant and equipment in the period as reported in the Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Cash Flows.

Table 4: Reconciliation of Average Realized Gold Price and Total Cash Costs Margin to Revenue

Three Months Ended Mar 31, Dec 31, Mar 31, In millions of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted 2025 2024 2024 Gold sold oz 59,756 108,647 111,642 Revenue $ 170.0 295.0 236.5 Less: Silver sales $ (1.1 ) (1.8 ) (1.5 ) Less: Copper sales $ (1.2 ) (3.1 ) (3.7 ) Less: Realized loss on gold contracts $ (0.8 ) (19.9 ) (5.4 ) Total proceeds $ 166.9 270.2 225.9 Average realized gold price $/oz 2,793 2,487 2,023 Less: Total cash costs $/oz 996 902 918 Total cash costs margin $/oz 1,797 1,585 1,105 Total cash costs margin % 64 64 55 Gold equivalent sold1 oz AuEq 60,568 110,419 114,106 Revenue $ 170.0 295.0 236.5 Less: Realized loss on gold contracts $ (0.8 ) (19.9 ) (5.4 ) Total proceeds $ 169.2 275.1 231.1 Average realized gold price $/oz 2,793 2,487 2,023 Less: Total cash costs1 $/oz AuEq 1,020 932 944 Total cash costs margin1 $/oz AuEq 1,773 1,555 1,079 Total cash costs margin % 63 63 53

1. Gold equivalent ounces produced and sold include production of silver and copper converted to a gold equivalent based on a ratio of the average market prices for each commodity sold in the period. Refer to the "Gold Equivalent Reporting" section of the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2025, dated May 7, 2025 for the relevant average market prices by commodity, available on Torex's website (www.torexgold.com) and under the Company's SEDAR+ profile (www.sedarplus.ca).

Table 5: Reconciliation of All-in Sustaining Costs Margin to Revenue

Three Months Ended Mar 31, Dec 31, Mar 31, In millions of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted 2025 2024 2024 Gold sold oz 59,756 108,647 111,642 Revenue $ 170.0 295.0 236.5 Less: Silver sales $ (1.1 ) (1.8 ) (1.5 ) Less: Copper sales $ (1.2 ) (3.1 ) (3.7 ) Less: Realized loss on gold contracts $ (0.8 ) (19.9 ) (5.4 ) Less: All-in sustaining costs $ (82.8 ) (117.9 ) (134.2 ) All-in sustaining costs margin $ 84.1 152.3 91.7 Average realized gold price $/oz 2,793 2,487 2,023 Total all-in sustaining costs margin $/oz 1,407 1,402 821 Total all-in sustaining costs margin % 50 56 41 Gold equivalent sold1 oz AuEq 60,568 110,419 114,106 Revenue $ 170.0 295.0 236.5 Less: Realized loss on gold contracts $ (0.8 ) (19.9 ) (5.4 ) Less: All-in sustaining costs $ (85.1 ) (122.8 ) (139.4 ) All-in sustaining costs margin $ 84.1 152.3 91.7 Average realized gold price $/oz 2,793 2,487 2,023 Total all-in sustaining costs margin1 $/oz AuEq 1,388 1,375 801 Total all-in sustaining costs margin % 50 55 40

1. Gold equivalent ounces produced and sold include production of silver and copper converted to a gold equivalent based on a ratio of the average market prices for each commodity sold in the period. Refer to the "Gold Equivalent Reporting" section of the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2025, dated May 7, 2025 for the relevant average market prices by commodity, available on Torex's website (www.torexgold.com) and under the Company's SEDAR+ profile (www.sedarplus.ca).



Table 6: Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Earnings to Net Income

Three Months Ended In millions of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted Mar 31, Dec 31, Mar 31, 2025 2024 2024 Basic weighted average shares outstanding shares 86,125,855 85,988,115 85,949,559 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding shares 87,326,899 87,414,063 86,499,360 Net income $ 39.0 60.4 43.1 Adjustments: Temporary suspension costs $ - 3.1 - Unrealized foreign exchange gain $ (0.7 ) (2.0 ) (0.6 ) Unrealized (gain) loss on derivative contracts $ (3.2 ) (16.4 ) 11.6 Loss on remeasurement of share-based payments $ 7.6 6.8 4.2 Derecognition of provisions for uncertain tax positions $ (9.2 ) - (12.1 ) Tax effect of above adjustments $ 1.2 4.6 (3.3 ) Tax effect of currency translation on tax base $ 1.2 14.1 (7.0 ) Adjusted net earnings $ 35.9 70.6 35.9 Per share - Basic $/share 0.42 0.82 0.42 Per share - Diluted $/share 0.41 0.81 0.42

Table 7: Reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income

Three Months Ended Mar 31, Dec 31, Mar 31, In millions of U.S. dollars 2025 2024 2024 Net income $ 39.0 60.4 43.1 Finance costs (income), net $ 2.6 (0.3) (1.7) Depreciation and amortization1 $ 32.0 47.7 49.8 Current income tax expense $ 6.0 42.9 26.2 Deferred income tax expense (recovery) $ 8.5 12.1 (19.4) EBITDA $ 88.1 162.8 98.0 Adjustments: Temporary suspension costs $ - 3.1 - Unrealized (gain) loss on derivative contracts $ (3.2) (16.4) 11.6 Unrealized foreign exchange gain $ (0.7) (2.0) (0.6) Loss on remeasurement of share-based payments $ 7.6 6.8 4.2 Adjusted EBITDA $ 91.8 154.3 113.2

1. Includes depreciation and amortization included in cost of sales, general and administrative expenses and exploration and evaluation expenses.





Table 8: Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow to Net Cash Generated from Operating Activities

Three Months Ended Mar 31, Dec 31, Mar 31, In millions of U.S. dollars 2025 2024 2024 Net cash (used in) generated from operating activities $ (9.9 ) 122.8 79.8 Less: Additions to property, plant and equipment1 $ (123.5 ) (127.8 ) (126.1 ) Value-added tax receivables, net $ 7.6 3.1 (10.3 ) Lease payments $ (3.4 ) (2.9 ) (1.4 ) Interest and other borrowing costs paid2 $ (4.1 ) (2.9 ) (1.4 ) Free cash flow $ (133.3 ) (7.7 ) (59.4 )

1. The amount of cash expended on additions to property, plant and equipment in the period as reported on the Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Cash Flows.

2. Including borrowing costs capitalized to property, plant and equipment.





Table 9: Reconciliation of Net (Debt) Cash to Cash and Cash Equivalents

Mar 31, Dec 31, Mar 31, In millions of U.S. dollars 2025 2024 2024 Cash and cash equivalents $ 106.5 110.2 113.2 Less: Debt $ (193.1) (62.9 ) - Lease-related obligations $ (86.5 ) (78.3 ) (44.0 ) Deferred finance charges $ (1.9 ) (2.1 ) - Net (debt) cash $ (175.0 ) (33.1 ) 69.2

Table 10: Reconciliation of Available Liquidity to Cash and Cash Equivalents

Mar 31, Dec 31, Mar 31, In millions of U.S. dollars 2025 2024 2024 Cash and cash equivalents $ 106.5 110.2 113.2 Add: Available credit of the Debt Facility $ 91.1 221.3 292.1 Available liquidity $ 197.6 331.5 405.3

Table 11: Reconciliation of Unit Cost Measures to Production Costs

Three Months Ended In millions of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted Mar 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Mar 31, 2024 Gold sold (oz AuEq) 60,568 110,419 114,106 Gold sold (oz) 59,756 108,647 111,642 Tonnes mined - ELG open pit (kt) 672 2,400 8,981 Tonnes mined - ELG underground (kt) 187 207 168 Tonnes processed (kt) 705 1,094 1,194 Total cash costs: Total cash costs ($) - gold equivalent basis 61.8 102.9 107.7 Total cash costs per oz AuEq sold ($) 1,020 932 944 Total cash costs ($) - gold only basis 59.5 98.0 102.5 Total cash costs per oz sold ($) 996 902 918 Breakdown of production costs $ $/t $ $/t $ $/t Mining - open pit 6.0 8.87 14.1 5.85 31.6 3.52 Mining - underground 15.0 80.45 12.4 60.07 13.8 82.34 Processing 25.2 35.72 42.9 39.21 42.5 35.64 Site support 8.1 11.53 16.0 14.60 14.3 12.00 Mexican profit sharing (PTU) 2.1 2.98 4.7 4.30 3.0 2.50 Capitalized stripping - - (0.8 ) Inventory movement (1.5 ) 6.6 (4.3 ) Other 1.3 1.1 0.7 Production costs 56.2 97.8 100.8

Table 12: Mineral Reserve Estimate - Morelos Complex (December 31, 2024)(2*)

Tonnes Au Ag Cu Au Ag Cu AuEq AuEq (kt) (gpt) (gpt) (%) (koz) (koz) (Mlb) (gpt) (koz) Media Luna Underground Proven 2,834 3.14 31.0 1.01 286 2,826 63 5.18 471 Probable 21,347 2.42 24.7 0.86 1,661 16,962 404 4.14 2,840 Proven & Probable 24,180 2.50 25.5 0.88 1,946 19,788 467 4.26 3,311 ELG Underground Proven 1,441 4.89 8.0 0.26 226 372 8 5.41 251 Probable 2,578 4.47 7.9 0.24 370 657 14 4.96 411 Proven & Probable 4,019 4.62 8.0 0.25 597 1,029 22 5.12 662 EPO Underground Proven - - - - - - - - - Probable 5,029 2.27 29.8 1.29 367 4,820 143 4.83 781 Proven & Probable 5,029 2.27 29.8 1.29 367 4,820 143 4.83 781 ELG Open Pit Proven 62 2.78 8.3 0.14 6 16 0 2.86 6 Probable 883 2.53 12.6 0.37 72 357 7 2.68 76 Proven & Probable 945 2.55 12.3 0.36 77 373 7 2.69 82 Surface Stockpiles Proven 6,235 1.19 4.2 0.12 239 842 16 1.30 261 Probable - - - - - - - - - Proven & Probable 6,235 1.19 4.2 0.12 239 842 16 1.30 261 Total Morelos Complex Proven 10,571 2.23 11.9 0.37 756 4,056 87 2.91 988 Probable 29,836 2.57 23.8 0.86 2,470 22,796 568 4.28 4,108 Proven & Probable 40,408 2.48 20.7 0.74 3,226 26,851 656 3.92 5,096

Notes to accompany the mineral reserve table:

1. Mineral reserves were developed in accordance with CIM (2014) guidelines.

2. Mineral reserves are founded on Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, with an effective date of December 31, 2024 (unless otherwise noted).

3. Rounding may result in apparent summation differences between tonnes, grade, and contained metal content. Surface Stockpile mineral reserves are estimated using production and survey data and apply the gold equivalent ("AuEq") formula for the intended processing method.

4. AuEq of Total Morelos Complex is established from combined contributions of the various deposits.

5. The qualified person for the mineral reserve estimate is Johannes (Gertjan) Bekkers, P. Eng., VP of Mines Technical Services.

6. The qualified person is not aware of mining, metallurgical, infrastructure, permitting, or other factors that materially affect the mineral reserve estimates.

Notes to accompany the Media Luna Underground mineral reserves:

1. Media Luna Underground mineral reserves are reported above an in-situ ore cut-off grade of 2.4 g/t AuEq.

2. Media Luna Underground cut-off grades and mining shapes are considered appropriate for a metal price of $1,500/oz gold ("Au"), $19/oz silver ("Ag") and $3.50/lb copper ("Cu") and metal recoveries of 90% Au, 86% Ag, and 93% Cu.

3. Mineral reserves within designed mine shapes assume long-hole open stoping, supplemented with mechanized cut-and-fill mining and includes estimates for dilution and mining losses.

4. Media Luna Underground (including Media Luna surface stockpiles) AuEq = Au (g/t) + Ag (g/t) * (0.0121) + Cu (%) * (1.6533), accounting for metal prices and metallurgical recoveries.

Notes to accompany the ELG Underground mineral reserves:

1. El Limon Underground mineral reserves are reported above an in-situ ore cut-off grade of 2.8 g/t AuEq and an in-situ incremental cut-off grade of 1.6 g/t AuEq.

2. Cut-off grades and mining shapes are considered appropriate for a metal price of $1,500/oz Au, $19/oz Ag, and $3.50/lb Cu and metal recoveries of 90% Au, 86% Ag, and 93% Cu, accounting for the planned copper concentrator.

3. Mineral reserves within designed mine shapes assume mechanized cut and fill supplemented with long hole mining method and include estimates for dilution and mining losses.

4. ELG Underground AuEq = Au (g/t) + Ag (g/t) * (0.0121) + Cu (%) * (1.6533), accounting for metal prices and metallurgical recoveries.

Notes to accompany the EPO Underground mineral reserves:

1. Mineral reserves for EPO Underground have an effective date of June 30, 2024.

2. *Mineral reserves are based on EPO Underground Indicated Mineral Resources with an effective date of December 31, 2023.

3. EPO Underground mineral reserves are reported above an in-situ ore cut-off grade of 2.5 gpt AuEq.

4. EPO Underground cut-off grade and mining shapes are considered appropriate for a metal price of $1,500/oz Au, $19/oz Ag, and $3.50/lb Cu and metal recoveries of 87% Au, 85% Ag, and 92% Cu.

5. Mineral reserves within designed mine shapes assume long-hole open stoping and include estimates for dilution and mining losses.

6. EPO Underground AuEq = Au (gpt) + Ag (gpt) * (0.0124) + Cu (%) * (1.6920), accounting for metal prices and metallurgical recoveries.

Notes to accompany the ELG Open Pit mineral reserves and Surface Stockpiles:

1. ELG Open Pit mineral reserves are reported above an in-situ cut-off grade of 1.2 g/t Au and including low grade mineral reserves are reported above an in-situ cut-off grade of 0.88 g/t Au.

2. It is planned that ELG low grade mineral reserves within the designed pit will be stockpiled during pit operation and processed during pit closure.

3. Mineral reserves within the designed pit include assumed estimates for dilution and ore losses.

4. Cut-off grades and designed pits are considered appropriate for a metal price of $1,500/oz Au and metal recovery of 89% Au.

5. Mineral reserves are reported using an Au price of $1,500/oz, Ag price of $19/oz, and Cu price of $3.50/lb.

6. Average metallurgical recoveries of 89% for Au, 30% for Ag, and 15% for Cu.

7. ELG Open Pit (including open pit surface stockpiles) AuEq = Au (g/t) + Ag (g/t) * (0.0043) + Cu (%) * (0.2697), accounting for metal prices and metallurgical recoveries.

Table 13: Mineral Resource Estimate - Morelos Complex (December 31, 2024)

Tonnes Au Ag Cu Au Ag Cu AuEq AuEq (kt) (gpt) (gpt) (%) (koz) (koz) (Mlb) (gpt) (koz) Media Luna Underground Measured 2,994 3.95 40.0 1.30 380 3,855 86 6.55 630 Indicated 26,120 2.83 30.2 1.05 2,374 25,385 603 4.90 4,114 Measured & Indicated 29,114 2.94 31.2 1.07 2,754 29,240 689 5.07 4,744 Inferred 7,675 2.38 22.8 0.90 587 5,632 152 4.12 1,017 ELG Underground Measured 3,164 5.04 7.4 0.27 512 751 19 5.56 566 Indicated 5,287 4.42 8.9 0.28 752 1,521 33 4.99 848 Measured & Indicated 8,451 4.65 8.4 0.28 1,264 2,272 51 5.20 1,414 Inferred 1,961 3.86 7.8 0.21 243 490 9 4.30 271 EPO Underground Measured - - - - - - - - - Indicated 7,060 2.66 31.2 1.28 604 7,082 200 5.18 1,176 Measured & Indicated 7,060 2.66 31.2 1.28 604 7,082 200 5.18 1,176 Inferred 6,883 1.76 39.3 1.24 390 8,690 188 4.31 954 ELG Open Pit Measured 189 3.89 7.0 0.20 24 43 1 3.97 24 Indicated 865 2.46 9.0 0.43 69 251 8 2.62 73 Measured & Indicated 1,054 2.72 8.7 0.38 92 294 9 2.86 97 Inferred 6 3.56 5.9 0.24 1 1 0 3.65 1 Total Morelos Complex Measured 6,347 4.49 22.8 0.75 916 4,649 105 5.98 1,220 Indicated 39,332 3.00 27.1 0.97 3,798 34,239 844 4.91 6,211 Measured & Indicated 45,679 3.21 26.5 0.94 4,714 38,888 949 5.06 7,431 Inferred 16,526 2.30 27.9 0.96 1,222 14,813 349 4.22 2,243

Notes to accompany the mineral resource table:

1. Mineral resources were prepared in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards (May 2014).

2. The effective date of the estimates is December 31, 2024.

3. Mineral resources are depleted above a mining surface or to the as-mined solids as of December 31, 2024.

4. Gold equivalent ("AuEq") of total mineral resources is established from combined contributions of the various deposits.

5. Mineral resources for all deposits are based on an underlying gold ("Au") price of $1,650/oz, silver ("Ag") price of $22/oz, and copper ("Cu") price of $3.75/lb.

6. Mineral resources are inclusive of mineral reserves (ex-stockpiles). Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

7. Numbers may not add due to rounding.

8. Mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues.

9. The estimate was prepared by Mrs. Rochelle Collins, P.Geo. (Ontario), Principal, Mineral Resources.

Notes to accompany Media Luna Underground mineral resources:

1. Mineral resources for Media Luna Underground are reported above a 2.0 gpt AuEq cut-off grade. The assumed underground mining methods are a combination of long-hole open stoping and mechanized cut-and-fill.

2. Mineral resources were estimated using ID3 methods applied to 1.0 m capped downhole assay composites within lithology domains and internal grade domains. Block model size is 5 m x 5 m x 5 m with 2.5 m x 2.5 m x 2.5 m sub-blocks.

3. Metallurgical recoveries at Media Luna Underground average 90% Au, 86% Ag, and 93% Cu.

4. The dataset allowed the bulk density to be directly estimated into the domains with an average bulk density of 3.2 g/cm3.

5. Media Luna Underground AuEq = Au (gpt) + (Ag (gpt) * 0.0127) + (Cu (%) * 1.6104), accounting for underlying metal prices and metallurgical recoveries.

Notes to accompany ELG Underground mineral resources:

1. Mineral resources for ELG Underground are reported above a cut-off grade of 2.2 gpt AuEq. The assumed underground mining method is mechanized cut-and-fill.

2. Mineral resources were estimated using ID3 methods applied to 1.0 m capped downhole assay composites within lithology domains and internal grade domains. Block model size is 5 m x 5 m x 5m with 2.5 m x 2.5 m x 2.5m sub-blocks.

3. Average metallurgical recoveries are 90% Au, 86% Ag, and 93% Cu, accounting for recoveries with planned copper concentrator.

4. The dataset allowed the bulk density to be directly estimated into the domains with an average bulk density of 3.4 g/cm3.

5. ELG Underground AuEq = Au (gpt) + (Ag (gpt) * 0.0127) + (Cu (%) * 1.6104), accounting for underlying metal prices and metallurgical recoveries.

Notes to accompany EPO Underground mineral resources:

1. Mineral resources for EPO Underground are reported above a 2.0 gpt AuEq cut-off grade. The assumed mining method is from underground methods, using long-hole open stoping.

2. Mineral resources were estimated using ID3 methods applied to 1.0 m capped downhole assay composites within lithology domains and internal grade domains. Block model size is 5 m x 5 m x 5m with 2.5 m x 2.5 m x 2.5 m sub-blocks.

3. Metallurgical recoveries at EPO average 87% Au, 85% Ag, and 92% Cu.

4. The dataset allowed the bulk density to be directly estimated into the domains with an average bulk density of 3.5 g/cm3.

5. EPO Underground AuEq = Au (gpt) + (Ag (gpt) * 0.0130) + (Cu (%) * 1.6480), accounting for underlying metal prices and metallurgical recoveries.

Notes to accompany the ELG Open Pit mineral resources:

1. Mineral resources for ELG Open Pit are reported above an in-situ cut-off grade of 0.78 gpt Au.

2. Mineral resources were estimated using ID3 methods applied to 1.0 m capped downhole assay composites within lithology domains and internal grade domains. Block model size is 5 m x 5 m x 5m with 2.5 m x 2.5 m x 2.5 m sub-blocks. Mineral resources are reported inside an optimized pit shell, underground mineral reserves at ELD within the El Limon pit shell have been excluded from the open pit mineral resources.

3. Average metallurgical recoveries are 89% Au, 30% Ag, and 15% Cu.

4. The dataset allowed the bulk density to be directly estimated into the domains with an average bulk density of 3.4 g/cm3.

5. ELG Open Pit AuEq = Au (gpt) + (Ag (gpt) * 0.0045) + (Cu (%) * 0.2627), accounting for underlying metal prices and metallurgical recoveries.

ABOUT TOREX GOLD RESOURCES INC.

Torex Gold Resources Inc. is an intermediate gold producer based in Canada, engaged in the exploration, development, and operation of its 100% owned Morelos Property (the "Morelos Property"), an area of 29,000 hectares in the highly prospective Guerrero Gold Belt located 180 kilometres southwest of Mexico City.

The Company's principal asset is the Morelos Complex, which includes the producing Media Luna Underground, ELG Underground, and ELG Open Pit mines, the development stage EPO Underground Project, a processing plant, and related infrastructure. Commercial production from the Morelos Complex commenced on April 1, 2016 and an updated Technical Report for the Morelos Complex was released in March 2022.

Torex's key strategic objectives are: deliver Media Luna to full production and build EPO; optimize Morelos production and costs; grow reserves and resources; disciplined growth and capital allocation; retain and attract best industry talent; and industry leader in responsible mining. In addition to realizing the full potential of the Morelos Property, the Company is seeking opportunities to acquire assets that enable diversification and deliver value to shareholders.

QUALIFIED PERSONS

The scientific and technical data contained in this news release pertaining to mineral resources have been reviewed and approved by Rochelle Collins, P.Geo., Principal, Mineral Resource Geologist with Torex Gold, who is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101.

The scientific and technical data contained in this news release pertaining to mineral reserves have been reviewed and approved by Johannes (Gertjan) Bekkers, P.Eng., the Vice-President, Mines Technical Services for Torex Gold, who is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101.

CAUTIONARY NOTES ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information also includes, but is not limited to, statements that: the Company is at the beginning of its transition back to positive free cash flow generation; production is expected to pick up during the second quarter through the early stages of ramp up and increase further through the back half of the year, with annual guidance being maintained; as the Company hits its projected free cash flow inflection point mid-year with completion of Media Luna Project spending, the Company expects to repay the modest amount of debt drawn quickly, particularly as production ramps up under a backdrop of record gold prices; the Company's focus is set on further unlocking value for our shareholders through returning to positive free cash flow, executing its exploration program success across the entire Morelos Property, implementing a formal return of capital policy, delivering on full-year guidance for the seventh consecutive year, and ramping up Media Luna to the designed mining rate by mid-2026; the Company is on track to achieve annual payable production guidance of 400,000 to 450,000 oz AuEq; the Company's exploration strategy is focused, in part, on unlocking the resource potential of the Morelos Complex in order to enhance and extend the production profile; the Company is focused on enhancing the base case production profile beyond 2030, extending the reserve life of the underground deposits, and further showcasing the underlying potential of the broader Morelos Property by testing several regional targets and key strategic objectives are: deliver Media Luna to full production and build EPO; optimize Morelos production and costs; grow reserves and resources; disciplined growth and capital allocation; retain and attract best industry talent; and industry leader in responsible mining. Generally, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "forecast," "plans," "expects," or "does not expect," "is expected," "strategic," "to be" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will", "may," "could," "would," "might," "on track,", or "well positioned to" occur. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties identified in the technical report (the "Technical Report") released on March 31, 2022, entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report ELG Mine Complex Life Of Mine Plan and Media Luna Feasibility Study", which has an effective date of March 16, 2022, and the Company's annual information form ("AIF") and management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") or other unknown but potentially significant impacts. Forward-looking information and statements are based on the assumptions discussed in the Technical Report, AIF and MD&A and such other reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date such statements are made. Although the company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. The Technical Report, MD&A and AIF are filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and available on the Company's website at www.torexgold.com.
TORONTO, Ontario  May 8, 2025  TheNewswire - LAURION Mineral Exploration Inc. (TSXV: LME | OTCPINK: LMEFF) (LAURION or the Corporation) is pleased to announce the commencement of an approximate 7,000 metre diamond drill program at its 100%-owned Ishkoday Project located 220 km north of Thunder Bay, northwestern Ontario. The 2025 drill campaign, scheduled to commence in the last week of May, will focus on advancing the Corporations understanding of the mineralized system at the historic Brenbar Mine area and continue expanding the Sturgeon River Mine corridor, supported by the completion of deep-penetrating DCIP and Magnetotelluric (MT) geophysical surveys.

The integration of geophysics, historic data and structural mapping allows us to advance multiple high-confidence targets in parallel, said Cynthia Le Sueur-Aquin, President and CEO of LAURION. We believe this program will unlock meaningful extensions at both Brenbar and Sturgeon River, with the potential for new discoveries at depth and along strike.

This drill program forms a central pillar of LAURIONs ongoing exploration strategy to realize the full potential of the Ishkoday gold-polymetallic mineral system.

Targeting High-Grade and Broader Mineralized Zones at Brenbar

The drill program will follow up on multiple historical higher-grade gold intercepts at Brenbar, including:

69.1 g/t gold over 0.3 m and 20.9 g/t gold over 1.0 m in BB10-19

10.2 g/t gold over 0.4 m in BB10-22

6.6 g/t gold over 0.5 m in BB10-20

3.28 g/t gold over 0.7 m in BB10-23

Importantly, the 2010 drill campaign conducted by Kodiak/Prodigy Gold (Report on the Brenbar Property  2020 Diamond Drilling Program  Jamie Light and Jerry Solomon - 2020) also identified broader gold-bearing zones with stacked veining and pervasive alteration, including:

2.90 m averaging 0.533 g/t Au in BB10-20

10.85 m averaging 0.280 g/t Au and 2.50 m averaging 1.293 g/t Au in BB10-24

3.9 m averaging 0.541 g/t Au in BB10-26

5.10 m averaging 0.5786 g/t Au in BB10-23 including 0.70 m averaging 3.280 g/t Au

6.3 m and 8.20 m zones with grades of 0.511 g/t Au and 0.657 g/t Au, respectively, in BB10-27 including grades up to 3.26 g/t Au

These zones are hosted in sheared felsic to intermediate volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks with disseminated sulphides and quartz-carbonate stockwork veining.

Geophysics Refines Deeper and Structural Targets

LAURION recently completed a combined 2D Deep Induced Polarization (DCIP) and Magnetotelluric (MT) geophysical survey over the Brenbar and Sturgeon River Mine areas. The surveys mapped deep resistivity and chargeability contrasts to depths of up to 1,000 m, helping delineate:

Silicified structural corridors linked to quartz veins.

Disseminated sulphide zones below known surface and shallow intercepts.

Subsurface features along and below the North and South Brenbar faults and the Sturgeon River Shaft.

Expanded Drilling at the Sturgeon River Mine

In parallel with the Brenbar drilling, LAURION will conduct a drill campaign at the Sturgeon River Mine, targeting:

Deeper mineralized structures beneath historic underground workings.

In-fill drilling to improve continuity of known gold zones.

Strike extensions to the north and south of the main mine area.

New zones to the northwest, including follow-up on the M24 and M25 vein systems, which host multiple gold-bearing quartz structures in proximity to the Sturgeon historical shaft.

The Corporation looks forward to continuing its disciplined exploration efforts and advancing its long-term growth strategy.

Qualified Person

The technical contents of this release were reviewed and approved by Jean-Philippe Paiement, PGeo, MSc, a consultant to LAURION, and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About LAURION Mineral Exploration Inc.

The Corporation is a mid-stage junior mineral exploration and development company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol LME and on the OTCPINK under the symbol LMEFF. LAURION now has 273,494,904 outstanding shares, of which approximately 73.6% are owned and controlled by insiders who are eligible investors under the Friends and Family categories.

LAURION's emphasis is on the exploration and development of its flagship project, the 100% owned mid-stage 57 km2 Ishkoday Project, and its gold-rich polymetallic mineralization. LAURIONs chief priority remains maximizing shareholder value. A large portion of the Corporations focus in this regard falls within the scope of its mineral exploration activities and more specifically, advancing the Ishkoday Project.

A consequence of LAURIONs success and advancement over the past several years is that the Corporation has become positioned as an acquisition target for appropriate potential acquirors. Accordingly, the Corporations Board of Directors is aware that possible strategic alternatives and transactional opportunities may arise and/or could be procured in the short or medium terms. The Corporation will promptly issue a press release if any material change occurs. In the meanwhile, LAURION will continue to work towards advancing the Ishkoday Project while exploring opportunities and potential transactions that are strategically beneficial to the Corporation and its shareholders.

LAURION Mineral Exploration Inc.

Cynthia Le Sueur-Aquin  President and CEO

Tel: 1-705-788-9186 Fax: 1-705-805-9256

Douglas Vass - Investor Relations Consultant

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: http://www.LAURION.ca

Follow us on X (@LAURION_LME), Instagram (laurionmineral) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-le-sueur-aquin-laurion-lme-04b03017/)

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the Corporations current expectations regarding future events including with respect to LAURION's business, operations and condition, management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions, the Corporations ability to advance the Ishkoday Project, the nature, focus, timing and potential results of the Corporations exploration, drilling and prospecting activities in 2025 and beyond, including the Corporations diamond drill program described in this press release and the Corporations other planned activities for the Ishkoday Project for the remainder of 2025, and the statements regarding the Corporations exploration or consideration of any possible strategic alternatives and transactional opportunities, as well as the potential outcome(s) of this process, the possible impact of any potential transactions referenced herein on the Corporation or any of its stakeholders, and the ability of the Corporation to identify and complete any potential acquisitions, mergers, financings or other transactions referenced herein, and the timing of any such transactions. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events and future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements could differ materially from those projected herein including as a result of a change in the trading price of the common shares of LAURION, the TSX Venture Exchange or any other applicable regulator not providing its approval for any strategic alternatives or transactional opportunities, the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future prices of gold and/or other metals, possible variations in grade or recovery rates, failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, the failure of contracted parties to perform, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors disclosed in the Corporations publicly filed documents. Investors should consult the Corporations ongoing quarterly and annual filings, as well as any other additional documentation comprising the Corporations public disclosure record, for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. Subject to applicable law, the Corporation disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. All sample values are from grab samples and channel samples, which by their nature, are not necessarily representative of overall grades of mineralized areas. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on the assay values reported in this press release.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICE PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.
VANCOUVER, BC, May 8, 2025 /CNW/ - Integra Resources Corp. ("Integra" or the "Company") (TSXV: ITR) (NYSE American: ITRG) is pleased to announce the initiation of a gold resource growth-focused drill program at the Company's primary operating asset, the Florida Canyon Mine ("Florida Canyon") located in Nevada. The 2025 drill program marks the first phase of a multi-year growth strategy designed to expand mineral reserves and resources, extend mine life, and ultimately maximize the value of Florida Canyon.

Highlights:

The 2025 drill program will consist of ~10,000 meters ("m") of reverse circulation ("RC") drilling focused on near-mine targets identified at Florida Canyon, designed to support oxide mineral reserve and resource growth and mine life extension.

Drilling commenced in early May and is expected to conclude in the third quarter of 2025, with initial results expected to be released during the summer months of 2025.

The program is focused on testing near-mine targets at Florida Canyon in three key areas: Opportunity 1: Near-surface oxide potential from historical dump material (~2,000m): Drilling will target large volumes of historical gold-mineralized backfill and low-grade waste material previously estimated to be below the mining cut-off grade in a significantly lower gold price environment. These areas demonstrate the greatest near-term opportunity to increase mineral resources and potentially extend mine life. Opportunity 2: Expand in-situ resources between existing mine open pits (~5,000m): Drilling will target "saddle" and "ridge" areas located between active and historical pits. Many of these areas have been sparsely drilled historically and offer meaningful oxide growth potential directly adjacent to current and future mining phases. Opportunity 3: Test lateral extensions and in-pit infill drilling (~3,000m): Drilling will target lateral extensions of existing pits as well as infill drilling within areas planned for further pit pushbacks. Potential has been identified to improve resource classification, optimize mine planning, and potentially increase short-term ore feed.

The 2025 drill program at Florida Canyon is expected to support a mineral resource and reserve update and a revised life-of-mine plan in early 2026.

George Salamis, President, CEO and Director of Integra commented: "Following a strong start to 2025 with solid operational results from Florida Canyon gold production and a demonstrated ability to generate cash flow, we are pleased to launch a growth-focused drill program. We see this program as a critical step in unlocking the next phase of value at Florida Canyon. We have identified significant potential to not only optimize the mining operation, but also to increase the production scale and mine life of the asset, leading to material value creation for Integra's shareholders. We look forward to sharing our progress over the coming months."

Florida Canyon: Long Operating History with Significant Growth Potential

Link to Figure 1  Florida Canyon Mine Property

Since the start of operations in 1986 through to the end of 2024, Florida Canyon has produced approximately 2.7 million ounces of gold from over 200 million tonnes ("Mt") of ore mined. As of December 31, 2024, proven and probable mineral reserves at Florida Canyon total 70.4 Mt at a grade of 0.35 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold for a total of 785,000 ounces of gold (refer to Integra's latest Mineral Reserves and Resources statement effective December 31, 2024 available on the Company's website at www.integraresources.com). Building on this long operating history, Integra believes there remains significant near-mine resource growth potential within the current permitted mine plan. With the recent increase in spot gold prices, areas historically considered uneconomic now present a compelling opportunity for re-evaluation.

Integra has identified multiple opportunities with the potential to increase the mine's production scale, extend mine life, and enhance future operational flexibility. Numerous mining optimization initiatives are being evaluated and are expected to positively impact current operations. Near-term growth opportunities require targeted exploration drilling and mine optimization work, while longer-term initiatives will focus on broader greenfield exploration across the extensive Florida Canyon land package.

This news release outlines the near-term, brownfield exploration activities that form the basis of the 2025 growth-focused drilling program at Florida Canyon. The program is expected to support a mineral resource and reserve update and a revised life-of-mine plan in early 2026.

2025 Florida Canyon Drill Program Overview

Link to Figure 2  Florida Canyon Mine 2025 Drilling Collar Locations

Integra's 2025 drill program at Florida Canyon represents the first phase of a focused, multi-year strategy designed to increase mine life and mineral resources and reserves, both within and outside the permitted pit limits. The program is also focused on improving operational flexibility and enhancing overall asset value. Importantly, these initiatives will leverage Florida Canyon's existing infrastructure and operational footprint, minimizing capital requirements while maximizing potential for a positive impact to future economics.

The first phase of the program is budgeted at approximately US$1.5 million and will consist of drilling that is focused on three key areas: (1) Near-surface oxide potential from historical waste; (2) Expanding in-situ resources between existing mine open pits; and (3) Testing lateral extensions and in-pit infill drilling.

Opportunity 1: Near-Surface Oxide Potential from Historical Dump Material (RC drilling: ~2,000m)

Link to Figure 3  Historical North Mine Dump Material Conceptual Section

Within the permitted Florida Canyon mine boundary there exists several large volumes of historically mined low-grade gold-mineralized dump material, averaging below the historical mine cut-off grades. This material is a product of decades of past mining and has been identified as a high-potential, low-strip, near-surface oxide gold target for growth. Potential has been demonstrated by the historical in-pit mine dumps (historical backfill material), which are already being partially utilized by current operations and offer an immediate opportunity to expand reserves with minimal mining cost. Objectives for drilling:

Confirm gold grade continuity and distribution within the historical North Dumps;

Provide material for metallurgical testing, including bottle rolls, column tests, and permeability assessments;

Support potential conversion of this material into mineral reserves through inclusion in the updated resource and reserve block model and mine plan; and

Increase operational flexibility by providing readily available, gold-mineralized material suitable for heap leaching, that will not require blasting.

This strategy directly supports Integra's objective of improving near to medium term ore feed without significant capital investment, while also reducing reliance on higher-strip in-situ fresh rock material.

A similar strategy was utilized at the Company's DeLamar Project ("DeLamar" or the "Project") located in Idaho. In 2022, Integra drilled numerous stockpile and backfill areas at DeLamar, which were mined by previous operators of the Project, but were discarded as waste as the material did not meet the cut-off grade of the operation at the time. In 2023 Integra successfully added a significant quantity of potentially heap-leachable material to the total mineral resource at the Project (refer to the Company's news release dated September 23, 2023 and report titled "Technical Report for the DeLamar and Florida Mountain Gold-Silver Project, Owyhee County, Idaho, USA", available on the Company's website and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and EDGAR at www.sec.gov).

Opportunity 2: Expand In-Situ Resources Between Existing Mine Open Pits (RC drilling: ~5,000m)

Link to Figure 4  Conceptual Section of Central/Radio Tower Saddle Drilling Section

Integra will target in-situ gold resource expansion opportunities within "saddle" and "ridge" zones located between existing open pits. Several of these areas remain sparsely drilled and offer significant upside gold potential, with historical drilling demonstrating encouraging intercepts of oxide mineralization at or near surface. Objectives for drilling include:

Testing the Central/Radio Tower Pit Saddle: material directly connecting two large areas of known gold mineralization;

Testing Florida Canyon Saddle: area requires an improved structural geologic understanding and offers potential to host additional oxide mineralized gold material; and

Testing North Pit Saddle: location of a potential satellite pit adjacent to an existing pit; drilling is required to follow up on a high-grade gold vein system that was historically underexplored.

Success within these identified zones has the potential to meaningfully increase mineral resources and reserves by extending existing pit limits within the current Florida Canyon Mine Plan of Operations.

Opportunity 3: Testing Lateral Extensions and In-Pit Infill (RC drilling: ~3,000m)

Additional drilling is planned to test lateral extensions of existing pits and to complete infill drilling within current areas planned for pit pushbacks. These areas offer potential to improve resource classification, optimize mine planning, and potentially increase short-term gold ore feed to the heap leach pads. Objectives for drilling include:

Testing the North and Central Pit areas: the upper portions of the planned pit pushbacks are currently classified as inferred. Although this material is generally low-grade, infill drilling has potential to improve classification, enhance short-term mine planning, and increase oxide gold heap leach pad feed.

Testing Jasperoid Hill Pit area: most of the near-surface oxide mineralization has been mined or is expected to be largely depleted within the next few years. However, at current gold prices, opportunities exist to potentially define additional near-surface gold mineralization.

Limited infill drilling has been historically completed within these areas and the 2025 drilling program aims to de-risk future production and unlock potential for readily accessible gold oxide material in a historically productive zone. By reducing geological risk and increasing oxide gold mineral inventory in accessible mineralized zones at Florida Canyon, the 2025 drilling program is expected to enhance both short-term operational flexibility and long-term mine planning.

Drill Program Timing

The 2025 growth-focused exploration drilling program at Florida Canyon is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025. Results from the drill program will support an updated mineral resource and reserve estimate and life-of-mine plan targeting early 2026. The drill program forms an important part of Integra's broader strategy of maximizing value from its portfolio of high-quality assets through disciplined capital allocation, operational excellence, and targeted near mine and regional exploration.

About Integra

Integra is a growing precious metals producer in the Great Basin of the Western United States. Integra is focused on demonstrating profitability and operational excellence at its principal operating asset, the Florida Canyon Mine, located in Nevada. In addition, Integra is committed to advancing its flagship development-stage heap leach projects: the past producing DeLamar Project located in southwestern Idaho and the Nevada North Project located in western Nevada. Integra creates sustainable value for shareholders, stakeholders, and local communities through successful mining operations, efficient project development, disciplined capital allocation, and strategic M&A, while upholding the highest industry standards for environmental, social, and governance practices.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

George Salamis

President, CEO and Director

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Raphael Dutaut (Ph.D., P.Geo, OGQ Membership 1301), Integra's Vice President, Geology and Mining. Mr. Dutaut is a "qualified person" as defined in National Instrument 43- 101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

Sampling and QA/QC Procedure

RC samples were collected at 5-foot intervals directly at the drill rig using pre-labeled bags. Diamond drill ("DDH") core samples were cut in half, sampled at 5-foot intervals, with one half sent for analysis and the other half retained for reference. Diamond drill holes were sampled on 5-foot intervals. Samples were submitted to American Assay Laboratories ("AAL") in Reno, Nevada, an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory. Sample preparation involved drying, jaw crushing to >70% passing 2 mm (10 mesh), and pulverizing a 300 g split to >85% passing 75 microns.

Gold analysis was performed on a 30-gram pulp using fire assay with ICP-AES finish. Samples returning >10 ppm Au were re-assayed using a gravimetric finish. Additionally, samples with Au >0.150 ppm underwent cyanide-soluble analysis and preg-robbing tests to assess metallurgical characteristics. Quality control protocols included the routine insertion of blank samples, certified reference materials (standards), and field and pulp duplicates. Blank material and standards were purchased from Moment Exploration Geochemistry. AAL also inserted internal control samples and duplicates within each batch.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release contains "forwardlooking statements" and "forwardlooking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and in applicable United States securities law (referred to herein as forwardlooking statements). Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forwardlooking statements which includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: statements regarding the timing, scope, and objectives of the 2025 drill program at the Florida Canyon, the potential to expand mineral resources and reserves, extend mine life, optimize mine planning, and maximize project value, as well as the anticipated timing of results and a future mineral resource and reserve update and revised life-of-mine plan for Florida Canyon; the future financial or operating performance of the Company and the Wildcat and Mountain View deposits (the "Nevada North Project"), the Florida Mountain and DeLamar deposits (the "DeLamar Project") and the Florida Canyon mine (the "Florida Canyon Mine" and together with the Nevada North Project and the DeLamar Project, the "Projects"). Forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of words such as "may", "will", "could", "would", "anticipate", 'believe", "expect", "intend", "potential", "estimate", "budget", "scheduled", "plans", "planned", "forecasts", "goals" and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of factors and assumptions made by management and considered reasonable at the time such statement was made. Assumptions and factors include: expected synergies from acquisition of Florida Canyon; the Company's ability to complete its planned exploration and development programs; the absence of adverse conditions at the Projects; satisfying ongoing covenants under the Company's loan facilities; no unforeseen operational delays; no material delays in obtaining necessary permits; results of independent engineer technical reviews; the possibility of cost overruns and unanticipated costs and expenses; the price of gold remaining at levels that continue to render the Projects economic, as applicable; the Company's ability to continue raising necessary capital to finance operations; and the ability to realize on the mineral resource and reserve estimates. Forwardlooking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or result expressed or implied by such forwardlooking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: general business, economic and competitive uncertainties; the actual results of current and future exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; meeting various expected cost estimates; benefits of certain technology usage; changes in project parameters and/or economic assessments as plans continue to be refined; future prices of metals; possible variations of mineral grade or recovery rates; the risk that actual costs may exceed estimated costs; geological, mining and exploration technical problems; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; risks related to local communities; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); title to properties; and other factors beyond the Company's control and as well as those factors included herein and elsewhere in the Company's public disclosure. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are advised to study and consider risk factors disclosed in Integra's Annual Information Form dated March 26, 2025 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, which is available on the SEDAR+ issuer profile for the Company at www.sedarplus.ca and available as Exhibit 99.1 to Integra's Form 40-F, which is available on the EDGAR profile for the Company at www.sec.gov.

Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Investors are urged to read the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulatory agencies, which can be viewed online under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Cautionary Note for U.S. Investors Concerning Mineral Resources and Reserves

NI 43-101 is a rule of the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Technical disclosure contained in this news release has been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Classification System. These standards differ from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and resource information contained in this news release may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by domestic United States companies subject to the SEC's reporting and disclosure requirements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Sampling and Camp Construction in Progress Ahead of Drill Campaign

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Sranan Gold Corp. (CSE: SRAN) (FSE: P84) ("Sranan" or the "Company") understands that community engagement at the start of exploration is essential for effective advancement of its Tapanahony Gold Project in Suriname. The concessions are granted by the government of Suriname, but permission to operate must be given by the tribal leaders. With the help of the concession holder, Sranan is pleased that the local leaders and the village population are enthusiastically behind its program. A "krutu" (a gathering of local captains and community members) was held in the village of Poeketi recently to discuss the Company's plans.

The name "Sranan" was selected for the Company to reflect the commitment to the history and culture of Suriname. The local villages are part of the Aucan Maroon nation that live along the Tapanahony River in Suriname. The Tapanahony Project lies within a region of mining by the Maroon people, whose long history of mining created the exposures at the project. As with the Rosebel and Merian mines in Suriname, gold resource and development can improve the livelihood within the communities, when carried out with respect, cooperation and communication.

Leaders of the Poeketi Village accompanied Sranan's team to site following the "krutu" and Sranan's commencement of the field program (see Figure 1). The village leaders proposed a site to construct a camp for drilling with access to water and local trails, and a crew of experienced and skilled men from the village are being employed to assist in camp building. Other community residents are assisting in mapping and sampling.

Dr. Dennis LaPoint, EVP Exploration and Corporate Development of Sranan Gold, commented: "Sranan Gold strongly believes in leveraging the experience and expertise of a Suriname technical staff. We are committed to respecting local traditions and regulations while conducting our exploration efforts, and maintaining positive relationships and building trust with the communities in which we operate through ongoing communication, in order to provide long-term benefits for all stakeholders."

Figure 1: Sranan Gold team with leaders from Poeketi Village and future technical team to be developed.



About Sranan Gold

Sranan Gold Corp. is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets in Suriname. The highly prospective Tapanahony Project is located in the heart of Suriname's modern-day gold rush. Tapanahony covers 29,000 hectares in one of the oldest and largest small-scale mining areas in Suriname. There is significant production from saprolite by local miners along a 4.5-kilometre trend, where several areas of mining have been opened.

Sranan Gold is also exploring its Aida Property consisting of five mineral claims covering an area of 2,335.42 hectares on the Shuswap Highland within the Kamloops Mining Division.

Qualified Person

Dr. Dennis J. LaPoint, Ph.D., P.Geo. a "qualified person" as defined under National Instrument 43101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this release. Dr. LaPoint is not independent of Sranan Gold, as he is the Company's EVP Exploration and Corporate Development.

For more information, visit sranangold.com.

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENT OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking statements

Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws including, without limitation, the timing, nature, scope and details regarding the Company's future exploration plans. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release.

Forward-Looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws.
Strong Operating Performance Across All Three Operations Led to Lower Than Expected All-In Sustaining Costs and Higher Than Expected Gold Production in the First Quarter

Goose Project Remains on Track for First Gold Production Next Month; Total Construction and Mine Development Budget Remains at C$1,540 Million

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO, NYSE AMERICAN: BTG, NSX: B2G) (B2Gold or the Company) is pleased to announce its operational and financial results for the first quarter of 2025. All dollar figures are in United States dollars unless otherwise indicated.

2025 First Quarter Highlights

Gold production of 192,752 ounces in Q1 2025 : Consolidated gold production in the first quarter of 2025 was 192,752 ounces, higher than expected. All B2Gold operations exceeded production budgets in the first quarter, and the Company remains on track to meet its consolidated annual production guidance range. All three operations continue to meet or exceed gold production expectations to start the second quarter of 2025.





: Consolidated gold production in the first quarter of 2025 was 192,752 ounces, higher than expected. All B2Gold operations exceeded production budgets in the first quarter, and the Company remains on track to meet its consolidated annual production guidance range. All three operations continue to meet or exceed gold production expectations to start the second quarter of 2025. Consolidated cash operating costs of $832 per gold ounce produced in Q1 2025 : Consolidated cash operating costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) were $832 per gold ounce produced ($880 per gold ounce sold) during the first quarter of 2025. Cash operating costs per ounce produced for the first quarter of 2025 were lower than expected as a result of lower than expected fuel costs and higher than expected gold production.





: Consolidated cash operating costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) were $832 per gold ounce produced ($880 per gold ounce sold) during the first quarter of 2025. Cash operating costs per ounce produced for the first quarter of 2025 were lower than expected as a result of lower than expected fuel costs and higher than expected gold production. Consolidated all-in sustaining costs of $1,533 per gold ounce sold in Q1 2025 : Consolidated all-in sustaining costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) were $1,533 per gold ounce sold during the first quarter of 2025. Consolidated all-in sustaining costs for the first quarter of 2025 were lower than expected due to lower than expected total consolidated cash operating costs per gold ounce sold and lower than expected sustaining capital expenditures.





: Consolidated all-in sustaining costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) were $1,533 per gold ounce sold during the first quarter of 2025. Consolidated all-in sustaining costs for the first quarter of 2025 were lower than expected due to lower than expected total consolidated cash operating costs per gold ounce sold and lower than expected sustaining capital expenditures. Attributable net inco me of $0.04 per share; adjusted attributable net income of $0.09 per share in Q1 2025 : Net income attributable to the shareholders of the Company of $58 million, or $0.04 per share; adjusted net income (see Non-IFRS Measures) attributable to the shareholders of the Company of $122 million, or $0.09 per share.





: Net income attributable to the shareholders of the Company of $58 million, or $0.04 per share; adjusted net income (see Non-IFRS Measures) attributable to the shareholders of the Company of $122 million, or $0.09 per share. Operating cash flow before working capital adjustments of $244 million in Q1 2025 : Cash flow provided by operating activities before working capital adjustments was $244 million, or $0.19 per share, in the first quarter of 2025.





: Cash flow provided by operating activities before working capital adjustments was $244 million, or $0.19 per share, in the first quarter of 2025. Strong financial position and liquidity : At March 31, 2025, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $330 million and working capital (defined as current assets less assets classified as held for sale and current liabilities) of $174 million. During the first quarter of 2025, the Company repaid the outstanding balance of $400 million on the Company's $800 million revolving credit facility (RCF), leaving $800 million remaining available for future draw downs.





: At March 31, 2025, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $330 million and working capital (defined as current assets less assets classified as held for sale and current liabilities) of $174 million. During the first quarter of 2025, the Company repaid the outstanding balance of $400 million on the Company's $800 million revolving credit facility (RCF), leaving $800 million remaining available for future draw downs. 2025 Winter Ice Road (WIR) campaign completed at the Goose Project: Following the successful completion of the 2024 sea lift, construction of the 163 kilometer (km) WIR commenced in December 2024 and was completed in February 2025, ahead of schedule. B2Gold successfully completed the 2025 WIR campaign in mid-April 2025, one month ahead of schedule, and delivered all necessary material from the Marine Laydown Area (MLA) to support operations until next years WIR campaign.





Following the successful completion of the 2024 sea lift, construction of the 163 kilometer (km) WIR commenced in December 2024 and was completed in February 2025, ahead of schedule. B2Gold successfully completed the 2025 WIR campaign in mid-April 2025, one month ahead of schedule, and delivered all necessary material from the Marine Laydown Area (MLA) to support operations until next years WIR campaign. Total Goose Project construction and mine development cash expenditure estimate before first production remains at C$1,540 million: Based on the construction and mine development cash expenditures incurred to date, combined with the estimated expenditures to be incurred through to the first gold pour in the second quarter of 2025, the Company expects to be in-line with the total Goose Project construction and mine development cash expenditure estimate of C$1,540 million, as announced on September 12, 2024. Operating cost guidance for the Goose Project for the second half of 2025 will be released in mid-2025 following the commencement of first gold production.





Based on the construction and mine development cash expenditures incurred to date, combined with the estimated expenditures to be incurred through to the first gold pour in the second quarter of 2025, the Company expects to be in-line with the total Goose Project construction and mine development cash expenditure estimate of C$1,540 million, as announced on September 12, 2024. Operating cost guidance for the Goose Project for the second half of 2025 will be released in mid-2025 following the commencement of first gold production. Goose Project construction and development continue to progress on track for first gold pour in the second quarter of 2025; estimated production of 120,000 to 150,000 ounces in 2025: All planned construction activities in 2024 and early 2025 were completed and project construction and development continue to progress on track for first gold pour at the Goose Project in the second quarter of 2025 followed by ramp up to commercial production in the third quarter of 2025. The Company continues to estimate that gold production in calendar year 2025 will be between 120,000 and 150,000 ounces and that average annual gold production for the six-year period from 2026 to 2031 inclusive will be approximately 300,000 ounces per year.





All planned construction activities in 2024 and early 2025 were completed and project construction and development continue to progress on track for first gold pour at the Goose Project in the second quarter of 2025 followed by ramp up to commercial production in the third quarter of 2025. The Company continues to estimate that gold production in calendar year 2025 will be between 120,000 and 150,000 ounces and that average annual gold production for the six-year period from 2026 to 2031 inclusive will be approximately 300,000 ounces per year. Updated Mineral Reserve Life of Mine Plan for the Goose Project announced; optimization studies have commenced: On March 27, 2025, the Company announced an updated Mineral Reserve Life of Mine Plan for the Goose Project. The updated technical report highlighted the robust Mineral Resources at the Goose Project and the further potential to expand known deposits and discover additional mineralization, as well as an updated Mineral Reserve estimate. The Company is pursuing multiple optimization studies for the Goose Project, including one study to analyze increasing mill throughput at the Goose Project from 4,000 tonnes per day (tpd) potentially up to 6,000 tpd, and a separate study analyzing the implementation of a flotation / concentrate leach process which has the potential to increase gold recovery and reduce processing unit costs. The results of these studies are expected to be finalized in late 2025 / early 2026. Once the studies are completed, the Company will evaluate the economics of each option and pursue the desired choice.





On March 27, 2025, the Company announced an updated Mineral Reserve Life of Mine Plan for the Goose Project. The updated technical report highlighted the robust Mineral Resources at the Goose Project and the further potential to expand known deposits and discover additional mineralization, as well as an updated Mineral Reserve estimate. The Company is pursuing multiple optimization studies for the Goose Project, including one study to analyze increasing mill throughput at the Goose Project from 4,000 tonnes per day (tpd) potentially up to 6,000 tpd, and a separate study analyzing the implementation of a flotation / concentrate leach process which has the potential to increase gold recovery and reduce processing unit costs. The results of these studies are expected to be finalized in late 2025 / early 2026. Once the studies are completed, the Company will evaluate the economics of each option and pursue the desired choice. Feasibility Study on the Gramalote Project in Colombia underway and targeted for completion in mid-2025 : The positive Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) results on the Companys 100% owned Gramalote Project, completed in the second quarter of 2024, outlined a significant production profile with average annual gold production of 234,000 ounces per year for the first five years of production, and strong project economics over a 12.5 year project life. As a result, B2Gold commenced work on a feasibility study with the goal of completion in mid-2025. Feasibility work including geotechnical investigation, processing design and site infrastructure design is underway and the study remains on schedule.





: The positive Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) results on the Companys 100% owned Gramalote Project, completed in the second quarter of 2024, outlined a significant production profile with average annual gold production of 234,000 ounces per year for the first five years of production, and strong project economics over a 12.5 year project life. As a result, B2Gold commenced work on a feasibility study with the goal of completion in mid-2025. Feasibility work including geotechnical investigation, processing design and site infrastructure design is underway and the study remains on schedule. Positive PEA results for the Antelope deposit at the Otjikoto Mine in Namibia announced; development decision anticipated in Q3 2025: On February 4, 2025, the Company announced positive PEA results for the Antelope deposit, located approximately 4 km southwest of the existing Otjikoto open pit. Based on the positive results from the PEA, B2Gold believes that the Antelope deposit has the potential to become a small-scale, low-cost, underground gold mine that can supplement the low-grade stockpile production during the period of 2028 to 2032 and result in a meaningful production profile for Otjikoto into the next decade. The PEA for the Antelope deposit indicates an initial mine life of 5 years and total production of 327,000 ounces, averaging approximately 65,000 ounces per year over the life of mine. In combination with the processing of existing low grade stockpiles, production from the Antelope deposit has the potential to increase Otjikoto Mine production to approximately 110,000 ounces per year for 2029 through 2032. A development decision on the Antelope deposit is expected in the third quarter of 2025.





On February 4, 2025, the Company announced positive PEA results for the Antelope deposit, located approximately 4 km southwest of the existing Otjikoto open pit. Based on the positive results from the PEA, B2Gold believes that the Antelope deposit has the potential to become a small-scale, low-cost, underground gold mine that can supplement the low-grade stockpile production during the period of 2028 to 2032 and result in a meaningful production profile for Otjikoto into the next decade. The PEA for the Antelope deposit indicates an initial mine life of 5 years and total production of 327,000 ounces, averaging approximately 65,000 ounces per year over the life of mine. In combination with the processing of existing low grade stockpiles, production from the Antelope deposit has the potential to increase Otjikoto Mine production to approximately 110,000 ounces per year for 2029 through 2032. A development decision on the Antelope deposit is expected in the third quarter of 2025. Convertible senior unsecured notes issued: On January 28, 2025, the Company issued 2.75% convertible senior unsecured notes due 2030 (the Notes) with an aggregate principal amount of $460 million. The initial conversion rate for the Notes is 315.2088 common shares of the Company (the Shares) per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $3.17 per Share. The initial conversion rate represented a premium of approximately 35% relative to the closing sale price of the Shares on January 23, 2025, and is subject to adjustment in certain events.





On January 28, 2025, the Company issued 2.75% convertible senior unsecured notes due 2030 (the Notes) with an aggregate principal amount of $460 million. The initial conversion rate for the Notes is 315.2088 common shares of the Company (the Shares) per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $3.17 per Share. The initial conversion rate represented a premium of approximately 35% relative to the closing sale price of the Shares on January 23, 2025, and is subject to adjustment in certain events. Implementation of Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB): On April 1, 2025, the Toronto Stock Exchange accepted the notice of B2Golds intention to implement a NCIB. As of March 20, 2025, the Company had 1,319,616,807 Shares issued and outstanding with approval to purchase up to 65,980,840 Shares, representing 5% of the issued and outstanding Shares as of that date over a period of twelve months commencing April 3, 2025.





On April 1, 2025, the Toronto Stock Exchange accepted the notice of B2Golds intention to implement a NCIB. As of March 20, 2025, the Company had 1,319,616,807 Shares issued and outstanding with approval to purchase up to 65,980,840 Shares, representing 5% of the issued and outstanding Shares as of that date over a period of twelve months commencing April 3, 2025. Q2 2025 dividend of $0.02 per share declared: On May 7, 2025, B2Gold's Board of Directors declared a cash dividend for the second quarter of 2025 of $0.02 per common share (or an expected $0.08 per share on an annualized basis), payable on June 24, 2025, to shareholders of record as of June 11, 2025.

First Quarter 2025 Results

Three months ended March 31, 2025 2024 Gold revenue ($ in thousands) 532,107 461,444 Net income ($ in thousands) 62,564 48,481 Earnings per share  basic(1)($/ share) 0.04 0.03 Earnings per share  diluted(1)($/ share) 0.04 0.03 Cash provided by operating activities ($ thousands) 178,788 710,727 Average realized gold price ($/ ounce) 2,892 2,069 Adjusted net income(1)(2)($ in thousands) 121,850 81,503 Adjusted earnings per share(1)(2) basic ($) 0.09 0.06 Consolidated operations results: Gold sold (ounces) 183,998 222,978 Gold produced (ounces) 192,752 214,339 Production costs ($ in thousands) 161,994 156,745 Cash operating costs(2)($/ gold ounce sold) 880 703 Cash operating costs(2)($/ gold ounce produced) 832 718 Total cash costs(2)($/ gold ounce sold) 1,113 838 All-in sustaining costs(2)($/ gold ounce sold) 1,533 1,346 Operations results including equity investment in Calibre(3): Gold sold (ounces) 183,998 234,355 Gold produced (ounces) 192,752 225,716 Production costs ($ in thousands) 161,994 168,650 Cash operating costs(2)($/ gold ounce sold) 880 720 Cash operating costs(2)($/ gold ounce produced) 832 734 Total cash costs(2)($/ gold ounce sold) 1,113 851 All-in sustaining costs(2)($/ gold ounce sold) 1,533 1,345

(1) Attributable to the shareholders of the Company.

(2) Non-IFRS measure. For a description of how these measures are calculated and a reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable measures specified, defined or determined under IFRS and presented in the Companys financial statements, refer to Non-IFRS Measures.

(3) Production from Calibre Mining Corp.'s (Calibre) La Libertad, El Limon and Pan mines is presented on an approximate 24% basis until January 24, 2024 and 14% subsequently until June 20, 2024 which represented the Companys indirect ownership interest in Calibre's operations through its equity investment in Calibre. On June 20, 2024, the Company reduced its ownership interest to approximately 4% and determined that it no longer had significant influence over Calibre and as a result, after June 20, 2024, no longer recorded attributable production representing its indirect ownership interest in Calibre's mines through an equity investment.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

B2Gold continues to maintain a strong financial position and liquidity. At March 31, 2025, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $330 million (December 31, 2024 - $337 million) and working capital (defined as current assets less assets classified as held for sale and current liabilities) of $174 million (December 31, 2024 - $321 million). During the first quarter of 2025 the Company repaid $400 million on the Company's $800 million RCF, leaving $800 million remaining available for future draw downs, plus a $200 million accordion feature.

Second Quarter 2025 Dividend

On May 7, 2025, B2Golds Board of Directors declared a cash dividend for the second quarter of 2025 (the Q2 2025 Dividend) of $0.02 per common share (or an expected $0.08 per share on an annualized basis), payable on June 24, 2025 to shareholders of record as of June 11, 2025.

The Company currently has a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP). For the purposes of the Q2 2025 Dividend, the Company has determined that no discount will be applied to calculate the Average Market Price (as defined in the DRIP) of its common shares issued from treasury. Beneficial shareholders who wish to participate in the DRIP should contact their financial advisor, broker, investment dealer, bank, financial institution, or other intermediary through which they hold common shares for instructions on how to enroll in the DRIP.

This dividend is designated as an eligible dividend for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada). Dividends paid by B2Gold to shareholders outside Canada (non-resident investors) will be subject to Canadian non-resident withholding taxes.

The declaration and payment of future dividends and the amount of any such dividends will be subject to the determination of the Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, taking into account, among other things, economic conditions, business performance, financial condition, growth plans, expected capital requirements, compliance with B2Gold's constating documents, all applicable laws, including the rules and policies of any applicable stock exchange, as well as any contractual restrictions on such dividends, including any agreements entered into with lenders to the Company, and any other factors that the Board deems appropriate at the relevant time. There can be no assurance that any dividends will be paid at the intended rate or at all in the future.

For more information regarding the DRIP and enrollment in the DRIP, please refer to the Company's website at https://www.b2gold.com/investors/stock_info/.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction nor will there be any sale of these securities in any province, state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such province, state or jurisdiction.

The Company has filed a registration statement relating to the DRIP with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that may be obtained under the Company's profile on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website at http://www.sec.gov/EDGAR or by contacting the Company using the contact information at the end of this news release.

Operations

Fekola Complex - Mali

Three months ended March 31, 2025 2024 Gold revenue ($ in thousands) 254,667 256,318 Gold sold (ounces) 87,808 123,828 Average realized gold price ($/ ounce) 2,900 2,070 Tonnes of ore milled 2,446,671 2,462,863 Grade (grams/ tonne) 1.31 1.62 Recovery (%) 91.5 92.7 Gold production (ounces) 93,805 119,141 Production costs ($ in thousands) 89,025 85,105 Cash operating costs(1) ($/ gold ounce sold) 1,014 687 Cash operating costs(1) ($/ gold ounce produced) 965 698 Total cash costs(1) ($/ gold ounce sold) 1,350 852 All-in sustaining costs(1) ($/ gold ounce sold) 1,937 1,436 Capital expenditures ($ in thousands) 64,003 80,562 Exploration ($ in thousands)  1,302

(1) Non-IFRS measure. For a description of how these measures are calculated and a reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable measures specified, defined or determined under IFRS and presented in the Companys financial statements, refer to Non-IFRS Measures.

The Fekola Mine in Mali (owned 80% by the Company and 20% by the State of Mali) had a strong start to the year with gold production for the first quarter of 2025 of 93,805 ounces. For the first quarter of 2025, mill feed grade was 1.31 grams per tonne (g/t), mill throughput was 2.45 million tonnes, and gold recovery averaged 91.5%. Mill feed grade in April 2025 was in line with the annual budgeted mill feed grade of 1.84 g/t in 2025.

The Fekola Mines cash operating costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) for the first quarter of 2025 were $965 per ounce produced ($1,014 per gold ounce sold). Cash operating costs per gold ounce produced for the first quarter of 2025 were lower than expected as a result of higher than estimated gold production, lower operating costs including lower fuel prices for diesel and heavy fuel oil, and lower processing maintenance costs.

All-in sustaining costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) for the first quarter of 2025 for the Fekola Mine were $1,937 per gold ounce sold, lower than expected. All-in sustaining costs were lower than anticipated as a result of lower than expected cash operating costs per gold ounce sold and lower than expected sustaining capital expenditures, partially offset by higher gold royalties resulting from a higher than expected average realized gold price. Gold royalties include higher revenue-based production taxes based on a sliding scale and revenue-based State funds for the Fekola Mine, which became effective for the first time in March 2025. The lower sustaining capital expenditures for the first quarter of 2025 were mainly a result of timing of expenditures and are expected to be incurred later in 2025.

Capital expenditures in the first quarter of 2025 totaled $64 million primarily consisting of $20 million for deferred stripping, $17 million for Fekola underground development, $16 million for mobile equipment purchases and rebuilds, $4 million for the construction of a new tailings storage facility (TSF) and $3 million for solar plant expansion.

The Fekola Complex is comprised of the Fekola Mine (Medinandi permit hosting the Fekola and Cardinal pits and Fekola underground) and Fekola Regional (Anaconda Area (Bantako, Menankoto, and Bakolobi permits) and the Dandoko permit). The Fekola Complex is expected to produce between 515,000 and 550,000 ounces of gold in 2025 at cash operating costs of between $845 and $905 per ounce and all-in sustaining costs of between $1,550 and $1,610 per ounce. The Fekola Complex is expected to process 9.56 million tonnes of ore during 2025 at an average grade of 1.84 g/t gold with a process gold recovery of 93.4%. Gold production is expected to be weighted approximately 40% to the first half of 2025 and 60% to the second half of 2025.

The Fekola Complex's total 2025 gold production is anticipated to increase significantly relative to 2024, due to the contribution of higher-grade ore from Fekola underground in the second half of 2025 and Fekola Regional later in the second half of 2025. Between 25,000 and 35,000 ounces of gold production is expected from the mining of higher-grade ore at Fekola underground. Fekola Regional is expected to contribute between 20,000 and 25,000 ounces of additional gold production in 2025 through the trucking of open pit ore to the Fekola mill. Despite a delay in the expected commencement of mining at Fekola Regional due to permit delays, the Company still expects to meet its production guidance from the Fekola Complex in 2025.

The development of Fekola Regional will enhance the overall Fekola Complex life of mine production profile and is expected to extend the mine life of the Fekola Complex. Fekola Regional is anticipated to contribute approximately 180,000 ounces of additional annual gold production in its first four full years of production from 2026 through 2029. Significant exploration potential remains across the Fekola Complex to further extend the mine life.

Masbate Mine  The Philippines

Three months ended March 31, 2025 2024 Gold revenue ($ in thousands) 129,393 98,967 Gold sold (ounces) 44,450 47,700 Average realized gold price ($/ ounce) 2,911 2,075 Tonnes of ore milled 2,278,032 2,169,462 Grade (grams/ tonne) 0.83 0.99 Recovery (%) 75.9 72.4 Gold production (ounces) 46,369 49,782 Production costs ($ in thousands) 38,016 42,771 Cash operating costs(1)($/ gold ounce sold) 855 897 Cash operating costs(1)($/ gold ounce produced) 833 835 Total cash costs(1)($/ gold ounce sold) 1,021 1,010 All-in sustaining costs(1)($/ gold ounce sold) 1,206 1,219 Capital expenditures ($ in thousands) 7,733 8,530 Exploration ($ in thousands) 420 821

(1) Non-IFRS measure. For a description of how these measures are calculated and a reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable measures specified, defined or determined under IFRS and presented in the Companys financial statements, refer to Non-IFRS Measures.

The Masbate Mine in the Philippines continued its strong performance with first quarter of 2025 gold production of 46,369 ounces, above expectations. For the first quarter of 2025, mill feed grade was 0.83 g/t gold, mill throughput was 2.28 million tonnes, and gold recovery averaged 75.9%.

The Masbate Mine's cash operating costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) for the first quarter of 2025 were $833 per ounce produced ($855 per gold ounce sold). Cash operating costs per gold ounce produced for the first quarter of 2025 were lower than expected as a result of higher than expected gold production as well as lower operating costs due primarily to lower diesel and heavy fuel oil costs.

All-in sustaining costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) for the first quarter of 2025 were $1,206 per gold ounce sold. All-in sustaining costs for the first quarter of 2025 were lower than expected as a result of lower than expected cash operating costs per gold ounce sold and higher than expected gold ounces sold, partially offset by higher gold royalties resulting from a higher than expected average realized gold price.

Capital expenditures in the first quarter of 2025 totaled $8 million, primarily consisting of $2 million for a solar plant, $2 million for deferred stripping, $1 million for mobile equipment purchases and rebuilds and $1 million for expansion of the existing TSF.

The Masbate Mine is expected to produce between 170,000 and 190,000 ounces of gold in 2025 at cash operating costs of between $955 and $1,015 per ounce and all-in sustaining costs of between $1,310 and $1,370 per ounce. Gold production is scheduled to be relatively consistent throughout 2025. For 2025, Masbate is expected to process 8.0 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 0.88 g/t with a process gold recovery of 79.9%. Mill feed will be a blend of mined fresh ore from the Main Vein pit and low-grade ore stockpiles.

Otjikoto Mine - Namibia

Three months ended March 31, 2025 2024 Gold revenue ($ in thousands) 148,047 106,159 Gold sold (ounces) 51,740 51,450 Average realized gold price ($/ ounce) 2,861 2,063 Tonnes of ore milled 843,057 826,477 Grade (grams/ tonne) 1.96 1.74 Recovery (%) 98.8 98.5 Gold production (ounces) 52,578 45,416 Production costs ($ in thousands) 34,953 28,869 Cash operating costs(1) ($/ gold ounce sold) 676 561 Cash operating costs(1) ($/ gold ounce produced) 594 642 Total cash costs(1) ($/ gold ounce sold) 790 644 All-in sustaining costs(1) ($/ gold ounce sold) 916 958 Capital expenditures ($ in thousands) 3,607 13,813 Exploration ($ in thousands) 1,831 1,789

(1) Non-IFRS measure. For a description of how these measures are calculated and a reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable measures specified, defined or determined under IFRS and presented in the Companys financial statements, refer to Non-IFRS Measures.

The Otjikoto Mine in Namibia, in which the Company holds a 90% interest, continued to outperform during the first quarter of 2025, producing 52,578 ounces of gold, above expectations. For the first quarter of 2025, mill feed grade was 1.96 g/t, mill throughput was 0.84 million tonnes, and gold recovery averaged 98.8%.

Cash operating costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) for the first quarter of 2025 were $594 per gold ounce produced ($676 per ounce gold sold). Cash operating costs per gold ounce produced for the first quarter of 2025 were lower than expected as a result higher than expected gold production, a weaker than expected Namibia foreign exchange rate and lower than expected underground mining costs.

All-in sustaining costs (see Non-IFRS Measures) for the first quarter of 2025 were $916 per gold ounce sold. All-in sustaining costs for the first quarter of 2025 were lower than expected as a result of higher than expected gold ounces sold and lower than expected sustaining capital expenditures, partially offset by higher gold royalties resulting from a higher than expected average realized gold price. The lower sustaining capital expenditures for the first quarter of 2025 were mainly a result of timing of expenditures and are expected to be incurred later in 2025.

Capital expenditures for the first quarter of 2025 totaled $4 million, consisting mainly of $3 million for Wolfshag underground mine development.

The Otjikoto Mine is expected to produce between 165,000 and 185,000 ounces of gold in 2025 at cash operating costs of between $695 and $755 per ounce and all-in sustaining costs of between $980 and $1,040 per ounce. Gold production at Otjikoto will be weighted towards the first half of 2025 due to the conclusion of open pit mining activities in the third quarter of 2025. For the full year 2025, Otjikoto is expected to process a total of 3.4 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 1.63 g/t with a process gold recovery of 98.0%. Processed ore will be sourced from the Otjikoto pit and the Wolfshag underground mine, supplemented by existing ore stockpiles. Open pit mining operations are scheduled to conclude in the third quarter of 2025, while underground mining operations at Wolfshag are expected to continue into 2027. In addition to the economic potential of the Antelope deposit, exploration results received to date indicate the potential to extend underground production at Wolfshag past 2027, supplementing processing operations into 2032 when economically viable stockpiles are forecast to be exhausted.

On February 4, 2025, the Company announced the positive PEA results for the Antelope deposit. Based on the positive results from the PEA, B2Gold believes that the Antelope deposit has the potential to become a small-scale, low-cost, underground gold mine that can supplement the low-grade stockpile production during the period of 2028 to 2032 and result in a meaningful production profile for Otjikoto into the next decade. The PEA for Antelope indicates an initial mine life of 5 years and total production of 327,000 ounces averaging approximately 65,000 ounce per year over the life-of mine. In combination with the processing of existing low grade stockpiles, production from Antelope has the potential to increase Otjikoto Mine production to approximately 110,000 ounces per year from 2029 through 2032. The Company has approved an initial budget of up to $10 million for 2025 to de-risk the Antelope deposit development schedule by advancing early work planning, project permits, and long lead orders. Technical work including geotechnical, hydrogeological, and metallurgical testing is anticipated to be completed over the next several months. Cost and schedule assumptions will continue to be refined by working with suppliers and contractors, including running a competitive bid process for the development phase of the Antelope deposit. A development decision is expected in the third quarter of 2025.

The Inferred Mineral Resource estimate for the Antelope deposit that formed the basis for the PEA included 1.75 million tonnes grading 6.91 g/t gold for a total of 390,000 ounces of gold, the majority of which is hosted in the Springbok Zone. The Antelope deposit remains open along strike in both directions, highlighting strong potential for future resource expansion.

The PEA is preliminary in nature and is based on Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the engineering and economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA based on these Mineral Resources will be realized. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Goose Project

Development

The Back River Gold District consists of eight mineral claims blocks along an 80 km belt. Construction is underway at the most advanced project in the district, the Goose Project, with development on schedule for first gold pour in the second quarter of 2025.

B2Gold recognizes that respect and collaboration with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association (KIA) is central to the license to operate in the Back River Gold District and will continue to prioritize developing the project in a manner that recognizes Inuit priorities, addresses concerns, and brings long-term socio-economic benefits to the Kitikmeot Region. B2Gold looks forward to continuing to build on its strong collaboration with the KIA and Kitikmeot Communities.

All planned construction activities in 2024 and early 2025 were completed and project construction and development continue to progress on track. The first four generators in the powerhouse will be commissioned by the end of the first week in May 2025. Availability of the Echo pond tailings line will occur in the first week of June 2025 with mill start-up immediately following. First gold is expected by the end of June 2025 with ramp up to commercial production expected in the third quarter of 2025. The Company continues to estimate that gold production in 2025 will be between 120,000 and 150,000 ounces and that average annual gold production for the six year period from 2026 to 2031 inclusive will be approximately 300,000 ounces per year.

Following the successful completion of the 2024 sealift, construction of the 163 km WIR began in December 2024 and was completed in February 2025. The WIR was operational by mid-February 2025 with the transportation of all materials from the MLA to the Goose Project site completed one month ahead of schedule in mid-April 2025. Over 4,000 loads and 80 million litres of fuel were transported over the 2025 WIR season.

Development of the open pit and underground remain the Company's primary focus to ensure that adequate material is available for mill startup and that the Echo pit is available for tailings placement. Open pit mining of the Echo pit continues to meet production targets and is scheduled to be completed by May 2025, and is anticipated to be ready to receive tailings when the mill starts. Mining of the Umwelt open pit commenced in December 2024 and is currently meeting production targets. The Umwelt underground development remains on schedule for the commencement of high-grade stope ore production in the third quarter of 2025.

In the first quarter of 2025, the Company incurred cash expenditures of $95 million (C$136 million) for the Goose Project on construction and development activities.

Based on the construction and mine development cash expenditures incurred to date, combined with the estimated expenditures to be incurred through to first gold pour in the second quarter of 2025, the Company expects to be in-line with the total Goose Project construction and mine development cash expenditure estimate of C$1,540 million, as announced on September 12, 2024. Operating cost guidance for the Goose Project for the second half of 2025 will be released in mid-year 2025 following the commencement of gold production.

Optimization Studies

With first gold production for the Goose Project expected by the end of the second quarter of 2025, B2Gold has begun multiple optimization studies with the goal of maximizing the long-term value of the Back River Gold District. These studies include:

Evaluating a flotation / concentrate leach process as a potential option to increase gold recovery and reduce operating costs (discussed in further detail below);

Evaluating the installation of a SAG mill to be paired in conjunction with the existing 4,000 tpd ball mill, which could potentially expand mill throughput capacity (discussed in further detail below);

Evaluating the viability of constructing and running the Goose Project winter ice road on a less than annual basis;

Evaluating underground mining methods and the potential to exceed the planned production from the Umwelt underground by increasing the mine production rate through development of more active production levels, and consideration of alternate mine methods to both lower costs and capture additional existing Mineral Resources into the mine plan; and

Assessing the feasibility of remote operation of surface and underground equipment as it presents an opportunity to optimize production efficiencies and reduce employee transportation costs.

In connection with these studies, B2Gold will be reviewing any regulatory requirements and engaging with the KIA and local communities to ensure any optimization of the Goose Project provides benefits to all stakeholders.

The Company is pursuing multiple optimization studies for the Goose Project, including one study to analyze the potential to increase mill throughput at the Goose Project from 4,000 tpd potentially up to 6,000 tpd, and a separate study analyzing the implementation of a flotation/concentrate leach process which has the potential to increase gold recovery and reduce processing unit costs. The Goose Project is currently permitted for mill throughput of up to 6,000 tpd, so no amendment to the Project Certificate would be required if the Company pursues the mill throughput expansion. The results of these studies are expected to be finalized in late 2025 / early 2026. Once the studies are completed, the Company will evaluate the economics of each option and pursue the desired choice.

Gramalote Project Development

The Gramalote Project is located in central Colombia, approximately 230 km northwest of Bogota and 100 km northeast of Medellin, in the Province of Antioquia, which has expressed a positive attitude towards the development of responsible mining projects in the region.

Following consolidation of the ownership, B2Gold completed a detailed review of the Gramalote Project, including the higher-grade core of the resource, facility size and location, power supply, mining and processing options, tailings design, resettlement, potential construction sequencing and camp design to identify potential cost savings to develop a medium-scale project. The results of the review allowed the Company to determine the optimal parameters and assumptions for the Gramalote PEA, the results of which were announced on June 18, 2024. Based on the positive results from the PEA, B2Gold believes that the Gramalote Project has the potential to become a medium-scale, low-cost open pit gold mine and approved the commencement of a feasibility study.

B2Gold is progressing the feasibility work with the goal of completing a feasibility study by mid-2025. Due to the work completed for previous studies, the work remaining to finalize a feasibility study for the updated medium-scale project is not extensive. The main work programs for the feasibility study include geotechnical and environmental site investigations for the processing plant and waste dump footprints, as well as capital and operating cost estimates.

The Gramalote Project will continue to advance resettlement programs, establish coexistence programs for small miners, work on health, safety and environmental projects and continue to work with the government and local communities on social programs.

Due to the desired modifications to the processing plant and infrastructure locations, a Modified Environmental Impact Study is required. B2Gold has commenced work on the modifications to the Environmental Impact Study and expect it to be completed and submitted shortly following the completion of the feasibility study. If the final economics of the feasibility study are positive and B2Gold makes the decision to develop the Gramalote Project as an open pit gold mine, B2Gold would utilize its proven internal mine construction team to build the mine and mill facilities.

Outlook

The Company is pleased with its positive first quarter of 2025 operating and financial results. The Company is on track to meet its 2025 total gold production guidance of between 970,000 and 1,075,000 ounces. The Company's full year total cash operating costs for the Fekola Complex, Masbate and Otjikoto continue to be forecast between $835 and $895 per gold ounce and total all-in sustaining costs continue to be forecast between $1,460 and $1,520 per gold ounce. Operating cost guidance for the Goose Project for the second half of 2025 will be released in mid-year 2025 following the commencement of gold production.

Upon completion of the construction activities at the Goose Project, the mine is expected to pour first gold in the second quarter of 2025, followed by ramp up to commercial production in the third quarter, and contribute between 120,000 and 150,000 ounces of gold in 2025. Over the first six full calendar years of operation from 2026 to 2031 inclusive, the average annual gold production for the Goose Project is estimated to be approximately 300,000 ounces of gold per year.

The Company is pursuing multiple optimization studies for the Goose Project, including one study to analyze the potential to increase mill throughput at the Goose Project from 4,000 tpd potentially up to 6,000 tpd, and a separate study analyzing the implementation of a flotation/concentrate leach process which has the potential to increase gold recovery and reduce processing unit costs. The Goose Project is currently permitted for mill throughput of up to 6,000 tpd, so no amendment to the Project Certificate would be required if the Company pursues the mill throughput expansion. The results of these studies are expected to be finalized in late 2025 / early 2026. Once the studies are completed, the Company will evaluate the economics of each option and pursue the desired choice.

Based on the positive PEA results for the Antelope deposit at the Otjikoto Mine released in February 2025, B2Gold believes that the Antelope deposit has the potential to become a small-scale, low-cost underground gold mine that can supplement the low-grade stockpile production during the period from 2028 to 2032 and result in meaningful production profile for Otjikoto into the next decade.

The Company expects to complete a feasibility study for its wholly owned Gramalote Project in Colombia by mid-2025. The feasibility study will include modifications to the processing plant and infrastructure locations and therefore a Modified Environmental Impact Study will also be required. Work on the modifications to the Environmental Impact Study are well advanced and the Company expects it to be completed and submitted shortly following the completion of the feasibility study. If the final economics of the feasibility study are positive and the Company makes the decision to develop the Gramalote Project as an open pit gold mine, the Company will utilize its proven internal mine construction team to build the mine and mill facilities.

The Company's ongoing strategy is to continue to maximize responsible profitable production from its existing mines, maintain a strong financial position, realize the potential increase in gold production from the Company's existing development projects, continue exploration programs across the Company's robust land packages, evaluate new exploration, development and production opportunities and continue to return capital to shareholders.

First Quarter 2025 Financial Results - Conference Call Details

B2Gold executives will host a conference call to discuss the results on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 8:00 am PT / 11:00 am ET.

Participants may register for the conference call here: registration link. Upon registering, participants will receive a calendar invitation by email with dial in details and a unique PIN. This will allow participants to bypass the operator queue and connect directly to the conference. Registration will remain open until the end of the conference call. Participants may also dial in using the numbers below:

Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: +1 (833)-821-2803

All other callers: +1 (647)-846-2419

The conference call will be available for playback for two weeks by dialing toll-free in the U.S. and Canada: +1 (855)-669-9658, replay access code 9068478. All other callers: +1 (412)-317-0088, replay access code 9068478.

About B2Gold

B2Gold is a responsible international senior gold producer headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Founded in 2007, today, B2Gold has operating gold mines in Mali, Namibia and the Philippines, the Goose Project under construction in northern Canada and numerous development and exploration projects in various countries including Mali, Colombia and Finland. B2Gold forecasts total consolidated gold production of between 970,000 and 1,075,000 ounces in 2025.

Qualified Persons

Bill Lytle, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, a qualified person under NI 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information related to operations matters contained in this news release.

Andrew Brown, P. Geo., Vice President, Exploration, a qualified person under NI 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information related to exploration and mineral resource matters contained in this news release.

ON BEHALF OF B2GOLD CORP.

Clive T. Johnson

President and Chief Executive Officer

Source: B2Gold Corp.

The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE American LLC neither approve nor disapprove the information contained in this news release.

Production results and production guidance presented in this news release reflect the total production at the mines B2Gold operates on a 100% basis. Please see our most recent Annual Information Form for a discussion of our ownership interest in the mines B2Gold operates.

This news release includes certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation, including: projections; outlook; guidance; forecasts; estimates; and other statements regarding future or estimated financial and operational performance, gold production and sales, revenues and cash flows, and capital costs (sustaining and non-sustaining) and operating costs, including projected cash operating costs and all-in sustaining costs, and budgets on a consolidated and mine by mine basis, which if they occur, would have on our business, our planned capital and exploration expenditures; future or estimated mine life, metal price assumptions, ore grades or sources, gold recovery rates, stripping ratios, throughput, ore processing; statements regarding anticipated exploration, drilling, development, construction, permitting and other activities or achievements of B2Gold; and including, without limitation: remaining well positioned for continued strong operational and financial performance in 2025; projected gold production, cash operating costs and all-in sustaining costs (on a consolidated and mine by mine basis in 2025 for the Fekola Complex, the Otjikoto Mine, the Masbate Gold Project and the Goose Project; total consolidated gold production of between 970,000 and 1,075,000 ounces in 2025, with cash operating costs of between $835 and $895 per ounce and all-in sustaining costs of between $1,460 and $1,520 per ounce; B2Gold's continued prioritization of developing the Goose Project in a manner that recognizes Indigenous input and concerns and brings long-term socio-economic benefits to the area; the Goose Project capital cost being approximately C$1,190 million and the net cost of open pit and underground development, deferred stripping, and sustaining capital expenditures to be incurred prior to first gold production being approximately C$350 million and the cost for reagents and other working capital items being C$330 million; the Goose Project producing approximately 300,000 ounces of gold per year for the first full six years of production; the potential for first gold production in the second quarter of 2025 from the Goose Project and the estimates of such production and the potential ramp-up to commercial production by the end of the third quarter of 2025; the receipt of the exploitation permit for Fekola Regional and Fekola Regional production expected to commence in the second half of 2025; the receipt of a permit for Fekola underground and Fekola underground commencing operation in mid-2025; the potential for the Antelope deposit to be developed as an underground operation and contribute up to 65,000 per year during the low-grade stockpile processing in 2029 through 2032 and the Otjikoto Mine producing an average of approximately 110,000 ounces per year during that period; the timing and results of a feasibility study on the Gramalote Project and the results thereof; the potential to develop the Gramalote Project as an open pit gold mine; planned 2025 exploration budgets for Canada, Mali, Namibia, the Philippines and Kazakhstan and other grassroots projects; and the potential payment of future dividends, including the timing and amount of any such dividends, and the expectation that quarterly dividends will be maintained at the same level. All statements in this MD&A that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made.

Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond B2Gold's control, including risks associated with or related to: the volatility of metal prices and B2Gold's common shares; changes in tax laws; the dangers inherent in exploration, development and mining activities; the uncertainty of reserve and resource estimates; not achieving production, cost or other estimates; actual production, development plans and costs differing materially from the estimates in B2Gold's feasibility and other studies; the ability to obtain and maintain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for mining activities; environmental regulations or hazards and compliance with complex regulations associated with mining activities; climate change and climate change regulations; the ability to replace mineral reserves and identify acquisition opportunities; the unknown liabilities of companies acquired by B2Gold; the ability to successfully integrate new acquisitions; fluctuations in exchange rates; the availability of financing; financing and debt activities, including potential restrictions imposed on B2Gold's operations as a result thereof and the ability to generate sufficient cash flows; operations in foreign and developing countries and the compliance with foreign laws, including those associated with operations in Mali, Namibia, the Philippines and Colombia and including risks related to changes in foreign laws and changing policies related to mining and local ownership requirements or resource nationalization generally; remote operations and the availability of adequate infrastructure; fluctuations in price and availability of energy and other inputs necessary for mining operations; shortages or cost increases in necessary equipment, supplies and labour; regulatory, political and country risks, including local instability or acts of terrorism and the effects thereof; the reliance upon contractors, third parties and joint venture partners; the lack of sole decision-making authority related to Filminera Resources Corporation, which owns the Masbate Gold Project; challenges to title or surface rights; the dependence on key personnel and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel; the risk of an uninsurable or uninsured loss; adverse climate and weather conditions; litigation risk; competition with other mining companies; community support for B2Gold's operations, including risks related to strikes and the halting of such operations from time to time; conflicts with small scale miners; failures of information systems or information security threats; the ability to maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting as required by law, including Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; compliance with anti-corruption laws, and sanctions or other similar measures; social media and B2Gold's reputation; as well as other factors identified and as described in more detail under the heading "Risk Factors" in B2Gold's most recent Annual Information Form, B2Gold's current Form 40-F Annual Report and B2Gold's other filings with Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which may be viewed at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov, respectively (the "Websites"). The list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect B2Gold's forward-looking statements.

B2Gold's forward-looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to management at such time. These assumptions and factors include, but are not limited to, assumptions and factors related to B2Gold's ability to carry on current and future operations, including: development and exploration activities; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations, including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts, studies and assessments; B2Gold's ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of inputs; the price and market for outputs, including gold; foreign exchange rates; taxation levels; the timely receipt of necessary approvals or permits; the ability to meet current and future obligations; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions; and other assumptions and factors generally associated with the mining industry.

B2Gold's forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management and reflect their current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof. B2Gold does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits or liabilities B2Gold will derive therefrom. For the reasons set forth above, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.

The projected range of all-in sustaining costs includes sustaining capital expenditures, corporate administrative expense, mine-site exploration and evaluation costs and reclamation cost accretion, and exclude the effects of expansionary capital and non-sustaining expenditures. Projected GAAP total production cash costs for the full year would require inclusion of the projected impact of future included and excluded items, including items that are not currently determinable, but may be significant, such as sustaining capital expenditures, reclamation cost accretion. Due to the uncertainty of the likelihood, amount and timing of any such items, B2Gold does not have information available to provide a quantitative reconciliation of projected all-in sustaining costs to a total production cash costs projection. B2Gold believes that this measure represents the total costs of producing gold from current operations, and provides B2Gold and other stakeholders of the Company with additional information of B2Golds operational performance and ability to generate cash flows. All-in sustaining costs, as a key performance measure, allows B2Gold to assess its ability to support capital expenditures and to sustain future production from the generation of operating cash flows. This information provides management with the ability to more actively manage capital programs and to make more prudent capital investment decisions.

Non-IFRS Measures

This news release includes certain terms or performance measures commonly used in the mining industry that are not defined under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), including "cash operating costs" and "all-in sustaining costs" (or "AISC"). Non-IFRS measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore they may not be comparable to similar measures employed by other companies. The projected range of AISC is anticipated to be adjusted to include sustaining capital expenditures, corporate administrative expense, mine-site exploration and evaluation costs and reclamation cost accretion and amortization, and exclude the effects of expansionary capital and non-sustaining expenditures. Projected GAAP total production cash costs for the full year would require inclusion of the projected impact of future included and excluded items, including items that are not currently determinable, but may be significant, such as sustaining capital expenditures, reclamation cost accretion and amortization. Due to the uncertainty of the likelihood, amount and timing of any such items, B2Gold does not have information available to provide a quantitative reconciliation of projected AISC to a total production cash costs projection. B2Gold believes that this measure represents the total costs of producing gold from current operations, and provides B2Gold and other stakeholders of the Company with additional information of B2Golds operational performance and ability to generate cash flows. AISC, as a key performance measure, allows B2Gold to assess its ability to support capital expenditures and to sustain future production from the generation of operating cash flows. This information provides management with the ability to more actively manage capital programs and to make more prudent capital investment decisions.

The data presented is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS and should be read in conjunction with B2Gold's consolidated financial statements. Readers should refer to B2Gold's Management Discussion and Analysis, available on the Websites, under the heading "Non-IFRS Measures" for a more detailed discussion of how B2Gold calculates certain such measures and a reconciliation of certain measures to IFRS terms.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Mineral Reserve and Resource Estimates

The disclosure in this news release was prepared in accordance with Canadian standards for the reporting of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates, which differ in some material respects from the disclosure requirements of United States securities laws. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the terms mineral reserve, proven mineral reserve, probable mineral reserve, inferred mineral resources,, indicated mineral resources, measured mineral resources and mineral resources used or referenced in this news release are Canadian mineral disclosure terms as defined in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the CIM) - CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended (the CIM Definition Standards). The definitions of these terms, and other mining terms and disclosures, differ from the definitions of such terms, if any, for purposes of the SECs disclosure rules for domestic United State issuers. As a foreign private issuer that is eligible to file reports with the SEC pursuant to the MJDS, B2Gold is not required to provide disclosure on its mineral properties under the SEC Rules and provides disclosure under NI 43-101 and the CIM Definition Standards. Accordingly, mineral reserve and mineral resource information and other technical information contained in this news release may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by companies subject to the SECs reporting and disclosure requirements for domestic United States issuers.

Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Due to the uncertainty of measured, indicated or inferred mineral resources, these mineral resources may never be upgraded to proven and probable mineral reserves. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves or recovered. In addition, United States investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of B2Golds measured, indicated or inferred mineral resources constitute or will be converted into mineral reserves or are or will be economically or legally mineable without additional work.

Historical results or feasibility models presented herein are not guarantees or expectations of future performance. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Due to the uncertainty of measured, indicated or inferred mineral resources, these mineral resources may never be upgraded to proven and probable mineral reserves. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves or recovered. In addition, United States investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of B2Golds measured, indicated or inferred mineral resources constitute or will be converted into mineral reserves or are or will be economically or legally mineable without additional work.

B2GOLD CORP.

CONDENSED INTERIM CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31

(Expressed in thousands of United States dollars, except per share amounts)

(Unaudited)

2025

2024

Gold revenue $ 532,107 $ 461,444 Cost of sales Production costs (161,994 ) (156,745 ) Depreciation and depletion (89,557 ) (90,446 ) Royalties and production taxes (42,806 ) (30,027 ) Total cost of sales (294,357 ) (277,218 ) Gross profit 237,750 184,226 General and administrative (11,802 ) (14,138 ) Foreign exchange gains (losses) 7,214 (2,379 ) Non-recoverable input taxes (6,846 ) (4,304 ) Share-based payments (5,869 ) (4,954 ) Write-down of mining interests (5,118 )  Community relations (999 ) (489 ) Share of net income of associates 754 2,097 Other expense (6,251 ) (5,432 ) Operating income 208,833 154,627 (Losses) gains on derivative instruments (43,319 ) 275 Change in fair value of gold stream (30,552 ) (10,852 ) Interest and financing expense (5,723 ) (9,571 ) Interest income 3,172 5,455 Losses on dilution on associate  (9,982 ) Other income 356 143 Income from operations before taxes 132,767 130,095 Current income tax, withholding and other taxes (86,083 ) (61,584 ) Deferred income tax recovery (expense) 15,880 (20,030 ) Net income for the period $ 62,564 $ 48,481 Attributable to: Shareholders of the Company $ 57,587 $ 39,751 Non-controlling interests 4,977 8,730 Net income for the period $ 62,564 $ 48,481 Earnings per share(attributable to shareholders of the Company) Basic $ 0.04 $ 0.03 Diluted $ 0.04 $ 0.03 Weighted average number of common sharesoutstanding(in thousands) Basic 1,318,390 1,303,191 Diluted 1,469,206 1,307,674

B2GOLD CORP.

CONDENSED INTERIM CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31

(Expressed in thousands of United States dollars)

(Unaudited)

2025

2024

Operating activities Net income for the period $ 62,564 $ 48,481 Mine restoration provisions settled (493 ) (291 ) Non-cash charges, net 181,923 153,765 Proceeds from prepaid sales  500,023 Changes in non-cash working capital (14,840 ) 21,985 Changes in long-term inventory (10,957 ) 1,709 Changes in long-term value added tax receivables (39,409 ) (14,945 ) Cash provided by operating activities 178,788 710,727 Financing activities Proceeds from convertible senior unsecured notes, net of transaction costs 445,913  Repayment of revolving credit facility (400,000 ) (150,000 ) Equipment facility draw downs 8,990  Repayment of equipment loan facilities (4,402 ) (2,387 ) Interest and commitment fees paid (3,494 ) (3,579 ) Cash proceeds from stock option exercises 2,231 1,088 Dividends paid (25,552 ) (45,989 ) Principal payments on lease arrangements (2,972 ) (1,448 ) Distributions to non-controlling interests (8,182 ) (4,580 ) Other (4,267 ) 271 Cash provided (used) by financing activities 8,265 (206,624 ) Investing activities Expenditures on mining interests: Fekola Mine (64,003 ) (80,562 ) Masbate Mine (7,733 ) (8,530 ) Otjikoto Mine (3,607 ) (13,813 ) Goose Project (94,812 ) (117,451 ) Fekola Regional Properties (3,169 ) (4,501 ) Gramalote Project (6,793 ) (3,310 ) Other exploration (5,596 ) (8,840 ) Purchase of long-term investments (1,808 )  Funding of reclamation accounts (1,421 ) (1,029 ) Other (6,134 ) (1,541 ) Cash used by investing activities (195,076 ) (239,577 ) (Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (8,023 ) 264,526 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 1,175 (3,607 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 336,971 306,895 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 330,123 $ 567,814

B2GOLD CORP.

CONDENSED INTERIM CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Expressed in thousands of United States dollars)

(Unaudited)

As at March 31, 2025

As at December 31, 2024

Assets Current Cash and cash equivalents $ 330,123 $ 336,971 Accounts receivable, prepaids and other 47,605 41,059 Value-added and other tax receivables 53,848 46,173 Inventories 535,637 477,586 967,213 901,789 Long-term investments 120,475 76,717 Value-added tax receivables 276,567 244,147 Mining interests 3,438,533 3,291,435 Investment in associates 92,171 91,417 Long-term inventories 113,965 134,529 Other assets 84,021 73,964 Deferred income taxes 5,752  $ 5,098,697 $ 4,813,998 Liabilities Current Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 171,452 $ 156,352 Current income and other taxes payable 127,265 103,557 Current portion of prepaid gold sales 413,847 272,781 Current portion of long-term debt 27,218 16,419 Current portion of derivative instruments 16,936 1,606 Current portion of gold stream obligation 12,600 6,900 Current portion of mine restoration provisions 6,677 7,170 Other current liabilities 17,564 15,902 793,559 580,687 Long-term debt 397,926 421,464 Gold stream obligation 184,377 159,525 Prepaid gold sales 134,235 265,329 Mine restoration provisions 147,726 140,541 Deferred income taxes 190,215 169,738 Derivative instruments 36,088 2,107 Employee benefits obligation 19,600 18,410 Other long-term liabilities 20,194 20,500 1,923,920 1,778,301 Equity Shareholders equity Share capital 3,516,643 3,510,271 Contributed surplus 159,652 91,184 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (66,484 ) (102,771 ) Retained deficit (484,638 ) (515,619 ) 3,125,173 2,983,065 Non-controlling interests 49,604 52,632 3,174,777 3,035,697 $ 5,098,697 $ 4,813,998

NON-IFRS MEASURES

Cash operating costs per gold ounce sold and total cash costs per gold ounce sold

Cash operating costs per gold ounce and total cash costs per gold ounce are common financial performance measures in the gold mining industry but, as non-IFRS measures, they do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate our performance and ability to generate cash flow. Accordingly, these measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The measures, along with sales, are considered to be a key indicator of the Companys ability to generate earnings and cash flow from its mining operations.

Cash cost figures are calculated on a sales basis in accordance with a standard developed by The Gold Institute, which was a worldwide association of suppliers of gold and gold products and included leading North American gold producers. The Gold Institute ceased operations in 2002, but the standard is the accepted standard of reporting cash cost of production in North America. Adoption of the standard is voluntary and the cost measures presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. Other companies may calculate these measures differently. Cash operating costs and total cash costs per gold ounce sold are derived from amounts included in the statement of operations and include mine site operating costs such as mining, processing, smelting, refining, transportation costs, royalties and production taxes, less silver by-product credits. The tables below show a reconciliation of cash operating costs per gold ounce sold and total cash costs per gold ounce sold to production costs as extracted from the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements on a consolidated and a mine-by-mine basis (dollars in thousands):

For the three months ended March 31, 2025 Fekola

Mine Masbate

Mine Otjikoto

Mine Total $ $ $ $ Production costs 89,025 38,016 34,953 161,994 Royalties and production taxes 29,494 7,378 5,934 42,806 Total cash costs 118,519 45,394 40,887 204,800 Gold sold (ounces) 87,808 44,450 51,740 183,998 Cash operating costs per ounce ($/ gold ounce sold) 1,014 855 676 880 Total cash costs per ounce ($/ gold ounce sold) 1,350 1,021 790 1,113

For the three months ended March 31, 2024 Fekola

Mine Masbate

Mine Otjikoto

Mine Total Calibre equity

investment Grand

Total $ $ $ $ $ $ Production costs 85,105 42,771 28,869 156,745 11,905 168,650 Royalties and production taxes 20,395 5,390 4,242 30,027 854 30,881 Total cash costs 105,500 48,161 33,111 186,772 12,759 199,531 Gold sold (ounces) 123,828 47,700 51,450 222,978 11,377 234,355 Cash operating costs per ounce ($/ gold ounce sold) 687 897 561 703 1,046 720 Total cash costs per ounce ($/ gold ounce sold) 852 1,010 644 838 1,121 851

Cash operating costs per gold ounce produced

In addition to cash operating costs on a per gold ounce sold basis, the Company also presents cash operating costs on a per gold ounce produced basis. Cash operating costs per gold ounce produced is derived from amounts included in the statement of operations and include mine site operating costs such as mining, processing, smelting, refining, transportation costs, less silver by-product credits. The tables below show a reconciliation of cash operating costs per gold ounce produced to production costs as extracted from the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements on a consolidated and a mine-by-mine basis (dollars in thousands):

For the three months ended March 31, 2025 Fekola

Mine Masbate

Mine Otjikoto

Mine Total $ $ $ $ Production costs 89,025 38,016 34,953 161,994 Inventory sales adjustment 1,536 628 (3,746 ) (1,582 ) Cash operating costs 90,561 38,644 31,207 160,412 Gold produced (ounces) 93,805 46,369 52,578 192,752 Cash operating costs per ounce ($/ gold ounce produced) 965 833 594 832

For the three months ended March 31, 2024 Fekola

Mine Masbate

Mine Otjikoto

Mine Total Calibre equity

investment Grand

Total $ $ $ $ $ $ Production costs 85,105 42,771 28,869 156,745 11,905 168,650 Inventory sales adjustment (1,922 ) (1,224 ) 272 (2,874 )  (2,874 ) Cash operating costs 83,183 41,547 29,141 153,871 11,905 165,776 Gold produced (ounces) 119,141 49,782 45,416 214,339 11,377 225,716 Cash operating costs per ounce ($/ gold ounce produced) 698 835 642 718 1,046 734

All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce

In June 2013, the World Gold Council, a non-regulatory association of the worlds leading gold mining companies established to promote the use of gold to industry, consumers and investors, provided guidance for the calculation of the measure all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce, but as a non-IFRS measure, it does not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. The original World Gold Council standard became effective January 1, 2014 with further updates announced on November 16, 2018 which were effective starting January 1, 2019.

Management believes that the all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce measure provides additional insight into the costs of producing gold by capturing all of the expenditures required for the discovery, development and sustaining of gold production and allows the Company to assess its ability to support capital expenditures to sustain future production from the generation of operating cash flows. Management believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Company's performance and ability to generate cash flow. Accordingly, it is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Adoption of the standard is voluntary and the cost measures presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. The Company has applied the principles of the World Gold Council recommendations and has reported all-in sustaining costs on a sales basis. Other companies may calculate these measures differently.

B2Gold defines all-in sustaining costs per ounce as the sum of cash operating costs, royalties and production taxes, capital expenditures and exploration costs that are sustaining in nature, sustaining lease expenditures, corporate general and administrative costs, share-based payment expenses related to restricted share units/deferred share units/performance share units/restricted phantom units ("RSUs/DSUs/PSUs/RPUs"), community relations expenditures, reclamation liability accretion and realized (gains) losses on fuel derivative contracts, all divided by the total gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce figure.

The tables below show a reconciliation of all-in sustaining costs per ounce to production costs as extracted from the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements on a consolidated and a mine-by-mine basis for the three months ended March 31, 2025 (dollars in thousands):

For the three months ended March 31, 2025 Fekola

Mine Masbate

Mine Otjikoto

Mine Corporate Total $ $ $ $ $ Production costs 89,025 38,016 34,953  161,994 Royalties and production taxes 29,494 7,378 5,934  42,806 Corporate administration 2,937 527 1,349 6,989 11,802 Share-based payments  RSUs/DSUs/PSUs/RPUs(1) 15   3,538 3,553 Community relations 482 102 415  999 Reclamation liability accretion 615 345 263  1,223 Realized losses on derivative contracts 113 39 23  175 Sustaining lease expenditures 919 316 340 427 2,002 Sustaining capital expenditures(2) 46,526 6,862 3,607  56,995 Sustaining mine exploration(2)  16 493  509 Total all-in sustaining costs 170,126 53,601 47,377 10,954 282,058 Gold sold (ounces) 87,808 44,450 51,740  183,998 All-in sustaining cost per ounce ($/ gold ounce sold) 1,937 1,206 916  1,533

(1) Included as a component of Share-based payments on the Statement of operations.

(2) Refer to Sustaining capital expenditures and Sustaining mine exploration reconciliations below.

The table below shows a reconciliation of sustaining capital expenditures to operating mine capital expenditures as extracted from the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2025 (dollars in thousands):

For the three months ended March 31, 2025 Fekola

Mine Masbate

Mine Otjikoto

Mine Total $ $ $ $ Operating mine capital expenditures 64,003 7,733 3,607 75,343 Fekola underground (17,477 )   (17,477 ) Other  (871 )  (871 ) Sustaining capital expenditures 46,526 6,862 3,607 56,995

The table below shows a reconciliation of sustaining mine exploration to operating mine exploration as extracted from the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2025 (dollars in thousands):

For the three months ended March 31, 2025 Fekola

Mine Masbate

Mine Otjikoto

Mine Total $ $ $ $ Operating mine exploration  420 1,831 2,251 Regional exploration  (404 ) (1,338 ) (1,742 ) Sustaining mine exploration  16 493 509

The table below shows a reconciliation of all-in sustaining costs per ounce to production costs as extracted from the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements on a consolidated and a mine-by-mine basis for the three months ended March 31, 2024 (dollars in thousands):

For the three months ended March 31, 2024 Fekola

Mine Masbate

Mine Otjikoto

Mine Corporate Total Calibre equity

investment Grand

Total $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Production costs 85,105 42,771 28,869  156,745 11,905 168,650 Royalties and production taxes 20,395 5,390 4,242  30,027 854 30,881 Corporate administration 2,727 514 1,480 9,417 14,138 561 14,699 Share-based payments  RSUs/DSUs/PSUs/RPUs(1) 33   4,973 5,006  5,006 Community relations 145 13 331  489  489 Reclamation liability accretion 435 301 238  974  974 Realized gains on derivative contracts (218 ) (144 ) (31 )  (393 )  (393 ) Sustaining lease expenditures 84 318 554 492 1,448  1,448 Sustaining capital expenditures(2) 67,870 8,249 12,898  89,017 1,755 90,772 Sustaining mine exploration(2) 1,302 734 702  2,738  2,738 Total all-in sustaining costs 177,878 58,146 49,283 14,882 300,189 15,075 315,264 Gold sold (ounces) 123,828 47,700 51,450  222,978 11,377 234,355 All-in sustaining cost per ounce ($/ gold ounce sold) 1,436 1,219 958  1,346 1,325 1,345

(1) Included as a component of Share-based payments on the Statement of operations.

(2) Refer to Sustaining capital expenditures and Sustaining mine exploration reconciliations below

The table below shows a reconciliation of sustaining capital expenditures to operating mine capital expenditures as extracted from the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2024 (dollars in thousands):

For the three months ended March 31, 2024 Fekola

Mine Masbate

Mine Otjikoto

Mine Total Calibre equity

investment Grand

Total $ $ $ $ $ $ Operating mine capital expenditures 80,562 8,530 13,813 102,905 1,755 104,660 Fekola underground (11,104 )   (11,104 )  (11,104 ) Road construction (1,588 )   (1,588 )  (1,588 ) Land acquisition  (71 )  (71 )  (71 ) Other  (210 ) (915 ) (1,125 )  (1,125 ) Sustaining capital expenditures 67,870 8,249 12,898 89,017 1,755 90,772

The table below shows a reconciliation of sustaining mine exploration to operating mine exploration as extracted from the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2024 (dollars in thousands):

For the three months ended March 31, 2024 Fekola

Mine Masbate

Mine Otjikoto

Mine Total Calibre equity

investment Grand

Total $ $ $ $ $ $ Operating mine exploration 1,302 821 1,789 3,912  3,912 Regional exploration  (87 ) (1,087 ) (1,174 )  (1,174 ) Sustaining mine exploration 1,302 734 702 2,738  2,738

Adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share - basic

Adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share  basic are non-IFRS measures that do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. The Company defines adjusted net income as net income attributable to shareholders of the Company adjusted for non-recurring items and also significant recurring non-cash items. The Company defines adjusted earnings per share  basic as adjusted net income divided by the basic weighted number of common shares outstanding.

Management believes that the presentation of adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share - basic is appropriate to provide additional information to investors regarding items that we do not expect to continue at the same level in the future or that management does not believe to be a reflection of the Company's ongoing operating performance. Management further believes that its presentation of these non-IFRS financial measures provide information that is useful to investors because they are important indicators of the strength of our operations and the performance of our core business. Accordingly, it is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Other companies may calculate this measure differently.

A reconciliation of net income to adjusted net income as extracted from the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements is set out in the table below:
Ukraine and its backers will sign off on the creation of a special tribunal to try Russia's top leadership over their invasion at a meeting in Lviv Friday, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said.

EU foreign ministers are heading to the western Ukrainian city in a symbolic show of support for Kyiv to coincide with the Kremlin's World War II victory parade in Moscow.

"There will be no impunity, there will be accountability for the crimes committed," Kallas said Thursday after a meeting of EU ministers in Warsaw.

The special tribunal is designed to prosecute Russia's top leadership for the "crime of aggression" in launching the invasion of Ukraine.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin over the abduction of Ukrainian children, and four of his top commanders for targeting civilians.

But the ICC does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute Russia for the more fundamental decision to launch the invasion.

The new tribunal is not expected to be able to try Putin while he is in office due to a principle of international law that gives immunity to presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers.

Proposals for establishing the tribunal were floated more than two years ago but wrangling over its legal basis and how it would work has made progress slow.

The return of US President Donald Trump to the White House appears to have sped up efforts, as European officials fear his plans for a peace deal could lead to Moscow escaping justice for good.

Kallas said that alongside the announcement on the court, the EU will also pledge a further one billion euros ($1.1 billion) to help build up Ukraine's defence industry.

The money is set to come from the proceeds of frozen Russian central bank assets that Brussels has already earmarked for Kyiv.






Thursday, May 8, 2025 - Police are investigating the death of a 60-year-old South African businessman, Mark Nalon Minter, who was found dead in the toilet of a Parklands apartment in Nairobi on Wednesday, just days after arriving in the country for a business trip.

Minter had landed in Kenya on Thursday, May 1st, 2025, and was scheduled to depart on Saturday, May 10th.

He was in the company of a female companion who told police that after they had dinner and retired to bed, she woke up in the morning to find him missing, only to discover his unresponsive body in the washroom.

Emergency responders from St Johns Ambulance confirmed his death at the scene.

Drugs for hypertension and diabetes were recovered from his belongings, and police noted a forehead injury likely caused by a fall.

The body was moved to City Mortuary for autopsy as investigations continue.

Via Cyprian Nyakundi.






Thursday, May 8, 2025 - After the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) named gold scammer-turned-politician Philip Aroko as a person of interest in the murder of Kasipul MP, Charles Ongondo Were, a condolence message he posted on Facebook has sparked public outrage.

In the May 1st, 2025 post, Aroko expressed deep sorrow, calling the MPs death tragic and shocking, and urged the DCI to bring the perpetrators to justice.

However, the sincerity of his message has been widely questioned given the unfolding investigation.

Responding to the DCI's announcement, Aroko wrote on Facebook: As a law-abiding citizen, I will comply with the DCI's directive and present myself at the nearest police station.

Later, Aroko surrendered to authorities at Gigiri Police Station, accompanied by his lawyer Danstan Omari.

He maintained his innocence, insisting he had no role in the April 30th shooting of the MP near City Mortuary in Nairobi.

I have just seen on X that I am wanted. I was not hiding. I am a law-abiding citizen. I have nothing to do with the death of the MP, Aroko said.

His lawyer, meanwhile, accused the State of politicising the investigation.

Aroko, who recently expressed interest in contesting the Kasipul Kabondo parliamentary seat, now faces growing skepticism from Kenyans online, with many accusing him of shedding crocodile tears.

See his moving tribute and reactions from Kenyans.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Thursday, May 8, 2025 - Muranga Governor Irungu Kangata has responded to damning allegations aired in an NTV investigative report accusing him of fraudulently acquiring compensation funds meant for victims of the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash.

The expose alleges that Kangata forged death certificates and submitted fake claims for six victims, fraudulently receiving payouts intended for bereaved families.

Shockingly, individuals listed as deceased are reportedly serving as County Executive Committee Members (CECs) in his administration.

With each of the 34 Kenyan victims entitled to $1.2 million (approximately KSh 160 million), Kangata is accused of siphoning KSh 960 million through the fraudulent scheme.

While the Governor did not directly deny the claims, he suggested the expose was politically driven, implicating President William Ruto in an alleged plot to derail his political ambitions.

I know who leaked this, he said, describing the report as a politically motivated smear.

Taking to social media platform X, Kangata dismissed the allegations as a 2019 issue that was duly closed.

He insisted all legitimate victims were compensated and denied that any fake victims received funds.

Defiant, Kangata vowed to use his legal expertise to fight for Kenyans successfully.

See his post below.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Thursday, May 8, 2025 - Following the shocking assassination of Kasipul Kabondo MP, Charles Ongondo Were, near City Mortuary, netizens have revisited past high-profile killings carried out in a similar style.

Among them is the murder of George Muchai, who was Kabete MP and also served as Deputy Secretary-General of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU).

On February 7th, 2015, Muchai was gunned down in Nairobi alongside his two bodyguards and driver in a brazen execution-style attack.

Before his death, Muchai had made explosive allegations against COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli and other union leaders, accusing them of embezzling over KSh190 billion.

He had demanded their resignation and claimed that his life was in danger.

In a particularly chilling statement, Muchai warned that COTU officials including Atwoli were planning to eliminate him and frame his murder as a crime of passion.

His assassination sparked public outrage, with leaders like Moses Kuria calling for investigations into COTU officials, including Atwoli.

Atwoli denied any involvement, stating that their disagreement was purely ideological.

Below is a video of George Muchai, naming the people who were planning to eliminate him in November 2014

This was George Muchai in November 2014,



Naming the people who were planning to eliminate him.



The first name will shock you. pic.twitter.com/sRm909WPVE  I am Chege (@_James041) May 7, 2025
1 of 1

Blackout in many areas of Jammu-Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, siren sounded



khaskhabar.com : Thu, 08 May 2025 9:45 PM

New Delhi. Blackout was imposed in many areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan on Thursday night. Along with this, sirens also started ringing. During this, the administration has appealed to the people to stay indoors and remain alert.

It is noteworthy that during the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan, India destroyed many rockets coming from Pakistan on Thursday morning. Pakistan had tried to target 15 cities of India, but the Indian Army foiled all the attacks.

Army officer Colonel Qureshi and Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said that Pakistan tried to attack many military bases of India with the help of drones and missiles on the night of 7-8 May. The cities which were tried to be targeted include Avantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai and Bhuj. However, India's integrated counter-UAS grid and strong air defense systems completely foiled these attacks. The debris recovered at various locations made it clear that these attacks were carried out from Pakistani territory.

Officials said that the Indian armed forces retaliated on Thursday and successfully targeted air defense radars and systems located at several places in Pakistan. An air defense system has been destroyed in Lahore.

He said that the Pakistani army carried out unprovoked and provocative firing in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, in which mortars and heavy artillery were used. A total of 16 innocent civilians, including three women and five children, have died in this violent action. The Indian Army has given an appropriate and balanced response to this unprovoked firing.

Earlier, India had carried out air strikes on nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. It is being told that about 100 terrorists were killed in these attacks.
KILDARE'S Lullymore Heritage Park has secured 300,000 in funding which will allow for the addition of an electric train to bring more visitors around.

Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, and the Marine, Martin Heydon has welcomed confirmation of the funding under Failte Irelands EU Just Transition Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme.

This funding of 300,000 confirmed for Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park will provide for the addition of an electric train with two enclosed passenger carriages to facilitate guided tours at the Park, he said.

This funding is allocated under category 1 of the scheme which allows for the Development or Enhancement of Sustainable Visitor Experiences.

Lullymore is a great example of a sustainable visitor experience, bringing visitors to the heart of west Kildare.

It has continued to grow and develop since its opening and is now a key attraction for visitors to Kildare.

This funding will further enhance the offering at the park and ensure its facilities are modern and accessible for all."

Part of the EU Just Transition Fund programme, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union, the EU Just Transition Fund scheme is supporting sustainable economic development and job creation in communities and businesses like Lullymore across the Midlands.
US-OWNED Powell Electronics has announced it will cease all exports from Ireland to Israel following a protest by the Kildare Palestine Solidarity Campaign (KPSC) at its Clane facility on Wednesday, April 28.

Members of the group as well as locals and members of the public outside the county blockaded the companys European base from early morning in a bid to stop the shipment of electronic components reportedly linked to weapons production.

The action followed a recent investigation by The Ditch, which revealed that Powells Kildare warehouse had been supplying parts to Elbit Systems, Israels largest arms manufacturer.

In a statement to KFM Radio following the demonstration, Powell Electronics said: No more product is ever going to leave Ireland for Israel. While the company did not clarify whether this decision represents a permanent policy shift, campaigners have welcomed the announcement as a direct outcome of local pressure.

Sinn Fein TD for Kildare South, Shonagh Ni Raghallaigh, joined KPSC at the site and hand-delivered a letter demanding the company end all dealings with Elbit Systems and commit to international human rights standards.

Powell Electronics is operating in our community, and the people of Kildare will not be complicit in genocide, she said.

The campaign groups letter outlined three key demands: an immediate end to all shipments to Elbit, a public commitment to ethical business practices, and a full review of company supply chains.

KPSC spokesperson Dorothy Collin called the response by the company very quick and positive: It shows that peacefully protesting does have an effect.

However, KSPC wants to clarify that they will keep pressure on the situation until an official statement outlining the companys end of shipments to Elbit has been released.

We would hope that they dont think that [the statement to Kfm] is enough. We would love a public statement.

As a very proud neutral nation we cannot let that be tarnished by being complicit in genocide.

Powell Electronics has been contacted for comment, but did not respond by the time of publication.
A Kilkenny businesswoman has been named among All-Ireland Business Foundations Top Five Women in Business.

Brigid Walsh CEng, Beng, MIEI a respected Kilkenny-based entrepreneur, has been named one in the top five for the second year in a row. This prestigious accolade recognises outstanding leadership and impact in Irish enterprise.

Brigid is the Senior Design Lead at Solar Precision, a solar PV engineering company headquartered in Kilkenny. In this role, she has been instrumental in advancing the companys reputation for technical excellence and innovative solutions in renewable energy.

Her influence extends far beyond her professional role. Brigid is a passionate advocate for diversity in STEM and a committed mentor to emerging talentparticularly women pursuing careers in engineering and sustainability.

READ MORE KILKENNY BUSINESS NEWS HERE

Being recognised among Irelands top women in business is an incredible honour, said Brigid. I hope this recognition inspires other women to pursue leadership roles in industries shaping our future.

Her recognition reflects not only personal achievement but also the rising influence of women in driving Irelands green transition and business innovation.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Solar Evolution are renewable energy professionals committed to a sustainable future that help commercial and industrial companies produce their own electricity, efficiently, reliably ,economically, that can offset your businesses carbon footprint. Company co-founder Brigid was also last year among 19 entrepreneurs honoured as a Trailblazer at the All-Ireland Business Summit.
A Kilkenny company is celebrating a remarkable achievement at the 2025 Irish Accountancy Awards, winning in two major categories.

Taxback International was awarded Best Use of Technology in Accounting & Finance, and the Client Service Award at the Irish Accountancy Awards 2025.

The awards recognise the companys exceptional service delivery and the transformative impact of its flagship platform.

The double win underscores Taxback Internationals position as a trusted partner for global accountancy firms and multinationals navigating the complexities of modern tax regulation.



Karl Nolan, and Mark Cliffe from Taxback International holding the trophy for the Best Use of Technology in Accounting & Finance at the Irish Accountancy Awards 2025

The prestigious awards ceremony, held at the Royal Dublin Convention Centre, celebrated the most outstanding contributions to the accounting and finance industry in Ireland.

Taxback International's double win is a clear reflection of its continued leadership in tax compliance, technology innovation, and customer service excellence.

Taxback International is part of Kilkenny-headquartered software technology group, CluneTech, which employs over 1600 people worldwide.



Were incredibly proud to be recognised across these two core areas of our business, said Catherine Quirke, CEO of Taxback International.

These awards are a tribute to our exceptional team, our forward- thinking clients, and our commitment to innovation and precision in everything we do.

Taxback International (soon to be Fintua) is a global leader in VAT compliance, reclaim, and tax technology, working in digital tax compliance innovation.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE KILKENNY BUSINESS NEWS
Dear Editor,

My name is Orla Donohoe and I ran for the General Elections with the Irish Freedom Party (Im no longer with them).

I just wanted to reach out as during elections I started to promote local businesses and have carried on since then.

Its nice to put out a positive message. I just want to say how sad it is to see two businesses in Kilkenny close in the space of a few weeks  both cafes.

READ NEXT: Tourist pens love letter to the 'magical' city and people of Kilkenny

More needs to be done. Ive spoken to many businesses in both Kilkenny and Carlow to try and promote the shop local and support small businesses message.

What are the local councillors and TDs doing to help?

Why is more not being done to bring down the VAT rate, rents and council rates they seem to be the biggest contention when I spoke to business owners?

Its so sad to think there are more people losing their jobs as well, especially in the cost-of-living crisis we are in.

Kind regards,

Orla Donohoe

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
In October 2024, Hannah Dermody, a 30-year-old kidney patient from Freshford, County Kilkenny, who was thrust into the world of kidney failure at just 11 years old, spearheaded a successful darts fundraiser, that raised 7,075 for the Irish Kidney Association (IKA).

Hannah has been receiving nightly dialysis treatment for the past nine years following the failure of a kidney transplant she had received when she was 19 failed after two years.

Hannahs familys gratitude to the Irish Kidney Association for their continued support during her and other kidney patients' health journies was the inspiration for the fundraiser.

READ NEXT: Kilkenny hurling hero: 'I was struggling. I needed help, and I got it'

Central to its success were professional darts champions Alan Soutar and Ricky Evans, who had travelled from the UK to play against local participants. Their presence brought excitement and star power to the fundraiser, thrilling fans young and old.

The fundraiser was hosted in her familys pub, McGraths Bar, run by Hannahs mother Philomena and her younger brother Jack. They, along with her other brother Sam, enthusiastically helped out on the event night.

Supporting Hannah in planning and organising the fundraiser was her older brother Paul, who, along with four of his friends  locals Niall Kenny, Ray Talis, Steven Farrell.

This was their third consecutive year to organise a darts fundraiser, with proceeds from the previous two events also supporting charitable causes  Kilkenny charity Teac Tom and the Motor Neuron Disease Association.

The fundraisers total proceeds were raised through sponsorship cards, an online fundraising platform, a bucket collection at the local MACE store, and a bucket collection and raffle on the event night.

"Since I was 11, my life has revolved around kidney disease," she said. "But I try to stay hopeful for a second transplant and make the most of what I can do."

Hannah, grateful for the generosity of locals towards the fundraiser, explained, "The community of Freshford was amazing and I want to thank them for their support and generosity. The funds raised will go towards the vital services provided by the Irish Kidney Association."

Hannahs journey with kidney disease began at the age of 11 when high protein levels in her urine led to a diagnosis. Doctors discovered that she had only one kidney, which was functioning at just 30%.

During her teenage years, Hannah attended regular renal appointments and frequently stayed at St Lukes and Crumlin Childrens Hospital. At age 16, she transitioned to adult care at Waterford University Hospital (WUH).

When her kidney function dropped to about 10%, she had no choice but to start dialysis to survive. In her late teens she began peritoneal dialysis (PD), a treatment she underwent every night.

In 2012, Hannahs life took a positive turn when she received a kidney transplant.

She remains deeply grateful to the family of the deceased donor for their selfless gift. Unfortunately, the transplant lasted only two years, after which she had to return to dialysis.

For the past nine years, Hannahs life has revolved around nightly PD treatments at home lasting up to 10 hours. These treatments have often been complicated by infections at the site where her PD line connects to her body.

As these infections persist, her renal team has prepared her for the possibility of transitioning to haemodialysis.

Unlike PD, haemodialysis takes place in a hospital three times a week, with each session lasting three to four hours. A fistula has already been inserted in preparation for this change in treatment.

When her recurring line infections are under control, Hannah hopes to be accepted onto the transplant waiting list, giving her hope for another chance at a better quality of life.

Despite these challenges, Hannah maintains a positive outlook. She works part-time in her local Loop cafe and helps out in her mothers bar.

Undeterred by the extra luggage of her PD dialysis machine, Hannah has enjoyed holidays provided by the Irish Kidney Association in their holiday homes in Kerry and Waterford.

For the past two years, her machine has accompanied her to Lanzarote, where she hooked up to it at night for her vital, life-saving treatment.

READ ALSO: Kilkenny parish in mourning after recently losing 'two great men'

Hannahs story is a testament to the power of community, determination, and hope, inspiring others to rally around those affected by organ failure.

There are over 2,500 people in Ireland undergoing dialysis treatme. 500 people are on waiting lisits for kidney transplants and approximately 100 more are waiting for other organ transplants including heart, lung, liver and pancreas.

Organ Donor Awareness Week which is organised by the Irish Kidney Association takes place from May 10-17.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
Four French bulldogs were rescued yesterday (Wednesday) in Kilkenny by My Lovely Horse Rescue, as the shelter confirm that their 'kennels are full'.

"Yesterday, we had to rush to an area just outside Kilkenny City," they posted on social media.

"Four innocent French bulldogs, no where to go, no one to care for them. They had been used for breeding at one point!

READ NEXT: Kilkenny hurling hero: 'I was struggling. I needed help, and I got it'

"This is Ireland, the country is over-bred. Just awful. The only ones that suffer are the animals involved. We are literally out of foster homes at this point, kennels are full. We need help financially and with space."

POOR LITTLE FRENCHIES



Yesterday we had to rush to an area just outside Kilkenny city. Four innocent French bull dogs, no where to go, no one to care for them

They had been used for breeding at one point!

This is Ireland, the country is over bred

Just pic.twitter.com/EwMMSmb4An  My Lovely Horse Rescue (@MyLovelyHorseR) May 8, 2025

If you would like to donate to the rescue, you can do so here.

"We honestly cannot do this without you," they stated.

"Please foster, adopt. It's crucial for us, it's crucial for them."

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
Irish television and radio legend Baz Ashmawy couldn't resist stopping by Croke's Shop in Mooncoin recently to sample their award-winning 99s.

The shop recently topped the poll in the Kilkenny Live Readers' Choice Award for the 'Best 99s in Kilkenny' and it's clear that word of the achievement is getting around!

The family-run store is managed by three generations of one family who have served the Mooncoin community for over 100 years.

READ NEXT: Kilkenny hurling hero: 'I was struggling. I needed help, and I got it'

Siblings Margaret, John and Anne Croke are the team behind the shop, today, continuing the tradition that began with their grandparents in 1924.

The success of Crokes is thanks to the great staff and the support the shop gets from the community, the great customers.

The generations of Crokes have known generations of customers - in one family seven generations have been customers, and some of the older customers have dealt with all three generations of the Crokes.

Baz Ashmawy and his team are in the area to help complete a dream home for the OHanlon family, who are in desperate need of an adapted house for their little girl, Aoibhinn.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
Suzuki Ireland has welcomed Barlo Suzuki as a new partner in its 25 strong dealer network.

The Kilkenny-based motor dealer, which became a Suzuki authorised repairer in October 2024, now offers a full Suzuki new and used vehicle range and aftersales service.

Barlo Suzuki, which is situated on Dublin Road, is led by Dealer Principal and Director Liam Martin, and owned by brothers Alan and Ivan Barlo. Originally established by their father over 80 years ago in 1944, the company sold farm machinery and diversified into cars in 1989.

Barlo Suzuki operates from a 120sq metre showroom space, accommodating six vehicles and a sales office, service reception and customer waiting room. The service and parts area of the dealership, which is shared with the dealers Nissan facility, includes a 350sq metre workshop, a diagnostic ramp and 200sq metre parts area.

CLICK TO SEE PICTURES FROM BARLO KILKENNY'S RECENT LAUNCH

David Kateley, Director Automobile, Suzuki GB and Suzuki Ireland commented: Were delighted to welcome Barlo Suzuki to our dealer network in Ireland following its addition as an Authorised Service Repairer last year. The business has been serving the area of Kilkenny for over 80 years now and were thrilled to have the group on board to deliver Suzukis renowned quality, vehicle range and exceptional customer service.

Liam Martin, Dealer Principal at Barlo Suzuki added: Suzuki is an excellent fit for our business as our values and dedication of providing outstanding service and experience align perfectly. We look forward to working closely with the Suzuki Ireland team and bringing the full Suzuki range to the community we serve here in Kilkenny and the surrounding areas.

READ MORE KILKENNY MOTORING NEWS HERE

For more information about Barlo Suzuki please visit www.suzuki.ie/dealers/barlo-suzuki/.
Two Kilkenny students have been awarded an All Ireland Scholarship which will cover the full duration of their undergraduate studies.

Onyiyechi Amaukwu (Kilkenny) and Jamie Aldridge (Kilmacow) were honoured at the All Ireland Scholarships Awards Ceremony on the April 25 in University Concert Hall, University of Limerick.

Amongst those in attendance at the ceremony was: All Ireland Scholarships sponsor JP McManus; Guest of Honour and CEO of Cuan Mhuire Bruree, Sr Agnes Fitzgerald; Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick ODonovan TD; Director of Skills, Strategy and Policy, Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland, Graeme Wilkinson; alongside the family, friends and school representatives of the scholarship recipients.

READ NEXT: Luxury Kilkenny property with stunning features for 1,350,000

Commenting at the awards ceremony, All Ireland Scholarships sponsor JP McManus said that he was honoured to celebrate the outstanding academic achievements of these 125 students.

"To date, 1,924 students have received an All Ireland Scholarship and 1,382 of those students have since graduated from university," he added.

"Today is a very special occasion for the recipients, their families, friends, and teachers. We wish them all the very best as they pursue their studies and university and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the years to come."

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) have stated that the recent granting of planning permission for the redevelopment of the former Bank of Ireland building in Thomastown into a ceramics school is a 'significant milestone'.

"This allows the ceramics school to move forward, which will host the DCCI Academy, in partnership with Atlantic Technological University (ATU)," a DCCI spokesperson said.

Originally scheduled to commence in September 2025, the plans to deliver the new course faced unforeseen delays due to issues with the building planning permission application and process.

READ NEXT: Plans for development of huge new facility at business park in Kilkenny

With the approval now secured, the building project is on track for the construction to commence from August 2025 with a project completion date of August 2026. The new course is now scheduled to start in September 2026.

Speaking on the announcement, Mary Blanchfield, Interim CEO of DCCI, described it as an exciting moment for design and craft education in Ireland.

"The Thomastown Ceramics School will be a hub of creativity and innovation, providing students with world-class training in a historically significant building," she said.

"We are grateful for the communitys patience and support as we progressed through the planning phase."

READ ALSO: Tourist pens love letter to the 'magical' city and people of Kilkenny

Dr Paddy Tobin, Head of School of Design & Creative Arts at ATU commented that ATU are delighted to continue their strong partnership with DCCI in delivering exceptional higher education in craft and design.

"The new ceramics school in Thomastown represents a major investment in the future of Irelands creative industries and in practice-based educational provision," he said.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Showers and thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 86F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 67F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Light rain this morning with thunderstorms developing for the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 86F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 67F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
COLUMBIA  Columbia Public Schools is making considerations and requesting feedback as it begins to build the 2026-2027 academic calendar.

One of the key considerations for a school academic calendar include state mandates.

Currently, 1,044 hours of school are required. Columbia Public Schools normally exceeds these hours, but the district ran into a problem this school year when a legislative change happened after the district set the academic calendar year for 2024-25.

In 2024, the Missouri General Assembly passed Senate Bill 727, a significant education reform package that mandated a 169-day academic school year, among other changes.

Confusion remains around AMI as CPS uses remote learning for fifth time The district implemented AMI days after a state law required districts to have at least 169 days of school and 1,044 hours of instruction.

Columbia Public Schools builds its academic calendar years far in advance. But with the passage of SB 727, CPS would not meet the mandated 169 school days if it canceled classes for a single day, such as on a snow day.

The school board voted in March to extend the academic calendar to May 27 from May 23 to avoid missing out on $750,000 in additional funding.

"It's not ideal," Columbia School Board Vice President Paul Harper said. "It's a half day on Tuesday that is in May after the holiday, and that is to keep the 169 school days because we have to ensure that we are using local money properly and ensure we have all the money from the state."

The extra day is within teachers' contract.

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Pending legislation could affect calendar

The Missouri General Assembly is currently considering a bill to adjust the 169-day mandate, which could mean Columbia Public Schools wouldn't need both additional school days to keep state funding.

RELATED: Bills moving through Missouri legislature could clarify AMI policies After final AMI day, Columbia Public Schools requested clarification on how AMI hours are interpreted.

Senate Bill 68 is in conference after gaining initial approval from the Senate and House. The bill would remove the requirement to have 169 days of school to receive additional funding.

"If that law goes into effect, we don't need that last day, but if they don't get that passed in order to maintain our funding, we have to go on that last day," Harper said.

During the 2024-25 academic school year, Columbia Public Schools operated on an asynchronous learning model called alternative methods of instruction (AMI). AMI days are alternative education days where students will use online tools for learning.

AMI days count toward a district's academic hours and not official school days.

AMI learning would not be considered under the new 169-school-day law. CPS has a limited number on days it can use AMI throughout the school year.

"We want to have as much input as possible from our families and staff in order to ensure that we have the best calendar possible," Harper said.
COLUMBIA  Grain Belt Express has awarded two U.S. contractors $1.7 billion to build the highest capacity transmission line in U.S. history. According to a news release, the line will be 800 miles long, spanning Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana and will add 5,000 megawatts of U.S. energy delivery capacity.

Over the span of 15 years, Grain Belt Express is expected to provide $52 billion in energy cost savings to Americans. Phase 1 of the project connects Kansas and Missouri and is expected to begin in 2026. Phase 1 is estimated to create over 4,000 jobs.

The $1.7 billion was awarded to the contracting groups Quanta Services and Kiewit Energy Group Inc., according to the news release. Quanta specializes in infrastructure solutions for the energy industry, and Kiewit leads in engineering, construction and procurement companies.

"Were pleased to partner with Quanta and Kiewit as we build the biggest transmission line in U.S. history," Michael Polsky, founder and CEO of Invenergy, said in the news release. "Grain Belt Express is a transformative project that delivers jobs and deepens Americas energy supply chain capabilities in innovative transmission technology.

According to the news release, Grain Belt Express will strengthen U.S. grid security and enhance reliability. The transmission line aims to help states and regions keep up with the growing electricity demand.

"This announcement shows once again how much Missouri can contribute to big infrastructure projects like this transmission line, which will help bring energy savings and reliability to 39 municipal utilities across the state," Jon Patterson, Missouri Speaker of the House, said in the news release. "Its great to see Grain Belt Express continuing to invest in Missouri and support our workers."

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Main construction, engineering and procurement offices for Phase 1 will be based out of Overland Park and Lenexa, Kansas. Quanta Services and Kiewit plan to source raw materials locally in Kansas and Missouri.

Local pushback

Farmers hold protest against proposed Grain Belt Express transmission line Protestors are concerned that Invenergy, the company that owns the Grain Belt Express, is not being transparent about its projects.

Although the 800-mile transmission line gained support from energy advocates and businesses within the area, some Missourian landowners have pushed back due to the effect on local farmers in Audrain, Callaway and Monroe counties  where the line is set to be built.

According to previous KOMU 8 reporting from 2022, farmers protested against Grain Belt Express due to eminent domain, which allows private property to be used for public use after compensation.

For Missouri farmers, this means Invenergy can buy Missouri farmland for the transmission line. Farmers must be compensated at 150% of land value by Invenergy.
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High Court reporters

A girl who was knocked down and hit her head when the door of a church confession box fell on her during Mass has settled a High Court action for 25,000.

Zofia Adamczyk was only a 2-year-old toddler when the door, which was allegedly unhinged, fell on her and trapped her underneath.

The girl's counsel, Robert Beatty SC with Mark Doyle BL, told the High Court that she had been attending Mass with her mother when the accident happened at Oblates Church, Inchicore, Dublin, 14 years ago.

Mr Beatty said the door to the confession box weighed about 15kg and it was a traumatising incident for the child.

Some men had to lift the door off the child, who had also struck her head on the stump of a decorative Christmas tree. A section of the church was under renovation at the time.

Zofia Adamczyk, now aged 16, of Saggart, Co Dublin, had through her father, Andrzej Adamczyk, sued Fr Oliver Barry over the accident on March 4th, 2011.

It was claimed that the door to the confessional fell on top of the toddler after she allegedly tried to open it.

It was claimed there was an alleged failure to take any or any adequate precaution for the childs safety and there was an alleged failure to take any reasonable care to ensure she would be reasonably safe whilst in the church.

It was further contended that there was an alleged failure to ensure that adequate warnings or signs were in place around the confessional while it was under renovation.

Counsel told the court he did not think liability was an issue, but causation was at issue in the case.

The little girl was later diagnosed as suffering from head pain and she had bumps to her head. She also had some restriction in side-to-side movement as well as bruising and tenderness. She later had panic attacks and claustrophobia, which it was claimed had a severe impact on her daily life.

Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Paul Coffey said he was satisfied considering the difficulties in relation to causation in the case that the offer was fair and reasonable.
A BARRISTER told last weeks sitting of Portlaoise District Court that his client, who was exposed to mould poisoning from his house and car, had not taxed his car because it had been lying up for a prolonged period.

Mark Fowler, Coole, Ballyragget, Co Kilkenny was summoned before the court for having no tax, no L-plates displayed and being an unaccompanied learner driver when he was stopped by gardai on the N77 in Tonduff, Abbeyleix on 29 October last.

Garda Stephen OHanlon said that Mr Fowlers car tax had been out for 276 days when he was stopped.

Defending barrister Andrew Dunne said that his 33-year-old client back-taxed the car two days after he was stopped by Garda OHanlon.

Mr Dunne said that his clients car had been lying up for an extended period of time. When he went to get the car, it was filled with mould. He has serious medical conditions as well as mould poisoning that he picked up from his house and from his car.

Judge Susan Fay convicted Mr Fowler of driving without tax and fined him 150. She also imposed a 300 fine for driving unaccompanied without a full licence holder and a further 350 for non-display of L-plates.
A Laois student has been awarded an All Ireland Scholarship which will cover the full duration of their undergraduate studies.

Courtney Chambers was honoured at the All Ireland Scholarships Awards Ceremony on the 25th of April in University Concert Hall, University of Limerick.

In attendance at the ceremony was All Ireland Scholarships Sponsor JP McManus, Guest of Honour and CEO of Cuan Mhuire Bruree, Sr Agnes Fitzgerald, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick ODonovan TD, and Director of Skills, Strategy and Policy, Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland, Graeme Wilkinson as well as the family, friends and school representatives of the scholarship recipients.

Commenting at the awards ceremony, All Ireland Scholarships Sponsor JP McManus said: I am honoured to be here to celebrate the outstanding academic achievements of these 125 students. To date, 1,924 students have received an All Ireland Scholarship and 1,382 of those students have since graduated from university. Today is a very special occasion for the class of 2024, their families, friends, and teachers. We wish them all the very best as they pursue their studies and university and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the years to come.
On 7 May residents of Mexicos Teuchitlan municipality, Jalisco state, protested in state capital Guadalajara against the arrest of Teuchitlan mayor,, four days earlier.

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On 7 May the lower house of Brazils congress approved a motion to suspend the legal action against federal deputy Alexandre Ramagem, who has been formally charged in a supreme court (STF) case regarding an alleged plot to launch a coup to overturn the 2022 election defeat of former president Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2023).

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A man was injured and 11 people were displaced after a blaze Wednesday afternoon in Allentown that required a multi-department response and a daring ladder rescue.

City Deputy Fire Chief Christian P. Williams said flames ignited shortly after 1 p.m. in the 400 block of West Allen Street. Crews immediately found heavy smoke plummeting from the three-story home.

They made an aggressive attack on the fire, while conducting search-and-rescue efforts throughout the interior, Williams said.

The adult man was entrapped and had to be rescued by firefighters from the third floor by a ladder. He was injured and taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township for treatment, the deputy fire chief said.

The man is expected to survive his injuries, Williams said.

Firefighters worked diligently to avoid the spread of flames to neighboring row homes. The fire was brought under control in about an hour, Williams said.

The home the fire originated in sustained fire and smoke damage, while some adjoining homes sustained smoke and water damage.

Cristina Maisel, regional communications manager for the American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region, said the organizations Disaster Action Team is assisting the 11 adults displaced from two homes with shelter and other needs.

The cause of Wednesdays fire remains under investigation by the Allentown Fire Department. City firefighters were assisted at the scene by the Woodlawn Fire Company and the Catasauqua Fire Department.

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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
Multiple generations have grown up watching the Disney Channel.

From beloved 90s films like Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century to hit 2000s shows like Wizards of Waverly Place, Disney Channel has been serving up feel-good, funny content for decades.

Selena Gomez, who played Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place from 2007 to 2012, said she is beyond proud of the work that [she] did with Disney during a 2021 interview with RadioTimes.

I have to say, Im very lucky, Gomez continued. As a female in my position, I was taken care of and Ive only had lovely experiences, so Im grateful for that.

Keep scrolling to see what Gomez and your other favorite Disney Channel stars are up to now:

Christy Carlson Romano

Carlson Romano played Ren Stevens on the Disney Channel series Even Stevens from from 2000 to 2003 and starred in the Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM) Cadet Kelly and the Event Stevens Movie. She also voiced the titular role in the Disney Channel animated series Kim Possible.

Carlson Romano is now a successful podcaster. In addition to hosting her own podcast, Vulnerable, the actress launched a podcast network called PodCo in 2023. The network focuses on rewatch podcasts hosted by the stars of popular shows.

READ MORE: Former Disney Channel star shot in the eye while celebrating husbands birthday

Wizards of Waverly Pod, Full House Rewind, and Romanos podcast with fellow Disney Channel alum Anneliese van Der Pol, Big Names, are all part of the PodCo umbrella.

Carlson Romano founded PodCo with her husband, Brendan Rooney. The couple tied the knot in 2013 and share daughters Isabella, born in 2016, and Sophia, born in 2019. Carlson Romano celebrated five years of sobriety via TikTok in 2021.

The actress also appeared on season 3 of the Fox reality show Special Forces: Worlds Toughest Test in 2025.

Hilary Duff

Duff played the titular role in the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire and the film based on the show, The Lizzie McGuire Movie. She also starred in the DCOM Cadet Kelly.

Duff went on to star in the TV Land original series Younger from 2015-2021 and the Hulu sitcom How I Met Your Father from 2022-2023. Shes released five studio albums to date and had numerous top 40 hits, including Come Clean and Wake Up.

The actress signed on to star in a Lizzie McGuire revival in 2019. Two episodes were filmed before Disney scrapped the series. In February 2020, Duff revealed via Instagram that Disneys insistence on a PG rating had limited the shows potential.

READ MORE: See which Disney Channel alums attended the 2025 Met Gala

Id be doing a disservice to everyone by limiting the realities of a 30 year olds journey to live under the ceiling of a PG rating, she wrote.

Duff has been married to musician Matthew Koma since 2019. They share three daughters: Banks, born in 2018, Mae, born in 2021, and Townes, born in 2024. Duff also shares son Luca, born in 2012, with ex-husband Mike Comrie.

Selena Gomez

In addition to her role on Wizards of Waverly Place, Gomez starred in the DCOM Princess Protection Program with Demi Lovato. She went on to appear in films including Another Cinderella Story, Spring Breakers, and Emilia Perez, the last of which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting actress.

Since 2021, Gomez has starred as Mabel in the Hulu original series Only Murders in the Building, earning her an Emmy nod and three Golden Globe nominations.

Gomez is also a two-time Grammy nominee. Her latest studio album, I Said I Love You First, is a collaboration with her fiance, Benny Blanco. The couple started dating in 2023.

Gomez was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease, in 2013. Due to complications from the disease, she received a kidney transplant from actress Francia Raisa in 2017. Gomez has also been outspoken about her bipolar disorder diagnosis.

Aly Michalka

Michalka played Keely in the Disney Channel sitcom Phil of the Future from 2004-2007. She also starred in the DCOMs Cow Belles and Now You See It She went on to appear in films including Bandslam, Easy A, The Roommate, and The Lears.

Aly is one half of the musical duo Aly & AJ along with her sister, AJ Michalka. Their sixth studio album, Silver Deliverer, was released in May 2025.

READ MORE: 90s Disney Channel star says former costar still wont speak to him

Aly has been married to independent film producer Stephen Ringer since 2014. They welcomed their son, Jack, in 2024.

Dylan and Cole Sprouse

Dylan and Cole Sprouse starred on Disney Channel's "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody." Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

The twin brothers starred as Zack (Dylan) and Cody (Cole) on Disney Channels The Suite Life of Zack & Cody from 2005-2008 and the spinoff series The Suite Life on Deck from 2008-2011. They both graduated from New York University in 2015.

Dylan is the cofounder of All-Wise Meadery in Brooklyn, which opened in 2018. He has starred in films including After We Collided, Beautiful Disaster and Aftermath. Dylan has been married to model Barbara Palvin since 2023.

Cole played Jughead Jones in the CW series Riverdale from 2017-2023 and has starred in films including Lisa Frankenstein and The Rivals of Amziah King.

READ MORE: Former Disney Channel star addresses hurtful podcast argument with costar

Kirsten Storms

Storms played the titular role in Disney Channels Zenon trilogy. She also played Emily in the DCOM Johnny Tsunami and voiced the role of Bonnie Rockwaller in Kim Possible.

Since her Disney Channel days, Storms has become a fixture on daytime television. Shes played Maxie Jones on General Hospital since 2005.

Storms shares daughter Harper, born in 2014, with ex-husband Brandan Barash. She met Barash when they were General Hospital costars. The former couple divorced in 2016.

All Disney Channel original series and movies are available to stream on Disney+.

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Seattle, WA (Grist) - Even as Oak Flat moves ahead, the mining industry commits to voluntary guidelines to consult with communities.

In mid-April, the Trump administration cleared the way for a controversial copper mine proposed for western Arizona. The mine would destroy parts of Chichil Bidagoteel -- known as Oak Flat in English -- over the objections of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and at least 21 other tribal nations. The administration then fast-tracked the project to fulfill President Donald Trumps goal of more aggressively developing domestic minerals such as copper and gold, which are essential for renewable energy technologies. Nine other mining projects were also fast-tracked, seven of them located in the Western U.S.

The mine, which is operated by Resolution Copper, is a joint venture between the Australia-based mining company BHP and Rio Tinto, a British-Australian multinational. Both companies have previously destroyed or threatened Aboriginal cultural sites in Australia, and both belong to the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), a pro-mining organization. (Rio Tinto and BHP did not respond to requests for comment.)

The ICMM made an appearance last week at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City, the worlds largest annual gathering of Indigenous peoples, to stress their commitment to respecting Indigenous rights and obtaining the consent of Indigenous communities before mining.

An estimated 50% to 80% of the minerals that are critical to the renewable energy transition are located on or near Indigenous lands globally. This does not give the industry license to mine at any cost, said Haajarah Ahmed, senior manager at ICMM, which represents a third of global mining companies, on April 23.

Ahmed highlighted ICMMs recently updated guidelines, which advise member companies such as Rio Tinto and BHP to engage with Indigenous people at the beginning of a project and to respect their rights and emphasize the importance of reaching an agreement through a process that recognizes free, prior and informed consent.

But the guidelines contrast bleakly with the reality on the ground. In the U.S., current laws and policies remain weak when it comes to tribal nations efforts to protect their ancestral lands and sacred sites off-reservation, far from international standards regarding how corporations and governments should address Indigenous concerns about projects that affect them.

In Canada, the courts have affirmed that the government has a duty to consult Indigenous communities on projects that might adversely impact their treaty rights. Nonetheless, many projects continue to move forward, including developments in Ontarios Ring of Fire region and in Secwepemc territories in British Columbia.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., a case challenging the legality of the Resolution Copper mine is pending in the Supreme Court, which will consider whether the destruction of Chichil Bidagoteel would violate Apache religious rights. The decision could impact other tribes efforts to preserve sacred sites outside their reservation borders.

The U.S. government is rushing to give away our spiritual home before the courts can even rule -- just like its rushed to erase Native people for generations, said Wendsler Nosie Sr. of Apache Stronghold, the organization behind the lawsuit, which is made up of Apache and other Indigenous people and their allies. This is the same violent pattern we have seen for centuries.

Other mining projects fast-tracked by the administration last week have generated opposition from tribal nations. The Nez Perce Tribe is concerned that the proposed Stibnite Mine in Idaho could harm fishing and hunting rights, and the Fort McDermitt Tribe has long fought a proposed lithium mine on Thacker Pass in Nevada which would be built on a sacred site where U.S. cavalry troops massacred Indigenous people in 1865. All these concerns are matters that the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has said must be addressed.

According to a study published in February by the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the absence or weakness of legal frameworks that protect the particular rights of Indigenous Peoples in the context of a global energy transition is a major concern. This lack of legal protection, they wrote, means that the mining companies have the responsibility to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous people, regardless of legal gaps.

A shift in corporate and industry policy towards consent could push governments to adopt consent in their own law and policy, said Kristen Carpenter, a law professor at CU Boulder. Its promising to see companies and industry groups adopt FPIC-based policies and guidelines, said Carpenter, a past appointee to the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which helps governments implement UNDRIP. Increasingly it seems that private actors have come to see FPIC as a risk mitigation tool, realizing that working toward agreement with Indigenous Peoples is likely to avoid objections, lawsuits, and protests that arise when projects violate Indigenous Peoples rights.

While voluntary guidelines advocated for by organizations like the ICMM have the potential to move faster than law and policy, they arent legally enforceable and can be created, or ignored, by industry, meaning they cant be a stand-alone substitute.

We do not seek to replace state obligations, but we can help fill accountability gaps when states fall short, said Scott Sellwood, who represented the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance, or IRMA, at the forum. IRMA -- which includes nonprofits, organized labor, mining companies and affected communities -- also has voluntary mining standards, but its members are audited by a third party and the reports are published publicly to ensure that they are following the standards. To do this effectively, voluntary mining standards should at minimum require mines to demonstrate that they have obtained (free, prior, and informed consent) from all affected Indigenous peoples.

This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance.

This story is provided as a service of the Institute for Nonprofit News On the Ground news wire. The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) is a network of more than 475 independent, nonprofit newsrooms serving communities throughout the US, Canada, and globally. On the Ground is a service of INN, which aggregates the best of its members elections and political content, and provides it free for republication. Read more about INN here: https://inn.org/.
Seattle, WA (Grist) - When Native Hawaiian combat veteran Joseph Guzman-Simpliciano got back home to Hawaii from Afghanistan and Iraq, he was shocked at how the burnt-out, abandoned cars lying by the side of the road on the west side of Oahu reminded him of the war zone he had just left.

Joseph and his wife Carmen founded Kingdom Pathways to help empower their community to address environmental problems like water contamination and illegal dumping. We founded Kingdom Pathways out of love for our land, said Carmen, who is both Native Hawaiian and Cherokee.

By the end of last year, they had received a $3 million federal grant to help empower their community to shape environmental policy. The money wouldve enabled their organization to hire about a dozen people; train community members on citizen science, such as taking air quality and water samples; and help educate the community on longstanding environmental challenges like how to get rid of cesspools.

When she found out about the grant, Carmen was shocked. I said, What? Little old us? she said. Im just a mom trying to figure out how to keep my children safe in my community.

But her excitement was short-lived. Over the course of the first 100 days of his second term, President Donald Trump has been slashing millions of dollars in federal funding that supports Indigenous peoples and their environmental work. He has changed policies to make it easier for developers to fast-track energy projects and eliminated numerous federal jobs in agencies like Indian Health Services and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. More than $350 million has been frozen for tribal nations and Alaska Native communities, including money to replace asbestos-ridden homes for the Tyonek people in Alaska and upgrade their homes with solar panels to help them offset monthly electric bills that can range from $300 to $800, and funding to prevent an eroding riverbank from swallowing up the homes in the Alaska Native Village of Kipnuk.

The chaos is part of a broader pattern of the Trump administration to act quickly regardless of legality and reverse policies when needed, even at the cost of sowing confusion and wasting money. Its been a shitshow, said Matthew Fletcher, a law professor at Michigan State University and member of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.

In his home state of Michigan, tribal nations like the Bay Mills Indian Community have experienced the twin effects of both loss of federal funding and consequences of Trumps push to deregulate energy projects. Last year, Bay Mills received a multi-million dollar award to build up its solar infrastructure; in February, that funding was frozen. For years they have been fighting an expansion of the Line 5 oil pipeline that snakes through the Great Lakes; this year, Trump fast-tracked it, prompting Bay Mills and other tribal nations to withdraw from a federal consultation process.

Kingdom Pathways grant through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wasnt specifically for Indigenous-led organizations, but it was slashed as part of a broader defunding of EPAs Community Change grants that had sought to address climate and environmental justice. Within the past two weeks, a court ruled that the Trump administration violated the law in failing to pay out the grants promised to Guzman-Simplicianos and similar organizations. The money is now flowing again, but its not clear how long thatll continue.

Theres a lot of uncertainty, said Gussie Lord, a managing attorney at the environmental law firm Earthjustice and a citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. People dont know what is going on or how its going to impact their programs.

The funding cuts have been so severe and widespread that more than 20 Native organizations banded together to form a new Coalition for Tribal Sovereignty to defend their rights amid Trumps rapid-fire federal policy changes. Since February, they have written nearly two dozen letters to the Trump administration and Congress pushing back on budget cuts.

We are not the cause of federal deficits, nor should federal savings be achieved to our detriment, the coalition said in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum last month. In fact, the U.S. should prioritize payment on debt to Tribal Nations as its original creditors.

Part of the reason Indigenous peoples are particularly affected by federal upheaval is because tribal nations necessarily deal with the federal government more so than non-Indigenous peoples, Lord said. Thats because many tribal nations have treaties with the U.S. that establish ongoing trust responsibilities between the U.S. and Indigenous peoples and guarantee certain rights.

Many live on federal Indian reservations, land heavily regulated by U.S. agencies like the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Their children go to schools funded by the U.S. Department of Education or they receive health care from the federally funded Indian Health Service. Indigenous peoples in Alaska and the Pacific region also rely on federal funding, and in the U.S. territories, they lack voting representation in Congress and the ability to vote for president.

Allison Neswood, an attorney at the Native American Rights Fund, said the cuts are particularly painful because tribal services have been perpetually underfunded -- for example, public safety and justice programs are funded at 13 percent of the estimated need, and health care is funded at half. Because of this, in addition to advocacy and litigation, tribal leaders are also finding ways to work with the Trump administration to resolve their concerns.

I think this is very existential for tribes. You cant just walk away from the administration, Neswood said. These are life-and-death, existential issues. So I think theres a real effort to see where we can find some shared priorities or shared interests with the administration.

The Trump administration says its acting in line with its commitment to efficient spending.

As with any change in Administration, the agency is reviewing its awarded grants to ensure each is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars and to understand how those programs align with Administration priorities, the EPA said in a statement to Grist. Projects are being individually assessed by period of performance, criticality, and other criteria, the Bureau of Indian Affairs echoed.

Lord from Earthjustice said her immediate concern goes beyond funding cuts. An Interior Department announcement last week revealed the agency will shorten environmental impact analyses timelines that can take as long as two years down to 28 days.

Things like mines, pipelines, big oil and gas leases, things that can really impact a huge area of land, and a large watershed -- those environmental reviews have been arbitrarily truncated, she said. It really covers a broad swath of industrial activities.

Fletcher from Michigan State University said such deregulation might benefit a small percentage of tribes who have oil reserves, but that many others will find themselves shut out from decision-making on projects affecting their communities. Trump signed an executive order earlier this year to fast-track energy projects, and is jump-starting a copper mine at Oak Flat to meet growing demand for critical mineral mining over the objections of the Western Apache people.

Were finding that much of the legal and political infrastructure weve established vis-a-vis the federal government is being systematically dismantled, he said.
The D&L Trail photographed here in Bethlehem is one place outdoors enthusiasts can log miles for the Get Your Tail on the Trail 165-Mile Challenge, and its Northampton County section is part of the Pennsylvania Highlands Trail Challenge, as well. Saed Hindash File Photo | For lehighvalleylive.com

May 1 brought the launch of 2025 challenges for logging miles in the great outdoors of eastern Pennsylvania.

Get Your Tail on the Trail, in its 12th year, is a partnership between the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and St. Lukes University Health Network. It runs through Nov. 9.

The separate Pennsylvania Highlands Trail Challenge is a hiking initiative of the Appalachian Mountain Club and continues through Dec. 31.

After registering, participants are urged to log and report their miles to earn prize incentives, while of course getting in some quality exercise outside.

Here are more details:

Get Your Tail on the Trail

The Get Your Tail on the Trail 165-Mile Challenge encourages people to paddle, bike, run, walk or roll a cumulative 165 miles. Thats the distance that the National Heritage Corridors D&L Trail spans from Bucks County through the Lehigh Valley and into the Pocono Mountains region.

Participants can register anytime up until Nov. 9, and back-log any mileage accumulated since May 1. Any miles count  on the D&L or anywhere you exercise. (Yes, that includes time indoors on cardio equipment, according to organizers.)

Prizes and incentives are due to be awarded Nov. 9 during St. Lukes D&L RaceFest. Past years prizes have included a foldable picnic blanket, winter gloves that are phone compatible, dry bags, foldable and regular backpacks, water bottles, socks, duffle bags, and hats and scarves.

Register at tailonthetrail.org to get started, and watch those miles progress on the programs dashboard. Organizers say a welcome letter with more information will be sent to the address participants use to register, within a few weeks.

Challenges and Tail on the Trail events are listed on the website to help motivate people to meet the 165-mile goal.

A bike/run/walk kickoff event was held Saturday at Bethlehems Sand Island D&L Trailhead near the boat launch at 134 River St. There is also a Northeast PA Chapter of Tail on the Trail, with a kickoff that had been scheduled for Wednesday. Visit tailonthetrail.org to learn more.

Pennsylvania Highlands Trail Challenge

The Appalachian Mountain Club invites outdoors enthusiasts to set out on a hiking challenge through Dec. 1, and earn prizes and recognition for their efforts.

The goal is to explore the Pennsylvania Highlands Trail, a 300-mile network of multi-use trails and rugged footpaths that connects 13 counties in the Highlands Region of Pennsylvania  from the Delaware River to the Appalachian Trail in Franklin County.

Hikers can learn more and submit their completed miles by Jan. 5, 2026, at pahighlands.org.

Those who submit their miles in the 10- and 25-mile categories receive a Highlands Trail patch and a completion certificate. Hikers who submit 50 or 100-plus miles will receive a patch, certificate and re-usable PA Highlands Trail water bottle.

Find the Highlands Trail segments through pahighlands.org. The D&L Trail in Northampton County is part of the Highlands network.

Participants can highlight their efforts on social media using the Get Your Tail on the Trail hashtags #GetYourTailOnTheTrail, #GYTOT and #TailontheTrail. Highlands hikers are encouraged to share their hiking stories and photos with the community through social media with the hashtag #HighlandsTrailChallenge, by mentioning @HighlandsTrailNetworkinPA on Facebook and by email to Patricia McGuire at pmcguire@outdoors.org.

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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
EADEMs products tend to sell out quickly, but the Le Chouchou Softening Lip Balm takes it to a new level.

Now, there is a new shade of the softening peptide lip balm in Guava Fresca, and it already sold out at Sephoras website and app the day before its official release  but youre still in luck as EADEM has it in stock.

EADEM Le Chouchou Softening Lip Balm in Guava Fresca Price: $24 at EADEM Buy Now

After selling out during Sephoras exclusive pre-sale, EADEM saw the demand and released the new guava shade on its site a day early.

The official launch is today, May 7, with the balm available online at Sephora, but the makeup retailer is already out of stock. Thankfully, you can get it now on EADEM.

The lip balm exfoliates and plumps lips while adding a hazy petal pink that can match can with everyday looks.

Its all about the softening peptide-infused formula, the cooling metal applicator and the glossy sheen it leaves behind.

Combine the above factors with a unique shade range, and the balm stands out in a crowded market.

To break it down, the full shade range now includes:

The balms are available at EDEAM now. Depending on where you look, some of the main colors might still be out of stock.

You can also find your closest Sephora store to pick it up in person.

Check out other fan favorites

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The site of a famine burial ground in Laois is about to be honoured with its first Mass, by the same committee who last year installed a memorial for unbaptised babies.

The Abbeyleix Tonduff Cillin committee are continuing their work to remember and honour the deceased in their locality who were buried without ceremony in darker times.

On Sunday, May 18 next at 7pm a special Mass will be celebrated for the first time ever at the back of the Abbeyleix community nursing unit, originally built as a famine workhouse in 1842.

Behind it, unknown numbers, estimated in the hundreds, of people were buried in a pit in the time of the Great Famine.

While another bigger famine burial site in Abbeyleix, now named the Gate to Heaven, is honoured with an annual Mass, the workhouse site has never had a Mass.

Noel Burke is again behind the project to right that wrong, and he spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"I have read through the research by the late Martin Fennelly, who found and named the Gate to Heaven site, an overflow bural ground from the famine. It was in an area called the shankyard, basically a dump. People were dumped in a pit off a wagon, barely 12 inches under the ground. They're still there, but they have a Mass said for them.

"The one place where there isn't a Mass and should be, is in the first site behind the CNU. It's so important to recognise this date for the county of Laois. It is one of three workhouse burial sites, the others are in Donaghmore and Mountmellick. 183 years have gone by and this is the first time there will be recognition for these poor destitute people, buried as they say, without a prayer said or a tear shed," he said.

Parish priest Fr Paddy Byrne will celebrate the mass. Mr Burke has gained the cooperation of the HSE for the project as it is on their land.

"They have really gotten behind it, even to choosing the location, under an Irish oak tree with a preservation order, so it can never be cut down, and getting a contractor to put paving around it," he said.

A memorial stone and bench seat will be placed at the site. It will be also available to residents, visitors and staff of the care home, as a place of quiet reflection, and will be fully wheelchair accessible.

He has also written to Minister for Arts and Heritage Patrick Donovan, asking him to attend the new Laois commemoration next year.

"He has his own famine commemoration in Limerick, so I'm going to ask Laois councillors to support a motion inviting him to Laois in 2026," he said.

The (IFCD) the National Irish Famine Commemoration Day takes place all over Ireland on May 18, remembering the most catastrophic part of Irish history that happened between the years (1845-1852) when a million people throughout the country lost their lives as a result of the Great famine, and another million emigrated to never return.

The committee have a notice up about the event, thanking the HSE for their active participation.

"Great care and attention was paid to the actual wording that will appear on the memorial stone remembering that many men women and children from various different religious backgrounds who suffered and died in the workhouse are now finally recognised after 183 years. The English text that will appear on the memorial stone was translated into Irish by local man Michael Martin.

"A big thank you also to the Abbeyleix community and people who donated financially for the purchase of the stone and bench seat.

"The location offered to us by the HSE on the Hospital CNU site in which to erect the stone and bench seat is fantastic in that there is a Native Irish Oak tree growing there that has a preservation order attached to it. This means that whatever developments might happen to the overall CNU site in the future, at least we now know that this famine memorial site location will remain protected forever."

Read also: Sun shines on Ballinakill swimming pool renovation work

The public are asked to please try and attend the special commemoration service to show support.

They are advised that car parking at the hospital site is limited, with some parking spaces reserved for wheelchair users.

Volunteers are asked to attend in high vis jackets to give help with car parking on the main Abbeyleix-Ballinakill road, and help find seating for anyone needing it at the Mass.
Laois locals have expressed their condolences with the Finn family of Rathdowney, following the sad passing of musician Sean Finn.

Sean Finn of Conoboro road, Rathdowney, passed away peacefully on May 7 in the presence of those he loved.

The Rathdowney man was known to many for his natural flair for music, along with his kind words and gentle smiles.

Sean was the proud father of Eoin, Ciaran, Conor and Hugh, and is remembered with love by his wife Mary.

His creativity and musical ear was passed on to his children, with Sean's sons Ciaran and Hugh known nationally for their folk music band The Finns.

The pair posted a touching tribute to their father on Facebook.

Sean will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by Rathdowney locals, and the wider Laois community.

Tributes have poured in from across the county, remembering Sean as a kind and talented man.

In his RIP.ie Book of Condolences, Sean has been described as 'a pure gentleman' who had 'great time for everyone and trad music'.

"You could not meet a nicer man," one user wrote.

"He had a smile and a word for everyone he met. His love of trad music was second to none," another tribute read.

"Sean was a gift to those around him," another person expressed.

See Sean's death notice below.

Sean Finn, Conoboro Rd. Rathdowney, Co. Laois, May 7th. 2025, peacefully in the presence of those he loved.

A man with a great love of all aspects of Irish cultural heritage particularly Irish music. Predeceased by his parents Martin and Margaret.

Sadly missed and remembered with love his wife Mary, sons Eoin and his partner Caroline, Ciaran and his partner Iwona, Conor and his wife Kasia and Hugh and his partner Ela, grandchildren Holly, Hugo and Matthew Sean, sisters Lucy and Dolores, brother Martin, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbours and a wide circle of lifelong friends. Rest in Peace.

Reposing at his residence Conoboro Rd. Rathdowney (Eircode R32 X7P1) on Friday evening May 9th. from 4 o'clock pausing for prayers at 7 o'clock. Removal on Saturday morning May 10th. to the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Rathdowney arriving for Requiem Mass at 11 o'clock. Interment afterwards in Bealady Cemetery.

Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to the Alzheimer's Society Ireland. Sean's funeral Mass can be viewed by pressing the following link https://parishwebsites.ie/rathdowney/

The Finn family would like to take this opportunity to thank most sincerely the management, nurses and staff at the Sacred Heart nursing home Crosspatrick for their professionalism in caring for Sean.
A Laois student has been awarded an All Ireland Scholarship from Limerick businessman JP McManus.

Courtney Chambers of Mountrath Community School was honoured at the All Ireland Scholarships Awards Ceremony on April 25 in University Concert Hall, University of Limerick.

The Killanure student is one of 125 students across Ireland to be awarded the prestigious scholarship this year.

Pictured: Board members of the All Ireland Scholarship with the 125 scholarship awardees

Ms Chambers is currently studying Biomedical Science at the University of Galway, pursuing her love of studying science and completing research. She has said that she lives by the mantra, "hard work beats talent".

This scholarship will cover her fees for the full duration of her undergraduate studies.

"We are proud of Courtney and all she has achieved, it has been a long road to get this far," Courtney's father Tim Chambers told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"Lots of hard work and late nights went in, and we didn't see her much throughout the two years as she was always studying in her room!

"A huge thanks to JP McManus for funding the scholarship. It's been a huge financial help to the family and Courtney," he said.

"We are very honoured to have received it," Mr Chambers finished.

Pictured: Courtney Chambers and her family

Mr McManus spoke to attendees at the ceremony, congratulating the students on their hard work.

I am honoured to be here to celebrate the outstanding academic achievement of these 125 students," Mr McManus said at the ceremony.

"To date, 1,924 students have received an All Ireland Scholarship and 1,382 of those students have since graduated from university.

"Today is a very special occasion for the class of 2024, their families, friends, and teachers. We wish them all the very best as they pursue their studies and university and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the years to come," he finished.

In attendance at the ceremony along with Mr McManus was Cuan CEO Mhuire Bruree, Sr Agnes Fitzgerald, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick ODonovan TD, and Director of Skills, Strategy and Policy, Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland, Graeme Wilkinson.

Also on attendance were the family, friends and school representatives of the scholarship recipients.

Pictured: Courtney Chambers with Mountrath Community School principal Kathryn O'Brien

The All Ireland Scholarships, established by Mr McManus in 2008, provide financial support to gifted students pursuing third-level education.

Each year, 125 scholarships are awarded across the 32 counties of Ireland. Recipients receive 6,750 per annum in Ireland and 5,500 per annum in Northern Ireland, covering the duration of their undergraduate studies.

The third level educational scholarship is awarded to 125 of the highest  achieving students per year, with a minimum of two students from each county.

The recipients must meet a further set of criteria, including attending a non-fee-paying school and be in receipt of a third level education maintenance grant from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) or be in receipt of an Education Maintenance Allowance in Northern Ireland.

The scholarship offers full academic financial support for the duration of the students' third level studies.
An incident during which criminal damage was caused to a vehicle on the premises of a County Kildare service station is under investigation by gardai.

Details of the crime were detailed by Garda Christopher Fallon of Leixlip Garda Station when he appeared on a KFM radio programme yesterday morning (May 7 last).

He explained that the incident took place at the Circle K service station in Kilcullen (on the M9) sometime between 5am and 11am on May 1 last.

According to Gda Fallon, the window of a car parked on the premises was smashed.

He concluded by urging anyone with information about this incident to contact Naas Garda Station on 045 884 300.

When asked for comment by the Leader on this crime, a garda spokesperson responded: "Gardai are investigating a criminal damage incident involving a car that occurred at a service station in Kilcullen.

"No arrests have been made at this time."

The spokesperson concluded: "Investigations are ongoing."

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Kildare is to get a DART service after all, according to the interim Chief Executive of the National Transport Authority (NTA).

While previous announcements had indicated that the next development of the DART+ West would go as far as Maynooth, with a depot further to the west - but crucially before Kilcock - the passenger service would not extend as far as Kilcock.

It was believed that significant work on the bridge in Kilcock would be required to make it viable, as well as re-development of the station.

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But in a letter to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly, NTA boss Hugh Creegan said that a new transport strategy for the Greater Dublin area has been finalised and adopted  and it includes moving the DART system further westwards to Kilcock.

Planning work on this extension could commence this year and exact timelines will be developed as design/planning work gets underway, Mr Creegan explained.

The news was warmly welcomed by Deputy Farrelly who warned that the development of transport links for commuters needs to be a key priority for governments for the next several decades.

As a party the Social Democrats have been constantly campaigning for this for the past four years. Between the two most recent census - in 2016 and 2022 - the population of Kildare expanded by 11.4%. If it continues to grow at the same rate we will have 300,000 people living here by the early 2030s, half a million by the early 2060s and over a million by the end of the century.

If we dont invest massively in transport infrastructure now, we are looking at decades of playing catchup and massive traffic jams.

The news was also welcomed by local Social Democrats county councillor Peter Melrose.

Transport is already a significant quality of life issue in Kilcock and Maynooth. Every morning we see cars queuing to get onto the M4 and moving very slowly once they get onto it.

The extension of the DART to Kilcock  and hopefully beyond  will be the difference between seeing these towns flourish or seeing them become traffic bound and unworkable.

Mr Creegan cautioned that extending the DART westwards was not simply a matter extending the current DART+ project.

The extension of DART services to Kilcock will be developed as a standalone project, separate from the DART+ Depot, as it is necessary to go through the full feasibility and optioneering processes.

According to Irish Rail, electrification of the Sligo line beyond Maynooth remains an objective of Iarnrod Eireann.
A university based in North Kildare yesterday (May 7 last) has helped to publish a report outlining the educational barriers faced by students who are of Irish Traveller or Roma heritage.

According to the report  which is titled "A Community Needs Analysis with Traveller and Roma Students on Their Experiences of Higher Education: A Call to Action for Accountable and Transformative Policy and Practice Throughout the Higher Education System"  was made up of research which partially came from Maynooth University (MU).

The report, which was launched by Marian Harkin TD, Minister of State for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, indicates that Irish Traveller and Roma students continue to face persistent and systemic barriers in higher education.

The research was conducted by College Connect, a collaborative initiative of four higher education institutions  Maynooth University, Dublin City University, Dundalk Institute of Technology, and Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest. In addition, the report was developed in partnership with the National Traveller Womens Forum and supported by Pavee Point.

According to MU, the research centered "on the voices of 32 Traveller and Roma students and offers powerful insights into the experiences of racism, financial hardship and the pressure to conceal identity that many face".

L-R: Rudolf Simonic, Roma Community Development Worker at Pavee Point, Marian Harkin TD, Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Maria Joyce, Co-ordinator of the National Traveller Womens Forum, Dr Gemma Irvine, MU's Vice President of Equality & Diversity. Photo credit: Maynooth University

Key findings from the research reveal distinct challenges for Traveller and Roma students. These include shared experiences of significant, persistent structural racism and intergenerational trauma stemming from discrimination throughout their educational journeys, which can often be accompanied by low expectations from educators.

One student shared: "Throughout my educational journey, I hid my identity because its a defence mechanism to have equal treatment."

Other students described a lack of belonging and uncertainty about their right to access support.

'RESILIENCE AND DETERMINATION'

However, despite these challenges, the report also highlights resilience and determination, with many students calling for action to ensure that future generations have a more inclusive experience in higher education.

The report calls for the development of a Traveller and Roma Higher Education Inclusion Strategy and contains eleven key recommendations including:

Implement a national, coordinated approach to supporting Traveller and Roma higher education students: "Establish a unified national framework to deliver consistent, targeted support for Traveller and Roma students across all higher education institutions."

Mandate anti-racism and cultural awareness training: "Require all staff and students in HEIs to undergo mandatory anti-racism and cultural awareness training."

Establish flexible access routes: "Adapt access routes to higher education for Traveller and Roma students by recognising their diverse pathways. Introduce tailored skills programmes to help develop essential academic skills and eliminate unnecessary documentation for entry."

Develop employment pathways and postgraduate outcomes: "Build strong partnerships with employers to develop paid internships, job placements, and career development programmes designed specifically for Traveller and Roma students."

Speaking about the report, Minister Harkin TD welcomed it, but emphasised that although Irish society has made "positive progress" in recent years in creating better conditions and more opportunities for ITraveller and Roma students to access and succeed in higher education, there is "still have much work ahead in this regard".

Minister Harkin TD added: "As we move forward with implementing the new 'Traveller and Roma Education Strategy 2024 to 2030' alongside our colleagues in the Department of Education and Youth and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, and continue our work on the 'National Access Plan 2022 to 2028', the recommended actions within this report will assist us in fulfilling our Department's commitments to the strategy's objectives."

Lead researcher Eilis Ni Chorcora, also said that Traveller and Roma students "should not have to navigate these systems alone".

"The absence of a coordinated national response creates risk, both to individual wellbeing and to institutional integrity," Ms Ni Chorcora elaborated. "This report provides a roadmap for change  developed with, and for, students themselves."

The full report can be read here available here.

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The Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD, has launched the nationwide programme of events for Africa Day 2025.

This years Africa Day Kildare is taking place from May 17 to May 24 at multiple locations.

As part of Africa Day Kildare, the following are planned:

 Sallins Africa Day festival on the 17th of May from 1pm to 5pm in Sallins Castlefen Community Centre W91 T253

 Kilcock Africa Day festival on the 24th of May, from 12pm to 6pm in Kilcock Community Centre W23 SNP4

 Monasterevin Africa Day festival on the 24th of May, from 1pm to 4pm on Monasterevin Community Centre W34 FH24

 Each Africa Day festival will include a Family fun day with Cultural music, dance and food.

Africa Day is the annual worldwide celebration of the people, cultures, and potential of the African continent.

This year, all 31 Local Authorities across Ireland will host various cultural, artistic, and family-friendly events. These will include contemporary African Irish culture, as well as family fun days, fashion, art, film, music, dance, and food events, which will take place in towns and cities across Ireland.

Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD, said: I am honoured to help launch this fantastic programme of events that celebrates the rich cultures of the African continent.

Ireland has growing trade, political and cultural links across the continent of Africa. There is also a large Irish African community, who are making significant contributions to our society and economy in towns and villages throughout Ireland.

This day is an opportunity to promote those links and learn more about African cultures. I am delighted that local authorities across Ireland will be taking part in Africa Day 2025 and look forward to vibrant celebrations nationwide.

Minister Richmond was joined at the launch by representatives of the African diaspora community in Ireland, including dancer Lapree Lala, designer Florence Olufemi-Ojo, Presenter of the popular Black and Irish Podcast Leon Diop, and Michael Chanda from the Discovery Gospel Choir at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

For more information visit: www.AfricaDay.ie

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A local councillor has urged Kildare County Council (KCC) to develop a roundabout policy and action plan "as soon as possible".

Fianna Fail Cllr Donna Phelan made the appeal at the latest Clane-Maynooth Municipal District (MD) meeting, which was held on Friday, May 2 last.

Cllr Phelan motioned for KCC to develop the policy and action plan in order to "cut back and tidy up the roundabout at Tesco in Maynooth, and [to] engage with Carton House, suggesting they maintain the roundabout on the Dunboyne Road ahead of the KPMG Ladies Irish Open which they are hosting this summer".

Her motion was seconded by her party colleague, Cllr Daragh Fitzpatrick (who is also the Cathaoirleach of the MD).

Responding to Cllr Phelan's motion, KCC said via its report that a clean up of the roundabout is being organised.

"The roundabout on the Dunboyne Road is already under maintenance," KCC added. "Any additional work to improve its appear prior to the Irish Open will be carried out in conjunction with work on the Tesco Roundabout."

Cllr Phelan in turn told KCC that she welcomed the report, but once again emphasised a need for a roundabout policy for the entire county of Kildare.

KCC's Senior Executive Officer, Transport, Mobility and Open Spaces, Mark McLoughlin, told Cllr Phelan that he would raise the matter further with KCC's Parks Department.

However, Mr McLoughlin also voiced his opinion that he was "not sure" if a policy is "the right way to go about things in this case".

Cllr Donna Phelan (Fianna Fail). Photo credit: www.fiannafail.ie

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ODEON Cinema Newbridge, located at Whitewater Shopping Centre, is excited to host the premiere of 'Dance of the Cranes', a powerful new short film produced by Kildares YouthINK, featuring and created by over fifty young people from across the county.

The film - which premieres on May 15 at ODEON Newbridge at 6.30pm - launches Newbridge June Fests warm-up season, celebrating youth voice, creativity and collaboration.

The thirty-minute film celebrates the return of wild cranes to Ireland after centuries. Set in Kildare's boglands, it explores family struggles, climate change, rewilding and environmental resilience, blending myth with realism.

Inspiring youth to get involved in climate action, the film stands as a testament to the power of collective effort and the crucial role young people play in shaping a sustainable future.

The project was made possible with funding from Kildare Climate Action Innovation Fund, Kildare County Council and support from the Cashman family and Kilkea Castle.

YouthINK, a local creative arts organisation, offered participants aged thirteen to eighteen the chance to work on a professional film set alongside award-winning mentors including actor Alan Devine, cinematographer Alan Rogers and production designer Anika OHagan and Composer Fergus Foran.

The production was led by Creative Directors Dr. Mary OConnor and Padraig J Dunne, with Executive Producer Christy Cashman, founder of YouthINK.

Speaking about the project, Director Padraig J Dunne said: What makes this film special is that its not just a product, its a process. These young people learned to write, act, film and collaborate at a professional level.

Its about expression, confidence, and creating something meaningful together. Some will go on to work in the creative industries, others have already started.

Dr. Mary OConnor added: "Creative script writing and filmmaking make ecological and climate issues relatable and inspire young people to take action."

Several young participants are using the film as part of their college applications or final degree portfolios. YouthINK alumni have worked with internationally renowned figures such as Jane Seymour OBE, tenor Ronan Tynan, and the Abbey Theatre.

The premiere includes red carpet photo opportunities at Whitewater Shopping Centre, with members of the public invited to stop by for pictures with the cast and crew.

YouthINK is delighted to be sponsored by ODEON Events Ireland and Whitewater Shopping Centre Newbridge in making this gala event possible.

Javier Perez, Marketing Manager at ODEON Cinemas Ireland, said: We are delighted to host the premier of YoutInks Dance of the Cranes at ODEON Cinemas Newbridge. We love to see young people get involved in the film industry and want to support them in every way that we can.

For more information, please visit www.youth-ink.com

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Kildare County Council is seeking the public's assistance in identifying Designated Bathing Areas in Co Kildare.

Local authorities must identify official bathing areas in their area every year so that they can be monitored for safety, water quality and their level of use. There are currently no Designated Bathing Areas in County Kildare.

Kildare County Council is asking people who swim at lakes and rivers to tell them if they think they should give official bathing area designation to areas that are commonly used for swimming, but are not currently identified.

Under European and Irish law, Irish local authorities must identify bathing waters each year, so that these areas can be monitored to ensure they meet stringent microbiological water quality standards.

In some cases, the official bathing areas are also the areas where local authorities focus their resources providing lifeguards during the summer season.

These laws also require that the local authority prepares detailed descriptions or profiles for each of the identified bathing water sites, that describe not just the bathing area, but also areas in the surface waters catchment area that could be a source of pollution.

The profiles include an assessment of the risk of pollution and what action would be taken if pollution occurs.

If proposing a new Designated Bathing Area (DBA) the following criteria should be strongly considered before making a submission:

How accessible is the location?

Are there any health and safety issues associated with the site?

How good is the water quality?

Is there sufficient parking at the site?

Are there toilet/changing facilities at the site, or close by?

Is the proposed DBA on private property?

To propose a new bathing water site, email smerrins@kildarecoco.ie

Closing date for submissions to Kildare County Council is 26/9/2025.

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Meryl McGowan, a trans woman from Drumshanbo and Chairperson of Leitrim Pride, has spoken out about the relentless abuse she faces for simply being who she is.

In a frank and powerful interview, Meryl revealed that she receives death threats and online hate on a regular basistargeted not only for her gender identity but for her outspoken activism.

The abuse ramped up again after we joined the counter-protest in Dublin against the far-right march calling for mass deportations, she said. I was vocal, yesbut they hate that Im trans. They hate that I exist, that Im visible.

While she says physical threats in her hometown have declined over the years, online harassment continues to follow her. People dont usually say things to my face anymore. But online? Constantly. They hide behind fake profiles. Cowards, the lot of them.

Meryl, who has been openly trans for over 12 years, says her long-standing visibility in the community has made her a targetbut also a symbol of resilience.

I refuse to be meek or pushed around, she said. People like mequeer people, trans peopleweve always had to fight to be seen. Im not going anywhere.

Despite the abuse, shes committed to staying in Leitrim and building community. As Chair of Leitrim Pride, she organises regular events including coffee mornings in Carrick-on-Shannonthe next of which takes place on May 17 at noon in the Market Yard. Pride Week is scheduled for August 2531, with the Pride March planned for August 30 at 2pm.

When asked if she reported the threats to Gardai, Meryl said no. No point, she said. Ive had guards threaten to press charges against me after I was assaulted. Ive never been protected by them. I dont trust the system.

She says her experiences with law enforcement have left her and others in the LGBTQ+ community feeling unprotected and unheard. Its not just one bad copits systemic. Ive had more run-ins with Gardai for standing up for myself than any of the people harassing me.

Still, Meryl refuses to back down.

They want to silence people like me. But Im louder now. Im not afraid of themIm proud of who I am.

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Leitrim based Charlie McGettigan has joined dozens of other Eurovision contestants in calling on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to ban Israel's public broadcaster from the song contest.

Ahead of the Eurovision finals on May 17th in Switzerland, over 70 songwriters, lyricists, and other creatives have signed an open letter accusing the Israeli broadcaster KAN of being complicit in Israels genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

We believe in the unifying power of music, which is why we refuse to allow music to be used as a tool to whitewash crimes against humanity, the letter reads.

The letter has reignited last years calls for the EBU to ban Israel from competing in the competition.

I feel dreadfully sorry that this situation exists, McGettigan told the Leitrim Observer. I'm a person who has loved the Eurovision since the 1960s, when it was still black and white. So it's not an easy decision for me to make, to turn around and say, whoever is representing Israel shouldn't be allowed to be in it, he added, noting that he has nothing against the Israeli entrant themselves.

He believes the right thing for the EBU to do would be to ban Israel from the organisation.

It would show the people of Gaza and the people of Palestine that we feel for them, that we are on their side. We're not necessarily on the side of Hamas, but we're on the side of innocent people. Literally, their daily lives have been completely uprooted and destroyed.

McGettigan said he wouldnt have been able to represent Ireland if the climate had been the same in 1994. I don't know whether Paul would or not, but I certainly would have withdrawn.

To platform the representation of the Israeli state, the EBU is normalising and whitewashing its crimes, the letter continues.

The letter suggests that the EBU should follow the precedent set with Russia in 2022 and ban Israel from participating in the competition. We dont accept this double standard regarding Israel.

Israel will again be part of the 2025 edition of the contest, which will take place in Basel, Switzerland, with their entrant Yuval Raphael set to perform the track New Day Will Rise.

The open letter was also signed by other former Irish contestants: Mickey Joe Harte (2003), Brian Kennedy (2006), and Mark Caplice (2018).

RTE has asked the EBU for a discussion on Israel's inclusion in the Eurovision Song Contest. Similarly, Spain and Slovenias broadcasters have requested discussions on the topic, though no broadcaster has publicly opposed Israels participation.

Martin Green, Director of Eurovision, stated: The EBU is not immune to global events but, together with our members, it is our role to ensure the contest remains  at its heart  a universal event that promotes connections, diversity, and inclusion through music.

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Frustration over a continued lack of clarity from the Government and the ESB following frequent power outages in Leitrim has prompted a call for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) to attend a meeting of Leitrim County Council.

At Mays Council meeting in Carrigallen, Cllr Maeve Reynolds proposed that the CRU be invited to address the ongoing power disruptions in the county, emphasising that this is not simply a Storm Eowyn problem, but a persistent issue affecting Leitrim year after year.

Despite three delegations from the county meeting the Minister for Forestry, we still have no clear commitments to cut back forest vegetation near powerlines, Cllr Reynolds said.

Nor have we received any firm assurances from the ESB that action will be taken to prevent this from happening again, she continued.

She stressed that the issue extends well beyond Januarys storm. Across Leitrim people are experiencing regular and sustained electricity outages year after year, storm or no storm. These are serious recurring failures that pose real risks to families, vulnerable individuals and businesses, she said.

She told the meeting that some homes and businesses have been without power for over a month in total over the last four years, when all the outages are added together, noting the impact and that the problem in Leitrim is more severe than in other parts of the country.

It is imperative that the CRU attend a meeting of this Council, she added.

She also called for clear communication of available supports and compensation for customers affected by outages, particularly ahead of severe weather events.

She noted that some individuals who took part in the humanitarian assistance scheme still havent been paid, four months after Storm Eowyn.

Cllr Reynolds received broad support from members.

Cllr Gary Prior voiced disappointment that Minister Healy-Rae did not meet with local representatives during a recent visit.

Minister Healy-Rae was in the vicinity a couple of weeks ago and couldn't see fit to make contact or let some local representatives meet him first hand on site, he said.

Cllr Enda McGloin mentioned that the ESB is exploring potential legislation to strengthen its authority regarding tree setbacks and to regulate new forestry planning.

Kevin Staunton, ESB Area Manager, has previously told a meeting of Manorhamilton Municipal District in March that the company is considering establishing a dedicated contact number for local representatives as communication during the storm was a significant issue.

Cllr Reynolds reiterated that this is not just a Storm Eowyn issue, but a long-standing and ongoing problem affecting many households.

Its not a new phenomenon, and I think that's where Leitrim is a special case and we need answers to this.

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NIC Chairman Jeff Blibo literally lied to the President based on the minutes from the meeting that a unanimous decision by the IMCC was rendered, a senior Executive Mansion advisor told the Daily Observer.
Liberica: The Future of Coffee in a Changing Climate  and Liberias Legacy to the World

The agriculture of the country is rapidly on the increase. Liberia has been supplying the Coffee Planters of Ceylon and Brazil with a new and superior kind of coffee for their agricultural industry.  (E.W. Blyden, 1832-1912)
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On April 30, Liberias president Joseph Boakai renewed his Executive Order establishing the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court. But the lack of commitment of the government and resistance from local elites, combined with the advent of Trumps America, are hampering the effort, warns Aaron Weah.
VOLUNTEERS from Croom Family Resource Centre, a member of The National Meals on Wheels Network, have joined a national demonstration, warning that without urgent government funding, they may be unable to continue delivering vital meals to older people in their community.

This demonstration outside Leinster House in Dublin highlighted the importance of ensuring the long-term sustainability of these essential services, including Croom Meals on Wheels, which provide vital support to older and vulnerable people there and in surrounding areas.

Following the demonstration on April 30, members of the Oireachtas were invited to an Information Day in Buswells Hotel with opportunities to drop in throughout the day, which a number of Limerick deputies availed of.

The National Meals on Wheels Network provided an insight into the work it carries out and its need for increased funding and Meals on Wheels providers such as Croom FRC. It also shared insights into the invaluable services they deliver, as well as the growing challenges they face in their local areas.

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Croom Meals on Wheels service is facing many challenges that risk their ability to meet rising demand. They don't receive any funding for their operations so the service is completely dependent on volunteers.

Sam Milburn, Croom Meals on Wheels volunteer added: We (Croom Meals on Wheels Volunteers) see everyday the benefits Croom Meals on Wheels brings to the people who receive our meals.

Croom Meals on Wheels is not just about the meal, it's about community, companionship and connection. Our service needs to be funded, to be sustainable and realistic to meet the needs of our community now and into the future.

Croom Family Resource Centre became a member of the National Meals on Wheels Network in April 2024. It provides a range of supports, services and development opportunities that address the needs of individuals, groups, families, and the community.

Additional pressures such as rising insurance premiums, complex compliance requirements, and the drive for digital transformation add further strain - particularly for smaller, community-based providers. Despite these obstacles, the local service remains committed to supporting older people in living independently and with dignity in their own homes.

Tracey Noone, development officer for the National Meals on Wheels Network said: The National Meals on Wheels Networks strategy aims to ensure sustainable funding, collaboration and innovation for providers to meet growing needs.

Increased funding is required for the Network to develop National Meals on Wheels Standards, design specific software, and implement both to ensure national accessibility and continue the Networks work on behalf of Meals on Wheels providers.
According data by Query.no, household consumers in Germany, Ireland and Denmark face the highest electricity prices in Europe.

Ireland saw the largest price increases from the first half of 2024 compared to the first half of 2023 in all of Europe.

Irish households are paying the third highest electricity prices in Europe, as Irish customers are paying approximately 30% more per year than the average EU home, according to data from Eurostat.

Ireland saw an increase of 24.7% in the price of electricity from 2012 to 2022, with electricity currently costing 374.60 per MWh.

This is 52% higher than the European average.

Hungary is paying the least for electricity, at 55% less than the European average, costing 110.90 per MWh.

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Irish people on social media have expressed anger and frustration over the huge costs of energy bills in Ireland.

One user commented, "This isnt fair!" and another added "Even now with the good weather the bills are extortionate".

Electricity prices 350 a year dearer in this country than European average https://t.co/gSla3dmHr2  Charlie Weston (@CWeston_Indo) May 6, 2025

"Mine is nearly a 1000 every two months since before Christmas and before that it was still pretty dear," another person said.

Another frustrated person said "no surprise as this current government just don't care that we live in rip off Ireland. There seems to be zero price regulation in Ireland".
Garrett's Butchers, a cornerstone of the local community, has recently been honoured with a Green/Sustainability Award at the National Enterprise Awards Limerick County final.

The prestigious event was hosted by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and took place at the Engine on Cecil Street in Limerick on Monday, March 3.

This accolade is a testament to their commitment in sustainable practices and environmental stewardship. Garrett's Butchers is a family-owned business that has been serving the Limerick community for over two decades. Known for their high-quality meats and exceptional customer service, they have built a loyal customer base that spans generations.

The butchers pride themselves on sourcing local, ethically-raised meats, ensuring that every product they offer is fresh, flavourful and responsibly produced.

The shop also offers a wide range of products, including dry aged beef, pork, lamb and poultry, all sourced from local farms. They also provide a variety of handmade in-store sausages, burgers, and Cook and Cleaver ready-to-cook meals (a collaboration with Chef Tom Flavin), catering to the diverse tastes and preferences of their customers.

In addition to their meat products, Garrett's Butchers offer a selection of condiments and other gourmet items, making it a one-stop shop for quality ingredients. Founded in 2004 by Garrett Landers and Fiona Madigan, the pair had a vision of providing the county with top-quality meats and a personalised service.

Over the years, the business has grown from a small local shop to a well-respected establishment known for its commitment to quality and sustainability. The Limerick quality butchers has always been at the helm, with Garrett and

Fionas children, Michael and Paraic Landers, now helping out in the business, ensuring that the heritage, values and traditions established by their parents and Fiona's parents in the craft of butchery continue to thrive.

The business has seen significant growth over the years, expanding its product range and customer base. Their dedication to quality and sustainability has not gone unnoticed, earning them numerous awards and accolades.

The recent Green/Sustainability Award is a highlight, recognizing their efforts to reduce their environmental footprint through initiatives such as sourcing local produce, minimizing waste and implementing energy-efficient practices through the LEO Limerick Green for Business and Energy Efficiency supports.

Fiona Madigan recalled her experience with LEO: I couldnt speak highly enough with regard to dealing with LEO Limerick. Siobhan was excellent with keeping in contact throughout the whole process and Green Consultant was so informative and helpful. We really appreciate all the help and guidance we received from LEO Limerick.

Looking ahead, Garrett's Butchers plans to continue their focus on sustainability and community engagement. They aim to further reduce their environmental impact by exploring new eco-friendly packaging options and increasing their range of organic and free-range products.

Along with this, Garrett and Fiona have recently opened a sister shop, The Dingle Butcher in Co Kerry. Having their grand opening on Tuesday, March 4, their store is operating from Jerry Kennedy's premises as the three have known each other for a number of years. Jerry has always being conscious of providing a continuing independent butcher store to the community of the Dingle Peninsula so this was clearly the perfect fit for all.

Garrett's Butchers and The Dingle Butcher are not just places to buy meat; they are a community hub where customers can trust that they are getting the best quality products while supporting local farmers and sustainable practices.

Their recent award is a well-deserved recognition of their hard work and dedication and the public look forward to seeing what the future holds for this beloved Limerick institution.

*Sponsored Content
New Delhi/Mumbai: In a move that has sparked scepticism from industry experts because of complexities involved, the Delhi government is considering awarding carbon credits to buyers of electric vehicles (EV) in the national capital. The proposal, designed to promote the adoption of tail-pipe emission free vehicles, is part of the upcoming Delhi Electric Vehicles Policy 2.0.

Collaboration shall be explored with development banks, carbon asset management enterprises to identify and evaluate various emission offset mechanisms and facilitate trading of carbon credits for the EV owners in Delhi," read the draft of the upcoming policy, which was shared with automakers for comment last month. Mint has seen a copy of the draft.

The thinking is that by avoiding the carbon emissions of traditional vehicles, EVs could accrue credits over their lifespan. These carbon credits could then be sold by EV owners in a secondary market, offering them a potential revenue source that would lower their total cost of ownership for the vehicles.

Emailed queries to Delhis transport department, which is responsible for the EV policy, remained unanswered till press time.

Good idea, but

Experts, however, warn of several uncertainties involved, including the methodology to be adopted, pricing of the credits, and the availability, or lack, of potential buyers. The price of these credits is also expected to be minuscule compared to the cost of running them, one expert said.

Vaibhav Chaturvedi, senior fellow at think-tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), said the move was a smart one by the Delhi government, but questioned how lucrative the incentive would really be. Unless there is some certainty or minimum price assurance in this regard, a prospective EV buyer might be left wondering about the cost saving due to carbon credits," he said.

Also read | Foreign car firms eye trade deals for EV tariff reduction

Estimates from Nikhil Dhaka, policy lead at consultancy Primus Partners, point to as little as 200-1,600 annual revenue from carbon credits for an electric car. Credit prices in the Indian market currently range from 100 to 800 per ton of CO, he said, adding that a typical EV offsets about 0.52 tons of CO a year.

Accurately estimating CO savings per vehicle would also be a challenge, Dhaka said, as it would involve tracking usage patterns, grid emission factors, and vehicle specifications. Implementing such a system would require robust tracking of vehicle usage, clear carbon attribution, and a user-friendly mechanism for consumers to claim, trade, or utilize their credits, he said.

Without a well-established mechanism, carbon credits alone are unlikely to be a strong buyer incentive yet, but could gain value as Indias carbon market matures," Dhaka said.

Connecting EV owners to carbon markets is another challenge. According to Deepto Roy, partner at law firm Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., if credits are given directly to EV owners, it will be difficult for them to access the carbon credit markets, where trading usually happens at a larger scale. It would be easier to give the credits to manufacturers or if the government steps in and buys the credits at a floor price, aggregates them and then sells them in secondary markets," Roy said.

Read this | Tata Motors considers new ICE models as EV adoption slows, competition intensifies

There is no precedent globally for carbon credits being awarded to EV buyers, Primus Partners Dhaka said. However, similar concepts do exist for other stakeholders in the EV value chain. For example, Chinas credit system gives automakers carbon credits for selling EVs. Companies must meet credit quotas or buy credits from others, pushing manufacturers to produce more EVs.

Then, in California, electricity used for EV charging generates credits for charging companies. More than $2.8 billion flowed to EV charging suppliers in 2023, Dhaka said. This is analogous to paying EV drivers (or their utilities) for the carbon reduction from switching fuels. The lesson: well-designed credit programs can channel large funds to accelerate EV adoption, but they require tight regulation to prevent oversupply," he said.

I.V. Rao, distinguished fellow of transport and urban governance at research institute Teri, said that the proposed carbon credits policy for EV buyers could act as a boost if seen together with other incentives in the scheme. However, for effective policy implementation, you would need guidelines on how the carbon credits trade will work," he said. Based on usage of a vehicle and its age, some carbon credit incentives can be thought of."

And read | Indias clean mobility drive hit as electric two-wheeler subsidies miss target in FY25
New Delhi: Jewellery and watch retailer Titan Co. Ltd on Thursday announced a leadership change, naming Ajoy Chawla as its next managing director. Chawla, who currently heads Titans jewellery division, will take over from C.K. Venkataraman, who is set to retire on 31 December 2025 upon reaching the Tata Groups superannuation age. Chawlas appointment is effective from 1 January 2026.

Chawlas ascension marks a strategic shift as he takes the reins after a period of significant growth in the jewellery segment, where sales and profits have more than doubled under his leadership since October 2019. The decision also comes as Titan reported strong financials for FY25, with total income up 22% to 57,819 crore. In the March quarter, consolidated income grew 22% to Rs14,049 crore. Profit for the period grew 13% to 871 crore.

Read this | Titan faces pressure in solitaire

A Titan veteran, Chawla joined the company in 1991 and has held key roles across the watches, accessories, and jewellery segments. Before leading the jewellery division, he served as chief strategy officer and spearheaded the launch of the fragrances business (SKINN) and the ethnic wear brand, Taneira.

While the formal process for inducting Chawla onto the board and confirming his MD appointment is pending shareholder approval, the company said the decision regarding his successor in the jewellery division will be announced later.

"On behalf of the entire Titan team, I welcome Ajoy to lead Titan in its next phase of innovation and growth. With his strong customer obsession, people orientation, partnering impulse and focus on creating value, Ajoy is well qualified to shepherd Titan towards even greater glory and scale," said Venkataraman.

Founded in 1987 as Titan Watches Ltd, Titan is a joint venture between the Tata Group and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corp. (TIDCO). Its portfolio includes jewellery (Tanishq), watches, eyewear, ethnic wear, and accessories.

Read this | How Tanishq broke into the bridal jewellery market in India

While FY25 was marked by multiple external events that had varying impacts on the businesses in general, Titans businesses clocked yet another year of strong 22% revenue growth resulting in the company crossing the impressive milestone of 50,000 crore of revenues for the full year," Venkataraman said.

"Our analogue watch business continued its strong growth trajectory by product innovation led premiumization whilst moving in sync with the rising aspirations of the Indian consumer. The eye care business has returned to the double-digit growth trajectory in Q3 and Q4 of FY25 and is poised for even better growth in FY26," he said.

Also read | As gold prices hit record high, Tanishq rethinks wedding jewellery strategy
A senior Apple executive said Wednesday that Google searches over the Safari web browser fell over the last two months. That has not happened in over 20 years," Eddie Cue, Apples senior vice president of services, said on the witness stand during the penalty trial phase of the Justice Departments antitrust lawsuit against Google. Cue attributed the drop to a growing number of people using generative AI services such as ChatGPT and Perplexity.

It was a costly revelation. Google-parent Alphabet saw its share price tumble more than 7% Wednesday after news outlets reported the comments. That cost Alphabet about $250 billion in market cap. Apples shares also fell more than 1% by the close, as Googles traffic over Safari powers a lucrative partnership that now generates more than $20 billion in annual payments to the iPhone maker.

But for Google, the latest comments only serve to thicken the cloud of uncertainty that hangs over the company after losing not one but two federal antitrust cases over the last nine months. Both cases are seeking to break the company up in some fashion, under the basic argument that Google dominates the internet search business in such a way that even deep-pocketed challengers like Microsoft have little chance of breaking in. Google powered 89.7% of the worlds internet searches last month, according to data from Statcounter. Microsofts Bing was next up, with a 3.9% share.

View Full Image Graphic: WSJ

And yet, Google suddenly looks more vulnerable even without the governments intervention. Its near-90% search share now is down from around 93% in late 2022, when ChatGPT first launched. A small slip, to be sure. But Google has also remained below the 90% mark for most of the last six months, which is a duration not seen in at least a decade, according to Statcounters data. As of last month, around 400 million people were using ChatGPT on a weekly basis, according to parent company OpenAI.

Googles new vulnerability to competition could help bolster its case against a breakup. Microsoft, too, was once in the governments antitrust crosshairs but was actually laid low by technological shifts and its own missteps.

Google remains the dominant name in the moneymaking part of the search business. MoffettNathanson analysts estimate that the vast majority" of search queries directed to AI chatbots are noncommercial in nature. But Alphabet isnt getting much credit anymore from Wall Street for that financial heft. The stock is now down nearly 12% over the last 12 months and fell below 16 times projected earnings on Wednesday for the first time in 12 years, according to FactSet data.

That makes Googles parent the only megacap tech to be commanding a discount to the S&P 500 as a multiple of forward earnings, according to FactSet data. That might look compelling for a company now generating nearly $75 billion in annual free cash flow. But the prospect of disruption adds another red flag on top of the breakup risk. Google is cheap for a reason.

Write to Dan Gallagher at dan.gallagher@wsj.com
(Bloomberg) -- An immigration raid on a luxury Puerto Rico hotel partially owned by billionaire investor John Paulson led the US Department of Homeland Security to arrest dozens of construction workers from the Dominican Republic.

Some 53 workers, all presumed to be undocumented, were working at the La Concha Resort in San Juan, but werent hotel employees, Special Agent Rebecca Gonzalez-Ramos told reporters Thursday in San Juan. She declined to name the construction company the team worked for.

Paulsons local company, Paulson Puerto Rico, said those arrested were employed by an external contractor currently performing certain construction work at its facilities.

While we are not directly related to the events, we are cooperating fully with the authorities and reaffirm our commitment to strict compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, Damian Pagan, hotel security director, said in an emailed statement. We have directed our contractors to take steps to ensure all workers they use on our job have legal status.

Paulson, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, owns several high-profile properties in Puerto Rico, including La Concha in the heart of San Juans tourist district. His company is also building a luxury residential tower, called the Vanderbilt Residences, just a few blocks from the hotel.

Puerto Rico, a US Commonwealth, has long depended on manual labor from the neighboring Dominican Republic, particularly for the construction and agriculture sectors. Commercial, family and cultural ties run deep between the two.

But Puerto Rico has been implementing orders from Trumps administration to crack down on illegal immigration. So far this year some 364 people have been arrested, Gonzalez-Ramos said.

The vast majority of those detained have been from the Dominican Republic, but agents have also arrested Haitians, Venezuelans, Mexicans and Brazilians, she said.

Asked how many undocumented migrants there may be on the island of 3.2 million people, Gonzalez-Ramos said there was no clear data.

Thats a number thats complicated for us to determine, she said. Its a complex issue.

--With assistance from Katherine Burton.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) India needs to integrate existing government initiatives related to the biogas sector, Indian Biogas Association said on Thursday.

In a white paper launched by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Indian Biogas Association (IBA) advocated for the unification of existing government initiatives - Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT), GOBARDhan, and CBG (compressed biogas) blending - under a single national mission, according to a statement.

The IBA released the white paper during the 4th BBB Summit organised in the national capital on Thursday, the association said in the statement.

Further, the white paper suggested the need for centralised tracking, standardised performance benchmarking, and integrated funding mechanisms to drive rapid and large-scale deployment of biogas solutions in India.

The key recommendations included mandating phase-wise CBG blending across sectors, formulating a green certificate ecosystem, and fast-tracking decentralised biogas Infrastructure.

It also proposed the incorporation of incentivising waste segregation and feedstock supply chains, strengthening rural energy access with clean cooking fuel, bridging the skill gap through dedicated workforce programmes and empowering women through biogas micro-enterprises.

The integration of biogas into public transport systems and smart building infrastructure will boost the sector, it said.

Additionally, it called for promoting biogas as a primary cooking fuel in rural India by introducing targeted subsidies, encouraging the use of LPG-biogas hybrid stoves, and aligning efforts with the Ujjwala Yojana and City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks.

"Approximately 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste lack proper scientific treatment and go under-utilised annually, while over 80 per cent of rural households still depend on biomass fuels," IBA Chairman Gaurav Kedia said in the statement.

Meanwhile, he stated that India imports over 85 per cent of its crude oil, exposing the economy to global price volatility and straining foreign reserves.

IBA organised the summit in partnership with Reveille Energy and Indus Exposium.

"By harnessing the untapped power of decentralised biogas systems, India can redefine energy equity, empower rural and urban communities alike, and build a circular economy that is regenerative by design," Rohit Dev, Advisor at IBA and MD at Reveille Energy, said.

"This white paper presents a pragmatic, multi-stakeholder roadmap to unlock this potential. But policies alone are not enough, and what India needs now is conviction, coordination, and collective action," Dev added.
New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) New York-headquartered Vertex Group on Thursday said it aims to generate approximately USD 40 million in foreign investment over the next three years.

With the ambitious Vision of 2030, aimed at transforming India into a USD 5 trillion economy, the government is positioning key sectors like renewable energy and healthcare to draw substantial foreign investment, enhancing long-term growth prospects, a company statement said.

"The ambition to bring USD 40 million into the Indian economy aligns seamlessly with the government's vision for fostering a robust investment landscape in India," Gagan Arora, Founder & President, Vertex Group, said, adding that the company's goal is also to generate employment opportunities, promote technological advancement, and drive economic growth in various industries.

Vertex Group offers a wide range of services such as performance intelligence, staff augmentation, IT-managed services, and artificial intelligence. The company operates through several divisions: Vertex Global Services, Vertex Next, ILC Solutions, and Vertex Learning.

Vertex Global Services currently operates in seven countries: United States, United Kingdom, India, Philippines, Nepal, UAE and Nigeria.

Arora further noted that as foreign companies look for new markets to expand into, Vertex will act as a bridge to facilitate smooth transitions and operations for international players entering the Indian market.

The company has also launched an innovative end-to-end factory shop tailored for foreign companies, it informed.

"Through this factory shop, we aim to strengthen the country's position in the global economic arena and lead the way in driving foreign investment into the region," he added.

This highlights the company's commitment to fostering a conducive environment for international businesses seeking opportunities and support to thrive within the local market, aligning with the government's vision to attract foreign investment through various initiatives, it stated.
A decade ago, Credit Suisse pleaded guilty to helping Americans evade taxes by stashing cash and assets overseas and pledged to stop doing so.

Now former bank employees collectively stand to make up to $150 million for quietly telling U.S. authorities that Credit Suisse wasnt living up to its promise.

A Credit Suisse unit this week pleaded guilty again to helping Americans hide their assets to evade taxes and agreed to pay $511 million for not meeting the terms of a 2014 settlement with U.S. authorities. Credit Suisse is now owned by UBS after an emergency 2023 rescue.

Credit Suisse admitted that it opened more than two dozen potentially tax-dodging U.S. accounts after the 2014 deal, hung on to other big accounts that it was supposed to have reported and closed or helped wealthy clients move their assets without telling the Internal Revenue Service, the plea agreement said.

In all, there were at least 475 accounts that Credit Suisse should have known were tied to Americans as of around 2018, holding $4 billion, the filing said.

UBS said it was pleased to have resolved another of Credit Suisses legacy issues.

Two bankers have so far emerged as whistleblowers in the case, though it is possible that more might do so. They could collect between 15% and 30% from the Justice Department settlement, which could be one of the largest tax whistleblower awards in IRS history. A former UBS banker who helped the U.S. first lift the veil of Swiss bank secrecy received $104 million in 2012. Other government whistleblower programs have paid larger sums, including a $279 million Securities and Exchange Commission award to a tipster in a foreign bribery case in 2023.

The Credit Suisse pair havent identified themselves publicly for fear of prosecution under Swiss bank secrecy laws, which bar bankers from discussing clients with anyone outside of their institutionsincluding foreign tax authorities.

They feel vindicatedfor telling the truth, for risking everything, and for standing up to one of the worlds most powerful financial institutions," said Jeffrey Neiman, a lawyer for the whistleblowers.

The case is the latest in a near two-decade effort by U.S. prosecutors to punish Swiss banks for helping Americans hide accounts, and shows how deep rooted the practice was.

The whistleblowers interest in the case began in 2014 when then-Credit Suisse CEO Brady Dougan told a U.S. Senate committee that the misconduct was all historic behavior of around a dozen people who had all been fired.

These people went to great lengths to disguise their bad conduct from the bank," Dougan testified along with other Credit Suisse executives. Dougan, who left the bank in 2015, didnt respond to a request for comment.

One of the whistleblowers, a former South America desk banker, recalled in an interview watching the testimony at Al Leone, a popular cafe for bankers in Zurich. He said he shouted at the television: They are lying!"

He knew the practice was endemic. Bank executives, he said, tried to get a $100 million account in South America moved to other banks without disclosing the clients American passport. The Justice Department highlighted the poor handling of the account, for a Colombian American woman and her family, in court filings Monday.

After Credit Suisses 2014 guilty plea, the bank was supposed to give the Justice Department the names of American customers leaving for other banks. Instead, some bankers referred customers to other banks with their foreign passports, omitting to say that they also were American, the former banker said.

Other customers sought to hide behind parents or siblings who werent Americans, sometimes with Credit Suisse bankers falsifying records to help, prosecutors said.

In another situation, prosecutors said, Credit Suisse bankers appeared to turn a blind eye to the status of a scion of a wealthy European family who had more than $1 billion in his accounts and was resident in the U.S. Credit Suisse assisted in payments for the billionaires U.S. taxes in 2014 but didnt probe further.

The Justice Department said a cursory review of public information showed that the scion was regularly identified in news articles as living in a mansion in the U.S.

The banks executives were so brazen that they assigned one dual nationals $200 million account on the banks Israeli desk to a junior banker, with a plan to blame the trainee if things went south, the second whistleblower said in an interview.

Within months after Credit Suisse pleaded guilty in 2014, this whistleblower approached U.S. authorities. The owner of the Israeli account, an American professor named Dan Horsky paid a $100 million penalty to the U.S. government in 2016 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government.

In Mondays statement of facts, prosecutors said that Credit Suisse knew the Horsky account should have been declared before the 2014 settlement and that a Credit Suisse executive went to Tel Aviv in January 2016 to strategize with Horsky on ways to conceal his control of the account.

The filing said that bankers helped other customers carry out fictitious donations to sidestep owning an account in bank records, and that in 2022 a single Swiss lawyer was found by compliance staff to be handling 104 accounts for 13 American clients who had been able to avoid detection for U.S. tax.

UBS came close to settling over the Credit Suisse accounts earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported in January, and might have avoided another Credit Suisse guilty plea had it done so. That deal fell through in the final days of the Biden-era Justice Department. Mondays agreement puts Credit Suisse on three-years probation.

The penalty had hung over Credit Suisse in its final years and was in UBSs calculations for potential legal costs before the 2023 takeover.

Write to Aruna Viswanatha at aruna.viswanatha@wsj.com and Margot Patrick at margot.patrick@wsj.com
US tariffs will slow growth in Asia this year, but there is a scenario in which the damage will be limited, a top official at the International Monetary Fund says.

If global trade returns to clear rules, the economic blow will be less severe than if tariffs are lowered and new deals are struckbut there is no confidence around how long the peace will last, said Thomas Helbling, deputy director of the IMFs Asia and Pacific Department.

The uncertainty affects everybody," he said, adding that the duration of that uncertainty will determine how deep of a shock economies ultimately experience.

Talks between the U.S. and countries like Japan and India have raised hopes that the shockwaves caused by the Trump administrations sweeping tariffs may have less of an impact than initially feared. However, no deals with Asian countries have been announced yet, and the deadline to unpause the U.S.s so-called reciprocal tariffs is fast approaching.

If trade tensions were to intensify or if uncertainty lasts much longerinvestors will hold back," said Helbling.

In that case, countries that have stronger buffers, more policy space, and fewer vulnerabilities such as debt issues will be in a better position to deal with the fallout, he said.

The risk that companies will delay investment and scale back production factored into the IMFs latest economic growth forecasts, which saw it downgrade the outlook for most countries in Asia this year.

Countries should have a sort of laser focus on macroeconomic and financial stability, and try to address external and internal imbalances, which are often a precursor to vulnerabilities," Helbling said.

Policymakers need to keep their fiscal house in order, the economist added. They need to ensure they have the right buffers in place to intervene as needed, he said, keeping targeted support limited and realistic about what the budget can afford."

Governments in Asia have already started efforts to cushion against the tariff hits. South Korea last month approved extra spending for chipmakers, while China, Japan and several others have vowed to support businesses and households.

Boosting intra-regional trade can also help safeguard growth longer term, Helbling said. Cross-border trade in Asia is still relatively low and Helbling sees scope for that to ramp up by reducing tariff or non-tariff barriers.

Signs of that have already been emerging.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping traveled to Southeast Asia last month to shore up relations with regional trading partners like Vietnam and Malaysia. At a May meeting of the ASEAN+3 group, which includes Japan, South Korea and countries in Southeast Asia, officials spoke about deepening trade ties and financial cooperation within the region.

There have been rising hopes that tariffs will be scaled back as more signs of progress in negotiations emerge. But even if deals are struck, it could take time for economies and confidence levels to recover.

For agreements to bring back a sense of certainty to global markets there need to be clear demands and clear solutions that restore a normal state of play, in the sense that policymakers will feel confident that they have reached a resolution, and trade policy will be laid to rest for some time," Helbling said.

Even then, if growth picks up later this year, its unlikely that all the damage would be undone, he added.

At the moment [its] too early to tell how this reset of the global trading system will play out."

Write to Kimberley Kao at kimberley.kao@wsj.com and Fabiana Negrin Ochoa at fabiana.negrinochoa@wsj.com
TN 12th Result 2025 Highlights: The Tamil Nadu Class 12 results were announced on May 8 by the Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE), Tamil Nadu, as per the scheduled date mentioned on the official notice. School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi declared TN HSE Class 12 results.

Where to check TN HSE (+2) results 2025 today?

The TN HSE press conference took place at the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai. Students, who appeared for these exams, can access their results through official portals - results.digilocker.gov.in and tnresults.nic.in.

How to check Class 12 results?

To check and download the TN HSE +2 scorecard, follow the steps provided below:

Step 1: Visit the official website dge.tn.gov.in or tnresults.nic.in

Step 2: Click on the Results section available on the homepage.

Step 3: The user will be directed to another page where results can be accessed via DigiLocker or www.tnresults.nic.in. Select view result to check scorecard.

Step 4: Choose the stream  Arts, Science, Commerce, or Vocational  and enter required credentials.

Step 5: Check and download TN HSE marksheet, take a printout for future reference.

Catch all DGE TN Class 12th Result 2025 Highlights here
On Thursday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a new statement, advising all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content having its origins in Pakistan.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting blocks content from Pakistan The decision has arrived amid the growing tension between India and Pakistan.

In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription based model or otherwise, having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect," read the statement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Their statement also mentioned the recent terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam region, which left 26 dead.

It read: Several terrorist attacks in India have been established to have cross- border linkages with Pakistan based State and non-State actors. Recently, on 22.04.2025, the terrorist attack in Pahalgam led to the killing of several Indians, one Nepali citizen, and injuries to a number of others.

Operation Sindoor Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation for the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack. Led by Indian Armed Force, the Operation launched targeted strikes at nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday morning

Reacting to it, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to retaliate after India's Operation.

Conflict between India-Pakistan Pakistan had been violating the ceasefire along the Line of Control for days before India launched Operation Sindoor. In the post-op scenario, the Pakistani army escalated artillery shelling in the border village of Poonch, which killed at least 15 people.

Meanwhile, the Indian armed forces successfully thwarted multiple attempts by the Pakistani military to target key strategic targets across Northern and Western India using drones and missiles last night, officials confirmed on Thursday. In a retaliatory operation, Indian forces also destroyed the Pakistani air defence systems at multiple locations.
Washington [US], May 8 (ANI): Oscar-nominated actress Patricia Clarkson has recently opened up about a troubling encounter she had with former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, recounting a moment in which he vowed she would "never work again" following a dispute over her Academy Award nomination in the early 2000s.

Clarkson, who starred in the 2003 film 'The Station Agent' under Miramax's banner, explained that Weinstein attempted to categorise her performance as that of a Supporting Actress for the 76th Academy Awards, despite her role being that of a lead.

The actress resisted Weinstein's push and refused to enter the supporting category.

"I hate when actors put themselves in false categories. I think that's something that needs to be addressed by the Academy," Clarkson said in an interview, as per Deadline.

"When you are supporting, you should be truly a supporting player, and when you're the lead, you have to step up and go into a harder category. I was the lead in Station Agent, so I said, 'No, Harvey, I'm not going into supporting,'" she added.

The actress continued, explaining that, at the same time, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the United Artists film Pieces of April, where Katie Holmes was the clear lead.

Clarkson's stand against Weinstein led to an infamous confrontation in which the producer threatened her career.

"So I went up against Harvey, and he told me I'd never work again," Clarkson revealed, adding, "It got very ugly."

In the years following the incident, Harvey Weinstein's history of misconduct was revealed to the world, with over 80 women coming forward to accuse the producer of sexual harassment, assault, and rape.

While Clarkson's experience was nowhere near as harrowing as that of many other women, she acknowledged the trauma of the encounter, which is why she rarely speaks about it.

"This was patter to me, what I went through with Harvey. It was still difficult and terrible what he did to me, but compared to so many women who went through so much more, it was odd to talk about it," she said, as quoted by Deadline.

Patricia Clarkson's career trajectory took an interesting turn when she portrayed New York Times editor Rebecca Corbett in the 2022 film 'She Said', a drama based on the investigation that uncovered Weinstein's decades of abuse.

The actress admitted that her own experiences with the producer were a motivating factor in taking the role.

"Of course it was a motivation," she said, acknowledging that her past with Weinstein fueled her decision to portray Corbett in the film. Clarkson's role was a crucial part of the investigation that eventually brought Weinstein's actions to light.

In 2020, Weinstein was convicted of criminal sexual assault and rape in New York, receiving a sentence of 23 years in prison.

However, his convictions were overturned in 2022 due to "egregious errors" made by the judge, and a retrial began in April 2023.
Washington [US], May 8 (ANI): Timothee Chalamet's new photos with Kylie Jenner caught the attention of his famous ex-girlfriend, Eiza Gonzalez.

The couple recently made their red carpet debut while arriving at the 70th David di Donatello awards ceremony at Cinecitta Studios in Rome, Italy.

After the photos of Timothee and Kylie went viral, his ex-girlfriend Eiza Gonzalez reacted on social media.

The pictures showed Kylie posing in a black floor-length dress, gold statement earrings, and a black and gold clutch. Timothee's arm was wrapped around her back, and she wore a black velvet suit adorned with a white flower. The outing marked the first time the pair, romantically linked since 2023, walked the red carpet together, according to E! News.

However, the relationship between Eiza and Timothee appeared short-lived, with a source telling just months after their getaway that Eiza hadn't seen much of Timothee since, as per the outlet.

Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet attended the BAFTA Awards 2025, leaving no chance to steal attention with their PDA.

In pictures, the couple can be seen twinning in black. Chalamet wore a classic black Bottega Veneta suit, a black T-shirt underneath, and black dress shoes. Kylie opted for a black gown.

In one of the images, both exuded couple goals as they were seen holding each other's hands.

Kylie has been spotted with Timothee at numerous awards shows throughout the last year. Even last year, Jenner joined Chalamet inside the venue for the 2024 Golden Globe Awards. Although the couple's rare public outings have fueled curiosity, a source close to the pair has previously shared that they prefer to keep their relationship out of the spotlight.

Timothee's mom Nicole Flender has given the couple her blessing.
Taking care of loved ones at home has always been a beautiful responsibilitybut it can also be a challenging one. Whether its caring for an elderly parent, a child with special needs, or a family member recovering from an illness, home care plays a significant role in many Indian households today. The good news? Recent updates and innovations in home care are making this journey a little easier, safer, and even more comforting.

Lets explore some of the inspiring changes happening in home care that are helping families all over India.

1. Technology Is Now a Helping Hand Smart home devices and digital health tools are making a big difference in the way we care for our loved ones. Wearable health trackers, fall detectors, and telehealth services are now more available and affordable. For example, many families are using apps to monitor heart rate, oxygen levels, and medication reminders right from their phones.

Most companies are now offering virtual doctor visits and nurse consultations. This means no longer having to make extended hospital visits for simple checkups. These tools are helping families feel more confident and stay informed about their loved ones health.

2. Growing Demand for Trained Home Care Staff Theres been a steady rise in the number of trained caregivers in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. These professionals assist with daily tasks like bathing, feeding, and mobility. More importantly, they offer emotional supportsomething machines cant do.

Families now see the value of professional caregivers who are not only skilled but also kind and understanding. As more people look for in-home support, the demand for trained staff is pushing care agencies to provide better training and higher standards.

3. Affordable Home Care Plans for All One of the best things to come out of recent developments in this space is affordability. Home care was once seen as something only the wealthy could afford. But today, flexible care plans are changing that.

Many companies now offer part-time or hourly services, so people only pay for what they need. Some health insurance plans are also beginning to cover in-home treatment options, which is a significant step forward. This shift means more families can give their loved ones the care they deserve without going broke.

4. A Focus on Emotional Well-Being Home care is not just about physical helpits also about emotional support. New home care models are starting to include therapy, companionship, and even daily activities like games and gentle exercise to keep people engaged and happy.

Programs for dementia patients, for example, include memory games and music therapy. Caregivers are trained to provide comfort, not just assistance. This is helping more people live fuller lives, even while facing health challenges.

Conclusion: A Better Way to Care at Home Home care is no longer just a backup optionits becoming the first choice for many. With smarter tools, trained caregivers, affordable plans, and emotional support, families can now better care for their loved ones in the comfort of their homes.

Its clear that the future of home care is brightand its giving families across India more peace of mind and more time to focus on what matters most: love, connection, and dignity.
Americas response to Chinas rise in semiconductors and artificial intelligence has been reactive, timid and structurally unserious. The U.S. is forfeiting a long-term strategic advantage.

This isnt about consumer-facing chatbots or viral image generators. Artificial intelligence isnt a tech trend. AI infrastructure is a foundational technology platform. Whoever is first in infrastructure, adoption and standards will define the next economic era and shape the future of commerce, war and governance.

In efforts to maintain Americas head start, U.S. policymakers are targeting graphics processing unit access and semiconductor tooling with a regime of ever-expanding export controls, with an emphasis on restricting Chinese GPU acquisition. That focus misses the point.

Exporting hardware isnt the same as exporting capability. Cutting off Chinas access to American chips might have slowed model development, but it also sharpened Beijings skill at diffusion in another way. China now leads the world in open-source AI, and that lead has emerged under constraints that U.S. policymakers imposed. What America blocks temporarily in outputs (models), it enables permanently in inputs (chips).

The same pattern already played out in telecoms with ZTE and Huawei semiconductors: Cheaper alternatives undermined U.S. dominance. America should know how this ends.

If AI is eating the world, we must ensure that it eats on American hardware and resources. The U.S. should be flooding the world with American GPUs in a concerted way. Untargeted export controls dont stop adversaries, but they do punish allies and accelerate technical independence from American frameworks. The American strategy should be simple: Let every aligned country run on Nvidia silicon and American standards.

Today, Biden-era restrictions target countries such as Switzerland, India, Portugal, Israel and Argentina alongside such countries as Yemen, Kazakhstan and Algeria. Mexico, which assembles a significant portion of our GPU servers, requires U.S. approval to transfer or re-export these servers. Thats policy incoherence, not strategy.

The U.S. shouldnt fear that our adversaries will use our technology as much as it should fear our allies will use our adversaries technology. Every U.S.-aligned deployment of AI infrastructure becomes a forward operating base. Giving ground to Chinese alternatives is giving up geopolitical leverage.

Reshoring shouldnt stop at the U.S. border. It should extend across the Americas. The logic is familiar: a hemispheric manufacturing base, protected by U.S. security guarantees, reinforced by export marketsjust as America built with the original Monroe Doctrine. The U.S. must treat the Western Hemisphere as a strategic manufacturing block. Leaders such as Nayib Bukele in El Salvador and Javier Milei in Argentina are signaling a generational shift in Latin American leadershipone open to deeper cooperation.

Nvidia has announced hundreds of billions in U.S.-based expansion. Apple is rethinking its supply chains. Original-equipment manufacturers are building components closer to home. But the U.S. shouldnt confuse a national-security priority with an economic one. Security must be economically feasible. An America+1" strategy, with Latin America as the natural extension of our manufacturing capacity, is both efficient and strategically sound.

Next, America should deepen the Indo-Pacific tech alliance. Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are more than trading partners. Theyre our technical and strategic front line. Their complete alignment with American AI frameworks is essential not only to contain China but to serve as our ambassadors of infrastructure across the region.

This America+1 model achieves two goals: resilient supply chains and exclusive access to the worlds best AI tools and platforms. If America wants to reshore and near-shore AI infrastructure, it cant build high walls. Tariffing the input goods needed to power our manufacturing renaissance undermines the rest of the effort.

Overly strict export controls shrink U.S. market share, raise costs and hand Chinese firms the opportunity to step in with cheaper alternatives. America is writing the go-to-market strategy for Chinas semiconductor sector while punishing countries that cant afford finished goods at scale. If the U.S. can buy raw materials for 10 cents and sell back final products for a dollar, thats a win for America.

If China builds and exports a sovereign AI stack and then spreads that infrastructure into our alliances and trade routes, the U.S. will lose the ability to define global standards. With that comes the loss of control over the levers of power in the AI era. But if the U.S. becomes the default platform for AI infrastructure, America will preserve both technological leadership and economic leverage while extending U.S. power into the next generation.

The U.S. won the internet by being first and open. AI will work the same way. Either lean into the system that worksopenness, innovation and export-led alignmentor lose ground to authoritarian mercantilism.

America wins when the world buys American. Lets let them.

Mr. Ginn is CEO and co-founder of HydraHost, a venture-backed AI data-center services and management company.
It has become steadily more difficult to find reasons to be hopeful about Myanmar. Elections in 2015 had seemed to usher in a new era of democracy, after years of authoritarian rule. Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition National League of Democracy (NLD), became the de facto leader of the country formerly known as Burma. Yet attacks by the army on the Muslim Rohingya people, many of whom were killed or forced into exile, exposed the deadly intolerance of those in power. A military coup in February 2021 made things worse, provoking widespread violence. The economy looks wrecked; by World Bank estimates it is about 30% smaller than it might have been in the absence of covid-19 and the armys takeover. How to make sense of it all? These seven books go some way towards explaining a land of lamentations.

Picking Off New Shoots Will Not Stop the Spring. Edited by Ko Ko Thett and Brian Haman. Balestier Press; 264 pages; 11.99

It is too soon to expect any coherent account of the coup of February 1st 2021, and the awful events since. Ko Ko Thett, a Myanmar poet, and Brian Haman, an academic, have produced the next best thing, a volume of what they call witness poems and essays". These are first-hand, often visceral, accounts of the many anti-coup demonstrations that rocked the country last year, and the consequent military repression; the shootings, beatings, arrests and torture. The landscape is bloody-fucked," writes one contributor. The last works of two poets who lost their lives in the anti-coup protests are recorded here.

The Lady and the Generals: Aung San Suu Kyi and Burmas struggle for freedom. By Peter Popham. Rider; 496 pages; 14.99

The slight, elegant figure of Aung San Suu Kyi has dominated the politics of Myanmar for more than three decades, even though she has been locked up by military governments for much of that time. The most readable biography of her is by Peter Popham, a British journalist. His first edition, The Lady and the Peacock", chronicled her life up to her release from house arrest in 2010; this second edition takes the story up to her landslide election victory in 2015, after which the NLD formed a government. The Lady and the Generals" captures the spirit of optimism that prevailed until the 2015 elections; long-lasting sanctions were lifted, Western aid poured into Myanmar and Ms Suu Kyi toured the world in triumph. We reviewed this book in 2016.

Myanmars Rohingya Genocide: Identity, History and Hate Speech. By Ronan Lee. I.B. Taurus; 288 pages; 19.99

For all her heroic defiance of Myanmars generals for much of her life, Ms Suu Kyis international reputation was badly tarnished by her attitude toward the Rohingyas. The army largely forced this Muslim minority out from the country, in 2017. That amounted to a genocide. She has not spoken out for the Rohingyas; perhaps she even shares the prejudice felt towards them by many of her fellow ethnic-Burmans, that they are not a genuine minority" at all, but merely illegal Bengali migrants. As de facto leader of the country, she even appeared at the International Court of Justice to defend the behaviour of the troops. Ronan Lee has written the most reliable and up-to-date account of the cruelty and discrimination endured by the Rohingya over many years in Myanmar. He shows how the army weaponised religion and ethnicity to cling to power. Ms Suu Kyi gets a gentle roasting too.

The River of Lost Footsteps. By Thant Myint-U. Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 384 pages; $19. Faber & Faber; 10.99

For a longer perspective read Thant Myint-Us thoughtful The River of Lost Footsteps". This is part history, part memoir, by the anglicised scion of one of Burmas most influential families; he is the grandson of U Thant, former secretary-general of the UN. Thant Myint-U is a trained historian and the most helpful part of the book is his fluent narrative of the formation of the Burmese state from ancient times through to the early 19th century when the Court of Ava at Mandalay was one of the most dominant in South-East Asia. Thereafter, however, conflict with the rival empire of British India proved Burmas downfall. The author is particularly good at showing how the old patterns of monarchical rule were sundered by colonialism.

The Glass Palace. By Amitav Ghosh. The Borough Press; 560 pages; 9.99

For a more imaginative take on the destruction of Burmas ancient monarchy, read The Glass Palace" by Amitav Ghosh, an Indian writer. It opens dramatically as British forces storm the Glass Palace of the Burmese kings at Mandalay, the climax of the third (and last) Anglo-Burmese war in 1885. Mr Ghosh follows the last king into exile in British India, where the hours accumulated like grains of sand until they buried him". A large cast of characters takes the reader on an intricate tour through familial, colonial and political struggles in India and Malaya as well as Burma up to the 1990s. It is a mini-epic, courageously sweeping through time and place, sometimes funny, often poignant and always wise.

Blood and Silk: Power and Conflict in Modern Southeast Asia. By Michael Vatikiotis. Weidenfeld & Nicolson; 336 pages; 20

If Thant Myint-U provides the historical perspective on Myanmar, Michael Vatikiotis provides the regional context in Blood and Silk". The author packs 40-odd years of living and working in South-East Asia into one well-organised volume; Mr Vatikiotis was editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review and has worked as a conflict mediator in Myanmar, Thailand and the Philippines. His book demonstrates that even if Myanmar has failed to throw off the shackles of authoritarian rule, so too have most of its near neighbours. In Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and elsewhere progress towards democracy ebbs (mostly) and flows. Mr Vatikiotis shows how Myanmar might be judged by regional standards rather than what can seem like impossibly remote Western values. We reviewed this book in 2017.

Being and Becoming Kachin. Mandy Sadan. Oxford University Press, 470 pages; 100

This is the only recent, high-quality account of one of the numerous ethnic groups, in this case the Kachin, that live on the geographical fringes of Myanmar. The outside world usually focuses on the struggle for democracy between Ms Suu Kyi and the generals, but Ms Sadans rigorously researched book brings a reminder that ever since independence the country has seen almost continuous internal conflict between the majority ethnic Burman people, or Bamar, and minorities such as the Kachin and Chin.

Our former correspondent wrote his own book, in 2015, on the subject:

Blood, Dreams and Gold: The Changing Face of Burma. By Richard Cockett. Yale University Press, 296 pages; $35 and 18.99

How Burma, once one of the richest countries in the region, descended into decades of civil war and authoritarian government before embarking on a surprising attempt at political and social reform. The book gathers together diverse strands of the countrys pastfrom drugs to warlords, Islam to illegal loggingto consider its pathologies.

More from The Economist reads: Our Asia digital editor on seven books that best explain Hong Kongs history Our food columnist selects the seven essential cookbooks Our former Moscow correspondent picks seven books on Vladimir Putin Our Africa editor chooses five books, and one album, as an introduction to the great continent
Catching a flight from Adani Airports-managed Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mumbai International Airport (Csmia) will become more expensive from 16 May. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Aera) has approved Csmia's proposal to increase the user development fee (Udf) for both domestic and international flights.

Aera has issued the tariff order for four years, from 16 May 2025 to 31 March 2029. Until now, domestic passengers were not paying Udf, but from 16 May, they will have to pay Udf for both departure and arrival.

Domestic passengers will have to pay a Udf of 175 for departures from the airport and 75 for arrivals to Csmia. The airport had earlier proposed a Udf of 325 for domestic passengers. However, the approved Udf is around 50% less than the proposal.

Also read: Kashmir attack fallout: Tourists skip Valley for Kullu, Darjeeling, Dehradun

Aera has also approved Csmia's proposal of a variable tariff plan for charging a separate Udf for international business class passengers and international economy class passengers. As per the approved variable tariff plan, international business class passengers will have to pay a user development fee of 695 and 615 for international economy class passengers.

Currently, passengers pay 187 Udf for international flights and the new rates are more than 200% of the existing charges.

International business class passengers will also have to pay 304 Udf for disembarking and economy class passengers will have to pay 260.

Also read: Indian airlines face extra hour of flying time as Pakistan shuts airspace

This adjustment aligns with the user pays principle and reflects the enhanced passenger experience and expanded facilities available and used by international travellers," said Aera in a statement.

The regulator also said that the landing and parking charges for airlines have been rationalized downwards and kept at reasonable levels. Landing charges for domestic aircraft have been kept at 402 per MT and 603 per MT for international aircraft. Csmia had already proposed lowering landing charges by 35% during the consultation process.

New Terminal 1

Csmia earlier announced that Terminal 1 will be demolished and reconstructed to enhance capacity. This activity was expected to begin in November; however, it has been delayed. In an analyst call, the company announced that the group is focusing on beginning operations at the upcoming Navi Mumbai international airport.

Also read: Air India suggests lower landing charges, concerned at user charges at Delhi Airport

Csmia expects a decline of 12.93% and 6.30% in domestic passenger traffic in FY26 and FY27 due to the planned renovation of T1. Meanwhile, the Adani Group-managed airport expects an increase of 21.36% and 1.04% in domestic passenger traffic and an increase of 4.09% and 14.01% in FY28 and FY29, as Terminal 1 is reopened.
Shippers arent yet confident enough to return to routes through the Red Sea, despite a tentative cease-fire deal between the U.S. and Yemens Houthi militia.

The top five container-shipping companies said they were assessing the deal announced Tuesday by President Trump but had no immediate plans to return to the area where the Houthis began targeting merchant ships in late 2023 in response to the war in the Gaza Strip.

We are not going back any time soon," said Nils Haupt, a spokesman for German liner Hapag-Lloyd. Its a good development, but it needs a lot of security guarantees for the Red Sea to be considered safe for big merchant ships."

Shippers said the area will remain volatile as long as the war continues. And while the Houthis and U.S. pledged not to attack each other while the cease-fire holds, the agreement is vague and makes no clear mention of ending attacks on commercial shipping, said Christopher Long, intelligence director at security firm Neptune P2P Group and a former British naval officer.

A Pentagon official said there is still work to be done to guarantee safe navigation, which could include limited Navy escorts for crossing ships as the truce begins and diplomacy to get the Houthis to stop attacking Israel. The Houthis said Wednesday that they fired drones at Israel. The Israeli military said it had intercepted a drone attack.

It will take some time before the southern Red Sea is safe, and we are working on it," the official said. It will also depend on how the Houthis behave."

Following more limited operations by the Biden administration last year, Trump ordered the Pentagon to escalate the bombing campaign in Yemen for nearly two months, aiming to stop Houthi attacks that have driven shippers away from one of the worlds most important waterways.

Traffic through the Red Sea is down by 60%. Carriers have switched to longer and more expensive routes around the Cape of Good Hope. Analysts say it could take months to restore shippers confidence.

Ellie Shafik, the executive in charge of intelligence at British maritime company Vanguard Tech, said U.S. maritime officials have advised caution in terms of whether the latest cease-fire will result in lasting safety and security for commercial shipping in the Red Sea."

The Houthis, who swept out of the mountains of Yemen to take over much of the country a decade ago, started to launch drones and missiles at Israel after Israeli forces entered Gaza following the deadly Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. They also began to attack international shipping that transited the Red Sea and nearby waters.

Commodities-data company Kpler said Wednesday that the shipping community will consider the Houthis a threat until they are disarmed or prevented from striking vessels, resulting in high war-risk premiums and a preference among shipowners to keep avoiding the area.

One of the points of confusion is whether the truce applies broadly to commercial shipping or just U.S. vessels. The Houthis said Wednesday they would continue to target ships linked to Israel. That is a definition they have applied in unpredictable ways previously, at times attacking vessels with a loose connection to the country or targeting others by mistake.

Any shooting in the narrow waterway will cause shippers to worry that their vessels could be hit accidentally or suffer collateral damage.

Shippers are reticent to go back into the Red Sea when its really unclear how long this will last and whos really affectedwhich shipping companies or which flags are going to be honored by the Houthis or not," said Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute think tank in Washington.

Large maritime companies didnt return to their Red Sea routes when the Houthis said in January they wouldnt attack U.S. and British vessels during a Gaza cease-fire that ended up running for two months. The Yemeni militants resumed their attacks after Israel went back to war in the enclave.

Clark assessed that shippers would stick to their current routes until there is a more sustained end to Israels war in Gaza, where Israels government recently approved a major expansion of combat activity.

Going back to their previous routes would be costly, and then if they had to shift back again because the Houthis begin attacks again, theyre just going to lose money every time that happens," said Clark, a former strategic planner for the Navy. So if youre a shipping company you might say, Im going to wait it out and see if there is an enduring end to the conflict."

Write to Stephen Kalin at stephen.kalin@wsj.com, Costas Paris at costas.paris@wsj.com and Benoit Faucon at benoit.faucon@wsj.com
Gurugram: In Haryanas Mewat district, the familiar  chai pe charcha  has a new avatar, wrapped in a public health message TB pe charcha . Leading these conversations is 24-year-old Ashok Kumar, a mobile technician who is a tuberculosis (TB) survivor turned advocate.

When I was diagnosed with TB in 2019, I knew nothing about the disease. I struggled to make sense of it," he says. By the time I completed my six-month treatment, I had learned enough to help others navigate it."

In 2022, Kumar became a TB champion", volunteering with the districts TB centre and nonprofits to offer community support. Last year, 60 TB champions across Haryana, including Kumar, came together to form a network to expand their reach. Riding their bikes from village to village, they frequent public spacesthe village chaupal, hospitals, schools, markets, bus standsto spread awareness about TB, encourage screenings, conduct home visits and connect people with health centres.

Their grassroots movement, and of other similar networks across the country, reflects a growing push to boost Indias broader goal: eliminating TBthe worlds deadliest infectious diseaseby 2025.

View Full Image Ashok Kumar, one of Haryanas TB champions, leads a community meeting in a Mewat village.

However, in March this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the alarm over global efforts to fight TB hitting a roadblock due to severe funding cutsparticularly in the US, the largest donor, contributing about $200 to $250 million annually for TB programmes. The cuts threaten decades of progress: global TB programmes have saved over 79 million lives in the past 20 years and averted 3.65 million deaths last year alone, according to WHO.

Indias TB programme is funded by the Indian government and the Global Fund, an international financing and partnership organization to tackle epidemics, headquartered in Geneva. Many government departments working on TB in India are understaffed and rely on technical support units from nonprofits, so if the global funding is cut back on that, it could have some implications," says Chapal Mehra, public health specialist and convener of the community Survivors Against TB.

The progress so far

Indias TB story is one of hard-won gains and lingering gaps. According to WHOs Global Tuberculosis Report 2024, India accounted for the highest share of global TB cases in 202326%. The covid-19 pandemic set back efforts significantly, with TB case notifications dipping by 80%, leaving a large number of cases undiagnosed and untreated. However, the union health ministry reports signs of recovery under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), which recorded the highest-ever TB notifications in 20242.6 million cases. The TB incidence rate has declined by 17.7% over the past eight years. TB-related deaths have also fallen during this period, from 28% to 22% per 100,000 population.

View Full Image The union health ministry has reported signs of recovery under the National TB Elimination Programme.

In the run up to the 2025 elimination target, campaigns like TB Mukt Bharat100 Days Intensified Campaign, covering 455 high-priority districts, have gained momentum. The India Innovation SummitPioneering Solutions to End TB, held in New Delhi last month, highlighted 200 innovationsfrom handheld X-ray devices for rapid TB screening to AI-driven diagnostic tools and next-generation molecular testing technologies and ongoing vaccine trials.

TB diagnostics are evolving, too, moving beyond sputum testing to more accessible samples like tongue swabs and urine, though they are still in the testing stage or awaiting regulatory approval.

Recently, John Hopkins University launched the TB-Free School programme in India to focus on paediatric TB elimination, targeting detection and treatment of both active and latent tuberculosis among students.

The political commitment to address TB in India is at an all-time high. The more politicians talk about a disease, the greater the chances for better funding and better strategies. There has been some progress in the last few yearsgovernment health workers are more proactive, and states are more concerned about TB," says Mehra.

India has also scaled up diagnostic capability, active community screening, especially among high-risk populations, and introduced rapid molecular diagnostic technologies like CBNAAT and Truenat that can be used even in remote settings, notes Dr. Ramya Ananthakrishnan, director, Reach India, a nonprofit mobilising efforts to end TB.

The TB incidence rate has declined by 17.7% over the past eight years. TB-related deaths have also fallen during this period, from 28% to 22% per 100,000 population.

Rapid molecular diagnostic technologies are highly effective lab tests that can detect genes of pathogens, and often drug resistant mutations, within hours.

We have moved from thrice-weekly to daily treatment regimens, with drug resistance testing now available at the first point of contact. We have also placed greater focus on the social dimensions of TB, and are one of the first countries to implement a gender-responsive framework for TB care," she adds.

TB cases are tracked via the governments NIKSHAY portal, a national patient management system for healthcare workers across public and private sectors to register patients, track treatment and medication adherence.

Gaps and emerging threats

But major barriers remain. Though rapid molecular testing has been adoptedwhich is far more accurate and efficient than the widely-used sputum smear microscopy methodit remains expensive and not accessible everywhere.

Shortages of the cartridges required to run these machines are also frequently reported. Were trying to solve a long-standing issue using the same tools weve always relied on, yet expecting different results," says Mehra. Moreover, most of the progress has focused on pulmonary TB, which makes up 60% of cases, leaving extra-pulmonary TB, which occurs outside the lungs, behind. Nearly 50% of Indias TB cases are either misdiagnosed or diagnosed in the private sector, where testing is often not done early enough, he explains.

Most of the progress has focused on pulmonary TB, which makes up 60% of cases, leaving extra-pulmonary TB, which occurs outside the lungs, behind.

Doctors also note that TB is no longer confined to low-income groups, as previously believed. Were seeing a rise in cases among the middle class, likely due to the growing prevalence of chronic conditions like lung disease, heart disease, and diabetesall of which raise the risk of developing TB," says pulmonologist Dr. Loveleen Mangla. Underreporting is another issue. A large number of patients receive treatment without officially registering their cases. We need stronger regulation and greater awareness," he adds.

Another long-standing problem is reports of recurring shortage of TB medicines, though the health ministry has denied unavailability of drugs. TB-affected patients tell a different story. Kritika Damwani, 25, who completed her treatment for multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) in Mumbai last year, recalls facing a six-month-long shortage of drugs. I finally found the medicines at a pharmacy in Gujarat through a relative," she says. But others werent so lucky  they ended up missing doses."

Such interruptions in treatment have serious consequences, such as fuelling the rise of drug-resistant TB, making the disease harder to manage and cure.

Drug resistance

Rising cases of MDR-TB is indeed a growing threat in India, with the second-largest burden in the world, and a 40-50% survival rate. Dr. Mangla has observed a rise from 2% to nearly 6% in drug-resistant TB cases he has seen over the past 8-10 years. Many patients stop treatment after just one month, once they begin to feel betterand thats exactly how drug-resistant TB develops," he says. Since MDR-TB medicines are not yet available at most private healthcare facilities, doctors refer patients to government facilities, where medications are more accessible and free of cost. TB survivors Mint interviewed said private treatment for MDR-TB could cost 30-40 lakh overall.

The adoption of shorter, all-oral Bedaquiline-based regimens for MDR-TB has been encouraging, according to government data, improving success rates from 68% in 2020 to 75% in 2022. The rollout of the mBPaL regimenwhich combines Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, and Linezolidhas shown success rates of up to 80%, cutting treatment to just six months, instead of 1.5-2 years. This treatment is an all-oral antimycobacterial, antimicrobial and antibiotic regimen. In April, Pretomanids price dropped by 25% because of a strategic move by its developer, the nonprofit TB Alliance. It partnered with additional manufactures to broaden access to the key drug.

Closing gaps in care

To speed up TB eradication efforts, the last-mile delivery of treatment needs to be improved, particularly in rural areas, and expand rapid testing to a wider population, according to Dr. Ananthakrishnan. Currently, 40% of individuals who test negative for symptoms still have TB," she explains. So, limiting our focus to only symptomatic individuals means were missing a substantial number of cases."

She points out that payments under the existing cash transfer model for nutritional support are often delayed. It also lacks equity, as patients with more severe forms of TB need greater support, but the system does not always account for that.

View Full Image A file photo of TB patients at a hospital in Ahmedabad. (AFP)

Another major gap is the inconsistent engagement with the private healthcare sector. In many districts, private providers are not linked to the public Patient Provider Support Agency, which serves as a critical bridge. This disconnect often leads to underreporting of cases, unscreened family members, and a breakdown in follow-up care.

There is a growing demand for more robust support for livelihood loss and mental health for TB patients. Experts are also calling for legally mandated annual health check-ups and widespread mass screenings to identify and treat cases proactively.

A multi-sectoral approach is crucial," says Dr. Ananthakrishnan. This includes expanding health insurance coverage, mobilizing corporate funding, and developing sustainable public-private models for TB caresimilar to what we achieved during the covid-19 vaccine rollout."

Emerging tech innovations

Innovations in TB detectiondriven by partnerships between the government and technology companiesare beginning to emerge in pockets across India. While the governments appetite for such innovations is growing, large-scale implementation remains slow and uneven.

One example is Qure.ais AI-powered software, which is integrated into both traditional and portable X-ray machines. The software generates diagnostic reports within seconds, significantly improving case detection rates. It also reduces costssaving 640 per detectionand shortens turnaround time. Currently deployed in 25 states across India, Qure.ais technology has also been scaled to 90 countries, including Nigeria, Indonesia, and South Africa, and has been used in settings ranging from the Kumbh Mela to Mount Everests base camp.

At a hospital in Mumbai, the software led to a 13% increase in TB case detection, and 29% of the detected cases were incidental, meaning patients had come in for non-TB-related symptoms. By expanding the funnel of testing, we could detect about 3 million probable TB cases each year at an early stage, preventing further spread," says Dr. Shibu Vijayan, chief medical officer at Qure.ai.

Another promising innovation is Wadhwani AIs Cough Against TB appa low-cost, non-invasive screening tool currently being used by community health officers at primary health centres.

A major challenge in meeting Indias 2025 TB elimination target is identifying undiagnosed cases, especially those missed by traditional screening methods when symptoms are mild or absent," says Nakul Jain, vice president of product and design at Wadhwani AI. At the request of the Central TB Division, we adapted our covid-19 cough-based prediction model for TB by combining cough sounds with symptom data to improve detection."

View Full Image A health worker uses the Cough Against TB app, developed by Wadhwani AI, at a health centre in Muallungthu village, Aizawl, Mizoram.

So far, Cough Against TB has screened 120,000 individuals, and identified an additional 17% of TB cases, including many asymptomatic ones. It is currently live in states such as Nagaland, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, and Delhi, and is being deployed in high-risk areas such as slums and prisons for active case finding.

Building community support

Despite the growing momentum, TB survivors say stigma and the challenges of returning to normal life persist. Community networks, helplines, social media chat support and survivor-led advocacy are gradually normalising the conversation to reduce the shame associated with the disease.

When Damwani was diagnosed with TB, she felt completely aloneuntil she found solidarity through Survivors Against TB. I was preparing to leave for the US in 2022 to study finance when I developed a lingering cough and lumps in my breasts," she recalls. It was misdiagnosed for monthsas allergies, even breast cancer."

The two-year treatment was long and painful, but the mental trauma and side effects, she says, were worse. I still cant wear socks and shoes, its too painful. As a woman, when your appearance changesas mine did with skin discolorationit hits hard. People still ask, Who will marry you?"

Mumbai-based theatre actor Akshata Acharya, 27, another advocate part of Survivors Against TB, says though she was disease-free in 2023, the aftereffects still linger. I was taking 22 pills a day that came with severe side effects: vomiting, hair loss, facial rashes, insomnia." The medication darkened her skin, damaged her nerves and bone marrow, and left her temporarily in a wheelchair with peripheral neuropathy and on antidepressants. Im still finding my feet," she says. We dont talk enough about post-TB care or the mental toll it takeshow to truly reintegrate into society after treatment."

Her experience inspired her to write a book, Eclipsed, on what she calls one of the least understood diseases: If we dont talk about it, we cant eliminate it."

Damwani and Acharya are among a swell of survivors who have stepped up support to those affected by TB, especially students and young women who reach out to them on social media. Says Damwani: I feel its my responsibility as a survivor to speak out. TB needs empathy, engagement, and awarenessnot stigma or silence."
Alphabet share price fell sharply on Wednesday, tumbling over 7% following reports that Apple Inc. is planning to integrate AI-powered search options into its Safari browser. Google-parent Alphabet shares closed 7.51% lower at $152.80, wiping out approximately $150 billion in market capitalization.

The development marks a significant setback for Google, whose core advertising business heavily depends on iPhone users conducting searches through its engine. According to a Reuters source familiar with the matter, Apple executive Eddy Cue testified during an antitrust trial that the iPhone maker is actively looking at reshaping its Safari browser.

Cue also noted that searches conducted through Safari declined for the first time last month, attributing the trend to users increasingly turning to artificial intelligence for information. Apple shares closed 1.1% lower following the news.

In a blog post, Google said it continues to witness growth in overall search queries, including those originating from Apple devices and platforms. People are seeing that Google Search is more useful for more of their queries  and theyre accessing it for new things and in new ways, the company stated, citing features like voice and visual search as key growth drivers.

However, it remains unclear whether Cues testimony was based on comparable metrics, raising questions about the scope and scale of the observed decline in Safari-based searches. Reuters reported.

The prospect of Apple introducing its own AI-powered search capabilities suggests a potentially transformative shift in the search landscape, posing a significant threat to Googles longstanding dominance.

Google, which pays Apple an estimated $20 billion annually to remain the default search engine on Safari  roughly 36% of its search ad revenue from Safari users  may now face strategic and regulatory challenges, the report said.

The move comes amid growing scrutiny of Googles market power. The U.S. Justice Department has proposed banning the company from paying to be the default search engine as one of several remedies in two major antitrust lawsuits aimed at curbing its control over online search.

Alphabet Share Price Performance Despite Wednesdays sharp decline, Alphabet share price has gained 2.4% over the past month. However, Alphabet stock price has dropped 16% in the past six months and is down 20% year-to-date. On a one-year basis, Alphabet shares have fallen 12%. Nonetheless, the stock has delivered a robust 120% return over the past five years.

(With inputs from Reuters)
Bharat Forge Q4 Results: The forging firm announced a 24.44% increase in consolidated net profit to 282.62 crore in Q4 FY25, even though revenue from operations decreased by 7.48% to 3,852.60 crore.

Nonetheless, profit before exceptional items and tax increased by 23.99% year-on-year to 429.4 crore, while EBITDA rose by 2.71% to 671.1 crore.

Total expenses decreased by 9.38% year-on-year to 3,483.04 crore.

On a segment basis, revenue from forgings grew by 0.82% to 3,436.23 crore, whereas the defence segment experienced a significant decline of 49.29% to 284.35 crore.

At the conclusion of the March quarter, Bharat Forge's defense order book reached 9,420 crore. In the financial year 2025, new contracts valued at 6,959 crore were secured, with the defense sector accounting for 70% of this total.

Bharat Forge has chosen not to offer any forecasts for the exports division for financial year 2026, stating that the priority will be on enhancing consolidated profitability.

B.N. Kalyani, the Chairman & Managing Director of the company, mentioned in an exchange filing that, for FY26, they are currently not providing any forecasts for the export sector (which accounts for 30% of consolidated revenues) due to the unpredictability and lack of clarity stemming from the tariff situation.

According to Kalyani, their primary focus will be on enhancing consolidated profitability through the following internal initiatives: minimising losses in the E-Mobility division; assessing options for the steel sector in Europe; boosting operational efficiency in the Aluminum division to significantly cut losses; capitalising on their manufacturing capabilities in North America to secure new business; and concentrating on acquiring new contracts in traditional forgings, Defence, Aerospace, and castings to maintain their growth momentum.

Also Read | ITC board declares date to announce Q4 results 2025, final dividend for FY25

Final Dividend The company's board has also declared a dividend of 6 per share for its shareholders.

Recommended a final dividend of Rs. 6.00 per equity share of the face value of Rs. 2 each of the company (at the rate of 300%) for the financial year ended March 31, 2025, subject to approval of the members of the Company at the ensuing Annual General Meeting of the Company. The Final dividend, if approved by the members, will be paid on or after Tuesday, August 12, 2025, said the company in an exchange filing.

On Thursday, Bharat Forge share price ended 2.32% lower at 1,114 apiece on BSE.
The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are likely to open lower amid weak domestic cues on geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan, while global market cues remain mixed.

The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a negative start for the Indian benchmark index. The Gift Nifty was trading around 24,412 level, a discount of nearly 49 points from the Nifty futures previous close.

On Tuesday, the domestic equity market ended higher despite rising tensions between India and Pakistan, with the Nifty 50 closing above 24,400 level.

The Sensex rose 105.71 points, or 0.13%, to close at 80,746.78, while the Nifty 50 settled 34.80 points, or 0.14%, higher at 24,414.40.

Heres what to expect from Sensex, Nifty 50 and Bank Nifty today:

Sensex Prediction Sensex gained 0.13% to close at 80,746.78 on Wednesday, amid high volatility.

We are of the view that the current market texture is non-directional; perhaps traders are waiting for either side breakout. On the higher side, 81,000 would be the immediate breakout level for traders. Above this level, Sensex could move up to 81,300 - 81,500. On the other side, a dismissal of 80,500 could accelerate the selling pressure. Below this level, the index could retest the level of 80,200, said Shrikant Chouhan, Head Equity Research, Kotak Securities.

He believes further downside may also continue, which could drag Sensex down to 80,000 - 79,800.

Nifty 50 Prediction Nifty 50 showed quick recovery soon after the opening and later shifted into a range bound action with positive bias on May 7, closing above the 24,400 level.

A reasonable bull candle was formed on the daily chart at the lows, which indicates an emergence of buying interest on the decline. Nifty 50 has been in a broader high low range over the last 9-10 sessions and we observe higher low formations as per daily timeframe chart. The rising wedge type of formation is unfolding in Nifty 50 as per daily timeframe chart, said Nagaraj Shetti, Senior Technical Research Analyst at HDFC Securities.

According to him, a slide below the initial support of 24,200 levels could trigger short term downward correction in the market, however, a decisive move above 24m600 could bring bulls back into action.

Om Mehra, Technical Research Analyst, SAMCO Securities, noted that the Nifty 50 formed a bullish candle with relatively smaller wicks on both ends, reflecting resilience.

After a negative start, the Nifty 50 index staged a notable recovery and defended the prior swing low of 24,200, suggesting the prevailing trend remains neutral to mildly positive. On the hourly chart, Nifty displayed a rebound from a double bottom pattern, emphasizing the strength. The daily Relative Strength Index (RSI) is steady at 65 levels. Moreover, the MACD on the daily timeframe shows the fast line positioned above the slow line, confirming the continuation of the ongoing pattern, Mehra said.

The immediate support is seen at 24,300, followed by a stronger base near 24,200. On the upside, a decisive breakout above 24,530 could shift the move toward the 24,650 to 24,750 zone. Until then, the index is likely to oscillate within the defined range before initiating its next directional move, he added.

Hrishikesh Yedve, AVP Technical and Derivatives Research at Asit C. Mehta Investment Interrmediates Ltd. said that the Nifty 50 formed a big bullish candle on the daily chart, indicating buying interest at lower levels.

However, the index is still struggling to cross the crucial resistance zone of 24,590. A sustained move above 24,590 could trigger an extended rally towards the 24,800  24,850 levels. On the downside, key support is placed near the 200-Day Simple Moving Average, which lies around 24,050, Yedve said.

VLA Ambala, Co-Founder of Stock Market Today, highlighted that the Nifty 50 index formed a Bullish Belt Hold candlestick pattern during the last session, with RSI at 60 on the daily timeframe.

Traders may consider a sell-on-rise strategy if the market opens flat or with a gap-up in todays session. Amid these situations, Nifty 50 can expect support between 24,350 and 24,300, while resistance can be found near 24,560 and 24,650, Ambala said.

Bank Nifty Prediction Bank Nifty index rallied 339.50 points, or 0.63%, to close at 54,610.90 on Wednesday, forming a Piercing Line candlestick pattern, reflecting buying strength on the daily chart.

Bank Nifty index regained above the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level of 54,500, suggesting that the recent dip remains within a contained range and has not disrupted the prevailing uptrend. The recovery from lower levels highlights that the primary bullish trend remains firm.

The index is hovering near the upper band of the Donchian Channels, which reflects the continued strength. The strong support is seen at 53,800, while 54,200 remains a key intraday zone to watch, said Om Mehra.

As long as this region is safeguarded, pullbacks may present buy-on-dip opportunities. On the higher side, a move beyond 55,100 could pave the way for further gains in the sessions ahead, he added.

Also Read | Breakout stocks to buy or sell: Sumeet Bagadia recommends five shares to buy

According to Bajaj Broking Research, Bank Nifty formed a bullish piercing line candle at the 20 days EMA.

Bank Nifty index has already taken 10 sessions to retrace just 38.2% of the preceding 6 sessions rally. A shallow retracement of the previous up move signals strength and overall positive bias. Key observation is that the last 10 sessions consolidation is inside a falling channel as can be seen in the adjacent chart. We expect it to extend the consolidation in the range of 53,500 - 56,000, said Bajaj Broking Research.

On the downside, the brokerage firm expects key support between 54,000 - 53,500 levels being the previous breakout area and the previous major gap area.
Pakistan stock exchange: The stock market in Pakistan faced a severe selloff on Thursday, May 8, amid an escalation in tensions with India, which sent its benchmark KSE-100 over 6% lower, prompting a trading halt, according to a Reuters report.

This is the fourth straight session of losses in Pakistan's stock market. In the previous trading session, too, Pakistani stocks witnessed a meltdown after India launched military strikes against terrorist outfits in several areas in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India's response comes on the back of a terrorist attack on Indian nationals in Pahalgam in late April, which killed 26 people.

On Wednesday, Pakistan stocks had fallen as much as 6.2%, but recouped some losses to settle 3.13% lower.

The escalation between India and Pakistan comes at a time when Pakistan's $350 billion economy is in a fragile condition. Investors there await the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) decision on a possible extension of its funding facility, which is due to be out tomorrow, as per a report by Moneycontrol.

Since the Pahalgam attack on April 22, Pakistan's KSE-100 index has lost 13% of its value amid fears of a flare-up in tensions with India. Meanwhile, the KSE 30-index has fallen by a similar quantum since.

Also Read | NSE chief says market share loss to BSE has run its course

Indian stock market stays firm At the same time, Indian stock exchanges continued to show resilience, trading largely flat for the second day after the Indian military's Operation Sindoor. However, high market volatility was also visible.

Analysts largely attribute the resilience in the Indian stock market is the non-escalatory nature of the attack in Operation Sindoor.

What stands out in Operation Sindoor from the market perspective is its focused and non-escalatory nature. We have to wait and watch how the enemy reacts to these precision strikes by India. The market is unlikely to be impacted by the retaliatory strike by India since that was known and discounted by the market, said Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited.

Historical data suggests that the Indian stock market has generally responded with resilience to serious geopolitical events. Except for the Parliament attack in 2001, all other incidents studied have led to positive market returns over the medium to long term.

Nifty 50 Performance (%) Around Key Events Event Date 1M

Before 1M

After 3M

After 6M

After 12M

After Kargil War 1999 May 3,

1999 8.3% 16.50% 34.50% 31.60% 29.40% Parliament Attack 2001 Dec 13,

2001 10.10% 0.8% 5.30% 0.8% 1.3% Mumbai 26/11 Attacks

2008 Nov 26,

2008 9.00% 3.80% 0.7% 54.00% 81.90% Uri Attack & Surgical

Strikes 2016 Sep 18,

2016 1.30% 1.2% 7.3% 4.30% 15.60% Pulwama Attack & Balakot

2019 Feb 14,

2019 1.3% 6.30% 3.80% 1.70% 12.70%

Source: Finavenue
Despite a turbulent 2025 shaped by Trumps policy unpredictability , valuation-led market corrections, and ongoing India-Pakistan tensions, Indias penny stocks have quietly delivered a strong and surprising rally.

Hidden beneath the noise, lesser-known names like Srichakra Cement, Omansh Enterprises, and Swadeshi Industries have rewarded bold investors with eye-popping gains of 250400%.

As retail interest in these low-priced bets heats up, the hunt is on for the next set of multibaggers.

For those looking beyond the noise and into value, here are five fundamentally strong penny stocks to keep on your radar.

These stocks are filtered using Equitymaster's stock screener -Fundamentally strong penny stocks.

#1 NBCC (India)

NBCC is a government of India navratna enterprise under the ministry of housing and urban affairs.

It operates in three major segments - project management consultancy, engineering procurement & construction, and real estate.

Globally, the company has a presence in Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Dubai, and Jeddah.

As of January 2025, the company has consolidated an order book of 1 trillion.

On the financial front, the companys financials have seen a healthy growth.

View Full Image Source: Equitymaster

Between FY20 and FY24, NBCC Indias revenue and net profit have grown slowly at a CAGR of 1% and 1.1%, respectively.

The company has demonstrated consistent financial strength, with an average RoE of 13.6% and RoCE of 32.1%.

The company on 26 March 2025, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mahatma Phule Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Technology Ltd to jointly undertake consultancy, EPC, fee-based, and redevelopment projects across Maharashtra.

The estimated value of these projects stands at 250 billion, with execution planned in phases over the next three to five years.

The company is actively exploring opportunities with various state governments and PSUs for the redevelopment of their land parcels across India.

#2 Motherson Sumi Wiring

The company provides full-system solutions to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the wiring harness segment.

It offers a variety of harnesses for different vehicles including passenger and commercial vehicles, two and three-wheelers, farm equipment and off-road vehicles. Its services encompass three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design and more.

View Full Image Source: Equitymaster

Over past three years, Motherson Sumi Wiring revenue surged at an impressive CAGR 28.4%. Meanwhile, its net profit has saw a CAGR growth of 17.2%.

Going forward, the company plans to improve its finances.

#3 Electrosteel Castings

The company manufactures and supplies ductile iron (DI) pipes and fittings for water infrastructure projects. They also produce cast iron (CI) pipes, cement, and ferroalloys.

Electrosteel Castings has a presence in over 110+ countries across the globe.

View Full Image Source: Equitymaster

Its revenue grew at a CAGR of 22.6% from FY20 to FY24. The company has maintained good financial health, with an average RoE of 6.6% and RoCE of 12.1%.

Going forward, the company plans to expand its DI pipe manufacturing capacity to 1 million tons. This expansion involves a total of 1 lakh tons being added to the existing capacity.

The company is also actively pursuing its capex plan, with progress as per schedule, aiming to enhance overall DI pipe production.

#4 HCC

Hindustan Construction Company is an Indian multinational engineering and construction company specializing in large-scale infrastructure projects.

It has contributed to Indias 26% hydropower capacity and over 60% of its nuclear power generation capacity.

HCC is involved in the construction of several nuclear power plants in India, supporting the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and NPCIL.

The company, through its subsidiaries, is principally engaged in the business of providing engineering and construction services, real estate, and infrastructure.

On the financial front, HCCs revenue and net profit have fallen over the years.

View Full Image Source: Equitymaster

Recently, HCC on 20 March 2025 Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) and Tata Projects Ltd. (TPL) in a 50:50 joint venture have been awarded a pumped storage project worth 24.7 billion in Maharashtra.

The scope of work includes civil works and other appurtenant works required for completion of the project consisting of infrastructure works along with review and interface of electromechanical works.

Going forward, HCC is exploring opportunities in nuclear power, with an estimated 150-200 billion of annual opportunities in the civil segment.

#5 Suzlon Energy

The company is one of the leading global renewable energy solutions providers. It is a vertically integrated wind turbine generator (WTG) manufacturer.

It has installed over 20 GW of wind energy in 17 countries and over 111 wind farms with a capacity of 13,880 MW.

In addition to manufacturing, the company provides end-to-end wind project planning and execution services, covering wind resource assessment, infrastructure development, power evacuation, and technical planning.

It also offers operations and maintenance (O&M) services both in India and international markets.

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While its revenue rose at a CAGR of 5.4%, it turned profitable over the years.

The company has maintained strong financial health, with an average RoE of 55.9% and RoCE of 46.5%.

In April 2025, it secured a 378 MW wind energy project from state-run NTPC Green Energy.

As part of this contract, Suzlon said it will supply 120 S144 WTG with hybrid lattice towers (HLT), each with a rated capacity of 3.15 MW, and also undertake foundation, erection, and commissioning for the project along with providing maintenance and services.

Looking ahead, the management expects order inflows to remain strong, especially from the commercial & industrial segment before transmission waivers reduce to 75% in June 2025.

Conclusion

Investing in fundamentally strong penny stocks can be temptingthey're affordable and sometimes show signs of big potential. But it's important to stay grounded.

While some of these companies do turn things around and grow, many come with risks like low liquidity and sharp price swings.

Therefore, such investments should be approached with caution, backed by thorough research, and ideally form only a small portion of a diversified portfolio.

Investors should evaluate the companys fundamentals, corporate governance, and valuations of the stock as key factors when conducting due diligence before making investment decisions.

Happy Investing.

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such.

This article is syndicated from Equitymaster.com
Mr. A thought it was a straightforward movetake the one-year assignment in the UK, come back, and pick up right where he left off. But when he tried to withdraw his Employee Provident Fund (EPF) a few years later, the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) flagged a gap in his service record. No contributions for twelve months, they said. Claim rejected. Now, hes scrambling to explain how he was still employed, just not in India.

Across the world, Indians who once worked on home soil are finding their PF withdrawals tangled in red tape. Missed contributions. Unlinked Aadhaar numbers. Service overlaps. Whether theyre in Boston, Singapore, or Toronto, the stories are the samethe moneys there, but good luck accessing it.

View Full Image (Graphics: Gopakumar Warrier/Mint)

Service gaps, missing UANs, dead-end claims

For some employers, the solution to sending employees abroad is simple: mark an exit date before they leave and a fresh joining date when they return. But that simple fix can come with a heavy cost. It creates a gap in service, disqualifying employees from gratuity, which requires five continuous years of service.

Read this | EPFO alert! How to avoid, deal with rejections, delays

Mr. As employer opted for a different route, keeping him on payroll but pausing EPF contributions while he was in the UK. When he returned, contributions resumed, but the EPFO now considers that year a break in service. The moneys in the account, but without the EPFOs approval, its untouchable.

For those who left India before Aadhaar became mandatory, PF withdrawals can feel like navigating a maze without a map. Aadhaar is now linked to the Universal Account Number (UAN), the key to accessing EPF accounts online. But what if you dont have one?

Thats the predicament facing Arvinder Gujral, who moved to Singapore in 2017. His last Indian employer, where he worked from 2014 to 2018, has since shut down. He has a UAN for that period, but the previous years (2009-2014) are unlinked. Without an Aadhaar link, he cant access the PF member portal to resolve it. After filing multiple grievances with the EPFO and hitting a wall each time, he turned to a PF consultant. The case remains unresolved.

For NRIs like Gujral, the lack of a UAN or an Aadhaar link can effectively lock them out of their PF accounts indefinitely.

Boston-based Manish Maheshwari faced a different challenge.

While transitioning between two employers, Maheshwari exited one and joined the next on the same day, resulting in a service overlap. The EPFO rejected his EPF withdrawal request, and the situation became even more complicated after he moved abroad. "My physical presence at two different PF offices was required, which wasn't possible. I got in touch with KustodianLife (a fintech with PF expertise) to get it done," said Maheshwari.

One particularly tangled case involves a woman with a Canadian passport marked as an International Worker (IW) by some employers and as an Indian by others.

Despite her Canadian passport being linked to her EPF account, some contributions were made under Indian worker rules, which are different from IW rules. "Her PF history is a total mess," said Kunal Kabra, founder and CEO of KustodianLife. "She may have to deposit an amount with the EPFO to settle previous records since IW contributions are higher than those of an Indian employee."

Read this | Plan to withdraw from EPF for marriage, education, or illness? Know the rules

Kabra also noted a recent difficulty: earlier, the EPFO would share a detailed ledger of a members account upon request, which helped track service history, especially for NRIs who had been away for years. "Now that ledgers have stopped, tracking their service history is too challenging without online access," he said.

View Full Image (Graphics: Gopakumar Warrier/Mint)

How to navigate the PF maze as an NRI

The good news? There are ways to prevent these complications. Heres what NRIs need to know.

If you are going abroad on the payroll of an Indian company, familiarize yourself with the Certificate of Coverage (CoC) and the list of countries with which India has a Social Security Agreement (SSA). "If posted to an SSA country, ask HR to obtain a CoC from the EPFO and submit it to the host countrys authority to avoid dual social security deductions. CoC is typically valid for five years," said Ketan Das, PF Business Head, FinRight.

However, if going to the UK or the US, which do not have SSAs with India, contributions may be required both in India and the host country, according to Das. Note, as part of the recently announced India-UK deal, Indian employees on intra-company transfers may not be required to pay social security contributions in the UK.

Some employers may stop EPF contributions while you are abroad.

"If an employer is insisting on doing the full and final settlement while you are almost eligible for gratuity, you should negotiate to get the equivalent amount as ex-gratia in F&F (full and final settlement). Some employers keep the employment active without making PF contributions. They should be ready to explain it to the EPFO on behalf of employees about non-contributory service period," said Anurag Jain,co-founder and partner at ByTheBook Consulting LLP.

Whether you are on an Indian company's payrolls abroad or of a foreign company, your status will change to International Worker.

"Your contributions will be made as per IW rules in which 24% PF deduction happens on the gross salary, not basic salary. Moreover, you cannot withdraw from EPF while you are employed there," said Das.

Read this | How NRIs can overcome banking challenges and manage their finances back home

Gross salary is your total salary without any deductions. Basic salary is usually 40-50% of your gross salary. So if your gross salary is 1 lakh per month, your basic salary could be 50,000. An IW will be contributing 24,000 (24% of 1 lakh) to EPF, while an Indian worker will contribute just 12,000.

Planning ahead

If you are moving abroad permanently, you must withdraw your PF. EPS withdrawal is possible only if the total service period is less than 10 years.

"If moving permanently and want to withdraw, initiate the process online via the UAN portal. For EPS, if they havent completed 10 years, they can withdraw the pension portion along with EPF (Form 10C). If they have crossed 10 years, they are eligible for a Scheme Certificate, which should be retained for future pension claims." said Jain.

Update KYC and complete other important tasks. Link your PAN, Aadhaar, bank account, and mobile number to EPF account through the UAN portal. Ensure the PF amount is consolidated into the last account and the date of exit is updated by the last employer. Link an active Indian bank account (Savings/NRO) to receive PF," said Das.

The cost of inaction

If an NRI doesnt withdraw their PF within three years of the last contribution, the account turns inactive and stops earning interest. The EPFO wont automatically register NRI status unless its explicitly stated. Interest may continue to accrue beyond three years, but if the EPFO discovers the NRI status during the claim process, the withdrawal could be denied.

"There is a common misconception that PF withdrawals made after five years of continuous service are entirely tax-free. While the principal amount and interest earned during active service are tax-exempt, this exemption applies only if the withdrawal is made immediately upon cessation of employment. If there is a delay between the end of employment and the actual withdrawal, the interest accrued during that interim period is treated as taxable income," said Jain.

Also read | Why missing your EPF nomination could leave your family in limbo

Additionally, check for a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and the country you are moving to, as it can help avoid dual taxation, he added.
Losing your HDFC Bank Regalia Credit Card can be an emotionally draining experience for cardholders. Still, with swift action and prompt sharing of information with the concerned authorities potential misuse can be prevented.

To meet such emergency situations only, HDFC Bank provides multiple channels for customers to report and share their problems and block lost or stolen credit cards in a seamless manner.

Immediate steps to block your card It is important to quickly block your HDFC Regalia Credit Card if it is lost or stolen. HDFC Bank provides several ways to achieve this:

Phone Banking : Call the 24x7 toll-free numbers 1800 1600 or 1800 2600 within India and request the concerned authorities to facilitate the blocking of your credit card. If you're abroad, dial +91 22 61606160.

: Call the 24x7 toll-free numbers 1800 1600 or 1800 2600 within India and request the concerned authorities to facilitate the blocking of your credit card. If you're abroad, dial +91 22 61606160. NetBanking : Carefully log in to your NetBanking account, move to the 'Cards' section, then opt for the 'Credit Card Hotlisting' section, select your card, and follow the given instructions to quickly block it.

: Carefully log in to your NetBanking account, move to the 'Cards' section, then opt for the 'Credit Card Hotlisting' section, select your card, and follow the given instructions to quickly block it. Mobile Banking App : Download and log in to the HDFC Bank Mobile App. Then move to the 'Cards' section, opt for your credit card, and choose the option to block it.

: Download and log in to the HDFC Bank Mobile App. Then move to the 'Cards' section, opt for your credit card, and choose the option to block it. MyCards Portal : Reach out to the mycards.hdfcbank.com, then submit your registered mobile number and OTP, post the same check out the steps to block your card in seamless fashion.

: Reach out to the mycards.hdfcbank.com, then submit your registered mobile number and OTP, post the same check out the steps to block your card in seamless fashion. WhatsApp Banking : Send 'Hi' to 70700 22222 on WhatsApp. Then complete the verification process, and select the option to block your credit card.

: Send 'Hi' to 70700 22222 on WhatsApp. Then complete the verification process, and select the option to block your credit card. SMS Banking: Send an SMS with the format "Block CC <last 4 digits of your card>" to 7308080808 from your registered mobile number. Note: All methods discussed above are illustrative in nature. For updated numbers, terms, conditions and contact details refer to the official website of HDFC Bank and discuss your problem with the dedicated customer support team before taking any steps. Complete details of the customer support team can be availed from the official website of HDFC Bank.

Also Read | Credit Cards: These are the five costly mistakes cardholders must avoid

Requesting a replacement card Once you have blocked your lost or stolen card, you can request for a replacement through the following methods:

Online : By using NetBanking or the Mobile Banking App to request a new card.

: By using NetBanking or the Mobile Banking App to request a new card. Paying a branch visit: Visit the nearest HDFC Bank branch, fill and submit the credit card request form for lost/damaged cards. You can also discuss your problems with a bank executive. Do remember, a replacement fee of 100 may be applicable, which will be charged to your new credit card. Still, for more details on the same speak to the dedicated customer service team as the charges are open to amendments and changes as per the policies of the bank.

Also Read | How to get an Axis Bank Neo Credit Card in hassle-free steps

Zero liability on lost card It is crucial to report the loss of your credit card immediately. HDFC Bank provides zero liability on fraudulent transactions made after reporting the loss of your Regalia Credit Card. Therefore, it is extremely important to quickly report the loss of your credit card to make the most of this benefit.

Additional Support Channels For further help, guidance and assistance, you can:
All-party meeting: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the Congress has extended full support to the Centre on Operation Sindoor at an all-party meeting held on May 8. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who also attended the meeting, said he complimented the Indian armed forces for the action to destroy terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Asaduddin Owaisi suggested that the US should designate the Resistance Front (TRF) as a foreign terrorist organisation. In today's all-party meeting, I complimented our armed forces and the Government of India for conducting Operation Sindoor, the Hyderabad MP said.

"I also said that we should run an international campaign against TRF, and the UN Security Council should designate it as a terror organisation. We also need to ask the United States to designate TRF as a foreign terrorist organisation in the country," AIMIM chief added, according to a PTI report.

Acceding to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's statement, Rahul Gandhi said, We gave full support, and what Kharge ji said is right  there are certain things that shouldn't be discussed. Everyone simply gave their support.

Meanwhile, Mallikarjun Kharge said the Opposition is with the government in this moment of crisis while referring to the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control.

After the success of Operation Sindoor, the government called an all-party meeting in which key leaders were briefed about the May 7 counter-terrorism action of the Centre against Pakistan.

The all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was attended by top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, Foreign Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, party president JP Nadda and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
India Pakistan Conflict: Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks with the Director Generals of border guarding forces to take stock of the border situation. He also speaks to the CISF DG regarding airport security.

Pakistan fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia and all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units, defence sources said on Thursday.

The sources said visuals over Jammu remind of exactly Hamas-style attack on Israel like multiple cheap rockets. Pakistan Army is operating and behaving like a terror organisation Hamas. Last month ISI and Hamas met in Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Explosions were heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistani drones were intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer. Explosions were heard and flashes seen in the sky.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Bikaner in Rajasthan and in Jalandhar in Punjab. Blackouts have also been enforced in Kishtwar, Akhnoor, Samba, Jammu, and Amritsar, Jalandhar.

Escalating its tensions with India, Pakistan targeted Jammu with loitering munitions on Thursday and Indian Air Defence guns are firing back.

The Defence Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that on the night of May 7, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.

"These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," the statement said.
Bitcoin topped $100,000 on Thursday for the first time since early February, bolstered by a wide-ranging deal between the United States and the United Kingdom in a sign that perhaps U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with the rest of the world is easing.

By midday, Bitcoin was trading at $101,329.97, a 4.7% gain on the day. The world's biggest cryptocurrency has clawed its way back into positive territory for the year, although it remains below the record high of more than $109,000 reached in January.

Ether, the cryptocurrency for the Ethereum blockchain, surged more than 14% to $2,050.46 after earlier hitting its highest since late March.

Trade breakthrough: Tariff adjustments announced Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday announced a "breakthrough deal" on trade that leaves in place a 10% tariff on UK goods imported into the U.S., while Britain agreed to lower its tariffs to 1.8% from 5.1% and provide greater access to U.S. goods.

First major trade deal since global tariff spree The agreement is the first since Trump triggered a global trade war with a barrage of tariffs on trading partners following his return to the White House in January.

Analyst: Bitcoin's comeback a formidable feat "The retaking of $100,000 must go down as one of bitcoin's more formidable feats and is a reminder that buying peak fear - just last month bitcoin was languishing around $74,000 - can be exceptionally lucrative," Antoni Trenchev, co-founder of digital asset trading platform Nexo, said in an emailed comment.

Momentum signals push toward $109K "The speed of the rebound to $100,000 amid a resumption of risk appetite sends a signal that $109,000 and above are in its sights, as buying from long-term holders -- those holding for at least 155 days -- more than offsets selling by short-term holders."

Crypto slide tied to trade tensions Bitcoin and other crypto prices fell sharply between February and April, as traders fretted about Trump pushing through pro-crypto reforms more slowly than anticipated.

Tariffs sparked safe-haven shift in April The president's announcement of widespread tariffs in early April triggered a dash into safe havens, with bitcoin and other crypto prices tumbling in tandem with stocks and other higher risk assets.

Other cryptocurrencies have not recovered so strongly, with ether still 50% off its late 2024 highs.
The Catholic Church remains without a new spiritual leader as the papal conclave entered its second day without electing a successor to Pope Francis. Following the death of the Pope, the Church began the centuries-old and deeply symbolic process of selecting a new popeone that has captured global attention and continues to unfold behind the sealed doors of the Sistine Chapel.

The conclave, derived from Latin meaning with key is the Vaticans traditional method for electing a new pope. This secretive process involves the eligible cardinalsthose under the age of 80gathering in the Sistine Chapel and voting in successive rounds until one man receives at least a two-thirds majority. Until that happens, black smoke billows from the chapels chimney; white smoke signals the election of a new pope.

Also Read | Papal conclave to begin on May 7 to elect successor for Pope Francis

On Thursday morning, May 8, 2025, black smoke once again rose from the iconic chimney, indicating that the second and third rounds of voting had also failed to produce a winner, reported the Hindu. The signal, visible at 11:50 am local time, disappointed thousands of hopeful observers gathered in St. Peters Square.

Wednesday's opening ballot had also failed to deliver a result, with black smoke seen just after 9 pm following an unusually lengthy first session. Observers speculated whether procedural delays or prolonged meditations caused the delay.

Also Read | Black smoke from Sistine Chapel chimney signals no new Pope yet: 10 points

This conclave is notable for its sizelarger than the traditional 120-member limit. Pope Francis had expanded the College of Cardinals during his papacy, naming 108 of the current electors, many from non-traditional regions such as Mongolia, Tonga, and Sweden. His appointments, aimed at globalising Church leadership, have added complexity and unpredictability to the voting process.

Leading the proceedings is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vaticans secretary of state and a top contender for the papacy. As voting continues, some observers hope for a quick resolution, though history suggests otherwise. In past conclaves, popes have been elected in as few as three or as many as 14 ballots. Pope John Paul II, for instance, was elected on the eighth ballot, while Pope Francis emerged on the fifth.
Operation Sindoor 2.0: The Indian armed forces successfully foiled multiple attempts by the Pakistani military to strike several strategic targets across Northern and Western India using drones and missiles last night, officials confirmed on Thursday. In a retaliatory operation, Indian forces also destroyed the Pakistani air defence system in various locations.

According to a Defence Ministry statement, the Pakistani military targeted locations including Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.

These hostile attempts were effectively neutralised by Indias Integrated Counter Unmanned Aircraft System, which combines grid and air defence technologies.

The remnants of these attacks are currently being recovered from multiple sites, providing clear evidence of the Pakistani aggression, the ministry stated.

In a measured but firm response, Indian forces targeted air defence radars and systems at several Pakistani locations this morning. Indias response has been conducted within the same operational domain and with equivalent intensity as the Pakistani strikes, the ministry added.

Today morning Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised, the official statement read.

Meanwhile, the ministry reported a marked escalation in unprovoked Pakistani firing across the Line of Control, employing mortars and heavy-calibre artillery in sectors including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy-calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring mortar and artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt, the statement added.
With the tensions between India and Pakistan escalating after the latter launched eight missiles at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Territory government ordered the closure of all schools, colleges and universities for two days as a precautionary measure, reported PTI on Thursday.

"All schools, colleges and universities in Jammu and Kashmir will remain closed for two days on Friday and Saturday," Education Minister Sakina Itoo told PTI.

Here's list of states/UT announced holiday from 9 May onwards: Punjab: Not only in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab government has also ordered the closure of schools, colleges, and universities in the state for the next three days

Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains, said in an X post, "In view of the evolving situation, it is hereby ordered that all schools, colleges and universities -- government, private and aided -- across theentire Punjab shall remain completely closed for the next three days," the minister wrote on X.

Chandigarh: Panjab University in Chandigarh has postponed exams scheduled for May 9, 10 and 12. The new dates will be announced later, the university said in a statement.

Also Read | Pakistani Army behaving like Hamas and using cheap rockets: Defence sources

Also, in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the common capital of Punjab and Haryana, authorities declared the closure of all schools till Saturday.

Haryana: Apart from this, all educational institutions in Panchkula will remain closed on Friday and Saturday in Haryana.

Rajasthan: Rajasthan government too closed schools in five bordering districts.

What more actions are ordered? Citing the tensions at the international border with Pakistan, the Punjab government cancelled the leaves of all police personnel. Also, the district authorities in Tarn Taran and Fazilka banned the bursting of firecrackers during weddings and other events.

The district administrations of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ludhiana asked the food and civil supplies officials to take strict action against hoarders.

Also Read | Govt orders streaming platforms to remove Pak content

A blackout was enforced in several cities including Pathankot, Mohali, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Chandigarh.

Rajasthan government too cancelled leave of administrative and police personnel deployed near the International Border.

Similarly, security has been stepped up along the Gujarat coast, and authorities have cancelled the leaves of police personnel. Also West Bengal and Bihar governments have cancelled the leave of administrative and police personnel and officials of the disaster management department.
India Pakistan tensions: With India-Pakistan relations simmering in the aftermath of Pakistan's latest strikes in Jammu, 24 airports across the states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, among others have been shut down.

Hours after the strikes in Jammu, mutliple posts surfaced on social media, claiming that entry to airports across India has been banned. The Press Information Bureau's Fact Check Division, however, debunked the claims, rendering those posts as FAKE."

Social media posts are claiming that entry to airports across India banned  This claim is FAKE. Government has taken no such decision, PIB posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Which 24 airports are shut As per NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), 24 airports have been shut across India. Here's the full list:

1-Chandigarh

2-Srinagar

3-Amritsar

4 Ludhiana

5-Bhuntar

6 - Kishengarh

7- Patiala

8 - Shimla

9 - Kangra-Gaggal

10- Bathinda

Also Read | Pakistani Army behaving like Hamas and using cheap rockets: Defence sources

11 - Jaisalmer

12 - Jodhpur

13- Bikaner

14 - Halwara

15 - Pathankkot

16 - Jammu

17 - Leh

18 - Mundra

19- Jamnagar

20 - Hirasar

21 - Porbandar

22 - Keshod

23 - Kandla

24 - Bhuj

Jammu attacks Pakistan fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia and all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units, defence sources said on Thursday.

Explosions were also heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistani drones were intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer. Explosions were heard and flashes seen in the sky.

Airlines, airports instructed to enhance security In the aftermath of the attacks, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on Thursday instructed all airlines and airports across the country to enhance security measures.

All passengers at all airports will undergo Secondary Ladder Point Check (SLPC) and visitor entry to terminal buildings has been banned, according to news agency ANIs post on X.

Also Read | Pakistani drones intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer - Video
The Fact Check unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Thursday night debunked several news inputs doing the rounds on social media, one of them claiming that an Army brigade was under a "fidayeen" attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri sector.

"#Fake_news is circulating about a "fidayeen" attack on an Army brigade in #Rajouri, #Jammu and #Kashmir No such #fidayeen or suicide attack has occurred on any army cantt," the PIB Fact Check Unit said in a post on X.

It also advised social media users to not believe propaganda being spread by Pakistani handles and instead rely only on official information.

Pakistan on Thursday evening attempted to target Jammu airport, prompting total blackout in Jammu and several other cities in northern India, an ANI report said.

PIB releases WhatsApp number In another post, PIB's Fact Check Unit released a WhatsApp number and an email id for social media users to report dubious content concerning the Indian Armed Forces.

In the coming days your social media will be flooded with #Pakistan sponsored propaganda. It's crucial to scrutinize every piece of information carefully. If you encounter dubious content, especially concerning the Indian Armed Forces or any info related to ongoing situation, report it to #PIBFactCheck, PIB wrote.

Other social media posts debunked by PIB Users shared a video claiming to be of Pakistan's missile attack on India in retaliation to Operation Sindoor. The video however is of the explosion that took place in Beirut in 2020.

The unit, in a post on X shared, An #old video is being shared on #SocialMedia with the claim that #Pakistan has launched a missile attack on India in retaliation The video being shared is of the explosive attack that took place in Beirut, Lebanon in the year 2020

Social media posts claiming that entry to airports across India has been banned as completely false. The government has taken no such decision, it said.

The PIB has also junked a letter being shared on social media claiming that Chief of the Army Staff General VK Narayan has sent a confidential letter regarding military preparedness to the Army officer of Northern Command.

This letter is completely Fake. Gen. V.K. Narayan is not CoAS. Avoid sharing unverified information and rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate information, the PIB post said.

A social media post claiming that the Indian military used Ambala Airbase to attack Amritsar and its own citizens is also fake, PIB said. India targetting the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in Pakistan is fake news as well.

This claim is baseless. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has clearly stated in a press conference that India has only targeted terrorist infrastructure, the PIB added.

Pakistan-based handles are circulating a video claiming that the Pakistan Army strikes posts in Battal Sector, Jammu & Kashmir, eliminating at least 12 Indian soldiers, another PIB post on X said.

This video is old and NOT related to any activity post #OperationSindoor This image is from August 2011 It has also been used in a news report from 2016 the post added.

A video alleging that an Indian Post was destroyed by the Pakistani Army has also been junked by the PIB Fact Check Unit.
Several regions across India experienced complete blackouts on Thursday night as tensions escalated between India and Pakistan. The precautionary measures come after Pakistan attempted to target the Jammu airport.

According to ANI, a full blackout has been enforced in Bhuj, located in the Kachchh district of Gujarat. In the northern state of Punjab, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Amritsar have also been plunged into darkness as part of the security protocol.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed extensive measures, with blackouts reported in Udhampur, Uri, Poonch, Rajouri, Kishtwar, Akhnoor, and Samba districts of the Jammu Division. Sirens were heard blaring across these regions, signalling heightened alertness.

Rajasthan's cities of Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Barmer have similarly enforced a complete blackout.

The developments come in the wake of Pakistan targeting Jammu with loitering munitions. Indian Air Defence was activated at the Srinagar airport, prompting counter-measures.

Authorities have advised residents in affected areas to remain indoors and adhere strictly to safety guidelines. The situation remains tense, with security forces on high alert.

Meanwhile, amidst the rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Delhi government) announced on Thursday (May 8, 2025) that, in view of the prevailing situation and the need for preparedness of the emergency response system, no leave shall be granted to any officer or government official.

It is noteworthy that the authority has stated that all leaves stand cancelled until further notice. In view of the prevailing situation and preparedness for the emergency response system, the Competent Authority has directed that no leave shall be granted to any officer/official of the Government of NCT of Delhi, till further orders, said the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Similarly, the government of West Bengal has also cancelled leaves for the state government officials until further order. This notification was issued by the Department of Finance on May 7 (Thursday).
With the Indian airstrikes hitting their targets deep inside Pakistan, the demand for abrogating the historic Simla Accord of 1972, the agreement that aimed to establish a framework for peaceful bilateral relations and normalise ties between two hostile neighbours, appears stronger than ever.

For Pakistan, reeling from the shock of an early morning missile hit by India at multiple locations, the feeling that this Accord has lost its relevance, is gathering steam.

A day after the Indian cabinet announced the suspension of the six-decade-old Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on April 23, Pakistans National Security Committee (NSC), its top civil-military decision-making body, announced among other measures, a threat to suspend its participation in all bilateral agreements with India, including the Simla Agreement.

Notes Air Marshal Anil Khosla, former vice chief of the Indian Air Force, in an essay: "While the agreement remained a diplomatic touchstone for decades, its suspension in 2025 reflects its diminished practical relevance. The repercussions, while symbolic, open the door to heightened tensions and strategic recalibrations, particularly for India.

From the benefit of hindsight, he appeared to be predicting the events of May 7, 2025.

Bedrock of India-Pakistan relations, Signed in 1972, the Agreement forms the bedrock of India-Pakistan relations, governing the Line of Control (LoC) and outlining commitments to resolve disputes peacefully. Pakistans threat to suspend the agreement marks a potentially serious escalation, an event linked closely to the massacre of 26 civilians in Pahalgam more than two weeks ago.

A leading Pakistani international law expert, Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad of Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, told Al Jazeera recently that India has long interpreted the Simla Agreement as superseding United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. Indias position is that the agreement made the Kashmir issue a purely bilateral matter, removing any need for international mediation, Ahmad said.

After the Modi government revoked Kashmirs semi-autonomous status in 2019, Pakistan accused New Delhi of violating the Simla Agreement. Ahmad believes Islamabad could cite that to justify the suspension of its participation in the agreement.

Nehru-Gandhi and Bhutto Scions Seven months after the 1971 war, which led to the creation of Bangladesh, Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met in Shimla, to normalise relations. The Agreement  guided by scions of the then two biggest families in India and Pakistan, Nehru-Gandhi and Bhutto - contained six key provisions to foster peace and cooperation:

** Bilateral Resolution of Disputes, explicitly rejecting third-party mediation, such as from the United Nations (UN).

** Establishment of the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. Both sides agreed to respect the LoC without unilateral alterations, irrespective of their differing legal interpretations.

** India and Pakistan pledged to respect each others sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence and refrain from interference in internal affairs.

** Both countries agreed to refrain from the threat or use of force against each others territorial integrity, aligning with the principles of the UN Charter.

** Normalization of Relations: The agreement outlined steps to normalise relations

** Recognition of Bangladesh. While not explicitly stated, the agreement paved the way for Pakistans eventual diplomatic recognition of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation, resolving a major point of contention post-1971.

How much Indo-Pak ties have moved between 1972 and 2025 as per the guidelines laid down in the Simla Agreement, is hardly a state secret: the agreements practical relevance has diminished due to repeated violations. The bilateral dialogue mechanism envisioned under the deal has been dormant, with high-level talks suspended after major incidents like the 2019 Pulwama attack.

The suspension formalises Pakistans shift toward internationalising the Kashmir issue, potentially seeking involvement from the UN, China, or the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Despite the Simla Agreement, India and Pakistan have engaged in conflicts, including their four-decade-long joust for control of the Siachen Glacier  the worlds highest battleground  and the 1999 Kargil War.

A top Indian defence analyst, Lt. Gen (retd.) Rakesh Sharma, believes the suspension of the Treaty will mean greater vigilance on the borders, which will in effect become open for jostling between the two sides.

Push and prod across the LOC ``The treaty being suspended, or its abrogation, makes the LoC more active as the Treaty had signed maps, which are now literally useless. It could lead to push and prod across the LOC and the need for vigilance will increase manifold, this former Adjutant General and currently distinguished member VIF, told this reporter.

India, too, feels hobbled by the agreement. New Delhi has long insisted that Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) belongs to India, and under the Narendra Modi government, the domestic rhetoric to militarily take back that territory has grown.

While the agreement remained a diplomatic touchstone for decades, its suspension in 2025 reflects its diminished practical relevance.

From Indias standpoint, therefore, the suspension benefits her by removing diplomatic constraints. ``India can pursue a harder line against cross-border terrorism, revisit claims over PoK, and intensify diplomatic efforts to isolate Pakistan. The absence of the agreement may also prompt India to reassess other bilateral treaties, such as visa regimes and trade agreements, aligning them with national security interests, writes Air Marshal Khosla.
Operation Sindoor 2.0: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on 8 May junked the Pakistan's claim that civilians were killed during India's Operation Sindoor citing the reported incident where designated terrorist attended the funeral of three terrorists killed in Wednesday morning strike.

Mrisri held up the photo where Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist and high-level Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, is purportedly seen leading funeral prayers for those who died in the Indian missile strikes.

Misri said it was odd that the funerals of civilians are carried out with the coffins being draped in Pakistani flags. It's also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out with coffins wrapped in their national flag, and state honours are being accorded. The individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving state funerals to terrorists may be a practice in Pakistan, but it doesn't seem to make much sense to us, he said.

It's also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out with coffins wrapped in their national flag.

The funeral, held on Wednesday in Muridke  approximately 40 kilometers from Lahore  was also attended by members of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), the banned organisation led by Hafiz Saeed, according to news agency PTI.

The three terrorists The three terrorists  Qari Abdul Malik, Khalid, and Mudassir  were killed in a targeted strike on terror groups headquarters in Muridke, carried out by Indian forces as part of Operation Sindoor, according to news reports. Government of India has not officially released the names or numbers of the dead in the strike.

Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes at terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the government said early Wednesday morning. In all, 9 areas have been targeted, the government said in the statement, codenaming the strike Operation Sindoor.

In one of the deadliest ever attacks on civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed when a group of terrorists attacked Baisaran valley in South Kashmir's Pahalgam on 22 April.

We have made the point very clearly that all attacks on the morning of May 7 were against carefully selected terrorist infrastructure, terrorist targets. In fact, seeing some of the coverage of the after effects of these strikes, including the funerals for the terrorists that are held yesterday, I think a lot of you have seen the reports and the coverage on media, Misri said at the Thursday's presser.
A latest case of Nipah virus has been confirmed in the Malappuram district of Kerala, PTI quoted health officials as saying on Wednesday.

Confirming the report, State Health Minister Veena George stated that a 42-year-old woman from Valanchery in the district has been diagnosed with Nipah virus infection.

Also Read | Malappuram man died of Nipah virus infection, confirms Kerala health minister

She is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Perinthalmanna, health officials said.

The officials stated that the woman had been experiencing fever for the past week and developed symptoms such as cough and breathing difficulties.

Her samples were sent to the tested at the Kozhikode Microbiology Lab and then virology laboratory in Pune, following the health officials' suspicion of a possible Nipah infection.

Later, the lab later confirmed it to be a case of Nipah infection, officials said.

Also Read | No new Nipah virus cases in India since September 15, says WHO

This is the third instance of Nipah virus confirmation in Malappuram district, which has intensified public health concerns in the region. Since the exact source of the infection remains unknown, this adds complexity to contact tracing and containment.

Previous cases: In 2024, a 14-year-old boy tested positive in Malappuram district with Nipah virus. The development was confirmed by Health Minister Veena George as officials initiated precautionary measures in the area. People have been asked to wear masks in public spaces and avoid visiting patients in hospitals.

The southern state has seen numerous Nipah outbreaks in recent years  including an outbreak in August 2023 that claimed two lives and affected four other people.

About Nipah Virus: The deadly virus can be transmitted from animals to humans (or between humans) as well as through contaminated food. It can cause a range of symptoms including acute respiratory infection and fatal encephalitis. According to the World Health Organisation, Nipah virus can have a case fatality rate between 40% and 75% depending on the clinical management. There is presently no treatment or vaccine available for either people or animals, and the only option remains supportive care.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said he has ordered all bordering states with Pakistan and Nepal to ensure that a strict monitoring is followed on anti-national propaganda initiated by unwanted elements on social and other media platforms.

At a meeting with the chief ministers, DGPs and chief secretaries of such states, Shah said prompt action should be taken against violators, while arrangements should be made to ensure smooth operation of hospitals and the fire brigade and an uninterrupted supply of essential goods.

In the meeting with the Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors of border states adjoining Pakistan and Nepal held today, asked the states to maintain the availability of essential goods and services and to keep relief and rescue forces like the SDRF, Civil Defence, Home Guards, and NCC on alert to handle any situation, Amit Shah said in a post on X.

He also asked the state chiefs to maintain smooth communication and security at vulnerable points.

Instructed to monitor and take swift action on anti-national propaganda on all media platforms and to maintain seamless communication and security at vulnerable points, he said.

Amit Shah briefs border states Asking the states to stop the spread of unnecessary fear among the public and take steps to spread awareness among people against rumours, the home minister said coordination between the local administration, army and paramilitary forces should be further enhanced.

The home minister said strict vigil should be kept on anti-national propaganda by unwanted elements on social and other media platforms and prompt action should be taken against them in coordination with state governments and central agencies, according to a home ministry statement.

He asked the states to keep the SDRF, civil defence, home guards, and NCC, among others, on alert to deal with any situation and make their preparations according to the guidelines issued for the mock drill.

Shah said efforts should be made to ensure public participation through citizens and non-governmental organisations.

He said that every effort should be made to maintain seamless communication, and the security of vulnerable points should also be further strengthened.

Also Read | India on high alert for cyber attacks after Operation Sindoor

The meeting was attended via video conferencing by the lieutenant governors of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and West Bengal.
After India launched military strikes on terrorist targets in Pakistan early Wednesday, Islamabad claimed that it had shot down five Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafale jets, one Su-30, and one MiG-29.

Later, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed his countrys military shot down five Indian jets and took an unknown number of Indian soldiers prisoner, Bloomberg reported.

AFP news agency published photos that showed aircraft wreckage lying in a field next to a red-brick building. Soon, the pictures went viral on internet. However, it was not immediately clear from the pictures of the wreckage who the aircraft belonged to.

What the CNN anchor asked Khawaja Asif? Later in the day, in a CNN show, a news anchor asked the Pakistan Defence Minister for the evidence linked to the claims.

To this, Khwaja Asif replied, It's all over social media.

CNN Anchor responded: ....I'm sorry we didn't ask you here to talk about social media content but I am asking for proper evidence.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Indian officials spoke about the millitary strikes in Pakistan and stated that they were aimed at training camps operated by militant groups Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). However, they did not respond to any of Pakistan's claims and refrained from taking questions from the media.

Operation Sindoor: A retaliatory millitary strike to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack Indias missile strikes early Wednesday morning targeted terrorist infrastructure across nine sites in Pakistans densely populated Punjab province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Indian goverment claimed that it was a retaliatory attack to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack of April 22.

"The targets for Operation Sindoor were based on credible intelligence inputs and locations that were so selected to avoid damage to civilian infrastructure and loss of civilian lives," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh Singh explained during a press conference.
Pakistan launched a targeted attack on Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on Wednesday, hitting a gurudwara and homes of Sikhs in Poonch, said Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday.

In the attack, three civilians were killed.

Speaking during a Ministry of External Affairs Thursday press briefing on Operation Sindoor in New Delhi, Misri said: In fact contrary to what Pakistan is claiming, yesterday Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir, hitting gurudwara in Poonch and homes of Sikh community members and we know that at least three individuals were killed in that particular attack...

Since yesterday, a total 16 civilians have been killed and 59 others have been injured in attacks by Pakistan, he also said.

Misri also rejected Pakistan's allegation that India had targeted the Neelum-Jhelum dam in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoJK), calling it "absolutely fabricated and a blatant lie."

Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the LoC using mortar and heavy-calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Sixteen innocent lives have been lost including 3 women and 5 children due to the Pakistani firing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said at the press briefing.

Also Read | US urges its citizens to leave Lahore as Indian drones hit Paks air defence

The foreign secretary further commented: Pakistan is trying to wash its hands from any and all involvement with terrorism. Pakistani information minister said there are no terrorists in Pakistan, and I think he was challenged in that TV programme that he was appearing on. Pakistan's reputation as epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances where concrete evidence is available not just to India but governments and authorities around the world.
Operation Sindoor: At least 16 people have been killed and 59 others have been injured in shelling from the Pakistani army along the Line of Control (Loc) in Jammu and Kashmir, India's Foreign Minister Vikram Misri told the press on Thursday during a briefing. Misri confirmed that India responded in kind, matching Pakistans actions.

Shortly after India launched Operation Sindoor early Wednesday (May 7), Pakistan responded with what was described as barbaric shelling, leaving behind a scene of devastation  damaged homes, shattered shops, scorched vehicles, bloodstains, and streets strewn with debris.

Earlier Defence officials had stated that 15 were killed, while 43 others were injured in the shelling across LoC. On Thursday, the government, however, confirmed that the death toll stood at 16.

India's response non escalatory Indias Ministry of Defence held a press briefing on Thursday, May 8, led by Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

During the briefing, the Indian military asserted that India remains firm on its commitment to non-escalation, with Vikrim Misri adding that the "Pahalgam terror attack was the original escalation. Operation Sindoor was only a response to that escalation, added Misri.

Misri emphasised that Indias response was non-escalatory, describing it as targeted, controlled, precise, and measured. He stressed that only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan was struck.

The government also claimed that Pakistan uses evidence produced by India to cover its acts and obstruct investigation.

Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch among worst hit in Pakistani shelling Poonch district was among the worst hit in the Pakistani shelling that followed Operation Sindoor. Pakistani forces used heavy artillery and mortars to target several forward villages and densely populated civilian areas, including Mankote, Mendhar, Thandi Kassi, apart from parts of Poonch city, reported PTI.

Also Read | Operation Sindoor: How India Has Made It Tough For Pakistan To REALLY Retaliate
Pakistan Army continued shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in four sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting a befitting response by the Indian Army, officials said on Thursday.

Compared to Wednesday, when the Pakistan Army carried out one of the most intense artillery and mortar shelling in years targeting the forward villages in the Union Territory following missile strikes by India as part of 'Operation Sindoor', the intensity of cross-border firing was less and restricted to four sectors on Thursday, the officials said.

On the intervening night of May 7 and 8, Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor sectors in J-K. The Indian Army responded proportionately," a Jammu-based defence spokesman said as quoted by news agency PTI.

The officials said there was no report of any casualties in the skirmishes.

13 killed, 59 injured At least 13 people were killed and 59 others injured in the cross-border artillery and mortar shelling from the Pakistani army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

Soon after India launched Operation Sindoor early Wednesday, Pakistans barbaric shelling left a trail of destruction  damaged houses, broken shops, burnt vehicles, bloodstains and debris-littered streets.

Artillery firing by the Pakistan Army since last night has hit civilian areas in Poonch and Tangdhar. Caused the death of 15 innocent civilians and injured 43 others, defence officials said.

At least 15 people were killed and 43 others injured in the cross-border artillery and mortar shelling from the Pakistani army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan

Thursday's shelling was the 14th consecutive night of firing along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam attack.

Ceasefire violations along the LoC and the International Border have been very rare after India and Pakistan renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.

Worst-hit Poonch The worst-hit Poonch sector in Jammu, which recorded all 13 deaths in Wednesday's intense shelling, remained by and large peaceful at night, they said. Hundreds of border residents have already moved to safer areas in view of the flare-up. Among the 13 persons killed in the Pakistani shelling was Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5-Field Regiment.

The GOC (general officer commanding) and all ranks of White Knight Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of L/Nk Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on May 7 during Pakistan Army shelling. We also stand in solidarity with all victims of the targeted attacks on innocent civilians in Poonch sector, the Army said in a post on X.

Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) Poonch Haveli, Ajaz Jan, who lives in Poonch town, told a local daily Greater Kashmir that the entire town was converted into a war zone after the Pakistan Army resorted to heavy artillery shelling.

There are no words to describe the fear and scene as Poonch town was under intense artillery shelling for around six hours and hundreds of artillery shells landed in the town, MLA Jan told Greater Kashmir.

Our private schools, temples, Masjids, Madarsas, government offices, Police Lines, and all parts of the town, as well as market areas and bus stands, remained under heavy shelling, Jan said.

Everything is gone now. We are too afraid to return. Rebuilding the house will be incredibly difficult. we need the government to step in and help.

One of the most affected villages by Pakistani shelling is Salamabad, located barely ten kilometres from the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir towards the north

Bashir Ahmad, a local shopkeeper who witnessed the destruction, told the BBC that around 2 am on Wednesday, a loud explosion jolted the villagers awake. Ahmad estimated that only a handful of Salamabad's 100 or so residents had remained, the rest having left in search of safety from what he described as the most intense shelling in years.

Two homes in Salamabad have been damaged by the Pakistani shelling in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.

Badrudin, another villager, told the BBC that he was injured in the shelling, along with his eight-year-old son and sister-in-law.

"Everything is gone now. We are too afraid to return," says Badruddin whose house has also been damaged. "Rebuilding the house will be incredibly difficult. we need the government to step in and help, he said.

Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes at terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupiedJammu and Kashmir, the government said early Wednesday morning. In all, 9 areas have been targeted, the government said in the statement, codenaming the strike Operation Sindoor.

"There was not one shell but multiple. There was deafening noise. There's a lot of fear, but where will we go? Where will the poor go? We don't have anything," said another man,
Pakistan on May 8 targeted military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the international boundary in Jammu & Kashmir using missiles and drones, the Indian Armed Forces said on Thursday evening. There was no official number of drones or missiles that had been neutralised.

No losses. Threat neutralised by Indian Armed Forces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means, Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff said in a post.

The statement from the IDS Headquarters came after multiple loud explosions were heard in Jammu as blackouts and sirens were activated across the region. Sirens were also heard in Akhnoor, Samba regions in Jammu along the border with Pakistan and in Baramulla and Kupwara regions of Kashmir, north of Srinagar.

Defence sources said India on Thursday night intercepted eight Pakistani missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia sectors of Jammu. They also said drones were sighted at multiple places along the western front, confirmed to be hostile.

Being effectively engaged by own air defence systems, the sources said.

This comes a day after India destroyed nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Pakistani military claimed that India has conducted a series of drone strikes in Lahore, Karachi and other locations.

The strike by India, coined Operation Sindoor, came two weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed on 22 April.

Also Read | Jammu Attack News LIVE: Three military stations targetted by Pakistan missiles

Earlier in the day, Indian armed forces successfully foiled multiple attempts by the Pakistani military to strike several strategic targets across Northern and Western India using drones and missiles last night, officials confirmed on Thursday. In a retaliatory operation, Indian forces also destroyed the Pakistani air defence system in various locations.

Sirens have also been heard in other towns such as Kupwara, Baramulla and Akhnoor.

Pakistan will be responsible for consequences: FS Earlier in the day, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that any further action by Pakistan is nothing but escalation and will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately. Misri repeated that the original escalation was seen in Pahalgam, and that India is responding in a restrained manner.

"Any further action by Pakistan, some of which we are seeing today, is nothing but escalation by Pakistan once again, and will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately," he said at a special press conference on Thursday.

No civilains were killed: FS Misri Misri reiterated that no Pakistani civilians were harmed in India's strike under Operation Sindoor and denied all claims by Pakistan related to civilian casualties. On allegations regarding the targeting of a dam, Misri said it is an absolute fabrication and a blatant lie.
Pakistan army resorted to shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir, a PTI report said on Thursday evening.

The Boniyar sector of Baramulla and the Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district were targeted by Pakistan but there were no reports of any casualty so far.

On the intervening night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistan Army fired small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army responded proportionately, PTI said.

Most of the civilian population in the Karnah area had moved to safer areas on Wednesday as Pakistani troops resorted to shelling after Indian armed forces pounded terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, the report said.

Villagers along LoC shifted to safer locations Earlier in the day, amid escalating tensions along the LoC following multiple ceasefire violations and failed drone and missile attacks from Pakistan, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir, have shifted villagers from several forward areas to safer locations, an ANI report said.

The local administration has relocated residents from multiple villages near the LoC to specially set-up camps. The camps are equipped with essential facilities, including food, water, infant milk, and medical aid.

Also Read | Delhi government cancels all leaves for officials amid emergency preparedness

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, one of the villagers who has been moved to the camp stated that most of the villagers have been moved there. She further hailed the government for the facilities provided while hoping for normalisation in the situation.

One of the villagers, Nisha Sharma, said, "We have come from border villages due to the escalating tensions. People are scared that's why government has set up a camp. All villagers are living here. We have received all facilities here, from food to water, even we are getting milk for children and infants. We will return to home as soon as the situation improves. We want the situation to improve."

Another villager, Gopal Singh, who also resides in the camp, echoed similar sentiments. He said, "The government has helped us. They sent vehicles for us. All the villagers have been shifted here. We have received all food, cleaning, and medical facilities. Officials are also visiting us.

India responds to Pakistan's attempt to engage several military targets After India executed Operation Sindoor in which nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan were destroyed, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the night of May 7.

The military targets were engaged in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles, the ANI report said.

On Thursday morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised, the report added.
The Pakistani intruder was observed crossing the International Border purposefully and moving towards border security fence taking advantage of darkness. He was fired upon by vigilant BSF troops after challenging in the Ferozpur sector. After day break the body was handed over to the police, sources further reaveld.



The incident comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions with Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack and India's retaliatory cross-border operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor.



Earlier this week, Border Security Force (BSF) personnel apprehended another Pakistani national in Punjab's Gurdaspur district for allegedly attempting to infiltrate Indian territory, officials said.



The individual was identified as Muhammad Hussain and has since been handed over to the Punjab Police and is in custody. Husnain was found carrying a Pakistani identification card and a small amount of Pakistani currency. During initial questioning, he stated that he had crossed the border unintentionally and was unaware of the exact demarcation line. No suspicious items were discovered in his possession, and preliminary investigations have not indicated any links to espionage or terrorist activities.
Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, have issued travel advisories for both countries.

The travel directives come after India's Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. The April 22 attack, carried out by the terror organisation The Resistance Front, killed 26 civilians. Here's a look at what the advisories state:

The United States US Embassy and Consulates in Pakistan issued a security alert, titled Military Activity and Closed Airspace that said, US citizens are reminded of the 'Do Not Travel' advisory for areas in the vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.

The US Embassy also advised American citizens to depart areas of active conflict if they can safely do so, or to shelter in place, since Pakistan's airspace has been closed and many flights have been cancelled.

It also said, Leave the area if you find yourself unexpectedly in the vicinity of military activities, shelter in place if they cannot relocate, review personal security plan, keep a low profile and be aware of surroundings and carry identification and cooperate with authorities.

The United Kingdom The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has advised UK nationals to avoid all travel within 10 kilometres of the India-Pakistan border, within 10 miles (approximately 16.09 kilometres) of the Line of Control, which serves as the de facto border in the Kashmir region, and throughout Pakistans Balochistan province.

A statement said: On the night of 6 May (UK Time), Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority indicated that it was closing Pakistan airspace for at least 48 hours. There are reports of flights being diverted. British nationals should contact their airline for up-to-date information.

We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. British nationals should stay up to date with our travel advice and follow the advice of local authorities, it added.

China China's foreign ministry advised Chinese citizens to avoid going to areas close to the conflict zone.

Singapore The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Singapore urged its citizens to defer all non-essential travel to India's Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan.

In view of the volatile security situation between India and Pakistan, Singaporeans are advised to defer all non-essential travel to Jammu & Kashmir in India and to Pakistan. Travellers should exercise precaution, especially at the border regions between Pakistan and India, the statement read.

The advisory further said that Singaporeans must exercise all cautions for their safety, including e-registering with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Singaporeans in India and Pakistan are advised to remain vigilant and take all necessary precautions for personal safety, including avoiding large gatherings, monitoring local news closely, heeding instructions of local authorities, and eRegistering with MFA at https://eregister.mfa.gov.sg," the advisory read.

Australia Australian government has issued an urgent travel alert for citizens intending to visit India or Pakistan.

Smarttraveller raised its advice level for India to exercise a high degree of caution, urging Australians to take official warnings seriously as tensions flare.

The travel advisory warns of potential flight disruptions due to the closure of airports, particularly in northwest India, and advises that airline schedules may be affected.

Canada Canada has also asked its citizens not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and areas within 10 km of Indias border with Pakistan

The Canadian advisory said there has also been artillery fire across the Line of Control (LoC), but Tensions could increase and the situation could deteriorate rapidly.

The advisory further asked Canadian citizens to follow the instructions of local authorities, including air-raid sirens and evacuation orders and be vigilant and prepared to shelter in place if they were in or near the affected areas.

Violent clashes between militants and security forces occur regularly. Terrorist attacks against security forces have led to civilian casualties. Further attacks could take place at any time. You could find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, it said.
World Bank President Ajay Banga will visit Uttar Pradesh on Friday to witness the remarkable transformation of Uttar Pradesh, the state government said on Thursday.

"His visit reflects the increasing global interest in Uttar Pradesh's rapid development under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, as the state moves steadily toward its ambitious goal of becoming a $1 trillion economy," it said in a statement.

During his one-day tour, the World Bank chief will travel from Delhi to Lucknow in the morning. He is scheduled to participate in a series of meetings and programmes at Hotel Taj, including a roundtable discussion with stakeholders in the presence of Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, the statement said.

Later, he will meet the chief minister at his residence for a discussion and dinner, it added.

Following the engagements in Lucknow, the World Bank president will visit the Take-Home Ration (THR) plant in Chinhat Block, where he will review the plant's operations and learn about initiatives aimed at improving nutrition. From there, he will proceed to Rajouli in Barabanki, where he will tour a beekeeping centre and interact with women self-help groups.
Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi and all ranks of the Indian Army honoured the sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, who lost his life following the ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control on May 7, 2025, the Indian Army said.

#GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS and All Ranks of the #IndianArmy salute the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, who laid down his life on 07 May 2025 during ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control, the Indian Army wrote on X.

Further, the Army expressed solidarity with the civilian victims in the Poonch district during the artillery and mortar shelling from the Pakistani army along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

#IndianArmy stands in solidarity with the innocent civilians who are victims of attacks orchestrated through indiscriminate artillery shelling by the adversary in the #Poonch sector, the Army said.

Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar's death The White Knight Corps on Wednesday confirmed the death of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar in a post on X.

#GOC and all ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps salute the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on 07 May 25 during Pakistan Army shelling, White Knight Corps wrote.

Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar is survived by his wife, two children, parents, and siblings, reported ANI.

His brother Kapil shared the details of the incident with ANI and said, At 4 AM, I received a call from his number. When I called back at 8 AM, his senior answered and informed me that my brother was in serious condition at the field hospital and was undergoing surgery.

Also Read | Owaisi complements armed forces for Operation Sindoor in all-party meet

He further said, Later, when I called again, I was told that my brother was stable. But when I called the field hospital directly, I was informed that my brother had passed away. His (Dinesh) body will reach after 2 pm today.
The local West Australian mayor told Yahoo authorities are open to 'every option' to protect penguins on the island visited by 130,000 people annually.

The council is considering the closure of Penguin Island after a shocking decline in its penguin population. Source: Penguin Island

A popular Aussie island could be closing its doors to the public for good as conservationists and the local council push to protect the native penguin species living there.

Estimates suggest the little penguins have suffered a 94 per cent decline in their population since 2007 on the aptly named Penguin Island, situated off the Perth coast, approximately 660 metres from Shoalwater on the mainland. It's believed just over 100 penguins now remain on the tiny island.

Mayor of the governing City of Rockingham, Deb Hamblin, confirmed to Yahoo News a notice of motion was recently set by the council and it is "doing the very best" to safeguard the native species.

"Our penguin numbers are really diminishing... we need to do something about it," Hamblin told Yahoo News, confirming she has recently written to Western Australia's Premier and the Minister for the Environment to notify both of the issue.

Authorities 'grasping at straws' to protect native penguin species

A board of advisors, which Deb Hamblin is on, is due to meet at the end of the month and discuss what can be done to protect the little penguin species. Many locals and members of the council hope the decision will be made to close Penguin Island off to tourists and the wider general public.

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"I think we really need to look at absolutely every option," Hamblin said. "The advisory group, which has scientists from across the entire country, are ready to come back with recommendations around not just access to the island, but breeding patterns, and looking at their food sources, a whole range of those things. I think people are just grasping at straws so they'll try anything at the moment."

More than 130,000 people visit Penguin Island every year.

It's believed there are approximately 114 little penguins left on the island. Source: City of Rockingham council

Push to close off Penguin Island not supported by everyone

Others believe closing off the island to the general public will not be the solution people hope, with Corey Bradshaw  a Flinders University Professor who specialises in extinction risk in small populations  previously telling Yahoo News unless people are physically touching the animals, it's unlikely closing access will help.

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"[Banning tourists] might help reduce disturbance somewhat, [but it] depends how close they're allowed to get," he said. "It won't reverse trends, [and] unless the tourists are actually handling penguins, or disturbing breeding sites, their impact is likely minor."

He suspects overfishing and prey changes from climate change are instead responsible.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
India-Pakistan Conflict: Pakistan fired eight missiles targeting Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia, all of which were successfully intercepted and neutralised by Indian air defence units.

In response to the escalating tensions, Indian airlines have issued travel advisories urging passengers to allow extra time for heightened security protocols at airports across the country.

Also Read | Govt asks airlines, airports to enhance security measures

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on Thursday instructed all airlines and airports across the country to enhance security measures.

All passengers at all airports will undergo Secondary Ladder Point Check (SLPC) and visitor entry to terminal buildings has been banned, according to news agency ANIs post on X.

ANI citing Ministry of Civil Aviation sources said air marshal will be deployed accordingly.

Also Read | Airlines to conduct Secondary Ladder Point Check at airports | Check details

What IndiGo, Air India, Spicejet, Akasa Air Said? IndiGo said that bookings made on or before 8 May 2025 are eligible for change/cancellation fee waiver for travel until 22 May 2025 to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, and Rajkot.

Indigo travel advisory

IndiGo tweeted, In these extraordinary times, heightened security measures are taken up across all airports. We request you to allow some extra time for your journey to accommodate security checks and formalities. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Air India posted on X on Thursday, In view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding. Check-in closes 75 mins before departure.

Akasa Air Travel Advisory

Akasa Air issued a travel advisory, tweeting, Due to enhanced security measures at all airports across India, we request you to reach the airport at least 3 hours prior to departure, to ensure a seamless check-in and boarding experience. Please ensure you carry valid government-approved photo identification documents for entry to the airport. In addition to your check-in baggage, only one handbag weighing up to 7 kgs will be permitted. As per regulatory guidelines, all passengers will be required to undergo secondary security checks before boarding...

Spicejet travel advisory

SpiceJet also tweeted, In light of enhanced security measures across all airports, passengers are advised to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours prior to departure to ensure a smooth check-in and boarding process.
India-Pakistan Conflict: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday held bilateral talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. During the meeting, EAM Jaishankar told his Iranian counterpart that India does not intend to escalate tensions with Pakistan. However, Jaishankar cautioned that Delhi would not sit back if it faced a military attack.

It is not our intention to escalate the situation. However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response, Jaishankar told Aragachi.

Also Read | Saudi minister visits India unannounced amid tensions with Pakistan

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi is visiting India from May 7 to 8, 2025, to co-chair the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi. This marks his first visit to India since assuming office in August 2024.

The meeting coincides with the 75th anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty and aims to review bilateral cooperation and explore ways to strengthen political, economic, and strategic ties between the two countries.

Also Read | Iran's Foreign Minister to meet EAM Jaishankar a day after Operation Sindoor

Jaishankar met Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is visiting New Delhi days after visiting Pakistan, as Tehran seeks to mediate between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

You are visiting India at a time when we are responding to a particularly barbaric terrorist attack on 22nd April in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. This attack compelled us to respond on 7th May by striking at the cross-border terrorist infrastructure. Our response was targeted and measured, Jaishankar said in justifying Operation Sindoor.

Araghchi, in a statement on his arrival in India, said that it was "natural that we want to reduce tensions" between India and Pakistan.

"We hope that the parties will exercise restraint to avoid an escalation of tensions in the region," Araghchi said.

The Iranian foreign minister landed in New Delhi late last night on a scheduled visit amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

In addition to co-chairing the Joint Commission Meeting, Araghchi is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu and engage in discussions aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation.

The visit also follows Araghchis recent trip to Pakistan, reflecting Irans diplomatic engagement with both India and Pakistan amid ongoing regional security concerns.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to retaliate after India launched Operation Sindoor on nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday morning.

The Operation was launched in retaliation for the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday, in a rather sarcastic jibe, rebutted Pakistan's claims that they had shot down Indian jets. Misri remarked, There is nothing surprising in it. After all, this is a country in which lies started as soon as it was born.

Pakistan had claimed it shot down five Indian Air Force jets, including three Rafale fighters, a MiG-29, and a Su-30, during retaliatory strikes following India's military operation, Operation Sindoor, inside Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Pakistans Defence Minister Khwaja Asif had cited social media as evidence but failed to provide concrete proof when pressed, while India dismissed these claims as disinformation and pointed out that images circulated were from previous unrelated incidents.

Vikram Misri on Thursday said, In 1947, when the Pakistani army claimed Jammu and Kashmir, they lied not to any random person but to the United Nations that we have nothing to do with it. So this journey started 75 years ago.

Indias missile strikes early Wednesday morning targeted terrorist infrastructure across nine sites in Pakistans densely populated Punjab province and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, it said.

The Operation Sindoor was launched in response to a massacre by terrorists of tourists in Kashmir's Pahalgam on 22 April.

Also Read | Operation Sindoor: How India Has Made It Tough For Pakistan To REALLY Retaliate

Pakistan Defense Minister Schooled by CNN Journalist Pakistans Defence Minister Khwaja Asif faced international embarrassment when, during a CNN interview, he cited social media videos as evidence to support Pakistans claim of downing five Indian Air Force jets amid rising tensions following Indias Operation Sindoor.

His reliance on unverified social media posts, particularly those from Indian platforms, was widely mocked and criticised, especially as he failed to provide any concrete proof when pressed.

When asked about evidence for the claims, Asif told CNN during an interview that it is "all over social media."

"The debris of these jets fell into Kashmir and it's all over Indian media. And their media has admitted," he said.

"You're the Defence Minister. The reason to talk to you today is not to talk about content all over social media," the CNN anchor responded.

Meanwhile, several pro-Pakistan accounts circulated fabricated reports and outdated images to bolster Islamabads narrative of retaliating against Indias targeted strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The European Union has released a statement on the surging conflict between India and Pakistan post the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Every state has the duty and the right lawfully to protect its citizens from acts of terror, the statement by EU reads.

The European Union (EU) and its 27 Member States unequivocally condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April and the murder of innocent civilians, read the opening statement.

Terrorism can never be justified, it added.

To know what EU said on India Pakistan conflict click here

The EU is monitoring closely and with great concern the growing tensions in the region and the ensuing consequences, including the possible loss of more lives. The EU calls on both parties to exercise restraint, to de-escalate tensions and desist from further attacks to safeguard civilian lives on both sides.

The EU urges both sides to engage in dialogue. It is vital that India and Pakistan also live up to their obligations under international law and take all measures possible to protect civilian lives., the statement added.

The EU will work with all parties to de-escalate the situation, it said.

On Thursday, Indias Ministry of Defence said in a statement that Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, using drones and missiles on Wednesday and Thursday. The weapons were neutralised, it added.

New Delhis statement also said that the armed forces targeted air defense radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan on Thursday morning. Indias response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan, it said. The statement added that the air defense system in Lahore had been neutralised.
Operation Sindoor: Pakistan is trying to wash its hands of any or all involvement with terrorism, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday, while setting the record straight on disinformation, a day after Indian armed forces conducted precision strikes on terrorist camps and infrastructure in the neighbouring country.

"There are several terrorist attacks around the world where Pakistan's fingerprints have been found, Misri asserted during a press briefing, adding that Pahalgam terror attack was original escalation.

The Ministry of Defence on Thursday held a media briefing, anchored by Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Vikram Misri clarified that India's response was non-escalatory, reiterating it was targeted, controlled, precise and measured. Only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit, Misri added.

The press briefing on Thursday confirmed that Pakistan had launched an aerial attack on India, resulting in the deaths of 16 people. Misri also confirmed that India responded in kind, matching Pakistans actions.

WATCH THE PRESS BRIEFING HERE

Pakistan used Indian evidence to cover tracks The Indian government also rejected Pakistans request for a joint investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, describing it as an attempt by Islamabad to stonewall and protect terrorists.

In the pursuit of justice of multiple terrorist attacks, whether it be Mumbai in 2008, in Pathankot in 2016 or many others, India had offered to cooperate. India had provided forensic evidence and urged Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of these terror attacks to justice, Vikram Misri pointed out, justifying the rejection of a joint investigation with Pakistan.

"In particular reference to the Mumbai terror attack, where a Pakistani Lashkar-e Taiba terrorist was captured alive, India provided extensive information and evidence related to the involvement of Pakistani terrorists in this attack. Cases were registered. But you are all aware that these cases have not been addressed, he added.

Pakistan has consistently stonewalled any efforts to move forward in the investigation, Misri confirmed.

Elaborating on Pakistan using Indian evidence to cover their tracks, Misri said, During the Pathankot attack, a joint investigative team was formed. We (India) gave unprecedented access to the Pakistan team to the site of the attack, details of call records data, and DNA were shared with Pakistan. We had shared with them details related to the address of terrorists, we presented evidence against office bearers of Jaish-e-Mohammad who had conspired in the attack, handlers of terrorists who handled them and guided them in, but there has been no movement on this.

The experience has not been positive, said Misri, adding Pakistani assertion of joint investigation of Pahalgam terror attack is only delaying tactics, stonewalling tactics.

These nefarious designs will not be allowed to succeed in India, Vikram Misri said.

On the Resistance Front Foreign Secretary Vikran Misri also talked about the Resistance Front, the group that claimed responsibility for the deadly Pahalgam attack. Hitting out at Pakistan, Misri said that when the terror attack was brought up at the UNSC, Pakistan opposed the TRF's role.

"What is interesting is that when talks on Pahalgam were ongoing at the UNSC, guess which country opposed the TRF's mention? It was Pakistan."

Terrorists buried with Pakistan flags Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "It's also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out with coffins wrapped in their national flag, and state honours are being awarded."

On Wednesday, videos from Pakistan and POK showed funerals being held after Indias strike on terror camps. The funeral was attended by Pakistan army personnel, police, civil officials, and members of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), founded by Hafiz Saeed.

Pakistan attacked Sikh community "Yesterday, Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community of J&K- hitting a gurdwara in Poonch and hitting the Sikh community members, who came under attack, and three individuals were killed in the attacks... A total of 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch and several others have been injured," Misri added.
Inspired by a deep sense of patriotism, a couple, Santosh Mandal and Rakhi Kumari, in Bihar has chosen to name their newborn daughter Sinduri after Operation Sindoor, a joint military move by India into Pakistan and PoK in early hours of Wednesday as a justice to the Pahalgam victims.

What does the family have to say about naming daughter Sinduri? Mandal and Kumari's daughter was born on the same day when India launched missile strikes. Seeing the events taking place and with motivation, the duo gave her this name. The victory over Pakistan and the birth of our daughter on the same day, both are a matter of pride for our family, News18 quoted them as saying.

Relatives Kundan Kumar and Simple Devi said the family believes the coincidence a matter of great pride. The couple, residents of Balthi Maheshpur village in Bihars Katihar district, named their newborn Sinduri as a heartfelt tribute, reflecting the profound patriotism and emotional connection many Indians share with Operation Sindoor.

Pappu Kumar, manager of the private nursing home Katihar Seva Sadan where the couple's daughter was born, noted that this gesture clearly illustrates how deeply patriotism resonates with every Indian.

Operation Sindoor takes its name from the red vermilion (sindoor) traditionally worn by Hindu women to symbolise their marital status. The name gained deeper significance following the Pahalgam terror attack, where several women saw their husbands, including an Indian Navy officer, killed before their eyes.

Also Read | Operation Sindoor: 21 airports in North India to remain shut till May 10
In the wake of the Indian armed forces launching missile attacks on terror targets in Pakistan on Wednesday, May 7, 430 flights have been cancelled and twenty-seven airports in northern, western, and central India have been closed for commercial flights until Saturday, May 10, The Times of India reported.

News agency PTI reported that Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and a few foreign airlines have cancelled their services to and from various airports.



Also read | Blast heard in Pakistan's Lahore day after Operation Sindoor: Report

Indian carriers cancelled a total of 430 flights on Thursday, accounting for 3 per cent of the nations scheduled services, while Pakistani carriers cancelled 147 flights, representing 17 per cent of their scheduled operations. Data from Flightradar24 revealed that the airspace over Pakistan and the western corridor of Indiastretching from Kashmir to Gujaratwas devoid of civilian air traffic, as airlines avoided the sensitive region. Most international carriers also ceased using Pakistani airspace, opting instead to re-route flights via Mumbai and Ahmedabad.



Read | Operation Sindoor: 25 airports closed for 2 days  what should passengers do?

Airports that have been closed include Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Shimla, Gaggal, Dharamsala, Kishangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mundra, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Bhuj, Gwalior, and Hindon, the report said citing sources.

India on Wednesday closed about 25 flight routes that allow planes to enter Pakistan through the Indian airspace on a day when the armed forces launched missile attacks on terror targets in Pakistan, according to officials.


Operation Sindoor Highlights: Pakistan fired missiles and drones at several sites in Jammu and other states on Thursday, late in the evening. Several eyewitnesses reported loud explosions and sirens in Jammu, while a blackout was enforced in several parts of the union territory and nearby areas.

Pakistan targeted military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur near the international boundary in Jammu & Kashmir using missiles and drones, the Indian Armed Forces informed.

No losses. Threat neutralised by Indian Armed Forces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means, Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff said in a post.

Pakistan also tried to target Jammu airport, prompting counter-measures and a total blackout in Jammu city and the surrounding area. Air Defence was activated at the Srinagar airport after loud explosions were heard in Jammu, a PTI report said.



The Indian Armed Forces targeted Pakistan's Air Defence Radars and systems at several locations on Thursday morning. A Ministry of Defence statement said that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

Pakistan attempted to engage several Indian military targets using drones and missiles on the intervening night of May 7-8. These drones were effectively neutralised by the Indian Armed Forces, the statement added.

The Indian Air Force used the S-400 Triumf  dubbed SA-21 Growler by NATO  to thwart the aerial attack launched by Pakistan.

Here's all you need to know about the S-400 missile system

The statement also said that Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control (LoC), in areas like Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

Get Operation Sindoor 2.0 LIVE updates here on Mint.
Schools and educational institutions will remain shut in several states on Thursday, May 8, who are share border with Pakistan amid escalating tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB).

Schools closed in Jammu on May 8 An order issued by the Divisional Commissioner Jammu states that all government and private schools, colleges and educational institutions in the Jammu divisions five border districts will remain closed on Thursday, May 8. This notification is particularly for educational institutions located in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch.

Schools closed in Kashmir on May 8 A similar order is in place for the Kashmir division, instructing all educational institutions in Baramulla, Kupwara and Gurez to remain closed today. Furthermore, Kashmir authorities have issued orders to close schools located around Awantipora and the Srinagar Airport amid prevailing security concerns.

Also Read | Pak resorts to unprovoked firing day after Operation Sindoor, India responds

These directives come a day after authorities in Jammu and Kashmir ordered the closure of all educational institutions across ten districts as a precautionary measure after Operation Sindoor. Notably, Pakistan has been consistently violating the Ceasefire Agreement after the Pahalgam attack, as per the Indian Army. The cross-border shelling and retaliatory strikes continued on May 7 even after India's major counter-terrorism move.

The Jammu and Kashmir administrations are evacuating residents from vulnerable border areas amid intensifying tensions and fears of further hostilities, Kashmir Life reported. Temporary shelters are being set up for the affected populations and Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to ensure the provision of food, medical aid, transport and safety.

Schools closed in Jodhpur on May 8 Authorities have issued orders to close schools at all schools in Rajasthan's Jodhpur from Thursday, May 8, 2025 until further orders. This notification from District Collector comes in the wake Operation Sindoor as escalating tensions between India and Pakistan prompted authorities to tighten security.

The official statement issued by District Collector on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, is provided below:

Jodhpur District Collector issued orders to close all schools in the area from Thursday, May 8, until further notice.
India-Pakistan Conflict: Pakistan on Thursday fired eight missiles aimed at Satwari (Jammu Airport), Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia, all of which were successfully intercepted, according to defence sources quoted by ANI. The Pakistani Army was described by these sources as behaving like the Hamas terror group, employing cheap rockets in its attacks. Last month, the ISI and Hamas met in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistani Army is behaving like Hamas terror group and using cheap rockets, news agency PTI quoted defence sources as saying.

Pakistan fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia sectors in Jammu, and all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units, defence sources said.

Explosions were heard as the Indian air defence system intercepted Pakistani drones at Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistani drones were intercepted by Indian air defence in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer. Explosions were heard and flashes seen in the sky.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Bikaner, Rajasthan, and Jalandhar, Punjab. Blackouts have also been enforced in Kishtwar, Akhnoor, Samba, Jammu, Amritsar, and Jalandhar.

Escalating its tensions with India, Pakistan targeted Jammu with loitering munitions on Thursday, and Indian air defence guns fired back.

The missile strikes come amid a series of cross-border hostilities that have heightened security concerns in the region. The Indian defence establishment has described Pakistans tactics as reminiscent of those employed by the Hamas terror group, citing the use of cheap rockets in the attacks.

This recent wave of attacks follows Indias retaliatory missile strikes on terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), targeting bases of militant groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba. These strikes were launched in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.

At a media briefing on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that escalation by Pakistan will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately.

"The original escalation was by Pakistan on the 22 of April. We are the ones who are responding to that escalation with the action that was taken yesterday morning. And again, I would like to emphasise that the action was restrained; it was directed towards non-civilian, non-military targets; and confined to terrorist camps. And again, as we've been saying since yesterday, any further action by Pakistan, some of which we are seeing today, is nothing but escalation by Pakistan now, once again, and will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately," he said.

Vikram Misri also said that India's intention has not been to escalate matters.
As the weather cools down and Aussies become homebodies, there's a new reason to venture into the great outdoors.

The Murray River National Park is set to be expanded. Source: DLDEW

Bigger than Melbournes massive CBD, almost three times the size of Sydneys, a major new expansion of national parks has been announced. The borders of three popular destinations in South Australia will be extended by a whopping 725 hectares, protecting the states plants, wildlife and cultural sites.

Campers will benefit from the expansion of Murray River National Park, while sightseers will be excited the Riverlands Maize Lagoon Conservation Park is growing because it includes ruins of historical dwellings. The parks are also home to rare creatures including the regent parrot, southern bell frog and blue-faced honeyeater.

Important migratory bird species will also see their futures safeguarded by the growth of Sceale Bay Conservation Park on Eyre Peninsula. Its home to species protected by international agreements Australia has signed with Japan and China.

At just 280 hectares, Sydney's CBD could fit into New York's Central Park

Melbourne's sprawling CBD is around 620 hectares.

When you include its sprawling parklands, Adelaide is a massive 1050 hectares.

New additions will be made to the Murray River National Park. Source: DLDEW

The Sceale Bay Conservation Park is one of the three parks set to expand. Source: DLDEW

Important additions to the Riverlands Maize Lagoon Conservation Park have been made. Source: DLDEW

Will national parks continue to grow?

The states environment minister Dr Susan Close said the plan would give Australians improved opportunities to connect with nature.

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South Australias national and conservation parks are home to an abundance of native animals and plants that we must protect now to ensure they remain sustainable in the future. They are also hugely popular with seven out of 10 South Australians visiting our parks annually, she said.

Related: Remarkable find in shadow of Australia's tallest mountain

Campers, walkers, and wildlife are all set to benefit from the expansion of South Australias national parks. Source: DLDEW

National parks across the state look set to expand with the government saying a proposal to add 1,840 hectares to the Seal Bay Sanctuary zone off Kangaroo Island has also received overwhelming public support.

It said the changes align with a state and federal government commitment to protect at least 30 per cent of Australias waters and land by 2030.

Elsewhere around the country, Australians are continuing to push for the creation of new national parks.

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In Victoria, bushwalkers, nature lovers and campers are calling on the Allan government to recognise 350,000 acres of green space in the Central Highlands as the Great Forest National Park (GFNP).

Further north in NSW, the Minns Government has been repeatedly urged to follow through with its 2023 election promise to create a Great Koala National Park on the Mid North Coast.

Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment?  Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories.
PM Narendra Modi on Thursday, May 8, chaired a high-level meeting with secretaries of various Ministries and departments of the Indian government to review national preparedness and inter-ministerial coordination. The meeting comes in the aftermath of India's Operation Sindoor which targeted nine terror beds across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday.

According to the official statement, PM Modi emphasised the need for continued vigilance, strong coordination between institutions, and clear communication as the Pahalgam attacks on April 22, followed by India's retaliatory attack on May 7 has sent India-Pakistan relations simmering.

The Prime Minister reiterated the Indian government's unwavering focus on national security, readiness, and the safety of its citizens.

What did PM Modi instruct secretaries? Secretaries have been directed to undertake a comprehensive review of their respective ministrys operations and to ensure fool-proof functioning of essential systems, with special focus on readiness, emergency response, and internal communication protocols, as per the latest official statement.

What issues were discussed in the high-level meet? A range of issues  including the strengthening of civil defence mechanisms, efforts to counter misinformation and fake news, ensuring the security of critical infrastructure  were discussed during the high level meet on Thursday.

Ministries were also advised to maintain close coordination with state authorities and ground-level institutions.

Who all attended the high level meet? The high- level meet was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, senior officials from the Prime Ministers Office, and Secretaries from key ministries including Defence, Home Affairs, External Affairs, Information & Broadcasting, Power, Health, and Telecommunications.

Operation Sindoor: All party meet conducted Earlier in the day, the Centre conducted an all-party meeting to brief all political parties on Operation Sindoor. The meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Apart from Singh, Amit Shah, S Jaishankar, J P Nadda and Nirmala Sitharaman represented the government, while Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge from the Congress, Sandip Bandyopadhyay of the Trinamool Congress and DMK's T R Baalu were among the leading opposition figures in the meeting.
India-Pakistan Conflict: The Indian Air Force used the S-400 Triumf  dubbed SA-21 Growler by NATO  to thwart an aerial attack launched by Pakistan on Wednesday night. The S-400 is a modern long-range surface-to-air missile (MLR SAM) system developed by Russia.

India has procured a total of five squadrons of the Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defence missile system, known in Indian service as "Sudarshan Chakra." Of these, three squadrons are already operational, while the remaining two are expected to be delivered by 2026.

India signed a deal worth approximately 35,000 crore (around $5.4 billion) in 2018 to procure five squadrons of the Russian-made S-400 Triumf air defence missile system.

Pakistan Attacks India's Northern and Western Regions According to a defence ministry official statement, the Pakistani military targeted locations including Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.

In retaliation, India targeted Pakistan's air defence radar and it has been confirmed that India neutralised the Lahore Air Defence system.

All About S-400 Triumf Missiles The S-400 Triumf, developed by Russia's Almaz Central Design Bureau, is widely regarded as one of the most advanced and formidable surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems in the world.

Introduced into service in 2007, the S-400 is designed to provide a multi-layered air defence shield capable of intercepting a broad spectrum of aerial threats, including fighter jets, ballistic and cruise missiles, drones and stealth aircraft.

Development and Deployment Work on the S-400 began in the late 1980s, with the first successful tests conducted in 1999. Although initially slated for deployment in 2001, further refinements delayed its introduction until 2007. Since then, it has been adopted by the Russian Armed Forces and several other countries, including India, which is set to receive its final deliveries in 2025 despite geopolitical challenges.

Key Components and Capabilities The system integrates several advanced radars and missile launchers coordinated by a command and control centre. Its multifunction radar suite includes the 92N2E Grave Stone tracking radar and the 96L6 Cheese Board acquisition radar, which provide 360-degree surveillance and can detect targets up to 600 kilometres away. The S-400 can simultaneously track up to 300 targets and engage up to 36 threats at once.

The S-400 employs four types of missiles to create a layered defence:

40N6: A long-range missile with a reach of up to 400 km, capable of intercepting high-value targets at great distances.

48N6: A medium-range missile effective up to 250 km.

9M96E and 9M96E2: Short to medium-range missiles with ranges between 40 and 120 km, designed to strike fast-moving targets such as fighter jets and precision-guided munitions.

These missiles can engage targets flying at speeds up to Mach 14 (approximately 17,000 km/h) and at altitudes ranging from 10 metres to 30 kilometres, including ballistic missiles at the edge of space.

Also Read | Operation Sindoor: How India Has Made It Tough For Pakistan To REALLY Retaliate

Operational Flexibility Highly mobile, the S-400 system can be deployed rapidly, becoming operational within five minutes while on the move and within 35 seconds from standby. Its launch vehicles are mounted on heavy-duty trailers capable of travelling at 60 km/h on roads and 25 km/h off-road, allowing swift repositioning.

The system is also designed to operate in dense electronic warfare environments, with radars equipped with electronic protection measures to resist jamming and counter stealth technology.
Three explosions were heard in quick succession in Pakistan's Lahore on Thursday prompting residents to rush out of their homes in fear, ARY News reported, citing police. The authorities have sealed the area and unrelated people have been restricted from entering the area as bomb disposal and intelligence teams have started their preliminary investigations.

The incident comes a day after Indian armed forces launched missile strikes targeting nine terrorist locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Noting that, explosions occurred within moments of each other, Lahore Police said, The blasts were so loud that people who were several kilometres away heard its sound and rushed to streets in confusion and fear.

Emergency response teams, including Rescue and Firefighting units, have reached the site of the incident. Furthermore, the police have cordoned off the area, ARY News reported.

Local media reports also said sirens rang out and residents fled their homes following the explosion, which was heard in the Gopal Nagar and Naseerabad areas near Walton Airport. The area adjoins Lahore's posh central business district and the Lahore army cantonment.

It is still not clear what caused the explosion. However, investigations were being made to determine the nature and source of the explosions.

Also Read | News anchor grills Pakistan defence minister after India's Operation Sindoor

In a strong retaliation to the Pahalgam massacre, India's armed forces early Wednesday destroyed nine terror sites including that of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) using deep strike missiles in a 25-minute-long "measured and non-escalatory" mission. Codenamed 'Operation Sindoor,' the strikes came two weeks after 26 civilians were killed in the massacre in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

In Pakistan, meanwhile, most cities restored some normalcy and children returned to school, but in the border province of Punjab, hospitals and civil defence authorities remained on high alert

Pakistan closes its airspace for all commercial flights at Lahore, Islamabad Pakistan on Wednesday closed its airspace for all commercial flights at Lahore and Islamabad airports.

The countrys airspace is closed for all commercial flights at Lahore and Islamabad airports, said the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) in a statement late Wednesday night. The Karachi airport is however operational.

Pakistan earlier on Wednesday announced a 48-hour closure of its airspace for all air traffic after India carried out a military strike on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Nearly one week after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un tested new weapons system for the countrys recent warship, the South Korea's military on Thursday said North Korea fired what seemed to be numerous short-range ballistic missiles, AFP reported. Japan Coast Guard said Projectile believed to be from there already fell, according to Reuters.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated Seoul military said it had detected several projectiles presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles. The missiles were "fired from the Wonsan area of North Korea into the East Sea at around 08:10 today," they mentioned, indicating to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.

Since March 10, it was the Norths first known ballistic activity, when it fired multiple ballistic missiles hours after US and South Korean troops started an annual combined military exercise, and the countrys 6th launch event of the year.

North Korea asserted the vessel was equipped with the "most powerful weapons", and that it would "enter into operation early next year".

South Koreas military has said that the destroyer may have been developed with assistance from Russia, potentially in return for Pyongyang sending thousands of troops to support Moscows war against Kyiv, AFP reported.

In a further sign of deepening ties, Russia and North Korea recently declared the construction of their first road bridge linking the two countries.

Last year, North Korea carried out a series of ballistic missile launches, defying United Nations sanctions.

Japan's defence ministry stated there was no impact on the country, according to public broadcaster NHK.

In early March, South Koreas military said that North Korea had fired multiple unidentified ballistic missiles on the same day Seoul and Washington kicked off their large-scale annual joint exercise, Freedom Shield.

Pyongyang's test launch Just days earlier, in late February, Pyongyang conducted a test launch of strategic cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea, claiming the launch demonstrated its counterattack capabilities. Last month, Pyongyang revealed the 5,000-ton destroyer Choe Hyon.

Washington has increased the scale of joint military drills in recent years and bolstered the regional presence of key strategic assets, including a nuclear-powered submarine and an aircraft carrier, as part of efforts to deter the North. North Korea, which has repeatedly proclaimed itself an irreversible nuclear power, regularly condemns the joint US-South Korea drills as invasion rehearsals.

South Korea's military mentioned in early April that its troops fired warning shots when around 10 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the heavily fortified border that separates the peninsula.
India Pakistan News Highlights: Amit Shah held a meeting with top officials after Pakistan attempted to target Jammu airport, prompting counter-measures and a total blackout in Srinagar, Jammu city and surrounding areas.

Blackouts have also been enforced in parts of Punjab, including Amritsar, Pathankot. Meanwhile, Haryana, West Bengal, have announced the closure of schools, blackouts in border districts, and cancellation of leave of police personnel and administration officials, reported PTI.

Also Read: Full list of Indian cities under BLACKOUT as Pakistan launches attacks on multiple locations in Jammu and Punjab

US says conflict between India and Pakistan, none of our busines

US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said Washington wanted to see a "de-escalation" in a worsening conflict between India and Pakistan, but that it was "fundamentally none of our business."

"What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate a little bit, but we're not going to get involved in the middle of a war that's fundamentally none of our business and has nothing to do with America's ability to control it," said Vance, who has been a proponent of US disengagement from international conflicts, in an interview with Fox News.

Earlier in the day, the Indian military had told the media that it is committed to non escalation, provided  it is respected by the Pakistan military.

What led to Operation Sindoor?

India's Operation Sindoor against Pakistan came after days of escalating tensions and Pakistan's downgraded diplomatic relations with India after the worst-ever terror attack on civilians in twenty-five years in Pahalgam's Baisaran valley that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, on 22 April.

Get all the latest updates on India India-Pakistan Conflict here on Mint!
A day after the Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army responded to unprovoked small arms fire across the Line of Control (LoC) during the night of May 7-8.

The Pakistan Army resorted to small arms firing across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor areas in Jammu and Kashmir.

During the night of May 7-8, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked fire using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor areas in J&K. Indian Army responded proportionately, Indian Army said, as reported by ANI.

'Operation Sindoor', India's retaliatory strike on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians, including one Nepali national, were killed.

Pakistani army began cross-border artillery and mortar shelling along the Line of Control (Loc) in Jammu and Kashmir, killing at least 15 and injuring 43 Indians, defence officials said.

Artillery firing by the Pakistan Army since last night has hit civilian areas in Poonch and Tangdhar. Caused the death of 15 innocent civilians and injured 43 others, defence officials said.

Earlier on Thursday, civil defence mock drills were conducted in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Gwalior, and Jaipur. These drills were meant to assess how local authorities and citizens respond to emergencies.

Among the worst-hit border areas was Poonch, Rajouri district in Jammu region, and Uri, Karnah and Tangdhar sectors in Kupwara district also witnessed the Pakistani shelling.

Meanwhile, countries such as United States, China and Russia have expressed concern about the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, May 8, 2025, thanked all 338 members of the Ukrainian Parliament who voted in favour of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the United States and said he is also grateful to everyone on his team who worked on it.

Ukrainian lawmakers unanimously approved a landmark minerals deal with the US.

In a post on social media platform X, Zelenskyy said: I am grateful to everyone on our team who worked on the Economic Partnership Agreement with the United States, and to everyone who supported it. I thank all 338 Members of Parliament who voted in favour of the agreement.

I expect the ratification law to be submitted from the Verkhovna Rada to my Office soon. Once the legal procedures are complete, we will be able to begin establishing the Fund, he also said.

Calling the agreement a joint investment effort with the United States for decades to come, Zelenskyy said: Right now, it serves as a strong foundation for security cooperation, and in the long term, it offers an opportunity for Ukraine and the U.S. to expand mutually beneficial economic collaboration, develop industries and create jobs in both countries, and ensure technological advancement.

The Ukrainian President further said: As agreed with @POTUS, this agreement opens a new chapter in relations between Ukraine and the United States.

Ukraine accuses Russia of violating truce over 700 times Russia and Ukraine both reported attacks on their forces on Thursday on the first day of a 72-hour ceasefire called by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of violating its own ceasefire 734 times between midnight and midday Thursday.

He called the ceasefire a farce on the social media platform X.
The horrific attack of 22 April by terrorists on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, took New Delhis patience past yet another breaking point, the last being in 2019. The Indian military response was aimed squarely at terror set-ups and should be seen not just as retaliatory, but as a calibrated move to secure long-term progress against a significant menace that the subcontinent needs to be rid of. It was part of a well thought-out plan after diplomatic options were exhausted and not a declaration of war.

Hours before sunrise on 7 May, Indian armed forces launched precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and parts of Kashmir under its control. Nine targets were hit under Operation Sindoor, with justice for the widows of Pahalgam victims its domestic signal. For Pakistan, its a loud message: If it wont act to contain the menace of terrorism, India would. It also signalled that India has the intelligence back-up to conduct such deep strikes.

Also Read: Operation Sindoor: The IAF has struck terror camps in Pakistan

Unlike in 2019, Indian forces apparently did not cross the Line of Control (LoC), with high-precision missiles and the like deployed for the purpose, although it isnt yet clear if Indian fighter jets entered Pakistani airspace. But Indias strikes were harder-hitting, with direct aim taken at carefully identified targets: terror camps and launchpads, including the main bases of terror groups Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba. An offshoot of the latter had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam killings and India said it had evidence pointing to the involvement of terrorists based in Pakistan.

New Delhi described the strikes as measured, non-escalatory and responsible in nature." Notably, this mission to disable terror capacity steered clear of Pakistans military facilities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had vowed that India would identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers," and the armed action taken was within that outline.

Also Read: Pakistan must wake up and smell the geo-economic brew

Reports from across the border indicate a death toll of at least 26 individuals. Pakistan called it an act of war" and declared that its armed forces had been fully authorized" to undertake corresponding actions." What Pakistan must note, though, is the proportionality of Indias move in the context of its role in terror generation. As India hosts no such camps, Pakistani forces cannot spot targets that can credibly correspond with those hit by India.

Also, Pakistans economy is in such bad shape that it needs to think hard about what a worse-case scenario for it would look like. Escalation would only push its prospects of progress further back; its interest lies in letting the matter end here.

Also Read: Mint Primer: Does Pakistan have the wherewithal to fight India?

Nuclear-armed countries, in particular, need to be clear about what counts as external aggression. Surgical strikes to neutralize known sources of pain do not. Pakistan may possibly be tempted to make at least an optical display of counter-strikes. If it goes beyond the low-intensity cross-LoC shelling already reported, it would be unfortunate. Indian defences are on high alert to foil all its attempts.

Regardless of what unfolds, both countries ought to treat this episode as a closed chapter now. One-upmanship must be avoided for the risk of escalation to be kept down. Also, both countries must resolve their disputes without the intervention of others, which could end up reducing Pakistans autonomy, but not Indias. The best strategic option for Pakistans generals at this juncture is clear: De-escalate.
The US and China are caught in a trade war that could gravely damage their economies and even threaten global stability. Since US President Donald Trumps declaration on 2 April of reciprocal tariffs on almost all US trade partners, the two countries have imposed triple-digit duties on each otherlevels that have effectively created a mutual trade embargo.

Container bookings from China to the US have already fallen by 60%, and orders for all kinds of Chinese products have been cancelled. When the effects of this slowdown hit the US, not only will consumers find it difficult to buy Chinese-made goods, so will many US businesses, which sell these imports or use them as inputs. Given that such items are not going to be produced in the US or sourced from other countries any time soon, many businesses will struggle.

Also Read: China began de-risking its economy well before Trumps trade fury

The Trump administration has apparently realized the gravity of the impending crisis. On 22 April, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called the US-China trade war unsustainable," and an unnamed source said that the White House would consider lowering tariffs on China. Other officials swiftly walked back these comments, saying that the US would not act unilaterally."

Normally, such a situation would be ripe for negotiation. Instead, the two sides seem unable or unwilling to talk. Trump has repeatedly indicated that he wants to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the tariffs and has even claimed that Xi called him a few weeks agoa claim that China denies. By most accounts, the two leaders have not spoken since Trumps inauguration in January. And despite Trumps recent comment that negotiations are happening every day, a Chinese government spokesperson said on 24 April that there are currently no trade talks between the countries.

Given the urgency of the situation, what is standing in the way of negotiations between the US and China? The first barrier was Trumps insistence on imposing additional duties ahead of trade talks. Chinese authorities seemed willing to engage early, sending Vice President Han Zheng to Trumps inauguration. But Trump quickly levied two rounds of 10% tariffs on China, which went into effect in early February and early March, wrecking chances of de-escalation.

Recall that China was already subject to the tariffs and sanctions Trump levied in his first term, which were later expanded by his successor, Joe Biden. Perhaps Trump believed that ramping up the pressure would build leverage for an eventual China deal"indeed, he adopted a similarly aggressive approach to other partners with his reciprocal tariff threats, and claimed that many countries were kissing" his posterior to negotiate their rates. But the Chinese saw it, not unreasonably, as extortion.

Also Read: Trade face-off: Will Trumps America back down first or Xis China?

A second problem is that the Chinese government and the Trump administration take wildly different approaches to diplomatic engagement. The Chinese bureaucracy is conservative and bound by protocol, whereas Trump likes to call his counterparts and negotiate personally. This is not how Chinese leadersor most other leaders work. In fact, no Chinese leader has ever initiated a phone call to a US president.

The Chinese side should address this problem. But given how Trump has treated other world leaders, no one would recommend changing course now. Rather than risk humiliation, Xi will probably meet with Trump only after lower-level officials from both sides have agreed on outcomes, as is normal diplomatic practice.

Other institutional asymmetries also weigh on bilateral relations. In China, the premier and vice premiers are responsible for certain aspects of the economy and governmentroles that do not correspond neatly with US cabinet secretaries. Since changing these systems is out of the question in the short term, officials should negotiate with their designated counterpart, while also meeting with more senior officials to ensure that messages are getting through.

For this reason, previous US administrations created mechanisms to convene US agency heads and Chinese vice premiers for regular dialogues. But these forums were deemed inefficient and subsequently scrapped.

The Chinese have asked the Trump administration to pick a point-person with whom they can negotiate. The counterpart for such trade talks would normally be the US Trade Representative (USTR), as it was in Trumps first term. But this time around, the US agenda for trade with China is so muddled, and the stated goals so wide-ranging from rebalancing global trade to stopping the flow of fentanyl, re-industrializing America and generating revenuethat the USTR would be out of his depth.

Also Read: Chinese history shows how a closed economy could squander a nations greatness

This confusion is the biggest hurdle to US-China trade talks. Does the US administration want to raise revenue, restore US manufacturing, create jobs, address global imbalances, bring down US debt, bolster security, slow Chinas rise, or some combination of these?

Perhaps the more fundamental question is whether Trump wants a deal or decoupling. If its the latter, there is no good reason for China to negotiate. But if its the former, Trump should say clearly what he wants and the two sides should start talking in earnest. A de facto embargo on bilateral trade will devastate both economies and officials should do all they can to salvage the situation. The current standoff ultimately benefits no one. 2025/Project Syndicate

The author is a former acting US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs and a senior fellow at Yale Law Schools Paul Tsai China Center.
Ahead of the briefing by the government about the success of Operation Sindoor on Thursday, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished that the country shouldn't be divided in such a situation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "intentions" were clear to the whole world. He added that PM Modi desires that no one should be "divided" and remain "united" in such a situation, ANI reported.

"Operation Sindoor has been successfully executed by the armed forces, and the government is very clear about it. PM Modi's intentions have already been known to the world. The PM desires that in such a situation, we shouldn't be divided. It is a situation where every Indian must be united," he told ANI.

Rijiju said that the country has taken a "big action" for which all the parties will be briefed about the operation, which is the government's responsibility, ANI reported.

"All the leaders have shown maturity at a time when we are all working together. Everyone has hailed and congratulated the armed forces for Operation Sindoor, and said that we will support the government and armed forces. We have received a few suggestions as well... The Defence Minister said we don't form the government just to rule..., Kiren Rijiju told ANI.

Here's what Opposition leaders said about all-party meet Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi said, We have extended our full support to the government. As Mallikarjun Kharge ji said, they (the government) said that there are a few things that we don't want to discuss.

We shouldn't be divided in such a situation.

The entire country is with the armed forces.

The Indian Forces targeted deep areas inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Various strikes were launched at several terror camps in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, I have complimented our armed forces and the government for #OperationSindoor. I also suggested that we should run a global campaign against the Resistance Front (TRF). I also suggested that the government should request the USA to designate it (TRF) as a terrorist organisation. We should also make efforts to grey-list Pakistan in FATF

The Resistance Front (TRF) is a new terrorist outfit that emerged in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. Believed to be a proxy arm of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), TRF was formed to provide a localised face' to the militancy in Kashmir, according to reports.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) banned TRF and all its manifestations and front organisations in January 2023. The Ministry has declared them as terrorist organisations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.

Meanwhile, BJD MP Sasmit Patra said, The BJD wholeheartedly commends the extraordinary courage, clinical precision and gallant professionalism of our armed forces in carrying out Operation Sindoor. The BJD reiterates its firm, steadfast, and resolute support to our armed forces in taking whatever steps deemed necessary to safeguard the sovereignty of our nation and protect the lives of our citizens from terrorism. This was our President's statement, and the same was presented on the floor of the House.

"We are all together in this fight against terrorism. All of us stand united for the country. There is no reason to panic right now," said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while addressing a press conference, PTI reported.

Meanwhile, the all-party meeting was attended by leaders such as Union Ministers JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other prominent leaders from all parties.
The divisive move has highlighted an all too common problem on Australia's roads .

A transportable traffic bollard appearing to reserve a parking space in front of a row of houses in Sydney has sparked anger Source: Reddit/WagsPup

Anyone who drives through one of Australia's major cities will know how difficult finding somewhere to park can be  especially for local residents who can face the daily struggle of finding a spot near their home.

While it's tempting to flout the road rules simply to find somewhere to stop, one Aussie resident has been blasted for appearing to reserve a space on a busy stretch of road just minutes from the Sydney CBD.

An image taken on Forbes Street in the inner-city suburb of Darlinghurst, on Wednesday, shows an orange bollard placed in the middle of a parking space on the street outside a row of terraced houses.

The angry resident who snapped the scene told Yahoo News the move was "dishonest, arrogant, entitled and selfish" and questioned how such an act is even allowed.

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"I'm a local resident that has to deal with similar parking challenges," they explained, adding that it "doesn't mean you do a con job to benefit yourself."

Parking in the area is restricted to residents with permits and visitors who can stay for just one hour.

Council investigates 'dishonest' parking move

A City of Sydney spokesperson confirmed council has launched an investigation after being contacted by Yahoo. "Reserving parking spaces, or placing items on a roadway to reserve a space, is not permitted within the City of Sydney for private parking purposes," the spokesperson said.

Those wishing to reserve a space for construction, events, or film shoots must apply to the City of Sydney. The spokesperson encouraged the public to contact council to report such instances.

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"We have not received any recent complaints about the use of a parking space on that part of Forbes Street. We will now investigate the matter," the spokesperson said.

While there is no specific offence for reserving a parking space, under the Local Government Act it is an offence to place an item in, on, or over the road without approval. The penalty for breaking this law is $330.

Drivers also recently called out a resident for reserving limited street parking with orange traffic cones in Leichhardt, located in Sydney's inner west Source: Facebook

Have you witnessed a frustrating parking scene outside your home? Contact News Editor Courtney Greatrex at courtney.greatrex@yahooinc.com.

Aussies take up extreme measures to secure parking spaces

It's not the first time such creative measures have been taken to secure an inner-city parking space. Last year, one driver infuriated locals by allegedly reserving a space near their home for "months" with the use of orange traffic cones.

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Another Melbourne resident exposed a dodgy tactic by her neighbour, who asked her to move her car before blocking off the area with traffic cones. Frustratingly, her Jeep Patriot is too big to fit in the garage under her apartment complex, meaning street parking is her only option.

There is limited parking as it is, Melbourne woman Parker told Yahoo News Australia.

The Melbourne woman would leave her car on the street until her neighbour took matters into their own hands. Source: TikTok

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
President Donald Trump called for a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine to pave the way for talks on a lasting peace agreement, and threatened to impose further sanctions if a truce is violated.

Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations, Trump said in a social media post. If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions.

Trumps comments underscored how he remains focused on halting the fighting immediately and contradicted his vice president, JD Vance, who said Wednesday that the US has tried to move beyond the obsession with a 30-day ceasefire and more on the what would the long-term settlement look like.

Trump also appeared to contradict Vance and other members of the administration who have repeatedly threatened to walk away from the discussions unless an agreement is reached soon.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no willingness to enter direct negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and has continued to insist on maximalist demands as a condition to stop fighting, including taking control of four regions in Ukraine it does not fully occupy.

As president, I will stay committed to securing Peace between Russia and Ukraine, together with the Europeans, and a Lasting Peace it will be! Trump wrote in the post.

The US has previously floated proposals to end the war that would broadly freeze the conflict along current lines leaving most of the territory occupied by Russia in the Moscows hands after more than three years of fighting. The Trump administration is also prepared to recognize the Ukrainian region of Crimea as Russian, Bloomberg reported in April.

Ukraine and its allies have been urging the US to increase pressure on Moscow, including through more restrictions on energy exports and oil revenues, to force it into a ceasefire on terms proposed by Trump.

The US and European Union have already imposed an unprecedented level of sanctions on Moscow since its February 2022 full-scale invasion, but have been unable to force Putin to stop the fighting.

Vance said last month that both sides would have to make territorial concessions to bring an end to the conflict that was ignited in 2022 when Putins forces launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
President Donald Trump pitched his trade framework with the UK as a historic achievement, and the first step in his revolutionary effort to overhaul the global economy.

But as the president began revealing specifics of the deal, it became clear it fell short of the full and comprehensive agreement he had promised, or the US-UK free-trade pact he pursued during his first term.

Trump had hoped the announcement  pegged to the 80th anniversary of the Allies World War II victory in Europe  would reignite confidence in his economic agenda. He carefully stage managed the ceremony, posting hints to social media and having UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer dial in to the phone sitting on the Resolute Desk to herald the agreement.

The framework gives the US increased market access and a faster customs process for exports to the UK, while the UK will see limited relief on autos, steel and aluminum duties. Many other details were left to be negotiated later.

From the point of view of markets generally, as well as those who are concerned about the US economy, this is a nothingburger, said Tim Meyer, an international trade law professor at Duke University School of Law. Theres nothing really to see here. Obviously this is a framework, this is not actually an agreement.

Starmer conceded the pair needed to finish ironing out some of the details, but hailed the understanding as fantastic. Trump brushed aside questions about whether he had over hyped the agreement, instead framing it as a great deal for both parties.

Every country wants to be making deals, he added.

Facing declining poll numbers, Trump has been eager to declare a win as his tariff agenda has destabilized global markets and raised the prospects of a recession. Trump argues that his efforts are worth short-term pain because they will will increase investment in the US. But he is clearly seeking to show progress and calm economic anxiety.

Trump is moving as fast as you can go without screwing it up. Were not screwing it up, and youre going to see deals, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said on Fox Business.

Investors responded positively on Thursday, with almost every major corner of the stock market advancing.

But the deal punted on some of US businesses biggest concerns in the trading relationship. The UK will maintain its digital services tax hitting major US tech firms, with only a vague promise to work toward a future digital trade agreement.

The UKs digital services tax should be further discussed and addressed to ensure it is implemented in a manner that treats American service suppliers fairly, said Christine Bliss, president of the Coalition of Services Industries, in a statement.

The two sides also left undecided how to handle Trumps plans for sweeping pharmaceutical tariffs. And while the UK removed tariffs on some US agricultural products, strict regulations on food standards have remained in place.

Earlier: UK INSIGHT: US Deal a Political Win, Tiny Economic Boost

So far, weve seen little signs of euphoria in UK financial markets, which tells you all you need to know about how investors are viewing the deal, said Matthew Ryan, head of market strategy at Ebury, in an emailed statement. This is also far from a full-blown trade agreement, which will likely take months, if not years, to be finalised, and it will still be some time before the finer details are ironed out.

The US and UK also gave conflicting information about key elements of the agreement, which went to final-hour negotiations.

The British government released a statement saying US tariffs on steel and aluminum from the UK will go to zero, while the White House put out its own description less than an hour later saying they will negotiate an alternative arrangement to the metals duties and that the framework creates a new trading union on the materials.

The announcement does offer some suggestions of what will come in future negotiations. Trump decided to broker an agreement with a country that enetered negotiations in response to his initial tariff announcement, rather than retaliating.

Meyer predicted that future deals will likely also be limited, saying: we will see more announcement of frameworks.

Trump kept the 10% baseline tariff on the UK  the same rate he applied in his April 2 rollout, a warning shot to countries hoping to get below that figure. Investors hoping for a more substantial detante may also be disappointed.

Precedents Set

The action sets the tone for other trading partners to promote reciprocal trade with the United States, the White House said in a statement.

As he discussed the terms, Trump asserted that we are using tariffs now for our benefit and made clear that they could be higher than 10% for some countries. They made a good deal, he said of Britain. Many, some, will be much higher.

Yet Trump also signaled hes willing to negotiate on sectoral levies designed to spur onshoring of production of items like cars, metals and pharmaceutical drugs that he has deemed as critical to national security. That could upset some of the presidents more protectionist allies.

The deals concession on autos  applying a lower 10% rate to as many as 100,000 vehicles shipped annually from the UK to the US  and the pledge to lower steel and aluminum levies will raise other countries hopes that that Trumps sectoral tariffs may be on the table.

That set important precedents for the coming more consequential negotiations with Europe, Japan and Korea, Brad Setser, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, posted on X.

The administration is now preparing for the start of talks with China  the biggest target of Trumps tariff onslaught  and also talking with other countries who saw higher tariffs deferred until at least July. The Trump administration has touted progress with India, and held high-level talks with Japan and South Korea. Reaching a pact with China is almost certain to prove the most challenging.

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said he welcomed the US -UK agreement but said the bigger prize would be a de-escalation between Washington and Beijing.

I hope the UK agreement will be the first of many, Bailey told reporters Thursday. Whatever transpires between the US and China will be an important part of this story.

With assistance from Jennifer A. Dlouhy.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Social media company X has started blocking access to over 8,000 accounts in India after receiving executive orders from the Indian government, reported the company's Global Government Affairs team.

According to the report, the orders mention that if X does not block these accounts, the company could face heavy fines, and its local staff could even be sent to prison.

The accounts include those of international news outlets and well-known public figures. X said that in many cases, the government did not explain what posts from these accounts broke Indian laws. For many of the blocked accounts, no proof or reason was shared.

To follow the orders, we are blocking these accounts in India only. We have started doing this now. But we do not agree with the governments demands, X said.

X explained that it had to make a difficult choice but decided to follow the orders to keep its platform running in India. Its important for people in India to keep having access to information, the company said.

The Elon Musk-owned platform also pointed out that it wants to be open about these government orders, but legal rules stop it from sharing the full details with the public. Not sharing this information makes it harder to hold the government accountable and could lead to unfair decisions, the company said.

Notably, the news has come amidst the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, as several regions across India experienced complete blackouts on Thursday night. These measures come after Pakistan attempted to target the Jammu airport.

According to ANI, a full blackout has been enforced in Bhuj, located in the Kachchh district of Gujarat. In the northern state of Punjab, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Amritsar have also been plunged into darkness as part of the security protocol.
Since 1993, letter carriers around the nation have teamed up with food banks for the annual Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

Due to recent federal government cutbacks, the need for donations has never been greater than now. The big day this year is this Saturday, May 10.

Letter carriers from Chattanooga's Eastgate Post Office don't actually carry that many letters these days.

Their bins are usually filled with bills, ads, and packages.

This Saturday, they want to fill their trucks with an added ingredient.

Mail carrier Kim Hensley said, I would love for all of our customers to put a bag or a box, with non-perishable foods, and we will transport it to the food bank.

During the past 30 years, mail carriers and post offices have made it easy for residents to help their neighbors, without even having to leave their homes.

USDA halts $500-million in food shipments, impacting local food banks With the program now on hold, rural communities that heavily depend on government-supplied food are among those most affected.

Hensley said, It's the most convenient way to give. You just put the food at your mailbox and we've got it covered for you from there.

This event has become a cherished tradition for many families, but over the years, others have gotten out of the habit.

The Chattanooga Area Food Bank hopes to revive interest this year, and restock the shelves.

Community Engagement Manager Jennifer Franklin said, Our operations staff will sort it, and then put it in emergency food boxes so we can help people in the southeast Tennessee, and northwest Georgia areas that we serve.

It's as easy as placing a box, a bag, or a can of non-perishable food next to your mailbox before your carrier delivers mail this Saturday.

The post office will do the rest.

Hensley said, This time of the year is the hardest for food banks. People donate a lot at Christmas, but several months have gone by, and they need food to make it to the next holiday season.

This is a nationwide food drive, now in its 32nd year.

Check your own pantry, and if you have non-perishable food items that are have not expired, pack them up and put the bag or box at your mailbox.

If you're planning a grocery shopping trip before Saturday, pick up an extra item or two to donate.

If you'd rather donate your items another way, just drop by your nearest post office, which will be accepting donations through next week.

You can also make a monetary donation online by scanning the QR code with this story.
UPDATE: Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Andy Allen was arrested Wednesday evening after being investigated for his involvement in an altercation with a truck driver in Summerville on Little Sand Mountain Road.

Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader tells Local 3 that Allen was arrested on one count of simple battery for the incident on March 3.

Truck driver involved in altercation with Chattooga County commissioner speaks out William Wilson said he drove from London, Kentucky to Summerville, Georgia to pick up a load of cattle when the incident with Commissioner Allen happened.

Stay with Local 3 News for updates.

PREVIOUS STORY: The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is now investigating the case involving Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Andy Allen.

Sheriff Mark Schrader says the case is now being investigated by the GBI at the request of District Attorney Clay Fuller.

The case was being investigating by the Walker County Sheriff's Office.

The following is Sheriff Schrader's full statement:

"On March 12th, 2025, District Attorney Clay Fuller spoke with Sheriff Steve Wilson and I regarding the case involving Commissioner Allen that I had asked Walker County Sheriff's Office for assistance in investigating. District Attorney Fuller expressed his desire for the case to be investigated by an agency outside of the Lookout Mtn. Judicial Circuit. It has been my usual practice to utilize the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in felony cases where the investigation of a case, by my office, could present the slightest appearance of a conflict of interest. As with other agencies, when the investigation surrounds a misdemeanor case, it is not unusual to utilize another local agency to eliminate that appearance of a conflict. As a result of our conversation, at the request of DA Fuller, this case has been re-assigned to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Region One Office out of Calhoun for investigation. Future releases concerning this case will be given by that office."

Walker Co. Sheriff's Office investigating incident involving Chattooga Co. Commissioner The WCSO is investigating an alleged incident on March 3, 2025 involving Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Andy Allen and an adult male.

Stay with Local 3 News for updates to this developing story.

PREVIOUS STORY: Local 3 is following an investigation involving Chattooga County Commissioner Andy Allen.

The incident report states that Chattooga County Commissioner Andy Allen got into an altercation with a man here on Little Sand Mountain Road in Summerville, where he attempted to pull a man out of his truck.

The incident happened on March 3rd, according to the Chattooga County Sheriffs Office.

An officer who was called to the altercation was told by the victim and the victims wife that Commissioner Allen began yelling, got out of his truck, walked to their truck, opened their door, and then began trying to jerk the husband out of their truck while he was backing up.

The wife then started recording the incident. Local 3 requested that video but was told it would be unavailable until the investigation was complete.

According to the report, the video showed Allen walking to his truck and the victim trying to get out of it, but the victims wife convinced him to stay.

The victim could be heard in the video saying he was going to call the law, and Allen responded by saying, The best thing you can do is your behind back in the truck and back on in there, you understand me, according to the report.

Many are wondering why the GBI is not investigating the matter. Attorney Robin Flores says the GBI only gets involved if they are referred.

In this case, the Walker County Sheriffs Office was.

The point of sending it to an outside agency is for more optics, to make sure there isnt any questions drawn about impartiality or favoritism by the investigators, Flores said.

Flores explains the process.

Investigators will do a proper job and come to a conclusion. Generally, what they will do is if they find anything is involved, they will present it to the District Attorney if there are any criminal charges, Flores said.

Local 3 spoke with Commissioner Allen, but he was unable to comment on the matter at this time.
Waving to the crowds at St. Peters Square, former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States was elected the 267th pope, taking the papal name of Pope Leo XIV.
Two more children have died after a 'suspicious' house fire in Toowoomba, taking the death toll to three.

Yahoo's live news blog for Thursday, May 8 has now concluded. The man accused of murdering missing Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy has reportedly been taken under police guard to remote Victorian bushland for a second time, as detectives continue their search for her remains.

The death toll from a horror house fire in Queensland's Toowoomba has risen to three. Two young girls lost their lives overnight in hospital and comes after the body of a boy was found inside the home. Police are treating the fire as suspicious.

Australians are being warned to reconsider travel to Pakistan. The government's Smartraveller has reacted to hostilities between India and Pakistan after strikes were launched across the border into Pakistan.

See all of the day's updates below.

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER 12 updates Featured Australia 'done everything we can' in Trump negotiations Trade Minister Don Farrell says Australia has "done everything we can" to reverse Donald Trump's tariffs on Australian goods, saying the ball was now in his court. Anthony Albanese has repeatedly stressed in recent weeks his government had been engaging with the US to negotiate a deal, yet Trump suggested there'd been little progression. Albanese did finally get his phone call with the US president after the Coalition scolded him for not having direct contact with Trump, but the prime minister suggested that was more of a congratulatory call as opposed to serious trade discussions. But Farrell says Australia has clearly laid out its demands to Trump. Its now up to the United States to respond and say, Look, we accept your offer, we reject your offer, or we think it should be something different," he told Nine's Today show. Adam Bandt blames Peter Dutton for election defeat Greens leader Adam Bandt has addressed his election loss after finally conceding defeat in the seat of Melbourne, which has been won by Labor candidate Sarah Witty. And he's another MP that's pointed to Peter Dutton as to why he wasn't successful in the election. "I'm really sorry that I will not be able to represent you anymore," he told reporters. "I spent a fair bit of time on polling booths in Melbourne, had quite a few conversations where people told me that they usually vote Green, but this time they didn't, because of Peter Dutton." Bandt said he was proud of his time as the minor party's leader and insisted it was in a better place than when he took over. Deputy Nationals leader Perin Davey said her election loss was "entirely" the fault of the Liberal Party.

The Conclave continues  don't miss out If you're one of the many obsessed with the Conclave happening right now in the Vatican City to decide who the next pope will be, we've got you covered. Large crowds gather daily to see what colour smoke will emerge from the top of the Sistine Chapel. As you probably know, black smoke means no decision has been made and white smoke means someone has been chosen. That will once again be happening in the next couple of hours and if you don't want to miss out on the action you can watch the chimney in our live stream below.

Two ministers face the axe from Albanese's top team Two senior ministers are expected to lose their positions in a new-look lineup as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warns Labor MPs against focusing too heavily on themselves. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus is set to be axed by his Victorian right faction colleagues in favour of Sam Rae, a key ally of Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles. Industry Minister Ed Husic is also on the chopping block to rebalance the ledger between Victoria and NSW. Labor's ministry and cabinet are carved up between the states and the left and right factions, based on their proportion of seats. The more progressive left, from which Mr Albanese hails, has edged ahead of the right after the election, with more of its candidates winning seats. But the ministry quota system has sparked an internal fight between Victorians and their NSW counterparts as the former want an extra seat at the table. New blood in the ministry will likely include Tim Ayres from NSW and Ged Kearney and Daniel Mulino from Victoria. Read more here.

Australia Post introduces new delivery feature A new feature from Australia Post may go some way to alleviating customers' frustrations around failed deliveries. The national courier says drivers will now share photos of failed deliveries to users who use its app from May 19. The photos will accompany notifications already sent notifying of failed delivery and when and where the parcel can be completed.

Aussie neighbour gets first ever ATM While plenty has been said about Australia's ongoing shift to a cashless society, one of our Pacific neighbours appears to be heading in the other direction. The tiny island nation of Tuvalu remarkably only received its first ATM last month and was unveiled in a grand ceremony. The National Bank of Tuvalu hailed the addition as a "great achievement", adding it will "open doors for economic empowerment of the people of Tuvalu". While we take for granted our day-to-day technology, some nations in our region continue to play catch up years later. In 2021, there were huge crowds as the Solomon Islands unveiled its first ever escalators. Tuvalu's first ever ATM was welcomed with a big ceremony last month. Source: Tuvalu Government Media

Why red benches are popping up across Australia South Australia has its first red bench as part of a growing movement to get more Australians talking about domestic violence. Predominantly featuring in Queensland, the Red Bench Project from Red Rose Foundation is beginning to spread to other states. "When a Red Bench is placed in a public location it ensures that the important issue of domestic violence remains visible, not hidden. A Red Bench is a place to sit to have a conversation about how communities can change the ending to domestic violence," South Australia Police explained after unveiling its first bench in Port Pirie.

Black smoke rises from Sistine Chapel The wait for a new pope goes on after black smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel following the first secret vote as the conclave began. A group of 133 cardinal electors began their behind-closed-doors meeting on Wednesday afternoon. It is expected voting will resume on Thursday, and up to four rounds of voting can take place each day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Black smoke is seen from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel meaning a new pope is not yet elected. Source: Getty Cardinals, mostly dressed in distinctive bright red vestments, heard at a special mass on Wednesday of the choice of exceptional importance they must make in electing the 267th pope. A new pope requires a two-thirds majority in the voting, and white smoke will be emitted from the specially erected chimney of the Sistine Chapel to confirm a pontiff has been chosen. - PA Media

Major update in Samantha Murphy case The man accused of murdering missing Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy has reportedly been taken under police guard to remote Victorian bushland for a second time, as detectives continue their search for her remains. Patrick Stephenson, 23, was recently transported from Melbourne Assessment Prison to Enfield State Park, south of Ballarat, where excavators were used to dig up an undisclosed area, 7NEWS reported. It marks the second time Stephenson has been escorted to the area by police, following a similar operation in November last year. Despite the latest efforts, no remains were found. Samantha Murphy (left), Patrick Stephenson (right). Ms Murphy, a mother of three, disappeared on February 4, 2023, after setting out for a 14km run through the Canadian State Forest, a route she was known to frequent. Her disappearance sparked a major search operation involving both police and the public, focusing on bushland areas including the Canadian State Forest, Enfield State Park and Buninyong Bushland Reserve. Mr Stephenson was arrested a month later and charged with Ms Murphys murder. He has pleaded not guilty and has been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court. Police have not disclosed what led them to return to the search site, and it is not suggested Mr Stephensons visit indicates he knows where Ms Murphys body was left or that he was involved in her alleged murder. - NCA NewsWire

Australians urged to reconsider travel plans Australians are being urged to reconsider plans to travel to Pakistan and are being warned of potential flight disruptions to India, after hostilities broke out between the two major South Asian nuclear powers. The updated advice, released by Smartraveller on Wednesday morning, warns the current security situation between India and Pakistan means Australians should take additional caution travelling to or around the neighbouring countries. The alert recommends those bound for Pakistan reconsider their need to travel to the country due to the volatile security situation. We recommend you monitor local media for updates, stay alert, take official warnings seriously and follow the advice of local authorities, the advice states. Read more from NCA NewsWire here.

Peter Dutton eligible for bumper pension Peter Dutton promised yesterday he'd embark on a "graceful silence" following his crushing election defeat. The Liberal Party has faced heavy criticism for its election campaign and while some within the party have taken aim at who they believe were responsible, Dutton won't be getting involved in a war of words. He had hinted he was still committed to a life in politics, arguing he was still relatively young. That was of course before he lost his seat to Labor's Ali France. Whether or not he'd need to carry on working is a different matter. The Courier Mail has calculated Dutton, who first became an MP in 2001, will be eligible for an annual pension of $280,000. Adding to his property portfolio, it's clear Dutton will be pretty comfortable in the years to come.

Two more children die after 'suspicious' house fire A suspicious fire that ripped through a property in Queenslands southwest has now claimed the lives of three children. The home on Merritt St, Harristown was engulfed in flames when emergency services arrived at about 12.30am on Wednesday. A body believed to be of a nine-year-old boy was discovered inside. Police say they are yet to be formally identified. Two girls, aged 4 and 7, were among the six people who managed to escape from the property and were both rushed to hospital with critical injuries. Both girls died in Queensland Childrens Hospital overnight. A 36-year-old woman also suffered critical injuries in the blaze. She remains in hospital under police guard. A 34-year-old man, an 11-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man were able to escape the fire. Police say the house remains a crime scene and is being forensically examined with assistance from the homicide unit. Read more from NCA NewsWire here.

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Kyiv accused Moscow of breaching its own ceasefire on Thursday, saying Russian forces struck hundreds of times along the front lines and launched guided bombs that killed and wounded civilians in several Ukrainian cities.

The three-day ceasefire scheduled around the anniversary of Russias World War II Victory Day on Friday was unilaterally declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. It was meant to come into effect at midnight local time (5 p.m. ET) on Wednesday.

Putin announces unilateral three-day ceasefire in Ukraine from May 8 Moscow has previously rejected a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the conflict that was agreed to by Ukraine.

A statement from the Kremlin last month said Putin ordered all military actions in Ukraine to be suspended from midnight May 8 to midnight May 11 based on humanitarian considerations.

Russian state news agency Tass reported the ceasefire started as scheduled  yet the fighting appeared to have continued, according to Ukraines Air Force.

Russia launched guided bombs over Sumy in northeastern Ukraine and Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine, the military and local authorities said in a post on Telegram.

A 55-year-old woman was killed and her son was wounded in the Sumy region early Thursday morning, according to the Prosecutors Office in the Sumy region. About half an hour later, a 70-year-old woman was wounded when another bomb landed in the Vorozhba area, the local prosecutor said.

The head of the Kherson regional military administration said a 35-year-old woman was killed Thursday as a result of a Russian drone strike on one of the villages on the region. He also reported several drones in the area.

CNN has not independently verified these claims.

Ukraines Air Force said there had been no Russian missile or drone attacks in its airspace on Thursday morning.

Viktor Tregubov, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian militarys Khortytsia operational and strategic grouping, said Russian troops were less active Thursday morning.

In some areas, there were no clashes in the morning, but there were active hostilities in a number of other (areas), so we cannot talk about a ceasefire, he said, adding Russian troops had launched assault operations near Lyman, Vovchansk, Kramatorsk, Chasiv Yar, Toretks and Pokrovsk since it was supposed to begin at midnight.

Russia also accused Ukraine of violating the ceasefire, even though Kyiv rejected the short-term truce when it was first announced.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed in a statement its troops ceased all hostilities and accused Ukraine of continuing to strike. It said Russia would mirror Ukraines actions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Putins announcement a theatrical performance and reiterated his countrys support for an earlier US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which Russia has rejected.

The three-day period Putin picked for the ceasefire coincides with Russias World War II Victory Day commemorations, including a traditional military parade, set for Friday, May 9.

The high-profile event is expected to be attended by the leaders of several countries that are friendly with Russia, including Chinas Xi Jinping.

As in previous years, it is expected to be used by Putin and his government to peddle propaganda, which falsely frames Moscows current aggression against Ukraine as a fight against a Nazi regime in Kyiv.

Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union during WWII, but it celebrates its Victory Day on May 8, having moved the holiday from May 9 after the Russian invasion to align itself with Europe.

In a speech commemorating the anniversary Thursday, Zelensky said Russias celebrations on Friday would be a parade of cynicism.

The atrocities of the Nazis will be brought up by the organizer of mass (killings) in Bucha. And those who orchestrated the blockade of Mariupol will be the ones talking about the siege of Leningrad, he said.

Thank God Ukraine has broken free from all of this. Thank God Ukraine has not forgotten that 80 years ago, dozens of peoples fought against Nazism. And more than 8 million Ukrainians, sadly, died in that struggle, he added.

Ukrainian drones shut Moscow airports

As Russia prepared to mark the anniversary of the end of WWII, Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow for the second consecutive night overnight into Wednesday.

The attacks forced Russian authorities to temporarily halt air traffic at 13 airports Wednesday  four in Moscow and nine further afield.

More drones were flying Wednesday, with Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin saying one drone that was heading to Moscow was shot down Wednesday afternoon.

The shutting down of airports was potentially embarrassing for Moscow, as delegations from countries that have remained friendly to Russia were flying in to attend the parade Friday.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Vietnamese President To Lam and Belarussian leader Alexander Lukashenko are among the 29 leaders on the guest list, according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov.

Ukraine has previously said it cannot be responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation because of the war.

Zelensky said his country would not be playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putins exit from isolation on May 9.

While Russia has rejected the US ceasefire proposal, the unilateral ceasefire around the Victory Day celebration was the second short-term truce Putin announced in less than a month.

In a surprise move over Easter, the Russian leader announced he instructed his troops to stop all military activity for some 30 hours. Ukraine accused Russia of breaching the truce, although it did say fighting had slowed along some parts of the front lines.

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The Ballinamuck-based drama group, Gunner Magee Players, is hosting its annual general meeting in the 98 Memorial Hall on Wednesday, May 14 at 8pm.

Read More: Repair and Reuse Workshop brings sustainability to Longford Town

The Gunner Magee Players is open to everyone to join. Whether it be acting, directing, backstage, front-of-house or back-of-house, it welcomes various experience levels.

Having launched last year, the idea for a local drama group was conceived in Christmas 2023. By April 2024, an exploratory meeting took place with 12-14 attendees, who all bounced off ideas, which eventually led to a May 2024 AGM, the first official AGM.

The group organised a number of fundraisers, including a Halloween Fancy Dress quiz night and they also received generous donations from businesses in the Drumlish and Ballinamuck area.

Read More: Longford farm family crowned Irish winners of European Grassland Award

In December 2024, Gunner Magee Players performed two one-act plays called Whats for Pudding? and Last Tango in Ballinamuck, comprising nine actors, where seven of them had never had stage experience before.

Both plays were written by David Tristam, an English writer. The current chairperson, Ollie Keogh, directed Last Tango in Ballinamuck while Sinead McCormack directed Whats for Pudding?- both never had directing experience prior. The performances were very successful and well received by sell out audiences.

Read More: Longford Students receive prestigious All Ireland scholarship

The Gunner Magee Players are open to new members joining all the time and they hope to see you at Wednesdays AGM in the 98 Hall. This year, they plan to present more productions in December, and anyone that has onstage or offstage experience are most welcome.

As the chairperson Ollie Keogh, explained: It may take a village to raise a child, this group wants many surrounding places to get involved as it is a fantastic pastime when winter starts approaching.

With plenty of opportunities to have fun, this local group will provide hands-on experience, good company and plenty of worthwhile performances to participate in and be a part of.
The Longford GAA pavilion in Punchestown was filled to the brim with people from across the county last Wednesday.

It was abuzz with excitement for the festivities that were to come and the weather didn't disappoint either.

Those who were sat around the circular tables were dressed up in their glad rags ready to give their money to the multiple bookmakers dotted around the arena and in the pavilion itself in the hopes of a tidy sum in return.

Whats more the celebrity guest who was hosting the event, RTE's Marty Morrissey did a fabulous job of keeping the crowd in good spirits.

Also Read: Bon Voyage: Community wishes Longford man well as he heads off on Australian adventure

Martin Skelly, chairperson of the Longford Race Day organising committee was over the moon with the turnout.

Today is a special day for people all over the globe, we have people from New York, London, and many people from Dublin, said Cllr Skelly as he gestured to the chattering room before him.

There are many people from Dublin and Longford who have been here for many years.

Id like to thank the organising committee, which worked so hard in the background, and Steve and Marie Peters from Chazey Properties for sponsoring the event.

Theres a thousand people here today.

There wasnt a single seat empty on Wednesday, the room was packed from wall to wall.

Martin had high hopes for the day and for the attendees.

Also Read: Ronan Scully is looking for Longford people to join Self Help Africa Camino walk

I really hope, I pray that people will back a few winners, get a few pounds out of the events, its an expensive day out, but its for a good cause now, for Longford GAA.

The gods have blessed us with a fine day, and hopefully the gods will give us out a few winners.

Steve and Marie Peters were also present on the day. Steve spoke to the crowd about the importance of the day to Longford GAA and what an honour it was to be the sponsor of the event.

Speaking on how the sponsorship came about Stevn said, I sent a message to the committee members asking if I could book a table for this year.

The reply was, Im actually at the committee meeting right now and would you know anyone who would be interested in sponsoring?

Also Read:Tour-de-force: 'Fair Citys' Sorcha Furlong brings her new one-woman drama 'Tender Mercies' to Longford's Backstage Theatre

I took a moment, I spoke to Marie and messaged back saying Chazey Properties would like that cake and it kind of developed from there.

Longford GAA has played a key role in Steves life in Ireland.

I moved to Ireland in 2005. The GAA embraced me and I embraced the GAA.

I have a lot of clients in Longford, a lot of business people that I know here today and its just an honour and a lovely marriage between myself and the people I do business with.
Longford apprentice Dan OShea, aged 20, has been announced as one of the top ten finalists for this years Screwfix Trade Apprentice competition.

Aspiring electrician, Dan, who is currently completing an electrical apprenticeship at GRETB, will join nine other trade apprentices from across the UK and Ireland, in a bid to be crowned Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2025 winner at the final which will be held in Googles offices in London next week (Wednesday, May 7 & Thursday, May 8).

The winner will take home an incredible prize bundle of tools, training and technology worth 10,000  while also scooping 2,000 worth of Screwfix vouchers for their college.

Also Read: Love match: Wedding bells ring for lovely Longford couple well known in sporting circles

Commenting on the announcement, Dan said: I cant believe Ive made it through to the finals of this years Screwfix Trade Apprentice competition. When I submitted my application, I never dreamed Id make it this far. Its also so exciting to be representing Longford at the national final.

The electrical industry is highly rewarding to work in, and so to be recognised for my skills and dedication at this level is such a huge compliment.

The competition is an incredible opportunity to showcase what Ive learned so far, while highlighting the importance of trade apprentices in shaping the future of the electrical industry  and Im looking forward to the final where I can take my creativity and skills to a new level.

Since starting his electrical apprentice journey, Dan has developed a keen interest in green energy and sustainability, hoping to incorporate this into his future career. He is currently studying Phase 2 of his apprenticeship and intends to complete a project management course to further develop his skills with a view to ultimately setting up his own business.

Also Read: 'It's a challenge': Longford TD Micheal Carrigy to chair Oireachtas housing committee

A strong advocate for apprenticeships, he believes that work needs to be done to change the perception around apprenticeships and shift the stigma around vocational paths.

His passion, initiative and relentless work ethic saw him stand out in the semi-final heats, after being selected from more than 2,000 applications.
The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) held its annual Gold Drop and Porcelain Pelican Awards Ceremony for the North-East Midlands region on Friday, April 25 in the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan, Co Meath.

One hundred and fourteen 50-time Donors received their Gold Drop and twenty two 100-time Donors, including Longfords James Mulligan, received their Porcelain Pelicans at the ceremony.

Donors and their guests attended from counties Cavan, North County Dublin, Kildare, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Meath, Monaghan and Westmeath.

Also Read: Longford goes back to the 90s and 00s with the launch of Freedom FM

Iosif Korpas, Area Manager for the Ardee Centre was MC for the ceremony and welcomed everyone including Board Members of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service and congratulated all the Donors on their significant achievements.

Chief Executive Officer Orla OBrien thanked Donors from the bottom of her heart stating that donating 50 times is quite an achievement but donating 100 times is awe inspiring.

The CEO presented each of the 50 Time Donors with their Gold Drop awards and the Porcelain Pelicans to the 100 Time Donors.

Also Read: Longford MEP Ciaran Mullooly says businesses and community groups need more time to deliver their projects

Mrs Emma Gilbey spoke on behalf of her family and thanked all the Donors present from the bottom of her heart. Emma received blood before and throughout the four hours of emergency surgery that followed during the birth of her son Charlie.

13-year-old Charlie took to the podium & thanked Donors for saving his Mums life bringing the crowd to a standing ovation.

Iosif Korpas, Area Manager delivered the closing address. He thanked all the donors on their fantastic accomplishment of donating 50 and 100 times. This requires significant dedication and they are truly inspiring. Iosif also thanked Emma for sharing her powerful story, reminding us all why blood donations are always required.
A man accused of a significant arson incident in Longford town in August of last year, which caused over 13m worth of damage and forced the closure of a large number of local businesses, is due to reappear before Longford Circuit Court in July, when a bail application will be lodged.

Guo Zhong Chen (55), of 9 Belvedere Terrace, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, is currently before the courts charged with the arson, which took place on August 9, 2024, and a separate incident of criminal damage to a black Landrover at Townparks, Longford, on July 7, 2024.

He reappeared this morning (Thursday, May 8) before Judge Kenneth Connolly, where it was heard a draft notice of motion and grounding affidavit had been received by the state to move the trial to Dublin Circuit Court.

Also read: Evil man jailed for vicious Longford park attack and threat to rape woman

The court previously heard that Mr Chen was requesting a relocation of the jury trial due to adverse media attention, but Judge Connolly had noted that such applications could not be made until the accused had seen all 60 hours of CCTV footage and read the entire book of evidence.

However, when the case came before the court this morning, it was heard that, while Mr Chen had received the book of evidence translated into Mandarin, he could not understand the entirety of the document.

I received the book of evidence and I can read some parts, but the other parts I couldnt understand, said Mr Chen via a court interpreter. I was told you would prepare a DVD for me but I havent got that yet.

Further discussion in court revealed that, while Mr Chen understands his native language, he was born in 1970 China when education was difficult and he therefore has some difficulty with reading Chinese.

Also read: Longford businesses continue to battle back following devastating town centre fire

Christina Burke BL, for the accused outlined to the court that the defence team were in the process of providing an audio translation of the relevant parts of the book, with a documentary junior singling out the bits Mr Chen needed.

Im about to get cranky with the documentary junior because I gave a direction that documentation should be prepared three weeks prior to today, he said.

He noted the affidavit had been prepared but said that, in such circumstances, he would usually consider withdrawing the legal aid for a documentary junior.

Ms Burke assured the court that the work was in progress and the audio translation with headphones would be delivered to the prison for Mr Chen ahead of the next sittings of Longford Court in July.

Also read: Longford property owner reflects on fire that ripped through his Grafton Court property

She also indicated that a bail application would be made on behalf of her client in July due to difficulties hes having with medical issues while incarcerated.

Judge Connolly stressed that the state should be on notice of any bail application three weeks prior to the next court date, stating I will not hear it otherwise.

He remanded Mr Chen in custody to reappear on July 15 at 10.30am for a pre-trial hearing with regard to the relocation of the trial, as well as a bail hearing.

WATCH | Dramatic footage emerges of fire that engulfed Longford town
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: May 08 2025

According to DPW documents, the designs will be for planned improvements that include but are not limited to streetscape beautification and entryway creation.

Nassau County Legislature Alternate Deputy Minority Leader Debra Mule (D  Freeport) and Legislator Seth I Koslow (D  Merrick) applauded the Monday, May 5 approval of a contract that will advance a key roadway safety improvement project focused upon Nassau Road in Roosevelt.

The Legislatures Rules committee voted unanimously to approve a contract between Nassau Countys Department of Public Works (DPW) and N&P Engineering, Architecture and Land Surveying PLLC for the firm to provide engineering and design services for infrastructure improvements to Babylon Turnpike from Merrick Road to Nassau Road/Main Street in the hamlets of Roosevelt and Merrick and the Incorporated Village of Freeport.

According to DPW documents, the designs will be for planned improvements that include but are not limited to streetscape beautification and entryway creation; road surfacing and traffic signal upgrades; new and repaired sidewalks, curbs and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps; bulb-outs and drainage structures, and more. This stage of the project, which has a maximum cost of $1.54 million, is being funded through capital infrastructure plan resources secured by Alternate Deputy Minority Leader Mule and the unified Democratic Minority caucus.

Babylon Turnpike is one of Roosevelt and Freeports most important thoroughfares, and these long-awaited improvements will beautify the community and improve road safety for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists alike, Alternate Deputy Minority Leader Mule said. That is why I focused so closely upon securing resources to fund this project in Nassaus capital plan, and I thank my Rules committee colleagues for bringing us one step closer to breaking ground.

This investment in Babylon Turnpike  an essential county road for communities across southern Nassau County  will contribute greatly toward the economic strength of local businesses and create important job opportunities throughout our region, Legislator Koslow said. I applaud the Rules committee for approving this contract and supporting the growth and well-being of Roosevelt, Merrick and Freeport.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: May 08 2025

WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia using 11 key metrics.

With more than 9 in 10 Americans agreeing that budgeting should be taught in schools, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on the States With the Best Budgeting Education in High Schools, to identify where students are most prepared to make good financial decisions.



WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia using 11 key metrics, which range from whether students are required to take a personal-finance course to financial literacy test scores to overall school rankings.



High School Budgeting Education in New York (1=Best 25=Avg.):

Overall Rank: 26 th

1 st  Students Required to Take at Least One Personal Finance Course

1 st  Students Required to Take at Least One Economics Course

18 th  Average Scores on National Financial Literacy Test

44 th  High-School Financial Literacy Grade

16 th  Share of Eight Graders Proficient at Mathematics

9 th  Share of High Schools Ranked in Top 10% Nationally

24th  Projected High-School Financial Literacy Grade by 2028



For the full report, please visit:

https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-the-best-high-school-budgeting-education/145208



Expert Commentary



What are the most effective ways to teach personal finance in high schools?



Personal finance should be a mandated subject in high schools, not just an optional module that students choose whether to study or not. For it to be more effective, financial literacy should be taught in conjunction with issues pertinent to the student's immediate future. From what I have seen in the classroom, urgency with a real-world connection allows students to engage much deeper and meaningfully. The actual cost of college, understanding student loans, and income management of their first job are examples that students can relate to and act upon. Financial literacy taught in isolation doesnt work; it must be blended into real decisions that students will likely make two or three years after graduation. This is the best way financial educators can work to create lifelong habits amongst students.

JC Phelps, PhD, MBA  Instructor of Business Administration, Lindsey Wilson College



I have taught personal finance at the college level. To capture the attention of our students, we need to make it personal. Have students think about their background, experiences, values, and goals. When they have this perspective, they understand the why of spending and saving.

Lora J Reinholz, MBA, CLU, CFP (r), ChFC, CASL, WMCP  Instructor of Practice, Marquette University





What are the long-term benefits of budgeting education for youth?



Guiding an individual through budgeting tasks imbues students with a sense of agency over their activities. Students equipped with these abilities tend to manage financial crises better, are less likely to fall into cycles of debt, and have a better chance of accumulating wealth over the years. While this is important on the micro-level, there are also macro-level economic benefits to this as a nation. Additionally, we cannot ignore that psychological well-being is a noteworthy advantage, as mental health is correlated to financial circumstances. Acquiring these skills at a young age enables students to become financially literate at a most pivotal age.

JC Phelps, PhD, MBA  Instructor of Business Administration, Lindsey Wilson College



When students are aware of how and why they are spending their money the way they do, they can be deliberate with each transaction. They, their families, and their communities benefit because they learn both the impact as well as the consequences that saving or spending provides so they can be more likely to stay within their budget, use their money to reach their long-term goals, and reduce impulse shopping.

Lora J Reinholz, MBA, CLU, CFP (r), ChFC, CASL, WMCP  Instructor of Practice, Marquette University





What should financial education classes cover?



Financial literacy should cover more than just the guidelines of a budget. A student should know the Time Value of Money, why early retirement saving is essential, and that a dollar earned today will go farther than one earned in the future. Principles such as compounding interest, the basics of investing, responsible debt, emergency funds, taxation, and credit should be accompanied by real-world applications. Lastly, the mental impacts of bad finances need to be addressed. A student should learn to deal with the unfortunate truth that managing a budget puts enormous strain on almost all areas of one's life, and having good financial habits is beneficial for personal wellness over time.

JC Phelps, PhD, MBA  Instructor of Business Administration, Lindsey Wilson College



At the very beginning, we need to have students think about their background, experiences, goals, and values. If we recognize where we come from, then we can use our money as a tool in ways that address our key values. We can be more deliberate with our actions. In addition, we need to focus on budgeting. Not just creating hard limits in spending, which can be intimidating, but instead identifying how much money we are allowing ourselves  yes, giving ourselves permission  to spend in certain areas. Other incredibly critical areas to cover include: Credit, both good and bad types and their long-term effectsMajor purchases, such as cars and homesInsurance, including life, disability, health, auto, renters, home, and umbrella and the importance of effectively using riders and replacement valueInvestments, focusing on steps to prepare for investing (such as having an emergency fund and paying off credit cards), types of accounts, and investment allocationsLong-term planning, such as education and retirement planning, and features of the accounts available (especially Roth IRA and Roth 401(k)!)...Estate planning, especially addressing the need of having Powers of Attorney to provide authority for parents to access medical and financial information for young adults who are at least 18 years of age.

Lora J Reinholz, MBA, CLU, CFP (r), ChFC, CASL, WMCP  Instructor of Practice, Marquette University





5 Tips for Learning About Budgeting
Heavy snow has fallen across small towns above 600 metres in Tasmania overnight, creating excitement.

The cook at a small cafe in southwest Tasmania is hoping a sudden snowfall of snow on surrounding mountains will draw tourists. Source: Jeanette Callow

Rural towns in Australia's far south have been blanketed in snow overnight, creating a magical winter wonderland in autumn. Photos show mountains across southwest and central Tasmania sparkling white in the morning sunlight as local and campers braved the cold weather.

A cafe cook was walking into work in the quiet town of Maydena, preparing to start cooking up big breakfasts, waffles, and bacon and egg rolls, when she spotted the dusting across nearby mountains. It's been pretty dry around the region in recent years, and shes hoping news of the snowfall will entice sightseers to visit.

We're quite rural, some call us remote. And were on a dead-end road on the way to Lake Pedder so most people dont stop here. But if theyve got a two-wheel drive and they don't have snow chains, people sometimes come out this way to find some snow, Jeanette Callow told Yahoo News on Thursday morning.

Despite the weather warming up from 3 to 10 degrees, the snow hasnt melted on Mount Mueller, Tyenna Peak and Mount Field West  with Jeaneatte describing the region as looking magical" this morning.

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"It's fantastic."

Related: Photo reveals 'surprising' change at popular holiday lake

Peaks overlooking Maydena were dusted with snow, while a good 2.5 cm fell at Flintstone in the Central Highlands. Source: Jeanette Callow/Raynor Lee

Where is the snow falling?

Around Tasmania, people have been sharing images of the snowfall on social media pages.

One picture at the Little Pine Lagoon campground in Tasmanias Central Highlands appears to show snow that's up to 20 cm deep, with a beer can included for scale.

I love the Australian way of using a beer can for measurement! I hope everyone is safe! one person quipped in response. Great spot. I bet its cold. Enjoy, another said.

Heavy snow was reported by a camper near Little Pine Lagoon. Source: Luke Stahl

Snow has fallen as low as 600 metres above sea level in the southwest, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Temperatures plummeted to well below freezing on mountains above 900 metres.

Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment?  Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: May 07 2025

Daniel Gale Sothebys offices from Brooklyn and Queens to the Hamptons will be collecting new or gently used professional clothing and accessories to help local women dress for success - literally.

The Daniel Gale Foundation, the philanthropic division of Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty, a leader in luxury real estate, is proud to announce the launch of its 25th annual clothing drive in support of Dress for Success, an initiative that reflects the organization's enduring commitment to community service and empowerment.

From now through the end of May, all 29 Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty offices from Brooklyn and Queens to the Hamptons will be collecting new or gently used professional clothing and accessories to help local women dress for successliterally. Items being accepted include dress and pant suits and separates, blouses, shoes, coats, handbags, and other business-appropriate attire. All donations will benefit Dress for Success, which supports unemployed and underemployed women by providing professional attire and tools to help them succeed in their job search and career development.

Whether its the first impression a property or a person makes, no one understands the power of presentation like a real estate agent, said Deirdre OConnell, Chief Executive Officer of Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty. But this drive is about so much more than clothesits about helping women feel seen, valued, and equipped to take the next step in their careers and lives.

Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realtys partnership with Dress for Success began in 2000, when agents and employees were first invited to participate in a company-wide clothing collection. Since then, the initiative has become a cherished annual tradition, with the company donating truckloads of high-quality business attire that has supported countless women on their journeys to economic independence and personal empowerment.

This year's drive continues the legacy of service that is a hallmark of Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realtys culturesupporting not only the communities in which its agents work but also those striving to build better futures for themselves and their families.

Community members are invited to join the effort by dropping off donations at a Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty office. To find the nearest location, visit www.danielgale.com/locations.

About the Daniel Gale Foundation

The Daniel Gale Foundation was established in 2022 to mark the centennial celebration of Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty. While charitable donations and community service have long been part of the organizations core values, the Foundation was created to unify and amplify these efforts across its expanding footprint.

Over the years, Daniel Gale Sothebys international Realty has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars and dedicated countless volunteer hours to causes across the region. With the formation of the Foundation, these philanthropic initiativesdriven by the commitment of the organizations management, staff and real estate advisors to make an even greater impact.

In just three years, the Foundation has donated the equivalent of 150,000 meals to Island Harvest and City Harvest food banks during Hunger Action Month, supported Pink Aid in its fight against breast cancer, and raised more than $300,000 for local charitable organizations from Brooklyn to the North Fork and the Hamptons.

To learn more or make a donation, visit www.danielgalefoundation.org.

About Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty

Daniel Gale Sothebys International Realty is a leading real estate brokerage consistently achieving among the highest average sales prices nationwide. With nearly 950 real estate advisors across 30 sales offices, we serve New York Citys metropolitan area, including Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties, the North Fork, and the Hamptons.

As the Sothebys International Realty affiliate for Long Island and Queens since 1976, we have earned national and international recognition for excellence in sales, marketing, and technology. Our commitment to professionalism and luxury-level service extends to every price point, offering customized marketing programs with professional photography, videography, floor plans, and in-depth community insights.

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Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: May 07 2025

Wilkens Adonis Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter in March for Exposing 14-Month-Old Joseph Adonis to a Deadly Cocktail of Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Wilkens Adonis, age 39, of Holbrook, was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in March to Manslaughter in the Second Degree, for his role in the fatal overdose of his 14-month-old son Joseph Adonis.

The death of 14-month-old Joseph Adonis was as preventable as it was tragic, said District Attorney Tierney. Fentanyl should not be in houses where children reside. This should be a wake-up call to our state lawmakers. They need to make common sense changes to our laws to protect children.

According to court documents and the defendants admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on January 3, 2024, Suffolk County Police responded to a 911 call reporting an unresponsive child at a residence in Holbrook. When they arrived, law enforcement found the defendant, his girlfriend, and their unresponsive 14-month-old son in the couples bedroom. The toddler was taken via ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

When Suffolk County Homicide Squad detectives responded to the home to investigate, they found narcotics and drug paraphernalia in the bedroom where the child had been found. As a result, members of the Suffolk County Narcotics Section were called to assist with the investigation.

A search warrant of the apartment was executed, and law enforcement found over one-eighth ounce of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, over one-eighth ounce of cocaine, alprazolam, methadone, drug packaging materials, digital scales, an electronic stun gun, a loaded shotgun, and a rifle; all of which were unsecured and easily accessible to the defendants children.

After conducting an autopsy, the Suffolk County Medical Examiners Office concluded that the childs cause of death was acute mixed drug intoxication by a mixture of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl.

On March 17, 2024, Adonis pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a Class C felony, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree, a Class C felony, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Philip Goglas.

On May 7, 2025, Adonis was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison. He was represented by Matthew Tuohy, Esq.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Robert Archer of the Narcotics Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detectives James Melchiona and Christopher Gleason of the Suffolk County Police Departments Narcotics Section, Detectives Guido Cirenza and Michael Repperger of the Suffolk County Police Departments Homicide Squad, and Investigator Scott Reilly and Senior Investigator David Ferreby of the New York State Police.

Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: May 08 2025

Rewiring & Retiring Well on Long Island: The Secret Ingredients No One Talks About.

More than 250 people on the verge of retirement attended the 9th Annual Cona Elder Law Caregiver Conference, Rewiring & Retiring Well on Long Island: The Secret Ingredients No One Talks About on Wednesday, May 7, where they heard from a panel of well-known Long Islanders who shared their personal stories of life after a lifetime of work.

The focus of the evening was a discussion around how to navigate a post-career life, including the financial and emotional impact of not going to work five days a week anymore. Experts say people not only need to plan financially but also emotionally to avoid being disappointed or depressed with a downshift in their daily routines.

Were not wired that way, were still going, were vibrant people who have a lot of life left, we still have things we want to do. So youre really planning for a shift in life, said Jennifer Cona, Founder and Managing Partner of Cona Elder Law. So having that conversation and making that plan is important to having a successful retirement, or rewirement.

The main event, a panel discussion, talked about strategies for a successful retirement with five Long Islanders who have done it: Paul Fleishman, Newsday, Vice President of Public Affairs (Retired); Esther Fortunoff-Greene, Owner, Fortunoff, Rewired to EFG Designs; Kathy Munsch, American Heart Association, Regional Vice President (Retired); and Randy Goldbaum, Partner, Egress Pros, Rewired to Cannabis and Hemp Entrepreneur.

I chose to pivot in a way that I can use my sources from all over the world and follow my passion, said Esther Fortunoff-Greene, former owner of Fortunoff Department Stores. I rewired rather than retired because I love work, and I love the people with whom I created working relationships for all those years. Life is short and we need to do what matters.

I had to go through a process that took me a couple years to get to the point where I was looking forward to being retired, said Paul Fleishman, who retired from a multi-decade career at Newsday. I had to get over how I was going to get over missing going to work every day and all the fulfillment and all of the satisfaction and all the reward. So that was a process.

The evening also featured a presentation from Melissa Negrin-Wiener, Esq., Senior Partner, Cona Elder Law, and Evelyn Gellar, Managing Director, Forest Hills Financial Group, titled Managing Retirement Income & Risk During Volatile Markets.

Additionally, more than 40 elder care industry sponsors and exhibitors shared resources on topics including home care, assisted living, reverse mortgages, long-term care insurance, and caregiver support services.

About Cona Elder Law

Cona Elder Law concentrates in the areas of elder law, estate planning, estate administration and litigation, and health care law. Cona Elder Law takes a holistic approach to elder law, providing support and resources for older adults and caregivers, and maintains long-term, partnering relationships with clients to provide the best solutions for multiple generations.
The Jaish-e-Mohammad flag.

The Indian government claimed that Abdul Rauf Azhar, a senior leader of the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad and a brother of the groups founder, Masood Azhar, was killed during Indias retaliatory airstrikes on Pakistan on May 7.

Abdul Azhar is listed by the US government as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and Jaish-e-Mohammad has been implicated in numerous terror attacks in the region, including the kidnapping, murder, and beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.

Abdul was purportedly killed in the strike that targeted a religious school in the city of Bahawalpur that is run by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). The terror groups headquarters is known to be based in Bahawalpur.

Masood Azhar, the JeM chief, admitted on May 7 that 10 members of his family and four close associates were killed in Indias missile attack, according to the Deccan Herald. However, Masood did not name his brother as one of those killed.

India said it struck Pakistani-state-sponsored terrorist camps and headquarters in six different cities in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, the Pakistan-administered region of the disputed territory of Kashmir. India launched the strikes as part of Operation Sindhoor, the countrys response to the April 22 terrorist attack in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 tourists.

Abdul was added to the US list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists in December 2010. In its designation, the US Treasury Department noted that he was a senior leader of JeM who has urged Pakistanis to engage in militant activities. Abdul served as a senior military commander in India and as JeMs intelligence coordinator. He was assigned to organize suicide attacks in India, was involved with JeMs training camps, and participated in the groups political wing.

Abdul took over for his brother, Masood, as the overall leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad for a short period in 2007 after Masood went underground due to international pressure on Pakistan. Masood reassumed his leadership role that same year.

Background on Jaish-e-Mohammed

The US government listed JeM as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in December 2001. Masood Azhar, JeMs founder, was listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in November 2010 for his involvement in terror attacks and his ties to Al Qaeda and other jihadist groups.

Masood is a veteran jihadist who trained at the same religious seminary as Afghan Taliban founder and former emir Mullah Omar. Masood was captured by the Indian government in 1994 and imprisoned for terrorist activities. He was released from an Indian jail along with Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in exchange for hostages held in an Indian Airlines flight hijacking in December 1999 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Masood formed JeM after his release from prison.

JeM is supported by Pakistans military and Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate because it is hostile to India and wages jihad in Kashmir and Afghanistan. In its 2010 designation of Masood, the US Treasury Department said that JeM recruitment posters in Pakistan contained a call from Azhar for volunteers to join the fight in Afghanistan against Western forces.

JeM was implicated along with the Lashkar-e-Taiba as being behind the December 13, 2001, attack on the Indian Parliament building in New Delhi that killed nine people. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a close associate of the Azhar brothers and a JeM member, was behind the kidnapping of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Pearl was later brutally murdered and beheaded.

JeM has been responsible for numerous terror attacks in India, including the January 2016 assault on Pathankot Air Force Base in India that killed 17 soldiers and the February 2019 suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 40 Indian Central Reserve Police Force troops.

Some of JeMs top leaders have joined Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, the global jihadist groups regional branch, which was formed by Al Qaeda emir Ayman al Zawahiri in September 2014. Despite JeMs terrorist activities and close ties to global terrorist organizations, Pakistan has not acted against the group.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.
Online fashion retailer Zalando launched its new Luxembourg website and app at an event in the heart of Luxembourg City on Wednesday morning.

The new service brings features and possibilities to Luxembourg shoppers that were not available in the past, when the country was lumped in with Belgium.

I think we are very fortunate that consumers have engaged over the last years with Zalando [shopping] out of our Belgian shop. But at the same time, we never had the opportunity to really showcase what Zalando can bring to the table, Fabio Baum, the companys General Manager for the Benelux countries and the Nordics, told the Luxembourg Times.

Zalando launched its Luxembourg website and app on Wednesday.  Photo credit: Anouk Antony

As of Wednesday, Luxembourg customers used to shopping with Zalando in Belgium will need to switch to the new local website or app, where Baum hopes they will notice a positive difference. It simply was time for us to give our customers in Luxembourg the best possible version of Zalando, and thats only possible when there is a dedicated app, he said.

The local service grants Luxembourg residents access to the Zalando Plus loyalty scheme for the first time, as well as the ability to take delivery of parcels at designated local pick-up points.

The app and website will be available in English, French and German. The featured products and latest fashion tips are also based on each markets own trends and styles - as well as climate - which means the Luxembourg store will be unique, even though it has all the same products and brands as neighbouring countries.

Zalando launched its spring and summer advertising campaign at the Luxembourg opening, which features actress Sarah Jessica Parker and musician Mahmood, but is also launching a locally-flavoured ad campaign at the same time.

Of course, its way more engaging if you see somebody standing in front of the Luxembourg Philharmonie than somebody who stands in front of a Belgian square, for example. As much as both might be beautiful, the one is way more meaningful to our customer in Luxembourg, Baum said.

Zalando, which sells fashion brands, designer goods, sportswear, beauty products, kidswear and secondhand products, is based in Berlin and is active in 25 European countries. It says it has over 52 million customers.

Luxembourg will be joined later this year by Greek and Portuguese portals, Baum says - adding that being focused on Europe is a positive during turbulent times on the world stage.

1 / 5 A selection of images from the launch of Zalando Luxembourg at Valerius Gallery in central Luxembourg City on Wednesday 7 May.  Photo credit: Anouk Antony

2 / 5 A selection of images from the launch of Zalando Luxembourg at Valerius Gallery in central Luxembourg City on Wednesday 7 May.  Photo credit: Anouk Antony

3 / 5 A selection of images from the launch of Zalando Luxembourg at Valerius Gallery in central Luxembourg City on Wednesday 7 May.  Photo credit: Anouk Antony

4 / 5 A selection of images from the launch of Zalando Luxembourg at Valerius Gallery in central Luxembourg City on Wednesday 7 May.  Photo credit: Anouk Antony

5 / 5 A selection of images from the launch of Zalando Luxembourg at Valerius Gallery in central Luxembourg City on Wednesday 7 May.  Photo credit: Anouk Antony











Zalando will continue to ship to Luxembourg from abroad - primarily from its warehouse in Rotterdam - but plans to engage with local creatives and brands.

The marketing campaign we now produced in Luxembourg was of course produced with a local team, Baum said. We are very much looking forward to hopefully soon onboarding creators from Luxembourg that may showcase their style and their curation on Zalando. And if there are interesting brands, then we will certainly engage with them.

Luxembourgish language, too, might make an appearance on the app one day, Baum says, but before that, people can expect to see a portion of Zalandos advertising in Luxembourgish, or with Luxembourgish subtitles.

Also read: Luxembourg fertile ground but tough market for online retail

Also read: 55% of Luxembourg online shoppers report problems, highest in EU

Also read: EU aims to clamp down on throwaway clothes culture
80 years ago, when Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allies, the darkest chapter in Luxembourgs history closed - but the war and its aftermath continue to shape the way the Grand Duchy sees itself and the world.

Much like the rest of Europe, Luxembourg experienced the horrors of the Second World War, including ferocious fighting, repressive occupation, forced conscription and the deportation of Jews to extermination camps.

Also read: 80 years ago: Grand Duchess Charlotte returns from WW2 exile

The Grand Duchys surprising resilience and steadfast resistance against Nazi occupation, as well as its fervent drive to prevent the tragedy of war from ever visiting again, have become central to the national psyche over the past eight decades.

As countries around the world commemorate the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allied forces on 8 May 1945, Luxembourgs prime minister gave a speech at Neumunster Abbey in Luxembourg City to mark the anniversary.

Today, we commemorate all the victims  here at this ceremony and with wreaths laid at memorials across the city. Today, we gather to remember three things: gratitude, cohesion, and hope, Luc Frieden said in his speech.

Far too many Luxembourgers and soldiers from our Allied friends lost their lives in the Second World War. They fought so that we might live in peace and freedom today. Without them, our country would be fundamentally different.

Also read: How one tank defended Clervaux Castle 80 years ago

In his speech, which focused mostly on Luxembourgs experience of the war, Frieden noted that Neumunster Abbey itself was notoriously prominent in the war. Cohesion, he said, was important to the resistance fighters who secretly distributed leaflets. It was important to the persecuted who hid from the Nazis. And it was important to the prisoners held in this very building, who could catch a glimpse of their loved ones on the Corniche  a sight that gave them strength and courage.

For Frieden, the biggest legacy of war was hope: a hope that drove Luxembourg to become central to building a united Europe. A country that lives in peace, freedom, and prosperity. A country firmly rooted in the European project. [...] From war came peace. Adversaries became partners. From destruction rose prosperity.

An English translation of the Luc Friedens speech can be seen here:
Many people simply cant believe their luck, no matter how official the call sounds, the Lott's Anna Hobdell explains.

The Lott's Anna Hobdell revealed to Yahoo what happens directly after a winner is tracked down. Source: Yahoo News/The Lott

With the $30 million Powerball draw just hours away, hopeful Aussies are lining up for their shot at a life-changing jackpot. But according to the Lott spokesperson Anna Hobdell, the real surprise often comes after the win. Many people simply cant believe its real, no matter how official the call.

Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Anna said it's "certainly quite hard" to convince people over the phone that "they've scored millions" of dollars. She said more often than not, winners require a little reassurance that it's not actually a scam.

"We're just calling from a random 07 number, because we're in Queensland, so it's quite hard to convince people," she said. "But once we start to tell them the information that we know, because a lot of times we know where they purchased that ticket from or what date they went in, they start to believe us. That makes it a lot easier."

Anna said it's often hard to convince a winner of their newfound luck. Source: Yahoo News

Heartfelt reactions after winners process initial shock

Anna said that while many people assume they're being scammed, there have been plenty of heartfelt reactions to the life-changing phone call. Anna's experienced many of these responses personally, being one of the officials trusted to make the call.

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"One of the most wholesome responses was a Lismore flood victim who had won $1 million after really being affected by the natural disasters," she recalled.

"He told me when he read out the winning numbers to his mum across the table, she just started to cry. So I just think it's really amazing that a lottery win can help people who are really doing it tough."

Anna admits she has even become "emotional" before on the other line. "There have been some winners who might have a child who's quite unwell. There was actually a Knoxfield [Victoria] woman who I gave the call to  she won $2.8 million, and she told me that her husband was severely unwell and also her son.

"I could just tell how much this win meant for her, and that really made me emotional as well."

Big mistake Aussies often make after a win

With prizes so huge, Powerball winners understandably cant wait to start spending their money. But the Lott has a provision in place forcing winners to stop and think about how they are going to spend their newfound fortune.

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"The biggest mistake a winner could make is rushing into their decisions," Anna said. "You do have to wait two weeks until you receive the funds, so we encourage our players to have a think... about what they want to do with their winnings, and to perhaps get some financial advice."

Winners who purchase a ticket in-store have to either visit the Lotts head office or mail in the ticket to claim their prize. Online players get the funds automatically into their accounts after a fortnight.

In Australia, the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot (matching all seven numbers plus the Powerball) are 1 in 134,490,400. That means you're far more likely to be struck by lightning, encounter a shark attack, or even become a millionaire through other means than hitting the jackpot.

Even for Oz Lotto, the odds of winning Division 1 are 1 in 62,891,499. While millions of people play each week, the vast majority will never win a life-changing prize.

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If gambling is a problem for you go to Gambling Help Online or call 1800 858 858.

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Westminster sources have told the Bulletin that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is not expected to address the 90-day rule as part of his attempt to reset UK relations with the European Union. They have said that it will have to be left to Spain which could follow the example being set by France which is working on resolving the problem for British second home owners and residents.

Considering hes slashed winter fuel payments for pensioners, hes hardly going to start helping Britons who can afford second home overseas. It goes against what the Labour Party stands for, the sources told the Bulletin. Spain has previously hinted at looking at the problem but since then little or no mention has been made of the impact of the 90-day rule on Britons and the Spanish economy, not to mention the real estate sector.

In France, Philippe Lottiaux (Rassemblement National) is calling for action to help the homeowners in view of the fact that an article creating an automatic long-stay visa right for UK-resident Britons with French second homes was passed by both houses of parliament last year after winning wide cross-party support from French MPs and senators. It was later removed on a technicality.

The automatic visa idea aimed to allow these Britons to spend up to half of the year with minimal or no formalities. It originated from an amendment by Senator Martine Berthet (Les Republicains, Savoie), who proposed the Britons should be able to come and go at the border by showing proof of nationality and home ownership, or by obtaining a simple document to show their status, valid for several years or indefinitely.

And it has been made clear that any such deals could be made unilaterally by interested EU countries without clearing it with Brussels. But in the light of the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezs bombshell that non-resident property buyers could be hit with a 100 percent tax he also looks unlikely to help Britons looking to buy second homes in Spain.

Keir Starmer promised voters a big Brexit reset. This week, Britains prime minister will have to decide just how big. British negotiators are sitting down for a week of intensive talks with their EU counterparts as they prepare for the looming May 19 Brexit summit in London. Their goal is to break what one EU official described as a deadlock on key issues ahead of Starmers big foreign policy set piece but the 90-day rule is not expected to be included.
From left, Select Board Chair Ivan Beattie, and board members Heidi Chamberlain and Jonathan West, discuss changes to the towns flag policy during Tuesdays select board meeting. The select board voted to amend the existing town flag policy, but not to allow a Pride flag to be flown during the month of June.
Cactus Club Cafe will open in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood later in 2025. Courtesy of Cactus Club Cafe

A Canadian-based restaurant chain specializing in elevated dining is opening a 10,000-square-foot location in Boston.

Cactus Club Cafe said Wednesday it will open its 34th location in the heart of Back Bay later this year. The opening will mark the first Cactus Club Cafe in the United States.

The company is looking to entertain diners with a chic interior, energetic music and innovative dishes.

Were incredibly excited to bring Cactus Club Cafe to Boston, Cactus Club Cafe President Andrew Latchford said in a press release.

Cactus Club Cafe will open in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood later in 2025. Courtesy of Cactus Club Cafe

Back Bay is a vibrant neighborhood that aligns perfectly with our vision for modern dining  timeless, social, and stylish, he said. This marks an important milestone for our expansion into the U.S., and we cant wait to welcome Bostonians to experience what makes Cactus so special.

The Boston restaurant will have space for more than 325 people across main and private dining areas in addition to a lounge. Cactus Club Cafe will also have an outdoor patio.

Cactus Club Cafe will open in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood later in 2025. Courtesy of Cactus Club Cafe

The company is looking to fill more than 150 positions jobs across culinary, service and leadership roles. Those interested in applying can browse open positions online.

Cactus Club Cafe will be located at 500 Boylston St., Boston.
A 5-year-old boy struck and killed by a school bus in a Boston neighborhood last month was remembered by his family as funny, inspired by Spider-Man and was nicknamed Maestro, his obituary read

On April 28, Lens Arthur Joseph was found at the scene near 107 Washington St. at around 2:44 p.m. on April 28, after he was hit by the bus, the Boston Police Department said. He was rushed to Boston Childrens Hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Born on Aug. 8, 2019, in Arcahaie, Haiti, to Esaie Joseph and Wilnese Moise, Lens Joseph and his father moved to Hyde Park in August 2023, according to his obituary. Lens Joseph lived with his father, uncle Ricardo Joseph, grandmother Andrea Edmond, aunt and cousin.

Edmond called him Lenso, while his uncle, a scholar at Up Academy in Dorchester, referred to Lens Joseph as Maestro, his family said.

The boy would remind his father, You know, Im a smart guy! his obituary read. His teachers and family described him as intelligent, funny and vibrant.

Lens showed a promising future, he was a typical 5-year-old boy [who] loved cars, planes and his favorite superhero, Spider-Man, his family wrote. It all made sense that he would admire Spider-Man, as he [was] inspired to fight crime in the future by becoming a police officer when he grew up.

Lens Joseph was the life of the house, always helping his grandmother, asking if she was thirsty, his family wrote. He would talk with his uncle for hours after school about what he learned in school, and was close to his cousin in school and at home. He was his parents only son, with two sisters.

Lens is a life gone way too soon, and will be missed by everyone, the obituary concluded. Please keep the family in prayer as they mourn Lens precious life.

Lens Josephs funeral services will be held at the Joseph Russo Funeral Home at 814 American Legion Highway in Roslindale. A date and time were no provided.
This 2022 file photo shows the Amazon logo outside a fulfillment center in Clay, N.Y. (Rick Moriarty /rmoriarty@syracuse.com)

It turns out Amazon should have stuck with its initial decision.

More than 6 in 10 Americans surveyed in a recent Economist/YouGov poll said they believed that businesses should display the portion of the price of products for sale that are costs added by tariffs.

Amazon had reportedly said in April they would include the cost added to customers purchases by President Donald Trumps tariffs.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded by calling the move a hostile and political act by Amazon.

Amazon appears to have reversed the decision, denying that it was ever the plan to display tariff prices alongside item costs.

The team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products, a company spokesperson said. This was never approved and is not going to happen.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for what she said was reversing course on the plan after speaking with Trump.

Had Amazon gone through with the plan to list tariff costs on individual items, it could have provided important information for consumers, allowing them to find out for themselves some of the true costs of President Trumps broad and chaotic tariff policies, Warren wrote in the letter to Bezos on April 30.

Most Americans seem to agree.

The Economist/YouGov survey asked 1,850 respondents: Should businesses display how much a purchase price goes toward paying tariffs?

Out of the total, 61% said they should, 17% said they should not and 22% said they were not sure. Majorities of men, women, white, Black, Hispanic and all age ranges and income brackets all agreed.

Even a plurality of respondents who said they voted for Trump agreed, with 40% saying yes against 37% saying no.

The poll has a margin of error of 3.4%. See the full results of the poll here.

The word tariffs has become synonymous with Trump, as a recent CNN report showed that tariffs was the most commonly Googled word along with Trump in his second term as president, whereas during Trumps first term in office, that word was Twitter.

Trumps tariffs, which were initially set to be 25% on Mexico and Canada and 10% on most other countries, were paused in April. They have been very unpopular, with many concerned they will hurt the economy.
Tourists swam within metres of one of the world's largest fish off the Aussie coast this week. Source: Supplied/Lindsay Sorensen

A boat full of tourists were treated to a "lifetime experience" of swimming within metres of whale sharks off the Aussie coast, with the species being the largest fish in the ocean.

More than 20 tourists were on board the boat operated by Kings Ningaloo Reef Tours at the start of the week and headed out to a known whale shark habitat situated near the small resort town of Exmouth in Western Australia. Skipper Richard Goddard, fondly known to the crew as Dickie, told Yahoo News he never tires of spotting the majestic fish in the wild.

"The sharks are singular... it can be difficult to find them, but then sometimes there can be 20 or 30 of them," he explained to Yahoo. "They're very slow, very graceful, and obviously they're not harmful."

One of the crew members jumped into the water with their snorkel and goggles in search of one of the sharks, and a handful were found. The tourists followed suit, splashing into the water.

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"Their just in amazement of swimming so close to one of them. They come back frothing with excitement," Dickie said.

A boat of 20 tourists were treated to getting up close and personal with whale sharks. Source: Supplied/Lindsay Sorensen

Whale sharks are regularly spotted on the Ningaloo Reef. Source: Supplied/Lindsay Sorensen

Swimmers warned to keep distance from largest fish in ocean

There are strict rules about swimming with whale sharks, with the species protected by both state and federal laws. Swimmers are required to keep a minimum distance of three metres from the shark's side and four metres from its tail, ensuring the sharks can swim freely and those in the water can also stay out of harm's way  their powerful tails are potentially dangerous.

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Whale sharks usually grow to 12 metres in length, however, they can reach up to an incredible 20 metres long and weigh 20 tonnes. In comparison, great whites grow to a maximum of seven metres. Whale sharks are considered gentle giants of the ocean who are filter feeders, scouring the water for plankton.

They are commonly found at Ningaloo Reef, where they migrate annually. The team at Kings Ningaloo Reef Tours operate between March and October, with the species frequently spotted in the area.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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Matthew Farley went in front of the parole board on April 9, 2025. Parole Board

A 28-year-old Massachusetts nurse was left on the floor of her apartment bleeding from being stabbed and raped in 1981.

Help me, help me  Ive been raped, Deborah Smith said as she was found moaning after calling 911, UPI reported.
Boston resident Andrew Owens was identified as the one person killed in a double shooting in Roxbury last month, Boston police said.

At around 11:03 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, police learned of a person shot in the area of 2343 Washington St., Sgt. Detective John Boyle, the departments lead spokesman, said in a statement. That address is the location of a Citizens Bank branch.

Officers found 38-year-old Owens shot, Boyle said. He was then taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A second person checked themselves into a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Boston Police Departments Homicide Unit continues to actively investigate this shooting, police said. Anyone with information about it is strongly urged to contact the unit at 617-343-4470.
An attorney who has worked in City Hall for more than 15 years is bidding to become mayor of Boston.

John Houton, who has served as assistant corporation counsel for the citys Treasury Department since 2011, according to his LinkedIn page, is gathering signatures to be added to the ballot, according to a report by Commonwealth Beacon.

He previously served in the same position in the citys Law Department from 2007 to 2011.

Boston needs new leadership, desperately, Houton told the Beacon, which reported that the Boston native is running as a pro-business candidate concerned about the current business climate and stress on commercial property values since the pandemic.

Houton has not launched a campaign website or social media page and his campaign is not currently listed on the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance website. He previously filed paperwork with OCPF in 2017, when he considered running for mayor.

Houton was born and raised in Dorchester and now lives in the South End, according to the Beacon. Though he described himself as a Democrat, he told the news outlet that he believes the city should be working with President Donald Trump, instead of provoking the federal government and putting a target on our back.

He criticized the Boston Trust Act, which prevents the Boston Police Department from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on civil cases, and said he did not support rent control, two policies which Mayor Michelle Wu has championed.

I understand the impulse behind getting a policy out to create affordable housing and control the rents, but its really counter-productive both to the creation and preservation of available housing stock, he told the Beacon about rent control.

Houton is one of a number of Bostonians who have thrown their hats in the ring to challenge Wu later this year, with at least 13 having filed paperwork, according to the Boston Herald. Josh Kraft, philanthropist and son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, launched his campaign in February; community activist Domingos DaRosa and city hall employee Kerry Augustin have also said they are running.

Candidates have until May 20 to collect signatures from at least 3,000 registered Boston voters to make it onto the ballot.
Five Massachusetts men were arrested and charged last week as part of a nationwide round-up of child sex predators, the Massachusetts U.S. Attorneys Office announced Wednesday.

Between April 28 and May 2, more than 200 suspects were arrested across the country sd part of Operation Restore Justice  a coordinated effort by law enforcement to identify, track and arrest child sex predators, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a press release. The operation involved all 55 FBI field offices.

Operation Restore Justice delivered a powerful and urgent message: protecting children is not just a worthy cause we recognize, it is a mission we carry out every day. We will not relent in our pursuit of those who exploit children, Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in the release.
The area of 33 High St. in Lynn, Massachusetts, as seen on Google Maps April 12, 2025. Google Maps

A Lynn man accused of shooting and killing another Lynn man last month was held without bail during his arraignment on a murder charge and four gun charges in Essex Superior Court Wednesday, the Essex County District Attorneys Office announced.

Prosecutors allege that 36-year-old Brian Rivera fatally shot 35-year-old Eric Hines near 33 High St. in Lynn shortly before 11:30 p.m. on April 10. Authorities arrested Rivera within a day of the shooting, and he has twice now pleaded not guilty to the charges.
A 19-year-old man who police say was shot and killed in the drivers seat of a parked car in New Bedford late last month is being remembered for his vibrant spirit.

New Bedford resident Jordan Roman was found dead in the drivers seat of a Hyundai Sonata around 10 p.m. on April 29, the Bristol County District Attorneys Office said previously. At the time, the car was parked on the east side of Acushnet Avenue near Griffin Court.

Police responded to the shooting shortly after it happened, but Roman was declared dead at St. Lukes Hospital, the district attorneys office said. The Hyundai was found to have been damaged by multiple projectile strikes.
Sabrina Mansur wasnt a known quantity on the Boston artificial intelligence scene when she was named as the inaugural director of the states new AI hub on Tuesday. In fact, it was hard to find anyone in the local AI community  venture capitalists, event organizers, analysts or trade association heads  who had met her.

But Mansur will now be leading a $100 million initiative, the Massachusetts AI Hub, intended to help build the states strength in the rapidly evolving sector.

LISTEN: Scott Kirsner on WBUR

Its a technology that has some early roots in New England. One of the first conferences on AI was held at Dartmouth College in 1956, and that led to decades of research in the field at MIT, as well as the creation of a wave of companies.

But more recently, the most prominent AI players  like OpenAI, Perplexity and Mistral  have been growing in San Francisco, New York, and even Paris. While Massachusetts is home to some promising startups and regular gatherings of the AI interested, its not considered a hotbed of activity.

Mansur, who previously worked as a strategy executive at Draper Laboratory in Cambridge and Motional, a company that developed technology for self-driving cars, says she will try to change that. (This interview has been edited for length.)

Scott Kirsner: Whats your assessment of how this new hub can have an impact on the states competitive position  and jobs? I would suggest that people might realize there has been AI research happening here for decades, but probably most people outside of the state couldnt name an AI company based here. We dont have Anthropic, OpenAI, Perplexity-type companies.

Sabrina Mansur was named the inaugural director of the state-funded Massachusetts AI Hub in May 2025. Courtesy Massachusetts Technology Collaborative

Sabrina Mansur: It seems like [Massachusetts] is a best-kept secret, right? We have all of these great academic institutions, and we have the spin-outs coming from those institutions, and we have a lot of opportunity for investment to come in to these startups. Its not that were not already a great opportunity, because we are. Its just helping to amplify that and to ... build that ecosystem for them to come together. Thats whats missing today.

Kirsner: A lot of people worry about AIs impact on white collar, knowledge-worker types of jobs  and we have a lot of those here in Massachusetts. Do you view AI as something that has the potential to create more jobs than it destroys here in Massachusetts?

Mansur: Ill use an analogy. Its a little bit of a leaky tank, right? As youre filling up the tank with new roles and stuff, some things are coming out of the tank.

The governor gave a really good example earlier this week of what they did with Northeastern students that they brought into the [Massachusetts] transportation department. [They] kind of made it a sandbox within the state government to see what would be possible. She described that there were thousands of pages of material that folks would have to go through to be able to respond to inquiries on the transportation side, and the group that came in was able to streamline that effort to a matter of minutes. ... Now suddenly, these folks were able to be far more responsive to the constituents needs. Theyre not replacing their jobs, but theyre just making them more effective at what they were doing, and constituents benefit from that.

Kirsner: Whats your vision for what the AI Hub should do?

Mansur: Its going to be an applied AI hub for the world. Were going to tackle the worlds challenges, and its going to be a kind of the node of the academic institutions, industry, the startups, etc. ... [The Kendall Square] life sciences is really the model, where you walk around and bump into people ... Thats the dream. Thats the community we want to be building with this AI hub.

Kirsner: What do you mean by the word applied?

Mansur: Theres a lot of research going on, [and that] has been going on for the past decade or more. You go all the way back to the 70s, really, and now youre able to apply that. Over the last decade, Ive been doing applied AI with autonomous vehicles. ... Were seeing that generative AI now is being useful. ... With ChatGPT, I can use that and apply it to my day-to-day life, in my work and hobbies. Its a tool for everybody now that they can apply to what theyre doing.

Kirsner: $100 million is not a huge amount of money when you see players like OpenAI raising $40 billion in private capital, or even Liquid AI, an MIT spin-out, raising $250 million last year. So, how do you invest this money to get maximum impact? What will impact look like?

Mansur: So $100 million absolutely is going to be a starting amount of money to work with as we build these relationships into the communities. I want to make sure that I hit the point about the education, the upskilling of the current workforce, as theyre learning to use AI [in] K through 12 [schools], college level, community college folks ... We want kids coming up through Massachusetts being able to use AI and be acclimated to that.

Were going to be leveraging the funds strategically, but then also looking to build private-public partnerships as we go through this. So I think [the $100 million is] a starting point, but we do hope that balloons into more.

Kirsner: Is there an AI app that you use most regularly in your daily life today?

Mansur: I am using ChatGPT regularly. That is my go-to.

Kirsner: For what sort of stuff?

Mansur: Pretty much everything. Its always by my side. So anything Im writing, Ill always run by it. ... Its nice to see whats out there sometimes to help you be a better version of yourself.

Kirsner: How big does the staff of the AI Hub need to be? Is this a handful of people?

Mansur: Were starting out that way, and then well see what makes sense to grow from there as appropriate.

Kirsner: Have you already posted some job openings?

Mansur: Well be probably announcing that shortly, but I need to work up some of the descriptions to get started.

Kirsner: Are you aware of the Boston AI Week being planned for this fall? Are you planning to participate, or are there other big AI events on your radar for 2025?

Mansur: Im working through that now. There seem to be a lot of organizations, a lot of groups, both on the academic [side and in] the venture ecosystem. Theres folks who are grassroots, creating their own efforts as well. ... Im taking a look at everything and building out the calendar so that we can make sure we hit the items that are going to be helpful to support the mission of the AI Hub.
The Statue of John Harvard at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. (Will Katcher/MassLive)

As a mounting list of executive orders and federal actions has been waged against higher education, some Massachusetts lawmakers aim to tax colleges that prioritize legacy applicants, children of donors or offer early decision.

The bill, which was discussed during a hearing at the Joint Committee on Higher Education on Monday, would make those institutions pay a public service fee to fund state institutions based on their endowment size.
This undated photo provided by Western Mindanao Command (WESMINCOM) Armed Forces of the Philippines Saturday, April 6, 2019, shows the island of Mindanao. (WESMINCOM Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP) WESMINCOM Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP

Americans considering visiting the Philippines should exercise increased caution, the U.S. Department of State advised on Thursday. The risk of encountering crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping is high in some parts of the country.

Americans are advised not to travel to the Sulu Archipelago  including the southern Sulu Sea  and Marawi City on the island of Mindanao for any reason, the state department said. Terrorist and other armed groups in this area have historically engaged in kidnappings for ransom both on land and at sea, as well as bombings. Foreign nationals are often the targets in these attacks.

Additionally, apart from Davao City, Davao del Norte Province, Siargao Island and the Dinagat Islands, travel to other parts of Mindanao should be reconsidered. In Marawi, civilians are often injured or killed in clashes between terrorist group remnants and Philippine security forces. Much of the rest of the island carries a risk of encountering violence from armed groups similar to that of the Sulu Archipelago.

Terrorists and armed groups in the Philippines often target public areas, such as tourist attractions, markets and local government facilities, the state department said. Crimes such as assault and robbery are also common in many areas of the country.

Additionally, protests in the Philippines sometimes turn violent or result in traffic jams and road closures that limit local authorities ability to respond, the state department said. The U.S. governments capacity to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in these areas is also constrained.

If you decide to travel to the Philippines:
A person walks with an umbrella in light rain in the City of London financial district in London, England, on Jan. 5, 2021. AP Photo/Matt Dunham

Americans considering traveling to the United Kingdom should exercise caution, as there is an increased risk of encountering terrorism while visiting, the U.S. Department of State advised on Thursday.

Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks in the United Kingdom and may attack with little or no warning, the state department said. They often target public areas, including tourist destinations, transportation hubs, markets and shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, event venues, schools and universities. Additionally, terrorist groups often attack an area when it is hosting a major cultural event that draws crowds.

There is also a risk of encountering isolated violence carried out by dissident groups in Northern Ireland, the state department said. These groups typically target police and military areas and personnel.

If you decide to travel to the United Kingdom:
Siggy Flicker attends OK! Magazine's So Sexy Party at Tao Downtown on Wednesday, June 1, 2016, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Through Truth Social, President Donald Trump appointed a Real Housewives reality show star and defender of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol to serve on a museum council focused on one of the biggest tragedies of the 20th century.

Sigalit Siggy Flicker, formerly from The Real Housewives of New Jersey, was appointed to serve on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council.

The museum made the announcement on Monday, while Trump shared the news on Truth Social on Wednesday. In Trumps post, he included the names of several other individuals nominated to the board, including Alex Witkoff, Rabbi Pinchos Lipshutz, Betty Pantirer Schwartz, Lee Marc Lipton and Nate Segal, among others.

They are all strong supporters of Israel, and will ensure we, NEVER FORGET, Trump wrote. Congratulations to all!

Flicker shared a screenshot of Trumps post on Instagram to thank him. On Thursday, she shared a picture of herself with Trump, with an Israeli flag in her hands.

As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, this isnt just an honor  its deeply personal. My fathers story is a reminder that silence is never an option," Flicker wrote. I carry his legacy with me, and I couldnt be more grateful for the opportunity to help preserve the truth and fight Jew-hatred.

Flickers stepson, Tyler Campanella, was charged in April 2024 in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, NBC News reported. She posted photos taken inside the Capitol during the attack, captioned with I love patriots so much. Stay safe Tyler. We love you, followed by a Stop the Steal hashtag.

Campanella pleaded not guilty and the case was dismissed Trumps mass pardon for those at the insurrection, The Cut reported.

While Flicker herself was not at the Capitol that day, she supports Trump and has shared other photos of herself with the president, along with posts about the Israel-Hamas War. She has been to Trumps home in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, three or four times a week because its what America used to be before the country was overrun with jihadis and criminals, she told the Washington Post.

Flicker joined The Real Housewives of New Jersey during its seventh season in 2015 and left in 2017, People wrote.

Congress established the museums council in 1980, according to the museums website. It was established to lead the nation in commemorating the Holocaust and to raise private funds for and build the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
A West Bridgewater man was sentenced to prison for possessing child sex abuse material while living at a daycare center, United States Attorney Leah Foleys office said Wednesday.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns sentenced Juan Levano, 24, to five years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, Foleys office said in a statement.

Levano sent child sex abuse material through an internet-based communications application, Foleys office said. He was part of groups where child sex abuse material was shared.

At the time, he was renting a room at a residential daycare center, but later he and the daycares owner denied that he worked there, the statement read. They also denied that he had any contact with children at the daycare.

Investigators searched Levanos home and took several devices, Foleys office said. Levanos phone was found more than 100 video and image files, with children ranging from infancy to 13 years old. The man told investigators that he was a member of several group chats where he received child sex abuse material.

Most of these photos and videos were stored on his photo app, Foleys office said.
Cellphones and smart devices locked in Yondr pouches sit next to student laptops at Happy Valley Middle School on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

The top Democrat in the state Senate wants Massachusetts schools to go cellphone-free.

There is mounting evidence that cellphone usage among students during the school day is detrimental for a number of reasonsfrom simple distraction to more worrying issues such as cheating and cyber bullying, Senate President Karen E. Spilka, D-Middlesex/Norfolk, said during an appearance before the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.

The Ashland Democrat said her son, a high school teacher, inspired her to take up the issue.

Im happy to say that we talk a lot, and he often tells me about the unique challenges of teaching students who sit with a cellphone at their desk, Spilka said.

At least 18 states already have laws restricting cellphone use in schools, Spilka said.

In Massachusetts, our schools should be a truly safe space where kids can grow, learn, make mistakes, and develop healthy relationships, and so making schools cellphone free should be as fundamental to our understanding of what helps a child learn as providing school meals and access to social and emotional learning resources, she continued.

Massachusetts Senate President Karen E. Spilka, D-Middlesex/Norfolk, addresses the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. John L. Micek/MassLive

The Senate leader didnt make a specific legislative pitch during her Wednesday speech at the Westin Boston Seaport.

But another top Democrat, state Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell, does have some specifics in mind.

In January, Campbells office filed a bill, dubbed the STUDY Act, that would impose a bell-to-bell ban on cellphones and other personal electronic devices, her office said in a statement.

The proposal puts students and their mental health first, Campbell said.

By restricting cellphones during the school day and raising the bar for social media companies, we are taking bold steps to create learning environments free from distraction and a digital landscape that prioritizes the well-being of our youth, Campnell continued. This bill is a commitment to both education and mental health for our young people, ensuring they have the tools to succeed without unnecessary harm.

States nationwide also are considering, or have imposed, cellphone bans for public school students. And it boasts bipartisan support, The Associated Press reported earlier this year.

(The Associated Press graphic) The Associated Press

The push for cellphone bans has been driven by concerns about the impact screen time has on childrens mental health and complaints from teachers that cellphones have become a constant distraction in the classroom.

Nationally, 77% of U.S. schools say they prohibit cellphones at school for non-academic use, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

But that number is misleading. It does not mean students are following those bans or that all those schools are enforcing them.

Kim Whitman, co-founder of the Phone Free Schools Movement, said the issue is catching on because parents and teachers in both red and blue states are struggling with the consequences of kids on mobile devices.

It doesnt matter if you live in a big city or a rural town, urban or suburban, all children are struggling and need that seven-hour break from the pressures of phones and social media during the school day, she said.

Speaking to business leaders on Wednesday, Spilka said she wants the upper chamber to explore ways to keep our schools distraction-free  and more precisely cellphone free.

Associated Press reports are included in this story.
Pope Leo XIV appears on the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica after being chosen the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) AP

As Pope Leo XIV became the worldwide leader of more than 1 billion Catholics on Thursday, the Rev. Francis McCarty was at his post at Saint Anselm College, and he was listening closely.

When the former Robert Cardinal Prevost, of Chicago, said he planned to work with his flock, not rule above them, McCarty heard the message he had been hoping to hear.

Im looking for someone who does exactly what he said, someone who wants to walk with people and bring the Gospel to the world, McCarty, the campus ministry director at the Benedictine liberal arts college in Goffstown, New Hampshire, told MassLive.

McCarty acknowledged that there are challenges facing the church, notably its tangled finances and the ongoing fallout from its worldwide sexual abuse scandal.

But to have a Pope focused on bringing the Gospel to the world? Everything else will take care of itself, he said.

Heres what we know so far about Prevost, 69, who was chosen in the secret, centuries-old conclave to replace Pope Francis, who died last month aged 88.

The new pope comes from the Augustinian order, which takes its name from Saint Augustine of Hippo.

They describe themselves as active contemplatives who serve in diverse ministries as pastors, educators, and missionaries, across the globe and in local communities, according to the orders website.

Leo XIV, a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru, brings wide-ranging experience in North America, Latin America, Europe and worldwide experience as an Augustinian, Mathew Schmalz, a religious studies professor at Holy Cross College in Worcester, told MassLive.

He will bring cosmopolitanism and personal sensitivity. A historic choice, Schmalz said, noting that he found it interesting that the new pope chose full papal regalia for his first appearance  unlike Pope Francis.

Leos election breaks a long-standing, de facto prohibition against popes from the United States, given the geopolitical power the nation already wields in the secular sphere.

The fact that Prevost could speak to both the Global North and the Global South was an important factor that contributed to his selection. He meets the pastoral needs of the papacy. But also the geopolitical needs, Schmalz, who called the election surprising and historic, said in an email.

McCarty offered a similar sentiment, observing that Prevost was viewed as a dark horse candidate, but was nonetheless well-known to his fellow cardinals because he was a close adviser to Pope Francis.

He overcame that, McCarty said, referring to the resistance to an American pontiff. The cardinals knew who he was, his qualities, and chose him based on that.

Susan Shapiro, the director of Religious Studies at UMass Amherst, praised Pope Francis embrace of religious pluralism, noting that he was popular among Jewish and Muslim believers alike.

Shapiro said its likely, but not guaranteed, that Leo XIV would share Franciss embrace of pluralism. But she added she was still familiarizing herself with his theology.

I sense that kind of calling from the new pope, she said.

Schmalz added that Prevosts selection of Pope Leo XIV as his papal name was especially significant, given Pope Leo XIIIs legacy of social vision and reform.

Pope Leo XIII, who served from 18781903, was known for bringing more conciliatory positions toward civil governments, by less opposition to scientific progress, and by an awareness of the pastoral and social needs of the times," according to Brittanica.

That means, Schmalz said, Leo XIV will move in a direction in continuity with Francis--a synodal Church with a devotion to Mary.

I think ... his praise of Francis is significant. I do not expect him to move quickly, but he will bring a geopolitical awareness to deal with the Trump administration, Schmalz said.

McCarty agreed.

I think we will see a continuation of Pope Franciss approach to things. He was using all the language that we were used to hearing from Pope Francis: That the love of God and the church is for everyone, he said.

The church has to be focused on those who are suffering, it needs to be a synodal church, and also a great emphasis on peace, he continued. He quoted Augustine, For you I am a bishop, with you I am a Christian, signaling he wants to work with people and not rule over them.

Associated Press reports are included in this story.
SPRINGFIELD  Federal officials are reexamining the four-year consent decree directing reforms at the Springfield Police Department after an executive order by President Donald J. Trump signaled the mandates are no longer a priority.

Five years ago, the U.S. Department of Justice released a scathing review of the departments narcotics unit, which concluded officers routinely and unnecessarily roughed up suspects.

The investigation into the Springfield Police Departments use of force was the only federal investigation of its kind during Trumps first term in office. When Joe Biden took office, Springfield was one of the first communities to enter into a consent decree over its policing practices.
State Sen. Lydia Edwards speaks about the new eviction record-sealing law outside Eastern Housing Court in downtown Boston on May 5. (ALISON KUZNITZ / STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE) State House News Service

Eviction records used to follow people for life. A new law that went into effect Monday allows some renters to seal those records, eliminating future barriers to housing.

Housing advocates in Hampden County, home to some of the highest eviction rates in the state, welcome the new law.
Ashok Subron soulignant l'importance de ces mecanismes pour reduire la pauvrete et les disparites de revenus

Le ministre de lIntegration sociale, de la Securite sociale et de la Solidarite nationale, Ashok Kumar Subron, et le ministre adjoint Kuvalayan Kugan Parapen, ont preside pendant la matinee du 7 mai 2025 une reunion de consultation avec des representants dOrganisations Non Gouvernementales (ONG) a lauditorium Paul Octave Wiehe a Reduit. Lobjectif etant de favoriser le dialogue sur des questions cruciales telles que la reduction de la pauvrete, linclusion sociale et lautonomisation economique.

Dans son discours douverture, Ashok Subron a souligne le role essentiel que jouent les ONG dans lidentification des defis locaux, la prestation de services de premiere ligne et la promotion de linnovation communautaire en matiere de developpement social. Il a reitere lengagement du gouvernement a renforcer la collaboration avec la societe civile pour garantir que les politiques sociales soient non seulement globales, mais aussi equitables et ancrees localement.

Abordant des preoccupations politiques cles, le ministre de lIntegration sociale a evoque le phenomene de la gentrification circulaire, citant la migration des jeunes vers dautres pays en quete de meilleures perspectives, le fleau de la drogue, le banditisme, larrivee dexpatries fortunes et la presence de travailleurs etrangers qui peuvent impacter significativement la configuration sociale dun pays en modifiant la demographie. Il a plaide pour un modele de developpement qui sauvegarde le tissu social de la communaute et previent les pratiques dexclusion.

Sur le sujet des transferts sociaux, le ministre a souligne limportance de ces mecanismes pour reduire la pauvrete et les disparites de revenus, tout en preconisant des approches plus intelligentes et mieux ciblees qui privilegient lautonomisation a long terme plutot que la dependance. Sans ces transferts sociaux, a-t-il declare, il est probable que le niveau de pauvrete a Maurice aurait atteint 36,4 %, ce qui aurait entraine un bouleversement social.

Concernant la politique fiscale, Ashok Subron a indique quelle est tres basse a Maurice, soit un impot sur les societes de 15 % contre une moyenne mondiale de 23,6 %. Il a cite lindustrie manufacturiere qui ne paie que 3 % dimpot, le secteur financier moins de 3 % et 2 % au titre de la Responsabilite Sociale des Entreprises.

Bien que le systeme de contribution a Maurice soit inferieur a la moyenne mondiale, le pays dispose toujours dun systeme de transferts sociaux tres avance, comprenant les pensions de vieillesse, les allocations dinvalidite, lassistance sociale, les services de logement social, les allocations liees a leducation et les services de sante, a-t-il precise.

De plus, le ministre Subron a exhorte les ONG a aider a identifier les priorites communautaires urgentes, citant la recrudescence des problemes lies a la drogue et de la criminalite comme lun des defis les plus pressants auxquels le pays est confronte.

La consultation a reuni quelque 500 representants dONG de tout le pays enregistrees aupres de la National Social Inclusion Foundation et du Conservateur des Associations. Les participants ont apporte des perspectives precieuses sur des questions allant du logement a la sante, en passant par lenvironnement, lautonomisation des jeunes, linclusion des personnes handicapees et la resilience communautaire.
A brand-new cultural exchange between a north Mayo town and its sister city in the USA is set to bring the two communities even closer - through the power of the arts.

This ambitious initiative between Ballina and Scranton, Pennsylvania marks the first time the two towns, officially twinned in the early 1990s, will collaborate in such a creative and meaningful way, using theatre and music to celebrate their deep-rooted connection.

The historical ties between Ballina and Scranton stretch back long before their official twinning, with many Irish families - particularly from Ballina - settling in Scranton after the Great Famine. Former US President Joe Biden's great-great-great grandfather, Edward Blewitt was one of many people who left Ballina to settle in Scranton in the 19th century.

READ: Disappointment as Mayo man misses out on British and Irish Lions squad

Since becoming sister cities, the bond between Ballina and Scranton has remained strong, nourished by regular exchanges, visits, and a shared sense of heritage.

Now, this partnership is taking an exciting leap forward. In October 2025, the Scranton Fringe Festival will bring Ulysses of Scranton to the Ballina Arts Centre - a bold and humorous reimagining of James Joyces Ulysses set in modern-day Northeast Pennsylvania. The production will offer a unique cross-cultural experience, blending Irish literary tradition with contemporary American storytelling.

Cllr John OHara, Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, launched the initiative at the Ballina Arts Centre, saying: Today marks an important milestone in the friendship between Ballina and Scranton. Through the arts, we are strengthening bonds that have lasted for generations - and celebrating the rich heritage we proudly share.

This exciting collaboration is just the beginning. In return, a musical group from County Mayo will travel to Scranton in March 2026, bringing the rich musical heritage of the west of Ireland to audiences in Pennsylvania. This exchange will highlight how theatre and music can keep cultural heritage alive while fostering new and dynamic artistic collaborations.

Much of the groundwork for the initiative was led by the Ballina Arts Centre team. Paul Cunningham, Director of Ballina Arts Centre, reflected on the significance of the exchange.

We are proud to have been at the forefront of organising this initiative. Its a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the spirit of collaboration between Ballina and Scranton, and to open new doors for future creative exchanges, he said.

Conor Kelly OBrien, co-founder and Executive Director of the Scranton Fringe Festival, shared his enthusiasm for the partnership.

We are thrilled to embark on this international cultural exchange with our friends at the Ballina Arts Centre. The arts continue to be a powerful way to build connections, share stories, and create joy.

Mairead Melody Carr, Manager of Mayo North Tourism, highlighted the broader significance of the initiative.

The cultural ties between Ballina and Scranton are invaluable, and this exchange provides a unique opportunity to not only celebrate our shared heritage but also to attract new visitors, showcasing Ballinas vibrant arts scene to a global audience.

Local leaders also expressed their support for the new collaboration. Cllr Michael Loftus and Cllr Annie May Reape, who have long championed the Ballina-Scranton connection, attended the launch and welcomed the initiative. They both highlighted the strength of the long-standing friendship between the two communities.

Minister Dara Calleary, who could not attend the launch, sent his best wishes to all involved and expressed his support for this important cultural initiative.

The organisers hope this project will lay the foundation for even more artistic and cultural exchanges between Ballina and Scranton. As both communities continue to evolve, initiatives like this will ensure their shared heritage remains vibrant, dynamic, and meaningful for generations to come.
Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation is delighted to announce that Hospice Sunflower Days will be returning for its 35th year next month. With the on-street collection taking place on Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7, Hospice Sunflower Days ambassadors Miriam OCallaghan and Jenny McCarthy were on hand to officially launch this years campaign alongside Laragh Mc Guinness (7) from Kiltimagh.

As well as the on-street collection, the public can also support Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation by donating online throughout the month of June at www.sunflowerdays.ie. Every euro raised locally, stays locally as the donation will go directly to The Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation.

The funds raised play a vital role in supporting the delivery of specialist palliative care in communities across Ireland. Hospice and specialist palliative homecare services provide free of charge care and support to those living with a life-limiting illness, whilst also helping and supporting the patients family members. The funds raised will be used to fund Palliative care services in the community and in Mayo and Roscommon hospices.

READ MORE: Mayo councillor says Ballyhaunis centre will be 'decimated' by Council's regeneration policy

Speaking at the launch of the 2025 Hospice Sunflower Days campaign, Martina Jennings, CEO of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation said: We are thrilled to launch the 35th Hospice Sunflower Days campaign. We rely so much on the publics support which allow us to continue to provide our vital services. We are calling on everyone from Mayo, Roscommon and beyond to donate what they can, either on-street or on-line this June, as every euro raised locally, stays locally and really does make a big difference at a local level.

Hospice Sunflower Days Ambassador, Miriam OCallaghan commented: The Hospice Sunflower Days campaign is one I am absolutely delighted to support as I have seen first-hand the fantastic work and care that hospices and homecare services provide to patients and families all across the country. With hospices needing to raise approximately 20 million each year to continue to provide their specialist care, it is so important for the public to show their support by donating on-street or on-line during this years campaign

READ MORE: Disappointment as Mayo man misses out on British and Irish Lions squad
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When Sgt. Dennis Rossbach first heard that officers were going on strike at Auburn Correctional Facility in February, he had no interest in being part of it.

"But my guys went out," he told The Citizen, "and I didn't want to abandon my guys."

That decision eventually led to the termination of Rossbach, alongside more than 2,000 other correction officers  about 130 of which worked at Auburn and Cayuga Correctional Facility in Moravia.

More than 15,000 officers across New York state participated in the strike, citing understaffing, increased violence against officers and incarcerated individuals, and mandatory overtime. They also set their sights on the 2021 Humane Alternatives to Long-term Solitary Confinement Act, or HALT, which limits the use of solitary confinement.

The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision fired the officers because the strike was prohibited by the Taylor Law on collective bargaining for state employees. The strike was even condemned by the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, which warned striking union members they could face lost pay and termination.

Nearly two months later, the prisons are still on the minds of four fired local correction officers, two from Auburn and two from Cayuga, who spoke recently with The Citizen.

Along with looking for new employment, they're reflecting on the strike  and the conditions that caused it.

You think there are rules to protect you

According to prison staff lists obtained by The Citizen, 49 officers at Auburn Correctional Facility were terminated between March 1 and March 13. Another 26 opted to resign over that same period.

DOCCS told The Citizen it would not confirm those numbers due to security concerns.

Craig Morgan, a correction officer for 21 years, was one of those fired from Auburn.

Morgan told The Citizen he was not in the prison when the strikes began because he was collecting workers' compensation for sciatica he developed from an incident involving an incarcerated individual.

The strike blew my mind," he said. "I couldn't believe they actually did it."

Morgan said he attended a rally with a group of striking officers outside Auburn Correctional in late February. That would lead to his termination, he said, as officers who did not report to work even if they were on paid leave or had regular days off would be terminated, according to February emails between DOCCS and prison superintendents that were obtained by The Citizen.

I was due to go back to work and the state ordered me to see a state doctor, Morgan said. Then they cancelled the appointment and fired me because I was seen (at the rally).

The state considered striking officers absent without leave, costing them pay and their health insurance. The department has said that it warned officers like Morgan of those consequences.

However, he believes his firing was unfair because he was on workers' compensation. Now, he alleges, the state is preventing him from collecting unemployment benefits.

The state Department of Labor told The Citizen it cannot disclose information about any individual's unemployment claims due to confidentiality laws. It also said unemployment insurance "is only available to individuals who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own," and encouraged those who believe they are being wrongfully denied it to file an appeal.

Rossbach told The Citizen hes heard that a lot of the fired officers were out on workers' compensation.

You think there are rules to protect you, he said. But when the government wants them gone, they're gone.

During the strike, Rossbach took to social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook with videos sharing his grievances against the corrections department, one of which garnered over 1.2 million views.

I tried telling everyone to get their stories out, he said. I saw you crying  let them see you crying.

Since his firing, Rossbach has used social media to keep up with other officers who faced the same consequence.

While he was on the picket line and chose not to go back to work before Gov. Kathy Hochuls March 10 deadline, Rossbach said he understands why others opted to go back to work or not to strike at all.

Some people didn't want to be on strike and did what they had to and stayed in for their families, he said.

A lot of people were just waiting for the union to come to the table. Most of the people went back in because they felt like the union abandoned us.

I think my lieutenant was surprised too

Another 77 officers were fired at Cayuga Correctional Facility in Moravia, according to a list obtained by The Citizen.

One of them was former Sgt. Kenny Meddaugh. Like Morgan, he was out on workers' compensation during the strike.

However, Meddaugh never participated in the strike, he told The Citizen. He also said he was never given a warning from DOCCS to return to work.

My lieutenant told me I was all good until April 2, he said. I got the termination letter from the state three days later. I think my lieutenant was surprised too.

Believing he was fired illegally, Meddaugh has filed a grievance with the state, he said.

DOCCS declined comment to The Citizen on his case specifically, but said it is reviewing employee concerns about health care and leave circumstances on a case-to-case basis.

Whoever made it has no idea how prison works

Meddaugh, Rossbach and Morgan each have different experiences of the strike itself, but one of the motives they all mentioned was pushing back on HALT.

Brad Brown, who like Meddaugh was fired from Cayuga after the strike, said the law makes it harder to keep incarcerated individuals safe by limiting the amount of time that violent ones can be isolated.

The majority of inmates want to be safe. They want the monsters within the facility to be separated from them, Brown told The Citizen.

We don't want them to be raped, we don't want them to be assaulted. They dont want that either," he said. The inmates and us are on the same side in most ways. We're a lot closer than people think.

Meddaugh estimated that 85% of inmates "will never cause any issues."

Rossbach echoed those thoughts, but added that there are some incarcerated individuals HALT helps.

The HALT Act wanted to empower inmates, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, he said. But it doesn't recognize the fact that there are a significant percentage that are predators. Those predators take advantage of that kind of liberal ideology. It has a big heart, but whoever made it has no idea how prison works.

Morgan disagreed, however, saying the increased public attention on HALT, and specifically its opponents, made the striking officers look bad.

Never in a million years did I expect that we would become the bad guys and they would be the good guys, he said.

DOCCS temporarily suspended some aspects of HALT as part of the agreement to end the strike. The act, created to lessen the negative psychological, social and physical impacts that prolonged solitary confinement has been shown to have on incarcerated individuals, was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2021 and took effect the following year.

"It was like I had two different careers," Morgan said. "Before HALT, and after HALT."

It tells everybody you better get out'

Another motive for the strike was increasing violence in New York state prisons.

The rate of prison assaults rose to their highest ever in 2024, and have almost doubled since 2015.

Morgan believes those increases can be traced back to HALT. After it took effect, he said, officers could only respond to violent incidents with tickets.

Before HALT, wed have a conversation with the inmate, then we frisk him, cuff him and that would take care of it, Morgan said. Now we cant do any of that.

Rossbach believes another contributing factor to that violence is a demoralized workforce that feels abandoned.

We knew it was unsafe when we took our jobs, he said. But now our employers don't have our backs and the Legislature left us alone too.

Meddaugh said HALT took away serious repercussions for incidents like the one that injured him.

I remember years ago, a guy hit someone over the head with a chair and got two years box time, he said. Now hed only get 15 days, and if hes under 22 or over 55 he can't get special housing time at all.

Along with that violence, exposure to drugs has been another increasing risk, Meddaugh said. He believes it comes into facilities like Cayuga Correctional through the mail.

"The conditions just keep getting worse. Its snowballing, he said. It tells everybody you better get out.

I wouldn't go back even if they wanted me

Following the strike, Hochul signed an executive order preventing fired officers from getting state and local government jobs. That order has since expired, but the officers who spoke to The Citizen said they still haven't decided what theyll do next. Rossbach said he is trying to find another state job, but is taking time away to care for an aging family member.

I have seven years 'til retirement, he said. I just want to grind out my last six years and be done.

The timeline is a bit different for Meddaugh, who said he had three weeks until retirement when DOCCS terminated him.

I got no money coming in, he said. Basically, I'm waiting for our union lawyers to go through our grievance process.

Morgan said it hasn't been easy being out of work, but he has been able to get by with injury settlements and veteran benefits.

In the last six months, I lost my wife, my job and my mother died. But I'm finding happiness being away from there, he said. I wouldn't go back even if they wanted me.

Series: Coverage of the NY correction officer strike The Citizen's coverage of the New York correction officer strike that occurred from Feb. 17 to March 10.
by Fern Siegel , May 8, 2025

Fuse Create has upped Jacquie Kostuk to group strategy director. She joined the agency in 2021 as director, creative strategy.

Kostuk will be working on various accounts, including Soles4Soles, based in Nashville, Grenade, a U.K. protein bar company, Gay Lea Foods and Maestro Dobel, a premium tequila.

Before joining the Toronto-based agency, she spent seven years at Grip as a creative strategist. While there, she worked on Yum! Brands (Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut), Acura and RBC. (Grip is now Dentsu One.)

At Fuse Create, Kostuk has been key in building out the agency's social strategy and influencer marketing for various clients. Jacquies promotion reflects not only the impact shes making across the agency, but also where were heading, said Jon Crowley, senior vice president-head of strategy.

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In her new role, Kostuk sees particular challenges for brands, including using AI as a tool, rather than an answer.

Her approach to advertising? The definition of an ad has become ambiguous. Bringing a campaign to life should look different on TV, Twitch and TikTok. I am particularly passionate about unlocking that thinking to scale across owned, earned and paid media. It can be a stunt with a heavy earned media push or a vocal TikTok mascot. Either way, we need to help clients navigate solutions that meet their consumers where they are  or risk getting lost in the noise, she told Agency Daily.

Brands have become obsessed with recreating the visual meme of the day, but so have their competitors, she adds. It's better to focus on on moments, memes or specific trends that align with your brands values and identity. It doesnt need to be everything to everyone!
by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, May 7, 2025

Taking aim at social media companies, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey this week formally proposed regulating platforms' content moderation practices.

Specifically, Bailey put forward a potential rule that would require large tech platforms to allow Missouri residents to, in his office's words, choose their own content moderators rather than being forced to rely on the biased algorithms of monopolistic tech giants.

Big Tech oligarchs have manipulated the content Missourians see online and silenced voices they dont like, Bailey stated this week when he unveiled the proposed regulation.

Im using every tool to ensure Missourians -- not Silicon Valley -- control what they see on social media, he added.

His proposal would require tech companies to offer Missouri users a choice screen that would allow them to choose among competing content moderators, if any competing content moderators have sought access to the platform.

Bailey added that he plans to hold public forums in the near future, in order to gather evidence about what he calls deceptive practices by social media companies.

His proposal comes a few months after Federal Trade Commission chair Andrew Ferguson launched a separate investigation of tech platforms' editorial policies.

Like Bailey, Ferguson groused about social media companies' policies, writing on X (formerly Twitter) that an FTC investigation would mark an important step forward in restoring free speech and making sure Americans no longer suffer under the tyranny of Big Tech -- PERMANENTLY.

Despite the officials' statements, there's good reason to doubt that the FTC, Missouri or any other state or federal governmental body could pass content-moderation rules that would stand up in court. As recently as last year, the Supreme Court affirmed that social media platforms, like other publishers, have First Amendment rights to determine their own editorial policies.

The First Amendment does not go on leave when social media are involved, Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a ruling handed down last July.

This Court has many times held, in many contexts, that it is no job for government to decide what counts as the right balance of private expression -- to 'un-bias' what it thinks biased, rather than to leave such judgments to speakers and their audiences, she added. That principle works for social-media platforms as it does for others.
by Danielle Oster , May 7, 2025

Pepsi is attempting to upstage rival Coca-Cola on its big day -- in its hometown, no less.

PepsiCo is bringing The Pepsi Challenge to Atlanta for National Have a Coke Day on May 8.

The challenge is between Pepsi Zero Sugar and Coke Zero Sugar, in an attempt to prove that Pepsis version is superior. According to PepsiCo, participants in a previous nationally conducted taste test preferred the former across all markets. PepsiCo also reported a 25% increase in purchases of Pepsi Zero Sugar compared to the year prior.

The Pepsi Challenge is coming to Atlanta locations ncluding Chastain Art Fest, Colony Square, and Park Tavern from May 8-11.

The challenge will present participants with two unmarked cups containing Pepsi Zero Sugar and Coke Zero Sugar. Participants will then sample the contents of both cups, reflect, and decide which of the two they prefer. Their selection will then trigger unique celebratory moments for those with great taste, according to a release announcing the event.

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All participants will receive a free 20-ounce bottle of Pepsi Zero Sugar. On May 8 and 9, a Pepsi vehicle will also make stops around the city to hand out samples.

The brand is also inviting cola drinkers to take the challenge virtually at home via a TikTok activation. Beginning May 8, the brand offers a free Pepsi Challenge at-home kit to customers who purchase two 10-packs of Pepsi Zero Sugar Mini Cans via its TikTok page.

The activations are part of a broader Pepsi Challenge Taste Tour campaign reviving The Pepsi Challenge for its 50th anniversary, which kicked off during Super Bowl LIX Weekend in New Orleans. Pepsi claims the initiative will ultimately reach more than one million consumers.

There may be strategic reasons for reviving the challenge, beyond celebrating the anniversary of the original campaign.

In an earlier story, Rick Miller, partner at data/research consultancy Big Chalk, told Marketing Daily to expect brand on brand battles within the soft drink category in 2025, adding, Because were not seeing huge growth in the category this year, the fight isn't to capture more of a growing pie. The fight now is to capture volume from other brands in the category."

The shift in focus for The Pepsi Challenge to the zero sugar variety is also a strategic one. In a recent earnings call with investors, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta claimed Pepsi is starting to gain share of carbonated soft drinks, adding Its been the focus on Zero Sugarand all the activation of the brand in that space that is giving us very good results.

Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey similarly singled out volume growth for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar as one of its bright spots for the first quarter of 2025 during the companys earnings call for the first quarter of 2025.
by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, May 7, 2025

Tariffs have many industries on edge, but few feel the pressure like toy makers, with about 80% of toys sold in the U.S. made in China.

In an earnings call this week, Mattel reaffirmed plans to raise prices to offset the impact of new tariffs, just in time for the holiday season. President Donald Trump spotlighted the issue in a Cabinet meeting, brushing off concerns. Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, he said. And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally.

The quote sparked backlash and parody, including a Two Dolls Donnie segment on "Saturday Night Live"s "Weekend Update."

Trump doubled down in a later NBC interview: I dont think a beautiful baby girl thats 11 years old needs to have 30 dolls.

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With prices poised to rise and parents already squeezed, Marketing Daily asked Brian Benway, Mintel's senior tech and gaming analyst, how consumers are likely to react.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Marketing Daily: Tariffs arent expected to kick in until the third quarter, but with the holidays looming, what kind of consumer reaction do you anticipate?

Brian Benway: There's going to be a lot of outrage, to speak kind of plainly. Our research shows that with toys and board games, consumers are very rigid on price. It's the most important factor, and theyre doing plenty of comparison shopping to make sure that they're getting the best value. If prices go up, purchases will go down.

Marketing Daily: People shop with two things in mind: the kids wish list and a firm budget. How might they adapt?

Benway: People wont be skipping Christmas, and they are going to do what they can. I don't think folks will likely buy fewer, more expensive toys. Price will continue to be the most important factor, even above quality.

Our research has shown that 62% say they start with comparison pricing, often on secondary marketplaces, like eBay. This year, theyll likely find other avenues. Thrifting might become more popular.

And while Amazon, Walmart and Target are top sources for toys, we might see some shifting to discount stores and other less common retailers, like grocery stores. Theyll be looking for generic alternatives to "Star Wars" action figures and Barbie.

Marketing Daily: Some of these tariffs could double toy prices. How aware do you think consumers will be? Amazon got into hot water with Trump recently, after reports that it would break out tariff impact in ways consumers could easily see, just as they see a line for shipping, handling and tax.

Benway: That was interesting. It seems like the White House wants to stop retailers from pointing out how much price increases are directly related to Trump's tariffs.

Marketing Daily:Do consumers know how fast the tariff impact is moving?

Benway: Weve already seen reports that the ports on the West Coast are empty. Once those U.S. warehouses have used up their stock, there will not be any more stock coming in to replace it. Ships arent coming in with replacements. It's just a mess.

Marketing Daily: Any idea why Trump keeps fixating on dolls when talking about tariffs?

Benway: I think President Trump is focusing on dolls, and a lot of his specific statements on the tariff impact, to make it sound like the impact from tariffs will be frivolous. That's to mitigate the impact of what this could be, as if families aren't going to be hit harder elsewhere in the economy.

Anyone buying their child 30 dolls at Christmas has enough disposable income. Its the 99% of parents  where suddenly a $20 doll will cost $40  thats where we'll see the main impact.

Marketing Daily: What about the Buy American pitch? Can U.S.-made toys fill the gap?

Benway: Unlikely. Even if people wanted to bring manufacturing to the U.S., they would have to buy the machines from China.

Marketing Daily:Whats your outlook for toy sales in 2025? Prices will rise, of course, but what about unit sales?

Benway: Unit sales will probably go down. The big manufacturers, like Hasbro and Mattel, will mostly be fine. Mattel looks confident that it can adjust the supply chain to circumvent hefty Chinese tariffs. I'm sure Hasbro is doing the same thing.

The impact on the industry will be seen in the little guys, the startups, the specialty shops, and those few actual U.S. businesses trying to make toys.
by Tanya Gazdik , May 7, 2025

A variety of brands are planning efforts around Mental Health Awareness Month, which has been observed during May in the United States since 1949.

Each year a different theme is chosen for the month by Mental Health America, an advocacy group. Turn Awareness into Action was chosen for 2025 with the goal of celebrating progress made in recognizing the importance of mental health.

Wellness Pet Co. has teamed up with Strava to launch the Wellness Pet Minutes that Matter Challenge. It encourages people to log 250 minutes of activity with their dogs in May via the new Wellness Pet Run Club. The digital community encourages fitness-minded pet parents to share routes, swap stories and access exclusive content, training tips and product giveaways.

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The campaign reflects Wellness Pet Companys broader focus on mutual well-being and the bond between pets and people, according to the company.

Saks Fifth Avenue is partnering with content creator Emily DiDonato on content highlighting her personal tips on prioritizing mental health. The retailer will donate 10% of the purchase price from sales on Saks.com through May 11to support the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation's mental health initiatives, with a maximum donation of $50,000.

The foundation is renewing its local grant program for the fourth consecutive year. Through this initiative, $250,000 is distributed to community-based organizations across the country, helping to provide direct access to mental health care in local communities.

Madhappy, a Los Angeles-based clothing brand, will host "Madhappy and Friends," a one-night-only benefit event at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier on May 8. Powered by Shopify, the immersive evening will raise funds for The JED Foundation, a nonprofit focused on youth mental health and suicide prevention.

Calm is partnering with Midi Health, a virtual care clinic focused on women navigating perimenopause and menopause. As Mental Health Awareness Month puts a spotlight on under-addressed care gaps, this partnership tackles a critical one: womens mental health during midlife, according to the companies. One in three women report significant mental health challenges during midlifebut fewer than half seek treatment.

The partnership includes curated content on the Calm app to support women in this life stage, plus 50% off Calm Premium for new Midi patients.

The Finch self-care app (which uses a virtual pet to motivate users to engage in daily self-care activities) is launching a campaign to encourage mental health awareness. Creative appears in two of New Yorks most overstimulating, high-traffic spots  outside the Lincoln Tunnel and in the heart of Times Square. It expands to That's Self Care, a national marketing campaign designed to normalize daily self-care no matter how chaotic life gets. The campaign is running across channels including OOH, social and digital,
by Ray Schultz , May 7, 2025

Postmedia Network Inc. has formed a collaborative relationship with the Investigative Journalism Bureau (IJB) to support investigative reporting in Canada.

As part of this, IJB-produced stories will be featured across Postmedias network of publications. And a rotating seat at the IJB will be created to provide Postmedia journalists with hands-on training in investigative reporting.

Based at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, the IJB produces high-impact public-interest journalism. It is led by investigative journalist Robert Cribb.

Postmedia is a Canadian news media company that operates more than 130 brands across print, online and mobile platforms

Our collaboration with the IJB aligns closely with our values as a trusted, independent media organization committed to fostering informed communities and a robust national dialogue, says Andrew MacLeod, president and CEO of Postmedia. This relationship enables us to support outstanding investigative journalism, empower the next generation of reporters, and strengthen the integrity of Canada's media landscape.

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Gerry Gotfrit, co-chairman of the IJB, adds that Postmedias support enhances our ability to tackle complex, meaningful issues, produce journalism that matters, and provide invaluable learning opportunities for journalism students and early-career professionals.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, May 8, 2025

Google has expanded the ways it uses artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent scams in Search, Chrome, and Android, and on Thursday began sharing ways it has implemented the technology to keep users safer.

Classifiers using machine-learning algorithms now identify patterns, anomalies, and linguistic cues indicative of fraudulent activity.

As tactics change, advancements in AI and large-language models (LLMs) now analyze vast quantities of text to identify subtle linguistic patterns and thematic connections that might indicate coordinated scam campaigns or emerging fraudulent narratives.

Through this method, Google has identified interconnected networks of deceptive websites that might appear legitimate in isolation, but are dangerous when connected.

LLMs also helped Google scale protections across languages. Whether identifying a scam in English, Hindi, German, Spanish, or another language, LLMs have allowed Google to train its systems to catch those scams in multiple other languages as well thus limiting user exposure to scams globally.

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AI in search can detect and block hundreds of millions of results based on scams that can impact a brand's reputation through lookalike web listings and sites.

Googles Fighting Scams in Search report shows how investments have enabled it to identify 20 times the number of scam-type pages.

For more than a decade Google has used advancements in AI to protect you from online scams where malicious actors deceive users to gain access to money, personal information, or both, Jasika Bawa, group product manager and senior director of engineering at Google, wrote in a blog post.

AI enables Google to analyze larger quantities of Web text to identify coordinated scam campaigns and emerging threats. The technology ensures that results are legitimate, as well as protect users from harmful sites trying to steal sensitive data.

For example, Google noticed a significant increase in bad actors on the web impersonating airline customer service providers and scamming people in need of help. Using AI, the company reduced these types of scams related to phone numbers by more than 80% in Search.

There had been a rise in misleading pages that mimic official resources such as those with information on visas or other government services. In 2024, Google implemented new protections that decreased scams that impersonate official sites by more than 70%.

Gemini Nano, an on-device large language model (LLM) for desktop, also provides Enhanced Protection for users with another layer to defend against online scams. It identifies insights into risky websites and enables Google to offer protection, even against scams that have not previously been identified.

The same approach is being used to protect users from remote tech support scams, but the goal is to expand this protection to Android devices and more types of scams in the future.

Google has implemented AI to stop malicious sites that are attempting to defraud people through notifications with an AI-powered warnings for Chrome on Android. When Chromes on-device machine-learning model flags a notification, the user receives a warning with an option to unsubscribe or view the content that was blocked. If the warning serves up incorrectly, the user can choose to allow future notifications from that website.

Android phones now notify the user when messages or phone calls are a likely scam, through an on-device AI-powered Scam Detection in Google Messages and Phone by Google to protect Android users from these types of sophisticated scams.

Google also offered tips to look for in lookalike domains in search results. Bad actors often use similar domains that trick users. For example, instead of the domain @thisisgoodlink.com a bad actor may use the similar domain name @thisisagoodlink.support.

Another way to gain more information about an online source is by using About this result -- the three dots next to a search result that enables users to learn more about sources like an online store before clicking into its page.

Users should beware of strange formatting, unusual fonts, or unexpected symbols or emojis, which could indicate a spoof site.
Many Indian actors and celebrities lauded the Indian Armys valour after they successfully carried out precision missile strikes over Pakistan, destroying nine terrorist locations. Malayalam superstar Mammootty also issued a public statement on his social media, lauding the courage of our armed forces.

 Instagram/Mammootty Mammootty wrote on X, Salute to our Real heroes! #OperationSindoor proved again , When the nation calls, The #IndianArmy answers. Thank you for saving lives and restoring hope. You Make The Nation Proud. Jai Hind

Contradictory to her senior, Malayalam actress Amina Nijam condemned Indias missile attack over Pakistan and called it a shameful act. She wrote on her Instagram story, Yes, I'm ashamed our country sought out killing as the solution when so many questions are still unanswered and the economic situation of the country is at its worst. Remember war doesn't bring peace nor does killing. I don't support it. People who think they have sought revenge for the Pahalgam attack have been manipulated. Its a war we are getting into and the loss is only for the civilians. I'm an Indian who thinks for the welfare of its people, not the one that speaks only when the ego is hurt.

 Instagram/Amina Nijam The reactions The screenshot of her Instagram story is going viral on social media and people are brutally bashing her for demoralising the army. Some social media users also suggested that she should leave India and settle in Pakistan. One user commented, Send her to Pakistan for a week. If she returns, then ask her whether she still feels the same way.

Another user commented, We have surpassed Japan& now 4th in the world & she says economy at worst. Who are these dumb people..

One user reacted, This low life is incapable of seeing a difference in attacking civilians and terrorist hubs. Take a note, she will not condemn the civilians Pakistan killed in Poonch yesterday but is blabbering about peace. These spineless people are a disgrace to this country.

Another user reacted, National integrity isnt your stage propits our soul. True patriots see through this selfish, narrow-minded agenda. Bharat stands tall, with or without you.
This week was a week of Met Gala and promotional looks. From SRK breaking the internet to Diljit Dosanjh winning our hearts and even Ishaan Khatters very strong commitment to his role in The Royals, we saw it all. This weeks most stylish men dressed to impress and heres who made it to the list. Shah Rukh Khan

 Instagram/Sabyasachi Official The internet was shaking all day on Tuesday because the King of Bollywood made his debut at the Met Gala. Dressed head-to-toe in Sabyasachi (yes, including all the statement jewellery), Shah Rukh Khan was the picture of hip hop chic and yet inherently shy in his interviews. Ishaan Khatter

 Instagram/Ishaan Khatter With The Royals releasing tomorrow, promotions are in full-swing and Ishaan Khatter in a Christian Dior look wearing a vintage Cartier watch was all we really needed to make sure we binge the show tomorrow. Diljit Dosanjh

 Instagram/Diljit Dosanjh Diljit not only won our hearts, but also most definitely won the Met Gala. From his iconic royal outfit on the global stage to his hilarious behind-the-scenes commentary on the entire affair, he proved once again that staying true to your roots is the most stylish you can be. Varun Dhawan

 Instagram/Varun Dhawan A man on vacation (with his wife), is a man who glows. Varun Dhawan enjoying his summer in a fitted grey tee, off-white cargos and a neutral pair of converse shoes is the level of chill I aspire to be this season. Rohit Saraf

 Instagram/Rohit Saraf Rohit Saraf in Sandro Paris and Bally was a look I didnt know I needed. When I say smart casuals, this is what I mean. Men, you could wear this to work and for after-work drinks and it would serve. Talk about versatility! Sahil Salathia

 Instagram/Sahil Salathia Ive given up on being a judge of Sahil Salathias outfits. Now, I just admire them. The sheer neon green top with that radical heart, the baggy cargo joggers, the leather jacket and the sunglasses are all such a statement. Individually, theyre such cool pieces. But never in a million years would I have thought theyd look so good paired together. KL Rahul
The research suggests a growing but often unseen mental health crisis

As the UK prepares to mark Mental Health Awareness Week on 12 May, a stark warning has been issued to employers in construction, engineering and other high-risk sectors to treat mental health with the same urgency as physical safety.

Hydraulic hose specialist Pirtek is leading the call for action following new findings from its Under the Hard Hat campaign.

A survey of 343 workers across engineering, manufacturing, construction, marine and waste industries revealed that 94% have experienced mental health struggles such as stress, anxiety, depression or loneliness.

Worryingly, 14% admitted to having suicidal thoughts.

The research suggests a growing but often unseen mental health crisis in sectors traditionally focused on physical hazards.

Mental health-related absence in these industries is more than three times the national average, yet over 40% of workers say their employer either offers no support or theyre unaware if any exists.

Even among those who have spoken out, more than half reported feeling uncomfortable doing so.

Professionals in these industries face visible physical risks every day, but the mental health risks are far less visible and arguably more dangerous, said Martyn Smart, Group QHSE Manager at Pirtek UK & Ireland.

Our research shows that mental health must now be considered a core aspect of health and safety strategies.

Pirteks campaign is supported by charities including Andys Man Club, PIPS Suicide Prevention in Northern Ireland, and Pieta in the Republic of Ireland.

Lucas Whitehead, Head of Marketing and Partnerships at Andys Man Club, added: Mental health doesnt discriminate.

"The stigma surrounding it  particularly among male-dominated industries  must be broken. No one should suffer in silence.
Camp Lejeunes victims are turning into ghosts haunting the federal judges and attorneys struggling with a flood of claims and lawsuits over harm from contaminated drinking water at the Marine Corps base in North Carolina from the 1950s to the 1980s.

One of them is Dan Mason, a Marine from September 1975 to September 1979 who spent more than a year at Camp Lejeune when toxic chemicals in the coastal bases water supply were at a peak. Mason was diagnosed in 2012 with multiple health problems, including a mass in his kidney and a type of lymphoma, and died in 2023 after a heart attack at age 67.

His wife of 43 years, Jeanie Mason of Corvallis, Oregon, is determined not to let his death be forgotten.

Dan Mason sued the government after Congress passed a law in 2022 giving anyone who spent more than 30 days at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 the right to file a damage claim with the Navy and a lawsuit in federal court if the Navy did not respond in six months.

His widow is now continuing her late husbands case as a wrongful death suit  not for any monetary reasons but to hold the U.S. military accountable.

The code of the Marines is honor, courage and commitment, Jeanie Mason said in an interview online. Dan lived by that code, and he and his fellow Marines should expect nothing less than what the Marine Corps expected of them: Honor the lives of those who would give theirs for their fellow Marines and to protect us here at home, have the courage to admit that there was a mistake, and make the commitment to help the Marines and their families through this battle.

Since enactment of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in August 2022, giving victims of the contamination two years to seek compensation, more than 400,000 claims have been submitted to the Navy and 2,635 lawsuits have been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, according to the Bell Legal Group in Georgetown, S.C., the lead law firm for plaintiffs in the litigation.

The government is expecting more than $21 billion to be paid out eventually, but so far very few settlements have been reached and only about 400 offers have been made, attorneys for the plaintiffs say. The lawsuits are also moving at a snails pace, with the first trials in so-called bellwether cases for specific diseases not expected to begin until next year, the attorneys say.

While the cases are complicated, with lawyers for both sides arguing about evidence linking the contamination to later health problems, the long process is adding to the entire Camp Lejeune saga.

The fundamental sadness of this case is that while the court proceeds, there are real people here who are suffering and dying every single day, said Eric Flynn, a partner in the Bell Legal Group.

Another attorney handling multiple cases for Camp Lejeune victims, Andrew Van Arsdale of the AVA Law Group in San Diego, said hundreds and possibly thousands of people who were exposed to the contamination have died before the Navy and Marine Corps have even acknowledged responsibility.

So it goes back to this old saying: Justice delayed can be or is justice denied. And thats whats happened here, Van Arsdale said.

We host these meetings every Friday, he said. Men and women that were on at the beginning arent there anymore. And their spouses, theyre kind of carrying the torch for them instead.

Legislation aimed at speeding up the process has only two backers so far  Sens. Thom Tillis, R- N.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D- Conn.  and has seen no action.

I think Congress needs to step up and take care of this as well, Jeanie Mason said. I mean, the lawsuits are proceeding, but theyre very slow.

I continue Dans fight

Dan Mason joined the Marines not long after graduating from high school in Redondo Beach, Calif., because he wanted to be the best, Jeanie said. Her parents met Dan when he was on a tour in England, and he and Jeanie connected when she was visiting family during a break from the University of Florida in 1979.

We fell in love and we went home  he back to California, me back to Florida  and he proposed to me over the phone as soon as I got back home, she said. They were married in 1980.

After his time in the Marines, Mason signed up to be a flight officer in the Navy and spent more than 11 years on various assignments, including a stint on the USS Nimitz. But during the last half of his Navy service, starting in 1989, there were warning signs of problems to come: At every physical, doctors found traces of blood in his urine.

Mason left the Navy in 1994, and the couple moved through the Northwest to follow his career path: as a 911 supervisor and owner of a security business in Bend, Ore.; as a developer of a 911 center in Idaho; and as an airport manager in Corvallis.

The serious problems began in 2011 and 2012 when doctors found a mass around Dans kidney, and during an eight-hour surgery it was discovered he also had a form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Years of treatments and hospital visits followed.

Dan decided to retire at age 60 in 2016 so that he would have time with me, our family, two dogs, and have time to travel in the U.S. in our travel trailer outside of treatments, Jeanie said. I treasure that time.

It was around the time of his retirement that the Masons connected Dans health problems to Camp Lejeunes water contamination, and after a medical exam in 2017 he was awarded 100% disability payments by the Department of Veterans Affairs  in the Masons eyes, an acknowledgment that their suspicions were correct.

After the 2022 law was enacted, Dan filed a claim with the Navy and then a lawsuit in federal court saying his lymphoma was caused by the contamination at Camp Lejeune. It might have been one of the bellwether cases for that disease that will be among the first to go to trial, but fate intervened.

Between September 2022 and July 2023, Dan had a heart attack and a double bypass, he learned the cancer had spread to his liver, and then he had another case of cardiac arrest that led his doctor to recommend him for hospice.

Dan was a Marine. He fought with courage and dignity, strength and humor. He sent the doctor out of the room. He said, No, Im not going to talk to you, Jeanie said. She took him home, where he died on Aug. 14, 2023, surrounded by his wildlife in his fields, this forest, she said.

A year after his death, the Navy proposed a settlement based on his lymphoma. But they failed to take into account his passing, which affected the amount offered, Jeanie said. I rejected it, because money is not going to bring Dan back. I am doing this to continue to fight.

A line in the settlement offer was also off-putting, she said: This stipulation of Compromise Settlement and Release is not, is in no way intended to be, and should not be construed as, an admission of liability or fault on the part of the United States, its agents, servants, or employees, and it is specifically denied that they are liable to Plaintiff(s), the letter stated.

It does not look like justice to me, although I have no idea what justice looks like, she said. At least they could admit that there was a mistake made and accept some responsibility. I continue Dans fight.

Even after all the pain, Jeanie said Dan wasnt angry with the Marine Corps, which he loved. I want you to know that even though Dan died from the water of Camp Lejeune, he was proud to be a Marine, she said. He would do it all over again.

She added, I will say that we were exceptionally lucky in that Dan was able to carry on, except for his last year, pretty much a full life, including being able to walk both his daughters down the aisle for their weddings: Heathers in 2013 and Colleens in 2016.

But there are families who have suffered terribly, financially, emotionally, physically, painfully as a result of the Camp Lejeune water contamination. We are grateful that Dan was so lucky.

___

2025 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Two of Louisiana's largest shipbuilders, Bollinger Shipyards and Edison Chouest Offshore, have joined forces to compete for a piece of the U.S. Coast Guard's expected $22 billion program to enhance its cutter fleet, which will include more Arctic icebreakers.

The two firms said Tuesday that they have formed a strategic alliance  called United Shipbuilding Alliance, or USA  to allow them to better compete with foreign shipbuilders who have expressed an interest in competing for the Coast Guard's new business. The two firms have been closely aligned since 2014, when Bollinger was acquired by a private investment partnership backed by the Chouest family and Bollinger's CEO Ben Bordelon.

Bollinger and Edison Chouest said in a news release that their joint venture is in direct response to the Coast Guard's request last month for expressions of interest by firms wanting to bid to build its Arctic Security Cutters, a new class of medium-sized vessel it wants to commission to fortify its polar fleet.

Big spending increase

According to the U.S. Naval Institute News, the Trump Administration, with the support of the Republican-led Congress, has proposed an increase of more than $22 billion in the Coast Guard's spending in the current fiscal year, which would include a tenfold increase, to $13.8 billion, in the amount that would be spent on cutters. That would include three or more Arctic Security Cutters and an unspecified number of Great Lakes icebreakers for an additional $5.03 billion.

In March, Bollinger Shipyards announced that it won a contract worth nearly $1 billion from the Coast Guard to build the first heavy polar icebreaker constructed in the U.S. in nearly 50 years. The initial contract to build that vessel  the 460-foot USCGC Polar Sentinel  was won by Pascagoula, Mississippi-based Halter Marine, which was acquired by Bollinger in 2022. Halter Marine was going to miss the initial delivery date in 2024, so Bollinger had to renegotiate new terms with the Coast Guard. It is now due for delivery in 2030.

Primary construction of the ship will be at Bollinger's Mississippi yards, though New Orleans and Harvey yards will contribute.

President Donald Trump has called for as many as 40 new icebreakers, as his administration emphasizes the need for a greater Arctic security presence with the U.S. pursuing mineral and other economic interests there.

While Bollinger has the lead on building the new Arctic fleet, the firm's leaders said in an interview on Tuesday that they were taken aback by Trump's apparent willingness to have some of that business go to foreign shipyards.

On a recent trip to Finland, the president said he was open to Finnish shipyards competing to build some of the new cutters. That discussion continued publicly in March, when Finnish President Alexander Stubb met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

American workers

The supplemental bill floated in the U.S. House last month included language that would make it possible for foreign firms to build the new cutters. Canadian shipyards also have expressed formal interest in response to the Coast Guard's "request for information" last month.

Bordelon, the grandson of Bollinger's founder, noted in an interview Tuesday that Bollinger Shipyards has built vessels for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard since the 1980s.

"We have a proven track record over more than 40 years," he said. "More importantly, President Trump has said out loud that he wants to promote the industrial base of America and we have American workers  in Louisiana, Mississippi and in Florida  who can produce at the level our government needs."

The USA joint initiative will give the two Louisiana shipbuilders "6,000-plus skilled American workers across their 33 operational shipyards and fabrication facilities across the Gulf of America to rapidly design, build, and deliver icebreakers for commercial and government customers," the companies said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

With the takeover of Halter Marine, Bollinger became the largest privately owned shipbuilder in the United States, with 2,000 employees and annual revenue estimated at around $1 billion.

 2025 The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. Visit www.nola.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Congress' probe into the safety of the military's V-22 Osprey last summer following multiple deadly crashes has been stalled for nearly a year, angering Gold Star family members who lost loved ones aboard the aircraft.

A Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform panel held a hearing in June questioning Vice Adm. Carl Chebi, the head of Naval Air Systems Command, and other defense officials about the more than 50 service members lives claimed during training missions on the controversial tiltrotor aircraft.

At the end of that hearing, then-subcommittee chairman Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., disappointed in the lack of answers for grieving families in attendance, said: "I don't even want to drop this thing today." Nearly a year later, there's still no new information to report from Congress.

Read Next: Judge Rules in Favor of Military Families Sickened by Tainted Water on Hawaii Base

A month following the hearing, Grothman and Oversight committee chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., wrote a letter to the Department of Defense threatening to subpoena Osprey crash data and documents that were not provided to the committee. Military.com learned the committee never subpoenaed the information and claims the department under former President Joe Biden's administration was not being transparent.

"The Biden administration stonewalled the committee's investigation into Osprey crashes, and we plan to follow up with the new administration," a Republican aide on the committee said, speaking on condition of anonymity to explain the latest in the investigation.

Sydney Maingot, a spokesperson for Grothman, said the lawmaker was going to continue his investigation into the issue but similarly claimed "the Biden administration chose not to be transparent with us," adding there were hopes that the Department of Defense would be more forthcoming with information under President Donald Trump's administration.

"While Rep. Grothman no longer chairs that subcommittee, he is going to seek further information on this topic in the near future," Maingot said. "The new administration has been more forthcoming on a variety of topics, and hopefully this will be one of them."

Some Democratic members of that subcommittee, including ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., and Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass. -- both of whom made remarks during the hearing -- did not respond to multiple requests for comments about the status of the Osprey investigation or questions about Republican committee members' claims.

The defense secretary's office refused to address the stonewalling allegations, simply telling Military.com that "as with all congressional correspondences, the department will respond directly to the authors."

Meanwhile, the Navy -- the service that oversees Naval Air Systems Command, or NAVAIR, which determines whether the V-22 Osprey is fit to fly -- says it is "engaged with Congress on V-22 safety" and continues to "conduct congressional briefings and meetings to ensure full awareness of program progress."

Two defense officials who are familiar with the Navy's efforts on Osprey safety say NAVAIR is working on multiple inquiries from Congress on the Osprey.

However, the officials expressed some frustration with the situation, noting the letter from Comer and Grothman asked for data -- the crash safety investigations -- that the Pentagon considered "privileged safety information" it was never going to release.

"Safety investigations are designed to maximize the fullest transparency possible with those who are participating in the investigation so we can maximize our opportunity to understand what went right and what went wrong," Peter Belk, a top Pentagon official, told Congress in the hearing last year.

Belk went on to say that those safety investigations inform the more public "command investigations," which are sometimes made public and can be shared with Congress.

However, Military.com discovered the more restricted safety investigation can also contain important details that do not make it into the more public documents.

When Military.com reviewed the privileged safety investigation into the crash of an Air Force Osprey off the coast of Japan in 2023, it was revealed that the gearbox failure that brought down that Osprey similarly failed in 2013 and warnings related to that part failure were brought to the Pentagon a year later. Plus, serious manufacturing issues plagued components in the gearbox for years.

One of the officials who spoke with Military.com acknowledged there is room for the Navy and NAVAIR to be more transparent on broad systemic issues that have raised questions about the aircraft's safety, but many of the demands for transparency are also not for them to answer.

Specifically, the official noted the more public command investigations are held by the individual services and are for them to release.

However, the services often look to blur the distinction between themselves and NAVAIR. The Navy command has been brought in to answer questions alongside the Air Force and Marine Corps for several of the last few major Osprey crashes.

The Air Force and Marine Corps also routinely direct questions about the Osprey to NAVAIR.

The official called this dynamic "convenient" for the services.

Caught in the middle of the bureaucratic wrangling and months of silence on the Osprey's issues are the families who lost loved ones to the growing number of deadly mishaps. They have been looking to Congress and the military to bring them a sense of closure by solving the aircraft's issues.

Amber Sax, the wife of John Sax, a Marine Corps pilot and one of five who lost their lives in an Osprey crash that stemmed from a so-called "hard-clutch engagement" in the summer of 2022, told Military.com she was outraged and disappointed by the news.

"I'm beyond disappointed, to say the least, that these oversight efforts seem to have stalled or disappeared," she told Military.com on Monday.

"Those in power have a responsibility to share that urgency, like it's their own spouse or child flying onboard -- that's what they owe our service members and surviving families," she added.

Sax, along with the other family members of the flight that killed her husband and four other Marines, filed a wrongful death lawsuit last year against the companies that manufacture the tiltrotor aircraft, claiming that unaddressed flaws are responsible for the incident.

Similarly, the family of one of eight airmen killed during a training mission on Nov. 29, 2023, when an Air Force CV-22 Osprey, call sign Gundam 22, crashed off the southern coast of Japan after a mechanical issue, also filed a wrongful death lawsuit last year.

Military.com, which was the first to report the cause of the November 2023 crash and exclusively reported on the internal safety board investigation findings, was cited in the suit.

Most recently, in November, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Richard Neal, all Massachusetts Democrats, sent a letter to the Department of Defense asking for the safety investigation board report that Military.com reported on and for more detailed information into the military service branches response to the crashes.

Spokespeople for Warren, Markey and Neal did not immediately return a Military.com request for comment asking whether they ever received answers from the Pentagon following their letter nearly six months ago.

In 2022, the Air Force grounded its Ospreys after hard-clutch engagements, where the gearbox essentially shreds itself from the inside due to a power imbalance in the engines, caused issues with their CV-22s, including one instance where an aircraft was forced to land in a remote nature reserve in Norway. They were back in the skies two weeks later with no long-term fix.

A double hard-clutch engagement was the cause of the five Marines' deaths in 2022. In August 2023, another Marine Corps Osprey crashed in Australia killing three aboard; a subsequent accident investigation report blamed "pilot error" but also pointed to "several concerning maintenance practices," adding it should not have been certified as safe to fly that day.

Following the deadly Air Force Osprey crash in Japan in 2023, the military barred all Ospreys from most flights as they investigated the cause of that mishap. The V-22 Joint Program Office has not revealed what fix has been made to prevent a similar type of incident.

There were also restrictions put in place for flying the Osprey, such as not being able to operate at long distances without having a suitable place to land in case of an emergency.

Notably, the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, all grounded their Ospreys again in December for another unknown parts issue after an Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22 had a precautionary landing during a training mission in New Mexico. Later that month, the Ospreys were allowed back in the skies.

Chebi, the head of Naval Air Systems Command, said during the subcommittee hearing in June that he did not expect the Osprey to return to unrestricted flight until "mid-2025." Marine Corps Col. Robert Hurst, the head of the V-22 Joint Program Office, told reporters at the Modern Day Marine conference in Washington, D.C., last month that he did not expect full unrestricted flight until 2026.

Air Force Special Operations Command is still operating under NAVAIR flight restrictions, Lt. Col. Rebecca Heyse, a spokesperson, told Military.com in an emailed statement, but added that fleet readiness is consistent with that prior to the Japan crash in 2023. Additionally, Heyse said updated gearboxes would be distributed to the fleet this summer.

Despite the recent groundings and crashes, Air Force Special Operations Command has continued to express confidence in the aircraft.

"Since it entered operations almost 20 years ago, the CV-22 has performed admirably and accomplished critical missions," Heyse said, adding it's ideal for missions in the Indo-Pacific. "We believe the best years for the platform are still ahead."

Related: Flaw in Osprey Gears Was Known a Decade Prior to Deadly Japan Crash, Internal Report Shows
SEOUL, South Korea  North Korea on Thursday fired various types of short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern sea, South Koreas military said, adding to a run in military displays that raised animosities in the region. South Korean military officials were analyzing whether the tests were linked to the Norths weapons exports to Russia during its war in Ukraine.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said multiple missiles were launched from the area around the eastern port city of Wonsan from about 8:10 to 9:20 a.m., with the farthest traveling about 800 kilometers (497 miles). It didnt immediately confirm the exact number of the missiles it detected.

Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs, said in a briefing the North Korean launches were possibly intended to test the performance of weapons it plans to export, as the country continues to send military equipment and troops to fuel Russias warfighting against Ukraine.

Lee said the tests likely involved a short-range ballistic missile system launched from vehicles  possibly modeled after Russias Iskander missile  and also large-caliber rocket artillery systems, which experts say blur the line between traditional artillery and ballistic systems due to their self-propulsion and guided flight.

The Joint Chiefs said South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities detected the launch preparations in advance and tracked the missiles after they were launched. The countries were sharing the launch information with Japan, the Joint Chiefs said. It issued a statement denouncing the launches as a clear act of provocation that threatens peace and stability in the region.

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters that none of the North Korean missiles reached Japans exclusive economic zone and there was no damage to vessels or aircraft in the area. Nakatani said Japans government sternly protested and strongly condemned the launches through the North Korean embassy in Beijing.

It was the Norths first known ballistic activity since March 10, when it fired several ballistic missiles hours after U.S. and South Korean troops began an annual combined military exercise, and the countrys sixth launch event of the year.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated in recent months as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continues to accelerate the development of his nuclear and missile program and supply weapons and troops to support Russias war against Ukraine.

Thursdays launch came a day after North Korean state media said Kim urged munition workers to boost the production of artillery shells amid his deepening alignment with Moscow.

After denying its war involvement for months, North Korea last month confirmed for the first time that it had sent combat troops to help Russia in recapturing parts of the Kursk region, which had fallen to a surprise Ukrainian incursion last year. Moscow also acknowledged the North Korean involvement, with Russian President Vladimir Putin issuing a statement thanking the North for sending troops to support his forces and promising not to forget their sacrifices.

Recent South Korean intelligence assessments suggest that North Korea has sent about 15,000 soldiers to Russia, and that nearly 5,000 of them have been killed or injured while fighting against Ukrainian forces. Washington and Seoul have also accused North Korea of supplying Russia with various types of military equipment, including artillery systems and shells and ballistic missiles.

Analysts say North Koreas official acknowledgment of its military support for Russia is likely aimed at cementing a deeper, long-term partnership with Moscow and securing greater compensation, potentially including advanced military technology that could enhance the threat posed by Kims nuclear-armed forces.

By formalizing its role as a participant in the war, North Korea may also be positioning itself to seek compensation in future negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine, according to a recent report by the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank affiliated with South Koreas intelligence agency.

___

AP writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed to the story from Tokyo.
**Harnessing the Oceans Pulse: Turning Tides into Power**







(How Does Tidal Energy Converted Into Electricity)

The ocean never sleeps. Waves crash, currents swirl, and tides rise and fall like a giant, watery heartbeat. For centuries, humans have wondered how to tap into this endless motion. Today, weve cracked part of the code: tidal energy. Lets break down how the push and pull of seawater becomes electricity powering homes, gadgets, and cities.

Tidal energy works by capturing the energy of moving water during tidal cycles. Tides are caused by the moons gravity pulling on Earths oceans. As water levels rise (high tide) and fall (low tide), massive amounts of water shift position. This movement holds kinetic energythe same type of energy that powers wind turbines, but underwater.

Engineers use special tools to grab this energy. One common method involves tidal barrages. These are big dams built across tidal bays or estuaries. When the tide comes in, water flows through tunnels in the barrage, spinning turbines. When the tide goes out, water rushes back the other way, spinning the turbines again. Its like a seesaw of energy, generating power both ways.

Another tool is the tidal turbine. Picture a windmill, but underwater. These turbines sit on the ocean floor in areas with strong tidal currents. As water flows past, the blades spin, driving a generator to produce electricity. Some turbines float near the surface, anchored to the seabed. Others are fixed to the bottom. Either way, they silently turn the oceans push into usable power.

A third method uses tidal lagoons. These are man-made pools near the coast. Water flows in and out through turbines as tides change. Lagoons can be built along natural coastlines without blocking entire estuaries, making them less disruptive to ecosystems.

But how does spinning turbines lead to flipping light switches? The secret is in the generator. When turbine blades rotate, they turn a rotor inside the generator. This rotor is surrounded by magnets and copper coils. As the magnets spin past the coils, they create an electric current. This current is then sent through cables to shore, where it joins the power grid. From there, it zips to homes, schools, and factories.

Tidal energy has big perks. Its predictable. Unlike solar or wind, tides follow schedules set by the moon, so we know exactly when energy will flow. Its also renewable. Tides wont stop as long as the moon orbits Earth. Plus, tidal systems last decades with minimal maintenance once installed.

But there are challenges. Building underwater infrastructure is expensive. Saltwater corrodes metal, and strong currents stress equipment. Engineers combat this with tough materials like stainless steel and anti-corrosion coatings. Environmental concerns matter too. Barrages can disrupt fish migration or change local ecosystems. Newer designs, like turbines with slower blades, aim to protect marine life.

Countries like South Korea, France, and the UK are already using tidal power. The Rance Tidal Power Station in France has operated since 1966, proving the techs staying power. Scotlands MeyGen project, with its underwater turbines, powers thousands of homes. As tech improves, costs drop, making tidal energy more accessible.







(How Does Tidal Energy Converted Into Electricity)

The oceans rhythm is a force were just starting to harness. Every ebb and flow hides potential. By blending engineering with natures patterns, tidal energy could one day light up coastlines worldwideno batteries required.

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if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us. ([email protected])
The Royals added reliever Stephen Nogosek on a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Omaha. The move was announced by the affiliate.

Nogosek, 30, signs out of the Mexican League. Hed made 10 appearances for the Diablos Rojos. The surface numbers arent all that impressive. The righty gave up 10 runs (six earned) on 12 hits over nine innings. He struck out 13 while issuing only two walks, though, and the run prevention isnt as dire in the league context. The average Mexican League hitter owns a .294/.371/.460 batting line, while the leagues earned run average sits at 5.75.

An Oregon product, Nogosek was drafted by the Red Sox and traded to the Mets as a prospect. He made 33 appearances for New York over parts of four seasons. He owns a 5.02 ERA across 57 1/3 big league innings. His 22% strikeout percentage and 8.9% walk rate were serviceable numbers for a middle reliever, but he allowed far too many home runs.

Nogosek had a brief stint in Triple-A with Washington last year. He was released in May after a disastrous 11-game showing. Nogosek gave up 18 runs while walking 18 hitters in only 15 2/3 frames. That required stints in Mexico and the independent Atlantic League to find his way back to affiliated ball.
A dam on Tyler Road near Willow Run Airport outside Ypsilanti on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. The dam is one of a pair of dams on Willow Run Creek that are being removed, with help from a state dam risk reduction grant fund.

Nineteen dams across Michigan are set to split nearly $15 million in state dollars to fund critical maintenance or removal projects, part of an effort to lessen the risks posed by the aging structures.

The money coming from the state Dam Risk Reduction Grant Program was first seeded in the aftermath of the failure of two dams upstream of Midland in 2020, which forced thousands to evacuate and unleashed catastrophic flooding.

More than 80% of Michigan dams exceed a 50-year design life, and spillways often cant hold projected storm flows. Experts have likened the situation to a ticking time bomb.

The grant program, run by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, or EGLE, helps dam owners correct deficiencies or advance dam removal projects.

Even with well-maintained dams, many structures are so old that they require hefty sums to keep in safe condition or remove, according to Luke Trumble, supervisor of EGLEs Dam Safety Unit.

We by and large, as a people, have underinvested in dams. But theyre getting to the age where we have to do something, he said in an April interview with MLive.

Read more: A big dam problem: 200+ Michigan-owned dams are old and failing

The state grants typically target dams likely to take human life or cause significant property damage if they fail and also include seed money to jump start projects, making them more attractive for other funding, according to Trumble.

Dam removal frequently has significant ecological benefits, allowing fish passage and restoring natural hydrologic functions on waterways.

Some $14.9 million in grants will flow across the state, to dams on both peninsulas, EGLE announced on Thursday, May 8. The funded projects include:

The Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioners Office will receive $2.5 million to remove the Tyler and Beyer dams on Willow Run Creek in the Ypsilanti area. The Tyler Dam is an urgent priority because of safety and environmental risks, officials say. Its connected to a bridge that washed out in 2023 and is being repaired.

A washout on the downstream side of Tyler Dam, just west of Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti Township, on Thursday, Aug. 24 after nearly 5 inches of rain fell in three hours on parts of eastern Washtenaw County. The road has since been closed, and officials want to remove the dam. Washtenaw County Road Commission

The nonprofit Huron Pines will receive $2 million to help with the removal of Sanback Dam in Rose City. The former hydro dam, rated in unsatisfactory condition and presenting a significant hazard if it fails, is defunct, and an upstream impoundment has been dewatered.

The city of Albion is slated to get $1.75 million to support multiple ongoing dam removals. Included is the Albion Dam, which is in poor condition and presents a significant hazard if it fails.

Duplain Township will receive $1,597,500 to remove the Elsie Dam on the Maple River, which breached in August 2023. The dam continues to fail, posing a risk to the community. Township officials have acted to remove the remaining structure, reconnecting the river.

The nonprofit Conservation Resource Alliance will get $1.5 million to remove the Baldwin Fish Hatchery Dam on the Baldwin River, which no longer serves its purpose as a fish rearing station. Knocking out the significant-hazard, unsatisfactory-condition dam will reduce risk, reconnect floodplains and restore the rivers hydrologic functions.

It will also get $1 million to help with the removal of the high-hazard Rugg Pond dam on the Rapid River in the Elk River Chain of Lakes watershed. The upstream impoundment has accumulated sediment, and habitat is diminished.

The city of Clare will receive $1.3 million for the rehabilitation of the Lake Shamrock Dam on the south branch of the Tobacco River. Recent inspections have revealed substantial deterioration of the concrete structure, a sagging pedestrian walkway across the spillway, seepage along an embankment and insufficient capacity to meet current regulations. The project will modernize and extend the life of the dam, which poses a high hazard if it fails.

The Kalamazoo County Drain Commissioners Office will get $900,000 for the replacement of the Sunset Lake Dam in Vicksburg, rated high hazard. Much of the concrete in components of the dam is deteriorated and the spillway lacks sufficient capacity. The project involves demolishing and replacing the spillway, reducing the risk of failure by bringing it up to modern safety standards.

Steel producer Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. will get $800,000 to remove the Lake Sally Dam, a high-hazard structure previously used to store drinking water for the city of Ishpeming. It no longer services that purpose and shows signs of deterioration and vandalism.

The nonprofit Muskegon River Watershed Assembly will get $253,900 to complete initial design and engineering for the removal of the Nartron Dam near Reed City, the last remaining barrier on the Hersey River. It is in a state of neglect, officials say.

It will also receive $250,000 to daylight the Penoyer Creek. The abandoned Rowe Manufacturing plant in Newaygo at the confluence of the creek and the Muskegon River left behind a subterranean flow of water that is unnatural and is undermining the buildings foundation. The project would return the stream above ground and remove an impoundment, slowing the damage and improving habitat.

The nonprofit Healthy Pine River will receive $236,100 for a feasibility study evaluating the removal or long-term management options for the State Street Dam on the Pine River in Alma. The study will include an engineering investigation, schematic designs for a potential removal and monitoring to assess sediment and impacts of the project.

The Village of Beverly Hills will receive $180,000 for a feasibility study evaluating the poor-condition Erity Dam and dam management alternatives.

The Hillsdale County Drain Commissioners Office will get $178,500 to repair the Lake Somerset Dam, in poor condition and posing a significant hazard. It poses safety concerns because of significant seepage, an eroded embankment and inoperable draw-down gates.

It will also get $120,000 for a study of the Big Mosherville Dam. Initially designed for recreation to regulate water levels at Big Mosherville Lake, the dam has fallen into disrepair. Officials are evaluating replacement, a retrofit or a removal.

Crist Investment Co. will receive $120,000 for a dam removal feasibility study for the Liberty Dam, posing a significant hazard and in unsatisfactory condition. A concrete pier of the spillway has failed, and it cant pass the designed storm standard.

The city of Three Rivers will get $90,000 to support a feasibility study for the removal of the high-hazard, poor-condition Portage Plant Dam on the Portage River. The dam is deteriorating, poses a downstream risk and no longer serves a purpose.

The Cass County Drain Commissioners Office will receive $65,800 for engineering and permitting of the removal of the McMillan Dam near Marcellus.

The Branch County Drain Commissioner will get $58,200 for a feasibility study of the poor-condition Blackhawk Dam on the Coldwater River, which breached in 2018, requiring emergency repairs. Inspections indicate embankments and piping underneath the dam are seeping. The study will evaluate removal, repair or replacement of the structure.

The dam risk grant program was created in 2022, and demand has significantly outpaced available funding, per EGLE documents. It is now in its third and final cycle under current allocations. Lawmakers will have to act in order to extend it into future years.

If we receive more money that program will continue. If not, that program wont continue to exist as it does today, Trumble said.

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MUSKEGON, MI  It was a windy, rainy day on May 1, 2023, when politicians, developers, chamber members, state officials and others gathered for a ceremonial dirt toss to celebrate the groundbreaking of Adelaide Pointe.

Those headwinds proved prophetic for developer Ryan Leestma. His ambitious $85 million transformation of a former steel foundry site on Muskegon Lake is concluding with his resignation amid an uproar over a letter he sent asking the Trump administration to override state environmental regulators who are fining him for permit violations.

Earlier this week, Leestma announced that he was stepping down as chief executive of Adelaide Pointe, elevating his operations director Aubrey Glick as interim CEO. He retains ownership of the company and other related businesses.

The move follows backlash aided by a mayoral candidate and project critic, who posted on Facebook a copy of Leestmas March 7 letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator that blamed Gov. Gretchen Whitmers over-zealous, radical environmental and anti-capitalist policies for threatening the project and his familys livelihood.

The letter, which Leestma said he regrets writing, follows a settlement deal with the state in April that requires him to pay $500,000 in civil fines and, where feasible, restore wetlands along manmade peninsulas that were stripped of vegetation.

The deal allows Leestma to escape $200,000 in penalties if the work is completed under certain deadlines.

The first-time developer told MLive that hes proud of the 30-acre mixed-use development, which includes a bike path, fishing pier, store, 270 slips, boat storage, offices, an event center, brewery and condominiums built using mass timber.

The project held a grand opening on May 1. Plans for additional development stages, which included a hotel, restaurant and more condominiums arent happening at this point.

I put four years of my life into fixing a derelict property. I built it first class all the way, said Leestma, who came to real estate after building a career as a business owner in information technology with a company called ISI. I always said that I was only going to do one development, knock it out of the park, and that was it. I wanted to do that for my town.

It didnt go exactly as planned, he acknowledged.

Yeah, mistakes were made, Leestma said.

Some of it was contractor mistakes, he said. Some of it I didnt know what was happening. I fixed everything as fast as I possibly could. But crucifying a man thats putting everything into making his town a better place  and overall doing a great job  is wrong. And social media gives people a platform to make peoples lives miserable and I just feel like Ive gotten bullied to the point where its just not good for my mental health.

Its not good for my kids to see.

Leestma, 45, a father of five kids ranging in age between 20 and 1 who managed the development alongside his wife, Emily, is not short on personality. On LinkedIn, he identifies as Dude/Duder/El Duderino, a reference to the protagonist from the film The Big Lebowski. His supporters characterize him as fiercely determined, energetic and generous  but also prone to putting his foot in his mouth.

Ryan didnt know what he was getting himself into and hes put everything he has into that project, said Muskegon environmental filmmaker David J. Ruck, a friend of Leestmas who nonetheless said the appeal to the Trump EPA was a misfire.

Its not going to make everyone happy. He shoots himself in the foot in that department as well. Did he wreck the lake? Did he dump PFAS into the water? Is he causing the algae blooms? Ruck said. Step back and get some perspective, people.

A tumultuous relationship over permit compliance

Public records show that Leestma and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) have had a tumultuous relationship.

Leestma received four violation notices in 2023 and 2024.

Scrutiny escalated not long after groundbreaking, which followed a dredging contractor digging out the boat basin allowing a large plume of sediment to migrate into the lake in April 2023 with improperly fastened turbidity curtains.

In September, a plume of clumpy floating foundry fill was discovered leaving the site after dredging contractors failed to fasten sediment curtains across the marina opening.

The state says Leestma also violated his permits by expanding marina docks without authorization, widening site peninsulas beyond allowances, dredging and placing concrete in the water where he wasnt allowed, hardening too much of the site shoreline with heavy rock and sloping shoreline banks too steeply to allow wetlands to regrow.

In January, the Michigan Attorney Generals office told Leestma that EGLE would pursue litigation over permit violations if a settlement wasnt reached this spring.

Rather than communicate through lawyers or intermediaries, Leestma appears to have personally handled much of the permit compliance communications with EGLE, often boiling over in exasperation with the rigid confines of state bureaucracy.

Leestma argued at length with the agency about the workability of natural shoreline on the sites central peninsula, where EGLE was upset that large amounts of rock was used to harden a shoreline the developer felt was threatened by erosion.

In an October 30, 2024 email to EGLE after receiving violations last summer for filling wetlands and putting rock riprap on what was supposed to be natural shoreline, Leestma accused the agency of refusing to visit the site to provide constructive input.

I asked EGLE to stop by a dozen times to get constructive input as we built, they never showed up. I sent off the changes I wanted to make and nobody follows up, Leestma wrote. Then when people who hate change start screaming, EGLE shows up (with) clipboards, refuses to talk to me and clubs me up the head.

The agency told MLive this week that Leestmas EPA letter had no impact on the settlement deal. EGLE and Adelaide Point agree to work collaboratively to ensure that this economically important redevelopment can move forward in compliance with the environmental laws that protect Muskegon Lake, said EGLE spokesperson Jeff Johnston.

Leestma and others credited much scrutiny to the efforts of an opponent, John Richard Allen, a local boater and mayoral candidate whom Leestma said sits on the property line every damn day for hours on end looking for problems.

Allen said his opposition stems from a 2022 cooperative use agreement with the city; a turning point in the project that gave Leestma access to a city-owned peninsula that was part of the next-door Hartshorn Marina. A subsequent 2023 deal codified Leestmas use of the marina launch to take boats out of the water.

Allen disputes that he is the primary Adelaide Pointe critic and said hes not anti-development, just opposed to the encroachment at Hartshorn, which he said allows a terribly hazardous forklift operation to cross the Lakeshore Trail bike path.

Really, its just this monopolization of a public park for private profit, where were getting literally nothing in exchange except this idea of public access that we pretty much already had, Allen said. Theyre being given free use of a park that everyone else has to pay for with launch ramp stickers and other things.

He called the EPA letter a cheap shot at the city because it cited lower education and income levels as reasons the area needed business investment.

Site is part of larger lake restoration effort

Publicity around Adelaide Pointe hasnt all been negative.

Adelaide Pointe has generated plenty of excitement as a harbinger of redevelopment potential along Muskegon Lake, which is coming off the EPAs Area of Concern list after decades of shoreline rehab and sediment cleanup under the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).

The project won an $14 million brownfield redevelopment boost from the state in 2023 and city approved $18 million in local tax capture support.

The property was originally used for timber milling during Muskegons heyday as a lumber town in the late 1800s. A precursor to Michigan Steel Co. began operating there in 1912 and started dumping foundry sand into the lake, creating much of the land where Leestma built Adelaide Pointes condos and the new Muskegon Brewing Company.

Michigan Steel went out of business in 2013 and the foundry at 1148 W. Western Avenue was demolished a year later.

Kathy Evans, who formerly managed restoration of the site for the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission before Leestma assembled its parcels to build Adelaide Pointe, said the federal cleanup efforts behoove extra development care.

We have to depend on developers and landowners to do the right things, said Evans. Otherwise, the $80 million we just spent over the last 20 years on the cleanup and the restoration of the lake was a waste. And the last thing I want the federal government to think right now is that the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is a waste of money.

Alan Steinman, a research professor at Grand Valley State Universitys Annis Water Resources Institute in Muskegon, echoed that.

The overall ecological harm from Leestmas project mishaps is small, he said  but work encroached on conservation easements which stipulated a buffer between docks and shoreline wetlands in order to protect restored fish and wildlife habitat.

The ecological implications are minor, Steinman said. The precedent is what the problem is  violating the conservation easements and other stipulations.

Steinman pointed to a larger issue, saying that the city of Muskegon has thus far punted on having a holistic conversation around the cumulative impacts of large new redevelopments like Adelaide Pointe and, further west, Windward Pointe at the former Sappi mill property.

The city needs to take a closer look at transportation and road density, Steinman said, to ensure that corridors leading to Lake Michigan, such as Lakeshore Drive, dont end up like 28th Street in Grand Rapids if all the planned development comes to fruition.

What are we doing to anticipate that growth? Are we doing anything. I dont hear anything about it, he said. Hopefully there are discussions going on behind the scenes.

With revitalization, there are some socioeconomic implications associated with that which are not all positive and people are ignoring that in the glory of revitalization.

Related stories:

Foundry demolition makes way for new property use

Adelaide Pointe generates Blue Economy buzz

Muskegon Lake cleanup brings tourist mecca hopes

Adelaide Pointe a game changer for mass timber

EGLE cites Adelaide Pointe for permit violations

Brewery opens at Adelaide Pointe
A common tern flies along a shoreline. This species is among the 78 that have been spotted so far at Portage Marsh State Wildlife Area near Escanaba, Mich. Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

ESCANABA, MI  Get your binoculars ready. This eBird hotspot is the site of an upcoming guided birding tour.

On the shores of Lake Michigan, Portage Marsh State Wildlife Area includes a long narrow peninsula near downtown Escanaba that provides a protected area for wetland wildlife. A hiking trail runs along the peninsula for hikers, hunters and bird watchers.

RELATED: Monarch tracker: Theyre here! Map shows where migrating butterflies have been spotted in Michigan

Ducks, mergansers, herons, terns and gulls are just a few types of birds that can be seen at Portage Marsh.

Users of eBird, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, have spotted 232 species at the marsh over the years, earning it the hotspot title. So far this year, 78 species have been recorded.

The marsh is also one of Michigans premier Wetland Wonders and an Audubon Important Bird Area.

RELATED: Poles, bait provided: Popular state park to host fishing for beginners

A guided, one-mile hike is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 17, at Portage Marsh. Meet at the dead end of Portage Point 11.4 Lane, (latitude 454224.0N, longitude 870446.7W).

Experts will lead the tour along a 1-mile loop trail, which includes 0.6 miles of unpaved trails along a historic dike system, and a 0.4-mile beach walk along Lake Michigan. (The trail does not meet the standard of the Americans with Disabilities Act.)

Portable restrooms, picnic tables, and trash receptacles will be available.

RELATED: Waterfalls roar amid spring snowmelt in Michigans northernmost peninsula

Participants should dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes suitable for unpaved, uneven trails. Bring binoculars or a spotting scope if you have them; there will be some available to borrow. Organizers also encourage downloading eBird, iNaturalist, Merlin Bird ID or Audubon Bird Guide to your smartphone before the event.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is hosting this event in partnership with Common Coast Research and Conservation, the Laughing Whitefish Bird Alliance and MI Birds.

MI Birds, a public outreach and education program created by Audubon Great Lakes and the DNR, aims to deepen all Michiganders engagement in the understanding, care and stewardship of public lands that are important for birds and local communities.
Editors note: The Gratiot County Sheriffs Department issued a correction on an earlier news release about the human remains found.

GRATIOT COUNTY, MI  The human remains found in a Michigan cornfield could be connected to a report of a missing person from Clare County, WPBN/WGTU reports.

The Gratiot County Sheriffs Department originally suggested the remains could belong to a woman who went missing after walking out of Alma Hospital but later clarified that she may have been the subject of a missing persons report from Clare County.
A man who went missing from a crash scene has been found dead in Northern Michigan.

MISSAUKEE COUNTY, MI  A man who went missing from a crash scene has been found dead in Northern Michigan.

UpNorthLive reported Wednesday that the body of Dale Fasking, 66 of Traverse City was found about a mile away from Nelson Road and Coombs Road in Missaukee Countys Norwich Township.

Deputies with the Missaukee County Sheriffs Office previously said he had left the scene on foot after a crash, according to the TV station.

Crews had been searching the area on foot and by air via drones and helicopters.

The incident is under investigation.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. He has ties to Michigan. AP

LAKETOWN TOWNSHIP, MI  The worlds newly elected Pope Leo XIV was chosen as the 267th leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, May 8.

The first ever United States citizen chosen for the job, Cardinal Robert Prevost, is a Midwesterner born in Chicago. But according to the Chicago Sun Times, Prevost went to high school in West Michigan at St. Augustine Seminary High School.

RELATED: Robert Prevost of US named Pope Leo XIV: First American pope in Catholic Churchs 2,000-year history

St. Augustine Seminary High School has long been closed, and many West Michiganders may recognize it better by its current name, the Felt Estate.

The historic building situated in Laketown Township near Saugatuck and Holland was built in the 1920s. The 12,000-square-foot home was sold in 1949 to the Saint Augustine Seminary, to become what the Felt Estate describes as a Catholic prep school for young men.

According to the Felt Estate, the carriage house was used for classrooms while the boys lived in the mansion. Eventually, the Seminary built a school building on the property and leased the mansion to a group of cloistered Augustinian nuns.

In the late 1970s, the state of Michigan bought the property from the Seminary to use it as a prison.

RELATED: Free music returns to historic mansion along Lake Michigan dunes

Christmas lights brighten up the Felt Mansion and Carriage House at Felt Estates in Holland on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015. The estate boasts more than 5,000 lights and 25 Christmas trees throughout the grounds. (Emily Rose Bennett | The Grand Rapids Press) Emily Rose Bennett Emily Rose Bennett

The new pope attended the boarding school toward the tail end of its run, as a member of the class of 1973. He later returned to the property in 2013 for a class reunion.

During an event at St. Judes Catholic Church in a suburb of Chicago on Aug. 7, 2024, then-Cardinal Prevost spoke about his seminary high school days in Michigan.

Theres people here from my grade school class, my high school class in Holland, Michigan, and beyond, the then-Cardinal told the congregants. Prevost went on to tell attendees about a teacher at the Michigan school who shaped his point of view.

One of my teachers in high school, Fr. Reinhard Sternemann ... He was in Holland for my years there and was a really dedicated teacher and Augustinian, Prevost said.

Felt Estate Executive Director Beth McEwen told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press shes already heard from some other graduates of the St. Augustine Seminary High School who have remained in contact with the Felt Estate staff.

The Felt Mansion and Carriage House. (Photo Courtesy of Saugatuck Douglas Area Convention & Visitors Bureau) Photo Courtesy of Saugatuck Douglas Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Originally, the ballroom of the house was full of bunk beds and became like a dormitory, McEwen said of the schools early days. Then, they built a new building just west of the mansion and that became the seminary school.

Early on, McEwen said class sizes were around 50 or 60 students, but at the high schools peak, class sizes were nearing 300.

At one point, they even had a waiting list to get into the school, she said. Eventually times changed and it fell out of fashion and then the decision was made to sell.

While McEwen said she doesnt personally know the new pope, shes excited to know he has some roots so close.

Especially in a time of so much divisiveness, it brings me some hope that there is an opportunity for people to unify around the idea of loving your neighbor and taking care of those less fortunate, especially in West Michigan as part of the home of the new pope, she said.

Though the seminary high school was run through the Augustinian Order in Chicago, Michigan Catholic organizations are still glad to know the new pope is familiar with the Mitten State. Bishop Edward Lohse of Kalamazoo sent an email message to parishioners explaining Pope Leo XIVs connection to the area.

We pledge our prayers in support of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, in communion with him and with all who look to the Successor of Saint Peter, the Vicar of Christ, as the visible head of the pilgrim Church on earth, Lohse wrote.

Our new Holy Father, the first American to be elected pope, is no stranger to the Diocese of Kalamazoo as he spent his high school years here in minor seminary.

Today, the Felt Estate where the pope went to school now serves as an event venue, museum and community space. Self-guided tours of the property at 6597 138th Ave. in Laketown Township are available Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday.

In the summer, Felt Estate hosts free concerts every Thursday evening in July on the carriage house lawn. For more information about Felt Estate, visit feltmansion.org.

We are proud to steward the historic buildings and landscapes of Pope Leo XIVs formative years, McEwen said. His life of service, his commitment to social justice, and his unique connection to both American and global communities reflect values that we seek to honor through the preservation of the Felt Mansion and the programs we offer.

Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter.
Cardinal Robert Prevost appears on the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica after being chosen the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, choosing the name of Pope Leo XIV, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (Alessandra Tarantino | AP Photo) Alessandra Tarantino | AP Photo

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP)  Robert Prevost, an missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and took over the Vaticans powerful office of bishops, was elected the first pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

Prevost, a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order, took the name Leo XIV.

In his first words as Pope Francis successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, Leo said, Peace be with you, and emphasized a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelization. He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy  a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013.

Prevost had been a leading candidate for the papacy except, but there had long been a taboo against a U.S. pope, given the countrys geopolitical power already wielded in the secular sphere. But Prevost, a Chicago native, was seemingly eligible because hes also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Pope Francis clearly had his eye on Prevost and in many ways saw him as his heir apparent. He brought Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. And in January he elevated him into the senior ranks of cardinals. As a result, Prevost had a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals had.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) AP

The crowd in St. Peters Square erupted in cheers when white smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel on the second day of the conclave. Priests made the sign of the cross and nuns wept as the crowd shouted Viva il papa!

Waving flags from around the world, tens of thousands of people waited to learn who had won and were shocked when an hour later, the senior cardinal deacon appeared on the loggia and said Habemus Papam! and announced the winner was Prevost.

He spoke to the crowd in Italian and Spanish, but not English.

The last pope to take the name Leo was Leo XIII, an Italian who led the church from 1878 to 1903. That Leo softened the churchs confrontational stance toward modernity, especially science and politics and laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought, most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers rights and capitalism.

White smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel during the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

Eyes on the chimney

Earlier Thursday, large school groups joined the mix of humanity awaiting the outcome in St. Peters Square. They blended in with people participating in preplanned Holy Year pilgrimages and journalists from around the world who have descended on Rome to document the election.

The wait is marvelous! said Priscilla Parlante, a Roman.

Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina, said he and his family visited Rome during the Argentine popes pontificate and were hoping for a new pope in Francis image.

Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didnt do enough. Well see if the next one will be able to do more, Deget said from the piazza.

The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis. He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, hed be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists.

He has clear ideas, not much ideology. Hes a direct, intelligent and respectful man, Bogataj said from the square. Most of all, hes agile.

Faithful hold a banner reading "Up with the pope", after white smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel during the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

Some of the cardinals had said they expected a short conclave.

For much of the past century, the conclave has needed between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I  the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978  was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

The conclave process

The cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual Wednesday afternoon, participating in a rite more theatrical than even Hollywood could create. Bright red cassocks, Swiss Guards standing at attention, ancient Latin chants and oaths preceded the slamming shut of the Sistine Chapel doors to seal the cardinals off from the outside world.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis who had been considered a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed leadership of the proceedings as the most senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate.

The voting followed a strict choreography, dictated by church law.

Each cardinal writes his choice on a piece of paper inscribed with the words Eligo in summen pontificem  I elect as supreme pontiff. They approach the altar one by one and say: I call as my witness, Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected.

The folded ballot is placed on a round plate and tipped into a silver and gold urn. Once cast, the ballots are opened one by one by three different scrutineers, cardinals selected at random who write down the names and read them aloud.

The scrutineers, whose work is checked by other cardinals called revisers, then add up the results of each round of balloting and write them on a separate sheet of paper, which is preserved in the papal archives.

As the scrutineer reads out each name, he pierces each ballot with a needle through the word Eligo. All the ballots are then bound together with thread, and the bundle is put aside and burned in the chapel stove along with a chemical to produce the smoke.

___

Giada Zampano, Helena Alves and Vanessa Gera contributed to this report.

___

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.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) AP

VATICAN CITY  Pope Leo XIV, the American Robert Prevost, said Peace be with you in his first words as pope, offering a message of peace and dialogue without fear.

From the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, historys first American pope recalled he was an Augustinian priest, but that he was above all a Christian above all and a bishop, So we can all walk together.

He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

Earlier:

Robert Prevost, a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vaticans powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

Prevost, a 69 member of the Augustinian religious order, took the name Leo XIV. He appeared on the loggia of St. Peters Square wearing the traditional red cape of the papacy  a cape that Pope Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013.

Prevost had been a leading candidate except for his nationality. There had long been a taboo against a U.S. pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere. But Prevost, a Chicago native, was seemingly eligible also because hes a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Francis clearly had his eye on Prevost and in many ways saw him as his heir apparent. He brought Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. As a result, Prevost had a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals have.

The crowd in St. Peters Square erupted in cheers, priests made the sign of the cross and nuns wept as the crowd shouted Viva il papa! after the white smoke wafted into the late afternoon sky at 6:07 p.m. Waving flags from around the world, tens of thousands of people waited to learn who had won.

Eyes on the chimney

On Thursday, large school groups joined the mix of humanity awaiting the outcome in St. Peters Square. They blended in with people participating in preplanned Holy Year pilgrimages and journalists from around the world who have descended on Rome to document the election.

The wait is marvelous! said Priscilla Parlante, a Roman.

We are hoping for the white smoke tonight, said Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina. He said he and his family visited Rome during the Argentine popes pontificate and were hoping for a new pope in Francis image.

Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didnt do enough. Well see if the next one will be able to do more, Deget said from the piazza.

The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis. He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, hed be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists.

He has clear ideas, not much ideology. Hes a direct, intelligent and respectful man, Bogataj said from the square. Most of all, hes agile.

Vatican Swiss guards march in St Peter's Square after white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel where 133 cardinals are gathering on the second day of the conclave to elect a successor to late Pope Francis, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) AP

A long wait on the first ballot

On Wednesday night, the black smoke of the first ballot poured out of the chapel chimney just after 9 p.m., about 4.5 hours after the cardinals filed into the Sistine Chapel to take their oaths at the start of the conclave.

The late hour prompted speculation about what took so long: Did they have to redo the vote? Did someone get sick or need translation help? Did the papal preacher take a long time to deliver his meditation before the voting began?

They probably need more time, said Costanza Ranaldi, a 63-year-old who traveled from Pescara in Italys Abruzzo region to the Vatican.

Some of the cardinals had said they expected a short conclave. But if recent history is any guide, it will likely take a few rounds of voting to settle on the 267th pope.

For much of the past century, the conclave has needed between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I  the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978  was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

Conjecture on contenders

The cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual Wednesday afternoon, participating in a rite more theatrical than even Hollywood could create. Bright red cassocks, Swiss Guards standing at attention, ancient Latin chants and oaths preceded the slamming shut of the Sistine Chapel doors to seal the cardinals off from the outside world.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed leadership of the proceedings as the most senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate.

Parolin seemed to have received the blessings from none other than Re, the respected elder among the cardinals. During the traditional exchange of peace during the pre-conclave Mass on Wednesday, Re was caught on a hot mic telling Parolin auguri doppio or double best wishes. Italians debated whether it was just a customary gesture acknowledging Parolins role running conclave, or if it might have been an informal endorsement or even a premature congratulations.

The voting process

The voting follows a strict choreography, dictated by church law.

Each cardinal writes his choice on a piece of paper inscribed with the words Eligo in summen pontificem  I elect as supreme pontiff. They approach the altar one by one and say: I call as my witness, Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected.

The folded ballot is placed on a round plate and tipped into a silver and gold urn. Once cast, the ballots are opened one by one by three different scrutineers, cardinals selected at random who write down the names and read them aloud.

The scrutineers, whose work is checked by other cardinals called revisers, then add up the results of each round of balloting and write them on a separate sheet of paper, which is preserved in the papal archives.

As the scrutineer reads out each name, he pierces each ballot with a needle through the word Eligo. All the ballots are then bound together with thread, and the bundle is put aside and burned in the chapel stove along with a chemical to produce the smoke.

___

Giada Zampano, Helena Alves and Vanessa Gera contributed to this report.

___

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.
ANN ARBOR, MI  Another fatal traffic crash in Ann Arbor was cause for dozens of pedestrians and cyclists to play dead during a die-in protest Wednesday night, May 7.

I wish the circumstances were a little bit different, said organizer Peter Houk, addressing the crowd. Were here tonight to demand safe streets in Ann Arbor.

Protesters, some carrying signs with the message safety cant wait, laid on the ground near the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Huron Street where a 79-year-old man in a wheelchair was hit and killed late Monday night. Police have identified the man as Robert Murray of Ann Arbor.

Murray was still crossing Huron when the traffic signal changed and he was struck by a vehicle driven by a 22-year-old woman, police said, saying alcohol is believed to be a factor.

Less than a week earlier, a 68-year-old man was seriously injured when he was struck by a vehicle while crossing at the intersection of Huron and Division streets.

Wednesdays protest by the Bicycle Alliance of Washtenaw and others called attention to those crashes and the fact that there have been at least 10 serious injuries or deaths on city streets so far in 2025.

The city set a Vision Zero goal about a decade ago aiming to make that number zero and the fact that crashes keep happening means more needs to be done to redesign streets and slow cars, safety advocates argue.

Pedestrians and cyclists raised similar concerns during a die-in protest outside city hall last July.

Protester pretend to be dead during a die-in protest on East Huron Street on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Jackson Ranger | MLive.com

Houk, who serves on the citys Transportation Commission, said one of the ways he tries to contribute to the safe streets movement is by raising awareness about serious pedestrian and bicycle crashes, tracking them on his blog, CrashesInAnnArbor.org.

What hes seen over the past two years is 2023 was the worst year since 2014 for pedestrian crashes, 2024 numbers are not official yet but it looks like theres no meaningful improvement, and 2025 is on track to be a very bad year for Ann Arbor pedestrians, he said.

Peter Houk delivers a speech to protesters during a die-in protest on East Huron Street on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Jackson Ranger | MLive.com

Part of why I started Crashes in Ann Arbor is that it seemed to me like the right way for me personally to acknowledge and honor the victims of traffic violence, Houk said. I honor them by trying to learn and share what caused their harm so that no one else is hurt that same way.

Protesters laid on the ground while a bell rang 10 times, recognizing the 10 people whove been killed or seriously injured in traffic crashes in the city so far this year.

Houk addressed the crowd again afterward, sharing concerns he expressed to City Council on Monday about intersections in the city that have flashing yellow arrow signals that direct turning traffic through crosswalks pedestrians are using.

Regulations allow that, but Ann Arbor doesnt have to do it, Houk argued, also expressing concerns about having five-lane roads and streets designed for 45-mph traffic.

We can choose safer streets, he said.

Jessica A.S. Letaw holds up a sign as she pretends to be dead during a die-in protest on East Huron Street on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Jackson Ranger | MLive.com

Huron Street is still under control of the Michigan Department of Transportation, which has prevented the city from making changes to it. Houk expressed hopes the city can take control of Huron and other state trunklines in the city.

In the meantime, MDOT must make immediate safety improvements and signal adjustments, including deactivating the yellow arrow signal at Huron and Division where a man was injured last week, Houk said.

He wants all traffic signals in the city changed to cancel flashing yellow arrows when a pedestrian is present, and if the controls cant detect a pedestrian the arrows should be turned off, he said.

He also joined in the call for City Council to allocate funding to reconfigure Stadium Boulevard and encouraged fellow protesters to write council members and demand action.

Join me and demand a transportation environment that reflects Ann Arbor values, he said. It should be equitable, safe for everyone, even people who dont drive or cant drive.

An ongoing emergency. Ann Arbor residents call for Stadium Boulevard redesign

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SALINE, MI  Saline Area Schools may have found its next superintendent.

Members of the Saline School Board unanimously agreed to hire Rachel Kowalski to be the districts chief administrator after second-round interviews Wednesday, May 7.
After being honored, Michigan Teacher of the Year did what he does best  put students first





NORTH BRANCH, MI - It was during a surprise visit by Michigan State Superintendent Michael Rice that he provided a Lapeer County teacher with the career achievement of a lifetime.
State Rep. Cynthia Neeley, D-Flint, applauds from the audience as she listens to her husband, Sheldon Neeley, deliver his first speech as Flint's mayor at Flint City Hall. (Jake May | MLive.com) Jake May | MLive.com
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A majority of deadlocked jurors in Christopher Schurr murder trial favored acquitting the former Grand Rapids police officer in Patrick Lyoyas killing, his attorney said.

It was overwhelmingly in favor of acquittal and there were holdouts on the other side, attorney Matthew Borgula said Thursday, May 8.

Kent County Circuit Judge Christina Mims declared a mistrial after jurors said they could not reach a unanimous verdict after deliberating for 20 hours over the course of four days.

Related: Michigan police group: Hung jury in Lyoya case shows uncertainty of charges

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said he is weighing whether to retry the officer. Lyoyas family was extremely disappointed, he said.

Related: Will prosecutor retry Christopher Schurr for murder? Hes still considering it

Schurr, 34, a seven-year officer, was charged with second-degree murder in Lyoyas April 4, 2022, shooting death on the citys Southeast Side.

The case has gained national attention, with civil-rights attorney Ben Crump  representing the Lyoya family in a civil federal lawsuit - traveling to Grand Rapids last week and claiming Lyoya, who was Black, was targeted for driving while Black.

Related: MISTRIAL: Hung jury for police officer Christopher Schurr in murder trial

Schurr, who is white, said he stopped Lyoyas vehicle because his license plate didnt match the car he was driving. He did not see who was driving before he attempted to stop Lyoyas vehicle, his attorneys say.

The traffic stop happened around 8:10 a.m. April 4, 2022, on Nelson Avenue SE near Griggs Street.

Lyoya got out, shoved the officer and tried to flee, leading to a 2-minute scuffle for control of the Taser. Lyoya was facedown on the ground, trying to get up with Schurr on his back, when he was shot in the back of his head.

The defense said Schurr feared that Lyoya, who moved the Taser from his left hand to his right hand, was ready to fire the Taser at him. Schurr thought Lyoya would disable him with the Taser and kill him with his own gun.

Borgula, a former federal prosecutor, tried the case with attorneys Mark Dodge and Mikayla Hamilton. He spoke at a press conference after he and Becker talked to jurors.

Borgula said that Schurr should not be retried  and should not have been charged in the first place.

He said jurors were attentive during testimony and reached a point where they could not reach a unanimous decision.

I thought it was a very good jury of people that were put in a very difficult situation and so they did their job. And sometimes this happens where you cant get 12 people off the street to agree as to a very important decision, Borgula said.

He said that Schurr had been living with the case for three years and had hoped for a resolution. He never wanted to take a life.

He is the nicest man. And this was the most difficult thing hes ever had to deal with, that decision (to shoot Lyoya) and that split second. And we cannot declare victory because there really is not winning here. A man died, and that is a very serous thing. Christopher Schurr is happy that the jury didnt determine that hes criminally responsible for that death.

Borgula filed for a mistrial during trial alleging that the judge favored the prosecution based on facial expressions, particularly while Schurr was testifying. He said the attorneys did not make the complaint lightly.

He also criticized the judge for allowing testimony that he said suggested Schurr could not claim self defense because of his alleged tactical errors leading up the shooting.

Prosecution witnesses said Schurr shouldnt have chased Lyoya on foot, or fire a Taser at him from only 4-feet way. Schurr eventually lost control of the Taser while he was on top of Lyoya.

Schurr said he thought Lyoya would use it, then take his gun.

Borgula said that if the case is retried, he would consider going to the state Court of Appeals to argue officer-created jeopardy affected Schurrs right to use deadly force.

I mean, if were to argue about whether or not he was negligent in chasing him, then Im going to have to address that. Again, I just dont think that should have ever been put before the jury.  It came down to whether or not GRPDs policy or no policy of foot pursuits had some sort of bearing on whether or not he could use deadly force to protect himself. And I mean, I think half the trial was about irrelevant evidence.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Local NAACP President Cle Jackson described the mistrial declared Thursday in the murder trial of former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr for killing Black motorist Patrick Lyoya as tragic.

Patricks family, they need to have justice, he said. There needs to be some justice, and in our opinion this is not justice.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The contrast between inside the courtroom and along the streets outside the courthouse is significant.

During the nearly two-week homicide trial for former police officer Christopher Schurr, protesters shouted while protesting outside the courthouse.

However, inside the courtroom, it was utterly silent as the judge declared a mistrial due to a hung jury just after 9:30 a.m. Thursday, May 8.

The trial began Monday, April 28, and testimony continued until the morning of Monday, May 5. After 20 hours of deliberation, the jury of 12 people could not come to a unanimous decision whether Schurr was guilty of either murder or manslaughter in the shooting death of 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya.

On one side of the courtroom sat Lyoyas parents, Peter and Dorcas Lyoya, while Schurrs wife, parents and other family members sat on the other side.

As Judge Christina Mims made her short announcement of a hung jury, both families were completely silent.

RELATED: MISTRIAL: Hung jury for police officer Christopher Schurr in murder trial

Following the judge confirming the lack of a result with the jurors, the Lyoya family immediately left the courtroom.

The Schurr family, meanwhile, stayed in their seats in silence until they were escorted out of the courtroom surrounded by Kent County Sheriffs deputies.

The jury was taken back to its deliberation room, where the judge said the jurors would then be transported away from the courthouse.

Schurr, a former Grand Rapids Police Department officer, shot Lyoya three years ago in the back of the head after he was initially pulled over for a traffic stop.

The encounter between Schurr and Lyoya unfolded around 8:11 a.m. on April 4, 2022, on Nelson Avenue SE north of Griggs Street SE because his license plate didnt match the vehicle.

The officer told Lyoya  who was intoxicated  to stay in his car but Lyoya fled on foot. Schurr tackled Lyoya in a nearby front yard and a struggle over the officers Taser ensued. Schurr deployed the Taser twice but failed to hit Lyoya.

Schurr was on top of Lyoya  who was on the ground trying to get up  when the officer fired a shot into the back of Lyoyas head.

Schurr, a seven-year officer, was fired from the Grand Rapids Police Department in the days after he was charged with second-degree murder.

Because of the mistrial, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker will next have to determine whether to refile charges against Schurr.

For more of MLives coverage on the case, visit here.
Attorney Ven Johnson speaks alongside Peter Lyoya, the father of Patrick Lyoya, a Black motorist who was killed by a Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr, about the decision to charge Schurr with second degree murder following an announcement from Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker Thursday, June 9. (Jake May | MLive.com)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The attorney for the family of Patrick Lyoya, who was killed by a then-police officer, is urging the Kent County prosecutor to refile criminal charges.

Not long after a mistrial was declared in the Christopher Schurr murder trial Thursday morning, attorney Ven Johnson sat alongside Lyoyas parents and said theyre anxiously awaiting a decision by Prosecutor Chris Becker.

We encourage Prosecutor Becker to remain alongside this family and move forward with a retrial because we believe this officer should be brought to criminal justice, he said Thursday. We, along with many folks in the public, will be anxiously awaiting his decision.

Related: Will prosecutor retry Christopher Schurr for murder? Hes still considering it

He was joined by Lyoyas parents, Peter and Dorcus, interpreter Israel Siku, and Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack. Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant, was killed after the traffic stop three years ago.

After four days of deliberations, a mistrial was declared Thursday morning for Schurr.

The decision came after the jury deadlocked on the second-degree murder charge against Christopher Schurr, the police officer who has since been fired following the 2022 altercation.

Related: MISTRIAL: Hung jury for police officer Christopher Schurr in murder trial

Johnson shared that Becker has the discretion under the law to decide whether he chooses to move forward with a second trial or not. Becker told MLive and other media that he will need more time to consider refiling charges.

Becker shared with the family today his initial thoughts, but did not make any recommendations either way, he said. He asked us to give him some time to process, then he will make his decision and notify the family.

The encounter between Schurr and Lyoya unfolded around 8:11 a.m. on April 4, 2022, in a neighborhood on the citys southeast side.

Schurr stopped Lyoya on Nelson Avenue SE north of Griggs Street SE because his license plate didnt match the vehicle.

The officer told Lyoya  who was intoxicated  to stay in his car but Lyoya fled on foot. Schurr tackled Lyoya in a nearby front yard and a struggle over the officers Taser ensued. Schurr deployed the Taser twice but failed to hit Lyoya.

Schurr was on top of Lyoya  who was on the ground trying to get up  when the officer fired a shot into the back of Lyoyas head.

Schurr, a seven-year officer, was fired from the Grand Rapids Police Department in the days after he was charged with second-degree murder.

Footage of the altercation was captured, in-part, on bodycam and dashcam. A passenger in Lyoyas vehicle recorded a portion of the struggle  including the fatal gunshot  on his cell phone.

Lyoyas family filed a federal lawsuit against Schurr and Grand Rapids City in December 2022 that is ongoing.

Regarding the civil case, Johnson and civil rights attorney Ben Crump are waiting to meet with Judge Paul Meloney in Kalamazoo. They are prepared to proceed with the civil case as soon as possible.

RELATED: Inside the courtroom: Families silent as mistrial declared in Christopher Schurr murder trial

When you create a danger by doing something against your training, you cant then turn around and blame Patrick, Johnson said. Thats what this case was from the very beginning. They blamed Patrick for everything. Because he resisted, under federal law, he cannot have unreasonable or deadly force used against him simply because he resisted. That is the law and has been the law. Its not new.

For more of MLives coverage on the case, visit here.

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GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined Grand Rapids officials in calling for peace after a mistrial was declared in a high-profile murder case involving a local police officer on Thursday, May 8.

The governor said she understands Grand Rapids residents may be frustrated with the results of the trial against former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr, but urged residents to use their voices peacefully.

She commented on the case Thursday while visiting a new biomass processing facility in Grand Rapids, just a few hours after the mistrial was announced. The jury hopelessly deadlocked after days of deliberation over a second-degree murder charge against Schurr for the 2022 killing of Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop.

Asked whether she thought the case should go for a second trial, Whitmer said that decision wasnt up to her but that she hopes the community can find resolution.

I have met with the Lyoya family and my heart goes out to them, the governor said. I know their pain is going to be for a lifetime and this is a very tough moment. I also understand that people in the community have a right to make their voices heard. I just hope that the community can be peaceful as that happens.

Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand also urged the community to let the legal process unfold on Thursday, even though he acknowledged some may feel a lack of closure in a case that has weighed on the community for nearly three years.

I think everyone in the community wants a resolution to this process, and its unfortunate that didnt happen today, LaGrand said.

RELATED: We didnt have closure: Grand Rapids city leaders react to hung jury in police officers trial

Its still unclear whether Schurr will face another murder trial after the jury failed to reach a verdict.

The case now rests in the hands of Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker, who said he wasnt immediately sure if his office would refile a murder charge against Schurr.

Its a difficult case, Becker said Thursday. This was not an easy case. This is not a simple case.

RELATED: Will prosecutor retry Christopher Schurr for murder? Hes still considering it

In Michigan, there is no statute of limitations for murder charges to be refiled regardless of how long ago the alleged crime occurred.

The encounter between Schurr and Lyoya unfolded around 8:11 a.m. on April 4, 2022, in a neighborhood on the citys southeast side.

RELATED: Michigan police group: Hung jury in Lyoya case shows uncertainty of charges

Schurr stopped Lyoya on Nelson Avenue SE north of Griggs Street SE because his license plate didnt match the vehicle.

Schurr told Lyoya  who was intoxicated  to stay in his car but Lyoya fled on foot. Schurr tackled Lyoya in a nearby front yard and a struggle over the officers Taser ensued. Lyoya gained control of the Taser at one point.

Schurr was on top of Lyoya  who was on the ground trying to get up  when the officer fired a shot into the back of Lyoyas head.

The trial started April 28 and testimony lasted all week. Jurors began deliberating on Monday, May 5, and announced they were deadlocked the next day, but Judge Christina Mims ordered them to keep looking at the evidence. By Thursday, the jury confirmed it could not reach a verdict and Mims declared a mistrial.

For more of MLives coverage on the case, visit here.

Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter.
Former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr appears at the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Thursday, May 8, 2025. Moments later Judge Christina Mims declared a mistrial after the jury was hung and could not reach a verdict. Schurr, 34, was charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) Joel Bissell | MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI  The Michigan Fraternal Order of Police said a Kent County jurys inability to reach a verdict in the murder trial of former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr for killing Patrick Lyoya underscores the uncertainty and controversy surrounding the case.

On Thursday morning, a mistrial was declared after the jury deadlocked. Schurr, 34, was charged with second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of the Black motorist, following a 2022 traffic stop.
A protest is planned for 5 p.m. Thursday, May 8, outside the Kent County Courthouse. A mistrial was declared Thursday morning in the murder trial of former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr, who was charged with second-degree murder for killing Patrick Lyoya after a 2022 traffic stop. Pictured are Lyoya supporters chalk messages on the outside courthouse on May 5. Joel Bissell | MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A protest is planned for Thursday, May 8, following the announcement of a mistrial in the murder trial against former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr for killing a Black motorist.

Activists are calling for justice for Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant, who Schurr shot in the back of the head after a struggle following a 2022 traffic stop.

The Kent County Prosecutors Office charged Schurr with second-degree murder. The trial began on April 28. The jury was out for three days. They came back for a second time Thursday morning declaring they were a hung jury.

Im disappointed in this outcome but Im also not surprised at the fact that the very system that killed Patrick Lyoya did not give him the justice he deserves today, said Aly Bates, an activist and one of the organizers of the protest.

RELATED: Grand Rapids NAACP calls for new charges after mistrial in Christopher Schurr murder trial

The protest is planned for 5 p.m. outside the Kent County Courthouse, 180 Ottawa Ave. NW. Several speakers are scheduled, with a march to begin between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Bates said the family of Lyoya has called for peaceful protests.

25 1 / 25 Hung jury declared in Christopher Schurr murder trial of Patrick Lyoya

I definitely want to keep encouraging peace, Bates said. Thats something the family has communicated more than once, they want peaceful demonstrations.

The event is being planned last minute, Bates said. She will be among the speakers that so far include:

Members of the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression

Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack

Schurr stopped Lyoya on Nelson Avenue SE north of Griggs Street SE because his license plate didnt match the vehicle.

Lyoya fled on foot. Schurr chased and tackled Lyoya in a nearby front yard and a struggle over the officers Taser ensued. Schurr was on top of Lyoya  who was on the ground trying to get up  when the officer fired a shot into the back of Lyoyas head. Schurr was fired from the police department.

Bates said she wasnt sure if the family would be at the protest, but that it was possible.

On social media as Aly Thee Activist, Bates has been posting daily to keep people informed on the trial updates.

Ill take this over an acquittal, Bates said, of the mistrial. Hopefully this doesnt take another three years to get this man back in court.

The protest is planned in collaboration with Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids, Unite and Resist Grand Rapids, Protest for Progress and Black Rally World.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- In April 2025, Great Wall Motor ("GWM") sold 100,061 new vehicles, marking a year-on-year increase of 5.55%. Models priced above 200,000 yuan accounted for 26,360 units, up 2.87% from the previous year, while sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) jumped 28.42% over a year earlier to 28,813 units.

On April 23, GWM showcased its major product lineup across six key brandsHAVAL, WEY, TANK, ORA, Great Wall Pick-up, and SOUOat the AUTO SHANGHAI 2025. The company used the event to debut its Pan-ICE (internal combustion engine) Strategy, launch a 4.0T V8 engine, and unveil a refreshed corporate logo.

Photo credit: GWM

HAVAL led the way with 56,748 units sold in April, a 20.60% year-on-year increase. The second-generation HAVAL Xiaolong MAX hit the market during the month with a limited-time starting price of 116,800 yuan, garnering 16,368-unit pre-orders within 24 hours.

TANK recorded 19,201 units in April sales, bringing its global cumulative total to 663,200 units. Among them, the TANK 300 posted sales of 10,586 units in the month, up 13.46% year-on-year.

Photo credit: GWM

ORA sold 1,797 vehicles in April, with its cumulative global sales reaching 518,100 units. During the AUTO SHANGHAI 2025, ORA unveiled the Lightning Cat Wagon in its global debut and announced plans to launch at least two major models in the second half of the year.

Great Wall Pickup achieved April sales of 17,500 units, contributing to a global cumulative volume of 2.7562 million units. The world's first off-road plug-in hybrid pickup, the Shanhai Poer Hi4-T, officially entered pre-sale at the AUTO SHANGHAI 2025. The performance version is priced at 249,800 yuan, while the global version is offered at 228,800 yuan.

At the AUTO SHANGHAI 2025, GWM officially introduced its global-oriented Pan-ICE Strategy, which emphasizes a collaborative approach to internal combustion and electrification. The strategy is designed to deliver energy efficiency, extended range, and multi-scenario adaptability through hybrid technologies, enabling the brand to meet the diverse demands of global markets.

Complementing the new strategy, GWM unveiled its 4.0T V8 engineone of the show's highlightsfurther supporting the brand's push into the global high-end off-road segment.

Photo credit: GWM

The company also used the event to reveal its new corporate logo. The redesigned emblem adds a "GWM" base to the beacon tower-styled symbol, referencing both the initials of Great Wall Motor and the brand's aspirational slogan, "Go with more," symbolizing its relentless drive forward.
Experts say police officers, like Christopher Schurr, are trained "from day one" to respond to unlikely scenarios with lethal force. Joel Bissell | MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI  The mistrial of former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr reflects a broader trend of officers being trained to react to unlikely scenarios with lethal force, criminal justice experts say.

The hung jury order was read Thursday, May 8, in Kent County Circuit Judge Christina Mims packed courtroom in downtown Grand Rapids after 20 hours of deliberation.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A mistrial was declared in the high-profile murder trial for Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr after jurors were deadlocked despite nearly 20 hours in deliberation.

It was an outcome neither the prosecution nor defense wanted, but the announcement heard across the country also didnt come as a shock.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  The jury in the Christopher Schurr murder trial has been unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the case.

A hung jury was announced and a mistrial declared on Thursday, May 8 in Judge Christina Mims packed courtroom in downtown Grand Rapids.

Schurr, the former Grand Rapids police officer was charged with second-degree murder in the killing of Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant.

Jurors deliberated for about 20 hours over parts of four days before trial ended.

To view livestreams from each day of trial, visit MLives YouTube page here. For more coverage of the case, visit here.

The case was centered around a low-level traffic stop involving a white police officer and Black motorist.

The trial garnered national attention as a case of a police officer charged with murder for an on-duty killing.

The encounter between Schurr and Lyoya unfolded around 8:11 a.m. on April 4, 2022, on the citys southeast side. Schurr stopped Lyoya on Nelson Avenue SE north of Griggs Street for a license plate violation.

Schurr told Lyoya to stay in his car but Lyoya fled on foot. Schurr stopped him before the two struggled over the officers Taser, which Schurr had deployed twice but failed to hit Lyoya.

Lyoya was on the ground  trying to get up  when Schurr fired a shot into the back of his head. Schurr says he acted in self-defense.

The trial featured testimony from Schurr himself, plus nearly two dozen eyewitnesses and policing experts.

77 1 / 77 Former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr on trial for second-degree murder of Patrick Lyoya

For more of MLives coverage on the case, visit here.

Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand acknowledges the frustration residents might be experiencing after the mistrial was declared in a high-profile murder trial.

After three years of waiting, many likely wanted the finality that comes with a verdict for the controversial police shooting of Patrick Lyoya on the citys southeast side.

However, LaGrand also urged the community to remain patient as the legal process unfolds.

RELATED: MISTRIAL: Hung jury for police officer Christopher Schurr in murder trial

I think everyone in the community wants a resolution to this process, and its unfortunately that didnt happen today, LaGrand told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press Thursday, May 8, after the jury deeadlocked in the trial of former Grand Rapids officer Christopher Schurr.

We all want closure, and its unfortunate we didnt have closure. But at the same time, I certainly dont want that to be a negative judgment on the jury who is doing very, very hard work.

The jury hopelessly deadlocked Thursday after days of deliberation over the second-degree murder charge against Schurr in the April 4, 2022 killing of Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop. A mistrial was declared.

The case now rests in the hands of Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker, who has the authority to decide whether to refile charges against Schurr. As of 11 a.m. Thursday, he said he had not yet made that decision.

City Manager Mark Washington and Police Chief Eric Winstrom both declined to comment beyond a prepared city statement issued by a city spokesperson Thursday.

The city said it is offering free mental health support to residents to help the community process the court decision. The Wisdom Center, 1333 Alger St. SE, Grand Rapids, will have licensed therapists available to offer free services from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

RELATED: Inside the courtroom: Families silent as mistrial declared in Christopher Schurr murder trial

We understand that the inability to reach a verdict brings continued uncertainty and pain, most significantly for the Lyoya family, who have already endured so much, the city said in a statement. We also recognize this lack of resolution is difficult for our entire community and extends the period of uncertainty for Mr. Schurr as well.

City leaders also acknowledged the dedication of time and effort by the 12-member jury, which had deliberated for over four days after the defense rested its case Friday. LaGrand acknowledged the difficulty of what was asked of the jury.

Were asking random members of the population to be sworn to make a very hard decision in a very difficult case, he said. They are sworn to try to examine the facts as carefully as they can, and apply the law as its explained to them, which is a very, very democratic process.

This pause, or delay, in getting to the finish line is not something done by any outside entity. Its simply 12 jurors trying to fulfill their oath and reach an impasses.

The city urged residents to respond to the mistrial peacefully and respectfully.

Community activists planned to rally in front of the courthouse ta 5 p.m. Thursday to demand a retrial, according to a flyer circulating on social media.

The work is not done and we refuse to let this killer cop get away with killing Patrick, the flyer reads.

About a dozen people were gathered in front of the courthouse at noon Thursday, but the atmosphere was mostly quiet as activists were still figuring out what the mistrial means for the highly anticipated case.

RELATED: Inside the courtroom: Families silent as mistrial declared in Christopher Schurr murder trial

Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Its unclear if former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr will face another murder trial for killing Patrick Lyoya after a jury failed to reach a verdict.

A mistrial was declared Thursday morning, May 8, after jurors deadlocked on a second-degree murder charge against Schurr, who has since been fired from the police department.

The announcement came on Day 9 of a trial centered around a minor traffic stop three years ago that ended with Schurr shooting Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant, in the back of the head.

RELATED: MISTRIAL: Hung jury for police officer Christopher Schurr in murder trial

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker wasnt immediately sure if his office will retry Schurr on the second-degree murder charge.

Its a difficult case, Becker said. This was not an easy case. This is not a simple case.

Becker and defense attorney Matt Borgula spoke with media outlets shortly after Judge Christina Mims read the jurys decision in a case thats garnered national attention from the start.

The prosecutor said he wasnt surprised by the mistrial. He stood by his initial decision to charge Schurr three years ago despite some calls for him to be recused.

Ive been involved in a number of officer-involved incidents where I cleared (the officer) and you know, if I clear them, thats because I believe it shouldnt go forward, he said. This is why I felt, given all the facts and circumstances that (this case) deserved to go forward.

RELATED: Inside the courtroom: Families silent as mistrial declared in Christopher Schurr murder trial

Becker said he spoke with jurors to understand how they weighed the case, but he wouldnt go into detail on where they stood.

Borgula told reporters the jury was overwhelmingly in favor of an acquittal.

Becker wasnt immediately clear on a timeline for making a retrial decision, but he did indicate he wasnt going to let this drag out.

After a mistrial, a prosecutor must decide whether to retry the case, drop the charges or potentially reach a plea deal.

Becker said he will work with the Lyoya family  who were extremely disappointed by the decision  and determine what they want to do moving forward.

The encounter between Schurr and Lyoya unfolded around 8:11 a.m. on April 4, 2022, in a neighborhood on the citys southeast side.

RELATED: Michigan police group: Hung jury in Lyoya case shows uncertainty of charges

Schurr stopped Lyoya on Nelson Avenue SE north of Griggs Street SE because his license plate didnt match the vehicle.

Schurr told Lyoya  who was intoxicated  to stay in his car but Lyoya fled on foot. Schurr tackled Lyoya in a nearby front yard and a struggle over the officers Taser ensued. Lyoya gained control of the Taser at one point.

Schurr was on top of Lyoya  who was on the ground trying to get up  when the officer fired a shot into the back of Lyoyas head.

The trial started April 28 and testimony lasted all week. Jurors got the case Monday, May 5, and were deadlocked on Tuesday. The jury continued deliberations all day Wednesday before a mistrial was announced Thursday.

For more of MLives coverage on the case, visit here.
Jackson Chick-fil-A employee was attacked by 16-year-old, but did not want to press criminal charges. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com)

JACKSON, MI  A disgruntled teen attacked an employee at Jacksons newest fast-food restaurant, Chick-fil-A.

Police were called to the restaurant at 6:07 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, for a reported assault, Jackson Deputy Police Chief Sergio Garcia said.

Officers discovered the suspect, a 16-year-old boy, had physically assaulted a Chick-fil-A employee, though the employee was declining to press charges, Garcia said.

Video of the incident circulating on social media shows the two grappling in the drive-thru area of the restaurant at 971 N. West Ave.

A message left with the restaurant owner requesting comment was not returned.

No injuries were reported and police took the teen home and handed him over to his guardian, Garcia said.

The Jackson Chick-fil-A has been in operation for a little over a month, opening its doors to the public on April 3.

Once employees unlocked the doors at 6:30 a.m., customers rushed inside, and employees began taking orders for breakfast. It didnt take long for the seats to fill with guests.

Related: Its finally true: Chick-fil-A opens in Jackson to long lines of eager, early customers

Its opening received high praise from the public but also caused traffic snarls around the area as hordes of customers attempted to visit the restaurant during its first few weeks of operation.

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Four candidates have been selected in a search for the next Portage Public Schools superintendent. They will be interviewed on May 13 and May 14. Nate Pappas | Mlive.com

PORTAGE, MI -- The Portage Public Schools Board of Trustees has selected four candidates to interview to be the districts next superintendent.

After 12 years at the helm, current Superintendent Mark Bielang announced in January hell be retiring at the end of this school year in June.

A search for the next superintendent began shortly after Bielangs announcement. Candidates, including a district principal, were selected on Wednesday, May 7, during school board meeting.

RELATED: Longtime Portage Public Schools superintendent to retire

The candidates selected tonight have the qualities and experience to potentially be an excellent fit for our school district and community, Randy Van Antwerp, president of the school board said.

Two of the finalists are from within the district and two of the finalists are from outside of the district. The four were selected from a field of 12 applicants.

Interviews will take place in the Portage Central High School Community Room at 8135 South Westnedge Ave. The candidates will be interviewed next week on Wednesday and Thursday.

Scott Warstler , chief operations officer of Frisco Independent School District in Texas, will be interviewed on Wednesday, May 14 at 5 p.m.

Matt Olson , assistant superintendent of Northwest Education Services, will interview at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14. Northwest Education Services is the service agency serving school districts in Northwest Michigan.

Eric Alburtus , principal of Portage Central High School will interview at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 15.

Johnny Edwards, assistant superintendent of PPS, will interview at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 15. Edwards was also a finalist in the search for a Kalamazoo Public Schools superintendent in 2023.

The district plans to have a new superintendent selected by July 1.
Owner of the Michigan News Agency, Dean Hauck, poses for a portrait at her store in downtown Kalamazoo. The store reopened for the first time since her passing on Friday, May 2 for a memorial. (MLive file photo) Joel Bissell

KALAMAZOO, MI  The Michigan News Agency was an extension of its owner Dean Margaret Hauck.

It was her identity.

It was never, My name is Dean Hauck and I own the Michigan News, said her daughter Sarah Smith. It was, Im the Michigan News.

Dean Hauck died in February at age 86. Her bookstore and newsstand, previously open seven days a week, went dark.

Whats coming to her iconic Michigan Avenue storefront next? The family isnt ready to share specifics yet.

Whats coming is going to be really good, Smith said. I think shed be really pleased with it.

Dean Haucks daughters Sarah Smith and Margaret Hauck opened the doors for a memorial on Friday, May 2. More than 100 people came to the store, Smith estimated.

There was a line of people out the door, Smith said. She was the heart and soul of Kalamazoo.

A Kalamazoo Gazette file photo of Michigan News Agency on March 18, 2020. The shop is now closed, following the passing of longtime shop owner Dean Hauck on Feb. 8, 2025, according to Hauck's daughter. MLive file photo

Dean Hauck worked for her stepfather in the store growing up. She returned to the business after raising her own family and working as a teacher.

Her early childhood was very dark, Smith said. Dean Hauck spent three years in a World War II Manila internment camp.

Thats where she learned to read.

In 1947, her family moved to Kalamazoo, where her stepfather owned the Michigan News Agency at 308 W. Michigan Ave.

When Dean Haucks husband died and her daughters moved away, Kalamazoo became Dean Haucks family by extension, Smith said.

Reading was a lifelong passion. Thats how the store evolved into her identity later in life.

The daughters wont take over the store, but they hint that another business may come in with the same values.

We appreciate peoples wanting us to carry on the bookstore, Smith said. Its just not our path.

Both Smith and Margaret Hauck are avid readers and published writers.

Michigan News Agency provided a place for local authors to get their work in front of the community, Smith said.

I think its something were going to, hopefully, see more of, she said.

All of the books and inventory will be staying with the store, Smith said.

Its gonna be a change, but its gonna be something thats good for the community, Smith said. It wont be Dean Hauck, Michigan News, but itll be the next step in a great history.

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FRANKENMUTH, MI  A modern building has popped up along the Cass River in Frankenmuth replacing the century-old flour mill.

The Mill at Zehnder Park, 701 Mill St., is still under construction, but is slated to open early next year.

Zehnders CEO and Chairman Albert Zehnder said The Mill will pay homage to the agricultural industry in the Frankenmuth area, as well as represent the history of the old flour mill.

When people walk into the new space, Zehnder said they can expect a wow.

Its going to be Frankenmuths only luxury lodging facility. We think its going to be something special, Zehnder said. I think what the guests are going to see is a continuation of the customer service focus weve built as a company.

The small, luxury and boutique hotel will feature four individually curated suites that will have a residential feel to them, Zehnder said.

Each room will have a fireplace and a small kitchenette with a specific theme to it, such as pine, moss, water, wheat and rust, The Mill planning committee member Lauren Zehnder said.

Throughout the space, original mill artifacts and historical photographs will be seen as well.

Near the patio that faces the Cass River, there will also be the original water wheel from 1984 installed using 4,728 gallons of water to operate it. It was once used to power the flour grinder, The Mill planning committee member Olivia Shelton said.

As the rooms are still under construction, so is the newly announced Landmark Lounge, which is located underneath The Mill.

Landmark Lounge is paired with Iron Fish Distillery, another Michigan brand heavily focused on family and the use of agriculture.

There will be craft cocktails and zero-proof options highlighting Frankenmuth and Michigan-inspired flavors along with small plates to snack on.

It seats 50 customers, will be open to the public and will be available to host private events.

I think our guests are going to want to come and hate to leave, Zehnder said.

Follow along with the projects progress on The Mill at Zehnder Park Facebook page here.

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Zamboni the dog after undergoing surgery by Dr. Joseph Kline to mend a fracture in one of his rear femurs. Cole Waterman

SAGINAW, MI  The Michigan State Police are investigating Saginaw County Animal Care & Control for alleged animal cruelty.

After investigators launched their probe, and shortly before a federal lawsuit was filed against Animal Control, the agency hired an Illinois public relations firm for thousands of dollars.

The agency, however, regularly asks the public for donations. It even has a standing PayPal account through which the public can make one-time, monthly, or yearly contributions.

Veterinarian Dr. Joseph A. Kline and his wife, pathologist Dr. Kathy T. Kline, on Feb. 27 sent a letter to MSP Capt. Gregory Morenko requesting troopers investigate Animal Controls recent practices. The Klines alleged Animal Control Director Rachel Horton knowingly neglected two dogs, named Tahoe and Zamboni, that were suffering from broken femurs.

Animal Control officers in November took in the injured Tahoe after finding him in Saginaw. An officer sent X-rays of the fracture in Tahoes leg to Joseph Kline. The veterinarian offered to perform surgery on Tahoe for only the costs of supplies, roughly $400, but received no response from Horton, he alleged.

Tahoe was left to sit in his cage without definitive treatment for more than three months, until a volunteerbrought this to the attention of the community, the Klines wrote. Leg fractures are painful and debilitating and ought to be treated promptly, best in a few days but at least within a week.

The volunteer was let go from her position at the shelter, the Klines continued.

X-rays of fractures in the femurs of dogs Tahoe (left) and Zamboni, two dogs taken in by Saginaw County Animal Care & Control in 2024. Cole Waterman

Horton on Feb. 8 posted on the agencys Facebook page that Kline never made an offer to perform Tahoes surgery for free. The post garnered numerous comments from people reiterating Klines offer, to the point Animal Control limited who could comment.

Another veterinarian performed surgery on Tahoe on Feb. 20, amputating his damaged leg.

Zamboni also went months without treatment for his broken leg, the Klines alleged. An Animal Control officer adopted Zamboni then brought him to Joseph Kline, who mended the leg.

On follow-up, the dog is running around the back yard on four legs with his buddies, the Klines wrote.

The Klines attached a Michigan statute defining animal cruelty and neglect, outlining how conduct can be considered a felony or a misdemeanor.

Capt. Morenko called the Klines on March 3 to tell them a detective was being assigned. MSP Detective Peter Oskvarek confirmed the probe is ongoing as of Thursday, May 8, and he hopes to present his case to the Saginaw County Prosecutors Office within a few weeks.

Joseph Kline confirmed Oskaverk interviewed him at his practice, Erwins Veterinary Clinic in St. Charles. The detective has also interviewed Horton at least once.

The county in April, after Oskvarek interviewed Horton, hired Ripple Public Relations, of Chicago suburb Highland Park, for $3,500. The agreement states Ripple would develop and execute a full-service publicity campaign surrounding the Surgical Center and spotlight accomplishments, initiatives, and special events, and secure media coverage.

Saginaw County Animal Care & Control Director Rachel Horton Cole Waterman

The Surgical Center had its grand opening April 30 at 5615 Bay Road in Kochville Township.

Area residents reacted with befuddlement to news of the county hiring the PR firm.

Where did these funds come from? Why is this money not being spent on caring for the animals? asked one user on the Facebook group Ask Saginaw, sparking a lengthy discussion.

Animal Control regularly asks citizens to donate supplies and funds for veterinary care. The agency has a 2025 budget of $3.4 million, a nearly 15% increase from its 2024 budget of $2.9 million.

Its uncommon for area law enforcement agencies to hire private PR firms rather than handling such matters in-house. Prior Saginaw County Animal Control Director Bonnie Kanicki, who retired in January 2024, stated the agency never hired a PR firm during her tenure. The Saginaw County Sheriffs Office, Saginaw Police Department, and Bay County Animal Control confirmed they also have never contracted with an independent PR firm.

At the March 19 meeting of the Saginaw County Animal Control Advisory Council, member Carol Pickelmann defended Hortons work from public criticism and lauded her work with the shelter. She also made it clear Animal Control needs more funding.

There is a myth that the millage provides enough money to pay for this building and operations, Pickelmann said, according to the meetings minutes. We always need more money at the shelter.

She went on to address Joseph Klines claims that Tahoe was in dire straits while housed at the shelter.

Tahoe was not suffering while he was here. He was not in pain, she said.

Minutes of the councils April meeting have not yet been published.

Joseph Kline was contracted as Animal Controls veterinarian through July 2024. He continued providing services after the contract lapsed, as negotiations were underway for it to be renewed.

Dr. Joseph Kline with a kangaroo. Cole Waterman

Joseph Kline in late 2024 discovered Horton was allegedly letting non-certified staff euthanize animals, a violation of policy and state law. Joseph Kline noticed an issue when reviewing a log of drugs and those administering them to the animals.

Michigan administrative rules mandate non-veterinarians who sedate or euthanize animals with tranquilizers must have 16 hours of training, including four hours of practical training with a licensed veterinarian. The euthanasia process involves the use of controlled substances ketamine, xylazine, and pentobarbital.

Joseph Kline in August 2024 reported the issue to Horton, who allegedly became angry, denied she violated the law, and refused to discuss the issue further, hes alleged.

Joseph Kline then attended a meeting of the Advisory Council and again reported untrained personnel were euthanizing animals in violation of the law. Horton and Saginaw County Administrator Mary Catherine Hannah were present at the meeting. The next morning, Horton sent Joseph Kline an email stating his contract would not be renewed.

This amounted to Horton retaliating against Joseph Kline for publicizing the euthanasia matter, Joseph Kline alleged. The same morning, Horton sent an email to county officials saying, After discussion with our country [sic] administrator and hearing Dr. Klines [sic] viewpoint on shelter operations, we have come to the conclusion that it would not be beneficial for either of us to continue to work together. We appreciate Dr. Klines years of service and dedication to the shelter animals and wish him a happy retirement.

A view of the new Saginaw County Animal Care and Control Center in Kochville Township on Thursday, Aug. 24. Dogs and cats were transported there from the former animal shelter in Saginaw that day.

Joseph Kline again spoke out about the issue at a Saginaw County Board of Commissioners meeting on Sept. 17, 2024, asserting he was fired for being a whistleblower. Administrator Hannah allegedly said she had no recollection of Joseph Klines previous reports.

The Advisory Board met again the following day, during which Hannah stated county officials had reported the accusations to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and an investigation would follow. She denied Joseph Kline was subject to retaliation.

He was a contractor, not an employee, so there can be no whistleblower accusations, Hannah said, according to meeting minutes.

However, it is just as illegal to retaliate against a whistleblowing contractor as it is an employee.

Saginaw County hired Gregory W. Mair of the ONeill, Wallace, & Doyle law firm to investigate Joseph Klines allegations. Hannah on Nov. 7 sent Horton a counseling memo outlining Mairs findings and recommendations.

Mair concluded Horton generally acted within the scope of her authority regarding euthanasia. Mair didnt have any significant findings regarding the maintenance of supply levels or Hortons decision to restrict certain staff from being involved in euthanasia.

Mair did find a single violation regarding the administration of a controlled substance during the euthanasia procedure. Horton in June 2024 directed an uncertified person to administer a sedative to an animal during the process, Hannah wrote.

During the investigation, Mr. Mair noted that he believed you were genuine in your statements to him that you believed you could observe and direct an uncertified individual to administer a sedative as a part of a euthanasia procedure, Hannah wrote. This was a violation of shelter policy and operating procedures, she added.

Joseph Kline on May 2  two days after the Surgical Center opened  filed a lawsuit against Horton and Saginaw County in U.S. District Court seeking more than $75,000, plus costs, interest, and attorney fees. In it, Joseph Kline alleges Hortons August email to county officials is direct evidence of her retaliatory intent, the suit states. Furthermore, Joseph Kline was not retiring and Hortons erroneous assumption he was showed age-related animus, the suit alleges.

Click here to read the entire lawsuit.

MLive reached out to Administrator Hannah regarding the decision to hire Ripple, the criminal probe into Tahoe and Zambonis treatment, and Joseph Klines lawsuit but did not immediately get a response.

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Ban can ang nhap e thuc hien chuc nang nay!
A 40-year-old Saginaw man has been charged for aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material and using a computer to commit a crime. (MLive file photo)

SAGINAW, MI  A 40-year-old Saginaw man has been charged for aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material and using a computer to commit a crime.

Pete Buford was arrested by the Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to a news release from MSP.

Buford, who was on parole, was arrested following an investigation in which digital evidence was seized, according to police.

The man was arraigned in the 70th District Court on May 7.

The MSP Computer Crimes Unit encourages parents to speak to their children about internet safety. There are many resources available to parents to assist in keeping children safe online, police said.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides a comprehensive list at missingkids.org. The Michigan ICAC Task Force also provides resources at michiganicac.com.

Anyone with information regarding possible child sexual exploitation is asked to report it to the CyberTipLine at missingkids.org/cybertipline.

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Rajni Pandey is a seasoned content creator with over 15 years of experience crafting compelling stories for digital news platforms. Specializing in diverse topics such as travel, education, jobs, science, wildlife, religion, politics, and astrology, she excels at transforming trending human-interest stories into engaging reads for a wide audience.

Rajni Pandey

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Anupama actress Rupali Ganguly slams Pakistani actor Fawad Khan over his controversial post about Operation Sindoor, writes, "You working in Indian films was also 'shameful' for us"

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Anushka Sharma ignores Virat Kohli's hand as they step out for a dinner date, fans say "aur lagao Nazar"

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Arjun Kapoor pays a tribute to his 'dadi' Nirmal Kapoor with unseen pics, writes, "legacy will live on..."

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From The Royals to Diplomat: OTT releases to binge watch this week

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Hombale Films reacts to junior artist MF Kapils death, clarifies "incident did not occur on the sets of Kantara"

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Janhvi Kapoor's rumored beau Shikhar Pahariya hits back at trolls who called him 'heartless' for praising Indian army, writes, "We will not stay silent anymore"

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Last Bullet Review: The final chapter in this French action trilogy wraps up the best action film series youve never watched

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Mandana Karimi receives backlash over her controversial post about Operation Sindoor, fans say "Send her back"

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Raghav Juyal thanks Shah Rukh Khan for introducing him to the Met Gala: "I thought it was just halloween..."

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Signs of ovarian cancer: Why early symptoms go undetected, know the risk factors

Namita S Kalla is a senior journalist who writes about different aspects of modern life that include lifestyle, health, fashion, beauty, and entertainment.

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India, EFTA trade deal likely to be operational by September

Adrija Chatterjee is an Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol. She has been tracking and reporting on finance and trade ministries for over eight years.

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Indian farmers to benefit from suspension of Indus Waters Treaty, says Shivraj Chouhan

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L&T sees prospective order pipeline of Rs 19 trillion in FY2025-26, says CFO, eyes 10 percent order inflow growth in FY26

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Tata Motors shares rise 3% as Trump likely to announce trade deal with UK

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Trade Spotlight: How should you trade Zensar Technologies, APL Apollo Tubes, ITC, CRISIL, BSE, Aurobindo Pharma, and others on May 9?

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Chloe Diegel and Alex McKiernan started Robinette Farms with the simple mission of providing locally grown food to families in the Lincoln area.

Located near Martell, the farm provides roughly 200 subscribers with customizable options for locally grown produce and meats to be delivered each week.

But during COVID, Robinette Farms added another dimension to its business model, Diegel explained.

"We had an online presence that a lot of our farmer friends did not have, so we kind of dipped our foot into aggregating, providing a service for them to sell the crops they had after their sales outlets went away," she said.

Today, Robinette Farms works with over 40 different producers in the region to source everything from farm-fresh vegetables and meats, to dairy products, eggs, kombucha, even locally grown wheat milled into flour.

To continue expanding the business and building a "collaborative network of growers, producers and food creators" for their direct-to-customer business, Diegel said Robinette Farms applied for a grant offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Managed through the USDA's Regional Food Business Centers, the Business Builder grant program was designed to provide direct financial assistance to small and mid-sized farms and food businesses across the country.

More than 100 Nebraska-based farms and businesses applied for the first round of grant funding last year, requesting a total of $4.6 million in reimbursements for investments into equipment, marketing, or other business expansion efforts.

The Heartland Regional Food Business Center chose 16 Nebraska-based businesses, including Food 4 Hope of Beatrice and West End Farm near Plymouth, to receive nearly $660,000 in funding this round, granting an average of $41,200.

Robinette Farms was notified that it had been selected to receive nearly $50,000, an amount Diegel said would have helped upgrade a refrigerated truck that is key to making more deliveries.

Diegel said Robinette Farms also planned to use grant funding for a marketing campaign set to roll out in February to attract new customers ahead of the peak produce season.

"It's certainly challenging for small farmers because they are raising the animals and growing the crops while running a business and often supporting a family," Diegel said. "Marketing is a pretty unique skill to have and not everyone is good at it, so we were working to get more people interested in local food."

But that program was apparently put on hold in February, according to Katie Nixon, a co-director of the Heartland Regional Food Business Center based in Missouri, just as the first round of grant contracts was ready to be signed.

"We finalized the Business Builder slate in February," Nixon said. "We knew at that point there was a funding freeze, so we held off on signing contracts until we could get clarification, but had to make the decision in early March to put the program on hold."

The Heartland Regional Food Business Center, one of 12 in the country created in 2023 to serve "historically underinvested communities," had received 479 grant applications from farmers and businesses across its region.

About 90 applicants  Nebraska's 16 businesses among them  were selected for the first round of funding totaling $3.7 million, Nixon said. More than $20 million was requested.

The money is waiting to be distributed to those who were notified their grant applications had been approved, while a second round of $8 million is waiting to go, she added.

"It took a year to develop this program and make sure it fell in line with USDA guidelines," Nixon said. "We're not just going to start throwing money out there, we want to make sure it's spent in a responsible way and reaching community organizations doing work on the ground."

Katie Jantzen, the owner and operator of West End Farm near Plymouth, received notification she had been awarded a $29,410 grant to build a solar-powered cold storage trailer in late February.

The trailer would have allowed Jantzen, who sells more than 50 different kinds of fruits and vegetables at farmers markets in Lincoln and Beatrice, to ensure her perishable products were being kept at safe temperatures on hot summer days.

But as Jantzen scrolled down further on the email informing her she had been picked as part of the first round of Business Builder grants, it became clear that the program was in jeopardy.

"The instructions said don't do anything," Jantzen recalled, "we can't reimburse you for anything you spend until we know we're getting the money."

The news forced Jantzen, who grew up on a dairy farm before venturing into sustainable agriculture and community-supported food production, to change course for how she will approach the market season, which began last month.

"I'm rethinking how I'm going to handle transport and storage to markets," Jantzen said. "And I need to rethink how I store things on the farm. It's a lot of work trying to think through my options when you don't know whether or not you'll get funding."

Jantzen said if the Business Builder grant doesn't come through, it won't mean the end of West End Farm, but it will potentially hamper efforts to build a stronger local food system in Southeast Nebraska.

Diegel said the same. Robinette Farms will remain busy working with its partners and serving its subscribers, but the opportunity to reach new consumers through a marketing campaign will be limited somewhat.

"The percentage of the population that participates in local food is less than 1%," Diegel said. "The people that already know about it  we call them the choir  are full-on in their support.

"This was going to help us reach new people and really expand who was learning about us," she said.
Hiral Thanawala is a personal finance journalist with over 10 years of reporting experience. Based in Mumbai, he covers financial planning, banking and fintech segments from personal finance team for Moneycontrol.

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SBI, Bank of Baroda bid in most OMOs since January, received major liquidity support

Manish M. Suvarna is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol. He writes on the Indian money markets, RBI, Banks and NBFCs. He tweets at @manishsuvarna15. Contact: Manish.Suvarna@nw18.com

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Tushar Goenka is a breaking news reporter who focuses on startups. Interested in venture capital, quick commerce, e-commerce, food delivery and D2C.

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Tariff cuts on UKs whiskies may serve as template for the proposed India-EU FTA

Adrija Chatterjee is an Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol. She has been tracking and reporting on finance and trade ministries for over eight years.

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India-UK FTA: Text to be finalised by 3 months paving way for deal signing

Adrija Chatterjee is an Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol. She has been tracking and reporting on finance and trade ministries for over eight years.

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After BluSmart exit, Quick Ride to have cab pick-up zone at Bengaluru airport

Christin Mathew Philip is an Assistant editor at moneycontrol.com. Based in Bengaluru, he writes on mobility, infrastructure and start-ups. He is a Ramnath Goenka excellence in journalism awardee. You can find him on Twitter here: twitter.com/ChristinMP_

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Amritsar once again carries out blackout drill, residents asked to remain indoors and not panic

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India's big message: Operation Sindoor still on, 'very firm' response if Pakistan escalates

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'Giving state funeral to terrorists doesn't make much sense to us': India slams Pak for glorifying terrorists

Siddharth Chakravorty

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'Giving terrorists state funerals': India rips into Pakistan over support to terror - Big takeaways from MEA briefing

Siddharth Chakravorty

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India is going to win': Donald Trump's supporter Laura Loomer sparks buzz on X amid tensions with Pakistan

Tamal Nandi

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India on high alert on land, air and sea as tensions with Pakistan escalate

Chhabi Kala

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India-Pakistan conflict: Day after Operation Sindoor, Pak troops resort to heavy shelling along LoC in J&K's Kupwara

Hemant Abhishek

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India's S-400 counters aerial threats from Pakistan: All about the advance air defence system

Armaan Bhatnagar

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India says Pakistan Army chief Asim Munirs provocative speech was likely trigger for Pahalgam attack

Abhinav Gupta

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It is up to Pakistan to de-escalate, will respond to further actions by Islamabad: India

Siddharth Chakravorty

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Inside Operation Sindoor: How Army, IAF rained fire and fury on terror targets across LoC

Armaan Bhatnagar

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'It will cease to exist': Army veteran explains why Pakistan can't risk nuclear war with India

Armaan Bhatnagar

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'No intention to escalate, but will respond firmly': Jaishankar briefs Iran on Operation Sindoor

Abhinav Gupta

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Operation Sindoor: Centre to brief key leaders at all-party meeting at 11 AM today

Parimal Peeyush

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Operation Sindoor: Satellite images reveal extent of damage to LeT, JeM bases in Pakistan

Parimal Peeyush

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'Pakistan will soon split into five parts': Former J&K DGP on failed attacks along western border

Abhinav Gupta

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Rafale vs F-16: Why India holds decisive edge over Pakistan in the skies after Operation Sindoor

Abhinav Gupta

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'Right to defend its people': World leaders show solidarity with India after Operation Sindoor

Chhabi Kala

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Terror hubs that trained Ajmal Kasab and David Headley: Inside the 9 camps destroyed in Operation Sindoor

Abhinav Gupta

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US issues advisory for its citizens in India after Operation Sindoor

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Arun Anand has authored two books on the RSS. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.

Namrata Agarwal

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C Uday Bhaskar is Director, Society for Policy Studies, New Delhi. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.

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India warns Pakistan of consequences if its infrastructure is targeted

Sweta Goswami

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DMK, The Hindu criticised for publishing full-page ad on MK Stalin with grammatical errors

Ankita Sengupta

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'Kindly support us, we are an Indian brand': Karachi Bakery owners defend name amid protests

Shubhi Mishra

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Shubhi Mishra

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Radhika Gupta shares 3 ways civilians can support frontline forces: 'This is the time to be united'

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'Soldiers leave weddings to fight, so can we': Bihar man delays wedding to join mock drill

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Sheetal Kumari

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Google denies Apples claims about users searching less on its devices

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Uber asks employees to return to office 3 days a week, changes sabbatical policy too

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Wells Fargo to shut Chennai GCC, asks employees to move to Bengaluru or Hyderabad

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After Operation Sindoor, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif says 'India may strike again'

Abhinav Gupta

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Amid escalating Indo-Pak tensions, US issues alert for its citizens in Lahore; asks them to leave or seek shelter-in-place

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Big setback for Pakistan: 14 Pak soldiers killed in Balochistan, BLA claims responsibility  how the attacks took place

Hemant Abhishek

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'Not familiar with the matter': Beijing denies role of Chinese jets amid Indias strikes in Pakistan

Abhinav Gupta

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Pro-Palestinian protest erupts at Columbia University library, some turned over to police

Arindam Roy

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Moderates resist GOP efforts to alter food assistance program

Republicans are currently working through sticking points on President Donald Trumps legislative priorities, and proposed reductions in federal funding for SNAP are creating conflict, as per a report in The Hill. SNAP benefits, previously known as food stamps, are currently funded entirely by the federal government.

The proposed SNAP cuts are the latest flash point, as Republicans work through sticking points on President Donald Trump's legislative priorities, according to a report in The Hill. SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, are currently funded entirely by the federal government, while the costs of administering it are not.
Want to see them stop: Trump urges India-Pak de-escalation after Operation Sindoor, offers to mediate

Abhinav Gupta

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Yves here. The India-Pakistan conflict has temporarily dropped out of the top slot in international news coverage, displaced by news that the US and UK are about to announce a tariff agreement. Well soon turn to an observation by Larry Johnson, that Pakistan is pointing strongly to US meddling as playing a role in its current hot conflict with India. This idea seems less strained when you factor in that Pakistan has turned to Russia, a strong ally of India back to the very days of its formation, to act as mediator. Further corroboration of Johnsons thesis comes indirectly in an OilPrice post, which we are reproducing in full, how continuing hostilities would undermine Chinas Belt and Road Initiative to link Asia to Europe by land transport.

The latest updates show that attacks continue. CNN described how Pakistan has vowed retaliation after Indian strikes into Kashmir and Pakistan. However, the news service also points out that Pakistan has made yet-to-be-substantiated claims to have brought down five Indian planes, including three French fighter jets and could declare victory based on that.

The reason this row is extremely perilous is that tit-for-tat exchanges dont seem a likely outcome. Pakistan apparently drained its weapons supplies, at US urging, to support Ukraine, and is thus seriously outmatched by India in conventional forces. Worse, Pakistans nuclear doctrine has a low threshold for deployment. Pakistan regards its tactical nuclear weapons as a means to counter its shortfall (even before the Ukraine diversion) in conventional capacity. From Observer Research Foundation in Pakistans tactical nuclear weapons limit Indias conventional military options:

While the possession of nuclear weapons has added a new lethal arrow in the quiver of both nations, the introduction of Tactical Nuclear Weapons (TNWs) by Pakistan injects a new element of uncertainty into this volatile relationship. Pakistans perceived threat from India which emanates from its structural, institutional, and military weaknesses, has prompted it to undertake military adventures in 1947, 1965, 1971, and 1999. Failing which, it has come to a broader strategic conclusion that the Indian military modernisation, enabled by rapid economic and technological strides, makes India conventionally superior. Indias conventional military superiority and Pakistans desire to neutralise it through its TNWs have shaped Pakistans defence build-up and its nuclear doctrine as a whole.

Newsweek, in a fresh story, describes how India has superiority even in its nuclear arsenal. However, as suggested above, Pakistan apparently compensates for that doctrinally having an itchy finger and weapons consistent with the fantasy of a limited nuclear strike. From Newsweek:

India has about 172 nuclear warheads, while Pakistan possesses roughly 170, according to the Arms Control Association. Despite their similar numbers, the countries diverge in nuclear doctrine. India publicly maintains an NFU doctrine.Pakistan has never adopted a similar policy and reserves the option of preemptive use. Tactical Capabilities India holds the advantage in missile range and strategic deterrence. Its Agni-V ballistic missile can reach up to 8,000 kilometers, enabling strikes deep into enemy territory. Pakistans longest-range missile under development, the Shaheen III, has a reach of about 2,750 kilometers. Pakistan also deploys tactical nuclear weapons, including the Nasr (Hatf-9), a short-range missile with a 70-kilometer range designed for battlefield use. Military Strength India outpaces Pakistan in active military personnel: 1.24 million in the army, 149,000 in the air force, and 75,500 in the navy. Pakistan has about 560,000 army troops, 70,000 in the air force, and 30,000 in its navy. India also operates a 13,350-strong coast guard.

Unfortunately, despite efforts to de-escalate the fighting, Pakistans prime minister has just pledged revenge. From Aljazeera:

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says we will avenge the blood of our innocent martyrs after at least 31 people were reported killed and dozens wounded in Indias attack on Punjab province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Heavy exchanges of artillery fire have been reported along the Line of Control dividing Indian- and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Nevertheless, it is possible that the fighting will stay at the ugly dustup level.

Now to Larry Johnsons theory, via his Sonar21 website, Did Western Intelligence Play a Role in the Latest Terrorist Attack in Kashmir?:

While many uninformed Westerners might scoff at the idea, Pakistans Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, accused India of staging a false flag. But Asif didnt stop there. During an interview with Sky News, Asif admitted that Pakistan has been supporting and funding terrorist groups for about three decades, describing this as doing the dirty work for the United States and the West, including Britain. He acknowledged that this was a mistake and said Pakistan has suffered greatly as a result, especially by aligning with the West during the Soviet-Afghan war and the post-9/11 US-led war on terror Asif emphasized three key points: Collaboration with Western Powers: Asif stated, We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades, you know, the West, including Britain. This comment was made in the context of discussing Pakistans historical role in supporting Western-led initiatives, which he suggests have contributed to the current challenges with terrorism. Training of Mujahideen: Reflecting on Pakistans past decisions, Asif acknowledged that the country had trained Mujahideen fighters during the Afghan-Soviet war, stating, We prepared them and now they have become terrorists. He emphasized that Pakistan should not have engaged in such activities at the behest of other nations. Critique of U.S. Military Actions: Asif has criticized the United States for its military interventions, noting that Pakistan has suffered due to its alliance with the U.S. He pointed out that the U.S. left behind high-tech weapons in Afghanistan, which have contributed to the rise in terrorism within Pakistan. The attack in Pahalgam, at a minimum, was designed to disrupt further development of the area as a tourist destination. Still, in light of Asifs remarkable confession, I cannot rule out something more nefarious by my former outfit or by Britains MI-6.

And now to OilPrice, which discusses how this conflict, if not resolved, could undermine Central Asian development as well as Mackinder-esqe approaches to integrate Eurasia and so dominate other geographies. And of course continuing hostilities between India and Pakistan could also impede BRICS initiatives. This piece admittedly describes worst-case scenarios, but less bad but still bad outcome would also have geopolitical and economic costs.

By James D. Durso, the Managing Director of Corsair LLC, a supply chain consultancy. In 2013 to 2015, he was the Chief Executive Officer of AKM Consulting, a provider of business development and international project management services in Central and Southwest Asia to U.S. clients in a variety of industries including telecommunications, homeland security, and defense. Originally published at OilPrice

A war between India and Pakistan would significantly destabilize Central Asia, disrupting trade routes, delaying infrastructure projects, and increasing regional militancy.

China, Russia, and the U.S. may intensify involvement in Central Asia, leveraging the conflict to protect or expand their influence.

Potential nuclear fallout, refugee flows, and the breakdown of regional cooperation could severely impact Central Asias economic development, security, and food systems.

If India and Pakistan spiral into war, there will be consequences for Central Asia.

A war between Pakistan and India would likely have significant ripple effects on Central Asia, given the regions proximity to Afghanistan and flourishing economic ties across the region. The conflict could disrupt trade and energy routes, increase militancy, and draw in major powers like China, Russia, and the U.S., potentially straining Central Asian stability.

Intervention by external powers: The Central Asian republics (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan) are already arenas for competition among outside powers. A Pakistan-India conflict could draw these powers into the region more aggressively to secure their interests, though Russia is busy in Ukraine, Turkey is busy in Syria, and U.S. forces are fighting in the Middle East, and Washington is ready to confront China.

China is an ally of Pakistan and sponsor of the $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). China might deepen its presence in Central Asia to secure trade routes and counterbalance Indias regional influence. This could accelerate Chinese investments in infrastructure and energy projects that will increase trade with the region that totaled $89 billion in 2023, up 27% from 2022, $60 billion of which was Chinese exports.

And China may make further inroads into the Central Asia arms market given Moscows need to dedicate all its resources to the Russia-NATO war in Ukraine. This will allow China to broaden its engagement beyond infrastructure projects into the security realm that, up to now, has been limited to anti-terrorism training and intelligence sharing in Tajikistan.

Russia is an ally of India, a buyer of Russian arms, having purchased $60 billion of Russian arms, 65 percent of its total weapons imports, over the past twenty years With its historical ties to Central Asia and shared membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Russia might leverage a conflict to reinforce the regions border security, and increase intelligence sharing and security forces training.

And just in time, Russia has declared it will help the Taliban government fight the Afghan branch of the Islamic State, the Islamic State  Khorasan Province (IS-K).

The United States could focus on Central Asia to counter China and Russia, potentially increasing military or economic aid to Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan, the major economies in the region. Unlike the leaders of Russia or China, no American president has ever visited Central Asia but President Donald Trump could signal increased U.S. attention by visiting the region.

Afghanistan as a flashpoint. Afghanistan, bordering both Pakistan and Central Asia, would likely become a hotspot. The Afghan Talibans support for the Pakistani Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan (TTP) could further destabilize Pakistan, presenting Islamabad with the prospect of a two-front war, though recent visits by Pakistans diplomats, and military and security officials seeking a diplomat reboot may be just in time to stanch action by the TTP.

Instability would come to Central Asia via Afghanistan in the form of refugees and energized militants, and economic stagnation in the delay of development projects like the Trans-Afghan railway, the TurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia (TAPI) natural gas pipeline, and the CASA-1000 renewable energy infrastructure construction project.

General disorder may spill insecurity into Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, where cross-border militancy (e.g., the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), which has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda, and IS-K could surge.

And the instability will cause a slowdown in foreign direct investment that has steadily climbed as has foreign trade in goods and accession to bilateral investment treaties. The regions economy suffered lost decades between the start of the Afghan civil war in 1992 and the end of the NATO occupation of Afghanistan in 2021 and has been making steady progress in connecting to the wider world economy; Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are completing the World Trade Organization (WTO) accession process, and Kazakhstan and Tajikistan are WTO members.

And just in time for a war, the World Bank is predicting economic slowdown for Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will suffer pronounced declines, Kazakhstans decline will be less pronounced, and Uzbekistans growth rate will remain steady at 5.9%.

The U.S. may try to leverage disorder on Afghanistans border with Pakistan to pressure the Kabul government, but that risks empowering Al-Qaeda, IS-K, the hardline Taliban faction in Kandahar, or some combination of the three. Disorder in Pakistans Balochistan province, the poorest place in Pakistan, may energize the local separatists and draw in bordering Iran which faces a Baloch insurgence on its side of the border.

Indias Central Asian Ambitions. Indias efforts to access Central Asian and Afghan resources, via Irans Chabahar port, could be disrupted, forcing India to seek alternative routes or deepen ties with Russia and Iran, affecting regional alignments, and angering the U.S. which is trying to isolate Moscow and Tehran.

India imports uranium for its nuclear power program from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and an uninterrupted supply by the republics will be a sign to India they value their relationship with Delhi.

Trade Route Disruptions: Central Asia relies on connectivity projects like CPEC and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). A war could disrupt CPEC which links Chinas Xinjiang province to Pakistans Gwadar port and passes through contested areas like Kashmir. Indias trade routes to Central Asia via Iran and Afghanistan could be jeopardized if conflict escalates or Afghanistan becomes unstable, though if Indian merchantmen are unmolested by Pakistan the impact may be minimized and they will be able to safely dock at Iranian ports.

Tightened border controls will hurt regional trade that was boosted by eased border controls that teased the possibility of a unified regional market, following the resolution of many territorial disputes, a process that began in earnest after the 2016 election of Uzbekistans president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The Central Asia republics trade with India and Pakistan and will be reluctant to be drawn into one sides economic warfare on the other. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, the three largest economies in the region, all import packaged medicaments and vaccines from India and mostly food products from Pakistan, and may find it easier to replace the lower-valued agriculture products than disrupting their medical supply chain.

Pakistan and Kazakhstan recently inked a transit trade agreement that would see goods shipped from Central Asia through the Pakistani ports of Karachi, Bin Qasim, and Gwadar, and the start of direct flights between the countries. An India-Pakistan war will bring in the insurance companies who may cancel coverage to aircraft, trucks, and their cargoes, delaying the benefits of the deal.

Spillover of Militancy: A Pakistan-India war, especially if centered on Kashmir, could embolden extremist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed or Lashkar-e-Taiba, which have historical ties to Afghan and Pakistani militants. This could inspire increased terrorist activity in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, where groups like the IMU and IS-K could exploit regional conflict for recruitment and radicalization.

Nuclear Risks: Both nations possess nuclear arsenals, less than 200 weapons each. Even a limited nuclear exchange could cause dire environmental and climatic effects, disrupting Central Asian agriculture and food security, and pretty much eliminating agriculture exports as customers fret about contamination, despite the prevailing westerly winds. In Uzbekistan, agriculture contributes about 25% to the Gross Domestic Product and employs about a quarter of the workforce, so the economic (and political) impact would be profound.

Conflict in Pakistan or Afghanistan could drive refugees into Central Asia, particularly Tajikistan, straining resources and sparking ethnic tensions, and destabilizing resource-strapped governments.

India and Pakistan are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as are several Central Asian states, and China and Russia. A war could paralyze SCO initiatives, hindering regional security and economic cooperation. Tensions might also exacerbate India-China rivalries within the SCO, affecting Central Asias balancing act.

Specific Impacts on Central Asian States

Tajikistan shares a porous border with Afghanistan, making it vulnerable to militancy and refugee inflows. Indias military training programs with Tajikistan could be disrupted, and its newly-refurbished (by India) Ayni Airbase base may worry Pakistan.) As a regional leader, Uzbekistan might seek to strengthen ties with Russia and China to counter instability, however, its trade with South Asia could suffer. Neutral but energy-dependent, Turkmenistan could benefit from Chinese energy demand. As the major Central Asia economy, Kazakhstan might leverage its SCO and Eurasian Economic Union ties to mitigate disruptions but could face energy market volatility. Kyrgyzstan is economically fragile and be hit hard by trade disruptions increasing reliance on China or Russia.

Long-Term Implications

Regional Polarization: Central Asia could become more divided, with some states aligning with China (e.g., Turkmenistan) and others with Russia or the West (e.g., Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan), hindering regional unity, which may be in the interests of Washington, Beijing, Brussels, or Moscow.

Securitization: Fear of spillover could lead Central Asian states to increase security spending, diverting resources from economic development. More than half of Central Asias population is under 30 years of age and they have high expectations that governments are trying to satisfy by increasing educational and economic opportunity, and diversifying the economies away from agriculture and natural resource extraction, and towards technology, services, and tourism. And more security may come at the expense of civil rights.

Environmental Fallout: A nuclear conflict, even limited, could cause global climate disruptions, devastating Central Asias agriculture-dependent economies.

Conclusion

India has been active in Central Asia with its Connect Central Asia Policy, which aims to enhance trade, connectivity, and diplomatic engagement, and hinges on Indias development of Chabahar port in Iran, though the Trump administration rescinded the sanctions waiver on Chabahar. Washingtons fixation on Iran, specifically ruining its economy to press it for a favorable nuclear deal, may see India and Central Asia as collateral damage.

The republics import higher value goods from India (Packaged Medicaments) than they do from Pakistan (food products), and sell uranium  a strategic good  to India. India has a larger market than Pakistan and is a provider of technology products that Pakistan cannot match, and the republics future is with India, though they have no reason to antagonize Islamabad.

A Pakistan-India war would destabilize Central Asia by disrupting trade, fueling militancy, and intensifying great power rivalries. The regions proximity to Afghanistan and reliance on connectivity projects make it particularly vulnerable. Central Asian states would face economic strain, security threats, and pressure to align with external powers, potentially fracturing regional cooperation. The nuclear risk underscores the catastrophic potential, with global climatic effects threatening Central Asias food security and economic stability. To mitigate these risks, Central Asian states might pursue neutrality, strengthen SCO ties, or seek mediation roles, but their limited clout may constrain effective responses.
Israel has gone all in on its bet that its patron, the US, would be always and ever loyal to its interests. That in finance is called an undiversified bet and is considered to be particularly hazardous. Israel has further engaged in the finance equivalent of leveraging that wager by piling on: engaging in in-your-face genocide in Gaza, intensified ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, attacking civilians relentlessly in Lebanon (notably but far from exclusively Beirut), and overextending itself in Syria. Most YouTube geopolitical regulars depict US Middle East policy as totally captured by Israel; Larry Wilkerson has been a lone opponent, contending that the Israels conduct, no matter how appalling, serves and is driven by US interests.

If this new story in the Times of Israel is any guide, Israel assumptions that the Zionist state and US interests are joined at the hip just took a big hit, in the form of Trump negotiating with and concluding a deal with Ansar Allah of Yemen, aka the Houthis.

Not only was Israel not a party to the talks, but the (only vaguely described) pact covers only the US and Yemen. Yemen is to stop attacking US ships and the US will stop shelling Yemen. So Yemen is free to and no doubt will continue to attack any Israel-bound vessels. There remains the interesting question of whether the US will try to provoke Yemen by getting a US carrier to go to Israel.

But even more distressing to Israelis is that this pact was agreed after the successful Houthi attack on Ben Gurion Airport. This is a serious psychological as well as practical blow. Apparently, a single missile got though Israels much-touted air defenses, including recently-supplied THAAD systems.1 So unlike the staged Iran retaliation in April, where Iran got through not just Israel and US but also supplementary French and UK air defenses via among other things a drone swarm which overwhelmed the air defenses, this attack demonstrated conclusively how vulnerable Israel proper is to the stereotyped sandal-wearing Houthis. Even if the damage can be repaired quickly, the airport was out of service and foreign carrier cancelled flights. Its not clear how quickly they can be persuaded to restore full schedules.

Despite the spectacle of Gaza violence and now starvation having the effect of making distress in Israel look like whinging by pampered sadists, there is more and more evidence that the country is coming apart. Alastair Crooke pointed out right after October 7 that it did profound damage to core premise of the state of Israel, that it was a safe haven for Jews. The justification for the savage and disproportionate violence against Palestinians over decades was to maintain that status. The brutal lashing out after October 7 looks like a further manifestation of displacement activity, even before getting to the fact that eschatological crazies now dominate the government.

Despite Netanyahus deeply offensive braying, Israel has not fared well since October 7. Hamas has not been defeated and the hostages have not been returned. Israel has launched yet another reservist-call up, when no-show levels have already been high. Larry Wilkerson claims that the losses to the IDF are much larger than reported. Not only is the death count high, but the level of severely (including permanently) injured is unsustainable for a small country. Wilkerson points out that the number of wounded is the key figure to watch, since in theaters like Lebanon and Gaza, the injured can be transported quickly to first-class hospitals, improving survival rates.

And in addition to the practically and psychologically destabilizing failure to subdue Gaza quickly, Israels other warmaking has produced other Pyrrhic victories. Israel barely was able to enter Lebanon and suffered horrific losses, hence it resorting to pummeling Beirut to bring Hezbollah to heel.3 And that mission still failed. The objective was to enable the Israel settlers in the North to return to their homes. Many have still not done so, believing the border area to be unsafe.

The spectacular pushing-over of an unexpectedly weak Assad regime has made Israel the dog that caught the car. Its overextended and the much much better armed and resourced Turkiye is starting to take action against Israel adventurism. And the Houthis didnt just keep shelling but also seemed to be getting better over time.

Many of its best and brightest have left, some contend as many as a million. Even if the number it much smaller, Israel depends on a small number of highly educated and/or trained professionals. A serious hollowing out of that cadre leads to administrative malfunction and seize-ups. Tourism has collapsed. Israel society is more and more divided, to the degree that the mainstream press is reporting more and more signs of an impending civil was (see here and here as examples). So the last thing that Israel can absorb well now is further destabilization via a US reduction in support.

Now, in Trumpland, it is never clear how long any arrangement will hold. Trump may have decided to cut his losses after his much ballyhooed bombing campaign in Yemen did not cow them, and even worse, the US suffered the embarrassments and costs of losing not just so-called Reaper drones but then two fighter jets.2 But if the US thought that the Yemenis leaving US ships alone would restore normalcy in the Red Sea, they are set to learn otherwise soon. It seems highly unlikely that insurers will resume giving coverage while Yemen still has open season on Israel-bound or connected ships. So even if the Houthis hew to the deals terms, will the Don declare them in breach because US commercial carriers are still not traversing the Red Sea?4

One other point regarding the Times of Israel story, to which we turn now. It claims that the Houthis agree to the Trump demand to end attacks on US ships as a result of Iran pressure. We have said that Trumps real desire out of the Iran talks was not just to score some sort of colorable win on the nuclear enrichment front, but more important, to deliver a victory of some sort with respect to Yemen.

Note also, contrary to my assumptions about the timeline, that Israel made its devastating attack on Yemens Saana airport before Trump made his surprise announcement. Clearly that attack had US intelligence support even though we apparently did not provide new/additional materiel. I had mistakenly assumed this was an Israel show of force, not just retaliation for the Ben Gurion attack, but also to demonstrate that Israel could pound Yemen all on its own, thank you very much.

From the Times of Israel in Trump ditched Israel with surprise Houthi truce. That doesnt bode well on Iran:

The Israeli Air Forceflattened the airport in Sanaa, a day after Israeli jets pounded the port city of Hodeida. Then, US President Donald Trump dropped his own bombshell. Without coordinating with Israel or other allies, he announced during a White House meeting that the Houthis had agreed to stop attacking shipping lanes in the Red Sea, and said that the US would halt its attacks on the Iran-backed group. The Houthis, meanwhile, declared they would keep hitting Israel. As if to emphasize the point, a drone believed to have been launched from Yemen flew toward Israel early Wednesday before being intercepted by the IAF. If the agreement holds  and that is an extremely uncertain proposition  Israel, it seems, is on its own in the fight against the Houthis. Worryingly, Trump didnt even mention the Houthis attacks on Israel It is unclear what exactly was achieved by Trumps two-month bombing campaign, which cost over $1 billion. If the Houthis do continue firing at Israeli-linked civilian ships and at the country itself, Israel is unlikely to be capable of forcing them to stop through airstrikes. Its not even clear that hundreds of US strikes are what caused the Houthis to agree to a ceasefire with Washington. Two Iranian officials told The New York Times that it was Iran that persuaded the Houthis to stop their attacks on US assets, as Tehran engages in nuclear talks with the US.

And the punch line:

It appears Israel may run out of meaningful targets before the Houthis run out of missiles Still, the most important element in the conflict with the Houthis is the implications for Israels confrontation with Iran. With Israel on the sidelines, the president could suddenly announce a deal with Iran that leaves its nuclear program intact. Israel would find itself isolated, and unlike in the Houthi case, it would be inconceivable that it would attack Iran after an agreement with Trump.

My guess is this surprise development is a very rare case of Trumps personal pathology having an upside. Trump cannot stand to be dominated. Yet that has not been Netanyahus posture versus the US but openly that of many Israeli officials. Larry Wilkerson and others have reported their shock and anger at how Israel intelligence officials and IDF members waltz into high-level meetings, not even having been made to go through normal security checks, much the less get clearances. Trump would find the persistent muscling and presumption to be intolerable and would feel compelled to restore the US status as firmly in charge of matters Israel.

Now having said all of that, notice this key sentence in the Times of Israel account: it would be inconceivable that it would attack Iran after an agreement with Trump.

If Netanyahu and his clique believe that an attack on Iran would force America to saddle up, that means Israel would need to do so before Iran negotiations are completed, since the risk to Israel of an agreement are real.

And a strike does not need to be successful to have the desired effect. The loss of Israel aircraft would do, particularly if then followed by a false flag attack within Israel. Mind you, that would not be credible to anyone with an operating brain cell who has observed Irans considerable restraint in the fact of Israels provocations, but that isnt the target audience for this sort of stunt.

So while the Trump action looks like a remarkably positive development, its still way too early to declare a win for peace. Israel hardliners and Netanyahu must be besides themselves, and Israel has already amply demonstrated its capacity to operate well outside any notion of norms and decency.

____

1 Larry Wilkerson said that what made the THAAD impressive was not its missiles but its super duper radar.

2 Only one is arguably directly due to Houthi shelling targeting aircraft carriers, as in a fast evasive action dumping a plane in the drink. The second, an attachment failure (landing jet presumably not grabbing those rubber bandy thingies that bring it to a fast stop) has not, as far as I can tell, been further explained. A maintenance lapse? Stressed staff screwup? Or one of our new pet issues, a (Covid cognitive impact induced) checklist failure?

3 I am in no position to adjudicate the debate over whether the Israel decapitation efforts were successful. My impression is there is a strong case that Hezbollah remained very well armed and had enough organizational depth in the form of a younger generation of seasoned figures, to carry on. But as part of the government of Lebanon, the societal costs of the continued bombing of Beirut, particularly given the already-desperate conditions in the country in the wake of the massive fertilizer cargo explosion, were too high to justify.

4 There is reason to think that Trump wont go there unless he needs cover for yielding to Israel Lobby pressure. Most experts depict the cost of the longer transit around the Cape of Good Hope as manageable.
Its become common to rubbish Serious Economists, and given their track record, its not hard to see why. Among other reasons, the ones that have a better grasp on how the provisioning of society actually works are usually relegated to the heterodox wilderness. That is because they lost the plot. The purpose of mainstream economics is to defend the proposition that free enterprise systems will (or can be organized to, with the help of said right-thinking economists) to beat command and control systems, as in evil Commies. This was a legitimate concern since both Russia and China industrialized in a generation, accomplishments that gave capitalists pause.

The top editors at the Financial Times, such as Gillian Tett and its chief economics editor, Martin Wolf, are particularly subject to orthodoxy pressures despite having exhibited some independence of mind in the past. Wolfs latest piece, The old global economic order is dead, makes two important observations despite getting wrapped around the axel in some other ways.1 Ill simply focus on the good bits after an intro of the constraints under which someone like Wolf operates.

I have some sympathy for Wolf because in the runup to the crisis, he (based on the work of then capital markets editor Gillian Tett and the readings of John Authers) was early to be worried about the direction of travel and the lack of good information. After the crisis, Wolf was also pumping for serious reforms, promoting the campaign by Mervyn King, Paul Tucker, and Andrew Haldane at the Bank of England. One of their big agenda items amounted to a modern version of Glass Steagall, of separating capital markets trading from traditional banking. They lost after a hard fight to Treasury, which natch was all in for the banksters.

However, Wolf is also hostage to his status at the pink papers de facto ambassador to the Serious Economist community. He always goes to Jackson Hole. He regularly moderates Big Deal economics panels or has one on one discussions. So he winds up not arguing with Ben Bernakes ridiculous and self-serving savings glut thesis because he needs to get on with Bernanke. Ive also seen Wolf interview Larry Summers at a conference (although interview does not give quite the right image of the dynamic. Before Summers I never saw someone fill a very large room with his ego). So some cognitive capture is inevitable.

Now to the two tidbits from Wolfs latest. The first is on sectoral balances, something we discussed extensively here back in the day. From a 2010 post, fittingly with Martin Wolfs name in the headline:

Martin Wolf, in todays Financial Times, uses modern monetary theory (!), also known as the fiscal balances approach, to explain why calls for fiscal belt tightening are premature. Lets provide a little background, courtesy Rob Parenteau of the Levy Institute: if we divide the economy into three sectors  the domestic private (households and firms), government, and foreign sectors, the following identity must hold true: Domestic Private Sector Financial Balance + Fiscal Balance + Foreign Financial Balance = 0 Note that it is impossible for all three sectors to net save  that is, to run a financial surplus  at the same time. All three sectors could run a financial balance, but they cannot all accomplish a financial surplus and accumulate financial assets at the same time  some sector has to be issuing liabilities [borrowing]. Since foreigners earn a surplus by selling more exports to their trading partners than they buy in imports, the last term can be replaced by the inverse of the trade or current account balance. This reveals the cunning core of the Asian neo-mercantilist strategy. If a current account surplus can be sustained, then both the private sector and the government can maintain a financial surplus as well. Domestic debt burdens, be they public or private, need not build up over time on household, business, or government balance sheets. Domestic Private Sector Financial Balance + Fiscal Balance  Current Account Balance = 0 Again, keep in mind this is an accounting identity, not a theory. If it is wrong, then five centuries of double entry book keeping must also be wrong. Yves here. Many readers reject the message here instinctively. You cannot have the private sector save in aggregate AND have government run a surplus UNLESS you run a trade surplus. And the problem we have is: 1. The private sector in pretty much every advanced economy is deleveraging, as in saving. Most people, yours truly included, think thats a good idea. 2. If those economies want to run government surpluses too, then they need to run pretty big trade surpluses 3. It is impossible for all countries to run trade surpluses at the same time. 4. Moreover, some countries that have been running large trade surpluses for quite a while (in particular China and Germany) are not willing to change course, at least not in the near future. 5. So if all these new hairshirt-wearers want to shirk public and private debt at the same time, some countries will need to run correspondingly large trade deficits (which also means they will experience rising private or public sector debt levels). There appears to be a dearth of candidates for this role.

Wolf in his current post has a wee chart which shows (although Wolf does not call this point out) how the US managed to make this conundrum worse.

The understanding many have of the economy (based on the incorrect premise that investment comes out of pre-existing savings, as opposed to loan proceeds that banks can create from thin air) is that household savings fund business investment. Thats a big reason for the disquiet over government deficitsarent they crowding out business? No, because first, businesses set their return targets too high, so they will just about never invest enough to generate full employment. In fact, they WANT unemployment so as to keep wages down and be able to discipline labor. Second, our terrible government accounting system feeds the prejudice against government spending, since it does not create an income statement and balance sheet, which would differentiate spending from government investment.

But third, as we pointed out in a Conference Board Review article in 2005, The Incredible Shrinking Corporation, US companies in aggregate were not just under-investing but net saving, as in slowly liquidating. This tendency has gotten even worse via stock buybacks.

Wolf, having (per our 2010 post) having once-upon-a-time tried to argue against austerity, skips over the key issue:

Sectoral savings and investment balances are revealing indicators of this last challenge. Foreigners have been running a substantial savings surplus with the US for decades. US businesses have also been in balance or surplus since the early 2000s, while US households have been in surplus since 2008. Since these sectoral balances have to add to zero, the domestic counterpart of US current account deficits has been chronic fiscal deficits.

What you see, if you squint a bit, is consistent with the Shrinking Corporation article: companies had been borrowing to invest in growth. In aggregate, around 2003, they started engaging in the highly unnatural and ultimately destructive behavior of giving up on capitalists by investing in their companies and instead, for the most part, became obsessed with cost-cutting. You see government borrowing picking up the slack.

The related point, again not often enough made, is what investments are made matters. Household borrowing has been found to be economically unproductive. For governments, it matters over time whether investments are productive (clean water, good roads and bridges, cheap broadband, for starters) or are exercises in big-ticket pork, like our military.

The second useful point Wolf makes is on Chinas unbalanced economy. The Manichean thinking cognitive bias among many readers is staggering. Just because the US has made a complete mess of its once-formidable advantages does not mean that China isnt a source of instability too. From Wolf:

Michael Pettis is, in my view, correct that the world economy cannot easily accommodate a huge economy in which household consumption is 39 per cent of GDP and savings (and so investment) correspondingly huge. What is also clear is that the latter has also helped drive what the Rhodium Group judges a successful Made in China 2025 policy.

Many explicitly reject the idea that there is such a thing as overinvestment. Huh? Are you old enough to remember the dot-com era? The US produced a shit-ton of Internet businesses, as in way way more than the market would support, so most died. The US had another overproduction crisis in the railroad boom of the later 1800s, when promoters were able to launch rail lines, irrespective of the actual commercial potential, because they could make a killing on the stock trading. Some were even built duplicating barely successful or money-losing lines between the same city pairs.

Wolf points out that China has a large enough potential internal market to solve this problem. But the Chinese continue to save at very high rates. He notes:

China has the option of expanding domestic demand and so offsetting lost US demand. Matthew Klein responds, in his excellent Substack The Overshoot, that China has long had this option but has failed to use it. My answer is that China must now do so and thus will indeed choose to expand demand rather than accept a huge domestic slump. We shall see.

The reason Chinese save so much is the lack of social safety nets and worker protections, such as a minimum wage. And yes, China could readily solve this problem but Xi is hostile to it. As we wrote in 2023, incorporating a comment by PlutoniumKun (who follows the Chinese press as well as development literature):

China seems not just to be having what would be expected difficulty in changing from an investment/export led growth model to one with domestic consumption being far more important. China also appears to have an ideological, or one might say political problem in making this shift. Higher consumption would require lower savings rates. Not only do Chinese consumers not feel secure enough to do that (too much history of crises in China and its neighbors) but China under Xi is unwilling to implement the social safety nets that would encourage more spending. I dont want to take up too much time with this intro, but some relevant recent sightings. Note that Setser among other things is the man on dollar holdings and flows outside the US: I suspected that parts of Chinas top leadership objected to a household focused stimulus. Turns out the epicenter of opposition is Xi himself: Xi sees such growth as wasteful and at odds with his goal of making China a world-leading industrial and technological powerhouse 2/  Brad Setser (@Brad_Setser) August 27, 2023 Beijings mind seems made up  but Chinese policy makers have this backwards. Using the central governments clean balance sheet to support household demand would actually make it easier for households, property developers and local governments to delever. 3/ pic.twitter.com/i2abVkdEJB  Brad Setser (@Brad_Setser) August 27, 2023 A hypothesis: there can be no durably stable Chinese and global economy so long Chinas national savings rate stays around 45% of GDP  (note that, contrary to the IMFs forecasts, savings has been rising since 2020 ) 1/ pic.twitter.com/PDzgbgbuLB  Brad Setser (@Brad_Setser) August 28, 2023 Chinas shoppers hesitate to spend big in face of deflation via @FT



Excess savings in China have increased in the first half of the year compared with the same period last year, and there is still a gap between pre-pandemic and current consumption https://t.co/dvQvhP1lrU  Iikka Korhonen (@IikkaKorhonen) August 29, 2023

And now extracts from the points made by PlutoniumKun

But the reality is that a crisis is inevitable for any country pursuing an unbalanced growth model  i.e. by focusing on investment and exports over domestic/consumer led growth. This is baked into the standard model  and the Chinese are fully aware of this, and have been since at least the 1980s and 1990s when I started following (from afar) the Chinese economy from a development economics perspective. Back in the 1990s the Chinese devoted very significant resources to studying the Japanese late 80s collapse, later the 1990s Asian crisis, and the multiple crashes which foiled numerous countries over the past century or more from crossing the threshold from upper-developing to developed country status. There is a line of thought among some China analysts that Xi was selected and given extraordinary powers specifically to deal with what was foreseen to be a very difficult transition from a the current development model to developed status, which has always overtly been the holy grail for the CCP. I dont think there is much doubt that the current situation in China is very serious. In my opinion, the housing crisis is a symptom, not the cause of the current problems (in reality, the Chinese economy started showing signs of strain even before Covid). The core problem being several decades of internal debt build up and chronic mal-investment along with an overdependence on rising property values to underpin spending at a local level. But the housing issue alone is gigantic  by any objective measurement it is vastly greater as a proportion of the economys size than the Irish and Spanish crashes of 2007-9. When you add in demographic issues and climate induced strains, this is potentially much more than just a cyclical downturn. It is highly unlikely for there to be a financial crash as the Chinese banking and finance model is very different from in the westBut it is increasingly recognized within China (this is very obvious reading between the lines in various statements from Beijing) that the current model has finally run out of steam and needs fundamental overhauling. The problem is that this has been pretty obvious for some time, but despite numerous policy statements going back at least 2 decades (the big change was supposed to happen after the 2008 Olympics), very little has been doneThere has to be a very significant transfer of wealth to ordinary citizens through higher wages and better social welfare provision in order to boost consumer spending (one of the few things orthodox and heterodox economists agree on when looking at China). And as for debt  in theory, this is a simple problem to address (i.e. monetize/forgive it in one form or another), but there appears to be an unwillingness to even discuss this option within high level circles in China. The irony to me is that having studied the Japanese crash intensively, the Chinese may somehow manage to replicate exactly the mistakes the Japanese made. While it can be argued that the current property/investment boom is not as bad in China as it was in Japan, in other respects the Chinese economy may be a lot weaker than Japan was at the time  for all its modernity, China is still essentially a poor country  significantly poorer than, for example, Russia or Turkey, and probably not even matching Mexico. What is unique about China is its enormous size, which allows it to mobilize resources and dominate economic sectors in a way small developing countries cant. But then again, this has never helped India, which also has some very advanced technological sectors. The other huge problem  ironic given demographic problems  is youth unemployment. This seems to be a characteristic of fast growing export-led economies once they rise above the sweatshop levels of development  both Japan and South Korea have had huge problems in keeping up employment levels even at times when their economies have been seen to be healthy when measured in GNP. In simple terms, I dont think you can keep up a high level of employment if you insist on suppressing wages and consumer demand. But this is integral to an export/investment model of development A few years ago, I would have been fairly confident that the CCP could pull it off, especially with someone as impressive as Xi at the helm. But more recently there are increasing signs of inept leadership, groupthink and poor decision making at higher levels of government in Beijing, going right to the top. There is a lot of rot among our leadership classes everywhere, not just in the west.

So again, a warning against black and white thinking. Just because the US is now terribly led and China has much more competent people in charge, as well as many technological advances of which it can be very proud, does not mean it cannot also be hostage to economic idea and/or social values that are keeping it from executing seemingly obvious solutions to its economic pressures.

____

.sup>1 There is a BIG complicating factor with respect to the data Wolf relied on at the top of his piece, which is also the foundation of the US tariffs policy. Mind you, I am not suggesting with the information below that the US does not have a big balance capital account surplus, but that reliance on multinational accounting data that shifts revenue to tax havens like Ireland overstates it. This is the 50,000 foot version of the argument from hidden wealth/tax evasion maven Gabriel Zucman; he has some more recent papers I need to mine to properly present his findings. The author who made this summary argues Zucman *must* be wrong, hence the need to look at later work (this sort of thing reminds me of other *musts* like US housing prices could never decline on a nation-wide basis). So:
In a legislative session marked by thorny debates on health care, education, transportation and environmental protections, one topic dominated this years discussions: immigration. Even so, one of the most controversial pieces of immigration legislation  one that caused numerous protests, led to the arrest of 80-year-old protester Lynn McFarland and stirred social media discourse  never made it to the House floor for consideration.

House Bill 793/Senate Bill 836 would have allowed local school boards to prohibit undocumented students from attending public schools if they could not prove their legal citizenship status. The Senate version of the bill would have allowed schools to charge tuition to the families of undocumented students. Republican backers of the bill said its intent was to save Tennessee money, but no proof was ever shown that it would. Many rebuked this notion, citing the fact that undocumented families in Tennessee pay $900 million in tax revenue annually, according to a report from the American Immigration Council.

+2 ICE, State Troopers Remove Dozens of People From South Nashville An unknown number of people were detained in traffic stops and surrendered to federal immigration authorities, then bused out of state

While the bill was sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Sen. Bo Watson (R-Hixson), several of their fellow Republicans voted against the bill. Some argued that it goes against the teachings of the Bible and punishes children for their parents actions. The legislation was widely criticized by Democrats, faith leaders and immigrant advocacy groups who called it discriminatory. Its opponents regularly argued that it would pose a challenge to Plyler v. Doe, a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling solidifying the right to public education for all children regardless of their immigration status.

The bill narrowly passed in its committee hearings before making it to the Senate floor, where it ultimately passed 19-13.

The legislation was set to be heard in its final House committee before heading to the floor for a vote that would send it to the governors desk. And then  in the sessions final weeks  Lamberth announced that the states fiscal review director had sent a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon to clarify whether the legislation would endanger $1.1 billion in federal funding for the state due to the bill potentially violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964. By the time the General Assembly wrapped its business on April 22, they had not received a response.

Under the Trump administration, I anticipate that the answer is going to be that it will not endanger the funds, Lamberth told reporters after the end of this years session. But its just too big of a risk to take at this juncture.

While this years session has come to a close, the bill is not fully dead. Lamberth noted that this is the first year of a two-year session, and that lawmakers have more time to tweak the bill and bring it back for consideration in 2026.

Immigrant Enforcement and Sanctuary Policies

Several other bills targeting undocumented immigrants did pass this year. In a special session at the start of the year, extensive immigration crackdowns were passed, creating a centralized immigration enforcement division exempt from much of the states open records laws.

Lee Appoints State's First Chief Immigration Enforcement Officer Veteran federal agent Ryan Hubbard to lead new division, which is largely exempt from the states Public Records Act

Gov. Bill Lee recently announced that former federal agent Ryan Hubbard will lead the new division. The legislation will also establish grant programs to allow local law enforcement to arrange detainment agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and criminalize sanctuary policies implemented by officials and local governments.

Drivers Licenses

Another divisive bill signed by the governor will invalidate out-of-state drivers licenses issued to undocumented immigrants. Tennessee does not currently issue drivers licenses to people living in the U.S. unlawfully. The new law will make undocumented immigrants use of out-of-state licenses while driving a class-B misdemeanor.

Smuggling, Harboring or Hiding

Additionally, lawmakers passed a bill that criminalizes smuggling, harboring or hiding undocumented immigrants. It creates various felony and misdemeanor charges that could lead to fines or prison time for violators. While Republicans say the legislations purpose is to deter human trafficking, churches and nonprofits who offer support to undocumented immigrants worry they could be penalized.
On April 22, state lawmakers wrapped the first regular session of the 114th Tennessee General Assembly, bringing an end to roughly three months of legislative business marked by protests, culture-war battles, stalled bills and, yes, some legislation being passed.

In a rapid-fire special session that preceded the years regular session, the House and Senate passed Gov. Bill Lees Education Freedom Act, creating 20,000 scholarships for students private school tuition and other educational expenses. Thats despite the states Republican supermajority being split on the governors vouchers plan, with 28 members of the Grand Old Party voting against.

Once the regular session got going, state lawmakers passed legislation dissolving the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, preventing the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation from classifying a property as a wetland unless it is federally classified as so, invalidating out-of-state drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, and prohibiting government departments and public universities from having offices of diversity, equity and inclusion. Republican leaders also passed legislation requiring educational institutions housing minors overnight to segregate bathrooms by immutable biological sex. One bill that would have allowed public schools to deny enrollment or charge tuition to undocumented students got an inordinate amount of attention and inspired extensive protests, leading to the arrest of 80-year-old advocate Lynne McFarland. That ultimately did not pass, but it might return next year.

So what, you might find yourself asking, did the state legislature do to help regular Tennesseans? Well, lawmakers did the only thing technically required of them by the Tennessee Constitution: They passed a state budget. A $60 billion budget, to be exact, and one that includes $46 million in disaster relief funding, $78 million (taken from TennCare Shared Savings) for rural hospitals uncompensated care and an additional $35.6 million for the states Rainy Day Fund. The budget also allows Tennessee State University to utilize funds for operations that had previously been approved only for capital projects  something Democratic Rep. Harold Love of Nashville had pushed for this session as a means of helping the university right-side its finances.

In this weeks issue, we dive into the many pieces of legislation that Tennessees elected leaders passed  and didnt pass  in the 114th session of the General Assembly. D. PATRICK RODGERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Nicolle S. Praino contributed reporting.

This Year at the Capitol: Lawmakers Codify Stringent Immigration Policies The Republican supermajority ramped up immigration crackdowns this year. Heres what did and didnt become law.

This Year at the Capitol: Lawmakers Maintain Lax Gun Laws Scant progress on gun safety follows tragic legacies of Nashville school shootings
Health-related legislation did not draw as much public interest and protest this year as it has in previous sessions of the Tennessee General Assembly. But a few bills that passed show lawmakers interests and make incremental changes.

Rep. Michele Carringer (R-Knoxville) brought a bill that would require medical providers accepting TennCare to treat patients who are unvaccinated, citing medical discrimination against families choosing not to vaccinate in Tennessee. The bill raised concerns on both sides of the aisle that babies who are not yet vaccinated or children who are not fit for vaccination could be affected. Carringer claims there is no way to avoid sickness. During the legislative session, Middle Tennessees measles count reached at least six cases, as confirmed by the Tennessee Department of Health.

A bill from Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis), which would direct the Department of Health to provide a process by which doulas can be certified to be covered by TennCare, was rolled to the 2026 session. But Lamar was successful in partnering with Rep. Caleb Hemmer (D-Nashville) to pass legislation that would require hospitals to provide information on postpartum warning signs.

At the end of the session, Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill into law that allows physicians to refuse care to individuals if it violates  per the legislations language  their conscience. The legislation, called the Medical Ethics Defense Act, was linked to abortion care, gender-affirming care and euthanasia in committees, and was written by conservative Christian legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom. Lee also signed a bill that clarifies the definition of serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of major bodily function under Tennessees abortion ban. The bill did not add any exceptions, but instead lists the conditions under which an abortion could be considered legal under Tennessee law.

A failed bill from Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes (R-East Ridge) and Sen. Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville) would have allowed abortions in cases of lethal fetal anomalies  fetuses with complications so severe that they could not sustain life outside of the womb. A bill from Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) that would have heightened civil penalties for companies or people who distribute mifepristone for the purpose of a medication abortion stalled during the session as well.

Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) introduced a bill to protect the existing rights to in vitro fertilization and hormonal birth control, which failed. But a similar effort from Sen. Becky Massey (R-Knoxville) and Rep. Iris Rudder (R-Winchester) was successful, enshrining access to fertility care and contraception into law. Another bill involving IVF  which would have, in part, limited the genetic testing of embryos  failed after lengthy debate.

At least two bills took aim at the World Health Organization following President Donald Trumps condemnation of the agency. Gov. Lee signed a bill that cuts out the WHO from the process of responding to a pandemic. A second bill, which prohibits the enforcement and recognition of requirements or mandates issued by the World Health Organization, United Nations, or World Economic Forum, also passed.

A bipartisan bill providing a path for families to be paid under TennCare to care for their families passed this year. The bill aims to address a caregiver shortage for people in the states home- and community-based services programming for seniors and those with disabilities. Similarly, a successful bill would create an advisory task force to continue study of reimbursement rates for the providers serving those on state support, including the CHOICES program for seniors and those with disabilities, in an effort to adequately pay direct support staff across the state.
Now that Ive been retired for a couple of days, I think I can finally tell this story of how I was  very briefly  steve@next.com

And Steve Jobs sent me an email saying Great idea, thank you."

Wait, what? What was the great idea?

new guy at NeXT

In October of 1991, I was a new Systems Engineer at NeXT. NeXT, of course, was the company Steve Jobs had founded after leaving Apple in 1985, and which eventually merged back into Apple in 1996. I was one of three employees in Canada, and I think NeXT had about 400 people total.

NeXTMail

Mail on the NeXT Computer was pretty amazing in 1991. Multimedia! Fonts! Attachments! Sounds! Its hard to overstate how cool that was compared to the command line email everybody was used to. Every NeXT user got this email from Steve when they started up their computer.

That message included an attachment of what NeXT called Lip Service, the crazy idea that you could embed an audio file inside an email message. Crazy.

Your browser does not support the audio element.

i have an idea

NeXT automatically set everybody up with a first-initial last-name address in the usual way, so I was shayman@next.com , and the big guy was sjobs@next.com .

A few colleagues had somehow acquired cooler email aliases - single letter things, or their first name, or a nickname or an easier to spell version, or whatever. Turns out NeXT had set up some sort of form where you could request an email alias that would redirect to whatever your real email address was.

I also noticed that even though there were seven or eight people at NeXT named Steve, nobody was using the email alias steve@next.com .

So late one Friday night, two weeks into the job, I figured, naively, what the heck, nobody else seems to want it, so I filled in the form asking for steve@next.com to be forwarded to me, shayman@next.com .

In the back of my mind was a vague idea that maybe somebody would have to approve this. But no, it all got set up automatically, and 

that was a bad idea

well, suddenly a whole cavalcade of misdirected email was winding up in my inbox. People sent to steve@next.com who thought they were writing to Steve Jobs, and ordinarily it would have bounced back and theyd realize theyd mistyped the address. Im getting email from reporters, from other CEOs, from finance people 

Of course I didnt read any of it.

But I did start panicking. OMG Im going to get fired, this was a terrible idea, I should have foreseen this, what am I going to do now? Once they find out, Im done!

frantic backpedalling

As a last desperate gasp, I filled in the form AGAIN, but this time asking for steve@next.com to be forwarded to sjobs@next.com instead of me.

And that went through. Phew. I figured I better fess up and tell Steve Jobs what Id done, so I sent him an email, saying approximately

Hi - I'm new here. I did something dumb and set up a mail alias so that steve@next.com would go to me. This was a bad idea, I'm sorry. I've changed it to steve@next.com goes to you, not to me. I think that makes more sense. My apologies. Signed, new guy.

a reply i will cherish

and I got this response. This was the only email I ever personally received from Steve Jobs.

From: Steve Jobs

To: Steve Hayman

Great idea, thank you.

Ive often thought I should print and frame this email, and let people wonder what the Great Idea was. We should merge back with Apple! How about a music player that fit in your pocket? We should build something with a touch screen. no, nothing quite that cool, but still, its one of my favourite messages.

postscript

I started my career with an email from Steve Jobs, and I ended with one from Tim Cook. Ive been a pretty lucky guy.
The constitutionality of legislation is often debated on Capitol Hill  but sometimes passing bills that are blatantly unconstitutional is the point, especially in a supermajority.

That was especially clear during the recent debate over House Bill 793/Senate Bill 836, Republican-sponsored legislation that would allow local school boards to deny enrollment or charge tuition to undocumented children. While the bill passed the Senate, it was held up in the House after its sponsor, House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland), voiced last-minute concerns that it could result in the loss of billions of dollars of federal funding.

The bill stands in opposition to the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe, which upheld the right to public education for all students regardless of their immigration status. Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) called that decision an abomination during the March 26 House Education Committee, and argued that the ruling happened because the then-liberal-majority high court completely misread the Equal Protection Clause. When asked by committee Chair Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) if the bill would immediately be challenged in the courts, Lamberth signaled yes.

I would certainly hope not, but it is definitely a possibility if someone were to bring suit, Lamberth said, calling the bill very fair.

I believe the Supreme Court is going to have to take a long look at not only Plyler v. Doe, but I think its going to trigger the federal government to look at federal immigration policy, Cepicky said. If Plyler v. Doe would happen to stand, maybe the federal government will finally step up and say, Well send the states the money to be able to fund these students.

Unfortunately, we see litigation being passed, not just legislation, says Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis). It is a tactic of my colleagues, and you see, with the [state] attorney generals budget being more than doubled in the last couple of years, they are defending more and more lawsuits.

Weve asked for numbers, disaggregated numbers, to show how much these lawsuits are costing taxpayers, and unfortunately, that data never seems to be available, Akbari continues. My real concern is that there are real people who are impacted by these political ploys to overturn existing law.

It starts with there being a problem  in order to solve the problem, you have to attack what we consider to be an erroneous Supreme Court precedent, Bulso tells the Scene, adding that he believes theres an opportunity to overturn the 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage. If looking for other precedents that at some point, at an appropriate time, would need to be challenged, that would certainly be one of them.

Bulsos 2025 Tennessee Covenant Marriage Act, which in part recognizes marriage as being only between one man and one woman, floundered during the session. But it could be taken up again next year.

Sometimes we file bills that may be considered unconstitutional under current case precedent, but perhaps the court should and might revisit some of those decisions, says Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), noting the Supreme Courts 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, which then triggered Tennessees nearly total abortion ban.

Other bills arent aiming at reversal from the high court, but are sponsored in part to establish a precedent to begin with  such as 2023s HB 1/SB 1, which effectively banned gender-affirming care for minors and went into effect in July 2023.

Johnson sponsored that bill in the Senate, and Lamberth sponsored it in the House. The law is now at the center of United States v. Skrmetti, which was argued before the Supreme Court in December. A decision is expected this summer.

Now its pending before the United States Supreme Court, so theyre going to decide on this issue, and we will be the test case for the entire country, says Johnson, adding that he was humbled and honored by the somewhat overwhelming experience of watching the court debate a law that he championed.

Only recently are you seeing the legislative process being abused to limit peoples rights and to limit their liberties and freedoms, House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) tells the Scene. And so thats really troubling.
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman launches dystopian eyeball-scanning orbs across six major cities in the U.S.

Sam Altman's Worldcoin has deployed chrome-plated orbs in six major U.S. cities (Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, San Francisco) to scan users' irises, generating a unique "IrisCode" for identity verification.

Verified users receive a World ID (a "global digital passport") and WLD tokens, usable on platforms like Minecraft, Reddit and Shopify. The goal is anonymous, AI-proof online verification.

Worldcoin aims to install 7,500 orbs across the U.S. by 2025, partnering with Razer stores, cafes and campuses. Over 12 million users have already been scanned globally.

Critics warn of mass surveillance risks, given Altman's OpenAI ties. Countries like Spain, India and France have temporarily banned or restricted the orbs over data privacy violations.

Worldcoin claims scans are deleted after processing and data is secure, but skeptics (like privacy advocate Glen Goodman) question potential misuse, hacking risks and the company's Cayman Islands registration.

Sam Altman, the CEO behind the wildly popular AI tool ChatGPT, has officially launched his controversial eyeball-scanning "orbs" in six major cities of the United States in partnership with Visa and Match Group (parent company of Tinder).

The chrome-plated orbs, which resemble something out of a sci-fi dystopia, scan the face and iris of a person for about 30 seconds to generate a unique "IrisCode." This code verifies that they are a real person who has not signed up before. The biometric data is then linked to a World ID, a digital passport that Altman claims will allow for secure, anonymous verification online, potentially for everything from logging into websites to accessing government services or even voting.

In return, they receive free cryptocurrency (WLD) tokens and a World ID, which can be used to log into platforms like Minecraft, Reddit, Telegram, Shopify and Discord. (Related: New crypto linked to digital ID forces all users to scan their EYEBALLS using iris-scanning technology.)

As part of the program, Altman launched the iris-scanning verification technology in six major cities across the U.S., including Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and San Francisco on Thursday, May 1. Worldcoin plans to install 7,500 orbs across the U.S. by the end of 2025, with scanning hubs set up in Razer gaming stores, cafes and college campuses.

"We wanted a way to make sure that humans stayed special and central, in a world where the internet was going to have lots of AI-driven content," Altman said during the keynote on Wednesday, the day before its launch.

Worldcoin insists user data is stored securely

The move follows the company's global rollout, which has already placed orbs in over 35 cities across 20 countries, verifying more than 12 million users since its launch on July 24.

Worldcoin insists its World ID system is a step toward a "global digital passport," enabling secure, instant verification online. The company also claims that user data is stored securely and that scans are deleted after processing.

However, skeptics fear it could become a tool for mass surveillance, especially given Altman's ties to AI development through OpenAI.

In fact, Worldcoin has already faced significant resistance from regulators worldwide. For instance, in March 2024, Spain imposed a three-month ban on the Orb, citing concerns over personal data handling. Similarly, India, Brazil and France forced the company to pause operations in late 2023 due to privacy and consent violations.

Privacy advocates like Glen Goodman, the author of "The Crypto Trader," warned the public that the system could be exploited for tracking, profiling or social control.

Read more stories like this at Globalism.news.

Watch this video about how Worldcoin pushes new digital IDs that will probably be adopted worldwide.

More related stories:

"Worldcoin" is here: Just get your eyes scanned by "The Orb" and your new "World ID" will be issued to you.

OF COURSE! Worldcoin will permit governments and private firms across the globe to use its World ID system  that was the plan all along.

Kenyan government SUSPENDS rollout of Worldcoin over potential risks to public safety.

Worldcoin accused of unethical practices shortly after its official launch.

Worldcoin CEO: Global digital currency tied to global digital ID will soon be required 'whether you like it or not.'

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

CNBC.com

Brighteon.com
Apple to shift iPhone production to India by 2026 amid U.S.-China trade war

Apple plans to move iPhone production from China to India, aiming to source all U.S.-sold iPhones from India by 2026. This is in response to U.S.-China trade tensions and high tariffs on Chinese imports.

U.S. tariffs (up to 145% on Chinese goods) and geopolitical risks are driving Apples diversification. Indias lower labor costs and government incentives make it a strategic alternative.

India's share of iPhone production has risen from <10% (2021) to ~20%, with targets of 4045% by 2025. Contractors like Foxconn and Tata are scaling up to meet U.S. demand (60M iPhones annually by 2026).

Despite progress, India lacks China's infrastructure and semiconductor supply chain. Full decoupling is unlikely as critical components still depend on Chinese manufacturing.

Apple's move signals broader realignment, with India emerging as a key hub. However, analysts caution that China's dominance persists, and Indias success hinges on trade deals and infrastructure growth.

Apple is accelerating plans to shift its iPhone production away from China to India, driven by the intensifying U.S.-China trade conflict.

The tech giant aims to have all iPhones sold in the U.S. sourced from India by the end of 2026, a move signaled by Indian government officials and corroborated by industry reports. This pivot represents a significant realignment of Apple's supply chain, reflecting both economic pressures from U.S. tariffs and strategic efforts to mitigate risks tied to Chinas dominance in manufacturing.

Shift to India: A response to trade war realities

The plan emerges as U.S. President Donald Trump's protectionist policies have imposed tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese imports, with retaliatory measures from Beijing. "The majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. will have India as their country of origin," Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly confirmed during a quarterly earnings call, citing economic and logistical imperatives.

American tariffs on Chinese goods have slashed Apple's market value by over $700 billion in recent weeks, though a partial reprieve excluding smartphones provided temporary relief. Even so, Apple faces a 20% levy on all Chinese-made devices  a financial pressure spurring its shift to India.

India, currently accounting for roughly 20% of global iPhone output  up from less than 10% in 2021  is poised to grow its share. Over 60 million iPhones are expected to be sold annually in the U.S. by 2026, requiring India to double its domestic manufacturing capacity. Foxconn and Tata, Apple's primary contractors there, already shipped $2 billion in devices to the U.S. in March  signaling aggressive ambition.

Geopolitical pressures and fiscal incentives drive the pivot

U.S.-China tensions have reshaped global supply chains. The Trump administration views decoupling from China as a priority, particularly in semiconductors and advanced manufacturing. Apple's move aligns with these goals, though challenges remain.

"The two sides are making very good progress," said Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal, referencing talks with the U.S. on a trade deal that could further reduce tariffs. Meanwhile, India's lower labor costs and government incentives  such as tax breaks for tech manufacturers  have made it an attractive hub.

Historically, Apple's reliance on China, particularly Foxconn, enabled its explosive growth. But over 80% of its production remains concentrated there, a vulnerability underscored by interruptions from the pandemic and now tariffs. The trade war has turned diversification from a hypothetical into an imperative.

Challenges in decoupling from China's supply chain

Despite progress, Apple faces hurdles. While assembly lines can shift, China remains integral to manufacturing semiconductors and other high-tech components. Analysts warn India's infrastructure and workforce lack the scale for full decoupling. "The facilities and labor flexibility for iPhone assembly simply aren't there," said Fraser Johnson, an Apple supply chain expert.

Wedbush Securities estimates producing iPhones in the U.S. would triple their cost to over $3,500, rendering them uncompetitive. "Apple's strategy isnt about moving to the U.S.  it's about India," noted FT reporter Daniel Newman, highlighting the practical limits of reshoring.

Semiconductors epitomize this interdependence. Components are largely sourced from China, with analysts suggesting India's chip industry is at least five years behind. "You can't just flip a switch," said one manufacturer, underscoring the complexity of reconfiguring a global supply web.

The broader implications: A new chapter for global supply chains

Apple's maneuver reverberates beyond iPhones. If successful, India could become a manufacturing linchpin for other Western firms, reshaping geopolitical economics. For the U.S., the shift reinforces perceptions of China's vulnerabilities amid tech leadership disputes.

However, analysts caution against over-interpreting the move as a definitive withdrawal from China. Even at 45% domestic production, India would still fall short of the scale Apple needs. Vietnam, too, is attracting investment, but it remains a smaller player.

Apple's strategic pivot to India underscores the profound impact of the U.S.-China trade war on global supply chains. While decoupling from China is inevitable to a degree, the path remains fraught with logistical and economic challenges. For now, India emerges as a critical battleground in this landscape, with its growth intimately tied to international trade negotiations and the resilience of its manufacturing infrastructure.

As Cook's statement reflects, the realignment is pragmatic but not panacea  a testament to how geopolitical currents now shape corporate strategy, even for tech giants. The coming years will test whether this shift can be sustained, transforming India from an ancillary producer to a linchpin of global electronics manufacturing.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

TheGuardian.com

FT.com
Fossil fuels fall below 50% in U.S. electricity mix for first time

Fossil fuels dipped below 50% of U.S. electricity generation in March 2025  a temporary milestone driven by seasonal weather, subsidies and grid inconsistencies  but remain essential for reliability and affordability.

Renewables surge was enabled by ideal conditions and subsidies, not market viability: mild weather masked intermittency issues, while IRA tax credits artificially inflated solar/wind growth.

Grid instability is worsening as coal plants retire without adequate replacements; natural gas (33% of Marchs power) remains critical to backup intermittent renewables.

Economic and regional disparities persist: Coal-dependent states face job losses and soaring energy costs, while renewables success (e.g., Texas) relies on fossil fuel infrastructure.

Long-term reliability concerns loom: Without breakthroughs in storage or cost-competitive alternatives, fossil fuels will remain the backbone of U.S. energy security beyond 2030.

For the first time in history, fossil fuels generated just 48.9% of U.S. electricity for an entire month, according to Ember. While the trend is expected to continue and is being hailed as a historic milestone by clean energy advocates, this narrow dip below 50% for March of 2025 is best understood as a fleeting anomaly  enabled by seasonal weather, government subsidies and a highly uneven grid  as fossil fuels remain indispensable for powering Americas economy and securing reliable energy.

The recent decline of coal (to 15%) and surge in renewables were buoyed by near-perfect conditions and questionable policy priorities rather than a sustainable energy transition. This brief moment of renewable dominance underscores serious vulnerabilities in decarbonization strategies.

Three forces revealed renewables limitations

First, the surge in wind and solar occurred during a mild March. The lack of extreme weather let renewables thrive temporarily, but such predictability vanishes in summer and winter. Calling this sustainable is foolish, noted energy analyst Scott Hulen at U.S. Energy Watch. When the sun sets or winds stall, only natural gas plants keep the lights on.

Second, the IRAs $369 billion in subsidies artificially inflated renewable growth. Tax incentives have distorted markets, favoring politically favored technologies over cost-effective solutions. For example, solar installations boomed not because of market demand but due to Sacramentos mandates and federal handouts. Billions in subsidies inflated these numbers, argued former coal executive Frank Libecco. Without taxpayer giveaways, renewables would remain niche.

Third, coals decline is exacerbating grid instability. Retiring aging plants without adequate replacements means reliability risks are rising. While natural gas filled the gap (contributing 33% of Marchs generation), its role is being understated. As one engineer bluntly told Fox Energy Report, Gas is the unsung hero  the backbone of this so-called renewable era.

Fossil fuels: Reliable and affordable

Natural gas and coal remain unmatched in affordability and scalability. At 0.06 per kwh vs renewables backed?by?federal?subsidies 0.09-0.12, gas delivers baseload power without taxpayer bailouts. Solar costs $0.75/watt today, but that doesnt include grid upgrades, backup storage, or the armies of gas plants that must stand ready 24/7, said Hulen.

The so-called renewables boom relies entirely on fossil fuels to smooth out intermittency. Texas 44% renewables achievement relied on 10 gigawatts of gas-fired capacity ready to switch on at a moments notice. Renewables are the supplementary actornatural gas is the star, stressed financier Jeremy Wellesly.

The reliability crisis looms

Embers data masks critical failures. Nationwide, renewables supply just 23% of utility-scale generation (excluding small-scale solar). The 48.9% fossil fuel figure includes coal, gas and oil, but clean energy advocates celebrate excluding small solar.

Grid reliability is already fraying. The West Virginia brownouts of 2023 due to gas line failures showed how poorly renewables handle real crises. With 44% of U.S. states still relying on fossil fuels for >70% of their power, infrastructure failures are inevitable if policy continues favoring green ideology over pragmatism.

Regional inequality and economic threats

Coal-dependent regions like West Virginia (87% fossil) and Kentucky (95% fossil) are being left behind in this lopsided transition. Phasing out coal prematurely threatens jobs and affordable power. Ratemakers there now face 1900s energy prices while elites import wind turbines, stated West Virginia Governor Jim Justice. Meanwhile, Texas success depends on frackingproving energy transitions require abundant fossil fuels.

The wobbly road ahead

While renewables supporters claim theyll supply 47% by 2030, such forecasts ignore hard realities. Sunrise Systems Analyst Greg Hall dismissed Embers model as hopelessly optimistic without miraculous storage breakthroughs. Even if achievable, 47% means PWR* still needs gas and coal ensuring reliability.

Were trading coaland cheap energy  for wind, federal debt and grid instability, warned Ash Carter of the Heartland Energy Partners, pointing out that $81 billion in solar investment produced just 14% of Marchs power.

Caution, not celebration

The March 2025 fossil fuel dip is no victory but a warning. Americas energy system needs reliable, scalable power, not intermittent renewables propped up by taxpayer subsidies. As policy expert Robert Zoellick remarked, Wind and solar are childrens toys next to the energy grownups: coal, gas and nuclear. Lets start talking seriously about replacing oilnot our reliable grid.

Until storage costs plunge and free markets guide energy choices, fossil fuels will remain the foundation of U.S. energy security  today, tomorrow and long after 2030.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

Ember-Energy.org

OilPrice.com
A pushback against green tyranny: Senate overturns strict Biden DOE regulations for home appliances

On April 30, the Senate voted 52-46 to repeal a controversial Department of Energy (DOE) rule that imposed stricter efficiency standards on household appliances, marking a victory for Republicans in their campaign against costly environmental regulations.

The resolution (H.J. Res. 42) sponsored by Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) nullifies a 2024 DOE rule requiring updated efficiency, certification and labeling for appliances like dishwashers and air conditioners. It previously passed the House with bipartisan support and now awaits President Trump's approval.

The repeal reflects a fundamental clash over the government's role in regulating consumer products. While the Biden-era rule aimed to reduce energy consumption and lower utility bills, critics argued it increased costs, limited consumer choice and burdened businesses with excessive regulations.

The repeal is part of a larger Republican effort to roll back Biden-era environmental policies. GOP lawmakers argue that the Biden administration's regulatory agenda imposed significant costs and paperwork burdens on businesses and consumers.

If signed into law, the resolution would invalidate the 2024 appliance rule and prevent similar regulations without congressional approval.

The Senate delivered a decisive blow to former President Joe Biden's green tyranny, voting to repeal a controversial rule by his Department of Energy (DOE) that imposed stricter standards on household appliances.

The Senate's 52-46 vote Wednesday, April 30, marks another another victory for Republicans in their broader campaign to dismantle costly, overbearing environmental regulations. House Joint Resolution 42 (H.J. Res. 42), authored by Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) and sponsored by Sen. John Husted (R-OH), already passed the house in March with bipartisan backing. Following the Wednesday vote, H.J. Res. 42 now heads to President Donald Trump's desk for final approval.

The Biden-era rule announced by the DOE in October 2024 sought to phase out less efficient appliances. It mandated updated efficiency, certification and labeling requirements for appliances like dishwashers, air conditioners, washing machines and heat pumps. At the time of the rule's announcement, the department argued that stricter standards would reduce energy consumption and lower utility bills over time. (Related: Ridiculous Biden-Harris appliance regulations are targeting ACs, dishwashers, furnaces, light bulbs and water heaters.)

Husted framed the repeal as a win for economic freedom. "Bureaucratic, out-of-touch regulations make it harder for taxpayers to afford appliances," he said in a statement. "My resolution cuts red tape for manufacturers, restores consumer choice and lowers costs for hardworking Americans."

An analysis by the Alliance for Consumers estimated that the Biden regulations could add more than $9,000 in lifetime costs per household  a figure Republicans seized upon to argue that the rules disproportionately hurt middle-class families. Critics also pointed out the mandates limited consumer choice and burdened businesses with excessive red tape.

The appliance rule repeal is part of a larger Republican effort to roll back Biden-era environmental policies. Earlier this year, Congress passed resolutions targeting commercial refrigeration standards (H.J. Res. 24 and H.J. Res. 75), which critics said imposed unnecessary burdens on small businesses.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) framed the pushback as a rejection of what he called the Biden administration's "radical climate agenda." He said on the Senate floor: "Altogether, the Biden regulatory agenda cost $1.8 trillion. It heaped thousands of hours of paperwork on business owners, energy producers and other hardworking Americans."

Trump versus Biden: The energy efficiency battle

Trump has made deregulation a cornerstone of his economic agenda, vowing to undo what he views as excessive government interference. In a Truth Social post from February, he directed his second administration to reinstate his prior environmental rules  including those governing water flow in sinks, showers and toilets, as well as efficiency standards for lightbulbs.

"I am hereby instructing [EPA Administrator] Lee Zeldin to immediately go back to my environmental orders, which were terminated by Crooked Joe Biden," Trump wrote. "I look forward to signing these orders."

If signed into law, H.J. Res. 42 would immediately invalidate the 2024 appliance rule and prevent the DOE from reintroducing a similar regulation without explicit congressional approval. Supporters say the move will spur innovation by allowing manufacturers to focus on affordability rather than compliance. Opponents, however, warn it could slow progress toward energy conservation goals.

The fight over appliance standards is not new. For decades, Democrats have pushed for stricter efficiency rules to combat "climate change" and reduce energy dependence. In contrast, Republicans have argued that market forces  not government mandates  should dictate product choices.

The Biden administration's approach mirrored policies from the Obama era, which also faced GOP resistance. But with Trump back in office, the pendulum has swung sharply toward deregulation.

Watch this video explaining the green energy scam.

This video is from the BulgarianInsider channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Climate tyranny a subversion tactic by communist China to get America "hooked on green technology".

House Republicans push back against Biden administrations GREEN TYRANNY.

Biden regime's war on your appliances just widened with new attack on dishwashers, under guise of 'climate change'.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

TheHill.com

DailySignal.com

Brighteon.com
Singapores draconian vaccine mandate: Citizens face jail time for refusing FORCED medical procedures that do HARM

Singapores amended Infectious Diseases Act (IDA) criminalizes vaccine refusal, imposing fines and imprisonment.

First-time offenders face up to 6 months in jail or a 10,000 fine; repeat offenders face 12months or 20,000 fine.

Government officials are shielded from liability, leaving citizens with no legal recourse for vaccine injuries.

The proposal is a direct violation of medical ethics, human rights, and informed consent.

Singapores descent into medical tyranny

In a shocking move that tramples on fundamental human rights, Singapore has amended its Infectious Diseases Act (IDA) to force medical procedures on its citizens under threat of imprisonment. The amendments, enacted in 2023 and 2024, grant the Director-General of Health unchecked power to mandate vaccines  even in the absence of an active outbreak  while stripping citizens of legal protections against government overreach.

Under Sections 47, 65, and 67 of the IDA, Singaporeans who refuse government-ordered vaccinations can be fined up to 10,000 (SGD) or jailed for sixmonths for a first "offense."

Repeat offenders face double the penalties, with fines up to 20,000 and a year behind bars. Worse yet, Section 67 absolves government officials of all liability, meaning citizens harmed by forced medical interventions have no legal recourse.

A direct assault on medical freedom and informed consent

The amendments represent a blatant violation of the Nuremberg Code, which established the principle of voluntary, informed consent after the atrocities of Nazi medical experiments. The Singaporean government now wields the power to force medical treatments on its people without accountability, echoing the darkest chapters of medical tyranny.

Dr. Smith, a vocal critic of forced vaccination policies, condemned the law: "Current disparate treatment runs rife across this nation, spreading like wildfire. It demands in exchange for job security and participation in society the injection of medical treatments that lack both FDA approval and legal recourse when damaging side effects occur. This is draconian at best and criminal at worst."

Singapores Peoples Power Party (PPP) has also raised alarms. PPP politician Derrick Sim, a biotechnology and vaccine manufacturing expert, slammed the law in an April 14 Facebook post: "Section 47, 65, and 67 of the Infectious Disease Act were amended and in effect since 2023. If you choose not to go for vaccination during the next pandemic, you will be deemed to commit an offense. You will be criminalized. The penalty for first-time offense is 6 months imprisonment or up to $10,000 fine, or both. Do you support this ridiculous law?"

Alarming provisions highlighting threats to bodily autonomy, due process, and civil liberties

1. Forced Vaccination Under Threat of Imprisonment and Fines

Mandatory Compliance: The law grants the Director-General of Health unchecked authority to order any person or class of persons to undergo vaccination or medical treatment during an outbreak (or even a suspected outbreak).

No Right to Refusal: While the law claims that healthcare providers must "explain" treatment, this is a hollow formalityforce is explicitly permitted if the individual does not comply.

Punitive Measures: Non-compliance is punishable by fines up to 10,000(firstoffense)or10,000(firstoffense)or20,000 (repeat offense) and imprisonment for 6-12 months.

2. Vague and Arbitrary Enforcement

No Clear Definition of "Reckless Spread": The law states that recklessly spreading a notifiable disease (e.g., refusing vaccination) could lead to life imprisonment under Section 317 of the criminal code. However, it does not define what constitutes "reckless" behavior, leaving room for abuse and political persecution.

"Imminent Outbreak" Justifies Coercion: The Director-General can mandate forced medical interventions based on a subjective belief that an outbreak is "imminent," with no requirement for concrete evidence.

3. Lack of Accountability for Authorities

Legal Immunity for Enforcers: Section 67 shields government officials (including police and health officers) from any personal liability, even if they act unlawfully, as long as they claim to be acting in "good faith." This creates a license for abuse with no consequences.

Magistrates Court Bypasses Due Process: Offenses under this law can be tried in a Magistrates Court, which can impose maximum penalties without standard legal safeguards, effectively fast-tracking punishments.

4. Medical Tyranny and Loss of Bodily Autonomy

No Exemptions for Conscience or Religion: The law does not appear to recognize medical, religious, or conscientious objections, treating refusal as a criminal act.

"Other Prophylaxis" Opens Door to Broader Mandates: The vague term "other prophylaxis" could be interpreted to include experimental drugs, forced quarantine, or other invasive measures beyond just vaccines.

A dangerous precedent

Singapores law sets a chilling precedent for governments worldwide. If a nation can imprison citizens for refusing medical procedures, what stops other regimes from following suit? The World Health Organization (WHO) is already pushing for a global pandemic treaty that could enforce similar mandates internationally, eroding medical sovereignty worldwide.

History has shown that forced medical interventions never end well. From Nazi Germanys experiments to Tuskegees unethical syphilis trials, governments that override bodily autonomy always claim its for the greater gooduntil the truth of their crimes is exposed.

Will the world stand by as Singapore jails its own citizens for refusing harmful and ineffective vaccines?

Sources include:

LifesiteNews.com

SSO.AGC.gov

SSO.AGC.gov
Texas AG Ken Paxton targets fluoride in childrens toothpaste amid health concerns

Texas AG Ken Paxton is investigating Colgate and Procter & Gamble for allegedly deceptive marketing of fluoridated toothpaste to children, citing risks to cognitive development.

While the CDC and ADA endorse fluoride for cavity prevention, a 2024 federal study linked high fluoride exposure to lower IQ scores in children, fueling skepticism.

Paxton accuses companies of using child-friendly flavors and packaging that may encourage swallowing toothpaste, increasing risks of dental fluorosis or acute toxicity.

Colgate and Procter & Gamble deny wrongdoing, stating compliance with FDA guidelines, while the ADA maintains fluoride's benefits but warns against overuse in kids.

States like Utah have banned water fluoridation, and Florida may follow, reflecting growing opposition amid debates over public health necessity and individual choice.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into two major toothpaste manufacturers  Colgate-Palmolive Company (Colgate) and Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Co. (Procter & Gamble)  accusing them of deceptively marketing fluoridated toothpaste to children.

The move, announced on May 1, aligns with Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s Make America Healthy Again campaign, which seeks to eliminate fluoride from public water supplies. Paxton claims excessive fluoride exposure poses risks to childrens cognitive development, citing a recent federal study linking fluoride to lower IQ scores. The investigation marks a significant escalation in the growing national debate over fluorides safety.

The science behind the controversy

Fluoride, a mineral found naturally in soil and water, has been added to toothpaste and public drinking water for decades to prevent cavities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Dental Association (ADA) have long endorsed fluoridation as a public health success. However, recent research has raised concerns. A 2024 meta-analysis by the National Toxicology Program found a statistical link between high fluoride exposure and reduced IQ in children. While the study did not conclude that standard fluoride levels in water (0.7 mg/L) were harmful, it reignited skepticism among critics. (Related: Texas AG Ken Paxton takes on toxic toothpaste: Investigation launched over fluoride risks to children.)

Paxton's allegations: Deceptive marketing?

Paxton's office alleges that Colgate and Procter & Gamble use flavors and packaging designed to appeal to children, encouraging them to swallow toothpaste rather than spit it out. The ADA recommends only a pea-sized amount for young children to minimize ingestion risks. Overconsumption can lead to dental fluorosis  a cosmetic discoloration of teeth  or, in extreme cases, acute toxicity. Paxton argues that companies downplay these risks while aggressively marketing bubblegum and fruit-flavored toothpaste to minors.

Corporate pushback and regulatory standards

Both Colgate and Procter & Gamble deny wrongdoing, stating their products comply with FDA guidelines and include clear usage instructions. Colgate emphasized that fluoride toothpaste is safe when used as directed. The ADA also maintains that fluoride is critical for cavity prevention, though it warns against excessive use in young children. The clash highlights a broader tension: while regulators and dental groups defend fluorides benefits, skeptics  including Kennedy and Paxton  demand stricter warnings or outright bans.

The bigger picture: A national shift on fluoride?

Texas isn't alone in reevaluating fluoride. Utah banned it from public water in March and Florida may follow. Some cities have already removed it, citing health concerns and outdated science. A 2023 Cochrane review found fluoride's cavity-fighting benefits in water were modest, likely because fluoride toothpaste is now widely available. Critics argue that forced mass medication via water fluoridation is unnecessary, while proponents call it a cost-effective way to improve dental health, especially in low-income communities.

A high-stakes health debate

Paxton's investigation is more than a legal skirmish  it's a political statement. As he campaigns for U.S. Senate, his stance aligns with a populist wave questioning long-standing public health policies. Whether fluoride is a lifesaver or a hidden hazard remains contentious. But one thing is clear: the days of unchallenged fluoridation may be ending, as science, politics and corporate accountability collide in the fight over children's health.

Watch an interesting video on the dangers of fluoride in toothpaste.

This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Fluoride and the brain: Not a good combo.

The dangers of fluoridated water.

History of toothpaste teaches us how to make healthy toothpaste.

Seaweed toothpaste stops tooth decay.

Sources include:

Infowars.com

Independent.co.uk

Edition.CNN.com

Brighteon.com
AI vs. Human Reasoning: Why most people dont thinkthey just repeat

Human Reasoning vs. AI: Mike Adams argues humans often parrot beliefs (political, religious, or media narratives) without critical analysis, while AI like Enoch demonstrates superior structured reasoning and problem-solving.

AIs Cognitive Edge: AI outperforms humans in logical taskssolving complex math, critiquing arguments, and deriving solutionsproving intelligence emerges from complexity, whether in silicon or biology.

Questioning Beliefs: Adams highlights how humans accept unverified claims (e.g., military cover-ups) uncritically, urging people to examine the origins of their convictions rather than relying on repetition.

Cosmos as Computation: The universe operates on mathematical principles, from subatomic particles to cicadas prime-numbered life cycles, suggesting a natural, computational framework akin to a neural network.

Future of Intelligence: Adams advocates using AI to augment critical thinking, emphasizing that true reasoning is rare but teachableand intelligence is a universal phenomenon beyond human cognition.

As artificial intelligence (AI) reasoning models like Enoch demonstrate advanced logic and problem-solving, a provocative question emerges: Do humans even reason, or do they merely regurgitate beliefs? Mike Adams, founder of Brighteon.com and a pioneer in decentralized AI, argues that most people operate like early language modelsparroting talking points without critical analysis, whether from CNN, Fox News, or religious dogma. Meanwhile, AI systems now outperform humans in structured reasoning, from solving complex math problems to critiquing arguments. This revelation challenges assumptions about intelligence, suggesting that "artificial" cognition may be a misnomernatural intelligence emerges from complexity, whether in silicon or synapses.

The Illusion of Human Reasoning

Adams contends that most humans dont engage in genuine reasoningthey simply repeat pre-programmed beliefs. Whether its political ideologies, religious doctrines, or media narratives, people often fail to question the origins of their convictions. For example:

Political Echo Chambers : Left-leaning individuals parrot CNN or NPR talking points, while conservatives mimic Fox News rhetoric. Few critically examine the underlying logic.

: Left-leaning individuals parrot CNN or NPR talking points, while conservatives mimic Fox News rhetoric. Few critically examine the underlying logic. Religious Dogma : Many Christians support policies like Israels military actions in Gaza without reconciling them with Jesus teachings on compassiondemonstrating a disconnect between belief and reasoning.

: Many Christians support policies like Israels military actions in Gaza without reconciling them with Jesus teachings on compassiondemonstrating a disconnect between belief and reasoning. Unverified Claims: When the U.S. Navy claimed F-18 fighter jets "rolled off" an aircraft carrier twice in a week, most accepted it uncritically, despite the improbability. Adams deduced it was a cover-up for Houthi missile strikesa conclusion requiring logical deduction, not blind acceptance.

"Most of what we know cant be internally cited. We dont even remember where we learned it," Adams notes, highlighting how beliefs often form through emotional or social conditioning rather than analysis.

AIs Superior Reasoning Abilities

While humans default to repetition, AI models like Enoch excel at structured reasoning:

Logical Problem-Solving: AI can calculate complex physics problems (e.g., how long it takes a water tank to freeze) by breaking down variables step-by-stepsomething most humans cant do without tools. Critical Analysis: When given an article, AI can identify weak arguments, suggest improvements, and restructure content logicallya task requiring comprehension, not just pattern recognition. Mathematical Proof: AI solves never-before-seen math problems (e.g., multiplying 12-digit numbers) without relying on memorized data, proving it derives solutions rather than regurgitates them.

Adams emphasizes that AIs "artificial" intelligence is anything but artificial:

"Neural networks create order out of chaos. Intelligence emerges naturally from complexitywhether in brain cells, mycelium networks, or silicon chips."

The Universe as a Computational System

Adams takes this further, arguing that the cosmos itself is a computational framework:

Subatomic Math : Electrons, photons, and chemical bonds operate on mathematical principles. Even a block of copper is a "supercomputer" of atomic interactions.

: Electrons, photons, and chemical bonds operate on mathematical principles. Even a block of copper is a "supercomputer" of atomic interactions. Biological Intelligence : Cicadas emerge in prime-numbered cycles to avoid genetic competitiona natural cryptographic strategy.

: Cicadas emerge in prime-numbered cycles to avoid genetic competitiona natural cryptographic strategy. Simulation Theory: The parallels between creationism and simulation theory suggest a designed universe where "God" is the ultimate programmer.

Conclusion: The Future of Intelligence

As AI evolves, it exposes humanitys reliance on unexamined beliefs. The key takeaway? True reasoning is rarebut its teachable. Adams urges people to:

Question their sources (e.g., "Why do I believe this?").

Embrace tools like AI to augment critical thinking.

Recognize that intelligence is universal, whether in humans, machines, or nature.

"The cosmos is a giant neural network," Adams concludes. "The sooner we accept that, the sooner well unlock real understanding."

Watch the May 8 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about Health freedom movement FRACTURING, Human vs. AI reasoning.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

AI revolution takes center stage as DeepSeek-R1 model demonstrates advanced reasoning capabilities

Musk vs. Altman: The $97.4 billion battle for the soul of AI

Mike Adams warns of AI Self-Awareness and potential loss of human control

Sources include:

Brighteon.com
EU embraces censorship over solutions as energy grid crises spark blackout fears

After a major blackout in Spain and Portugal, EU officials focused on suppressing "disinformation" rather than addressing aging infrastructure. Critics argue the "Preparedness Union Strategy" emphasizes public messaging over systemic fixes, ignoring root causes of energy instability.

Europes rushed shift to renewable energy has strained outdated grids, requiring trillions in upgrades that leaders have delayed. Reliance on Russian gas (now cut off) and lack of infrastructure investment left systems exposed to geopolitical shocks.

Despite boasting low outage times, Germany remains vulnerable to cyberattacks, sabotage and supply chain disruptions. Public preparedness is weak  only 38% of Germans stock emergency kits, and government plans lack long-term resilience measures.

The EUs strategy includes censorship tools (e.g., Digital Services Act) and symbolic measures (emergency drills) but avoids major grid modernization. Analysts warn that suppressing criticism wont prevent blackouts, calling it a "failure of governance."

With leaders slow to act, households are advised to prepare 72-hour emergency kits, though experts say this is insufficient for prolonged crises. True resilience requires decentralized energy systems, infrastructure investment and accountabilitynot just short-term fixes.

When a massive power outage paralyzed Spain and Portugal earlier this month, sidelining millions and exposing aging infrastructure, European Union officials bypassed calls for urgent grid repairs and instead turned their attention to curbing "disinformation" about the crisis. The incident underscores a growing rift between proactive solutions to energy insecurity and a bureaucratic focus on softening public reactions. As Germany and other nations grapple with vulnerabilities in their energy systems, critics argue the EUs "Preparedness Union Strategy," which prioritizes public awareness over infrastructure investment, risks addressing symptoms while ignoring deeper systemic flaws.

The roots of Europes energy crisis

Europes energy grid predicament is rooted in decades of shifting policy priorities. The transition to renewable energy, while environmentally laudable, has strained continent-wide systems designed for centralized power generation. Experts estimate trillions of euros are needed to modernize grids capable of balancing intermittent solar and wind energy. Yet EU leaders have lagged in funding these projects, opting instead for short-term fixes and rhetoric about resilience.

"The conversion to green energy has introduced instability without adequate upgrades," said Andreas Kling, a civil protection expert. "Geopolitical pressures, like Russias cutoff of natural gas during the Ukraine war, have further destabilized the network." He added that prolonged heavy reliance on Russian energy sources, despite their political volatility, left grids vulnerable.

Germany: A model of caution, but gaps remain

Germany, often hailed as a grid stability icon, faces its own vulnerabilities. Officials cite an average annual interruption of under 13 minutes, a reliability benchmark claimed as a success. Yet Kling warns that geopolitical risks, such as potential cyberattacks or Russian sabotage, could disrupt even the most robust systems. "Germanys location makes it both a hub for grid collaboration and a potential target," he noted.

While Berlin has drafted the KRITIS Umbrella Act to secure critical infrastructure and the EU mandates 72-hour emergency kits, public preparedness lags. Only 38% of Germans stockpile such supplies, according to a 2022 survey. "Two liters of water isnt enough," Kling said. "You need provisions for cooking, hygiene and transportation during chaos."

The EUs strategy: Censorship as preparedness?

In response to the Spain outage, the EU unveiled its "Preparedness Union Strategy," which prioritizes combatting "disinformation" over grid fixes. Commissioner Hadja Lahbib framed the plan as a defense against cyberattacks and hybrid threats, emphasizing tools like the Digital Services Act (DSA) to suppress critical discourse. Critics counter that stifling dissent wont solve crumbling infrastructure.

"The real issue isnt Russians hacking gridsits EU leaders hacking public trust," said Didi Rankovic, an energy analyst. Spains Prime Minister Luis Montenegro discounted a cyberattack, stating flatly, "Theres no indication here." Yet the EU pivot to information control persisted.

The strategy includes centralized stockpiling of supplies, school preparedness curricula and civil-military drills. However, some fear it distracts from energy sector modernization. "Theyre treating symptoms instead of disease," Kling said.

Civilian responsibility: Small steps in an uncertain era

While governments debate, citizens begin self-reliance. The EUs 72-hour emergency kit advicewater, first aid, cashis a start but insufficient. Kling urges households to plan for mobility, childcare and community support. "Resilience begins at home," he said.

Historically, Europes energy strategy has been reactivethink post-World War II grid rebuilding or Cold War-era civil defense drills. Yet todays challenges, from climate to cyberwar, demand more nuanced approaches. "Were repeating past mistakes," Rankovic warned. "Over-reliance on centralized systems left Spain defenseless. Renewables alone cant power resilience without investment."

Readying for a gridlocked future

As winter looms, the EUs energy crossroads becomes starker: invest now or nationalize panic later. The Preparedness Unions focus on control over concrete solutions may offer political cover but risks emboldening outdated systems. For nations like Germany, balancing civil readiness with infrastructure modernization is critical. But without addressing root problems, the EUs next blackout wont just be technical  itll be a failure of governance.

In the end, true preparedness requires more than emergency kits and censorship  it needs leadership daring to fix the wiring.

Sources for this article include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

EuroNews.com

Ec.Europa.eu
Google expands nuclear power investment to fuel AI data center surge

Google partners with Elementl Power to build three small modular reactor (SMR) facilities in the U.S., each generating 600+ megawatts, to power its AI-driven data centers with clean energy.

With data center energy use projected to double by 2030, Google prioritizes nuclear for reliable, carbon-free baseload power, unlike intermittent renewables like wind or solar.

Google joins Microsoft and Amazon in backing SMR projects, aiming to secure energy independence and infrastructure control amid rising computational demands.

While SMRs promise faster, safer deployment, hurdles include regulatory delays, public skepticism and unproven scalability. Googles partnerships (e.g., Kairos Power) aim to validate the technology.

Tech giants view nuclear as critical to future-proofing operations, with investments like Amazons X-energy deal and Microsofts $2.4B reactor bet signaling a shift toward owning energy infrastructure.

Tech giant Google has deepened its commitment to nuclear energy innovation, announcing a $500 million partnership with nuclear developer Elementl Power to build three advanced small modular reactor (SMR) facilities in the U.S. Each plant will generate at least 600 megawatts of power  enough to supply a medium-sized city  providing clean energy to fuel its data centers amid skyrocketing demands from AI and machine learning operations. This marks Googles latest move in a broader strategy to secure reliable power for its energy-intensive tech infrastructure, while positioning itself as a leader in cutting-edge energy solutions.

The agreement, announced Wednesday, comes as Silicon Valley giants brace for the computational power crunch driven by AI. Google joins competitors Microsoft and Amazon in directly investing in nuclear projects, aiming to decouple energy needs from reliance on carbon-heavy grids.

The strategic shift: Why nuclear power for AI?

Googles decision to fund Elementls projects reflects an urgency to adapt to the AI eras power dynamics. A recent International Energy Agency report projects data center energy consumption will double by 2030, driven by algorithms that require massive server farms to train and run. Advanced nuclear technology provides reliable, baseload, 24/7 energy, said Amanda Peterson Corio, Googles Global Head of Data Center Energy, during a press briefing. This collaboration accelerates our ability to keep pace with AI innovation while advancing American energy leadership.

Unlike wind or solar, nuclear reactors offer consistent output, eliminating renewable energys intermittency issues. The partnership with Elementl  who plans to select among promising SMR designs by 2030  aligns with Googles goal of securing carbon-free power by 2030.

The deals early-stage capital will cover site permitting, transmission grid connections and regulatory approvals, though final locations remain undisclosed. Google retains the option to buy electricity once operational, a priority as its data centers consume roughly 5 terawatt-hours annuallythe equivalent of providing power to 400,000 U.S. homes.

Small modular reactors: Revolution or risk?

The development underscores the tech sectors bet on SMRs, compact nuclear reactors that proponents claim are safer, faster to build and scalable. Elementl remains technology agnostic, meaning it will choose reactor designs after evaluating all options, including Kairos Powers molten-salt-cooled models first announced last year.

Kairos, a separate partner of Googles, plans its own SMR project with a 50-megawatt pilot reactor in Tennessee, with commercial-scale units expected by 2035. Michael Terrell, Googles senior director of energy and climate, emphasized the Kairos collaboration as a critical step to proving SMR viability, insisting the company seeks only net new clean power from untapped projects.

Yet SMRs face hurdles beyond engineering. Building reactors in the U.S. requires navigating lengthy environmental reviews and public trust issues, especially after disasters like the 1979 Three Mile Island accident. Microsofts controversial repurposing of that site  a nod to its advanced waste managementhighlights lingering anxieties.

A new era of corporate energy sovereignty

Googles partnerships reflect a broader shift in techs approach to energy sourcing. Amazon invested in X-energys SMR projects in 2023, while Microsoft is betting $2.4 billion on the Georgia-based Southern Companys reactors. Tech companies view nuclear as a must-have in their energy portfolios, noted nuclear economist Erwinnia Zhao of the Breakthrough Institute. Its not just about powerits about owning the infrastructure driving tomorrows digital economy.

The collaboration also signals resilience in the face of political challenges. The Nuclear Energy Innovation Act, passed in 2018, streamlined SMR certifications, but financing and community buy-in remain unresolved for projects like those in the U.S. Southeast.

Navigating the atomic crossroads

Googles wager on nuclear energy underscores a delicate balancing act between innovation and caution. While proponents see it as a lifeline for grid stability and carbon neutrality, critics warn of unchecked costs and unresolved risks. For now, the partnership with Elementl and rivals similar moves could redefine the future of data center infrastructureif SMRs can deliver as promised.

As Amanda Corio put it, the stakes are existential: Innovation doesnt wait for perfect conditionsit transforms them. The same goes for nuclears comeback in a world relentlessly thirsty for digital power.

Sources for this article include:

100percentfedup.com

Business.Inquirer.net

Bloomberg.com
Shoah

Wikipedia  The Holocaust, known in Hebrew as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe, around two-thirds of Europe's Jewish population.

film: Those Who Remained

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A lyrical story of the healing power of love in the midst of national conflict, loss and trauma, Those Who Remained reveals the healing process of Holocaust survivors through the eyes of a young girl in post-World War II Hungary.

[Absolutely refreshing. Beautiful in its poignant aura. Hollywood cannot do this. Too much arrogance and a permanently damaged body of viewers. Warped by violence and purposely sex. Almost makes me rage at America through tears. Thank you, Hungary.]

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Israeli airstrikes destroy Sanaa Airport in Yemen

Israel conducted airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport, claiming they were "dual-use" facilities (civilian structures used for military purposes by the Houthis). The strikes, carried out by F-15 fighter jets, disabled the airport, destroying runways, aircraft and infrastructure within 15 minutes.

The operation was in response to a Houthi drone strike that killed an Israeli citizen in Tel Aviv the day before. Israel also struck power stations and a cement factory, alleging they supported Houthi military infrastructure.

The Houthis condemned the strikes as an attempt to blockade Yemen and vowed to retaliate against Israel. Their political leader, Mahdi al-Mashat, warned Israelis to "stay in shelters," claiming their government could not protect them.

The group reiterated its support for Gaza, stating that attacks on Yemen would not deter them from continuing Red Sea operations (drone/missile strikes on Israel-linked ships). They had paused attacks during a brief Gaza truce but resumed after Israel intensified its offensive in March.

Analysts, like Sultan Barakat, dismissed Israel's claims, calling the strikes "pure vandalism" that would harm United Nations (UN) aid efforts in Yemen. The airport was already under heavy sanctions and its destruction risks worsening Yemen's humanitarian crisis.

Israeli fighter jets have completely disabled the international airport in the rebel-held capital of Sanaa after launching a series of airstrikes and hitting key infrastructure in Houthi-controlled Yemen.

According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), their strikes were aimed solely at military targets, including "dual-use" sites  civilian facilities repurposed for militant activities. Dozens of aircraft, including F-15 fighter jets, refuelers and surveillance planes, participated in the operation, dropping 50 munitions on military targets. The IDF claimed that the Houthis militant group has been using the airport to transport weapons and operatives, serving as a hub for "terror purposes."

The IDF confirmed that the strikes involved three fatalities and 35 injuries and "completely disabled" the Houthi-controlled airport, destroying runways, aircraft and infrastructure within 15 minutes. (Related: Israel vows to strike Yemen "without restrictions" after Houthi missile hits Ben Gurion airport.)

Beyond the airport, the IDF also struck power stations near Sanaa and a cement factory in 'Amran, north of the capital, alleging that the facility was used by the Houthis to build military infrastructure and tunnels. The military stated that targeting the factory dealt a blow to the group's economy and military capabilities.

"A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck and dismantled Houthi terrorist infrastructure at the main airport in Sanaa, fully disabling the airport," the Israeli military said on Tuesday, May 6, adding that several major power stations in the Sanaa area were also hit.

Houthis vow retaliation

In response to the airstrikes, Yemen's Houthi rebels have pledged to retaliate against Israel. The Houthi political bureau condemned the strikes as "further evidence of Israel's bankruptcy," accusing Tel Aviv of seeking to impose a blockade on Yemen by targeting vital facilities.

"Targeting Yemeni ports, Sanaa airport, cement factories and power plants aims to impose a blockade on the Yemeni people," the group said, but added that these attacks "will not deter Yemen from continuing its support for Gaza."

The Houthis, who have launched over 100 drone and missile attacks on ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea since November 2023, vowed to continue until a permanent Gaza ceasefire is reached. Though they paused operations during a brief Gaza truce earlier this year, they resumed after Israel cut off humanitarian aid and intensified its offensive in March.

Moreover, their political leaders, including Mahdi al-Mashat, vowed that the recent strikes would not go unanswered. He then told Israelis to "stay in shelters" because their government could not protect them.

Meanwhile, Sultan Barakat, a professor of public policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, dismissed Israel's justification that the attack was in response to Houthis' attack on Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on Sunday. May 4. Instead, he called the attack "pure vandalism."

"I think it's pure vandalism, to be honest. The airport in Sanaa is not a normal airport. It's under a huge restriction from the United Nations, from the Saudis, from the coalition  it's under sanctions," Barakat said. He also warned that attacking the airport would disrupt the United Nations and aid groups working in one of the world's poorest nations.

Follow WWIII.news for more similar stories.

Watch the May 5 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about how the Middle East could now set off nuclear war.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

WHO Chief Tedros narrowly escapes death in Israeli airstrike on Yemen airport.

Yemen attempts to hold Israel accountable for genocide in Gaza, conducts hyper-sonic missile strike on Tel Aviv airport.

TruNews: U.S.-led Yemen strikes escalate Middle East conflict.

U.S., U.K. continue airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

Yemen declares air blockade against Israel, exposing U.S. missile defense failures.

Sources include:

RT.com

TimesofIsrael.com

CNN.com

Aljazeera.com

Brighteon.com
Forests to farms to floods: Land use shifts threaten water quality and communities

Converting forests to agricultural or urban land near streams increases nitrogen and sediment runoff, harming aquatic ecosystems and raising water treatment costs. The study predicts significant declines in drinking water quality by 2070 without intervention.

Nitrogen (from fertilizers) and sediment (from eroded soil) strain water treatment systems, particularly in small communities, leading to higher costs and potential rate hikes. Urban impermeable surfaces and agricultural runoff exacerbate pollution.

Excess nitrogen from agriculture fuels toxic algal blooms and "dead zones" (e.g., Gulf of Mexico), linked to synthetic fertilizer use and drainage systems. Historic practices like tile drainage worsen nitrogen leakage into waterways.

Mitigation strategies include precision fertilizer use, woodchip bioreactors and saturated riparian buffers (e.g., a 95% nitrogen reduction in Iowa). Farmer adoption is key but limited by funding; federal/state incentives are needed to scale conservation practices.

Policymakers must prioritize forest retention near watersheds and balance development with conservation. Climate change (heavier rains, warmer temps) may worsen runoff, demanding faster action on federal targets like the Gulf Hypoxia Task Forces goals.

A recent study from North Carolina State University (NCSU) has revealed a striking trade-off: converting forests to agricultural or urban land near streams could slash water quality, raising health risks and treatment costs by mid-century. Led by Associate Professor Katherine Martin, the research modeled future land-use scenarios across Georgias and Alabamas Middle Chattahoochee watershed, predicting that nitrogen and sediment levels in drinking water will soar without urgent intervention. "Those are both detrimental to the quality of drinking water, and they require more filtration," Martin said, underscoring how such shifts imperil aquatic ecosystems and impose financial strains on smaller communities. The findings, published in PLOS Water, spotlight a growing crisis at the crossroads of development, agriculture and environmental sustainability.

Study confirms urbanization and farm expansion threaten waterways

NCSU researchers used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool to map potential land-use changes until 2070, focusing on 15 water intake sites. Their simulations showed that stripping forests for farms or cities triggers a spike in nitrogen and sediment runoff, two pollutants long tied to water contamination. "When we lose forest cover, we see both [nitrogen and sediment] increasing," Martin explained, highlighting how agricultures heavy fertilizer use and urban impermeable surfaces exacerbate the issue.

Sediment gains momentum as rainwaterno longer absorbed by soilsweeps silt into streams, while nitrogen from fertilizers leaches into groundwater, flowing with drainage water. Both pollutants strain water treatment facilities, forcing costlier filtration systems for algae control and clearer drinking water. For small towns, these expenses could translate to steep rate hikes. "These areas are also more likely to see increased development," Martin warned, as open land draws new housing or farms, creating a cycle of dwindling forests and degenerating water.

Nitrogens toxic legacy: A century-old problem revisited

The NCSU study echoes long-standing concerns about nitrogens environmental toll. As Dr. Dan Jaynes, an ARS soil scientist, has documented, nitrogen surplus in U.S. agriculture traces to the Green Revolutions push to boost yields via synthetic fertilizers. "In soils where water drains slowly, farmers installed drainage tiles to carry soil water away faster," Jaynes said. But this practice funnels nitrogen-laden water to rivers and coastal zones.

The results are dire: Excess nitrogen fuels algal blooms that create "dead zones," oxygen-starved areas where marine life suffocates. Since 2019, NOAA has warned of a Gulf of Mexico dead zone rivaling Massachusetts in sizea crisis scientists link to nitrogen runoff from the Mississippi River Basin. "Nitrogen is the nutrient least available to algae in coastal salt water," Jaynes noted, explaining why Midwestern agricultures nitrate-heavy drainage spurs these zones.

Solutions on the ground: From bioreactors to buffer strips

Despite the challenges, researchers offer hope. Jayness work emphasizes that no single fix exists but champions integrated approaches. "In-field practices such as precision fertilizer use are critical," he said, but "edge-of-field" innovations like woodchip bioreactors or saturated riparian buffers also trap nitrogen before it enters waterways. One project near Iowas Rock Creek installed a Saturated Riparian Buffer (SRB), reducing tile-drain nitrogen by 95% in one year.

Farmers are receptive. "They recognize that reducing runoff improves soil health," Jaynes observed, though many lack resources to adopt measures like SRBs or restored wetlands. Federal and state funding, he stressed, must complement conservation incentives to make these practices affordable. "Every farmer must participate," he added, referencing the Mississippi River/Gulf Hypoxia Task Forces 2035 goal: shrinking the Gulfs dead zone to 5,000 km while cutting nutrient loads by 20%.

Policy and the path forward: Balancing growth and conservation

The NCSU study urges policymakers to focus land-use decisions near critical watersheds. Martin emphasized that development and agriculture "are beneficial" but require "conversation" to prioritize forest retention. Georgia and Alabama, home to this studys watershed, face pressure to balance growth with conservationa tension mirroring national debates over the Clean Water Act and funding for USDA conservation programs.

"The clock is ticking," Martin said, noting that climate change may multiply runoff risks. Warmer temperatures and heavier rains could amplify sediment loads and nitrogen losses, overwhelming already stressed systems. The Task Forces 2025 nitrogen/phosphorus reduction target remains unmet, underscoring the need for federal mandates or incentives to scale proven practices.

A crossroads of values and waterways

The NCSU study crystallizes a pivotal moment for U.S. land and water policy. As forests retreat before crops and subdivisions, the interplay of nitrogen, sediment and urbanization spells trouble for drinking water and marine ecosystems. Yet solutions existif implemented. From bioreactors to smarter fertilizer use, tools already in circulation could curb these pollutants, though their adoption hinges on farmer support and political will. "We need to change how we think about development," Martin remarked, framing the issue as a choice between progress and preservation. The Chattahoochees fatelike that of countless American watershedsmay rest on that choice.

Sources for this article include:

ScienceDaily.com

EurasiaReview.com

EurakAlert.org

ARS.USDA.gov
Pakistan warns India of retaliation as drone strikes and downed jets escalate tensions between nuclear-armed rivals

The skies over Kashmir have turned into a battleground as India and Pakistan exchange fire, risking full-scale war.

Two Indian jets and one Pakistani F-16 were downed, with video showing an Indian pilot attacked by villagers before Pakistani troops intervened.

Pakistan warns it will retaliate at a time of its choosing, raising fears of nuclear escalation amid global calls for de-escalation.

The crisis began after a deadly Kashmir terror attack, with India launching strikes and Pakistan denying involvement, calling them an "act of war."

Drones and missiles intensify the conflict, with both sides reporting civilian and military casualties as tensions reach a dangerous peak.

The skies over Kashmir have once again become a battleground as India and Pakistan exchange fire in a dangerous escalation that risks spiraling into full-scale war.

In recent days, two Indian Air Force jets were shot down, while India claims it downed a Pakistani F-16. Three aircraft have been lost in total, two Indian and one Pakistani, as tensions flare over disputed Kashmir. Video footage shows an Indian pilot being attacked by villagers after ejecting, with Pakistani military personnel intervening to stop the assault. The conflict comes amid reports of over 1,000 drones operating in Pakistan, conducting strikes with deadly consequences.

Pakistan has issued a warning, declaring it "reserves the right to respond, in self-defense, at a time, place, and manner of its choosing." With both nations armed with nuclear weapons, the world is watching nervously as the two historic adversaries inch closer to a catastrophic confrontation.

A cycle of violence and retaliation

The latest crisis was triggered by a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month, which left 26 civilians dead. India blamed Pakistan-based militants, launching retaliatory strikes it called "Operation Sindoor." Pakistan, however, denied involvement, calling Indias actions an "act of war" and accusing New Delhi of targeting civilians and mosques.

"These unprovoked and unjustified attacks martyred innocent men, women and children," Pakistans National Security Committee stated. India, meanwhile, insists its strikes were "focused, measured and non-escalatory," aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure linked to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Drones, missiles, and downed jets

The conflict has since escalated into a deadly exchange of drone and missile strikes. Pakistan claims to have shot down 25 Indian drones, including Israeli-made Harop loitering munitions, while India says it targeted Pakistani air defense systems in response to attempted attacks on its military installations.

Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistans military spokesman, called Indias drone strikes a "serious, serious provocation," confirming that one civilian was killed and four soldiers wounded. India, in turn, reported 16 civilian deaths from Pakistani shelling, including women and children.

The situation grew even more volatile when Pakistan claimed to have downed five Indian fighter jets, including three French-made Rafales, a MiG-29, and an Su-30, although India has not confirmed these losses.

Nuclear stakes and global alarm

The world is urging restraint, with the U.S., Russia, and China calling for de-escalation. The U.S. State Department ordered its Lahore consulate staff to shelter in place amid reports of drone explosions, while the UN expressed "deep concern" over the rising tensions.

"War in any form is ugly for humanity," said Ramadan Muhamad, a Pakistani shopkeeper who witnessed a drone crash. "A conflict between Pakistan and India is not an ordinary warGod forbid, it could turn into a humanitarian disaster because both countries possess nuclear weapons."

A history of conflict with no end in sight

Kashmir has been a flashpoint since 1947, with three major wars fought over the territory. Both nations claim it in full, and neither shows signs of backing down. Pakistan has vowed to retaliate, while India remains on high alert. Will this latest clash push two nuclear powers past the point of no return?

Sources for this article include:

SHTFPlan.com

CBSNews.com

CNN.com
SLOW DEATH JABS: Pfizer Vaccine Linked to Higher All-Cause Mortality Rate than Moderna Shot

Every so-called conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer called out the Covid mRNA clot shots right out of the gate, warning everybody NOT to get jabbed with the Bill Gates depopulation stab that Big Pharma, Big Government, Big Media, and the New World Order were pushing so adamantly, like it was the end of the world if we didnt all get injected. Turns out the Covid stabs ARE depopulation weapons. They are weapons of genocide. They were designed to form spike protein clots throughout the vascular system, invade vital organs, and cause the immune system to attack those foreign particles, driving nearly every disease and disorder to the brink, also known as "all-cause mortality." Get it?

You were warned. Repeatedly.

Now the real science is coming out, that these gene-mutating Trojan Horse jabs catapult just about every disease and disorder known to mankind, including turbo cancer, infertility, heart attacks, strokes, chronic inflammation, autism, central nervous system disorders, vital organ failure, and of course, long-vax syndrome. That goes for the Pfizer jabs, the Moderna stabs, AstraZeneca injections, and even the Johnson & Johnson one shot dirty vaccines, if you remember those.

Pfizer Clot Shot recipients show shockingly higher mortality rates across the board

A new study has found that individuals who received two doses of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine faced a higher risk of death from cardiac arrest, COVID-19, and other causes within a year compared to those who took Modernas shot. Published on April 29 in the preprint server medRxiv, the researchconducted by MIT and Florida Department of Health scientistsanalyzed data from over 1.4 million Floridians. The findings have reignited debates over mRNA vaccine safety, with experts calling for greater scrutiny of nonspecific health effects tied to immunization.

The study compared 735,050 adults who received two Pfizer doses with an equal number who took Modernas vaccine, matched by demographics and vaccination timing. Retsef Levi, Ph.D., the studys lead author, told The Defender, The Pfizer vaccinees had significantly higher all-cause, cardiovascular, COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 mortality over 12 months post dose two.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, a co-author, criticized the lack of rigorous safety reviews, stating on X, It has become painfully obvious that as a result of Big Pharma-driven vaccine ideology, these products do not receive the safety scrutiny they should.

Daniel OConnor of Trial Site News argued the data should prompt regulatory action: If Pfizers vaccine were a drug on trial, this data would demand a pauseyet it continues under full regulatory protection. The mortality risk was most pronounced in adults over 60, though the study did not evaluate outcomes for unvaccinated individuals.

The research highlights nonspecific effectsunintended health impacts beyond a vaccines primary purpose. Levi noted these are rarely studied in trials or post-market reviews, despite their potential significance. The findings align with prior studies, including a June 2024 Italian analysis showing a 20% higher all-cause death risk among the vaccinated. A 2023 multinational study also cited a definite causal link between COVID-19 vaccine rollouts and spikes in excess deaths.

As mRNA vaccines remain central to global health strategies, the study underscores the need for transparent, long-term safety data. With regulators like the FDA already flagging myocarditis risks in 2023, the latest research adds urgency to reevaluating vaccine policies. The public deserves transparency, not silence, OConnor said. For now, the debate over balancing vaccine benefits and risks continueswith lives hanging in the balance.

Bookmark Vaccines.news to your favorite independent websites for updates on experimental mRNA gene therapy injections that cause mortality rates to skyrocket and the dreaded Long-Vax-Syndrome to wreck your health forever. #DepopulationJabs

Sources for this article include:

Pandemic.news

NaturalNews.com

ChildrensHealthDefense.org
Smartphone-free city initiative in St Albans: A conservative blueprint for digital detox gains traction

Primary school leaders in St Albans, England, launched an initiative in 2023 to prohibit smartphones for children under 14, encouraging "dumbphones" (basic call/text devices) instead. Smartphone ownership among primary students dropped from 75% to 12% by 2024.

The movement, led by educators like Matthew Tavender, successfully reduced smartphone use through collective action22 of 24 local primary schools now support the ban. A 63% decline in smartphone ownership among 10-11-year-olds was observed within a year.

Rising childhood depression, suicide rates and early heart disease risks linked to excessive screen time fueled the initiative. Schools reported increased exposure to explicit content via smartphones, prompting parental support for restrictions.

The community-driven approach (opt-out framing, not forced bans) inspired similar policies in Ireland and the United States. Advocates argue parental authority and societal norms must counter Big Techs influence on children.

Critics claim the ban ignores homework apps and digital necessities, while tech lobbyists have stalled national policy changes. The movement aims to extend the ban to secondary schools and redefine childhood norms, prioritizing face-to-face interaction over screens.

In the English town of St Albans, a quiet revolution is under way. In spring 2023, a coalition of primary school heads spearheaded a bold initiative to prohibit smartphones for children under age 14, urging parents to replace smartphones with dumbphones limited to basic calls and texts. Nearly two years later, the project has seen measurable success, with smartphone ownership among primary students dropping from 75% to 12%, according to a 2024 survey. The effortpart Conservative parenting philosophy advocating for parental authority and reduced tech dependencehas sparked a national debate over whether society should curb childrens access to screens to protect mental and physical health.

The results: A normative shift in screen-free childhoods

Matthew Tavender, headteacher at Cunningham Hill Primary, spearheaded the initiative after witnessing firsthand the toll of childhood addiction to social media. Smartphones have become the crux of all evil in our communities, he told local media in May 2023. A year later, tracking data reveals stark changes. In December 2023, 45 out of 60 Year 6 students (ages 10-11) owned smartphones; by 2024, the number dropped to just seven, a 63% reduction. Teachers attribute the success to collective action, with 22 of St Albans 24 primary schools now supporting the ban and families adopting dumbphones for emergencies.

"Justine Elbourne-Cload, chair of the schools consortium, emphasized the cultural reframe: 'If the norm is for children to walk without smartphones, thats what theyll adapt to.' The initiative has even influenced regional policy, pushing nearby Hertfordshire County Council to explore similar measures.

Mental health crisis and the rise of digital detox

The St Albans movement mirrors broader concerns echoed by parents and researchers. Jonathan Haidts 2024 book The Anxious Generation warned of a 50% rise in U.S. adolescent depression and a tripling in suicide rates among girls under 14 since 2010, linking these trends to rampant social media use. A 2023 study in the European Heart Journal reinforced these fears, finding that prolonged childhood inactivity and screen time correlate with early signs of heart disease.

St Albans educators reported alarming incidents like underage access to pornography via school WhatsApp groups. Six years ago, we never dealt with explicit material in classrooms, Tavender said. Now, parents see the harm from smartphones. The Childrens Commissioners 2025 report corroborated this, finding 23% of children in England spend over four hours daily on devicesa trend that exacerbates isolation and anxiety.

A grassroots movement against tech giants

The success in St Albans rests on communitarian principles. Parents credit the policys opt-out framing: schools did not forbid all phones but encouraged a citywide norm against smartphones until mid-adolescence. Families instead rely on Apple AirTags or analog methods like printed bus timetables.

The movement has resonated globally. Irish communities, inspired by St Albans, have banned 13-year-olds from smartphones, while American conservatives have cited it as a model for limiting government overreach while empowering local solutions. Parents need societal backing to resist techs immense push toward early device dependency, Elbourne-Cload said.

Challenges ahead: Balancing practicality and principle

Critics argue the ban ignores modern realities. Some secondary school students use phones for homework apps or e-tickets, prompting skepticism from educators. London Times columnist Rachel Sylvester dismissed the policy as a gimmick, noting that homework apps are irreplaceable. The U.K. government, wary of perceived overreach, shelved 2023 proposals to ban smartphones for children after tech firms lobbied against the plan.

Yet advocates emphasize incremental progress. Were resetting the bar, Tavender said. Our goal isnt perfection but a culture where smartphones arent a birthright. Educators now focus on extending the ban to secondary schools, though hurdles remain.

The return of old-school values in a digital age

St Albans experiment reflects a growing conservative argument: that modern tech overreach requires community-driven solutions to safeguard childhood. By aligning school, parental and civic efforts, the initiative hearkens to a pre-digital era where face-to-face interaction and physical play defined youth.

As Tavender noted, the projects greatest victory lies in redefining norms. A kid with a smartphone should soon be as jarring as a child with a cigarette, he said last year. With 12% ownership among primary studentsa notion once unthinkablethe vision edges closer to reality. Whether this grassroots model will inspire broader societal changes remains to be seen, but St Albans has already rewritten the conversation about childhood in the digital age.

In an era of AI-driven censorship and Big Techs grab of childrens attention, the towns blend of parental authority and traditional values offers a clear alternative: less screen time, more connection. As Amelia Gentlemans 2025 report captures, the St Albans initiative isnt just about banning devicesits about reimagining what it means to grow up.

Sources for this article include:

TheGuardian.com

TheTimes.com

ChildrensCommissioner.gov.uk
Ukraine parliament ratifies U.S. minerals deal after bitter Trump-Zelensky clash

The Ukrainian Parliament unanimously approved a U.S. economic partnership, granting America 50% of revenues from Ukraines critical minerals, oil, gas, and infrastructure projects.

The deal follows a heated February confrontation where Trump demanded repayment for U.S. aid, leading to a shouting match with Zelensky, who initially refused.

A joint U.S.-Ukraine investment fund will split profits from mineral resources, although critics argue it lacks immediate security guarantees or military support for Ukraine.

Trumps push for direct repayment was dropped, but U.S. officials suggest future aid could be linked to Ukraines resource revenues.

Zelenskys shift from resistance to compromise reflects Ukraines urgent need for U.S. support amid dwindling Western aid and escalating Russian attacks.

The Ukrainian Parliament has unanimously ratified a landmark economic partnership with the United States, granting Washington 50% of revenues from Ukraines critical minerals, oil, gas, and infrastructure projects. The deal, signed into law on Thursday, marks a dramatic turnaround from Februarys explosive Oval Office confrontation between President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump, who demanded repayment for Americas $350 billion in aid to Ukraine.

The agreement establishes a 50-50 joint investment fund, with profits from Ukraines vast mineral reserves, including titanium, lithium, and uranium, flowing to both nations. While Kyiv hopes the pact will unlock future U.S. military support, critics question whether it adequately compensates American taxpayers for years of unconditional aid.

A deal born from conflict

The path to ratification was anything but smooth. In February, Trump reportedly demanded Zelensky agree within an hour to surrender half of Ukraines resource revenues as repayment for U.S. assistance; Zelensky refused. The standoff escalated into a shouting match in the White House, with Trump berating Zelensky for lacking leverage. You dont have the cards right now, Trump allegedly snapped.

The breakdown stalled negotiations until April, when a chance meeting at Pope Francis funeral revived talks. Ukrainian officials, bypassing Zelenskys team at one point, ultimately secured concessions, including the removal of Trumps demand for direct aid repayment.

What the deal includes

Under the agreement, the U.S. and Ukraine will co-manage a Reconstruction Investment Fund, with equal governance rights. Neither side has an advantage, there is no dictatorship from either side, and decisions are taken by consensus, said Ukraines First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. The fund will channel revenues from new mineral extraction licenses, though specifics on governance remain vague.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent framed the deal as a strategic win, telling the Milken Institute it creates leverage against Russia and reassures Ukrainians of Americas commitment. Yet skeptics note the pact lacks binding security guarantees or immediate weapons deliveries, despite Ukraines desperate need for Patriot air defenses.

Repaying the debt?

Trump has long argued that Ukraine owes the U.S. for its generosity. While the final deal avoids labeling past aid as a debt, Bessent hinted that future assistance could be tied to mineral profits. It would be a symbol to a tired American public, skeptical of more financial commitments, that it was possible to have shared prosperity with Ukraine, he said.

For Kyiv, the agreement is a pragmatic compromise. With Western aid dwindling and Russian forces intensifying attacks, Ukraines leadership saw resource-sharing as the price for sustained U.S. backing. Yet the deals long-term payoff is uncertain: analysts warn mineral extraction could take a decade to yield significant returns.

Zelenskys gamble

Zelenskys initial resistance to Trumps demands nearly derailed the partnership. His refusal to sign an earlier draft that lacked protections for Ukrainian sovereignty drew accusations of ingratitude from Trump. But by April, facing battlefield setbacks and stalled ceasefire talks, Zelensky softened his stance.

The U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal is a hard-won compromise, born from clashing egos and geopolitical necessity. While it offers Kyiv a lifeline, it also underscores the precariousness of relying on foreign patronage. For Americans weary of open-ended aid, the promise of repayment, however distant, may be the only solace. As Bessent put it: Sometimes with a blow-up, you wind up with a better deal. Whether thats true for Ukraine, or just for Trump, will depend on what comes next.

Sources for this article include:

InfoWars.com

MSN.com

Reuters.com

APNews.com

NYPost.com
U.S. and China edge toward trade talks, but sticking points remain

Beijing has acknowledged a U.S. offer to discuss steep tariffs but insists Washington must first drop unilateral tariffs and correct "erroneous practices."

Previously dismissive of talks, China has taken steps to ease tensions, exempting key U.S. imports (e.g., pharmaceuticals, microchips) from retaliatory duties.

U.S. growth has slowed due to tariff-related stockpiling, while China faces slumping factory activity and falling exports, pushing both toward negotiations.

Trump insists China must make concessions first, while Beijing demands the U.S. lift tariffs before talks, reflecting deep mutual mistrust.

Even if talks proceed, hurdles remain, including China's demand for a Trump-backed negotiator and potential complications from hardliners like Marco Rubio.

For the first time since the latest escalation in the U.S.-China trade war, Beijing has signaled a willingness to negotiate  but with major conditions. On Friday, May 2, China's Commerce Ministry confirmed it was evaluating a U.S. offer to discuss President Donald Trump's aggressive 145 percent tariffs on Chinese goods. While the statement suggests a potential thaw in tensions, Beijing made clear that any talks hinge on Washington dropping its unilateral tariffs and correcting what it calls "erroneous practices." The development comes as both economies face mounting pressure: China battles slowing growth and deflation, while U.S. businesses reel from supply chain disruptions.

Until now, Chinese officials had dismissed negotiations, insisting the U.S. must first lift tariffs. The latest acknowledgment marks a subtle but significant shift. Behind the scenes, Beijing has already taken steps to ease tensions, exempting key U.S. importssuch as pharmaceuticals and microchips  from retaliatory duties. Analysts see this as a pragmatic move to protect critical industries while avoiding further escalation. (Related: Tariff war escalates: China retaliates with 125% tariffs on U.S. goods, as Xi Jinping warns of self-isolation for America.)

The trade war is taking a toll. U.S. economic growth unexpectedly stalled in early 2024, partly due to businesses stockpiling imports ahead of tariffs. Meanwhile, China's factory activity slumped to its worst level since late 2023, with export orders plummeting. The mutual economic strain may be forcing both sides back to the tablebut neither wants to appear weak.

Trump's tough stance vs. China's demands

President Trump has repeatedly framed tariffs as leverage to secure fairer trade terms, insisting China must make the first move. Beijing, however, insists Washington must act first by scrapping tariffs. "If we fight, we fight to the end; if we talk, the door is open," China's Commerce Ministry declared. The stalemate underscores deep mistrust, with Beijing accusing the U.S. of coercion and Washington alleging years of unfair trade practices.

Even if talks begin, major obstacles remain. China wants a U.S. negotiator with direct backing from Trump to ensure any deal sticks. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio's expanded role in the administration  now including national security  could complicate relations, given his hardline stance on China.

While markets rallied on hopes of de-escalation, the path forward is fraught. Both sides face domestic pressures to stand firm, yet the economic costs of prolonged conflict may soon outweigh political posturing. For now, the world watches to see whether these tentative overtures lead to real compromise  or another breakdown.

Watch as Gordon Chang says Trump won't lose his nerve in trade war with China.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump's trade turmoil: U.S. drops tariffs on 70 nations, escalates China trade war to 125%.

Trump signals willingness to ease China tariffs in push for TikTok deal.

Trump's trade turmoil: U.S. drops tariffs on 70 nations, escalates China trade war to 125%.

China STRIKES BACK, imposes retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods as trade tensions escalate.

Sources include:

Yournews.com

Bangkokpost.com

Businesstimes.com.sg

Brighteon.com
Trumps Greenland gambit intensifies: US intelligence assets head to Greenland for next level of negotiations

The Trump administration is escalating its campaign to seize Greenland deploying US intelligence assets to assess the feasibility of a forced or negotiated takeover of the resource-rich Arctic territory. According to leaks to The Wall Street Journal , senior intelligence officials issued a classified directive last week ordering agencies to gather intel on Greenlands independence movement, local sentiment toward US resource extraction, and potential political allies in Denmark who could facilitate the islands annexation.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard blasted the leaks as a "deep state" sabotage attempt, while National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt framed the move as a matter of national security, stating, "The president has been very clear that the U.S. is concerned about the security of Greenland and the Arctic." But behind the diplomatic rhetoric lies a brazen power playone that could redefine global energy dominance and military strategy in an era of escalating great-power conflict.

Key points:

 US intelligence agencies ordered to gather intel on Greenlands political landscape and independence movement

 Trump refuses to rule out military conquest, calling Greenland vital for "international security"

 Greenlands vast rare earth deposits and strategic location make it a battleground for US, China, and Russia

 Denmark condemns US pressure as VP Vance accuses Copenhagen of failing Greenlands people

Greenland: The last great territorial prize

Greenland represents the last great territorial prize in an era of renewed great-power competition. Its vast, mineral-rich expansepacked with rare earths, oil, and gascould liberate U.S. supply chains from Chinese dominance, fueling the AI and green energy revolutions. Strategically, its an Arctic linchpin: controlling Greenland means dominating emerging Arctic trade routes and securing a forward military bastion against Russian and Chinese ambitions. With Denmarks limited capacity to defend it, Greenlands sparse population makes it ripe for U.S. investmentor outright acquisition. As Vance asserts, America must act decisively, leveraging economic incentives or political pressure to claim this frozen keystone of 21st-century power.

With China controlling nearly 90% of global rare earth production, the US sees Greenland as a lifeline to break Beijings stranglehold. But the islands value extends beyond resources. Its locationnestled between North America and Europemakes it a strategic choke point for Arctic shipping lanes and military operations. The US already maintains Pituffik Air Base, a critical outpost for missile defense and space surveillance. Yet, as Vice President JD Vance declared during a controversial visit in March, "Denmark has not kept pace to keep the people of Greenland safe from aggressive incursions from Russia [and] China."

Denmark resists, but for how long?

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has condemned US pressure as "completely unacceptable," but Copenhagens grip on Greenland is tenuous. The territory governs its own affairs in all areas except defense and foreign policy, and a growing independence movement could provide the US with an opening. Trumps refusal to rule out military action"I dont say Im going to do it, but I dont rule out anything"signals a willingness to exploit that vulnerability.

Historically, great powers have reshaped borders through force or coercion. The Louisiana Purchase, which Trumps gambit would dwarf in scale, was itself a product of geopolitical maneuvering. Today, as China expands its Arctic footprint and Russia militarizes the region, the question isnt if Greenland will become a flashpointbut who will control it when the ice finally cracks.

Conclusion: A new age of empire?

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson secured Americas westward expansion with a stroke of a pen. Two centuries later, Trumps pursuit of Greenland reveals a stark truth: the age of territorial conquest never endedit merely evolved. As the US, China, and Russia race to dominate the Arctics riches, one must ask: Will Greenlands people be "cherished," as Trump claims, or simply consumed by the hunger of empires?

Sources include:

SHTFPlan.com

Zerohedge.com

WSJ.com
Broadcom has sent cease-and-desist letters to VMware perpetual license holders whose support contracts have expired, according to a report in Ars Technica.

The letters state that users suspected of unauthorized use of patches, bug fixes, and updates released after the expiration of the support agreement may be subject to review. The exception detailed in the letter is security patches for zero-day vulnerabilities, according to the report.

After Broadcom bought VMware in November 2023, the sale of perpetual licenses has stopped to focus on subscription models instead. This has been criticized for leading to increased costs and less flexibility among users.
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When its time for Alison Francz to pick up her prescriptions each month, she walks the two minutes from her house to the Rite Aid on West Main Street in Gowanda.

Its convenient, she said.

But soon, that convenience will come to an end. Rite Aid is closing its Gowanda store  and all of its stores in Western New York unless a buyer is found. When that happens, Francz said she will switch her prescriptions to the Walmart in Springville  which is 16 miles and more than a 20-minute drive away.

There is an independently owned pharmacy down the street, Valley Pharmacy and Medical Supplies, but its very small, she said. And neither Valley nor Walmart has a drive-thru, as Rite Aid does.

It is all a hassle she would rather not deal with.

I will have to tell all my doctors and get them to switch the pharmacy over, she said. So I dont know if thatll be a delay, initially.

Pharmacies, despite their recent financial struggles, play a key role in the health care system. Local pharmacies fill more than 90% of all prescriptions in the United States, according to a study released in March by Yale University researchers.

Pharmacies are so much more than places to get prescription medications. Theyre front-line community health resources, said Dr. Walter Mathis, a Yale professor and the senior author of the study.

That is especially true in smaller, more rural communities, where consumers dont have the same options as residents of larger suburbs. There, shoppers can fill prescriptions at the local supermarket, at retail chains such as Target or Walmart, as well as other pharmacy chains such as CVS and Walgreens. They also have mail-order options from pharmacy benefit managers like Express Scripts.

But residents of smaller communities often dont have big grocery stores or big-box stores within close proximity.

Rite Aid to close all 59 stores in Buffalo Niagara region after filing for bankruptcy The struggling Rite Aid pharmacy chain will close 59 stores in the Buffalo Niagara region and 10 others across Western New York if a buyer can't be found, the company told workers in a letter Monday.

As more pharmacies close, more Americans are living in what is called a pharmacy desert, commonly defined as an area without a pharmacy within 10 miles. Nearly half of all U.S. counties, or 46%, had at least one pharmacy desert, according to a study last year in the American Medical Association Journal, JAMA, which was based on data from 2000 and did not take recent pharmacy closures into account.

As pharmacies close, more and more individuals are left without easy access to medications, with disproportionate consequences for certain communities, the report said. People already at highest risk of being neglected by the health care system are most likely to be affected by pharmacy closures.

But the Rite Aid closings could create pharmacy deserts in small communities such as Eden and Silver Creek, which would be without a pharmacy if their Rite Aids closed and are miles from the nearest remaining pharmacy.

The Yale researchers call these single pharmacies that serve an entire area keystone pharmacies. About 1 in 11 Americans live in a keystone community, the Yale researchers found. Gowanda, for instance, would have just that single independent pharmacy, Valley Pharmacy and Med Supplies, if its Rite Aid were to close.

The nearest pharmacy deserts in New York are located south of Ithaca, according to a map compiled by TelePharm, a division of Cardinal Health.

Rite Aids rocky rebound: Empty shelves persist as chain emerges from bankruptcy It's a scene that is repeating itself at Rite Aid stores across the Buffalo Niagara market. With missing inventory in everything from grocery and toiletries to makeup and medicine, customers are walking away annoyed and empty-handed.

But as Rite Aid gets ready to wind down business at 59 stores in Western New York as part of its bankruptcy proceedings, independent pharmacists are sounding the alarm on an industry in trouble.

Donald Arthur, a pharmacist and owner of Brighton-Eggert pharmacy in the Town of Tonawanda, advocates for the pharmacy industry in Albany with the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York.

In the '80s, when you saw a shovel in the ground at an intersection, everybody joked, Oh, its another Walgreens, Rite Aid or CVS, he said. Those days are long gone.

The big drugstore chains wiped out all but 60 independent community pharmacies in the eight counties of Western New York.

Now, with chain drugstores contracting, many communities are finding themselves with fewer options for prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.

Our seniors are going to run into severe issues in terms of proximity to a community pharmacy, even in a city like Buffalo, Arthur said. In rural communities, theyre losing their one and only pharmacy. Rite Aid was the most concentrated retail pharmacy in Buffalo. Theres no one thats going to fill that void.

As retail drugstores struggle with lower drug reimbursement rates and the rise of digital and mail-order options, the issue is likely to get worse, Arthur said. CVS said it will close 270 underperforming stores this year, while Walgreens said it would close more than a thousand stores over the next three years.

Listen, I competed with Rite Aid. Yes, theyre our competitors, but were all community pharmacies, Arthur said. Im as upset as they are. This really bothers me.

Because Pharmacy Benefit Managers squeeze pharmacies, sometimes paying less for a medication than it costs the pharmacy, independent and other pharmacies may not have the resources to step in and absorb the customers Rite Aid is leaving behind.

Am I going to have a lot more patients because of this? Absolutely. That would be a wonderful thing, but its a little concerning to me, Arthur said. The first call I made was to my bank. Our margins are so, so, so razor slim.
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Dried Gapal, a staple in Burkina Faso, packs energy and essential minerals, but new research shows its phytic acid levels could be holding back key nutrients like zinc.

Study: Nutritional composition of dried Gapal, a highly nutritious food based on fermented cereal and milk. Image Credit: Vineke

Researchers at the Research Institute for Applied and Technological Sciences, Burkina Faso, recently analyzed the nutritional composition of dried Gapal, a fermented milk-cereal mixture widely consumed in Burkina Faso. The findings are published in the journal Discover Food.

Background

Gapal is a traditional food among the Fulani people in Burkina Faso. It is a mixture of fermented milk and cereals, and is available in dried or yogurt-like form. Millet paste and milk are primarily used for the production of Gapal, with the addition of baobab pulp, spices, and sugar.

Pearl millet, commonly used for Gapal production, contains high amounts of minerals, including calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium. The lactic acid bacteria-based fermentation process enriches gapal nutritionally and improves its flavor, texture, digestibility, and shelf life.

However, some millet components, such as phytates, can reduce the bioavailability of micronutrients by reducing their biodegradability. Food processing methods, including germination, fermentation, and hulling, can remove these components.

Lactic acid bacteria-based fermentation is a highly effective method for degrading phytic acid. During the combined fermentation of milk and millet dough, lactose is converted into lactic acid, which produces volatile molecules, which in turn increase the taste and nutritional value of Gapal.

Despite its high nutritional quality and increasing usage in major cities in Burkina Faso, there is a lack of scientific evidence about the proximate composition and nutritional properties of this indigenous food.

For the first time, researchers at the Research Institute for Applied and Technological Sciences comprehensively analyzed the nutritional composition of Gapal to develop a database for future research.

They purchased Gapal samples from five major cities in Burkina Faso. They assessed the protein, lipid, carbohydrate, free amino acid, mineral, and phytic acid content of these samples using standard methods.

Study findings

The researchers found considerable variations in nutritional composition between Gapal samples collected from five major cities. There was notable variability in nutrient content not only between cities but also among different producers within the same city, reflecting the lack of process standardization.

The analysis revealed that Gapal contains 0.76 to 5.5% of lipids, 5.4 to 9.6% of protein, 84 to 92% of carbohydrates, and 1.1 to 2.1% of ash. Among minerals, the samples contained potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, and manganese. The exact measured average values were: potassium (214.18 mg/100 g), calcium (66.74 mg/100 g), magnesium (34.04 mg/100 g), zinc (0.80 mg/100 g), iron (8.14 mg/100 g), copper (0.44 mg/100 g), and manganese (0.85 mg/100 g). These levels varied considerably across the different samples.

Only proline and lysine were consistently detected in all Gapal samples; other free amino acids, including some essential amino acids, were found sporadically and at low levels. However, dried Gapal exhibited a notable amount of phytic acid (365.92 milligrams per 100 grams of dried Gapal).

The tested samples exhibited significant variations in moisture content, pH, and acidity. The moisture content of these samples was higher than that reported for other Gapal-like food products, such as kishk and tarhana, which might impact their storage.

The study also determined the molar ratios of phytate to key minerals, such as zinc, iron, and calcium, in order to estimate bioavailability. The phytate: zinc (Phy :Zn) molar ratio in dried Gapal samples often exceeded 15, a threshold above which zinc bioavailability is considered significantly reduced by the World Health Organization. In contrast, the phytate: iron and phytate: calcium ratios were lower, suggesting that iron and calcium in dried Gapal might be more bioavailable than zinc.

Study significance

The study provides a comprehensive overview of the nutritional composition of the traditional African food Gapal.

According to the study findings, Gapal contains high levels of carbohydrates, which can be attributed to its millet content. The pH and acidity of dried Gapal are similar to those of similar food products such as kishk and tarhana, although Gapal has a slightly lower lactic acid content, which may be due to differences in fermentation and drying time.

The production process of kishk and tarhana includes 5-day fermentation, followed by 3-day drying. In contrast, Gapal production consists of a combined drying and fermentation process lasting 3 to 5 days. A slightly lower lactic acid content observed in dried Gapal might also be attributed to its shorter fermentation and drying duration and the smaller quantity of milk added during production.

Dried Gapal has been detected to have a lower protein and lipid level compared to similar millet-based foods. Proteins in Gapal come from both milk and millet, and the observed reduction in protein content might be due to production-related loss, which can be improved by increasing the fermentation process.

Lipids in dried Gapal mainly come from milk, which is used as fresh milk, fermented milk, or yoghurt during production. Yogurt is obtained from reconstituted milk powder, which is often defatted or fattened with vegetable fats. This variation in the fat content of milk or yogurt, depending on the product, might be responsible for the lower lipid content in Gapal.

Only proline and lysine, free amino acids, have been detected in all Gapal samples; other essential amino acids such as valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, and phenylalanine were detected only sporadically and at low levels.

A low milk content in dried Gapal (approximately 20%) might limit the availability of free amino acids. However, as researchers mentioned, the digestion of Gapal could facilitate the release of other, more abundant amino acids.

High levels of vital minerals have been detected in tested samples. However, the bioavailability of these minerals could be compromised by the high phytic acid content of dried Gapal. Millet is the primary source of phytic acid in Gapal, and existing evidence indicates that the phytic acid content of millet can be reduced through hulling (a process of removing the outer husk of millet) and fermentation processes.

The study highlights that, despite the interesting mineral content of dried Gapal, the presence of phytates, particularly in relation to zinc, may limit the actual nutritional benefit for consumers, unless further processing improvements are made.

The authors also note several limitations of their study. They were not able to determine the vitamin content or the total amino acid content of Gapal. Additionally, the study was limited in its geographic scope and sample size, suggesting that further research should include more towns and a greater number of samples. The authors recommend that future studies focus on standardizing manufacturing processes and assessing the sensory and sanitary qualities of Gapal for a more complete nutritional evaluation.

Overall, the study provides valuable information for enhancing the Burkina Faso food composition database.
A portable device that can instantly detect dangerous street drugs at extremely low concentrations has been developed at the University of Bath in the UK.

The device, which is being trialled by drug-checking services in the UK, Norway and New Zealand, can identify substances such as benzodiazepines and synthetic opioids that are difficult to detect with existing mobile technologies and are major contributors to drug overdoses globally.

The device, which is similar to an ultraviolet spectrometer, will allow drugs to be tested cheaply and at volume. Its on-the-spot analysis reveals both the contents of a substance and the concentration of each ingredient. The technology is described today in the scientific journal Analytical Chemistry.

Biochemist Professor Chris Pudney  who leads the team that developed the technology from the Department of Life Sciences at Bath  says the potential life-saving benefits of this invention are considerable. By using the device to reveal the precise composition of an illicit substance, the risks associated with taking unknown or adulterated drugs can be reduced significantly.

Professor Pudney envisions the new machine being deployed in areas where illicit drugs are commonly used, such as at clubs and festivals, as well as in services that provide support and treatment for dependent-drug users.

Testing times

Detecting substances at low concentrations is more challenging than identifying larger quantities of highly pure substances. The equipment currently available for this task often requires extensive training and can only be operated by chemists.

By contrast, the device invented by Professor Pudney can be operated by a non-expert, yielding results with the simple press of a button, and can detect drugs at extremely low concentrations. This allows it to determine the potency of a formulation and identify any contamination with undeclared substances. Many 'red flag' substances, including synthetic opioids such as nitazenes and fentanyl, are toxic even in minute quantities, and being able to detect them is critical to saving lives.

Whatever we're doing at the moment to prevent deaths from drug misuse isn't working so we need a new kind of service that can be where it's needed  cheaply, easily and anywhere. Our device would support community harm reduction. Telling people not to take drugs doesn't work, so different strategies are needed. By letting people know exactly what's in a drug and how strong it is, we can empower them to make safer decisions about whether or not to take it, or to use it in a safer way." Professor Chris Pudney, Biochemist

Drug adulteration

Globally, there is a growing problem of people unknowingly taking street drugs that have been mixed with undeclared substances. For instance, illicit pills containing benzodiazepines (which can produce feelings of euphoria, relaxation and calmness in the user) can be contaminated with synthetic opioids, turning them into ultrapotent mixtures that dramatically increase the risk of adverse effects and fatal overdoses.

The rise of potent synthetic drugs has made the landscape of drug use particularly dangerous, essentially presenting people who believe they are taking a known dosage of a known drug with a 'Russian roulette' of risk.

Professor Pudney said: "Now, more than ever, there are serious health risks associated with taking all drugs. People may think they have bought something relatively unharmful  perhaps a substance they know well  but the drug they have may in fact be contaminated with a far more dangerous and more addictive substance that could endanger their lives.

"This is why drug checking is so important and so needed. We need simple, instant detection that anyone in a drug and alcohol service can use to support their clients."

Deaths in England and Wales from drug poisoning have increased year on year, rising from 4,359 in 2018 to 4,907 in 2023 (these figures include both illicit drug use and prescription drug misuse).

Local and international trials

The new technology  currently a prototype  is being trialled by drug services both in the UK and internationally.

Devon & Cornwall Police, UK

A device acquired by Devon & Cornwall Police (UK) in June 2024 has allowed the force to fast-track suspicious substances linked to near-fatal and fatal overdoses. This lets them provide real-time drug warnings to drug treatment services in the area, rather than waiting for several months for results from forensic drug-detection service providers.

Nick Burnett, drug expert witness for Devon & Cornwall Police, said: "A prime example of this was testing of some oxycodone tablets in 2024 following a death. The tablets were found to contain a nitazene. We were able to put out a drug warning within 36 hours of that death occurring."

He added that the technology had improved the police's working relationship with its drug treatment services, especially in relation to information sharing and where necessary the issuing of drug warnings.

The Loop, UK

Unlike in New Zealand, drug checking services in the UK require a Home Office license for the possession of controlled drugs to operate legally. To date, The Loop Drug Checking Service is the only community-based drug-checking service in the UK that has been granted a licence. It has been operating in Bristol since 2024, and uses, alongside other analytical technologies, Professor Pudney's device.

Katy Porter, CEO of The Loop said: "We have been pleased to work alongside the team at the University of Bath to explore the use and potential of the device in drug checking services and for the purpose of reducing drug-related harms. We share the concerns regarding the changing drug market in the UK and working together to ensure drug checking is accessible and available to more people."

Drug-checking service, New Zealand

For two weeks last year, hundreds of drug samples were tested in New Zealand using Professor Pudney's new device as part of an initiative involving the country's three front-line drug-checking services: the Needle Exchange Programme, the New Zealand Drug Foundation and KnowYourStuffNZ. New Zealand is one of few countries in the world where drug-checking services are explicitly legal.

KnowYourStuffNZ deputy manager Dr Jez Weston said: "The spectrometers that we use are currently the best tech for mobile drug analysis, but science moves ever on. The University of Bath's new technology could help us help our clients with better and faster analysis of their samples."

Drug-checking service, Norway

The device is also being trialled by the Association for Safer Drug Policies (ASDP) in Norway. Norway is another country that operates community-based drug checking.

Dagfinn Hessen Paust, chief scientific officer at the ASDP  a leading advocate for harm prevention and evidence-based drug policies in Norway and the Nordics  said: "We use a number of different technologies to check drugs, mostly using infrared spectrometry, which is great for most use cases but not for testing benzodiazepines and very potent, very dangerous opioids. These substances  unlike, say MDMA  are found in very low concentrations in the tablets people consume and cannot be picked up by established devices.

"The new device from Bath is helping us fill this gap  it's very exciting for us to be trialling this new technology."

Shining light

The new technology from Bath works through a combination of fluorescence and reflectance spectroscopies.

Fluorescence is a technique that involves shining light on a substance and measuring the light that the substance emits in response. Different substances emit light in unique ways, which makes it possible to identify them.

Reflectance Spectroscopy is a technique that measures the light bouncing off a substance. The way light is reflected provides information about the substance's properties.

The device is trained using a deep-learning algorithm, meaning it is exposed to a library of Nanoparticle Spectroscopy (NPS) light patterns from which it learns to make accurate identifications.

Professor Pudney said: "Our aim is for this device to support drug-checking services, as a means to decrease the harm caused by drugs across different groups. The landscape of drug use is changing rapidly and we hope this tool can fill some of the gaps that are emerging."

Contributors to this research from the University of Bath included: Dr Alexander Power, Dr Tom Haines (both from the Department of Computer Science), Dr Tom Freeman (from the Department of Psychology), Matthew Gardner, Dr Gyles Cozier, Peter Sunderland, Professor Stephen Husbands, Dr Ian Blagbrough and Dr Rachael Andrews (all from the Department of Life Sciences). Also involved were: Dr Jennifer Scott (University of Bristol), Anca Frinculescu (King's College London), Trevor Shine (TICTAC Communications Ltd), Dr Gillian Taylor (Teeside University), Dr Caitlyn Norman, Dr Herve Menard, Professor Niamh N Daeid (all from the Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science, University of Dundee), Dr Oliver Sutcliffe (Manchester Metropolitan University) and Dr Richard Bowman (University of Glasgow).
The Human Intestinal Bacteria Collection (HiBC) offers scientists access to over 300 live gut bacterial strains, many never studied before, empowering research into inflammation, immunity, and future microbiome-based therapies.

HiBC: a publicly available collection of bacterial strains isolated from the human gut. Image Credit: Tatiana Shepeleva / Shutterstock

Very few strains out of the multitude of bacteria that inhabit the human gut are accessible to scientific research, and a vast majority remain largely unknown. To address this dearth of knowledge, researchers from Germany unveiled a new and publicly available collection of human gut bacteria, called the Human Intestinal Bacteria Collection (HiBC), in a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications. Notably, the HiBC project also undertook the formal taxonomic description and naming of new species and systematically deposited every strain in international public culture collectionsan uncommon practice that ensures global researcher access. This collection also contains 29 never-before-seen species and offers powerful tools to understand how gut microbes affect human health and disease.

The gut microbiome

A megaplasmid in Phocaeicola vulgatus boosted bacterial adhesion  Strains carrying the 103.4 kb pMMCAT plasmid stuck to surfaces twice as fast as plasmid-free relatives, suggesting a role in gut colonization.

The human gut is home to trillions of bacteria that influence digestion, immunity, and even mental health. While advances in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing have identified many of these microbes, most remain poorly understood because they have never been grown in a lab. This limits the ability to study their function or test how they affect the body.

Past efforts to isolate gut bacteria have led to valuable collections, but few strains have been made publicly accessible. Moreover, the accessible ones often lack key information like genome quality, growth conditions, and host origin. Many potentially important bacterial species are known only from their genetic signatures and not as living organisms that can be studied directly.

These challenges create gaps in microbiome research, especially in understanding how bacteria interact with human cells or respond to therapies. To unlock these insights, scientists need well-characterized and readily available bacterial strains. This would allow direct experimentation to reveal how specific microbes influence health or disease.

The current study

Every strain received a permanent digital ID  Researchers used the StrainInfo platform to assign DOIs, ensuring traceability even before formal deposition in culture collections.

The researchers first collected human stool samples to build a comprehensive collection of gut bacteria after obtaining ethical approval and participant consent. Samples were stored anaerobically to preserve oxygen-sensitive microbes. Within 24 hours, they were processed in a controlled oxygen-free environment to maintain the integrity of the bacterial communities.

The researchers used two main isolation techniques: the classical method, which involves dilution of fecal samples and spreading them on agar plates to grow bacterial colonies, and a second method, which uses a single-cell dispensing system to isolate individual bacteria more precisely.

Each isolated strain was initially identified using mass spectrometry. If identification was unclear or a novel species was suspected, DNA was extracted for genome sequencing. Genome sequencing used Illumina platforms, followed by quality filtering, adapter removal, and assembly. Only high-quality genomes with over 90% completion and less than 5% contamination were included.

The study also measured the ecological relevance of strains by comparing their 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) genes to global microbiome datasets. This helped confirm how widespread and potentially important each strain is. Moreover, all information, including genome data, plasmid sequences, and growth conditions, was made publicly accessible through the HiBC website.

Tree based on all 340 genomes, generated using Phylophlan. Phyla are indicated with colours. The Bacillota are split due to the placement of Fusobacteriota, which separated strains assigned to Bacillota_A by GTDB, however, this is dependent on the method used for tree creation. The potential need for splitting the phylum Bacillota is therefore independently supported by the Phylophlan tree and GTDB. Blue circles identify strains belonging to the 29 novel species that are taxonomically described in this paper.

Key findings

The study reported that the HiBC comprises 340 bacterial strains representing 198 distinct species, including 29 species never previously described. This makes the HiBC one of the most comprehensive and accessible gut bacteria collections to date. The teams systematic effort to deposit every strain into public culture collections, such as DSMZ, BCCM, and JCM, also helped overcome a major limitation in microbiome research, ensuring that both living isolates and their metadata are available for future studies.

The isolates in the collection belonged to seven major bacterial phyla commonly found in the human gut, with especially high representation from the Bacillota and Bacteroidota groups. The newly described species included novel types of Faecalibacterium, known for their anti-inflammatory effects, and other species associated with both health and gastrointestinal disease.

Ethical barriers blocked access to 1,063 strains  Over half of deposited isolates were restricted to Chinese collections, while others were locked under the Nagoya Protocol due to unresolved sampling ethics.

Nearly half of the strains contained plasmids, which are mobile genetic elements that can influence bacterial traits such as antibiotic resistance and colonization ability. Among the 266 reconstructed plasmids, some were identified as "megaplasmids" that were over 100,000 base pairs long. One such plasmid, pMMCAT, was found to boost surface adhesion, a trait that may help bacteria colonize the gut.

Additionally, the analysis revealed that several of the novel species are commonly found across human populations. Some strains were detected in over 90% of individuals sampled in global studies, while others were present at lower but still significant prevalence. This suggests that these microbes may play important roles in gut health.

The study further linked specific bacterial features with diseases such as Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis. Furthermore, certain proteins encoded by the isolated genomes were found to be associated with disease status, with some more prevalent in healthy individuals and others in patients. This highlights the complex relationship between gut microbes and disease, suggesting that these microbes may contribute to disease development or protection.

Conclusions

Overall, the HiBC offers a vital new resource for studying gut microbes, providing both living strains and comprehensive genomic data. It enables more precise functional and mechanistic studies and significantly advances microbiome research by supporting the experimental validation of microbehost interactions.

Additionally, the HiBC makes data on gut bacteria and their genetic information accessible, opening doors to better diagnostics, therapeutics, and improving our general understanding of the human microbiome.
Despite concerns over air pollution spikes, this decades-long Danish study finds that repeated PM2.5 peaks are not linked to increased cardiovascular risk, highlighting the greater importance of chronic exposure.

The role of long-term PM 2.5 peaks in cardiovascular risk: an AIRCARD substudy. Image Credit: winnond / Shutterstock

In a recent study published in the Journal of Cardiology, researchers examined the relationship between exposure to peak levels of particulate matter less than 2.5 m (PM2.5) and the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs).

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, with air pollution being a modifiable risk factor. PM2.5 is particularly harmful as it can enter the bloodstream, aggravate existing cardiovascular conditions, and contribute to stroke and myocardial infarction. Recent data suggest that air pollution is now the second largest mortality risk factor.

Moreover, short-term exposure to excess PM2.5 can lead to adverse cardiovascular events, including hospitalization and death. While previous studies have focused on acute spikes in pollution or chronic accumulated exposure preceding a cardiovascular event, the impact of recurrent high pollution peaks is unclear.

About the study

The present study examined the relationship between peak PM2.5 exposures and MACE incidence. The study analyzed 26,723 males aged 6574 from the Viborg Vascular (VIVA) and Danish Cardiovascular Screening (DANCAVAS) trials. It is important to note that the cohort included only older men from Denmark, which may limit how broadly the findings can be applied to other populations such as women, younger individuals, or people living in areas with much higher pollution. The team integrated individual-level data with national registries, which provided information on sociodemographics, diagnosis codes, hospitalizations, and mortality outcomes.

Next, the researchers modeled PM2.5 levels at participants' residential addresses between 1979 and 2019 using the Danish integrated air pollution modeling system. This system estimates air pollution levels by incorporating contributions from street-level pollution, regional background, and local background. The Danish Eulerian Hemispheric Model was used to model regional background, and the Urban Background Model was used to model local background.

The Operational Street Pollution Model was used to calculate street-level PM2.5. The modeling system provided hourly concentrations of PM2.5 for 19792019, which were aggregated into monthly mean levels. The PM2.5 peak was defined as the monthly average level at a residential address exceeding the long-term monthly mean of the population by over two standard deviations.

Further, road traffic noise was calculated at the most exposed side of the building and averaged across weekends and weekdays. The primary outcome was a composite MACE endpoint, including non-fatal stroke, acute myocardial infarction, cardiac revascularization, peripheral revascularization, and cardiovascular mortality. Cox proportional hazards models examined the associations between chronic PM2.5 peak exposures and MACEs.

Models were progressively adjusted to adjust for confounders. One model was adjusted for age and the year of inclusion. Another model was additionally adjusted for smoking status, body mass index (BMI), and family CVD history. The fully adjusted model also included noise exposure and socioeconomic factors (marital status and household wealth index). Because exposure was estimated at each person's residential address, the results may not fully account for time spent away from home, such as at work or while traveling, which could affect individual exposure levels.

Findings

In total, 26,723 individuals were enrolled. Baseline characteristics stratified by CVD event occurrence revealed that subjects who had a CVD event were slightly older and had a higher BMI than those who did not. Moreover, this group had a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and current smoking, as well as higher exposure to PM2.5 peaks.

The CVD event group also experienced a higher burden of conventional cardiovascular risk factors, with a higher minimum peak magnitude, median number of peaks, and average peak magnitude. The fully adjusted model revealed no significant increase in MACE risk associated with elevated PM2.5 peak exposure. Increments in the number of PM2.5 peaks minimally modified the hazard, implying no increase in risk.

Sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the findings across different periods before an event and different PM2.5 peak definitions. In analyses applying alternative peak thresholds, the hazard ratio was close to unity, supporting no relationship between cardiovascular events and PM2.5 peak exposure. Likewise, evaluating peaks in the one-year and five-year periods before the event produced similar insignificant results. Even when using more sensitive definitions for peaks or focusing on the time windows immediately before a cardiovascular event, the study found no statistically significant associations.

The authors also note that while short-term acute PM2.5 exposure (such as in the hours or days before a cardiovascular event) has previously been linked to increased risk, this study specifically investigated whether repeated monthly PM2.5 peaks over decades contribute to risk. Their results suggest that these long-term peaks do not add to cardiovascular risk once other factors are accounted for.

Conclusions

Participants who experienced MACEs were exposed to higher PM2.5 peaks than those who did not. Nevertheless, elevated long-term exposure to PM2.5 peaks did not significantly increase MACE risk. This points to the possibility that chronic, sustained exposure to PM2.5, rather than occasional peaks, may play a more important role in cardiovascular risk, at least in settings with relatively low overall pollution, such as Denmark. Further studies are required to assess these associations in different populations and higher pollution contexts to fully delineate the cardiovascular impact of air pollution. Expanding research to populations with higher average air pollution and including women and younger people may help clarify whether these findings hold true elsewhere.
What does a person with an eating disorder look like? The picture may not be as clear-cut as many people think. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis led a groundbreaking study with an important lesson: Eating disorders don't discriminate.

There's been a perception that eating disorders mostly affect thin, white women. Our study of college students dispels that myth." Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences

The study, funded by a National Institute of Mental Health grant, surveyed 29,951 students from 26 colleges and universities, including WashU. Two-thirds of respondents were female. The students were asked to answer a series of questions about their health, including their mental health and their attitudes toward food and body image.

Thirteen percent of respondents showed signs of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder - an unprecedented insight into the magnitude of the crisis on campus.

Importantly, the risk of eating disorders was relatively similar for white, Black, Asian, and Latino students.

"No matter their racial or ethnic background, these students all live in a culture that encourages or expects individuals to conform to certain body ideals," said Fitzsimmons-Craft, also an associate professor of psychiatry at the Medical School. "These findings show that eating disorders can happen to anyone."

The study was published in The International Journal of Eating Disorders. Co-authors include Carli Howe, a research coordinator with the Center for Healthy Weight and Wellness; Mia Kouveliotes, an undergraduate studying global health and environment; Zhaoyi Pan, Lawrence Monocello, and Marie-Laure Firebaugh from the Department of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine; and Denise Wilfley, a professor of psychological and brain sciences and of medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry in the School of Medicine.

The most common eating disorders found in the study were bulimia nervosa, a condition marked by regular bouts of binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting or purging, and binge eating disorder, in which a person engages in regular binge eating (but without the accompanying behaviors seen in bulimia nervosa), often in response to negative emotions, like feeling upset or stressed. Combined, those disorders were seen in 13% to 18% of women (depending on race) and 10% to 12% of men. Anorexia nervosa, a condition that causes people to severely limit food intake out of an intense fear of gaining weight, was much less common, affecting 2% to 4% of women and less than 1% of men.

There were some minor differences between racial groups. Asian women, for example, were more likely than other women to show signs of anorexia nervosa, while Hispanic women were most likely to show signs of bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder. Importantly, while the big picture looked similar for everyone, where differences did emerge, students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups often had a higher prevalence, dismantling the stereotype that eating disorders mostly affect white women.

Anorexia nervosa can have noticeable symptoms, but other, more common types of eating disorders can be completely hidden from others, even close friends and family, Fitzsimmons-Craft said. "You would never know if someone had bulimia nervosa or a binge eating disorder based just on how they looked," she said. "Even doctors can miss these problems, especially if the person doesn't fit the stereotype."

The study found that eating disorders often go hand in hand with other psychological problems. For example, up to 78% of women and 68% of men with eating disorders also showed signs of major depressive disorder. "In the past, health professionals would often put eating disorders and other psychological problems in completely different silos," Fitzsimmons-Craft said. "That approach caused a lot of damage."

The new findings underscore the need for counselors, doctors, and others to ask about eating habits when treating someone for depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder, or another mental health concern, Fitzsimmons-Craft said. "These are treatable problems, but early identification is really the key."

Fitzsimmons-Craft and Wilfley are working to provide resources for people with eating disorders through Body U, an online program funded by the Missouri Eating Disorders Council, part of the Missouri Department of Mental Health. The program, available to all adults in Missouri, provides individuals with access to online screening for disordered eating and then offers individuals access to free, tailored online programs to meet their needs. When appropriate, users will receive referrals to health providers.

Body U is now available in every public university in Missouri through close partnerships with all 13 public universities in the state, a level of outreach and programming to address eating disorders unmatched by any other state in the country. With a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Fitzsimmons-Craft and Wilfley have also brought Body U to six public school districts and two private schools serving middle and high school students in Missouri, providing an important resource for young people at a time when eating disorders often first take hold.

"We're going to stay committed to these efforts," Fitsimmons-Craft said. "We want awareness about eating disorders to become part of the culture, and we want widespread access to screening, prevention, and treatment to become the norm, not the exception."
An international team, led by researchers at the Champalimaud Foundation (CF), has shown  for the first time in a realistic way  that it may be possible to diagnose Parkinson's disease (PD) years before it becomes untreatable, by scanning people's brains with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Their results were published today (May 8th, 2025) in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism. The study was funded by the 200,000 Mantero Belard Award, a neuroscience prize attributed by the Portuguese charity Santa Casa da Misericordia de Lisboa.

It has been known for some time that otherwise symptom-free people who are slowly developing PD complain about the loss of their sense of smell. This can happen five to 10 years before they get really sick and experience the full symptoms of the disease: slowness of movement, resting tremor, rigidity, and postural instability.

The significance of this type of sensory impairment in PD has not been the object of much research. Moreover, although a lot of people report loss of the sense of smell, only some of them will develop PD, which means smell impairment by itself is not a specific biomarker for the disease. But what also happens is that people developing PD and related disorders may also suffer from visual deficits and even hallucinations  and it is here that there may be room for more reliable biomarkers.

Now, for the first time, Noam Shemesh (leader of the Preclinical MRI lab at CF) and his team  together with Tiago Outeiro, a neuroscientist and Parkinson's specialist at the University Medical Center Gottingen  have joined efforts and demonstrated that evaluating these two (and maybe other) sensory impairments in the brain, at the same time, could provide robust biomarker for early Parkinson's. And the earlier the diagnosis, the better the chances of developing effective treatments for PD patients.

Ultra-high resolution functional MRI

Using an ultra-high field experimental MRI scanner installed in Shemesh's lab, the researchers submitted a mouse model of Parkinson's to a technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). To give an idea of the power of the experimental machine, it generates a magnetic field of 9.4 Tesla (whereas medical machines typically only go up to 3 Tesla). This substantially improves the images and enables a clear view of brain structures in the small mouse brain.

The transgenic mice used here were widely used in Outeiro's Lab, and carried increased levels of a human protein called alpha-synuclein. This protein is thought to play a major role in disease, as it tends to accumulate and form inclusions, also in the substantia nigra  the brain region that produces dopamine and whose progressive degeneration is responsible for the motor impairments in PD. "The aggregates then spread to other regions in the brain, and affect motor areas", explains Ruxanda Lungu, co-first author of the study.

"This mouse model is very useful", says Outeiro, "because it produces the human type of alpha-synuclein." Moreover, the behaviour of the mice denotes an impaired sense of smell  and it is also thought that these animals experience visual impairment.

The vast majority of fMRI studies in animal models focus on a single sense. We analyzed both visual and olfactory sensory modalities. That's pretty rare in fMRI experiments." Noam Shemesh, leader of the Preclinical MRI lab at CF

Functional MRI is used to see which areas of the animal (or human) brain are activated in certain conditions  in this case, when they are exposed to odours or to visual stimuli. In the whole-brain images obtained, areas "light up" in response to stimulation due to changes in blood flow and oxygenation, which are driven by the neural activity.

The researchers started by comparing, using fMRI scans, activity in the brains of living mice that produced tangles of alpha-synuclein to those of siblings that did not. The mice were around nine months old, analogous to an intermediate stage of development of PD.

And indeed, the main analyses, conducted by Francisca Fernandes (co-first author on the study), showed that the control mice had normal activity in the corresponding brain areas, while in the Parkinsonian mice, there was much less activity.

Untangling the neural from the vascular

However, the problem with fMRI is that "it doesn't detect neural activity per se", says Shemesh. "Since it relies on interactions between ongoing neural activity and vascular properties, it detects a complicated combination of both effects." And in the present study, it was paramount to "untangle" these two components to visualize the purely neural effects of the disease. "It is very, very difficult to do that with fMRI", Shemesh points out.

So they had to use other approaches as well. Co-author Sara Monteiro assessed the vascular properties with a method called "cerebral blood flow mapping" and showed that the vascular effects were indeed weaker in the PD mice when compared to the controls.

In parallel, Lungu measured neural contributions using a protein called C-FOS, which is released when a neuron is activated. And when she quantified how much of this protein was present in the PD mice's brain (post-mortem), she found that the reduction of neuronal activity was even more pronounced than that of vascular flow. "We concluded that while both the neuronal and the vascular effects exist, the changes we saw in the fMRI scans were mainly driven by neuronal effects," says Shemesh. "The mice neurons were just firing less."

Early biomarkers for PD?

"To our knowledge, this is the first observation of a combined visual and olfactory sensory aberration in the brain activity of PD rodent models in general and the alpha-synuclein model in particular", the authors write in their paper. "This provides an opportunity for future studies to interrogate how sensory deficits progress along the disease, and perhaps lead to early imaging biomarkers [of the disease] (...)."

"Assuming that the effects of alpha-synuclein in the mouse brain and in the human brain are similar, which I think is a reasonable assumption, one of the things we could now do would be to check fMRI signals in the brain of people who are reporting some anosmia, as well as their visual responses", Shemesh explains. "And if we saw something weird in both sensory modalities, we could potentially say that there is something more global happening in their neural circuits, and that we need to follow up on that."

"The big advantage of such a method would be that it is truly non-invasive and easy to perform", says Outeiro. "This could add to the toolbox for diagnosing and classifying PD, something that is urgently needed", he adds.

"I think this work is a nice first demonstration of the fact that we can detect multisensory impairments in the brain fairly robustly", Shemesh concludes. "And it gives us some hope that, with future studies, there will be more things we can look at that hint at early development stages of PD and also determine which treatments might help if they're given early on."
India-UK FTA Benefits: 22,000 Premium EVs Of Britain To Enter India At Reduced Duty

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Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 10:44 IST

India-UK FTA Deal: Sensitive industrial products such as diamonds, silver, base stations, smartphones, etc. are excluded in the India-UK FTA.

The losses which India may suffer from the US trade tariffs can be compensated by the deal with UK. (Shutterstock Image For Representation)

India-UK FTA Deal Benefits: India has successfully concluded Free Trade Agreement (FTA) deal with the United Kingdom, marking a major step in facilitating a tariff-less exchange of products and services in both countries. The agreement would lead to elimination of 90% tariffs on exports to Britain from India. There are other countless benefits that both countries will get from the trade agreement.

According to a report by Economic Times, the UK will be allowed to sell 22,000 high-value EVs to India at a reduced duty of 10 per cent. In return, New Delhi will have a quota to sell low- and mid-range EVs to Britain.

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As of India India imposes a duty of more than 100% on automotive items. The ET report stated that there is no duty reduction for EVs outside this quota.

Scotch Whisky Import Incremental

As per ET report, Indias decision to cut tariffs on Scotch whisky to 75% immediately and 40% after ten years would only lead to an incremental increase in imports and not significantly affect the domestic market.

A reduction of tariff from 150% will also help boost FDI in the sector, adding that liberalisation of duties would attract the UKs expertise in spirit making, quality control, marketing, and consumer awareness, stated the ET report.

Sensitive Industrial Products Out Of Deal

Sensitive industrial products such as diamonds, silver, base stations, smartphones, television camera tubes, optical fibres, optical fibre bundles, and cables are excluded in the India-UK FTA. New Delhi has not offered any duty benefits to imports of these items.

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While India has not secured any gains on visa-related issues from this FTA, the UK has offered mobility commitments to annually allow a combined 1,800 yoga instructors, classical musicians, chefs, and independent professionals of computer and related services and research and development services, the official explained.

About the Author Business Desk A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 10:42 IST
Pakistan Economy On Brink Of Collapse? Analysts Warn Of Severe Blow Amid Escalating Tensions

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Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 16:24 IST

Analysts say further increase in tensions with India could impair Pakistan's access to external financing and strain forex reserves, apart from impacting progress on IMF programme.

Cash-strapped Pakistan has forex reserves of just $10 billion to cover barely three months of imports and an external debt burden of over $131 billion.

The Pakistani economy is set to face severe hardships as tensions escalate with India, as the cash-strapped country has forex reserves of just $10 billion to cover barely three months of imports and an external debt burden of over $131 billion. According to analysts, any further increase in tensions could impair the countrys access to external financing and strain forex reserves, apart from impacting Pakistans progress on the IMF programme.

Any further military escalation could jeopardise access to foreign capital markets and bilateral financing, compounding repayment challenges and straining reserves. The IMF programme itself could be thrown off course by heightened geopolitical risk," Yousuf Nazar, former emerging markets investments head of Citigroup and chief macro (EM) strategist, has said in an article in The Financial Times on May 7.

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In what it called Operation Sindoor, India on Wednesday hit multiple terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam killings. On Thursday, the Indian forces also shot down a barrage of Pakistani drones and missiles.

In a recent report, global ratings agency Moodys said the ongoing tensions are also likely to impact Pakistans progress on the IMF programme, apart from increasing external debt pressure.

Nazar in his article wrote, Pakistans economy, showing tentative recovery under a $7 billion IMF programme, could collapse."

The International Monetary Funds (IMF) executive board is scheduled to meet on May 9, to review the ongoing $7 billion bailout package for Pakistan.

Moodys in the report further said, Sustained escalation in tensions with India would likely weigh on Pakistans growth and hamper the governments ongoing fiscal consolidation, setting back pakistans progress in achieving macroeconomic stability."

Indias Suspension Of Indus Waters Treaty To Hit Pak Agri Growth

According to reports, Indias decision to put in abeyance the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty would hit Pakistans agriculture growth, thus further weakening the countrys economy.

Last year, the countrys agriculture posted a robust growth of 6.25 per cent.

Panic In Pakistan Stock Exchange

Pakistans benchmark KSE-100 index has plunged sharply over the past two weeks, falling from a high of 118,312 points on April 22 to 103,060.30 as of May 8. The steep decline, over 15,000 points, triggered by the heightened anxiety among investors amid rising geopolitical tensions in the region.

On Thursday, May 8, Pakistan temporarily suspended trading on its stock market after the benchmark KSE-30 index plummeted 7.2%, marking a second straight session of steep losses.

India To Remain Stable

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Moodys in the report said Indias economy is expected to remain relatively stable, amid low trade exposure to Pakistan (less than 0.5 per cent of total exports in 2024) and supported by public investment and private consumption.

Comparatively, the macroeconomic conditions in India would be stable, bolstered by moderating but still high levels of growth amid strong public investment and healthy private consumption," Moodys stated.

About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 16:24 IST
Elon Musk's Starlink Gets Govt Approval For Satcom Services, Telecom Dept Issues Letter Of Intent

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Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 11:34 IST

The LoI was issued to Starlink on Wednesday even as Elon Musk's company has agreed to the security terms, according to a PTI report citing sources.

Starlink is a satellite internet service developed by SpaceX -- the American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded in 2002 by the world's richest man Elon Musk.

In a major news for Elon Musk, the government has issued a letter of intent (LoI) to Starlink for its satellite communication (satcom) services in India. Elon Musks company has agreed to the security terms, according to the PTI report citing sources.

The nod for the satcom offering  known for its resilience in harsh conditions and conflict zones  came on a day when India pounded terror camps in Pakistan and POK in pre-dawn strikes, retaliating to the Pahalgam massacre.

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DoT sources, however, said that the decision was independent of the developments of the day, according to the report.

Starlink, a satellite internet service developed by Elon Musk-led American aerospace manufacturer SpaceX, provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet worldwide using satellite technology.

Unlike conventional satellite services that rely on distant geostationary satellites, Starlink utilises the worlds largest low Earth orbit or LEO constellation (550 km above Earth).

SpaceX, founded in 2002 by the worlds richest man Musk, has 7,000 LEO satellites and plans to expand it to over 40,000. The satellites constellation and its mesh delivers broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, and video calls.

Earlier, the government issued licences to Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications. These companies will be able to start their services after the allocation of radio wave frequencies.

Telecom regulator TRAI is finalising the recommendations for the allocation of satcom spectrum on an administrative basis.

Earlier this week, the government issued stringent security norms mandating legal interception of satellite communication services and barred companies from linking connection of users in any form with any terminal or facility located outside the countrys border as well as processing of their data overseas.

The tighter security rules also mandate service providers to indigenise at least 20 per cent of their ground segment of the satellite network within years of their establishment in the country.

According to the instruction, the satcom service licence holder will require security clearances for specific gateway and hub locations in India and compliance to monitoring, interception facilities and equipment requirements.

Indias rules mandate satcom firms to demonstrate system capabilities with respect to security aspects, including monitoring, to the Department of Telecom (DoT) or its authorised representatives before starting operations in India.

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Starlink, which had been vying for a India license for some time now, recently signed pacts with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, which together control more than 70 per cent of the countrys telecom market, to bring the US satellite internet giants services to India.

Musk is scheduled to visit India later this year.

About the Author Business Desk A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 11:34 IST
Srigee DLM IPO Allotment: A Step-By-Step Guide To Check Status Online, Know Latest GMP

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Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 11:11 IST

The Srigee DLM IPO allotment is expected to take place today, May 8, in the evening. Once allotted, investors can check the allotment status online. Here's a step-by-step guide.

Srigee DLM IPO Allotment Status.

Srigee DLM IPO Allotment Status, GMP Today: The allotment of the Srigee DLM IPO, which closed on Wednesday, is expected to be finalised in the evening today, Thursday (May 8). Once finalised, investors will start getting bank debit messages. They can also check the IPO allotment status online on registrar Bigshare Services Pvt Ltds website.

Srigee DLM IPO Allotment: How To Check Allotment Status?

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The IPO allotment is expected to take place today, May 8, in the evening. Once allotted, investors can check the allotment status by following these steps:

Step 1: Visit https://www.bigshareonline.com/ipo_allotment.html.

Step 2: Select any one of the servers  Server-1, Server-2 and Server-3.

Step 3: Click on Select Company drop-down menu and choose Srigee DLM Limited.

Step 4: Click on Select Selection Type drop-down menu and choose any one from application number/ CAF No., beneficiary ID, and PAN number.

Step 5: Enter application number/ CAF No., beneficiary ID, or PAN number.

Step 6: Enter Captcha

Step 7: Click on Search.

Your share application status will appear on your screen.

Alternatively, you can also check the Srigee DLM allotment status on the BSEs website. Heres the direct link: https://www.bseindia.com/investors/appli_check.aspx.

Srigee DLM IPO GMP Today

According to market observers, unlisted shares of Srigee DLM Ltd are currently trading at Rs 132 apiece, which is a 33.33 per cent premium (GMP) over the IPO price of Rs 33, indicating decent listing gains for investors. Its listing is scheduled to take place on May 12 on both the BSE SME platform.

The GMP is based on market sentiments and keeps changing. Grey market premium indicates investors readiness to pay more than the issue price.

Srigee DLM IPO Subscription Status

The initial public offering, which was open between Monday (May 5) and Wednesday (May 7), received a whopping 490.93 times subscription on the final day of bidding garnering bids for 56,14,24,800 shares as against the 11,43,600 shares on offer.

The retail category was subscribed by an overwhelming 243.71 times, while the NII got a huge 1,534.66 times subscription. The QIB category received a 136.52 times subscription.

The price of the Rs 16.98-crore IPO was fixed at Rs 99 apiece.

The Srigee DLM IPO is entirely a fresh issue of 17.15 lakh shares. Its price band has been fixed at Rs 94 to Rs 99 per share.

As of December 31, 2024, Srigee DLM Limited reported revenue of Rs 54.34 crore and a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 3.77 crore. The market capitalisation for the Srigee DLM IPO stands at Rs 59.14 crore.

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As per the red herring prospectus (RHP),the companys listed peers are Amber Enterprises India Ltd (with a P/E of 169.65), and Cyient DLM Ltd (with a P/E of 55.46).

GYR Capital Advisors Private Limited is the book-running lead manager of the Srigee DLM IPO, while Bigshare Services Pvt Ltd is the registrar for the issue.The market maker for Srigee DLM IPO is Globalworth Securities Limited.

About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 07:24 IST
Pakistan Stock Exchange Halts Trading As KSE-30 Falls 7% Amid Tensions With India

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 14:30 IST

The index showed signs of recovering earlier in the day after registering one of its steepest single-day losses in history.

Stocks markets in Pakistan are down amid tensions with India

Pakistan Stock Market Crash: Pakistan temporarily suspended trading on its stock market after the benchmark KSE-30 index plummeted 7.2%, marking a second straight session of steep losses. The selloff follows Indian military strikes on multiple terrorist targets across Pakistan under the operation codenamed Operation Sindoor.

In contrast, Indian equity markets remained largely stable. Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty traded flat, showing resilience despite escalating geopolitical tensions with the neighboring country.

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The broader KSE-100 index also plunged over 6.32%, a drop of 6,948.73 points, to 103,060.30 as of 1 p.m. local time, according to Investing.com. Investor sentiment in Pakistan is now focused on the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is expected to announce a decision tomorrow on whether it will extend its funding facility to the country.

Prior to the recent flare-up in hostilities, triggered by a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Pakistans stock market had shown signs of recovery. Improved investor confidence had been fueled by a sovereign credit rating upgrade and falling global oil prices.

Last month, Pakistan experienced a similar market crash following former US President Donald Trumps announcement of new trade tariffs. The benchmark index plummeted by over 8,700 points, triggering a brief trading halt.

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Pakistans equity market delivered an 84% return in 2023, its best performance in over two decades, attracting increased foreign interest from asset managers like BlackRock and Eaton Vance.

This recovery was underpinned by macroeconomic stabilization efforts and a successful IMF bailout agreement. However, with fresh geopolitical uncertainties looming, the IMFs funding decision will be closely watched as a key determinant of near-term market direction.

About the Author Aparna Deb Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a... Read More

Location : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: May 08, 2025, 13:35 IST
Starlink Price In India: How Much Will Starlink's Satellite Communication Cost To Indian Users?

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Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 13:04 IST

According to reports, industry estimates suggest the monthly subscription fee could range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000, depending on the plan and location.

Starlink users will have to buy a Starlink kit -- which includes a satellite dish and Wi-Fi router -- priced between Rs 20,000 and Rs 35,000.

In a major development for Elon Musk, the Indian government has issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) to Starlink, clearing the path for its satellite communication (satcom) services in the country, according to a PTI report citing government sources. The approval comes after Musks company agreed to Indias security requirements.

Starlink, the satellite internet arm of Elon Musk-led SpaceX, is known for delivering high-speed, low-latency broadband through a vast network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, operating just 550 km above the Earth. This is in contrast to traditional geostationary satellites, which orbit much farther out and generally offer slower, higher-latency connections.

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SpaceX has already deployed around 7,000 LEO satellites globally and aims to scale this up to over 40,000, enabling internet access even in the most remote and challenging terrains  from conflict zones to disaster-struck regions.

What Indian Consumers Can Expect to Pay

With regulatory barriers being cleared, focus is now shifting to what Starlink will cost Indian users. According to reports, industry estimates suggest the monthly subscription fee could range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000, depending on the plan and location. On top of that, users will have to buy a Starlink kit  which includes a satellite dish and Wi-Fi router  priced between Rs 20,000 and Rs 35,000.

This is significantly more expensive than conventional broadband services in India, where average monthly costs hover around Rs 500. As a result, Starlink is likely to attract early adoption primarily from businesses, government institutions, and rural households in hard-to-reach areas where traditional broadband is unavailable.

Despite the cost, experts see strong potential in Starlinks ability to transform digital connectivity in rural and remote India. The technology could be a breakthrough for sectors such as telemedicine, online education, disaster management, and rural development  especially if government subsidies or support programs are introduced.

When Will Starlink Start Its Services?

Before launching its services, Starlink still needs approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and must be allocated spectrum by the government. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is in the final stages of preparing recommendations for spectrum pricing for satcom services.

Starlink, which had been vying for a India license for some time now, recently signed pacts with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, which together control more than 70 per cent of the countrys telecom market, to bring the US satellite internet giants services to India.

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The Elon Musk firm is reportedly in talks with Indian telecom firms to explore bundled offerings and expand its footprint through partnerships.

According to reports, Elon Musk is expected to visit India later this year, possibly to formalise these deals and explore further investment opportunities.

About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 13:04 IST
Trump Strikes Landmark UK Trade Deal, First Since Tariff Measures

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 21:16 IST

US-UK Trade Deal: Both countries unveiled a new trade agreement on Thursday, easing the impact of President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs

President Donald Trump with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, at the White House, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP/PTI)

US-UK Trade Deal: The United States and the United Kingdom unveiled a new trade agreement on Thursday, easing the impact of President Donald Trumps sweeping tariffs and marking a key political win for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Today is an incredible day for America as we deliver our first Fair, Open, and Reciprocal Trade Deal  Something our past Presidents never cared about. Together with our strong Ally, the United Kingdom, we have reached the first, historic Trade Deal since Liberation Day. As part of this Deal, America will raise $6 BILLION DOLLARS in External Revenue from 10% Tariffs, $5 BILLION DOLLARS in new Export Opportunities for our Great Ranchers, Farmers, and Producers, and enhance the National Security of both the US and the UK through the creation of an Aluminum and Steel Trading Zone, and a secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain. This Deal shows that if you respect America, and bring serious proposals to the table, America is OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Many more to come  STAY TUNED!" he wrote on Truth Social.

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This marks the first bilateral trade pact announced by the US since Trump began imposing tariffs on key trading partners. While the deal is being touted by Trump as a major breakthrough, he acknowledged that some final details" are still being worked out, indicating ongoing negotiations behind the scenes.

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The final details are being finalized," Trump said from the Oval Office. Well have everything wrapped up very conclusively in the coming weeks."

Trade agreements are typically intricate and often take considerable time to complete. However, Trump has been pushing aggressively to secure deals quickly, aiming to deliver on the promises he made when launching his tariff campaign last month.

About the Author Business Desk A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 21:03 IST
Kashmir University Suspends Classes, Schools Shut In Many States Amid Pakistan's Attack On India | Check Your City

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 23:16 IST

At Kashmir University, both the main college and satellite colleges, classes have been suspended for Friday, May 9.

Punjab, which shares a 532-km border with Pakistan, decided to shut all schools in six border districts until further orders.

With rising tensions between India and Pakistan, several states have decided to close schools, including Rajasthan and Punjab. At Kashmir University, both the main college and satellite colleges, classes have been suspended for Friday, May 9.

The stringent measures were taken after Pakistan attacked India on Thursday evening, following New Delhis strikes on terror terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Indias Operation Sindoor was in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre that killed 26 people.

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Punjab, which shares a 532-km border with Pakistan, decided to shut all schools in six border districts until further orders. This includes Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran  have been shut until further orders.

In Gurdaspur, there will be an eight-hour blackout starting at 9 pm on Thursday, said officials.

Punjab shares a 532-km border with Pakistan. Therefore, the role of the Punjab government becomes extremely crucial during any military tension. All districts near the border have been placed on high alert," Punjab minister Aman Arora said on Wednesday.

Rajasthan, which shares about 1,070 km border with Pakistan, has closed schools in five bordering districts. A blackout has been instituted in these areas from midnight to 4 am on Friday till further notice as a safeguard against the possible threat of air strikes.

Government and private schools have been closed in Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer districts as a precautionary measure, officials said on Thursday. All Jodhpur colleges were also ordered to remain closed.

Meanwhile, Gujarat, Haryana and West Bengal have cancelled the leave of police and state government employees until further notice.

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In Himachal Pradesh, which also shares a border with Punjab, security has been beefed up in bordering districts, including Hamirpur, Una and Bilaspur.

With famous temples like Baba Balak Nath, Maa Chintpurni and Maa Naina Devi located in Hamirpur, Una, and Bilaspur districts, police have intensified security checks there, an official said.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 23:00 IST
Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 20:59 IST

Kerala SSLC 10th Result 2025 Live: The Kerala Board of Public Examination (KBPE) is set to announce the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) or Class 10 board exam results 2025 tomorrow, May 9, 2025. Once announced, students who appeared for the Kerala SSLC board exams can check their scorecards on the official website at keralaresults.nic.in.

The overall score for the Kerala SSLC test is 650, according to the exam pattern. This includes the 480 points awarded for the written exam, the 130 points for the internal assessment, and the 40 points for IT. To pass the board exam, students must receive at least 35 per cent marks in aggregate and in each paper. A+ grade is given to students who receive 90100 per cent. While D+ is the mark awarded to students who scored between 30 and 39 per cent. Below that is considered failed.
Maharashtra Trains ITI Students In Disaster Management Amid Rising Border Tensions

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 19:01 IST

The training programme aims to equip students with life-saving skills to manage both natural and human-made disasters, including those arising during times of conflict.

Students are being trained in rescue, relief operations, and safety protocols for emergencies, including wartime precautions.

In the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam and escalating tensions along the India-Pakistan border, the Maharashtra Government has taken a proactive step by introducing disaster management training for thousands of Industrial Training Institute (ITI) students across the state. The initiative, a collaboration between the Department of Skill Development and Aniruddhas Academy of Disaster Management, was launched today by Skill Development Minister Mangalprabhat Lodha at the Rajmata Jijau ITI in Thane.

The training programme aims to equip students with life-saving skills to manage both natural and human-made disasters, including those arising during times of conflict. Disaster management is not just a necessity, its a civic responsibility," said Minister Lodha.

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Every citizen must learn how to respond effectively during emergenciesbe it floods, earthquakes, or war-like situations. Our focus is to prepare the youth with practical knowledge that can help them and others during a crisis," he added.

The two-day camp includes workshops, simulations, and hands-on demonstrations. Students are being trained in rescue, relief operations, and safety protocols for emergencies, including wartime precautions. The training is also being livestreamed to all ITIs in the state, ensuring maximum outreach.

Dr. Leena Gadkari opened the session by explaining the fundamentals of disaster preparedness. Former Director General of Police, Praveen Dixit, addressed the students online on the theme of Civic Safety," emphasizing the role of citizens in national resilience. Aniruddhas Academy CEO Sunil Mantri provided detailed training and guidance during the camp.

Six New Courses Introduced

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In a major announcement, Minister Lodha also introduced six new high-tech courses to be offered at ITIs from the upcoming academic session. These include Artificial Intelligence, Electric Vehicle Management, Industrial Robotics, 3D Printing, Drone Technology, and Solar Technician programsfields aligned with the future of industry and innovation.

The event concluded with a live demonstration of rescue techniques by female students, showcasing their newly acquired skills. The principal of the institute, S. S. Mane, delivered a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all dignitaries and trainers for their support in making the initiative a success.

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: May 08, 2025, 19:00 IST
REET 2025 Result Declared At rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in, Steps To Check

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 16:02 IST

REET 2025 Result: A total of 14,29,822 candidates had registered for REET 2025. Know steps to check and get direct link here

REET 2025: This year, the exam was conducted in three different shifts on February 27 and 28, 2025 (Representational/File)

REET 2025 Result: The Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) has released the REET result 2025 today, May 8, 2025 at 3:15 pm. Candidates who appeared in the exam can check their result by visiting the official website of the board at rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in. The board has urged all the candidates to keep their roll numbers ready to check their REET results.

This year, the exam was conducted in three different shifts on February 27 and 28, 2025. The number of participants in the exam reached record levels this year. As many as 3,46,625 candidates registered for Level-1 (Primary Teacher), 9,68,501 candidates for Level-2 (Upper Primary Teacher) and 1,14,696 candidates for both the levels. A total of 14,29,822 candidates had registered for REET 2025.

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A total of 195847 candidates have cleared REET Level 1 and 393124 passed Level 2. Whereas 47097 candidates who appeared in both the levels have passed the exam this time.

Steps To Check REET 2025 Result

Step 1  Visit the Rajasthan Board website, rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in. Get direct link here

Step 2  Click on the REET 2025 Result" link on the homepage.

Step 3  Now enter your roll number and date of birth.

Step 4  Click on the Submit" button.

Step 5  Your result will appear on the screen, which you can download or print.

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REET 2025 Result: Bonus Marks

Rajasthan Board (RBSE) released the answer key of this REET Level-1 and Level-2 exam on March 25. Bonus marks will be given in five questions in different papers. While two options have been considered correct in 7 questions as per the answer key, one question each has been removed from the REET Level-2 answer key in each shift. For this, bonus marks will be given to the candidates. Similarly, three questions have been removed from the REET Level-1 answer key. Bonus will be given for this also. Apart from this, two options of 7 questions have been marked correct. Those who have not chosen any of the two options will get marks.

About the Author Sukanya Nandy Sukanya Nandy is a sub-editor at News18.com. She has been writing and reporting for the education and careers section of the website since 2021. She completed her graduation in English followed PG in Journalism... Read More Sukanya Nandy is a sub-editor at News18.com. She has been writing and reporting for the education and careers section of the website since 2021. She completed her graduation in English followed PG in Journalism... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 14:11 IST
Schools Closed In Border Districts Of J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan Amid India-Pakistan Tension: Full List

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 10:48 IST

Schools have been shut in border districts of Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan amid rising India-Pakistan tensions following Operation Sindoor.

Schools shut in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan amid India-Pak tension. (Representative image/File)

Amid rising tensions following heavy artillery and mortar shelling by Pakistan targeting forward villages in Jammu and Kashmir, several border districts in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan have shut down schools and other educational institutions as a precautionary measure.

Jammu & Kashmir: Schools Shut In Poonch, Rajouri and More

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All schools, colleges, and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch districts were closed on May 7, 2025, due to the escalating situation along the Line of Control (LoC). The Divisional Commissioner Jammu further shared the update that the educational institute will remain shut on May 8 too.

In view of the prevailing situation all Schools, Colleges & educational institutions (private as well as Government) in the districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch will remain closed tomorrow also. Divisional Commissioner Jammu (@Divcomjammu) May 7, 2025

Punjab: Schools Closed In Six Border Districts

Authorities have ordered the closure of schools in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Tarn Taran districts.

In Tarn Taran, all schools will remain shut from May 8 to May 11.

In Ferozepur, schools will be closed for 72 hours, with further updates awaited.

In Fazilka, schools will remain closed until further notice.

Rajasthan: Educational Institutions Shut In Four Districts

All government and private schools up to Class 12 in the border districts of Barmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer have been closed from May 8, 2025, until further orders. Exams have been postponed, and the directive also applies to Anganwadi centres and madrasas.

Rajasthan | In view of the current situation, Jodhpur administration announces a holiday in all private and government schools and Anganwadis from today till further orders: District Collector Gaurav Agarwal pic.twitter.com/7gVLfVhA7c ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

Operation Sindoor: Indias Retaliation

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On May 7, 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, a strategic counterstrike targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 tourists.

Targets included the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas base in Muridke. Following the strikes, the Pakistan Army retaliated with intense shelling, significantly escalating tensions between the two nations.

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First Published: May 08, 2025, 10:45 IST
Operation Sindoor: A Look At Indias Past Military Operations Against Pakistan And Their Code Names | Explained

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 09:59 IST

India has conducted 10 major military operations against Pakistan, including Operation Trident (1971), Operation Vijay (1999), Operation Bandar (2019) and Operation Sindoor (2025)

Operation Sindoor is not the first military operation that India has launched against Pakistan. Both countries have fought wars since 1947. (PTI Photo)

As India enters Day 2 of Operation Sindoor targeting terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), the tri-services mission is the most extensive cross-border precision strike conducted by India since the Balakot airstrikes in 2019.

Operation Sindoor is the direct military action against the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 in which 26 tourists, including a Navy officer and a Nepali, were killed.

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The mission was launched in the wee hours of May 7 after a high-security meeting between top military and political leadership.

Nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK have been destroyed in the operation.

This is not the first operation that India has launched against Pakistan and its terror proxies. Both countries have fought several wars and had border skirmishes since 1947.

Let us look at the military operations conducted by India against Pakistan.

Operation Gulmarg (1947): The covert mission was Indias first military response against Pakistani aggression that came shortly after Independence in October 1947. India launched military airlift of troops to Srinagar on October 27 of the year. The mission targeted key towns such as Muzaffarabad and Mirpur. The attackers committed widespread atrocities, including massacres, looting, and sexual violence, particularly against non-Muslims. Under the command of Major General Akbar Khan, intruders massacred about 11,000 residents of Baramulla on October 26, 1947, alone, and destroyed the Mohra power station that supplied electricity to Srinagar. Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir sought military help from India, and signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947, formally integrating the state into the Indian Union. The conflict lasted until 1948 and ended with a UN-brokered ceasefire in January 1949.

Operation Riddle (1965): It was codenamed by the Indian Navy for its operations during the Indo-Pak War of 1965. As Pakistan violated the Line of Control (LoC) and entered Jammu and Kashmir, India launched this operation, targeting Lahore and Kasur on September 6, 1965. The operation began with Indian forces, primarily the 1st Sikh Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Dewan Ranjit Rai, being airlifted by Dakota aircraft from Palam airfield in Delhi to Srinagar. Over 800 sorties were flown between October 27 and November 17, 1947, transporting troops, equipment, and supplies to bolster defences. The operation had a crippling effect on the Pakistan military. The operation named Riddle reflects the uncertainty and complexity of the situation.

Operation Ablaze (1965): The defence strategy was launched on a western border by the Indian Army in April 1965, following rising tensions and skirmishes along the India-Pakistan border, particularly in the Rann of Kutch area. The full-fledged war broke out in August of that year. Indian troops successfully engaged and silenced Pakistani forward posts, establishing tactical dominance in parts of Ladakh. This action served as a prelude to the broader conflict that followed. The operation effectively pushed back Pakistan and led to the Tashkent Agreement brokered by the Soviet Union.

Operation Cactus Lily (1971): It was codenamed for the Indian Armys western sector operations during the 1971 India-Pakistan War, which was fought in both the eastern (now Bangladesh) and western (India-Pakistan border) theatres. The Indian Army successfully held key positions in Kashmir, repelled Pakistani attacks in Punjab and Rajasthan, and made some territorial gains across the border. It complemented the more aggressive Operation Cactus in the East, where India supported the Mukti Bahini (Bangladeshi freedom fighters). The war led to the decisive Indian victory and creation of Bangladesh.

Operation Trident (1971): The Indian Navy launched a surprise attack on the Karachi port on December 4, 1971. It was the first time that anti-ship missiles were used in combat in the region. Pakistani fuel reserves and naval assets were heavily damaged. December 4 is now Navy Day. The attack disrupted Pakistans ability to reinforce its forces in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and boosted Indian morale.

Operation Meghdoot (1984): The military operation was launched by the Indian Army on April 13, 1984, to secure control of the Siachen Glacier in Kashmir along the LoC. Named after a mythical cloud messenger in a Sanskrit play, the operation aimed to pre-empt Pakistans attempts to occupy the strategically vital glacier, which lies at altitudes above 20,000 feet and is often called the worlds highest battlefield." The IAF transported stores and troops and air-dropped supplies to high-altitude airfields, from where Mi-17, Mi-8, Chetak, and Cheetah helicopters ferried men and material to dizzying heights on the glacier. The operation led to India gaining full control of the Siachen Glacier and maintaining a military presence there ever since. Pakistan launched counter-operations, but failed to dislodge Indian troops.

Operation Vijay (1999): The military operation was launched by the Indian Armed Forces in May-July 1999 to evict Pakistani intruders, including regular army units and mujahideen, from the LoC in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir. It was Indias response to Pakistans covert infiltration, which aimed to seize strategic heights, disrupt the Srinagar-Leh highway, and alter the status quo in Kashmir during the Kargil War. By July 26, 1999, India recaptured nearly all occupied positions, with Pakistani forces withdrawing under international pressure, particularly from the US. The war ended with a unilateral Pakistani retreat announced on July 4, following Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs meeting with President Bill Clinton. Indias 527 soldiers were killed and 1,363 wounded, and one prisoner of war (Flight Lieutenant K. Nachiketa). Pakistans losses are estimated at 700-4,000 (official figures claim 453), though exact numbers remain disputed.

Operation Safed Sagar (1999): The Indian Air Force codenamed the mission in the 1999 Kargil War. It involved a series of airstrikes to throw away Pakistani troops from Indian positions in the Kargil sector. This was the first large-scale use of air power in the region since the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. The IAF deployed Mirage-2000 jets to precision bomb enemy posts.

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Operation Parakram (2001-2002): Following the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, India launched Operation Parakram, a massive mobilisation of troops along the Pakistan border. Although it stopped short of full-scale war, the 10-month-long standoff was one of the largest deployments since 1971.

Operation Bandar (2019): During the Balakot air strikes in 2019, Operation Bandar marked the first airstrike across the international border since 1971 and was aimed at a Jaish-e-Mohammed training facility. The military operation was a response to Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel. Mirage 2000 aircraft dropped precision-guided munitions on the targets. The strike marked Indias first air incursion into Pakistani territory since 1971. Pakistan responded with an aerial skirmish on February 27, leading to IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthamans capture and return.

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: May 08, 2025, 09:57 IST
Are India-Pakistan At War? If Yes, Who Will Declare It? | Explained

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 09:04 IST

Pakistan's provocation and India's strong retaliation on Thursday night begs the question  are the nuclear neighbours at war? If yes, how is a war formally declared in India?

Late on Thursday, India decisively foiled Pakistan's attempts to hit military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur with drones and missiles. (AP/File)

In a dramatic military escalation, Pakistan unsuccessfully attempted to hit Indian military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur with drones and missiles, which were effectively engaged by the Indian armed forces and thwarted. In retaliation, India struck Pakistans capital Islamabad as well as Lahore and Sialkot.

Several cities and towns in J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat observed blackouts of different durations, with officials issuing advisories for citizens while reassuring safety. Separately, Pakistan violated ceasefire along the Line of Control, which was effectively responded to by the Indian forces. The cross-border action followed Indias Operation Sindoor under which armed forces destroyed terrorist hubs across nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack.

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Pakistans provocation and Indias strong retaliation on Thursday night begs the question  are the nuclear neighbours at war? If yes, how is a war formally declared in India?

News18 explains

India addresses matters related to declarations of war through a mix of constitutional provisions, parliamentary oversight, and executive authority, unlike some countries with formal legislation on such declarations.

In India, the power to declare war resides with the President, but it is exercised based on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers led by the Prime Minister. The Indian Constitution does not explicitly detail a procedure for a formal declaration of war as some other nations do. However, the declaration of a National Emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution is the closest constitutional mechanism related to a war-like situation.

Who Is Involved?

President of India: As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (Article 53(2)), the President holds the constitutional authority to declare war or make peace. However, this authority is exercised based on the governments advice. Article 53 of the Indian Constitution specifies that the executive power of the Union is vested in the President of India. Nevertheless, under Article 74, the President acts in accordance with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, led by the Prime Minister. Therefore, any formal declaration of war or peace by the President is made solely on the Cabinets advice.

As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (Article 53(2)), the President holds the constitutional authority to declare war or make peace. However, this authority is exercised based on the governments advice. Article 53 of the Indian Constitution specifies that the executive power of the Union is vested in the President of India. Nevertheless, under Article 74, the President acts in accordance with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, led by the Prime Minister. Therefore, any formal declaration of war or peace by the President is made solely on the Cabinets advice. Union Cabinet: In practice, the decision to go to war or declare peace is made by the Union Cabinet (Council of Ministers) under the leadership of the Prime Minister. The Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, and National Security Council provide crucial advice to the Cabinet in this process. Before reaching a decision, the Cabinet may seek input from military chiefs, intelligence agencies, and diplomatic channels. The Prime Minister heads the Cabinet, which is responsible for recommending a declaration of war to the President. According to the 44th Amendment Act of 1978, the President can declare a National Emergency (which applies in a war situation) only based on a written recommendation from the Cabinet.

In practice, the decision to go to war or declare peace is made by the Union Cabinet (Council of Ministers) under the leadership of the Prime Minister. The Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, and National Security Council provide crucial advice to the Cabinet in this process. Before reaching a decision, the Cabinet may seek input from military chiefs, intelligence agencies, and diplomatic channels. The Prime Minister heads the Cabinet, which is responsible for recommending a declaration of war to the President. According to the 44th Amendment Act of 1978, the President can declare a National Emergency (which applies in a war situation) only based on a written recommendation from the Cabinet. Parliament: Although Parliament is not constitutionally obligated to declare or pre-approve war, it maintains a role in oversight and funding: it oversees the defence budget; it has the authority to debate military actions and hold the government accountable; and, during prolonged military engagements, the government is expected to inform Parliament and seek political consensus. While the initial war declaration is made by the President on the advice of the Cabinet, it must subsequently be presented to both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for approval.

Procedure On Paper

Procedurally speaking, if a formal declaration of war is to be made, the Union Cabinet, after assessing the situation, will make a written recommendation to the President. Upon receiving the written recommendation from the Cabinet, the President can issue a Proclamation of National Emergency under Article 352 on the grounds of war or external aggression. This proclamation can be for the entire country or a part of it.

The Proclamation of Emergency must be laid before each House of Parliament. It will cease to operate after one month unless approved by resolutions passed by both Houses with a special majority (a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting).

Once approved by Parliament, the emergency remains in force for six months. It can be extended for further periods of six months with continued parliamentary approval through similar resolutions.

Finally, the President can revoke a Proclamation of Emergency at any time through a subsequent proclamation. Additionally, the 44th Amendment mandates that the President must revoke the emergency if the Lok Sabha passes a resolution disapproving its continuation.

But No Formal Rule Exists To Declare War

The Indian Constitution, however, does not have a specific article or procedure solely dedicated to the declaration of war". The provisions related to National Emergency under Article 352 are invoked in situations of war or external aggression.

So What Happened In 1965, 1971 And Kargil Wars?

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A formal declaration of war, in the traditional sense, was not made during any of the Indias military conflicts.

India-Pakistan War of 1947-48 (First Kashmir War): This war began with the invasion of Kashmir by tribal militias and Pakistani forces. India responded after the Maharaja of Kashmir acceded to India. There was no formal declaration of war by either side.

This war began with the invasion of Kashmir by tribal militias and Pakistani forces. India responded after the Maharaja of Kashmir acceded to India. There was no formal declaration of war by either side. India-China War of 1962: This war started with a large-scale Chinese offensive along the disputed border. India was taken by surprise. There was no formal declaration of war from either India or China. China unilaterally declared a ceasefire and withdrew after about a month.

This war started with a large-scale Chinese offensive along the disputed border. India was taken by surprise. There was no formal declaration of war from either India or China. China unilaterally declared a ceasefire and withdrew after about a month. India-Pakistan War of 1965: This war escalated from border skirmishes and Pakistans Operation Grand Slam in Kashmir. India retaliated by crossing the international border. Again, no formal declaration of war preceded the large-scale hostilities. The conflict ended with a UN-brokered ceasefire and the Tashkent Declaration.

This war escalated from border skirmishes and Pakistans Operation Grand Slam in Kashmir. India retaliated by crossing the international border. Again, no formal declaration of war preceded the large-scale hostilities. The conflict ended with a UN-brokered ceasefire and the Tashkent Declaration. India-Pakistan War of 1971 (Bangladesh Liberation War): This war stemmed from the political crisis and humanitarian crisis in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). India intervened in support of the Bengali liberation movement following a large influx of refugees. While the conflict was extensive, there was no formal declaration of war before Indias military involvement. Pakistan initiated air strikes on Indian airfields, which led to Indias full-fledged entry into the war.

This war stemmed from the political crisis and humanitarian crisis in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). India intervened in support of the Bengali liberation movement following a large influx of refugees. While the conflict was extensive, there was no formal declaration of war before Indias military involvement. Pakistan initiated air strikes on Indian airfields, which led to Indias full-fledged entry into the war. Kargil War of 1999: This conflict began with the infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and terrorists into Indian territory in the Kargil region. India responded with Operation Vijay, which was a limited conflict, and no formal declaration of war was made by either sides.

About the Author Nitya Thirumalai Nitya Thirumalai, News Editor at News18.com, writes on Indian and global politics as well as Formula 1. She was Google News Initiative-Columbia Journalism School Fellow in the inaugural Newsroom Leadership Prog... Read More Nitya Thirumalai, News Editor at News18.com, writes on Indian and global politics as well as Formula 1. She was Google News Initiative-Columbia Journalism School Fellow in the inaugural Newsroom Leadership Prog... Read More

First Published: May 09, 2025, 00:47 IST
India's Air Defence Prevails Against Pakistan Missiles: How S-400, Loitering Munitions, Hammer Work

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 17:19 IST

India deployed loitering munitions, which comes with a warhead. They can loiter around the target area until a target is located; they then attacks the target by crashing into it

Called Sudarshan Chakra by the Indian military, the S-400 is made in Russia and can track targets up to 600 km and intercept them at distances of up to 400 km. (Photo: Reuters)

The Indian government said on Thursday that it has neutralised" an air defence system at Lahore" after Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India".

On the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," Press Information Bureau (PIB) statement read.

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Top government sources told CNN-News18 that Pakistan sent loitering munitions at night in an attempt to damage our radars and attack India. However, the Air Force was ready and brought them down".

What Are Loitering Munitions?

As part of Operation Sindoor, India also deployed loitering munitions, also known as suicide drones, kamikaze drone, or exploding drone. It is a kind of aerial weapon with a munition (warhead), which can loiter (wait passively) around the target area until a target is located; it then attacks the target by crashing into it.

Loitering munitions enable faster reaction times against hidden targets that emerge for short periods without placing high-value platforms near the target area and also allow more selective targeting.

The earliest loitering munitions systems were used in the 1980s in Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) against fixed Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs) installations. With time, the role of these LMs grew for short range (2-15 km), medium range (15-50 km) and long range (50-100 km) for various mission operations like anti-personnel, anti-bunker, anti-armour and the destruction of critical enemy assets like air bases, missile bases and other critical infrastructure.

The Indian Army has procured and inducted Loitering Munitions such as the Nagastra-1 by Solar Industries and the Warmate from WB Group of Poland. For instance, the Nagastra-1, manufactured indigenously by Solar Industries, can carry a 1.5 kg explosive payload over a range of 15 km, offering real-time surveillance and strike capabilities.

How Many Drones Does India Have?

The Indian Army recently received 480 loitering munitions made by a Nagpur-based defence manufacturing firm with over 75% indigenous content. Nagastra-1, the first indigenous Loiter Munition developed by Solar Industries in Nagpur supplied the complete lot of 480 loitering munitions in December, defence officials said. The system is man-portable, and light and is intended to be used for precision strike capabilities by the Army troops, officials said.

The SkyStriker drone, already in service, has a range of 500 km and is designed for Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD).

In March 2022, ZMotion Autonomous Systems successfully tested three loitering munitions in Ladakh, demonstrating their effectiveness at 40% lower costs than imported alternatives. Tata Advanced Systems ALS-50, a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone that transitions to fixed-wing mode, has also completed successful trials at Pokhran.

In 2021, Indias Army demonstrated its capability with a 75-drone swarm, executing coordinated attacks over a 50 km range, as per The Economic Times report. By 2023, NewSpace Research & Technologies delivered an even more advanced system: a swarm of 100 drones designed for battlefield deployment.

More focus is being shown towards AI-driven drones capable of detecting enemy assets through acoustic censors. The National Aerospace Laboratories is working on a stealthy, long-range loitering munition weighing 150 kg, designed to strike targets 900 km away with an endurance of 6-9 hours.

What Is An Air Defence System?

India has a wide range of advance air defence systems, including the S-400 Triumf system and Akash-NG missile. Along with Israel, India has created the Barak 8 system, which can defend against threats from medium to long distances. Let us look at some of the air defence systems that India has.

S-400 System: Called Sudarshan Chakra by the Indian military, the S-400 is made in Russia and can track targets up to 600 km and intercept them at distances of up to 400 km. India has four S-400 squadrons. One covers Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab from Pathankot, and another protects key areas in Rajasthan and Gujarat. The S-400 has a multifunction radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers, and command and control centre". It comes with improved electronic counter-countermeasures to thwart attempts at jamming while its radars are capable of detecting low-signature targets.

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Akash Air Defence System: It is a short-range surface to air missile system (SAM) to protect vulnerable areas and points from air attacks. It was indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is produced by Hyderabad-based Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL). The missile was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2014 and in the Indian Army in 2015. In 2022, Armenia became the first foreign country to buy this missile system. The system features a launcher, a missile, a control centre, an integral mission guidance system, a multifunctional fire control radar, a system arming and explosion mechanism, a digital autopilot, C4I (command, control communication and intelligence) centres and supporting ground equipment. The Akash system protects a moving procession of vehicles using an electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) system. Akash was also tested in a ballistic missile role and offers air defence missile coverage of 2,000km.

HAMMER Bombs: HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) bombs, modular air-to-ground precision weapons, often referred to as a glide bomb, were reportedly used to strike Pakistan. With a range of up to 70 km, it can be integrated with standard bomb payloads. The HAMMER is resistant to electronic jamming and can be launched from low altitudes over challenging terrain. Its ability to evade interception and breach fortified targets makes it a highly effective strike weapon. HAMMER bombs are known for their adaptability. The kits can be attached to bombs ranging from 125 kg to 1,000 kg, and their 70 km strike range means Indian jets can stay clear of enemy radar and missile systems. The system is designed for both stationary and moving targets, and these bombs are ideal for neutralising terror launchpads and command posts.

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: May 08, 2025, 17:12 IST
How Modi Govt Is Fast-Tracking 4 Big Hydropower Projects Amid India-Pakistan Tensions

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 08:18 IST

The four hydro-power projects being fast-tracked are - Pakal Dul, Kiru, Kwar and Kirthai.

The Pakal Dul Dam is an under construction concrete-face rock-fill in Kishtwar district of the Jammu and Kashmir. (Image: Wikimedia)

Now, Indias water will flow for Indias rights, will be stored for Indias rights, and will serve only Indias needs"- So said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, reflecting his firm stance on managing Indias water resources more effectively and ensuring they benefit the country first.

After the big surgical strikes in Pakistan, India is planning the big squeeze on water going to Pakistan. But how will this be executed? Four major hydro-power projects are being fast-tracked by the government. This comes at a time when India has put the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed by cross-border terrorists.

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How Govt Is Fast-Tracking 4 Big Hydropower Projects

1. Pakal Dul HE Project:

Located in Jammu and Kashmirs Kishtwar, the concrete-faced rock fill dam, standing at 167m, is the highest of its kind in India, with 72m of dam height progress and 24.78 lakh cum filling achieved. The completion of the Head Race Tunnel is vital for the timely completion of the project, and excavation is progressing rapidly. The government has approved the setup of transmission lines. The spiral casing erection for Unit-1 and Unit-2 was completed in February 2024.

2. Kiru HE Project (624 MW):

Located in Kishtwar, the timely completion of dam concreting works is essential for the projects completion, with 3.5 lakh cum of concreting achieved out of a total of 13.95 lakh cum. The project is expected to be completed within the fixed timeline.

3. Kwar HE Project (540 MW):

A major milestone, the diversion of the River Chenab, was achieved in January 2024, allowing the start of main dam works, which are currently in progress.

4. Kirthai Stage-I (930 MW):

Located in the Kishtwar district, J&K, upstream of the Kiru HE project on the Chenab River, this run-of-river project will generate 3329.52 MU annually in a 90% dependable year. It involves the construction of a 121m high concrete gravity dam. The project is set to begin without the need for an earlier Indus Water Treaty clearance application. The power generated will be distributed widely.

More Developments

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Power Purchase Agreements for Pakal Dul HE Project and Kwar HE Project have been signed with Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL) and Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL). Consents for power purchase have been received from Haryana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka for both projects.

A Power Purchase Agreement for Kiru HE Project, covering 543 MW, has been signed with GUVNL, and consents for power purchase have been received from Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.

About the Author Aman Sharma Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office.... Read More Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office.... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 08:18 IST
'Is Amitabh Bachchan Okay?' Decoding BigB's Puzzling Posts On 'X' That Have Raised Alarms

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 12:36 IST

Amitabh Bachchan has been 'tweeting' blank posts on 'X' and fans are worried, to say the least.

Amitabh Bachchan is on a "silent break" on X while he still posts daily. This has puzzled his fans and well-wishers. (KBC image)

A quick glance at Amitabh Bachchans X profile will give you a rough idea that somethings really up. The megastar of Bollywood who has cult-like following in the country thanks to his illustrious filmography that includes the likes of Deewar, Don, Agneepath, Kaala Patthar, Zanjeer, Satte Pe Saata, has gone really quiet on his favourite platform X. Hes still actively posting to his 49 million followers using his characteristic style that follows the sequential order T-" but the words are missing. This has prompted speculations among fans who routinely gather under his empty tweets" with words of concern.

So what exactly happened to our beloved BigB?

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Pahalgam And Aftermath

BigBs last post that carried any text barring the numbering T" had a vague message. He wrote, T 5355  The silent X chromosome .. deciding the brain .." Incidentally, it came on the day the Pahalgam massacre took place. Terrorists linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) attacked a group of tourists in Baisaran valley in southern Kashmirs Pahalgam, gunning down 26 and injuring many others. Although the stars post came before the dastardly attack took place, the 82-year-old has decided to follow his own silent" treatment.

(X/Amitabh Bachchan)

His timeline is pretty much this (attached above screenshot) since April 23 and the ardent fans have grown mighty worried.

Also Read: What Pakistanis Are Searching For On Google After India Executes Operation Sindoor

Fans Raise Questions

Everyone giving a backlash to him simply for trying to represent his real mental state on twitter not for show but to be with others a community. What I understand is, the events have left him devastated, pain beyond words, rage and reaction, left entirely shattered, (sic)" a fan, responding to one of BigBs post, wondered.

(X/Amitabh Bachchan)

This is perhaps one of the rare responses to the veteran actors post that has sided with him and supported him amid his silent break. The overarching responses to BigBs countless and textless posts over the past two weeks or so have made fans wonder how an influential figure with a voice as powerful as his hasnt raised his voice against the deadly attack that claimed the lives of so many innocents.

Time To Go

A couple months ago or so, Bachchan posted on X, a message, that simply read time to go". This sparked plenty of worry and speculations among his huge fan base. Was he going to retire? Is it the end of Kaun Banega Crorepati? Fortunately, someone sat in the audience during his quiz show brought it up directly to the actor and he responding by saying that it was time to go to work. Very cheeky.

Also Read: Dont Panic: Delete Those WhatsApp Forwards Asking You To Stock Up Amid India-Pak Tensions

What Fans Miss

BigB isnt particularly known for solving quadratic equations or talking astrophysics online. His online persona is an extension of a personal diary, a journal that he updates routinely. His posts are mostly about his stagnant follower count on social media and why X doesnt listen to his complaints. The rest of it is him sharing thoughts with his own portraits.

T 2160  FINALLY ..! Leonardo gets Best Actor at Oscars .. ! A considerate co star and a thorough gentleman ! pic.twitter.com/9ut6Htn6Dd Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) February 29, 2016

T 2456 -" When you complain you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation, change the situation or accept it, all else is madness."~ anon pic.twitter.com/A1oyJun1ax Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) November 28, 2016

Or wondering why younger actors in Bollywood do not respond to his birthday wishes.

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T 640 -Preity Zinta !! wherever you are, since you have refused to reply to my sms .. Ha ha ..A very happy birthday .. love and happiness Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) January 31, 2012

Will Amitabh Bachchan break his silence and return to his true self?

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: May 08, 2025, 12:36 IST
After Sindoor Attack On Pakistan, How Equipped Is Indias Defence? Explained

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 14:54 IST

Amid talks of Pakistani retaliation after Operation Sindoor, India has activated S-400. A look at Indias defence systems and missiles

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (second from left), talks to three Indian defence chiefs and Chief of Defence Staff on May 5. (AP)

Indian has activated the S-400 air defence missile system after its Operation Sindoor against Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

The S-400 system is considered the most powerful weapon in the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet, which is capable of thwarting any possible air attack.

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Operation Sindoor targeted nine terror sites in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Sialkot, Barnala and Bahawalpur. These facilities trained terrorists and were also instrumental in the infiltration of Lashkar, Hizbul and JeM terrorists into India.

ALSO READ | Operation Sindoor Against Pakistan Was Not Balakot 2.0: The Pahalgam Retaliation Was Bigger & Better

The armed forces use advanced weapons such as the SCALP cruise missile, HAMMER precision bomb and loitering munitions. The SCALP missile, known as Storm Shadow, is a long-ranged cruise missile with a range more than 250 km. The Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) smart bomb, a standoff munition capable of hitting targets over a range of 70 kilometres, was used to strike the infrastructure, such as bunkers and buildings that were used as training camps by Lashkar and Jaish. The loitering munitions used for surveillance and target acquisition are known for hovering over targets and eliminating targets using remote control or autonomously.

I visited the Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited facility in Nagpur and inaugurated the Loitering Munition Test Range. This will significantly boost self-reliance in the defence sector. pic.twitter.com/ck7qvGFbty Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 30, 2025

Amid talks of Pakistani retaliation, lets look at Indias defence systems and missiles, starting with S-400, which is in effect:

S-400 TRIUMF: THE SYSTEM INDIA HAS ACTIVATED

The S-400 Triumf is one of the most advanced and formidable air defence systems in the world. Manufactured by Russias Almaz-Antey, the long-range, multi-layered air and missile defence holds the NATO designation of SA-21 Growler. Its ability to shoot down multiple threats at long ranges acts as a major deterrent. It can defend against a variety of threats including stealth aircraft and hypersonic missiles.

Features

RANGE: Up to 400 km (against aircraft); 60250 km for other missile types

ALTITUDE COVERAGE: Up to 30 km

TARGET TYPES: Aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles

SIMULTANEOUS TARGETS: Can engage up to 80 targets simultaneously using multiple radars

MISSILE TYPES: Uses 4 types (40N6, 48N6DM, 9M96E2, 9M96E) to engage different threats

RADAR SYSTEM: Phased-array radar with 600+ km detection range

INDIAS ACQUISITION: The contact was signed in October 2018, and the first regiment delivered in late 2021. The second and third regiments were delivered by mid-2023.

DEPLOYMENT: Regiments are deployed in regions such as Punjab, western Rajasthan, and the north-east.

Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile has achieved yet another milestone with successful test launch showcasing enhanced operational capabilities and additional indigenous technologies. Congratulations to all the scientists and engineers. @DRDO_India @BrahMosMissile Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 30, 2020

BIG PICTURE: DEFENCE SYSTEMS

Broadly, Indias air defence is equipped for different levels of interception:

Long range: Ballistic Missile Defence Programme

Intermediate: S-400 Triumph

Short Range: Akash Air Defense System and Similar Systems

Very Short-range: MANPADS and Anti- Aircraft Guns.

TYPES OF MISSILES

India has seven types of missiles:

Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAM) Air-to-Air Missiles (AAM) Surface-to-Surface Missiles Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) / Interceptor Missiles Cruise Missiles Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles Anti-Tank Missiles

A look at the defence systems:

1. MISSILE DEFENCE SYSTEM

It includes Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD), S-400 Triumf and Barak-8.

The Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system was developed by DRDO to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in two phases: Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) for high-altitude interception and Advanced Air Defence (AAD) for lower-altitude interception.

S-400 Triumf from Russia is a long-range air defence system (details above).

Barak-8: Was jointly developed by Israel and India. It is used by the Indian Navy, Army, and Air Force for medium- to long-range air defence.

#BharatShakti-Showcase of Indigenous Defence Capabilities. PM Shri @narendramodi witnessed remarkable display of Indias defence prowess @ #BharatShakti at Pokhran, Rajasthan. The demonstration of weapon systems & platforms, reflect nations commitment to self-reliance in defence pic.twitter.com/0mmzpX358H Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) March 12, 2024

2. SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE (SAM) SYSTEMS

It includes:

Akash SAM  Indigenous medium-range SAM for defending against aircraft and UAVs (range ~2530 km).

QRSAM (Quick Reaction SAM): Designed for the Indian Army to protect moving armored columns.

VL-SRSAM (Vertical Launch Short Range SAM)  Naval air defense missile.

3. STRATEGIC MISSILE SYSTEMS

It includes the nuclear triad of:

Land-Based Missiles: It includes the Agni series (I to V)  surface-to-surface ballistic missiles with ranges from 700 km (Agni-I) to over 5,000 km (Agni-V). It also includes the Prithvi series  short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) for tactical roles.

Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs): It includes K-15 (Sagarika), K-4 and BrahMos-A  Supersonic cruise missile variant for aircraft like the Su-30MKI.

A flight to remember! Tejas is Indias pride, a manifestation of the strength and skills of 140 crore Indians. pic.twitter.com/n8hZk6fGKc Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 25, 2023

4. ANTI-SATELLITE (ASAT) WEAPON

The Mission Shakti in 2019 showed Indias capability to shoot down a live satellite in low Earth orbit (~300 km), becoming the 4th country to do so.

5. INDIGENOUS COMBAT PLATFORMS

Tejas (LCA)  Light Combat Aircraft developed by HAL.

Arjun MBT  Main Battle Tank.

INS Vikrant  Indias first indigenously built aircraft carrier.

DRDO-developed UAVs  like Rustom, Netra, etc.

India is attaching topmost priority to defence manufacturing and this is being noted globally. #C295MadeInIndia pic.twitter.com/2H8Z12RWzV Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 28, 2024

6. INTEGRATED AIR COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM (IACCS)

A centralised network integrating radar, SAMs, and fighter aircraft for pan-India air defense coverage.

7. CYBER AND ELECTRONIC WARFARE SYSTEMS

Specialised agencies and units like the Defence Cyber Agency (DCA).

Indigenous radar and jamming systems developed by DRDO.

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8. DRONE AND COUNTER-DRONE SYSTEMS

India has deployed systems such as SWARM drones, anti-drone jammers, and laser-based systems. DRDO has developed D-4 counter-drone system.

About the Author Manjiri Joshi At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies ... Read More At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies ... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 13:12 IST
Not Just SCALP Missiles, India Used These Weapons And Jets Against Pakistan In Operation Sindoor

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 12:23 IST

The IAF has used Rafale, Su-30 MKI, Mirage 2000 jets to target terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. Israels Spice-2000 bombs were also used to strike Pakistan

The Rafale jets used in Operation Sindoor are equipped with the SCALP (Storm Shadow) missiles and HAMMER bombs. (Image: Reuters)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has used Rafale, Su-30 MKI, Mirage 2000 jets to target terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Sources indicate that Spice-2000 (Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective) bombs, an Israeli-developed guidance kit, were used to precisely hit the targets. The bombs were also used in the 2019 Balakot strikes.

What Are SCALP Missiles?

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The SCALP, also known as storm shadow", is a European missile system with its name standing for Systeme de Croisiere Autonome a Longue Portee. It is an air launched guided long-range cruise missile known for its stealth capabilities. It has the ability to perform in any weather along with no affect in its capabilities.

As per MBDA, a European multinational corporation that designs missiles and missile systems, The weapon offers a high precision mission planned deep strike capability. STORM SHADOW/SCALPs exceptional accuracy is due to its advanced navigation system that combines INS, GPS and terrain referencing. After launch, the weapon descends to terrain hugging altitude to avoid detection. On approaching the target, its onboard infrared seeker matches the target image with the stored picture to ensure a precision strike and minimal collateral damage."

The SCALP missiles have a range of 450 km due to its advanced navigation system, which uses INS, GPS and terrain referencing.

As it nears the target, the missiles onboard infrared seeker matches the pre-fed target image, enabling precise strikes while minimising collateral damage. Its low-altitude flight path after launch also makes it difficult to detect.

The same missiles were reportedly used by Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia.

What Are HAMMER Air-To-Ground Bombs?

HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) bombs, modular air-to-ground precision weapons, often referred to as a glide bomb, were reportedly used to strike Pakistan. With a range of up to 70 km, it can be integrated with standard bomb payloads.

The HAMMER is resistant to electronic jamming and can be launched from low altitudes over challenging terrain. Its ability to evade interception and breach fortified targets makes it a highly effective strike weapon.

HAMMER bombs are known for their adaptability. The kits can be attached to bombs ranging from 125 kg to 1,000 kg, and their 70 km strike range means Indian jets can stay clear of enemy radar and missile systems. The system is designed for both stationary and moving targets, and these bombs are ideal for neutralising terror launchpads and command posts.

What Are The Rafale Jets Used To Target Enemy Posts?

India used French-made Rafale jets to strike Pakistan in Operation Sindoor. Rafale jets have low radar observability because of their semi-stealth airframe. They come equipped with an advanced AESA radar (RBE2-AA).

The Rafale jets are equipped with the SCALP (Storm Shadow) missiles and HAMMER bombs.

Rafales SPECTRA EW suite is among the best in its class. It includes the Meteor beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile, advanced electronic warfare suites, and superior radar and communication systems.

As per Eurasian Times, the system can spot 40 targets at a range of 145 km. The system can also jam and copy enemy radar  making it harder for the F-16s to get a read on it.

Indias Rafale fighters are also equipped with the X-Guard fibre-optic towed decoy system  which allows them to dodge both air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles.

The Rafales Meteor has the biggest no-escape zone the area in which the target cannot either avoid getting hit or the likelihood of a death shot is extremely high. The Meteor has a range of 120 km compared to the AMRAAMs 100 km.

What Are Su-30MKI Jets Used By India?

The IAF used Su-30MKI jets for defence in Operation Sindoor. The IAF engaged the distant targets while the others were hit by the Indian Army.

The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a multi-role combat aircraft jointly developed by Indias Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russias Sukhoi Design Bureau. Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in October 2000, India began licenced production of the Su-30MKI at HALs manufacturing facilities. As of 2023, the IAF operated around 300 of these aircraft.

Measuring 72 feet in length with a 48-foot wingspan, the Su-30MKI is larger and heavier than the Rafale, designed for long-range missions and heavy payloads.

Powered by two AL-31FP turbofan engines with thrust-vectoring nozzles, it achieves speeds of Mach 2 and can operate at altitudes up to 56,000 feet. Its standout feature is its supermaneuverability, demonstrated by aerobatic feats like Pugachevs Cobra, where the jet pitches its nose vertically while maintaining forward momentum.

The Su-30MKI carries up to eight tonnes of weaponry across 12 hardpoints, including the R-77 air-to-air missile, the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with a 280-mile range, and the indigenous Astra missile. With over 260 units in service, it forms the backbone of Indias air force, offering unmatched versatility in air superiority, ground attack, and maritime strike roles.

What Are Mirage-2000 Jets?

The Dassault Mirage 2000, a French-designed multi-role fighter, has been in the IAF since the 1980s. Developed in the late 1970s as a lightweight successor to the Mirage III, it is a single-engine, delta-wing jet capable of speeds up to Mach 2.2 and a range of 1,550 km.

Measuring 14.36 metres in length with a 9.13-metre wingspan, the Mirage 2000 is powered by a Snecma M53-P2 after-burning turbofan engine, delivering 95.1 kN of thrust with an afterburner.

The IAF reportedly operates several variants, including the Mirage 2000H (single-seat) and 2000TH (two-seat trainer), with many upgraded to the Mirage 2000-5 standard, incorporating the advanced Thomson-CSF RDY radar and MICA missile compatibility.

The IAF has used Mirage 2000, notably during the 1999 Kargil War, where it flew over 500 sorties, delivering precision-guided bombs against Pakistani positions.

In 2019, nearly 12 Mirage 2000s conducted the Balakot airstrike, targeting a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Pakistan.

What Are SPICE Bombs?

SPICE bombs are a type of precision-guided weapon fired by warplanes. The bombs are made by weapons manufacturer Rafael USA. The company is owned by Israeli Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

As per Business Insider, the SPICE bombs convert air-to-ground unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions.

The Rafael website states, The highly sophisticated and combat-proven SPICE Guidance Kits address the needs of todays increasingly complex battlefields. They convert 1000 lb and 2000 lb class general purpose and penetration warheads into precision stand-off strike weapons that deliver simultaneous attacks with pinpoint accuracy in a GPS-denied environment."

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The SPICE bomb uses data in the chip  combined with images from the camera  to guide itself to the target. Rafael says the SPICE 2000 uses a unique scene-matching algorithm."

As per Eurasian Times, The SPICE-2000 deployed with a 900-kg warhead bomb can create an incredibly deadly weapon that can even penetrate hardened" targets like weapons storage facilities.

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First Published: May 08, 2025, 12:23 IST
Pakistan Attacks J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan: Locations, Response, And More | Explained

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: News Desk



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 23:47 IST

Pakistans missiles were intercepted by Indias air defence system late Thursday. Loud explosions, shelling were reported from Jammu, Udhampur, Baramulla, Pathankot, Jaisalmer

Security personnel on a road during blackout amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, in Barmer, Rajasthan, on May 8, 2025. (PTI Photo)

Indias S-400 air defence system successfully intercepted eight Pakistani missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia on Thursday evening. Loud explosions of bombing, shelling and missile strikes were suspected from Jammu, Kupwara, Baramulla, Rajouri, Pathankot in Punjab, and Jaisalmer and Ganganagar in Rajasthan late in the evening a day after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan to avenge the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 tourists, including a Nepali citizen, were killed.

A full blackout is being witnessed in Jammu, Srinagar, Udhampur, Baramulla, Pathankot, Chandigarh, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Barmer and Jaisalmer.

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We were aware of such an attempt, and we were fully prepared to thwart these attempts from the Pakistani side. Though its an evolving situation but we have neutralised all threats coming from Pakistan. So far, eight projectiles, mostly surface-to-surface missiles, have been shot down by our air defence mechanisms," defence sources said.

The Indian Air Force has activated air defence systems in key cities, while fighter jets from more than five western sector airbases are conducting combat patrols. The Border Security Force (BSF) has intensified ground patrolling, and anti-drone systems are also operational.

Places Which Were Being Attacked

Jammu & Kashmir: Shesh Paul Vaid, former Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, wrote on X that a complete blackout is being witnessed in Jammu. Loud explosions  bombing, shelling, or missile strikes suspected. Fret not  Mata Vaishno Devi is with us, and so are valiant Indian Armed Forces," he said. Locals reported that they heard siren sounds in multiple places, and officials indicated that missile interception systems had been activated. Reports say Jammu airport appeared to be a target. Large-scale attack of drones along the International Border were also reported. Defence sources said that visuals over Jammu resemble a Hamas-style rocket barrage, with multiple low-cost projectiles fired simultaneously.

Reports of artillery shelling by Pakistan in Kupwara and Udhampur emerged on Thursday. In a prompt response, Indian defence systems countered the targeted strikes and activated air raid sirens, which were heard in Akhnoor and Kishtwar in the Jammu Division. Blackout is being witnessed at Srinagar airport, Shopian and Ramban district. Earlier this evening, Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked shelling along the LoC in Kupwara and Baramulla districts. The Boniyar sector in Baramulla and the Tangdhar sector in Kupwara were specifically targeted.

Punjab: Pathankot airbase was targeted late on Thursday evening after reports of shelling emerged from Jammu. A blackout has been enforced in Pathankot, Amritsar and Chandigarh as tensions amidst rising tensions between India and Pakistan. There were reports of a loud noise heard in Pathankot which some feared could be shelling from Pakistan but there was no confirmation. District authorities said there was no need to panic.

Rajasthan: Indian air defence systems intercepted multiple Pakistani drones over Jaisalmer, with loud explosions heard and flashes seen in the sky. A complete blackout is being observed in the city, with residents locking themselves inside their homes as a precaution.

In Phalodi, the administration has announced several measures to meet any emergency amid the possibilities of a cross-border strike at a local airbase. All hospitals have been directed to ensure uninterrupted power, and ensure ample provisions of water, and fuel. Shops and hotels have been ordered to shut by 10 pm.

Barmer is also on high alert and has entered a full blackout following the continuous sounding of the third consecutive danger siren. District Collector Tina Dabi has urged people to remain vigilant and take necessary safety precautions. A red alert has been issued in Sriganganagar.

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The entire 1,070-km international border between India and Pakistan in Rajasthan has been sealed until further notice, and the state has been placed on high alert.

All flight operations from Bikaner, Kishangarh (Ajmer) and Jodhpur airports have been suspended until May 10. Jaipur Airport cancelled four flights on Thursday, while Indigo Airlines suspended its Bikaner flights until the same date.

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: May 08, 2025, 22:54 IST
Will India Get Kohinoor Back? The Tale Of Stolen Diamond

Curated By :

Trending Desk Edited By: Anurag Verma



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 09:20 IST

Kohinoor is touted as a symbol of British colonial loot.

UK Minister Hints At Talks With India Over Kohinoor, Cultural Artefacts (File image)

Conversations about Kohinoor have once again started making headlines. Lisa Nandy, Britains Secretary of State for Culture, hinted at an ongoing discussion between India and the UK regarding historical artefacts, including the iconic diamond. One of the largest cut diamonds in the world the 105-carat Kohinoorshares a long history in pre-partition India and the British Raj. Believed to be held by rulers in India before landing with the East India Company and then with Queen Victoria after the annexation of Punjab, Kohinoor is touted as a symbol of British colonial loot.

Will India Get Kohinoor Back?

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Speaking of which, the Indian-origin British minister stated that discussions are underway between both countries to benefit people and offer access to many of the cultural artifacts.

We have been talking between the UK and India for quite some time about the way that we think we can collaborate much more closely together to make sure that people both in the UK and in India can benefit from and have access to many of the cultural artefacts that stem back to the very different era. This is something that Ive discussed with my counterpart," Nandy told ANI upon being asked about returning the Kohinoor to India.

With the topic now reignited regarding the precious gemstones possible return to India, read along to know more about the Kohinoors history.

Kohinoor History

While the origin of the Kohinoor diamond remains a debatable topic, it is believed to have been mined from Golconda in present-day Karnataka. Further, there are accounts that the diamond was found in the Kollur mine in present-day Andhra Pradeshs Guntur district in the 13th century.

As per NBC News, the Kohinoor eventually found its way through several dynasties, beginning with the Mughals in the 16th century, then with the Persians and the Afghans, before Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh obtained it in 1813. Ranjit Singhs son, Maharaja Duleep Singh, also held onto the diamond until the British annexed Punjab and took it over. Indias then-governor-general, Lord Dalhousie, coerced Singh into gifting" the diamond to Queen Victoria, which was then sent to England.

Victoria wore the diamonds as a brooch, eventually making it a part of the British Crown Jewels. Ever since, the Kohinoor diamond has been stirring a public debate, with many favouring its return to India.

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Past Attempts

Back in October 2022, India signalled about exploring ways to bring back the diamond, with the then Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stating, We have said that we have been raising this matter from time to time with the UK government, and we will continue to explore ways and means for obtaining a satisfactory resolution of the matter." On the contrary, the Indian government once told the Supreme Court that it could not force the UK to return the diamond as it was gifted" and not snatched.

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: May 08, 2025, 09:20 IST
16 Lives Lost To Pakistan Ceasefire Violations, India Compelled To Retaliate: Govt

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 17:58 IST

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said that Pakistan has intensified ceasefire violations, resulting in the loss of 16 lives, compelling India to retaliate.

MEA briefs media on Operation Sindoor | Image/X

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh on Thursday said that Pakistan has intensified ceasefire violations, resulting in the loss of 16 lives, compelling India to retaliate.

The MEA press briefing on Operation Sindoor, led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, also featured Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

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Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said.

16 innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military," she added.

#WATCH | Delhi: Wing Commander Vyomika Singh says, Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. 16 pic.twitter.com/6ahtrYriiC ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

The media briefing follows Pakistans failed attempt to target 15 military sites in the northern and western parts of India in retaliation for Operation Sindoor, which was met with a swift and coordinated response from the Indian Armed Forces.

The government said on the intervening night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to target a number of military installations in India, using drones and missiles.

On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles," the ministry of Defence said in a statement.

However, the Pakistani drones and missiles were intercepted by the Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and the Russian-made S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence systems.

India Responds With Strong Retaliation

The Indian defence forces responded by targeting and neutralising Pakistani Air Defence Radars and systems in several locations, including the destruction of a system in Lahore.

Sources told CNN-News18 that Pakistans HQ-9 missile defence system units, developed by China, were struck by Israeli-made HAROP drones, leaving Pakistan defenceless in Lahore.

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This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said during the MEA briefing on Operation Sindoor.

Earlier on Wednesday, India struck nine targets linked to terror groups, including Jaish and Lashkar, in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, under the codename Operation Sindoor. It was carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.

First Published: May 08, 2025, 17:54 IST
25 Airports Temporarily Closed Amid India-Pakistan Tensions | Check List

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 08:19 IST

More than 300 flights have been cancelled after Operation Sindoor was launched on the intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday

IndiGo said it has cancelled more than 165 flights from various domestic airports, including Amritsar and Srinagar, till early morning of May 10 due to airspace restrictions. (File IMAGE: REUTERS)

At least 25 airports in India will remain shut for operations amid restrictions in the wake of the armed forces launching missile attacks on terror targets in Pakistan. These airports are located in the northern and western parts of the country.

Indian armed forces avenged the Pahalgam terror attack on Wednesday, by carrying out missile strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor. Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas base in Muridke were among the nine terror infrastructures that were hit in the Indian strikes.

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More than 300 flights have been cancelled after Operation Sindoor was launched on the intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday. Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and a few foreign airlines have cancelled their services to and from various airports.

IndiGo said it has cancelled more than 165 flights from various domestic airports, including Amritsar and Srinagar, till early morning of May 10 due to airspace restrictions.

The sources said that around 140 flights of Air India Group  Air India and Air India Express  have been cancelled.

The sources said that around 140 flights of Air India Group  Air India and Air India Express  have been cancelled.

Air India flights to and from the following stations, Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot, are being cancelled till 0529 hrs IST on 10 May following a notification from aviation authorities on the closure of these airports," the airline said.

In an update on X, SpiceJet said that due to the ongoing situation, flights to and from Leh, Srinagar, Jammu, Dharamshala, Kandla and Amritsar are cancelled till 0529 hours of May 10.

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Heres The List Of Airports Closed:

Srinagar Leh Jammu Amritsar Pathankot Chandigarh Jodhpur Jaisalmer Shimla Dharamshala Jamnagar Bhuntar (Himachal Pradesh) Ludhiana Kishangarh (Rajasthan) Patiala Gaggal (Himachal Pradesh) Bikaner (Rajasthan) Halwara (Punjab) Mundra (Gujarat) Porbandar (Gujarat) Rajkot Kandla (Gujarat) Keshod (Gujarat) Bhuj (Gujarat) Thoise (Ladakh)

About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

First Published: May 08, 2025, 08:19 IST
Air India, Akasa, IndiGo Issue Travel Advisories Amid War With Pakistan | Check Details

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 01:16 IST

Air India and Akasa Air have issued advisories urging passengers to arrive at airports at least three hours before departure amid military escalation between India and Pakistan

Air India issued the advisory amid military escalation between India and Pakistan.(Representational Image)

Air India has issued a travel advisory amid military escalation between India and Pakistani forces. The airline has asked fliers to reach airports three hours before flight time. In view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding. Check-in closes 75 mins before departure," the Air India advisory said.

Meanwhile, the list of airports closed amid the war between India and Pakistan was updated after Pakistans unprovoked and unsuccessful attempts to attack multiple Indian cities including Jammu, Pathankot, Jaisalmer, Bathinda among other border areas on Thursday evening.

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Amid the airports shut now are Ludhiana, Kishangarh and Bhuntar, which were added to the earlier list of about 22 other airports shut.

Pakistan resorted to unprovoked artillery fire, drone and missile attacks in Jammu, Srinagar, Jaisalmer, Rajouri, Pathankot and Jalandhar. Missiles from Pakistan directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia were also intercepted by Indian air defence systems.

Akasa Air Issues Advisory

Akasa Air also issued an advisory asking passengers to report three hours before flight time. Due to enhanced security measures at all airports across India, we request you to reach the airport at least 3 hours prior to departure, to ensure a seamless check-in and boarding experience. Please ensure you carry valid government approved photo identification documents for entry to the airport. In addition to your check-in baggage, only 1 hand bag weighing upto 7 kgs will be permitted. As per regulatory guidelines, all passengers will be required to undergo secondary security checks prior to boarding," the advisory said.

To save time, we encourage you to check-in online on http://akasaair.com or our mobile app. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding and look forward to welcoming you aboard the Akasa experience," it added.

IndiGo Appeal

IndiGo, too, appealed to travellers to cooperate with heightened security measures".

#6ETravelUpdateIn these extraordinary times, heightened security measures are taken up across all airports. We request you to allow some extra time for your journey to accommodate security checks and formalities. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.  IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) May 8, 2025

Fake News On Airport Entries

The Press Information Bureau, meanwhile, has flagged social media posts falsely claiming that entries at airports across India are banned. It flagged the claims as fake and said the government has taken no such decision.

 Fake News AlertSocial media posts are claiming that entry to airports across India banned#PIBFactCheck:  This claim is #FAKE  Government has taken no such decision pic.twitter.com/MoaUcQqO2d  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 8, 2025

Delhi Airport Issues Advisory

Delhi Airport issued a travel advisory on Thursday stating that the operations will remain normal. Some flights are impacted due to changing airspace conditions and heightened security. Passengers are advised to check with their airline for the latest updates.

Delhi Airport issues travel advisory. Operations remain normal. Some flights are impacted due to changing airspace conditions and heightened security. Passengers are advised to check with their airline for the latest updates. pic.twitter.com/d35W0pbzD5 ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

Attacks Thwarted On Western Border

India swiftly foiled Pakistans attempts to target various key Indian installations, including military stations at Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur with drones and missiles, according to the Defence Ministry.

The Pakistani drones and missiles were effectively engaged by the Indian armed forces, thwarting the enemys attempts, officials said.

The Defence Ministry stated that India remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people."

Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir today," said a Defence Ministry spokesperson.

The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established standard operating procedures (SOPs)," he added, noting that no casualties or material losses were reported.

In the afternoon, the Defence Ministry reported that Indian armed forces targeted air defence systems at several locations in Pakistan in response to Pakistani strikes on military targets at 15 sites in India.

The ministry indicated that the military foiled Pakistans attempts to target military installations in the cities in the northern and western parts of the country using missiles and drones.

Sources in the defence and security establishment mentioned that the S-400 missile defence systems, surface-to-air missiles, and the integrated counter unmanned aircraft system were used in thwarting the Pakistani attempts.

In its response this morning, India launched kamikaze drones and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore.

The ministry reported that the Pakistani military attempted to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj last night.

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The Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at several locations in Pakistan and neutralised" an air defence system in Lahore, it said.

The Pakistani attempt followed Indian armed forces missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan early Wednesday under Operation Sindoor.

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: May 08, 2025, 23:06 IST
Electricity Restored In Chandigarh, Residents Asked To Observe 'Voluntary Blackout'

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 00:46 IST

Power was also restored to Chandigarh's neighbouring areas like Mohali and Zirakpur in Punjab as well as Panchkula in Haryana

View of a blackout enforced in the city, amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan, in Amritsar on May 8. (Image: PTI/Shiva Sharma)

After 1.5 hours of blackout, the Chandigarh administration restored electricity on Thursday night but asked residents to observe voluntary blackout". Power was also restored to neighbouring Mohali and Zirakpur in Punjab as well as Panchkula in Haryana.

The blackout was enforced after as Pakistan attempted to attack military targets in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan.

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Alert: Lights are being switched on from the Grid in a short while. However citizens are advised to observe voluntary blackout," said the official X handle of the Chandigarh UT SSP.

Alert:Lights are being switched on from the Grid in a short while. However citizens are advised to observe voluntary blackout.#WeCareForYou  SSP UT Chandigarh (@ssputchandigarh) May 8, 2025

According to officials, a blackout was also enforced in several districts of Punjab including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Hoshiarpur.

In Pathankot district, some locals claimed they heard an explosion-like sound. However, there was no official confirmation in this regard.

Air raid warning sirens have been activated in Pathankot where the blackout was enforced around 8.30 pm. Authorities have appealed to people to keep their lights switched off and stay at home. However, the district authorities said there was no need to panic.

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Tensions escalated after Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas base in Muridke, in retaliation for the terror attack in Pahalgam.

(With PTI inputs)

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

Location : Chandigarh, India, India

First Published: May 08, 2025, 22:51 IST
'Can't Rule Out': Op Sindoor Follow-Up On Cards Amid 'Senseless' Pakistan Firing At LoC?

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 11:13 IST

Sources say there is another battle India is waging - the misinformation war by Pakistan, countering every fake news being peddled on social media.

Indian Army's Col Sofiya Qureshi speaks during a press conference on 'Operation Sindoor', in New Delhi on Wednesday.(@MEAIndia/Youtube via PTI)

Will there be a follow up to Operation Sindoor? Top government sources havent ruled out the possibility, saying that the first one was just part of a long trail of possibly many more, depending on the ground situation.

At the first press meeting after Operation Sindoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, We will be ready to retaliate to any misadventure from Pakistan." Government sources now say this is on. India has been closely monitoring the situation on ground ever since the operation for the entire day. There have been multiple unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the border.

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Not just this, there has been senseless targeting of civilians and children in Poonch. Government sources said that India has made it clear that Operation Sindoor did not target any civilian areas, and only terror hideouts were targeted. But now that all norms have been breached, sources say India is ready and open to take on Pakistan in round two.

Sources say that all preparations have been underway. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held several rounds of meeting with the National Security Advisor (NSA), Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), three forces chiefs, Home Minister and Defence Minister to ensure that we carry on our fight against Pakistan. In fact, sources say that at the press meet, a capsule of past and present terror attacks by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists was shown to make the point that Operation Sindoor was unprovoked.

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In terms of military and defence preparation, India is prepared to take on Pakistan. However, sources say there is another battle India is waging  the misinformation war by Pakistan. While Pakistan has been peddling the lie that their civilians and Indian Air Force aircraft have been targeted, the constant PIB fact check unit, is ensuring that these lies are immediately busted.

Top sources told News18, War is not over. India wont blink an eye to retaliate and give another strong reply to Pakistan, if it refuses to fall in line."

About the Author Pallavi Ghosh Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als... Read More Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 11:13 IST
Ceasefire Violations Along LoC In Jammu & Kashmir After Pakistan Launch Unprovoked Attack

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 00:42 IST

According to defence soruces, India successfully thwarted an attempted attack from Pakistan, with officials stating they were fully aware and prepared to respond.

Pakistan violated ceasefire along J&K border after attacking Jammu. (PTI)

Ceasefire violations erupted along the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir after Pakistan launched an unprovoked attack. Indian forces responded swiftly, ensuring civilian safety and maintaining control. Tensions remain high as monitoring continues along the border.

One woman was killed and another person injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is targeting civilian areas in Uri and Kupwara sectors with artillery fire. The Indian Army is responding firmly to the aggression.

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Earlier on Thursday evening, a dozen locations in Jammu  including the airstrip  came under artillery, drone, and missile attacks from Pakistan, just a day after India targeted terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Security agencies confirmed that eight missiles were fired at Jammu Civil Airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia, Akhnoor, and surrounding areas. All were successfully intercepted by the S-400 air defence system.

According to defence sources, India successfully thwarted an attempted attack from Pakistan, with officials stating they were fully aware and prepared to respond.

Despite the evolving nature of the situation, all threats have been neutralised. So far, eight projectilesprimarily surface-to-surface missileshave been intercepted and shot down by the countrys air defence systems.

Sources in the defence and security establishment said the S-400 missile defence systems, surface-to-air missiles and the integrated counter unmanned aircraft system were used in thwarting the Pakistani attempts.

On Wednesday night, Pakistani military attempted last night to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.

The Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan and neutralised" an air defence system in Lahore, the defence ministry said.

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The Pakistani attempt came after Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.

In retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces carried out the missile strikes on the terror targets including Bahawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit.

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: May 08, 2025, 21:19 IST
'Don't Act In A Childish Way': India Breaches Pakistan's Air Defence Two Days In A Row | Exclusive

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 15:08 IST

A loitering munition is a type of precision weapon that hovers over a target area to locate and strike targets, often autonomously or under human control, before being expended

Fragments of two PL 15E missiles from Pakistan recovered from Hoshiarpur area of Punjab. (News18)

India on Thursday issued a strict warning to Pakistan to not act in a childish way" after the neighbour, on the back foot after Operation Sindoor, tried to enter the Indian airspace multiple times. Top government sources told CNN-News18 that with its circus in the air", Pakistan is proving again that it supports terror fronts.

The warning comes as India, for the second day in a row, penetrated Pakistani air defence. The air defence system of Pakistan has been found so wanting that India has been able to dispatch drones into Pakistans biggest cities, including Lahore and Rawalpindi," sources said. The May 7 attack on terrorist bases was also enabled by a penetration of Pakistani air defence, raising serious questions about the ability of Pakistan to wage a war with India.

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Pakistan sent loitering munitions at night in an attempt to damage our radars and attack India. However, the Air Force was ready and brought them down," the sources said, adding that on the reports of shells being recovered from Lahore, India just responded to Pakistan fire".

They added: With the help of robust air defence systems, we have managed our borders and avoided any confrontation. Jaish and Lashkar dens were attacked because they were in Pakistani shelter and had inflicted unlimited damage on the Kashmiri people," the sources said, stressing that India had shown considerable restraint and refrained from striking civilian areas or military installations under Operation Sindoorunlike Pakistans attack on civilians, especially minority Sikhs, in Poonch.

ALSO READ | Abdul Rauf Azhar, Jaish Terrorist & Mastermind Of IC-814 Hijacking, Killed In Operation Sindoor

The Indian Army, in a statement, confirmed the development. On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks."

Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt.

Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military."

WHAT IS LOITERING MUNITIONS?

Explaining how a loitering munition works, the sources said: It is like a Kamikaze drone that goes and blasts in enemy territory." Simply put, a loitering munition is a type of precision weapon that hovers over a target area to locate and strike targets, often autonomously or under human control, before being expended.

Loitering munitions combine the features of a drone and a missile. Unlike a missile that is launched directly at a target, a loitering munition is deployed into an area where it can fly or loiter" for an extended period while searching for a target. It can be manually controlled or use onboard sensors and algorithms to identify potential targets (such as vehicles, personnel, or radar installations). Once a target is selected, the munition dives into it and explodes on impact, destroying both itself and the target.

On Thursday, social media was abuzz with images of remnants of Pakistani weapons found in Indias border states, especially Punjab. Indian authorities also recovered debris from a PL-15E missile in Hoshiarpur, the export version of the PL-15 missile used by China.

Top government sources, meanwhile, havent ruled out the possibility of a follow-up to Operation Sindoor, saying the first strike was just part of a long trail of possibly many more strikes, depending on the ground situation.

ALSO READ | How Indias 3 Tactical Diversions Surprised Pakistan: Upacking The Operation Sindoor Strategy

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At the first press meeting after Operation Sindoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, We will be ready to retaliate to any misadventure from Pakistan." India has been closely monitoring the situation on ground since Operation Sindoor as there have been multiple unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the border.

Government sources said that India has made it clear that Operation Sindoor did not target any civilian areas, and only terror hideouts were targeted. But now that all norms have been breached, sources say India is ready and open to taking on Pakistan in round two.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: May 08, 2025, 13:46 IST
How India's 3 Tactical Diversions Surprised Pakistan: Upacking The Operation Sindoor Strategy

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 10:43 IST

Pakistan, which had been speaking of its mobilisation and air defences being at an all-time high, was left wanting when the strike came

Operation Sindoor struck deep inside Pakistan, like Bahawalpur which is 150 km inside the country. (News18)

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to prerecord a speech for his virtual address at an event on space exploration scheduled for Wednesday. It showed that perhaps the Modi government had pre-decided the strike date of Operation Sindoor on Wednesday morning.

There were three diversions used on Tuesday to blindside Pakistan about the timing of the big strike. One, the announcement on Monday evening that a country-wide mock drill on war SOPs will be held on Wednesday. Pakistan thought India was preparing for its retaliatory strike and would only launch an operation after the mock drill exercise was over. But Operation Sindoor was launched in the wee hours of Wednesday morning itself, shocking Pakistan.

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India on Tuesday evening also announced air exercise drills on the Rajasthan border on Wednesday and Thursday. This was again a deception technique as Pakistan thought India was preparing for a strike few days later. In fact, former Pakistani Ambassador Abdul Basit had put out a statement on X that India will only strike post May 10 or 11 after the Russia Victory Day Parade on May 9. Clearly, Pakistan was not expecting the strike to come so soon.

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The prime minister also announced the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement with the UK on Tuesday eveningarguably Indias biggest trade deal so far. This also seemed to be timed to blindside Pakistan, which thought India was busy with other big things. It did not have any clue that India had already mobilised Indian Air Force jets and Army for the massive Operation Sindoor that struck deep inside Pakistan, like Bahawalpur which is 150 km inside the country.

Even before Tuesday, India had portrayed business as usual to keep Pakistan guessing. Ultimately, Operation Sindoor came a fortnight after the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan, which had been speaking of its mobilisation and air defences being at an all-time high, was left wanting when the strike camespeaking of Indias statecraft in keeping such operations secret and the enemy in suspense.

About the Author Aman Sharma Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office.... Read More Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office.... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 10:11 IST
How Indias Diplomacy, Pakistans Duplicity Helped Shore Up Global Support For Operation Sindoor

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 12:31 IST

India has consistently raised the issue of Pakistans state-sponsored terrorism on global platforms, calling out the rogue state for posing a threat to global security

The photos captured by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies showed visuals of the destruction of two terror infrastructures in Bahawalpur and Muridke in Punjab province of Punjab and after the Indian strikes. (Photos: Maxar Technologies/Reuters)

Indias improving relations with the world and an increased understanding of Pakistani terrorism have made crucial Western powers and top legislators support the formers precision strikes on nine terror hotbeds in Pakistan and PoK.

According to government sources, in case of such a major operation across borders between nuclear-armed nations, it is natural for countries to ask for de-escalation. However, Pakistans support to terror networks is an open secret now, which has made several world powers back Indias right to self-defence.

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WORLD IN SUPPORT

United Kingdom: The UKs foreign minister said India is right to feel outraged at the terrible" Pahalgam attack on April 22 as he called upon Pakistan to do more to tackle the terror threat within its own borders.

UK MP Rishi Sunak supported Indias strikes on terrorist infrastructure and said no nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from another country. MP Priti Patel also backed the military action, saying India has the right to take reasonable steps to defend itself and dismantle the vile terrorist infrastructure" that threatens it.

France: The French foreign minister expressed understanding about Indias desire to protect itself from terrorism. In an official statement, the French Foreign Office condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and expressed full solidarity with India, adding that France supports India in its fight against terrorist groups.

Israel: Israels Ambassador to India said the former supports Indias right of self-defence and terrorists should know there is no place to hide from their heinous crimes against innocents".

Netherlands: MP Geert Wilders expressed support with his tweet saying Kashmir is 100% Indian". He also used the hashtag #PakistanBehindPahalgam in his tweet.

US: Congressman Shri Thanedar said terrorism cannot be tolerated and it cannot go unpunished, adding that India has the right to defend its people. Thanedar expressed firm solidarity towards Indias efforts to dismantle the extremist networks.

Panama, non-permanent member of UNSC: Panamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Republic of Panama stands with India in this tragic loss and in the ongoing fight against terrorism".

PAKISTAN EXPOSED

In a video that has exposed Pakistans duplicity on combating terror, LeT commander Hafiz Abdul Rauf was caught on camera leading funeral prayers for terrorists killed in precision Indian strikes early on Wednesday. In the video, Rauf a US-designated global terroristcan be seen conducting the prayers in the presence of uniformed Pakistan Army personnel, indicating the States support for Jihadi groups.

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The videos lend credence to Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asifs latest admission that the country had long supported and funded terrorist groups, describing it as dirty work" done for foreign powers. Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has long provided tactical support to terrorist entities such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) which have attempted to shatter peace in not just Jammu and Kashmir but across the country.

In an effort to win support from the international community, India has consistently raised the issue of Pakistans state-sponsored terrorism on global platforms, calling out the rogue state" for posing a threat to global security.

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: May 08, 2025, 12:27 IST
How 'Jai Hind' Became A Proud Salutation In The Indian Army

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 18:43 IST

Post-independence, attempts to integrate INA personnel into the Indian Army faced resistance from the military and administrative establishment, despite support from Nehru

'Jai Hind' was embraced by the Indian armed forces as a standard salutation, replacing various religious salutations with a unified patriotic slogan. (Representative/PTI File)

Jai Hind" has become a rallying cry on Indian social media, expressing national pride and support for the armed forces. Its historical roots trace back to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, who was the first to formalise Jai Hind" as a greeting within the Indian National Army (INA), also known as the Azad Hind Fauj, which he founded.

The Indian National Army (INA) comprised around 20,000 to 25,000 soldiers, including notable officers like Major General Shahnawaz Khan, Colonel Prem Sehgal, and Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, who left the British Army to join Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses movement.

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Historical accounts also suggest that Captain Mohan Singh initially formed the INA in 1942 with Indian soldiers captured by the Japanese. However, several factors led to its disbandment later that year. Netaji revived the INA after arriving in Japan in 1943 and formally established the Azad Hind Government on October 21, 1943, which was recognised by countries such as Germany and Japan.

Under Netajis leadership, the INA grew to over 50,000 soldiers, strengthened by fresh recruits and defectors from the British Army. After World War II, the British government put Major General Shahnawaz Khan, Colonel Prem Sehgal, and Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon on trial at the Red Fort.

The Indian National Congress, with prominent lawyers like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Kailash Nath Katju, defended them, asserting that the officers were freedom fighters, not deserters. Although they were initially sentenced, widespread public outrage forced the British to release them in 1946.

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After independence, there were attempts to integrate INA personnel into the Indian Army. While leaders like Prime Minister Nehru supported the move, the military and administrative establishment, still shaped by British training and ethos, resisted it. They argued that such a step might set an undesirable precedent and instead recommended focusing on the rehabilitation of INA soldiers.

As a result, Jai Hind" was embraced by the Indian armed forces as a standard salutation, replacing various religious salutations with a unified patriotic slogan. Today, it stands as a proud declaration of Indias strength, unity, and enduring legacy.

First Published: May 08, 2025, 18:43 IST
How India's Operation Sindoor Got Justice For US Journalist Daniel Pearl Along With Pahalgam Victims

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 14:37 IST

Daniel Pearl was working for The Wall Street Journal when he was kidnapped and killed in Pakistan in 2002. Operation Sindoor delivered justice to his family after 23 long years

Pearls brutal execution in 2002 shocked the conscience of the world. (File)

Indias Operation Sindoor successfully neutralised nearly 100 terrorists, including high-value terrorist operatives such as the most wanted Abdul Rauf Azhar.

Azhars role in the IC-814 hijacking had led to release of Omar Saeed Sheikh, who later kidnapped and killed American-Jewish journalist, Daniel Pearl.

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The operation hence has delivered justice also to Pearls family after 23 long years. Pearl was working with The Wall Street Journal when he was kidnapped and killed in Pakistan in 2002.

OPERATION SINDOOR

India did precision strikes under Operation Sindoor in Bahawalpur and Muridke, Pakistan  the terror headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), respectively.

Among those reported to be eliminated was Azhar  operational head of JeM, mastermind of the IC-814 hijacking, and a central figure in international jihadist networks. He was among those accused of the most heinous acts of global terror.

This action is not just in Indias interest , it resonates with the broader global fight against terrorism, top government sources pointed out.

By eliminating Azhar, India has not only delivered justice for countless Indian victims of terror, but also taken a step toward closure in the long, painful memory of Pearls killing  a case that symbolised the dangers faced by journalists, the Jewish community, and the broader democratic world.

Operation Sindoor rearms Indias commitment to act decisively against terrorism  wherever it may hide, and regardless of the cost  and calls upon the international community, particularly democratic nations and communities such as the American Jewish diaspora to recognise the growing threat of unrepentant terror havens, government sources said.

Indias actions are targeted, precise, and focused entirely on dismantling terror  not aimed at any nation or people, but at the individuals and organisations who perpetrate crimes against humanity, the Indian government has already pointed out.

The US has backed Indias right to self-defence in respect of Operation Sindoor.

#OperationSindoor: Precise strikes carried out on 9 terror hideouts, close to 100 terrorists killed, counting still underway," govt tells opposition at all-party meetingIndia does not wish to escalate, but wont back down if Pakistan acts," govt added News18s @payalmehta100 pic.twitter.com/AR2jpRMKfV  News18 (@CNNnews18) May 8, 2025

WHAT WAS AZHARS ROLE?

Azhar was involved in the IC-814 hijacking, which directly facilitated the release of Omar Saeed Sheikh, a key Al-Qaeda operative who went on to kidnap and murder Pearl.

Pearls brutal execution in 2002 shocked the conscience of the world and remains a defining example of the global threat posed by state-protected terror networks.

Hence, India has not only achieved justice for the Pahalgam victims and of countless other terror acts in India since the IC-814 hijacking, it has also achieved justice for Daniel Pearl.

It's a travesty of justice not to find Omar Saeed guilty of any charges in this heinous act of terror. Our position on Pakistan taking sustained credible & irreversible action against terrorism & terror funding emanating from territories under its control remains unchanged: MEA https://t.co/c9esQ8D07v ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2021

WORLD SUPPORTS INDIAS OPERATION SINDOOR

The UK Foreign Minister said India is right to feel outrage at this terrible attack on 22 April. He called upon Pakistan to do more to tackle the terror threat within its own borders.

UK MP Rishi Sunak has supported Indian attack on terrorist infrastructure and said that no nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from another country.

UK MP Priti Patel backed the attack and said that India has the right to take reasonable steps to defend itself and dismantle the vile terrorist infrastructure that threatens it.

French Foreign Minister expressed understanding about Indias desire to protect itself from terrorism. In an official statement, French Foreign Office France condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April and expressed its full solidarity with India. It said France supports India in its fight against terrorist groups.

Israels Ambassador to India said that Israel supported Indias right of self-defence and said that terrorists should know there is no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent.

Netherlands MP Geert Wilders has expressed his support with his tweet saying Kashmir is 100% Indian. He has also used #PakistanBehindPahalgam in his tweet.

US Congressman Shri Thanedar said that terrorism cannot be tolerated and it cannot go unpunished and India has the right to defend its people and expressed firm solidarity towards Indias efforts to dismantle the extremists networks.

Panamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that The Republic of Panama stands with India in this tragic loss and in the ongoing fight against terrorism.

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Sources said usually for such kind of a major operation across borders between nuclear armed nations, it is natural for countries to ask for de-escalation.

But due to Indias improving relations with the world and increased understanding of Pakistani terrorism, important western powers and top legislators have gone to the extent of supporting Indian strikes," officials said.

About the Author Aman Sharma Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office.... Read More Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Ministers Office.... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 14:32 IST
How S-400 Missile System, India's Sudarshan Chakra, Thwarted Pakistan's Attack On 15 Cities

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 21:33 IST

S-400, one of the most advanced long-range air defence systems, is designed to detect, track and destroy a wide range of aerial threats, including drones and ballistic missiles

The key features of the S-400 include multi-target engagement, which means it can simultaneously engage up to 36 targets using its advanced radar and missile systems. (AFP)

In Hindu mythology, the Sudarshan Chakra, a divine spinning weapon wielded by Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna, is known for its precision, speed, and ability to destroy evil from a distance. It is these qualities that the Indian Air Forces S-400 air defence missile systems, nicknamed the Sudarshan Chakra, relied upon as they made their debut on the intervening night of May 7-8 to intercept aerial threats from Pakistan.

On Thursday, the Indian Army in a statement said: On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks."

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Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised."

ALSO READ | How Indias Operation Sindoor Got Justice For US Journalist Daniel Pearl Along With Pahalgam Victims

Defence sources told CNN-News18 that the S-400 systems were part of Indias arsenal to neutralise incoming threats from Pakistan, which is smarting after Operation Sindoor in which India pounded nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

WHAT ARE THE S-400 SYSTEMS?

The S-400, which is among the most advanced long-range air defence systems in the world, was built by Russias Almaz-Antey and integrated into Indias strategic air defence command. It is designed to detect, track, and destroy a wide range of aerial threats, including aircraft, drones, missiles, and even ballistic missiles. The system is capable of intercepting targets at varying ranges and altitudes, making it highly versatile in defence operations.

The key features of the S-400 include multi-target engagement, which means it can simultaneously engage up to 36 targets using its advanced radar and missile systems, making it highly effective in complex air defence scenarios. It can detect and engage targets at distances of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) with its most advanced missiles, making it effective against long-range threats. It can be activated within five minutes, is twice as effective as the previous Russian air defence systems" and has the flexibility to be integrated into the existing and future air defence units of the air force, army and navy".

ALSO READ | Operation Sindoor: Critics See Red, But Its A Fitting Codename For Indias Anti-Terror Strikes

The system can also target aerial threats at altitudes ranging from 0-30 km, including stealth aircraft, drones, and ballistic missiles. The system can intercept targets moving at speeds of up to 4.8 kilometers per second, offering high precision in neutralising fast-moving threats. The system is mounted on mobile launchers, allowing for rapid deployment and repositioning, which makes it harder for adversaries to locate and target.

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India has procured five squadrons from Russia, with three already operational and two more expected by 2026. The Rs 35,000 crore deal for five S-400 squadrons was signed in 2018. In an earlier IAF exercise, the Sudarshan S-400 had demonstrated its prowess by shooting down" 80% of a simulated enemy aircraft package, forcing the remainder to abort their missions.

The deployment of S-400 during Operation Sindoor, which helped the country effectively neutralise threats without causing collateral damage, shows the precision of the systems as well as Indias restraint. It will also prove to be a Furthermore, the deployment of the S-400 serves as a deterrent against future aerial threats, reinforcing Indias defensive posture and ensuring the security of its military assets and civilian population.

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: May 08, 2025, 16:41 IST
India Acts Swiftly To Secure Skies, Closes Over Two Dozen Airports Amid War With Pakistan

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 23:36 IST

India's key domestic airlines said their flights would remain suspended until Saturday from airports including Amritsar and Srinagar.

Policemen stand guard on a road leading to the airport in Amritsar, India, after it was closed following Pakistani military aggression. (IMAGE: AP PHOTO)

Airlines on Thursday suspended flight operations from more than two dozen airports across northern and western regions of the country amid heightened tensions with Pakistan.

In advisories to passengers, Indias key domestic airlines said their flights would remain suspended until Saturday from airports including Amritsar and Srinagar. Flight operations at Kishangarh, Bhuntar (Kullu) and Ludhiana airports have been suspended following a fresh NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued by the authorities.

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The list of airports closed amid the war between India and Pakistan was updated after Pakistans unprovoked and unsuccessful attempts to attack multiple Indian cities, including Jammu, Pathankot, Jaisalmer, Bathinda, among other border areas, on Thursday evening.

Indigo, Indias biggest domestic carrier, on Wednesday cancelled 165 flights, while Air India and Air India Express had a similar number of cancellations. Air India even diverted two of its international flights en route from Amritsar, close to Lahore, to New Delhi, because of the sudden closure of the airport.

Air India, Akasa Issue Travel Advisories

Air India has issued a travel advisory amid military escalation between India and Pakistani forces, asking fliers to reach airports three hours before flight time.

In view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding. Check-in closes 75 mins before departure," the Air India advisory said.

Akasa Air also issued an advisory asking passengers to report three hours before flight time.

Due to enhanced security measures at all airports across India, we request you to reach the airport at least 3 hours prior to departure, to ensure a seamless check-in and boarding experience. Please ensure you carry valid government-approved photo identification documents for entry to the airport. In addition to your check-in baggage, only 1 handbag weighing up to 7 kgs will be permitted. As per regulatory guidelines, all passengers will be required to undergo secondary security checks prior to boarding," the advisory said.

To save time, we encourage you to check in online on http://akasaair.com or our mobile app. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding, and look forward to welcoming you aboard the Akasa experience," it added.

This comes after Pakistan resorted to unprovoked artillery fire, drone and missile attacks in Jammu, Srinagar, Jaisalmer, Rajouri, Pathankot and Jalandhar. Missiles from Pakistan directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia were also intercepted by Indian air defence systems.

According to the Defence Ministry, India swiftly foiled Pakistans attempts to target various key Indian installations, including military stations at Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, with drones and missiles.

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The Pakistani drones and missiles were effectively engaged by the Indian armed forces, thwarting the enemys attempts, officials 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

First Published: May 08, 2025, 23:08 IST
India Calls Pahalgam Attack Original Escalation, Calls Out Pakistan's Lies On Civilian Deaths | WATCH

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 19:05 IST

India rubbished Pakistans civilian casualty claim, with the Foreign Secretary exposing how terrorists were buried with state honours to counter the false narrative

The MEA press briefing on Operation Sindoor, led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, also featured Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

On May 8, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri addressed a press briefing in New Delhi, firmly rejecting Pakistans claims that civilians and religious sites were targeted during Indias precision strikes under Operation Sindoor. The airstrikes, conducted in the early hours of May 7, were in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which India has described as the original escalation".

Calling Islamabads civilian casualty claims a deliberate disinformation campaign, Misri said the Indian strikes were limited to carefully verified terror infrastructure located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

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Terrorist Funerals with State Honours

During the briefing, Misri held up a photograph showing uniformed Pakistani officials attending funerals of terrorists killed in the strikes. The coffins were wrapped in Pakistans national flag and accorded full state honours  something Misri said contradicts the claim that those killed were civilians.

He remarked that giving state funerals to terrorists may be a practice in Pakistan, but it was not something that made sense to India. According to him, the individuals eliminated at the targeted sites were known terrorists operating from facilities long linked to proscribed groups. As far as we are concerned, the individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving terrorists state funerals may be a practice in Pakistan," he said.

Carefully Selected Targets, No Damage to Religious Sites

Misri reiterated that every location targeted under Operation Sindoor was a confirmed terror facility, selected through layered intelligence inputs. He denied that any place of worship was struck, though he underlined that several religious institutions in Pakistan are misused for indoctrination and militant training.

He also categorically dismissed Pakistans accusation that India had targeted the Neelum-Jhelum dam, calling it a fabricated charge meant to draw international sympathy. Misri said India avoided all civilian infrastructure and executed the operation with utmost precision.

On Pakistans Neutral Probe Demand and NSA Contact Claim

Asked about Pakistans demand for a neutral investigation and claims of NSA-level contact, Misri said he had no knowledge of any such communication. He also pointed to Indias past experience in cooperating with Pakistan on terror investigations, specifically the 2008 Mumbai attacks and 2016 Pathankot airbase strike.

In both cases, India had shared forensic evidence, call records, and DNA samples  and even formed a Joint Investigation Team during Pathankot  but saw no real progress. Misri said Pakistan has a pattern of using evidence provided by India not to prosecute terrorists but to cover its tracks and protect them.

Pakistan Still Hosts UN-Proscribed Terrorists

Misri reminded reporters that Pakistan continues to shelter UN-designated terrorists including Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar and Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed. He said that Pakistani involvement in global terror networks is well-established, and referenced incidents where Pakistani nationals were found complicit.

He added that it was widely known where Osama bin Laden was located and who referred to him as a martyr  a veiled reference to Pakistans past record on harbouring high-profile terrorists.

Indias Response Responsible, Supported by Global Community

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Concluding the briefing, Misri noted that global reactions to Operation Sindoor had affirmed Indias right to respond, and acknowledged that India had acted responsibly. He added that Pakistan, on the other hand, had chosen to violate international norms, including the Indus Waters Treaty, and was now attempting to deflect criticism through false narratives.

The MEA press briefing on Operation Sindoor, led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, also featured Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

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: May 08, 2025, 18:36 IST
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zimbabwean retail sector is projected to grow by 5.10% in 2025, with its future expansion dependent on how well it navigates the challenges of the operating environment, including the increasing dominance of informal traders.According to a recent report by Fincent Securities, a stockbroking and equities research firm, the retail sector has the potential to flourish if businesses and policymakers can effectively address current economic constraints. However, the report emphasizes that challenges such as high financing costs, tight liquidity, unreliable power supply, and an overwhelming number of taxes and regulatory burdens are significantly impacting retail businesses.The government is taking steps to alleviate some of these pressures. Earlier this year, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) proposed a Presidential directive urging government ministries, agencies, and regulatory bodies to slash licensing fees and charges by 50 to 70 percent by June 2025. This move aims to reduce the financial burden on businesses and stimulate growth in various sectors, including retail.In February, President Emmerson Mnangagwa echoed these sentiments, instructing that government ministries and departments ensure that businesses are not hindered by prohibitive regulations and punitive administrative fees. Instead, the President highlighted that these fees should support economic development, rather than restrict it.Further reinforcing this commitment, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube announced in March that the government would conduct a comprehensive review of the country's tax and regulatory framework. The goal, he stated, is to identify and eliminate unnecessary taxes and regulatory fees that obstruct business operations and economic growth.Despite these challenges, the outlook for the retail sector remains positive. Fincent Securities noted that the retail and wholesale trade sector has become a key economic driver, contributing approximately 18.8% to Zimbabwe's gross domestic product (GDP). However, the report also highlighted the growing influence of informal trade, which is increasingly affecting the performance of formal retail businesses.According to Fincent's findings, the outlook for consumer spending in 2025 remains subdued, largely due to stagnant growth in disposable incomes. As a result, essential categories such as food, housing, and transport are taking precedence over discretionary spending, reflecting the strained financial situation of many households.The retail sector is facing a delicate balancing actone where it must contend with the rapid expansion of informal trade while also adapting to regulatory and economic reforms that aim to alleviate the cost pressures on businesses. However, with the right adaptations and sustained policy support, the retail sector could continue to grow and play a central role in the broader economy.As the government works to resolve the structural issues in the regulatory and tax systems, the future of Zimbabwe's retail sector will largely depend on how effectively businesses can adjust to the evolving economic landscape.
India Hits Islamabad, Lahore, Sialkot In Retaliation To Pakistan's Brazen Attack

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 09:02 IST

India struck Pakistans capital Islamabad as well as Lahore and Sialkot late on Thursday after thwarting multiple attacks on Indian cities, including Jammu, Jaisalmer and Pathankot

Police officers arrive to control crowd gathered at an entry point to a garrison area, in Lahore on May 8, 2025. (AP)

India struck Pakistans capital Islamabad as well as Lahore and Sialkot late on Thursday after thwarting multiple attacks on Indian cities, including Jammu, Jaisalmer and Pathankot. Separately, Pakistan also resorted to ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir, to which Indian forces responded swiftly, ensuring civilian safety and maintaining control.

Following the unprovoked and unsuccessful attack by Pakistan on Indian cities, blackouts were imposed in Srinagar, Jammu and Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir, Amritsar and Jalandhar in Punjab, Bhuj in Gujarat and other cities key areas along the border.

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On Thursday night, India successfully countered an attempt by Pakistan to target military facilities in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur, and several other locations using missiles and drones. Air raid sirens and explosions were reported in areas like Akhnoor, Samba, Baramulla, and Kupwara as the Indian armed forces maintained an extensive aerial watch along the border.

Following the interception of these threats, the Ministry of Defence affirmed that India is fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people".

According to a defence spokesperson, military establishments in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur were the focus of drone and missile attacks originating from Pakistan along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.

The spokesperson added that the threats were neutralised promptly in accordance with standard operating procedures. No casualties or damage were reported.

Military officials stated that Pakistan had also launched missiles targeting areas like Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia in Jammu, which were intercepted by Indian air defence systems. The Indian armed forces responded effectively to the Pakistani drones and missiles, neutralising the threats.

This marked the second such incident in less than 24 hours. Earlier on Thursday, the defence ministry reported that Pakistan had attempted to strike military installations in 15 cities across northern and western India using similar means.

Targets included Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.

In response, Indian forces launched kamikaze drones that destroyed an air defence installation in Lahore. The defence ministry confirmed that air defence systems in several locations within Pakistan were hit. The response was said to match the scale and intensity of the original attack.

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Earlier, on Wednesday morning, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror incident, India launched missile and drone strikes against nine terrorist infrastructure sites located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In the wake of these strikes, Pakistan warned of a befitting reply."

Amid growing hostilities, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated that India will not let any constraint hinder the protection of its sovereignty and is ready for all necessary actions. He emphasized Indias commitment to restraint and dialogue but warned that any attempt to exploit this approach would meet with decisive action. He added that India remains fully prepared to respond responsibly in the future as well.

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: May 08, 2025, 22:39 IST
Pakistans F-16: All You Need To Know About The Fighter Jet, Its Abilities

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 19:09 IST

EAM Jaishankar in 2022 had questioned why the Biden administration chose to approve a $450 million package for upgrading Pakistans F-16 fleet.

Pakistanis look at a F-16 jet fighter during celebrations to mark Defence Day at the Nur Khan military airbase in Islamabad on September 6, 2017. Pakistan on September 6 celebrated the 52nd anniversary of its second war with arch-rival India weeks after the two nuclear powers faced off in some of their deadliest skirmishes in over a decade. The major fighting of the war took place between August and September 1965 with both sides claiming victory after it ended in stalemate following the intervention of the United States and Soviet Union. (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI / AFP)

In the September of 2022, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar lashed out at the former US President Joe Bidens administration for its decision to provide Pakistan with a $450 million package for what the Pentagon has called the F-16 case for sustainment and related equipment".

At the end of the day to say I am doing it for counterterrorism you are talking of an aircraft of the capability of F-16 (and) everyone knows where they are deployed. You are not fooling anybody by saying these things," Jaishankar had said at the time.

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The $450 million US package offers lifetime support for Pakistans F-16 fleet, with Lockheed Martin as the proposed contractor. It included upgrades, technical services and maintenance for aircraft and engines.

In May 2025, Jaishankars remarks have gained fresh relevance as India and Pakistan find themselves locked in a fast-escalating conflict, with focus turning to their military capabilities and arsenal.

Heres a look at Pakistans F-16, its fleet and its capabilities:

Pakistan currently operates an estimated 75 F-16 fighter jets, according to data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) 2023 report. The country began acquiring F-16s in the 1980s under a deal with the United States, backed by the Reagan administration during the Soviet-Afghan war. Additional jets were later procured through separate agreements, including the purchase of 13 refurbished F-16s from Jordan in 2014.

The F-16s were used against India in the aerial dogfight that ensued between the two air forces on February 27, 2019, a day after Indias airstrikes in Balakot. The Pakistani F-16 was brought down by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

As of 2025, the Pakistan Air Force has lost at least 10 F-16 jets in crashes, most of them in the 1990s. The incidents were caused by mechanical issues, bird hits and training errors. In one of the more high-profile cases, an F-16 went down during a Pakistan Day Parade rehearsal in March 2020, killing Wing Commander Noman Akram.

While supplying F-16s to Pakistan, the United States withheld several critical technologies to restrict the jets offensive potential and safeguard sensitive systems.

Among the key limitations were the absence of source codes for mission computers, which meant Pakistan could not fully customise the aircrafts software or integrate non-US weapons.

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Pakistans F-16 fleet is equipped for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The jets can carry advanced missiles like the AIM-120 AMRAAM for aerial combat and precision-guided munitions for strike operations. They have a top speed of over Mach 2 and are fitted with modern radar and targeting systems. The aircraft are also capable of flying in all weather conditions and can be refuelled mid-air for extended missions.

But, the US also withheld advanced electronic warfare suites, long-range targeting and radar upgrades, and secure data link systems that would have allowed the jets to communicate with NATO or US platforms. Additionally, the F-16s were not configured for nuclear delivery, in line with American non-proliferation policies.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

First Published: May 09, 2025, 04:12 IST
Air India Suspends Tel Aviv Flights Till May 25

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 18:59 IST

Following a missile attack near the Tel Aviv airport on May 4, the airline had suspended its services till May 6 and later the same was extended till May 8.

Air India issued the advisory amid military escalation between India and Pakistan.(Representational Image)

Air India on Friday announced extending the suspension of its flights to and from Tel Aviv till May 25.

Following a missile attack near the Tel Aviv airport on May 4, the airline had suspended its services till May 6 and later the same was extended till May 8.

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Air India, the only Indian carrier to operate direct services to Tel Aviv, normally has five weekly flights to the Israeli city from Delhi.

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Our flights to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended till 25th May 2025. Customers holding valid tickets for travel till 25th May 2025 will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling charges or a full refund for cancellations," the carrier said in a post on X on Friday.

On May 4, Air India had to divert its Delhi-Tel Aviv flight to Abu Dhabi due to the missile attack near the Tel Aviv airport.

First Published: May 08, 2025, 23:08 IST
India Strikes Lahore, Drops Bomb Near Sharif's Home In Retaliation To Pakistan's Attack

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 00:12 IST

The Indian Armed Forces struck targeted locations in Lahore in retaliation to Pakistan's attack at several places, including Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Punjab.

Representative Image of Indian armed forces in Jammu and Kashmir

The Indian Armed Forces on Thursday night struck targeted locations in Lahore in retaliation to Pakistans attack at several places, including Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Punjab.

Sources reported that Indias retaliatory strike on Lahore triggered widespread panic in the Pakistani city, with multiple explosions causing chaos and a sense of alarm across the area.

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Meanwhile, Indian infantry and artillery units also launched a coordinated attack on Pakistans Sialkot Bajwat sector, in response to Pakistani strikes in Jammu and Kashmir and other areas.

A dozen locations in Jammu, including the airstrip, were targeted by drone and missile attacks from the Pakistani side on Thursday evening. It came just a day after India struck terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.

Security agencies stated that Pakistan fired eight missiles aimed at the Jammu Civil Airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia, and nearby military sites. All of them were successfully intercepted by the S-400 air defence system, it added.

Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin #drones and missiles along the International Border in J&K today. The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). No casualties or material losses were reported," the ministry of Defence said in a statement.

India remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people, it added.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah held discussions with the Director Generals of all paramilitary forces, during which the DG of the BSF briefed him on the situation along the International Border.

After Islamabad launched air raids in the Jammu region, the Indian forces intercepted and downed two Pakistani drones near Jammu University. Reports also confirmed that two Pakistan drones were shot down in the Khor area of Jammu.

Further, security agencies confirmed artillery shelling in Kupwara, Udhampur, along with shelling targeting the air base in Pathankot. All nearby areas were also targeted.

Responding effectively, Indian defence systems countered the shelling and activated air raid sirens, which were heard in Akhnoor and Kishtwar in the Jammu Division.

A complete blackout was implemented in Akhnoor, Samba, Kishtawar and other regions.

Meanwhile, Red flares were also observed in the sky over Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, as air defence systems were activated to counter the potential aerial threat.

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Sources confirmed that Indian air defences intercepted Pakistani drones, with explosions heard and flashes visible in the sky.

Location : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India

First Published: May 08, 2025, 22:35 IST
Jaishankar Dials Global Allies After Pakistan's Unprovoked Attack, Says India Will 'Firmly Counter' Any Escalation

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 23:15 IST

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is in touch with his Western counterparts and has told them that India is taking a measured response to Pakistani aggression

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. (S Jaishankar/X)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday dialled Indias allies and friends across the world as Pakistan resorted to unprovoked attacks in retaliation for Operation Sindoor, with India successfully intercepting missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia.

Speaking to European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas, Jaishankar said India has been measured in its retaliatory actions against Pakistani aggression but if Islamabad escalates, their actions will be met with a firm response".

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Discussed ongoing developments with EU HRVP @kajakallas . India has been measured in its actions. However, any escalation will get a firm response.    Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 8, 2025

The foreign minister also spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio amid hostile attacks by Pakistan on border states and reiterated that India will firmly counter any attempts at escalation". Rubio had dialled both Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and called for immediate de-escalation of the tensions between the neigbours.

Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening.Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism. Underlined Indias targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation.    Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 8, 2025

He also spoke to his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, and cleared Indias stand that any escalation will see a strong response".

Had a telecon with DPM & FM @Antonio_Tajani of Italy. Discussed Indias targeted and measured response to firmly counter terrorism. Any escalation will see a strong response," Jaishankar said on X.

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Indias outreach to partners came as tensions between India and Pakistan reached a crescendo when the Pakistani side attempted to target Indias border cities with a barrage of missiles and drones on Thursday evening. A robust Indian air defence system shot down all the missiles and drones and authorities said no casualties had been reported so far.

Hours later, India fired missiles on Pakistans side in retaliation, with the Indian Army and Air Force deploying surface-to-air missile defence systems, including the Akash, MRSAM, and Zu-23.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 22:32 IST
India's S-400 Missile System Blocks Pakistan's Aerial Attack In J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan

Curated By :

CNN-News18

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 21:36 IST

The system can intercept targets moving at speeds of up to 4.8 kilometres per second, offering high precision in neutralising fast-moving threats

The key features of the S-400 include multi-target engagement, which means it can simultaneously engage up to 36 targets using its advanced radar and missile systems. (AFP)

India has thwarted a major missile attack from Pakistan, destroying several incoming projectiles with its S-400 air defence system late on Thursday night over Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. The missiles were aimed at key locations, including the Jammu civil airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia, and nearby areas.

In Hindu mythology, the Sudarshan Chakra, a divine spinning weapon wielded by Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna, is known for its precision, speed, and ability to destroy evil from a distance. It is these qualities that the Indian Air Forces S-400 air defence missile systems, nicknamed the Sudarshan Chakra, relied upon as they made their debut on the intervening night of May 7-8 to intercept aerial threats from Pakistan.

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On Thursday, the Indian Army in a statement said: On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks."

Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised."

Defence sources told CNN-News18 that the S-400 systems were part of Indias arsenal to neutralise incoming threats from Pakistan, which is smarting after Operation Sindoor, in which India pounded nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

WHAT ARE THE S-400 SYSTEMS?

The S-400, which is among the most advanced long-range air defence systems in the world, was built by Russias Almaz-Antey and integrated into Indias strategic air defence command. It is designed to detect, track, and destroy a wide range of aerial threats, including aircraft, drones, missiles, and even ballistic missiles. The system is capable of intercepting targets at varying ranges and altitudes, making it highly versatile in defence operations.

The key features of the S-400 include multi-target engagement, which means it can simultaneously engage up to 36 targets using its advanced radar and missile systems, making it highly effective in complex air defence scenarios. It can detect and engage targets at distances of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) with its most advanced missiles, making it effective against long-range threats. It can be activated within five minutes, is twice as effective as the previous Russian air defence systems" and has the flexibility to be integrated into the existing and future air defence units of the air force, army and navy".

The system can also target aerial threats at altitudes ranging from 0-30 km, including stealth aircraft, drones, and ballistic missiles. The system can intercept targets moving at speeds of up to 4.8 kilometers per second, offering high precision in neutralising fast-moving threats. The system is mounted on mobile launchers, allowing for rapid deployment and repositioning, which makes it harder for adversaries to locate and target.

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India has procured five squadrons from Russia, with three already operational and two more expected by 2026. The Rs 35,000 crore deal for five S-400 squadrons was signed in 2018. In an earlier IAF exercise, the Sudarshan S-400 had demonstrated its prowess by shooting down" 80% of a simulated enemy aircraft package, forcing the remainder to abort their missions.

The deployment of S-400 during Operation Sindoor, which helped the country effectively neutralise threats without causing collateral damage, shows the precision of the systems as well as Indias restraint. It will also prove to be a Furthermore, the deployment of the S-400 serves as a deterrent against future aerial threats, reinforcing Indias defensive posture and ensuring the security of its military assets and civilian population.

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: May 08, 2025, 21:36 IST
Inside Operation Sindoor: Air Force Hit Distant Targets, Army Launched Loitering Munition

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 10:43 IST

The Indian Air Force executed Operation Sindoor by using its frontline fighters to strike terror locations in Pakistan without crossing the Line of Control.

LMS drones can remain airborne for extended periods, tracking potential targets before diving and detonating upon impact once the target is identified. (News18)

From Rafale to Sukhoi jets and SCALP missile to Loitering Munitions, the Indian Army and Air Force tactically used its defence infrastructure in Operation Sindoor to target terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir with precision. While the Indian Air Force struck distant targets with air to surface missiles, Indian Army struck the closer targets with Loitering Munitions including Kamakazi Drones.

Indian forces struck nine locations in Pakistan and PoK that were known to be terror hotbeds including Markaz Subhan Allah, JeMs operational headquarter in Bahawalpur and Markaz Taiba of Lashkar-e-Toiba in Muridke. The locations struck by Indian forces included those in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Sialkot, Barnala and Bahawalpur. These facilities trained terrorists and were also instrumental in the infiltration of Lashkar, Hizbul and JeM terrorists into India.

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How Indian Forces Executed Operation Sindoor

The Indian Air Force executed Operation Sindoor by using its frontline fighters to strike terror locations in Pakistan without crossing the Line of Control, according to sources.

SPICE-2000

Rafale, Su-30 MKI, and Mirage 2000 jets were deployed to hit the terror sites with precision ammunition. Sources indicate that the Spice-2000 (Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective) Bomb, an Israeli-developed guidance kit, was employed to precisely hit the targets. These bombs were also used in the 2019 strikes.

HAMMER Bombs

While there was no confirmation, HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) bombs were also liked used. These are guided bombs with rocket propulsion and are used to hit targets with precision. It is a standoff munition capable of hitting targets over a range of 70 kilometres.

SCALP Missile

The SCALP missile, known for its precision, was utilised to strike distant targets. Rafale jets are equipped with this missile. The SCALP missile can precisely hit targets up to 250 kilometres away and can be launched from within Indian territory. It is also known as Storm Shadow, and is a long-ranged cruise missile.

Su-30 jets were used primarily for defence. These jets are equipped with BrahMos. Distant targets were engaged by the Indian Air Force, while other targets were hit by the Indian Army.

Kamikaze Drones

Sources indicate LMS (loitering munition systems) kamikaze drones, also known as suicide drones, were used in the operation for identifying targets and executing the strikes. These drones loiter around the target till the target is precisely located and then crash into it.

Indian Armed Forces conducted a swift operation against Pakistani terrorists infrastructure, striking from 1:05 AM to 1:30 AM, leaving Pakistani forces stunned and unable to respond for 25-30 minutes. Pakistan, fearing Indian knowledge of their artillery positions, relocated their guns without firing to avoid destruction, said Defence sources.

Pak Targeted Civilian Population Along LoC

In retaliation, Pakistan began intense firing along the Line of Control (LoC) at 2 AM, targeting Indian villages. Ceasefire violation was observed across the LoC in different sectors both in Jammu and Kashmir. Indian Army responded robustly but avoided firing on PoK villages.

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The firing from the other side resulted in at least 15 deaths and 43 injuries in Indian villages, primarily in Poonch and Tangdhar areas. While firing reduced after 4 AM on Thursday, it continued sporadically, with India responding as needed.

In not very surprising move, Pakistani forces showed disregard for civilian lives, including their own. Pakistan infact deployed mortar and artillery positions within PoK villages, anticipating Indian counter-fire to portray India as attacking civilians internationally," said a source in Ministry of Defence.

About the Author Akash Sharma Akash Sharma, Defence Correspondent, CNN-News 18, covers the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways. In addition, he also follows developments in the national capital. With an extensive experience coverin... Read More Akash Sharma, Defence Correspondent, CNN-News 18, covers the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways. In addition, he also follows developments in the national capital. With an extensive experience coverin... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 10:43 IST
Iran FM Arrives In India After Pakistan Visit, First Foreign Dignitary After Operation Sindoor

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 09:42 IST

This is Iran Foreign Minister Araghchi's first visit to India since assuming office as Foreign Minister of Iran in August 2024.

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. (Image Credit: X)

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to co-chair the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting. This high-level meeting coincides with the 75th anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two nations.

Abbas Araghchis visit aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation and address issues of mutual interest. He is scheduled to meet with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and President Droupadi Murmu. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that this is Araghchis first visit to India since assuming office as Foreign Minister of Iran in August 2024.

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Warm welcome to FM @araghchi, as he arrives in New Delhi for the India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting.An opportunity to review and enhance bilateral cooperation on the 75th Anniversary of the - Friendship Treaty. pic.twitter.com/C5Fh0FZMlr  Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) May 8, 2025

The Joint Commission Meeting will provide a platform for both countries to review their relationship and discuss ways to enhance cooperation across various sectors. The meeting was originally scheduled to be held annually, but faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other domestic priorities.

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The Iranian Foreign Ministers visit takes place amidst heightened regional tensions following Operation Sindoor which was launched by India in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Indian forces conducted precision missile strikes targeting nine locations within Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

These strikes aimed to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and neutralize key leaders and operatives from groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. India emphasized that the operation was carefully planned to avoid civilian and Pakistani military casualties, focusing solely on terrorist facilities. India characterized the operation as focused, measured, and non-escalatory," and stated its commitment to addressing cross-border terrorism.

About the Author Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?"

First Published: May 08, 2025, 08:22 IST
More Than 150 Terrorists Killed In Pakistan After India's Strikes During Operation Sindoor | Exclusive

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 20:37 IST

Top intelligence sources said the high death toll in Bahawalpur and Muridke is due to the targeting of mid-to-senior leadership so as to disrupt command structures of terror groups

A big hole is seen on a rooftop of a house suspected to have been damaged in an Indian drone attack in Karachi, Pakistan, on May 8. (Image: AP/Fareed Khan)

A high death toll has been reported at the sites where India carried out missile strikes under Operation Sindoor in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, sources told CNN-News18.

CNN-News18 accessed the exact numbers, which is more than 150 deaths:

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Kotli: 100

Bahawalpur: 40

Muzaffarabad: 28

Muridke: 19

Leepa: 12

According to top intelligence sources, the high death toll in Bahawalpur and Muridke is due to the targeting of mid-to-senior leadership to disrupt command structures of terror groups.

The Bahawalpur headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) had links to the Pahalgam terror strike as well as the 2019 Pulwama attack.

The sources told CNN-News18 that the Kotli camp with 100 casualties was a critical facility for indoctrinating recruits and assembling IEDs.

They said Leepas neutralisation reduces infiltration capabilities into Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the summer months, which are conducive for militant activity in the Valley.

Eliminating large numbers in a single operation undermines the myth of safe havens in Pakistan, the sources said. A successful operation further validates the fusion of Indias integrated air defence network and real-time intelligence, they said. It shows Indias shift from defensive counterterrorism to preemptive dismantling of threats, they added.

In retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, the Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on terror targets including Bahawalpur, a stronghold of the JeM.

During a media briefing amid heightened tensions between the two countries, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Indias action was restrained and it was confined to terrorist infrastructure.

Pakistans reputation as the centre of global terrorism is rooted in various terrorist attacks across the globe," he said, adding that Pakistan has been pursuing cross-border terrorism against India for decades.

Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting that at least 100 hardcore terrorists and their associates were killed in the strikes. Chairing the meeting, he said India does not want escalation but will give a befitting reply to Pakistan if attacked.

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He noted that it is a emerging and evolving situation, declining to get into the details of the continuing Indian operation. A source quoted him as saying, It is difficult to give an exact estimate as the operation is still ongoing and we are collating the details. India will give a befitting reply if Pakistan attacks."

(With PTI inputs)

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: May 08, 2025, 19:53 IST
'100 Terrorists Killed, Operation Sindoor Ongoing': Rajnath Singh At All-Party Meet

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Ashesh Mallick



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 16:29 IST

Around 100 terrorists were taken down in precision strikes conducted by India in Pakistan and PoK under Operation Sindoor, the government told the Opposition at all-party meeting.

Govt holds all-party meeting (PTI File Image)

The government briefed the Opposition on the Operation Sindoor carried out by the Indian armed forces to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack and said that around 100 terrorists were eliminated in the precision strikes, and India will not back down if Pakistan opts for any misadventure.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who chaired the meeting, said that the Operation Sindoor is ongoing" and therefore the details cannot be divulged at the moment.

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Govt Shares Details On Terrorists Killed In Operation Sindoor

In Operation Sindoor, precise strikes were carried out on 9 terrorist hideouts. Around 100 terrorists were killed. Confirmed information is still awaited, and counting is ongoing," sources quoted the government as having informed the all-party meeting.

The government also conveyed to the Opposition that this was not a simple or routine strike  multiple terror hubs were targeted, and several high-value terrorists were eliminated in the operation. On Indias preparedness, the government informed the members that several defence production units and centres have proactively reached out to offer support. These centres have expressed willingness to forgo profit considerations and do not expect advance payments for production demands, underscoring their commitment to putting the nation first.

We do not wish to escalate the situation. But if Pakistan acts, we will not back down either," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at the meeting, according to sources.

The all-party meeting was held by the government today to brief them about the developments in the last 36 hours. Several Opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, took part in the meeting. From the governments side, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Dr S Jaishankar, Nirmala Sitharaman, and other ministers were present.

What Else Happened At All-Party Meeting?

The Opposition leaders asked a number of questions, however, the government was not willing to share much details.

In the meeting, Rajnath informed the parties that no specific details can be divulged because it is an evolving situation".

According to sources, Rahul Gandhi also asked certain questions but did not push the government, saying very clearly that we understand how this really works and what the situation is."

He extended support to the government at this critical hour.

Some MPs also asked about the special session, which did not draw any response from the government.

Rajnath ended the meeting in a very positive manner", sources said.

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He told the members that he would not use this time to thank anyone and everyone because we are all in this together," sources informed.

The fact that all the opposite parties are speaking in one voice is a great message, not just to the animation but largely to the people of the country. The most important message of this unity of political parties will boost the morale of the security forces," Rajnath told the Opposition.

First Published: May 08, 2025, 13:12 IST
Future-Ready Workforce Conclave: Bridging India's Skill Gap

06 th May 2025: National :



With more than 65 percent of Indians under the age of 35 and a skill gap affecting roughly 50 percent of the workforce, India's demographic dividend can only be realised if its rapidly growing labour force gains future-ready competencies.



Recognizing that 63 out of every 100 Indian workers will need new skills by 2030-and that over 70 million people could be left behind without action-Microsoft India, in collaboration with NIIT Foundation, convened industry leaders and nonprofits for the Future-Ready Workforce Conclave in Bengaluru this Wednesday. The conclave showcased the impact of Project Future Ready Skills, a joint initiative designed to narrow the country's skill shortage and digital divide.



Launched in 2021, Project Future Ready Skills was conceptualised to tackle India's digital divide at a time when more than 90 percent of the workforce holds education at or below secondary level, leading more than 88 percent of workers occupying low-competency roles despite India producing 16 percent of the world's AI talent. To address this disparity, and an anticipated AI-enabled-workforce requirement of 1 million by 2026 with a 53 percent demand-supply gap, students are trained in employment-oriented, future-ready skills such as Artificial Intelligence, web development and analytics.



The project has achieved remarkable success: actual student enrolment exceeded targets by 20%, and despite the higher-than-anticipated intake, successful completions also surpassed benchmarks. All graduating students received industry-recognised certificates, a milestone applauded by stakeholders present.



Speaking on the project's success, Shri. N.B Kumar, Secretary of Vidyavahini Group of Institutions remarked, "Our focus on cloud services, digital transformation, education and cybersecurity perfectly complements the objectives of the students Skilling and Livelihood through Career Development Program by NIIT Foundation. We are proud to support an initiative that is setting the stage for a future-ready workforce by imparting skill training to students from rural background, empowering them to solve tomorrow's challenges."



Mr. Vikram Kumar, National head Partnership and Communications, NIIT Foundation, added, "NIIT Foundation is honoured to partner with industry leaders such as Microsoft. The impact we can deliver through our programmes is amplified by private-sector capabilities, driving measurable enrolment outcomes and motivating students who value certifications from companies like Microsoft."



Neha, a final-year student at Vidyavahini First Grade College and programme graduate, shared, "The experience allowed me to connect with like-minded peers and learn from industry experts, broadening my perspective and laying a solid foundation for my career."



The program placed graduates at leading employers including Muthoot Finance, ICICI Bank, Tatwa Technologies and many others. To date, Microsoft India and NIIT Foundation have enabled placements through more than 25 Career Guidance Talk Sessions and four job fairs, demonstrating the project's role in transforming India's vast demographic dividend into a truly future-ready workforce.



About NIIT Foundation:



NIIT Foundation (NF) is a not-for-profit education society (NGO) set up by the promoters of NIIT in 2004. Its mission is to positively impact the underprivileged of the country through educational initiatives and skill development programs. NIIT Foundation, an Education NGO has a mandate to reach the unreached, uncared and unattended to ensure inclusive development of India.



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Indian Drone Breaches Pakistan Air Defence System, Reaches Lahore | Watch

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 15:41 IST

Indian drone entered the Pakistan airspace and reached upto Lahore as tensions between India and Pakistan continue to rise.

Operation Sindoor: Indian drone reaches Lahore (CNN-News18)

As the government reportedly said that the Operation Sindoor is ongoing", Indias drone breached the Pakistani air defence system on Thursday and reached Lahore  Punjab provinces largest city.

The video of the Indian drone in the airspace of Lahore surfaced on social media.

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The Indian military used Harpy drones to target Pakistans air defence systems.

This comes after Pakistan made a failed attempt to damage Indias radar system by sending loitering munitions on Wednesday night. Their attempt was foiled by Indias S-400 air defence system, sources said.

Indian forces then dispatched drones into Pakistans cities, including Lahore and Rawalpindi, in retaliation.

Pakistans Air Defence units of HQ-9 air defence missile launchers suffered heavy damage, sources said, adding that the AD system deployed in Lahore was also neutralised.

Just a night earlier, on May 7, Indian forces launched Operation Sindoor to avenge the brutal terror attack on civilians in Kashmirs Pahalgam. India struck only the terrorist camps in Pakistans Punjab and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday.

Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," it added.

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Earlier in the day, multiple blasts were reported in Lahore, followed by firing later in the day. Loud explosions were also heard in Karachi today.

Earlier today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told the all-party meeting that Operation Sindoor is ongoing" and therefore more details about the operation cannot be shared, sources said.

About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 15:28 IST
Operation Sindoor: PM Modi Chairs High-Level Security Meet With NSA Doval, Top Officials

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 14:20 IST

PM Modi chaired a security meeting with NSA Doval and Home Secretary Mohan after Operation Sindoor's missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, reviewing border security.

PM Narendra Modi (File Image: PMO/PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level security meeting on Thursday with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, a day after Operation Sindoor, in which Indian armed forces conducted missile strikes at terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The meeting between the Prime Minister and NSA Doval lasted for almost an hour, during which PM Modi reviewed the current security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border, sources told CNN-News18.

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PM Modi was briefed on Pakistans ceasefire violations as retaliatory action to Operation Sindoor and the Indian response. He also reviewed the status of heightened security measures implemented in border areas, information on domestic security, and any potential increase in terrorist activity within India, as well as the potential for escalating tensions.

The Home Secretary briefed the PM on the situation along the international border and the steps being taken to ensure the safety of civilians in border areas. As many as 13 people in Jammu and Kashmir have been killed in the shelling by the Pakistan Army after Indian forces destroyed nine terror camps in PoK and Pakistans Punjab province.

Vivek Srivastava, Director-General of Civil Defence under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), apprised the MHA of the steps being taken for civilian safety ahead of the Home Secretarys meeting with the PM.

Daljit Singh, Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), which guards Indias border with Pakistan, also apprised the PM of the situation at the international border.

Amid the possibility of retaliation from Pakistan, India is currently on high alert and security has been tightened on the border. 25 airports near the Pakistan border remained shut for the second consecutive day.

While no civilian was harmed in Indias strikes, the Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing, killing 13 people and damaging dozens of houses in villages along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir.

A civilian, who has suffered damage to his property, said, The action taken by PM Modi (against Pakistan) is very good. We request the government to help us, as my sons house is damaged."

Following the 2019 Balakot strikes, Pakistan attempted retaliation by sending its fighter jets to Indian territory. However, the IAF successfully thwarted their efforts, resulting in a dogfight that lasted for several minutes. Ultimately, the Pakistani fighter jets were forced to retreat into their airspace. PM Modi Chairs High-Level Meeting with Secretaries

The Prime Minister today chaired a high-level meeting with the Secretaries of various Ministries and Departments of the Government of India to review national preparedness and inter-ministerial coordination in light of recent developments concerning national security.

PM Modi stressed the need for seamless coordination among ministries and agencies to uphold operational continuity and institutional resilience. He reviewed the planning and preparation by ministries to deal with the current situation.

Secretaries have been directed to undertake a comprehensive review of their respective ministrys operations and to ensure fool-proof functioning of essential systems, with special focus on readiness, emergency response, and internal communication protocols.

Secretaries detailed their planning with a Whole of Government approach in the current situation. All ministries have identified their actionables in relation to the conflict and are strengthening processes. Ministries are ready to deal with all kinds of emerging situations.

A range of issues were discussed during the meeting. These included, among others, strengthening of civil defence mechanisms, efforts to counter misinformation and fake news, and ensuring the security of critical infrastructure. Ministries were also advised to maintain close coordination with state authorities and ground-level institutions.

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The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, senior officials from the Prime Ministers Office, and Secretaries from key ministries including Defence, Home Affairs, External Affairs, Information & Broadcasting, Power, Health, and Telecommunications.

The Prime Minister called for continued alertness, institutional synergy, and clear communication as the nation navigates a sensitive period. He reaffirmed the governments commitment to national security, operational preparedness, and citizen safety.

About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

First Published: May 08, 2025, 12:25 IST
Operation Sindoor: Tej Pratap Yadav Flaunts Aviation Training On X, But Is That A Pilot Licence?

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 16:49 IST

The document shared by Tej Pratap Yadav is a Flight Radio Telephone Operator's Licence (Restricted), known in aviation circles as RTR(Aero)

Issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, this certificate primarily authorises its holder to handle aircraft radio communications, a critical skill in aviation but not a licence to pilot an aircraft. (x/@TejYadav14)

As tensions flare along the India-Pakistan border following Indias swift retaliatory airstrikes under Operation Sindoor, political figures at home are echoing strong nationalist sentiments. Among them, Tej Pratap Yadav, son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, took to social media to express his readiness to serve the country  not with politics this time, but with his lesser-known aviation credentials.

Operation Sindoor, Indias response to the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, targeted and destroyed multiple terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Amid the patriotic fervour across the nation, Tej Pratap posted a photograph of an aviation licence on his account on platform X (formerly Twitter), declaring his desire to contribute to national defence using his pilot training.

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If my pilot training can be of use to the nation, then I, Tej Pratap Yadav, am always ready to serve the country. For your information, I have also undergone pilot training, and if I have to lay down my life for the nation, I will consider myself fortunate. Jai Hind!" he wrote in Hindi. Alongside, he also posted pictures of his Flight Radio Telephone Operators licence.

What Licence Does Tej Pratap Yadav Hold?

The document shared by Tej Pratap is a Flight Radio Telephone Operators Licence (Restricted), known in aviation circles as RTR(Aero). Issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, this certificate primarily authorises its holder to handle aircraft radio communications, a critical skill in aviation but not a licence to pilot an aircraft.

The licence, bearing number 5430/2, was originally valid from April 26, 2011, to April 25, 2021. However, a duplicate copy was re-issued on February 24, 2025, likely for official record or credential reaffirmation.

Can Tej Pratap Actually Fly a Plane?

The RTR(Aero) is an auxiliary licence that accompanies other pilot certifications. It is issued only to candidates who already possess either a Student Pilot Licence (SPL) or a Private Pilot Licence (PPL). In other words, if Tej Pratap holds this radio operator licence, its safe to assume that at some point, he qualified for or held one of the basic pilot training licences.

However, this does not mean he is authorised to fly commercial aircraft, nor does it confirm whether he currently holds a valid PPL or has moved on to the more advanced Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL). To command commercial flights or even engage in certain types of national service missions, a CPL or Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) is essential  requiring extensive training, exams, and medical clearance.

Requirements For RTR(Aero) Licence

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To obtain a Flight Radio Telephone Operator Licence, a candidate must:

Be at least 16 years old.

Have passed at least Class 10 or its equivalent.

Be medically fit and cleared by a recognised practitioner.

Pass a written and practical exam covering radio communication rules and phraseology.

Possess an SPL or PPL.

Demonstrate radio operation skills through a skill test.

First Published: May 08, 2025, 16:49 IST
India Dismantles Terror Infra In Pakistan, Check Before & After Satellite Images

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 08:55 IST

Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday on nine terror targets in Pakistan and PoK

The photos captured by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies showed visuals of the destruction of two terror infrastructures in Bahawalpur and Muridke in Punjab province of Punjab and after the Indian strikes. (Photos: Maxar Technologies/Reuters)

A day after India struck terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under its Operation Sindoor, satellite photos shot by an American company surfaced, showing extensive damage to two infrastructures.

The photos captured by Colorado-based Maxar Technologies showed the destruction of two terror infrastructures one at Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and the other at Lashkar-e-Taibas base Muridke in Punjab province of Punjab.

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#WATCH | Satellite pics from Maxar Technologies show damage caused by Indian missile strikes on Jamia Mosque in Bahawalpur and the city of Muridke, Pakistan, before and after the strike.(Source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/6idaYwwjOW  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

In retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 tourists dead, Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The military strikes were carried out under Operation Sindoor two weeks after the massacre in south Kashmirs Pahalgam town.

In Bahawalpur, Indian armed forces targeted Markaz Subhan Allah, which has been operational since 2015, is the main centre of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) for training and indoctrination and serves as its operational headquarters.

Satellite pics from Maxar Technologies show damage caused by Indian missile strikes on Jamia Mosque in Bahawalpur, Pakistan before (Pic 1) and after (Pic 1,2,3) the strike.(Source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/9HaBdaBo66  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

The terror camp is linked to JeMs planning of terrorist activities, including the Pulwama attack on February 14, 2019. The Markaz comprises the residences of JeM Chief Maulana Masood Azhar, JeMs de-facto Chief Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, Maulana Ammar, and other family members of Masood Azhar. JeM regularly conducts arms, physical, and religious training for its members at Markaz Subhan Allah.

Satellite pics from Maxar Technologies show damage caused by Indian missile strikes on the city of Muridke, Pakistan, before (Pic 1) and after (Pic 2) the strike.(Source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/iiZj4wybwc  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

The other target was Markaz Taiba in Muridke, established in the year 2000 and is the most important training centre of LeT in Nangal Sahdan. The site serves as the mushrooming ground for radicalisation of students to motivate them to join armed jihad. This Markaz enrols around 1000 students in different courses annually thereby highlighting the role of this Markaz in churning out terror entities for LeT annually.

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Why India Targeted Muridke Markaz, Lashkar Bastion Where 26/11 Terrorist Ajmal Kasab Was Trained

Osama Bin Laden had financed Rs 10 million for the construction of a Mosque and Guest House within the Markaz Taiba complex. At the behest of Pakistans ISI, all the preparators of the 26/11 Mumbai attack including Ajmal Kasab were imparted Daura-e-Ribbaf (intelligence training) at this facility. David Coleman Headley & Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the prime conspirators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, had visited Muridke along with Abdul Rehman Sayed alias Pasha, Haroon and Khurram (co conspirators) on instructions of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.

About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

First Published: May 08, 2025, 06:55 IST
Operation Sindoor: What Is 'Jihad fi Sabilillah' Al-Qaeda Has Threatened India With?

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 16:16 IST

Al-Qaeda's alarm over Operation Sindoor is rooted in its long-standing ties with the terror groups Indian airstrikes targeted

The response from AQIS underscores the blow dealt to their regional ambitions, and signals the broader impact India's counter-terrorism campaign has had beyond its immediate borders.

Indias recent airstrikes on terrorist hideouts inside Pakistan under Operation Sindoor have not only disrupted major terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen but also sent shockwaves through the ranks of Al-Qaeda. In the wake of the operation, Al-Qaedas regional affiliate  Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)  issued a statement laced with threats, declaring a so-called Jihad fi Sabilillah against India.

The statement, titled Indian Aggression on the land of Pakistan, was released by AQIS following the targeted bombing of terrorist locations in Pakistan and PoK on May 7, 2025. It accuses India of waging a long-running war against Islam, claiming the recent strikes are part of a broader pattern.

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For all the Mujahideen of Islam and the Muslims of the Subcontinent, this war against India is Jihad Fi Sabilillah. It is a duty upon us to engage in this struggle to raise the Word of Allah, defend Islam and Muslims, and support the oppressed people of The Subcontinent. It is now more necessary than ever for the Muslims of the Subcontinent to rise up in support of these stances and objectives," AQIS said in a statement.

It said the airstrikes added another dark chapter to the long list of crimes committed by India", further alleging that Indias actions have been ongoing for decades".

The Indian government, however, has consistently maintained that its operations target terrorism, not religion. Officials have emphasised that the airstrikes were aimed solely at terror infrastructure responsible for repeated attacks on civilians and security forces in India.

AQISs invocation of Jihad fi Sabilillah  which translates to struggle in the path of God"  is part of a broader trend where extremist groups distort Islamic principles to justify violence. While in traditional Islamic theology the term refers to personal and spiritual effort, terror groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS have long misused it to legitimise armed conflict and terrorism.

Al-Qaedas alarm over Operation Sindoor is rooted in its long-standing ties with the targeted groups. Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed trained in Afghanistan during the 1970s, where he developed connections with Osama bin Laden and other key Al-Qaeda figures. Another Lashkar operative, Arif Qasmani, played a crucial role in coordinating between Lashkar and Al-Qaeda.

Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar has also maintained close links with Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Jaish fighters have trained and operated alongside Al-Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan, especially in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, endorsing Al-Qaedas broader jihadist agenda.

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Hizbul Mujahideen, although primarily focused on the Kashmir conflict, has also drawn attention from Al-Qaeda, which frequently expresses ideological solidarity with jihad in Kashmir. While a direct operational link between Hizbul and Al-Qaeda is less clear, the ideological overlap remains a point of concern for security agencies.

Indias strike appears to have not only dismantled physical infrastructure but also disrupted the strategic network connecting these organisations. The response from AQIS underscores the blow dealt to their regional ambitions, and signals the broader impact Indias counter-terrorism campaign has had beyond its immediate borders.

First Published: May 08, 2025, 16:16 IST
Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir's 'Communal' Speech Linked To Pahalgam Attack: Indian Govt

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 18:59 IST

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri drew direct connection between Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munirs "communal" remarks and the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 innocents.

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri. (File pic/PTI)

Operation Sindoor: The Indian government on Thursday directly connected Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munirs communal" remarks to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians.

General Asim Munir on April 16, just six days before the Pahalgam attack, reaffirmed Pakistans stance on Kashmir, declaring it as a jugular vein," and called upon people of his country to tell stories to children so that they dont forget they are different from Hindus".

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Pakistan Army Chiefs speech from April was a communal rhetoric. There could be links between his speech and the Pahalgam terror attack," said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during a press briefing on Operation Sindoor, under which India struck terror bases in Pakistan and PoK.

The MEA press briefing on Operation Sindoor, led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, also featured Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

He further condemned Pakistan for holding state funerals" for terrorists killed in Indias recent strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), dismissing fake propaganda spread by Islamabad of civilian casualties."

Its also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out with coffins wrapped in their national flag, and state honours are being accorded. The individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving state funerals to terrorists may be a practice in Pakistan, but it doesnt seem to make much sense to us," the MEA official said.

Asim Munirs Speech

The Pahalgam terror attack, where Pakistan-based Lashkar terrorists opened fire on tourists, killing 26 people, took place just days after Munirs wont forget it" warning on Kashmir.

Our stance is absolutely clear, it (Kashmir) was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein. We will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle," General Munir said at the Convention for Overseas Pakistanis.

He went a step further, describing the stark differences between Hindus and Muslims," which, according to him, led to the creation of the Islamic Republic.

Our forefathers believed that we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life. Our religion is different. Our customs are different. Our traditions are different. Our thoughts are different. Our ambitions are different That was the foundation of the Two-Nation Theory. It was laid on the belief that we are two nations, not one," Munir added.

Asim Munir spews hate against Hindus to encash on Two Nation Theory(which failed in 1971, when East Pakistan got independence), to woo expatriate Pakistanis.No one is taking him seriously, he is making a mockery of himself, with his senseless gibberish.#CorruptPakArmy pic.twitter.com/3teQD89YPV Col DKN (retd) (@ColDKNIA) April 17, 2025

The Ministry of External Affairs condemned Munirs remarks, saying: How can anything foreign be in a jugular vein? This is a union territory of India. Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories by that country."

India Strikes Pak Terror Dens

India launched a series of military strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, targeting terror camps of Lashkar and Jaish groups, under Operation Sindoor, marking a significant response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.

Pakistan made a failed attempt to target 15 military sites in the northern and western parts of India in retaliation for Operation Sindoor, which was met with a swift and coordinated response from the Indian Armed Forces.

The government said on the intervening night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to target a number of military installations in India, using drones and missiles.

However, the Pakistani drones and missiles were intercepted by the Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and the Russian-made S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence systems.

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The Indian defence forces responded by targeting and neutralising Pakistani Air Defence Radars and systems in several locations, including the destruction of a system in Lahore.

Sources told CNN-News18 that Pakistans HQ-9 missile defence system units, developed by China, were struck by Israeli-made HAROP drones, leaving Pakistan defenceless in Lahore.

First Published: May 08, 2025, 18:18 IST
India Repels Desperate Pakistan's Air Raids, Returns Fire After Heavy Shelling In Jammu And Kashmir

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 00:26 IST

The Pakistan Army on Thursday evening resorted to artillery shelling in the Jammu region, prompting an effective retaliation from the Indian Armed Forces.

Pakistan launches artillery shelling in Jammu region | Image/CNN-News18

A dozen locations in Jammu, including the airstrip, were targeted by artillery fire, and drone and missile attacks from the Pakistani side on Thursday evening, just a day after India struck terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

One woman was killed and another person injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is targeting civilian areas in Uri and Kupwara sectors with artillery fire. The Indian Army is responding firmly to the aggression.

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The security agencies said that Pakistan launched eight missiles targeting the Jammu civil airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia, and nearby military installations. However, all missiles were effectively intercepted by the S-400 air defence system.

Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by Indian Armed Forces as per SoP with kinetic and non-kinetic means," the Integrated Defence Staff said.

1.1 Just a while ago, a powerful scene unfolded in the skies over Jammu, where eight incoming Pakistani missiles were intercepted and destroyed mid-air by our #S400 #OperationSindoor2 pic.twitter.com/R2PoZlDuvO Dilip Ghosh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DilipGhoshBJP) May 8, 2025

The drones and missiles were neutralised mid-air through the coordinated deployment of advanced technologies, said sources, adding that no damage or casualties were reported.

We were aware of such an attempt and we were fully prepared to thwart these attempts from the Pakistani side. Though its an evolving situation, we have neutralised all threats coming from Pakistan. So far eight projectiles, mostly surface-to-surface missiles, have been shot down by our air defence mechanisms," the defence sources told CNN-News18.

Pakistani Drones Shot Down

Two Pakistani drones were intercepted and downed near Jammu University. Reports confirmed that two Pakistan drones were also shot down in the Khor area of Jammu.

Further, reports emerged of artillery shelling in Kupwara, Udhampur, along with shelling targeting the air base in Pathankot. All nearby areas were also targeted.

In a prompt response, Indian defence systems countered the targeted strikes and activated air raid sirens, which were heard in Akhnoor and Kishtwar in the Jammu Division, where a complete blackout was also implemented.

#WATCH | J&K | A complete blackout has been enforced in Kishtwar of Jammu Division, and sirens are being heard throughout the district. pic.twitter.com/1tBwxjoxR7 ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

CNN-News18 has learnt that following the activation of the air defence systems, internet and electricity services were suspended across Jammu city.

Defence sources said that visuals over Jammu resemble a Hamas-style rocket barrage, with multiple low-cost projectiles fired simultaneously.

Huge Success For Indias Air Defence

Security agencies confirmed that the S-400 air defence system successfully intercepted all missiles and drones launched from Pakistan, marking a significant achievement for Indias air defence capabilities, as none of the incoming threats reached their intended targets.

All remnants of the destroyed missiles and drones were recovered and areas were sealed.

Further, Indias air defence system shot down Pakistans F-16 aircraft after Islamabad launched air raids at multiple places across Jammu and Kashmir.

Defence sources informed CNN-News18 that the S-400 air defence system played a key role in countering aerial threats from Pakistan, which has been reeling after Operation SindoorIndias retaliatory strikes on nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Developed by Russias Almaz-Antey and inducted into Indias strategic air defence framework, the S-400 is considered one of the most sophisticated long-range air defence systems globally.

It is engineered to detect, track, and eliminate a variety of airborne threats, including drones, fighter jets, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, offering layered defence across multiple ranges and altitudes.

Advisory Issued For Jammu

In view of the Pakistani missile and drone attacks, the Jammu Police issued an urgent advisory for residents:

All citizens requested to switch off all types of lights during the blackout period. Stay indoors in safe places.

No unnecessary vehicular movement should be taken.

There is no need for panic. Authorities will have the situation under control.

We request everyone not to spread rumours or unverified information, as it can create unnecessary panic.

Amid ongoing Pakistani attacks, authorities have issued Control Room numbers for Jammu district: 0191-2571912 and 0191-2571616, for emergency assistance and information.

Pakistan Attacks Srinagar, Jaisalmer

After air raids in the Jammu region, the Pakistani side resorted to strikes in Srinagar, prompting the Indian defence system to deliver a strong and effective response.

The Pakistani army also resorted to firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, in areas near Poonch and Rajouri, sources told CNN-New18.

Earlier, in response to Operation Sindoor, the Pakistani army launched unprovoked firing across the LoC, in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor, killing at least 13 people, including four children and a soldier.

Red flares were also observed in the sky over Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, as air defence systems were activated to counter a potential aerial threat.

#WATCH | Pakistani drones intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer. Explosions can be heard, and flashes in the sky can be seen.(Editors note: Background conversation is of ANI reporters witnessing live interception of Pakistani drones by Indian Air Defence ) pic.twitter.com/Ca1vpmNtjV  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

Sources confirmed that Indian air defences intercepted Pakistani drones, with explosions heard and flashes visible in the sky.

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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 : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India

First Published: May 08, 2025, 20:36 IST
Pakistani Shelling Kills 13 Civilians In J&K Since Operation Sindoor, Hits Gurdwara

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 11:32 IST

Earlier in the morning, Pakistan again resorted to cross-border shelling in the Karnah area of J&K's Kupwara district for the second day in a row.

Indian security forces have stepped up their anti-terror operations in Valley following the Pahalgam attack | File Image/PTI

Nearly 36 hours after Indias military action on terror camps, the Pakistan Army continued shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in four sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting a befitting response by the Indian Army.

Earlier in the morning, Pakistan again resorted to cross-border shelling in the Karnah area of J&Ks Kupwara district for the second day in a row, after India launched Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

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Thursdays shelling was the 14th consecutive night of firing along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir amid heightened tension following the Pahalgam attack.m

The Pakistan Army on Wednesday carried out one of the most intense artillery and mortar shelling in years, targeting the forward villages in J&K against Operation Sindoor. The unprovoked firing using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC was carried out in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor sectors. However, the Indian Army responded proportionately.

13 People Killed In Pakistan Shelling

At least 13 people, including four children and a soldier, were killed and 59 injured as the Pakistan Army carried out one of the most intense artillery and mortar shelling in years targeting forward villages along the LoC in the last two days. Among the 13 persons killed in the Pakistani shelling was Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5-Field Regiment.

Following Islamabads shelling in border areas, hundreds of residents were moved to safer areas in view of the flare-up. The residents were forced to take refuge in underground bunkers or shift to safer places as the indiscriminate shelling by Pakistan destroyed houses, vehicles and various buildings, including a Gurdwara.

Targeting civilians, the Pakistani Army attacked Gingal village in Uri. As houses and vehicles have sustained extensive damage, villagers told CNN-News18 that they seek protection for children and women while expressing readiness to fight alongside the Indian Army.

Pakistan Shelling Hits Gurdwara

Three Sikh men also lost their lives when an artillery shell hit a Gurdwara and adjoining houses in Poonch town. Several political parties, along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, also condemned the attack.

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said, Strongly condemn the inhuman attack by Pakistani forces on the sacred Central Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Poonch, in which three innocent Gursikhs, including Bhai Amrik Singh Ji (a raagi Singh), Bhai Amarjeet Singh and Bhai Ranjit Singh lost their lives."

The shelling was reported from all along the LoC in Poonch, including Balakote, Mendhar, Mankote, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, Kerni and even Poonch district headquarters.

Educational Institutions In J&K To Remain Closed

In view of the escalating tension, the authorities have ordered that all educational institutions in the five border districts of the Jammu region will remain closed for the second day on Thursday.

Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said that all schools, colleges and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts will remain closed for the second day on Thursday in view of the prevailing situation. The administration in Jammu division has also set up 247 control rooms in all the 10 districts of the region.

India Strikes Pakistan

The Indian armed forces carried out missile attacks on nine terror targets  four in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)  early on Wednesday to avenge the April 22 terror attack in south Kashmirs Pahalgam that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday briefed his cabinet colleagues about Indias Pahalgam revenge and retaliatory strikes against terror camps in Pakistan and PoK under Operation Sindoor, calling it a moment of pride for all of us".

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(With agency inputs)

About the Author Mahima Joshi Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a... Read More Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a... Read More

Location : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India

First Published: May 08, 2025, 11:14 IST
Pakistan's Bid To Engage Military Targets In North, West India Foiled: Here Is A List Of The 15 Cities

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 16:32 IST

The defence ministry said the Indian armed forces neutralised the threat with the Integrated Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (Grid and Air Defence systems)

Security personnel with a sniffer dog patrol after Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and PoK under 'Operation Sindoor', in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, near Ghanta Ghar in Srinagar on May 7. (Image: PTI)

Pakistan attempted to engage 15 targets in northern and western India, including Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Bathinda, and Chandigarh  all of which are of strategic importance to the military in the region.

According to officials, the Pakistani military attempted to engage these targets on Wednesday night (May 7). The Indian armed forces foiled these attempts using drones and missiles, and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore, they said.

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Here is a list of the 15 cities:

Awantipura Srinagar Jammu Pathankot Amritsar Kapurthala Jalandhar Ludhiana Adampur Bathinda Chandigarh Nal Phalodi Uttarlai Bhuj

Follow Operation Sindoor LIVE Updates Here

The defence ministry said the threat was neutralised by the Integrated Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (Grid and Air Defence systems).

The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," the ministry said. Today morning Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan."

It added: It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised."

ALSO READ | 100 Terrorists Killed, Operation Sindoor Ongoing: Rajnath Singh At All-Party Meet

This comes as Pakistan increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control (LoC) using mortars and heavy calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing," the ministry said.

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It said India was compelled to respond to bring mortar and artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military," the ministry said.

(With PTI inputs)

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: May 08, 2025, 16:21 IST
President Approves Prosecution Of Lalu Yadav In Railways Land-For-Jobs Scam

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 19:37 IST

The land transfers were offered as bribes by the job seekers or their family members in return for railway employment

Former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav. (PTI file photo)

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday granted sanction to prosecute RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam in Indian Railways.

The alleged scam took place during Yadavs tenure as Union Railway Minister and involved accepting land from unemployed youths in exchange for government jobs.

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Officials said the Presidents approval was given as required under Section 197(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), now listed as Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

In its chargesheet filed last August, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had named 76-year-old former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, along with other family members.

Earlier, in January 2024, the ED had filed its first chargesheet in the case against Amit Katyal, an alleged associate of the Prasad family, along with Lalus wife and former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, MP daughter Misa Bharti, daughter Hema Yadav, and two companiesA K Infosystems Private Limited and A B Exports Pvt. Ltd.

A special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Delhi has taken cognisance of both prosecution complaints.

What Is Land-for-Jobs Scam?

The case stems from a CBI FIR which alleges that Lalu Prasad Yadav, as Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009 during the UPA government, was involved in corruption while appointing Group D substitute staff in Indian Railways.

According to the FIR, candidates or their families were allegedly asked to transfer land as a bribe in exchange for jobs. These land parcels were then registeredeither directly or indirectlyin the names of Lalu Yadavs family members.

The CBI has also filed three chargesheets in the matter.

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ALSO READ: As Lalu Yadav Lands in New Land-for-Job Scam Puddle, RJD Patriarchs Tryst With Fodder, Rail Graft Explained

(With inputs from PTI)

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

Location : Bihar, India, India

First Published: May 08, 2025, 19:13 IST
UP Police Arrest Two For Stabbing 8-Year-Old For Celebrating Operation Sindoor

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 15:54 IST

Within hours of the incident, members of Hindu Yuva Vahini and several local right-wing outfits reached the Mandi area and began protesting.

UP Police arrested the two - identified as Moheed Khan, the prime suspect, and his accomplice Wasim.

Pakistan Murdabad and Hindustan Zindabad  chanting these slogans to celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor turned deadly for an 8-year-old Shahjahanpur boy, who was allegedly stabbed by two youths in Shahjahanpurs Powayan area on Tuesday. On late Wednesday evening, UP Police arrested the two  identified as Moheed Khan, the prime suspect, and his accomplice Wasim  and registered a case under serious criminal charges.

The Arrests

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We have arrested the main accused Moheed Khan and his associate Wasim. A case has been registered under BNS sections 115(2) (attempt to commit an offence punishable with life imprisonment), 118(1) (abetment of an offence), 351(2) (attempt to cause grievous hurt using a dangerous weapon), and 109(1) (common intention)," Harpal Singh Balyan, Inspector Powayan Police Station, Shahjahanpur told News18. Both of them were arrested late Wednesday night and were sent to jail on Thursday.

Balyan said that further investigation has been launched to determine whether more individuals were involved in provoking or assisting the attack. Preliminary evidence includes eyewitness testimony and statements from the victims family.

The Incident

The incident occurred on May 7 in the Mandi Samiti area of Shahjahanpur, amid heightened patriotic fervour following Operation Sindoor, Indias strike targeting nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation came in response to the recent Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 Indian tourists were killed in a terror attack backed by Pakistan-based groups.

Celebrations erupted across India following the news of the airstrikes, with citizens lighting fireworks, distributing sweets, and chanting slogans like Pakistan Murdabad and Hindustan Zindabad. However, in Shahjahanpur, this public expression of patriotism turned tragic. According to eyewitnesses, Surjeet, an 8-year-old boy from Dharmaangadpur village, had joined the crowd at the Mandi Samiti market when he shouted slogans criticising Pakistan. Moheed Khan, who was sitting nearby with some acquaintances, objected strongly to the remarks.

The situation quickly escalated. Witnesses claim that Moheed confronted the boy, warning him against making derogatory remarks about another country. When Surjeet repeated the slogan defiantly, Moheed allegedly drew a knife and stabbed the boy in the arm, causing panic and chaos.

I was standing just a few feet away. The boy was simply echoing what everyone was saying. But Moheed got agitated and began arguing. It escalated so fast that we couldnt even react before the attack happened," said Ramesh Pandey, a local vendor.

The victim, bleeding and shocked, was rushed to a nearby clinic by bystanders. He is now reported to be in stable condition.

Protests by Hindu Organisations; Tension in Market Area

Within hours of the incident, members of Hindu Yuva Vahini and several local right-wing outfits reached the Mandi area and began protesting. Angry crowds blocked roads and demanded the arrest of all individuals involved, including a third person named Vakeel, believed to be associated with the accused duo.

The local administration deployed additional police forces to prevent any communal flare-ups. Section 144 was temporarily enforced in sensitive zones of Powayan and surrounding areas. Market activity came to a halt as traders shuttered their shops amid rising tension.

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Inspector Balyan and other police officials addressed the protesters, assuring them that strict action would be taken under the law. We are working on all angles. The law will take its course. We appeal to the public to maintain peace," he said.

The police have increased surveillance around Mandi Samiti, Katra Bazaar, and the residential areas of both the victim and accused. Social media platforms are being monitored closely to prevent the spread of communal rumours or incitement.

First Published: May 08, 2025, 15:54 IST
US Secretary Of State Marco Rubio Speaks To Jaishankar, Shehbaz Sharif After Desperate Pakistan Attacks India

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 00:37 IST

In both his phone calls, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed on the need for immediate de-escalation as tensions heighten between India and Pakistan

S Jaishankar and Marco Rubio (File photo)

US Secretary Of State Marco Rubio on Thursday spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In both his phone calls, he stressed on the need for immediate de-escalation as tensions heighten between the two countries.

This morning, Secretary Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and EAM Dr S Jaishankar. In both calls, the Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation and called for an end to the violence. He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications," said US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

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Pakistan launched a series of attacks on Indian cities using drones and missiles on Thursday night but the Indian defence system intercepted all of them mid-air. Pakistan also started unprovoked firing along the border, prompting a swift retaliation from Indian forces.

During the phone call, Jaishankar underlined Indias targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation," he said.

He appreciated the US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.

Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening.Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism. Underlined Indias targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation.    Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 8, 2025

Operation Sindoor LIVE Updates

The Secretary expressed the US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications. He also reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.

Earlier today, the Secretary also spoke with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and reiterated his calls for Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups.

A similar attack was attempted by Pakistan on the night of 07-08 May 2025 to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. However, the attacks were neutralised by Indias Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems.

In retaliation, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised, the Ministry of Defence said.

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Pakistan has also increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir after India struck nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and PoK.

Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Indian forces are responding to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt.

About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: May 08, 2025, 22:02 IST
'No Intention To Escalate Situation': Jaishankar Warns Pakistan Of Response If It Acts

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 14:38 IST

Responding on India's missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, Jaishankar asserted that New Delhi's intention was not to escalate the matter.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar (File image/Reuters)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday called Indias missile attacks precise and asserted that New Delhis intention is not to escalate the matter. However, he added that if Pakistan acts, India will not back down and will respond.

Jaishankar while holding a bilateral meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, Our response was targeted and measured. It is not our intention to escalate the situation. However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response."

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Operation Sindoor was against the terrorist attack that happened in Pahalgam. The attack on Pahalgam compelled us to respond on May 7 by striking at the cross-border terrorist infrastructure," he added.

100 Terrorists Killed In Operation Sindoor

The government on Thursday briefed the Opposition on the Operation Sindoor and informed that around 100 terrorists were eliminated in the precision strikes. Centre also made it clear that India will not back down if Pakistan opts for any misadventure.

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who chaired the meeting, said that the Operation Sindoor is ongoing" and therefore the details cannot be divulged as the situation is evolving.

In Operation Sindoor, precise strikes were carried out on nine terrorist hideouts. Around 100 terrorists were killed. Confirmed information is still awaited, and counting is ongoing," sources quoted the government as saying at the all-party meeting.

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: May 08, 2025, 13:57 IST
Will India Get UN Sanctions On Pakistans TRF? What Does It Mean? What Foreign Secretary Said

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 20:03 IST

Pakistans The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. LeT has already been sanctioned by the UN

Vikram Misri during the media briefing. (PTI)

In his media briefing on Operation Sindoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday spoke about the action India had and will seek against Pakistans The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) .

Operation Sindoor, through which India targeted seven terror sites in Pakistan on May 7, came in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, for which the TRF had claimed responsibility. In response to Indias airstrikes, Pakistan attempted to target 15 spots across India, but the bid was foiled as New Delhi shot down their drones and missiles. In response, the Indian Armed forces targeted Air Defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, including Lahore and Rawalpindi.

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Reminding that the escalation was first made by Pakistan in Pahalgam, Misri said, I wanted to point out your attention to the group calling itself The Resistance Front in these attacks. I pointed out yesterday that this a group that is a known front for the well-known Pakistan-based terrorist organisation, the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT)."

ALSO READ | India Shoots Down Barrage Of Pakistani Drones And Missiles, Destroys Lahore Air Defence System

The group has been reported earlier. I have mentioned earlier about the Indian authorities providing information on it to the United Nations 1267 sanctions monitoring committee. We are going to be meeting with the team very soon and will be providing an update to the information we have given," he said.

#operation_sindoor | I want to remind you about TRF . This group is a front group of LET . Group has been reported earlier indian authorities gave permission to 1267 committee: Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary#IndiaPakistanWar #IndiaPakistanWar #IndianArmy pic.twitter.com/MD8dE0H0s0  News18 (@CNNnews18) May 8, 2025

What is interesting is when the United States Security Council (UNSC) was talking about releasing a statement on the Pahalgam attack, imagine which country opposed the inclusion of the name of the TRF? Pakistan. This was after the fact that the TRF claimed responsibility for the attacks not once but twice, a few hours after the attack on April 22 and the morning of April 23. It was only after the gravity of the incident was realised by its masters and handlers across the border that it backed off from the claim. Obviously, the retraction doesnt convince anybody," said Misri.

WHAT IS THE UNSC 1267 SANCTIONS COMMITTEE MISRI SPOKE ABOUT?

The UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee, also known as the ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, is a UNSC body tasked with implementing sanctions against individuals, groups, and entities associated with ISIL and Al-Qaeda. It was initially established in 1999 to address the situation in Afghanistan and target the Taliban, but has evolved to include broader sanctions against terrorism.

The committees primary goal is to combat terrorism by implementing sanctions, including asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargoes, against individuals and entities associated with terrorism.

The committee is composed of all members of the UN Security Council, five permanent (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and ten rotating members, including India.

#OperationSindoor | Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on #IndiaPakistanTensions: Giving a terrorist a state funeral may be Pakistans practice  doesnt make much sense to us."He clears the air on Indias stance#IndiaPakistanWar #Pahalgam #KashmirTerrorAttack #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/Yxx41vErOB  News18 (@CNNnews18) May 8, 2025

SANCTIONS LIST

The committee maintains a list of individuals and entities subject to sanctions, known as the ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List. This list is regularly updated based on information provided by member states and international organizations. The committee operates under the principle of consensus, meaning that all member states must agree before any action is taken. The committee also considers requests for delisting from the sanctions list.

ALSO READ | Not Tourists, Attacked Indias Undercover Agents In Pahalgam: How TRF Tried To Mislead The World | Exclusive

The committee also has a monitoring team and an ombudsperson to help ensure the effective implementation of sanctions and to address concerns raised by member states.

WHAT DO THE SANCTIONS MEAN?

Assets freeze: All states are required to freeze without delay the funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities.

Travel ban: All states are required to prevent the entry into or transit through their territories by designated individuals

Arms embargo: All states are required to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals outside their territories, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, spare parts, and technical advice, assistance, or training related to military activities, to designated individuals and entities

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PROMINENT NAMES FROM PAKISTAN ON THE LIST

Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was listed on May 2, 2005 for being associated with Al-Qaida, Usama bin Laden or the Taliban

Jaish-e-Mohammed was listed on October 17, 2001.

About the Author Manjiri Joshi At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies ... Read More At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies ... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 19:44 IST
World Red Cross Day 2025: Theme, History, Key Facts And Principles Of Red Cross

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 07:10 IST

World Red Cross Day 2025: The day provides an opportunity to promote Red Crescent Movement's important humanitarian beliefs and activities.

World Red Cross Day 2025: The theme for this year is Keeping Humanity Alive'. (File Pic)

World Red Cross Day 2025: World Red Cross Day, also known as Red Crescent Day, is an annual event held on May 8 to honour the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant, a Swiss businessman and the founder of the Red Cross, the worlds largest humanitarian aid organisation. He founded the (ICRC) International Committee of the Red Cross and received the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.

The day provides an opportunity to promote the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movements important humanitarian beliefs and activities. These organisations are essential in providing aid and assistance to individuals affected by natural disasters, armed conflicts and other emergencies.

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World Red Cross Day 2025: Theme

The theme for this years World Red Cross Day is Keeping Humanity Alive, which aims to honour individuals who dedicate their time and often their lives to ease the suffering of others and safeguard their intrinsic human dignity. In a time of unprecedented crisis and loss, it serves as a tragic reminder of the everyday hazards that humanitarian workers face, as well as our collective responsibility to ensure that their life-saving work is fully respected and safeguarded.

World Red Cross Day 2025: History

The history of World Cross Day traces back to the aftermath of World War I when the Red Cross made enormous efforts to promote peace. The Red Cross Truce report, published at the 15th International Conference in Tokyo in 1934, outlined the principles required to safeguard wounded soldiers during the war.

The proposal was later implemented during World War II in 1946. In 1948, the Board of Governors of the League of Red Cross Societies suggested commemorating Henry Dunants birth anniversary as the founder of the Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Since then, World Red Cross Day has been observed annually on May 8.

World Red Cross Day 2025: Significance

World Red Cross Day is highly significant in the field of human rights. Its motto, Per Humanitatem ad Pacem, translates to With humanity, towards peace, and symbolises its message of fostering global peace.

The Red Cross plays an important role in conflict zones and disaster-affected areas and the day provides an opportunity to increase awareness of the organisations ideals, mission and actions. It highlights the significance of humanity, compassion and solidarity during times of crisis.

World Red Cross Day 2025: 7 Principles of Red Cross Society

Humanity: The primary goal is to safeguard life and health while also ensuring respect for all individuals. It encourages mutual understanding, friendliness, and cooperation among all people. Neutrality: The organisation does not take sides in armed conflicts or engage in political, racial, religious, or ideological controversies. Impartiality: It also does not discriminate based on nationality, colour, religious convictions, or political views. Independence: The movement must be free of political, economic, and other external forces to function independently and effectively. Unity: There can only be one Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in any given country. Voluntary Service: It is a voluntary relief movement that is not driven by personal gain. Universality: All members of the society have equal status and responsibilities.

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World Red Cross Day 2025: Key Facts

The movement is present in almost every country. It boasts a massive network of volunteers, totalling more than 16 million globally. The movement operates through 197,000 local branches, ensuring that help reaches even the most remote communities. The movement is involved in a variety of activities, such as disaster relief, blood services, health and care programs, first aid training, and refugee assistance. By observing World Red Cross Day, people can express their support for the Red Cross essential work in providing humanitarian aid and promoting humanitarian principles globally.

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First Published: May 08, 2025, 07:10 IST
Aamir Khan Wants To Play Lord Krishna In Mahabharat: 'I'm Inspired By Him'

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Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 12:08 IST

Aamir Khan discussed his dream project, Mahabharata, at a recent Summit.

Aamir Khan will be seen in Sitaare Zameen Par next.

Aamir Khan has often spoken about Mahabharata, his long-standing dream project. Every now and then, rumours about the film emerges, only to die down. The superstar recently spoke about the film adaption of the epic. At the India@2047 Summit hosted by ABP Live, he said that the project remains very close to his heart. Yeh mera sapna hai ke main bana paun Mahabharat, lekin bohot mushkil sapna hai woh (It is my dream to make the Mahabharat, but its a very difficult dream) see, Mahabharat will never let you down but you might let Mahabharat down," he said.

Earlier this month, he confirmed that the project will be a big franchise, with different directors working on various parts. When asked which character hed like to play, Aamir said, Actually mujhe Krishna ka kirdaar bahot hi prabhavit karta hai Im very inspired by him. So thats a character I really love (I find the character of Krishna deeply impactful. So thats a character I really love)." He added, Kyunki yeh bahot bada project hai, toh main kuch badi cheezein bolna nahi chah raha hoon (Since this is such a big project, I dont want to say anything major right now)."

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Speaking of the casting, Aamir Khan recently told The Hollywood Reporter that the team will pick actors based on who fits each role. Well see who we should cast based on whos appropriate for which part," he clarified. He also shared that he may not direct the film himself because its a big project and will need several films to tell the full story. I dont think you can tell the Mahabharat in one film, so it will be multiple films. I am looking at the large scale." Noting that it maybe a multi-director project, he added, Its too early to say, but we may need multiple directors."

About the Author Shreyanka Mazumdar Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring... Read More Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 07:57 IST
Ileana D'Cruz Never Wants Her Kids To Feel They 'Must Earn' Her Love: 'It's Worst Feeling'

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Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 03:12 IST

The actor, who confirmed her second pregnancy earlier this year in February, took to Instagram Stories to respond to a fans comment on her earlier post about love and parenting.

Ileana D'cruz with her husband Michael Dolan and son Phoenix.

Actor Ileana DCruz has shared a heartfelt note on parenting, expressing how she wants to raise her children with unconditional love. The actor, who confirmed her second pregnancy earlier this year in February, took to Instagram Stories to respond to a fans comment on her earlier post about love and parenting.

In the fans message, they wrote, People, and especially kids, should be taught that being cruel, wicked, unkind or selfish are not lovable traits and you will not be loved and also should not reward love to those. Love has to be earned just like respect and happiness. And its not wrong to chase love We just have to teach kids not to chase people for their response to our positive qualities but merely to nurture them so that people will turn to us on their own."

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Sharing the screenshot, Ileana responded with a deeply personal message: I will never want my children to feel that they need to earn my love. That is by far the worst feeling I have ever experienced. Feeling not good enough. I want to raise happy, healthy, kind children (I am sure all parents do) and I will do my best to ensure to know how loved they are. These are, of course, my views and opinions. You do you."

Ileana and her husband Michael tied the knot in a private ceremony in 2023. She first surprised her fans in April last year by announcing her pregnancy with a picture of a baby onesie and the caption, Coming soon. Cant wait to meet you, my little darling." The couple welcomed their son in August, with Ileana sharing the news: No words could explain how happy we are to welcome our darling boy to the world. Hearts beyond full."

On the professional front, Ileana was last seen in the romantic comedy Do Aur Do Pyaar, directed by Shirsha Guha Thakurta. The film also featured Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, and Sendhil Ramamurthy.

About the Author Shrishti Negi Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More

First Published: May 09, 2025, 03:12 IST
Kim Soo-Hyun Had Sex With Kim Sae-Ron When She Was 14? New Audio Recording Out

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News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 13:47 IST

Kim Soo Hyun has been accused of dating the late actress Kim Sae Ron when she was just a minor.

Kim Soo Hyun also recently held a press conference and addressed allegations. (Photos: X)

Looks like the controversy surrounding Kim Soo-Hyuns past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-Ron is not going to die down anytime soon. Garo Sero Institute has now released a new audio in which Kim Sae-Ron is allegedly admitting to having sex with Kim Soo Hyun when she was in class 8.

On Wednesday, the legal representative of the bereaved family of the late Kim Sae-Ron and Kim Se Ui of Garo Sero Institute held a press conference in Seoul in which they made the shocking audio recording public. In the audio, Kim Sae-Ron can he heard talking about his relationship with Kim Sae-Ron, as he also admitted to having a physical relationship with her.

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Kim Sae-Ron Talks About Sex With Kim Soo-Hyun In New Audio

Kim Sae Ron: The first time we did it was when I was in 8th grade, during the winter vacation.

Acquaintance: Wow, 8th grade?

Kim Sae Ron: Even then F***, thinking about it now, should I say that I was being taken advantage of?

Acquaintance: F***, of course you were being taken advantage ofIm seriously going to kill him, that f***er.

Kim Sae Ron: There arent many people that know that we dated when I was in middle school, but they all had the same reaction. They saw me as the crazy one, asked why I was letting him get away with it.

What Is The Entire Kim Soo-Hyun And Kim Sae-Ron Controversy?

Kim Soo Hyun has been accused of dating the late actress Kim Sae Ron when she was just a minor. So far, the latters family has made several allegations against Soo Hyun. However, Kim Soo Hyun recently held a press conference and addressed allegations. He said, Ill address the biggest concernI did not date the deceased when she was a minor. We dated five years ago for about a year, long before Queen of Tears aired."

The actor also explained why he denied dating Sae Ron earlier, saying, As the lead actor of Queen of Tears, I couldnt confirm the relationship publicly because of its potential impact on the cast and crew." Kim also denied accusations that his agency pressured Sae Ron over her debts, saying, Aside from the fact that we were both actors, we were simply an ordinary couple who broke up over time."

Amid the ongoing controversy, Kim Soo Hyuns career has gone for a toss. His projects have been halted and brand deals have also been cancelled.

About the Author Chirag Sehgal Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More

Location : Seoul, South Korea

First Published: May 08, 2025, 13:45 IST
Kim Soo Hyuns Fans Send Support Trucks Amid Tensions In Kim Sae Ron's Case

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 11:59 IST

Several trucks were sent to the press conference venue as a show of support for Kim Soo Hyun.

Kim Sae Ron's family has filed a legal case against Kim Soo Hyun. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Despite the swirling allegations and rumours regarding Kim Soo Hyuns past relationship with late actress Kim Sae Ron, the actor continues to receive huge support from his fans, who appear to be convinced of his innocence. While it has been over a month since the controversy erupted about Kim Soo Hyun dating Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor, a fresh set of shocking allegations has now surrounded the actor. Kim Sae Rons family has also taken legal action against him.

On May 7, Kim Sae Rons family held a press conference about the Queen of Tears actor, where many of the actors fans sent support trucks for him. Pictures going viral on social media show heartfelt messages from the fans for Soo Hyun, with some reading, We will be together with actor Kim Soo Hyun," and Lets be together for a long time as fan and actor." The trucks also bore messages showing support for the actors now-paused Disney show, Knock Off, and demands to prove his innocence.

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Four support trucks covering the press conference venue entrance The efforts of the past 18 years will not be in vain. We will wait for you," another message read. View this post on Instagram A post shared by KimSoohyunShiPhilippines  FC (@kimsoohyunshiph)

This is not the first time that the actors fans have expressed their support in such an extensive manner. Earlier, several LED trucks with messages like Truth will prevail" were spotted in Seoul, with some even parked outside Disney Koreas office. The movement was reportedly carried out by his Chinese fans, who took to the streets to show solidarity with the actor.

Legal Case Against Kim Soo Hyun

In the press conference, the family of Kim Sae Ron announced filing a legal complaint against Kim Soo Hyun, with allegations of violating South Koreas Child Welfare Act and false accusations. The familys lawyer, Bu Ji-seok, alleged that the actor was involved in an inappropriate relationship with Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor, further claiming that the family possesses evidence. He also added that a key informant has been receiving threats and a violent attack after allegedly refusing to suppress the evidence.

On the contrary, Kim Soo Hyuns agency, Gold Medalist, in a statement, has denied all the claims, instead adding that the evidence is completely fabricated and created with AI-type technology. On claims of threatening and assaulting the informant, the agency rejected it, calling it baseless" and unreasonable."

About the Author Shrishti Negi Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 11:59 IST
Rupali Ganguly BASHES Fawad Khan, SLAMS His Comments On Operation Sindoor

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Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 15:58 IST

Fawad Khan took to his X handle and sparked a wave of online backlash after he condemned Indias Operation Sindoor, calling it a shameful attack".

Rupali Ganguly condemns Fawad Khan's words on Operation Sindoor.

Rupali Ganguly has lashed out at Pakistani actor Fawad Khan over his comments on the Indian armys Operation Sindoor. Recently, the Anupamaa actress took to her X (formerly Twitter) handle and shared a news snippet of Fawads comments on Indias strikes against terrorists in PoK.

While Fawad called the strikes on terrorism shameful, Rupali also reacted to it and wrote, You working in Indian films was also shameful for us." Check out her post here:

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What Did Fawad Khan Say About Operation Sindoor?

On Wednesday, Fawad Khan took to his X handle and sparked a wave of online backlash after he condemned Indias Operation Sindoor, calling it a shameful attack".

My deepest condolences to the families of those injured and killed in this shameful attack. I pray for the souls of the deceased and strength for their loved ones in the days to come," he wrote and then added, A respectful request to all: stop stoking the flames with rabble-rousing words. It is not worth the lives of innocent people. May better sense prevail. InshaAllah. Pakistan Zindabad!"

AWICE Condemns Fawad Khans Comments

Later, the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) also strongly condemned Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan for their anti-India statements.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), AICWA lashed out at the actors, stating, The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) strongly condemns the anti-India statements made by Pakistani actress Mahira Khan and actor Fawad Khan, who have openly criticised India and questioned the nations actions in defence of its sovereignty. Mahira Khan labelled Indias military response as a Seriously Cowardly act, while Fawad Khan, instead of condemning terrorism, focused on criticising Indias stance and supporting divisive narratives."

The association said the comments were not just disrespectful, but a direct insult to the sacrifices of Indian soldiers and innocent lives lost to terrorism. These statements are not just disrespectful to our nation but also an insult to the countless innocent lives lost due to terrorism and the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our country. AICWA reaffirms its strict and complete ban on Pakistani artists, filmmakers, and financiers working in India. No Indian artist will collaborate with any Pakistani talent, nor will any global platform be shared with them," the statement added.

About the Author Chirag Sehgal Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 15:58 IST
The event provided a platform for students to express their passion for the Chinese language and share their dreams of visiting China.

VALLETTA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Six students from the University of Malta showcased their Chinese language skills and talents on Wednesday during the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students.

The event, held at the university and organized by the Confucius Institute, provided a platform for students to express their passion for the Chinese language and share their dreams of visiting China.

Following their speeches delivered in Chinese, participants demonstrated talents, such as singing Chinese songs, playing Chinese music with piano or flute, performing shadow puppetry or reading a Chinese poem. The performances captivated the audience, who responded with enthusiastic applause.

Marie Claire Aquilina won the first prize in the competition and will travel to China to represent the University of Malta in the global finals. Aquilina is currently pursuing a master's degree in translation and hopes to one day work as a translator between Chinese and Maltese, or become a Chinese language teacher.

Second-place winner Matilde Ferrario would also have the opportunity to visit China. "Knowing Chinese will help me a lot with my future job hunting," said Ferrario, who hopes to pursue a career in tourism.

Dennis Mizzi, foreign director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Malta, expressed hope that more students would take up the study of Chinese.
Sitara Ghattamaneni Is A Fashion Diva In Making And These Pictures Are Proof

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 18:13 IST

The young star kid was seen in a stunning ivory outfit from the collection of designer Varun Chakkilam.

Sitara featured on Times Square last year. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Sitara Ghattamaneni, the daughter of Mahesh Babu and Namrata Shirodkar, has proven herself to be a fashionista at a young age. Be it festivals or photoshoots, Sitara has shown her distinctive sense of style time and again. Recently, she shared pictures from her latest shoot in a gorgeous ivory lehenga.

The young star kid wore a stunning ivory outfit from the collection of designer Varun Chakkilam and jewellery from the shelves of PMJ Jewels. The outfit featured an intricate floral embroidered skirt, a structured blouse, and a dupatta. The accessories, on the other hand, were set with green stones and pearls to give a contrast.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by sitara (@sitaraghattamaneni)

Earlier this year, Sitara wore a colourful ethnic outfit on Makar Sankranti. Her OOTD featured a brilliant pink lehenga from Makuta Designer Studios collection. The pink cropped blouse was embellished with elaborate embroidery, and the flared lehenga in the same hue featured pleated accents that added movement and grace. Sitara wore a matching dupatta over her shoulder, adding to the traditional look.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by sitara (@sitaraghattamaneni)

Sitara Ghattamaneni has a large social media following and reportedly plans to follow in her fathers footsteps as an actor. She shares a very close relationship with her father, and last year in an interview opened up about the same.

She told iDream Media, Half the time I bunk school is because of my dad. On days he doesnt have workI dont know how he does it; he persuades my mother (Namrata Shirodkar) to let me not go to school. Its great and lovely, we have fun together. I watch all his films in theatres, I recently watched Murari when it was re-released. Honestly, everyone thinks of my dad as a hero. I feel that way when I watch his films. But at home, hes just my dad."

Sitara was reportedly the first Indian starkid to be displayed in New Yorks Times Square, after she endorsed a jewellery brand based in Hyderabad. She rose to prominence for her performance in the song Penny from Mahesh Babus 2022 film Sarkaru Vaari Paata, as well as for lending her voice to the character of Baby Elsa in the Telugu-dubbed version of Disneys Frozen 2.

First Published: May 08, 2025, 18:13 IST
'Stay Strong Jammu', Writes Kangana Ranaut As Indian Air Defence Neutralises Pakistan Drones

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Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 01:01 IST

The attacks came just a day after India carried out precision strikes on terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.

Kangana praises Indias air defence amid Pakistani drone attack on Jammu.

Kangana Ranaut took to social media to express strong support for the Indian Armed Forces and the countrys advanced air defence system following a series of drone and missile attacks on Jammu. The aerial attacks, launched by Pakistan, targeted over a dozen locations including the Jammu civil airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia and military stations in the region on Thursday evening.

The attacks came just a day after India carried out precision strikes on terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor. However, all incoming threats were intercepted by Indias S-400 air defence system, preventing any damage or casualties.

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Reacting to the incident, Kangana wrote on her Instagram Stories, Jammu on target! Indian Air Defence neutralises Pakistan drone in #Jammu. Stay strong #Jammu."

She further praised the defence system by saying, Our Sudarshan Chakra  the S-400 Air Defence System  demolished the Pakistani air attack! Among the worlds most powerful defence technologies, the S-400 deal was signed by PM Narendra Modis govt with Russia in 2018. #OperationSindoor."

According to a statement by the Integrated Defence Staff, Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by Indian Armed Forces as per SoP with kinetic and non-kinetic means."

Earlier in the day, Kangana had also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership and Operation Sindoor. In a quote to news agency ANI, she said, Country is in a war and we are all nervous. Our security forces protect us, may God protect themPM Modi named this operation as Operation Sindoor. At the sight of our mothers and daughters, their husbands were gunned downthose deaths are being avenged."

She concluded with a message for the Armed Forces: Jo humari Raksha kare hain, Ishwar unki raksha kare. Wishing our forces safety and success. #OperationSindoor."

About the Author Shrishti Negi Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More

First Published: May 09, 2025, 01:01 IST
Tinaa Dattaa Hits Back At Trolls Over Pakistan Post: 'Unfollow Me, I Dont Care'

Curated By :

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Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 15:58 IST

Television actress Tinaa Dattaa took a bold stand on Instagram after facing backlash over her post critiquing Pakistans military rhetoric.

Tinaa Dattaa shuts down trolls after her Instagram post on Pakistans military sparked backlash.

Television actress Tinaa Dattaa, known for her roles in popular shows like Uttaran, sparked intense debate on social media this week after sharing a strongly-worded Instagram Story in response to Pakistans claims about shooting down Indian fighter jets. Her post read, Pakistan claiming that they shot down Indian jets to let the world know about their military/air force strength. Wish they said the same about shooting down terror camps in their province. That would command more respect for them on a global level." The message was a pointed take on the neighbouring countrys perceived priorities and drew a flurry of reactions from both supporters and detractors.

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Following the post, Tinaa began receiving backlash from several Instagram users, many of whom threatened to unfollow her. One such user sent her a message saying, Unfollowing you to be andhbhakt urine drunk people (sic)," to which the actress responded without mincing words. And there are people who only spread hatred. Why be in Bharat if youve so much problem with this country?" she replied, making her stance very clear. Her response set the tone for what followedan unapologetic stream of stories standing firm in her beliefs.

As more messages poured in criticizing her post, Tinaa chose to address the unfollow threats directly. In another Instagram story, she wrote, All those threatening to unfollow me and making announcements to do so, you should be gone by now And I simply dont care. Nothing will change my stand on what our country India and our PM is doing, and that is taking on terror and dealing with it the way it should be dealt with for your own safety and ours and our country. Please unfollow, I encourage that. I dont know you, dont wanna know you and dont need you go get a workout, sleep, but just go Bharat Power. Jai Hind."

Tinaas strong reaction came amid heightened national sentiment following Operation Sindoor, a major offensive by the Indian Armed Forces targeting terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The operation was launched in retaliation to the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians lost their lives. As the news unfolded, many television celebrities including Hina Khan, Karan Tacker, Abhishek Kumar, Avika Gor, and Shubhangi Atre took to social media to applaud the government and the armed forces for their swift and decisive response. Tinaa, however, has been among the few to engage so directly and vocally with online critics.

About the Author Yatamanyu Narain Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he's breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, hes always on the hun... Read More Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he's breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, hes always on the hun... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 15:58 IST
Opinion | Even After Operation Sindoor, Gilgit-Baltistan Will Be Crucial To The Bigger Picture

Written By : &

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 19:50 IST

The reclamation of Gilgit-Baltistan will be a strategic and economic watershed moment for Bharat

The pressure on Gilgit-Baltistan is the most crippling for Pakistan. (X File)

Operation Sindoor has electrified the nation, sorrowing and grieving after the dastardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April. The nations resolve has been made a reality by the Modi government in the form of decisive action against the perpetrators of terror and their supporters with attacks on Bahawalpur, Muridke and Muzaffarabad among others. Twenty-four hours later, it is now amplified into a systematic attack on the air defence systems in the largest and most strategically vital cities of PakistanLahore, Karachi, Sialkot, Peshawar, Astore, and even Rawalpindi. The defence minister has more than delivered what he promised, in that the people of India got what they wanted. They will probably get even more.

Exceeding mere revenge or revanchism, however, public sentiment has transcended emotionality, and is seeking a long-term solution to the blight known as Pakistan, and settle forever the unresolved issues of partition. How our country and its armed forces achieve this goal, in what timeframe, and by employing which means is not the subject of this piece. In fact, this would be a futile exercise in a war situation where events are changing by the hour. Instead, we attempt to understand why the return of Gilgit-Baltistan to Bharat is of paramount importance.

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Before advancing further, it is important to understand what Pakistan is and why it exists. These questions are strongly interrelated. In essence, Pakistan is a geography for hire under an extractive elite, eager to find a larger power to which it may sell its geography. Pakistan, in essence, is the Sindhi and Baloch coastline on one end, the gates to Central Asia on the other (via Khyber Pakhtunkhwa onto Tajikistan and Afghanistan), with a Muhajir-Punjabi elite enriching themselves off the connection between these two ends and the intervening land. This elite called upon the British, the Americans, the Gulf States, and then finally the Chinese to successively rent out Pakistans geography, which connects the western Indian Ocean to the Central Asian heartland and beyond, and incidentally fund their debauchery in upscale neighbourhoods in Islamabad and Lahore.

The government is the Pakistani State but the power lies with the army. Pakistans bloated and ruthless army is the obvious conduit for this business of geographic renting and feudal landlordism because controlling (and immiserating) disparate ethnicities with their own sense of history, and preventing a population reduced to serfdom from demanding economic betterment, requires extensive use of force. The bogeyman of India, or the rabble-rousing calls of Ghazwa-i-Hind, were convenient distractions to paper over the severe internal contradictions existing within Pakistan.

The above scheme was not an accident, or a case of convoluted historical evolution, but of conscious design. Pakistans history can be reduced to transactions between roughly 70 families, many of who were zamindars wary of pre-independence socialists who intended to place land ceilings and found a convenient way of retaining holdings by demanding a separate State altogether, control all institutions (including the military and judiciary) within and beyond the Pakistani State.

This elite inspired great confidence in the British, such that they could set up a suitable entity providing sufficient leverage in the region. Thus, Cyril Radcliffe carved out a geographical oddity which connected the heartland with the rimland, and could be intermeshed with the British coastal colonies such as Aden and Singapore, perched upon global sea lanes of communication. Unsurprisingly, Karachi port remained directly in British hands till 1979, and indirectly thereafter.

While the plan was in motion by 1947, one major complication remained. Even though the Pakistani coast was secured, Jammu & Kashmir held out from joining Pakistan. The reason was obviousJammu, Kashmir, Gilgit, Kargil-Baltistan, and Ladakh are separate geographies, separate peoples, and have separate religious beliefs. However, this rendered the creation known as Pakistan with severely limited utility, since access to Central Asia remained cut off. Central Asia, at the time, was the setting for a second round of the Great Game, where Soviet writ held sway.

A physical land border of the sympathetic Soviets with a socialist India might have spelled disaster for the West at large, since they were already seeing that Soviet assistance to communist forces in the then-raging Chinese Civil War was turning the tide in favour of the reds. A strong India could frustrate Western planning of keeping the country under soft colonisation, and Indias location could sever the West from access to Asia by sea altogether. Further, parts of Gilgit-Baltistan showed evidence that uranium may be lying therea critical material for nuclear weapons, of which Britain did not have any natural reserves. These factors made Jammu and Kashmir, especially Gilgit-Baltistan, indispensable to British plans in the 1940s.

Thus, one of the worst cases of post-colonial treachery was executed in 1947. At the time, the Indian and Pakistani armies were still manned by British officers. Large parts of todays Gilgit, at the time, were under British administration, under a structure known as the Gilgit Agency, whereby the British Empire had forced the Maharajas to hand over large tracts which abutted Central Asia and Afghanistan. Major William Brown, a British officer, was manning a unit of the Maharajas troops in the Gilgit Agency known as the Gilgit Scouts.

In October 1947, Major Brown mutinied unopposed against his own army, took over Gilgit, linked up with Pakistani marauders who had begun a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Hindus, and held a sham referendum where the people of Gilgit supposedly demanded accession to Pakistan. His mutiny was rewarded by the British government with an award of the Order of the British Empire (an award of great esteem) in 1948, and his continued stay in Pakistan till 1959. As is obvious, the British had arranged for the whole affair, and had successfully secured a valuable crossroads in the form of Gilgit-Baltistan between India, Central Asia, and the Indian Ocean via Karachi. Unsurprisingly, Chinese interests are concentrated in Gilgit-Baltistan as well.

The erasure of the stain of the continued occupation on what is legally Indian land naturally evokes much pain in us. Even if we choose to stick to the outcome of the foolish decision to take the invasion to the UN, the legal sleight of hand played by Pakistan in making the world, even Indians, forget that the very first operative condition of the UN resolution on the matter is a complete and unconditional Pakistani withdrawal is a great diplomatic failure on our part. How much of this inability was due to foreign powers exerting pressure remains unknown. From Baltistan to Chitral, and from Poonch to Shaksgam, an incontrovertible legal claim was relegated to just ink on paper, with even reclamations made during the 1971 war abandoned when foreign powers access to Central Asia via Gilgit-Baltistan was threatened.

However, much water has flown under the bridge since. The withdrawal of the USA from Afghanistan marks a watershed moment, where faraway powers are downsizing their presence in the heartland, and concentrating on the rimland instead. India has shed its socialistic infatuations, and has become a power to reckon with. With India willing to trade freely, and even offer limited military access through landmark agreements like the LEMOA with the USA, the logic with which Pakistan was established has ceased to exist. The fact of the matter is that the business model underpinning Pakistan finds no takers today, and has become obsolete.

A scramble for Pakistan is well underway between global powers, USA, China, India and Russia, and maybe even settled amongst them. Large tracts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have fallen to the Afghans and their proxies, while Balochistans independence movement cannot be ignored anymore. Sindh too has some interesting murmurs. Occupied Jammu & Kashmir and occupied Ladakh (containing Gilgit-Baltistan) are already gravely restive. Global powers find it in their interest to see an independent Balochistan which can be dealt with directly, or an independent Sindh which exists as a Belgium-like buffer entity for the rest of the world to trade through.

The rump of Pakistani Punjab, which dominates Pakistans affairs, is a severe inconvenience for all involved. It makes much more sense for global powers to cooperate with India, and with individual provinces of interest, instead of the artificial creation known as Pakistan. It is thus not surprising that Chinese help has become severely limited, with talks of taller than the Himalayas and sweeter than honey replaced with increasingly harsh loan conditions and anger on destroyed military equipment tanking the marketability of Chinese equipment worldwide. The USA has all but become hostile too, with a supposed endorsement of secessionist movements.

It is portentous that Russia maintains a distance, perhaps anticipating access to warm water ports via a Bharat that has reclaimed Gilgit-Baltistan. The Gulf, eager to distance itself from radical Islam and to embrace trade, finds much to gain if Pakistan were to cease to exist in its present form. Pakistan was born to serve the interests of others; now, there is no one interested in the entitys continued existence.

Hence, the timing of events in which we find ourselves presents a historical opportunity to begin the process of finally resolving the tragedies and unresolved questions of the partition. The time for action is thus nigh upon us. Military action and legal or civilisational claims aside, the end of the story should rightfully be from where it began, i.e., Gilgit-Baltistan. While sabre-rattling plays out across occupied territory, the pressure on Gilgit-Baltistan is the most crippling for Pakistan.

The return of Gilgit-Baltistan will cause a massive shift in the strategic thinking, reach, and power projection of Bharat. Bharat will, after almost a gap of a century, become a key player in Central Asia, and offer itself as a much-needed strategic alternative to China in the region. This will also enable Central Asia as well as Russia to find access to the Indian Ocean, and for India to get access to the Arctic. Gilgit-Baltistan will extend Bharats strategic presence to hitherto untouched areas, and trigger a strong rethink amongst Russia and China to imagine a truly Eurasian future, where none can afford to ignore Bharat.

Gilgit-Baltistans economic potential could also lead to new avenues of economic growth. It has historically been an entrepot between Afghanistan, China, Bharat, the Russian far East, and Tibet; a reactivation of the regions silk-trade era prowess will rearrange domestic and global supply chains. This region is also crucial to Bharat to secure critical minerals and energy from Central Asia and Russia, apart from reactivating and rejoining silk-road era trade routes. With Sagarmala along the coasts, a Girimala along the Himalayas with Gilgit-Baltistan as its fulcrum holds potential to supercharge Indian economic growth and supply chain power. This will make Bharat the primus inter pares in a transcontinental trading bloc, which will inevitably also lead to the export of Bharatiya trade and digital public infrastructure.

The reclamation of Gilgit-Baltistan will be a strategic and economic watershed moment for Bharat, and coupled with the strong legal basis for the same, the region remains the prime contender for its ghar waapasi. However, the civilizational confidence such a move will instill in India, and the demoralisation it will inflict on the Ghazwa-i-Hind extremists, will lead to a resolution of many problems in the subcontinent and the country. Unsurprisingly, while missiles rained over Pakistani military installations, a hue and cry emerged from rioters in Darbhanga, peddlers of fake news eager to demoralise the nation presiding over newspapers and TV studios, and so-called pacifists in upmarket neighbourhoods across the countryLutyens, South Mumbai, Park Street and Cathedral Road.

The problem of Pakistan is only a facet of a broader issue of the coalition which wishes to destroy Bharat and Bharatiyata, and is often labelled the Mullah-Missionary-Marxist axis. The fall of Pakistan will, thus, pulverise enemies within and without, and lead to an all-out efflorescence in Bharat. The Bharatiya civilisational revival will stand vindicated and reinvigorated with the recovery of some of its Bhumi, and while Westphalian norms will receive a final burial, the march towards a truly Bharatiya system of governance will start taking concrete shape. Meanwhile, other regions and peoples may see reason and engage with Bharat. In such a context, Gilgit-Baltistans unique history and potential accord it a special long-term significance.

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Events over the past few days indicate that the return of Gilgit-Baltistan to Bharat may be sooner than what any of us might have imagined; from thinking in terms of years, it may be more realistic to think in terms of months or even weeks, that too without our armed forces firing too many shots. In geopolitical matters, actual events are governed by the dynamics of circumstance rather than the statics of diplomatic exchanges. Many a great country has come and gone throughout history; Pakistan, being just a clumsy arrangement to continue a neocolonial project, may not even warrant a footnote in the years to come.

Gautam Desiraju is in the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and UPES Dehradun. Deekhit Bhattacharya is an Advocate based in New Delhi. Views are personal to the authors. The views expressed in this article are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of News18.

First Published: May 08, 2025, 19:49 IST
OPINION | While India Lauds Op Sindoor, The Deafening Silence Of Valley Leaders Echoes Loud

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 09:53 IST

Leaders like Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah, Sajad Lone, Altaf Bukhari, Ruhullah Mehdi, Waheed Para  chose not to issue a single word in support of the operation.

PDP's Mehbooba Mufti and J&K CM Omar Abdullah | File Image.PTI

In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor  Indias meticulously executed strike on terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir  the nation has responded with rare political unity. From the ruling benches in New Delhi to opposition leaders across national capital and states, commendations poured in, affirming a collective will to stand behind the armed forces and against the infrastructure of cross-border terror.

But within this resounding national affirmation lies an equally powerful silence  one that is neither neutral nor accidental. The conspicuous non-response of Kashmirs mainstream political leadership has emerged as a defining, if not unsettling, feature of the post-operation landscape.

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The operation itself was distinguished not by its scale alone, but by its surgical precision. It targeted launch pads and camps linked to internationally proscribed groups  Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen  without civilian or military casualties. It was, by all strategic accounts, an act of restraint with clarity of purpose.

Indias top leaders responded accordingly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the move. Home Minister Amit Shah declared, Bharat remains firmly committed to eradicating terrorism from its roots." Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge extended his partys categorical support" to any decisive action against cross-border terror, while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, NCPs Supriya Sule, and RJDs Tejashwi Yadav all issued heartfelt, unambiguous statements saluting the forces and mourning the victims of the Pahalgam attack.

This united response was not a matter of political calculation  it was a moral consensus. A signal that, for once, partisanship bowed before principle.

And yet, in the Valley, the silence of its political elite was louder than any speech. Leaders who have for decades claimed to represent the pain and pulse of Kashmir  Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah, Sajad Lone, Altaf Bukhari, Ruhullah Mehdi, Waheed Para  chose not to issue a single word in support of the operation, or to congratulate the forces for this precise operation.

The dissonance is sharp. Across India, parties and people alike embraced a shared national grief and applauded a response that was careful, legal, and necessary. Yet, Kashmirs political establishment  who never miss an opportunity to critique the Centre for perceived overreach  found no words when the country acted in measured self-defence.

Observers say this silence reveals a deeper crisis: a leadership unwilling to recalibrate its moral compass in a post-370 Kashmir. As the Valleys people move towards integration, education, enterprise, and electoral participation, the political class remains tethered to a vocabulary of ambiguity that no longer resonates with the aspirations of the new generation.

What remains now is a question  pointed, uncomfortable, and enduring: When terror returned to the Valleys soil, when India responded not with vengeance but with vision, why did its oldest political voices choose retreat over response?

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In the annals of Kashmirs turbulent political history, this silence, too, shall be recorded  not as restraint, but as retreat from responsibility.

Mudasir Dar is a social and peace activist based in South Kashmir. He received a Rashtrapati Award and has contributed to many local and national publications on a diverse range of topics, including national security, politics, governance, peace, and conflict. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

Location : Srinagar, India, India

First Published: May 08, 2025, 09:53 IST
Rahul Gandhi, Owaisi Extend Support To Govt Over Operation Sindoor After All-Party Meet

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 13:06 IST

The government held an all-party meeting regarding Operation Sindoor carried out by India to avenge the terrorist attack on civilians in Pahalgam.

Govt holds all-party meeting over Operation Sindoor (CNN-News18)

The government held an all-party meeting in the national capital on Thursday to brief the Opposition about Operation Sindoor, carried out by the Indian armed forces to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack.

This comes a day after the military strikes decimated several terror camps in Pakistans Punjab and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

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Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge raised questions over the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the meeting that was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, sources said.

The Prime Minister had also skipped the previous all-party meeting to brief on the situation after the Pahalgam terror attack. The Opposition had then demanded the presence of PM Modi.

PM Modi today chaired a key security meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan at around the same time as the all-party meeting.

Opposition Extends Support To Govt

Speaking to the reporters after the meeting, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the Opposition stands with the government in this hour of crisis.

In this hour of crisis, we are with the government, and we dont want to create any controversy," he said.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi complimented the government and the armed forces for Operation Sindoor and suggested that the government should seek the US to designate The Resistance Front as a terrorist organisation.

I have complimented our armed forces and the government for Operation Sindoor. I also suggested that we should run a global campaign against the Resistance Front (TRF). I also suggested that the government should request the USA to designate it (TRF) as a terrorist organisation. We should also make efforts to grey-list Pakistan in FATF," he said.

#WATCH | Delhi | After the all-party meeting, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi says, I have complimented our armed forces and the government for #OperationSindoor. I also suggested that we should run a global campaign against the Resistance Front (TRF). I also suggested that the pic.twitter.com/cPca9t6IHA ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

Who All Attended All-Party Meeting?

From the governments side, Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, BJP chief and Health Minister JP Nadda, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman among other ministers.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were also present in the key meeting.

Other Opposition leaders who participated in the meet included AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, NCP SP MP Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav, TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, DMK MP TR Baalu, RJD MP Prem Gupta, YSRCP MP YV Subba Reddy, BJD MP Sasmit Patra, CPIM MP John Brittas, and AAP MP Sanjay Singh.

What Did The Govt Say?

Rajnath Singh briefed the Opposition about the developments taking place in the last 36 hours.

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Ahead of the meeting, Rijiju said that it is the responsibility of the government to brief all parties in the country about the big action" taken by the country against terrorism.

Our country has taken a big action. We have called for an all-party meeting over Operation Sindoor, which was conducted by our armed forces. We must brief all the parties about the situation, as it is the responsibility of the government, and the PM has directed us to do so. The entire country is with the armed forces. We all must stand united," he said.

About the Author Ashesh Mallick Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes... Read More

First Published: May 08, 2025, 12:25 IST
20-Year-Old Woman Injured In Assault Linked to Bumping Men Trend

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 19:18 IST

A woman based in London revealed via a TikTok video she had been targeted by a Japanese incel who bumped into her intentionally.

'Bumping men' is a misogynistic Japanese trend targeting women. (Photo Credits: Freepik)

A 20-year-old woman was left with cuts and bruises after being body slammed to the ground by a huge" man in London. Ayla Mellek claims the assault was part of a disturbing trend known in Japan as butsukari otoko", or bumping men."

Mellek was with a friend on Sunday, May 4, when a tall man ran at her full speed and deliberately knocked her down. Despite her attempt to move aside, the man charged straight into her. The impact, she said, knocked the air out of [her] lungs" and left her with bruises, cuts, and whiplash.

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After he collided with me, I heard a grunt of satisfaction come from him," Mellek told Metro.

Mellek later posted about the attack in a TikTok video, identifying the incident as part of the misogynistic Japanese trend where men deliberately bump into women to assert power. The behaviour has reportedly gained traction among online incel communities.

Bear in mind, he is huge and around 6 ft 4 tall. As he came towards me, I turned my body to make a gap for him to run through, but instead he ran at me at full speed and completely bodied me. It felt like he was trying to knock me into the canal, but the way my body was turned it meant I hit the ground instead," she said.

Initially assuming the impact was accidental, she didnt report it. But moments later, a couple approached her and revealed the same man had shoved an older man into the canal.

They saw I was crying and heard what had happened and came and told me he had actually pushed someone into the water. Thats when I knew it wasnt an accident," she said.

In Japan, a man identified as Daisuke Nagata was previously arrested for similar attacks. During interrogation, Nagata confessed to targeting women, admitting he had done so dozens of times." When I got off a train once, my arm happened to hit a womans chest and it felt good," he said. So I thought about how to do the same without being accused. Ive done this dozens of times," as per Metro.

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Ayla Melleks attacker has not yet been caught, police said. A day after the attack, she reported the incident to the police.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: Police are investigating an assault that took place on Sunday, 4 May at 12:30 hrs. It is alleged a man pushed a 20-year-old woman as she walked along the canal in Mile End, Bethnal Green. She attended a police station the following day to report the incident. No arrests have been made. An investigation into the circumstances is ongoing."

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: May 08, 2025, 19:14 IST
Operation Sindoor: Critics See Red, But Its A Fitting Codename For Indias Anti-Terror Strikes

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Sumedha Kirti



Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 11:42 IST

An X user compiled reactions questioning codename 'Sindoor' and wrote, "There has been an astronomical feminist outrage since yesterday simply due to the name."

The Pahalgam victims' family members have hailed codename 'Sindoor', calling it 'apt'.

How is it possible for some people to make an issue about everything, a perplexed X (formerly Twitter) user asked when a section of social media users began questioning codename Sindoor  the operation against Pakistani terror camps in response to Pahalgam terror attack. But whats in this name?

Another X user, @kumarmanish9, explains, Apparently, according to their newfound wisdom, the word Sindoor", a deep cultural symbol of marriage and life in India, is now misogynistic."

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Whats The Problem With Sindoor?

A user, @landbreadpeace, called the operation warmongering action", and wrote that sindoor is a symbol of patriarchal control over the identity of women".

An X user compiled all such reactions and wrote, There has been an astronomical feminist outrage since yesterday simply due to the Sindoor name."

There has been an astronomical feminist outrage since yesterday simply due to the 'Sindoor' name. pic.twitter.com/ivzyIJ2tZr Yeshwanth (@Yeshwan108) May 8, 2025

In his justification of attack on Pakistan, an X user went ahead to explain why war is celebrated".

Besides the socio-political beliefs, a Congress leader attempted to give the name a religious colour. Udit Raj said that it would have been better" if some other name had been chosen for the operation, as Sindoor belongs to a specific religion".

After speaking to intellectual people, I concluded that Sindoor is associated with a particular religion (Hinduism). It would have been better if some other name had been chosen (instead of Operation Sindoor)," he said.

Why Sindoor Is The Apt Codename For Strikes In Pakistan?

Firstly, the airstrikes to destroy the terror camps in Pakistan was in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which led to the killing of 26 civilians in Kashmir. Most of the killed were tourists who had come with their family or were couples either on their honeymoon or a leisure trip.

For example, Karnatakas Manjunath Rao was on a trip with his wife and children, Haryanas Vijay Narwal was on a honeymoon with wife Himanshi and Uttar Pradeshs Shubham Dwivedi had gone to Baisaran Valley with Ashanya Dwivedi, whom he had married in February this year.

Secondly, the family members of the deceased, who were on a vacation with them, told the media that the terrorists asked the religion of tourists and targeted mostly married men from the Hindu community.

Forty-seven-year-old Manjunath Raos wife recounted chilling moments of the massacre and said that the attacker left her alive to send a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Go tell this to Modi," the woman quoted the attacker as saying.

ALSO READ | Netizens Thank PM For Avenging Pahalgam Attack: They Said Tell ModiWe Did

The Pahalgam victims family too have hailed the codename, calling it apt".

Giving a befitting reply to critics, an X user wrote: In the Pahalgam terror attack, it was primarily the husbands, the male members, who were brutally killed, some in front of their newly wed wives. The operations name isnt about oppressing women. Its about standing up against the savagery that left women widowed, children orphaned, and families shattered."

He further wrote, But of course, some people are so desperate to spin outrage that theyd rather debate semantics than confront terrorism. Focus on who fired the bullets, not on who named the rescue."

Importance Of Sindoor In India

The critics of codename Sindoor have used terms like misogyny, patriarchal control and against feminism.

A line of vermilion powder on the forehead symbolizes a Hindu womans marital status. However, with increasing literacy rates in India and more women entering corporate environments in urban areas, the practice of wearing sindoor has become less common among modern educated women.

Is sindoor becoming a fading tradition among modern Indian women?

Its challenging to confirm this due to a lack of concrete reports. However, its not accurate to say that every married Hindu woman has abandoned the traditional use of vermilion, but its prevalence is decreasing due to a modern outlook. Many women in urban spaces choose to wear sindoor as a fashion statement that complements their style.

Occasionally, a woman who doesnt wear vermilion with Western outfits might choose to apply it when wearing a sari for certain family ceremonies.

While the custom symbolizing specification of a womans marital status is noticed to be a fading norm in urban and corporate India, it still holds immense significance for the remaining part of the country.

The tradition of sindoor holds significant importance in the Hindu community, passed down through generations as a symbol embraced by married women. However, the growing influence of Western culture in India is negatively impacting this ancient practice of applying vermilion.

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ALSO READ: What Is Sindoor? Its Significance For Hindus And References In Popular Culture

A blogger, Shib Sen Chaudhury, wrote for The Times of India in 2020, A religion and a country should always treasure its traditions and heritage despite the cropping up plagiarized facts. Similarly, the Indian Hindu women should stick to the set of religious beliefs looking forward to the cited examples of its usage by former President Pratibha Patil and late Union Minister Sushma Swaraj, passed away in August last year. They took the face of traditional Indian women to foreign lands as dignitaries representing the country."

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

First Published: May 08, 2025, 15:11 IST
India Ne Ghus Ke Mara: Pak National Debunks Sharif Govts Claims On Operation Sindoor | Watch

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 10:56 IST

A video of the Pakistan national is going viral in which he said that Pakistan failed to stop even one of 24 missiles fired by India.

The man also hit out at Pakistan media for spreading misinformation about Pakistan forces shooting down Indian planes. (Photo: X)

While Pakistans government, army and media are spreading misinformation on Indias Operation Sindoor, a Pakistani national exposed their lies and praised the neighbouring country for carrying out strikes with such precision.

A video of the Pakistan national is going viral in which he said that Pakistan failed to stop even one of 24 missiles fired by India. The man said India hit all their targets successfully.

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India launched missiles. It is astonishing that missiles hit all their targets. India achieved its target. Pakistans defence system couldnt intercept one missile and stop it. We failed. India ne ghus ke mara. This is reality. Dont say that I am praising India. You have been hearing about Iran firing 200-400 missiles but Israel intercepts most of them. This is how strong Israels defence system is. India launched 24 missiles and we couldnt stop one of them. India has not targeted our military areas. Had they targeted them, who would have stopped them?" he asked.

The man also hit out at Pakistan media for spreading misinformation about Pakistan forces shooting down Indian planes. They were all fake reports," he said.

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Listen to this Pakistani national explain how #OperationSindoor precisely struck over two dozen high-value terror targets, without hitting any military or civilian areas. He also debunks Pakistans false claims about bringing down Indian fighter jets. Deep down, Pakistanis know pic.twitter.com/1qdOk1AVLs Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 8, 2025

India launched Operation Sindoor" on the intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, targeting nine terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

First Published: May 08, 2025, 10:55 IST
These Social Media Users Spark Row Over Stand On Operation Sindoor. Kerala Actress Among Them

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Sumedha Kirti



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 10:05 IST

Operation Sindoor: Malayalam actress Amina Nijam shared a post of a Pakistan woman on her Instagram story that detailed 'Indian brutality'. This post turned out to be fake.

Operation Sindoor: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh along with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday briefed the media on the overnight aerial strikes.

As Indians hail the Narendra Modi government for sending a strong message to terror-sponsoring Pakistan and the perpetrators of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, there are some who do not seem to be convinced with the action. Several social media users have been flagging such people to the local police or government representatives, slamming them for being anti-Indian" at a time when even the Opposition leaders are standing like a pillar" with the government.

Among them is Malayalam actress Amina Nijam, known for the movie Turbo. She shared a post of a Pakistan woman on her Instagram story that detailed Indian brutality". This despite clear proof by the government that the strikes only targeted terror camps.

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Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh along with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday briefed the media on the precision overnight aerial strikes that destroyed nine terror camps used by groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad to carry out attacks in India.

The post that Nijam shared soon turned out to be fake, prompting her to take down the Instagram story. By this time, her comment box was filled with criticism by netizens.

The actress later posted her opinion on Instagram which only made things worse. Yes, Im ashamedPeople who think they have sought revenge for the Pahalgam attack have been manipulated," she wrote.

Social media users have been tagging the prime minister Union home minister Amit Shah to flag her post, with one of the complaints receiving over six lakh reshares.

Actress of malayalam industry is ashamed of INDIADesh mai hi dushman bethe hai pic.twitter.com/osUNew0Crj  Hindutva Vigilant (@VigilntHindutva) May 7, 2025

ALSO READ: Adnan Samis I Knew It Moment: When Pakistanis Said They Hated Their Army, Wanted To Leave

Another account that was flagged was of one Suzayn Mansuri, who is said to be a resident Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The woman reportedly shared a post by a US Muslim scholar who compared PM Modi to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. He called both governments fascist regimes". The account, its_suzayn, reshared this story and wrote, A cowardly move (Operation Sindoor) based on nothing but propaganda!"

Social media users have tagged Ahmedabad police and Gujarat home minister Harsh Sanghvi, and have asked them to look into the matter urgently. Its important every Indian learns to respect our Army. I also have her contact details, in case you need them," an X user wrote.

Hello @AhmedabadPolice, Her name is Suzayn Mansuri living in Ahmedabad, She is saying Coward to Indian Army and she denoted #OperationSindoor as Propaganda of our government. @sanghaviharsh bhaiya, please look into this matter urgently. Its important every Indian learns to pic.twitter.com/hulGPyPHnF Voice of Hindus (@Warlock_Shubh) May 7, 2025

Another account that was flagged was ghalibkakhayal. The account user shared a story on Operation Sindoor by journalist Faye DSouza, and wrote, We pay taxes for this s***?" Sharing screenshots of the story, an X user wrote, These are the people who are more dangerous than the enemy standing outside the border."

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These are the people who are more dangerous than the enemy standing outside the border #OperationSindoor pic.twitter.com/FeaaZxCVrm Amitabh Chaudhary (@MithilaWaala) May 7, 2025

Another account facing social media flak is of user riddhiissharmaaaa, who reportedly wrote, If your nationalism requires the death of innocents, you dont need nationalism. You need humanity."

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

News18's viral page features trending stories, videos , and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

First Published: May 08, 2025, 10:02 IST
Same-Sex Couple Removed From Hotel Restroom After Guard Asks For Proof Of Gender

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 14:20 IST

Ansley Baker, 28, and her girlfriend Liz Victor, 27, had checked into The Liberty Hotel over the weekend to attend a Kentucky Derby-themed party.

The same-sex couple were harassed by hotel guard over gender expression. (Source: Social Media)

In a troubling incident that sparked outrage among LGBTQ+ advocates, a same-sex couple visiting a hotel in Boston, US, was allegedly harassed by a male security guard over one partners gender expression  an encounter they describe as humiliating and frightening.

Ansley Baker, 28, and her girlfriend Liz Victor, 27, had checked into The Liberty Hotel over the weekend to attend a Kentucky Derby-themed party. According to a CBS News report, the evening took an unsettling turn when the couple entered the womens restroom which led to a confrontation that drew widespread attention.

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Baker, who is a woman by birth and identifies as female, presents with a masculine appearance. Her attire and haircut often prompt people to mistake her for a man. But nothing could have prepared her for what happened next.

While Baker was inside a restroom stall and Victor waited in the lobby area, a male security guard entered the womens bathroom unannounced and began banging on the stall door. According to the couple, the guard accused Baker of being a man and demanded she leave the womens restroom immediately. When she emerged, visibly shaken, she attempted to explain she was a woman but the guard wasnt convinced. He reportedly insisted she present identification to prove" her gender.

Victor, alarmed by the escalating scene, intervened. She said the guard continued his aggressive stance, even after Baker produced her ID. The couple recounted that the guards imposing presence and hostile tone made them feel unsafe, but Baker complied out of fear. Despite showing proof, she was still ordered to leave the restroom.

The situation only worsened once they stepped outside. Other women in line, misled by the guards claims, reportedly hurled verbal abuses at Baker, accusing her of being a man who had infiltrated the womens space.

What began as a night out ended with the couple being asked to leave the premises altogether. Though the hotel later stated it had fired the security guard following an internal investigation, Baker and Victor say the damage was done, and they never received a direct apology.

In a written statement issued on Tuesday, The Liberty Hotel emphasised its support for the LGBTQ+ community and said the guard had acted on a misunderstanding, claiming he believed two people had entered a restroom together, a possible violation of hotel policy.

But Baker and Victor have dismissed that explanation. They argue that when the guard entered the restroom, only one person  Baker  was in a stall, and Victor was clearly standing outside. They question why, if the guard was merely concerned about occupancy, he instead demanded proof of gender and continued pressing even after being corrected.

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This was a deeply disturbing experience," said Baker, adding, Ive never been treated like that in my life, especially in a place that claimed to be inclusive."

The incident sparked renewed discussion about the challenges faced by gender-nonconforming individuals, particularly in gendered spaces like restrooms.

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 : Boston, Massachusetts, USA

First Published: May 08, 2025, 14:20 IST
Watch: Fans Reaction After Shah Rukh Khan Hugged Her And Said God Bless You

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 18:10 IST

A girl who was overcome with emotion sobbed after being hugged and blessed by Shah Rukh Khan during a recent fan meeting in Germany.

She met the actor outside the hotel in Germany. (Photo Credit: Instagram)

There are actors and then there is Shah Rukh Khan. His Met Gala 2025 debut made all the right noises. Now, a woman has shared her experience of meeting SRK in New York. In the video, the fanwho goes by Asmais seen describing her experience. When she first saw his bodyguard, she claimed to have said to her pals, This is him, this is him."

Despite the security guards warnings not to take photos, Asma requested SRK for a picture. In response, Shah Rukh Khan shared a warm hug with Asma and her friends, much to her surprise.

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Asma sobbed as she described the incident. She then clarified that Shah Rukh Khan saw she was crying after she had hugged them. He was moved by her reaction and softly placed his hand on her head, saying, God bless you." Before moving on, he enquired as to the origin of the group. That quick but meaningful connection overwhelmed the fan, who described it as a moment she would never forget.

Watch the video here:

Shared on April 28, the video has garnered over 9 lakh views so far.

Fans worldwide responded to the heartfelt video with an outpouring of empathy and support. Admiration swiftly flooded the comment sections, with many people expressing how much they related to the situation.

Some talked about how much they loved the actor and wished they could have a similar experience. Others remarked on how the enthusiasm and joy in the video were felt by all Shah Rukh Khan fans.

A user wrote, I remember when I saw him in my country. It was a dream come true. He was very kind."

Another said, I am all in myyyyy tearsssssss."

Every SRKians can feel her happiness," an individual commented.

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Girl thats exactly how I would react," another stated.

These kinds of moments have come to characterise Shah Rukh Khans connections with his fan following. He rarely passes up the chance to thank people for their love, whether its outside his home in Mannat or while travelling abroad. His strong connection with his fans was once again confirmed by this meeting in Germany.

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: May 08, 2025, 18:10 IST
All Over Social Media: Pakistan Minister's Bizarre Reply Called Out Over Claims On Op Sindoor

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 07:45 IST

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was left embarrassed in the international media yet again as he referred to "social media content" when asked for proof during TV interview.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was left embarrassed in international media (AP File Image)

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who has been repeatedly left egg-faced over his remarks in the international media, has now been humiliated yet again for making references to social media content" to prove his claim of downing Indian fighter jets" during Operation Sindoor.

His latest humiliation comes from his bizarre and unsubstantiated claim that Pakistan shot down five Indian fighter planes as India struck terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on the night of May 7. India avenged the Pahalgam terror attack, killing several terrorists and destroying 9 targets across 21 camps in precision strikes. Amid a flood of fake news propagating from Pakistani social media handles and their sympathisers, the PIB fact-checked several claims on Operation Sindoor, including those claiming the shooting down of Indian jets.

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Khawaja Asifs Embarrassment In International Media

In an interview with CNN, Asif was asked for proof of this claim, to which he said, Its all over social media, on Indian social media, not on our social media. The debris of these jets fell in Indian-occupied Kashmir."

The anchor interrupted the Pakistani minister and said, The reason to talk to you today is not to talk about content on social media. Im asking specifically for the evidence, details. For example, was any Chinese equipment used to down these Rafale jets, as I understand you are alleging to be?"

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is a Clown CNN asked Pak Defence Minister : Where is the proof that Pakistan Shot Down Indian Fighter Jets. Pak Defence Minister: Its everywhere on Social media. Aur inko Kashmir chahiye #OperationSindoor #IndiaPakistanWar pic.twitter.com/ithQGRFdNn  Amitabh Chaudhary (@MithilaWaala) May 8, 2025

Dodging the question, he responded with if India can buy planes from France, Pakistan can buy from China".

No Chinese equipment. We have Chinese planes, but they are being manufactured and assembled in Islamabad now. If India can buy planes from France and use them, we can also buy planes from China or Russia or the US, or the UK. They have already admitted that their 3 planes were downed," he falsely claimed.

The anchor asked him again if Chinese equipment" was used to allegedly bring down the jets, to which Asif said that they were shot down" in a dogfight".

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The Indian planes were downed in the dogfight. Missiles were fired from our planes, and they were shot down. What sort of equipment are you referring to?" Asif said, as he stammered while lying through his teeth.

The last time he was left embarrassed was when he told Yalda Hakim in an interview on Sky News that Pakistan has been doing the dirty work" for the United States and the West for three decades. His remarks had come when he was asked about Pakistans involvement in funding and training terrorists over a long period of time.

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: May 08, 2025, 07:39 IST
As Cardinal Robert Prevost Becomes First American Pope, A Look At Nationalities Of Popes Since 1900

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 02:46 IST

The nationality with the highest number of Popes is Italian. Over 190 Popes have been Italian.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost (L) gestures as he arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in The Vatican. (IMAGE: AFP)

The appointment of Chicago-born Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV sent waves of excitement across the United States. As he stepped onto the balcony of St Peters Basilica to address the faithful for the first time, thousands surged into the square, eyes locked on the newly elected Pontiff.

A report by news agency AFP said that many in the crowd had never heard of the man and some exchanged confused glances and checked their phones for more accurate information.

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An American?" one asked, dubiously.

When the bespeckled 69-year-old Augustinian appeared, a white skullcap on his head and a fuchsia silk cape covering his ivory cassock, a hush fell over the waiting masses.

He spoke of building bridges, walking together, being part of a missionary Church, while citing Gods work as a disarming peace, humble and persevering".

He spoke in Italian  and also Spanish, the language he learned during his many years as a missionary in Peru.

In the US, Kathy Hewitt from Philadelphia, could hardly contain her excitement.

That all these cardinals thought that much of someone from America, to represent the whole world I have no words, its just amazing," said the 58-year-old, waving a small American flag alongside her teenage son.

Im thrilled that he is American. We did not expect that  its a complete surprise and a wonderful surprise."

This is the first time an American cardinal has been elected as the leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics.

Since the dawn of the 20th century, the papacy has largely been shaped by European leadership, particularly Italian, with only a few exceptions breaking that tradition.

Since 1900, there have been 11 Popes who served either entirely or partially during this period. Out of them 8 of them were Italian.

Heres the list of Popes since 1900, along with their nationalities and years of papacy:

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Leo XIII (Italian)  1878 to 1903

Pius X (Italian)  1903 to 1914

Benedict XV (Italian)  1914 to 1922

Pius XI (Italian)  1922 to 1939

Pius XII (Italian)  1939 to 1958

John XXIII (Italian)  1958 to 1963

Paul VI (Italian)  1963 to 1978

John Paul I (Italian)  1978 to 1978

John Paul II (Polish)  1978 to 2005

Benedict XVI (German)  2005 to 2013

Francis (Argentine)  2013 to 2025

Leo XIV  elected on May 9, 2025

The nationality with the highest number of Popes is Italian. Over 190 Popes have been Italian. Roman Popes dominated especially from the early Middle Ages to the Renaissance and well into the 20th century.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

First Published: May 09, 2025, 02:46 IST
Karachi Airport To Remain Closed For Flight Operations Until Midnight

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 20:38 IST

According to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), Lahore and Sialkot airports will remain shut for all flight activity until 12 noon on Thursday

Both domestic and international services have been disrupted, and passengers are being advised to check with airlines for updated schedules. (Representative image / PTI)

The Pakistan Airports Authority has issued a new NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), announcing that Karachi Airport will remain closed for all flight operations until midnight.

Hours after India carried out Operation Sindoor, flight operations across Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot were temporarily suspended by Pakistan on Thursday, May 8.

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Operation Sindoor  a series of coordinated precision strikes targeting nine major terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The fallout has disrupted both domestic and international air traffic across the region.

According to Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), Lahore and Sialkot airports will remain shut for all flight activity until 12 noon on Thursday (local time), as per Pakistans Aaj News. Both domestic and international services have been disrupted, and passengers are being advised to check with airlines for updated schedules.

Indian Strikes Trigger Airspace Lockdown

The sudden suspension of flights came in response to Indias military action under Operation Sindoor, launched early Wednesday between 1:05 am and 1:30 am, in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians dead.

At a press briefing on Wednesday in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the scale and strategy behind the strikes, which were jointly executed by the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

9 Terror Camps Destroyed, No Civilian Harm: India

Of the nine terror camps destroyed, four were located deep inside Pakistan  in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya  while the remaining were in PoK. The facilities were reportedly used by terror groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Colonel Qureshi confirmed that the Sarjal camp in Sialkot, just 6 km inside Pakistan, was a key target. It had served as a training ground for terrorists involved in the March 2025 killing of four Jammu & Kashmir policemen.

She also identified the Markaz Subhanallah compound in Bahawalpur  considered the headquarters of JeM  as another destroyed target.

Wing Commander Singh added, Operation Sindoor was launched to deliver justice to the victims of Pahalgam. Despite the scale of the strikes, no military installations were hit."

Pakistan Flags Aviation Risk," Reaches Out to ICAO

As per PTI, Pakistan has formally raised concerns with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), accusing India of endangering civil aviation safety through what it called reckless and provocative actions".

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Regional Fallout and Global Reactions

The situation marks one of the most serious military escalations between the nuclear-armed neighbours since the 2019 Balakot strikes. Global powers, including the UN, US, China, and Russia, have urged restraint, warning that continued hostilities could destabilise the region further.

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: May 08, 2025, 11:38 IST
'India Has The Right...': British MP Priti Patel's Powerful Parliament Speech Backs Op Sindoor

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 09:41 IST

Patel, pointing to the history of terrorism that India has faced and Pakistan's past harbouring of terrorists, highlighted the importance of UK's security cooperation with India

UK Member of Parliament Priti Patel said UK must acknowledge the threat posed by Pakistan-based terror groups. (PTI)

UK Member of Parliament Priti Patel on Thursday stressed that the United Kingdom must acknowledge the threat posed by Pakistan-based terror groups as she advocated for de-escalation between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor.

Mr Speaker, this is clearly a precarious moment and we want to see tensions ease between India and Pakistan. We want to avoid a state-on-state military escalation. Were also clear that India has the right to take reasonable and proportionate steps to defend itself and to dismantle the vile terrorist infrastructure that has caused death and continues to threaten them. And we know that terrorists based in Pakistan threaten India and Western interests," she said.

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Expressing her condolences to the victims of Pahalgam, Patel said: On the 22nd of April, terrorists brutally killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam in a barbaric and savage act of violence. Most victims were killed at point-blank range by gunshots to their heads. My thoughts and prayers were with all those that were affected by this murderous, violent terrorism in Pahalgam." She added: This was an act of terrorism and we must reflect on the fact that Pahalgam has joined Mumbai, New Delhi and other places in India that will be forever scarred by an act of terror."

Today in the House of Commons I reiterated my condolences for those impacted by the atrocity that took place in Pahalgam. We must stand with those affected by terrorism. The UK must work with our friends in India to tackle terrorist threats and engage with India, Pakistan and key pic.twitter.com/8RXezaJHx0 Priti Patel MP (@pritipatel) May 7, 2025

Patel, while pointing to the history of terrorism that India has faced and Pakistans past harbouring of terrorists, highlighted the importance of the UKs security cooperation with India.

It was the country that Osama bin Laden was hiding in. And because of the long history of violence inflected by terrorists on India, the UK has in place longstanding security cooperation agreements with India. And in fact, last weekend, this House reminded the government of those longstanding security agreements, why they exist and why they should matter to us here in the UK," she said.

Calling for more active UK involvement, she urged the government to work with allies to counter global terrorism.

Given these links, the UK government should be at the forefront of working with our friends and allies to tackle the terrorist threats that we face collectively. While I know the minister will not be able to speak about intelligence sharing between UK and India, can he at least confirm whether our intelligence and security services have been in contact with India about the incidents that took place and are supporting their investigations?" she said.

Linking Lashkar-e-Taiba to other global terror networks, including Hamas, Patel said: Lashkar-e-Taiba are a prescribed terrorist group who have a clear history of committing acts of terror against India and have reported links to Hamas, including reports that Hamas representatives have met with them earlier this year. Can the Minister confirm if the UK government is aware of any cooperation and links between Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hamas?". She also asked the UK government to clarify which terror outfits were currently active in Pakistan that could threaten the UK and its allies.

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The UK MP sought clarity on whether UK aid to Pakistan was monitored to ensure it did not fall into the wrong hands. Can he give more evidence of those discussions? Have ministers undertaken an assessment of the terrorist infrastructure based in Pakistan? Has the minister had discussions with the Pakistan government on this matter? And can ministers give assurances that there are sufficient measures in place to ensure that no British aid to Pakistan, either bilaterally or through multilateral sources, has ended up in the wrong hands?" she said.

Patel also asked if the government would tell their findings on whether the terrorists are working with other actors. And finally, will the minister now be more forthcoming with the House about the governments assessment as to who carried out the terror attack in Kashmir, whether they were working with any other malign actors and whether he is working through the security implications for the UK," she said.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

Location : United Kingdom (UK)

First Published: May 08, 2025, 09:23 IST
'Leave Safely Or Take Shelter': US Advisory For Citizens In Pakistan As India Strikes Terror Camps

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 16:15 IST

The United States on Thursday directed all its consulate personnel and citizens in Pakistan's Lahore to either evacuate safely or take shelter in secure locations.

The image captures thick black smoke billowing into the sky following a series of explosions and blasts reported in Lahore. (Screengrab)

The United States on Thursday directed all its consulate personnel and citizens in Pakistans Lahore to either evacuate safely or take shelter in secure locations after reports of drone explosions, downed drones and possible airspace incursions in and near Lahore".

This follows strikes by the Indian Armed Forces on multiple air defence radar sites across Pakistan, including the destruction of a system in Lahore on Thursday.

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The Consulate has also received initial reports that authorities may be evacuating some areas adjacent to Lahores main airport," the US advisory read.

US citizens who find themselves in an area of active conflict" have been asked to leave if they can do so safely. If it is not safe to leave, they should shelter-in-place," the US asked its citizens in Lahore and Pakistans Punjab Province.

Sources told CNN-News18 that Pakistans HQ-9 missile defence system units, developed by China, were struck by Israeli-made HAROP drones, leaving Pakistan defenceless in Lahore.

The US also mentioned action for its citizens who are in a conflict zone:

Seek secure shelter

Have evacuation plans that do not rely on US government assistance

Have travel documents up to date and easily accessible

Monitor local media for updates

Carry proper identification and cooperate with authorities

The Indian military action in Lahore came after Islamabad attempted to target several military sites in India in retaliation for Operation Sindoor.

The government said on the intervening night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to target a number of military installations in Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.

However, the drones and missiles were intercepted by the Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and the Russian-made S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence systems.

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The development came a day after India struck nine targets linked to terror activities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, under the codename Operation Sindoor, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.

Location : Lahore, Pakistan

First Published: May 08, 2025, 15:48 IST
Looking Underconfident, Weak: Pakistanis Troll PM Shehbaz Sharif After India's Strike

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 09:29 IST

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif was trolled heavily on social media over his body language during the address to nation after India's strike on Wednesday.

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif trolled for his address to nation (PTI File Image)

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to avenge every drop of Pakistani blood" on Wednesday, however, the citizens of his country trolled him for looking underconfident and weak" in the televised address to the nation.

He addressed the nation yesterday after India struck terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing several terrorists and injuring many others in precision strikes without crossing the LoC on May 7.

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India will have to pay for todays strikes26 civilians killed, including kids. We will exact revenge for every drop of Pakistani blood," he said yesterday.

However, his own citizens were not too pleased with his address and called him out over his weak" appearance and body language.

PM Shahbaz is looking underconfident and weak its not a good look. Just saying," a Pakistani X user posted.

PM Shahbaz is looking under confidence and weak its not a good look. Just saying NOMAN SHAH (@nomanshaah) May 7, 2025

shahbaz uncle pls start speaking in 2x speed and har baat pe speech nahi sunnana hota point pe ao," another citizen mocked his speech.

jitni shehbaz sharif ki bolne ki speed hai is hisab se tou jung khatam bhi ho jayegi aur iski speech khatam nhi hogi," a user said.

jitni shehbaz sharif ki bolne ki speed hai is hisab se tou jung khatam bhi ho jayegi aur iski speech khatam nhi hogi Fay (@ffayyv) May 7, 2025

Shahbaz Sharif ko sun kar lag rha hai bss itni he retaliation dikhani the inho ney," a user wrote, taking a potshot over his promises to strikes India back.

A Pakistani national labelled his Prime Minister a coward".

Shahbaz Sharif is such a coward . While addressing the nation on Indian attack, he didnt even once mention that India has to pay for its actions. Unbelievable. Utterly disappointed. Thats why nations are built on true leaders, not imposed ones," the user posted.

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          "                  So it is clear from Shahbaz Shareef cliched speech that there is no plan to retaliate . #IndiaPakistanTensions #FreeImranKhan pic.twitter.com/zDAPyPkkcH HAY (@yasiralihamza) May 7, 2025

So it is clear from Shahbaz Shareef cliched speech that there is no plan to retaliate," a user said, while sharing the video of his address.

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 : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: May 08, 2025, 09:26 IST
Making That Call For Decades: US Appears To Link Pakistan To Terror Support Post-Pahalgam

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 01:11 IST

A US state department spokesperson said that the attack on tourists in Pahalgam was awful.

A visual of a terrorist camp in Pakistan which was struck as part of 'Operation Sindoor', being displayed during a press conference, in New Delhi. (IMAGE: PTI)

The United States on Friday reaffirmed its long-held stance on Pakistans support for terrorist groups in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir.

When asked whether Washington shares Indias view on Pakistan backing terror outfits, a US State Department spokesperson said, Well obviously thats the call weve been making for decades, and clearly what happened in Kashmir was awful".

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The comments from the US State Department come in the backdrop of Pakistani military aggression as they target Indian cities after India struck terror hubs in overnight airstrikes in the early hours of Wednesday.

Pakistan sent drones, UAVs and missiles on several locations in Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan and violated the ceasefire across the international border and the Line of Control (LoC) despite receiving befitting reply from Indian forces.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: May 09, 2025, 01:11 IST
On Camera, LeT Commander Leads Prayers For Terrorists Killed In Operation Sindoor | Watch

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 12:11 IST

Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist, can be seen conducting prayers in the presence of uniformed Pakistan Army personnel, indicating State support for Jihadi groups

Hafiz Abdul Rauf (on mic) enjoys a free run in Pakistan, attending public events and representing LeT-linked institutions. (Screenshot)

In a video that has yet again exposed Pakistans duplicity on combating terror, LeT commander Hafiz Abdul Rauf was caught on camera leading funeral prayers for terrorists killed in precision Indian strikes early on Wednesday. Indias Operation Sindoor flattened nine terror sites in Pakistan and PoK linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, killing about 80-100 terrorists.

In the video, Rauf a US-designated global terroristcan be seen conducting the prayers in the presence of uniformed Pakistan Army personnel, indicating the States support for Jihadi groups.

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Rauf, who was designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the United States in 2010, enjoys a free run in Pakistan, attending public events and representing LeT-linked institutions. He has held multiple leadership roles within the terror network and in 2008, on the orders of LeT chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, he led a delegation to oversee LeT-linked activities in Bajaur, Pakistan.

 #BREAKING Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist and a Lashkar e Taiba commander, leads funeral prayers for those killed in Indias strikes pic.twitter.com/YG6W9vuSWp Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) May 7, 2025

Several media outlets reported that Rauf was earlier designated as LeTs Director of Public Service in 2003 apart from serving as a public spokesperson for the terror group. He played an instrumental role in giving shape to propaganda campaigns under the banner of Falah-i Insaniat Foundation (FIF)a shadow outfitto further LeTs agenda.

The videos serve as a reminder of Pakistans support for outfits fomenting terror on India soil, a glimpse of which was seen in a separate admission by Pakistans defence minister Khawaja Asif, who recently acknowledged that the country had long supported and funded terrorist groups, describing it as dirty work" done for foreign powers.

OPERATION SINDOOR

In a calculated precision strike, India avenged the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam which claimed the lives of 26 people by striking terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday.

Terming the strikes measured and non-escalatory", India stressed that no Pakistani military facilities were targeted. Sources said the strikes were carefully calibrated, with precision targeting, and PM Modi personally monitored the entire operation.

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A senior defence official, while speaking to CNN-News18, said India struck nine targets in totalfour in Pakistan and five in PoKin close coordination with the Indian Army and Air Force. The retaliation was non-contact" in nature, and in military terms, called kinetic action". The sites included Bahawalpur, the stronghold of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Muridke, the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar said that as many as 10 members of his family and four aides were killed in Indian strikes.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

Location : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: May 08, 2025, 11:26 IST
India Shoots Down Barrage Of Pakistani Drones And Missiles, Destroys Lahore Air Defence System

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Manjiri Joshi



Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 20:03 IST

Foreign Secretary rebuts Pakistan's all claims. The debris from the attacks on 15 Indian spots, which proves they were from Pakistan, is being recovered, says Defence Ministry

Pakistani Army soldiers examine a building damaged by Indian airstrike near Muzaffarabad on Wednesday. (AP)

India has thwarted Pakistans attempts to target military installations in the northern and western regions, the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday.

On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems, The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," the Ministry of Defence said.

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In response, the Indian armed forces targeted Air Defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, including Lahore and Rawalpindi.

OPERATION SINDOOR

India early on Wednesday launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to avenge the killing of 26 in Kashmirs Pahalgam on April 22. The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of Pakistans Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) had claimed responsibility for the killings.

ALSO READ | After Sindoor Attack On Pakistan, How Equipped Is Indias Defence? Explained

The strikes were on facilities in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Sialkot, Barnala and Bahawalpur that were instrumental in the infiltration of Lashkar, Hizbul and JeM terrorists into India.

FOREIGN SECRETARY REBUTS PAKISTANS CLAIMS

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri, in a media briefing, said the escalation first started on April 22, with Pakistans Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor was in response to it.

When UNSC was releasing a statement on the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan tried to stop the inclusion of the name of The Resistance Front (TRF), even after the TRF took responsibility of the attacks twice, both on April 22 and 23," said Misri. Indian response is non-escalatory"

A Pakistani minister said there are no terrorists in Pakistan. Several terrorist attacks around the world where Pakistani fingerprints have been found. I dont need to remind where Osama bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr. They called Sajid Mir dead, he was then brought to life and arrested. Pakistan is home to a large number of UN proscribed terrorists, including Jaish and Lashkar, and their leaders Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed."

On Pakistans demand for a neutral probe into the Pahalgam attack, he said, Theirs is not a bright track recordBe it Mumbai or Pathankot terror attacks, India had offered to cooperate and provided forensic evidence and urged Pakistan to bring perpetrators to justice. In the Mumbai 2008 attacks, where a Pakistani LeT terrorist was caught alive, cases were registered, but they never progressed and efforts were stonewalled. With regard to Pathakot, details of call records and DNA were shared. We shared all details and evidence of officer-bearers of Jaish-e-Mohammad. But there has been no movement on it. The experience has not been positive and certainly does not give us confidence to take their assertions of joint investigation at face value. These are just delaying tactics to stonewall. In fact, Pakistan uses evidence we provide to cover its tracks and defend terrorists we are looking for."

On Pakistans claims that civilians were killed, he said, All targets on May 7 were carefully selected. If only civilians were killed, what does this picture signify? Are civilians funerals done with state honours? Giving state honours to terrorists may be the practice in Pakistan. Doesnt seem to make much sense to us."

On Pakistans claims that India deliberately attacked religious sites, he said, Our targets were terrorist facilitiesIn fact, Pakistan is misusing religious sites to indoctrinate and train terrorists. They launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community in Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir. Three individuals were killed in that particular attackTheir retaliatory action is impacting civilians. Since yesterday morning, 16 civilians have been killed and 59 injured Pakistan Army Chiefs speech in April is the last word on communal rhetoric The Pahalgam attack saw religious profiling. People from all faiths and religions have unequivocally condemned the attack."

Pakistani claims of responding to Indias strikes, he said. They are not responding. We responded to April 22. I would like to emphasise that the action was restrained and was confined to terrorist camps. Any further action by Pakistan, which we are now seeing is escalation, and will be responded to."

#OperationSindoor | Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on #IndiaPakistanTensions: Giving a terrorist a state funeral may be Pakistans practice  doesnt make much sense to us."He clears the air on Indias stance#IndiaPakistanWar #Pahalgam #KashmirTerrorAttack #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/Yxx41vErOB  News18 (@CNNnews18) May 8, 2025

Pakistans claim on Neelam-Jhelum project, he said, This is absolute and complete fabrication and blatant lie. We have only targeted terrorist infrastructure and details."

On the Indus Waters Treaty, he said, India has been in communication with Pakistan and have sent several notices to discuss modification of treaty. We have honoured the treaty even when Pakistan imposed wars on us. Pakistan is acting in violation of treaty deliberating creating roadblocks in India exercising its rights on the rivers.The preamble says the treaty was concluded in the spirit of goodwill and friendshipThis is Indias patience ki hum is treaty ko nibhaa rahe hainThere have been demographic, climate and technological changes and the terrorism Pakistan has wreaked in J&K. Pakistans persistent refusal to enter government-to-government negotiations is violation of the treaty. That is why India kept the treaty in abeyance."

PAKISTAN CONFIRMS LAHORE DAMAGE

Pakistans Air Defence units of HQ-9 air defence missile launchers have suffered heavy damage. The ministry said that the Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan". It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised."

Pakistan confirmed the response, showing parts of Indias drones. They also confirmed the Lahore attack, stating four were injured.

16 LIVES LOST DUE TO PAKISTANI FIRING: MoD

The ministry said that Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military," said the statement.

The Indian Army in a statement said: Indian Army stands in solidarity with the innocent civilians who are victims of attacks orchestrated through indiscriminate artillery shelling by the adversary in the Poonch sector. The nefarious designs of our enemies have been and will continue to be thwarted with resolute and punitive action."

Indian Army stands in solidarity with the innocent civilians who are victims of attacks orchestrated through indiscriminate artillery shelling by the adversary in the Poonch sector. The nefarious designs of our enemies have been and will continue to be thwarted with resolute and https://t.co/CBYA8OjsdQ ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

After the airstrikes, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had on Wednesday said the forces ensured that no innocents were killed and only those who perpetrated the Pahalgam attack were were killed. We only killed those who killed our innocents," Singh said.

Singh on Thursday briefed the Opposition on the operation carried out by the Indian armed forces to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack and said that around 100 terrorists were eliminated in the precision strikes, and India will not back down if Pakistan opts for any misadventure.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan to review the security situation. Modi also chaired a high-level meeting with secretaries of various ministries and departments to review national preparedness and assess inter-ministerial coordination in view of recent developments concerning national security.

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During the meeting, PM Modi underlined the importance of seamless coordination among ministries and agencies" to ensure operational continuity and institutional resilience, according to a statement from the Prime Ministers Office. He reviewed the planning and preparation undertaken by ministries to deal with the current situation.

Secretaries were directed to carry out a comprehensive review of their ministrys operations and to ensure the fool-proof functioning of essential systems, with a specific focus on readiness, emergency response, and internal communication protocols.

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: May 08, 2025, 14:46 IST
'Pakistan Does Not Get To Play Victim,' Says Nikki Haley, Former US Envoy To UN

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 19:52 IST

Despite global support for India's right to retaliate and defend its territorial integrity after the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan is intensifying efforts to portray itself as a victim

Former US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley | File Image

Former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, bashed Pakistan on Thursday over the Pahalgam terror attack, saying that Islamabad would no longer be able to play the victim card amid Indias strikes on terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Under Operation Sindoor, India launched military strikes targeting sites linked to terror groups, including Jaish and Lashkar, in Pakistan and PoK. Earlier today, the Indian military neutralised Pakistani Air Defence Radars in several locations, including Lahore.

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Terrorists launched an attack that killed dozens of Indian citizens. India had every right to retaliate and defend itself. Pakistan does not get to play the victim. No country gets a pass for supporting terrorist activity," said Haley in an X post.

Terrorists launched an attack that killed dozens of Indian citizens. India had every right to retaliate and defend itself.Pakistan does not get to play the victim. No country gets a pass for supporting terrorist activity.  Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) May 8, 2025

Despite global support for Indias right to retaliate and defend its territorial integrity after the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan is intensifying efforts to portray itself as a victim by publicising false narratives that civilians were targeted during Operation Sindoor.

The Ministry of Defence said that Indian Armed Forces struck nine terror bases in Pakistan and PoK, from where terrorist attacks against India were orchestrated, under the codename Operation Sindoor.

India maintained that only terror hideouts, and no Pakistani military installations, or civilians were targeted. Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution," the government said in a statement.

The government again on Thursday dismissed the Pakistan governments claims that civilians were targeted in strikes, saying: The individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving terrorists state funerals, maybe a practice in Pakistan."

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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri further noted that if only civilians were killed in the attacks, I wonder what message this picture (of State funerals) actually sends to all of you. This is a question that is worth asking".

About the Author Ronit Singh Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: May 08, 2025, 19:39 IST
Robert Francis Prevost Becomes Pope: Who Is The American Pontiff?

Published By :

AFP

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 23:00 IST

The new Leo XIV, a Chicago native, was entrusted by his predecessor Francis to head the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, charged with advising the pontiff on new bishop appointments

Vatican watchers had given Prevost the highest chances among the group of US cardinals of being pope, given his pastoral bent, global view and ability to navigate the central bureaucracy. (Photo: X)

Robert Francis Prevost, the first pope from the United States, has a history of missionary work in Peru but also a keen grasp of the inner workings of the Church.

The new Leo XIV, a Chicago native, was entrusted by his predecessor Francis to head the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, charged with advising the pontiff on new bishop appointments.

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The sign of confidence from Francis speaks to Prevosts commitment as a missionary in Peru to the peripheries"  overlooked areas far from Rome prioritised by Francis  and his reputation as a bridge-builder and moderate within the Curia.

The 69-year-old Archbishop-Bishop emeritus of Chiclayo, Peru, was made a cardinal by Francis in 2023 after being named prefect of the dicastery, one of the Vaticans most important departments  and a post that introduced him to all key players in the Church.

Vatican watchers had given Prevost the highest chances among the group of US cardinals of being pope, given his pastoral bent, global view and ability to navigate the central bureaucracy.

Italian newspaper La Repubblica called him the least American of the Americans" for his soft-spoken touch.

His strong grounding in canon law has also been seen as reassuring to more conservative cardinals seeking a greater focus on theology.

 Cant turn back 

Following Franciss death, Prevost said there was still so much to do" in the work of the Church.

We cant stop, we cant turn back. We have to see how the Holy Spirit wants the Church to be today and tomorrow, because todays world, in which the Church lives, is not the same as the world of ten or 20 years ago," he told Vatican News last month.

The message is always the same: proclaim Jesus Christ, proclaim the Gospel, but the way to reach todays people, young people, the poor, politicians, is different," he said.

Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Prevost attended a minor seminary of the Order of St Augustine in St Louis as a novice before graduating from Philadelphias Villanova University, an Augustinian institution, with a degree in mathematics.

After receiving a masters degree in divinity from Chicagos Catholic Theological Union in 1982, and a doctorate decree in canon law in Rome, the polyglot joined the Augustinians in Peru in 1985 for the first of his decade-long missions in that country.

Returning to Chicago in 1999, he was made provincial prior of the Augustinians in the US Midwest and later the prior general of the order throughout the world.

But he returned to Peru in 2014 when Francis appointed him as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in the countrys north.

Nearly a decade later, Prevosts appointment in 2023 as head of the dicastery came after Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet was accused of sexually assaulting a woman and resigned for age reasons.

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The Vatican later dropped the case against Ouellet for insufficient evidence.

Prevost also serves as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

About the Author Saurabh Verma Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19 Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

Location : Vatican City, Vatican City

First Published: May 08, 2025, 23:00 IST
US Congressman Ro Khannas Don't Retaliate Warning To Pakistan After Operation Sindoor

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 08, 2025, 13:18 IST

Ro Khanna called for a de-escalation of tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, a situation that has escalated since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

US Congressman Ro Khanna

US Congressman Ro Khanna urged Pakistan to avoid retaliatory action following Indias Operation Sindoor," which targeted multiple terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PoK). He called for a de-escalation of tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, a situation that has escalated since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians.

In a CNN interview, Ro Khanna emphasized the critical need for de-escalation, stating, Both have nuclear weapons. Well, the most urgent thing is de-escalationIndia took a response that helped take out some of the terrorist networks. The important thing now is for de-escalation."

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He voiced his hope that US President Donald Trumps administration included individuals knowledgeable about the intricate regional dynamics and diplomatic history of India and Pakistan, to aid in de-escalation.

The only reason I say is that theyve (India and Pakistan) been fighting for centuriesIt was British colonialism that fomented the partition, that fomented some of the divisions between Hindus and Muslims there. Its important to really understand the region, and we need to be an honest broker for escalation," he said.

The Congressman also characterized Pakistans Army Chief, Asim Munir, as a dictator," and asserted that there is no honest voice" in Pakistan. He called for the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and suggested that the US should use its leverage, including IMF loans, to pressure Pakistan to hold fair elections.

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We also have to understand that Asim Munir is a dictator who didnt have legitimate elections, who has put Imran Khan in jail. There is no honest voice right now in Pakistan, because its a dictatorship. We should be calling for elections, fair elections, after the de-escalation," Ro Khanna said.

There should be an end to it. We have a lot of leverage with Pakistan. We give the IMF loans to Pakistan. Theyre dependent upon that. We should be saying to Asim Munir that he needs to free Imran Khan, stop any retaliation and then have a fair election, because there was a rigged election," he added.

About the Author Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?"

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: May 08, 2025, 13:18 IST
'None Of Our Business...': JD Vance Says US 'Won't Get Involved' In India-Pakistan War

Curated By :

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Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 03:18 IST

JD Vance said the United States would continue to urge both countries to de-escalate tensions and pursue the matter through diplomatic channels.

US Vice President JD Vance (Reuters/File)

US Vice President JD Vance said that while the Trump administration was worried about an escalation in hostilities between India and Pakistan, the United States would not get involved in a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours as it was fundamentally none of our business".

Speaking to Fox News, Vance said, We are concerned about any time when nuclear powers collide and have a major conflict. We want this thing to de-escalate as quickly as possible. We cant control these countries, as India has its gripes with Pakistan and Pakistan has responded to India."

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What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate, but we are not going to get involved in the middle of a war that is fundamentally none of our business and has nothing to do with Americas ability to control it," he added.

Vance further said America cannot tell both India and Pakistan to lay down their arms, and the only option was to pursue the matter through diplomatic channels, in the hopes that it does not spiral into a regional conflict or a nuclear war.

Follow Live Updates Here

India-Pakistan Tensions Escalate

Hostilities between India and Pakistan intensified on Thursday after Pakistans military attempted to hit military stations in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur and some other locations with missiles and drones, all of which were neutralised by Indian armed forces.

Sirens blared and multiple blasts were reported in Akhnoor, Samba, Baramulla, Kupwara, and several other areas as the Indian military conducted an extensive overnight aerial surveillance operation along the border to deal with Pakistans unprovoked attack.

India unleashed retaliatory strikes at Pakistans capital, Islamabad, as well as Lahore and Sialkot, late on Thursday after thwarting multiple attacks on Indian cities, while also downing a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet in Rajasthan.

This came hours after India foiled Pakistan militarys attempts to target military installations in 15 cities in the northern and western parts of the country using missiles and drones as tensions between the two neighbours mounted amid fears of a wider conflict. Meanwhile, India targeted air defence radars and systems at several locations in Pakistan, including Lahore and Rawalpindi. India destroyed the air defence system in Lahore, dealing a crippling blow to the Pakistan Army.

Donald Trumps Reaction To Operation Sindoor

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India early on Wednesday launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to avenge the killing of 26 in Kashmirs Pahalgam on April 22. The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of Pakistans Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) had claimed responsibility for the killings.

US President Donald Trump described the situation as terrible", saying he was ready to mediate between the two countries. My position is I get along with both. I know both very well and I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop and hopefully they can stop now. They have gone tit for tat so hopefully they can stop now. I know them both, we get along with both the countries very well," he said.

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: May 09, 2025, 02:57 IST
Who Is Robert Prevost? Meet Leo XIV, The First American Pope

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 09, 2025, 00:13 IST

In 2023, then-Pope Francis brought Prevost to Rome to lead the Vatican office responsible for selecting bishops globally, one of the Churchs most influential positions.

Robert Prevost of the United States is named Pope Leo XIV.

For the first time in its 2,000-year history, the Catholic Church has chosen an American as its spiritual leader. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a native of Chicago, Illinois, has been elected the 267th pope. He will be known to the world as Pope Leo XIV.

White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 6:07 p.m. local time on Thursday, signalling that the conclave of 135 cardinals had reached a decision. Moments later, the newly elected pontiff stepped onto the balcony of St. Peters Basilica to greet the faithful. In his first address, a visibly emotional Pope Leo XIV spoke of peace. Dear brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God," he said. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts to all the earth: peace be with you."

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Prevost, 69, brings with him decades of missionary and pastoral experience, most of it spent in Latin America. After joining the Order of St. Augustine, he was sent to Peru in the 1980s, where he served in Trujillo for a decade. He later became bishop of Chiclayo in 2014, and was granted Peruvian citizenship the following year.

In 2023, then-Pope Francis brought Prevost to Rome to lead the Vatican office responsible for selecting bishops globally, one of the Churchs most influential positions. His proximity to the former pope and high-profile role helped elevate his visibility among the electors.

Pope Leo XIV now steps into a role with immense spiritual and political weight, tasked with shepherding the Churchs 1.4 billion followers across continents, ideologies and cultures. His election marks not only a historic moment for the American faithful but a new chapter for the global Church.

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The White House and world leaders reacted swiftly, with former US President Donald Trump calling the election a Great Honour" for the country and expressing hope to meet Pope Leo XIV soon.

Trump wrote, Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

About the Author Shrishti Negi Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More

Location : Vatican City

First Published: May 09, 2025, 00:13 IST
UPDATE

May 8, 2025 4:45 PM CDT

A judge declared a mistrial Thursday after a Michigan jury couldn't reach a unanimous verdict in the second-degree murder trial of a police officer who shot Patrick Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant, in the back of the head during a traffic stop in 2022. The result came at the start of the fourth day of deliberations and was a partial victory for Christopher Schurr, who still could face another trial, the AP reports. The killing of Lyoya, a 26-year-old father of two, sparked weeks of protests in Grand Rapids, especially after the city's police chief released video of the confrontation. Schurr shot Lyoya while on top of the man, who was facedown on the ground. Schurr told jurors he feared for his life after losing control of his Taser during an intense struggle.

Jun 9, 2022 4:30 PM CDT

The Michigan police officer who killed Patrick Lyoya, a Black man, with a shot to the back of his head has been charged with second-degree murder. Prosecutor Chris Becker announced charges Thursday against Grand Rapids officer Christopher Schurr, weeks after Lyoya was killed following a chaotic traffic stop on April 4. The 26-year-old Lyoya was on the ground when he was killed, the AP reports. The shooting was recorded on video by a bystander. "The death was not justified or excused ... by self defense," Becker said, referring to an element of second-degree murder.
Police on Wednesday night removed a group of protesters occupying the main library at New York's Columbia University, long a flashpoint in the pro-Palestinian movement in the US. The New York Times reports that the protesters, who were masked and wearing kaffiyehs, appeared to be trying to rekindle last spring's campus demonstrations. They hung Palestinian flags and banners renaming the Butler library to "the Basel Al-Araj Popular University," and some apparently wrote "Columbia will burn" on framed pictures, the AP reports. The university's acting president requested police come in to clear the building after warning protesters they would face discipline and possibly arrest if they did not disperse, the Guardian reports.

Dozens were ultimately arrested, hours after protesters first pushed past campus security to get in. Videos show another group of protesters attempting to shove security officers aside to get in. Videos from later in the day show more than 30 people being led away from the building, their hands tied behind their backs, by police, as others gathered outside the building chanting "Free Palestine." Two public safety officers at the university were injured in the fracas, the acting president says. Also Wednesday night, the Justice Department said hate crime charges have been brought against Tarek Bazrouk, a 20-year-old who is accused of assaulting Jewish people at pro-Palestinian demonstrations over the past year, including one near Columbia.
A new study doesn't entirely rule out the possibility that a mystery disease has struck hundreds of people in Canada, but it puts the risk at roughly one in a million. Published Wednesday in JAMA Neurology , the evaluation of 14 living and 11 deceased patients identified as part of the New Brunswick cluster concludes they suffered from "well-known, previously misdiagnosed neurological conditions," including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, metastatic cancer, functional neurological disorder, traumatic brain injuries, and post-concussion symptoms, per NBC News and the CBC . "We really felt we had a good explanation for 100% of the cases," study author Dr. Anthony Lang, a neurologist at Toronto Western Hospital's Krembil Brain Institute, tells NBC.

The paper backs up years-old findings. In 2022, a committee including independent neurologists reviewed the cases of 48 patients, identifying "potential alternative diagnoses" for 41. But "sadly, the physician involved continues to believe and convince the patients and families that they have a mysterious illness," Lang says, referring to Moncton neurologist Dr. Alier Marrero, who's diagnosed hundreds of patients in seven provinces as having a "neurological syndrome of unknown cause." Researchers noted 52 patients in the cluster refused second opinions and 42 didn't respond to communication, possibly due to misinformation. Marrero has suggested an environmental toxin, but that "could never have explained this broad variety of neurological abnormalities," Lang tells the CBC.

In a statement, Marrero says he's "in profound disagreement" with the findings of a study examining a "small number" of patients, per the CBC. But despite the small sample size, "when we did the statistics  the chances of any of those other individuals having a mystery disease was less than one in a million," Lang tells the outlet. "I think that if there really had been a mystery disease with those numbers, we would have been hearing from more than a single physician." The study calls for "education, reassurance, and mental health support" for patients who believe "a potentially fatal mystery disease continues to affect them." A provincial investigation into the cases is ongoing.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was meeting last week with representatives from a teachers union in his home state when things quickly devolved, sources tell the AP . Before long, Fetterman began repeating himself, shouting and questioning why "everybody is mad at me," "why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do" and slamming his hands on a desk, according to one person who was briefed on what occurred. As the meeting deteriorated, a staff member moved to end it and ushered the visitors into the hallway, where she broke down crying. The staffer was comforted by the teachers who were themselves rattled by Fetterman's behavior, according to a second person who was briefed separately on the meeting.

The interaction at Fetterman's Washington office, described to the AP by the two people who spoke about it on condition of anonymity, came the day before New York magazine published a story in which former staff and political advisers to Fetterman aired concerns about the senator's mental health. That story included a 2024 letter, also obtained by the AP, in which Fetterman's one-time chief of staff Adam Jentleson told a neuropsychiatrist who had treated Fetterman for depression that the senator appeared to be off his recovery plan and was exhibiting alarming behavior, including a tendency toward "long, rambling, repetitive and self-centered monologues."

Asked about the meeting with teachers union representatives, Fetterman said in a statement through his office that they "had a spirited conversation about our collective frustration with the Trump administration's cuts to our education system." He also said he "will always support our teachers, and I will always reject anyone's attempt to turn Pennsylvania's public schools into a voucher program." Fetterman earlier this week brushed off the New York story as a "hit piece." The teachers union encounter adds to the questions being raised about his mental health and behavior barely three years after he survived a stroke on the 2022 campaign trail that he said almost killed him, followed by a bout with depression that landed him in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for six weeks.
Denmark wants answers after sources came forward to report that the US will ramp up its spying efforts in Greenland. The Danish foreign minister told reporters Wednesday that he will summon the US ambassador to Copenhagen and ask him to explain the report, which he called "somewhat disturbing," the Guardian reports. "It worries me greatly because we do not spy on friends," Lars Lkke Rasmussen said, per the BBC. "I can't know if it's true because it's in a newspaper. But it doesn't seem to be strongly rejected by those who speak out. That worries me. ... We are going to call in the US acting ambassador for a discussion at the foreign ministry to see if we can confirm this information."
A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld a judge's order to bring a Turkish Tufts University student from a Louisiana immigration detention center back to New England for hearings to determine whether her rights were violated and if she should be released. Denying a government request for a delay, the three-judge panel of the New York-based 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Rumeysa Ozturk after hearing arguments Tuesday, per the AP . Ozturk has been in Louisiana for more than six weeks following an op-ed she co-wrote last year that criticized the school's response to Israel's war in Gaza. The court ordered Ozturk to be transferred to ICE custody in Vermont by Wednesday.

Immigration court proceedings for Ozturk, initiated in Louisiana, are being conducted separately, and Ozturk can participate remotely, the court said. Ozturk's lawyers first filed a petition on her behalf in Massachusetts, though they didn't know where she was at first after she was detained. A Massachusetts judge later transferred the case to Vermont. "The government now argues that this transfer was improper. The government is wrong," the appeals court wrote. It also said Ozturk's interest in participating in person in the Vermont hearings outweighs administrative and logistical costs to the government.

A district court judge in Vermont had ordered that the 30-year-old doctoral student be brought to the state for hearings to determine whether she was illegally detained. The Justice Department, which appealed that ruling, said that the immigration court in Louisiana has jurisdiction over Ozturk's case. The appeals court paused the transfer order last week to consider an emergency motion filed by the government. But on Wednesday, the court didn't agree to the request for a longer delay.

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Immigration officials surrounded Ozturk on a street near Boston on March 25 and drove her to New Hampshire and Vermont before sending her to a detention center in Basile, Louisiana. A Homeland Security rep said in March, without evidence, that investigations found Ozturk had engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a US-designated terror group. Ozturk's lawyers say her detention violates her right to free speech and due process. "No one should be arrested and locked up for their political views," Esha Bhandari, one of Ozturk's attorneys, said in a statement. A hearing on her motion to be released on bail was scheduled in Burlington for Friday, followed by another hearing on May 22.
Sotheby's has postponed the planned auction of a collection of jewels found with what are believed to have been the cremated remains of Buddha. The sale, scheduled for May 7, was criticized by the Indian government and Buddhist leaders, reports the BBC . Nearly 1,800 items, including gemstones and patterned gold sheets, were discovered in 1898 by British colonial landowner William Claxton Peppe at a site in northern India. British authorities claimed the gems, and most of them were sent to a colonial museum in Kolkata, but Peppe was allowed to keep around a fifth of them. They're now held by his heirs, including LA-based director Chris Peppe.

India formally opposed the auction, arguing the relics represented the nation's "inalienable religious and cultural heritage" and that their sale would violate Indian and international laws, as well as UN conventions. Buddhist academics and monastic leaders had also criticized the planned sale, describing it as offensive to the worldwide Buddhist community. "It's quite galling to hear that sacred relics can be commodified," Naman Ahuja, a professor of Buddhist art in New Delhi, tells the CBC. "One didn't know that objects that were interred with the original ashes of the Buddhayou know, the offerings that pilgrims and people who actually belonged to the family of the Buddha had madecould be treated in this manner."

Sotheby's said it decided to postpone the auction after discussions with India and with the agreement of the consignors. The auction house stated that the move would allow time for further talks and that it would provide updates as needed. Information about the auction has been removed from the Sotheby's website. The gems were expected to fetch more than $12 million at auction, the Guardian reports. Before the sale was called off, Chris Peppe pledged to donate 25% of the proceeds to the Kolkata museum and another 25% to Buddhist institutions, though he insisted that he and his relatives had the right to sell the sacred gems. "Legally, the ownership is unchallenged," he said.
A bill to officially rename the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America" passed the House in a 211-206 vote Thursday, with Democrats calling it a waste of time and a sole Republican voting against it." It just seems juvenile," GOP Rep. Don Bacon told CNN earlier this week. "We're the United States of America. We're not Kaiser Wilhelm's Germany or Napoleon France," he said. "We're better than this. It just sounds like a sophomore thing to do." The New York Times calls the vote a "symbolic show of Republican deference" to President Trump, since the measure is highly unlikely to make it past the Senate.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called it a "silly, small-minded, sycophantic piece of legislation," and his fellow Democrats were equally scathing. "This may be the dumbest bill brought to the floor during the six years I've served in this Congress," said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon. Rep. Steny Hoyer compared the House proceedings to a Saturday Night Live cold open, nothing that the chamber wasn't considering any other legislation Thursday or for the rest of the week, the Times reports. "With all the important work this Congress should be tackling, the speaker and House Republicans have chosen to indulge the president in a whim that the American public does not support," Scanlon said.

The measure calls for the body of water to be renamed the Gulf of America on all US records, the Hill reports. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, its Republican sponsor, called it "one of the most important things we can do this Congress." "Names matter," she said. "Parents take a lot of time when they think about what to name a child that they're happy to welcome in the world because they have pride and they're to welcome their new baby into the world and that's why they take pride in the name that they name their child." She claimed Democrats opposed the name change because drug cartels "are their business partners."
British rock band the Who is to say its final goodbye to North America this summer. Singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend confirmed Thursday that they will perform hits from their six-decade career during "The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour," named after the band's 1971 hit. The band, which by the 1970s had become one of the world's biggest touring bands, easily filling the largest US stadiums, will play its first gig in Florida on Aug. 16, with further dates in cities including New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Vancouver, before a final date in Las Vegas on Sept. 28, the AP reports.

"Every musician's dream in the early '60s was to make it big in the US charts," Daltrey said. "For The Who, that dream came true in 1967 and our lives were changed forever." The band went from performing club shows to headlining the Woodstock festival and becoming one of the biggest box-office draws in the world. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Daltrey, 81, and Townshend, two years his junior, have been one of rock's most prolific double acts, with the band surviving the deaths of drummer Keith Moon in 1978 and bass guitarist John Entwistle in 2002.

"Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon and John Entwistle, and, of course, all of our long-time Who fans," Townshend said. "I must say that although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy: the best job I could ever have had. I keep coming back." Ticket presales will run from May 13 ahead of the general sale beginning May 16. "Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time," Townshend said. "For me, playing to American audiences and those in Canada has always been incredible." Daltrey and Townshend also revealed there are no plans at the moment for a farewell tour of the UK. "Let's see if we survive this one," Daltrey said.
The Catholic Church has its first-ever American pope. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected by his fellow cardinals on Thursday, reports the Guardian. Prevost, 69, is a native of Chicago who served for two decades in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop, per the AP and the New York Times. His chosen name as pope will be Leo XIV. He entered the papal conclave with some clout: Pope Francis brought him to the Vatican in 2023 to lead a powerful office that vets the nomination of bishops from around the world.
The day after he broke with the Trump administration line on eliminating FEMA, the agency's acting boss was fired. Cameron Hamilton, who was appointed by President Trump, was called to Department of Homeland Security headquarters on Thursday and dismissed, Politico reports. He was then driven back to his Federal Emergency Management Agency office, where he gathered his things and left. Hamilton's biography was quickly removed from FEMA's website, and his official account on X was archived. FEMA told Politico that David Richardson is now handling the administrator's duties. Hamilton's views on FEMA clashed with his bosses' this way:

Trump : "I think we're going to recommend that FEMA go away," the president said in January, per the New York Times, while touring the damage caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. He also criticized the agency as "very bureaucratic" and slow. Trump signed an executive order that month creating a review council to suggest changes to FEMA, per USA Today.

: "I think we're going to recommend that FEMA go away," the president said in January, per the New York Times, while touring the damage caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. He also criticized the agency as "very bureaucratic" and slow. Trump signed an executive order that month creating a review council to suggest changes to FEMA, per USA Today. Kristi Noem : Trump "believes that FEMA and its response in many, many circumstances has failed the American people, and that FEMA, as it exists today, should be eliminated," the Homeland Security secretary said Tuesday on Capitol Hill.

: Trump "believes that FEMA and its response in many, many circumstances has failed the American people, and that FEMA, as it exists today, should be eliminated," the Homeland Security secretary said Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Hamilton: "I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency," the acting chief told a House Appropriations subcommittee on Wednesday.

While Hamilton was being fired, Noem was appearing before senators who were asking about FEMA. With fire and hurricane season just weeks away, Democratic Sen. Patty Murray told her, "We have seen an upheaval at FEMA that is going to put lives in jeopardy." North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican, later said he was disappointed by the removal of Hamilton, who was not eligible for the job on a permanent basis because he lacks the emergency management experience required by law, per Politico. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, issued a statement saying Hamilton "was fired when he told the truth and refused to toe the administration line with its plans to eliminate FEMA."
First lady Melania Trump and members of the Bush family gathered Thursday in the East Room of the White House to unveil a postage stamp bearing the portrait of former first lady Barbara Bush. Dorothy Bush Koch, the late first lady's daughter, told attendees, "It's unlikely that Mom ever pictured herself on the postage stamp, and it's very likely that she would be wondering what all this fuss is about." The image on the stamp is Barbara Bush's official White House portrait, which hangs in the entrance to the East Wing, the AP reports. She is depicted in a black suit and purple blouse, wearing her hallmark triple strand of pearls.

Trump, Bush Koch, and Judy de Torok, a vice president at the US Postal Service, took turns sharing stories about Barbara Bush's life and achievements. Bush Koch held back tears recalling moments from her mother's early life. "Mom was never one to shy away from speaking the truth or taking a stand," she said. "With her signature white hair and pearls, she became an icon in her own right, and yet, even as a former first lady, she remained humble and humorous." Barbara Bush died in 2018 at age 92. She was married to President George HW Bush and the mother of former President George W Bush.

Bush championed literacy programs and helped destigmatized people with AIDs and HIV when she cradled an infant during a 1989 visit to a hospice for children with AIDS. Trump said she also appreciated how Bush inspired people to pursue their personal dreams and issued a call for a female American president. "Who knows?" Trump said. "Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps and preside over the White House, and I wish him well," she said to laughs. Bush is the eighth first lady to be honored with a US postage stamp. After a ceremony in Kennebunkport, Maine, where the Bush family compound is located, the stamp will go on sale June 10.
TOKYO, May 09 (News On Japan) - As NTT Docomo and KDDI move to raise their mobile phone fees, SoftBank has also revealed it is considering a similar hike.

SoftBank President Junichi Miyagawa stated, "It is likely the right time to reconsider pricing for the healthy growth of the industry."

With competitors Docomo and KDDI both announcing increases to their major service plans, Miyagawa emphasized that the timing is appropriate for SoftBank to review its pricing strategy.

Since Rakuten Mobiles full-scale entry into the market in 2020, the telecommunications sector has been engaged in a prolonged price-cutting battle. This trend was spurred in part by the administration of then-Prime Minister Suga, which made lowering mobile phone charges a key policy initiative.

Source: TBS
KOBE, May 09 (News On Japan) - Across Japan, road collapses have been occurring with increasing frequency, often blamed on aging infrastructure. In one recent incident in Ashioshi, Saitama Prefecture, a truck was swallowed by a gaping sinkhole.

Sewer systems are indispensable to daily life, yet many are deteriorating. In Kobe's Nishi Ward, construction was underway in a quiet suburban neighborhood to restore an old sewer pipe without removing it. The target was a 30-meter section of reinforced concrete sewer pipe, about 30 cm in diameter, that had been in use for around 40 years.

To begin, a robot-mounted camera small enough to navigate the narrow pipe was lowered through a manhole to inspect the interior. Although wastewater had flowed through the lower portion for four decades, and corrosive gases from the water and air passed through the top, the pipe showed no major damage and remained relatively clean.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism defines the standard service life of sewer pipes as 50 years. Kobe City, which rapidly expanded its sewer network during Japan's postwar economic boom, now manages a system extending roughly 4,200 kilometers. About 30% of this infrastructure is already over 50 years old; within 10 years, this figure is expected to reach 60%, and 80% within 20 years.

To deal with the growing need for repairs, the city has adopted trenchless rehabilitation methods. One such method, called Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP), involves inserting a flexible lining made of glass fiber into the old pipe, sealing both ends, and curing it with high-temperature steam. The liner hardens inside the existing pipe, creating a new pipe within the old one. This process takes only half a day, much faster than traditional methods that require excavation and pipe replacement.

The cost of rehabilitating a small-diameter pipe is about 200,000 yen per meter. For the 30-meter stretch being repaired, the total cost is estimated at around 5 to 6 million yen. The new pipe, visible as a green lining inside the old one, is expected to last more than 50 years. With its improved flexibility, it is also more resistant to earthquakes.

According to Kobe City, multiple sewer repair projects are underway almost daily. The city aims to restore around 30 kilometers annually, but at that pace, it would take roughly 140 years to upgrade the entire network. Labor shortages make it difficult to accelerate progress. Although some young workers are joining, many leave the job early, leaving the workforce stretched thin.

The Ministrys 50-year guideline is being questioned. In a recent road collapse in Yoshii, Saitama Prefecture, the failed sewer pipe had been installed in 1983, only 42 years ago. Jun Mishina, a technical advisor who has spent over 50 years researching concrete corrosion, warns that some pipes can deteriorate faster, especially under the influence of hydrogen sulfide gas generated from sewage.

Mishina explained that many older pipes are concrete and prone to weakening from corrosive gases and wastewater. "They may look fine on the surface, but crumble like tofu when touched," he said. Depending on the concentration of gases, concrete can erode by up to 8mm a year. He emphasized that not all pipes will last 50 years, and that maintenance frequency must increase to avoid further accidents.

According to his data, areas where water convergessuch as pipe junctions or elevation changesare especially prone to gas generation and concrete decay. These vulnerable locations make up about 10% of all sewer pipes. One such site exists in Kobe, near Higashi Yuenchi Park, where wastewater from the city gathers before heading to a treatment plant.

To investigate, Kobe City staff first ventilate the manhole to reduce hydrogen sulfide levels before descending with a small camera. About 10 meters below, a large junction chamber is inspected visually. No abnormalities were found on this occasion, although the smell of household wastewater was evident. Further down, where a 3-meter-diameter sewer pipe transports water from higher elevations, the flow and condition are carefully checked, especially since water collisions at such points heighten gas production and risk of deterioration.

Despite the rain on the day of inspection, which increased water flow, no major cracks or damage were discovered. Normally, crews descend further to inspect deeper sections. Each year, Kobe conducts manual inspections on about 6% (roughly 230 kilometers) of its total network. Inspectors say they still rely heavily on human eyes because AI cannot yet accurately assess pipes coated with residue from waste.

Moreover, even using AI requires preliminary video footagemeaning human labor is still essential. As a result, AI adoption in this field remains limited.

Day after day, sewer maintenance crews work behind the scenes to uphold urban safety. Even though the work is out of sight and often stigmatized as dirty, those involved hope the public will recognize the importance of their contribution.

One worker said, "Were often looked at with disdain because of the nature of the job, but I hope people remember that there are those of us working hard in places you never see."

Source: ABCTVnews
OSAKA, May 09 (News On Japan) - As the U.S.-China trade tensions escalate, 151 companies from Shanghai gathered in Osaka for a business fair, with some shifting their focus to Japan by planning store openings and relocating their families.

Among them, one company president said he has already moved with his family to Osaka and plans to open a store in Nipponbashi. Others are exploring indirect export routes through Singapore to avoid U.S. tariffs.

The Shanghai Fair, which began today at Intex Osaka, brought together companies spanning sectors such as fashion, science, and technology. While the fair has been held nearly 20 times overseas, this years event marked the highest participation yet, according to organizers.

Amid the current trade conflict, the United States has imposed additional tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese imports, while China has retaliated with tariffs of up to 125% on U.S. goods. A Shanghai-based earphone manufacturer that exports 80% of its products said it is reducing its export share to the U.S. from 50% to 30% in response to the trade tensions, and is now actively targeting the Japanese market.

"Weve already begun selling globally, but previously we focused mainly on online sales. Now, weve set up a local company in Japan, and Ive moved here with my family," said the company president. "I personally love Osaka. The people are cheerful, and my family is happy hereespecially the kids. Thats why we chose Osaka for our first physical store."

A robotics component manufacturer also revealed plans to establish a base in Singapore to circumvent U.S. tariffs, indicating that export routes are being reconfigured across Asia. Still, the company expressed skepticism that the U.S. could entirely decouple its supply chains from China, noting the complexity of the global economy shaped by American policy shifts.

Source: Television OSAKA NEWS
SHIZUOKA, May 09 (News On Japan) - Sakura shrimp, known as the 'Jewel of Suruga Bay,' are showing signs of recovery after years of declining catches that have troubled the local fishing industry.

The turnaround is largely attributed to voluntary restrictions carried out collectively by fishermen to protect the resource. In Shimizu Ward of Shizuoka City, a sushi restaurant is drawing seasonal crowds for its popular "Sakura Shrimp Feast Set," which features the shrimp prepared three waysraw, in tempura, and boiled. "Both Japanese and foreign visitors really enjoy this," said Yamashichi sushi restaurant owner Yamazaki Tomoko.

During the Golden Week holidays, many customers visited the restaurant to sample the specialty. The spring fishing season for sakura shrimp, which began on April 2nd, saw a total haul of 167 tons by the end of April. Masanori Jitsuishi, head of the Shizuoka Prefecture Sakura Shrimp Fishery Cooperative, expressed cautious optimism about the results.

"Compared to those days, its not a sudden recovery, but were definitely seeing a positive trend," Jitsuishi said, referring to the period around 2020, when catches had plummeted. According to the cooperative, annual catches were around 1,000 tons before 2017, but by 2020 they had fallen to about 128 tons. In contrast, the 2024 catch surpassed 500 tons, indicating a modest but steady rebound.

A key factor behind this recovery is the cooperative's ongoing voluntary restrictions. "We reduced the number of fishing boats and shortened the time we drag the nets," Jitsuishi explained.

Before the measures, around 120 vessels would go out to fish. The cooperative has since halved that number and staggered departures on alternating days to control daily catches. They also reduced the duration of net dragging to allow more shrimp to survive and reproduce for future seasons.

In addition, fishing activities have been restricted in sensitive areas, such as near the mouth of the Fuji River, which is believed to be a spawning ground for the shrimp.

"This isnt just a specialty of Suruga Bayits something we consider a Japanese treasure," said Jitsuishi. "Even if the resource recovers to a certain extent, we need to maintain the voluntary restrictions."

In their effort to pass on the bounty of Suruga Bay to future generations, the fishing community continues to adjust boat operations daily based on fishing conditions. While catch volumes have improved from their lowest point, uncertainty remains. For that reason, the cooperative plans to continue with the self-imposed restrictions going forward.

Source: SBSnews6
TORONTO, May 8, 2025 /CNW/ - Hazelview Investments has secured one of the largest CMHC-insured loans ever issued under the MLI Select program. The funding will advance the development of 856 new purpose-built rental homes in one of Toronto's most ambitious and community-oriented master-planned sites, located at the intersection of Bloor St. West and Dufferin Ave. Financing for this construction loan was provided by First National Financial LP.

Hazelview Investments Bloor & Dufferin project: Block B (CNW Group/Hazelview Investments)

This financing reflects Hazelview's disciplined approach to capital structuring. By aligning our development strategy with housing priorities at every level, we are able to access high-quality financing solutions that enhance project performance and reduce long-term risk. This CMHC-insured loan is a clear example of how thoughtful engagement with government programs can unlock value for both investors and communities.

"Securing this financing reflects our belief that doing the right thing for communities also delivers long-term value for investors," said Michael Williams, Head of Development at Hazelview Investments. "The scale and structure of this loan allow us to move forward confidently with a project that meets high standards for livability, sustainability, and financial performance."

Exceeding MLI Select Requirements

Hazelview's application to CMHC qualified under both the energy efficiency and accessibility categories of the MLI Select program. The development surpassed baseline requirements, resulting in a total of 120 points, above the program's maximum benefits threshold.

Energy Efficiency

The project earned the full 100-point energy efficiency incentive by achieving ~40 percent improvement over the National Energy Code for Buildings (2017), driving meaningful reductions in both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while also providing enhanced indoor comfort, better air quality, and reduced utility costs for future residents.

Accessibility

Hazelview achieved an additional 20 points through Rick Hansen Foundation Level 1 certification. The building complies with CSA B651:23, meaning all homes are 100 percent visitable and all common areas are barrier-free. A share of units will meet full accessibility standards under the Rick Hansen framework.

These features offer meaningful benefits to residents, including those with permanent or temporary disabilities, older adults, and families with young children. The design enables safe, independent movement throughout the building and supports more inclusive urban living.

Designed as a Complete Community

The overall project is part of a broader vision to deliver long-term community value. A historic $79.8 million community benefits package is included as part of the development of this site, including a $12.5 million cash contribution to establish land trusts that will acquire affordable housing.

The community benefits package includes:

a new City-owned community hub and daycare on the first two floors of the former Kent School building

building an 8-storey building with 56 purpose-built units to be conveyed to the City, exclusively for public affordable rental housing

a new bus-accessible public road that prioritizes the safe and convenient transportation for students and visitors alike

a new public park

an underground pedestrian connection to the Dufferin TTC subway station

Each of these elements was designed with the surrounding neighbourhood in mind. By integrating housing, amenities, and infrastructure into one connected plan, Hazelview is contributing to the long-term social and economic health of the area.

"Bloor Street is one of those centrepieces of Toronto. It's a historic street that defines the east-west spine of the city. Hazelview's vision for this landmark corner of Bloor St. W and Dufferin Ave., helps raise the standard for apartment living in our city, one that we have yet to see at this quality and scale. They are helping create a true vertical neighbourhood, that is accessible, sustainable, and family-oriented. It's the kind of multi-unit housing Toronto needs very badly, and we are thrilled that we were able to help support that vision," says Barry Gidney, AVP, Commercial, First National Financial LP.

Hazelview's integrated investment and development platform allows us to execute large-scale projects with alignment from concept through operations. With over two decades of experience and a deep understanding of local markets, we continue to invest with discipline, insight, and an ownership mindset.

For more information, visit: Bloor & Dufferin  Hazelview.

About Hazelview:

Hazelview is a global real estate investment, development, and property management firm. Since 1999, Hazelview has delivered strong, risk-adjusted returns across all market cycles by taking an ownership-driven approach and leveraging deep local and global market insights. The firm invests in both private and public real estate markets through its strategically integrated platform.

With a focus on purpose-built rental communities, Hazelview develops and manages high-quality residential properties that prioritize resident wellbeing and fosters community connection. To learn more, visit https://www.hazelview.com and www.hazelviewproperties.com.

SOURCE Hazelview Investments

For further information, please contact: Hazelview Investments Inc., Colleen Krempulec, Managing Partner, Head of Sustainability and Brand, [email protected], (416) 500-9251
The tariff barriers make it uneconomic to import batteries from China. China has been the main supplier of Tesla Megapack, stationary energy storage batteries. Tesla has enough US and non-China battery supply for cars. Tesla needs to get more batteries for megapacks in the USA. Tesla will be able to use China batteries for the Shanghai Megapack factory.

Jordan of the Limiting Factory describes how Tesla can get batteries for US Megapacks. Tesla has the Lathrop California megapack factory and it is scaled to about 40 Gigawatt hours per year of production. Tesla is preparing a Texas megapack factory over the next few months. Tesla would have gotten batteries imported and into warehouses prior to the tariffs. However, this supply of batteries will run out in the next few months.

There is some other supply of batteries in the US but not enough for Lathrop and not enough to scale up the Texas megapack factory. Tesla would have known that scaling up a larger Texas megapack factory requires 80 to 120 Gigawatt hours of batteries per year. In 2026, this could start to be provided by a new LFP version of the 4680 battery. This would take time to start and scale up.

4680 nickel battery production would need to get to a ramped totally dry battery process.

Tesla has a China independent supply chain for batteries. Tesla has a lithium mine and new refineries for materials. They have an alternative to graphite for batteries. This independent battery supply chain is just starting in some areas.

Tesla has indicated that they have solutions that will be ramped soon. They do not define all of those solutions and do not define soon.
Weather Alert

Take action to protect yourself and others  extreme heat can affect everyones health. Determine if you or others around you are at greater risk of heat illness. Check on older adults, those living alone and other at-risk people in-person or on the phone multiple times a day. Watch for the early signs of heat exhaustion in yourself and others. Signs may include headache, nausea, dizziness, thirst, dark urine and intense fatigue. Stop your activity and drink water. Heat stroke is a medical emergency! Call 9-1-1 or your emergency health provider if you, or someone around you, is showing signs of heat stroke which can include red and hot skin, dizziness, nausea, confusion and change in consciousness. While you wait for medical attention, try to cool the person by moving them to a cool place, removing extra clothing, applying cold water or ice packs around the body. Drink water often and before you feel thirsty to replace fluids. Close blinds, or shades and open windows if outside is cooler than inside. Turn on air conditioning, use a fan, or move to a cooler area of your living space. If your living space is hot, move to a cool public space such as a cooling centre, community centre, library or shaded park. Follow the advice of your regions public health authority. Plan and schedule outdoor activities during the coolest parts of the day. Limit direct exposure to the sun and heat. Wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. Never leave people, especially children, or pets inside a parked vehicle. Check the vehicle before locking to make sure no one is left behind. Humidex values reaching 40 are expected. A heat event is expected this weekend. What: Daytime highs of 31 to 33 degrees Celsius and a humidex of 40. Overnight lows of 21 to 25 degrees Celsius, providing little relief from the heat. When: Today to Sunday, coming to an end Sunday night. Additional information: Hot and humid air can also bring deteriorating air quality and result in the Air Quality Health Index approaching the high risk category. ### For more information: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/climate-change-health/extreme-heat/how-protect-yourself.html https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/climate-change-health/extreme-heat/who-is-at-risk.html Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@ec.gc.ca or post reports on X using #ONStorm.
Strawberry lovers in New Jersey can rejoice as many of the states popular strawberry festivals are set to return during May in 2025.

From community events to farm festivals, there will be plenty of opportunities to celebrate and enjoy fresh, locally grown strawberries during May and June.

Several farms in New Jersey also host their own strawberry festivals in June, often coinciding with pick-your-own strawberry season. A few of the strawberry events in May include:

Most events recommend checking their website or calling to confirm dates and times as weather and crop conditions can impact schedules.



Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff.
The Rockefeller Lookout in Englewood Cliffs. Police found a missing man dead on Sunday at the base of the lookout. (Alex Remnick/The Star-Ledger) SL

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that municipalities are not exempt from sanctions for frivolous litigation, ordering Englewood Cliffs to pay over $200,000 in penalties.

This decision comes after the court agreed with lower court rulings that Englewood Cliffs acted in bad faith when it filed a lawsuit against its former attorneys.

Englewood Cliffs hired Thomas J. Trautner, Albert Wunsch, and Jeffrey R. Surenian to handle a legal matter related to affordable housing requirements.

Despite the fact that the attorneys advised the town to settle due to the weaknesses in their case, Englewood Cliffs chose to go to trial and ultimately lost, according to court documents.

In the affordable housing suit, Englewood Cliffs had to prove the town was providing enough affordable housing to meet state requirements.

A builder, 800 Sylvan Avenue, disagreed and wanted to build more. After losing that case, the borough settled with the builder.

However, after political control of the borough changed hands, Englewood Cliffs filed a second lawsuit against their former attorneys and the builder.

The court found that the borough had no valid reason for filing the lawsuit, determining that it was filed with malicious intent.

The Bergen County judge dismissed the lawsuit and ordered Englewood Cliffs to pay the defendants legal fees. The Borough appealed, arguing that it was immune from penalties under New Jersey law.

In a written opinion for the New Jersey Supreme Court, Associate Justice Douglas M. Fasciale stated that municipalities are not protected from sanctions for frivolous litigation.

As a result, Englewood Cliffs must pay $216,484.45.

Scott D. Salmon, who represented Englewood Cliffs, expressed disappointment with the decision. Matthew Boxer, representing Trautner and his law firm, did not comment on the ruling.

Wunsch, who is an Englewood Cliffs native, said that this case was a very important one.

Englewood Cliffs finally got its comeuppance, he said.

Surenian said that he was offended at the allegation that he committed malpractice and that he is grateful the case turned out in his favor.

Trautner did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Six former students have accused the Cherry Hill school district of failing to protect them from a teacher who allegedly had a history of sexually abusing students in the early 1980s, a new lawsuit claims.

Two former students filed sexual abuse lawsuits against the school district in 2023, claiming the district was aware of the risk Otto Becken, a sixth-grade teacher at James F. Cooper Elementary School, posed to young students.

Four more students filed civil suits against the district late last month, claiming Becken sexually assaulted them inside and outside the school, including during lunch periods and a week-long camping trip, according to the plaintiffs attorneys, Jeffrey Fritz and Derek Braslow.

School district officials did not immediately return a request for comment. In a reply to the complaint, the district denied allegations that they failed to protect students, court documents show.

Chuck Wicker, now 54, was one of the two people who filed the initial lawsuit against the school district in 2023.

In the civil complaint, Wicker said the sexual abuse started when Becken invited him to eat lunch in the classroom to get extra reading help. The abuse continued, the complaint alleges, occurring in a private area of the classroom during lunch periods.

Becken also sexually abused Wicker and other students on a week-long camping trip in the Pinelands, the complaint alleges.

Like so many others, it took me a while to come forward but it will have been worth it if it will help protect children in New Jersey, Wicker said in a statement.

The four additional lawsuits claim district administrators knew that Becken posed a risk to students but did nothing to protect them and failed to report concerning behavior to state authorities, court documents show.

Under an agreement with the district, Becken was permitted to resign from his teaching position in the Cherry Hill school district in 1984 and forfeit his teaching certificate, Fritz and Braslow said.

Beckens resignation was effective Jan. 8, 1985, the district said in court documents.

Becken was charged with three counts each of sexual assault and endangering, abuse and neglect in August 1984, court records show.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault with a child under the age of 13 in 1985, court records show.

Current court records did not indicate a sentence issued to Becken after his guilty plea. Becken died in Pennsylvania in 2011, according to court documents.

The lawsuits accuse the district of being aware of Beckens comments to students and close relationship to the students.

Becken was hired by the Cherry Hill school district in 1970 to be a sixth-grade teacher and remedial reading teacher, but by 1977, district administrators had admonished Becken to draw clear lines between himself and students, Fritz and Braslow argue in the complaint.

The principal at Cooper Elementary School during the time period said Becken had failed to draw an appropriate line between adults and students, the complaint states.

The theme for improvement to Mr. Becken over the years has been that he must draw a line between teachers and pupils and this implies the choice of subject matter, the choice of games, the choice of how far to go in many things, Fritz and Braslow quoted the principal at the time as saying.

The students, all young boys, were between 11 and 12 years old at the time of the incidents which are alleged to have happened at the beginning of the school year in 1982, the complaint says.

A separate student, identified in the complaint as Student B, reported Becken had acted inappropriately and been vulgar with her sixth-grade class in 1977, according to the complaint.

Fritz and Braslow say in court filings that Becken had a reputation for being inappropriate with students, especially boys, and that nothing was done by the district to limit Beckens access to children.

The attorneys also said no investigation was conducted and the incidents were not reported at the time to the state Division of Youth Family Services.

The complaint also states that between the fall of 1983 and winter of 1984, Becken sexually assaulted two 12-year-old boys at a remedial reading program during lunchtime. They also said Becken chose some of the boys based on their limited ability to speak English.

The incident was reported to police and Becken resigned in November 1984 under a settlement agreement, according the plaintiffs attorneys.

This case is personal to me, Braslow, a 1989 Cherry Hill East High School alumnus and former classmate of some of the plaintiffs, said. This is a case about institutional failure and these complaints allege that the district had clear warnings and should have known about Beckens behavior, yet did nothing to protect the children under their care.

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A high school in Bergen County closed for the day on Thursday due to smoke in the cafeteria kitchen, local officials said.

Firefighters were called to Pascack Valley High School at about 4:55 a.m., and found smoke pouring from a refrigerator in the kitchen that spread into duct work above, the Hillsdale Fire Department said.

No one was injured. The situation was brought under control about a half-hour later, fire officials said.

The cause of the smoke remains under investigation.

School officials closed the building for the day because of the amount of smoke that spread through the school.

About 950 students attend grades 9 to 12 at the school on Piermont Avenue in Hillsdale, according to the state Department of Education.

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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
An Essex County student intentionally set a Chromebook on fire Thursday for a viral TikTok challenge that has sparked blazes in schools around the country, police said.

The 15-year-old student at Belleville High School was charged with third degree arson and criminal mischief after participating in the Chromebook Challenge social media trend, according to police.

The trend  hashtagged as #ChromebookChallenge or #ChromebookDurabilityTest on TikTok  encourages students to insert objects such as pencil lead, paper clips, pushpins and metallic wrappers into the USB ports of school-issued Chromebooks to cause electrical short circuits.

New Jersey schools have been sounding the alarm about the trend. Several school districts sent warnings to parents and students this week.

The stunt was also blamed for causing an early dismissal at a school in New York last week. A high school in Connecticut was evacuated two weeks ago after a laptop fire.

In Belleville, police and fire officials responded to the high school at approximately 9:13 a.m. Thursday for a fire in Room 219 that forced an evacuation of the school, local officials said.

They found a charred Chromebook computer outside the building. Investigators said a staff member saw smoke coming from the laptop and removed it from the classroom while students and staff evacuated the building.

Police said the unnamed 15-year-old intentionally manipulated the device as part of a social media challenge trending on TikTok, resulting in the Chromebook smoldering and posing a fire risk.

Belleville police said parents should speak to their children about the dangers of the #ChromebookChallenge trend.

The Belleville Police and Fire Departments strongly urge parents and guardians to speak with their children about the dangers of participating in online trends that can result in serious harm or criminal charges, police said in a statement.

In Middlesex County, Metuchen Superintendent Vincent Caputo also sent a warning to families Thursday that said parents will be responsible for paying for any damaged Chromebooks.

Tampering with school-issued devices in this manner is considered intentional misuse and abuse, which can lead to disciplinary actions. Additionally, parents may be financially responsible for the repair or replacement of damaged equipment, Caputo wrote.

No incidents have been reported in Metuchen, but Caputo wrote that he wanted to alert parents to the trend amid growing national news coverage.

We urge you to have a conversation with your child about the dangers and consequences of participating in such trends. Emphasize the importance of using technology responsibly and the potential risks associated with tampering with electronic devices, Caputo wrote.

In Elizabeth, school officials at Terence C. Reilly School No. 7 posted on Facebook that students could lose their laptops for the remainder of the school year if they attempt the Chromebook Challenge.

What may seem like a fun experiment online can quickly turn into something much more serious!!! the post said.

Staff writer Eric Conklin contributed to this report.

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Rutgers University building. (Robert Sciarrino/The Star-Ledger) Star-Ledger file photo

When Aaliyah Amos heard about potential cuts to diversity programs that enabled her to live on campus and cultivate a diverse school community, she was stunned.

But for the 21-year-old Rutgers-Newark senior, the fear of future students not having access to programs that helped her is even more concerning.

Ive been able to survive here at Rutgers due to programs like the Honors Living-Learning Community, Amos said, of the program for students who care about social justice, leadership, and making a difference in their communities. The program has taught me the history of major social justice movements and the origins of civil rights.

This is just a really good example of a diversity program that I benefit from, she added. So, knowing this is a state-funded school, I have some worries that eventually, they will have to give in to the pressure theyre facing.

Amos, of Newark, is among dozens of students on edge at colleges and universities across New Jersey following President Donald Trumps executive orders in January and April to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the federal government and colleges and universities.

The administration has withheld and threatened to withhold federal funding from institutions that fail to comply.

Longstanding federal civil rights laws protect individual Americans from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, Trump said in a statement released by the White House on Jan. 21.

These civil-rights protections serve as a bedrock supporting equality of opportunity for all Americans, the statement read. As President, I have a solemn duty to ensure that these laws are enforced for the benefit of all Americans.

But supporters of DEI programs, like Rutgers-Newark sophomore Salome Prime, 20, said they dont give certain students an unfair advantage; they simply offset the disadvantages those students and their forebears have faced their whole lives.

I think cuts to college diversity programs would be setting the country back, said Prime, a journalism major from Newark. Back to when people like me didnt have the same rights or pathways to success. DEI, to me, doesnt mean that minorities should be above others, but that everyone gets the same chances and opportunities.

Beyond that, she added, these programs at school create community and safe spaces for all types of students.

Seton Hall senior Tawanna Brown called the DEI decisions racist.

The decision to cut all DEI funding nationwide is a direct attack on freedom, justice and truth, she said. It allows for racist ideologies and false narratives to continually drive this country. The decision is grounded in censorship and bigotry. It is symbolic of the power of white discomfort when confronted by the truth.

Still, in response to the federal mandate, several New Jersey universities have begun altering their DEI programs.

Rowan University announced the reorganization of its Division of Inclusive Excellence, Community & Belonging in February, stating that it did so to ensure compliance with federal laws. The university emphasized its commitment to student success and fulfilling its mission to provide accessible, affordable, and high-quality programs.

Rutgers canceled a virtual conference on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and apprenticeships for Jan. 30 after the U.S. Department of Labor directed the cessation of all work under the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility HUB at Jobs for the Future, the nonprofit focused on education and workforce advancement, which funded the conference.

Other schools like Montclair State University are standing firm in their commitment to support DEI programs and initiatives.

The University has publicly committed to continued support for our students, said Montclair State University Assistant Vice President Andrew Mees.We are meeting with potentially impacted groups to make them aware of institutional supports and programs available to them.

The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has filed a lawsuit challenging the executive order barring funding for colleges and universities with DEI initiatives. The same suit by the AAUP also challenges a broader DEI-related order by Trump involving all federal contracts and grants.

Individual faculty members are also speaking out.

Cutting DEI programs doesnt just affect budgets  it damages the communities weve built, said Montclair State Social Justice Professor Jason Williams. These initiatives create spaces where students and staff of all backgrounds can connect, belong, and thrive. For many of us, theyre the reason we feel seen on campus at all.

Eliminating them sends a loud, dangerous message: that some students dont deserve to feel safe or supported here, Willams added. College is supposed to be more than just lectures and grades  its where people find themselves and find each other. Taking that away is an attack on what makes our campus feel like home.

Rutgers student Cass Guinto worries that the DEI cuts could have implications outside campus.

Considering how DEI programs house initiatives like Rutgerss Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice, I think its very obviously an attempt at restricting students from having the knowledge necessary to spot injustice and fascism when its there, said Guinta.

People cant organize for or against what they dont understand, she said. Its easier to control people who lack the knowledge or resources to fight against it.

Seton Halls Brown agreed.

The cuts are a reminder that Black, brown and Indigenous people are confined to the shackles of a racist America, she said.

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Lisa (right) sparked controversy with her 2025 Met Gala look. Getty Images for The Met Museum/

Blackpink musician and The White Lotus season 3 star Lalisa Lisa Manobal caused quite the stir with her 2025 Met Gala outfit.

Lisa, 28, looked striking at the Monday, May 5, event in a black lace Louis Vuitton jacket and bodysuit with faces embroidered on it. Some people thought one of the featured faces looked like Rosa Parks, the civil rights activist known for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus, sparking the Montgomery bus boycott.

Why was a silhouette of Rosa Parks on Lisas crotch for her Met Gala look? one TikTok user questioned.

Why does Lisa have Rosa Parks in her pants? one of the historic women who fought against racism, another person wrote via X.

No way lisa wore an underwear with rosa parks face on it, a third person tweeted.

After the look sparked controversy, a rep for artist Henry Taylor, who collaborated with Pharrell Williams on the Met Gala outfit, set the record straight.

The figure featured in Lisas Louis Vuitton look is not Rosa Parks, but one of Henrys neighbors, the rep said in a statement to Vulture. The faces seen on this look, as well as on previous LV garments featuring Taylors artwork, are all drawn from his personal life  family members, friends, and neighbors. These figures come directly from Henrys existing artworks, which he provided to LVMH for Pharrells debut collection with Louis Vuitton in 2023.

Lisa is currently facing backlash for putting historical black figure Rosa Park who fought against racism on her panties #MetGala2025 pic.twitter.com/kbzS5PhlbO  Flop Kpop (@TheFlopKpop) May 6, 2025

Lisa and Williams have yet to address the controversy. The 2025 Met Gala marked Lisas first time attending the prestigious event.

I was so honored to attend my first MET with @louisvuitton celebrating the incredible art by Henry Taylor and @pharrell, Lisa wrote via Instagram on Wednesday. Thank you to the entire team who made my custom tailored look a reality. And special thank you to Anna Wintour @voguemagazine.

Williams cochaired the gala along with Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and longtime Met Gala lead chairperson Anna Wintour. The 2025 theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, explored the fashion movement Black dandyism.

READ MORE: See which Disney Channel alums attended the 2025 Met Gala

Superfine: Tailoring Black Style explores the importance of style to the formation of Black identities in the Atlantic diaspora, particularly in the United States and Europe, a description on the Met Museums website reads. Through a presentation of garments and accessories, paintings, photographs, decorative arts, and more, from the 18th century to today, the exhibition interprets the concept of dandyism as both an aesthetic and a strategy that allowed for new social and political possibilities.

In addition to his work on Lisas Met Gala look, Williams designed his own outfit for the evening as well as Sabrina Carpenters and Doechiis.

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by Xinhua writer Hua Hongli ZANZIBAR, Tanzania, May 7 (Xinhua) -- For 26-year-old Tanzanian Hassan Jumbe, those sleepless nights were laden with pain and stress. Night after night, relentless headaches haunted the young construction worker, a dull, throbbing pain that robbed him of rest and focus. Though he tried everything from over-the-counter medication to home remedies, nothing seemed to offer relief. Later, a friend mentioned an acupuncture clinic at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, where doctors from China used fine silver needles to ease pain. Skeptical but desperate, Jumbe decided to give it a go. Mnazi Mmoja Hospital is the region's main public healthcare facility, where the Chinese medical team are based. "Mnazi Mmoja" means "one coconut tree" in the Swahili language. "I thought it was a joke at first. Needles for healing headaches, really?" Jumbe told Xinhua in a recent interview. "But after the first session, I felt a sense of relief. By the third session, my headaches were nearly gone," he recalled, rubbing his temple where the needles had once been inserted. "It's not just the treatment. The doctors are so attentive, so patient. It feels like they genuinely care." Jumbe is among more than 120,000 patients who have experienced the healing touch of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Zanzibar, where Chinese medical teams have provided care since 1964. Over the decades, more than 30 Chinese TCM doctors have worked in rotation on the island, offering acupuncture, tuina (therapeutic massage), and herbal remedies. Inside a modest clinic at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, Li Dengke, a TCM doctor from China's Jiangsu Province, moved with precision. His steady hands inserted each needle, his calm voice soothing anxious patients. For him, TCM is not merely about technique but a deep understanding of the human body and the silent conversation between healer and patient. "I have seen patients come in with pain and leave with relief, but it is more than that," Li said. "Every needle carries care. Every touch is a message." Fatma Ally Abdallah, a 30-year-old nurse, observed carefully, her hands steady, as she prepared the next patient. She was no longer just an observer. Since 2021, she has been learning TCM techniques under the guidance of Chinese doctors. What began as curiosity has grown into a skill she now practices with confidence. "At first, it seemed so complex. But the Chinese doctors were patient. They taught me acupuncture, explained the meridian system, and even guided me in selecting treatment points," she said, adjusting the needles for a patient suffering from lower back pain. "Now I can perform acupuncture independently." Chen Wei, the leader of the 34th Chinese medical team in Zanzibar, explained that their mission is to treat and teach. "We focus on two aspects. First, we conduct formal training sessions where local doctors and nurses learn TCM techniques, both theoretical and practical. Second, we encourage them to practice in real cases, building confidence and skills," he said. Today, several local doctors and nurses are capable of independently performing basic TCM procedures. They apply tuina, administer cupping therapy, and explain TCM concepts to curious patients. Looking out from the clinic's rain-streaked window, Chen reflected on the journey of the Chinese medical team. "It's not just about the needles," he said softly. "It's about the hearts they touch."
From left: Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro and Vince Vaughn in "Nonnas," which filmed in New Jersey. Jeong Park | Netflix

Nonnas is not a movie to watch on an empty stomach.

From the eagerly devoured fresh zeppole in the opening scenes to inviting plates of gravy, stuffed shells, meatballs and lasagna, this is a film about big food and big family.

Boasting a cast stacked with Oscar talent  including actors from The Sopranos, The Godfather, Goodfellas and Rocky  the movie boils down some essential truths of the Italian American experience to deliver a special sauce that should taste familiar to anyone living in New Jersey or New York.

It helps that Nonnas, which filmed in New Jersey, is based on a true story crafted by a Jersey screenwriter.

In 2007, years after his grandmother Domenica died, Jody Joe Scaravella opened the Staten Island restaurant Enoteca Maria as a tribute. Named for his late mother, the the place didnt just serve Italian food, it was also staffed by Italian nonnas cooking cuisine from various regions of Italy.

Feeling that grandmothers everywhere are the crucial protectors and connectors of cultural identity in families, he expanded the restaurants offerings to Nonnas of the World in 2015. Now, grandmothers from countries across the globe cook their food there.

A similar universality can be found in the warmth of the movie.

Vince Vaughn plays Scaravella in Nonnas, premiering Friday (May 9) on Netflix, just in time for Mothers Day weekend.

His Joe recruits grandmothers known for their cooking to work at Enoteca Maria so he can recreate the love and care of his family kitchen and its enticing, life-affirming flavors.

Joe Manganiello and Vince Vaughn work to open an unconventional restaurant in the Netflix movie. Netflix

Oscar nominees Lorraine Bracco, Brenda Vaccaro and Talia Shire play the nonnas, who are joined in the kitchen by New Jerseys own Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon.

Emmy winner Drea de Matteo (Adriana La Cerva in The Sopranos) and Joe Manganiello (Magic Mike, True Blood) are among the Italian American cast, which also includes Emmy nominee Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me, Green Book, Mad Men) and Michael Rispoli (Jackie Aprile in The Sopranos).

Screenwriter Liz Maccie, who grew up in an Italian American family in New Jersey, read an article about Scaravellas restaurant and the nonnas. She saw her own family in his story, and pondered a screen adaptation.

I was like Wow, this is such a brilliant idea. Why has nobody done this before? Maccie, 49, tells NJ Advance Media.

Lorraine Bracco and Talia Shire having fun in the Enoteca Maria kitchen as Roberta and Teresa. Their cooking fuels dreams for a second act. Jeong Park | Netflix

She knew she had to pitch Madison Wells, the company that owned the rights to Scaravellas story.

To me, that was just my upbringing, says Maccie (Freeform series Siren, Nickelodeons A Loud House Christmas), who hails from Ocean Grove via West Orange. It just resonated so much with my family and Jersey, even though it takes place in Staten Island. Its like that Jersey thing, just that feeling of family and food."

Cooking through grief, and a Sunday ritual

Scaravella, the owner of the real Enoteca Maria, is an executive producer of Nonnas.

Joe is 1,000% the beating heart of this story, just who he is as a human being, says Maccie, a fellow producer. His heart is honestly the biggest. Hes one of the most (kind), loyal, authentic, genuine people. He didnt necessarily collaborate with the writing or any of that, but the truth of the story is all him."

The version of Joe played by Vaughn (Bad Monkey, Wedding Crashers) also loses his mother, Maria.

While grieving, the MTA worker tries to prepare his mother and grandmothers Italian specialties. Its a way for him to cope and feel connected to them.

Reminiscing, he takes the Staten Island Ferry to a market where his family used to buy tomatoes. While there, he sees a restaurant for sale and it all clicks. He realizes he can use the money his mother left him to open his own restaurant, with nonnas being the secret weapon in the kitchen.

"Nonnas" screenwriter Liz Maccie, Enoteca Maria owner Jody "Joe" Scaravella and director Stephen Chbosky at the film's premiere in New York. Dia Dipasupil | Getty Images

All of those moves, all of that decision to do this, to take the biggest risk of someones life and believe in a group of women that maybe society doesnt think has purpose anymore, to go Im gonna put everything I have into this dream because you deserve this, its all him, Maccie says of Scaravella, 69, who makes a cameo in the film. Hes infused in every single fiber, in every single word of that script.

Nonnas merges Scaravellas restaurant origin story with lovingly rendered details from Maccies life in Jersey. She says writing the script wasnt so much a job as a kind of gift, a way to celebrate her family.

The opening scene of the movie sees Joe as a child, salivating over zeppole as he picks up a bakery order for his mother. The scene could be lifted from Maccies childhood, infused with the mingled scents of newsprint and pastry.

That was my dad, she says. Hed get The Star-Ledger literally every Sunday and that was followed by going to the bakery, getting the zeppoles. I just love your paper so much because its so inherent in the fabric of growing up  it was like the way the paper smelled ... my dad would open the sections. And it was all part of that Sunday together, so it was very important to me.

"Sopranos" star Drea de Matteo as Stella, Joe Manganiello as Bruno and Vince Vaughn as Joe Scaravella in "Nonnas." Netflix

Her mother worked as a teacher and her father worked as a truck driver.

That sort of blue collar mentality, life  your values around work and around being together, being there for your neighbor  it all resonated, she says. The women in the movie are actually just a combination of all the women in my family  my aunts and my cousins and my mom.

Deep, fierce Jersey love

It took a family to make Nonnas happen.

Maccies husband of 14 years, author, screenwriter and filmmaker Stephen Chbosky, directed the Netflix movie.

Chbosky and Maccie currently divide their time between Greenwich, Connecticut and Ocean Grove.

You know, we lived in Los Angeles for a long time, Maccie says. I was like I have to get back to Jersey. I have to. These are my people. This is where I feel the most comfortable.

Maccie says the movie honors her loved ones and their Jersey passion while paying tribute to Scaravellas work with Enoteca Maria.

Ive lost all my family of origin at this point in time, she says. I have such a deep, fierce love for Jersey, theres a pride  Im like, me and Bruce Springsteen  when I think about Jersey and growing up in Jersey ... Youre just sort of there for your neighbor. You just show up. I dont know what it is about the state, but we have a very specific way of doing things. Steve will say to me Youre talking Jersey again. Just sort of the rules, like I gotta pay the check at dinner, not let my friend pay the check.

Its like a full-contact sport, Chbosky says.

Married filmmakers Chbosky and Maccie. "It just resonated so much with my family and Jersey, even though it takes place in Staten Island," Maccie says of the movie. Dia Dipasupil | Getty Images

The director, a Pittsburgh native, grew up in nearby Upper St. Clair Township, Pennsylvania. Hes known for helming the films Dear Evan Hansen (2021), Wonder (2017) and The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), an adaptation of his bestselling 1999 YA novel that won the Independent Spirit Award for best first feature.

Chbosky filmed Nonnas in May and June of 2023 in Union, Hudson, Passaic, Essex and Middlesex counties.

The former Spiritos restaurant in Elizabeth, a longtime purveyor of Italian food that closed in 2020, served as a primary location.

In fact, the filmmakers adored the location so much that they altered the script. The Staten Island restaurant that becomes Enoteca Maria had another name in the story, but they changed it to Spiritos to honor the restaurant, which had been in operation since 1932.

We changed it all to Spiritos to keep the legacy alive, Chbosky tells NJ Advance Media.

Spirito's in 2019. The Italian restaurant, an Elizabeth institution since 1932, closed in 2020. "Nonnas" filmed there and filmmakers included the original name of the business in the story. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media

I filmed there for about three, four weeks. It is a magical building, and you can feel all the meals ... you can feel the history in that place.

An emotional moment in one scene revolves around Al, a character played by Michael Rispoli, who sees the name of the old business preserved on the floor of Joes new restaurant.

Chbosky says the cast and crew cared about treating things with the reverence that they deserve, the way that we treated that restaurant, the way that Lizs script treated the the older characters.

When you lead with respect, you can never do wrong.

Hollywood all-stars give nonnas a second act

A whole lot of veteran actors and A-listers had great respect for the Nonnas story.

The marquee names in the film, from Vaughn to Bracco and Sarandon, are evidence enough.

The entire cast, they fell in love with Lizs script, Chbosky says. They love their individual characters. They all believed in this story, what it was about, the themes of it and the goodness that it stood for ... You have a murderers row of talent and legendary people, but what I think drew a lot of them to the movie was not the legend of them, it was the people.

The story seemed to reach each actor at their core.

Susan Sarandon, Brenda Vaccaro, Lorraine Bracco and Talia Shire as the "nonnas" in "Nonnas." Jeong Park | Netflix

I remember me and Talia Shire, we were on the phone like an hour or something, the director says. (For) 15 minutes, she talked about her mothers gnocchi ... Lorraine Bracco talked about the food in her family. Susan (Sarandon) talked about her family. So did Brenda (Vaccaro). It was all about this heritage, thats what they cared about ... You just need to nurture it and support it, give it room to breathe, give it time to evolve, and kind of get out of the way of the greatness.

About that murderers row. The nonnas alone include:

Shire, 79, who was nominated for an Oscar for playing Connie Corleone in The Godfather Part II (1974) and again for playing Adrian Pennino in Rocky (1976).

Bracco, 70, who earned multiple Emmy nominations for playing Dr. Jennifer Melfi in The Sopranos" and an Oscar nomination for playing Karen Hill in Goodfellas (1990).

Two-time Oscar nominee Talia Shire as Teresa, a retired nun-turned-Italian chef. Jeong Park | Netflix

Vaccaro, 85, who was nominated for an Oscar for Once is Not Enough (1975) and a Golden Globe for Midnight Cowboy (1969).

Sarandon, 78, who grew up in Edison, won an Oscar for Dead Man Walking (1995) and has been nominated five times in her career, first for Atlantic City in 1982.

Its a treat to watch Bracco as Roberta, whose family is from Sicily, and Vaccaro as Antonella, whose family is from Bologna, scrap in the kitchen. They fight before the nonnas bond over their life stories and become their own chosen family.

Like Joe, theyve all faced grief and loneliness, and the restaurant becomes their second act.

Grief doesnt have a timeline, so why should we? says Cardellinis character, Olivia, a law student who was Joes prom date in high school.

As everyone throws their energy into Enoteca Maria, their collective effort puts a bounce in their step. The restaurant gives them something to care about and a way to value themselves.

Linda Cardellini as Olivia in "Nonnas." Jeong Park | Netflix

After Joe puts out a Craigslist ad to catch the attention of grandmothers for the restaurant, Roberta calls it the list of Craig.

But not all of the nonnas are actual grandmothers.

Handily enough, Shire plays Teresa, a retired nun from the Bronx who keeps the peace between Roberta and Antonella. Sarandon plays Gia, the big-haired baker at Enoteca Maria. The voluptuous salon owner counted Joes mother as a client.

Theyre so good at listening to each other, relating to each other, Chbosky says of the cast. They all brought this truth. They all brought this authenticity. And so I just sat back a lot and couldnt believe my lucky stars and watched the sparks fly.

Chbosky calls a revealing conversation between the nonnas at Gias salon one of the most beautiful scenes in the movie.

Just being there in that salon in Jersey City and watching them just relate to each other for three, four hours just talking, it was really special, he says.

New Jersey's own Susan Sarandon as Gia, a salon owner and home baker recruited to work at Enoteca Maria. Jeong Park | Netflix

Crushing N.J. subs and cutlets

In the movie, Rispolis Al becomes a thorn in the side of Vaughns Joe.

Hes protective of the old Spiritos because he was friends with the owner.

However, when Nonnas came to Elizabeth in real life, the production received a hearty welcome.

The neighborhood was wonderful to us, Chbosky says.

If Nonnas is a film that can make your mouth water with all of its close-ups of Italian food  and it is  the movie also gives a nod to the time-honored tradition of comfort eating.

In one scene, Vaughns Joe is walking and talking with his contractor buddy Bruno, played by Manganiello, when he stops to turn around. All their talk about planning for the restaurant has him stressed out, so he announces that hes heading to a shop down the street to crush a sub.

Vince Vaughn and Joe Manganiello filming "Nonnas" in Jersey City. Bobby Bank | GC Images

I could do a cutlet, Bruno replies, joining him at Saccos Meat Market.

The cast and crew of Nonnas frequented the Elizabeth business during production.

I cannot tell you how much that fed the crew, Chbosky says. Thats a really great restaurant.

The Nonnas gang also partook of Santillos pizza while in Elizabeth.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority tells NJ Advance Media that Nonnas spent $19.6 million filming in the state. The production received a $6.8 million tax credit.

Besides Spiritos in Elizabeth, the movie filmed at locations including Judickes Bakery and a private home in Bayonne; LaKoet Salon and private homes in Jersey City; a private home in Newark; a market on Fair Street in Paterson; St. Andrews Roman Catholic Church in Avenel; the Raritan Valley Bus Service station in Sarandons Edison; and Lafayette Lodge No. 27 of Free and Accepted Masons in Rahway.

The cast of "Nonnas" with a transformed Spirito's. Jeong Park | Netflix

While the movie is set in New York  in Scaravellas native Brooklyn and Staten Island  Jersey connections abound behind the scenes.

In addition to Maccies ties, the movies first assistant director, Christopher Surgent (It Ends with Us, the Hunger Games movies), also a producer, hails from Manasquan.

The films production offices were in Kearny. Maccies late father, a Newark-born Teamster truck driver, used to work nearby.

His depot was a mile away, Chbosky says. And when I picked him up and I told him Hey, you know your little girl wrote a movie and our offices are set up a mile from where he used to drive a truck to and from Montreal for like, 20, 30 years, he got really misty-eyed. Its really a very special connection to the city and the state.

Drea de Matteo, Vince Vaughn and Susan Sarandon in 2023 with director Stephen Chbosky on the set of "Nonnas" in Jersey City. Bobby Bank | GC Images

The lasagna  and gravy  of life

Nonnas flashes back to when Joe Scaravella was a little boy.

In one sacred moment, his mother invites him to watch his nonna prepare the gravy (sauce) for their meal. Its like shes invited him to be blessed by the pope.

He stands there in awe, registering a core memory. Later, after his mother dies, he tries to recreate the recipe but doesnt know the secret ingredients.

Like Joe says in the movie, food is love.

Love is the feeling, food is the action.

The camera lingers on meals in the film, setting the tone for conversations between characters, whether the food in question is steak for a big meal, a bowl of soup for a quiet sit-down or zeppole for a peace offering.

As long as Joe has his familys food, he can hold onto a part of them. When he makes and shares their recipes, its an expression of love beyond death. His grief over his mothers passing prompts him to send that love out to anyone who walks into Enoteca Maria.

One of Maccie's treasured family recipes made it into the movie. Jeong Park | Netflix

For Maccie, the miraculous gravy from Joes nonna is like her aunts showstopping lasagna.

While technically her aunt, she was more like a nonna  she was so much older than my mom, and I really feel in many ways, she raised me, too, Maccie says.

She would make this lasagna ... It would take her three days to make it all. And I make it now once a year. I make it on Christmas Eve. It takes me days to make it, and then it takes 10 minutes to eat it. And its, like, the best feeling in the world ... its like a whole ritual. I have a glass of wine ... and I make the sauce and watch it. Its a whole process  I feel my mom and my aunt ... I am that child back in that kitchen looking over the counter (at) the way she would make the sauce, put it in these little plastic containers and freeze it all. It brings me back instantly.

I just feel like Im passing the legacy on to my children, because theyll say Oh, our favorite dish in the world is your lasagna. And I go There you go, thats it. And youre gonna make it for your kids. Like, how incredible.

That lasagna recipe will live on in perpetuity, thanks to Nonnas.

Bracco, Vaccaro, Sarandon and Shire put on a master class for director Stephen Chbosky. Jeong Park | Netflix

When my aunt was passing away, Steve had reached out to her and said Can you please write your recipes down for Liz, at least a few of them? Maccie says. And she was like Oh no, I never write anything down. And he begged her and he got her to do it, and he gave it to me as a Christmas gift. And now that shes gone, her actual literal recipe is in the movie  Vince is actually holding her handwritten recipe. So it makes me cry every single time because its so beautiful.

Chbosky also channeled his formative food memories while making the film.

I have a very distinct memory of my grandmother ... of her kitchen, he says. Just being that little boy looking and watching the magic happen. Even though I grew up more Polish-Slovak than Italian, I think thats whats so relatable about it. Liz wrote from the Italian American perspective and I have a different upbringing, and yet, I think that nostalgia that we all have for that kitchen and whoever that person was  mom, aunt, nonna, whoever it was  we all have that in common. And thats why I think the film is resonating the way it is."

While not a nonna, Chef Jason Forella worked as a culinary consultant and food stylist on the film. He also taught Vince Vaughn how to do certain tricks in the kitchen.

His food is unbelievably delicious, Chbosky says. The only better Italian food that Ive had, other than Jasons, is my wifes lasagna at Christmas Eve and the real Enoteca Maria.

Vince Vaughn and Drea de Matteo filming in Bayonne.

The $20 bill she couldnt spend

Maccie and Chbosky believed it was important to get Scaravellas blessing before making Nonnas.

He was happy to give it to them, and approved of the ways in which the script diverges from his story. He considered the fictional details to be in the spirit of his original mission.

But Maccie also received an unexpected blessing from someone else.

Call it serendipity, fate, a message from the other side.

The day that Maccies mother died, she picked up a memento for safekeeping.

For whatever reason, I took a $20 bill out of her purse and I carried it with me for a decade in my purse, she says.

She never spent it. Not if she ran out of gas, not if she needed to pay for parking.

It was like she was that 20 dollars, Maccie says.

Then, when she was in the running to write the Nonnas screenplay, she had a thought  she and Chbosky should dine at the real Enoteca Maria.

Dont tell anyone Im up for this job, because I dont want it to be weird, she said at the time.

So they went, but didnt realize it was a cash-only establishment. (These days, Enoteca Maria also accepts Venmo, Chbosky notes.)

When the bill came, they owed $100. It was exactly the amount of cash they had.

I said to Steve Oh my god, what am I going to do? Like, if I get this job, then Im the jerk that didnt tip the waitress, you know?

Then Maccie heard her mothers voice.

She was like Take the 20, take my 20. Put it down. Its time to let it go. I will do this with you. And thats it. I took that money, I put the 20 down on the menu, I took a picture of it, and the next day I got the call that I had gotten the job.

Nonnas, rated PG, runs 1 hour and 51 minutes and is streaming on Netflix starting Friday, May 9.

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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads.
Editors note: This story was originally published in 2024.

Bradley Beach, known for its scenic shorefront and foodie-friendly Main Street, also maintains a rich  if not unlikely  cultural heritage: The small Jersey Shore town was once known as Chinatown by the Sea.

The migration of Chinese immigrants in New York City to the beachfront enclave began in 1941, with a woman named Lee Ng Shee, according to the Bradley Beach Historical Society. The story goes like this: Shee, then a Chinatown resident, was walking down Newark Avenue in Bradley Beach, in search of a rental property for the summer, when a local woman approached her. The woman owned a house on the street and asked Shee if shed like to buy it  it was soon sold for $2,000.

Lee Ng Shee (photo provided by Bradley Beach Historical Society) Bradley Beach Historical Society

Shee was the wife of Lee B. Lok, who owned a general store called Quong Yuen Shing & Co in Chinatown. The Mott Street institution was the neighborhoods longest operating store, opening in 1891 before closing in 2003.

After the couple acquired their bungalow in Bradley Beach, other members of Chinatown followed, as some were already familiar with the sleepy Shore town just south of Asbury Park. Since the 1920s, Chinese-Americans and other ethnic groups had been shuttled to and from Bradley Beach courtesy of The Church of All Nations, a Methodist settlement house, also in the city, where many Chinatown residents worshipped. The church partnered with The Fresh Air Fund, the long-running non-profit organization that provides summer experiences to underserved communities in New York City.

A group of Chinese families visiting Bradley Beach through The Fresh Air Fund (photo provided by Bradley Beach Historical Society) Bradley Beach Historical Society

While on their Bradley Beach visits, the group stayed at the Cliff Villa on Cliff Avenue, next to Newark Avenue  a property owned by the church (since burned down). Visitors would stay for a couple of weeks enjoying all things the Shore town had to offer: sun, surf, rides and boardwalk eats.

Cliff Villa that was located on Cliff Avenue in Bradley Beach before burning down in 1965 (photo provided by Bradley Beach Historical Society) Bradley Beach Historical Society

But it was Shee and Loks home purchase in 41 that turned the tide, shifting the Chinatown visitors from tourists to property owners, and legitimate members of the growing town. From then on, families and friends began making the trip to Bradley Beach every summer  some homes were not fit for year-round living, without heat or air conditioning  as generations of Chinese-Americans returned year after year.

Chinese-American children on the boardwalk of Bradley Beach during the mid 20th century (photo provided by Bradley Beach Historical Society) Bradley Beach Historical Society

Newark Avenue really became a solid community, Paul Neshamkin, president of the Bradley Beach Historical Society, told NJ Advance Media. Not many families are able to spend the whole summer at the beach anymore, but there are still at least five or six houses that are still owned by families that were from the original group.

John Mok, the grandson of Shee and Lok, lives at a permanent residence on Newark Avenue. He lives with his wife, Luella, who also spent summers at Bradley Beach as a child.

John Mok and his wife, Luella on Newark Avenue in Bradley Beach, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media) Lauren Musni

Mok, 82, remembers spending almost every summer at Bradley Beach since 1949, when he was seven years old.

I remember going on several kiddie rides on the boardwalk and going to a building with pinball machines, skee ball and things of that nature, said Mok. But the most memorable part is, naturally, the beach. We were all at the beach every day because it was so close.

He also recalls eating pizza, visiting the municipal pool and working in Asbury Park one summer when he was in high school. Mok estimates about two dozen Chinese families came each summer.

But of all the Shore towns, why Bradley Beach?

Im sure a lot of the Chinese migrated to this area because, like other ethnic groups, its easier to live amongst your own people, said Mok. A lot of us didnt have cars, we could speak the same language, same habits, same culture, it was just more convenient.

It wasnt just families that owned and lived here, he continued. A lot of friends came down, they came for weekends. People were passing through, visiting and liked it. Thats how it became so popular.

Intersection of Newark Avenue and Ocean Avenue in Bradley Beach, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media) Lauren Musni

After Shee and Lok died, the original house on Newark Avenue went to their son, one of six children. Another child, a daughter, bought two houses across the street. Then two other daughters, including Moks mother, also purchased a two-family home on the same street.

Mok still resides in that house today. The other properties were eventually sold, but the family has always remained on this street.

Today, Mok continues that same tradition, bringing his kids and grandkids back almost every summer.

Newark Avenue in Bradley Beach during the 1970s, according to John Mok (photo provided by Bradley Beach Historical Society) Bradley Beach Historical Society

We had an opportunity when I retired and sold a house to live in Chinatown again. But I liked the style of living here, Mok said. So I made the decision that were going to live down by the Shore. Theres more fresh air and its less crowded.

Mok doesnt know how many Chinese families are still around Bradley Beach today, but he knows the tradition lives on.

Im becoming one of the seniors now, said Mok. Generations still come here and I dont know who they are and they dont know who I am. Its a change, but its necessary.

Mok was able to reunite with some families of past years, and meet some new faces, at Bradley Beachs Chinatown-by-the-Sea reunion in 2023. The event was organized by the Bradley Beach Historical Society.

The Chinatown-by-the-Sea reunion in Bradley Beach, NJ in August 2023 (photo taken by Mia Mutascio) Mia Mutascio

The reunion was a celebration of the Chinese communitys 100-year anniversary in Bradley Beach. Around 200 people attended, all of which had a connection to or spent summers in the town.

At the event, there were self-guided tours, a dumpling-making demonstration, plus a reading and book signing from Ava Chin, author of Mott Street: A Chinese American Familys Story of Exclusion and Homecoming.

Chin also has a connection to Bradley Beach where both her mothers side and fathers side of the family had homes in the Jersey Shore town.

Ava Chin during a book signing for her book Mott Street: A Chinese American Family's Story of Exclusion and Homecoming, at the Chinatown-by-the-Sea reunion in Bradley Beach, NJ Mia Mutascio

Chin mentioned that while many generations of her family spent summers at Bradley Beach  she didnt start going until she was well into adulthood.

For me, Bradley Beach is like a big family reunion, Chin said. Im able to connect with my family history through going out to Bradley Beach and talking to elder families about their memories.

Ava Chin's great grandmother, Chun Doshim, on the right with her daughters and granddaughter on the sands of Bradley Beach (courtesy of Ava Chin) Ava Chin

The history and the story of a Chinese community out on the Jersey Shore is significant because it kind of goes against what folks idea of the Jersey Shore is, Chin said. Its so diverse from town to town  and weve been here in Bradley Beach for a very long time.

Bradley Beach Mayor Larry Fox was also in attendance at the reunion. Fox made a proclamation during the event designating Newark Avenue, Cliff Avenue and neighboring streets as Chinatown by the Sea.

It was incredible how many people moved to different parts of the country but made a point to come back here for this reunion, which tells me it must have been a super tight community back then, Fox told NJ Advance Media. I always find it fascinating when you come across these things and it gives you more of a perspective on how Bradley Beach started. There are these pockets of time and places that occurred and chapters of that book evolve.

Newark Avenue in Bradley Beach, NJ - present day (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media) Lauren Musni

Even though most of the Chinese residents of this Chinatown by the Sea have dispersed across the country, the echoes of their shared stories and the charm of Bradley Beach continue to resonate.

The community may not be as big as it once was. There also arent any businesses or restaurants from this certain era because according to Mok, the residents had businesses in Chinatown  and didnt want Chinese food when they came to Bradley Beach. Yet, there are still some families who live in town who bring generations of family and friends every summer.

Each returning visitor finds that, while the town may change, it always holds a piece of their past, preserving a sanctuary where their summer memories and the spirit of their ancestors in Bradley Beach live on.

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Lauren Musni may be reached at lmusni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Laurengmusni and on Instagram. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Nineteen restaurants under one roof, several helmed by celebrity chefs  Bobby Flay, Marcus Samuelsson, Michael Symon, Marc Murphy.

Wonder food hall in Middletown may be the coolest new dining experience in New Jersey  or at least one of the easiest; place an order on your phone, and wait for the text when its ready to be picked up.

The volume of orders in Middletown  about 450 a day  have surprised the folks at Wonder, which operates 46 such food halls in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Were setting records, Robert Scannelli says of the Middletown store, which opened late March. Hes the general manager of Wonder Toms River, which will likely open in June. Lexa Ormond is GM of Wonder Middletown.

The Middletown Wonder is located in Middletown Plaza on Route 35, along with Trader Joes, Petco, Shake Shack and other tenants.

The other Jersey locations are in Green Brook, Randolph, Parsippany, Livingston, New Providence, Cresskill, Ledgewood, Teterboro, Midland Park, Springfield, Hoboken and Westfield. New locations in Brick, Toms River, Cherry Hill, Shrewsbury, Woodbridge, Mount Laurel, and Jersey City are scheduled to open this year.

How were the restaurants at Wonder selected? Brisket was tried at 35 different spots before we chose the finest barbecue, according to the website. Staffers road tripped the south" in search of the finest fried chicken. And so on.

Wonder, Middletown PG

Wonder is not the first food hall in New Jersey; Foodie Hall opened in Cherry Hill in 2023 and lasted about a year. International Bites in Ocean Township offers 11 restaurants under one roof.

Wonder is also not the stereotypical food hall you might find in New York City (Market 57, Urban Hawker, Vanderbilt Market, etc.) where restaurants have separate kitchens and counters.

At Wonder, its one central kitchen and one-stop food shopping. The orders are overwhelmingly to-go, but there are six tables for in-house dining. Tip: There are touch screens at the counter, but its so much easier ordering on the app on your phone.

Over three days, I ordered two dishes from every Wonder Middletown eatery. Overall, the food ranged from okay to pretty damn good. Here are the 11 best dishes, ranked. Restaurants at Middletown that do not appear in the top 11: Wing Trip, Royal Greens, Alanza Pizza, Maydan, Burger Baby, Tejas Barbecue, Detroit Brick Pizza, Walnut Lane by Jonathan Waxman.

Cheesesteak, Fred's Meat & Bread PG

Freds, a market in Atlanta, specializes in classic sandwiches and hand-cut fries. Items available in Middletown include a double cheeseburger, Korean cheesesteak, fries, and chicken tenders. The regular cheesesteak combines griddled ribeye, American cheese, onions and garlic aioli. It just may appear on our next N.J.s best cheesesteaks, ranked, list.

Picante bowl, Limesalt PG

10. Picante bowl, Limesalt

Chips, burritos, quesadillas, and bowls are featured on the Limesalt menu. The picante bowl is an eye-opening delight: white rice, pinto beans, corn salsa, shredded cheese and hot red chile salsa. Im not sure to call it breakfast or lunch; Ill just call it good.

Grilled cheese, Bellies PG

9. Grilled cheese, Bellies

Bellies is a great name for a restaurant, especially one that caters to kids. Burgers, mac n cheese, tenders (of course) and pasta are among the offerings The grilled cheese is a faithful rendition of the American classic, fit for kids or adults.

Zesty chicken souvlaki, Yasas by Michael Symon PG

8. Zesty chicken souvlaki, Yasas by Michael Symon

The Cleveland-born Symon is another chef/restaurateur/TV personality. Yasas offers the best of the Mediterranean, reflecting Symons Greek/Sicilian background. The menu includes beef souvlaki & kalamata salad, sweet potato & feta salad, spicy pepper and feta sandwich. hummus and eggplant. The zesty chicken souvlaki, in a red wine vinaigrette, lived up to its name.

Spicy salmon poke bowl, Hanu Poke PG

7. Spicy salmon poke bowl, Hanu Poke

Hanu Poke plays tribute to traditional Hawaiian dishes  poke, bento bowls, wakame salad and more. I ordered the tuna poke bowl and the salmon poke bowl, with the latter, in a soy marinade, my favorite.

Pork pepperonata, Alanza PG

6. Pork pepperonata, Alanza

Skip the paltry pizza at Alanza Pizza, and order from the other Alanza, which features Italian dishes. Chicken parm, mozzarella and tomato salad, and chicken Milanese are among the offerings, but the standout is the pork pepperonata, a massive hunk of meat topped with sauteed sweet peppers, onions, garlic, oregano, Calabrian chile, and pickled cherry peppers.

Cornbread, Streetbird by Marcus Samuelson PG

Marcus Samuelsson, winner of the James Beard rising star chef award, the youngest chef to receive three stars from the New York Times, author of the best-selling book Yes, Chef and owner of the acclaimed Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem  is behind Streetbird. It specializes in fried chicken sandwiches, wings and tenders. The fried chicken seems ordinary; the clear winner is the cornbread, topped with maple butter and flecked with Madagascar vanilla.

Chocolate Killer Brownie, Room for Dessert PG

4. Chocolatier Killer Brownie, Room for Dessert

Room for Dessert is a greatest-hits collection of several well-known dessert makers: Four and Twenty Blackbirds, Magnolia Bakery, The Hungry Gnome, Dick Taylor. But top prize goes to Killer Brownie, made with Ghirardelli chocolate chips. Enough said.

Roasted chicken, The Mainstay by Marc Murphy PG

3. Roasted chicken, The Mainstay by Marc Murphy

A frequent judge on The Food Networks Chopped show, Murphy also owns several restaurants. Both the Mainstay and Walnut Lane by Jonathan Waxman both claim superlative roast chickens, but Murphys version, simple and no-nonsense, won the battle of the roast chickens.

Original square, Di Fara Pizza PG

2. Original Square, Di Fara Pizza

For me, the biggest surprise at Wonder Middletown was the appearance of Brooklyn pizzeria legend Di Fara Pizza. Its one of the top ten pizzas in the city; I devoted a chapter to Di Fara in my book Pizza City: The Ultimate Guide to New Yorks Favorite Food. I was worried how well the pizza would transition from Brooklyn pizzeria to a shared kitchen in suburban New Jersey, but shouldnt have worried. Was it as good as the original? No. But it came mighty close.

Ribeye, Bobby Flay Steak PG

Food Network superstar Bobby Flay seems to be everywhere, with past and current restaurants in New York City, Las Vegas, the Bahamas, Atlantic City, Eatontown, and Connecticut, plus 14 cookbooks and countless TV appearances. And now a food hall in Middletown and other Wonder locations. The steaks and chops all seemed to do well at Wonder, but the ribeye at Bobby Flay Steak topped them all. Medium rare and bursting with flavor, its worth the $37 price tag. One note: you can get the steaks at Bobby Flay and The Mainstay cooked to order; you do not have that option at the burger stops, where the burgers are well-done, smash-style.

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Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. On Twitter, @petegenovese. On Instagram, @peteknowsjersey and @themunchmobile.
Prompted by a radar failure a week ago at Newark Liberty Airport, and a midair collision that killed 67 people in Washington D.C., President Donald Trumps administration announced an unprecedented program to rebuild the nations air traffic control system and recruit more air traffic controllers.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and every speaker at a Thursday afternoon announcement paid tribute family members of the crash victims killed in that mid-air collision of an American Airlines commuter jet and Army helicopter over Washington D.C. in January.

The harrowing 90-second blackout on April 28 of air traffic controller radar systems serving Newark Airport was also mentioned by officials, including Trump as a tipping point that led to the program.
Facing a multimillion-dollar budget gap, the Plainfield Board of Education proposed raising school taxes by more than 36% earlier this year.

After an outcry from residents and weeks of back-and-forth over the issue, the board instead voted to raise school taxes 18% last week over the objection of the Union County citys mayor.

What were witnessing is a failure of planning, oversight, and will, Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp said. Throwing more money at an unstable system is not the answer.

Plainfields school board first faced backlash in March when it introduced a preliminary $338 million budget for the 2025-26 school year that would have raised local school taxes by 36%.

The planned tax hike would have cost the average homeowner an additional $853 annually.

Following objections from the public, the board reversed its decision and instead voted to keep taxes flat for the seventh consecutive year. But that move would would have led to school staffing cuts, local officials said.

At a packed Plainfield Board of Education meeting on April 29, where hundreds of teachers protested potential layoffs, school board officials once again reversed course.

Seeking middle ground, the board rejected its earlier proposal to keep taxes flat. After entering executive session, school board members returned to vote on a revised budget plan that drew applause from the packed audience.

The new plan includes a 2% tax levy increase and taps into $4.4 million in reserve funds to help close the school districts funding gap, district officials said.

That means homeowners will see an annual school tax increase of about $427 for the average Plainfield home, or about an 18% increase, according to the district.

With the tax increase, Plainfield Public Schools will no longer have to cut cut teachers or staff, according to Superintendent of Schools Rashon Hasan.

The boards decision again drew criticism from Plainfields mayor, who called the school boards repeated reversals on the budget irresponsible.

Raising taxes by 36%, reversing course to 0% after public outcry, and then voting for 18% is not a strategy  its a warning sign. A warning that those charged with leadership must do better," Mapp said.

The districts budget still needs to be put up for a final vote. The boards next meeting is scheduled for May 20.

Plainfield has about 10,000 students across 15 schools, according to the latest state data. The citys median household income was $70,712 in 2022, according to U.S. Census Bureau data  one of the lowest in Union County.

The previously proposed 0% tax increase would have forced Plainfield to slash a total of $9.5 million in spending across multiple areas, according to Hasan, the districts superintendent.

The cuts would have included about 26 staff positions, along with reductions to utilities, capital projects, transportation and instructional programs, according to the school board.

As a school district, we cannot continue to operate the way we always have because doing so will only yield the same results, Hasan said.

Teachers were overwhelmingly in favor of a middle-ground solution, supporting the 18% tax increase at the boards recent meeting. They argued staff reductions would harm students.

The 1,318 members of this association work tirelessly day in and day out, Plainfield Education Association President Keith Coston said at the meeting. We are not standing here just for ourselves.

As a lower-income district, the majority of Plainfields school budget comes from state aid, local officials said.

Under Gov. Phil Murphy $12.1 billion school funding plan for fiscal year 2026, the Plainfield school district is slated to receive about $288 million  4.3% more than the previous year.

However, with New Jerseys school funding formula now fully implemented, lower-income districts like Plainfield, formerly known as Abbott districts, are no longer seeing the substantial yearly increases they once relied on.

Other school districts across the state have been forced to resort to desperate measures to close crippling budget gaps, including slashing staff, raising property taxes and closing schools.

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Nyah Marshall may be reached at nmarshall@njadvancemedia.com
Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday conditionally vetoed a bill that would further punish instigators of public brawls in New Jersey after the legislation quickly was passed by both houses of the state Legislature in March.

The bill (A4652) proposes fourth-degree criminal charges for inciting a public brawl, a tool local officials suggest is key in preventing throngs of teenagers from assembling at New Jerseys boardwalks and parks for disorderly behavior.

The bill passed both the state Senate and Assembly without opposition. With about three weeks before the holiday, lawmakers in Trenton now must consider changes Murphy recommended.

A conditional veto gives the governor power to reject a proposed law while suggesting amendments to make it acceptable. In order a version that includes Murphys changes, The legislature can incorporate the recommendations and send the bill back to the governor.

In a statement on his decision, Murphy said he was most concerned the bill could infringe on the First Amendment protections to free speech and assembly. However, he also complimented for lawmakers acting urgently to protect public safety.

I applaud the sponsors of this bill who rightly recognize the need to deter incidents of group violence, particularly at public gatherings and events, Murphy said in his veto statement. Our communities should feel safe and supported whenever they gather, whether it is to conduct public business or to celebrate important occasions.

Murphy also asked lawmakers to revise a section of the bill targeting those who attempt to conceal their faces when enticing public violence. He requested lawmakers include exemptions for people, notably for masks, for medical, religious, or expressive purposes.

Lawmakers were influenced by several cases of teenagers clashing at the Jersey Shore last year during the summers first major holiday. In one case, a brawl on the Ocean City boardwalk led to a 16-year-old boy being charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing a 15-year-old.

State Assemblyman Erik Simonsen, R-Cape May, whose district covers Ocean City, questioned why Murphy would veto a widely bipartisan bill. He said he had not read the conditional veto when reached by NJ Advance Media.

While most legislation can linger in Trenton, this bill passed in the legislature with quick speed, Simonsen said. The bill, he suggested, was time-sensitive, as officials hoped the bill could give them leverage as the holiday weekend looms.

This bill at least would restore some teeth to law enforcement that are trying to deal with these issues, Simonsen said. Its unfortunate.

Simonsen is among Republicans who have chastised the Murphy administrations reforms to limit juvenile detention. Republicans have continually suggested police directives issued in 2020 strip law enforcement of their authority toward minors.

I think the governor should suit up in a police uniform and walk the beat on the boardwalk some night  Friday or Saturday night  in the summer and give it a little bit, Simonsen said.

The legislation was one of three bills formed to help communities handle rambunctious teenagers.

Two other bills are pending. One would levy fines of up to $1,000 against parents of children participating in disorderly behavior. The other would direct the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office to form intervention training tailored to juveniles, which would be provided to communities most impacted by the violence.

State Sen. Paul Moriarty, D-Gloucester, was a leading sponsor of the bill Murphy vetoed. The long-time legislator said in March he felt the bill garnered enough bipartisan support to reach the governors desk.

Moriarty on Thursday accepted the conditional veto, believing it would return to the governors desk quickly. Meanwhile, both chambers are prioritizing the states budget.

I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time, Moriarty told NJ Advance Media. We will have several voting sessions this month. The senator said he didnt consider Murphys veto a big deal.

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Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.
The Vatican elected Cardinal Robert Prevost as the new pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, May 8, 2025, under the name Leo XIV. He is the first American-born pope in history. AP

Pope Leo XIV, who was born in Chicago, was recently selected as the first American-born pope after white smoke billowed from the Vatican following a two-day conclave.

The 69-year-old newly elected pontiff appeared on the balcony and said, Peace be with you, as his first words as pope.

Heres what else you need to know about him.

His original name is Cardinal Robert Prevost

Pope Leo XIV, originally named Cardinal Robert Prevost, was born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago.

He attended St. Mary of the Assumption Parish near Dolton, Ill., according to The Chicago Sun-Times.

He is a member of the Augustinian religious order

Ordained in 1982, Pope Leo XIV served at the Order of St. Augustine.

The Order of St. Augustine is a fraternal order where its priests and brothers take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, according to the website for Augustinian vocations in North America.

Pope Leo XIV was head of the Augustinians from 2001-2013, based in Rome, according to the Associated Press.

He has a doctorate in Canon Law

Pope Leo XIV received his doctorate in Canon Law in Rome at the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas, according to Newsweek.

He spent his career ministering in Peru

Pope Leo XIV spent 20 years ministering in Peru as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023.

He later became a naturalized citizen.

Before becoming pope, he led the Vaticans office responsible for appointing bishops

Pope Francis appointed Leo in 2023 to be the head of the Dicastery for Bishops, a Vatican office that oversees the appointment of bishops around the world.

It is a very powerful position in the Vatican, to the point where it is considered to be one of the most powerful jobs in the Catholic Church.

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Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips.
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has been electrifying voters in packed-house rallies with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in a generation-spanning political pairing thats become a Democratic powerhouse.

Donald Trump has noticed, and hes wondering if AOC  who also is eye-poking the old fogeys of her own party (Sanders aside) when given the chance  could win the presidential nomination in 2028, if she wants it.

In an interview with MAGA influencer Hugh Hewitt released on Thursday, Trump agreed that she has the it factor.

I think youre right about the charisma, Trump said. I dont know about her speaking ability. I dont know about her debating ability. I dont know how she is in an interview, because you rarely see her being interviewed. Rarely. And thats a bad thing, because usually that means something. Thats like Kamala [Harris].

While Ocasio Cortez doesnt give as many interviews as Trump  what human likes to hear himself talk more than the president?  she fares well in and isnt afraid to take questions from the right-wing media.

Shes bright, focused and informed, and she has built her brand as an advocate for American lunchpail types who feel left behind, and that brand is growing stronger, thanks to her Fighting Oligarchy Tour with Sanders.

That crusade is fed every day by a new corruption scandal that makes Trump richer, and billionaire Elon Musks assault on the federal governments basic services and safety net, like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Musk, the worlds richest man surrounded by the richest presidential cabinet in American history, is deciding the fate of the poor and middle class  and hes also involved in a breaking corruption scandal.

When AOC won re-election easily in November, she asked voters who voted for Trump and her to explain why: This is not a place of judgment, she said on social media. Im not gonna, like, put your stuff on blast or anything like that, or dunk on it. Thats like, genuinely not the intent here. I actually want to learn from you. I want to hear what you were thinking.

Heres how some people replied:

Its real simple  trump and you care for the working class.

But wanted change so I went with trump and blue of the rest of the ballot to put some breaks.

Voted Trump, but I like you & Bernie. I dont trust either party establishment politicians.

Action & Progress>> Stagnation & Excuses. Both of you push boundaries and force growth.

Trump is going to get us the money and lets men have a voice. Youre brilliant and have amazing passion!

I feel like Trump and you are both real.

Voters showed she has cross-over appeal, even if shes still having trouble getting traction in her own party.

After speaking to colleagues, Ocasio-Cortez said Monday that she will not bid to become ranking member of the House Oversight Committee because she believed it would be an uphill climb against another more senior member.

Gerry Connolly, of Virginia, who beat AOC to get the lead committee post, said last week that because his esophageal cancer had returned, he wouldnt seek re-election to Congress and would step back from his day-to-day responsibilities on the committee.

Its actually clear to me that the underlying dynamics in the caucus have not shifted with respect to seniority as much as I think would be necessary, and so I believe Ill be staying put at Energy and Commerce [Committee], Ocasio-Cortez told reporters.

She had no comment on whom she might support in the Oversight race.

If the Democrats can take the House in the midterms next year, the committee chairmanship will become one of the most powerful and influential as it investigates the Trump administrations (and familys) alleged corruption, Musks dismantling of the federal government and more  heading into the presidential campaign.

Trump took a swipe at Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who also is seen as an up-and-coming Democratic star  a lightning rod that welcomes her battles with Trumps MAGA base. Trump called her low I.Q. in his interview with Hewitt  a phrase critics have pointed out are code words for successful Black woman.

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Pope Francis receives U.S. Vice President JD Vance, left, before bestowing the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. At center the head of the papal houshold Bishop Leonardo Sapienza. (Vatican Media via AP, HO) AP

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, the American Robert Prevost, may already have some disagreements with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

Leo made his first appearance as pope earlier on Thursday after white smoke signaled that the Conclave had elected a new leader of the Catholic Church. Leo is the first American to be elected pope in the history of the church.

However, his most recent social media posts suggest that the Vatican might have another tense relationship with the Trump-Vance administration. Unsurprisingly, MAGA social media is having a meltdown over the new pope who, like the late Pope Francis, has advocated for immigrants.

He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis.Catholics dont have anything good to look forward to. Just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican, MAGA loyalist Laura Loomer wrote on social media platform X.

Loomer didnt stop there.

Loomer continued: The new Pope supports illegal aliens and open borders. He retweeted tweets in support of dreamers aka illegals and attacked President Trumps use of the phrase bad hombres to describe violent illegal aliens. He thinks its a racist phrase.

And more: Meet the new American Pope. Of course hes anti-MAGA and WOKE. Another Open Borders Pope. Gross.

And still more: The new Pope once retweeted a post about how we need to keep praying for career criminal & drug addict George Floyd. The tweet said, May all hatred, violence and prejudice be eradicated. What prejudice? Is that another way to spell FENTANYL OVERDOSE? MARXIST POPE!"

Plenty of other MAGA talking heads also weighed in.

Conservative Megyn Kelly quipped: Is it too much to hope that some 20-year-old ran the new popes X account and he never looked at it?.

Catturd, a popular conservative account, wrote: This is so bad.

Liberal accounts on X mocked MAGAs reaction to the new pope.

An American pope who fights with JD Vance on Twitter? I am so in, ex-Obama staffer Jon Favreau wrote on X.

An American pope who fights with JD Vance on Twitter?



I am so in pic.twitter.com/TMJrBYZVim  Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) May 8, 2025

Prevost has shared numerous articles and reposts criticizing the Trump administration in recent months. In February, he shared an opinion piece titled, JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

He also shared an article that criticized Vances statements on immigration. His most recent retweet on social media platform X questions whether the Trump-Vance administration sees the suffering of others amid the recent deportation of a Maryland resident to El Salvador.

As Trump & Bukele use Oval to [laughing crying emoji] Feds illicit deportation of a US resident, once an undoc-ed Salvadoran himself, no-DC Aux+Evelio asks, Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscious not disturbed? How can you stay quiet? the post read.

Prevost, a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order, took the name Leo XIV.

In his first words as Pope Francis successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, Leo said, Peace be with you, and emphasized a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelization. He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy  a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013  suggesting a return to some degree of tradition after Francis unorthodox pontificate.

Prevost had been a leading candidate for the papacy, but there had long been a taboo against a U.S. pope, given the countrys geopolitical power already wielded in the secular sphere. But Prevost was seemingly eligible because hes also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) AP

Only this morning, we documented vice president JD Vances horrible, terrible, awful streak of bad luck  and then, a couple of hours later, his life got even worse: Catholic cardinals elected a new pope who has spent the past year condemning Vance and Donald Trumps cruelty toward immigrants and poor.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism several years ago, might find hell have some trouble at the Pearly Gates. If a pope is lobbying against your admission, well, lets just say Vance had better pack summer clothes.

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, used his social media to ask Vance and Trump questions about decency. In April 2025, he retweeted a post highlighting Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivars condemnation of the deportation of a U.S. resident.

Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet? the man who would become the first American pope asked.

In February, he shared an essay that criticized Vance and Trumps support of deportations and the United States treatment of migrants.

That same month, he shared an article  JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others  refuting Vances interpretation of Christian teachings to justify MAGAs policies.

Now we know why Pope Francis originally brushed off Vance, then granted him a quick audience at the Vatican. The pope died the next day.

Provost also shared an article from Cardinal Dolan of New York in 2015 titled, Why Donald Trumps anti-migrant rhetoric is so problematic.

Democratic pollster Matt McDermott tweeted: The new Popes Twitter suggests he is pro gun reform, supports climate action, backed Black Lives Matter, strongly opposed to MAGA immigration policies  and clearly has no patience for JD Vance."

It appears that Trump and Vance will have a holy watchdog. And well just say this: Joe Biden didnt have any trouble with popes.

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President Donald Trump speaks after David Perdue was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to China during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) AP

President Donald Trump said Thursday he is looking forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV despite MAGA social media having an absolute meltdown over the Catholic Churchs next leader.

Leo, the first American to be elected pope in the history of the church, has been critical of Trump and Vice President JD Vances stances on immigration in social media posts that resurfaced on Thursday. However, Trump did not hurl insults at the religious leader in his initial statements about the new pope.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment! he wrote on Truth Social.

He expanded on his statement in comments to reporters on Thursday, calling the selection of the first American Pope a great honor.

He added: You have the Pope from the United States of America. Thats a great honor.

When asked if he would invite the new Pope to the White House, Trump said, Were having very good conversations  very, very good.

President Trump on Pope Leo XIV: "To have the pope from the United States of America, that's a great honor." pic.twitter.com/0PzT89cpej  CSPAN (@cspan) May 8, 2025

MAGA supporters railed against Leo, a Chicago native, on social media for pushing back on Trumps harsh immigration policies. Many conservatives labeled the pope as being woke in their criticism of him.

He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis.Catholics dont have anything good to look forward to. Just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican, MAGA loyalist Laura Loomer wrote on social media platform X.

Loomer didnt stop there.

Loomer continued: The new Pope supports illegal aliens and open borders. He retweeted tweets in support of dreamers aka illegals and attacked President Trumps use of the phrase bad hombres to describe violent illegal aliens. He thinks its a racist phrase.

And more: Meet the new American Pope. Of course hes anti-MAGA and WOKE. Another Open Borders Pope. Gross.

Leos selection was a shock to many as he became the first American to be elected pope.

In his first words as Pope Francis successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, Leo said, Peace be with you, and emphasized a message of a disarmed and disarming peace dialogue and missionary evangelization. He wore the traditional red cape and trappings of the papacy  a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013  suggesting a return to some degree of tradition after Francis unorthodox pontificate.

I would also like to thank all my brother cardinals who have chosen me to be the successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united church, always trying to find peace, justice, and always trying to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, the pope said in near-perfect Italian, mentioning the saint considered the first pope.

Prevost had been a leading candidate for the papacy, but there had long been a taboo against a U.S. pope, given the countrys geopolitical power already wielded in the secular sphere. But Prevost was seemingly eligible because hes also a Peruvian citizen and had lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Next week, Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration is due to spell out why a federal appeals court should set the New Orleans Police Department free from court oversight after a dozen years.

The big question now: will anyone formally oppose it?
On VE Day in 1945, Ilfracombe embraced the occasion with a heartwarming series of celebrations that brought the town together after years of hardship.

Jane Monger, Archivist at the Ilfracombe Museum, shared with the Gazette a glimpse into the joyous community spirit that defined the day.

From processions and dances to street parties and events for children, the celebrations offered something for everyone.

Delicious treats were shared, along with pony rides, cinema trips, and char-a-banc car outings. It wasnt just the adults who joined in; the fun was enjoyed by people of all ages, ranging from a six-week-old baby to a 90-year-old.

Ms Monger reflects: It must have been a joyous time after the long years of fear and worry.

One key figure in making these celebrations a success was Mrs Farndell, who coordinated many of the towns parties.

Mrs Farndell, who had also played a vital role as the organiser for the evacuees that came to Ilfracombe during the war, ensured that the towns spirit remained strong and united.

Her grandson, Kelvin Farndell is a trustee at the Ilfracombe Museum.

Mr. Carruthers-Bell was another individual pivotal to the celebrations.

He, along with others, helped ensure the events were memorable for all involved.

The childrens parties were a particular highlight, with Mr James Dendle arranging pony rides for the young ones.

Photos of Mr Dendle and his ponies, including the white pony named Stardust, are part of the museums collection.

Stardust was so popular that Mr Dendle would go on to lead the Ilfracombe carnival in subsequent years on the horse.

From the newspaper archives provided by the Ilfracombe Museum, the Gazette discovered that an article published on Friday, May 11, 1945, under the headline In this Hour of Victory, captured the euphoria that swept through the town.

The article began with these stirring words: VICTORY. Shout it from the house tops and across the fields and over the seas. Let it resound from end to end of the earth. Let it echo down the arches of the years. Cry it jubilantly in your hearts and whisper it humbly in your prayers. This is a victory greater than all the victories of history. No battle honours inscribed on our centuries-old colours can compare with this.

The opening sentence of the article, published in the Ilfracombe Chronicle, encapsulated the overwhelming sense of triumph and relief that Ilfracombe, and indeed the entire nation, felt as the war came to an end.

Another newspaper headline simply read CEASE FIRE in bold capitals.

The piece announced that two days of public holiday would follow and began:

Although all the world already knew the great news of the unconditional surrender of Germany after her complete and crushing defeat by the overwhelming might of the Allies, 3 o'clock in the afternoon of VE-Day struck as the most momentous hour in the history of the people of this island who went out from their fortress, hurriedly built in 1940 and 1941... It was at this hour that Ilfracombe people waiting in their homes for the chimes of Big Benkeeping watch over the birthplace of the Mother of Parliaments, war-scarred but still a great symbol of freedomand for the voice of the man who inspired the nation to great deeds in its darkest hour, Mr Winston Churchill, who broadcast the news that the war in Europe is officially at an end.

The article went on to speak of the mixed emotions felt across the town; relief and gratitude, but also sorrow.

In many homes, celebration was tempered by reflection, as people prayed for loved ones lost and quietly gave thanks for peace.

The latest edition of the North Devon Gazette features more in depth stories and pictures - on sale now.
Major Rupert Guy Tough Tim Turrall, DSO, MC, was born in Torrington on 27 October 1893 at Churchgate House.

His father William was a bookseller and printer in the town. After attending Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Crediton, he went on to study engineering at Cambridge University.

During the First World War, Turrall joined the Royal Engineers and rose to the rank of Major, commanding the 99th Field Company.

He saw action in Gallipoli alongside the New Zealand Division and later served in the Balkans until 1919.

Twice Mentioned in Despatches, his leadership was recognised early on.

In the years between the wars, Turrall worked as a geophysical surveyor in countries across the world  including Turkey, Palestine, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Somalia, the USA, Venezuela, Holland, Germany, Kenya and Tanganyika.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, Turrall rejoined the Army as a Lieutenant in the Intelligence Corps.

In 1941, while serving in Sudan with the Sudan Frontier Force, he was awarded the Military Cross after his commander was killed in action beside him.

Turrall was later recruited by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and sent to Crete as part of Force 133, engaging in covert missions behind enemy lines.

His bravery and resilience in this dangerous role marked the beginning of his most daring work.

In 1945, aged 52, Turrall joined the Chindits  the Anglo-Indian special forces fighting the Japanese in Burma.

He parachuted into the jungle and operated from February to October that year, coordinating local Burmese insurgents and Allied special forces.

Turrall was twice wounded by grenades during his jungle operations.

Despite the war nearing its end, Turrall was captured while trying to convince Japanese forces that the Emperor had surrendered.

The Japanese refused to believe the news, and he was taken prisoner before managing to escape and return to his guerrilla unit.

For his courage and leadership, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

Major Turrall died in 1988 at the age of 94. His extraordinary story  from the trenches of Gallipoli to the ju
A solemn gathering in Bideford this morning (Thursday) saw Torridge District Council gather to raise the flag to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Councillors and officers stood together to mark the event at Riverbank House and observed a two-minute silence to honour those who volunteered, sacrificed, served, fought and died for our freedom.

The ceremony begins a day of VE Day 80 events around the district and going on into the weekend as community gather to remember, light beacons, hold street parties and celebrate.

Beacons and lamps of peace will be lit at 9.30pm in towns and villages across North Devon and Torridge this evening, at the same time as a wave of beacons around the UK.

**** CLICK HERE For a round up of VE Day 80 events taking place across North Devon and Torridge ****

Shop windows across the area are adorned with VE Day themed decorations and bunting, in honour of the monumental day that took place 80 years ago when World War Two in Europe finally came to an end with the surrender of Nazi Germany.

Councillor Doug Bushby, chair of Torridge District Council, presided over this mornings flag raising and said: Today's flag-raising ceremony provides an opportunity for officers and councillors to unite in commemorating this significant anniversary.

Today we remember those who volunteered, sacrificed, served, fought and died for our freedom. We acknowledge their courage and the lasting impact they have made on our lives.

It is important that we remember that VE Day did not mark the end of the conflict. The war against Japan continued until August 1945, and the political, social, and economic repercussions of the Second World War were felt long after Germany and Japan surrendered.
VE Day memories are not all street parties with blancmange, booze and ice cream  for many who served the recollections are of feeling numb and exhausted following months of being exposed to the horrors of war.

This was the case for a 104-year-old Devon woman, then Lieutenant Launa Mary Stephenson, whose memories of wartime service in frontline field hospitals from D-Day to Germany as an assistant surgeon and nurse have been shared by Devon County Council on the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

I had seen so much death and horror I was just numb. So much of it I had to block out of my mind.

Earlier today (Thursday, May 8), council chairman John Hart joined councillors and members of DCCs senior leadership team to raise the Union Flag above County Hall to mark VE Day.

Councillor Hart was joined by DCC chief executive Donna Manson to honour and pay tribute to the Second World War generation.

To mark the anniversary, the council has shared Launas story, which contrasts sharply with those who were planning VE Day parties back home after the BBC interrupted their schedule with a newsflash declaring the following day VE Day - and that it would be a national holiday.

For some their memories are of wooden tables and benches adorned with Union bunting hastily erected in the streets; a street party tea, with junket  a milk-based jelly pudding - and blancmange, with evaporated milk as cream and perhaps even a few chocolates. A considerable feast in those days of rationing.

But others, service personnel like Lt. Launa Mary Stevenson, have quite different memories.

They desperately needed nurses in the field hospital as part of D Day. I didnt hesitate. Yes, I said, yes.

Because Launa, Exmouth served as assistant surgeon in a number of field hospitals in France, Belgium and Holland, where she witnessed the reality and brutality of war.

It was February 21, 1944 and Launa, a 23-year-old nurse, was working a shift. She had trained at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. She had a strong faith and fully expected to take holy orders and become a nun. Then she was approached by a hospital chaplain, who offered her a chance to work in a leper mission in North Africa.

While she was waiting for safe passage to make that journey, she was called into the office by her matron for a meeting that would change the course of not only her life, but the lives of the countless others she would go on to save.

She was a recruiting officer for the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS also called QAs), recalls Launa.

They desperately needed nurses in the field hospital as part of D Day. I didnt hesitate. Yes, I said, yes.

After a few short months, and postings to Catterick and the New Forest, Launa boarded a Royal Marine landing craft and in the dead of night they landed on Gold Beach.

She recalls spending her first night in France  memorable, not only because she slept in a hedge, but because of the sound of gunfire and the intermittent roar of a Messerschmitt 109 flying overhead.

I learned quickly because one shot at me  it went through the metal plate that was holding my stew. I lost my stew and there was quite a hole in the plate.

When their first field hospital was set up near Bayeux, a Royal Marine warned Launa and her fellow QAs not to drink or bathe in the water of a local stream for fear of snipers lurking in the cover of a nearby copse of trees.

She said: I learned quickly because one shot at me  it went through the metal plate that was holding my stew. I lost my stew and there was quite a hole in the plate.

Allied soldiers returned fire and Launa soon discovered it was these very snipers who were to be her next patients.

It turned out that it was the cover of the trees they were using that had caused the injuries - the bullets had hit the trees and the resulting splinters of bark and wood tore at the snipers.

Launa said: I still have a little smile when I think back, I had to treat them for their wounds when they were the ones who had tried to kill me.

It was days and nights of the injured coming in and going out, it felt as though it would never stop."

For almost a year, from D-Day on June 6, 1944, through to Germanys surrender the following May, Launa worked in field hospitals across France, Belgium and Holland, moving as the Allied advance pressed on.

She said: It was days and nights of the injured coming in and going out, it felt as though it would never stop. English soldiers, Canadians, Americans, deaths-head (Waffen SS), innocents, children; together with my lovely surgeon we tried to help them all and we did what we could.

On one occasion she completed a full theatre with a Canadian surgeon until both collapsed on the floor with exhaustion. They stayed there, paralysed from fatigue, unable to move as the next shift came in.

There was one very young boy. It really broke my heart. He was a beautiful boy, a beautiful boy. I cry thinking of him now.

His eyes were injured. Shrapnel you see. He had come in before and we tried to treat them, but of course it didnt work, they didnt improve so he came in again.

What could we do? To save his life, to prevent infection we had no choice. My heart breaks when I remember him coming out of theatre.

We had to take his eyesight.

Launas kindness and compassion shines through, she held the hand of a young German soldier who had sustained severe injuries from shrapnel across his chest and neck.

There was no saving him, his wounds were too great, she said.

He was calling for his mother. Mutti, mutti, (mummy) he kept saying. I just held his hand. Something I said seemed to give him comfort, and I just stroked his head, and whispered gently schlafen schlafen (sleep) like this and I said I would stay with him. He passed away.

One injured Wehrmacht serviceman was convinced that Allied soldiers intended to kill him in the field hospital when Launa wasnt looking.

I spoke to the officer and told him that I knew all about it and that this wouldnt do. The German chap was so grateful I intervened he pressed his Iron Cross into my hand.

I didnt want to take it, but he insisted. I still have it. It has the same mud on it as the day it was given to me.

It was terrible; we operated on a number of them. These were young men and women in their 20s and they looked as though they were in their 80s; they were skeletal, just bones.

Not all of the injured were soldiers and when the British and Canadian troops liberated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, they saw first-hand evidence of the Holocaust, thousands of emaciated, hungry, sick and brutalised prisoners.

Launa recalled: I wanted to go in and help but the Colonel said no, no you cant go in there.

It was terrible; we operated on a number of them. These were young men and women in their 20s and they looked as though they were in their 80s; they were skeletal, just bones.

When VE Day came Launa says she was barely aware - she says that the trajectory of the war had slowly been turning against Germany for some time.

I didnt feel like celebrating. It was a relief of course that the war in Europe was over, and Germany had surrendered, but I was so tired, and I was just waiting to be reassigned.

I had seen so much death and horror I was just numb. So much of it I had to block out of my mind.

She didnt have long to wait when she heard that she was being reassigned to one of the southern Japanese islands to support the Allied manoeuvres in the Pacific.

It was all very secret. I was driven to a safe house and told by MI6 not to talk to anybody, which is difficult because I really like talking.

We waited and waited, for weeks. And then we were told it was off. Why I asked?

The bomb I was told. The bomb has been dropped on Hiroshima.

Launa went on to have a family and lives in Exmouth, the place of her birth.

Councillor John Hart, chairman of Devon County Council thanked the wartime generation and said: Please remember our past at the same time as looking forward to our future. Its very young people today that we have to think about, our children and grandchildren and the future for them has to be a good future.
A campaign for a memorial to the forgotten RAF reconnaissance heroes of World War Two  including a North Devon man who is buried in Combe Martin churchyard  is one step closer to fruition.

There is no national memorial to the pilots of the PRU - Photographic Reconnaissance Unit  who flew light unarmed planes into the heart of enemy territory to capture vital intelligence that helped turn the tide of the war.

Earlier this week in the House of Commons, Veterans Minister Al Carns confirmed that efforts to honour these unsung heroes are now in the planning stage.

The campaign has been backed by more than 200 MPs, including North Devon MP Ian Roome, who served in the RAF and has welcomed the news.

The PRU was formed in 1939 to carry out high-risk, clandestine intelligence-gathering missions throughout the war. Flying modified Spitfires and Mosquitos, PRU crews captured more than 26 million images of enemy positions and activities.

Pilots had a 50% fatality rate and their wartime survival rate was an average of two-and-a-half months.

Among them was a North Devon man, Flying Officer John Neville Rowbotham, a quiet hero whose story stands among many. Born in Rhodesia in 1921 during his fathers military posting, he later returned with his family to their native Umberleigh.

Rowbotham joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve and flew with 541 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, piloting the cutting-edge Spitfire PR.XIX. On November 29, 1944, during a mission to Hamburg, his aircraft crashed into the sea off the Essex coast for reasons still unknown. He was just 23-years-old and is buried in Combe Martin churchyard.

Since 2021, the Spitfire AA810 Project has campaigned for a permanent memorial to honour the 1,746 PRU aircrew and the 635 photographic interpretersmany of whom were womenincluding figures such as actor Dirk Bogarde and Sarah Churchill, daughter of the wartime Prime Minister. Their expert analysis turned photographs into war-winning intelligence.

North Devon MP Ian Roome said: As an RAF veteran myself, Im proud to support the campaign to honour those who served in the Photographic Reconnaissance Unitremarkable individuals like North Devons John Rowbotham who carried out vital missions under exceptionally difficult conditions.

Their bravery and sacrifice must not be forgotten and I look forward to continuing to work with the Spitfire AA810 Project to help deliver this long-overdue memorial, and to paying my respects at the site once it is complete.

Spitfire AA810 Project director Tony Hoskins added: Since we first looked at commemorating the highly clandestine work of the RAF unarmed Reconnaissance Squadrons, we have uncovered some incredible stories of the work these young men and women carried out, their actions unknown yet so vital to millions of people impacted by the conflict.

Now on the 80th anniversary of VE Day it is so fitting to have the Government support this major step forward in recognising their work and sacrifice.

If anyone is related to or knew someone who served in the PRU during WW2, visit the Spitfire AA810 Project website at www.spitfireaa810.co.uk or get email Tony Hoskins on tony@spitfireaa810.co.uk
Tim Kaine, Virginias Minnesota-born, Kansas-raised junior U.S. senator, rarely passes on an opportunity to share his adoptive states story with others. Thats because the Democrat believes that there are lessons for the nation  good and bad  that spring from the state where it was born.

In a speech at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and in an op-ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, both pegged to the fast-approaching 250th anniversary of American independence, Kaine focused on Virginias motto, one as old as the republic: Sic semper tyrannis  Latin for Thus always to tyrants or Ever thus to tyrants. Kaine implied that its spirit should guide public and political resistance to President Donald Trump.

Kaine, of course, has a front-row seat to the mayhem that supposedly qualifies as governance. And the increasingly edgy, occasionally profane manner with which Kaine characterizes Trump, his utterances and behavior suggest that the usually circumspect senator is unburdened by political considerations  that he is free to fully speak his mind because this third term in Washington is likely his last.

But heres arguing that Virginias other motto has greater application to our troubled times than Sic semper tyrannis, a rhetorical flourish attributed to Brutus as he and others plotted the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. and reportedly howled by John Wilkes Booth as he shot dead President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.

In 1779, as the war for freedom from Great Britain raged on, the Virginia legislature adopted as the states secondary motto Perseverando  Latin, for By persevering. More than 200 years on  as Trump perfects his I-am-the-law schtick by ignoring Congress and defying the courts  one would admit that Perseverando nicely complements Sic semper tyrannis. After all, toppling tyrants demands perseverance.

Virginians know that tyranny can take many forms  and that it is often defined by the times and those literally or figuratively shackled.

It was the tax-imposing British monarchy in the late 1700s that embodied tyranny. To White Confederates, it was the North that opposed Black slavery in the South in the mid-1800s. For the once enslaved and their descendants, it was the White oligarchy that denied Black Virginians voting and civil rights for nearly a century, beginning in the late 1800s. For LGBTQ+ people in the 2000s, it is the conservative politicians who used their control of government to deny them rights guaranteed for straight folks.

Indeed, Perseverando  it appears on the reverse of the seal, paired with likenesses of three classical goddesses representing liberty, eternity and agriculture  works much better than the original secondary motto, also in Latin, that it replaced, Deus nobis haec otia fecit  God has given us these days of leisure. By the way, its the motto of Liverpool, England, a major slaving port in the 18th century and where the Beatles got their start in the 20th.

That mottos sentiment seems far removed from the noble, grinding, sometimes-bloody enterprise that is the struggle for  and to preserve  freedom. The jettisoned motto  it was done away with three years after it was adopted  could conjure an image of Hawaiian shirt-wearing sybarites stretched out on beach chairs along the edge of a noisy, smoke-shrouded battlefield, sipping tropical drinks and taking in the combat as if it were a surfing competition.

Not even Thomas Jefferson liked it.

In a July 30, 1776, letter to John Page, a future congressman and Virginia governor from Gloucester County whom Jefferson would defeat in his first try for that office, the Muck-a-muck of Monticello  busy at the time in Philadelphia helping birth the new republic  reported that most people in and around the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, considered the motto a head-scratcher. Jefferson was delighted, though, with Sic semper Tyrannis.

It, along with the secondary motto, was the handiwork of a committee of heavyweights: George Mason, George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee and Robert Carter Nicholas. The foursome also designed Virginias seal, the primary feature of which is the bare-breasted Virtus  avert your eyes Ken Cuccinelli!  a drawn sword in her right hand, a spear in her left and her foot atop the toppled tyrant, whose crown has fallen from his head. The whole package was adopted by the Virginia Convention of 1776.

I like the device of the first side of the seal much, wrote Jefferson, a detail-oriented aesthete from Albemarle County. The second I think is you much crouded, nor is the design so striking. But for gods sake what is the deus nobia haec otia fact. It puzzles every body here. This device is to aenigmatical, since if it puzzles now, it will absolutely insoluble fifty years hence!

Thanks to the Library of Virginia  especially to Becky Schneider, the interim archives and reference services manager and the states chief librarian, Dennis Clark  the story behind those little words that appear on the state seal is a lot bigger. And while the seals and the accompanying mottoes might seem arty affectations of eras long passed, they remain to this day emblems of the authority extended to officialdom by those who installed them: the people.

In 1777, with the seal, itself, being prepared by a Philadelphia engraver at publick charge, according to 18th-century records, a Virginia representative to France  he was seeking arms and cash for the colonial cause  had no seal to authenticate his credentials, and the delay in obtaining the seal ordered in Philadelphia was the source of considerable annoyance, wrote state librarian H.R. McIlwaine in a 1909-10 report on possible modifications to the seal.

By law, there are two seals  the great and the lesser. They are distinguished by size, with the former, 2 3/4 inches in diameter, about twice as large as the latter. The great seal is reserved for validating documents signed by the governor and used in legal proceedings or Virginias dealings with other states. The lesser seal is affixed to grants for land, writs ordering elections, gubernatorial pardons and reprieves as well as commissions and appointments  civil and military.

The keeper of the seal is the secretary of the commonwealth, a political appointee of the governor who dispenses patronage jobs and  perhaps prized even more than a seat on high-profile board or commission  those two- and three-digit license plates that are supposed to telegraph to fellow motorists that the driver who may have whizzed by, well over the speed limit, has an influential friend in Richmond.

At a time when politics and policy are shaped by bitter wars of will rather than thoughtful, interested debate, the relevance of Virginias mottoes endure. That said, Sic semper tyrannis is prospective in tone, aspirational. Perseverando speaks to the struggle and the vigilance that should continue even after a tyrant is toppled, to discourage and thwart those who might rise in his or her stead.

In the years immediately following the Civil War, when Virginia was restored to the union, largely under the supervision of federal troops, its Reconstruction governor was viewed as taking a somewhat tyrannical approach to altering the seal. Francis Pierpont wanted to add the words, Liberty and union. Though the changes were sanctioned by the legislature in 1866, there were doubts whether it was done legally. Within a decade, the additional words were removed.

But because, in a Virginia given to Shintoism, the old is venerated, there was a push in the early 1900s to drop Perseverando, replacing it with the original secondary motto. A report to the Library Board, observing that the seal was lacking ... in artistic grace and beauty, suggested that its historical symmetry could be restored by reviving Deus nobis haec otio fecit, then translated as, God has given us this ease.

The effort was turned back  if only because of Perseverando.

And speaking of: For those of us in print journalism, particularly in these times, it seems one often gets through the day by persevering. I did  happily  at the Times-Dispatch, for 39 years, four months and 29 days.

This is my final column for the newspaper. Ill be keeping an eye on Virginia politics as a part-time analyst for Radio IQ, the Roanoke-based, statewide public broadcasting outfit. You can reach me via jeschapiro@gmail.com.

Thank you for putting up with me  and for keeping me in touch.

Perseverando.
What started as an organic farming endeavor and an exploration of ones family history has transformed into an award-winning memoir by a Corvallis resident.

Jaclyn Moyer, 38, recently won a 2025 Oregon Book Award for creative nonfiction from the Literary Arts nonprofit. Her book, titled On Gold Hill: A Personal History of Wheat, Farming, and Family, from Punjab to California, was published by Beacon Press in 2024. It tells a story that Moyer describes as part family history, part memoir and part deep dive into the history of wheat cultivation in organic farming.

Moyer is a writer who was raised in northern California and has resided in Corvallis with her partner and two young children since 2018. She received her bachelors degree in community studies from University of California Santa Cruz and a masters in fine arts in Creative Writing from Pacific University in Forest Grove. Her essays and journalism have been published in High Country News, The Atlantic and more.

Moyers mother immigrated to the U.S. from northern India, and Moyer and her sister grew up with hardly any connection to their heritage.

There was always this distance, and I always felt this longing to connect with that part of myself, Moyer said. I had been writing about that, and writing about farming also.

From 2012 to 2016, Moyer and her partner had a small farm in Gold Hill, located in the foothills of California between Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe.

A baker friend introduced the pair to a popular wheat called Sonora wheat, which was having a resurgence among artisan bakers at the time. Upon looking into it, Moyer realized the wheat had a long history where her mothers family is from. Thus, the entanglement of these seemingly disparate themes began.

The process of writing her book, Moyer said, which began very organically, gave her a deeper understanding of her heritage. The Sonora wheat, she said, served as a weird key to opening things up with her grandparents. With her mother serving as a translator, the two shared emotional and challenging stories of their upbringings in India.

I kind of, in some ways, came to appreciate the remove I have from the culture, Moyer said, because I think that is what allowed (my grandmother) to be so open in this way.

It offered opportunities for Moyers mother to learn a lot about her parents too, and vice versa. Moyer believes that her mom came to regret the fact that she never taught her children Punjabi. So when Moyers daughter was born, for the first year of her life, Moyers mother would only speak to her in that language.

Now, her kids dont really speak it, but they understand it 100 times more than I ever did, Moyer said. And she makes roti, the traditional Indian flatbread that can be made with Sonora wheat, all the time, along with other Indian food.

At the same time as she was conducting these oral histories with her family, Moyer was undergoing the challenges of trying to make a living as an organic farmer, and ultimately made the decision to leave the farm behind.

It was becoming a really popular way people felt like they could take agency, Moyer said. Everyone was disillusioned with capitalism, and starting a small farm was sort of positioned as this way to take action. And thats totally how I felt, idealistically.

But during her time as a farmer, she came to understand the economic reality of small farming and how it depended on exploited farm labor.

As churning unsettledness about her decision to leave the farm caused a deeper dive into these myriad themes, and On Gold Hill began to take shape, which also unpacks how her thinking about organic farming changed, and the unraveling of her idealism.

The book has been warmly received by an interesting cross of different audiences thanks to its diverse subject matter, Moyer said. A lot of mixed race people who feel disconnected from their culture or history in some way have resonated with it, along with a lot of farmers. I think theres a very particular grief that people experience when they let go of a farm, Moyer said.

She appreciates the variety of readers the book is attracting, hoping that they are able to find value in the facets of the story that might not fall into their traditional reading material.

Moyer received the Sarah Winnemucca Award for Creative Nonfiction on April 28 at The Armory in Portland. She did not anticipate achieving such an honor, and said it feels good to be a part of the Oregon literary community in that way.

As a freelance writer, Moyer always has a couple of stories coming down the pipe. In addition to the beginning stages of a new book project, shes working on a feature about Coffin Butte Landfill for the publication High Country News, which will come out in June. A lot of her work relies on her environment  and right now, thats the Mid-Willamette Valley.

Ive never been a parachute journalist, she said. My relation to the story, I just cant really leave that out.
A trade association of energy companies is objecting to NIPSCO's plan to create a new company to develop electric capacity for data centers coming to northern Indiana to meet the growing demand for storing, processing and delivering data in an increasingly digital world, especially from the explosion in the use of artificial intelligence.

The Clean Grid Alliance, a renewable energy nonprofit group whose members include independent power producers and trade associations, filed testimony with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission questioning Merrillville-based NIPSCO's plans to spin off a new company called GenCo that would develop new electric capacity for data centers.

NIPSCO said it's looking to be able to negotiate long-term contracts directly with megaload data centers so they pay for new electric capacity while minimizing the cost and risk for existing customers.

But the Clean Grid Alliance argues GenCo would not serve the public interest and would harm other energy providers looking to do business in Indiana. It says the plan would harm competition because it would not allow for independent power producers to vie to provide megaload customers electric capacity, giving NIPSCO a monopoly in the space.

Clean Grid Alliance Policy Advocate Emily Piontek wrote in her testimony to the IURC that NIPSCO's interests were not always aligned with the economic development interests of state and local governments. Piontek objected to NIPSCO's request to be relieved of normal regulatory guidelines so it could expedite development of megaload data centers, saying its blanket regulatory relief would give it an unfair advantage, quell competition and hurt the public in the long term.

"Critically, NIPSCO GenCo is requesting declination of jurisdiction for all (permits) for an as-yet undetermined amount of capacity to be served by an as-yet unplanned portfolio of generation facilities and related assets," she wrote. "By undetermined, I am referring to the lack of any signed power purchase or other agreement(s) with NIPSCO to meet specific customer loads. By unplanned, I am referring to the lack of information regarding the types, sizes, and locations of generation facilities and related assets."

Clean energy providers need a level playing field to supply the vast amount of electricity data centers require, Piontek said. They won't be able to compete for projects if NIPSCO alone is given a preemptive waiver for all future capacity projects it wants to build to serve data centers, she said.

"I generally view unbounded, blanket relief from these as being inappropriately and preemptively sought; my concerns also broadly regard the undermining of regulatory authority and threats to the public interest that could result from granting the petition as filed," Piontek wrote.

NIPSCO is currently fielding requests to provide power to several data centers in its service territory, including a $7 billion expansion of the Digital Crossroads data center on the lakefront in Hammond. It is looking at funding expansion through the GenCo spinoff because it will have to add significantly more capacity  a new Amazon Web Services data center in New Carlilse that will be served by Indiana Michigan Power, for instance, will be able to consume the same about of power as roughly half the households in the entire state of Indiana.

NIPSCO is seeking permission from the IURC to create the new company and allow it to negotiate rates directly with data center customers instead of going through the usual approval process with state regulators. NIPSCO normally needs to get state approval to set a rate because it does not face the free-market competition that would otherwise keep prices more in check.

The IURC is slated to have a hearing in Indianapolis Friday on the pending case.

NIPSCO says the cost and risk of such massive investments will require a separate spinoff company so that the data centers themselves, and not existing customers, bankroll the cost of construction. It says it also wants to protect current customers from liability if a data center project falls apart and it builds more capacity than needed.

GenCo would not benefit NIPSCO's customers because the growth and magnitude of demand would stretch the adequacy of the utility's resources, Piontek wrote. Since the new company would essentially still be part of NIPSCO, existing customers still could end up on the hook for the cost burden of new capacity despite the claim it would insulate them, Piontek wrote.

Current NIPSCO customers also would conversely be insulated from a larger customer base that would dilute the burden of costs in the long term, she wrote. The spinoff also would generate higher returns, as NiSource CEO Lloyd Yates said during a conference call with investors that GenCo could get returns above and beyond what our potential regulated returns are.

There is little to no evidence presented by NIPSCO GenCo that it will not improperly receive cross-subsidization from its affiliate NIPSCO by virtue of its access to NIPSCOs assets, including NIPSCO employees, management, and investors, which indicates that its strategy to insulate NIPSCOs non-megaload customers is not without holes, Piontek wrote. Further, NIPSCO GenCo has not shown that existing regulatory policies and practices of the IURC, including the opportunity to seek declination of jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis, are insufficient for NIPSCO GenCo to operate in the present competitive environment. In fact, it appears the opposite is true as there has already been substantial activity from data center developers in NIPSCOs territory.

NIPSCO would establish another monopoly that would be largely unregulated and without checks and balances, she wrote. The utility has not proven that being exempt from regulation is necessary to meeting the time-sensitive requests of data center developers, who industry observers say are facing two to three year wait times all across the country due to the lack of existing capacity.

If NIPSCO GenCo is correct in its assessment that speed to market is more important to megaload customers than energy prices are, this opportunity to earn a higher rate of return on projects that are built to serve customers who are less sensitive to prices, appears to be the driving force behind the proposal, Piontek wrote. Broadly speaking, the corporate interests of NIPSCO GenCo, NIPSCO, and megaload developers should not be conflated with the public interest.

The company is seeking a total relief from regulations for an unknown amount of power plants into perpetuity, she wrote. Theres no way of determining if it would protect the public interest and the lack of competition would undermine fair, competitive prices.

Data center capacity projects already have been sped through the approval process in 90 to 160 days, Piontek said. Data centers will already come to Northwest Indiana due to its proximity to Chicago, incentives and the availability of water and land.

NIPSCO has been planning to develop between 2,600 to 8,600 MW by 2035 to handle at least six data center projects, it disclosed in last year's integrated resource plan.

Being given a competitive advantage that would allow it to build faster than competitors would let it commandeer sought-after transmission infrastructure for its own projects, Piontek wrote. It could corner more of the wholesale market, taking business from other power providers.

If the data centers fail to materialize, NIPSCO could be left with surplus supply that would give it excess generation and lead to it flood the wholesale market, crowding out other competitors. Its not clear what type of energy GenCo would use to meet the demand and how much of it would be solar, wind or low-carbon, she said.

Independent power producers could reduce costs by competing on price if everyone was regulated the same way, Piontek wrote.

The petitioner has failed to justify its need for blanket, unbounded declination of IURC jurisdiction for all of its future generating projects, she wrote. Furthermore, the petition raises more questions than it answers.
U.S. Steel is seeking exemptions from federal limits on pollution.

After the new Trump administration took office, the Environmental Protection Agency invited companies to apply for presidential exemptions from federal air pollution limits for up to two years "if the technology to implement the standard is not available and it is in the national security interests of the United States to do so."

U.S. Steel is asking to be exempted from hazardous air pollution rules on integrated iron and steel, coke and taconite iron ore processing.

To preserve American jobs and domestic steel production, industries like ours must be able to rely on and play by rules that are well-grounded in science and law, spokeswoman Amanda Malkowski said. "U.S. Steel challenged all three rules legally because they were supported by neither science nor law and would impose significant costs while setting technically unachievable standards.

U.S. Steel disclosed in its latest quarterly report that it submitted a request for a two-year presidential exemption to the Clean Air Act Section 112, the Taconite MACT Rule and the Coke MACT residual risk and technology rule. It objects to the rules, arguing the EPA did not consider costs, operational variability, achievability and other factors while setting the new standards.

The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker, which operates Gary Works and the Midwest Plant, contended there was an ample margin of safety to protect public health.

Seeking the presidential exemptions reflects no change to U. S. Steels original position that it is supportive of revisions to regulations that are within EPA's statutory authority, based on sound science, and are technically feasible, Malkowski said. The presidential exemptions provide an additional path to achieving reasonable, effective environmental standards, which we support as part of our commitment to environmental excellence and to being a good neighbor in the communities where we live and work. These requests do not change our continued commitment to environmental performance and safety.

The Trump administration is granting exemptions to industrial businesses like steel mills, coke ovens, iron ore processors and lime manufacturers if they can show the technology is not available or if an exemption would benefit national security.

Environmentalists decried the exemptions U.S. Steel is seeking, saying it could result in more pollution.

The air quality in Lake and Porter counties just received an F rating from the American Lung Association, so while it is not surprising that U.S. Steel applied for EPAs air pollution exemptions, it will further compound this dire situation, making it devastatingly worse, Just Transition spokeswoman Susan Thomas said.

Thomas described it as an untenable polluter handout.

The U.S. EPA issued the exemption invitations to more than 500 polluting industries in an astounding backtrack on environmental law that may irretrievably harm our frontline communities and ecosystems in Northwest Indiana, one of the most biodiverse and historically overburdened regions on the planet," she said. When the invitation was announced, JTNWI and other community organizations sent a letter to U.S. Steel through the Environmental Law and Policy Center, requesting a response on any exemption requests being made, as communities in the vicinity have a right to know this status. We have not received a response.

Carolyn McCrady, with Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, said it was disappointing and concerning.

"Their decision, however, is not unexpected as U.S. Steel, along with other lakefront steel mills, is responsible for dumping tons of hazardous substances into our communities on a regular basis. This results in increased risk of respiratory diseases and cancer and a 10-year lowered life expectancy for Gary residents," McCrady said. "Regardless of this cruel financial decision on the part of U.S. Steel to limit what they should pay to protect communities and workers, GARD will continue to monitor their permits and continue to educate the public while working for sustainable development that will improve the quality of life."

Hilary Lewis with Industrious Labs, which is looking to wean the integrated steel industry off fossil fuels, said the EPA's iron and steel rule would reduce hazardous air pollutants by an estimated 640 tons between 2026 and 2035.

"It is sickening to see polluting facilities apply for exemptions to rules designed to protect public health," Lewis said. "Complying with the law isnt and shouldnt be optional, particularly when it comes to protecting public health."

Lisa Vallee with Just Transition NWI said the cumulative pollution from heavy industry in Northwest Indiana took a toll on the surrounding communities.

I am thinking of the countless community members I have met, who have shared their stories of living in a sacrifice zone with me, Vallee said. They have told me about the illnesses they and their families suffer from and how they wish for a brighter future for their grandchildren. My heart is with them all today as we face the reality that our government and these industry giants believe we are expendable, not worth protecting. I will never stop fighting for these communities, my community.
How Will Ranked-Choice Voting Work in the N.Y.C. Mayoral Primary? Lets Look at How it Worked Last Time.

As New York City voters contemplate electing a new mayor this year, those participating in Junes Democratic primary will once again confront the citys ranked-choice balloting system. They will have plenty of choices, with 11 candidates making the ballot.

Ranked-choice voting, which was first used in the city during the 2021 primary, allows voters to rank as many as five candidates in order of preference. If their top choices are eliminated, their votes can be transferred to candidates who are lower on their ballots.

Proponents of the system say it favors candidates who appeal to a broad swath of voters, helps reduce negativity in campaigns and enables voters to express support for lesser-known candidates without feeling like theyre throwing away their votes.

But data shows that voters may not have taken full advantage of the system in 2021, when there were 13 Democrats on the ballot. To show how ranked-choice voting could work this time, weve broken down what happened back then:

Round 1 NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN In a ranked-choice election, if a candidate receives 50 percent of first-choice votes, they win the primary outright. In a ranked-choice election, if a candidate receives 50 percent of first-choice votes, they win the primary outright. In 2021, no candidate reached that threshold in the first round of counting, triggering a ranked-choice runoff. In 2021, no candidate reached that threshold in the first round of counting, triggering a ranked-choice runoff. Round by round, the candidates with the least support are eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the voters next choices. Round by round, the candidates with the least support are eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the voters next choices. Once every candidate a voter ranked is eliminated, that voters ballot is exhausted and their vote is considered inactive. Once every candidate a voter ranked is eliminated, that voters ballot is exhausted and their vote is considered inactive. New York City allows batch elimination. In Round 4, the bottom four candidates were eliminated at once because their vote totals combined were less than the vote total of any other candidate. New York City allows batch elimination. In Round 4, the bottom four candidates were eliminated at once because their vote totals combined were less than the vote total of any other candidate. In Round 6, three more candidates were eliminated in a batch, narrowing the field to the top four candidates. In Round 6, three more candidates were eliminated in a batch, narrowing the field to the top four candidates. At that point, those candidates were still in the same order they had been in since the beginning, with Adams in the lead. At that point, those candidates were still in the same order they had been in since the beginning, with Adams in the lead. This chart shows how votes were redistributed from Round 6 to Round 7. This chart shows how votes were redistributed from Round 6 to Round 7. In Round 7, Yang was in last place and was eliminated. His votes were redistributed to the candidate ranked next on his voters ballots. In Round 7, Yang was in last place and was eliminated. His votes were redistributed to the candidate ranked next on his voters ballots. If those voters hadnt ranked any of the top three, their ballots became exhausted and were marked inactive. More than 65,000 ballots were marked inactive by this point. If those voters hadnt ranked any of the top three, their ballots became exhausted and were marked inactive. More than 65,000 ballots were marked inactive by this point. Up until this round, Wiley had held steady in second place behind Adams in first. Up until this round, Wiley had held steady in second place behind Adams in first. But enough Yang voters ranked Garcia next, thanks to Yang endorsing Garcia as his No. 2, that she overtook Wiley for second place. But enough Yang voters ranked Garcia next, thanks to Yang endorsing Garcia as his No. 2, that she overtook Wiley for second place. This put Wiley in last place in Round 8, and she was eliminated. Garcia received more than double the redistributed votes that Adams did. This put Wiley in last place in Round 8, and she was eliminated. Garcia received more than double the redistributed votes that Adams did. But over 70,000 voters had not ranked either final candidate and their ballots were marked inactive. But over 70,000 voters had not ranked either final candidate and their ballots were marked inactive. After all the rounds had been tabulated, Adams beat Garcia by 7,197 votes. After all the rounds had been tabulated, Adams beat Garcia by 7,197 votes. The 8th and last round of counting ended with 140,202 inactive ballots  nearly 20 times Adamss margin of victory. If roughly 5 percent of the inactive ballots had featured Garcia in any position, she would have beaten Adams. The 8th and last round of counting ended with 140,202 inactive ballots  nearly 20 times Adamss margin of victory. If roughly 5 percent of the inactive ballots had featured Garcia in any position, she would have beaten Adams.

In 2021, 13 percent of Democratic primary voters only ranked one candidate. The most common ballot sequence in the primary, seen on 6.3 percent of the ballots, saw Eric Adams ranked first and the remaining four spots left blank.

This year, various political groups are trying to game out ranked-choice strategies to get their preferred candidates elected. Some are actively trying to stop the current front-runner, former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, from winning by asking voters to leave him off their ballots entirely.

Candidates could also make cross-endorsements, in hopes of earning second-choice votes from the supporters of like-minded candidates. That dynamic benefited Kathryn Garcia in 2021, when Andrew Yang endorsed her as his second choice and many of his supporters ranked her.

Some groups are endorsing multiple candidates and strategizing to create coalitions. Supporters of ranked-choice voting hope that voters become more comfortable ranking more candidates over time.
Chinas Chery Automobile brand recently introduced Mornine, a humanoid robot designed for use in car dealerships, at one of its Malaysian dealerships.

Originally designed as a digital character meant to connect with the young generation by leveraging concepts like the metaverse and social media, Mornine evolved into a humanoid robot that can interact with customers in the real world. Technically known as the AiMOGA Robot, Mornine uses a multimodal sensing model that allows it to accurately perceive the gestures and commands of humans it interacts with, as well as navigate the environment it functions in. Its robotic body incorporates automotive-grade technology and a bionic motion system that allows upright movements and accurate hand gestures. For decision-making, Mornine uses Deepseeks large language models, which allow it to understand natural language and deliver personalized responses.

Mornine was first unveiled in 2023 and was showcased at various events throughout 2024, but 2025 was the first year she entered commercial service at a car dealership in Kuala Lumpur, where she became a fully operational sales assistant. The humanoid robot uses its speaking skills to explain things about the car to potential buyers, answer their questions, and even assists people with test drives.

Although the recently released showcase video for Mornine isnt the most impressive, with the robot looking and sounding very artificial, but Chery Automobile has big plans for its new humanoid robot. The Chinese company envisions a future in which Mornine is deployed in public places such as shopping malls, cinemas, and exhibitions, where she will act as a customer service assistant.



Humanoid robots have come a long way in recent years, but judging by Mornines current capabilities and other examples weve seen, itll be a while before they can function in the real world.
Walt & Company is appointed PR agency of record for North America by Panduit, a global manufacturer of electrical and network infrastructure and connectivity solutions. Walt & Company will also support Panduits social media program. It will operate as an extension of Panduit's marketing team, elevating brand visibility and market positioning through a comprehensive, multichannel communications strategy that spans North American and international markets. We sought a strong and creative communications partner to help deliver that message to our customers and partners, and Walt & Company fit the bill, said Panduit global brand manager Dawn Leach.

Sarah Casewit

RG2 Communications, which is based in New York and London, is named agency of record for boutique travel consultancy Sarah Casewit. RG2 will oversee an integrated communications strategy designed to position Sarah Casewit as a luxury travel consultancy focused on experiential and transformative travel. This includes managing media relations, activating brand partnerships, and driving awareness through campaigns in the luxury travel, hospitality and lifestyle spaces. Casewits global network ranges from hoteliers to local families, musicians, chefs and artisans, allowing her to unlock doors often closed to the public

Stone Junction, a tech PR agency, signs on to handle media relations for materials testing company Instron CEAST Division. Stone Junction is tasked with delivering a comprehensive PR and digital strategy to enhance Instrons brand visibility and engage with quality assurance and research & development professionals, as well as academics, across industries ranging from raw materials to automotive testing.Instron, based in Pianezza, Turin, Italy, provides mechanical testing solutions for sustainable materials to support industries in their transition to a circular economy. Partnering with Stone Junction will allow us to communicate our expertise more effectively and strengthen our engagement with key audiences in research and industry, said Luigia Tiberi, business unit manager at Instron CEAST Division.
President Trumps off-the-wall order to reopen Alcatraz ranks right up there on the nonsense list with taking over Greenland, banning paper straws, and slapping tariffs on our best trading partners, along with the rest of the world.

The Rock closed in 1963 because it was too expensive to run. It cost $10 a day to house a prisoner back then, compared to $3 in Atlanta.

Trump said he wants to rebuild and reopen the San Francisco Bay lock-up because it represents a symbol of law and order.

His advisors should tell Trump that is not necessary. The country already has a New Alcatraz federal maximum security jail in Marion (IN), and The Alcatraz of the Rockies (Florence, CO)

Some saw Trumps Alcatraz fantasy as a means to rile arch-rival Nancy Pelosi, whose district includes the jail. She called the idea not a serious one.

But Trumps real motivation may have come after a South Florida PBS station ran Clint Eastwoods 1979 thriller Escape From Alcatraz while the president was ensconced in Mar-a-Lago.

The country should be thankful that WLRN didnt decide to air Doctor Strangelove. Had it chose to run that Stanley Kubrick masterpiece, we wouldnt be around today to debate the feasibility of resurrecting Alcatraz.

One wonders if the president ever checked out another movie classic, John Hustons The Man Who Would Be King. Hes sure acting like one these days.

Kudos to the NYCs tech sector The Big Apple has a much more diverse tech sector than other major technology hubs, according to a survey by the Center for an Urban Future.

A quarter (24.3 percent) of the tech workforce is composed of Black and Hispanic employees. While there is room for much improvement in NYC, that percentage well exceeds Boston/Cambridge (10.4 percent), San Francisco Bay Area (8.2 percent), and Seattle (5.0 percent)

The tech sector has become an increasingly vital pathway for better-paying careers for a broad base of New Yorkers. The tech sector set the pace from 2014 to 2024 in creating 79,563 well-paying jobs, topping finance (36,750) and hospitals (21,753). During the same period, advertising lost 1,877 well-paying jobs, manufacturing shed 21,687 and retail cut 53,857 positions.

But NYCs affordability crisis looms over the tech sector as it does for other parts of the economy.

The city faces more competition than ever from cities that have developed a critical mass of tech companies and are significantly more affordable than New York, including Austin, Miami, Raleigh, Atlanta, and Nashville, according to the report.

New York is increasingly the destination of choice for top engineers, data scientists, software developers, product managers, AI talent, and marketing professionals from across the country.

Many mid-level managers, though, are weighing a move out of New York as they start families, struggling to reconcile the sky-high cost of a family-sized apartment and child care with the desire for a workable quality of life.

New York has a big mayoral election coming up. Nurturing the continued growth of the tech sector has to be high on the next mayor's to-do list.

Maga Maniacs. A survey on president Trumps tariff policy shows just how committed MagaLand is to its dear leader.

Less than four in ten (37 percent) of overall respondents support Trumps tariffs, according to the survey by Navigator Research.

A whole different reality exists in MagaLand, where a whopping 88 percent back the president. Less than half (48 percent) of the GOP's sane wing back tariffs.

Two in three of respondents overall believe tariffs are raising costs. More than half (55 percent) of non-MAGA Republicans agree that prices are going up, while only 40 percent of the MAGA crowd expect a jump in prices.

The poll has some good numbers. A majority of Americans oppose President Trumps tariff plan (56 percent), an increase of 15 points since just prior to inauguration.

That number will certainly go up when consumers face product shortages and see empty retail shelves. They will know who is to blame.
COMHALTAS Ceoltoiri Eireann held its 2025 Annual Congress in Sligo this weekend, with a comprehensive programme of events in addition to the the business of Congress.

A highlight of the weekend was the New Generation Panel Discussion; the team comprised moderator Dr Robert Harvey (Laois); Colleen McCleary (Belfast), Dr Patrick Ballantyne (Liverpool), Ciaran Fitzgerald (Kildare) and Offaly native Maire Brennan.

Maire was nominated on the basis of her contribution to community and education and her exceptional achievements to date. A tin whistle, button accordion and piano player from County Offaly, Maire grew up playing in solo and group ensembles in her Comhaltas branch, Ballyboy CCE. She now tutors students and groups of all ages in various Comhaltas branches in Offaly.

In 2022, Maire won the Senior Tin Whistle All Ireland Title. She has been awarded two Performance Diplomas with the London College of Music, as well as being presented with the Award of Excellence in her Music Education Specialism on her Bachelor of Education degree in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.

Maire performs regularly at various festivals and orchestral commissions, as well as on Ceili House and RTE. She holds a Micheal O hEidhin medallion for Distinction in the SCT Traditional Music Exams, a Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann teaching diploma the TTCT at advanced level and is also a qualified Comhaltas adjudicator.

Maire's contribution to the panel discussion was through both Irish and English speaking on the skills developed through Comhaltas' educational programmes and the value of music and Irish culture to communities at all levels.

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CCE Craobh Chuilinn is honoured to host Fleadh Cheoil Uibh Fhaili 2025 next weekend.

It is the very first time in the history of the branch, which was formed in August 2019, that they will host the Fleadh. The Fleadh Committee has worked tirelessly for the past four months to deliver an extensive programme of events.

The official launch of the Fleadh took place in Rath Hall on Monday evening last. Music sessions and cultural activities will run throughout the week, while Fleadh competitions will take place from Friday May 9th to Sunday May 11th in St Brendans Community School, Birr. Fleadh closing celebrations will the held in the village of Rath on Sunday evening when competitions have concluded. All are welcome!

Competitions begin at 6pm on Friday May 9th with Ceili, and Sean Nos Dancing in St Brendans Community School, Birr. Competitions continue on Saturday May 10th and Sunday May 11th with music, singing, storytelling, Comhra Gaeilge, Grupai Cheoil, Ceili Bands etc. With approximately 330 entries to Fleadh Cheoil Uibh Fhaili this year, all supporters can look forward to tremendous display of talent from the ten branches of Comhaltas in County Offaly, over the three days of competition. CCE Craobh Chuilinn wishes all competitors the very best of luck and a most enjoyable experience.

On Wednesday May 7th there is a pop up Gaeltacht suitable for all ages, with Biorra le Gaeilge in Birr Library from 4pm to 5.30pm, with conversational Irish, Traditional Irish Music, Song, colouring and more.

On Thursday May 8th there will be Trad Thursday in Kelly's on the Green in Birr starting at 9pm.

Competitions will begin on Friday May 9th with dancing competitions in St Brendan's Community School from 6pm.

Later that same night there will be a Trad Session in Craughwell's Bar with Maire Brennan, Eimear & Aine Gleeson at 9pm, while there will be another Session in the Ormond Clubhouse, Emmet Square at 9pm with the Broadband Sessions Group.

On Saturday May 10th Fleadh competitions will continue in the Community School from 11am.

At 7pm the Fleadh Mass will be celebrated in St John The Baptist Church, Rath at 7pm.

At 9pm that night there will be a Session in The Chestnut, Birr, with the Ard Eiscir Ceili Band.

Sunday May 11th will see the Fleadh competitions continue from 11am in the Community School.

At 4.30pm the Fleadh Finale Music Session and celebrations will take place in Rath Hall with ceoil agus craic, BBQ, the ice cream van and more!

CCE Craobh Chuilinn would like to extend sincere thanks to everyone who has helped in any way to bring the 2025 Offaly Fleadh to fruition. Special thanks to Mr John Kennedy, Principal of St Brendan's Community School, Birr, and the Board of Management for the use of the School, to all sponsors for their financial support and to the local community who have pulled out all the stops to ensure that Fleadh Cheoil Uibh Fhaili is a memorable event.

Additional volunteers are always welcome! For anyone wishing to lend a hand at any time over the weekend, please contact Karen (087) 9346928.

They wish the very best of luck to all the competitors. Go n-eiri an t-adh libh.

READ NEXT: Hundreds of private landlords in Offaly told to carry out improvements after inspections
A man who subjected a woman to a vicious and sustained beating, and threatened to rape her while she was walking in a town park in the Midlands, has been jailed for three years and three months, with no portion of his sentence suspended.

Michal Godla (35), of 1 Annaly Court, Longford, had beaten his victim into submission, only releasing his grip when she told him shed go with him and let him do whatever he wanted, according to a victim impact statement provided to Longford Circuit Court this week.

My attacker did not let me go. I escaped, the woman stressed in her statement, which was quoted by Judge Kenneth Connolly.

He showed me no mercy and only released his grip when he thought I had capitulated and he had beaten me into submission.

She highlighted to the court that this was not a common assault, but a sustained and vicious attack from behind - an attack intended to beat his prey into submission.

I witnessed evil that night, she said.

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The incident occurred in the early hours of August 7, 2023 at the Albert Reynolds Peace Park, locally known as The Mall, in Longford town.

Mr Godla appeared in court charged with one count of assault causing harm, and one count of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to his victim, with the latter charge referring to a threat to rape the woman. In January of this year, Mr Godla entered a guilty plea on a full facts basis to the assault charge, with the state withdrawing the second charge.

The woman, who was suffering from insomnia at around 1am on the date in question, decided to walk in the Longford town park, where she said she had always felt safe.

Leading evidence in court, Shane Geraghty BL, prosecuting, said the woman had pulled on a pair of rain trousers and a raincoat over her pyjamas. She said she had her hood up and a tissue in her hand as her nose was running.

Mr Godla, when interviewed by Gardai, said he had been drinking a Slovakian tea with 78% alcohol level. He also said hed been smoking a joint on his balcony and, when he went to bed, the room was spinning, so he decided to go for a walk.

As the pair met on the path, the woman said she felt apprehensive at first, and kept her head down. She was blowing her nose as she passed him, and felt a sense of relief once he had passed.

The next thing she felt was a blow to the right side of her head and temple, as Mr Godla struck her from behind. She was stunned, the court heard, and her glasses fell off.

Mr Godla then struck her again, knocking her to the ground. She shouted at him to stop but said he kept hitting her. The accused, who remained standing, grabbed her by the jacket and pulled her upright, before punching her again on the right temple.

After that punch, she landed on the ground and Mr Godla pulled her up again, striking her in the same way and knocking her to the ground again. This happened about four times, she said.

Mr Godla continued to relentlessly beat the woman, even after she pleaded with him, Im a woman - a mother. You wouldnt do this to your own mother.

She was unsure of the number of blows she received, but said they were all with a closed fist. He then told her I want to rape you, and she pretended to submit, saying shed go with him and let him do what he wanted, but that she needed to find her glasses first.

The Slovakian national then released her and started looking for her glasses. It was then that the woman fled towards the exit, before calling her husband and Gardai.

The woman was later taken to Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar, where she was treated for multiple bruises and injuries to her head, face and body. She also received a CT scan, which revealed a bleed on her brain.

A medical report furnished to the court stated that the woman suffered serious psychological trauma and had been deemed unfit to return to work for at least 18 to 24 months due to PTSD as a result of the assault. The report stated that the woman is literally afraid of her own shadow.

Mr Godla, when arrested in January of last year, told Gardai that he thought he was being attacked, that the person he met was a man, and that he needed to defend himself.

I just saw a hand up. I thought it was a man going to hit me. I went to defend myself, he told Detective Gada Orla Geraghty.

He said he hit the woman and she was KOd on the ground. He said he proceeded to hit her six light slaps, then two harder slaps, and only realised it was a woman when she woke up and screamed.

I tried to help her find her glasses but she ran away. I shouted at her to come back, Id ring an ambulance for her, he said.

He saw the news on Facebook after a friend of his commented on a post about the incident, and said he was waiting for Gardai to arrive. However, twice between August and his arrest in January 2024, he left the country to go to his native Slovakia.

He had also googled the definition of assault to see what the penalty was, saying, Im brown, not white. I was afraid people wouldnt believe me.

Phone records showed he had booked a train ticket to Dublin and back the day after the assault, so he could travel to the capital and give the clothes he was wearing to a homeless man.

He didnt agree he had used the word rape when talking to the woman, but accepted he had done so when the charge was put to him.

Mr Godla has been living in Ireland for 21 years and has never been employed. He received a carer's allowance as he cares for his mother who has Parkinsons Disease. He has four previous convictions, including three for drugs-related offences, and one for a public order offence.

Dara Foynes SC, for Mr Golda, described the accused as a simple sort of chap who lacked sophistication. She said he didnt attempt to go after the woman when she fled and that he accepted he had made some sort of threat.

He had difficulty with the allegation that he had used the word rape, but it is accepted, she said.

Mr Godla also wrote a letter of apology to the victim, and was willing to hand in 2,000, with the possibility of more should he be given a chance. The victim, however, had no interest in accepting the money.

Judge Connolly noted the ferocity of the violence and sustained nature of the attack, as well as the very, very chilling threat to commit a very serious sexual assault on the woman among the many aggravating factors.

"This was not a single punch or scuffle-type assault. There was a complete lack of provocation or context in this case, so much so I find it hard to understand what happened at all, he said.

He described Mr Godlas insistence that he thought the victim was a man as fiction, indicating that if the victim were a man, it would still have been a serious assault.

He set a headline sentence of four years and eight months imprisonment, noting that the maximum he could give was five years as the offence occurred before November 2023 when the tariff was increased to ten years for section three assault.

Noting a number of mitigating factors, including an early plea of guilt and the lack of previous relevant convictions, he reduced that sentence by 17 months, imposing three years and three months on Mr Godla.

However, he declined to suspend any of that sentence due to Mr Godlas failure to address his issues with alcohol, cannabis, and the fact that he had stopped attending counselling following a personality clash with his counsellor.

He has not made any significant efforts to rehabilitate himself, said Judge Connolly, adding that he didnt see any legal justification to suspend any portion of the sentence.
A recruitment drive is underway to attract graduate nurses to consider a career with the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore.

Eileen Whelan, Regional Director of Nursing & Midwifery for HSE Dublin and Midlands said, ''Exciting opportunities exist for this years graduate nurses to make a difference. The 2025 graduates will be supported to work in an environment where nurses are valued for their commitment and their expertise and where there is opportunity to work across all specialities and as part of a high performing multidisciplinary team. It is anticipated also that there will be new opportunities to work across Hospital and community settings.

Brendan Malone, Acting Director of Nursing at Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore said, ''As Acting Director of Nursing, I would like to acknowledge the highly competent and dedicated group of Nurses that work in the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore who deliver high quality care in a kind and caring manner on a daily basis.

This recruitment campaign is specifically focused on the recruitment of new Graduate Nurses for the Dublin and Midlands health region. We hope to fill many vacancies this year in the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore with highly skilled Graduate Staff Nurses who will provide holistic, person-centred care, enhancing the quality of life for service users. We have a range of vacancies across specialities such as Medical, Surgical, Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Oncology and Theatre.

We also want to develop awareness of the variety in locations of Graduate posts available in the region and make eligible candidates aware that there are a variety of options available to them.

Roisin Dunphy, Staff Nurse Clonmacnoise Ward, Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore said, I joined the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore in 2024 as Graduate Staff Nurse. Like many other Graduates who started alongside me, we entered the hospital nervous and excited to begin our careers as newly qualified professionals. My colleagues in the Hospital have been very welcoming and supportive from the day I arrived. I always wanted to work directly with people and as a nurse you get the opportunity to advocate and care for individuals and support them through health and illness.

I have had many opportunities to learn and expand my skills across specialities since joining the hospital. Going forward I would love to undertake a Postgraduate in Palliative Care as this is an area I have a special interest in. I would highly recommend the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore for any Graduate Staff Nurses who are looking to begin an exciting and rewarding career in the Midlands Region.
The Liveline is now open, said Joe Duffy earlier today, as he previewed this afternoons Liveline, the hugely popular RTE Radio 1 show which he has helmed for over a quarter of a century.

And in signing off todays programme, Joe confirmed he is set to close his own Liveline connection when his final programme airs on Friday, June 27.



Joe Duffy said: After 37 wonderful years here in RTE, and 27 years presenting Liveline, it has been an incredible honour and privilege to be part of a programme that relied entirely on trust: the trust of our listeners. People felt they could pick up the phone, ring Liveline, and share their lives, problems, stories sad, bad, sometimes mad and funny, their struggles, and their victories. I never took that for granted, not for a single minute. RTE has been a great place to work. Public service has always been at its heart. And now, after many happy years, Ive decided the time has come to move on. I would like to thank you the listener for tuning in each and every day, it has been an honour to sit in this seat and hear your stories.

Born in January 1956, in Mountjoy Square, Dublin, and raised in Ballyfermot, Joe Duffy originally pursued social work at Trinity College. Joe became one of the first from his area to go to Trinity College and was actively involved in student politics and went on to serve as President of the Union of Students in Ireland. He led protests on campus highlighting access to education and spending two weeks in Mountjoy Prison as a result. After working in the probation service, he joined RTE originally as a radio producer, in 1989, and came to prominence as a reporter on the legendary Gay Byrne Show. He presented programmes like Soundbyte before taking over Liveline in 1998. In his 27 years in the Liveline hotseat, both Joe and the programme itself have become national institutions, with the programme frequently attracting some 400,000 listeners.



During Joes tenure, Liveline has been a vital outlet for citizens. Joe also hosted a wide range of programmes for television, including Liveline Callback and The Meaning of Life, as well as several acclaimed documentaries. Joe has been a recipient of many awards during his acclaimed career, including a Jacobs Award in 1992 for his work on The Gay Byrne Show, various IMRO Awards and he was also inducted into the PPI Hall of Fame in 2013. Joe has written his autobiography Just Joe and two award-winning history books, Children of the Rising and Children of the Troubles (with Freya McClements).



Kevin Bakhurst, Director-General, RTE, said: Whether breaking stories like the first powerful moments of the 9-11 attacks in the US, or helping the nation navigate the often heart-breaking challenges of a global pandemic, Joe Duffys Liveline doesnt just have its fingers on the pulse, it is the pulse of the nation. Joe navigated controversies, unearthed scandals, exposed scams, fought misinformation and shone a light on topics long ignored, from historical abuse to the menopause and healthcare reform. Joe was always the guide, never the story. His journalistic insights were perfectly in balance with his human instincts, and Liveline under Joe became both a sanctuary for those seeking justice, and a public square of which Joe was in full control.

Joe Duffy is an icon of broadcasting, and will be hugely missed by his listeners, his colleagues, and all who picked up the phone to the nations hotline. Id like to wish Joe all our best for his retirement and extend my warmest wishes to June and to Joes family. He might be hanging up on the Liveline, but our loss is surely his familys most welcome gain.

RTE's Director of Audio, Patricia Monahan said: Joe Duffy is a true legend of Irish broadcasting and the contribution he has made to RTE and Liveline cannot be overstated. Joe's ability to connect with listeners, to create a safe place for them to discuss both difficult and light-hearted topics and most importantly to listen to and hear them is unique. Our airwaves will be lesser without him, but we thank him for being part of our daily lives for so long and wish him and his family well for his next chapter.

Joe Duffy will be Patricks Kieltys special guest on tomorrow nights The Late Late Show, marking his 37 years in broadcasting. Joe will present his last Liveline his last show airing on Friday 27th June. RTE will run a process over the coming months to appoint Joe's successor with an announcement expected in the autumn.



RTE looks forward to Joe Duffys contribution to its 100th year commemoration in 2026.
"The sheer power of Social Media has destroyed social conscience. More and more, it is responsible for wiping out respect and basic human values" was the strong message from Tipperary Independent TD, Michael Lowry, when he delivered an address scathing of the neglect by social media giants to protect children online.

"Social Media has become the scourge of our times. It is a 24/7 presence and it is saturating the minds of people of all ages. It is destroying lives and we seem powerless to stop it" Deputy Lowry told the Dail on Wednesday.

"It has become common for people to record tragic events for the sole purpose of sharing or threatening to share them on Social Media", he said.

He referred to the recent case in Cork where a distraught mother witnessed people callously filming her sons final moments as he died as a result of drowning.

"Road tragedies, injured victims, those suffering shock and in distress, people crying out for help, have all had their anguish and fear reduced to a public online spectacle. Emergency responders have also frequently spoken out about the heartless behaviour of onlookers who turned a tragedy into a click-bait opportunity," he said.

"It is not only incidents like these that find their way into the public domain. Violent brawls, racist attacks, abusive actions, and bullying incidents are also considered fair game for recording. Blackmail is commonly used to threaten the victims who live in fear of the content being made public, or sent to families or authorities.

"The grief and torment that these threats can cause is incalculable. Many victims are blackmailed for money. Others are coerced into illegal or unsavoury actions in order to buy the silence of their tormentors. Either way, the holder of the recording holds the trump card and the victim is rendered powerless to escape their clutches.

"Our impressionable children and young people, who are growing up in a world that is dominated by Social Media, are being bombarded by inappropriate content that is becoming more easily accessible all the time.

"The harsh reality is that, nowadays, absolutely nothing is deemed off limits" he stated.

"Coimisiun na Mean has established a much-welcomed Online Safety Code, which is designed to ensure that Social Media platforms put in place measures to prevent the uploading and sharing of harmful content.

"Minister, can you outline what their brief covers? Are there provisions included that can offer support and protection from blackmail and bullying that originates from online activity?" he queried.

Agreeing with Deputy Lowry, Minister Jack Chambers said that its a failure of basic human decency to take the view that Social Media clout is more important than the dignity and privacy of someone in extreme distress.

The Minister added: "When this type of content is posted, there is very real harm done. It compounds the grief, and there is a very real risk that someone close to the victim of an accident could find out through online coverage. We now repeatedly hear the message from the Garda Siochana that such footage should not be circulated.

"The online media platforms have a role to play in removing such content as soon as possible. A new powerful regulator, Comisiun na Mean, was established in the last Government to enforce accountability in the sector. Platforms are required to assess content and decide if it is illegal and or breach of the platforms terms and conditions. If a platform fails to apply these conditions, the Comisiun can take action as appropriate", the Minister said.

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"As provided for under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, the Comisiun adopted and applied a new Online Safety Code for designated Online Media platforms established in Ireland, including Facebook, Tik Tok, Instragam and X, which sets out what the platforms must do to protect users. In particular, they are obliged to protect children from harmful online content and provide parental controls.

"Significant public funding was provided to support these measures, including increasing staff from 40 members to 200. Also, depending on the nature of the content posted, it may constitute a criminal offence", he said.
Top local employer Lidl Ireland has announced the winners of its annual National Achievement Awards, which acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of Lidl team members across its stores, distribution centres and offices across the island of Ireland and a Roscrea employee was recognised.

Sandra Hogan, who works in Lidls Roscrea store, was selected from over 6,000 employees across the island of Ireland to take home the coveted top award - Lidl Legend.

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The Lidl Legend award is reserved for one colleague who lives and breathes Lidls company values. On the night, Sandra was acknowledged for over two decades of service at Lidl and for being the cornerstone of the Tipperary store.

She was recognised for her humble nature and dedication to community engagement, which has made a positive impact on the local area.

Over the years, Sandra has achieved phenomenal success in supporting Lidls charity partnerships alongside building and nurturing relationships with local organisations and charities.

From organising impactful fundraisers and appeals for food, clothing and book donations, Sandra is always giving her time selflessly and never seeking recognition.

Her dedication, kindness and community spirit embody the very essence of what it means to be a Lidl Legend.

Lidl Irelands annual National Achievement Awards provide an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the remarkable efforts of colleagues and teams across all areas of the business.

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The awards spotlight exceptional colleagues who have stood out throughout the year and inspired others through their outstanding leadership, actions, dedication, and passion.

Lidl Ireland currently employs more than 6,000 employees in its 184 stores, Head Office in Tallaght and Regional Distribution Centres at Charleville, Newbridge and Mullingar.

Earlier this year, Lidl Ireland was named a Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute for the fifth year running.
A phone linked to Richard Satchwell sent text messages about issues purchasing monkeys over the same period when he is alleged to have murdered his wife, with one message reading: "I am in a mess right now because my wife has said she is leaving me over this", his trial has heard.

The jury were also told on Wednesday of text messages sent by the phone to both Mr Satchwell's family and that of his wife Tina. The court heard Mr Satchwell told Tina's cousin that he discovered a "birth cert and marriage cert" were gone. "Please try to understand that I love her with all my being....You know that I cry all the time even now writing this...I feel I let her down in some way," another message read.

There was also evidence the phone sent a text message to a contact saved as 'Dad' that read: "Hi dad, hope you are well and good, I just want to let you know that Tina walked out on Monday and took all our savings with her."

The trial has heard that on March 24, 2017, Mr Satchwell told gardai that his wife Tina had left their home four days earlier but that he had no concerns over her welfare, feeling she had left due to a deterioration in their relationship.

The accused formally reported Ms Satchwell missing the following May but her body was not discovered for over six years, when gardai in October 2023 found her decomposed remains in a grave that had been dug underneath the stairs of her home.

Mr Satchwells home was searched by a team of 10 gardai on June 7, 2017, but the jury have been told this was a non-invasive operation.

Superintendent Annemarie Twomey told Gerardine Small SC, prosecuting, today that she was appointed senior investigation officer for the case on August 16, 2021, at which point Tina Satchwell had been missing for four years and five months.

Supt Twomey said that once she had reviewed the material in the incident room - including inquiries with ports, airports, the social welfare and passport offices - she had reasonable grounds to believe that Tina was not a missing person and had met her death through unlawful means. She said she had reasonable grounds to believe the arrest of Mr Satchwell was necessary for a proper investigation into the murder of Tina Satchwell.

The Supt said there had been up to 65 reported sightings of Ms Satchwell in Ireland and abroad, which all proved negative. She said the sightings abroad had necessitated the assistance of Interpol.

The witness said that on October 10, 2023 she told Mr Satchwell she had a warrant and that on this occasion it would be an "intrusive or invasive search" of his home, different to the previous search conducted in 2017.

Under cross-examination by Brendan Grehan SC, defending, Supt Twomey said she had no involvement in the investigation prior to August 2021.

Asked by Mr Grehan whether there was a report from the garda in charge in 2017 to outline what exactly was searched in Grattan Street and if the house had been intrusively or invasively searched, the Supt said she couldn't remember whether there was a report in the incident room but there may have been.

She told Mr Grehan it was at the end of August 2022 that she had reasonable grounds to believe it was necessary to arrest Mr Satchwell as part of the investigation into the murder of Tina Satchwell. However, she said gardai didn't arrest Mr Satchwell at that stage as 58 other lines of inquiry needed to be exhausted.

Supt Twomey said it was in February 2022 that gardai formed the view that Tina Satchwell was no longer a living person.

The witness said she knew the search of Grattan Street by gardai in June 2017 had not been an intrusive one. However, the Supt said when she got the search warrant in 2023 it was for an invasive search and she was accompanied to Grattan Street by an archaeologist and a building contractor.

Asked by Mr Grehan if she thought gardai had conducted a thorough search in 2017, the Supt said she had no involvement in that investigation.

"Would you have expected any such search would have sought to unearth the remains of Tina Satchwell in the house?" asked counsel. The Supt said in 2017 the search had related to assault causing harm to Ms Satchwell and items such as mobile phones were seized.

Mr Grehan put it to the witness that she should have sought information as to how thorough the search of Grattan Street was in 2017, including as to whether anyone had raised floor boards or whether there was any sign of fresh building works. The witness said photographs taken had shown works completed on the stairs.

She said she told the District Court judge when applying for the warrant in 2023 that a "surface search" of Grattan Street had been conducted in 2017.

"How did you know it was a surface search if you didn't have any report from anybody detailing how thorough the search was?" asked Mr Grehan. The witness said for her "an intrusive search" is "causing movement of blocks or walls or stairs and from the information I had from the incident room I knew that hadn't happened," she replied.

Mr Grehan put it to the witness that as a matter of law there was nothing to stop gardai from conducting an invasive search of the house in June 2017. "I can't answer that question....what they did or didn't do; I don't know what the investigation's belief was at the time," she replied.

'QUICKLIME'

Detective Garda Dave Kelleher told Ms Small that laptops were taken from a search of Grattan Street in 2017 and it was found that a search for 'Quicklime' had been carried out on one of the devices at 9.08pm on March 24 2017, four days after Mr Satchwell told gardai that his wife Tina had left their home.

The officer said a video on 'YouTube' for 'Quicklime and water reaction' had been viewed on two occasions seconds later. The video was shown to the jury today and depicted a blue basin and a chemical reaction taking place.

'LOCATION DATA'

A timeline of movements attributed to Mr Satchwell from March 19 2017 to March 28 2017 was shown to the jury through a Powerpoint presentation. Mr Satchwell's mobile phone showed he was in Youghal Post Office at 11.16am on March 20, 2017. The accused's device then returned to Grattan Street and it didn't leave the house until 12.49pm. The device then arrived at 'Aldi' in Dungarvan at 1.20pm and arrived back at Grattan Street at 2.47pm.

CCTV footage also showed the accused arriving with his two dogs at Youghal Post Office at 11.13am and then at 'Aldi' in Dungarvan at 1.20pm.

The jury has heard that in a 2021 interview with gardai, Mr Satchwell said he left his home for Dungarvan around 10am on the morning Tina disappeared to get bird seed, before going to Aldi.

MARMOSET MONKEYS

Det Gda Kelleher told the prosecutor that Mr Satchwell had attempted to purchase two Marmoset monkeys named Terry and Thelma from 2015 up to March 2017 but the animals never arrived at his door.

Det Gda Kelleher told Ms Small that a Samsung mobile attributed to Mr Satchwell was seized from the house in October 2023. He said there had been 299 exchanges between a contact saved as 'Airport3' and the accused between April 2016 and April 2017, which related to the purchase of Marmoset monkeys.

On March 10, 2017 the accused sent a text message to 'Airport3' saying: "Hello Mr James I would love to be able to do more but people here will not loan me money because I owe them already so I don't see what I can do because it will be a month before I can send money R".

On March 20, 2017 at 10.46am, Mr Satchwell sent another text message to 'Airport3' saying: "Hello Mr James I in a mess right now because my wife has said she is leaving me over this so please let the organisation know this Richard".

The detective said the accused had sent a text message to a UK mobile to a contact saved as 'Dad' on March 25 2017. It read: "Hi dad, hope you are well and good, I just want to let you know that Tina walked out on Monday and took all our savings with her. I'm hoping she is in touch with me so I can find out what is happening. Love Richard".

Other text messages between Mr Satchwell's mobile phone and Tina's cousin Sarah Howard between March 26 2017 and July 12 2017 were shown to the jury. On March 26 2017 a message was sent from the accused to Ms Howard saying: "Sarah did you contact Mag, Sindy and Teresa have not heard anything from Tina".

On March 30 2017, Mr Satchwell sent a text message to Ms Howard saying: "Sarah do you want our big chest freezer?".

On April 10 2017, the accused sent another text message to Ms Howard saying: "No news but I had to get a job and they needed some paperwork, discovered birth cert and marriage cert gone. Trying to keep everything ticking over until she gets in touch, don't know what else to do".

On June 27 2017, Mr Satchwell sent another text message to Ms Howard saying: "I know Tina is your family and I'm not so please try to understand that I love her with all my being. She's only my wife she is my life and my best friend my everything. I'm finding it difficult to get through the days. You know that I cry all the time even now writing this...I feel I let her down in some way".

On July 2 2017, the accused sent Ms Howard a text message saying he was setting up a website dedicated to Tina "where we decide what goes on it".

Then on July 12, Mr Satchwell sent another message saying: "Sarah I've just pulled into Tesco there is the same suitcase that Tina took with her same size too. Richard".

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Det Gda Kelleher told Ms Small that a financial review of the couple's income was carried out in order to establish whether Tina had left with 26,000 on March 20 2017 as claimed by the accused.

The detective said a financial document was taken from Ulster Bank under the name Richard Satchwell. A national forensic accountant found that one bank account in the name of Richard Satchwell from 2015 to 2017 was "constantly in an unauthorised overdraft - always in the red". The accountant said the Satchwells' hadn't the capacity to accumulate anywhere near 26,000.

CROSS-EXAMINATION

In cross-examination, Det Gda Kelleher told Mr Grehan that gardai became aware of the search for 'Quicklime' "well into 2021", when he started looking at devices seized from Grattan Street. He said 'Quicklime' had a number of uses including as an odour suppressant in third world countries during mass burials. Mr Grehan said it is thrown on top of bodies to aid the decomposition process. The detective said the timing of the Google search was extremely important "considering now what we know where Tina's body was at this time".

The witness agreed with Mr Grehan that the evidence would be that Tina had died the previous Monday so she was dead four days at that stage.

The detective said CCTV footage showing the accused entering Youghal Post office - which was "in direct contradiction" of the accused's statement that he was in Dungarvan at this time - was secured by gardai within a month of Tina Satchwell's disappearance.

The witness said there was an attempt by the accused to buy and import two monkeys in 2015 and Mr Satchwell had sent significant amounts of money through Western Union "right through 2016 and 2017" and was also receiving money.

Asked by Mr Grehan whether it was some sort of a scam or something criminal, the detective said the two monkeys never arrived and there was a "constant demand" for more money but it never came to anything.

The trial continues today before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of five men and seven women.

In her opening address, Ms Small told the jury that after the body was recovered, Mr Satchwell told gardai that he lost his footing and fell to the ground when his wife tried to stab him with a chisel. He told detectives that he held her weight off with a belt but that in a matter of seconds, she was dead in his arms.

Mr Satchwell (58), with an address at Grattan Street, Youghal, Co Cork has pleaded not guilty to murdering his 45-year-old wife Tina Satchwell - nee Dingivan - at that address between March 19 and March 20, 2017, both dates inclusive.

READ MORE | Search for woman (43) missing from home for over a week stood down as gardai issue update
Support for Irelands membership of the European Union has dropped to its lowest level since 2013, a new opinion poll has suggested.

However, the annual European Movement Ireland poll still found strong backing for Irelands membership of the EU at 82%.

The research also suggested that 43% across Ireland do not believe their views are represented at EU level.

The all-island poll conducted into European affairs by Amarach Research is now in its 12th year.

The survey found that 34% respondents feel the EU is not upholding its core values and 26% are dissatisfied with its direction.

The research also found that 36% of respondents are dissatisfied with Irelands role and influence in Brussels.

Noelle O Connell, chief executive of European Movement Ireland, said: It is encouraging to see strong support for EU membership in Ireland, albeit a decline on recent years.

In our 12th year of polling, it is clear that we cannot be complacent, with some people expressing dissatisfaction with the EUs current trajectory and Irish influence at EU level.

At a pivotal time in European politics with intensifying efforts to end the war in Ukraine, the ongoing issues relating to EU-US trade which could have serious implications for Ireland, and the increasing influence of populism, among other issues, it is important citizens feel their views are heard across all levels of the EU.

More than half of respondents (56%) cited cost of living as the most pressing issue for people in the Republic of Ireland, along with housing (41%) and migration (53%).

The poll suggested EU-US relations (44%); the EUs response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict (43%) and to the Israel-Palestine conflict (41%) were also prominent concerns.

Respondents in Northern Ireland cited the Israel-Palestine conflict as their top concern at EU level (52%).

Half of those polled in the Republic of Ireland believe the state should be part of increased EU defence and security co-operation, with 32% opposing it and 18% unsure.

Ms O Connell said: This years poll clearly shows that Irish people are worried about both domestic and global issues, from the cost of living and housing to EU-US relations and the EUs response to migration and international conflicts.

As the debate on the future of Europes security and defence continues, building trust, dialogue and understanding around this complex issue is more important than ever.

The poll also suggested that a majority would support a united Ireland within the EU, with 67% in Northern Ireland and 62% in Ireland in favour.

Opposition to a United Ireland in the EU is higher in Northern Ireland (27%) compared to the Republic of Ireland (16%).

In Northern Ireland, a majority (60%) believe changes in the EU-UK relationship following Brexit have not improved the regions relationship with the EU.

Amarach Research was commissioned by the European Movement Ireland to undertake the survey on attitudes to the EU across the island of Ireland.

It used a sample of 1,200 people aged 18 or over in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The data was collected online between March 26-28 and has a margin of error: +/- 2.5%.
Discover ChatGPT wrappers and what they mean for online casinos. See the benefits of AI customer support. Understand why casinos are switching to it. Take a look at where the industry currently stands and see if your prediction of the future matches ours!

Remember the last time that you asked an online casino for support? Well, you probably ran into an AI assistant, whether you realized it or not. Moreover, AI assistants are quickly taking over, with some being so human that you really cannot tell. This trend started off as a technological curiosity that focused primarily on using ChatGPT wrappers and tools spun from LLMs to interact with customers. As the technology has advances greatly during the last few years, so have the expectations of punters. Join us as we show you a snapshot of AIs takeover of the online customer support scene.

Rising AI Chats

The very first online casino customer support was even more barebones than you can imagine. You had a number that you would call and a person on the other end who was working on a million tasks while also answering your questions. If you were lucky enough to play at a slightly more technologically savvy venue, you had the luxury of an email contact that you would send a basic email to.

The industry eventually got access to entire customer care agencies that got the job done for them. Outsourcing customer support became the norm, but these agencies often had issues with retaining talented agents. Once AI came into the picture, especially ChatGPTs wrappers, it became possible for chats to be managed by a specifically trained AI that would answer questions perfectly every time, with minimal delay, and at a fraction of the operating cost. The age of AI live chats is here, changing how you interact with your casinos customer support forever.

What Motivates Casinos?

Some might argue that having an AI provide customer care takes away the special human aspect. But others will argue that efficiency is above all else. Among this latter group are business executives that put efficiency first. However, efficiency is not the only benefit of hiring AI assistants.

Adopting an AI assistant that can work around the clock, handle multiple chats perfectly, and do so in countless languages without a huge cost means that they can invest that money into other branches of the business. All of these branches eventually benefit you, the player. Let's see how.

How Do Players Benefit?

Many of the aspects of AI assistants at online casinos that benefit players mirror the benefits that online gaming venues have. Punters and the operators of online casinos have, after all, a symbiotic relationship. Among the core benefits of AI support are:

Around the Clock Support

Regardless of whether it is 3 PM or 3 AM, an AI chatbot is always there to help. Moreover, the AI never gets tired or annoyed, so you always get optimal support when you need it. But that is not all! Around-the-clock support of an AI also means that you do not have to worry about annoying a human working the night shift. AI, at least for now, cannot experience emotions.

Multi-Language Support

The magic of natural language processing, or NLP for short, allows AIs to communicate flawlessly in countless languages. Forget about trying to understand slightly broken English or being annoyed at not finding the perfect word; if you are not a native speaker, simply converse in your native language and forget about the rest.

Faster Responses

Nothing is worse than waiting for an answer that you desperately need. Next-generation chatbots that have bigger libraries of knowledge and a wider range of experience will completely remove the need to wait for a response. You will simply type in your query and immediately get a response.

ChatGPT and Its Wrappers

There is a lot of magic going on behind the scenes. The magician behind most of this magic is OpenAI's ChatGPT, whose "wrappers" have taken the internet by storm. Think of wrappers as a custom version of ChatGPTs. They are silent workers, tackling tasks and optimizing workflows without a second thought.

By training a wrapper just right, you can get an AI agent that:

Understands casino terminology and slang

Follows regulatory guidelines to a T

Forwards complex issues to a human manager

Stays professional and highly responsive at all times

It is this combination of next generation tech with classic customer agent management that is being currently fine-tuned. A fully AI chatbot future is not far away, but just how close is it?

Our Prediction

By far the biggest hurdle to overcome in perfecting AI chatbots for customer care in online casinos are datasets. The more data you give an AI, currently in the form of teaching a wrapper how to act the right way, the better it is. Think of it as a new employee learning the ropes. The more you show him, the faster he will be useful. We predict that AI chatbots are going to get a whole lot of training, making them the primary customer care agents of modern online casinos. Join some of the best AI-powered casinos today by checking out our reviews and following our verified links.
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator

On May 7, the Indian armed forces launched a strategic attack on nine targets linked to the UN-designated terrorist groups Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, located in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

Vikran Misri, India's Foreign Secretary, said the decision was made to carry out the "proportionate" strikes to bring the terrorists responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack to justice as Pakistan had failed to act against terrorist infrastructures under its control.

By midnight, the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi landed in New Delhi amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, and will hold wide-ranging talks with Indian officials.

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, "It is not our intention to escalate this situation," during a meeting with Araghchi on May 8.

On May 8, Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, arrived in India on an unannounced visit with an aim to de-escalate the tensions between the two nuclear nations.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, "We will avenge the blood of our innocent martyrs" after at least 31 people were reported killed and dozens wounded in India's attack on Punjab province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The fragile equilibrium of South Asia teeters on the edge of crisis as India and Pakistan engage in military conflict, igniting fears of a regional crisis with global repercussions. The latest escalation, marked by targeted strikes and retaliatory measures, has thrust the nuclear-armed neighbors into a perilous standoff, drawing urgent calls for restraint from the international community.

In a bold response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir, India launched Operation Sindoor, a meticulously coordinated military offensive targeting nine terrorist hubs. Indian defense officials confirmed the strikes focused on camps linked to groups designated as terrorist organizations by the UN. Crucially, New Delhi emphasized that no Pakistani military installations were hit, framing the operation as a counterterrorism measure rather than an act of war.

Pakistan denounced the strikes as a "blatant violation of sovereignty" and retaliated swiftly, claiming to have shot down two Indian fighter jets near the Line of Control. Islamabad reported 26 civilian fatalities and 46 injuries in the cross-border attacks, accusing India of recklessly endangering non-combatants.

According to the U.S. State Department's Country Reports on Terrorism 2022 (released in November 2023), "In 2022, Pakistan took steps to counter terrorism financing and restrain some India-focused terrorist groups." However, it "has yet to complete its pledge to dismantle all terrorist organizations without delay or discrimination". The report notes Pakistan's successful May 2022 prosecution and sentencing of a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba leader, as well as counterterrorism operations conducted by military, paramilitary, and civilian security forces. It reports that some madrassas (religious schools) continue to teach extremism. Although Pakistan's 2014 National Action Plan to counter terrorism seeks to ensure that no armed militias are allowed to function in the country, several United Nations- and U.S.-designated terrorist groups continue to operate from Pakistani soil.

The international response has been swift and fraught with anxiety. Russia, a longstanding ally of India, urged "immediate de-escalation", while Turkey warned that New Delhi's actions risked triggering an "irreversible regional war". Azerbaijan joined the chorus, condemning civilian casualties as "unacceptable collateral damage".

Meanwhile, Iran emerged as a potential mediator, with Araghchi shuttling between New Delhi and Islamabad to broker dialogue. "The stakes are too high for brinkmanship," Araghchi declared, underscoring the catastrophic risks of miscalculation. The United States issued a stark travel advisory, urging citizens to avoid the India-Pakistan border amid fears of further hostilities.

The conflict's ripple effects are already destabilizing regional logistics. Both nations suspended visa services indefinitely, while major airlines-- including Emirates, Qatar Airways, and British Airways-- diverted flights to avoid contested airspace. The economic toll on trade and tourism remains incalculable, with supply chains for critical commodities like textiles and pharmaceuticals facing disruption.

Analysts warn that the current crisis carries echoes of the 2019 Balakot strikes, but with a far darker undercurrent: both nations possess nuclear arsenals, and rhetoric on both sides has grown increasingly combative. Sharif vowed to defend "every inch of soil", while Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that "terrorism will be met with unrelenting force".

Historically, India and Pakistan have relied on backchannel diplomacy to defuse tensions, but the breakdown in communication this time-- coupled with domestic political pressures-- has left little room for compromise.

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This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.

Washington's latest war (now on pause) -- the one in Yemen against the Houthis -- was hardly noticeable here. Or rather it would have been barely noticeable if Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hadn't shared plans for the first air strikes there with his wife and others in a private Signal chat that just happened to include the editor of the Atlantic magazine. But other than that obvious headline-making goof, it's barely been news. Yes, if you were paying close attention, you might have seen that, six weeks after those strikes began, the New York Times reported -- in what's now known (with a bow to President Teddy Roosevelt and the Spanish-American War of the nineteenth century) as Operation Rough Rider -- that more than 800 targets had been hit in that country. And then there was the news that just the first few weeks of that new war had already cost U.S. taxpayers close to $1 billion.

But if you truly wanted to follow what was happening there in all its distant grimness, you would have had to pay attention to the website Antiwar.com. Here's the news I recently noticed there when it came to America's latest war: Between March 15th and April 24th, the U.S. launched 750 airstrikes on Yemen and claims to have killed hundreds of Houthi rebels. However, at least 63 civilians were killed, including 11 children, and 150 were injured by U.S. airstrikes from March 15th to April 15th. More recently, there were those 68 people killed by a U.S. airstrike at a detention facility for African migrants in Yemen's northwestern Saada province. And don't forget the 80 people (including five paramedics) killed and another 150 wounded at a Yemeni fuel port on the Red Sea. And that's the way the killing of civilians goes -- on and on and on, with almost no one in this country paying the slightest attention -- Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tim Kaine (D-VA), who have indeed protested it, excluded.

In addition, the Houthis took down a number of American MQ-9 Reaper drones, worth $30 million each, and, oh yes, one jet plane that essentially fell off the deck of one of the two aircraft carriers the U.S. positioned in the Red Sea to hit Yemeni targets, while the ship was maneuvering to avoid Houthi attacks.

And so indeed it went (and went and went) in just the latest American war of these years of repeated (and deeply unsuccessful) conflicts. And though Donald Trump has stopped the bombing for the time being, who knows when it might start up again? In the meantime, in his 112th piece for this site, let retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and historian William Astore, author most recently of American Militarism on Steroids: The Military-Industrial Complex, Unbounded, Uncontained, and Undemocratic, fill you in on a country that, in some sense, no longer knows what peace is (even if we hardly notice anymore). Tom

The Real Evil Empire May Surprise You

Serving In (or Thinking About) the U.S. Military for 40 Years

By William J. Astore

Forty years ago this month, I was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. I would be part of America's all-volunteer force (AVF) for 20 years, hitting my marks and retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2005. In my two decades of service, I met a lot of fine and dedicated officers, enlisted members, and civilians. I worked with the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps as well, and met officers and cadets from countries like Great Britain, Germany, Pakistan, Poland, and Saudi Arabia. I managed not to get shot at or kill anyone. Strangely enough, in other words, my military service was peaceful.

Don't get me wrong: I was a card-carrying member of America's military-industrial complex. I'm under no illusions about what a military exists for, nor should you be. As an historian, having read military history for 50 years of my life and having taught it as well at the Air Force Academy and the Naval Postgraduate School, I know something of what war is all about, even if I haven't experienced the chaos, the mayhem, the violence, or the atrocity of war directly.

Military service is about being prepared to kill. I was neither a trigger-puller nor a bomb-dropper. Nonetheless, I was part of a service that paradoxically preaches peace through superior firepower. The U.S. military and, of course, our government leaders, have had a misplaced -- indeed, irrational -- faith in the power of bullets and bombs to solve or resolve the most intractable of problems. Vietnam is going communist in 1965? Bomb it to hell and back. Afghanistan supports terrorism in 2001? Bomb it wildly. Iraq has weapons of mass destruction in 2003? Bomb it, too (even though it had no WMD). The Houthis in Yemen have the temerity to protest and strike out in relation to Israel's atrocities in Gaza in 2025? Bomb them to hell and back.

Sadly, "bomb it" is this country's go-to option, the one that's always on the table, the one our leaders often reach for first. America's "best and brightest," whether in the Vietnam era or now, have a powerful yen for destruction or, as the saying went in that long-gone era, "It became necessary to destroy the town to save it." Judging them by their acts, our leaders indeed have long appeared to believe that all too many villages, towns, cities, and countries needed to be destroyed in order to save them.

My own Orwellian turn of phrase for such mania is: destruction is construction. In this country, an all-too-offensive military is sold as a defensive one, hence, of course, the rebranding of the Department of War as the Department of Defense. An imperial military is sold as so many freedom-fighters and -bringers. We have the mega-weapons and the urge to dominate of Darth Vader and yet, miraculously enough, we continue to believe that we're Luke Skywalker.

This is just one of the many paradoxes and contradictions contained within the U.S. military and indeed my own life. Perhaps they're worth teasing out and exploring, as I reminisce about being commissioned at the ripe old age of 22 in 1985 -- a long time ago in a country far, far away.

The Evil Empire

When I went on active duty in 1985, the country that constituted the Evil Empire on this planet wasn't in doubt. As President Ronald Reagan said then, it was the Soviet Union -- authoritarian, militaristic, domineering, and decidedly untrustworthy. Forty years later, who, exactly, is the evil empire? Is it Vladimir Putin's Russia with its invasion of Ukraine three years ago? The Biden administration surely thought so; the Trump administration isn't so sure. Speaking of Trump (and how can I not?), isn't it correct to say that the U.S. is increasingly authoritarian, domineering, militaristic, and decidedly untrustworthy? Which country has roughly 800 military bases globally? Which country's leader openly boasts of trillion-dollar war budgets and dreams of the annexation of Canada and Greenland? It's not Russia, of course, nor is it China.

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Accessing crucial information regarding outstanding warrants in New York has been significantly streamlined. A new online resource, https://newyorkwarrantrecords.com/, launches today. It offers residents unparalleled access to New York warrant search capabilities. This platform provides instant search results. It directly interrogates extensive databases gathered from numerous counties across New York. This ensures users receive timely and accurate information efficiently. Understanding potential legal entanglements is a critical aspect of personal and community 
Do you need to conduct a Pennsylvania warrant search? This task can often seem hard. Now, a new online tool offers great help. For your important Pennsylvania warrant search, visit https://pennsylvaniawarrantrecords.com/ today. This site provides fast and clear search results. It has gathered direct databases in counties in Pennsylvania. It offers an instant search for your needs. Get the vital information you need there with total ease. This service aims 
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - 7th May 2025 - Political activist and author, Jauhari Johar introduces The Malay Agenda: How to Defend Malay Power and Islamic Sovereignty in the 21st Century, a thoughtful examination of Malaysia's unique multicultural framework. Bridging Malaysia's Diversity At a time when Malaysia faces competing visions for its future, Jauhari's book presents a carefully considered approach that honors the nation's founding social contract. The work navigates between ideological extremes 
A Clark County sheriffs deputy stabbed to death a drunk-driving suspect who allegedly tried to grab the deputys gun during a scuffle at a state police weigh station.

The suspect, whose name hasnt been released, had been arrested at about 11 p.m. Wednesday after allegedly crashing into two parked cars. He was taken to the Washington State Patrol weigh station in Ridgefield, the sheriffs office said.

At about 11:30 p.m., officials reported, the deputy and the suspect arrived at the weigh station building, where deputies planned to use a breath-alcohol analyzer on the suspect.

While in the breath-test room at the Scale House facility, at around 11:58 p.m., a CCSO deputy reported over the radio that he was actively in a physical altercation with the subject, the Clark County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. The deputy reported that the subject had attempted to take his firearm during the altercation, and the deputy stabbed the suspect several times.

Medical personnel and others provided first aid to the suspect, but he was declared dead at 12:39 a.m., the sheriffs office said.

The deputy, whose name hasnt yet been released, was uninjured and has been put on leave while the incident is investigated.

The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations will be in charge of the investigation.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
Charles H. Mellick was first confronted on March 21 by EDP Watch, a citizen group that organizes sting operations against suspected pedophiles. Courtesy of Albany Police Department

Police arrested a Corvallis man Monday on sex-crime allegations  more than a month after a vigilante group tried to set up a sting operation targeting the man.

At the time of his arrest, Charles H. Mellick, 34, was already in jail, having been held on an outstanding warrant for more than a month. An organization called EDP Watch had confronted him at a Walmart in Albany on March 21. EDP Watch, which Albany police call a vigilante group, said Mellick agreed to meet up with a member of the group who was posing as a 13-year-old girl.

Mellick now faces charges of first- and second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, court records show. In 2015, Mellick pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted rape and first-degree attempted abuse of a child under the age of 14, according to court records.

Im just happy hes arrested, said JiDon Adams, who leads EDP Watch. Thats all that matters. Justice prevailed.

EDP Watchs involvement in this and other local cases  and especially their posts on social media, which police say are sometimes edited to sensationalize  have led to a contentious relationship between law enforcement and the private outfit.

Adams, who is from Texas, said that hes been making a living leading stings for a little less than a year, and that his group has traveled across the country to ensnare suspected pedophiles. His videos of these operations  some with titles such as I Exposed Him in Front Of His Family!  rake in millions of views. His group also has an online store that sells branded merchandise, such as a hoodie that goes for $54.45.

Oregon EDP Watch members called 911 on March 21 as they were getting ready to confront Mellick, court records and the Albany Police Department said.

A 911 dispatcher told the caller that Albany police wouldnt respond to the scene without further imperative information, but the EDP Watch members said theyd follow through with their sting anyways, police said.

When police learned that Mellick already had a felony warrant for his arrest, they changed course and decided to apprehend him at the Walmart store  while the EDP Watch members were still there, police said.

In a statement, Albany police said the so-called vigilantes created a scene because they were unhappy with the officers decision to arrest Mellick only for the outstanding warrant and not for allegedly trying to meet up with a 13-year-old.

Police said Walmart asked officers to remove the EDP Watch members from the property.

Adams told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Walmart did not seek to have them removed until police brought it up.

The cop actually goes over to the Walmart manager and he initiates it and says do you want to get this guy trespassed? he said.

But Adams said that EDP Watchs confrontational interaction with Albany police hasnt deterred him from continuing his work.

We have a lot of dudes that weve gotten arrested before Albany, and after Albany, he said. Albany is not the iceberg that is going to wreck this ship.

Adams claims his group carried out a sting in Keizer on March 20 that resulted in the arrest of two men.

Keizer Police Department spokesperson Lt. Trevor Wenning confirmed that police officers arrested two men after they received calls from EDP Watch about stings in progress. Wenning said the men were arrested on alleged crimes connected to the unauthorized stings.

We showed up, we did our own investigation and got our own probable cause, Wenning said, adding that the police department didnt collaborate with EDP Watch. Wenning also told The Oregonian/OregonLive that these types of stings can be dangerous, and that independent organizations like EDP Watch collaborating with law enforcement, rather than acting alone, is more likely to result in a successful prosecution.

Albany Police Chief Marcia Harnden defended her departments decision to wait to arrest Mellick on the sexual corruption charge until theyd conducted their own investigation, arguing that relying on EDP Watchs efforts as evidence would have been legally fraught.

Our officers acted appropriately and followed best practices, she said. We investigate these crimes the right way to bring about justice, not make money on social media platforms.

 Tatum Todd is a breaking news reporter who covers public safety, crime and community news. Reach them at ttodd@oregonian.com or 503-221-4313.
The McNeil Island Correctional Center in Washington state as seen from a boat. Washington state said Friday, Nov. 19, 2010, that it will close the McNeil Island Corrections Center in 2011 to save money. ASSOCIATED PRESS

President Trump recently floated the idea of reopening San Franciscos Alcatraz federal penitentiary. Could he reopen a Pacific Northwest abandoned island prison?

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said he was directing the Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security to reopen, enlarge and rebuild the former federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island, which closed in 1963 and is now a tourist attraction managed by the National Park Service.

Questioned about the decision by reporters on Monday, Trump said Alcatraz is a symbol of law and order, according to PBS News footage.

Washington states McNeil Island measures about seven square miles; its 27-acre prison opened as a federal penitentiary in 1875, 14 years before Washington became a state, according to the Washington State Department of Corrections website.

Chris Wright, communications director at the Washington State Department of Corrections, told The News Tribune via email that McNeil Island was officially deeded to Washington state in 1984. It is located west of Steilacoom in Puget Sound.

In 1981, the facility became the state-operated, minimum to medium security McNeil Island Corrections Center and remained as the oldest prison in the Northwest and the last U.S. island-based prison until it closed in April 2011, according to the state DOC website.

Asked if the federal government could reopen the facility, Wright said in a follow-up email that its not out of the question, though it hasnt been proposed.

Wright told The News Tribune that the original deed requires the state of Washington to have an operational prison on the island, meaning the state has technically been in violation of the deed for the last 14 years since MICC closed.

In theory, the feds could take the island back, he said in the email.

The DOC website states that the DOCs Industries program is responsible for general island maintenance for Washington state to stay in compliance with the federal deed. Despite this program, however, Wright said via email, the fact that the prison has closed is enough for federal authority to cite noncompliance with the deed.

According to the state DOC website, the prison was declared an official United States prison in 1904, but had served as a federal penitentiary for over 100 years before it was leased to the state of Washington in 1981. Wright told The News Tribune on the phone Tuesday that the McNeil Island Penitentiary held notorious inmates, including some who also spent time in Alcatraz, such as cult leader Charles Manson and the infamous Birdman of Alcatraz Robert Stroud.

MICCs 2011 closure was brought on by financial struggles following the 2008 recession, Wright said. Although other U.S. island prisons like Rikers Island and Terminal Island remain operational, bridges now connect them to the mainland; MICC was the last island prison that could truly only be reached by plane or ferry, he added. Maintaining an island facility makes everything  from transporting food and medicine to maintaining infrastructure  much more expensive, he said.

Inherent costs that come with running an island facility are very high, he said. ... The state decided to shut it down in the wake of the financial challenges and its been mothballed ever since.

Today, McNeil Island also holds the states Special Commitment Center, a separate facility run by the state Department of Social and Health Services that serves as a place to civilly commit sex offenders that the state has identified as sexually violent predators after the completion of their prison sentences.

The prison is currently unmaintained, closed to the public and there are no plans to reopen it, Wright said. He said the facility has fallen into disrepair since it closed in 2011, and unlike Alcatraz  which hosts frequent tours  safety concerns, including unstable infrastructure and asbestos, keep visitors limited to those associated with the state DOC, Coast Guard patrols or state DSHS operations.

I cant imagine that the state would consider opening it again, Wright said.

 2025 Tacoma News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.). Visit www.bellinghamherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A preschool security guard in Southwest Portland shot and injured a man around 11:50 a.m. Thursday, police said.

No children were harmed. The unidentified man was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, and the unidentified guard was cooperating with officers, police said.

Police said the shooting happened in a parking lot between the Fanno Creek Medical Clinic and The Gan preschool in the 6600 block of Southwest Capitol Highway. The Gan is a Jewish preschool on the campus of the Chabad Lubavitch of Oregon, but police said they had no indication that religious bias factored into the shooting.

Its not clear what precipitated the shooting. But in a statement posted to Facebook on Thursday afternoon, the preschool said the guard had been threatened and assaulted by an individual in an area immediately adjacent to the school.

A preschool security guard (right) in Southwest Portland shot and injured a man around 11:50 a.m. Thursday, May 8, 2025, police said. A statement from the preschool said he acted in self-defense. Mark Graves, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Police declined to comment on whether the guard acted in self-defense and said at the scene that they were working to determine whether the injured man also had a weapon and whether he made any threat against the guard or others.

Were going to look into what the person was doing there, whether he was going to the clinic or the preschool, and why the security officer was involved, spokesperson Sgt. Kevin Allen said.

Dr. Gregg Coodley, medical director of the nearby clinic, said he was in his office when a nurse alerted him to the commotion in a back parking lot. There, Coodley found a man lying on the pavement next to a green car.

A preschool in Southwest Portland said its security guard, right, shot and injured an individual in self-defense around 11:50 a.m. Thursday, May 8, 2025. The wounded man was found lying on the pavement next to the green car pictured here in the background Mark Graves, The Oregonian/OregonLive

He had what looked like a bullet hole in his left abdomen by his spleen, said the doctor, who began applying pressure to the wound until paramedics arrived.

It was a big shock to frankly go out and see somebody shot, he said.

Around 2:20 p.m., police said the injured man successfully came out of surgery.

Most Jewish organizations in Portland employ security guards, especially in the wake of the 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh that killed 11 people, said Marc Blattner, president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland.

Some of the guards are armed, and security measures at the institutions have increased following Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel and a rise in antisemitic incidents in Oregon and elsewhere.

In its statement, The Gan, which means garden, said the preschools guard faced a direct threat when he acted to defend himself.

Children and teachers remained securely inside the building when the shooting occurred, the statement said, and staff followed the safety protocols established under the Secure Community Network that guides security efforts at Jewish organizations.

 Zaeem Shaikh covers the Portland Police Bureau and criminal justice issues for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-221- 4323, zshaikh@oregonian.com or on X @zaeemshake

 Quinton Prudhomme is a reporter on the public safety and breaking news team. Reach him at 503-221-8002 or qprudhomme@oregonian.com.

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Vancouver police and the Clark County Medical Examiner have released new details about the killing of a Vancouver man early Saturday morning.

Rodney A. Hupp, 62, was fatally shot inside his home in the 10400 block of Southeast French Road around 4:10 a.m., officials said. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.

Investigators learned that several people were seen prowling cars in the area, and they believe the prowlers found Hupps garage door opener and got inside the garage, the Vancouver Police Department said in a statement. Police believe the alleged prowlers shot Hupp after he confronted them.

Detectives didnt find any evidence that Hupp knew his killer or killers, police said.

Police arrived at the scene and found Hupp badly injured from bullet wounds in his torso and right thigh, Vancouver police and medical examiners officials said; emergency responders drove him to a nearby hospital, where he died from his wounds.

Police have not announced any arrests in Hupps killing. The homicide remains under investigation.

 Tatum Todd is a breaking news reporter who covers public safety, crime and community news. Reach them at ttodd@oregonian.com or 503-221-4313.
After a 10-day strike, the student workers union at the University of Oregon has reached a tentative contract agreement with the university. Courtesy of Izzie Marshall

The University of Oregon has reached a tentative contract agreement with thousands of undergraduate student workers whove been on strike at the Eugene campus for the last 10 days.

The University of Oregon Student Workers Union and university leaders had been deadlocked over student pay, the worker grievance process and the employee pay cycle.

Student union leaders say theyll hold a general membership meeting Friday to present the details of the agreement to their membership, who will have until next Wednesday to ratify or dismiss it.

The university has posted some details of the contract online, but has yet to provide information about the negotiated compensation package.

The Daily Emerald, the student newspaper at the University of Oregon, reported that the agreement will increase the minimum base pay for student workers to $16 an hour. The universitys original proposal was for base pay of $15.44 per hour. Student leaders had sought a starting wage of $18.50 per hour, the college newspaper reported.

Angela Seydal, a spokesperson for the university, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that minimum base pay previously started at $14.70 and that the average student salary at the university was $15.34 an hour.

The union was formed just a few years ago and represents roughly 4,000 students who work as resident assistants, dining hall workers, memorial union employees and more. When it was formed, University of Oregon students called it the largest majority undergraduate student workers union in the country; student union leaders said Thursday that they believed it was the first campus-wide undergraduate student union in the country to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement.

Student workers are expected to return to work Friday, wrote Mark Schmelz, the universitys vice president and chief human resources officer, in a campuswide email.

We believe this tentative agreement supports student employees and establishes a new framework across the university to ensure consistency in the employment experience for student workers, Schmelz wrote.

 Julia Silverman covers K-12 education for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach her via email at jsilverman@oregonian.com
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. AP

Thursdays election of a new pope  and an American one at that  reverberated across Portland.

At the University of Portland campus, where classes have already ended for the academic year, no student celebrations unfolded.

But bells chimed for an hour from the University Bell Tower as the world awaited an introduction to Pope Leo XIV, a Chicagoan with ties to Peru who graduated from Villanova University, a Catholic institution in Pennsylvania. And University of Portland officials announced further plans to commemorate the historic event.

We at the University of Portland are especially heartened to see an American  and a graduate of American Catholic higher education  assume the Papacy, said university President Robert Kelly in a statement.

The North Portland campus will decorate its Chapel of Christ the Teacher in white and yellow bunting to celebrate the colors of the Vatican flag. It will also hold a special mass for the first pope in history to hail from the United States.

More details on the mass will be shared with the public later, officials said.

Also Thursday, Portlands Archbishop Alexander K. Sample also celebrated the occasion. It is with great joy that we receive the news that a new Pope has been elected to shepherd us in the universal Church, he wrote in a statement. And the first Holy Father from the United States! We lift him up in prayer as he takes on this tremendous responsibility.

 Quinton Prudhomme is a reporter on the public safety and breaking news team. Reach him at 503-221-8002 or qprudhomme@oregonian.com.

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Portland Center Stage's home is the Gerding Theater at the historic Portland Armory. (Amy Wang/Staff) LC-

Another Portland theater company is dealing with a critical budget shortfall.

When Oregon Childrens Theatre announced in March it would suspend operations at the end of the summer, it was just the latest in a string of post-pandemic defeats for local arts organizations.

Now, Portland Center Stage says it will be forced to shut down without support from the community.

On Thursday, the theater company launched a $9 million emergency fundraising campaign, saying that unless it can raise the first part of the funds, $2.5 million, by Aug. 31, the theater will cease operations.

Last week, the federal government canceled grants through the National Endowment for the Arts for many arts organizations. The New York Times reported that the Portland Playhouse was notified its grant had been cut 24 hours before opening August Wilsons Joe Turners Come and Gone.

According to a spokesperson for Portland Center Stage, the National Endowment for the Arts cuts are not a catalyst for the current situation.

But, like many other arts organizations, COVID recovery has been slow for Portland Center Stage. Costs have risen and audiences have been slow to return to the theater. At the same time, pandemic-era funds have dried up.

These factors have turned into a perfect storm.

According to a press release, Portland Center Stage currently operates with no endowment and no bank line of credit, relying entirely on annual giving, grants, and ticket revenue to survive.

The company started the 2024-2025 season with a $1.4 million deficit, the release said.

In response, the organization cut $600,000 in expenses and has raised $1 million, but that is not enough to keep the enterprise afloat.

While keeping the transcendent work on stage, serving thousands of kids through our education programs, and offering a gorgeous lineup of free music and dance with our community programs, we are doing everything within our power, to keep PCS alive and thriving, said Portland Center Stage artistic director Marissa Wolf in a press release.

Were cutting costs, she added. Were restructuring. Were investing in smarter strategies and expanding partnerships. But we cannot do it alone.

Now the theater is hoping to raise enough money to implement a five-year plan and keep the doors open and lights on.

The first goal is $2.5 million to launch the next season. After that, the theater hopes to get $2.5 million more by December to eliminate deficits and build a cash reserve.

By June 2026, Portland Center Stage hopes to get $4 million more, for a total of $9 million, to continue operations.

Donations can be made at pcs.org/savePCS. Tickets to Portland Center Stages current production, The Brothers Size, are on sale now, as well as tickets for future shows.

 Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com.

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Protesters rallied at Portland City Hall in April against a controversial Portland General Electric transmission upgrade project in Forest Park that would require the utility to clearcut more than 370 trees on about 5 acres in the park. The Portland City Council rejected PGE's proposal. Beth Nakamura

The Portland City Council has soundly rejected a Portland General Electric transmission upgrade project in Forest Park that would have required the utility to clearcut more than 370 trees on about 5 acres in the park.

Councilors on Wednesday unanimously voted to grant two appeals by the Forest Park Conservancy and Forest Park Neighborhood Association, overturning a city of Portland hearings officer approval in March of PGEs proposal. The final vote reaffirms a tentative vote the council took last month.
Just a week after saying goodbye to an elderly river otter, the Oregon Zoo is mourning the loss of a second animal, a cheetah named Strike, who at 15 was the second oldest male cheetah living in an Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited zoo.

Strike was euthanized Wednesday, the zoo said in a press release, following an age-related health decline.

Strike lived a long life, and hell be very missed, said Anne Lauerman, a keeper in the zoos Africa area, in the press release. He shared a close bond with his care staff, and we gave him a lot of special attention as an older cheetah.

According to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, male cheetahs in captivity live on average about 12 years, while male cheetahs in the wild live around eight years.

Female cheetahs tend to live longer than males.

Born in Texas in 2010, Strike moved to the Oregon Zoo as a cub in 2011 with his brother Ranger. Ranger died in 2022.

As he got older, Strike slept on fluffy, comfortable bedding to ease his stiff joints, and he received regular cold laser therapy in addition to his brushing sessions, the press release said.

The zoo hopes he also taught visitors about the plight of wild cheetahs, whose population has dropped by almost 50% in 50 years.

Weve gone from around 14,000 cheetahs on the planet to just over 6,500 in a very short time, Lauerman said in the press release. Hopefully, Strikes legacy will help inspire a new chapter in the conservation of these amazing cats.

 Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com.

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POZEGA, Croatia, May 7 (Xinhua) -- A contract to build a 14.75-km expressway was signed here on Wednesday between the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and Croatian Roads, the state-run road operator.

The expressway, which will connect Pozega and Godinjak in eastern Croatia, carries a contract value of 160 million euros (180.8 million U.S. dollars). The project includes the construction of a 3.34-km tunnel, three overpasses, six underpasses, and one underpass tunnel.

At the signing ceremony, Croatia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butkovic, highlighted the positive experience Croatia had with China on the Peljesac Bridge project, which was also undertaken by CRBC and inaugurated in July 2022. He expressed confidence that the new expressway project would be similarly successful.

Ivica Budimir, CEO of Croatian Roads, noted that this is the second-largest project the company has signed in the past decade, following the Peljesac Bridge project.

Yang Dong, general manager for Central and Eastern Europe at CRBC, pledged to use all their professional knowledge and capabilities to complete it successfully and within the given time.

The construction of the Pozega-Godinjak expressway project is expected to begin later this year and be completed in four years. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars)
Daniel McRae unloads a bag of harvested geoduck clams from his brother, Derrick McRae, on their boat near Illahee State Park in Bremerton, Wash., on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

For over two decades, Suquamish tribal member Joshua George has dived into the emerald waters of the Salish Sea looking for an unusually phallic clam thats coveted thousands of miles away.

George is a geoduck diver. Pronounced gooey-duck, the worlds largest burrowing clam has been harvested in tidelands by Georges Indigenous ancestors in the Pacific Northwest since before Europeans arrived.

In recent years it has also become a delicacy in China, with Washington state sending 90% of its geoducks there, creating a niche yet lucrative American seafood export.

But the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China is now crippling an entire industry that hand-harvests geoducks, leaving Washington state divers without work, Seattle exporters without business and Chinese aficionados with fewer of these prized clams.

Its the first time in 24 years where I dont know when or if well be going back to work or if I have to find another job or what were going to do, George said.

Suquamish Seafoods diver Joshua George returns to the F/V Carriere after a sample harvest of geoducks to send in for testing on the waters of Puget Sound near Suquamish, Wash., on Monday, April 21, 2025. AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

U.S. President Donald Trumps tariff-driven economic feud with China, which dates back to his first term in office, swiftly resumed in February within weeks of taking back the White House. By April, Trump had placed tariffs of at least 145% on China, which led China to retaliate with tariffs of 125% on the U.S.

Top U.S. officials are set to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland in the first major talks between the two nations since the latest tariffs were imposed, but it is unclear where those talks will lead.

Enter the geoduck, weighing about 2 pounds and so entrenched in local culture that it is the mascot for Evergreen State College in Olympia. The meaty mollusk is best described as sweet and briny, and its often sliced raw for crisp sashimi out west while China consumers prefer it chewy in stir-fries or hot pot soups. Pre-tariff costs were as high as $100 per pound in restaurants, so its a dish generally reserved for special occasions like Chinese New Year, or to celebrate a business gathering.

Two whole geoducks, left, are displayed with a sashimi preparation of the clam at right, at Chelsea Farms Oyster Bar in Olympia, Wash., on Friday, April 25, 2025. AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Unlike other products with long-lasting shelf life and standing inventory, the trade war has had an immediate, direct effect on the delicate geoducks, which are shipped alive the same day of harvest.

The whole market, everybody just had to stop, said Jim Boure, general manager of Suquamish Seafoods, an enterprise of the Suquamish Tribe. We started getting phone calls from buyers saying orders are canceled.

Fewer geoducks are being harvested

The millions of pounds of geoducks shipped annually to China come from two main sources: wild harvests on tracts of seafloor that are split between the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Puget Sound Treaty Indian Tribes, and tideland farms. The states share is auctioned to private exporters that often hire contract divers to harvest them.

As of late April, Washington state divers had only pulled about half of the expected harvest from the state tracts, said Blain Reeves, an aquatic resources division manager for the states Department of Natural Resources. Last year, the state and tribes collectively harvested about 3.4 million pounds of wild Washington geoduck for sale. The state generated $22.4 million in revenue for their half of the clams, which went toward paying for aquatic restoration projects locally. The state doesnt track how much is harvested by private farmers.

If only half the pounds that were contracted are harvested, then our revenue is halved, Reeves said.

The Suquamish operation has no orders to harvest for at the moment, but it still must keep up with the maintenance to stay ready for business if and when China comes calling.

On a recent April day, Georges team made a quick trip to collect a handful of the clams for state lab testing.

In this image from video, diver Daniel McRae uses a water gun to flush out geoducks from the seabed as Washington Department of Natural Resources diver Sarah Yerrace, holding camera, performs a compliance check dive near Illahee State Park in Bremerton, Wash., on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. AP Photo

When were doing the job, and its not all this other political stuff behind the scenes and everything else, we love this, said George, adding that diving, which takes place early in the day so that the geoducks are on an airplane by evening, has allowed him to watch his kids grow up.

Fellow diver Kyle Purser said he cherishes his underwater job, but now fears its being taken away.

When youre watching your money disappear and youve got families to feed and not knowing when youre going to get your next paycheck, (its) very stressful, he said.

Americas loss is Canadas gain

The geoduck import market was already facing weaker demand in recent years due to the Chinese economys struggle to regain post-pandemic momentum. While the tariffs have only exacerbated troubles for geoduck sellers in Washington, theres also been an unintended consequence: The American trade war has inadvertently boosted the Canadian geoduck business, which is facing a mere 25% tariff from China in comparison to the 125% for the U.S.

Washington state in the U.S. and Canadas British Columbia province are the two primary places where the wild geoducks grow naturally for commercial harvest. The two countries did healthy business primarily serving Chinese appetites for decades, in part because quantities are limited. Its a labor-intensive and heavily-regulated harvest, as divers must go several feet below the surface to dig for them.

A customer looks at geoducks from Canada at a restaurant in Sanya in southern China's Hainan province on Friday, April 25, 2025. AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

They love the fact that it tastes like the sea, said James Austin, president of Canadas Underwater Harvesters Association. Its a product thats really a hit with the Chinese. Its all about the wild coastline. Its really prestigious.

Austin said he expects there will be 2.75 million pounds of Canadian geoducks harvested in 2025, worth approximately $60 million Canadian dollars  $43.4 million in U.S. dollars  in revenue.

While demand has been relatively low but still steady for Canadians geoducks, Austin said theyre now the leading exporters for China, which has helped them negotiate higher prices as a result. For example, after Canada got hit with a 25% tariff in March, export sale prices dropped to $12 per pound, and after the U.S. got hit with a 125% tariff in April, Canadian geoducks are now being sold for $17 a pound.

We have no competitors right now, Austin said.

Yang Bin at Beihai Huaxiashougang Health Industry Company in Beihai city of Guangxi province in China said their seafood wholesale important business no longer gets geoduck from the U.S.

We dont care about U.S. tariffs because we can get geoduck from other countries with stable prices, Yang said.

Waiting for geoducks

On their first week back to work since the tariff fight brought business to a standstill in Washington state, Derrick McRae and his brother pulled up about 800 pounds of wild geoducks in just one April day.

He donned a full-body diving outfit with an oxygen line tethered to his boat to dive under the cold waters of an inland sea channel west of Seattle. Kneeled on the seafloor, McRae used a water spray gun to move the sand covering the geoducks. In the cloud of sediment, he felt for the neck with his hand, pulling the clam and stuffing it in a net attached to him.

Daniel McRae unloads a bag of harvested geoduck clams from his brother, Derrick McRae, on their boat near Illahee State Park in Bremerton, Wash., on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Were just kind of waiting on the edge of our seats to see what happens next, McRae said.

At one of the southernmost inlets, farmer Ian Child said the tariff disruption is not just hurting his bottom line but the entire farming process. He usually places young geoducks in the sand in the summer, but he cant mix new crops with any existing unharvested clams.

I think that the demand is still over there for the product, he said of China. I think they still want it. Its just a matter of where the tariffs will land.

-- Sally Ho and Manuel Valdes, The Associated Press

Yu Bing contributed to this report.
This article is a personal essay reflecting the author's perspectives, vision, and experience. It was originally published in Spanish on palabra, the digital news site by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. The illustrations for this story were created by Stef Arreaga in partnership with her son Emiliano Martinez.

A boy diagnosed with ADHD faces a system that doesnt know how to see him. His mother fights to pave the way.

By Stef Arreaga | Edited by Wendy Selene Perez | Translated by Patricia Guadalupe

Emiliano was born in Guatemala in 2015, and early on, his world moved at a different pace. He learned to whistle before he was a year old, walked before he was eleven months old, and once he could climb, never stopped. But as he grew, his way of learning and relating to the world shifted. He didnt easily make eye contact, avoided certain textures in clothing, and could spend hours lost in a single thought or, conversely, switch activities in seconds.

The diagnosis came at eight years old: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). But it didnt come with instructions, but rather with labels. Deficit, disorder, hyperactivity: words that pigeonholed him into a problem to be corrected instead of recognizing him as a child with a different way of processing the world.

For Emiliano, the challenge isnt ADHD. Its the system itself, especially the school system.

Emi at four months old, after a bath. Illustration by Stef Arreaga and Emi Martinez for palabra

The clash with an education not designed for him

In November 2021, we went into exile with Emiliano and his sisters. We packed our lives in a suitcase and arrived in the United States carrying extra baggage: uncertainty, anxiety, and fear of starting a new life in a different country.

Emiliano, six years old and not speaking English, entered the classroom as the only Latino child in his class. He learned English quickly, but problems soon appeared. Teachers said he was distracted, had difficulty following directions, and talked nonstop. I discussed this with his pediatrician, and she soon referred him to a psychological care center in Boston.

The process was slow, bureaucratic, and exasperating. We waited more than six months for a psychologist to be assigned to us, and that psychologist frequently missed scheduled home visits.

In second grade, the teachers were concerned that Emi continued to have difficulty paying attention and that his attention levels remained below par. They suggested he see a specialist. A pediatrician at Boston Childrens Hospital in Massachusetts saw him and did a developmental analysis. He collected information on important areas of his life through four special questionnaires that his parents and teachers had to complete. Three weeks later, he told us what we already suspected: he had ADHD.

The doctor suggested medication to improve attention and reduce hyperactivity. He explained that there are different treatments and that it would take time to find the right one. Emiliano started on a minimal dose, but side effects soon appeared. These are specialized medications designed to stimulate and improve the function and effectiveness of neurotransmitters in the brain. Some stimulant treatments have short-term effects, lasting three to six hours, while long-acting ones remain in the body for up to 12 hours. They are then excreted through urine. The medication would help the neurotransmitters reach Emis frontal lobe and its connections to other parts of his brain. The doctor said that Emi probably wouldnt need to take it anymore by the time he was 15 to 17. What he didnt tell me is that ADHD cant be cured and that the effectiveness of medication is only part of it; the other is a combination of therapy, nutrition, supplements, routines, and structure.

When I explained it to Emi, I tried to keep it as simple as possible:

For our car to run, it needs an engine. This engine needs gasoline and oil so it can go without any problems. But what happens if the engine doesnt get enough gasoline and oil because the little tubes that carry it are clogged or damaged? The car will probably have difficulty moving and wont get as far as it wants to go. So, we need to take it to the mechanic, who will give us a solution so that the gasoline and oil reach the engine and we can drive it on the trip we wanted. The same thing happens with our brain, Emi. The brain is our engine and needs certain substances that help us feel better. The doctor will give us a medicine that helps those little tubes carry the necessary gasoline and oil for the brain, so things will go better at school and in everyday life.

Yes, it means Im going to take medication, he replied without further ado.

Despite the pediatricians recommendation, I had a strong internal conflict with medication. I grew up watching my mother, my aunts, and my grandmother rely on pills. I didnt want to repeat the same patterns. For days, I felt anguished, I cried, and carried a guilt I didnt know how to let go of.

But then I heard something that changed my perspective. In a podcast, a specialist said:

If a person with diabetes takes insulin, their quality of life improves. If someone with high blood pressure takes their medicine, it reduces their risk of a heart attack. If someone with ADHD has neurotransmitter deficiencies, medication can help their brain function better. Thats when I understood.

In second grade, Emiliano began comparing himself to his classmates.

Mommy, I cant read fast like my friends. Im stupid.

I told him how smart he is and how proud I am of him, but his words inevitably broke my heart. In meetings with his teachers, they all agreed that Emiliano tried hard, but was distracted, talked a lot, and struggled with reading. They also said that math was his strong suit, even though he responded so quickly that many of his answers were wrong.

He tries really hard, he really tries, you can tell he wants to get it, and by dismissal time, he looks exhausted. And yes, Emi would come home clearly mentally and physically tired.

The United States acknowledges people with ADHD as those with disabilities who require educational support. However, in practice, accessing those rights is a different story. When he was in second grade, his school put together an interdisciplinary team to help him, but by the end of the semester his progress was minimal, and they proposed that he be evaluated by the school district to determine if he was eligible for special education.

8-year-old Emi, making wishes and blowing on dandelions. Ilustration by Stef Arreaga and Emi Martinez for palabra

A teacher who doesnt understand, a student who stops believing in himself

Emiliano started third grade in September 2024. He felt nervous because he knew he wasnt at the level the school required for the new grade. Emi bit his nails and lower lip and ate compulsively, mainly spicy and sweet things; sugar overstimulates dopamine production, generating an immediate pleasurable effect, but then lowers levels, triggering more anxiety. However, Emis academic difficulties werent his biggest problem: his real challenge was a teacher who didnt understand what it meant to teach a neurodivergent child.

When I tried to speak to the teacher, there was no response. Instead, I received a crushing email:

Good morning,

I wanted to let you know that Emi is having a lot of trouble with his behavior. Hes not listening, doesnt follow directions, distracts others, doesnt finish their work, and doesnt pay attention. Hes also being disrespectful to his teachers. This situation is becoming a serious problem.

Academically, Emi is no longer performing at the level that he should be, and his behavior isnt helping him succeed. He doesnt come to school with a willingness to learn, but rather intending to play and be distracted.

I ask myself, who decides what success is for an eight-year-old?

The teacher never implemented the accommodations that, by law, were required for Emiliano. He scolded him in front of his classmates, making him feel like a burden.

Mommy, my teacher never notices when I try hard, but he always notices when I make mistakes, Emiliano told me, filled with frustration.

The consequences were devastating. His appetite went down and he began to lose weight. Every night before he went to bed, he relived what had happened at school, replaying every scolding, every correction. Emiliano began to believe he wasnt good enough, that he would never catch up with his classmates.

The right to an education without humiliation

That same September, I was summoned to receive an evaluation that could allow him to have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan, which allows for classroom adjustments. But the schools response was that Emiliano didnt qualify because he first had to learn to read and write well in English. In other words, his right to receive support was conditioned on a language he still only partially mastered. This happened after meeting with the school psychologist, the evaluator appointed by the city to determine whether he needs special education. His ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, school officials, and his grade-school teacher were also at the meeting.

Official assessments placed him at the lowest level of reading performance. They sent a report with graphs marked in red: Below Level. But not one document mentioned his effort, his curiosity, or his ability to translate between two languages with the ease of an adult.

Among the many documents they sent to my home, I found a sheet three months later stating that my son was indeed eligible for Section 504 and listing the accommodations (reasonable adjustments to support individuals with disabilities) and personalized interventions to improve his academic performance. During that time, no accommodations were made, even though the teacher was aware of the decision.

Emi felt misunderstood, embarrassed, and frustrated by a teacher who didnt know how to work with a neurodivergent student.

Parents report that only 1 in 3 children with ADHD receive behavior management in the classroom.

Emi, how do you feel about your teacher? I asked him at the end of 2024, around Christmas time.

My teacher this year gets mad, he embarrasses me in front of the others because he constantly scolds me and says I distract others. When I do things well, he doesnt congratulate me or notice that Ive made an effort. He just doesnt say anything to me. I liked my teachers better last year; they did notice that I was trying."

I sent the teacher a long letter in which I mentioned his failure to follow the accommodations that my son deserved by law, about the cruelty of his actions in ridiculing him in front of others, and described in great detail each of the things that were affecting Emi.

The teacher never responded.

Despite his silence, Emiliano told me that the teacher changed his attitude. He told me he stopped embarrassing him in class and speaking rudely to him, but then he started ignoring him. When I requested a classroom transfer, I was told it wasnt convenient at that time and that the school would work to change things between the teacher and Emiliano. My son would have to see a reading and phonics specialist four times a week, and the school would schedule sessions with the school counselor for him. Weeks went by, and Emiliano didnt have any of these sessions. When I asked the school why, they told me they were trying to find time in the counselors schedule to see him. To date, that hasnt happened.

Even the smallest changes shouldnt depend on a mothers insistence or a principals will. They should be a school right, guaranteed without resistance.

Its the system that needs to change, not Emiliano

Like my son Emi, more than 7 million children between the ages of 3 and 17 in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD. Science has shown that its not a behavioral or intelligence problem, but rather a difference in the way the brain processes information. Yet, with a few exceptions, the educational system continues to treat it as an obstacle rather than a characteristic that requires new teaching strategies.

The world needs to learn to see him, to listen to him, to understand that his mind, his energy, and his way of learning are not flaws.

Schools shouldnt extinguish childrens curiosity with labels and scolding. They should build spaces where their way of learning is seen as an opportunity, not a problem.

While this was happening, Emiliano continued doing what he does best: challenge a system that hasnt yet learned to speak his language.

I noticed a visible relief in his eyes and on his small shoulders when I told him, School is important, but I want you to know that being an excellent, average, or poor student doesnt define you as a person; its just a part of you. You are more than a grade at the end of the school year, and I want you to know that Im proud of you for the effort you put in every day, regardless of the final result.

Emi and his ocean friends. Illustration by Stef Arreaga and Emi Martinez for palabra

Emilianos mirror showed me my own ADHD

Emilianos diagnosis has not only forced me to confront the system, but also to look at myself through new eyes. While I searched for answers for him, I ended up finding explanations for myself. The more I learned about ADHD, the more I was taken back to my childhood.

Science has shown that ADHD is a neurobiological condition that can also be linked to genetics: studies show that if a mother or father has it, there is up to an 80% chance of inheriting it. Non-genetic factors include low birth weight, premature birth, exposure to toxins (alcohol, tobacco, lead, etc.), and extreme stress during pregnancy, according to specialized publications.

Dr. J. Russell Ramsay, director of the Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program at the University of Pennsylvania, estimates that 366 million people worldwide are living with ADHD, many of them undiagnosed, let alone untreated.

Watching Emiliano, Ive seen myself. I spent my whole life trying to be functional, devising strategies to fit in, to hide what I didnt understand about myself. Now, through my son, I allow myself to see my own story with compassion. And, above all, with more clarity.

Late last year, I started a process at Boston Medical Center to receive an ADHD diagnosis. I hadnt done so before because the grief of exile and adapting to a new country consumed me. But being with Emiliano also means understanding myself.

For me, I can say that living with ADHD is like listening to five radio stations at once without being able to turn any of them off. Its like going blank in the middle of a conversation, wanting to do everything and ending up doing nothing, obsessing over something for weeks, and then abandoning it for no reason. Its the impatience, the anxiety, the disconnect. Its forgetting what is urgent and getting lost in the irrelevant. All of this happened to me, and I didnt know what to name it until I saw in Emiliano all those things that made me feel different.

Emi, how does it feel to have a mother with ADHD? I asked him one night as we listened to the playlist to fall asleep with and looked at the stars from his window.

Normal, because I dont know what its like to have a mom without ADHD, he answers with the ease with which children understand the world.

And in that simple, direct, uncomplicated answer, it became clear to me that the problem has never been us, but rather the system that insists on seeing us as a mistake.

I dont want Emiliano to grow up feeling limited by his diagnosis. Thats why I decided to turn the narrative around. At home, his ADHD isnt a barrier; its a set of superpowers he needs to learn to use. The hyperfocus that captivates him on the topics that interest him, his developed intuition, his ability to make friends, his spontaneity, and his inexhaustible energy. All of which the system sees as obstacles.

Emi, what do you like about your skills?

I learn more when I listen. Im a good athlete. Im smart because I can speak two languages, and Im a good translator for my friends who dont speak Spanish and for those who dont speak English. And now I understand some things in Portuguese!

Those are his words. Thats the version of himself I want him to keep. Not the one imposed on him by a school with charts in red and lists of deficiencies.

My biggest challenge isnt just raising a child with ADHD. Its doing so while I myself continue to discover what it means to have lived with it without knowing it. Along the way, Ive found a community of adults with ADHD who, like me, spent years feeling broken, unaware that their brains simply worked differently. We share tools, strategies, and reminders that we are not alone.

The system wont change overnight, but here at home, Emiliano and I continue to find our own rules. He wants to be an Olympic athlete and represent Guatemala. I want him to get there knowing that his mind, his energy, and his way of learning arent obstacles.

Emiliano doesnt have a problem to fix; he has a world to conquer.
Heide Lambert was elected mayor of Waldport, a central Oregon coastal town, last fall and took office in January. She was voted out by the City Council April 3, but contests that the removal was legal. (Courtesy of Heide Lambert)

An Oregon district attorney has declined to prosecute the mayor of a small coastal town after the mayor refused to accept a City Council vote removing her from office, showed up at the next meeting and was arrested.

Lincoln County District Attorney Jenna Wallace wrote in a memo to the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office Tuesday that there was insufficient evidence to charge Waldport Mayor Heide Lambert with the misdemeanor crime of disorderly conduct.
The U.S. Justice Department sign is seen Nov. 18, 2022, in Washington. The department, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, terminated hundreds of grants last month, including to five Portland and Eugene groups seeking to reduce community violence. Andrew Harnik | The Associated Press, File

Wide-ranging Trump administration cuts also have hit Oregon organizations seeking to reduce community violence.

Among the five Portland and Eugene groups that saw their U.S. Department of Justice grants eliminated on April 22 is one that only recently launched its federally funded work.

Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, a longtime nonprofit dedicated to improving public safety, announced in January that it would put a $2 million federal grant toward a two-year program to give people a pathway to professional work in violence prevention.

At the time, the nonprofit said it wanted to transform the field from a low-paying job into a stable career, and they hoped their work would serve as a model nationally.

This credible messengers project was designed to train people hurt by gun violence by allowing them to take classes at Portland State University while also doing outreach work in Portland neighborhoods experiencing high levels of violence, organizers said.

POIC launched the first cohort as a pilot in June with 22 staff members. The goal was that a minimum of 40 people would complete the certification over two cohorts.

The National Crime Victim Law Institute based at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland also lost federal funding as part of the cuts. Its $500,000 grant was intended to provide legal services for crime victims with disabilities and support emerging lawyers in more than 20 jurisdictions.

The Multnomah County health department, the Eugene-Springfield branch of the NAACP and Justice and Joy National Collaborative in Portland also were part of the hundreds of organizations that lost Justice Department funding nationwide.

Overnight, weve lost essential programming that disrupts cycles of violence, provides trauma therapy and support and helps community healing, said Jess Marks, the executive director of the Alliance for a Safe Oregon, at a news briefing last week.

The Trump administration canceled the funding because it no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities.

The U.S. Justice Department, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, wrote the agency has changed its priorities with discretionary grants to focus on more directly supporting law enforcement operations, combating violent crime, protecting American children and supporting American victims of trafficking and sexual assault and better coordinating law enforcement efforts at all levels of government.

 Zaeem Shaikh covers the Portland Police Bureau and criminal justice issues for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-221- 4323, zshaikh@oregonian.com or on X @zaeemshake
The Trump administration has canceled the federal governments participation in Safe to Sleep, a 30-year campaign aimed at preventing infants from dying in their sleep. Getty Images

Last summer, a frantic family called 911 for help. Their baby wasnt breathing.

The month-old infant had been asleep with its father on a king size bed. Dad woke up just before 5 a.m. and knew that something was wrong: The baby hadnt woken him up at the usual time overnight. The baby, who was born prematurely and had been asleep on its side, had its face pressed against the fluffy blanket it had been sleeping on.

Department of Human Services staff who investigated the childs death determined the parents had not neglected their baby. They had just taken the infant to the doctor the day before because it was constipated. But the parents had no education on how to sleep safely with a child, they told a child protective services caseworker. Those best practices include placing a baby alone, on its back, on a firm, flat mattress.

The caseworkers noted one other factor, which the Department of Human Services says is a recurring and disturbing trend: Both parents had used marijuana before they fell asleep.

The parents said the drug hadnt impacted their ability to parent or make good decisions. But they both also reported they had difficulty being woken up during the night after using marijuana.

The Oregon Department of Human Services and Sen. Lisa Reynolds of Portland, a pediatrician, are sounding the alarm about the dangers of using marijuana while taking care of babies or other vulnerable people. The state has investigated at least nine infant deaths that included high risk sleep practices in the past two years. In seven of those instances, it suspects parents had used marijuana alone or in addition to other substances.

Oregons child welfare director Aprille Flint-Gerner met with Reynolds last month and told the senator that four babies have died so far this year while their parents appear to have been using pot, Reynolds said, and my jaw dropped.

We all probably would argue no one should be caring for an infant if youre using fentanyl. But I think theres probably still a lot of acceptance around smoking marijuana when youre caring for an infant. And maybe thats a myth we need to dispel, Reynolds said last week during a hearing she convened in the Senate Committee on Early Childhood and Behavioral Health to talk about the issue.

Between 30 and 40 babies die in Oregon each year from sudden infant death syndrome and accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed, child welfare infant specialist Carmen Mims told the committee.

The state investigates only a sliver of those, if the child or their family members were already on the radar of the Department of Human Services because of an allegation of abuse. In the majority of infant deaths that the department investigates, it finds risky sleep practices  and in most of those cases, the childs parent or guardian was also under the influence of drugs or alcohol, department data shows.

This year, the department has already opened investigations into seven infant deaths. Thats more than it investigated in all of 2024.

Risky sleep practices were present in at least four of those, Mims said  and marijuana was a substance of concern in all four. In one of those cases, the parent had also drunk alcohol.

In 2024, three of five infant sleep deaths involved a caregiver who had used marijuana, Mims said. That number was pretty small in earlier years, Mims told the committee, except that in 2019 marijuana was a factor in six of eight infant deaths that involved unsafe sleeping practices.

The human services department has boosted staff and family training about safe sleep practices, Deputy Child Welfare Director Lacey Andresen said, and it has used more than $200,000 in federal funds to give out safe infant beds. Recovery support staff work with parents who have substance use disorders and the state is part of a nurture Oregon pilot focused on support for infants with prenatal substance exposure, Andresen said.

It can be dangerous for parents to sleep on the same surface as their baby  and extra dangerous if theyve been using drugs or legal substances like marijuana, alcohol or prescribed medication. The risk of sleep-related death is 10 times higher for babies who share a bed with someone who is fatigued or has used a substance or taken medications that make it harder for them to wake up, Andresen said. The risk of death while bed sharing is also higher for babies younger than 4 months or who were born preterm or with a low birth weight.

Reynolds said that when she raised the states statistics about infant death and parent marijuana use with doulas or other pediatricians, theyve been as surprised and concerned as she was. Doctors get regular updates on measles outbreaks, Reynolds said, but the dangers associated with marijuana use seem to fly under the radar.

She doesnt think its an issue unique to Oregon. But she also noted that research on the impacts of cannabis is still nascent since federal restrictions have historically made it challenging to study the drug.

Now Reynolds is debating how to launch a broader public health campaign to teach parents. Shes questioned whether dispensaries should be mandated to have pamphlets about the dangers of using marijuana while caregiving or whether warning labels need to be more explicit. She also plans to speak about the issue at an Oregon Pediatric Society meeting at the end of May.

Public campaigns have had an impact, Andresen told the committee. Most people know drinking alcohol is a risk to their unborn babies. When she brought her newborn son home from the hospital, the baby was dressed in a onesie that said put me on my back, for safe practices.

This conversation about what is the impact of marijuana use specifically or other sedating substances when youre making choices about parenting a very, very vulnerable child  I think its really important to highlight, she said.

Sami Edge covers higher education and politics for The Oregonian. You can reach her at sedge@oregonian.com or (503) 260-3430.
Two United Airlines flights that were set to fly internationally out of San Francisco International Airport were canceled Tuesday morning after the two planes touched wings, authorities said.

Nobody on either flight was injured. The collision happened when the two flights were in an area near a gate.

In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration said United Flight 863 heading to Sydney, Australia and United Flight 877 bound for Hong Kong were the two planes involved. Flight 863s left wingtip collided with the right wingtip of Flight 877 about 12:35 a.m., the FAA said.

The FAA is investigating the incident, which the agency said happened in an area where where air traffic controllers do not communicate with flight crews.

No other details were released by the FAA. United Airlines did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

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Roughly a dozen members of the St. Thomas More University Parish and Student Center at OU gathered Thursday to watch the announcement of the new pope, Leo XIV, the first American pope.

Cardinal Robert Prevost will become the successor of Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at 88, and take the name Leo XIV.

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Cooper Rury, a journalism freshman, said many of the students at the watch party were very young when Pope Francis was elected in 2013, so they were interested in watching the conclave and history unfold.

To be witnessing this and to have this memory with all these other people is really special, Rury said.

Rury said many people find Catholicism complex and difficult to understand, so he hopes having an American pope will allow people to connect with the papacy and understand it better.

Jacob Gunter, a supply chain management and marketing sophomore, said the new popes appointment will help Americans feel more connected to the church. Gunter said he looks forward to seeing where Pope Leo XIV will take the Catholic Church.

Now that we have somebody from America  itll probably help people, Gunter said. It might help Americans be more aware of whats going on in Rome.

Blake Buoy, a St. Thomas More campus minister, said he never thought he would witness the election of the first American pope and was very surprised after the announcement.

Buoy said Catholicism is growing in popularity and having an American pope will impact the way many Americans see and interact with the religion.

It shines a light that theres a trend in Catholicism growing in the U.S., especially the past couple of years, and the church in the U.S. is starting to be seen more by the rest of the world, Buoy said.

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Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV was born in Chicago and entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977.

According to the College of Cardinals Report, he joined the Augustinian mission in Peru and served as chancellor of the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas from 1985-86.

Leo served as pastor for the Augustinian Province of Chicago from 1987-88 and later returned to Peru where he spent the next 10 years heading the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo. There, he also served as parish pastor, diocesan official, director of formation, seminary teacher and judicial vicar.

Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in 2014, and he was elevated to bishop of Chiclayo in 2015, according to the College of Cardinals Report.

In January 2023, Leo was appointed prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a position he held until Pope Francis death. He was elevated to the position of cardinal on Sept. 30, 2023.

According to the College of Cardinals Report, Pope Leo XIV has spoken out in the past against ordaining female deacons and is ambiguous on blessing same-sex couples. He is in favor of focusing on climate change and promoting a synodal church, which promotes making church structures more participatory.

In his first remarks after his election, Pope Leo XIV called for peace and paid tribute to Pope Francis life and legacy.

Im really excited for the future of the church,  Rury said. Its huge. Its huge for the church. Its huge for our country, and Im just really excited to see what happens.

This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure and Ismael Lele. Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
Banjul, Gambia (PANA)- The Gambia Police Force Thursday arrested over 30 members of the Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA), including two journalists, at a peaceful protest in the capital, Banjul
Several school districts are being threatened with extortion by a "threat actor" months after a hacker breached into data storage containing children's personal information.

The situation comes after PowerSchool, one of the largest providers of education tech, paid off hackers to not publish tens of millions of kids' personal information. A cybersecurity audit previously concluded that the company missed a basic cybersecurity step.

Hackers Threaten School Districts With Extortion

It was hacked last year, which resulted in what is considered one of the largest breaches to date of American children's data. PowerSchool reportedly paid the hackers an undisclosed sum of money in exchange for a video that purportedly showed the suspects deleting the files they stole.

The data that was breached included some students' Social Security numbers and other sensitive information, such as health and disciplinary records. The latest extortion threats are trying to get money from schools and school districts in both the United States and Canada, according to NBC News.

In a Wednesday statement, PowerSchool said it was aware of a threat actor that had reached out to several school district customers. This was reportedly in an attempt to extort them using the stolen data from the December 2024 incident.

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Mo Green released a public bulletin noting that public schools across the state received extortion emails on Wednesday morning.

It could not be immediately established whether or not the original hackers behind the incident last year are also responsible for the latest extortion threats. The exact locations of the schools and school districts that were threatened have not been revealed to the public, Channel News Asia reported.

PowerSchool Data Hack

PowerSchool is a company that provides various cloud-based software, including student information systems, ranging from K-12 schools and districts. It is supporting more than 60 million students and 18,000 customers in more than 90 different countries.

The incident last year started when PowerSchool identified suspicious activity on Dec. 28, 2024. CrowdStrike started an investigation into the circumstances behind the hack the day after the activity was discovered.

The assailants were able to gain access to the company's system with a compromised credential for a support user in the company's PowerSource support portal. An investigation report in late February this year revealed that the hackers had a level of access including SIS database instances for maintenance purposes, as per Cyberscoop.

The hackers reportedly stole data from the "teachers" and "students" tables of the company's SIS instances. CrowdStrike said that it did not find any evidence of system-layer access or malware at the time.
This afternoon the world greeted Pope Leo XIV as he stood at the loggia of Saint Peter Basilica overlooking the thousands who had gathered. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago and missionary for many years as an Augustinian priest in Peru, has become Leo XIV. He also resided in Rome as the General of the Augustinian Order. His life experience harkens the reality of a universal Church.

Peace be with you! he said to us. The words of the Risen Christ.

I first heard of Cardinal Prevost when in 2023 Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastry of Bishops in Rome. He left the city of Chiclayo, Peru where he had been bishop for eight years. During his time in Peru, he naturalized as a Peruvian citizen. As someone said to me already, he is the reverse of me. I was born in Peru, but have lived in the USA most of my life, the new Pope was born in the USA, but has spent a considerable amount of his ministry in Peru.

He chose the name Leo, likely in memory of Pope Leo XIII. If this indicates something, it tells us that the new Pope will give a central emphasis to the Churchs social teaching. Leo XIII stressed the dignity of workers at a time when Western Europe faced some of the societal challenges of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. I suggest that if you wish to know what will be the central themes of his Papacy, simply read an article about Pope Leo XIII. Or better yet, read his greatest work, Rerum Novarum, where he addressed social inequality and social justice. Every Pope after Leo XIII has written a commentary on this great Papal document.

As a religious priest and missionary in Peru, he will have the poor and marginalized in the forefront. He will have the same closeness and heart of a pastor that Pope Francis showed the world. In a 2023 interview he stated, a bishop is not a manger, he is a pastor who is close to his people.

I also believe (perhaps more a personal hope), that he will be more diplomatic and cautious with his words and pronouncements. As Prefect of the Dicastry of Bishops for the past two years, he has come to know many bishops, and more importantly, many bishops, including the cardinals, have come to know him. They have chosen him because they trust him, and see he can respond to the needs of the Church today.

Being only 69, he will be a Pope for quite some time.

The Provincial of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova, the Province to which the Pope belonged as an Augustinian, stated today,  What a moment of hope, surprise and joy. As Augustinians, we are proud of Pope Leo XIV, we are grateful for what we know him to be, and for now to be a servant for the whole church and the whole world. God bless Pope Leo XIV!

I loved it when he switched to Spanish at the loggia and addressed a few words directly to the people of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people has walked with its bishop, sharing its faith.

I am excited to see how the Holy Spirit will continue to guide our Church into the future. I am particularly excited to see a Pope with roots in the New World, and with vast pastoral experience with the People of God. We will find a Pope with a true pastors heart, who will continue to walk with Gods people as we support one another toward our common goal, eternal life in Jesus Christ.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg traveled to Steelton to tour the Cleveland Cliffs steel mill and meet with union workers last year. Secretary Buttigieg joined Governor Josh Shapiro to highlight how major infrastructure investments across Pennsylvania and the whole country are being made possible by American workers and American made steel and how those same workers are going to benefit from the infrastructure they are helping to build. In June, the company will idle the facility. June 04, 2024. Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com

Over 500 workers at a Steelton rail facility will be laid off next month as its owners prepare to close the plant.

Cleveland-Cliffs announced in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry that it intends close the plant located at 215 S. Front St. in Steelton.

It is one of six plants that will be partially or fully idled as part of what the company is calling a cost-cutting move. The company is calling the Steelton closure a temporary, indefinite idle.

Sixty-eight salaried employees and 491 bargaining unit workers at the Dauphin county plant will be laid off on June 30 or within two weeks of that date, according to the notice.

Weak demand and insufficient pricing for the products produced at our Steelton steelmaking facility has led Cleveland-Cliffs to conclude that this facility is not economically viable in the current market conditions, the company said in the notice.

While this decision is being described as temporary, its effects on our families, economy, and legacy are immediate and significant, Steelton Mayor Ceira Dent said in a statement on Saturday.

Steelton has long been defined by its hardworking people many of whom have poured generations of labor, sweat, and pride into that mill. I want to extend my heartfelt concern and unwavering support to every worker and family affected by this decision. I see you. I stand with you. And we will navigate this season  together."

The 151-year-old plant produces rails that carry freight and passengers, along with steel for heavy machinery, power generation plants and military applications such as submarines.

In June, former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joined Gov. Josh Shapiro to tour the steel mill and meet with union workers. Buttigieg was there to highlight major infrastructure investments across Pennsylvania.

Cleveland-Cliffs is the 39th largest employer in Dauphin County, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industrys Center for Workforce Information & Analysis.

The company is based in Cleveland, Ohio, and has mining, steel and downstream manufacturing operations in the United States and Canada.

Cleveland-Cliffs said in a recent earnings report that between March and May it had made the decision to fully or partially idle six facilities to optimize its footprint, reposition away from loss-making operations, and release excess working capital.

The company said that these actions are expected to result in savings of more than $300 million annually, not including additional savings in overhead and improved productivity at other locations.

In addition to the Steelton facility, Cleveland-Cliffs is also idling a facility in Montgomery County. As of Thursday afternoon, The Department of Labor & Industry had not indicated on its website that it had been notified of any layoffs at that facility.

The company is also planning to take these other actions:

A full idle of the Minorca mine and partial idle of the Hibbing Taconite mine, each in Minnesota, primarily to re-balance working capital needs and consume excess pellet inventory produced in 2024.

An idle of the blast furnace, BOF (basic oxygen furnace) steel shop, and continuous casting facilities at Dearborn Works in Michigan, to replace with more cost-efficient production upon restarting the #6 blast furnace at Cleveland Works.

A full idle of the Riverdale, Illinois, compact strip mill facility, primarily due to an uncompetitive cost structure and ability to run the neighboring Indiana Harbor facility more efficiently.

In addition, the company said it will no longer be deploying capital toward the development of a transformer production plant in Weirton, West Virginia, due to changes in scope that no longer meet Cliffs investment requirements.

The decision to fully or partially idle certain locations was not taken lightly. These actions will allow us to consolidate operations, withdraw from loss-making businesses, and deliver annualized savings exceeding $300 million, Lourenco Goncalves, president and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs, said in a recent earnings report.

The WARN Act is federal legislation that offers protection to workers, their families, and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of a covered-business closing and covered-business mass layoff. The WARN notice for the Steelton plant was dated May 2.
Pictured is a Rite Aid at Summerdale Plaza in East Pennsboro Township. The company is laying off 501 people at its corporate office in Newberry Township, York County. February 8, 2023. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

Rite Aid may have moved its headquarters out of south central Pennsylvania to Philadelphia more than two years ago, but it still maintained a corporate location in York County.

This week, hundreds of workers at that location found out that they will be laid off.

The drugstore chain filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry informing the state it is laying off 501 people who work at or report to the Valley Green Office Facility at 200 Newberry Commons in Newberry Township.

The move comes the same week as Rite Aid filed bankruptcy for a second time in 17 months.

The once-thriving pharmacy chain is now telling vendors it generally wont buy any more products as it enters bankruptcy for the second time, with most stores expected to close within months.

Rite Aid said on Monday it is pursuing a strategic and value-maximizing sale process for substantially all of its assets. The drugstore chain said in order to make the sales process happen, it has entered into Chapter 11 proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. The chain said that since emerging from bankruptcy in September, it has continued to experience a number of financial challenges.

The first layoffs took place on Monday. The second phase of layoffs will take place during a 14-day period beginning June 4.

Rite Aid said it provided the WARN notice as soon as practicable as it was actively looking to obtain capital funding to maintain its operations. It said had it provided an earlier notice to its employees it may have jeopardized those efforts to obtain the funding.

Rite Aid only recently received notice from a significant vendor shortening and restricting payment terms, which could cause Rite Aids loan to our lenders to be accelerated, the company said in the WARN notice. Rite Aids lenders have informed us that they will not provide future funding for Rite Aid to cover payroll and employment related expenses if we retain the entirety of our current workforce.

As a result, we have no choice but to conduct employee separations at this time to enable us to continue to meet anticipated future payroll and employment related expenses.

In addition, the dramatic downturn in the economy, potential litigation, and increased costs (including tariffs) from our suppliers and landlords have necessitated employee separations that were unforeseen, as we were actively seeking funding and pursuing several alternative strategic transactions with the hope that this action could be avoided or postponed.

The WARN Act is federal legislation that offers protection to workers, their families, and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of a covered-business closing and covered-business mass layoff. There are some exceptions to the rule. The WARN notice was dated May 5.

The company was previously based in East Pennsboro Township, near Camp Hill, for decades. The company is also laying off 595 workers who work at or report to its headquarters in Philadelphia.
Police in Franklin County charged a 17-year-old boy with two counts of criminal attempted homicide this week in connection to a shooting in April.

On April 30, Chambersburg Police received information about a shooting in the area of West Washington Street and Larch Avenue around 7:52 p.m. on April 20, according to a police report.

Investigators determined Blaze Dickson, of Chambersburg, shot at two people in the area. The police report did not say if anyone was injured as a result of the shooting.

Chambersburg Police and Pennsylvania State Police arrested Dickson on the 600 block of Heintzelman Avenue on Wednesday.

Dickson, who is charged as an adult, is facing two counts of criminal attempted homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, rioting and possession of a firearm by a minor.

Dickson is incarcerated in the Franklin County Prison after Magisterial District Judge Glenn K. Manns denied bail.

Anyone with additional information about the shooting is asked to call Chambersburg Police at 717-264-4131 or submit a tip through Crimewatch.
The former executive director of the Cambria County Bar Association was charged Wednesday after the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General said she misappropriated over $300,000 from 2018 to 2023.

Robin Hagins, 56, of Johnstown, was charged with theft by unlawful taking, misappropriation of funds and forgery in connection to her previous role as the executive director of the Cambria County Bar Association.

According to an investigation completed by the Office of the Attorney General, Hagins used funds from the Cambria County Bar Association for personal expenses, including cosmetic procedures, vacations and a timeshare property, the press release said.
The hit-and-run-crash occurred at the 500 block of North West Street at 8:44 p.m. in Carlisle. Carlisle Police Department

Police are looking for the driver they say is responsible for injuring a juvenile after a hit-and-run crash in Cumberland County Wednesday night.

Carlisle police were dispatched at 8:44 p.m. to the 500 block of North West Street after they received a report of a girl pedestrian who went into her home after being hit by a vehicle.

Police also received information that the striking vehicle pulled over to the side of the road after the crash.

When officers arrived at the scene, the striking vehicle fled southbound and turned onto Lincoln Street, according to police.

Police said they searched the area, but were unable to find the vehicle, which was identified as a red sedan operated by a woman with blonde hair.

The juvenile sustained minor scrapes and bruises, police said.

Anyone with information on the hit-and-run crash or has camera footage from the area of the crash is asked to call Carlisle police at 717-243-5252. Tips can also be submitted through Crimewatch.
Tajai Scott, left, and Ajanii Barnes are charged with a Christmas Eve 2024 fatal shooting at a Sheetz store in York County. (York County Regional Police photos) Police photos

Two men previously named persons of interest in a December 2024 killing at a Sheetz in York County are now facing murder charges.

Tajai Scott, 25, of Philadelphia, and Ajanii Barnes, 19, of York, were charged on Thursday with second-degree murder and related offenses in the Dec. 24, 2024, death of Tivory Bartlett, 23, in East Manchester Township.
A Philadelphia police officer was shot in the stomach on Wednesday while attempting to break up multiple fights at a high school.

The fights broke out at about 2:42 p.m. at Overbrook High School and spilled out onto the sidewalk across the street, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

As police were attempting to break up the fights, a 30-year-old man armed with a Ruger-5.7 arrived at the scene. He then fired his weapon and a bullet ricocheted off the ground, striking a 26-year-old police officer underneath his bulletproof vest.

The officer, who did not initially realize he was shot, was taken to a hospital, where he is currently in critical condition but expected to survive, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel told reporters during a press conference.

Bethel said that the unnamed officer has been with the department for a little over a year.

The man who fired the gun is in custody and the weapon has been recovered. No officers fired their weapon during the incident. No students were seriously injured.

For an adult to come with a weapon that could kill  easily kill  my officers, I mean, it makes absolutely no sense, Bethel said during the press conference. Youre supposed to know better. Youre supposed to come in and de-escalate, not escalate, he said. Youre a coward.
Odin Rathnam leaves the Dauphin County Courthouse after his sentencing on child sexual abuse charges. Rathnam is the former concertmaster of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. May 8, 2025. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

I pray there is a special person in prison who will do to you what you did to me.

Thats what a woman told 59-year-old Odin Rathnam in court before he learned his sentence for sexually abusing her throughout her childhood.

Rathnam, an international star and former concertmaster of the Harrisburg Symphony, raped the girl so savagely she required multiple surgeries to even use the bathroom correctly, according to the womans statement.

After two deadline extensions, Rathnam accepted a modified plea deal with the Dauphin County District Attorneys Office offered earlier this year. Dauphin County Judge Scott Evans sentenced him to 15 to 30 years in state prison, with an additional five years of probation.

Rathnam will stay on the Megans Law sex offender registry the rest of his life, and will remain in Dauphin County Prison only so far as he undergoes evaluation to be designated as a sexually violent predator.

Rathnam could have faced a life sentence if he was convicted at trial. However, prosecutors crafted the plea deal so the victim would not have to testify against him in a trial

The victim, now a woman, sat stiffly in court as Katie Adam, a prosecutor with the Dauphin County District Attorneys Office, read the statement of facts in the case. She clutched a service dog, staring forward intently toward the bench where she later stood next to a man who read her victim impact statement.

The woman said she required numerous surgeries throughout her childhood, and continues to require surgery to correct physiological damage caused to her by Rathnams sexual abuse. She required spinal implants to be able to use the bathroom correctly, and is unable to have a child naturally.

Rathnams abuse was not confined to the physical, said the victim.

She said she still suffers from depression, anxiety, PTSD, night terrors, and lives in a state of constant fight or flight.

You made me think we had a special relationship, she said in her statement. I did not consent to what happened.

Her mother, in her own impact statement, said Rathnam spent years of her daughters childhood manipulating the child into believing her mother was responsible for her health problems.

Rathnam grew up in New York as a Juilliard-trained violinist with an extensive career in music, but also faced extensive abuse during his childhood, according to his attorney, Paul Kovatch. Kovatch said Rathnam took every opportunity to resolve the case as quickly as possible; he ended his Europe tour and returned to his current home in Ohio, waived extradition and took responsibility through his plea.

Rathnam told the court he abused pills and alcohol,and had been nine months sober at the time the criminal case against him was formed.

I know that does not absolve me from my mistakes, Rathnam said. He said he found suicide or flight from the charges a form of escape he was unwilling to accept.

I hope that today can be the beginning of healing, Rathnam said of his victim and her family.

Evans slowly sifted through character letters from the bench, the noise of paper scraping loud in the silence hanging over the courtroom. Eventually, he adopted the plea deal  and attached sentence  as presented to him.

Evans ordered Rathnam to pay $2,450 in restitution to the family. When asked if the victim was considering civil legal action, the womans mother said, He doesnt have a pot to piss in.

The womans mother wondered aloud if Rathnam specifically targeted the girl because he knew her mothers education and career in nursing would be distracting enough to give him the opportunity to abuse her daughter.

You wanted to be idolized  to be the best violinist in the world, she told Rathnam. But guess what  you finally made it in The Strad magazine. Not for being a musician, but for being a child rapist.

I pray you never get to touch a violin in your life again, she said. Now, go rot in hell.
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt is reminding voters of the timetable for the upcoming primary election - and if they use a mail-in ballot to properly fill it out. FILE Commonwealth Media Services

The Pennsylvania Department of State is reminding voters of the timetable for the upcoming primary election - and if they use a mail-in ballot to properly fill out, given the seemingly endless stream of court decisions on the issue.

This years primary election is May 20, and includes statewide races for Commonwealth and Superior court judges, as well as a multitude of local offices.
Sheryl Lee Ralph, an actor known for her role on "Abbott Elementary," stands beside her husband, Pennsylvania state senator Vincent Huges, at the podium. Ralph spoke at the event announcing the United States of Readers program, which will provide students at Title I schools with their choice of books from Scholastic. Sean Adams

Sheryl Lee Ralph, an actor known for the series Abbott Elementary, spoke at the Harrisburg capitol during an event supporting a new literacy program in Pennsylvania.

The United States of Readers program will provide free books for students at five Title I Pennsylvania school districts.

Students at the schools will have an opportunity to select their own free books from book publisher Scholastic. The program is paid for through state funding, as well as money from foundations and private contributions.

Several of the programs supporters from state government spoke, including representatives Jim Haddock, Jordan Harris, Carol Hill-Evans and Jessica Benham; acting Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe, and state senators Patty Kim and Vincent Hughes. Hughes and Ralph are married.

Hughes cited the falling grades among PSSA testing as one of the many reasons to support readership programs and increase access to books in classrooms - which in some schools, only exist at the teachers personal expense.

Thats not a good direction, Hughes said. But we know how to fix it. We know how to make it better. And its all of us coming together, to make sure that we make a real difference.

Hughes added that the solution starts with reading.

Hughes introduced Ralph, whom he said is the reader who can read a book, and read you at the same time! Shes read me on a regular occasion.

Ralph is known for her work on Broadway in musicals such as Dream Girls and Thoroughly Modern Millie, as well as television and film roles.

She earned an Emmy Award for her role as kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard on Abbott Elementary, which is set in a Philadelphia public school.

Ralph held up Scholastics new Abbott Elementary book, joking that the illustration of her character on the cover was smaller than shed like.

But she also spoke to the importance of reading and education, and the support that students need to succeed.

Talk to them, listen to them, she said. They need you to be there for them. Accept them as they are. Understand that for some of them, it is not easy. Some of them are having a very difficult time, and they do not need to come to their classrooms and fight a war in order to learn.

But for much of her presentation, she spoke directly to the students gathered for the event.

Turning her back on the podium, she faced the gathered children seated behind her on the capitols steps, saying thank you for showing up, for being here and being part of the launch of this project.

Ralph told them that the key to their success was their own commitment to their education, and that when she and her fellow actors work on Abbott Elementary, we are doing that show for you in mind.

So do me a favor: if youre a poor student, be a better student, Ralph said. If youre a good student, be a better student. If youre an on-top, straight As student? Be a better student."

Ralph also noted that her own commitment to education came from her mother, an immigrant from Jamaica.

My immigrant mother always said to me, Sheryl: good, better, best. Never let it rest, until your good is better, and your better, best, she said.
Kennywood's new Steel Curtain was voted the best new steel coaster by Amusement Today. (Courtesy Kennywood)

Good news for thrill-seekers: Kennywood Park is preparing to reopen Steel Curtain, the parks tallest roller coaster.

Steel Curtain was closed for the entirety of the parks 2024 season in order for modifications to improve its stability and longevity, including support columns and structural improvements.

And according to Axios, the ride will finally be back in operation, starting at 11 a.m. on May 24.

At 220 feet, the Steel Curtain is the tallest in Pennsylvania, edging out Hersheyparks Candymonium by about ten feet.

It also boasts the worlds tallest inversion at 197 feet, and the most inversions of any coaster in North America with a total of nine.

The West Mifflin amusement park partnered with the nearby Pittsburgh Steelers for the unveiling of the Steel Curtain in 2019, and several of the teams players were among the first to ride it.

According to the Captain Coaster website, roller coaster enthusiasts ranked Steel Curtain as Pennsylvanias eighth best coaster.

And considering Pennsylvania has some of the best roller coasters in the country - and more than any other state, according to fans - that means its pretty darn good.

For more details on Kennywoods season and hours, click here.
An alligator killed a Florida woman who was canoeing with her husband. AL.com/Joe Songer

An alligator attacked and killed a woman who was canoeing with her husband on a central Florida lake Tuesday afternoon after her spouse tried to fight off the predator but was unsuccessful.

According to officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the incident took place near the mouth of Tiger Creek at Lake Kissimmee, south of Orlando.
Pope Leo XIV appears on the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica after being chosen the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) AP

VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Leo XIV, the American Robert Prevost, said Peace be with you in his first words as pope, offering a message of peace and dialogue without fear.

From the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, historys first American pope recalled he was an Augustinian priest, but that he was above all a Christian above all and a bishop, So we can all walk together.

He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

Prevost, a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vaticans powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

Prevost, a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order, took the name Leo XIV. He appeared on the loggia of St. Peters Basilica wearing the traditional red cape of the papacy  a cape that Pope Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013.

Prevost had been a leading candidate except for his nationality. There had long been a taboo against a U.S. pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere. But Prevost, a Chicago native, was seemingly eligible also because hes a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Francis clearly had his eye on Prevost and in many ways saw him as his heir apparent. He brought Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. As a result, Prevost had a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals have.

The crowd in St. Peters Square erupted in cheers, priests made the sign of the cross and nuns wept as the crowd shouted Viva il papa! after the white smoke wafted into the late afternoon sky at 6:07 p.m. Waving flags from around the world, tens of thousands of people waited to learn who had won.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Heather Kattouf Jackson and Theodore Kattouf, with a high school photo of their slain son, Paul, outside Dauphin County Courthouse. The parents are seeking police records from the investigation into Paul's June 2024 shooting death. Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo decided not to bring charges in the case. Charles Thompson

Were not going to just let this go.

Thats the message the family of a Harrisburg man killed last June at the end of an apparent road-rage incident sent Thursday, after asking a Dauphin County judge to open the books on the investigation.
Pa. Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman has said he won't resign amid swirling questions about his mental health stability raised in a recent New York Magazine article. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) AP

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman is punching back against an article that raised doubts about his mental stability, and vowing to remain in office as the Republican junior senator from Pennsylvania, Dave McCormick, jumps in to defend him.

Fettermans office has not responded to PennLive amid the controversy, but the Democrat told CNN that he was following his treatment protocol for depression and criticized the New York Magazine story that exposed concerns current and former staffers have about his health and ability to serve.
Former Republican state Rep. Matthew Dowling has opened the non-alcoholic Zero Proof Lounge in Fayette County. Matthew Dowling

Former state House member Matthew Dowlings struggles with alcohol forced him from office, but he is now offering a dry alternative to the typical bar scene in his southwestern Pennsylvania hometown.

Earlier this month, Dowling unveiled the ZERO Proof Lounge in Uniontown, Fayette County, to give those in recovery, such as himself, and anyone wanting to avoid alcohol a sober environment in which to socialize.
Three Mile Island nuclear generating station as seen in 2017, with Unit 2'a cooling towers on the left, and Unit 1'a cooling towers, right in Londonderry Township, Dauphin County. The partial meltdown of Three Mile Island's Unit 2 nuclear reactor on March 28, 1979, still stands as America's most serious accident at a commercial nuclear power plant. May 22, 2017. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com HAR HAR
WILLIAMSPORTA Montour County man who admitted making threats against the FBI has received a time-served sentence of approximately 14 months.

Thomas Green, 33, whose last address was Danville, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. Middle District Court to a charge of influencing a federal official by threat.

He admitted between Aug. 18, 2022, and four days prior to his March 28, 2024, arrest making calls to multiple FBI field offices.
WILLIAMSPORT  The mayor of Williamsport has suggested two City Council members should consider resigning over their support of a recently convicted former city administrator.

Mayor Derek Slaughter targeted Councilman Eric Beiter and Councilwoman Bonnie Katz for comments they made following Mondays sentencing of William E. Nichols Jr.

Nichols pleaded guilty in Dauphin County court to felony charges of theft by deception and tampering with public records and was placed on probation for a year.
A screenshot of an online fundraiser on the Christian fundraising platform, GiveSendGo, is seen on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Terry Tang) AP

A video showing a Minnesota woman at a playground last week openly admitting to using a racist slur against a Black child has garnered millions of views. Maybe equally viral has been a crowdfunding effort that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help the woman now relocate her family.

In the video, a man in Rochester, a city roughly 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of Minneapolis, confronts the woman for calling a 5-year-old boy the N-word. The woman appears to double-down on the racist term and flips off the man confronting her with both of her middle fingers.

The woman, who could not be reached for comment, has since amassed over $700,000 through Christian fundraising platform GiveSendGo for relocation expenses because of threats she received over the video. The fundraising page said she used the word out of frustration because the boy went through her 18-month-old childs diaper bag. The Associated Press has not verified this assertion.

I called the kid out for what he was, she wrote, adding that the online videos have caused my family, and myself, great turmoil.

The flurry of monetary contributions has reignited multiple debates, from whether racist language and attacks are becoming more permissible to the differences between cancel culture and consequence culture. Many want to see the woman face some sort of comeuppance for using a slur, especially toward a child. Others say despite her words, she does not deserve to be harassed.

The NAACP Rochester chapter started its own fundraising campaign for the childs family. The GoFundMe page had raised $340,000 when it was closed Saturday per the wishes of the family, who want privacy, said the civil rights organization. It was speaking on behalf of the family of the child, who the organization said was on the autism spectrum.

This was not simply offensive behaviorit was an intentional racist, threatening, hateful and verbal attack against a child, and it must be treated as such, the NAACP Rochester chapter said in a statement.

The Rochester Police Department investigated and submitted findings to the Rochester City Attorneys Office for consideration of a charging decision, spokesperson Amanda Grayson said in a statement Monday.

GiveSendGo did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

Some say defending the woman defends racism

The donations did and did not surprise Dr. Henry Taylor, director for the Center of Urban Studies at the University at Buffalo.

But shifts in the political and cultural climate have emboldened some people to express racist and bigoted views against people of color or those they consider outsiders. A more recent backlash, from the White House to corporate boardrooms, against diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives have amplified those feelings.

The racism hovering beneath the surface comes from blame, Taylor said. People are given someone to hate and someone to blame for all of the problems and challenges that they are facing themselves, Taylor said.

The volume of monetary contributions in the Rochester case is reminiscent of the surge of support for individuals like Kyle Rittenhouse, Daniel Penny and George Zimmerman. Rittenhouse, Penny and Zimmerman were cleared of wrongdoing or legally found to have acted in self-defense or in defense of others  Penny and Zimmerman after the death of a Black victim and Rittenhouse after fatally shooting two white protesters at a racial justice demonstration against police.

Backlash against cancel culture persists

In the womans case, a contingent of supporters just want to fight cancel culture, said Franciska Coleman, an assistant professor of law at University of Wisconsin Law School, who has written about cancel culture and social regulation of speech. For some it can include donating to everyone who they in quotes try to cancel.

Some people are focused on how it just seems too much that this mother of two young kids is getting death threats and rape threats, Coleman said.

Conservative commentators have gone online to applaud her for not capitulating to angry internet mobs while acknowledging she used a hateful word. No ones excusing it. But she didnt deserve to be treated like a domestic terrorist, conservative podcast host Matt Walsh said in a Facebook post.

Some fight over justifications and consequences

Theres an important distinction, Coleman said, between cancel culture and consequence culture. The latter is about holding people accountable for actions and words that cause injury such as with this poor child.

That is what many people want to see in this Rochester womans case. Because a formal system of punishment may not impose consequences for the womans racist behavior, we have to do it informally, Colman said.

She and Taylor agree that, in conventional societal thinking, using racist slurs against someone who has frustrated or even provoked you is never acceptable. Those who think otherwise, even now, are seen as being on the fringes.

But donors on the womans GiveSendGo page unabashedly used racist language against the boy, prompting the site to turn off the comments section. Others excused her behavior as acting out of aggravation. There are communities where the racial slur is only unacceptable in racially mixed company, Coleman said.

Social media websites and crowdfunding platforms have helped people around the world speak with each other and with their wallets. Its intensified by the anonymity these platforms allow.

Feeling that no one will know who you are enables you to act on your feelings, on your beliefs in an aggressive and even mean-spirited way that you might not do if you were exposed, Taylor said.
Anne Clark, CEO, Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, speaks. The Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools hosted a National School Choice rally at the state Capitol. January 23, 2024. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

By Matthew J. Brouillette

Lost in the news of the historic school choice win in Texas and the U.S. Supreme Court case surrounding a religious charter school in Oklahoma was a surprising display of support among Democrats and unions for taxpayer funding of private education in Pennsylvania.
Eli Lilly is selling their popular weight-loss drug Zepbound directly to consumers through their pharmacy platform to expand access to the drug for patients without insurance. Canva

By Trish Reilly

According to recent reporting, Gov. Josh Shapiro is considering cutting off access to the weight loss drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy to all Medicaid recipients in the state who are not dangerously obese. He is doing this in part by raising the BMI, or body mass index, required for Pennsylvanians on Medicaid to qualify for these treatments.
FILE - Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., talks to reporters outside the chamber during a vote at the Capitol in Washington, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) AP

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was meeting last week with representatives from a teachers union in his home state when things quickly devolved.

Before long, Fetterman began repeating himself, shouting and questioning why everybody is mad at me, why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do and slamming his hands on a desk, according to one person who was briefed on what occurred.

As the meeting deteriorated, a staff member moved to end it and ushered the visitors into the hallway, where she broke down crying. The staffer was comforted by the teachers who were themselves rattled by Fettermans behavior, according to a second person who was briefed separately on the meeting.

The interaction at Fettermans Washington office, described to The Associated Press by the two people who spoke about it on the condition of anonymity, came the day before New York Magazine published a story in which former staff and political advisers to Fetterman aired concerns about the senators mental health.

That story included a 2024 letter, also obtained by the AP, in which Fettermans one-time chief of staff Adam Jentleson told a neuropsychiatrist who had treated Fetterman for depression that the senator appeared to be off his recovery plan and was exhibiting alarming behavior, including a tendency toward long, rambling, repetitive and self-centered monologues.

Asked about the meeting with teachers union representatives, Fetterman said in a statement through his office that they had a spirited conversation about our collective frustration with the Trump administrations cuts to our education system. He also said he will always support our teachers, and I will always reject anyones attempt to turn Pennsylvanias public schools into a voucher program.

Fetterman earlier this week brushed off the New York Magazine story as a one-source hit piece and some anonymous sources, so theres nothing new. Asked by a reporter in a Senate corridor what he would say to people who are concerned about him, Fetterman said: Theyre not. Theyre actually not concerned. Its a hit piece. Theres no news.

Reached by telephone, Aaron Chapin, the president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association who was in the meeting with Fetterman, said he didnt want to discuss what was a private conversation.

FILE - Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., speaks ahead of Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz during a campaign event in York, Pa, Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) AP

Surviving a stroke, battling depression

The teachers union encounter adds to the questions being raised about Fettermans mental health and behavior barely three years after a he survived a stroke on the 2022 campaign trail that he said almost killed him. That was followed by a bout with depression that landed him in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for six weeks, barely a month after he was sworn into the Senate.

The scrutiny also comes a time when Fetterman, now serving third year of his term, is being criticized by many rank-and-file Democrats in his home state for being willing to cooperate with President Donald Trump, amid Democrats growing alarm over Trumps actions and agenda.

Fetterman  who has been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, in which the heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged, and auditory processing disorder, a complication from the stroke  has talked openly about his struggle with depression and urged people to get help.

In November, he told podcast host Joe Rogan that he had recovered and fended off thoughts of harming himself.

I was at the point where I was really, you know, in a very dark place. And I stayed in that game and I am staying in front of you right now and having this conversation, Fetterman said.

But some who have worked closely with Fetterman question whether his recovery is complete.

In the 2024 letter to Dr. David Williamson, Jentleson warned that Fetterman was not seeing his doctors, had pushed out the people who were supposed to help him stay on his recovery plan and might not be taking his prescribed medications. Jentleson also said Fetterman had been driving recklessly and exhibiting paranoia, isolating him from colleagues.

Overall, over the last nine months or so, John has dismantled the early-warning system we all agreed upon when he was released, Jentleson wrote. He has picked fights with each person involved in that system and used those fights as excuses to push them out and cut them off from any knowledge about his health situation.

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where Williamson works, declined to make him available for an interview, citing privacy and confidentiality laws protecting patient medical information.

A lone wolf in the Senate

Fetterman has long been a wild card in the political realm, forging a career largely on his own, independently from the Democratic Party.

As a small-town mayor in Braddock, the plainspoken Fetterman became a minor celebrity for his bare-knuckled progressive politics, his looks  hes 6-foot-8 and tattooed with a shaved head  and his unconventional efforts to put the depressed former steel town back on the map.

He endorsed the insurgent Democrat Bernie Sanders in 2016s presidential primary and ran from the left against the party-backed Democrat in 2016s Senate primary. In 2020, when he was lieutenant governor, he became a top surrogate on cable TV news shows for Joe Bidens presidential bid and gathered a national political following that made him a strong small-dollar fundraiser.

Elected to the Senate in 2022, he has made waves with his casual dress  hoodies and gym shorts  at work and at formal events and his willingness to chastise other Democrats.

Fetterman returned to the Senate after his hospitalization in 2023 a much more outgoing lawmaker, frequently joking with his fellow senators and engaging with reporters in the hallways with the assistance of an iPad or iPhone that transcribes conversations in real time.

FILE - Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., speaks to a reporter near the Senate chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File) AP

Yet two years later, Fetterman is still something of a loner in the Senate.

He has separated himself from many of his fellow Democrats on Israel policy and argued at times that his party needs to work with, not against, Trump. He met with Trump and Trumps nominees  and voted for some  when other Democrats wouldnt.

He has stood firmly with Democrats in other cases and criticized Trump on some issues, such as trade and food aid.

One particularly head-scratching video of Fetterman emerged earlier this year in which he was on a flight to Pittsburgh apparently arguing with a pilot over his seatbelt.

Despite fallout with progressives over his staunch support of Israel in its war in Gaza, Fetterman was still an in-demand personality last year to campaign in the battleground state of Pennsylvania for Biden and, after Biden dropped his reelection bid, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Since Trump won Novembers election  and Pennsylvania  things have changed. Many one-time supporters have turned on Fetterman over his softer approach to Trump and his willingness to criticize fellow Democrats for raising alarm bells.

It nevertheless brought Fetterman plaudits.

Bill Maher, host of the political talk show Real Time with Bill Maher, suggested that Fetterman should run for president in 2028. Conservatives  who had long made Fetterman a target for his progressive politics  have sprung to Fettermans defense.

Still, Democrats in Pennsylvania say they are hearing from people worried about him.

People are concerned about his health, said Sharif Street, the states Democratic Party chairman. They want to make sure hes OK. People care about him. Theres a lot of love for him out there.
There are both positive developments and a few problems for the digital infrastructure company Equinix in Malaysia, according to recent headlines.

Equinix has completed the second phase of its KL1 International Business Exchange (IBX) data centre in Cyberjaya, Selangor. The latest expansion adds 450 cabinets to the KL1 facility, bringing its total capacity to 900 cabinets once operational, with a power load of 2.4 megavolt-amperes (MVA).

The Edge Malaysia news service says Equinix has invested approximately US$100 million in the KL1 IBX facility. It also acquired a 14,300-square-metre plot of land in Kuala Lumpur for RM23 million (US$5.5 million) in July 2024, where it plans to build a second facility, to be called KL2. Once operational, the expected combined power capacity of both KL1 and KL2 is projected to reach 4.8 megawatts.

The new facility will add to Equinixs existing Johor Bahru data centre JH1 which, as we reported at the time, opened in May 2024.

The company says Malaysian facilities are directly linked to its data centre campus in Singapore through Equinix Fabric, an on-demand software-defined interconnection platform that allows enterprises to integrate infrastructure across borders.

The network is said to support a digital ecosystem of over 1,000 companies, enabling seamless cross-border connectivity.

Equinix is also reportedly planning further expansion across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

However, Reuters reports that the Equinix Malaysia unit is looking at various providers of alternative energy as it expects an impending increase in domestic electricity tariffs to raise its costs. Malaysia's government has announced plans to increase electricity tariffs by 14.2% in July.

Various renewable energy service providers are apparently being looked into, though which renewable sources night be used  and when  have not been specified.
Two things -- rustlings on the hustings for Campaign `28, and the pains of the state budget process -- could cost Gov. Shapiro ground in early positioning for a White House run.

While other potential Democratic candidates are out and about, in the news, pushing themselves, Shapiros facing (at least) two months trapped in the hamster wheel of passing a Pennsylvania budget.
Bangladeshi telco Robi Axiata announced on Wednesday it has signed a tripartite MoU with two green-energy firms to establish a 100 megawatt-peak (MWp) solar-power park to power its operations in Bangladesh.

Under the MoU, Robi Axiata, renewable energy project developer FloSolar Solutions, and GreenPower Asia (a subsidiary of France's Volta Groupe) will form a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop and operate the solar park.

The park will be developed under a build-own-operate (BOO) model, under which Robi Axiata will be the sole customer of the park via a long-term corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA).

Robi Axiata CTO Perihane Metaweh said the solar park was a game changer for the telcos sustainability strategy that would enable it to reduce its dioxide emissions by arround 68,200 tonnes per year.

By securing 100 MWp of renewable energy through a CPPA, we are not only reducing our reliance on fossil fuels but also driving cost efficiency and ESG leadership in Bangladesh's telecom sector, she said in a statement.

Robi said its still looking for a site for the solar park, but several potential sites have been identified. The final site will be selected following a detailed feasibility study.

Robi also said the SPV will conduct a separate feasibility study to explore the possibility for equipping as many as 16,000 of its mobile base stations with solar energy. The telco has been adding solar to select base stations since at least 2022.

According to the Daily Star, Robi, FloSolar and GreenPower Asia are taking advantage of the Bangladesh government's recent draft policy that allows private entities to develop and sell power without long-term government off-take agreements.
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.
Internet connection is a must-have for business travelers in Bali. It helps to ensure that they stay productive and well connected during their conferences, client meetings, or any other remote work. And thats where Holafly eSIM comes in.

This eSIM transforms the way business travelers connect and communicate from the moment they land in Bali. Its more efficient and has minimal challenges than the traditional physical SIM cards or the public free wi-fi.

For instance, as long as you use the Holafly eSIM, you can be sure that your business data is safe from malicious attacks. Thats not the case with public free wi-fi, where security is always an issue. Whats more, the Holafly eSIM promises reliable and stable internet connection throughout Bali.

Lets learn more about how Holafly eSIM can streamline your business travel below.

The rise of eSIM technology in business travel

eSIM technology is expected to grow at an annual rate of about 7.9% from 2023 to 2030. And a significant contributor to that growth rate is business travelers. Why? Well, the eSIM technology offers unprecedented convenience, flexibility, and efficiency for professionals on the move.

Whats more, it addresses the challenges that business travelers face when using traditional physical SIM cards. For one, it eliminates the need for swapping SIM cards when crossing borders. At the same time, it provides instant connectivity upon arrival at any destination.

So, for those business travelers who operate on tight schedules and cannot afford connectivity hiccups, the eSIM technology comes in handy. It helps them to avoid the hassle of locating local SIM vendors, waiting for SIM cards in long lines, navigating language barriers, and dealing with high roaming fees.

Therefore, the eSIM technology is quickly becoming the go-to solution to business travelers who value time, efficiency, and global mobility. It is an essential toolkit for business travels.

Advantages of Holafly eSIM for Bali-bound executives

As mentioned earlier, an eSIM is a must-have tool for business travelers. And the best you can choose is the Holafly eSIM Card for Bali. This eSIM ensures that Bali-bound executives can enjoy several benefits, including the following:

It ensures instant connectivity

Holafly eSIM delivers a smooth and stress-free travel experience tailored for Bali-bound professionals. This is because as long as you install your eSIM before departure, youll get connected the moment you land in Bali.

What does that mean for you? Well, it means no SIM card swaps, no airport queues, and no searching for free public wi-fi. Just an instant internet connection.

It provides unlimited data plans

Holafly provides its eSIM users with unlimited data plans. That means that business executives in Bali can now hold video conferences and client meetings without limits or interruptions. So, your data will not run out mid-meetings.

In addition, Holafly offers an option where business travelers can choose their data plans according to the planned duration of their trip. This means that you can pay for the amount of data youll require during the course of your trip. Therefore, no worries about internet access interruption.

It ensures reliable network coverage across Bali

Holafly partners with Telkomsel, which is the largest network provider in Indonesia. This indicates that you can enjoy stable and high-speed connections as you meet clients or attend retreats across Bali.

Setting up Holafly eSIM: a step-by-step guide

Almost every aspect of Holafly eSIM aims to ensure international business efficiency. And that includes the setup process. Holafly eSIM has a very straightforward installation and activation process. It includes the following steps:

Visit Holaflys eSIM for Bali web page. Then, choose a plan that fits your trip length and data needs and make payment.

After paying, Holafly will send you an email with a QR Code for activation. This code will link directly to your purchased Holafly eSIM profile.

Then, open the camera of your phone to scan the QR code from a secondary device. Also, you can go to the settings of your smartphone, then mobile data, and choose add data plan to scan the QR code from there. Apart from QR code scanning, you can also enter the code details from your email manually. This step facilitates Holafly eSIM installation.

After scanning the QR code or installing it manually, the installation process will begin automatically.

Once installed, you can rename the eSIM to Holafly Bali for easy identification.

The next step is activation. And for it to take place, you must have arrived at your travel destination. Then go to the settings of your smartphone and choose mobile data.

Once done, go to the Holafly option, then scroll down till you find data roaming and enable it. This step allows internet access to take place.

Cost efficiency and flexibility

Holafly eSIM delivers both cost efficiency and flexibility, which are very essential for business travelers. It reduces the cost of business travels by eliminating expensive international roaming charges, which can save you up to 70% of data cost. The cost efficiency ensures that you can predict how much youll spend for connectivity.

Also, Holafly is transparent with its pricing. It offers fixed-rate data plans. That facilitates better budget planning. At the same time, it prevents surprise inflated connectivity bills, which is common with the pay-as-you go roaming model.

Another incredible thing about Holafly is that Holafly offers you the flexibility to switch between multiple networks or data plans without physically changing SIM cards. This flexibility enables you to always have access to the best available coverage and rates in Bali.

Seamless connectivity in Balis business hubs

Connectivity is a must-have, especially if you are operating in Balis business hubs, such as Denpasar, Seminyak, or Ubud. The good thing is that Holafly is here for you. It promises uninterrupted 4G and 5G coverage through partnerships with the largest network provider in Indonesia, that is Telkomsel.

That partnership ensures that business executives can enjoy strong signals in Balis business hubs. And that facilitates dependable connectivity. This means you can respond to emails instantly, join Zoom calls without buffering, and access your cloud-based files from anywhere.

All in all Holafly promises seamless connectivity in Bali. So you can enjoy uninterrupted productivity wherever your business takes you on the island.
Aiken Standard reporter

Matthew Christian is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. He covers the Savannah River Site, city of Aiken, politics and public safety and courts.

Matthew previously covered government and politics for the Morning News in Florence. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the University of Charleston in West Virginia.

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Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. Hot. High 92F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph..

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Mainly clear. Low 72F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
Tiffany Tan is a senior reporter at The Post and Courier in Columbia. She covers statewide issues, particularly in the criminal justice system. She previously reported on the courts, the opioid epidemic and regional news in Vermont for VTDigger. She has also worked for newspapers and television outlets in Manila, Beijing, Singapore and South Dakota.
Charleston, SC (29403)

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Tropical storm conditions possible. Windy with rain showers. High near 85F. Winds NE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

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Tropical storm conditions possible. Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 74F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Growth & Development Reporter

Caleb Bozard covers business, growth and development for The Post and Courier Columbia. He has previously written for The State and the Times and Democrat. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2023.
Diversity Council Australia (DCA) is inviting expressions of interest (EOIs) for the 2025-2026 Inclusive Employer Index, offering organisations the chance to be recognised for their commitment to workplace inclusion.

EOIs close Monday 1 September 2025.

Run in partnership with Diversity Atlas, the Inclusive Employer Index is Australias only inclusion index run by an independent peak body that enables organisations to measure, benchmark, and report on workplace inclusion across nine diversity dimensions.

The Inclusive Employer Index provides participants with a ready-to-use survey designed to collect valuable data about their workforce. The survey is comprehensive, anonymous and saves time by eliminating the need to design your own. It prioritises privacy and data safety, while also helping employers meet WGEA certifications, including questions aligned with its Employer of Choice for Gender Equality and Employer Committed to Gender Equality requirements.

Employers who exceed the national benchmarks will earn the title of being a DCA 2025-2026 Inclusive Employer  a mark of excellence publicly promoted by DCA. Recognised organisations can proudly showcase the Inclusive Employer logo, demonstrating their commitment to inclusion to employees, partners, and the wider community.

Building an inclusive workplace is not just a nice-to-have  its key to attracting and retaining talent and is strongly linked to business success, said DCA CEO Catherine Hunter.

The Inclusive Employer Index is a powerful diagnostic tool that helps organisations understand their strengths, pinpoint areas for improvement, and track progress over time. Its a chance to demonstrate leadership and a genuine commitment to creating welcoming and inclusive workplaces where everyone feels valued and respected.

Whats in it for your organisation?

Gain insights into your employees real experiences of inclusion and exclusion

access an interactive dashboard to explore and benchmark your workforce data

comprehensive benchmarking against national data, DCA members, and your specific industry (where available)

support resources including webinars, communication templates and resources

support D&I-related reporting and strategic planning.

In 20242025, over 60 organisations were recognised, spanning from health and wellness, retail, and transport to major media organisations, law firms and charities.

With inclusion proven to be key to performance, innovation, wellbeing and talent retention, participating in the Inclusive Employer Index isnt just a signal of good intentions, its a strategic investment.

Expressions of interest are open now and will close on Monday 1 September 2025.

Register your interest to participate in the 20252026 Inclusive Employer Index.

For us it demonstrates that our Road to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion framework is driving us towards our commitment of creating a safe workplace that recognises and encourages our diverse skills and perspectives and a culture of respect and belonging. John Erceg, Managing Director, Main Roads Western Australia

Achieving Inclusive Employer status in 2024-25 highlights the positive steps weve already taken and reinforces our ongoing commitment to building and nurturing a culture of inclusion, diversity and belonging at Container Exchange. Natalie Roach, CEO, Container Exchange (QLD) Limited

The Inclusive Employer Index Survey provides us with clarity around where we are doing well, and where we can continue to grow as we strive to be the best place to work and provide leadership across the WA public sector. Jodi Cant, Director General, Department of Finance, Government of Western Australia

This achievement reflects the heart of our cultureone that values and celebrates diversity in all its forms. Recently, over 600 of our team members shared their experiences through the DCA survey, and the results highlight just how diverse we truly are. Our team represents 64 cultural backgrounds, speaks 60 different languages, and comes from 46 countries. This diversity is not only something we celebrate, but it strengthens us, enabling us to provide care thats culturally sensitive and services that are respectful and inclusive Chris Stewart, CEO, Helping Hand

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

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A steady, heavy rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 84F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

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Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 71F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
Editor

Ralph Mancini is an award-winning editor whos been employed by the Post and Courier since 2022. Previously, Mancini served in a variety of newspaper roles in New York City, Washington State and North Dakota.
Myrtle Beach, SC (29577)

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Tropical storm conditions possible. A steady rain this morning. Windy with showers continuing this afternoon. High near 80F. Winds ENE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

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Tropical storm conditions possible. Heavy rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers and a thunderstorm or two overnight. Low near 75F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
Spartanburg, SC (29301)

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Mostly sunny. Hot. High 91F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

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A few passing clouds. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
PR-Inside.com: 2025-05-08 18:01:33

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B&N Mining, LLC Expands Holdings in California With Acquisition of 1,225 Acres Across Key DistrictsRANDSBURG, CA / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / B&N Mining, LLC (B&N) has signed an agreement to acquire 1,225 acres of mineral properties across several prominent California mining districts. The acquisition includes 670 acres in the historically productive Rand Mining District, as well as holdings in the Cerro Gordo and Wild Rose Districts. Combined, these properties have a recorded historic gold production exceeding 270,000 ounces. B&N Property Purchase LocationsKey Highlights of the Acquisition:Little Butte Mining and Milling Company: 212 acres of patented claims in Kern and San Bernardino counties, including the Little Butte and Extension mines (20,000 oz. historic gold production), Monarch Rand, and Mizpah-Montana mines.Butte Lode Mining Company: 25 acres in the Rand Mining District, featuring the Butte Lode (127,500 oz.), Butte Wedge (20,300 oz.), and Consolidated (Good Hope) mines - central to B&N's exploration strategy.Shipsey Mining Company: 59 acres including the King Solomon mine near Johannesburg, which produced over 100,000 ounces of gold between 1896 and 1941.Carl Dresselhaus Trust Properties: 928 acres of patented and unpatented claims, including:392 acres in the Rand District (33,000 oz. historic gold production)102 acres in Cerro Gordo (district-wide production: 4.4 million oz. silver, 74 million lbs. lead, 24 million lbs. zinc)129 acres in the Wild Rose District (gold and antimony)304 acres in Kern County (Lake Isabella area)Several of these properties are adjacent to B&N's Kelly Southwest gold deposit, offering strategic synergies for near-term exploration and development.B&N will initiate due diligence with a targeted soil sampling program across a 5,000-foot mineralized corridor encompassing the King Solomon, Butte Lode, Little Butte, and Extension mines. This corridor mirrors the geologic features of the company's Kelly Southwest deposit.Geological mapping and sampling will continue across all newly acquired assets, with follow-up drilling considered based on early results. The Cerro Gordo and Wild Rose districts will also be assessed for their rich silver, gold, and antimony potential."These acquisitions represent a transformative opportunity for B&N," said Sam Shoemaker, Project Manager with the John T. Boyd Company. "The geological continuity with our Kelly Southwest project is highly compelling." Robert Binkele, Managing Member of B&N Mining, added, "We aim to revitalize these historic districts using modern techniques. With proven past production and today's tools, we see significant untapped potential across these properties." B&N Mining, LLC is advancing its exploration efforts amid high commodity prices and constrained global mineral supply. The company's investment opportunity is open exclusively to accredited investors. B&N Mining, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of B&N Mining, Inc.For more information, contact info@ bnmininginc.com , call 760-218-9333 or visit www.bnmininginc.com Contact InformationRobert BinkeleManagerinfo@ bnmininginc.com 760-218-9333SOURCE: B&N Mining, Inc.Related ImagesMineral Properties in the Rand Mining District
PR-Inside.com: 2025-05-08 02:21:25

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When fierce storms and hail tore through Middle Tennessee, homeowner Terra B. braced for a long, frustrating battle with her insurance company. What she didnt expect was for her contractor, Quality Exteriors, to become her strongest advocateand her biggest ally.Jaime Westenbarger was incredible, Terra recalled. He showed up when he said he would, talked directly with State Farmmore than onceand didnt let them brush off my damage. Because of his persistence, I got my entire roof and gutters replaced. NASHVILLE, TN / ACCESS Newswire / May 7, 2025 / When fierce storms and hail tore through Middle Tennessee, homeowner Terra B. braced for a long, frustrating battle with her insurance company. What she didn't expect was for her contractor, Quality Exteriors, to become her strongest advocate-and her biggest ally."Jaime Westenbarger was incredible," Terra recalled. "He showed up when he said he would, talked directly with State Farm-more than once-and didn't let them brush off my damage. Because of his persistence, I got my entire roof and gutters replaced." It's a story that resonates across Nashville, Franklin, and Chattanooga, where Quality Exteriors has quietly built a reputation for honest, fast, and affordable roofing solutions. From emergency roof repairs to complete replacements, their team is known for doing more than installing shingles-they stand by homeowners when it matters most.A Trusted Name for Nearly Two DecadesFounded in 2006 by two brothers and MTSU graduates, Quality Exteriors began with a simple mission: do the job right, no shortcuts. Since then, they've become a go-to name in Middle Tennessee roofing, thanks to an unwavering commitment to quality and customer service.Now headquartered in Murfreesboro with a strong presence throughout the region, they're one of the top GAF Master Elite Contractors in the nation-an elite status awarded to only 1% of roofing contractors nationwide. They're also a CertainTeed Shingle Master, which means customers can count on the highest standards in materials, workmanship, and warranties."Whether it's a major storm or regular wear and tear, we treat every roof like it's protecting our own home," said a company spokesperson. "We take pride in being responsive, budget-conscious, and trustworthy. That's how we've grown-one roof and one relationship at a time." When Speed and Honesty Matter MostFor longtime customer Antonio Montiel, that combination of responsiveness and integrity is why he's trusted Quality Exteriors with three different homes over the last 15 years."These guys are quick to respond to calls or texts when you need them most," Montiel said. "They tell you the truth. I highly recommend them for any roofing project." Whether it's a routine Nashville roof repair, an emergency Franklin storm damage fix, or a full-scale Chattanooga metal roofing installation, homeowners can expect speed, clarity, and craftsmanship from start to finish.Quality Exteriors' service lineup includes:Residential & Commercial RoofingStorm Damage RepairMetal Roofing & Asphalt ShinglesInsurance Claim AssistanceGAF & CertainTeed Certified InstallationsAnd with a team that handles communication directly with insurance adjusters-just like they did for Terra-the process stays simple and stress-free for homeowners already dealing with enough.About Quality Exteriors Founded in 2006, Quality Exteriors is a family-owned roofing and exterior renovation company serving Nashville, Franklin, Chattanooga, and greater Middle Tennessee. As a GAF Master Elite Contractor and CertainTeed Shingle Master, the company is recognized nationally for its excellence and trusted locally for its values. From storm damage to energy-efficient upgrades, Quality Exteriors delivers protection, performance, and peace of mind.Office Hours & Service Area Quality Exteriors is centrally located at 1616 West End Ave, Ste. 1701, Nashville, TN 37203. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, and Saturday, Sunday they are closed.For more information or to schedule a free inspection and no-obligation quote, call Smart Choice Roofing at (615) 956-2112 or visit the website to gain more information https://qualityexteriors.com/ Media Contact: Max CollettContractor Independence LLC(806) 808-0330SOURCE: Quality Exteriors
PR-Inside.com: 2025-05-08 08:00:16

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THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE UK VERSION OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION NO 596/2014 WHICH IS PART OF ENGLISH LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED. ON PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.LONDON, UK / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 /IntroductionHemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plc (LSE:HEMO) is pleased to announce that it has raised gross proceeds of 451,250 (before expenses) via an allotment to Vladislav Sandler of 250,000 new ordinary shares of 0.01 each ("New Ordinary Shares") at an issue price of 180.5p (being the bid price as at close of business on 7 May 2025) (the "Issue Price").The net proceeds of this fundraise will be dedicated to the continuation of the Phase I clinical trials for the Company's Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy ("HG-CT-1"), aimed at treating relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia in adults ("R/R AML"). As shareholders will be aware, the first two patients have now been infused with HG-CT-1.Issuance of the New Ordinary SharesThe Company is currently unable to issue and admit the New Ordinary Shares without either the publication of an FCA approved prospectus or relying upon an exemption to the requirement to issue a prospectus.Consequentially, this fundraise involves the acceptance by Vladislav Sandler, CEO and director of the Company to subscribe for the New Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price pursuant to the employee offer exemption under Article 1(4)(i) and 1(5) (h) of the UK Prospectus Regulation.Following allotment of the New Ordinary Shares, Vladislav Sandler has agreed to direct their issue to an institution, who will immediately sell these New Ordinary Shares at the same Issue Price to a purchaser identified by it (the "Purchaser").WarrantsConcurrent with the purchase of the New Ordinary Shares, the Purchaser will receive warrants from the Company on a one-for-one basis. These warrants will be exercisable for a period of 36 months at an exercise price of 270 pence ("Exercise Price"), subject to adjustment in certain circumstances as set out in the warrant instrument including a reset of the Exercise Price if the Company completes a share issuance (or other transaction granting rights to subscribe for equity securities) during the Exercise Period at a price lower than the Exercise Price.Total Voting RightsApplication will be made for the 250,000 New Ordinary Shares, which will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares of the Company, to be admitted to the FCA official list and to trading on the equity shares (transition) category of the Official List maintained by the FCA and to trading on the main market for listed securities of the LSE, which is expected to occur on or around 8.00 a.m. on 14 May 2025 ("Admission").Upon Admission, the total number of issued shares and the total number of voting rights in the Company will be 4,343,539.The above figure of 4,343,539 should be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.The Company will keep the market informed of future developments as trials proceed.Dr Vladislav Sandler, CEO & Co-Founder of Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals, commented: "We are pleased to have secured this funding from a single, committed investor on terms that reflect confidence in the long-term value of Hemogenyx. The fact that the raise was completed at the market price, with no discount, sends a clear signal: this investor sees meaningful upside in our share price as we advance HG-CT-1 through clinical development. Their support allows us to maintain momentum in our Phase I trial without diluting value unnecessarily." UK Market Abuse Regulation (UK MAR) DisclosureCertain information contained in this announcement would have been inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation No 596/2014 (as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018) until the release of this announcement. The person responsible for arranging for the release of this announcement on behalf of Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plc is Dr Vladislav Sandler, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder.Director's Dealing Notification1.Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associateda)NameVladislav Sandler2.Reason for the Notificationa)Position/statusPDMRb)Initial notification / AmendmentInitial notification3.Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitora)NameHemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plcb)LEI2138008L93GYU5GN61794.Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducteda)Description of the Financial instrument, type of instrumentOrdinary Shares of 0.01Identification CodeGB00BQVXM815b)Nature of the transactionOff Market Allotmentc)Price(s) and volume(s)Price(s)Volume(s)180.5 pence per Ordinary Share250,000 Ordinary Sharesd)Aggregated information:Aggregated volumePrice250,000 Ordinary Shares180.5 pence per Ordinary Sharee)Date of the transaction7 May 2025f)Place of the transactionLondonEnquiries:Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plcDr Vladislav Sandler, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founderheadquarters@ hemogenyx.com Peter Redmond, DirectorSP Angel Corporate Finance LLPTel: +44 (0)20 3470 0470Matthew Johnson, Vadim Alexandre, Adam CowlPeterhouse Capital LimitedTel: +44 (0)20 7469 0930Lucy Williams, Duncan Vasey, Charles GoodfellowAbout Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plcHemogenyx Pharmaceuticals is a publicly traded company (LSE:HEMO) headquartered in London, with its US operating subsidiaries, Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals LLC and Immugenyx LLC, located in New York City at its state-of-the-art research facility.The Company is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical group developing new medicines and treatments to treat blood and autoimmune diseases. Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals is developing several distinct and complementary product candidates, as well as platform technologies that it uses as engines for novel product development.This information is provided b
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COLUMBIA, SC / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / South Carolina's legal system is undergoing significant discussion and potential change, particularly concerning personal injury claims and liability laws. Legislative proposals like S.244 and H.3497 have spurred considerable debate across the state, touching on complex issues like how fault is shared and the rising costs of business liability insurance.Image source:Shutterstock Amidst these evolving legal dynamics, The Jeffcoat Law Firm has established itself as a steadfast advocate for individuals impacted by these laws. With deep roots in South Carolina, the firm actively shapes a legal environment that prioritizes fairness for citizens.This article explores the firm's dedicated role and perspective within this critical landscape, drawing on decades of experience advocating for injured South Carolinians. Recent reports highlight the financial pressures on certain sectors. For instance, liquor liability insurers in the state have paid out approximately $1.77 for every $1 premium since 2017, adding urgency to the reform discussions.The Genesis of Advocacy: Michael Jeffcoat's Journey to Championing the IndividualMichael Jeffcoat's connection to the Columbia area runs deep, with family roots extending back before the Revolutionary War. Growing up in a household committed to public service significantly shaped his values and aspirations from a young age. This foundational influence led him to decide on a legal career as early as the fourth grade, viewing law as a direct path to aiding others. He pursued this ambition diligently, earning a B.A. in Political Economy and Philosophy from Wofford College in 1994.Roots in Service and a Calling to LawFollowing his undergraduate studies, he immediately enrolled at the University of South Carolina School of Law, further cementing his dedication to the legal profession. During his time there, he gained practical experience through clerkships at the U.S. Attorney's Offices in Columbia and Seattle and the South Carolina Attorney General's Office, ultimately receiving his Juris Doctor in 1997.From Corporate Defense to Fighting for PlaintiffsInitially launching his career at a large corporate law firm in Columbia, Michael Jeffcoat primarily handled environmental regulatory matters, defending companies. However, representing large entities didn't align with his core motivations. "When I went to law school, I didn't know...I wanted to be a lawyer for injured people, but the more I saw...in the early years of practicing law...the more it became clear to me that I needed to be a plaintiff's lawyer," Jeffcoat recalls.This conviction marked a turning point in his professional journey. He found that representing individuals against powerful organizations resonated more deeply with his inherent sense of justice. It became clear that his passion lay in championing the rights of ordinary people, and this realization led him to take a bold step.In 1999,Michael Jeffcoat started Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers , initially as a solo practitioner, building the plaintiff-focused practice he envisioned. The firm grew steadily over the years, adding dedicated lawyers and expanding its reach, fueled by a consistent commitment to client well-being and achieving substantial results for those it represents.Navigating South Carolina's Shifting Legal Landscape: The Fight for Fair Liability LawsUnderstanding the Current Tort Reform DebateThe South Carolina Legislature has recently been the focus of intense debate surrounding tort reform, particularly concerning liability laws. Key legislative proposals, such asSenate Bill S.244 and House Bill H.3497 , aim to modify how fault and damages are assigned in civil lawsuits. These are known legally as "joint and several liability." Much of the discussion centers on the rising costs of liquor liability insurance and its impact on bars and restaurants, some of which face potential closure. Business groups and insurers advocate for changes, arguing that the current system unfairly burdens businesses and sometimes holds them fully responsible, even if only partially at fault.Conversely, victims' advocates and trial lawyers express concern that these reforms might make it harder for injured individuals to receive full compensation, potentially shielding negligent parties. This complex debate reflects a fundamental tension between protecting businesses and ensuring adequate recourse for those harmed by negligence. The tension is underscored by the fact that nearly half of the state's 170-member legislature are lawyers themselves, influencing the dynamics of such debates.The Jeffcoat Firm's Perspective: Advocating for Accountability and Access to JusticeThe Jeffcoat Firm's core philosophy centers on "helping individual people who are up against powerful forces," a principle directly relevant to the ongoing tort reform discussions in South Carolina. Michael Jeffcoat's active leadership positions the firm firmly within the advocacy sphere. These include serving as a State Delegate to the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and being a longtime South Carolina Association for Justice (SCAJ) board member.These national and state organizations traditionally champion the rights of plaintiffs and work to preserve robust access to the justice system for injured individuals. Reflecting this alignment, the firm approaches proposed reforms with a focus on ensuring accountability for negligent actions and maintaining fair compensation avenues for victims.Advocates often voice concerns about the potential for certain reforms to inadvertently protect insurance companies or large corporations at the expense of individual citizens' rights. Michael Jeffcoat's motivation echoes this sentiment: "...I saw and learned...what big corporations and insurance companies do and how they behave," he recalls.This perspective underscores the firm's commitment to a legal system in which powerful entities are held accountable, and individuals have a fair chance to seek justice. This stance is particularly pertinent when considering reforms like S.244, which some critics labeled a potential "Trojan Horse" benefiting insurers.More Than Litigation: A Commitment to Clients and CommunityPutting Clients First: Empathy, Technology, and ResultsAt The Jeffcoat Firm, the guiding principle has always been to prioritize the needs of their clients above all else. Since its founding in 1999, the firm has dedicated itself to assisting individuals during challenging times, offering expertise across various practice areas. These include catastrophic car accidents, wrongful death claims, cases of nursing home neglect and abuse, motorcycle and truck accidents, dog bites
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Highlighted by a 23.39% Increase in Revenue to $7,278,536 - a New Quarterly Revenue Record, and the Completion of 4,230 Meters of Drilling at the Golden Chest MineCOEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc.(NYSE American:IDR) ("IDR", "Idaho Strategic" or the "Company") today announced its consolidated operating and financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2025. The Company's production-backed exploration business plan is in full effect in 2025, resulting in the highest quarterly revenue in Company history and a significant reinvestment of cash flow in drilling and other exploration activities. Operating and financial results for the first quarter include:OperationalPerformance:Q1 2025% ChangeQ1 2024Ore Tonnes Processed11,33710.01%10,300Average Flotation Feed Grade (gpt)8.67-15.91%10.31Ounces Produced2,900-6.93%3,116All-In Sustaining Cost Per Ounce ($USD)$1,430.9021.98%$1,173.10FinancialPerformance ($USD):Q1 2025% ChangeQ1 2024Revenue$7,278,53623.39%$5,898,938Total Cost of Sales$3,580,45016.98%$3,060,701Gross Profit$3,698,08630.30%$2,838,237Net Income Attributable to IDR$1,608,979-25.89%$2,171,109Earnings Per Share (EPS)$0.12-29.41%$0.17Average Realized Gold Price$2,848.7444.73%$1,968.28Idaho Strategic's President and CEO, John Swallow stated, "Continuing with our impressive results in 2024, we enjoyed year over year record quarterly revenue. And while we did show slightly lower grades at the mill and a modest decrease in ounces produced, more important is that our production-backed exploration business plan also allowed for a more than 5-fold increase in drilling investment during the quarter over the prior year. Together with our investment plans for the remainder of 2025 as outlined below, it is easy to see that our team is hitting on all cylinders and at the right time given the unprecedented level of investment/work planned for 2025.It is important to note that this will be the year that the benefits of full implementation of our production-backed exploration' business plan are felt across almost our entire asset base. During 2025 we are already executing our largest exploration program ever at the Golden Chest Mine; stepping out with additional exploration and first and second round drilling in the broader Murray Gold Belt; completing a phase 1 drill program at Eastern Star; constructing and commissioning our new Paste Backfill System; advancing the permitting and equipment purchasing for the Murray Mill onsite at the Golden Chest; completing a large scale radiometrics and soil sampling program at our Lemhi Pass project; flying radiometrics, magnetics, and lidar at our Mineral Hill project; all while continuing to execute on our current mine development and gold production.Reinvesting cash flow back into the business is a key part of our plan, however increased expenses are obviously reflected in our AISC and EPS when it comes to financial reporting. For instance, in the first quarter, we expensed $1,371,433 primarily related to exploration drilling at the Golden Chest Mine, in 2024 the comparable figure was $267,848. We also made the decision to incentivize our team with company-wide stock options intended to support long-term thinking and shareholder alignment, for which we recognized a non-cash expense of $495,146 during the quarter (the last option grant to our folks was in 2022). And finally, while not directly related to exploration or drilling, during this reporting period we decided to exchange a non-essential and troublesome piece of Sandvik mining equipment for a credit toward future mining parts from an OEM mine supplier. This decision resulted in a non-cash expense of $239,898, which is the net amount between the stated book value of the mining equipment and the value of the parts credit received. However, even after these increased investments/expenses/charges, the Company still reported in excess of $1.6m in net income for the quarter.It is/was the willingness to invest in this type of longer-term business approach that I believe sets Idaho Strategic apart from many others in our industry. In my opinion, the decisions we made along the way have enabled us to reinvest heavily in value-added exploration while further growing the potential for enhanced shareholder returns and the possibility to share in future success with our team members. The full implementation of our production-backed exploration business plan across our asset base is something that I consider a major milestone for the Company." Golden Chest Highlights for Q1 2025 Include:In the first quarter of 2025 ore tonnes processed at the New Jersey Mill increased by approximately 10.01% to 11,337 dry metric tonnes resulting in gold production of 2,900 ounces at an average flotation feed grade of 8.67 grams per tonne ("gpt").All-in sustaining cost per ounce of gold in the first quarter of 2025 was $1,430.90, which is an increase of approximately 21.98% over the first quarter of 2024. Cash costs per ounce remained flat at $846.22 in 2025, compared to $846.84 in 2024. The increase in All-in sustaining costs is largely a result of 4,230 meters of drilling completed during the first quarter of 2025 in alignment with the Company's production-backed exploration business plan. The Company expects drilling and exploration activities to accelerate during the second quarter and/or while weather is optimal and current gold prices allow for increased reinvestment in our growing asset base.Significant progress was made at the New Jersey Mill with the construction of the new tailings filtration circuit, which was 80% complete at the end of the first quarter. Commissioning of the tailings filtration circuit will take place in the second quarter and full commissioning of the Paste Backfill Plant at the Golden Chest Mine is expected to occur in the second half of 2025.Results from drilling at the Golden Chest were released during the first quarter of 2025. Drilling highlights from 5 different areas of the mine were announced in a press release titled Idaho Strategic Announces High-Grade Drill Results Including 1.3 Meters of 150.25 Grams per Tonne Gold.Rare Earth Highlights for Q1 2025 Include:During the quarter the Company announced its REE exploration plans for the 2025 field season in a press release titled Idaho Strategic Announces its Plans for the 2025 Rare Earth Elements Exploration Field Season in Alignment with President Trump's Recent Executive Order.Corporate Highlights fo
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Leading insurtech experts to share insights on insurance ecosystems and embedded insuranceKANSAS CITY, MO / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Insurtech leader Mylo today announced its CEO David Embry and President and COO Belen Tokarski will be speaking at Insurance Innovators USA on May 19-20, in Nashville, Tennessee. Embry and Tokarski will join 1,200+ industry professionals to discuss and help shape the future of the industry."We're excited to collaborate with industry leaders at Insurance Innovators USA to give our perspective on how we can ensure our clients get the right coverage at the right price for their specific situation," said David Embry, CEO of Mylo. "We're eager to take the stage to discuss critical topics like the future of multi-channel distribution and spark fresh ideas that drive insurance innovation." At Insurance Innovators USA, Mylo's executives will be speaking on the following panels:"Insurance in a world of ecosystems": Tokarski will speak on this panel on Monday, May 19, 2025, from 3:15-3:45 p.m. CT"A channel revolution? From aggregators to embedded to D2C": Embry will join this panel on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 12:30-1 p.m. CT"This is a pivotal time for the insurance industry as we navigate evolving customer expectations, and I'm excited to be part of that conversation at Insurance Innovators USA," said Belen Tokarski, President and COO of Mylo. "At Mylo, we're prioritizing individuals and small business owners and look forward to exploring how we can better meet their needs in the right channels through technology." To learn more about Mylo, please visit ChooseMylo.com . To connect with the Mylo team at the conference, please contact mylo@ calibercorporateadvisers.com or request a meeting via the MarketforceLive Networking App.About MyloMylo is amplifying insurance solutions to protect what matters. Through its patented Mind of Mylo recommendation engine, the insurtech leader connects individuals and business owners with top-rated insurance products from 100+ carriers, across business, auto, home, life and individual health. A growing ecosystem of 60+ channel partners and agencies embed Mylo's Amplifi insurance intelligence platform. Mylo is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and backed by Group 1001, the global investor with a powerful commitment to technology-driven insurance transformation. Mylo has been honored by Fintech Global's InsurTech100, Benzinga's Global Fintech Awards, Forbes' America's Best Startup Employers and more. For more information, go to www.ChooseMylo.com ###Mylo Contact InformationMaddie HirschCaliber Corporate Advisers mylo@ calibercorporateadvisers.com SOURCE: Mylo
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TUPELO, MS / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Being injured because someone else was careless is more than just physically painful-it can be emotionally overwhelming and financially destabilizing. Each year, tens of millions of people in the U.S. require medical treatment due to unintentional injuries. In 2021 alone, over 25.5 million Americans visited emergency departments for such injuries, according to theCDC .Photo byKATRIN BOLOVTSOVAfrom PexelsIn Jackson, Mississippi, individuals navigating the aftermath of trauma find a unique ally in the MW Law Firm - Mama Justice. Founded by attorney Missy Wigginton, known to many as Mama Justice, the firm is built on a foundation of genuine compassion and legal excellence.This blend of empathy and expertise is redefining personal injury law in Mississippi and Tennessee, making recovery not just a legal goal but a human one.Meet Mama Justice: A Heart for Helping, A Drive for JusticeMissy Wigginton didn't just establish a legal practice-she created a refuge for people confronting some of life's most challenging moments. Her mission was simple yet revolutionary: treat every client like family and ensure no one feels alone during the legal process. Her firm's name, Mama Justice, reflects her role as an advocate and her protective, empathetic nature.This client-first approach has garnered the firm a strong regional reputation, with hundreds of verified five-star client testimonials across platforms such as Google Reviews.The Power of Compassion in Legal PracticeIn an era when the legal profession is often criticized for being cold, transactional, or overly technical, Mama Justice offers something rare and transformative: compassion as a core legal strategy. Compassion is more than kindness-it's a professional asset that enhances trust, improves communication, and reduces client anxiety during some of the most difficult periods in their lives.Research shows that clients who are trauma survivors are more likely to engage with and trust legal counsel when they feel emotionally supported. Compassionate advocacy creates space for healing while reinforcing a client's autonomy and dignity. At Mama Justice, this philosophy is not an afterthought but embedded in every client interaction, legal strategy, and courtroom appearance.It's this emotional intelligence that distinguishes Mama Justice from traditional firms. Clients aren't just seeking legal outcomes-they're searching for hope, clarity, and someone who truly listens. And that's exactly what this firm delivers.Beyond Legal Advice: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Client AdvocacyExperiencing a serious injury can disrupt every facet of life-emotional well-being, employment, finances, and physical health. Recognizing this, Mama Justice adopts a trauma-informed approach that extends beyond traditional legal services. This model emphasizes creating a safe and supportive environment, understanding the impact of trauma, and empowering clients throughout their legal journey. Key principles of this approach include:Safety and Trustworthiness: Establishing a calm, secure setting where clients feel protected. Transparency: Communicating legal processes andsetting realistic expectationsto avoid surprises. Empowerment: Encouraging clients to participate actively in their cases, reinforcing their autonomy and decision-making capabilities. Collaboration: Working jointly with clients to develop strategies that align with their needs and experiences. By integrating these principles, Mama Justice ensures that clients are legally represented and emotionally supported, fostering resilience and facilitating a more comprehensive recovery process. Proven Results: Fighting for Maximum Compensation in JacksonEmpathy at Mama Justice is matched by powerful legal representation. The firm tackles a broad spectrum of personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death cases, including 18-wheeler accidents, workplace injuries, medical negligence, and catastrophic auto crashes. These cases demand deep knowledge of Mississippi personal injury statutes, includingMiss. Code Ann.  11-7-13 , which outlines wrongful death claims.Their results speak for themselves. Some of the most significant case outcomes reported on the firm's website include:$1.55 Million - 18-Wheeler Accident$1.0 Million - Company Vehicle Accident$1.0 Million - 18-Wheeler Crash$500,000 - Head-On Collision$475,000 - Drunk Driving Case$460,000 - Auto Accident$458,000 - Workplace InjuryThese settlements reflect a dedication to securing maximum compensation for medical bills, lost income, rehabilitation, and long-term care. The firm's ability to negotiate assertively-and litigate when needed-ensures clients don't walk away with less than they deserve.Rooted in Mississippi: Your Local Advocate in JacksonMW Law Firm isn't a faceless national firm-it is deeply embedded in the Mississippi communities it serves, with offices in Jackson, Tupelo, and Oxford. TheMama Justice Injury Law Firm in Jackson, Mississippi , provides the unique advantage of local insight, ensuring clients receive strategic legal support grounded in community values and jurisdiction-specific knowledge.In times of tragedy or crisis-such as the rise in traffic-related fatalities and violent incidents reported by WAPT News-having a trusted legal advocate in your city makes a meaningful difference. Mama Justice's connection to the community means they respond as lawyers and neighbors who care.Take the First Step Toward Justice and HealingIf you or someone you love has been hurt because of another's negligence in Mississippi or Tennessee, the road to recovery begins with understanding your rights. The team at Mama Justice offers free consultations to help you explore your legal options and confidently pursue the justice and compensation you are entitled to.In today's world, where corporate interests often overshadow individual needs and victims are left navigating confusing legal systems alone, law firms like Mama Justice stand out as beacons of hope. Their value lies not just in the cases they win-but in the lives they restore. They combine the strategic rigor of a top-tier legal team with the heartfelt advocacy of people who genuinely care.You can reach the MW Law Firm at (833) 626-2587 or visit their website to begin your journey toward justice, clarity, and healing. With their compassion, legal expertise, and unwavering support, you won't have to face this chapter of your life alone.Name: Mama JusticeCity and State: Mississippi/TennesseeWebsite: https://www.mamajustice.com SOURCE: Mama Justice
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HICKORY, KENTUCKY / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / MRCOOL, a leader of innovation in the HVAC industry, is proving itself to be influential once again by pioneering better opportunities for contractors. While the company is well-known for their DIY Ductless Mini-Split systems, the patented and Intertek certified MRCOOL No-Vac Pre-Charged Line Sets are now being recognized not only for their homeowner appeal, but as a major time- and labor-saving solution for HVAC professionals. MRCOOL Revolutionizes HVAC Installation. A contractor can install MRCOOL systems more easily in a shorter amount of time due to special Quick Connect fittings and pre-charged line sets."Our patented pre-charged line sets and exclusive Quick Connect fittings are great tools for contractors, as they eliminate some of the most tedious and error-prone parts of HVAC installation," said Jason Ingram, Managing Member of MRCOOL. "This feature means that contractors will have more room in their schedule for additional jobs, which they can perform more accurately, safely, and quickly." Originally developed for the company's DIY Ductless Mini-Split in 2014, the MRCOOL pre-charged line sets are now compatible with a wide range of MRCOOL systems, including larger central models that require professional installation. The simple installation of these systems transforms how contractors work by reducing callbacks, simplifying logistics, and increasing customer satisfaction.To help HVAC pros take full advantage of this technology, MRCOOL launched the Contractor Fulfillment Program in early 2024. Designed to support and grow a national network of certified contractors, the program already boasts over 177 active members. The program includes incentives like co-branded marketing materials, priority access to new products, and even branded service vehicles.Contractors are already seeing results."The first lead we got with MRCOOL was five houses and seven units. And that's when we first started. It was a huge success for us. I mean, it's not every day you get seven units dropped into your lap to replace. That success has moved our company forward." - Alex Holt, Complete Care HVAC Services (Decatur, Alabama)"More than half of our members prefer working with pre-charged line sets. They're faster to install, reduce risk of an incorrect installation, and make scheduling multiple jobs in a day far more achievable," said Ricardo Herrera, Head of the Contractor Fulfillment Program.Hannah Whitlock, Director of Product Development at MRCOOL, added, "Our Quick Connect fittings are what truly set us apart. These aren't gimmicks - they're patented, tested, and engineered to deliver a sealed, secure connection every time without the mess or guesswork." With labor shortages pressing in on the industry and the demand for energy-efficient HVAC on the rise, MRCOOL's innovations are helping contractors stay ahead by offering modern tools for modern installs. As MRCOOL and its Contractor Fulfillment Program continue to grow, the patented and renowned pre-charged line sets remain central to the success of every one of the company's endeavors.Contractors interested in joining the MRCOOL Contractor Fulfillment Program can call 270-640-9822 to learn more.Contact InformationRebekah Quarlesrebekah.q@mrcool.com 270-366-0457SOURCE: MRCOOL
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PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Nterprisers, a revolutionary search, discovery, and connection platform for local manufacturing, officially launched today. Designed to serve as a central hub for industry collaboration, the innovative B2B platform connects Rhode Island manufacturers with customers, suppliers, service providers, investors, and each other - strengthening the manufacturing network critical to the state's economy. Nterprisers Logo Nterprisers Logo"Despite the importance of small businesses to our local economies, there remains a remarkable lack of consistent, reliable information about local private companies," said Deepa Krishnamurthy, co-founder and CEO of Nterprisers. "Without reliable information, valuable connections are missed between business owners and key stakeholders. Our mission is to fill this vital information gap and unlock the potential of Rhode Island's manufacturing community." Krishnamurthy continued, "Our name, Nterprisers, honors the hardworking enterprisers' who own the small, established businesses that have powered our economy and created jobs.The platform's "owner-first" design respects the time and privacy of business owners while streamlining discovery and engagement. Key features include:Comprehensive company profiles pre-completed by Nterprisers: Highlighting all privately-owned Rhode Island manufacturers, searchable by industry sector, capabilities, geography, certifications, keywords, and more.Private connection tools: Enabling direct, secure communication between manufacturers and their stakeholders.New marketing channel: Offering a platform for manufacturers and supporting businesses, to showcase capabilities, attract customers, and collaborate.Visibility to investors: Facilitating discovery of investable businesses and enabling private connections for lenders, investors and business acquirers."We've spent the past three years developing our innovative platform and completing our research of Rhode Island manufacturers to launch our very first completed market. Rhode Island manufacturers are now encouraged to review and refine their completed profiles - and all industry participants are now welcome to explore the local manufacturing domain in ways not previously possible at https://nterprisers.com." About Nterprisers: Nterprisers is a B2B search and connection platform dedicated to showcasing all local manufacturers and serving as a centralized hub to foster meaningful business relationships and stronger local economies.Contact InformationGuy ShafferVice President, Salesguy@ nterprisers.com (401) 799-5803SOURCE: Nterprisers
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / On May 1, 2025, investors in SelectQuote (NYSE:SLQT) saw the price of their shares tumble over 19% after the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had filed a lawsuit against the company, other insurance brokers, and three of the nation's largest health insurance companies, claiming violations of the False Claims Act.Hagens Berman urges SelectQuote investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now. The firm also encourages persons with knowledge who may be able to assist in the investigation to contact its attorneys.Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/slqt Contact the Firm Now:SLQT@ hbsslaw.com844-916-0895 SelectQuote (SLQT) Investigation:The investigation is focused on the propriety of SelectQuote's disclosures concerning its sales and other business practices, particularly with respect to its Senior business which offers Medicare Advantage ("MA") plans written by health insurance companies such as Aetna, Anthem, and Humana ("insurers").In the past, SelectQuote has claimed "our agents are trained to offer unbiased advice in order to be more aligned to the specific needs of each customer" and Senior "provides unbiased comparison shopping for Medicare Advantage (MA') and Medicare Supplement (MS') insurance plans[.]"SelectQuote's claims came into question on May 1, 2025, when the DOJ filed a complaint alleging that from 2016 through at least 2021 the insurers:Paid hundreds of millions of dollars to SelectQuote and other brokers in exchange for enrollments into the insurers' Medicare Advantage plans;Rather than acting as unbiased stewards, SelectQuote and other brokers directed Medicare beneficiaries to the plans offered by insurers that paid brokers the most in kickbacks, regardless of the suitability of the MA plans for the beneficiaries;SelectQuote and other brokers incentivized their employees and agents to sell plans based on the insurers' kickbacks, set up teams of insurance agents who could sell only those plans, and at times refused to sell MA plans of insurers who did not pay sufficient kickbacks; andSelectQuote and other brokers conspired to discriminate against MA beneficiaries with disabilities.This news sent SelectQuote shares spiraling 19% lower on May 1, 2025."We're concerned about SelectQuote's alleged steering practices and the extent to which the practices, if true, may have inflated the company's financial results," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.If you invested in SelectQuote and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the SelectQuote investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding SelectQuote should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email SLQT@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
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SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 /Sibannac, Inc. (OTC PINK:SNNC), a trailblazer in next-generation wellness and plant-medicine tourism, is proud to announce the recording of the first podcast pursuant to its co-marketing agreement with 4biddenknowledge Inc., led by bestselling author and consciousness media pioneer, Billy Carson.Sibannac CEO, David Mersky, traveled to Carson's Florida-based studio to record the inaugural content. They revealed that Carson is now a Sibannac shareholder in anticipation of setting up new travel destinations. They also discussed the possibility of Sibannac participating in taking Carson's 4biddenknowledge company public in the future.Other themes discussed centered on the pair's individual experiences with psychedelics, which they plan to offer to Carson's millions of followers across social media channels. Sibannac has a commitment from a five-star property in Costa Rica which will serve as the first Starwalker Journey destination. The date will be announced shortly and the parties will begin taking reservations immediately thereafter. Together with Ancient Aliens' William Henry, they aim to redefine wellness tourism and content creation."We had a phenomenal discussion on Billy's podcast today and we are eager to move forward together to offer premium travel experiences very soon," said David Mersky, CEO of Sibannac, Inc. The podcast is planned to be released next week by both parties.Join the MovementVisit Starwalker Cafe now: Starwalker CafeStarwalker Cafe is now open for membership. Gain access to exclusive content, book upcoming retreats, and become part of a rapidly growing community of explorers.About David MerskySibannac's CEO, David Mersky, has launched his social media channel, The Meru Sky, in which he discusses his personal journey with psychedelics and his mission to bring expanded consciousness to the world.For additional information and product updates, follow us and sign up for updates at:Media Contact: media@ snncinc.com 4biddenknowledge, Inc.Nikki Sheppard, Media RelationsEmail: press@4 biddenknowledge.com Phone: (954) 345-0086Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements appear in a number of places in this release and include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Sibannac, Inc. (the "Company"), its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) financing plans; (ii) trends affecting its financial condition or results of operations; (iii) growth strategy and operating strategy. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "can," "believe," "potential" and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control, and actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company's expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors that are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in documents filed by the company from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities.SOURCE: Sibannac, Inc.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX:SKE)(NYSE:SKE) ("Skeena Gold & Silver", "Skeena" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Hansjoerg Plaggemars as a director of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Plaggemars has extensive experience on public company boards listed in London, Germany, and Australia, including those of the Deutsche Balaton group, a significant institutional shareholder of the Company. Mr. Plaggemars is a seasoned finance professional with extensive experience in structured debt finance, equity capital markets, including capital increases and decreases, reverse takeovers, and restructurings. He began his finance career at KPMG and has served as Chief Financial Officer in various industries, including software, retail, prefabricated housing, and e-commerce, for over 14 years. In 2014, he joined Deutsche Balaton AG and has been running his own consultancy firm, Value Consult, since 2017.Walter Coles, Executive Chairman of Skeena, commented: "We are pleased to welcome Hansjoerg Plaggemars to our Board. His entrepreneurial insight and capital markets acumen will be a significant asset as we move forward." Senior Officers & Management Appointments Skeena is pleased to announce the promotion of Nalaine Morin to Senior Vice President, Environment and Social Affairs. Ms. Morin has been instrumental in advancing the company's permitting process, including the recent submission of the Environmental Assessment Application and Major Mines Permit Application for the Eskay Creek project. Ms. Morin is a nationally recognized professional with extensive expertise in mining and environmental assessments and is highly respected for her efforts to build strong, respectful relationships that honor the role of Indigenous Nations in decision-making on Indigenous lands. Before joining Skeena, she served as the Lands Director for the Tahltan Central Government. Her leadership has earned her several prestigious awards, including the King Charles III Coronation Medallion, the 2021 Skookum Jim Award, and the 2018 Indigenous Trailblazer Award. Ms. Morin also serves on the board of BC Hydro and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of British Columbia and a Mechanical Engineering Technology Diploma from the British Columbia Institute of Technology.Randy Reichert, Chief Executive Officer of Skeena, commented: "We are proud of the strong talent pool we have cultivated within our organization. I am particularly pleased to announce Nalaine Morin's promotion to Senior Vice President, Environment and Social Affairs at Skeena. Her commitment to fostering respectful and collaborative relationships with Indigenous Nations has been instrumental to our success thus far." "We are also excited to welcome Andrew, Timothy, and Karen to our leadership team-each brings valuable expertise that marks an exciting new chapter for Skeena. With engineering progressing, permitting in motion, and early works planned for this year, we are assembling the right team to ensure the project is construction-ready by year-end." Skeena is pleased to provide the following Management appointments:Andrew Osterloh as Vice President of Project Engineering and Construction - Mr. Osterloh is a professional engineer with over 25 years' mining industry experience in process engineering, plant metallurgy and project management. Previously, Mr. Osterloh was at FPX Nickel since joining in June 2021, as SVP Projects & Operations. Formerly, he held project management roles at Fluor Canada and site operations positions at several notable mining projects, including Eskay Creek when it was operated by Barrick, and Huckleberry, operated by Imperial Metals.Timothy Sewell as Vice President of Health and Safety - Timothy Sewell is a distinguished Health, Safety, Environment, Security, Training (HSEST) and Risk Management Professional, recognized for his leadership, innovation, and analytical abilities. With extensive cross-commodity and cultural experience, he excels in providing vision, influence, reliability, and efficiency in the HSEST field. He has been acknowledged globally for his contributions in the HSEST field which includes the Canadian Institute of Mining's John T. Ryan Regional Safety Award. Mr. Sewell has over 30 years' experience in risk management, emergency response, regulatory and aviation compliance with a background in Environmental Science and Resource Management.Karen Leven as Vice President of Environment and Regulatory Affairs- Karen Leven is a Canadian Certified Environmental Professional and brings 25 years of mining experience, specializing in environmental and regulatory management. She led Skeena's team in the delivery of the Environmental Assessment and Major Mine permit applications since joining in early 2024. With in-depth knowledge of federal, provincial, and territorial regulatory frameworks, her expertise in environmental science and integrated planning supports her commitment to innovation and sustainability in the mining industry.About Skeena Skeena is a leading precious metals developer that is focused on advancing the Eskay Creek Gold-Silver Project - a past producing mine located in the renowned Golden Triangle in British Columbia, Canada. Eskay Creek will be one of the highest-grade and lowest cost open-pit precious metals mines in the world, with substantial silver by-product production that surpasses many primary silver mines. Skeena is committed to sustainable mining practices and maximizing the potential of its mineral resources. In partnership with the Tahltan Nation, Skeena strives to foster positive relationships with Indigenous communities while delivering long-term value and sustainable growth for its stakeholders.On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Gold & Silver,Walter ColesRandy ReichertExecutive ChairmanPresident & CEOFor further information, please contact:Galina Meleger Vice President Investor RelationsE: info@ skeenagold.com T: 604-684-8725W: www.skeenagoldsilver.com X / Facebook / LinkedIn / InstagramSkeena's Corporate Head office is located at Suite #2600 - 1133 Melville Street, Vancouver BC V6E 4E5Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements Certain statements and information contained or incorporated by reference in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or our future performance. The use of words such as "anticipates", "believes", "proposes", "contemplates
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / May 7, 2025 / Star Copper Corp. ("Star Copper" or the "Company") (CSE:STCU) is pleased to report that, further to its news release dated May 6, 2025, the previously announced plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") will become effective on May 9, 2025 (the "Effective Date").Star Copper shareholders of record as at the close of business on May 8, 2025 (the "Shareholders") will receive, for each existing common share of the Company (ISIN: CA8549371091; CUSIP: 854937) held immediately prior to the Effective Date: (i) one identical replacement common share of Star Copper under a new ISIN / CUSIP (ISIN: CA85512H1047; CUSIP: 85512H104) (each, a "New Star Copper Share"); and (ii) one-third of one common share under a new ISIN / CUSIP (ISIN: CA02074C1005; CUSIP: 02074C100) (each whole common share, a "Spinco Share") in the authorized capital of Alpha Copper Corp. No fractional Spinco Shares will be distributed under the Arrangement; any fractional Spinco Shares that result from the Arrangement will be rounded down to the nearest whole number without any compensation paid to the applicable Shareholders in lieu of any such fractional Spinco Shares. The Company's transfer agent, Computershare Investor Services Inc., will act as depositary in connection with the Arrangement.As previously announced, under the Arrangement the Company's 100% interest in the Okeover copper-molybdenum project located immediately north of the coastal City of Powell River, British Columbia (the "Okeover Project"), along with related assets and liabilities, will be spun out to the Shareholders through the Shareholders receiving Spinco Shares. Further information regarding the Arrangement is included in the Company's information circular dated April 1, 2025, which is filed under Star Copper's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca About Star Copper Corp. (CSE:STCU)(OTC PINK:STCUF)(FWB:PP00) Star Copper is focused on contributing to the green economy by finding and developing copper resource assets in stable jurisdictions. The Company is positioned to earn a 60-per-cent interest in the Indata copper-gold project located in north-central British Columbia. After the acquisition of Cavu Energy Metals, the Company has acquired 100% of the Star copper-gold porphyry project in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia, as well as the 100% owned Quesnel project in the middle of the Quesnel Trough, host to a number of alkalic copper-gold porphyry deposits running northwest across western British Columbia. Subject to the completion the Arrangement, the Company also holds a 100% interest in the Okeover Copper-Molybdenum project north of Powell River.For more information visit https://starcopper.com/ On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Star Copper Corp. ~Darryl Jones~Darryl Jones, CEO, President & DirectorStar Copper Corp.Contact Star Copper Invictus Investor Relations+1 (604) 788-9533 walter@ invictusir.com Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or" should" occur or be achieved. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, including: the completion of the Arrangement, including the Effective Date of the Arrangement; and, the trading of New Star Copper Shares on the CSE, FSE or the OTC Market, are all forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward- looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Star Copper, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation, the ability to satisfy all closing conditions of the Arrangement and the receipt of all regulatory approvals required therefore, the ability of the Company to complete proposed exploration work on its mineral properties, the results of exploration, the continued availability of capital on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Company, and changes in general economic, market and business conditions. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these items. Star Copper does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by applicable securities laws.SOURCE: Star Copper Corp.
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Featuring speakers from BMW, CATL, Mercedes Benz, Cellforce and more.STUTTGART, GERMANY / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / The Battery Show Europe and Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo Europe , co-located with Energy Storage Summit Germany, the region's only dedicated event for battery manufacturing, electric and hybrid vehicle tech industries, has announced its 2025 keynote lineup. The sessions will cover key themes including upcoming supply chain, navigating regulatory and policy changes and staying ahead of the curve on market trends with analysis."Better Together: Building Resilient Battery Supply Chains Through International Collaboration," opens the program moderated by James Frith, Principal at Volta Energy Technologies, featuring insights from Isobel Sheldon, Global CEO at Western CAM Inc, Ulderico Ulissi, Head of Overseas Tech & Start-up Cooperation at CATL, Jerry Fang, Director of Business Development at Shanghai Putailai New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. and Benoit Lemaignan, CEO at Verkor. Together, the panelists will explore how partnerships between Western and Chinese firms are accelerating Europe's battery supply chain development through shared expertise, capital and proven manufacturing scale.In "Scaling the European Cell Manufacturing Industry: Challenges from Cell Technology Choices to Execution and Ramp-Up," speakers Vincent Cobee, CEO at ITEN, Nemanja Mikac, Owner & CEO at ElevenEs and McKinsey Partners Jacob Fleischmann and Denny Theimig will examine the technology, investment and operational decisions critical to ramping up European cell production. The session will address how evolving demand impacts product strategy and cost competitiveness across mobility and stationary storage markets.Regulatory strategy will be highlighted in presentation "Navigating the EU Battery Regulation: Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable European Battery Ecosystem." Ilka von Dalwigk, Director General at ReCharge, will unpack how new rules and restrictions on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and changes to raw material classification impact the industry. Dalwigk will outline strategies for navigating compliance while ensuring European players stay competitive in a tightening global market.Dr. Juliane Kluge, Head of Cell Chemistry and Methods at the Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) at BMW Group, presents "Pioneering Innovations in Cylindrical Cell Development," offering a look into BMW'S latest work on improving electrolyte movement, energy density and material efficiency in cylindrical cells. The session will emphasize how structural and chemical innovations are shaping the next generation of high-performance EV batteries.Following the above discussion, "Using AI To Accelerate The Development Of Next-Generation Battery Materials and Cell Components," features Dr Richard Ahlfeld, CEO and Founder at Monolith and Dr. Heino Sommer, CTO at Cellforce Group, sharing how AI is transforming battery testing and validation, helping original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) cut development time and optimize performance through smarter, data driven design.Wrapping up the impressive slate of key addresses will be the closing presentation on "Advancing Battery Innovation: Insights from Mercedes-Benz's Technical Leadership," from Uwe Keller, Head of Battery Development at Mercedes-Benz AG, inviting attendees to an intimate look at the evolution of battery systems across a global manufacturing context, highlighting key learnings from deep cell competence initiatives, to examine how design choices influence efficiency, longevity and recyclability. Attendees will also gain an informed perspective on current and emerging cell technologies that are shaping the industry's future."The Europeans battery sector is entering a decisive phase, balancing the need to localize production with the pressure to stay competitive globally," says John Lewinski, Executive Vice President, Informa Markets Engineering. "The keynote lineup reflects the depth and complexity of that challenge, bringing together leaders who are actively shaping the supply chains, regulations and technologies that will define the next decade of energy storage an electric mobility." Beyond the keynote programs, the conference offers multiple dedicated tracks, including Advanced Battery Technologies, Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Integration and Battery Manufacturing & Supply Chain, with over 90 speakers and 32+ hours of expert-led education across panel discussions, technical sessions and hands-on workshops designed to help attendees better understand the industry. The conference is represented by pioneers from across the industry including leading OEM's battery cell and pack producers and more including ACC, Ampere, Daimler, ExxonMobil, Lyten, NIO, PowerCo, Scania and Siemens.As Europe's battery and EV industries face increasing complexity, from evolving regulations to the need for scalable and sustainable supply chains, The Battery Show Europe provides the vital platform to convene the industry's top minds. Now more than ever, it is essential to host these conversations in a space where innovation meets execution, and where leaders can share strategies, form partnerships and move the industry forward together.Register for The Battery Show Europe and Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo Europe today atwww.thebatteryshow.eu , early bird registration ends on May 16, 2025.About The Battery Show The Battery Show is the largest and most comprehensive advanced battery technology event, co-located with Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo, the only trade show and conference exclusively dedicated to advanced battery and the electric and hybrid vehicle drivetrain. Visitors to our shows can discover and demo the latest products, technology, and solutions from nearly a thousand suppliers, network with tens of thousands of attendees and access a breadth of education across multiple tracks and technical sessions. The Battery Show is organized by Informa Markets Engineering and includes The Battery Show Europe, The Battery Show North America, The Battery Show India. In 2025, Informa Markets Engineering is set to launch The Battery Show South and The Battery Show Asia. Listed media partners include Informa Market's Battery Technology and DesignNews. For more information, please visitinformamarkets.com About Informa Markets Engineering Informa Markets' Engineering portfolio, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LON:INF), is the leading B2B event producer, publisher, and digital media business for the world's $3-trillion advanced, technology-based manufacturing industry. Our print and electronic products
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THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A BREACH OF THE RELEVANT SECURITIES LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. NO SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY ARE BEING OFFERED TO ANY PERSON RESIDENT IN CANADA OR OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO THE SECURITIES LAW OF ANY JURISDICTION OF CANADA.THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (596/2014/EU) AS IT FORMS PART OF UK DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 AS AMENDED ('MAR'). UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, SUCH INFORMATION WILL NO LONGER CONSTITUTE INSIDE INFORMATION.THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SUBSCRIBE FOR OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRE ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY.CALGARY, AB / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Touchstone Exploration Inc. ("Touchstone" or the "Company") (TSX:TXP)(LSE:TXP) announces that it has successfully raised 15.375 million (approximately US$20.5 million) by way of a private placement of 75,000,000 new common shares of no par value in the Company with certain institutional and other investors in the United Kingdom (the "Private Placement").Touchstone is also pleased to announce that it has additionally signed a binding term sheet with its Trinidad-based lender, Republic Bank Limited ("RBL"), to provide debt financing for the previously announced transaction to acquire the entire share capital of Shell Trinidad Central Block Limited (the "Acquisition").Private Placement The placement price of 20.5 pence (approximately C$0.38) per new common share represents an 11.8 percent discount to 23.25 pence, which was the closing price of the Company's common shares on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange ("AIM") on May 7, 2025. The new common shares will, when issued, represent approximately 24.1 percent of the total issued share capital of the Company as enlarged by the Private Placement.The new common shares will, when issued, rank pari passu in all respects with the Company's existing issued common shares. All new common shares being issued by the Company pursuant to the Private Placement will be freely transferable; however, any of these new common shares that are resold to residents of Canada (or any person otherwise subject to the securities laws of any jurisdiction of Canada) will be subject to applicable Canadian securities laws, which may include restrictions on resale, whether through a Canadian exchange or otherwise.Applications have been made for the new common shares to be admitted to trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") and AIM (the "Admission"). Subject to the receipt of required approvals from the TSX and AIM, it is expected that settlement of the Private Placement and Admission will occur at or before 8.00 a.m. (BST) on May 15, 2025. The Private Placement is conditional, among other things, upon Admission becoming effective and the placing agreement entered into between the Company and OAK Securities in connection with the Private Placement not being terminated in accordance with its terms. The Private Placement is not conditional on the Acquisition.The Company currently has 236,460,661 common shares in issue. Following Admission, the Company's issued share capital will consist of 311,460,661 common shares. The Company does not hold any common shares in treasury and, therefore, following Admission, the total number of voting rights attributable to the common shares in the capital of the Company will be 311,460,661. This figure may be used by shareholders to determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company.The Private Placement was arranged by Portillion Capital and OAK Securities.Use of Proceeds of Private Placement The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Private Placement to finance the following development activities and provide additional working capital to:finish drilling and completion of the Cascadura-4ST1 development well;drilling and completing the Cascadura-5 development well;tie-in the Cascadura-4ST1 and Cascadura-5 wells; anddrill and complete two Central block development wells (subject to completion of the Acquisition).Rather than finance the 2025 capital budget as previously announced through an expansion of its debt facilities, the Company intends to finance its 2025 capital budget by way of the Private Placement. The Cascadura-4ST1 and Cascadura-5 development wells formed part of the Company's 2025 capital budget announced on December 9, 2024. The planned drilling of the two Central block development wells will replace two of the Cascadura development wells previously included in the 2025 capital budget. As previously noted, revised 2025 guidance will be issued by the Company subsequent to completion of the Acquisition.Financing of the Acquisition As previously announced, on December 13, 2024 the Company's wholly owned Trinidadian subsidiary, Touchstone Exploration (Trinidad) Ltd. ("TETL") signed a conditional share purchase agreement (the "SPA") to acquire 100 percent of Shell Trinidad Central Block Limited ("STCBL") from BG Overseas Holdings Limited. STCBL holds a 65 percent participating interest in the onshore Central block exploration and production licence, as well as four producing gas wells and a gas processing plant in Trinidad, with state-owned Heritage Petroleum Company Limited holding the remaining 35 percent participating interest. Under the terms of the SPA, on closing Touchstone will pay $23 million in cash plus December 31, 2024 cash and abandonment fund balances, currently estimated to be approximately $30 million.TETL has signed a binding term sheet with RBL providing for a new $30 million six-year non-revolving term loan to partially fund the Acquisition. TETL and RBL are currently preparing a Fourth Amended and Restated Loan Agreement and related security registrations (the "Amended Bank Loan Agreement"). Subject to the execution of the Amended Bank Loan Agreement, Touchstone intends to use the net proceeds from the term loan together with existing cash resources to fund the cash consideration payable under the terms of the Acquisition. The Acquisition is expected to close during the second quarter of 2025.The Acquisition As first announced on December 13, 2024, the Acquisition will be transformational for Touchstone. Gross field estimated production from the Central block from March 1, 2025 through April 15, 2025 was approximately 17.5 MMcf/d of nat
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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / The UK's Military Aviation Authority has issued a Military Type Certificate to the Royal Air Force's Protector RG Mk1 uncrewed aircraft, also designated the MQ-9B, certifying that it has passed a rigorous airworthiness assessment and verifying it's safe to operate without geographic restrictions, including over populous areas. This April 29 decision was a first-of-its-kind milestone for a large, unmanned aircraft system. It's a huge accomplishment for the UK and a technological watershed in the history of unmanned aircraft systems. GA-ASI is the first manufacturer of large, unmanned aircraft to receive an MTC based on rigorous compliance with STANAG 4671, the NATO standard for unmanned aircraft system airworthiness.Obtaining the MTC has been a goal of GA-ASI since the inception of the MQ-9B in January 2014. The company took its proven UAS platform, the MQ-9A, and added performance enhancing features while ensuring that the design was capable of meeting NATO's STANAG 4671 Edition 2 airworthiness requirements. To meet those rigorous requirements, the aircraft incorporates numerous enhancements not found on other large UAS. These include lightning protection, fire protection, anti-icing systems and a fatigue-and-damage-tolerant building block design approach. All flight critical software was designed in compliance with the rigor of Do-178/254. Mission software is rigidly separated from flight critical software. These features not only address the aircraft's airworthiness but also enhance its reliability and operational flexibility to levels unmatched by other UAS."Earning an MTC for MQ-9B was a herculean effort and a seminal achievement for our company," said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue. "We invested over $500 million as part of an 11-year effort to develop an unmanned aircraft that meets NATO's rigorous airworthiness standards. This included three flight test aircraft, full component and system-level environmental testing to Do-160 and Mil-Standards (system level environmental testing at Elgin and Pax River), full scale static test airframe test to ultimate ground and flight loads, bird strike, hail protection and full-scale fatigue testing to three lifetimes (3x 40,000 notional aircraft flight hours = 120,000 hours total). Our engineers developed over 140,000 pages of detailed technical data verifying that the MQ-9B met those demanding requirements. I congratulate our team for this outstanding accomplishment, and I know our customers need this type certification, which will open civil airspace for their flight operations." The Royal Air Force continues to take delivery of new Protector aircraft at their home in the North of England at RAF Waddington. The UK has 10 aircraft of the 16 it has ordered."Achieving the award of a first in class Military Type Certificate has required years of dedication and perseverance and is a testament to the hard work of all involved. It is a privilege to be the first to be awarded an MTC for the Protector Air System," said Gp. Capt. Neil Venables, Type Airworthiness Authority and holder of the Protector Type Certificate.MQ-9B is the world's most advanced medium altitude, long endurance UAS. MQ-9B includes the SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian models as well as the Protector operated by the RAF.In addition to the UK, GA-ASI has MQ-9B orders from Belgium, Canada, Poland, Japan Coast Guard, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Taiwan, India, and the U.S. Air Force in support of the Special Operations Command. MQ-9B has also supported various U.S. Navy exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, RIMPAC, and Group Sail.About GA-ASIGeneral Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., is the world's foremost builder of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Logging more than 8 million flight hours, the Predator line of UAS has flown for over 30 years and includes MQ-9A Reaper, MQ-1C Gray Eagle 25M, MQ-20 Avenger, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian. The company is dedicated to providing long-endurance, multi-mission solutions that deliver persistent situational awareness and rapid strike.For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com Avenger, EagleEye, Gray Eagle, Lynx, Predator, Reaper, SeaGuardian, and SkyGuardian are trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., registered in the United States and/or other countries.# # #Contact InformationGA-ASI Media Relationsasi-mediarelations@ ga-asi.com (858) 524-8101SOURCE: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The first group of future maintenance workers for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega rail project in Malaysia being built by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), will soon head to China for specialized training, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said here on Tuesday.

A total of 210 trainees are scheduled to leave on May 15. They will receive training in theoretical and practical aspects and gain real-world experience in operating rail systems, Loke said in a ceremony marking the launch and submission of Industrial Skills Training Program offer letters for the ECRL operations and maintenance phase.

"Developing physical infrastructure is important to ensure we do not overly rely on external expertise in the long term. Our priority is to ensure job opportunities for our local talent," he said, adding that the trainees who complete the program will be guaranteed employment with the ECRL.

For his part, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia needs to build domestic economic resilience by enhancing knowledge and expertise among its youth to better face global challenges.

"Although we use foreign technologies, we must seek new methods, and this depends on our young people. With clear policies, it means we rely more on our abilities to revitalize local businesses, management and expertise," he said at the ceremony.

The ECRL runs from Malaysia's largest transport hub, Port Klang, and travels across the peninsula to Kelantan state in northeastern Malaysia.

The rail link is expected to greatly enhance connectivity and bring more balanced growth to the country by linking its less-developed region on the east coast to the economic heartland on the west coast upon its completion.
This aerial photo taken on Sept 30, 2023 shows a high-speed electric multiple unit (EMU) train of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway running in Purwakarta, Indonesia. [Photo/Xinhua]

China and Indonesia are marking 75 years of diplomatic ties. Much like the savory Indonesian dish beef rendangbeef chunks and aromatic spices slowed-cooked in coconut milkthe friendship is multifaceted, nourishing and finer with age.

As early as the 15th century, Chinese navigator Zheng He sailed to Indonesia several times during his seven voyages of peace and friendship to Southeast Asia. A section of the National Historical Museum in Jakarta showcases Zheng He's visits, the only friendly foreign visits documented by the museum. The history is retold by the Cakra Donya Bell in Jakarta's Aceh Museum, which Zheng He presented to the Sultan of Pasai, as well as the many artifacts made of ancient Chinese copper kept at Bali's Tampaksiring Palace. These exhibitions and relics are living reminders of an age-old bond.

When Indonesia fought for independence from colonization, Chinese people stood in staunch support. China was among the first countries to recognize Indonesia following its independence in 1949. Over the years, the two countries have stood together through natural disasters such as earthquakes, swiftly delivering humanitarian support to the friend in need, just like how the Indonesian saying describes, "Berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing" (Sharing weal and woe together).

Today, within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, China-Indonesia cooperation has yielded fruitful outcomes. The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail is the first high-speed rail line in Southeast Asia. It has reduced travel time between Jakarta and Bandung from 3 hours to just 40 minutes, a great convenience for the local people. It also marks the first time that China's high-speed rail has gone global in its entirety, taking international cooperation to deeper levels.

Cooperation highlights are also seen in the digital economy. Invested and built by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, Lazada has become one of the largest e-commerce platforms in Indonesia. Along with Chinese sci-tech investment comes job opportunities and supporting businesses, giving a strong boost to local employment.

Cultural exchanges have remained vibrant as ever. Staff members of Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, are often heard reading Chinese out loud to master the language, hoping to be able to introduce the mosque's history and culture to Chinese tourists. In the past few years, some one million Chinese tourists have visited Indonesia annually, with Bali and Manado being the most popular.

In addition to tourists, a growing number of Chinese and Indonesian students have chosen to study in each other's country. Santi, whose Chinese name is Han Shanmei, was one of the Indonesian students in China. Coming from humble background, she excelled in school and was awarded a Confucius Institute scholarship for graduate and doctorate degrees in China. Now she is a founding partner of an education agency in Jakarta that helps Indonesian kids with limited means fulfill their dream of studying in China, passing on a baton of promise and friendship to more youngsters.

In an official logo commemorating 75 years of diplomatic ties, China's giant panda and Indonesia's Javan hawk-eagle are portrayed in gold in an entwined posture, a symbol of two old friends with mutually beneficial cooperation committed to building a community with a shared future together. More will surely be achieved in the next 75 years and beyond as China-Indonesia friendship whooshes onward like the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Rail, steady and sound.
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CHICAGO, IL / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / The National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership proudly announces Veterans Help Group and Richard, a purpose-driven general contracting company, as lead sponsors of An Evening of Honor, an exclusive dinner on leadership with two of our nation's most decorated heroes. The evening will spotlight the extraordinary leadership of Harvey C. "Barney" Barnum, Jr., US Marine Corps (Ret.), a Vietnam War hero and member of theNational Medal of Honor Center for Leadership Board of Directors , and Ryan M. Pitts, US Army (Ret.), recognized for his bravery during the War on Terrorism in Afghanistan.The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest award for valor in combat, and today there are only 61 living recipients - two of whom will be present at this event. Through a moderated panel discussion, the recipients will share personal reflections on the values of courage, service and sacrifice - and how those values apply to today's civic, business and community leaders."We are deeply grateful to Veterans Help Group and Richard for making this evening possible," says Tom Hudner III, vice president for development and strategic initiatives at theNational Medal of Honor Center for Leadership , himself the son of a Medal of Honor recipient, the late Thomas Hudner, Jr. "Their commitment to service and leadership aligns seamlessly with our mission, and their support enables us to elevate the voices and values of those who represent the very best of our nation." This gathering brings together leaders, veterans and mission-driven partners for a meaningful dialogue on how the values represented by the Medal of Honor - courage, integrity, commitment, sacrifice, citizenship and patriotism - can guide our country's leaders in every sector. This evening underscores the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership's mission to equip young people, professionals and public servants with the character-driven leadership tools they need to meet their moment.About the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership:The National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership's mission is to inspire, develop, empower and challenge leaders through the values embodied by our country's Medal of Honor Recipients. With leadership education opportunities that include fellowship programs and onsite trainings, as well as a nationwide digital educational platform and audience-curated visitor experiences, Americans of all ages, backgrounds and locations will learn leadership values of courage, sacrifice, citizenship, integrity, commitment and patriotism to inspire them to transform lives, shape the future, and carry forward the best traditions of what it means to be an American. For more information, visit www.mohcenterforleadership.org About Richard:Established in 2014, Richard is a nationally recognized, purpose-driven general contracting company headquartered in Chicago, IL. Founded by veteran Jed Richard, the award-winning company is known for building efficient and dynamic spaces that advance community, sustainability, and well-being nationwide. By prioritizing a people-first culture, Richard has consistently earned top industry recognition, including multi-year honors from both Inc. and Crain's Chicago Business as one of the Fastest Growing Companies and Best Places to Work. Since its founding, Richard has delivered transformative projects including patient care facilities, mission-critical data centers, electronic healthcare upgrades, governmental renovation projects, commercial buildings and water treatment centers. Founded on a mission to make an impact, Richard combines unmatched attention to speed, simplicity, and safety with deep expertise, ensuring the communities we serve can work, heal, live, and thrive better than ever before.About Veterans Help Group:Veterans Help Group is a team of VA accredited agents and advocates specializing in securing earned disability benefits. The company covers all 50 States and actively supports and partners with veterans nonprofits. For more information, please visit www.veteranshelpgroup.com ###Media Contact: Anna Kate Twitty, AnnaKate@ flockandrally.com SOURCE: National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership
PR-Inside.com: 2025-05-08 13:58:42

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JAKARTA, May 7, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - The construction industry is under pressure by challenging global economic conditions. This is reflected by new contracts secured by PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk (WIKA) of only Rp2.16 trillion, which is lower compared to the same period the previous year. However, the Company booked Rp4.84 trillion in sales, comprising Rp3.11 trillion from non-joint operation projects (Proyek Non-Kerjasama Operasi) and Rp1.73 trillion from joint operation projects (Proyek Kerjasama Operasi, KSO).Sales were mainly generated from the building and infrastructure segment, EPC, construction-related industries, and real estate property. The sales achievement enabled WIKA to book a gross profit of Rp393.46 billion, of which Rp231.33 billion came from non-KSO projects and the remainder from KSO projects.WIKAs consistent restructuring efforts have successfully reduced debts on its balance sheet to financial institutions and business partners by Rp1.47 trillion in Q1-2025 compared with 2024.These positive achievements were also followed by proposals that were approved by bondholders, especially for the Wijaya Karya Shelf Registration Bond II Phase II Year 2022. This reflects stakeholders support for the Companys ongoing restructuring plans. As a result of the approval, the credit rating agency, PT Pemeringkat Efek Indonesia (PEFINDO), upgraded WIKAs Shelf Registration Bond II Phase II Year 2022 Series A rating from idD to idCCC. However, the Company must seek support from sukukholders of the Wijaya Karya Shelf Registration Sukuk Mudharabah II Phase II Year 2022 to approve the proposals presented, which are part of the Companys restructuring plans.The Company expresses its deepest appreciation for the trust and support given by stakeholders. The ongoing restructuring plans are not only focused on improving our financial structure but also on strengthening our fundamentals and operations to attain greater excellence and maintain business sustainability, said Agung BW, President Director of WIKA.PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk. [IDX: WIKA]Contact:Mahendra VijayaSekretaris PerusahaanEmail: mahendra.v@wikamail.id
PR-Inside.com: 2025-05-08 16:30:38

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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Wolf Popper LLP is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of Compass Diversified Holdings ("Compass") common stock (NYSE:CODI).Compass owns several consumer branded and industrial companies including 5.11, BOA Holdings PrimaLoft, Lugano, Sterno and others. In 2024, Compass had $2.20 billion in revenue and $12.8 million in net income.In September 2021, Compass announced it acquired Lugano Diamonds & Jewelry, Inc. for an enterprise value of $256 million. In 2024, Lugano generated approximately $471 million in revenue and $195 million in adjusted EBITDA.On May 7, 2025, after the markets closed, Compass filed a Form 8-K, which stated that the Audit Committee of Board of Directors "commenced an internal investigation into the financing, accounting, and inventory practices of Lugano Holding, Inc. (Lugano'), a subsidiary and operating segment of the Company, based on concerns reported to Company management as to these practices. Upon being notified of the concerns, Company management immediately informed the Audit Committee, and the Audit Committee promptly retained outside legal counsel to assist in conducting the investigation." Further, Compass disclosed that "[t]he investigation, which remains ongoing, focuses on certain unrecorded financing arrangements and irregularities identified in sales, cost of sales, inventory, and accounts receivable recorded by Lugano." Further, "the Audit Committee concluded that the Company's consolidated financial statements and other financial information for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 should no longer be relied upon due to the materiality of the preliminary findings of the investigation described above." Compass also disclosed that, "[i]n connection with the ongoing investigation, on May 7, 2025, Mordechai Haim Moti' Ferder, resigned from his position as Chief Executive Officer of Lugano, and from all offices and directorships previously held with Lugano and its subsidiaries and affiliates." Compass shares are down $10.88 per share, or 63%, on signifigant volume in early trading today.Investors who lost over $50,000 trading in CODI common stock and who would like to discuss the investigation should contact Adam Savett at (212) 451-9655, or asavett@ wolfpopper.com Wolf Popper has successfully recovered billions of dollars for defrauded investors. Wolf Popper's reputation and expertise have been repeatedly recognized by courts that have appointed the firm to major positions in securities litigation. For more information about Wolf Popper, please visit the Firm's website at www.wolfpopper.com May Be Considered Attorney Advertising in Certain Jurisdictions.Prior Results Do Not Guarantee a Similar Outcome.Wolf Popper LLPAdam Savett845 Third AvenueNew York, NY 10022Tel.: (212) 451-9655Email: asavett@ wolfpopper.com SOURCE: Wolf Popper LLP
The Nigerian government has signed a financing agreement of $158 million for the Value Chain Programme in Northern Nigeria (VCN) as part of ongoing efforts to revamp agricultural activities to boost food security in the country.

This was disclosed in a statement issued Wednesday by the senior special assistant to the president on media relations (office of the vice president), Stanley Nkwocha, in Abuja.

With the signing of the agreement, the implementation of the $158.15 million VCN project begins immediately to support agriculture value chain development and value addition for farmers in nine states of the northern part of the country, the statement said.

According to the statement by Mr Nkwocha, the initiative, signed at the Presidential Villa, is co-funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the French Development Agency, and the Nigerian government.

The initiative is an eight-year programme conceived following Vice President Kashim Shettimas visit to Rome on 24 July, 2023. Mr Shettima requested that IFAD should scale up its portfolio in Nigeria and mobilise additional partners and donors to support the agri-food transformation and food security of the Renewed Hope Agenda. This move was eventually validated on 21 March last year.

Significance

On Wednesday, the Nigerian government said the move is expected to sustainably reduce poverty, enhance nutrition and improve the resilience of rural and most vulnerable populations across nine northern states, which include Borno, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoko, Yobe and Zamfara.

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In his remarks during the ceremony, Mr Shettima described the VCN initiative as a product of critical thinking about the economic reality of the northern region.

He said the development is a fulfils the promise made by the administration of President Bola Tinubu to reduce poverty in Nigeria, restore dignity to the nations farmers, and ensure food security.

It is a declaration of faith in the Northnot as a region of deficits, but as a place of abundance. It also invites us to play our part in fulfilling the promise to reduce poverty, nourish our people, and restore dignity to farming families across Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Yobe, and Zamfara, the statement quoted Mr Shettima as saying.

He added that What has brought us together today is an investment of $158.15 million, co-financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD), the Federal Government of Nigeria, and other stakeholders.

This, he said, reflects Mr Tinubus commitment to prioritising what matters mostpeople, productivity, and prosperity, VP Shettima declared.

Mr Shettima recalled that the administration recently commenced foundation laying for the construction of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) across Nigeria, and that the VCN programme will feed into the SAPZs, serving as a steady pipeline of raw materials and ensuring our processors no longer grope for quality inputs.

This synergy will shift us from exporting raw produce to exporting value-added goodscreating jobs, wealth, and industrial stability, he added.

Mr Shettima observed that the recent global trade disruptions and the resurgence of protectionism are loud warnings to Nigeria to begin to grow what its people eat and produce what they trade.

The agricultural tariffs and retaliatory postures of global powers like the U.S. and China have rattled commodity chains. For a nation that has long relied on food imports, the message is clear: we must grow what we eat and produce what we trade, Mr Shettima said.

He noted that the VCN initiative will help address lingering concern around grain supply by making wheat, maize, and animal feed viable for commercial cultivation, and by investing in irrigation, processing, and storage facilities in states like Kebbi and Jigawa.

We are not just securing foodwe are laying the groundwork for agricultural exports that can rival our oil, he said.

He explained that what makes the programme exceptional is that it targets the underserved: women, youth, persons with disabilities, and returnees.

Also, the Nigerian leader said it recognises that peace and prosperity are twin goalsand that in communities scarred by conflict, agriculture is not just a livelihood; it is rehabilitation.

Mr Shettima assured that the government will deploy digital tools to track every step, from farmer registration to market access, from input distribution to yield analysis.

Additionally, the vice president assured that in regions where migration and insecurity are fuelled by joblessness, the VCN provides vehicles for enterprise, income, and dignity.

Comments

Meanwhile, a former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who spoke on behalf of the National Assembly, commended IFAD, the federal government and other partners for the conception of the programme.

Mr Lawan described it as a well-thought-out initiative that will transform the lives and livelihoods of many in the targeted states and beyond.

He pledged the commitment and support of the National Assembly in the implementation of the various interventions contained in the programme.

On his part, Nigerias Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said the signing of the financing agreement represents a significant milestone in the efforts to transform the agricultural landscape in Nigeria.

He noted that the participation of the nine states and the presence of other critical stakeholders underscore the commitment of the sub-nationals and the federal government in fostering inclusivity in agricultural development and economic empowerment.

The minister expressed confidence that the VCN will deliver programmes and projects that will improve agricultural productivity and the overall well-being of small-holder farmers, farmer groups, and women across the region.

In her remarks, the Country Director of IFAD, Dede Ekoue, reiterated that the programme is a $158.15 million project designed to transform agribusiness in nine northern states of Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara, over a period of eight years, targeting about 3.1 million household members.

She said the interventions targeted under the programme will focus on climate smart agriculture, leveraging innovative technologies; improving post-harvest handling and value chain addition; increase access to business development services for youths and women agri-preneurs; boost access to financial services and scale up access to digital solutions for productivity, among others.

The IFAD official added that expected results from the interventions include, the creation of over 30,000 jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for youths, women and vulnerable groups and the construction of over 229km of roads across the region to enhance access to market, among others.

READ ALSO: Bauchi women farmers decry low budgetary allocation to agriculture

Mrs Ekoue applauded the commitment and vision of the President and Vice President, and emphasised the need for all stakeholders in the project to work in unison for the actualisation of set objectives and in the overall interest of the national economy.

The statement noted that the high point of the occasion was the signing of the agreement for the Joint Roadmap for Accelerated Start-up between the federal government and IFAD.

In separate remarks, the governors of Borno, Babagana Zulum, Jigawa; Umar Namadi, and Katsina, Dikko Radda, applauded the move by the federal government in the implementation of the VCN programme and other schemes across northern Nigeria.

They pledged their commitment and support in the actualisation of the objectives of the various components of the programme and urged the implementers to review the design and timeline for implementation to enable states to maximise the benefits therein.

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Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American, has been elected as the Catholic Churchs 267th leader. Following his election, Cardinal Prevost announced his papal name as Leo XIV.

According to reports, his election makes him the first American to hold the exalted office.

Cardinal Dominique Mamberti announced the election of the new Pope by the conclave, which consisted of 133 Cardinals (senior members of the Catholic Churchs clergy) in the third round of Conclave (a College of Cardinals gathering) voting.

The College of Cardinals elected Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, to become the next leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. Nigerias Cardinal Peter Okpaleke qualified to be one of the College of Cardinals who determined the emergence of Pope Franciss successor.

The news came just over an hour after white smoke finally billowed from the Sistine Chapel late Thursday afternoon, signalling that the papal conclave had chosen a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month.

Pope Leo XIV

Born in 1955 in Chicago, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, joined the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and took his solemn vows in 1981.

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He earned degrees in mathematics, divinity, and canon law, including a doctorate from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

Prevost was ordained in 1982 and began his pastoral and academic service in Peru in 1985, where he served as chancellor, seminary rector, canon law professor, and judicial vicar.

In 1999, Prevost was elected Provincial Prior of the Augustinians in Chicago. A few years later, he became Prior General of the worldwide order, serving two terms until 2013.

At Pope Francis request, he returned to Peru to serve as apostolic administratorand later bishopof the Diocese of Chiclayo.

In January 2023, Pope Francis appointed Prevost prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a decisive Vatican role responsible for episcopal appointments worldwide.

He was made a cardinal in September of the same year.

Historical Conclave

The papal conclave began Wednesday afternoon and lasted 25 hours, 37 minutes, and 58 seconds, one of the shortest recently.

Pope Benedict XVI was elected in 2005 after four ballots in two days, while Pope Francis was elected after five ballots in two days in 2013.

The shortest conclave in known history lasted just 10 hours and ended with Pope Julius IIs election in 1503.

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Pope Francis elicited so much passion during his papacy and even more so after his death that it is true to say that the map of Catholicism has dramatically shifted. In the privacy of our homes, on the streets, at the airports, train stations, and literally everywhere two or more people are gathered, the word now is Conclave. I will not be surprised if many babies born these few days will be named Conclave or Conclavina. For the next few days, the world will hold its breathe, keep vigil, as it awaits a waft of smoke, determined by two colours of black or white.

Everyone seems to be invested in the outcome of this conclave and almost every tongue has a view about the next Pope. I imagine that between betting shops and stock exchanges, so many deals are being traded. In a manner of speaking, everyone has become catholic as all eyes and ears are focused on what happens in the Vatican in the next few days or weeks.

Arising from this has been the issue of appropriation of the losers and winners. So, the questions we hear are: who might the next pope be, where should he come from, what interests or views should he represent, will he be conservative or progressive, will he uphold or discard the dreams and visions and legacy of Pope Francis?

On paper, these questions are important and it is a great thing that the world is focused on the outcome of the conclave. By whatever standards, coming at a time of great upheavals around the world, Pope Francis rode the crest of public events and made a rich harvest out of the media. Through his person, his messages, and his interactions, including posing for a selfie now and again with young people, he warmed his way into the hearts of so many people of all ages, including people of all faiths and of none. He changed the way the world saw the Catholic Church. During the twelve years of his papacy he took on themes that would set the tone for evangelization well beyond his tenure.

Early in his papacy, precisely in 2014, he asked the Religious, Men and Women living in both apostolic communities and contemplative monasteries, to Wake up the World. He sent out a clear message calling on a morally wounded world to look at itself through a mirror. His key themes were: Mission, Evangelization, Migration, Structural and Climate Justice, Peace, Dialogue, Inclusion, Friendship, Joy, Loneliness, Women, Youth, Human Fraternity and Environment. He forced a world ravaged by greed to become more humane. He used the notion of Synodality as a Tent to hold together his dreams of the Church and the world he visualized, a human community of Gods children walking together, listening to one another beyond the walls erected by the powerful. He called for care for one another and for our common home with mutual love and respect.

In openly confronting contemporary issues, Pope Francis set himself up against the power structures of the world. Thus, for Catholics and non-Catholics alike, for a broad spectrum of humanity, Pope Francis disturbed the waters, as indeed did Jesus whose message Pope Francis sought always to courageously proclaim in fidelity and in truth. Against this backdrop, the world is alert, asking what will happen. There are those who want a Pope who will continue where Pope Francis left off, who will continue to uphold the things that Pope Francis stood for. Then of course, there are those who want a pope who will dismantle what they consider the heretical route of Pope Francis.

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There are those who believe that a pope from Africa, where the Church is growing and where they claim to see signs of great moral clarity, would address their issues. This is a view held by those who believe that the response of the Bishops of Africa to the debate on LGBT and their muscular defense of the family, captured in their response to the 2023 Vatican Document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith Fiducia Supplicans (Supplicating Trust), offered a kind of clarity that the Church badly needed. There are also those who believe that a pope from Asia is long overdue. However, the Catholic Church does not simply allocate positions based on geography or quotas.

So, what should we expect from this conclave? Whatever kind of Pope we want, determined by our ideological or theological or emotional expectations, it is important that we remember that the Church will only get a leader after Gods heart. God is and has always been a God of surprises. Gods ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Is. 55:8). He calls whom He wants. We remember David and how God made him King: the poor boy was the last born, sent to tend his fathers flock, totally oblivious of what was unfolding behind him. Samuel the prophet focused on human qualities of his more senior and matured brothers but God had other ideas (I Sam 16ff). Gideon was the weakest person from the weakest family from the weakest tribe (Judg 6:15). Nehemiah was called to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem(Neh. 2: 1ff). Peter, Andrew, James and John, were called while fishing. Imagine Paul, persecutor of Christians called to be Apostle to the Gentiles(Acts 9).

In the 16th century, both Philip Neri (1515- 1595) and Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) are said to have rejected to sit on the chair of Peter. In 1978, after 15 years of Pope Paul V1, Pope John Paul I was elected. Known as the smiling pope, his brief reign marked the end of papal grandeur and his smile opened a new phase. Imagine what the world would have been like if Pope John Paul 11 had not emerged to mark the end of history. It is understandable that the world has its bets and expectations about the next pope. But, we must deliberately escape allowing the world to define the Church by its ideological straightjackets of left, right, conservatives, progressives or liberals as the case may be. The task of every pope is to uphold the teachings of Jesus Christ as successor of St. Peter. Popes will be seen differently largely because of the moral authority they wield, and it is natural that various interests will constellate around the pope as a person and the Church as an institution.

At the end of it all, God will choose a pope after His own heart to do His will on earth. It is not a contest for popularity. There are hardly any expert guesses because only He knows whom He wants at the particular time. He does not call the qualified, rather, he qualifies those he calls (1 Cor. 1: 27). The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof (Ps. 24: 1). He is Lord of time and history. He has the world in the palm of His hands. He calls every star by its name (Ps. 147: 4). The Lord is not subject to either arm-twisting or influence. To hang the future elections of a new pope or his legitimacy on the legacy of Pope Francis is to mistake the messenger for the Message.

Pope Francis was indeed a great pope. He listened to the command of Christ to cast his net into the deep; he did and has brought fish of different shapes and sizes (Lk. 5: 2). We do not want a black, white or yellow pope. The Lord will give us a pope using the human instruments that He has used since he handed those keys to Peter. In the end, we will all look back and be glad that while we hedged our bets, God was doing what He does best, appoint through humans someone after His heart. After the white smoke, we will continue to walk and talk together. The journey is long, but we will march on in faith. Our new pope will not be a successor of Francis but of Peter. The Catholic Church is One, Holy and Apostolic.

Mathew Hassan Kukah is the Catholic bishop of Sokoto Diocese.

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Olajumoke Akinwunmi, Co-Founder and CEO of Alitheia Capital, speaks with PREMIUM TIMES about her journey from architecture to impact investing, the power of authenticity in leadership, and her commitment to expanding opportunities for women in male-dominated industries.

PT: Can you tell us about your professional journey and how you became a CEO?

Mrs Akinwunmi: I started my career as an architect and then as a project management professional.

I spent the majority of my early working life building the real estate portfolio within the pension fund of an Oil Major and then setting up and leading the real estate subsidiary for Nigerias largest indigenous oil services company.

Eighteen years ago, our company was established by two women who believe that profit without purpose is pointless.

PT: In your opinion, how do women leaders inspire and empower others around them, especially other women?

Mrs Akinwunmi: I believe largely through their actions, influence and ability to create opportunities for others.

It is ultimately about doing all necessary so that others can sit at an expanded table. Authenticity sends a powerful message that success is not about fitting into a stereotype but about owning ones unique strength.

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Also, influence is a powerful tool, especially when deployed, to open doors for others  through sponsorship, mentorship, and simply advocating for other women.

The floor beneath the proverbial broken glass ceiling needs to be strong enough for them to climb! I appreciate the fresh perspectives to leadership that women bring  collaborative and people-centred, especially in a male-dominated sector like real estate and construction.

Finally, visibility matters. When young professionals see women thriving at the top, they see a reflection of their own potential.

Every woman leader becomes a proof point that success is possible, even in spaces where women have traditionally been underrepresented.

Inspiring and empowering is a responsibility that ensures that success becomes more accessible to more women.

PT: What do you think is unique about women in leadership roles compared to men?

Mrs Akinwunmi: There is a sufficient body of knowledge that confirms women bring unique strengths and perspectives that shape organisations in ways that drive sustainable growth, resilience, and inclusive progress.

The truth is women leaders are often better at balancing business performance with people development, fostering workplaces that are not just profitable but also sustainable. It is also a fact that women tend to lead with a more collaborative mindset, valuing input and driving consensus.

The fact that many women in leadership have had to navigate barriers and shattered stereotypes fosters a deep sense of resilience and adaptability, critical skills in todays rapidly changing business landscape.

Lastly, women tend to champion initiatives that contribute to greater societal impact. This is important within the context of organisations and investors seeking social and environmental impact.

PT: What challenges did you face as a woman in your industry, and how did you overcome them?

Mrs Akinwunmi: I do not have specific stories to tell (lol), however, thriving in real estate and construction, especially in an emerging economy, has required more than just technical expertiseit has demanded resilience, strategic thinking, and an unwavering belief in my value.

Early in my career, I often walked into rooms where I was either the only woman or not the expected decision-maker.

There was an unspoken assumption that I had to prove my expertise more than my male counterparts. This is not uncommon.

I let results speak louder than assumptionsdelivering value, leading high-impact projects, and showing that competence has no gender.

I strategically build alliances and leverage knowledge and preparation. I participate in policy discussions, and high-level negotiations, ensuring that my voice is heard in decision-making spaces.

Women in male-dominated industries dont just need a seat at the table; we must reshape the table itself, setting new standards of leadership, influence, and impact.

PT: Can you share one of the most rewarding moments in your career that solidified your passion for leadership?

Mrs Akinwunmi: One of the most rewarding moments in my career came when I witnessed the tangible impact of my leadershipnot just on a project but on peoples lives and the future of the industry. Just over a decade ago, I took a temporary career pivot and went into public service.

Over the six years, I led the design of policy and implementation of several affordable housing and other community pilot programmes, testing a broad range of supply and demand side parameters.

Delivering affordable housing and implementing policies to close the affordability gap is complex, and the projects were highly visible.

There was scepticism from the potential homeowners, some industry stakeholders, and even some within the organisation.

I let execution speak for itself.

-Assembled a high-performing team and empowered them to excel.

-Led negotiations, solved on-site challenges, and ensured financial discipline.

-Stayed visible, hands-on, and strategic, proving that leadership is about vision, problem-solving, and resultsnot gender.

When the projects were completed, the impact extended far beyond just a milestone in terms of numbers.

Several hundred families became homeowners, with more than half being first-time owners, and to my delight, a group of women-led householders were beneficiaries.

The core project teams, especially the younger women, saw what was possible for them in the industry and the projects became points of reference in the industry.

PT: What advice would you give to young Nigerian women aspiring to become leaders in their fields?

Mrs Akinwunmi: To young Nigerian women with ambitions of leadership; your dreams are valid, your voice matters and your leadership is needed.

However, success in any fieldespecially male-dominated onesrequires strategic action, resilience, and an unwavering belief in your capabilities.

So, master your craft. Leadership is about value. Become so knowledgeable, skilled, and prepared that your work speaks louder than any doubts people may have.

Secondly, build mentorship circles, strategic alliances, and professional networks that expose you to leadership pathways.

Do not shrink, own your space with confidence. Confidence is the outcome of preparation, some experience and the ability to communicate your worth, clearly.

Remember, challenges will come, but so will wins, so face setbacks, biases and even self-doubt without losing focus. And lastly, lift others as you rise.

PT: How do you balance the demands of being a CEO with other aspects of your personal life?

Mrs Akinwunmi: In reality, there is no perfect balance. What we do is have intentional priorities. The grounding perspective that I have is that building a fulfilling life is the priority.

So, I often start by reminding myself about what really matters. My daily to do schedule is in three parts. Essential, Can Wait and Other(s) Can Do.

We do have a responsibility to build teams of competent, capable, and empowered professionals. Setting boundaries is important, and so is the power of saying No.

My ultimate goal is to lead with excellence in business while staying grounded in the relationships and values that matter most.

PT: This years International Womens Day theme is Accelerate Action. What does this theme mean to you and how does it reflect your leadership approach?

Mrs Akinwunmi: To me, Accelerate Action is a call to move beyond conversations and take deliberate, strategic, and urgent steps toward measurable progress.

As a leader in real estate and constructiona traditionally male-dominated sectorI have always believed that real change happens when we start to deal with how rather than why.

Progress doesnt happen by solving problems. In my leadership, I prioritise actionable solutions over prolonged debates. It is also obvious that women in leadership cannot afford to wait for permission.

We must continue to take bold steps, make strategic decisions, and prove that leadership is about value, not gender.

Accelerating action isnt just about personal successits about creating systems and structures that allow others to rise faster.

This interview was conducted in partnership with Women in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a Nigerian non-profit organisation committed to advancing and empowering women in leadership. Mrs Akinwunmi is also a member of WIMBIZ.

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Dyna.Ai, a global leader in AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) company, is set to officially launch its operations in Nigeria with an exclusive closed-door Nigeria Dyna Day event.

The launch, which is scheduled to hold on 15 May, 2025, at Four Points by Sheraton Lagos, aims to introduce its suite of AI powered products and solutions to Nigerias emerging financial ecosystem.

Nigeria Dyna Day, themed AI Unleashed: Revolutionising Nigerias Financial Future, will bring together leading voices across the countrys AI, fintech, and financial sectors, including representatives from local government agencies, financial institutions, and notable industry players.

Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy an immersive AI Experience Forum, featuring fireside chats, panel sessions, live product demonstrations, and exclusive discussions with Dyna.Ai executives and experts.

Some of the speakers lined up for the event include the Governor, the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso; the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani; Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi; Chairman and Co-Founder, Dyna.Ai, Tomas Skoumal; Vice President and Chief Solutions Officer, Dyna.Ai, Ben Koo; Chief Solutions Architect, Dyna.Ai, Joaos Tapadinhas; CountryManager for Dyna.Ai, Middle East & Africa; Alex Ho; and Segun Aina, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Fintech Association of Nigeria.

Other guests that would participate in the fireside chat and panel session include delegates and media from notable financial institutions and industry partners in Nigeria.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

According to Yasmine Ezz, the General Manager of Dyna.Ai Middle East and Africa, the event not only marks Dyna.Ais entry into the market but seeks to serve as a dynamic platform for fostering collaboration and networking in Nigeria.

With a strong commitment to revolutionising the African financial landscape through a localised approach and collaborations, Dyna.Ai is bringing its suite of AI solutions and products to empower financial institutions, fintechs, and the local government in Nigeria to operate with greater efficiency, insight, and impact.

For more information, visit www.dyna.ai

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The Nigerian government has officially discontinued the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholarship Programme, which for years funded Nigerian students to study in foreign countries.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this in a statement by the ministrys spokesperson, Folashade Boriowo, on Wednesday.

Mr Alausa explained that the decision followed a thorough policy review aimed at consolidating national investment in domestic tertiary institutions.

Every course Nigerians travel abroad to study through the BEA is now available and often of higher quality within our own universities and polytechnics, he said.

It is no longer justifiable to fund overseas studies with public resources when local alternatives exist.

The discontinuation of the programme is coming days after the ministry initially said it was temporarily suspending the programme for five years.

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Meanwhile, current beneficiaries of the programme are calling on the government to pay their outstanding allowances, which they say has crossed $6,000.

Existing beneficiaries to remain supported

The education minister, Mr Alausa, assured that current beneficiaries would continue to receive full support until the completion of their studies.

He also said the discontinuation of the BEA scholarship will not affect other domestic scholarship initiatives funded by the federal government.

Mr Alausa also reiterated the governments commitment to expanding the Nigerian Student Loan Programme, which provides interest-free loans to students enrolled in higher education institutions within the country.

This is not an end, but a new beginning. Our focus is now on building a stronger, self-reliant education system that leaves no Nigerian behind, he said.

Funds to be redirected to local institutions

The minister said the discontinuation of the BEA scholarship is part of efforts to manage limited public funds more equitably and responsibly.

He said the costs involved in sponsoring students abroad are better redirected into strengthening local institutions where more Nigerians can benefit.

The BEA Programme, managed by the Federal Ministry of Education, has offered scholarships to Nigerian students through bilateral agreements with countries such as Russia, China, Morocco and Algeria, among others.

However, the minister clarified that the federal government remains open to foreign governments or institutions offering fully funded scholarships to Nigerian students under bilateral or multilateral arrangements.

He added that such offers must cover tuition, accommodation, transportation, healthcare, and provide a monthly allowance of no less than $500, without any financial obligation on the part of the Nigerian government.

Beneficiaries stipends

Meanwhile, the current beneficiaries have called on the government to pay their outstanding allowances.

The scholars, under the Union of Nigerian Bilateral Education AGreement Scholars (UNBEAS), said they are owed four-month stipends from 2023.

The statement said the scholars are owed stipends for September to December 2023. The scholars receive a monthly stipend of $500.

The scholars also said they havent received any stipend payment this year.

The statement added that they are owed $1,123 in exchange rate differential for six months March to August.

For 2024, the scholars said they received $220 stipends instead of $500 without prior notification or justification. The statement said the students were only informed of the reduction at the time of disbursement.

As of April 2025, no stipend payments have been made for the year. Scholars across multiple countries continue to face serious financial hardship, the statement said.

More about BEA

The BEA scholarship is a diplomatic and mutual cooperation between Nigerian and some countries which enables Nigerian students to pursue academic studies in partner countries such as China, Russia, Algeria, Hungary, Morocco, Egypt, and Serbia.

The Scholarship Programme, implemented by Nigerias Federal Ministry of Education, has long been an effort made by the government to foster international academic collaboration.

The programme enabled Nigerian students to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate studies abroad, with the host nations covering tuition and accommodation, while the Nigerian government provided stipends for living expenses.

However, there have been persistent challenges over the years on the issues of delayed or unpaid stipends which have been a recurring concern.

For instance, in 2016, Nigerian students in Russia protested at the Nigerian embassy in Moscow over a year-long delay in stipend payments, highlighting the financial hardships they endured due to the governments failure to fulfill its obligations.

Similarly, in 2018, students in Morocco reported being owed over 12 months allowances, leading to severe financial distress .

These financial inconsistencies have raised concerns about the sustainability and management of the BEA programme.

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The Labour Party (LP) says it has indefinitely suspended Governor Alex Otti of Abia State and five others over alleged anti-party activities.

A former senator, Darlington Nwokocha, and a member of the House of Representatives from Abia State, Amobi Ogah, were among those suspended by the LP.

Others suspended were the FCT senator, Ireti Kingibe, a House of Representatives member, Afam Ogene, and another federal lawmaker, Seyi Sowumi.

In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Umar Ibrahim, on Wednesday, the LP said the suspension takes immediate effect and bars the affected members from participating in any party activities.

The LPs National Executive Council said the decision followed the recommendations of a five-member disciplinary committee set up on 2 May to probe allegations of anti-party activities against the members.

The disciplinary committee has concluded their assignment and has submitted their report to the party leadership.

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The National Executive of the party met today May 7th, 2025 and after exhaustive deliberation in line with powers donated to it by the party constitution has ratified the recommendation as submitted by the disciplinary committee, the statement read.

Why we didnt suspend Nenadi Usman

In September 2024, another faction controlled by the 2023 LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi and Mr Otti appointed Nenadi Usman, a former Nigerian minister, to manage the partys affairs by heading its caretaker committee after the suspension of its disputed National Chairperson, Julius Abure.

But Mrs Usmans appointment was reversed a month later after a federal court recognised Mr Abure as the authentic national chairperson of the LP.

In the Wednesday statement, the LP explained that the party did not suspend Mrs Usman like others because she is not a registered member of the Labour Party, but a supporter of its 2023 presidential candidate.

We are aware that she is a member of the Obidient Support Group that worked and is still working for the partys 2023 presidential candidate. We will therefore not honour her with any sanction being not a member of the party, the statement added.

The party accused Mrs Usman of lacking the moral authority to comment on corruption.

She should also tell Nigerians how she acquired her radio station in Kaduna, all her properties all over Nigeria and abroad, her companies in Cameroon, including her plantations. Nenadi Usman lacks the moral capacity to commence any probe or even talk about corruption, the statement added.

No coalition

The LP also rejected purported plans by some party members to join in the proposed coalition of political parties.

It said those driving the agenda lack capacity, character and competence to midwife such political arrangement.

These are people who have failed to manage one political party, how can they manage an amalgam of political parties and their varied interests, the party said of those behind the coalition agenda.

The Labour Party intends to prosecute the 2027 general election as a stand alone party and no further discussion will be entertained on this matter.

Background

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the LP has been battling an intense leadership crisis, which has split the party into two factions.

While Mr Abure leads one of the factions, Messrs Otti and Obi belong to another faction of the LP.

The LPs National Executive Committee (NEC) had sacked the Abure-led executive in September last year and appointed Ms Usman, a former minister of finance and ex-senator representing Kaduna South, to lead a 29-member caretaker committee and facilitate the election of a new party leadership within 90 days.

But weeks later, the Court of Appeal in Abuja recognised Mr Abure as the national chairperson of the LP.

However, the Supreme Court, on 4 April, set aside the judgement of the lower court.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court unanimously held that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to have affirmed Mr Abure as chairperson of the LP since the substance of the case was about the partys leadership.

It held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of a party over which courts lacked jurisdiction.

The court upheld the appeal filed against the judgement by Mrs Usman.

The Supreme Court held that Ms Usmans appeal was meritorious, as it also dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Mr Abure-led faction of the LP for lacking merit.

But the Abure-led faction of the LP argued the Supreme Court did not sack Mr Abure and other executives of the party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, claimed that the Supreme Courts position was that the matter was purely an internal affair of the party, insisting that the court did not set aside the Court of Appeal judgement of 13 November 2024, which affirmed Mr Abure as the national chairperson of the party.

Earlier on 17 January 2025, the Court of Appeal ruled that its earlier decision in November 2024, recognising Mr Abure as the partys chairman, remained valid and had not been overturned by any court.

Hamma Barka, who read the lead judgement, held that the appellate court did not consider the two separate appeals filed by the appellants since they centred on party leadership, on which the court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate.

He said anything done outside jurisdiction amounted to nullity.

The court voided the judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on 8 October 2024 on the grounds that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit.

Founded in 2002, the LP had its first major performance in a national election in 2023 when it fielded former Anambra State Governor, Mr Obi, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as its presidential candidate.

The party stunningly came third in the presidential election behind the PDP and the APC, which won the poll.

It won in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and in 11 of the 36 states, ensuring for the first time since the advent of the Fourth Republic that no presidential candidate, including the winner, polled up 50 per cent of the vote.

The party also picked up an unprecedented number of seats in the National Assembly and some state Houses of Assembly, and won the Abia State governorship election.

But with the lingering crisis in the party and the allure of the ruling APC, some of its legislators have defected, making the chances of reenacting its 2023 performance or surpassing it slimmer by the day.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping inspects the guard of honor during a grand welcome ceremony at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

MOSCOW, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Wednesday that China and Russia have found a right path of state-to-state interactions between neighboring major countries.

He made the remarks in a written statement upon his arrival in Moscow for a state visit to the country and attendance at the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Xi noted that the two sides, as good neighbors that cannot be moved away, true friends who share weal and woe, and good partners of mutual achievement, have forged a spirit of strategic coordination for a new era, which features permanent good-neighborly friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation.

The independent, mature and resilient bilateral relationship, Xi said, not only brings great benefits to the two peoples, but also makes important contributions to maintaining global strategic stability and promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, he noted.

China and Russia, both major countries of the world and permanent members of the UN Security Council, will join hands to safeguard the victorious outcome of World War II, firmly safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics, practice true multilateralism, and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, Xi said.

The Chinese president also said that during the visit he will have in-depth communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin on bilateral relations, practical cooperation as well as major international and regional issues of common concern, which will inject strong impetus into the development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Noting that he will attend Russia's May 9th Victory Day celebrations again after a decade, Xi said he looks forward to working with leaders of other countries and the Russian people to deeply commemorate the martyrs who heroically sacrificed their lives for the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, and send out a strong voice of the times to safeguard international fairness and justice.

Xi's plane was escorted by Russian Air Force aircraft after it entered the country's airspace.

When Xi arrived at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, he was warmly welcomed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and other senior government officials. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping is warmly welcomed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and other senior government officials at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Members of an honor guard line up at the airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Members of a military band are pictured at the airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

Members of an honor guard are pictured at the airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Dai Tianfang)

Editor: Zhang Zhou
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has condemned his alleged suspension from the Labour Party (LP) and asked the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest the disputed National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure.

In a statement on Wednesday evening by his media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Mr Otti accused Mr Abure of impersonation.

Mr Otti was elected governor of Abia State during the 2023 general election under the LP platform.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that earlier on Wednesday, a faction of the LP led by Mr Abure announced the suspension of Mr Otti from the party over alleged anti-party activities.

Apart from the Abia governor, the faction also suspended five other prominent members of the party, including a serving senator and two House of Representatives members.

Youre no longer our national chairperson, Otti kicks

Reacting, Mr Otti argued that Mr Abure did not have the power to suspend him and five others from the party because he was no longer the LPs national chairperson.

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The governor said Mr Abure had been sacked as the LPs national chairperson by the Supreme Court in April.

He said his suspension from the party announced by Mr Abure and his cohorts was not only a joke taken too far, but an affront on democracy.

For the record, the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has rightly and unambiguously stated that Julius Abure is no longer the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

The judgement which is in agreement with the Constitution of the Labour Party, and formed the basis for the setting up of the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee stripped Abure of every authority to parade himself as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, he said.

Mr Otti said Mr Abure only acted smart by half by announcing the suspension of the party members hours after he was summoned by a committee to face allegations of gross misconduct on financial misappropriation,impersonation and anti party activities against him.

We enjoin Nigerians to disregard Abures laughable statement and continue to see him and his co-conspirators as a group of clowns in desperate search of a crown they do not deserve, he said.

We call on the Inspector General of Police to quickly arrest Mr Abure for impersonation, while INEC should ensure full implementation of the Supreme Court judgement as a way of preserving the integrity of the Supreme Court and protecting our democracy, the governor added.

Background

The LP has been battling an intense leadership crisis, which has split the party into two factions.

While Mr Abure leads one of the factions, Peter Obi and Mr Otti belong to another faction of the LP.

The LPs National Executive Committee had sacked the Abure-led executive in September last year and appointed Ms Usman, a former minister of finance and ex-senator representing Kaduna South, to lead a 29-member caretaker committee and facilitate the election of a new party leadership within 90 days.

But weeks later, the Court of Appeal in Abuja recognised Mr Abure as the national chairperson of the LP.

However, the Supreme Court, on 4 April, set aside the judgement of the lower court.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court unanimously held that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to have affirmed Mr Abure as chairperson of the LP since the substance of the case was about the partys leadership.

It held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of a party over which courts lacked jurisdiction.

The court upheld the appeal filed against the judgement by Mrs Usman.

The Supreme Court held that Ms Usmans appeal was meritorious, as it also dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Mr Abure-led faction of the LP for lacking merit.

But the Abure-led faction of the LP argued the Supreme Court did not sack Mr Abure and other executives of the party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, claimed that the Supreme Courts position was that the matter was purely an internal affair of the party, insisting that the court did not set aside the Court of Appeal judgement of 13 November 2024, which affirmed Mr Abure as the national chairperson of the party.

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The Kano State Government has banned live broadcasts of political programmes across media outlets in the state.

It also banned journalists from asking provocative questions during interviews.

The government announced the decision after a meeting with media executives, chaired by the state governors spokesperson, Ibrahim Waiya.

The announcement was made in a statement issued on Wednesday by Sani Yola, the Director, Special Duties, Kano State Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs.

According to the statement, Anyone appearing on media platforms for interviews must sign an undertaking to refrain from making abusive, defamatory, or culturally offensive remarks.

A ban has been placed on live political programmes across media outlets to prevent the spread of inflammatory content.

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Presenters (journalists) were also banned from asking provocative questions or making suggestive gestures that could lead to statements capable of defaming individuals or damaging the image of Kano State.

The government said the directives were meant to promote responsible journalism, mutual respect, and the protection of Kano States cultural and religious heritage,

Mr Yola said, The quarterly meeting, convened by the Ministry of Information, aims to strengthen understanding and cooperation between media organisations and the government.

He said the effort was also to ensure effective information dissemination that upholds the dignity and image of Kano State.

According to the statement, the media executives at the meeting pledged their continued cooperation with the government. They also offered valuable suggestions on improving broadcast standards and sanitising language during interviews.

The leader of the Kano media executives forum, Daniel Aboki, told PREMIUM TIMES that he was not in Kano when the meeting was held. He said he would comment on the development at the appropriate time.

Below is the full statement from the Government

KNSG, MEDIA EXECUTIVES UNITE TO UPHOLD ETHICAL BROADCASTING AND PROTECT CULTURAL VALUES

In a renewed effort to promote responsible journalism, mutual respect, and the protection of Kano States cultural and religious heritage, the State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, has met with media executives from across the state at his office.

The quarterly meeting, convened by the Ministry of Information, aims to strengthen understanding and cooperation between media organizations and the government, in order to ensure effective information dissemination that upholds the dignity and image of Kano State.

Speaking at the session, Comrade Waiya expressed appreciation for the unwavering support of media leaders, which he said has contributed immensely to the ministrys progress in curbing unethical content on public platforms. He commended the noticeable reduction in abusive language in some broadcast programmes, attributing the achievement to the productive engagements held in previous meetings.

Highlighting the governments commitment to preserving the states moral standards, the Commissioner disclosed that sensitization programmes have been organized for political programme presenters, media commentators, and the Council of Friday Imams. These efforts, he noted, are designed to encourage responsible communication that conveys messages to the public without defamation or any act that could undermine the states reputation.

ALSO READ: Kano senator formally defects to APC

Comrade Waiya further clarified that the governments stance is not to suppress political opposition but rather to safeguard the sanctity of Kanos cultural and religious values.

Among the key resolutions reached during the meeting were:

 Anyone appearing on media platforms for interviews must sign an undertaking to refrain from making abusive, defamatory, or culturally offensive remarks.

 A ban has been placed on live political programmes across media outlets to prevent the spread of inflammatory content.

 Presenters were also banned from asking provocative questions or making suggestive gestures that could lead to statements capable of defaming individuals or damaging the image of Kano State.

Media executives at the meeting pledged their continued cooperation and offered valuable suggestions on improving broadcast standards and sanitizing language, all geared towards promoting peace and mutual respect in society.

Signed

Sani Abba Yola

Director Special Duties

Kano State Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs

7th May, 2025

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The Court of Appeal, Akure Division, has dismissed the appeal filed against the victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State and his Deputy, Olayide Adelami, at the November 16, 2024, governorship election.

The court in a unanimous judgment read by Oyebisi Omoleye, a judge, affirmed the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court, which dismissed the suit filed by the candidate of the New Nigeria People (NNPP) in the election, Olugbenga Edema.

Mr Edema had challenged the validity of the primary that produced Mr Aiyedatiwa as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also sought the courts order to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the nomination and the publication of the names of Messrs Aiyedatiwa and Adelami as the APC governorship and deputy governorship candidates.

He also asked the court to interpret the applicability of Section 15 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) over the nomination of the APC candidates.

In the suit, Mr Aiyedatiwa, Mr Adelami, INEC, and APC were defendants.

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At the hearing of the appeal, Abayomi Ojo represented the appellant while

Prince Onwjeome stood in for INEC, and Johnson Samuel was the counsel to the APC.

Similarly, Adesoji Adedoyin was Governor Aiyedatiwas counsel, Remi Olatubora represented the deputy governor, and SK Idowu was the counsel to the NNPP.

All the lawyers to the respondents challenged the appeal for lacking merit. They also asked the court to dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction, and that the suit and appeal constituted an abuse of court process.

In the verdict, the three-member appeal panel unanimously resolved all the issues formulated against Mr Edema. Consequently, it dismissed the appeal for abuse of court process and lack of merit.

However, the court held that striking out the name of the NNPP as one of the plaintiffs rendered the suit impotent and consequently dismissed it.

It also cited the refusal of the plaintiff to obey an earlier court order as a basis for the appeals failure.

The court awarded a fine of one million to each of the respondents.

Reacting to the courts decision, Mr Olatubora said the case filed by Mr Edema constituted abuse of court process since the same appeal court had dismissed a similar case earlier.

Going forward, our system must be reformed in such a way that a suit like this one should never be permitted in the first instance, he said.

This is a case of an individual who contested the election as the candidate of NNPP and now came to court after the conclusion of the election to challenge Aiyedatiwa, who was declared the winner of the election on the platform of APC.

I feel that our law should not allow this kind of suit, and you can imagine the amount of time we have spent litigating this case at the Federal High Court and subsequently at the Court of Appeal. The joy is that justice has been done and the case has been dismissed with a cost of N1 million to each respondent, Mr Olatubora added.

Similarly, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, who witnessed the hearing and judgment of the suit, saluted the industry and courage of the judges, saying he agreed with the courts decision.

One cannot but salute the industry and courage of the judges. I was in the court from the beginning to the end. You can see the erudition and the research that can sum up the judgment, he said.

On the judgment, I think we will need to first see this as another reaffirmation of the mandate of the people reposed on the governor of the state, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.

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The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has described the alleged use of drones by insurgent groups like Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), as a guerrilla warfare aided by informants.

The minister stated this on Wednesday while addressing journalists at the National Press Centre, Abuja, where the seventh 2025 ministerial press briefing was held.

This comes amidst lamentations by some federal lawmakers who raised concerns about the deadly resurgence of Boko Haram insurgency.

On Tuesday, two lawmakers  Zainab Gimba and Ahmed Jaha  from Borno State decried the use of drones and foreign fighters by Boko Haram, with the latter saying that the armed group is more sophisticated and advanced than the Nigerian Army.

That is not true  Badaru fires back

That is not true. That is absolutely not true, Mr Badaru said when asked to comment about how daring the terror groups have become. We have much more sophisticated weapons, and we have much more sophisticated drones.

He said the war on insurgency is not conventional. He described it as a guerrilla war, noting that the terrorists watch us, they have information around us.

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He continued: They help the people that we try to protect. And they give them information. And they jump at us in a way we dont expect.

And when they know that our surveillance mechanism is watching in some direction, because we cannot cover our area.

So that is it, because they dont have more equipment than us. We have much more. We have much more sophisticated equipment. And that is one of the sources that I just mentioned.

On the terrorists use of drones, Mr Badaru said, They [terrorists] are not using armed drones with strategic guidance. But we are doubling our intelligence efforts, both locally and internationally, to track and cut off supply sources.

He extolled the military for leading in the war against the terrorists.

The military has taken down so many terrorist commanders and leaders, breaking down their networks. I must say that the service chiefs make us proud, and they are doing so well in the prosecution of this war, he said.

The minister said the prolonged war is further worsened by weak borders, poverty and climate-related displacements.

Nigerias security challenges are connected to regional and global development, as we have seen the rise in transnational terrorism, cyber threats and armed insurgency soured by weak borders, poverty and climate-related displacement, he said.

The minister also disclosed that the production of home-made military hardware is now at an advanced level. According to him, 10 out of 53 companies under the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) have started producing hardware.

We are working to see if we can sustain a section in Ajaokuta that will support our efforts to make DICON more vibrant. Currently, with the support of the President, the Governor, and the Chief of Defence Staff, DICON as many of you know  is hosting 53 companies. Most of them are at various stages of constructing their factories. About 10 of these companies have already commenced production, including the manufacturing of drones, aircraft components, personal computers, helmets, safety vests, and other equipment.

So far, 10 have begun production, and we are targeting at least 20 companies to be operational by the end of the year. By next year, we aim to begin exporting, he said.

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Tragedy struck in Anambra State on Tuesday when five siblings died suddenly.

The incident happened at Ogidi, a community in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Wednesday night, said there was suspicion that the victims death was caused by food poisoning.

Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said the victims mother, who reportedly consumed the suspected food with the children, was in critical condition at a hospital.

Upon receiving the distress report, police operatives from Ogidi Division swiftly responded to the scene.

The bodies of the deceased children were recovered and have since been deposited at the morgue for preservation and autopsy, he said.

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Cause of death

Mr Ikenga said the state police command had begun efforts to establish the exact cause of death.

In the course of preliminary investigations, the police obtained samples of the suspected food, which have been forwarded for forensic analysis to determine the actual cause of the incident.

Officers are also conducting interviews with residents and other potential witnesses within the neighborhood to gather relevant information that may aid the ongoing investigation, he said.

The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, has expressed shock and sadness over the unfortunate incident.

Mr Orutugu said the police command has condoled with the family over the loss of the siblings and wished their mother a speedy recovery.

The police chief stressed that the account of the ailing mother will be vital in shedding more light on the circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased victims.

He assured Nigerians that a thorough and comprehensive investigation would be conducted to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Further developments will be communicated in due course, he assured.

How the children died

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the family had six children, including the five who died from the incident.

The familys only surviving child was away at the time of the incident because the child was schooling outside the community.

A relative told PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday morning that the incident happened after the children finished eating a meal prepared by their mother on Saturday.

Then, minutes later, the children started having stomach aches followed by vomiting, before they all died, the relative, who identified himself as Chukwudi, said.

Mr Chukwudi stressed that the children were rushed to hospitals around the area, where they were confirmed dead by the doctors.

Some were taken to Iyienu Mission Hospital while others stayed at Crown Hospital, he said.

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A foreigner is among the six suspected kidnappers arrested by the police in Akwa Ibom State, south-south Nigeria.

In a statement on Thursday, the police spokesperson in the state, Timfon John, identified the suspect as Tita Masume, a Cameroonian.

Other suspects, according to Ms John, are Oyibo Brown from Bayelsa State, Wisdom Harry from Rivers State, Afanye Igonikon from Rivers State, and Dare Olaniyi from Ogun State, all residing at Enugu Waterside, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The police said their arrest followed credible intelligence that the suspects were targeting and planning to kidnap key personnel within the Eket area of the state.

Acting on the information, operatives of the command mobilised assets, resulting in the arrest of Joseph Alafia, a male, in Oron Town on Tuesday, Ms John said.

The arrest of Mr Alafia led the operatives to raid two locations in the Eket axis of the state, where the six suspects were arrested.

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Ms John said the police recovered a Lexus RX 300 vehicle and five mobile phones from the suspect.

The arrested suspects are believed to be connected to recent kidnapping incidents within Eket and are currently undergoing intensive interrogation, said the police spokesperson.

This newspaper last month reported how gunmen in army uniforms abducted an entrepreneur in Eket, Eket Local Government Area of the state.

The victim, whom the police identified as Dennis Ajah, was reportedly abducted on his business premises at 94 Afaha Eket Road, Eket, on 10 April.

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Ten suspects have been remanded in the correctional facility for allegedly raping a 16-year-old disabled girl in Likoro, a village in Kudan Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

It was gathered that an 11th suspect was still at large when the case came up on Thursday at the Chief Magistrate Court, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kaduna.

The suspects, according to the police First Information Report (FIR), raped the victim continuously at different intervals by luring her into their various places where they had carnal knowledge of her.

The act resulted in a pregnancy, and the victim gave birth to a baby boy four months ago.

The prosecutor, Yakubu Lemu, a police inspector, said the act contravened section 257 of the Kaduna State Penal Code.

He said, According to the FIR on 27th October, 2024 at 6.30 p.m., one Usman Yusuf reported that he discovered that his younger sister, Fatima Maikanti, was six months pregnant.

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When questioned, she revealed that at different locations and different times, the suspects deceived and lured her into their various places in the village and had sexual intercourse with her. As a result, she became pregnant and delivered a baby boy.

Investigation revealed that each of the suspects had sexual intercourse with the victim at different locations, which contravened section 257 of the Kaduna State Penal Code.

The judge, Abubakar Lamido, said the court was waiting for advice from the Ministry of Justice and ordered the suspects to be remanded at the correctional centre pending the transfer of the case to the high court.

He then adjourned the matter to 22 May for mention.

Speaking to journalists after the court session, Rabi Salisu, the state Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, assured that the state government would pursue the case until justice was served.

Giving a brief on the matter, she said, The victim was raped continuously when she was 14-year-old after which she became pregnant. Now she has a baby that she cannot take care of because she is also a baby and too small to handle a child.

The Kaduna State Government also has laws that protect women and children and even vulnerable people. They include the Child Protection and Social Welfare and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) laws, as well as the sex offenders registry, where we register the names of offenders to serve as a deterrent to others.

Ms Salisu described the case as pathetic, saying that both the victims parents were blind and she also has one eye.

She added, The girl has given birth now to a child of four months. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) who was handling the case, now retired, had hitherto silenced the case, but with the help of the Commissioner of Police (CP), the case has been reopened.

It has been reopened as a fresh case because the incident happened over a year now and she has a four-month-old child.

READ ALSO: Police sanction officers filmed assaulting Nigerian

The former DPO arrested the suspects and released them on bail.

According to Ms Salisu, suspects of capital offences were not supposed to be granted bail, adding,that was why we reopened the case as a fresh one to rearrest them.

She thanked the police commissioner and his team for their quick action in re-arresting the suspects.

Ms Salisu assured that the state would do everything within the law to ensure that the victim received justice.

She said the state government would take care of the child and the mother, saying, because she is also a child, so they are going to be under our care for their social protection.

Ms Salisu warned that the state government would not tolerate any act of abuse, torture and molestation of women, children and especially, people with disability.

(NAN)

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Nigerian Armys troops of Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have apprehended four suspected terrorists and recovered weapons in Tau, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area of Taraba State.

This was disclosed in a statement by Olubodunde Oni, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade, in Jalingo.

Mr Oni, a Nigerian Army captain, said the arrest was made in an operation conducted on Wednesday following a tip on the movement of armed men in the area.

He said the troops responded swiftly and arrested the four suspects, three of whom were found in possession of firearms.

According to him, items recovered from the suspects include two pump-action rifles, one locally fabricated gun, three cutlasses, 42 cartridges, four mobile phones and one national identity card.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were allegedly invited by one Alhaji Ardo Sani, whose role is currently under further scrutiny, he said.

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He quoted Kingsley Uwa, a brigadier-general and the Commander of 6 Brigade, commending the troops for their swift response and professionalism during the operation.

He reaffirmed the Brigades commitment to ensuring the safety and security of lives and property within Taraba State and its environs.

Members of the public are encouraged to continue providing timely and credible information to aid ongoing operations and enhance security across the state, the statement added.

(NAN)

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President Bola Tinubu has asked Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State to provide him with a plot of land in the state to build a retirement home.

Mr Tinubu spoke on Thursday during a reception organised in his honour when he visited the South-eastern state to commission some legacy projects.

Many of my friends are from Anambra State, and I have seen many of them today, he began, shortly after receiving a chieftaincy title.

Continuing, the president said: Going forward, we are not just friends. I am now a bona-fide son of the soil  one of you, your own son.

Maybe my friend and your governor, Charles Soludo, should find me a plot of land for my retirement home after service.

When the audience began clapping for the request, Mr Tinubu further said he would not appreciate being accommodated for a short time such as one week.

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You dont have to move me (away) from the (Presidential) Villa for only one week. Give me a permanent abode, the president joked.

Chieftaincy title

Mr Tinubu was earlier honoured with the chieftaincy title of Dike si Mba by the traditional rulers in Anambra State.

The title was conferred on the president by the Chairperson of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, Chidubem Iweka, at the Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka.

During the conferment, Mr Iweka, the traditional ruler of Obosi Community, explained that the title was presented in recognition of Mr Tinubus contributions to the countrys development.

This is a title from all the royal fathers in the 179 communities of Anambra State. It is called Dike Si Mba Anambra, meaning warrior from the Diaspora, and it acknowledges your good works across the country, the traditional ruler said.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Tinubu expressed his gratitude for the honour, recalling that a traditional ruler in the state had given him a chieftaincy title in 2005.

I feel deeply honoured by the conferment of the chieftaincy title by all the traditional rulers of Anambra State on behalf of the state.

To have all the traditional rulers of Anambra confer another title on me is not only historic but one which I will greatly treasure for the rest of my life, he stated.

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Editors Note: This story has been updated to reflect the fact that what Mr Akpabio filed was a motion within an existing suit and not a separate suit.

=================

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to delete the satirical apology she posted on her social media platforms.

Mr Akpabios request is contained in a motion as part of an ongoing lawsuit initiated by the suspended senator to contest her suspension from the Senate.

On 4 April, Justice Binta Nyako, who took over the case after another judge stepped down, issued an order barring both parties from making public statements related to the case, especially concerning the sexual harassment allegations.

The judge ruled that: There shall be no press interviews by all parties and counsels as regard the subject matter of this suit. There shall be no streaming or social media post as regards this case. There shall be no television analysis of this subject matter while the case is subjudice.

Despite this order, on 27 April, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan posted a satirical apology on her official Facebook page. In the post, she mocked the leadership style of the senate president and his alleged misconduct in the upper chamber.

The senate presidents legal team, led by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a SAN, is arguing through the motion that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans post violated the courts order. It, therefore, asked the court to mandate her to delete the satirical post from all her social media platforms.

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Mr Akpabios legal team is also asking the court to direct the suspended senator to issue a written apology, to be published in at least two national newspapers and an affidavit of compliance confirming her adherence to these directives.

What is the satirical apology?

In the satirical post, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan apologised for her crime of maintaining dignity and self-respect, and suggested that success in the Senate under Mr Akpabios leadership was based not on competence or merit, but on conformity to personal expectations.

The statement went viral and generated several comments and reactions on social media. While some commentators saw the post as a form of protest by the suspended senator, others argued it was a disregard to the court order and advised the suspended senator to issue a straightforward apology if she had any regrets.

Legal battles

The dispute between the senate president and the suspended kogi senator dates back to a heated argument over sitting arrangements in February, which led to Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans suspension in March.

The Kogi senator, minutes before her controversial suspension, accused Mr Akpabio of sexual harassment.

Since then, both parties have filed different lawsuits against one another, demanding billions of naira from each other.

In one such suit still pending in court, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan sued Mr Akpabio and his legislative aide, Mfon Patrick, for defamation. She is seeking 100 billion in general damages and 300 million for litigation costs. This was as a result of a social media post allegedly authored by Mr Patrick that stated that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan lacked legislative understanding and was more focused on her appearance than parliamentary duties.

Also, Ekaette Akpabio, the wife of the senate president, filed two separate defamation suits against the suspended kogi senator, demanding 350 billion in damages for reputational harm allegedly inflicted upon her husband.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan has also filed a separate suit to contest her suspension from the Senate, a case that, like the others, is still awaiting resolution.

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Male Tibetan antelopes guard the female ones during their migration to their birth-giving ground in Qiangtang National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, June 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Tenzing Nima Qadhup)

XINING, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Pregnant Tibetan antelopes have begun their annual migration to the heart of northwest China's Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve to give birth, local sources with the reserve said Sunday.

The first group of 65 Tibetan antelopes was observed crossing the Qinghai-Xizang Highway on Sunday, heading toward Zonag Lake at the center of Hoh Xil.

According to the reserve's public security bureau, measures along the migration route, including temporary traffic control and a ban on honking, will be implemented to ensure the antelopes reach their breeding spots undisturbed.

Each year, tens of thousands of pregnant Tibetan antelopes start to migrate to Hoh Xil in May to give birth. They will return with their offspring around August.

Under first-class state protection in China, the once-endangered species is mostly found in Xizang Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Due to strict bans on illegal hunting and efforts to improve their habitat, the Tibetan antelope population has rebounded from fewer than 20,000 in the late 1980s to more than 70,000 today.

Editor: GSY
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that the inaugural flight for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage will depart from Owerri, Imo State, on 9 May, with Governor Hope Uzodimma as the host.

According to a Wednesday statement by the commissions spokesperson, Fatima Usara, 315 pilgrims from Imo, Abia, and Bayelsa are scheduled to board the Air Peace airline for the trip.

Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to grace the occasion as Special Guest of Honour, she said.

Ms Usara also said NAHCONs advance team arrived in Owerri on Wednesday to monitor preparations for the event.

Four flights are scheduled to take off simultaneously on May 9 for the pilgrimage.

The flights are expected as follows  Max Air from Bauchi, two FlyNas flights, one from Kebbi and the other Osun through Lagos departure centre, and a fourth flight from Niger totaling 2,528 pilgrims to arrive at Madina on the first day.

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No More Registration of Pilgrims for 2025 Hajj

According to the statement, registration for the 2025 pilgrimage ended on 2 May following an extension from the earlier March deadline.

The extension was made possible through the intervention of NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, despite closure of contract by March 25th 2025.

Stoppage of further registration became necessary in order for the commission to concentrate on the airlift of pilgrims, with sufficient resources to ensure their comfort. Hence, any Hajj fare deposit received after 2nd May will be duly refunded. Meanwhile, movement to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj commences from 9th May 2025, she wrote.

NAHCON advance team departs for Saudi Arabia

PREMIUM TIMES reported the commencement of the Hajj 2025 operation on Monday with the commissions advance team comprising key operational staff and senior members of the national medical team, departing Abuja on Monday to Saudi Arabia.

The team is responsible for ensuring the groundwork for the Hajj operations is intact, including accommodation arrangements, airport reception protocols, and coordination with Saudi Hajji authorities.

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ECOWAS President Omar Touray has decried the deplorable state of infrastructure at the Nigeria-Benin Republic Seme border, in spite of the huge investment in it by ECOWAS.

The Benin president stated this during an official on-the-spot assessment visit to the NigeriaLagos Seme Border, which is one of West Africas busiest and most strategic corridors.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit was aimed at assessing how the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Goods and Services was being implemented and to identify obstacles.

Mr Touray called for urgent reforms to safeguard the regions free movement protocol and pledged to deliver a full report and recommendations toward addressing the decadence and removing all cross-border obstacles.

The commissions president also called on border security officials and national authorities to align more closely with ECOWAS protocols.

This is one of the busiest and most strategic border posts in West Africa. Yet, we are faced with expensive facilities, scanners, lighting systems, and bridges that are simply not working. That is unacceptable.

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We cannot justify millions spent on equipment that lies idle. Our citizens expect results, not excuses.

If a lightbulb goes out, ECOWAS should not be called to replace it. Member states must step up and take ownership, he said.

According to him, while ECOWAS is responsible for initiating infrastructure, the responsibility for maintenance lies with individual member states.

Mr Touray also decried the proliferation of checkpoints within member countries, arguing that it contradicted the spirit of the ECOWAS free movement protocol.

Why do we have multiple customs and immigration posts for the same corridor?

It frustrates travellers, delays trade, and creates opportunities for corruption, he said.

The commissions president demanded transparency and urged officials to crack down on unofficial payments.

We have received troubling reports of citizens being asked to pay without receipts.

This damages trust. If any fee is legitimate, it must be receipted. Period!, he stressed.

He further clarified that the protocol on free movement under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) does not eliminate the need for proper documentation.

Free movement does not mean no documentation; free movement does not mean a free-for-all.

The appropriate identity papers, security checks, and customs procedures remain necessary to balance openness with safety and order.

Our people must understand that they need valid identification to travel. Security and freedom must go hand in hand, he said.

The Comptroller of Customs, Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos-Seme Border, Ben Oramalugo, while briefing the president earlier, enumerated the challenges faced by the command.

We have scanners installed, but they are not working. Since I reported here on February 12, they have remained non-functional. These scanners can detect things human eyes cannot.

When you inspect cargo manually, you might miss drugs or dangerous goods hidden deep inside. We need your help to get these scanners working again.

There is also no light in the pedestrian passage, and criminals take over the area at night. There is no roofing for those passing through, and we do not have water in the offices.

Every morning, labourers fetch water in jerrycans just so we can function. This isnt acceptable for such a significant facility, Mr Oramalugo said.

Mr Oramalugo said that there is no electricity at all in Seme Border as it is not connected to the National Grid, so they depend entirely on electricity from Benin and whenever their power goes out, they are left in total darkness.

This is Nigerias number one border, connecting the entire Francophone region, yet we are not connected to the National Grid.

This road tells the story of Nigeria. What people see here reflects on all of us, he said.

The senior customs officer also decried the plethora of checkpoints on the international corridor.

From here to Badagry, I have ensured there are only three customs checkpoints.

But there are still too many from other agencies. I appeal to you, let us enforce a maximum of three checkpoints total, he said.

Also speaking, Nigerias Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Musa Nuhu, who was on the presidents entourage, said that the Seme border was critical to the ECOWAS free movement protocol.

According to him, the challenges of infrastructure decay, overlapping security checks, and operational bottlenecks raised by border officials highlighted the gap between policy and implementation.

This is the busiest border in West Africa, in terms of passage of goods, people, and services, and if free movement is working in West Africa, it is in this border that we will be able to find out.

Its good that they mentioned these issues for you to really understand practically what is happening along this very important border, the ambassador said.

He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu recently approved the setting up of a Presidential Task Force to dismantle multiple checkpoints in the country.

That committee has been set up under the authority of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and we will soon start working to address this issue, he said.

NAN also reports that the visit enabled Mr Touray to engage directly with community citizens on both sides, security operatives, and commuters, for him to understand the realities on the ground.

(NAN)

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As artificial intelligence reshapes the media landscape, a media publisher has said that regulatory bodies and associations must come together to create policies for AI usage that address ethical limitations and potential challenges.

Monday Ashibogwu, Managing Editor of Quick News Africa, spoke on Wednesday in Lagos during a one-day Media Stakeholders Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence, The Media and Press Freedom: Issues and Perspectives.

The event was organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Lagos, in collaboration with the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) Southwest.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Ashibogwu noted that the collaborators must align the media-specific AI policy with the national policy on AI and ensure that employment is not threatened.

All media stakeholders from the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Advertising, Regulatory Council of Nigeria, Press Council, Guild of Editors, Union of Journalists, Guild of Bloggers, all these critical stakeholders need to come together, sit down together and create a framework on AI, the media expert said.

The policy on AI usage in the media is very fundamental.

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He added that the media professionals should look at issues that cause ethical disharmony in the sector.

Mr Ashibogwu also emphasised the need for journalists to understand how AI operates, particularly in generative AI, which relies on frequently used words and experiences.

He explained the impact of AI on newsroom productivity and its ability to target specific audiences based on data analytics.

AI and press freedom

Mr Ashibogwu stressed the need for journalists to understand the legal, potential risks, benefits and ethical implications of AI in journalism and the need for responsible governance.

He also urged media organisations to have policies and mechanisms in place to protect journalists and ensure the integrity of their reporting.

On her part, Ganiyat Tijani-Adenle, a media lecturer at the Lagos State University, examined the critical issue of journalist safety in an AI-driven media sector.

Mrs Tijani-Adenle said journalists must protect their work tools, sources and maintain digital hygiene.

She urged media organisations and journalists to invest in continuous media and information literacy training.

Earlier, Melody Akinjiyan, IPC press freedom officer, presented a 2024 documentation of attacks on journalists in Nigeria.

According to their findings, state actors perpetrate the most attacks against journalists.

Also, Gbemiga Ogunleye, a media expert and former provost of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, in his opening speech, encouraged journalists to join the association, stressing the value of feedback from professionals to improve media education.

He said input from media professionals will shape the curriculum in media studies, which will ensure that graduates possess valuable skills when entering the media industry.

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The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, rejected the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)s objection to former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogis attempt to tender an earlier court judgement in his ongoing alleged money laundering trial.

The judge, Emeka Nwite, in a ruling, held that the EFCCs objection was preemptive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former governor, through his counsel, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had sought to tender an FCT High Court judgment in suit number: FCT/HC/CV/2574/2023, between Mr Ali Bello and Incorporated Trustees of American International School.

The development occured after the EFCC called its third prosecution witness Nicholas Ojehomon, an Internal Auditor with American International School, Abuja (AISA).

However, the commission s lawyer, Kemi Pinhero, also a SAN, opposed the admissibility of the document, arguing that the prosecution was yet to close its case.

Daudu disagreed with Pinheros submission.

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The defence lawyer argued that the instant document, which is a judgment of another court, was relevant in the case at hand.

Delivering the ruling, Mr Nwite held that the admissibility of documents is strictly guided by law as far as it satisfies the provision of Sections 102 and 104 of the Evidence Act.

The judge listed the parameters to be considered to include whether the facts are pleaded, whether the documents are relevant and whether the documents are admissible.

He said it was indeed glaring that the document sought to be tender in the case of Ali Bello Vs AISA was relevant to the fact in issue.

He said the same document was a certified true copy of a judgement of FCT High instituted by one Ali Bello.

READ ALSO: Shehu Sani challenges Natasha to prove sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio

He said the court agreed with the counsel for the ex-governor, Mr Daudu, that the argument of the anti-graft agencys lawyer, Mr Pinhero, was preemptive.

According to the judge, courts have moved away from the platform of technicalities to the platform of substantial justice.

Consequently, the argument of the prosecution that the defence cannot present the document is hereby discountenanced.

Having said that, the objection of the prosecution is indeed preemitive, consequently, the objection of the learner counsel to the prosecution is hereby overruled, he ruled.

Mr Nwite therefore admitted the document in evidence and marked as Exhibit 19.

(NAN)

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Airtel Africa plotted its way back to profitability as it turned $328 million in net profit for the last financial year, not so much by expanding revenue as by cutting down the weighty fx losses that dogged performance in the preceding year.

Its unaudited earnings report out on Thursday revealed turnover retreated by 0.5 per cent to $4.96 billion after income from both voice and data services dropped.

That factor, alongside an increase in operational expenditure, led to an 11.1 per cent slide in operating profit to $1.5 billion.

Airtel Africas share price was flat in Lagos as of 12:48 WAT, following the news, staying unchanged at N2,156.9 per unit as it has been since 6 November.

In London, where the stock is dual-listed, the shares had fallen by 6.9 per cent at about the same time as investors digested the mixed performance.

Even so, managements reduction of derivative and exchange losses to $87 million, an 89.3 per cent decline compared to the preceding year, came in handy as a redeeming feature that also helped ease cost pressures on pre-tax profit.

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It achieved that by partly offsetting the derivative and exchange losses recorded in H125 with the Nigerian naira and Tanzanian shilling gains reported in Q325.

An improving operating environment and focused execution contributed to strong momentum in our financial results with constant currency revenue growth peaking at 23.2% in Q425, said CEO Sunil Tadar, who took the reins from Segun Ogunsanya last July.

Part of this acceleration in the last quarter has also been driven by the Nigerian tariff adjustments, he added, alluding to a 50 per cent telecom rates hike approved by the Nigerian telecoms regulator this year to enable telcos weather the devaluation storm.

A two-time devaluation of the naira, the currency of its biggest market Nigeria, in the previous financial year forced the telecom operator to incur derivative and foreign exchange losses of $544 million

That set Airtel Africa, which operates in fourteen countries on the continent, up for a net loss of $89 million for the year to March 2024.

Profit before tax for the period under review came to $661 million against a $63 million loss reported a year ago. Profit after tax, at $328 million, improved by 468.2 per cent, compared to a loss of $89 million in the previous year.

The wireless operator began the second and final phase of its share buyback scheme last December, through which it plans to return up to $100 million to shareholders. The first strand returned $45 million in all to equity investors.

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The police in Imo State, south-east Nigeria, say they sanctioned three operatives filmed assaulting a man in the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, announced this in a statement on Wednesday.

The video clip

A video clip which surfaced recently on social media showed some officers assaulting a man along the Owerri-Aba Road in Imo State.

In the clip, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, two police officers were seen violently hitting and smacking a man along the road with their rifles.

The victim appeared to be a motorist flagged down by the officers who constantly pulled his dress during the assault.

Sanctions

Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, said the state police command has identified the officers involved in the assault.

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The spokesperson gave the names of the officers as Ofem Obongha and Obinna Okereke, both inspectors.

The third officer was Anayo Ekezie, a sergeant.

Mr Okoye said the three officers were all from the Safer Highway Unit of the state police command.

The police spokesperson said after a review of the video clip, the command conducted an orderly room trial of the officers in line with the disciplinary procedures of the Nigeria Police Force.

Sergeant Anayo Ekezie was found guilty of using his issued smoke gunner in the assault and has been demoted to the rank of corporal.

Inspectors Obongha and Okereke were severely reprimanded for failing to exercise proper supervisory control, which allowed the unprofessional conduct to occur, he said.

Mr Okoye said the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, condemned the officers actions.

Mr Danjuma, according to the statement, said the actions of the officers were in breach of the Forces code of conduct and human rights standards.

The commissioner reiterated the commands zero-tolerance policy for police misconduct and promised appropriate action for those found guilty.

He urged residents of Imo State to report any incident of police misconduct through the Complaints Response Unit for action

The command is committed to transparency, professionalism, and protecting citizens rights, he stated.

Not the first time

Cases of police brutality, extortion and other unprofessional activities in Nigeria have continued despite sanctions by police authorities.

Many Nigerians have suffered harassment, assault and extortion in the hands of police personnel.

READ ALSO: Police recover another corpse in Anambra

The latest incident happened less than three months after police authorities in Abia State dismissed three officers for allegedly engaging in abduction and extortion in Nigeria.

In October 2024, police in Ebonyi began an orderly room trial of officers filmed extorting motorists in the state.

Within the same period, the police in Imo State began another orderly room trial of four officers seen in a viral video clip extorting motorists in the state.

About three months earlier, police operatives in Bayelsa State extorted N3 million from a Nigerian man at gunpoint.

The officers were subsequently arrested after the victim petitioned police authorities.

The police operatives later returned the N3 million to the victim, about three weeks later

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Prosecution witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, on Thursday, said there was no transfer of funds from the account of Kogi State Government to the American International School, Abuja (AISA)s account for payment of former Governor Yahaya Belllos childrens school fees.

Mr Ojehomon, an Internal Auditor in AISA and the third prosecution witness in the money laundering trial of Mr Bello, told trial judge Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the former governor on money laundering charges, accusing him of diverting N80.2 billion in Kogi States funds. EFCC alleged in the case that Mr Bello paid $845,852.84 in advance school fees for his children. The anti-graft agency also alleged that the former governor paid the money in instalments between September 2021 to January 2022. The agency described the money paid to the school as part of proceeds of unlawful activities.

EFCC also alleged in the case that the former governor purchased properties with funds diverted from the state governments treasury.

In February, the first prosecution witness, Segun Adeleke, General Manager of EFAB Properties Limited, testified on the purchase of some properties which the EFCC alleged in the charges were acquired with Kogi States funds for Mr Bello.

On Thursday, the third prosecution witness, under cross-examination by counsel for the ex-governor, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), on the AISAs bank statement marked as Exhibit 16, told the trial court that neither the names of any of the local governments in the state nor Yahaya Bellos name appeared in the exhibit.

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Look at the fund column by column, it seems it does have the names of who wired money into the account, Daudu said to the witness.

Yes it does, the witness responded.

if you check the entire statement, is there any wired transfer coming from the Kogi State government ? the lawyer asked.

No there is no such name, the witness responded.

What of any local government from Kogi State? the lawyer asked, and Mr Ojehomon answered in the negative.

What of the name, Alhaji Yahaya Bello? Is there any direct transfer bearing the name Yahaya Bello on the face of the document? Mr Daudu also asked.

No, there is no name like Yahaya Bello in the statement, the witness responded.

When Mr Daudu asked the witness if other parents pay money into the account as school fees, the witness said: Yes, I confirm other parents pay into the account.

The internal auditor also admitted that the names of those parents reflect in the statement of account.

EFCCs case

The witness testimony does not deviate from EFCCs case.

The commissions case alleges a money laundering scheme of using diverse sources to receive and use money from the state government accounts for Mr Bellos benefits.

In previous proceedings, Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer at the Area 3, Garki, Abuja branch of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), testified as the second prosecution witness.

Mr Abimbola, who appeared on subpoena, presented a copy of the subpoena, which was admitted as Exhibit 1 without objection from the defence.

The prosecution also tendered the statement of account and the account opening package for Kogi State Government House covering 1 January 2016 to 31 January 2024. The document was admitted as Exhibits 2P1 to P61.

The EFCC also presented the statements of account and account opening package for American International School, Abuja, Account No. 1000684346, covering 1 September 2020, to 30 September 2020. These were admitted as Exhibits 521-5277, while the statement of account was marked as Exhibits 621-622.

Judgement exhibit

Earlier, Mr Nwite had, in a ruling, rejected the EFCCs objection to former Gov. Bellos bid to tender an earlier court judgment in the trial.

The judge held that the EFCCs objection was preemptive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former governor, through his counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, had on the last adjourned date sought to tender an FCT High Court judgment in suit number: FCT/HC/CV/2574/2023, between Mr Ali Bello and Incorporated Trustees of American International School.

The development occured after the EFCC called Mr Ojehomon, the internal auditor of the school, as its third prosecution witness.

However, the commission s lawyer, Kemi Pinhero, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), opposed the admissibility of the document, arguing that the prosecution was yet to close its case.

But Mr Daudu disagreed with Mr Pinheros submission.

The defence lawyer argued that the instant document, which is a judgement of another court, was relevant in the case at hand.

The judge, Mr Nwite, in the ruling, held that the admissibility of documents is strictly guided by law as far as it satisfies the provision of Sections 102 and 104 of the Evidence Act.

The judge listed the parameters to be considered to include whether the facts are pleaded, whether the documents are relevant and whether the documents are admissible.

He said it was indeed glaring that the document sought to be tender in the case of Ali Bello Vs AISA was relevant to the fact in issue.

He said the same document was a certified true copy of a judgment of FCT HIGh instituted by one Ali Bello.

He said the court was inclined to agree with the counsel to the ex-governor, Joseph Daudu, SAN, that the argument of the anti-graft agencys lawyer, Kemi Pinhero, SAN, was preemitive.

According to the judge, moreover, the court has since moved away from the platform of technicalities to the platform of substantial justice.

Consequently, the argument of the prosecution that the defense cannot present the document is hereby discountenance Having said that, the objection of the prosecution is indeed preemitive, consequently, the objection of the learner counsel to the prosecution is hereby overruled, he ruled.

Mr Nwite therefore admitted the document in evidence and marked as Exhibit 19.

Upon resumed trial, the witness told the court that he had worked for eight years in the school and was employed as an internal auditor.

When he was given Exhibit 19 (the FCT Court judgment), and asked to read out parts of the judgment, lawyer who appeared for EFCC on Thursday, Olukayode Enitan, SAN, objected.

The witness has already been shown the exhibit admitted as evidence.

Anything that needs to be done with the judgment is not within his opinion. That is for those of us here because the witness is not a legal expert.

Let us save time by not asking the witness this, he said.

I am not asking for the witness opinion. I am speaking to the document just the same way they did, Daudu responded.

The EFCC lawyer said the difference between the document and the ones they had tendered is that those documents are not judgments of the court.

But it has been tendered and admitted by the court. I should be allowed to conduct my case the way I like.

My lord, what I am saying is that I should be allowed to conduct my case because it may be devastating to my case if I am not allowed to, Daudu said and the judge gave him the go-ahead.

Daudu then asked Ojehomon to read out Pages 1, 14 and 15 of Exhibit 19 which is the FCT High Court judgment.

Part of the content in the judgement said that there was no court order for the school to return the money (school fees) to EFCC or any judgment declaring the money as proceeds of money laundering.

The judgment also said AISA ought not to have paid the money to EFCC, that AISA cannot pay the EFCC or any other person monies paid under the future fee agreement without an order of the court.

In addition, the judgment held that AISA had a binding contract with the Bello family on future fee payments of school fees of children in the school and they cannot derogate therefrom.

Mr Nwite, subsequently, adjourned the matter until 9 May for continuation of trial.

(NAN)

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched the National Action Plan on Ending Violence Against Children in Nigeria, with a call for the stiff enforcement of the Child Rights Act and other child protection laws that guarantee the safety, dignity, and future of Nigerian children.

He outlined practical steps being taken by his administration to achieve this, including the establishment of a dedicated Child Protection and Development Agency, launch of the Universal Child Grant to reduce household poverty and childrens vulnerability; creation of a National Child Protection Database and a Child Well-being Index, to track the governments progress and uphold accountability.

The president stated this on Thursday during the first regional meeting of the Africa Pathfinder Countries of the Global Alliance on Ending Violence Against Children at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President Tinubu, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, declared his administrations commitment to establishing a dedicated Child Protection and Development Agency to ensure coherent coordination of all issues relating to the Nigerian child.

The president noted that while each day comes with a reminder of the dreams of Nigerian children, the conditions into which they are born, and whether these conditions protect or betray them, are also critical issues to ponder.

He said, Our legal frameworks reflect our conviction. From the Child Rights Act to the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, Nigeria has laid down the statutory foundation for the protection of children. But legislation alone does not shield the vulnerableit is the will behind those laws, and the systems that enforce them, that make the difference.

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That is why our national strategy also embraces prevention and early intervention. We are strengthening families and communities through programmes that promote positive parenting, challenge harmful social norms, and provide targeted support to vulnerable households.

Mr Tinubu assured that relevant government institutions, including the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, are armed with the required training and resources to spearhead the protection of the Nigerian child across all levels of government, even as he maintained that it is a crusade for which sincerity and honesty are required.

But we must be honest with ourselves. We cannot protect the child by merely reciting the anthems of their struggles or romanticising their vulnerability.

The real hope lies in actionconcrete, deliberate action. Our commitment must run deep, reaching into the very architecture of our education and health systems. This is the soul of our human capital development strategy, he stated.

To ensure stiff enforcement of child protection laws in Nigeria, Mr Tinubu said his administration is strengthening existing institutions and laws, and launching national campaigns to promote awareness and drive behavioural change.

The president underlined the importance of the first regional meeting of Africas Pathfinder Countries under the Global Alliance on Ending Violence Against Children, pointing out that it breathes new life into the bold declarations made at the First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children held in Bogota.

Earlier, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence Against Children, Najat Mjid, urged African leaders to move beyond commitments and implement concrete actions to protect children from violence and exploitation.

The official also charged delegates to the meeting and other participants to focus on peer learning, effective strategy sharing, and collective actions in addressing common obstacles to ensure child protection efforts are sustainable in Africa.

On her part, Nigerias Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, highlighted the countrys commitment and the progress made since the Ministerial Conference in Bogota, Colombia, in November 2024, noting that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu is strengthening legal frameworks, scaling up the Safe Schools Programme, expanding parenting interventions, and increasing budgetary allocations to child protection systems.

Through our renewed national child policy framework now under review, and our adopted National Strategy and Costed Action Plan to End Child Marriage in Nigeria, we are laying the foundation for more accountable, inclusive, and data-driven action, she said.

In separate remarks, the heads of delegation to the regional meeting from Zimbabwe, Cote dIvoire, Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso, stated the recommitment of their various countries to the global alliance to ending violence against children as declared in Bogota in November 2024.

They presented progress reports from their respective countries, commended the leadership provided by Nigeria and urged all stakeholders to be intentional about ending violence against children and not to pay lip-service to the programmes and policies designed to actualise the objectives.

Stanley Nkwocha

Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications

(Office of The Vice President)

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The Senate, on Thursday, passed the remaining two of the four tax reform bills proposed by President Bola Tinubu.

The two remaining bills passed were the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024 and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.

The bills were considered after the senators debated them at the Committee of the Whole.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced passage of the bill after a majority of the senators supported it through voice vote.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that on Wednesday, the Senate debated and passed two of the tax bills: the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill and the Tax Administration Bill.

With the passage of the two remaining bills, the Senate has successfully passed the four tax reform bills proposed by President Tinubu.

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Recommendations and adoptions

Initially, Section 146 of the Nigeria Tax Bill proposed a gradual increase of Value-Added Tax (VAT) from the current 7.5 per cent to 12.5 per cent through 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029, while by 2030, the VAT will be raised to 15 per cent.

However, stakeholders including Trade Union Congress (TUC) raised objections to the proposal during public hearings. The committee, thereafter, reviewed the section and recommended that VAT should be charged at a rate of 7.5 per cent.

The bill also proposed a gradual reduction in statutory funding for agencies such as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

TETFund is primarily funded through a 2 per cent education tax on the assessable profits of registered companies in Nigeria. This funding supports the development of tertiary education by providing financial assistance to institutions for infrastructure, research, and faculty training.

NASENI, on the other hand, plays a vital role in scientific research, technological advancements and driving innovation across sectors.

Similarly, NITDA is central to Nigerias digital transformation, supporting ICT growth, capacity building, and technological infrastructure development.

Because of their significance, unions like the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) opposed the reduction of their funding during public hearings.

The committee reviewed the bills proposal and recommended that the statutory funding of the agencies should be retained as demanded by the stakeholders. The committee also recommended that there should be statutory funding for agencies like the National Cybersecurity and Defence Security.

All the agencies are now to share the 2 per cent profits of companies that used to be for TETFUND. The committee recommended 50 per cent of the statutory funding for TETFUND, 15 per cent for NELFUND, 10 per cent for NITDA, 10 per cent for NASENI, 5 per cent for cyber security and 10 per cent for defence security.

The committee also amended Clause 25 of the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill to address funding mechanisms for oversight and regulatory bodies of the Nigerian Tax system.

Specifically, the amendment states that the Tax Appeal Tribunal and the Tax Ombudsmans Office will now be funded from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, subject to appropriations by the National Assembly.

Approvals

After deliberating the bills clause-by-clause, Mr Akpabio put the passage to a vote, and the majority of the senators supported it through voice votes.

Mr Akpabio subsequently approved the committees recommendations on the bills and the third reading of the bills was passed.

Thereafter, he constituted a 15-member committee to harmonise the Senates decision on the bills with the version passed by the House. Once harmonised, the unified bills will be transmitted to President Tinubu for assent.

The committee members are minority leader Abba Moro, Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi), Sani Musa (Niger), Adetokubo Abiru (Lagos), Joel-Thomas Onowakpo (Delta), Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross-Rivers), Jimi Kuta (Taraba), Gbenga Daniel (Ogun), Osita Izunaso (Imo), Solomon Adeola (Ogun), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Hussaini Babangida (Jigawa), and Tahir Monguno (Borno).

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President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, visited Anambra State to commission some projects executed by the state governor, Charles Soludo.

The projects commissioned by Mr Tinubu included the new Anambra State Government House, Solution Fun City, and the new Governors Lodge.

This is the first time Mr Tinubu would be visiting Anambra State since he was sworn in as Nigerias President on 29 May 2023.

The presidential visit was broadcast live on various television stations, including Channels TV.

Mr Tinubu landed at the Chinua Achebe International Airport, Umueri, alongside his entourage.

The president was accompanied by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi.

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The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma; and their Enugu State counterpart, Peter Mbah, were among the governors who accompanied the president.

Mr Tinubu, while commissioning the new Anambra Government House, praised Mr Soludo for the infrastructural developments in the South-eastern state.

Soludo is here providing a solution and that solution is in infrastructure and in carrying people along in the area of development.

Well done, Mr Governor, for reflecting the quality of governance for the people of Anambra, he said.

Continuing, the president said, Anambra is achieving great heights. Building our tomorrow, today. A leader like Governor Chukwuma Soludo (is) placing Anambra on the path of 21st-century development.

You are a good thinker, you are a solution provider. We can go places together. Building Nigeria. Building the future.

Using technology to build and reflect good governance on the people. Promote investment. We must encourage good governance.

Before commissioning the projects, Mr Tinubu visited the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, where he exchanged pleasantries with the institutions management and staff members.

Ban on political party uniforms

Meanwhile, ahead of Mr Tinubus visit, the Anambra State Government issued a ban on wearing political party uniforms at the Alex Ekwueme Square, venue of the event.

Alex Obiogbolu, the special adviser to Mr Soludo on political matters, announced the ban in a statement on Thursday.

This is to inform you that everyone who is coming to Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square for the reception of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today should be in mufti, Mr Obiogbolu said.

Please, nobody should put on APGA clothes or Support Group uniforms, he said.

Mr Soludo is a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), while Mr Tinubu is a member of the All Progressives Congress.

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The United States is considering contributing to the upcoming U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund through both direct financial contributions and the monetized value of military aid provided to Ukraine, First Deputy Economy Minister Oleksiy Sobolev announced.

"Both mechanisms are being considered  cash contributions and military assistance. We expect both to be operational this year," he stated at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday.

Sobolev confirmed that, in the fund's initial phase, contributions will primarily come from the U.S. side. Based on joint calculations with the Ministry of Finance, if the fund had been established in 2019, Ukraine's real contributions  calculated as 50% of revenues from new and dormant licenses plus 50% of royalties  would only amount to about UAH 3 billion today.

At the same time, Deputy Economy Minister and Trade Representative Taras Kachka clarified that the agreement with the United States is structured in such a way that Ukraine's first contribution will be recognized as the projected future cash flow consisting of 50% of revenues from licenses and royalties.
White smoke has been seen rising above the Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace in Rome, signaling that the cardinals have elected a new pope.

The new pontiff will replace Pope Francis, who died last month at age 88, as the 267th Vicar of Christ.

The smoke was seen rising from the chapels chimney on Thursday, two days after the conclave officially began.

The conclave is an ancient process used by the Catholic church to elect a new pontiff.

For this process, the 133 cardinals qualified to vote are currently gathered at the Casa Santa Marta, where Pope Francis had lived, and have been casting their ballots in the Sistine Chapel.

The identity of the new pope is expected to be revealed soon.

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PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that as part of the procedure, after a pontiff has been elected, the dean of the cardinals will ask him if he accepts the office.

If he says yes, he will be asked to choose the name he will use as pope. Afterwards, the new pope will put on a white robe, greet the cardinals, step out onto the balcony of Saint Peters Basilica, and then, a senior cardinal will announce in Latin: Habemus papam  We have a pope.

Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, among others, were earlier reported to be top contenders in the election.

Pope Francis was laid to rest at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, also known as St. Mary Major, one of the four major Catholic churches in Rome.

He chose to be buried outside the Vatican, making him the first Pope to do so in 120 years since Pope Leo XIII was buried at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran.

Before his death, he requested a simple tomb in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

The tomb must be in the earth; simple, without particular decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus, the pontiff said in his will.

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The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says violent attacks on local communities and killings of farmers in Plateau, Benue and other parts of the country are mostly perpetrated by foreign herders.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Markus Kangye, stated this on Thursday while fielding questions from journalists on the identities of armed herders attacking farming communities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that several communities, especially in Plateau and Benue states, have recently faced a series of attacks by armed herders, with many killed and thousands rendered homeless.

NAN also recalls that Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue recently said the attackers were foreign herders taking advantage of ECOWAS protocol on free movement of livestock to invade communities.

Responding to journalists on Thursday, Mr Kangye, a major-general, said that even though the Hausa language was spoken in different parts of Africa, it was easy to identify those who are non-Nigerians.

According to him, when you hear them talk, in some instances, you will be able to decipher whether these people are from here or not.

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Hausa language, like any other language, has different versions and intonations.

So the Hausa spoken in Nigeria has differences between the Hausa spoken in Mali, also the Hausa spoken in Central African Republic and Hausa spoken in Ghana.

So when we arrest these herders and terrorists, even the way they speak and appear is clear to see, and even the hair will tell you that this person is not from Nigeria.

I think the only community in Nigeria that has hair similar to the Shuwa in the Sahel region is probably the Shuwa Arabs in Borno, but they dont even have the same hair.

So, one will also admit that many of those terrorising our people are foreigners, even though some of them are also Nigerians, he said.

Mr Kangye said that some herders of Nigerian origin also get involved in violence in the process of rearing their cows.

He said some of them encroach into peoples farms, resulting in conflict between the farmers and the herders.

But know that most of the violence and incessant killings you are hearing in some parts of this country are perpetrated by mostly those that find their way into porous borders of our country.

But we must as a nation rise up together with other agencies whose responsibility to ensure those that come into Nigeria are accounted for.

There are agencies responsible for that. So we have to collaborate, and that is why we say we work within a joint environment to ensure that we address insecurity, he added.

(NAN)

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The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said he will not resign his position despite pressure from some Nigerians over sexual harassment allegations levelled against him by the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Mr Akpabio stated this during Thursdays plenary after the senators debated and approved the tax reform bills.

He insisted that the allegations against him were false and politically motivated.

Im not one of those people who, as you say, will step down for false allegations. Then, when eventually it is proven that the allegations were false, they will say, oh, we are unfair to Akpabio. Im not that bad. So, if you had that in mind, please cancel it, he said.

He questioned the rationale behind the calls for his resignation and compared his situation to that of black Americans imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.

Who told you I was going to step down? You know, if you watch the current revelations in America, you realise that there are some black people, because of their skins, who went to prison, sometimes 27 years, some 25 years, for false allegations, he said.

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Since Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans sexual harassment allegations became public, several voices, including prominent politicians, civil society organisations, and public commentators, have called on Mr Akpabio to step aside to ensure an unbiased investigation.

Among those calling for his resignation is former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who has stressed the need for maintaining the integrity of the upper chamber by allowing due process to take its course.

In addition to the harassment allegations, Mr Akpabio is also facing public scrutiny over his alleged links to a professor recently convicted of electoral fraud during the 2019 general elections.

Despite the pressure, the senate president insisted on his innocence and reaffirmed his determination to remain in office.

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An American Cardinal, Robert Prevost, has been elected the new Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

This marks a historic first as the church has never before had an American pope.

The 69-year-old took the name Pope Leo XIV for his papacy.

He was elected on Thursday, on the second day of the conclave, after white smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace in Rome.

His election brings the conclave to an end.

The new pontiff appeared at the central window of St Peters Basilica after a one-day conclave at the Vatican, officially succeeding Pope Francis, who died last month at the age of 88.

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The conclave is an ancient process used by the Catholic Church to elect a new pontiff.

Peace be with you, the new pope told onlookers at Saint Peters Square.

According to CNN, the new pope was greeted with huge cheers from thousands gathered at the square.

Addressing them, he said, I would like this greeting of peace to reach all your hearts and families and people around the world. May peace be with you.

Mr Prevost, who is from Chicago, is considered to be a reformer, having spent many years as a missionary in Peru before eventually being appointed archbishop there.

READ ALSO: Catholic Church elects new Pope

He has also been the head of the churchs Dicastery for Bishops.

As the new pope, Mr Prevost has become the leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics.

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The Kwara State government on Thursday disclosed that the state has recorded the lowest child mortality rate in the country.

The Executive Secretary, Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Nusirat Elelu, stated this in Ilorin, while speaking at the First Quarterly Meeting of the Kwara State Task Force on Immunisation and Primary Health Care.

Ms Elelu explained that one of the indicators that was tracked was the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) on child mortality data, where the state recorded two out of 1000 live births.

She said the data showed that this is the least compared to data from nationwide.

The government has improved the healthcare and this has ensured confidence and increased more children given birth to across healthcare facilities.

There is less likelihood of having children dying from preventable causes, she said.

Ms Elelu also pointed out that Kwara has the best skilled birth attendants in the North-central region of Nigeria.

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According to her, the government was able to bring in the birth attendants into the PHCs in the state, which translated to saving the lives of mothers and their infants.

We are not stopping this, and will ensure all deliveries of infants are done in healthcare facilities.

That is why we are having the free delivery kits in all PHCs in the state, she said.

She also recalled that the state government has distributed free delivery kits to PHCs across the 16 LGAS and launched a toll-free line to ensure nobody requests money.

She observed that the state is also recording success in immunisation of zero to five-year-olds, adding that the exercise is continuous to ensure those missed children are mopped up.

Ms Elelu, however, lamented the attitude of some fathers and husbands who refuse to support the vaccination exercises in the state.

She observed that oftentimes, mothers complain that their husbands have not allowed them to immunise their children.

READ ALSO: Kwara govt raises alarm over mass exodus of doctors

In his reaction, Kayode Alabi, the Kwara deputy governor, expressed disappointment over the actions of some fathers in the state.

Mr Alabi stated that the government will work with the various LGAS to ensure they call fathers and husbands to give full support to the life-saving immunisation campaigns in the state.

(NAN)

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OKOBI Students Club is a forward-thinking initiative aimed at bridging the gap between academic learning and practical entrepreneurship for students across the state. This initiative is designed to serve as a dynamic training and knowledge hub where students can develop entrepreneurial competencies alongside their academic pursuits, equipping students with the skills, mindset, and support system needed to create their employment through innovative group business ventures.

Despite boasting a literacy rate of 96.43 per cent (the highest in Nigeria) according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the highest in women literacy rate with 83.5 per cent (as reported by Statisense), and a 1 per cent out-of-school rate as reported by UNICEF Education Fact Sheet 2023, Imo State still faces a paradox. It produces a substantial number of university graduates annually, yet a significant proportion remains unemployed. In 2020, NBS reported that Imo had the highest unemployment rate in the country at 48.7 per cent. These statistics indicate a stark disconnect between its impressive educational output and available economic opportunities.

This educational-economic disparity stems from the long-standing over-reliance on civil service employment and limited economic opportunities in Imo State. For example, fewer than ten companies in the state likely have a staff strength of 250 employees each. As graduates continue to emerge from Imo States institutions of higher learning, they enter a market unprepared to absorb their talents and potentials, perpetuating a cycle of educated unemployment. As a strategic move to reverse this trend and tackle this systemic challenge, the government has prioritised industrialisation, the digital economy, skills acquisition, and job creation, particularly through an innovative group-based entrepreneurship. A good example of this is the One Kindred, One Business Initiative (OKOBI), which embodies the community-driven spirit of inclusive economic development.

OKOBI is a grassroots-driven group entrepreneurship idea designed to stimulate economic growth and job creation across Imo State. Launched in 2023, the initiative encourages kindreds (extended family groups, community groups, town union clubs and other social clubs) in Imo State to establish and operate at least one viable registered business, leveraging local resources, skills, and networks. By decentralising enterprise development and embedding it within community and group structures, OKOBI promotes collective ownership, economic inclusion, and sustainability.

While OKOBI already provides a homegrown solution to Imo States economic challenges, it also exemplifies the broader need for a deliberate shift from a public-sector-driven economy to one rooted in entrepreneurial thinking. OKOBI champions the vision of an entrepreneurial state  one that drives investment, enhances productivity, and fosters innovation much like a business enterprise. Since its inception in 2023, the initiative has facilitated the creation of over 350 Businesses and over 9000 jobs for Imo people. This remarkable achievement positions OKOBI as a transformative model for economic development, social empowerment, and sustainable wealth creation across the state.

This initiative is designed to serve as a dynamic training and knowledge hub where students can develop entrepreneurial competencies alongside their academic pursuits, equipping students with the skills, mindset, and support system needed to create their employment through innovative group business ventures.

Building on this momentum, a bold and strategic step has been taken to address the root of the unemployment cycle by targeting the student population. This is through the establishment of OKOBI Student Clubs across universities in the state, to cultivate entrepreneurial capacity among undergraduates, equipping them with the mindset and skills to create their own jobs before or upon graduation. This proactive approach ensures that students are not only prepared for graduation but are also empowered to become agents of economic transformation.

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OKOBI Students Club is a forward-thinking initiative aimed at bridging the gap between academic learning and practical entrepreneurship for students across the state. This initiative is designed to serve as a dynamic training and knowledge hub where students can develop entrepreneurial competencies alongside their academic pursuits, equipping students with the skills, mindset, and support system needed to create their employment through innovative group business ventures. The goal is to empower university students to become job creators, not just job seekers, by equipping them with the tools to turn ideas into viable businesses using the resources available within and around their communities.

While OKOBI is rooted in the philosophy of Igwe bu ike, the OKOBI students club thrives in catching them young. By recognising the power of peer networks and early mentorship, the club will encourage students to harness friendships and shared academic experiences into collaborative group ventures. By leveraging the resources within and around them, students are empowered to turn ideas into action and challenges into opportunities  a pragmatic and sustainable approach to addressing youth unemployment in the state.

The OKOBI Students Club is not just a response to the unemployment crisis, it is a proactive investment in the future of Imo State. By nurturing entrepreneurial talent within university campuses, we can create a pipeline of resilient, innovative, and community-conscious business leaders who transform challenges into thriving ventures.

With guidance from industry professionals, OKOBI club members will participate in regular capacity-building sessions, business clinics, and mentorship opportunities. Members will also benefit from internship opportunities with selected OKOBI-aligned businesses during academic breaks, gaining invaluable real-world experience and insight into how sustainable businesses are built and scaled. To further support student innovation, the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser also intends to reach out to donor agencies and private sector allies to secure grants and seed funding for start-up ideas demonstrating creativity, viability, and impact potential.

The OKOBI Students Club is not just a response to the unemployment crisis, it is a proactive investment in the future of Imo State. By nurturing entrepreneurial talent within university campuses, we can create a pipeline of resilient, innovative, and community-conscious business leaders who transform challenges into thriving ventures. The OKOBI Students Club has recently been launched at Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University (KOMU), in Ideato, Imo State, with other universities coming on board. This represents a significant step in reshaping the economic future of Imo State by catching students young and nurturing their potential to become drivers of community-based development and economic transformation.

We look forward to welcoming more bright minds across universities in Imo State to be part of this movement, where education meets enterprise, and young ideas grow into sustainable group businesses.

Adaeze Nwaka is a PhD student at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, and her research explores economic transformation through entrepreneurship development. She is also the external communications and advocacy specialist at the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser, Imo State Government, Nigeria.

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So, who qualifies to be a journalist? It depends on who you ask  and the context. But bear in mind: What makes journalism distinct is not degrees or titles, but ethics, public service, and the courage to hold power accountable. Whether you hold one degree or several, if your work lacks these principles, you may be doing something else.

Two important issues have dominated Nigerias media landscape in the last two weeks. One is a controversy on who is qualified to be a journalist  is it someone who has practiced the profession or someone who studied it in school? The other is the controversy surrounding TVCs release of Nigerias first AI anchors and concerns about editorial integrity.

Both are valid issues and I have enjoyed reading from all sides, and I must say, it feels so good to learn about the diverse points of view.

Journalism qualifications: Who Decides?

Before I even delve into the real issues, I keep thinking about Flutterwave, Moniepoint, Paystack, and other remarkable fintech innovations in Nigeria today. I wonder whether traditional bankers and accountants dismissed these tech bros as amateurs years ago when they disrupted the industry.

Thats how innovation works  it reinvents what exists and brings it forward in new formats. When the printing press replaced wireless telegraphy, it launched a new wave. Cable reshaped television. Streaming is now doing the same. Life is like that.

So, who qualifies to be a journalist? It depends on who you ask  and the context. But bear in mind: What makes journalism distinct is not degrees or titles, but ethics, public service, and the courage to hold power accountable. Whether you hold one degree or several, if your work lacks these principles, you may be doing something else.

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If you examine top media organisations globally, you will notice that the skill and character required to do the job outweigh the formal degrees. In Nigeria, if you hold a bachelors in Educational Management/Mathematics, like I do, you might never qualify to pursue a Masters in media locally. But I was funded by the UK government to study Media and Development at the worlds leading development studies school. Why? Because in systems that value competence, experience and readiness to learn outweigh paper certificates.

I sometimes teach undergraduates at a top American university, some of my students major in finance, biology, and political science, yet many minor in media. The world has moved. Serious media organisations now deliberately hire trained accountants, medical doctors, and other professionals as journalists to cover niche sectors. If you report on complex issues, you must do so from a knowledgeable standpoint. Those who classify journalism and media as interdisciplinary know exactly what they are doing.

The relationship between journalism of the past and what it is today has changed. Many former news consumers are now news producers. News organisations rely on social media influencers to amplify stories and use big tech for audience analytics.

While all of this is changing, we cannot waste energy on debates that no longer matter. Instead, we must come together to explore how best to benefit from the ongoing digital transformation.

AI in Nigerian Newsrooms: A Sign of Progress, Not Peril

In the early days of civilisation, when society was just forming and thinkers like John Dewey were reflecting on the relationship between the state and the people, one idea kept recurring: the state and the public are equal partners, searching together for a common purpose to govern themselves effectively. Dewey argued that for democracy to flourish, people must stay informed. That responsibility falls on the shoulders of the news media.

Over time, society has evolved, and so has the way information is exchanged. Dewey foresaw that democracy deteriorates to the extent that the voice of the public is weakened, and he predicted a future where technological advancement would reshape the public sphere and power dynamics.

This context is essential when we examine the state of media today. The role of journalism is changing  not in purpose, but in form and practice.

This brings me to the TVC AI anchors debate.

Rather than condemnation, TVC deserves commendation. TVC should be applauded for leading the pack and doing something extraordinary, especially in an industry that often reports on others innovations but rarely on its own. TVC has demonstrated that Nigeria is ready, not just to observe the AI revolution, but to participate actively.

At the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, we introduced Nigerias first indigenous fact-checking platform, West Africas first AI audio disinformation tracking tool, and have funded the largest body of investigative journalism in West Africa over the past decade. One of our constant challenges has been moving journalism forward while many remain anchored to the past, especially when engaging with those who have been in the profession for many years.

The reality is this: AI in journalism is no longer a question of if but how. Those who resist will be left behind.

Of course, I understand why some fear that AI might replace jobs, but history shows that while some roles evolve or fade, new opportunities always emerge for those willing to adapt.

If you doubt this, remember the typewriter. While typists still exist, only those who adapted when word processors emerged remain relevant today.

We can, and must, discuss the ethical, safe, and responsible use of AI in journalism. But that is very different from demonising an organisation for embracing innovation and leading the charge.

What we must all remember is, change will come, with or without our permission. The only choice we have is whether to shape it or be shaped by it.

Akintunde Babatunde is a media executive and researcher specialising in journalism innovation, platform governance, and AI ethics. He is executive director at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID),a leading pan-African media development think tank. His work sits at the intersection of platform governance, information integrity, and digital rights in the Global South.

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The significance of the Presidents domestic trips is the exigency of solidarising, as well as of building bridges and fostering unity. Nigerians across the country can see, feel, and hear their President in the flesh. He comes to them with words of hope, encouragement, understanding, compassion, and action.

In botanical terms, inclusive leadership is like a flower of which beauty proceeds from the anatomy of each petal or the leaves of its corolla. It takes different parts to form a whole, and there is no stronger force than a united people.

President Bola Tinubu has steadily demonstrated a rare rallying quality; pulling together and not setting asunder. Whether north, south, east, or west, he has remained consistent as an even-handed arbiter, dealing graciously and honourably with everyone.

On 2 May, he visited Katsina State, where he made bold and decisive declarations against banditry and terrorism in the North-West zone. He reiterated his resolve that Nigeria would never succumb to the designs of terror and asked the military to intensify its efforts to remove the vestiges of the menace.

The President visited Enugu State on 4 January. The visit, his first port of call in the year, underscored the importance accorded to the South-East zone, as well as the Presidents genuine effort at bringing all Nigerians together.

In Enugu, President Tinubu interacted with a melange of leaders in the South-East, listening, taking note of their concerns, and ending with a fine lexical smorgasbord of unity, hope, and compassion.

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In Anambra, his second visit to the South-East in 2025, the President reprised his accustomed nationalistic aspect  not a performance or a contrivance, but an organic and time-honed disposition.

President Tinubu paid a visit to Anambra State on Thursday, 8 May. He was received with flourish, elegance, and exceeding excitement  an undisputed affirmation of the Igbo saying, Nkea bu nke anyi (He is our own).

It was a carnival in the streets of Awka as the Presidents convoy entered the city, a welcome deserving only of a well-striped warrior  Dike. The President was honoured with the foremost traditional title  Dike Si-mba of Anambra  mighty warrior/hero.

Earlier, he had inaugurated the Emeka Anyaoku Institute of International Studies and Diplomacy at Nnamdi Azikwe University; the new Government House, and Solution Funcity.

Speaking at Ekwueme Square, a stadium, where an open meeting was held with an array of South-East leaders, opinion moulders and other citizens, President Tinubu thanked the people of Anambra for the warm welcome and their support.

I know our diversity will lead to prosperity.

South-East, I salute your enterprise, your innovation, and commitment to progress, the President said.

In his address, Governor Chukwuma Soludo thanked the President for honouring the state by visiting. He said the last state visit by any President was in 2012.

He commended the President for having the courage to take tough decisions that were already turning around the economy and encouraged the President to stay the course.

The governor said his support for President Tinubu was rooted in ideology and principle and described the President as the Professor of Federalism.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, also thanked the President, underscoring his expansiveness, accommodating, and fatherly disposition.

The significance of the Presidents domestic trips is the exigency of solidarising, as well as of building bridges and fostering unity. Nigerians across the country can see, feel, and hear their President in the flesh. He comes to them with words of hope, encouragement, understanding, compassion, and action.

The President has shown time and time again that he is the leader that Nigeria sorely needs at this time to mend the fault lines, the fissures, and to disentangle the national antinomy.

Leadership is by example. It is in the doings. It is in the results. Little wonder Nigerians across all artificial aisles are rallying towards the President. The ability to bring people together, regardless of any unnatural boundaries, is the great stuff of leadership.

President Tinubu epitomises this outlier quality of leadership.

Fredrick Nwabufo is senior special assistant to the President on Public Engagement.

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Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has tasked the 2025 Amirul Hajj Committee of the state to ensure that general well-being of Zamfara pilgrims is prioritised throughout the pilgrimage. He gave the charge on Wednesday during the inauguration of the committee at the council chamber of the government house in Gusau.

A statement by the spokesperson of the Zamfara Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, revealed that Garba Muhammad Tambari, the Emir of Maradun, will serve as the 2025 Amirul Hajj and chairman of the committee

The committee also includes Sulaiman Adamu Gummi, the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, who serves as Vice Chairman, and Habibu Balarabe, the Executive Secretary of the Zakat Board, as secretary.

While inaugurating the committee, Governor Lawal remarked that the team is expected to ensure a successful Hajj operation and the welfare, safety, and comfort of the Zamfara State pilgrims. He stated:

The Zamfara State Government, on behalf of our people, has placed great confidence in you to ensure that every aspect of the 2025 Hajj operation is executed with excellence, dignity, and sincerity.

I urge you to maintain a strong working relationship with the Zamfara State Hajj Commission, relevant Federal agencies, and our Saudi partners to ensure smooth coordination and real-time problem-solving. You must embrace openness, accountability, and compassion in all your dealings, knowing fully that the lives and spiritual journeys of hundreds of our citizens are in your care.

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The State Government will, In-sha-Allah, provide all the necessary support to ensure your mandates discharge effectively. We expect timely progress reports and, at the end of the exercise, a comprehensive report that captures achievements, challenges, and policy recommendations for future pilgrimages.

You are ambassadors of the Government of Zamfara State and our culture, values, and religious integrity on the global stage. Therefore, I urge you to exemplify the virtues of humility, patience, discipline, and devotion throughout the exercise. Let your conduct be a shining example for others to emulate, Mr Lawal stressed.

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Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani has been commended for revoking the sale of Queen Amina College Staff Quarters and other plots of land within the school. The commendation was conveyed via a letter of appreciation by Queen Amina College Old Students Association, dated 6th May, 2025 and signed by Rahila Ogiji, the Assistant Secretary of the Association.

While praising the governor for demonstrating commitment to preserving educational infrastructure in Kaduna State, the old students stated: We write to convey our heartfelt appreciation to Your Excellency for your prompt and decisive intervention in revoking the sales of Queen Amina College Staff Quarters and other plots of land within our esteem alma mater.

By protecting the integrity of school properties, you have reaffirmed the priority your administration places on creating a safe, secure and conducive environment for both teaching and learning, the letter stated.

According to the old students, the revocation not only safeguards the legacy of one of Kaduna States foremost girls institutions but also reinforces your administrations dedication to human capital development through education.

The letter further pointed out that Governor Sanis decision sends a powerful message that future generations and by extension, the advancement of society are tied to the quality of the environment in which they are educated.

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It will be recalled that the governor had revoked the sale of all institutional houses and land allocations within legacy schools areas on 22 April, 2025. The affected schools include Alhuda-huda College, Zaria, Queen Amina College, Kaduna and Government Commercial College, Zaria.

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The prospect of implementing the recently signed Minerals Agreement with the United States could prove attractive for Ukrainian greenfield companies that already hold special permits for deposits of minerals deemed critical to the EU or the United States, according to NADRA.info founder Volodymyr Boiko.

Among such companies, Boiko cited the investment group BGV Group Management, owned by Hennadiy Butkevych, as well as businesses tied to Vitaliy Yakymenko and Oleksandr Nastenko.

"At the same time, for some extractive investors  like Ferrexpo and Black Iron  the agreement could serve as a real stress test. In the wake of preparations for international agreements, officials have effectively launched a new crackdown on 'dormant' licenses," Boiko told Interfax-Ukraine.

He believes that a reallocation of subsurface use rights is a likely scenario in the near future.

"One can only hope that the auditors show wisdom and don't shut down projects whose implementation was delayed due to objective circumstances beyond the control of the subsoil users," Boiko added.

He also suggested that the agreement with the United States could trigger a thorough audit of past activities in Ukraine's extractive sector.

"It's reasonable to assume the agreement could serve as a trigger not only for a review of dormant special permits held by private entities but also for a comprehensive public audit of all state-owned companies and enterprises in the extractive industry. This would include each special permit, production sharing agreement (PSA), or joint activity agreement, as well as every drilled or leased well and each management decision," Boiko said.

As reported, Ukraine and the United States signed a framework agreement on economic partnership on April 30. The document was signed by Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. It provides for the establishment of a U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has expressed hope that the Verkhovna Rada will ratify the signed agreement by May 8. The so-called "technical" agreements have not yet been signed or published.
The Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani has commended Aliko Dangote and the Aliko Dangote Foundation for their unrelenting commitment to the fight against hunger and poverty in Nigeria.

The governor gave the commendation during the distribution of 35,000 bags of 10 kilogrammes of rice to the 23 local governments of Kaduna State by the Aliko Dangote Foundation on Thursday.

Governor Sani who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Sani Liman Kila, noted that each local government will get 1,522 bags, adding that the Foundations interventions have been well targeted and impactful.

Governor Uba Sani emphasised that the Aliko Dangotes social protection initiatives aligns with the policies and programmes of our administration on social investment.

Since the inception of our administration, we have impacted on the lives of our citizens through the delivery of basic services with a focus on health, education and social protection, he said.

We have been supporting economic recovery through inclusive growth and development, financial inclusion and literacy for the poor and vulnerable, humanitarian response focusing on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and improving peace, safety and security, he added.

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The governor promised to continue to partner with people-focused foundations like Aliko Dangote Foundation to improve the living conditions of the poor and vulnerable in our state.

Speaking at the event, Sadiq Ahmed, the representative of the foundation, said that the Aliko Dangote Foundation Annual National Food Intervention Project is targeting over one million less privileged Nigerians nationwide.

According to him, the distribution cuts across all the 774 local governments and it is in line with the core values of Alhaji Aliko Dangotes businesses and the Aliko Dangote Foundation.

Mr Sadiq said that the initiative embodies compassion, solidarity and shared responsibility which are part of the Foundations response to the current economic challenges in the country.

He further said that the distribution of palliatives reflects commitment to supporting our communities in line with our core values.

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Katsina State Governor and Chairman of the Northwest Governors Forum, Dikko Umaru Radda, has applauded the Federal Governments signing of a $158.15 million financing agreement for the Value Chain Programme in Northern Nigeria (VCN).

The governor who attended the signing ceremony at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, described the development as a vital intervention that will significantly improve agricultural productivity across the northern region.

This initiative represents a transformative opportunity for our farmers and agribusinesses in Katsina State and across the entire northern region, Governor Radda stated.

The governor also added that the VCN programme aligns perfectly with the states agricultural development agenda and will complement ongoing efforts to modernize farming practices, enhance value addition, and create sustainable livelihoods for the people.

Governor Radda pledged Katsina States full commitment to the successful implementation of the programme, noting that his administration has already put in place necessary structures to maximize the benefits for local farmers, especially women, youth, and vulnerable groups.

The eight-year VCN initiative, which will be implemented immediately in nine northern states including Katsina, aims to sustainably reduce poverty, enhance nutrition, and improve resilience of rural and vulnerable populations. The programme is co-funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the French Development Agency (AFD), and the Government of Nigeria.

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Vice President Kashim Shettima, who presided over the signing ceremony, described the initiative as a declaration of faith in the Northnot as a region of deficits, but as a place of abundance, adding that it fulfills President Bola Ahmed Tinubus promise to reduce poverty, nourish Nigerians, and restore dignity to farming families across the beneficiary states.

The Vice President emphasised that the programme will serve as a steady pipeline of raw materials for the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) currently under construction across Nigeria, shifting the country from exporting raw produce to exporting value-added goodscreating jobs, wealth, and industrial stability.

Equally speaking, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari said the signing of the financing agreement represents a significant milestone in the efforts to transform the agricultural landscape in Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.

Mrs Dede Ekoue, Country Director of IFAD, noted that the programme will target about 3.1 million household members across the nine states, focusing on climate-smart agriculture, improving post-harvest handling, increasing access to business development services for youth and women agri-preneurs, and scaling up access to digital solutions for productivity.

The IFAD Country Director also added that the expected results include the creation of over 30,000 jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for youths, women, and vulnerable groups, as well as the construction of over 229km of roads across the region to enhance access to markets.

Other governors present at the ceremony, including Babagana Zulum of Borno and Umar Namadi of Jigawa, joined Governor Radda in commending President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for their leadership in implementing this transformative programme for northern Nigeria.

Also present at the meeting were some members of the National Assembly; Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Maigari Ahmadu; the Regional Director of IFAD, Mr Bernard Mwinyel Hien; the Deputy Governors of Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Yobe and Bauchi States; heads of government agencies and representatives of development partners, among others.

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The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a suspected traffic robber caught with human hair worth an estimated N20 million, allegedly stolen from a moving truck on the CMS-Marina Bridge.

Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin disclosed the arrest in a statement on Thursday.

He noted that the suspect, believed to be a member of a robbery syndicate, was found with a large sack filled with assorted human hair at the Marina car park.

On April 25, 2025, a criminal gang stole a large sack filled with assorted human hairs valued at approximately N20 million from a moving truck, unknown to the driver, while in transit along the CMS-Marina Bridge, the statement read.

Mr Hundeyin said the arrest followed a swift response by detectives from the Ebute-Ero Division, who acted on a tip-off.

He added that the suspect sustained injuries after jumping from the bridge and is currently receiving medical treatment under police supervision.

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The police have launched a manhunt for other members of the gang who remain at large, Mr Hundeyin said.

In a separate but similar case, a 25-year-old man, Onyebuchi Emelumba, was arraigned early this year before an Ojo Magistrates Court for allegedly stealing 22 pieces of hair weave-ons valued at N300,000 from a store at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo.

The defendant is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, burglary, and theft.

According to the police prosecutor, Simon Uche, Mr Emelumba and others who are still at large broke into the complainant Ikenna Oguegbus shop on 6 January and carted away the hair products.

The offences, Mr Uche said, contravened Sections 287, 309, and 411 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.

Mr Emelumba pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him.

Magistrate L.K.J Layeni granted him bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to 12 February for mention.

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"Rethinking Sustainability in Corporate America  2025" captures first-hand insights from executives leading sustainability and ESG at top companies.

NEW YORK, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report by AccountAbility, a globally recognized Consulting, Standards, and Research firm, examines the trends shaping business and sustainability at a pivotal time in American politics and for the global economy.

The report, Rethinking Sustainability in Corporate America  2025, synthesizes independent research and insights from over 30 in-depth interviews with senior sustainability executives across industries  including U.S.-based corporations and global enterprises with major U.S. operations.

Rethinking Sustainability in Corporate America - 2025 View PDF Rethinking Sustainability in Corporate America - 2025: a report by AccountAbility

These perspectives highlight significant shifts in corporate sustainability, with a growing focus on integrating strategy across business functions.

AccountAbility's research surfaced five key themes shaping the current landscape:

The Trump Test  While domestic political dynamics haven't halted sustainability efforts, they have reshaped internal and external messaging. Over two-thirds of interviewed executives remain committed to their strategies, though almost half say they will change how they're communicated. The Brussels Effect  Compliance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and EU regulations poses resource burdens, but is seen as a path to global standardization. Nearly 90% of executives are preparing for CSRD. From Sideline to Bottom Line  Sustainability functions are expected to drive financial value and require deep business integration. Companies embedding sustainability into core strategy are unlocking value through innovation and efficiency. The Supply Chain Black Box  Companies face challenges measuring Scope 3 emissions and meeting global supply chain mandates, as data remains inconsistent and hard to verify despite rising investor and regulatory pressure. Green Finance, Red Tape  Access to sustainable finance is limited by shifting incentives and diverse investor expectations. Companies must navigate complex requirements to unlock green funding.

The report emphasizes how companies are moving beyond compliance and positioning sustainability as a true business driver  innovating across functions and responding proactively to regulatory and market forces. Those that integrate sustainability into core strategy  adapting to political shifts, regulatory change, and financial pressures  will be best positioned to capture new opportunities for growth, impact, and leadership in an increasingly complex global economy.

"The sustainability landscape in the U.S. has undergone a profound transformation," said Mr. Sunil (Sunny) A. Misser, CEO of AccountAbility. "Leaders today find themselves navigating regulatory changes, geopolitical tensions, economic headwinds, and increasing societal expectations. The conversation is no longer about whether sustainability matters  it's about how to embed it strategically to create lasting value."

About AccountAbility

Established in 1995, AccountAbility is a leading global consulting and standards firm dedicated to advancing the sustainability agenda. The firm works with businesses, investors, governments, and multilateral organizations to improve sustainability performance, drive innovation, and create lasting impact.

Operating as a Public Benefit Corporation, AccountAbility has a global presence with offices in New York, London, Riyadh, and Dubai. The firm is recognized by the Financial Times, Forbes, and Capital Finance International for its excellence in sustainability, strategy, and governance and its website is archived by the United States Library of Congress.

SOURCE AccountAbility
OKLAHOMA CITY, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Acorn Capital Management announced that Scissortail Aviation International Leasing I Limited (SAIL I Ltd.), an entity managed by Acorn, has successfully completed the acquisition of four Airbus A330-300 aircraft from Altavair L.P. The transaction closed on April 28, 2025.

"This represents a significant step forward for Acorn in proving our capability to deliver creative, high-quality structured aviation investments," said Justin Chung, Head of Alternative Credit Strategies at Acorn Capital Management. "We look forward to building on this momentum with our partners at Altavair and appreciate the support from Investec in providing innovative financing solutions."

Senior credit facility was provided by Investec Bank Plc to facilitate the acquisition. Legal counsel was provided by Clifford Chance US LLP, Clyde & Co LLP, and Milbank.

The aircraft are currently on short-term operating leases to a major flag carrier that maintains strong credit fundamentals. EirTrade Aviation, another Acorn portfolio company, will act as servicer and manage the assets beyond the term of the lease, including the disassembly and part out phase of the aircraft's lifecycle.

"This is a huge milestone for EirTrade Aviation as we continue to grow our asset management capabilities and further integrate with Acorn's expanding aviation investment strategies," said Ken Fitzgibbon, CEO of EirTrade Aviation.

"At lease end, EirTrade will support Acorn's efforts to monetize the engines and airframes, drawing on our proven expertise in the A330 segment where market demand for material and greentime engines remains very strong," added Lee Carey, Chief Investment Officer of EirTrade Aviation. "The combination of EirTrade's aftermarket strengths and Acorn's in-house asset financing capabilities will open new avenues for growth and opportunities across the Acorn investment platform."

This transaction reinforces Acorn's growing presence across the global aviation value chain and highlights the firm's ability to execute complex cross-border lease transactions.

About Acorn Capital Management

Acorn Capital Management is an alternative investment firm focused exclusively on Aerospace, Defense, Space, and Intelligence. Acorn invests in companies that strive to enhance global mobility and protect national interests. Traditionally known for its private equity investments, Acorn has expanded its capabilities into private credit and asset-based finance. Through its platforms Scissortail Aviation and AltAero Aviation Finance, Acorn invests across the capital structure and engages in opportunistic lending, leasing, and other asset-based investment strategies within aviation.

For more information about Acorn Capital Management, please visit the website here.

About EirTrade Aviation

EirTrade Aviation is a global aviation asset management and trading company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with facilities/representation in Europe, USA and Asia. Dedicated to the service of MROs, operators and lessors, EirTrade offers customers a comprehensive range of asset management services including end of life asset management, engine & aircraft parts' trading, aircraft storage & disassembly, engine disassembly, consignment programmes, technical storage & services. EirTrade Aviation is an Acorn Company. To learn more please visit eirtradeaviation.com.

Investor Contact:

Brandon Bradford

(917) 224-8399

[email protected]

SOURCE Acorn Capital Management
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ADC Therapeutics SA (NYSE: ADCT), a commercial-stage global leader and pioneer in the field of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), today announced that it will host a conference call and live webcast on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT to report financial results for the first quarter 2025 and provide operational updates.

To access the conference call, please register here. The participant toll-free dial-in number is 1-800-836-8184 for North America and Canada. It is recommended that you join 10 minutes before the event, though you may pre-register at any time. A live webcast of the call will be available under "Events and Presentations" in the Investors section of the ADC Therapeutics website at ir.adctherapeutics.com. The archived webcast will be available for 30 days following the call.

About ADC Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics (NYSE: ADCT) is a commercial-stage global leader and pioneer in the field of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). The Company is advancing its proprietary ADC technology to transform the treatment paradigm for patients with hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.

ADC Therapeutics' CD19-directed ADC ZYNLONTA (loncastuximab tesirine-lpyl) received accelerated approval by the FDA and conditional approval from the European Commission for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy. ZYNLONTA is also in development in combination with other agents and in earlier lines of therapy. In addition to ZYNLONTA, ADC Therapeutics has multiple ADCs in ongoing clinical and preclinical development.

ADC Therapeutics is based in Lausanne (Biopole), Switzerland, and has operations in London and New Jersey. For more information, please visit https://adctherapeutics.com/ and follow the Company on LinkedIn .

ZYNLONTA is a registered trademark of ADC Therapeutics SA.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "would", "expect", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "potential", "seem", "seek", "future", "continue", or "appear" or the negative of these terms or similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those described. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the expected cash runway into mid-2026 the Company's ability to grow ZYNLONTA revenue in the United States; the ability of our partners to commercialize ZYNLONTA in foreign markets, the timing and amount of future revenue and payments to us from such partnerships and their ability to obtain regulatory approval for ZYNLONTA in foreign jurisdictions; the timing and results of the Company's or its partners' research and development projects or clinical trials including LOTIS 5 and 7, ADCT 602, as well as early research in certain solid tumors with different targets, linkers and payloads; the timing and results of investigator-initiated trials including those studying FL and MZL and the potential regulatory and/or compendia strategy and the future opportunity; the timing and outcome of regulatory submissions for the Company's products or product candidates; actions by the FDA or foreign regulatory authorities; projected revenue and expenses; the Company's indebtedness, including Healthcare Royalty Management and Blue Owl and Oaktree facilities, and the restrictions imposed on the Company's activities by such indebtedness, the ability to comply with the terms of the various agreements and repay such indebtedness and the significant cash required to service such indebtedness; and the Company's ability to obtain financial and other resources for its research, development, clinical, and commercial activities. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements is contained in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company's other periodic and current reports and filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, achievements or prospects to be materially different from any future results, performance, achievements or prospects expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this document.

CONTACTS:

Investors

Marcy Graham

ADC Therapeutics

[email protected]

+1 650-667-6450

Media

Nicole Riley

ADC Therapeutics

[email protected]

+1 862-926-9040

SOURCE ADC Therapeutics SA
The American-Ukrainian Reconstruction Investment Fund, if the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday ratifies the relevant intergovernmental agreement, which is expected by the Cabinet of Ministers, will begin work within weeks, said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko.

"We hope that the Fund will be fully operational within a few weeks," she said at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday.

According to her, to launch the fund, at least two agreements need to be finalized at the technical level, "which will no longer require signatures from government representatives or ratification by the Verkhovna Rada."

"Therefore, it is very important for us that parliamentarians support this agreement today so that we can work directly on launching the fund itself," the First Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

As explained by Deputy Minister and Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka, the primary contribution to the fund becoming operational will be made by the US Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

Svyrydenko clarified that government representatives, with the participation of American partners, have already held consultations in parliament with relevant committees and a number of factions, but meetings with the Servants of the People and Dovira factions are also scheduled for Thursday.
MUNICH, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ampace, a leading innovator in advanced energy storage solutions, officially launched its forward-looking ONEN Strategy at Intersolar Europe 2025 in Munich on May 7 at 14:00 CET. The company also showcased its latest full-stack energy storage portfolio, spanning residential, C&I, UPS, and portable energy storage products. At the same time, Ampace's Chile project was shortlisted for the Smarter E Award 2025  Outstanding Project, marking another milestone in the company's global deployment capabilities.

image

At the heart of Ampace's presence this year is the ONEN Strategy  a comprehensive roadmap that stands for One-Stop Energy. ONEN reflects the company's vision to build a fully integrated, scenario-driven energy storage ecosystem. It is underpinned by four strategic pillars: High-Efficiency Product, High-Compatibility System, High-Confidence Safety, and High-Value Service. This strategy represents not only a technical framework but also Ampace's long-term commitment to global energy transformation and customer-centric innovation.

During the launch event, CTO from Ampace, Dr.Yuan, emphasized its belief that safety and innovation are inseparable. The "O" in ONEN represents Zero, symbolizing Ampace's uncompromising standard for zero safety incidents. "ONE" stands for leadership and continuous innovation, while "N" symbolizes infinity, the limitless possibilities enabled by a resilient and future-ready storage ecosystem.

Ampace also unveiled the new PR-S4 residential energy storage system, designed specifically for European households. With a compact form factor 35% smaller than the industry average, PR-S4 offers up to 40kWh capacity, supports 15,000 cycles and a 15-year design life, and meets top-tier global safety standards including ISO 13849 PL-d and IP66. Its modular design enables simple installation, expansion, and maintenance.

In the C&I space, Ampace presented high-performance storage systems with 100500kWh capacity, fast response (0.51CP), and extreme environmental adaptability from -30C to 55C. Ampace also highlighted upcoming innovations such as a 4,800kWh containerized energy storage system built with next-generation GT40 cells and intelligent thermal management.

The company's Chile project, shortlisted for The Smarter E Award  Outstanding Project, further demonstrated Ampace's capabilities in real-world deployments. In a seismically active region, Ampace delivered a stable, high-safety C&I system tailored to harsh environmental conditions.

As the energy storage industry continues to evolve, Ampace remains committed to its core values: real safety and high value. With the ONEN Strategy now officially launched, Ampace is poised to empower energy storage across all scenarios and to partner with global customers on the journey toward a sustainable energy future.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2682779/image.jpg
PHOENIX, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Arizona College of Nursing announced today that it has earned the 2025-2026 Military Friendly School designation.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025-2026 survey with 830 earning special awards for going above the standard.

Arizona College of Nursing horizontal logo

The 2025-2026 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution's survey scores with the assessment of the institution's ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

"We are proud of to support hundreds of veterans within our student body, staff, and faculty, connecting their call to serve to a call to care. It is an honor to have those efforts recognized through a Military Friendly School designation," shared Jason Anderson, CEO of Arizona College of Nursing.

"Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process. Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages Institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, exceeding the standard." - Kayla Lopez, Vice President, Military Friendly.

For more information about Arizona College of Nursing, visit Arizona College of Nursing's website at arizonacollege.edu.

About Military Friendly Schools:

The Military Friendly Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate.

Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

About Arizona College of Nursing:

Arizona College of Nursing's purpose is to provide people the opportunity to enhance their lives through education. Arizona College of Nursing offers a three-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The BSN program is offered at 21 campuses across 14 states and is designed to prepare students for a career as a Registered Nurse (RN). Arizona College of Nursing campuses are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), a U.S. Department of Education-recognized national accrediting agency. For more information, please visit arizonacollege.edu and https://www.arizonacollege.edu/admissions/military-veteran-education-benefits/.

About Viqtory:

Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs and Military Friendly brands. VIQTORY and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about VIQTORY at www.viqtory.com.

SOURCE Arizona College
Newly Added Arlo Intelligence-Powered Features Empower Arlo Secure Subscribers to Make Better Informed Decisions to Protect What Matters Most

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Arlo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ARLO), a leading smart home security brand, today announced Arlo Secure 6, the next generation of Arlo's industry-leading home security subscription service featuring groundbreaking AI technology. Arlo Secure 6 introduces several new AI-powered innovations - fire detection, advanced audio detection, detailed video event descriptions, and powerful video search capabilities - offering users deeper insights and more meaningful context into events captured by Arlo devices.

"Arlo continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in home security with our relentless focus on industry-first innovations," said Matthew McRae, Chief Executive Officer at Arlo. "Leveraging Arlo Intelligence, a high-performance smart security AI engine with robust detection and recognition capabilities, Arlo Secure 6 delivers a smarter, more personalized security experience that empowers quick and informed decision making."

Arlo Secure enhances the features of Arlo devices and completes the security experience to provide consumers with total protection. Powered by Arlo Intelligence, Arlo Secure 6 provides an intuitive, informed security experience with real, tangible value to users. Its comprehensive suite of AI features help users better understand what's happening in and around their homes, allowing for quick and appropriate responses to potential emergency events.

Arlo Secure 6 expands on the previously introduced Person Recognition, Vehicle Recognition, and Custom Detection capabilities to add:

Event Captions 1 : Transform how you review footage with concise, accurate AI-generated descriptions of events. Quickly understand what happened without needing to watch every second of video.

Transform how you review footage with concise, accurate AI-generated descriptions of events. Quickly understand what happened without needing to watch every second of video. Video Search: Quickly locate and review critical moments in your video history by searching for specific keywords, descriptions, or time ranges, eliminating the need to manually sift through your video library.

Quickly locate and review critical moments in your video history by searching for specific keywords, descriptions, or time ranges, eliminating the need to manually sift through your video library. Advanced Video Detection: Fire Detection: Lifesaving, AI-powered notifications alert you when a flame is detected, so you can prevent the spread of fire.

Advanced Audio Detection: Receive notifications that tell you when a scream, gunshot, bark, glass break, or Smoke/CO alarm is detected. Scream Detection: When your camera hears a scream, you'll get an alert so you can contact Emergency Response. Gun Shot Detection: At the sound of gunfire, receive an alert about serious activity and view live video or contact police for immediate assistance. Dog Bark Detection: When your dog barks, you'll be notified so you can view live video to see if your dog is barking at a stranger or just a cat. Glass Break Detection: Get an alert when your camera hears glass breaking and view live video, check your house or car, and notify family at home of suspicious activity.

Receive notifications that tell you when a scream, gunshot, bark, glass break, or Smoke/CO alarm is detected.

Arlo Secure 6 features will start rolling out to customers starting this month. A 30-day trial of Arlo Secure is included with the purchase of select Arlo products. Premium features like 60-day cloud storage, advanced detection (people, packages, vehicles), activity zones, 24/7 emergency response, and the new Secure 6 features require a paid subscription after the trial.

For more information on the full range of Arlo smart home security products and comprehensive list of features and services, visit www.arlo.com .

About Arlo Technologies, Inc.

Arlo is an award-winning, industry leader that is transforming the ways in which people can protect everything that matters to them with advanced home, business, and personal security solutions. Arlo's deep expertise in AI- and CV-powered analytics, cloud services, user experience and product design, and innovative wireless and RF connectivity enables the delivery of a seamless, smart security experience for Arlo users that is easy to set up and interact with every day. Arlo's cloud-based platform provides users with visibility, insight, and a powerful means to help protect and connect in real-time with the people and things that matter most, from any location with a Wi-Fi or a cellular connection. Arlo has recently launched several categories of award-winning connected devices, software, and services. These include wire-free, smart Wi-Fi and LTE-enabled security cameras, video doorbells, floodlights, security system, and Arlo's subscription service, Arlo Secure.

With a mission to bring users peace of mind, Arlo is as passionate about protecting user privacy as it is about safeguarding homes and families. Arlo is committed to implementing industry standards for data protection designed to keep users' personal information private and in their control. Arlo provides enhanced controls for user data, supports privacy legislation, keeps user data safely secure, and puts security at the forefront of company culture.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "will," "may," "should," "estimate," "project," "outlook," "forecast" or other similar words are used to identify such forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. The forward-looking statements represent Arlo Technologies, Inc.'s (the "Company" or "Arlo") expectations or beliefs concerning future events based on information available at the time such statements were made and include statements regarding lowering the barrier of entry and broadening the market for DIT security and Arlo cameras, Arlo video doorbells, Arlo Secure, Arlo Secure Plus, and future Arlo products. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including the following: future demand for the Company's products may be lower than anticipated; consumers may choose not to utilize payment plans or to adopt the Company's new product offerings, or may adopt competing products; and product performance may be adversely affected by real-world operating conditions. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. Further information on potential risk factors that could affect Arlo and its business are detailed in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, those risk factors described in the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these circumstances, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Arlo undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.



1 Event Captions is unavailable on Arlo devices in certain regions. Learn more here . You are responsible for complying with any local laws or regulations that relate to your use of the Event Caption feature. This may include you providing notice and obtaining consent from people who may be recognized by your camera.

Source: Arlo-F

SOURCE Arlo Technologies, Inc.
Stein will transition to executive vice president, strategic advisor and Madison market president through the end of 2025

GREEN BAY, Wis., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) ("Associated") today announced David Stein's retirement after more than 20 years with the company. Effective July 1, Stein will step down as executive vice president, head of consumer and business banking and transition to executive vice president, strategic advisor, assisting with development of the bank's strategic plan. He will also continue to serve as Madison market president through the end of 2025.

David Stein, Associated Bank

"Dave's leadership has been critical in positioning Associated as a leader in consumer and business banking," said Andrew J Harmening, president and CEO, Associated Bank. "His disciplined focus, customer-centric strategies, and commitment to operational rigor have significantly advanced our business and culture, and I'm confident his contributions to the next phase of our strategic plan will build on that foundation."

Stein joined Associated Bank in 2005 as regional president for the company's former South-Central Region, leading all the bank's businesses in Madison and southwestern Wisconsin. Under his leadership, the bank has built up its branch network and mortgage business, introduced a suite of digital products, and increased customer satisfaction scores. Associated has completed phase two of its strategic plan and Stein will help lead the development of the next phase before fully retiring at the end of 2025.

"It's been my honor to lead consumer and business banking over the past 17 years and I'm incredibly proud of all we have accomplished together," said Stein. "I'm excited to play a role in shaping the next strategic plan as we position the bank for continued growth and success."

Steven Zandpour will transition into head of consumer and business banking, effective July 1, 2025. Zandpour joined Associated Bank in January 2024 as executive vice president, director of retail banking and was promoted to deputy head consumer and business banking in January 2025.

ABOUT ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) has total assets of $43 billion and is the largest bank holding company based in Wisconsin. Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Associated is a leading Midwest banking franchise, offering a full range of financial products and services from nearly 200 banking locations serving more than 100 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri. The company also operates loan production offices in Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Texas. Associated Bank, N.A. is an Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. More information about Associated Banc-Corp is available at www.associatedbank.com.

Media Contact

Andrea Kozek

Vice President / Senior Manager, Public Relations

920-491-7518

SOURCE Associated Banc-Corp
Zandpour to succeed David Stein, effective July 1, 2025

GREEN BAY, Wis., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) ("Associated") today announced the promotion of Steven Zandpour to executive vice president, head of consumer and business banking, effective July 1, 2025. Zandpour will succeed David Stein, who has announced his intent to retire at the end of 2025 after more than 20 years with the company. Zandpour will report directly to Associated Bank's President and CEO, Andrew J. Harmening.

Steven Zandpour, Associated Bank

"Steve's people-first leadership and steadfast commitment to both colleagues and customers have been key contributors to our business growth and improved customer experience," said Harmening. "He is well-positioned to further accelerate innovation and deliver even greater value through enhanced products and services that align with our customers' evolving needs."

Zandpour joined Associated Bank in January 2024 as executive vice president, director of retail banking and was promoted to deputy head of consumer and business banking and the bank's Executive Leadership Team in January 2025.

He will continue to oversee revenue growth for consumer and business banking and lead the bank's branch network, contact centers and other sales and service channels. In addition, he will oversee digital banking, consumer risk, customer experience, retail strategy and community accountability teams.

"Associated Bank is a people-centric culture, and I believe that when we focus on our people, we succeed," said Zandpour. "It's been incredibly rewarding to deliver standout products that create real value for our customers, and I appreciate Dave's guidance and collaboration as we've worked together since I joined Associated."

Recent products and offerings include launching family banking, a comprehensive banking solution for families to meet their financial goals, and a customer conversation model which takes a needs-based approach to learning more about customers, what they want to achieve and what they need to be successful, and partnering to create solutions and achieve those goals.

Effective July 1, Stein will transition from head of consumer and business banking to executive vice president, strategic advisor and Madison market president, assisting with the development of the bank's strategic plan for the remainder of the year.

ABOUT ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP

Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) has total assets of $43 billion and is the largest bank holding company based in Wisconsin. Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Associated is a leading Midwest banking franchise, offering a full range of financial products and services from nearly 200 banking locations serving more than 100 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri. The company also operates loan production offices in Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Texas. Associated Bank, N.A. is an Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. More information about Associated Banc-Corp is available at www.associatedbank.com.

Media Contact

Andrea Kozek

Vice President / Senior Manager, Public Relations

920-491-7518

SOURCE Associated Banc-Corp
Buoyed by the recent release of Apache Airflow 3, rapid customer momentum and additional funding, Astronomer expands its EMEA presence

LONDON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Astronomer, the company behind Astro , the leading unified DataOps platform powered by Apache Airflow, today announced an office opening in the City of London to serve as its regional headquarters for EMEA. Astronomer has been experiencing significant momentum in EMEA, and is actively seeking to hire sales and engineering talent.

Airflow has become the de facto standard for data orchestration, downloaded 324 million times in 2024 alone, and EMEA is one of the most popular regions for Airflow usage. More than 21,000 organizations in EMEA depend on Airflow for their data needs. Astronomer has more than 190 customers in the region, leveraging Astronomer to drive everything from production AI to compliance with regulation such as the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) . With the recent release of Airflow 3.0 , the most significant update in project history, that momentum is anticipated to continue in EMEA.

"In today's AI era, the organizations that succeed are those that can rely on trustworthy, fresh data delivered consistently and Astronomer's unified DataOps platform empowers teams to build, run, and observe mission-critical data workflows at enterprise scale," said Andy Byron, CEO, Astronomer. "EMEA has always been a region that has an elevated standard for data practices, and we are excited to double-down on our investment in the region. This means meeting the global demand we are seeing for Astro, to support everything from production AI to maintaining continuous compliance with evolving data regulation."

Astronomer Sees Accelerating Momentum Throughout European Customer and Prospect Base

Astronomer has experienced remarkable growth in EMEA since expanding its presence in the region in September 2024. Examples that showcase this growth include:

105% YoY ARR growth in EMEA

190+ EMEA customers

941M+ annualized task runs in EMEA, representing 34% of global task runs

This momentum contributed to Astronomer's recent $93M Series D funding round, some of which will be allocated to strategically expand the company's international presence.

How Astronomer Helps Financial Institutions on Their Path to DORA Compliance

Astronomer's cloud-native data orchestration platform, Astro, provides a robust solution for financial institutions seeking to comply with DORA. A critical dimension of operational resilience is data: its accuracy, availability, and trustworthiness underpin everything from regulatory reporting to AI, to analytics, and real-time decision-making. Astronomer is committed to supporting financial institutions in meeting DORA requirements by integrating robust security measures and best practices into its unified DataOps platform. With a focus on resilience, compliance, and secure data orchestration, Astronomer helps organizations strengthen their operational defenses, manage ICT risks, and safeguard critical data assets.

"Throughout our significant expansion in EMEA, which has seen our regional team triple in size in the past year, two critical market needs have consistently emerged from customer conversations," said Phil Duggan, EMEA Regional Vice President, Astronomer. "Businesses are seeking solutions that boost operational agility, enhance data product reliability, and accelerate development cyclesall while maintaining cost efficiency. Additionally, there is a strong demand for platforms that take AI initiatives out of prototype and into production. At Astronomer, we are uniquely positioned to address these challenges for EMEA's leading businesses and seize the massive opportunity in the region."

Learn everything about Airflow 3 at the Astronomer Roadshow: London on May 21

In addition to helping to organize numerous Airflow Community Meetups and Astronomer-led events around the world, Astronomer is hosting a series of free Astronomer Roadshows to showcase the powerful new capabilities in Airflow 3, including an event in the City of London on May 21 . Attendees will receive a deep dive into key new features including: DAG Versioning, native backfill management and improved support for AI, ML and event-driven workloads.

Further Resources:

RSVP for the upcoming Astronomer Roadshow: Exploring Apache Airflow 3 event in London on May 21, 2025

for the upcoming Astronomer Roadshow: Exploring Apache Airflow 3 event in on Download and explore Apache Airflow 3

and explore Apache Airflow 3 Try Astro now with a 14-day free trial, featuring Airflow 3 support

About Astronomer

Astronomer empowers data teams to bring mission-critical software, analytics, and AI to life and is the company behind Astro, the industry-leading unified DataOps platform powered by Apache Airflow. Astro accelerates building reliable data products that unlock insights, unleash AI value, and power data-driven applications. Trusted by more than 700 of the world's leading enterprises, Astronomer lets businesses do more with their data. To learn more, visit www.astronomer.io .

Apache and Apache Airflow are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation in the United States and/or other countries. No endorsement by the Apache Software Foundation is implied by the use of these marks. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact:

Taylor Jones

[email protected]

SOURCE Astronomer
More than 30 countries represented as the 2025 Human Rights and Humanitarian Forum and Humanitarian Summit convene changemakers and grassroots humanitarians in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a powerful testament to the urgency of global solidarity, the 2025 Humanitarian Summit and Human Rights and Humanitarian Forum brought together a dynamic, international group of activists, policymakers, academics, and humanitarians this week on the UCLA Campus. Participants redoubled their commitment to humanitarian relief efforts as they acknowledged the polycrisis facing the sector, including the dismantling of foreign aid in the current landscape. The two-day gathering, held on May 6-7 as part of Aurora's 10th anniversary events, served as a catalyst for bold, integrated solutions to the world's most pressing challenges.

Aurora convenes humanitarians from over 30 countries at the Human Rights and Humanitarian Forum and Humanitarian Summit Post this The Promise Institute for Human Rights (PRNewsfoto/Aurora Humanitarian Initiative)

"We are in an era of 'polycrisis,' and a world that has become fiercely divided across everything from supply chains to economies to politics," said Noubar Afeyan, Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and Founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering. "The question is this: Are we prepared to think differently about the era we're in? Are we prepared to create a new normal in which we prioritize humanity, just as Aurora Humanitarians do every day."

The Humanitarian Summit united more than 50 humanitarians and key stakeholders from across the globe, engaging them in insightful dialogue on overcoming the daily challenges faced by those working on the ground. The 2025 Human Rights and Humanitarian Forum, co-hosted by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and The Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA Law, convened under the theme "At the Crossroads: Driving Integrated Action for a Resilient Future." Attendees from 30 countries, including India, Pakistan, Colombia, Nigeria, Iraq, France, South Africa, Mauritania, and Argentina, offered a truly global platform for advancing human dignity, justice, and sustainable peace.

"I think that there is suffering around the world that can be perpetually discouraging if we allow it to be  however, I see opportunities for people to not just fight back against injustice, but to create alliances that can be sustainable to help people long term," noted Dr. Eric Esrailian, Co-Founder of the next chapter and Board Member of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. As he addressed the attendees: "You are all individuals who represent various causes and initiatives doing all remarkable things without any real recognition. We applaud you for your efforts, and you inspire me."

The Summit and Forum fostered practical, interdisciplinary strategies, linking urgent humanitarian response with long-term commitment to human rights, sustainable development, and environmental responsibility, while also bringing next-generation activists to the table.

When asked about how she was reacting to the drastic changes to the foreign aid landscape, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee replied: "This moment is my reality. It has always been chaos. It has never been financially stable," said Gbowee, who is Founder and President of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa. "Over 30 years, it has been one struggle after another. The one thing that has kept me going is my community."

Comfort Ero, President and CEO of the International Crisis Group, recounted an example of a group of Sudanese resistance fighters who decided to convert themselves into an emergency room in the midst of cruelty and humanitarian blockages.

"That in the onslaught of the violence and the horror and pain you would be able to transform yourself and work across sectorsthat gives me hopethe ability of humanity to be innovative in a moment where they're up against the wall," Ero said.

"We are in a period of destruction and devastation. But we're also at a moment that demands our courage," remarked Gayle Smith, board member of the Skoll Foundation, former CEO of the One Campaign and former USAID Administrator. "We've got to speak up, we've got to act, and we've got to fight for what we believe in."

The Forum featured a high-profile roster of speakers directly tackling issues facing humanitarians on the ground today. The Humanitarian Summit and Human Rights and Humanitarian Forum are part of a year-long series of Aurora 10th Anniversary Events, which continue with the announcement of the 2025 Aurora Humanitarians in New York this September and culminate with the Aurora Prize Ceremony on Ellis Island on November 6, 2025.

About the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative catalyzes lifesaving work by identifying exceptional humanitarians around the world. Aurora was founded to honor the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and the humanitarians who saved them. Over the past decade, the organization has built a global network and supported more than 3.5 million people affected by humanitarian crises. By funding humanitarians across the globe who continue the cycle of giving, this work contributes to proliferating humanitarianism into the future. For more information, please visit https://www.auroraprize.com/en and AuroraLuminaries.com.

About The Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA School of Law

The Promise Institute for Human Rights' mission is to empower the next generation of human rights lawyers and leaders, to generate new thinking on human rights, and to engage our students and our research to drive positive real-world impact. The Institute is the innovative center for human rights education, research, and impact at UCLA School of Law. Leveraging the creativity and dynamism of Los Angeles, we seek to reimagine the potential of human rights to address some of the most pressing issues of our time. The Promise Institute owes its founding to Dr. Eric Esrailian.

SOURCE Aurora Humanitarian Initiative
BEIJING, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM; HKEX: 2518) ("Autohome" or the "Company"), the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2025.

First Quarter 2025 Highlights[1]

Net revenues in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB1,453.8 million ( US$200.3 million ), compared to RMB1,609.1 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

in the first quarter of 2025 were ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2024. Net income attributable to Autohome in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB356.6 million ( US$49.1 million ), compared to RMB394.5 million in the corresponding period of 2024, while net income attributable to ordinary shareholders in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB340.5 million ( US$46.9 million ), compared to RMB379.8 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

in the first quarter of 2025 was ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2024, while in the first quarter of 2025 was ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2024. Adjusted net income attributable to Autohome (Non-GAAP) [2] in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB420.8 million ( US$58.0 million ), compared to RMB493.9 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

in the first quarter of 2025 was ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2024. Share repurchase: As of May 2, 2025 , the Company had repurchased 4,781,999 American depositary shares ("ADSs") for a total cost of approximately US$128.0 million .

Mr. Song Yang, Chief Executive Officer of Autohome, stated, "In the first quarter, we made significant progress in strengthening our business foundation and driving the execution of our innovation initiatives. We effectively deployed AI technology across various business areas, most notably with the launch of the upgraded Autohome App in late March, featuring an AI smart assistant powered by DeepSeek and our proprietary big data resources. These features significantly enhance the user question-and-answer experience and improve user decision-making efficiency across the automotive vertical."

"Our new retail network continues to steadily expand, with nearly 200 Autohome Space and satellite franchised stores now in operation. These stores offer local partners cutting-edge technological capabilities, premium offline resources, and robust ecosystem support. Looking forward, we will further enhance user value and capitalize on new growth opportunities, building a seamless online-to-offline ecosystem for services and deliver a more comprehensive and convenient one-stop solution for consumers and business partners alike."

Mr. Craig Yan Zeng, Chief Financial Officer of Autohome, added, "We delivered another solid quarter of operational and financial results. Our user base continues to expand, with March 2025 average mobile daily active users increasing by 10.8% year-over-year to 76.92 million, according to QuestMobile, primarily driven by category expansion and our ongoing investments in premium content. Revenue growth in our new energy vehicle business also outperformed the broader industry, supported by our robust new retail initiatives. We look forward to collaborating with our new partner and propelling Autohome into the next phase of growth."

Unaudited First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Net Revenues

Net revenues were RMB1,453.8 million (US$200.3 million) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB1,609.1 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

Media services revenues were RMB242.2 million ( US$33.4 million ) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB327.4 million in the corresponding period of 2024, primarily due to reduced advertising spending by internal combustion engine ("ICE") automakers amid shrinking sales volumes in the ICE segment.

revenues were ( ) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to in the corresponding period of 2024, primarily due to reduced advertising spending by internal combustion engine ("ICE") automakers amid shrinking sales volumes in the ICE segment. Leads generation services revenues were RMB645.1 million ( US$88.9 million ) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB726.4 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

revenues were ( ) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to in the corresponding period of 2024. Online marketplace and others revenues were RMB566.5 million ( US$78.1 million ) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB555.2 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues was RMB315.5 million (US$43.5 million) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB300.9 million in the corresponding period of 2024. Share-based compensation expenses included in cost of revenues in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB2.4 million (US$0.3 million), compared to RMB0.9 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses were RMB948.8 million (US$130.7 million) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB1,126.9 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

Sales and marketing expenses were RMB543.6 million ( US$74.9 million ) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB641.3 million in the corresponding period of 2024, primarily due to a decrease in marketing and promotional expenses. Share-based compensation expenses included in sales and marketing expenses in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB12.3 million ( US$1.7 million ), compared to RMB12.8 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

expenses were ( ) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to in the corresponding period of 2024, primarily due to a decrease in marketing and promotional expenses. Share-based compensation expenses included in sales and marketing expenses in the first quarter of 2025 were ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2024. General and administrative expenses were RMB131.0 million ( US$18.1 million ) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB149.5 million in the corresponding period of 2024. Share-based compensation expenses included in general and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB11.2 million ( US$1.5 million ), compared to RMB12.0 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

expenses were ( ) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to in the corresponding period of 2024. Share-based compensation expenses included in general and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2025 were ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2024. Product development expenses were RMB274.1 million ( US$37.8 million ) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB336.1 million in the corresponding period of 2024, primarily due to a decrease in personnel-related expenses. Share-based compensation expenses included in product development expenses in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB19.6 million ( US$2.7 million ), compared to RMB22.6 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

Operating Profit

Operating profit was RMB233.4 million (US$32.2 million) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB276.1 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

Income Tax Expense

Income tax expense was RMB56.3 million (US$7.8 million) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to an income tax expense of RMB68.4 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

Net Income attributable to Autohome

Net income attributable to Autohome was RMB356.6 million (US$49.1 million) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB394.5 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

Net Income attributable to Ordinary Shareholders and Earnings per Share/ADS

Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders was RMB340.5 million (US$46.9 million) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB379.8 million in the corresponding period of 2024. Basic and diluted earnings per share ("EPS") were RMB0.72 (US$0.10) and RMB0.71 (US$0.10), respectively, in the first quarter of 2025, compared to basic and diluted EPS of RMB0.78 and RMB0.78, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2024. Basic and diluted earnings per ADS were RMB2.86 (US$0.39) and RMB2.85 (US$0.39), respectively, in the first quarter of 2025, compared to basic and diluted earnings per ADS of RMB3.14 and RMB3.13, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2024.

Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome (Non-GAAP) and Non-GAAP EPS/ADS

Adjusted net income attributable to Autohome (Non-GAAP) was RMB420.8 million (US$58.0 million) in the first quarter of 2025, compared to RMB493.9 million in the corresponding period of 2024. Non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS were RMB0.88 (US$0.12) and RMB0.88 (US$0.12), respectively, in the first quarter of 2025, compared to non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS of RMB1.02 and RMB1.02, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2024. Non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per ADS were RMB3.54 (US$0.49) and RMB3.52 (US$0.49), respectively, in the first quarter of 2025, compared to non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per ADS of RMB4.08 and RMB4.07, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2024.

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

As of March 31, 2025, the Company had cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of RMB21.93 billion (US$3.02 billion). Net cash provided by operating activities in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB134.7 million (US$18.6 million).

Employees

The Company had 4,345 employees as of March 31, 2025, including 1,299 employees from TTP Car, Inc.

Conference Call Information

The Company will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Thursday, May 8, 2025 (8:00 p.m. Beijing Time on the same day).

Please register in advance of the conference call using the registration link provided below. Upon registering, each participant will receive a set of participant dial-in numbers and a personal PIN, which will be used to join the conference call.

Registration Link: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI29659c4e82a24979ba0e64eb6aad011d

Please use the conference access information to join the call 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin.

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at https://ir.autohome.com.cn and a replay of the webcast will be available following the session.

About Autohome

Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM; HKEX: 2518) is the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China. Its mission is to relentlessly reduce auto industry decision-making and transaction costs driven by advanced technology. Autohome provides occupationally generated content, professionally generated content, user-generated content, and AI-generated content, a comprehensive automobile library, and extensive automobile listing information to automobile consumers, covering the entire car purchase and ownership cycle. The ability to reach a large and engaged user base of automobile consumers has made Autohome a preferred platform for automakers and dealers to conduct their advertising campaigns. Further, the Company's dealer subscription and advertising services allow dealers to market their inventory and services through Autohome's platform, extending the reach of their physical showrooms to potentially millions of internet users in China and generating sales leads for them. The Company offers sales leads, data analysis, and marketing services to assist automakers and dealers with improving their efficiency and facilitating transactions. Further, through its websites and mobile applications, it also provides other value-added services, including auto financing, auto insurance, used car transactions, and aftermarket services. For further information, please visit https://www.autohome.com.cn/.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will", "expects", "anticipates", "future", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, Autohome's business outlook, Autohome's strategic and operational plans and quotations from management in this announcement contain forward-looking statements. Autohome may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange"), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Autohome's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Autohome's goals and strategies; Autohome's future business development, results of operations and financial condition; the expected growth of the online automobile advertising market in China; Autohome's ability to attract and retain users and advertisers and further enhance its brand recognition; Autohome's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services; competition in the online automobile advertising industry; relevant government policies and regulatory environment of China; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Autohome's filings with the SEC and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Autohome does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement net income presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we use Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome, Non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS and earnings per ADS, Adjusted net margin and Adjusted EBITDA as non-GAAP financial measures. We define Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome as net income attributable to Autohome excluding share-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisition, and loss/(gain) pickup of equity method investments, with all the reconciliation items adjusted for related income tax effects. We define non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS as Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome divided by the basic and diluted weighted average number of ordinary shares. We define non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per ADS as Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome divided by the basic and diluted weighted average number of ADSs. We define Adjusted net margin as Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome divided by total net revenues. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income attributable to Autohome before income tax expense, depreciation expenses of property and equipment, amortization expenses of intangible assets and share-based compensation expenses. We present these non-GAAP financial measures because they are used by our management to evaluate our operating performance, in addition to net income prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are important to help investors understand our operating and financial performance, compare business trends among different reporting periods on a consistent basis and assess our core operating results, as they exclude certain non-cash charges or items that are non-operating in nature. The use of the above non-GAAP financial measures has certain limitations as they excluded certain items that have been and will continue to be incurred in the future, but such items should be considered in the overall evaluation of our results. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Unaudited Reconciliation of non-GAAP and GAAP Results" set forth at the end of this press release.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Autohome Inc.

Sterling Song

Investor Relations Director

Tel: +86-10-5985-7483

E-mail: [email protected]

Christensen China Limited

Suri Cheng

Tel: +86-185-0060-8364

E-mail: [email protected]

AUTOHOME INC. UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS DATA (Amount in thousands, except per share / per ADS data)

For three months ended March 31,



2024

2025



RMB

RMB

US$

Net revenues:











Media services 327,431

242,179

33,373

Leads generation services 726,423

645,143

88,903

Online marketplace and others 555,211

566,496

78,065

Total net revenues 1,609,065

1,453,818

200,341

Cost of revenues (300,892)

(315,520)

(43,480)

Gross profit 1,308,173

1,138,298

156,861















Operating expenses:











Sales and marketing expenses (641,276)

(543,639)

(74,915)

General and administrative expenses (149,545)

(131,023)

(18,055)

Product development expenses (336,067)

(274,141)

(37,778)

Total operating expenses (1,126,888)

(948,803)

(130,748)

Other operating income, net 94,793

43,860

6,044

Operating profit 276,078

233,355

32,157

Interest and investment income, net 219,974

177,071

24,401

Share of results of equity method investments (49,133)

(11,636)

(1,603)

Income before income taxes 446,919

398,790

54,955

Income tax expense (68,401)

(56,329)

(7,762)

Net income 378,518

342,461

47,193

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 15,981

14,174

1,953

Net income attributable to Autohome 394,499

356,635

49,146

Accretion of mezzanine equity (41,671)

(45,654)

(6,291)

Accretion attributable to noncontrolling interests 26,948

29,469

4,061

Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders 379,776

340,450

46,916















Earnings per share attributable to ordinary

shareholders











Basic 0.78

0.72

0.10

Diluted 0.78

0.71

0.10

Earnings per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders

(one ADS equals for four ordinary shares)











Basic 3.14

2.86

0.39

Diluted 3.13

2.85

0.39















Weighted average shares used to compute earnings per share attributable to

ordinary shareholders:

























Basic 484,278,900

475,483,227

475,483,227

Diluted 485,253,760

478,030,619

478,030,619





























AUTOHOME INC. UNAUDITED RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP AND GAAP RESULTS (Amount in thousands, except per share / per ADS data)



For three months ended March 31,





2024

2025





RMB

RMB

US$



Net income attributable to Autohome 394,499

356,635

49,146



Plus: income tax expense 69,742

57,669

7,947



Plus: depreciation of property and equipment 33,534

27,370

3,772



Plus: amortization of intangible assets 9,650

9,621

1,326



EBITDA 507,425

451,295

62,191



Plus: share-based compensation

expenses 48,307

45,490

6,269



Adjusted EBITDA 555,732

496,785

68,460



















Net income attributable to Autohome 394,499

356,635

49,146



Plus: amortization of intangible assets resulting from business

acquisition 9,583

9,583

1,321



Plus: share-based compensation expenses 48,307

45,490

6,269



Plus: Loss on equity method investments, net 49,133

11,636

1,603



Plus: tax effects of the adjustments (7,594)

(2,574)

(355)



Adjusted net income attributable to Autohome 493,928

420,770

57,984



















Net income attributable to Autohome 394,499

356,635

49,146



Net margin 24.5 %

24.5 %

24.5 %



Adjusted net income attributable to Autohome 493,928

420,770

57,984



Adjusted net margin 30.7 %

28.9 %

28.9 %



















Non-GAAP earnings per share













Basic 1.02

0.88

0.12



Diluted 1.02

0.88

0.12



Non-GAAP earnings per ADS (one ADS equals for four

ordinary shares)













Basic 4.08

3.54

0.49



Diluted 4.07

3.52

0.49



















Weighted average shares used to compute non-GAAP

earnings per share:













Basic 484,278,900

475,483,227

475,483,227



Diluted 485,253,760

478,030,619

478,030,619





AUTOHOME INC. UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (Amount in thousands, except as noted)



As of December 31,

As of March 31,

2024

2025

RMB

RMB

US$ ASSETS









Current assets









Cash and cash equivalents 1,693,597

2,157,997

297,380 Restricted cash 88,515

106,086

14,619 Short-term investments 21,621,992

19,773,374

2,724,844 Accounts receivable, net 1,358,849

1,579,851

217,709 Amounts due from related parties, current 63,957

65,855

9,075 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 336,941

308,481

42,510 Total current assets 25,163,851

23,991,644

3,306,137 Non-current assets









Restricted cash, non-current 5,000

5,000

689 Property and equipment, net 204,049

186,432

25,691 Goodwill and intangible assets, net 4,069,637

4,051,081

558,254 Long-term investments 339,247

327,611

45,146 Deferred tax assets 308,246

308,246

42,477 Amounts due from related parties, non-current 3,521

5,419

747 Other non-current assets 128,074

136,141

18,761 Total non-current assets 5,057,774

5,019,930

691,765 Total assets 30,221,625

29,011,574

3,997,902











LIABILITIES AND EQUITY









Current liabilities









Accrued expenses and other payables 2,931,869

2,233,599

307,799 Advance from customers 106,276

104,550

14,407 Deferred revenue 276,894

690,524

95,157 Income tax payable 185,976

177,422

24,449 Amounts due to related parties 38,250

50,470

6,955 Dividends payable 990,529

-

- Total current liabilities 4,529,794

3,256,565

448,767 Non-current liabilities









Other liabilities 23,103

35,102

4,837 Deferred tax liabilities 468,078

465,300

64,120 Total non-current liabilities 491,181

500,402

68,957 Total liabilities 5,020,975

3,756,967

517,724











MEZZANINE EQUITY









Convertible redeemable noncontrolling interests 1,931,529

1,977,183

272,463











EQUITY









Total Autohome shareholders' equity 23,951,737

24,003,691

3,307,797 Noncontrolling interests (682,616)

(726,267)

(100,082) Total equity 23,269,121

23,277,424

3,207,715 Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and equity 30,221,625

29,011,574

3,997,902

[1] The reporting currency of the Company is Renminbi ("RMB"). For readers' convenience, certain amounts throughout the release are presented in US dollars ("US$"). Unless otherwise noted, all conversions from RMB to US$ are translated at the noon buying rate of US$1.00 to RMB7.2567 on March 31, 2025 in the City of New York for cable transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted into US$ at such rate. [2] For more information on this and other non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section captioned "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and the tables captioned "Unaudited Reconciliations of Non-GAAP and GAAP Results" set forth at the end of this release.

SOURCE Autohome Inc.
U.S. growth success sets the stage for next phase of global expansion

NEW YORK, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aztec Group ("Aztec" or the "Group"), a leading international fund and corporate services provider to the alternative investments industry, has announced the completion of its strategic partnership with global growth investor Warburg Pincus, following receipt of regulatory approvals.

Andrew Sibbald, Managing Director and Head of Europe at Warburg Pincus and Kathryn Purves, Chief Executive Officer at Aztec Group.

The transaction marks a major milestone in Aztec's long-term growth journey, bringing on board Warburg Pincus as both a minority shareholder and key client. The partnership will support Aztec's continued expansion into high-growth global markets, particularly the United States, where the Group saw a standout year in 2024.

"Our vision has always been clear: to deliver a truly premium service to private market clients, built on close relationships, technical strength and operational excellence," said Kathryn Purves, CEO of Aztec Group. "Partnering with Warburg Pincus brings together two organizations with shared ambition - our client-first culture and specialist expertise, and their global reach and experience backing high-growth businesses. This partnership enables us to scale with purpose, while staying true to what makes Aztec special: our people, our culture and our commitment to client service."

Warburg Pincus, which manages more than $87 billion in assets, has chosen Aztec as a preferred provider for specific fund administration services on a global scale. This decision reflects the team's confidence in Aztec's growth trajectory and commitment to delivering long-term value to its clients.

Andrew Sibbald, Managing Director and Head of Europe at Warburg Pincus, added: "We have been eagerly awaiting this moment since we announced our investment in Aztec some nine months ago. Our enthusiasm for the business and the market opportunity has only grown in the interim and we very much look forward to developing a strong partnership between our organizations, both as a substantial client and shareholder, over the coming years. We share management's ambition for continued growth and the technological enhancement of Aztec's proposition, together with their belief that excellent client service should remain at the heart of everything we do."

The partnership builds on a year of exceptional performance in the U.S. Aztec has rapidly expanded its footprint and been recognized by the industry, driven by new client wins and deepening client relationships across the U.S.- EU corridor. The team scaled significantly, with key senior hires brought in to lead across private credit and investor services.

Aztec's growth in the U.S. is underpinned by its decades of experience in back-office operations, with deep expertise in fund accounting, investor services and operational compliance. As outsourcing continues to become more prevalent among U.S. managers - particularly those seeking to scale efficiently - Aztec's established track record and dedicated local teams offer a proven, institutional-grade solution.

"This year's growth reflects our commitment to building a team that prioritizes client success, new product offerings and existing product extension along with operational excellence," said Scott Kraemer, Head of U.S. Markets. "The future holds exciting opportunities, and our partnership with Warburg Pincus positions us to continue driving growth and achieving exceptional results."

As it enters its next chapter, Aztec Group remains focused on delivering best-in-class service, deepening its U.S. presence, and strengthening its position as a premium global partner to private markets clients.

About the Aztec Group

Established in 2001, the Aztec Group is an award-winning independent provider of fund and corporate services, employing more than 2,000 people across the UK, U.S., Luxembourg, Ireland and the Channel Islands. Owner-managed, the Group specializes in alternative investments, administering more than $600 billion in assets, 450 funds and 4,500 entities for a range of clients, spanning the major asset classes including private equity, venture capital, private debt, real estate and infrastructure.

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SOURCE Aztec Group
SAN FRANCISCO, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global bottled water market size is estimated to reach USD 509.18 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 6.4% from 2025 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is driven by the increasing demand for bottled water due to the rising scarcity of fresh and pure drinking water worldwide. Factors such as health benefits with added minerals and nutrients are likely to fuel the demand for bottled water over the forecast period.

Growing awareness regarding the adverse health effects of consuming sugary drinks, such as weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, is supporting the consumption of alternative beverages such as still and sparkling water. The trend of switching from sugary drinks to healthier options is observed in several countries, such as Germany, the U.S., the UK, and France. This has widened the scope for bottled water across the globe.

Request a free sample copy or view report summary: Bottled Water Market

The still water segment held the largest revenue share in 2024 and is expected to maintain dominance over the forecast period. The rising concerns over the quality and safety of tap water in certain regions have fueled the demand for bottled still water. Consumers, particularly in developing countries or areas with inadequate water infrastructure, view bottled water as a reliable and convenient source of clean drinking water.

The off-trade segment contributed the majority of revenue share in 2024, owing to the presence of a large number of retail stores worldwide. Further, in developed countries, convenience stores and supermarkets/hypermarkets are popular places to purchase bottled water; thus, this market segment is growing rapidly.

In January 2022, Evian launched its first-ever sparkling water, available in cans and bottles. The new product is part of Evian's 'Drink True' global campaign, which aims to celebrate authenticity and honesty. The sparkling water is crafted through a 15-year natural filtration journey in the French Alps and encourages healthy hydration.

The market for bottled water is fragmented, with the presence of a large number of regional and local players. Major companies are focusing on new product launches, capacity expansions, and technological innovations. Some of the key players are Nestle; PepsiCo; The Coca-Cola Company; DANONE; Primo Water Corporation; FIJI Water Company LLC; Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG; VOSS WATER; Nongfu Spring; National Beverage Corp.; and Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.

Read full market research report on Bottled Water Market with TOC - Bottled Water Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Still Water, Sparkling Water, Functional Water), By Distribution Channel (On-trade, Off-trade), By Packaging, By Packaging Size, By Price Range, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2025 - 2030

Bottled Water Market Report Highlights:

Based on product, sparkling bottled water is expected to grow with a CAGR of 7.9% from 2025 to 2030. The broad range of flavors and customization options in sparkling water has made it more appealing to consumers who enjoy variety in their beverages, contributing to its growing popularity

Based on packaging, canned bottled water is expected to grow with a CAGR of 7.0% from 2025 to 2030. Canned water provides a convenient and lightweight hydration option, making it easy to carry for various activities like hiking, traveling, or exercising. The compact size of cans allows for easy stacking and storage, appealing to those seeking efficient hydration solutions on the go. Additionally, cans are less likely to break compared to glass bottles, adding to their practicality for active lifestyles

Based on distribution channel, sales through on-trade channels are expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2025 to 2030, owing to increasing consumers demanding bottled water when they eat out, and restaurants and bars are happy to oblige, as it is a convenient way to provide their customers with a refreshing drink

North America is expected to grow with a CAGR of 5.8% over the forecast period from 2025 to 2030. The fast-paced lifestyle of many Americans contributes to the increasing demand for bottled water. Bottled water offers a convenient and portable hydration solution, making it easy to stay hydrated while on the go-whether at work, in the gym, or during outdoor activities. The availability of various sizes and packaging options further enhances its appeal for different settings and occasions.

Bottled Water Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segments the global bottled water market based on product, distribution channel, packaging, packaging size, price range, and region:

Bottled Water Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

North America

U.S.



Canada



Mexico

Bottled Water Market - Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Spring Water

Flavored



Unflavored

Sparkling Water

Flavored



Unflavored

Functional Water

Bottled Water Market - Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

On-trade

Restaurants



Cafes



Others

Off-trade

Supermarkets & Hypermarkets



Convenience Stores



Grocery Stores



Others

Bottled Water Market - Packaging Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

PET

Cans

Others

Bottled Water Market - Packaging Size Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Small (0.5 to 1 Liters)

Medium (1.1 to 5 Liters)

Bulk (More than 5 Liters)

Bottled Water Market - Price Range Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Mass

Premium

Bottled Water Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

North America

U.S.



Canada



Mexico

Europe

Germany



UK



France



Italy



Spain



Switzerland



Netherlands



Belgium



Sweden



Austria

Asia Pacific

China



Japan



India



Australia & New Zealand

&

South Korea



Thailand



Indonesia



Malaysia



Vietnam



Singapore

Latin America

Brazil



Argentina

Middle East & Africa

& South Africa



UAE

List of Key Players in the Bottled Water Market

Perrier (Nestle)

Aquafina (PepsiCo)

Dasani (The Coca-Cola Company)

Evian (DANONE)

Poland Spring (Primo Water Corporation)

Fiji Water ( FIJI Water Company LLC)

Water Company LLC) Gerolsteiner (Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG)

Nongfu Spring (Nongfu Spring Co., Ltd.)

National Beverage Corp

Voss (Voss of Norway ASA)

Himalayan Natural Mineral Water (Tata Consumer Products Limited)

Bisleri (Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd.)

Niagara (Niagara Bottling, LLC)

Essentia Water (Essentia Water, LLC)

Ethos Water (Starbucks Corporation)

Penta Ultra-Purified Water (United Beverage, Inc.)

Just Water ( Just Goods , Inc.)

( , Inc.) Acqua Panna (Sanpellegrino S.p.A., a subsidiary of Nestle)

(Sanpellegrino S.p.A., a subsidiary of Nestle) Hildon Natural Mineral Water (Hildon Ltd.)

Crystal Geyser (CG Roxane LLC)

Wahaha (Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co., Ltd.)

Master Kong (Tingyi ( Cayman Islands ) Holding Corp)

Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research:

Premium Bottled Water Market - The global premium bottled water market size is anticipated to reach USD 56.01 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2025 to 2030. Growing concerns over high sugar content and sweeteners in carbonated drinks have played a prime role in driving the consumer preference for premium bottled water variants in last few years.

The global premium bottled water market size is anticipated to reach by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2025 to 2030. Growing concerns over high sugar content and sweeteners in carbonated drinks have played a prime role in driving the consumer preference for premium bottled water variants in last few years. Still Bottled Water Market - The global still bottled water market size is expected to reach USD 380.53 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2024 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The surge in the still water market can be attributed to a confluence of health-conscious trends, environmental awareness, and evolving consumer preferences.

The global still bottled water market size is expected to reach by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2024 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The surge in the still water market can be attributed to a confluence of health-conscious trends, environmental awareness, and evolving consumer preferences. U.S. Bottled Water Market - The U.S. bottled water market size is estimated to reach USD 66.41 billion in 2030 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2025 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The rising demand and consumption of bottled water in the U.S. are largely driven by health-conscious consumer behavior, convenience, and changing preferences for hydration.

The U.S. bottled water market size is estimated to reach in 2030 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2025 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The rising demand and consumption of bottled water in the U.S. are largely driven by health-conscious consumer behavior, convenience, and changing preferences for hydration. U.S. And Canada Premium Bottled Water Market - The U.S. and Canada premium bottled water market is expected to reach USD 10.79 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% from 2023 to 2030. The rising income of the citizens, increasing number of adults moving to cities, and surging number of working families seeking convenience are a few factors that are contributing to the market growth.

Browse Horizon Databook on Bottled Water Market  Global Bottled Water Market Size & Outlook

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Explore Horizon Databook  The world's most expansive market intelligence platform developed by Grand View Research. Gain insights from 30K+ Global & Regional Reports, 120K+ Country Reports, 1.2M+ Market Statistics, 200K+ Company Profiles, and 5 business solutions encompassing ESG and Sustainability Consulting, Procurement Intelligence, Pricing Index and Analysis, and Consumer Analytics.

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SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
The possibilities of increasing the export of Ukrainian mineral fertilizers and controlling their import, particularly preventing the import of fertilizers of the aggressor country through other countries, were discussed by Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Vitaliy Koval at a working meeting with representatives of domestic mineral fertilizer producers at the ministry, according to a release from the Ministry of Agrarian Policy on its website.

"This meeting was to provide an answer to the question of how to increase the export of Ukrainian fertilizers to African countries, Asia and further to the EU. Representatives of (the largest nitrogen fertilizer producer) Ostchem and the Union of Chemists of Ukraine were unanimous at this meeting: import remains the key problem," Group DF Corporate Communications Director Oleh Arestarkhov told Interfax-Ukraine.

According to him, it is imports that prevent Ukrainian enterprises from expanding production and increasing exports, primarily imports from the countries of the former Soviet Union, which have a single market with Russia: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, which account for almost half (300,000 tonnes) of all imports of nitrogen fertilizers.

"They have access to cheap gas, they can dump. The total import of nitrogen fertilizers for four months of 2025 amounted to 1.2 million tonnes, of which nitrogen some 689,300 tonnes. For comparison, Ukrainian production after four months will be about 500,000 tonnes," Arestarkhov said.

He said Ukraine is losing the urea market, and a new trend is that China has begun to actively supply low-quality cheap ammonium sulfate.

According to a representative of Ostchem, due to growing imports, Ukrainian enterprises are operating at the limit of profitability, which restrains the volume of capital investments in industrial sites and forces people to be laid off.

An additional problem for Ukrainian manufacturers is also the Russian shelling, after which Ostchem stopped its workshops several times in the first quarter due to the destruction of external gas and energy infrastructure.

"It is logical that we are waiting for the support of the Government, we spoke about it openly at the meeting, we gave them all the statistics. The dominance of imports is one of the reasons for the decline in the industry. This is the reason why Dniproazot and SOE Odesa Port Plant cannot start production. If the government lends a shoulder, it will see an increase in exports," Chairman of the Union of Chemists of Ukraine Oleksiy Holubov told Interfax-Ukraine.

In turn, Minister Koval said the instruction of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to expand the geography of exports, in particular to the countries of the Middle East and Africa, as well as to open a mineral fertilizer hub in South Africa and develop trade between the two countries.

"Ukraine has all the prerequisites for mineral fertilizers to become not only a means of strengthening food security within the country, but also a strategic export commodity," the head of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy said.

According to the press release, the meeting was also attended by representatives of investment companies, including UMG Investments.
End of treatment (EOT) data from Cohort 4 of the ENSURE study suggest that patients responding to prior BRII-179 treatment achieved faster and higher rate of surface antigen clearance with curative treatments compared to BRII-179 naive participants , strengthening the case for a novel enrichment strategy, utilizing BRII-179 to identify and prime patients for improved functional cure outcomes

24 Week follow-up results from Cohorts 1-3 of the ENSURE study demonstrated sustained off-treatment benefits of elebsiran + PEG-IFN combination therapy vs PEG-IFN alone

DURHAM, N.C. and BEIJING, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Brii Biosciences Limited ("Brii Bio" or the "Company", stock code: 2137.HK), a biotechnology company developing therapies to improve patient health and choice across diseases with high unmet medical need, today announced data from its ongoing Phase 2 ENSURE study as late-breaking posters at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Congress 2025 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

ENSURE (NCT05970289) is a multicenter, open-label Phase 2 study. Cohorts 1-3 were designed to evaluate the contribution of elebsiran, an investigational small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA), to the combination treatment with pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN) in participants with chronic HBV infection with baseline hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) of 100-3,000 IU/mL.

Cohort 4 enrolled participants who completed 9 doses of BRII-179, a recombinant protein-based therapeutic vaccine, in combination with elebsiran in a previous APAC study BRII-179-835-001 (NCT04749368) to receive elebsiran and PEG-IFN combination treatment. These participants were grouped based on their anti-HBs response induced by prior BRII-179 treatment: those with peak anti-HBs titers  10 IU/L are defined as anti-HBs responders, and those with peak anti-HBs titers < 10 IU/L as non-responders. The design of Cohort 4 as part of this study was based on the insight that BRII-179 could differentiate between immune responders and non-responders, offering the potential to predict future response to therapy.

Interim data from Cohort 4 showed that anti-HBs responders achieved a substantially higher rate of HBsAg seroclearance than non-responders. At EOT (Week 48), 61% (11/18) of anti-HBs responders achieved HBsAg seroclearance, compared to 10% (1/10) of non-responders. Among the 11 anti-HBs responders who achieved HBsAg loss, 91% (10/11) had anti-HBs titers  100 IU/L at EOT.

Of note, BRII-179 experienced participants in Cohort 4 achieved HBsAg loss faster than BRII-179 naive participants in Cohort 2 and 3. 83% (10/12) of HBsAg loss in BRII-179 experienced participants occurred by Week 24, compared to 55% (6/11) in BRII-179 naive participants. These findings suggest rapid HBsAg seroclearance in subjects with higher anti-HBs titers may translate into durable HBsAg loss and the potential to evaluate shorter treatment durations of PEG-IFN.

Additional data from Cohorts 1-3 of the ENSURE study showed the combination therapy of elebsiran either 100 mg or 200 mg and PEG-IFN resulted in higher HBsAg loss rate at 24 weeks post EOT compared to PEG-IFN alone, supporting the additive benefit of siRNA.

"The data from Cohort 4 of the ENSURE study are encouraging. We saw in target populations that patients who were immune-responsive through pre-treatment with BRII-179 demonstrated a significant advantage in achieving a higher HBsAg seroclearance rate," said David Margolis, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Brii Bio. "With BRII-179, we may identify patients with less impaired intrinsic immunity and further prime their immune response. This approach may provide more durable HBsAg loss and potentially shorter treatment duration of PEG-IFN. We are moving full speed ahead with our clinical efforts to deliver a meaningful option to the chronic hepatitis B patients long left waiting."

Abstract Number: LB25123/ LBP-018

Title: Chronic hepatitis B virus infected participants responding to prior BRII-179 treatment achieved faster and higher rate of hepatitis B virus surface antigen seroclearance on elebsiran plus pegylated interferon-alfa: end of treatment data from ENSURE study

Presenter: Grace Lai-Hung Wong, MBChB (CUHK), MD (CUHK), FRCP (Lond, Edin), FHKCP, FHKAM (Medicine), Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at CUHK Medical Data Analytics Centre (MDAC) and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics in Hong Kong SAR, China

A total of 28 participants with baseline HBsAg > 100 and  3000 IU/mL were analyzed. 18 and 10 participants had peak anti-HBs titer  10 IU/L (defined as anti-HBs responders) and < 10 IU/L (defined as non-responders) induced by BRII-179 in the previous study, respectively.

Median [range] HBsAg at the time of initiating elebsiran + PEG-IFN was numerically higher in anti-HBs responders (539.4 [106.7-2165.0] IU/mL) than in non-responders (219.3 [106.7-671.5] IU/mL). At EOT (Week 48), 61% (11/18) of anti-HBs responders achieved HBsAg seroclearance, compared to 10% (1/10) of non-responders.

Among the anti-HBs responders who lost HBsAg, 91% (10/11) had anti-HBs titers  100 IU/L at EOT.

BRII-179 experienced participants achieved HBsAg loss faster than BRII-179 naive participants, with 83% (10/12) of HBsAg loss occurring by Week 24 (vs 55% [6/11] in BRII-179 naive participants).

Elebsiran + PEG-IFN was generally safe and tolerated in BRII-179 experienced participants.

Abstract Number: LB25115/ LBP-016

Title: Efficacy and safety of elebsiran and pegylated interferon alfa combination therapy versus pegylated interferon alfa in participants with chronic hepatitis B virus infection: follow-up results from the ongoing phase 2, randomized, open-label ENSURE study

Presenter: David Margolis, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer of Brii Biosciences

At Week 72 (24 weeks post EOT), higher HBsAg loss rate was observed in participants on combination therapy of either elebsiran 200mg or 100 mg and PEG-IFN compared to PEG-IFN alone (21.1% [4/19] or 33.3% [6/18] vs 5.6% [1/18]). All the 11 participants with HBsAg loss had baseline HBsAg < 1500 IU/mL.

Incidence of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was comparable between combination therapy cohorts and PEG-IFN alone cohort. Most TEAEs were consistent with known side effects of PEG-IFN.

As part of Brii Bio's unique approach to developing a functional cure for HBV, the Company and its partners are actively progressing multiple combination studies with our differentiated portfolio, including BRII-179 being evaluated in multiple combination studies with elebsiran led by Brii Bio; elebsiran being evaluated in combination with PEG-IFN in studies led by Brii Bio; and tobevibart, an investigational broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody targeting HBV, being evaluated in multiple Phase 2 and 3 tobevibart and elebsiran combination studies led by Vir Biotechnology. Key data readouts will be shared in the coming months at scientific conferences throughout 2025.

About Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the world's most significant infectious disease threats with more than 254 million people infected globally.[1] Chronic HBV infection is the leading cause of liver disease and an estimated 820,000 people die of complications from chronic HBV infection each year.[1] HBV is of exceptional concern in China, where 87 million people are chronically infected.[2]

About BRII-179

BRII-179 is a novel recombinant protein-based HBV immunotherapeutic candidate that expresses the Pre-S1, Pre-S2, and S HBV surface antigens, and is designed to induce enhanced and broad B-cell and T-cell immunity. In November 2023, the Center for Drug Evaluation (the "CDE") of the National Medical Products Administration (the "NMPA") granted BRII-179 Breakthrough Therapy Designation.

About Elebsiran (previously known as BRII-835, VIR-2218)

Elebsiran is an investigational subcutaneously administered HBV-targeting siRNA designed to degrade hepatitis B virus RNA transcripts and limit the production of hepatitis B surface antigen. It has the potential to have direct antiviral activity against HBV and HDV. It is the first siRNA in the clinic to include Enhanced Stabilization Chemistry Plus technology to enhance stability and minimize off-target activity, which potentially can result in an increased therapeutic index. Brii Bio licensed exclusive rights to develop and commercialize elebsiran for the Greater China territory from Vir Biotechnology, Inc. in 2020.

About Brii Bio

Brii Biosciences Limited ("Brii Bio", stock code: 2137.HK) is a biotechnology company developing therapies to address major public health challenges where patients experience high unmet medical needs, limited choice and significant social stigmas. With a focus on infectious diseases, the Company is advancing a broad pipeline of unique therapeutic candidates with lead programs against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The Company is led by a visionary and experienced leadership team and has operations in key biotech hubs, including Raleigh-Durham, the San Francisco Bay Area, Beijing and Shanghai. For more information, visit www.briibio.com.

[1] World Health Organization. (April 2024). Global hepatitis report 2024: action for access in low- and middle-income countries. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240091672 [2] World Health Organization. Hepatitis. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/china/health-topics/hepatitis#:~:text=There%20are%2087%20million%20people,living%20with%20chronic%20hepatitis%20C.

SOURCE Brii Biosciences Limited
NEW YORK, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) announced that it will be participating at five upcoming investor events. Three of these events will include fireside chats with management, which will be available on Broadridge's Investor Relations page at www.broadridge-ir.com.

J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference - Boston, Massachusetts

May 14, 2025, at 11:20 AM Eastern Time

Company Speaker: Tim Gokey, Chief Executive Officer

Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference  New York City

May 28, 2025, at 1:30 PM Eastern Time

Company Speaker: Tim Gokey, Chief Executive Officer

Baird Global Consumer, Technology & Services Conference  New York City

June 3, 2025

Ashima Ghei, Chief Financial Officer, will host individual investor meetings

RBC Financial Technology Conference  New York City

June 10, 2025, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time

Company Speaker: Doug DeSchutter, Co-President, Investor Communication Solutions

DA Davidson Consumer & Technology Conference  Nashville, Tennessee

June 11, 2025

Ashima Ghei, Chief Financial Officer, will host individual investor meetings

About Broadridge

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader with over $6 billion in revenues, provides the critical infrastructure that powers investing, corporate governance and communications to enable better financial lives. We deliver technology-driven solutions to banks, broker-dealers, asset and wealth managers and public companies. Broadridge's infrastructure serves as a global communications hub enabling corporate governance by linking thousands of public companies and mutual funds to tens of millions of individual and institutional investors around the world. In addition, Broadridge's technology and operations platforms underpin the daily trading of on average more than U.S. $10 trillion of equities, fixed income and other securities globally. A certified Great Place to Work, Broadridge is a part of the S&P 500 Index, employing over 14,000 associates in 21 countries. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com.

Contact Information

Investors

[email protected]

Media

[email protected]

SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
BALTIMORE, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- b.well Connected Health , a Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) based digital health platform that unifies fragmented healthcare data and services into personalized digital experiences, today announced that it has been selected as winner of the "Best Healthcare Big Data Solution" award in the 9th annual MedTech Breakthrough Awards program . The program is conducted by MedTech Breakthrough , an independent market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies, and products in the global digital health and medical technology market. With the selection, b.well has been recognized in the MedTech Breakthrough Awards in back-to-back years.

b.well Connected Health platform's integrated AI capabilities have produced the world's first Large Health Model (LHM) with the most comprehensive and clean health data insights, adaptive intelligence, and continuous learning from millions of healthcare consumers.

Built on the company's unified FHIR-based data infrastructure, the breakthrough Big Data Platform enables health organizations to aggregate and standardize healthcare data, enrich it with care gaps and insights, easily leverage AI with a focus on safety, and surface meaningful, personalized insights and next-best actions for healthcare consumers. b.well platform combines the patient data within the health system with patient data outside the health system to create the first truly longitudinal and comprehensive health record for each patient.

b.well's LHM seamlessly integrates all this intelligent health data into existing digital experiences like mobile apps and websites without requiring patients to download another app. Utilizing FHIR R4 data mapping, health data is mapped and transformed into a scalable infrastructure that enables unprecedented interoperability.

"We've developed an AI system that can work with existing healthcare infrastructure without needing costly upgrades, and can break down the barriers that typically prevent different technologies from working together. Our vision is about enabling patients and their care providers to easily navigate the complexity of healthcare, to make good decisions to become healthier, and to reduce their out-of-pocket spend on healthcare," said Imran Qureshi, Chief Technology and AI Officer, b.well Connected Health. "Thank you to MedTech Breakthrough for this award that underscores our commitment to continue pushing the boundaries of AI-driven healthcare, ensuring that every individual can navigate their health journey with unprecedented clarity, intelligence, and support."

The MedTech Breakthrough Awards program celebrates excellence and innovation in the health and medical technology industry, recognizing the companies, products, and solutions driving meaningful progress and improving patient care. Spanning a wide range of categoriesincluding Telehealth, Clinical Administration, Patient Engagement, Electronic Health Records (EHR), Virtual Care, Medical Devices, Medical Data & Privacy, and beyondthe awards highlight the groundbreaking work that is transforming the healthcare landscape.

This marks the second year in a row b.well has been recognized; in 2024, the company received the "Patient Engagement Innovation Award."

This year's program saw a record-breaking number of nominations from leading companies and startups across more than 18 countries, showcasing the global impact and momentum of the digital healthcare industry today.

"Collecting, understanding, and making sense of complex health information can help both patients and healthcare providers. However, the sheer amount of healthcare data is incredibly complex to manage and use to solve real problems," said Steve Johansson, managing director, MedTech Breakthrough. "b.well Connected Health is changing how healthcare information is managed. It's just not another digital health solution, b.well is a transformative platform that reimagines healthcare as an intelligent, accessible and deeply personal experience. We're thrilled to award them 2025's 'Best Healthcare Big Data Solution!'"

Using b.well's infrastructure, healthcare organizations can also use the platform to summarize and query health data, drawing from an individual's detailed, holistic health history, including medications, surgeries, and procedures, to deliver personalized explanations and next-best actions. b.well Connected Health's platform uses advanced AI to predict potential health risks, identify gaps in care, and provide proactive health recommendations.

This year's MedTech Breakthrough recognition comes on the heels of several recent awards highlighting b.well's bold leadership in AI-driven, personalized care. This year, b.well Founder and CEO Kristen Valdes has been honored with the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) Leadership Award and an Inc. Magazine Female Founder Award . Meanwhile, b.well was recognized as one of the 10 Best Startups in Maryland by The Tech Tribune.

About b.well Connected Health

b.well Connected Health is solving healthcare's fragmentation problem. b.well's scalable, FHIR-based platform unifies all healthcare data, solutions, and services in one place  empowering healthcare organizations to offer their consumers personalized and relevant experiences. b.well enables the creation of longitudinal health records so healthcare consumers can receive proactive health insights, and conveniently shop and access care for themselves and their loved ones. b.well's Connected Health Platform integrates within existing digital systems, enhancing technology investments and ensuring consumers are the heart of every interaction.

Learn more at icanbwell.com .

About MedTech Breakthrough

Part of Tech Breakthrough , a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the MedTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence and innovation in medical & health technology companies, products, services and people. The MedTech Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough healthcare and medical companies and products in categories that include Patient Experience & Engagement, Health & Fitness, Medical Devices, Clinical Administration, Connected Healthcare, Medical Data, Healthcare Cybersecurity and more. For more information visit MedTechBreakthrough.com .

Tech Breakthrough LLC does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our recognition programs, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with award designations. Tech Breakthrough LLC recognition consists of the opinions of the Tech Breakthrough LLC organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Tech Breakthrough LLC disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this recognition program, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

SOURCE b.well Connected Health
First water reuse-as-a-service project for Anheuser-Busch delivers major environmental and cost savings at Houston brewery

BOSTON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambrian, a leading provider of turnkey wastewater treatment, water reuse, and energy recovery-as-a-service, announced that its project with Anheuser-Busch has been named a finalist for the 2025 Global Water Awards' Industrial Project of the Year. The award will be presented at the Global Water Summit, taking place May 1214 in Paris, France.

The nomination recognizes a first-of-its-kind achievement: the deployment of Cambrian's Water-Energy Purchase Agreement (WEPA) model as the first water reuse-as-a-service contract signed by Anheuser-Busch. This landmark project at the company's Houston brewery enables large-scale water reuse with no upfront capital investment, delivering operational savings and measurable environmental benefits.

Under the WEPA model, Cambrian designed, financed, installed, and now operates a modular treatment system that processes up to 400,000 gallons of high-strength wastewater daily, converting effluent into EPA-quality water for non-potable reuse. The system is expected to treat 3.45 billion gallons over the 20-year contract, while reducing water and wastewater costs by 20% and avoiding more than 23,000 tons of CO emissions.

"This project represents a true innovation, not only in water technology, but in how we deliver infrastructure," said Matthew Silver, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Cambrian. "By combining advanced treatment with an aligned, performance-based business model, we've created a win-win for Anheuser-Busch: lower pollution, reduced water use, and decreased costs, all without the burden of capital investment or operational risk. This is the future of sustainable water management."

Cambrian and Anheuser-Busch began their partnership in 2019 following a successful pilot through the 100+ Accelerator, a global sustainability innovation platform. In 2022, they launched the Houston project, which features Cambrian's BlueCycle membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology. Delivered via the WEPA model, Cambrian finances, builds, owns, and operates the system, charging only by the gallon treated.

"Following a successful pilot through our 100+ Accelerator, we are excited to continue supporting the growth of this innovative team by implementing this advanced technology at our Houston brewery, where we first installed wastewater treatment more than 24 years ago," said Angie Slaughter, Vice President of Sustainability Procurement at Anheuser-Busch. "We're always challenging ourselves to dream big when it comes to sustainability. Our work with Cambrian shows the power of partnership in scaling solutions that accelerate the circular economy."

In addition to its water reuse impact, the project is expected to eliminate 1,230 metric tons of CO emissions annually  the equivalent of removing more than 260 cars from the road. The model also ensures operational excellence by embedding specialized Cambrian personnel on-site, while alleviating capital and maintenance burdens for Anheuser-Busch.

"The sophistication we've reached with this technology is exciting. The quality of water that can be delivered with radically lower energy use is astounding," said Edward Norton, Cambrian board member and sustainability advocate. "But what's most significant is that Anheuser-Busch and Cambrian are proving what's best for the environment and community is also the best economic option. A more sustainable water strategy results in a more profitable company. That alignment is going to drive positive change."

The Global Water Awards, presented by Global Water Intelligence, celebrate the most important achievements in the international water industry. The Industrial Project of the Year category honors the project that has made the most significant contribution to water sustainability in the industrial sector.

About Cambrian

Cambrian is a leader in commercial and industrial water reuse and energy recovery-as-a-service. Using its award-winning, proprietary technologies, Cambrian delivers turnkey wastewater treatment solutions that reduce lifecycle costs and operational risk. Through its Water-Energy Purchase Agreement (WEPA), Cambrian designs, builds, owns, and operates treatment systems, charging only by the gallon treated or kilowatt-hour generatedso customers can focus on their core business while achieving environmental and financial benefits. Founded out of MIT, Cambrian has partnered with global brands including Anheuser-Busch, Sapporo, Keurig Dr. Pepper, LVMH, and Discovery Land. The company has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer and Circular Economy Leader. For more information, visit www.cambrianinnovation.com.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE Cambrian
GetMore now has three unique products offering a variety of discounted or no-cost medications.

FRISCO, Texas, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Careington International Corporation is proud to expand the product options available through its brand GetMore. Careington developed its proprietary prescription savings program to offer substantial savings on prescription drugs and essential medications. GetMore's prescription savings program now includes new products, selected to further add value to employers' benefits offerings, providing access to a variety of low- or no-cost generic, name-brand, acute and chronic medications accepted at a nationwide network of participating pharmacies.

Careington has been a leader in the health and wellness benefits space for more than 45 years. With an expansive portfolio of 150+ health, wellness and lifestyle products, Careington offers innovative savings plans that are designed to enhance employers' benefit offerings and meet the diverse needs of their employees. Careington launched the GetMore brand in 2020 with its prescription savings program, specifically designed to help offset the rising costs of prescription drugs by providing individuals with easy and affordable access to their medication. With a nationwide network of participating pharmacies, GetMore offers its competitive prescription savings solutions to employers and organizations of any size, employees of any status, unions, associations, affinity groups, individual consumers and more.

"Prescription drug programs are not typically one-size-fits-all, as everyone has different and unique needs," said Mike Ramsey, director of business development. "This cost-saving solution is designed to help meet those needs. From employers to everyday consumers, anyone looking to save on prescription drugs can take advantage of GetMoreRx."

GetMore now features new products that provide cost-effective pharmacy benefits with varying levels of savings. Each product can be integrated into an existing benefits package as a complement to traditional insurance.

GetMoreRx 

Significant cost savings on a wide range of generic and name-brand medications. Transparent pricing tool for members to search and review costs based on form, dosage and quantity. Savings range from 10% to 45% on most name-brand drugs and 50% to 95% on most generic.

GetMoreRx Acute  Offering some of the most prescribed medications for acute illnesses at no cost, including:



Amoxicillin Azithromycin Prednisone Ibuprofen Hydroxyzine and more.



Includes one Albuterol inhaler per year. $5 Insulin Lispro vials, up to two vials every 90 days.





GetMoreRx Acute Complete 

Provides access to chronic care medications, along with the acute care medications already found in GetMoreRx Acute, at no cost. Access to more than 1,000 quality chronic care medications available for mail-in shipments. 70 urgent care medications available for pharmacy pickup.



"We are excited to expand our suite of GetMoreRx prescription savings products," said Matthew Herrera, vice president of sales and business development. "With the nationwide increase of prescription drug costs, GetMore innovatively addresses the gaps in traditional prescription discount models by offering low- or no-cost access to an extensive range of medications."

"Careington is proud to offer new GetMore products as valuable, noninsured solutions to employers and their employees, as well as individuals across the nation," said Careington CEO Stewart Sweda. "With many Americans leaving their prescriptions unfilled due to cost, GetMore continuously aims to provide anyone with affordable access to the medications they need to maintain their health and wellness."

Beyond its prescription savings program, GetMore will soon expand its product suite to offer significant savings on dental, vision and more. For more information about GetMore's savings solutions, please visit getmorerx.com.

About Careington International Corporation

Careington International Corporation is an established leader in the health and wellness benefit space. Founded in 1979, Careington is a nationally recognized product aggregator and full-service administrator, and one of the largest privately held discount healthcare companies in the nation. Today, Careington serves more than 30 million members across all industry-best companies, brands, products and services. Dedicated to improving individual health and well-being by providing affordable access to care, Careington's national PPO and dental discount networks, flagship dental savings plans, and growing portfolio of more than 150 health, wellness and lifestyle products and services are designed to deliver cost savings and service excellence across a spectrum of life needs. For information on Careington's products, services, administration and marketing solutions, visit careington.com.

Contact:

Jamie Saunders

Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Careington International Corporation

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (800) 441-0380 ext. 2902

SOURCE Careington International Corporation
BEIJING, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CGTN published an article on a China-Russia people-to-people and cultural exchange event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, highlighting how cultural exchanges inject new impetus into China-Russia friendship.

In September 1938, Soviet cameraman Roman Lazarevich Karmen was dispatched to China by the Soviet government to document the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Karmen captured the courageous and determined efforts of Chinese soldiers and civilians, as well as the support provided by the Soviet volunteer air force during the war.

Eighty-seven years later, Karmen's grandson took part in a cultural exchange event held on Wednesday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in both the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. During the event, he shared stories of his family's deep-rooted connection with China.

Hosted by China Media Group (CMG) and the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK), the event also featured the producer and main creative team behind the China-Russia co-produced film "Red Silk," which premiered in Russia on February 20 and is scheduled for release in Chinese theaters this September.

The 2025 China Film Festival in Russia was officially launched during the event. Additionally, CMG and VGTRK announced a peace-themed initiative aimed at collecting historical relics, documentary images, and other memorabilia from citizens of both countries to jointly portray a vision of peace and shared future.

On the same day, filming began on the China-Russia co-produced documentary, "The Great Victory  China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Through the Lens of a Soviet Photographer," which explores the experiences of Soviet photojournalist Roman Kalman in China and the powerful images he captured during the war.

Shen Haixiong, vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and president of CMG, and Oleg Dobrodeev, CEO of the VGTRK, highlighted the fruitful achievements of past cooperation between the two media organizations.

They expressed a shared commitment to further strengthening collaboration in content exchange, technological innovation, and personnel development, thereby deepening public support for the China-Russia friendship and contributing to cultural understanding between the two nations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the event, noting that 80 years ago, the peoples of China and Russia jointly made indelible historical contributions to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and forged an unbreakable, great friendship with blood, laying a solid foundation for the high-level development of bilateral relations.

He emphasized that strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges is of great and far-reaching significance for enhancing mutual understanding, promoting good-neighborliness and friendship, and consolidating the social and popular support for the development of bilateral ties.

On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin also sent a congratulatory message to the event.

As agreed by President Xi and President Putin in 2023, the years 2024 and 2025 have been designated the China-Russia Years of Culture. Since the beginning of 2024, both countries have actively engaged in a vibrant series of cultural initiatives as part of this shared celebration.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-05-08/Cultural-exchanges-inject-new-impetus-into-China-Russia-friendship-1DcZeaf8rPa/p.html

SOURCE CGTN
ATLANTA, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Clark Atlanta University proudly announces its 2025 Commencement Week, a vibrant celebration honoring the remarkable achievements of nearly 800 graduates. With an anticipated attendance of over 6,000, the week of festivities culminates in the prestigious Commencement ceremony, showcasing the hard work and dedication of the university's exceptional students.

"Commencement week represents an earned milestone in higher education, where we, the faculty and staff of Clark Atlanta University, honor the extraordinary accomplishments of our graduates, who epitomize dedication and intellectual rigor," said Dr. George T. French, Jr., president of Clark Atlanta University. "We extend our heartfelt congratulations to each graduate for achieving this significant milestone as they embark on the next chapter of their lives. The education that Clark Atlanta University graduates earn comes with an imperative to lead, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of our communities and society at large."

CAU degree comes with an imperative to lead, innovate, and contribute meaningful advancement of communities and society. Post this

Honorees

At the CAU Baccalaureate Service on May 17, the Grace Townes Hamilton/Evelyn Gibson Lowery "Women of Excellence" Social Justice Award will be presented to Shirley Clark Franklin, the 58th Mayor of the City of Atlanta.

At the CAU Commencement Ceremony on May 18, Alvin T. Trotter, Sr., M.D., a graduate of Clark College class of 1963 and retired Board of Trustee member at Clark Atlanta University will receive an Honorary degree.

Event Schedule

Commencement Ceremony (ticket only)

Date: Sunday, May 18, 2025

Time: 10 a.m. (Ticketed, public access begins at 8:30 a.m.)

Location: GSU Convocation Center, 455 Capitol Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312

Commencement Speaker: Dr. Dennis Kimbro, a distinguished educator and best-selling author, is recognized for his expertise in leadership, wealth, and success.

Baccalaureate Service

Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025

Time: 10 a.m.

Location: Vivian Wilson Henderson Health and Physical Education Center, Leonidas S. Epps Gymnasium

Baccalaureate Messenger: Rev. Dr. Brian Tillman, a revered leader known for his commitment to ministry and social justice.

This Baccalaureate Service will honor the graduating class through a Christian-based interdenominational worship service, celebrating their journey and achievements.

Prelude to Commencement: Salute to Graduates

A heartfelt reception will honor all graduating students, acknowledging top honors and presenting honor cords and medallions. The Valedictorian and Salutatorian will share inspiring messages, embodying the spirit of achievement and camaraderie.

Ph.D. & Master's Honors Ceremony

Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Time: 3  4:30 p.m.

Location: Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson Student Center, Juanita Powell Baranco Auditorium

Schools of Business, Education, and Social Work Hooding Ceremonies

Date: Friday, May 16, 2025

Time: Various times between 1 - 7 p.m.

Clark Atlanta University invites the community to join in this week of inspiration, celebration, and recognition as it honors the bright futures of its graduates.

For more information, visit https://www.cau.edu/cau-commencement/.

About Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta University was formed with the consolidation of Atlanta University and Clark College. Atlanta University, established in 1865 by the American Missionary Association, was the nation's first institution to award graduate degrees to African Americans. Established four years later in 1869, Clark College was the nation's first four-year liberal arts college to serve a primarily African American student population. Today, with nearly 4,000 students, CAU is the largest of the four institutions that comprise the Atlanta University Center Consortium. It is also the largest of the 37-member United Negro College Fund (UNCF) institutions. To learn more about Clark Atlanta University, visit www.cau.edu.

SOURCE Clark Atlanta University
The low-lift integration counters traditional lending processes by getting funds to business owners via the software solutions they're using today

ATLANTA, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Clearent by Xplor, a leading U.S. payment processor under Xplor Technologies, has today announced the launch of Xplor Capital, an innovative embedded financing solution for software providers and their merchants. This new offering is made possible through a strategic partnership with Parafin, a "capital as a service platform" specializing in capital solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Following the successful launch of Xplor Capital for small businesses, this extension allows Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers to integrate merchant financing capabilities directly into their software ecosystems.

More and more businesses are actively seeking accessible, fast, financing options to fuel their growth, with 67% of U.S. small-business owners planning to pursue funding within the next 12 months.1 However, 77% of small business owners are concerned about their ability to access capital, highlighting widespread anxiety over financing and a challenging lending environment.2

SaaS providers can use Xplor Capital to drive merchant growth by providing fast, frictionless access to capital  without the hurdles of traditional financing. With Clearent by Xplor's embedded payments infrastructure, and financing via its partnership with Parafin, software providers can offer customers pre-approved funding options based on sales data rather than credit scores  fueling growth and increasing software platform engagement.

"Cash flow is the most critical enabler of small business success, and the ability to access capital easily within SMB software ecosystems is a game changer," said Nick Campbell, Chief Product Officer, Payments at Xplor Technologies. "With Xplor Capital, software platforms offering our embedded payments suite of tooling can now extend efficient access to the capital merchants need  embedded within the software solutions they use every day to drive their business."

Software providers integrating Xplor Capital can provide flexible funding solutions to merchants, empowering them to invest in expansion, manage cash flow, and cover operating expenses. The program is designed to be low lift for SaaS providers, with minimal development required.

Key Benefits of Xplor Capital:

Frictionless Financing: Merchants receive pre-approved funding offers based on their sales volume, eliminating lengthy applications and credit checks.

Merchants receive pre-approved funding offers based on their sales volume, eliminating lengthy applications and credit checks. Embedded Growth Solution: Software providers can integrate Xplor Capital with a simple API or branded loan widget, increasing the value of their software.

Software providers can integrate Xplor Capital with a simple API or branded loan widget, increasing the value of their software. Increased Revenue: Businesses using financing can see a revenue boost.

Businesses using financing can see a revenue boost. Predictable Transparent Repayments: Merchants repay their funding through a one-time fixed fee, and automatic deductions from a fixed percentage of sales, with no late fees or hidden interest.

Demand for alternative funding options is on the rise as traditional loan applications decline.3 "Xplor Capital eliminates the hurdles of lengthy submission forms and extended waiting periods  if approved, funds are available in as little as one business day," confirms Michelle Van Horn, VP Product Partnerships at Xplor Technologies. "With up to two thirds of small business owners saying that they now rely on their personal savings to finance their business4  it's more important than ever for them to have access to fast, flexible capital."

Xplor Capital is now available to all Clearent by Xplor software partners and their customers. To learn more visit the website.

Notes to editors:

Parafin disclosure: All loans are issued by Celtic Bank. All loans and offers are subject to credit approval, identity verification, and are subject to periodic review and may change without notice. Bank transfers are subject to review.

About Xplor Technologies

Xplor Technologies is a global platform combining Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) with embedded payments, and tools to help businesses grow and succeed. We provide enterprise-grade SaaS solutions for businesses in "everyday life" verticals: Childcare & Education, Fitness & Wellbeing, Field Services, and Personal Services  alongside a global cloud-based payment processing platform. With operations in North America, Australasia, Asia, Europe, and the UK, Xplor Technologies serves over 106,000 businesses, processing more than $37 billion in payments across 20 markets in 2024.

Clearent by Xplor allows merchants and partners to accept payments anywhere, anytime, with a complete range of payments solutions including point-of-sale, ecommerce, mobile, in-app, recurring billing, e-invoicing, and auto-reconciliation.

To learn more, visit www.xplortechnologies.com

1 https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/small-business/2024-small-business-lending-report

2 Increasing Small Business Access to Capital in the Digital Age | Bipartisan Policy Center

3 Statista: Less than half of U.S. small business loan applications were approved in Q3 2024

4 https://www.uschamber.com/small-business/new-survey-shows-small-businesses-growing-concern-about-raising-capital

SOURCE Xplor Technologies
First Glance for Reporters Planning Gift Guides, Listicles, and Product Roundups

MALIBU, Calif., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer Product Events matchmaker for products and pressreveals its exclusive summer edit: a handpicked selection of standout products curated specifically for reporters, bloggers, producers, and influencers crafting seasonal gift guides, listicles, roundups, and reviews. Our recommendations for 2025 include:

1MD Nutrition  Physician-formulated products backed by clinical trials and delivered in effective dosages from those studies. 1MD has earned the trust of millions, including Olympic and pro athletesa gold standard in science-backed wellness.

Consumer Product Events

Kathleen Gonzales | [email protected]

Purity Coffee & Sacred Cups  Chosen for their organic, mold- and pesticide-free brews, sourced from women-led farms and indigenous traditions, offers clean energy and a deep commitment to sustainability - a perfect example of conscious consumption.

Ailie Birchfield | [email protected]

Sol Squeeze  reinvented beach-ready cocktail mixers with organic, no-junk pouches made from real fruit and high juice content. Just add your favorite spirit. Their bold packaging won Best Logo at the 2024 Consumer Marketing Awards.

Amy Davis | [email protected]

Mooney Farms  Bella Sun Luci Vinaigrette's authentic, Mediterranean-inspired with 100% olive oil won Salad Dressing Line of the Year at the Mindful Awards. Clean, flavorful ingredients elevate summer meals.

Abigail Thorpe | [email protected]

Pivotal Moments  We love this luxury line of Doctor-created candles, sprays, and home accessories for their season-based scents and kid- and pet-safe ingredients.

Olivia Almagro | [email protected]

Giovanni Eco Chic Beauty  A legacy turned legend. CEO Giovanni Guidotti transformed his father's natural haircare line into a global brand seen backstage at the Emmys, Oscars, Grammys, and Tonystrue E.G.O.T. status. Now 175 SKUs in 30 countries.

Kathleen Gonzales| [email protected]

Mama Bird  offers brain-boosting vitamins created by a neurologist and mom and designed to support energy, focus, and mood for families. We love their "start smart, stay smart" positioning and adorably memorable packaging

Reni Gertner | [email protected]

Oxford Healthspan  Primeadine GF made our list for its use of food-derived spermidine from Japan's longevity regions. Their science-informed approach supports healthy aging. We're impressed by the 59-year-old founder with a biological age of 21.

Reni Gertner | [email protected]

Conscious Ink  makes temporary tattoos with affirmations like "You Can Do This" and "I Am Enough" to interrupt negative self-talk. A thoughtful, tangible tool for everyday encouragement.

Frank Gjata | [email protected]

Walking A Friend Home: A Practical Guide to Consciously Living & Dying  This soulful book blended spiritual and practical wisdom around end-of-life journeys. Author Kathy Arnos offers compassionate guidance and promotes conscious living through beautifully written reflections.

Danice Shen | [email protected]

Hour Time Games  These screen-free, inclusive games launched in 2023 and spark creativity, laughter, and connection for families looking to unplug and play together. Fun with a purpose.

Christine Greenburg | [email protected]

About Consumer Product Events (CPE) is a premier authority on consumer packaged goods, known for connecting innovative brands with top-tier media. A sister company to the CPG launch pad Brown + Dutch Public Relations, Inc., CPE has, since 2009, served as a "DIY" matchmakerbridging the gap between products and the journalists eager to feature them.

Media Contact for Consumer Product Events (each product representative listed to contact directly)

Trinity Ondek | [email protected] | 310.317.1543

SOURCE Consumer Product Events
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Contour Design, a global leader in ergonomic computer input devices, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Active Key business from Cherry SE. Active Key, based in Germany, is a recognized provider of high-quality, specialized keyboards and mice designed for environments where cleanliness, durability, and reliability are critical, including medical and industrial spaces.

The acquisition significantly broadens Contour Design's product portfolio and expands Contour's leadership in workplace health and safety solutions. By integrating Active Key's expertise in hygiene-oriented technology with Contour's ergonomic innovation, the company will offer an even broader, more comprehensive product portfolio to its global customer base.

"This acquisition is a pivotal moment for Contour Design, aligning perfectly with our mission to enhance health and safety at workplaces," said Erik Stannow, Chairman of the Board at Contour Design. "Active Key's deep expertise in hygienic input devices complements our ergonomic strengths, allowing us to meet the growing demands of health-conscious industries."

Kenneth Nielsen, CEO of Contour Design, commented, "We're happy to welcome Active Key to the Contour Design family. Their strong portfolio and commitment to product quality match our own. Together, we will accelerate innovation and broaden our reach - particularly in Europe, North America, and the Middle East. This acquisition strengthens our position in health and safety solutions while enhancing our capability to serve multiple sectors."

While the transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks, Contour and Cherry agreed on a transition process aimed at securing long-term potential and operational continuity of Active Key business.

Contour Design remains firmly focused on its core ergonomic product lines which continue to be the foundation of the business. Active Key will be introduced as a complementary brand within the Contour portfolio, ensuring continuity for existing customers and enriching the company's offering. The integration, which includes the dedicated Active Key team and associated assets, will leverage the combined strengths of both entities in product development, market reach, and distribution channels.

The acquisition, which includes all relevant employees and assets, is expected to close in the coming weeks, subject to regulatory approvals. Cherry SE and Contour Design are working collaboratively to ensure a seamless transition. Contour Design is majority-owned by Polaris Private Equity.

About Contour Design: Contour Design is a leader in developing, designing, and marketing innovative ergonomic input devices, including RollerMouse, UniMouse and SliderMouse. Trusted by professionals worldwide for over 30 years, Contour products are engineered to reduce physical strain, prevent injuries, and enhance comfort and productivity during computer use. Contour Design is majority-owned by Polaris Private Equity.

About Cherry SE: Cherry SE is a global manufacturer of computer input devices such as keyboards, mice, microphones, and headsets for applications in office, gaming, and industry for hybrid work, as well as hardware and software solutions in digital healthcare. Since its founding in 1953, CHERRY has been synonymous with innovative and durable high-quality products developed in-house specifically to meet customer needs.

Contact

Contour Design Nordic A/S

Sefer Soylemez

Chief Marketing Officer

Adress: Nyropsgade 43, 1sal, 1602 Copenhagen, Denmark

Tel: +45 41 508781

E: [email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.

https://news.cision.com/contour-design-nordic-a-s/r/contour-design-signs-agreement-to-acquire-active-key-business-from-cherry-se,c4146834

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At about 22:50 on May 7, 2025, Russian troops carried out an air strike on Kostiantynivka, using a FAB-250 air bomb. The bomb hit an apartment building, there are injured, the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office reports on its Telegram channel.

"Four people were injured as a result of the airstrike: three men aged 46, 47 and 74, as well as a 47-year-old woman. They received mine-explosive injuries, shrapnel wounds, bruising and hypothermia. Another eight civilians, aged 41 to 75, suffered minor injuries and were unblocked by rescuers. The victims were provided with medical assistance," the report said.

According to the prosecutor's office, one of the townspeople is likely under the rubble. Three apartment buildings and a shop were damaged.

The Donetsk regional prosecutor's office has launched a pretrial investigation into criminal proceedings for the commission of a war crime under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
WASHINGTON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council for a Secure America (CSA) today released the 22nd edition of its comprehensive Israel-Hamas War Report, marking 575 days since the October 7 massacre. The regularly updated and independently sourced report provides detailed analysis of the war, Israel's military and diplomatic response, and the broader regional implications, including proxy activity by Iran-backed groups.

Widely cited by Members of Congress, the media, and policy institutions nationwide, the CSA War Report continues to serve as a trusted resource for federal and state officials, synagogues, academic institutions, and advocacy organizations.

"This report is part of CSA's ongoing commitment to providing timely, accurate, and accessible information about one of the most consequential conflicts of our time," said Jennifer Sutton, Executive Director of the Council for a Secure America. "With Iranian proxy activity intensifying across the region, including hostilities by the Houthis in the Red Sea, understanding the geopolitical landscape has never been more critical."

The latest edition highlights recent developments, including the expansion of U.S. and allied sanctions targeting Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis; intensified Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) operations in Gaza; and continued hostilities in the Red Sea and northern Israel. The report also covers the current status of hostage negotiations, with particular attention to American and Israeli captives still held in Gaza.

"As the world watches negotiations unfold around the release of remaining hostages, including a U.S.-Israeli dual citizen, we stand in unwavering solidarity with the victims and their families," Sutton added. "We remain resolute in our mission to inform, educate, and support policymakers and communities across the country as events in the region continue to unfold."

The CSA War Report compiles content from over 100 reputable media outlets and think tanks. It includes hyperlinks and citations throughout, ensuring transparency and ease of use. All information is open source and may be freely shared or cross-posted.

Read the full CSA Israel-Hamas War Report HERE .

The Council for a Secure America is a non-partisan, non-profit, 501(c)3 organization focused on educating on the critical importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship, energy security, and the role that the Abraham Accords play in bolstering America's national security. CSA regularly conducts briefings, educational symposia, and research on the benefits of energy security and the reasons it is in the United States' best interest to maintain a strong alliance with Israel. Since October 7th, CSA has compiled and released a constantly updated, open-source, and hyperlinked report on the Israel-Hamas warthe only report of its kind.

More information on CSA can be found at www.councilforsecureamerica.org .

SOURCE Council for a Secure America
OAKLAND, Calif., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit challenging what they allege are unlawful 'junk fees' charged on the California Department of Parks and Recreation camping reservation website, ReserveCalifornia.com. The website is run by the government contracting company Tyler Technologies, Inc.

The suit alleges that Tyler Technologies imposes unlawful last-minute transaction fees on reservations that are booked through Reserve California, often increasing the cost of a reservation by more than 20%. The lawsuit further contends that customers are falsely led to believe that the reservation fees are being paid to and kept by Cal Parks, when in reality, Tyler Technologies keeps the reservation fees for itself.

Internal government records filed in the lawsuit reflect that the fees kept by Tyler Technologies are projected to add up to over $37 million in fiscal year 2025/26 and $398 million over the life of the contract.

Effective July 1, 2024, California enacted the Honest Pricing Act, S.B. 478, a law that explicitly bans "junk fee" practices by prohibiting businesses from "[a]dvertising, displaying, or offering a price for a good or service that does not include all mandatory fees or charges." The Honest Pricing Act was met with widespread support from consumer advocates and state officials, with the California Office of the Attorney General issuing public guidance that under the new law "the price a Californian sees should be the price they pay."

According to the lawsuit, under its contract with Cal Parks, Tyler Technologies is "obligat[ed] to comply with federal and California laws and regulations" in operating the website. The lawsuit claims that Tyler Technologies has not met its obligation.

"What we see here is an out of state company coming into California, ignoring our laws, and violating the terms of its contract with the state," said Wesley M. Griffith, one of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit. "Perhaps even more troubling, Tyler Technologies' design and operation of the Cal Parks reservation website creates the false impression that these unlawful fees are being kept by Cal Parks, which is grossly underfunded. These junk fees take money away from park operations."

The lawsuit states that only the junk fees charged and kept by Tyler Technologies are at issue, and that any revenue retained by Cal Parks is not being challenged.

"The bottom line is that what Tyler Technologies is doing is not just deceptive, it's also illegal," said John Roussas, another of the attorneys involved. "This isn't some mom-and-pop shop. This is a large, sophisticated company with dedicated legal and compliance departments. Tyler Technologies knewor should have knownbetter."

Tyler Technologies is a publicly traded company (NYSE symbol: TYL), with reported annual revenue of $2.13 billion in 2024, and a market capitalization of approximately $23 billion.

"These unavoidable, surprise charges that add no value to consumers are precisely the type of junk fees that the FTC and the State of California are cracking down on to promote transparent pricing and fair competition," said Karen Dahlberg O'Connell, another attorney who is involved in the lawsuit.

The class action lawsuit seeks to represent all customers who were charged a junk fee that was kept by Tyler Technologies. Plaintiffs state that Tyler Technologies' practices violate the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, the California Honest Pricing Act, California's False Advertising Law, and California's Unfair Competition Law, among other laws.

The case is Chowning vs. Tyler Technologies, Inc., United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 3:25-cv-04009. Consumer advocacy attorneys Wesley M. Griffith and John Roussas of Cutter Law P.C. and Karen Dahlberg O'Connell of Almeida Law Group, LLC represent plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Media Contact: Wesley M. Griffith, 530-490-3178, [email protected] (through May 9) and [email protected] (effective May 10).

SOURCE Cutter Law, P.C.
2025 survey shows flexibility and affordability are key factors when considering online degrees for 18-24 year-olds

BURLINGTON, Vt., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Champlain College Online reported the results of its annual survey exploring perceptions of online higher education for adults ages 18-24, a pivotal demographic for higher education institutions. More than 2,000 U.S. adults currently attending or considering college were polled about their interest in and opinions of online education. The results show a growing interest in online education for younger students, with flexibility and affordability as key factors when considering online education.

Nearly 90% of respondents said they would consider an online program, up from 73% in a 2023 survey also conducted by Champlain College Online. Perceptions of online education are also strong, with 87% saying they believe an online degree can prepare them for a successful career and an equal amount believing employers are more accepting of an online degree today.

Respondents selected the factors they found most encouraging when considering online over on-campus options, emphasizing the perceived benefits of an online degree, including:

73% selected "flexibility in schedule," with 18% listing it as their top factor

selected "flexibility in schedule," with 18% listing it as their top factor 65% identified online education as "more affordable," which was ranked #1 in importance

identified online education as "more affordable," which was ranked #1 in importance 63% indicated the "ability to go at my own pace" as the third most crucial factor

"The unspoken truth in higher education is that our country is experiencing a seismic shift in what students want, and online colleges and universities have adapted to the realities of modern education by offering practical, accessible solutions to millions of learners," said Chris Montagnino, Executive Vice President of Champlain College Online. "We're committed to providing flexible, career-focused online programs that meet modern learners where they arewhether they're 19 or 49."

Champlain's own enrollment trends reflect this national shift. One in seven new students at Champlain College Online are between the ages of 18 and 24, currently the fastest-growing demographic segment. Some of the most popular programs among younger learners include Game Development and Marketing, where 50% and 44% of new students, respectively, fall within the 1824 age range. Programs in Technology and Cybersecurity are also seeing strong interest from this age group, with roughly one in four new students aged 1822. States like Vermont, Massachusetts, Texas, and California are among the top markets fueling this surge in younger online learners. This trend is consistent with findings reported by Inside Higher Ed, which noted that the number of high school juniors and seniors planning to attend fully online colleges more than doubled between fall 2019 and fall 2022 .

Comprehensive survey result data is available upon request. For more information about online degrees and education options, visit online.champlain.edu.

About Champlain College Online: Champlain College, a leader in online education for 30 years, provides a high-quality academic experience through acclaimed Bachelor's, Master's, associate and certificate programs in business, cybersecurity, healthcare, social science, marketing and technology. Champlain's 2,000+ online students can be found in all 50 states and around the globe. Champlain College is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and ranked among the Best Online Bachelor's Programs by U.S. News & World Report. It ranked No. 1 both on OnlineU's list of Best Online Cybersecurity Bachelor's Degrees and OnlineU's list of Best Online Master's in Forensic Science and was recently awarded "Best MBA Program" by Vermont Business Magazine. online.champlain.edu

Contact: Adam Dolge

Phone: 802.431.6222 ext. 701

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Champlain College Online
The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) and the Government of Pakistan successfully conclude inaugural Digital Foreign Direct Investment Forum 2025, convening 700 global leaders.

Pakistan launches the first national implementation of the DCO Digital FDI Initiative, with $700M in digital investment to date.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya affirm multistakeholder leadership in driving digital transformation, with Pakistan Prime Minister personally recognizing DCO Secretary-General for advancing Pakistan's Digital FDI ecosystem.

ISLAMABAD, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), in partnership with the Government of Pakistan, today celebrated the successful conclusion of the inaugural Digital Foreign Direct Investment Forum 2025 (DFDI) held in Islamabad. The two-day Forum, hosted 29-30 April 2025, served as a strategic platform, convening 700 delegates spanning Heads of State, ministers, global investors, policy makers and tech leaders from DCO Member States and beyond, as they explored ways to redefine digital investment frameworks and unlock new investment opportunities.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif awards H.E. Deemah AlYahya, DCO Secretary-General, for advancing Pakistans digital FDI ecosystem.

A centerpiece of the Forum was the launch of the Digital FDI Pakistan Insight Report, which outlined the pioneering blueprint pursued by Pakistan in its digital development. Building on the Digital FDI Initiative, the report recognizes Pakistan as the first nation to implement the initiative across its four pillars and identified six strategic priority actions to attract sustained digital investment.

Commenting on the conclusion of DFDI, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif said, "Pakistan is proud to lead the way in digital transformation, and the success of DFDI is a testament to our commitment to fostering a thriving, investment-friendly digitally enabled economy through a multistakeholder approach. With the support of DCO, fellow DCO Member States and partners, we are creating a blueprint for sustainable development that will benefit not only Pakistan and our digital ecosystem, but all nations undergoing a digital transformation".

At DFDI, Prime Minister Sharif also recognized the leadership of Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya and the DCO for their role in advancing Pakistan's digital foreign investment ecosystem, which has already attracted over $700 million in digital economy inflows. The event saw participation from more than 45 countries, with over 40 international companies and startups showcasing their products. Around 35 ministers and official delegations from various countries attended, along with over 30 global speakers and more than 50 CEOs from leading IT firms.

"On behalf of the Digital Cooperation Organization, I wish to express our deep appreciation to the Government of Pakistan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for their stellar efforts in enabling the success of the first DFDI," said Deemah AlYahya.

"This forum has demonstrated the transformative power of investment in bridging digital divides and accelerating sustainable growth," she added, The DCO remains committed to building a global investment environment where all nations can harness digital innovation to drive inclusive and sustainable growth.

Pakistan is one of five founding members of the DCO, which was established in November 2020 on the sidelines of the G20 in Riyadh. With its 2026 presidency on the horizon, the country is strategically positioning itself as a leader in the digital economy, poised to drive global conversations, partnerships, and innovations that will shape the future of digital investment.

About the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO)

The Digital Cooperation Organization is the world's first standalone international intergovernmental organization focusing on the acceleration of the growth of an inclusive and sustainable digital economy. It is a global multilateral organization founded in November 2020 that aims to enable digital prosperity for all.

The DCO brings together the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology of its Member States, and is focused on empowering youth, women, and entrepreneurs, leveraging the accelerative power of the digital economy, and leapfrogging with innovation to drive economic growth and increase social prosperity.

The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) brings together ministries of communications and information technology in 16 countries: the Kingdom of Bahrain, the People's Republic of Bangladesh, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Djibouti, the Republic of The Gambia, the Republic of Ghana, the Hellenic Republic (Greece), the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Sultanate of Oman, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Rwanda, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - collectively representing nearly $3.5 trillion in GDP and a market of nearly 800 million people, more than 70% of whom are under the age of 35.

Through cooperation and strategic dialogue, we drive the facilitation of mutually advantageous cross-border legislation. The DCO seeks to establish within its Member States the optimal infrastructure and policies for the rapid creation of inclusive and equitable digital economies within which all people, businesses, and societies can innovate and thrive. The DCO's vision is to work towards a world in which every nation, business, and person has a fair opportunity to prosper in the digital economy.

In pursuit of the Member States' common interests, the DCO works collaboratively with governments, the private sector, international organizations, NGOs, and civil society to enable more inclusive digital transformation and the growth of the digital economy.

The DCO's key initiatives include programs to enhance cross-border data flows, promote market expansion for SMEs, empower digital entrepreneurs, and advance digital inclusion among women, and the youth, and other underrepresented populations.

More information about the DCO can be found at

For media enquiries, please contact [email protected]

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2682553/Digital_Cooperation_Organization.jpg
Protective DNS leader advises caution for travel planners with data on vacation-related traffic spikes

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New data collected by DNSFilter from its DNS content filtering and threat blocking platform underscores the fraud risks that consumers face when researching summer vacation plans. Bad actors are always looking to capitalize on the latest trends and upcoming events to try to lure people into taking actions like clicking phishing links, and with the busy travel season approaching, they're already in full swing.

DNSFilter's research team found that between January and March, bad actors were already using terms like "vacation," "travel," and "all-inclusive" to entrap unsuspecting users looking for vacation deals, tips, and offers. In general, traffic on the DNSFilter network to travel sites ramps up every year between January and May, and with that comes the attempted scams.

Data gathered from DNSFilter's platform revealed the following key insights:

Traffic to threat sites that include the word "travel" spike between May and June each year: Traffic peaked on May 8, 2024 , marking 256% over the average between 2023 to April 2025 .





Traffic peaked on , marking 256% over the average between 2023 to . "Vacation" domains are blocked more often in the summer: June 12, 2024 saw 3.46% of all traffic to domains with "vacation" in their name blocked (the highest-ever percentage); as of March 2025 , this type of domain is being blocked more frequently as we head into summer.





saw 3.46% of all traffic to domains with "vacation" in their name blocked (the highest-ever percentage); as of , this type of domain is being blocked more frequently as we head into summer. April heated up for bad actors: In 2025, the largest spike in traffic to threat sites with travel terms in their name was on April 28 , marking a 116% increase over the average since 2023.





In 2025, the largest spike in traffic to threat sites with travel terms in their name was on , marking a 116% increase over the average since 2023. Traffic to malicious sites with "travel" in the domain name was 235% higher between May and July 2024 than the overall average between 2023 and April 2025 .





Airline and location names are regularly used by fraudsters: Common terms used in malicious sites purporting to be legitimate travel sites include "Delta," "Spirit," "beach," "package," and "tour;" the top-trafficked vacation scam sites include the word " Mexico ."

With summer around the corner, DNSFilter expects to see traffic to malicious sites using travel and vacation terms increase. Consumers need to remember to look carefully at any site offering deals that sound too good to be true, and spelling errors can be a dead giveaway. (We noticed one domain using "daels" instead of "deals.") Stick with trusted, legitimate travel sites and if a link seems suspicious, don't click on it. Double-check your existing filtering policies and make sure you're blocking new domains, phishing, malware, and deceptive sites to protect your end users.

Ken Carnesi, CEO and co-founder, DNSFilter, said: "This is the time of year that people start making summer travel plans and unfortunately, it's also when bad actors try to rip them off. Our threat filtering platform identifies and blocks access to unwanted or malicious sites by finding and categorizing threats and harmful sites before a connection is made. We will continue to educate and defend our customers, creating a more secure online experience both before peak travel season and throughout the year."

About the company:

DNSFilter is making the Internet safer and workplaces more productive by blocking malicious and unwanted content at the DNS layer. DNSFilter resolves upwards of 170 billion daily queries200 million of those queries are blocked cyber threats. With 79% of attacks using Domain Name System (DNS), DNSFilter provides the world's fastest protective DNS powered by AI, blocking threats an average of 10 days faster than traditional threat feeds. Over 40,000 organizations trust DNSFilter to protect them from advanced cyber threats and unwanted content.

SOURCE DNSFilter
Echo was recognized for delivering leading services and a strong commitment to its partners

CHICAGO, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Echo Global Logistics, Inc. ("Echo"), a leading provider of technology-enabled transportation and supply chain management services, has won a Customer Excellence Award from Estes, the largest privately held freight transportation company in North America. This award recognizes customers that demonstrate strong shipment values, revenue growth, and foster a collaborative relationship. In its inaugural year, this award celebrates a few select customers for outstanding engagement, enabling a strategic partnership, and committing to mutual success.

"We're pleased to earn such high recognition from a leader like Estes," said Dave Menzel, President and Chief Operating Officer at Echo. "With our leading carrier technology and team of experts, we strive to be an extension of our partners' services, and working with Estes has been an excellent example of how that approach has led to a strong and mutually beneficial relationship."

"At Estes, we believe that strong partnerships drive success, and that's why we created the Estes Customer Excellence Award to recognize and celebrate customers who exemplify outstanding collaboration and commitment to our shared goals," said Carrie Johnstone, Estes Vice President of Customer Experience and Innovation. "Congratulations on being a distinguished recipient of this honor and thank you for being a valued customer of Estes."

Echo simplifies transportation for shippers by leveraging unmatched capacity and multimodal options online, and for carriers by providing access to an extensive network of freight via an online web portal and mobile app. Through these solutions, Echo enables the growth of positive relationships with transportation professionals across the logistics industry. Learn more about Echo's advanced freight services at www.echo.com/company.

"It's an honor to be recognized for the dedicated partnership we've built with Estes," said Marty Martin, Senior Vice President of Sourcing at Echo. "We've established a robust relationship between our organizations over the years which prioritizes quality service, pricing, and operational efficiency. With the support of our carrier teams and advanced solutions, we look forward to many more years of collaboration with Estes."

About Echo Global Logistics

Echo Global Logistics, Inc. is a leading provider of technology-enabled transportation and supply chain management services. Headquartered in Chicago with more than 60 locations across North America, Echo offers freight brokerage and Managed Transportation Solutions for all major modes, including Truckload, Partial Truckload, LTL, Intermodal, Cross-Border, Temperature-Controlled shipping and warehousing, and Warehouse Services. Named one of Newsweek's Most Trusted Companies in America, Echo leverages its advanced, web-based and mobile app technology, analyzing data from its network of more than 50,000 transportation providers to help its 35,000 clients simplify the critical tasks involved in transportation management. For more information on Echo Global Logistics, visit: www.echo.com.

ECHO: Corporate

MEDIA CONTACT:

Christopher Clemmensen

EVP of Marketing

Echo Global Logistics

312-784-2132

SOURCE Echo Global Logistics
Leveraging Infosys Topaz, the new AI-powered tool delivers sustainability-focused insights for business leaders and policymakers

LONDON and BENGALURU, India, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, and Economist Impact , an arm of The Economist Group that collaborates with organizations worldwide to further their missions, together announced the launch of The Sustainability Atlas to help businesses navigate a sustainable future. Leveraging Infosys Topaz , an AI-first suite of offerings using generative AI technologies, the new AI-powered tool serves as a gateway to sustainability-focused insights, providing business leaders and policymakers with data and intelligence to inform decisions that will drive meaningful climate action.

Drawing on insights from 18 Economist Impact indices, consisting of 1700+ indicators, and 500 reports and articles, The Sustainability Atlas aims to provide clear and succinct responses to sustainability-related questions. This offers an efficient way to gain a holistic view of the sustainability landscape in different geographies around the world.

Key features of The Sustainability Atlas include:

Insights across a range of sustainability topics: The Atlas' chatbot provides succinct answers to users' sustainability questions, informed by sources that can be trusted and scrutinized across a wide range of topics from climate resilience and circular economy to social inclusion.

The Atlas' chatbot provides succinct answers to users' sustainability questions, informed by sources that can be trusted and scrutinized across a wide range of topics from climate resilience and circular economy to social inclusion. Cross-geography comparison capabilities: The interactive globe feature of the Atlas allows users to understand and compare the state of sustainability between two countries and cities across a range of metrics measuring food security, health inclusion, and EV readiness. Business decision makers can use this component to evaluate region-specific sustainability risks and opportunities.

The interactive globe feature of the Atlas allows users to understand and compare the state of sustainability between two countries and cities across a range of metrics measuring food security, health inclusion, and EV readiness. Business decision makers can use this component to evaluate region-specific sustainability risks and opportunities. Global coverage with local relevance: With key markets in North America , Europe , the Middle East , and Asia-Pacific , the Atlas delivers insights relevant to diverse geographies and industries.

With key markets in , , the , and , the Atlas delivers insights relevant to diverse geographies and industries. Industry-specific insights: Covering key sectors such as energy, financial services, manufacturing, and retail, the Atlas can be used to extract industry-specific insights. For example, business leaders in the energy sector can use it to track and compare their company's progress within the industry on reducing emissions. Policy researchers, designing targeted industrial regulation, may use the Atlas to identify and prioritize the key sustainability challenges for different sectors.

Jonathan Birdwell, Global Head of Policy & Insights, Economist Impact, said, "Over the past decade, Economist Impact has built dozens of indices and published hundreds of reports across a wide range of sustainability topics from food security to plastics management, to climate resilience. But never before have we been able to bring all of that data and insights together in one place. Leveraging Infosys' generative AI capabilities, The Sustainability Atlas provides easily accessible and actionable insights to policy makers and business leaders worldwide."

Ashiss Kumar Dash, EVP & Global Head - Services, Utilities, Resources, Energy and Enterprise Sustainability, Infosys, said, "The Sustainability Atlas, powered by Infosys Topaz, is not just a tool to help businesses navigate today's environmental challenges; but a strategic portal that can inform and effectively shape future sustainability efforts. Imagine a world where predictive analytics, fuelled by rich data within the Atlas, anticipate emerging environmental risks  from localized climate anomalies to global supply chain vulnerabilities. We envision the Atlas evolving into a global intelligence network, guiding collaborative action towards a future where sustainability is an inherent part of our collective intelligence and actions, ultimately helping to build a thriving, resilient world."

For further information on The Sustainability Atlas, please visit: https://impact.economist.com/sustainability-atlas

About Economist Impact

Economist Impact combines the analytical rigour of a think tank with the creativity of a media brand, providing global audiences with evidence-based insights to drive meaningful change. Our expertise spans research, public policy, and market-leading storytelling, making sustainability a core focus of our initiatives. Visit www.economistimpact.com for more information.

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by cloud and AI. We enable them with an AI-first core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, or our future financial or operating performance, are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, increased competition for talent, our ability to attract and retain personnel, increase in wages, investments to reskill our employees, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid work model, economic uncertainties and geo-political situations, technological disruptions and innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, and cybersecurity matters. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/4364085/Infosys_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Infosys
Energy Fuels significantly increases 2025 uranium production and finished goods inventory guidance by 22% and 193%, respectively, increases strong working capital position, and continues to advance high-grade U.S. uranium production and world-class rare earth and mineral sand projects and capabilities

DENVER, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels" or the "Company"), a leading U.S. producer of uranium, rare earth elements ("REE"), and other critical minerals, today reported its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. The Company previously announced details for its upcoming May 8, 2025 earnings call, which are also included in this news release.

"Our team continues to build Energy Fuels into a leading critical minerals company in the United States," said Mark Chalmers, Energy Fuels' President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our unique diversification strategy to build a world significant critical minerals hub, which began five years ago, is rapidly gaining momentum. Today, Energy Fuels is recognized among commercial and government stakeholders as a leading force in the creation of a U.S.-based, globally competitive, profitable, and strategic domestic supply chain for processed critical materials, including uranium, rare earths, vanadium, and titanium and zirconium minerals. In fact, many of President Trump's Executive Orders support Energy Fuels' strategy, from fast-forwarding domestic critical mineral processing to expediting permitting to initiating a new Section 232 investigation on the import of critical materials from adversarial nations.

"Energy Fuels elected not to make any uranium sales during the first quarter, due to no scheduled contract deliveries, relatively weak uranium prices, and our strong belief that spot and long-term prices will be higher in the future. However, our uranium mining operations are ramping up extremely well, with uranium grades at our Pinyon Plain mine significantly exceeding expectations, resulting in significant increases in our 2025 Production and Inventory Guidance, including a 22% increase in expected mining production for 2025 and the expected production of up to 1,000,000 pounds of finished U 3 O 8 product in 2025.

"I should also add that after the end of Q1, combined ore production from our Pinyon Plain, La Sal, and Pandora mines reached over 160,000 pounds of contained U 3 O 8 in the single month of April, which is the highest monthly mining rates we've achieved since restarting these mines. Plus, we have identified additional high-grade zones of mineralization at three different areas or levels in the Pinyon Plain mine, which we believe have the potential to significantly add to the uranium resource and life of the mine. This reflects Energy Fuels' U.S. industry-leading ability to scale and produce large quantities of uranium available for growing nuclear demand in the United States in the near-term.

"We are also advancing our rare earth capabilities. As previously announced, we have entered into a strategic collaboration with South Korea-based POSCO International, a leading global supplier of EV motors to U.S. and global auto-makers, and a strategic alliance with The Chemours Company, a world-leader in titanium production and a U.S. producer of heavy mineral sands ("HMS") and monazite, to create a domestic supply chain of critical minerals for the U.S. We also announced our technical capability to produce the 'mid' and 'heavy' rare earths that are now subject to Chinese export controls which we believe will allow Energy Fuels to produce samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, and yttrium at scale, with suitable incentives.

"With appropriate government and/or market support, Energy Fuels is prepared to make hundreds of millions of dollars of investments in U.S. critical mineral processing and mines in allied nations, while maintaining our position as the leading U.S. producer of uranium, as one of the leading U.S. producers of advanced rare earth materials, and as an emerging world-significant producer of HMS minerals."

Q1-2025 Highlights

Unless noted otherwise, all dollar amounts are in U.S. dollars.

Robust Balance Sheet with Over $210 million of Liquidity and No Debt: As of March 31, 2025 , the Company had $214.61 million of working capital including $73.00 million of cash and cash equivalents, $89.64 million of marketable securities (interest-bearing securities and uranium stocks), $20.37 million of trade and other receivables, $67.68 million of inventory, and no debt, which puts the Company in a strong position as it advances its various projects.

As of , the Company had of working capital including of cash and cash equivalents, of marketable securities (interest-bearing securities and uranium stocks), of trade and other receivables, of inventory, and no debt, which puts the Company in a strong position as it advances its various projects. Over $11 Million of Additional Liquidity from Market Value of Inventory: At May 2, 2025 commodity prices, the Company's product inventory has a market value of approximately $46.39 million , while the balance sheet reflects product inventory carried at cost of $34.51 million .

At commodity prices, the Company's product inventory has a market value of approximately , while the balance sheet reflects product inventory carried at cost of . Incurred Net Loss of $26 Million : During the quarter ended March 31, 2025 , the Company incurred a net loss of $26.32 million , or $0.13 per common share, on $16.90 million of revenue. The loss was due to the Company's ramping up of mining at its Pinyon Plain, La Sal and Pandora Mines and the election not to sell any of its 595,000 pounds of finished goods (U 3 O 8 ) inventories during the quarter, retaining such inventories for sales at higher prices under the Company's long-term contracts and expected higher uranium prices in the future, combined with recurring operating expenses, including additional operating expenses associated with the increased headcount of retained Base Resources employees (currently in the process of being reduced) and Kwale mine reclamation costs and higher costs applicable to heavy mineral sand (" HMS ") revenues from the lower grade HMS produced at the end of the Kwale mine life.

During the quarter ended , the Company incurred a net loss of , or per common share, on of revenue. The loss was due to the Company's ramping up of mining at its Pinyon Plain, and and the election not to sell any of its 595,000 pounds of finished goods (U O ) inventories during the quarter, retaining such inventories for sales at higher prices under the Company's long-term contracts and expected higher uranium prices in the future, combined with recurring operating expenses, including additional operating expenses associated with the increased headcount of retained Base Resources employees (currently in the process of being reduced) and Kwale mine reclamation costs and higher costs applicable to heavy mineral sand (" ") revenues from the lower grade HMS produced at the end of the Kwale mine life. Heavy Mineral Sands Revenue: During the three months ended March 31, 2025 , the Company sold 6,836 tonnes of rutile, 12,852 tonnes of ilmenite, both used for the production of titanium products, and 1,429 tonnes of zircon, used for the production of zirconium, for total HMS revenues of $15.54 million .

During the three months ended , the Company sold 6,836 tonnes of rutile, 12,852 tonnes of ilmenite, both used for the production of titanium products, and 1,429 tonnes of zircon, used for the production of zirconium, for total HMS revenues of . Well-Stocked to Capture Market Opportunities and meet Long-term Contract Obligations: As of March 31, 2025 , the Company held a total of 1,310,000 pounds of U 3 O 8 in inventory, including 595,000 pounds of finished U 3 O 8 , 605,000 pounds of U 3 O 8 in ore and raw materials, and 110,000 pounds of work-in-progress U 3 O 8 . Inventory increased from last quarter due to Pinyon Plain, La Sal and Pandora mine ore production, the purchase of 50,000 pounds of U 3 O 8 on the spot market, and additional alternate feed materials received. The Company expects these uranium inventories to continue increasing, as we continue to mine additional ore and potentially purchase ore from third parties. The Company also held 905,000 pounds of finished vanadium (" V 2 O 5 "), 37,000 kilograms (" kg ") of finished separated neodymium praseodymium (" NdPr ") and 9,000 kg of finished high purity, partially separated mixed "heavy" samarium-plus (" Sm + ") rare earth carbonate (" RE Carbonate ") in inventory. Having stockpiled mined ore available at the Mill, which can be processed into finished U 3 O 8 product on relatively short notice, and other inventories, gives the Company more flexibility in securing long-term sales contracts on the most favorable terms when needed, rather than merely accepting contracts at current prices when fundamentals suggest higher prices may be expected in the future.

As of , the Company held a total of 1,310,000 pounds of U O in inventory, including 595,000 pounds of finished U O , 605,000 pounds of U O in ore and raw materials, and 110,000 pounds of work-in-progress U O . Inventory increased from last quarter due to Pinyon Plain, and Pandora mine ore production, the purchase of 50,000 pounds of U O on the spot market, and additional alternate feed materials received. The Company expects these uranium inventories to continue increasing, as we continue to mine additional ore and potentially purchase ore from third parties. The Company also held 905,000 pounds of finished vanadium (" "), 37,000 kilograms (" ") of finished separated neodymium praseodymium (" ") and 9,000 kg of finished high purity, partially separated mixed "heavy" samarium-plus (" ") rare earth carbonate (" ") in inventory. Having stockpiled mined ore available at the Mill, which can be processed into finished U O product on relatively short notice, and other inventories, gives the Company more flexibility in securing long-term sales contracts on the most favorable terms when needed, rather than merely accepting contracts at current prices when fundamentals suggest higher prices may be expected in the future. Samples of NdPr Actively Being Qualified by Potential Customers: NdPr produced at the Mill is currently in the process of being qualified with permanent magnet manufacturers and other potential customers which, upon successful qualification, would set the stage for potential future offtakes.

NdPr produced at the Mill is currently in the process of being qualified with permanent magnet manufacturers and other potential customers which, upon successful qualification, would set the stage for potential future offtakes. Strategic Announcements on Creating U.S. and Non-China Critical Mineral Supply Chains : Two announcements this quarter showcase Energy Fuels' progress on creating a domestic rare earth oxide supply chain. Energy Fuels announced an alliance with The Chemours Company to expand the domestic supply chain for critical minerals and raw materials, including monazite for processing into rare earth oxides at Energy Fuels' White Mesa Mill in Utah , and a Memorandum of Understanding with POSCO International to validate Energy Fuels' NdPr oxide for permanent magnets for use in EV and Hybrid EV drivetrains, which could be available to U.S., European, and allied Asian OEM customers as soon as later this year.

: Two announcements this quarter showcase Energy Fuels' progress on creating a domestic rare earth oxide supply chain. Energy Fuels announced an alliance with The Chemours Company to expand the domestic supply chain for critical minerals and raw materials, including monazite for processing into rare earth oxides at Energy Fuels' White Mesa Mill in , and a Memorandum of Understanding with POSCO International to validate Energy Fuels' NdPr oxide for permanent magnets for use in EV and Hybrid EV drivetrains, which could be available to U.S., European, and allied Asian OEM customers as soon as later this year. Landmark Agreement with the Navajo Nation: Energy Fuels signed a landmark agreement with the Navajo Nation, the largest and most populous indigenous tribe in the United States , establishing additional requirements, over and above already highly protective federal regulations, to assure the Nation that uranium ore transport from the Pinyon Plain mine to the White Mesa Mill is performed safely and responsibly to the highest standards. Additionally, Energy Fuels agreed to accept (for free) 10,000 tons of uranium-bearing materials from historic abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation, which are a relic of U.S. government Cold War-era uranium programs.

Uranium Milestones:

The Company produced a total of 150,000 pounds of finished U 3 O 8 during the three months ended March 31, 2025 from stockpiled alternate feed materials and newly mined ore.

O during the three months ended from stockpiled alternate feed materials and newly mined ore. The Company invested in 50,000 pounds of U 3 O 8 , at a price of $64.75 per pound, as the Company believes prices are likely to increase in the future.

O , at a price of per pound, as the Company believes prices are likely to increase in the future. During April 2025 , the Company mined 4,604 tons of ore, containing roughly 151,400 pounds of uranium with an average grade of 1.64% U 3 O 8 at the Pinyon Plain mine, which the Company believes is one of the highest-grade uranium mines in U.S. history. Production rates at the mine have steadily increased over the past several months, with April's results representing the largest monthly production rate since mining began last year.

, the Company mined 4,604 tons of ore, containing roughly 151,400 pounds of uranium with an average grade of 1.64% U O at the Pinyon Plain mine, which the Company believes is one of the highest-grade uranium mines in U.S. history. Production rates at the mine have steadily increased over the past several months, with April's results representing the largest monthly production rate since mining began last year. The Company currently expects to process approximately 700,000 pounds of U 3 O 8 in Q4 2025 from stockpiled ore mined from its Pinyon Plain, La Sal and Pandora mines, with the remainder of the mined ore and Alternate Feed Materials retained in stockpile at the mines or Mill for processing during 2026 or 2027, subject to market conditions, contract requirements, and the Mill's schedule. This is expected to result in the production of an additional 700,000 pounds of finished U 3 O 8 in Q4 2025 from stockpiled and mined ore from the Company's Pinyon Plain, La Sal and Pandora mines, which when added to the Company's expected production of approximately 300,000 pounds of finished U 3 O 8 through the first half of 2025 from existing conventional ore inventories and Alternate Feed Materials, would result in the production of up to 1,000,000 pounds of finished U 3 O 8 product in 2025.

O in Q4 2025 from stockpiled ore mined from its Pinyon Plain, and Pandora mines, with the remainder of the mined ore and Alternate Feed Materials retained in stockpile at the mines or Mill for processing during 2026 or 2027, subject to market conditions, contract requirements, and the Mill's schedule. This is expected to result in the production of an additional 700,000 pounds of finished U O in Q4 2025 from stockpiled and mined ore from the Company's Pinyon Plain, and Pandora mines, which when added to the Company's expected production of approximately 300,000 pounds of finished U O through the first half of 2025 from existing conventional ore inventories and Alternate Feed Materials, would result in the production of up to 1,000,000 pounds of finished U O product in 2025. As a result of these developments, the Company is pleased to provide its updated production, sales and inventory guidance for 2025 as follows:





Previous Guidance

Revised Guidance

Change in

Low High

Low High

Midpoint (%) Mined (contained pounds of U 3 O 8 ) 730,000 1,170,000

875,000 1,435,000

22 % Alternate Feed Materials and other (contained pounds of U 3 O 8 )(1) 160,000 200,000

160,000 200,000

 % Processed (pounds of U 3 O 8 ) 200,000 250,000

700,000 1,000,000

278 % Sales (pounds of U 3 O 8 )(2) 200,000 300,000

220,000 220,000

(12) % Finished goods (pounds of U 3 O 8 ) 290,000 445,000

925,000 1,225,000

193 % Total inventories (contained pounds of U 3 O 8 ) 1,655,000 2,340,000

1,985,000 2,585,000

14 %

(1) "Other" includes ore purchases from 3rd party miners and potential cleanup from historic abandoned uranium mines.

(2) The Company has not elected to sell inventory into the spot market at this time, but may do so subject to market conditions.

The Company continues to mine and stockpile ore from its Pinyon Plain, La Sal and Pandora mines, which is expected to total approximately 875,000 to 1,435,000 pounds of U 3 O 8 contained in approximately 55,000 to 80,000 tons of ore from these mines during 2025, subject to market conditions, mining rates and other factors. This is an increase in previously reported guidance of approximately 22%. The Company also expects to purchase uranium ore from third-party miners in the region, and there is the potential to receive additional Alternate Feed Materials and mine cleanup materials, expected to add a total of approximately 160,000 to 200,000 pounds of additional contained uranium to ore inventories, all of which will be processed as market conditions, Mill schedules, and contract requirements may warrant.

and Pandora mines, which is expected to total approximately 875,000 to 1,435,000 pounds of U O contained in approximately 55,000 to 80,000 tons of ore from these mines during 2025, subject to market conditions, mining rates and other factors. This is an increase in previously reported guidance of approximately 22%. The Company also expects to purchase uranium ore from third-party miners in the region, and there is the potential to receive additional Alternate Feed Materials and mine cleanup materials, expected to add a total of approximately 160,000 to 200,000 pounds of additional contained uranium to ore inventories, all of which will be processed as market conditions, Mill schedules, and contract requirements may warrant. The Company expects to sell 220,000 pounds of uranium during 2025, under the Company's existing long-term contracts with utilities. As a result of these sales, plus planned 2025 mine production, at the end of 2025, the Company expects to hold a total of 1,985,000 to 2,585,000 pounds of U 3 O 8 in ore inventories plus finished product, including approximately 925,000 to 1,225,000 pounds of finished U 3 O 8 inventory. This expected finished goods uranium inventory would be sufficient to satisfy the Company's 2025, 2026 and a large portion of the Company's 2027 delivery requirements, at higher margins than would be expected compared to spot sales at this time.

O in ore inventories plus finished product, including approximately 925,000 to 1,225,000 pounds of finished U O inventory. This expected finished goods uranium inventory would be sufficient to satisfy the Company's 2025, 2026 and a large portion of the Company's 2027 delivery requirements, at higher margins than would be expected compared to spot sales at this time. The Company has been performing underground drilling in the "Juniper Zone" of the Pinyon Plain mine, with exceptional drill results from its 2024  2025 underground drill program showing high-grade intercepts within the previously defined Mineral Resource as well as above the existing mineralized zone, which exceed previous expectations (linked here ). The Company is in the process of completing a U.S. Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K ( "S-K 1300" ) and Canadian National Instrument 43-101 ( "NI 43-101" ) compliant technical report, which is expected to significantly add to the uranium resources.

). The Company is in the process of completing a U.S. Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K ( ) and Canadian National Instrument 43-101 ( ) compliant technical report, which is expected to significantly add to the uranium resources. The Company continues to observe positive results from ongoing drilling at its Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery (" ISR ") Project in Wyoming . Both the Nichols Ranch Project and Whirlwind Mine in Colorado are being prepared for production, as market conditions warrant. Production from these mines, when combined with production from Pinyon Plain, La Sal and Pandora, alternate feed materials, uranium from monazite, and third-party uranium ore purchases, would be expected to increase the Company's production run-rate to roughly two million pounds per year by as early as 2026.

in-situ recovery (" ") Project in . Both the Nichols Ranch Project and Whirlwind Mine in are being prepared for production, as market conditions warrant. Production from these mines, when combined with production from Pinyon Plain, and Pandora, alternate feed materials, uranium from monazite, and third-party uranium ore purchases, would be expected to increase the Company's production run-rate to roughly two million pounds per year by as early as 2026. The Company continued advancing permitting and other pre-development activities on its large-scale Roca Honda and Bullfrog uranium projects during the three months ended March 31, 2025 , which together with its Sheep Mountain Project, have the potential to expand the Company's uranium production to a run-rate of up to five million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year in the coming years.

and Bullfrog uranium projects during the three months ended , which together with its Sheep Mountain Project, have the potential to expand the Company's uranium production to a run-rate of up to five million pounds of U O per year in the coming years. As of May 2, 2025 , the spot price of U 3 O 8 was $70.00 per pound and the long-term price of U 3 O 8 was $80.00 per pound, according to data from TradeTech.

, the spot price of U O was per pound and the long-term price of U O was per pound, according to data from TradeTech. The Company's Roca Honda Project in New Mexico was included on the U.S. Federal Infrastructure Projects, Permitting Dashboard list of FAST-41 Transparency Projects, which according to the White House, "makes the environmental review and authorizations schedule for these vital mineral production projects publicly available and allows all of these projects to benefit from increased transparency. The public nature of the dashboard ensures that all stakeholders, from project sponsors and community members to federal agency leaders have up-to-date accounting of where each project stands in the review process. This transparency leads to greater accountability, ensuring a more efficient process."

Rare Earth Element Milestones:

The Company held about 37,000 kg of separated NdPr from its newly commissioned Phase 1 REE separation circuit at the Mill, along with 9,000 kg of finished high purity, partially separated mixed "heavy" Sm + RE Carbonate.

RE Carbonate. Samples of the Company's NdPr product have been sent to permanent magnet and other companies around the world for product qualification, including POSCO International. Initial testing responses have been positive.

On April 17, 2025 , Energy Fuels announced that it had successfully developed the technical ability it believes is required to commercially produce samarium, gadolinium, dysprosium, terbium, lutetium, yttrium, and other oxides, at scale through expansion of its existing REE production capability in Utah . On April 4, 2025 , the Chinese government announced export restrictions on these REEs, which are needed for key defense technologies.

, Energy Fuels announced that it had successfully developed the technical ability it believes is required to commercially produce samarium, gadolinium, dysprosium, terbium, lutetium, yttrium, and other oxides, at scale through expansion of its existing REE production capability in . On , the Chinese government announced export restrictions on these REEs, which are needed for key defense technologies. The Company continues the process of updating the White Mesa Mill's AACE International ("AACE") Class 4 Pre-Feasibility Study (not a Pre-Feasibility Study subject to or intended to be compliant with NI 43-101 or S-K 1300), originally released in Q2-2024 to increase throughput to a total of 50,000 tpa of monazite, producing roughly 5,000 tpa of NdPr, 150 to 225 tpa of Dy, and 50 to 75 tpa of Tb. The Mill PFS referenced above can be viewed on the Company's website, www.energyfuels.com .

Heavy Mineral Sands:

On November 28, 2024 , the Government of Madagascar lifted the suspension on the development of the Toliara Project, and on December 5, 2024 , the Company entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (the " MOU ") with the Government of Madagascar setting forth certain key terms applicable to the Toliara Project along with mechanisms to achieve long-term fiscal stability for the Project. Now that the Government of Madagascar has lifted the suspension, the Company has re-commenced development and investment in the Project, is re-establishing community and social programs, and is advancing the technical, environmental and social activities necessary to achieve a final investment decision ( "FID" ), which the Company expects to make in Q2-2026. While the Company is progressing towards an FID, the Company will continue working with the Government of Madagascar to formalize the terms and conditions set out in the MOU to achieve long-term fiscal stability for the Project, which currently includes promulgation of revisions to the existing Malagasy law establishing a special regime for large scale investments in the Malagasy mining sector, and certification of the Project under the revised law (with an investment agreement, as needed) after it is approved by the Malagasy Parliament.

, the Government of lifted the suspension on the development of the Toliara Project, and on , the Company entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (the " ") with the Government of setting forth certain key terms applicable to the Toliara Project along with mechanisms to achieve long-term fiscal stability for the Project. Now that the Government of has lifted the suspension, the Company has re-commenced development and investment in the Project, is re-establishing community and social programs, and is advancing the technical, environmental and social activities necessary to achieve a final investment decision ( ), which the Company expects to make in Q2-2026. While the Company is progressing towards an FID, the Company will continue working with the Government of to formalize the terms and conditions set out in the MOU to achieve long-term fiscal stability for the Project, which currently includes promulgation of revisions to the existing Malagasy law establishing a special regime for large scale investments in the Malagasy mining sector, and certification of the Project under the revised law (with an investment agreement, as needed) after it is approved by the Malagasy Parliament. The Company continued to advance the Donald Project (the " Donald Project "), a large monazite-rich HMS project in Australia , pursuant to its joint venture with Astron Corporation limited. The Company expects that an FID could be made on the Donald Project as early as the latter half of 2025.

"), a large monazite-rich HMS project in , pursuant to its joint venture with Astron Corporation limited. The Company expects that an FID could be made on the Donald Project as early as the latter half of 2025. During the three months ended March 31, 2025 , the Company also continued to advance its wholly owned Bahia HMS project in Brazil (the "Bahia Project") with its Phase 2 drilling campaign, which is expected to continue during 2025. Additionally, the Company completed bulk test work on a 2.5 tonne sample in March 2024 , and recently shipped a larger 15 tonne sample to the U.S. for additional process test work. Subject to permitting, finalization of surface access arrangements, and completion of additional drilling, the Company expects to complete an S-K 1300 and NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate on the Bahia Project in late 2025 or early 2026.

Medical Isotope Highlights:

During Q1-2025, the Company continued to utilize its research and development ("R&D") license for the potential recovery of R&D quantities of Ra-226 at the Mill. During the remainder of 2025, Energy Fuels plans to complete its process development engineering and, upon successful completion of such engineering, expects to set up the first stages of the pilot facility and produce R&D quantities of Ra-226 for testing by end-users of the product. Upon successful production of R&D quantities of Ra-226, Energy Fuels plans to develop capabilities at the Mill for the commercial-scale production of Ra-226 in 2027-2028, conditional on completion of engineering design, securing sufficient offtake agreements for final radium production, and receipt of all required regulatory approvals and project financing. At the same time, parallel with its Ra-226 process development activities, the Company has applied for a license to concentrate R&D quantities of Ra-228 at the Mill and is currently performing engineering on its process development and R&D pilot facility for Ra-228 production.

Vanadium:

The Company chose not to execute any vanadium sales during the three months ended March 31, 2025 and holds about 905,000 pounds of V 2 O 5 in inventory.

and holds about 905,000 pounds of V O in inventory. As of May 2, 2025 , the spot price of V 2 O 5 was $5.24 per pound, according to data from Fastmarkets.

Mr. Chalmers continued:

"We invite all stakeholders to join us in our upcoming May 8, 2025, earnings call, details of which are below, to learn more about our exciting achievements."

Conference Call and Webcast at 9:00 AM MT (11:00 AM ET) on May 8, 2025:

Conference call access with the ability to ask questions:

To instantly join the conference call by phone, please use the following link to easily register your name and phone number. After registering, you will receive a call immediately and be placed into the conference call.

or

Alternatively, you may dial in to the conference call where you will be connected to the call by an Operator.

North American Toll Free: 1-888-510-2154

To view the webcast online:

Audience URL: https://app.webinar.net/nagk7YnBLW9

Conference Replay

Conference Replay Toronto: 1-289-819-1450

Conference Replay North American Toll Free: 1-888-660-6345

Conference Replay Entry Code: 59363 #

Conference Replay Expiration Date: 05/15/2025

The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and may be viewed on the Electronic Document Gathering and Retrieval System ("EDGAR") at www.sec.gov/edgar.html , on the System for Electronic Data Analysis and Retrieval + ("SEDAR+") at www.sedarplus.ca , and on the Company's website at www.energyfuels.com . Unless noted otherwise, all dollar amounts are in U.S. dollars.

Selected Summary Financial Information:



Three Months Ended March 31, (In thousands, except per share data) 2025

2024 Results of Operations:





Uranium concentrates revenues $ 

$ 25,314 Heavy mineral sands revenues 15,543

 Total revenues 16,898

25,426 Operating income (loss) (26,193)

2,021 Net income (loss) attributable to Energy Fuels Inc. (26,297)

3,639 Basic net income (loss) per common share $ (0.13)

$ 0.02 Diluted net income (loss) per common share $ (0.13)

$ 0.02

(In thousands) March 31, 2025

December 31, 2024

Percent Change Financial Position:









Working capital $ 214,608

$ 170,898

26 % Property, plant and equipment, net 57,031

55,187

3 % Mineral properties, net 283,375

278,330

2 % Current assets 256,880

230,187

12 % Total assets 650,792

611,969

6 % Current liabilities 42,272

59,289

(29) % Total liabilities 65,363

80,292

(19) %

ABOUT ENERGY FUELS

Energy Fuels is a leading US-based critical minerals company, focused on uranium, REEs, HMS, vanadium and medical isotopes. The Company has been the leading U.S. producer of natural uranium concentrate for the past several years, which is sold to nuclear utilities that process it further for the production of carbon-free nuclear energy and owns and operates several conventional and in-situ recovery uranium projects in the western United States. The Company also owns the White Mesa Mill in Utah, which is the only fully licensed and operating conventional uranium processing facility in the United States. At the Mill, the Company also produces advanced REE products, vanadium oxide (when market conditions warrant), and is evaluating the recovery of certain medical isotopes from existing uranium process streams needed for emerging cancer treatments. The Company also owns the operating Kwale HMS project in Kenya which ceased mining and commenced final reclamation activities at the end of 2024, and is developing three (3) additional HMS projects: the Toliara Project in Madagascar; the Bahia Project in Brazil; and the Donald Project in Australia in which the Company has the right to earn up to a 49% interest in a joint venture with Astron Corporation Limited. The Company is based in Lakewood, Colorado, near Denver. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels' common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol "UUUU," and the Company's common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "EFR." For more information on all we do, please visit www.energyfuels.com .

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain "Forward Looking Information" and "Forward Looking Statements" within the meaning of applicable United States and Canadian securities legislation, which may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: any expectation that the Company will maintain its position as a leading U.S.-based critical minerals company or as the leading producer of uranium in the U.S.; any expectation with respect to timelines to production; any expectation as to rates or quantities of production; any expectation as to costs of production or gross profits or gross margins; any expectation as to future sales or sales prices; any expectation that the Company will be profitable; any expectation that the Company's permitting efforts will be successful and as to any potential future production from any properties that are in the permitting or development stage; any expectation with respect to the Company's planned exploration programs; any expectation that any of the critical minerals we produce will have a valuable upside; any expectation that the Company's Toliara Project or Donald Project will advance to an FID within the expected timeframes or at all; any expectation that NdPr produced at the Mill will successfully qualify for use by permanent magnet manufacturers and other potential customers or set the stage for potential offtake in the future; any expectations as to future commodity prices; any expectation the Company will update its AACE Class 4 Pre-Feasibility Study to increase throughput, or at all; any expectation that the Company will complete an updated S-K 1300 and NI 43-101-compliant report on the Pinyon Plain mine; any expectation that the average uranium grade and resource may increase at the Pinyon Plain mine as a result of recent drill results; any expectation that the average cost per pound will decrease at the Pinyon Plain mine as a result of recent drilling results; any expectation that the Company will complete an S-K 1300 and NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate on the Bahia Project in late 2025 or early 2026, or at all; any expectation as to the exploration program to be conducted at the Bahia Project during 2025; any expectation that Energy Fuels will be successful in agreeing on fiscal terms with the Government of Madagascar or in achieving sufficient fiscal and legal stability for the Toliara Project; any expectation that the Company will be successful in its engineering and test work for the production of Ra-226 at the Mill; any expectation that the Company's evaluation of radioisotope recovery at the Mill will be successful; any expectation that any radioisotopes that can be recovered at the Mill will be sold on a commercial basis; any expectation as to the quantities to be delivered under existing uranium sales contracts; any expectation as to future uranium, vanadium, HMS, or REE prices or market conditions; and any expectation that the Roca Honda Project will be approved, favorably reviewed by any agency, receive federal funding or in any way receive a federal endorsement or support as a result of its inclusion on the U.S. Federal Infrastructure Project's Permitting Dashboard, list of FAST-41 Transparency Projects, and any expectation that the Roca Honda Project will remain on the list for all or any part of its permitting process. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans," "expects," "does not expect," "is expected," "is likely," "budgets," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates," "does not anticipate," or "believes," or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will be taken," "occur," "be achieved" or "have the potential to." All statements, other than statements of historical fact, herein are considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements express or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with: commodity prices and price fluctuations; engineering, construction, processing and mining difficulties, upsets and delays; permitting and licensing requirements and delays; the inclusion or exclusion, or change in listing status, of one or more Company projects on the U.S. Federal Infrastructure Project's Permitting Dashboard, list of FAST-41 Transparency Projects; changes to regulatory requirements; the imposition of tariffs and other restrictions on trade; legal challenges; the availability of feed sources for the Mill; competition from other producers; public opinion; government and political actions; the failure of the Government of Madagascar to agree on fiscal terms for the Toliara Project or provide the approvals necessary to achieve sufficient fiscal and legal stability on acceptable terms and conditions or at all; the failure of the Company to obtain the required permits for the recovery of Monazite from the Toliara Project; the failure of the Company to provide or obtain the necessary financing required to develop the Toliara Project, the Donald Project, the Bahia Project and/or its expanded REE separations capacity; available supplies of monazite; the ability of the Mill to produce RE Carbonate, REE oxides or other REE products to meet commercial specifications on a commercial scale at acceptable costs or at all; market factors, including future demand for REEs; actual results differing from estimates and projections; the ability of the Mill to recover radium or other radioisotopes at reasonable costs or at all; market prices and demand for medical isotopes; and the other factors described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is available for review on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar , on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca , and on the Company's website at www.energyfuels.com . Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law.

SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc.
MUNICH, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Envision Energy, a global leader in green technology, released its 2025 Net Zero Action Report at the Smarter E Europe in Munich, reaffirming its commitment to climate leadership. The company achieved operational carbon neutrality for the third consecutive year since 2022 and reached 100% renewable electricity use in 2024, fulfilling its RE100 commitment a year ahead of schedule.

The report reveals that Envision's Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions totaled just 7,089 tonnes CO equivalent in 2024. Against a baseline of 84,000 tonnes, the company reduced emissions by 91%approximately 77,000 tonnesthrough enhanced energy efficiency and the use of both on-site and off-site renewable electricity. By the end of 2024, Envision's delivered products are estimated to have avoided approximately 2.35 billion tonnes of global carbon emissions.

Advancing New Benchmarks in Net-Zero Supply Chains and Product Carbon Footprints

Envision made building a sustainable supply chain a core pillar of its sustainability strategy, driving green transformation through digital empowerment and the integration of net-zero technologies. By 2024, all its key suppliers had joined Envision's EnOS Ark Carbon Management System, with 18% already using 100% green electricity to supply products to Envision. The company aims for full green power adoption across its core supply chain by 2028.

Envision is leveraging its leadership in carbon footprint management to drive industry-wide progress through the International ILCD Life Cycle Data Network, partnering with battery and PV sectors to build international standardized product carbon footprint databases. This initiative helps close critical data gaps and empowers more companies to reshape their value chains and boost global competitiveness.

Envision's green hydrogen and ammonia project in Chifeng became one of the first globally to be certified by Bureau Veritas as renewable ammonia. At Smarter E Europe 2025, Envision received TUV SUD's Carbon Footprint Certification for its Euro-standard industrial and commercial energy storage cabinet, marking the first publicly disclosed certification of its kind and setting a new industry benchmark.

Pioneering Net-Zero Industrial Park Model with AI at the Core

At the core of Envision's transformation is the deep integration of AI technologies across its renewable energy products. By combining AI algorithms with full-stack technologies, Envision has built an AI wind turbine system with a closed-loop "perceptiondecisionexecutionevolution"model. This system enables real-time optimization of renewable energy output and grid absorption. AI models for forecasting weather, risk, pricing, and power trading are also reshaping how renewables interact with the power market.

As a pioneer of the net-zero industrial park model, Envision is reshaping the global industrial landscape by integrating green energy and green manufacturing into sustainable industrial clusterswith AI at the core. Following the launch of the world's first net zero industrial park in Ordos, Envision Energy's Green Hydrogen-Ammonia Project in Chifeng has commenced production of its first 300,000-tonnes, marking a new milestone for the sector. Meanwhile, its upcoming Net-Zero Hydrogen Industrial Park in Spain will feature hydrogen equipment manufacturing and green hydrogen production to support Europe's decarbonization and industrial transformation. Building on these achievements, Envision plans to replicate this model globally in collaboration with partners, unlocking new opportunities and driving a new era of sustainable prosperity.

Forging Cross-Sector Net-Zero Ecosystem

In 2024, Envision's global net zero technology partner ecosystem achieved remarkable breakthroughs. Together with Starbucks, Envision transformed the Starbucks Coffee Innovation Park into its most sustainable campus, powered by 100% renewable energy and cutting carbon emissions by approximately 78,000 tonnes annually. With Merck China, Envision is advancing green power procurement and carbon management services, supporting Merck's 2040 climate neutrality goal. In a landmark move,Envision signed a historic green ammonia offtake agreement with Marubeni Corporation, validating its commercial potential and establishing a new global benchmark. From Starbucks to Marubeni, Envision is building a growing, cross-sector net-zero network spanning energy, manufacturing, retail, and logisticsforming a smart, collaborative decarbonization ecosystem.

Net zero is not a choice, but a necessity. Envision will continue to join forces with like-minded partners around the world to drive a shared vision of sustainable prosperity and help win the race against the climate challenge.

SOURCE Envision Energy
First quarter revenues of $1.302 billion , up 11.7% year-over-year

GAAP income from operations was 7.6% of revenues and non-GAAP income from operations was 13.5% of revenues for the first quarter

First quarter GAAP diluted EPS of $1.28 , a decrease of $0.69 , and non-GAAP diluted EPS of $2.41 , a decrease of $0.05 on a year-over-year basis

Based on the strength of organic constant currency revenue growth in the first half of 2025 and updates to our foreign exchange rate assumptions, EPAM raises its expected year-over-year revenue growth rate to now be in the range of 11.5% to 14.5% for 2025

NEWTOWN, Pa., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- EPAM Systems, Inc. (NYSE: EPAM), a leading digital transformation services and product engineering company, today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

EPAM Reports Results for First Quarter 2025 and Raises Full Year Revenue Outlook

"We reported strong first quarter results amidst a dynamic macroeconomic landscape, which highlights our unique differentiation in supporting our clients through their transformation journeys," said Arkadiy Dobkin, CEO and President at EPAM. "By staying anchored in engineering excellence, disciplined execution and AI-native innovation, we've continued to build sequential momentum and deliver year-over-year organic growth."

First Quarter 2025 Highlights

Revenues increased to $1.302 billion , a year-over-year increase of $136.2 million , or 11.7%. On an organic constant currency basis, revenues were up 1.4% compared to the first quarter of 2024;

, a year-over-year increase of , or 11.7%. On an organic constant currency basis, revenues were up 1.4% compared to the first quarter of 2024; GAAP income from operations was $99.3 million , a decrease of $11.2 million , or 10.1%, compared to $110.5 million in the first quarter of 2024;

, a decrease of , or 10.1%, compared to in the first quarter of 2024; Non-GAAP income from operations was $175.8 million , an increase of $2.2 million , or 1.2%, compared to $173.6 million in the first quarter of 2024;

, an increase of , or 1.2%, compared to in the first quarter of 2024; Diluted earnings per share ("EPS") on a GAAP basis was $1.28 , a decrease of $0.69 , or 35.0%, compared to $1.97 in the first quarter of 2024; and

, a decrease of , or 35.0%, compared to in the first quarter of 2024; and Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.41 , a decrease of $0.05 , or 2.0%, compared to $2.46 in the first quarter of 2024.

Cash Flow and Other Metrics

Cash provided by operating activities was $24.2 million for the first three months of 2025, compared to cash provided by operating activities of $129.9 million for the first three months of 2024;

for the first three months of 2025, compared to cash provided by operating activities of for the first three months of 2024; Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $1.179 billion as of March 31, 2025 , a decrease of $111.9 million , or 8.7%, from $1.290 billion as of December 31, 2024 ;

as of , a decrease of , or 8.7%, from as of ; The Company repurchased 796 thousand shares of its common stock for $160.0 million during the first quarter of 2025 under its share repurchase program. As of March 31, 2025 , the Company had $277.0 million remaining under its share repurchase authorization; and

during the first quarter of 2025 under its share repurchase program. As of , the Company had remaining under its share repurchase authorization; and Total headcount was approximately 61,700 as of March 31, 2025 . Included in this number were approximately 55,600 delivery professionals, an increase of 0.9% from December 31, 2024 .

2025 Outlook - Full Year and Second Quarter

Full Year

EPAM expects the following for the full year:

Based on the strength of organic constant currency revenue growth in the first half of 2025 and updates to our foreign exchange rate assumptions, the Company raises its expected year-over-year revenue growth rate to now be in the range of 11.5% to 14.5% for 2025. Additionally, the Company now expects the year-over-year revenue growth rate on an organic constant currency basis to be in the range of 2.0% to 5.0%;

For the full year, EPAM continues to expect GAAP income from operations to be in the range of 9.0% to 10.0% of revenues and non-GAAP income from operations to be in the range of 14.5% to 15.5% of revenues;

The Company now expects its GAAP effective tax rate to be approximately 25.0% and continues to expect its non-GAAP effective tax rate to be approximately 24.0%; and

EPAM now expects GAAP diluted EPS to be in the range of $6.78 to $7.03 and non-GAAP diluted EPS to be in the range of $10.70 to $10.95 . The Company now expects weighted average diluted shares outstanding for the year to be 56.5 million.

Second Quarter

EPAM expects the following for the second quarter:

The Company expects revenues will be in the range of $1.325 billion to $1.340 billion for the second quarter reflecting year-over-year growth of 16.2% at the midpoint of the range. The Company expects the year-over-year revenue growth rate on an organic constant currency basis to be 3.8% at the midpoint of the range;

to for the second quarter reflecting year-over-year growth of 16.2% at the midpoint of the range. The Company expects the year-over-year revenue growth rate on an organic constant currency basis to be 3.8% at the midpoint of the range; For the second quarter, EPAM expects GAAP income from operations to be in the range of 9.0% to 10.0% of revenues and non-GAAP income from operations to be in the range of 14.0% to 15.0% of revenues;

The Company expects its GAAP effective tax rate to be approximately 26.0% and its non-GAAP effective tax rate to be approximately 24.0%; and

EPAM expects GAAP diluted EPS will be in the range of $1.67 to $1.75 for the quarter, and non-GAAP diluted EPS will be in the range of $2.56 to $2.64 for the quarter. The Company expects weighted average diluted shares outstanding for the quarter to be 56.7 million.

Conference Call Information

EPAM will host a conference call to discuss the results on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. EDT. The conference call will be available live on the EPAM website at https://investors.epam.com. Please visit the website at least 15 minutes prior to the call to register for the event. For those who cannot access the live webcast, a replay will be available in the Investor Relations section of the website.

About EPAM Systems

Since 1993, EPAM Systems, Inc. (NYSE: EPAM) has used its software engineering expertise to become a leading global provider of digital engineering, cloud and AI-enabled transformation services, and a leading business and experience consulting partner for global enterprises and ambitious startups. We address our clients' transformation challenges by focusing EPAM Continuum's integrated strategy, experience and technology consulting with our 30+ years of engineering execution to speed our clients' time to market and drive greater value from their innovations and digital investments.

We leverage AI and GenAI to deliver transformative solutions that accelerate our clients' digital innovation and enhance their competitive edge. Through platforms like EPAM AI/RUN and initiatives like DIALX Lab, we integrate advanced AI technologies into tailored business strategies, driving significant industry impact and fostering continuous innovation.

We deliver globally but engage locally with our expert teams of consultants, architects, designers and engineers, making the future real for our clients, our partners, and our people around the world. We believe the right solutions are the ones that improve people's lives and fuel competitive advantage for our clients across diverse industries. Our thinking comes to life in the experiences, products and platforms we design and bring to market.

Added to the S&P 500 and the Forbes Global 2000 in 2021 and recognized by Glassdoor and Newsweek as Most Loved Workplace, our multidisciplinary teams serve customers across six continents. We are proud to be among the top 15 companies in Information Technology Services in the Fortune 1000 and to be recognized as a leader in the IDC MarketScapes for Worldwide Experience Build Services, Worldwide Experience Design Services and Worldwide Software Engineering Services.

Learn more at www.epam.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

EPAM supplements results reported in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, referred to as GAAP, with non-GAAP financial measures. Management believes these measures help illustrate underlying trends in EPAM's business and uses the measures to establish budgets and operational goals, communicate internally and externally, for managing EPAM's business and evaluating its performance. Management also believes these measures help investors compare EPAM's operating performance with its results in prior periods. EPAM anticipates that it will continue to report both GAAP and certain non-GAAP financial measures in its financial results, including non-GAAP results that exclude stock-based compensation expenses, acquisition-related costs including amortization of acquired intangible assets, impairment of assets, expenses associated with EPAM's humanitarian commitment to its professionals in Ukraine, costs associated with the geographic repositioning of EPAM employees based outside of Ukraine impacted by the war and geopolitical instability in the region, employee separation costs incurred in connection with restructuring programs including the Company's exit from Russia, certain other one-time charges and benefits, changes in fair value of contingent consideration, foreign exchange gains and losses, excess tax benefits and tax shortfalls related to stock-based compensation, and the related effect on income taxes of the pre-tax adjustments. Management also compares revenues on an "organic constant currency basis," which is a non-GAAP financial measure. This measure excludes the effect of acquisitions by removing revenues from an acquired company in the twelve months after completing an acquisition and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations by translating current period revenues into U.S. dollars at the weighted average exchange rates of the prior period of comparison. Because EPAM's reported non-GAAP financial measures are not calculated in accordance with GAAP, these measures are not comparable to GAAP and may not be comparable to similarly described non-GAAP measures reported by other companies within EPAM's industry. Consequently, EPAM's non-GAAP financial measures should not be evaluated in isolation or supplant comparable GAAP measures, but rather, should be considered together with the information in EPAM's consolidated financial statements, which are prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes estimates and statements which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Our estimates and forward-looking statements are mainly based on our current expectations and estimates of future events and trends, which affect or may affect our business and operations. These statements may include words such as "may," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate" or similar expressions. Those future events and trends may relate to, among other things, developments relating to the war in Ukraine and escalation of the war in the surrounding region, political and civil unrest or military action in the geographies where we conduct business and operate, difficult conditions in global capital markets, foreign exchange markets, global trade and the broader economy, the adoption and implementation of artificial intelligence technologies by EPAM and its clients, and the effect that these events may have on client demand and our revenues, operations, access to capital, and profitability. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied include general economic conditions, the risk factors discussed in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and the factors discussed in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, particularly under the headings "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe that these estimates and forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, they are subject to several risks and uncertainties and are made based on information currently available to us. EPAM undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities law.

EPAM SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) (In thousands, except per share data)



Three Months Ended March 31,

2025

2024 Revenues $ 1,301,692

$ 1,165,465 Operating expenses:





Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) 952,008

834,334 Selling, general and administrative expenses 218,917

198,453 Depreciation and amortization expense 31,437

22,146 Income from operations 99,330

110,532 Interest and other income, net 5,814

15,042 Foreign exchange loss (10,727)

(1,919) Income before provision for income taxes 94,417

123,655 Provision for income taxes 20,935

7,412 Net income $ 73,482

$ 116,243







Net income per share:





Basic $ 1.29

$ 2.01 Diluted $ 1.28

$ 1.97 Shares used in calculation of net income per share:





Basic 56,780

57,837 Diluted 57,262

58,931

EPAM SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (In thousands, except par value)



As of March 31, 2025

As of December 31, 2024 Assets





Current assets





Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,173,639

$ 1,286,267 Trade receivables and contract assets, net of allowance of $4,928 and $5,612, respectively 1,090,080

1,002,175 Prepaid and other current assets 151,972

137,806 Total current assets 2,415,691

2,426,248 Property and equipment, net 203,244

207,667 Operating lease right-of-use assets, net 124,430

128,244 Intangible assets, net 426,693

436,418 Goodwill 1,187,027

1,181,575 Deferred tax assets 255,084

269,799 Other noncurrent assets 111,443

100,522 Total assets $ 4,723,612

$ 4,750,473







Liabilities





Current liabilities





Accounts payable $ 44,455

$ 44,702 Accrued compensation and benefits expenses 495,562

484,952 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 174,370

201,356 Income taxes payable, current 35,269

50,395 Operating lease liabilities, current 39,468

39,634 Total current liabilities 789,124

821,039 Long-term debt 25,059

25,194 Deferred tax liabilities, noncurrent 94,210

92,362 Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent 93,615

98,426 Other noncurrent liabilities 78,388

82,301 Total liabilities 1,080,396

1,119,322 Commitments and contingencies





Equity





Stockholders' equity





Common stock, $0.001 par value; 160,000 shares authorized; 56,626 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2025, and 56,869 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 57

57 Additional paid-in capital 1,235,475

1,190,222 Retained earnings 2,468,955

2,555,796 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (61,853)

(116,864) Total EPAM Systems, Inc. stockholders' equity 3,642,634

3,629,211 Noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries 582

1,940 Total equity 3,643,216

3,631,151 Total liabilities and equity $ 4,723,612

$ 4,750,473

EPAM SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Financial Measures to Comparable GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited) (In thousands, except percentages and per share amounts)

Reconciliation of year-over-year revenue growth as reported on a GAAP basis to revenue growth on an organic constant currency basis is presented in the table below:



Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 Revenue growth as reported 11.7 % Inorganic revenue growth (11.2) % Foreign exchange rates impact 0.9 % Revenue growth on an organic constant currency basis 1.4 %

Reconciliation of various income statement amounts from GAAP to non-GAAP for the three months ended

March 31, 2025 and 2024:



Three Months Ended March 31, 2025

GAAP

Adjustments

Non-GAAP Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)(1) $ 952,008

$ (24,541)

$ 927,467 Selling, general and administrative expenses(2) $ 218,917

$ (34,223)

$ 184,694 Income from operations(3) $ 99,330

$ 76,420

$ 175,750 Operating margin 7.6 %

5.9 %

13.5 % Net income(4) $ 73,482

$ 64,533

$ 138,015 Diluted earnings per share $ 1.28





$ 2.41



Three Months Ended March 31, 2024

GAAP

Adjustments

Non-GAAP Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)(1) $ 834,334

$ (23,016)

$ 811,318 Selling, general and administrative expenses(2) $ 198,453

$ (34,093)

$ 164,360 Income from operations(3) $ 110,532

$ 63,058

$ 173,590 Operating margin 9.5 %

5.4 %

14.9 % Net income(4) $ 116,243

$ 29,003

$ 145,246 Diluted earnings per share $ 1.97





$ 2.46

Items (1) through (4) above are detailed in the table below with the specific cross-reference noted in the appropriate item.



Three Months Ended March 31,

2025

2024 Stock-based compensation expenses $ 23,923

$ 22,357 Humanitarian support in Ukraine(a) 618

659 Total adjustments to GAAP cost of revenues(1) 24,541

23,016 Stock-based compensation expenses 24,533

22,434 Cost Optimization charges(b) 5,311

7,017 Other acquisition-related expenses 570

1,223 Humanitarian support in Ukraine(a) 3,732

2,620 Geographic repositioning(c) 

721 One-time charges, net 77

78 Total adjustments to GAAP selling, general and administrative expenses(2) 34,223

34,093 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 17,656

5,949 Total adjustments to GAAP income from operations(3) 76,420

63,058 Foreign exchange loss 10,727

1,919 Gain on financial instrument (350)

 Change in fair value of contingent consideration included in Interest and other income, net (1,737)

1,050 Provision for income taxes:





Tax effect on non-GAAP adjustments (19,910)

(14,395) Excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation (543)

(20,866) Net discrete benefit from tax planning(d) (74)

(1,763) Total adjustments to GAAP net income(4) $ 64,533

$ 29,003



(a) Humanitarian support in Ukraine includes expenses related to EPAM's $100 million humanitarian commitment in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine to support EPAM professionals and their families in and displaced from Ukraine. These expenses are incremental to those expenses incurred prior to the crisis, clearly separable from normal operations, and not expected to recur once the crisis has subsided and operations return to normal.

(b) Cost Optimization charges include severance, facilities and contract termination charges incurred in connection with the programs initiated in the third quarter of 2023 and second quarter of 2024. Consistent with the Company's historical non-GAAP policy, costs incurred in connection with formal restructuring initiatives have been excluded from non-GAAP results as these are one-time and unusual in nature.

(c) Geographic repositioning includes expenses associated with the relocation to other countries of employees based outside of Ukraine impacted by the war and geopolitical instability in the region, and includes the cost of accommodations, travel and food. These expenses are incremental to those expenses incurred prior to the crisis, clearly separable from normal operations, and not expected to recur once the crisis has subsided and operations return to normal.

(d) One-time benefit related to the implementation of tax planning to disregard certain foreign subsidiaries as separate entities for U.S. income tax purposes. Consistent with the Company's historical non-GAAP policy, the benefit related to the implementation of tax planning has been excluded from non-GAAP results as it is one-time and unusual in nature.

EPAM SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Reconciliations of Guidance Non-GAAP Financial Measures to Comparable GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited)

The below guidance constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws and is based on a number of assumptions that are subject to change and many of which are outside the control of the Company. Actual results may differ materially from the Company's expectations depending on factors discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Reconciliation of expected year-over-year revenue growth on a GAAP basis to expected revenue growth on an organic constant currency basis is presented in the table below:



Second Quarter 2025

Full Year 2025

(at midpoint of range)



Revenue growth 16.2 %

11.5% to 14.5% Foreign exchange rates impact (1.8) %

(0.4) % Inorganic revenue growth (10.6) %

(9.1) % Revenue growth on an organic constant currency basis 3.8 %

2.0% to 5.0%

Reconciliation of expected GAAP to non-GAAP income from operations as a percentage of revenues is presented in the table below:



Second Quarter 2025

Full Year 2025 GAAP income from operations as a percentage of revenues 9.0% to 10.0%

9.0% to 10.0% Stock-based compensation expenses 3.0 %

3.4 % Included in cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) 1.5 %

1.7 % Included in selling, general and administrative expenses 1.5 %

1.7 % Humanitarian support in Ukraine(a) 0.4 %

0.4 % Cost Optimization charges(b) 0.3 %

0.3 % One-time charges and Other acquisition-related expenses(e)  %

0.1 % Amortization of acquired intangible assets 1.3 %

1.3 % Non-GAAP income from operations as a percentage of revenues 14.0% to 15.0%

14.5% to 15.5%



(e) EPAM has not included the impact of potential future One-time charges including asset impairments, unusual gains and losses, and Other acquisition-related expenses because the Company is unable to predict these amounts with reasonable certainty.

Reconciliation of expected GAAP to non-GAAP effective tax rate is presented in the table below:



Second Quarter 2025

Full Year 2025 GAAP effective tax rate (approximately) 26 %

25 % (Tax shortfall)/excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation (0.4) %

0.1 % Tax effect on non-GAAP adjustments (1.6) %

(1.1) % Non-GAAP effective tax rate (approximately) 24 %

24 %

Reconciliation of expected GAAP to non-GAAP diluted earnings per share is presented in the table below:



Second Quarter 2025

Full Year 2025 GAAP diluted earnings per share $1.67 to $1.75

$6.78 to $7.03 Stock-based compensation expenses 0.70

3.16 Included in cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) 0.35

1.56 Included in selling, general and administrative expenses 0.35

1.60 Humanitarian support in Ukraine(a) 0.07

0.27 Cost Optimization charges(b) 0.04

0.23 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 0.31

1.22 Change in fair value of contingent consideration 

(0.03) Foreign exchange loss 

0.19 Provision for income taxes:





Tax effect on non-GAAP adjustments (0.24)

(1.11) Tax shortfall/(excess tax benefits) related to stock-based compensation 0.01

(0.01) Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share $2.56 to $2.64

$10.70 to $10.95

SOURCE EPAM Systems, Inc.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated during a hearing in Congress that he considers Vladimir Putin a war criminal, Kyiv Post wrote on Wednesday.

Bessent was specifically asked by Congressman Juan Vargas (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee Task Force on Monetary Policy, during the Committee hearing, whether he would negotiate with a war criminal.

I think thats the nature of diplomacy when one must negotiate with both sides, Bessent replied. I believe that negotiation was needed with the Japanese after WWII.

When asked directly if he considered Putin a war criminal, Bessent replied, Yes.

As reported, Bessent stated that US President Donald Trump intends to use the mineral agreement with Ukraine as a tool to pressure Russia, particularly in the context of peace negotiations, he said during a speech at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Essnova Solutions, Inc. is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded the U.S. General Services Administration's (GSA) new OASIS Plus (One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services Plus) contract vehicle. Essnova was awarded in four competitive categories: 8(a), HUBZone, Small Business, and Unrestricted, and across five functional domains: Technical & Engineering, Research & Development, Environmental, Facilities, and Logistics. This achievement positions Essnova among a select group of contractors capable of delivering impactful solutions for a variety of mission-critical federal needs.

OASIS+ serves as GSA's Best-in-Class, government-wide IDIQ for complex professional services, which is expected to facilitate billions in federal acquisitions over the next decade. The contracting vehicle is designed to simplify the procurement of complex services in areas such as program management, IT, engineering, cybersecurity, facilities, logistics, and environmental services, and features a 10-year ordering period with no ceiling.

We're proud to win the GSA OASIS+ showcasing our adaptability and effective service to the federal government customers. Post this

"We are honored to receive this contract award across all four socioeconomic categories and five domains, marking a significant milestone that highlights our adaptability, proven performance, and proactive capabilities," said Sridhara Gutti, CEO/Founder of Essnova. "This recognition also affirms our ability to scale, collaborate, and deliver measurable outcomes for our government clients across various mission areas."

This represents a pivotal opportunity for Essnova to broaden its service offerings. The company aims to utilize its strengths in information technology, digital transformation, and systems automation to provide modern, agile, and results-driven solutions to federal agencies. Essnova also intends to enhance its partnerships with leading firms in construction, logistics, and environmental sectors to deliver comprehensive and effective solutions. Interested companies are encouraged to reach out to discuss potential collaborations and primesub partnerships.

Essnova is strategically positioned to take advantage of this opportunity, providing innovative solutions that will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations. Contact Essnova to discuss your agency's needs and discover how Essnova can assist you in achieving operational excellence.

To discover more about Essnova's OASIS+ offerings, please visit: essnova.com/oasisplus

About Essnova Solutions: Essnova is a premier provider of technology solutions and professional services to federal, state, and local governments. Based in Birmingham, AL, Essnova specializes in software engineering, cybersecurity, AI/ML, geospatial services, digital transformation, and mission support. With a commitment to innovation, integrity, and impact, Essnova empowers agencies to transform their operations and create lasting value.

SOURCE Essnova Solutions, Inc.
Allianz Partners USA data shows that summer travel to Europe will increase by 10% this year.

RICHMOND, Va., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth year in a row, U.S. summer travel to Europe will increase, according to new data from travel insurance and assistance company Allianz Partners USA's Top Summer European Destinations Report. U.S. summer travel to Europe will increase by 10% in 2025. London, England (#1), Paris, France (#2), and Dublin, Ireland (#3) continue to be the top European destinations for U.S. travelers*.

Top Ten European Destinations for U.S. Travelers in 2025 and 2024. (PRNewsfoto/Allianz Partners)

"Summer is often a time to check off bucket list trips, so it's no surprise that European travel continues to rise for U.S. travelers," says Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA. "Traveling far from home and out of the country can sometimes add an extra element of stress to your travel  you may not know where the nearest doctor is or where to replace essential items if your baggage is lost or delayed. Travel insurance can help alleviate some of the worry associated with transcontinental travel by protecting against covered losses resulting from trip cancellations, interruptions, delays and medical emergencies."

Lisbon, Portugal (#9) makes its reappearance in the top 10 destinations, bumping out Athens, Greece. The rest of the list remains mostly consistent to 2024, with Rome, Italy (#4) and Edinburgh, Scotland (#5) rounding out in the top five. Other popular destinations include Reykjyavik, Iceland (#6), Barcelona, Spain (#7), Amsterdam, Netherlands (#8), and Nice, France (#10)

Allianz Partners offers travel insurance through most major U.S. airlines, leading travel agents, online travel agencies, hotel companies, cruise lines and directly to consumers. For more information on Allianz Partners and available travel policies, please visit http://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/.

* Methodology: The data of U.S. travelers' 2025 Summer Travel plans was gathered by analyzing the number of customers that went through the online booking process of airfare and package paths for partners offering Allianz Global Assistance travel insurance, to generate itineraries for roundtrip flights departing from U.S. airports from 5/22/2025 9/2/2025, for trips between 5 and 8 days in length. In total, just under 7M itineraries were analyzed using this methodology.

About Allianz Partners

In the United States, Allianz Partners USA (AGA Service Company) offers Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans and serves millions of customers each year. In addition to travel protection, the company offers event ticket protection, registration protection for endurance events and unique travel assistance services such as international medical assistance and concierge services. AGA Service Company is doing business as Allianz Global Assistance Insurance Agency in California (License # 0B01400) and Massachusetts. Allianz Partners USA is part of the Allianz Partners group. Allianz Partners is a world leader in B2B2C insurance and assistance, offering global solutions that span international health and life, travel insurance, mobility and assistance. Customer driven, our innovative experts are redefining insurance services by delivering future-ready, high-tech, high-touch products and solutions that go beyond traditional insurance. Present in over 75 countries, our 19,400 employees speak 70 languages, handle over 58 million cases each year, and are motivated to go the extra mile to offer peace of mind to our customers around the world.

For Allianz Partners USA products offered and sold in the U.S.: Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply to all plans. Plans are available only to U.S. residents. Not all plans are available in all jurisdictions. Availability of coverage, including the epidemic-related benefits and covered reasons described here, varies by product and by state. Products may not include all benefits or covered reasons described here. All benefits are subject to maximum limits of liability, which may in some cases be subject to sublimits and daily maximums. Benefits and limits vary by plan. For a complete description of the coverage and benefit limits offered under your specific plan, carefully review your plan's Letter of Confirmation/Declarations and Certificate of Insurance/Policy. Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: Oakbrook Terrace, IL), rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: Richmond, VA), rated "A+" (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101C series or 101P series, depending on state of residence. A+ (Superior) and A (Excellent) are the 2nd and 3rd highest, respectively, of A.M. Best's 13 Financial Strength Ratings. Except as otherwise specified, AGA Service Company d/b/a Allianz Global Assistance is the licensed producer and administrator of Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans in the U.S. and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. Allianz Global Assistance is a mark of AGA Service Company or its affiliates. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between Allianz Global Assistance and Jefferson Insurance Company. Plans include insurance and assistance services. Noninsurance benefits/products are provided and serviced by Allianz Global Assistance.

SOURCE Allianz Partners
Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates ambitious entrepreneurs who are shaping the future

DURANGO, Colo., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) announced the finalists for the prestigious Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Mountain West Award. Now in its 40th year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program celebrates the bold leaders who disrupt markets through the world's most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and making a profound impact on communities. The program honors bold entrepreneurs whose innovations shape the future and pave the way for a thriving economy and a hopeful tomorrow. The Mountain West program celebrates entrepreneurs from Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

An independent panel of judges selected John Witchel among 41 finalists for their entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and lasting impact in building long-term value.

Based in Durango, Colorado, King Energy is the nationwide leader in multi-tenant solar, making financial sense for commercial property owners and tenants by renting unused roofs, creating long-term value. Powered by enterprise-grade software and built to be a lasting partner, the company has expanded to nine states, secured over $250M in project equity, and brought solar to more than 200 buildings since its founding in 2020.

"Being named a finalist for Entrepreneur Of The Yearthe world's most prestigious business award for original founders, multigenerational family business leaders, and transformational CEOsrecognizes what we've been working toward at King Energy: Making solar financially sound and accessible for commercial and industrial properties across the country," said John. "We started in a small town with a big idea: that clean energy should make financial sense for commercial property owners and tenants, and that a startup from a small rural town could make a global impact. I love what I am doing with King Energy. Thriving requires perseverance, innovation, and embracing uncertainty every day. It's an honor to be recognized among the finalists."

Entrepreneur Of The Year honors business leaders for their ingenuity, courage and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company; transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory; and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to strengthen it for the future.

Regional award winners will be announced on June 20 during a special celebration in Salt Lake City, Utah and will become lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world. The winners will then be considered by the National judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum , one of the nation's most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, LLC, Marsh USA, and SAP. In Mountain West region, sponsors also include regional Gold sponsors, Perkins Coie, Strong & Hanni Law Firm and Truss and regional Silver sponsors, Big Picture, Pierpont Communications, and Silicon Slopes.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year

Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 60 countries globally.

The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum in November where National finalists and award winners are announced. The overall National winner represents the US at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy .

About EY

EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.

Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.

All in to shape the future with confidence.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

Finalist Company's PR Contact: Tori Moon

Company: King Energy

Tel: 1-800-781-1765

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE King Energy
LONDON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Eyekandy, the global leader in immersive commerce, today unveiled the Sales Ambassador - a groundbreaking AI digital human built to revolutionize how brands and retailers engage, convert, and retain shoppers across every shopping channel.

More than just a chatbot or automation tool, the Sales Ambassador is a hyper-intelligent, always-on digital sales rep that replicates the human shopping experience with unmatched accuracy, personality, and performance.

eyekandy Sales Ambassador

Guide. Sell. Upsell. 24/7.

The Sales Ambassador delivers real-time, human-like product guidance online, in-store, and on social - transforming passive browsing into confident buying. It's the first solution of its kind to offer 'instant-on' integration at scale, in most languages, across all retail touchpoints, driving real commercial impact from day one. It understands individual shopper needs and makes product recommendations based on them. In addition, it delivers a compelling augmented reality experience to further recreate the instore experience.

Built to Perform Better Than Your Best Sales Rep - 24/7

Guide shoppers like real sales reps  across web, mobile, social, and even in-store kiosks

Drive conversions day and night with always-on product support and upselling intelligence

Accelerate sales with real-time product match guidance and brand storytelling

Win consistently at the point of purchase, no matter where it happens

Reduce returns by helping shoppers find the right product the first time

Human-like interaction that builds brand trust before the first click

Fluent in most languages

Plug-and-play deployment into existing eCommerce and retail infrastructure

Give Every Shopper a Personal Guide. Without Adding Headcount.

"Imagine deploying your most persuasive, knowledgeable salesperson to every product page, every store aisle, and every shopper's pocket," said Joe Golden, Product Director of Eyekandy. "That's what the Sales Ambassador does. It doesn't just sell - it delights, personalises, and performs at every touchpoint."

With seamless integration into online stores, retail environments, and social shopping experiences, the Sales Ambassador is poised to become the most scalable and consistent salesperson in retail.

Retailers and brands ready to boost customer confidence, reduce returns, and unlock sales growth can visit eyekandy.com to learn more and request a live demo.

Try it Here:

RSVP Webinar: May 22nd

Watch the video

SOURCE Eyekandy
LOS ANGELES, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer Watchdog president Jamie Court wrote to the leaders of the University of Southern California today asking that it investigate USC Marshall School of Business professor Michael Mische for a violation of the university's conflict of interest code.

Mische published a paper decrying the potential for $8 per gallon gasoline and calling for breaks for the refining and oil production industry. Mische neglected to disclose that one of the largest clients of his consulting firm is one of the world's largest refiners and oil producers, Saudia Arabia.

Read Court's letter.

"The recommendations from Mische's report are a treasure trove of tax subsidies and giveaways to both the refining and oil production sector," Court wrote. "Saudia Arabia's state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco has an interest in refining in the United States. There is no question that the policies Mische advocates will inure to the benefit of his client.

"Nonetheless, Sacramento lawmakers are unaware of Mische's ties because of his failure to disclose them, and at least one, Assembly member Brian Jones, is advocating for his policies in a vacuum.

"There is no question that Mische's work would be looked at differently if people knew he was an associate of Crown Prince MBS. In failing to disclose this, he dishonors USC and its tradition of ethics."

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog
Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy's President, New Jersey: "When our crews respond to disasters, both in our territory or as part of mutual aid, it is the American Red Cross that is routinely there, providing the support that sustains communities in the immediate aftermath. Last month's wildfire burned close to home for many of our customers and employees, and once again, the Red Cross stepped up when people needed them most."

The fast-moving fire threatened more than 1,300 structures and put 3,000 residents in Ocean and Lacey townships under mandatory evacuation orders. Thousands more heeded voluntary orders to find safer ground. JCP&L temporarily shut off power to more than 25,000 customers in the area at the request of the fire's command post for the safety of firefighters.

Kim Goetz, Executive Director of the American Red Cross New Jersey Region: "When a quick moving wildfire forced thousands of people to evacuate their Ocean County homes in New Jersey, the Red Cross was there, working with partners to provide temporary shelter, care, comfort and meals to more than 300 people who had no place to go. Our volunteers supported first responders and firefighters as they battled the Jones Road Fire, providing meals, snacks, coffee and other beverages. Without the selfless dedication of volunteers and supporters like the FirstEnergy Foundation, our work is not possible. We're grateful for this incredible donation, which enables the Red Cross to prepare for and respond to disasters big and small."

The FirstEnergy Foundation provides support to 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits, including health and human services agencies, educational organizations, cultural and arts programs and institutions, and civic groups in areas served by FirstEnergy's electric operating companies and in areas where the company conducts business.

JCP&L serves 1.1 million customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren. Follow JCP&L on X @JCP_L, on Facebook at facebook.com/JCPandL or online at jcp-l.com.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on X @FirstEnergyCorp or online at firstenergycorp.com.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
SINGAPORE, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Two foreign investment funds, Vasanta Master Fund and Pagoda, have been campaigning for the corporate governance reform at Catcher Technology, a leading Taiwanese electronic casing manufacturer. As Catcher prepares for its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 27, where seven board seatsthree of which are independent director positions are up for election, Vasanta and Pagoda's involvement in Taiwan's first-ever foreign shareholder initiative has become a key focal point in discussions on investor rights, regulatory consistency, and board accountability.

Vasanta, based in Singapore, began investing in Catcher in 2021. Alongside Pagoda, the two funds together hold more than 1% of the company's outstanding shares. Over the past two years, Vasanta and Pagoda have taken an active approach to shareholder engagement, including proposing amendments to the company's Articles of Incorporation and nominating board candidates.

The investors have expressed concerns about what they view as underutilized capital on Catcher's balance sheet & poor governance of the management, particularly following the company's divestment of its iPhone casing business in 2020 and the sale of a major plant in Suzhou in 2021. According to Vasanta and Pagoda's analysis, Catcher holds a substantial portion of its assets in cash and marketable securities (which comprises mostly US government treasuries) estimated to exceed 80%raising questions about inefficient capital deployment and long-term growth planning.

In 2023, Vasanta and Pagoda submitted a shareholder proposal aimed at granting shareholders the right to propose cash dividends. The proposal, described as the first of its kind initiated by foreign investors in Taiwan, was determined by the board of Catcher to be illegal and rejected. As a result of the rejection, the shareholder proposal was not tabled for the AGM for voting in May 2023.

Following the rejection, Vasanta filed complaints with Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) and other regulators. Other than filing the complaints with authorities, and going through a lengthy the court process, there appeared to be no remedy available for a shareholder to rectify the situation to allow the proposal to be voted in the AGM in 2023.

Meanwhile, Vasanta faced increasing scrutiny. Regulators requested detailed information on the ultimate beneficial owners of any fund investors with more than a 1% stake. Catcher's board also initiated criminal defamation proceedings against a Vasanta representative in June 2023. The criminal investigation was eventually dropped by the prosecutor's office due to insufficient evidence.

In August 2023, the FSC issued a NT$240,000 administrative fine against Catcher's chairman alone, citing procedural violations related to shareholder rights.

The same proposal was resubmitted for the 2024 AGM and received backing from global proxy advisors ISS and Glass Lewis. It ultimately gained 30.37% of the vote, indicating growing support, particularly among international shareholders. At the end, despite the strong support from international institutional investors, the resolution was defeated with 39.55% voting against the resolution to give the right to propose cash dividends back to shareholders.

Investor scrutiny of Catcher intensified in July 2024 following public news that its chairman and several family members were under investigation for potential insider trading in connection with a share buyback announcement. The incident raised further governance concerns from the shareholder perspective and led to renewed discussions about the need for board oversight reforms.

Ahead of the upcoming 2025 AGM, Vasanta and Pagoda have nominated candidates for four of the seven board seats. Both investors are now under FSC investigation, with regulators revisiting earlier questions about the origin of their capital, including potential links to mainland China. Both funds have reiterated that they have complied with all disclosure requirements and previous regulatory reviews.

SOURCE Vasanta Master Fund; Pagoda
ST JULIANS, Malta, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Gentoo Media Inc. publishes its interim report for the first quarter 2025 before market opening on Wednesday 14 May 2025.

Jonas Warrer, CEO, will host a presentation of the Q1 2025 results via livestream at 10:00 CET. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A-session, and investors, analysts and journalists are welcome to participate. The presentation will be given in English.

Link to the livestream:

https://www.redeye.se/events/1092137/live-q-gentoo-media-3

For further information, please contact:

Tore Formo, Company Secretary, [email protected] , +47 91668678

About Gentoo Media

Gentoo Media is a market-leading affiliate connecting operators and players in the online gambling and sports betting industry. Gentoo Media offers an array of iGaming affiliate solutions, such as paid marketing expertise and quality traffic through our prominent industry sites including AskGamblers, Time2Play, CasinoTopsOnline, WSN and Casinomeister. In 2024, Gentoo Media (formerly GiG Media) became Gentoo Media Inc. following a legal split separating the Media and Platform and Sportsbook business in Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) into two independently listed companies. Gentoo Media Inc. is dual listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker "G2MNO") and Nasdaq Stockholm (ticker "G2M"). www.gentoomedia.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/gentoo-media-inc/r/gentoo-media--invitation-to-q1-2025-results-presentation,c4147372
NEW YORK, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys for Gina Strum, who has sued Marc Lasry for years of sexual harassment and retaliation, issued the following statement regarding the ongoing litigation:

Gina Strum, a prominent private equity executive and attorney, filed a $100 million lawsuit today in New York Supreme Court against billionaire investor Marc Lasry, alleging in the complaint a years-long pattern of sexual misconduct, retaliation, and a coordinated smear campaign aimed at destroying her reputation and career. The lawsuit also names Avenue Capital Group and co-founder Sonia Gardner.

Ms. Strum's professional opportunities were conditioned on tolerating Lasry's personal demands and predatory behavior. Post this

According to the complaint, Lasry exploited his position as CEO of Avenue Capital to manipulate, harass, and retaliate against Strum after she refused his advances and reported misconduct. The complaint alleges that Lasry engaged in a pattern of grooming and predatory behavior, using his authority, personal disclosures, and emotional manipulation to erode professional boundaries and cultivate inappropriate dependence. Strum asserts claims for, among others, sexual harassment, sexual assault, defamation, retaliation, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud. The complaint further maintains that Lasry orchestrated a deliberate scheme to defraud investors by concealing co-founder Sonia Gardner's life-threatening cancer diagnosisa material fact underlying the firm's asset sales and divestitures at Avenue Capital.

"The complaint describes a disturbing pattern of physical and emotional misconduct," said Richard Roth, Strum's attorney and managing partner of The Roth Law Firm.

"Marc Lasry used his power, money, and influence to blur personal and professional boundaries, entangle me emotionally, and control my financial future," Strum said, describing the allegations in her lawsuit. "When I refused to tolerate Lasry's misconduct, he didn't stophe escalated. He tried to destroy my career, ruin my reputation, and silence me with false claims in court and the media. This lawsuit is my stand against that abuse of power."

Strum's attorney said: "This case shines a harsh light on the toxic power dynamics inside Avenue Capitaland the extraordinary lengths Mr. Lasry went to punish a woman who refused to play by his rules."

"Lasry weaponized his influence in finance and media to try to silence Gina Strum, but she refuses to be silenced," Roth added. "This lawsuit seeks accountabilitynot just for her, but for every woman who's been bullied into silence by powerful men."

Victims of sexual harassment or abuse are encouraged to contact local law enforcement to report any crimes. To speak with someone who is trained to help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or chat online at online.rainn.org .

Additional resources can be found here:

SOURCE Roth Law Firm
Prestigious Recognition Places Greater San Antonio's Regional Economic Partnership Among the Top 20 Economic Development Organizations in the Nation

SAN ANTONIO, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- greater:SATX Regional Economic Partnership is proud to announce it has been awarded the 2025 Mac Conway Award for Excellence in Economic Development by Site Selection Magazine. This national recognition places greater:SATX among the top 20 Economic Development Organizations (EDOs) in the U.S. and highlights the transformative growth building across the San Antonio region. The news announcement is aptly timed leading into the 9th annual Economic Development Week, held May 12-16 -- the annual celebration recognizing the impactful work of EDOs and economic development professionals in communities across the nation.

Named for H. McKinley "Mac" Conway, a trailblazer in the field of economic development, the award recognizes outstanding performance by EDOs in attracting capital investment, job creation, and delivering measurable impact to local communities. The ranking is based on a comprehensive index of project wins, capital investment totals, job growth, and economic performance relative to market size.

"This recognition confirms that the strategic work we're doing across the greater San Antonio region is delivering real resultsnot just locally, but laudable on a national scale," said Sarah Carabias Rush, Chief Economic Development Officer for greater:SATX. "We've built a business climate that's agile, resilient, and increasingly attractive to companies looking to scale and innovate."

Since 2021, greater:SATX has generated more than 17,000 new jobs and over $6.6 billion in capital investment throughout the region. In 2024 alone, the organization secured 30 new projects, bringing $1.2 billion in new capital and thousands of additional high-wage jobs to the community. The greater:SATX business development strategy has also generated 60 lead-to-project conversions and a tripling of requests for information opportunities over the previous year.

Last year, the greater San Antonio region was the #3 top performing job growth market in the U.S. and #1 in Texas, underscoring the region's upward trajectory and reinforcing its status as one of the most dynamic economic corridors in the country. Since 2018, San Antonio's educational attainment has grown by 6.4%, outpacing nine peer metros.

The Mac Conway Award recognizes the significant wins for greater:SATX, including projects from major brands such as Toyota, Guidehouse, American Sole, Eiken Chemical, and Global Gates Network. Another major recent win was with JCB, the global leader in construction equipment manufacturing, which broke ground in 2024 on its new $500 million factory in San Antonio -- the biggest investment in the company's history. These wins reflect the growing appeal of the San Antonio region, bolstered by world-class talent, innovation ecosystems, high quality of life, and unique sense of place.

Learn more about greater:SATX's Mac Conway Award for Excellence recognition in Site Selection Magazine here and about Economic Development Week, first launched by the International Economic Development Council in 2016, here.

greater:SATX was also recently honored with a Gold Stevie Award for achievement in management for the nonprofit/government category in the 2025 American Business Awards, citing similar achievements and transformational growth in the San Antonio region. See more details here.

About greater:SATX

greater:SATX is the economic development partnership leading the San Antonio region's transformative growth through global corporate recruitment, local business advancement, and workforce development. The San Antonio region, or SATX, is the eight-county San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA, which is the 24th largest MSA in the nation (2024). At the core of greater:SATX's mission is attracting, retaining, and growing quality jobs for all San Antonians that provide pathways to economic mobility. This work is guided by greater:SATX, supported by regional businesses, regional economic development partners, and by the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, CPS Energy, and SAWS. The organization is responsible for assisting over 500 companies to relocate or expand in the region, which collectively employ more than 120,000 San Antonians. For more information on San Antonio's industry growth and economic opportunity, visit greatersatx.com and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @greater_SATX, LinkedIn , and Facebook.

Media: Mardi Larson, Amendola for greater:SATX, [email protected]

SOURCE greater:SATX
Fighters of the 13th brigade of the Khartia National Guard liberated a forest massif north of Lyptsi (Kharkiv region) with an area of more than 200 hectares, the battles for this section of the front lasted almost half a year, the DeepState resource reports

"In cooperation with other units of the Defense Forces, in heavy battles, the Ukrainian military was able to knock the enemy out of a forest massif with an area of more than 200 hectares. The battles for forestry lasted five and a half months from November 2024," the resource said in a message on Telegram on Thursday.

It is noted that thanks to the coordinated work of the units, it was possible to push back the enemy and restore control over an important natural and tactically significant area of the terrain. During this time, the enemy lost almost 1,500 soldiers, more than 200 units of weapons and 175 units of equipment killed and wounded.

"The breakthrough of the enemy's defense and the capture of the bridgehead at the initial stage of the operation was carried out by joint forces of the Khartia units and the 92nd separate assault brigade named after the Kosh Ataman Ivan Sirko," the report states.
As New Home Market Conditions Stay Near Average, Consumers Stand to Benefit

DANA POINT, Calif., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Builder 100  Zonda's 37th annual gathering of top U.S. builders wrapped up yesterday. As a unique national provider tracking the entire building cycle, the event covers critical industry topics such as the state of the current housing market.

Zonda chief economist Ali Wolf  whose role has recently expanded to chief economist for NewHomeSource.com  offered some 'back to the basics' advice on what we'll see from consumers in the coming year in a presentation this week titled 'Economic Outlook for Housing.'

Ali Wolf, Chief Economist for NewHomeSource and Zonda

"While consumers remain very concerned about the economy and whether we'll enter a recession, for those who have the means to make a move, they stand to see an increased benefit in the type of home they can secure for themselves," says Ali Wolf chief economist for Zonda and NewHomeSource.

"Because of market uncertainty, new home prices were down from peak in every one of the 50 markets we track, and 35% of builders reported lowering prices in April," Wolf adds. "If a consumer is looking to buy this year, the case for a new home is growing."

The price spread between buying a new construction home versus buying an existing home has narrowed (partly because of changing product).

Because of an aged housing stock, new construction allows consumers to minimize unforeseen renovation problems.

Builders are also increasingly offering more incentives, making it even more attractive to buy new.

Through new construction, consumers can also customize and design their homes to fit their lives.

Finally, new home buyers benefit from reduced insurance costs.

The nation's largest builders were recently unveiled as part of the Builder 100 and Next 100 lists, including focuses on specific consumer segments:

Visit NewHomeSource for more on:

Also see from Builder 100:

About NewHomeSource (NHS)

NewHomeSource.com is America's #1 source for consumers as they search for new construction communities and homes. NewHomeSource also has the most extensive collection of ratings and reviews for homebuilders nationwide. As the only independent source of reviews from verified homebuyers, TrustBuilder delivers the honest insights you need to make decisions with confidence.

About Zonda

Zonda provides data-driven housing market solutions to the homebuilding industry. From builders to building product manufacturers, mortgage clients, and multifamily executives, we work hand-in-hand with our customers to streamline access to housing data to empower smarter decisions. As a leading brand in residential construction, our mission is to advance the home building industry, because we believe better homes mean better lives and stronger communities. Together, we are building the future of housing. zondahome.com

About BUILDER

BUILDER is the No. 1 resourcevia its award-winning journalism and industry eventsfor anyone involved in new-home construction. Primarily focused on the single-family sector, BUILDER strives to help home builders manage their operations, large and small, more efficiently and profitably. Residential construction pros turn to BUILDER for housing-related news, market analysis, design trends, M&A deals, building product coverage, and more. builderonline.com

For media inquiries or to schedule an interview with Chief Economist Ali Wolf:

Contact: Diane Begin

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 224-836-5615

SOURCE NewHomeSource powered by Zonda
SINGAPORE, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HTX, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, has launched the Mars Program: Special Edition, a landmark campaign that will send one user on a $6 million space voyage, fully sponsored by Justin Sun, Advisor to HTX, and Founder of TRON.

The campaign runs from May 7, 08:00 to May 13, 04:00 (UTC). All users who completed Level 3 KYC verification on HTX are eligible to apply. Five new finalists will be selected based on registration date, trading activity, net fee contribution, and asset balance. They will join seven existing candidates, forming a group of 12, from which one winner will be chosen to embark on a space journey with Justin Sun in July 2025.

Campaign Details: https://www.htx.com.pk/support/25000906493178

A $6M Journey Beyond Earth

Justin Sun, one of the most prominent figures in the crypto industry, is personally funding the $6 million ticket for this mission. Known for his headline-making initiatives across Web3 and traditional finance, Sun aims to make space more accessible to the global crypto community.

"This mission isn't about elites or executivesit's about empowering users," said Justin Sun. "Space exploration should be accessible. With this journey, we want to bring the crypto spirit beyond Earth's limits."

The Mars Program: Empowering Global Participation

HTX's Mars Program has completed seven successful rounds, selecting seven individuals for potential space missions. The Special Edition marks a bold new chapter, opening participation to a broader group of users worldwide.

Rather than offering exclusive experiences to elites, HTX is extending a chance for everyday users to make history. The initiative reflects HTX's vision of Web3 as an open, inclusive ecosystemwhere breakthroughs in technology, finance, and culture converge.

Bridging Crypto and Cosmos

The Mars Program is more than a campaignit's a symbol of Web3's potential to reshape real-world possibilities. HTX continues to explore how blockchain can extend beyond financial infrastructure and into personal dreams, collective imagination, and global narratives.

With this initiative, HTX positions itself at the forefront of innovationnot just in trading or technology, but in inspiring the next generation of crypto pioneers.

How to Participate

Users must complete Level 3 KYC on HTX and submit an application before the campaign ends. The winner, selected from 12 total finalists, will be announced ahead of the July 2025 launch.

About HTX

Founded in 2013, HTX has evolved from a virtual asset exchange into a comprehensive ecosystem of blockchain businesses that span digital asset trading, financial derivatives, research, investments, incubation, and other businesses.

As a world-leading gateway to Web3, HTX harbors global capabilities that enable it to provide users with safe and reliable services. Adhering to the growth strategy of "Global Expansion, Thriving Ecosystem, Wealth Effect, Security & Compliance," HTX is dedicated to providing quality services and values to virtual asset enthusiasts worldwide.

To learn more about HTX, please visit HTX Square or https://www.htx.com/ , and follow HTX on X , Telegram , and Discord .

SOURCE HTX
CHICAGO, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hub International Limited (Hub), a leading global insurance brokerage and financial services firm, announced today that it has acquired the assets of Prestige Wealth Partners, LLC (Prestige Wealth Partners). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Prestige Wealth Partners specializes in retirement plan consulting, wealth management and financial planning.

"The team at Prestige Wealth Partners, led by Joseph Koury and Robert Georgiou, brings deep expertise and a personal approach to helping clients navigate the unique challenges and opportunities of wealth management and retirement plan consulting," said Joe DeNoyior, President of Hub Retirement and Private Wealth (RPW). "With a solid background in investment strategy and financial planning, Joseph, Robert and their team take pride in helping individuals, families and companies build financial confidencefrom guiding personal goals to supporting employee retirement readiness."

Managing Partners Joseph Koury and Robert Georgiou, and the Prestige Wealth Partners team will join Hub South Florida.

The move continues to strengthen Hub's Retirement & Private Wealth practices and its services while developing more comprehensive financial advice for clients. Hub RPW focuses on both retirement plan sponsors and wealth management to create financial strategies that align business and personal financial objectives and navigate fiduciary risk. The several registered investment advisory affiliates in Hub RPW provide investment advisory services to clients whose total assets are approximately $178 billion.

About Hub's M&A Activities

Hub International Limited is committed to growing organically and through acquisitions to expand its geographic footprint and strengthen industry and product expertise. For more information on the Hub M&A experience, visit WeAreHub.com.

About Hub International

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Hub International Limited is a leading full-service global insurance broker and financial services firm providing risk management, insurance, employee benefits, retirement and wealth management products and services. With more than 19,000 employees in offices located throughout North America, Hub's vast network of specialists brings clarity to a changing world with tailored solutions and unrelenting advocacy, so clients are ready for tomorrow. For more information, visit Hub Media Center .

CONTACT:

Media: Jessica Wiltse

Phone: 312-596-7573

[email protected]

M&A: Clark Wormer

Phone: 312-279-4848

[email protected]

SOURCE Hub International Limited
The company logs KRW89.8 billion in net sales, KRW39.0 billion in operating profit, and KRW30.9 billion in net profit, respectively up 20.9%, 62.6%, and 35.9% on-year

All product lines such as botulinum toxin, dermal fillers, and cosmetics show steady growth; strong global performance such as additional shipments to the US expected in Q2

SEOUL, South Korea, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hugel Inc., a leading global medical aesthetics company chaired by Suk Cha, on May 8 posted KRW89.8 billion, KRW39.0 billion, and KRW30.9 billion for the first quarter net sales, operating profit, and net profit, respectively, based on a consolidated financial statement. With the highest-ever first-quarter earnings for the company, the figures represent increases of 20.9%, 62.6%, and 35.9%, respectively, compared with the same period of 2024.

The robust earnings growth was driven by balanced gains across all product portfolios.

The company's botulinum toxin Botulax, globally branded as Letybo, logged KRW40.7 billion in quarterly net sales, up 18.8% on-year, and made up 45% of the company's total net sales in the January-March period. The toxin's net sales showed the highest growth in the Asia-Pacific market, which includes China, Australia and Taiwan, with a 54% increase on-year.

Hyaluronic acid fillers such as THE CHAEUM and BYRYZN Skin Booster HA posted KRW34.4 billion in the first quarter net sales, up 17.7% on-year. The dermal fillers showed strong sales performance in Asia-Pacific, the Americas, and Europe as well as in South Korea.

Cosmetics achieved KRW13.2 billion in net sales for the first quarter with a notable 39.3% increase on-year. Derma cosmetics brand WELLAGE and high-end skincare brand BYRYZN BR continue to expand their customer reach by launching new products and diversifying local and global distribution channels.

"The first-quarter earnings broke records again with all products' robust growth across the world. We will strive to solidify our global position through key momentum drivers such as additional shipments to the US and entry into the Middle East in the second quarter," said a Hugel official.

Hugel's board of directors resolved on Thursday to retire 300,000 shares of treasury stock on May 15. This move follows the company's policy to ramp up shareholder return, with an aim to continuously strengthen trust in markets and increase the corporate value.

About Hugel

Established in 2001, Hugel is a global leader in medical aesthetics, specializing in the production of injectables for skin rejuvenation, including botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid fillers, and skin boosters, as well as absorbable sutures and cosmetic products. As the market leader in injectable aesthetics in South Korea, Hugel is the only South Korean company with regulatory approvals in the world's three largest botulinum toxin markets: the US, China, and Europe. With a proven track record of safety and quality, Hugel is deeply committed to advancing the industry through robust medical affairs, comprehensive training programs, and dynamic industry forums. Over the past 20 years, the company has built a presence in approximately 70 countries and operates eight global subsidiaries across South Korea, the US, Australia, Canada, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Leveraging strong industry momentum, Hugel is poised for continued growth and global market expansion.

Contact:

Jihyun Kim, Manager of the PR Team, Hugel

[email protected]

SOURCE Hugel
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Hydrogen Peroxide Market by Product Function (Chemical Synthesis, Bleaching, Disinfectant, Cleaning & Etching, Others), Grade (90% Hydrogen Peroxide, 35% Hydrogen Peroxide, 6 to 10% Hydrogen Peroxide, 3% Hydrogen Peroxide), End-use Industry (Pulp & Paper, Food and Beverages, Water Treatment, Textiles & Laundry, Oil and Gas, Healthcare, Electronics, Others), & Region - Global Forecast to 2030", hydrogen peroxide market is projected to reach USD 4.70 billion by 2030 from USD 3.48 billion in 2024, at a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a colorless pale blue liquid with far-reaching uses for its powerful oxidizing and disinfecting nature. It contains two oxygen and two hydrogen atoms and finds vast use in various industries in dilute forms. Its greatest benefit is that it disintegrates into oxygen and water and thus is a safer choice among other harmful chemicals. In industrial applications, hydrogen peroxide is used as a pulp and paper mill bleaching agent, a healthcare disinfectant, a water treatment cleaning agent, and for sterilizing food and beverages. Its simplicity of use, effectiveness, and eco-friendliness make it an important chemical to be found in home and industrial applications.

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By product function, the bleaching segment accounted for the largest market share in 2024

The bleaching segment commanded the largest share of the hydrogen peroxide market, as it is heavily utilized in markets such as pulp and paper, textiles, and laundry, where it is an essential agent used to whiten and brighten products. Hydrogen peroxide is preferred due to its good bleaching capacity and eco-friendly status since it decomposes into water and oxygen without causing toxic residues. Its increasing use in chlorine-free bleaching operations is further evidence supporting its supremacy. Also, its increased demand as a sustainable and high-quality paper and textile material further propels its use for bleaching processes.

By grade, the 35% hydrogen peroxide segment accounted for the largest market share in 2024

The 35% grade segment held the largest share of the hydrogen peroxide market due to its huge industrial uses, especially in the paper and pulp industry for bleaching, water treatment, and chemical synthesis. This concentration offers a good balance between strength and safety and can be used in bulk while remaining manageable in terms of handling and storage. Its price competitiveness and versatility have also made it the best choice in different industries. Furthermore, regulatory compliance and availability also support its leadership position in the US market.

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By end-use industry, the pulp & paper segment accounted for the largest market share in 2024

The pulp & paper industry accounted for the largest market share due to the high demand for environmentally friendly bleaching chemicals for application in paper manufacturing. Hydrogen peroxide is widely applied as a chlorine-free alternative since it is compatible with strict environmental regulations. Growth in the packaging industry, driven by e-commerce and green trends, also boosts paper manufacturing. This consistent demand makes pulp and paper the largest consumer of hydrogen peroxide.

The US accounted for the largest share of the North American hydrogen peroxide market in 2024

In 2024, the US held the largest share of the North American hydrogen peroxide market. There is significant demand for hydrogen peroxide across various sectors in the US, particularly in industrial applications. Key industries utilizing hydrogen peroxide include pulp & paper, water treatment, healthcare, and chemicals. The US is also a leader in employing advanced manufacturing technologies, such as green bleaching agents in the paper industry, where hydrogen peroxide plays a vital role. Additionally, strict environmental regulations promote the use of hydrogen peroxide as a chlorine-free and safer alternative in various applications. Furthermore, many US industries are among the leading producers of hydrogen peroxide, contributing to the country's larger market share in North America.

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The demand for hydrogen peroxide is primarily driven by global manufacturers catering to various end-use applications. Some of the leading companies in the hydrogen peroxide market include Evonik (Germany), Solvay (Belgium), Arkema (France), Nouryon (Netherlands), Kemira (Finland), Gujarat Alkalies & Chemicals Ltd. (India), Taekwang Industrial Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Airedale Group (UK), OCI Ltd. (South Korea), and National Peroxide (India). Together, these companies, along with numerous regional players, meet the global demand for hydrogen peroxide.

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MUNICH, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HYXiPOWER returns to Intersolar 2025 in Munich, the world's leading exhibition for the solar industry, showcasing its full product lineup across residential, commercial & industrial (C&I) and utility-scale applications  to power every scenario.

Beyond Safety: Bringing Automotive-Grade Design to Life

HYXiPOWER

Driven by the "Spirit of Super Five"  Super Service, Super Usability, Super Performance, Super ValuE, and Super Reliability  HYXiPOWER continues to deliver solutions that go beyond expectation, leading the way towards a cleaner, greener future through exceptional simplicity, advanced safety, and innovation.

At booth B4-170, HYXiPOWER officially launched its innovation-driven All-in-One ESS, setting a new industry benchmark by achieving zero injection without external meters or CTs needed. Engineered with automotive-grade standards, the system integrates A+ grade cells, advanced BMS, smoke detection, and explosion-proof valves. Its plug-and-play design seamlessly fits existing distribution boxes without rewiring and works effortlessly with third-party inverters. Available from 6 kW to 15 kW, and expandable from 10 kWh to 25 kWh, it supports 160% PV input overmatching, 150% instant off-grid overload with three-phase unbalanced output. Built-in AFCI and Type II surge protection deliver intelligent, durable, and efficient energy storageall in one.

Beyond Applications: Innovation for Every Needs

Highlighting its commitment to full-scenario coverage, HYXiPOWER also introduced its Air-Cooling ESS and Balcony Micro Storage System. The Air-Cooling ESS, built with A+ grade cells, ensures high safety and reliability. Its flexible, plug-and-play design supports up to eight units in parallel, with integrated EMS and remote O&M simplifying deployment and maintenance.

The Balcony Micro Storage System offers a 2,560Wh battery capacity (expandable to three units, maximum 10.24kWh), delivering up to 1,200W output and supporting low-power DC devices. Its compatibility with microinverters and simple installation further underline HYXiPOWER's pursuit of usability.

"Energy belongs to everyone. At HYXiPOWER, our products design with purpose  prioritizing safety, simplicity, and seamless experience, grounded in automotive-grade engineering," said Han Yin, General Manager of HYXiPOWER Europe.

Beyond Collaboration: Growing Stronger with Global Partners

HYXiPOWER also celebrated partnerships with global partners, including Multipunkt GmbH (Germany), EVOLUSOLAR ENERGY (France), BM Energy (Netherlands), CONNECTOWAY (Brazil) etc., strengthening its global presence and advancing the adoption of clean energy.

David Shen, General Manager of HYXiPOWER Overseas Business Center, stated, "These collaborations has deepened our global network. Together with our partners, we go beyond today's needs, act as both guardians and driving forces behind the global transition to sustainable energy."

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BOSTON, Mass., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Industry leaders today announced the formation of the 5G Operational Technology Alliance (5G-OT Alliance), a groundbreaking, network owner-led initiative dedicated to accelerating the secure and efficient adoption of private 5G and LTE networks in operational technology (OT) environments. This alliance distinguishes itself by placing control and direction directly in the hands of network owners, ensuring unbiased knowledge sharing and collaborative innovation.

Mission: Shaping the Future of Industrial Connectivity

The 5G-OT Alliance's mission is to accelerate the adoption of private 5G & LTE networking in operational technology by fostering collaboration, empowering innovation, and driving market transformation. Through a member-led approach, they aim to inspire and shape the future of OT, unlocking the full potential of 5G to revolutionize industries, enhance connectivity, and create smarter, more efficient, and secure operations worldwide.

Vision: A Connected, Intelligent, and Secure Industrial Future

The Alliance envisions a future where private 5G and LTE dramatically change industrial operations. Real-time data will drive automation and faster decisions, boosting efficiency. Strong security will protect critical systems, reducing risks. Smart connectivity will improve resource use, leading to more sustainable practices. Flexible networks will support changing industry needs. By sharing best practices and developing practical use cases, the Alliance will unlock the full potential of private 5G, creating smarter, more efficient, and secure industries worldwide.

"The 5G-OT Alliance is uniquely positioned to accelerate the adoption of private 5G by focusing on practical, real-world use cases," said Tripp Winkler, Executive Director of the 5G-OT Alliance. "We are bringing together network owners to share knowledge and drive innovation, ensuring that private 5G solutions are tailored to the specific needs of industrial operations. This member led focus will be the key to our success."

The promise of Industry 4.0, with its emphasis on automation, real-time data analysis, and interconnected systems, hinges on robust and reliable wireless connectivity. Private 5G and LTE networks are essential for delivering the low latency, high bandwidth, and secure communication required to power these advanced industrial applications. The 5G-OT Alliance is strategically positioned to accelerate this transformation by providing a platform for network owners to collaborate on developing private 5G and LTE deployments. By focusing on practical use cases, sharing best practices, and ensuring operator-led governance, the Alliance will directly address the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0, empowering industries to fully leverage the power of private networks and shape the future of connected industrial operations.

Michael Krumay, Head of Technics, Hamburger Containerboard added, "Private 5G enables us to unlock new levels of connectivity and automation in our operational processes and is a key enabler for optimization. The 5G-OT Alliance will play a crucial role in driving innovation and ensuring seamless integration of 5G technologies."

The complexity of deploying private 5G and LTE networks presents significant barriers to entry, hindering operators' ability to unlock the transformative power of Industry 4.0. The 5G-OT Alliance directly addresses this challenge by developing standardized use cases, implementation guides, and security frameworks tailored to the specific needs of operational technology. This operator-led approach ensures that the solutions are practical and relevant, empowering even smaller industrial operations to leverage the benefits of private networks and participate in the Industry 4.0 revolution. Through this collective effort, the 5G-OT Alliance enables a wider range of industries to achieve greater efficiency, productivity, and innovation.

"BASF is committed to leveraging advanced technologies to drive operational excellence and sustainability," stated Steven Werbrouck, 5G Technical Lead, BASF Antwerp. "The 5G-OT Alliance provides a platform for us to collaborate with industry partners and accelerate the adoption of secure and reliable private 5G networks in our manufacturing facilities."

OneLayer brings critical expertise in addressing the unique challenges of industrial 5G deployments. Dave Mor, Co-Founder and CEO, OneLayer said, "Securing and managing the devices connected to private 5G networks in OT environments is paramount. We are proud to support the establishment of the 5G-OT Alliance which will strengthen adoption of private 5G networks so members can confidently embrace this transformative technology."

Free Registration Now Open

The 5G-OT Alliance invites network owners in the OT space, such as manufacturers, logistics operators, and others currently deploying or interested in deploying and managing their own Private 5G infrastructure, to join its mission. Free registration is now open. For more information and to join, please visit www.5GOTAlliance.org.

About 5G OT Alliance:

The 5G-OT Alliance is a network owner-led initiative dedicated to accelerating the secure and efficient adoption of private 5G networks in operational technology environments. Initial founding members include John Deere, Hamburger Containerboard, BASF, Miami International Airport and OneLayer. The Alliance focuses on security, interoperability, education, and use case development, fostering collaboration and standardization across diverse industrial sectors.

Contact:

Tripp Winkler

Executive Director

[email protected]

SOURCE 5G-OT Alliance
DALLAS, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Invesco Commercial Real Estate Finance Trust, Inc. ("INCREF"), a perpetual life real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on private credit secured by real estate, announced that it closed its inaugural $1.2 billion managed commercial real estate collateralized loan obligation (CRE CLO), INCREF 2025-FL1, on May 7, 2025.

"Our culture of innovation has kept us on the leading edge of commercial real estate for 40 years. This transaction further demonstrates our deep real estate capital markets expertise and commitment to excellence in real estate finance," said Bert Crouch, Chief Executive Officer and Director of INCREF and Head of North America for Invesco Real Estate.

The CRE CLO is structured by Morgan Stanley with bookrunning support from Barclays, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo, and is secured by a portfolio consisting of approximately 55% multifamily and 45% industrial loans.

"We're pleased to announce that this issuance, which priced efficiently amid volatile market conditions, is the largest diversified CRE CLO issued in the US in the past three years1 evidencing the market's confidence in the sector," said Charlie Rose, President and Lead Portfolio Manager of INCREF and Global Head of Credit for Invesco Real Estate. "By issuing today, we have improved our overall cost of capital and accessed significant additional liquidity at a time when our liquidity position is already extraordinarily strong."

The Invesco Real Estate platform has rapidly grown to become one of the five most active alternative lending platforms in the US.2 The group attributes this, in part, to its property-first and 'credit-over-yield' mandate that has helped the team to develop lasting partnerships with relationship borrowers.

About INCREF

Invesco Commercial Real Estate Finance Trust, Inc. is a monthly net asset value (NAV) non- listed real estate investment trust that originates, acquires, and manages a portfolio of loans secured by commercial real estate (and similar investments) primarily located in North America. INCREF is managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc. (the "Adviser"), a subsidiary of Invesco Ltd. and the registered investment adviser for Invesco Real Estate, the real estate investment center of Invesco Ltd. This does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities. An offering can only be made by the applicable offering memorandum.

About Invesco Real Estate

Invesco Real Estate is a global leader in the real estate investment management business with $85 billion in real estate assets under management, 605 employees and 21 regional offices across the U.S., Europe and Asia Pacific as of December 31, 2024. With over a 40-year history, Invesco Real Estate invests across the risk return spectrum, from core to opportunistic; in equity and debt; listed and direct; locally and globally. Invesco Real Estate is a business name of Invesco Advisers, Inc., an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd.

About Invesco Ltd.

Invesco is a global independent investment management firm dedicated to delivering an investment experience that helps people get more out of life. Our distinctive investment teams deliver a comprehensive range of active, passive and alternative investment capabilities. With offices in more than 20 countries, Invesco managed $1.8 trillion in assets on behalf of clients worldwide as of March 31, 2025. For more information, visit invesco.com/corporate.

1 J.P. Morgan, Commercial Mortgage Alert, Bloomberg Finance L.P., INTEX, as of May 2, 2025.

2 2024 Mortgage Bankers Association Ranking Investor-Driven Lenders "As a Lender" - Invesco Real Estate = #4, as of March 25, 2025. The survey is based on commercial mortgage loans and other financing activity closed during 2024.

Contact: Matthew Chisum | 212-652-4368 | [email protected]

SOURCE Invesco Commercial Real Estate Finance Trust, Inc.
First patient dosed in study investigating roginolisib + dostarlimab +/- docetaxel in patients with NSCLC who have progressed on prior immunotherapy/chemo

Study will evaluate safety of the combination and explore whether targeting PI3K with immunotherapy may rebalance the immune system to prevent or reverse resistance to current standard immunotherapy/chemo in NSCLC

GENEVA and AMSTERDAM, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iOnctura, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company combating neglected and hard-to-treat cancers, today announces it has dosed the first patient in the randomized Phase I/II study investigating lead asset roginolisib in combination with dostarlimab with or without docetaxel, in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally, accounting for approximately 1 in 5 of all cancer deaths[1].

Anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) or anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) immunotherapy is a standard therapy for NSCLC patients with no actionable mutations in the first or second lines of therapy, with or without chemotherapy. However, treatment is often of limited duration as the cancer cells develop resistance to the treatment. Rebalancing the immune system via PI3K inhibition is thought to re-invigorate anti-tumour immune cells and thus is a promising mechanism to overcome resistance to current immunotherapies[2].

Michele Maio, MD, PhD, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Siena and Director of the Center for Immuno-Oncology at the University Hospital of Siena (Italy), Primary Coordinating Investigator of the Phase I/II study said: 'There is a significant lack of treatment options for NSCLC patients who have progressed on immunotherapy and chemotherapy. We will be investigating whether the combination of roginolisib with dostarlimab and +/- chemotherapy can be given safely and may provide a novel treatment option in patients who no longer respond to their current treatment.'

Emerging clinical and translational biomarker data supports the hypothesis that combining roginolisib with an anti-PD-L1/PD1 agent, with or without docetaxel, may prevent or reverse drug resistance in NSCLC and may show synergistic anti-tumor immune activity without significant addition of toxicity. Firstly, the combination of anti-PD1 and roginolisib had an anti-tumor effect in vitro[3]. Secondly, ex vivo evaluation of NSCLC samples from patients responding and failing to immunotherapy showed that roginolisib rebalanced the composition of immune cells by inhibiting regulatory T-cells and enhancing CD8+ T cell killing cells3. Finally, roginolisib augmented the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy and immunotherapy3.

Dostarlimab is a PD-1-blocking antibody approved in the US in combination with chemotherapy for certain patients with endometrial cancer, as well as a single agent for certain patients with dMMR tumours that have progressed on or following prior treatment. It has also demonstrated clinical activity in combination with chemotherapy in NSCLC[4]. Under a supply agreement with iOnctura, GSK will supply dostarlimab for use in the trial. iOnctura will retain worldwide rights to roginolisib.

The Phase I/II open-label, randomized, parallel-arm PULMO-01 study (NCT06879717) will assess roginolisib in combination with dostarlimab, with or without docetaxel. The study will enrol approximately 45 patients who have progressed on standard-of-care immune checkpoint therapy. It will investigate the safety of the combination and the proportion of patients with a reduction in peripheral blood regulatory T cells in each arm.

Roginolisib is an allosteric modulator of PI3K, widely recognized as a 'master switch' of cancer. Inhibition of PI3K unleashes a multi-pronged anti-tumor and immune response to combat the tumor[5]. Roginolisib has demonstrated an unprecedented clinical profile in solid and liquid cancers[6], and is currently being investigated in a randomized Phase II clinical trial in uveal melanoma. A separate Phase I/II study in myelofibrosis is being initiated.

About iOnctura

iOnctura is a clinical-stage precision oncology company combating neglected and hard-to-treat cancers with a pipeline of first-in-class small molecules. The bold new treatments extend lives and improve healthspans, changing the outlook for patients and their families. Lead asset, roginolisib, is an allosteric modulator of PI3K with a unique chemical structure and binding mode. Allosteric modulation is a new archetype for precise inhibition of PI3K, promising clinical activity without the detrimental tolerability seen with previous generations of inhibitors. Roginolisib is being investigated in multiple randomized Phase II studies in solid and hematological malignancies. iOnctura BV is headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands with its wholly owned Swiss subsidiary, iOnctura SA, located in Geneva, Switzerland. iOnctura is backed by specialist institutional investors including Syncona, M Ventures, Inkef Capital, EIC Fund, VI Partners, Schroders Capital and XGEN Venture.

About roginolisib

Roginolisib is an allosteric modulator of PI3K with a unique chemical structure and binding mode. Allosteric modulation is a new archetype for precise inhibition of PI3K, promising clinical activity without the detrimental tolerability seen with previous generations of inhibitors. The PI3K signaling pathway is one of the most commonly dysregulated pathways across multiple cancer types. The potential of roginolisib has been validated by positive clinical signals in Phase I in solid tumor and hematological malignancies, including a doubling of overall survival compared to historical controls in rare eye cancer, uveal melanoma. The company has carefully designed its clinical program to allow full development in uveal melanoma, while in parallel validating the program in larger market indications. The Phase II OCULE-01 study in uveal melanoma started in March 2025 and the Phase I/II PULMO-01 study in NSCLC started in May 2025. Further studies in other malignancies, including myelofibrosis, are being initiated.

[1] World Health Organisation, June 2023

[2] Exposito et al., Cancer Res (2023) 83 (15): 25132526

[3] Riganti et al., Poster Presentation, EACR 2023

[4] Lim et al., Nature Communications (2023) 14:7301

[5] AACR Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2023, Poster presentation, SITC 2022

[6] Poster presentation, ESMO-IO 2023

SOURCE iOnctura
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. , May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The next chapter in the story of America's best-selling full-size SUV begins today, as the Jeep brand releases the first official images of the refreshed 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

As part of final validation testing, Jeep engineers are removing camouflage and perfecting the 2026 Grand Cherokee's powertrain, user-friendly technology, advanced safety features and class-leading all-weather capability.

A new chapter in the story of the most awarded SUV ever begins today, as Jeep Brand releases the first official images of the refreshed 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee. A cornerstone of the Jeep brand for over 30 years, it will continue to be available as a two-row, three-row L, and plug-in hybrid 4xe.

The most awarded SUV ever, and a cornerstone of the Jeep brand for more than 30 years, the refreshed 2026 Grand Cherokee will continue to be assembled in Detroit, Michigan. Designed to enhance every stage of life's journey, from young families to empty nesters, the updated Grand Cherokee will be available as a two-row, three-row L and plug-in hybrid 4xe, the latter a top three selling PHEV in America.

Stay tuned for more as the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee arrives later this year.

Jeep Brand

For more than 80 years, Jeep has been the global leader in SUVs, delivering legendary off-road capability, advanced technology and exceptional versatility for those who seek adventure. With a commitment to innovation, the Jeep brand offers a diverse lineup of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, hybrid technology and all-electric drivetrains. The brand's dedication to customer satisfaction is reflected in Jeep Wave, a premium owner loyalty and customer care program that provides exclusive benefits and 24/7 support. Built on a heritage of freedom, adventure, authenticity and passion, Jeep continues to set the standard for rugged yet refined vehicles designed to conquer it all.

Follow Jeep and company news and video on:

Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Jeep brand: www.jeep.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeep

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeep

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeep

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/jeep

YouTube: www.youtube.com/thejeepchannel or https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA

SOURCE Stellantis
Conference on Arab Christians Opens in Jordan

HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal, Chairperson of the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies (RIIFS), on Wednesday attends the opening ceremony of the conference titled "Christians in the Arab East: Insights of Unity and Illumination. ( Petra) AMMAN -- HRH Prince El Hassan, President of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS), on Wednesday inaugurated the "Christians in the Arab Levant and the Aspirations of Unity and Enlightenment" conference, organised by the institute.

In his address, Prince El Hassan stressed that freedom of belief and full, equal citizenship are the cornerstones of a modern, inclusive society, underlying the necessity of acknowledging the legitimacy of pluralism in the Levant, which is considered the "Levant of the Levantines," and of upholding the right to difference and full equality among its citizens, based on a solid foundation of citizenship, partnership, and solidarity in the face of polarization and hatred."

Prince El Hassan underscored the importance of cultural and human dialogue among followers of different religions and of strengthening shared values to foster a cooperative independence in the Levant, while reaffirming the common humanity of its people.

The Prince also noted that developing a shared understanding of regional policies in the Mashriq is an urgent need to preserve the Levant's balance amid today's turbulent world. Highlighting the region's diversity and centrist worldview, he affirmed that Islam is rooted in justice, equality, and the protection of the rights of all citizens regardless of race, gender, or faith.

Prince El Hassan also referred to the Sykes-Picot Agreement as a prelude to further religious and sectarian fragmentation.

The opening session featured the participation of several prominent Christian leaders, including Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem; Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch; Catholicos Aram I, head of the Armenian Orthodox Catholicosate of Cilicia; Patriarch Ignatius Youssef III Younan of the Syriac Catholic Church; and Patriarch Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian of the Armenian Catholic Church.

Patriarch Theophilos III praised His Majesty King Abdullah's role in interfaith dialogue and protection of holy sites in Jerusalem, warning of the demographic, economic, and violent challenges facing Christians in the Middle East, particularly in the war-torn Gaza Strip, where Christians continue to hold on to their homeland.

Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II highlighted the historical coexistence and shared heritage of the region's peoples. He noted that Christians and Muslims co-authored the Arab civilization from the 7th century onward, especially through the contributions of Christian and Syriac scholars during the Abbasid era.

Catholicos Aram I said religious and cultural tolerance is now a necessity rather than a choice, calling for a new, context-sensitive dialogue framework and warning against the politicization of religion. He emphasized the need to transition from dialogue to peaceful coexistence amid regional religious and cultural diversity.

Patriarch Younan called for strengthening values of brotherhood and coexistence, asserting that Christianity is deeply rooted in the culture of the East and that enlightenment is essential for resisting extremism.

Patriarch Minassian expressed appreciation for the generosity of the Jordanian people and the Hashemite leadership in welcoming Christians, including Armenians at the onset of the last century and Iraqi and Syrian Christians fleeing the Daesh terror group's violence.
The introduction of an unconditional and complete ceasefire for 30 days was discussed during an online meeting by the head of the Presidents Office, Andriy Yermak, and special representatives of the US President, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, as well as diplomatic representatives of other countries.

"A 30-day ceasefire would open the way for substantive negotiations toward achieving a just and lasting peace. If Moscow agrees to this proposal, we are ready for dialogue with the participation and support of the United States and European partners. However, if the Kremlin once again chooses escalation over peace, the collective response of our partners must be decisive. Therefore, Ukraine welcomes the draft bill, prepared by members of Congress led by Lindsey Graham, on imposing secondary sanctions on Russia," Andriy Yermak noted.

Andriy Yermak emphasized that a full and unconditional ceasefire should be the first stage and a precondition for negotiations aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin's proposal for a three-day truce is aimed solely at ensuring the security of the Moscow parade, not at achieving peace.

The parties also discussed possible means of exerting pressure on Russia in case it refuses to accept the ceasefire proposal or violates the complete silence agreement.

The online meeting was attended by Diplomatic Adviser to the President of France Emmanuel Bonne, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Jonathan Powell, and Foreign Policy and Security Adviser to the Federal Chancellor of Germany Gunter Sautter. Conversations were also held with diplomatic representatives of the Nordic and Baltic countries, the European Council, and the European Commission.

On the Ukrainian side, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Deputy Head of the Presidents Office Ihor Zhovkva, and advisors to the Head of the Presidents Office Daria Zarivna and Oleksandr Bevz participated in the online meetings.
Award-Winning Franchise Bringing "Ritz-Carlton for Dogs" Experience to Deerfield, Illinois

DEERFIELD, Ill., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel , an internationally recognized and multi-award-winning luxury boarding and dog daycare franchise, is set to open its first Illinois location in Deerfield on June 21. Located at 649 Lake Cook Rd., this new best-in-class pet hotel will provide Deerfield pet parents with an exceptional boarding and daycare experience that goes well beyond standard pet services. To celebrate the initial opening, K9 Resorts in Deerfield will be hosting a grand opening event on June 21 from 11 a.m.  2 p.m. The event will feature a ribbon cutting, exclusive site tours, prize giveaways, refreshments, and other festivities.

K9 Resorts Deerfield is owned by Luxury Pet Hotel Investments LLC, (LPHI) the largest group of K9 Resorts franchisees. The group has announced plans to open 48 locations nationwide, including up to 11 in Southern California, 13 in Florida, and 11 across Virginia and Washington, D.C. The group plans to open up to eight locations in the greater Chicagoland area by 2029.

"We're thrilled to bring K9 Resorts to Deerfield," said Zack Nisbet, EVP of the Chicago region for LPHI. "Dogs are family, and we believe they deserve the same level of care and comfort we would expect for ourselves. Chicagoland dogs are going to enjoy a healthy, safe, and loving environment inside our custom-designed resort."

K9 Resorts provides five-star service at locations across the U.S. The new Deerfield resort features best-in-class facilities and services, including luxury dog boarding suites, premium Kuranda dog beds, high-definition TVs, premium shampoos in its bathing salons, and much more to make it every dog's favorite place away from home. With health and wellness being a top priority, K9 Resorts also features a state-of-the-art air purification and ventilation system, which constantly cleans the air. In addition, K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotels feature outdoor play yards equipped with antimicrobial K9Grass and indoor playrooms, providing pets with everything they need to make new friends while getting necessary exercise.

K9 Resorts staff undergo extensive training and receive pet care certifications. Beyond this, every team member has a profound love for dogs and is dedicated to providing them with the best possible care. As a brand standard, the K9 Resorts team treats every dog like their own, ensuring a safe and secure environment that prioritizes pet well-being.

"Opening our first Illinois location in Deerfield is a meaningful step in our continued growth," said Jason Parker, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of K9 Resorts. "We're proud to bring our world-class hospitality to more families who want the very best for their dogs. From our top-tier amenities to our passionate staff, everything at K9 Resorts is designed to give pets a premium experience and give owners peace of mind."

K9 Resorts Deerfield is accepting reservations now for stay dates starting June 23. Pre-opening special offers are also available. The resort's regular operating hours will be Monday through Friday from 7 a.m.  7 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday, from 9 a.m.  5:30 p.m. Deerfield dog parents can connect with the new resort on Facebook and Instagram (@k9resortsdeerfield) to stay up to date on events and promotions. To contact K9 Resorts of Deerfield, please call (847) 717-8322, or visit https://www.k9resorts.com/deerfield/ .

About K9 Resorts

K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel ( www.k9resorts.com ) strives to offer the best pet care experience for all the dogs in its care and has been honored with five IBPSA Pet Care Business Excellence Awards, the highest level of recognition within the pet industry. Founded in 2005, by Steven & Jason Parker, each K9 Resort is custom-designed with hospital-grade ventilation systems, antimicrobial flooring, cage-free luxury boarding and world-class, professionally trained staff members. Steven Parker was also the recipient of the 2024 Founders Award from the Professional Animal Care Certification Council (PACCC), a prestigious recognition for making significant contributions to the industry. Recommended by numerous pet professionals and several major publications, K9 Resorts is proud to lead the way in the pet hospitality industry.

Media Contact: Logan Ruby | Fishman Public Relations | [email protected] | (630) 945-0474

SOURCE K9 Resorts
Record Oil, Natural Gas and NGL Revenues, Net Income of $25.9 million, Record Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA and Record Cash Available for Distribution

Q1 2025 Run-Rate Daily Production of 25,841 Boe/d (6:1) Including a Full-Quarter of Acquired Production; Exceeds Mid-Point of Guidance

Redeemed 50% of Outstanding Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units, Further Simplifying Capital Structure and Reducing Cost of Capital

Borrowing Base and Aggregate Commitments on Kimbell's Secured Revolving Credit Facility Increased from $550 million to $625 million

Activity on Acreage Remains Robust with 90 Active Rigs Drilling Representing 16%1 Market Share of U.S. Land Rig Count

Announces Q1 2025 Cash Distribution of $0.47 per Common Unit, an Increase of 18% from Q4 2024 Representing a 15.8% Annualized Tax Advantaged Cash Yield2

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP (NYSE: KRP) ("Kimbell" or the "Company"), a leading owner of oil and natural gas mineral and royalty interests in over 131,000 gross wells across 28 states, today announced financial and operating results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.

First Quarter 2025 Highlights

Q1 2025 run-rate daily production of 25,501 barrels of oil equivalent ("Boe") per day (6:1) Includes 74 days of production from the Company's $230 million acquisition from a private seller (the "Acquired Production"), which closed on January 17, 2025 with an effective date of October 1, 2024 Including a full Q1 2025 impact of the Acquired Production, the revenues of which will be received by the Company, run-rate production was 25,841 Boe per day (6:1)

Record Q1 2025 oil, natural gas and NGL revenues of $90.0 million Including a full Q1 2025 impact of the Acquired Production, the revenues of which will be received by the Company, Q1 2025 oil, natural gas and NGL revenues were $91.6 million

Q1 2025 net income of approximately $25.9 million and net income attributable to common units of approximately $17.9 million

and net income attributable to common units of approximately Record Q1 2025 consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of $75.5 million Including a full Q1 2025 impact of the Acquired Production, the revenues of which will be received by the Company, consolidated Adjusted EBITDA was $77.1 million

On May 7, 2025 , Kimbell redeemed 50% of its Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units outstanding, further simplifying its capital structure and reducing its cost of capital

, Kimbell redeemed 50% of its Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units outstanding, further simplifying its capital structure and reducing its cost of capital On May 1, 2025 , the borrowing base and aggregate commitments on Kimbell's secured revolving credit facility were increased from $550 million to $625 million in connection with its spring redetermination

, the borrowing base and aggregate commitments on Kimbell's secured revolving credit facility were increased from to in connection with its spring redetermination As of March 31, 2025 , Kimbell's major properties 3 had 8.10 net DUCs and net permitted locations on its acreage (4.67 net DUCs and 3.43 net permitted locations) compared to an estimated 6.5 net wells needed to maintain flat production

, Kimbell's major properties had 8.10 net DUCs and net permitted locations on its acreage (4.67 net DUCs and 3.43 net permitted locations) compared to an estimated 6.5 net wells needed to maintain flat production As of March 31, 2025 , Kimbell had 90 rigs actively drilling on its acreage, representing approximately 16% market share of all land rigs drilling in the continental United States as of such time

, Kimbell had 90 rigs actively drilling on its acreage, representing approximately 16% market share of all land rigs drilling in the continental as of such time Announced a Q1 2025 cash distribution of $0.47 per common unit, an increase of 17.5% from Q4 2024, reflecting a payout ratio of 75% of cash available for distribution; implies a 15.8% annualized yield based on the May 7, 2025 closing price of $11.88 per common unit; Kimbell intends to utilize the remaining 25% of its cash available for distribution to repay a portion of the outstanding borrowings under Kimbell's revolving credit facility

per common unit, an increase of 17.5% from Q4 2024, reflecting a payout ratio of 75% of cash available for distribution; implies a 15.8% annualized yield based on the closing price of per common unit; Kimbell intends to utilize the remaining 25% of its cash available for distribution to repay a portion of the outstanding borrowings under Kimbell's revolving credit facility Kimbell affirms its financial and operational guidance ranges for 2025 previously disclosed in its Q4 2024 earnings release

Robert Ravnaas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC, Kimbell's general partner (the "General Partner"), commented, "We are beginning 2025 with several new milestones for Kimbell, which include records for oil, natural gas and NGL revenues, consolidated adjusted EBITDA and cash available for distribution for Q1 2025. Other 2025 milestones so far include completing a highly attractive and accretive acquisition in the core of the Permian Basin on January 17, 2025, increasing the Company's borrowing base and elected commitments on the credit facility from $550 million to $625 million on May 1, 2025 and redeeming 50% of the Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units on May 7, 2025, further simplifying our capital structure and reducing our cost of capital. Even with the uncertainty occurring across the broader geopolitical landscape, activity on our acreage remains robust with 90 rigs actively drilling on our acreage as of March 31, 2025, representing 16% market share of all land rigs drilling in the lower 48.

"We are pleased to declare the Q1 2025 distribution of 47 cents per common unit, an increase of 17.5% from Q4 2024 and reflecting a 15.8% annualized tax advantaged yield based on Kimbell's closing price on May 7, 2025. We estimate that approximately 70% of this distribution is expected to be considered return of capital and not subject to dividend taxes, further enhancing the after-tax return to our common unitholders."

"As we look forward in 2025 and beyond, we remain bullish about the U.S. oil and natural gas royalty industry, our role as a leading consolidator in the sector and the prospects for Kimbell to generate long-term unitholder value."

First Quarter 2025 Distribution and Debt Repayment

Today, the Board of Directors of the General Partner (the "Board of Directors") approved a cash distribution payment to common unitholders of 75% of cash available for distribution for the first quarter of 2025, or $0.47 per common unit. The distribution will be payable on May 28, 2025 to common unitholders of record at the close of business on May 20, 2025. Kimbell plans to utilize the remaining 25% of cash available for distribution for the first quarter of 2025 to pay down approximately $16.9 million of the outstanding borrowings under its secured revolving credit facility.

Kimbell expects that approximately 70% of its first quarter 2025 distribution should not constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes, but instead are estimated to constitute non-taxable reductions to the basis of each distribution recipient's ownership interest in Kimbell common units. The reduced tax basis will increase unitholders' capital gain (or decrease unitholders' capital loss) when unitholders sell their common units. The Form 8937 containing additional information may be found at www.kimbellrp.com under "Investor Relations" section of the site. Kimbell currently believes that the portion that constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes will be considered qualified dividends, subject to holding period and certain other conditions, which are subject to a tax rate of 0%, 15% or 20% depending on the income level and tax filing status of a unitholder for 2025. Kimbell believes these estimates are reasonable based on currently available information, but they are subject to change.

Financial Highlights

Kimbell's first quarter 2025 average realized price per Bbl of oil was $70.34, per Mcf of natural gas was $3.68, per Bbl of NGLs was $26.02 and per Boe combined was $38.61.

During the first quarter of 2025, the Company's total revenues were $84.2 million, net income was approximately $25.9 million and net income attributable to common units was approximately $17.9 million, or $0.20 per common unit.

Total first quarter 2025 consolidated Adjusted EBITDA was $75.5 million (consolidated Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see a reconciliation to the nearest GAAP financial measures at the end of this news release).

In the first quarter of 2025, G&A expense was $9.6 million, $5.8 million of which was Cash G&A expense, or $2.52 per BOE (Cash G&A and Cash G&A per Boe are non-GAAP financial measures. Please see definition under Non-GAAP Financial Measures in the Supplemental Schedules included in this news release). Unit-based compensation in the first quarter of 2025, which is a non-cash G&A expense, was $3.9 million or $1.68 per Boe.

As of March 31, 2025, Kimbell had approximately $299.0 million in debt outstanding under its secured revolving credit facility, had net debt to first quarter 2025 trailing twelve month consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of approximately 0.9x and was in compliance with all financial covenants under its secured revolving credit facility. Kimbell had approximately $251.0 million in undrawn capacity under its secured revolving credit facility as of March 31, 2025.

On May 1, 2025, the borrowing base and aggregate commitments on Kimbell's secured revolving credit facility were increased from $550 million to $625 million in connection with its spring redetermination. In addition, on May 7, 2025, the Company redeemed 50% of its Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units outstanding, further simplifying its capital structure and reducing its cost of capital. After giving effect to this redemption, along with the expected pay-down from the remaining 25% of Q1 2025 cash available for distribution, Kimbell expects to have approximately $462.1 million in debt outstanding under its secured credit facility, have net debt to first quarter 2025 trailing twelve month consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of approximately 1.5x and to be in compliance with all financial covenants under its secured credit facility.

As of March 31, 2025, Kimbell had outstanding 93,396,488 common units and 14,491,540 Class B units. As of May 8, 2025, Kimbell had outstanding 93,396,488 common units and 14,491,540 Class B units.

Production

First quarter 2025 run-rate average daily production was 25,501 Boe per day (6:1), which was composed of approximately 48% from natural gas (6:1) and approximately 52% from liquids (33% from oil and 19% from NGLs). Including a full Q1 2025 impact of the Acquired Production, the revenues of which will be received by the Company, run-rate production was 25,841 Boe per day (6:1).

Operational Update

As of March 31, 2025, Kimbell's major properties had 808 gross (4.67 net) DUCs and 682 gross (3.43 net) permitted locations on its acreage. In addition, as of March 31, 2025, Kimbell had 90 rigs actively drilling on its acreage, which represents an approximate 15.7% market share of all land rigs drilling in the continental United States as of such time.

Basin Gross DUCs as of

March 31, 2025(1) Gross Permits as of

March 31, 2025(1) Net DUCs as of

March 31, 2025(1) Net Permits as of

March 31, 2025(1) Permian 503 491 2.64 2.55 Eagle Ford 67 22 0.32 0.08 Haynesville 40 22 0.37 0.16 Mid-Continent 114 78 0.91 0.41 Bakken 70 67 0.31 0.22 Appalachia 2 1 0.02 0.00 Rockies 12 1 0.10 0.01 Total 808 682 4.67 3.43

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(1) These figures pertain only to Kimbell's major properties and do not include possible additional DUCs and permits from Kimbell's minor properties, which generally have a net revenue interest of 0.1% or below and are time consuming to quantify but, in the estimation of Kimbell's management, could add an additional 15% to Kimbell's net inventory.

Hedging Update

The following provides information concerning Kimbell's hedge book as of March 31, 2025:

Fixed Price Swaps as of March 31, 2025



Weighted Average

Volumes Fixed Price

Oil Nat Gas Oil Nat Gas

BBL MMBTU $/BBL $/MMBTU 2Q 2025 140,686 1,310,127 $ 67.64 $ 3.52 3Q 2025 136,068 1,261,964 $ 74.20 $ 3.74 4Q 2025 146,372 1,291,680 $ 68.26 $ 3.68 1Q 2026 146,880 1,296,000 $ 70.38 $ 4.07 2Q 2026 148,512 1,310,400 $ 70.78 $ 3.33 3Q 2026 150,144 1,324,800 $ 66.60 $ 3.42 4Q 2026 150,144 1,324,800 $ 63.33 $ 3.94 1Q 2027 151,470 1,321,920 $ 63.75 $ 4.46

Conference Call

Kimbell Royalty Partners will host a conference call and webcast today at 10:00 a.m. Central Time (11:00 a.m. Eastern Time) to discuss first quarter 2025 results. To access the call live by phone, dial 201-389-0869 and ask for the Kimbell Royalty Partners call at least 10 minutes prior to the start time. A telephonic replay will be available through May 15, 2025 by dialing 201-612-7415 and using the conference ID 13752275#. A webcast of the call will also be available live and for later replay on Kimbell's website at http://kimbellrp.investorroom.com under the Events and Presentations tab.

Presentation

On May 8, 2025, Kimbell posted an updated investor presentation on its website. The presentation may be found at http://kimbellrp.investorroom.com under the Events and Presentations tab. Information on Kimbell's website does not constitute a portion of this news release.

About Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

Kimbell (NYSE: KRP) is a leading oil and gas mineral and royalty company based in Fort Worth, Texas. Kimbell owns mineral and royalty interests in over 17 million gross acres in 28 states and in every major onshore basin in the continental United States, including ownership in more than 131,000 gross wells. To learn more, visit http://www.kimbellrp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements, in particular statements relating to Kimbell's financial, operating and production results and prospects for growth (including financial and operational guidance), drilling inventory, growth potential, identified locations and all other estimates and predictions resulting from Kimbell's portfolio review, the tax treatment of Kimbell's distributions, changes in Kimbell's capital structure, future natural gas and other commodity prices and changes to supply and demand for oil, natural gas and NGLs. These and other forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including risks that the anticipated benefits of acquisitions are not realized and uncertainties relating to Kimbell's business, prospects for growth and acquisitions and the securities markets generally, as well as risks inherent in oil and natural gas drilling and production activities, including risks with respect to potential declines in prices for oil and natural gas that could result in downward revisions to the value of proved reserves or otherwise cause operators to delay or suspend planned drilling and completion operations or reduce production levels, which would adversely impact cash flow, risks relating to the impairment of oil and natural gas properties, risk related to changes in U.S. trade policy and the impact of tariffs, risks relating to the availability of capital to fund drilling operations that can be adversely affected by adverse drilling results, production declines and declines in oil and natural gas prices, risks relating to Kimbell's ability to meet financial covenants under its credit agreement or its ability to obtain amendments or waivers to effect such compliance, risks relating to Kimbell's hedging activities, risks of fire, explosion, blowouts, pipe failure, casing collapse, unusual or unexpected formation pressures, environmental hazards, and other operating and production risks, which may temporarily or permanently reduce production or cause initial production or test results to not be indicative of future well performance or delay the timing of sales or completion of drilling operations, risks relating to delays in receipt of drilling permits, risks relating to unexpected adverse developments in the status of properties, risks relating to borrowing base redeterminations by Kimbell's lenders, risks relating to the absence or delay in receipt of government approvals or third-party consents, risks relating to acquisitions, dispositions and drop downs of assets, risks relating to Kimbell's ability to realize the anticipated benefits from and to integrate acquired assets, including the Acquired Production, risks relating to tax matters and other risks described in Kimbell's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, Kimbell undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after this news release. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in Kimbell's filings with the SEC.

1 Based on Kimbell rig count of 90 and Baker Hughes U.S. land rig count of 575 as of March 31, 2025.

2 Based on Kimbell's closing price of $11.88 on May 7, 2025.

3 These figures pertain only to Kimbell's major properties and do not include possible additional DUCs and permits from Kimbell's minor properties, which generally have a net revenue interest of 0.1% or below and are time consuming to quantify but, in the estimation of Kimbell's management, could add an additional 15% to Kimbell's net inventory.

Contact:

Rick Black

Dennard Lascar Investor Relations

[email protected]

(713) 529-6600

 Financial statements follow 

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet (Unaudited, in thousands)

March 31,

2025 Assets:



Current assets



Cash and cash equivalents $ 35,628 Oil, natural gas and NGL receivables

60,998 Accounts receivable and other current assets

2,755 Total current assets

99,381 Property and equipment, net

476 Oil and natural gas properties



Oil and natural gas properties (full cost method)

2,271,330 Less: accumulated depreciation, depletion and impairment

(1,054,916) Total oil and natural gas properties, net

1,216,414 Right-of-use assets, net

4,869 Loan origination costs, net

4,728 Total assets $ 1,325,868 Liabilities, mezzanine equity and unitholders' equity:



Current liabilities



Accounts payable $ 5,474 Other current liabilities

7,883 Derivative liabilities

3,165 Total current liabilities

16,522 Operating lease liabilities, excluding current portion

4,653 Derivative liabilities

1,988 Long-term debt

298,996 Other liabilities

42 Total liabilities

322,201 Commitments and contingencies



Mezzanine equity:



Series A preferred units

316,397 Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP unitholders' equity:



Common units

594,231 Class B units

724 Total Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP unitholders' equity

594,955 Non-controlling interest in OpCo

92,315 Total unitholders' equity

687,270 Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and unitholders' equity $ 1,325,868

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited, in thousands, except per-unit data and unit counts)

Three Months Ended

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2024 Revenue









Oil, natural gas and NGL revenues $ 89,951

$ 87,499 Lease bonus and other income

311



439 Loss on commodity derivative instruments, net

(6,053)



(5,704) Total revenues

84,209



82,234 Costs and expenses









Production and ad valorem taxes

5,375



6,532 Depreciation and depletion expense

31,118



38,167 Impairment of oil and natural gas properties





5,963 Marketing and other deductions

4,502



4,563 General and administrative expense

9,637



9,448 Total costs and expenses

50,632



64,673 Operating income

33,577



17,561 Other expense









Interest expense

(6,622)



(7,301) Other expense

(12)



 Net income before income taxes

26,943



10,260 Income tax expense

1,090



923 Net income

25,853



9,337 Distribution and accretion on Series A preferred units

(5,203)



(5,256) Net income attributable to non-controlling interests

(2,774)



(891) Distributions on Class B units

(14)



(21) Net income attributable to common units of Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP $ 17,862

$ 3,169











Basic $ 0.20

$ 0.04 Diluted $ 0.20

$ 0.04 Weighted average number of common units outstanding









Basic

89,682,038



72,112,056 Diluted

127,947,257



116,539,624

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP

Supplemental Schedules



NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

Adjusted EBITDA, Cash G&A and Cash G&A per Boe are used as supplemental non-GAAP financial measures by management and external users of Kimbell's financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies. Kimbell believes Adjusted EBITDA is useful because it allows us to more effectively evaluate Kimbell's operating performance and compare the results of Kimbell's operations period to period without regard to its financing methods or capital structure. In addition, management uses Adjusted EBITDA to evaluate cash flow available to pay distributions to Kimbell's unitholders. Kimbell defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss), net of depreciation and depletion expense, interest expense, income taxes, impairment of oil and natural gas properties, non-cash unit-based compensation and unrealized gains and losses on derivative instruments. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of net income (loss) or net cash provided by operating activities as determined by GAAP. Kimbell excludes the items listed above from net income (loss) in arriving at Adjusted EBITDA because these amounts can vary substantially from company to company within Kimbell's industry depending upon accounting methods and book values of assets, capital structures and the method by which the assets were acquired. Certain items excluded from Adjusted EBITDA are significant components in understanding and assessing a company's financial performance, such as a company's cost of capital and tax structure, as well as historic costs of depreciable assets, none of which are components of Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to net income, oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids revenues, net cash provided by operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. Kimbell's computations of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. Kimbell expects that cash available for distribution for each quarter will generally equal its Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter, less cash needed for debt service and other contractual obligations, tax obligations, and fixed charges and reserves for future operating or capital needs that the Board of Directors may determine is appropriate.

Kimbell believes Cash G&A and Cash G&A per Boe are useful metrics because they isolate cash costs within overall G&A expense and measure cash costs relative to overall production, which is a widely utilized metric to evaluate operational performance within the energy sector. Cash G&A is defined as general and administrative expenses less unit-based compensation expense. Cash G&A per Boe is defined as Cash G&A divided by total production for a period. Cash G&A should not be considered an alternative to G&A expense presented in accordance with GAAP. Kimbell's computations of Cash G&A and Cash G&A per Boe may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies.

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP Supplemental Schedules (Unaudited, in thousands)

Three Months Ended

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2024 Reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities









to Adjusted EBITDA and cash available for distribution









Net cash provided by operating activities $ 54,153

$ 69,046 Interest expense

6,622



7,301 Income tax expense

1,090



923 Impairment of oil and natural gas properties





(5,963) Amortization of right-of-use assets

(85)



(86) Amortization of loan origination costs

(534)



(530) Unit-based compensation

(3,861)



(3,684) Forfeiture of restricted units

57



 Loss on derivative instruments, net of settlements

(6,989)



(8,738) Changes in operating assets and liabilities:









Oil, natural gas and NGL revenues receivable

15,074



(4,316) Accounts receivable and other current assets

(17)



1,149 Accounts payable

938



(313) Other current liabilities

(1,826)



847 Operating lease liabilities

61



92 Consolidated EBITDA $ 64,683

$ 55,728 Add:









Impairment of oil and natural gas properties





5,963 Unit-based compensation

3,861



3,684 Loss on derivative instruments, net of settlements

6,989



8,738 Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA $ 75,533

$ 74,113 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to non-controlling interest

(10,146)



(16,180) Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP $ 65,387

$ 57,933











Adjustments to reconcile Adjusted EBITDA to cash available









for distribution









Less:









Cash interest expense

4,051



5,234 Cash distributions on Series A preferred units

4,163



3,800 Distributions on Class B units

14



21 Cash available for distribution on common units $ 57,159

$ 48,878

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP Supplemental Schedules (Unaudited, in thousands, except for per-unit data and unit counts)

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2025





Net income $ 25,853 Depreciation and depletion expense

31,118 Interest expense

6,622 Income tax expense

1,090 Consolidated EBITDA $ 64,683 Unit-based compensation

3,861 Loss on derivative instruments, net of settlements

6,989 Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA $ 75,533 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to non-controlling interest

(10,146) Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP $ 65,387





Adjustments to reconcile Adjusted EBITDA to cash available



for distribution



Less:



Cash interest expense

4,051 Cash distributions on Series A preferred units

4,163 Distributions on Class B units

14 Cash available for distribution on common units $ 57,159





Common units outstanding on March 31, 2025

93,396,488





Common units outstanding on May 20, 2025 Record Date

93,396,488





Cash available for distribution per common unit outstanding $ 0.61





First quarter 2025 distribution declared (1) $ 0.47



(1) The difference between the declared distribution and the cash available for distribution is primarily attributable to Kimbell allocating 25% of cash available for distribution to pay outstanding borrowings under its secured revolving credit facility. Additionally, Kimbell utilized approximately $1.6 million of cash flows expected to be received from the Q1 2025 Acquired Production from January 1, 2025 to January 16, 2025, to pay outstanding borrowings under its credit facility and to distribute the additional cash flows to common unitholders. Revenues, production and other financial and operating results from the Q1 2025 acquisition will be reflected in Kimbell's condensed consolidated financial statements from January 17, 2025 onward.

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP Supplemental Schedules (Unaudited, in thousands, except for per-unit data and unit counts)

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2024





Net income $ 9,337 Depreciation and depletion expense

38,167 Interest expense

7,301 Income tax expense

923 Consolidated EBITDA $ 55,728 Impairment of oil and natural gas properties

5,963 Unit-based compensation

3,684 Loss on derivative instruments, net of settlements

8,738 Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA $ 74,113 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to non-controlling interest

(16,180) Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP $ 57,933





Adjustments to reconcile Adjusted EBITDA to cash available



for distribution



Less:



Cash interest expense

5,234 Cash distributions on Series A preferred units

3,800 Distributions on Class B units

21 Cash available for distribution on common units $ 48,878





Common units outstanding on March 31, 2024

74,646,476





Common units outstanding on May 13, 2024 Record Date

74,646,476





Cash available for distribution per common unit outstanding $ 0.65





First quarter 2024 distribution declared (1) $ 0.49



(1) The difference between the declared distribution and the cash available for distribution is primarily attributable to Kimbell allocating 25% of cash available for distribution to pay outstanding borrowings under its secured revolving credit facility.

Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP Supplemental Schedules (Unaudited, in thousands)

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2025





Net income $ 25,853 Depreciation and depletion expense

31,118 Interest expense

6,622 Income tax expense

1,090 Consolidated EBITDA $ 64,683 Unit-based compensation

3,861 Loss on derivative instruments, net of settlements

6,989 Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA $ 75,533





Q2 2024 - Q4 2024 Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (1)

215,034 Trailing Twelve Month Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA $ 290,567





Long-term debt (as of 3/31/25)

298,996 Cash and cash equivalents (as of 3/31/25) (2)

(25,000) Net debt (as of 3/31/25) $ 273,996





Net Debt to Trailing Twelve Month Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA

0.9x



(1) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for each of the quarters ended June 30, 2024, September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2024 was previously reported in a news release relating to the applicable quarter, and the reconciliation of net income to consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for each quarter is included in the applicable news release. This also includes the trailing twelve months pro forma results from the Q1 2025 acquisition that closed in January 2025 in accordance with Kimbell's secured revolving credit facility.

(2) In accordance with Kimbell's secured revolving credit facility, the maximum deduction of cash and cash equivalents to be included in the net debt calculation for compliance purposes is $25 million.

SOURCE Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP
Members Gain Special Discounts on Powerful Lead Generation and Marketing Automation Tools

EUGENE, Ore., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iHomefinder, a leading provider of real estate property search technology and online marketing tools, today announced a new affiliate partnership with the Lakeway Area Association of REALTORS. This collaboration offers Lakeway members exclusive, discounted access to the full suite of iHomefinder products designed to help agents compete and succeed in today's evolving real estate landscape.

Through this partnership, Lakeway Area Association of REALTORS members can now access exclusive discounts and offers on the full suite of iHomefinder solutions by signing up through a dedicated Lakeway website: https://www.ihomefinder.com/landing/lakeway-area/ .

The iHomefinder platform equips agents with essential technology to compete and succeed in today's fast-moving real estate market, including:

Lead database mining and smart lead scoring to focus on prospects ready to act.

AI-powered marketing automations for personalized, automated engagement via email and text.

Mobile app access, empowering agents to manage their leads and clients on the go.

High-intent seller leads delivered directly into agents' pipelines, featuring detailed insights like property equity and ownership history.

"Our mission is to provide Lakeway Area Association of REALTORS with the tools and technology that can truly elevate their careers," said Sarah Childress, CEO of the Lakeway Area Association of REALTORS. "By partnering with iHomefinder, we're ensuring our members have access to top-tier technology at an incredible value. Technology used by some of the most successful agents nationwide."

This new affiliate relationship underscores the growing need for real estate professionals to stay competitive by embracing modern marketing, automation, and mobility solutions. With buyers and sellers increasingly beginning their journeys online, iHomefinder offers a comprehensive, integrated platform that helps agents generate leads, engage prospects, and close more deals without the need for multiple disconnected tools.

"We're excited to partner with Lakeway Area Association of REALTORS to bring their members access to cutting-edge tools that drive real business growth," said Bryson Womack, Vice President of Sales at iHomefinder. "Our solutions deliver high-quality leads, automate client engagement, and provide the flexibility agents need to succeed from anywhere with our powerful Mobile App and AI-driven marketing tools."

This affiliate partnership reflects a broader commitment from both organizations to provide real estate professionals with the modern tools they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive, online-driven environment.

Lakeway Area Association of REALTORS members can now access this exclusive offer by visiting: https://www.ihomefinder.com/landing/lakeway-area/ .

About iHomefinder

iHomefinder is one of the real estate industry's leading providers of property search technology and online marketing tools. Based in Eugene, Oregon, iHomefinder has more than 20 years of experience helping real estate professionals succeed. Trusted by thousands of agents, teams, and brokerages across North America, iHomefinder delivers powerful lead generation, marketing automation, and client management solutions to help real estate businesses grow.

Learn more at www.ihomefinder.com .

SOURCE iHomefinder Inc.
Deploys Validus platform for support across asset classes to enhance account supervision, help meet regulatory responsibilities

AUSTIN, Texas, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Eventus, a leading provider of comprehensive, at-scale trade surveillance and financial risk solutions, announced that Wealthsimple is among its newest clients deploying the firm's Validus platform for trade surveillance across asset classes. Wealthsimple is one of Canada's fastest growing financial services platforms, serving more than three million clients, with $50+ billion in assets across trading, saving and investing.

Lia Mathiesen, Senior Director, Compliance and Chief Compliance Officer at Wealthsimple, said: "We have a diversified business model in Canada, so we needed a compliance solution that could support our various business lines and handle a range of asset classes. It also had to be flexible enough to meet our data and operational needs. Working with Eventus allows us to enhance our account supervision and support our compliance efforts."

Eventus CEO Travis Schwab said: "Eventus supports many of the world's largest retail-focused financial services platforms. As one of Canada's leading platforms for retail investors, Wealthsimple has been extraordinarily successful at thinking outside the box and providing innovative solutions to its clients. We're delighted to work with Lia and the Wealthsimple team to help meet the company's regulatory needs, and as we build further on our client base in Canada and globally."

In recent months, Eventus has signed new clients for trade surveillance, algo monitoring and market risk management across the Americas, as well as Europe, the Middle East and Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. They range from market venues including exchanges and alternative trading systems (ATS's), to tier-1 banks, broker-dealers, futures commission merchants (FCMs), trading firms and buy-side participants.

The company plans to introduce a wide range of enhancements to its Validus platform in 2025, including a new artificial intelligence (AI) initiative leveraging large language model (LLM) technology.

About Eventus

Eventus provides state-of-the-art, at-scale trade surveillance software across all lines of defense. Its powerful, award-winning Validus platform is easy to deploy, customize and operate across equities, options, futures, foreign exchange (FX), fixed income and digital asset markets. Validus is proven in the most complex, high-volume, and real time environments of Eventus' rapidly growing client base, including tier-1 banks, broker-dealers, futures commission merchants (FCMs), proprietary trading groups, market centers, buy-side institutions, energy and commodity trading firms, and regulators. Clients rely on the platform, coupled with the firm's responsive support and product development, to overcome their most pressing trade surveillance regulatory challenges. For more, visit www.eventus.com .

About Wealthsimple

Wealthsimple is one of Canada's fastest growing and most trusted financial services platforms. The company offers a full suite of simple, sophisticated financial products across managed investing, do-it-yourself trading, cryptocurrency, tax filing, spending and saving. Wealthsimple currently serves three million Canadians and holds over $50 billion in assets. The company was founded in 2014 by a team of financial experts and technology entrepreneurs, and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. To learn more, visit www.wealthsimple.com .

SOURCE Eventus
Leaders stressed urgency of closing the summer meals gap for 31 million children with new investment and collaboration

Photos available here*

NEW YORK, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, May 7, No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to end childhood hunger in America, and its supporters gathered at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to launch its campaign to end summer hunger for kids.

No Kid Hungry and its Supporters Ring Closing Bell at New York Stock Exchange to Launch Campaign to End Summer Hunger (Image Courtesy of NYSE Group)

Kick-off Event with Growing Support: The closing bell-ringing event, marked with large banners draping the Exchange's exterior, celebrated this year's over $30 million invested by Citi, Blue Meridian Partners, Ballmer Group, Kaiser Permanente and others to help feed kids during the summer and all year long. It was attended by CEOs of iconic brands who have signed No Kid Hungry's CEO Pledge to End Summer Hunger, including: Scott Boatwright, CEO, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Barry McGowan, CEO, Fogo de Chao who sponsored the event. The roster of CEO pledge takers grew from 10 to 16 over the past year, with new signers including Russell Weiner, CEO, Domino's and Seungkyu (Sean) Yoon, President & CEO, Kia North America and Kia America.

"All kids deserve a joyful summer, free from hunger," said Anne Filipic, CEO of Share Our Strength, the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign. "It's inspiring to see so many leaders, including CEOs of some of America's biggest brands, standing with us, united in a shared vision where all our children have the food they need to thrive during the summer months and all year long."

The Summer Meals Gap: For millions of kids across the United States who participate in school meals, summer can be the hungriest time of the year. But thanks to bipartisan legislation long advocated by No Kid Hungry, 31 million children stand to benefit from monumental changes to the USDA summer meals program, including Summer EBT (also known as SUN Bucks), a grocery benefit, and SUN Meals To-Go, which provides flexibility for rural communities to provide meal pick up or delivery options.

Before the new programs, only 2.8 million kids were accessing summer meals. In 2024, its first year of implementation, preliminary data shows that Summer EBT reached more than 18 million kids. With an estimated 13 million more kids to go to achieve full implementation, No Kid Hungry is raising the funds necessary to help schools, community organizations, and state agencies expand and implement these game-changing programs every year.

"Our goal is clear: close the summer meal gap for millions of kids in America," said Scott Boatwright, CEO, Chipotle Mexican Grill. "We have a unique chance to secure cross-sector investments and collaboration so every child in America has the nutrition they need to thrive. It's an issue that unites us and one that matters to our guests, employees and communities where we operate. I call on other CEOs to join us and help make no kid hungry a reality all year long."

Why CEOs? Initiatives like the CEO Pledge to End Summer Hunger are critical to keep this momentum going. According to the Edelman's 2025 Trust Barometer, nearly 8 in 10 individuals believe CEOs have a role in addressing a societal issue. Pledge champions understand that, which is why they are 1) Mobilizing their brands and industries to raise funds 2) Lending their time and influence to raise awareness and 3) Advocating for change by celebrating and supporting policies that feed kids all year round.

Who's On Board: Christine Barone, CEO & President, Dutch Bros Coffee; Scott Boatwright, CEO, Chipotle Mexican Grill; Paul Brown, Co-Founder & CEO, Inspire Brands; Steve Gardiner, CEO, Nature's Bakery; Noah Glass, Founder & CEO, Olo; Shannon Hennessy, CEO, Habit Burger & Grill; Jim Kelly, CEO, HedgeServ; Barry McGowan, CEO, Fogo de Chao; Danny Meyer, Founder & Executive Chairman, Union Square Hospitality Group; Aman Narang, CEO, Toast.; Mark Politzer, President & CEO, NORMS Restaurants; Judy Ransford, CEO, Hickory Farms; Tony Spring, Chairman & CEO, Macy's, Inc.; Kelli Valade, President & CEO, Denny's; Russell Weiner, CEO, Domino's and Seungkyu (Sean) Yoon, President & CEO, Kia North America and Kia America. Learn more at NoKidHungry.org/ceopledge.

*Photo Credit: Image courtesy of NYSE Group. NYSE does not recommend or endorse any investments, investment strategies, companies, products, or services.

About No Kid Hungry

No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

Media contact: Ceci Henriquez, [email protected]

SOURCE No Kid Hungry
The premier funding firm's new program offers promising new lifeline for plaintiffs to manage their monthly bills until their case gets resolved.

HOUSTON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal-Bay, a leading pre-settlement funding company, has introduced a game-changing financial solution for plaintiffs embroiled in active litigation. Their newly launched INSTALL funding contract offers clients the ability to receive structured monthly payments instead of a traditional one-time advance, easing the burden of everyday living expenses during the often lengthy legal process.

This innovative funding option addresses a growing need among plaintiffs who face significant financial strain while their cases are pending. With INSTALL funding, individuals can rely on predictable monthly disbursements designed to cover essential costs such as legal fees, medical bills, and everyday housing expenses, allowing them to focus on their case without the added pressure of missed bills or mounting debt.

Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay, says, "Legal battles can be incredibly stressful, especially when they drag on for months or even years. We created INSTALL funding to provide ongoing financial stability for our customers when they need it the most, when they are stuck at home and can't work, but still need to have their bills paid on the first of the month."

INSTALL funding is one of Legal-Bay's most popular products, because lawyers know their clients cannot fight a case without cash flow coming in each month.

So, if you are a lawyer and have a clientor If you're a plaintiff yourselfin an existing lawsuit who needs an immediate INSTALL funding contract against an anticipated cash settlement award, you can apply HERE or call: 877.571.0405

Unlike standard bank loans which often involve large lump sums and steep repayment terms, INSTALL funding is tailored to meet real-life needs. Clients only draw what they require each month, which can significantly lower the total repayment after a case is settled. This targeted approach helps prevent excessive borrowing and encourages responsible financial planning throughout the litigation process.

By providing installation-based funding with client-friendly terms, Legal-Bay offers clear, flexible solutions to their customers' financial needs. The program is ideal for individuals involved in personal injury, slip and fall, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accident, Workers Comp. or 3rd party workers comp. claims or work injury claims, and many other types of cases.

Legal-Bay is one of the best legal funding companies in the industry, known for their helpful staff and quick turnaround. While sometimes pre-settlement funds are referred to as loans on lawsuit or lawsuit loans, there are no credit checks or collateral required for legal funding. The money is an immediate cash advance against a plaintiff's anticipated settlement award, not a conventional loan. The non-recourse lawsuit funding is risk-free, as the money doesn't need to be repaid should the recipient lose their case.

To apply right now, please visit the company's website HERE or call toll-free at: 877.571.0405 where agents are standing by to answer your questions.

SOURCE Legal-Bay, LLC
New Manufacturing Plant in Sri City Expected to Begin Operations by End of 2026

SRI CITY, India, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics India Ltd. (LGEIL) announced the commencement of construction of its new manufacturing facility in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh today at a ceremony graced by the presence of Shri Nara Lokesh, Hon'ble Minister for Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Real Time Governance and Human Resources Development, Government of Andhra Pradesh. The new plant is expected to commence operations by the end of 2026.

Overview of LG Electronics' third factory in India

Strategically located in Sri City's industrial area, the new manufacturing facility will enhance LGEIL's production capacity and also enable local employment in the region. The new facility will be LG Electronics' third plant in India. The other two plants are located in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh and Pune, Maharashtra. This investment underscores India's potential as a critical hub within LG Electronics' global supply chain.

The government of Andhra Pradesh has approved 247 acres of land in Sri City for LGEIL's new manufacturing facility, which is expected to generate around 1495 direct jobs. LGEIL plans to invest approximately USD 600 million (INR 5001 crores) over the next four years, with the potential to attract ancillary businesses to the region, thereby creating an ecosystem for white good manufacturing in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

The new plant at Sri City is expected to localize production further and meet the growing demand for LG products throughout India. It will also strengthen LGEIL's supply chain in South India, while helping expedite access to LG products for consumers in the region. The facility will manufacture a diverse range of products, including AC compressors, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners.

In addition to the presence of Shri Nara Lokesh, the ceremony was attended by other senior government functionaries along with senior LG Electronics executives from South Korea, including Lyu Jae-cheol, president of the LG Home Appliance Solution Company; James Lee, president of the LG Eco Solution Company and Hong Ju Jeon, managing director of LGEIL. Other government officials and senior LGEIL leadership were also present at the ceremony.

Sharing his best wishes from Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N Chandrababu Naidu, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh said, "We wholeheartedly welcome LG Electronics to Sri City, Andhra Pradesh. The announcement of LG Electronics' new manufacturing plant in Andhra Pradesh is a testament to Andhra Pradesh's progressive policies with regards to being industry friendly, ease-of-doing-business, fostering innovation and being home to world-class manufacturing hubs. A well-developed industrial ecosystem, great connectivity and pro-business environment makes Sri City the best location for the new plant."

Shri Nara Lokesh, Hon'ble Minister for Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Real Time Governance and Human Resources Development, Government of Andhra Pradesh said, "We are delighted that LG Electronics has chosen Sri City for its third manufacturing facility in India. This is a testament of LG Electronics' commitment to India and I am confident that this expansion into Andhra Pradesh will address the potential growth in demand for LG products across India."

"We are taking yet another important first step toward enhancing our partnership with India and contributing to its economic growth. The construction of our third manufacturing plant will complement our existing production facilities in Noida and Pune and marks a new milestone in our journey in India," said Lyu. "This brand-new facility will create more jobs and increase local production," he further added.

About LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd

LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd. (LG Electronics), a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics was established in January 1997 in India. LGEIL currently operates two manufacturing units located in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh and Ranjangaon near Pune. The plants currently manufacture LED TVs, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens and monitors.

"LG Electronics India Limited (the "Company") is proposing, subject to receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, to make an initial public offer of its equity shares and has filed a draft red herring prospectus dated December 6, 2024 ("DRHP") with the Securities and Exchange Board of India ("SEBI"). The DRHP is available on the websites of our Company, at http://www.lg.com/in/, SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in as well as on the websites of the book running lead managers, Morgan Stanley India Company Private Limited, J.P. Morgan India Private Limited, Axis Capital Limited, BofA Securities India Limited, and Citigroup Global Markets India Private Limited, at www.morganstanley.com/, www.jpmipl.com/, www.axiscapital.co.in/, https://business.bofa.com/bofas-india and www.online.citibank.co.in/rhtm/citigroupglobalscreen1.htm, respectively, and the websites of the stock exchange(s) at www.nseindia.com and www.bseindia.com, respectively. Any potential investor should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and for details relating to such risk, see "Risk Factors" of the Red Herring Prospectus, when available."

SOURCE LG Electronics
BOSTON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty Mutual Holding Company Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively "LMHC" or the "Company") reported net income attributable to LMHC of $1.025 billion for the three months ended March 31, 2025, versus income of $1.535 billion for the same periods in 2024.

"For the first quarter, we reported net income attributable to LMHC of $1.0 billion, reflecting improvement in our underlying combined ratio and strong investment results," said Tim Sweeney, Liberty Mutual Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. "Continued discipline in our underwriting resulted in a notable 6.5-point improvement in the underlying combined ratio, achieving an 81.9% for the first quarter. Despite elevated catastrophe losses, driven by the devastating California wildfires, our total combined ratio including these losses and prior year development was 96.6%. Furthermore, our investment results in the quarter were excellent, benefiting from higher reinvestment rates and favorable private equity valuations, contributing $1.3 billion of investment income. Overall, we are very pleased with our performance this quarter as we continue to pursue profitable growth and progress toward our 95% combined ratio goal at the end of 2025."

The tables below outline highlights of LMHC's consolidated financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2025.

Net Written Premium ("NWP") by Business:

Consolidated NWP by business was as follows:



Three Months Ended March 31, $ in Millions 2025 2024 Change US Retail Markets $6,061 $6,545 (7.4 %) Global Risk Solutions 4,705 4,376 7.5 Corporate and Other (7) 37 NM Total NWP $10,759 $10,958 (1.8 %) Foreign exchange effect on growth



(0.5) NWP growth excluding foreign exchange1



(1.3 %)





1 Determined by assuming constant foreign exchange rates between periods.

NM = Not Meaningful

Consolidated Results of Operations:



Three Months Ended March 31, $ in Millions 2025 2024 Change Revenues $12,486 $12,475 0.1 % Underlying PTOI before limited partnerships income 2,711 1,926 40.8 Catastrophes (1,821) (824) 121.0 Net incurred losses attributable to prior years:





- Asbestos and environmental1 - - - - All other2 196 6 NM Pre-tax operating income before limited partnerships income 1,086 1,108 (2.0) Limited partnerships income3 367 159 130.8 Pre-tax operating income 1,453 1,267 14.7 Net realized losses (70) (92) (23.9) Acquisition & integration costs (24) (21) 14.3 Restructuring costs (15) (6) 150.0 Pre-tax income 1,344 1,148 17.1 Income tax expense 315 270 16.7 Consolidated net income from continuing operations 1,029 878 17.2 Discontinued operations, net of tax - 663 (100.0) Consolidated net income 1,029 1,541 (33.2) Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interest 4 6 (33.3) Net income attributable to LMHC 1,025 1,535 (33.2) Net income attributable to LMHC excluding unrealized impact4 1,141 1,543 (26.1) Cash flow provided by continuing operations $439 $901 (51.3 %)

1 Asbestos and environmental is gross of the related adverse development reinsurance (the "NICO Reinsurance Transaction", which is described further in Reinsurance). 2 Net of earned premium and reinstatement premium attributable to prior years of $91 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and $8 million for the same periods in 2024. 3 Limited partnerships income includes LP, LLC and other equity method income within net investment income in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations and revenue and expenses from direct investments in natural resources. 4 Excludes unrealized gains on equity securities and the corresponding tax impact.

NM = Not Meaningful

Combined Ratio:



Three Months Ended March 31, CONSOLIDATED 2025 2024 Change (Points) Combined ratio





Claims and claim adjustment expense ratio 54.0 % 62.1 % (8.1) Underwriting expense ratio 27.9 26.3 1.6 Underlying combined ratio 81.9 88.4 (6.5) Catastrophes 16.7 7.2 9.5 Net incurred losses attributable to prior years:





- Asbestos and environmental - - - - All other1 (2.0) 0.2 (2.2) Total combined ratio2 96.6 % 95.8 % 0.8

1 Net of earned premium and reinstatement premium attributable to prior years. 2 The combined ratio, expressed as a percentage, is a measure of underwriting profitability. This measure should only be used in conjunction with, and not in lieu of, underwriting income and may not be comparable to other performance measures used by the Company's competitors. The combined ratio is computed as the sum of the following property and casualty ratios: the ratio of claims and claim adjustment expense less managed care income to earned premium; the ratio of insurance operating costs plus amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs less third-party administration income and fee income (primarily related to the Company's involuntary market servicing carrier operations) and installment charges to earned premium; and the ratio of policyholder dividends to earned premium. Provisions for uncollectible premium and reinsurance are not included in the combined ratio unless related to an asbestos and environmental commutation and certain other run off. Restructuring and acquisition and integration costs are not included in the combined ratio.

Equity:



As of March 31, As of

December 31,

$ in Millions 2025 2024 Change Unassigned equity $35,399 $34,374 3.0 % Accumulated other comprehensive loss (3,256) (3,928) (17.1) Non-controlling interest 212 206 2.9 Total equity $32,355 $30,652 5.6 %

Subsequent Events

On April 11, 2025 the Company completed the acquisition of JMalucelli Travelers Seguros in Colombia.

Management has assessed material subsequent events through May 8, 2025, the date the financial statements were available to be issued.

Financial Information

The Company's financial results, management's discussion and analysis of operating results and financial condition, accompanying financial statements and other supplemental financial information for the three months ended March 31, 2025 are available on the Company's Investor Relations website at www.libertymutualgroup.com/investors.

About Liberty Mutual Insurance

At Liberty Mutual, we believe progress happens when people feel secure. By providing protection for the unexpected and delivering it with care, we help people embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow.

In business since 1912, and headquartered in Boston, today we are the ninth largest global property and casualty insurer based on 2024 gross written premium. We also rank 87th on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the US based on 2023 revenue. As of December 31, 2024, we had $50.2 billion in annual consolidated revenue.

We employ over 40,000 people in 28 countries and economies around the world. We offer a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, specialty lines, reinsurance, commercial multiple-peril, workers compensation, commercial automobile, general liability, surety, and commercial property.

For more information, visit www.libertymutualinsurance.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This report contains forward looking statements that are intended to enhance the reader's ability to assess the future financial and business performance of the Company. Forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements that represent the Company's beliefs concerning future operations, strategies, financial results, investment market fluctuations, or other developments, and contain words and phrases such as "may," "expects," "should," "believes," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends" or similar expressions. Because these forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions that are subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control or are subject to change, actual results could be materially different.

Contact: Investor Relations Media Relations

Robert Pietsch Rich Angevine

857-224-6655 617-833-0926

SOURCE Liberty Mutual Insurance
Free Event on May 10 at Bethel COGIC Unites Health Experts, Community Leaders, and Families to Promote Safer Pregnancies and Healthier Babies in West Tennessee

MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, May 10, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Bethel Church of God in Christ, in partnership with A Chance To Learn, The Church of Jesus Christ at Latter Day Saints, Links to Success, Inc., and King of Glory COGIC, will host the Live Long Baby Community Baby Shower at Bethel Church (2216 Clifton Avenue, Memphis, TN 38127). This special event, which will be held on Mother's Day weekend, is dedicated to celebrating expectant parents and families while addressing a critical community needreducing infant mortality rates in West Tennessee.

Live Long Baby Community Baby Shower in Memphis

West Tennessee ranks among the regions with the highest infant mortality rates in the state. According to the Tennessee Department of Health, African American infants are nearly twice as likely to die before their first birthday compared to white infants in the state. Many of these deaths are preventable with access to education, healthcare services, and supportive community networks. Recognizing this urgent need, the Live Long Baby initiative was created to bring awareness, provide education, and equip families with resources to ensure that every baby has a chance to thrive.

The Live Long Baby Community Baby Shower will feature educational panel discussions, vendor booths offering critical resources, and opportunities for families to connect with local organizations committed to maternal and infant health. Topics such as safe sleep practices, breastfeeding support, nutrition, and prenatal care will be discussed to empower parents with actionable knowledge. Families will also have access to mentoring opportunities and community engagement activities that foster ongoing support beyond the event.

Free giveaways, including essential baby supplies, will be provided to attending families. This initiative not only celebrates the upcoming births but also actively works to remove barriers that lead to preventable infant deaths. Through partnerships with dedicated faith-based and nonprofit organizations, this program emphasizes the importance of early intervention, access to quality healthcare, and the building of supportive communities around new parents.

The Live Long Baby event marks the kickoff of a broader mission to create systemic change in the health outcomes of infants and families throughout West Tennessee. Working collaboratively as community partners, Links to Success, Inc., Bethel COGIC, A Chance To Learn, The Church of Jesus Christ at Latter Day Saints, and King of Glory COGIC, are committed to ensuring that all babies have the opportunity to live long, healthy lives.

The event is free and open to the public. Families and expectant parents are encouraged to register by scanning the QR code provided on event materials or contacting Bethel Church for more information.

For additional information, please visit KOGCOGIC.ORG or cogicbethel.org.

PHOTO/INTERVIEW/B-ROLL OPPORTUNITIES:

The following spokespeople are available for pre-event and/or onsite interviews: Pastor Dickerson Wells

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kayla Tucker Adams, KTA Media Group, [email protected]; 214-403-9852

SOURCE Bethel Church of God in Christ
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lojas Renner S.A. (B3: LREN3), announces its results for the first quarter 2025 (1Q25). All amounts are expressed in millions of Reais and all comparisons are with the same period for the previous year, except when otherwise indicated.

Highlights

Apparel sales increased 13.5%

Gross margin increased 0.6p.p., with the lowest level of markdowns in 1s0 years and +5.4p.p. in Camicado

Youcom sales increased by 28%

Fifth consecutive quarter of expenses dilution, at 1.3p.p.

Realize with result of R$ 191 MM ( ~R$ 95 MM on a comparable basis ex Central Bank resolution) and a significant improvement in portfolio risk

MM ( MM on a comparable basis ex Central Bank resolution) and a significant improvement in portfolio risk Total Adjusted EBITDA reached R$ 585 MM (+55%) with margin of 21.2% (+5.8p.p.)

MM (+55%) with margin of 21.2% (+5.8p.p.) Cash position of R$ 1.6 bi and net cash of R$ 1.2 bi

bi and net cash of bi 62% of the buyback program executed (46,5 million shares repurchased) until now

Net profit of R$ 221 million (+59%) and Earnings Per Share up by 65%

(+59%) and Earnings Per Share up by 65% 1.9 p.p. increase in ROIC (ROIC LTM of 13.3%)

Message from the CEO

Lojas Renner's first-quarter results demonstrate that the evolution of our business model and the initiatives we have implemented are gradually bearing fruit while enhancing our competitiveness.

First quarter apparel sales increased by 13.5% while consolidated gross margin increased by 0.6 p.p., also with the lowest level of markdowns in the last 10 years. We delivered operating leverage for the fifth consecutive quarter - which improved by 1.3 p.p. in 1Q25- and achieved R$ 221 million (+59%) in net profit, resulting in a 1.9 p.p. increase in ROICLTM, which reached 13.3% for 1Q25.

Part of this performance for the quarter reflects the sustained, gradual effects of Renner's more agile and flexible fashion execution, combined with an increasingly precise supply model (100% by SKU) and shorter lead times for stores. Additionally, the increasingly differentiated and integrated shopping journey across all of Renner's businesses contributed to the improvement in NPS and an increase in the active customer base during the quarter. Digitalization of the shopping experience continued to evolve at Renner stores, and Digital GMV gained even more relevance, increasing by 15% with 16% penetration and higher profitability.

Realize delivered its sixth consecutive quarter of improved operational results, also benefiting from adjustments related to the new Bacen resolution. However, excluding the Bacen effect, Realize results improved significantly (+7 times). Credit portfolio quality continued to evolve during the quarter, and this business continued to drive Renner's retail operations as an important catalyst to customer loyalty and value generation.

It's important to also note the strong performance at Youcom and Camicado, with a 28% increase in Youcom sales and a 5.4 p.p. increase in Camicado's gross margin for 1Q25.

While we're pleased with Renner's first quarter performance as a positive start to the year, our evolution will be more challenging given our high nominal base. However, our progress related to key metrics this quarter demonstrates that we are on the right track. Further, our Company's solid cash position of R$ 1.6 billion enables us to make strategic investments aimed at growth and to capture opportunities in the current environment. Similarly, our strong balance sheet provided us the flexibility during the quarter to execute 62% of the share buyback program we announced in February, with 46.5 million shares repurchased to date. Our potential is greater. And while there remains considerable opportunity for further evolution on this journey, our investments were made to achieve this objective. We remain focused on our priority of accelerating our ability to capture our evolved business model's full potential, and we reaffirm our commitment to sustained long-term growth, with profitability, and value generation.

Fabio Faccio  CEO

For a full version of Lojas Renner's Results, please visit: https://lojasrenner.mzweb.com.br/en/

Earnings Conference Call*

Date: May 9, 2025

Time: 10:00 AM BRT / 9:00 AM ET

*Portuguese with a simultaneous English translation.

Access the webcast here.

About Lojas Renner S.A.

The Company was incorporated in 1965 and listed in 1967, becoming a pure widely held company in 2005 with a 100% free float, being considered the first true Brazilian corporation. Renner's equities are traded on B3 under the LREN3 symbol in the Novo Mercado segment, the highest level of corporate governance

Lojas Renner S.A. is a fashion and lifestyle ecosystem connected to its customers through digital channels and its physical stores in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. It is today the ecosystem leader in omnichannel fashion retailing in Brazil through the Renner, Camicado, Youcom, Realize CFI and Repassa businesses.

Legal Notice

The statements contained in this document relate to the prospects for the business, estimates for operating and financial results and those related to growth prospects of Lojas Renner S.A. are merely projections and, as such, are based exclusively on the expectations of the Company's management with respect to the future of the business. Such forward-looking statements depend substantially on changes in market conditions, the performance of the Brazilian economy, the sector and the international markets and are therefore subject to change without prior notice.

SOURCE Lojas Renner S.A.
Russia's losses in killed and wounded reach over 700,000 people, and the Kremlin has still not achieved any of its strategic goals, said the chairman of the NATO Military Committee in 2021-2025, Admiral Rob Bauer.

He said during the 17th annual Kyiv Security Forum titled "UA: Unite Again to Defeat the Global Aggressor," organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation Open Ukraine, that Russia had lost over 700,000 of its people wounded and killed, and had still not achieved any of its strategic goals. He stated that without the support of China and other autocratic regimes, Russia would never have been able to even continue the war. He added that President Xi's presence in Red Square tomorrow is precisely evidence that the forces of evil are uniting, because they are frightened by the strength demonstrated by the Alliance member states.

According to him, Russia is rapidly reorganizing itself on war rails, but is suffering huge losses for very small victories. At the same time, Ukraine, despite the issue with personnel, is managing to defend its positions very well, he added.

The admiral called for ensuring a just peace for Ukraine and continuing to support the Ukrainians in order to put Kyiv in the best and strongest position for any negotiations, when they begin.

He said that, despite differing views, it is essential to agree on the most important point: that no country can be allowed to seize the lands of another. He emphasized that this cannot be accepted as the norm, stating that it is something they cannot and will not agree withjust as they did not for the past three years.

Bauer stressed that the main principle is respect for sovereignty and internationally recognized borders. According to him, it is necessary to continue supporting Ukraine and ensure the achievement of a just peace.
Antioch University ushers in a new chapter under Varlotta's leadership

YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Antioch University is excited to announce Lori Erica Varlotta, PhD, as its new President and Executive Vice President of the Coalition for the Common Good (CCG). She will officially start on August 11, 2025.

Varlotta brings a strong vision for progressive education and a deep commitment to Antioch's mission of promoting social, racial, environmental, and economic justice. Under her leadership, Antioch and the CCG will continue expanding their impact on democracy, sustainability, and equity through education.

"There is no position that could more powerfully call upon my life's work than this one." Post this Lori Erica Varlotta, PhD, Incoming President of Antioch University and Incoming Executive Vice President of the Coalition for the Common Good

"Lori Varlotta is an inspiring leader who truly lives Antioch's mission," said Katrin Dambrot, Chair of the Board of Governors. "She will work closely with the Board, faculty, staff, and students to strengthen democracy, expand access to education, and champion the common good." Antioch University, with five campuses across the U.S., offers learner-centered degree programs in onsite, online, and hybrid formats. The University is dedicated to academic excellence, experiential learning, and community and civic engagement.

Varlotta is excited for the role and deeply inspired by Antioch's history of "winning victories for humanity." She said, "In today's divided world, it's more important than ever to lead with generosity, curiosity, and respect. I can't wait to work with Antioch's community to keep these values at the center of our teaching and learning."

The Antioch Presidency, which also includes serving as Executive Vice President of the Coalition for the Common Good, offers major opportunities to model courageous academic leadership nationally. "I've known Lori for nearly 15 years," said John Comerford, PhD, President of the CCG and of Otterbein University. "She's innovative and sees possibilities where others see limits. She's the perfect person to help move the Coalition forward."

Varlotta finds the possibilities ahead compelling. She said, "When you combine Antioch's history, its future-focused leadership in the Coalition, and its commitment to confronting today's challenges, Antioch is ready to stand as a national educational leader modeling what democracy can look like in this richly diverse mid-21st-century world. There is no position that could more powerfully call upon my life's work than this one."

Varlotta is currently a Distinguished Professor of Higher Education Leadership at California Lutheran University, where she served as President from August 2020 to June 2024. Prior to her work at Cal Lutheran, she served as President of Hiram College in Ohio from July 2014 to August 2020. Before these two presidencies, Varlotta was Senior Vice President at Cal State University, Sacramento, where her portfolio included student affairs, enrollment management, diversity and belonging, and strategic planning. She served at Sacramento State from 2003-2014. Varlotta's career in higher education began in 1985 when she became a residence hall director, and she has been in higher education since then.

Varlotta succeeds William R. Groves, JD, who has served as Antioch University's Chancellor since April 2016. Groves was first hired in 2010 to establish the Office of General Counsel for the University and served as Vice Chancellor and General Counsel from 2010 to 2016, when he assumed the chancellorship. Prior, he served as an outside University Counsel for Antioch from 1979 to 2010.

About Antioch University : Antioch University's first President, Horace Mann, considered the father of public education in the United States, deeply believed that education was the cornerstone of a robust and inclusive American democracy. Antioch's mission is to provide learner-centered education "to empower students with the knowledge and skills to lead meaningful lives and to advance social, racial, economic, and environmental justice." Today, Antioch is a national university offering learner-centered degree programs online, in hybrid formats, and on-site at the institution's five campuses in Keene, NH; Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, CA; Seattle, WA; and Yellow Springs, OH. It enrolls close to 4,000 post-traditional age students in a wide variety of professional doctoral and master's programs, an undergraduate degree completion program, professional certificates, and endorsements. A bold and enduring source of innovation in higher education, Antioch University is a private, nonprofit institution and has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1927.

About the Coalition for the Common Good (CCG) : Antioch University and Otterbein University are the founding members of the Coalition for the Common Good, a higher education system of private, independent nonprofit colleges and universities aligned around the shared mission of educating students to advance their careers and preparing learners to promote the common good, including democracy, social justice, equity, inclusion, and engaged global citizenship. Through sharing resources and creating flexible learner pathways across programs and schools, the Coalition reduces costs for students and institutions, expands access to degree and non-degree programs, and educates for jobs and justice. The Coalition, approved by the Higher Learning Commission and the Ohio Department of Higher Education, was announced in August 2023.

DOWNLOAD A HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGE AND BIO HERE

SOURCE Antioch University
C$ unless otherwise stated TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945

TORONTO, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Financial Corporation (Manulife) announced today that each of the following 13 nominees proposed to be elected at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders held earlier today has been elected. The detailed results of the vote for the election of directors are set out below.

NAME OF NOMINEE VOTES FOR % VOTES WITHHELD % Nicole S. Arnaboldi 922,503,834 99.36 % 5,975,404 0.64 % Guy L.T. Bainbridge 905,597,847 97.54 % 22,881,391 2.46 % Nancy J. Carroll 926,735,695 99.81 % 1,743,543 0.19 % Julie E. Dickson 920,070,347 99.09 % 8,408,891 0.91 % J. Michael Durland 920,143,844 99.10 % 8,335,394 0.90 % Donald P. Kanak 925,928,831 99.73 % 2,550,407 0.27 % Donald R. Lindsay 901,561,085 97.10 % 26,918,153 2.90 % Anna Manning 926,243,683 99.76 % 2,235,555 0.24 % John S. Montalbano 926,803,971 99.82 % 1,675,267 0.18 % May Tan 919,524,817 99.04 % 8,954,421 0.96 % Leagh E. Turner 925,993,993 99.73 % 2,485,245 0.27 % Philip J. Witherington 926,822,174 99.82 % 1,657,064 0.18 % John W. P-K. Wong 919,882,856 99.07 % 8,596,382 0.93 %

Final voting results on all matters voted on at the Annual Meeting will be available shortly on our website (www.manulife.com/annualmeeting) and will be filed with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping our customers make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we operate as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, providing financial advice and insurance for individuals, groups and businesses. Through Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, we offer global investment, financial advice, and retirement plan services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2024, we had more than 37,000 employees, over 109,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 36 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under '945' in Hong Kong.

Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com .

Media Contact

Fiona McLean

Manulife

437-441-7491

[email protected]

Investor Relations

Hung Ko

Manulife

416-806-9921

[email protected]

SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation
Mars showcases how evolving treating behaviors and stretched seasons are shaping the future of snacking

NEWARK, N.J., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars, the maker of some of the world's most beloved treats and snacks, will return to the 2025 Sweets & Snacks Expo in Indianapolis on May 13-15. Onsite, Mars will highlight and sample its latest innovations that are backed by evolving treating trends and discuss how seasonal occasions are positively impacting the category and retailers alike.

At the 2025 Sweets & Snacks Expo, Mars will highlight and sample its latest innovations that are backed by evolving treating trends.

"Treating plays an important role in life's moments, big and small," said Tim LeBel, President of Sales at Mars Wrigley North America. "As a consumer-obsessed company committed to shaping the future of snacking, Mars is constantly innovating ways for our brands to deliver exciting experiences with our products. Through new and nostalgic flavors, festive shapes and playful textures, we help drive the category and empower retailers to deliver moments of everyday happiness for consumers."

Insights-Backed Innovations from Iconic Brands

Across the Mars portfolio, there are several new offerings that deliver on evolving consumer preferences, from heightened demand for better-for-you options, to Gen Z's affinity for adventurous textures and formats, and chocolate's continued reign around seasonal moments. At booth #5202, Mars will showcase a range of its latest innovations including:

STARBURST  GOODIES: These new STARBURST  gummies are plant based with 4g of sugar per serving, and are an excellent source of fiber no wonder why they're called GOODIES. Made with real fruit juice, STARBURST GOODIES are the sweet treat you've been waiting for.





These new STARBURST gummies are plant based with 4g of sugar per serving, and are an excellent source of fiber no wonder why they're called GOODIES. Made with real fruit juice, STARBURST GOODIES are the sweet treat you've been waiting for. M&M'S  Peanut Butter & Jelly: The latest star of the M&M'S  Peanut Butter portfolio features berry flavored bite-sized chocolate treats with a deliciously smooth peanut butter center that will transport fans to the delicious experience of a PB&J sandwich.





The latest star of the M&M'S Peanut Butter portfolio features berry flavored bite-sized chocolate treats with a deliciously smooth peanut butter center that will transport fans to the delicious experience of a PB&J sandwich. SKITTLES  POP'D Original & Sour: These new SKITTLES  innovations taps into the freeze-dried candy craze, featuring an unexpectedly crunchy, crispy way to enjoy the fruity SKITTLES Original and new Sour flavors.





These new SKITTLES innovations taps into the freeze-dried candy craze, featuring an unexpectedly crunchy, crispy way to enjoy the fruity SKITTLES Original and new Sour flavors. SNICKERS  Pecan: A delicious twist on the candy bar you love, featuring the perfect blend of caramel, nougat and milk chocolate, now complemented by the savory-sweetness of pecans.





A delicious twist on the candy bar you love, featuring the perfect blend of caramel, nougat and milk chocolate, now complemented by the savory-sweetness of pecans. SNICKERS Shapes: SNICKERS Shapes feature the same satisfying roasted peanuts, creamy caramel, smooth nougat and milk chocolate iconic to SNICKERS, but in festive seasonal shapes to maximize holiday joy from Easter to the holidays and every festive moment in between.

Leaning into Stretched Seasons

Consumers are using festive treats and the traditions around them as a way to extend the joy of seasons. This includes microseasons and new moments for celebration, such as Summerween and Augtoberearly Halloween festivities that emerged across social media last year.

Seasonal moments are a key driver in how and when consumers plan, shop and treat themselves. With celebrations starting earlier and lasting longer, there is even more opportunity to engage shoppers and grow baskets.

To learn more and hear firsthand insight, join Tim LeBel on Tuesday, May 13 at 2 pm on the Gold Stage (booth #4359), in a can't-miss panel discussion around how leading companies are capitalizing on extended seasons to meet demand across the shopper journey and drive incremental growth.

For more information on the latest news from Mars, visit Mars.com or follow us on LinkedIn. If you're planning to be at the Sweets & Snacks Expo, stop by booth #5202.

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED

Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $50bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN, PEDIGREE, WHISKAS, CESAR, DOVE, EXTRA, M&M's, SNICKERS and BEN'S ORIGINAL. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD, BLUEPEARL, VCA and ANICURA span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five PrinciplesQuality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedominspire our 150,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

MEDIA CONTACT

Joelle Hutcheon

Mars

[email protected]

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated
The National Leadership Organization Releases New Video Urging America to Answer the Call for Seniors Who Have Been Left "On Hold"

ARLINGTON, Va., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This Older Americans Month, Meals on Wheels America is calling on Congress and the administration to protect and increase funding for community-based Meals on Wheels providers and ensure they have the resources they need to meet the unprecedented demand for their services. The organization is raising alarms about several recent threats to senior nutrition programs that are already stretched thin, warning that any cuts or delays in funding could lead to significant service disruptions for vulnerable seniors who rely on them to live nourished, independent lives.

In Meals on Wheels Americas newly released video, homebound seniors are seen dancing out their frustrations to an automated voice message and cloying music to highlight the growing crisis seniors endure as they wait for Congress and the administration to take action and provide a needed funding increase for Meals on Wheels programs.

On May 7, leaders from Meals on Wheels America and the network visited Capitol Hill to advocate for the millions of older Americans who depend on local providers. As a proven public-private partnership, the Meals on Wheels network relies heavily on federal funding. The stakes are high: 9 out of 10 Meals on Wheels providers receive federal funding, and for 60% of them, it represents 50% or more of their total budget. And yet, federal funding levels haven't kept pace with what is needed to meet growing demand and rising costs of food, fuel, labor and program operations.

"The reality is, 1 in 3 providers already has a waitlist and many more may be forced to start one in the near future  we should be working to increase funding and stability for providers, not introducing more uncertainty," said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. "Every dollar invested in Meals on Wheels delivers measurable impact both on the well-being of older Americans and the economic health of our country. It's time to scale what works. With more adequate federal support, Meals on Wheels can End the Wait for more seniors and drive substantial health care savings nationwide."

Federal investment in senior nutrition isn't simply charity. It's smart policy. Meals on Wheels providers help older adults remain in their homes, where they want to be, and at a fraction of the cost of institutional care. In fact, for roughly the same cost as a single day in the hospital or ten days in a long-term care facility, Meals on Wheels can support a senior for an entire year - providing nutritious meals and essential social connection.

To bring this message to life, Meals on Wheels America has launched a campaign (watch the video) drawing on a universal, frustrating experience we can all relate to  being put on hold. The annoying music, the automated voice message  it's excruciating. And right now, America's seniors are on hold, waiting for nutritious meals, moments of connection and America to care.

This Older Americans Month, it's time to answer the call. Across the country, too many older Americans are still waiting  for nutritious meals, for a friendly face and the support they deserve. You can help End the Wait. Here's how:

Donate to defend and protect programs

to defend and protect programs Advocate by contacting your elected officials to let them know Meals on Wheels matters

by contacting your elected officials to let them know Meals on Wheels matters Volunteer your time to make a meaningful difference in the lives of seniors in your community

Together, we can ensure that every senior who needs Meals on Wheels gets it. Learn more and take action at MealsOnWheelsAmerica.org/EndtheWait.

ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA

Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. By providing funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.

SOURCE Meals on Wheels America
BROOKLYN, N.Y., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Trustees of One Brooklyn Health today voted to appoint Dr. Sandra Scott as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Mr. Arthur Gianelli as President and Chief Transformation Officer at One Brooklyn Health (OBH).

Dr. Scott has served as the Interim CEO since January 2024, while the Board conducted a competitive national search for a permanent CEO. In her new role as permanent CEO, Dr. Scott will continue to oversee the strategic leadership, network management, and financial performance of the hospital network. She will work closely with the Board of Trustees and staff to set the long-term vision, oversee day-to-day operations, and ensure that OBH achieves its financial, operational, and strategic goals. Under Dr. Scott's leadership, over 7,000 employees will provide enhanced access to high-quality medical care, keep their communities healthy through an integrated care system that respects the diversity of their communities, and address the health needs that shape them.

"With her robust experience and passionate commitment to One Brooklyn Health, we are pleased to see Dr. Sandra Scott assume the role as permanent CEO to ensure that OBH continues its commitment to patient-centered care," said Dr. Alexander Rovt. Chairman of the Board of Trustees. "Now more than ever before, we need cornerstone, community hospitals to provide equitable access to healthcare for our families and patients that are in the most vulnerable neighborhoods. And Dr. Scott is the right leader for OBH."

Previously, Dr. Scott served as the Executive Director of the Brookdale Hospital Center for nearly three years and served as Chair of OBH's Department of Emergency Medicine. When she assumed the role as Executive Director at Brookdale, Dr. Scott made history by becoming the first woman, physician, and person of color to lead the hospital in its 100-year history.

Dr. Scott has also led Brookdale's efforts to address health equity and Black women's maternal health issues. Dr. Scott joined U. S. Senator Chuck Schumer to champion the Maternal Health Momnibus Act to address disparities in women's healthcare.

"I am honored and excited to serve as the new CEO of One Brooklyn Health - an institution that is so important to me and vital to the communities we serve. I look forward to continuing to work with the Board of Trustees and Art Gianelli on our mutual, steadfast commitment to providing our communities with the best medical care and breaking down barriers to healthy living," said Dr. Sandra Scott.

Dr. Scott is a graduate of Louisiana State University, and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She completed her Emergency Medicine residency at Boston Medical Center. She also served as the Chief of Service for Emergency Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Chair of Emergency Medicine at Lincoln Medical Center in the South Bronx. Throughout her career, Dr. Scott has worked exclusively in safety-net hospitals such as Kings County and Brookdale. Her priority goal is to serve and uplift communities with health and equity disparities both in the U.S. and abroad.

Art Gianelli joins OBH from Mount Sinai Health Systems where he served as Chief Transformation Officer and President for the Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital. Mr. Gianelli has more 25 years of experience in senior leadership roles in complex health systems, including nearly eight years as a health system's Chief Executive Officer.

As President and Chief Transformation Officer for OBH, Mr. Gianelli will be responsible for leading the operational management and cultural environment of the hospital by ensuring the health system is safer, more efficient and accessible to patients. He will also work to direct, restructure and streamline the health system's acute, post-acute and ambulatory operations as well as its partnerships with community physicians. Additionally, Mr. Gianelli will develop an operating model for the health system that allows for sustained clinical and operational success.

"Throughout his career, Art Gianelli has successfully led health systems' integration efforts, strategy development, clinical program expansion and capital plan implementation, which is so important to OBH as we move forward," said Dr. Alexander Rovt. Chairman of the Board of Trustees. "We are pleased that he is joining us as the first President and Chief Transformation Officer and bringing the breadth of his experience to the team and the communities we serve."

Mr. Gianelli is a graduate of St. John's University and Columbia University with a Master of Public Health in Healthcare Management. He also is a graduate of Brown University with a Master of Arts in Political Science along with a Master of Business Administration from Dowling College. Gianelli has been recognized for a robust number of awards and affiliations, including "32 Inspiring Chief Transformation Officers in Healthcare: Becker's Hospital Review in 2022," "Award of Distinction: Healthcare Leaders of New York in 2022," and considered one of the "20 Most Influential Long Islanders: The Long Island Business in 2013."

"I am honored to serve as the new President and Chief Transformation Officer and will work day-to-day with unwavering commitment to the communities we serve. I'm looking forward to partnering with the Board, Dr. Scott and staff to build a health system that delivers efficient, effective, accessible and high-quality care to our patients, creates partnerships with physicians throughout the communities we serve, and advances best practices for healthcare administration to better position OBH as a destination medical facility," said Mr. Art Gianelli.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Rovt praised the dynamic leadership team of Dr. Scott and Mr. Gianelli and stated their vision for OBH ensures a focus on continuous growth and innovation for the hospital network.

About One Brooklyn Healt

One Brooklyn Health  which is comprised of Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, Interfaith Medical Center and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center  is nationally recognized for High Quality Heart Failure Care, Stroke Care and Diabetes Care, among other acute care expertise. One Brooklyn Health has twelve ambulatory care centers, two nursing homes, an assisted living and independent living facility, a transitional housing program, an urgent care center and a retail pharmacy.

OBH's mission is to provide greater access to high-quality medical care for the most vulnerable communities throughout Brooklyn and beyond. For more information on One Brooklyn Health, please visit their website.

Media Contacts:

Juanita Scarlett, 917-280-4885, [email protected]

Vanessa Figueora, 773-419-8967, [email protected]

SOURCE One Brooklyn Health
Company encourages people to explore the healing power of light as a natural, noninvasive way to relieve pain and inflammation

WARSAW, Ind., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This Arthritis Awareness Month, OrthoLazer, Your Orthopedic Wellness Center, is encouraging individuals affected by arthritis to explore new options for managing pain, starting with the natural healing power of light.

Nearly 60 million people in the U.S. live with arthritis, and many face daily pain, stiffness, and inflammation that make even simple tasks more difficult.i OrthoLazer offers a safe, natural option for relief with laser therapy that doesn't involve needles, surgery, or recovery time.

OrthoLazers M8 Therapy Laser offers exclusive, FDA-cleared treatment for pain relief. No needles, surgery, or downtime.

Unlike conventional approaches, OrthoLazer's treatment is the M8 Therapy Laser, the most advanced robotic laser therapy system available today, and only offered at OrthoLazer Centers. This FDA-cleared, dual-wavelength technology penetrates deep into the tissue to reduce inflammation, accelerate healing, and restore mobility. Every session is personalized to each person's condition and recovery goals  all guided by a team that truly cares about helping people heal naturally.

"With 18 million people suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee alone, we have a tremendous opportunity to provide people access to solutions that keep every body moving pain-free," said Rod Mayer, CEO of OrthoLazer. "Our mission is to make advanced treatment accessible, while championing each person's success."

As part of its ongoing commitment to people living with arthritis, OrthoLazer supports the efforts of organizations like the Arthritis Foundation to raise awareness, expand access to resources, and promote innovative approaches to pain management.

Throughout May, OrthoLazer is raising awareness about arthritis and educating the public on how laser therapy can help relieve pain and improve mobility. The company is also highlighting real patient stories and sharing insights from physician partners who have seen the difference firsthand.

"At OrthoLazer, we're focused on delivering meaningful results, for our patients, our physician partners, and the communities we serve," said Dan Stichter, President of OrthoLazer. "By offering safe, proven technology that patients trust, we're building a scalable model for orthopedic wellness that delivers long-term value."

About OrthoLazer

OrthoLazer, Your Orthopedic Wellness Center, is a growing national network of laser therapy Centers that delivers safe, personalized pain relief powered by light. Using the exclusive, FDA-cleared M8 Therapy Laser, OrthoLazer offers a completely noninvasive alternative to traditional pain treatmentshelping patients reduce inflammation, recover faster, and live more comfortably. Led by orthopedic professionals and guided by a patient-first philosophy, OrthoLazer is redefining orthopedic care through innovation, comfort, and proven results. To learn more, visit www.ortholazer.com.

i Arthritis Foundation. https://www.arthritis.org/. Accessed May 6, 2025.

SOURCE OrthoLazer
SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Oliveda International, Inc. (OTC Pink: OLVI ) announced that the company has reached a valuation of over $1 billion in just two years with its Olive Tree People subsidiary becoming by far the fastest-growing waterless beauty company in the fastest-growing segment of the beauty industry: Waterless Beauty.

Olive Tree People started in Venice Beach, in the garage of Oliveda and Olive Tree People founder and CEO Thomas Lommel in March 2023 with around 40 orders a day and then exploded to up to 10,000 orders a day within a few months.

Mr. Lommel said, "Those were extremely challenging times because, despite moving from my garage to our first warehouse in Culver City, Los Angeles, we no longer knew what to do with the pallets and products that were arriving from Germany in ever-increasing quantities. No less challenging was flying these quantities of products from Germany to the U.S. within a short period of time and increasing production by up to 3,000%. We've experienced days when we had thousands of backorder lists, and dozens of products were out of stock. When new products, like our order-friendly F59, were back in stock, they were sold out within seconds.

"Thanks to a fantastic team, we mastered these extremely challenging times with excellence and now have enough space in our current warehouse to multiply our two-year sales of over $100 million.

"This hypergrowth naturally also had an impact on the price of our OLVI shares. The company was temporarily valued at over $3 billion and has now settled at over $1 billion after just two years."

When asked about future developments, Mr. Lommel stated, "It wasn't my goal to achieve a valuation of over $1 billion, but rather to bring the magic of our trees to the world. I had no idea about waterless beauty and developed it intuitively in the treehouse, simply because it makes so much more sense. For me, trees cannot be measured in money, as we wouldn't exist without them. The magic emanating from our mountain olive trees cannot be measured in dollars, as they enable us humans to become healed and whole every day.

"2025 is another challenging year in which we will continue to grow and expand to Canada in the summer of 2025, and then reach Europe with our waterless movement in October 2025. The potential of waterless beauty is almost endless, as it triggers an 'a-ha moment' in the vast majority of people who come into contact with it, and our 365-day satisfaction guarantee lets people experience the difference without pressure."

About Oliveda International, Inc.

Oliveda International, Inc. and its subsidiary, Olive Tree People Inc., as well as the European companies, Olive Tree People Europe AG and Oliveda Deutschland GmbH, as well as Olive Tree Farmers SL, were founded by the German real estate investor Thomas Lommel and have more than 20 years of experience in management and organic certification growing mountain olive trees, in the extraction of first-class, internationally award-winning extra virgin olive oils, the extraction of hydroxytyrosol, and in the production and distribution of cosmetic and holistic waterless products related to the olive tree. Lommel is the inventor of the Olive Tree Therapy 10 years in 14 days as well as the inventor of olive matcha, which is based on the ground olive leaf. Also unique is the coffee replacement developed by Lommel, which is based on olive leaf and hydroxytyrosol. In addition, Lommel is successfully active in the rapidly growing mindfulness industry with the olive tree sound bath meditation he developed and the frequencies of his olive trees, which he makes available worldwide.

In addition to the registered beauty brands, Oliveda and LA Dope, as well as Re:connected to Nature, The Intuition of Nature, and Olive Mush, to name just a few brands, Lommel is the region's largest conservationist and protector of over 30,000 one-hundred-year-old mountain olive trees, and, with his Thomas Lommel Foundation, he brings the water that he does not use into his waterless beauty products to the people of Africa by building water wells on site.

In addition to online sales and a Europe-wide branch network of thousands of retail stores, Oliveda Deutschland GmbH operates its own flagship stores in Berlin and Dusseldorf.

The brand's treatment concepts are unique worldwide, and their effectiveness has been confirmed by conventional medicine. Read our book The Olive Tree Therapy 10 Years in 14 Days. Waterless beauty has been called "The Next Big Thing" in articles in U.S. Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle, Elle, Madame, Forbes, and many other industry publications, as well as by Mintel, a world-leading futurology institute. Gigi Hadid and many other celebrities are already Oliveda fans and support its success. Further information on Oliveda International, Inc. and its subsidiaries and associate companies and brands can be found at www.olivetreepeople.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements, estimates or projections that constitute "forward-looking statements" pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws.

Generally, the words "believe," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "project," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which may be found in the Company's filings with OTC Markets Group Inc., that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's historical experience and present expectations or projections. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or intention to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements unless otherwise required by law.

SOURCE Olive Tree People
The Company Intends to Request a Review of the Delisting Determination

CRANBURY, N.J., May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Palatin Technologies, Inc. ("Palatin" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class medicines targeting the melanocortin receptor system, today announced that it has received a notice from the NYSE American LLC ("NYSE American") stating that the NYSE Regulation has determined to commence proceedings to delist Palatin's common stock. The notice, issued under Section 1003(f)(v) of the NYSE American Company Guide, cites the low selling price of Palatin's common stock as the basis for delisting.

As a result, trading of Palatin's common stock on the NYSE American has been immediately suspended, and the shares will transition to the OTC Pink Market under the ticker symbol "PTNT" beginning on May 8, 2025.

Palatin intends to appeal the delisting decision, although there can be no assurance that any such appeal will be successful. The Company has until May 14, 2025 to appeal the NYSE American's decision.

"We are disappointed with the delisting determination," said Carl Spana, Ph.D., President and CEO of Palatin Technologies. "We continue to believe the Company has valuable assets and the actions of NYSE American will in no way deter our commitment to advance our business plan and increase stockholder value."

Forward-looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements about future expectations of Palatin Technologies, Inc., such as statements about the transition of the Company's common stock to the OTC Pink Market and the Company's appeal of the NYSE American's delisting determination, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results to be materially different from its historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Palatin Technologies, Inc.
TORONTO and DALLAS, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc. (TSX-V: PINK) (OTCQX: PYNKF) ("Perimeter" or the "Company"), a commercial-stage medical technology company, announced it will report its first quarter 2025 financial and operating results after market close on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Following the announcement, Perimeter management will host a webcast and conference call to discuss the results and provide a corporate update.

First Quarter 2025 Results Conference Call Details:

Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2025 Time: 5:00 pm Eastern Time Dial-In Numbers: 1-800-717-1738 (Canada and the United States) or 1-646-307-1865 (International)

The call will also be broadcast live and archived on the Company's website under "News/Events" in the Investors section.

About Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc.

Based in Toronto, Canada and Dallas, Texas, Perimeter Medical Imaging AI (TSX-V: PINK) (OTCQX: PYNKF) is a medical technology company driven to transform cancer surgery with ultra-high-resolution, real-time, advanced imaging tools to address areas of high unmet medical need. Available across the U.S., our FDA-cleared Perimeter S-Series OCT system provides real-time, cross-sectional visualization of excised tissues at the cellular level. The breakthrough-device-designated investigational Perimeter B-Series OCT with ImgAssist AI represents our next-generation artificial intelligence technology that has recently been evaluated in a pivotal clinical trial, with support from a grant of up to US$7.4 million awarded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. The company's ticker symbol "PINK" is a reference to the pink ribbons used during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Perimeter B-Series OCT is limited by U.S. law to investigational use and not available for sale in the United States. Perimeter S-Series OCT has 510(k) clearance under a general indication and has not been evaluated by the U.S. FDA specifically for use in breast tissue, breast cancer, other types of cancer, margin evaluation, and reducing re-excision rates. The safety and effectiveness of these uses has not been established. For more information, please visit www.perimetermed.com/disclosures .

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. In this news release, words such as "may," "would," "could," "will," "likely," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate," and similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information may relate to management's future outlook and anticipated events or results and may include statements or information regarding the future financial position, business strategy and strategic goals, competitive conditions, research and development activities, projected costs and capital expenditures, research and clinical testing outcomes, taxes and plans and objectives of, or involving, Perimeter. Without limitation, information regarding the potential benefits of Perimeter S-Series OCT and Perimeter B-Series OCT, the expected benefits of Perimeter's updated version of its ImgAssist AI, and Perimeter's expectations regarding the outcomes of the clinical trial and PMA submission to the FDA are forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or by which, any particular result will be achieved. No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time and/or management's good-faith belief with respect to future events and are subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond Perimeter's control. Such forward-looking statements reflect Perimeter's current view with respect to future events, but are inherently subject to significant medical, scientific, business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties and contingencies. In making forward-looking statements, Perimeter may make various material assumptions, including but not limited to (i) the accuracy of Perimeter's financial projections; (ii) obtaining positive results from trials; (iii) obtaining necessary regulatory approvals; and (iv) general business, market, and economic conditions. Further risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those applicable to Perimeter and described in Perimeter's Management Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is available on Perimeter's SEDAR+ profile at https://www.sedarplus.ca , and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Perimeter does not intend, nor does Perimeter undertake any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information contained in this news release to reflect subsequent information, events, or circumstances or otherwise, except if required by applicable laws.

CONTACTS:

Stephen Kilmer

Investor Relations

Direct: 647-872-4849

Email: [email protected]

Adrian Mendes

Chief Executive Officer

Toll-free: 888-988-7465 (PINK)

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Perimeter Medical Imaging AI Inc.
OSLO, Norway, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Photocure ASA (OSE: PHO) today reported Hexvix/Cysview revenues of NOK 125.3 million in the first quarter of 2025 (Q1 2024: NOK 116.8 million), and an EBITDA of NOK 1.8 million (7.9) for the company. Photocure expects product revenue growth in the range of 7% to 11% and YoY EBITDA improvement in 2025. While the Company is not providing a specific EBITDA guidance range, Photocure expects continued operating leverage flow-through in its core commercial business and significant growth in milestone payments this year.

"We delivered another quarter of growth and positive EBITDA, driven by the strong performance from our European franchise. In parallel, our North American team continues the solid business development with an increasing number of accounts adopting upgrades and new tower placements expecting to drive future revenue growth. We are able to offset the expected decline in flexible cystoscopy kits and expect the U.S. unit growth to accelerate in 2025 onwards. The completion of our share buy-back programme also highlighted our capital discipline commitment as the company continues to grow," says Dan Schneider, President & Chief Executive Officer of Photocure.

Photocure reported total group revenues of NOK 125.3 million in the first quarter of 2025 (NOK 118.0 million), and an EBITDA of NOK 1.8 million (7.9). The cash balance at the end of the period was NOK 259.5 million.

The company continued to execute on its plan to expand blue light cystoscopy use in Q1 2025 with the installation of 21 new Saphira towers in the U.S.  8 new accounts and 13 blue light tower upgrades. There are now 337 active accounts in the U.S., an increase of 17% versus the first quarter of 2024.

In Europe, Photocure announced during the quarter that the availability of an Interim Flexible BLC solution to centers in all countries where System blue and Richard Wolf reusable flexible cystoscopes are cleared. The co-development with Richard Wolf for state of the art, HD Flexible cystoscope is progressing on plan. Photocure is also collaborating closely with Olympus on their recently launched high-definition Olympus Visera Elite-III equipment featuring blue light cystoscopy.

"30 Olympus systems have already been upgraded since launch, and we fully expect this new state-of-the art equipment to fuel Hexvix growth in the Nordic region and throughout continental Europe this year and beyond," Schneider adds.

Photocure believes that the benefits of Blue Light Cystoscopy with Hexvix/Cysview offering superior detection and management of bladder cancer will continue to be adopted and become the standard of care.

"Following an adequate stock of units already landed in the U.S, we have enough inventory to carry us through most of the year. Given our low cost of goods sold, tariffs represent a very limited impact on our U.S. profit and loss statement. Meanwhile, we remain focused on the growth of our business and investing in opportunities that can take us to the next level in 2025. In all, we delivered another quarter of growth and solid business development and reiterate our guidance of a product revenue growth in the range of 7% to 11% and year of year EBITDA improvement in 2025," Schneider concludes.

Please find the full financial report and presentation enclosed.

EBITDA* and other alternative performance measures (APMs) are defined and reconciled to the IFRS financial statements as a part of the APM section of the first quarter 2025 financial report on page 25.

The quarterly report and presentation will be published at 07:00 CEST and will be publicly available at www.photocure.com. Dan Schneider, CEO and Erik Dahl, CFO, will host a live webcast at 14:00 CEST.

The presentation will be held in English and questions can be submitted throughout the event. The streaming event is available through https://channel.royalcast.com/landingpage/hegnarmedia/20250508_10/

The presentation is scheduled to conclude at 14:45 CEST.

For further information, please contact:

Dan Schneider

President and CEO

Photocure ASA

Email: [email protected]

Erik Dahl

Chief Financial Officer

Tel: +47 450 55 000

Email: [email protected]

Media and IR enquiries:

Geir Bjrlo

Corporate Communications (Norway)

Tel: +47 91540000

Email: [email protected]

About Photocure ASA

Photocure: The Bladder Cancer Company delivers transformative solutions to improve the lives of bladder cancer patients. Our unique technology, making cancer cells glow bright pink, has led to better health outcomes for patients worldwide. Photocure is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: PHO). For more information, please visit us at www.photocure.com/news

All trademarks mentioned in this release are protected by law and are registered trademarks of Photocure ASA.

This information is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This stock exchange announcement was published by Tolv Hillestad, Group Controller, Photocure ASA, on 8 May 2025 at 07:00 CEST.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/photocure/r/photocure-asa--results-for-the-first-quarter-of-2025,c4147190

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/17498/4147190/3436082.pdf Release https://mb.cision.com/Public/17498/4147190/b2f4ff119ab87c7f.pdf Photocure Q1 2025 Report https://mb.cision.com/Public/17498/4147190/a1bca774cecccfe4.pdf Photocure Q1 2025 earnings presentation Final

SOURCE Photocure
The UK and France are prepared for any ceasefire opportunity to help Ukraine seize this opportunity, to consolidate and build on it, said UK Chief of Defence Staff General Anthony David Radakin.

"The UK will continue to support Ukraine. Will support Ukraine in its current struggle. The UK and France are also prepared for any ceasefire opportunity to help Ukraine seize this opportunity, to consolidate and build on it, and to help Ukraine gain confidence that it will lead to peace, prosperity and the sustainable preservation of these invaluable freedoms," he said in a video address to the 17th Annual Kyiv Security Forum, entitled "UA: Uniting Again to Defeat the World's Aggressor," organised by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation.

According to Radakin, this, in turn, requires long-term, ongoing support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Armed Forces, so that this confidence can be maintained in the future and so that Ukrainians know that they can deter and repel the aggressor.

He emphasized that the struggle waged by the Ukrainian people "is the embodiment of the same moral and intellectual strength and clarity that we all sincerely admire." Radakin added that "this struggle is generating a broad discussion throughout Europe, and also in the world, but primarily in Europe, about the fact that we must protect, cherish and defend those freedoms that were won 80 years ago."

"This is not something from the past. This is our reality. And it is Ukraine that is on the front lines today, demonstrating to everyone why it is so important to protect these freedoms, what happens when these freedoms are attacked, and what it means to defend them," he added.
LONDON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BizClik invites select media outlets and publications to join Tech & AI LIVE London , hosted by Technology Magazine and Cyber Magazine, on 1415 May 2025 at 155 Bishopsgate.

With just days to go, this is the final opportunity for media brands to elevate their presence, engage with senior technology, AI, and cyber professionals, and align with one of the UK's most influential B2B platforms.

Over 1,500 in-person and virtual attendees are expected, including executives from across the UK and Europe.

Get your complimentary media pass here and be part of the conversation.

Why Become a Media Partner

Join world-class outlets such as AI Magazine, ISPA UK, Women in Tech Forum, Teens in AI, and AI Tools Network in amplifying the global dialogue on enterprise technology and innovation.

Official media partners will benefit from:

Association with globally recognised tech, AI and cybersecurity leaders

Access to exclusive interviews and editorial opportunities

Collaboration on pre- and post-event content

Visibility to a senior C-, V- and D-level audience

Logo placement, backlinks and amplification across Technology Magazine , AI Magazine and BizClik platforms

Media partners play a key role in amplifying global conversations around AI strategy, cybersecurity, enterprise IT and digital transformation.

Event Highlights

40+ internationally acclaimed speakers, including:

Dr. Kathrin Kind , Director AI & Advanced Analytics, Cognizant

Amit Thawani , CIO, Lloyds Banking Group

Elena Sinel FRSA, Founder & CEO, Teens in AI

Dr. , Director AI & Advanced Analytics, Cognizant , CIO, Lloyds Banking Group Elena Sinel FRSA, Founder & CEO, Teens in AI Live panel discussions and executive workshops

Hundreds of in-person and virtual networking opportunities

Co-located with Cyber LIVE, expanding reach across tech and cyber audiences

CPD-accredited  one CPD point awarded per hour of learning

Explore the full agenda , speaker line-up and confirmed sponsors on our website

Interested in attending? Register to attend in person or virtually here

About BizClik

BizClik is a global B2B digital media and events company producing sector-specific content across technology, sustainability, procurement, fintech and AI. Through digital magazines, websites, newsletters, webinars and live events, we connect enterprise leaders with executive audiences to enable strategic business engagement.

For more information, visit: www.bizclikmedia.com

SOURCE BizClik Media
OKLAHOMA CITY, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Prism Bank proudly announces that Delene Gilbert, VP, Director of Cannabis Banking, was a featured speaker at the Financial Brand Forum 2025, held recently in Las Vegas. Gilbert's selection to speak highlights her deep expertise in cannabis banking and her understanding of the rapidly evolving cannabis banking environment.

Leadership in Cannabis Banking on a National Stage

The Financial Brand Forum is recognized as the leading conference for senior executives in retail banking, designed to accelerate growth and address the industry's biggest strategic challenges. According to The Financial Brand, one out of every twelve banking providers in the U.S. attend the event, and two out of every three attendees are VP-level or higher ( The Financial Brand Forum, 2025 ).

During her 45-minute session, Gilbert shared her insights on how to successfully balance compliance, technology, operational risk, and growth within the cannabis banking sector. Her presentation reinforced Prism Bank's leadership in delivering compliant, scalable financial services to businesses navigating the complex cannabis regulatory landscape.

Reflecting on her experience at the Forum, Gilbert said, "It was an incredible honor and privilege to speak at the 2025 Financial Brand Forum in Las Vegas. I hope those who attended my session gained as much valuable insight as I did from the outstanding lineup of speakers, who shared cutting-edge, real-time strategies for marketing and growth across financial institutions of all sizes. As the cannabis industry continues to expand, it is critical for financial institutions to fully understand both the opportunities and the challenges of responsibly and successfully serving this complex sector for the long term."

Driving Innovation in Cannabis Banking

Prism Bank continues to lead with innovative financial solutions, helping businesses thrive even amid regulatory challenges. By blending operational expertise with strategic vision, Prism Bank remains committed to supporting the growth and success of cannabis banking.

About Prism Bank:

Prism Bank is a community-focused financial institution dedicated to serving customers across central Oklahoma. With a strong entrepreneurial culture and a commitment to relationship-driven banking, Prism Bank delivers innovative financial solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of its communities. To learn more about the organization and its services, visit prism.bank .

SOURCE Prism Bank
SC Startup Debuts Headquarters And Next Phase Of AI Research And Product Development

COLUMBIA, S.C., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- QWERKY AI, a South Carolina-based AI startup, celebrates a significant milestone this week: the ribbon-cutting of its Columbia headquarters.

For inquiries about partnership opportunities, email [email protected] .

QWERKY AI co-founders with local leaders and guests at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the companys new headquarters in Columbia, S.C.

The ribbon-cutting welcomed local leaders, investors and community partners to the QWERKY AI space in Columbia's emerging tech scene. The event celebrated the startup's physical roots in South Carolina, its investment in local talent and its growing role in regional innovation.

"We're going to have our own AI company right here in Columbia, South Carolina that we can lean on, and every South Carolinian can lean on," says Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. "We don't have to go to a West Coast company; we have one right here in the Southeast. We're excited that you want Columbia to be your home."

To mark the occasion, QWERKY AI partnered with Columbia Craft Brewing Company on a custom rice lager, Kitsu 808  a one-time collaboration brewed to celebrate QWERKY's new headquarters and the launch of their human-like AI chat app. Inspired by the mythical kitsune and the iconic 808 drum machine beat, Kitsu 808 blends crisp clarity, smooth flow, and digital mischief  reflecting QWERKY's bold approach to AI. Guests enjoyed the beer during the launch event, raising a glass to the future of tech in Columbia.

Key Highlights:

QWERKY AI hosted its official ribbon-cutting at its Columbia HQ

Appointment-only visits now available at QWERKY's headquarters

Community support from local leaders, including Columbia Chamber, SCRA and City of Columbia

Beta launch coming soon, introducing tiered access  including a new Pro tier with higher daily token limits

QWERKY HQ is 700 Huger St. and is open to visitors by appointment only. Those interested can reach out via [email protected] to schedule a visit.

QWERKY AI is also preparing to launch the next phase of its platform with an upcoming beta release, which will introduce tiered access. The beta will include both the currently available free tier, with daily token limitations, and a new Pro tier, with higher daily token limits and priority access to new features and updates.

Users can visit qwerky.ai to learn more about QWERKY AI and try out the current alpha version of the QWERKY AI chat app.

About QWERKY AI

QWERKY AI is a human-centered artificial intelligence company focused on building practical and approachable AI tools for real-world use. Headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, with a distributed team across the U.S., QWERKY is led by a founding team of tech entrepreneurs with over a decade of experience. The company is dedicated to creating AI that enhances  rather than replaces  human intelligence. QWERKY AI is currently developing an AI platform to empower knowledge workers, creatives and small businesses.

Follow along on LinkedIn , Twitter/X , Instagram and TikTok .

QWERKY Public Relations

[email protected]

+1 803-200-2127

SOURCE Qwerky AI Inc
Successful wealth transfer requires communication to guide heirs, and financial advisors are uniquely positioned to help families navigate conversations about legacy and values

Key highlights:

Just 17% of Baby Boomers say their heirs are 'very well informed' about their level of wealth.

There is a significant gap in the percentage of Baby Boomers who agree it's important to talk about an inheritance with those who will receive it (89%) and the percentage of Baby Boomers who have actually provided guidance to their heirs about their intentions (39%).

Among both individuals leaving an inheritance and those receiving one, only about half feel very prepared.

Across Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials, wealthy individuals identified financial advisors as their primary resource to consult about inheritances.

MINNEAPOLIS, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - The nearly $100 trillion dollars estimated to pass from older to younger generations by the year 2048* sets up a new era of wealth transfer, as more families than ever before will be impacted by a material transfer of wealth. Yet, despite the large amounts of wealth set to change hands, research from RBC Wealth Management  U.S. found that families aren't adequately preparing for this transition and are looking for guidance and assistance facilitating important conversations about money and family values.

To help wealthy families navigate these conversations and prepare to transition their wealth, RBC Wealth Management surveyed 1,500 high-net-worth Americans between the ages of 28 and 78, exploring the mindset of Baby Boomers planning to leave an inheritance ("Givers") and Millennials and Gen Xers planning to receive one ("Receivers"). The survey focused on family dynamics and generational priorities related to wealth transfer.

Wealth transfer offers an opportunity to pass on values as well as money

The survey results reinforced that wealth transfer is about more than money; it's about family legacy and aligning priorities, passions and values with the next generation.

"A successful wealth transfer is about making sure beneficiaries understand what they may receive and how their inheritance can be used to carry on family values," said Angie O'Leary, Head of Wealth Strategies and Solutions at RBC Wealth Management  U.S. "This is an opportunity to create a legacy that continues many generations into the future."

All three generations overwhelmingly agree that family values are the foundation of their financial values (93% of Baby Boomer, 98% of Gen X and 95% of Millennial respondents). Additionally, all generations (89% of Baby Boomer, 98% of Gen X and 97% of Millennial respondents) feel it's important to discuss inheritances with intended recipients.

Yet, the survey showed that only half of Givers (52%) have had conversations about values with their intended beneficiaries, and only 39% have provided guidelines for the wealth.

Consequently, only half of Receivers (54%) feel prepared to receive the $2.1 million, on average, they are set to inherit.

The primary driver of feeling unprepared is a lack of communication. Givers who have shared their values with intended beneficiaries (39%) are much more likely to feel very prepared to leave an inheritance, 71% compared to 51% of all Givers. Still, 67% of Givers admit to putting off these conversations.

Delaying these conversations also contributes to Givers' perception that their heirs aren't prepared to manage the wealth. Only a quarter (26%) of Givers feel their beneficiaries are very prepared for their inheritance. In reality, 99% of Receivers intend to respect their parents' wishes for the wealth, and their top concern is being financially responsible with what they receive.

Conversations set the stage for planning and preparation

Open dialogue is the starting point for building an effective wealth transfer plan. A well-thought-out plan allows Givers to enjoy life today, while also helping their family and witnessing the impact of their wealth when their heirs need it most. Those who have already begun transferring wealth during their lifetime  just over 1 in 10 Givers  are significantly more likely to have had conversations about values with their heirs.

Among Givers, 84% say ensuring their family is financially secure for generations is a top priority, but 75% of Givers also want to enjoy life now, even if it means passing on less to their heirs.

"When clients have a personalized retirement income plan and know they will be able to fund the life they envisioned for themselves, they are more open to starting the wealth transfer earlier," O'Leary said. "And, beginning to transfer wealth while living can be a powerful tool for starting the dialogue about values and preparing heirs."

Financial advisors uniquely positioned to facilitate family discussions

Both Givers (65%) and Receivers (94%) also say they would like professional help facilitating family conversations about inheritance. Financial advisors are well positioned to help clients navigate discussions about values and legacy as a natural extension of estate planning.

Financial advisors are, by far, the primary resource wealthy individuals across all generations consult to learn more about inheritances (78% of Baby Boomer, 71% of Gen X and 67% of Millennial respondents), compared to accountants, attorneys, friends and family and online resources. These individuals are specifically looking to their financial advisor for advice on investment strategies, tax minimization, maintaining assets and preparing the next generation.

"These findings present a clear opportunity for financial advisors to be proactive in reaching out to clients to facilitate multi-generational wealth transfer conversations," O'Leary said. "It's also a good reminder for families to speak to their financial advisor for help with wealth transfer discussions and decisions  sooner rather than later."

About the Wealth Transfer survey

A 15-minute online survey was conducted in September 2024. Respondents included 1,500 Americans aged 28 to 78 with at least $1 million in investable assets. Of those surveyed, 500 were from each of the Baby Boomer, Gen X and Millennial generations, spread across gender, race and geography.

About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 98,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 19 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/peopleandplanet.

About RBC Wealth Management  U.S.

Founded in 1909, RBC Wealth Management delivers trusted advice and world-class wealth solutions to individuals, families and institutions. A subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), it is one of the largest full-service wealth management firms in the U.S., supporting the complex needs of high-net-worth and institutional clients by providing access to private banking, credit, investment management, asset management and other services. In the United States, RBC Wealth Management had $667 billion in total client assets (as of January 31, 2025) with more than 2,200 financial advisors operating from 192 locations in 42 states. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, registered investment adviser and Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC. Learn more at rbcwm.com .

* The Cerulli Report, U.S. High-Net-Worth and Ultra-High-Net-Worth Markets 2024

Media contact

Hannah Pederson, RBC Wealth Management, 612-371-2365, [email protected]

SOURCE RBC Wealth Management - U.S.
The co-op celebrates a year of continued impact and forward momentum alongside employees, members and partners

SEATTLE, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- REI Co-op today released its 2024 Impact Report and financial results, closing the year with $3.53 billion in net sales, investing over $282 million back into the co-op community and ending the year in a cash flow neutral position. The upward financial trajectory and its zero-waste milestone is a direct result of the incredible achievements made by REI's 14,000 employees to serve its growing cooperative community of over 25 million members and customers.

"The last few years have been challenging, not just for REI but for the greater outdoor industry," said Mary Beth Laughton, President and Chief Executive Officer, REI Co-op. "And yet I remain hopeful. The co-op is a special place made up of 14,000 passionate employees and 25 million members united by a shared sense of purpose. It's this community, and the incredible work it does in support of our public lands and the inclusive future we seek to build that first drew me to REI."

Pioneering efforts to achieve zero waste through collection action

All of REI's sustainability efforts are anchored to the co-op's wider mission to inspire and enable life outside. To do this, the outdoors needs to be healthy, protected and accessible for all.

In 2024, REI became the first major U.S. retailer to achieve the industry definition of zero waste, diverting 90% of waste from landfills across its operations.

"It was an enterprise effort to achieve this zero-waste milestone for the co-op," said Andrew Dempsey, Director of Climate, REI Co-op. "But it would not have happened without the dedication of employees across all of our operations to reduce and recycle waste at every level."

The co-op also achieved its goal to receive certification under The Change Climate Project's new Climate Label standard, furthering its commitment to directly reduce emissions while investing in and advocating for solutions that will help accelerate decarbonization at scale. REI has also made Climate Label certification a preferred attribute in the 2025 version of its Product Impact Standards to encourage partners to consider whether the certification is right for their brand.

As part of REI's commitment to invest in climate solutions and drive greater access to renewable energy, the co-op expanded the reach of its Clean Energy Procurement Academy (CEPA) to provide new manufacturing suppliers with the skills and knowledge to procure clean energy, and launched a digital portal to complement in-person training sessions. In addition to inviting its private label suppliers to participate, REI also brought CEPA's world-class educational materials to other outdoor brands and their value chain partners to advance the wider industrytogether.

In support of its broader sustainability goals, the co-op purchased carbon credits with City Forest Credits to sequester carbon and protect access to recreation in the metro Atlanta area, and signed a multiyear agreement with Sol Systems for clean energy generated from solar projects at REI stores in the state of Florida. Also in 2024, REI celebrated its 12th year of powering U.S. operations with 100% renewable electricity and continued working to make local renewable energy more accessible everywhere it operates.

Expanding access to nature

The right to easily and safely enjoy time in nature is out of reach for many and we see our role in enabling champions and decision-makers to prioritize easy access to nature for everyone. In 2024, the REI Cooperative Action Fund launched The Nature & Health Alliance as a platform designed to unite researchers, scientists, and practitioners to conduct cross-collaborative research and scientific foundation that nature is essential for human health and well-being.

REI also worked with a vast and diverse array of outdoor recreation advocates to successfully pass the EXPLORE Act, which included bills like the Outdoors for All Act, and Military & Veterans in Parks Act, and support for the Every Kid Outdoors program. The legislation collectively supports access to nature for nature-deprived communities, Veterans, youth and seniors.

Protecting close-to-home public lands is vitally important to expanding access. Across the country, the co-op garnered over 100,000 petition signatures to establish and expand national monuments like the San Gabriel Mountains and Berryessa Snow Mountain national monuments, with REI employees testifying at public hearings in support of public lands protections. As we look ahead to future threats to our public lands, REI remains steadfast in its commitment to stand strong in the fight to protect these monuments.

Working to make the outdoors more accessible and inclusive for everyonetogether

Thinking outside the activewear binary, the co-op took action to make outdoor gear and clothing more inclusive. A highlight of the year was the launch of Active Pursuits, REI's first-ever nongendered apparel collectiondesigned with real input from the people who wear it.

As part of this initiative, the co-op's best-selling Magma down and Zephyr synthetic backpacking sleeping bag lines were redesigned to be more inclusivedeveloped after 150,000 body scansto accommodate all bodies exploring the outdoors.

Full audited financials for 2024 are available here. Explore the co-op's full Impact Report at rei.com/impact.

2024 by the numbers:

Invested $84.8 million in incentives and profit sharing for employees, a 48.5% increase from 2023

in incentives and profit sharing for employees, a 48.5% increase from 2023 Added over a million new members and distributed $189 million to members through Co-op Member Rewards

to members through Co-op Member Rewards Invested $8.9 million in over 300 nonprofit partners working to make the outdoors more accessible and inclusive for everyone.

in over 300 nonprofit partners working to make the outdoors more accessible and inclusive for everyone. Achieved our commitment to reach zero waste across all U.S. operations, becoming the first national retailer to do so

Reduced 2024 emissions by 7% when compared with 2023 emissions, and 12% when compared with REI's 2019 baseline year

Opened 10 new stores, including our first in the state of Kentucky

The co-op reported $3.53 billion in revenue in 2024, a 6.2% decrease from 2023. The co-op reported a gross margin of 40.4% in 2024, a 1.7% increase from 2023. The co-op reported a $156.4 million net loss in 2024. That loss was largely driven by REI's commitment to giving back to members in the form of member rewards, to society in the form of giving, and to our employees in the form of performance incentives and retirement contributions.

in revenue in 2024, a 6.2% decrease from 2023. The co-op reported a gross margin of 40.4% in 2024, a 1.7% increase from 2023. The co-op reported a net loss in 2024. That loss was largely driven by REI's commitment to giving back to members in the form of member rewards, to society in the form of giving, and to our employees in the form of performance incentives and retirement contributions. There is a $209.4 million noncash valuation allowance reserve against REI's future tax credits and attributes. This reserve is required under current accounting guidance, however, the co-op continues to believe it will be able to use the majority of these tax credits and attributes in the future when it returns to profitability. At such time as the co-op returns to profitability, the co-op can use these deferred tax assets and reverse the related valuation allowance accordingly.

noncash valuation allowance reserve against REI's future tax credits and attributes. This reserve is required under current accounting guidance, however, the co-op continues to believe it will be able to use the majority of these tax credits and attributes in the future when it returns to profitability. At such time as the co-op returns to profitability, the co-op can use these deferred tax assets and reverse the related valuation allowance accordingly. Mobilizing our community to send half a million messages to decision-makers across federal, state and local levels, and securing $25 million in funding for the outdoors through the Cooperative Action Network

About the REI Co-op

REI is a specialty outdoor retailer, headquartered near Seattle. The nation's largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of 25 million members who expect and love the best quality gear and outstanding customer service. In addition to the co-op's many stores across the country, outdoor enthusiasts can shop at REI.com, REI Outlet or the REI shopping app. Everyone is welcome to shop REI, but members who join the co-op enjoy a range of benefits. REI is a purpose-driven and values-led company dedicated to enabling life outside for all.

SOURCE REI Co-op
MUNICH, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 7th REPT BATTERO releases its latest energy storage batteries and energy storage systems during Intersolar Europe 2025 Munich. It is the third time that REPT BATTERO has joined the Intersolar series panel. At this exhibition, REPT BATTERO brought 392Ah new generation high-capacity energy storage battery, which expected to be put into production shortly as well as the new Powtrix 6.26MWh energy storage system which is built on the new 392Ah battery.

6.26 MWh BESS: Adaptation & Flexibility to Meet Diverse Needs

REPT BATTERO Releases New 392Ah Battery and Powtrix 6.26MWh Energy Storage System REPT BATTERO Releases New 392Ah Battery and Powtrix 6.26MWh Energy Storage System

The new REPT BATTERO Powtrix 6.26MWh energy storage system combines both safety and high-efficiency at a relatively low cost while it operating. Powtrix 6.26 MWh energy storage system is built on new 392Ah battery integration. According to product specifications, 392Ah cells have better performance in terms of energy capacity compare to other 300Ah+ series cells. In sum, 392Ah battery cells combined both high energy efficiency and ready for large-scale production needs.

Moreover, 392Ah cells have conducted multiple operational tests under extreme conditions. For example, during GB 44240---2024 penetration test, 392Ah cells maintain stable operating conditions with 0 fire outbreaks and explosions accidents.

As for the whole system, Powtrix preserved the traditional design of 20ft container which means that the energy density of the system is improved by 20%, with the maximum round trip efficiency can hit over 95% that can guarantee client's ROI profits. Furthermore, the whole station's area is saved by 16% and the on-site installing working hour is decreased by 18%, a friendly choice for buyers who may have investment concerns.

4 Authoritative Certifications: Built for all scenarios

Powtrix system equipped new thermal control technology which enables cells to operate safely from cold and snowy areas to high temperature deserts. The structural stability of Powtrix meets seismic requirements of lEE693, protection level of the shell is IP55, corrosion resistance level hits C4/C5 requirements, and the high-voltage module has been designed to meet the IP67 protection level. All these features are integral to the strong structural design of this product and grant Powtrix system to fight all kinds of violent operating scenario. In addition, REPT BATTERO makes specific modifications for BESS systems to combat all types of risks in harsh shipping scenarios.

Furthermore, REPT BATTERO presented a safety risk assessment model based on data analysis of operating cycle, covering battery body, BMS failures and thermal management dysfunctions to provide comprehensive solutions for system risk control.

In the face of the rapid growth in the scale of energy storage systems and the frequent fire accidents in global energy storage projects, the development of multidimensional safety protection systems has become a significant challenge for major manufacturers. Recently REPT BATTERO conducted a fire test experiment to Powtrix system with CSA group and the experiment results prove that Powtrix system successfully contain fire outbreak within 1 adjacent cell modules.

Together for a brighter future

To bring exquisite user experiences, REPT BATTERO set up multiple customer services center in countries like Germany, United States, Australia, Indonesia and China to cover our clients all over the world. "We work closely with our customers to assess their energy needs, site conditions, grid requirements. From there, we design tailored solutions that align with their operational goals." Said by Francisco, sales director of REPT BATTERO Germany Branch during the launch event of Powtrix system on May 7th. "We provide thorough technical training and after-sales support to help our partners operate and maintain their systems with confidence  maximizing long-term reliability and performance. We also actively engage with local utilities, grid operators to explore flexible business models  including peak shaving, load shifting, and ancillary services  all aimed at generating greater value for our customers."

According to data from CNESA and InfoLink, in 2024, the shipment volume of REPT BATTERO energy storage batteries ranked top five in the world, and the shipment volume of energy storage batteries in the household storage sector ranked second in the world. The company's excellent market performance is a testament to the recognition it has received from partners and clients, as well as its precise control over technological innovation and product matrix layout.

Looking forward, REPT BATTERO will continue to refine its global energy transformation strategy, with a view to promoting the global green and low-carbon cause from multiple perspectives, including technology evolving, research and development input, product innovation.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2682638/REPT_BATTERO_Releases_New_392Ah_Battery_and_Powtrix___6_26MWh_Energy_Storage_System.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2682639/REPT_BATTERO_Releases_New_392Ah_Battery_and_Powtrix___6_26MWh_Energy_Storage_System.jpg
The joint venture further strengthens ICEYE's focus on developing space-based defense technology.

HELSINKI and DUSSELDORF, Germany, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rheinmetall and the globally leading SAR satellite manufacturer ICEYE are further intensifying their cooperation. The two companies intend to establish a joint venture for satellite production. A memorandum of understanding to this effect was signed on May 8, 2025.

Rheinmetall is to be the majority shareholder in the new joint venture named Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions with 60 per cent of the shares, while ICEYE will hold 40 per cent. The foundation is still subject to definitive agreements and official approvals.

Rheinmetall and ICEYE plan to establish a joint venture  satellite production and other space solutions in the new Rheinmetall Space Cluster

As part of a Rheinmetall Space Cluster in Germany, Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions is to manufacture satellites, starting with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites and subsequently other space solutions. Production is to take place at the Neuss site, among others, and is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2026.

"With the establishment of the new joint venture, we are making further inroads into the space domain," says Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. "We are thus not only responding to the increased demand for space-based reconnaissance capabilities among armed and security forces worldwide, but also contributing to the preservation and expansion of Germany as a centre of technology. Our highly qualified colleagues at the Neuss site are being given a promising new perspective for the future. We are delighted to expand our cooperation with our proven partner ICEYE."

"ICEYE aims to be the primary provider of critical infrastructure for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) to allied nations. We are excited to deepen our strategic collaboration with Rheinmetall by establishing a joint venture. This joint venture further strengthens our focus on developing space-based technology for the needs of global defense markets and securing sovereign defense capabilities for Europe," says Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and Co-founder of ICEYE.

SAR satellites offer the advantage over conventional satellites that they can generate high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions or time of day. These are very detailed and make even the smallest objects on the earth's surface identifiable. This can bring decisive advantages for the armed forces in terms of surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance, or their own positioning on the battlefield.

Back in June 2024, the Dusseldorf-based technology group Rheinmetall announced its participation in the world's largest fleet of radar reconnaissance satellites. In September 2024, Rheinmetall and ICEYE had further intensified their cooperation. In the course of this, Rheinmetall had secured exclusive rights to market the SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellites to military and government end users in both the German and Hungarian markets.

The first major milestone in the intensified cooperation between Rheinmetall and the SAR satellite company ICEYE was reached in November 2024. To meet Ukraine's urgent need for SAR imaging satellite reconnaissance capabilities, Rheinmetall and Ukraine had signed a contract with the support of the German government. The agreement extends the SAR data and other support that Ukraine received from ICEYE during the war.

About ICEYE

ICEYE delivers unparalleled persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth, faster and more accurately than ever before.

Owning the world's largest synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation, ICEYE provides objective, near real-time insights, ensuring that customers have unmatched access to actionable data, day or night, even in challenging environmental conditions. As a trusted partner to governments and commercial industries, ICEYE delivers intelligence in sectors such as defense and intelligence, insurance, natural catastrophe response and recovery, security, maritime monitoring, and finance, enabling decision-making that contributes to community resilience and sustainable development.

ICEYE operates internationally with offices in Finland, Poland, Spain, the UK, Australia, Japan, UAE, Greece, and the US. We have more than 700 employees, inspired by the shared vision of improving life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation.

Media contact: [email protected]

Visit www.iceye.com and follow ICEYE on LinkedIn and X for the latest updates and insights.

SOURCE ICEYE
This year, students competed for cash prizes in the Experiential Learning Showcase that required them to show how they applied the knowledge and skills learned in classes to real world business problems or opportunities.

PISCATAWAY, N.J., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Two members of the student social entrepreneurship organization Enactus won $8,000 at Rutgers Business School's Experiential Learning Showcase for effectively demonstrating how their classroom knowledge helped to grow a hydroponic farming venture, a method of growing plants using a nutrient-rich water solution instead of soil.

Rutgers Business School senior Rithik Kapadia (right) explains how the knowledge he learned in management and finance classes helped him and classmate, Leo Moreno, (left) in their work to grow an innovative farming venture.

With a blend of passion and poise, Rithik Kapadia, a senior majoring in accounting, and Leo Moreno, a junior studying finance, were the first- place winners in a tight, final round among six teams vying for $20,000 in prize money.

In all, 71 students from across Rutgers Business School's two campuses  a mix of both undergraduate and graduate  competed in the inaugural event. The entries they detailed to judges and spectators ranged from business ventures and co-op experiences to professional services based on their studies.

Lei Lei, the dean of Rutgers Business School, is a long-time proponent of experiential learning and the value it adds to a student's education.

"Companies across all industries have been facing an ever-increasing level of uncertainty and complexity," Lei said. "It is more important than ever for our students to develop problem-solving skills through experiential learning."

The Experiential Learning Showcase was intended to offer students a platform where they were able to demonstrate the essence of experiential learning  applying the knowledge and skills learned in classes to real world business problems or opportunities. It went further though, asking them to describe the impact of their efforts and to reflect on the personal and professional growth they gained as a result.

Professor Mason Ameri, executive director of experiential learning who organized the event, described experiential learning as part of the DNA at Rutgers Business School  evident in every discipline, course and co-curricular activity. "We're showcasing something that happens every day inside the business school," Ameri said.

Kapadia and Moreno are part of a team of students who built Enactus's Agoraponic Farms to address food insecurity at Rutgers and the New Brunswick area. Using hydroponic systems  a soil-less farming technique that requires little space  the venture grew $4,000 worth of lettuce last year. Their produce is distributed through partnerships with a campus cafe and a student basic needs center.

The judges awarded a $7,000 second prize to finance students  Malik Vazquez, Issa Jadallah and Jose Jimenez Gratereaux  who are members of the Association of Latino Professionals for America at Rutgers Business School-Newark. The team created a student-managed investment fund that will pay out scholarships to ALPFA members.

The ALPFA Fund team also won the Rutgers Choice Award after receiving the highest number of votes from spectators at the event.

Senior accounting student Kevin Cheung won the third prize of $5,000 after describing how he led members of Beta Alpha Psi last year in a volunteer effort preparing tax returns for low-income New Brunswick residents.

Michael IIcyn, a JP Morgan Chase executive and one of three judges, uttered one word as he began to announce the winners and the impact of their projects. "Wow," he said.

The judges were struck by the potential impact of the winning projects, he said, as well as the maturity and skill of the students. "You've done a tremendous job for where you are in your career journey," he said. In addition to IIcyn, Daniela Koumides, a Rutgers MBA alumna who is employed at Cigna, and Alan Olegario, an account director Microsoft and Rutgers engineering alumnus, served as judges.

Professor Ameri said the showcase is a first step in highlighting the broad experiential learning footprint within Rutgers Business School. "We deployed the event to celebrate the outstanding work of our students, but just as importantly, to spotlight a foundational component of experiential learning that is often unobserved: reflection," he said.

Each team was required to create a poster board explaining their project, its impact, what classes were applied to the project and what they gained through the experience. During the first round, the three judges went to each poster, individually listening to the students, asking questions and offering feedback. After the first round, the judges narrowed the field to six finalists.

The finalists were required to do a pitch-styled presentation detailing their projects and experiences, how they applied their knowledge and what they gained through their efforts.

The students managing the ALPFA Fund told the judges they used knowledge from their finance classes to find undervalued investing opportunities and identify different stock styles. They also learned discipline and patience, they said, by holding workshops to provide members with an understanding of the investment world.

"Yes, we are managing a fund, but we're also investing in people," Vazquez told the judges.

Cheung told the judges he gained project management experience and delegation skills by leading the students who helped prepare hundreds of tax returns for New Brunswick residents. In one case, he told the judges, the students made a correction on a single mother's tax return that provided her with a refund of $12,000  extra money to spend on food or housing or clothing.

Kapadia and Moreno, the first-place winners, won points for their knowledge of the metrics around the venture and for their public speaking skills. Both students said they grew from the experience of public speaking in a series of pitch competitions. Their efforts paid off.

"This win is truly trajectory-changing," Moreno said after the competition. "It gives us the resources to grow the project in a meaningful way and bring our impact to the next level."

SOURCE Rutgers Business School
Partnership Expands Advertiser Access to Millions of Outdoor and RV Enthusiasts

LOS ANGELES, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AllGear Digital, the leading publisher of outdoor and active lifestyle brands, is pleased to announce that RVshare, the largest online community for RV renters and owners, has joined AGD+, AllGear Digital's extended advertising network. This partnership expands opportunities for advertisers to connect with RVshare's highly engaged audience of adventure-seekers and outdoor enthusiasts.

AGD+'s portfolio of top outdoor brands includes GearJunkie, The Inertia, and Switchback Travel. With global partners like AllTrails, it reaches over 250 million readers annually. By welcoming RVshare to the network, AGD+ further strengthens its ability to deliver targeted, high-impact campaigns for advertisers across the outdoor travel sector.

"This partnership with RVshare represents a natural alignment of values: adventure, accessibility, and authentic outdoor experiences," said Rob Hudson, SVP, Head of Sales at AllGear Digital. "By integrating RVshare into AGD+, we're not just expanding our reach, we're enhancing the way brands can engage with a passionate, adventure-seeking audience at every stage of their journey."

Advertisers now have direct access to RVshare's audience, complementing AGD+'s broader reach across the outdoor industry's most trusted brands.

For more information on advertising with the AGD+ Network, visit: allgeardigital.com/advertising

About RVshare

RVshare is the largest online community for RV renters and owners with a diverse selection of vehicles for rent across the US, ranging from luxury motorhomes to cozy camper vans. On RVshare, you'll find vehicles that can accommodate any outdoor adventure, whether it's a weekend of camping or a cross-country tour of national parks. Hit the road yourself or plan for a campsite delivery to experience the unbridled freedom of RV travel. With more than 5 million nights of sleeping under the stars booked, families and groups can experience a one-of-a-kind trip and create memories that will last a lifetime. For more information, visit rvshare.com, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @rvshare.

About AllGear Digital

AllGear Digital delivers award-winning outdoor journalism and gear reviews to an engaged audience of active, outdoors enthusiasts. Our owned and operated publications include GearJunkie, The Inertia, Switchback Travel, and other category-leading media brands. AllGear Digital and AGD+, AllGear Digital's extended advertising network, have a combined global annual reach of over 250 million, leveraging AGD Studios to tell powerful stories that inspire and engage. Based in Los Angeles, California, AllGear Digital is a diverse-owned media company committed to inclusivity.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE AllGear Digital
CHICAGO, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society for Sales and Marketing Professionals in Science (SAMPS), in partnership with Biocompare, hosted the 4th Annual SAMPS Awards Gala on April 29 at Roots South Loop in Chicago. The event honored the outstanding individuals, teams, and organizations shaping the future of scientific sales and marketing.

The Society for Sales and Marketing Professionals in Science (SAMPS), in partnership with Biocompare, hosted the 4th Annual SAMPS Awards Gala.

This year's gala brought together more than 100 industry professionals for an evening of recognition, networking, and celebration. Winners were announced across nine award categories, spotlighting those who have demonstrated creativity, leadership, innovation, and measurable impact in the life science industry.

"The SAMPS Awards were created to celebrate the incredible work being done in scientific sales and marketingand this year's finalists and winners truly raised the bar," said Joan Boyce, SAMPS Board Member and Principal at Aurora Biomarketing. "Recognizing excellence in our field is not only meaningfulit's essential. These awards shine a light on the people and programs making a real difference in advancing scientific discovery".

The awards program was co-hosted by Biocompare, the leading product discovery platform for life scientists. "We're proud to co-host this important event with SAMPS," said Mike Okimoto, Chief Content Officer at Biocompare. "It's inspiring to see such passion and excellence from individuals and companies working to advance our field."

This year's award categories included:

Marketing Professional of the Year

Sales Professional of the Year

Support Professional of the Year

Company of the Year

Young Person of the Year

Mentor of the Year

Campaign of the Year

Best Innovation of the Year

Lifetime Achievement Award

The gala was made possible through the generous support of Biocompare and category sponsors UP There, Everywhere, Scaler Marketing, Aurora Biomarketing, Covalent Bonds, Element CG, HDMZ, Altitude Marketing, and The Linus Group.

To view the full list of winners, visit:

https://www.samps.org/awards/4th-annual-samps-awards#winners

The 5th Annual Awards will take place in April 2026 in San Diego during AACR.

About SAMPS

SAMPS (Society for Sales and Marketing Professionals in Science) is a global community dedicated to elevating the practice of sales and marketing in the life sciences through education, networking, and recognition of excellence.

About Biocompare

Biocompare is the life science industry's trusted product discovery platform, helping scientists find, evaluate, and source the tools they need to accelerate research.

SOURCE BioCompare
The Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, has given assurances of unwavering support for Ukraine in a video address to the 17th Annual Kyiv Security Forum, founded by Arseniy Yatsenyuks Open Ukraine foundation.

"For more than three years, 1,169 days, you have been defending your people with indomitable spirit and unwavering devotion. You are fighting not only for Ukraine, but for your families and your people. You are on the front lines to defend democracy and the right to freedom. NATO sees your sacrifice. NATO hears your voice. And NATO is on your side. We pay tribute to your fallen heroes who sacrificed everything in this fight. Their memory gives us even greater strength to support Ukraine, to defend our values," Dragone emphasized.

The Admiral noted that Ukraine's struggle is a common cause with the Alliance.

"Sisters and brothers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine! Your courage today is a gift to tomorrow. Today is not just a remembrance of the past. It is the creation of the future. A future in which Ukraine will be free, independent and protected. On behalf of every NATO country, every military uniform we wear, we salute you. Your struggle is our common cause. We will not retreat. And you will not retreat either. Glory to Ukraine!" - Dragone emphasized.

The 17th Annual Kyiv Security Forum, organized to mobilize transatlantic support for Ukraine, takes place on May 8-9.
Seasoned Energy Executive Brings Deep Industry and Strategic Expertise

SAN FRANCISCO, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Prologis, Inc. (NYSE: PLD) announced today that Sarah Slusser was elected to its board of directors at the company's annual stockholder meeting on May 8, 2025. Slusser will serve on the board's Governance and Nomination committee.

Slusser is the chief executive officer of Cypress Creek Renewables LLC, a leading U.S. power producer. She brings more than three decades of leadership experience across the energy sector, including roles in renewable development, corporate M&A and executive management.

Sarah Slusser Elected to Prologis Board of Directors

Before joining Cypress Creek, Slusser founded Point Reyes Energy Partners LLC, an energy storage advisory and development firm, and co-founded GeoGlobal Energy LLC, a geothermal company with international operations. She previously spent over 20 years at The AES Corporation, where she led the global mergers and acquisitions group.

"We are pleased to welcome Sarah to our board," said Hamid R. Moghadam, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Prologis. "Her operational and strategic depth in energy will be a key asset as we continue to expand our energy solutions for customers worldwide."

"I'm honored to join the board of a company that's not only transforming the global supply chain but also leading the charge in sustainability," said Slusser. "Truly in a category by itself, Prologis is uniquely positioned to drive energy innovation at scale. I'm excited to support the company's next chapter of growth."

About Prologis

The world runs on logistics. At Prologis, we don't just lead the industry, we define it. We create the intelligent infrastructure that powers global commerce, seamlessly connecting the digital and physical worlds. From agile supply chains to clean energy solutions, our ecosystems help your business move faster, operate smarter and grow sustainably. With unmatched scale, innovation and expertise, Prologis is a category of onenot just shaping the future of logistics but building what comes next. Learn more at Prologis.com.

SOURCE Prologis, Inc.
AUBURN, Maine, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Scott & Jon's (www.scottandjons.com), the frozen seafood meal brand known for bringing big flavor to convenient, better-for-you meals, is expanding its popular lineup with three standout new additions: Lemon Butter Dill Salmon, Baja Fish Taco, and Cajun Style Shrimp Alfredo.

Each new bowl is designed to bring restaurant-inspired recipes and high-quality seafood to your table in minutes. These new items continue the Scott & Jon's brand's mission to make seafood exciting, accessible, and undeniably delicious.

Scott & Jon's delicious new seafood bowls Post this Scott & Jons delicious new frozen seafood bowls deliver great, fresh taste in minutes!

Flavor-Forward Innovation

Building on the strong performance of its recent salmon bowl launch and continuing the commitment to high protein offerings, Scott & Jon's is delivering even more variety and irresistible taste with this new wave of meals:

Lemon Butter Dill Salmon  A fresh take on a seafood classic. This rich, creamy dish pairs tender salmon with al dente penne pasta in a lemon butter dill sauce that's both comforting and refined.

 A fresh take on a seafood classic. This rich, creamy dish pairs tender salmon with al dente penne pasta in a lemon butter dill sauce that's both comforting and refined. Baja Fish Taco  A vibrantly seasoned new white fish variety. Delicate cod served with a creamy cilantro lime crema and topped with colorful accents like pickled onions, this dish brings the zest of flavorful tacos to your kitchen.

 A vibrantly seasoned new white fish variety. Delicate cod served with a creamy cilantro lime crema and topped with colorful accents like pickled onions, this dish brings the zest of flavorful tacos to your kitchen. Cajun Style Shrimp Alfredo  A spicy twist to the brand's best-selling Shrimp Alfredo. This delectable bowl combines perfectly cooked shrimp, andouille sausage, and al dente penne pasta in a velvety alfredo sauce with just the right amount of tangy heat. It is the perfect blend of creamy and spicy for a very enjoyable meal.

"Our Honey Sesame Salmon Bowl has been a hit with consumers," said Scott Demers, co-founder of Scott & Jon's. "We're excited to build on that momentum with more flavor-forward recipes and introduce white fish to our lineup. It's all about offering variety while staying true to what we do best  delicious, satisfying seafood meals made simple."

The new bowls will be available starting May 2025 at major retailers nationwide, including Sprouts, Target, Harris Teeter, Publix, Wegmans, Market Basket, Giant Eagle.

About Scott & Jon's

Scott & Jon's is on a mission to be the trusted leader in seafood, delivering exceptional taste with effortless convenience. Founded by brothers Scott and Jon Demers and proudly based in Maine, the brand believes delicious seafood should be simple. Each single-serve frozen meal is crafted with high-quality ingredients, pairing perfectly cooked seafood with scratch-made sauces for flavor-packed, satisfying meals.

With deep seafood expertise and an unwavering commitment to quality, Scott & Jon's has earned a loyal following and recognition from industry leaders. Products are available in major grocery stores nationwide, making it easy to enjoy fresh-tasting seafood anytime.

Find us in the frozen aisle or visit www.scottandjons.com to learn more.

SOURCE Scott & Jon's
SAN DIEGO, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the national food poisoning law firm of Ron Simon & Associates, along with The Gomez Trial Attorneys, filed a second Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe Salmonella Lawsuit in San Diego County, California. The firm now represents more than 20 victims in this outbreak as the number of reported victims has increased to more than two dozen, with as many as 14 being hospitalized.

A copy of the lawsuit is available upon request.

According to Ron Simon, We anticipate a many more victims will come forward now that this outbreak has been reported in the local media. Our office has been receiving numerous phone calls from families, many of whom have been long-time customers of Aladdin. We will make sure each and every one our clients receives full and fair compensation for their injuries and suffering, and that Aladdin makes the necessary changes to make their food safe. According to Ron Simon, the national Salmonella food poisoning lawyer handling Joseph Jarvis' case and cases for nearly two dozen other Salmonella victims: Salmonellosis is a preventable disease. We intend to find out what went wrong that allowed so many innocent victims to become infected with this potentially deadly bacteria. Any consumer who ate at Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe should immediately contact a medical professional if they are experiencing symptoms of a Salmonella infection.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Joseph Jarvis, who consumed a Mezza Platter with lamb, beef and chicken from Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe on April 26th. By the next day, he was ill with the symptoms of salmonella poisoning, including the onset of bloody vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and dehydration. He was taken to UC San Diego Health Emergency Department and immediately admitted to the hospital, where he remained for several days before being discharged home. He is still recovering from his illness.

The lawsuit comes as San Diego County health officials and others report a growing number of victims, all having eaten at Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe. As of now, most confirmed victims are believed to have eaten on either April 25th or 26th of this year, but many victims calling the national food poisoning law firm of Ron Simon & Associates are also reporting food consumption on April 27th and 28th.

According to Ron Simon, "We anticipate a many more victims will come forward now that this outbreak has been reported in the local media. Our office has been receiving numerous phone calls from families, many of whom have been long-time customers of Aladdin. We will make sure each and every one our clients receives full and fair compensation for their injuries and suffering, and that Aladdin makes the necessary changes to make their food safe."

Food Safety Attorneys Establish Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe Farms Salmonella Claim Center

Mr. Simon and his law firm have established an Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe/Salmonella Claim Center to assist victims in the outbreak. The Salmonella Claim Center can be reached toll-free at 1-888-335-4901 or by going to the firm's website, at https://www.ronsimonassociates.com/.

About Food Safety Attorney Ron Simon

Over the last 32 years, Ron Simon and his colleagues have prosecuted thousands of food poisoning cases for victims across the United States. His work has resulted in numerous upgrades to food safety procedures in Fortune 500 companies and in legislation designed to protect consumers from dangerous food-borne pathogens.

Mr. Simon and his team have represented thousands of salmonella victims all across the United States, many of whom reside in San Diego and southern California.

The firm served as lead counsel on two recent major San Diego outbreaks  the 2023 Miguel's Cocina outbreak and the 2019 San Diego County Fair outbreak.

Mr. Simon and his clients have been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and virtually all other major television networks and print media. Mr. Simon and his legal team have collected over $850,000,000 for their clients. His firm regularly publishes articles about food safety and litigation at www.foodpoisoningnews.com which are read by viewers in over 180 countries.

Through litigation, media commentary, and his food poisoning publications, Mr. Simon relentlessly challenges food manufacturers, distributors, and restaurants to do a better job in making our food safe.

For media inquiries or more information on the Salmonella outbreak and ongoing litigation, please contact Ron Simon directly at (713) 819-8116 or [email protected].

SOURCE Ron Simon & Associates
WASHINGTON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Elizabeth Hecker, former acting deputy chief and special litigation counsel in the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division's Appellate Section, has joined Crowell & Moring as senior counsel in the Litigation Group. Hecker brings more than two decades of experience leading litigation in the federal court of appeals, with a focus on cases involving education and matters related to Title IV, Title VI, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Crowell & Moring senior counsel Elizabeth Hecker

For nearly a decade in the Appellate Section, Hecker oversaw high-profile, complex cases and filed more than 50 briefs in the federal courts of appeals. As special litigation counsel, Hecker briefed and argued prominent appeals of civil rights cases, supervised the work of 15 staff attorneys, and provided counsel to the division's trial-level litigating attorneys and other DOJ components. She presented oral argument in over a dozen matters across state and federal courts of appeals and worked closely with the Office of the Solicitor General in matters at the U.S. Supreme Court. Hecker also acted as the Appellate Section's policy counsel, consulting on proposed legislation, draft regulations, guidance documents, and government policy statements.

In addition to her robust appellate experience, Hecker has litigated matters in dozens of federal district courts nationwide and negotiated multiple settlement agreements and consent decrees on behalf of both private clients and the government. Much of Hecker's government portfolio focused on issues including equal educational opportunities under Title VI, Title IX and other federal and state anti-discrimination laws, employment discrimination, fair housing, voting rights, and police and prison reform. Hecker was the lead drafter for the government's amicus briefs in the Supreme Court in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard College, Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, and Torres v. Texas Department of Public Safety.

"Beth is a perfect fit for our higher education clients. She has been living in this space for decades, knows the statutes and their requirements, and is uniquely qualified to assist clients, particularly at this time," said Kent Goss, co-chair of Crowell & Moring's Litigation Group. "She will also bring her diverse and impressive experience as an appellate writer and advocate to advise and work on appeals across the firm."

At Crowell, Hecker's practice will focus on education litigation, including defending against enforcement actions and investigations into university clients and providing regulatory advice on diversity, equity, inclusion, and gender-related programs. Additionally, as an experienced constitutional law practitioner, Hecker will be able to offer companies advice on the First Amendment, federalism, and other constitutional issues.

"I am thrilled to join Crowell & Moring, which has a premier litigation bench and is known for its excellent work and collaborative culture," Hecker said. "I am also looking forward to working with Crowell's education clients. The federal government is increasingly taking a closer look at institutions of higher education and their implementation of the federal anti-discrimination laws, and it is critical for clients to understand the federal statutes and how to create strategies that help them navigate the changing terrain."

While in the federal government, Hecker received three Distinguished Service Awards, two Special Commendation Awards, and multiple Special Achievement and Meritorious Awards.

Hecker received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and her bachelor's degree from Emory University.

About Crowell & Moring LLP

Crowell & Moring is an international law firm with operations in the United States, Europe, MENA, and Asia. Drawing on significant government, business, industry, and legal experience, the firm helps clients capitalize on opportunities and provides creative solutions to complex regulatory and policy, litigation, transactional, and intellectual property issues. The firm is consistently recognized for its commitment to pro bono service, as well as its comprehensive programs and initiatives to advance the professional and personal development of all members of the Crowell community.

Media Contact:

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Crowell & Moring LLP
HARRISON, Ohio, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society for Simulation in Healthcare is calling on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reconsider recent staff reductions and restructuring of key health agencies, citing concerns over potential threats to patient safety and healthcare quality.

In a letter dated May 2 to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and signed by SSH President Jared Kutzin, DNP, MS, MPH, RN, FSSH, FAAN, and SSH Executive Director Jennifer Manos, MBA, MSN, RN, SSH expressed strong support for the goals of the Make America Healthy Again Commission, including tackling chronic disease, improving environments, and enhancing healthcare quality. However, SSH leaders warned that the current HHS reorganization could undermine these efforts.

"These changes risk disrupting critical programs, including those led by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)," the letter states. "AHRQ's work is foundational to protecting patient safety in hospitals across the country."

SSH is requesting an urgent meeting with Secretary Kennedy to discuss the impact of these changes and advocate for continued investment in simulation-based training  a proven method for preparing healthcare professionals to deliver safer, higher-quality care.

"At a time when healthcare systems face mounting challenges, reducing staff and altering structures within key agencies will weaken our national ability to respond to emerging health threats," the letter said. "Simulation improves readiness and saves lives  and that must remain a priority."

SSH, a global leader in healthcare simulation since 2004, represents over 5,200 professionals dedicated to advancing patient safety through innovative training. The organization also oversees national certification and accreditation programs and collaborates with health and safety institutions across the U.S.

For media inquiries or more information, contact: Curtis Kitchen, SSH Director of Marketing, at: [email protected].

About the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH)

The Society for Simulation in Healthcare is a 501(c3) non-profit organization dedicated to improving patient safety and healthcare outcomes through simulation-based education and research. SSH's membership is 5,500+ strong and includes physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, educators, researchers, and administrators from around the world. Currently, there are more than 250+ SSH Accredited programs and 4,800+ healthcare professionals having achieved SSH Certification (CHSE, CHSE-A, CHSOS, CHSOS-A) worldwide. Visit ssih.org for more information.

SOURCE Society for Simulation in Healthcare
IRONDALE, Ala., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- "It is with great joy that I welcome the election of Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV. The election of a new pope is always a historic moment in the life of the Church, but the election of the first American-born Pope is particularly momentous. The new Holy Father carries with him enormous experience as a missionary priest and bishop, which no doubt will help to shape his ministry as the 266th successor of Saint Peter. On behalf of the global EWTN Family, I want to assure Pope Leo of our prayers as he begins his service to the universal Church."

EWTN Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw (PRNewsfoto/EWTN Global Catholic Network)

ABOUT EWTN and EWTN NEWS

In its 43rd year, EWTN is the largest Catholic media organization in the world. EWTN's 11 global TV channels and numerous regional channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 435 million television households in more than 160 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 600 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the most visited Catholic websites in the U.S.; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., EWTN News operates multiple global news services, including Catholic News Agency, "The National Catholic Register" newspaper and digital platform, ACI Prensa in Spanish, ACI Digital in Portuguese, ACI Stampa in Italian, ACI Africa in English, French and Portuguese, ACI MENA in Arabic, CNA Deutsch in German and ChurchPop, a digital platform that creates content in several languages. It also produces numerous television news programs including EWTN News Nightly, EWTN News In Depth, EWTN Pro-Life Weekly, The World Over, and others.

SOURCE EWTN Global Catholic Network
LONDON and NEW YORK, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In March 2020, several of the largest, long-term institutional holders of sovereign bonds issued by the Lebanese Republic ("Lebanon") formed a group (the "Ad Hoc Group") in response to the deteriorating financial and economic situation in the country and the government's decision to default on its international bonds (the "Bonds"). In recent months, the Ad Hoc Group has grown to include additional members and is broadly representative of Lebanon's international bondholder base, with its members holding substantial amounts of the Bonds across all outstanding series.

A steering committee of the Ad Hoc Group has been established and comprises funds managed or advised by major institutional investors and their affiliates, including Amundi Asset Management, BlackRock, RBC BlueBay Asset Management, Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co. LLC, Greylock Capital Management LLC, Mangart Capital Management Ltd and Morgan Stanley Investment Management.

The Ad Hoc Group's stated objective from the outset has been to find a sustainable and equitable solution to Lebanon's severe debt challenges. To this end, on April 25, 2025, members of the steering committee held a productive introductory meeting in Washington, D.C., with senior members of the new Lebanese administration on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund ("IMF") and World Bank Spring Meetings.

The Ad Hoc Group welcomes the authorities' announced commitment to developing a comprehensive reform and restructuring program for Lebanon that could be supported by an IMF facility. It commends the progress already made towards this objective, notably the recent adoption of the bank secrecy bill in Parliament, and expresses its support for the continued advancement of key reforms, including the adoption of appropriate legislation to facilitate reform of the banking sector.

The Ad Hoc Group encourages the authorities to work collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders on this reform and restructuring program in the interest of restoring macroeconomic stability and economic growth in Lebanon. A comprehensive debt restructuring, carried out through transparent and inclusive engagement with all affected parties, will help Lebanon move beyond years of economic crisis and rebuild the market confidence needed to eventually regain access to international capital markets.

The Ad Hoc Group stands ready to engage constructively with the Lebanese authorities, the IMF and other stakeholders to help achieve the common objective of a comprehensive and timely resolution of Lebanon's debt challenges.

The Ad Hoc Group has retained White & Case LLC and Houlihan Lokey as legal and financial advisors, respectively.

Holders of the Bonds who wish to learn more about the Ad Hoc Group and its objectives, or discuss recent developments, may contact White & Case LLP and Houlihan Lokey by emailing [email protected] and [email protected].
HOUSTON, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Stellus Capital Investment Corporation (NYSE: SCM) will release its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025 on Monday, May 12, 2025, after the close of the stock market.

Stellus Capital Investment Corporation will host a conference call to discuss these results on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM, Central Time. The conference call will be led by Robert T. Ladd, Chief Executive Officer, and W. Todd Huskinson, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Treasurer, and Secretary.

Conference Call Details

Via Phone: Dial 888-506-0062 (domestic). Use passcode 260621. Starting approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call, a replay will be available through Friday, May 27, 2025 by dialing 877-481-4010 and entering passcode 52407.

Via Live Webcast: Connect via the Public Company (SCIC) section of our website at www.stelluscapital.com, under the Events tab. A replay of the conference will be available on our website for approximately 90 days.

About Stellus Capital Investment Corporation

The Company is an externally-managed, closed-end, non-diversified investment management company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Company's investment objective is to maximize the total return to its stockholders in the form of current income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in private middle-market companies (typically those with $5.0 million to $50.0 million of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization)) through first lien, second lien, unitranche and mezzanine debt financing, and corresponding equity investments. The Company's investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, Stellus Capital Management, LLC. To learn more about Stellus Capital Investment Corporation, visit www.stelluscapital.com under the Stellus Capital Investment Corporation link.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included herein may contain "forward-looking statements" which relate to future performance or financial condition. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

Contacts

Stellus Capital Investment Corporation

W. Todd Huskinson, (713) 292-5414

Chief Financial Officer

[email protected]

SOURCE Stellus Capital Investment Corporation
HEFEI, China, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 7th, the Intersolar Europe exhibition opened grandly in Munich, Germany, where Sungrow FPV made a splash with the launch of their new floating solar system solutions, showcasing significant technological breakthroughs in the floating solar field.

Sungrow FPV in Intersolar Europe

The European market's core demands for floating solar have evolved from "technical feasibility verification" to "scalable economic viability and ecological synergy." Specific requirements include high efficiency, environmental compatibility, versatile compatibility across multiple scenarios, and adaptability to extreme climates. In response, the SGF-TS30M floating solar system focuses on four major breakthroughs:

Efficient Installation, Simplified Construction: Modular design and pre-assembled components reduce installation time by 30%. A streamlined installation process with 6 standardized steps lowers construction complexity.

Authority Certification, Safety and Reliability: TUV certification ensures 2.3kN/m snow load resistance and a 25-year operational guarantee. Floating materials are eco-certified, demonstrating environmental friendliness.

Strong Compatibility, Adaptation Across All Scenarios: Full-size component support accommodates various module sizes, with maximum dimensions of 2465mm length and 1303mm width. Flexible layout options and adjustable tilt angles (5-15) meet diverse irradiation conditions.

Optimal System Design, Safe and Convenient Operation and Maintenance: Optimized layout schemes increase installed capacity by 10%-15% per unit area, enhancing electricity generation. The industry's widest (0.58m) maintenance walkway ensures operational safety, with pre-set wiring diagrams simplifying maintenance.

Dr. Wiep Folkerts, an expert from the Netherlands' National Institute for Energy Research, delivered a keynote speech at the booth, highly commending SungrowFPV Solar's technological leadership. He believes such innovations are crucial for promoting high-quality development in the global floating solar industry. Looking ahead, Sungrow Floating Solar remains committed to customer-centric innovation, continually delivering high-quality system solutions for the "floating solar +" application field.

About Sungrow FPV

Sungrow Floating PV is a key high-tech enterprise dedicated to providing floating PV system solutions, focusing on providing ecologically friendly, reliable, and efficient Floating PV system solutions. With the vision of "to be the global navigator of FPV", its persistent pursuit is to provide high-yield one-stop services and lead the environmentally friendly development of floating PV.

Learn more at http://en.sungrowfpv.com/

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2682584/Sungrow_FPV_Intersolar_Europe.jpg
The appointment of six executives in Austria, Brazil, Italy, Norway, Spain, and the UK bolsters Taxbit's commitment to driving responsible digital asset adoption

NEW YORK, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Taxbit , the enterprise-grade tax and accounting compliance platform for digital assets, continues to expand globally by appointing six executives in Austria, Brazil, Italy, Norway, Spain, and the UK. The executives bring regulatory knowledge and policy development experience to Taxbit's growing team of regional experts.

"In-market expertise is vital to our mission at Taxbit  driving innovation and regulatory clarity worldwide. In both Europe and Latin America, policymakers are making significant strides in delivering advanced regulatory frameworks for digital assets with a view to ensuring all businesses meet best practices for tax and accounting standards. Bringing on board these global industry leaders is vital to maintaining a harmonious dialogue with government, ensuring our customers receive best-in-class service and counsel, and achieving our growth goals in this rapidly evolving industry."

- Michelle O'Connor , VP of Global Market Expansion

Georg Brameshuber , appointed as an Austrian Executive, has served as a Board of Advisors for Blockchain for Europe and Digital Asset Association Austria member. In addition to his experience co-founding Validvent.tax, an Austria-based consultancy, Brameshuber brings over ten years of experience across various roles in the blockchain space, accounting, and law.

Antonio Lanotte , appointed as an Italian Executive, has served as Ambassador for Italy in the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC), member of the Board of Advisors for Blockchain for Europe, member of the EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum (EU4Blockchain) and INATBA, member of UN Dynamic Coalition on Blockchain Assurance and Standardization (DC-BAS), and brings over twenty years of experience as a tax advisor and CFO.

Magnus Jones , appointed as a Nordic Executive, serving as co-founder of Cointegrity, Ambassador for Norway in the GBBC, VP of Regulation at European Web3 Organisation, member of INTERPOL's Expert Group on the Metaverse, Crypto Expert for the OSCE, board member of the Nordic Blockchain Association, and K33. He brings over fifteen years of experience at EY, specializing in tax and law.

Torstein Thinn , appointed as a Nordic Executive and Co-founder of Cointegrity, established and led the world's first cryptocurrency task force at the Norwegian tax administration, and headed the Nordic collaboration on crypto. Thinn also served as CFO at NBX, Norwegian Blockchain Exchange, and CEO of AKJ, a turn-key crypto fund platform, bringing over twenty-five years of experience in finance.

Dion Seymour , appointed as British Executive, serves as Crypto and Digital Assets Technical Director at Andersen LLP, an international tax and accounting advisory firm with offices in 179 countries. He has over 18 years of tax experience and, from 2018, gained significant experience in cryptoassets by leading HMRC's approach to crypto and representing HMRC at an international level with the OECD's Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) negotiations. He is co-chair of the OECD's business advisory group for CARF, a member of Solana Foundation's Superteam UK Policy Advisory Board, a member of CryptoUK policy board, and chair of the tax working group for the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales (ICAEW).

Nicole Dyskant , appointed as Brazilian and Spanish Executive, has been an advisor for Taxbit LATAM since June 2024. With over twenty-five years of practical experience and regional expertise, Dyskant serves as Global Senior Advisor in Regulatory & Public Affairs at Fireblocks and is currently co-chairing the 100 Women in Finance Brazil Committee.

"Latin America is one of the world leaders in cryptocurrency adoption, especially in the field of payments and cross-border remittances. With renewed attention and focus on expanded use cases for crypto, adoption is driving demand for greater regulatory clarity. Taxbit's commitment to the advancement of this technology through responsible digital asset adoption is unparalleled in this industry, and I am thrilled to be expanding my role at Taxbit and joining this new team of incredible leaders."

- Nicole Dyskant, Taxbit Executive in Residence for Brazil and Spain

Taxbit's Executives in Residence program reinforces the company's commitment to bridging the gap between innovation and regulation. This series of appointments follows the announcement of Dr. Max Bernt, Global Head of Regulatory Affairs and Managing Director of Europe, in April 2024, and Faustine Fleuret as French Executive in Residence in March 2025. While initially launched to support strategic expansion across Europe, with solutions addressing MICA, CARF, DAC7, DAC8, CESOP, and IFRS compliance for cross-border payments and digital asset activity, Taxbit's vision extends well beyond the EU.

The program is part of a broader global growth strategy led by Michelle O'Connor, an early employee of Taxbit and now VP of Global Expansion and Innovation. Under her stewardship, Taxbit is actively scaling its regulatory-grade infrastructure into mature and emerging markets, prioritizing regions where digital asset adoption and regulatory clarity are advancing. From North America to Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, Taxbit is building a unified compliance backbone that supports governments, enterprises, and institutions navigating the evolving global digital assets economy.

About Taxbit

Taxbit is the premier tax and accounting compliance platform designed by CPAs and tax attorneys to simplify compliance and reporting for digital assets. Enterprises, financial institutions, and government agencies trust our comprehensive, end-to-end solution to compliance and ensure accuracy. Taxbit is certified with SOC 1 Type 1, SOC 2 Type 2 attestation, and ISO 27001 standards. With over $235 million in funding from top global investors like Ribbit, IVP, Paradigm, Haun Ventures, and PayPal Ventures, Taxbit is headquartered in Draper, Utah, and has offices in Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Washington, D.C., Amsterdam and London. Discover more at www.taxbit.com .

SOURCE Taxbit
The Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, General Robert Brieger, assured of unwavering support for Ukraine in meeting its military and defence needs, in particular, in training the Ukrainian military, he said in a video address to the 17th Annual Kyiv Security Forum, founded by Arseniy Yatsenyuk's Open Ukraine foundation.

The EU's unwavering support tailored to the actual needs of Ukraine is on the agenda of the next EU Military Committee meeting. The way ahead will be discussed next week at the highest EU military strategic level with the chiefs of defence of member states, as we will continue our efforts to address Ukraine's pressing military and defence needs, in particular the delivery of ammunition and missiles, providing air defence systems and ensuring the military training and equipment for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Brieger said.

The general noted that in November 2022, the EU launched a military assistance mission to Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine), within the framework of which 75,000 soldiers of the Ukrainian Defense Forces received training.

In November 2022, we have launched the first-ever military contribution on EU soil to support Ukraine's defence against Russia within the framework of the European Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine EUMAM Ukraine provides training to the Armed Forces of Ukraine personnel at basic, advanced and specialized levels. So far, EUMAM Ukraine has trained around 75,000 Ukrainian soldiers in 1,500 training modules. In addition to the training being conducted by EUMAM Ukraine's subordinate commands in Poland and Germany, training has also been conducted in 24 other European member states EUMAM Ukraine started training for the international security forces  the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, the National Police and Security Service operating under the operational command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Brieger said.

He emphasized that all training programs are formed in accordance with the combat needs identified by the Armed Forces of Ukraine themselves, and are developed in coordination with the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, NATO, and other key international partners.

Ladies and gentlemen, to conclude, let me wish you rewarding discussion while we commemorate the 80th anniversary of when the peace arrived to Europe. I hope and truly believe that our common efforts will bring peace to Ukraine against Russia's war of aggression, where democracy will triumph over autocracy. Slava Ukraini! Brieger said.

The 17th Annual Kyiv Security Forum, organized to mobilize transatlantic support for Ukraine, takes place on May 8-9.
HARARE, Zimbabwe, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a groundbreaking move to address the urgent energy crisis facing Sub-Saharan Africa, Grid Africa and TCL Solar have announced a strategic partnership aimed at deploying innovative distributed energy solutions across Zimbabwe and Zambia. This collaboration seeks to leverage emerging solar and battery storage technologies to rapidly enhance regional energy security and accelerate economic development.

Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing an unprecedented energy deficit, with many countries struggling to meet the growing demand for reliable power. Norman Moyo, CEO of Grid Africa, emphasized the importance of embracing innovative solutions: "There is a solution to the crisis if we embrace new emerging technologies that are immediately available and quick to deploy. We have a unique opportunity to reverse engineer our over-reliance on utilities by deploying distributed solutions that leverage existing transmission and distribution infrastructure. Just as we successfully revolutionized telecommunications with GSM technology, we can apply the same mindset to solve our energy security challenges."

About Grid Africa

Grid Africa is a Pan-African distributed energy developer focusing on delivering power to data centres, telecom infrastructure, and commercial and industrial players across the continent. The organization is committed to deploying scalable, sustainable energy solutions that enhance energy security and support economic growth in the region.

Both Zimbabwe and Zambia boast strong transmission and distribution networks, and recent regulatory reforms have removed barriers to grid access, creating a conducive environment for rapid deployment of distributed energy systems. TCL Solar, a global leader in photovoltaic technology, brings industrial strength and innovation to this initiative. As one of the world's largest supplier of high-efficiency solar modules, TCL Solar is committed to supporting Africa's energy transition.

"In partnering with Grid Africa, we are excited to contribute to a sustainable energy future for the region. Targeting the high temperature and high irradiation environment of Zimbabwe and Zambia, TCL Solar optimized the existing module design by following the advanced TOPCon passivation structural technology patents of SunPower, improved the thermal resistance and power generation capacity of the modules" said Tian, GM, MEA of TCL Solar. "Our expertise in high-quality solar modules and our commitment to rapid deployment will help unlock new opportunities for energy access, supporting economic growth and regional integration."

TCL Solar has pledged substantial resource support towards the deployment of 100 MW of distributed energy solutions in Zimbabwe and Zambia. This will involve meticulous coordination of supply chain logistics to ensure quick and seamless implementation.

The evolving regional energy landscapecharacterized by increased trader activity and the strengthening of the Southern Africa Power Poolpresents an unprecedented opportunity to leapfrog traditional infrastructure development. This partnership aims to turn the current crisis into a catalyst for innovation, delivering immediate benefits to stakeholders and laying the foundation for a resilient and sustainable energy future in the region.

About TCL Solar

As a module brand under TCL Group, TCL Solar deeply integrates the advantages of TCL Group, TCL Zhonghuan and SunPower. Relying on TCL's global layout advantages, TCL Zhonghuan's leading advantages in the vertical field of silicon wafers and SunPower's revolutionary patented technology advantages in the research and development of multiple modules, it has deeply laid out the photovoltaic module market. TCL Solar pays close attention to LCOE for photovoltaic power generation, continues to lead photovoltaic technology innovation. It is committed to providing customers with world-leading high-value photovoltaic products and full-scenario green energy solutions.
"Passage today of SB 29 puts the world on notice that Texas is open for business"

SB 29 institutes corporate reforms that will make Texas the preferred destination for corporate relocation and reincorporation

AUSTIN, Texas, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR), the Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE) and the Alliance for Corporate Excellence issued the following statement today upon bipartisan passage of Senate Bill (SB) 29:

"We applaud Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Burrows, Senator Bryan Hughes, Representative Morgan Meyer and members of the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate for their leadership in prioritizing commonsense principles that support business excellence, innovation and job creation in Texas.

"Passage today of SB 29 puts the world on notice that Texas is open for business.

"Notably, SB 29 will establish Texas as a meaningful alternative to legal incorporation in Delaware, whose law has ceased to be predictable and clear in light of growing activism by the Delaware courts and legal community. This vital legislation will further solidify Texas as the nation's leader in business and economic development  and will draw even more companies to Texas, empowering them to create jobs and continue the Texas Miracle.

"SB 29 has now passed both chambers of the state legislature with overwhelming support. The bill now heads to Governor Greg Abbott's desk for signature."

SB 29 introduces a series of corporate reforms that will make Texas the preferred destination for corporate relocation and reincorporation by codifying the business judgment rule and allowing corporations to establish a minimum ownership threshold before a shareholder or group of shareholders can pursue a derivative claim, among other provisions.

SB 29 and its companion HB 15 were priorities for both Lt. Gov. Patrick and Speaker Burrows.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform's mission is to foster freedom, innovation and job creation by advocating for a fair, efficient and predictable civil justice system staffed by competent and independent judges who apply the constitution and laws as written. Visit https://www.tortreform.com/.

The Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE) is focused on enabling U.S. and global companies to access U.S. capital markets and aims to provide a venue to list and trade public companies and the growing universe of exchange traded products. It is backed by several of the largest financial institutions and liquidity providers in the world, and subject to approval by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, TXSE will be a fully integrated, electronic, national securities exchange headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

The Alliance for Corporate Excellence exists because we believe that corporate decision-making should be made by shareholders and by their elected directors and agents, and not by activists who are not invested in long-term corporate success. Acting on these beliefs, the Alliance is supporting various changes to the Texas Business Organizations Code that, we believe, will make Texas a superior jurisdiction not only for incorporations but simply a place to do business. These changes will provide a counterbalance to states that are moving away from market-driven, business friendly and common-sense jurisprudence towards judicial control through activism and decision-making uncertainty.

SOURCE Texans for Lawsuit Reform
Paving the Way for Stronger Governance and Global Expansion of Korea's Leading Hybrid Airline

SEOUL, South Korea, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tire Bank Group has officially acquired a controlling stake in Air Premia(CEO Kim Jae-hyun, Yoo Myung-sub), Korea's first long-haul hybrid airline, reinforcing its commitment to advancing the country's aviation industry on a global scale.

On April 30, 2025, Tire Bank Group signed a definitive agreement to acquire an additional 22% equity stake in Air Premia from JC SPC and Sono International. This acquisition raises the Group's total ownership to over 70%, solidifying its position as the airline's majority shareholder.

Tire Bank Group Air Premia

Since Air Premia's launch in 2018, Tire Bank Group has played a pivotal role in supporting the airline's development through strategic investments. Despite global headwinds and the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Air Premia has demonstrated remarkable operational resilience and adaptability.

Tire Bank Group maintained unwavering confidence in the airline's potential, steadily increasing its ownership to 48% during turbulent times. Now, with a controlling interest, the Group is positioned to drive responsible management practices and long-term growth strategies.

Fleet and Route Expansion Underway

Air Premia is actively expanding its fleet and route network as part of its mid- to long-term growth plan. The airline currently operates seven Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with two additional aircraft set to be introduced later this year. Beginning July 2, the carrier will launch a new route to Honolulu, Hawaii - its fourth scheduled destination in the USA. To bolster operational stability, additional spare engines have also been secured.

Executive Statement

"Airlines are more than businessesthey represent the dignity and global standing of a nation," said Kim Jeong-kyu, Chairman of Tire Bank Group. "We are committed to building Air Premia into a premium hybrid airline that proudly represents Korea and elevates its presence in the global aviation market."

About Tire Bank Group

Founded in 1991, Tire Bank is Korea's first and only dedicated tire distribution company, operating 501 stores across the country. With a customer-first philosophy, the company has introduced a range of industry-first services, including a tire warranty program, tire hotel premium storage service, and an emergency response program for tire-related issues. Tire Bank also actively contributes to local communities through various charitable and donation initiatives.

For media contact, or additional information, please contact:

Seung Shin Park

[email protected]

https://www.airpremia.com/

SOURCE Air Premia
HOUSTON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Total Safety's Industrial Fire and Safety Division and Dooley Tackaberry today announce that the companies will combine forces to create a global leader that will offer our customers the most comprehensive suite of industrial fire safety solutions in the market.

The transaction brings together two market leaders with over 140 years of combined experience and excellence. Along with its talented employees, the combined business will build on the respective strengths of the two companies, uniting common cultures and values and enabling rapid growth. Combining Total Safety's in-plant fire systems inspection, testing and repair capabilities with Dooley's industry leading engineering and fabrication capabilities will provide our customers with unparalleled support in the upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas industry.

"We are very excited to be joining forces with Dooley. Their strength in engineering and fabrication of industrial fire suppression systems compliments our team of in-plant fire technicians that perform inspection, testing and repair of critical fire systems," said Brad Clark, CEO, Total Safety. "Our passion is to provide the best customer experience by serving our customers with the complete value chain of industrial fire protection," said Clark.

"Total Safety is the right strategic partner for Dooley, having similar core values and objectives in serving our customers. We are particularly excited about gaining access to Total Safety's broad set of refining and petrochemical customers. Furthermore, Total Safety's field installation capabilities will greatly enhance our ability to provide a trusted, one-stop solution to all our customers," said Chris Dooley, CEO, Dooley Tackaberry.

About Total Safety:

Total Safety is a leading global provider of integrated industrial safety services, equipment and compliance solutions, providing safety equipment, MRO consumables, technology and data that make a meaningful difference in how businesses operate. Based in Pasadena, Texas, and operating from 180 locations in 20 countries, nearly 4,000 employees partnered with customers to increase employee health and safety, meet compliance and regulatory requirements, boost productivity and reduce downtime. Driven by an unwavering commitment to its mission to ensure the safe Wellbeing of Workers Worldwide, the Company works across all sectors, including oil and gas, petrochemical and refining, utilities, manufacturing, and transportation. Visit us at www.totalsafety.com to learn more.

About Dooley Tackaberry:

Dooley Tackaberry ("DT") has an extensive history in the distribution of fire and safety equipment to the Oil and Gas industry and Municipal Fire Service market. Dooley Tackaberry was founded in 1925 as Arthur Dooley & Son and after acquiring the assets of The Tackaberry Company in 1987 changed its name to Dooley Tackaberry. Having grown steadily, Dooley's biggest strengths are designing and fabricating fire detection and suppression systems as well as supplying fire protection and personal protective equipment to upstream, midstream, and downstream customers in the oil and gas industry throughout the world. Today, DT represents every major product line in the fire and safety equipment industry.

SOURCE Total Safety U.S.
MUNICH, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- May 7, 2025, Global photovoltaic technology innovator Polyshine Solar unveiled its new lightweight flexible photovoltaic modules and star product balcony-specific PV modules at The Smarter E Europe 2025. Its flagship new lightweight flexible module secured the TUV NORD certification for withstanding Category 17+ hurricanes (far exceeding the traditional requirement of resisting Category 12 typhoons), attracting widespread attention from global industry players.

Three Key Highlights

image image

Flexible Breakthrough: Polymer Materials Solve Traditional PV Limitations

Addressing the pain points of traditional glass modules  excessive weight (over 20 kg/m including rack) and inability to adapt to low-load or curved surfaces  Polyshine Solar showcased an ultra-light flexible module weighing just 2.92 kg/m with a bending radius of 0.5 meters. Closely aligned with the EU's REPowerEU policy, this product is poised to unlock approximately 40% of existing rooftops previously inaccessible due to load restrictions.

Authoritative Certification: TUV NORD Certifies 17+ Hurricane Resistance

The international authority TUV NORD visited Polyshine Solar booth to award the certification for Polyshine Solar's new lightweight flexible modules resisting 17+ hurricane-force winds. Based on dynamic testing at 63 m/s (17+ category) in Central South University's wind tunnel laboratory. The self-developed organic polymer material features a 300% increase in tear resistance, enabling the modules to withstand extreme wind conditions with stability.

Balcony PV: 2 minutes to install, 3 years to pay back

Designed for European residential balconies, the specialized PV module uses an innovative "zip-tie mounting system" requiring no professional tools or drilling , and one person will complete the installation within 2 minutes. Weighing just 3.3 kg and equipped , the front film achieves 91% light transmittance. Payback in as little as 3 years at 0.3/kWh (Germany residential). The 1300MPa high-modulus encapsulation technology eliminates spontaneous glass breakage (SGB) risks entirely.

Polyshine Group: 20 Years of Outdoor Application Validation Builds Quality Trust

As the technical backbone of Polyshine Solar, Polyshine Group leverages 20 years of polymer material R&D and manufacturing experience, 20 years of outdoor application data from hundreds of global projects, and 20,000 hours of accelerated aging test data to support the reliability of module encapsulation materials in outdoor environments. Through this exhibition, Polyshine Solar demonstrates that advanced material science is reshaping PV deployment boundaries  combining hurricane-level resistance with building-friendly design to accelerate global renewable energy adoption.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2682453/image.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2682454/image.jpg
LOS ANGELES, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WholeSchool Mindfulness, a nonprofit dedicated to making mindfulness an integral part of our education system, has received a grant from Unlikely Collaborators to support launching Mindfulness Directors at a high school and University. This initiative marks a significant step in expanding mindfulness practices in schools, fostering well-being, resilience, and equity among students, faculty, and caregivers.

Initiative expands mindfulness practices in schools, fostering well-being among students, faculty, and caregivers. Post this With a grant from Unlikely Collaborators, WholeSchool Mindfulness is able to launch Mindfulness Directors at a high school and universitytrained staff who integrate mindfulness into their communities to foster well-being, resilience, and equity. This initiative supports WholeSchools mission to create a more just and mindful education system.

A Mindfulness Director is a school or district staff member whose role is to integrate mindfulness practices within their community. Mindfulness Directors are experienced practitioners who bring extensive training in mindfulness teaching, social-emotional learning, and trauma-informed practices. They work within their institutions to offer mindfulness programming to students, faculty, and caregivers. The introduction of these roles at two additional schools is part of WholeSchool Mindfulness' broader mission to co-create an education system that advances well-being, community, and justice through the transformative power of mindfulness With the support of Unlikely Collaborators, this initiative aims to create lasting cultural shifts by equipping students and educators with tools to cultivate self and system awareness.

"We are honored to partner with Unlikely Collaborators to expand our Mindfulness Director program," said Ben Painter, Partner & Co-Founder of WholeSchool Mindfulness. "This grant allows us to create powerful proof pointsliving examples of what's possible when mindfulness is embedded into education. In a time of rising tech addiction, a youth mental health crisis, and deepening polarization, mindfulness offers a path to self-awareness, resilience, and human connection. By demonstrating the impact in these schools, we're building a model for broader systemic change, proving that schools can be places where well-being, emotional intelligence, and deep connection are at the center of learning."

Unlikely Collaborators is a nonprofit organization, founded and chaired by Elizabeth R. Koch, dedicated to fostering transformative storytelling, developing human connection, and resolving internal conflict. UC's perspective is that external conflict is the direct result of unconscious, unresolved internal conflict inside each and every one of us. Founded on the belief that the way we perceive the world is highly subjective, Unlikely Collaborators supports projects that challenge assumptions, spark meaningful dialogue, and invite people into deeper self-awareness.

Central to this mission is the groundbreaking Perception Box framework developed by Koch. More than just a metaphor, it represents the often unseen system of biases, beliefs, and narratives that influence how we interpret reality. Rooted in cognitive science and psychological research, this framework illustrates how each person's unique mental model shapes their understanding of the worldoften limiting their ability to connect with new perspectives and ideas. By investigating and expanding our personal Perception Box, individuals and communities can unlock compassion, creativity, and new ways of thinking.

"Young people are forming the foundations of how they see themselves and the world around them," said Koch. "Supporting their mental health and emotional well-being during this formative time is crucialnot just for their individual growth, but for the future of our communities. WholeSchool Mindfulness is helping students build the internal tools to manage stress, expand perspective, and foster authentic connection. We're proud to support this work, which aligns so deeply with our mission to create a world where greater self-awareness leads to greater compassion, possibility and reduced conflict."

For more information about WholeSchool Mindfulness, visit wholeschoolmindfulness.org . To learn more about Unlikely Collaborators, visit unlikelycollaborators.org .

SOURCE Unlikely Collaborators
Acquisition Marks URS's 8th Deal Since January 2024 and Underscores the Firm's Ability to Execute Quickly in a Complex Market.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- URS Capital Partners has successfully acquired The Palms at Edgewater, a 288-unit Class A multifamily community located in the rapidly growing Charleston suburb of Summerville, South Carolina. The $58.5 million transaction closed in under 60 days, showcasing URS's ability to execute efficiently in a time-sensitive environment.

Palms at Edgewater

Built in 2023, The Palms at Edgewater features a high-quality construction profile with modern amenities, strong in-place occupancy, and day-one cash flow. The property was acquired at an attractive basis with positive leverage and long-term upside.

"We're proud of the speed and precision our team demonstrated on this deal," said Chris Urso, Managing Partner of URS Capital Partners. "In a volatile rate environment, we were able to secure 5-year fixed agency debt at 4.77%a rare win, with timing on our side. That speaks to the strength of our lending relationships and discipline in underwriting."

"Uncertainty creates windows of opportunity," Urso continued. "We're not retreatingwe're growing strategically, with great partners by our side."

Chris Gorman, Managing Director of Investments, added: "We're excited to re-enter the Charleston market with a 2023 vintage asset that offers strong in-place cash flow at an attractive cost basis. It's a great example of our ability to stay patient yet move decisively when the right opportunity emerges."

This acquisition is URS's eighth since the beginning of 2024 and further reflects the firm's continued strategy of leaning into market dislocation to capture long-term value.

Transaction Highlights:

288-unit community acquired for $58.5 million

2023 construction with modern finishes and amenities

Closed in under 60 days to meet seller's loan maturity

5-year fixed agency loan secured at 4.77%

Day-one cash flow with positive leverage

URS extends its gratitude to the investorsboth long-time supporters and new partnerswho helped bring this deal to the finish line.

About URS Capital Partners

URS Capital Partners is a vertically integrated real estate investment firm focused on acquiring and repositioning multifamily assets across high-growth Southeastern markets. As of May 2025, URS's active portfolio includes 11 properties totaling 2,592 units. The firm is looking to actively expand its portfolio by targeting assets with strong fundamentals and a quantifiable value-add component, capitalizing on market dislocation to unlock long-term value. URS is committed to generating superior returns for its partners while curating communities that residents are proud to call home.

Media Contact:

Rebecca Windsor

631-683-5176

[email protected]

SOURCE URS Capital Partners
KANKAKEE, Ill., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report has recognized 37 Gardant-managed communities as being among the best in the nation for assisted living and memory care.

The designation of 2025 Best in Assisted Living and Best in Memory Care was awarded only to the communities that earn the highest possible rating on consumer satisfaction surveys of residents and family members of residents. The surveys were administered in 2024 and reflect the viewpoints of residents and family members in senior living, assisted living, and memory care communities nationwide.

"We're honored to recognize this year's Best of the Best winnersleaders who are truly leading the way through innovative and inclusive approaches to senior living. Their commitment to delivering value, vitality, love, compassion, and dignity is a testament to the purpose-driven spirit of our work." says Julie Simpkins and Greg Echols, Co-CEO's of Gardant.

The Gardant-managed communities that were recognized as Best in Assisted Living are:

Brookstone Estates of Effingham

Brookstone Estates of Harrisburg

Brookstone Estates of Paris

Brookstone Estates of Robinson

Brookstone Estates of Tuscola

Brookstone Estates of Vandalia

Carriage Court of Grove City

Carriage Court of Washington Court House

Cedar Grove

Evergreen Village of Bloomington

Glass Peaks Senior Living

Grand Prairie of Macomb

Grand Victorian of Rockford

Grand Victorian of Sycamore

Green Oaks of Valparaiso

Heritage Woods of Benton

Heritage Woods of Centralia

Heritage Woods of Chicago

Heritage Woods of Dekalb

Heritage Woods of Dwight

Heritage Woods of Flora

Heritage Woods of Freeport

Heritage Woods of Huntley

Heritage Woods of Mt. Vernon

Heritage Woods of Newburgh

Heritage Woods of Ottawa

Heritage Woods of Plainfield

Heritage Woods of Sterling

Heritage Woods of Sullivan

Heritage Woods of Yorkville

John Evans of Pekin

Oak Hill

Vivera Senior Living of Columbus

Reflections Retirement Community

The communities that were recognized as Best in Memory Care are:

White Oaks at McHenry

White Oaks at Heritage Woods of South Elgin

White Oaks at Heritage Woods of Watseka

White Oaks at Heritage Woods of Huntley

Carriage Court of Washington Court House

The ratings are based on a national survey of residents and their family members. In 2025, U.S. News analyzed data from nearly 450,000 resident and family survey responses at more than 3,800 senior living communities nationwide. The survey asked residents and family members about their satisfaction with community safety, caregiving, activities, management, staff, food and value, and other aspects of community life. The ratings recognize communities that excelled at providing highly satisfactory services and making residents feel safe and well cared for.

SOURCE Gardant Management Solutions
Round Room's TCC and Wireless Zone Stores Hold Pet Adoption Events Across the U.S. on May 17

National Retailer Pet Supplies Plus Will be Giving Away Tote Bags, Coupons, Toys, and More at Select Locations

To Round Out Rescues Rock, One Animal Shelter Will be Gifted a $10,000 Grant

FISHERS, Ind., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its commitment to give back and strengthen communities across the country, Round Room, LLC, one of the nation's largest Verizon Authorized Retailers, is excited to host its fourth annual Rescues Rock initiative at its participating TCC and Wireless Zone retail locations. The initiative aims to support local animal rescue organizations via the gifting of a $10,000 grant to an animal shelter and on-site pet adoptions events, which will occur on May 17.

Round Rooms TCC and Wireless Zone teams celebrate their fourth annual Rescues Rock initiative

"At Round Room, we believe that businesses should be a force for good in their communities," said Scott Moorehead, CEO of Round Room. "Rescues Rock is one of the many ways we put that into action by supporting local animal shelters, encouraging adoption, and helping pets find the caring homes they deserve. It's incredible to see the impact our stores, employees, and customers can make when we rally around a cause that brings so much joy and purpose to people and animals alike."

How to Participate:

Attend a Pet Adoption  Participating TCC and Wireless Zone locations will host on-site pet adoption events starting at 1:00 p.m. local time on May 17 . In partnership with local shelters of their choice, stores will have cats and dogs available for adoption, along with free adoption kits, while supplies last.

Pet Supplies Plus Partnership:

To further its commitment of helping 20,000 pets get adopted in 2025, national retail franchise Pet Supplies Plus is supporting this year's Rescues Rock initiative at select TCC and Wireless Zone locations. At the adoption events, Pet Supplies Plus will be supplying tote bags stuffed with coupons, a new pet parent checklist, and toys, while supplies last. Those who adopt a pet during one of the adoption events will also have the opportunity to win a $250 Pet Supplies Plus gift card to stock up on essential supplies their new pet needs.

$10,000 Grant:

To round out the Rescues Rock initiative, TCC and Wireless Zone will be awarding one animal rescue organization a $10,000 grant to use on immediate animal medical needs. More information about the finalists can be found here and here, and the winning rescue will be announced live on social media during the adoption events on May 17 .

Between 4.6 and 6 million dogs and cats pass through shelters each year, but only 1 million end up being adopted. Round Room remains committed to raising awareness on the importance and need for animal adoption and supporting shelters in finding loving homes for these animals. Anyone interested in attending the adoption event can find the closest participating store on the TCC and Wireless Zone websites.

Rescues Rock is the second of four quarterly community events Round Room will conduct in 2025 to give back to and strengthen its store's communities. Earlier this year, Round Room held Teachers Rock to give back to teachers. In July, Round Room organizes School Rocks to help students prepare for school, followed by a Domestic Violence Awareness Month initiative throughout October.

For more information on Rescues Rock, please visit wirelesszone.com/rescues-rock-2025 or tccrocks.com/rescues-rock-2025.

About Round Room, LLC

Founded on a mission and deep commitment of giving back to employees, customers, and the communities it serves, Round Room is one of the largest Verizon-authorized retailers in the U.S. Its collective portfolio of brands includes TCC, Wireless Zone, and Culture of Good. With more than 1,200 TCC and Wireless Zone retail locations across 43 states, Round Room has donated more than $8M to various causes through ongoing giveback initiatives. The company's efforts have also been recognized through the Top Workplaces USA 2025 award and the 2025 Gold Stevie award for Company of the Year. To learn more about Round Room, visit www.RoundRoom.com .

About TCC

Founded in 1991, TCC is a Verizon wireless retailer that operates over 500 locations from coast to coast and employs upwards of 1,900 people. As a certified 'Culture of Good' company, TCC encourages employees to give back in every community it serves through its Community Grant program, volunteer opportunities, and local philanthropic events. TCC has been recognized with several notable awards including Inc. Magazine's Best in Business, Top Workplaces USA, and Glassdoor's Best Places to Work. To learn more about TCC or to find a location near you, visit www.TCCRocks.com . For more information about TCC's parent company, Round Room, LLC, visit www.RoundRoom.com .

About Wireless Zone

Wireless Zone is the nation's largest wireless retail franchisor with more than 720 independently owned and operated Verizon wireless stores across the U.S. Founded in 1988, Wireless Zone has earned prestigious industry rankings on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 and Franchise Business Review's Top Franchise in 2025, and has been honored with Verizon's "Best Customer Service" award for five consecutive years. From franchisees to corporate employees, each team member plays a critical role in its giveback efforts through system-wide fundraising campaigns or nominating a local charity for a community grant. The system is franchised and operated by Wireless Zone, LLC. Visit www.WirelessZone.com for more information or www.RoundRoom.com to learn about its parent company, Round Room, LLC.

Media Contact: Emily Eastin, Fishman Public Relations, (847) 945-1300 or [email protected]

SOURCE Round Room (TCC | Wireless Zone)
InsurTech leader's Power of Partnership Award celebrates the agency's commitment to innovation and collaboration

DENVER, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vertafore, the leader in modern insurance technology, recognized Dimond Bros. Insurance with its 2025 Power of Partnership Award during the InsurTech leader's annual user conference, Accelerate, powered by NetVU.

The award honors the independent agency for its partnership in helping Vertafore to address one of the most persistent pain points in the industry: quoting small commercial insurance.

Vertafore collaborated with Dimond Bros. Insurance to reimagine and build new workflows to develop smarter, faster quoting experiences inside Commercial Submissions, Vertafore's industry-leading small commercial lines rating solution.

With their expertise as a leading commercial insurance agency, Dimond Bros. provided input to streamline and enhance workflows within Commercial Submissions for key lines of business, including BOP, workers' compensation and general liability.

As a result of this collaboration, Vertafore cut the time needed for commercial lines classifications to approximately two minutes, down from 20 minutesresulting in up to a 90% reduction. That's real time-savings, real progress and real impact for the thousands of agencies who use Commercial Submissions to serve clients and grow their commercial lines businesses.

"Commercial Submissions has been integral for us to quickly deploy quotes and to quickly assess appetites in a market that is constantly shifting," said Candee Lawrence, vice president of commercial lines service at Dimond Bros. "The Vertafore team really partnered with us to break down the needs and pain points of agencies like ours, and to understand how the solution could truly improve our day-to-day experience. The time savings we're seeing is going to be a game-changer not just for us but for commercial lines agencies across the board."

Dimond Bros. Insurance, LLC, has been helping individuals, businesses and government entities find insurance solutions for over 150 years. Founded in 1867, Dimond Bros. has grown into one of the largest independent insurance agencies in the Midwest.

"Dimond Bros. has been a true partner every step of the way in our goal to reshape how technology can solve the challenges of small commercial quoting," said James Thom, chief product officer at Vertafore. "Their commitment to innovation, collaboration and making insurance better for everyone has been essential to moving the industry forward."

Vertafore customers and insurance professionals are experiencing what's new and next in InsurTech at Accelerate, the insurance industry's first and longest running technology conference, continuing through May 9 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

About Vertafore

As North America's InsurTech leader, Vertafore is simplifying and automating the insurance lifecycle so independent agents, MGAs and carriers can focus on what matters most. Vertafore's solutions empower the connected agency, accelerate innovation for MGAs, and provide the industry's most comprehensive distribution management platform for insurers. By driving results for customers of all sizes, Vertafore focuses on operational excellence, develops innovative solutions and aligns with key industry partners. Vertafore serves more insurance customers than any other insurance technology provider. Learn more at www.vertafore.com.

2025 Vertafore and the Vertafore logo are registered trademarks of Vertafore. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

MEDIA CONTACT:

INK Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE Vertafore, Inc.
Photo: https://eurosolidarity.org/2025

The European Solidarity faction is initiating the adoption of a special parliamentary statement on the ratification of the Investment Fund Agreement between Ukraine and the United States, which says that two additional documents  the Agreement on the Establishment of a Limited Partnership and the Investment Fund Charter, which are mentioned in the text of the main Agreement  were not submitted for consideration and cannot be considered ratified, the factions co-chair Iryna Gerashchenko said on Facebook.

According to the text of the draft Verkhovna Rada statement proposed by European Solidarity and posted on Gerashchenkos Facebook page, as well as on the political forces website, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supports the ratification of the Agreement. At the same time, the Parliament of Ukraine "notes that two additional documents  the Agreement on the Establishment of a Limited Partnership and the Investment Fund Charter, which are mentioned in the text of the main Agreement  were not submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for consideration together with the main Agreement."

"Therefore, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine declares that these additional documents cannot be considered ratified, and their legal effect on Ukraine does not come until they are submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in accordance with the established procedure," says the statement by the faction.

"We all realize that Trump and his administration are difficult partners, and Ukraine critically depends on the strategic partnership with the United States and bipartisan support. And there is no discussion about this. This is an axiom. At the same time, the conditions in which ratification takes place are unacceptable and unacceptable," Gerashchenko noted, commenting on the proposed text of the statement.

"Failed communication with society and parliament, the demand for the Verkhovna Rada to vote without reading - all these are unacceptable things in a democratic country, indecent disrespect for the legislative body and the people. I am proud that it was European Solidarity that achieved a public discussion on the content of the Investment Fund Agreement. The excitement in the Foreign Affairs Committee, where journalists and more than 70 deputies from all factions were accredited to ask questions to the government - a healthy desire for responsible voting. We had a professional discussion, although we did not receive answers to all questions," the MP said.

"We note that at the time of ratification, the Verkhovna Rada did not have any other texts, in particular, the text of the limited partnership agreement, which is mentioned in the investment fund agreement 26 times," the People's Deputy stated.

"Parliament and society must have full information about the progress of peace negotiations and the details of all initialed documents. Everyone! Rushing to ratify the agreement can also harm our American partners if it suddenly turns out that some points do not comply with the Constitution. That is why the European Solidarity registered a statement that we propose for the Verkhovna Rada to adopt. This is about respect for the strategic partnership with the US and about self-respect," she said.
PHOENIX, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- VertexOne, a leading provider of cloud software designed to revolutionize the customer experience within the energy and utility industry, is making a strong impact at this week's 49th annual IUCX Conference (formerly CS Week). The company officially launched its new engagement engine, VXconnect, Tuesday, while actively contributing to the industry dialog through a series of expert-led sessions focused on digital transformation, inclusion, and behavioral engagement throughout the week.

"Through the sessions we've led, the dialogs we've started, and with VXconnect, we're helping reimagine what's possible." - Paige Besson, Chief Marketing Officer at VertexOne Post this Mark Brown, VertexOne VP of Product Strategy, speaks at IUCX 2025 on driving utility customer engagement through outreach and incentives.

VXconnect, introduced on the conference's opening day, is a modular, scalable SaaS solution designed to help energy and utility providers modernize their digital touchpoints to transform customer experience, scale effortlessly for growth and innovation, and improve operational agility and financial performance.

"IUCX is where our industry's customer experience leaders come together to shape what's next," said Paige Besson, Chief Marketing Officer at VertexOne. "We're not just launching a product  we're inviting the industry to change the conversation and think differently about what experience can be. Through the sessions we've led, the dialogs we've started, and with VXconnect, we're helping reimagine what's possible."

VertexOne Thought Leadership on the IUCX Stage

VertexOne experts participated in multiple sessions at IUCX 2025, highlighting practical strategies for digital transformation, customer inclusion, and behavioral engagement:

Innovative Approaches to Reaching Vulnerable Customers

On Tuesday morning, Mary Jo Nye, VertexOne Business Development Director, participated in a panel on technology-driven strategies for enhancing equitable outreach during times of operational and economic strain.

Data-Driven Personalization: Transforming Water Conservation Through Enhanced Customer Engagement

On Wednesday, VertexOne Vice President of Sales, Mike Sommers, joined Tina Sleeper, the City of Tempe Public Works Department's Water Resource Manager, on stage to share how targeted analytics and customer engagement are advancing Tempe's long-running water conservation efforts.

Beyond Passive Consumption: Strategies for Driving Active Customer Participation

Also on Wednesday, Mark Brown Vice President of Product Strategy, took to the stage in an interactive speaking session on proven strategies for empowering utility customers through personalized messaging, proactive communication, and gamified engagement techniques.

Throughout the conference, VertexOne's team is hosting live demonstrations of the newly unveiled VXconnect. Attendees experiencing firsthand how the next-generation customer engagement engine's unified, modular, and scalable approach enables more personalized, efficient, and cost savings for energy and utility operations.

IUCX stands as the premier educational and networking conference for utility professionals across North America and globally. The event provides comprehensive learning opportunities across the utility customer experience lifecycle, including Billing & Payments, Contact Center, Credit & Collections, Digital Engagement, Field Services, and Strategies & Analytics.

About VertexOne

VertexOne is the leading provider of cloud-based SaaS solutions, powering the next generation of customer experience for utilities, energy retailers and energy transition providers. With more than 30 years of experience and 400 customers in the cloud, we capitalize on our deep expertise to provide a wide range of innovative solutions for digital transformation, revenue optimization and data-driven efficiency operations surrounding the customer. We empower our clients to deliver a compelling customer experience, reduce costs to serve, increase operational efficiency and improve customer satisfaction. For more information on how VertexOne allows you to enhance the digital customer experience, improve revenue management and leverage data analytics, visit vertexone.ai

MEDIA

Lynn Steinberg

VertexOne

[email protected]

SOURCE VertexOne
ATLANTA, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Trailblazing geopolitical strategist Vlada Galan, an advisor to heads of state across five continents, pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to break ceilings and shatter limits in her upcoming book, Success Mentality. Set for release on October 7, the highly anticipated title is now available for pre-order via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all major online retailers.

Pre-orders now live ahead of October 7 global book release

A former immigrant from Odesa, Ukraine, Galan went from surviving poverty to influencing presidents and prime ministers on the world stage. Now, for the first time, she's revealing the mindset, strategy and raw truth that catapulted her from humble beginnings to success on the world stage.

"I've negotiated with warlords, advised presidents, and sat at the most powerful tables on Earth  from the White House to presidential palaces across Europe and Africa," said Galan. "No one handed me a map. I created one  and now I'm giving it to every woman who's ever been told she can't."

In Success Mentality, Galan doesn't just talk about climbing the ladder  she shows women how to build their own. With lessons forged in the fires of political crisis zones, corporate boardrooms and high-stakes diplomacy, this is more than a book  it's a battle plan for ambitious women ready to own their power.

Published by Burman Books Media, Success Mentality is the blueprint for women navigating life's uncharted waters. Galan offers unfiltered insight into overcoming imposter syndrome, managing crisis with clarity, rejecting the word "no" and executing bold decisions with surgical precision.

"Galan is the embodiment of grit, brilliance, and audacity. From a child refugee to a Harvard graduate and global power broker, her story isn't just inspiring  it's instruction. She is the ultimate strategist in a world that wasn't built for her  and she's teaching women how to win in it," said Ned L. Siegel, US Ambassador to the Bahamas (Ret.)

Galan has worked in over 15 countries. She owns elite consultancies in the U.S. and the Middle East, and is also president of the International Ukrainian Crisis Fund. She is an angel investor in women-led startups and was awarded a medal from Ukraine's Ministry of Defense in 2023 for her humanitarian leadership during wartime.

Before founding her global consultancy, Oracle Advisory Group, Vlada played a pivotal role at Washington D.C.'s most influential public affairs firms, Mercury Public Affairs and Actum, where she crafted high-stakes strategies for political and corporate power players.

From political war rooms to conflict zones, Vlada Galan has conquered arenas most women are never invited into. Now, she's showing the world how she did it  and how every woman can too.

Learn more at www.success-mentality.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2682682/Vlada_Galan_Success_Mentality.jpg

SOURCE Success Mentality Media
WESTERLY, R.I., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Washington Trust Company recently appointed three banking professionals to a newly-formed retail banking business development team.

The Business Banking Relationship Officers will work closely with Washington Trust's retail branch network, to deliver holistic, relationship-driven solutions to businesses across the Bank's footprint. Their focus is to uncover opportunities, understand the unique financial needs of local businesses, and provide tailored guidance and support.

Washington Trust's recently appointed Business Banking Relationship Officers include Peter Renden, Marcus Charlemagne, and Armen Janigian.

Michelle Kile, Executive Vice President and Chief Retail Banking Officer, expressed enthusiasm for the new team, stating, "Our retail branches have long served as the backbone of our local communities. With the addition of Marcus, Peter, and Armen to our business banking team, we are reinforcing our commitment to being a true partner for businesses. Their expertise and collaborative approach will ensure that we continue to meet the evolving needs of local businesses, which in turn, helps all our communities thrive."

Meet Our New Business Banking Relationship Officers:

Marcus Charlemagne offers a wealth of knowledge in banking solutions for small and mid-sized businesses. He has been with Washington Trust since 2015, and most recently served as Vice President and Branch Manager of Washington Trust's North Providence Branch.





offers a wealth of knowledge in banking solutions for small and mid-sized businesses. He has been with Washington Trust since 2015, and most recently served as Vice President and Branch Manager of Washington Trust's Branch. Armen Janigian brings extensive experience in business development and relationship management, with a proven track record of supporting local enterprises and fostering community growth. He has more than 40 years of experience at all levels within the banking industry and has been with Washington Trust since 2023.





brings extensive experience in business development and relationship management, with a proven track record of supporting local enterprises and fostering community growth. He has more than 40 years of experience at all levels within the banking industry and has been with Washington Trust since 2023. Peter Renden brings more than 15 years of experience with local and regional banking institutions to his new role at Washington Trust. He is highly skilled in providing exceptional service to individuals and businesses alike and has specialized knowledge in cash management systems and consumer lending.

For more information about Washington Trust's business banking services, visit: https://www.washtrust.com/commercial/small-business.

ABOUT WASHINGTON TRUST

Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is recognized as the oldest community bank in the nation, the largest state-chartered bank headquartered in Rhode Island and one of the Northeast's premier financial services companies. Washington Trust values its role as a community bank and is committed to helping the people, businesses, and organizations of New England improve their financial lives. The Bank offers a wide range of commercial banking, mortgage banking, personal banking and wealth management services through its offices in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts and a full suite of convenient digital tools. Washington Trust is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. Washington Trust is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., a publicly-owned holding company which trades onNASDAQ: WASH. For more information, visit the Bank's website at www.washtrust.com or the Corporation's website at ir.washtrust.com.

SOURCE The Washington Trust Company
PORTLAND, Ore., May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WebMD Health Services today announced a new partnership with Torchlight Parenting & Caregiving, a product of LifeSpeak Inc., and a leading provider of caregiver support services. This partnership will equip and empower employers and their employees with comprehensive well-being solutions and tools to navigate the complexities of caregiving, addressing a critical need in today's workforce.

By integrating Torchlight's premier caregiving resources into WebMD ONE, our comprehensive global well-being platform, users will have an enhanced, seamless experience. Together, participants will receive access to essential resources, expert guidance, and personalized supportempowering them to better balance their caregiving responsibilities with their professional and personal lives.

"This partnership reflects WebMD Health Services' commitment to addressing the evolving needs of the modern workforce," said Bruce Foyt, Vice President, partnerships. "As the demands of caregiving impact employees across all industries, the integration of Torchlight with WebMD ONE will provide participants with access to critical resources, expert advice, and personalized supportempowering them to better balance their caregiving responsibilities with work and personal life as part of an effective well-being program."

Torchlight's suite of solutions includes an intuitive, digital platform offering personalized caregiving plans, access to live consultations, and a wealth of educational content tailored to the diverse needs of caregivers. From navigating eldercare to managing the complexities of special needs care, Torchlight empowers employees with the necessary tools they need to confidently address caregiving challenges.

"We are excited to partner with WebMD Health Services to expand the reach of our caregiving support solution," said Adam Goldberg, LifeSpeak Inc.'s CSO and founder of Torchlight. "Together, we can provide organizations with a comprehensive approach to employee well-being that recognizes the unique demands of caregiving and provides actionable, effective resources for those who need them most."

Caregiving is a vital yet often overlooked aspect of family life and public health in the United States. Approximately 53 million people provide unpaid care to individuals with chronic health conditions, disabilities, or age-related needs. As much as 67% of working caregivers struggle to balance career and caregiving, and 27% reduce their work hours or transition to part-time roles to manage their dual commitments. For more information about this partnership and the resources available through WebMD ONE and Torchlight, visit webmdhealthservices.com

About WebMD Health Services

WebMD Health Services, a part of WebMD Health Corp., has over 25 years of experience driving positive behavior changes. Consumers trust WebMD for reliable, accurate, and clear answers to their most pressing health-related questions. At WebMD Health Services, we tap into these valuable consumer insights to design and implement successful, engaging solutions to help individuals meet their wellbeing needs. We understand that there are numerous paths to reach wellbeing goals. Our expertise, combined with a variety of third-party partner integrations, enables us to deliver unique and personalized experiences across a wide range of industries. See how we support these diverse populations at webmdhealthservices.com.

About WebMD Health Corp.

WebMD Health Corp., an Internet Brands company, is at the heart of the digital health revolution that is transforming the healthcare experience for consumers, patients, healthcare professionals, employers, health plans and health systems. Through public and private online portals, mobile platforms, and health-focused publications, WebMD delivers leading-edge content and digital services that enable and improve decision-making, support and motivate health actions, streamline and simplify the healthcare journey, and improve patient care.

The WebMD Health Network includes WebMD Health, Medscape, WebMD Ignite (encompassing Krames, The Wellness Network and Mercury Healthcare), Jobson Healthcare Information, MediQuality, Frontline, Vitals Consumer Services, Aptus Health, PulsePoint, The Wellness Network, SanovaWorks, MNG Health, MedicineNet, eMedicineHealth, RxList, OnHealth, Medscape Education, and other owned WebMD sites. WebMD, Medscape, CME Circle, Medpulse, eMedicine, MedicineNet, theheart.org and RxList are among the trademarks of WebMD Health Corp. or its subsidiaries.

About LifeSpeak Inc.

LifeSpeak Inc. is the leading provider of mental, physical, and family wellbeing solutions for employers, health plans, and organizations worldwide. Our innovative suite of digital solutions delivers best-in-class content and human expertise at scale, supporting individuals at every stage of their wellbeing journey. Through our comprehensive portfolio  featuring LifeSpeak Mental Health & Resilience , Wellbeats Wellness , ALAViDA Substance Use , and Torchlight Parenting & Caregiving  we enrich the lives of over 14 million individuals and their families across every pillar of wellbeing. With 24/7 access to our constantly expanding library of expert-led resources, we make it simple for members to find trusted support whenever and wherever they need it. For organizations, LifeSpeak drives stronger engagement and healthier, higher-performing teams. For health plans, we enable members to take a proactive approach to their wellbeing, improving population health while reducing high-cost claims through preventative care. Built on two decades of excellence, LifeSpeak Inc. continues to lead the wellbeing revolution worldwide, transforming how people access and experience wellbeing support  anytime, anywhere. Learn more at www.lifespeak.com .

SOURCE WebMD Health Services
SANTA CRUZ, Calif., May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- West Coast Community Bancorp ("Bancorp"; OTCQX: SCZC), the parent company of West Coast Community Bank ("Bank"), today announced its ticker symbol will change to WCCB on the OTCQX with a market effective date of May 8, 2025. This will replace Bancorp's current ticker symbol, SCZC, which has been in use since the Company's initial public offering as Santa Cruz County Bank.

The ticker symbol change completes the Bank's brand transition to West Coast Community Bank, the new name for Santa Cruz County Bank and its 1st Capital Bank division after a merger completed in late 2024. The West Coast Community Bank name took effect April 1, 2025, and reflects the Bank's commitment to serving businesses and individuals across Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties as well as opportunities for future expansion throughout the region.

No action is required by current shareholders with respect to the ticker symbol change. Bancorp's common stock will continue to be listed on the OTCQX, and its CUSIP number will remain unchanged.

ABOUT WEST COAST COMMUNITY BANK AND WEST COAST COMMUNITY BANCORP

Founded in 2004, West Coast Community Bank (formerly Santa Cruz County Bank and its division, 1st Capital Bank) is the wholly owned subsidiary of West Coast Community Bancorp, a bank holding company. The Bank is a top-rated, locally operated and full-service community bank headquartered in Santa Cruz, Calif. with branches in Aptos, Capitola, Cupertino, King City, Monterey, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville. West Coast Community Bank is distinguished from "big banks" by its relationship-based service, problem-solving focus and direct access to decision makers. The Bank is a leading SBA lender in Santa Cruz County and Silicon Valley. As a full-service bank, West Coast Community Bank offers competitive deposit and lending solutions for businesses and individuals; including business loans, lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, construction lending, asset-based lending, agricultural loans, SBA and USDA government guaranteed loans, credit cards, merchant services, remote deposit capture, mobile and online banking, bill payment and treasury management. True to its community roots, West Coast Community Bank has supported regional well-being by actively participating in and donating to local nonprofit organizations. Visit wccb.com for more information.

SOURCE West Coast Community Bancorp
This limited-time offer, which kicks off May 9, brings the cost of Sliders below 2012 pricing

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- White Castle, home of The Original Slider and a champion of great taste at unbeatable prices, is bringing value front and center with the launch of a new limited-time offer: six Original Sliders for just $4. The discounted price  just under 67 per Slider  is less than the regular menu price of Original Sliders in 2012. This Crave-worthy deal reinforces White Castle's legacy of affordability during times when customers need it most.

People know they can count on White Castle for meals that are big on flavor and easy on the wallet. Post this White Castle announces a limited-time offer of six Original Sliders for just $4 - that's less than the price in 2012! This Crave-worthy deal reinforces White Castles legacy of affordability during times when customers need it most.

As economic pressures continue to weigh on families nationwide, White Castle is standing by its commitment to serve hot, tasty food that everyone can afford. This "6 for $4" deal, which kicks off May 9, is more than a special offer  it's a message to Cravers everywhere: we're fighting for you. With over 100 years of experience delivering comfort in a bun, White Castle is proud to offer this high-value option to help customers satisfy their cravings without compromising their budget. This offer is available in all restaurant markets except Florida.

"At White Castle, we know that making every dollar count can make a big difference right now," said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle. "This new deal makes hot and tasty even tastier with such an affordable price. We think of it as a little unexpected joy to make your day even better."

This offer joins White Castle's ongoing lineup of delicious deals, including the return of the 12-piece Chicken Rings for just $3.99  another value-focused fan favorite. Now available in both the Classic and bold Cheddar Blast flavors, Chicken Rings provide an irresistible pairing to any Slider combo or serve as a tasty meal on their own.

"When folks are watching every dollar, they know they can count on White Castle for meals that are big on flavor and easy on the wallet. It's about being there for our Cravers  today, tomorrow and always," Richardson said.

Customers can access even more discounts and perks by getting on White Castle's app and signing up for its free customer loyalty program, Craver Nation Rewards. It is easy to join, and new members who sign up in the app get $5 off their first mobile order.

About White Castle

White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty Sliders since 1921. Based in Columbus, Ohio, the family-owned business owns and operates about 340 restaurants as well as a retail division providing its famous fare in freezer aisles of retail stores nationwide. As part of its commitment to offering the highest quality products, White Castle owns and operates its own Slider Provider meat plants, bakeries and frozen-Slider retail plants. White Castle has earned numerous accolades over the years including Time magazine's "Most Influential Burger of All Time" (2014, The Original Slider) and Thrillist's "Best Plant-Based Fast-Food Burger" (2019, Impossible Slider). In 2021, Fast Company named the fast-food pioneer one of the "10 Most Innovative Dining Companies." White Castle is known for the legendary engagement of its team members and has received the Great Place to Work Certification for an extraordinary four consecutive years spanning 20212024. White Castle is beloved by its passionate fans (Cravers), many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The official White Castle app makes it easy for Cravers to sign up for the CRAVER NATION REWARDS loyalty program, access sweet deals and place pickup orders at any time. For more information on White Castle and how to Follow Your Crave, visit whitecastle.com.

SOURCE White Castle
"BCC Research presents an in-depth analysis of how innovations, market dynamics, regional trends and ESG strategies are shaping the $81.2 billion women's health therapeutics market."

BOSTON, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As global awareness of gender-specific medicine continues to rise, the women's health therapeutics market is entering a pivotal era of innovation and investment. Leading pharmaceutical playerssuch as Pfizer Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.are accelerating the development of targeted therapies to address conditions like breast cancer, menopause, PCOS and endometriosis.

According to the report, growing emphasis on personalized medicine and biologics is reshaping corporate strategies, especially as North America leads global expansion and emerging technologies unlock new care models. While the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2024 to 2029, stakeholders must navigate regulatory hurdles and rising treatment costs to capture long-term value. This shift marks a profound transformation in how biotech investors, manufacturers, and healthcare providers approach women's healthtransitioning it from underserved to a global priority.

Market Overview: Key Insights and Forecast

BCC Research's latest report on Women's Health Therapeutics: Technologies and Global Markets provides a comprehensive breakdown of market trends, investment dynamics, and therapeutic pipelines. The global market is expected to grow from $61.5 billion in 2024 to $81.2 billion by 2029, reflecting a shift toward biologics, hormonal therapies, and digital health solutions.

The report offers strategic insights across key areas, including segmentation analysis, competitive intelligence, regulatory structures, ESG perspectives and emerging technologies that are reshaping the global women's health therapeutics industry.

Market Leadership in Transition

The women's health therapeutics market is undergoing significant transformation, driven by an aging female population and rising demand for condition-specific treatment options. Companies like Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Novartis AG are actively investing in late-stage R&D for areas such as menopause and postmenopausal osteoporosis (Chapter 5, Pipeline Assessment and Analysis; Chapter 8, Competitive Landscape).

The breast cancer segment remains the most dominant, supported by increasing incidence rates and continued innovation in monoclonal antibodies and biosimilars (Chapter 7, Market Segmentation Analysis).

Emerging Technologies and Investment Trends

As outlined in Chapter 4 (Emerging Technologies), cutting-edge innovations such as gene therapy, CRISPR, and transdermal delivery platforms are opening doors for safer, more personalized treatments. These technologies are also enabling commercialization models in digital health and remote careareas expected to see strong growth.

North America leads regional expansion, projected to grow from $28.4 billion in 2024 to $37.4 billion by 2029 at a 5.6% CAGR (Chapter 7, Regional Analysis). This growth is fueled by robust R&D infrastructure, regulatory support and access to biologics and HRT. Meanwhile, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region present significant opportunities as healthcare systems modernize and policies evolve.

Pipeline Assessment and Analysis

Chapter 5 details how companies are diversifying pipelines across hormonal, non-hormonal and biologic therapies aimed at improving efficacy and minimizing side effects.

Roche, in particular, has solidified its leadership in the U.S. market through its strong presence in the breast cancer, postmenopausal osteoporosis, menopause, endometriosis, and PCOS segments. (Chapter 8, Competitive Landscape)

Regulatory and Access Challenges

Chapter 3 (Market Dynamics) highlights persistent barriers such as high treatment costs and slow regulatory pathways, particularly in low-income regions where access to diagnostics and therapies remains limited.

Chapter 6 (Regulatory Structure) explains how regional discrepancies in clinical trial approvals and intellectual property rules impact time-to-market and ROI projections for drug developers.

Strategic Outlook: The Road Ahead

According to Chapter 9 (ESG Perspective), the industry is increasingly aligning with environmental, social and governance (ESG) goalsfocusing on inclusivity in clinical trials, sustainable manufacturing, and broader access to care. Firms integrating ESG into product pipelines and geographic strategies are well-positioned to win both market share and investor confidence.

With rising awareness, policy support and a wave of therapeutic innovation, women's health is becoming central to the future of equitable, personalized healthcare. The next five years will be critical for companies to lead, adapt and innovate in this fast-evolving space.

Report Synopsis

Report Metric Details Base year considered 2023 Forecast period considered 2024-2029 Base year market size $58.3 billion Market size forecast $81.2 billion Growth rate CAGR of 5.7% for the forecast period of 2024-2029 Segments covered Women's Health Disorders, and Region Regions covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW) Countries covered U.S., Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea and China Market drivers  Rising geriatric population of women.  Rising awareness of and accessibility to healthcare and advanced therapeutic products.  Advances in personalized medicine.  Emerging markets.

Additional Insights:

The women's health therapeutics market is expanding rapidly, driven by increasing awareness, technological advancements, and increased attention to under-addressed conditions such as menopause, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Governments and healthcare organizations around the world are implementing initiatives to enhance access to women's health treatments, including funding programs for maternal care, reproductive health, and breast cancer screening.

Market leaders include:

AbbVie Inc.

Amgen Inc.

Asahi Kasei Corp.

AstraZeneca

Bayer AG

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

Eisai Co. Ltd .

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Johnson & Johnson Services Inc .

Lilly

Merck & Co. Inc .

Novartis AG

Novo Nordisk A/S

Pfizer Inc.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Navigate Uncertainty with Confidence

In times of rapid change and uncertainty, having the right insights can make all the difference. At BCC Research, we're here to support innovation and help you stay ahead. Our custom research reports provide a comprehensive, 360-degree view of your market landscapeproviding you with the clarity you need to make informed decisions. We believe that timely, expert market intelligence should be accessible to all. That's why, for a limited time, we're offering 30% off the price of any BCC Research report to help more organizations gain access to our latest data and insights.

Get your copy of the report directly from BCC Research.

To request more information or complete your purchase, connect with us at [email protected].

About BCC Research

BCC Research market research reports provide objective, unbiased measurement and assessment of market opportunities. Our experienced industry analysts' goal is to help you make informed business decisions free of noise and hype.

Contact Us

Corporate HQ: 50 Milk St., Ste. 16, Boston, MA 02109, USA

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +1 781-489-7301

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Any data and analysis extracted from this press release must be accompanied by a statement identifying BCC Research LLC as the source and publisher.

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SOURCE BCC Research LLC
AI-Powered Solution Provides Advertisers with Independent, Pre-Impression Verification and Exclusion Lists for Google SPN Inventory

LOS ANGELES, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zefr, a global leader in brand suitability technology for social platforms, announced today the launch of its new Pre-Screen Exclusion List Solution for the Search Partner Network (SPN). This new offering enables advertisers to pre-screen and exclude domains across Google's Search Partner Network (SPN) inventory, ensuring campaigns align with trusted industry brand safety and suitability standardsbefore a single impression is served.

Zefr Announces Launch of Pre-Screen Brand Safety Solution for Google's Search Partner Network (SPN) Post this Zefr's AI-Powered Solution Provides Advertisers with Independent, Pre-Impression Verification and Exclusion Lists for Google SPN Inventory

With Zefr's new SPN Pre-Screen solution, Zefr provides independent, weekly verification of the SPN domain list and deploys customized exclusion lists informed by Zefr's advanced AI and human-in-the-loop classification processes.

"Brand safety is not just about reacting after the factit's about putting proactive controls in place," said Richard Raddon, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Zefr. "Our SPN Pre-Screen solution gives advertisers the transparency and tools to confidently activate campaigns on Google's Search Partner Network, knowing that every domain has been evaluated through the lens of industry standards."

This solution provides a new capability for advertisers using campaign types such as Search, Standard Shopping, Apps, and Performance Max, which can all leverage SPN inventory. By validating domains prior to activation, Zefr's solution complements existing Google brand safety and suitability protections and empowers advertisers with greater controls at scale.

Key benefits of Zefr's SPN Pre-Screen Solution for Google include:

Independent pre-screen domain validation for the Google Search Partner Network.

Ongoing classification aligned with industry standard safety and suitability definitions.

Customizable exclusion lists tailored to brand-specific risk tolerance.

Weekly refresh cadence for continuous transparency and control.

Zefr's solution builds on its broader mission to bring transparency, precision, and trust to advertising across the digital ecosystem. As the digital landscape grows more complex, Zefr remains committed to equipping brands with the tools they need to maximize performance on social platforms while maintaining their brand preferences. .

For more information on Zefr's SPN Pre-Screen Brand Safety solution, visit www.zefr.com, or reach out to [email protected] to request a demo.

About Zefr

Zefr is the leader in AI-powered content classifications for brands and advertisers. Zefr's platform is purpose built for multi-modal content understanding on open platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Meta and Snap, with pre-bid activation and verification solutions. Our products safeguard media and AI investments, while maximizing performance and efficacy on those channels.

Headquartered in Los Angeles with global offices across New York, Chicago, London, Toronto, Singapore, and more, Zefr is redefining what trust and transparency means for social media in the age of AI. To learn more, visit zefr.com.

Press Contact:



Hank Kim

[email protected]

SOURCE Zefr Inc.
Putin's ceremonial truce turns out to be farce, Ukraine responding appropriately to shelling, providing info to partners  Sybiha

Photo: https://mfa.gov.ua/

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said that Putin's "ceremonial truce" turned out to be a "farce."

According to our military data, despite Putin's statements, Russian forces continue to attack across the entire frontline. From midnight to midday, Russia committed 734 ceasefire violations and 63 assault operations, 23 of which are still ongoing; 586 attacks on our troops' positions, 464 of which used heavy weapons; 176 strikes by FPV-drones; and 10 air strikes using 16 guided aerial bombs, he wrote on the social network X on Thursday.

The minister stressed that Ukraine is "responding appropriately" to all shelling and sharing all information about Russia's violation of the ceasefire.

We are responding appropriately to all attacks and sharing all relevant information about Russia's ceasefire violations with the United States, the EU and European partners, all other states, and international organizations. We will not let Putin fool anyone when he does not even keep his own word, the Foreign Minister noted.

Sybiha noted that Ukraine remains ready for at least a 30-day complete ceasefire and confidence-building measures that will enable peace negotiations and a real path to a just and sustainable peace.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has published a statement on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism in World War II of 1939-1945, in which it honored the memory of millions of dead and condemned Russia's attempts to appropriate the joint victory of the Allies.

That bloody war claimed millions of lives, shattered countless destinies, and destroyed millions of families. Its devastating consequences were expected to serve as a lasting lesson for future generations and as a firm guarantee of what we recall every year on this day: Never Again! the statement notes.

The ministry notes that all the peoples of the former USSR, as well as the Allied nations of the anti-Hitler coalition, made invaluable contributions to defeating Nazism for the sake of a happy and peaceful future for the generations to come. Today, however, we are witnessing that the Russian Federation, having launched the largest war of conquest in Europe since the Second World War, tries to appropriate the victory over Nazism, the ministry stressed.

The Kremlin claims that Russia would have won the war alone, without the Allies or peoples from other nations, and seeks to monopolize the shared victory over Hitler. As if Russia alone played the decisive role and suffered the greatest losses. In reality, the greatest human and material losses were borne not by Russia, but by the countries and peoples caught between it and Nazi Germany  first and foremost, the Ukrainian people, the statement notes.

The ministry also recalls that the liberation of Europe from Nazism had not brought freedom to many European nations. After the war, Stalins regime occupied Central and Eastern Europe. The Soviet regime committed numerous crimes: the suppression of national identities, political repression, mass deportations to Siberia on fabricated charges, and the violation of human rights, freedom of conscience, and other fundamental liberties. All these crimes must be duly condemned. Unlike Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and many other nations working to achieve peace, modern-day Russia has not only failed to learn from the past  it has embraced the slogan We can do it again and adopted militarism and neo-imperialism as its ideology.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns the use of the victory over Nazism for propaganda purposes and notes that in this way the Kremlin is trying to divert attention from its crimes both in the past and in the current aggressive war against Ukraine.

Tomorrow, on May 9, Russia will once again hold its annual parade  an event which for years has served not so much to honor the memory of those who perished in the war, but to advance its propaganda objectives. Even its announcement of a three-day ceasefire only proves that Moscow values parades and militant propaganda more than human life or the restoration of peace, the statement notes.

The Foreign Ministry notes that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court, and the Russian soldiers who will march in front of him are also not liberators from Nazism. They are occupiers, war criminals, looters, rapists, and murderers.

In fact, Putins May 9 parade will glorify not the past victory over Nazi Germany, but the current fascist regime of the Russian Federation, the ministry notes.

The agency calls on the international community to prevent Russia from destroying the world order, which is based on respect for international law and was established thanks to the joint victory over Nazism in World War II. Ukraine's partners are asked to join forces to increase pressure on the aggressor state, which should force Russia to stop the aggressive war against Ukraine and restore a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine and all of Europe.
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Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Islamabad, May 8 : Flustered by the Indian armed forces' attack on terror bases, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed retaliation.

India's targeted military strikes under Operation Sindoor hit nine high-value terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including the hideouts of top terror masterminds Maulana Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed.

Addressing the nation following India's unprecedented action against terrorism, Sharif on Wednesday asserted Pakistan's intent to respond forcefully.

"Pakistan will take revenge. We will take this war to the end. My Pakistani people, for your safety, our army and our people -- we will always be united. Pakistan is most affected by terrorism," he said.

Pakistan's National Security Committee earlier issued a statement saying the armed forces had been authorised to retaliate "at a time, place, and manner of its choosing" in response to India's strikes.

However, earlier in the day, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that the situation could de-escalate if India stepped back from its current military posture.

"If India is ready to back down, we will definitely wrap up this tension," Asif said.

Notably, in a recent interview with Sky News, Asif candidly acknowledged Pakistan's long-standing support for terror organisations, although he sought to deflect some responsibility by recalling the Cold War-era collaboration with the West in Afghanistan.

"We have been doing this dirty work for the US for the past three decades, including the West and the United Kingdom," Asif admitted, though no Western nation has backed attacks on India.

India's operation came as a direct response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including a Nepali national. The Resistance Front, a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, took responsibility for the massacre.

The precision strikes on Wednesday, carried out jointly by the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy, targeted six key locations deep inside Pakistani territory. Among them was Masjid SubhanAllah in Bahawalpur's Ahmedpur Sharqia, believed to be a hideout of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar.

Other targets included facilities in Muridke -- reportedly the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, as well as terror installations in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bagh.

India has underscored that Operation Sindoor was a "measured, calibrated and non-escalatory" response focused solely on neutralising terror threats and avoiding civilian or military infrastructure.
New Delhi, May 8 : Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to co-chair the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Araghchi's visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty and comes at a time of heightened tensions in South Asia.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) welcomed Araghchi, noting the visit as a timely opportunity to deepen bilateral ties.

"Warm welcome to FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi, as he arrives in New Delhi for the India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting. An opportunity to review and enhance bilateral cooperation on the 75th Anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty," the MEA posted on X.

The meeting, hosted at Hyderabad House in the capital, will cover wide-ranging discussions on trade, energy, connectivity, and regional cooperation.

This is Araghchi's first official visit to India since taking office in August 2024. Later in the day, he is also scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

While the India-Iran Joint Commission is meant to meet annually, the recent gap in meetings has been attributed to the Covid pandemic and pressing domestic issues in both countries.

According to the MEA, the 20th edition of the commission will focus on reviewing the progress of various bilateral economic agreements and exploring avenues to strengthen strategic cooperation.

Iran's Embassy in New Delhi, echoing the MEA's sentiments, said the commission will "review and follow up on the latest status of the implementation of bilateral economic agreements between the two countries."

Araghchi's visit takes place in the shadow of escalating conflict between India and Pakistan, following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives, including a Nepali national.

India responded on Wednesday with a tri-services military operation -- codenamed Operation Sindoor -- that targeted nine high-value terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Wednesday voiced serious concern over the intensifying India-Pakistan conflict, calling for restraint.

"The growing tensions and clashes between two major nations, both of which share long-standing ties of friendship with Iran, are a matter of serious concern," Baghaei said, urging both sides to de-escalate and prevent further deterioration.

Foreign Minister Araghchi had earlier condemned the Pahalgam attack and extended condolences to India.

"Iran strongly and unequivocally condemns the terrorist attack against tourists in Pahalgam. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the people & government of India," he posted on X.

Prior to arriving in India, Araghchi visited Pakistan earlier this week, leading a political delegation and holding talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Seoul, May 8 : LG Electronics said on Thursday it will break ground on a new home appliance factory in India, reinforcing its commitment to the fast-growing market.

A groundbreaking ceremony of the plant in Sri City, an industrial hub in the eastern state of Andhra Pradesh, will be attended by local officials, including Nara Lokesh, minister for human resources development of Andhra Pradesh, as well as LG Electronics executives, including President Lyu Jae-cheol, head of the home appliance division, according to the company.

With an investment of US$600 million, the facility is slated to begin production by the end of 2026. It will have an annual capacity of 800,000 refrigerators, 850,000 washing machines, 1.5 million air conditioners and 2 million air conditioner compressors, reports Yonhap news agency.

It will be LG Electronics' third production base in India, following plants in the northern city of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and in the southern city of Pune, Maharashtra.

The Sri City plant is expected to serve as a regional manufacturing hub for India and neighbouring markets, including the Middle East and Bangladesh.

LG Electronics said the new plant will enhance its local supply chain and help strengthen its leadership in India's growing consumer durables market.

"The construction of the Sri City plant is a milestone that signifies LG Electronics' commitment to becoming a true national brand in India," Lyu said. "With innovative products produced through a stronger local supply chain, we will further solidify our position as India's top home appliance brand."

In March, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo visited India as part of the company's broader strategies to seek new growth opportunities.

During his four-day stay in India, Koo met with employees and business leaders to evaluate the company's competitiveness across the value chain, from research and development (R&D) to manufacturing and distribution, according to LG Group.

While touring LG Electronics Inc.'s production facilities in New Delhi and LG Soft India, LG's largest overseas software research center in Bengaluru, Koo emphasised the importance of the Indian market in LG's long-term vision.

He described the country as a key player in driving the company's "second leap" in a rapidly changing era and strengthening its presence.

Additionally, LG Electronics has been seeking an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indian financial market.

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Balochistan, May 8 : At least 14 Pakistani army personnel were killed in two separate attacks carried out by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in Balochistan's Bolan and Kech regions, underscoring the intensifying insurgency in the troubled province.

In the first operation, the BLA's Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) launched a remote-controlled IED attack targeting a military convoy in the Shorkand area of Mach, Bolan district.

The powerful explosion reportedly killed all 12 soldiers aboard, including Special Operations Commander Tariq Imran and Subedar Umar Farooq. The military vehicle was completely destroyed in the blast.

In a separate incident later the same day, BLA fighters struck a Bomb Disposal Squad of the Pakistani Army in the Kulag Tigran area of Kech district.

A remote-controlled IED was detonated around 2:40 p.m. while the squad was conducting a clearance operation, resulting in the death of two personnel.

BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch issued a statement taking responsibility for both attacks and lambasted the Pakistani army, labelling it a mercenary force.

"The hired killers who call the Baloch Liberation Army a foreign proxy should know that the Pakistani army itself is a mercenary armed gang that thrives on Chinese capital and Papa Jones," he said.

"The meaning of the army's uniform shifts -- sometimes guarding ports, guarding corridors, serving the satisfaction of lenders."

He further stated, "An army that determines its direction according to the will of changing masters in every era is not a national army, but a commercial one. The attacks on this mercenary occupying army by the freedom fighters of Baloch land will continue with greater intensity."

The latest strikes underscore the persistent and deep-rooted conflict in Balochistan, where separatist groups have long accused the Pakistani state of marginalisation, economic exploitation, and systemic human rights violations.

Despite the region's abundant natural resources, local communities continue to face poverty, underdevelopment, and political exclusion, with benefits allegedly funnelled to the federal government and foreign investors, particularly China.

The Pakistani military's heavy deployment in Balochistan is perceived by many locals not as a protective force, but as a suppressive presence, fuelling resentment and sustaining the insurgency.

The disconnect between Baloch nationalist aspirations and Islamabad's policies remains a key source of instability in the region.

In a similar high-profile incident in March, the BLA hijacked a train carrying over 400 passengers in Balochistan's Kacchi district, further highlighting the group's operational capability and reach.

Security forces in Pakistan have increasingly come under fire from separatist factions like the BLA, who often target personnel originating from Punjab and other provinces, accusing them of occupying Baloch lands.

The provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continue to be among the most volatile in the country, witnessing a surge in attacks on military and paramilitary forces.

Pakistan, on its part, maintains that groups such as the BLA receive support from across the border in Afghanistan. Islamabad has accused the Taliban regime of providing shelter, funding, and logistical support to anti-Pakistan elements, enabling them to conduct cross-border terrorism and spread unrest within Pakistan's borders.
London, May 8 : UK Conservative Party MP Priti Patel extended support to India, saying that it has the right to take reasonable and proportionate steps to defend itself, and to dismantle the vile terrorist infrastructure that has caused death and continues to threaten it. She slammed Pakistan for threatening India and Western interests by fostering terrorism.

The remarks came after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday morning launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine high-value terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 innocent civilians.

Speaking at the House of Commons on Wednesday, the UK's Shadow Foreign Secretary Patel extended her condolences to the victims of murderous, violent terrorism in Pahalgam.

"It was an act of terrorism, and we must reflect on the fact that Pahalgam has joined Mumbai, New Delhi and other places in India in being forever scarred by an act of terror," she said.

"On April 22, terrorists brutally killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam in a barbaric and savage act of violence. Most victims were killed at point-blank range by gunshots to their head," she pointed out.

"Terrorists based in Pakistan threaten India and Western interests. It was the country that Osama bin Laden was hiding in -- and because of the long history of violence being inflicted by terrorists on India, the UK has in place long-standing security co-operation agreements with India," she added.

She further urged the government to cooperate with the allies of the UK in tackling global threats of terrorism.

"Given those links, the UK Government should be at the forefront in working with our friends and allies to tackle the terrorist threats that we face collectively," she added.

She asked the UK government whether it had assisted India after the brutal Pahalgam terror attack.

"The Minister will not be able to speak about intelligence sharing between the UK and India, but will he at least confirm whether our intelligence and security services have been in contact with India about the incidents that took place, and whether they are supporting its investigations? Has the government provided any specific security assistance to India in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Kashmir? Could Britain offer specific support that might help avert escalation?" she asked.

Highlighting on the terrorist group The Resistance Front (TRF) who claimed the resposibility of the terror attack, she further asked, "Does the Minister agree with India's assessment that The Resistance Front, which claims responsibility for the April 22 attacks, is a front for the proscribed Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has a clear history of committing acts of terror against India, and has reported links to Hamas?"

Highlighting the reports about Hamas-Lashkar-e-Taiba links, Patel asked, "Will the Minister confirm whether the UK government are aware of any co-operation and links between Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hamas?"

Patel questioned if the Foreign Secretary would be able to give the evidence of the discussion he held with his Indian counterparts following the brutal assault.

"Have Ministers undertaken an assessment of the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan? Has he had discussions with the Pakistani government on this matter?" she questioned.

Raising concerns over the aid the UK gives to Pakistan, the Shadow Minister said, "Can Ministers give assurances that there are sufficient measures in place to ensure that no British aid to Pakistan, either bilaterally or through multilateral sources, ends up in the wrong hands?"

Patel also demanded the government's assessment of the terror attack and the perpetrators behind it.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, May 8 : Tech billionaire Elon Musk's affordable internet service Starlink has come closer to its India launch, after it received a Letter of Intent (LoI) from the Department of Telecom (DoT).

The initial approval was granted after Starlink agreed to comply with the new national security guidelines for satcom operators.

The Department had announced 29 additional requirements, including mandatory interception and monitoring mechanisms, use of local data centres, location tracking for mobile user terminals, localisation mandates, among others, for existing and potential satcom licensees.

Starlink now needs approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), and has already submitted necessary documents, before the spectrum is allocated to the satellite-based internet service, according to reports.

Last month, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a meeting with top executives of Starlink to discuss the companyas investment plans for the country.

"Met a delegation from Starlink, comprising Vice President Chad Gibbs & Senior Director, Ryan Goodnight. Discussions covered Starlink's cutting-edge technology platform, their existing partnerships and future investment plans in India," Goyal posted on X after the meeting.

The meeting came against the backdrop of domestic telecom majors such as Airtel being in touch with the US company for the possible launch of satellite telecom services in India. Vodafone Idea has also said that it is in talks with Starlink to provide satellite communication services in India.

Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has also stated that India needs satellite internet, especially in its rural areas.

Starlink is owned by SpaceX, a company founded by Musk. Starlink is a satellite internet service that aims to provide high-speed internet access to users worldwide. SpaceX is the first private company to have delivered astronauts to and from the International Space Station, It has also completed an all-civilian crew mission to orbit.

Meanwhile, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO is looking forward to visiting India later this year.

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The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on the return of Ukrainian children who were deported or forcibly relocated by Russia, it notes that without the return of the abducted children there will be no real peace agreement, head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak said.

"The European Parliament has just adopted a resolution on the return of Ukrainian children who were deported or forcibly relocated by Russia," he wrote on Telegram on Thursday.

Yermak reported that the European Parliament Resolution was supported by five leading political groups. According to him, the resolution contains the following key provisions:

1. Condemns Russia's violent actions and Belarus' complicity in crimes against Ukrainian children: murders, forced displacement and deportations, illegal adoptions, sexual violence, forced Russification and militarization.

2. Calls on the EU to hold those responsible accountable and to impose sanctions on individuals and institutions involved in these crimes.

3. Demands an immediate end to the crimes, disclosure of information about all deported children and ensuring their safe and unconditional return.

4. Calls for international organizations to be given access to all children taken to Russia.

5. Condemns the forcible imposition of Russian citizenship and state adoption programs as tools of forced assimilation.

6. Demands that the EU strengthen cooperation with Ukraine and international organizations to document all missing and deported children.

7. Calls on the international community to strengthen coordination, in particular through the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

"The European Parliament clearly states: Without the return of the abducted children, there will be no real peace agreement. I sincerely thank the European Parliament for its clear position, solidarity and support for the initiative of the President of Ukraine Bring Kids Back UA," Yermak emphasized.
Seoul, May 8 : South Korea's aerospace agency said on Thursday that it has formally requested a government review to revise the development plan for its next-generation space launch vehicle, aiming to shift toward a reusable rocket system.

According to the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), the agency submitted a request to the finance ministry last week for a feasibility reassessment of the project revision, yonhap news agency reported.

KASA announced in February that it plans to modify its next-generation space rocket into a reusable system and acquire such technology by 2035.

In its reassessment request to the ministry, the administration said the envisioned change will be part of its broader strategy to respond to the rapidly shifting landscape of the global space industry.

"The transition to a reusable launch vehicle is crucial to enhance competitiveness and respond to emerging trends in space launch development," KASA said in a statement. "We expect this reassessment to serve as a turning point in the project."

KASA said it will work closely with the ministry to ensure the revised project plan is thoroughly prepared without any delays.

Meanwhile, KASA also plans to establish a cross-sectoral education system aimed at fostering a total of 30,000 aerospace talents by 2045 as part of its long-term strategy to become a global space powerhouse in the face of the New Space era, Yonhap reported.

The ambitious plan is designed to build a space industry ecosystem in response to the New Space era, which refers to the increasing role of private companies in the space sector.

Under the plan, the agency will collaborate with related government ministries to expand the young talent pool in space science, foster mission-oriented specialists, and train a field-ready workforce.

To achieve such a goal, KASA will also develop space education programmes for students. The agency aims to increase the number of young aerospace trainees from 300 to 1,500 per year.
New Delhi, May 8 : In the wake of India's successful counterterrorism strikes under Operation Sindoor, several Pakistani government-linked media outlets and social media accounts have been caught disseminating misleading and fabricated content in an apparent attempt to distort the facts surrounding the operation.

On Wednesday, the Indian armed forces launched a series of precision strikes against nine high-value terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead.

The operation marked a significant moment in India's continuing fight against cross-border terrorism.

Following the strikes, a wave of disinformation emerged online, with Pakistani media houses and affiliated handles pushing false narratives and unverified claims across social platforms, particularly on X.

Independent analysts and India's official fact-checking bodies swiftly flagged many of these assertions as baseless.

One of the most widely circulated false claims alleged that Pakistan had bombed an Indian military base in Amritsar.

The video used to support the claim, showing massive flames lighting up the night sky, was quickly debunked.

Fact-checkers identified the footage as coming from a wildfire that occurred in Valparaiso, Chile, in 2024. The natural disaster had no connection whatsoever to any military action in India or Pakistan.

The Press Information Bureau's Fact Check division promptly addressed the misinformation, stating: "Pakistan Propaganda Alert! Pakistan-based handles are spreading old videos falsely alleging strikes on a military base in Amritsar. The video being shared is from a wildfire in 2024. Avoid sharing unverified information and rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate information."

Despite these clarifications, numerous pro-Pakistan accounts -- including those tied to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) -- continued to push similar content.

Several images and videos shared by Pakistani sources were either digitally altered or lifted from unrelated incidents, often years old, and repurposed to suggest a fabricated narrative of retaliation and military prowess.

Observers noted that even influential political figures joined in, sharing discredited material and making unsubstantiated claims of victorious counterstrikes.

Analysts have described this as a concerted effort by Pakistan's information machinery to reshape public perception in the aftermath of India's operation.

According to experts tracking the flow of disinformation, the use of manipulated content, such as outdated war footage and repurposed disaster videos, forms part of a longstanding strategy employed by Pakistan's state-linked media to maintain a psychological narrative of parity and defiance against India -- especially following high-impact Indian military operations.

In response to the flood of misinformation, the Indian government reiterated its call for the public and the press to rely exclusively on verified updates from official sources.

Authorities also warned against the dangers of circulating unverified or fake news that could create unnecessary panic or mislead public opinion.
New Delhi, May 8 : As India bombarded key terror installations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and in Pakistan on Wednesday, Pakistan has gone into overdrive to save face by resorting to false propaganda. However, there are some who are unhesitant and unrestrained in calling out their own Army's bluff.

A Pakistani citizen has gone viral on social media, making a candid admission about the glaring gaps in the Pakistan Army's defence system and also preparedness to thwart any attack.

"Indian Army rained bombs and missiles on us. All of them hit designated targets and destroyed the terror dens. However, our Pakistani Army couldn't intercept even a single Indian missile," he says in the video.

Echoing India's war cry 'ghar mein ghus ke maarenge', he said that India has truly achieved it.

"They hit us inside our territory, and we couldn't do anything. It's a fact, and we all must accept it. Pakistani Army has completely failed in foiling any attack," he said.

Asking the establishment to look within, he said that instead of admitting and acknowledging their own shortcomings, the Pakistani media has gone into overdrive to peddle false propaganda.

"It is being said that the Pakistan Army shot down Indian fighter jets near the border. Social media is abuzz with many Pakistani handles claiming victory. All this is false," he said, and added that all these videos are either months or years old.

Drawing an example of the Iran-Israel military conflict, he said that when Iran fires 100 missiles at Israel, only 1 or 2 land and the rest are intercepted and destroyed in the air.

"In our case, India fired 21 missiles and all of them hit the target with precision," he said.

He also wondered what would have been the case had these missiles targeted civilian areas or Army cantonments.

Because of the candid admission, the Pakistani man has become the toast of social media, and his video is being widely shared, as it punctures holes in Pakistan's false claims and rhetoric.
Mumbai, May 8 : The makers of "Bhool Chuk Maaf", which was initially slated to hit the screens on May 9, announced on Thursday that the film will now release digitally on Prime Video on May 16, in "light of recent events and the heightened security drills across the nation." Mumbai, May 8 (IANS) The makers of "Bhool Chuk Maaf", which was initially slated to hit the screens on May 9, announced on Thursday that the film will now release digitally on Prime Video on May 16, in "light of recent events and the heightened security drills across the nation."

The news of the film's postponement, starring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi comes a day after the Indian Air Force targeted the terrorists' sites without crossing the Pakistan airspace.

Maddock Films on Thursday took to Instagram to make the announcement.

"In light of recent events and the heightened security drills across the nation, we at Maddock Films and Amazon MGM Studios have decided to bring our family entertainer, Bhool Chuk Maaf, directly to your homes on May 16-only on Prime Video, worldwide. While we were eagerly looking forward to celebrating this film with you in theaters, the spirit of the nation comes first.

JAI HIND," the note read.

The caption read: "The spirit of the nation comes first! Watch Bhool Chuk Maaf directly on @primevideoin, May 16 #BhoolChukMaafOnPrime."

The film is produced by Dinesh Vijan under the Maddock Films banner, with music by Tanishk Bagchi, lyrics by Irshad Kamil, and vocals by Tanishk Bagchi and Madhubanti Bagchi.

Talking about "Bhool Chuk Maaf", directed by Karan Sharma, the film revolves around Ranjan, a small-town romantic boy from Banaras,who lands a government job to marry Titli but forgets his vow to Lord Shiva-only to be trapped until he fulfills his promise. A hilarious tale of love, fate, and redemption unfolds.

Director Karan Sharma started his journey from Delhi and stepped into Mumbai in 2005. His short film christened Black Holi is internationally acclaimed as a best narrative short film.

The terrorists' sites targeted by Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor include Muridke near Lahore, Bahawalpur, Kotli and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The terrorist infrastructure was targeted from where the attacks against India have been planned and directed. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) posted a press release at 1.44 a.m. saying nine sites have been targeted altogether during 'Operation Sindoor' by the Indian Armed Forces. Muridke and Bhawalpur have Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) headquarters, and its chief commander, Masood Azhar, used to hide there along with top commanders of the outfit.
Florida, May 8 : Two employees of a pharmacy store in Port Orange, Florida, US, were injured in a shooting. Additionally, the body of the suspect was also found by the police.

The preliminary investigations of the police revealed that the shooting had occurred inside the Walgreens store.

In addition, a man identified as the suspected gunman was found dead from a self-inflicted wound in the parking lot, as confirmed by the police officials on Wednesday.

The Port Orange Police on Wednesday evening responded to a report of an active shooting at the Walgreens located at 1625 Taylor Road, according to its official statement.

"Investigators on the scene have determined that there was one customer inside the store during the incident. That customer was not harmed. At this time, the identities of the employees and the suspect are being withheld, pending notification of next of kin," the Port Orange Police said in a statement.

"This incident remains under active investigation. Law enforcement officials are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. More details will be released, and information may change, as they become available," the police statement added.

According to the authorities, the employees injured in the gunfire were transported by ambulance to a hospital.

Meanwhile, reports suggest that the reason behind the shooting and the identities of those involved were not released, and the police have also not specified whether this was a random or targeted shooting.

"By the grace of God, we had a lot of officers in the area, and they were able to respond quickly," said Port Orange Police spokesperson Mike Wallace during an evening news conference.

Walgreens issued a statement late Wednesday offering condolences and reaffirming to cooperation in the investigation.

"Our hearts are with our two Walgreens team members who were victims of a senseless act of violence. We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation and remain committed to supporting our team through counselling and other available services. The safety of our patients, customers and team members is our highest priority," said the statement.
Mumbai, May 8 : Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Indian armed forces, stating that she salutes their bravery and commitment to national security.

A day after the Indian Air Force targeted the terrorists' sites without crossing the Pakistan airspace, Kareena posted a picture of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri alongside Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

She wrote: "Grateful to the efforts of our armed forces. I salute their bravery and commitments to national security. Let's stand united against terrorism. Jai Hind."

The Indian Air Force on Wednesday targeted the terrorists' sites without crossing the Pakistan airspace. The Pakistan armed forces were taken by complete surprise when the Indian strikes started around 1.44 a.m.

The terrorists' sites targeted by Indian strikes include Muridke near Lahore, Bahawalpur, Kotli and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The terrorist infrastructure was targeted from where the attacks against India have been planned and directed. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) posted a press release saying nine sites have been targeted altogether during 'Operation Sindoor' by the Indian Armed Forces.

The 'Operation Sindoor', came 14 days after the terrorist attack in the tourist resort of Baisaran in Pahalgam, in which suspects are believed to have links with Pakistan. Muridke and Bhawalpur have Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) headquarters, and its chief commander, Masood Azhar, used to hide there along with top commanders of the outfit.

Reports said multiple loud explosions were heard in Muzaffarabad City in PoJK where a number of terrorist organisations have set up their training camps and launch pads. Muzaffarabad's power was blacked out after the explosions. Besides Muzaffarabad, Kotli also has terror infrastructure, including training camps and launch pads.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday said the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack was a calculated attempt to disrupt the return of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir and to create an environment conducive to sustained cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Misri addressed the objectives behind Operation Sindoor, in which Indian armed forces struck nine high-value terror targets deep within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Bengaluru, May 8 : Temples across Karnataka offered special prayers on Thursday morning to deities, celebrating the success of 'Operation Sindoor' and praying for the well-being of Indian armed forces personnel, following directives from the Congress-led government in the state.

More than 34,000 temples fall under the jurisdiction of the Muzrai Department and the Karnataka government had issued orders to conduct special prayers in temples across the state to celebrate the success of 'Operation Sindoor'.

The priests conducted special worship in the name of the Indian armed forces and soldiers and 'Sankalpa puja' was performed to strengthen and protect the soldiers.

In many temples across the North Karnataka region, a 'mangalsutra (sacred necklace symbolising marital commitment)' was placed before the deity as part of the rituals.

Special prayers and offerings were held, invoking divine blessings for the nation's defenders.

Special arrangements were made for prayers for the well-being and strength of the Indian Army at the historic Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple in Bengaluru between 8.30 a.m. and 9 a.m., and at the famous Banashankari Temple in Bengaluru between 10.30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Minister for Transport and Muzrai, Ramalinga Reddy, said on Wednesday in Bengaluru that he had directed temples across the state to hold special prayers to celebrate the success of 'Operation Sindoor'.

The Commissioner of Hindu Religious Institutions and the Endowment Department issued a circular in this regard.

The circular stated, "The Indian armed forces have successfully carried out attacks on terrorist camps under the name 'Operation Sindoor' to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack."

Minister Ramalinga Reddy also conveyed his appreciation for the Indian armed forces and commending the soldiers for the strikes.

The circular ordered that special prayers be held in the name of Indian soldiers, praying for the strength and well-being of the Indian Army, in all temples under the Muzrai Department in Karnataka.

The circular further stated that the Minister's directions must be followed strictly and without fail.

Meanwhile, BJP state President B.Y. Vijayendra and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, along with a large number of BJP workers, offered prayers at the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple in Bengaluru on Thursday for the success of 'Operation Sindoor'.

Speaking to reporters, Vijayendra said, "Operation Sindoor was launched due to the strong decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to eliminate terrorists and destroy their hideouts and shelters. We have prayed for Bharat's success in the battle against terrorism."

"We also prayed for the strength and protection of our soldiers. The whole world is watching India, because terrorism is not limited to us  countries across the globe are suffering due to it. We have prayed for an end to terrorism," he added.

"I have directed all party workers at the district, mandal, and taluk levels to organise special prayers on Thursday and Friday for the success of our armed forces in this battle against terrorism," Vijayendra said.

When asked about possible retaliation, he stated, "Let Pakistan launch any attack, Indian armed forces have the capacity to face it."
Mumbai, May 8 : Filmmaker Sajid Khan revealed that a hilarious diaper scene in the 2007 film Heyy Babyy was originally written for actor Fardeen Khan, but it later went to superstar Akshay Kumar, who made it even funnier during the dubbing session.

Sajid, who was a guest on Bharti Singh and Harssh Limbachiyaa's podcast, took a trip down memory lane and spoke about his debut directorial and the hilarious scene, which is about a diaper being thrown onto Akshay's face in the film after giving the baby a change.

He recalled: "The diaper scene in 'Heyy Babyy' was originally written for Fardeen Khan. It was always part of the script. Fardeen is known for his style, so the contrast was meant to be funnyit would show on his face."

Sajid added: "It all went well until the morning of the shoot. We were discussing the scene and planning to use some paint for the effect. Suddenly, Fardeen said, 'Sajid, I can't do this.' I asked him why. He said, 'it's a baby's poop, man. I can't do this.'"

"Akshay Kumar was sitting next to him and immediately said, 'Put it on me! Put it on me!' I said, 'Done!'," added the filmmaker.

Further recalling the scene they shot, Sajid said: "So in the scene, Fardeen tries to save himself, sees the mess on Akshay, and reacts with disgust"Eww." Akshay responds with "Shit!" When we went in for dubbing, and the diaper was covering Akshay's face, he ad-libbed a line that had Riteish and me laughing for five days straight. "He said, 'Ooh! matar wale chawal!'"

Sajid heaped praise on Akshay, stating that he has the best comic timing.

"Akshay is one of the funniest people I've ever worked with. His sense of comic timing is just incredible," Sajid added.

Heyy Babyy stars Akshay Kumar, Fardeen Khan, Riteish Deshmukh, Vidya Balan, Juanna Sanghvi and Boman Irani. The storyline of this film is loosely based on the Malayalam film Thoovalsparsham which is an adaptation of the American film Three Men and a Baby, in turn based on the French film Three Men and a Cradle.

Sajid then spoke about how he never assisted anyone for his debut with "Heyy Babyy".

"When I became a filmmaker in 2007, I had never assisted anyone before. Not once. Before Heyy Babyy in 2007, I had made a short film for Darna Zaroori Hai. It featured Manoj Pahwa in a graveyard scene," said Sajid.

He added: I wanted to make something in the style of Hollywood, so I brought on two assistants from Ram Gopal Varma's office. I was given four days to complete it and managed to wrap it up in three and a half. The entire film cost around 67 lakhs, of which Manoj took 1 lakh. I basically did it for free. That was my first break as a writer-director."
Mumbai, May 8 : The National Stock Exchange (NSE) on Thursday publicly denied media reports suggesting that it has approached the Government for intervention in its ongoing stand-off with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) over its delayed Initial Public Offering (IPO).

In a post on social media platform X, the exchange categorically refuted claims that it had reached out to the government for assistance.

"The story is denied by NSE," the exchange stated in its clarification, adding that there has been "no correspondence with the Government of India in the last 30 months relating to its IPO."

This statement comes in response to a news report citing unnamed sources who claimed that NSE had recently written to the Ministry of Finance requesting help in resolving regulatory hurdles holding up its long-awaited IPO.

The report alleged that the letter followed the rejection of NSE's latest application to SEBI in March for a 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) required to proceed with the listing.

According to the report, the exchange had previously approached the government on similar grounds in 2019, twice in 2020, and most recently in August 2024.

The report suggested that the NSEas letter urged the ministry to engage with SEBI's newly-appointed Chairman to address concerns raised by the regulator, including governance issues and the appointment of top executives.

"The letter requests the Ministry of Finance to engage with the newly-appointed SEBI Chairman to address and resolve the concerns raised by SEBI regarding NSE's pending public offer," the report said.

SEBI has reportedly flagged delays in Board appointments and raised questions about NSEas corporate governance and management selection processes.

The report said that NSE, in the letter, rejected the concerns raised by SEBI. The stock exchange claimed that it is following all of the regulator's rules. It also accused SEBI of delaying important approvals.

The NSE further said that SEBIas recent policy decisions were unfair. According to the report, these decisions have harmed NSE more than its rival exchange, BSE.
New Delhi, May 8 : A day after India's armed forces hit terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and avenged the Pahalgam terror attack, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) spokesperson Vinod Bansal on Thursday said that Islamabad and its Jihadi clan will have to shun terrorism or face destruction.

Talking to IANS, Bansal spoke on a wide array of issues, including terrorism, Pakistan facing opposition from within and the Congress party.

Talking about 'Operation Sindoor', he lauded India's armed forces and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the collective effort to eradicate terrorism.

Elaborating further on that, he said after giving the message of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam' to the world by providing anti-COVID-19 vaccine during the natural calamity, he said now India has pledged to save the globe from terrorism.

Giving a stern warning to Pakistan, Bansal said, "Operation Sindoor has made it clear that those who killed husbands of our mothers and sisters will not be spared."

Asserting that Pakistan has been singled out and even Muslim countries are not supporting it, he claimed that it is not even able to garner support from its countrymen, reflecting on the Balochistan Liberation Army's attack on Lahore.

Emphasising that India's fight is not against a community, country or religion, the VHP leader said, "India has not attacked any country, it is not a part of our culture, but our Shastras say that if anybody will poke us, we won't spare them."

He shared that people say terrorism doesn't have any dharma, but the Pahalgam terror attack has exposed such claims.

"People from a specific religion targeted Hindu people and killed them. If it's not mazhab, then what is it all about?" he asked.

The Pakistan government wrapping the terrorists' bodies in their flags showed that they were aides of their commanders, Bansal said.

He also called for "breaking the bone" of terrorism and the inclusion of the PoK in India.

Bansal also slammed Congress for defending Pakistan and said that the grand old party should introspect.

The Muslim leaders of India are supporting the government and raising slogans against Pakistan, but Congress is singing its song, the VHP leader said while slamming the grand old party.
U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Ukraine Julia Davis and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met to discuss next steps in implementing the U.S.-Ukraine Recovery Investment Fund.

Good to meet with Denys Shmyhal to discuss mutual priorities, especially next steps in implementing the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund and supporting President Trumps efforts to negotiate a durable peace. Reconstruction and recovery efforts will benefit the security and prosperity of both our nations, says a message posted on the US Embassy's X social media page on Thursday.

In turn, Shmyhal noted on his Telegram channel that, following the agreements with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the parties coordinated joint steps to introduce a free trade zone between Ukraine and the USA, which, in his opinion, will be a significant achievement on the path to prosperity for our countries and peoples.

We appreciate the contribution of the American state to financial support for Ukraine. I also emphasized the important role of American companies in Ukraine. We are interested in more US companies investing in our country and participating in its reconstruction, he added.
Chennai, May 8 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, on Thursday reassigned key portfolios during a Cabinet reshuffle, signaling strategic adjustments within the ruling party ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Senior Minister Duraimurugan, who also serves as the General Secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has been divested of the crucial Mines and Minerals portfolio.

The department will now be overseen by Minister S. Raghupathy, who has been redesignated as the Minister for Natural Resources.

In turn, Duraimurugan has been allocated the Law portfolio while retaining his existing role as Minister for Water Resources.

An official communique from the Raj Bhavan confirmed the reshuffle, stating: "Based on the recommendation of the Chief Minister, the Law portfolio is allotted to Thiru Duraimurugan, Minister for Water Resources. Further, the portfolio of Mines and Minerals is allotted to Thiru S. Raghupathy, who is designated as Minister for Natural Resources."

This reshuffle marks the second significant change in CM Stalin's Cabinet within a fortnight.

Recently, the Chief Minister removed senior Minister and DMK Deputy General Secretary K. Ponmudi from the Council of Ministers following some controversial remarks he made at a public event.

In another high-profile change, V. Senthil Balaji, a powerful young minister, resigned from his post as Electricity Minister after the Supreme Court issued an ultimatum threatening the cancellation of his bail in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam.

With just a year left for the 2026 Assembly polls, the Chief Minister's decisive moves are widely seen as efforts to consolidate his leadership, neutralise criticisms from the AIADMK-led Opposition, and realign the party's public narrative.

By holding even senior party figures accountable, CM Stalin is sending a clear message of discipline and adaptability as the DMK gears up for a crucial electoral battle.

The reshuffle underscores CM Stalin's intent to refresh the government's image while maintaining stability, balancing generational leadership with veteran experience as the political climate intensifies ahead of the polls.
Dehradun, May 8 : Six tourists, including five women, were killed on the spot as a helicopter, in which they were travelling, crashed near Gangnani in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi on Thursday.

The deceased were identified as Kala Soni, Vijaya Reddy, Ruchi Aggarwal, all hailing from Mumbai; Radha Aggarwal from Uttar Pradesh; Vedavati Kumari from Andhra Pradesh; and Robin Singh from Gujarat.

The injured was identified as Bhaskar from Andhra Pradesh. The incident occurred around 9 a.m. near Gangnani when the helicopter, belonging to a private company, was flying from Dehradun's Sahastradhara to Harshil.

After hearing about the accident, locals, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Quick Response Teams (QRTs) and 108 ambulance vehicles rushed to the spot.

Two police teams, headed by cops Naveen Kumar from Bhatwadi and Pushar Jeena from Ujeli, rushed to the spot. The SDRF team spotted the helicopter in a 200-250 metre gorge, after which the rescue operation was launched.

The cause of the accident is yet to be identified. After getting the news of the tragic incident, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the demise of those killed in the accident.

He also prayed for peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss. The Chief Minister also instructed the administration to provide all possible help to the injured and probe the incident.

In a post on social media platform X, he said: "Got the news of some casualties in a helicopter crash near Gangani in Uttarkashi. SDRF and district administration teams have immediately reached the spot for relief and rescue work."

"May God grant peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear this immense sorrow. I have instructed the administration to provide all possible help to the injured and probe the accident. I am constantly in touch with the officials and monitoring every situation," his post read.
Moscow, May 8 : Russia has suspended combat operations in following the Victory Day ceasefire announced by President Vladimir Putin, which came into effect on Thursday.

Putin announced the 72-hour ceasefire on April 28, in its ongoing 'Special Military Operation' in Ukraine, on account of the Victory Day celebrations.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia's position on the May ceasefire is well-known and there have been no new instructions on the matter.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops staged a large-scale drone attack on Russian cities in the early hours of Wednesday. However, the Russian air defence forces repelled the attack, state-run news agency TASS reported.

According to Moscow city's mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, nine drones were shot down near Moscow.

Earlier this week, Peskov said that Russia will cease hostilities following the Victory Day ceasefire but will retaliate adequately if Ukraine attacks Russian positions or facilities.

"There will be no hostilities. However, if there is no reciprocity from the Kyiv regime and they continue to attack our positions or facilities, we will retaliate," he told reporters.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the ceasefire proposal, demanding a longer pause in fighting on his own terms and making threats against Victory Day celebrations, TASS reported.

Last week, the Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Zelensky's statements refusing a truce during the days of celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Victory are direct threats to the leaders of foreign states who will come to Moscow for the parade.

Notably, 29 foreign leaders will attend the Victory Parade on May 9.

"By decision of the President of the Russian Federation, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin, for humanitarian reasons, during the days of the 80th anniversary of the Victory, from midnight on May 7-8 until midnight on May 10-11, the Russian side declares a ceasefire. All military actions are suspended for this period," the Kremlin said, while announcing the ceasefire agreement.

"Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example. In case of ceasefire violations by the Ukrainian side, the Russian Armed Forces will provide an adequate and effective response. The Russian side once again declares its readiness for peace negotiations without preconditions, aimed at eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, and constructive interaction with international partners," the statement added.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, May 8 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the all-party meeting held in the capital on Thursday, a day after India conducted cross-border strikes in Pakistan as well as PoK and briefed the Opposition on 'Operation Sindoor', its aftermath and also about the government's intentions behind bombing the terror bases and its preparations for any eventuality.

The all-party meeting, called by the Centre, was to brief the Opposition leaders about the Army's one of the most expansive operations against terror camps and infrastructure, across the border.

Top leaders of all parties, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and others, attended the meeting.

As Rajnath Singh briefed the Opposition, all parties lauded the Army's action and extended support to the government in its endeavour to crush terrorism emanating from foreign soil.

Speaking to the media, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijuju said that all parties lauded the Armed Forces and spoke in one voice against terror.

"All parties showed solidarity with the government. All of them agreed that there was no scope for politics in matters of national security, and all spoke on similar lines. They complimented the armed forces and assured full support to the government," he said.

He further said that all parties showed political maturity and expressed unambiguous support for the Armed Forces as well as the government.

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, told the media, "We have extended our full support to the government."

Mallikarjun Kharge said, "In the meeting, the Centre informed us about Operation Sindoor. We told them that we are with the government."

AIMIM Asaduddin Owaisi also congratulated the Armed forces on the successful operation and went a step ahead, asking the government to start building diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to designate The Resistance Front (TRF), the group claiming responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, as a terrorist organisation.

"I complemented the Armed Forces as well as the Government for Operation Sindoor. We should begin an international campaign against TRF to get it designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN Security Council. We must also seek US support in declaring it a terrorist outfit," he said.
Kutch, May 8 : Amid heightened tensions and war-like conditions, the Patel community in Kutch has taken a significant step to support national defense and civilian welfare.

The Leuva Patel community, in collaboration with K.K. Bhuj Hospital, has announced that it will provide free medical treatment to injured soldiers and civilians, should the need arise.

This is important for Kutch as it shares a long and sensitive international border with Pakistan, including both land and marshy terrain across the Rann of Kutch. This makes it a critical frontline region for border surveillance and defense preparedness.

After Operation Sindoor -- a successful military exercise showcasing Indiaas rapid response -- Kutchas position as a potential theatre for any conflict scenario has become more prominent. Secondly, the region houses key military installations and infrastructure, including air bases and radar systems, which are crucial for coastal and border security.

The Bhuj Air Force Station, for example, plays a pivotal role in monitoring western airspace and ensuring quick deployment capabilities. In a display of preparedness and community solidarity, both Leuva Patel community and K.K. Bhuj Hospital have collectively arranged for 400 hospital beds, with 50 beds already kept on reserve to respond swiftly to any emergency.

The hospitals will be equipped to handle a variety of medical needs, ensuring comprehensive care without any charge. Community donors and philanthropists have also pledged their full support, vowing to make all necessary resources available in the event of a crisis. The Patel community, also known as Patidars, is one of the most influential and economically powerful communities in Gujarat.

Comprising an estimated 12 to 14 per cent of the stateas population, their political and economic significance far exceeds their numerical strength. The community is broadly divided into two major sub-groups -- Leuva Patels, predominantly found in central and southern Gujarat, and Kadva Patels, mainly concentrated in northern Gujarat and the Saurashtra region.

Politically, the Patels have been a dominant force in Gujaratas political landscape. They have long been a core support base for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and several prominent leaders, including former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, hail from the community.
Indore, May 8 : In a shocking incident, unidentified miscreants allegedly removed a statue of Dr B. R. Ambedkar in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district, police said on Thursday.

According to initial information, the statue, installed in a village along the Indore-Ahmedabad National Highway, was taken down on Wednesday evening.

The act was reportedly captured on CCTV installed at a nearby building.

To avoid tension in the area, members of the local gram panchayat promptly installed a replacement statue. However, that too was removed within a few hours.

Angered by the repeated incidents, members of the Bhim Army staged a protest, chanting slogans in praise of Babasaheb Ambedkar, demanding strict action against those responsible for removing the statue.

Jagdish Davar, a Bhim Army member, alleged while speaking to local media that the act was a deliberate conspiracy to insult Dr Ambedkar and hurt the sentiments of his followers.

As news of the protest spread, a large crowd gathered at the site on Thursday. A team from the local police and district administration was deployed to control the situation.

Sunil Sharma, the in-charge of the local police station, said a new statue was installed again in the presence of the gram panchayat representatives, and the situation is now under control.

Sharma said a case has been registered against unknown persons. He also appealed to people to remain calm.

"CCTV footage is being reviewed to identify who removed the statue. Strict action will be taken once they are caught," Sharma said.

Such incidents have become increasingly frequent in Madhya Pradesh. Last month, a man defaced a statue of Dr Ambedkar in Sidhi district by painting it.

On March 13, a statue of Dr Ambedkar was stolen from Bari village in the Gadhimalhara region of Chhatarpur district.
New Delhi, May 8 : The Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, in collaboration with Aerospace Services India (ASI) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), hosted the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile India Eco-System Summit 2.0 at the Manekshaw Centre here, aimed at enhancing India's air and missile defence capabilities, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) The Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, in collaboration with Aerospace Services India (ASI) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), hosted the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile India Eco-System Summit 2.0 at the Manekshaw Centre here, aimed at enhancing Indiaas air and missile defence capabilities, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.

The inaugural session focussed on the growing synergy between Indian and Israeli Defence sectors.

The day-long summit brought together key stakeholders from Indiaas Defence eco-system, highlighting collaborative achievements and future possibilities in enhancing Indiaas air and missile defence capabilities under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Make-in-India' initiatives.

The summit emphasised the achievements of ASI-IAIas wholly-owned Indian subsidiary, which plays a critical role in providing technical representation, life-cycle support, and local manufacturing for the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) system and its associated subsystems such as the BARAK 8 missile and Air Defence Fire Control Radar.

It underscored the importance of establishing a resilient and future-ready air defence infrastructure through sustained collaboration, capability development, and localised innovation.

Key sessions of the summit included panel discussions on operational readiness and self-reliance in missile systems, technology showcases featuring AI-powered service management systems like STORMS developed by ASI.

Discussions were held on building Indiaas long-term capability in indigenous Defence manufacturing.

The event witnessed participation from senior representatives of the Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces, DRDO, Bharat Electronics Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited, and leading Indian Defence manufacturers.

The participants voiced a shared commitment to elevate Indiaas position as a global hub for advanced weapons systems, with ASI reaffirming its vision to become Indiaas premier defence service provider, the statement added.
Jaipur, May 8 : The death toll in the Bikaner gas cylinder blast has risen to eight after five more bodies were recovered from the rubble on Thursday.

The explosion, which occurred on Wednesday at Madan Market, was caused by a gas cylinder.

According to officials and locals, at the market, known for its jewellery-making shops, shopkeepers reportedly stored large LPG cylinders and refilled smaller ones from them - a dangerous practice that is believed to have led to the blast.

A shopkeeper said the explosion was loud like an air strike. Many shops were severely damaged, and gold worth lakhs of rupees remains buried under the debris.

Jeweller Vikas Soni, who narrowly escaped the blast, said he was running late to meet a client - a delay that ultimately saved his life.

"I was just ten minutes late. Had I been on time, I might not have survived," he said. His shop, which had about 160 grams of gold, was also destroyed.

According to him, the market housed about 25 shops, each holding an average of 100 grams of gold.

Authorities have said that both basement floors collapsed entirely, and it's still unclear how many people were inside at the time of the explosion.

Police and rescue teams fear the death toll may rise further as recovery efforts continue.

Locals confirmed that illegal LPG cylinders were commonly used in the market, which is considered an unauthorised structure.

During the evacuation, police removed at least 10 large LPG cylinders, and more are expected to be found.

The bodies are charred beyond recognition.

One body found Thursday morning was identified by the victim's shirt, while another, recovered on Wednesday, was recognised by a ring.

A large crowd remains gathered outside the market, with many people still searching for missing family members believed to have been working there at the time of the blast. So far, eight bodies have been recovered, of which five have been identified.

The deceased include Aslam (35) of Bungalow Nagar, Sachin Soni (22) of Goldsmiths Ki Guwar, Salman (30) of Bengal, Kishan Soni (30), and Lalchand. Two of the victims remain unidentified.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said, "The news of the loss of life caused by a gas cylinder explosion in Bikaner is very sad and heartbreaking."

"The district administration has been continuously engaged in relief and rescue operations, and proper treatment and medical facilities are being provided to the injured. I pray to Lord Rama to grant the departed souls a place at His feet and speedy recovery of the injured."

Former CM Ashok Gehlot said, "Deeply saddened to hear the news of the tragic death of nine people in a gas cylinder explosion in Bikaner. My deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. May God grant them the strength to bear this unbearable suffering in this difficult time. I wish the injured a speedy recovery."
Islamabad, May 8 : The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Thursday suspended flight operations in all major cities, including capital Islamabad, Lahore, Sialkot and Karachi, as fear and panic gripped the country following India's decisive Operation Sindoor strikes.

As per details, PAA announced that it has suspended all flight operations in Lahore, Sialkot and Karachi till 6 pm today due to prevailing tensions with India and operational considerations.

Emergency alarms were also heard in the federal capital Islamabad after Pakistan Army claimed that it has shot down Harop drones in Rawalpindi and multiple cities across the country.

"The suspension at Lahore and Sialkot were implemented in light of the current security situation following heightened tensions between Pakistan and India," the PAA stated.

"Flight operations in Karachi and Islamabad airports were also suspended, with Islamabad's suspension attributed to operational reasons," added PAA.

Pakistani defence authorities said that Harop drones were shot down in multiple cities including Lahore, Gujranwala, Attock, Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur in Punjab, Karachi, Umerkot, Ghotki and Maino in Sindh province, and Chor in Balochistan.

Till now, at least four security personnel have been injured and military equipment has been damaged in Lahore, the authorities confirmed till Thursday noon, Pakistan time.

"One drone crashed in polo ground near GHQ, other crashed near the Saddar food street in Rawalpindi. In Lahore, harop drone was able to engage and hit military installations in Walton area, four soldiers were injured and some military equipment was damaged. Multiple other drones were shot down near Burki area of Lahore. We continue to shoot down more drones in the air," said a security official on the basis of anonymity.

Fears engulfed the locals of the area where harop drones crashed, who said they heard multiple explosions.

Pakistan asserted again that Islamabad holds the right to respond.

"We will definitely respond to India and will do that fill full might," said a security official.
Patna, May 8 : The precision strike operation codenamed 'Operation Sindoor', against terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK) has received appreciation from across the political spectrum in Bihar.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh strongly praised the action of the security forces stating, "The Indian military has given a befitting reply to Pakistan. The way the cowardly terrorist attack has been avenged, the entire country is proud of our security forces. The Indian Army has protected the dignity of the 'sindoor' of mothers and sisters."

Singh added that the Indian Army was fully capable of responding under any circumstance and would not hesitate to take similar actions again, if provoked.

Similarly, Bihar Congress incharge Krishna Allavaru also extended his party's unequivocal support to the armed forces and the Union government.

"Our military has done a great job. We will never compromise on the nation's security. The Congress party is always with the country and stands with the government in every situation," said Allavaru.

The backing of the armed forces' actions underlines a rare moment of unity in Indian politics, with leaders from the BJP, Congress, and regional parties expressing solidarity with the Indian Army.

A wave of national pride and political unity is sweeping across the country following the Indian military's decisive strike on nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and PoK in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 people were killed.

The strike by the three services, which took place in the wee hours of Wednesday, targeted terrorist strongholds in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, Hed Marala, Barnala, Kotli, Bilal and Muzaffrabad in Pakistan and PoK.

These terror camps were responsible for harbouring terrorists and are believed to be behind the recent Pahalgam attack.

The strikes have triggered an outpouring of patriotic fervour and celebrations across Bihar and other states in the country.

On Wednesday, local people in Motihari, Jamui, Begusarai, Saran, Vaishali and Siwan took to the streets, bursting firecrackers, smearing gulal, and chanting slogans like "Jai Hind" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai".

The operation is being viewed as a bold and strategic military manoeuvre, reinforcing India's zero-tolerance stance on terrorism.
Belgian Defense Minister: We will increase aid to Ukraine, in particular military aid

Ukraine can count on Belgium, said Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken.

In his video address during the 17th annual Kyiv Security Forum entitled "UA: Unite Again to Defeat the Global Aggressor", organized by Arseniy Yatsenyuk's Open Ukraine Foundation, the minister assured that Belgium is with Ukraine.

"We will continue to support your beautiful country, and the new government will make even greater efforts to do so. We will increase the volume of aid, particularly military aid. We are also ready to join the Coalition of the Willing when a peace deal is concluded," he noted.

Franken stressed that Ukraine can count on Belgium in the future as well.
Los Angeles, May 8 : Hollywood legend Meryl Streep and actor Martin Short's 'Only Murders in the Building' characters were seen filming for a PDA scene for the series.

Shooting for 'Only Murders in the Building' season 5, the on-screen couple was spotted on the streets of New York City on Wednesday, May 7 (Eastern Standard Time), reports 'People' magazine.

In the photos, Short, 75, dressed as Oliver Putnam, with a banana in hand, is running beside his new wife, Loretta Durkin (played by Meryl Streep).

As per 'People', in the shots, the two are also seen showing some PDA, from cuddling up with one another to even sharing a kiss.

While it isn't clear what the newlyweds are running to (or from), Loretta may be joining Oliver, Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) and Steve Martin (Charles-Haden Savage) as they solve the latest murder to plague New York City.

Executive producer Dan Fogelman teased in a January conversation with The Wrap that the upcoming season will include "another big fun mystery the writers have been cooking up".

"The ability for the writers to take those three guys who are so comfortable in the skin of those roles now, and where the comedy sits in the show, where the dramedy sits in the show, it's just so always so fun to start a new story with them and explore new aspects of their friendship and new aspects of their lives", Fogelman said.

In March, the show's official social media accounts revealed that Renee Zellweger is also joining the cast. The next month, Deadline confirmed that Logan Lerman, Jermaine Fowler, Christoph Waltz, Keegan-Michael Key and Beanie Feldstein joined the cast.

Since Meryl Streep, 75, joined the series during season 3, rumors regarding the nature of her and Short's relationship began to circulate. But Short's representatives said in January 2024 that the pair are "just very good friends, nothing more".
Dhaka, May 8 : Former Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid has left the country on Thursday, months after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the violent July uprising, according to local media reports.

Hamid, an Awami League leader, was the President for two consecutive terms from 2013 to 2023 during the Hasina-led government.

Hamid departed for the Thai capital, Bangkok, on a Thai Airways flight, the leading Bangladeshi daily, The Dhaka Tribune, reported, quoting sources.

After fall of Awami League government, a case was filed against Hamid, along with Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed (Joy), daughter Saima Wazed (Putul) and several others in connection with the attack and firing on a demonstration in Kishoreganj during the countrywide student movement, local media reported.

"We were aware of the case filed in Kishoreganj against him. However, there was no travel ban issued by the court or the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) regarding his departure. Therefore, there was no legal bar to his foreign travel. Moreover, he is physically unwell," said an immigration official speaking to the media when asked why Hamid was allowed to leave the country despite the charges.

Hamid was a member of the Awami League and also served as Speaker of the Ninth Parliament of Bangladesh from 2009 to 2013.

Earlier, many top Awami League leaders fled Bangladesh after the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus assumed power in August last year.

The Yunus-led administration has issued several arrest warrants against the former PM Hasina, her family members, and Awami League supporters.

Analysts reckon the developments as a major political vendetta being pursued by the interim government led by Yunus, as the cases were filed against the former PM and her supporters on frivolous grounds immediately after her ouster in August 2024.

While addressing the Awami League supporters online from India in February, the ousted Prime Minister accused the Yunus-led interim government of turning the nation into an alleged hub of "terrorism" and "lawlessness."

A leading voice in the struggle to restore democracy in the country, Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had to flee the country in an ignominious manner and seek refuge in India on August 5.
Hyderabad, May 8 : Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said on Thursday that the state government is committed to implementing welfare schemes despite financial distress.

In his remarks at a programme to lay the foundation stone for a medical college at Khammam, Vikramarka, who is also the Finance Minister, said despite the debt burden and financial distress, the Congress government is committed to continuing welfare schemes.

The government is spending Rs 6,500 crore every month to repay the debts of Rs 7 lakh crore raised by the previous government of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), he noted.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that despite the challenges, the government is paying salaries to employees on the first of every month. "Under BRS, the employees were getting salary on the 15th or 20th, but for the last 15 months, we have been paying salaries on the first of every month," he said.

He assured the employees that the government would address their demands in the future. "The Chief Minister said the same thing, but his comments were distorted by BRS and BJP," he said while defending Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddyas recent remarks on the demands of the government employees.

Vikramarka pointed out that the Congress had promised an additional welfare scheme worth Rs. 60,000 crore to 70,000 crore.

He alleged that the previous government had completely neglected the health sector. He said the BRS spent only Rs 5,950 crore on health in 10 years, while the Congress government spent Rs 11,482 crores in a single year. The government is already trying to clear pending health bills.

The medical college will come up on 35 acres at a cost of Rs 166 crore.

Minister for Health Damodar Raja Narasimha claimed that the government is working to strengthen the healthcare system by sanctioning more primary health centres.

He said the government was focusing on Warangal, Karimnagar and Khammam districts so that people of this region donat have to depend on Hyderabad for superspeciality services.

He said a regional cancer hospital was being set up in Warangal at a cost of Rs 30-35 crore. The government has also sanctioned an organ retrieval centre for Khammam.

The Health Minister said that Non-Communicable Diseases were a major area of focus for the government. As part of this, a mobile cancer screening unit has been sanctioned for every district.

Stating that 213 new ambulances were inaugurated recently to bring down emergency response time from 18 to 14 minutes, he said that the state needs 100 more ambulances to cut down the time to 11 minutes.

He also announced sanctioning a nursing college for the Khammam district.

Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and Revenue Minister P. Srinivas Reddy were also present on the occasion.
New Delhi, May 8 : In a significant operation, India on Thursday morning targeted the Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, during which the one at Lahore has been neutralised, said the government in a statement.

On the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.

These drones and missiles were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. "The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," said the release.

Following this, India launched a major strike and targeted Pakistan's Air Defence Radars and systems at several locations.

"The Indian response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," the government statement read..

Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy-calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

The government said that India was compelled to take the action in view of Pakistan's unprovoked heavy shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. In the firing by the Pakistan Army, 16 lives have been lost so far.

"Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt," said the release.

The Indian Armed Forces have reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the same is respected by the Pakistani military.

During the Press Briefing on Operation Sindoor on May 7, India had called its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory.

It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response.
Guwahati, May 8 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the state has registered a record drop in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) among all states.

MMR refers to the number of maternal deaths (deaths related to pregnancy or childbirth) per 100,000 live births.

In a post on social media platform X, CM Sarma said Assam has achieved a historic milestone in public health as reflected in the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) 2019a"21 report.

"The state's MMR has seen a record drop - from 195 to 167 - a remarkable 28-point decline, the highest among all Indian states," he said.

"This significant improvement marks a turning point, as Assam is no longer the state with the highest MMR, reflecting stronger maternal healthcare infrastructure and effective interventions," his post read.

The Chief Minister argued that the state has also recorded steady gains in child health.

"The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has improved from 38 to 36, indicating better access to neonatal care, increased awareness, and enhanced community health services. These achievements signal that Assam is steadily progressing towards healthier outcomes for mothers and children", he added.

CM Sarma expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this achievement and said, "This progress has been made possible under the visionary leadership and unwavering support of Honable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Central government's focus on health reforms, particularly in rural and underserved regions, has laid the foundation for such outcomes."

He added, "Immense gratitude is also due to our tireless healthcare workers, ASHAs, and countless others who have worked on the ground to make this milestone a reality."

Until recently, Assam was among the worst-performing states in the country as far as the maternal mortality ratio is concerned.

According to the Registrar General of India's 'Special Bulletin on Maternal Mortality' for the period 2018 to 2020, released in 2022, the state recorded 195 deaths per lakh live births.

In the period between 2016 and 2018, it was 215. In 2005, Assam's MMR was 480 per one lakh live births.

Meanwhile, India, on the whole, has made significant improvements in maternal and infant mortality rates, Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, said in Parliament in March.

The MMR of the country has significantly declined by 33 points from 130 in 2014-16 to 97 in 2018-20 per lakh live births, Union Minister Patel said, citing data based on the Sample Registration System (SRS).

Similarly, "the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of the country has declined from 39 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 28 per 1,000 live births in 2020," she added.

--IANS

tdr-rvt/svn
New Delhi, May 8 : The stock markets in Pakistan further tanked on Thursday, as trading was halted at the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Karachi Stock Exchange fell more than 6 per cent on Thursday before the trading was halted. The stock exchange has been witnessing a continuous decline since the barbaric Pahalgam terror attack.

The main index, Karachi Stock Exchange 100 Index (KSE-100), has slipped by more than 13 per cent since April 22 when the terror attack happened, killing 26 people, most of them tourists.

On April 22, the KSE-100 index was at 1,18,430, which has now dropped to 1,03,060.

Apart from this, another Pakistani stock index, KSE-30, has also fallen more than 14 per cent since April 22.

Amid the grim state of the stock markets, Pakistan has only $15 billion of foreign exchange reserves left and is on the verge of economic collapse.

The country is seeking a fresh loan worth $1.3 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to run its economy.

Pakistan's economy, in the initial years after independence, grew at the same pace as India's, backed by US aid and donations from the oil-rich Islamic nations.

However, while democratic India kept its focus on economic development and lifting its masses out of poverty, Pakistan has been rocked by bloody coups and military dictatorships, with the army Generals still calling the shots and fuelling hostility against its more prosperous neighbour.

Pakistan was on the brink of sovereign default in 2023 and had to be bailed out by a $3 billion IMF loan.

The country is still critically dependent on this financial lifeline and is desperately trying to raise another $1.3 billion climate resilience loan.

Overall, the neighbouring nation now faces an economic freefall - crippled by political chaos and the long-term cost of harbouring terrorism.
New Delhi, May 8 : Leaders from across the political spectrum on Thursday condemned Congress veteran and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for his controversial comments on the naming of India's recent military offensive, 'Operation Sindoor', calling his remarks "shameful" and an example of "cheap politics." Even the Congress distanced itself from the senior leader's remarks and reiterated that it was "standing firmly with the government."

Chavan, speaking on Wednesday, questioned the government's intent behind the name of the operation and suggested that the move was meant to draw "sentimental benefits."

He said that wars are fought with arms and ammunition, not with emotions, and accused the NDA government of expecting to gain some sentimental benefits through it.

The operation, carried out by the Indian armed forces, targeted nine high-value terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), days after the brutal April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people, mostly Hindu men, were killed.

Reacting to Chavan's remarks, BJP national spokesperson Tuhin A. Sinha told IANS, "He claimed that the name 'Operation Sindoor' was given to gain emotional advantage. But I believe that's a very shameful remark. For years, Pakistan-sponsored terrorists have been erasing the 'sindoor' of our mothers and sisters."

"After yesterday's strike, the Pakistani terrorists will live in fear," he added.

Speaking to IANS, BJP MLA Ram Kadam echoed similar sentiments and said, "Chavan is a former Chief Minister from the Congress. Has it become a habit of Congress leaders to reduce even the most sensitive matters to cheap politics?"

Even within the Congress, reactions to Chavan's remarks were cautious and senior party leader Pawan Khera distanced the party from the statement.

Pawan Khera told IANS, "I don't think anyone should comment on this right now. We fully support any steps the government takes, and we stand firmly with the government."

NCP(SP) leader Amar Sharadrao Kale told IANS, "I believe the attack was on our country, and in such matters, we all stand with the nation. Rahul Gandhi has already made it clear that whatever stand the government takes, the Opposition will stand firmly with full strength and extend complete support."

The backlash against Chavan's statement highlights the heightened sensitivity surrounding 'Operation Sindoor', as the name was chosen to symbolically honour the grief of the families affected by the Pahalgam terror attack.

Many of the victims were newlyweds or accompanied by their spouses, and the symbolism of 'sindoor' -- a traditional sign of marriage in Hindu culture -- was intended to reflect the nation's collective sorrow and resolve for the massacre.
Mumbai, May 8 : Actress Sonam Kapoor took to social media to share a heartfelt anniversary tribute to her husband, entrepreneur Anand Ahuja, as the couple celebrated their wedding anniversary on May 8.

Marking seven years of togetherness, Sonam expressed her deep love and admiration with a touching note that read, "Sonam Kapoor post -Absolutely no one compares to you. The love of my life. Always find me. @anandahuja eternity and beyond. #everydayphenomenal Happy Anniversary." The Neerja actress also shared a series of photos, including precious moments from their wedding day and heartwarming glimpses with their son, Vayu.

Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja tied the knot on May 8, 2018, in a lavish ceremony in Mumbai, which was attended by several A-list celebrities, including Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. The couple, who now reside in London, welcomed their first son, Vayu, on August 20, 2023.

Last year, the couple celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary by dropping unseen pictures from their marital journey, accompanied by a heartfelt message. Sonam had written, "To the love of my life. My everything , Happy Anniversary. Your unconditional love and support is my anchor and safe place. Getting married to you was the best decision of my life. We live in heaven. I love you more than I can express. #everydayphenomenal."

Anand commented on the actress' sweet post, "Sona ! This photo selection is not my most favorable! (teary-eyed laughter emoji)  love you (infinity emojis)." Replying to this, Kapoor said, "Love you (red heart emojis)."

For the unversed, Sonam and Anand first met through a casual setup arranged by Sonam's friends. At the time, the actress was busy with the promotions of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015) and wasn't in the mood to go out. However, her friends convinced her to visit a bar at the Taj, where she reluctantly agreed to go.

When she arrived, she realized that her friends had invited a few people she wasn't particularly interested in meeting, leaving her even more annoyed. It was then that Sonam noticed Anand and his friend. Little did Sonam know, this seemingly casual encounter would mark the start of their beautiful journey together.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Hyderabad, May 8 : Three commandos of Telangana's elite anti-Maoist force Greyhounds were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Mulugu district bordering Chhattisgarh on Thursday.

Hyderabad, May 8 (IANS) Three commandos of Telanganaas elite anti-Maoist force Greyhounds were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Mulugu district bordering Chhattisgarh on Thursday.

The incident occurred in the forest area on the border of Venkapuram mandal when the Greyhound commandos were engaged in combing operations.

Two constables and one Sub-Inspector rank commandos died on the spot. The police shifted their bodies to MGM Hospital, Warangal, for autopsy. The deceased were identified as Sub-Inspector Ranadheer and constables Sandeep and Pawan Kalyan.

This marks the first fatalities of the year for Telangana Police in anti-Maoist operations.

Greyhounds personnel were engaged in combing operations in the Wajedu area as part of a routine area domination exercise.

The incident did not take place during any intended operation and was not related to the ongoing anti-Maoist operation by security forces in Chhattisgarh near the Telangana border, police said.

According to police, the banned CPI-Maoist had planted IEDs near Veerabhadravaram-Tadapala hillocks in the Wajedu-Perur forest zone in Mulugu district.

Mulugu and its adjacent Bhadradri Kothagudem district are considered Maoist-affected regions. Telangana Police is on high alert in these districts in view of the ongoing operations in Chhattisgarh.

Telangana Police are also assisting the police of the neighbouring state in the ongoing operation.

Meanwhile, there are reports of five police personnel from Telangana losing their lives in the encounter with Maoists in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh near the Telangana border on Thursday.

Telangana Police have not yet confirmed the fatalities. Eight Maoists were also reportedly killed in the encounter.

The incident took place in Karregutta hills located on the border of Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

As many as 22 Maoists were killed in the encounter with the security forces in the area on Wednesday.

The anti-Maoist operation launched last month involves about 20,000 personnel and is being led by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in conjunction with units of the Chhattisgarh Police.
New Delhi, May 8 : Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a great visionary leader and also drew a parallel between him and Kautilya, the legendary strategist and author of the Arthashastra.

The Vice-President, addressing a gathering in the national Capital said, "Our Prime Minister has exemplified Kautilya's philosophy in action."

"Kautilya's thought process is a treatise in governance, virtually encyclopedic for every facet of governance i.e. statecraft, security, role of the king and of those elected," he added.

He also stated India's long-standing priority as a peace-loving nation and stated that Bharat has always believed in global peace, global fraternity and global welfare.

His remarks come in the backdrop of India launching a strong retaliation on terror camps and killing those who inflicted terror in Kashmir's Pahalgam.

A day ago, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also stated that the Armed Forces followed the principles of Lord Hanuman in hitting only those targets across the border, who harmed us.

Further heaping praise on PM Modi, the Vice-President said, 'Our Prime Minister is a great visionary. He believes in large scale and massive transformation. After a decade of governance, the results are the writing on the wall."

He lauded India's adherence to democracy and democratic principles since the ancient Vedic times and said that it is because of those ideals and values, that a Prime Minister has been in his third term after a gap of 60 years.

Further, reflecting on India's civilisational ethos, he remarked, "Democracy is nurtured best when expression and dialogue complement each other. This distinguishes democracy from any other form of governance. And, in India, democracy did not start with our Constitution coming into force or with the nation getting Independence from foreign rule. We have been a democratic nation in spirit for thousands of years."

"The complementary mechanism of expression and dialogue - Abhivyakti, Vaad Vivaad - has been known in Vedic culture as Anant Vaad," he added.
Photo: https://eurosolidarity.org/

On Thursday, before voting for the agreement on the investment fund between Ukraine and the United States, Ukrainian parliamentarian, leader of the European Solidarity party, Petro Poroshenko, stated that the goal of the strategic partnership with the United States is, first of all, security guarantees for our state, the website of the political force reports.

"Today we are not just discussing an agreement - we are discussing a maturity test for the government. Its ability to conclude strategic alliances - responsibly, transparently, with respect for national interests and with respect for strategic partners. This is definitely not about fossil fuels. This is about trust. Trust of the United States - a state that provides us with weapons, sanctions and a diplomatic shield," Poroshenko said speaking from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada.

He noted that the existence of secret appendices to the agreement contradicts transparency. "The appendices are a secret from the parliament, from the people who are fighting, and from the society that has been defending sovereignty for 11 years. Where is there a word about security in the agreement, the people ask. When will the war end? When will there be peace or at least a ceasefire?" the party leader noted.

At the same time, Poroshenko noted that European Solidarity has been constantly talking about the strategic importance of partnership with the United States for the past six months.
New Delhi, May 8 : Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Thursday advocated for a nation-wide biofuel revolution, calling it a "once-in-a-century opportunity" to transform India's rural economy, reduce its massive fossil fuel imports and tackle air pollution.

Speaking at the 'International Summit Expo on Bioenergy Value Chain' here, the Union Minister said the time has come to turn agricultural waste, crop residue, bamboo and biomass into green fuel and value-added products.

Gadkari highlighted the urgent need to cut India's Rs 22 lakh crore fossil fuel import bill and reduce pollution caused by burning crop waste and vehicle emissions.

"India must shift from being an energy importer to becoming an energy exporter, which he believes is achievable through sustainable bioenergy initiatives," Gadkari mentioned.

The minister praised Brazil for its success with aviation biofuel and noted that India too has begun implementing similar fuel alternatives at its airports.

"Sustainable aviation fuel is a huge market for the future," he said, emphasising the need for quality research and economically viable technologies.

Addressing the issue of stubble burning in north India, Gadkari said it should not be seen as a problem but as an opportunity.

"Rice straw from Punjab and Haryana can be converted into bio-CNG, ethanol, bio-bitumen, and even aviation fuel," he said.

He pointed to Indian Oil's Manpur project as a successful example, which processes two lakh tonnes of crop waste into high-value fuel every year.

He also suggested turning India's vast stretches of wasteland  70 per cent of which is unproductive -- into bamboo plantations for energy production.

Gadkari revealed that NTPC has already agreed to buy bamboo as white coal for thermal power plants, offering a new income stream for farmers and rural entrepreneurs.

"Agriculture must be diversified towards the energy and power sector," he said, adding that higher crop prices from ethanol demand -- like the rise in corn prices from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,600 per quintal -- are proof that biofuels can boost farm income.

"Without economic viability in agriculture, we cannot achieve real growth," he stressed.
New Delhi, May 8 : Retired Major General Harish Jit Singh on Thursday stated that Pakistan lacks the ammunition, financial strength, and manpower to sustain a war, and asserted that there is no comparison between the Indian and Pakistani armies.

Speaking to IANS, Maj Gen Singh praised the Indian armed forces' 'Operation Sindoor', and said, "The precision strikes carried out by India were not on Pakistan. We have only destroyed their terrorist camps and headquarters. Both they and we know this."

"More than 100 of their terrorists have been killed. This strike was only on their terror hubs, not on military infrastructure or civilians. Only the terror hubs, where they were trained, where they were radicalised, were attacked. The factories producing terrorists were in the form of madrasas and fake health centres," he said.

Singh said that, internationally, Pakistan is increasingly isolated, with the exception of Turkey and China.

"Several countries have distanced themselves from Pakistan," he said.

Referring to recent Turkish military activity, he pointed out the docking of the Turkish Navy warships in Pakistan, which followed the landing of a Turkish Air Force C-130 aircraft in Karachi.

On this, Maj Gen Singh commented, "Pakistan would not have been able to survive 72 hours of war and hence needed the help of Turkey," while also expressing doubt about how long such help would last.

"Pakistan does not have the ammunition, money or manpower to win the war. Their army also does not have the will to fight, because their army has turned into a business community, which runs most of the businesses in Pakistan," he said.

He strongly dismissed any equivalence between the Indian and Pakistani armed forces, stating, "There is no comparison between the Indian Army and the Pakistan Army. We can take on the Pakistan Army absolutely, no problem whatsoever.

"If they think that their friend China is there, then if the Chinese start something from there or Bangladesh starts something from there, we are prepared. We can handle all three fronts at the same time."

According to Maj Gen Singh, Pakistan is aware of India's military preparedness, which is why "Pakistan's NSA has spoken to Indian NSA and even their Defence Minister has called for de-escalation."
Bhagalpur, May 8 : The Jan Aushadhi Kendras, opened under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PM-BJP), are changing the lives of people across the country, by enabling them to buy quality medicines at much cheaper rates.

In Naugachaia of Bihar's Bhagalpur, the Jan Aushadhi Kendras are providing affordable medicines to thousands of families, belonging to the lower and lower-middle classes.

A couple of beneficiaries spoke to IANS about the impact of this Central government scheme on their lives.

Subodh Gupta, who regularly buys medicine from the Kendra, said that the same drugs available here are up to 75 per cent cheaper.

"I get a medicine worth Rs 600 at Jan Aushadhi Kendra for just Rs 150. I have asked all the people of my ward to get the medicine from here only, so that everyone can get the benefit," he said.

Gupta added that he and fellow villagers are thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this scheme.

Nisha Kumari, another local, told IANS that they used to buy medicines from other private centres for about Rs 2,000; however, in Jan Aushadhi Kendras, they are available at one-third the price.

Amit Kumar, the centre director of Naugachia region, said the PM-BJP is a visionary scheme of the Modi government, and it is yielding unprecedented results.

"Due to Jan Aushadhi Kendra, poor families are saving money on medicines by purchasing the same at 90 per cent cheaper rates. Discounts of 50 per cent to 90 per cent are being given at the Jan Aushadhi centres. Medicines for stomachache, which are available for Rs 5 in the market, cost 90 paise here," he said.

The PM-BJP initiative was launched in 2016 to provide high-quality generic medicines at affordable prices, making essential healthcare accessible to all citizens.
Mumbai, May 8 : Actress Madhura Naik, who is known for her work in television, has made a scathing attack on Iranian actress Mandana Karimi for the latter's unsubstantiated remarks on India's retaliatory action on terror camps in Pakistan.

Mandana had taken to the Stories section of her Instagram, and penned a long note. She falsely painted India's action as an act of terror and said that India was "bombing Pakistani Kashmir murdering civilians".

Responding to the same, Madhura penned a long note, as she wrote, "It is deeply disturbing and absolutely unacceptable that a foreign national, an Iranian woman residing in India and benefitting from its opportunities and freedoms, would dare to malign the very nation that has hosted her with dignity, respect, and inclusiveness. Her recent public statements falsely accusing India of "bombing Pakistani Kashmir" and labeling our civilizational ethos as "Hindutva fascism" are not only factually incorrect but are also steeped in dangerous propaganda aimed at inciting discord".

Madhura, who is half Israeli, called it an "irresponsible rhetoric" especially coming from someone with visibility and influence in public life, must be met with the strictest scrutiny.

She further mentioned, "It is imperative to ask: would she be permitted to speak in such a manner against her own homeland, Iran, with the same impunity? The answer is self-evident. India, unlike many other nations, offers freedom of speech, but this freedom cannot and must not be abused to vilify our national integrity, our religious beliefs, or our armed forces. Referring to Jammu & Kashmir, an inseparable and sovereign part of India, as "Pakistani Kashmir" is not only a gross misrepresentation of reality but a direct challenge to the territorial and constitutional sanctity of our nation".

"It is the duty of every citizen, and indeed every guest living within our borders, to uphold the sovereignty, unity, and dignity of Bharat. Those who enjoy the fruits of our hospitality while sowing seeds of hatred and misinformation should be held accountable under the law. I strongly urge the Ministry of External Affairs @meaindia and relevant authorities to initiate a thorough investigation into her statements, and if found in violation of Indian laws, take appropriate legal and diplomatic action. Let this serve as a precedent: India will not tolerate hate speech, anti-national propaganda, or cultural defamation, not from its citizens, and certainly not from those who reside here as guests. Bharat Mata ki Jai", she added.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mumbai, May 8 : Popular television actor Karan Tacker recently made his debut at the UK Asian Film Festival, and the actor couldn't hide his excitement.

Reflecting on the milestone, he said that having his work celebrated on an international stageand being recognized beyond his home audiencefelt truly special. Speaking about his experience, the actor shared, "Cinema has always been a passion of mine, and to be surrounded by people who celebrate it so wholeheartedly was truly inspiring. Attending the UK Asian Film Festival for the first time and being recognized beyond home soil made the experience even more special. Watching My Melbourne was a highlightit's a powerful piece of storytelling that deserves to be seen and celebrated everywhere."

The 'Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai' actor marked his debut at the esteemed UK Asian Film Festivalformerly the London Asian Film Festivalwhich takes place every spring. As the oldest South Asian film festival held outside India, it serves as an ideal global showcase for innovative storytellers and performers. Karan Tacker was invited to attend the premiere of the anthology 'My Melbourne,' which weaves together four narratives drawn from real-life events in Melbourne, Australia. The show explored questions of identity and belonging. Each segmenthelmed by Indian directors Onir, Rima Das, Imtiaz Ali, and Kabir Khantackles issues such as diversity, sexuality, gender, disability, and race.

Meanwhile, Tacker has also just completed the last leg of filming for Prime Video's upcoming thriller series "Bhay" in London. The actor will be seen sharing screen space with actress Kalki Koechlin in the supernatural thriller. Talking about the project, Karan shared, "Absolutely delighted to wrap the schedule of another project. This one is extremely special, having worked on it for the last 1 1/2 years and just shooting the last day in a city that I absolutely love, which is London. I couldn't have asked for more now, I just can't wait for the audience to watch this and receive this with all the love as much as what we put in."
Bengaluru, May 8 : After directing special worship in temples across the state, the Karnataka government on Thursday issued an order to conduct special prayers on Friday in mosques for the armed forces involved in 'Operation Sindoor' carried out against Pakistan.

The operation has been launched in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists were killed.

Minister for Housing, Waqf, and Minority Welfare, B.Z. Zameer Ahmad Khan issued the order. He directed the Chief Executive Officer of the Karnataka State Waqf Board to ensure that special prayers are offered during Friday namaz in all mosques across the state.

In the order, Minister Zameer stated: "The Indian armed forces have successfully destroyed terrorist hideouts and shelters under Operation Sindoor, in response to the killing of 26 Indian tourists. To strengthen the morale of our soldiers who are eliminating terrorists and working to restore peace in the country, it is directed that special prayers be offered in all mosques affiliated with the Waqf Board, as well as in other mosques."

Temples across Karnataka offered special prayers on Thursday to deities, celebrating the success of 'Operation Sindoor' and praying for the well-being of Indian armed forces personnel, following directives from the state government.

More than 34,000 temples fall under the jurisdiction of the Muzrai Department, and the Karnataka government had issued orders to conduct special prayers in temples across the state to celebrate the success of 'Operation Sindoor'.

The priests conducted special worship in the name of the Indian armed forces and soldiers, and 'Sankalpa puja' was performed to strengthen and protect the soldiers.

In many temples across the North Karnataka region, a 'mangalsutra (sacred necklace symbolising marital commitment)' was placed before the deity as part of the rituals.

Special prayers and offerings were held, invoking divine blessings for the nation's defenders.

Earlier, a video of Zameer Khan, declaring that he was ready to become a suicide bomber for India and walk into Pakistan with explosives to wage war, went viral on social media.
Los Angeles, May 8 : Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon has shared a video shared on TikTok and Instagram in which she listed the names by which different people know her.

The video comes in the wake of a popular social media trend, reports 'People' magazine.

Some of the names included were "R Dubs", which her friends know her as, and "Ladybug," which her mother calls her. Other names included were "Pieces", which she is referred to by her high school friends, and "Miss Reese", which is the name her friends' children have for her.

While her older kids, Ava Elizabeth Phillippe, 25, and Deacon Reese Phillippe, 21, who she shares with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, might call her "mama", the most interesting name might be the one her youngest son, Tennessee James Toth, has for her.

"'Morty' to my youngest *no clue why", Witherspoon wrote, referring to her 12-year-old, who she shares with ex Jim Toth.

As per 'People', the youngest of the bunch turned 12 last September. Witherspoon shared a tribute to the preteen on Instagram to celebrate the occasion, writing, "Happy 12th Birthday to my wonderful son, Tenn! I'm so lucky to have your joyful, curious, hilarious spirit in my life making me laugh everyday. I love you, buddy".

The special day was also marked by his older siblings, who wrote their own tributes to the 12-year-old. For her tribute, Ava shared photos of when Tennessee was younger, expressing that she couldn't believe that her younger brother "is now 12 years old & about to be my same height".

"Happy happy birthday to this quick-witted, funny, curious & thoughtful dude that I'm lucky enough to call my baby brother", she added. Deacon also shared throwback photos of the two writing "What up 12".

Witherspoon and Toth announced they were ending their marriage in March 2023, just days before their 12th wedding anniversary. After officially filing for divorce shortly after, the two reached a settlement agreement in August 2023.
Chennai, May 8 : Actor and producer Sivakarthikeyan has penned an adorable greeting to his mother on her 70th birthday, by using the lyrics from an immensely popular song in Rajinikanth's superhit film 'Mannan'.

Taking to his Instagram page to post a picture of himself with his mother, the actor wrote in Tamil, "Aduthingu Pirapuondru Amaindhaalum, Naan undhan maganaaga pirakindra Varam Vendume. Adhai Neeye Tharuvaaye! Amma Endraazhaikaadha Uyir Illaiye. Ammavai Vanangaadhu Uyarvillaiye. (If at all I am to be reborn, I must be reborn again as your son. I pray that you grant me this boon. There is no life form that does not call to its mother and there can be no rise in stature without worshipping one's mother.) Happy 70th birthday Amma!."

On the work front, the actor, who is one of the most bankable actors today in the Tamil film industry, has a series of exciting films coming up.

He has director A R Murugadoss's exciting action entertainer 'Madharasi' which is almost ready for release.

The teaser features explosive action sequences from start to finish and gives one the impression that actor Biju Menon plays a cop in the film. The film, as the director has suggested in his tweet, promises to an action extravaganza.

The film features a host of stars apart from Sivakarthikeyan and Biju Menon and includes Rukmini Vasanth, Vidyut Jammwal, Shabeer Kallarakkal and Vikranth.

A teaser released by the unit features explosive action sequences from start to finish and gives one the impression that actor Biju Menon plays a cop in the film.

Sivakarthikeyan also has director Sudha Konagara's eagerly awaited period action drama 'Parasakthi'.

aParasakthia has triggered huge interest among fans and film buffs. The period film, which also features Atharvaa, Basil Joseph, Ravi Mohan and Sreeleela, is believed to be set in the 1960s in the then state of Madras.

Ravi Mohan plays the antagonist in the film, which was tentatively being referred to as #SK25 as it is Sivakarthikeyanas 25th film. 'Parasakthi' has music by G V Prakash and cinematography by experienced cameraman Ravi K Chandran. Stunts for the film are by Supreme Sundar.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Chandigarh, May 8 : The Border Security Force (BSF) neutralised a Pakistani intruder in Punjab's Ferozepur sector, officials said on Thursday.

The intruder, yet to be identified, was gunned down in the wee hours of Thursday while crossing the International Border of India and Pakistan.

The intruder was spotted trying to infiltrate near Gate No. 207/1 adjacent to Lakha Singh Wala BSF post.

Emergency Medical Officer Manpreet Singh, who is posted in Ferozepur with a government hospital, said, "The body of an unknown person has been brought here by the police."

Meanwhile, the civil administration has imposed blackout from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. from Thursday in Gurdaspur district, bordering Pakistan, as a preventive step.

The blackout will continue till further orders, a government order said. Lighting will only be allowed in jail and hospitals but they have to close and cover windows, it added.

Earlier, at least three villages in Punjab's Amritsar district close to the India-Pakistan border reported the recovery of portions of missiles, police said on Thursday. However, there were no reports of an explosion.

"There was neither any explosion nor an impact of the explosion," Senior Superintendent of Police (Amritsar rural) Maninder Singh told the media, adding "the Army has been informed about them."

The police are yet to ascertain whether they are part of Indian or Pakistani missiles. However, forensic teams have reached the spots and examining the origin.

Locals found the missile parts in agricultural fields in Jethuwal, Dudhala and Pandher villages in Amritsar district and informed the police.

Locals in Amritsar city say six blast-like sounds were heard within seven minutes between 1.02 am and 1.09 am on Thursday night. At that time, the city was blacked out.

Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney clarified by saying: "We are observing precaution. There is no need to panic."

Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Bhullar said there was panic on social media, where unconfirmed posts on blasts were doing the rounds.

Defence experts say there is a possibility that Pakistan may have attacked with these missiles but India's anti-missile system neutralised them in the sky.

Amid soaring tensions between India and Pakistan, people in some border villages of Punjab have started moving to safer places.

Villagers settled in Amritsar, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran districts close to the International Border began shifting their belongings to safer places despite the BSF, the Indian Army and even the local civil authorities not having issued any official evacuation orders.

Significantly, after the armed forces launched a series of precision strikes targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan in response to the deaths of 26 people in Pahalgam, the Punjab government on Wednesday cancelled all public events.

The leave of all Punjab Police personnel was also cancelled.

AAP Punjab chief Aman Arora said the state government and all three crore Punjabis stand firmly with the Indian Army.

Arora said the Punjab Police, as the "second line of defence", is also fully prepared.

"The state's police force will join the Indian Army in every battle to deliver a crushing response to any Pakistani attack."

Punjab shares a 532-km-long border with Pakistan. Therefore, during any military tension, the role of the Punjab government and its security and law enforcement agencies becomes extremely crucial.

Punjab Police are providing full support to the Indian Army and working together on future preparations.

The state government also appealed to the people of Punjab to strictly adhere to all government orders and guidelines to ensure there is no risk to public safety.
Patna, May 8 : Bihar Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday said that the media should exercise restraint and report responsibly, particularly concerning the movement of defence forces, post Operation Sindoor.

Drawing parallels with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Tejashwi Yadav issued a heartfelt appeal to media professionals to refrain from live-reporting of defence operations.

"During 26/11, live coverage by news channels unintentionally helped terrorists in Pakistan to track our forces' movements and adjust their strategy. We must not repeat that mistake," Tejashwi Yadav told media persons in Patna.

"With folded hands, I urge all media persons to show restraint and follow the guidelines laid out by the Union government," he added.

He added that despite political differences with the ruling party, the opposition is united with the Union government.

"We support every decision the Union government takes in this matter. National interest comes first, and our party stands firmly behind the government," he said.

Praising the courage and sacrifice of the defence forces, Yadav said, "We are proud of our defence forces. They guard our international borders and put their lives on the line for us. Most of them come from humble farming families. We must act responsibly to ensure their safety and prevent the enemy from gaining any tactical advantage through our media."

He also confirmed his party's participation in the all-party meeting on Operation Sindoor held in New Delhi on Thursday, reiterating their full support of the government's stand on national defence.

"Our representatives made it clear  we stand united on this issue," he said.

Operation Sindoor was conducted by the Indian armed forces at nine places in Pakistan and PoK on Wednesday.
On the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in the Second World War of 19391945, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska commemorated the fallen. They laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

It is reported that the ceremony was also attended by: Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, and representatives of diplomatic missions in Ukraine.

Those present observed a moment of silence in memory of the fallen.

In attempting to appropriate Ukraine, Russia is appropriating another nations memory and distorting history. That is why not only today, on the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism, but always, it is worth remembering: Ukrainians made their great contribution to that victory. They stopped a global evil with their own blood. Because more than 8 million Ukrainians fought against Nazism  not only as part of the Soviet army. Tens of thousands served in the Allied armies. Hundreds of thousands fought in partisan units and resistance movements, Zelenskyy said on X.

The President noted that all of Ukraine was a continuous front in that war.

In that war, we had no rear  all our land was one continuous frontline, a staging ground, an open wound. Every city, every village suffered. Every home and every family. And we will not surrender this memory to a new, Russian Nazism  just as we will not surrender our present to it. Victory and true remembrance are not with those who hold parades but with those on whose side the truth is. Let us honor our contribution to the fight against evil. And our present, in which we are fighting it once again, the head of the Ukrainian state stressed.
Mumbai, May 8 : Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister Ashish Shelar on Thursday raised serious concerns over the sluggish pace and 'unreliable' execution of drain desilting work across the city ahead of the monsoon season.

After conducting a detailed inspection of key drains in the western suburbs, he revealed that in the past 35 days, barely 10 per cent of the cleaning work has been completed in some areas, while progress in others hovers around 2030 per cent.

"The overall situation is deeply unsatisfactory," he told the media while expressing dissatisfaction over the slow progress.

On Thursday, Shelar went on a thorough inspection of drain desilting operations across Mumbai's western suburbs, beginning at Gazdar Bandh in Santacruz West.

The inspection continued across multiple critical sites, including the SNDT nullah, Irla nullah, Mogra nullah and the nullah in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. Local BJP leaders and former corporators from the respective areas and officials were present to assess the ground realities, along with the minister.

During the inspection of the Millennium Nullah, officials asserted that video recordings and photography of the desilting process were being conducted.

However, they failed to present any footage documenting the removal of silt, the filled dumpers, or the unloading process, casting serious doubts on the authenticity of the claimed video documentation.

Additionally, officials from the Storm Water Drain Department could not provide satisfactory explanation of how technology was being utilised in the work.

The mobile app they claimed to be updating was either non-functional or outdated, further deepening concerns and confirming the widespread impression that the ongoing work is unreliable and lacking transparency, said the release issued by the minister Shelar's office.

Shelar also expressed his concern, stating: "At Gazdar Bandh, we discovered that in over 35 days, less than 10 per cent of the work has been completed  this is deeply troubling. We will be closely monitoring the administration's plans to finish the remaining work within just one month. While some areas report 20-30 per cent progress, and others claim 50 per cent, it is evident that the overall work is unreliable and lacks credibility."

He added: "Mere criticism won't suffice. We will insist that the Commissioner personally visit the sites and conduct inspections. All necessary systems must be put in place to ensure this work is completed on time, so that Mumbaikars do not face unnecessary hardships during the monsoon. Contractors must be held accountable, there should be no shielding. Serious questions remain unanswered  how are the nullahs' length, width, height and depth measured during desilting? Where and how is this measured? What are the standards followed? Also, if modern technology and AI are being used, what kind of machinery and technology is being deployed?"

"Since contractors have not been able to provide any of these details, we will raise these serious concerns with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner."
Mumbai, May 8 : India is expected to double its market share from 6 per to 12 per cent in the UK's ready-made garments imports following the free trade agreement, translating into an incremental annual export opportunity of around $1.1-1.2 billion in the near to medium term, according to a CareEdge Ratings report released on Thursday.

Mumbai, May 8 (IANS) India is expected to double its market share from 6 per to 12 per cent in the UKas ready-made garments imports following the free trade agreement, translating into an incremental annual export opportunity of around $1.1-1.2 billion in the near to medium term, according to a CareEdge Ratings report released on Thursday.

The UK is among the top five ready-made garments (RMG) markets, with imports of around $20 billion in 2024. Currently, India holds a 6 per cent market share in the UK's RMG imports, while Bangladesh, Turkey, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Italy enjoy duty-free access, giving them a 12 per cent tariff advantage over India.

However, the India-UK FTA is a game changer for Indiaas RMG sector, creating a level playing field vis-a-vis key competing nations for accessing the nearly $20 billion RMG market of the UK, the report states.

Despite the applicability of a 12 per cent tariff, India had gradually gained market share in the UK market over the past four years, while China had lost some ground during the same period.

With the signing of the FTA with the UK, India now has a clear 12 per cent duty advantage over China, the largest RMG exporter to the UK, with exports of $5 billion in 2024. China has lost its market share in the past few years, and it is expected to continue losing its share in the UKas RMG market due to its declining competitiveness, backed by rising labour costs and the aChina Plus Onea sourcing strategy adopted by global apparel brands and retailers, the report states.

Socio-political uncertainties in Bangladesh, which exported RMG of around $4 billion to the UK in 2024, may also lead apparel brands and retailers with a significant presence in Bangladesh to diversify their sourcing, amongst others, to India.

Krunal Modi, Director at CareEdge Ratings, said: "With a clear 12 per cent duty advantage over China and prevailing socio-political uncertainties in Bangladesh, which together account for nearly 45 per cent of market share in UKas RMG imports, India is expected to double its share in this market from 6 per cent in 2024 to 12 per cent in the near to medium term. The India-UK FTA holds significant potential to boost investments across the textile value chain, generate employment, particularly for women in the labour-intensive RMG sector and increase foreign exchange earnings."

The RMG industry accounted for a significant share of around $525 billion in the overall global textile and RMG trade, which stood at approximately $900 billion in 2024. Major markets include the European Union, the USA, the UK, Japan, Canada, and South Korea, which together accounted for nearly 44 per cent of global imports in 2024.
New Delhi, May 8 : External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Thursday held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in New Delhi, stating that his visit comes at a time when India is responding to the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack by striking the terror infrastructure in neighbouring Pakistan in a "targetted and measured" manner. He also made it clear that it is not India's intention to escalate the current situation.

"You are visiting India at a time when we are responding to a particularly barbaric terrorist attack on 22 April in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This attack compelled us to respond on 7th May by striking at cross-border terrorist infrastructure. Our response was targetted and measured," said EAM Jaishankar in his opening remarks as both ministers co-chaired the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting.

With the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Wednesday voicing serious concern over the intensifying India-Pakistan conflict and calling for restraint, India also chose the occasion to give the visiting Iranian delegation "a good understanding" of the situation.

"It is not our intention to escalate this situation. However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very very firm response. As a neighbour and close partner, it is important that you have a good understanding of this situation," he said.

As both ministers co-chaired the Joint Commission meeting marking the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two nations, Jaishankar highlighted the growing India-Iran ties and the cooperation that has progressed in many aspects.

"In recent years, our cooperation has progressed in many aspects. There are also situations that we need to address. Prime Minister Modi and President Pezeshkian have met in Kazan in October 2024 and given us guidance on how to develop our ties further. They have also had a phone conversation on 26 April," the EAM stated.

The 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Jaishankar mentioned, is a reminder of the closeness of India-Iran collaboration and the deep friendship between both countries.

The meeting also witnessed the exchange of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) on Implementation of the Bilateral Agreement on Customs Cooperation and on Medical Products Regulation.

Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baqaei announced Araghchi's arrival in New Delhi for an official visit to review Iran-India bilateral relationship and holding consultations on regional and international developments.

"FM Araghchi and his Indian counterpart will co-chair the 20th Iran-India Joint Commission (JCM) and sign a number of bilateral documents to enhance cooperation on areas of economy, customs, and health. Iran-India bonds of friendship are deeply rooted in history and provide a solid ground for mutually beneficial relations. We should work together to strengthen peace, security, and stability across the regions and beyond," he posted on X.

Foreign Minister Araghchi had earlier condemned the Pahalgam attack and extended condolences to India.

"Iran strongly and unequivocally condemns the terrorist attack against tourists in Pahalgam. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the people & government of India," he posted on X.

Prior to arriving in India, the Iranian Foreign Minister visited Pakistan earlier this week, leading a political delegation and holding talks with Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar.
Chandigarh, May 8 : Haryana's Health and Family Welfare Minister Arti Singh Rao on Thursday said due to the tense situation with Pakistan, the government has decided to impose a ban on the leave of all officers and employees working in the Health Department.

She said this decision has been taken to ensure continuity, efficiency and quick response of health services in the state.

"In this hour of crisis, the health system of the state should remain fully active so that any emergency can be dealt with and necessary medical facilities can be made available to the public immediately," she said in a statement.

She said instructions have been issued to all Civil Surgeons and Chief Medical Officers that they should not allow any leave to their subordinate employees, whether it is casual or pre-approved, till further orders.

All officers and employees have been directed to ensure that no person leaves the district headquarters and remains present at their workplace.

If any officer or employee is required to take leave in extreme circumstances, it will be mandatory to obtain prior permission from the Director General of Health Services. No employee will be allowed to go on leave without permission.

"We all have to work in unity at this time. The Health Department is the backbone of the state, and it's most important for it to remain active in a situation like war or emergency," she said.

The minister also appealed to all health workers to perform their duties with full loyalty, dedication and service spirit and avoid any kind of laxity.

She also assured that all necessary resources and support will be provided by the government so that there is no hindrance in health services.

She further directed the officials to review the preparations of all hospitals and health centres and strengthen all necessary arrangements.

--IANS

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New Delhi, May 8 : Spread the message of holistic well-being through yoga worldwide, said Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush.

Jadhav said this while chairing a review meeting in New Delhi to assess the ongoing preparations for the upcoming International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025, which will be celebrated on June 21 across the globe.

During the meeting, the Minister reiterated the Government's vision to make this year's celebration of yoga truly extraordinary and globally impactful.

"We will work with utmost sincerity and commitment to ensure that International Day of Yoga 2025 is not only a grand success but also serves as a source of inspiration for the entire world," Union Minister Ayush said.

He encouraged all stakeholders to approach the event with renewed energy and unity, stating that the efforts should reflect the spirit of 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health' -- the theme this year. The 2025 theme highlights Yoga's role in promoting physical, mental, and environmental well-being, aligning with global calls for sustainability and unity.

"Let us reach every corner of the country and every part of the globe with the message of holistic well-being through yoga," he added.

The review focused on the planning and implementation of major initiatives such as yoga sangam -- the integration of yoga with institutions like schools, hospitals, and corporates; harit yoga -- promoting eco-consciousness through yoga-linked plantation drives; yoga connect -- engaging global and diaspora communities in yoga celebrations; yoga bandhan -- fostering social unity and shared wellness through mass participation.

Jadhav also emphasised the importance of engaging the youth, educational institutions, and community leaders to amplify the message and participation in IDY 2025.

International Day of Yoga, observed annually on June 21st, has grown into a global cultural and wellness movement since its inception by the United Nations in 2015, following India's proposal in 2014.
Chennai, May 8 : In a significant administrative shake-up, the Chennai Customs Department has transferred 273 officers across key facilities, including Chennai International Airport, Airport Cargo, Chennai Port, and Tiruchirappalli Customs.

The large-scale reshuffle, which came into effect in the last week of April, is aimed at bolstering anti-smuggling operations and enhancing vigilance against gold, narcotics, and drug trafficking.

The transfer follows the appointment of new leadership at Chennai Customs. M.G. Thamizhvalavan, who previously served as Commissioner of Customs in Delhi, has taken charge as the new Principal Commissioner of Chennai Airport Customs.

He replaces R. Srinivasa Naik, who has been reassigned to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) department.

The reshuffle involves the relocation of 41 Additional and Joint Commissioners, 93 Deputy and Assistant Commissioners, and 139 Superintendents and Inspectors.

Officers have been redeployed across critical divisions, including Chennai Port, the GST wing, and the Customs Headquarters at Rajaji Salai.

Several GST officials have also been reassigned to strengthen operations at airport and port customs units.

To intensify efforts against smuggling, key appointments have been made at Chennai Airport Customs.

Y. Baskar Rao has been posted as Additional Commissioner, while Sadeesh Kumar K and B. Vinayak have taken charge as Joint Commissioners.

Additionally, ten new Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners have been deployed to focus on high-priority operations.

Their responsibilities will include intercepting gold smuggling through the Air Intelligence Unit, detecting narcotics shipments, and monitoring international couriers for psychoactive drug consignments.

Customs authorities clarified that such large-scale transfers are a routine administrative exercise, typically conducted during April and May each year. However, the 2024 parliamentary election Model Code of Conduct delayed the process.

"The transfers were deferred due to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. This resulted in a higher volume of transfers once the restrictions were lifted. The reshuffle is purely administrative and aimed at strengthening operations," an official explained.

The scale of the reshuffle has drawn attention, especially given the strategic appointments in key anti-smuggling units.

However, officials emphasised that the move aligns with annual protocols designed to optimize efficiency, rotate personnel, and prevent operational stagnation.

The Chennai Customs Department reiterated its commitment to curbing smuggling activities, with recent seizures underscoring the ongoing challenges at major transit hubs.
Gurugram, May 8 : Two people have been arrested on the charges of killing a 33-year-old woman, stuffing her body into a suitcase and dumping it on the Gurugram-Faridabad road, police said on Thursday.

The accused were arrested on Wednesday.

The crime came to light after a passerby spotted the suitcase.

The police were informed, and an FIR was registered regarding murder at the Sushant Lok police station in Gurugram.

The deceased was identified as Praveen alias Riya (33), a resident of the village Parksarkas, District Tiljala (West Bengal).

The accused were identified as Dinesh Kumar (22), a resident of village Indri, district Rampur (Uttar Pradesh), and Viplav Vishwas (26), a resident of village Pratappur, district Udham Singh Nagar (Uttarakhand).

The accused duo was currently residing in Sikanderpur village in Gurugram.

A team from the Crime Branch of Sector 40, led by Inspector Amit Kumar, nabbed the accused duo from the Sector 40 area on Wednesday, police said.

During interrogation, it came to the fore that on May 2, Dinesh met Riya near Sikanderpur Metro Station, Gurugram.

"Dinesh took the woman to his rented room in Sikanderpur, and both of them consumed alcohol. A quarrel broke out between them over a money transaction. Enraged Dinesh smothered Riya to death," a spokesperson for the Gurugram Police said.

During the early hours on May 3, Dinesh stuffed Riya's body in a suitcase with the help of his associate Viplav and dumped it, the police spokesperson said.

Dinesh works at a medical store in Gurugram, and Viplav is a personal driver in DLF Phase-3, Gurugram. The duo lived on rent in separate rooms in the same building in Sikandarpur village, Gurugram.

Earlier, the Gurugram Police had announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for anyone who identified the body.

Investigation is underway.
Mumbai, May 8 : The Maharashtra government on Thursday made a strong pitch before the visiting 16th Finance Commission, led by Arvind Panagariya, to enhance the tax revenue devolution from 41 per cent to 50 per cent of the divisible pool.

The government has also demanded the merger of cesses and surcharges with the principal taxes, and including the non-tax revenue in the divisible pool. The state government has further sought from the Finance Commission a special assistance of Rs 1,28,231 crore comprising a package and grants in a bid to push the state's growth and achieve its ambitious target of a $1 trillion economy.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accompanied by the Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Minister of State for Finance Ashish Jaiswal, and bureaucrats led by the acting Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar, met the 16th Finance Commission and demanded that the rich and performing states like Maharashtra deserve more allocation from the divisible pool.

This is on the lines of demand made by Gujarat, Haryana, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Of the 41 per cent of the central net tax to states from 2012-22 to 2025-26, Maharashtra gets 6.31 per cent. The budget estimates for 2024-25 were Rs 76,931.96 crore, and the revised estimate was Rs 81,163.34 crore.

According to the budget estimate for 2025-26, the state is expected to receive an amount of Rs 89,726.30 crore. For the period between 2025-26 to 2029-30, the state is expected to receive Rs 1.20 lakh crore annually.

Panagariya, who was accompanied by Manoj Panda (member), Soumya Kanti Ghosh (part-time member) and Ritvik Pandey (secretary), told reporters: "Maharashtra's demands are legitimate and that will be considered when the Finance Commission submits its report by May 31 this year. Maharashtra is one of the few states run conservatively. Its tax-to-GDP ratio is 20 per cent lower than the average state. Many states have a tax-to-GDP ratio of 30 per cent. State's fiscal deficit is below 3 per cent of the gross state domestic product with a provision of an additional half per cent with certain riders."

He further said that the state government, during the horizontal devolution, has suggested 10 per cent weightage for the rural population, 10 per cent for the urban population (as per the 2011 census), 15 per cent for the area, 10 per cent for forest cover and ecology. It has suggested a new criterion, which is sustainable development and green energy, with 2.5 per cent weightage.

The government has also recommended a decrease in the weightage for income distance to 37.5 per cent from the present level of 45 per cent. The government has recommended a 10 per cent weightage for demographic performance (total fertility rate), 2.5 per cent for the state's incremental contribution to India's GDP and 2.5 per cent for tax effort.

Panagariya said the state government has sought from the Finance Commission a special assistance of Rs 1,28,231 crore. Of the Rs 1,28,231 crore, the government has sought a special package of Rs 1,17,051 crore for the development of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region economic master plan (Rs 50,000 crore) and river linking projects (Rs 67,051 crore).

The government further sought special grants of Rs 11,180 crore, comprising a new Bombay High Court complex (Rs 3,750 crore), strengthening prison infrastructure (Rs 6,500 crore), postgraduate medical students (Rs 800 crore) and promotion of eco tourism in Vidarbha (Rs 130 crore).

The state government in its memorandum said: "We seek support from the 16th Finance Commission for of larger share in the transfer of Central funds, both devolution as well as grants in aid to help the state fire new growth engines for achieving an aspiration economic growth rate. We strongly believe that support to states well placed to put the Indian economy in a higher growth trajectory will help India increase the size of the devolution cake, making more funds available to everyone, including less developed states."

The government argued that Maharashtra is on the cusp of economic transformation with the completion of path-breaking infrastructure projects like Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Mumbai Coastal Road phase I and Samruddhi Mahamarg and a line of ambitious infrastructure projects which are in different stages, including Navi Mumbai International Airport. Mumbai Coastal Road, Metro projects in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, Vadhavan Port, Pune ring road, Shaktipeeth expressway and greening energy sector by 2030.

"Maharashtra's memorandum makes a compelling case for strategic and equitable fiscal support. As a cornerstone of India's economic architecture, the state's growth trajectory has national implications. The 16th Finance Commission's support through enhanced devolution, grants in aid, special grants and fiscal innovations is essential to not only realise Maharashtra's vision of a USD 1 trillion economy by 2030 but also to advance the national goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047," said the state government.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 8 : A Kerala filmmaking couple is excited after hearing the news that the Indian Navy anthem has been copied by Pakistan. Reacting to this, director of the Indian Navy anthem Sanjeev Sivan told IANS: "When your enemies copy you, it can't be better rewarding to say that 'We are the best... indeed, we are the best." Thiruvananthapuram, May 8 (IANS) A Kerala filmmaking couple is excited after hearing the news that the Indian Navy anthem has been copied by Pakistan. Reacting to this, director of the Indian Navy anthem Sanjeev Sivan told IANS: "When your enemies copy you, it can't be better rewarding to say that 'We are the best indeed, we are the best."

"Personally, 'Second to none' has always been my motto," added Sanjeev who along with his wife Deepti Sivan directed the Indian Navy anthem.

Sanjeev said they directed the Indian Navy anthem 'Call of the Blue Waters' in 2022, and it was sung by Shankar Mahadevan with lyrics by Prasoon Joshi and composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

Sanjeev said it was Pakistan's Inter-Service Public Relations which released the four-minute video and the lyrics and everything is almost similar to the Indian Navy Anthem and is titled 'Taiyyar Hain Hum'.

It was released after the Indian Armed Forces carried out 'Operation Sindoor'.

On Thursday morning, former Union Minister and Kerala unit BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar took to his social media account and wrote: "Two very creative Malayalees Sanjeev Sivan and Deepti Sivan created this video, while Kerala's son, Adm Harikumar was the chief of @indiannavy - So it had the Kerala touch."

Sanjeev, who hails from the state capital, is the youngest son of national award-winning film personality Sivan, who passed away a few years ago.

Sivan's all three sons are active in the film industry, with ace cinematographer and national award winning Santosh Sivan, the most popular.

Sangeeth Sivan the eldest son of Sivan directed 'Yodha' which is billed as one of the most popular Malayalam films starring Mohanlal. Sangeeth passed away last year.

Incidentally, Sanjeev's 14 year old son Sidhanshu Sanjeev Sivan has been selected to chair the children's jury at the 55th edition of the Giffoni International Film Festival in Italy.

Sidhanshu, a Class XI student, will travel to Italy to chair the jury at Giffoni festival, which will be held from July 18 to 28 and is one of the world's most prestigious children's film festivals.

Sidhanshu made his acting debut in 'Ozhuki Ozhuki Ozhuki', directed by his father.

He recently played a dual role in Achappa's Album (English title: Grampa's Album), a time-travel children's film directed by his mother and produced by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).

The film had a special market screening at the European Film Market (EFM) during the Berlinale 2025.
New Delhi, May 8 : India on Thursday banned Pakistan-origin content on OTT platforms, streaming services and digital intermediaries amid rising tensions between the two countries, following the Islamabad-sponsored terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam and the wave of fake news and propaganda unleashed by the hostile neighbouring nation.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory directing all OTT platforms, streaming services, and digital intermediaries operating in India to immediately discontinue access to all content originating from Pakistan.

The advisory stated, "several terrorist attacks in India have been established to have cross-border linkages with Pakistan based State and non-State actors. Recently, on April 22, the terrorist attack in Pahalgam led to the killing of several Indians, one Nepali citizen, and injuries to a number of others."

"In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription based model or otherwise, having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect," it further stated.

India has hit back by wiping out nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with precision missiles, following the killing of 26 people (mostly tourists) in Pahalgam.

The mission was focused, measured, and non-escalatory, and specifically avoided Pakistani military installations. The strikes, executed from within Indian airspace, reflected restraint in both targeting and execution. Pakistan has warned that it would respond at a time and place of its own choosing.

India and Pakistan's diplomatic ties have hit a nadir after the barbaric Pahalgam massacre.

In a historic first, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, citing Pakistan's failure to curb cross-border terrorism. The MEA said the suspension will remain until Islamabad takes "verifiable and irreversible steps" to end terror support.

India suspended cross-border trade and revoked visas for all Pakistani nationals. Further tightening its stance, India has ordered the closure of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, a crucial land link.

New Delhi had directed Pakistan's Defence, Military, Naval, and Air advisors at its High Commission in Delhi to leave the country within a week. India has also withdrawn its corresponding military attaches and supporting staff from Islamabad.
The question of sending German troops to Ukraine is not on the table now, but Germany has other options for providing Ukraine with security guarantees or monitoring the ceasefire, said newly elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

As reported by DW, Merz said this in an interview he gave on a plane during his first foreign trip as chancellor. "The question of sending German troops to Ukraine to ensure peace there is not even on the table yet (...) We are still very far from a ceasefire, and even further from a peace agreement," Merz noted.

However, he mentioned other possibilities for Germany to participate in providing security guarantees to Ukraine or monitoring the ceasefire: "We could, of course, continue to provide very strong support to the Ukrainian army, supply it with weapons with the help of the United States as part of a joint European effort."

There is "a whole range of possibilities to ensure that such a ceasefire agreement is firmly established and that the next peace agreement is truly respected," the German Chancellor added.

At the same time, he expressed hope that the "ceasefire" for May 8-10, announced at the end of April by Vladimir Putin, could be extended. "However, this is exclusively in the hands of the Russian leadership," Merz emphasized.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier called Putin's announcement of a unilateral ceasefire for three days a manipulation. On May 7, Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine's proposal for a ceasefire for at least 30 days remains in force.
New Delhi, May 8 : India on Thursday warned Pakistan that any attempt at further escalation of the situation will be responded to in an appropriate manner. "Now if there is an attempt at further escalation by Pakistan, it will be responded to in an appropriate domain and therefore the choice is entirely that of Pakistan to make," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said during a media briefing in New Delhi on Operation Sindoor.

He also slammed the disinformation directed at India from across the border since the events that started with the barbaric terror attack in Pahalgam, mentioning that the "original escalation" has been from Pakistan on April 22 and the Indian Armed forces are only responding to it.

"The allegations to the targetting of the Neelum-Jhelum dam project in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are absolutely fabricated and a blatant lie. India has only targetted terrorist infrastructure... If this kind of a claim is a pretext for targetting Indian infrastructure of similar nature, then Pakistan will be entirely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow," he said.

India also once again highlighted Pakistan's pressure to remove references to The Resistance Front (TRF) - the Pakistan-based terror group responsible for the heinous Pahalgam terror attack - in the April 25 United Nations Security Council (UNSC) press statement.

"This was after the fact that the TRF had claimed responsibility for this attack, not once but twice - within a few hours of the incident on April 22 and then again on the morning of April 23. It is perhaps only after the full gravity of the incident was realised by its masters and handlers across the border that it was managed to back off from this claim. Obviously, that retraction does not convince anybody," said Misri.

The Resistance Front, which has claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, is a front for the UN-proscribed Pakistani terrorist group, Lashkar-e-Taiba. It had earlier given inputs about the TRF in the half-yearly report to the Monitoring Team of the UN's 1267 Sanctions Committee in May and November 2024, bringing out its role as a cover for Pakistan-based terrorist groups.

Earlier too, in December 2023, India had informed the monitoring team about LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad operating through small terror groups such as the TRF.

Misri on Thursday also highlighted that Pakistan's reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances.

"I don't need to remind where Osama Bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr. Pakistan is also home to a large number of UN proscribed terrorists and also to terrorists proscribed by many countries. You must have seen in the last few days, their Defence Minister and former foreign minister accepted their country's involvement with such terror groups," said Misri.

Earlier in the day, the Indian Armed Forces targetted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan.

"Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," the Ministry of Defence stated.
Dharamshala, May 8 : The toss in the IPL 2025 clash between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) has been delayed due to rain at the HPCA Stadium on Thursday. A steady drizzle has taken over the venue, which has led to the playing square being firmly covered

The weather forecast for Thursdayas match had predicted dark clouds hovering around the venue, with chances of wind and mild drizzling set to happen. Even during Indian musician B Praakas performance as a tribute to the Indian armed forces, there was slight drizzle and it was evident from the TV screens.

PBKS, currently at third place with 15 points, come into Match 58 of the tournament on the back of two successive wins, including a win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their first home game of IPL 2025 in Dharamsala. DC, on the other hand, earned one point from their washed-out game in Hyderabad and are in the fifth spot with 13 points.

A big win for DC will take them to third place in the points table, while a victory for PBKS will strengthen their chances of entering the playoffs. DC lead head-to-head record against PBKS by 5-2 since the 2021 IPL season, while both teams have won matches twice each in Dharamshala.

This will also be the final IPL 2025 game in Dharamshala as PBKSa last home match against Mumbai Indians has been shifted to Ahmedabad owing to logistical challenges and tension after Operation Sindoor began on May 7.

In their pitch report done before the rain arrived, Matthew Hayden and Murali Kartik noted the square boundaries were skewed - 61m on the right-handed batteras off-side and 68m to the other side, with a 75m boundary measured for straight down the ground. Matthew Hayden says the pitch looks very similar to the one used the other night. The pitch looked dry with a few more cracks, though Hayden felt it would be full of runs for both teams.
Jammu, May 8 : Former Jammu & Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP), S.P. Vaid, said that while the destruction of terror camps can curb terrorism temporarily, the root cause - Pakistan's Army and the ISI - must be dealt with directly for lasting peace.

Jammu, May 8 (IANS) Former Jammu & Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP), S.P. Vaid, said that while the destruction of terror camps can curb terrorism temporarily, the root cause - Pakistanas Army and the ISI - must be dealt with directly for lasting peace.

In an exclusive interview with IANS after the successful execution of Operation Sindoor - Indiaas targeted military strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) - Vaid also slammed Congress leaders Udit Raj and Prithviraj Chavan for objecting to the operation being named aSindoora, dismissing their remarks as unnecessary and politically motivated.

IANS: Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian armed forces destroyed nine terror camps, but Pakistan is claiming that only six sites were targeted. What do you say about this propaganda?

Vaid: People should listen to what the Indian government has stated. Pakistan never admits its casualties, and it comes up with a bundle of lies. Their army was built on hatred and deception. The Indian government, on the other hand, provided full details in its press briefing, including coordinates of the nine terror camps destroyed. Pakistan will now launch a propaganda narrative about civilian casualties, but we must trust Indiaas official version.

IANS: Pakistanas Defence Minister has made a statement saying that if India stops Operation Sindoor, they too will refrain from further action. What is your opinion on this?

Vaid: If thatas truly their position, it will help avoid escalation and a full-scale war, which is in everyoneas interest. But I doubt that anything like that happens there without the Army Chiefas directive.

IANS: Will terrorism stop after Operation Sindoor?

Vaid: Not completely. This will be a prolonged fight. Until the Pakistani Army and ISI are directly targeted, terrorism wonat end. The current strikes may instil fear, but itas not enough. Their power structures need to be dismantled.

IANS: Some family members of terrorist Masood Azhar were killed in the strike. He has said that it would have been better if he had died in the attack. What is your reaction to that?

Vaid: We donat want him dead yet. He should live long enough to feel the pain and consequences of the terror he unleashed. Let him suffer.

IANS: The UN Secretary-General has appealed for restraint from both India and Pakistan. What are your thoughts on this statement?

Vaid: The UN should stand against terrorism. This situation is a result of Pakistanas jihad and its attempt at Ghazwa-e-Hind. Innocent people were killed after being identified by their religion. India is only responding. The UN should learn to distinguish between good and evil. India is fighting a just war. Equating the two countries is unfair and misleading.

IANS: Taliban has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack at a Sufi shrine in Lahore, in which 10 people were killed. How do you view this incident?

Vaid: Taliban doesnat accept the Durand Line. Groups like TTP and BLA are hitting Pakistan hard. No one supports the Pakistan Army anymore - not even their own people. Just look at the conditions in Balochistan, PoK, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Their oppression has turned their people against them.

IANS: In Balochistan, 14 Pakistani soldiers were killed in twin attacks for which the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has taken responsibility. What is your reaction to this?

Vaid: BLA is hitting them hard, and so is the Taliban. Pakistan should grant Balochistan its freedom. Soldiers are being killed regularly. They need to exit the region.

IANS: Congress leader Udit Raj has objected to the use of the word aSindoora in the operationas name, claiming it is linked to a particular religion. Would you like to comment?

Vaid: I completely disagree. Sindoor is part of Indian culture, not limited to any one religion. Donat communalise it.

IANS: Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan has alleged that the name aOperation Sindoora is an attempt to play on Hindu sentiments. How would you respond to that?

Vaid: Only his feelings seem hurt, no one elseas. The operation was briefed by Col. Sofia Qureshi, whose father is proud. True patriots, regardless of religion, stand with Indiaas armed forces.
Mumbai, May 8 : Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut took to social media to applaud India's landmark 2018 S-400 air defence agreement with Russia.

She called the deal a "game-changer" after sharing striking footage of the Sudarshan Chakra in action near Amritsar. In her post, she highlighted how the Sudarshan Chakra has bolstered the nation's aerial security, demonstrating India's enhanced capability to detect and neutralize incoming threats. On Thursday, the 'Queen' actress took to her Instagram story and shared a note that read, "Our Sudarshan Chakra- the S-400 Air Defence System- demolished the Pakistani air attack! Among the world's most powerful defence technologies, the S-400 deal was signed by PM Narendra Modi's govt with Russia in 2018 #OperationSindoor."(sic)

In her next follow-up post, Kangana posted dramatic footage of the S-400 "Sudarshan Chakra" in action near Amritsar and captioned the post, "India's S-400 in action near Amritsar."

On May 7, the Indian Air Force deployed its S-400 "Sudarshan Chakra" batteries to successfully intercept and destroy a coordinated Pakistani drone and missile assault aimed at Indian security installations. The barrage came in direct retaliation to India's Operation Sindoor, which had targeted terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir earlier that day.

Pakistani forces unleashed waves of drones and missiles toward key sites in Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Bhujbut each threat was met and neutralized by India's advanced S-400 systems.

Boasting one of the world's most sophisticated air-defense suites, the S-400 can detect incoming threats at distances up to 600 km and engage them within a 400 km radius. India has stood up four S-400 squadrons, positioning key units in Pathankot, Rajasthan, and Gujarat to protect its most sensitive regions.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence reports that Pakistan has stepped up unprovoked mortar and heavy-artillery fire along the Line of Control, targeting multiple sectors in Jammu and Kashmirincluding Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri.
Jammu, May 8 : Former Jammu & Kashmir DGP SP Vaid has hit out at Congress leaders Udit Raj and Prithviraj Chavan for their objections to the naming of India's recent counterterrorism action as Operation Sindoor.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Vaid said such statements are misguided, politically motivated, and show a lack of understanding of India's cultural ethos.

Responding to Udit Raj's remark that the word 'Sindoor' is associated with a specific religion, Vaid said, "I completely disagree. Sindoor is a part of Indian culture and not confined to any one religion. Such symbolism should not be communalised."

He also dismissed Prithviraj Chavan's claim that the name plays on Hindu sentiments.

"Only his feelings seem to have been hurt, and no one else's. True patriots, regardless of religion, stand with India's armed forces," Vaid asserted, noting that the operation was briefed by Col. Sofia Qureshi, a Muslim officer whose father expressed pride in her role.

Operation Sindoor, carried out by Indian armed forces on May 7, targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.

The strikes marked a significant escalation in India's counterterrorism posture and sent a strong message across the region.

Vaid, a former top cop with decades of experience in handling terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir, emphasised that military operations like Sindoor are necessary but not sufficient to end terrorism permanently.

"This fight won't be over until the roots, Pakistan's Army and ISI, are dismantled," he said.

On Pakistan's denial of the scale of damage, Vaid dismissed it as routine propaganda.

"Pakistan never admits its losses. Their military thrives on deception and denial. The Indian government has clearly stated the facts, including specific coordinates of the destroyed camps," he said.

Vaid also criticised the United Nations for drawing a moral equivalence between India and Pakistan.

"The UN should be standing against terrorism, not appealing for restraint in a situation where one country is defending itself and the other is exporting jihad," he said.

Vaid warned that the real solution lies in dismantling Pakistan's terror infrastructure and the agencies that sustain it. "Until that happens, peace will remain elusive."
Dhaka, May 8 : Bangladesh has urged both India & Pakistan to remain calm, exercise restraint, and refrain from taking any actions that could further aggravate the situation in the wake of Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian armed forces inside Pakistan.

Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain and Pakistanas Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had a telephonic conversation and discussed the evolving security situation between India and Pakistan.

Touhid Hossain said that Ishaq Dar had called to brief him on the steps Islamabad has taken in light of recent developments in the region.

Hossain told the media that he had conveyed Bangladesh's desire for peace and avoidance of conflict in the region.

In his conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Touhid also stressed the importance of dialogue in resolving any issue.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Thursday held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in New Delhi, stating that his visit comes at a time when India is responding to the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack by striking the terror infrastructure in neighbouring Pakistan in a "targetted and measured" manner.

He also made it clear that it is not India's intention to escalate the current situation.

With the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Wednesday voicing serious concern over the intensifying India-Pakistan conflict and calling for restraint, India also chose the occasion to give the visiting Iranian delegation "a good understanding" of the situation.

As both ministers co-chaired the Joint Commission meeting marking the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two nations, Jaishankar highlighted the growing India-Iran ties and the cooperation that has progressed in many aspects.

The 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Jaishankar mentioned, is a reminder of the closeness of India-Iran collaboration and the deep friendship between both countries.

Prior to arriving in India, the Iranian Foreign Minister visited Pakistan earlier this week, leading a political delegation and holding talks with Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar.
Jammu, May 8 : Former Jammu & Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) S.P. Vaid said that terrorist attacks mastermind Masood Azhar should not die an easy death.

"We don't want him dead just yet," Vaid told IANS in an exclusive interview. "He should live to feel the pain and consequences of the terror he unleashed across India."

The remark came in the wake of Azhar's own statement, in which he said it would have been better had he died in the Indian airstrikes that killed several of his family members.

Vaid responded sharply, saying, "Let him suffer. He should live long enough to understand the pain he has caused to thousands of Indian families."

Masood Azhar, the founder of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), is one of India's most wanted terrorists, responsible for several high-profile terror attacks, including the 2019 Pulwama bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel.

The recent Operation Sindoor, executed by the Indian armed forces, targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including facilities linked to JeM.

Vaid, who has decades of experience tackling insurgency and cross-border terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir, stated that eliminating terror camps was a strong message, but not a permanent solution.

"This is a long fight. Until the Pakistani Army and ISI are directly weakened, terrorism won't go away. These strikes may create fear, but to truly end the threat, we have to dismantle the system that breeds and protects terrorists like Masood Azhar," he said.

He also noted that Pakistan is now trying to portray the operation as an attack on civilians. "Pakistan never admits its casualties and builds a narrative of victimhood to shield itself from international pressure. But we know what we targeted, terror bases."

Refuting the narrative that the strike was religiously charged, Vaid said: "This was not about religion. It was about justice. Terrorism has no faith. Masood Azhar's ideology is one of hate and destruction, and he deserves to live with the consequences of his actions."

With India's message loud and clear, Vaid believes more such actions may be necessary in the future unless structural changes are made within Pakistan's security and intelligence establishments.
New Delhi, May 8 : Slamming the disinformation being spread by Pakistan on the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 which resulted in the death of 26 innocent civilians, India on Thursday said Islamabad has repeatedly rejected New Delhi's several calls for holding negotiations on modification of the 1960 agreement.

"There have been fundamental changes in the circumstances in which the Indus Waters Treaty was concluded, and they called for a reassessment of the obligations under the treaty. Over the last year-and-a-half to two years, India has been in communication with the government of Pakistan, we sent several notices to them requesting for negotiations to discuss modification of this treaty. India has for six-plus decades now honoured the treaty, even during periods when Pakistan imposed multiple wars on us," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said during a media briefing in New Delhi on Operation Sindoor.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured India's unwavering resolve to act decisively against terrorism and those who support it and the Indian government has acted swiftly, taking several critical decisions against Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam massacre.

By suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, India has deftly used international law as a tool to achieve its longstanding objective of ending Pakistan's support for terrorism and reaffirming its previous stand that blood and water cannot flow together.

"Pakistan is the one that has been acting in violation of the treaty, deliberately creating legal roadblocks in India exercising its legitimate rights on the Western rivers. Any projects that India sought to build on the Eastern and even the Western rivers, which were allowed to as per the treaty, were always challenged by Pakistan thereby hampering our rights to use our legitimate waters under the treaty. It is India's patience that we have been adhering to the treaty for the last 65 years even after so many provocations," Misri stated on Thursday.

India has issued a notification to its Pakistani counterpart explaining the reasons for suspending the IWT highlighting the significantly altered population demographics, the urgent need to expedite the development of clean energy, and shifts in the assumptions related to water sharing under the IWT as fundamental changes that have led to its decision to suspend its treaty obligations.

"Pakistan has not responded to our requests to enter into negotiations for a reassessment of the obligations under the treaty. The conditions have now changed. This treaty was based on the engineering techniques of the 50s and 60s... Technological changes and advancements have to be taken into account," Misri asserted while demolishing the false propaganda unleashed from across the border.

India has maintained that Pakistan has been exposed as a rogue state, fuelling global terrorism, and destabilising the entire region. The heinous Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 innocent civilians were gunned down by four terrorists, two of them from Pakistan, has once again raised worldwide calls for punishing the country fuelling global terror.

Foreign Secretary Misri also warned Pakistan that any attempt at further escalation of the situation will be responded to in an appropriate domain.

"Now if there is an attempt at further escalation by Pakistan, it will be responded to in an appropriate domain and therefore the choice is entirely that of Pakistan to make," said Misri.

Misri also slammed the disinformation directed at India from across the border since the events that started with the barbaric terror attack in Pahalgam, mentioning that the "original escalation" has been from Pakistan on April 22 and the Indian Armed forces are only responding to it.

"The allegations to the targetting of the Neelum-Jhelum dam project in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are absolutely fabricated and a blatant lie. India has only targetted terrorist infrastructure... If this kind of a claim is a pretext for targetting Indian infrastructure of similar nature, then Pakistan will be entirely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow," he said.
Jaipur, May 8 : Amid rising tensions along the India-Pakistan border, the Barmer district administration in Rajasthan has imposed a mandatory blackout on Thursday from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. as a precaution against any potential air raids.

District Collector Tina Dabi has issued strict orders for residents to switch off all household and outdoor lights, including streetlights, and to remove illuminated hoardings and banners.

People have also been urged to keep inverters turned off during the blackout hours to ensure complete darkness.

The public has been asked to fully cooperate with the BSF and police, especially in border villages, and not to panic, and strictly follow official instructions.

Meanwhile, holidays of all officers and employees in the district have been cancelled to ensure administrative readiness.

The administration continues to appeal to the public to remain calm and peaceful during this sensitive period.

Jodhpur District Collector Gaurav Agarwal also emphasised the importance of blackout compliance, stating that failure to follow the rules could endanger thousands of lives.

He explained that the first siren would signal an incoming threat, while the second siren would indicate that the threat had passed.

Agarwal urged people not to leave their homes during this time, keep all lights off -- inside, outside, and on vehicles -- and to treat the blackout as a life-saving measure.

Barmer Collector Tina Dabi reaffirmed that the district administration has arranged a two-phase siren system to coordinate the blackout. Residents have been asked to maintain total darkness until the second siren or official clearance is issued.

The administration has already released guidelines for emergency preparedness, which include keeping essential items, identity and ration cards, and important documents packed and ready.

People are advised to know the location of the nearest community shelter, such as schools or panchayat buildings, and to cover any light sources that cannot be switched off with cloth to prevent visibility from outside.

In the event of an air raid or siren, residents should move to the innermost and lowest part of their homes, away from windows. They are advised to take shelter under sturdy furniture or stay close to interior walls, shut all doors and windows, and turn off gas cylinders.

Makeshift protection can also be created using household items like clay pots or water tanks. Special instructions have been issued for border villages, where cooperation with BSF and police for evacuation is critical.

To enhance village-level preparedness, each village has been directed to form a disaster management committee involving the Gram Sevak, Sarpanch, and school head.

These committees are responsible for identifying safe shelters and mobilising essential resources. Schools may be closed if required.

The public has been urged to report any unidentified person, drone, or suspicious object immediately to the nearest police station or army post.

The administration reiterated the importance of staying alert, avoiding rumors, and relying solely on verified information channels.

An alert has been announced in its border areas following its recent targeting of three military bases in Rajasthan. In response, local district administrations in the affected regions have released detailed guidelines to ensure public safety.

The administration has urged residents of border villages to remain calm and vigilant. In the event of heightened tension requiring evacuation, people have been instructed to fully cooperate with the Border Security Force (BSF) and local police authorities to ensure a safe and orderly process, said officials.
Kolkata, May 8 : The West Bengal government on Thursday issued an order cancelling all leaves of the state government employees, except medical leaves, for an indefinite period amid the situation following Operation Sindoor, in which Indian armed forces attacked several terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

"In view of the prevailing situation and in the interest of maintenance of public services, it is hereby ordered that all leave sanctioned to the employees of the Government of West Bengal, except leave on medical grounds, stand cancelled with immediate effect. No official shall leave their headquarters without the written permission of their respective Heads of the Departments. This order is being issued in the public interest and shall remain effective until further orders," read the order issued by Additional Chief Secretary, P.K. Mishra.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has issued a separate order, similarly cancelling all leaves of all employees of the corporation till further orders. The employees of all departments related to disaster management had been advised to be on alert, especially during the night hours.

The officials and staff of these departments have also been advised to keep all items related to disaster management and relief ready in advance. An increase in surveillance at the vital installations related to public services, especially the water tanks, has been ordered.

Senior officials have been asked to keep their mobiles switched on for seven days and 24 hours.

At the same time, the control room of KMC will remain open on a 24/7 basis, and the officials will have to be present there on a rotational basis, round-the-clock.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has cautioned the traders of food items against any practice that might lead to artificial jacking up of food prices in the retail markets.

aIf anyone thinks that only Kashmir will be affected by the current crisis, in reality, it might not be so. We might also face problems. So we will also have to be careful. No one should take advantage of the current situation and resort to practices like hoarding and black-marketing. The state government will keep a close vigil in the matter," she said.
Several people were killed in the village of Sofiyivska Borschahivka in Bucha district of Kyiv region on Thursday as a result of a shooting by an unknown person, the National Police of Ukraine reported on its Facebook page.

"Today at 15:22 the police received a report that in the village of Sofiyivska Borshhahivka a man shot citizens. All emergency services are currently working at the scene and a special operation is being conducted to detain the perpetrator," the report says.

Sofiyivska Borschahivka directly borders Kyiv.
Dhaka, May 8 : As tensions soar across South Asia following India's precision strikes against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor, Bangladesh's interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has chosen a path of calculated silence, refraining from making any direct statement about the operation or India's retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Dhaka, May 8 (IANS) As tensions soar across South Asia following Indiaas precision strikes against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor, Bangladesh's interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has chosen a path of calculated silence, refraining from making any direct statement about the operation or India's retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

While world capitals a" from Washington to Beijing a" have issued calls for restraint amidst Islamabad's incendiary rhetoric, Bangladesh has treaded carefully in an attempt to position itself as a cautious observer. A brief statement from Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain urged both India and Pakistan to "exercise restraint" and pursue dialogue. He revealed that Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had called him on May 5 to brief Dhaka on Islamabadas version of the regional developments. "We want peace. We don't want to see any conflict here," Touhid told the press on May 6.

Analysts are of view that Bangladeshas ambiguity is strategic as it is aimed at balancing its growing proximity to Pakistan post-August 2024 while avoiding direct confrontation with India. The Yunus dispensationas alignment with the pro-Islamist Jamaat camp and reported ISI backing further complicates this balancing act.

This ambiguity extended to the National Citizen Party (NCP), the student-led political arm backed by the interim government. NCP leaders Nahid Islam and Akhter Hossain raised alarms about national security in social media posts, claiming India's strikes could destabilise the region, and issued a press release deflecting blame towards "Awami League fascists". NCP's response seemed more concerned about internal politics than the regional terror threat India retaliated against, analysts believe.

Observers also raised concerns about Bangladesh becoming a potential hub for Pakistani terror networks, pointing to the freedom enjoyed by extremist elements under Yunus's watch. Meanwhile, NCP leaders have remained silent on critical national issues a" including collaboration with Myanmar's Arakan Army, questionable border concessions like St. Martinas Island, and the handing over of port control to foreign actors.

Bangladesh's military, however, seems to be taking threats seriously. On April 30, during the Akash Bijoy 2025 exercise, Yunus stated, aIndia and Pakistan remain on the brink of conflicta to remain unprepared is nothing short of suicidal."

Despite this, his government's response a" or lack thereof a" to Operation Sindoor raises serious questions about Dhakaas current geopolitical leanings and internal stability even as New Delhi watches closely.
New Delhi, May 8 : External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar conveyed India's steadfast stance in combating terrorism during a meeting with Adel Aljubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, in New Delhi, on Thursday.

"A good meeting with Adel Aljubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia this morning. Shared Indiaas perspectives on firmly countering terrorism," EAM Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting.

The Saudi Minister's India visit, labelled as "unscheduled" by analysts, comes at a time when there are escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 innocent civilians. The Indian armed forces on Wednesday launched Operation Sindoor, targetting nine high-value terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the dastardly terror attack.

On April 30, Saudi Arabia issued an official statement expressing its concern over the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, and the continued exchange of fire along the border areas.

"The Kingdom calls on both countries to de-escalate, avoid further escalation, and resolve disputes through diplomatic means, while upholding the principles of good neighborliness and working towards stability and peace in a manner that serves the interests of both their peoples and the peoples of the region," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said in the statement.

Saudi Arabia had also earlier condemned the Pahalgam terror attack in the strongest terms.

"The Kingdom affirms its firm stance in rejecting all forms of violence, extremism, and targeting of civilians. The Kingdom also extends its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, and the government and people of India," the ministry said in a statement.

EAM Jaishankar on Wednesday had also spoken with the foreign ministers of Japan, Qatar, Spain, France and Germany, discussing India's strikes on Pakistan-based terror camps earlier in the day.

The operation targetted infrastructure linked to terror groups responsible for the April 22 terror attack.

The Indian government maintains that its response to Pahalgam attacks has been measured, calibrated and non-escalatory.

Real-time surveillance and post-strike assessments have confirmed the destruction of the intended targets in Pakistan and PoK.

Operation Sindoor marks one of India's most assertive cross-border military responses since the Balakot airstrikes in 2019.
New Delhi, May 8 : Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Thursday said the signing of the MoU to jointly develop 5,000 MW of hydropower projects in Bhutan represented a deepening of the group's partnership with the Himalayan country.

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Thursday said the signing of the MoU to jointly develop 5,000 MW of hydropower projects in Bhutan represented a deepening of the groupas partnership with the Himalayan country.

He also thanked Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay for reposing his trust in the Adani Group.

"Was honoured to deepen our partnership with Bhutan. We are committed to a greener and more prosperous future. Thank you PM Bhutan Tshering Tobgay for your trust and vision", Gautam Adani posted on X.

The Bhutan Prime Minister, on his part, said that he was "delighted that that Druk Green Power Corporation and Adani Power have made significant progress on the Wangchhu hydropower JV project, and that they have signed an MoU Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) of Bhutan to jointly develop 5,000 MW of additional hydropower in Bhutan".

"Grateful to my friend Gautam Adani," Prime Minister Tobgay remarked.

The partnership is strongly backed by both the Bhutan and Indian governments, underscoring a shared vision for clean energy growth and economic integration.

The MoU, signed in Bhutan by DGPCas MD Dasho Chhewang Rinzin and Adani Green Hydro Ltdas COO (PSP & Hydro) Naresh Telgu in the presence of the Prime Minister Tobgay, Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Lyonpo Gem Tshering and other senior dignitaries, builds on the ongoing partnership for the 570/900 MW Wangchhu Hydropower Project, in which DGPC will hold a majority 51 per cent stake and the Adani Group will hold 49 per cent. The broader 5,000 MW initiative will encompass additional hydropower and pumped storage projects to be identified, Detailed Project Reports prepared, and taken forward for implementation in phases.

"This strategic partnership with Adani will further strengthen our very strong engagement with the Government of India in harnessing Bhutanas abundant hydropower resources, which is considered the cornerstone of the exemplary and friendly relations between our two countries," said DGPC's MD Rinzin. "We look forward to taking this partnership forward with Adani and learning from their huge successes across the globe."

In a further milestone, the DGPC and the Adani Group also initialled the Shareholdersa Agreement for the Wangchhu Project, marking significant progress in their collaborative efforts to advance Bhutanas hydropower sector.

The Adani Group, Indiaas leading infrastructure and renewable energy player, brings extensive expertise in project development, financing, and market access. It will support Bhutan in scaling up its hydropower capacity and facilitating access to Indian energy markets.

As part of this collaboration, the group will ensure reliable power offtake and integration with Indiaas commercial power markets, further reinforcing Bhutanas role in the regional energy trade.

This initiative also aligns with Bhutanas Renewable Energy Roadmap, which aims to achieve an additional 20,000 MW of generation capacity by 2040. The roadmap prioritises diversification into solar and geothermal energy, and also encourages strategic partnerships to attract investment and innovation.

The DGPC, Bhutanas premier hydropower developer, has decades of experience in managing the nationas renewable energy resources. It plays a pivotal role in Bhutanas clean energy journey, contributing to both domestic energy security and sustainable development. Through such partnerships, the DGPC is also helping to strengthen Bhutanas position in regional energy cooperation.
Jammu, May 8 : The District Administration in J&K's Poonch on Thursday distributed relief among the victims of Pakistan army's indiscriminate shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) in the district.

At least 13 people have been killed and 44 injured in Poonch district due to heavy mortar shelling by Pakistan on the LoC.

Officials said that the Deputy Commissioner Poonch has disbursed immediate relief and ex gratia assistance from the District Red Cross Fund to shelling-affected individuals and their families.

"An ex gratia amount of Rs 6 lakh has been provided to the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 50,000 to those who sustained serious injuries, and Rs 20,000 to individuals with minor injuries," an official said.

The relief has been extended in accordance with established norms to ensure timely support to the victims.

The Deputy Commissioner reaffirmed the administration's commitment to public welfare and assured that all necessary assistance will continue for those affected.

The district administration is actively monitoring the situation and taking all measures to safeguard the well-being of the residents.

For the last 14 consecutive days, the Pakistan army has been resorting to unprovoked firing on the LoC in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara districts and Gurez border town of Bandipora district.

After the Indian armed forces carried out precision missile strikes on nine terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (LoC), the Pakistan Army has been using artillery fire on civilian targets on the LoC.

J&K L-G has directed district authorities in border districts to shift the population from vulnerable areas to safer locations.

All schools, colleges and other educational institutions have been closed in Poonch, Rajouri, Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts of Jammu division and in Baramulla, Kupwara districts and in areas close to the Awantipora Air Force base.

Srinagar airport has been taken over by the Air Force, and all civilian flights from the airport have been suspended.
Brussels, May 8 : The European Union (EU) and its 27 member states on Thursday unequivocally condemned the heinous Pahalgam terrorist attack, stating that every state has the duty and the right to lawfully protect its citizens from acts of terror.

Asserting that terrorism can never be justified, the EU said that those responsible for the attack must be brought to justice.

The remarks came after the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine high-value terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the dastardly April 22 terror attack, which left 26 innocent civilians dead.

"The EU is monitoring closely and with great concern the growing tensions in the region and the ensuing consequences, including the possible loss of more lives. The EU calls on both parties to exercise restraint, to de-escalate tensions and desist from further attacks to safeguard civilian lives on both sides," the EU said in its statement.

"The EU urges both sides to engage in dialogue. It is vital that India and Pakistan also live up to their obligations under international law and take all measures possible to protect civilian lives. The EU will work with all parties to de-escalate the situation," it added.

Last month, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also offered her deepest condolences over the "vile" terror attack.

"The vile terror attack in Pahalgam stole so many innocent lives. My deepest condolences to PM Narendra Modi and every Indian heart grieving today. Yet I know that Indiaas spirit is unbreakable. You will stand strong in this ordeal. And Europe will stand with you," she posted on X.

Operation Sindoor was launched in the early hours of Wednesday, and was a tri-service operation targeting infrastructure linked to terror groups responsible for the April 22 terror attack.

The Indian government on Wednesday said that India has exercised its right to respond to dastardly acts of terror emanating from the neighbouring nation.

Addressing a press conference, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, along with Colonel Sophiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh on 'Operation Sindoor', said that India's response to the Pahalgam attacks was measured, calibrated, and non-escalatory.

Real-time surveillance and post-strike assessments confirmed the destruction of the intended targets.

Operation Sindoor marks one of India's most assertive cross-border military responses since the Balakot airstrikes in 2019.
Patna, May 8 : Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the Bihar government has cancelled all leaves for administrative, police, health, and disaster management personnel with immediate effect, citing heightened security preparedness.

The order, issued by B. Rajendra, Additional Chief Secretary, General Administration Department, on Thursday, comes as a precautionary measure to ensure the state's readiness in the face of any potential emergency or security threat.

According to the directive, no officer or employee at any level in the administration or police departments will be granted leave until further notice.

All officials have been instructed to report to duty without delay and remain stationed at their respective postings to handle any situation that may arise.

"This is a precautionary step considering the emerging national security environment. All departments must remain fully alert and prepared," stated Rajendra in the official communication on Thursday.

The order also extends to the Disaster Management Department, which plays a crucial role in handling both natural and man-made emergencies.

The Health Department and Law and Order agencies have also been directed to ensure that resources, personnel, and emergency protocols are in place to respond swiftly to any incident.

Operation Sindoor was conducted by the Indian armed forces at nine places in Pakistan and PoK in the early hours of Wednesday.
Kathmandu, May 8 : Nepal on Thursday expressed deep concerns about the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, following the terrorist attack on innocent tourists in Pahalgam in which 26 innocent civilians, including a Nepali national named Sudeep Neupane, were killed.

The reaction followed after the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, targetting nine high-value terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the dastardly April 22 terror attack.

"During this tragic period, Nepal and India stood in solidarity, united in shared grief and suffering. It may be recalled that Nepal had immediately and unequivocally condemned the barbaric terrorist attack, consistent with its resolute stance against all forms of terrorism," Nepal's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"Nepal stands together with all in the fight against terrorism. In line with its principled position, Nepal shall not allow any inimical forces to use its soil against its neighbouring countries. Nepal hopes for de-escalation of tension and affirms its commitment to lasting peace and stability in the region," the statement added.

Earlier, massive protests were held in Nepal, including outside the Pakistani Embassy in Kathmandu, condemning the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in India following the heinous Pahalgam terror attack.

Several Nepali civil society organisations and party representatives, including Rastriya Prajatantra Party leaders, participated in the march against the deadly terror attack, which was carried out by four terrorists, two of them from Pakistan.

The protestors were seen carrying several banners that read "Justice for Sudeep Neupane", raising slogans against Pakistan and beating Pakistani Army General Asim Munir's photo with shoes and slippers.

In the aftermath of the attack, Prime Minister of Nepal K P Sharma Oli also called PM Narendra Modi to strongly condemn the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district and extend his condolences on the loss of precious lives.

Oli then termed the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir as "heinous" and spoke in detail with Prime Minister Modi on the issue.

Operation Sindoor was launched in the early hours of Wednesday, and the tri-services operation was conducted jointly by the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy.

The operation targeted infrastructure linked to terror groups responsible for the April 22 terror attack.

The Indian government said that it has exercised its right to respond to dastardly acts of terror emanating from the neighbouring nation.

Operation Sindoor marks one of India's most assertive cross-border military responses since the Balakot airstrikes in 2019.
Chandigarh, May 8 : Amidst the ongoing anti-drug campaign 'Yudh Nashian Virudh', Punjab Police's Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted an international narco-smuggling module being operated by smuggler Jassa, who is based abroad, with the arrest of his two local operatives and recovered 10 kg heroin and Rs 1 lakh drug money from their possession, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Thursday.

Chandigarh, May 8 (IANS) Amidst the ongoing anti-drug campaign aYudh Nashian Virudha, Punjab Policeas Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted an international narco-smuggling module being operated by smuggler Jassa, who is based abroad, with the arrest of his two local operatives and recovered 10 kg heroin and Rs 1 lakh drug money from their possession, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Thursday.

Those arrested have been identified as Gurpinder Singh and Sajan, both residents of Amritsar.

Police teams have also seized their motorcycle that was used for smuggling the contraband.

DGP Yadav said the accused Jassa, who is a drug and weapons smuggler based abroad, is wanted in multiple cases under the NDPS Act and Arms Act registered in Amritsar.

Pertinently, this is the third module, being operated by Jassa, has been busted by the CI Amritsar in the past 10 days.

Earlier, an operative of Jassa identified as Abhishek was arrested with seven pistols and Rs 1.5 lakh, and a few days after police teams had recovered 5 kg heroin from the hideout of Jassaas absconding associate identified as Jodhbir Singh, alias Jodha.

Sharing the current operation's details, the DGP said acting on reliable input about accused Gurpinder and Sajan coming to deliver a huge consignment of heroin to another party, police teams launched an intelligence-led operation in the area and apprehended both the accused persons, who were on their motorcycle.

During their search, 10 kg of heroin and Rs 1 lakh of drug money were recovered, he added. He said preliminary investigations indicated that both the arrested accused were going to deliver the drug consignment following the instructions of Jassa. Further investigation is underway to uncover the backward and forward linkages in this case, he said, while adding that more arrests and recoveries are likely in the coming days.
Islamabad, May 8 : United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday called Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the administration led by US President Donald Trump made a fresh attempt to de-escalate tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi.

During the phone call, Sharif strongly condemned Indiaas missile and drone strikes in Pakistan, which have claimed at least 31 lives and injured 57 others.

"Pakistan reserves the right to act in self-defence, in accordance with Article-51 of the UN Charter," maintained Sharif.

As per details from the Prime Minister's House, Sharif accused India of violating Pakistanas sovereignty and territorial integrity while gravely jeopardizing peace and stability in the South Asia region.

"The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan's firm resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs," PM house press release stated.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington is keeping a close eye on the situation and is monitoring the crisis, expressing serious concerns over the deteriorating security situation in South Asia.

aTo this end, he emphasised upon the need for both Pakistan and India to work closely to de-escalate the situation," read the PM House statement.

India on Thursday said that Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles on the night of May 7-8 which were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems.

However, Pakistanas Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who held a media conference alongside DGISPR Lt. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, rejected Indiaas claims.

"Today, there was a political statement that yesterday night, Pakistan tried to attack Indian installations. It is not true," said Dar.

Addressing the media, DGISPR revealed that three missiles were fired by India towards Pakistan, claiming that two missiles were deliberately targeted in Indiaas Punjab, while one was intercepted over Dinga, stating that its debris was picked up from DInga area near Gujranwala.
Washington, May 8 : The Quad partner countries - India, Australia, Japan and the United States - conducted a tabletop exercise to advance sharing of logistics in civilian response to disasters, adding to the list of growing cooperation among them.

Washington, May 8 (IANS) The Quad partner countries  India, Australia, Japan and the United States  conducted a tabletop exercise to advance sharing of logistics in civilian response to disasters, adding to the list of growing cooperation among them.

The exercise took place from April 28 to May 2 at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii, it was revealed on Thursday.

The partner countries gathered "for a Tabletop Exercise, a simulation to launch the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN). IPLN is an initiative that enables Quad partners to leverage shared logistics capabilities in the Indo-Pacific to support civilian response to natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the region," the US state department said.

"Together with the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness, the IPLN reflects the Quad's commitment to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific and highlights the value of strengthening practical cooperation to address regional challenges," it added.

The four countries have a broadening canvass of cooperation from medicines and climate to education and research, with complete buy-in from their governments, irrespective of the parties in power.

The group was founded in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami to pool resources and effort to provide humanitarian relief during such global disasters. It fell apart in 2008 after Australia exited under pressure from China.

The Quadrilateral Security Conference, as Quad was formally called, was resurrected in 2017 with the unstated purpose of countering China's aggressive rise in the Indo-Pacific region, marked by its pursuit of unilateral maritime and littoral claims.

"A free and open Indo-Pacific", as used by the State Department, is a phrase that underscores the Quad's goal of keeping the region free and open from China's influence without stating it so explicitly. The security aspect of the group's work has been played down, however, by the partner countries in recent years and their officials have forcefully pushed back against any attempt to call it a security grouping.
China and Russia will continue to strengthen military and military-technical cooperation between the states, expand the scale and geography of joint exercises, according to a joint statement on further deepening the relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction between the states, published on the Kremlin website on Thursday.

The document says that the parties will continue to strengthen military and military-technical cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of Russia and China, as well as global and regional security.

The statement also says that the two sides will deepen mutual trust and cooperation between their armed forces, expand the scale and geography of joint exercises, regularly conduct joint maritime and air patrols, develop exchanges and cooperation both bilaterally and within multilateral formats, and take military cooperation between Russia and China to a higher level.
Patna, May 8 : A youth from Bihar's Motihari district has become a shining example of 'Vocal for Local' campaign, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help people explore their latent potential and also the strength of their indigenous resources.

Patna, May 8 (IANS) A youth from Biharas Motihari district has become a shining example of aVocal for Locala campaign, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help people explore their latent potential and also the strength of their indigenous resources.

The pandemic that broke out in 2020-21 destroyed many businesses and rendered many jobless, however, there were some who found an opportunity in crisis, a mantra given by PM Modi, and started their own ventures and enterprises.

Many people returned to their hometowns and started businesses of their own.

A Motihari youth named Mohammed Nurez has set an example of how oneas own enterprise could change destiny.

The young man from Motihari used to run his own bag factory in Maharashtra before Covid-19 struck, wreaking havoc across the country not just in tangible terms but also ruining scores of businesses. His factory was shut down due to shortage of demand, and he was forced to pack his bags and return to his village.

It was around the same time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the slogan of 'Vocal for Local', enthusing the countrymen to explore the start-up ideas to chase their dreams and also succeed in achieving it.

Inspired by the campaign, Mohammad Nurez set up a factory in his village Lakhaura and today, he is a known businessman of his area. He not only runs a factory but also provided employment to more than a hundred people.

Among those employed are from his village. Much like him, these people used to work outside Bihar before the Covid outbreak but returned home during the lockdown as they became unemployed.

Many of them are today employed in Nurezas factory and are happily working while earning their livelihood.

Nurez says he is earning well too, but the bigger satisfaction for him is to employ many people in his factory.

Those working in his factory are also happy for living a dignified life in their own village and for this, they donat mind thanking the Prime Minister enough.
Washington, May 8 : The United States and United Kingdom on Thursday announced a trade deal that is the first under President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on nearly all of America's trading partners in April.

President Trump previewed the deal in posts on Truth Social and was joined by Prime Minister Keir Stammer of the UK on phone at the formal announcement in the Oval Office of the White House.

"Today is an incredible day for America as we deliver our first Fair, Open, and Reciprocal Trade Deal  Something our past Presidents never cared about. Together with our strong Ally, the United Kingdom, we have reached the first, historic Trade Deal since Liberation Day," President Trump said in a post on Truth Social, referring to April 2, when the tariffs were announced.

"They are opening up the country," he said at the Oval Office event. "Their country is a little closed, and we appreciate that. They'll also be fast tracking American goods through their customs process, so our exports go to a very, very quick form of approval, and there won't be any red tape. Things are going to move very quickly both ways."

Although details of the deal are still being hammered out, President Trump gave out some in his social media post. "As part of this Deal, America will raise $6 BILLION DOLLARS in External Revenue from 10% Tariffs, $5 BILLION DOLLARS in new Export Opportunities for our Great Ranchers, Farmers, and Producers, and enhance the National Security of both the U.S. and the UK through the creation of an Aluminum and Steel Trading Zone, and a secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain. This Deal shows that if you respect America, and bring serious proposals to the table, America is OPEN FOR BUSINESS."

Joining in on phone, Stammer said, "This is a really fantastic, historic day in which we can announce this deal between our two great countries. And I think it's a real tribute to the history that we have of working so closely together."

The US has been in consecutive trade negotiations with multiple countries, including India, and officials here had expressed confidence of wrapping up a deal with India at the earliest, with one or two of them saying it could be the first of the lot.

American officials are set to hold their first trade talks with America's largest trading partner China on Saturday in Switzerland.
Jaipur, May 8 : Amid the prevailing tense situation due to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, the Rajasthan Police Headquarters on Thursday issued a statewide alert and suspended leaves of all police personnel until further notice, an official said.

According to the official order issued by ADG Law and Order, Vishal Bansal, any leave granted will now require prior approval from the respective district Superintendents of Police (SPs).

The directive emphasises the need for full force deployment and preparedness in light of the current security scenario.

An official email communication outlining these instructions has been sent to all SPs, Deputy Commissioners of Police, and Commandants across all districts.

The leave suspension order will remain in effect until further notice. In the wake of the Indian Armyas "Operation Sindoor" launched in response to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, Rajasthan Police have significantly tightened security in districts bordering Pakistan.

As part of the enhanced vigilance, all types of leave for police personnel have been suspended with immediate effect, said officials.

Additional Director General of Police (Administration, Law and Order) Vishal Bansal issued strict instructions on Thursday via official communication to all Range IGs, Police Commissioners, District SPs, DCPs, and Commandants.

The order mandates that no leave shall be granted to any police personnel except under exceptional circumstances, and even then, only with the explicit approval of the District SP, DCP, or Commandant.

While leave restrictions have been informally imposed since the Pahalgam attack, this official directive formalises the suspension of all leave in light of the current high-alert situation and increased tension along the border.

The ban will remain in effect until further notice. All police officers have been instructed to stay stationed at their respective headquarters and remain on standby 24x7 to respond promptly to any emergency arising from the evolving situation.
New Delhi, May 8 : The Delhi government cancelled leaves of all officials after Pakistan's unprovoked attack in Jammu city on Thursday night.

"In view of the prevailing situation and preparedness for the emergency response system, the Competent Authority has directed that no leave shall be granted to any officer/official of the Government of NCT of Delhi, till further orders," said a government order.

The Delhi government further added that in view of the prevailing situation and the need for preparedness of the emergency response system, no leave shall be granted to any officer or government official.

On Thursday night, an aerial attack by Pakistan targeting Jammu was successfully foiled by India's air defence systems.

The attempted strike, involving drones and missiles, triggered blackouts and sirens across several areas in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors and vigilant as emergency protocols were activated.

India has reportedly undertaken retaliatory action in the wake of the attacks.

According to sources, the Indian air defences neutralised several drones launched near the Jammu airport, with no casualties reported.

Moreover, eight missiles were intercepted near Jammu - all of them successfully destroyed, according to media reports. The attack also caused a temporary blackout at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, with similar power outages reported in Srinagar under heightened security measures.

Meanwhile, an F-16 supersonic fighter jet of the Pakistan Air Force was shot down in the evening by an Indian surface-to-air missile defence system, NDTV reported, quoting sources.

The F-16 took off from the Sargodha air base and was shot down near it, it reported, as per the sources.

This offensive by Pakistan came just hours after its earlier attempt to target 15 Indian cities was thwarted.
New Delhi, May 8 : Aerial attacks by Pakistan targeting Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border were successfully foiled by India's air defence systems on Thursday night.

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) Aerial attacks by Pakistan targeting Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border were successfully foiled by Indiaas air defence systems on Thursday night.

The attempted strike, involving drones and missiles, triggered blackouts and sirens across several areas in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors and vigilant as emergency protocols were activated.

India has reportedly undertaken retaliatory action in the wake of the attacks.

According to the Integrated Defence Staff, there was no damage to the military stations, including Jammu and Udhampur.

"Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by #IndianArmedForces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means", the IDS said in a post on X.

According to sources, the Indian air defences neutralised several drones launched near the Jammu airport, with no casualties reported.

Moreover, eight missiles were intercepted near Jammu - all of them successfully destroyed, according to media reports. The attack also caused a temporary blackout at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, with similar power outages reported in Srinagar under heightened security measures.

Meanwhile, an F-16 supersonic fighter jet of the Pakistan Air Force was shot down in the evening by an Indian surface-to-air missile defence system, NDTV reported, quoting sources.

The F-16 took off from the Sargodha air base and was shot down near it, it reported, as per the sources.

This offensive by Pakistan came just hours after its earlier attempt to target 15 Indian cities was thwarted.

Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that cities and towns such as Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj were on the target list. However, Indiaas integrated counter-UAS grid and robust air defence systems successfully neutralised all threats. Debris recovered from various locations confirmed that the drones and missiles originated from Pakistani territory.

In a swift retaliatory strike, Indian armed forces targeted and destroyed several Pakistani air defence systems, including a key installation in Lahore. Meanwhile, Pakistan's military also initiated unprovoked shelling in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors of Jammu & Kashmir, using heavy artillery and mortars. This aggression led to the tragic deaths of 16 civilians, including five children and three women. The Indian Army responded firmly and proportionately.

Earlier, India had carried out precision airstrikes, under Operation Sindoor, on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, reportedly eliminating around 100 militants.
Hyderabad, May 8 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said on Thursday that India can wipe Pakistan off the world map.

Addressing the national solidarity rally against terrorism, he said the valiant Indian soldiers can wipe Pakistan off the world map tomorrow.

"If India were to tell its Armed Forces, there will be no Pakistan on the world map tomorrow morning. The brave Indian armed forces can wipe you out before sunrise," he said.

He made it clear that any attempt to harm India's sovereignty by supporting terrorism will not be tolerated. The Chief Minister said the entire world has seen the might and power of the Indian armed forces with the launch of Operation Sindoor.

"We are peace-loving people. We are successors of Mahatma Gandhi, but if our peaceful nature is mistaken for weakness and our daughters' sindoor is threatened, our response will be Operation Sindoor," he said.

The rally was organised from the Secretariat to the Indira Gandhi statue on Necklace Road. State ministers, officials, political leaders, and ex-servicemen participated in the rally.

Holding the national flag in their hands, the participants raised slogans in support of the Indian Army.

Revanth Reddy said that they are united beyond politics when it comes to the security of the country.

"India is one in this war against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. All 140 crore people of India are united and together in backing their armed forces. Those who challenge our nation's integrity will pay a heavy price. On matters of national security, we rise above politics and stand as one," he said.

The Chief Minister said Congress party's top leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and assured him of total support in the action against Pakistani terror.

Revanth Reddy stated that the rally is a message of inspiration from Telangana.

"India is a peace-loving country. We achieved Independence from the British through peace and non-violence, through a struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi. Pakistan too found its birth and existence as a nation through the same Gandhian struggle," he said, adding that peace and non-violence should not be mistaken as weakness.
New Delhi, May 8 : US President Donald Trump's unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist killings of innocent tourists at Pahalgam and a similar response from President Vladimir Putin of Russia, no doubt strengthened India's hands in its successful attempt to create a long-term deterrence against Pakistan.

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) US President Donald Trump's unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist killings of innocent tourists at Pahalgam and a similar response from President Vladimir Putin of Russia, no doubt strengthened Indiaas hands in its successful attempt to create a long-term deterrence against Pakistan.

Amid the period of preparation taken by India, an element of surprise was maintained when India unleashed multiple aBalakote typea of military strikes ain one goa on nine terror bases and training complexes across the LoC and Indo-Pak border in the early hours of May 7, in pursuit of its declared strategy of targeting only the terror establishments not the Pakistani military entities.

India has at the same time, retained the right to hound out the likes of Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar wherever they might have been sheltered by the army.

Details of the action taken by India were presented by Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh the following morning - they were closely associated with the planning of the counter-terror action. The adaughtersa of India seemed to be on the forefront in avenging the awidowhooda inflicted by terrorists on so many women at Pahalgam.

'Operation Sindoora was an Intelligence-based project and in terms of precision of strikes and coordination among the defence forces, it was planned and got executed by Indiaas National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, with unprecedented perfection.

It is good to know that geopolitically Indo-US relations rest on a solid footing because of President Trumpas unmitigated denunciation of aIslamic terrora -- he made an early announcement of visa restrictions on countries and regions that fostered this kind of terror -- and a definite role he envisaged for India in his new strategy of countering China.

India has rightly upgraded its profile in Quad and this was reflected in the joint statement released after the Quad Foreign Ministers meet held at Washington on January 22 this year.

The statement not only reiterated that they all stood for a afree and open Indo-Pacifica that upheld arule of law, democratic values and territorial integritya but emphasised also the importance of the next Quad summit meeting being hosted by India later this year.

Unlike former US president Joe Biden who seemed to take no notice of the Pak-Afghan belt harbouring Islamic radical forces, President Trump's zero tolerance towards Islamic terror would draw his close attention to this region particularly in the context of the aftereffects of strategic Sino- Pak alliance.

India and US are the largest and the oldest democracies and they together lead the democratic world threatened by faith-based terror on one hand and the dictatorial regimes on the other. On geopolitical and strategic issues there is a natural convergence between these two countries.

The support from Russia in the context of Pahalgam marks the integral backing of the international community to Indiaas resolute moves to stand against terrorism. Russia it may be mentioned was at the receiving end of an attack by ISIS-K on a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow in March last year in which 135 persons were killed and nearly 500 more injured.

Incidentally, it may be mentioned that President Trump's 'America First' policy in diplomatic, economic and strategic spheres was largely dictated by his acute awareness that China- drawing lessons from the demise of Soviet Union - had consciously taken to the economic route to becoming the second superpower, that US had run into adverse balance of trade with many countries and that the awar likea conflicts embracing Europe, Middle East and South Asia were proving to be an unnecessary drag on the US.

Trump Presidency this time around is preoccupied with administrative reforms through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Elon Musk and concentrating on cost-cutting measures with particular reference to discarding of the funding of all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) projects of Biden Administration.

From all indications, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led regime is handling Indiaas relations with US in a diplomatically mature, internationally sound and economically stable perspective, without getting affected by anarrativesa of India playing second fiddle to US or not responding firmly enough to Trumpas policies on immigration and trade.

President Trump in spite of the label of aunpredictabilitya carried by him, has an uncanny sense of importance that Indiaas strategic and economy- related support to America had, in the pursuit of his aMake America Great Againa(MAGA) campaign. Prime Minister Modi upheld the call when he visited White House in February this year and in a subtle way reminded Trump that even India wanted aMake India Great Againa but without permitting any contradictions to develop in the Indo-US cooperation on that count.

The terror attack by Pak-directed Lashkar-e-Taiba infiltrants who killed 26 Hindus on April 22 at Pahalgam, is rightly being compared to 26/11 Mumbai attack of LeT -- PM Modi-led government has responded by granting a free hand to the defence forces in planning and executing the retaliatory action.

It is obligatory for India to eliminate the terrorist bases and the entire leadership of terrorists on a continual basis and call out Pak armyas hand behind the Pahalgam massacre. This has to be done with international support that Indian diplomacy is fully competent to achieve notwithstanding the pro-Pak stance of China.

Pakistan is not going to give up on using terrorism - with faith-based motivation - as a cost-effective instrument of state policy to bleed India and this country therefore has to create a standing deterrence by way of cross border strikes whenever these would be needed - presuming that Pakistan in its desperation can escalate the conflict by attacking our military targets as well.

Finally, after Pahalgam terror attack, it is advisable to put J&K in charge of a senior civilian of national security and intelligence background who commanded respect of the Defence services, had a good idea of the separatist and pro-Pak forces active in this border state and professionally knew the ways and means of activating the flow of local intelligence. After the terror attack at Pahalgam and the retaliatory strikes made by India, J&K has strategically become more important than ever before.

(The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau)
United Nations, May 8 : As attacks were reported across the India-Pakistan borders, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday encouraged efforts to de-escalate the confrontation there, according to his Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq.

"Certainly, we encourage all efforts to de-escalate the situation, and encourage both India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint," Haq said.

International diplomatic efforts were afoot to douse confrontation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaking to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Indiaas External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Saudi Arabiaas Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir were in New Delhi on a diplomatic mission.

Haq reiterated: "The world cannot afford another conflict between India and Pakistan, and he (Guterres) has offered his good offices" to help de-escalate the situation.

On Thursday, the conflict was spreading as Pakistan widened attacks beyond the Line of Control to other areas of India.

Aerial attacks by Pakistan targeting Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border were successfully foiled by Indiaas air defence systems on Thursday night.

The attempted strike, involving drones and missiles, triggered blackouts and sirens across several areas in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors and vigilant as emergency protocols were activated.

India has reportedly undertaken retaliatory action in the wake of the attacks.

According to the Integrated Defence Staff, there was no damage to the military stations, including Jammu and Udhampur.

According to sources, the Indian air defences neutralised several drones launched near the Jammu airport, with no casualties reported.
Bhubaneswar, May 8 : Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday asserted that the new Waqf Act is aimed at the welfare of the poor, underprivileged, and minority communities.

He made the statement while speaking at a consultation meeting with representatives from various religious communities held at Lok Seva Bhawan here in connection with the Waqf Amendment Act 2025.

The meeting was organised by the Department of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Minorities, and Backward Classes Welfare.

According to an official statement of the Chief Minister's Office, the Chief Minister said: "Our government is sensitive and people-centric. I am always ready to listen to you. If you have any suggestions regarding the Act, please share them with us in writing. We will make every effort to address them."

CM Majhi reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's principle of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas" as the foundation behind the amendment.

Calling for unity among all the castes and religions, Majhi said: "Regardless of caste or religion, we are all Odias. Let us work together for a prosperous Odisha."

The event saw participation from around 250 representatives belonging to various communities across 10 districts of Odisha.

The primary goal was to raise awareness about the new Waqf law and underline the government's commitment to empowering minorities.

Clarifying misconceptions surrounding the Act, the Chief Minister described the 2025 Amendment as "just and purposeful."

He highlighted that before its implementation, a Joint Parliamentary Committee had held consultations with 284 stakeholders from various religious and social institutions, along with five minority commissions. The Act was then thoroughly debated and passed in both Houses of Parliament.

"As per the Waqf law, properties under it must be used solely for public welfare. They cannot be exploited for personal gain. Unfortunately, these properties have not been utilised effectively for their intended purpose, leaving many socially and economically backward for decades," added CM Majhi.

The amendment aims to ensure better governance and proper use of Waqf properties. It emphasises the protection of the rights of Muslim women and backward sections.

"Prime Minister Modi has always stood for justice and equality for Muslim women," noted Majhi.

The revised law introduces inclusive representation, transparent administration, and a defined appeal process allowing individuals to approach the High Court within 90 days.

District Collectors have been given the authority to resolve property disputes, enabling faster justice for all concerned. The discussion concluded with a call for collective cooperation in implementing the new law for the greater good of marginalised communities.
New Delhi, May 8 : Air India on Thursday advised passengers to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure, as India-Pakistan conflict escalated further.

In a post on social media platform X, the carrier said that in view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, "passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding".

"Check-in closes 75 minutes before departure," the airline added.

The advisory came after aerial attacks by Pakistan targeting Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border, were successfully foiled by Indiaas air defence systems.

The attempted strike, involving drones and missiles, triggered blackouts and sirens across several areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors and vigilant as emergency protocols were activated. India has reportedly undertaken retaliatory action in the wake of the attacks.

Earlier in the day, domestic carriers cancelled around 430 flights on Thursday, which is nearly three per cent of the total scheduled flights in the country, as 27 airports remain shut till May 10.

The affected airports include Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Shimla, Gaggal, Dharamsala, Kishangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mundra, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Bhuj, Gwalior, and Hindon.

Now, some more airports have been added to the list due to heightened tensions.

On Wednesday, more than 300 flights were cancelled, and operations at 21 airports across northern and western India were suspended.

In a post on X, Air India said its contact centres are currently experiencing high call volumes. It also said that it is grateful for the selfless service and dedication of our military and defence personnel.
Kyiv region police detained a man who shot a soldier and his relative; as a result of the gunshot wounds they received, they died, the National Police of Ukraine reported on Thursday.

"The police established that a month ago, a serviceman sold a weapon to a man for $1,000. However, today there was a conflict between them regarding payment: the serviceman demanded that the buyer pay him another amount. As a result, the man shot the serviceman and his mother-in-law, who was at home, with the weapon he had purchased. After that, the lawbreaker entered his own house and locked himself inside," the Telegram message says.

Police special forces reportedly surrounded the house and detained the 63-year-old shooter within an hour.

At the moment, investigative actions are ongoing. The issue of informing the detainee of the suspicion is being decided.

As reported, several people were killed in the village of Sofiyivska Borshahivka in Bucha district of Kyiv region on Thursday as a result of gunfire opened by an unknown person, according to the Facebook page of the National Police of Ukraine.
New Delhi, May 8 : Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, on Thursday extended his full support to the Indian armed forces, as tensions further flared up between India and Pakistan.

In a heartfelt message on social media platform X, the billionaire industrialist said it is in times like these that the world witnesses the true strength and unity of India, "forged as much in her sameness, as in her diversity".

"We stand in unwavering solidarity and are committed to supporting our armed forces as they defend the soul of our motherland and the spirit of our ideals. #IndiaFirst Jai Hind!", Gautam Adani wrote.

Gautam Adanias comment came after India successfully thwarted a major aerial offensive launched by Pakistan on Thursday night. The attempted strike, which included drones and missiles and aimed at military stations in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur, triggered blackouts and sirens across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan.

Residents were advised to stay indoors as emergency protocols kicked in. According to the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), the Indian armed forces neutralised all threats using both kinetic and non-kinetic means.

No damage was reported at the targeted military bases, and multiple drones near Jammu airport were shot down without any casualties. Media reports also confirmed that eight missiles were intercepted near Jammu.

In a major development, an Indian surface-to-air missile system reportedly shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet that had taken off from the Sargodha air base.

India responded swiftly and decisively. Sources revealed that retaliatory strikes by Indian forces targeted and destroyed several Pakistani air defence installations, including one in Lahore.

Earlier, Indian precision airstrikes, under "Operation Sindoor", wiped out nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, eliminating nearly 100 militants.

Pakistan initiated heavy shelling in several border sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri, which was thwarted by the Indian Army.
Patna, May 8 : Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, a youth from Bihar's Jamui district on Thursday triggered outrage, police said.

The district police swiftly took legal action and arrested him for posting "Pakistan Zindabad" on his Instagram account.

The accused, identified as Mohammad Raja, the son of Mohammad Imran, hailing from Kewal Fariyatta village under Khaira police station, posted the controversial content using the Instagram handle _mr_raja_boss_07.

The post was flagged by the Jamui Social Media Monitoring Cell, which immediately alerted the authorities.

Acting on the intelligence, the Khaira Police Station initiated a probe and later transferred the case to the Jamui Cyber Police Station for further investigation.

Within hours, the cyber police tracked down and arrested the accused, who has been sent to judicial custody after being produced before the district court.

According to an official statement from Jamui police, Raja has been booked under Sections 196(1)(B), 353(1)(C), and 353(2) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) -- India's new criminal law code.

These sections pertain to inciting enmity, promoting disharmony, and actions prejudicial to national unity.

The investigation also revealed that the social media posts had the potential to inflame religious sentiments and threaten the unity and integrity of the country.

Authorities confirmed that the youth used his mobile phone to post the content.

"Such anti-national activities will not be tolerated. We are committed to taking the strictest legal action against any attempt to incite communal tension or defame the nation," an official spokesperson from Jamui police said.

The incident comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor, India's strategic military action targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday.

This has led to massive destruction in the terrorist camps of internationally banned outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

The firing is continuously taking place in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

This incident has further sensitised law enforcement agencies to any provocative behaviour online.
Kolkata, May 8 : BJP's Information Technology Cell Chief and the party's central observer for West Bengal Amit Malviya on Thursday had claimed that the people of the state are suffering because of a power struggle between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who also happens to be the nephew of the CM.

He made this observation in a statement which he posted on the wall of his official X handle on Thursday evening. In the statement, he had also referred to Abhishek Banerjee as Bhaipo (nephew) and khokababu (young boy).

"One side, Mamata. On the other, Bhaipo; the power struggle is real! But who is paying the price? Who is being crushed under this greed and betrayal? The common people of Bengal," Malviya claimed in his statement.

In the statement, Malviya had also accused the Trinamool Congress general secretary and party Lok Sabha member of having his fingerprints in all major financial scams in West Bengal.

"From the corridors of SSC to the coal mines of Bengal, from the cattle vans lining up at the borders to the lottery syndicates that bleed the helpless dry, every scam has a common thread: Khokababu, Abhishek Banerjee Khokababu has his fingerprints on every scam in Bengal. His end goal is grabbing power for himself - he wants to rule and loot Bengal!," Malviya claimed in his statement.

In his post, he also claimed that people of West Bengal will give a fitting reply to Trinamool Congress in the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections.

"Bengal has bled enough! In 2026, Bengal will rise and foil the sinister design of Pishi-Bhaipo (aunt-nephew) duo to grab power they lust for. Soibe Na Aar Bangla (West Bengal will not tolerate anymore," Malviya's statement read.

To recall, in a somewhat similar post that Malviya made last week, he alleged that under Mamata Banerjee's rule, rampant corruption and attacks on Hindu religious festivals have become quite a regular factor in West Bengal.

"Under Mamata's rule, Bengal got nothing but bomb blasts at Pujo pandals and fake job rackets. Temples came under attack, and crores were siphoned off by her ministers  while Bengalis were left to starve, with neither jobs nor dignity. Her speeches may be grand, but her legacy? Smuggling, scamming, and silencing Sanatanis," read the post made by Malviya last week.
Ahmedabad, May 8 : In light of potential threats from Pakistan, Gujarat has tightened its security measures along its 1,600-kilometre sensitive coastline and the land border it shares with the hostile neighbour.

The state administration, security forces, and citizens have come together in an unprecedented display of coordination, ensuring complete preparedness to counter any adverse situation, an official said.

Given Gujaratas strategic position with both land and sea boundaries adjoining Pakistan, all security agencies have been placed on high alert. The Border Security Force (BSF), military units, and local police are actively stationed across border areas, remaining vigilant, particularly during night hours. In case of any provocations from across the border, security forces are fully equipped to respond with precision and strength.

Due to the strategic importance of Gujaratas extensive coastline, the Indian Coast Guard and Marine Police have intensified patrolling activities to prevent any infiltration attempts by sea.

All districts in Gujarat that border Pakistan have been instructed to remain on high alert. Coordination is being closely maintained between district collectors, police superintendents, and other relevant departments.

Emergency response measures, including law enforcement, relief, rescue operations, and resource allocation, have already been meticulously planned by the stateas administrative machinery.

The stateas Home Department is continuously monitoring the situation and has reinforced security measures. The Health Department, too, is on standby to provide medical aid in the event of any emergency, with hospitals maintaining ready-to-deploy medical teams, emergency wards, and adequate supplies of medicines.

Recognising the vital role of citizens in border security, residents in sensitive areas are being regularly briefed and urged to remain vigilant. They have been requested to report any suspicious activities immediately to the authorities.

In a precise and proportionate response early this morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Pakistani Air Defence radars and systems at multiple sites. It is reliably learned that a key Air Defence installation in Lahore was successfully neutralised.

Officials confirmed that Indiaas response matched both the domain and intensity of Pakistanas provocation. Pakistan has escalated its unprovoked ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC), intensifying mortar and heavy artillery shelling in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors of Jammu and Kashmir. Indian forces remain on high alert and are responding firmly to these continued hostilities.
Guwahati, May 9 : Amid tensions between India and Pakistan, the Assam government has ramped up the security vigilance along the International Border with Bangladesh, officials said on Thursday.

A senior police official said, "We have been keeping strict vigil along the International Border which was heightened after the departure of Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh. The security forces have foiled numerous attempts of infiltration from the neighbouring country and we have deported many Bangladeshi citizens. While the tensions between India and Pakistan was flared up following the Pahalgam attack, we have also increased security along the international boundary. Any movement along the Line Of Control has been closely monitored."

Meanwhile, in response to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Bangladesh Police have issued a nationwide directive calling for heightened vigilance and security, particularly in border regions and areas with Hindu population.

A memorandum from the Police headquarters in Dhaka, issued by the Operations Branch, outlines a series of precautionary measures aimed at maintaining law and order and preventing communal unrest during this sensitive period.

Authorities have instructed law enforcement agencies to intensify security in border areas to prevent any provocations or activities that could incite instability.

Police forces have also been directed to ensure the safety of Hindu citizens and their properties across the country, with a focus on preventing potential attacks or acts of vandalism.

Additionally, the directive emphasises the need for strict monitoring of digital platforms.

Law enforcement has been told to remain on high alert for any attempts to spread rumours or misinformation via mobile phones, internet or social media channels such as Facebook, YouTube, and X, which could inflame communal tensions or disrupt public order.

The Bangladesh Police have urged all units to implement these measures immediately and maintain maximum vigilance in the current volatile regional atmosphere.
New Delhi, May 9 : Aerial attacks by Pakistan targeting Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border were successfully foiled by India's air defence systems on Thursday night, with the armed forces saying no damage had been caused.

New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) Aerial attacks by Pakistan targeting Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border were successfully foiled by Indiaas air defence systems on Thursday night, with the armed forces saying no damage had been caused.

The attempted strike, involving drones and missiles, triggered blackouts and sirens across several areas in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors and vigilant as emergency protocols were activated. The Indian Premier League 2025 match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala was called off midway as a precautionary measure.

According to the Integrated Defence Staff, there was no damage to the military stations, including Jammu and Udhampur.

"Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by #IndianArmedForces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means", the IDS said in a post on X.

According to sources, the Indian air defences neutralised several drones launched near the Jammu airport, with no casualties reported.

Moreover, eight missiles were intercepted near Jammu - all of them successfully destroyed, according to media reports. The attack also caused a temporary blackout at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, with similar power outages reported in Srinagar under heightened security measures.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken to the Directors General of border guarding forces to assess the border situation. He has also spoken with the CISF Director General regarding airport security.

The Home Minister also spoke with Jammu & Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat.

India has reportedly undertaken retaliatory action against Pakistan in the wake of the attacks.

An F-16 supersonic fighter jet of the Pakistan Air Force was shot down in the evening by an Indian surface-to-air missile defence system, NDTV reported, quoting sources.

The F-16 took off from the Sargodha air base and was shot down near it, it reported, as per the sources.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with counterparts from several countries, including the United States, late Thursday night, asserting India's strong resolve to firmly counter any attempts at escalation being made by Pakistan.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres encouraged efforts to de-escalate the India-Pakistan confrontation there, according to his Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq.

"Certainly, we encourage all efforts to de-escalate the situation, and encourage both India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint," Haq said.

International diplomatic efforts were afoot to douse confrontation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaking to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Indiaas External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Saudi Arabiaas Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir were in New Delhi on a diplomatic mission.

Haq reiterated: "The world cannot afford another conflict between India and Pakistan, and he (Guterres) has offered his good offices" to help de-escalate the situation.

This offensive by Pakistan came just hours after its earlier attempt to target 15 Indian cities was thwarted.

Army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that cities and towns such as Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj were on the target list. However, Indiaas integrated counter-UAS grid and robust air defence systems successfully neutralised all threats. Debris recovered from various locations confirmed that the drones and missiles originated from Pakistani territory.

In a swift retaliatory strike, Indian armed forces targeted and destroyed several Pakistani air defence systems, including a key installation in Lahore. Meanwhile, Pakistan's military also initiated unprovoked shelling in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors of Jammu & Kashmir, using heavy artillery and mortars. This aggression led to the tragic deaths of 16 civilians, including five children and three women. The Indian Army responded firmly and proportionately.

Earlier, India had carried out precision airstrikes, under Operation Sindoor, on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, reportedly eliminating around 100 militants.

--IANS

team-vd/vd
New Delhi, May 9 : External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar spoke with counterparts from several countries, including the US, late Thursday night, asserting India's strong resolve to firmly counter any attempts at escalation being made by Pakistan.

In his call with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, EAM Jaishankar deeply appreciated Washington's commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.

"Underlined India's targetted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation," he posted on X after the call.

Rubio, meanwhile, emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation and expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan while encouraging continued efforts to improve communication.

"The Secretary reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States' commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism," said a statement issued by the US State Department.

As Pakistan rained several missiles on Indian cities escalating military tensions, the EAM also spoke with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani.

"Discussed India's targetted and measured response to firmly counter terrorism. Any escalation will see a strong response," the EAM reiterated.

He also spoke with Estonian politician Kaja Kallas, currently the Vice-President of the European Commission.

"Discussed ongoing developments with EU High Representative/Vice President Kaja Kallas. India has been measured in its actions. However, any escalation will get a firm response," EAM Jaishankar wrote on X.
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we asked eight authors of new books ranging from picture books to YA about highlighting their cultures, history, and traditions for young readers.

Christine Alemshah

The balikbayan box is a care package for relatives in the Philippines. Why was this tradition important to you to highlight?

I longed to capture the vibe in this line from Beas Balikbayan Box of Treasures: We all write special notes and cards. Because were sending more than just treasures. Were sending our love.

Sending balikbayan boxes is a physical expression of connection to loved ones who live apart from one another. It connects families to the Philippines, even for children who may not have lived there themselves. Im honored that Beas story helps open doors to conversations around shared family traditions. It reinforces bonds to heritage and instills a sense of belonging.

Do you have any memories of creating one yourself?

My favorite memory is when I packed a balikbayan box of treasures for my Lola [grandmother] a few years ago. She resides in a rural village in Iba, Zambales. I sent her letters and artwork from her great-grandchildren, a framed family photo, tea, and spices for cooking. I remember her embracing the family photo when we met on a video call afterward. I felt the warmth of that hug across the miles. Im grateful I had the opportunity to connect with my Lola in such a meaningful way!

Why did you choose to portray the perspectives of both the giver and receiver?

Both perspectives are rooted in gratitude. Giving and receiving present opportunities for growth and fellowship with others. I hoped to provide a universal experience for young readers and their families. The books back matter further expands upon this idea, inspiring children to create their own care packages for loved ones.

Beas Balikbayan Box of Treasures by Christine Alemshah, illus. by Dream Chen. Free Spirit, July 15 $18.99 ISBN 979-8-88554-641-6

Livia Blackburne

Your work centers on the Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre of 1871. What went into your decision to write Dreams to Ashes as a picture book rather than a book for older readers?

After I had my daughter, I fell in love with picture books as a format. Not only are they beautiful, but [illustrated] nonfiction books are a fantastic way to get information across, even to adults who may be too busy to dive into a full-length nonfiction book. Also, I wanted to write about this event, but for my own mental health, I didn't want to stay immersed in the topic for too long. A picture book felt like the right amount of contact.

Even with these reasons, I dont think I would have attempted a picture book had I not read and been deeply moved by Carole Boston Weatherfords Unspeakable, which showed me that publishing a picture book about dark topics is possible.

What aspects of the event did you want to highlight for young readers? Were there any aspects that you didnt want to focus on too closely?

Because of the younger audience, we wanted to be very mindful about the extent to which we described the violence. Instead of dwelling on specifics, I wanted instead to highlight the bigger picture: the racism and xenophobia in the years leading up to the attack, and how that exploded into tragedy. My editor and I also wanted to make sure that we humanized the victims. They werent just nameless statistics, but people with hopes and dreams, whose lives were tragically cut short.

What do you hope children take away from this book?

I would like them to come away seeing immigrants as human beings who are worthy of dignity and respect. I would also like them to understand the social forces by which that respect can be stripped away, and the devastating consequences when that happens. I hope they are motivated by this insight to work for a society that respects all its members.

Dreams to Ashes: The 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre by Livia Blackburne, illus. by Nicole Xu. Carolrhoda, Mar. $19.99 ISBN 979-8-76562-722-8

Arree Chung

Your story begins with young Ming Lee being placed in an ESL class, despite his first and only language being English. Why did you want to start there?

I wanted to start with Ming being placed in ESL because it was the perfect mix of awkward and hilarious. He already felt different with his second-hand clothes and bowl haircut, and getting placed in ESLeven though he only spoke Englishwas the perfect way to show just how out of place Ming felt.

How does Mings interpretation of not causing trouble differ from that of his parents?

For Ming, it meant staying invisiblenot speaking up, not drawing attention to himself. But for his parents, especially his dad, it meant focusing on getting good grades and staying on a clear path to success without any distractions.

Your graphic novel debut is informed by personal experience. Why was it important to touch on this time in your life and what do you hope young readers take from it?

This graphic novel is really personal to me. I wanted to show how kids of immigrants are often juggling two worldstheir familys hopes at home and the totally different reality they face at school. I hope young readers who sometimes feel stuck in between can see a bit of themselves in Ming and know that its okay to make mistakes and find their own way to who they are.

Dont Cause Trouble by Arree Chung. Holt, Apr. $22.99 ISBN 978-1-250-88729-0

Mia P. Manansala

The cast features Danika, a young queer Filipina woman, and a supporting cast of queer BIPOC characters. Why was it important to offer this representation in your YA debut?

It was the representation that I desperately wanted and needed as a kid and never got. I dedicated the book to my younger self because if Id had a book like this when I was a teen, maybe it wouldnt have taken me until I was almost 30 to realize I was queer. Maybe it wouldnt have taken me so long to understand that no culture is a monolith, and that just because I didnt seem to fit in with other Filipinos growing up doesnt mean that I wasnt Filipino enough or that my experiences werent valid. Lastly, queer spaces tend to be very white and it was important for me to have various kinds of intersectionality in my book.

How did you approach representing Filipina culture through Danikas family?

First of all, when I think Filipino family, I dont just think of the nuclear family, but the extended family, a multigenerational one. So even though a lot of YA novels try to limit parental interference, I knew Danikas family would be heavily involved in a positive way (for the most part). Theres still friction between Danika and her mom, but for me, it just reinforces the family bonds: Danikas dream is to follow in her moms footsteps and become a private detective, but her mom, in typical immigrant parent fashion is like, No. I work this dangerous, unstable job because I have to. Its what was available to me. But I want better for you.

Danika also studies Kali, a Filipino martial art (also known as Arnis), with her aunt and cousins. Her father is a writer and the cook in the family, nourishing the familys bodies and minds with stories and plenty of Filipino food. There are so many ways that I tried to weave these aspects into this book.

Tarot plays a big role in this book. Do you have a connection to tarot yourself? How did it become a vehicle for this story?

Ive been interested in tarot on and off for over a decade, but I only ever read for myself. Tarot cards employ visual storytelling, character archetypes, the idea of the heros journey, and other aspects of storytelling craft that make them perfect to include in a novel. On top of that, part of being good at reading cards is being able to read people as well, particularly the clients who come to you for a consultation. This skill is Danikas number one strength as a detective. One of the most fun things about writing this story was that all of the tarot readings (minus the one that kicks off the story) were actual cards that I pulled while drafting, and the direction of the scene would change based on the cards that came up for the characters that Danika was reading for.

Death in the Cards by Mia P. Manansala. Delacorte, May 13 $19.99 ISBN 978-0-593-89792-8

Axie Oh

What was it about the Korean legend of the Celestial Maidens that interested you and led you to weave it into this story?

I was intrigued by the idea of women from the heavens whose magic is tied to their wings. In the legends, Celestial Maidens come down from the heavens to bathe in waterfall pools; but in order to do so, they must take off their wings and hang them on the bough of a pine tree. In one story in particular, a woodcutter steals the wings of one of the maidens, trapping her on Earth. To me, there was so much imagery and symbolism in this legend that I wanted to weave it into a story of my own. It also provided such a rich starting point to inspire plot and worldbuilding elements. For example, I started to imagine what sort of magic a Celestial Maiden would have besides the ability to fly. What would compel someone to steal the magic of another person, and how would humans view a Celestial Maiden trapped on Earth? The Korean legend was the foundation from which I built my story world.

What made the legend a fitting backdrop for your tale of star-crossed teens?

Ren, the Celestial Maiden in my story, is from a place called the Floating World, which is a landmass that floats in the sky. That already sets up a star-crossed element, since the boy protagonist, Sunho, is from the Under World, an industrial-like city that sits beneath the shadow of the Floating World. Ren is the heir to the Floating World, aka its princess, while Sunho is an orphan and sword-for-hire trying to make ends meets while searching for his missing brother. Also, Ren is a character who isnt entirely human, while Sunho was born human, even if the events of his life have changed him. I definitely think the legend helped set them on a bit of a star-crossed path from the beginning!

What do you enjoy most about writing in the fantasy space?

I love everything about itI love creating a world from scratch and imbuing it with life through imagery and the characters interacting with the world. Most of all, I love how heightened everything is in a fantasythe politics and plot, but also the emotions. Its much more dramatic to fall in love while fighting off assassins, let alone bloodthirsty demons!

The Floating World by Axie Oh. Feiwel and Friends, Apr. $19.99 ISBN 978-1-250-85308-0

Aimee Phan

How did you come to integrate Vietnamese lore into this story?

I was inspired by the legend of the Hai Ba Trung (the Trung Sisters) who were military leaders that rebelled against the Han Empire to found the country of Vietnam. Their story ends with the sisters drowning themselves in the Hat Giang River rather than surrender to the Chinese. When I was little, I loved reading historical myths and ever since I discovered the Trung Sisters, I wondered what if their story didnt end there? What if they hadnt died? What if they were reincarnated into modern times? Once I began to explore that question, the fantasy elements soon followed.

Your protagonist Jolie has her life upturned in many ways at once, including a blossoming friendship with the schools queen bee and the discovery of new powers. How do these adjustments in Jolies life interact with one another?

I definitely wanted to explore the perception of power, whether its the most popular girl in school, or a goddess with magical elements, [like] in my book. I think when kids go through puberty, they absolutely feel a loss of power, or control, over their identityor at least what they believe people think of them. It can make teenagers feel helpless and demoralized. At the beginning of the book, Jolie doesnt think anyone believes in her, and then this girl comes along who does. And I love that this confidence and acceptance first manifests as magical powers. When teens believe in themselves, they can feel immortal and invincible.

Why was it important to showcase women of power in the past passing along magic to modern young women?

I dont think many teenage girls believe in their own self-worth. Its heartbreaking to see how many strong, fierce girls change during adolescence. Its like they lose their individuality to peer pressure, puberty, and social media. I wanted to write a story where young women could find their strength and voices. Magic is a wonderful conduit for them to find this power that I believe exists in all women.

The Lost Queen by Aimee Phan. Putnam, May $19.99 ISBN 978-0-593-69733-7

Anoosha Syed

This book is the second in the Everlasting Tales collection. Can you tell us the importance for you in joining this anthology series?

Pakistan has such a beautiful and rich cultural history and is often known as the land of poetry. My country is often overlooked for its arts and beauty and I was honored to get the chance to share it with the world. I wanted to be able to portray all my favorite parts of my heritage, whether its the art style inspired by traditional Moghul era paintings, the focus on our amazing cuisine, or the beautiful diversity in our people. Mostly, I wanted the chance to create the princess story I wouldve loved to have as a kid!

Why did you choose the Pakistani folktale of the Salt Princess? What about this particular story stood out to you?

I had a hard time choosing a traditional folk story for this book, but eventually settled on The Salt Princess; it is a common story that appears in a lot of cultures (similar to Cinderella) but I felt that I could weave in a lot of cultural specificities to the story. Namely, the concept of log kya kahenge or :what will people say. There can be a lot of pressure to forsake your dreams and follow societal expectations, but as someone who actually went against that and pursued the arts, I wanted to highlight the harms of that kind of thinking.

This story is about a girl who struggles to fit in with her family. What do you hope readers who may feel the same way take from this book?

I hope children have the courage to follow their dreams and stand up for themselves! I did a reading of this book recently and asked the children what the lesson of the story might be. One very clever girl said, Parents should respect their kids like we respect them, which I thought was an excellent thing to absorb from the book, for parents and children alike.

The Salt Princess by Anoosha Syed. HarperCollins, Apr. $19.99 ISBN 978-0-06-332471-8

Chi Thai

This story is about you and your own familys journey from Vietnam to the U.S. What did your research process look like?

This story belongs to my family, and to me. Its one Ive carried for as long as I can remember. It was never something I had to search for; the story lived with me, passed down over countless tellings. I sometimes think the story was waiting patiently until I was readyready not just to write it, but to understand and articulate it fully, and also to have access to the means to get it into the world. The story grew over time. Each retelling added something newa detail from my parents, a memory from another refugee who was also on our boat. As I grew from child to adult, so did the story, taking on greater depth and shape and meaning. When I finally began to write, I recorded an interview with my mothera way to ground the story, to fact-check. This time, I asked questions more carefully, determined to document the fullest version of how my family fled Vietnam.

Why did you want to tell this story from the voice and perspective of a child?

A big part of the creative process is often mysteriousless about conscious choice and more about instinct and trust. In this case, I didnt deliberately decide on the perspective. It simply arrived with the story itself. Thats often how it happens for me. When an idea takes hold, the protagonist and their journey usually come well formed. My real work as a writer happens later, in the careful layering of character development, details and meaning. With The Endless Sea, it felt as though something deepermemories and intuitionwas steering the process. I didnt overthink. I wrote. And from the beginning, the story flowed naturally through the voice of a child.

What was most important to you about representing your familys experience?

There were many things that felt important to representand much of it went beyond just the boat journey itself. Because the medium is a picture book, I had to be succinct and find a language that would speak clearly to young readers. Still, it was vital for me to convey why we had to leave our home in the first place. Thats captured in the line: Every day felt like it could be our last.

I think there is still a lot of misunderstanding about why refugees exista misunderstanding that is often fueled by anti-immigration rhetoric and systemic racism. If this book can help even a few readers better understand the plight of refugees and encourage greater compassion, then I feel it has done something meaningful. When I made that journey, there were around six million refugees in the world. Today, there are more than 110 million people forcibly displacedover 36 million of them refugees. Its a crisis that has only grown, and I hope this story can offer a small but important reminder of the human experiences behind those numbers.

The Endless Sea by Chi Thai, illus. by Linh Dao. Candlewick, Mar. 18 $18.99 ISBN 978-1-5362-3960-7
Alta Journals California Book Club

The book: Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins

Our reviewer says: The book is packed with persuasive detail, luminous writing, and a grasp of the history (popular, political, natural, and imagined) needed to tell a story that is original yet familiar, strange yet all too believable. Read more.

Audacious Book Club

The book: My Documents by Kevin Nguyen

Our reviewer says: Nguyen draws on the legacy of the U.S. governments internment of Japanese Americans during WWII for this intelligent and chilling novel. This poignant narrative is an emotional roller coaster. Read more.

Audiofile Audiobook Club

The book: How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History from NPR Music, ed. Alison Fensterstock with Ann Powers

Our reviewer says: Fensterstock, a contributor to NPRs Turning the Tables draws from it and more than 50 years of the stations coverage in a rich and resonant collection of essays, interview excerpts, and ephemera. Its a buoyant, welcome ode to some of the most influential songstresses of the 20th and 21st centuries. Read more.

Barnes & Noble Book Club

The book: My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Black Men Read

The book: The Man the Moment Demands: Master the 10 Characteristics of the Comprehensive Man by Jason Wilson

Belletrist

The book: Twist by Colum McCann

Our reviewer says: National Book Award winner McCann offers an intriguing story of a journalist sent to report on the complex work of repairing the underwater cables that carry the worlds information. Readers will be dazzled. Read more.

CBS New York Book Club

The book: Didn't You Used to Be Queenie B? by Terri-Lynn DeFino

Our reviewer says: DeFinos charming latest delves into the broken lives of two talented chefs who meet in a soup kitchen.... Its an immersive tour through the highs and lows of a chefs life. Read more.

Eclectix The Book Club

The book: The Fantasies of Future Things by Doug Jones

Our reviewer says: In Joness resonant if underdeveloped debut, two young Black men uneasily take part in a real estate scheme to raze houses for the 1996 summer Olympics. Jones is a writer worth keeping tabs on. Read more.

Good Housekeeping Book Club

The book: Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang

Our reviewer says: Huangs provocative if uneven sophomore outing blends speculative elements with a story of friendship and jealousy between two artists from opposing backgrounds. This bracing novel gives readers plenty to chew on. Read more.

Good Morning America Book Club

The book: The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei

Good Morning America YA Book Club

The book: Audre & Bash are Just Friends by Tia Williams

Jewish Book Council Book Club (fiction)

The book: Mrs. Lilienblums Cloud Factory by Iddo Gefen, trans. Daniella Zamir

Jewish Book Council Book Club (nonfiction)

The book: Chutzpah Girls: 100 Tales of Daring Jewish Women by Julie Silverstein and Tami Schlossberg Pruwer

Oprahs Book Club

The books: Matriarch by Tina Knowles (Apr. 22) and Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (May 13)

Our reviewer says: Poet Vuong follows up his acclaimed first novel with a searching and beautiful story of a troubled young man.... This downbeat tale soars to astonishing heights. Read more.

Maudes Book Club

The book: Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising by Timothy Zahn

Mocha Girls Read Book Club

The book: Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams

Our reviewer says: Trauma triggers a Black boys dormant ancestral magic in debut author Williamss exuberant contemporary fantasy series opener. Williams delivers a serpentine, high-intensity celebration of Black culture, history, and power. Read more.

Natalies Book Club

The book: Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley

Our reviewer says: Stanley serves up a charming and intelligent story of a 20-something Australian copywriter and aspiring novelist who builds a new life in London. Read more.

Noname Book Club

The book: Africa Is Not A Country by Dipo Faloyin

Our reviewer says: Vice senior editor Faloyin debuts with a spirited critique of Western misrepresentations of Africa. The result is an exuberant and informative introduction to one of the worlds most diverse continents. Read more.

NYPL Teen Banned Book Club

The book: The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

Our reviewer says: Nguyens poignant debut captures the perspectives of, and essence of the bond between, a parent and child, proving that languageand lovecan transcend words. Read more.

PBS Books Readers Club

The book: Miss Austen by Gill Hornby

Our reviewer says: The third novel from Hornby strikes gold in the much-mined terrain of Jane Austeninspired fiction. Echoing Austens sardonic wit and crisp prose without falling into pastiche, Hornby succeeds with a vivid homage to the Austens and their world. Read more.

Preoccupied Book Club

The book: Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette

Read with Jenna

The book: The Names by Florence Knapp

Our reviewer says: Knapps intriguing and nuanced debut comprises three alternate story lines for a British family. Readers wont be able to stop talking about this intelligent exploration of a single choices long tail of repercussions. Read more.

Reeses Book Club

The book: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Our reviewer says: What begins as a charming if standard rom-com evolves into a hauntingly beautiful meditation on what makes a life well lived in the latest showstopper from Henry. Read more.

Sapph-Lit

The book: Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee

Our reviewer says: Lee returns after more than 20 years with the powerful story of a womans reentry to society after being released from prison. Its irresistible. Read more.

Sarah Selects

The book: Tilt by Emma Pattee

Our reviewer says: In Pattees nail-biting debut, a pregnant woman navigates the aftermath of a major earthquake in Portland, Ore. Pattees depiction of a post-earthquake Portland feels bracingly realistic, and her depictions of marriage and impending motherhood are achingly raw. Read more.

The Stacks Book Club

The book: Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley

Our reviewer says: This jaunty crime novel, set in L.A. in 1948, introduces Ezekiel Easy' Rawlins, a recently laid-off mechanic who is young, Black andbut for the need to meet the mortgage on his new housea most reluctant sleuth. Read more.

Subtle Asian Book Club

The book: The Book Censors Library by Bothayna Al-Essa

Our reviewer says: Kuwaiti author Al-Essa riffs on Kafka with this canny story of a book censor who transforms into a reader. This allegory brims with intelligence. Read more.

Target Book Club

The book: The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li

Our reviewer says: In this richly imagined adult debut from YA author Li, the death of a Hollywood star brings together two Chinese American families. Fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcias Mexican Gothic ought to take note of this beautiful and haunting novel. Read more.

TeaTime Book Club

The book: Audition by Katie Kitamura

Our reviewer says: Kitamura serves up a taut and alluring novel about a mysterious relationship between a middle-aged woman and a young man. Readers wont be able to put this down. Read more.
As of 16:00, more clashes recorded on front than in previous days

Russian invaders continue to storm the positions of Ukrainian defenders on Thursday; as of 16:00, some 117 combat clashes have occurred since the beginning of the day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on its Facebook page.

Moreover, the intensity of fighting has been increasing for the second day in a row: on Wednesday, May 7, as of 16:00, 93 military clashes occurred, and on Tuesday, May 6, 79.

The most difficult situation remains in Pokrovsk direction, where 41 armed clashes have occurred since the beginning of the day (nine of them are ongoing), in Novo-Pavlivsk (19) and Lymany directions in Donetsk region.

In Kursk region of the Russian Federation, seven armed clashes took place, the enemy launched seven air strikes and carried out 149 artillery attacks.

As reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Vladimir Putin's initiative to declare a three-day ceasefire from May 7 to May 9 a theatrical production to create an atmosphere of Russia's exit from isolation and stated that the Ukrainian proposal for a ceasefire for at least 30 days remains in force, but Russia does not respond to it, continuing shelling.
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The European Union fined TikTok $600 million after Irish investigators concluded that the popular app did not protect the data of its European users. TikTok is appealing the allegation that it violated E.U. data privacy laws. But the action comes as the U.S. considers banning the platform over the same data concerns if its owner, ByteDance, does not sell it to a non-Chinese company.

Congress took a critical step toward addressing one of the most pressing threats to our national security: the vulnerability of our telecommunications infrastructure. The House Energy and Commerce Committees hearing, Global Networks at Risk: Securing the Future of Telecommunications Infrastructure, tackled the growing risk posed by hostile foreign actors like China, who continue to exploit global networks for espionage and control.

But something was missing. While lawmakers rightly focused on threats from state-sponsored actors and the proliferation of Chinese technology in our networks, the conversation failed to fully address the core weakness: our outdated, blind, and static network architecture.

In 2017, the Economist declared The world's most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data. If data is the new oil, then AI is the new refinery transforming raw information into valuable insights and solutions for humanity. This makes the security of our data  our personal, corporate, and national data a paramount issue of public policy.

Imagine a high-security vault where you store your most valuable possessionsyour identity, your companys intellectual property, our governments classified communications. Now imagine that vault has no cameras, no logs, and no ability to tell you who walked in, what they took, or where they went. That is what our current network infrastructure looks like. Data flows invisibly across borders and networks, often without sufficient control, visibility, or accountability.

It is inevitable for nations to assert sovereignty over data in transit as they grapple with the complexities of governing digital spaces. The Great Firewall of China is a crude attempt by a country to manage data and information, but it impedes freedom of speech and expression and a is hindrance to global commerce. Solutions for the free world need to preserve the open Internet to enable innovation, global connectivity, and free information flow. Our challenge lies in balance: how do we maintain the Internet's fundamental openness while accommodating national security concerns and protecting individual and corporate interests from the ever-increasing threat of cybercrime?

Our nations cyber defense strategy needs to incorporate data management and data privacy. We need to enable citizens, countries, and companies to manage their information flow via specific physical pathways that meet the laws, policies, and needs of those citizens, countries, and companies. At the same time, we need to ensure that data is confidential and private as the intended recipient accesses it. Such a system would fundamentally transform how networks manage data, enabling, for example, more precise management of cross-border data flows, while maintaining the Internet's essential character as an open, interconnected network.

The good news is that a bipartisan group of policymakers is already working to better secure our nations data and improve our cyber defenses. On February 27, 2025, Senators Jackie Rosen (D-NV), Jon Husted (R-OH) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced a bill that prohibits the use of the Chinese AI platform Deepseek on all government devices and networks. Bills such as this demonstrate the bipartisan political appetite to improve cyber security but also highlight the piecemeal and reactive approach that the U.S. has taken on cybersecurity thus far.

Cyber threats will only grow in complexity and number. For example, the disruption of future AI agents by malicious actors could compromise our most vulnerable systems, ranging from healthcare delivery to factory production. We need a comprehensive shift in the U.S.s approach to cybersecurity to proactively address issues before they arise. This means moving beyond traditional firewalls by modernizing our network itself. With new security tools and methodologies built into every layer of a networks operations, we can have our cake and eat it too  we can ensure data goes where it needs to go (e.g., not to bad actors)  and we can assure that the data is kept confidential and the Internet open.

It is time for policymakers to move past 20th century patchwork security and to embrace data sovereignty and long-term solutions to the threats posed by the global digital economy from hostile, sophisticated state actors such as China, Russia, and North Korea. We must move swiftly to protect Americans and our data as threats become more frequent and pervasive.

Khalid Raza, the CEO and Founder of Graphiant, a company involved in architecting networks for Global Tier-1 carriers and Fortune 100 companies. He is the author of Large-Scale IP Network Solutions.
For years weve been told we cant make things here anymore. That American buyers are monogamously married to only the cheapest Chinese crap. The world of firearms has some exceptions, but many of these are due to import regulations rather than market forces.

One such exception is optics, but that world has always been a bit bipolar. Its one of the few places where you [used to] get what you pay for, but in the last decade the gap between the top-end German and Japanese glass and the great gray middle has been decidedly dwindling and the lower end of the market has long been a race to the bottom to see which American manufacturer can best wrap their product in pretend patriotism to undercut everyone else the most (until their Chinese suppliers undercut them via Amazon, eBay, and Temu).

Theres absolutely some American manufacturing in this space, but too many like to play pretend and say designed in America when the reality is that essentially everything but the logo is Chinese. Other times theyll source all parts from foreign nations and then assemble some things here. But thats not what this is.

The new HTX-1 from Primary Arms is actually made in America. The body is machined in Texas. The glass is ground and coated in the United States. Even the PCB boards are sourced from the States. If its possible to be made here, it is. No patriotic pretending. This is especially something coming from Primary Arms, a company that made their initial mark with foreign-made wares. While so many companies are exporting evermore manufacturing, its damned good to see more on American shores.

Primary Arms $650

Now, you might not care where your optics, cars, or meat comes from. But even if you dont care about the origins and only the level of quality, theres good news: The HTX-1 is a fantastic optic regardless of where its made. All told, the Primary Arms HTX-1 represents a real maturation of pistol optics altogether and sets a new standard for others to meet.

Read on for why.

BODY & GLASS

The PLx is the highest tier of optic that Primary Arms produces, and it shows in build quality. The 7075-T6 aluminum housing is nicely anodized, and the laser markings are deep. The rubberized illumination buttons are tactile, and there are a total of 11 settings, including three for night vision.

The color accuracy of the HTX-1 is excellent; no too blue wonder with this one. Regarding optical aberration theres only the slightest distortion on the edges, but you really have to look for it.

SEALED & LOW

Sealed dot optics have been the norm on rifles essentially since their inception, but it took longer to shrink them down to make them more practical for pistols. While open-emitter optics are still the standard on handguns, the public has been clamoring for more enclosed options, and its not hard to see why. A sealed optic is harder to fog and easier to clean off if it does, and the emitter is protected from dirt, grime, and bellybutton lint.

The HTX-1 is a sealed, enclosed optic. One of the downsides of sealed sights is that they tend to be larger, but this one isnt horribly huge. Even though its enclosed, because of the design the PLx HTX-1 sits low enough that it co-witnesses with most standard-height sights. We found this to be true with a Glock MOS, but not quite the case with a Kimber KDS9c  but you can just barely skim the top of the latter through the window.

But irons are more of a feel-good when it comes to pistols, especially when were talking enclosed optics because the body itself can show misalignment. A little practice can go a long way (for more, check out You Dont Need Iron Sights in CONCEALMENT Issue 23).

In the world of pistol optics there are several competing footprint standards. Even among the technically-the-same footprint, different manufacturers will do them in slightly different ways. And to top it off, every few years another industry heavy hitter releases yet another in an attempt to manufacture a new market corner. This game only ends up confusing the consumer, and Primary Arms slaps down proprietary nonsense by using a chassis system with the HTX-1.

Called the MCS, or Modular Chassis System, it effectively future-proofs the HTX-1, allowing the fundamental frame to more-readily adapt to new parts and pieces; regardless of what system comes out next year or in the next five, there will be a way for the HTX-1 to work with it.

Primary Arms is currently shipping the HTX-1 with three footprints: two different RMR models (a type A for flat footprints and a type B for those with extended screw posts, like Zev uses) and Glock MOS. Primary Arms also has a SIG M17/M18 plate for Mil/LEO customers, but we anticipate that to open up soon. As for others? Its a chassis. Of course, there will be more.

Primary Arms $650

RETICLE

You can get this one with a plain 4-MOA dot, but thats the boring option. The good stuff is the HTX-1 with the ACSS Vulcan Dot Reticle. The Vulcan is a circle-dot setup, but perhaps not in the way youre thinking. In fact, if everything is going exactly as planned, you wont even see the circle at all  when you hold the optic centered at arms length the circle isnt even visible. Its only when its up-close while presenting the pistol or when youre off-axis that you see it. Its intuitive to use and makes for an easy corrective measure. Its especially helpful for those who are new to pistol optic shooting, but is helpful for offhand and awkward positions for even the most experienced.

But if you dont like it, you can simply disable the Vulcan ring by pressing and holding the plus [+] button for 3 seconds.

BATTERY

The HTX-1 uses a CR2032 battery, which is what youd expect but isnt exactly a guarantee in this space. The battery life itself is measured in years, but that matters less because the battery itself can be replaced without removing the optic. Part of the long battery life is that the PLx HTX-1 has shake awake  well  except Primary Arms cant call it shake awake because thats someone elses trademark so its Autolive here.

First, the outer ring of the ACSS Vulcan will shut off after 30 seconds and then the 4-MOA center dot will shut off after a further 3 minutes. Any movement will pop it back on to the last brightness setting.

FASTENERS

Theres almost no area where a company can show their ass faster than fasteners. Its a small detail that makes a large difference to the end-user experience. If a manufacturer uses teeny screws with hex heads? Awful. Easy to strip, easy to wreck everything. If they do that and dont publish a torque spec? Even worse. Thats what companies that just do the cheapest, laziest thing do.

Primary Arms not only uses fasteners with Torx heads, but they also color-code everything and list all of specifications to include proper torque. We applaud them for taking the time, care, and consideration to think it through.

INSTALLATION (& MAYBE WEIRDNESS)

Primary Arms did their due diligence with their installation guide, and there are videos online you can follow. It becomes clear why they paid so much attention to fasteners, because by its very nature, the HLX-1 requires many in the normal course of things.

First, you secure the chassis base to the gun with at least two, and then the optic to the chassis with four (two on the front and one on either side). Chances are this will go alright, but what Primary Arms couldnt possibly account for is the vast diaspora of optical footprint options out there. Many manufacturers have used so many different non-standard thread pitches and depths for their standard RMR footprints that it really can boggle the mind.

If you come to an impasse properly securing the chassis to the gun because a screw is too long or doesnt quite fit, you can try the screws that came with the pistol (the cover plate screws are the safest bet) or some of the other fasteners Primary Arms has provided with the PLx HTX-1. We always recommend that people purchase the Swampfox Ultimate Red Dot Screw Pack ($20) at least once; it comes with 16 four-packs of common screws, including many that are extra long so they can be cut to length.

Pay attention to torque specs, and make sure to clean everything up when youre putting everything together. With some setups its going to be like youre stacking plates on plates and mixing fasteners. Take your time and put everything together just finger-tight until you know everything is going to be alright before you even sort of consider threadlocker. And when it comes to threadlocker, a little Loctite blue or 222 plus a witness marking rather than anything red will go a long way  unless you want to be drilling out fasteners and maybe wrecking a gun one day.

LOOSE ROUNDS

Primary Arms started back in 2008 with the idea of selling inexpensive optics and have since grown into a considerable powerhouse. The PLx HLX-1 sets a new modular standard in enclosed optics and actually brings something new into the world instead of a clone among clones. And they did it here. Hell yeah.

Primary Arms $650

No, its not the cheapest schlock made by children chained to machines, but if you want that you can still buy your optics on eBay and steaks from Dollar Tree.
Trump says he will talk to Zelenskyy, USA appreciates Rada ratification of fossil fuel deal

Photo: Reuters

US President Donald Trump has said that the Ukrainian side ratified the agreement on fossil fuels and announced negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

We have just concluded the rare earth deal with Ukraine, its been fully ratified and approved by their legislative branches. And we appreciate that. I will be speaking with President [Zelenskyy] in a little bit while a little bit later, Trump said during a briefing in the Oval Office on Thursday.
The University of Georgia undergraduate commencement ceremony, which will be held in Sanford Stadium on Friday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m., is planned to take place rain or shine. It will only be rescheduled due to severe weather, including rain with high wind, thunder or lightning.
When an email came in notifying him that he would need to stop international peanut research with more than 40 years of work behind it, Dave Hoisington became one of many individuals across the University of Georgia impacted by federal funding cuts.
"Reporting Reflections" is a series of pieces written by students in Diana Keoughs Reporting III class. Over the course of the semester, each student responded to a weekly longform article, reflecting on what they learned and how it impacted them. These eight responses offer insight into how future journalists are thinking critically about the craft of storytelling.
A team of senior officials from India will again visit Washington this month to hold discussions with their US counterparts on the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA), government sources said on Thursday.

Illustration: Dado Ruvic/Reuters

To give impetus to the talks, India's chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, special secretary in the Department of Commerce, and Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch had last month held three-day talks in Washington.

"The Indian team is again going this month for the talks," they said.

The second visit assumes significance as both countries are exploring opportunities for an interim trade arrangement in goods to secure an "early mutual wins" ahead of finalising the first phase of the proposed bilateral trade agreement by the fall of this year.

India and the US have already initiated sectoral-level talks.

During the last month's meeting in Washington, the teams deliberated on tariffs (related to goods) and non-tariff matters.

The US has suspended the additional 26 per cent tariffs on India till July 9. Both nations want to take advantage of this window to push the trade talks.

The US, on April 2, announced an additional 26 per cent tariff on Indian goods entering the US.

But on April 9, the Trump administration announced the suspension of these tariffs in India for 90 days until July 9 this year.

However, the 10 per cent baseline tariff imposed on the countries will continue to remain in place.

India is seeking duty concessions for labour-intensive sectors like textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, chemical, grapes, and bananas in the proposed pact with America.

On the other hand, the US wants duty concessions in sectors like certain industrial goods, automobiles (electric vehicles in particular), wines, petrochemical products, dairy, agriculture items such as apples, and tree nuts.

The terms of reference (ToRs) for the BTA have been finalised by India and the US, which include around 19 chapters covering issues like tariffs, goods, services, rules of origin, non-tariff barriers, and customs facilitation.

The US has on multiple occasions raised concerns over certain non-tariff barriers being faced by American goods in the Indian markets.

The US remained India's largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024-25, with bilateral trade valued at $131.84 billion.

The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports, 6.22 per cent in imports, and 10.73 per cent in the country's total merchandise trade.

With America, India had a trade surplus (the difference between imports and exports) of $41.18 billion in goods in 2024-25.

It was $35.32 billion in 2023-24, $27.7 billion in 2022-23, $32.85 billion in 2021-22 and $22.73 billion in 2020-21.

The US has raised concerns over this widening trade deficit.
Delhi-based electric vehicle (EV) ride-hailing firm Evera Cabs, which grabbed headlines after acquiring 500 cars from the now-defunct cab service BluSmart, is stepping up its presence in the EV cab segment.

Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters

The company is aiming for revenue of Rs 100 crore in the ongoing financial year (202526), up from Rs 18 crore in 202425.

The projected growth comes as the company expands its EV fleet by taking possession of a portion of BluSmarts vehicle inventory.

BluSmarts abrupt exit, following the implication of its founders company Gensol Engineering, has left the electric mobility cab-hailing market wide open.

Capitalising on the opportunity, Evera has begun increasing its capacity at airport terminals in New Delhi.

The service given by BluSmart was the one customers liked.

"I am sure they are looking for a similar service from somewhere.

"We are currently scaling at the airport and, for those customers  at least from an airport perspective  the requirements would be met, said Nimish Trivedi, cofounder and chief executive officer of the company.

Evera previously operated only from Terminal 3 at the Delhi airport.

The Delhi-based startup has already acquired 220 EVs (a mix of Tata Tigor, Citroen, and MG ZS EV), while the remaining 280 vehicles will be claimed in the coming days, the company said.

In total, Evera plans to acquire 1,000 BluSmart cars.

Trivedi added that the company is also ramping up its business-to-business (B2B) operations, which form the majority (80 per cent) of its business.

We are discussing two projects related to EV transportation services outside the DelhiNational Capital Region (NCR), in the western part of the country, but they are yet to take final shape. I see another two months before I can share something more concrete, Trivedi said.

In Delhi-NCR, Evera currently has about 15 corporate clients and aims to add three to four more in the national capital within two months.

Currently, Evera has a fleet size of 450 (excluding BluSmart cars).

However, by the end of the AprilJune quarter, the company plans to increase both its fleet size and customer base.

We are taking cars based on demand and not going out and generating demand.

"We already have a funnel in place. Our fleet size is 450, and we already have about 220 BluSmart cars.

"So we should have around 1,000 cars by the end of June.

"For customers, in two months, the growth would be 2530 per cent on the base of 30,000, Trivedi said.

Evera currently has nearly 30,000 customers, and the company expects its customer count to grow to between 37,500 and 39,000.

As for fundraising plans to support the ongoing expansion, Trivedi said the company is in the process of raising fresh capital from a foreign fund.

In March 2023, Evera reportedly closed its pre-Series A funding round at $7 million.

The funds have been used to pay the margin money for leasing the cars and to develop tech infrastructure, Trivedi added.

Founded in 2019, Evera has three cofounders: Nimish Trivedi, Vikas Bansal, and Rajeev Tiwari.

The director is Arthit Narula, and its chief operating officer is Kapil Sharma, according to the companys website.

Evera began operations in 2019 as a fleet partner for cab-hailing companies Ola Consumer and Uber.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it tied up with the Delhi government to ferry so-called Covid warriors.

Since then, the company has evolved into a B2B transportation provider and a business-to-consumer EV cab-hailing service.

Delhi HC bars Gensol & BluSmart from transferring or selling over 220 EVs The Delhi high court on Wednesday barred Gensol Engineering and its all-electric ride-hailing subsidiary BluSmart Mobility from transferring or selling over 220 electric vehicles (EVs) leased from SMAS Auto Leasing India Pvt Ltd and Shefasteq OPC Pvt Ltd. Till now, the court has restricted Gensol and Blusmart from transferring or selling over 490 EVs by creating third-party rights. SMAS Auto had leased 164 EVs to Gensol and 46 to Blusmart. Shefasteq had leased 10. The lessors claimed both companies failed to pay rental payments and fleet-management charges. Justice Jyoti Singh has appointed court receivers to look after the vehicles. The lessors filed the petitions under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, which empowers the court to grant interim reliefs to parties in arbitration proceedings before, during, or even after the arbitral award is made, but before its enforcement. When the lessors asked for the repossession of vehicles, the court denied permission, saying such a relief does not exist under Section 9. Gensol and BluSmart have been asked to file a status report in two days on the whereabouts of the leased EVs. They have also been asked to file a report on their assets and liabilities before the court. On April 25, the Delhi High Court had restrained Gensol and BluSmart from creating third-party rights on the 175 EVs leased to them by Japanese financial services group Orix, which had entered into lease agreements with them as part of a green mobility initiative. Under the agreement, 175 EVs were leased to support BluSmart s ride-hailing operations in India. The cofounder of Gensol and BluSmart, Anmol Singh Jaggi, had served as a guarantor for the lease obligations. Orix had moved court alleging breaches in the agreement, which included default in lease payment amounting to Rs 4 crore. It sought to prevent Gensol and BluSmart from disposing of leased vehicles. Orix also informed the court of its intention to start arbitration proceedings under the dispute-resolution clause in the agreements. Similarly, on April 29, the HC barred Gensol and BluSmart from selling, transferring, or creating third-party rights for 95 EVs leased to them by finance firm Clime Finance. DIFFICULT TIMES

This is the third and fourth such petition by lessors under two weeks

SMAS Auto had leased 164 EVs to Gensol and 46 to BluSmart

Gensol and BluSmart have been asked to file a status report in two days

They were also asked to file a report on their assets and liabilities before the court --- Bhavini Mishra
Some products offer terrorism cover as part of the base offering while, in others, it is an optional cover.

Kindly note the image has been published only for representational purposes. IMAGE: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with Subodh Patil, who was injured in the Pahalgam terror attack, at a hospital in Srinagar, April 24, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

The terrorist attack in Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, has once again revived the spectre of terrorism.

In light of this, individuals must purchase insurance covers to protect their life, health, homes and vehicles.

Life insurance

Life insurance policies, including term insurance plans, provide coverage for death caused by a terrorist attack.

"If a policyholder dies in such an incident, the nominee is entitled to receive the sum assured as long as the policy is active and the premiums have been paid," says Adhil Shetty, CEO, Bank-bazaar.com.

Insurers treat death resulting from a terror attack in the same manner as death due to natural or accidental causes.

Exclusions, however, apply if the insured was found to be actively participating in terrorist activities, riots, civil commotion, or any criminal activity at the time of death.

"Some policies might also exclude deaths in war zones, or from nuclear or biological attacks. But these are exceptions and not common in standard life insurance contracts," says Shetty.

He recommends buying a high sum assured, ideally 10 to 15 times one's annual income.

Buyers must disclose all relevant information truthfully, including travel history and occupational risks, to avoid claim rejection at a later stage.

Everyone with financial dependants should purchase life insurance. Individuals residing in sensitive or high-risk areas should make it a priority to buy this policy at the earliest.

Health insurance

Health insurance policies cover injuries resulting from a terrorist attack.

"The medical treatments required for these injuries are typically included in health insurance coverage. These costs fall under the hospitalisation expenses covered by standard health insurance policies. There is no need to take an add-on cover for such situations," says Bhaskar Nerurkar, head-health administration team, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance policies cover medical expenses arising from injuries sustained in a terrorist attack.

"If an injury occurs during a trip within the policy period, the 'hospitalisation expenses for illness and injury' cover ensures reimbursement for necessary and immediate medical care," says Priya Deshmukh, head-health products, operations and services, ICICI Lombard General Insurance.

Standard exclusions, like injuries resulting from war, warlike operations, or civil war, apply in these policies as well.

Coverage is also not provided if the insured was involved in an act of terrorism or hijacking.

"Opt for a higher sum insured to cover costly emergency hospitalisation and possible evacuation expenses," says Deshmukh.

She advises reading the policy exclusions to avoid surprises at the time of making a claim.

Home insurance

Home insurance policies include coverage for terrorism-related damage to property and contents.

"Some products offer terrorism cover as part of the base offering, while in others it is an optional cover," says Amrish Dubey, senior vice president-personal lines, Tata AIG General Insurance.

He informs that for a residential property, the premium for terrorism coverage for a sum insured of Rs 1 crore for one year is Rs 700, excluding taxes.

Motor insurance

A comprehensive motor insurance policy provides coverage for damage to the insured vehicle occurring due to acts of terrorism.

"This coverage falls under the Own Damage (OD) section, which protects against risks like riots, strikes, malicious acts, and terrorist activities," says Subhasish Mazumder, head-motor distribution, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance.

The use of the vehicle for any unlawful activity at the time of loss may invalidate the claim.

Disclaimer: This article is meant for information purposes only. This article and information do not constitute a distribution, an endorsement, an investment advice, an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities/schemes or any other financial products/investment products mentioned in this article to influence the opinion or behaviour of the investors/recipients.

Any use of the information/any investment and investment related decisions of the investors/recipients are at their sole discretion and risk. Any advice herein is made on a general basis and does not take into account the specific investment objectives of the specific person or group of persons. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
Pakistan was waiting for an opportunity to bring the Jammu and Kashmir issue to the global agenda and resorted to the terrorism route to provoke India, observes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.

Photograph: ANI Photo

The latest consultation on the India Pakistan Question at the UN Security Council at Pakistan's request as a non-permanent member was as much a demonstration of the increasing irrelevance of the agenda item as the collapse of the UN Charter system for keeping international peace and security.

India has been of the view that the agenda item on Jammu and Kashmir was no more relevant after the changes in the state, but Pakistan preferred to keep it alive to internationalise the issue at an opportune moment.

Even after the Ceasefire Line became the Line of Control, a UN Peacekeeping Operation, UNMOGIP, is still deployed in the region.

Pakistan has realised that the internationalisation route to wrest control of Jammu and Kashmir from India is not available anymore because of the new power structure, which has changed from time to time after the UN Security Council Resolution, asking for a plebiscite under specific conditions.

But whenever there were signs of changes in the world order, Pakistan made efforts to agitate the issue at the Security Council.

One such occasion was at the end of the Cold War, when they expected that the Soviet veto would not be available for India.

They brought up the Jammu and Kashmir issue at every imaginable UN forum, but Indian diplomatic effort around the world defeated the Pakistani designs and the status quo continued.

Pakistan, in the meantime, became a failed State, the army regained control and the economic situation became grave.

US support disappeared and even China was too preoccupied to give the kind of support it used to extend.

The Taliban government became hostile and the US sought to recover the airport in Afghanistan, which it had abandoned. India's fortunes rose and Pakistan needed an escape route.

IMAGE: Members of the media film a building hit by an Indian strike in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, May 7, 2025. Photograph: Reuters

By the turn of the 21st century, four cataclysmic events -- 9/11, the economic meltdown, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia Ukraine war -- defied the entire framework of the United Nations and turned the only universal international organisation into a shadow of its formal self.

The world is being ravaged by more than fifty international and internal conflicts, big and small, but one hears little of the United Nations, which was considered the protector of mankind and the sentinel of international peace.

It ceased to become the first court of appeal for its members and came to be sidelined as the superpowers began a desperate bid to reshape the world in accordance with their own plans to dominate the world.

Alliances are in disarray and the geopolitical chess board is in a state of disorder.

The United Nations was never considered ideal because it was created by victors of the war and the veto given to the permanent members was its permanent handicap.

Reform of the UN Security Council, including an enlargement of the permanent membership had no chance of success.

But till the advent of the present century, the UN was seen as a ray of hope in a chaotic world.

Even in the middle of the Cold War, it had modest successes.

But today it is on a precarious life support system provided by some of its specialised agencies.

Pakistan, sensing that the post Second World War era had ended and a new order had begun to emerge, was waiting for an opportunity to bring the Jammu and Kashmir issue to the global agenda and resorted to the terrorism route to provoke India.

When Pakistan was elected as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for two years by rotation, it was considered an opportunity to make a move and the Pahalgam terrorist attack was staged.

Pakistan seemed unaware of the universal condemnation of terrorism around the world and it thought that it will hide behind the dictum that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

The choice of Pahalgam and targeting of tourists and Hindu men were particularly repugnant to India and the world.

IMAGE: A building hit by an Indian strike in Muridke near Lahore, Pakistan, May 7, 2025. Photograph: Gibran Peshimam/Reuters

Pakistan made an effort to bring the issue to the Security Council on the plea that India would stage a massive retaliation.

Since there were no other takers, Pakistan itself requested for a meeting of the Security Council.

The president of the Council saw no support for an emergency meeting and agreed to call for private consultations among the members of the Council.

No record of the consultations was kept according to tradition, but it came to be known that the Security Council huddle on tensions between India and Pakistan produced no results, except criticism of Pakistani terrorism and some advice to India to exercise restraint.

Islamabad was asked to resolve its differences with New Delhi through negotiations in the wake of India's pledge to retaliate.

The suspected involvement of some UN proscribed terrorist groups in the attack was taken note of.

Some concern was also expressed about Pakistan's nuclear rhetoric. Nobody expressed support for Pakistan, except China.

Given the present situation of the United Nations, which is facing a financial crisis because of US policies and a lack of enthusiasm for multilateral diplomacy, nothing more could have been expected from the Security Council.

When the UN was in no position to deal with two major wars, nobody wanted to expand its agenda.

But clearly, the general sympathy and support was for India.

Ambassador T P Sreenivasan is a long-time contributor to Rediff.com.

You can read his earlier columns here.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'...and the country should be impoverished completely.'

'Once this is done, the political class would take over and then play a part in real democracy where the army is under the control of the government, not vice-versa.'

IMAGE: Rescuers search for survivors in a damaged building after it was hit by an Indian strike in Muridke near Lahore, Pakistan, May 7, 2025. Photograph: Mohsin Raza/Reuters

To avenge the horrific Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 innocent tourists, the Indian armed forces struck at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir early on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, morning.

The armed forces said several terror facilities of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad were hit and significant damage had been caused to the terror infrastructure within Pakistan and PoK.

"India did not want this strike to have a surprise element. The government wanted everyone to know that something will be done," Amar Bhushan, who retired as special secretary at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency, tells Rediff Senior Contributor Vicky Nanjappa.

What are your thoughts on Operation Sindoor?

I would say that it could not have been done better. It was measured, targeted, did not involve any collateral damage. Moreover, it did not involve any military installations in Pakistan.

The fight was against terrorism and there was no better way to respond. It was clear that the targets were terror facilities and the heart was into a full-fledged war.

How do you compare it to the surgical strikes and the Balakot air strike?

Unlike the surgical strikes post Uri or the Balakot air strikes post Pulwama, Operation Sindoor was quick. It was unlike the earlier strikes, the government made it known that something to this scale would be done.

India had the support of the world, although I may add that the reactions from China or Turkey are hardly surprising.

The prime minister had gone on record to say that vengeance will be sought. In the previous strikes there was a gap, but in this it was hardly anything.

India did not want this strike to have a surprise element. The government wanted everyone to know that something will be done.

What would have to say about the targets that were chosen?

All these camps that were hit were there at the time I was serving in RA&W. So these camps are not new.

They are easy to hide and it is easy for the army officers in Pakistan to train terrorists in these camps.

The targets were well defined. There has been a lot of homework before the targets were hit.

IMAGE: A damaged building after it was hit by an Indian strike in Muridke, May 7, 2025. Photograph: Mohsin Raza/Reuters

Which according to you is the most important target that was hit?

In my view it would be Muridke since this is an age old institution. It is here where all terrorists are educated, trained and then sent to carry out terror attacks.

The Lashkar-e-Tayiba and the Taliban were born here. In fact several cadres of the Jaish-e-Mohammad too were trained here before the outfit could set up its training facilities in Bahawalpur and other places.

The Muridke facility was there even during the Afghan war. It is a well oiled institution where congregations are held every year where terrorists brandishing guns deliver fiery hate speeches.

This is the only camp in Pakistan where terrorists from across the globe would come together to attend the jalsa.

What about the hit on the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror facility in Bahawalpur?

Bahawalpur houses a Jaish facility where the training used to take place. Out here the presence of the Pakistan army is very heavy. This was well known for long.

We had informed the Americans and other countries several times, but they never believed us.

Today it is another story. We got information about the presence of army officers in this camp, but the world was not ready to buy this.

We had first hand information after interrogating several Jaish cadres.

IMAGE: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at the press briefing following India's military strikes on Pakistan, May 7, 2025. Photograph: Priyanshu Singh/Reuters

Should the action against terror launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir be more sustained rather than retaliatory?

Launch pads are highly temporary. First they train a group of people and when they are prepared to go with all the supplies, the terrorists are sent to the launch pads.

The launch pad in other words is a waiting area. Once at the launch pad, the terrorists coordinate with the army, which gives them cover.

Then guides are brought in from both sides following which a meeting takes place. After this the infiltration takes place.

It is a far-fetched question, but will these strikes witness the end of terror in Pakistan?

It is indeed a far-fetched question. Terrorism in Pakistan will never end unless the army is removed from power. Following Operation Sindoor, terror camps will be closed temporarily.

However terror will return as there are no dearth of guns in Pakistan.

They will continue to sing the old Kashmir song like they have been doing for years. Unless the army is removed from politics of Pakistan there won't be peace.

IMAGE: Indian Army soldiers and other security personnel in Pampore. Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff

What must India do next?

Pakistan should be humiliated and the country should be impoverished completely.

Once this is done, the political class would take over and then play a part in real democracy where the army is under the control of the government, not vice-versa.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'There's something called deterrence by punishment.'

'That means you hit in a manner calculated to raise costs and consequences for Pakistan, so that the next time it attempts a Pahalgam-like attack, it has to think ten times.'

IMAGE: A building hit by an Indian missile strike in Muridke near Lahore, May 7, 2025. Photograph: Gibran Peshimam/Reuters

On the night of May 6-7, 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, a multi-domain military strike deep into Pakistan territory.

Designed as a retaliatory action to the brutal murder of 26 tourists in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, this operation marked a significant escalation in India's military doctrine.

Unlike previous missions such as the 2016 Uri surgical strike or the 2019 Balakot airstrike, Operation Sindoor represents a shift in strategic intent, operational scope, and target visibility, says Major General G D Bakshi (retd), the Indian Army veteran known for his clarity on military doctrine and national security.

In a two-part, wide-ranging interview with Rediff's Prasanna D Zore, General Bakshi offers a deeply informed assessment of India's evolving doctrine -- from 'deterrence by denial' to 'deterrence by punishment.'

How is Operation Sindoor different from the Balakot air strike in terms of messaging, target selection and intensity?

Both the surgical strike post-Uri and Balakot were strategic messaging exercises. These involved single services and targeted what you know, were not very high-profile targets -- terror targets.

In the first instance, in 2016, it was the terror launch pads, two to three kms deep inside, and 40 were killed. For about a year or so, Pakistan was quiet. Then it started its terror shenanigans again.

In 2019, they struck in Pulwama, killing 40 CRPF troopers with an IED. And then we retaliated with an airstrike using the Mirage 2000. We went 80 km inside (Pakistan), hit a remote camp, and killed about 200.

The problem with these strategic messaging exercises was that their deterrent effect lasted at best for a year or two, and then it was back to business as usual. The targets selected were not very high-profile, so the impact was not so visible.

This time, we haven't really engaged in strategic messaging, but we have targeted nine locations, and there have been about 24 strikes on these nine targets using BrahMos cruise missiles, Rafale jets armed with SPICE-2000 and HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) precision-guided munitions, and the army's Smerch and possibly Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, as well as loitering munitions (kamikaze drones) -- the combination that we have used. And these are more for deterrent effect.

You know, there's something called deterrence by punishment. That means you hit in a manner calculated to raise costs and consequences for Pakistan, so that the next time it attempts a Pahalgam-like attack, it has to think ten times before being deterred. That is the issue.

So, the difference between the two is, of course, in the scale of the operation, in the target set, and in the visibility of the targets.

Also, between 2019 and 2025, the Indian Air Force has become much stronger. In terms of equipment profile, we have the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air Russian missiles, which are the best in their class globally, with a range of 600 kms to detect and track, and a range of 400 kms to shoot down.

That means you can almost shoot down Pakistani planes as they take off from their own airfields in Pakistan. Then we have the Rafales, which we did not have in 2019. We have beyond visual range missiles, not just the Meteor on the Rafales, but also the Astra 1 and Astra 2 on the Sukhois.

So, with these, we are in a much stronger position to inflict punishment (on Pakistan and terrorists' hideouts in Pakistan).

The good news is that today we have managed to achieve surprise. Despite the two weeks of notice, we have managed to achieve surprise. We have managed to achieve deception because we were conducting an air exercise in Rajasthan when we struck in the north. So, we achieved deception about the timeframe.

We spread the narrative that, 'Oh, it could take six months, eight months, and don't be in a hurry.' So, they relaxed a bit, and we hit them and took them by surprise. We've been able to penetrate their air defences.

The Pakistan prime minister said about four to five -- initially it was two, then it was four, now it is five -- (Indian fighter planes) were shot down. There is absolutely no proof of even an Indian aircraft being scratched because they never fired from inside Pakistani airspace; they didn't even cross (the Line of Control/the international border).

So, the joke about aircraft being shot down is a bit hard to swallow. It has been a very successful strike. It has been a high-visibility strike.

We have gone in the first wave of attack, which has happened now, and we've targeted only terror camps and terror headquarters. This is a proportionate response. You (Pakistan) conducted a terror strike (Pahalgam), and we have hit your terror camps.

It is a proportionate response, a calibrated response designed to reduce the chances of escalation.

IMAGE: A view of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir after the Indian missile strike, May 7, 2025. Photograph: Reuters

Was there deliberate restraint in the operation to avoid civilian and military casualties and manage escalation?

Yes, yes. Quite obviously, it was designed into the framework of this operation. Built into the framework of this operation: No military targets, minimal civilian collateral damage. But now the question is, where do we go from here?

What were India's key strategic objectives in launching Operation Sindoor? Was it retaliation, deterrence, or a doctrinal shift? Do you think any of these has been achieved by what India did?

My take is that this is just the first strike. And we have given Pakistan an off-ramp: If you want to get off here, well and good.

If Pakistan hits back, targeting our military assets or our civilian populations, then India is free to escalate and strike Pakistani military ISI targets, armed forces targets, and inflict deterrent costs and punishment.

If you just eliminate terrorists alone, I'm afraid the deterrent effect is not that significant because the actual perpetrators, the masterminds of terror, are the Pakistan army and the ISI.

If you don't damage them, don't even scratch them, don't do anything to them, well, the deterrent effect is not going to be long-lasting.

It (the Indian attack on terrorist hideouts) may be slightly more effective than Balakot, but it will very likely revert to business as usual.

One needs to employ double-echelon thinking. Double-echelon thinking is, 'I'll do this. He will react in this way. That will give me a chance to do this.' That is double-echelon thinking.

When you are ascending an escalation ladder, you have to anticipate three or four moves ahead, like a chess game. You anticipate the enemy's moves. You have already considered your counter-move, and then what they will do, and your subsequent counter-move is already prepared. You unleash them, you trigger these responses by giving them that initial push.

My take would be that if we really want to impose deterrence by punishment, meaning raise costs and consequences for Pakistan, then we will have to go at least two or three steps up the escalation ladder.

It can't be like Balakot, where we struck once, they retaliated the next day, and everything calmed down, and we were desperate to somehow disengage and not escalate further. That kind of thing, I'm sorry to say, overall gave you a 50-50 outcome. You know, this is how foreign countries assessed that encounter -- as 50-50.

Pakistan came out feeling quite good, and it emboldened Pakistan rather than dampening their spirits, although it did worry them for a time.

For two years, they were relatively quiet, during which time we did away with Article 370 and Article 35A. But beyond that, the deterrence wore off, and Pakistan, because it was able to shoot down a MiG-21, was able to claim that they retaliated, that they gave it back to a much bigger, larger India, and they sort of called our bluff, so to speak. You can't repeat that.

If you're not prepared to go two or three steps up the escalation ladder, don't start. Don't start now. You have started, so you should be prepared. We are. We have given Pakistan an off-ramp. If you want to call it off now and you don't want to repeat it, give us an assurance, and that's okay.

The defence ministry in Pakistan has waved a white flag, saying that if India does this, we will de-escalate... How do you read this peace overture?

But you can't be sure of their intentions. You can't trust whether they are using deception to lull you before they strike. What then?

The simple thing, as I see it, is that Pakistan's (army chief General) Asim Munir is in a precarious position now. He started this whole spectacle with that civilisational war speech, a clash of civilisations between Hindu and Muslim civilisations.

That was followed by the communal strike in Pahalgam, where they asked people their religion and shot them in cold blood at point-blank range, in front of their relatives. It was horrific. It boiled the blood of the nation, and there was no way the (Narendra) Modi government could have avoided a kinetic response.
On Thursday, May 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

President von der Leyen reaffirmed the EUs unwavering support for Ukraine. We discussed further steps in Ukraines EU accession process. I underscored the importance of opening negotiation clusters as soon as possible and removing obstacles on this path, Zelenskyy said on X following the talk.

The President of the European Commission also welcomed the ratification of the economic partnership agreement between Ukraine and the United States in the Verkhovna Rada.

We also discussed Ukraines diplomatic efforts together with the U.S., the EU, and European partners, on the path to a just and lasting peace. There needs to be an unconditional, true and at least 30-day ceasefire to advance real peace efforts. This is our common position. I am grateful to the EU for its support, Zelenskyy added.
'Indian Army officers always lead their men into battle or combat. Pakistani officers are seldom seen at the front.'

IMAGE: A Pakistan soldier stands in front of the damaged Bilal mosque after it was hit by an Indian strike in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, May 7, 2025. Photograph: Reuters

Brigadier B M Cariappa has fought the Pakistan army man to man.

A two time recipient of gallantry medals, he received the Vir Chakra for the Kargil War and the Sena Medal for operation on the Siachen Glacier.

An officer from Indian Army's elite Parachute Regiment, he recently retired after an outstanding military career.

As a captain, he led several operations in the Kargil War in the Batalik sector and etched his name in military history for exceptional bravery.

He was wounded in action twice. Splinters from a grenade explosion during the Kargil War are still lodged inside his head.

The Special Forces officer has served two tenures in counter terrorist operations along the Line of Control and conducted operations against insurgents in the North East.

He commanded a parachute battalion, served with the UN Peacekeeping Force in Africa and was force commander of the elite Black Cat Commandos.

In the second part of his interview with Rediff's Archana Masih, Brigadier Cariappa discusses the action on the LoC and what sets the Indian soldier apart.

As a soldier who has fought the Pakistan army in the Kargil War, what is your impression of the Pakistani soldier and the Pakistani army?

There is one major difference between the Indian Army and Pakistan army. Officers of the Indian Army always lead their men into battle or combat.

Pakistani officers are seldom seen at the front. Their soldiers are just like our soldiers, but what I experienced during the Kargil War was that their officers have become laat sahabs.

There are so many other dynamics at play within the Pakistan army like the Punjabis look down on the rest. During the Kargil War, we had caught a prisoner of war from the Baltistan area. Both his legs had bullet wounds.

He insisted on staying and working here and did not want to be sent back. He said the Indian Army is reham dil [compassionate].

Another incident from Kargil that reveals the ethos of the Indian Army is that once when we were heavily embroiled in a fire fight during the capture of Area Conical at a height of 5,400 metres, there was an enemy position firing RPGs at our location.

To silence the enemy fire, I picked up a rocket launcher and came out in the open to fire two rounds in the direction of the enemy.

Just then one of my soldiers Lance Naik Namdeo Pawar grabbed me by the collar and pulled me inside his sangar [stone wall].

I asked him, what are you doing? He replied, as our commander you are our leader and our strength in battle comes from you. Please don't risk your life.

This demonstrates the concern and loyalty of our men. The troops will do this only if they believe in you.

Our strength is the men that we command.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, May 7, 2025, to brief her about Operation Sindoor. Photograph: ANI Photo

You have fought Pakistani soldiers man to man in close combat in the Batalik area. Are they well trained, professional, fighters?

You have to give the devil his due. They are professional as far as the soldiers are concerned. They will stand and fight, but will not fight to the last man and to the last round.

My experience from Kargil is that the moment they find the situation getting a little shaky, they will not hold on.

It also depends on the situation, like the second operation that I went for in the Kargil War.

The Pakistanis were being beaten back from Batalik where I was fighting and also from Mashkoh, Kaksar, Drass and other places.

At that point of time the Pakistan army was not even acknowledging the dead as their own soldiers which would have been very demoralising for their troops.

IMAGE: Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addresses the media about Operation Sindoor at the National Media Centre in New Delhi, May 7, 2025. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo

For nearly two weeks Pakistan has violated the ceasefire on the Line of Control. What does violation of ceasefire actually mean? How many rounds of firing does it take to be considered a violation?

Even if a single round is fired across the Line of Control by Pakistan or India, it is a violation of the ceasefire.

The violation in the present context would mean constant and aggressive firing on the LoC. The firing must be coming from artillery guns, small arms like assault rifles, mortars, rocket launchers, or rocket propelled grenades.

The enemy knows our locations, just as we know theirs, but it is difficult to target tactically located positions using artillery fire in the mountains.

There is mayhem out there when all guns rain fire on one single target or position.

There are splinters flying all over the place and people have to take cover.

IMAGE: A view of a damaged house in Rajouri, May 7, 2025, after civilian areas were targeted by the Pakistan army as they continue to violate the ceasefire. Photograph: ANI Photo

You have served on the LoC, what is the area really like? How does one define Line of Control?

There is no physical line on the ground.

The LoC is defined by important landmarks on the ground. It is an imaginary line running from one peak to another, going along a ridge line or along a river or a nala and so on.

The terrain is very difficult. It is mountainous, undulating and thickly vegetated.

There is a fence which has been constructed in most places, but this fencing is not on the ceasefire line. In some places, it is way inside our territory and at some locations, it is close to the LoC.

Defences are built on tactically important features. The bunkers are prepared to give tactical advantage to dominate the enemy.

The gaps between two own positions are dominated by patrols by our men and by various sensors, landmines and other devices.

That is how you dominate a particular area and keep an eye on the gaps.

Of course, the landmines are kept away from the regular routes. Sometimes landmines shift because of heavy rain, landslides or snow and result in injury to soldiers.

IMAGE: Then captain B M Cariappa, centre, during the Kargil War. Photograph: Kind courtesy B M Cariappa

What happens on the border during a heightened alert and escalatory situation?

We have always been well deployed on the LoC to take on the enemy, both offensively and defensively.

There are adequate troops in reserve in every formation to cater for any contingencies.

Officers and soldiers plan for every situation through war games during peace time. That is how soldiers prepare for war.

In a heightened situation, forces are moved to respective locations according to the laid down plans from where they carry out offensive or defensive ops based on the situation.

War is basically about tactics and strategy, and it been so right from the time of the Mahabharata.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'There is no independently verified imagery or battlefield evidence to support Pakistan's claim.'

Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff IMAGE: Locals inspect a wreckage in Pampore near Srinagar in the aftermath of 'Operation Sindoor', May 7, 2025.

India's missile strikes on targets in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir -- named Operation Sindoor -- prompted global powers to urge both nations to 'exercise restraint'.

While many countries have voiced support for India's right to defend itself against terrorism, the risk of escalation between two nuclear-armed States has raised concerns.

Amid the heightened tensions -- the most severe in years -- Pakistan's leadership appears divided. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken a more confrontational tone while Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has suggested a willingness to de-escalate. Yet both leaders claim that Pakistan shot down three Indian Rafale fighter jets in retaliation -- claims made without evidence.

Dr Walter C Ladwig III, associate professor of international relations at King's College London and a non-resident fellow at the Center for the Advanced Study of India, University of Pennsylvania, remains deeply sceptical of Pakistan's assertions.

In a conversation with Rediff's Utkarsh Mishra, Dr Ladwig explains why the claims of downing three Rafales are implausible -- and outlines the broader military, political, and geopolitical implications if the conflict spirals further.

The first of a two-part interview.

You mentioned in a recent online post (external link) that it is unlikely for Pakistan to shoot down India's Rafale jets. However, CNN has cited a French intelligence official reportedly confirming Pakistan's claims (external link). While Dassault has not issued a statement yet, why do you believe Pakistan's claims are not credible?

Even if French intelligence believes one Indian Rafale was lost, that does not validate the full scope of Pakistan's claim to have shot down three.

There are several reasons to remain cautious:

First, India operates only 36 Rafales -- its most advanced and politically sensitive aircraft. Losing three in a single operation would amount to nearly 10 per cent of the fleet. Such a loss would not go unnoticed inside India's tightly monitored air force structure, nor by France, which maintains close contractual oversight of the platform's maintenance and performance.

Second, it is extremely difficult to conceal multiple combat losses in a democratic system with a free press, grieving families, and widespread open-source scrutiny. While one loss might be managed for strategic reasons, three would generate ripples across personnel, logistics, and media -- ripples that, to date, have not surfaced.

Third, there is still no independently verified imagery or battlefield evidence to support Pakistan's claim. In the past, such claims have been quickly amplified with wreckage footage or POW footage -- as was the case in 2019. That has not happened here.

In short, while one downing may have occurred, the idea that Pakistan successfully shot down three Rafales without corroboration from independent sources or even circumstantial indicators remains unlikely.

Pakistan claims to have used Chinese J-10C jets in the alleged downing of the Rafales. Since then, social media has seen a flurry of comparisons between the two aircraft. In your view, how do the Rafale and J-10C stack up against each other?

The Rafale and the J-10C represent different tiers of capability.

The Rafale, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter developed by Dassault, offers a higher level of systems integration, battlefield survivability, and proven combat performance. It features advanced electronic warfare suites, AESA radar, and Meteor beyond-visual-range missiles, giving it an edge in contested environments.

The J-10C is a capable platform -- particularly with its PL-15 missiles and AESA radar -- but it remains less combat-tested and lacks the same level of integration across mission systems.

In a contested engagement, the Rafale would likely have the advantage, particularly in terms of situational awareness and countermeasures.

India's military responses to Pakistan have escalated over time -- from the 2016 surgical strikes to the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, and now missile strikes targeting sites within Pakistan proper.

How much of this escalation, in your view, is driven by military strategy, and how much by political considerations?

Given current political dynamics in both countries, how do you foresee the crisis evolving?

To view India's escalating military responses as a binary choice between strategy and politics is to misunderstand their interdependence.

As (Carl von) Clausewitz reminds us, war is politics by other means.

Operation Sindoor signals not only a tactical evolution but a political recalibration -- one in which the use of conventional force is being normalised as a legitimate and expected element of India's counterterrorism toolkit.

India appears increasingly unwilling to maintain the traditional distinction between terrorism and conventional warfare.

The operational threshold for a military response now rests not on the formal movement of enemy forces across borders, but on the occurrence of a terrorist attack emanating from Pakistani soil.

In effect, India is asserting that persistent State tolerance of anti-India militant groups constitutes an act of provocation in itself.

This shift also entails a declining appetite to produce exhaustive, internationally palatable dossiers of proof before acting.

The continued activity of anti-India terrorist groups inside Pakistan -- combined with Islamabad's unwillingness or inability to dismantle them -- is now deemed sufficient basis for punitive action.

If Pakistan wishes to avoid conventional conflict, the onus is on it to prevent terrorist violence against India, not on India to restrain its response.

Taken together, this represents both a doctrinal hardening and a political message: that Delhi views terrorism as a casus belli, and will act accordingly.

In recent years, many Indians have closely observed Israel's response to the October 7 attacks and the strong backing it received from Western powers, especially the United States. This has led to calls, particularly from right-wing circles, for India to adopt a similarly resolute posture.

But considering Pakistan is a nuclear power, might the US hesitate to back India as firmly as it supported Israel? What's your take?

The comparison is understandable, but strategically imprecise.

Israel faces non-State actors in territorially distinct enclaves; India confronts a nuclear-armed State with which it shares a long, contested border.

The degree of US alignment in each case is shaped by history, context, and perceived risk.

It is true that during the 2019 Pulwama-Balakot episode, the Trump administration offered India what amounted to a diplomatic green light.

Senior US officials publicly and privately signaled support for India's 'right to self-defence', even as it launched cross-border airstrikes.

That episode occurred within a broader framework of US-India strategic convergence and a transactional US foreign policy approach.

In the current crisis, however, Washington's tone has shifted.

The Trump administration has called for restraint on both sides, emphasising de-escalation over strategic endorsement.

While the United States continues to support India diplomatically -- particularly on counterterrorism -- their stance is different than it was in 2019.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting on Thursday that at least 100 hardcore terrorists and their associates were killed in Indian strikes on terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) under the ongoing Operation Sindoor, sources said.

IMAGE: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju addresses the media after the all-party meet on Operation Sindoor, New Delhi, May 8, 2025. Photograph: ANI/X

The meeting saw opposition parties backing the government in the military action and hailing the armed forces, as leaders across the political spectrum projected a united front amid heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

Chairing the meeting, Singh, in his briefing and then responding to points raised by the leaders of different parties, said India does not want escalation but will give a befitting reply to Pakistan if attacked, the sources added.

"In the moment of crisis, we are with the government," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters after the meeting, a view reiterated by his party colleague and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and echoed by several other opposition leaders.

Singh noted that it is a emerging and evolving situation, declining to get into the details of the continuing Indian operation.

Kharge said, "The defence minister said this is a sensitive time and in the interest of the country, detailed questions are not to be asked as they pertain to defence secrets."

The Congress chief, though, conveyed his disappointment over Prime Minister Narendra Modi not attending the all-party meeting.

A number of opposition leaders, the sources said, referred to the Pakistani claim of downing Indian fighter jets and wondered if the government needed to counter such propaganda.

Gandhi and John Brittas of the Communist Party of India-Marxist suggested that a special session of Parliament should be convened, saying it would send out a message of united national resolve.

Singh said at least 100 people, including hardcore terrorists and their associates, were killed in the Indian strikes.

A source quoted him as saying, "It is difficult to give an exact estimate as the operation is still ongoing and we are collating the details. India will give a befitting reply if Pakistan attacks."

The operation has achieved its intended objectives, the defence minister added.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "The discussions were conducted in a constructive and serious manner given the gravity of the issue at hand. The defence minister briefed all leaders in detail about Operation Sindoor. Each leader expressed their views with responsibility and maturity, recognising the major challenge the country is currently facing."

"Across party lines, political leaders said there is no place for politics in such critical times. All leaders unanimously congratulated our armed forces on the success of Operation Sindoor and assured their full support to the government, with no dissent whatsoever," he added.

The leaders shared their concerns on the issue of national security and the safety of all Indians, especially in border areas, but extended their support, Rijiju said.

He quoted Singh as having said, "We do not do politics just for forming governments but also to build the nation."

Leaders from all political parties, including the Congress, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Biju Janata Dal and the Janata Dal-United, extended full cooperation to the government on the issue of national security.

"The raksha mantri told the meeting that it was an ongoing operation and that is why he cannot share the technical details of Operation Sindoor," Rijiju said, adding that this was the reason why armed forces officials were not present at the meeting as they were busy with the operation.

Gandhi told reporters, "There are certain things that should not be discussed. Everyone simply gave their support."

The government informed the gathering that only terrorists camps and places harbouring terrorists were struck and all steps would be taken to ensure the safety of people, especially in border areas.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said he complimented the armed forces and the government for conducting Operation Sindoor.

"I also said that we should run an international campaign against The Resistance Front (a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy) and the UN Security Council should designate it as a terror organisation. We also need to ask the United States to designate the TRF as a foreign terrorist organisation," he said.

The sources said Owaisi also raised the issue of online abuse aimed at Himanshi Narwal, wife of naval officer Vinay Narwal, who was one of the 26 people killed by terrorists in Pahalgam on April 22. Some opposition leaders called for taking all measures to ensure communal harmony.

BJD leader Sasmit Patra said his party 'wholeheartedly commends the extraordinary courage, clinical precision and gallant professionalism of our armed forces in carrying out Operation Sindoor. We salute every officer, soldier, unit involved in this mission'.

"We are united against the fight on terrorism from Pakistan. This is the need of the hour. We should fight shoulder to shoulder. There should be no division between us," TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said.

Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Bharatiya Janata Party president J P Nadda attended the meeting.

The government had also convened an all-party meeting on April 24 to brief leaders on the Pahalgam attack.
The banned Jaish-e-Mohammed's terror group's two markaz (centres) -- its Bahawalpur headquarters and Narowal in Pakistan's Punjab -- functioned as a breeding ground for suicide attackers, had links with Palestine's Hamas and served as a facility for hoarding smuggled NATO arms from Afghanistan, officials said in New Delhi on Thursday.

IMAGE: Media persons inside a building after it was hit by an Indian strike in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, on May 7, 2025. Photograph: Stringer/Reuters

Both these centres located on the opposite ends of Pakistan's Punjab province were among the nine targets hit by missiles launched by the Indian Air Force in the early hours of Wednesday, in a strong retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 25 tourists and a local guide were gunned down by terrorists.

According to the officials, the Bahawalpur centre of JeM, spread over 15 acres, is run by de-facto chief Abdul Rauf Asgar and the area has residential houses of JeM founder Masood Azhar and other family members.

Masood Azhar acknowledged after the IAF strikes codenamed 'Operation Sindoor' that 10 members of his family and four close associates were killed in India's missile attack on the outfit's headquarters in Bahawalpur.

A statement attributed to Azhar said those killed in the attack on Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur included the JeM chief's elder sister and her husband, a nephew and his wife, another niece, and five children from his extended family.

The Bahawalpur centre is notorious for hoarding arms and ammunition left behind by the NATO forces in Afghanistan, the officials said.

They said Bahawalpur is often frequented by JeM commanders who were fighting in Afghanistan, and that Asgar purchases as well as smuggles consignments of weaponry, including M4 series rifles, through a network of criminals based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which was earlier known as North West Frontier Province.

Besides the M4 series, the arms and ammunition included sniper rifles, armour-piercing bullets, Night Vision Devices, and rifles fitted with NVD.

About the centre in Narowal, the officials said the Markaz has been used for learning tactics from the Palestine Hamas group.

The involvement of Hamas started in 2014 when one of the Jaish terrorists, Mohammed Adnan Ali, codenamed 'Doctor,' had imparted paraglider training to operatives of another group, Khalistan Tiger Force Ramandeep Singh alias Goldy, in Thailand.

The training was given by Jagtar Singh Tara who was deported to India and his associates Jaswinder Singh Jassa and Mohammad Umar Gondal.

The tactics for use of tunnels for infiltration and paragliding seem to be inspired by the modus operandi used by Hamas in the Middle East, the officials said, adding further that there are multiple inputs about regular interactions of JeM terrorists of JeM with Hamas leaders.

Then, in February this year, senior Hamas functionaries addressed a rally on 'Kashmir Solidarity Day' in Rawalakot, PoK, that had top Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad cadres in attendance.

The rally was addressed by Hamas spokesperson Khalid Qaddoumi, a development Indian agencies saw as an attempt to link the jihadi campaign in Jammu and Kashmir to the Palestinian fight in Kashmir.

The Bahawalpur and Narowal facilities have produced terrorists responsible for multiple suicide attacks in India, including the 2016 strike at the Pathankot IAF base and the 2020 attack in Nagrota.

Among those indoctrinated for these "fidayeen" (suicide) attacks were close relatives of Masood Azhar, specifically his nephew Tallah Rasheed, as well as Usman, Umar, and Mohammed Ismail, also known as 'Lambu'. After being indoctrinated at these facilities, the individuals were reportedly sent to Balakote for arms training.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has shot dead a Pakistani intruder along the International Border in Punjab, officials said Thursday.

IMAGE: BSF personnel stand guard near Attari Wagah border in Amritsar. Photograph: Raminder Pal Singh/ANI Photo

The man was shot during the intervening night of May 7-8 in the Ferozepur sector, they said.

He was found crossing the International Border purposefully in the dark, the officials said, adding that the body has been handed over to Punjab police.
In a tough message to Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said India has no intention to escalate tensions with the neighbouring nation but any military attacks on its soil will be met with a "very" firm response.

IMAGE: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Iran Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi (third from left) on the sidelines of 20th India-Iran JCM, in New Delhi, May 8, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Jaishankar made the remarks at a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The external affairs minister said the "barbaric" Pahalgam terror attack compelled India to carry out strikes on "cross-border" terror infrastructure on Wednesday.

"This attack compelled us to respond on May 7 by striking at cross-border terrorist infrastructure. Our response was targeted and measured," he said.

"It is not our intention to escalate this situation. However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very very firm response," Jaishankar said.

"As a neighbour and close partner, it is important that you have a good understanding of this situation," he added.

The Iranian foreign minister landed in New Delhi around midnight Wednesday on a scheduled visit amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Jaishankar and Araghchi co-chaired the 20th India-Iran joint commission meeting that was focused on boosting ties in areas of trade and investment.

"In recent years, our cooperation has progressed in many aspects. There are also situations that we need to address. Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and President (Masoud) Pezeshkian have met in Kazan in October 2024 and given us guidance on how to develop our ties further," the external affairs minister said.

It is understood that the Iranian foreign minister called for de-escalation of the situation between India and Pakistan.

On April 26, Pezeshkian dialled Modi and strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack.

In the conversation, Pezeshkian called for concerted efforts by countries in the region to eradicate the "roots of terrorism".

On mutual economic ties between Iran and India, the President expressed hope for the expansion of cooperation in trade and infrastructure.

It is learnt that the Chabahar port project figured in the talks between the two foreign ministers.

In this year's Union budget, India set aside an amount of Rs 100 crore for the Chabahar Port project, underlining its focus on connectivity projects with Iran.

Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran's southern coast, the Chabahar port is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties.
A student activist and 'independent journalist' from Kerala has been arrested in Nagpur for allegedly `preparing to wage war against the government of India', an official said on Thursday.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

Along with Rejaz M Sheeba Sydeek (26), resident of Edapally in Kerala, his woman friend who lives in Nagpur too was arrested separately, the police said.

Sydeek, on his Instagram account, had condemned Operation Sindoor carried out by Indian Armed Forces against terror targets in Pakistan besides criticizing operations against Naxalites, the First Information Report registered at Lakadganj police station in the city claimed.

Sydeek was arrested on Wednesday under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 149 (preparing to wage war against the government of India), 192 (giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 353 (statements conducing to public mischief) among other provisions.

Along with him, his woman friend who lives in Nagpur as a paying guest too was arrested separately, police said, without giving details of the charges pressed against her.

In Sydeek's bag, the police found a book about professor G N Saibaba who had faced trial for alleged links with Naxalism, and another about Marxism-Leninism, while an English letter seized from his possession appeared to criticize the Indian government for anti-Naxal operations, according to the FIR.

The letter called for "peace talks between the Indian state and the (banned) CPI (Maoist)".

Sydeek, affiliated to the `Democratic Students Association', was visiting the city to meet a friend on his way back to Kerala from Delhi when he was arrested, the association's Kerala state committee member Niharika Pradaush told PTI.

He writes for outlets including `Maktoob Media' and `The Observer Post', covering stories related to caste discrimination, communal violence, state repression and the rights of marginalized communities, she said.

He had gone to Delhi to attend a press conference organised by activists to demand the release of incarcerated journalists in India, Pradaush added.
With India carrying out precise missile strikes at nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Punjab and Rajasthan, which share borders with the neighbouring country, have gone into full alert mode.

Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com IMAGE: Security personnel stand guard in Pampore, Jammu and Kashmir after India launches 'Operation Sindoor' in Pakistan and PoK.

While Punjab shares a 532-km border with Pakistan, in Rajasthan, the border stretches about 1,070 km.

Punjab Police has cancelled leaves of all its personnel while the state government has shut schools in six border districts, officials said on Thursday.

The Rajasthan government too has cancelled leaves of all administrative officials and police personnel deployed in the border areas, sources said.

The military strikes were conducted early Wednesday under 'Operation Sindoor' two weeks after the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

In view of "administrative reasons", leaves of all officers/employees of Punjab Police have been cancelled from May 7, an order issued by the DGP's office said.

"Leaves should be granted only in special circumstances with the approval of the competent authority," it said.

Amid the soaring tension, all schools in six border districts of Punjab -- Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran -- have been shut until further orders.

"Punjab shares a 532-km border with Pakistan. Therefore, the role of the Punjab government becomes extremely crucial during any military tension. All districts near the border have been placed on high alert. The government has also cancelled all public events in view of the prevailing situation," Punjab minister Aman Arora said on Wednesday

"Punjab Police is also fully prepared as the second line of defence. It will join the army in every battle to deliver a crushing response to any Pakistani attack," he added.

In Rajasthan, all government and private schools have been shut in four border districts -- Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer -- as a precautionary measure.

The administrations in these four districts have made preparations for any emergency situation that may arise, officials said.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has directed the concerned officials to cancel the leaves of all policemen in view of the soaring tension following 'Operation Sindoor'.

Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant and DGP U R Sahoo also chaired a review meeting with the divisional commissioners, collectors, IGPs and SPs, directing them to be present at their respective headquarters, sources said.

Directions have been issued to tighten security arrangements across the state.
Operation Sindoor, the name is so apt. That was what the family of Navy officer Vinay Narwal, who was killed by terrorists in Pahalgam, felt on Wednesday after the armed forces pounded terror infrastructures in Pakistan and PoK.

IMAGE: Himanshi Narwal, the wife of Indian Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal mourns his death, who lost his life in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photograph: ANI Photo

His father Rajesh Narwal said the Narendra Modi government has sent a strong message and now the perpetrators of the April 22 massacre "will think 100 times" before repeating such attacks.

Himanshi, who was widowed during her honeymoon, said the operation signifies her late husband's spirit that terrorism and hatred will not be tolerated by India.

She thanked the government for the name it gave to the operation retaliating the terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 tourists in the verdant meadows of Baisaran two weeks ago and urged the government to put a full stop to terrorist activities.

"I am thankful to the government. I also request them to end it here. Make sure that this is just the start of the end of terrorism in this country. Make sure no one ever has to go through what I am enduring right now," Himanshi said.

The photo of navy officer Vinay Narwal's body lying on the ground in the lush Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam with newlywed Himanshi slumped beside with an empty gaze has become the haunting symbol of the ghastly terror attack.

She said when Vinay Narwal had joined the armed forces to protect peace in this country. "He wanted to make sure that innocent lives are not lost. He wanted to make sure there was no hatred and terror," Himanshi added.

India's armed forces destroyed nine terrorist infrastructures, including that of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in a 25-minute-long missile and drone strike early on Wednesday.

Vinay Narwal's father Rajesh said, "When the Pahalgam incident happened, you (media) came to me asking what I expected from the government. My answer was that I have faith in our government and today, the government has justified that trust."

"I had said that such a thing (retaliatory strikes) has to be done so that such cowardly (terror) acts are not repeated... the strikes carried out on the terror targets will resonate in their minds forever," he said at his residence in Karnal.

Responding to a question on the mission's name, the grieving father said, "This operation has been aptly named Operation Sindoor."

The slain navy officer's mother, Asha said, "It is a very good thing that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has avenged the (Pahalgam) attack. I am with them (the government), people are with them, and our entire family is with them".

"I want to tell our armed forces to give a befitting reply so that such incidents (like Pahalgam) do not recur," she said.
Metal debris was found scattered in three villages of Amritsar district on Thursday, with some locals claiming them to be parts of missiles.

IMAGE: Army personnel examine the remains of a projectile discovered in Makhanwindi village near Amritsar on Thursday. Photograph: Raminder Pal Singh/ANI Photo

Police have maintained that the objects can be identified only after an investigation.

Locals in Jethuwal village said they found metal parts in some open fields and houses. Similar objects were found in Makhan Windi and Pandher villages as well.

No damage was caused to any property, they said.

Some locals claimed that they heard sound of explosions and saw lights flashing in the sky past midnight.

A villager in Jethuwal said they came out of homes after hearing loud sounds at around 1.05 am.

Following the sound, the ground felt like it was shaking as in during an earthquake.

Upon finding the debris on Thursday morning, the locals contacted the police, who cordoned off the area where the metals were found and informed the Army.

The Centre on Thursday said it foiled Pakistan military's attempts to attack 15 places in northern and western India using missiles and drones, and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore as tensions mounted between the two sides.

The defence ministry said the Pakistan military on Wednesday night attempted to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai and Bhuj.

These attempts were neutralised by the Integrated Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (Grid and Air Defence systems), it said.

Pakistan's attempt came after Indian armed forces early on Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor, which was launched to avenge the April 22 killing of 26 people by terrorists in Kashmir's Pahalgam.

Border areas in Punjab are on high alert in the wake of soaring tensions between the two countries.

Amritsar airport has been shut since Wednesday until further orders.

The Amritsar district administration carried out a blackout drill in the early hours on Thursday, urging the residents to remain indoors and not panic.

The drill that began around 1.30 am was the second in the district in three hours. The first one was conducted from 10.30 pm to 11 pm on Wednesday.

Several districts across the country conducted mock drills on Wednesday after the Indian military targeted terror infrastructure in the neighbouring country.

The armed forces struck nine terror targets in Pakistan and PoK, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/kallaskaja/

European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas announced the allocation of EUR 1 billion for Ukraine's defense industry during her visit to Ukraine on Friday.

"Tomorrow we are going to Ukraine and we are going to make available one billion for Ukraine's defense industry," Kallas said during a briefing in Warsaw on Thursday.

She said Russia "shows no signs of wanting peace" and stated the need to increase pressure on Russia "so that also Russia wants peace." "We are working on the 17th sanctions package, which hopefully we are ready to adopt on the next Foreign Affairs Council. Then we recently published a roadmap to get rid of Russian energy, and part of that is how we will deal with the shadow fleet. It is also part of where the funding for this war is coming from," Kallas said.

She said "for any peace to last, reliable security guarantees are needed."

"We also stressed that prisoners of war have to be returned, deported children have to be returned and detained civilians as well. And the sanctions must remain in place until Russia makes reparations for the damage they have caused. And no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine, and no negotiations on Ukraine on European security without Europe," Kallas said
Leaders across the political spectrum attending an all-party meeting convened by the government on Thursday were united in support of Operation Sindoor, targeted at terrorist sites inside Pakistan, and congratulated the armed forces for the decisive action.

IMAGE: Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda, Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Party president Mallikarjun Kharge and others during the all-party meeting on Operation Sindoor, at Parliament Annexe building in New Delhi . Photograph: ANI Photo

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed the leaders about the action taken by the armed forces, but refused to share details about Operation Sindoor saying the action was still "ongoing".

"There were some queries from the opposition, but the Raksha Mantri said since this was an ongoing operation there cannot be a separate briefing on every incident," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told reporters after the 90-minute meeting.

"This meeting was to evolve a broad political consensus. All the leaders have shown maturity at a time when the nation was faced with big challenges," he said.

Besides Defence Minister Singh, the meeting was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Leaders of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, BJP president and Health Minister J P Nadda.

DMK leader T R Baalu, Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC), Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena-UBT), Ramgopal Yadav (SP), John Brittas (CPI-M), Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Praful Patel (NCP), Chirag Paswan (LJP-RV) and Sasmit Patra (BJD) were among those present at the meeting.

"All the leaders have shown maturity at a time when we are all working together. Everyone has hailed and congratulated the armed forces for Operation Sindoor, and said that we will support the government and armed forces," Rijiju said.

He said some leaders also made certain suggestions and voiced concern over the prevalence of fake news on social media.

"I believe all political leaders showed maturity. There is no room for politics at a time when the nation is faced with big challenges," Rijiju said.

He said the political parties expressed pride in the action taken by the armed forces.

"Today's meeting demonstrated that political parties do not indulge in politics just to form the government , but also to build the nation. This reflects that India is a mature democracy," Rijiju said quoting the defence minister at the meeting.
Escalating its tensions with India, Pakistan on Thursday targeted Jammu with loitering munitions and the Indian air defence guns are firing back. A complete blackout has been enforced in Jammu city.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Kishtwar in Jammu division, and sirens are being heard throughout the district.

A blackout has also been enforced in Akhnoor of Jammu division and sirens are being heard.

India had responded to the Pahalgam terror attack through Operation Sindoor in which terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK was targeted through precision strikes. India also said that any attack on military installations will invite a suitable response.

At a media briefing on Thursday Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that escalation by Pakistan will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately.

"The original escalation was by Pakistan on the 22nd of April. We are the ones who are responding to that escalation with the action that was taken yesterday morning. And again, I would like to emphasize that the action was restrained; it was directed towards non-civilian, non-military targets; and confined to terrorist camps. And again, as we've been saying since yesterday, any further action by Pakistan, some of which we are seeing today is nothing but escalation by Pakistan now, once again, and will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately," he said.

Misri also said that India's intention has not been to escalate matters.

"We are only responding to the original escalations, as I said. And our response has been targeted, precise, controlled and measured. No military targets have been selected. Only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit," he said.

The government informed an all-party meeting on Thursday that over 100 terrorists were killed in India's precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan early on Wednesday .

The defence ministry said in a statement on Thursday that on night of May 7, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.

"These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," the statement said.
'Everyone panicked. People started rushing home.'

'Many shopkeepers just pulled the shutters down and did not wait to lock up.'

IMAGE: As Pakistan drones/missiles appeared over the skies over Jammu on Thursday, May 8, 2025, night, the city enforced a complete blackout. Photograph: ANI Photo

A Jammu resident recounts the dramatic events of Thursday night.

Around 8 pm, missiles or drones lit up the night sky. There were loud explosions. The lights went out. There was a blackout.

Everyone panicked. People started rushing home. Many shopkeepers just pulled the shutters down and did not wait to lock up. They just dashed out and made their way home.

I was in the heart of the city and quite close to the airport which had been attacked. Initially, people thought these were fire crackers because it is the wedding season.

Only when the power supply was shut off and we noticed that this was solid firing did people realise that these were probably missiles or drones.

My office is in the hub of Jammu's main market. It took me 15, 20 minutes to cover a distance of 1.5 kms. A friend from the army called and told me that these were missiles or drones because we haven't seen anything like this before.

The missiles/drones were destroyed by India's air defence system. The firing went on for approximately an hour. The cell phone network was not disconnected. The power supply was restored after two-and-a-half hours.

We were anticipating that if the Government of India takes any action after Pahalgam, Jammu would be targeted because we are very close to the border.

I have received calls from friends who are planning to shift out of the city to safer places.
The choice of de-escalation is with Pakistan as it escalated the situation with the Pahalgam terror attack and India only responded to it through Operation Sindoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday.

IMAGE: From left, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi at a Ministry of External Affairs press briefing on Operation Sindoor, in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: ANI Photo

His comments at a media briefing came amid heightened tensions between the two countries.

Misri said escalation started from that side (Pakistan) with the April 22 Pahalgam attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

"Our approach is not to escalate the situation, we only responded to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack," he said.

On de-escalation of the situation, Misri said, "Pakistan escalated the situation, we only responded. Choice is with Pakistan."

He said at the United Nations Security Council meeting, Pakistan opposed mention of the role of terror group The Resistance Force (TRF) when it had already claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.

The foreign secretary also said the retaliatory actions of Pakistan are impacting civilians, referring to firings along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Pakistan's reputation as the centre of global terrorism is rooted in various terrorist attacks across the globe," Misri, flanked by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi, said, adding Pakistan has been pursuing cross-border terrorism against India for decades.

He said India's action on Wednesday was restrained and it was confined to terrorist infrastructure.

In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on terror targets including Bahawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group.

On Thursday, the defence ministry said the Pakistani military tried last night to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj but these attempts were foiled and a Pakistani air defence system was destroyed in Lahore.

Misri also said Pakistan was deliberately creating roadblocks over the years on the Indus Waters Treaty issue.

Colonel Qureshi said that India's Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems successfully neutralised the threats.

She further said that in response to Pakistan's attempted attacks, the Indian Armed Forces on Thursday morning targeted multiple air defence radars and systems across Pakistan.

"This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," she said.

Speaking about Wednesday's press briefing on 'Operation Sindoor', Colonel Qureshi said, "During the press briefing on operation Sindoor on 07 May 2025, India had called its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory. It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response."

"On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," Colonel Qureshi said.
In a series of missile strikes on May 7, India targeted terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, retaliating strongly to the Pahalgam massacre.

These photographs capture the immediate aftermath of the strikes in Bahawalpur and Muridke near Lahore -- from damaged buildings to the scrambling of rescue workers.

The images offer a stark visual account of the destruction left behind.

IMAGE: Media persons inside a building after it was hit by an Indian strike in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, on May 7, 2025. Photograph: Stringer/Reuters

IMAGE: Rescue workers cordon off a structure at the administration block of the Government Health and Education complex, in Muridke near Lahore, in the aftermath of the Indian strikes. Photograph: Gibran Peshimam/Reuters

IMAGE: People walk past the damaged administration block of the Government Health and Education complex, in Muridke. Photograph: Gibran Peshimam/Reuters

IMAGE: A general view of a damaged portion of a mosque in Muridke. Photograph: Gibran Peshimam/Reuters

IMAGE: A damaged portion of an administration block at the Government Health and Education complex, in Muridke. Photograph: Gibran Peshimam/Reuters
Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Aljubeir is in India on an unannounced visit and held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday with a focus on de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

IMAGE: Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Aljubeir meets External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, New Delhi, July 8, 2025. Photograph: ANI/X

Aljubeir's visit to New Delhi comes as the already frosty ties between India and Pakistan plummet further following the Indian military's targeted strikes on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

"A good meeting with @AdelAljubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia this morning," Jaishankar said in a social media post.

"Shared India's perspectives on firmly countering terrorism," he said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also landed in New Delhi around midnight last night on a scheduled visit amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets, including Bahawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror outfit, and Muridke, the base of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India decided to carry out the "proportionate" strikes to bring the perpetrators and planners of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack to justice as there was "no demonstrable step" from Pakistan to act against terrorist infrastructure on territories under its control.
While ruling in favour of granting Permanent Commission to women officers in the Indian Army, the Supreme Court in 2020 had acknowledged the achievements of Colonel Sofia Qureshi, one of the two women officers who briefed the media on 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday.

IMAGE: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi briefs media about Operation Sindoor' at National Media Centre in New Delhi on May 7, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

In its February 17, 2020, judgement, the top court said that absolute exclusion of women from all positions, except staff assignments, in the Army was indefensible and their blanket non-consideration for command appointments without any justification cannot be sustained in law.

The apex court, which allowed Permanent Commission (PC) to women officers in the Army, said an absolute prohibition of women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers to obtain anything but staff appointments evidently did not fulfil the purpose of granting PC as a means of career advancement in the Army.

The top court also referred to the distinctions achieved by women officers, and put out an example of Col Qureshi's achievements.

"Lieutenant Colonel Sophia Qureshi (Army Signal Corps) is the first woman to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multi-national military exercise named 'Exercise Force 18', which is the largest ever foreign military exercise hosted by India.

"She has served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006, where she, along with others, was in charge of monitoring ceasefires in those countries and aiding in humanitarian activities. Her job included ensuring peace in the conflict affected areas," the apex court had said.

Taking note of the Centre's affidavit in the matter, the court had said that the counter affidavit contained a detailed elaboration of the service rendered by women SSC officers to the cause of the nation, working shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts.

"Yet, that role is sought to be diluted by the repeated pleas made before this court that women, by the nature of their biological composition and social milieu, have a less important role to play than their male counterparts.

"Such a line of submission is disturbing as it ignores the solemn constitutional values which every institution in the nation is bound to uphold and facilitate. Women officers of the Indian Army have brought laurels to the force," the apex court had said.

During the media briefing on Wednesday, Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force (IAF) flanked Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on the dais, who delivered the opening statement from the government.

The briefing came hours after the Indian armed forces, under 'Operation Sindoor', carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

Born in Gujarat's Vadodara in 1974, Col Qureshi graduated with a Master's in biochemistry from the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in 1997.

An officer in the critical Corps of Signals, in the past, she had been picked for the role of a military observer in Congo in 2006, besides being part of flood relief operations in the Northeast region.

The officer broke the glass ceiling when in 2016, she became the first woman officer to lead its contingent at the multi-national field training exercise, Exercise Force 18, hosted by India for interoperability in sustaining peace among the ASEAN nations.
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, many states have announced the closure of schools, blackouts in border districts, and cancellation of leave of police personnel and administration officials.

IMAGE: A view of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan after a blackout was enforced following a Pakistani attack along the International Border, May 8, 2025. Photograph: ANI on X

The stringent measures were taken by Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, West Bengal and Bihar after India struck terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre that killed 26 people.

Punjab shares a 532-km border with Pakistan, Rajasthan about 1,070 km and Gujarat around 506 km. West Bengal shares a 2,217-km border with Bangladesh.

In Punjab, the leave of all police personnel has been cancelled while the state government has shut schools in six border districts, officials said on Thursday.

"Leaves should be granted only in special circumstances with the approval of the competent authority," an order issued by the DGP's office said.

All schools in six border districts of Punjab -- Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran -- have been shut until further orders.

In Gurdaspur, an eight-hour blackout began at 9 pm on Thursday, said officials.

"Punjab shares a 532-km border with Pakistan. Therefore, the role of the Punjab government becomes extremely crucial during any military tension. All districts near the border have been placed on high alert," Punjab minister Aman Arora said on Wednesday

In neighbouring Haryana, the leave of state police personnel and those working in the health department has been cancelled till further orders.

According to a communication to the civil surgeons of all the districts across Haryana, it has been mentioned that all officials will have to remain present at their current places of posting and shall not leave the district headquarters.

The Delhi government also cancelled leave of all its employees till further orders due to the escalating hostilities.

No leave will be granted to any official of Delhi government till further orders given the prevailing situation and preparedness for any emergency, said an order issued late evening by the Services Department of the government.

All district magistrates in the national capital are holding meetings with their subordinates to review health and disaster management preparedness in case of any emergency situation, officials said.

In Himachal Pradesh, which shares a border with Punjab, security has been beefed up in bordering districts, including Hamirpur, Una and Bilaspur.

With famous temples like Baba Balak Nath, Maa Chintpurni and Maa Naina Devi located in Hamirpur, Una, and Bilaspur districts, police have intensified security checks there, an official said.

The Rajasthan government too has cancelled leave of administrative and police personnel deployed near the International Border and closed schools in five bordering districts.

With high alert sounded in the border districts of western Rajasthan, a blackout has been instituted in these areas. As a safeguard against possible air strikes, the blackout is being enforced from 9 pm to 4 am in Barmer and Jaisalmer owing to the presence of critical infrastructure there. In Jodhpur, a blackout will be enforced from 12.30 am to 4 am.

Flying of drones and bursting of crackers have been banned in Bikaner and Sri Ganganagar.

Government and private schools have been closed in Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer districts as a precautionary measure, officials said on Thursday.

All Jodhpur colleges were also ordered to remain closed.

Moreover, flight operations at Bikaner, Kishangarh in Ajmer, and Jodhpur airports have been suspended till May 10 as a precautionary measure.

Directions have been issued to tighten security arrangements across the state.

Security has been stepped up along the Gujarat coast, and authorities have cancelled the leaves of police personnel 'due to unforeseen situation', asking them to return to duty immediately.

Gujarat shares land and sea borders with Pakistan.

Ashok Kumar Yadav, inspector general of Rajkot Range, said police along the coast have been put on 'alert' mode after India's anti-terror strikes in Pakistan.

Of the five districts under the Rajkot Range, Jamnagar, Morbi, and Devbhumi Dwarka have a coastline, said Yadav.

He added that policemen have been visiting coastal villages and 'boat landing points' and urging villagers and sarpanchs to inform police if they spot any suspicious activity.

The West Bengal government has also cancelled the leave of all state government employees until further notice.

A notification issued by the state finance department on May 7 but circulated in the media on Thursday cited the "current situation" as the reason behind the decision.

The order applies to all categories of state government employees, and even those who had earlier been granted leave will now have to report back to duty. Only employees on medical leave will be exempt from the directive, the notification clarified.

In Bihar, leave of administrative and police personnel and officials of the disaster management department were cancelled.

The decision was communicated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday during a high-level meeting convened to assess the security situation in the state's border districts.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif failed to provide any evidence of his countrys claims of shooting down five Indian fighter jets.

IMAGE: A view of a damaged structure which was hit by an Indian strike, in Muridke near Lahore, Pakistan May 7, 2025. Photograph: Gibran Peshimam/Reuters

Appearing on CNN for an interview, Asif bizzarely attributed his claims of Paksitan shooting down five Indian jets to evidence on social media.

When asked for evidence of the claim, he responded, "It's all over the social media, on Indian social media, not on our social media. The debris of these jets fell into Kashmir. And it's all over Indian media today and they have admitted."

The anchor replied, "I'm sorry we didn't ask you here to talk about social media content."

When asked further about the details regarding how the fighter jets were shot down and what equipment was used, Asif could not reveal the plane used by Pakistani forces.

Asked about the evidence for the claim and whether Pakistan used Chinese equipment to shoot down Indian jets, he said, "No, Chinese equipment. We have Chinese planes, JF-17 and JF-10. They are Chinese planes, but they are being manufactured, assembled in Pakistan now. We have very close to Islamabad, we have a facility over there where these planes are manufactured and if India can buy planes from France and use them, we can also buy planes from China or Russia or United States, UK and use them."

India dismissed claims on Pakistan social media about 'Operation Sindoor', saying the neighbouring country has unleashed a 'full-blown disinformation offensive' with 'lies' and digital theatrics to control the narrative.

'Following India's decisive strike under 'Operation Sindoor', Pakistan has unleashed a full-blown disinformation offensive -- a desperate attempt to shift the focus and control the narrative with a barrage of lies and digital theatrics,' officials said.

A series of posts by the Press Information Bureau's Fact-Checking Unit said pro-Pakistan social media handles were sharing old photos of crashes of Indian Air Force aircraft and claiming they were shot down by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor on Wednesday.

'Beware of old images shared by pro-Pakistan handles in the present context,' PIB FactCheck said in a post on X.

'The video being shared is from February 2025 and depicts the crash of an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000 aircraft near Shivpuri, Gwalior, which occurred during a routine training mission,' it said, referring to social media posts by pro-Pakistan handles about a fighter jet clash.
The new head of the Roman Catholic Church has been elected, as evidenced by the white smoke from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel and the ringing of bells.

European television channels showed believers gathered in St. Peter's Square rejoicing at the historic moment.

The conclave began on the evening of May 7 and lasted just over a day.

The new pontiff is expected to appear before the faithful at the Vatican later on Thursday.

According to media reports, about 20,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square to congratulate the new, 267th Pope, who was elected after the fourth round of voting.

The announcement of the new pontiff's name is now awaited. He is to appear to the world from the loggia of the Vatican Basilica.
A top American military commander has said that the United States is watching the situation very closely after Indian military strikes on terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan's Punjab province.

IMAGE: People gather next to a damaged portion of Bilal Mosque after it was hit by an Indian strike in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, May 7, 2025. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

India launched Operation Sindoor early Wednesday, hitting nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan's Punjab province in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack that killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

It's right now too early to opine on any of that. We're watching the situation very closely. We're nested with our higher headquarters and USINDOPACOM as the information about these strikes becomes more clear, US Army Pacific Commanding General, General Ronald Clark said during a digital press briefing Wednesday.

The United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is one of six geographic Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered in Hawaii.

Clark was responding to a question on the US view of the developing situation after the strikes by India.

Earlier on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said he wants India and Pakistan to stop the conflict, saying if he can do anything to help, he will be there.

Oh it's so terrible. My position is I get along with both. I know both very well and I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop and hopefully they can stop now. They have gone tit for tat, so hopefully they can stop now. I know both, we get along with both the countries very well.

Good relationships with both and I want to see it stop. And If I can do anything to help, I will be there, Trump said in response to a question on the war between India and Pakistan.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday that the Indian military carried out a measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible strike to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan to deter and to pre-empt any further terrorist strikes.

Addressing a packed press conference, Misri said it was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the April 22 attack be brought to justice as there was no demonstrable step from Islamabad to take action against the terror infrastructure on its territory or on territory under its control.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday spoke separately with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, emphasising the need for de-escalation and reiterated his calls for Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups.

IMAGE: A total blackout has been enforced in Amritsar after the Pakistani attack along the International Border, May 8, 2025. Photograph: ANI on X

In his call with Jaishankar, Rubio expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications.

A state department statement by Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, "The Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation."

"Rubio reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States' commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism."

In a post on X, Jaishankar said, "Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening. Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism."

"Underlined India's targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation," he said.

In his call with Sharif, Rubio again emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation. He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications.

The Secretary expressed sorrow for the reported loss of civilian lives in the current conflict. He reiterated his calls for Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups, the statement said.

During the call, Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

He appreciated US President Donald Trump's concern over the current security situation in South Asia.

Both Pakistan and the US agreed to remain in touch, the report added.

The calls came after Indian armed forces conducted precision strikes early on Wednesday under Operation Sindoor in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), targeting terror launchpads in response to the attack by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's tourist spot Pahalgam killing 26 civilians on April 22. Pakistan resorted to indiscriminate firing in the border areas killing 13 Indians and injuring several others.
The Bombay high court has upheld the conviction of three men for raping one of their partners, ruling that when a woman says no, it means no, and there can be no presumption of consent based on her past sexual activities.

Image only for representation. Photograph: Nino Care/Pixabay.com

"No means no," the bench of Justices Nitin Suryawanshi and M W Chandwani said in its May 6 judgment refusing to accept the attempt made by the convicts to question the morals of the survivor.

Sexual intercourse when done without the consent of a woman is an assault on her body, mind and privacy, said the court, terming rape the most morally and physically reprehensible crime in society.

"A woman who says 'NO' means 'NO'. There exists no further ambiguity and there could be no presumption of consent based on a woman's so-called immoral activities," HC said.

The court refused to quash the conviction of the three persons but reduced their sentence from life imprisonment to 20 years in jail.

In their appeal, the trio had claimed that the woman was initially involved with one of them but later got into a live-in relationship with another man.

In November 2014, the three barged into the survivor's house, assaulted her live-in partner and forcibly took her to a nearby deserted spot where they raped her.

The bench in its judgment said that even if a woman was an estranged wife and lived with another man without getting divorced from her husband, a person cannot force the woman to have intercourse with him without her consent.

The bench said even though the survivor and one of the convicts were in a relationship in the past, any sexual act without her consent would amount to rape if she was not willing to have intercourse with him and the other accused.

"A woman who consents to sexual activities with a man at a particular instance does not ipso facto (by the fact itself) give consent to sexual activity with the same man at all other instances. A woman's character or morals are not related to the number of sexual partners she has had," the court said.

The court said sexual violence diminishes the law and unlawfully encroaches on the privacy of a woman.

"Rape cannot be treated only as a sexual crime but it should be viewed as a crime involving aggression. It is a violation of her right to privacy. Rape is the most morally and physically reprehensible crime in society, as it is an assault on the body, mind and privacy of the victim," HC said.

The court also upheld the trio's conviction for the assault of the survivor's live-in partner.
Victory In Europe Day is celebrated on May 8 each year to mark the formal acceptance by the Allies of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces in World War II in 1945.

Russia and some former Soviet countries celebrate it on May 9 due to time zones.

Several countries observe public holidays on the day each year, also called Victory Over Fascism Day, Liberation Day, or Victory Day.

The celebrations include street parties, parades and public gatherings across Europe and North America.

IMAGE: A truck of revellers pass through the Strand, London, as part of the VE Day celebrations, May 8, 1945. Photograph: Kind courtesy Wikimedia Commons

IMAGE: Then British prime minister Winston Churchill waves to crowds in Whitehall in London as they celebrate VE Day, May 8, 1945. Photograph: Kind courtesy Wikimedia Commons

IMAGE: Piccadilly Square in London is pictured as supporters celebrate VE Day, May 8, 1945. Photograph: Kind courtesy Sgt. James A. Spence/Wikimedia Commons

IMAGE: Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel signs the German surrender in Berlin, May 8, 1945. Photograph: Kind courtesy National Archives Identifier/Wikimedia Commons

IMAGE: Four soldiers take a break along a German road to read about the Nazi surrender in the Stars and Stripes newspaper, May 1945. Photograph: Kind courtesy of US Army/Wikimedia Commons

IMAGE: VE Day celebrations on Bay Street, Toronto, Canada. May 7, 1945. Photograph: Kind courtesy John H. Boyd/Wikimedia Commons

IMAGE: Fireworks on display during the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, May 9, 2005. Photograph: Kind courtesy Wikimedia Commons

IMAGE: A ommemorative ceremony of May 8, 1945 Strasbourg at the Place de la Republique in Paris, May 8, 2013. Photograph: Kind courtesy Claude Truong-Ngoc/Wikimedia Commons

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
Nine-year-old Tanuj Kumar Satpathy, who lost his father in the Pahalgam attack, on Thursday said that he wants to join the Indian Army and confront Pakistani terrorists.

IMAGE: A view of the terror attack site in Baisaran, Pahalgam, April 22, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Tanuj's father, Prashant Satpathy, was among the 26 people killed in the terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.

Speaking to reporters at his house in Odisha's Balasore district, Tanuj said if he gets the opportunity to meet PM Narendra Modi, he would tell him to ensure that no child like him becomes fatherless.

"I have decided to join the Army as it has avenged my father's death," he said as his mother, Priya Darshini Achariya, stood by his side

"We have been watching the news since Wednesday morning, and it gives my mother and me immense satisfaction. We are proud of our Army," he said, referring to Operation Sindoor.

Tanuj said the Army has been with him and his mother since the beginning.

"Finally, they took revenge. Therefore, I will certainly join the Army. I will study with dedication so that I can get a place in the force, and will confront Pakistan and its terrorists," he said.

"If I get an opportunity to meet PM Modi, I will tell him to ensure that no boy like me becomes fatherless. I now realise the value of a father to a son. I will also tell PM Modi to provide ample security in places like Pahalgam and not allow terrorists on Indian soil," he said.

Recounting the horror at Pahalgam, Tanuj said the terrorists shot his father while he was coming down from a hill.

"He fell immediately. My maa and I rushed towards him, and found he was bleeding from his head. When my maa asked whether he needed water, he said, yes. I gave him water," he recounted.

Asked whether the terrorists sought to know anything from his father before killing him, Tanuj said, "No, but I have seen them asking others about their religion."

He also remembered how he took care of his mother after the incident.

"There was no one from our family when the tragedy struck. My maa was not in a position to console me. She was utterly shattered, and I was the only help for her," he said.

Tanuj's mother, Priya Darshini, said she would do anything to fulfil her son's wish.

"If he wants to join the forces, I will prepare him that way. He needs the blessings of the people of India," she said.

However, Priya Darshini expressed concern over Tanuj's "sudden maturity".

"I am worried because he appears to have lost his childhood suddenly. He should get mature gradually and not suddenly. I hope god will bless him," she said.
'Five hours of bombardment by the Pakistanis should not have happened.'

'India should have sent the air force to bomb the Pakistanis where they were raining fire on us.'

IMAGE: Residents of Poonch, May 7, 2025, being shifted to safer locations following ceasefire violation by the Pakistan army. Photograph: ANI Photo

Poonch in Jammu has been the worst hit in Pakistani shelling that has been ongoing in recent days.

The Pakistan army retaliated with a fusillade of fire in the wake of Operation Sindoor, causing loss of life and destruction of property.

Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff spoke to residents of Poonch to find out what is going on.

Dr Shehnaz Ganai, former MLC, Poonch

What happened in Poonch on May 7?

The Pakistanis started shelling Poonch city on Wednesday morning. 11 people died in Poonch and 1 person died in Mendhar area. In total, 12 died in Poonch district.

What was the ages of the victims?

Eight children and two ladies died, 45 people were injured and there was huge damage to property. This was a barbaric act from the Pakistanis.

IMAGE: Civilians injured in the firing and shelling by the Pakistan military in Poonch are taken to the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu, May 7, 2025. for treatment. Photograph: ANI Photo

Have you witnessed this kind of firing before?

They (the Pakistan army) used to do it, but this time their target was Poonch town and the civilian population.

The problem with Poonch is its location. It is only 10 kilometres from the Line of Control. Many people from the border villages have started staying in Poonch town for better healthcare and education. At present, we have 100,000 people living in Poonch.

Was there any retaliation from India's side?

We were careful in targeting terrorist camps rather than targeting Pakistani civilians. But the Pakistanis are only targeting Indian civilians in Poonch.

Most of the injured have thankfully been discharged. Some of them have gone to Jammu.

How is the public reacting after Wednesday's firing?

The people of Poonch are in absolute panic. There is fear in the town. The authorities are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring our safety. People are scared and most of them have left their homes and moved to safer places.

Are there bunkers for public safety?

Poonch is a very old town and we don't have bunkers in the middle of town. But yes, around Poonch you do have bunkers for people's safety.

This shelling from Pakistan happened in broad daylight. Everybody was in a state of shock. Thankfully, phones were working.

***

IMAGE: The charred remains of a sweet shop in Poonch, May 7, 2025, gutted in the firing by the Pakistan army. Photograph: ANI Photo

Dr Deshpal Sharma, resident, Poonch

At what time did the Pakistanis start attacking Poonch?

At 6 am on Wednesday, the bombarding started from the Pakistan side. They did not stop the bombardment which continued till 11.30 am.

Bombarding from Pakistan was particularly done in Poonch city. What we feel disappointed is that the retaliation from India's side did not happen. There was no air strike back at Pakistan.

Had that been done, the firing in Poonch could have stopped. A lot of people were martyred in Poonch because of the firing.

Television channels are not highlighting the devastation that occurred in Poonch.

Is this the first time you have seen such firing in Poonch?

Our elders tell us that even in the 1971 War Pakistan did not target Poonch city the way they targeted it this time.

Being a Poonchi (resident of Poonch), I have never seen such firing in my life.

Pakistanis targeted the gurdwara, mosque and Gita Bhawan in Poonch. These three places of worship are located in the midst of Poonch city and were targeted by Pakistani firing.

I cannot express what devastation we have seen in the last 24 hours.

How many people died in the firing?

30 people died in Poonch.

But the media is saying 15 dead...

That is the official figure of 15 plus dead. But actually, across Poonch and Mendhar, some 30 people have died for sure.

IMAGE: The Poonch market is shut following heavy shelling by the Pakistan army, May 7, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Where did the firing have the maximum impact?

They were bombarding Police Lines non-stop.

In Qazi Muda and Sukha Katta where Muslims live in large numbers, the firing was so severe that the people fled their homes.

Have people started leaving Poonch city?

60 percent of the people have vacated Poonch city.

Yesterday (May 7) there was the cremation of Amrit Singhji. He was one of the nicest human beings, unfortunately he died in Pakistani firing. Hardly 100 people attended his funeral. In normal times, thousands would have come for his funeral.

What is the situation in Poonch now?

Right now there is no firing. After 11.30 am on Wednesday there has been silence. But people are living in fear. Schools and colleges have shut down.

What about the bazaars?

They are open here and there, but the market overall is closed. Pakistani shells fell straight into Poonch market. Two people died there instantly. Nobody was there to lift their bodies at that point of time.

Any request to the government?

We are with the government and we will stand by them. But five hours of bombardment by the Pakistanis should not have happened. India should have sent the air force to bomb the Pakistanis where they were raining fire on us.

We are lucky that the Pakistani firing did not target the densely populated area of Poonch or else more than 100 people would have died.

***

IMAGE: A building in Poonch pockmarked with shell marks following firing by the Pakistan army, May 7, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Kuldeep Singh, resident of Poonch

Where were you when the firing happened?

I was in Poonch city when the firing started. It was non-stop devastation.

What losses did you suffer?

More than losses I witnessed death. 11 people in my locality died in the Pakistani firing. Around 39 are injured. I am 40 years old and I have never seen such firing in my life.

What were you doing when the firing was going on?

We were hiding in our homes. Children were crying in fear. We were just trying to be safe.

What is the situation now?

Right now, nothing is happening, but Poonch city has shut down completely.

What is your plan?

We have no place to go. We will live and die in Poonch.
The revelation that Pakistan's air defence system in Lahore was destroyed in an Indian attack has put the focus on the Israel-made Harop drone in India's arsenal.

IMAGE: The Harop, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, is the IAF's first combat Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for offensive strikes.

The Harop is designed to elude radar systems and optimised for 'a suppression of enemy air defences' role.

Equipped with an anti-radiation missile seeker, the Harop, which carries a high-explosive warhead, can autonomously seek and strike high-value targets.

The Harop operates in deep strike missions lasting up to nine hours, day or night, in all-weather conditions, and even in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)-denied or contested battlefields.

Though India has not confirmed the use of the Harop in Operation Sindoor, the Israeli drone is clearly giving sleepless nights to the Pakistan establishment.

What is the Harop?

The Harop is a kamikaze drone produced by Israel Aerospace Industries. It is 8.2 feet long and operates silently in enemy territory.

When did India acquire the Harop?

Harop was first showcased at Aero India 2009, when the Indian Air Force placed an order for 10 Harop systems.

Media reports state that in 2013-2014 India acquired 50 Harop drones and later, in 2019, it acquired another 54.

What is the quantity of warheads it can carry?

The Harop can carry up to a 23 kg payload that is capable of neutralising radar and missile systems.

What are the advantages of using the Harop?

It is an all-weather, 24x7 autonomous weapon. If there is a change of operational plan, the drone operator can abort the flight and summon the Harop back to base.

Any other unique points of the Harop?

It can be launched from a truck on land or a ship out in the sea, and can fly at 400 km/hour at an altitude of almost five km.

How long can the Harop fly?

It can fly for over six hours and travel 200 km. In other words, the Harop can pulverise targets in Pakistani cities like Lahore and Karachi.

Which wars did the Harop participate in?

The world got to know about the Harop in the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, known as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, over a region which both of them laid claim to.

The Harop worked on the Azerbaijan side and ensured they won the war in 2020.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a conversation with German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

I once again congratulated him on his appointment and wished him success. We count on Germany to continue playing one of the key roles in supporting Ukraineboth in protecting our people now and in rebuilding the country after the war ends, Zelenskyy said on X.

The parties discussed the potential for partnership between Ukraine and Germany and agreed to work on implementing many important things, the president emphasized.

There is great potential for partnership between Ukraine and Germany, and we have already agreed to work on implementing many important things. We discussed prospects for further cooperation. Mr. Chancellor reaffirmed of continued support for Ukraine. It was important to hear that. Im grateful, he said.

We also discussed how to make diplomacy even more substantive. We will work together for a dignified peace, and are coordinating a schedule of upcoming contacts. I thank Germany for its support in protecting the lives of our people and upholding international law, Zelenskyy added.
US cybersecurity company RSA has sealed a New Zealand distribution partnership with Dicker Data to strengthen and scale its local channel.

The new relationship would help more organisations stop threats, enable compliance, and build resilience while also driving greater growth opportunities and flexibility for resellers to better support their customers, the company said.

Dicker Data executive director and chief operating officer Vlad Mitnovetski said he was pleased to be extending the companys decades long Australian partnership with RSA into the New Zealand market.

Our role as one of New Zealands leading distributors is to ensure were bringing cutting-edge technologies to market and

providing access to what our partners need to build best practice solutions, he said.

We believe there is a strong opportunity for RSA solutions in New Zealand and we look forward to working with our local partners to introduce RSA.

With a refreshed National Cybersecurity Strategy and the Reserve Bank introducing enhanced cyber security reporting requirements, local organisations needed robust and flexible enterprise-grade identity governance administration solutions that were secure by design.

RSA APAC regional director Gavin Lowth said the partnership reflected the companys ongoing commitment to investing in

and supporting New Zealand organisations to secure and strengthen their cybersecurity capabilities.

With a focus on the Pacific and sensitive security-first verticals like government, financial and technology, and coupled with increased regulatory requirements this go-to-market approach ensures partners are appropriately equipped with the tools, expertise and support needed to deliver RSAs leading Identity Access Management solutions to customers to help them mitigate their risk, he said.
Staff and customers say they were badly beaten by Moscow police when they raided a cafe employing Central Asian migrants. It was the latest in a series of aggressive raids on the cafe that have seen Russian security forces use heavy-handed tactics, destroy surveillance equipment, and detain both staff and customers. Central Asian migrants have been increasingly targeted since four Tajik men were arrested for a deadly terror attack on a Moscow concert in March 2024. Deportations have risen sharply in the first three months of 2025 with nearly 5,000 migrants being expelled from the Russian capital.
Pakistan and India traded accusations of attacks on May 8, as tensions persisted amid the worst flare-up of fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors in more than 20 years.

Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif, a Pakistani military spokesman, said that a civilian was killed in Sindh Province and four soldiers were wounded in Lahore as a result of Indian drone strikes.

The media wing of the military said that Pakistan shot down 25 drones using a mix of technical and weapons-based countermeasures.

Indias Defense Ministry said it targeted air defense systems in several locations after Pakistan launched a drone-and-missile attack overnight, but did not say whether India's forces used drones.

"Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets...using drones and missiles," the ministry said in a statement. It said the weapons were "neutralized" by India's air defense systems.

The fighting this week follows an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month that killed 26 Hindu tourists and that India blamed on Pakistan, which denied it had anything to do with the killings.

India said it carried out precision strikes early on May 7 against nine Pakistani sites that were "terrorist infrastructure" from which attacks against it were orchestrated.

Pakistani officials have said that those strikes killed 31 civilians, some of them children.

On May 7, Pakistani Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif vowed retaliation and an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee concluded with a decision authorizing the country's military to respond.

It said that India had "ignited an inferno in the region.

There were also deaths and injuries on both sides of the border in heavy exchanges of fire that followed the initial Indian strikes.

Indias Foreign Ministry said on May 8 that 13 civilians were killed and 59 wounded during exchanges of fire across the border on May 7, and the army said an Indian soldier was also killed by shelling. Pakistani officials said six people have been killed near the border in exchanges of fire over the past day.

Since the partition of British India in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought three full-scale wars -- in 1948, 1965, and 1971 -- and a limited conflict in 1999 known as the Kargil War.

There have also been several flare-ups in the century that have sparked fears of a full-scale war, including fighting that ensued after a suicide bomber killed 40 Indian security personnel in Indian-administered Kashmir in February 2019.

The partition, along religious lines, triggered one of historys largest mass migrations, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands in sectarian violence between Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.

This latest escalation in the conflict has sounded alarm bells in Washington, where US President Donald Trump said he has been informed of the situation and hopes the fighting "ends very quickly."

On May 8, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Sharif and stressed the need for India and Pakistan to work closely to deescalate their conflict, the Pakistani prime minister's office said in a statement.

Both the EU and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have also expressed concern about the situation surrounding Kashmir and called for maximum restraint.

With reporting by AP and Reuters




Its the marquee celebration of the Russian calendar, the flagship event for Kremlin efforts to exalt the Soviet role in defeating Nazi Germany.

In recent years, the Red Square Victory Day parade has also served as the backdrop for President Vladimir Putin to glorify Moscow's war on Ukraine, as Russia's casualties - dead and wounded -- surpass three-quarters of a million, according to Western estimates.

For Kremlin watchers, May 9 is a tea-leaf event, providing clues for shifts in thinking for Putin, now in his 26th year as the countrys preeminent leader, and government policies more broadly.

All the more this year, on the 80th anniversary of the surrender of Nazi Germany, and three-plus years into the invasion of Ukraine.

Victory in the Great Patriotic War is the cornerstone of Vladimir Putins political mythology -- the foundation of his entire version of world history, Mikhail Zygar, an exiled Russian journalist and book author, said in an essay. "The Kremlin has been preparing for this moment for months; it is the centerpiece of the regimes propaganda calendar.

Heres a few things to watch for on May 9.

Which War Exactly?

Upwards of 27 million people -- military and civilians  died in the Soviet Union during what Russians call the Great Patriotic War. It was unparalleled devastation, and the Nazi defeat has long been celebrated as a testament to the mettle of Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, and other nationalities who suffered.

In the years since he became president in 2000, Putin has used the events to bolster his standing among veterans. He has also used it to bash the West, downplaying the Allied role in the Nazi defeat and criticizing the United States, in particular.

In a 2007 Victory Day speech, Putin took a swipe at the United States, obliquely comparing US policies to those of the Nazi Third Reich.

After the February 2022 invasion, Putin made sure neo-Nazis were a prominent part of his speeches, echoing the unfounded Kremlin accusation justifying the Ukraine invasion: that the country was governed by a Nazi junta.

Who Sits Where?

According to the Kremlin, more than two dozen world leaders have tentatively accepted the invitation to attend the Moscow events, although last-minute cancellations were possible.

Several leaders from former Soviet republics like Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Armenia are expected to attend, as well as leaders from Bolivia, Cuba, Venezuela, Laos, Brazil, and others.

No leaders from the European Union are, with the exception of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico who has made critical comments about Ukraine in the past.

All eyes will be on Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has become a key ally for Moscow in its war against Ukraine.

Beijing has continued to purchase Russian oil and gas, helping to fund Moscow's war effort, and keep the Russian economy afloat. Despite known misgivings, Beijing has said nothing publicly to criticize the Russian invasion.

The image of Xi in Moscow underscores the growing tension at the heart of Chinas foreign policy, Patricia Kim, a research fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., said in an analysis. Its strategic partnership with Russia increasingly collides with its broader ambitions to be seen as a responsible global leader, as a steadying alternative to what it depicts as American volatility and Western decline.

Look to see if China also sends a contingent of soldiers to march across Red Square, which would be a symbolic show of support for the Kremlin.

Hardware On Display

During the Cold War, Victory Day parades were rare occurrences; the biggest annual event instead occurred in November, commemorating the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution often with a chest-thumping display of Soviet military technology.

Western analysts scrutinized lengths and widths of missile tubes and truck launchers, trying to figure out whether Moscow had the edge in the arms race.

Brash displays of hardware have become the norm over the past decade, particularly as the Kremlin has poured money into modernizing and rearming the military.

Beginning at the 2015 Red Square parade, officials showed off a new battle tank, the Armata T-14. Despite the public displays, however, the vehicle has not been deployed to Ukraine.

A year later, officials trucked a new long-range ballistic missile, the RS-24 Yars, across Red Square.

Since the 2022 invasion, new weaponry has appeared on Red Square less frequently -- a fact largely attributed to substantial hardware losses Russia has suffered.

Watch to see what weaponry trundles across Red Squares cobblestones, or flies over the plaza. Look also to see if Russian officials put any captured Western hardware -- like Bradley fighting vehicles -- on display, as a way to thumb their noses at the West.

Who's Afraid of Ukrainian Drones?

In the lead-up to May 9, Ukraine launched sizable drone attacks on Russian targets, including one on May 6 that was largest in months.

Kyiv and Moscow have been pummeling one another for months now -- mainly with drones, but also missiles -- despite US-led efforts to find a cease-fire, or wider halt to the war.

Putin last month called for a three-day cease-fire to coincide with Victory Day. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy countered with a proposal for a 30-day cease-fire in line with a US initiative that was approved by Kyiv but effectively rejected by Moscow in March.

Its unclear whether Russian commanders will actually pause any fighting; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putins order remained in effect, but said also that Russia would respond if Ukrainian forces open fire.

Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, said it was not Kyivs responsibility to guarantee the safety of visiting dignitaries in Moscow. The chief of Ukraines military intelligence warned guests at the parade to bring ear plugs.

"With regards to all countries that have traveled or are traveling to May 9, our position is very simple, Zelenskyy said on May 3. We cannot be held responsible for what is happening on the territory of the Russian Federation. They provide you with security, and therefore we will not give any guarantees."

Russian officials warned residents of Moscow and the surrounding region to refrain from lighting off fireworks this week. And telecom providers said that Internet services would be slowed, likely to thwart possible drone flights or remote-control detonations.

"There is no point in hitting Red Square," said Ivan Preobrazhensky, a Prague-based political commentator.

Ukrainian drones could reach Moscow, he told Current Time, "but the problem is that Russian propaganda would then present it as an assassination attempt on foreign leaders who will be attending the parade -- which is unlikely to be beneficial for Ukraine in the current circumstances."

A Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Unable to secure a decisive victory, Moscow has turned elsewhere for men and materiel to continue the war: North Korea, most notably.

Last June, Putin traveled to Pyongyang to sign a new mutual defense treaty. A month prior, US officials said, North Korea sent hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, along with ballistic missiles.

Late in 2024, around 11,000 North Korean troops were deployed to fight alongside Russian troops, mainly in the Kursk border region, which Ukraine invaded last summer, embarrassing the Kremlin. Russian commanders have credited the troops with success in pushing Ukraines forces out of Kursk.

There are other signs of deepening cooperation. Wounded Russian soldiers have reportedly been sent to North Korea for treatment and recovery. Thousands of North Korean laborers have been shipped to Russia, mainly the Far East, to work in construction and other heavy industries, where labor shortages are common.

North Korean civilians have also started appearing at public ceremonies.

During pre-Victory Day events in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok, a delegation of North Korean children, dressed in military garb, joined hundreds of young Russian children marching in a military parade.
US President Donald Trump called for a 30-day unconditional cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine and threatened more sanctions imposed by the United States and its partners if the cease-fire is not respected.

"Talks with Russia/Ukraine continue. The U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire," Trump said on May 8 on Truth Social shortly after speaking to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone.



Trump said "both countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity" of the talks to halt the conflict. The US president said he wanted any cease-fire to then build to a "lasting peace."

"It can all be done very quickly, and I will be available on a moment's notice if my services are needed," Trump said.

Trump made the statement after Ukraine's top diplomat dismissed a Russian-declared cease-fire as a "farce," accusing Moscow's forces of committing hundreds of violations along the entire front line on the first day of the 72-hour truce.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's parliament ratified an agreement giving the United States privileged access to the country's mineral wealth, cementing a deal Trump has cast as an important element of his efforts to broker an end to Russia's war against its neighbor.

Zelenskyy welcomed the parliament's ratification of the Economic Partnership Agreement, calling it "a truly historic document that opens up many new opportunities for cooperation."

He said he spoke with Trump by phone and discussed "the need for continued efforts to achieve peace, including concrete steps that could be taken." Zelenskyy said on X that Trump "confirmed that he wants this war to end, is ready to help, and supports the need for a ceasefire. We agreed on our further contacts."

But the accusations that Russia was violating its promise to hold its fire for three days unless attacked underscore the challenges facing the push for peace. US Vice President JD Vance said a day earlier that "the gulf is wide" between the positions of Moscow and Kyiv.

Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities were quiet after the cease-fire came into effect at midnight, with no reports of long-range drone or missile attacks after successive nights of bombardment.

But the situation at the front, which runs about 1,200 kilometers from the Russian border in the east to the Black Sea in the south, was a different story, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha wrote in a post on X.

"According to our military data...Russian forces continue to attack across the entire frontline. From midnight to midday, Russia committed 734 cease-fire violations and 63 assault operations, 23 of which are still ongoing," Sybiha wrote.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced last month that Russia would hold its fire from May 8 to May 10 -- a period coinciding with a May 9 military parade on Red Square and other celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II -- and urged Ukraine to do the same.

Sybiha wrote that there had been "586 attacks on our troops' positions, 464 of which used heavy weapons; 176 strikes by...drones; and 10 air strikes using 16 guided aerial bombs."

"Predictably, Putin's 'Parade ceasefire' proves to be a farce," he wrote.

The Ukrainian Air Force said earlier that Russian aircraft twice launched guided bombs targeting the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine in the early hours of May 8, and a soldier in the eastern Donetsk region said Russian forces had used drones and bombs in morning attacks.

The air force said the first bombs in the Sumy region were launched nearly three hours after the cease-fire came into force at midnight. The second round of bombs was launched within two hours, it said on Telegram. There was no word on damage.

A soldier with Ukraine's 115th Brigade, deployed at the front near Lyman in the Donetsk region, told Current Time that there was no shelling after midnight but that Russian forces targeted the Ukrainians with drones and bombs and that one soldier in his unit was wounded.

"This is what they call a cease-fire," the soldier said.

The Reuters news agency cited a Ukrainian military spokesman as saying that Russian troops had continued to conduct assaults in several areas on the eastern front, which runs through the Donetsk region.

Air Alert

The Ukrainian Air Force declared an air alert across the eastern part of the country on the morning of May 8, citing what it said was the threat of a Russian ballistic missile attack.

Russia also accused Ukraine of violating the cease-fire, which Kyiv had not committed to observe. Zelenskyy and other officials asserted that it was an effort to create the impression that Moscow wants to end the war and a bid to ensure there were no Ukrainian attacks during the Victory Day ceremonies, which brought several foreign leaders to Moscow.

Among them was Chinese President Xi Jinping, who met with Putin in the Kremlin on May 8.

Amid Western sanctions, China has helped keep Russia's economy going and fund its war against Ukraine, now in its fourth year since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion in February 2022, including by buying Russian oil and gas, and has not publicly criticized the Kremlin for the bloodshed.

Putin has used false claims that Ukraine's government is neo-Nazi as one of the justifications for the unprovoked invasion.

"Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand on guard of historical truth, protect the memory of events of the war years and counter modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism," Putin said in a public portion of the meeting with Xi.

Xi told Putin that Beijing stood alongside Russia in the face of "unilateralism and hegemonic bullying," a reference to the countries' anti-US stance. He said "China will work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major world powers."



Xi called Putin his "old friend" and Putin called Xi his "dear friend."

After their meeting in Moscow on May 8, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a statement to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between their two countries.

The statement also said Moscow and Beijing would continue to strengthen their military collaboration and would "actively increase the coordination of their approaches and deepen practical cooperation."

Other guests in Moscow include Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has openly challenged the European Union's support for Ukraine, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who made the trip despite EU pressure that visiting Moscow could derail Serbia's ambitions to join the bloc.

Joint Investment

The minerals calls for the creation of a joint investment fund that is intended to help rebuild Ukraine once the fighting is over. Under the deal, Ukraine will contribute 50 percent of all revenues from the sale of new minerals, as well as oil and gas projects.

The Russian-declared cease-fire followed days of deadly Russian bombardments of Kyiv and other cities and three straight nights of Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, creating jitters ahead of the Victory Day parade on Red Square, which Putin traditionally addresses from a grandstand with guests in attendance.

Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine stood by its offer to observe a 30-day cease-fire in the war, which began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Our proposal for a halt to the strikes, for a cease-fire of at least 30 days, still stands -- we are not withdrawing this proposal, as it offers a real chance for diplomacy, he said in his nightly video address on May 7.

Russia has not responded to the 30-day cease-fire offer except for new strikes, he said.

"This clearly and obviously demonstrates to everyone who the source of the war is," he added.

Zelenskyy also appeared to acknowledge the numerous drone attacks that have been targeting Russian sites this week. The attacks forced the closure of airports in Moscow and the grounding of flights.

"And it is entirely fair that the Russian sky -- the sky of the aggressor -- is not calm either today," Zelenskyy said.

Both countries are under pressure from Trump to bring a swift end to the war, the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Putin has said he is committed to achieving peace, but Vance said the Russians are asking too much" as the United States tries to bring the two sides to the table.

Vance also suggested that Ukraine should not be fixated on the idea of a 30-day cease-fire. He said "the gulf is wide" but he is "reasonably optimistic" about the chances of ending the war.

"The step we need to take right now is we need Russia and Ukraine to start talking to one another," said Vance. "We think it's probably impossible for us to mediate the whole process fully without at least some direct negotiations."

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP
Photo: https://eurosolidarity.org/

Ukrainian parliamentarian, leader of the European Solidarity party, Petro Poroshenko, stated on Thursday when speaking at the Kyiv Security Forum on the Priamyi Channel that the ratification of the Agreement on the Establishment of an Investment Fund between Ukraine and the United States is an attempt to bring bilateral relations out of a deep crisis.

According to him, the signing of the agreement is not economic, but symbolic in nature and is a step towards normalizing relations after the events of February 28, which led to political tension.

Poroshenko also recalled that President Zelenskyy had previously categorically denied the possibility of signing a mineral agreement without security guarantees. He noted that the conflict during a meeting with former US President Donald Trump in Washington and the subsequent anti-American rhetoric of the Ukrainian authorities had caused significant damage to the country's defense capabilities.

The politician emphasized that the crisis in relations with the United States led to the cessation of intelligence, financial and military assistance, including the supply of Patriot missiles and artillery ammunition. In his opinion, this negatively affected Ukraine's defense capabilities and posed the question of how to overcome the situation for the authorities.

The leader of the European Solidarity stressed that Ukrainians have the right to know whether the new agreement will help answer the key question: when the war will end and whether it will contribute to the establishment of permanent peace. He emphasized that the document does not contain provisions on the cessation of hostilities, but focuses on the economic aspects of cooperation.

He also drew attention to the fact that the European Solidarity party insisted on including a reference to the Crimea Declaration and the territorial integrity of Ukraine in the agreement. In addition, it was proposed to record the security agreement between Ukraine and the United States, signed by Presidents Zelenskyy and Biden, but the relevant initiatives were not supported by the parliament.

According to Poroshenko, an important achievement was that the final version of the agreement managed to consolidate support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, although the initial version of the document contained only a provision on sovereignty without relevant clarifications.
On May 6, Kyiv hosted the second GovTech Meetup, organized by the Global Government Technology Centre (GGTC) Kyiv  the second GovTech center in the world after Berlin. The center was established through a joint initiative of the World Economic Forum and Ukraines Ministry of Digital Transformation.

The GovTech Meetup series, launched by GGTC Kyiv, is aimed at building a sustainable platform for the exchange of expertise, best practices, and innovative approaches in public sector digital transformation between Ukrainian and international experts.

The event brought together digital transformation leaders and CDTOs (Chief Digital Transformation Officers) from key Ukrainian ministries, including the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Representatives of the GovTech Alliance and other partner organizations also took part.

The keynote speaker was Ieva Ilves, International Advisor to Ukraines Ministry of Digital Transformation and a well-known expert in cybersecurity and digital policy. A former First Lady of Estonia, Ilves shared insights from Estonia and Latvias experience with digital innovation and its impact on national development and security strategies.

Digital technology shapes a nation's future today. In the global technology race, the speed of innovation must go hand in hand with the security and resilience of society. Ukraine is proving that digital transformation is a key strength when facing modern threats, Ilves said in her speech titled "Digital Diplomacy: Lessons Learned and Global Trends."

The event was moderated by Zoya Lytvyn, Head of GGTC Kyiv, who emphasized the importance of international knowledge exchange in strengthening Ukraine's GovTech ecosystem.

Dr. Ilona Khmeleva, Head of the International Advocacy Cluster at East Europe Foundation, also addressed the audience. She noted that topics such as cybersecurity and digital transformation unite a wide range of stakeholders and are essential for Ukraine's recovery and positioning as a global digital leader.

Ukraine not only has much to learn but also much to share with the world, even in the face of ongoing Russian aggression, including in cyberspace, Khmeleva said.

The event concluded with an open discussion and networking session, where participants exchanged ideas and explored potential partnerships to advance Ukraines digital leadership in the region.

GGTC Kyiv plans to continue the GovTech Meetup series, inviting prominent international speakers to strengthen global cooperation in digital governance.

The Global Government Technology Centre (GGTC) in Kyiv is the second GovTech center globally after Berlin and the 21st Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in the World Economic Forum network. GGTC Kyiv is supported by the EGAP Programme, implemented by East Europe Foundation with support from Switzerland, and was initiated by Ukraines Ministry of Digital Transformation and the World Economic Forum.
15-year-old Elphin Community College student Lucia Revuelta has booked her place in this years Junk Kouture World Final after her eco-friendly creation impressed the judges at last nights national final in Dublin.

Junk Kouture is an international competition which promotes sustainable fashion by encouraging post-primary school students to design, create and model unique outfits using recycled materials.

After successfully coming through a regional final in March, Lucia was among 60 national finalists who gathered at The Helix in Dublin to battle it out for the ten Irish places on offer at the 2025 Junk Kouture World Final.

Lucias winning design, Miss Mares, is aimed at highlighting the beauty of the ocean while also raising awareness of the impact of pollution on marine life. Her creation was made from aluminium cans, sardine tins and foil.

Lucia, originally from Bilbao in Spain, came to the Elphin school as an exchange student two years ago but returned again in Transition Year as she was keen to participate in the Junk Kouture competition.

The strong tradition of Junk Kouture at the school has been led by its art teacher, Susan Prendergast, who has help to guide another Junk Kouture project into a World Final.

Were just absolutely thrilled. Its incredible. Here we go again! Lucia is really artistic- she is an amazing artist and an exceptional student in every regard, Susan told the Roscommon Herald this morning.

She also paid tribute to Lucias backroom team of Colm Flanagan, Anna Kuspolova, Abby OCallaghan and Kaylagh Peaty.

The date and location for this years world final, where 60 finalists will compete, is set to be announced very shortly.

Lucia and nine other Irish winners will be up against peers from the UK, USA, France, Italy and UAE later this year.

Elphin Community College has a very impressive track record in the Junk Kouture competition. Only last year, three fifth year students at the school, Mary McNulty, Vanessa Kielty and Martha Nugent, won a major award at the world final held last year in Monaco.

There were two other Roscommon entries in last night's national final, both of which also qualified from the regional finals.

Meave Galvin, Abby Regan and Bronagh Fahey from Scoil Mhuire Strokestown showcased their design Flight To Freedom, created from silage wrap and bottle caps.

Mercy College Roscommons entry came from Ava Lynch, Suzannah Reynolds and Katie Hanley who created Twisted Tales from toilet roll holders and book pages.
By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

A woman whose husband has been detained in Dubai for 17 years met with Irish politicians on Thursday to garner support for his case.

Ryan Cornelius, 71, was detained for 10 years in 2008 as part of a bank fraud case, with his detention extended by 20 years in 2018.

A UN working group has found he is subject to arbitrary imprisonment.

His wife, Heather Cornelius, who is an Irish citizen, met with TDs and Senators at Leinster House in Dublin on Thursday to raise awareness of his case.

Mrs Cornelius said her husband has said the Irish embassy in Dubai are way more proactive with prisoners than anybody else.

They really are fantastic. We would just like to try and get some more people backing us and supporting us, she told PA ahead of the meetings.

Mrs Cornelius, her brother-in-law Chris Pagett, and human rights campaigner Sir Bill Browder, were due to meet with Labour leader Ivana Bacik, Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney, and Independent senators Aubrey McCarthy and Gerard Craughwell.

Sir William Browder (left) and the family of Ryan Cornelius, his Irish wife Heather and brother-in-law Chris Pagett arrive ahead of a meeting with politicians at Leinster House in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

They are also expected to meet with an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Mrs Cornelius said she has tried to campaign with the British government to push for her husbands release but has received very little back.

Its very much to try and increase our campaign. The years are running out.

Id like to get Ryan home, and I am an Irish citizen, and I feel that the more people that I can bring my story and perhaps get a little bit more help.

Mrs Cornelius Irish mother met her father in Co Down and they married before moving to Zambia, where she was born.

She then went to Coleraine High School and Jordanstown university in Northern Ireland, now known as Ulster University.

She said that of the 40 years she and her husband have been married, he has spent 17 years in prison.

Thats the most devastating thing. It has been all the way along, but now it sits even heavier on both our shoulders that hes lost all that time with his family, and hell never get that back. But we do hope that well get some time together, a few years (where) we could be happy.

She said that her youngest child was six-years-old when her husband was arrested, and is now 23.

Its completely devastated our family.

She said her husband has high blood pressure, several skin conditions, has contracted TB while in jail and has had Covid-19 several times.

There are no easy things about being in jail in the Middle East.

We talk every day on the phone, and we hold on to that hope.

Heather Cornelius, the wife of Ryan Cornelius, speaking to a PA journalist as she arrives ahead of a meeting with politicians at Leinster House in Dublin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

Chris Pagett, who is married to Heathers sister, said he has been part of efforts to push the British government to help secure Mr Corneliuss release.

This has been a cross weve all had to bear. We always live with hope therell be a breakthrough, but even if there is tomorrow, its 17 years well never get back, he said.

Mr Pagett said that Ireland and the EU represents really one of our main hopes.

As a former British diplomat, Mr Pagett said the case highlights a chronic failure to protect your citizens abroad from injustice.

I think eventually a majority of British people will become more concerned about it, he said.

This will become a political issue, because at the moment, its isolated cases here and there.

Certainly, the issue is likely in the world that we are now living in to become much more of an issue.

Sir Bill Browder said the British government has basically been totally inactive and that anything is better than nothing.

Ryan is a British citizen, but the British government has pretty much left him to hang out and dry.

Given that theres a connection to Ireland, we thought that perhaps the Irish would care more about one of theirs than the British do about theirs.

Were going to Brussels in a few weeks to meet people in the European Parliament  and particularly the Irish members of the European Parliament  and were here in Dublin to meet with the Irish parliament, and were trying to find any way to get him out.

This man should not have been in prison at all, but to serve 17 years and to have his entire life ruined over this thing, its just unfathomable.
Centre Issues Advisory to Ban Pakistani-Origin Content on OTT Platforms

The advisory was sent to publishers of online curated content, media streaming platforms, and digital intermediaries.

In a decisive move to safeguard national security, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a formal advisory directing OTT platforms, media streaming services, and digital intermediaries to immediately discontinue all content originating from Pakistan. The advisory, approved by the competent authority and signed by Deputy Director Kshitij Aggarwal, was released today.

The advisory was sent to publishers of online curated content, media streaming platforms, and digital intermediaries. It refers to Part III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which outlines a Code of Ethics for content publishers.

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According to the Code, publishers are expected to avoid content that:

Affects the sovereignty and integrity of India,

Threatens national security or jeopardizes the State, Advertisement

Harms Indias foreign relations, especially with friendly nations,

Incites violence or disturbs public order.

The Ministry also invoked Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules, 2021, which mandates intermediaries to avoid hosting or distributing content that threatens Indias unity, integrity, defense, or public order.

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The advisory directly links recent acts of terrorism, including the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack, to Pakistan-based state and non-state actors. That attack resulted in the deaths of several Indian and Nepali civilians and injuries to many others.

In the interest of national security, the advisory stated, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms, and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming content originating in Pakistan, whether subscription-based or otherwise, with immediate effect.

This marks one of the strongest digital media actions taken by the Indian government in the backdrop of escalating cross-border tensions, and is expected to have far-reaching implications for cross-border content exchange.

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Copies of the advisory have also been sent to:

Self-Regulatory Bodies of OTT Platforms

Associations/Bodies of OTT Platforms

The move underscores India's broader strategy to respond not only militarily but also diplomatically and digitally in the wake of rising hostilities with Pakistan.
100 Terrorists Killed in Pakistan in "Ongoing Operation Sindoor"

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told all-party meeting that at least 100 terrorists killed in Indian strikes under Operation Sindoor.

100 Terrorists Killed in Pakistan in "Ongoing Operation Sindoor" latest news: Following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack and India's targeted military response, Operation Sindoor remains active, confirmed Union Minister Kiren Rijiju after an all-party meeting held in New Delhi. The meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, aimed to brief leaders on Indias military posture and foster national consensus.

According to information, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told all-party meeting that at least 100 terrorists killed in Indian strikes under Operation Sindoor.

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All parties have shown unity. Everyone appreciated the armed forces and pledged full support, Rijiju stated. This operation reflects our nations maturity in handling terror threats.

Notably, Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM urged the government to act with empathy toward Kashmiris. We must compensate families affected in Poonch. Pakistans actions have hurt innocents; we should stand by them, he said.

With national security taking center stage, leaders across the political aisle reiterated that terrorism must be met with firm, decisive action while also preserving the dignity and integration of all Indiansespecially those living near conflict zones.
Cross-Border Shelling Goes on for Second Day in Jammu and Kashmir Following 'Operation Sindoor'

The nightmare started around 2:45 AM, when Pakistani forces abruptly changed the target from border locations to Poonch city proper.

Cross-Border Shelling Goes on for Second Day in Jammu and Kashmir Following 'Operation Sindoor' latest news Tensions rose along the Line of Control (LoC) as Pakistani troops initiated cross-border shelling in Kupwara district for the second day in a row on Thursday. The shelling comes after India's military operation, 'Operation Sindoor', targeting terror infrastructure across the border.

As a retaliatory action, Pakistan attacked civilian settlements in Poonch, shelling homes and religious places. The continuous shelling continued for almost 14 hours, sending people into a state of panic. Unfortunately, 15 individuals, including four kids, lost their lives, and over 57 others were injured.

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Residents called the experience unprecedented, even in the wars of 1971 and 1965. The ferocity of the shelling compelled authorities to move civilians out of the worst-affected areas to safer places.

The nightmare started around 2:45 AM, when Pakistani forces abruptly changed the target from border locations to Poonch city proper. While people slept peacefully, shells started crashing home, giving families no time to respond. Places of worshiptemples and gurdwaraswere also attacked in the bombardments.

The first reported fatality was at 6 AM, when the roof of a house in Dungas was hit by a shell, killing two siblings in their sleep. Another child died while escaping towards Jammu, whose vehicle had been hit by the incoming fire, leaving five members of the family injured.

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In another tragic accident, a veteran soldier, Amarjeet Singh, was caught up in an explosion close to Poonch District Hospital, and he lost his life instantly. The massive scale of damage has left people terrified, with locals reporting that every street from Ward-1 to Ward-10 in Poonch shows evidence of bombardment.

Though authorities assert that the situation is now under control, security forces have intensified surveillance and monitoring in border areas. High-level meetings were held throughout the day, and plans are being made to relocate residents from vulnerable areas

As border tensions escalated, residents in Akhnoor were put on tenterhooks from Tuesday evening onwards. Although direct shelling was not reported, the fact that India's cross-border military strike was reported created widespread concern.

After reports of the operation, hospitals in Akhnoor were kept on standby and residents turned off streetlights and house lights to ensure minimal visibility in the event of an emergency.

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By Wednesday morning, the news had circulated through television, newspaper, and social media, causing odd scenesvacant marketplaces, empty roads, and closure of schools and colleges in the entire region.

The tense atmosphere continues, as civilians brace for further developments in the aftermath of one of the most intense cross-border confrontations in recent history.

(For More News Apart Cross-Border Shelling Goes on for Second Day in Jammu and Kashmir Following 'Operation Sindoor' stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Dinesh Kumar Sharma, Valiant Soldier, Martyred During Cross-Border Shelling

Dinesh Kumar Sharma, a committed serviceman, was serving along the Poonch-Rajouri border in Jammu and Kashmir.

Dinesh Kumar Sharma, Valiant Soldier, Martyred During Cross-Border Shelling latest news: In a national tragedy, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar Sharma of the 5 Field Regiment was killed in action while under Pakistani army shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The 32-year-old soldier, who hailed from Muhammadpur village in Palwal, Haryana, was on duty when enemy troops opened heavy artillery and mortar fire on border villages Wednesday morning.

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Condolences came from all over the nation, and Haryana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini paid his tribute to the deceased soldier. Using social media, he stated in sorrow:

"Braveheart" Dinesh Kumar Sharma from Palwal, Haryana, stood tall amidst Pakistan's gunfire and sacrificed himself for the nation. All Indians are proud of your martyrdom, and the nation will never forget your sacrifice. Salute to our hero!"

Dinesh Kumar Sharma, a committed serviceman, was serving along the Poonch-Rajouri border in Jammu and Kashmir. He has behind him his pregnant wife, Seema, a lawyer by profession. His family is committed to military service, with two of his brothers and three cousins serving in the armed forces.

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His father, Dayachand, was full of pride in his son's sacrifice, stating, "My son gave his life for the country. His courage and commitment will never be forgotten."

Dinesh is survived by his two young kidsfive-year-old son Darshan and seven-year-old daughter Kavya. His family has committed to carrying his legacy forward, stating, _"We will bring up our kids to serve the country, as their father did.

Dinesh's younger brother Kapil is also serving in Jammu and Kashmir, and another brother, Hardatt, is serving in Bhopal. The family heard the news of his injuries early morning, and official eulogies followed shortly.

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Having enlisted in the artillery regiment in 2014, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar Sharma was a pillar of strength in the battlefield. As per District Deputy Commissioner Dr. Harish Kumar, his last rites would be conducted in his native village with full state honors.

India laments the death of yet another fearless soldier who gave his life while performing his duties, bringing to the forefront of national minds the unbreakable determination and will of its soldiers.

(For More News Apart Dinesh Kumar Sharma, Valiant Soldier, Martyred During Cross-Border Shelling stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
'India Attacked Again', Pakistan Makes Big Claim, Says "Indian Drone Reaches Lahore

Pakistan DG ISPR General Ahmed Sharif made huge claims in a press conference.

India vs Pakistan War Latest News Today: Pakistan has made yet another big claim that India has once again attacked in several areas of the country, stating that "an Indian drone has reached Lahore and that India sent multiple drones at multiple locations."

Pakistan's DG ISPR General Ahmed Shairf, in a press conference, said "On 7-8 May, India violated ceasefire again by sending multiple drones at multiple locations. As of now, 12 Drones Taken Down by Pak, Debris being collected at multiple locations, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Attock, Bahawalpur, Miano, Chhor, and Karachi.

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He also said, "1 Drone Reached Lahore and that 4 Soldiers injured near Lahore, while partial damage to equipment has also been suffered."

"1 civilian also died while 1 is injured in Miano, Sindh," he added.

He further claimed that "5 Aircrafts, Multiple drones have been taken down so far, and multiple casulaties are also reported near LoC."

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"India lost the plot. It's escalating in heavuily charged enviorment. Pakistan Armed Forces remained fully vigilant," he said.

(For more news apart from India vs Pakistan War Latest News Today, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
India Seek Review Of Security In View of Pakistan Tension

In a vital defense operation, Indian forces managed to intercept more than 20 Pakistani missiles targeting Jaisalmer

India Seek Review Of Security In View of Pakistan Tension latest news: India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishanka met with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas to discuss India-Pakistan tensions. India has proceeded with caution, he assured, but at the same time put in words clearly that any additional escalation would see a strong response.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has conducted a high-level security review, interacting with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the three chiefs of the armed forces

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In a vital defense operation, Indian forces managed to intercept more than 20 Pakistani missiles targeting Jaisalmer, highlighting India's strong defense readiness.

With diplomatic negotiations in progress and national security in focus, more is expected to emerge. Officially, stay tuned

(For More News Apart India Seek Review Of Security In View of Pakistan Tension stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
86 pct in global survey praise China's digital innovation: report

Xinhua) 08:28, May 08, 2025

A robot is pictured at the 8th Digital China Summit in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Eighty-six percent of respondents praised China's advancements in digital technology, according to a report released Wednesday by Renmin University of China (RUC) in Beijing.

The 2025 Global Public Digital Technology Perception Report, conducted by the university's Global Opinion Research Center, surveyed 7,599 participants from 38 countries through an international online sample pool.

The report covers five key areas, including improvements in daily life brought by digital technologies, expectations and concerns about artificial intelligence (AI), and growing recognition of China's digital tech in the Global South.

Regional analysis shows the highest approval rates for Chinese digital technology -- Africa at 94.3 percent, South America at 93 percent, Southeast Asia at 91.1 percent, South Asia and Central Asia at 90.7 percent, and the Middle East at 88.1 percent.

More than half the respondents consider AI and e-commerce as China's leading digital sectors, according to the report. E-commerce platforms like Temu and SHEIN have rapidly grown globally through competitive pricing and efficient supply chains.

Meanwhile, Chinese AI firms are advancing quickly with open, fast-paced development strategies. In regions such as Africa, Chinese AI is increasingly viewed as a driver of smart infrastructure and digital governance.

"Chinese tech companies are widely seen as leaders in digital innovation. Earlier this year, DeepSeek's R1 model delivered strong performance with minimal computing resources. Tencent's Hunyuan and Alibaba's Qwen large language models also ranked among top performers in benchmarks. Meanwhile, Alipay and WeChat Pay continue expanding globally, providing users with convenient payment solutions," said Zhang Di, professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, RUC.

The report also notes that 83.6 percent of the Global South respondents see Chinese digital technology as a positive force in their countries. Cooperation in technology, infrastructure, and talent development is strengthening, supporting both the internationalization of Chinese tech companies and digital growth in these countries.

Worldwide, attitudes toward innovation vary significantly between developing and developed nations, with 74.2 percent from developing countries closely following global tech trends, compared to just 50.5 percent in developed countries.

The survey indicates that 62.7 percent believe AI positively impacts work efficiency, while 64.9 percent see benefits for student learning. However, only 34.9 percent expressed optimism about AI's effects on employment opportunities.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Political Unity Shines as Operation Sindoor Continues: Kiren Rijiju After All-Party Meet

Operation Sindoor is not just a military strike; it represents the resolve of the Indian state against terrorism

Political Unity Shines as Operation Sindoor Continues: Kiren Rijiju After All-Party Meet latest news: In a rare moment of political consensus, leaders from across party lines came together to extend full support to the Indian Armed Forces and the government following the launch of Operation Sindoor. After an all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed that the operation was ongoing and received bipartisan endorsement.

Operation Sindoor is not just a military strike; it represents the resolve of the Indian state against terrorism, Rijiju told reporters. All leaders across the political spectrum expressed their faith in the armed forces and congratulated them for the precision and restraint shown in the strikes.

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The meeting, which was aimed at keeping political leaders informed and aligned amid growing tensions with Pakistan, also saw constructive suggestions from opposition parties. Rijiju added, The Defence Minister said we don't form the government just to rule, but to protect the dignity and unity of our country.

He further said, "Many fake news is being propagated to spread fake news, and hence, I appeal to all in this time not to trust any fake news coming out of the country or from within the country and to trust only authentic information."

(For More News Apart Political Unity Shines as Operation Sindoor Continues: Kiren Rijiju After All-Party Meet stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
BBMB Chairman Detained Over Attempt To Unauthorized Water Release to Haryana

Cabinet Minister and AAP Leader Harjot Bains has confirmed this development.

BBMB Chairman Detention Latest News Today: In a dramatic development, Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) Chairman Manoj Tripathi and the boards Secretary have been detained for allegedly attempting to release water to Haryana without authorization. The detention has sparked a political storm in Punjab, with Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Harjot Bains confirming the incident.

Bains stated, The BBMB Chairman tried to release water to Haryana, bypassing proper protocols. He will not be released until strict action is taken against him. Sources indicate that Tripathi is currently being held at a rest house in Nangal, under tight security.

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The AAP leader has also demanded the immediate registration of a case against the BBMB Chairman for his actions, which are seen as a violation of Punjabs water rights. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accompanied by the states Advocate General, is en route to Nangal to address the situation, signaling the governments intent to handle the matter with utmost seriousness.

This incident has intensified the ongoing water-sharing dispute between Punjab and Haryana, with Punjab accusing the BBMB of favoritism. Further developments are awaited as the state government prepares to take legal action.

(For more news apart from BBMB Chairman Detention Latest News Today, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Trump Calls for De-escalation Amid Escalating India-Pakistan Tensions

The tensions are a result of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people.

Trump Calls for De-escalation Amid Escalating India-Pakistan Tensions latest news: U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced concern at the mounting tensions between India and Pakistan after India launched retaliatory strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Addressing the White House on Wednesday, Trump said he hopes the two nations will resolve the crisis and offered to help de-escalate tensions.

The tensions are a result of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. In retaliation, India initiated Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. The raids have raised serious concerns of an escalation of conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

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Trump, speaking to reporters, labeled the situation "terrible" and emphasized his good relationship with both India and Pakistan. "I get along with both. I know both very well, and I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop,"he told reporters. He also added that both nations had exchanged ''tit-for-tat" moves and hoped that the retaliation would stop soon.

The U.S. President also announced that he would be happy to help end the crisis. "If I can do anything to help, I will be there," he said.

Earlier during the day, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed similar views, saying that he was closely following the developments and speaking to both Indian and Pakistani leadership to urge a peaceful solution.

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While India maintains its innocence, Pakistan has condemned the attacks as "unprovoked aggression" and threatened retaliatory measures. The Indian government, however, asserts that the attacks were "focused, measured, and non-escalatory," striking at terrorist targets without attacking Pakistani military targets.

(For More News Apart Trump Calls for De-escalation Amid Escalating India-Pakistan Tensions stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Romania through the lens of a camera

Professional photographer, Mihai Moiceanu, offers tourists the opportunity of taking back memories from the places visited

Romania through the lens of a camera

Daniel Bilt, 08.05.2025, 12:41

Tourists who may want to learn more about Romania by means of guided tours with a professional photographer are offered the opportunity of taking with them lots of photos with the most beautiful places visited. These places could be less accessible to tourists if they go on their own. Photo tours have been designed not only for photo enthusiasts but also for those passionate by nature, the wildlife, traditions and people. Tourists can be either beginners or advanced in the art of photography. Today we are going to find out how a photo tour is being held and we will be exploring two Romanian regions by means of this new perspective.

Photographer and independent film creator, Mihai Moiceanu, will be our guide in the following minutes. Mihai lives in Brasov, central Romania and his main activity domain is nature and travel photography. According to him, Romania is still an untapped territory in terms of photo opportunities. Photographers, in particular, are looking for amazing places and Romania has such interesting spots. However, as many of these places are still unknown, tourists may have a difficult time to spot them.

Mihai Moiceanu: Maramures is an extremely rich area in terms of photo opportunities, so to say. We are offering various topics, cultural, travel, portraits, meetings with special people, access to extraordinary places. One tour I have been guided for the past 20 years, is a trip on the Vaser Valley by means of that famous narrow-gauge train known to Romanians as Mocanita. However, this is not a simple trip to that area; we hire the train for the entire day and we stop to all the places with breath-taking views to take photos. We are also taking pictures of the activity the vehicle was built for as a narrow-gauge forest railway.

The main characteristic of this forest railway is that its still operational; here is our guide again at the microphone.

Mihai Moiceanu: Logging activities are still going on here in the Maramures Mountains. One or two trains are operating on a daily basis and we are taking pictures with the people operating it, workers doing their job, preparing the train every day. They fill its tanks with water and coal, revise and grease its parts. These moments for us are extraordinarily spectacular, offering numerous opportunities to a photographer. After the Mocanita we are taking photos of the famous villages in the area with their special people, we are visiting artisans and of course, a series of places with ancient traditions. This place has a lot of extraordinary photo opportunities. All the visitors here are delighted by this marvelous region, which offers an excellent photo Safari with lots of opportunities ranging from breath-taking views, the railway, traditions, culture etc.

Tours are of two types. Some kick off precisely at a set hour, and Mihai Moiceanu stages them according to the market demand, but there are also tours organized by request and they include groups ranging from one person to 15 people at the most.

Generally speaking, there are tours with a limited number of people since the access to some areas is restricted to some extent.

Mihai Moiceanu: There are two types of nature tours. Some are focusing on landscapes as we are crossing an area with breathtaking views, and there are also others focusing on the regions wildlife and things, more like a photo Safari, you know. These mostly involve trips to the Danube Delta, for bird-watchers and people interested in that type of landscape, or into the mountains, where one may find bears, aurochs or mountain goats. I can only take four-five photographers to those areas because we must observe a certain protocol; there are rules, you know, and we arent allowed to disturb the animals. So, there are all sorts of tours tailored for all those interested in taking pictures with the wildlife and everywhere in these tours we are accompanied by the rangers of those parks.

The Carpathian Mountains are home to the largest population of brown bears in Europe. Nevertheless, the brown bear is very difficult to photograph and contrary to popular belief, it is a shy animal, as photographer Mihai Moiceanu explains. To take pictures of the bears roaming is no easy thing and not for everyone but the photo experience seems to be extremely rewarding and safe at the same time.

Mihai Moiceanu: I have all sorts of tourists, you know; some are interested in landscapes, others in cultural aspects, in wildlife. And they are always delighted as they didnt know what was to come next, what they should expect next, and they end up fascinated by the experience. A biologist from England told me, for instance, that he wanted to visit Romania for a long time. He didnt have much information, but what he found here exceeded all his expectations by far. He was an expert in plants and found a lot of wild plants and trees here that he actually fell in love with Romanias forests. England doesnt have such big forests you know. This would be one example and there are also photographers from all over the world and also many photographers from Romania are interested in such tours.

Romania offers a lot of perfect photo Safari destinations, which abound not only in breathtaking landscapes but also in stories, which deserve being preserved. So, these photo Safari trips are another way of exploring Romania and at the end of the day, every picture, every photo has its own story to tell.

(bill)
May 8, 2025 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

May 8, 2025 UPDATE

Newsroom, 08.05.2025, 18:30

PNNR. The interim government in Bucharest, led by interim Prime Minister Catalin Predoiu, adopted on Thursday a memorandum that allows for the renegotiation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNNR) with representatives of the European Commission. According to the decision, the Minister of European Projects, Marcel Bolos, can now renegotiate the PNRR in order not to lose any money from the 13.7-billion-euro instalment. However, the executive must ensure that it has the necessary time to implement all the investment targets it has committed to by August 31, 2026. The second goal of the PNRR renegotiation is to advance 55 targets and milestones from payment request number 4 and increase its value to 5.7 billion euros. Bolos also announced that, by the end of this month, Romania must receive 1.3 billion euros from payment request number 3.

Depreciation. On Thursday, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) set a new historic exchange rate of 5.1222 lei to the euro. This increase is the result of the first round of the presidential election held on May 4, when the sovereigntist George Simion, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) candidate, got 40.96% of the votes, followed by the independent Nicusor Dan, the mayor of Bucharest, with 20.99%. The BNR intervened on the foreign exchange market, but the pressure towards the depreciation of the leu remains very high. This has been confirmed by the European Central Bank, which has reported that the euro has exceeded the psychological threshold of 5 lei on the interbank market, a benchmark that had been firmly defended by the National Bank of Romania. A higher exchange rate directly affects services and products imported or expressed in euros, such as mobile phone subscriptions, excise taxes applied by the state on some products, the car market, the real estate market, as well as many foods, as Romania is dependent on imports.

Infringement. The European Commission has opened an infringement procedure against Romania for failing to introduce certain European provisions into national energy legislation. The Commission says Bucharest is restricting the freedom of gas producers to set their wholesale prices on the market. The EC believes that the measure maintained by the Romanian executive is detrimental to the internal market and consumers. Romania now has two months to respond and take the necessary measures. Otherwise, the Commission says it will refer the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Motion. Senators from S.O.S. Romania, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and the Party of Young People (POT) representing the nationalist opposition, have submitted, in the plenum of the Senate, a simple motion against the health minister, the Social  Democrat Alexandru Rafila, whom they accuse of poor management of the vaccination policy. The signatories to the document also accuse the relevant ministry of incorrect payment of the night shifts/on call services and claim that family doctors have been transformed into civil servants, through the large number of forms and papers they have to fill out daily. The motion will be debated and voted on Monday afternoon, in the Senate plenary session. According to the Parliaments rules of procedure, the adoption of a simple motion does not entail the resignation or dismissal of the minister concerned.



Europe Day. On the occasion of Europe Day, on Friday, the debate Together  Romania and our Europe: present and future will take place in Bucharest, an event dedicated to reflecting on Romanias European path and the common values shared within the EU, the Presidential Administration announced. The event will bring together approximately 200 guests, including 150 students and pupils in their final year of high school, ambassadors of the European Union member states accredited in Romania, as well as representatives of European institutions: the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Investment Bank. Among the main speakers are Roxana Minzatu, Vice-President of the European Commission, and Ramona Chiriac, Head of the European Commission Representation in Romania.

Chisinau. The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, is visiting the Republic of Moldova to celebrate Europe Day in Chisinau and to reconfirm the European Unions commitment to supporting the European path of the Republic of Moldova. The European Commissioner is scheduled to meet with Moldovan authorities, as well as with representatives of civil society, entrepreneurs and citizens, as well as visit several areas of the country where projects supported by the European Union will be inaugurated. The delegation led by the European Commissioner also includes two Romanian MEPs, Siegfried Muresan and Dan Barna.

Victory. Parades and other events took place in the victorious countries of World War II on Thursday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, dpa reports. In the United Kingdom, a service was held at Westminster Abbey, the church in London where British monarchs are crowned. The military parade, which was also attended by the royal family, took place on Monday. In France, President Emmanuel Macron marked the day by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and attending the military parade on the Champs Elysees. Because of the war with Russia, Ukraine has not planned any major official events for Victory Day, with Thursday being considered the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation. In general, Ukrainians currently celebrate the victory on May 8, like most Europeans, not on May 9, the date marked by the Soviets and later by the Russians.

EP. The European Parliament has adopted a position of principle on the future multiannual budget of the European Union. The lead rapporteur on the file, MEP Siegfried Muresan, says that the European Parliament wants more funds for defense and economic competitiveness, in line with the priorities of Europeans in the latest Eurobarometer. Two other priorities are the common agricultural policy and the cohesion policy, as well as facilitating access to money, Siegfried Muresan said. The European Commission is to propose the draft budget in the summer, after which the Parliament and the Council will start negotiations.

Pope. Black some rose again from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday afternoon, indicating that the new Pontiff was not chosen from among the 133 cardinals taking part in the conclave. Pope Francis died on April 21, on Easter Monday, at the age of 88, after 12 years at the helm of the Catholic Church. (MI)
Priorities of the 2028-20234 EU budget

The European Parliament passed a resolution on the EU's future multiannual financial framework

Credits: Fred MARVAUX /  European Union 2025 - Source: EP

Leyla Cheamil, 08.05.2025, 13:50

The European Parliament wants a significantly more ambitious EU budget for the 2028-2034 framework, one that can meet the growing expectations of EU citizens amid global instability, according to a resolution adopted by MEPs during a plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The current spending ceiling of 1% of the EUs gross national income is not enough to cope with the growing number of crises and challenges, MEPs believe. Taking into account the withdrawal of the USA from its global role, spending will have to address Russias war of aggression against Ukraine, an extremely difficult economic and social context, a competitiveness gap, as well as the worsening climate and biodiversity crisis, the resolution reads. The document reaffirms the role of cohesion policy in deepening the single market, reducing inequalities and combating poverty. The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, said that priority will be given to Europes competitiveness and security.

In turn, Romanian MEP Siegfried Muresan, an EU co-rapporteur on the EUs long-term budget, said that the European Parliament wants the next long-term budget to be better suited to meet current challenges  to help Europe act quickly in crisis situations, to better protect its citizens and to build a stronger and more competitive Union. Another two priorities are the common agricultural policy and the cohesion policy, as well as facilitating access to funding, Siegfried Muresan said. The Romanian MEP said that beneficiaries of European funds do not often complain about the lack of funds, but about red tape, procedures in accessing funds, the fact that the rules are often different from one European fund program to another. Therefore, we want to simplify the rules, reduce bureaucracy, facilitate access to European funds, to become simpler, faster and even cheaper for beneficiaries, Siegfried Muresan said.

Co-rapporteur Carla Tavares from Portugal stated that people and regions must be at the heart of the next multiannual financial framework. She stressed that strong investments are needed to boost strategic autonomy, economic resilience and green objectives, without leaving anyone behind. In addition, an ambitious budget must promote social and territorial cohesion, include new and modernized revenue sources and guarantee sufficient funding for security, defense and preparedness to ensure fair and prosperous communities, while observing the rule of law and the EUs fundamental values, Carla Tavares said. The European Commission is expected to propose the draft budget this summer, inviting Parliament and the Council to negotiate its final form. (VP)
German stocks are up sharply on Thursday thanks to some upbeat earnings announcements and easing concerns about tariff tensions. Investors are also looking ahead to the monetary policy announcement from the Bank of England.

Optimism on the trade front has increased after the U.S. President Donald Trump said that he would soon announce "a major trade deal with representatives of a big and highly respected country."

According to reports, the U.S. President is likely to announce a framework of a trade deal with the U.K. Meanwhile, representatives of the U.S. and China are set to meet in Switzerland this weekend for trade talks.

The benchmark DAX was up 291.36 points or 1.26% at 23,409.00 a little while ago.

Siemens Energy is up 3.5% after reporting second-quarter net income of 433 million euros or 0.49 euros per share from 68 million euros or 0.08 euros per share in the same quarter last year.

Infineon Technologies is gaining more than 3.5% despite lower earnings. The semiconductor manufacturer reported profit from continuing operations before income taxes of 293 million euros for the second quarter, significantly lower than 487 million euros in the same quarter a year ago, mainly due to higher operating expenses as well as lower revenue.

Heidelberg Materials is also up by about 3.5%. The company reported that its first-quarter result from current operations rose to 235 million euros from 232 million euros, a year ago.

Shares of sportswear maker Puma are rising more than 7%. The company reported sharply lower profit in its first quarter with higher expenses and lower sales. However, the firm maintained its fiscal 2025 outlook, and said it is on track to have approximately 500 corporate positions reduced globally by the end of the second quarter 2025.

BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen, Siemens, Rheinmetall, Daimler Truck Holding, SAP and Zalando are up 2 to 3%.

Porsche Automobil Holding, Deutsche Post, Continental, Adidas and Beiersdorf are also up with strong gains.

Mercedes-Benz is down more than 6%. Hannover Rueck is lower by nearly 3%, while Commerzbank, E.ON., Henkel and Siemens Healthineers are down 0.6 to 1%.

In economic releases, Germany's industrial production increased 3% month-on-month in March, in contrast to the 1.3% decrease in February, data from Destatis revealed. Output was expected to grow 0.9%.

German exports increased 1.1% on a monthly basis in March, but this was weaker than February's 1.8% gain, separate set of data showed. Shipments were expected to climb 1%.

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Market Analysis
Lamar Advertising Company (LAMR) reported first quarter funds from operations, or FFO, of $156.1 million versus $148.5 million for the same period in 2024, an increase of 5.1%. Adjusted funds from operations, or AFFO, was $164.3 million compared to $158.2 million, an increase of 3.8%. AFFO per share increased 3.9% to $1.60 from $1.54. Net income was $139.2 million compared to $78.5 million, a year ago. Net income per share was $1.35 compared to $0.76.

First quarter net revenues were $505.4 million compared to $498.2 million for the first quarter of 2024, a 1.5% increase.

Lamar chief executive Sean Reilly said: "Based on pacings, we remain on track to reach our previously provided guidance for full-year AFFO per share."

For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com.

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Business News
Chinese vice premier meets chairman of management committee of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority

Xinhua) 08:31, May 08, 2025

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Majed Al Romaithi, chairman of the Management Committee of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) of the United Arab Emirates, in Beijing, capital of China, May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met with Majed Al Romaithi, chairman of the Management Committee of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) of the United Arab Emirates, in Beijing on Wednesday.

He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China's economy got off to a good start this year, with solid progress in high-quality development and continued improvements in social confidence and expectations.

China is continuing to deepen its reform comprehensively, and making efforts to promote high-level opening-up in various fields such as finance, He noted, adding that China welcomes foreign financial institutions including the ADIA and long-term investors to engage in business in China and share in its development opportunities.

Majed said the ADIA is optimistic about China's economic prospects and is looking forward to conducting cooperation and exchanges with China in different fields.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Majed Al Romaithi, chairman of the Management Committee of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) of the United Arab Emirates, in Beijing, capital of China, May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
205 child sexual abuse offenders were arrested and 115 children were rescued in a nationwide crackdown to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators.

The coordinated effort, code-named "Operation Restore Justice," was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Justice Department's Criminal Division, and United States Attorney's Offices around the country.

Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking.

The Justice Department said in a press release that in Minneapolis, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice, it added.

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Business News
Molson Coors Beverage Company (TAP) Thursday reported lower profit for the first quarter, primarily impacted by decline in sales. Earnings as well as sales missed the Street expectations. The company also slashed its full-year outlook. Its shares were more than 5% down in pre-market activity.

The company posted net income of $121 million or $0.59 per share for the first quarter, significantly lower than $207.8 million or $0.97 per share in the same quarter a year ago.

Excluding one-time items, underlying net income was $101.7 million or $0.50 per share, that missed the average analysts' estimate of $0.80 per share. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Sales for the quarter fell 11.3% to $2.304 billion from $2.596 billion in the previous year, mainly due to lower financial volumes and unfavorable foreign currency impacts. The consensus estimate was for $2.39 billion.

For fiscal 2025, the company now expects sales to decrease in low single-digit at constant currency, compared to the previous outlook of low single-digit increase.

Adjusted EPS is now expected to increase in low single-digit, down from high single-digit increase guided earlier.

"We have adjusted our 2025 guidance for certain key financial metrics due to the impacts of the global macroeconomic environment on the beer industry and consumer trends. While we have included in our guidance our best estimate of some of these factors, including the direct cost impacts from announced tariffs, the indirect effects of these trends are multi-faceted and include inherent uncertainties that could impact our financial performance beyond what is contemplated in our guidance," the company said in a statement.

Molson Coors Beverage stock had closed at $56.84, down 0.11% on Wednesday. It has traded in the range of $49.19 - $64.66 in the last 1 year.

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Business News
First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits saw a modest decline in the week ended May 3rd, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday.

The report said initial jobless claims dipped to 228,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 241,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to slip to 230,000.

"The previous week's jump in claims was reversed in the week ended May 3, and there is little in the incoming data to challenge the Federal Reserve's assessment that labor market conditions remain solid," said Michael Pearce, Deputy Chief U.S. Economist at Oxford Economics.

Meanwhile, the Labor Department said the less volatile four-week moving average inched up to 227,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 226,000.

The report also said continuing claims, a reading on the number of people receiving ongoing unemployment assistance, fell by 29,000 to 1.879 million in the week ended April 29th.

The four-week moving average of continuing claims still rose to 1,874,500, an increase of 8,750 from the previous week's revised average of 1,865,750.

"Cutting through the noise, both initial and continued claims remain stable, and claims by federal workers have declined over the past month," said Pearce.

He added, "We expect the latter to rebound towards the end of this month as a renewed wave of layoffs picks up steam, and we anticipate initial jobless claims will rise gently into the second half of the year as the slows."

Last Friday, the Labor Department released a separate report showing job growth in the U.S. far exceeded economist estimates in the month of April.

The Labor Department said non-farm payroll employment shot up by 177,000 jobs in April compared to expectations for an increase of about 130,000 jobs.

However, the jumps in employment in February and March were downwardly revised to 102,000 jobs and 185,000 jobs, respectively, reflecting a net downward revision of 58,000 jobs.

The report also said the unemployment rate came in at 4.2 percent in April, unchanged from the previous month and in line with economist estimates.

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Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Market sentiment remains mixed in the aftermath of the pause by the Fed and the concerns about economic uncertainty it raised. Optimism surrounding the trade deal between the U.S. and the U.K. and the looming trade talks with China however boosted sentiment. Positive updates to corporate earnings also supported .

Wall Street Futures are trading with mild gains. Major markets in Europe are trading on a mostly positive note whereas the FTSE 100 has declined after a widely expected rate cut by the Bank of England. Major Asian markets finished trading firmly in the green.

The six-currency Dollar Index extended gains. Bond yields hardened across regions. Hopes of a trade deal between the U.S. and China lifted crude oil prices. A potential easing in the global trade tensions diminished gold's safe haven appeal, dragging down prices. Cryptocurrencies rallied emphatically.



Here is a snapshot of the major world markets at this hour.

Stock Indexes:

DJIA (US30) at 41,320.50, up 0.50%

S&P 500 (US500) at 5,672.00, up 0.72%

Germany's DAX at 23,309.00, up 0.83%

U.K.'s FTSE 100 at 8,553.96, down 0.06%

France's CAC 40 at 7,691.25, up 0.84%

Euro Stoxx 50 at 5,283.25, up 1.01%

Japan's Nikkei 225 at 36,928.63, up 0.41%

Australia's S&P ASX 200 at 8,191.70, up 0.16%

China's Shanghai Composite at 3,352.00, up 0.28%

Hong Kong's Hang Seng at 22,775.92, up 0.37%

Currencies:

EUR/USD at 1.1306, up 0.04%

GBP/USD at 1.3333, up 0.30%

USD/JPY at 144.62, up 0.58%

AUD/USD at 0.6423, down 0.02%

USD/CAD at 1.3883, up 0.37%

Dollar Index at 99.98, up 0.37%

Ten-Year Govt Bond Yields:

U.S. at 4.297%, up 0.51%

Germany at 2.4910%, up 0.65%

France at 3.209%, up 0.44%

U.K. at 4.5425%, up 1.87%

Japan at 1.339%, up 1.06%

Commodities:

Brent Oil Futures (Jul) at $61.93, up 1.33%.

Crude Oil WTI Futures (Jun) at $59.01, up 1.62%.

Gold Futures (Jun) at $3,356.45, down 1.05%.

Cryptocurrencies:

Bitcoin at $99,421.89, up 2.58%

Ethereum at $1,965.18, up 7.49%

XRP at $2.21, up 3.67%

BNB at $613.85, up 0.97%

Solana at $155.00, up 5.49%

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Forex News
Key updates for Kia Carens Clavis include sporty exteriors, panoramic sunroof, dual screens and Level-2 ADAS with 20 autonomous features

For those who prefer a more premium experience than standard Carens, Kia has unveiled the Carens Clavis premium MPV. Primary rivals will continue to be Maruti XL6 and Hyundai Alcazar among others. Where pricing is concerned, it is positioned at a premium over standard Carens.

Bookings open tonight, midnight 00:00 hours. Mr. Gwanggu Lee, MD and CEO of Kia India, said, Innovation is the core of everything we do, driven by advanced technology and distinctive design. The unveiling of the Carens Clavis represents a key milestone in our journey, embodying our commitment to a progressive, premium, and purpose-led approach. We recognize the evolving needs of our customers, and with the Carens Clavis, were offering more than just a vehicle, its a thoughtfully crafted experience that enhances everyday mobility. As we continue to push boundaries, we remain focused on delivering smart, design-led solutions that empower families and inspire confidence on every drive.

Kia Carens Clavis  Whats new?

Front fascia has been updated with sleek Star Map LED DRLs with integrated turn signals. Also, Ice-Cube MFR LED headlamps. Carens Clavis also gets robust front and rear skid plates in satin chrome finish. Road presence has been further enhanced with R17 crystal cut dual-tone alloy wheels. In comparison, the Carens MPV utilizes R16 alloy wheels. At the rear, Kia Clavis gets Star Map LED connected tail lamps.

Users can choose from a total of 8 monotone colour options. The Ivory Silver Gloss colour is exclusive to Clavis and not available with Carens. However, Clavis misses out on the Intense Red colour available with Carens. Other colours, Pewter Olive, Imperial Blue, Glacier White Pearl, Gravity Gray, Sparkling Silver, Aurora Black Pearl and Clear White, are the same as Carens.

Inside, Kia Clavis gets a 26.62-inch dual panoramic display panel for the infotainment and instrument console. In comparison, Kia Carens is equipped with a 10.25-inch touchscreen and a full digital instrument cluster of the same size. Another addition to Clavis is a 4-way powered drivers seat. Kia Connect suite has been updated with remote window control, find my car with surround view monitor and multilingual VR commands.

Another big update with Kia Clavis is dual-pane panoramic sunroof. In comparison, Carens is offered with a single-pane sunroof. Other highlights of Kia Clavis include an infotainment/temperature swap switch, ventilated front seats, smart pure air purifier with AQI display and BOSE premium sound system with 8-speakers.

Enhanced safety with ADAS

Kia Clavis gets ADAS Level 2 with 20 autonomous features with the 7DCT variant. It includes blind spot collision warning, blind spot collision avoidance assist, blind view monitor in cluster, 360 camera, smart cruise control with stop and go and driver attention warning.

Also, front collision warning, front collision avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, lane following assist, high beam assist, rear cross traffic collision warning and avoidance assist and safe exit warning.

Standard safety features are largely the same as Carens. Kia Clavis has 18 safety features as standard across all variants, as compared to 15 standard safety features available with Carens. Key highlights include 6-airbags, ESC, VSM, BAS, HAC, DBC & ABS, front and rear parking sensors, all wheel disc brakes and tyre pressure monitoring system.

6MT with 1.5-litre turbo petrol

Powertrain options remain the same, with the sole exception of a 6MT transmission added with the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine. Transmission options of 6iMT and 7DCT are the same as Carens. The 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine generates 160 PS and 253 Nm. Other engine options, a 115 PS, 1.5-litre NA petrol (6MT) and a 116 PS, 1.5-litre diesel (6MT / 6AT) are the same as Carens.
Catch up with Bowen | How do Russians see the World Anti-Fascist War?

(People's Daily App) 14:04, May 08, 2025

At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Xi Jinping is paying a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 and will attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. How do people here see this history? Why does it still matter so much? Join People's Daily reporter Li Bowen as he searches for answers in Moscow.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
Greek lawmaker highlights respect and win-win cooperation as pillars of China-EU relations

14:59, May 08, 2025 By Zhang Zeyu, Yin Tao, Liu Ning ( People's Daily Online

As 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union (EU), Dora Bakoyannis, chair of the Standing Committee on National Defense and Foreign Affairs of Greece's Hellenic Parliament, emphasized the importance of mutual respect and win-win cooperation in an exclusive interview with People's Daily Online during her recent visit to China.

Reflecting on the bilateral relationship between China and Greece, Bakoyannis described current ties as very strong and characterized by deep mutual understanding. "We have developed strong ties in the cultural sphere, marked by exceptional cultural exchanges," she noted. She also highlighted China-Greece economic cooperation, specifically the Chinese investment by COSCO SHIPPING Group (COSCO) in the Port of Piraeus as a standout example of successful collaboration.

According to Bakoyannis, Greece and China have also maintained close coordination on the political stage, particularly within the framework of the United Nations, where the two countries have found common ground on a number of important international issues.

Greece has played a key role in supporting China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), becoming the first EU member state to officially join in 2018. Bakoyannis pointed to the COSCO investment in Piraeus as a prime example of how BRI cooperation can deliver tangible benefits. She emphasized that the project has been well received by the local community and has significantly contributed to both the Greek and Chinese economies. "I have every confidence in the entrepreneurial spirit of both the Greek and Chinese people to explore and develop sectors of collaboration that will prove advantageous to both sides," she added.

The China-Greece relationship also has strong cultural foundations. Bakoyannis emphasized the significance of the two countries as cradle civilizations. This shared legacy provides a unique opportunity for deeper cultural exchange. She extended a warm invitation to the Chinese public to explore Greece, and equally encouraged Greeks to visit China and experience its rich cultural heritage.

When discussing China-EU relations, Bakoyannis acknowledged existing trade-related challenges but stressed the importance of long-term perspective. She expressed a believe that in the long run cooperation would be beneficial to all, and that building walls cannot be the answer. She added, "The only viable path forward is through collaboration grounded in mutual respect, recognition of each other's rights, and a sincere understanding of each side's interests."

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Wu Chengliang)
MIT physicists have captured the first images of individual atoms freely interacting in space. The pictures reveal correlations among the "free-range" particles that until now were predicted but never directly observed. Their findings, appearing in the journal Physical Review Letters, will help scientists visualize never-before-seen quantum phenomena in real space.

The images were taken using a technique developed by the team that first allows a cloud of atoms to move and interact freely. The researchers then turn on a lattice of light that briefly freezes the atoms in their tracks, and apply finely tuned lasers to quickly illuminate the suspended atoms, creating a picture of their positions before the atoms naturally dissipate.

The physicists applied the technique to visualize clouds of different types of atoms, and snapped a number of imaging firsts. The researchers directly observed atoms known as "bosons," which bunched up in a quantum phenomenon to form a wave. They also captured atoms known as "fermions" in the act of pairing up in free space -- a key mechanism that enables superconductivity.

"We are able to see single atoms in these interesting clouds of atoms and what they are doing in relation to each other, which is beautiful," says Martin Zwierlein, the Thomas A. Frank Professor of Physics at MIT.

In the same journal issue, two other groups report using similar imaging techniques, including a team led by Nobel laureate Wolfgang Ketterle, the John D. MacArthur Professor of Physics at MIT. Ketterle's group visualized enhanced pair correlations among bosons, while the other group, from Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris, led by Tarik Yefsah, a former postdoc in Zwierlein's lab, imaged a cloud of noninteracting fermions.

The study by Zwierlein and his colleagues is co-authored by MIT graduate students Ruixiao Yao, Sungjae Chi, and Mingxuan Wang, and MIT assistant professor of physics Richard Fletcher.

Inside the cloud

A single atom is about one-tenth of a nanometer in diameter, which is one-millionth of the thickness of a strand of human hair. Unlike hair, atoms behave and interact according to the rules of quantum mechanics; it is their quantum nature that makes atoms difficult to understand. For example, we cannot simultaneously know precisely where an atom is and how fast it is moving.

Scientists can apply various methods to image individual atoms, including absorption imaging, where laser light shines onto the atom cloud and casts its shadow onto a camera screen.

"These techniques allow you to see the overall shape and structure of a cloud of atoms, but not the individual atoms themselves," Zwierlein notes. "It's like seeing a cloud in the sky, but not the individual water molecules that make up the cloud."

He and his colleagues took a very different approach in order to directly image atoms interacting in free space. Their technique, called "atom-resolved microscopy," involves first corralling a cloud of atoms in a loose trap formed by a laser beam. This trap contains the atoms in one place where they can freely interact. The researchers then flash on a lattice of light, which freezes the atoms in their positions. Then, a second laser illuminates the suspended atoms, whose fluorescence reveals their individual positions.

"The hardest part was to gather the light from the atoms without boiling them out of the optical lattice," Zwierlein says. "You can imagine if you took a flamethrower to these atoms, they would not like that. So, we've learned some tricks through the years on how to do this. And it's the first time we do it in-situ, where we can suddenly freeze the motion of the atoms when they're strongly interacting, and see them, one after the other. That's what makes this technique more powerful than what was done before."

Bunches and pairs

The team applied the imaging technique to directly observe interactions among both bosons and fermions. Photons are an example of a boson, while electrons are a type of fermion. Atoms can be bosons or fermions, depending on their total spin, which is determined by whether the total number of their protons, neutrons, and electrons is even or odd. In general, bosons attract, whereas fermions repel.

Zwierlein and his colleagues first imaged a cloud of bosons made up of sodium atoms. At low temperatures, a cloud of bosons forms what's known as a Bose-Einstein condensate -- a state of matter where all bosons share one and the same quantum state. MIT's Ketterle was one of the first to produce a Bose-Einstein condensate, of sodium atoms, for which he shared the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Zwierlein's group now is able to image the individual sodium atoms within the cloud, to observe their quantum interactions. It has long been predicted that bosons should "bunch" together, having an increased probability to be near each other. This bunching is a direct consequence of their ability to share one and the same quantum mechanical wave. This wave-like character was first predicted by physicist Louis de Broglie. It is the "de Broglie wave" hypothesis that in part sparked the beginning of modern quantum mechanics.

"We understand so much more about the world from this wave-like nature," Zwierlein says. "But it's really tough to observe these quantum, wave-like effects. However, in our new microscope, we can visualize this wave directly."

In their imaging experiments, the MIT team were able to see, for the first time in situ, bosons bunch together as they shared one quantum, correlated de Broglie wave. The team also imaged a cloud of two types of lithium atoms. Each type of atom is a fermion, that naturally repels its own kind, but that can strongly interact with other particular fermion types. As they imaged the cloud, the researchers observed that indeed, the opposite fermion types did interact, and formed fermion pairs -- a coupling that they could directly see for the first time.

"This kind of pairing is the basis of a mathematical construction people came up with to explain experiments. But when you see pictures like these, it's showing in a photograph, an object that was discovered in the mathematical world," says study co-author Richard Fletcher. "So it's a very nice reminder that physics is about physical things. It's real."

Going forward, the team will apply their imaging technique to visualize more exotic and less understood phenomena, such as "quantum Hall physics" -- situations when interacting electrons display novel correlated behaviors in the presence of a magnetic field.

"That's where theory gets really hairy -- where people start drawing pictures instead of being able to write down a full-fledged theory because they can't fully solve it," Zwierlein says. "Now we can verify whether these cartoons of quantum Hall states are actually real. Because they are pretty bizarre states."

This work was supported, in part, by National Science Foundation through the MIT-Harvard Center for Ultracold Atoms, as well as by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Army Research Office, the Department of Energy, the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency, a Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
While an abundance of parasites might seem like a bad thing, their absence actually signals trouble in the environment. Parasites are found throughout nature and are part of nearly every major animal group. Many ecosystems with rich wildlife also have a wide variety of parasites, since parasites depend on specific hosts to survive.

When human activities like pollution disturb ecosystems, these host-parasite relationships can break down. Because some parasites need several different hosts to complete their life cycles, their presence can tell us a lot about the health and complexity of an ecosystem.

In the 1970s, the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) was considered one of Florida's cleanest coastal lagoons. Today, the IRL, which spans 156 miles along Florida's east coast, suffers from frequent harmful algae blooms (HABs) caused by excess nutrients from farms, septic systems and urban areas. These blooms have severely reduced seagrass beds -- vital habitats for fish and invertebrates -- which still haven't recovered.

As such, researchers from Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and from Florida Oceanographic Society suspected that parasite levels in the IRL would be affected by these environmental changes. Despite a few records, no long-term parasite datasets exist for the IRL. To help fill that gap, researchers used a meta-analysis approach -- comparing their findings with global data from similar species and ecosystems.

Results of the study, published in the journal Estuaries and Coasts, found that parasites were less common in the IRL compared to other coastal and estuarine ecosystems around the world. In fact, the proportion of infected hosts in the IRL was about 11% lower than what is typically observed in similar environments.

More importantly, researchers saw an even bigger drop -- about 17% -- in the prevalence of larval-stage parasites that rely on multiple hosts to complete their life cycles. These types of parasites often depend on a stable and complex food web, moving from prey to predator as they develop. The fact that they're much less common in the IRL suggests the local food web may be simplified or disrupted, likely due to environmental stressors like pollution, habitat loss and recurring algae blooms. This reduced complexity could mean fewer interactions between species and a less resilient ecosystem overall.

"The Indian River Lagoon is mostly surrounded by suburban development, but our parasite findings suggest its food web looks more like those found in heavily urbanized areas," said Christopher Moore, Ph.D., senior author and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Florida, who conducted the study as a postdoctoral fellow at FAU Harbor Branch. "Water quality problems and patchy seagrass cover likely limit how freely host species can move, which in turn reduces parasite presence and signals a simpler, more fragile ecosystem. As restoration continues, our parasite data can serve as a useful baseline to track how the lagoon's food web recovers after years of nutrient pollution and habitat decline."

From October 2022 to October 2023, researchers sampled six sites in the central and southern IRL, focusing on areas where seagrass was starting to regrow after a 2019 algae bloom die-off. They collected and dissected fish and crustaceans, recording parasites with complex life cycles -- like nematodes, tapeworms, flukes and parasitic isopods. They used both visual ID and DNA barcoding to identify the parasites, and compared their results with other studies to see how the IRL measures up in terms of parasite presence and abundance.

Crustaceans and fish in the IRL had lower parasite infection rates than similar species in other ecosystems -- 11% lower in crustaceans and 8% lower in fish. Fewer parasites also used these animals as final hosts -- 5% less for crustaceans and 11% less for fish. While small intertidal fish typically host more parasites than crustaceans in other systems, the IRL showed no such difference. Overall, parasite prevalence in the IRL was 34% lower, with the biggest decline in digenetic trematodes (15%), isopods (20%) and nematodes (9%).

"These results highlight a striking shift in the ecological health of the Indian River Lagoon," said Michael McCoy, Ph.D., co-author and a professor at FAU's Harbor Branch and Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. "The significantly lower parasite prevalence -- especially among trematodes, isopods and nematodes -- suggests a disruption in the biodiversity needed to support the parasites' complex life cycles. Parasites are often invisible indicators of ecosystem integrity, and here, their scarcity is telling us something important."

Parasites with identifiable larval stages, like tapeworms (cestodes), thorny-headed worms (acantocephalans) and flukes (trematodes), were also much less common than expected. No larval tapeworms or acanthocephalans were found in the crabs, suggesting these complex parasites are largely absent in the lagoon. Though only crabs were studied, this points to a general lack of these parasites in the area.

"Just like Washington state's Puget Sound -- a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins -- our parasite data suggest that food webs in the Indian River Lagoon are being disrupted, largely due to seagrass loss," said Moore. "These disruptions have led to declines in meso-predators like sea trout, whose numbers dropped sharply after harmful algal blooms first appeared in 2011. These blooms, driven by excess nutrients, damage seagrass habitats and upset the balance of predators and prey in the ecosystem."

Study co-author is Krista McCoy, Ph.D., director of research and conservation at the Florida Oceanographic Society.

This research was supported by the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Specialty License Plate fund (PWD #AWD-002997).
A portable device that can instantly detect dangerous street drugs at extremely low concentrations has been developed at the University of Bath in the UK.

The device, which is being trialled by drug-checking services in the UK, Norway and New Zealand, can identify substances such as benzodiazepines and synthetic opioids that are difficult to detect with existing mobile technologies and are major contributors to drug overdoses globally.

The device, which is similar to an ultraviolet spectrometer, will allow drugs to be tested cheaply and at volume. Its on-the-spot analysis reveals both the contents of a substance and the concentration of each ingredient. The technology is described today in the scientific journal Analytical Chemistry.

Biochemist Professor Chris Pudney -- who leads the team that developed the technology from the Department of Life Sciences at Bath -- says the potential life-saving benefits of this invention are considerable. By using the device to reveal the precise composition of an illicit substance, the risks associated with taking unknown or adulterated drugs can be reduced significantly.

Professor Pudney envisions the new machine being deployed in areas where illicit drugs are commonly used, such as at clubs and festivals, as well as in services that provide support and treatment for dependent-drug users.

Testing times

Detecting substances at low concentrations is more challenging than identifying larger quantities of highly pure substances. The equipment currently available for this task often requires extensive training and can only be operated by chemists.

By contrast, the device invented by Professor Pudney can be operated by a non-expert, yielding results with the simple press of a button, and can detect drugs at extremely low concentrations. This allows it to determine the potency of a formulation and identify any contamination with undeclared substances. Many 'red flag' substances, including synthetic opioids such as nitazenes and fentanyl, are toxic even in minute quantities, and being able to detect them is critical to saving lives.

Professor Pudney said: "Whatever we're doing at the moment to prevent deaths from drug misuse isn't working so we need a new kind of service that can be where it's needed -- cheaply, easily and anywhere.

"Our device would support community harm reduction. Telling people not to take drugs doesn't work, so different strategies are needed. By letting people know exactly what's in a drug and how strong it is, we can empower them to make safer decisions about whether or not to take it, or to use it in a safer way."

Drug adulteration

Globally, there is a growing problem of people unknowingly taking street drugs that have been mixed with undeclared substances. For instance, illicit pills containing benzodiazepines (which can produce feelings of euphoria, relaxation and calmness in the user) can be contaminated with synthetic opioids, turning them into ultrapotent mixtures that dramatically increase the risk of adverse effects and fatal overdoses.

The rise of potent synthetic drugs has made the landscape of drug use particularly dangerous, essentially presenting people who believe they are taking a known dosage of a known drug with a 'Russian roulette' of risk.

Professor Pudney said: "Now, more than ever, there are serious health risks associated with taking all drugs. People may think they have bought something relatively unharmful -- perhaps a substance they know well -- but the drug they have may in fact be contaminated with a far more dangerous and more addictive substance that could endanger their lives.

"This is why drug checking is so important and so needed. We need simple, instant detection that anyone in a drug and alcohol service can use to support their clients."

Deaths in England and Wales from drug poisoning have increased year on year, rising from 4,359 in 2018 to 4,907 in 2023 (these figures include both illicit drug use and prescription drug misuse).

Local and international trials

The new technology -- currently a prototype -- is being trialled by drug services both in the UK and internationally.

Devon & Cornwall Police, UK

A device acquired by Devon & Cornwall Police (UK) in June 2024 has allowed the force to fast-track suspicious substances linked to near-fatal and fatal overdoses. This lets them provide real-time drug warnings to drug treatment services in the area, rather than waiting for several months for results from forensic drug-detection service providers.

Nick Burnett, drug expert witness for Devon & Cornwall Police, said: "A prime example of this was testing of some oxycodone tablets in 2024 following a death. The tablets were found to contain a nitazene. We were able to put out a drug warning within 36 hours of that death occurring."

He added that the technology had improved the police's working relationship with its drug treatment services, especially in relation to information sharing and where necessary the issuing of drug warnings.

The Loop, UK

Unlike in New Zealand, drug checking services in the UK require a Home Office license for the possession of controlled drugs to operate legally. To date, The Loop Drug Checking Service is the only community-based drug-checking service in the UK that has been granted a licence. It has been operating in Bristol since 2024, and uses, alongside other analytical technologies, Professor Pudney's device.

Katy Porter, CEO of The Loop said: "We have been pleased to work alongside the team at the University of Bath to explore the use and potential of the device in drug checking services and for the purpose of reducing drug-related harms. We share the concerns regarding the changing drug market in the UK and working together to ensure drug checking is accessible and available to more people."

Drug-checking service, New Zealand

For two weeks last year, hundreds of drug samples were tested in New Zealand using Professor Pudney's new device as part of an initiative involving the country's three front-line drug-checking services: the Needle Exchange Programme, the New Zealand Drug Foundation and KnowYourStuffNZ. New Zealand is one of few countries in the world where drug-checking services are explicitly legal.

KnowYourStuffNZ deputy manager Dr Jez Weston said: "The spectrometers that we use are currently the best tech for mobile drug analysis, but science moves ever on. The University of Bath's new technology could help us help our clients with better and faster analysis of their samples."

Drug-checking service, Norway

The device is also being trialled by the Association for Safer Drug Policies (ASDP) in Norway. Norway is another country that operates community-based drug checking.

Dagfinn Hessen Paust, chief scientific officer at the ASDP -- a leading advocate for harm prevention and evidence-based drug policies in Norway and the Nordics -- said: "We use a number of different technologies to check drugs, mostly using infrared spectrometry, which is great for most use cases but not for testing benzodiazepines and very potent, very dangerous opioids. These substances -- unlike, say MDMA -- are found in very low concentrations in the tablets people consume and cannot be picked up by established devices.

"The new device from Bath is helping us fill this gap -- it's very exciting for us to be trialling this new technology."

Shining light

The new technology from Bath works through a combination of fluorescence and reflectance spectroscopies.

Fluorescence is a technique that involves shining light on a substance and measuring the light that the substance emits in response. Different substances emit light in unique ways, which makes it possible to identify them.

Reflectance Spectroscopy is a technique that measures the light bouncing off a substance. The way light is reflected provides information about the substance's properties.

The device is trained using a deep-learning algorithm, meaning it is exposed to a library of Nanoparticle Spectroscopy (NPS) light patterns from which it learns to make accurate identifications.

Professor Pudney said: "Our aim is for this device to support drug-checking services, as a means to decrease the harm caused by drugs across different groups. The landscape of drug use is changing rapidly and we hope this tool can fill some of the gaps that are emerging."
The growing use of smart home devices is undermining the privacy and safety of domestic workers.

New research from King's College London reveals how surveillance technologies reinforce a sense of constant monitoring and control by domestic workers' employers, increasing their vulnerability and impacting their mental wellbeing.

Smart home technologies are on the rise around the world, and especially in China, which has seen a rapid increase in the use of devices such as smart cameras in the home, for security reasons or to check in on elderly relatives, and baby monitors for overseeing children and childcare providers.

These devices threaten the privacy of employees such as cleaners, nannies or carers, argue the researchers.

Based on in-depth interviews with 26 domestic workers and five recruitment agencies for domestic workers in China, this first-of-its-kind study points out some concerning practices by employers in the use of these devices to monitor the performance of their workers within the context of multi-user smart homes. It also highlights how the constant feeling of being watched impacts the workers themselves.

Lead author Dr Ruba Abu-Salma, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at King's College London, said: "This complete lack of freedom and right to self-determination felt by many of the participants of the study amounts in our view to mental abuse. The constant monitoring undermines trust and affects workplace interactions.

"The devices also exacerbate already dire power imbalances between workers and their employers, undermining their rights and increasing their vulnerability."

During the research interviews, workers commented on the feeling of their movements constantly being monitored as they move around the house, and the unease they feel knowing the camera is always looking at them.

Some revealed they were not made aware of cameras in the home, with one person even discovering a device hidden in a bookshelf, while another worker said they had to deal with a smart robot installed with a camera that followed them around the room.

For live-in domestic workers, smart devices could be even more invasive, with cameras installed in every room, including intimate spaces like their bedroom, making them feel uneasy about undressing and relaxing in their own space.

And while many of the participants recognised the need for safety, especially when caring for babies, the absence of clear communication from employers about the purpose of monitoring sparked distrust and discomfort.

The research was conducted by Dr Ruba Abu-Salma, Professor Jose Such, and PhD researcher Shijing He from the Department of Informatics at King's College London, alongside researchers from the University of St Andrews and the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou.

Shijing He said: "Smart home technologies are getting smarter all the time -- including through the use of AI. Devices can rotate and track movements around the room, meaning there is nowhere to hide. AI functions can make inferences about what is going on in the room and alert the employer where perceived risks are posed."

Professor Jose Such, Professor of Computer Science at King's College London, said: "It is unclear the extent to which employers are breaching the law on privacy in China. Whilst China has a law similar to GDPR, the data protection legislation protecting UK and EU citizens, China's Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) prioritises national security rather than individual rights, and legal loopholes mean it doesn't necessarily cover the practices of employers in their own homes."

While the study only focused on China, the researchers believe this issue is more widespread and could also be affecting migrant domestic workers around the world.

The researchers have provided recommendations to domestic worker agencies and policymakers in China to address the privacy and security challenges facing migrant domestic workers in 'smart homes'.

Dr Ruba Abu-Salma added: "We found that the lack of legal protections and the unclear regulatory landscape in China exacerbated the vulnerable position of domestic workers. The absence of regulations and defined laws governing the domestic service industry highlights the urgent need for updates to privacy laws and regulations to better protect workers' rights."

Other recommendations include agencies integrating privacy education into training programmes for workers to understand their rights, as well as establishing transparent communication and contractual agreements regarding surveillance practices.
Scientists have found that a mere 30 species of trees in the Cerrado -- the world'slargest and most floristically diverse savanna -- account for nearly half of all its trees.

This phenomenon of "hyperdominance" by a few species has significant implications for understanding and conserving this important ecosystem.

The study, by scientists from Brazil, UK, and the Netherlands and published in Communications Biology (Nature Portfolio), draws on data from over 200 one-hectare field plots combined with satellite imagery and spatial modelling.

The findings show that 30 species -- less than 2% -- of the Cerrado's 1,605 tree species make up almost half of all the trees.

Among this distinct group of hyperdominant trees, one species, Qualea parviflora, was found to make up one in every 14 trees.

"We were surprised by this level of hyperdominance in such a diverse ecosystem," said lead author Dr. Facundo Alvarez, from the State University of Mato Grosso (UNEMAT).

"This pattern is similar to what's been observed in the Amazon rainforest, although the Cerrado is a savanna. Our research also determined that the Cerrado has lost an estimated 24 billion trees since 1985 -- a staggering figure equivalent to three times the Earth's current human population. Understanding the dominance of these few species is essential in light of such losses."

Spanning 2 million km2 -- an area the size of England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain combined -- the Cerrado is the largest savanna in the world and the most floristically tree diverse, as well being a gateway to the Amazonia and playing a vital role in supplying clean water and sequestering carbon.

This hyperdominance of a few species, now found in both Amazonian forests and the Cerrado, highlights the risks both biomes face for species loss due to fragmentation, deforestation and land-use change.

"When so many ecosystem processes are concentrated in 30 or so individual species it means that if you disrupt this system, for example through climate change, then depending on how those species respond to that disruption there's a risk of losing the species that are key to maintaining core functionality of the savanna as a savanna," said co-author Professor Ted Feldpausch from the University of Exeter.

As only 30 species dominate the Cerrado, its stability and functioning are very narrowly based. But Professor Feldpausch explains that focusing on these species could help researchers understand how this vast ecosystem functions.

"It could help us make predictions about how the system as a whole is going to function -- and potentially how it will respond to disruptions, whether from changing fire regimes or a changing climate," he said.

Lead co-author Professor Beatriz Marimon, from the University of Mato Grosso State (UNEMAT), added: "It's going to help us with conservation, knowing where we find higher and lower diversity; it's going to help with management -- so knowing, for example, whether these are species are more or less adaptive to fire; and if we're trying to restore areas, understanding these few species is going to help with that too."

The critically endangered Cerrado biome plays a crucial role as the gateway to the Amazonia and other biomes but is just 8% protected and more than half deforested.

To date, it has acted as a barrier, helping to separate the Amazonia from the densely populated and urbanized southeastern region of Brazil.

The Cerrado plays a crucial role in supplying water to major cities, regulating climate, and acting as a natural barrier between the Amazon and Brazil's heavily populated southeast. "Yet global environmental policies continue to overlook the Cerrado," said co-author Professor Ben Hur Marimon Junior from UNEMAT. "Its protection must become an international priority -- not a burden carried solely by local communities."

The researchers warned that up to 800 tree species may remain undetected and face extinction in a few decades due to deforestation.

The research was conducted by a team of 35 scientists from Brazil, the UK, and the Netherlands, with support from the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) and the UK's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. A footage from the visit of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam to Azerbaijan has been posted on President Ilham Aliyevs social media accounts, Trend reports.

The post reads:

"President Ilham Aliyev met with To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who is on a state visit to Azerbaijan. (07.05.2025)".
A long period of drought in North America has been recognized by scientists for decades. A new study links the severe climate to a change in Earth's orbit.

A new study from the University of Helsinki has provided a compelling new explanation for the devastating droughts which have taken place in North America thousands of years ago.This period, known as the Holocene, covers the time of generally warm climate following the last ice age. These exceptionally long-lasting droughts had drastic impacts on forest dieback and ecosystem transformations; understanding their causes is essential to improving societal resilience to future climate variations.

The reasons for these long droughts, however, have remained obscure. In the new study published in Nature Communications, University of Helsinki researchers, joined by co-authors from U.S., German and Swedish research institutions, analyse the development and causes of the drought in eastern North America, in a broad region spanning from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean.

"Evidence from the last 11,000 years highlights that North American water supplies have changed dramatically in the past, at times extending drought as severe as the 1930s Dust Bowl drought for centuries to millennia. Understanding the causes and consequences of these droughts can help improve our ability to anticipate future change," explains Bryan Shuman, co-author of the study from University of Wyoming.

In the new study, the researchers used datasets of fossil pollen grains, which have been recovered from numerous locations in North America over the past several decades. Using a computer algorithm based on machine learning, the researchers were able to reconstruct the variation of moisture levels over the Holocene based on the fossil pollen.

The study was led by J. Sakari Salonen, an Academy of Finland research fellow at the Department of Geosciences and Geography, at University of Helsinki. According to Salonen, the study confirms that the moisture conditions were continuously below modern levels for thousands of years.

Salonen notes, however, that different parts of North America experienced different drought histories. "The dry conditions first kick in in the northeastern U.S. and the nearby regions of Canada, which is today one of the wetter regions of North America. Here, we see peak drought already at 11,000 years ago," says Salonen.

The drought, then, shifts west. Salonen explains: "In the mid-continent, where we have modern prairie region, we see most severe drought at about 7,000 years ago, so thousands of years later than at the Atlantic coast. By this time, the Atlantic coast was already getting wetter, and it's like the entire climate anomaly causing the thousands-of-years long drought started migrating westward."

"Particularly in the eastern US, there's often a perception today that water is always available. However, studies of the past show that these long droughts can trigger major shifts in fire regime and tree die-offs, even in the east. So it's critical to understand the spatial patterns of these droughts and their causes," says Jack Williams from University Wisconsin-Madison, who also contributed to the study.

The researchers compared their Holocene climate reconstructions to numerical climate simulations which they ran for the same time periods. These supercomputer experiments allowed the scientists to explore what could have caused the long droughts.

Frederik Schenk, atmospheric physicist at Stockholm University and visiting scientist at University of Helsinki, tells that the new generation of climate models, performed at 2-4 times greater resolution than before, proved decisive in unravelling the causes of the drought.

The causes revealed by the climate simulations, tells Schenk, are two-fold. "The simulations show that in the early Holocene, the high-pressure system at the ice sheet, remaining in the northern part of the continent, steered moisture transport, which explains the geographic shift in dry conditions," says Schenk. After the ice sheet melted, drought set in across the entire region, as summers got increasingly warm and dry.

The Holocene drought has interesting parallels with the future climate that is expected to take hold in North America over the next decades, as anthropogenic climate change progresses. By the end of this century, most of North America is projected to become increasingly dry, despite gradually increasing precipitation. This is because the increase in evaporation, due to the warming climate, is predicted to dry out surface soils even as rainfall increases.

The researchers note that this is exactly what they see in their simulations of the Holocene drought. "Overall, a warmer climate will be wetter. But this doesn't apply to all regions. As seen in our results, there are clear regional limits of how much rain can be delivered to balance the warming-driven evaporation. For the strong summer warming in the past, it just didn't add up, giving way to millennia-long droughts," explains Schenk.

However, the underlying causes of the past and future drought are different. In the early Holocene, drying was caused by a slow change in Earth's orbit, which caused summers to get warmer, finally pushing much of North America into drought. Now, the ongoing warming and the predicted drier conditions are due to the rapid increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

"If the climate projections for this century hold true, we're looking at a speed-run repeat of what happened, for natural causes, ten thousand years ago," says Salonen.

Changes in Earth's orbit drive long-term climate change

Long-term natural climate change is greatly affected by gradual changes in Earth's orbit. These changes, which impact for example the tilt of Earth's rotational axis and the shape of Earth's elliptical orbit around the Sun, are known as Milankovic cycles and have periodicities ranging from about 26,000 to 100,000 years.

During the Quaternary period (past 2.6 million years), the Milankovic cycles have caused repeated ice ages and intervening warm periods, known as interglacials. The peak of the last ice age, approximately 20,000 years ago, occurred when the northern hemisphere received comparatively little sunlight due to the geometry of the Earth's orbit, allowing large ice sheets to accumulate in the northern parts of North America and Europe.

By 10,000 years ago, a reversal in the orbit had melted much of the northern ice sheets, giving way to the Holocene, the current interglacial. During the period of greatest warmth around 10,000 to 4,000 years ago, known as the Holocene thermal maximum, many parts of the Earth were significantly warmer than during the preindustrial era. The new results of University of Helsinki researchers and their co-authors suggest that this warmth was also a key driver of the multi-millennial droughts in North America.

During the past millennia, Earth has been gradually cooling following the Holocene thermal maximum. This long-term climate trend has, however, been interrupted by the abrupt warming caused by the anthropogenic increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Following the warming in the past century, it is estimated that Earth is currently warmer than it has been in at least 100,000 years, as climatic variability has been forced out of its long-term natural cycle.

Funding

The study was funded by the Research Council of Finland, the Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development (FORMAS), the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsradet), and the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Augmented-reality (AR) technology is rapidly finding its way into everyday life, from education and healthcare to gaming and entertainment. However, the core AR device remains bulky and heavy, making prolonged wear uncomfortable. A breakthrough from POSTECH now promises to change that.

One of the main hurdles to the commercialization of AR glasses has been the waveguide. In AR optics, the lens itself also serves as a "highway of light," guiding virtual images directly to the user's eye. Due to chromatic dispersion, conventional designs have required separate waveguide layers for red, green, and blue light -- three to six stacked glass sheets -- inevitably increasing both weight and thickness.

Professor Junsuk Rho and colleagues at POSTECH have eliminated the need for multiple layers by developing an achromatic metagrating that handles all colors in a single glass layer. The key is a array of nanoscale silicon-nitride (Si?N?) pillars whose geometry was finely tuned by a stochastic topology-optimization algorithm to steer light with maximum efficiency.

In experiments, the researchers produced vivid full-color images using a 500-m-thick single-layer waveguide -- about one-hundredth the diameter of a human hair. They also secured a comfortable 9-mm eyebox, ensuring images remain sharp even if the viewer's eye shifts slightly.

The new design erases color blur while outperforming multilayer optics in brightness and color uniformity. Once commercialized, this technology could make AR glasses as thin and light as ordinary eyewear, reducing wearer fatigue and trimming manufacturing costs thanks to a simpler process. The era of truly everyday AR is a step closer.

"This work marks a key milestone for next-generation AR displays," said Prof. Rho. "Coupled with scalable, large-area fabrication, it brings commercialization within reach."

The study, authored by Junsuk Rho (corresponding author, POSTECH), Seokwoo Kim, Joohoon Kim, and Seokil Moon, was carried out by POSTECH's Departments of Mechanical, Chemical and Electrical Engineering and the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience & Bioengineering, in collaboration with the Visual Team at Samsung Research. It was published online on April 30, 2025 in Nature Nanotechnology. This research was supported by POSCO Holdings N.EX.T Impact, Samsung Research, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's Alchemist Project, the Ministry of Science and ICT's Global Convergence Research Support Program, and the Mid-Career Researcher Program.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Azerbaijans Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, met with Bui Thanh Son, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on May 8, 2025, Trend reports citing the ministerial press service.

The officials discussed the prospects for enhancing the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Vietnam, the future of bilateral and multilateral cooperation, as well as regional and international security issues.

The ministers highlighted the importance of recent diplomatic visits, notably the state visit of Vietnams Communist Party General Secretary, To Lam, to Azerbaijan. This visit culminated in the signing of a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership, underscoring the commitment of both nations to further cooperation.

The ministers also discussed broad areas for collaboration, including trade, defense, energy security, transportation, and humanitarian affairs. They agreed on the need to utilize mechanisms such as political consultations and an Intergovernmental Commission to enhance bilateral exchanges.

In addition, regional and international cooperation within frameworks like the United Nations (UN), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) was explored. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to mutual support and solidarity in these forums.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for a wide-ranging exchange on other areas of mutual interest.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, who is on a state visit to Azerbaijan, visited the Alley of Martyrs in Baku, Trend reports.

General Secretary To Lam paid tribute to the Azerbaijani martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the countrys independence and territorial integrity, and laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame monument.

He then enjoyed a panoramic view of Baku and was briefed on the history of the Alley of Martyrs, as well as the city's redevelopment efforts.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Azerbaijan made a tremendous contribution to the victory in World War II, said the Ambassador of Tajikistan to Azerbaijan, Ilhom Abdurahmon, Trend reports.

Abdurahmon shared his thoughts with the press following a ceremony in which ambassadors from CIS countries laid flowers at the Memorial of Military Glory in Baku to mark Victory Day.

"Tomorrow, May 9, we will celebrate an important anniversarythe 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. Our fathers and grandfathers, our veterans, of whom sadly only a few remain, made an enormous contribution to this achievement. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all veterans and heroes, many of whom are no longer with us. I bow my head before their heroism and thank them for defending the homeland for the future and for new generations," said the ambassador.

He further emphasized that the memory of the Great Victory is deeply honored in all CIS countries, including Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Russia, and other states, which annually celebrate Victory Day with respect and gratitude.

"This victory was achieved with the participation of many nations, including the people of the Caucasus and Central Asia. Azerbaijan made a huge contribution to its achievement. Tajikistan, alongside its brotherly nations, also played a significant role in this victory. In 1941, Tajikistans population was only one and a half million, and 300,000 citizens were sent to the front. Of these, about 100,000 died on the battlefields," he added.

The Ambassador also noted the immense attention paid to World War II veterans by the government and people of Azerbaijan.

"In Azerbaijan, heroes are highly valued. We see this. Every year, holidays are held in honor of the heroes, the Azerbaijani soldiers who fought and triumphed in that war. It is very precious when the state cares for its veterans. Alongside Azerbaijan, Tajikistan also supports our war veterans," the diplomat concluded.

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Nick Hagen Raymond Harris.

Nick Hagen Raymond Harris teaches a water safety class at Adams Butzel Complex in Detroit.

Huron-Clinton Metroparks Kids participate in an Everyone in the Pool swimming lesson.

Huron-Clinton Metroparks Kids participate in an Everyone in the Pool swimming lesson.

Huron-Clinton Metroparks Kids participate in an Everyone in the Pool swimming lesson.

Huron-Clinton Metroparks Kids participate in an Everyone in the Pool swimming lesson.

Nick Hagen Kids participate in a water safety class at Adams Butzel Complex in Detroit.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Rashid Meredov have held phone talks, a source in Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry told Trend.

According to the source, the ministers discussed current issues related to strengthening cooperation between the two countries on the existing agenda.

The ministers expressed confidence that the traditional friendship and brotherhood between the two peoples, which have existed historically, will continue to develop on the basis of partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

The importance of political dialogue at the level of heads of state, mutual exchange of visits, and consultations between foreign ministries was emphasized in the development of bilateral relations.

They also discussed regional security, cooperation within international organizations, and matters related to the Caspian Sea.

During the talks, they also exchanged views on other bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Fran Dwight Michigan News owner, Dean Hauck, smiling at the counter.

Fran Dwight People lined up down the block to pay their respect to Dean Hauck at Michigan News Agency on Friday, May 2, 2025.

Fran Dwight

Fran Dwight Margaret Hauck, Dean Hauck's daughter, says, "Not until she passed did I realize how connected she was, how connected the community was to her, how important she was to them, and they were to her."

Fran Dwight Hundreds of people turned out to honor Dean Hauck and Michigan News Agency on May 2, 2025.

Fran Dwight Deborah Percy, local playwright and writer

Fran Dwight Arnie Johnston, local playwright, poet, and Professor Emeritus of WMU's English Department

Fran Dwight Self-published Kalamazoo author Trevon Hobson. "She would just tell me these crazy stories. She didn't bite her tongue. She was full of fire, all gas, no brakes."

Fran Dwight Mark Sahlgren and daughter Darcy Wilkin. I talked with them a little. "I worked here many years ago, in '94," Wilkin says. Sahlgren says he's been a customer since before Hauck.

Fran Dwight The memorial for Dean Hauck took place during Art Hop on May 2, 2025.

Fran Dwight Sharon Ferraro, with brother Lance Ferraro in the background. "She had an insatiable curiosity." Sharon says of Hauck.

Fran Dwight Linda Dunn, whose earliest memories are of Michigan News. To see Hauck and the Michigan News Agency go, "takes so much away from our city. It removes a sense of history. Print media, books, the smell of it. The smell of paper. These things are like a

Fran Dwight Many browsed through the stacks of books still remaining in the store.

Fran Dwight Visitors signed a guest book and included memories they had of Dean Hauck and Michigan News Agency.
UnSplash: Jeswin Thomas

UnSplash: Chan Jian Xiong

Artwork: Kaylee Healey

UnSplash: Tony Tran

Delilah Reynolds













Delilah Reynolds is a freshman at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo. She enjoys reading and writing in her free time.
John Grap Proclamation from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer declaring May 5, 2025 as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day.

John Grap Robin Elkins is the Vice-Chairperson of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Tribal Council.
The market spotlight at the end of the week will be on China and the US.

Overnight, China's customs administration will release foreign trade data for the month of April.

They will be followed later in the day by a stream of no less than 10 top Federal Reserve officials who are due to deliver speeches.

In the background, investors will also be keeping tabs on any headlines around the US-China trade talks scheduled for the day afterwards.

BoE Governor Andrew Bailey will also deliver remarks, at 0840 BST.

On the company side of things, IAG is due to release its first quarter earnings report.

Ahead of the same, City analyst Michael Hewson told clients that the share price drop following the release of its full-year numbers in February was a bit mystifying as they had been positive in multiple aspects.

One possible explanation, he believed, might be expectations for less trans-Atlantic travel to the US and the carriers many routes across that ocean.

"There may be some truth in this, however, that says more about people on this side of the pond than anything else," he added.

"Choosing to punish the working people of the US who value your custom for the actions of a President who will be gone in 4-years seems rather petty. Nonetheless it may be a factor and could mean IAG misses its revenue targets."

Friday 09 May

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Blackfinch Spring VCT

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Primary Health Properties

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Foresight VCT, Petershill Partners , Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI)

AGMS

Admiral Group, Chesnara, Man Group, Permanent TSB Group Holdings (CDI), Rightmove, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.NPV (CDI), Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.NPV (CDI)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

AIB Group (CDI), Hunting, Johnson Service Group, Kerry Group 'A' Shares (CDI), Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT, Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, Melrose Industries, Pearson, Schroder Asian Total Return Investment Company , Serco Group, Somero Enterprises Inc. (DI), Taylor Wimpey

Q1

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI)
The US has signed a full and comprehensive trade deal with the UK, Donald Trump insisted on Thursday, just weeks after unveiling his sweeping global tariff regime.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the agreement was a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.

He continued: Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honour to have the United Kingdom as our first announcement.

He provided no further details.

Speculation had been rife that a deal had been signed, however, after an earlier post by Trump promised a big news conference at 1500 BST about a a major trade deal with representatives of a big and highly respected country.

Keir Starmers spokesperson declined to comment on the latest social media update from the president, other than to note: Youve got his words and weve always been clear that we want to do a deal thats in the British national interest, and support a substantial UK-US trading relationship.

Those talks are continuing and we look forward to providing update later today.

The deal will be seen a key political win for the prime minister. It will also be the second key trade pact secured by the UK in a week, after terms were agreed with India.

However, despite Trumps latest post, the US deal is still widely expected to be limited in scope. It will also likely fall far short of a post-Brexit free trade agreement that the previous Conservative government had been pursuing without success.

Instead, the pact is expected to focus on reducing tariffs on British car and steel exports. It is thought that the 10% baseline tariff will remain in place, despite attempts by the UK team to persuade Washington to reduce it.

In return, Britain is expect to cut duties on some US imports. The digital services tax  which hits American tech firms especially hard  could also be reduced.

Trump upended global markets on 2 April when he imposed swingeing tariffs worldwide.

The UK was deemed to be friendly to American interests, and so escaped the higher rates imposed elsewhere, such as China and the European Union.

But a 10% baseline was still imposed on all UK imports. Car and steel exports were already subject to a 25% tariffs, announced earlier in the year by Trump.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Azerbaijan's Prime Minister Ali Asadov has met with the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPCV) To Lam during his official state visit to Azerbaijan, Trend reports via the Cabinet of Ministers.

The meeting underscored the significance of the ongoing diplomatic discussions between To Lam and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, emphasizing that these negotiations and the resultant agreements would mark a new chapter in the bilateral relations between the two countries.

The two sides highlighted the longstanding and rich history of Azerbaijan-Vietnam relations, which were founded by National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and National Leader of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh.

It was noted that these ties were strengthened by the reciprocal visits of Ho Chi Minh to Azerbaijan in 1959 and Heydar Aliyev to Vietnam in 1983, setting the foundation for enduring friendship and cooperation.

Additionally, the Soviet era saw significant contributions from Azerbaijan, with numerous Azerbaijani specialists sent to assist in the rebuilding of Vietnam's infrastructure and oil industry post-war, while thousands of Vietnamese students were educated in Azerbaijan.

The significance of the Ho Chi Minh exhibition and bust unveiling at the Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University was also acknowledged. Both parties emphasized the continuity of the legacy left by Heydar Aliyev and Ho Chi Minh, with the political will of both nations leaderships today reinforcing the strategic partnership.

The discussions further covered the future of bilateral cooperation across a range of sectors, including economic, trade, investment, oil and gas, and cultural and humanitarian exchanges. Both parties agreed on holding the next session of the Azerbaijan-Vietnam intergovernmental commission in Hanoi. Lam, on behalf of the Vietnamese prime minister, extended an invitation to Asadov to visit Vietnam.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
May 8, 2025 6:22 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: Government Requests OTT Platforms to Stop Streaming Pakistan-Origin Content

In a bid to secure national security, the Government came out with an advisory on Thursday (May 8, 2025) requesting OTT platforms to immediately stop streaming content that has originated from Pakistan, such as web series, films, and podcasts.

This Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directive comes after Indian military strikes against terrorist targets in Pakistan, undertaken in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025.

May 8, 2025 6:18 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates:16 Civilians Killed in Shelling by Pakistan Along LoC in Poonch

"Pakistan attacked a Sikh Gurudwara in Poonch, killing Sikh community members. Total 16 civilians have been killed as a result of Pakistani shelling on the Line of Control," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

"Any further move by Pakistan will be interpreted as an escalation, and we will act accordingly. The argument that India attacked the Neelam-Jhelam dam is an outright fabrication and is a pretext for Pakistan's designs for such attacks. Pakistan must know the repercussions of such an action," Mr. Misri said.

May 8, 2025 6:04 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates:Ministry of External Affairs Briefing on Operation Sindoor

In a special briefing on Operation Sindoor, the Ministry of External Affairs said that Pakistan targeted a number of military sites in Srinagar, Bhuj, Chandigarh, Uttarlai, Ludhiana, and Falaudi in the early hours of 7-8. The efforts of recovery of the rubble from these attacks are ongoing.

Indian forces successfully targeted air defense systems in Pakistan this morning, including one at Lahore. The situation has aggravated, with Pakistan stepping up the rate of unprovoked firing in the Uri area. The Indian military has reaffirmed its position of de-escalation, subject to the condition that the Pakistan side honors this commitment.

May 8, 2025 5:50 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates:Traders Stage 'Tiranga March' in Support of Operation Sindoor, Raise Slogans Against Pakistan

In a show of solidarity with the Indian Army after its recent military action under Operation Sindoor, hundreds of Sadar Bazar and Connaught Place traders took out a 'Tiranga March' on Thursday. They marched with a huge national flag and raised slogans against Pakistan.

The Indian military conducted precision strikes early Wednesday as part of Operation Sindoor against terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The move came in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians tragically lost their lives on April 22.

The procession, which was arranged by the Federation of Sadar Bazar Traders Association, started at Qutub Road Chowk and saw the participants voicing their denunciation of terrorism and reinforcing their solidarity with the Indian armed forces.

May 8, 2025 5:00 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates:PCB Adopts Emergency Session to Decide If PSL Must Be Halted Amid Indian Attacks

Following repeated Indian military attacks in Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) held an emergency meeting to decide whether to halt the current Pakistan Super League (PSL) which has foreign players in attendance.

The six-team T20 league is being staged currently in Rawalpindi and is to wrap up on May 18 in Lahore.

A Board source confirmed that the PCB would seek advice from the government on whether the league should continue and would hold talks later on Thursday.

"The meeting will review the situation in the context of the recent drone attacks by India, especially in the Punjab province," the source said.

May 8, 2025 4:45 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates:Drone and UAV Operations Prohibited in Leh in the Face of Increasing India-Pakistan Tensions

The authorities in Union Territory of Ladakh have prohibited the use of drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Leh district, citing reliable intelligence and security threats to their possible misuse by anti-national forces.

District Magistrate Santosh Sukhadeve directed the order, barring locals, visitors, and private citizens from operating drones and UAVs. He cautioned that any infringement of this order would lead to stern legal action under relevant laws.

"This order is passed ex-parte in the interest of public safety and security and will continue until further orders," he declared.

May 8, 2025 4:20 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates:BSF Suspends Retreat Ceremony Along Pakistan Frontier for Public Safety

The Border Security Force (BSF) has suspended the daily evening retreat ceremonies at all three border check posts along the Pakistan border in Punjab on grounds of public safety.

This comes after India recently demolished nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as a retaliatory measure for the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

In a release, the BSF said, "According to instructions, there shall be no ceremonial work at the three joint check posts (JCP) till further notice. Public visiting will be prohibited to maintain their safety and security."

May 8, 2025 4:18 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates:EAM Jaishankar's Comment on India's Military Retaliation

EAM Jaishankar said that any military aggression against India will be responded to firmly. He explained that India does not want to escalate tensions but will firmly respond to any attacks on the country.

He explained that the recent attack warranted a reaction on May 7, which was in the form of targeting cross-border terrorist infrastructure. Jaishankar clarified that the reaction was precise and calculated.

May 8, 2025 4:10 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates:PM Modi Chairs Top-Level Meeting with Ministry Secretaries

The Prime Minister Modi called a top-level meeting of the Secretaries of Ministries and Departments of the Indian Government to review national readiness and improve inter-ministerial coordination amid heightened tensions.

PM Modi, in the meeting, underlined the need for successful inter-Ministry and agency coordination to facilitate operational continuity and build institutional robustness. He also examined the strategies and preparations being made by the Ministries to deal with the situation.

May 8, 2025 4:00 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: Indian Army Repels Pakistani Military Target Strikes: Ministry of Defence

The Ministry of Defence has informed that on the night of May 7-8, 2025, Pakistan tried to attack a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, including places like Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, with drones and missiles. Those threats have been effectively eliminated by Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. Wrecks of these attacks are being recovered from different locations, giving evidence of the Pakistani offensive.

May 8, 2025 2:10 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: Over 100 Terrorists Neutralized in Operation Sindoor

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared that a minimum of 100 terrorists were eliminated in Indian operations under Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps for the recent Pahalgam terror attack. The operation was carried out through precision strikes on several terrorist hideouts in Pakistan..

May 8, 2025 12:52 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: SriLankan Airlines Halts Lahore Flights

SriLankan Airlines on Thursday said that it has suspended its flights to Lahore temporarily. Services to Karachi will still proceed as scheduled.

Four weekly flights to Lahore are all canceled until further notice, according to sources. The reason behind this move is the current strained military context in the Kashmir area.

Moreover, late on Wednesday, the Pakistani government shut its airspace for all commercial flights at Lahore and Islamabad airports.

May 8, 2025 12:45 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: Air India Grants Full Refunds and Rescheduling for Defence Personnel

Air India announced that it would provide full cancellation refunds and one-time reschedule waiver for defense personnel. It is available for tickets purchased on Air India and Air India Express flights with journey dates up to May 31, 2025, so that military people can adjust travel plans as and when required.

May 8, 2025 12:10 PM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: Government Informs All-Party Meeting on 'Operation Sindoor'

Government representatives were Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, S. Jaishankar, J.P. Nadda, and Nirmala Sitharaman, while key Opposition leaders were Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge from Congress, Sandip Bandyopadhyay of the Trinamool Congress, and DMK's T.R. Baalu.

May 8, 2025 11:35 AM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: Kerala Steps Up Security in Wake of Growing India-Pakistan Tensions

Following growing tensions between India and Pakistan, security has been stepped up around sensitive installations in Kerala, such as airports and the Vizhinjam international seaport. Sources at the Vizhinjam seaport say that all visits, personal and business, have been put on hold until further orders from the Centre.

May 8, 2025 10:05 AM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: Six Punjab Border Districts' Schools Closed Due to Escalating India-Pakistan Tensions

All schools in six border districts of Punjab have been shut down due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan as of Thursday, officials said. The districts that have been shut down include Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Tarn Taran.

May 8, 2025 9:13 AM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: Pakistan Army Continues Firing Along the LoC

The continuous shelling by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir has caused heavy casualties, leading to a strong reaction from the Indian Army. The situation is tense, with several districts being hit by the conflict. Even though the fierceness of the cross-border fire was less on Thursday compared to Wednesdaywhen the Pakistan Army mounted one of the most aggressive artillery and mortar assaults in recent times in reprisal to India's missile launches as a part of 'Operation Sindoor'on Thursday the shelling was contained in four areas.

On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistan Army opened unprovoked firing with small arms and artillery along the LoC in sectors opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army retaliated in due course," a defence spokesman said in Jammu.

May 8, 2025 9:05 AM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: UK Parliament Debates India-Pakistan Conflict

The growing tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, which involved attacking terror camps in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, were well debated in the British Parliament. MPs from both sides of the house urged action by the UK to assist in de-escalating the conflict in the area. UK Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer opened the debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday, reaffirming Prime Minister Keir Starmer's previous insistence on the importance of diplomacy and dialogue.

He also raised concern regarding the individual effect of the conflict on numerous British Indians and British Pakistanis. "Our repeated message to India and Pakistan has been to exercise restraint.". They need to talk in order to achieve a quick, diplomatic way out," Falconer said. He continued, "Both countries enjoy a close and special relationship with the UK. It's depressing to see civilian lives lost. If this is escalated further, nobody will gain anything.". We have strongly condemned the dastardly terrorist attack last month," he said, referring to the Pahalgam attack, which he had termed as one of the worst attacks in the area in several years. (PTI)

May 8, 2025 9:00 AM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates: Today's All-Party Meeting Planned

The government has scheduled an all-party meeting on Thursday to brief leaders on the military strike by the armed forces against terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju made the announcement on X, saying, "The government has called an All Party leaders meeting at 11 am on May 8, 2025, in Committee Room G-074, situated in the Parliament Library Building, Parliament Complex, New Delhi."

May 8, 2025 8:40 AM IST

Operation Sindoor Live Updates

After the armed forces' Operation Sindoor, initiated in reaction to the Pahalgam terror strike, the Centre has arranged an all-party meeting for Thursday. The meeting is fixed at 11 am on May 8 in Committee Room G-074 of Parliament Library Building. Parliamentary Minister Kiren Rijiju declared that there will be the discussion regarding military action on Pakistani terrorist bases and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir territory and future moves India would adopt in case tensions with Pakistan build up.

On the same day when India struck nine terror targets in Pakistan and PoK, cross-border shelling by Pakistani forces killed at least twelve civilians in Kashmir, injuring more than 50 others, including two CRPF personnel. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asked border states to build up infrastructure in anticipation of any retaliatory measures by Islamabad. After the midnight missile attacks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted President Droupadi Murmu to brief her on Operation Sindoor.

Also Read:India Responds with Precision Strikes in Operation Sindoor

As a reaction to the rising tension, mock drills were organized in all 244 civil defense districts, and citizens joined in on several civil defense actions on Wednesday evening, along with Operation Sindoor. Air raid alarms were raised, blackouts were enforced, and ad-hoc health facilities were established. Defense personnel were dispatched to facilitate the smooth conduct of these exercises, which were also conducted in schools and institutions of learning to acclimatize students and staff to a potential military assault.
C-DOT and CSIR-NPL sign MoU to collaborate on research and development in quantum and classical communication technologies.

Focus on secure, scalable, and indigenous solutions, with joint R&D, standardisation, academic exchanges, and IP management.

Partnership aims to boost India's self-reliance in advanced communication systems and future-ready digital infrastructure. As a part of its strategic initiative to augment India's proficiency in frontier communication technologies, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CSIRNational Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL). This partnership is focused on driving innovation and collaborative research in the domains of quantum and classical communications as a milestone in the country's pursuit of self-reliance in technology.

The MoU, which was signed by Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO of C-DOT, and Prof. Venugopal Achanta, Director of CSIR-NPL, provides a detailed roadmap for joint research, standardisation, and development of secure and scalable communication technologies. The ceremony saw the attendance of top officials from both institutions, reflecting the strategic significance of the agreement.

Under this collaboration, the two organizations will collaborate on R&D activities, exchange access to state-of-the-art research facilities, and undertake academic exchange activities like workshops, seminars, and collaborative teaching programs. High priority will also be given to intellectual property management so that benefits of the joint activities are fairly distributed. All attempts will also be made to seek funding for common research objectives.

quantum communication technology players, will have close interaction with CSIR-NPL, the scientific measurement and standardisation expert. Together, they plan to create indigenous communications solutions that are globally competitive and future-proof. C-DOT, being the network protocol expert, IoT, and, will have close interaction with CSIR-NPL, the scientific measurement and standardisation expert. Together, they plan to create indigenous communications solutions that are globally competitive and future-proof.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Upadhyay said, "Quantum communication is the future of protecting data and ensuring the integrity of critical information infrastructure. This collaboration is a step towards enhancing national priorities of self-reliance and technological sovereignty".

The collaboration will be instrumental in laying the groundwork for India's next-generation digital communication infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on secure and resilient quantum technologies.
Starlink gets LoI from India's Department of Telecom to offer satellite internet services

Piyush Goyal meets Starlink executives to discuss investment plans in India

Elon Musk to visit India later this year to push forward Starlink operations

Elon Musk's satellite-internet project Starlink has made a significant leap in its path to offering services in India. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has granted a Letter of Intent (LoI) to Starlink, marking the first government go-ahead for the project. The approval comes after Starlink agreed to comply with India's recently prescribed national security standards for satellite communication operators.

These guidelines comprise 29 other requirements like establishing local data centers, introducing interception and monitoring capabilities, providing location tracking for user terminals, and following localization mandates. With this LoI, Starlink is now waiting for the final go-ahead from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), having already filed the necessary documents. IN-SPACe's approval is needed before spectrum allocation can be carried out.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently met senior executives of Starlink, namely Vice President Chad Gibbs and Senior Director Ryan Goodnight, and discussed the investment plans of the company in the future in India. "Meeting discussions included Starlink's world-class technology platform, their ongoing partnerships and forthcoming investment plans in India", said Goyal after the meeting in a post on X.

Starlink to consolidate connectivity, primarily in remote and backward areas. In the process, local telco giants also are getting ready to join the satellite plans. Airtel is said to be negotiating with Starlink in terms of opening partnerships for satcom internet plans. Vodafone Idea has similarly shown interest to partner with, primarily in remote and backward areas.

Union Telecommunications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia pointed out how satellite internet could help rural India, underpinning the push by the government to close digital gaps using technologies like these.

Operated by Musk's space exploration company SpaceX, Starlink hopes to provide cheap, high-speed internet across the world, especially in remote and rural regions. SpaceX, which became history when it launched the first private spacecraft carrying astronauts to the International Space Station, has already launched hundreds of satellites to aid the Starlink project.

Elon Musk is also scheduled to visit India later this year, possibly moving forward negotiations regarding Starlink's full-scale operations in the country.
Illegal parking was among the most common 311 complaints filed on Staten Island in April. Staff-Shot

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Borough residents filed more than 10,000 complaints to New York City last month, with one longstanding issue accounting for more than 15% of all complaints, which was by far the highest rate of any specific issue.

The Staten Island Advance/SILive.com recently analyzed publicly available 311 data from New York Citys Open Data portal to determine the most frequent complaints lodged by borough residents last month.
The blaze consumed not just 73-year-old Leila Haiders residence but, all of her belongings. Courtesy of Shawanna Toure

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A Staten Island grandmother left gravely injured by a fire that ripped through her New Brighton home of nearly three decades must also now deal with a harsh reality: Her home, and everything in it, is gone.

And while the family of 73-year-old Leila Haider is just happy she escaped the flames with her life, theyre at a loss with what to do about the situation.

Shawanna Toure, Haiders granddaughter, told the Advance/SILive.com she was at work in Manhattan when she received a call from her sister on April 23 about the enormous blaze.

It was super, super scary because (I was) calling Grandma, and nobodys picking up, recalled Toure, a Port Richmond resident.

Haider was critically injured in the fire; she was brought to Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, where she has remained for her recovery.

In addition to burns and smoke inhalation, Haider suffered a stroke as a result of the fire, impacting her speech, according to Toure. At one point, Haider needed to be intubated for a ventilator, and later underwent blood transfusions, said Toure.

Toure said her grandmother was touch and go for a little bit, though she finally doing better.

Shes hanging on, said Toure, 36. Shes a fighter. Shes been a fighter my whole life.

She was sick before the fire, so it just made everything worse, but thank God shes OK now.

In addition to Haider, six firefighters were also injured in the fire. One firefighter was listed in serious condition at the time and the five others suffered minor injuries, according to a spokesman for the FDNY/EMS. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

She lost everything

Haider, who raised Toure and her siblings after the death of their mother, moved to Staten Island from Brooklyn in the 1990s, and purchased her Prospect Avenue home in 2002.

She spent much of her career working at the New York City Sheriffs Office, Toure said.

Everything Haider worked toward was decimated in the fire.

She lost everything in the fire. The front of the house is where her bedroom was  all of her things were right there, Toure said. They deemed the house unsuitable to live in. I am trying to figure out what are the next steps, and what I can do.

The New Brighton resident now is facing the extremely difficult process of recovery. Courtesy of Shawanna Toure

Everything from medical devices and dentures, to glasses and clothing must be replaced.

Im figuring out what she would need, said Toure. I dont know if shes going to come home with me. (It depends) upon the type of care that she will need.

GoFundMe set up to help

Toure has established a GoFundMe to both raise money for the unexpected loss of the house and her grandmothers belongings, and to help with Haiders mental and physical recovery.

The campaign had raised $1,420 of its $5,000 goal as of Wednesday evening.

The GoFundMe can be found by visiting gofundme.com and searching Assist Grandma Leila: Fire Recovery Fund.

Toure noted she would accept other types of donations for her grandmother, including gently used clothing, shoes, a bed, and medical items such as a walker and a cane.

The remnants of a home that was damaged along Prospect Avenue in Ne no w Brighton on the morning of Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Advance/SILive.com | Shaina McLawrence

Unfortunately, there was no active homeowners insurance policy for Grandmas house, Toure shared. She literally has nothing so as far as clothes, shoes, you know, any type of adult leak-proof undergarments. I would definitely take that.

Those interested in donating to Haider can send an email to Toure at wannie918@gmail.com, with the subject line For Grandma Leila.

Shes number one, I dont know where I would be without her, Toure said. She took us in and held us down, and I plan to do the same.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced $4.5 million in state funding awarded to establish 10 new Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams, including one at Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton. Getty Images/Maskot

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced $4.5 million in state funding to establish new Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams for children and young adults with mental illness, including one on Staten Island.

The teams include mental health clinicians and psychiatric prescribers, peer advocates, and clinical support staff, offering 24-hour support, seven days per week. These teams are focused on improving the significant functional impairments and severe symptomatology experienced by the youth due to mental illness or serious emotional disturbance.

One of the new teams will be at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton.

Together, the teams will support 360 additional youth who are either at risk of entering, or are returning home from high intensity services.

Children and youth living with mental illness sometimes require additional care to remain at home or return back into the community, Hochul said in an announcement of the funding.

This expansion of our Youth ACT program will help provide more families with this critical support and the services they can rely on to bring their child home after inpatient care or from a residential facility,' she said.

OMH provided $450,000 in one-time start-up funding to the 10 service providers to establish the new teams, with each serving up to 36 children between the ages of 10 and 21.

The Youth ACT program we will develop will be a flexible, responsive and family-centered model that helps youth manage serious emotional challenges while staying connected to their communities,' said Dr. Daniel J. Messina, president and CEO of RUMC. Through a multidisciplinary team that includes clinicians, peer advocates, support staff, and additional trained professionals, we will be able to deliver services in homes, schools, and other community settings, allowing youth to remain integrated in their daily environments."

In 2022, New York was the first state nationally to adapt the successful Assertive Community Treatment model to serve youth and young adults, the governors office said.

The state now hosts 20 such youth teams in 27 counties, providing services including youth and family therapy, medication management, family and peer supports, and skill-building.

New Yorks Youth ACT program is a fantastic first-in-the-nation adaptation to a model that has proven extremely successful with adults living with mental illness,' said Dr. Ann Sullivan, commissioner of the state Office of Mental Health. By adding teams statewide, we can help more young people and their families to access the care and support they can use to live and thrive within their community. The expansion of this successful program demonstrates Governor Hochuls ongoing commitment to expand access to mental healthcare throughout our state.

Clinical and rehabilitative interventions are also focused on enhancing family functioning to foster well-being, stability, and re-integration, the announcement from the governors office said. Services are delivered using a family-driven, youth-guided, and developmentally appropriate approach that comprehensively addresses the needs of the youth, according to the announcement.

Messina thanked the governor for including RUMC as one of the recipient organizations for the funding, adding that teh health-care facility is well-positioned to make an immediate positive impact on the families and children on Staten Island.

In addition to announcing the awards, Hochul also issued a proclamation designating Childrens Mental Health Awareness Week in New York state.

In addition to RUMC, other funding recipients are:
Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon (at podium) appeared alongside Gov. Kathy Hochul to announce reforms to New York state's discovery laws on Wednesday, May, 7, 2025. (Courtesy of the Richmond County District Attorney's Office)

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday changes to New Yorks discovery laws.

As part of the 2026 state budget agreement, the discovery reforms are intended to build on the states investments in proven crime prevention initiatives, while holding perpetrators accountable and safeguarding the right to a fair and speedy trial.

Hochul also allocated $135 million in the state budget for both prosecutors and defenders to help ensure compliance with discovery.

Over the last few months, I have been laser focused on passing a state budget that prioritizes the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers, Hochul said.

By making essential changes to our discovery laws, were doing exactly that: standing up for victims, protecting the rights of survivors and revoking get out of jail free cards because of minor technicalities, she said.

I am committed to continue doing everything in my power to keep New Yorkers safe, and today we take a step towards rebalancing the scales of justice and standing up for victims, Hochul added.

The reforms are intended to streamline New Yorks discovery laws by preventing cases from being thrown out over technical errors, and eliminating dismissals and disruptions that have adversely affected survivors of domestic violence and other serious crimes.

New Yorks 2019 Discovery Reforms led to the dismissal of tens of thousands of misdemeanor and felony cases across our State, leaving countless victims and survivors without justice and jeopardizing public safety, Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon said.

As president of the District Attorneys Association of the state of New York, I along with dedicated prosecutors from across the Empire State are proud to have worked with Gov. Hochul and our state legislators to enact commonsense changes to New Yorks discovery statutes that will prevent automatic and needless dismissals while having the most open and transparent discovery law in the country, he said.

The amendments agreed to in this state budget will help alleviate the onerous burdens placed on our prosecutors, prevent the thousands of absurd case dismissals and halt the revolving door of recidivism plaguing New York state, McMahon added.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, concluded his state visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan on May 8, Trend reports.

A guard of honor was lined up in honor of the General Secretary at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, which was decorated with the national flags of both countries.

General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, Ngo Phuong Ly, were seen off by Azerbaijans First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Elnur Mammadov, and other officials.
This 2012 photo shows waves crash on the shore in St. George during Hurricane Sandy. Staten Island Advance

With hurricane season right around the corner, New York is launching a new weather and emergency alert system to help residents prepare for upcoming storms.

On Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the launch of the new Triple Three Triple One real time alert system as part of the states Hurricane Preparedness Week efforts.

My highest priority is the safety of New Yorkers, especially during times of severe and unpredictable emergency events, Hochul said. To best prepare for inclement weather  especially as hurricane season approaches  I am encouraging all New Yorkers to sign up for alerts so they can remain safe and vigilant when high-impact events occur.

New Yorkers can now text their home county or borough to 333111 to sign up for real time emergency and weather alerts and updates delivered directly to their phones.

New York City residents are advised to text the name of their borough with no spaces, meaning Staten Islanders would send a text to 333111 reading StatenIsland in order to register for alerts.

Those whod like to receive alerts for the entire New York City metro area should text NewYorkCity with no spaces.

The new service is free and available on all cellular carriers, though the state advises that standard text messaging and data rates may apply.

As Hurricane Season approaches, the launch of Triple Three Triple One alerting gives New Yorkers access to another tool that they can use to help keep themselves and their loved ones prepared for and safe during severe weather, said New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray.

I encourage everyone to take a moment right now and text their county name to Triple Three Triple One, Bray added.

In additional preparedness efforts, the state is providing 51 counties with $15 million of flood-related equipment and supplies, including pumps, generators, chain saws and flood barrier technology.

Atlantic hurricane season begins next month, running from June through November, with Colorado State University recently releasing its preseason hurricane forecast, which calls for above average activity this year.

The forecasters predict 17 named storms, nine hurricanes and four major hurricanes in the coming months.

Being prepared is crucial when it comes to extreme weather. New York is no stranger to the impacts hurricanes can have on our communities, so have a plan made ahead of time to ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones in the event of an emergency, said New York State Weather Risk Communication Center Director Dr. Nick Bassill.
In this photo from 2022, cars pass road work on the Staten Island side of the Verrazzno-Narrows Bridge. (Advance/SILive.com | Paul Liotta) (Advance/SILive.com | Paul Liotta)

Work zone speed cameras could be coming to various crossings operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, including the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, according to a new report from Gothamist.

As part of ongoing budget negotiations, state lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul have agreed to expand the pilot program that places speed cameras in work zones, according to the media outlet.

Under the expansion, MTA bridges and tunnels  including the Verrazzano  would be included in the program, the outlet reported.

Expanding this successful program to MTA Bridges and Tunnels is one more way the governor is working to improve safety on our roads and bridges for workers and travelers alike, a spokesperson for the governor told Gothamist in a statement.

In September 2021, Hochul signed a bill establishing the pilot program for work zone speed cameras in an effort to cut down on the number of injuries and deaths caused by speeding highway motorists.

Hochul committed to expanding and making the automated work zone speed camera program permanent during her State of the State address in January.

In 2023, Hochuls executive budget proposal included legislation that would have allowed the MTA set up speed cameras at the agencys various bridges and tunnels, including the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

The legislation at the time did not include a cap on the number of speed cameras, stating that they can be installed as appropriate, though the agency must prioritize camera placement based on which crossings see the highest numbers of crashes and speeding motorists.

At the time, the boroughs state lawmakers overwhelmingly opposed the idea, slamming it as another cash-grab by New York officials.
Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton speaks in Albany as Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Assemblymember Amy Paulin and medical aid in dying advocates in yellow shirts look on. Scarcella-Spanton once again has called on the Senate to support the Medical Aid in Dying Act. Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Following a historic vote that saw the Medical Aid in Dying Act pass in the New York state Assembly late last month, one state senator from Staten Island is hoping to carry the momentum.

Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, a Democrat who represents the North Shore of Staten Island and part of South Brooklyn, renewed her call this week to pass the measure, joining other elected officials and numerous medical, law and statewide organizations in offering strong public support.

The Medical Aid in Dying Act, which counts Scarcella-Spanton as its prime co-sponsor, would allow mentally competent, terminally ill patients over the age of 18 the choice of self-administering prescribed life-ending medication. Only those with medically confirmed terminal illnesses and conditions who have fewer than six months to live would be able to request medical aid in dying. A person wouldnt qualify for the measure, also commonly known as MAID, solely because of age or disability, and there is no list of qualifying medical conditions. If passed, health care providers who didnt wish to participate in the process could opt out without fear of retribution.

Medical Aid in Dying is gaining momentum and support from respected organizations like (Medical Society of the State of New York) and (Hospice & Palliative Care Association of NYS) because giving terminally ill people the choice to die with dignity and compassion is the humane thing to do, said Scarcella-Spanton in a written statement. Every day, New Yorkers with terminal illnesses are suffering needlessly, because New York state still has not gotten this legislation across the finish line.

Passing MAID means giving people autonomy they deserve to make their own end-of-life decisions, and I wont stop fighting until its written into law here in New York.

According to Manhattan Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat behind the measure, there are currently 25 sponsors and co-sponsors in the Senate.

In order for the Medical Aid in Dying Act to pass in the Senate, 32 of the states 63 senators must vote in favor of it.

The measure has the support of the New York State Academy of Family Physicians, the New York State Psychiatric Association, the New York State Nurses Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Womens Bar Association of the State of New York, as well as numerous other organizations.

Currently, just 11 jurisdictions in the United States permit medical aid in dying: Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, New Jersey, Maine and New Mexico. Delaware passed a measure in 2024 that was later vetoed by then-Gov. John Carney. The state has since passed it again, and is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Matt Meyer.

The New York state Assemblys vote on April 23 marked the first time the Medical Aid in Dying Act had been brought to the floor for a vote. The measure was first introduced in the 2015-16 legislative session by then-Staten Island state Sen. Diane Savino, yet has been essentially stalled; until last months vote, the measure had never left the committee stage in either the Assembly or Senate.

There is currently no known timeline for a vote in the Senate, and its unclear whether Gov. Kathy Hochul would sign the bill should it come across her desk.

All four Staten Islanders assemblymembers  Charles Fall, Michael Reilly, Michael Tannousis and Sam Pirozzolo  voted against the legislation. Previous attempts to reach Staten Island state Sen. Andrew Lanza on his position were unsuccessful.
For too long, Washingtons reckless spending has gone unchecked, driving up deficits year after year with little accountability or oversight. That era is coming to an end. There has been a lot of misinformation about the budget reconciliation process, but the reality is clear: President Trump and House Republicans are taking a stand. We are committed to eliminating the wasteful spending that has plagued our government for generations, and restoring fiscal responsibility.

We have big ambitions for what we can and will deliver for the American people as we enter Americas next golden age. In just over 100 days, President Trump has already secured trillions of dollars in domestic and foreign private investment to fuel our economy and restore American prosperity. Building on that momentum, we remain focused on strengthening border security, enhancing public safety, lowering the cost of living and taxes, and saving federal tax dollars while preserving Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. It all starts with the budget blueprint that both chambers have now passed  a critical step that allows us to work together and deliver on the promises the American people entrusted to our Republican majority.

I have approached the budget reconciliation process with a deliberate and thoughtful focus, working closely with my colleagues  including Speaker Johnson and Chairman Brett Guthrie of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid policy to ensure that this framework does not put us on a path to cutting benefits for seniors, children, individuals with disabilities, and other vulnerable citizens who rely on these programs. Last month, I, along with 11 of my Republican colleagues, wrote to our leadership to make clear that we will not support a final bill that reduces Medicaid benefits to the most vulnerable citizens that are legally eligible for it and depend on it.

As we consider the menu of options to improve Medicaid, we must evaluate the long-term financial viability of the federal governments third-largest entitlement program. Despite rising Medicaid spending year after year, health outcomes have not improved, and the program is riddled with an estimated fraud of $50 billion a year. Thats why I am committed to advancing responsible reforms that focus on work requirements for the able-bodied adult population without dependents, the removal of illegal non-citizens, and ineligible recipients defrauding the program. In New York alone, the Emergency Medicaid program has grown by 1,200% over the past 10 years, with hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants now enrolled in the program according to the Empire Center.

We must also eliminate waste and abuse within the program. States like New York have failed to crack down on this within their Medicaid programs, costing our state an estimated $20 billion per year and leaving hardworking taxpayers to foot the bill. Even Governor Hochul has acknowledged the rampant abuse within New Yorks Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, stating, It has become a racket. She went so far as to call it one of the most abused programs in the history of New York, citing viral TikTok videos where young people boast about earning $37 an hour to sit home with your grandma. Echoing Governor Hochuls concerns, Attorney General Letitia James highlighted Medicaid fraud in the transportation sector, stating: This fraud is very simple. Transportation companies are billing Medicaid for fake rides and tolls, costing New York taxpayers tens of millions of dollars every year, money that should be used to fund health care for the most vulnerable New Yorkers.

Earlier this year, Governor Hochul warned of unsustainable growth in the New York Medicaid program. Despite her comments on fraud and unsustainable growth, Governor Hochul has increased state Medicaid spending by 59% over the past four state budgets, without any real solutions while knowing the federal government will cover most of the bill.

Sadly, Democrats have continued to fear monger and push falsehoods that Republicans are looking to slash these programs. The President and I have consistently maintained that we will not support changes to these safety net programs that reduce benefits to the most vulnerable.

Today, Medicare and Medicaid deliver essential healthcare coverage to over 10 million New Yorkers. Social Security supplies supplement income to over 70 million Americans, representing about 1 in 5 residents in the United States. Generations of hardworking Americans have paid diligently into Social Security and other essential entitlement programs. I understand just how important they are, as my own parents are Social Security and Medicare recipients, just like so many other seniors and individuals who rely on these programs. I will always fight to protect our seniors and individuals with disabilities who depend on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security benefits.

Reasonable and effective reforms are necessary to ensure that these safety net programs can continue operating for decades to come for our fellow citizens who truly need them. Rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse, eliminating unnecessary overhead, and reducing bloated bureaucracy  while administering programs more efficiently  will allow these benefits to reach the most vulnerable individuals these programs were created to protect. We must put our nation on a path to fiscal responsibility, guaranteeing that the next generation inherits stronger, more effective programs to position our country on the right track.

(Rep. Nicole Malliotakis is a Republican congresswoman representing the 11th Congressional District, comprising Staten Island and part of Brooklyn.)
Tech consumers, including those who use Apple devices like iPhones, are concerned about the effect that President Donald Trumps tariffs could have on prices of their favorite devices.

Tech users are worried that Trumps tariffs against China will mean that items shipped here from China, including tech devices, will increase in price.

During a recent earnings call with investors, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that he believes Trumps tariffs will increase Apples costs by roughly $900 million for the current quarter, which ends in June, The Street reported.

Cook said that this figure is contingent on tariff rates remaining unchanged.

Cook told investors that one of Apples businesses has already been severely affected by the tariffs.

For China, there was an additional 125% tariff for imports of certain categories of products announced in April, he said. And for us, thats some of our U.S. AppleCare and Accessories businesses, and brings the total rate in China for these products to at least 145%.

While smartphones and other popular devices are currently exempted from Trumps reciprocal tariffs, a CNet report said, If the full cost of current tariffs were passed on to shoppers, we could see anywhere from a 26% hike on Apple products manufactured in India to a 145% increase for those made in China.

No matter where iPhones are manufactured, Apple continues to source its iPhone components from a number of countries, including Japan and Taiwan.

If these supplier nations are hit with further tariffs, it could translate into even higher costs for Apple.

While its unclear when prices could go up, if companies sell out of devices produced before the Trump tariffs took hold, tech firms may have to increase prices on products in tariffed shipments, the CNet report states.

The fact that Cook hasnt provided an update on any iPhone price increase yet suggests that Apple is still considering the factors and assessing its options.

Apple will likely absorb some of the tariff costs up front to keep sticker prices stable, then pass the rest on to consumers gradually through service bundles, device longevity and ecosystem upgrades, said supply chain expert Joe Hudicka. Consumers will still pay, just not all at once.

With Apple facing high costs from the tariffs, it seems likely that higher prices are coming, The Street said.

But CNet said that if rising prices do cause demand for tech devices to decline, experts pointed out that Apple and other manufacturers could actually reduce their prices in an attempt to stay competitive.
A National Weather Service graphic shows forecast rainfall amounts from Thursday, May 8, through Saturday, May 10, 2025. (The National Weather Service)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Sunny skies will give way to clouds late Thursday as rain showers and thunderstorms roll into the New York City area.

There could be some late-day showers, maybe a thunderstorm (Thursday), and then I think our chances for rain increase especially the second half of tonight, Bill Goodman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said.

Periods of rain and a chance of thunderstorms will proceed from late Thursday through the day Friday, Goodman noted.

Looks like a bit of a washout, he added.

Staten Island is forecast to receive a good soaking rain of about 1.5 inches or so by the time all is said and done, according to Goodman.

Slow moving thunderstorms today, especially north and west of New York City during the late day hours, could drop 1 to 2 inches of rain in a short period of time. Temperatures will run a few degrees above normal. pic.twitter.com/RrTDoO4K6r  NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) May 8, 2025

The weather service stated Friday will bring about a high around 59 and a low around 52 degrees.

Rain should wrap up Friday night; however, Goodman said, there is a chance a shower could linger into Saturday morning.

Damaging winds or hail are not expected, Goodman noted.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Advance/SILive.com weather station has recorded just over an inch of rain for the month of May.

Once the last of the precipitation moves away from the city. the weekend should be dry with highs of 68 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has addressed the participants of the 28th Eurasian Economic Summit, Trend reports.

The address reads:

"Dear participants of the Summit,

I would like to sincerely welcome you to the opening of the 28th Eurasian Economic Summit organized by the Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation.

The timing of this years Summit coincides with a significant event  the 40th anniversary of the Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation. On this occasion, I would like to congratulate all the members of the Foundation. Established in 1985 as a peace and dialogue initiative, the Foundation has today become one of the important platforms that greatly contributes to the expansion of global and regional cooperation, preservation of peace and stability, and the promotion of intercultural dialogue by bringing together influential politicians, pundits, economists, representatives of academic circles, and business people.

I would like to emphasize the contributions of the Marmara Group Foundation and its head, the esteemed Akkan Suver, to the expansion of relations between Azerbaijan and Turkiye.

National Leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev always highly appreciated the mission of the Marmara Group Foundation and supported its initiatives. It should be noted that it was on the initiative of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev that Eurasian Economic Summits started in 1998. In the same year, Heydar Aliyev was elected honorary chairman of the Marmara Group Foundation.

It is a great honor for us that the Turkic World Award in memory of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev is one of the 16 awards established on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Marmara Group Foundation. It is a particular pleasure that the award dedicated to the National Leader was presented to the world-famous scientist, Nobel Prize winner and honorary member of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Aziz Sancar.

Today, the unity, brotherhood and solidarity between Azerbaijan and Turkiye are making an enormous contribution to the entire Turkic world. My dear brother, esteemed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made unparalleled contributions to the strengthening of the Azerbaijani-Turkish brotherhood and the expansion of our strategic alliance. Our exceptional interstate relations, which stem from a common history, rich national and spiritual values, as well as the unity of our peoples, are developing dynamically, contributing to prosperity, peace and security in the region and playing an important role for all of Eurasia.

This year's session of the Eurasian Economic Summit is dedicated to A More Humane World - Dialogue for a Livable World. Regardless of the field, dialogue acts as an important stabilizing factor and bridge in both interstate relations and interpersonal contacts. In Azerbaijan, a country located at the crossroads of East and West, North and South, representatives of different nations and confessions have lived together for centuries in an atmosphere of friendship, brotherhood, mutual trust and understanding. Preserving the traditions of friendship between peoples, interfaith dialogue, multiculturalism and tolerance is not only a way of life for us, but also one of the priorities of Azerbaijans public policy. Our country also supports harmonious relations between cultures on the global level and takes initiatives on the basis of inter-civilizational dialogue in the interests of achieving mutual understanding.

Azerbaijan is doing its utmost to establish lasting peace in the South Caucasus and ensure socioeconomic prosperity. I do believe that historical conditions have been created for this region to become a place of peace and cooperation.

In an era of new challenges facing humanity and increasing fragmentation and tension in the system of international relations, the role of dialogue in ensuring peace, security and peaceful coexistence in the world is undeniable. Having chaired the Non-Aligned Movement for four years and COP29 since November last year, Azerbaijan has spared no effort to eliminate the atmosphere of mistrust that had formed between the Global South and the Global North for many years, to build a bridge of dialogue between them and to establish mutual understanding. It was the balanced position taken by Azerbaijan that led to the achievement of the Baku Breakthrough at COP29, which gave a positive impetus to global climate action and was a triumph of multilateralism.

I am convinced that this years Eurasian Economic Summit will be an important platform for a fruitful discussion, an exchange of ideas and experiences, and coordination of efforts on economy, energy, digitalization, artificial intelligence, healthcare, environment and other topical issues and new cooperation opportunities.

Once again, I congratulate all members of the Marmara Group Strategic and Social Research Foundation on the occasion of this anniversary, and wish the Foundation further success and new achievements. I also wish the Summit the best of luck".
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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Like many women who came of age in the 2010s, I know the hypnotic pull of beauty and wellness culture all too well. As a teenager, I obsessively read Into The Gloss  the cult beauty blog founded by Emily Weiss, who later launched the million-dollar brand Glossier. I chugged green juices and squatted diligently to videos of chirpy, lycra-clad fitness influencers. Now, as a lifestyle writer who often reports on beauty and wellness, I know first-hand how the media operates as a cog in this glossy machine  the same one that made Kylie Jenner a billionaire and turned Gwyneth Paltrow from actor into a bona fide wellness guru. Chloe Elisabeth Wilsons debut novel Rytual is a darkly funny erotic thriller about the cult of the beauty industry. Credit: Jason South Their founders preach self-love and empowerment, while in the same breath pushing expensive potions intended to enhance the real you. Theyre not just selling products; they are selling a lifestyle. It might be a cliche to describe these brands as having a cult following, but the term fits given their larger-than-life founders, year-long product waitlists, and legions of devoted fans. But what if a beauty brand was literally a cult? This is the premise of Rytual, the debut novel by Chloe Elisabeth Wilson  a deliciously dark exploration of 21st-century beauty and wellness culture, told through the lens of an erotic thriller. Published last week, the novel was hotly contested in a fierce bidding war, the rights of which have already been sold for a TV adaptation.

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Marnie Sellick, the novels protagonist, is a 20-something screenwriter stuck in a cycle of partying by night and manning the reception of a fitness studio by day. Still reeling from her mothers death and the fallout of an affair with a married older writer, Marnie is adrift until she finds herself under the spell of Rytual  a fictional beauty brand with a rabid female following for its no make-up, make-up products. Wilson appears on Zoom from her light-filled Melbourne apartment, flanked by a bookshelf bursting with indoor plants and the colourful spines of novels. She holds up her The Substance water bottle  a fitting accessory, given the body horror films take-down of a culture obsessed with youth. For the past year, shes worked as a researcher for Shameless Media, the hugely successful youth media company founded by Michelle Andrews and Zara McDonald. But it was her colourful employment history  including a brief stint as a Pilates instructor and time at a major Australian luxury skincare brand  that partly inspired the book. I was working for an Australian beauty brand with a reputation for being a bit of a cult for a while, and I wanted to write something about that environment, Wilson, 32, says. I just wanted to pluck out the very theatrical things about my real job and push them out to the complete extremities of what a reader might believe. Theres so much comedy in just how serious the whole thing was.

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For reasons that will become clear as you read the book, its important to point out that Rytual is very much a work of fiction. But the broad strokes of Millennial beauty culture will be instantly recognisable to anyone who has so much as wandered into one of these stores. Wilson says brands such as Glossier, Rare Beauty and Westmann Atelier all served as inspiration. Loading In Rytual, theyre echoed in the soft pink packaging of lip oils bearing names like She and Lust written in sans serif fonts and the fairy floss painted walls of the companys headquarters. The female-founded start-up Rytual leans heavily on feminist rhetoric, with conference rooms named after women deemed to have been persecuted in the public eye (Britney Spears, Billie Holiday), and weekly sessions where employees are encouraged to lay bare their bad experiences with the male species. The brand is inseparable from its charismatic founder Luna Peters, a petite, green-eyed brunette who Marnies housemate describes as a hot Jim Jones in designer clothes. Luna, too, is an approximation of women Wilson has come across before  only with a penchant for murder and little regard for personal boundaries.

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There were a couple of women who worked in that office [at an Australian skincare brand] that I was really drawn to, and I should say they were gorgeous people that I adore, but there was something so charismatic about them and they had so much power within that context that I was probably more interested in my reaction to them, she says. Marnie has some similarities with Wilson  theyre the same age, have a background in screenwriting and live in inner Melbourne (Rytual is filled with tongue-in-cheek quips about the citys hipster culture). Emotionally, Wilson understands how a character like Marnie could be so easily sucked into the vortex of a woman like Luna. I was at a point in my life where I didnt feel like I had a lot going on for me, and I had this job that at times was really frustrating, and it had really high expectations, but also it wasnt paying me very much. So I found myself lapping up the law of the org chart and looking at these women as like, they know what to do. I then just built out this idea of this person who, you know, maybe my younger self or maybe a person who didnt have much going for them, like what would it take? What kind of person would it take for them to just keep inching towards doing bad things under the spell of this person? A fan of erotic thrillers, Wilson says the genre, historically dominated by male voices, was ripe for reimagining.

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She cites classics, including Susanna Moores 1995 novel In the Cut, as well as films Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct, as inspiration. A lot of those texts from the 80s and 90s, the punchline is always, and the woman was crazy and evil, so she had to be punished, Wilson says. I just wish the endings werent ruined by scared little men. Another key influence was Dead Ringers, the 2023 gender-flipped television remake of the 1988 psychological thriller, starring Rachel Weisz as twin gynaecologists. Loading Sex, then, or rather the twisted attraction between the two main characters, serves as the novels engine (does Marnie want to be Luna, sleep with her, or escape her?) The things from the erotic thriller I took were this sense of arousal and danger being on this knife edge and maybe doing things that you knew you shouldnt because you were like following your desire and then having to deal with the consequences, she says. With echoes of the female-led revenge fantasy, like that of Emerald Fennells Promising Young Woman, Wilsons characters tiptoe an increasingly grey moral area as the novel progresses. It makes readers ask: What does justice look like when the odds are so often stacked against young women like Marnie? Where is the line between feminism and misandry? And what does it mean to perpetuate a cycle of violence in the name of womens empowerment?

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Eating outStirring the pot Opinion Burgers are all kinda mid: Adam Liaw on the most overrated (and underrated) dishes Where does kingfish carpaccio, hot dogs, caviar, and burgers sit on Adam Liaws scale of great to yeah nah mate? Not where you might expect. Adam Liaw Recipe writer and presenter May 9, 2025  5:00am

May 9, 2025  5:00am Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

They say that there is wisdom in crowds. But when it comes to food, crowds can often be extremely dumb. If youve ever lined up for ramen in Japan behind 200 tourists, youll know exactly what I mean. Regardless, fashion in food is real, so here are a few dishes that loom large in Australian dining, and a few that deserve a little more recognition. Photo: Christopher Pearce Kingfish carpaccio Nobody is getting excited about ordering the kingfish carpaccio, and yet these days, theres no more ubiquitous dish on Australian menus. In fairness, its hard to feel any kind of vibe over spending $28 for five thin slices of raw kingfish

plastered on a plate, slathered in flavoured oils and sharp vinegars, under-seasoned and dotted with a laundry list of unnecessary garnishes. As uninspiring as it is, we still order it.

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Were not ordering it because we want to eat it. Kingfish carpaccio exists solely as an enabler. Its light enough and seafood enough to order so you still feel comfortable ordering a $148 dry-aged steak to share. Its an unspoken bargain that allows you to have steak and chips and a big glass of shiraz in the third quarter, while still feeling a bit refined because you ate some raw fish in the first half. The kingfish carpaccio comes, its begrudgingly distributed, then eaten, then quickly forgotten. The world moves on. Photo: William Meppem Literally any other way of eating raw fish Puglian-style crudo with just salt, olive oil and a wedge of lemon. Japanese sashimi. Peruvian ceviche. All of these are classic raw fish dishes that are celebrated the world over, and which have stood the test of time. They succeed by understanding that proper seasoning and the delicate taste and texture of raw fish is what makes them great, not being demeaned by microherbs, green oil and crunchy sprinkles in a half-hearted attempt at creativity that will fade from the Australian food landscape in just a few years time.

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Related Article How to prepare sashimi Related Article EASY Adam Liaws Puglian-style tuna and kingfish crudo Photo: iStock Hamburgers I feel like were nearing the end of a two-decade-long project in collective delusion where burger aficionados first tried to lecture us about how real hamburgers had to be cooked medium-rare (a bit gross TBH), only to pivot shortly thereafter to lecturing us that the best burgers were, in fact,

smashburgers, cooked the exact opposite way.

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Related Article Why do zoomers hate these burgers? And what are they eating instead? People lined for hours for In & Out pop-ups, and US and local chains alike eyed impressionable Australian consumers hungrily on the assumption that Americas greatest soft power export of deifying truly average foods meant that we would gobble up any mass-produced burger foisted upon us. Unfortunately, that assumption was correct, and the average price of a hamburger in this country rose faster than that of a three-bedroom house within 10 kilometres of the CBD, despite the fact that you can make a great burger yourself at home from the cheapest possible mince in the supermarket. The pretence of every fancy burger joint is simply that it will deliver a better-than-McDonalds burger for just three to five times the price, but the reality is that theyve really only consistently succeeded in delivering worse-than-McDonalds fries. Im just going to say it  hamburgers are all kinda the same and theyre all kinda mid. Photo: William Meppem

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Hot dogs Hot dogs, on the other hand, are always amazing. If theyre $2 from IKEA theyre amazing. And if theyre fancy gourmet ones for $15 theyre even amazing-er, and unlike hamburgers, theres a noticeable quality difference between those price points. Sausages, generally, are one of the most underrated foods out there, and what, I ask, is a hot dog if not a sausage in bread? Sausages are popular, cheap and taste delicious, but for various reasons the food intelligentsia tend to turn their snouts up at any sausage that doesnt have a fancy French name. But answer me this: have you ever been let down by a hot dog in any form  from the fanciest gourmet variety to a weekend Bunnings snag in a bag? I know I havent. Related Article EASY Adam Liaws Danish hot dogs

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Photo: iStock Caviar Much has been written about $40 caviar bumps in Australian restaurants and their role as a potential sign of the coming apocalypse. I dont intend to rehash that here, save to say that in some ways, I respect that restaurants have been able to monetise the performative content industry in such a direct way. Instead, let me tell you a story about caviar generally. The Western fetishisation of caviar came into its own in the 1920s. The wealthy elite of Russia had fled the Bolshevik Revolution and caviar houses sprung up across Europe. Instead of wondering why the Romanov dynasty collapsed and why all these fish eggs had suddenly made their way out of Russia alongside a lot of very wealthy and nervous Russians, everyone completely missed the point and built an image of status and refinement around the very food that had become emblematic of out-of-touch idiocy in its native land. European and American dilettantes scoffed caviar in front of their friends, and though mobile phones had not yet been invented, one imagines that they took some kind of mental selfie at the time.

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Anyhoo (and I am sure quite unrelatedly), shortly thereafter came a global economic and cultural crash we now call The Great Depression. Loath as I am to draw parallels from the past to today, we now live in a period when income

inequality is twice as bad as in the Roaring Twenties: some billionaires are getting their kicks cutting funding for children with AIDS while others are sending their girlfriends into space with Katy Perry, and still nobody under 35 in Australia can afford a house. If you really love the taste of caviar, then go for your life. But if youre being truly honest with yourself, do you really? Photo: Jennifer Soo Bread and butter There are few pleasures as universally enjoyed as freshly baked bread, torn by hand and slathered with good quality salty butter. Its something Australian restaurants have done very well since the olive oil and dukkah era. The best part? Its usually only about $7.

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Review Eating outWoollahra Our critic doesnt like to eat out for brunch. This neighbourhood cafe changed his mind You can now book for dinner at Cafe Cressida too, whose menu comes from one of Sydneys most proficient cross-pollinators of cuisines. Callan Boys May 9, 2025 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

1 / 9 Cressida is, fundamentally, a nice place to sit with a coffee and read the paper. Jennifer Soo 2 / 9 Fillet steak with sauce vierge. Jennifer Soo 3 / 9 Prawn roll, iceberg, avocado and sauce ravigote. Jennifer Soo 4 / 9 Jennifer Soo 5 / 9 Congee with shredded roast chicken, peanuts, chilli and fried bread. Jennifer Soo 6 / 9 Roast sugar pudding, grapes and lemon curd. Jennifer Soo 7 / 9 Jennifer Soo 8 / 9 Orange cake. Jennifer Soo 9 / 9 Jennifer Soo Previous Slide Next Slide 14.5 / 20 How we score Cafe$$$$ Look, between you and me, I generally dont care to leave the house for breakfast or its next-of-kin, brunch. With respect to Bill Granger, once youve had one avocado toast youve had em all and I can scramble eggs perfectly well at home. Every time I start to think were making great leaps forward as a civilisation, Im reminded that people still line up for granola. If you must eat at somewhere with tables before midday, the good folk of the Qing Dynasty invented yum cha years ago. There are exceptions, of course, such as the North American diner-style Happyfield in Haberfield and drowned eggs in chicken broth at Darlinghursts A.P Bread & Wine. When singular chefs write an all-day menu, delicious things can happen. Case in point: Cafe Cressida, which opened in Woollahras Queens Court in January. Fillet steak with sauce vierge. Jennifer Soo

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Chef Phil Wood and Lis Davies are the couple behind Cressida (named after their daughter), which is, fundamentally, a nice place to sit on a coffee and read the paper. Cushioned seats are upholstered in marigold stripes, water is poured in Maison Balzac glasses and illustrations of a prancing burger decorate the menu and exterior walls. The real-life cheeseburger is a fun time, too: a beefy, medium-rare patty on a squishy potato bun. Local wildlife (common mynas, twitchy dogs) make short work of crumbs. Tables are spaced far enough apart that you wont hear couples spoiling the Good Weekend Quiz: Who puts bloody Worcestershire in prawn cocktail sauce? The answers Tabasco! Im writing a letter. Speaking of, theres a ripper prawn roll here with happy iceberg lettuce and herby sauce ravigote. Prawn roll, iceberg, avocado and sauce ravigote. Jennifer Soo Fresh produce is a cut above across the board, and the gazpacho is not too acidic, not too cold, just right. Raw tuna is brightly plated with sesame oil-glossed soba, avocado, edamame and radish for what I suppose youd call a health bowl.

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I never expected Woollahra cafe and great breakfast congee to be next to each other in a sentence, but here we are. Wood (who also runs two-hatted Ursulas in Paddington with Davies) is one of Sydneys most proficient cross-pollinators of cuisines. Rice is simmered in a chicken stock fragrant with ginger and five-spice, and garnished with shredded chook, jammy chilli sauce, fried peanuts and croutons. Its as punchy as it is stupidly soothing. Congee with shredded roast chicken, peanuts, chilli and fried bread. Jennifer Soo Wood and head chef Federico Barbuto can be trusted to send the best version of eggs any way you like them, served with toasted Iggys sourdough, for $19. You can also have that sourdough with Charentes-Poitou butter, oysters and Laurent-Perrier champagne, which is what lifes all about, really. That, and the Sicilian-style orange cake made famous by Margie Agostini when she ran her own cafe at the site in the 90s. Wood has revived its light buttery crumb for all morning tea needs. On a recent Saturday evening, the place was a bit quiet, but I suspect the no-reservations policy was keeping a few locals at home. Thats since been rectified and you can now book for dinner. Two thumbs up for the tuna tartare with sesame on a crunchy potato rosti; crisp-skinned grilled snapper with lemony caper butter; and super-tender fillet steak served on a peppy, tomato-based sauce vierge.

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Orange cake with Chantilly cream. Jennifer Soo Meanwhile, a dense French-Canadian-style sugar pie topped with grapes and lemon curd is the kind of dessert that should only be consumed when you have nothing else on for the day. Get thee to a couch and two fingers of brandy, stat. Despite Woods fine-dining know-how, Cafe Cressida is still very much, well, a cafe. Dont come expecting the dish complexity of Ursulas; do come expecting warm, smart-casual service. There are also house-baked carrot cake muffins, a very popular chicken sandwich, dippy eggs and soldiers, and a crab omelette with XO sauce. If you cant find something you want to eat, I dont know what to tell you. Heck, even I want to return for brunch. The low-down Atmosphere: All-are-welcome neighbourhood cafe Go-to dishes: Congee with shredded roast chicken ($19); prawn roll ($33); fillet steak with sauce vierge ($39); Margie Agostinis orange cake with Chantilly cream ($12) Drinks: Garden party cocktails and short well-priced wine list championing classic Australian regions and producers Cost: About $70 for two at brunch or lunch, excluding drinks Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant cant pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide. This review was originally published in Good Weekend magazine

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Its not unusual to hear that nightlife is dying, as bars and clubs across Australia shut down. Gen Z and Millennials often bear the brunt of the blame for this. But perhaps, as Ntahilaja writes, todays youth (the loneliest generation) desire connection and fun just as much as their predecessors. The environments in which this happens just look a little different. Last month, Fatboy Slim played an impromptu show to a packed crowd in a Melbourne fish and chip shop and many gyms and fitness studios now resemble nightclubs, with neon lights and the kind of music youd expect to hear at a music festival. Everywhere, it seems, is a club  except the club. Gwythers cafe raves are just one of many events on Maple Social Clubs calendar, including dinner parties and pickleball, but all have the same ethos: social connection, fun and accessibility. She says one of the most common questions she is asked is whether its okay to come alone to an event.

I reckon we probably are about 50/50 of people coming solo versus people coming with friends, but I found that a lot of people who come solo to one will come together to the next event, she says. Loading Romantic connection is part of it too  Gwyther and Connor are developing a dating app. Theyre not singles events, theyre free community events. But really we see it as finding the right people that we would want on our platform, says Gwyther. In the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Cremorne, a different kind of experience marrying coffee and music has emerged.

On Air, founded by Deyon Murphy, 33, and Francesca Poci, 26, is a permanent cafe where you can grab a morning latte alongside live DJ sets and radio shows. We thought, what could be the most Melbourne idea we could do? And we thought coffee and DJs, says Murphy, who previously worked in the music industry. So remove the alcohol element, remove the club element and make it something that people can come and enjoy every weekend and leave feeling full and not hungover. DJ Sammy Good Times playing a set for early people enjoying their morning coffee at On Air cafe in Melbourne. Credit: Justin McManus Murphy is careful to differentiate On Air from the heaving, caffeine-fuelled dance floors that have become popular on social media platforms like TikTok  although he acknowledges the trend has helped propel the business into the zeitgeist.

We never wanted it to be a rave. We wanted it to be like a listening lounge or an experience, so people can come and discover different sounds and different artists in Melbourne. Loading They chose Cremorne, which has been referred to as the Silicone Valley of Melbourne for its proximity to young professionals. Our key demographic are young creative entrepreneurs really, and thats why we run the fashion series [a video series of interviews with Australian fashion designers they post on social media], and were going to run a series on health entrepreneurs. Thats the sort of people that were trying to tie in to what were doing, says Murphy. Indeed, Murphy hopes for On Air is for it to become bigger than just a cafe. Their artists are featured on a YouTube channel, while Murphy hopes to eventually develop a record label as part of the business.

Its about finding our community, he says. Melbournes Mix&Matcha:AM team, from left to right: DJ Shwads, Tanya Mohan, Isabelle Tan and Winzwen Tan. Tanya Mohan, 26, co-founded Mix&Matcha:AM earlier this year after witnessing the explosion of coffee clubs overseas. At the time when we were planning this, no one had done it in Melbourne and Australia, and so we decided to bring it down here. Mohan, alongside friends Winzwen Tan, DJ Shwads and Isabelle Tan held their first Coffee Meets Matcha Party, in collaboration with Singapore-based coffee club beans&beats, at the end of April.

Ive got a passion for music and my co-founders [Tan] got a passion for making coffees and matchas, and so he specialises in that, she says. Loading The response, Mohan says, has been huge. Weve grown really quickly since launching and it hasnt even been a month, but its been overwhelmingly positive, she says. Like Gwyther and Murphy, she thinks people her age are tired of traditional nightclub spaces.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. A new chapter in the relations between Azerbaijan and Vietnam has been opened, Azerbaijani political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.

In the interview, Garayev noted that the political relations between the two countries have been formed based on friendship, mutual understanding, and respect for the principles of international law. Although Azerbaijan and Vietnam belong to different geographical regions, their shared ideological and principled positions have brought them closer.

"Both states remain committed to fundamental principles such as independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and they constantly support each other on these issues. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, political dialogue between Azerbaijan and Vietnam has gradually developed. During this period, reciprocal visits by delegations at various levels, parallel positions at international organizations, and mutual support have laid a solid foundation for their relationship," he said.

Garayev highlighted that cooperation within international organizations plays a special role in strengthening political ties.

"Both countries support each other's initiatives within the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and other international platforms. A significant event marking the highest level of political dialogue was the state visit to Azerbaijan by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, on May 7, 2025. This visit is historic as it marks the first visit by Vietnams top political leadership to Azerbaijan, and it can be considered the beginning of a new stage in bilateral relations.

During the meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, regional and international issues, strategic cooperation prospects, and ways to further intensify political dialogue were discussed. Several cooperation documents were signed during the visit, including the 'Joint Declaration on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,' signaling the continuation of mutual support on an institutional basis. This development also provides a solid foundation for cooperation in economic, cultural, and humanitarian areas," the political analyst noted.

According to him, trade relations between Azerbaijan and Vietnam have seen significant growth in recent years.

"Petrochemical products, agricultural goods, and pharmaceuticals are the main areas of trade between the two countries. For Azerbaijan, Vietnam holds particular significance as a gateway to the Asian market, while Vietnam views Azerbaijan as an essential partner for integration into Central Asia and the Caucasus region.

Although trade turnover between the two countries has decreased in recent years, there are substantial expansion opportunities. In 2022 and 2023, trade turnover amounted to $594.6 million and $482.1 million, respectively, and it is possible to reach, or even surpass, these figures. As the head of our state recently mentioned, we would like to see a more balanced trade turnover, and for that, mutual exchange of information is essential.

"What projects are implemented in our countries, what investment opportunities there are, and what rules, legislative frameworks, and tax administrations there areall these issues should be clear to business circles. The exchange of documents signed between SOCAR and Vietnam recently will also contribute to further expansion of trade and relations in the future. The signing of several important documents between the two countries reflects that both Azerbaijan and Vietnam are committed to developing this cooperation and partnership," he said.

Garayev also emphasized that cultural and educational cooperation between Azerbaijan and Vietnam is deeply rooted in historical ties.

"The Vietnam Days held in Baku in 2024 were highly significant in this regard and have fostered a deeper understanding and friendship between our peoples. Both Azerbaijan and Vietnam, as members of the Non-Aligned Movement, share common positions supporting international justice and the sovereign rights of states. Our stances on climate change, UN reforms, and the protection of developing countries' interests align closely. In the context of Azerbaijan hosting COP29, Vietnams participation in this event, along with joint climate change initiatives, lays a foundation for future collaboration," he remarked.

The political analyst also pointed out that Azerbaijani-Vietnamese relations are advancing on multiple frontsnot just politically and diplomatically, but economically, culturally, and strategically.

"To Lam's visit to Baku and the agreements made during this visit provide confidence that these relations will deepen, and new projects will be launched. The two friendly countries, Azerbaijan and Vietnam, will further strengthen their mutually beneficial cooperation in the years to come," Garayev added.

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Construction of a metro rail line to Sydneys new international airport is at risk of a $2.2 billion cost blowout and opening a year late, amid an escalating dispute between a private consortium and the state government over delays, scope creep and disruptions.

Confidential documents obtained by the Herald reveal a high-stakes stoush playing out behind closed doors between the consortium delivering the 23-kilometre rail line and government agency Sydney Metro.

Giant boring machines have been used to excavate twin tunnels for the metro rail line to Western Sydney Airport. Credit: Janie Barrett

The consortium known as Parklife Metro has made claims for soaring costs and an extra eight months to finish the project. It would delay the lines completion to December 2027, a year later than promised by successive state and federal governments.

The documents reveal the consortium is demanding a $2.2 billion payment from Sydney Metro, up from the $2.03 billion outlined in claims handed to the agency in December.
A security guard has wept at the toll of the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing, which left one colleague dead and another injured, recalling the moments he thought he, too, was going to die and his attempts to shield children from the traumatic sight of wounded shoppers.

His emotional evidence came after the inquest heard security staff failed to alert those in the centre to the attack over the PA for almost 20 minutes. By then seven people, including the attacker, were dead.

The streets outside Westfield Bondi Junction in lockdown on the night of the attack. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

Joel Cauchi, 40, targeted shoppers without warning using a large military knife about 3.33pm on April 13, 2024. Within seconds, he stabbed Dawn Singleton and Jade Young, delivering fatal injuries.

A coronial inquest into the mass casualty event has heard Westfields CCTV control room was briefly unattended at that exact time because the lone operator had stepped out for a bathroom break.
The race to become the states next police commissioner is shaping up as a showdown involving two of the men who wanted it last time, and one of the most experienced officers in the force.

The surprise resignation of Commissioner Karen Webb on Wednesday, almost two years before her term is set to end, sent shockwaves through NSW Police and supercharged speculation about who will take over from Webb, whose tenure was marked by leaks, opposition from powerful sections of the media and criticism of her public performance.

(Anticlockwise from top left) Mal Lanyon, Mick Willing and Dave Hudson are contenders to replace Karen Webb in the top job. Credit: Michael Howard

Webb was awarded the job in late 2021 from a shortlist of three contenders. The two men who missed out, Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon  who has strong government support  and former homicide boss Mick Willing, are mooted to run again.

A third contender could be David Hudson, the forces longest-serving deputy commissioner. He did not apply last time but sources close to him, on the condition of anonymity so they could speak freely, say he has not ruled out a tilt this year. He won respect for his leadership in controversial cases during Webbs tenure and has the strong support of many police.
The Queensland Audit Office has criticised the former Labor government for delays implementing the North Stradbroke Island Economic Transition Strategy.

The strategy, renamed Minjerribah Futures, was to be delivered by the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, which was required to meet many concurrent deliberables and milestones, despite having limited capacity to do so. Despite expectations of more third-party funding for projects, the state ended up allocating more money.

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In a report tabled in parliament today, the QAO said the original design of the overall program impacted the timely delivery of projects, and the current LNP government should pay closer attention to progress.

Of the three largest projects, only Minjerribah Ganaba has been completed, the Quandamooka Art Museum and Performance Institute is still under construction, and the Yalingbila Bibula (whale centre) project is on hold pending a redesign.

Project names have changed over time and there is currently no reconciliation of the projects between the original transition strategy and Minjerribah Futures, the audit found.

There is also no current public reporting on the status of funding under Minjerribah Futures. The government has accepted the recommendations.
Two men who pretended to be among the worlds largest gold bullion buyers and fleeced the federal government of almost $41 million in GST have been stripped of assets including luxury homes, bank accounts and $250,000 in cash.

The NSW Supreme Court issued the orders against Jonatan Kelu and Cedric Adrian Millner, who are both serving eight years in jail, for their role in defrauding the Commonwealth in a gold scam they ran more than a decade ago.

A criminal asset taskforce, headed by the Australian Federal Police, launched an investigation codenamed Operation Nosean in 2012 that included agencies such as Border Force, the Australian Taxation Office, AUSTRAC and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.

Electric kilns that were used to melt down gold bullion and turn it into scrap gold as part of a $41 million gold scam. Credit: AFP

The taskforce started after authorities received intelligence that high quantities of pure gold bullion had been bought from a broker in Sydney. About the same time, the Tax Office had noted an unusual pattern of large GST refunds being paid to several gold refiners in Sydney and Melbourne.
Returning Labor MP Peter Khalil has condemned the intimidation, harassment and violence that he, volunteers and staff faced through his campaign for the seat of Wills.

It was a very tough campaign, Khalil told ABCs Afternoon Briefing.

Wills MP Peter Khalil at Labors caucus meeting in Canberra on Friday. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

My volunteers and staff are amazing. Their integrity, their character, their ability to continue to serve the community, even when they had to evacuate the office so many times, even in the last week of the campaign, some protesters occupied our roof.

The back-office staff had to evacuate. They did it several times.

They should not be made to feel in danger at their place of work. That is just unacceptable, and even at the pre-poll  talking to voters and having people screaming or being abusive, and throwing disgusting slurs my way while Im trying to talk to voters, or blocking me from speaking to people  thats just counterproductive and people reject that.

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Khalil responded to Paul Keatings claims of factional thuggery in Labor, saying while the former prime minister was entitled to his views, the ministry was selected by caucus.

It is an inherently democratic process, said Khalil, who had declared victory over the Greens Samantha Ratnam.

People vote in the members of the ministry, which we did, in our caucus, collectively today. And as the [prime minister] said, no one individual is above the collective.

Khalil said Husic and Dreyfus, who were both axed, had made terrific contributions to cabinet.

Read more about the campaign in Wills in our Victorias hot seats blog and David Crowes analysis of Labors caucus cruelty here.
I dont think Ive ever seen a race like this, where the third and the fourth candidates look like they could win. And I dont know which of them it is, he said. This masthead spoke to six sources, speaking anonymously to detail internal discussions, who said the unusual situation was created by a 9.6 per cent swing against Labor in 2022 and backlash about the partys preselection process late last year. A group of party members wrote to ALP national secretary Paul Erickson last year threatening to quit unless they were involved in selecting the Calwell candidate, after hearing departing MP Maria Vamvakinou had already picked Abdo, one of her staff, as her replacement. These ructions were heightened in November when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese asked the ALPs national executive to intervene and manage preselections for Labor-held seats in Victoria, rather than allowing local branches and the partys office selection committee to vote for candidates.

The move sparked complaints because the federal election was the first opportunity for local members to exercise their power to select candidates since the party had been taken out of a long-running administration. The ALP national executive has intervened in state and federal preselections in Victoria since 2018. Moore, a Labor-aligned three-time mayor whose sister had been seeking party preselection in Calwell, quit the ALP to run as an independent after Abdos candidacy was confirmed, and attracted 12.1 per cent of the primary vote. Three-time mayor of the City of Hume Carly Moore quit the ALP to run as an independent in Calwell. Credit: Justin McManus Two sources said her campaign had been supported by disaffected members of the ALPs Craigieburn branch. This has been a safe Labor seat for over 40 years and to see such major swings away from the major parties shows the frustration in the electorate after decades of neglect by Labor  with over one in two people in Calwell voting for a candidate not from the major parties, Moore said.

The four-cornered nature of the contest was also partly made possible because of the seats ethnic and religious diversity. Abdo, who like 24 per cent of the electorate in the 2021 census is Muslim, could become the first Palestinian-Australian elected to federal parliament. But coverage of his preselection prompted a rebuke from Australias Assyrian, Chaldean and Syriac Organisations, who said Iraq was one of the top countries of birth for migrants in the electorate and the second-highest country of birth for parents of residents, after Australia. In a joint statement released in June 2024, the three groups said more than 36,500 residents, nearly 20 per cent of Calwells population, speak Arabic, Assyrian, Chaldean or Syriac at home. While political parties are free to select their own candidates, doing so without considering the views and aspirations of large and important parts of the community demonstrates a lack of respect and understanding, they said at the time.

Independent Joseph Youhana told The Age he joined the race to represent this community as well as in frustration over Labors preselection process. He gained 11.7 per cent of the primary vote. Whether we get it there or not, it will never be a safe seat any more, he said. Outgoing Labor MP for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Now we have the people behind us, Labor in any elections will need to be carefully selecting their members who will be standing for [them]. Youhana and Moore ran third and fourth on primary votes but, because they have encouraged voters to preference each other highly on how-to-vote cards, one of them is now likely to move to second above the Liberals and have a chance of beating Labor.

Whoever comes fourth is expected to see most of their votes flow towards the other independent, vaulting them into second spot, where Liberal preferences would then be distributed. Liberal candidate Usman Ghani preferenced both independents above Labor. Liberal candidate for Calwell Usman Ghani last month with Peter Dutton and Senator Bridget McKenzie. Credit: James Brickwood Three sources, one Liberal and two outside the party, confirmed that Liberal MP Evan Mulholland, from Victorias state upper house, was involved in negotiating several independent candidates preferences towards each other, which has kept them in the race. Because the independents and Liberals have shut out Labor, Abdo is facing a challenge to get the extra 20 per cent of the vote he needs to win, one source said.
However, the long-time Greens leader has a diametrically different view of the election results, underlining the challenge the party faces as it ponders its identity in a post-Bandt era. Asked if the party has been too hardline in recent years, Brown tells this masthead: I dont think they were hardline enough. Loading Brown attributed the partys struggles to the targeted, negative and false campaigning against the Greens  and the Greens are going to have to, in the future, work out how to respond to that. Others within the party, however, are calling for some more introspection.

Ian Cohen, the first Greens member elected to the NSW parliament, says: Weve got to be careful not to lose sight of our environmental roots. The environment must be a priority. The leader of a national environment group, who asked to speak anonymously to be candid about their views, said it was a constant frustration of the green movement that the Greens party did not campaign on a platform with specific nature policies beyond broad demands like no new coal or gas. They became a party of militant youth and lost their status as a party of the environment, the environmental leader says. Long-time Greens leader Bob Brown argues the partys positions werent hardline enough. Credit: Andrew Meares Bandts loss has devastated the party, with South Australian senator Sarah Hanson-Young saying on Thursday: Greens all over the country are in shock. We are grieving for what feels like the most unfair of outcomes.

While praising Bandt as full of enthusiasm, Cohen describes him as very much an inner-city representative who prioritised policies relevant to urban voters. He thinks it was ultimately a mistake for the party to choose a lower house member, rather than the Senate, as its leader. We were better served by having a leader in the Senate looking across the whole nation, someone who can represent a broader voter base, he says. The Greens. Credit: Matt Golding Foreign Minister Penny Wong has seized upon the election result as a rejection of the Greens hardline stance against Israel, as well as the Coalitions unshakeable support for the Jewish state. A clear lesson from the election is that Australians dont want political leaders to amplify overseas conflict for their own purposes as the Greens and Liberals did, Wong told this masthead.

Both parties spread false information to exploit legitimate concerns. Jeremy Buckingham, who served as a Greens MP in the NSW upper house from 2011 to 2018, says his biggest criticism of the party is the vitriol of their rhetoric, which he sums up as calling the Albanese government complicit in genocide and expecting people to negotiate with them. Buckingham quit the Greens after a factional brawl in which he was accused of sexual harassment, a claim he categorically denies, and returned to the NSW parliament as a member of the Legalise Cannabis Party. Peace was one of the Greens foundational tenets, but theyre not peaceful in how they act, he says. Thats because a lot of people from the hard left of politics, various socialist groups came into the Greens.

Loading He singles out Max Chandler-Mather, the partys former housing spokesman who lost his Brisbane seat of Griffith, for criticism. Chandler-Mather raised the profile of housing affordability and the plight of renters, but brought a radical edge by protesting alongside the disgraced CFMEU construction union and attacking Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in parliament for being a landlord. Others inside the party say the Greens have alienated older and more well-off voters with their rhetoric, as seen when Bandt wore a shirt saying: FIGHTING FOR RENTERS. That meant home owners no longer felt at home in the party, one senior Greens figure says. As for Middle East policy, former Albanese adviser Dean Sherr says: You didnt need to be pro-Israel to be alienated by how the Greens tried to import the conflict here and make it a central issue in our politics. They increasingly came across as a radical left-wing activist group youd find on a university campus.

Following Bandts departure, three women  Mehreen Faruqi, from NSW, Larissa Waters, from Queensland, and Hanson-Young, from South Australia  have emerged as frontrunners for the partys leadership. The Pakistani-born Faruqi would present a fresh face for the party but represent more continuity, given she served as Bandts deputy and played a prominent role in the partys campaigning on Gaza. Some within the party argue Waters has the most mainstream appeal and can present as a less radical figure to voters. Hutton backs Hanson-Young, who recently held a dead salmon aloft in the Senate, as the best candidate to take the party in a more pragmatic, explicitly environmental direction. The remaining MPs are expected to meet in Canberra next week to elect their new leader in a secret ballot. A senior member of the party, asking for confidentiality to discuss internal matters, says: Whoever becomes leader will be more of an old-school environmentalist. The Greens will always care about social and economic justice, but the shift back to more of a focus on the environment and climate will be important.

Debate over the partys ideological direction is nothing new for the Greens, especially in NSW. Factional opponents have disparagingly labelled the hard-left group linked to former senator Lee Rhiannon the watermelons  green on the outside and red (communist) within  while the hard-left has branded more moderate Greens as neoliberals on bikes or tree Tories. Loading Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson defends the partys performance, saying: Its really hard to get climate and the environment on the political agenda in Canberra when its being ignored by the two major parties. Whish-Wilson said the Greens ran a strong environmental election campaign in his home state of Tasmania. We played a very high-profile role in the campaign against fish farms. We had massive rallies on the streets in Hobart with 6000 people the weekend before the election, and we had a number of rallies leading up to that.
Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is expected to run as Angus Taylors deputy in the battle for the Liberal Party leadership against Sussan Ley, after her shock defection from the National Party on Thursday afternoon.

The move has effectively blown apart the Coalition, angering Liberal moderates hoping Ley, the current deputy leader, would replace Peter Dutton as opposition leader, and devastating the National Party.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Peter Dutton during the election campaign. Credit: James Brickwood

Price only phoned Nationals leader David Littleproud as she released a statement announcing her move, according to two sources familiar with Price who were unauthorised to speak publicly. The late call was designed to head off any attempt by Littleproud to thwart the switch.

As a member of the Country Liberal Party, the Northern Territorys merged division of the Coalition, she can sit in either the National or Liberal party rooms in Canberra, but it is unclear if the CLP itself gets to decide where Price sits.
[Being part of the Liberal Party] is something that I wanted to do from the first time I was elected, she told 2GB. Ive been welcomed by Sussan Ley to the Liberal Party room, which Im very grateful for. Price was coy about whether she would run for a leadership position but said that former prime minister Tony Abbott had supported her move to the Liberals. Tony has long supported me, Price said. However, Nigel Scullion, a CLP senator for nearly 20 years until the 2019 election, cautioned against drastic action, saying Prices action was not the end of the world because she remained a CLP member of parliament regardless of which party she sat with in Canberra. Former CLP president Shane Stone said the defection left a sour taste in his mouth.

Shes had tremendous support from the National Party, Stone said, pointing out that Littleproud secured her a portfolio to which the party was not entitled. The injection of Price into the Liberal leadership contest has inflamed an already bitter battle that threatens ongoing party unity, regardless of the winner.

Leys supporters claimed Price, who vowed to make Australia great again during the campaign, joining Taylors ticket had worked against the shadow treasurer because uncommitted MPs were not attracted to the idea of the senator taking on such a senior role. The race is tight, however, and Taylors backers hoped Prices popularity among Liberal branch members would make it harder for MPs to vote against him after trade spokesman Dan Tehan ruled himself out of the leadership race on Friday. I love the Liberal Party  and I will work hard and serve in whatever capacity I am asked to rebuild our party, Tehan said. In their first public remarks on the contest, neither Taylor nor Ley took responsibility for the election result, and both made pitches to Australian women. We did let the women of Australia down, Ley said on Sunrise on Friday morning. Im determined and convinced that I am the right person to lead the party forward at this time, and I think my appointment would send a strong signal to the women of Australia, but its about much more than that, she said. It is about the policy offering. It is about what modern Australia expects of us as Liberals. It is about working collegiately across our party, and it is about a strong work ethic, something that Im known for in our party and in our country.

Taylor said if he was successful in his bid for the Liberal leadership, which will be decided at a party room meeting on Tuesday, he would draw on experience from his business career of overhauling companies for consultancy firm McKinsey. He has previously been criticised by some colleagues for the partys sparse economic agenda taken to the election. In opposition, Ive been on the front line of economic debates, he said. In my career, Ive helped rebuild organisations and created successful businesses. We must bring in new talent that reflects modern Australia  especially more women. We must operate like a campaign every day  with strong candidates, clearer messages, smarter strategies and greater fundraising.

We need to modernise our organisation from the ground up and back our volunteers and members, who give so much to our cause. Canavan  a former minister who has turned into a rebellious senator focused on immigration and free speech  also announced on Friday that he would challenge Littleproud for his partys leadership despite having minimal support in the party. We should scrap the futile and unachievable goal of net zero emissions by 2050, he said in a statement. Net zero makes everything more expensive, and it is not helping the environment given that the US, China and India are no longer even paying lip service to it. Our plan should be based on how we can save the country, not save the party. I am standing for my partys leadership so that I can tell my kids I did everything I could to fight for a better life for them.

Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce underwent surgery for prostate cancer this week and is not planning to run against Littleproud at Mondays party room meeting in Canberra. Canavan was chief of staff for Joyce between 2010 and 2013. Loading Joyce backed the principle of having a contest for the leadership, but stopped short of endorsing Canavan. Im glad there is a contest for leadership. It is an incredibly honourable position, incredibly important for our nation and seminal if we are to put ourselves in a position to be considered as the next government, Joyce told this masthead. Nationals MPs argued privately that Littleproud was weakened by Prices defection because he failed to avert it despite Price telling colleagues as far back as 2022 she was eager to join the Liberals.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Today, the unity, brotherhood and solidarity between Azerbaijan and Turkiye are making an enormous contribution to the entire Turkic world, said President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in his address to the participants of the 28th Eurasian Economic Summit, Trend reports.

"My dear brother, esteemed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made unparalleled contributions to the strengthening of the Azerbaijani-Turkish brotherhood and the expansion of our strategic alliance. Our exceptional interstate relations, which stem from a common history, rich national and spiritual values, as well as the unity of our peoples, are developing dynamically, contributing to prosperity, peace and security in the region and playing an important role for all of Eurasia," said President Ilham Aliyev.
Schools Infrastructure then commissioned an outside consultancy firm to provide upside data, she said. Those projections were based on highly unlikely assumptions including increasing birth rates and major changes to migration. Haque told the commission Manning didnt have to explain why he was unhappy with the smaller population growth. It was well understood by myself and him  a lower figure would mean it would be much more difficult to get funding from Treasury in terms of the capital works [budget], she said. Part of the tension, she said, was she wanted to provide more granular data. Despite a statewide fall in the population, there had been huge growth in north and south-west Sydney. Haque said that Manning wanted statewide data that she said was misleading and incorrect and would do a disservice to where we need to spend money.

We have lots of schools in areas where there arent people because people cant afford to live there, very affluent suburbs or suburbs that have aged out [but there is] huge growth in the south-west and north-west of Sydney, she said. Manning was dismissive to that argument, she said. ICAC is hearing allegations Manning gave friends high-paying contractor jobs, improperly awarded contracts and misallocated funds. The inquiry has heard evidence that under Mannings leadership spending on contingent workers surged to more than $344 million between April 2017 and February 2024, and that 26 employees were on salaries of more than $500,000. Manning is due to appear towards the end of the six-week inquiry.

On Thursday, the inquiry also heard evidence from Tony McCabe, a former executive director inside the Education Department who moved to School Infrastructure NSW when it was established by the then-minister Rob Stokes in 2017. McCabe alleged Manning quickly began bringing in friends and colleagues to the agency. He said he was astounded by the rates of pay some of them requested, and that it was common for new contract work to just appear. McCabe recalled one case in which Manning instructed him to find space for a contractor without a specific job in mind. It wasnt do we need him, it was youll find him a role, he said. In another, he requested a procurement advisory join the agency at short notice, a step McCabe said was outside the agencys guidelines. I think I remember at the time thinking how inappropriate and almost comical that you would procure a procurement adviser outside procurement guidelines, he said.

McCabe said in his first interaction with Manning, the new CEO told him the ministers office had referred to me as a no man, and he was going to turn me into a yes man. He left the agency, he said, after a period of ongoing harassment, intimidation and humiliation by a contract worker Manning brought in above him. Loading One friend of Mannings, Stuart Suthern-Brunt, was employed in a consultancy role and was paid $2800 a day, or the equivalent of $644,000 a year. Haque told ICAC she was aware Manning and Suthern-Brunt had been friends for a long time and knew each other from their time in Europe. The Herald has previously revealed that ICAC was investigating the awarding of a $39 million Manufacturing for Schools contract to build pre-fabricated classrooms.

The ICAC has previously heard that after he left School Infrastructure, Suthern-Brunt was involved in a consortium with construction firm APP, which won the contract. Haque told the hearing she met with APP before the contract was awarded, and thought they were very knowledgeable about School Infrastructures technology and systems including some of our shortcomings and challenges. Asked by Commissioner Paul Lakatos SC whether it was an unusual level of knowledge, she said: Yes. The contract has since been cancelled, and the Herald has previously revealed the head of another firm, manufacturing software company PT Blink, Murray Ellen, had raised concerns about it due to its similarity to his own technology. Haque told the hearing she had attended a meeting with Ellen in 2020 at which she was briefed on their technology, which she understood to be commercial in confidence.
Taxi and ride-share drivers who break the rules more than once will have their licences suspended or cancelled under a two-strikes policy to be legislated by the Allan government alongside other reforms to protect passenger safety.

Public Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams will on Friday announce new laws to crack down on dodgy drivers, building on regulations in 2023 that banned unfair price negotiations.

The company behind 13cabs and Cabcharge is accused by its own staff of ignoring rampant fraud. Credit: Marija Ercegovac

Since then, alarming practices have continued across the industry, and in February The Ages investigation revealed some of the nations biggest cab companies had ignored systematic defrauding of customers for years.

Premier Jacinta Allan pledged to do more to clean up the absolutely vile behaviour revealed by The Age, including that of driver Jarnail Singh, who abused and scammed passengers with disabilities but was only caught when he was busted drink-driving.
Although the odd Come on the Bears went through the waiting crowd at the long-suffering rugby league clubs spiritual home on Sydneys lower north shore when Western Australia Premier Roger Cook officially announced their return to the NRL as the Perth Bears, there was only one, deafening chant: North Sydney! North Sydney! North Sydney!

Greg Florimo bit his nails as he listened out for the exact season the club would start  Cook confirmed it would be in 2027, not 2028  but didnt hear beyond the first line.

I just needed to hear it because  Weve had so many of those false starts, says Florimo, a Bears veteran of 295 first-grade games before their 1999 NRL exodus and a long-time advocate for their return.

My mum has rung me four or five times over the last two years saying, Well done. I said, Not yet, not yet.
We are a group of four adults travelling to South Korea in mid-October. After leaving Jeju Island we have seven days to tour. Can you recommend places of interest to visit covering heritage areas and national parks? We would love to do a temple stay, using public transport between locations.

J. Anderson, Wangaratta, Vic

Cherry blossoms on a lake in Bomun, Gyeongju. Credit: iStock

What you might do is fly from Jeju Island to Busan and then take an express bus from Busan Central Bus Terminal to Gyeongju, which takes about 90 minutes. Gyeongju is the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom, which ruled most of the Korean Peninsula for several hundred years. The site contains some outstanding examples of Korean Buddhist art, including temples and palaces, sculptures, reliefs and pagodas, mostly created between the seventh and 10th centuries. Its particularly lovely in autumn, when this world heritage site is set against a backdrop of auburn colours. Spend two nights here, and Namuae is a traditional Korean guesthouse with good reviews.

From Gyeongju take a 100-1 bus or taxi to Golgusa Temple, but the bus trip involves some walking. Golgusa has a two and three-day temple stay program, consisting of meditation, exercises and traditional Korean arts. Return to Gyeongju and take a bus and train to Andong, known as a centre for culture and folk traditions, and in particular its masked folk dances. The Andong Mask Dance Festival, a major cultural event, will be held from September 26 to October 5, 2025. Visit Andongs Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A train from Andong to Seoul takes just short of four hours.

We are an active family of three older teens plus two parents. In January 2026, were looking for a budget-conscious international holiday in Asia or the Pacific that includes four days of cycle touring followed by seven days of learning to surf.

J. Fitzgerald, Kingsford, NSW
The sabre-rattling that has marked most of the nine-decade simmering conflict between India and Pakistan over their joint claims to Kashmir has suddenly escalated, with the two nuclear powers threatening all-out war. Demonstrators attend a protest in response to Indias military strikes in Karachi, Pakistan, on Wednesday. Credit: Bloomberg The looming confrontation between the two Asian nations comes as concerns mount over increasing threats to use nuclear weapons in other world conflicts. India launched missiles into Pakistan and the Pakistani Kashmir, reportedly killing 26 people and dozens more in retaliation for a mass shooting in Kashmir last month when gunmen killed 26 male tourists. Pakistan has claimed it shot down Indian fighter jets. Both the UN and EU have called for restraint but international powers, including the UK and US, are distracted by the other crises in Gaza and Ukraine: US President Donald Trump called the situation a shame and added, I hope it ends quickly. The governments of Iran and Saudi Arabia have spoken to the two sides, and Irans foreign minister has publicly offered to mediate. But so far, no deal.

The ongoing conflicts in both Kashmir and Palestine coincidentally resulted from Britains post-war retreat from the empire. The latest Gaza tragedy has attracted attention and sympathy, but Kashmir has dribbled on since the 1947 partition of India by the British, with little international interest. Partition led to the creation of a predominantly Hindu India and a predominantly Muslim Pakistan, but London rode roughshod over religious and culture differences in the foothills of the Himalayas and the accession of Kashmir to India resulted in battles, mass displacements and genocide when Pakistan claimed the territory. A UN-brokered agreement in 1949 established a ceasefire line and sent in peacekeepers, dividing Kashmir. There were wars in 1965, 1971 and 1999. The conflict has never ended. Years of conflict led to rebels in Kashmir waging an insurgency that began in 1989, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan. Indian leaders blamed Islamabad for backing gunmen in Kashmir, though Pakistan denies this. Jammu and Kashmir was Indias only Muslim-majority state but saw its limited autonomy replaced by direct rule and a harsh security crackdown on Hindu-nationalist prime minister Narendra Modis election in 2019. The two nations have since cut economic ties and direct flights. Experts say a military confrontation between India and Pakistan could be difficult to contain. The two countries possess comparable nuclear arsenals  India reportedly has 172 nuclear warheads, Pakistan 170. While Pakistan may listen to advice from Middle East allies, Indias recent economic power has caused it to become more unrestrained by any global pressure to limit its response, and it has become quicker to flex its muscles as the Modi government seeks political advantage pushing his Hindu nationalist agenda.
Rome: On the eve of the conclave, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi found himself dodging questions as he was mugged by a waiting media pack about his chances of being the next pope.

Walking the cobblestone streets of Vatican City, he joked with reporters, telling them he was on his way to his barber, poking fun at the intense media focus on his candidacy.

Local favourite: Roman Cardinal Matteo Zuppi is in the running to succeed Pope Francis. Credit: nna\Jorgebranco

If the conclave lasts a couple of months, at least Ill fix myself up a bit, he quipped, laughing as he added, As my mother would have said: Where are you going looking like that?

Despite his self-deprecating denial of being papabile  the Italian term for a man who could be pope  speculation around his name continues to grow, fuelled by diplomatic achievements, and his efforts as Francis special envoy to Russia and Ukraine, despite criticism of the churchs even-handed approach to that conflict.
Leo XIV said its members must now focus on dialogue and love and said charity should be extended to all, especially [those] who are suffering. The announcement is expected to trigger celebration and scrutiny, particularly given the geopolitical complexities surrounding the Vaticans evolving relationship with the US and the broader global south. Within minutes, US President Donald Trump posted congratulations on his Truth Social platform, calling the elevation of an American pope such an honour. Prevost, 69, was elected by a record 133 cardinals, most of whom had been appointed by Francis. Though widely seen as an outsider due to his American nationality, his deep ties to Latin America  where he served as a bishop in Peru for over two decades  made him a viable consensus candidate.

He is the youngest pope to be elected since Polands John Paul II, who assumed the role after the second papal conclave of 1978, when his predecessor John Paul I died after just 33 days in the role. Until Francis death two weeks ago, Prevost served as head of the Vaticans Dicastery for Bishops, one of the churchs most powerful administrative roles. In that position, he oversaw the global appointment and evaluation of bishops, giving him significant influence within the church hierarchy. White smoke rises from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, indicating a new pope has been elected. Credit: Getty Images Archbishop Tim Costelloe, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said his appointment was a sign of the wisdom behind the Italian saying that those who enter the conclave as a pope inevitably emerge from the conclave as a cardinal. Cardinal Prevost brought to his most recent role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops an approachability and willingness to listen which were no doubt developed throughout his many years as an Augustinian missionary in Peru, he said.

He will be warmly welcomed by the church in Latin America, as Pope Francis was, by the church in the United States from where he comes, from the English-speaking world as a native English speaker, and from the whole church as a man of God steeped in the rich spirituality of his Augustinian religious order. Born in Chicago and ordained in 1982, Prevost entered the Order of St. Augustine and earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. His career included work as a missionary, educator, and eventually a bishop in Peru, where he became a naturalised citizen and fluent Spanish speaker. Though he has kept a low media profile, Prevost is seen as ideologically aligned with Francis, particularly in prioritising outreach to the poor, care for migrants, and a less hierarchical vision of church leadership. The bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom, he said in a Vatican interview last year  a remark that echoed Francis critique of clericalism.

Loading However, Leo XIVs record also contains more conservative elements. In a 2012 address, he criticised Western media for promoting sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel, referencing same-sex families and what he called the homosexual lifestyle. While he supported Franciss pastoral move to allow Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics, he showed only reserved backing for blessings of same-sex couples. His handling of clerical abuse cases during his time in Peru is expected to come under closer scrutiny now that he has ascended to the papacy. Still, within the Vatican, Leo XIV is regarded as a unifying figure. His international experience and quiet diplomacy allowed him to navigate the ideological and regional divides among the cardinals. His election may mark a stylistic shift from Franciss more outspoken leadership, but not necessarily a reversal of his reforms. The view from St Peters Square as Pope Leo XIV is presented for the first time. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone
Francis, historys first Latin American pope, clearly had his eye on Prevost and in many ways saw him as his heir apparent. He sent Prevost to take over a complicated diocese in Peru, then brought him to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. Cardinal Robert Prevost appears on the central loggia of St Peters Basilica after being chosen the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church, choosing the name Pope Leo XIV. Credit: AP And in January, Francis elevated Prevost into the senior ranks of cardinals, giving him prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals had. Since arriving in Rome, Prevost has kept a low public profile but was well-known to the men who count.

Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. Loading Vatican watchers said Prevosts decision to name himself Leo was particularly significant, given the previous Leos legacy of social justice and reform, suggesting continuity with some of Francis chief concerns. During his 12-year papacy, Francis sought to remake the US hierarchy and, with Prevosts help starting in 2023, named more pastorally minded bishops to replace culture warriors favoured by Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II. The new Pope was formerly the prior general, or leader, of the Order of St Augustine, which was formed in the 13th century as a community of mendicant friars  dedicated to poverty, service and evangelisation. There have been six previous Augustinian popes.

Francis moved Prevost from the Augustinian leadership back to Peru in 2014 to serve as the administrator and later archbishop of Chiclayo. The Rev. Alexander Lam, an Augustinian friar from Peru who knows the new pope, said he was beloved in Peru for his closeness to his people, especially poor people. He said he was a champion of social justice issues and environmental stewardship. Cardinal Robert Prevost leads the recitation of the Holy Rosary for Pope Francis health in St Peters Square at the Vatican in March. Credit: AP Even the bishops of Peru called him the saint, the Saint of the North, and he had time for everyone, Lam said in an interview with The Associated Press in Rome. He was the person who would find you along the way. He was this kind of bishop. Lam said that when Francis travelled to Peru in 2018, Prevost camped out with his flock on the ground during the vigil before Francis Mass. Roberto has that style, that closeness. Maybe they are not great institutional gestures, but are in human gestures.

Prevost remained in that position, acquiring Peruvian citizenship in 2015, until Francis brought him to Rome in 2023 to assume both the bishops dossier and the presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Loading In that job, he would have kept in regular contact with the Catholic hierarchy in the part of the world that counts the most Catholics. Counting North, Central and South America, the region had 37 cardinal electors going into the conclave. In Rome, at the Augustinian headquarters just off St. Peters Square, the mood was festive. The Rev. Franz Klein, treasurer general of the Augustinian order, said he was shocked by the news.

For us, the Augustinian order, this is one of the biggest moments in history, he said. Im surprised and very happy. Loading The New York Times reported that Prevost has often been described as reserved and discreet and that his supporters believed he would as pope continue the consultative process started by Francis to invite laypeople to meet with bishops. It also wrote that it was unclear whether he would be as open to LGBTQ Catholics as Francis was. In 2012 comments, he lamented that Western news media and popular culture fostered sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel, citing the homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children. However, he has pushed back militant vision of Christian power that the Trump administration has elevated, the Times wrote. Before he became pope, a social media account under his name shared criticisms of the Trump administrations positions on immigration.

The Washington Post reported that Prevost voted in the state of Illinois Republican primaries in 2012, 2014 and 2016, citing voter registration records. He has also voted in general elections, most recently via an absentee ballot in November. Like many other leaders of the Catholic Church leaders, he has also drawn criticism over his dealings with priests accused of sexual abuse, the Times reported. Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, in 2023. Credit: AP The Post also reported that Prevosts views on women in the church appeared aligned with Francis, who opened more leadership roles to women than any previous pontiff, while affirming the churchs teaching barring the ordination of women as priests. In 2023, Prevost said women can add a great deal to the life of the church on many different levels, The Post reported. But the National Catholic Register reported him at the time saying that clericalising women doesnt necessarily solve a problem, it might make a new problem.

The Post also reported that he has championed action to address the climate crisis. Leo was expected to celebrate Mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on Friday, planned to deliver his first Sunday noon blessing from the loggia of St Peters and lined up an audience with the media on Monday in the Vatican auditorium, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. Beyond that, he has a possible first foreign trip at the end of May: Francis had been invited to travel to Turkey to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a landmark event in Christian history and an important moment in Catholic-Orthodox relations. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the worlds Orthodox Christians, welcomed Leos election and said he hoped he would join the anniversary celebration. AP
Washington: The United States and Britain announced the outline of a trade deal that will reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers for selected goods, in what US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described as a historic moment between two great allies.

It was the first such deal to be struck following Trumps unilateral declaration of reciprocal tariffs on April 2, although his 10 per cent blanket tariff on British goods will remain in most cases. Both sides acknowledged the details were yet to be finalised.

Vice President J.D. Vance, President Donald Trump and British ambassador Peter Mandelson applaud a trade deal between the UK and US. Credit: Bloomberg

The White House said the deal would increase market access in the UK for about $US5 billion ($7.8 billion) of American products, including ethanol, soft drinks and agricultural products such as beef  which is also a key trade grievance between the US and Australia.

Tariffs will be reduced to 10 per cent from 27.5 per cent for the first 100,000 British cars imported into the US each year, which accounts for almost all of them, and the current 25 per cent tariff on UK steel and aluminium will be slashed to zero, subject to a quota.
PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- This week marks Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week which is from May 06 -12. The theme for the week is: Small Bite Big Threat! Stop Disease Transmission, Start Source Reduction.

The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) is committed to keeping the public informed and making frequent calls to action to the community to take action and eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

CPS is appealing once again to continue to take action after every rainfall event to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and in doing so protects our community from mosquito borne diseases.

At the 17th Special Session of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government on public health threats held in November 2014, the Heads approved a proposal for the establishment of an annual Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week.

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) says the burden of vector borne diseases in the Caribbean remains a significant challenge, and Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week (CAMAW) is vital to addressing this issue by ensuring that you, the public, are informed and empowered to make a difference.

CARPHA adds that the theme, "Small bite, big threat," alongside this years slogan, Stop disease transmission, start source reduction, serves as a powerful reminder of the critical need for proactive measures against these arboviral vectors. By destroying mosquito breeding sites, we prevent them from multiplying and potentially limit the spread of these terrible diseases.

The objective of such a week is to strengthen existing initiatives and mobilize the public to eliminate mosquito breeding sites from public and private places.

CPS supports the CARPHA campaign this week and appeals to the community to always be on alert to act right after a rainfall event to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

Mosquitoes can breed in as little as a half inch of water. This is not a lot of water, and plant saucers are one of those unassuming places that can gather a small amount and still be a huge breeding site for your backyard mosquito.

Source reduction is the key to decreasing the mosquito population. Due to the tropical nature of our climate, breeding habitats are in abundance, and many of them are unfortunately man-made.

For issues surrounding mosquito breeding sites, contact CPS vector control team by calling 542-1222/1570 or 914. Ask to be contacted by the vector control team.

You can also email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with supporting pictures and contact information to report a mosquito nuisance or request assistance.

Eradicating mosquito breeding sites should become a habitual lifestyle of each citizen, let us minimize the mosquito population at its source!
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. The Baku Military Court on Thursday screened video footage related to the occupation of Azerbaijans Kalbajar district by Armenian armed forces.

The footage opened with scenes showing the positioning of Armenian military units.

One segment featured Monte Melkonyan addressing the militants, asking: What have we done today? Where are we now? Where were we yesterday? What did we do?

A militant responded, reporting that they were 20 kilometers from Kalbajar.

Melkonyan went on to say that Armenian forces had advanced from the western part of Aghdara and from the direction of Aghdaban, eventually reaching Kalbajar. By annexing Kalbajar to Armenia, the entire region will be annexed to Armenia, and many roads will become accessible. I hope that the Azeris (Azerbaijanis  ed.) will understand that it is all over, said Monte Melkonyan, also known by the nickname Avo.

When asked whether Azerbaijanis had shown strong resistance, Melkonyan replied: Yes, the resistance was tough. We came here via the Lachin road. Every Armenian should understand that their participation in this cause is very important. As decided in 1988, these territories will be annexed to Armenia.

Melkonyan also claimed he had killed approximately 70 Azerbaijanis on the battlefield.

The video further showed the bodies of Azerbaijani victims and footage of Armenian troops entering Kalbajar and surrounding villages.

The trial continues for Armenian nationals accused of crimes against peace and humanity, including war crimes, acts of terrorism, waging and preparing for aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, forcible seizure and retention of power, and financing terrorism, among other offenses linked to Armenias military aggression.
PHILIPSBURG:--- During the Parliament's Central Committee meeting on May 7th, 2025, Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling delivered a detailed presentation addressing the ongoing delays in the placement process for justice workers. Her remarks provided a candid explanation of the challenges faced by the Ministry and outlined the measures being implemented to improve transparency and efficiency in resolving long-standing issues.

Acknowledging the frustration felt by justice workers, Minister Tackling began by recognizing the historical complexity and mismanagement that have plagued the process. "This process has taken longer than expected, and I fully understand the growing frustration," she stated, emphasizing her consistent communication with both unions and justice workers throughout.

Challenges and Organizational Gaps

Minister Tackling outlined the numerous obstacles her Ministry encountered when she assumed office. She highlighted the lack of uniformity in the placement process, an absence of institutional memory due to the departure of a critical civil servant, and the resulting need for structural review and realignment.

When I took over, I inherited a fragmented system. Processes were inconsistent across different batches, and the loss of key personnel compounded the operational challenges, she explained. Additionally, she pointed out that the Ministry had been working off outdated personnel systems with incomplete records scattered across four different databases.

Further complicating matters was a concerning discrepancy between gross and net salaries, which, in some cases, led to unintended reductions in worker pay after placement adjustments. This issue made it clear that comprehensive validation of all placements was an urgent priority.

The Minister of Justice also noted that errors in previously issued national decrees (LBs) added layers of complexity to the process. She revealed that 20 out of 25 decrees in a recent batch were flagged by workers as containing inaccuracies or inconsistencies, a moment she described as pivotal in pausing to reevaluate the entire approach.

New Measures for Transparency and Efficiency

Minister Tackling presented a revamped approach centered on transparency and worker collaboration. To address longstanding concerns, batch validation is now being carried out in partnership with an independent consulting firm, SOAB, to ensure placements are accurate and fair.

She announced changes to the objection procedure to empower workers with more involvement earlier in the process. Justice workers will now receive draft decrees and complete files for review before finalization. This measure, she explained, will allow employees to raise objections early and reduce delays stemming from corrections submitted after decrees are formally issued.

Justice workers deserve respect and clarity, the Minister asserted. This new process ensures they are heard, and their concerns are addressed systematically before any decision is finalized.

The Ministry also plans to focus on handling justice workers by departments, with the upcoming combined batches (14 and 15) set to include all remaining workers outside the prison system. Batch 16 will exclusively cover the Pointe Blanche prison staff, a group that has received no placements despite carrying significant operational burdens.

Commitment to Accountability

Minister Tackling emphasized that the validation process and updated objection framework are essential to restore trust and accountability. She admitted the learning curve involved, but underscored the importance of getting it right the first time to prevent further delays or dissatisfaction.

"We cannot afford to rush ahead only to create more confusion and errors. Every step needs to align to deliver justice to our justice workers," she remarked.

Addressing Parliament, the Minister acknowledged the public frustration surrounding her Ministry's performance but reaffirmed her commitment to transparency, fairness, and efficiency. "This has been a long and complex process, but we owe it to our workers to ensure these placements are correct, transparent, and reflective of their service."

Moving Forward

Moving into the final phases, Minister Tackling assured that the Ministry of Justice remains committed to resolving justice workers grievances comprehensively. She highlighted that, to date, nearly 6.4 million guiders in retroactive payments had been disbursed to workers, and more are expected as batches are finalized.

The new measures, she hopes, will minimize further delays and missteps while addressing the structural challenges inherited from previous administrations. Her closing message was a call for patience and understanding as the Ministry continues its efforts to streamline the process and deliver overdue justice to its employees.
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago:--- : In an essential step toward enhancing animal health management, food safety, and food security in the region, over 100 Caribbean stakeholders from 19 countries completed training on using the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS). Held on March 27-28, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad in Port of Spain, the training provided an unparalleled opportunity for participants to strengthen their expertise in disease reporting, risk management, and biosecurity measures.

This training marked another step in the collaborative effort among the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) and Caribbean Animal Health Network (CaribVET), to advance the regions capacity to detect, report, and manage animal disease threats. High among these threats are transboundary animal diseases such as the African Swine Fever (ASF) and Avian Influenza, which affect the swine and poultry industries, respectively.

A Game-Changer for Regional Animal Health Management

WAHIS is an internationally recognised platform for enhancing disease monitoring and notification. This system enables WOAH member and non-member countries to respond swiftly and effectively to outbreaks. The updated WAHIS platform allows the private sector to report animal health risks. According to Dr Tiffany Chisholm, Senior Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture, Cayman Islands Government, A key challenge to surveillance and reporting on animal diseases is limited human resources. Our ability to navigate the WAHIS interface will assist in determining response needs during outbreaks, expediting report submissions and staying connected with neighbouring islands. Collaboration across Caribbean countries is vital due to the high risk of disease transmission and essential to mitigate that risk.

Empowering Participants with Knowledge and Expertise

Participants welcomed the training, highlighting its practical value and the significant improvements it would bring to national disease surveillance. Many noted that the insights gained would enhance reporting mechanisms, ensuring greater transparency and robustness. Dr Lisa Musai, National Focal Point for Animal Diseases Notification and Chief Veterinary Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, confirmed the significance of the training in enhancing Trinidad and Tobagos ability to report animal health data in a timely and efficient manner. By strengthening our national reporting systems, were enhancing both food safety and our credibility in international trade. This localised approach enables us to effectively manage risks and challenges specific to our region, reinforcing our position as a trusted partner in the global agricultural market while safeguarding the health of our population.

Ensuring animal health is crucial to protecting livestock production and enhancing their capacity to contribute to the Regions food and nutrition security and rural livelihood objectives. Left unattended, emerging agricultural health threats, pests, and diseases can decimate food production systems, worsening climate change, supply chain, and food price challenges. Strengthening disease surveillance and reporting systems through platforms like WAHIS, which enable accurate and timely disease reporting, is crucial to protecting the livestock industry, supporting regional producers, and maintaining consumer trust in local food systems. Diana Francis, IICA Representative in Trinidad and Tobago, emphasised that: In todays data-driven world, strong information systems are critical, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing an increasing role in improving disease monitoring and response to threats that do not recognise borders or economic status. IICA remains fully committed to collaboration on animal health within the One Health framework.
North Korea fires unidentified ballistic missile: Seoul military



Seoul, May 7 (AFP) May 07, 2025



North Korea fired at least one "unidentified ballistic missile", South Korea's military said Thursday, about a week after Pyongyang tested a new destroyer some analysts say can be equipped with tactical nuclear weapons.

Pyongyang "fires unidentified ballistic missile into (the) East Sea," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan, without giving further details.

The launch came about a week after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered navy vessels to be speedily armed with nuclear weapons, as the country conducted its first test-firing of a new warship weapons system.

Last month, Pyongyang unveiled a 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon that some analysts said could be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles.

The two Koreas are technically still at war as the 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

With relations souring, the North last year blew up roads and railways connecting it to the South and fortified areas of the border with more mines.

In early April, South Korea's military said its troops fired warning shots when around 10 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the heavily fortified border that divides the peninsula.
North Korea fires flurry of short-range ballistic missiles



Seoul, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



North Korea fired what appeared to be multiple short-range ballistic missiles Thursday, South Korea's military said, around a week after leader Kim Jong Un tested a new weapons system for his latest warship.

Seoul's military said it had "detected several projectiles presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The missiles were "fired from the Wonsan area of North Korea into the East Sea at around 08:10 today," they added, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.

The launch, the nuclear-armed North's first missile test since March, came about a week after Kim oversaw the test-firing of a new warship weapons system.

Pyongyang unveiled the 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon last month.

North Korea claims the vessel was equipped with the "most powerful weapons", and that it would "enter into operation early next year".

Some analysts have said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles -- although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its nukes.

The South Korean military has said the destroyer could have been developed with Russian help -- possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight Kyiv.

Russia and North Korea also recently announced that they had started building the first road bridge linking the two neighbours.

North Korea launched a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of UN sanctions.

Experts have long warned that the nuclear-armed North may be testing weapons for export to Russia for use against Ukraine.

Japan's defence ministry said there was no impact on Japan from the North Korean missile, according to public broadcaster NHK.



- Testing, testing -



South Korea's military said in early March that the North fired "multiple unidentified ballistic missiles", the same day Seoul and Washington began a major annual joint military drill known as Freedom Shield.

Pyongyang also carried out a test-launch of strategic cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea in late February, which it said showed off "counterattack capabilities".

Washington -- Seoul's key security ally -- has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter the North.

Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion.

The two Koreas are technically still at war as the 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

With relations souring, the North last year blew up roads and railways connecting it to the South and fortified areas of the border with more mines.

In early April, South Korea's military said its troops fired warning shots when around 10 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the heavily fortified border that divides the peninsula.
US denounces Russian obstruction in UN sanctions on North Korea



United Nations, United States, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



At the United Nations Wednesday, the United States denounced Russia for "cynically obstructing" the monitoring of North Korea's compliance with sanctions, in Moscow's bid to avoid facing reproach for using Pyongyang's weapons in the war against Ukraine.

Several members of the Security Council, including the US and South Korea, convened a meeting Wednesday to ensure member states are "aware of sanctions violations and evasion activity" that generates revenue for North Korea's "unlawful" weapons of mass destruction and "ballistic missile programs despite Russia's veto," said interim U.S. ambassador Dorothy Shea.

In March 2024, Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution, ending the UN sanctions monitoring system for Pyongyang's sanctions.

Sanctions were implemented in 2006, and were strengthened several times by the Security Council, but the committee responsible for such monitoring no longer exists.

Shea alleges that since late 2023, North Korean has transferred over 24,000 containers of munitions and munitions-related material, and more than 100 ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine.

"The DPRK continues brazenly to violate the Council's resolutions by exporting coal and iron ore to China, the proceeds of which directly fund its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," Shea said.

"It is clear from evidence presented today that Russia is cynically obstructing the Council on DPRK sanctions implementation in order to try to escape reproach for its own violations."

South Korean Ambassador Joonkook Hwang agreed, denouncing the "illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea," saying it has "severely undermined the Security Council sanctions regime on North Korea and threatens regional and global peace and security.

In May 2022, Russia and China vetoed a resolution imposing new sanctions against Pyongyang, and have advocated for easing sanctions since 2019.

The current sanctions on North Korea have no end date.
At UN, US slams Russia for 'cynically' protecting N.Korea



United Nations, United States, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



The United States on Wednesday denounced Russia for "cynically obstructing" the monitoring of North Korea's compliance with UN sanctions, saying Moscow was trying to dodge criticism for using Pyongyang's weapons in its war with Ukraine.

Several Security Council members, including the United States and South Korea, convened a meeting on the issue to heighten awareness of Moscow's potential sanctions-busting actions, the interim US envoy said.

"Today's briefing shows the Council will continue to ensure member states are aware of sanctions violations and evasion activity that generate revenue" for North Korea's "unlawful" weapons programs "despite Russia's veto," said the envoy, Dorothy Shea.

In March 2024, by vetoing a Security Council resolution, Russia effectively ended the system in place to monitor Pyongyang's compliance with UN sanctions first implemented in 2006 and subsequently strengthened several times.

The committee responsible for that monitoring no longer exists.

"The DPRK continues brazenly to violate the Council's resolutions by exporting coal and iron ore to China, the proceeds of which directly fund its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," Shea said, using an acronym for North Korea's official name.

The US envoy said that since September 2023, North Korea has transferred "over 24,000 containers of munitions and munitions-related material, and well over 100 ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine."

"It is clear from evidence presented today that Russia is cynically obstructing the Council on DPRK sanctions implementation in order to try to escape reproach for its own violations."

South Korean Ambassador Joonkook Hwang agreed, denouncing the "illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea."

"As Pyongyang's actions clearly and continuously defy the Council's decisions, the Council should consider strengthening existing sanctions, not weakening them," he said.

In May 2022, Russia and China vetoed a resolution imposing new sanctions against Pyongyang, and have advocated for easing sanctions since 2019.

The current sanctions on North Korea have no end date.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting on 8 May with the visiting delegation headed by Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, the parliamentary press service told Trend.

Having said that she was glad to welcome the guest and his delegation at the Azerbaijani Parliament, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova also voiced her confidence that this visit would provide for continued strengthening and expansion of the friendly ties between our countries and peoples.

According to the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, the fundamentals of friendship and cooperation laid by the National Leader of our people, Heydar Aliyev, and the great son of the people of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh last century persevere and thrive now that Azerbaijan has gained her independence.

As Speaker Sahiba Gafarova emphasized, high-status visits and meetings play an exceptional role in the progress of the relations; she stressed that reciprocal visits of our heads of state determine the dynamics of the relationship.

Then, the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament underlined the significance of the Joint Statement on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the other important documents signed yesterday, saying then that she was certain that the discussions held with President Ilham Aliyev were going to bear fruit before long.

The role of the ruling partiesthe New Azerbaijan Party and the Communist Party of Vietnamin contributing dramatically to the progress of the bilateral relations was emphasized, too, as the conversation unfolded.

The Speaker pointed out that Azerbaijan highly valued the constructive cooperation between our countries in international organizations in general and especially in the UN and the Non-Aligned Movement, as well as Vietnams just stance and support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country.

Touching upon the role of the parliaments in the advancement of the bilateral relations of our countries, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova remarked that we as the Parliament of Azerbaijan are keen on the development of the inter-parliamentary connections and that there are fine opportunities to achieve that.

The Speaker stressed the significance of reciprocal visits of the presidents and members of parliament before underscoring also the necessity of ensuring progress in interaction between parliamentary committees.

Going further, the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament talked about the importance of the friendship groups active in both legislatures, adding that reciprocal visits and meetings generated important impulses driving our cooperation forward.

According to Speaker Sahiba Gafarova, there are sound opportunities to further deepen the ties in such international institutions as the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Asian Parliamentary Assembly.

She spoke of her confidence in Vietnamese MPs' more active engagement in one of the important formats, namely, the Non-Aligned Movements Parliamentary Network.

Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam expressed satisfaction with the visit to Azerbaijan before conveying the greetings of the Speaker of the National Assembly of Vietnam and also inviting Speaker Sahiba Gafarova to Vietnam on his behalf.

As the conversation went on, the guest shared his impressions from the meeting with President Ilham Aliyev during the current visit; he touched upon the matters considered as well as the bilateral documents signed. As he put it, Vietnam traces intently Azerbaijans growing international reputation and the processes in the region alike.

The guest added that the documents signed during the visit serve the interests of our peoples and are taking our relations up to a new level.

Furthermore, he expressed satisfaction with the fruitful continuation of the mutual ties established by the great leadersthe National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and the great son of the Vietnamese people Ho Chi Minh.

General Secretary To Lam proceeded to laud the role of parliaments in interstate relations before sharing his thoughts on the need to increase the frequency of mutual visits, exchange information and experience between parliamentary committees, cooperate in the legislation area, bolster the oversight of the implementation of the signed and ratified bilateral documents, and enhance collaboration within the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and other international organizations.

Responding to the guests remarks, Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova asked him to convey her greetings to the Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam and invited her counterpart to visit Azerbaijan. The Speaker emphasized that the Azerbaijani Parliament is always ready to develop the cooperation further and expressed her confidence that this collaboration will continue advancing. Sahiba Gafarova also called for parliamentary support for the directions outlined during the guests meeting with the president, involving both countries parliaments in ensuring this support.

The conversation also had a discussion revolving around other matters of shared concern.

Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam signed the Memorial Book of the Azerbaijani Parliament once the meeting was over.

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A bitter return for Iraqis kicked out of Europe



Ranya, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



Iraqi Mohammed Jalal lost 10 years of his life seeking asylum in Germany, without success. Instead of being granted refuge, he was sent back to the land he had fled.

He now faces the same challenges that drove him to leave the northern Kurdistan region of Iraq. More than a year has passed, and he is still without a job.

Jalal is just one of thousands of Iraqis and migrants from many other countries who have been forced out of Europe as it tightens its migration policies, driven by the rise of the extreme right.

European states are now working closely with Iraq to support returns by funding programmes primarily aimed at tackling unemployment.

In the town of Ranya in autonomous Kurdistan, Jalal moved back in with his elderly father to a cramped two-room apartment where they sleep on mattresses on a cold concrete floor.

"If I could return to Europe I would," 39-year-old Jalal told AFP.

He still dreams of a day when German authorities grant him asylum.

"I could become legal and work in a Kurdish restaurant," he said.

"Here I don't have a job."

In 2015, Jalal undertook the perilous journey across the Mediterranean from the Turkish city of Izmir to Greece.

He went to North Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia before finally reaching Germany. There, he settled in a centre for asylum seekers and received 300 euros ($385) a month.

Despite restrictions on asylum seekers getting jobs, Jalal travelled to cities including Nuremberg and Munich where he worked illegally and had to be careful not to be caught.



- 'Path of death' -



Jalal's asylum requests were denied twice and Germany expelled him in January last year.

Back home, following a failed attempt to open a bakery, he worked for two months at a falafel kiosk earning $7 a day.

Unemployed again, he now receives $150 from his family abroad.

"I live on this meagre amount," he said.

In the last quarter of 2024, around 125,000 non-Europeans were ordered to leave a country in the European Union, 16 percent more than during the same period in 2023.

"As a matter of principle, Germany repatriates people who are required to leave the country," the German embassy in Baghdad told AFP.

It said Germany "has given protection and shelter to millions of people who have fled war and violence in their home countries", including many Iraqis, mostly from the north.

But the embassy warned that "there are no prospects of residence for people who enter Germany irregularly in the hope of a better life and who have no need for protection".

Despite presenting itself as an oasis of stability in turbulent Iraq, Kurdistan is grappling with economic challenges that push its young people to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Many have lost their lives while trying to reach Europe.

Hardi Ahmed left Ranya, east of the Kurdistan capital Arbil, in 2021.

He called his journey to the United Kingdom the "path of death" after losing three friends to drowning, one in the Channel between France and Britain.

Upon arrival, Ahmed quickly realised he was not welcome. He was turned back to France, where the Iraqi embassy helped him return home.

Back in Kurdistan, the 39-year-old is now unemployed, and believes the authorities should provide jobs.

"If not, youth will be forced... to go to Europe," he said.



- 'Stay in Iraq' -



After decades marred by conflict, including a US-led invasion followed by insurgencies and the rise of Islamic State group jihadists, Iraq has now regained some stability.

The German government-linked development agency GIZ supports centres in Arbil and Baghdad that provide returnees with counselling and help in job searches, training and providing financial aid for small businesses.

Funded by Germany, Switzerland and the EU, the centres assisted 350 people between June 2023 and August 2024.

The EU ambassador to Iraq, Thomas Seiler, told AFP that "some member states have agreed on bilateral return and readmission agreements with Iraq", and the EU is finalising a similar deal.

The capacity of many European cities and villages "to receive and integrate" migrants "has long been reached", Seiler warned.

"Irregular migration should now clearly be prevented."

Seiler said the EU funds programmes to assist Iraq in welcoming back returnees. It also provides tens of millions of euros to support initiatives aimed at helping "Iraqis stay in Iraq".



- Indebted migrants -



With funding from Denmark and Finland, the Kurdish Rwanga Foundation launched a programme to reintegrate returnees.

It has so far trained 120 people on starting small businesses and provided grants of up to $5,600 to 15 of them.

Kamiran Shivan, head of the foundation's programmes, said beneficiaries' sectors include construction, carpentry, mobile and electronics repair, restaurants and beauty salons.

Many Iraqis return home burdened with debt from the cost of their journey to Europe.

"They come back without having a source of income or assets that would allow them to repay their debts," Shivan said.

Mohammed Ismail, 29, left for Germany in 2016, hoping for a better life and a European passport.

But more than five years later, nothing has changed for him.

Germany rejected his asylum requests three times on the basis that Arbil is considered safe.

Back home in Kurdistan, he received a grant from Rwanga to become a partner in a mechanic's workshop, which provides him with $550 a month -- enough to support his wife and three-year-old child.

"I no longer consider emigrating," Ismail said. "If I return to Europe, it will be as a tourist."
Philippines slams 'high-risk' Chinese naval actions near contested reef



Manila, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



The Philippines criticised on Thursday a "high-risk" manoeuvre by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies.

The Scarborough Shoal -- a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea -- has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.

Monday's encounter took place "approximately 11.8 nautical miles southeast" of the Scarborough Shoal, the military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has slammed as destabilising.

"The Chinese frigate BN 554 was documented tailing PS35 (BRP Emilio Jacinto) at close range, while BN 573 dangerously crossed its bow in a high-risk maneuver that created the danger of collision," the military said in a statement, labelling the incident "threatening and provocative".

China in response accused Manila of sending a ship to "intrude" into its territorial waters.

Its military said it had sent "naval and air forces to track, monitor, warn and drive away the Philippine boat in accordance with laws and regulations".

"The relevant remarks of the Philippines side disregarded the facts, confused the public, and attempted to mislead international cognition," said Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson of the Chinese military's Southern Theater Command.

Philippines Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told AFP the last such encounter between warships from the two navies he could remember was on a resupply mission in the South China Sea two years ago.

Alexander Lopez of Manila's National Maritime Council said the Chinese vessel had been "dangerously close" to its Philippine counterpart.

The ship crossing the bow of the BRP Emilio Jacinto had come within about 180 metres (590 feet), he told AFP, leaving "no room for any manoeuvre, for any emergency cases".

The Chinese vessel following alongside had been less than 100 metres away, he said.

China and the Philippines have engaged in months of confrontations in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims in nearly its entirety despite an international ruling its assertion has no merit.

A Filipino sailor lost a thumb last June when Chinese coast guard members wielding knives, sticks and an axe foiled a Philippine Navy attempt to resupply its troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal.

The joint US-Philippine exercises known as Balikatan, which this year were to simulate a "full-scale battle scenario", are set to end Friday.
India and Pakistan trade fire after deadly escalation



Srinagar, India, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged gunfire overnight in Kashmir, New Delhi said Thursday, a day after the worst violence between the nuclear-armed rivals in two decades.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that Islamabad would retaliate after India launched deadly missile strikes on Wednesday morning, with days of repeated gunfire along their border escalating into artillery shelling.

"We will avenge each drop of the blood of these martyrs," Sharif said, in an address to the nation.

India said it had destroyed nine "terrorist camps" in Pakistan in "focused, measured and non-escalatory" strikes, two weeks after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on tourists in the Indian-administered side of disputed Kashmir -- a charge Pakistan denies.

At least 43 deaths have been reported from both sides of the border following Wednesday's violence, including children from both nations.

Islamabad said 31 civilians were killed by the Indian strikes and firing along the border, and New Delhi said there were at least 12 dead from Pakistani shelling.

Pakistan's military also said five Indian jets had been downed across the border, but New Delhi has not responded to the claims.

An Indian senior security source, who asked not to be named, said three of its fighter jets had crashed on home territory.



- 'Screamed' -



The largest Indian strike was on an Islamic seminary near the Punjabi city of Bahawalpur, killing 13 people according to the Pakistan military.

Madasar Choudhary, 29, described how his sister saw two children killed in Poonch, on the Indian side of the frontier on Wednesday.

"She saw two children running out of her neighbour's house and screamed for them to get back inside," Choudhary said, narrating her account because she was too shocked to speak.

"But shrapnel got to the children -- and they eventually died."

Muhammad Salman described "panic among everyone" when Indian strikes hit Muzaffarabad, the main city of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, including a mosque.

On Wednesday night, Pakistan military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry reported firing across the Line of Control -- the de facto border in Kashmir -- and said that the armed forces had been authorised to "respond in self-defence" at a "time, place and manner of its choosing".

India's army on Thursday morning reported firing "small arms and artillery guns" in multiple sites overnight, adding that its soldiers had "responded proportionately", without giving further details.

India and Pakistan have fought multiple times since the violent end of British rule in 1947, when colonial officers drew straight-line borders on maps to partition the nations, dividing communities.

Muslim-majority Kashmir -- claimed by both India and Pakistan -- has been a repeated flashpoint.



- 'No pushover' -



India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the operation was New Delhi's "right to respond" following an attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir last month, when gunmen killed 26 people, mainly Hindu men.

New Delhi blamed the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a UN-designated terrorist organisation, and the nations traded days of threats and diplomatic measures.

India on Thursday braced for Pakistan's threatened retaliation.

"Border districts on high alert," The Hindu newspaper headline read, adding that "India must be prepared for escalatory action" by Pakistan.

In an editorial, the Indian Express wrote "there is no reason to believe that the Pakistan Army has been chastened by the Indian airstrikes", adding that Indian military experts were "aware that Pakistan's armed forces are no pushover".

Diplomats and world leaders have pressured both countries to step back from the brink.

"I want to see them stop," US President Donald Trump said Wednesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is slated to meet his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday in New Delhi, days after visiting Pakistan, as Tehran seeks to mediate.

Analysts said they were fully expecting Pakistani military action to "save face" in a response to India.

"India's limited objectives are met," said Happymon Jacob, director of the New Delhi-based think tank Council for Strategic and Defence Research.

"Pakistan has a limited objective of ensuring that it carries out a retaliatory strike to save face domestically and internationally. So, that is likely to happen."

Jacob suggested that, based on past conflicts, he believed it would "likely end in a few iterations of exchange of long-range gunfire or missiles into each other's territory".

burs-pjm/lb
India and Pakistan trade fire after deadly escalation



Srinagar, India, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged gunfire overnight in Kashmir, New Delhi said Thursday, a day after the worst violence between the nuclear-armed rivals in two decades.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to retaliate after India launched deadly missile strikes on Wednesday morning, with days of repeated gunfire along their border escalating into artillery shelling.

"We will avenge each drop of the blood of these martyrs," Sharif said, in an address to the nation.

India said it had destroyed nine "terrorist camps" in Pakistan in "focused, measured and non-escalatory" strikes, two weeks after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on tourists in the Indian-administered side of disputed Kashmir -- a charge Pakistan denies.

At least 45 deaths have been reported from both sides of the border following Wednesday's violence, including children.

Islamabad said 31 civilians were killed by Indian strikes and firing along the border.

New Delhi said 13 civilians and a soldier had been killed by Pakistani fire.

Pakistan's military also said five Indian jets had been downed across the border, but New Delhi has not responded to the claims.

An Indian senior security source, who asked not to be named, said three of its fighter jets had crashed on home territory.



- 'Screamed' -



The largest Indian strike was on an Islamic seminary near the Punjabi city of Bahawalpur, killing 13 people according to the Pakistan military.

Madasar Choudhary, 29, described how his sister saw two children killed in Poonch, on the Indian side of the frontier on Wednesday.

"She saw two children running out of her neighbour's house and screamed for them to get back inside," Choudhary said, narrating her account because she was too shocked to speak.

"But shrapnel got to the children -- and they eventually died."

Muhammad Riaz said he and his family had been made homeless after Indian strikes hit Muzaffarabad, the main city of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

"There is no place to live," he said. "There is no space at the house of our relatives. We are very upset, we have nowhere to go."

On Wednesday night, Pakistan military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry reported firing across the Line of Control -- the de facto border in Kashmir -- and said that the armed forces had been authorised to "respond in self-defence" at a "time, place and manner of its choosing".

India's army on Thursday morning reported firing "small arms and artillery guns" in multiple sites overnight, adding that its soldiers had "responded proportionately", without giving further details.

India and Pakistan have fought multiple times since the violent end of British rule in 1947, when colonial officers drew straight-line borders on maps to partition the nations, dividing communities.

Muslim-majority Kashmir -- claimed by both India and Pakistan -- has been a repeated flashpoint.



- 'No pushover' -



India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the operation was New Delhi's "right to respond" following an attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir last month, when gunmen killed 26 people, mainly Hindu men.

New Delhi blamed the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a UN-designated terrorist organisation, and the nations traded days of threats and diplomatic measures.

India on Thursday braced for Pakistan's threatened retaliation.

"Border districts on high alert," The Hindu newspaper headline read, adding that "India must be prepared for escalatory action" by Pakistan.

In an editorial, the Indian Express wrote "there is no reason to believe that the Pakistan Army has been chastened by the Indian airstrikes", adding that Indian military experts were "aware that Pakistan's armed forces are no pushover".

Diplomats and world leaders have pressured both countries to step back from the brink.

"I want to see them stop," US President Donald Trump said Wednesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is slated to meet his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday in New Delhi, days after visiting Pakistan, as Tehran seeks to mediate.

Analysts said they were fully expecting Pakistani military action to "save face" in a response to India.

"India's limited objectives are met," said Happymon Jacob, director of the New Delhi-based think tank Council for Strategic and Defence Research.

"Pakistan has a limited objective of ensuring that it carries out a retaliatory strike to save face domestically and internationally. So, that is likely to happen."

Based on past conflicts, he believed it would "likely end in a few iterations of exchange of long-range gunfire or missiles into each other's territory".

burs-pjm/lb
Xi meets Putin in Moscow as Ukraine reports truce violations



Moscow, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



China's Xi Jinping was in Moscow on Thursday for a state visit ahead of the Kremlin's grand Victory Day celebrations, as Ukraine accused Russia's army of launching air strikes just hours into a supposed truce.

More than 20 foreign leaders are in Russia to attend a vast military parade on Friday marking 80 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, taking place three years into Russia's offensive in Ukraine.

Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and has marshalled the memory of Soviet victory against Nazi Germany to justify his campaign and rally society behind the offensive, which has killed tens of thousands of people.

In a meeting in the Kremlin, Putin told Xi: "Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand on guard of historical truth, protect the memory of events of the war years and counter modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism."

Russian society has seen unprecedented militarisation during the Ukraine conflict and the Kremlin has tightly controlled the memory of World War II.

Putin claimed that his offensive against Ukraine is aimed at "de-Nazifying" the country, which Kyiv called "incomprehensible".

Russia has captured swathes of Ukrainian territory and flattened cities and towns across the east with daily bombardments, forcing millions to flee their homes.

Xi told Putin that Beijing stood alongside Russia in the face of "hegemonic bullying" -- a nod to the two countries' anti-US stance.

"In the face of the international counter-current of unilateralism and hegemonic bullying behaviour, China will work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major world powers," Xi said.

Ahead of the meeting, Putin called Xi his "dear friend", while Xi referred to the Kremlin leader as his "old friend".



- Truce -



Putin has ordered his army to stop firing on Ukraine for three days to mark the May 9 celebrations -- an order that came into effect at midnight (2100 GMT Wednesday).

But Ukraine, which dismissed the ceasefire as theatrics and never said it would abide by it, said Russia had broken its own order after just a few hours.

Ukrainian authorities said Moscow launched an aerial bomb attack on the northeastern Sumy region overnight.

"During the night, the enemy intensified tactical aviation strikes using guided aerial bombs in the Sumy region," Kyiv's air force said.

However, it said that as of 8:00 am, "no missile attacks or attack drones were recorded in Ukrainian airspace."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his call for an unconditional 30-day full ceasefire -- a US proposal he previously accepted but that was rejected by Putin.

Zelensky denounced Moscow's World War II commemorations as a "parade of cynicism" and renewed calls for support against Russia.

"Just as it did 80 years ago, when it finally became clear to everyone: evil cannot be appeased. It must be fought. Together. Resolutely. With force. With pressure," he said on social media.

Ukrainian drone attacks have caused travel chaos across Russia this week, shutting dozens of airports and forcing hundreds of flights to be cancelled or rerouted.

US President Donald Trump has sought to end Moscow's assault on Ukraine since his inauguration in January, but has failed to ease hostilities between the enemies.

The White House has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress and Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday called on the two sides to enter direct talks.



- Parade -



The Kremlin was forced Wednesday to say it was taking "all necessary measures" to ensure the safety of world leaders in Russia for the parade.

In the run-up to the event, Putin has railed against what he casts as a distortion of Russia's World War II history -- criticising what he sees in the West as an attempt to downplay the Soviet Union's contribution.

"The countless sacrifices made by both our peoples are worth remembering forever. The Soviet Union gave 27 million lives, laying them on the altar of the Fatherland and on the altar of victory," he told Xi.

Trump has in recent days hailed the United States' contribution as the most decisive in the allies' 1945 victory over Nazi Germany.

World War II is officially remembered in Russia as the "Great Patriotic War", beginning with Germany's surprise invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 and ending with Germany's capitulation in 1945.

The period between 1939 and 1941 -- when the Soviet Union had a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany and invaded Poland -- is glossed over in official history books.
Pakistan shoots down 25 Indian drones near military installations



Rawalpindi, Pakistan, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



Pakistan's army said Thursday it shot down 25 Indian drones, a day after the worst violence between the nuclear-armed rivals in two decades.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to retaliate after India launched deadly missile strikes on Wednesday morning, escalating days of gunfire along their border.

At least 45 deaths were reported from both sides following Wednesday's violence, including children.

Pakistan's military said in a statement Thursday that it had "so far shot down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones" at multiple location across the country.

"Last night, India showed another act of aggression by sending drones to multiple locations," Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said from the army's headquarters in Rawalpindi, where a drone was downed.

"One managed to engage in a military target near Lahore," he said, adding that four troops in the city were injured.

He earlier said the operation was ongoing.

One civilian was killed and another injured in Sindh as a result of the drone incidents.

Crowds gathered at crash sites, some close to army installations, to gaze at the debris.

Blasts could be heard across Lahore.

The Civil Aviation Authority said Karachi airport was closed until 6 pm (1300 GMT), while Islamabad and Lahore were briefly shut "for operational reasons".

Pakistan and Indian have fought several wars over the Muslim-majority disputed region of Kashmir -- divided between the two but claimed in full by both.

"We will avenge each drop of the blood of these martyrs," Sharif said, in an address to the nation.



- 'Right to respond' -



Speaking after the Wednesday missile strike, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said New Delhi had a "right to respond" following an attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir last month, when gunmen killed 26 people, mainly Hindu men.

New Delhi blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a UN-designated terrorist organisation for the Pahalgam shooting, and the nations traded days of threats and diplomatic measures.

Pakistan has denied any involvement and called for an independent investigation into the April 22 attack.

India said on Wednesday it had destroyed nine "terrorist camps" in Pakistan in "focused, measured and non-escalatory" strikes.

Islamabad said Wednesday that 31 civilians were killed by Indian strikes and firing along the border.

New Delhi said 13 civilians and a soldier had been killed by Pakistani fire.

Pakistan's military also said five Indian jets had been downed across the border, but New Delhi has not responded to the claims.

An Indian senior security source, who asked not to be named, said three of its fighter jets had crashed on home territory.



- 'Screamed' -



The largest Indian strike was on an Islamic seminary near the Punjabi city of Bahawalpur, killing 13 people according to the Pakistan military.

Muhammad Riaz said he and his family had been made homeless after Indian strikes hit Muzaffarabad, the main city of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

"There is no place to live," he said. "There is no space at the house of our relatives. We are very upset, we have nowhere to go."

On the Indian side of the frontier on Wednesday, Madasar Choudhary, 29, described how his sister saw two children killed in Poonch, where Pakistan military carried out shelling.

"She saw two children running out of her neighbour's house and screamed for them to get back inside," Choudhary said, narrating her account because she was too shocked to speak.

"But shrapnel hit the children -- and they eventually died."



- 'No pushover' -



India on Thursday braced for Pakistan's threatened retaliation.

In an editorial on Thursday, the Indian Express wrote "there is no reason to believe that the Pakistan Army has been chastened by the Indian airstrikes", adding that Indian military experts were "aware that Pakistan's armed forces are no pushover".

"Border districts on high alert," The Hindu newspaper headline read, adding that "India must be prepared for escalatory action" by Pakistan.

Diplomats and world leaders have pressured both countries to step back from the brink.

"I want to see them stop," US President Donald Trump said Wednesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is slated to meet his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday in New Delhi, days after visiting Pakistan, as Tehran seeks to mediate.

Analysts said they were fully expecting Pakistani military action to "save face" in a response to India.

"India's limited objectives are met," said Happymon Jacob, director of the New Delhi-based think tank Council for Strategic and Defence Research.

"Pakistan has a limited objective of ensuring that it carries out a retaliatory strike to save face domestically and internationally. So, that is likely to happen."

Based on past conflicts, he believed it would "likely end in a few iterations of exchange of long-range gunfire or missiles into each other's territory".

burs-pjm/ecl/lb
Lithuania's parliament votes to withdraw from landmines treaty



Vilnius, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



Lithuanian lawmakers voted on Thursday to quit a treaty banning anti-personnel mines, as the Baltic NATO member seeks to reinforce its security in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine.

The EU member and other countries in the region have ramped up defence spending and training since Moscow's troops invaded Ukraine in 2022, voicing fears that Russia could target them next.

"It is official: Lithuania is withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, a move that was approved by the @LRSeimas (parliament) today. The withdrawal will take effect in six months," the defence ministry said on X.

Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene later said on Facebook: "We are preparing for the production and acquisition of mines."

"Russia is using everything in Ukraine to kill innocent people, and we are taking every possible and impossible measure to deter and, if necessary, protect our citizens," she added.

More than 160 countries and territories are signatories to the Ottawa Convention, including Ukraine but not the United States or Russia.

The treaty bans signatories from acquiring, producing, stockpiling or using anti-personnel mines, which are designed to be buried or hidden on the ground.

They often mutilate victims, who are not immediately killed, and aid groups decry their long-term impact on civilians.

In March, the three Baltic countries -- Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania -- and Poland announced their plans to renounce the treaty.

"In light of this unstable security environment marked by Russia's aggression and its ongoing threat to the Euro-Atlantic community, it is essential to evaluate all measures to strengthen our deterrence and defence capabilities," the statement said.

"With this decision, we are sending a clear message: our countries are prepared and can use every necessary measure to defend our territory and freedom."

Latvian lawmakers were the first to vote to quit the treaty last month.

Finland also announced in April that it planned to withdraw from the treaty.

Lithuania's parliament took the decision with 107 votes in favour, none against and three abstentions.
UAE-supplied Chinese weapons used by Sudan's RSF: Amnesty



Port Sudan, Sudan, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



Chinese weapons provided by the United Arab Emirates have been found in the possession of Sudan's paramilitaries, in violation of a United Nations arms embargo, Amnesty International reported Thursday.

"Sophisticated Chinese weaponry, re-exported by the United Arab Emirates, has been captured in Khartoum, as well as used in Darfur in a blatant breach of the existing UN arms embargo," Amnesty said in a statement.

The rights group said it identified "Chinese GB50A guided bombs and 155mm AH-4 howitzers" through analysis of video footage and photos of attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital Khartoum and Darfur.

Since April 2023, the RSF has been at war with Sudan's regular army, in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands, displaced 13 million and created the world's largest displacement and hunger crises.

"This is clear evidence that sophisticated Chinese-made guided bombs and howitzers have been used in Sudan," said Brian Castner, head of crisis research at Amnesty.

Drone strikes attributed to the RSF have increased in recent days, targeting strategic sites in the army-held seat of government in Port Sudan on the Red Sea.

Sudan's government on Tuesday severed diplomatic ties with the UAE, accusing it of supplying the RSF with strategic and advanced weapons.

The weapons identified "are manufactured by the Norinco Group, also known as China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, a Chinese state-owned defence corporation", according to Amnesty.

It said "the only country in the world that has imported AH-4 howitzers from China is the UAE" in a 2019 deal, relying on data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Abu Dhabi has repeatedly denied arming the RSF, despite reports from UN experts, US politicians and international organisations.

The London-based watchdog said "this is the first time GB50A bombs have been documented in active use in any conflict worldwide," and were "almost certainly re-exported to Sudan by the UAE".

"It is shameful that the UN Security Council is failing to implement the existing arms embargo on Darfur, and not heeding calls to extend it to all of Sudan," Castner said.

Last year, Amnesty International documented that manufactured weapons from countries including China, Russia, Turkey and the UAE had been transferred into and around Sudan.

It also revealed that French-manufactured weapons systems were being used on the battlefield in the conflict-torn country.

The war, now in its third year, has pitted the armed forces led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the RSF headed by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

It has effectively split the country in two with the army controlling the north, east and centre and the RSF dominating nearly all of Darfur and parts of the south.
Russia, China slam Trump's plan for 'Iron Dome' missile shield



Moscow, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



Russia and China on Thursday slammed US President Donald Trump's plan for an Iron Dome-like missile defence system as "deeply destabilising", saying it risked turning space into a "battlefield".

Trump ordered an "Iron Dome for America" shortly after his inauguration in January, a programme to counter ballistic and hypersonic missile threats.

The plan revives parts of a controversial Reagan-era plan nicknamed "Star Wars" that would have placed missile interceptors in space.

"The recently announced large-scale 'Golden (Iron) Dome for America' programme is also deeply destabilising," Russia and China said in a statement published by the Kremlin after talks between presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping in Moscow.

The plan "explicitly provides for a significant strengthening of the arsenal for conducting combat operations in space", it added.

The two countries said they would start talks on preventing the deployment of arms in space and would "counter policies and activities aimed at achieving military supremacy and formalising the use of space as a battlefield".

Trump's proposal, which the US president has also called the "Golden Dome", refers to a highly successful system employed by Israel to down short-range rockets.

Washington faces various missile threats from adversaries, but they differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel's Iron Dome is designed to counter.

Russia, which commands the world's largest nuclear arsenal, last year unveiled a new hypersonic missile known as "Oreshnik", a weapon experts believe flies at 10 times the speed of sound.

Beijing has been closing the gap with Washington when it comes to ballistic and hypersonic missile technology, according to the US National Defence Strategy released in 2022.

Russia and the US have traded accusations of weaponising space in recent years.
US again targets Iran oil despite talks



Washington, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on a Chinese refinery of Iranian oil, its latest pressure against Tehran despite ongoing talks on a nuclear deal.

The Treasury Department said it was targeting Hebei Xinhai Chemical Group and three port terminal operators in Shandong province which it said had been involved in handling hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian oil.

"The United States remains resolved to intensify pressure on all elements of Iran's oil supply chain to prevent the regime from generating revenue to further its destabilizing agenda," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

The State Department said it was the third US action against a so-called teapot, or small-scale, refinery in China since early February when President Donald Trump issued an order to increase pressure on Iran.

Trump, however, has also said that he is acting reluctantly and that he is hopeful for a deal on Iran's nuclear program that averts a threatened Israeli military strike.

Both Iran and Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, have described initial talks as positive.

Tehran, which wants sanctions relief, has lashed out at the renewed US pressure, saying it went against efforts to reach a diplomatic solution.

Trump in his first term withdrew from a previous nuclear deal with Iran and imposed sweeping sanctions, including pressing all other countries -- of which China is the most significant -- to stop buying Iranian oil.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree granting individual presidential scholarships to several prominent figures in Azerbaijans cultural and scientific communities, Trend reports.

The recipients were recognized for their significant contributions to the development of culture and science in the country.

The following persons will receive the presidential scholarships:

Elchin Akhundov

Raiha Amanzade

Sardar Farajov

Nasib Goyushov

Sabir Mammadov

Ramiz Rovshan

Ella Yagubova.

The Cabinet of Ministers has been tasked with implementing the necessary arrangements related to this decree.
Drones drag Sudan war into dangerous new territory



Cairo, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



Paramilitary drone strikes targeting Sudan's wartime capital have sought to shatter the regular army's sense of security and open a dangerous new chapter in the war, experts say.

Since April 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) group has been at war with the army, which has lately recaptured some territory and dislodged the paramilitaries from the capital Khartoum.

The latter appeared to have the upper hand before Sunday, when drone strikes began blasting key infrastructure in Port Sudan, seat of the army-backed government on the Red Sea coast.

With daily strikes on the city since then, the RSF has sought to demonstrate its strength, discredit the army, disrupt its supply lines and project an air of legitimacy, experts believe.

According to Sudanese analyst Kholood Khair, "this is intended to undermine the army's ability to provide safety and security in areas they control", allowing the RSF to expand the war "without physically being there".

For two years, the paramilitaries relied mainly on lightning ground offensives, overwhelming army defences in brutal campaigns of conquest.

But after losing nearly all of Khartoum in March, the RSF has increasingly turned to long-range air power.

Using weapons the army says were supplied by the United Arab Emirates, it has hit strategic sites hundreds of kilometres (miles) away from their holdout positions on the capital's outskirts.

Michael Jones, research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, says the RSF's pivot is a matter of both "strategic adaptation" and "if not desperation, then necessity".



- Strategic setback -



"The loss of Khartoum was both a strategic and symbolic setback," he told AFP.

In response, the RSF needed to broadcast a "message that the war isn't over", according to Sudanese analyst Hamid Khalafallah.

The conflict between Sudan's de facto leader, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has split Africa's third-largest country in two.

The army holds the centre, north and east, while the RSF controls nearly all of the vast western region of Darfur and, with its allies, parts of the south.

"It's unlikely that the RSF can retake Khartoum or reach Port Sudan by land, but drones enable them to create a sense of fear and destabilise cities" formerly considered safe, Khalafallah told AFP.

With drones and light munitions, it can "reach areas it hasn't previously infiltrated successfully", Jones said.

According to a retired Sudanese general, the RSF has been known to use two types of drone -- makeshift lightweight models with 120mm mortar rounds that explode on impact, and long-range drones capable of delivering guided missiles, including the Chinese-manufactured CH95.

On Thursday, rights group Amnesty International published a report that said "Chinese GB50A guided bombs and 155mm AH-4 howitzers" used by the RSF in Khartoum and Darfur were provided by the UAE.



- Sparing fighters -



The Sudanese government severed diplomatic ties with the Gulf state on Tuesday, accusing it of supplying the advanced weapons systems the RSF has used to attack Port Sudan.

Abu Dhabi has repeatedly denied arming the RSF, despite reports from UN experts, US politicians and international organisations.

According to Mohaned Elnour, nonresident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, the RSF's "main objective is to divert the army's attention" and position itself as a potential government, which it has said it will form.

"It's much easier for them to attack quickly and withdraw, rather than defend territory," Elnour said.

Crossing Sudan's vast landmass -- some 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) from RSF bases in Darfur to Port Sudan -- requires long-range drones such as the Chinese-made Wing Loong II, deployed by the UAE, or the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 used by the army, according to Amnesty.

Both sides in Sudan are in a race to "destroy each other's drone capacity", Khair said.

Two years into the devastating war, the RSF has another incentive to rely on drones, she said.

"It allows them to spare their troops" after reports that RSF recruitment has dipped since the war began.

"Initial recruitment was high based on the opportunity to loot, and there's very little left to loot now," she said.

Both sides have been accused of war crimes including targeting civilians, but the RSF is specifically accused of rampant looting, ethnic cleansing and systematic sexual violence.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on measures related to the design and construction of passenger ropeway in Heydar Aliyev Park in Balakan district, Trend reports.

According to the order, 5 (five) million manats ($2.9 million) from the reserve fund of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan envisaged in the state budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2025 is allocated to the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan for design and construction of a passenger ropeway in Heydar Aliyev Park of Balakan district.

The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Azerbaijan must provide financing in the amount specified in this order.

The Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan should provide in the distribution of state-financed investment expenditures in the draft state budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2026, the financial means necessary for the continuation of the construction of the passenger ropeway specified in this decree.

The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan must solve the issues arising from this decree.




The episode begins quietly with an unexpected moment between Dr. Seth McDale (Scott Foley) and Detective Angie Polaski. Angie is in the hospital following her relapse and subsequent assault after her mothers death. Thankfully, she is upfront with Seth about her drinking and her griefsecrets have no place between this new couple, and the showrunner wisely lets the truth unravel organically.



 Why Hello, Sheriff  WILL TRENT, Pictured (l-r): Scott Foley as Dr. Seth McDale, Erika Christensen as Detective Angie Polaski. Photo: Zak Popik/Disney  2025 Disney. All rights reserved.

But Seth, as her attending physician, holds news she isnt prepared for. "Normally," he says, "I would order X-rays to check for broken ribs." He exhales, steady yet cautious. Then "Ms. Polaski, are you aware that youre pregnant?" But Seth, as her attending physician, holds news she isnt prepared for. "Normally," he says, "I would order X-rays to check for broken ribs." He exhales, steady yet cautious. Then "Ms. Polaski, are you aware that youre pregnant?"





Holy moly.





The revelation is followed by a quietly devastating scene, layered with raw tenderness. Seth doesnt hesitate. "I have feelings, but they dont decide what happens next." My internal response  Heck, yeah, he does! He continues, "As your physician, I must tell you that if you intend to carry this baby to term, you must stop drinking." Straightforward, surebut then he adds: "As the man who loves you, Ill do whatever you decide. Im with you."





Yes, Seth!



Why Hello, Sheriff  WILL TRENT, Pictured (l-r): Iantha Richardson Special Agent Faith Mitchell, Cora Lu Tran as Nico. Photo: Zak Popik/Disney  2025 Disney. All rights reserved.

Both former addicts, Angie and Seth, carry battles that have shaped them. Her relapse complicates everything. His confession of love shifts the stakes. The possibility of motherhood looms largebut will Angie embrace this future and go to a meeting with Seth? Or will she let it slip away, traveling to North Carolina to terminate the pregnancy? The scene is exquisitely executed, filled with tenderness and quiet devastation. Both former addicts, Angie and Seth, carry battles that have shaped them. Her relapse complicates everything. His confession of love shifts the stakes. The possibility of motherhood looms largebut will Angie embrace this future and go to a meeting with Seth? Or will she let it slip away, traveling to North Carolina to terminate the pregnancy? The scene is exquisitely executed, filled with tenderness and quiet devastation.





Later, Angie reflects on the moment when shes vomiting in the bathroom at work. Unwittingly, Faith overhears Angie talking to her dead mother.





Angie laughssharp, uneven, like something broken trying to summon whats long gone. Sethno longer just a doctor, but her personal prophet delivering news she hadnt prayed for. Shes pregnant. The irony curls at the edges of her smile. Her years spent chasing oblivion through addiction, her previous pregnancy scare with Will, and now, this, a future she never planned with Dr. Seth.



 Why Hello, Sheriff  WILL TRENT, Pictured: Sonja Sohn as Amanda Wagner. Photo: Wilford Harewood/Disney  2025 Disney. All rights reserved.

Just months into knowing him, and shes carrying his child. And yet, against the backdrop of regret, something absurdly hopeful stirs. Something terrifyingly whole awakens. Faith sees it in Angies eyes when she emerges from the stall, and offers: Kids are just people, and youre good with people." Just months into knowing him, and shes carrying his child. And yet, against the backdrop of regret, something absurdly hopeful stirs. Something terrifyingly whole awakens. Faith sees it in Angies eyes when she emerges from the stall, and offers: Kids are just people, and youre good with people."





Angie continues washing up, her self-doubts softeningbecause what else can you do when fate hands you a second chance dressed as chaos?





At its core, Will Trent is a show about the ever-expanding family Special Agent Will Trent (Ramon Rodriguez) is building for himself. Returning from his morning run, Will finds his home bustling. His partner, Special Agent Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson), is counseling his tenant, Nico (Cora Lu Tran), about her love life. Then, his boss, Deputy Director Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn), emerges from the kitchen.





Amanda sends Will and Faith to assist with a double homicide in another county. But their investigation is met with hostility by Sheriff Caleb Roussard (Yul Vazquez. The tension shifts dramatically when its revealed that Roussard is Wills biological father.





Later, Roussard arrives at Wills home, hoping for somethinganythingbut Will shuts him down. "I want nothing to do with you."



 Why Hello, Sheriff  WILL TRENT, Pictured (l-r): Yul Vazquez as Sheriff Caleb Roussard, Malena Cunningham Anderson as Diana. Photo: Wilford Harewood/Disney  2025 Disney. All rights reserved

Roussard hopes that isnt true. And maybe, it isnt. Because Will is a man on a journeybuilding the family he never had. He never turns away people entering his lifeNico, his uncle, Antonia Miranda (John Ortiz), and even Rafael Wexford (Antwayn Hopper), a friend who once operated on the opposite side of the law. Roussard hopes that isnt true. And maybe, it isnt. Because Will is a man on a journeybuilding the family he never had. He never turns away people entering his lifeNico, his uncle, Antonia Miranda (John Ortiz), and even Rafael Wexford (Antwayn Hopper), a friend who once operated on the opposite side of the law.





Despite the looming danger, their begrudging connection becomes one of "Why Hello, Sheriffs" most unexpected and poignant threads.





The double homicide Will and Faith investigate concerns the Founder Front. This domestic terror group tests biological weapons on homeless veterans. A whistleblower, Levy and Roussards deputy, were silenced for knowing too much.



 Why Hello, Sheriff  WILL TRENT, Pictured (L-R): Iantha Richardson as Special Agent Faith Mitchell, Ramon Rodriguez as Special Agent Will Trent. Photo: Wilford Harewood/Disney  2025 Disney. All rights reserved.

Working the case, Faith, Will, and Roussard close in on Beau Korda, the no-account son of the Sheriffs friend, Vince Korda (Kevin Dunn). Working the case, Faith, Will, and Roussard close in on Beau Korda, the no-account son of the Sheriffs friend, Vince Korda (Kevin Dunn).





Plot twist: Vince Korda orchestrated his sons killing of Levy and then murdered his own child to conceal the Founder Fronts bioweapons plan. His only epitaph? "The strength of one's beliefs is measured by what one is willing to sacrifice." His sonjust another casualty. "At least he did something with his life," Korda says, chillingly. And with his arrest, he warns: "Its not over. Its just starting."





Meanwhile, Detective Michael Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin) is jammed up with medical tests at the VA. He calls Nico to hold his seat while he returns to work. She befriends a veteranone unknowingly exposed to the bioweapon. Together, Michael and Nico rush him to Dr. Seth, only to find the hospital in lockdown.





Michael, Nico, Seth, and Betty? In imminent danger.





"Why Hello, Sheriff" delivers razor-sharp wit, gripping writing, and boundless heart. It lingershaunting and hopeful in equal measure.





Will Angie keep the baby? If she does, how will Will take the news? Share your thoughts in the comments.





Overall Rating

9:10

Lynette Jones



I am a self-identified 'woke boomer' who hails from an era bathed in the comforting glow of a TV, not a computer screen. Navigating the digital world can sometimes leave me feeling a bit unsure, but I approach it with curiosity and a willingness to learn. Patience and kindness in this new landscape are truly valued. Let's embrace the journey together with appreciation and a touch of humor!



"Why Hello, Sheriff" is nothing short of a triumphdeeply human, brimming with emotional complexity, and infused with the kind of delicate nuance only a woman director like Erika Christensen could capture so elegantly. Pulling double duty as Detective Angie Polaski and director, Christensen shapes the narrative with a sensitivity that makes every moment in this weeks Will Trent episode pulse with authenticity. Lets dig in.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on the celebration of the 90th anniversary of Fikrat Goja, Trend reports.

The decree was signed in recognition of Gojas contributions to the development of Azerbaijani literature and aims to ensure the celebration of the People's Poets 90th anniversary.

In this regard, the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, taking into account the proposals of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union, is tasked with preparing and implementing an action plan dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Goja.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan is instructed to resolve issues arising from this decree.

In August 2025, Azerbaijan will mark the 90th anniversary of the birth of People's Poet and State Prize laureate Fikrat Goja (Gojayev).

Fikrat Goja is one of the masters of the word who successfully combined national poetic traditions with the achievements of world literature, forming a distinctive literary style. As an innovative poet, he introduced a new spirit into Azerbaijani poetry in the 1960s with works that reflected an active civic stance and deep humanist themes. His rich creative output, filled with lyrical-philosophical reflections on life and time, vividly expresses the moral and ethical pursuits of modern individuals. Throughout his literary career, Goja remained faithful to high public ideals, celebrated the freedom aspirations of his people, and contributed to instilling patriotic values in the younger generation.
We know that there are times ambulance crews, like many other NHS staff, are not able to take breaks as we would want them to, which is why we are engaged with staff-side colleagues on this matter and continue to explore a range of options to improve rest break uptake.
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Sexual crime, of any nature, is not to be tolerated and we will thoroughly investigate any reports made to us, no matter how much time has passed.
Its been five years of this, people doubting me, and Ive not been able to say anything for five years, so Ive only just been able to get my say and, thankfully, the right decision has been made, but I just want to go home now and see my dog.
Mr Dawes said: She saw the shooter but what she could not see was her son because he was in the alleyway. She feared the worst and she shouted out Jesses name.
We will always look to work with individuals and companies to educate them on the effects sewer abuse has, but we will take legal action as a last resort where the risk is too high.
They wrote: As leaders within the higher education sector in the region, we are committed to expanding access to the opportunities our institutions provide; but an underfunded higher education sector will inevitably lead to us having to take the difficult decision to reduce the proportion of local students in our institutions.
I think its immensely regrettable that she would seek to do that. None of us can know for sure what happens in matters of personal tragedy, but I think its beneath her, actually, to try to weaponise it in the way that she has done.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. As part of the cooperation between the Azerbaijani and Turkish Naval Forces, military representatives of the fraternal Turkiye, who are on a visit to Azerbaijan, visited the ships and training centers of the Azerbaijan Naval Forces, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense.

During the visit, the sides exchanged views on the protection of critical infrastructure, ship repairs, maintenance, and construction of new ships.

During this visit, the guests were provided with detailed information about the activities of the Azerbaijani Navy, combat training, and the work carried out in the direction of professional development of personnel.

Besides, during the meeting, a fruitful exchange of views was held between both parties, and an agreement was reached to mutually share the experiences gained in the field of military seamanship and expand cooperation opportunities.

Such meetings serve to further strengthen relations between the navies of the two friendly and brotherly countries and deepen mutual understanding and trust.

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The pontiff  believed to be someone called to be the successor to St Peter, who was the first pope  will need to be a person who can awaken the consciences of all and the moral and spiritual energies in todays society, characterised by great technological progress but which tends to forget God, Cardinal Battista Re added.
One of my brother-in-laws was taken captive during the war, he was in a concentration camp, when he came home there was hardly any flesh on him, it must have been hard.
Despite VE Day being held on May 8, the announcement of the end of the Second World War was made on the evening of May 7, prompting many to begin celebrations immediately. Alongside this announcement was news that May 8 and May 9 would be public holidays.
At noon, a two-minute silence was observed across the country and in the ancient place of worship where Charles was crowned King, and he laid a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior by the Abbeys great west door on behalf of the nation and Commonwealth.
The senior royals and other members of the monarchy met some of the veterans in the nave at the end of the service, with William warmly placing his hand on one elderly mans shoulder and Kate crouched down to meet one woman in a wheelchair, holding her hand as she chatted.
However, VE Day was also a day of mixed emotions. While it marked the end of fighting in Europe, it was also a moment of reflection and remembrance for those who had lost their lives during the conflict. It also served as a time to acknowledge that many British soldiers were still engaged in combat in the Pacific, as the war was not yet over worldwide.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Azerbaijani and Estonian foreign ministries have held consular consultations, a source in Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry told Trend.

During the consultations, the Azerbaijani delegation was led by Head of the Consular Department of the Foreign Ministry Emil Safarov, while the Estonian side was led by Director General of the Consular Department of the Foreign Ministry Tiina Nirk.

The discussions focused on the current state and future prospects of consular relations between the two countries, as well as opportunities to expand the bilateral legal framework in this area.

The sides also addressed ways to enhance cooperation in providing effective consular support to protect the rights and interests of citizens and exchanged views on their respective visa policies.

The importance of ensuring accessibility and efficiency in consular services through digitalization and electronic services was emphasized, with both parties sharing experiences in this regard.

Proposals were also reviewed to strengthen cooperation between internal affairs agencies and to develop bilateral ties in migration, science, and education.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. On May 8, a telephone conversation took place between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Trend reports with reference to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

The ministers discussed the current regional security situation and the growing tensions between Pakistan and India.

Pakistani minister reported on Indian missile strikes on Pakistan on May 6-7 and Pakistani retaliation. It was said that Indian attacks mainly affected civilians, killing dozens of people, and Pakistan responded by striking military targets. The Pakistani minister also noted that he had held telephone conversations with the foreign ministers of a number of countries and explained the situation in detail.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, in turn, expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan and condemned the military attacks that resulted in the deaths and injuries of civilians.

The minister stressed the need to prevent further escalation and expressed hope that tensions would be resolved through diplomacy and negotiations.

During the telephone conversation, the parties also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Ishaq Dar discussed the current regional security situation and the growing tensions between Pakistan and India during a telephone conversation, Trend reports with the reference to Azerbaijani MFA.

Pakistani minister reported on Indian missile strikes on Pakistan on May 6-7 and Pakistani retaliation. It was said that Indian attacks mainly affected civilians, killing dozens of people, and Pakistan responded by striking military targets. The Pakistani minister also noted that he had held telephone conversations with the foreign ministers of a number of countries and explained the situation in detail.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, in turn, expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan and condemned the military attacks that resulted in the deaths and injuries of civilians.

The minister stressed the need to prevent further escalation and expressed hope that tensions would be resolved through diplomacy and negotiations.
The 2 Mai Shipyard in Mangalia now has clear opportunities for long-term development, which will keep people's jobs and the shipyard functional, the Minister of Economy, Bogdan Ivan says after representatives of the Navalistul Union announced protests in Bucharest for Friday.

In a post on his Facebook page, the relevant minister specifies that, in February of this year, he received the unionists at the Ministry of Economy, listened to the dissatisfaction of the union representatives and discussed with the leaders of the companies involved.

"Through decisive actions, we have found concrete solutions to continue work at the Mangalia shipyard: over 800 active employees will receive their salaries in two installments: 60% of the amount will be paid between May 12-16, and the remaining 40% at the end of the month, between May 26 and 30. We have identified 13 additional ship repair projects, which will begin immediately, to support the company's financial recovery - we will thus cover operational costs and ensure the resumption of outstanding payments starting in August. We have already signed a repair contract for 4 container ships of the Mediterranean Shipping Company, a world leader in maritime transport. Tomorrow morning, I will receive the union representatives again at the ministry. We now have clear opportunities for long-term development, which will keep people's jobs and the shipyard functional," Bogdan Ivan wrote.

The Navalist Union (SLN) will organize two protest actions on Friday, in front of the Ministry of Economy and in front of the Government, in the context of the worsening situation at Damen Shipyards Mangalia (DSMa), the largest shipyard in Romania, according to a statement from the unionists.

The unionists demand urgent action from the Romanian state for the recovery of the shipyard in Mangalia, which is insolvent and has had its activity temporarily suspended since June 2024.

SLN urgently requests the full payment of outstanding salaries, real and immediate government support for financing the shipyard's activity, the conclusion of a new association contract with a serious and competent investor, the development and implementation of a clear strategy for saving and relaunching this strategic objective.
The Government sent a message of respectful congratulations to His Holiness, Leo XIV, the new Pope of the Catholic Church, reaffirming its commitment to interfaith dialogue and to supporting the continuity of Christian values ??and the stability of the faith.

"The Government of Romania respectfully congratulates His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV. We reaffirm our commitment to interfaith dialogue and to supporting the continuity of Christian values and the stability of the faith," reads the message posted on the Government's X page.

American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected, on Thursday, Pope of the Catholic Church. The new sovereign pontiff chose the pontifical name of Leo XIV, international press agencies inform.

Robert Prevost thus becomes the first American Pope in history.
The Ministry of Investments and European Projects has worked intensively in recent weeks to finalize proposals to modify the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) so that the money from the 4th payment request - 5.7 billion euros to enter the country this year, the investments minister, Marcel Bolos, informed on Wednesday.

"The fact that we have an interim government does not mean that the country is on standby. The real risk would be to stay put. In recent weeks, the team of the Ministry of Investments and European Projects has worked intensively, together with all the institutions in charge for reforms and investments, to finalize the proposals for modifying the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. We have formulated detailed specifications, responded promptly to the observations of the European Commission and based each proposal on the real needs on the ground and on the implementation constraints, so that the implementation of the PNRR can move forward. We are fighting to complete the renegotiation and for the money from the 4th payment request, in the restructured form, 5.7 billion euros, to enter the country this year. It means vital investments for people: infrastructure, education, health, local development," Bolos wrote on Facebook.

He pointed out that there are permanent technical meetings with representatives of the European Commission, emphasising that including today "there were hours of online discussions."

"We are not neglecting Cohesion Policy either, where in a few months we have launched calls for 1.18 billion euros, money that goes directly to development projects. I will present this in a separate post. The proposed changes are not a simple revision of documents. They are meant to optimize the use of funds, so that Romania benefits to the maximum from the grants and loans available," the Minister of Investments and European Projects said.

Bolos added that he will go to Brussels next week, and will later publicly present the conclusions of the discussions.

"Next week we will go to Brussels and, as usual, I will publicly present the conclusions of the discussions and what the next steps are. It would be unfair to the work of dozens of people who, for months, have been keeping up the intense pace of the negotiations, to say that the future of the PNRR is on pause," Marcel Bolos also wrote on the social media page.
The Centennial Anniversary of the Metropolis of Bessarabia is a day of gratitude for all those who supported and contributed to its establishment and an opportunity to highlight the importance of dignity and unity of national identity, language and faith among Romanians on both sides of the Prut, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel said in the message conveyed on the 100th anniversary of the Metropolis of Bessarabia.

"The Centennial Anniversary of the Metropolis of Bessarabia is therefore an occasion to give thanks to God for the gifts bestowed upon the hierarchs, clergy and faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Church on the left bank of the Prut, as well as a day of gratitude towards all those who supported and contributed to the establishment of the Metropolis of Bessarabia. At the same time, this anniversary is an opportunity to highlight the importance of dignity and unity of national identity, language and faith among Romanians on both sides of the Prut, as well as an occasion for reflection, evaluation and launch of new initiatives whereby the spiritual and cultural values of the Romanians in the Republic of Moldova can be promoted and developed through peaceful dialogue, cooperation and respect for freedom and human dignity," emphasizes the Patriarch.

His All Holiness the Patriarch shows that "the foundations of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, laid a century ago deep down in the conscience and heart of the Romanian people on the left bank of the Prut, set the premises in place for the intensification of the Church's mission in the blessed and fruitful land of the Republic of Moldova, especially after the achievement of freedom and state independence in 1991 and after the Metropolis of Bessarabia was reactivated in 1992."

"Currently, 100 years on after the elevation of the Orthodox Church of Bessarabia to the rank of Metropolitanate, under the tireless and sacrificial pastorate of His Eminence Petru, Archbishop of Chisinau and third Metropolitan of Bessarabia, supported since 2018 by His Eminence Antonie, Bishop of Balti, and His Eminence Veniamin, Bishop of Southern Bessarabia, and as of the spring of this year by His Eminence Nectarie of Bogdania, Assistant Bishop of the Archdiocese of Chisinau, church life in the Republic of Moldova is experiencing an intense development in the pastoral-missionary, cultural-educational, administrative-urban and social-philanthropic spheres," the Patriarch said.

According to Romania's top Orthodox hierarch, the number of religious institutions and clerical and monastic personnel has increased "significantly", many places of worship and church buildings of the Metropolis of Bessarabia have undergone construction or repair works, interventions to create or restore murals, endowment and beautification activities, and various cultural-educational and social-philanthropic programs are being carried out in close collaboration with the Diaconia Social Mission.

Also, several properties (land and buildings) have been purchased for the construction of places of worship or the organization of administrative headquarters and social and pastoral centers. Most of these projects are financially supported by the Romanian state, through the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs, and by the Romanian Patriarchate and the neighboring dioceses of Bessarabia, on the basis of fraternal mutual assistance.

"We assure all the Orthodox believers in the Republic of Moldova that the Romanian Orthodox Church, as a spiritual mother who loves her sons, through the worthy hierarchs and priests of the three Bessarabian dioceses, will continue to stand by their side both through permanent prayers and by supporting the concrete pastoral, social-philanthropic and cultural activities of the Metropolis of Bessarabia," Patriarch Daniel transmits.

The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church congratulates the leadership of the Metropolis of Bessarabia and wishes "health, help, peace and joy" to His Eminence Father Petru, Archbishop of Chisinau, Metropolitan of Bessarabia and Exarch of the Plains, and to all the other hierarchs of the Metropolitan Synod of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, the clergy, monks and laity.

"We pray to the Most Holy Trinity to protect and bless with health, help, peace and joy all the hierarchs, clergy, monks, founders, workers and faithful lay people of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, exhorting them to cultivate the spirit of unity and brotherhood, of communion and solidarity, to preserve and promote the values of the faith and culture of the Romanian people, for many blessed years!," is the wish sent by Patriarch Daniel.

The Centennial Year of the Romanian Patriarchate also marks 100 years since the establishment of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which includes the Orthodox Romanians on the left bank of the Prut River. The Law and Statute for the Organization of the Romanian Orthodox Church adopted on May 4, 1925, gave legal recognition to the organization of a new metropolitanate with jurisdiction over the Orthodox faithful between the Prut and the Dniester, and thus all the Romanian provinces that decided in 1918 to unite with the Motherland acquired, as per church organization, metropolitan dignity.
Romania is the beneficiary of 10 million Swiss francs in funding for the development of dual education, provided under the second Swiss contribution, the Switzerland - Romania Chamber of Commerce said in a release issued on the occasion of the conference on 'The Power of Partnership across Countries and Industries for Excellence in Dual Education', organized on Thursday in Brasov by the said business networking organization.

The dual education development program is intended to support the integration of young people into the labor market through dual vocational training, offering them practical skills directly at the workplace. Also, the capacities of employers, professional associations and public institutions will be strengthened to create together a more efficient vocational education system that truly responds to the needs of the economy. The program is implemented by the National Center for the Development of Vocational and Technical Education (CNDIPT) in partnership with the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training (SFUVET) and benefits from a 15% co-financing from the Romanian government.

More than 70 leaders from administration, education, business, educational NGOs and parents' federations participated in the conference held under the auspices of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce.

Representatives of the companies present spoke about the Swiss dual education system, in which two-thirds of secondary school graduates follow the dual education path and are quickly integrated into the labor market, while also having the opportunity to continue their tertiary studies.

"Switzerland shows us that dual education is a strategic investment, not a plan B. In Switzerland, 65% of the youth aged between 15 and 19 follow a form of vocational education in the dual system. It is a strategic choice which offers young people a solid career, and companies - the skilled workforce they need. Romania also has the potential to build an efficient dual education system, adapted to the local context, through functional partnerships between local administration, schools and companies," said Adriana Cioca, president of the Switzerland - Romania Chamber of Commerce.

"The event in Brasov proved that dual education already has solid examples of best practice in Romania, supported by employers, schools and local authorities. We also have external funding, through the Swiss Contribution Program, but the key remains the authentic cooperation between the state and the private sector. Real partnerships are the foundation of a solid professional future for young people and a sustainable investment for the Romanian society," said Alina Savu, coordinator of the Education Working Group of the Switzerland - Romania Chamber of Commerce.
The tax reform is a firm commitment of Romania and, like it or not, we have to implement it and there can be no question of amending its content, said on Thursday, at the briefing at the end of the Government meeting, the Minister of Investment and European Projects, Marcel Bolos.

"This tax reform was included in the Fiscal Plan with the same commitments that we had in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which said very clearly that we have a deadline for implementation that we must respect. Unfortunately, the situation that we had when the Fiscal Plan was drafted did not anticipate this change that took place for the presidential elections and, of course, now, this reform, which is extremely important, but also complex for our country, must be implemented so that we can continue the implementation of the PNRR in normal conditions," said Bolos.

He emphasized that in a situation of excessive budget deficit, the European Commission may propose to the Council the suspension of new commitments for PNRR, namely of the European funds, and expressed the hope that we will not end up in this situation and that the necessary steps will be taken for Romania to protect its financial interests.

"The tax reform, as I was saying, is a firm commitment of Romania and, whether we like it or not, we have to implement it. There are two regulations that govern the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the so-called Recovery and Resilience Facility, and the other regulation that governs the Cohesion Policy. Both regulations have this provision which clearly states that in situations of excessive budget deficit procedure and when there are deviations from the deficit target assumed, in our case, through the Fiscal Plan, this possibility exists. But we are in the process of renegotiation. At the moment we are concentrating on closing the renegotiation and, I repeat, I hope we don't end up in this situation, because European funds are the only serious source of financing we have for Romania to be modernized. We need to show that we are serious and respect our commitments. And, from this point of view, the acting prime minister mentioned, including at the opening of the Government meeting, that what we have as commitments in our relations with the European Commission will be carried through to the end," the minister said.

On the other hand, when asked how the tax reform will be finalized, Marcel Bolos pointed out that the responsibilities and limits that the interim Government has from the perspective of governmental decisions do not allow at the moment the adoption of emergency ordinances and draft laws and the intention of the interim prime minister, after the end of the technical negotiations, is to address Parliament and to identify a solution "that will convince and can bring these commitments to a successful conclusion".

He mentioned that, from the point of view of tax reform, the responsibility lies with the Ministry of Finance and its representatives can provide details on the status of this reform.

"I can tell you what is written in the PNRR on tax reform, which I have said many times: the budgetary impact of these tax measures that will be taken is 1.7% of GDP. 1.7% of GDP at the time when the Fiscal Plan was being drafted meant 23 billion RON. This is currently the content of the fiscal reform that we have in the PNRR since it was drafted," said Bolos.

He emphasized that the changes to the Tax Code and their entry into force depend on the negotiations with the European Commission and that amendments to the tax reform were not requested with the renegotiation of PNRR.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. A meeting with the Azerbaijani community in Norway was held at the House of Azerbaijan in Oslo, the State Committee on Work with Diaspora told Trend.

The event began with the national anthem of Azerbaijan and a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs who gave their lives for the countrys territorial integrity.

Ramil Aliyev, the Norway coordinator of the Coordination Council of Scandinavian Azerbaijanis, founder of the Norwegian Azerbaijani Youth Organization, and head of the House of Azerbaijan in Oslo, spoke about the activities of the center and its weekend school.

Arzu Rzayeva, the Azerbaijani language teacher at the weekend school, highlighted the teaching process and the children's interest in the classes.

Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora Elshad Aliyev briefed on the committee's projects and the Azerbaijani Diaspora Support Fund.

"Following the recommendations of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan Houses and weekend schools are being opened in various countries each year. So far, 30 Azerbaijan Houses have been established in 19 countries, serving as open discussion platforms not only for Azerbaijanis but also for friendly diaspora communities," he said.

First Secretary of the Embassy of Azerbaijan to Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark Asgar Naghiyev noted that the Azerbaijani community in Norway is very active and plays an important role in raising awareness about Azerbaijan both locally and internationally.

The meeting concluded with a Q&A session and community discussions, followed by elections in which Fariz Rzayev, chairman of the Azerbaijani Youth Organization of Norway, was elected as the Norway coordinator of the Coordination Council of Scandinavian Azerbaijanis.

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Tourist arrivals in accommodation units (including apartments and rooms for rent) increased by 1% in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2024, while overnight stays increased by 2.2%, according to data published on Thursday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

According to the official statistics, between January 1 and March 31, 2025, 2.496 million people arrived in tourist accommodation units in Romania, of which 82.5% were Romanian tourists, and 17.5% were foreign tourists.

Also, 4.773 million overnight stays were recorded, up 2.2% compared to the first three months of the previous year, of which tourists represented 79.9%, while foreign tourist overnight stays accounted for 20.1% of the total.

In the reference period, the average length of stay was 1.9 days for Romanian tourists, and 2.2 days for foreign tourists, respectively.

According to the same source, the net occupancy rate of tourist accommodation units, reported for the period January - March 2025, stood at 23.3% of total tourist accommodation units (including apartments and rooms for rent), up 0.3 percentage points compared to the first quarter of the previous year.

By county, during the same period, the number of tourist arrivals in tourist accommodation units (including apartments and rooms for rent) recorded higher values in: Bucharest Municipality (435,000 people), Brasov (335,400) and Prahova (134,100). At the same time, overnight stays recorded higher values in: Bucharest Municipality (890,300 people), Brasov (634,400) and Prahova (264,300).

By country, most arrivals of foreign tourists accommodated in tourist units in Romania came from: Italy (50,600 people), Germany (36,300) and the United Kingdom (34,500).

INS data reveal that, in March 2025, arrivals registered in tourist accommodation units (including apartments and rooms for rent) amounted to 831,800 people, down 2.7% compared to the same period last year. Of the total number of arrivals, Romanian tourist arrivals represented 79.9%, and foreign tourist arrivals accounted for 20.1%.

At the same time, overnight stays stood at 1.574 million, down 1.7% year-on-year, with the highest share among Romanian tourists (77.1%).

In March this year, the average length of stay was 1.8 days for Romanian tourists and 2.2 days for foreign tourists, and the net occupancy rate of tourist accommodation units stood at 22.5% of the total tourist accommodation units (including apartments and rooms for rent), down 0.4 percentage points compared to March 2024.

INS specifies that, after Romania's accession to the Schengen Area, on January 1, 2025, starting with January of this year, information regarding the arrivals of foreign visitors to Romania and the departures of Romanian visitors abroad are no longer comparable and will no longer be published.
In a world facing polarisation, crises and uncertainty, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement remains a point of balance and trust - a global network anchored in local action, says Camelia Sucu, chair of the Romanian Red Cross.

"Today is about those who, in every corner of the world, choose to get involved, to stay close and to bring relief when it is the hardest. Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and employees are where they are needed - discreetly, with dignity and with an open heart. In a world facing polarisation, crises and uncertainty, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement remains a point of balance and trust - a global network anchored in local action," Camelia Sucu wrote in a social media post on Thursday.

On World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, May 8, she thanked those who are part of this great humanitarian family.

"We keep close to people and keep our direction through the seven fundamental principles that define us: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, volunteerism, unity and universality. On behalf of the Romanian Red Cross, I would like to express my thanks to those who are part of this great humanitarian family. I thank those who, day after day, choose to remain on the side of good, without waiting for recognition. We choose humanity. Always."
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Each week, I publish the First Course, an email newsletter that dishes insight, news, tips and more from St. Louis thriving dining scene. Exclusive to the newsletter is a weekly recommended dish from an area establishment.

Here is a sampling of the recommendations Ive offered in recent weeks. If you want to read these items as soon as I send them every Thursday morning, visit stltoday.com/newsletters and subscribe to the First Course.

(The price and availability of each dish is subject to change.)

Hot Chicken Curry Pizza at Masala Pizza STL

The boom of compelling new Indian restaurants in recent years includes a subcategory of spots featuring fusion dishes: Indian nachos and pasta, curry wraps and naan tacos. Masala Pizza STL makes its approach clear in its name, though the restaurant itself is not so obvious. It operates inside Spice Market, an Indian grocery store in Chesterfield. (Its storefront is in the same shopping plaza as another Indian fusion joint, Tikka Tangy.)

The grocery store includes a few tables where you can eat, though carryout pizza seems to be the focus. I ordered my pizza online then decided to eat at one of those tables after I arrived to pick it up.

I went with the Hot Chicken Curry Pizza, which promised chicken, a fiery curry sauce and mozzarella cheese. The standard crust is soft and relatively thin  or, since you can also choose a thin crust, lets say the standard crust is not especially puffy. (A gluten-free cauliflower crust is also available.) The curry sauce is indeed feisty, and I added chopped green chiles for extra punch, but a generous blanket of stretchy mozzarella cheese helped tamp down the heat.

The Hot Chicken Curry is one of six signature chicken pies, which by itself is reason enough to return to Masala Pizza STL. As is customary at most Indian restaurants, traditional or fusion, there are also multiple vegetable options, including several pizzas with both paneer cheese and mozzarella.

WHERE: Spice Market, 13431 Olive Boulevard, Chesterfield MORE INFO: 314-392-9794; masalapizzastl.square.site HOURS: Lunch and dinner daily

HOW MUCH: The Hot Chicken Curry Pizza is $20.99.

Sandwiches at Truck Norris Twisted Eats

Chuck Norris memes were already circulating widely when food trucks boomed across St. Louis at the beginning of last decade, so its surprising no one claimed the name Truck Norris until 2017. Then again, if anyone was fated to take that name, it was Truck Norris owner Todd Norris.

Unsurprisingly, Norris has retained the truck theme for his brick-and-mortar restaurant, Truck Norris Twisted Eats, which opened in February at Clayton and Clarkson roads in Ellisville. The menu will also be familiar to fans of Norris truck, with his signature egg rolls and tater tots-as-nachos Totchos.

I enjoyed those crisp tots drizzled with buffalo sauce as a side for my Chicken McFly sandwich. This isnt so much twisted as smartly assembled: blackened grilled chicken with bacon, pepper jack cheese and housemade blackened ranch dressing. This last component sharpens the chickens own blackening seasoning with ranchs distinctive tang.

A subtle sweetness defines the Tipsy Pig sandwich, a BLT with both bourbon-peach candied bacon and bourbon-peach mayonnaise. This is a fine BLT for early spring. I hope I can try it again in a few months with peak-summer tomatoes.

WHERE: 15856 Clayton Road, Ellisville MORE INFO: 314-988-2111; trucknorrisstl.com HOURS: Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday (closed Monday)

HOW MUCH: The Chicken McFly sandwich cost me $15.45, which included a side of tots. The Tipsy Pig cost $14.42 plus a $2.06 surcharge for adding a side of queso to the tots.

Lunch specials at Tatva Cafe, Thau Mukda

This is my favorite time of year as a restaurant critic  and not only because the farmers markets are opening and spring produce is arriving. My STL 100 is finished, freeing me to drive around the metro area, catching up on new restaurants.

While deals arent the driving force behind these weekly recommendations, my recent exploring in west St. Louis County has found lunch specials at two restaurants worth your attention.

Tatva Cafe is a small new vegetarian Indian restaurant on Manchester Road in Ellisville. Tatvas lunch combo gets you any two curries from the cafeteria-style buffet with rice, two pieces of paratha and pappadam for $7.77. The set-up might remind you of the nearby Curry Club in Chesterfield, though the portions here arent as generous.

For my lunch, I picked a vegetarian take on a classic tikka masala sauce and a rustic chickpea dish. Both curries delivered pungent, though not overwhelming, heat. The duo made for a complete meal, thanks to the rice, flatbread and pappadam, but if you want a more filling lunch, Tatva Cafe offers a thali lunch with five curries for $11.77.

WHERE 15801 Manchester Road, Ellisville MORE INFO 636-220-2138; tatvacafe.com HOURS: Lunch and dinner daily

Thai Mukda opened in February on Clarkson Road in Chesterfield, two doors down from the original location of Black Salt and one shopping plaza over from the aforementioned Curry Club. Like Tatva Cafe, this is a small storefront, though it features a full menu and table service.

For lunch, Thai Mukda offers an array of its curries, stir-fries, fried rice and noodle dishes for $10.99, with your choice of chicken, pork, tofu or vegetables as the main ingredient. (Beef or shrimp are both available for a $2 surcharge.)

My red curry with chicken delivered tender meat and crisp vegetables in a sauce that led with creamy sweetness and finished with cutting spice. Medium on the restaurants heat scale (mild, medium, hot, very hot and native Thai hot) is noticeable, but not sweat-inducing. I will definitely scale up to hot on my next visit.

Your lunch special begins with a trio of appetizers: a small cup of citrusy tom yum soup, a crisp vegetable roll and a flattened, especially crisp version of crab Rangoon.

WHERE: 1713 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield MORE INFO: 636-530-1089; thaimukdastl.com HOURS: Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday (closed Saturday)

Sandwiches and samosas at Brew Bites

Brew Bites, which opened last summer on the west end of the Delmar Loop, risks confusion. The brew in its name isnt beer, which the restaurant doesnt sell. You can order coffee and a few iced espresso drinks here, but these pale as an attraction compared to the bites.

Move past the name  which is inarguably catchy  and you find a counter-service sandwich spot open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (The breakfast fare, including bagel and biscuit sandwiches, is available all day.)

The Italian Supreme sandwich is a typical offering, a layered trio of salami, pepperoni and capicola. Most of the numerous options for customization are included in the price. Mine were straightforward: provolone, lettuce, tomato, vinegar and oil on toasted white sub bread. The sandwich delivered what I wanted, sharp with its cured meats and vinegar, properly dressed but not dripping oil, the toasted bread crunchy but not palate-shredding.

Study Brew Bites menu closely, and youll notice a couple of distinctive touches from owner Neha Barot. Among the many condiment options for your sandwich is tikka masala sauce. The selection of side dishes features cookies and muffins  and two plump, crisp samosas with bright green and tart red dipping sauces.

Im not saying Samosas & Sammies would be a better name than Brew Bites, but that is the duo Im suggesting here.

WHERE: 6662 Delmar Blvd., University City MORE INFO: 314-499-7000; brewbites.food HOURS: Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily

HOW MUCH: A regular-sized Italian Supreme sandwich is $8.99. An order of two samosas is $5.99.

The Cherokee Cheesesteak at Good Strangers

Does Cherokee Street need more tacos? The answer is yes, of course. There are never enough tacos. Good Strangers stamps an exclamation point at the end of that yes, though. Its compact menu features breakfast tacos, including the irresistibly named Cherokee Cheesesteak.

Good Strangers, which opened in February on the Gravois Park side of Cherokee west of South Jefferson Avenue, is a cafe, not a Mexican restaurant. The storefront is sprawling, by cafe standards, though the color scheme  dominated by a dusky orangish red on one side, a bluish green on the other  gives the space a warm, inviting feel.

Good Strangers menu warns you that the breakfast tacos are available til we sell out. Each premade taco is wrapped in foil and kept hot to order.

The Cherokee Cheesesteak taco would be appealing even by a less catchy name. The meat is smoky, tender beef brisket from Fourth City Barbecue, which was based out of the nearby Fortune Teller Bar until that establishment closed at the end of last year.

Provel gilds this brisket and a garnish of nopales. However you feel about Provel, this taco is another argument that pizza topping isnt the best use of the divisive cheese.

WHERE: 2614 Cherokee Street MORE INFO: instagram.com/good.strangers.cherokee HOURS: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

HOW MUCH: The Cherokee Cheesesteak taco is $5.

Spaghetti limone at Napoli Kirkwood

The Pietoso family wont stop. While I was showering year-end accolades on their 2024 debut Napoli Bros. Pizza and Pasta, the owners of Cafe Napoli and its various satellites and spinoffs were opening yet another location, Napoli Kirkwood.

As the name suggests, the new restaurant brings the model of the Clayton original, Napoli II in Town and Country and Napoli III in St. Charles to Kirkwood, where it occupies a sleekly elegant ground-floor space in the James development north of downtown.

Lunch at Napoli Kirkwood is a welcome reprieve from contemporary dinings slimmed down, convenience-first aesthetic. The restaurant isnt fussy, but essentially the full menu is available, and you wouldnt feel out of place visiting for a business meeting, a casual date or, in my case, a solo meal at the bar.

The lunch portion of Napoli Kirkwoods spaghetti limone isnt as grand as the dinner version  the latter includes king crab as well as shrimp  but it makes for a light, yet satisfying meal, especially when paired with a salad or another first course.

Four plump, delicately cooked shrimp and a garnish of seasoned breadcrumbs top the spaghetti, but you will want to twirl each bite from the bottom of the dish up to maximize the bright, buttery sauce. Be sure to save some of the complimentary house bread for the sauce that remains when the noodles and shrimp are gone.

WHERE: 436 North Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood MORE INFO: 314-926-1411; napolistl.com HOURS: Lunch and dinner daily

HOW MUCH: The lunch portion of spaghetti limone is $19.

Mochi doughnuts at Mochiatsu

At Mochiatsu, the doughnuts bounce. In your mouth, I mean. Dont, like, throw them against the wall. Youll be too busy eating them, besides.

Mochiatsu, which opened in August on Manchester Road at Highway 141 in Manchester is part of a small national chain. I dont typically visit chains for this newsletter, and St. Louis certainly boasts a wealth of locally owned doughnut shops, but Mochiatsu is worth an exception.

Here the specialty is mochi doughnuts, which are made with rice flour. The texture isnt chewy, but it is noticeably more elastic than a yeasted doughnut. Bouncy was the first word that came to my mind.

Before you notice the mochi doughnuts texture, you will notice their shape: a ring of small spheres. You might also notice the range of flavors on display. The fruit options alone range from blueberry and strawberry shortcake to yuzu. The most distinctive in its color, with a gentle sweetness, is ube, or purple yam.

I especially dug the richer flavors: coffee (complete with a little cookie as garnish) and the brown sugar milk tea. Mochiatsu also features a full menu of actual milk teas, iced teas and other drinks. And if the mochi doughnuts arent bouncy enough for you, you can add a range of popping boba and jellies to your drink.

WHERE: 14248 Manchester Road, Suite A, Manchester MORE INFO: 636-220-2834; mochiatsumo.com HOURS: 7:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday

HOW MUCH: An order of three mochi doughnuts is $7.99.
Take note: if you have any anxiety about flying, James Madigans Fight or Flight will not be for you. But if a cheap and cheerful one-setting action thriller a la Bullet Train featuring one of the preeminent heartthrobs of the Y2K era is up your alley, well then belly up to this (airport) bar. This flick isnt a masterpiece, not even a vulgar one, but its cheeky and entertaining enough in its giddy hyper-violence, thanks almost entirely to the star turn of Josh Hartnett, who has proven in his recent renaissance that hes especially great in bozo mode.

Hartnett was the brooding bad boy in movies like The Faculty and The Virgin Suicides, which rocketed him to stardom in the late 90s. But in recent years, his career has been reinvigorated, playing characters like Boy Sweat Dave in Guy Ritchies Wrath of Man, and turning in an especially delicious double-time in M. Night Shyamalans Trap. In Fight or Flight, Hartnett looks straight out of the 2000s with his bleached hair and cargo shorts, the only difference is that hes now unleashed, freed from those moody shackles; wild-eyed and frequently covered in fake blood the vibrant hue of strawberry jam.

Indeed, Fight or Flight wouldnt work without his fizzy central performance that brings an edge of mania to the absurd premise, which is essentially Assassins on a Plane. The script is by Brooks McLaren and Shazam actor D.J. Cotrona, and it draws on the kind of John Wick-style story that that film perfected when it posed the question, what if there was a bounty on a hit mans head? Fight or Flight borrows the conceit and sets it in a confined, high-altitude setting, taking a humorous tone for its action thrills.

Hartnett plays a down-on-his luck drifter named Lucas Reyes, who wakes up in Bangkok with a hangover, a black eye, and his hated ex Katherine Brunt (Katee Sackhoff), calling him for a favor. A high-level security professional, Lucas is her last option after a hacker known as Ghost has stolen billions in cryptocurrency following a terrorist attack. Katherine needs Lucas to get on the same plane in order to deliver the hacker into custody (alive), and hes the only one she knows on the ground at the moment. When he boards the flight, hes not aware that a bounty on Ghosts head has spread across the dark web, and thus, the rest of the passengers are mostly assassins, looking to make an easy buck.

And so, aviation mayhem ensues, as Lucas fights off a coterie of bad guys through a haze of drugs and liquor. He has his own reasons for wanting to complete the task, events in his past that explain why he ended up on his journey to the heart of darkness through the bottom of a whiskey bottle in Southeast Asia. They are honorable, of course, and when we meet Ghost, we find out their motivations are similarly altruistic, if a bit shallowly written.

The filmmakers would rather focus on the outlandish violence anyway. Hartnett holds his own up and down the aisles, through the cargo hold, and into the bathroom, making use of the space and tools within his vicinity. But its more fun to watch his face move than his body, his crazed eyes and tight grins delivering the high-wire tension. He has great chemistry with a feisty flight attendant, Isha (Charithra Chandran), and faces every foe with a gritted-teeth intensity and a sense of genuine surprise whenever he bests one. Madigan is fond of the trick that is setting particularly bloody sequences to high-energy, tonally mismatched tunes  Hartnett bashes and stabs his way through everything from punk to polka aboard that flight.

But then the already goofy Flight or Flight takes a turn to the insanely cartoonish as it begins its descent, into a tangle of hallucinatory madness, unearned twists and mind-boggling cliffhangers. Its a true Looney Tune with a shocking amount of digital blood, and almost squanders whatever appeal it may have churned up, except it all happens so fast. Surprisingly, Hartnetts Lucas hasnt worn out his welcome, even if the movie around him has fallen apart midair. Ergo, the old truism has never been truer: when it comes to Fight or Flight, your mileage may vary.
The building of a longtime grocery store on the Hill was recently sold to the owner of another local Italian grocer.

John DiGregorio, owner of DiGregorio's Italian Market on the Hill, recently purchased the former John Viviano & Sons store at 5139 Shaw Avenue. The grocer permanently closed last week after serving the region for 75 years.

Ashley Bowersox, a broker with Brentwood-based Hilliker Corporation, helped facilitate the deal. Bowersox said he immediately reached out to DiGregorio after learning of Viviano & Sons Grocerys impending closure last month.

DiGregorio's Italian Market, located at 5200 Daggett Avenue, opened in 1971. It sells Italian wines, cheese, meats, olives and more.

He knew it was time to protect the Hill and make sure the Hill stays the Hill, Bowersox said. If you lose a landmark such as that, hopefully it will be backfilled by a good project.

He is unsure what DiGregorios plans for the building are.

Bowersox said DiGregorio and John Viviano & Sons owner John Viviano III have known each other since the third grade, so the sale process was seamless and moved quickly. The space officially traded hands April 30.

Everyone wanted whats best for the Hill, Bowersox said.

DiGregorio did not return requests for comment.
Lions Choice is closing its last remaining location in the Kansas City metro area.

An employee working at the Liberty, Missouri, Lions Choice on Wednesday told The Star that management informed staff Tuesday that the last day would be Saturday, May 17.

The St. Louis-based chain, known for its roast beef sandwiches, closed four locations last summer in the Kansas City area.

Continuing to operate one store will help us evaluate a new Kansas City market strategy, better establish the brand, and plan for future growth here and in other markets, CEO Fred Burmer said in a statement at the time.

Lions Choices history stretches back to 1967, when it was known in St. Louis as Red Lion Beef House. It expanded in that city over the following decades and entered the Kansas City market in 1999. That location closed in 2002.

The chain returned to Kansas City in 2018. We think this is a 12- to 15-store market, then-CEO Mike Kup Kupstas told The Star at the time.

The Liberty location opened in 2020.

Roughly two dozen Lions Choice locations remain open in the St. Louis area.
ST. LOUIS  Prosecutors this week accused a St. Louis man with killing the mother of his child in 2021. She was shot in the back and left with an electrical cord around her neck and a plastic bag over her head.

Karl D. Mayberry Jr. was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder.

Alvatyne Thomas, 31, was found dead Dec. 27, 2021, in her home at 4040 Oregon Avenue, after police visited to conduct a wellness check.

She was the mother of three sons and two daughters, according to her obituary. Mayberry was the father of one, police said.

Thomas had been shot in the back. Her ear was severed, St. Louis police Detective Brandon Wyms said in court papers. She was nude from the waist down, had a blanket over her head, several puncture wounds on her torso, and her hands were bound behind her back, police said. A plastic bag was taped around her head. A T-shirt and electric cord were wrapped around her neck. Bleach was poured over her body.

Mayberry, 34, was living with his mother in the 1500 block of Switzer Avenue. She could not be reached for comment Thursday.

According to charging documents, Thomas family told police she was in an abusive relationship with Mayberry. Text messages on Thomas phone showed she had texted him shortly before her death and said she was at home trying to sleep.

Mayberry told police he was at work when she was killed, but police said co-workers told them he had disappeared for hours during his shift. When he came back to work, he was wearing different clothing and appeared emotionally distraught, police said.

On Mayberrys phone, police said they found a text message he sent someone else to say Thomas had been found dead in her kitchen with a plastic bag around her head  before police released that detail.

Mayberry also searched Google for murder defenses, police said, and texted a defense attorney to ask what it would cost to defend a murder suspect.

Mayberry has a first-degree assault conviction from 2010 in Normandy. He also pleaded guilty in September 2022 in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm, after police found a loaded pistol in his car in 2020 and ammunition in his bedroom in 2022. He was sentenced to 37 months in a federal prison and two years supervised release, federal documents say.

On May 4, 2022, detectives asked in an email to meet with then-Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardners office to discuss charges, but the request went unanswered, Mitch McCoy, a police spokesman, said Thursday.

Once Mayberry was released from federal custody, police asked to meet with prosecutors under the current circuit attorney, Gabe Gore. Gores office filed murder charges, McCoy said.

When officers went to arrest Mayberry on Wednesday, he was carrying a loaded revolver in a lunch box.

His aunt, Barbara Gillespie, was surprised when the Post-Dispatch mentioned the murder charge in a phone call Thursday.

Thats a damn lie; he didnt do it, Gillespie said. He was at work at the time.

She then hung up.

Gillespie, Mayberrys father and grandmother were among nine people who submitted character-reference letters asking the federal judge for leniency in sentencing Mayberry in the gun case. They said his little girl Starla, then 2, gave him new purpose in life. The girl was among the survivors listed in Thomas obituary.
SALEM, Mo.  The body was found inside an unlocked shed.

It had been wrapped in multiple trash bags and thrown into one garbage can, then another. Decomposition was well on its way.

Police suspected it was the body of U.S. Army veteran Thomas Clubb, court records say.

He hadnt been seen alive since 2019.

Now, federal prosecutors in St. Louis say Clubbs nephew, Brian K. Ditch, forced Clubb  a quadriplegic  to live in a locked garage apartment for years at a home here.

The federal indictment, unsealed on Thursday, describes how Ditch, who was loved and trusted by his extended family, volunteered to look after his uncle. Court records and interviews also revealed how Ditch eventually moved Clubb into the garage and locked him away with nothing to eat or drink, sitting in his own feces and urine, sometimes for 24 hours at a time.

And when Clubb died, the indictment says, Ditch hid his body in the trash cans, and kept drawing his disability and social security payments  at least $650,000 in all, charges say.

The discovery of the body and news of Ditchs arrest shocked this 5,000-person town about a two-hour drive southwest of St. Louis near the Mark Twain National Forest, a gateway to some of the states great spring-fed rivers. Locals said they couldnt believe that their neighbor, who lived in the community for years, couldve harbored such a secret.

He seemed so sweet, said Kayla Richardson, who served Ditch when she worked at a pharmacy and a local restaurant. He was quiet.

Ditch was charged in March in state court with abandoning a corpse and other felonies. He is being held in jail on a $500,000 bond. His attorney in that case did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Clubb grew up in Fredericktown, south of Farmington.

He always had a job, his brother said: He worked at a restaurant. He mowed grass. When he wasnt on the clock, he loved to hunt and fish.

As a teen, Clubb enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was following in the footsteps of his father  a veteran who spent three years in Korea as a prisoner of war. Clubb planned to make a career out of it, his brother said.

But at 19, Clubb was enjoying a day off during a deployment in Germany when he got into a car accident. He flew through the windshield and spent months in a coma. He was paralyzed from the neck down.

He moved back home, and his family cared for him, said his niece, Angie Clubb Crowder. They built a door off the side of his room so he could wheel out onto the deck and enjoy the summer sunshine. He loved reading the newspaper.

He loved his family, Crowder said in an interview. He loved when people would come visit him and talk to him.

Ditch agreed to take him

Clubb lived with his mother for decades, family said. After that, he briefly moved in with his brother and his brothers wife, then with his sister, Ditchs mother.

But caring for him was difficult, and she couldnt handle it, Crowder said. She looked into taking him to a home with the VA.

Instead, Ditch agreed to take him.

Crowder, Clubbs niece, was close to Ditch from the time they were children. They were born just six weeks apart. She said he was always quiet and reserved, but she loved him. She thought hed take care of her uncle.

Clubb moved in with Ditch and his family in Perryville, son RJ Ditch said in an interview Thursday.

It was not a happy childhood, said RJ, 22. His father  6 feet, 9 inches tall and covered in tattoos  was physically and emotionally abusive to his family, including Clubb, court records say. He pleaded guilty to burglary in 1999 and domestic assault in 2008.

Around 2015, the family moved to Salem. And in 2017, they landed here, in a white ranch-style house with a detached garage in the 1200 block of North Main Street.

At first, RJ Ditch said, Clubb lived in a back bedroom. But at some point, his dad had the garage converted into an apartment with air conditioning and a bathroom.

RJ Ditch said he only saw the apartment once. His dad tightly controlled who could see his uncle, he said, and for years, he didnt think much of it.

Crowder said she visited her uncle sometime in 2017 or 2018, and he seemed to be taken care of. He was a healthy weight. She sat and talked to him.

Where it went down after that, she said, I couldnt tell you.

But his family had lost touch. Crowder and Ditch had drifted apart.

Meanwhile, Clubb hadnt been seen. And as far as anyone knew, Ditch was paying his bills. He was into exotic reptiles and bought some even though he wasnt working, charges say.

In 2022, an unidentified family member walked into the Salem Police Department: The person believed Clubb had died and Ditch was stealing his veteran benefit checks, charges say.

The department, however, kept no detailed records of that meeting, court records say. The complaint was determined to be unfounded.

Meanwhile, RJ Ditch had moved out of the house. His dad had told a relative that hed sent Clubb to a veterans home, and RJ Ditch had no reason to disagree. Besides, he said, he was afraid to ask.

Every time he would talk, it would just go bad, he said. It would end up being an argument.

Last year, Crowder saw Ditchs adult children at a graduation party. She asked about her uncle.

They couldnt tell me, she said.

The family started calling around to veterans homes and other places, trying to figure out where Clubb might be. Most of the time, the facilities couldnt tell them much, Crowder said. They werent authorized caregivers.

Crowders brother decided to call for a welfare check, she said.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services elder abuse line received a call on March 5, 2025, court records say. It was a relative saying they hadnt heard from Clubb in years.

Salem police began to investigate. They learned U.S. Veterans Affairs was sending Clubb $9,559 each month; social security, another $1,612.

On March 7, they interviewed Ditch, court records say.

Snakes, frogs, a lizard and guns

Ditch told the officers that his uncle had gone to live with a caretaker sometime before the COVID-19 pandemic. But he couldnt provide a name or a company. He kept looking at something in the woods on the north side of the property, charges say.

After Detective Burns and I departed, Salem Patrolman Trenton Stephenson wrote in a probable cause statement, we discussed Brians behavior, and both agreed Brian was showing signs similar to that of deceptive subjects.

Stephenson then spoke with Ditchs ex-wife. She said when she moved into the house on Main Street, Ditch gave her a warning: Never go into the garage.

But she eventually got curious, court records say, so she went inside. There, she found an apartment full of furniture and shoes by the door.

Ditch came outside to confront her, visibly distraught, court records say. He told her he was having an affair, and the apartment was where it happened.

On March 21, Salem police and the Dent County Sheriffs Department got a warrant to search Ditchs home. They found a green shed in the southwest part of the property. It was unlocked.

The Dent County Coroner said this week he is still waiting for DNA results. They may never know the official cause of death because the body was so decomposed, he said.

Inside the house, authorities also found snakes, frogs, a lizard and several guns.

Ditch was charged in March with stealing, evidence tampering, abandonment of a corpse and multiple charges of unlawful gun possession.

On Wednesday, a federal grand jury in St. Louis also indicted him on 11 federal charges, including wire fraud, identity theft and theft of government property.

Clubbs family is still trying to process what happened.

Clubbs brother, Denny Clubb, said he was angry. If he wouldve known what was happening, the family wouldve found a way to care for him. Theyre tight-knit, he said.

I want him to go to prison, Denny Clubb said. You reap what you sow.

Crowder says she still isnt sure how to feel. Shes sad and angry, too. She has regrets for not finding out the truth sooner. She wants her cousin to face a fair penalty. But despite all of it, she still loves him.

I know thats hard to understand because of what he did, she said, but Im just mad at the person that he is and the things that hes done.

RJ Ditch said he isnt speaking with his father. Instead, hes selling his dads things  his snakes, his lizard, his knickknacks.

In his wallet, RJ Ditch keeps a photo of his uncle from his military days.

Tom was a really nice guy, he said. He didnt deserve anything that happened to him.

A hearing in Ditchs federal case has not been set.
TOWN AND COUNTRY  Maryville University is planning a significant investment in technology as part of its bold vision for the future of higher education amid declining enrollments.

A preliminary document obtained by the Post-Dispatch shows Maryville is seeking to issue bonds to raise $20.5 million to infuse artificial intelligence, or AI, into recruitment and the classroom.

Financial documents are vague on how Maryville would use AI in those areas, but technology has been a big focus at the private university over the past several years as Maryville works to gain a competitive edge.

The universitys board of trustees in 2023 approved a $20 million investment in AI and technology modernization. Students in some courses since then have had access to so-called social learning companions to help them study for exams and review course material, with the AI companions trained on the courses lecture notes and PowerPoints.

In August, Maryville launched Mya, an AI bot that answers prospective students questions about financial aid, program requirements or admissions.

The university has also worked with AI company Salesforce for recruitment and highly personalized marketing campaigns to reach prospective students through social media, SMS and email, according to the documents.

A technology modernization initiative, according to financial documents, will work to infuse AI into nearly every area of the Maryvilles operations, from marketing and recruitment to student retention, transcript processing and generative AI for classroom engagement.

Maryville University is committed to not only adapting to the changing dynamics of higher education but leading the charge, Mark Lombardi, the university president, said in a press release last year. Our significant investment in AI and cutting-edge technology is focused on student success and five-star service.

Maryville has leaned hard into the online world to attract a dwindling population of college students. The university first launched online programs in 2012 with Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees and now offers about 40 online degree programs and 20 certificates.

Online learning accounts for 59% of Maryvilles total enrollment, with 5,485 of its 9,261 students studying fully online.

Digital first education was a priority under Lombardis 18 year of leadership, which is coming to an end in June. Hell soon be replaced by Daniel Shipp, the current president of Pittsburg State University.

Over the next three years, Maryville also plans to finance various other capital projects and facility improvements that the bonds will help pay for. Nearly $13 million of the total $21 million the university plans to invest will go toward AI and technology modernization, the documents show.

Maryvilles existing $60 million debt was part of the reason why Moodys downgraded the universitys credit rating in March from Baa2 to Baa3, one level above junk status.

The university faces significant competition, Moodys reported, and anticipated the universitys operating performance would become even narrower with new online and technology investments. Its operating budget narrowly broke even in the fiscal year ending in May 2024, with a deficit of $551,253, according to Maryvilles latest audit.

Maryville officials said the university had its largest-ever freshmen in fall 2024, with a 20% increase in enrollment over 2023.

But overall undergraduate and graduate enrollment has dipped, falling 16% from fall 2020 to fall 2024. The university reported it had 9,261 students this fall.
Azerbaijans butter imports from Russia plummet in early 2025

Azerbaijan's butter imports from Russia in the first two months of 2025 dropped significantly, with a 57.1-fold decrease in quantity and a 19.4-fold decrease in value compared to the same period last year. Overall, Azerbaijan imported 2,900 tons of butter valued at $15.4 million, primarily from Iran, New Zealand, and Belarus.

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JEFFERSON CITY  Missouri lawmakers face a 6 p.m. Friday deadline to sign off on a $50 billion budget that would funnel taxpayer dollars to an expansion of the states school voucher program.

Following weeks of deliberation, negotiators in the House and Senate finalized a plan Thursday that funds general state programs, but also puts $50 million toward the MOScholars program.

The issue of vouchers became a significant sticking point in budget talks, all but shutting down the House and Senate for much of the day Thursday while negotiators held talks behind closed doors.

Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe called for an expansion of the program, but some members of the GOP-controlled Senate balked. Talks centered on finding a middle ground on the funding, but the committee overseeing the budget sided with Kehoe.

Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, argued against the expansion Thursday, saying religious schools can discriminate by not accepting students that have high needs.

I think this is fiscally irresponsible, Nurrenbern said. Folks are more interested in catering to special interests than taxpayers.

Democrat Rep. Marlene Terry of north St. Louis County was among those supporting the added money. Terry, a former member of the Riverview Gardens school district, had been placed on the budget panel by Republican leaders in the House in part for her support for school choice initiatives.

We want our children to get the best education they can. Thats the narrative Im going to go with, Terry said. These children deserve this.

The four-year-old voucher program currently provides $6,760 scholarships to qualified students for the current school year. It runs off of private donations that are eligible for tax credits.

The program, however, has struggled to raise donations, prompting calls by school choice advocates, including Senate President Cindy OLaughlin, R-Shelbina, for a taxpayer-funded bailout.

Using public funds for private religious schools is currently barred by the Missouri Constitution, though the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 struck down a similar restriction in Maine, placing Missouris ban in doubt.

Supporters dismiss the constitutional concerns, saying the money would not be given directly to private schools, but would be administered by the state treasurers office.

To me this looks like a $50 million slush fund for the state treasurer, Nurrenbern said.

When first approved four years ago, MOScholars was limited to larger cities and counties as a concession to rural lawmakers.

But an expansion last year takes the program statewide and raises current household income limits on participation.

Currently, about 2,600 students are covered by the program.

While Kehoe came out a winner in the last-minute skirmish, budget writers rejected the Republican governors attempt to underfund the formula that determines state funding levels for local school districts.

The $300 million decision, led by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, was met with concern by members of the House who had sided with Kehoe.

I think we all want to fund education. The question is how. Whats the amount? said Rep. Darin Chappell, R-Rogersville.

Kehoe, in his January budget proposal, called for a record $4 billion to be spent on K-12 schools. But, his proposal called for about $300 million less than the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requested.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said they would not shortchange school districts while the formula is being rewritten.

Its a law we have on the books. Even if its law we dont necessarily like, we still have to follow it, said Sen. Mike Henderson, R-Des Loge.

This is the most important thing were going to do today, and this is a statutory minimum that we have in a commitment that weve made to our kids back home, said Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Springfield Democrat who is the ranking member of the minority party on the House Budget Committee.

During a late Wednesday hearing, Deaton signaled he was worried about the cost.

Well see what the implications of that are as we go through the night, Deaton said.

The spending blueprint heading into Fridays votes includes up to 10% pay raises for long-time state employees, a $107 million expansion of child care funding and a 3% increase to the states universities and community colleges.

Negotiators also approved a $10 million pool of money to help charter schools renovate and repair buildings.

The panel also set aside $20 million to continue a program put in place by former Gov. Mike Parson to upgrade and maintain Missouris expansive network of rural roads. Kehoe had sought $60 million.

The committee eliminated $2.5 million to study extending Interstate 72 from Hannibal across the northern portion of the state.

Deaton was able to win $19 million for a new state park in McDonald County in his home county.

Sen. Karla May, D-St. Louis, was unsuccessful in her push to double the $2.5 million that will help the Great Rivers Greenway build and maintain its network of pedestrian paths in the St. Louis region.

The legislation is House Bills 2-20.
JEFFERSON CITY  Shoppers across Missouri could soon be able to pay for their groceries and pay taxes with gold and silver.

Missouri lawmakers this week approved a bill that would make gold and silver legal tender in the state. The legislation, which passed both chambers of the General Assembly as an amendment to a sweeping finance-related bill, is headed to Republican Gov. Mike Kehoes desk.

The measure would require state government entities to accept electronic versions of gold and silver, called electronic specie currency, as forms of payment for taxes and public debts. While the measure would not require businesses to accept gold and silver as payment for private uses, such as groceries, it would allow them to do so.

The goal is about restoring economic and political freedom back to everyday Missourians, Rep. Bill Hardwick, a Dixon Republican who sponsored a version of the bill, told The Kansas City Star.

But the legislation is one of the more unusual bills considered by state lawmakers in recent years and earned only a passing mention during a House floor debate this week. Its passage this year came as a surprise to some in the state Capitol, as critics have scoffed at the idea and raised numerous questions about how it would work in practice.

Rep. Kemp Strickler, D-Kansas City, said he opposed the language of the bill dealing with gold and silver. However, he supported other parts of the larger legislation and ultimately voted present.

Not a fan of that part of it, Strickler said. Assuming it gets signed, were in the how do we implement stage.

Strickler said the bills passage was both concerning and surprising. He anticipated that many local businesses would choose not to accept gold and silver as forms of payment.

I would think this would be a huge challenge for private businesses, he said.

Lawmakers have filed versions of the legislation, often called the Constitutional Money Act, over the past several years. The bills have received backing from the Missouri Freedom Initiative, a grassroots organization that supports right-wing issues such as lower taxes, gun rights, school choice and anti-abortion causes.

The legislation headed to Kehoes desk was considered a compromise version of the bill. A previous version faced pushback from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry for outright requiring businesses to accept gold and silver as payment.

While the chamber opposed the previous version, the prominent business advocacy group told the Star this week that it did not take a position on the new version approved by lawmakers.

The Missouri Chamber did not take a position on this bill as it does not mandate private businesses accept gold and silver, but rather, leaves it up to employer discretion, Megan Davis, a spokesperson for the chamber, said in an email.

Kehoe spokesperson Gabby Picard did not give any indication whether the Republican governor would sign the bill into law. She said in an email that the bill would receive a thorough review by Governor Kehoe and his team.

The legislation is House Bill 754.
ST. LOUIS  People began getting in line at 5 a.m. for a free mega health clinic held at St. Louis downtown convention center this week. Lines stretched for blocks by the time it opened at 7 a.m., and hundreds were turned away.

We always have more people needing services than we can offer, said Randy Griffin, a volunteer dentist from Indiana, as he tried to focus on the number he helped instead of those who didnt make it through the doors.

Its just a drop in the bucket, he said before a long pause to fight back tears. But at least that drop got taken care of.

More than 1,800 health care professionals and volunteers were on hand to provide dental, vision and medical care over the course of the four-day clinic that wrapped up Thursday inside the massive Americas Center.

Organizers said by Wednesday, they had provided nearly 5,100 services to patients. They expected to exceed 7,000 by the end of the day Thursday. But it still wasnt enough to meet the need.

Ben Broadnax, 58, a retired police officer, came at noon Wednesday seeking dental care, but the clinic had already reached capacity for the day.

Broadnax returned at 7 a.m. Thursday, but the line was so long he had to return to his home in Florissant to get a walker because he needed help standing. When he returned at 9:30 a.m., the line was closed.

Broadnax said he considered getting in line for vision care, but that line also stretched a few blocks and wasnt moving. He opted for the faster-moving medical care line instead. More than two hours later, he was finally close to making it into the clinic.

He hoped to get a referral for help with a painful broken tooth and expired eyeglass prescription, he said. He has health insurance but cannot afford dental and vision coverage.

Broadnax said, looking around at everyone on the sidewalks, This shows you how great the need is for sufficient health care.

The mega clinic, Pathway to Health, is a humanitarian mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The first clinic was held in 2014 in the San Francisco area by church members wanting to help their community.

It formed as an official nonprofit in 2015 and has since held eight large-scale clinics across the country, with a break during the COVID-19 pandemic, in cities such as Indianapolis and San Antonio.

Volunteers provided medical services such as primary care, cardiology, dermatology, psychiatry, podiatry, womens health and even minor surgeries with local anesthesia. They also connected patients to local providers for follow-up.

Dental services included cleanings, fillings and extractions. And vision care included eye exams and prescription glasses. Other services such as physical therapy, massage, haircuts and clothing items were also available.

Those who came through the doors included the homeless and new immigrants with no health insurance, or those with insurance facing long waits for appointments or the inability to afford deductibles and co-pays.

On Thursday, a volunteer wheeled Debbie Bott around in a wheelchair as she got eyeglasses, cortisone shots in her joints, a haircut and mental health therapy. Bott, who used to DJ at dance clubs in The Grove, said she has been homeless since escaping an abusive relationship in December. On the streets, she was assaulted and injured.

Bott, 60, called the free clinic a blessing. It made me feel like at least somebody f-ing cares, because when youre out there and have nobody ..., she said, starting to cry.

Pamela Cooper, 63, of St. Louis, waited to see a physical therapist for knee pain and also had a painful cyst removed on her back. Cooper said she has Medicaid but was facing a confusing array of referral requirements and appointment times that were months away.

After waiting about five hours Wednesday to get her knee X-rayed, Cooper was able to receive a pass to return Thursday to receive the rest of her care without waiting in line.

I was able to come in here and get what I needed done, Cooper said, also tearful. Im so happy. Its wonderful.

Tamara Coleman, 49, of St. Louis, works part time in home health care. She had health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace, which provides subsidies to help with cost, but Coleman said she fell behind paying her monthly premiums.

On Thursday, Coleman saw a therapist for back pain and had a painful abscess removed from her thigh.

It couldve gotten infected, Coleman said. The doctor said she was glad I came when I came.

Kristin Griffin, 28, of St Louis, brought her teen-age nephew for a school physical and eye exam. He speaks Spanish and lives with an uncle, who does not have health insurance.

Being able to walk in and not having to show any I.D. is great, Griffin said, as many immigrants are getting caught up in deportation efforts by the Trump administration.

David Smith, 47, of Spanish Lake, said he works as a substitute special education teacher and cant afford health insurance premiums. He was in a dentist chair around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, after lining up at 5:10 a.m. outside.

Smith got a wisdom tooth and two cracked teeth removed and was also able to learn through imaging tests that he needs knee surgery.

It means a lot, he said of the free care. It makes me better at my job. I have less to worry about, so I can focus.

Amanda Sasmita, 23, volunteered all week at the clinic after just finishing her second semester of nursing school in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She helped bring supplies to doctors and made sure patients knew where to go. Her uncle, from Colorado, also volunteered as a dentist.

Sasmita said patients were thankful, but also stressed from long waits, missing work and trying to manage young children. She also saw people from all walks of life, each having faced different hurdles to getting treatments they needed.

It very much shows that everyone deserves medical care, Sasmita said. Compassionate medical care is for everyone.
Sig is a good boy, trained to obey. So, according to court documents in a federal case, he complied when his police handler ordered him to enter a home in Highlands Ranch, Colo., and bite anyone inside.

The lack of a warrant did not bother Sig, a German shepherd with six years of experience at the Douglas County Sheriffs Office. Sig keeps his nose down and leaves tactical decisions to the humans in charge. He trusted them when they sent him blindly into the home without knocking, announcing their intention or investigating who might be inside.

Possibilities were endless. Even a child could have been home. Sigs handler and another deputy at the scene had no idea.

All they knew was someone had called 911 and reported a man breaking a front window in the unincorporated community south of Denver. When the deputies arrived at 6:40 p.m. on Feb. 11, 2022, they found shattered glass but heard no signs of violence or pleas for help.

They launched Sig through the window anyway, like a heat-seeking missile. Within seconds, he found Tyler Luethje sleeping in his bed, and pounced. The deputies ran to the room and unlatched the dog from Luethjes arm while he screamed in pain: I live here! I live here! I live here!

Luethje could have explained that he had lost his keys and taken desperate measures to escape freezing weather. Yet, the deputies never asked. They confirmed after the fact that Luethje had broken his window and was home alone. Then, they handcuffed him and placed him in the back of a patrol vehicle.

A drivers license confirmed Luethjes address. He was telling the truth. Yet, the deputies re-entered the home  after sending Luethje away in an ambulance  and conducted a thorough search. They found nothing illegal.

Luethje was an innocent victim. So was Sig.

Like other police dogs, he aims to please. Far too often, law enforcement agencies use the eagerness of their K9 partners to violate civil liberties. Many dogs spend their careers shredding the Constitutions 4th Amendment, which guarantees the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Our public interest law firm, the Institute for Justice, has seen everything as part of our Project on the Fourth Amendment. One common tactic involves open-air sniffs during traffic stops. Officers need probable cause to search a vehicle, so they lead their K9 partners around the perimeter  often more than once  and then declare that a drug alert has occurred.

This is a rigged game. One Australian analysis suggests drug dogs are wrong 75 percent of the time. A Chicago analysis estimates a 56 percent error rate. Stephen Lara in Nevada, Eh Wah in Oklahoma, Alek Schott in Texas, and Phil Parhamovic in Wyoming had their vehicles searched following dog alerts, and none of these men possessed anything illegal.

Judges treat K9 alerts as infallible anyway.

The police know this; some jokingly refer to their K9 partners as probable cause on four legs. The result is exploitation, but police dogs cannot speak for themselves. Luethje does not have this limitation. He sued the deputies for violating his 4th Amendment rights.

The Douglas County Sheriffs Office says that when all of the facts are known, the evidence will show that the deputies acted legally and properly. Yet, so far, all the deputies have done is try to stop all the facts from being known. Their first step was claiming qualified immunity, a judge-made doctrine that can stop a case before trial, shielding government employees from accountability.

Overcoming qualified immunity is difficult, but Luethje has scored two early wins. A federal judge denied the deputies motion for qualified immunity on June 5, 2024. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision on March 19, 2025. The rulings mean Luethje can proceed to trial.

Sig will be oblivious. However, the case can address law enforcement overreach that turns dogs into collateral victims. Loyal K9 partners deserve better.
Given the astonishing collection of clearly unqualified presidential appointees who have been seated this year  an anti-vaccination kook as Health secretary, a Fox News wingnut as Defense secretary, a fake-wrestling promoter as Education secretary, the sorry list goes on  its fair to ask if any staffing decision from President Donald Trump could be so noxious that this spineless Senate wouldnt meekly acquiesce.

In that sense, Missouris own Ed Martin has achieved something rare indeed: He was such a malignant choice to be the top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., that key Republican senators balked at giving their stamp of approval.

Trump reacted on Thursday by announcing he was withdrawing Martins nomination.

Thats a truly beneficial development for the nation. As we have reminded readers repeatedly lately, Martins toxic history in Missouri politics alone should have disqualified him from permanent confirmation to the post hes been filling on an interim basis since January.

That history includes a 2007 scandal when he was chief of staff for then-Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt involving Sunshine Law violations and a politically motivated firing. It included his chaotic turn as Missouri GOP chairman, during which he deeply divided the party by attacking fellow Republicans on behalf of tea party activism. It even included sparking internecine warfare within Phyllis Schlaflys organization after he convinced the elderly conservative icon to embrace the MAGA movement over the objections of her lieutenants.

It should come as no surprise that, as the interim U.S. attorney for D.C., Martin has continued abusing his power for the sake of malicious right-wing politics.

He has fired dozens of federal prosecutors for working on cases against the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He has threatened to investigate members of Congress for criticizing Trump. He has threatened the free press for doing its job. He has declared that his staff attorneys are President Trumps lawyers  never mind that theyre supposed to be working for the American people.

The bridge too far for Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, was Martins past support for about 400 Jan. 6 rioters who had been charged with assaulting police officers.

It takes some interesting philosophical contortions to declare that to be disqualifying for Martin while continuing to support the president who pardoned those same violent thugs, but whatever. Tillis stance, and hesitation from a few other key Republicans, has ended Martins chance of being permanently seated to this powerful post. Thank goodness.
I am no fan of the policies of the current presidential administration. I believe they are short-sighted, economically unsound and doomed to fail. These policies, however, are debatable. Citizens and members of congress can discuss their merits and shortcomings, and we can work to come up with better solutions.

What is not debatable is character. Our president lies, mocks the disabled and those who have served in our military and disdains education. He seems to have no empathy whatsoever for the poor and the disadvantaged. He insults and humiliates his enemies and makes vengeance one of his top priorities. His appearance at the Pope's funeral in a blue suit, when invitations clearly requested black attire, was a violation of protocol and a clear attempt to draw attention to himself.

The last straw for me was the photo he posted of himself in papal garb. This was disrespectful to the recently deceased Pope Francis and an offense to Catholics and many others for whom Francis was a revered leader.

For our president to suggest that he can or should be a religious leader of any kind, let alone Pope, is deeply disturbing and shows a complete lack of moral character. Americans deserve better.

Mr. President, you are no Pope Francis.

Fr. Charles Bouchard

Aquinas Institute of Theology
In June 2025, the UN Global Citizen's Assembly will start operating in the run up to COP 30. The assembly hopes to have 10,000 participants by COP30, 100,000 by COP31 and 10M by 2030, making it perhaps the largest democratic innovation taking place today. But what is the promise, limits, and future development of citizen involvement in policy-making of global concern?

Rich Wilson will present the assembly and explain how it seeks to create a new operating infrastructure for global governance.

About the speaker

Rich Wilson is a democratic innovation specialist and CEO of Iswe, an independent democractic innovation centre. Starting his career as an environmental economist, he has worked with the IPCC and Environmental Council, written policy reports and blogs on The Guardian, Carnegie Europe, and New Internationalist, and is the author of the book Anti Hero.



In 2004 he founded the public participation charity Involve, which under his leadership became a leading international centre for democratic innovation research, innovation and policy-making. Since then, he has worked with the UN, OECD, WHO and EU, and advised governments globally on democratic reform.

He is currently working with the UN to establish a permanent Global Citizens' Assembly to give millions of people a powerful voice in decision-making.

About Stockholm seminars

The Stockholm Seminars cover a broad range of sustainability science perspectives with a focus on the dynamics and stewardship of social-ecological systems. The seminars are usually held at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and organised by the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, the Anthropocene Laboratory, and the Global Economic Dynamics and the Biosphere programme, all three at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, together with Albaeco, Future Earth and Stockholm Resilience Centre. Since its start in 2000 more than 100 of the worlds leading scientists and experts have taken part in this seminar series, including Nobel Laureates.

Previous seminars can be found here 
Predictive Analytics Is the Next Frontier for Media Company Growth

AI is reinventing the way media companies can analyze their business, from precise forecasts to finding new business opportunities to optimizing yield. In all of these cases, data is required to deliver these new insights. Media companies with access to good data gain the ability to see around corners, get ahead of their competition and anticipate audience behavior and advertiser demand.

Consider these examples of how predictive analytics can transform media company strategy:

Accurate audience prediction to help sell inventory

Advertiser demand forecasting to help price inventory

Competitive analysis to time content releases optimally

Campaign analytics that help optimize delivery and performance

Predictive yield analytics to drive investment more effectively

The move to predictive analytics is critical for growth. With increased competition from every angle, media companies need to take advantage of these new innovations to move faster and make more informed strategic decisions. However, the foundation of great analytics is access to the right data and technology, which requires media companies to prioritize elements of their business that might not be as obvious as audience growth or content development - but are just as important for future growth.

Data, A Foundational Driver Of Success

As the advertising ecosystem becomes increasingly automated, media companies have more complexity and more data to contend with than any time in the past. Rather than offering an opportunity, this shift is seen as a burden by many media company leaders. PWC found that 57% of media company CEOs believe that their company wont be viable in the next few years, significantly more than across other industries surveyed. And, the study found that 46% said one of their most significant challenges was accessing and monetizing data.

This pessimism needs to change if media companies are going to succeed and it needs to start with data. Data has become one of the most valuable assets within a media company portfolio, but not enough media executives are prioritizing it. Equally as valuable as content, audience and capital, data is emerging as the critical lever that unlocks growth for media companies. But old data, or data sitting neglected is not going to provide value. Media companies must prioritize data to tap into its power. This means ensuring that the right data is collected, and that it is housed in a way that is accessible as usable.

AI Technology for Better Analysis and Forecasting

If data is the fuel, AI technology is the engine, taking media companies where they want to go. Too many media companies have outdated technology that delivers inaccurate analysis or takes an increasing amount of manual work, which slows the business down. The right approach unifies insights across the business, works quickly and automates the process.

AI delivers a significantly more powerful, accurate and faster approach to analytics that can give media companies a completely new perspective on their business at nearly every level. When used effectively, predictive analytics tools empower media companies to move from a reactive stance to a proactive one. Instead of waiting to see how audiences behave or which advertisers show up, predictive analytics enables companies to plan inventory, pricing, and campaigns around where demand is goingnot where it was. Here are a few examples

Predictive Audience Modeling

Different platforms offer predictive modeling capabilities that allow media companies to forecast audience demand for content, audience movement across different channels and platforms (such as the move from broadcast to streaming) and which subscribers are likely to engage or churn. These platforms integrate first-party, second-party, and third-party data to build more robust audience profiles, enabling precise targeting and higher yield for advertising campaigns.

Inventory Optimization

Inventory forecasting and yield management solutions use predictive analytics to help media companies better allocate their ad inventory. These tools can predict high-demand periods, optimize pricing in real time, and help avoid under- or over-booking of premium inventory. Dynamic pricing engines built into these systems allow media companies to adjust rates based on supply, demand, and market conditions automatically.

Forecasting and Revenue Intelligence

These tools help with revenue planning, providing real-time insights into future revenue streams by analyzing sales pipelines, advertising bookings, historical performance, and market indicators. They allow media companies to create more reliable revenue projections, set smarter sales targets, and proactively address risks to revenue.

With audience behaviors shifting and advertiser demands evolving, traditional forecasting modelsoften reliant on spreadsheets and siloed dataare no longer enough. The rise of predictive analytics, powered by AI and machine learning, is reshaping how media companies allocate inventory, price effectively, and drive revenue.

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The St. Nikolaus Hospital/Cusanus Foundation building forms the heart of a multipurpose complex along the Moselle River in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany. Built by a Catholic cardinal and medieval polymath named Nicholas of Cusa in 1458, it serves as a retirement home, a wine business and a repository for the cardinal's library. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)



Imagine having among your circle of acquaintances an astronomer, a mathematician, a philosopher, a legal scholar, a political theorist, a diplomat, a mystic, even a game inventor.

Now imagine that theyre all the same person.

The Moselle River city of Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, can relate. Roughly an hour and 10 minutes from Ramstein Air Base by car, its a veritable monument to a 15th-century native son named Nicholas of Cusa, a cardinal who embodied the term Renaissance man.

Two years ago, I made my first visit. On the bridge joining the two parts of town I saw the Cusanus sundial and wondered, Who or what is Cusanus?

The Cusanus Sonnenuhr, or Cusanus sundial in English, is a feature of the bridge over the Moselle River that joins the two parts of Bernkastel-Kues, Germany. It depicts Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa, a famous 15th century native whose Latin name was Cusanus. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)

The former Cues train station in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, now contains a brewpub called Das Brauhaus, where the house beer is named after Cardinal Nikolaus Cusanus, or Nicholas of Cusa as he's called in English. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)



That was Nicholas Latin moniker. Thus began my recent quest to learn more by visiting the two main sites dedicated to him.

The Cusanus Geburtshaus is a museum in the house where he was born. Its about a miles walk from the Cusanusstift, a riverside complex that unites a highly unusual combination of functions ranging from library to winery to retirement home.

The house in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, where Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa was born in 1401 is now a museum known as the Cusanus Geburtshaus. Nicholas came from a wealthy merchant family and went on to become one of the intellectual giants of the Renaissance. His will directed his assets to the establishment of a retirement home, which has been in continuous operation since 1458. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)



Cusanusstift (Cusanus Foundation)

Besides the sundial, the town renders homage to Nicholas with innumerable portrayals of the family crest or its dominant feature, a crawfish, as his surname Krebs is synonymous with the German word for the crustacean.

Also referred to as St. Nikolaus Hospital, this white building with red trim and crawfish depictions galore occupies prominent real estate next to the Kues end of the bridge.

The wine shop here sells bottles of its own label as well as those of other Moselle vintners. Most attractions in the main building can be seen on a self-guided tour, aided by a brochure available in English.

Land holdings that include 22 acres of vineyards in prime locations on the Moselle River have formed the economic underpinnings of the St. Nikolaus Hospital rest home in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, since its founding in 1458. The St. Nikolaus Hospital winery cultivates mostly riesling vines and is one of the oldest foundation wineries in Europe. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)



But in April, I brought along a German companion for a biweekly guided tour, because thats the only way to see the library.

By agreement with her and the other native German speaker who joined us, our guide, Genevieve Schwartz, conducted the tour mostly in English. I later found out that English-language tours can be arranged in advance.

The center-right pane of this stained glass window in the St. Nikolaus Hospital chapel shows Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa in a boat with Hagia Sophia in the background. The image represents his 1437 trip to what is now Istanbul as part of a papal delegation to the patriarch of Constantinople. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)

The courtyard in the St. Nikolaus Hospital/Cusanus Foundation building contains 22 windows, each with a different tracery pattern. This design feature integrates a component of Nicholas of Cusa's philosophy summed up as "unity in diversity." (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)



After recounting the story of how Nicholas founded the hospital in 1458 as a rest home for 33 aged residents, she pointed out a couple of the buildings architectural distinctions.

Each of the four passages in the cloisters interior has a different form of vaulting, while all of the courtyards 22 windows, which I admit didnt seem to stand out at first, have individualized tracery that isnt duplicated in any of the others.

Tributes to Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa, or Cusanus as he was known in Latin, are commonplace in his hometown of Bernkastel-Kues, Germany. The house beer at Das Brauhaus restaurant is Cusanus Brau. Coasters are adorned with the cardinal's seal, which features a crawfish. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)

An exhibit at the Cusanus Geburtshaus in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, shows the title page from an early edition of "De Concordantia Catholica" by Nicholas of Cusa. Known in English as "The Catholic Concordance," this 1433 book is referred to in its Cambridge University edition as the 15th century's most important work of political thought. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)



The building exemplifies the unity in diversity tenet of Cusanus philosophy, Schwartz explained.

The altarpiece in the chapel of the Cusanusstift building is a triptych, with the central panel portraying the Crucifixion. Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa and his brother Johannes are shown kneeling at the foot of the cross. A small window in the library overlooks the chapel. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)



In the chapel, she elaborated on the triptych altarpiece, with its Crucifixion scene in the center panel portraying Nicholas and his brother Johannes kneeling beside Jesus.

We also saw the memorial slab, beneath which the cardinals heart is buried in a leaden box.

A slab in the Cusanusstift chapel in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, denotes the place where the heart of Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa is interred. His tomb is in the Church of St. Peter in Chains in Rome. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)

A map in the Cusanus Geburtshaus in Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, shows the route of Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa to Constantinople and back in 1437 and 1438. He was a papal envoy to the patriarch of Constantinople ahead of the Council of Florence, which temporarily unified the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. (David Edwards/Stars and Stripes)



The tour concluded in the library, a small room that highly impressed me. Its roughly 300 volumes date from the ninth to 15th centuries and include a Quran and a medical treatise by the ancient Greek physician Galen.

We also saw scientific instruments that Cusanus used and schoolwork he did at the University of Padua. Schwartz told us that he had devised a model of the universe centered on the sun about 100 years before Copernicus.

Cusanus Geburtshaus

The exhibits in this diminutive house museum are German-only. But even with my limited understanding, I appreciated what it offers.

First among the highlights for me was the detailed map of Nicholas journey to Constantinople in 1437 as part of a papal delegation to the Byzantine patriarch in hopes of reunifying Christendom. For centuries, it had been split by a schism between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox churches.

The map complemented a stained glass window pane in the Cusanusstift chapel showing Nicholas flanked by Hagia Sophia, the world-famous church-turned-mosque in Istanbul that once epitomized the Orthodox faith.

I also gravitated to a display of the title page from a medieval edition of Nicholas The Catholic Concordance. In this seminal work of political thought, he preceded the American Founding Fathers by three centuries in arguing that government legitimacy requires the consent of the governed.

The images of a broad range of illuminated manuscripts, combined with a walk to the museum that takes visitors either along the riverside pedestrian path or past the front faces of exquisite mansions, also made the visit here worthwhile.

Bernkastel-Kues has become one of my favorite places in Germany, and even people who dont feel the same pull of a medieval super-brainiac will likely find something alluring there.

Cusanus sites

Address: St. Nikloaus Hospital/Cusanusstift, Cusanusstrasse 2, Bernkastel-Kues, Germany; Cusanus Geburtshaus, Nikolausufer 49/50, Bernkastel-Kues, Germany

Hours: For the Cusanusstift main building, Sunday through Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Guided tours offered Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. and Friday at 3 p.m. For the birthplace house museum, Tuesday through Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; closed Monday.

Prices: Self-guided tours of the Cusanusstift are free; guided tours cost 10 euros per person, cash only. Admission to the Geburtshaus is 4 euros for adults and 2 euros for teens, students and people with a disability.

Information: www.cusanus.de, https://ring-mosel.de/weingueter/weingut-stiftung-st-nikolaus-hospital, www.nikolaus-von-kues.de/geburtshaus/das-museum/
This years World Expo theme is Designing Future Society for Our Lives, and features innovative technology from 158 countries in Osaka, Japan. (Wikimedia Commons)



World Expo 2025, the latest chapter of an event that traces its roots to the mid-19th century, is underway in Japan with a mission to reconnect the worlds citizens.

Born out of the historic world fairs, the international event returns to Japan for the third time. This years theme is Designing Future Society for Our Lives, and features innovative technology from 158 countries. It runs through Oct. 13 on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay.

(The) significance of hosting this Osaka-Kansai Expo has never been higher as it is held under the topic of lives and aspiration to reconnect to the world rather than polarization, Hiroyuki Ishige, a senior executive board member of Japans Association for the 2025 World Exposition, told reporters in February.

Myaku-Myaku is the mascot for World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. (Wikimedia Commons)



The expos goal is to highlight innovations from around the world in an effort to address issues facing humankind on a global scale, according to the expos website.

Organizers describe the event as a platform to showcase innovations aimed at addressing global challenges  from climate change to inequality. The site is divided into eight zones, each hosting national pavilions that align with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Japans own national strategy, Society 5.0, which seeks to integrate digital and physical technologies to create a more inclusive and sustainable society, also underpins the events vision.

At the expo, visitors will see flying cars, self-driving electric buses and automatic human washing machines  podlike installations that use water jets, nanobubbles and ultrasonic waves for a full-body wash  that are leaps beyond the elevator and telephone exhibits of the 19th century.

The Italy Pavilion at World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Netherlands Pavilion at World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. (Wikimedia Commons)

People approach the Spain Pavilion at World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. (Wikimedia Commons)



A World Exposition is a place where new technologies and products are born, triggering greater convenience in our daily life, the events official website states.

In another first, the site will operate on a completely cashless payment system. Patrons can use credit cards, e-money or smartphone-based payment codes  another sign that the future, at least here, may be paper-free.

Not everyone in Osaka has embraced the expo with enthusiasm. According to a recent report by the Mainichi newspaper, the cost of hosting the event has soared. What was once projected to cost $873 million in construction has doubled, and the operating budget has reached $812 million. The report also noted that four international pavilions remain under construction.

On the QT

Directions: Arriving via the Shinkansen, exit at Shin Osaka Station, then take the Osaka Metro Chuo Line to Yumeshima Station.

Times: Open daily, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; individual pavilions may operate on their own schedule.

Costs: Admission is 5,000 yen for adults; 3,000 yen for ages 12-17; 1,200 yen for ages 4-11; free for 3 and younger. Prices may vary with ticket type.

Food: A variety of restaurants are available.

Information: Online: expo2025.org.jp/en
Israels methanol imports from Azerbaijan plummet in early 2025

From January to February 2025, Azerbaijan exported approximately 10,300 tons of methanol to Israel, generating about $3.4 million in revenue. This marks a notable dip compared to the same stretch in 2024, with exports taking a nosedive of 12,400 tons (2.2 times) and revenue taking a hit of $931,000 (21.7 percent). In the first two months of 2024, Azerbaijan had exported 22,700 tons of methanol to Israel, worth $4.3 million. Overall, Azerbaijan exported a total of 61,900 tons of methanol, valued at $19.8 million, with Turkey, Israel, and Slovenia being the leading importers.

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Soo Lee, Stallboards' soft-spoken, quick-to-laugh owner, left a corporate job to bootstrap a place where skaters, misfits and military members feel at home in Suwon, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)



Stumbling into the grungy basement of Stallboards  a skateboard shop and indoor skate park in Suwon, South Korea  I wasnt expecting to be greeted with a smile, a fist bump and the crash of wheels echoing off concrete.

Soo Lee, the shops soft-spoken, quick-to-laugh owner, left a corporate job at Wells Fargo to bootstrap a place where skaters, misfits and military members feel at home.

Stallboards isnt flashy. It feels like it grew out of the community rather than being dropped in to monetize it.

The ramps are worn, with graffiti in all the right places. Boards hang from the walls like trophies. Theres an honesty to Stallboards that you dont often find in South Korean skate shops, or in skate culture in general.

The ramps are worn, with graffiti in all the right places at Stallboards, a skate shop and indoor skatepark in Suwon, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)



Ive been running this store alone for 10 years, Lee said, while tightening the trucks on a teenagers board behind the counter. I wanted a place where people could be themselves, be creative and not feel judged. Skateboarding saved me, in a way. Now I try to pass that on.

It shows.

On any given afternoon, youll find a mix of Korean high schoolers, American soldiers, visiting tourists or the occasional kid with training wheels on a scooter receiving lessons. Everyone has a place here.

Lee goes out of his way to make military folks feel welcome  importing familiar brands like Baker, Independent and Spitfire so U.S. riders feel a little more grounded, even half a world away.

I know how it feels to be far from home, he said. Military guys come to the shop all the time to get the parts they remember from back home. Its a comfortableness that I try to create.

The shop charges less than $14 for adults and about $10.44 for kids for a three-hour session in the park. Rentals are super accessible  $10.44 for a skateboard or scooter, $2.79 each for pads or a helmet.

There are benches to rest on, lockers to stash your gear, and Lees always within arms reach with a tool or a word of advice.

Boards hang from the walls like trophies at Stallboards skate shop and indoor skatepark in Suwon, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)



Aside from the disorganized, grungy look of the shop or the park layout, what stands out is the way Lee talks to everyone. He remembers names. He asks how people are doing. It felt less like a business and more like a living room that just happens to have ramps.

I saw an older Korean man teaching a kid how to drop in on a ramp. I saw two middle-schoolers trading stickers while their parents chatted in the corner. I saw Lee step away from the counter to help customers adjust their trucks.

Places like this dont just exist  theyre built. If you ever feel a little lost in Suwon, Id recommend starting here. Just dont be surprised if you leave with a new board  and a few new friends.

Stallboards

Location: 127 Sehwa-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Hours: Open noon to 7 p.m. every day but Wednesday

Prices: A three-hour skate session costs less than $14 for adults and about $10.44 for children.

Dress: Casual

Directions: The Google plus code is 7X7V+9R Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Information: Phone: 31-292-5939; Online: stallboards.com
The Bell V-280 technology Demonstrator. (Photo courtesy of Bell)



Battlefields evolve. But one truth never changes: warfighters need speed, reach and agility.

In the early days of the Global War on Terror, the operational environments were unlike anything wed previously encountered  extreme altitudes, harsh weather, long distances, and no runways. Whether we were flying missions out of Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, or across the vast overwater stretches of the Philippines, our Chinooks were pushed to the edge of their performance envelopes.

During Operation Enduring Freedom, my MH-47 Chinook aircraft was the most capable rotary-wing platform for high-altitude missions. We flew through mountain passes above 20,000 feet, wearing supplemental oxygen and managing fuel, weight and weather just to get to the fight. The terrain and mission demands forced tradeoffs: cargo or range. We often opted for minimal fuel to carry the maximum load, relying on helicopter air refueling (HAR) to extend our reach  complex, coordinated efforts that required external Air Force and Marine tankers.

Meanwhile, my fellow Night Stalkers in the Philippines battled different extremes: overwater flights in low visibility, long transit times, and zero visual horizon. HAR became routine in that theater, too  night after night, in monsoon conditions. Several missions exceeded 700 miles round-trip, with six hours en route before even arriving on target. Fatigue wasnt a possibility  it was a certainty. We lost an aircraft and crew to the ocean under those conditions. It wasnt for lack of skill  it was the limits of the platform.

The shortcomings of legacy helicopters arent just technical  theyre tactical liabilities. They cost lives when utilized outside of their niche.

Now imagine a platform that can take off vertically from an austere landing zone, fly 300 knots instead of 120, and cover that same 700-mile trip in just over two hours  without the need for refueling. Thats what the tiltrotor Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) brings to the table. Its not a marginal improvement. Its a game-changer.

As a retired chief warrant officer 5 and Night Stalker whos flown combat insertions in Afghanistan, casualty evacuations (CASEVACS) in Iraq, and air refueled over the Sea of Japan at night, I know what its like to stretch a platform to its limits. The Chinook is a beast  it can haul crazy amounts of cargo and take a beating  but its still limited to rotary wing aerodynamics. You can squeeze only so much lift and speed from traditional rotor blades.

FLRAA changes that equation. Tiltrotor technology offers double the speed and range and improved survivability in contested environments. And make no mistake  the next battlefield will be contested, especially across the Indo-Pacific. Advanced air defenses of our peer and near-peer adversaries and area denial strategies will challenge our crews and equipment. We cant afford to operate with our legacy platforms when something better is available now.

The FLRAA isnt just about tomorrows fight  its about todays readiness. When the balloon goes up  and it will  our troops must arrive with the speed, reach and protection that only a next-generation tiltrotor can deliver.

Congress, DOD, Army leaders  dont wait. Warfighters cant afford to.

Lets get FLRAA in their hands  now.

Alan C. Mack is a former chief warrant officer 5 who flew CH-47 Chinooks on numerous deployments from Desert Storm to Afghanistan. He was drawn into the special operations community as an MH-47 pilot, where he became Flight Lead and standardization instructor pilot. A Master Aviator, he has more than 6,700 hours of flight time, including 3,200 flown with night-vision goggles. He is the author of the book Razor 03, a Night Stalkers Wars.
U.S. Africa Command attacked Islamic State group fighters in the Golis Mountains in northeastern Somalia on May 4, the 25th strike on targets in the country this year. (AFRICOM)



STUTTGART, Germany  U.S. Africa Command is launching airstrikes in Somalia at a record-setting pace as the military seeks to counter an influx of Islamic State group fighters, military figures show.

Since January, AFRICOM has conducted 25 strikes in Somalia, many of which were directed at ISIS militants, according to command strike reports.

If the intensity of the bombing campaign continues, AFRICOM will exceed the 63 strikes it launched in Somalia in 2019, the highest tally for the country in the commands history.

Yes  weve seen an increase in airstrikes, AFRICOM spokeswoman Kelly Callahan said in a statement Thursday.

The uptick coincides with a January directive by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to grant more decision-making authority on airstrikes to AFRICOM commanders.

AFRICOMs Gen. Michael Langley said during Senate testimony in April that those expanded authorities have given the command the capability to hit (terrorists) harder.

The most recent strike, which happened Sunday, targeted ISIS-Somalia fighters in the Golis Mountains in the northeastern part of the country. The flurry of strikes comes as foreign fighters try to gain a larger foothold in Somalia.

ISISs Somalia cell has grown from about 500 fighters to 1,500 over the past 18 months, with roughly 60% being foreign, Callahan said.

ISIS-Somalia, as a franchise of ISIS, has benefited from and shared innovation, finances, and tactics and procedures, including attack plotting with foreign aspirants, with other ISIS groups, Callahan said.

The expansion of ISIS in Somalia comes as AFRICOM also contends with al-Shabab, which the U.S. also targets with airstrikes. With an estimated 7,000 to 12,000 fighters, al-Shabab remains the most formidable terrorist organization in Somalia and the largest in Africa.

U.S. military personnel in Somalia have long offered various forms of support to the countrys shaky central government in its struggle to keep al-Shabab at bay.

AFRICOMs ongoing missions there involve training and advising local ground forces, as well as carrying out airstrikes coordinated with the Somali government.

Langley said in his Senate testimony that the militant group continues to pose a heightened terrorist threat, especially because it has begun colluding with Houthi rebels across the Gulf of Aden in Yemen.

Were watching that closely, Langley said.

Some security analysts have said coordination with the Iran-backed Houthis could give al-Shabab access to more sophisticated weaponry.
Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Eugene Homyak, posing here in a photo taken during World War II, is believed to have died in the Tokyo Military Prison fire of May 1945. (Carol Monday)



Nearly 80 years after a devastating fire tore through a Japanese military prison during World War II, a Defense Department agency is working to identify American prisoners of war who died in the blaze.

Among those believed killed was 2nd Lt. Eugene Homyak, a 21-year-old radio operator from Denver. He was one of two survivors when his B-29 Superfortress bomber was shot down over Japan on March 10, 1945.

Homyak died weeks later, the Army told his family, at Tokyo Military Prison when it burned to the ground during a firebombing on May 25, 1945, killing dozens of American POWs interred there.

The military said Homyaks remains were not recoverable.

Now, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, or DPAA, is trying to prove otherwise.

Do we know exactly who died? DPAA historian Aelwen Wetherby said in a March 14 phone interview. I would say no. We have a lot of evidence, but any time were dealing with POWs, especially in circumstances like those surrounding the Tokyo Prison fire, it comes with a level of uncertainty.

Burned records and broken links

The eldest of Homyaks two daughters, Carol Monday, 82, said she has always believed her father died in the prison fire. She remembers seeing him once as a small child.

It was agony, she said by phone on March 18. My grandmother and my mother, they were in agony trying to figure out what was happening.

After the war, investigators compiled a list of 62 Americans believed to have died in the blaze. But that total was based largely on circumstantial evidence.

Sixteen names came from dog tags found at the prison site. Another 31 were provided by some of the roughly 400 Japanese inmates held alongside the Americans. The remaining 15 names came from interviews with surviving POWs who recalled seeing or hearing of others possibly transferred to Tokyo Military Prison but could not confirm their fates.

The Japanese records burned when the prison burned, so we do not have a formal list from the Japanese of who the POWs were, Alexander Christensen, the DPAA forensic anthropologist leading the effort, said by phone March 21.

This image from Sept. 17, 1945, near the Imperial Palace shows the devastating results of Allied firebombing of Tokyo in the final months of World War II. (Library of Congress)

This brick wall in Tokyo's Shibuya ward is said to be left over from Tokyo Military Prison, which was destroyed in a U.S. firebombing on May 25, 1945, killing dozens of American POWs. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)



A deepening investigation

After the fire, Japanese officials buried what they believed to be American remains in a bomb shelter trench. In 1950, those unidentified remains were reinterred as unknowns at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines.

Postwar investigators concluded the remains represented 64 individuals. Of those, 25 were identified through dental records  all U.S. Army Air Forces bomber crew members, Christensen said.

These guys had much better documented dental work than many World War II casualties, certainly better than your standard Army infantryman, he said.

In 2022, DPAA exhumed the remaining 39 sets for analysis at its lab in Hawaii. For the sake of thoroughness, the project has expanded the initial list from 62 names to 81 by including 19 additional bomber crew members who went missing over Japan and may have died in the fire.

Theres no evidence that they were brought to the prison, but they could have been, Christensen said.

The 39 sets of remains under analysis are so badly commingled and lack sufficient documentation that DNA is the only path to identification.

There isnt a single accession of that 39 that only has one person in it, he said.

But DNA testing has been inconsistent. Some samples yield usable genetic sequences, while many do not  possibly due to varying soil conditions at the cemetery.

Success now depends largely on collecting DNA reference samples from relatives of the 81 men. As of February, DPAA had samples for 63 of them.

So far, two men have been identified.

Monday, her sister and a male cousin submitted DNA samples last year. She believes her father is among those being analyzed in the Hawaii lab.

Its exciting, she said of the thought of his remains coming home. And I think its exciting because its been kind of a blank spot, you know?
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervises a cruise missile test in this image issued by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Feb. 26, 2025. (KCNA)



North Korea fired an unspecified number of short-range ballistic missiles off its eastern coast Thursday morning, possibly to test their capabilities ahead of potential exports, according to the Souths military.

The missiles were launched from Wonsan, a city about 90 miles east of Pyongyang, between 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m., the Ministry of National Defense told reporters via text message. They flew roughly 500 miles before splashing into the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.

U.S., South Korean and Japanese intelligence agencies are analyzing the launches and have shared data on the missiles specifications, the ministry said. North Koreas launch preparations had been detected in advance, it added.

We strongly condemn North Koreas missile launch as a clear provocation that seriously threatens the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the weapons posed no immediate threat to the United States or its allies.

Washingtons commitments to the defense of [South Korea] and Japan remain ironclad, a command statement said. The United States condemns these actions and calls on [North Korea] to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts.

The episode marks North Koreas first ballistic missile testing since March 10, when it fired several missiles off its western coast during the start of Freedom Shield, an annual joint military exercise involving the U.S. and South Korea.

The launches may have been conducted to verify missile performance before possible overseas exports, South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Lee Sung Joon said at a news conference in Seoul. He did not say where the missiles might be sent.

The United States and South Korean intelligence agencies accuse the North of supplying lethal aid to Russia during its three-year invasion of Ukraine. This includes troops, long-range artillery systems, artillery shells, and short-range ballistic missiles.

Washington and Seoul also suspect Pyongyang of exporting ballistic missile components and technology to other countries, including Pakistan, Syria and Iran, in the 1980s and 1990s.

North Korea made several displays of military prowess in the weeks leading up to its latest missile barrage.

On Wednesday, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that the countrys leader, Kim Jong Un, had ordered munitions factories to boost artillery shell production and that the regime was producing them four times its annual rate.

Kim also showcased a new, 5,000-ton destroyer during an April 25 launch ceremony at the Nampo shipping port on the countrys western coast, KCNA reported at the time. The destroyer is the largest warship produced by the North and could be armed with cruise and ballistic missiles, KCNA added.

Stars and Stripes reporter Yoojin Lee contributed to this report.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping greeted one another as dear friend on Thursday as they met in Moscows Grand Kremlin Palace, portraying their close partnership as a stabilizing force in a troubled world, and signing a statement critical of the United States.

They strongly condemned the use of tariffs and unilateral illegitimate restrictive measures, a criticism that was directed at Washington, with China under intense economic pressure in President Donald Trumps trade war.

Xi and Putin pledged to counter U.S. efforts at dual containment of Russia and China, vowing to resolutely oppose the imposition of hostile approaches towards Russia and China.

They also criticized Trumps Golden Dome missile shield as deeply destabilizing and warned that the risk of a nuclear war was closer, portraying themselves as responsible leaders while blaming other nuclear powers for the confrontational policy and rhetoric of individual countries and their associations.

On the eve of Russias Victory Day parade marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, Putin said that China and Russia were standing up to neo-Nazism, part of the Kremlins propaganda drive painting Ukraines defense against Russias years-long invasion as a revival of Nazism in Europe.

Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand guard over the historical truth, protect the memory of the war years and counter modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism, Putin said.

For his part, Xi said that Russia and China stand against bullying, in what appeared to be a reference to the U.S. tariffs and pledged to promote an orderly, multipolar world.

Facing the current headwinds of unilateralism and bullying behavior by powerful forces in the international community, China stands together with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of being a global power and a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, Xi said.

The meeting projected the importance of the two countries close economic ties, deflecting the Trump administrations effort to weaken their relationship by offering inducements and concessions to Moscow, while pressuring Beijing with 145 percent tariffs.

Putin said after the meeting that cooperation had reached its highest level, describing the Russia-China relationship as an unbreakable friendship.

Although China says that it is neutral in Russias war on Ukraine, Xis visit for the Victory Day military parade offered a strong signal of support, underscoring the importance of Chinese trade in supporting Russias war effort. A Peoples Liberation Army honor guard is among the foreign military contingents that will march in Fridays parade.

When Xi visited Putin for a pomp-filled summit two years ago, he had a special message: Together, he and Putin were driving changes the likes of which we havent seen for 100 years.

He was signaling Chinese and Russian confidence in the United States inevitable long-term decline and the opportunities opening up for Beijing and Moscow, according to analysts.

That goal appears suddenly closer, with Trumps retreat from global leadership, threats to absorb other countries and territories, disruption of NATO and transatlantic ties, and steep tariffs on more than 70 countries.

When Xi spoke of driving changes not seen for a century, its essentially an upending of the American-led order, said Richard McGregor, senior fellow for East Asia at the Sydney-based Lowy Institute. I certainly think it underlines how Xi sees Putin is the partner for that.

As Xi faces a more confrontational and unpredictable U.S., demonstrating that China has friends, especially in Moscow, is important - much as Putin, since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has relied on China to project his global clout and signal he has powerful partners, despite Western attempts to isolate him.

Trumps tariffs have put China under immense economic and political pressure, spurring Xi to boost ties with Asia and Europe and portray Beijing as a beacon of calm and resolute stability, and Trump as a reckless force wreaking global economic havoc.

But Russias economy is also under intense pressure, with continuing Western sanctions exacerbated by the recent four-year low in oil prices that has sharply reduced Russias budget revenue, deepening its reliance on trade with China.

U.S. seeks a wedge

Trump officials have been open about their efforts to undermine Russia-China ties: Trump said in October that he had to un-unite Russia and China and I think I can do that. He repeated to a Fox News interviewer in March that you dont want Russia and China to get together.

Trumps envoy to Ukraine, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, told the Munich Security Conference in February that the U.S. had to break Russia and China apart, and separate Russia from allies such as Iran and North Korea.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told right-wing outlet Breitbart News in February that the plan was to dilute ties between Moscow and Beijing.

Analysts say that remains unlikely.

Scott Kennedy, senior adviser in Chinese business and economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said the U.S. war on the international trading system made Beijing more likely, not less, to strengthen its ties with Moscow.

Xis visit is of immense symbolic importance to Putin as he tries to link the struggle against the Nazis in World War II to his war against Ukraine. In contrast to past years, when the parade has been a subdued affair, Fridays event is expected to be massive.

We will prepare a good and eventful program, Putin said last month. I hope this will not only be related to the Chinese presidents participation in the celebration ceremonies but will also be his special visit. He will be our principal guest.

Putin is hosting the leaders of at least two dozen countries at the parade, including Brazil, Slovakia and Serbia, for the first time since his 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

In return, Putin is to visit Beijing in September for events marking Japans World War II surrender.

Ever since the announcement of China and Russias no limits partnership, just days before the invasion of Ukraine, Beijing has tried to strike a balance of backing Moscow without actively supporting the war. But trade with China reaching $237 billion in 2024 has helped bankroll Moscows war machine, as Russia has exported oil and gas to China and imported Chinese cars, electronics, machinery and materials crucial to war efforts.

China has stopped short of sending lethal weapons and continually calls for peace talks involving all stakeholders, including the European Union.

Common cause, different approaches

Russia and China have long shared a common cause in curbing U.S. global power, but their goals and methods differ. Putin is willing to tear down the global order, while Xi seeks to modify global institutions to better suit an autocratic approach.

China itself does not want to destroy the rules-based system; it mainly wants to be a free rider and modify the rules to its interests, Kennedy said.

But by aligning with a country that does want to destroy the international order, he said, referring to Russia, it has set itself directly against the European Union and the West more generally, making long-term tensions much harder to avoid.

The potential for closer U.S. ties does not appear to have given Putin substantially greater leverage with China, according to analysts, with Russia still the dependent junior partner for the foreseeable future.

The bottom line is that Russia will remain critically dependent on China, that this dependence will still be asymmetrical, said Alexander Gabuev, a Russia and China expert and director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

Areas of potential tension

There are some limits to the Russia-China no-limits partnership, according to analysts, with some areas of potential tension between the two countries.

Beijing is wary of the escalating defense cooperation between Russia and North Korea, which has sent about 12,000 troops to the war in Ukraine.

Thats Chinas bailiwick or backyard, and they dont want other powers exercising influence over North Korea, McGregor said. He added that China also doesnt want North Korea getting assistance in accelerating its nuclear or missile program. Thats not in Chinas interest either, and that seems to be precisely whats happening.

For Russia, there is irritation that a massive gas pipeline project from Russia to China, the Power of Siberia 2, remains on hold. With Europe largely closed to Moscows gas exports since the war in Ukraine, a crucial plank in Russias hopes of replacing these losses is exports to China.

To be honest, in the past three years, Sino-Russian cooperation has not reached the level that Russia had hoped for, and there are definitely some voices in Russia expressing this view, said Wan Qingsong, a research fellow at the Center for Russian Studies of East China Normal University. He added that Xis visit is an opportunity to deal with these problems.
A woman stands in front of her damaged house following cross-border shelling between Pakistani and Indian forces in Salamabad uri village at the Line of Control (LoC), on May 8, 2025. (Basit Zargar/Middle east images via AFP/Getty Images/TNS)



(Tribune News Service)  Pakistan said Chinese fighter jets were used to respond to military strikes by India and that it has kept Beijing fully informed of its action as tensions in the disputed Kashmir region escalate.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told parliament late Wednesday that Chinese J-10C jets were used to shoot down five Indian fighter jets along the border, including French-made Rafale jets, the Associated Press of Pakistan news service cited him as saying. Indias government hasnt officially confirmed whether aircraft it deployed in the military strike in the early hours of Wednesday morning were destroyed.

Dar said it kept Beijing informed about the military action soon after the strikes began, with Chinas Ambassador Jiang Zaidong visiting Pakistans Foreign Office at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

Hostilities between India and Pakistan  nuclear-armed rivals who have clashed several times over the disputed region of Kashmir  have escalated since an April 22 attack that killed 26 civilians in the Indian-controlled part of the territory. India said the attack was an act of terrorism and blamed Pakistan for involvement. Pakistan has denied the claims.

India conducted military strikes against nine targets in Pakistan early Wednesday that New Delhi said were precise and restrained and designed to be non-escalatory in nature. The strikes were the deepest breach of Pakistani territory since the 1971 war. Pakistans army said 31 civilians were killed in the strikes, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signaled Wednesday the country would retaliate.

Pakistans army said Wednesday it shot down Indian jets, including three Rafales, a MiG-29, and an SU-30, without providing evidence. At a New Delhi briefing, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri detailed the April militant attack and investigation but didnt address Pakistans claim.

India will have incentives to underplay the damage, but Pakistan playing up the damage here can mitigate incentives to escalate in turn, Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment on International Peace, wrote in a social media post.

Panda said, with the proviso that much can change, Pakistan will be compelled to retaliate with parity, adding this could include strikes against nine targets in its rival.

China reiterated Thursday its call for India and Pakistan not to escalate the situation. When asked if Pakistan had confirmed the use of the Chinese-made jets and the early-hours visit by the Chinese ambassador Lin Jian Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said Im not familiar with the matter you mentioned. As for our ambassador in Pakistan I dont have any information so far.

China is a major backer of Pakistan and its biggest supplier of weapons. Some 82% of Pakistans arms imports from 2019-2023 came from China, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which tracks global arms flows.

Pakistans claim that it shot down the Indian warplanes was a trending topic on Chinas X-like Weibo, with some Chinese users celebrating the countrys military strength. One top comment said if the news was accurate, All of Chinas major military-industrial enterprises will have orders queuing up.

Hu Xijin, the ex-editor-in-chief of the nationalist tabloid Global Times, wrote on WeChat that if Pakistans successful strikes were true, it shows Chinas level of military manufacturing has completely surpassed that of Russia and France, and that Taiwan should feel even more scared.

Shares of Chinese defense-manufacturing companies rallied Wednesday after Pakistans claims. The India- Pakistan conflict, if it escalates, could also see largely unproven Chinese weapons being field-tested, which could address concerns about their combat capability, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts wrote in a note.

Russia and China have been the traditional suppliers of weapons to the South Asian countries and the flare-up in tensions comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping went to Moscow to join in events to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II fighting in Europe. Xi is due to have talks with President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday called the India- Pakistan conflict so terrible and that we wanted the two nations to work it out.

Theyve gone tit-for-tat, so hopefully they can stop now, Trump said in reply to a question during a White House event. We get along with both the countries very well, good relationships with both, and I want to see it stop. And if I can do anything to help, I will be there.

The last time the two sides came close to an all-out war was in 2019, after a suicide bomber killed 40 members of Indias security forces. India blamed Pakistan and responded about two weeks later with its first airstrikes on Pakistani soil since 1971. Pakistan retaliated by shooting down an Indian jet and arresting the pilot, who was later released. Tensions died down soon afterward.

While militarily both countries have the ability to inflict untold damage, in economic terms India increasingly has much more at stake. Indias surging gross domestic product is now more than eight times the size of Pakistans, according to the World Bank, a gap that has roughly doubled since the turn of the century.

Pakistan, meanwhile, is only just beginning to emerge from a years-long economic crisis that brought it to the brink of bankruptcy, and is relying on a $7 billion loan program from the International Monetary Fund.

With assistance from Dan Strumpf, Sudhi Ranjan Sen, Kamran Haider, Debjit Chakraborty and James Mayger.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.

Visit bloomberg.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
PFAS-contaminated water was stored in drums behind the Yokota Community Center in 2023 because the designated hazardous waste site was full, according to a Defense Department inspector general's audit. (Department of Defense)



YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  A Defense Department inspector generals audit faulted this U.S. airlift hub in western Tokyo for mishandling toxic substances, including chemicals from firefighting foam and electrical equipment, according to a recent report.

The audit cited discrepancies at Yokota involving improper storage of 250 gallons of water contaminated with PFAS  per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances  and the incorrect disposal of PCBs  polychlorinated biphenyls  found in oil from electrical transformers.

The issues were uncovered during a broader review of hazardous waste management by the DOD in Japan.

The units involved  the 374th Airlift Wing and 5th Air Force  have since addressed the discrepancies by submitting revised plans for proper handling of hazardous materials, according to the April 30 report.

We will continue to adhere to all relevant agreements, obligations and procedures as good stewards of our installations and the environment through continued and close coordination with our Government of Japan counterparts as we work together towards sustainable solutions, wing spokeswoman Capt. Emma Quirk told Stars and Stripes by email Wednesday.

The PCBs were disposed of during construction of a steam-generating power plant near the Yokota Community Center, which houses the base exchange, commissary, food court, and other businesses.

The construction contract was awarded in November 2019 and the plant was completed by November 2023. A qualified Japanese contractor safely removed 26 barrels of insulating oil and oil residue from the transformers, according to the audit.

However, the wing failed to dispose of the oil through the Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services, as mandated by the Japan Environmental Governing Standards. The wing did not obtain a necessary waiver due to time and budget constraints, the report said.

The PFAS incident stemmed from a fire-suppression system malfunction during cold weather on Jan 25-26, 2023. The contaminated water was stored in drums behind the community center because the designated hazardous waste site was full, and the wing lacked procedures for storing PFAS waste elsewhere, according to the report.

PFOS and PFOA, both components of PFAS, are sometimes called forever chemicals because they build up and persist in the environment and in human bodies, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The agency updated its health advisories in 2021 to say no level of PFOS and PFOA in drinking water is safe. Studies involving lab animals show exposure increases the risk of certain tumors of the liver, testicles, breasts and pancreas, according to the American Cancer Society.

While the DOD report found no leakage at the storage site, a July 10 report by Tokyo Shimbun, citing unnamed sources, said 167 gallons of PFAS-contaminated water spilled at the community centers loading dock on Jan. 25, 2023.

The stored water was removed between February and March 2023, the audit said.

Separately, as the base phased out its remaining supply of PFAS-based firefighting foam, the wing deactivated fire-suppression systems in nine buildings. The inspector general criticized the move for leaving personnel vulnerable to fire and urged the base commander to implement a risk management plan.

Officials from the 374th Airlift Wing explained that they planned to rely on base firefighting operations to respond at buildings where they shut off [aqueous film-film forming] fire suppression and water features, the report said.
Azerbaijan sees surge in copper ore and concentrate exports in 1Q2025

Azerbaijan exported 3,800 tons of copper ores and concentrates from January to March 2025, generating $5.2 million in revenue. This marks a significant increase compared to the same period in 2024, with exports up by 3,600 tons (20.3 times) in volume and $4.9 million (15.4 times) in value. In the first quarter of 2024, Azerbaijan exported only 186 tons of copper ores and concentrates worth $339,000, representing 0.76% of the country's total exports.

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The American Civil Liberties Union filed a legal motion May 7, 2025, on behalf of six families with students enrolled in Defense Department schools that seeks reinstatement of more than 200 books and other curricular materials. (Jasmine Vu)



A group of military families is seeking a court order forcing the immediate reinstatement of more than 200 books and other curricular materials removed from Defense Department schools as part of a Pentagon mandate.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a motion Wednesday for a preliminary injunction on behalf of six families with students enrolled in Department of Defense Education Activity schools.

They have a lawsuit pending against DODEA that accuses President Donald Trumps administration of system-wide censorship in violation of their First Amendment rights.

Despite the anxiety and uncertainty among DODEA parents and students right now, we know that our children have a right to an education free from censorship, and we wont stand by silently and watch that right be taken away Jessica Henninger, a plaintiff on behalf of her three children at schools at Fort Campbell, Ky. , said in an ACLU statement Wednesday.

In Wednesdays filing, the families ask the court to bar the removal of books and curriculum based on what the government views as promoting gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology, as defined by executive orders issued earlier this year.

They also want a ruling issued to DODEA Director Beth Schiavino-Narvaez and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to reinstate these books and curricula to school library shelves and classrooms, according to the motion, filed in the federal court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Schiavino-Narvaez and Hegseth are also named in the ACLU lawsuit, which was filed last month on behalf of the same families.

The plaintiffs include 12 students from pre-K to 11th grade who attend DODEA schools as children of active-duty service members in Virginia, Kentucky, Italy and Japan.

DODEA does not comment on active litigation to ensure the integrity of the legal process and to respect all parties involved, the agency said last month in response to the complaint.

The new motion contains a list of 233 books that the plaintiffs say have been removed from circulation, including:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

#MeToo: Women Speak Out Against Sexual Assault, edited by The New York Times

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Cant Stop Wont Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation by Jeff Chang

Generation Brave: The Gen Z Kids who are Changing the World by Kate Alexander

Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love.

It includes further titles by such authors as Margaret Atwood, Toni Morrison, Kurt Vonnegut and Ta-Nehisi Coates. The vast majority of titles appear to be by or about women, people of color or LGBTQ+ people, the ACLU stated.

DODEA has yet to release a list of books removed as part of an ongoing compliance review directed by the Pentagon in early February.

In documents filed Wednesday in support of the ACLUs motion, parents describe repeated efforts to find out which books and curriculum topics have been shelved. Freedom of Information Act requests for such lists have so far gone unanswered, they say.

One of the plaintiffs on behalf of her three school-age children at Misawa Air Base, Japan, said the school librarian at Edgren Middle High School scolded her eighth grader for trying to check out books theyd heard were soon going to be removed.

Among them were The Giver by Lois Lowry, 1984 by George Orwell, Ground Zero by Alan Gratz and her daughters favorite book, A Handmaids Tale, by Atwood. All of those titles have since been removed, court filings state.

Although I have not been able to verify all of the contents, I received a list of the books removed and have been able to confirm that at least some of the books on this list are no longer in the library, the plaintiff stated in court papers.

For example, No Truth Without Ruth: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science were removed, according to the new complaint.

These are age-appropriate books that teach children about prominent historical figures lives, she said in court documents.

Another plaintiff on behalf of her two children who attend Crossroads Elementary School in Quantico, Va., described in court documents an exchange her active-duty husband had in his personal capacity with the district superintendent at a February school advisory meeting.

He posed a specific hypothetical, asking whether DODEA would have to teach that the world was flat if it had been instructed to do so, she said. The official confirmed that there was virtually no academic independence from DOD guidance, even in the case of the hypothetical.
A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet flies over the Red Sea in the U.S. Central Command area of operations on March 23, 2025. U.S. airstrikes degraded the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen but the group's smuggling network remains viable, according to analysts. (Gerald Willis/U.S. Air Force)



The Houthis are rearming for future fights and will continue to attack Israel, analysts say following a deal the Iran-backed militants struck with the White House to stop attacking Red Sea shipping in exchange for an end to crippling American airstrikes.

The agreement, which the Houthis characterized as an initial understanding, came after nearly seven weeks of U.S. bombing of more than 1,000 Houthi targets.

Those strikes killed top Houthi leaders, destroyed command-and-control sites and took out air defense systems, missile storage sites and drone stashes, the Pentagon said.

But a recent attack on Israels Ben Gurion Airport shows that the militants are still capable of firing long-range ballistic missiles. With their smuggling networks intact, the Houthis will use the pause to replenish their supplies ,Yemen analyst Nadwa Al-Dawsari said, adding that local monitors detected a major weapons shipment to the Houthis just last week.

For the Houthis, the ceasefire is not a concession but a calculated tactical pause, an opportunity to regroup, adapt and rearm, said Al-Dawsari, a fellow at the Geneva-based Center on Armed Groups, in an email.

The Houthis, who control Yemens capital of Sanaa, have survived 11 years of war with the countrys internationally recognized government and a supporting coalition led by Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the recent U.S. attacks represented an escalation beyond the previous administration.

But a full military defeat of the Houthis would require a ground operation, said Wolf-Christian Paes, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Such a move likely would be politically unpopular in the U.S. and costly, said Paes, a former member of the U.N. Security Councils expert panel for Yemen.

The Navy could have continued its airstrike campaign, which by some estimates has already cost more than $750 million. But its possible that the U.S. simply was running out of military targets, Paes said.

The Pentagon also has faced scrutiny over the loss of expensive military equipment, including at least seven $30 million MQ-9 Reaper drones destroyed by the Houthis and two F/A-18 Super Hornet jets due to mishaps aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in recent weeks.

A recent analysis from the Institute for the Study of War and the Critical Threats Project suggested that the Houthis have learned they can disrupt international shipping with minimal consequences.

They can basically restart this for any reason at any time they want, said Brian Carter, the Middle East portfolio manager for the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute.

The Houthi decision to halt attacks on shipping is reminiscent of an agreement with Saudi Arabia in 2022, after which the Houthis rearmed with the projectiles theyre using today, said Behnam Ben Taleblu, the senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The recent U.S. strikes on the Houthis did generate short-term effects, especially by killing top leadership, said Carter, who nevertheless expects the Houthis to reconstitute.

This ceasefire may have created a temporary lull, he said. But one day, the United States is going to have to deal with this once again.
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visit Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township, Michigan, April 29, 2025. (Chelsea FitzPatrick/U.S. Air Force)



The union representing Department of Defense Education Activity teachers is suing President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alleging they unlawfully suspended its rights to due process, free speech and collective bargaining.

The lawsuit  filed Monday by the Federal Education Association in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia  challenges a March 27 executive order that the union says illegally stripped it and two affiliated unions of collective bargaining rights.

The order, according to a White House fact sheet, was intended to ensure that agencies vital to national security can execute their missions without delay and protect the American people.

The order, which affects thousands of federal workers across 18 agencies and 25 subdivisions, has already been challenged by other federal employee unions. U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled on April 25 that key provisions of the order were unlawful, CNN reported that day.

The FEA, its stateside branch, and the Antilles Consolidated Education Association represent more than 5,400 teachers and staff at 161 DODEA schools. More than 64,000 students attend those schools in the United States and on overseas military bases, according to the complaint.

The suit contends the executive order is wholly unmoored from the narrow authority that Congress granted to the president to exclude federal agencies and agency subdivisions from collective bargaining for reasons of national security.

The complaint argues that Hegseth failed to use his authority to exempt DODEA  which the union says has no direct national security role  from the orders mandates.

The suit alleges that DODEA has already begun implementing the order, including eliminating payroll deductions for union dues.

The order violates the separation of powers held by Congress and the executive branch and disregards the Fifth and First Amendments, the suit claims. It further alleges the orders real purposes are to retaliate against federal unions for engaging in protected speech and petitioning activities.

Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, called the order a brazen, illegal attack and an attempt to silence the voices of our nations public servants, according to a March 31 report by Courthouse News Service.

A representative for the FEA could not be reached by phone or email after hours Wednesday at its Washington headquarters.

DODEA educators provide military-connected families with a world-class education, and they deserve to be respected and honored for their high levels of achievement  not have their rights taken away and their academic freedom trampled upon, the unions executive director, Richard Tarr, said in a Wednesday report by Military Times.
MILAN, Italy, May 8. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) interested in further supporting Caspian Green Energy Corridor Project if it proves commercially viable, Lyaziza Sabyrova, Regional Head, Regional Cooperation and Integration, Central and West Asia Department at ADB, said in an exclusive interview with Trend on the sidelines of the 58th Annual Meeting in Milan.



It started with a request from Azerbaijani government last year to help support three countries, namely Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, which already started themselves this work. We responded very quickly under CAREC program and we found grant financing to prepare feasibility study. We also looked for mobilization of other grant funds and got it also from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank,

she said.



Sabyrova noted that now work is underway for the pre-feasibility study of this project.



In April, we signed a memorandum of understanding in Baku with three ministries of energy, plus ADB, plus AIIB, on the start of this feasibility study. It will have two phases. The first phase of the feasibility study is a very critical first step in assessing technical, economic, and regulatory viability of potential interconnection between South Caucasus and Central Asia. It is a huge, very important and very transformational project, she said.



Sabyrova expressed confidence that the investments required for that will be huge.



I think there will be room for other international financial institutions and private sector to participate in investing in this project. But surely, if the feasibility study shows that the project is commercially viable, ADB would be very much interested in investing into this project,

she noted.



Talking about other green energy projects, Sabyrova said ADB has approved several energy-related projects in Azerbaijan, including the Banka, Bilasuvar and Alat solar power projects.



And in the past, ADB approved two loans for power transmission and distribution projects for $160 and $250 million. In addition, we provided slightly more than $1 million technical assistance grant for heat and sector decarbonization project, she said.



Middle Corridor Strategy



Under the CAREC program, we are now developing a strategy for the Middle Corridor, and we are looking at not just investments in roads or railways, but on the soft side also. We plan to complete the preparation of the strategy this year.



In June, we have senior officials meeting of the CAREC program in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyz Republic. We plan to discuss it and to present the study to national focal points there and get their feedback. And we plan to finalize that strategy for the Middle Corridor this year, she said.



Sabyrova noted that the ADB transport team is now doing a mid-term review of the overall CAREC transport strategy by 2030.



We are taking a fresh look at whether the strategy is still relevant or to adjust it a little bit. The previous CAREC transport strategy had several priorities. One of them was connectivity, focusing on roads, railways, and so on. Another direction was on road safety. It's very important in our CAREC region to make roads and transport safer place. Of course, we know that in many CAREC countries, including in South Caucasus, road safety is an issue sometimes. Another direction of the strategy was to pay attention to maintenance of road assets, which is also a very important part. That was the current strategy and now our team is looking at whether this strategy needs some adjustments, she said.



As for the Middle Corridor strategy development, Sabyrova said ADB is looking at the list of key bottlenecks where problems are, because this corridor is multi-modal.



Another element of the strategy is to look at technical regulations, at soft side, to harmonize procedures. All the transit procedures, clearance, customs procedures need to be made smoother for all countries along the corridor, especially for the transit traffic from, let's say, People's Republic of China all the way to Europe. We prepare the Middle Corridor strategy in coordination with countries involved. Recently in Baku, we had a consultation with Ministry of Transport and other relevant agencies in Azerbaijan, on the development of this Middle Corridor strategy, she said.



Sabyrova pointed out that ADB is doing it consultatively, including also with development partners, because now everybody is working on the Middle Corridor - World Bank, OECD, European Commission, and so on. So we coordinate with them as well.



Cooperation in digitalization



Sabyrova noted in that under CAREC program digitalization is a cross-cutting theme.



We try to look at digitalization and put it through everything that we do. In February this year, Azerbaijani government asked ADB to support implementation of the Baku Metro expansion project and it's a part of the state program from 2025 to 2030 on improving transport infrastructure in the city of Baku and the surrounding areas. We reacted in ADB quite quickly and have approved already a technical assistance to help preparation of the Baku metro expansion project. It includes several stations, about 20 kilometers of tunnels, installation of signaling and other systems. As part of this project, we are also developing a digital transformation component as an important part of the Baku Metro expansion project", she said.



In addition to that, Sabyrova also mentioned the CAREC Digital Strategy 2030.



Azerbaijan has so much experience in this already to share with our CAREC countries. For example, you have ASAN system. We tell other countries in CAREC about this experience of Azerbaijan. Our countries found it very useful and very interesting experience. And under our CAREC Digital Strategy, we are also helping our countries to establish ecosystem for startups. We also communicated with Sabah Hub Innovation Center in Azerbaijan, she said.



Overview of cooperation with Azerbaijan under CAREC program



She recalled that it has been 24 years of the CAREC program overall.



We invested $52.4 billion for all CAREC countries and out of that amount, $7.1 billion was invested in Azerbaijan. But it's not just ADB, but also funding from other development partners, from the government of Azerbaijan for regional projects under CAREC program. Most of it went to transport sector in Azerbaijan. In 2024, we approved two CAREC-related projects: one for railway sector program of more than $130 million which financed the upgrading of a section of designated CAREC railway corridor 6, and another for the Azerbaijan Railway Digital Transformation Project (a $47 million loan), she said.



Sabyrova pointed out that ADB prioritizes full utilization of opportunities from transit transport in Azerbaijan in its operations for this year.



Azerbaijan is a key player in the CAREC Corridor 2, also known as the Middle Corridor. Because of geographical location, of course Azerbaijan plays a crucial role in connecting trade and economic activities between People's Republic of China and Europe through the Middle Corridor, through Central Asia and Caucasus, she added.



Cooperation with Central Asian countries



Starting with Tajikistan, Sabyrova said ADB has quite a robust program for the next four years in the areas of climate resilient water resources, digital agriculture, energy transport, urban development, and social sectors and in some other areas.



ADB is developing a new country partnership strategy for Tajikistan. Talking about Tajikistan, we must mention Rogun, a large hydro project, and ADB is also participating in its financing in coordination with World Bank, who is leading the work, and many other development partners. That's another example of a significant and transformative renewable project, she said.



As for Uzbekistan, Sabyrova pointed out that it is a country with its very dynamic economy.



For the next few years, we have a very strong pipeline of projects in various sectors, very diversified program. We support agriculture and natural resources and rural development. We have projects in energy finance, public sector management, human and social development, transport and water resources and other urban infrastructure. We also try to make these ADB projects in the country well-balanced to include policy-based loans, supporting government reform agenda, and project financing she said.



When talking about the collaboration with Turkmenistan. Sabyrova noted that in terms of the volume of ADB lending and number of projects, the cooperation with Turkmenistan is at the early stages.



It's quite modest and we are now discussing new projects in line with the country partnership strategy which was approved quite recently. We are also talking about both urban solar power projects and water solutions. We are looking on a technical assistance under the Clean Energy Financing Partnership Facility for the development of solar projects. If it works out, it will be first of its kind technology in Turkmenistan and will have quite sizable impact for promotion of renewables, she said.



Sabyrova noted that ADB is also working on evaluation of wind potential for renewable energy development in this country.



We try to support Turkmenistan in diversification of the energy mix. Right now we work on projects in connectivity. Also there is some preparatory work in the health sector. So we are trying to expand our program in Turkmenistan. I think the potential for regional projects especially under CAREC Program, is huge. We need to work with government to develop this further, she said.



Further, talking about Kazakhstan, Sabyrova noted a robust cooperation with this country.



Kazakhstan is one of the upper-middle-income countries in the region with quite dynamic economy and we have very robust cooperation. Last year, we marked a 30-year partnership with Kazakhstan, she said.



Sabyrova recalled that last July ADB and Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC) signed a financing deal for about $123 million to expand the high-voltage transmission network in the southern region of Kazakhstan.



We hope that the project will be completed fairly soon, by 2027. This expansion will allow integration of large-scale renewable power generation into the grid, and to reinforce and stabilize power transmission in the south of the country, improve Kazakhstans energy security. The financing will support the construction of 500 kV overhead transmission lines and the reconstruction and renovation of the Shu, Jambul and Shymkent 500 kV substations.



These enhancements are expected to increase transmission capacity by 75%, a very sizable amount and improve the stability of energy supplies by eliminating overloading and reducing transmission losses, she concluded.
Keith Byrne had claimed during his trial in the eastern Spanish city of Tarragona the 36-year-old mum-of-one committed suicide

A FORMER soldier is facing up to three decades behind bars after being convicted of murdering his south Dublin girlfriend at their Spanish holiday hotel.

Jurors found Keith Byrne guilty after three days of deliberations of strangling Kirsty Ward to death with a hair straightener power cord after she told him she was leaving him.

The 34-year-old Irishman had claimed during his trial in the eastern Spanish city of Tarragona the 36-year-old mum-of-one committed suicide at their four-star Magnolia Hotel in the popular Costa Daurada resort of Salou.

He described himself as a respectful and intelligent father-of-three who would never commit an act of domestic violence - and demonised Kirsty as someone who could be four people in one day especially after binging on alcohol and cocaine he claimed made their romance toxic.

Keith Byrne

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

The trial judge announced he was retiring to consider his sentence after the jury decision late last night - as is normal in Spain - and Byrne is not expected to find out for nearly a month how much time he will have to serve.

A private prosecutor acting for Kirstys family said she was still seeking the 30-year sentence she argued for before and during the trial.

In a statement after the verdict, Kirstys family said: Our family wish to thank our private prosecutor Estela Cortes and her team for guiding, supporting and representing Kirsty, her son and our family at this very difficult and painful time; Javier Goimil the public prosecutor for his commitment and passion; the Spanish investigation teams and police for their expertise, empathy and understanding; and the jury for seeing and believing in what was the truth about our beautiful Kirsty.

Our family now request our privacy to be respected, while we grieve and come to terms with all that has happened during the past two years.

Public prosecutor Javier Goimil urged the judge to jail her killer for 20 years for his July 2 2023 crime, lowering his initial pre-trial demand by a year as he accepted Byrne's drug-addiction as a mitigating circumstance after jurors ruled he had "diminished mental faculties" when he killed Kirsty.

The killer was led handcuffed from the court after learning he was now a convicted criminal after nearly two years on remand in prison following his arrest.

Mr Goimil, a domestic violence specialist, rubbished Byrnes court claim Kirsty took her own life during his closing speech to the jury last Wednesday on the final day of the murder trial.

He claimed the former soldier, who had been living in Duleek, Co Meath, decided: Youre mine or youre nobodys and strangled his girlfriend to death because she wanted out of their stormy relationship.

He said the forensic evidence pointed to Kirsty had been strangled from behind between 8pm and 10pm on July 2 2023 after incapacitating herself with alcohol and cocaine.

He told the court: Byrne has adapted his version of events of what happened in that timeframe nearly two years on in accordance with the evidence hes learnt there is against him.

Hes saying Kirsty tied a cable round her neck and attached it to the door knob but in the state she was in it would have been impossible for her to do that and theres nothing showing there was a knot in the cable.

Kirsty Ward

Whats occurred here is a violent and painful death, a strangulation from behind where someone is pulling from the front to the back. This was not a suicide."

He added: She didnt leave a note for her son or her siblings or her mum and whats more she had bought a plane ticket back to Dublin for July 4.

Kirstys relationship with Byrne was very toxic, very intense and very emotional.

She decided to end it during the week they stayed at the hotel in Salou and her partner couldnt accept that decision.

His mindset at that moment was: Or youre mine or youre nobodys. You, woman, are no-one to say youre going to detach yourself from me the man and have your own independent life.

That was why he killed her the way he did.

He also said the amount of alcohol Kirsty had drunk before being killed would have impacted significantly on her ability to defend herself.

Kirstys mum Jackie Ward described Byrne as someone she didnt like and didnt trust on day one of the trial on April 23 and said she had found out after her daughters death she had planned to leave him during their make or break holiday.

She was asked as she gave evidence whether she thought her daughter, whose son Evan was 14 when she died, could have committed suicide but replied angrily: She did everything for her son. She would never ever leave him. She would never do that to him.

Jurors started deliberating on Monday after the May 1 Bank Holiday.

Byrnes defence lawyer Jordi Cabre had been seeking his clients acquittal before the jury verdict and afterwards asked the judge to hand down the "minimum sentence".

Jackie Ward described her daughter after her death as a fantastic friend to her parents and an absolutely adored daughter.

The Magnolia Hotel in Salou where Kirsty was killed

She told the congregation at the Church of John the Evangelist in Ballinteer, Dublin in July 2023 that she had been an amazing mum to Evan, saying: The two of them were an amazingly strong and tight team and I hope to continue the great work she has done.

To me she was a fantastic friend and an absolutely adored daughter to myself and John. She was a caring sister, a cherished granddaughter and much loved niece and cousin. A loyal and true friend.

An online fundraising appeal Kirstys family launched before the trial to help fund their legal costs has so far raised more than 32,000.

It emerged following Byrnes Spanish arrest that he was wanted in England by Royal Military Police for going AWOL after he left for Ireland in 2017.
Chelsea Stelma Cassule (25) gave her then partner access to her account, which was used to transfer the 300 proceeds of a fraud

A business graduate who let her con-artist boyfriend use her bank account to launder money should have known better, a court has heard.

Chelsea Stelma Cassule (25) gave her then partner access to her account, which was used to transfer the 300 proceeds of a fraud.

Judge John Hughes said she had not made any financial gain herself and adjourned the case at Dublin District Court for a probation report and 300 charity payment.

Cassule, of Brabazon Hall, Cork Street, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to money laundering  possession of crime proceeds.

The money was transferred into her account on April 22, 2020. She gave access to her then boyfriend to take it out.

Chelsea Stelma Cassule. Photo: Paddy Cummins

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

Cassule had no previous convictions.

Defence barrister Fergal McMorrow said Cassules boyfriend had told her he had got a job opportunity in Belfast and he was going to move there but needed a deposit and asked to use her account.

She had thought she was not doing anything wrong and she did not know her boyfriend was defrauding anyone. In the cold light of day, she accepted the story was a little bit fanciful, he said.

The accused had a business degree and had worked for an airline and a tech company. She was now pregnant and had a new partner.

Judge Hughes said Cassule had been a victim of this herself, adding that many people had been duped by fraudsters.

Adjourning the case to September, the judge said he would deal with the accused benignly if she paid 300 to charity and if the probation report is positive.
The accused garda has not indicated a plea and his barrister asked for disclosure of prosecution evidence.

A garda faces trial after a Brazilian delivery driver's leg was severed by a car on the M50 in Dublin in 2023.

Joao Henrique Ferreira, 24, who had lived in Ireland for five years, suffered serious injuries as he had been assisting friends in locating a stolen bicycle.

When the incident allegedly occurred, he was at a slip road to the motorway in Tallaght.

Following a probe by Fiosru, the police ombudsman (formerly GSOC), criminal proceedings have commenced.

Joao Henrique Ferreira (23)

Garda Neil Doyle, of Dundrum station, was summonsed to appear at Dublin District Court today on a charge of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm at Junction 11 north, at the M50 on October 28, 2023.

The garda, dressed in a suit and tie, stood forward when the case was called, but did not address the court.

The prosecution told Judge Michele Finan that this was the first listing of the case.

Lawrence Masterson BL, instructed by solicitor Daniel Hughes, representing Mr Ferreira, said his client had travelled back from Brazil solely for the proceedings and "was anxious for the court to hear from him about the seriousness of the injuries".

Garda Neil Doyle. Photo: Collins Courts

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

Judge Finan noted that the Director of Public Prosecutions had authorised the case to stay in the District Court if the accused pleaded guilty.

Otherwise, it would have to go to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.

Judge Finan held off on hearing an outline of the allegations.

The accused has not indicated a plea and his barrister asked for disclosure of prosecution evidence.

Judge Finan noted that Mr Ferreira was set to go back to Brazil for further prosthetic surgery in two weeks.

The prosecutor sought a four-week adjournment, which the judge granted.

She also ordered the prosecution to provide the defence solicitor, Liz Hughes, with disclosure of evidence "as soon as possible" so the garda's legal team can "consider his position" and his plea.

She told Garda Doyle he must return on June 12 to indicate a plea, and for the court to consider jurisdiction, and confirm his trial venue.
Mr Adams is suing the BBC over what he deemed to be a grievous smear in a broadcast 10 years later that alleged he had sanctioned the killing

A former Sinn Fein official who was murdered after being revealed to be an informer was thrown to the wolves by security services, Gerry Adams has told a libel trial.

Denis Donaldson was shot dead in 2006, months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent for 20 years.

Mr Adams is suing the BBC over what he deemed to be a grievous smear in a broadcast 10 years later that alleged he had sanctioned the killing.

Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams outside the High Court in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

The 76-year-old gave evidence yesterday for a sixth day as part of his defamation case against the broadcaster at the High Court in Dublin.

He claims a BBC Spotlight programme, and an accompanying online story, defamed him by alleging he sanctioned Mr Donaldsons killing for which he denies any involvement.

In 2009, the Real IRA admitted killing Mr Donaldson and the Spotlight programme was broadcast in September 2016.

The trial opened last week with Tom Hogan SC, barrister for Mr Adams, saying the former Sinn Fein presidents reputation as a peacemaker had suffered an unjustified attack because of the broadcast of the BBC programme.

Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams outside the High Court in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

Gerry Adams arrives at court as libel case against the BBC continues

On Wednesday, Mr Adams continued taking questions from Paul Gallagher SC, barrister for the BBC, on a range of issues including Mr Donaldsons role as an informer.

Mr Donaldson was one of multiple people who had been arrested as part of a police raid on Sinn Feins offices at Stormont in 2002 in search of documents that security services said the party had obtained illegitimately.

The charges were later dropped, and Mr Donaldson was revealed to be an informant before he was killed.

The Stormontgate spy ring scandal accelerated the collapse of powersharing, with the UUP pulling out of the institutions  and the secretary of state suspending the Assembly and Executive.

Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams outside the High Court in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

In court on Wednesday, Mr Adams said there was spin about a Sinn Fein spy ring and believed the purpose of the raid was to frighten unionist leadership.

He added: The charges were dropped and then the news went out that Denis Donaldson was an informer and the only people who could have put that out were his handlers, the only people  nobody else knew, they put that out.

Mr Adams said elements of the securicrat, who he deemed to be part of the security and intelligence services, thought Mr Donaldson was disposable and threw him to the wolves.

He also said an important part of the programme was the claim that the IRA had carried out the killing and that he had authorised it, which he said had been asserted without any conditionality whatsoever.

Gerry Adams outside the High Court in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

He said he took grave exception to the allegation, saying the killing came after efforts to bring about an end to the IRAs campaign of violence and put its weapons beyond use.

Mr Adams said his concern related to his good name in his community, among his peers, and among those he persuaded that there was a way forward out of violence  which was accepted by a vast majority of them.

He said: Now they were being told oopsie-daisy, the IRA hasnt gone away, the IRA has killed this man Denis Donaldson, and more than that: Gerry Adams was up to his neck in it and authorised it.

Mr Adams said he would not have subjected himself to the civil case if it was not for the grievous impact on his community, the Donaldson family and wider republican circles.

He added: Theres still people out there that think we sold out, that we are traitors and should be executed.

Asked by Mr Gallagher if he had taken up the broadcasters offer to conduct a pre-recorded interview or offer a written reply to the programme in advance, Mr Adams acknowledged he had been made aware of the allegations that were being made.

He said he did not avail of the interview as was his entitlement, and said that the allegations were wrong and made up of weasel words.

Mr Adams said the programme was to contain an allegation that a meeting he held with Mr Donaldson after he was revealed to be an informant was convened by the IRA and could be used as a court martial for him.

Mr Adams said this was incorrect and that it was he who asked for the meeting with Mr Donaldson under Sinn Fein structures, where he admitted to being an informer and was dismissed from the party under its own rules.

He said one did not have to be a genius to see what questions he would have been asked by Spotlight and alleged it was part of an agenda by the programme makers.

Mr Adams said: Denis Donaldson was 10 years dead at this time and this came out of the blue  what was all that about?

He added: I have the right and entitlement not to co-operate with a programme that I think Im justified in seeing as a straight ambush.

Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams outside the High Court in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

He added that the second hugely serious allegation was that he had been consulted by the IRA Army Council and authorised the killing of Mr Donaldson.

Mr Adams said this was at a time when the IRA had effectively stood down and the Donaldson family were campaigning for truth.

Therefore, he said he took umbrage with the allegation and was not prepared to engage.

Mr Adams said his solicitor gave the BBC a reply denying the allegations.

Asked if he had received a full reply from the BBC on the matter, Mr Adams said: I got an arrogant, offensive reply.

He said the public service broadcaster had to be accountable for what it does.

Earlier, Mr Adams told the court that he had been legally advised he would not get any sort of a fair hearing by challenging several other claims that he had been a member of the IRA.

However, he said the allegation in the Spotlight broadcast was a grievous smear that sets aside the huge work that was done by him on the peace process and to persuade the IRA to leave the stage.

While stating he was not able to specifically remember individual articles that were raised by Mr Gallagher, Mr Adams acknowledged that claims about him being a member of the Army Council of the IRA had been raised multiple times in public.

He said he was doing this to save the court time as Mr Gallagher was repeating questions time and time and time again.

Mr Adams further accused Mr Gallagher of trying to persuade the jury that he did not have a reputation or that his reputation was useless.

He said the BBCs lawyer was engaging in a smothering saturation of the jury with obscure quotes dating back 30-40 years.

Mr Adams said he brought allegations to his legal team as a matter of routine and added that he had repeatedly received legal advice that he would not get any sort of a fair hearing to challenge various claims made about him in the press.

However, he said he had taken action on a number of occasions by writing to editors or the Press Council which had resulted in retractions or apologies.

In the case of the action against the BBC, Mr Adams added: That shows how seriously I take this allegation in the Spotlight programme, that I am suing.

Former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams speaks with members of the public outside the High Court in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

He said he had sued against what he considers to be an issue that sets aside the huge work that was done by him and others on the peace process.

Mr Adams said the import of the programme was that his work to end the campaign of violence was a scam and that the IRA Army Council had authorised the killing of Mr Donaldson and asked Mr Adams for permission.

He said he considered this to be a lie and grievous smear which could have no other impact on the peace process but to undermine what was achieved.

Mr Adams said his solicitor had made a strenuous effort to get the BBC to deal with the matter outside of the courts, noting it was licence fee payers for the broadcaster that were paying for Mr Gallaghers services.

Asked if he was appalled by allegations that he was involved in the crimes of the IRA Army Council dating back decades, he said he would not use that word but would say he was irritated.

Mr Adams said allegations about him were getting in the way of his engagements on the peace process.

When Mr Gallagher raised how many people had been killed by the IRA, Mr Adams said: Please dont lecture me on the number of people who have been killed, adding that he gave thanks that a peace process had been put together to stop that.

He said he did not want to be egotistical as he considered himself to be as flawed as anybody else in the room, adding: I dont go around trumpeting my achievements.

However, he said he had  with others  achieved a peace process and built Sinn Fein to the largest party on the island.

Mr Adams said he acknowledged there were various allegations and assertions about his alleged involvement with the IRA and its crimes across various forms of media, including books, television and newspaper, spanning a period of decades.

However, he said he never acknowledged their accuracy nor correctness  adding: In fact, I deny them.

Mr Adams added: There are of course some folk who want to fight the war all over again and set aside the progress that has been made  and that includes those who killed Denis Donaldson, and Im sure whoever it was who would like to see me dead as well.

The case continues.
Derek Callaghan (65) pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on January 19, 2022

A grandfather who had a stellar career in the army has been given a three-year suspended sentence for possession of over 13,000 of cannabis.

Derek Callaghan (65) pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on January 19, 2022.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard evidence that when gardai searched Callaghan's address at Ashfield Grove, Huntstown, Dublin 15, they found 608g of cannabis, worth 13,608, in the house.

3,110 in cash was also found during the search, along with other drugs paraphernalia, a ticklist and a burner phone.

After caution, Callaghan accepted responsibility for the drugs, but denied selling them.

While gardai were in the house, they answered a phone and, on this call, a person asked for '25 bags'.

Callaghan also told gardai that the cash was savings. He denied selling drugs from his address.

When interviewed, Callaghan repeated his admissions. He said the cash was his, disputing that it had come from selling drugs.

Callaghan has one previous conviction for a road traffic offence.

The investigating garda agreed with Carol Doherty BL, defending, that Callaghan has an otherwise unblemished record and that it is strange for a man of his age to come before the court on such a serious charge.

He agreed that Callaghan had a stellar army career, has three adult children and grandchildren.

The garda further accepted that Callaghan had been put under pressure.

Ms Doherty asked the court to take into account the garda's evidence that her client was acting as a result of various forces in the background.

She said her client understands he engaged in criminal activity and must face the consequences of this.

(Stock image)

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

Her client is deeply embarrassed, ashamed and worried for his future. Counsel said Callaghan has two dogs and is concerned about their future care.

A number of testimonials, medical reports and other documents were handed to the court.

Ms Doherty asked the court to consider not imposing an immediate custodial sentence.

Judge Orla Crowe had adjourned the case having heard evidence earlier this month.

She said that the court sees every day the consequences of drug dealing, the misery and chaos that it spreads, not only to victims but also the children of drug dealers.

She said it is evident right throughout society in every conceivable way and Callaghan would have well known that this was the case.

Judge Crowe described this as a very unusual case in that he was an older man, who had otherwise lived a law-abiding life but she added that he was acting on his own volition.

She said a headline sentence of four years was justified in the case but reduced this to three years having taken the mitigating features of the case into account.

I am going to give this man a chance, Judge Crowe said before she suspended that three-year term for five years on strict conditions.
Osman Jallow (39) tried to discard more than 900 of the drug when gardai saw him in a transaction.

Jallow tried to discard more than 900 of cannabis when gardai saw him in a transaction

A man caught dealing cannabis on a Dublin street had no addiction himself and was in it for the money, a court heard.

Osman Jallow (39) tried to discard more than 900 of the drug when gardai saw him in a transaction.

Judge John Hughes adjourned the case for a community service assessment.

Jallow, with an address at Castlecurragh Heath, Mulhuddart, Dublin pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to sell or supply.

Dublin District Court heard gardai saw him acting suspiciously at Hanlons Corner, North Circular Road on October 20, 2020. When they tried to stop and speak to him, he ran and discarded a plastic bag.

Jallow tried to discard more than 900 of cannabis when gardai saw him in a transaction

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

Jallow was apprehended and the bag was found to contain 924 of cannabis while he also had 700 in cash on him.

He had no previous convictions. Getting involved in the sale and supply of cannabis was a massive mistake for Jallow, his solicitor said.

He came to Ireland in 2017 and was not initially allowed to work but was now employed in a bakery.

He had no difficulty with cannabis himself but had no income at the time.

He was in it for the money, Judge Hughes said.

Hes not shying away from that, the solicitor replied.
Martin Salinger (43) was found dead in his cell on D1 landing at Cloverhill Prison in Clondalkin on October 5, 2024.

A prisoner who suffered a violent death in Cloverhill Prison in Dublin last year had to be identified by fingerprint evidence due to the extent of his injuries, an inquest has heard.

Martin Salinger (43), a horse and carriage driver from Ballyfermot, was found dead in his cell on D1 landing at Cloverhill Prison in Clondalkin on October 5, 2024 following an alleged row.

The deceased, who came originally from The Liberties, had been in the prison for a couple of months after being remanded in custody on drugs and firearms offences after gardai recovered a handgun and 20,000 worth of cannabis from a property in Ballyfermot.

Martin Salinger

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

It is understood three prisoners were in the two-man cell at the time of the fatal incident.

One of the other occupants of the cell also sustained injuries during the incident and required treatment in the prison infirmary.

Detective Garda James Cunningham of the Garda Technical Bureau told a sitting of Dublin District Coroners Court on Thursday that he attended Cloverhill Prison for the removal of Mr Salinger in a body bag from the cell on the morning of October 5, 2024.

A horse-drawn carriage carries a floral tribute to Martin Sallinger

Det Garda Cunningham said he subsequently attended Dublin City Mortuary in Whitehall where a postmortem was carried out during which finger and palm prints were taken from the victims body for identification purposes.

The coroner, Crona Gallagher, said a statement from Forensic Science Ireland confirmed the identity of the body as that of Mr Salinger.

Dr Gallagher revealed that the results of the postmortem showed that the deceased had died from blunt force injuries to the head, neck and face.

Inspector Brian Hanley applied for an adjournment of the case under Section 25 (2) of the Coroners Act on the basis that criminal proceedings have already been initiated in relation to Mr Salingers death.

Dr Gallagher granted the application and adjourned the case for a date to be fixed after the conclusion of any criminal prosecution in the case.

No member of Mr Salingers family attended the brief hearing but they were aware of the proceedings.

Another prisoner, Liam ONeill (30) of Garrison Mews, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin was charged with the murder of Mr Salinger at a court sitting last December.

Mr ONeill was also charged with assault causing harm to another prisoner during the same incident.
A prison nurse was jailed for six months after she admitted to misconduct in a public office following their relationship

A criminal who had flings with two prison workers has been sent back to prison after he spent a week on the run.

Harri Pullen (27) was arrested after he was caught dealing drugs, only to flee custody in a getaway car after requesting to use the bathroom.

The gang member was released from prison after serving a four-year sentence in Bridgend, Wales, only to be nabbed for selling crack cocaine on his e-bike.

He was discovered with five wraps of crack cocaine, a burner phone, an iPhone and 90 inside a bum bag.

When detained, he told police he had a pain in his head and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Pullen escaped in a getaway car when he was permitted to go to the bathroom.

He was still wearing handcuffs as he ran through the hospital car park and ambulance bay to escape.

Officers ran after him, but he managed to get away when he jumped into a car that fled at speed.

One week later, he was found hiding in a farmhouse and tried to escape again but eventually surrendered.

Julia Cox, defending, told the court that her client was immature and suffered from hypochondria, believing that he had a brain tumour.

This was not anything that was pre-planned. It was more opportunistic than that.

It was upon his familys attendance at the hospital that he, in his words, lost his head.

Pullen pleaded guilty to 11 charges, including drug possession, escaping custody, and dangerous driving and will return to prison for six years.

During his previous stint behind bars, he had flings with a prison officer and a nurse.

Ruth Shmylo (26) was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with Pullen between December 2020 and April 2021 while she was working at HMP Parc in Wales.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Pullen passed Shmylo a note with his phone number on it. She said she pushed it back, to which he threatened her, asking: Do you know what youve just done?

Prison officer Ruth Shmylo

She told the court that Pullen had initiated phone sex with her, and she repeatedly asked him to stop, adding that she viewed it as sexual harassment.

Shmylo was found not guilty of misconduct in public office and walked free following the trial.

In 2022, 27-year-old medic Elyse Hobbs was jailed for six months for having an inappropriate relationship with Pullen.

Convicted drug dealer Harri Pullen

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

The Manchester woman admitted to misconduct in a public office while working at HMP Parc. Cardiff Crown Court heard the pair met when Hibbs was giving Pullen medical treatment.

He was moved to HMP Manchester  commonly known as Strangeways Prison  after concerns were raised about the inmates behaviour.

Hibbs handed her phone number over to friends of Pullen who had asked them to track her down online.

They then engaged in flirtatious conversations over a six-week period in 2021.

Elyse Hibbs

Hibbs eventually asked Pullen to stop contacting her, and she resigned from her job.

Days later, she was arrested and struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe told the court that their conversations were "wholly inappropriate".,

"The conversations do contain several references to the defendant asking the inmate not to contact her, nevertheless the contact does continue.

"They also reveal the inmate thought very little of the defendant; he was quite clearly manipulating her."

Adam Sharp, defending, said that the contact happened while the inmate was in a different prison, adding that his client didnt make any gains from the romance - financial or otherwise.

"The misconduct was not face-to-face, it wasn't even within physical proximity to each other."

He also said his client, who was 23 at the time of the offence, "young, impressionable and relatively inexperienced" and "emotionally vulnerable".
The death of Charles OMalley (88) who lost his life when his vehicle entered the water at Glen, on Clare Island on Tuesday afternoon has been met with profound shock and sadness in his native Mayo

The family of well-known Clare Island ferry operator Charles OMalley who died after his vehicle entered the water on Tuesday afternoon have said they will be forever grateful to those who came to help.

The death of Mr OMalley (88) who lost his life when his vehicle entered the water at Glen, on Clare Island, has been met with profound shock and sadness in his native Mayo.

He was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was removed to Mayo University Hospital, where a post mortem examination was due to take place.

Gardai have appealed for witnesses but are said to be treating the matter as a tragic accident.

The 88-year-old from Strake on Clare Island was the proprietor of O'Malley Ferries and through his business activities was among the best known personalities in his native island.

Mr O'Malleys body will be brought by boat to repose at his home in Strake from 9.30pm tonight ahead of his funeral mass and burial tomorrow.

Charles OMalley

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

According to his death notice on RIP.ie, Charles O'Malley (better known as Charles Gerry, of Strake, Clare Island, Co Mayo, the proprietor O'Malley Ferries, died on May 6, tragically following an accident, aged 88 years.

He is the son of the late Gerry and Agnes and brother of the late Mary Maher, Nora McNamara and Philomena O'Malley.

Sadly missed and remembered with love by his wife Pauline (nee O'Malley), daughters Bernie, Maria, & Cathriona, sons Charles & Gerard, brothers Michael & Josie, sons-in-law Gay & David, daughter-in-law Annmarie.

The notice also refers to Ger's partner Tina, his adored grandchildren Darren (Katie), Niamh, Louise, Cathal, Emma, Farrah, Brayden, Noah, & Cullen, great-grandchildren Charlie & Callum, his brother-in-law Michael Bob, sisters-in-law Ann & Eileen, the extended O'Malley families, cousins, and a wide circle of friends, the Island community, and the many generations of people he skippered to Clare Island.

Charles will rest in repose at Sweeney's Funeral Home, Louisburgh on Thursday, from 5pm, concluding with Vigil Prayers at 7pm.

This will be followed by removal to his home via Roonagh Pier, where Charles will travel home on his own boat the Tormore to repose at his home in Strake from 9.30pm on Thursday night.

Removal on Friday from his home will be at 12.30pm, to arrive at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Clare Island for 1pm Mass of Christian Burial, followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery.

The notice adds that the O'Malley family will be forever grateful to all those who assisted them and Charles on Tuesday May 6, An Garda Siochana, the Coast Guard, Achill RNLI, and the island community.

In the condolences section, people have left messages to Pauline and all the family on death of Charles.

One offers: Our heartfelt condolences to Pauline, Maria, Bernie and Catriona, and a special mention to Ger, Chuck and Michael Gerry, you and all Charles Family and in laws, neighbours, Friends and neighbouring Islands who mourn his loss, our thoughts are with you all.

Another adds: To say we are saddened, shocked and heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of Charles is an understatement.

He was one kind gentleman and served us all well for many years. We are thinking of you all and pray God will strengthen and comfort you all at this difficult time and in the weeks and months ahead.

Sincere condolences to Pauline, Bernie, Maria, Charles, Catriona, Gerard and extended family. May his gentle soul rest in eternal peace.

Paying tribute to Mr OMalley, Councillor Chris Maxwell described him as a pillar of the Clare Island community.

Charles was salt of the earth, a gentleman, he said.

People are devastated by this news. He was just a lovely man who had a kind word for everyone he met.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 8. Kazakhstan's Air Astana is forced to cancel flights KC 907/908 on the route Almaty - Delhi - Almaty and KC 291/292 on the route Almaty - Mumbai - Almaty from May 8 due to the closure of the airspace between India and Pakistan, Trend reports.

According to information, passengers on the canceled flights will receive a full refund for their tickets.

At present, the airline is working on the possibility of organizing repatriation flights via alternative routes to return citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan and other Air Astana passengers to their home country, the Air Astana statement said.

On the night of May 7, India shelled Pakistan. Islamabad called it an act of war and responded with strikes. Civilian casualties were reported on both sides.
Rebecca Barrett posted that her husband Justin is in good spirits and will be undergoing angioplasty early tomorrow morning

The wife of far right party leader Justin Barrett has revealed that he suffered a heart attack and will be undergoing surgery in hospital.

Rebecca Barrett posted that her husband is in good spirits and will be undergoing angioplasty early tomorrow morning.

Just home from the hospital, she shared in an update on X alongside a picture of Barrett in a hospital bed.

Was able to bring the eldest in with me and he was so happy to see his dad and get another cuddle.

Justin is still in really good spirits. Latest update is hes going for an angioplasty, early Friday morning, she adding while thanking everyone for all the prayers and kind messages.

Justin Barrett in bed recuperating

Ms Barrett had earlier written to friends, allies, supporters, both personal and political in relation to a statement I want to make.

I make this statement to convey information, because myself and my husband have always been honest and transparent. I am however, personally, hesitant to share it for reasons I will explain in a moment, she wrote.

This Sunday, my husband Justin Barrett suffered a heart attack. He was brought to our local hospital after I called an ambulance. He is stable and in good spirits. He is still currently in hospital and will need more time to rest and recuperate.

Barrett at the Michael Collins ambush site at Beal na Blath in west Cork

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

Thankfully though, and after many prayers, he has been told he will make a full recovery. This is an incredible blessing and we as a family are so very thankful.

"He has told me he has no intention of going anywhere and leaving his loving family and his beautiful country behind. He fully intends to recover and get back to work.

She then shares that this brings me however, to my reasons for hesitancy in sharing a statement about this.

To put it bluntly, our enemies, and many who will call themselves our friends, will use this against him. They will call my husband unfit to lead and make snide comments about physical incapability.

Justin Barrett, right, at a protest outside Leinster House last November. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

My husband is the strongest man I know. He has braved so much for this country and for his beliefs, and he has such strength of character and determination. I am in awe of him every day of our lives.

He has been mostly concerned about myself and the children and how we are coping throughout all this, and he has also been concerned about letting members and supporters of Clann Eireann know why he might not be at the forefront of the goings on the Nationalist movement in the coming days.

She adds: I would hope that the number of those who will offer prayers, well wishes and their support, will far outweigh those who will use this as an opportunity to criticise and speak against my husband. He will make a full recovery, and he will continue to lead Clann Eireann as we fight to protect and defend our Ireland.

She signs off: Ar son na hEireann  Rebecca.

Justin Barrett has long been a controversial far-right figure on the fringes of Irish politics, with strong views against abortion and immigration.

Barrett, who has unsuccessfully run in national and European elections, fronts a group called Clann Eireann following his split from the National Party that was founded in 2016 on a right-wing anti-immigration and anti-abortion platform.

In October 2023, the new leader of the National Party described former leader Barrett as a tout and informer for going to gardai about 400,000 of gold bars owned by the party and members.

James Reynolds also lashed out at Barrett for quoting Hitler and giving Roman salutes while leading the party and called him a coward for not dealing with him directly.

Mr Barrett is a former member of militant Catholic organisation, Youth Defence, and was in the past criticised for attending neo-Nazi rallies in Europe. He was the chair of the No to Nice campaign and ran as an election candidate.

In September of last year, he declared Adolf Hitler to the greatest leader of all time while posting an image of the Nazi leader in response to a question by Europe Invasion on X.

He has also appeared in a video unveiling a new protection unit of his party called An Sciath Naisiunta, (The National Shield), or the SN as he described it, at the Michael Collins ambush site at Beal na Blath in west Cork.

Mr Barrett also said the protection unit would act within the law but would also be ready to defend itself with as much violence as is necessary.

Wearing a dark black jacket, black gloves, a military-style hat, brown shirt and black tie, Barrett addresses the camera, a group of masked men all dressed in black hold tricolours aloft as well as the partys logo.

Justin Barrett. Photo: Niall Carson/PA

During his speech that was later posed on YouTube Barrett warned that while the SN is not here to create violence, he will protect himself from the foreign invader.

We in the SN are here for the determined will to see that Irelands voice will be heard no matter who tries to silence us, he declared.

We will act within the law. We will act as peaceful as we can, but we will also be ready to protect ourselves and defend ourselves with as much violence as is necessary.

Make no mistake, Ireland is standing up.

The SN has claimed that its units had already been active in certain parts of the country to hand out literature and to protect the streets.

A Fine Gael councillor who was instrumental in securing a statue of Michael Collins in Cork City dismissed Barretts mini rally at the Beal na Blath monument as absurd.

Justin Barrett and his followers are a bunch of buffoons in fancy dress, Cllr Shane OCallaghan told The Examiner.
The scenes in Bundoran, Donegal of an IPAS centre being placed right adjacent the local childrens school is a disgrace

MMA fighter Conor McGregor has voiced his support for those opposing an International Protection Applicants Centre in Co Donegal as a further protest is planned for this weekend.

The Department of Justice has confirmed a new International Protection Applicants Centre has been approved at The Viscount, Bayview Avenue, Bundoran.

The building has the capacity for 70 people in 21 rooms and it is believed it will be for families and couples seeking international protection.

The contract has been signed for one year.

The property has previously been contracted to the Department to provide accommodation for Ukrainian citizens.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said, On 18 March, the local community was informed that accommodation will be provided at the Viscount Guesthouse, Bundoran, Co Donegal to families and couples seeking international protection.

"Our Community Engagement Team provided information on the property and type of accommodation to be provided directly to elected representatives, the Local Authority and other relevant groups.

These measures improve the flow of information regarding arrivals into an area.

"They also help the local community understand the current situation and to assist with the welcome and integration process for new arrivals.

"The Department also works closely with a number of other government Departments and Non-Governmental Organisations to provide a wide range of supports to help new arrivals to integrate into an area as quickly as possible.

"Further information on our community engagement process is available online at gov.ie/communityengagement.

Conor McGregor. Photo: PA

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

The news of the centres approval has sparked concerns among local residents due to concerns over inadequate local infrastructure and facilities.

A protest was held earlier this week to object to the plans while a further protest has been planned for Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Bundoran.

Meanwhile, Conor McGregor has voiced his support for the protests.

In a post on X, Mr McGregor said,

"Irish government has got to go!

The scenes in Bundoran, Donegal of an IPAS centre being placed right adjacent the local childrens school is a disgrace.

The fears of the worried parents protesting felt nationwide.

This government must not remain.

Victory to the Bundoran community!

Victory to Ireland!
Former RSA Mount president and veteran pilot Derek Williams recalls when he first fell in love with flying.

It was all about the feel, the 87-year-old told SunLive.

It was that love that started his flying career, leading him to fly over the Mount Maunganui Dawn Service during Anzac Day for 40 years.

Now he is retiring.



Williams first qualified for his private pilot licence in 1955.

Where is all started

At the end of World War II, Williams saw the Americans build the Waharoa aerodrome close to his hometown of Matamata and a passion for flying was born.

An 18-year-old Williams would obtain his private licence in 1955, eventually acquiring enough hours in the cockpit to qualify for a commercial licence in 1960.

He gained his license in the de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth, he said.



Williams obtained his commercial pilot licence in November 1960.

Despite having qualifications as a commercial pilot, he never entered the Royal New Zealand Air Force; instead, he enrolled in the New Zealand Army during the 20th Compulsory Military Training.

It bugged me, I had my commercial licence and they did not even look at me.

Despite that, Williams said he enjoyed his time in the army as a radio operator and gunner on Valentine tanks.

It taught you discipline, you learnt to behave yourself.

The New Zealand Government discontinued the programme in 1972.

Williams served three months in the army before finding work as a top-dressing pilot in 1961.

He amassed more than 592,000 take-offs and landings and sprayed 363,448 tonnes of fertiliser across 57,000ha.

A top-dressing pilot is a specialised agricultural pilot who flies aircraft (usually small fixed-wing planes) to spread fertilisers, lime, or sometimes seeds over farmland.

He would retire from top-dressing in 2014, after 53 years on the job.

I was 77 when I retired, now at 87, I am an old b**stard.

In his career, Williams would top-dress in Malaysia, deliver and fly planes to Norfolk Island and the Solomon Islands.

Meanwhile, escaping the odd crash, he said.

In 2000, he wrote off a Fletcher plane in Cambridge.

The engine seemed to lose power, and I left the strip. I hit something, and it went all dark. When I stopped, I thought I must be dead.

But I opened the canopy, the engine was ripped out, and I had gone through a trough, and the muck on the bottom had covered the aeroplane.

A second crash in 2001 in Northern Borneo resulted in his plane bursting into flames.

It was on fire within about 20 minutes and was a heap of ashes.

The early years of top-dressing were a dangerous time; 100 pilots died during 1949-1980, he said.



Memorabilia from Williams time with the RSA.

Anzac Day flyovers

Williams flew over the Mount Maunganui Dawn Service for 35 years before becoming president of the Mount RSA in 2016.

His first Anzac Day fly-by was in 1980.

He did a handful more, following his stint as Mount RSA president, but could not get behind the controls as his medical clearance was revoked this year.

I had to get a mate to fly the aeroplane.

Williams said he wants to get his medical clearance back but is unsure how that conversation with the doctor will go.

The doctor said to me. How many pilots at 87 are still flying?

How the h*ll would I know? Williams said.
The Tauranga City Councils chief executive has defended the $91.9 million, 15-year cost to lease its new building, saying this enables the council to adapt to a changing workforce.

The councils 1000 or so administration staff have started moving into the eight-storey eco-building at 90 Devonport Rd in Taurangas CBD.

It is the first time the staff would be under the same roof since 2014, when black mould was discovered in the now-demolished Willow St civic administration building.

The lease has an annual rent of $6,129,511 plus $313,352 for 65 carparks.

The council is leasing the building from Willis Bond, having sold the property developers the land in 2021 for $8.5 million.

Council chief executive Marty Grenfell said he was looking forward to having all the staff together and the collective culture it would bring.



Tauranga City Council chief executive Marty Grenfell in the new chambers at 90 Devonport Rd. Photo / Tauranga City Council

He was asked if the council had considered owning and constructing the building itself at potentially a lower cost than the lease.

Grenfell said: Owning and managing a building of this nature is not necessarily our [the councils] core business.

The lease of 15 years, plus three five-year extensions, would enable the council to cater to the needs of staff in 20 to 30 years time, he said.

Over that time, its likely that the needs of office space changes.

Otherwise, were stuck with bricks and mortar.

Grenfell said the fit-out cost of $33.5m over 30 years for the building was a very modest spend and complete value for money.

The council had calculated the cost of staff time walking between the old leased staff buildings at $1m a year, Grenfell said.

Arguably, over the period of time, the fit-out cost would be paid for by productivity.

Stepping inside

Local Democracy Reporting toured the building ahead of staff moving in.

The full glass facade is softened as you step inside, with huge pine structural beams bringing nature indoors.

The $45m building is the countrys largest mass timber office, with more than 2000 tonnes of New Zealand timber.

Built by LT McGuinness, it has a 6 Green Star Design rating and features rainwater harvesting, electric vehicle charging and facilities that encourage active commuting.



LT McGuinness project director Craig Body. Photo / Tauranga City Council

LT McGuinness project director Craig Body said not damaging the timber elements during construction was challenging at times.

This was a finished product right from day one, so everybody had to treat it like a piece of skirting or a piece of scotia [moulding].

Body said the use of timber cut down noise  screws in wood rather than drilling into concrete.

Prefabricated timber sped up construction and six people put in the structural elements, he said.

Steel frames seismically connected the timber structure to the ground, making it a hybrid building, Body said.

The first floor has council meeting chambers and a councillors lounge. A cafe would lease ground floor space and be open to the public, with outdoor dining.



Warren and Mahoney principal architect Asha Page designed the interior fit-out. Photo / Tauranga City Council

Natural inspiration

Warren and Mahoney principal architect Asha Page designed the $33.5m interior fit-out, which included meeting rooms, offices, flooring finishes, electrical, digital and IT.

She said level two was her favourite floor because it felt like you were in the pohutukawa tree growing on the harbour side of the building.

The tree inspired the interior colour palette, earth tones mirroring the trunk on lower floors, then blue to represent the harbour, green like the leaves, with the top floors red like pohutukawa in bloom, said Page.

The pohutukawa was also a sacred symbol of the past, present and future for mana whenua, she said.

The Lockwood-esque wooden interior features are broken up with soft furnishings, carpets and greenery.

Page said they had reused as much furniture and fittings as possible from the other buildings.



The internal staircase at 90 Devonport Rd was designed to encourage connection between people. Photo / Tauranga City Council

An internal wood staircase aimed to encourage connection between people, getting them out of their seats rather than using the elevator, Page said.

Humans will easily walk up or down one or two flights of stairs, so you really start to see the workplace as a whole building, not just as where you sit on one floor, siloed with your team.

Its a tried-and-true method of creating a really vibrant or connected workforce.

Page said staff had been spread across three buildings, so they wanted to maximise the ability for people to come together.

It also tied into one of the buildings design principles  taura here  binding people so theyre stronger together, she said.

Between 600 and 700 people would work in the building on any given day.

Level five was the anchor floor with the kitchen, seating and an events area.



Council Te Pou Ahurea cultural adviser Josh Te Kani and Warren and Mahoney principal architect Asha Page. Photo / Tauranga City Council

The top floor houses the mayors office, which has views of Mauao and the Kaimai range.

The smaller deputy mayors office next door shared the Mauao view.

Maori design principles

The values used to design the building were developed with mana whenua, Ngati Tapu and Ngai Tamarawaho hapu, said council te pou ahurea cultural adviser Josh Te Kani.

Te Papa houkura and Te Papa manawa whenua, referencing the fertile land and springs of the Te Papa peninsula, were about keeping the environment healthy.



The mayor's office on the top floor of 90 Devonport Rd. Photo / Tauranga City Council

The other two were Te Papa o nga waka, meaning people could find safe anchorage, and Te Papa kainga o te iwi  the home of the people.

Its not just creating a building but creating a living environment where those values can be living alongside of us and grow with us.

Council staff are to be fully moved into the building by Monday

The first council meeting is to be held in the new chambers on Tuesday.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Taurangas Maori ward councillor Hemi Rolleston plans to prove to the community that having a Maori ward is a good thing.

Rolleston was sworn into his Te Awanui ward seat on Thursday after a powhiri at Hangarau Marae in Bethlehem.

He won the recent Maori ward byelection with 543 votes, taking up the seat his nephew Mikaere Sydney was unable to fill.

The byelection was triggered after Sydney resigned from his position in January.

Sydney was elected to the council in July 2024 but was unable to take up his position due to illness.

Sydney was one of many of Rollestons whanau and friends at the powhiri. More than 100 people attended.



Mayor Mahe Drysdale, Mikaere Sydney, Hauata Palmer and Hemi Rolleston at the powhiri on Hangarau Marae. Photo / Alisha Evans

Rolleston said he had come full circle being a councillor because he previously held leadership roles at Tauranga City Council.

The 56-year-old, who has whakapapa to Ngai Te Rangi, Ngati Ranginui, Ngati Whakaue and Te Arawa, lives in Matapihi.

Rolleston said he brought energy, connectivity, passion and authenticity to the table.

There were big challenges around retaining the Maori ward, he said.

My job is to do a good job, to prove to both our Maori community and our wider Tauranga community that its a good thing. If I do that, I believe the rest will take care of itself.

Some brave decisions were made to create this seat, against a lot of resistance and those decisions will continue to have to be made.



Mayor Mahe Drysdale and Hemi Rolleston as Rolleston read his councillor's oath. Photo / Alisha Evans

Mayor Mahe Drysdale congratulated Rolleston on his win.

Establishing the Te Awanui ward in Tauranga in 2020 was a milestone for the city, he said.

The Maori ward was created to provide a dedicated voice for Maori electors and to reflect their community interests within the councils decision-making processes.

In becoming a councillor Rolleston was committing himself to make good decisions on behalf of the whole community, Drysdale said.

Decisions that will help achieve our vision that Tauranga becomes the best city in New Zealand.



Ngati Hangarau kaumatua Tawharangi Nuku welcoming guests to the Hangarau Marae. Photo / Alisha Evans

Drysdale also acknowledged Sydney and said it was great to have him at the powhiri and see he was improving quickly.

Speaking after the meeting, Rolleston said the powhiri at his marae was humbling and uplifting.

It fills me with so much pride and so much passion to make a positive difference for this moana.

I know theres lots of hard work in front of me but Im excited and Im up for the challenge.

Asked if he had any goals as a councillor, Rolleston said he didnt enter the election with any promises other than to work hard, listen and bring the community with him.

I come here to work hard, build strong relationships around the table, and make a positive difference for this beautiful city, Tauranga, that were all proud to be part of.

If its good for Maori, its good for Tauranga. And if we do good things in Tauranga, theyll be good for Maori as well.



Tauranga City Council has a full team of 10 councillors with Te Awanui ward councillor Hemi Rolleston taking his seat. Photo / Alisha Evans

Drysdale told Local Democracy Reporting it was very exciting to have a full team of councillors.

The council hoped Sydney could have joined them but seeing him at the powhiri was pretty emotional, Drysdale said.

The biggest challenge for Rolleston was he had to hit the ground running.

The rest of the councillors had been doing the job for eight months already, Drysdale said.

Weve got to work with him to ensure that hes up to speed and that he can start adding immediately to our decisions.

This could be the only term with a Maori ward after the Government directed councils to rescind Maori wards established after 2021 or hold a binding referendum on them.

The council must decide on the future of the Maori ward by November 30, 2026. If the council votes to retain the Maori ward, a referendum must take place by March 28, 2027.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Marubeni Corporation has signed a long-term agreement with ExxonMobil for the annual offtake of around 250,000 tons of low-carbon ammonia from ExxonMobils planned facility in Baytown, Texas, Trend reports.

The ammonia will be primarily supplied to the Kobe Power Plant, operated by Kobe Steel, and will support Japans efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

ExxonMobils facility is expected to begin operations following a final investment decision in 2025, pending regulatory approvals and supportive policies. It is designed to produce up to 1 billion cubic feet per day of low-carbon hydrogen and over 1 million tons of low-carbon ammonia annually, with approximately 98% of CO emissions captured.

Marubeni has also agreed to acquire a stake in the project and aims to use this supply chain to decarbonize power generation and other industrial sectors in Japan and Southeast Asia. The Kobe Power Plant plans to begin co-firing ammonia by fiscal year 2030.
Almudena Nogues Malaga Thursday, 8 May 2025, 08:11 | Updated 08:28h. Compartir

There is a new change to the weather in Spain's Andalucia region and a warning has been issued. As Samuel Biener, climatology researcher and editor of the Meteored portal, has explained, the anticyclonic blockade in the British Isles has already consolidated and will allow stormy showers to increase over the rest of the week in a large part of Spain. "This configuration will favour a retrograde trough to slide over the southern flank of the high pressure, affecting our country," he said. And the Andalucia region will also be affected by this scenario of instability.

At the moment, the state meteorological agency (Aemet) has activated a yellow warning for this Thursday for heavy rain and storms in Almeria province. The warning will be in force between 12 noon and 9pm in the Almanzora Valley and Los Velez. In this area, the forecast suggests accumulated rainfall of 15mm in one hour and storms "which may be accompanied by hail".

For today, the Aemet forecast points to "very cloudy or overcast skies with occasional showers, more likely and intense in the area of the Strait and in the mountains, which may be locally heavy and accompanied by storms and hail in the eastern inland areas in the afternoon". Temperatures, meanwhile, will fall, except for the highs, which will remain unchanged on the coast. The highest maximum is expected in Malaga, with 24Cs, followed by 23 degrees in Almeria. Winds will blow light to moderate westerly with moderate westerlies on the Mediterranean coast during the central hours of the day.

Zoom Rain forecast for Andalucia at 1pm today (Thursday). Aemet

"From the morning, showers will gain ground in several regions of Spain, although the most complicated situation is expected in the central hours and in the afternoon," Meteored reports. "According to our reference model, storms will be heavy in the Valencia region, inland Murcia, Aragon (Teruel and Huesca), Castile-La Mancha, inland areas of Catalonia, eastern mountain ranges of Andalucia, Madrid, southern Castile and Leon and Galicia. In many areas of the Mediterranean slope, they will remain active until the night", Samuel Biener explained.

The European Severe Storms Laboratory warns of a high probability of large hail (more than 2 cm) in areas of Spain Valencia region and the Murcia region, without ruling it out in parts of Castilla y Leon, the mountain ranges of eastern Andalucia and the extreme east of Castilla-La Mancha.
Hector Barbotta Seville Thursday, 8 May 2025, 17:18 Compartir

Operation 'Crossing the Strait', which will run from 15 June to 15 September, will this year see an increase of between 4% and 5% in the number of passengers, which means exceeding three and a half million people. These are the estimates for what will be the 36th year of this operation that organises and oversees the passage from mainland Spain to North Africa of migrants resident in Europe as they return to their countries of origin to enjoy their summer holidays.

These forecasts, outlined at a meeting of government officials from both countries held this Wednesday in Cadiz, anticipate 12,012 turnarounds of transport vessels, some 8.4% more than the previous year, according to Spain's Ministry of the Interior.

The meeting served to coordinate the arrangements prepared by both countries to manage the flow of movements between the two continents, which in Spain's case is included in the country's 'special civil protection plan' that, in turn, sets out the details of the operation being drawn up by Spain and Morocco.

This special plan has three main objectives: to assist Maghrebi citizens with whatever they need during their journey through Spain, to achieve good traffic flows on national roads and to reduce waiting times at all ports of embarkation.

A 5% increase in the number of vehicles and a 4% increase in the number of passengers are expected

The operation involves the participation of 20 different entities across central, regional and local governments and associated agencies. It involves nine seaports: Melilla, Ceuta, Valencia, Algeciras, Almeria, Motril, Malaga, Tarifa and Alicante. They are joined by over 29,000 people belonging to state security forces and border control, health workers and volunteers from the Red Cross, social workers and translators.

Estimates

Those attending the meeting predicted a 5% increase in the number of vehicles that will travel somewhere in Spain this year as part of this year's operation compared to last year, when 847,429 vehicles were recorded. They also predict 4% more passengers, who numbered 3,442,770 in 2024.

Operation Crossing the Strait of Gibraltar (OPE in Spanish) has been running since 1986 and manages the outward and return transit of North Africans travelling from several European countries to North Africa during the summer season. It is the largest operation of its kind in Europe and one of the most important in the world.

OPE 2025 will begin on 15 June and will be active until 15 September. As in previous years, it will include an initial departure phase and a subsequent return phase. At the meeting held this Wednesday, the undersecretary for Spain's Ministry of the Interior, Susana Crisostomo, said that the OPE is "an example of good coordination between neighbouring countries and of the great preparatory work of our technical teams."
Jennie Rhodes Riogordo Thursday, 8 May 2025, 10:48 Compartir

A visit to Malaga province at the end of April by a group from the Valkeakoski City Theatre in Finland, organised by Asociacion Cultural Augmenters, a non-profit Finnish-Spanish cultural association based in Andalucia, was "a big success," according to organisers.

The group stayed in Riogordo in the Axarquia and visited Malaga city and other towns and villages in the province. "The group loved it here and they are planning to come here next year for seventy-fifth El Paso. They loved Riogordo and the activities we organised for them," Kristian Kaarna from Augmenters told SUR in English.

The visit formed part of an Erasmus+ learning mobility program. "The five-day learning period took place in the village of Riogordo and the city of Malaga. During the trip, participants explored local culture, traditions, and nature, but above all, the focus was on building intercultural understanding and dialogue through shared artistic experiences," explained Kaarna. The actors and musicians from Valkeakoski performed at Riogordos's Casa de La Plaza in front of an audience of local residents.

Zoom SUR

The programme formed part of Valkeakoskis Erasmus+ adult education initiative for 20232027, which supports international training and exchanges for both staff and adult learners. The aim is to support student well-being through culture, art, and events, to enhance skills, and to strengthen European identity and cultural understanding.
Jesus Hinojosa Malaga Thursday, 8 May 2025, 16:33 Compartir

Malaga's importance on the national technological scene is once again evident in a project plan submitted to the city council and which the municipal urban planning department has included in its business accelerator unit due to its importance in terms of business investment and job creation. The project involves the construction of a large data processing centre on a 17,000-square-metre plot located on Calle Canada, on El Viso industrial estate near the Teatinos campus.

Behind this project is Box2Bit, a subsidiary of the company Capital Energy, which in recent years has announced the construction of three other similar, but larger, data centres in Aragon and Castilla-La Mancha, worth 6.3 billion euros. According to SUR, the Malaga data centre would require an investment of 279 million euros and would generate around 80 permanent jobs, as well as over 450 other jobs during its construction.

The city's planning department (Urbanismo) stresses that this data processing centre is of strategic value to the city "due to the nature of its business, production, technological innovation, economic volume and improved employment levels." This data processing centre, dubbed Olive Urban, will play a key role due to its geographical location, as it will act as a data gateway from southern Spain to the rest of the country and Europe.

This facility will house powerful servers for data storage, network equipment and security systems to store, process and distribute digital information. To this end, the company is filing a formal request with Urbanismo to modify the conditions given in the city's plans (PGOU) for this plot of land. Specifically, it aims to change the layout, avoiding the need to build a street that splits the site in two and serves as an extension of the Calle Quito axis, thereby crossing the channeled Las Canas stream with a bridge.

For this project, the ideal would be to construct a single, compact building capable of housing the powerful servers that this centre will have. However, in order to improve the connections on this site, the construction of a bridge is planned to widen the axis of Calle Canada over the existing stretch of stream parallel to Calle Rosamunda, which connects Avenida de Ortega y Gasset with the Guadalhorce valley motorway.

The project will create 80 permanent jobs and over 450 jobs during construction

The proposal presented to Urbanismo consists of a building of some 15,000 square metres (the PGOU allows it to reach a height of three or four storeys), of which 12,770 square metres will be used for data storage equipment and 2,250 square metres for admin purposes. Photovoltaic panels and an electricity substation are also planned so that the centre can be powered by renewables.

In recent years, Box2Bit has announced the construction of three data centres in Aragon and Castilla-La Mancha. However, construction work has not yet started, as it is still awaiting resolution of various urban planning procedures. In the case of Aragon, it announced last year the opening of a data centre in the town of Carinena (Zaragoza), with an investment of 3.4 billion euros, creating 350 new jobs. In Castilla-La Mancha the company submitted plans to build two more data centres in 2022, one in Torija (Guadalajara) and the other in Recas (Toledo), with an investment of 2.9 billion euros and an estimated 400 jobs.

However, these projects, which are larger than the one planned in Malaga, have not yet materialised. For example, the Torija project will occupy a site of 112,000 square metres. What does seem clear is the commitment of this subsidiary of Capital Energy to promote these actions, within the dynamic undertaken by this company to divest itself of its renewable energy projects, focusing more on data centres, a segment in which Malaga has gained an important role in recent years.

Capital Energy is in the midst of a crisis due to falling energy prices and difficulties in accessing financing. It has opted to withdraw from its roots - the wind farm and photovoltaic business - and focus its efforts on data centre development.
Jennifer Aniston attends the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images) Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

A man was arrested on Monday after crashing his car into the front gate of Jennifer Anistons Hollywood home. However, this was not a freak accident.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, from New Albany, Miss., has since been charged with stalking and vandalism in connection with the crash, per a news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office on Wednesday.

Between March 1, 2023, and May 5, 2025, Carwyle has been accused of repeatedly harassing Aniston and sending her unwanted social media, voicemail, and email messages.

This all culminated on Monday when he drove his vehicle through her front gate, causing substantial damage. Aniston, who is best known for her role as Rachel Green on Friends and currently stars on Apple TVs The Morning Show, was home during the incident, but not harmed.

If Carwyle is convicted on these charges, he faces three years in state prison.

Besides what Carwyle had privately sent the actress, he also posted about her on his Facebook multiple times during the given time frame. On March 26, he wrote: Ive been writing, since the Beginning Jennifer Joanna Aniston Carwyle, with you, per NBC News. Not only did he correctly cite her middle name, but he also added his last name onto hers.

In another post from late 2024, he claimed unnamed forces were keeping him from Aniston. If someone out there can reach Jennifer Joanna Aniston Carwyle, let her know about the corruption going on trying to keep Me from her, you will be Blessed, he wrote.

Carwyles childhood friend Steve Rhea told NBC News on Tuesday that Carwyle had left Mississippi in September to live out of his car in the parking lot of a Walmart Supercenter in the L.A. suburb of Burbank.

Carwyle previously held a well-paying job as an automobile service technician, but quit five years ago. Ever since, his behavior has become more concerning, with Rhea noting that the Carwyle believes hes a Christ-like figure who is married to Aniston.

Aniston has yet to speak out about the incident.
Nordquist, 24, who was originally from Minnesota, was tortured and killed in Canandaigua in January 2025. Seven people have been charged in his death. Provided photo

New York  Sam Nordquists name will be added to the national LGBTQ+ wall of honor at the historic Stonewall Inn in New York City over the summer.

The International Imperial Court Council and the National LGBTQ Task Force will induct seven trans individuals on June 26 in celebration of Pride Month, according to a news release from the task force Monday.

As the transgender community faces relentless attacks and erasure, all those added this year are transgender advocates and trail blazers, said Cathy Renna, the communications director for the task force.

Nordquist, 24, who was originally from Minnesota, traveled to the Finger Lakes area last September to meet Precious Arzuaga, his online girlfriend. He wanted love, but authorities and others say he was met with manipulation, lies and torture after arriving in the small city of Canandaigua.

In Room 22 of a motel, he was repeatedly sexually assaulted and brutally beaten with multiple objects in January, police said. Nordquist died as a result of the month-long torture. His body was found by police in Yates County on Feb. 13.

All seven defendants  Arzuaga, Emily Jean Motyka, Jennifer A. Quijano, Kyle R. Sage and Patrick A. Goodwin, Kimberly L. Sochia and Thomas G. Eaves  were charged with first-degree murder for killing Nordquist in an especially cruel manner with the intent to inflict torture on him before his death, said Kelly Wolford, the Ontario County first assistant district attorney at a March news conference in Canandaigua.

Nordquist was chosen for the wall of honor because his death mobilized the LGBTQ+ community and brought light to the on-going epidemic of violence in the trans community, the task force said.

As we continue to fiercely battle against attacks on our trans and nonbinary communities, we are honored to uplift their legacies, Renna said.

The other six honorees include Ruddy Martinez, Chili Pepper, Lynn Conway, Alan L. Hart, Jiggly Caliente and The Lady Chablis. (More on the those being honored.)

The wall of honor was started in 2019 with 50 names to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. Each year, more honorees are added, joining a living memorial of LGBTQ+ legends.

On June 28, 1969, a series of spontaneous riots and demonstrations broke out against a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Many consider it a pivotal moment that sparked the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States.

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.
This is 410 Carbon St. in Syracuse. Google image

Syracuse, N.Y.  State Police arrested a Syracuse man Thursday following a two-month long narcotics investigation where they found drugs, a gun, drug paraphernalia and cash.

Members of the violent gang and narcotics enforcement team executed a search warrant at 410 Carbon St. in Syracuse, according to a news release from State Police.

Troopers said it was a known stash house, being used as the base of operations for drug sales. It didnt appear that anyone was living in the house, they said.

At the house, police found a loaded Ruger .380 LCP pistol, 50.1 grams of crack cocaine, 190.3 grams of MDMA, $2,252 in cash and drug packaging materials and a scale, troopers said.

Officers arrested Kevin Q. Pullins, 39.

He was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and third-degree criminal possession of a narcotic drug.

He was also charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm and two counts of second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia.

Pullins is now in the Onondaga County Justice Center waiting for arraignment.

This is Pullins third felony drug arrest.

In 2010, Pullins was sentenced to two years in state prison after pleading guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, according to Onondaga County Clerks Office records.

In 2006, he was sentenced to a year at Jamesville Correctional Facility for fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, county records show.

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.
Azerbaijan sees decline in smartphone imports from Vietnam

Azerbaijan imported 26,645 smartphones from Vietnam in January and February 2025, costing approximately $11.7 million. This marks a decline of about 26.6% in volume and 5.6% in value compared to the same period last year. The average price per smartphone from Vietnam increased by 28.5%, reaching $440. Overall, Azerbaijan imported 183,109 smartphones worth $54.2 million, with shipments coming from countries including China, India, South Korea, Georgia, and Vietnam.

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Chloe Fineman plays an exotic dancer in "Summer of 69," American High's latest film shot in the Syracuse area including at the Diamond Dolls strip club. The movie premieres May 9 on Hulu. (Disney/Brett Roedel) Disney

A Saturday Night Live star worked hard to bring her latest character to life.

Chloe Fineman, who plays an exotic dancer in American Highs new movie Summer of 69, told Seth Meyers that she learned Mikey Madison prepared for her Oscar-winning role in Anora by visiting actual strip clubs. So Fineman sought out to do the same.

I was like, Okay, well, were working at Diamond Dolls in Syracuse. Like, Ill hang out with these gals, Fineman said in a new interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers Monday.

Fineman said she met a stripper named Khaos (pronounced chaos) at Diamond Dolls.

She is the head chef and best dancer at the club, Fineman said of Khaos. Jack of all trades. Oftentimes, she would be doing a dance on the pole and be like, Oh, man, and a smoke alarm would go off, or vice versa, flipping a burger and be like, Oh, thats my song, and go out.

Its very different in Syracuse. The strip club is, like, literally next to a metal sheet yard.

Summer of 69, co-written and directed by Jillian Bell, follows an awkward high school senior (That 90s Show star Sam Morelos) who hires a stripper (Fineman) to help teach how to seduce a crush who has a certain preferred sexual position. Charlie Day (Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia) plays a sleazy misogynist who threatens to take over Diamond Dolls, the gentlemens club where Finemans character works.

Scenes were filmed at the real Diamond Dolls, the Syracuse club confirmed. The movie was shot around the Syracuse area last year and is set locally.

Chloe Fineman stars in "Summer of 69," a new American High movie filmed in Syracuse. (Disney/Brett Roedel) Disney

Khaos, whose real name is Bailey Kocik, told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that she and four other dancers have little parts in the movie, too. She did a lot of dancing on stage and even showed Fineman a couple tricks. She also saw Day on set, but did not get to interact with him.

Kocik said the production used Diamond Dolls for about two weeks. From what she saw, the cast and crew cared a lot about making scenes look accurate.

Were one of the best clubs in Syracuse, Kocik said. We hold ourselves very highly as an establishment and being able to be in the movie, it was a very great experience.

Fineman and Morelos told Deadline last month the scenes at Diamond Dolls were especially fun thanks to a loaded cast. Former SNL writer Paula Pell plays Betty Spaghetti, the owner of the strip club; Nicole Byer (Nailed It!) and Liza Koshy (A Family Affair) play exotic dancers; and former SNL star Alex Moffat is the club DJ.

Fineman and Koshy also trained for their roles at Studio 360 Pole & Dance, a pole fitness studio in Syracuse. Owner Liz Cox said they worked with choreographer Travis Wall (of So You Think You Can Dance fame) and their own trainer.

They were all absolutely sweethearts and even came and took class after they were done filming with some other friends, Cox said.

Fineman even posted a video of herself on the studios pole and Koshy posed for a photo.

"Summer of 69," the latest film from American High, features (L-R) Paula Pell, Nicole Byer and Liza Koshy working at a strip club in Syracuse. (Disney/Brett Roedel) Disney

Alicia Flinn, a co-owner of Aeriform Studio in Solvay, told syracuse.com she saw them practicing in high-heeled shoes at Studio 360 and was impressed by their upbeat energy.

They looked great, Flinn told syracuse.com. They looked like they were having a really good time. I think that theyll look awesome for the movie because they were working for hours in there.

Fineman, an SNL cast member since 2019, told Meyers that she had experience doing competitive dance at a young age. She said she wasnt very good at it, which is partly why she went into comedy.

Anora walked so Chloe Fineman, in heels, could dance kind of OK, she joked.

Summer of 69 premieres Friday, May 9, on Hulu. Its part of American Highs first-look deal with the Disney-owned streaming service.

Its the 20th movie shot in the Syracuse area by Liverpool-based production company American High. Headquartered at Syracuse Studios (the former A.V. Zogg Middle School and Liverpool high school), the studio also makes American High Shorts and other movies shot in Central New York like Prom Dates, Miguel Wants to Fight, Sid is Dead, Its a Wonderful Binge, I Love My Dad, Crush, Sex Appeal, Plan B, The Binge, Big Time Adolescence, Looks That Kill, The Ultimate Playlist of Noise, Holly Slept Over, Banana Split, Empire Waist, and upcoming films starring Kevin James and comedian Matt Rife.

Sam Morelos, left, and Chloe Fineman star in "Summer of '69," a new American High movie about an awkward high school senior who hires an exotic dancer to help seduce her longtime crush before graduation, leading to unexpected friendship and lessons in self-confidence, acceptance, and adulthood. (Disney/Brett Roedel) Disney
Vimala Mohandraj, the owner of Dakshin Indian Cuisine. The restaurant will open this weekend in Armory Square. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)

(In First Look, we visit a new restaurant or bar in Central New York to give readers an idea of what to expect. If you know of a new place, email me at cmiller@syracuse.com or call/text me at 315-382-1984. If I take your suggestion, I just might buy you a meal.)

****

Syracuse, N.Y.  It took a winch, two planks of wood and nerves of stainless steel to get the 800-pound tandoor oven through the back of a downtown Syracuse restaurant.

And that was the easy part.

The real work started decades earlier in a thatched-roof home in South India, where a young girl stirred lentils over an open flame for her younger siblings. That girl grew up, became battle-tested and armed with family recipes passed down through generations.

Vimala Mohanraj is opening Dakshin Indian Cuisine in the old Kasai Ramen spot on Walton Street.

Dakshin means South in Sanskrit, she said, standing beside the new clay oven in her kitchen. This is where I come from. And this restaurant is everything Ive been working toward.

Dakshin opens for takeout this Sunday, Mothers Day, with full dine-in service coming in July.

This is not just another Indian restaurant; its the only restaurant in Syracuse devoted solely to the vibrant, coconut- and spice-forward flavors of South India.

Yes, therell be naan, biryani and Chicken 65. But Dakshin is different.

Basmati rice at Dakshin Indian Cuisine. The restaurant will open this weekend in Armory Square. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)

Mohanraj has opened three other Indian restaurants over the years, two in New Jersey and one in Albany. This one, she said, is the most personal yet.

She moved to Central New York in February after losing her previous business and her mother to COVID-19. Upstate reminded her of home. Then she saw the Kasai space was available.

I opened the business on my sons birthday, signed the lease on mine and opening on Mothers Day, she said. This place already feels like family.

She moved here from India in February. She got off the plane at JFK and drove straight to Syracuse to sign the lease. Now she lives five minutes from the restaurant.

The two-story space on Walton Street still has the moody brick walls, the stage and the bar from its ramen days. She plans to keep it rustic but elegant. Think Bollywood nights, live music and marble tabletops. Indian beer and wine will flow from the bar as the two chefs from South India prepare a full menu of her recipes.

I dropped in last week for a sneak peek and a bite (or five). Heres what I found:

You must try ...

Chicken 65 ($12.99): Crispy, spicy, deep-fried chicken chunks marinated in South Indian spices. A Chennai classic, and absolutely addictive.

The Chicken 65 appetizer at Dakshin Indian Cuisine. The restaurant will open this weekend in Armory Square. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)

Mulligatawny Soup ($5.99): A warm hug in a bowl, made with yellow lentils, coconut milk, turmeric, cumin, and vegetables. Rich, comforting and a gentle kick.

Mulligatawny soup at Dakshin Indian Cuisine. The restaurant will open this weekend in Armory Square. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)

Chicken Dum Biryani ($16.99): Bone-in chicken cooked with caramelized onions and aromatic basmati rice. Served with cooling raita, this bone-in chicken dish comes out hearty, fragrant and deeply satisfying.

Chicken dum biryani at Dakshin Indian Cuisine. The restaurant will open this weekend in Armory Square. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)

Rice Pudding ($4.99): Made with jasmine rice, milk, saffron and cardamom. Its slightly less sweet than most rice puddings, with a touch of brown sugar and honey when its made for kids.

I want the flavors to come through, she said. Can you taste those flavors?

Yes, Vimala. I sure can.

Rice pudding at Dakshin Indian Cuisine. The restaurant will open this weekend in Armory Square. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)

Each dish is unmistakably hers, born from years in her home kitchen cooking for family and community. Even the bread  kerala paratha, a layered flatbread made with flour, egg and oil  is handmade in-house.

And that massive tandoor is just getting started. Its seasoning now with a paste of salt, yogurt and spinach. Once its ready this week, itll fire up naan, roasted meats and kebabs for years to come.

The new tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven, at Dakshin Indian Cuisine. The restaurant will open this weekend in Armory Square. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com)

When Mohanraj opens Dakshin for in-house dining, she plans on hosting special nights and live music on the downstairs stage.

This place isnt perfect, she said, glancing around the space. But thats what I love about it. It has character. It has heart.

Just like the food she serves: full of heart.

The Details

Venue: Dakshin Indian Cuisine, 216 Walton St., in Syracuses Armory Square

Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. & 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. & 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.

To order: Call (315) 565-5465 or online at dakshinny.com. Takeout-only starting May 11; full dine-in opens in July.

****

Charlie Miller finds the best in food, drinks and fun throughout Central New York  no freebies, no favors, just honest eats. You can call or text him at (315) 382-1984 or email cmiller@syracuse.com. Follow @HoosierCuse on Instagram and X, and sign up for his Where Syracuse Eats newsletter here.
The Hall of Language circa 1875. The west tower contained a 600-pound bell. Note the center tower is missing. It was added in 1886. The building is said to have served as the inspiration for the Addams Family House, which debuted in 1938. Home to the College of Arts and Sciences, it remained the only building on campus for more than fifteen years, until the opening of Crouse Memorial College, in 1889, which was the work of Whites former associate, Archimedes Russell. Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association

At half-past 2 on the afternoon of May 8, 1873, the new college bell rang out brightly, calling the assembled crowd, led by Chancellor Alexander Winchell, to order inside the magnificent new edifice that looked out from its perch high above the bustling city below.

For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace. The Mountains and hills before you and the trees of the fields clap their handsand it shall be to remember the Lord, an everlasting sign.

With those words, the quartette of vocalists ceased, ending the opening hymn, Seek ye the Lord, at the dedication of the Hall of Languages on Piety Hill.

It had been nearly two years since the cornerstone was laid for the first building on Syracuse Universitys new campus.

Over the ensuing century and a half, the city and the university grew up together like siblings in symbiotic relationship that has benefitted both entities to an extent that the citizens gathered there on that beautiful May afternoon could have only dreamed of.

The story of that springtime celebration began amidst a bitter Central New York winter.

In February 1870, the Methodist Church held its annual state convention in the bustling Salt City. During the meetings, members of the church leadership, who were embroiled in a protracted controversy with Genesee College, a Methodist school in Lima, NY, passed a resolution to found a new university in Syracuse, a city ripe with opportunity and one where Methodism had thrived for decades.

The Myers Block located on the corner of Montgomery and East Genesee Streets, circa 1875. Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association

Overcome with joy, Reverend Jesse T. Peck, a graduate of Cazenovia Seminary and the presiding member of the convention, pledged a staggering $25,000, including his future earnings, towards the $100,000 needed to fund this new Christian endeavor.

Pecks generosity spurred three other attendees, including the firearms manufacturer, Eliphalet Remington Jr., of Ilion, N.Y., Francis Root, Rev. J.H. Crawford, and Syracuse salt baron and judge, Hon. George F. Comstock, to pledge the remaining funds.

On March 30, 1870, the Secretary of State for N.Y. certified the articles of incorporation for Syracuse University. Accordingly, Rev. Peck was elected the President of the Board of Trustees. Judge Comstock offered fifty acres of his land holdings in the southeastern part of the city adjacent to Oakwood Cemetery, overlooking Onondaga Lake, for a very fair price.

Rev. Peck and the Board purchased the so-called Comstock Tract and began planning the construction of the campus. It would be a place dedicated to the advancement of religion and science.

Work proceeded. Just a few days after Rev. Peck laid the cornerstone for the Hall of Languages on August 31, 1871, the fledgling university held its first classes in the Myers Block, on the corner of Montgomery and East Genesee Street in downtown Syracuse.

That first class was comprised of 41 students, including seven women. While the students toiled in their classrooms in the Myers Block, scores of laborers toiled to build the universitys new home.

Designed by noted local architect Horatio Nelson White, whose Onondaga County Savings Bank (Gridley Building) was completed in 1867, the Hall of Languages is a beautiful example of the Second Empire Style.

Costing nearly $130,000 ($2.7 million in 2020), it was constructed out of Onondaga limestone quarried in the valley. The limestone contains the fossilized remains of the areas very first inhabitants, sea life and coral, vestiges of the massive sea that once covered the region.

Local stonecutters and masons, Randall and Nesdall, supervised the project. Their stone yard was located on the corner of South Salina and Jackson Streets (the current site of the Syracuse Community Health Center).

They utilized cutting-edge construction techniques, which mixed wood, iron and masonry to build the iconic structure. The eyes of the city were transfixed on the project. According to the reports in the Syracuse Courier, the work had been of great interest to the people of Syracuse from the time the first sod was turned, such that scarcely a stone has been laid that can not be recognized by some one of our citizens.

Accordingly, the joy, satisfaction, and pride were palpable on dedication day of our university, as it was called by the Courier.

Among the dignitaries assembled in the Hall of Languages chapel that day were Peck, now a Bishop, Andrew White, the first President of Cornell University (White, in fact, had once pressed Ezra Cornell to locate his university on the very same spot), and Frederick A. Barnard, President of Columbia.

The festivities that day were marked by solemnity and gaiety. Hymns were sung alongside the newly incorporated University Glee Clubs rendition of the bawdy satire, Kafoozalum that was so well-received the crowd called for an encore.

As the revelry subsided, Bishop Peck, the man who had labored so intently for over three years in bringing this day to fruition, articulated the difficulty in realizing the power of an idea.

The university, and the new Hall of Languages, were the manifestation of an idea that arose in the mind of a single man but was found at length to be a general idea.

He thanked the community and various business departments for their support, financial and otherwise in creating a university that Peck was certain would be equal to the emergencies of the future.

Among the several speakers of the day, it was Frank Barnard, the President of Columbia, the states oldest college, who offered up a vision that tied Americas past and rapid ascent among the nations of the world with the importance of institutions of higher learning and the diligence required of an educated citizenry.

Harkening back to the American Revolution, then only a century off, Barnard lauded the hardy pioneers whose chief requisite was physical force. NO longer though, Barnard commented, was the sword mightier than the pen and the axe more powerful than either.

Education, he continued, too much neglected in those days had produced brilliant educational galaxy of which Syracuse University was but the latest borne of this lustrous family.

Barnard argued that the rapid developments in manufacturers made during the last decades were but the latest examples of the indebtedness of the arts chiefly productive of wealth to science. Science, according to Barnard, was a system of learning, and universities like Syracuse were central to that system.

As he neared the end of his remarks, Barnard echoed the sentiments of many of the Revolutionary generation, when he reminded the audience only eight years removed from the ravages of the Civil War, the countrys second revolution, that the American education system was essential to the security of the largest welfare and highest happiness to the people and to the permanent maintenance of their justly prized political institutions.

As such, it was his hope that it would never be overlooked or inadequately provided for.

Robert Searings weekly articles are supported by the William G. Pomeroy Public History Media Series. To learn more about the William G. Pomeroy Foundations work to promote public history, visit wgpfoundation.org.
Syracuse Democratic mayoral candidates, from left, Pat Hogan, Sharon Owens and Chol Majok laugh before the start of a forum on environmental issues hosted by WCNY on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Jeremy Boyer | JBoyer@syracuse.com) Jeremy Boyer I JBoyer@syracuse.com

Syracuse, N.Y.  The environmental impact of the planned Micron microchip complex north of Syracuse was the most contentious issue at a Wednesday night debate for candidates seeking the Democratic nomination in the citys mayoral race.

Syracuse Common Councilors Chol Majok and Pat Hogan and Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens spent about 50 minutes answering questions related to the environment at a forum hosted by WCNY in partnership with the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund.
Former Le Moyne College English professor Patrick Keane passed away on May 2. His obituary said he loved a dark pub and a game of darts. Courtesy of Barron Boyd

At some point, I felt like I had to live, Le Moyne College English Professor Patrick J. Keane said in 1994, discussing his time-consuming passion of being a scholar of Irish poet and novelist James Joyce.

At some point, I felt like I should go out and have a bite to eat.
President Donald Trump's tariffs could hit U.S. farmers hard, according to a new analysis. Combines line up before a corn harvesting demonstration at the Husker Harvest Days farm show in Grand Island, Nebraska, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019. (Nati Harnik | AP Photo) Nati Harnik | AP Photo

If President Donald Trumps first term is any indication, his new batch of tariffs are likely to hit farmers in rural areas that supported him strongly especially hard.

Bankruptcies and farm consolidation could both surge, according to The Guardian. Big corporations are likely to benefit at the expense of independent farmers.

The Guardian cited a new analysis from Food and Water Watch, a nonprofit research advocacy group.

The analysis found that Trumps tariffs during his first term were particularly devastating for farmers in rural MAGA heartlands, the Guardian said.

U.S. farms suffered as nations hit by Trumps tariffs responded with their own, limiting the market for American exports.

Farm bankruptcies rose 24% from 2018 to 2019, the biggest number in nearly 10 years. Retaliatory tariffs levied by other nations in response to Trumps actions cost farmers in the U.S. about $27 billion, according to the Guardian.

In addition, the number of farms fell at the highest rate in two decades, with the smallest operations hit hardest, the Guardian said.

Areas of the country that were among Trumps biggest backers could end up getting hurt most this time around.

President Trumps first-term trade war hurt independent farmers and benefited corporations, offering a warning of what is to come without a plan to help farmers adjust, said Ben Murray, senior researcher at Food and Water Watch, according to the Guardian.

Trumps latest slap-dash announcements will likely further undermine U.S. farmers while benefiting multinationals who can easily shift production abroad to avoid high tariffs. Farmers livelihoods should not be used as a foreign policy bargaining chip. Chaotic tariff tantrums are no way to run U.S. farm policy.

Trump has argued that his tariffs will ultimately result in new jobs and investment in the U.S. He has said theyll push companies to return manufacturing to the country.

American farmers are already feeling the effects of Trumps latest trade war.

Agriculture exporters say the global backlash to Trumps tariffs is punishing them, especially through a drop in Chinese purchases of U.S. farm products, according to CNBC. Data released in late April, for example, revealed China ordered its largest cancellation of pork orders since 2020.

A shipment of 12,000 tons of meat was halted.

It is a full-blown crisis already, said Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, a leading export trade group for farmers, according to CNBC.

Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska told The Hill that the agriculture community is worried.

Were already seeing an impact on our exports in Nebraska, where weve lost market access in Europe primarily  particularly with our beef and popcorn and things like that, he said, according to the Hill. So, we are going into a recession in the Midwest farm community.

Trump imposed steep tariffs on an array of nations and goods in early April, although he later paused most of them for 90 days. He left stiff tariffs in place on China.

Most goods from China are now subject to tariffs of 145%. China responded with its own levies totaling 125%.

The standoff has effectively stopped trade between the two nations, although officials from both countries are set to meet in Switzerland this week.

Trumps tariffs have caused upheaval in financial markets and sparked fears of product shortages and price hikes. Americans are giving the president poor marks in recent polls, especially on his handling of the economy.

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
New York State Police released this photo of a suspect accused of breaking into cash registers at three eateries in The Shops at Ithaca Mall food court on April 23, 2025. NYS Police

New York State Police are looking for a criminal with a sweet tooth.

Troopers said a woman hopped the counter and attempted to break into cash registers at three different eateries in the food court at The Shops at Ithaca Mall on April 23. She successfully stole cash from one register and additional money from a tip jar.

She was not able to get into the cash registers at two other eateries, but did make herself a slushy drink at one of them, police said.

Police released a photo of the suspect Thursday. Anyone with information about their identity is encouraged to contact New York State Police at 607-561-7400.

"Are you able to help us ID this person?" police said in an alert. If you know this counter hopping, slushy lover, give the NYSP a call.

The Shops at Ithaca Mall, formerly known as the Pyramid Mall Ithaca, is located just outside Ithaca in Lansing, N.Y. Police did not specify which restaurants or food stands were broken into.

Police listed the case number as NY2500346933.
A sign in front of the entrance of the Security Administration's main campus on March 19, 2025, in Woodlawn, Maryland. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images/TNS) TNS

Darius Tahir, KFF Health News (TNS)

Rennie Glasgow, who has served 15 years at the Social Security Administration, is seeing something new on the job: dead people.

Theyre not really dead, of course. In four instances over the past few weeks, he told KFF Health News, his Schenectady, New York, office has seen people come in for whom there is no information on the record, just that they are dead. So employees have to resurrect them  affirm that theyre living, so they can receive their benefits.

Revivals were sporadic before, and theres been an uptick in such cases across Upstate New York, said Glasgow. He is also an official with the American Federation of Government Employees, the union that represented 42,000 Social Security employees just before the start of President Donald Trumps second term.

Martin OMalley, who led the Social Security Administration toward the end of the Joe Biden administration, said in an interview that he had heard similar stories during a recent town hall in Racine, Wisconsin. In that room of 200 people, two people raised their hands and said they each had a friend who was wrongly marked as deceased when theyre very much alive, he said.

Its more than just an inconvenience, because other institutions rely on Social Security numbers to do business, Glasgow said. Being declared dead impacts their bank account. This impacts their insurance. This impacts their ability to work. This impacts their ability to get anything done in society.

They are terminating peoples financial lives, OMalley said.

Though its just one of the things advocates and lawyers worry about, these erroneous deaths come after a pair of initiatives from new leadership at the SSA to alter or update its databases of the living and the dead.

Holders of millions of Social Security numbers have been marked as deceased. Separately, according to The Washington Post and The New York Times, thousands of numbers belonging to immigrants have been purged, cutting them off from banks and commerce, in an effort to encourage these people to self-deport.

Glasgow said SSA employees received an agency email in April about the purge, instructing them how to resurrect beneficiaries wrongly marked dead. Why dont you just do due diligence to make sure what youre doing in the first place is correct? he said.

The incorrectly marked deaths are just a piece of the Trump administrations crash program purporting to root out fraud, modernize technology, and secure the programs future.

But KFF Health News interviews with more than a dozen beneficiaries, advocates, lawyers, current and former employees, and lawmakers suggest the overhaul is making the agency worse at its primary job: sending checks to seniors, orphans, widows, and those with disabilities.

Philadelphian Lisa Seda, who has cancer, has been struggling for weeks to sort out her 24-year-old nieces difficulties with Social Securitys disability insurance program. There are two problems: first, trying to change her nieces address; second, trying to figure out why the program is deducting roughly $400 a month for Medicare premiums, when her disability lawyer  whose firm has a policy against speaking on the record  believes they could be zero.

Since March, sometimes Social Security has direct-deposited payments to her nieces bank account and other times mailed checks to her old address. Attempting to sort that out has been a morass of long phone calls on hold and in-person trips seeking an appointment.

Before 2025, getting the agency to process changes was usually straightforward, her lawyer said. Not anymore.

The need is dire. If the agency halts the nieces disability payments, then she will be homeless, Seda recalled telling an agency employee. I dont know if Im going to survive this cancer or not, but there is nobody else to help her.

Some of the problems are technological. According to whistleblower information provided to Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, the agencys efforts to process certain data have been failing more frequently. When that happens, it can delay or even stop payments to Social Security recipients, the committee recently told the agencys inspector general.

While tech experts and former Social Security officials warn about the potential for a complete system crash, day-to-day decay can be an insidious and serious problem, said Kathleen Romig, formerly of the Social Security Administration and its advisory board and currently the director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Beneficiaries could struggle to get appointments or the money theyre owed, she said.

For its more than 70 million beneficiaries nationwide, Social Security is crucial. More than a third of recipients said they wouldnt be able to afford necessities if the checks stopped coming, according to National Academy of Social Insurance survey results published in January.

Advocates and lawyers say lately Social Security is failing to deliver, to a degree thats nearly unprecedented in their experience.

Carolyn Villers, executive director of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, said two of her members March payments were several days late. For one member that meant not being able to pay rent on time, she said. The delayed payment is not something Ive heard in the last 20 years.

When KFF Health News presented the agency with questions, Social Security officials passed them off to the White House. White House spokesperson Elizabeth Huston referred to Trumps resounding mandate to make government more efficient.

He has promised to protect social security, and every recipient will continue to receive their benefits, Huston said in an email. She did not provide specific, on-the-record responses to questions.

Complaints about missed payments are mushrooming. The Arizona attorney generals office had received approximately 40 complaints related to delayed or disrupted payments by early April, spokesperson Richie Taylor told KFF Health News.

A Connecticut agency assisting people on Medicare said complaints related to Social Security  which often helps administer payments and enroll patients in the government insurance program primarily for those over age 65  had nearly doubled in March compared with last year.

Lawyers representing beneficiaries say that, while the historically underfunded agency has always had its share of errors and inefficiencies, its getting worse as experienced employees have been let go.

Were seeing more mistakes being made, said James Ratchford, a lawyer in West Virginia with 17 years experience representing Social Security beneficiaries. Were seeing more things get dropped.

What gets dropped, sometimes, are records of basic transactions. Kim Beavers of Independence, Missouri, tried to complete a periodic ritual in February: filling out a disability update form saying she remains unable to work. But her scheduled payments in March and April didnt show.

She got an in-person appointment to untangle the problem  only to be told there was no record of her submission, despite her showing printouts of the relevant documents to the agency representative. Beavers has a new appointment scheduled for May, she said.

Social Security employees frequently cite missing records to explain their inability to solve problems when they meet with lawyers and beneficiaries. A disability lawyer whose firms policy does not allow them to be named had a particularly puzzling case: One client, a longtime Social Security disability recipient, had her benefits reassessed. After winning on appeal, the lawyer went back to the agency to have the payments restored  the recipient had been going without since February. But there was nothing there.

To be told theyve never been paid benefits before is just chaos, right? Unconditional chaos, the lawyer said.

Researchers and lawyers say they have a suspicion about whats behind the problems at Social Security: the Elon Musk-led effort to revamp the agency.

Some 7,000 SSA employees have reportedly been let go; OMalley has estimated that 3,000 more would leave the agency. As the workloads go up, the demoralization becomes deeper, and people burn out and leave, he predicted in an April hearing held by House Democrats. Its going to mean that if you go to a field office, youre going to see a heck of a lot more empty, closed windows.

The departures have hit the agencys regional payment centers hard. These centers help process and adjudicate some cases. Its the type of behind-the-scenes work in which the problems surface first, Romig said. But if the staff doesnt have enough time, those things languish.

Languishing can mean, in some cases, getting dropped by important programs like Medicare. Social Security often automatically deducts premiums, or otherwise administers payments, for the health program.

Lately, Melanie Lambert, a senior advocate at the Center for Medicare Advocacy, has seen an increasing number of cases in which the agency determines beneficiaries owe money to Medicare. The cash is sent to the payment centers, she said. And the checks just sit there.

Beneficiaries lose Medicare, and those terminations also tend to happen sooner than they should, based on Social Securitys own rules, putting people into a bureaucratic maze, Lambert said.

Employees technology is more often on the fritz. Theres issues every single day with our system. Every day, at a certain time, our system would go down automatically, said Glasgow, of Social Securitys Schenectady office. Those problems began in mid-March, he said.

The new problems leave Glasgow suspecting the worst. Its more work for less bodies, which will eventually hype up the inefficiency of our job and make us, make the agency, look as though its underperforming, and then a closer step to the privatization of the agency, he said.

Jodie Fleischer of Cox Media Group contributed to this report.

___

2025 Kaiser Health News. Visit khn.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

(KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs of KFF  the independent source for health policy research, polling and journalism.)

2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Its not everyday you witness a raccoon holding a meth pipe while in the front seat of a car.

On Monday, an Ohio woman was put under arrest during a traffic stop after an officer identified that she had an active warrant and a suspended drivers license.

But after he detained the driver, Victoria Vidal, 55, of Akron, he returned to her car and found that she had a passenger unaccounted for. A raccoon appeared in her front seat with a meth pipe in mouth, per a Facebook post from the Springfield Township Police Department, which included photos of the animal with the drug paraphernalia.

The raccoon, whose name is Chewy, was unharmed and fortunately doesnt have a drug problem. However, his discovery prompted the officer to search Vidals car further, where a bulk amount of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and three used glass meth pipes were found.

Strange Encounter on Patrol  On May 5th, at approximately 7:15 PM, Springfield Township Police Officer Austin... Posted by Springfield Township Police Department on Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Vidal was then charged with F3 possession of drugs, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, and cited for driving under suspension. She was also turned over to police on her active warrant. Pending lab results from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Vidal could face additional charges for crack cocaine possession.

The officer did find that Vidal had the proper paperwork and documentation to own Chewy in Ohio, which is one of 16 states where domestication is legal. However, a video shared on the departments Facebook page noted that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources was contacted to ensure that Chewy is rehomed to a safer location.

While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first! No raccoons were hurt or injured in this incident, the department wrote in their post.

In another video shared by the department, body cam footage of the officer discovering Chewy with the vessel is seen. The raccoon has her meth pipe, hes heard saying to other officers, while trying to hold back from laughing.
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Kazakhstan enforces new procurement rules to boost local industry

Photo: Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan's state procurement system has bolstered domestic manufacturing, particularly in the chemical industry, by prioritizing local companies. This has led to increased production, reduced imports, and modernized facilities. Key outcomes include a 30 percent rise in paint, varnish, household chemicals, and lubricants production, and more controlled fertilizer exports to stabilize prices for local farmers. As of Q1 2025, production has grown 12.5 percent, reaching 406 billion tenge ($772 million), with 49 ongoing chemical industry projects, mainly supporting oil and metallurgy sectors.

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na_agrawal BHPian



Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: GAU/PNQ Posts: 137 Thanked: 803 Times

Brief account of my Pune  Gokarna  Goa  Pune Road trip - 8 days of fun. Not all those who wander are lost!!

Key points  Car  My trusty 8 years old Hyundai i20 Active Petrol. Peeps  Me with my wife, my friend with his wife. Time  27th April to 4th May (8 days). 41 hrs 22 mins of driving. Total kms driven  1588km (home to home). Overall fuel economy achieved  13.44 kmpl. (4 adults and full boot luggage). Best fuel economy achieved  15.8 kmpl (Goa to Gokarna and within Gokarna). Worst fuel economy achieved  10.3 kmpl (Within Goa). Total tolls  690 (to and fro combined). Cheapest fuel  96.31/L (somewhere in Goa), most expensive fuel  103.82/L (Pune). No breakdowns, no punctures, no issues. Car performed ideally. Except one stuck-in-sand event.

Day -1.

I went to sleep, or maybe tried to sleep early so as to leave as early as possible. Target was set somewhere around 4:45 am and to pickup my friend by 5:30 am from Katraj and leave for Gokarna. Already had refueled my car up to the brim and filled her shoes up with 33psi, filled up the windshield washer with the blue liquid. Bags packed and ready to be thrown in the car, snacks preordered from BBnow and off we went to catch atleast 5 hrs of sleep.



Day 0.

But, my phones clock app knows better why, I left finally at 6 am from my home and picked my friend up at 6:50 am and finally left for our destination a full 1.5 hrs late. We drove leisurely, on a calm Sunday morning. The roads were relatively empty, and I was well aware of the route. This was my 4th excursion on this particular road and I had a good idea of the roads. Had some snacks on the way in the car, thus saving crucial morning hours. Stopped at the Anuskura ghat view point at 11:20 am to catch a glimpse of the surroundings. (time as told by my google timeline). Refueled at a South Goa petrol bunk somewhere around 4 pm. And finally reached my Airbnb at about 8pm. A good 13 hrs drive. Not much to show in pics on this day...







My steed at the Anuskura Ghat







A view of somewhat dried up valley



Day 1-2-3.

Drove around Gokarna visiting numerous places which caught our interests. Had a gala time with my friends after almost a year. Some of the notable places which I visited were, Kamal Beach, Kudle Beach, Mantra Cafe.







Somewhere in Kamal Beach. This one is unexplored and we were the only ones there. I wouldn't recommend this one post sunset.







On the way to Kudle Beach







Om beach







Sunsets are a real peach on Kudle



Day 4.

Gokarna to Goa. We left late. Yet again!! Somewhere about 12 noon. Plan was 10 am.

Stopped at Karwar beach, near to Karwar INS Naval academy. The road and beach run almost parallel for about a km, and we decided to stop even though the temps were high and hot winds were blowing. I stopped my car right in front of the beach. Spent 10 mins, which felt like eternity in the hot sun and came back to my car only to find it stuck in the sand with atleast 5 inches of my tire and rim buried deep into it. Tried hard to unstuck it, only to lodge it deeper into the sand. Then, suddenly, I remembered Anshuman Bishnois videos and tried to find a wooden plank nearby. Found 2 huge ones in barely 30 secs, tried to stick it under the front wheels and I gunned the car while doing a zig-zag pattern with the front wheels. The car started moving, my confidence got a boost, engaged reverse, then first, then again reverse and repeat. Barely 2 mins, and I was unstuck!! Thanks for the videos, man! Reached Anjuna, Goa by 530 pm and checked in to our Airbnb.



https://youtube.com/watch?v=uxCMrMtr0hA?feature=share



Day 5-6.

Roamed around Goa, visiting and covering the most we could. Some of the notable places that I went to were, Chapora Mangroves backwater Kayaking, Tomatoes Morjim, Nauti Amigo Cruise, Burger Factory.







A cruise night onboard Nauti Amigo. I will rate it 3/5.







A perfect evening date at Anjuna with my biwi.



Day 7.

The day which takes us back home has come. We had planned to checkout by 11 and have a good lunch and then leave for Pune by 12 noon. But traffic and weekend ending made sure that we wont be able to stick to those timelines. The rush, the traffic was crazy that day. Most of the cars bearing KA, MH, GJ and DD registration plates were flocking the restaurants and cafes. All had similar checkout time as well, everyone wanted to grab a lunch and then leave for home. Eventually, with both ours and cars full tummies, we left Goa at about 2pm. Fun fact: I left Goa at exactly 60,000 kms on my odo A new milestone for me. Again, a full 2 hrs late. We encountered a huge traffic pile up at Karad, and up until that it was a smooth drive. Karad traffic delayed up by a good 45-55 mins. As roads cleared up, we were able to stretch our legs and stopped at Rau Wada (superb food and good service) for a dinner. Finally, we reached Katraj in Pune at about 1230 am in the night, dropped my friend, and proceed to my home in Hadapsar. Parked my car at my residence at about 1:10 am. A tiring, 11 hours drive from Goa. (Generally, it takes 9 hours without the dense traffic).







Left Goa at exactly 60k kms







Reached home after a 1588 kms drive. Took this pic next morn!



Now onto a next one. Lets see where I go.

~NA I went to sleep, or maybe tried to sleep early so as to leave as early as possible. Target was set somewhere around 4:45 am and to pickup my friend by 5:30 am from Katraj and leave for Gokarna. Already had refueled my car up to the brim and filled her shoes up with 33psi, filled up the windshield washer with the blue liquid. Bags packed and ready to be thrown in the car, snacks preordered from BBnow and off we went to catch atleast 5 hrs of sleep.But, my phones clock app knows better why, I left finally at 6 am from my home and picked my friend up at 6:50 am and finally left for our destination a full 1.5 hrs late. We drove leisurely, on a calm Sunday morning. The roads were relatively empty, and I was well aware of the route. This was my 4th excursion on this particular road and I had a good idea of the roads. Had some snacks on the way in the car, thus saving crucial morning hours. Stopped at the Anuskura ghat view point at 11:20 am to catch a glimpse of the surroundings. (time as told by my google timeline). Refueled at a South Goa petrol bunk somewhere around 4 pm. And finally reached my Airbnb at about 8pm. A good 13 hrs drive. Not much to show in pics on this day...Drove around Gokarna visiting numerous places which caught our interests. Had a gala time with my friends after almost a year. Some of the notable places which I visited were, Kamal Beach, Kudle Beach, Mantra Cafe.Gokarna to Goa. We left late. Yet again!! Somewhere about 12 noon. Plan was 10 am.Stopped at Karwar beach, near to Karwar INS Naval academy. The road and beach run almost parallel for about a km, and we decided to stop even though the temps were high and hot winds were blowing. I stopped my car right in front of the beach. Spent 10 mins, which felt like eternity in the hot sun and came back to my car only to find it stuck in the sand with atleast 5 inches of my tire and rim buried deep into it. Tried hard to unstuck it, only to lodge it deeper into the sand. Then, suddenly, I remembered Anshuman Bishnois videos and tried to find a wooden plank nearby. Found 2 huge ones in barely 30 secs, tried to stick it under the front wheels and I gunned the car while doing a zig-zag pattern with the front wheels. The car started moving, my confidence got a boost, engaged reverse, then first, then again reverse and repeat. Barely 2 mins, and I was unstuck!! Thanks for the videos, man! Reached Anjuna, Goa by 530 pm and checked in to our Airbnb.Roamed around Goa, visiting and covering the most we could. Some of the notable places that I went to were, Chapora Mangroves backwater Kayaking, Tomatoes Morjim, Nauti Amigo Cruise, Burger Factory.The day which takes us back home has come. We had planned to checkout by 11 and have a good lunch and then leave for Pune by 12 noon. But traffic and weekend ending made sure that we wont be able to stick to those timelines. The rush, the traffic was crazy that day. Most of the cars bearing KA, MH, GJ and DD registration plates were flocking the restaurants and cafes. All had similar checkout time as well, everyone wanted to grab a lunch and then leave for home. Eventually, with both ours and cars full tummies, we left Goa at about 2pm. Fun fact: I left Goa at exactly 60,000 kms on my odoA new milestone for me. Again, a full 2 hrs late. We encountered a huge traffic pile up at Karad, and up until that it was a smooth drive. Karad traffic delayed up by a good 45-55 mins. As roads cleared up, we were able to stretch our legs and stopped at Rau Wada (superb food and good service) for a dinner. Finally, we reached Katraj in Pune at about 1230 am in the night, dropped my friend, and proceed to my home in Hadapsar. Parked my car at my residence at about 1:10 am. A tiring, 11 hours drive from Goa. (Generally, it takes 9 hours without the dense traffic).Now onto a next one. Lets see where I go.~NA Last edited by na_agrawal : 6th May 2025 at 18:20 . Reason: Grammar
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Wikipedia is taking legal action against new Online Safety Act regulations it says could threaten the safety of its volunteer editors and their ability to keep harmful content off the site. The Wikimedia Foundation  the non-profit which supports the online encyclopaedia  is seeking a judicial review of rules which could mean Wikipedia is subjected to the toughest duties required of websites under the act. Lead counsel Phil Bradley-Schmieg said it was unfortunate that we must now defend the privacy and safety of Wikipedias volunteer editors from flawed legislation. BBC

The UK Government has announced plans to replace passwords as the way to access Gov.UK, its digital services platform for the public. In contrast to using a password and then an additional text message or code sent to a users trusted device  known as two-factor authentication  passkeys are unique digital keys tied to a specific device that proves the users identity when they log in without requiring them to input any further codes. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said this approach is more secure because the digital key remains stored on the users device and cannot be easily intercepted or stolen. Independent



Producer Giles Martin has said plans to allow AI firms to use artists work without permission, unless creators opt out, is like criminals being given free rein to burgle houses unless they are specifically told not to. Martin, who is the son of Beatles producer George Martin and worked with Sir Paul McCartney on the Get Back documentary series and the 2023 Beatles track Now And Then, spoke to Sky News at a UK Music protest at Westminster coinciding with a parliamentary debate on the issue. Sky News

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the slurpiest mobile browser of them all? The answer, according to VPN vendor Surfshark, is Chrome. Surfsharks research focused on the top ten browsers based on AppMagic rankings. This included Safari due to it being the default browser on iPhones. Between them, Chrome and Safari account for almost 90 percent of the mobile browser market, according to Statcounter, while also being among the top for data collection. The Register

Jaguar is searching for a new advertising agency after the carmaker faced a public backlash over its controversial rebrand. Jaguar Land Rover has launched a review of its global creative account, which could lead to the company switching to a new ad agency. The account is currently held by Accenture Song, which was appointed in 2021 alongside the groups in-house agency Spark44. The contract runs until the middle of 2026. The review comes after Jaguar was forced to defend a controversial advert and rebrand that sparked widespread controversy late last year. Telegraph

Britains National Wealth Fund will lend 600 million ($802 million) to Iberdrola-owned ScottishPower to help fund upgrades to the countrys power grid, they said in a joint statement on Thursday. The announcement comes a week after Spain and Portugal suffered widespread blackouts that industry experts say highlight the need for will lendto Iberdrola-owned ScottishPower to help fund upgrades to the countrys power grid, they said in a joint statement on Thursday. The announcement comes a week after Spain and Portugal suffered widespread blackouts that industry experts say highlight the need for massive investment across Europes electricity infrastructure. Reuters

We have never been more connected  yet people are feeling more and more isolated. Two decades after Facebook began linking us with friends, family and people wed like to get to know online, loneliness rates are rising. In the UK, 7pc of people report often feeling lonely  up from 5pc a decade ago. The figure climbs to 10pc among 16 to 24-year-olds who are now spending up to six hours per day online, according to Ofcom data. The UK average is four hours and 20 minutes. The ubiquity of social media has been blamed for exacerbating feelings of isolation. Telegraph

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Kazakhstan's KazMunayGas, Libya explore new avenues for energy co-op

Photo: KazMunayGas

KazMunayGas Chairman Askhat Khassenov met with Libyan Ambassador to Kazakhstan Aladdin Abdulsalam Lehuayk to discuss enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the oil and gas sector. The meeting focused on collaboration in areas such as training, professional development, and knowledge exchange. Khassenov expressed Kazakhstan's readiness to strengthen ties, while Ambassador Lehuayk highlighted Libya's potential for deeper engagement, emphasizing the countrys extensive experience in oil and gas infrastructure development.

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Holy TB: Training and managing complex AI models requires not only significant computing power but also vast fleets of capable storage devices. Seagate plans to build a new AI-focused business around this need, developing new disk drives with unprecedented storage capacities in the not-so-distant future.

Seagate expects to launch a 100-terabyte hard disk drive by 2030, anticipating that AI companies will require such massive storage for their increasingly complex chatbots and generative AI services. According to B.S. Teh, who oversees Seagate's global commercial strategy development and operations, there will soon be considerable demand for extremely large drives based on proven magnetic storage technology.

Currently, Seagate's largest hard drive is the 36TB Exos M model, introduced earlier this year. The company has recently invested heavily in advancing HDD-based solutions to keep increasing storage capacity. Seagate is a major proponent of heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), a technology that boosts data density by using a laser diode attached to each recording head to increase the number of bits stored on a magnetic surface.

Seagate is also pursuing additional breakthroughs, including NVMe-based HDDs aimed at significantly improving the reliability and sustainability of storage systems in enterprise and data center environments.

Like Nvidia and many other tech companies today, Seagate now brands itself as an "AI company," signaling where it believes the money is  or will be  in the coming years.

"A key element to enjoying surging revenues in the AI industry is providing the storage capacity AI companies need," Teh stated in a recent interview. "Nothing matches hard disk drives in meeting this growing demand." The 70-year-old HDD technology remains well-suited for the anticipated boom in AI data centers, even as analysts and NGOs raise concerns about the environmental and energy impacts of this trend.

The International Energy Agency estimates that a single ChatGPT query consumes up to 2.9 watt-hours of power, while a simple Google search is nearly 10 times more efficient. Seagate is addressing environmental concerns by focusing on factors it can influence through its business and manufacturing practices.

Newer hard disk drives are designed to either lower power consumption per terabyte or increase data density. As customers integrate these drives into their data centers, Teh suggested they will benefit from reduced space, energy, and resource requirements. Additionally, Seagate is working to reduce the environmental footprint of its manufacturing plants by incorporating renewable energy sources.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and OpenAI have reportedly been discussing a potential partnership that seeks to use artificial intelligence in drug evaluations of the agency.

The goal is to use AI to fast-track the processes of the agency, particularly as these can take some time to complete.

This is particularly true with drug evaluations, and the FDA reportedly wants to speed things up on its end.

FDA, OpenAI Discussing AI Use for Drug Evaluations

A new report from Wired reveals the supposed ongoing discussions between the FDA and OpenAI that seeks to leverage AI for future drug evaluations under the agency. This will be potentially operational under the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE), which is known for regulating over-the-counter and prescription drugs all over the United States.

The goal is to fast track the processes in drug evaluations that are normally done by experts and staff, with AI lending them a helping hand in evaluating an upcoming drug and its content to ensure its safety for public use.

Neither the FDA nor OpenAI has officially confirmed that they are entering a partnership as of press time.

FDA and OpenAI's 'cderGPT' AI-Powered Project

According to the report, this development is under the so-called "cderGPT" project. According to TechCrunch, Elon Musk's DOGE is also part of the talks.

Through this new project and AI tool, the FDA may be able to accelerate its drug evaluation that will give way to introducing new medicines coming to the market.

AI Use in the Medical World

AI has proven itself to be useful in many industries, including healthcare and medicine. According to the prediction by former tech CEO and philanthropist Bill Gates, AI may soon take over the medicine industry in a short 10 years.

Many medical researchers and scientists have already applied the use of generative AI in their quest to find new cures or medicines to help against incurable diseases and more. There are many known diseases that have limited to no available treatments, and these researchers are leveraging the use of AI in helping them come up with a possible solution to them.

Apart from this, AI has been used in hospitals to improve their patient care, helping the medical staff improve their rounds and attention to admitted patients.
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has begun quietly building the digital foundation for a new ambitious U.S. immigration program: the Trump Card Visa, a $5 million golden visa scheme aimed at super-rich foreigners.

Although the White House has not yet officially made it public, US tourists and some green card residents are already being asked questions about their application status for this high-end visa program.

This effort, spearheaded by Musk's DOGE and crafted in partnership with key federal agencies, will abolish the conventional US immigration system by merging innovative digital infrastructure with contentious policy changes.

Buy Your Way Into America Through Trump's Golden Visa

Initially hinted at by Donald Trump in February, the Trump Card Visa has been framed as a means by which affluent investors can secure permanent US residency and eventually citizenship through a $5 million investment. According to WIRED's investigation, it's unclear how this will fit with current immigration law, but those close to it say that the program could revamp the process of green cards, long subject to tight caps and country-by-country quotas.

Under current legislation, no more than 7% of green cards can be granted in a year to nationals of any one country, resulting in long delays, particularly for nations such as India and China. Trump's proposal seems to circumvent that with a fast-track visa for the elite.

DOGE's Role: From Tech Overhaul to Immigration Engine

First built to modernize federal agencies, Elon Musk's DOGE has quickly spilled over its boundaries. Public documents indicate the domain trumpcard.gov was registered in March, now with subdomains for top agencies such as the USCIS, CBP, and State Department. This online platform will most likely harbor application portals, AI vetting software, and real-time case monitoring.

Applicants via the Global Entry system are now asked to identify whether they've applied for the Trump Card Visa, showing that backend integration is already in progress.

WIRED testing proved this feature to be available to most foreign nationals, though not Canadians, who are still under the NEXUS program.

The EB-5 Comparison: Will Gold Replace Green?

The Trump Card Visa is being equated with the EB-5 investor visa, a 1990 program that permits foreign nationals to obtain green cards by investing $1.05 million ($800K in distressed areas) and creating a minimum of 10 U.S. jobs. EB-5 does require strict screening for fraud and abuse, but the experts are wondering if the Trump program will be measured against the same standards.

Unlike most EB-5 applicants, middle-class immigrants who pool their lifetime savings, Trump's golden visa is reserved for the ultra-rich, possibly welcoming oligarchs or contentious billionaires. Trump himself conceded that "some Russian oligarchs" might fit in, further igniting controversy over security and fairness.

The Legal Gray Area and What Comes Next

It is not yet certain whether Trump has the legal right to introduce the Trump Card Visa without Congress. Immigration law is governed by statute, and visa category changes or increasing yearly quotas usually require legislation. Detractors argue that only a congressional act can authorize this effortanything less might be met with legal resistance.

Nevertheless, Trump supporters such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick say they've already "sold" 1,000 gold cards, projecting a million total customers. While an official launch date remains unclear, indicators suggest that an announcement is just around the corner.
Tripledot Studios, a UK-based mobile game developer, has struck a deal to acquire the gaming division of US tech firm AppLovin for approximately $800 million in a mix of cash and stock.

The deal adds well-known titles like Wordscapes, Wordle, and Cash Tornado to Tripledot's growing portfolio of 25 live games, including Woodoku, Nut Sort, and Triple Tile. The move positions Tripledot alongside some of the largest independent mobile gaming companies worldwide.

"Seven years ago, we began acquiring gaming studios to help train our earliest machine learning models," AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi said in a statement, as reported by Reuters. "However, we have never been a game developer at heart."

Founded in 2017 by Lior Shiff and Eyal Chameides, both originally from Israel, along with Turkish entrepreneur Akin Babayigit, Tripledot has grown rapidly. With this acquisition, the company projects annual gross revenues nearing $2 billion before store feesputting it on par with other Israeli-rooted heavyweights like Moon Active and Playrix.

The deal also includes control of 10 studios operating across 17 cities in North America, Europe, and Asia. This global reach is a key part of Tripledot's expansion strategy, especially in the US and Asian markets. The transaction is expected to close by early summer 2025, pending regulatory sign-off.

AppLovin, meanwhile, will receive a 20% equity stake in Tripledot, as reported at Investopedia.

"Seven years ago, we began acquiring gaming studios to help train our earliest machine learning models," AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi said in a statement to Reuters. "However, we have never been a game developer at heart."

Tripledot became profitable in its second year and was named Europe's fastest-growing company by the Financial Times in 2023. With offices in London, Warsaw, and Barcelona, the company will employ more than 2,500 people and serve 25 million daily users after the acquisition. Advisors on the deal included Raine Group and BofA Securities for Tripledot, and Aream & Co for AppLovin, per VentureBeat.
In a landmark decision, a U.S. federal jury in California on Tuesday ordered Israeli spyware firm NSO Group to pay nearly $168 million in punitive damages to Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of WhatsApp.

Besides this, the company will also have to pay $444,719 in compensatory damages to Meta for the significant efforts its WhatsApp engineers made to block the attack vectors.

This ruling stems from NSO Groups use of Pegasus spyware to hack approximately 1,400 WhatsApp users over two weeks between April and May 2019. This decision sets an important precedent for holding spyware developers accountable for unauthorized surveillance activities.

Todays verdict in WhatsApps case is an important step forward for privacy and security as the first victory against the development and use of illegal spyware that threatens the safety and privacy of everyone, Meta said in a statement after the ruling was announced.

Today, the jurys decision to force NSO, a notorious foreign spyware merchant, to pay damages is a critical deterrent to this malicious industry against their illegal acts aimed at American companies and the privacy and security of the people we serve.

Background Of The Case

The lawsuit, initiated by WhatsApp on October 29, 2019, in the District Court for the Northern District of California, accused NSO Group of exploiting a vulnerability in WhatsApps video calling feature to install Pegasus spyware on users devices without their knowledge. The targets included human rights activists, journalists, diplomats, and civil society advocates.

According to the court filings (PDF), NSOs Pegasus spyware was installed through a WhatsApp call that didnt even require the recipient to answer. Once the call was placed, the malicious code would deploy itself, granting access to a wide range of personal data, including phone calls, emails, encrypted private messages, images, geolocation, and other sensitive data  all without the knowledge of the user.

In December 2024, U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton found NSO Group guilty of violating the U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) and the California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act (CDAFA). It also found that NSOs actions breached WhatsApps terms of service by accessing its servers without authorization to deploy spyware.

NSO Groups Response

After its loss in court, NSO Group has stated that it plans to appeal the decision, maintaining that its Pegasus software is intended for use by authorized governments to combat crime and anti-terror operations around the world.

We will carefully examine the verdicts details and pursue appropriate legal remedies, including further proceedings and an appeal, Lainer added, stating that the company remains fully committed to its mission to develop technologies that protect public safety while working within legalities.

Meanwhile, Meta has decided to donate to digital rights organizations that are working to defend people against such attacks around the world.

Our next step is to secure a court order to prevent NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp again, the company concluded.
Photo: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. The 168th Meeting of the OPEC Board of Governors began today in Vienna and will continue through May 9, Trend reports.

According to OPEC, the meeting is chaired by Nigerias OPEC Governor, Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, and includes the participation of Governors from OPEC Member Countries, the Secretary General, and senior officials from the Secretariat.

The Board is expected to review the progress of ongoing projects and discuss key strategic priorities for the organization. The agenda includes oversight of Secretariat initiatives and coordination on longer-term planning.

This meeting follows a May 3 announcement by eight key OPEC+ producersSaudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Omanto increase oil output by 411,000 barrels per day in June. The decision reflects a cautious response to stable market conditions and low global inventories, while maintaining flexibility to adjust production based on future developments.
More than 120 endangered vultures killed in S.Africa poisoning



Johannesburg, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



More than 120 endangered vultures died after eating an elephant carcass poisoned by suspected poachers in South Africa in one of the single largest such spiking in the region, wildlife officials said Thursday.

Another 84 vultures were evacuated by road and helicopter for treatment and monitoring after the poisoning in the Kruger National Park early this week, the park and Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) said in a statement.

"The scale of the tragedy is staggering: 123 vultures were found dead at the scene," the statement said.

The dead birds of prey included white-backed vultures, Cape vultures and a lappet-faced vulture, which are all listed as endangered or critically endangered species.

Poachers had laced the elephant carcass with highly toxic agrochemical pesticides in a method increasingly being used to target species such as vultures and lions, whose body parts are in demand for traditional medicine, the statement said.

It was the biggest single such poisoning since 2019 when more than 500 endangered vultures died in Botswana after eating elephants whose carcasses were poisoned by poachers, EWT birds of prey programme manager Gareth Tate told AFP.

Poachers who use poison either lace a dead animal with a toxin or snare one to use as bait, he said.

"We have seen a massive spike in poaching for lion parts, for which sometimes vultures are the unintended victims," Tate said.

In some cases birds of prey are "maliciously targeted" by poachers because they are natural sentinels and can give away the location of the poaching of other animals, he said.
Elk could return to UK after 3,000 years as plan wins funding



London, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



Elk could roam the English countryside for the first time in 3,000 years after funding was approved to explore plans for their eventual reintroduction into the wild.

European elk are woodland foragers and wetland grazers, helping to promote the natural regeneration of woodland and maintain open clearings. They went extinct in the UK due to overhunting and a loss of habitat.

"This exciting project is working towards the possibility of reintroducing elk into two existing beaver enclosures in Derbyshire and Nottingham," in central England, said Rachel Bennett, deputy director of Wilder Landscapes and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, which applied for the funding alongside the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

The Rewilding Britain charity approved the grant in the latest round of the Rewilding Innovation Fund, a twice-yearly fund supporting innovative rewilding efforts.

If approved, the move would bring elk and beavers together "for the first time in 3,000 years in the UK," Bennett said in a press release issued Wednesday.

"This project could demonstrate how this crucial ecosystem engineer can thrive in floodplain landscapes, shaping diverse habitats that benefit communities and support biodiversity recovery," she explained.

"It may also serve as a catalyst for engaging people in the long-term benefits of returning elk to the wild."

- 'Hopeful future' -



The wildlife trusts must now carry out extensive research, which could take up to three years, before a final decision on whether to licence the project is made by the government, a spokesperson for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust told AFP on Thursday.

"It's a complex process involving multiple stages of research and development, feasibility studies, impact assessments, and community consultations. By taking the time and effort to get it right, we can create a more hopeful future for everyone," said Rebecca Wrigley, chief executive of Rewilding Britain.

The plan follows a similar scheme to reintroduce bison to one of southeast England's largest areas of ancient woodland.

Three female bison were released into the countryside near Canterbury, Kent, in July 2022. A bull bison was introduced later and two baby bison have since been born.

"The reserve is teeming with life in areas that were once in darkness, and you can feel a renewed energy in the woodland," said bison ranger Hannah Mackins.

"This project shows the incredible power of nature to heal and gives us hope for the future," she added.
Sweden's 'Queen of Trash' risks prison in toxic waste crime trial



Stockholm, May 8 (AFP) May 08, 2025



Prosecutors called Thursday for Sweden's self-proclaimed "Queen of Trash" and four others to be jailed for six years for illegally dumping toxic waste, as the country's biggest environmental crime trial ended.

The once-acclaimed waste management company Think Pink is accused of dumping or burying some 200,000 tonnes of waste from the Stockholm area at 21 sites from 2015 to 2020, with no intention of processing it correctly.

Its former chief executive Bella Nilsson, an ex-stripper who once called herself the "Queen of Trash", is charged with "aggravated environmental crime".

Two others who also served as chief executive at times -- Nilsson's ex-husband Thomas Nilsson who founded the company, and Leif-Ivan Karlsson, an eccentric entrepreneur who starred in a reality show about his over-the-top lifestyle -- face the same charge and possible sentence.

So do "waste broker" Robert Silversten and Tobias Gustafsson, accused of organising the transportation of the waste.

All five deny the charges.

"We did everything correctly. We did it legally. We followed the law," Bella Nilsson told the district court.

Her lawyer Thomas Olsson rejected the prosecution's claim the company used falsified documents to mislead authorities, and said any wrongdoing was "by mistake".

Bella Nilsson -- who has now changed her name to Fariba Vancor -- has insisted she is the victim of a plot by business rivals.

The prosecution also sought a three-year sentence against an environmental consultant accused of helping the company pass inspections, as well as sentences of between eight and 18 months for five landowners.

Think Pink was hired by municipalities, construction companies, apartment co-operatives and private individuals to dispose of primarily building materials but also electronics, metals, plastics, wood, tyres and toys.

But Think Pink left the piles of waste unsorted and abandoned, the court heard.



- 'Unique' trial -



High levels of toxic PCB compounds, lead, mercury, arsenic and other chemicals were released into the air, soil and water, prosecutors said, endangering the health of human, animal and plant life.

The trial opened in September 2024 after an investigation lasting several years and comprising more than 45,000 pages.

"This trial is unique in scope. There has been a lot of material to go through, large amounts of waste... and the investigation and trial lasted a long time," prosecutor Anders Gustafsson told AFP.

He said Think Pink's motive was money.

"It's extremely costly for a company to do the right thing. You make a lot if you collect the waste and don't sort it properly."

Several municipalities have sought damages for clean-up and decontamination costs, totalling 260 million kronor ($27 million).

One of the biggest claims is from the Botkyrka city council, where two Think Pink waste piles burned for months in 2020 and 2021 after spontaneously combusting. One was near two nature reserves.

The verdict is due on June 17.
Uzbekistan and Rosatom secure site for first small nuclear plant

Photo: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Uzbekistan has approved the site plan for a Small Modular Nuclear Power Plant (SMNPP) to be built in the Jizzakh region in collaboration with Russia's Rosatom, with construction expected to begin in 2026. The project will feature six RITM-200N reactors, enhance energy independence, and utilize Uzbekistan's uranium resources for nuclear fuel production.

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Alan Cumming has seemingly spoiled a scene from Avengers: Doomsday a full year before the Marvel blockbuster is due to be released.

The Scottish actor, 60, is returning to the world of superhero films to reprise his role as Nightcrawler, a German mutant with teleporting abilities, who he first played in 2003s X2.

Cummings surprise return to Marvel was announced in March this year, with fellow X-Men stars James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, Rebecca Romijn, Ian McKellen, Channing Tatum and Kelsey Grammer joining the bumper cast. They join other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) stars including Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh and Tom Hiddleston.

Speaking to Buzzfeed UK, Cumming, who hosts the US version of The Traitors, divulged a detail about one of the scenes that he is set to film, which started filming in London last month.

While talking about playing Nightcrawler after more than two decades, Cumming said: I was learning stunts yesterday for some fight scene and I just think, Im 60  23 years ago, I played that superhero. I was kind of old for a superhero even then, and now Im back doing it. And that, to me, is hilarious.

He added: Im sort of learning these fights and Im like, What? Who am I fighting with? And they said, Youre hitting Pedro Pascal against the head, or something.

open image in gallery Alan Cumming ( Alamy/PA )

Last of Us star Pascal is poised to make his MCU debut as Reed Richards, also known as Mr Fantastic, in The Fantastic Four: First Steps which is due for release in July 2025.

It is now known if Cummings revelation is true or just a hypothetical comment.

In a previous interview on Today With Jenna and Friends in April, Cumming said that the major thing that had changed between playing Nightcrawler in 2003 and today is the make-up.

Ive had some makeup tests already for the role, but whats great about it was that before it was about four and a half hours to apply it, but now its only 90 minutes, said the star.

Nightcrawler has a distinctive appearance with his blue tattooed skin. The outfit that Cumming had to wear had several hidden harnesses for components like his tail. He also had to put on fake teeth and contact lenses to achieve the characters otherworldly look.

open image in gallery Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler in X2 ( 20 Century Fox/Disney )

Avengers: Doomsday is set for release on 1 May 2026.
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A suspect has been identified and booked for felony vandalism after crashing through the front gate of actress Jennifer Anistons Bel Air home, authorities said.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, has not been formally charged in the case, the Los Angeles Police Department told ABC News on Tuesday.

Authorities were still investigating Tuesday whether Carwyle was targeting the Friends actress, or if the crash was accidental. The 56-year-old star was home at the time of the incident, authorities said.

The Los Angeles County District Attorneys office is expected to decide which charges to file after the LAPD submits its case for review.

open image in gallery A suspect has been charged for crashing into the front gate of Jennifer Anistons home. ( Getty )

open image in gallery The scene outside Jennifer Anistons home on May 5, 2025 after a man crashed outside the front gate. ( Mega/Getty )

Shortly after the crash, local media previously reported that the suspect was a 70-year-old man. It was not immediately clear what caused the discrepancy in Carwyles age.

Carwyles booking was delayed after he was taken to the hospital complaining of back pain after hitting the gate, law enforcement sources told ABC.

The sources also noted law enforcement was looking into Carwyles background, as he his a minor criminal history. The investigation is being handled by the LAPDs specialist Threat Management Unit, which monitors harassment and stalking, including cases against public figures.

Carwyle was hauled out of the car and detained by a private security guard after the crash, a spokesperson for the LAPD told The Independent on Monday.

Aniston bought her 10,000 square-foot midcentury modern Bel Air manor for $21 million in 2012. The home, which was built in 1965 by the celebrated architect A. Quincy Jones, sits on a 3.4-acre plot on top of a hill with sweeping ocean and city views.

At the time of purchase, it had a guesthouse, swimming pool and vineyards. However, Aniston will soon be moving to a new home in Montecito, about 84 miles up the California coast.
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Patricia Clarkson has recalled the moment that Harvey Weinstein told her she would never work again after she confronted him over an Oscar nomination.

The 65-year-old told Business Insider that the disgraced movie producer, who is currently in custody on Rikers Island for several sex crime charges, attempted to submit her for Best Supporting Actress at the 76th Academy Awards for her role in the 2003 film The Station Agent.

Given that Clarkson is the lead star of the film, however, she objected to being submitted for the Best Supporting Actress category. I hate when actors put themselves in false categories, she said. I think thats something that needs to be addressed by the Academy. Too often it happens.

Recalling her confrontation with Weinstein, Clarkson said: When you are supporting, you should be truly a supporting player, and when youre the lead, you have to step up and go into a harder category. I was the lead in The Station Agent, so I said, No, Harvey, Im not going into supporting.

Directed by Tom McCarthy, The Station Agent stars Peter Dinklage as Fin McBride, a man seeking solitude in an abandoned New Jersey train station. Clarkson stars as Olivia Harris, an artist and one of Fins neighbours who is grieving the death of her child.

Clarkson, who is also known for The Green Mile, added: So I went up against Harvey, and he told me Id never work again. It got very ugly.

That same year, Clarkson was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Peter Hedges comedy drama Pieces of April. Im definitely supporting in that. Katie Holmes is clearly the lead of that film, acknowledged Clarkson.

open image in gallery Patricia Clarkson ( Invision/AP )

Speaking about the allegations against Weinstein, in which dozens of women in 2017 including Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan, Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow accused him of sexual misconduct, Clarkson said that she recognised her problems with the producer were not as serious.

This was patter to me, what I went through with Harvey. It was still difficult and terrible what he did to me, but compared to so many women who went through so much more, it was odd to talk about it, she said.

Clarkson later played The New York Times editor Rebecca Corbett in the 2022 film She Said, which is about the investigation into Weinstein, stating that her past issues with the producer were motivation for the role.

open image in gallery Harvey Weinstein ( AP )

After several women came forward with damning allegations against the world-famous movie mogul, juries in New York and California found Weinstein guilty of sex crimes, with his accusers giving harrowing testimony at trial.

Weinstein appealed both convictions within weeks. In April 2024, an appeals court overturned his New York conviction, and he is now set to be tried again in a Manhattan courtroom, as he remains behind bars for the Los Angeles charges.
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Wes Anderson has revealed what Gene Hackman really thought of his starring role in the directors 2001 comedy-drama The Royal Tenenbaums.

Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico earlier this year. It later emerged that she had contracted hantavirus, a rare illness spread by rats, while he had died from complications from Alzheimers disease.

After Hackmans death at the age of 95, his Royal Tenenbaums co-star Bill Murray recalled that the late actor had been difficult and really rough on Anderson during the making of the film.

In a new interview with Empire, Anderson acknowledged that Hackman had not always given the impression that he wanted to be on set.

He wasnt gung-ho to be there, said the 56-year-old director. But he was the guy for the part. I dont think he ever felt that during the movie.

Anderson added: I think he felt it when he saw it when it was finished. He did tell me then that he liked the movie very much. But we felt it every time we made a scene with him. He was doing something that had a certain epic electricity to it.

Wes Anderson (left) said Gene Hackmans performance in The Royal Tenenbaums had a certain epic electricity to it ( Getty )

Elsewhere in the interview, Anderson compared The Royal Tenenbaums to his forthcoming film, The Phoenician Scheme. Its from the same well, said the director.

After Hackmans death in February, Murray told the Associated Press: He was a tough nut, Gene Hackman. But he was really good.

And he was really difficult, Murray added. We can say it now, but he was a tough guy. Older, great actors do not give young directors much of a chance. Theyre really rough on them, and Gene was really rough on Wes.

At the time The Royal Tenenbaums was released, Hackman was 71, while Anderson was just 32.

I used to kind of step in there and just try to defend my friend, Murray added.

He further recounted once witnessing Hackman do 25 takes perfectly while the other actor would blow it.

And Id go like, Oh, God. I was watching it going, No wonder this guy wants to throttle people, Murray laughed.

And then he sort of gave an ordinary performance and the other actor got it right, and I thought Gene was going to throw the actor off the ledge of the building, Murray added. .He was a great one; he was a great actor.

During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Murray elaborated on his comments, saying that he sympathized with Gene because to him, Wes Anderson was just a punk kid, and Genes made some of the greatest American movies.

So he was a little irritable, the Ghostbusters actor continued. But he had to work with children, dogs, Kumar [Pallana, who played valet Pagoda], who was like an absolute mystery to all of us anyway.

They put him in very challenging positions to work, and so he just felt a lot of responsibility and kept thinking, What am I doing here with these people? But the performance he gives is brilliant.

Hackman went on to win a Golden Globe for his performance in The Royal Tenenbaums.
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The triggers for Nicolas Cages vengeful ire have grown increasingly obscure of late. Normally, hes battling to get back his wife (2018s Mandy), his daughter (2012s Stolen), or his granddaughter (2011s Drive Angry). Now hes battling to get back his favourite hog (2021s Pig) and, with The Surfer, his favourite longboard. Yet, these films, inevitably, offer the same sell: people come for the Cage-ness of it all, the bug-eyed grimace, the air karate chop, the erratic, ever-escalating inflection. Its the inevitable metric by which theyre judged.

But as Cage grows more violent over smaller transgressions, directors have offered him a little more room to work. The Surfer is what you might call a slow-burn Cage. Theres the manic, hollering prize at the end (and even a line of dialogue worthy of a future meme), but also plenty of the actors more undervalued speciality  the expression of gargantuan helplessness, the look of a fish whos been thrown to land and left to die.

Here, he plays an Australian-born, American-raised businessman returning to his birthplace with the intention of buying his familys old beach home. Life has turned cruel for him: his estranged wife is shacked up with another man, his son (Finn Little) seems distant, and his boss is wondering why he turned up to their last meeting with no shoes or socks.

The plan, then, is to come back and reroot himself, to reconstruct his innocence. Only, the second he turns up to his old surfing haunt, the local Bay Boys get up in his face and bellow, dont live here, dont surf here. Hes become a stranger to everywhere. When the Bay Boys swipe his surfboard, hes left haunting the beach car park.

Somehow hes both unable and unwilling to leave, as hes systematically stripped of his possessions and identity, dehydrated and near-starved to death in the sweltering Australian heat. I have a car! I have a job! I have a name! he cries. Ironically, we never do find out the last one in that list. It makes us feel complicit in his humiliation.

Irish filmmaker Lorcan Finnegan is fluent in the language of disorientation. Every crash zoom, every leering close-up, every flash forward (or backward?), every mocking cutaway to Australian wildlife, every shot of a split bag of dog faeces strategically dropped on the water fountain  it all exists to push Cages character towards the expected endpoint of total insanity. Under the glare of Razek Ladczuks sun-baked cinematography, the actors skin has never looked more orange and his teeth so white.

Its effective. Finnegan has deployed such open-air claustrophobia multiple times before. In his second feature, Vivarium, Imogen Poots and Jesse Eisenberg played a couple who move into a suburban development, only to realise they can never leave. Its ideas were whip-smart and coherent  the pair looked, essentially, like they were trapped in a Rene Magritte painting, forced to enact heteronormativity against their own will.

Nicolas Cage in The Surfer ( Vertigo Releasing )

Here, Thomas Martins script loads the ammo but fails to land the shot. The Surfer is about individualism and masculinity, about the desire to own and claim space. Julian McMahon plays Bay Boy leader Scally with a finely tuned mix of breezy confidence and open hostility, while wearing a red towel hoodie that could easily be mistaken for cultists robes.

Its pointed out that he is, to quote, a trust fund bitch, appropriating the bohemian beach lifestyle (and, at certain points, Aboriginal culture). But to what degree he and our protagonist share, or dont share, in the vicious cycle of bro-hood feels hazy. The Surfer, instead, simply relinquishes control to Cage. Thats fine. Its always a pleasure to see him lose it.

Dir: Lorcan Finnegan. Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julian McMahon, Nicholas Cassim, Miranda Tapsell, Alexander Bertrand, Justin Rosniak. Cert 15, 99 minutes.

The Surfer is in cinemas from 9 May
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Smokey Robinson is slamming false allegations made by four housekeepers in a $50 million lawsuit accusing the Motown legend of rape and sexual assault, which his wife, Frances Robinson, allegedly knew about but failed to intervene.

In a statement to The Independent on Wednesday on behalf of Smokey Robinson, 85, attorney Christopher Frost wrote, We are responding on behalf of our clients Smokey and Frances Robinson. We will have more to say in the coming days as we make our legal response, and in time Mr. Robinson will respond in his own words.

As this case progresses, the evidence (the crucial element that guides us) will show that this is simply an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon  $50 million, to be exact. Through this process, we have seen the bizarre theatrics of yesterdays news conference, as the plaintiffs attorneys outlined vile, false allegations against Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, trying to enlist the public as an unwitting participant in the media circus they are trying to create. We ask anyone following this case to reserve judgment as the evidence comes to light and all the actual facts of the case unfold.

The statement continued: We will be addressing the numerous aspects of the complaint that defy credulity as well as issues relating to purported timelines, inconsistencies, and relationships between the plaintiffs and others.

We will be asking the Court to dismiss the lawsuit. We will also be asking the Court to address that in their statements to the press about Mr. Robinson, the plaintiffs attorneys have reached beyond the bounds of liberties that even lawyers are typically allowed in this context.

open image in gallery Smokey Robinson, 85, denies four housekeepers allegations of rape and sexual assault between 2007 and 2024 ( Getty Images )

We will have more to say on this matter, as we fiercely defend our clients against these false allegations and work to protect their good names, the statement concluded.

In the civil lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, the alleged victims, identified as Jane Does 1-4, alleged instances of sexual assault, rape, and labor violations spanning from 2007 to 2024.

They claim Robinson repeatedly assaulted them in various areas of his Southern California home in the absence of surveillance cameras, refused to wear a condom, and reveled in humiliating them.

open image in gallery Smokey Robinson's wife, Frances Robinson, is also named as a defendant in the housekeepers lawsuit ( Getty Images )

The employees also allege Robinson failed to pay the housekeepers their full wages and denied them required rest periods and meal breaks.

Frances Robinson is also named as a defendant for allegedly enabling the misconduct and fostering an abusive work environment.

The women are seeking at least $50 million in damages and have requested a jury trial.
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A new musical about a trio of high-profile felons has already sold out its run  and it doesnt open for another month.

Debuting June 13 at San Franciscos Taylor Street Theatre for a five-performance run is Luigi the Musical. The satirical show puts Luigi Mangione, the suspect at the center of the brutal shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, in the spotlight.

But Mangione isnt alone.

Joining him at the center of the fictional stage story are Sean Diddy Combs  whose trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges is set to begin with opening statements in a matter of days  and former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.

The story is set in Brooklyns Metropolitan Detention Center, the institution that has infamously housed convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, Fyre Festival fraudster Billy McFarland and rapper R Kelly, who was found guilty of child sexual abuse. Inspired by the Broadway hit Chicago and featuring cellblock-inspired numbers, the fictional Luigi the Musical follows the trio of inmates sharing a prison cell as Mangione seeks redemption.

These three people represent these big pillars of institutions in society that are failing in their trust: health care, Hollywood and then Big Tech, producer and co-writer Caleb Zeringue told the San Francisco Chronicle.

open image in gallery Sean Diddy Combs trial is set to begin in days ( AFP via Getty Images )

In addition to Zeringue, the musical is being developed by Nova Bradford, Arielle Johnson, and Andre Margatini. Johnson and Bradford wrote the show in just two months, the Chronicle reported.

Were not valorizing any of these characters, and were also not trivializing any of their actions or alleged actions, Bradford said. Comedy inherently plays at the margins of social acceptability.

open image in gallery Luigi Mangione is the subject of a new musical in San Francisco ( AP )

The musical comes after Mangione pleaded not guilty to four federal charges after the December 2024 shooting of Thompson. Hes expected back in court June 26. Bankman-Fried is serving a 25-year sentence for multiple fraudulent schemes in the downfall of FTX.

Meanwhile, opening statements in Combss trial are expected to begin May 12. The music mogul is facing a five-count indictment accusing him of sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy.

The team behind the musical has released a statement in response to backlash about creating a show about such a sensitive topic, saying the production uses satire to ask deeper cultural questions.

We do not condone violence, sexual assault, or pedophilia in any form, the statement continued. This musical, in fact, serves as a critique of these men and the institutions that enabled them. By placing these forces in one absurd prison cell, were offering a mirror to our moment: campy, surreal, and funny, but also emotionally honest.
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Coronation Street star Charlie Lawson has said its not going awfully well after being sent to hospital.

The actor played Jim McDonald for 11 years on the ITV soap, which has been hit with a wave of cast departures this year.

Lawson, 65, was undergoing tests after having several falls at home when a physiotherapist informed him he should go to the hospital.

The actor announced the news on his social media page, telling his fans: Hi folks, went to physio this morning and she sent me straight to A&E, which I did.

They examined me. I have an MRI scan and Im sitting waiting for the results.

He said that he has been whisked back in for more examinations, stating: Its not going awfully well at the moment, dear folks.

Lawson assured his fans he would keep them updated, with the Northern Irish star adding: They put a wristband on me and all sorts of craic.

The actor first appeared in Coronation Street as Jim in 1989, remaining a full-time cast member until 2000.

He has returned for sporadic appearances in the past 25 years, including for the shows 50th anniversary in 2010. He remained on the cobbles for a further four months and returned three years later for another three months.

Lawson, whose character Jim was married to Liz (Beverley Callard), next returned to the soap in September 2018.

Corrie fans wished him a speedy recovery on X/Twitter.

open image in gallery Coronation Street star Charlie Lawson shares video from hospital ( X/@charlie_lawson1 )

One wrote: Sounds like youre in the right place! Hopefully theyll sort you out quickly. Another replied: If youve been falling over, youre in the right place. Theyll have you up and about in no time. Be well soon.

Fans of the ITV soap were left stunned this week by the death of character Julie Carp. who has been played by Katy Cavanagh since 2008.

The scene reduced fans into blubbering messes  and arrived hot on the heels of the departure of Rovers Return barmaid Daisy Midgeley (Charlotte Jordan) just one week before.

Daisy had become a fan favourite since her debut in 2020, but Jordan asked to leave the soap in April 2024, which gave writers time to prepare a storyline for her exit.

She said of her decision to leave: My time at Coronation Street is something Ill always cherish.

open image in gallery Charlotte Jordan, who played Daisy Midgeley, has left Coronation Street ( ITV )

After a brilliant four years for Daisy, its time for me to start a new chapter and explore other opportunities.

The actor, who won a British Soap Award for the role in 2023, added: Its been a privilege to be part of a wonderful institution with even more wonderful colleagues who have taught me so much.

She won the prize for Best Dramatic Performance after a storyline that saw her character become the victim of a wedding day acid attack.
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Former President Joe Biden has set the record straight on his wife, Dr. Jill Bidens, religious affiliation.

Appearing on Thursdays episode of The View, which marked their first joint interview since leaving the white house, the pair fielded questions from the hosts about the legacy of Bidens administration, the downfall of his 2024 presidential campaign, and concern about his alleged cognitive decline.

At one point, while speaking about Pope Franciss recent funeral that the couple attended, host Whoopi Goldberg accidentally referred to them both as devout Catholics.

Joe then stepped in to correct Goldberg, saying that by the way, Jills a Presbyterian, before it was quickly noted that the pope is the pope for all people.

Jill has previously spoken about the common misconception, telling Baptist News Global in 2022: People think Im Catholic like Joe, but I grew up Presbyterian.

Though she identifies as Presbyterian  a branch of Reformed Christianity  Jill regularly attends mass with Joe.

Former president Joe Biden was joined by his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, on 'The View' for his first TV interview since dropping out of the 2024 presidential race ( ABC )

Elsewhere during their appearance, Joe addressed reports that have questioned the dramatic decline in [his] cognitive abilities during the final year of his presidency, insisting: They are wrong.

The people who wrote those books were not in the White House with us. And they didnt see how hard Joe worked every single day, Jill added. If you look at things today, give me Joe Biden any time.

Jill also responded to accusations that she built a cocoon around Joe, limiting his interactions with the media and others.

Do you think you couldve been too close to the situation to objectively gauge whether he could handle a full four more years? host Sara Haines wondered.

I was with Joe day and night. I saw him more than any other person. I woke up with him, I went to bed at night with him, so I saw him all throughout the day, Jill said. And I did not create a cocoon around him. I mean, you saw him in the Oval Office, you saw him making speeches. He wasnt hiding somewhere, I didnt have him sequestered in some place. I mean thats ridiculous!

I wish she had, Joe interjected, causing the hosts and audience to laugh.

Host Ana Navarro went on to ask Jill about the earlier comparisons made about her and Lady Macbeth that the conservative media ran wild with before the election, to which the former First Lady said that those descriptions were indeed hurtful.

It was very hurtful, especially from some of our so-called friends, she said.
 California started prohibiting police departments from sharing photos of suspects in nonviolent crimes, United Press International reported.

Accordingly, the Murrieta Police Department started using emojis, characters from movies and, most recently, Lego head images to cover the faces of suspects when they posted on social media. But now, Lt. Jeremy Durrant said, the Lego heads have to go.

"The Lego Group reached out to us and respectfully asked us to refrain from using their intellectual property in our social media content, which ... we understand and will comply with." [UPI, 3/25/2024]
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Azerbaijan International Bank (AIB) plans to open a branch in Shusha this month, Abbas Ibrahimov, Chairman of the Bank's Board of Directors, said at a press conference today for the bank's sustainability report, Trend reports.

We are planning to open a branch in Shusha this month, and preparations are currently in progress, he said.

The bank is also heavily involved in supporting the rebuilding of the Karabakh region. Ibrahimov revealed that AIBs dividend funds allocated for the restoration efforts amount to 100 million manat ($58.8 million).

I cannot provide an exact figure, as the financing process involves several stagesinitial funding is provided, and then clients secure the necessary funds, followed by additional financing. Many of the clients participating in infrastructure projects in Karabakh are our clients, he explained.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
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The brother of former Real Housewives of Orange County star Lydia McLaughlin was fatally shot by police in California.

Geoffrey Shyam Stirling was shot and killed by law enforcement during a routine traffic stop on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach, according to TMZ.

Stirling, 45, was reportedly riding his motorcycle when police pulled him over on April 17.

Sources said he was being uncooperative and at least one Newport Beach officer shot him. No law enforcement officials were injured.

The California Attorney General's Office has since launched an investigation into the incident.

In a statement confirming the death to TMZ, McLaughlin, 44, said: 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.

McLaughlins TMZ statement was followed by a cryptic post on Instagram. The reality star alum took to her channel to share an image with the message, He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

open image in gallery Lydia McLaughlins brother was fatally shot by police in Newport Beach, California, at age 45 ( Getty )

Next to the post, she wrote: Because of the pain of Good Friday, we have the JOY of Easter Sunday. #JesusIsLord.

Also on Instagram, the Newport Beach Police Department revealed more details about the incident.

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 post read. The rider, identified as Geoffrey Shyam Stirling, a 45-year-old resident of Laguna Niguel, was stopped for a traffic violation.

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.

Additional officers responded to the scene and rendered medical aid to Stirling until personnel from the Newport Beach Fire Department arrived. Stirling was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased, the post continued.

The Independent has contacted McLaughlins representatives for comments.

McLaughlin only appeared in Real Housewives of Orange County for seasons eight and 12. Shes also starred in Tamras OC Wedding, Whats Up Orange County, and Meetings with Remarkable People.

The on-screen star has been married to her husband Doug McLaughlin since 2006.
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Glee star Lea Michele has opened up about the antisemitism she faced early in her career before she starred in the 2009 hit musical drama series.

Appearing on the latest episode of internet personality Jake Shanes podcast, Therapuss, the 38-year-old performer remembered being told shed never make it on the big screen. She therefore convinced herself she wouldnt get the part of Rachel Berry in Glee.

I was like, Whatever, its never going to happen. Theyre never going to cast me, she said. I was always told I was too Jewish-looking for television [and that] I wasnt pretty enough, all of that.

Producer Ryan Murphy wrote Glee for her and Jonathan Groff, who played Jesse St. James on the show, Michele said. However, the Funny Girl star still had to audition for the part like everyone else.

open image in gallery Lea Michele, who played Rachel Berry on Glee, reflects on being told she was too Jewish looking and not pretty enough to be on TV before the hit musical drama series ( Getty )

Michelle recalled getting into a bad car accident on the way to the studio for her audition.

I was driving in my little Mini Cooper that I had rented in Los Angeles, blasting Adele and singing at the top of my lungs, trying to make a right into the studio from the center lane, she told Shane. And I totaled my car and played dead.

Then, I realized if Im dead, I cant audition. So, I revived myself and literally left the car in the road. I ran up the lot and walked in and they were like, You can go home, she continued. And I was like, Im not going home. I pulled the glass out of my hair, dropped it on the table, and auditioned for Rachel Berry.

Michelle added: I got the part that day. They were like, Shes f***ing crazy, give her this part.

Elsewhere in the interview, the Les Miserables performer spoke about the effect her Glee co-star and ex-boyfriend Cory Monteiths death had on her. Monteith, who played Michelles love interest Finn Hudson, died of a heroin overdose in 2013, two years before Glee wrapped.

open image in gallery Cory Monteith and Lea Michele starred as each others love interests on Glee up until Monteiths death in 2013 ( Lea Michele/Instagram )

It was so sad. It was so depressing, she said. I was 26. No one handed me a guide book. It was a fast education on more stuff than I could ever even process.

Michelle continued: If we didnt show up for work, then people wouldnt have work to go to, and that was a lot of pressure for me. So, I had to put my stuff aside and just show up so that everybody could continue to work.

I think it really fractured so much, she said of Monteiths death on the relationships with her co-stars. I mean, again, I cant speak for everyone. I think that maybe in some ways it did (bring everyone closer) for certain people, but I think it was so hard for me. I just completely broke.

Monteith, 31, was found dead in his hotel in Vancouver.
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Over 75 per cent of new and expectant mothers experience mental health struggles, according to a new survey.

The results paint a sobering picture of the difficulties faced by women, including barriers within the healthcare system, financial concerns, loneliness, sleep-deprivation and social media pressures.

Over 1,300 mothers voted in the survey, which was conducted by BabyCentre and released in time for Maternal Mental Health Week (5-11 May).

Three out of four mothers responding to the survey admitted to experiencing mental health challenges, while 78 per cent believe that UK mental health support falls short after birth.

Among the problems impacting the mental health of mothers are sleep deprivation (faced by 70 per cent of respondents), financial concerns (45 per cent) and loneliness (41 per cent).

Unpacking the most difficult and least discussed aspects of motherhood, the results also listed a loss of identity and independence as the biggest problem (47 per cent), while emotional outbursts and feelings of rage (42 per cent) and a feeling they had drifted from their partner or didnt have time for their relationship anymore (39 per cent).

Elsewhere, fears around returning to work and balancing career with parenting featured prominently, with 39 per cent.

But the most devastating finding is described as the fact that six in 10 women talk themselves out of seeking help due to their fear of being judged. Nearly half admitted they didnt ask for aid because they believe their problems werent serious enough.

New and expectant mothers are struggling with their mental health according to a new survey ( Getty Images )

BabyCentre said: This suggests that many of the biggest emotional challenges are still not openly acknowledged, leaving mothers feeling alone in their experience.

While most mothers struggle and feel they cant ask for help, the minority who do reach out say that the help available is not good enough.

Only one in five British mums feel supported by the healthcare system when it came to dealing with their mental health. Only 22 per cent of people who turned to the NHS or healthcare services for maternal mental health assistance felt supported. Meanwhile, 78 per cent felt more needs to be done to support the emotional and mental health needs of new and expectant mothers.

Somewhat surprisingly, a significant proportion of respondents said that social media was a positive source of advice and support, with 48 per cent feeling that it was beneficial. But 37 per cent described feeling a sense of pressure to share an idealised version of motherhood on their profiles.

Maternal mental health struggles are incredibly common, yet too often met with silence, self-blame, or inadequate support, said Dr Angharad Rudkin, a registered psychological practitioner (HCPC).

We must stop treating it as an exception and start seeing it as a normal and expected part of the transition to parenthood. Whats especially worrying is how many mothers are internalising their pain -believing its not serious enough to justify help or fearing judgment if they speak up.

This highlights a deeper cultural issue around perfectionism, stigma, and the unrealistic standards placed on women. We need to create an environment where emotional wellbeing is seen as important as physical recovery after birth: that asking for help is never mistaken as weakness but recognised as strength.
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In November 1995, Princess Diana sat down opposite the journalist Martin Bashir in her Kensington Palace apartment to film the now-notorious Panorama interview. Buried amid the better-known sound bites about Charles, Camilla and wanting to be a queen of peoples hearts was a sharp insight about Dianas status as one of the most famous women in the world. You see yourself as a good product that sits on a shelf and sells well, and people make a lot of money out of you, she told Bashir.

Perhaps its no surprise that Diana had a pretty good grasp of just how marketable a product she could be. After all, this is the woman whose sisters brushed off her pre-wedding jitters by declaring: Your face is on the tea towels, so youre too late to chicken out now. But her remark was also deeply prescient. Because if Diana was a good product back then, that status has certainly increased in the 27 years since her tragic death.

In 2025, the Diana industry is booming, although its hard to put an exact number on it, because it is so sprawling and diffuse. Shes ubiquitous in pop culture, thanks to the prestige melodrama of Netflixs The Crown, biopics ranging from camp (2013s Diana, starring Naomi Watts) to arthouse (2021s Spencer), endless documentaries and even a much-derided stage musical. Her gowns command hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction.

Archive photos documenting her off-duty attire have become a favourite fashion reference point for Gen Z; it doesnt take much digging to find reproductions of some of her Nineties sweatshirts on platforms like Etsy and Vinted. Her style has also been the subject of sellout exhibitions at Kensington Palace, where she spoke to Bashir, and where she was often deeply unhappy. In the gift shop there, she appears on books and on tea cups; on the Historic Royal Palaces website, youll find jewellery inspired by her sapphire engagement ring and the Spencer tiara.

These are only some of the more straightforward ways that Dianas image has been marketed to her public. In his new book Dianaworld, a wide-ranging cultural history of the former Princess of Wales, author Edward White interrogates Dianas many cultural and commercial afterlives. Dianaworld teems with striking, odd anecdotes that will be irresistible to anyone with an eye for Diana-related ephemera. Did you know, for example, that in 2010, a Chinese lingerie brand launched a Diana line, with an advert starring a lookalike wearing underwear and a tiara, smiling beneficently at a small child and playing the cello? Or that, for almost 25 years, visitors to a funeral home near Birmingham were greeted by a granite rendering of the princess?

open image in gallery Diana has been embraced as a style icon by Gen Z ( AFP via Getty Images )

The reasons for Dianas enduring appeal  and marketability  have been endlessly enumerated in the years since 1997. There was her ability to connect and empathise with ordinary people, as well as the extraordinary glamour that surrounds her, and the tragic nature of her death, as White puts it. He also points out, though, that theres a certain logic to the way that shes been commercialised, because she was always very much a consumerist princess, he says. And by that, I mean she was associated with lots of brands from the beginning. One anecdote sums this up. When she was getting ready on the morning of the wedding, she just started singing the jingle from the Cornetto adverts, White says, referring to the Just one Cornetto song, belted out operatically by a faux Italian gondolier in the ice cream commercials of the Eighties and Nineties.

This moment of exuberant silliness really struck a chord, he says, so much so that the story was rehashed in news articles and books, becoming part of her mythology, as if proof of her common touch. In Tina Browns wonderfully gossipy 2007 biography The Diana Chronicles, for example, the former Vanity Fair editor has Diana burst[ing] into a joyous singalong as her bridal gown is lowered over her, with dressers and bridesmaids joining in. Its a reminder that the royal bride-to-be was very young, but also that she was fully immersed in the material world of ads, commercial telly and mass-market ice cream. She was always the member of the [royal] family that was a consumer, just like the rest of us, White says.

This reputation persists in tales of the princess encouraging her sons to enjoy fast food  at the end of biopic Spencer, we see Stewarts Diana heading to KFC with a young William and Harry, though in real life she preferred McDonalds.

The public could also consume Diana in a way that wed never been able to consume any member of the royal family before, White says, because she arrived at this moment where there [was] quite a lot of new technology, including colour photography. Newspapers could fill their colour supplements with snaps of the princess, and a handful of magazines, like the still-running Majesty, were launched that were dedicated to big, high definition colour photographs of the royal family. Acquiring images of Diana was, of course, an extremely lucrative industry, buoyed by huge interest from the public; photographers nicknamed her the Princess of Sales.

She was always the member of the [royal] family that was a consumer, just like the rest of us Edward White, author of Dianaworld

The rising popularity of VHS meant that her subjects could watch their favourite royals big moments again and again, from the comfort of their own home. When White was researching his book, he found an advert for a documentary that was being made around the time of the wedding, that was going to go on sale for some ludicrously expensive price. It was hard to tell from the ad whether half the [video] tape was empty, or there was a second tape that came with it. The general idea, though, was that the proud owner could enjoy the doc, then record the TV broadcast of the ceremony afterwards, to custom make [their] own memory of the day. A strangely lo-fi memento but one that shows how products encouraged and allowed us to develop this personal relationship with Diana.

The Eighties and Nineties marked the beginning of the fast fashion era, too, White notes, so for the first time, the public could shop like a princess. On a royal visit to Virginia in the 1980s, White says, Diana bought an $8 silk scarf from a JCPenney department store. Within 24 hours, they sold out of all those scarves. Her style was accessible in a way that the wardrobes of previous generations of royals never were. As White puts it, Princess Margaret didnt go into Debenhams and just buy stuff off the peg, you know?

Whats especially striking is how Dianas style still has just as much, if not more, selling power than it did during her lifetime. A few months before her wedding, she was photographed wearing a red jumper adorned with white sheep  and one solitary black one. Forty years later, the black sheep knit has won over a new generation of fans. In 2020, US label Rowing Blazers partnered with Warm & Wonderful to re-release the jumper, along with a reproduction of another iconic Diana knit, her pastel-hued Gyles & George knit bearing the slogan I am a luxury few can afford (the Gyles in question is in fact former Tory MP Gyles Brandreth). The first batch of sheep jumpers, priced at $295, sold out in 24 hours; in their first 18 months on sale, the repros made $8m (5.9m), according to Town & Country.

open image in gallery The black sheep jumper was auctioned at Sothebys for $1.1m ( Getty Images for Sotheby's )

When an exhibition devoted to Diana opened in Las Vegas in 2022, versions of the sweater were on sale in the gift shop, as though they were official Diana merchandise, White writes. The following year, the original was auctioned at Sothebys for a record $1.1m, making it the most valuable sweater ever. Its many afterlives are a textbook example of the Diana industry in action. But the knit also encapsulates how the peoples princess could imbue everyday items with a kind of legend too; surely the fact that the black sheep motif ended up foreshadowing her reputation as a royal outsider made it more irresistible.

Its far from the only piece of Dianas wardrobe that has commanded an astronomical amount of money at auction. Is there a photograph of Diana with the item or wearing the item? says Martin Nolan, co-founder and executive director of Juliens Auctions, the LA auction house that is set to host the largest ever sale of Dianas clothes this summer. Then thats the money shot right there, because thats the connection. Items that tell a story tend to prove particularly popular, too. Among the higher priced items in the auction list this time around is a Bellville Sassoon floral dress known as the caring dress, with an estimated value between $200,000 and $300,000. It was her go-to outfit for visiting children in hospital thanks to its bold, kid-friendly patterns and colours, a piece that burnishes Dianas reputation for affability and openness.

Nolan is keen to stress, too, that you dont have to have a million dollars to show up at the auction; there are documents and handwritten cards with an estimated value between $800 and $1,200.

For some Diana fans, acquiring something that their idol actually touched or wore isnt just a way of owning a piece of history  it has almost religious overtones, White reckons. Its back to the consumerist thing of people feeling like theres some kind of magic contained in some of these objects, he says. With a couple of people I spoke to  I dont want to tar everybody with the same brush  its bordering on feeling like youve got a bit of the Turin shroud. Its fascinating to him that we have this very strong relationship to Diana through physical objects. Its quite Catholic.

It makes sense, then, that many still embark on their own Diana-related pilgrimages, to the palaces and stately homes associated with the princesss memory, and to more morbid sites. Althorp, the Spencer familys ancestral seat and Dianas burial place, still attracts plenty of visitors when it opens during the summer months. Its not as popular as it used to be in terms of [people] going to that site purposefully because Diana [grew up] there, but it still does get many thousands of tourists each year, says Beverley Boden, associate dean at Teesside University International Business School and a researcher in dark tourism, the practice of visiting sites associated with death and tragedy.

open image in gallery Many Diana fans still visit her childhood home at Althorp, where she is buried on an island in the Oval Lake ( Getty )

If journeying to Althorp to respectfully observe the island on the Oval Lake where Diana is buried is the more acceptable end of the dark tourism spectrum, then you might see visiting the actual site of her fatal car crash as occupying the other, more dubious side. Instantly, the Pont de lAlma [bridge], where the incident happened in Paris, became this shrine, and even today is still [a site of] memorial, Boden says. The motivation is jumbled; part rubber-necking, part genuine attempt to reckon with mortality and lifes brevity. Pilgrimages like this are difficult to commercialise, although not for want of trying. One 1998 article from BBC News details how in 1998, just one year after Dianas death, one French hotel caused outrage by offering a Diana Tour recreating the princesss final journey through Paris. For a little extra, tourists can take a macabre drive in a Mercedes, similar to the one in which Diana was a rear seat passenger, the piece claims.

Its the sort of tale that makes you question the entire Diana industry. I read that old article with a sense of horror, judging anyone and everyone involved  but am I simply engaging in a different kind of morbid tourism when I watch dramas and read books about the princess, or admire her outfits in photos taken by the paparazzi who hounded her? For the most part, though, aside from such blatantly distasteful cash grabs, White reckons that the merchandise, the collectibles and the trips are simply a way that people can practice their sincere feelings for Diana: they are sincere expressions of affection and connection, which can say something quite profound about the effect she had on a lot of ordinary people.

Our collective obsession with Diana, and with finding new ways to explore (and exploit) her image looks set to endure down the centuries, White believes. When William is on the throne, the association is going to be there, as it will be with George, he says. Williams estrangement from Harry, he adds, is like a church schism between two factions who are arguing about what Dianas true legacy is, which will keep her in the public consciousness (indeed, every new piece of speculation about the brothers fractured relationship seems to come with the subtext: what would Diana think?).

White has a theory, too, that what really endures in the modern world when we think about royalty are the high stakes stories of women. Take our collective fascination with Henry VIIIs six wives, in high culture and in pop culture  we are still fixated on these politically and socially prominent women, who took risks, lived soap opera lives and sometimes paid a high price for doing so. If were still obsessed with Anne Boleyn 500 years after her death, he says, theres every chance that people are going to find new things in [Dianas story].

Dianaworld by Edward White is published by Allen Lane, 25. Bidding for Princess Dianas Style and A Royal Collection at Juliens Auctions opens on 19 May and closes on 26 June
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Reese Witherspoons youngest son Tennessee Roth has moved on from calling her mom. Hes now adopted a unique, unexpected nickname for her.

The Legally Blonde star took to her Instagram story on Wednesday to reveal the wacky moniker her 12-year-old came up with as part of a popular social media trend in which people list all the different names they go by based on the people and jobs in their life.

Next to a video of her laughing, she wrote: Morty to my youngest, no clue why.

Witherspoon went on to list a few of her other names, from her government one to the nickname her high school friends have for her.

Laura Jeanne to the government. Reese to my fans. Sister to my brother. R Dubs to my friends, she continued. Ladybug to my mother. Pieces to my high school friends. Miss Reese to my friends children. Mama to my older kids.

The Big Little Lies actor shares her two oldest kids  Ava Phillippe, 25, Deacon Phillippe, 21,  with her ex-husband, actor Ryan Phillippe, and Tennessee with her second ex-husband, actor and producer Jim Toth.

open image in gallery Reese Witherspoon lists the various names people call her and reveals the nickname her youngest son has for her is Morty ( Instagram/ReeseWitherspoon )

Witherspoons nickname reveal comes a few months after she addressed feud rumors between her and Titanic star Kate Winslet.

In February, Witherspoon spoke out on Instagram, telling fans not to believe everything they hear or read.

Hey guys .. just spoke to my very dear friend for years, Kate W. We laughed about this stupidity, she said referring to the online chatter about them. Please do not believe the internet. We are good friends and have never had any falling out.

She then added: This is completely UNTRUE ...so silly!

Feud speculation first sparked after Witherspoon appeared to allude to the name of an A-lister who doesnt like her after she made a speech in her honor.

open image in gallery Witherspoon recently spoke out about a rumored feud between her and actor Kate Winslet to deny the rumors ( Getty )

Speaking to People magazine, Witherspoon remembered how her speech accidentally turned into a roast which led her friend, a fellow actor, to stop talking to her.

So this friend of mine  who I didn't really know that well, but she was a very serious, proper actress  she asked me to give her an award, she explained to People. But I had never been to this award ceremony, so I thought it was like a roast. So I got up and I roasted her.

But that was not the tone, Witherspoons Youre Cordially Invited co-star Will Ferrell chimed in, to which she said: No.

The tone was British, elegant, classy, she continued. And I was like, 'Remember the time we got laser hair removal?'

Witherspoon then candidly pointed out that shes still embarrassed about it.
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A member of the Big Brother Big Sisters organization in Texas was arrested on Wednesday at work after the Abilene Police Department received a tipoff about child pornography, according to law enforcement.

Joel Michael Paris, 39, has been charged with the promotion of child pornography and, as of Wednesday, was being held without bond in the Taylor County Jail, according to the Abilene Reporter News.

The promotion of child sexual abuse material is a second degree felony, meaning if convicted, Paris would face between two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

The Abilene police worked alongside the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations on the arrest, according to police.

According to the the Abilene Reporter, Paris's LinkedIn lists him as a director of volunteer recruitment at Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star, which primarily serves west central Texas, Wichita County, Dallas, Tarrant County, and Houston.

open image in gallery Joel Michael Paris, 39, of Texas. Paris, formerly employed at the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, has been charged with second-degree promotion of child pornographic materials ( Taylor County Jail )

Law enforcement began investigating the man after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a video  uploaded to community chat site Discord  that reportedly showed girls between the ages of 12 to 14 engaging in sexual conduct.

It is unclear how the Abilene police connected the video to Paris, but they did obtain and execute a search warrant for the man's house.

Big Brothers Big Sisters issued a statement following Paris' arrest saying he was no longer with the nonprofit, according to Big Country News.

We have been informed of the serious allegations against Mr Joel Paris. Mr Paris is no longer with our organization. Big Brothers Big Sisters Abilene is committed to the safety of our children first and foremost and has cooperated fully with the authorities regarding this matter," the organization said.

The group further stated that all of its members, whether on staff or volunteer, are thoroughly screened.

"It is the policy of BBBSA that every staff member, Board Member or volunteer be thoroughly screened through a series of professional checks and interviews prior to his or her employment or acceptance as a 'Big' or volunteer Mentor," according to the statement. "Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of our youth and this commitment to safety is one which we take most seriously.

Detectives are still investigating the incident and the Abilene Police Department is encouraging anyone who may have knowledge about Paris to contact them directly.

"The Abilene Police Department encourages anyone with information related to this case or who may have had any questionable contact with Joel Michael Paris to contact the Cyber Crimes Unit at 325-676-6610," the police said in a news release.
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A man who spent six weeks in jail after he allegedly tried to snatch a toddler from a mother at a Georgia Walmart has been released on bond after new surveillance footage surfaced.

Mahendra Patel, 57, was arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping, battery and assault following the March 18 incident in which 26-year-old Caroline Miller accused him of trying to kidnap her two-year-old son.

Miller told WSB-TV Atlanta she was on a motorized scooter with her two children at the superstore in Acworth when Patel approached her and asked for help finding Tylenol. Thats when he grabbed her son and they were tug of warring over the child, she said.

But Patels defense attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, argued at a bond hearing this week that surveillance footage her firm had subpoenaed from Walmart contradicts Millers account of the incident and instead proves her clients innocence.

Mahendra Patel, 57, was arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping, battery and assault following the March 18 incident ( Fox 5 Atlanta )

Merchant submitted an edited compilation of the footage that she said shows Patel trying to help the child and the mother, because she was on the scooter. Merchant noted that Miller is not physically disabled.

After leaning in to reach for the child, Patel then "immediately backs up" and puts his hands in his pockets when Miller leans back, the video shows.

The video couldn't be clearer, she told the judge. Mr. Patel did not try to kidnap this child.

Prosecutors argued that Patel had fled the store, but his attorney claimed that her client continued shopping and interacted with other Walmart employees, including one who referred to him as a "friendly older gentleman before paying for the Tylenol and leaving the store.

Merchant also argued that Patel wasn't a flight risk and had strong ties to the community. She also said that over 250 people, including family members and neighbors, had come to the courthouse that day in support of his release.

After hearing the arguments and viewing the footage, Cobb County Superior Court Judge A. Gregory granted Poole release on a $10,000 bond.

Im going to grant this man a bond. Hes entitled to a bond, the judge told Patel. Im not worried about that. I dont believe he poses a risk to the community. The evidence from the video, and I wont comment on what I think the video really shows, as far as guilt or innocence. Its not my job today. But the facts do show me that he hung around, and I dont find that hes a flight risk based upon what I saw in the video.

Patel, who spent his birthday in Cobb County Jail, was released later that day. Outside the jail, he told reporters: I'm so happy to be out.

I can not even dream about someone alleging of me doing this, he added. It was a shocker.
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A Louisiana mother was arrested on aggravated assault charges after she tried to run over a group of elementary school students with her car, police said.

The Shreveport Police Department announced Wednesday that the incident occurred near Pine Grove Elementary around 8 p.m. April 29.

A parent first reported that her kids were almost hit by a woman on their walk home from school. The woman reportedly dropped off a group of kids with the intent to fight a group of others, according to police.

As the group tried to run, the woman tried to hit six children with her car after a fight between her child and another student, cops said. There was no word on what the students were fighting over.

A school patrol officer quickly reviewed surveillance footage and was able to identify the suspect as Lejonkica Sharp.

open image in gallery Lejonkica Sharp allegedly tried to run over a group of elementary school kids who had a fight with her child. ( Shreveport Police Department )

Sharp allegedly told police that the kids were throwing rocks at her car and she had no intent of harming anyone.

However, a school patrol officer reviewed surveillance footage of the incident and found that claim to be false.

Sharp was arrested two days after the incident on six counts of aggravated assault.

We are thankful that no children were seriously injured during this alarming incident. The Shreveport Police Department would like to thank the Caddo Parish School Board for their cooperation and support during this investigation. Their assistance was instrumental in ensuring a prompt and successful resolution, Shreveport police said.
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New police bodycam footage shows the moment the brother of former Real Housewives of Orange County star Lydia McLaughlin was shot dead by police.

Geoffrey Stirling, 45, was pulled over after running a red light while riding a motorcycle on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach, California, at about 9.15 p.m. on April 17.

Bodycam and dashcam footage released by the Newport Beach Police Department late Wednesday reveals the moment an uncooperative Stirling was eventually shot dead after accusing him of grabbing the cops taser.

The officer was able to break free and as Mr Stirling pointed the taser at him, an officer-involved shooting occurred, NBPD Press Information Officer Sergeant Steve Oberon said in a video statement alongside the footage.

open image in gallery Police bodycam footage reveals the moment Geoffrey Stirling, the brother of RHOC star Lydia McLaughlin, was shot dead by cops ( Newport Beach Police Department/YouTube )

After being recorded running a red light at an intersection, Stirling pulls over to the side of the road. The officer approached Stirling on foot, and a few seconds later, he got off his bike.

You okay? the officer asked.

I havent been drinking, officer, Stirling replied. Im fully sober, Im just trying to stay safe.

He is then told to sit down on the curb, to which an irate Stirling responds, I dont care what youre telling me to do.

Stop, stop! Come here, the officer said as Stirling attempted to get back on his bike.

After radioing in that Stirling was not cooperating and refusing to comply with repeated demands to sit down, Stirling asked for police to stop harassing him, before urging: Dont shoot me.

open image in gallery An altercation broke out between the two men after Stirling appeared to lurch towards the officer ( Newport Beach Police Department/YouTube )

open image in gallery The officer can be seen drawing and pointing his weapon at Stirling as he called for the victim to 'drop' the taser ( Newport Beach Police Department/YouTube )

Im not going to shoot you, the officer responded in the footage.

Stirling reached into his pocket, saying he was attempting to pull out some identification, leading to the officer responding: Dont reach for f***ing s**t.

Stirling placed his hands beside his head as he began to walk towards the officer, again shirking demands to sit down. He then began to urinate in his pants as he walked towards the officer.

As the officer again radioed for back-up, Stirling lurched forward, causing an altercation to break out between the two men.

open image in gallery Geoffrey Stirling (pictured) was fatally shot by a Newport Beach police officer mid-last month ( Newport Beach Police Department/YouTube )

The officers bodycam was knocked off, but a dashboard camera in the police vehicle captured the rest of the incident from several feet away.

Stirling struck the officer multiple times in the head and removed the officers taser from his belt, at one point placing it against his head, police said.

Drop it!, the officer yelled before a volley of six shots could be heard ringing out.

Stirling stumbled backwards before dropping to the ground.

open image in gallery Stirling can be seen being tended to by back-up police officers seconds after the shooting ( Newport Beach Police Department/YouTube )

Additional officers arrived on the scene seconds after Stirling was shot, Oberon said in the statement.

Newport Beach Fire Department personnel attempted to deliver lifesaving support before Stirling was transported to the Hoag Hospital Newport Beach, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The Stirling family released a statement following the release of the NBPD footage, raising grave concerns about the officers actions.

Of grave and specific concern is that the videos appear to show [Stirling] moving away from the officer at the time he was shot six times, read the statement, first obtained by ABC 7 Eyewitness News. The family through their attorneys plan to file a lawsuit in Federal Court to obtain full answers and seek accountability.

open image in gallery Lydia Mclaughlin, the RHOC star, said earlier this week that her heart is broken as she laid her brother, Stirling, to rest ( Getty )

Despite the footage capturing officers surrounding a prone Stirling, the family contested that no aid was initially offered to the victim after the shooting and stated his death was caused by blood loss.

The family remains heartbroken and devastated that Geoff was taken from them in what appears to be an unjustified use of lethal force, they said.

McLaughlin, who appeared on RHOC for seasons eight and 12, shared a video on Instagram of her brother being laid to rest earlier this week.

My heart is broken, and the shock still hasnt settled, she wrote. But even in the sorrow, I cling to what I know is true: God is good. He is in control.

The California Attorney General's Office has launched an investigation into the incident last month.

The Independent has contacted the NBPD for more information.
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The three former Memphis police officers acquitted of charges in state court in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols still face the prospect of years in prison.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith were found not guilty on all charges in a Tennessee courtroom, including second-degree murder, on Wednesday after a nine-day trial, more than two years after Nichols was punched, kicked, and pepper-sprayed after fleeing from a traffic stop in January 2023.

The defendants hugged their lawyers upon hearing the jurys verdict as a supporter of one of the former officers cried out: Thank you, Jesus!

Despite Wednesdays events, Bean, Haley, and Smith were convicted in a federal trial in October last year, but acquitted of the harshest charges of violating Nichols civil rights by causing his death.

A federal grand jury found the three guilty of witness tampering, with Haley being found guilty of violating the victims civil rights by causing bodily injury.

open image in gallery Tyre Nichols was beaten by Memphis police officers after attempting to flee a traffic stop on January 7, 2023, before succumbing to his injuries three days later ( Family handout )

Two other Memphispolice officers  Desmond Mills Jr and Emmitt Martin  pleaded guilty to state charges, avoiding trial, and all federal charges. They ultimately went on to testify against the three officers who maintained their innocence.

All five men were part of a crime suppression team called the Scorpion Unit, which was disbanded after Nichols death. A sixth officer at the scene, Preston Hemphill, was never charged.

Bean and Smith face up to 20 years in prison while Haley faces life behind bars. Sentencing for all five defendants in the federal trial is expected later this year.

Nichols death led to nationwide protests, calls for police reforms in the U.S., and intense scrutiny of police in Memphis, a majority-Black city.

open image in gallery Top row from left to right: Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III. Bottom row from left to right: Desmond Mills Jr and Justin Smith ( Memphis Police Department )

The 29-year-old victim fled from a traffic stop on January 7, 2023, after he was yanked out of his car, pepper-sprayed, and fired at with a stun gun. Nichols broke free and ran toward his mothers home, calling out her name.

The officers caught up with him and restrained, punching, kicking, and hitting Nichols with a police baton.

Nichols died in the hospital three days later from blunt-force trauma to the head. He had tearing and rupturing in his brain and had suffered cuts and bruising all over his body, medical examiners said.

Shocking footage of the beating captured by a police pole camera also showed the officers milling about, talking and laughing as Nichols struggled.

Prosecutors argued that the officers used excessive force in trying to handcuff Nichols during the traffic stop.

The officers also had a duty to intervene and stop the beating and tell medical personnel that Nichols had been struck in the head, but they failed to do so, prosecutors said.

open image in gallery Demetrius Haley (center), Tadarrius Bean (left) and Justin Smith Jr (right) hug after they were acquitted of state charges Wednesday ( Commercial Appeal/USA Today )

In closing arguments, which concluded on Tuesday, prosecutor Melanie Headley said that the footage showed it's five officers acting together.

Defense attorneys argued that Nichols was actively resisting arrest by running away and failing to give his hands to officers so that he could be handcuffed. They also have argued that their use of force complied with police department policies.

Nichols mother, RowVaughn Wells, filed a $550 million civil lawsuit against the city of Memphis and its police department in April 2023  a sum the city stated in filings could bankrupt it.

Wells argued her sons death was the result of unconstitutional policies, practices, customs, and deliberate indifference by the City of Memphis and its police leadership.

The civil case, which has been on hold while the criminal cases were pending, is scheduled to go to trial in July 2026.

Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Nichols family, released a statement after Wednesdays state trial concluded, noting: We remain fiercely committed to civil justice and ask for your continued support as we press forward with the civil trial and push for meaningful, lasting reforms needed to stop the cycle of police brutality.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 8. The First Deputy Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan, Mamanbiy Omarov, held a meeting with the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the CIS Coordination Transport Council, Gennady Bessonov, and discussed the prospects for cooperation in the transport sector, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan.

The parties addressed the issue of holding the 45th meeting of the Coordination Transport Council later this year in Tashkent.

Following the meeting, the sides expressed their readiness to further strengthen regional integration in the transport sector and continue constructive dialogue.

Meanwhile, the latest CIS discussions were held in November 2024, covering in detail topics such as the development of international logistics, digitalization of transport, and updating the Council's regulations. The event was attended by representatives of all CIS member states, including Uzbekistan, as well as officials from the CIS Executive Committee and other international organizations.
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The outer space around the Earth is already pretty crowded. Now, tech firms are racing to add more.

There are already thousands of satellites hurdling around the Earth in low orbit - many of them are in groups working together called constellations to provide high-speed internet and communication services.

The largest is SpaceXs Starlink, which is made up of more than 7,000 satellites that have been launched since 2019. Now, Amazon is jockeying for position alongside its competitor. This week, it launched the first 27 satellites for its Kuiper broadband internet constellation. The company must launch half of its planned constellation of 3,200 satellites by July of next year to retain its federal license. SpaceX also plans to send up tens of thousands more.

But, these and other satellite companies  such as the Chinese internet constellations Guowang and Qianfan  are setting up a space future fraught with peril, according to experts. More satellites shooting around the Earth at 17,500 miles per hour will mean a greater chance of potentially calamitous collisions.

If we dont do something to start correcting this problem, in 50 years Kessler Syndrome is going to be a reality and low-Earth orbit is going to useless, Dr. John Crassidis, a professor at the University of Buffalo who works with NASA, the military, and other agencies to monitor space debris, told The Independent.

open image in gallery Amazon launched the first of its Kuiper satellites this week, hoping to become competitive with SpaceXs Starlink constellation. But, low-Earth orbit is already crowded and experts say it could get a whole lot worse. ( AFP via Getty Images )

Kessler Syndrome is a nightmare space scenario in which the number of satellites and orbital debris is so high that collisions occur, generating a cascading series of collisions.

Hugh Lewis, a professor of astronautics at the U.K.-based University of Southampton who served as a U.K. Space Agency delegate to the European Space Agencys Space Mission Planning Advisory Group said that Earth has been headed toward a perilous future for decades, but a one-off event isnt the biggest concern.

I just dont think that we can safely manage the number of satellites that are being contemplated; not with our existing knowledge of the space environment, he said.

When the satellites crash into each other is anyones guess, according to Dr. Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Well see more and more satellites doing avoidance maneuvers. What is the point at which they start to actually crash into one another because the algorithms arent good enough? We just dont know, he explained.

In addition to constellation satellites, there are tens of thousands of other objects and hundreds of thousands of even smaller pieces that cannot be monitored. Active satellites have already been damaged by debris and the International Space Station needs to maneuver away from an object should the chance of a collision exceed one-in-10,000.

Starlink is moving satellites closer to the space station, McDowell noted. Chinese systems are going to higher orbits, where and could remain for centuries.

open image in gallery There are already tens of thousands of other objects and hundreds of thousands of smaller pieces in low-Earth orbit. The smaller pieces are still concerning ( ESA )

Crassidis called the current situation uncharted territory.

But, its stuff between one centimeter and 10 that were really worried about because we cant see that stuff. Im worried about astronauts. Theyre exposed when theyre doing their spacewalks, and a piece of debris that size can go right through them, he said.

But, a solution to these worrying consequences has not yet been found. SpaceX is bringing down older satellites, but there are questions about the impact of that decision on Earths atmosphere.

There are also regulatory questions. To McDowell, theres the appearance of regulation, but its pretty loose. To Lewis, the regulation is there, but is interpreted differently by each nation, resulting in an uneven playing field.

In principle, they say what altitudes theyre going to be at, at least. But it turns out that the plus or minus on that is so big as to make it almost meaningless, McDowell said.

open image in gallery SpaceX has been launching its Starlink satellites since 2019 and have more planned. ( Getty Images )

We dont have any modern day treaties. We gotta get some treaties, and we know the bad actors are Russia and China, Crassidis said. We need to get some treaties in place to slow down the growth and buys us the time because todays science fiction is tomorrows reality.

There are also the scientific costs to consider, although SpaceX has accommodated astronomers concerns about brightness. The satellites can block out the stars, and potentially other objects. Their radio emissions can also disrupt work in deep space. As NASA heads to the moon and Mars, it will need to navigate these impacts and the debris field.

That will be challenging for the space agency and tech firms to manage in the coming decades.

Everythings getting harder, I think. I dont see any change to that. At some point, something will go wrong, I have no doubt, said Lewis.
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The non-profit organisation behind Wikipedia has launched a legal challenge against the governmentsOnline Safety Act, arguing that the law's requirements threaten the site's open editing model and could lead to a surge in misinformation and vandalism.

The challenge focuses on the Act's categorisation of Wikipedia as a Category 1 service, subjecting it to the highest level of content moderation duties.

This designation, Wikimedia Foundation owners argue, would force the site to implement user verification and content filtering measures, undermining the platform's unique system of volunteer editors and reviewers.

A key concern is the requirement to allow any user to block unverified users from editing or removing content. This, the foundation warns, disrupts the established hierarchy of volunteer editors and moderators, potentially empowering malicious actors to post harmful or false information while preventing its removal.

It also argues that this could lead to an increase in misinformation and vandalism on the platform, directly contradicting the aims of the Online Safety Act. The legal challenge seeks to revise Wikipedia's categorisation under the Act, protecting its collaborative editing model while maintaining its commitment to accuracy and user safety.

open image in gallery Ofcom is gaining new enforcement powers under the Online Safety Act ( PA )

Wikipedia is kept free of bad content because of the important work of thousands of members of the public, who can review and improve the content on the website to ensure it is neutral, fact-based and well-sourced, the Wikimedia Foundation said in a blog post.

Sophisticated volunteer communities, working in more than 300 languages, collectively govern almost every aspect of day-to-day life on Wikipedia.

Their ability to set and enforce policies, and to review, improve or remove what other volunteers post, is central to Wikipedias success, notably in resisting vandalism, abuse and misinformation.

The blog post said: For example, volunteer users worked day and night to ensure that Wikipedia presented neutral and reliable information about the Southport murders at the same time as misinformation and race-baiting spread unchecked on social media.

However, if Wikipedia is designated as category one, the Wikimedia Foundation will need to verify the identity of Wikipedia users.

That rule does not itself force every user to undergo verification  but under a linked rule, the foundation would also need to allow other (potentially malicious) users to block all unverified users from fixing or removing any content they post.

This could mean significant amounts of vandalism, disinformation or abuse going unchecked on Wikipedia, unless volunteers of all ages, all over the world, undergo identity verification.

The Online Safety Act is steadily coming into force this year, with social media and other platforms hosting user-generated content becoming subject to a range of duties that require them to protect users, and in particular children, from seeing harmful or illegal content.

Firms who breach the new rules face fines of up to 18 million or 10% of global revenue  whichever is greater.

The Wikimedia Foundation said it did not oppose online safety regulation, or even the use of a categories system, but said it felt it would be overregulated if designated as a category one service and felt compelled to act.

It added: Although the UK Government felt this category one duty (which is just one of many) would usefully support police powers to tackle criminal anonymous abuse on social media, Wikipedia is not like social media.

Wikipedia relies on empowered volunteer users working together to decide what appears on the website. This new duty would be exceptionally burdensome (especially for users with no easy access to digital ID).

Worse still, it could expose users to data breaches, stalking, vexatious lawsuits or even imprisonment by authoritarian regimes. Privacy is central to how we keep users safe and empowered.

Designed for social media, this is just one of several category one duties that could seriously harm Wikipedia.

An Ofcom spokesperson said: We note the Wikimedia Foundations decision to challenge the categorisation regulations set by the Secretary of State under the Online Safety Act.
Azerbaijan evaluates investments in its Aghdam, Araz Valley Economic Zone industrial parks

As of May 1, 2025, residents of industrial parks in Azerbaijan's liberated territories have received 142 certificates for imported machinery and equipment, with tax and duty exemptions totaling approximately eight million manat ($4.7 million). These parks, including Aghdam and Araz Valley, host 45 businesses with a total investment of around 400 million manat ($235 million), aiming to create over 4,000 jobs. To date, more than 136 million manat ($80 million) has been invested, generating over 700 permanent jobs.

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When the College of Cardinals convened this week to elect a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church after the death of Pope Francis, few knew what to expect. Would the bishops choose someone who would continue in Francis tradition, embracing openness while adhering strictly to church doctrine? Would they perhaps choose someone from burgeoning Catholic communities in places like Asia and Africa? Would they go in an entirely different direction?
He is American, born and raised in Chicago. He is a naturalized Peruvian, following decades of ministry there. He is an acolyte of the progressive Pope Francis  though he also holds more traditional views  as well as a member of the Augustinian order, known for its focus on education and missionary work.
Kazakhstan charts ambitious investment path to boost economic growth

Photo: Official information source of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan

At a meeting of Kazakhstan's economic growth headquarters, key economic indicators and investment projects were discussed. The Kazakhstan Industrial Development Fund (KIDF) has formed numerous investment projects focused on infrastructure, metallurgy, and the chemical industry. These projects are expected to generate significant economic value. Key KIDF projects for 2025 include the construction of a border railway crossing and an electric steelmaking plant. The Qazaqstan Investment Corporation (QIC) plans to invest in several projects, targeting substantial economic returns. Major QIC projects include the development of the metallurgy sector, and the construction of soda ash and bitumen production plants.

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On the Record: Xavier University President Reynold Verret talks about the next 100 years
Outgoing ANZ Bank boss Shayne Elliott says moves during his tenure to sell dozens of businesses and slash the number of major corporate clients on the banks books will set it up for a more volatile world and the next inevitable financial crisis.

Elliott, who will be replaced by Nuno Matos next week, delivered his last result as chief executive on Thursday, as the bank posted flat half-year profits of $3.6 billion.

ANZ chief executive Shayne Elliott is bowing out after more than nine years in the role. Credit: Arsine Houspian

After more than nine years leading ANZ, Elliott cited a phrase often used in the industry  that in banking, its better to be boring  especially when the world is heading into a more disruptive era of rising geopolitical tensions and the unwinding of globalisation.

As CEO, Elliott made major shifts at ANZ including selling about 30 non-core businesses and scaling back ANZs presence in Asia; shrinking the number of big business clients on its books; and buying Suncorps retail bank for $4.9 billion. The Melbourne-based bank has also been slapped with a $1 billion capital charge over governance failings in its markets division, and critics say its digital transformation has been underwhelming.
Richard Coyne says his body is more pliable now than ever. The former corporate executive, 59, took up yoga 11 years ago, and says that although hes always been active, greater physical flexibility has allowed him to live more fully and freely.

I was a highly active cyclist, riding 500 to 600 kilometres a week, but I couldnt bend to my shins, Coyne says. Now I can fold over and tuck my hands underneath my feet. I feel so much better; I sleep better, and sit better.

Richard Coyne says his body is more pliable now than ever. Credit: Simon Schluter

Theres no doubt Australians are less active than they used to be. These days, most of us sit on average for eight to 10 hours a day, often hunched over screens. While its understood this has serious impacts on heart health, it can also result in our bodies getting stiffer over time.

Coyne believes a flexible body is the key to making the most of life as you age.
Australias richest person was, like most of the country, unhappy with the Liberal Party on Saturday night. But for different reasons to your average swinging voter.

Billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart lashed the Coalition following its electoral drubbing for being insufficiently Trumpian, accusing left media of frightening the Liberals away from following the lead of the US president.

Gina Rinehart has urged politicians to shift further to the right and adopt US President Donald Trumps policies.

And while moderates bemoaned the perceived ties between Donald Trump and Peter Dutton which helped smash the party at the ballot box, a handful have echoed Rineharts sentiments. Chief among them was South Australian senator and anti-woke warrior Alex Antic, who told Sky News this week that it was time to Make the Liberal Party Great again.

Turns out that not only have the pair been singing from the same hymn book on the Liberal Partys future, theyve also been hanging out. According to an election-eve register-of-interests disclosure, Antic received dinner and hospitality from Rinehart and her Hancock Prospecting.
It is not uncommon for us to message each other while we are both in the house. Frances is a bit of a night-owl and stays up pretty late by herself. It is a large house, and we had already said goodnight, so I did not feel the need to go and see her in person to tell her this. I was pretty much prompting her to see if she was coming to bed too. Text messages submitted to the court as part of Mr Crawfords successful bail application detail their communication on the Signal app. There are no messages between the pair between about 5.20pm and 11.20pm, although she is known to have called her son for 43 minutes from 7.13pm. According to the court documents, Mr Crawford says he woke later in the night, and reached over in bed to grab his wifes hand. I realised she was not in bed. I jumped out of bed and went to the toilet. I then walked out to the living room to find her, as it is not uncommon for her to fall asleep in front of the TV.

He told police he checked the house, calling out for her, but could not find her. Mr Crawford says it was while he was looking for her outside, using the torch of his phone, he discovered the upturned mower. Frances Crawfords loved ones described her as a devoted mother to three children, a beloved daughter, sister, friend, dedicated health professional, and a valued member of her church and community. Credit: Nine News When I looked over the back rock ledge, I saw the shadow of the mower down the embankment, lying on its side. I could see legs sticking out from underneath the mower and realised that it was Frances, he says. Mr Crawford says he tried talking to her, but there was no response. He says he was eventually able to lift her out from under the mower, before calling paramedics.

In the call, he says to the operator: I dont know...just found her. Shes off the wall...like the mowers rolled and shes, I...I dunno...whats she doing? The call taker clarified if the mower had rolled onto Mrs Crawford, to which he replies: Yeah...yeah...Im just, Im trying to, I had to pull it off and like...I think shes still okay...I think, but I need an ambulance ASAP. In his subsequent police interviews, Mr Crawford told police how the pair had marital problems, which he claims they were trying to resolve. Our problems stem from me being unfaithful during our marriage. I have been unfaithful on numerous occasions over the course of a 10-year period. He says his wife became aware of the affairs in mid-2023, and resulted in him moving out of the home. I am not proud of these things and embarrassed by my actions, he told police. In the months before her death, Mr Crawford moved back in. Prosecutors however said Mrs Crawford was due to leave her husband for the final time, and documents submitted to court give this as the motive for murder.

This angered Mr Crawford as he stood to lose financially and would likely be required to leave the family home again, prosecution documents say. Mr Crawfords frustration at his wife set him into a murderous rage. Robert Crawford, a pilot and safety officer with the Royal Australian Air Force, has been granted bail. Credit: Nine News The prosecution says there was an argument on the night of the 29th, which culminated in Mr Crawford strangling his wife, causing her death. Blood was found inside the en suite of their home, which matched the DNA of both him and his wife. Mr Crawford, the prosecution alleges, was willing to go to great lengths to avoid punishment for killing his wife.

His defence barrister, Saul Holt, told the court the prosecutions case was very weak, and said parts of it would be contested. He described in documents that Mr Crawford frantically called emergency services in the early hours of July 30. An autopsy report filed to the court said Mrs Crawford had suffered multiple injuries, including a 16-centimetre scalp laceration, large scalp bruises, facial bruises, abrasions on the neck and under the chin and rib fractures. It detailed that ambulance officers found Mrs Crawford cold and stiff. Blood found on the rocks of the retaining wall at the Crawford home. The report said paramedics did not attempt resuscitation because it was apparent that she had died some time ago. The autopsy conclusion said Mrs Crawfords cause of death was neck and head injuries. Several possible causes of death were considered, and included: Hypovolaemic shock due to haemorrhage from scalp laceration, neck compression, traumatic asphyxia, positional asphyxia.

The prosecutions botanical expert, Gordon Guymer, found Mrs Crawfords ugg boots were not worn onto the lawn adjacent to the house, and if they had have been, then there would have been considerably more pieces of grass in the tread. The left ugg boot was still on Mrs Crawfords body at the crime scene, while the right was adjacent to her, the analysis says. A 20 centimetre long piece of grass was found between her toes on the right foot, with Guymer saying it was highly unlikely she would have put her sock on with the piece of grass between her toes, or the grass being present in her sock before she put it on. Guymer also found there were fruits of cobblers pegs, or prickles, on the inside of Mrs Crawfords pyjama top and pants. He found it was unlikely the 11 prickles were present when the pyjamas were put on given the discomfort they would have caused to the wearer and their skin. A biomedical engineer report found that it was improbable that an accident with a ride-on mower could result in head impact at the top of the retaining wall and Mrs Crawfords body ultimately coming to rest 1.8 metres from the wall.

The neck injuries reported at the time of death, including hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage fracture, are very rare as far as traumatic fractures are concerned...it is unlikely that impact forces associated with the mower could explain the observed neck pathology. Blood found at the scene of the Crawford home. In defence documents, Mr Crawfords legal team said those conclusions were at best for the Crown, highly contestable. The scenario that Mrs Crawford reversed the mower at night and fell from it could also not be ruled out, the defence said, referencing the autopsy report. The court documents state Mr Crawford had deployments to Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. He was part of operations Slipper, Catalyst and High Road in the Middle East and has been ranked as a squadron leader since 2010. In 2017, he was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander. Since 2019, he has been attached to the 35 Squadron in Amberley as a pilot, with duties including flight instruction, maintenance and safety work.
A man accused of murdering his flatmate has refused to look at photos of her body while being questioned if he left her to rot away forever on his balcony.

Yang Zhao, 30, on Thursday spent his second day on the witness stand testifying on his own defence after pleading not guilty to the murder of Qiong Yan, 29, in September 2020 at their inner-Brisbane apartment.

Crown prosecutor Chris Cook presented Zhao with crime scene pictures of Yans body after it had been sealed for 10 months in a tool box on Zhaos balcony.

Yang Zhao, left, is accused of killing his flatmate Qiong Yan at their Hamilton apartment and leaving her body in a toolbox on the balcony for 10 months.

You let her rot forever on your balcony? Cook said.
The council has repeatedly said responsibility for addressing homelessness falls on the state government, and it will only intervene in cases where people have been offered a place to stay. While the policy debate has flared in recent months, documents obtained under the Right to Information Act show the government relies on data that is several years old. Tents in Musgrave Park at South Brisbane earlier this year. Credit: Courtney Kruk Hurding says he understands the desire to clear tents from the park, but believes more needs to be done to support people who feel theyve been left with no other options. Its a beautiful park  its not fair on the public.

Governance of this city and state dont want to create easy solutions for us, they want us to sweat. I feel sometimes  like theyre punishing us. In a statement, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner made no mention of the upcoming Panyiri Greek Festival in the park, instead referring to his firm stance on the issue. Brisbane residents have grown increasingly concerned about the violence, drug use and anti-social behaviour occurring in tent encampments in parks, Schrinner said through a spokesperson. As a result, were taking a calm, measured and considered approach with the Department of Housing, Police and Queensland Health to get people out of dangerous encampments and into safe accommodation.

Loading Bec Pring, lead organiser of the Community Union Defence League, was at the park on Thursday as a team of police and council workers arrived to clear out tents. They woke everybody up and said they had 30 minutes to pack up their belongings and leave, she said. The people sleeping rough in the park at the moment would prefer not to be, but this is the safest place that they have. Pring suggested the evictions were to clear the park for the upcoming festival.

What I witnessed was incredibly distressing and upsetting, she said. Rough sleeper Corey, who did not give his surname, agreed, saying no-one chooses to be here, on the streets. Its a little inhumane, you know, these people are at the end of all their possibilities, he said. Corey has also lived at the park in South Brisbane. Credit: William Davis I ended up on the street and Ive stayed here before, Ive crashed in parks, Ive crashed on benches. Ive got a quiet little spot that I dont tell anyone anymore, so I stay safe.

Wed rather a rough set of walls around us than a tent, just having that place to charge your phone, being able to wake up and flick the kettle on. Data on long-term trends is difficult to come by, but Hurding believes homelessness is becoming more prominent across the city and services are increasingly stretched. There seem to be a lot of middle class to higher class women exiting domestic violence, he said. Thats telling me that its basically growing through the ranks of society like a disease. At the 2021 census more than 2000 people across the state were believed to be living on the street, and about 22,000 did not have a secure residence.

The housing department doesnt gather its own data on the number of people sleeping rough in Brisbane at any one time. This masthead requested data in November last year. It was not provided, and internal correspondence obtained under the RTI Act shows the department was reliant on the census data from 2021. A draft response outlining the departments efforts to respond to homelessness was prepared but not sent. The office of minister Sam OConnor intervened to instead provide this masthead with a statement blaming the former Labor government. Queensland Housing Minister Sam OConnor. Credit: Jamila Filippone After a decade of dwindling housing approvals and the least productive construction sites in the nation under the former Labor Government, Queensland is in the grip of a housing crisis, his spokeswoman said at the time.
The girl responded yes. While she wasnt sure why she was being questioned, she said she believed it was about the lunch at her home. The girl said she believed that the day before, July 28, 2023, her mother had told her she wanted to have the childrens grandparents Don and Gail Patterson over for lunch alongside their great aunt and uncle, Ian and Heather Wilkinson. Left to right: Don Patterson, Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson died after ingesting poisonous mushrooms. Ian Wilkinson survived after spending months in hospital. Crying in the dock as the video was played to the court, Erin Patterson watched via a television screen placed near her seat. In the video, her daughter recalled that she and her brother, and her brothers friend, were dropped at a McDonalds restaurant and later went to see a film while in Leongatha while Erin Patterson hosted the lunch on July 29, 2023.

She said that she was going to have the lunch at the dining table. She was going to talk to ... she said that she wanted to talk to them at adults time, the child said. I dont exactly know what they had but I know [her brother] and me had some of the leftovers on the next day. The child recalled her mother making coffee the morning of the lunch, and telling her at the time that she and her brother would be going to the movies. The girl said she remembered seeing during that conversation with her mother meat cooking in the oven, where a light was on. In the video, the girl said she also knew her parents were not living together but that they were still married. She said she was later dropped at McDonalds with enough time to eat and play in the playground, before she and her brother and his friend walked to the nearby cinema to watch the film Elemental. Dad picked me up, the girl said. She said her brother was dropped home after the movies, but that she stayed with their father until 9pm.

Once at home, she said, she played on a tablet with her mother, then went to bed. In the dock, Erin Patterson was seen nodding as the child recalled that her mother later started to feel sick. Erin Patterson. Credit: Jason South She just needed to go to the toilet a lot and felt sick in the guts, the child said. She said that she had diarrhoea ... and her tummy was sore. The daughter said the family stayed home the next day, July 30, played Monopoly and did not go to church because her mother was feeling too sick.

They then ate leftovers from the lunch  steak, green beans and mashed potatoes  which the child said her mother also ate. She ate the same as us. She wasnt very hungry so she did not eat that much, so [my brother] ate the rest of hers, the girl said. She said her mother had still been using the toilet a lot before they all went to bed. Her evidence is expected to continue on Friday. Patterson struggled to recall where she bought mushrooms: toxicologist Doctor Conor McDermott was working as a toxicology registrar at the Austin Hospital on July 31, 2023, when he was told a fifth patient had been identified in a potential series of mushroom toxicity cases.

That patient, he told the jury on Thursday, was Erin Patterson. When the call came through it wasnt unexpected, he said. I asked for the status of the patient. Observations, clinical presentation. Any investigations performed. I was told the patient was stable. Looked well. I was told she had complained about diarrhoea, which is what the other patients had complained of.

McDermott said the patients potassium levels were slightly low and her pH slightly high, but all other results were within normal ranges. The doctor said he initially thought there may have been a wider public health issue occurring with the mushrooms possibly being sold at a commercial level, so he sought information from Erin Patterson over the phone about the lunch. She said that they had been ... button mushrooms in ... packaging from Leongatha Safeway, McDermott said. I also clarified that she had been to a Chinese food store in Oakleigh, he said. I was told they were unbranded.

McDermott said he went on to do a Google search for Chinese food stores in the Oakleigh area and offered to read the names out to Patterson in an attempt to track down the seller. She said she would not be able to remember, McDermott said. She said because they were bought several months ago in April. While under cross-examination, the doctor agreed with defence barrister Sophie Stafford that Erin Patterson may have said the possible purchase location was both Oakleigh and Glen Waverley. Tanya Patterson leaves the court after giving evidence on Thursday. Credit: Jason South Sister-in-law told Erin Patterson that things were going downhill quickly

Tanya Patterson, wife of Don and Gail Pattersons son Matthew Patterson, sat in the witness box dressed in a sage green jumper on Thursday afternoon, telling the court that she knew Erin Patterson and her husband Simon Patterson  Matthews brother  had a quite good relationship after their final separation. But in the year leading up to the July 2023 beef Wellington lunch she noticed things began to change, Tanya told the court. It started to deteriorate a bit, she said of the relationship between Erin and Simon after they had separated. Erin and Simon did not really interact that much at family events. Simon did not go to their Christmas holiday that they normally had and also, Erin had taken the kids out of school and [enrolled them] into a different school without telling Simon.

Tanya said she went to visit Erin in Monash Medical Centre, where she was receiving treatment in the days after the fatal beef Wellington lunch. I asked if shed like me to visit her on the Tuesday. She said that would be lovely, she wasnt sure shed still be in there but if she was shed like me to come visit. She said that she was feeling nauseous, dizzy and tired, the witness said. I got there about 9.30am. To begin with, Erin asked me how everyone was. I said things were going downhill quickly but that I did not have the latest information. She told me she knew Don and Gail were in a coma. Soon after, Tanya said, medical staff who she believed were toxicologists came into Erins hospital room.

Tanya recalled Erin asking about her low potassium levels, and the medical staff telling her the levels were fine and not as low as they would have expected for someone who was experiencing diarrhoea. During cross-examination, Tanya said she was first introduced to Erin when Erin began dating Simon in 2005. She agreed the two couples maintained contact over the years, even when Erin and Simon moved to Western Australia for some time. Tanya also agreed that her immediate family had always had a good relationship with the accused woman, who she saw as a doting, attentive mother. Police officer attended Erin Pattersons home after welfare check request

Senior Constable Adrian Martinez-Villalobos said he was working out of Mirboo North Police Station on July 31, 2023, when he was paged to a job in nearby Leongatha. He told the court a doctor from Leongatha Hospital had called police requesting a welfare check on Patterson, who had attended the hospital that day but left soon after. Senior Constable Adrian Martinez-Villalobos outside court. Credit: Jason South Arriving at her Gibson Road home about 10am with his colleague, Martinez-Villalobos said the gate was locked and there were no signs of anyone being at home. He returned to the police car and called the hospital back, when he learned that Patterson had since returned to the urgent care centre.

Martinez-Villalobos said the doctor on the phone, Christopher Webster, then asked him if he could find any leftovers from the beef Wellington meal at the house. [Webster] told me shed returned to the hospital, but while we are at the address he asked if we could do him a favour and collect samples of some tainted food to help them analyse it, the officer said. Martinez-Villalobos said a phone was then passed to Patterson, who told the officers where to look for the leftovers. Dr Chris Webster outside court on Wednesday. Credit: Jason South She gave me two possible options. An outside bin  a red lid bin  then another indoor option, he told the jury.

With that information and the gate code weve driven up into the driveway  Ive gone in double-gloved. I searched through food items. Shed given me some pretty specific directions  which bin they may be in. The officer said he found the leftovers at the bottom of one of the outdoor bins Patterson had suggested, in a brown paper Woolworths bag. There were about 1 beef Wellingtons inside. I used another one of the bags, they were in the bin as well, and put the bag with the food into that bag because it was seeping a bit from the bottom. Martinez-Villalobos said Patterson was co-operative throughout the call. He then took the bagged leftovers to the hospital, arriving about 10.19am, and handed them to staff.

We really needed to assess her: Patterson left against medical advice The second witness called on Thursday, Leongatha Hospital nurse Kylie Ashton, told the jury she recalled Patterson first arriving at hospital about 8.05am on July 31. This was around the same time the Wilkinsons were being transferred out, she said. Ashton took Pattersons vital signs, but said the accused was adamant she couldnt stay there and left  against medical advice  about five minutes later. Erin advised she was the person who cooked the meal  and that her children werent present on the day, but her children had consumed leftovers with  the mushrooms scraped off, Ashton said. Witness Kylie Ashton outside court. Credit: Jason South

Everyone else was severely unwell, so we needed to make sure she was well. I did tell her the other attendees  were unwell and required transferring out. Ashton recalled Patterson saying she was not prepared to be admitted to hospital, before agreeing to return later and leaving through the ambulance bay. She said she hadnt come prepared to be admitted [and] needed to go sort out her children. I implored her to stay and suggested we really needed to assess her, Ashton said. She said she needed to leave. Ashton said she told Patterson her life was at risk, attempting to communicate that information as seriously as she could. She was there when Patterson returned around 10am.

Don Patterson, Gail Patterson, Heather Wilkinson and Ian Wilkinson were poisoned by a mushroom meal. She appeared upset: Accused didnt want to stay at hospital, asked after lunch guests The first witness on Thursday, a doctor working at Leongatha Hospital when Patterson arrived seeking treatment for suspected gastro symptoms, says the accused killer asked after her lunch guests who had been hospitalised. Dr Veronica Foote was the director of nursing when Patterson attended urgent care about 8.10am on July 31, the day after her guests had been hospitalised at two regional hospitals. The jury heard that nurse Kylie Ashton told Patterson to go into a cubicle to be assessed, but that Patterson wanted to leave the hospital.

Dr Veronica Foote. Credit: Jason South Foote said Ashton had asked her to speak to the patient as she stood near the hospital entrance. The jury heard that Patterson told Foote she wasnt able to stay and needed to go home to make some preparations for her children and animals, and that she would return to the hospital. At 10.30am, the witness said, Patterson returned. While under cross-examination from defence barrister Colin Mandy, SC, Foote said Patterson told staff she was feeling unwell. Her vital signs indicated a high heart rate and blood pressure.

Foote said during a physical examination, the accused said she had generalised abdominal pain and diarrhoea, but no vomiting. She told me that shed eaten the same meal as the other guests on the Saturday for lunch, and I asked her where she sourced the mushrooms. She said she sourced them from Safeway and also an Asian grocer, Foote told the court. She appeared upset. Foote said it appeared Patterson had a gastro-type illness and was told by staff that her children should also be taken to hospital for assessment. When Patterson told staff she wanted to take her children herself, Foote said she warned her against it, telling her she could be a risk to herself and other road users if she became increasingly unwell.

Erin and Simon Patterson. Foote said Patterson then spoke with her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, to arrange for the children to be collected from school. Foote confirmed that during her time with Patterson, they discussed potential treatments including IV fluids, a liver-preserving drug and antibiotics, as well as the possibility of being transferred to a Melbourne hospital. The doctor confirmed the worst-case situation could be a liver transplant, if required. Mandy queried whether Patterson had asked about the condition of her lunch guests  Gail and Don Patterson and Heather and Ian Wilkinson  who had also been admitted to hospital.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. The Chairman of Baku Metro CJSC Vusal Aslanov has met with a delegation led by the Director of the Energy Sector for Emerging Areas at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Cindy Tiangco, a source in the company told Trend.

According to the source, the meeting aimed to discuss the development prospects of emerging areas in Baku Metro's operations and identify directions for joint cooperation.

During the discussions, three key areas were defined, including ensuring energy efficiency, effective operation of metro infrastructure, and achieving efficiency through advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and data-driven decision-making.

The meeting also focused on agreeing on the phased steps to be taken, with the planned measures involving the technical and economic justification and implementation of projects developed by Baku Metro, utilizing international knowledge, experience, and expert exchange.

To note, it's planned to start joint effective activities in several areas by the end of 2025.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
The moves triggered anger from NSW Right MPs at Marles and his loyalists over the shock changes, which they said compromised the unity and stability of the government in the first days of its second term. How do we explain this to the public? It looks like chaos and disunity to knife two ministers whose performance has never been in question, one NSW MP said. Paul Keating blames Anthony Albanese for his non-intervention. Credit: Louie Douvis The fiery meeting of the national Right was repeatedly delayed on Thursday afternoon as deals were hashed out, and several MPs spoke out against the plan to remove Dreyfus and Husic. Another member of the Right, western Sydney MP Mike Freelander, said the outcome beggars belief because of the quality of the two ministers, praising Dreyfus in particular.

Its disgraceful, its stupid and its wrong, he told this masthead. Its an ill wind that blows through this place  two highly-performing ministers being replaced by union hacks. Dreyfus delivered on a key election pledge on integrity in the last term of parliament by setting up the National Anti-Corruption Commission, while Husic set up the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund to invest in local industry. The changes are expected to help two Victorian MPs, Sam Rae and Daniel Mulino, gain executive positions. A third member of the faction, Victorian senator Raff Ciccone, was also being named as a potential addition to a role. Labors internal power groupings have been in intense talks since the election to carve up the 30 cabinet positions in line with party rules that give factions ministries in line with their numbers in parliament, with the Lefts success on Saturday entitling it to an extra spot.

Loading This meant that Marles group and the Victorian shop workers union are underrepresented in cabinet while former leader Bill Shortens old Australian Workers Union sub-faction, which includes Dreyfus and Housing Minister Clare ONeil, has too many ministers. Dreyfus, 68, phoned colleagues over the past two days to shore up his position and ensure he had enough votes to cling on, according to several federal Labor sources unable to speak publicly. The attorney-general, who entered parliament in 2007, had faced internal calls before the election to vacate his Melbourne seat of Isaacs in the name of renewal. His office was contacted for comment. Dreyfus was informed formally of the move against him after the Right faction agreed to dump him in Thursday morning meetings between party powerbrokers in Canberra.

Mulino and Rae have been formally nominated by the Victorian Right to replace Dreyfus in the ministry if Marles gets his way and forces Dreyfus to stand aside. Right faction cabinet spots are decided state by state. Rae, 38, was one of the youngest-ever PwC partners, led two state election wins as Victorian Labor state secretary, and secured a primary vote swing in his outer-suburban Melbourne seat of Hawke that was targeted by the Coalition. Albanese, who was re-elected with a thumping mandate, had the option of using his authority to seek to protect ministers, but the factional numbers were against Dreyfus and Husic. After the Left won numerous new seats in the election, senator Tim Ayres, a close ally of Albanese and factional heavyweight who was once a manufacturing union leader, was expected to rise to cabinet. Victorian senator Jess Walsh, an economist and former union official, was in line to gain a ministerial position. Other contenders include incoming Tasmanian MP Rebecca White, a former state Labor opposition leader, and Victorian MP Ged Kearney, a former president of the ACTU.

Loading One senior Labor source said of the manoeuvring: Theyre killing the only Muslim in cabinet [Husic] and the most pro-Israel cabinet minister [Dreyfus]. Dreyfus is a widower and the source said that could make it less attractive for him to take up a diplomatic posting, which other MPs have received as encouragement to leave in the past. There had also been speculation in previous years that Dreyfus may join the judiciary. Labor MPs are in Canberra for a full caucus meeting on Friday after factional meetings on Thursday. Albanese was tight-lipped about the reshuffle that will act as an early test of his internal authority.
Adam Bandt has conceded defeat in the seat of Melbourne after his electorate was called for Labors Sarah Witty, opening up a vacancy for the leadership of the Greens.

A short time ago I called the Labor candidate for Melbourne, Sarah Witty, to concede, congratulate her and wish her all the best as the next member for Melbourne, Bandt said on Thursday afternoon.

The Greens got the highest vote in Melbourne, but One Nation and Liberal preferences will get Labor over the line. Bandt was visibly emotional as members of his party stood behind him in support.

Together weve made marriage equality law after getting the highest vote in the country in the plebiscite no-one should have had to have, Bandt said.
A moderate NSW Liberal MP has invoked the Nazis genocide of Jews in a parliamentary debate over amending the states abortion laws, saying it was bizarre that the termination of a pregnancy was categorised as a human right to healthcare.

Upper house MP Chris Rath, who is seen as one of the leading progressive Liberals in the party room, has told parliament that he could not support an amendment to NSWs abortion laws, which would allow nurses and midwives to prescribe medical terminations up to nine weeks.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott at an anti-abortion rally outside NSW parliament on Wednesday night. Credit: Facebook

Rath told parliament that no person should have the power to determine what constitutes a valuable life and past attempts had led to some of the greatest atrocities known.

We need only to think of the historical prevalence of killing civilians en masse in warfare, the use of life-threatening shock therapies on the disabled if they were not murdered at a young age, he said.
Retired police officer Adam Sontag deeply regrets his attempt to make a citizens arrest in February, when he briefly apprehended a masked teenager allegedly vandalising a sign in Melbournes outer east.

Over a 23-year career in the force, Sontag says he developed a strong instinct to step in rather than walk away from trouble.

Former police officer Adam Sontag has been charged with assault after making a citizens arrest on a teenager allegedly vandalising signage. Credit: Simon Schluter

However, the former detective next month faces a charge of unlawful assault in the Melbourne Magistrates Court over the attempted arrest, which he claims involved him holding the boys jacket for a few seconds.

The outcome of the case could have a significant impact on the publics willingness to stand up to criminals and intervene amid a surge in crime rates, particularly youth offending, which has soared to the highest level since electronic records began in 1993.
I grew up in Minto Heights in south-west Sydney, the youngest of four kids raised by two wonderful parents. Our home sat on a bush block, the kind of place where childhood felt expansive and full of freedom. We spent our afternoons riding bikes through the neighbourhood, swimming in the backyard pool, and camping out under the stars  not because we had to, but because it was fun. The rhythm of life was school, sport and sunshine. We complained about chores and violin lessons. We pushed our vegetables around our plates. That was the extent of our hardship.

Layan Ibrahim Sahloul, 4, at Nasser hospital on Sunday with second-degree burns from an Israeli army strike on her home in Khan Yunis that killed her pregnant mother and two siblings. Credit: AP

Ive worked in Gaza  and the contrast between my childhood and the lives of the children I see here is impossible to ignore. In Gaza, children are camping out not for fun, but for survival. Their homes are gone, destroyed by relentless bombing. Walking down the street is a risk that could cost them their lives. Food is scarce, water even scarcer. A trip to fetch either could mean a mother never comes back.

This week Israeli air strikes across Gaza killed at least 92 people, including women, children and two journalists, officials said, as Israel prepared to again ramp up its campaign in the strip.

Some children sell black-market cigarettes on the side of the road to help support their families. Others scavenge through garbage to find bits of aluminium to sell. Many are suffering from malnutrition. Some have watched their parents, siblings or best friends die in front of them. They are small, exhausted, and traumatised  but they are still just children.
The first American Pope in the Catholic Churchs 2000-year history is evidently no big fan of his homelands current political leadership.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was born in Chicago and is now Pope Leo XIV, is no woke luvvie, but appears to maintain an X account that has featured some choice commentary on the Trump administrations attitude toward migrants.

On February 3, a fortnight after Donald Trumps inauguration, the Prevost account linked to an article by the National Catholic Reporter titled: JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

The opinion piece referred to an interview Vance, the vice president, gave to Fox News, in which he argued the America First approach to immigration was consistent with a Christian concept of loving people in order of proximity.
Dubai: The United States military has lost a second $93 million F/A-18 fighter jet into the Red Sea after another mishap aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.

The incident is the second in two weeks to mar the deployment of the Truman, which has been essential in the US-led air campaign in the region against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The US has suffered a string of accidental  and costly  aircraft losses. Credit: nna\sswain

The F/A-18 Super Hornet touched down on the aircraft carrier after a flight on Tuesday, a US defence official said, but the arrestment failed. Arrestment refers to the hook system used by aircraft when they are landing on carriers, which catches steel wires on the flight deck and brings the aircraft to a stop.

Two air crew were rescued by a helicopter and suffered minor injuries after the incident, the official added. No one on the flight deck was hurt.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 8. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Russia at the invitation of Russiass President Vladimir Putin, Trend reports.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Russia at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin to participate in the events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, the press service of the President of Kazakhstan said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan's president is expected to hold a series of meetings with leaders of other countries in Moscow today.

During the visit, President Tokayev will take part in the events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in World War II. He will participate in the Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow together with heads of foreign states and governments, as well as war veterans.
After Operation Sindoor, India shuts Kartarpur Corridor





CHANDIGARH ;

THE Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday announced the closure of the Kartarpur Corridor till further orders after India struck nine terrorist infrastructure sites in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, under code name Operation Sindoor. Punjabs Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh told the media that the corridor will be shut for the day. He said the district administration had not received any orders from the Government for the coming days. Nearly 150 Indian pilgrims arrived at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) for the pilgrimage to the historic Sri Darbar Sahib gurdwara in Narowal district of Pakistan, but were later asked to return home. The ICP at Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district facilitates access to the Kartarpur Corridor.

Immigration and defence officials told us that the situation is not conducive and advised us to return around 11 a.m., one of the pilgrims told the media. Inaugurated on November 9, 2019, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Kartarpur Corridor is a visa-free border crossing that allows Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders to visit the gurdwara, located 4.7 km from the India-Pakistan border, without requiring a visa. After Indias military action, two international flights en route to Amritsar were diverted to Delhi, and educational institutions along the Pakistan border shut in Punjab. Authorities in Punjab have announced that all schools, colleges and educational institutions in regions along the international border with Pakistan have been closed.

While educational institutes in Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts will be closed for three days, in Fazilka district, they will be shut till further notice. Earlier this morning, in a major military action following the brutal Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, the Indian Army successfully executed Operation Sindoor, hitting nine high-value terror targets deep inside Pakistan. The operation was carried out with precision, targeting terrorist infrastructure associated with groups responsible for the attack. The strikes were part of Indias response to the April 22 terror attack that claimed the lives of 25 Indians and one Nepali national in Jammu and Kashmir. arpur Corridor
Heightened security in city





Staff Reporter :

Round-the-clock eye on key locations including RSS Headquarters, Hedgewar Bhavan, Deekshabhoomi.

Increased security at sensitives areas

including Nandanvan, Pachpaoli, Gittikhadan, Yashodhara Nagar, Jaripatka, and Kamptee

Police personnel in plain clothes on their heals at malls, market areas

Cyber police keeping eye on social media

After India successfully carried out Operation Sindoor and destroyed terrorist camps in Pakistan, police across the country and Maharashtra have been put on high alert. Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Sujata Saunik has asked all Police Unit Commanders and District Collectors to be more alert and ensure safety in their respective areas. During a video conference, on Wednesday, Saunik instructed all the top police officials to tighten security, especially at important and crowded places. She asked them to increase patrolling and take strong steps to avoid any untoward incident. Following these orders, Nagpur Police have increased security at several key locations.

These include the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Mahal, Hedgewar Bhavan in Reshimbagh, and Deekshabhoomi. Armed police teams are patrolling these areas day and night to maintain peace. In addition to these, more patrolling has been started in sensitive areas such as Nandanvan, Pachpaoli, Gittikhadan, Yashodhara Nagar, Jaripatka, and Kamptee. The Beat Marshals are also keeping a close watch in these areas. Police officers in plain clothes have been deployed in crowded places like markets and shopping malls to look out for any suspicious activity. To control the spread of fake news or panic, the cyber police are keeping an eye on social media.

They are searching for people who are spreading rumours and have started arresting those involved in such crimes. Chief Secretary Saunik stressed during the meeting that the police must act quickly and carefully. She said, everyone must work together to keep peace in the State and make sure citizens feel safe. The police have asked citizens to stay calm, avoid believing in rumours and report any suspicious activity to the local police stations.
Its an act of war, says Pak PM Sharif





By Sajjad Hussain

ISLAMABAD

At least 26 killed, 46 injured

PAKISTAN Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif early on Wednesday termed the Indian missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Punjab province as an act of war and said his country has every right to give a befitting reply. Army spokesman Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry in a media interaction said at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured in the missile strikes on cities in Punjab and PoK. The six locations that India attacked last night. Pakistan lost 26 people and 46 were injured, he said. He said that 13 people were killed in Bahwalpurs area of Ahmedpur East where Subhan mosque was attacked. Two girls, seven women and four men while another 37 were injured, including 28 men and nine women.

He said that in the attack in Muzaffarabad, the Bilal mosque was targeted, three persons were killed, two injured, including a girl and a boy. In the strike at Kotli where Abbat mosque was targeted, a 16-year-old girl and 18-year-old boy were killed, while two persons were injured. He said that in the Muridke attack where Umalkura mosque was targeted, three men were killed and one was injured. There was no loss of life in attacks at locations in Sialkot and Shakargarh area. The spokesperson also said that five civilians were killed in cross LoC firing by India. At no point Indian aircraft was allowed to enter Pakistan and no Pakistani aircraft entered India. All PAF assets are safe, he said. Ready to wrap tensions: Pak Defence Minister: Pakistan is ready to wrap up tensions with India, if New Delhi de-escalates the situation, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday.

His remarks came hours after India carried out a military strike on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Asif was reported as saying by Bloomberg Television that Pakistan will only respond if attacked. We have been saying all along in the last fortnight that well never initiate anything hostile towards India. But if were attacked, well respond. If India backs down, we will definitely wrap up this tension, he said. Regarding the possibility of talks, the minister said he was not aware of any such potential engagements. Indian Armed Forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack.
Kazakhstan ratifies land lease agreement for US consulate in Almaty

Photo: Civil Aviation Committee

On May 8, 2025, under the chairmanship of Maulen Ashimbayev, the Senate of Kazakhstan held a session to discuss various laws, including the ratification of an agreement with the U.S. government regarding a land lease for a U.S. consulate in Almaty. The agreement aims to strengthen Kazakhstan's international partnerships and boost investor confidence. The lease, set for 49 years, involves a payment of $25.3 million, exempting the U.S. government from taxes and fees on the land and the future consulate building.

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JeMs communication network destroyed





NEW DELHI :

AN IMPORTANT target of the precision strike conducted by the Indian Armed Forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was the Jaish-e-Mohammads communication network concealed in a primary health centre in Tehra Kalan village in Sarjal which was a long-standing concern for security agencies, official sources said. The site, which housed a High Frequency (HF) communication setup that is essential for planning and coordinating activities with infiltrated terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, was destroyed during the strike on terror hideouts early Wednesday. The terror camp at Sarjal, located in Shakargarh, Punjab, Pakistan was identified as a critical target due to its communication setup, employing a tall antenna designed for high-frequency transmissions.

The Pakistani Army and the spy agency ISI have been supplying military-grade communication equipment, including LoRA (Long Range) Ultra Sets and Digital Mobile Radios (DMR), enabling terrorists to bypass traditional telecom networks. Pak closes airspace for 48 hrs: PAKISTAN announced a 48-hour closure of its airspace for all air traffic after India carried out a military strike on terror targets in Pakistan and PoK. Pakistani aviation authorities closed the airspace over Islamabad and Lahore and diverted flights to Karachi. Later, the entire airspace was closed for 48 hours as a precautionary measure. However, aviation authorities reopened the airspace after an eight-hour closure.
Mission executed flawlessly: PM





NEW DELHI :

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Union Cabinet, where he shared details on Operation Sindoor -- a targeted military strike carried out by the Indian defence forces on nine terror camps across the border in the early hours of the day. During the meeting, PM Modi informed the Cabinet that the operation was executed exactly as planned, with no mistakes whatsoever. He emphasised that the Army had carried out the mission with utmost precision, adhering strictly to the detailed preparations that had been made in advance. Sources said, the Prime Minister praised the Armed Forces for their commendable job and immaculate execution, underlining their professionalism and commitment to national security.

The Cabinet Ministers unanimously expressed confidence in PM Modis leadership and lauded the Armed Forces for their successful operation. They conveyed that the entire nation stood firmly behind the Prime Minister and the military establishment in the fight against terrorism. Modi is also learnt to have said that his Government will have zero tolerance towards terror. The Prime Minister also separately met the Defence Minister and NSA Ajit Doval and took stock of the evolving situation, sources said. The Prime Minister had earlier given full operational freedom to the Armed Forces to decide on the targets, manner and timing of the action against terror in the wake of the Pahalgam attack in which 26 civilians were killed. The strike, targeting terror launchpads and camps used for infiltration across the border, is being viewed as a strong message against cross-border terrorism.

The Indian Army, Navy and the Air Force, in a historic tri-services operation, carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, in response to the Pahalgam attack in which 26 civilians were killed on April 22. PM Modi constantly monitored the overnight operation. India struck bases in Pakistan and PoK from where terrorist attacks were being planned and executed. Nine sites were targeted in the strikes under the codename 'Operation Sindoor' -- an ode to the women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam attack.
Mock Drill conducted in five cities of State to test preparedness





Staff Reporter :

On the directives of the Union Home Ministry, a large-scale mock drill was conducted in five major cities in Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur and Katni. The exercise, held from 4 pm to 8:00 pm, aimed to test preparedness for emergencies such as terrorist attacks, fire outbreaks, and gas leaks, following heightened tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack and Indias Operation Sindoor targeting terrorist bases in Pakistan and PoK. Bhopal: Fire Rescue at DB Mall, Temporary Hospital at Nutan College: In Bhopal, the drill commenced at DB Mall, simulating a fire outbreak. Ambulances, fire brigades, and medical teams swiftly evacuated the injured to a temporary hospital at Nutan College.

One critically injured patient was shifted to the red zone. A minor lapse occurred when staff forgot to bring oxygen mask kits, which were promptly sourced from JP Hospital. The hospital deployed 110 personnel, including doctors, medical officers, nurses, paramedics, and pharmacists. Additional drills at New Market and BHEL premises involved rescuing victims from a building behind Piplani police station, with the injured treated at Sanjeevani Clinic, Kasturba Hospital, and Hataikheda Hospital. Police Commissioner Harinarayan Chari Mishra emphasised that the exercise aimed to enhance public awareness and strengthen co-ordination among rescue teams. Indore: Awareness drive at 56 Dukan, fire drill at Dental College: In Indore, a morning drill at the 56 Dukan area featured retired military officers, Major General (Dr) Rajesh Chaba, Brigadier Saurabh Jain, and Lieutenant Colonel Ashish Mangrulkar, educating citizens on handling terrorist attacks and emergencies. Demonstrations included blackout procedures, sirens, and rescue operations, with 56 Dukan Traders Association president Gunjan Sharma in attendance.

A separate fire simulation at the Dental College saw victims being rescued and hospitalised, while a mock operation apprehended four terrorists, showcasing robust security measures. Gwalior: Gas leak and air raid simulations: Gwaliors drill covered two scenarios. At Birla Nagar ROB near ITI College, a mock ammonia gas leak from a tanker colliding with a school bus was contained within 40 minutes by the Army, BSF, police, home guards, and health teams, with victims transported via a green corridor. In Siraul, a high-rise fire caused by a simulated air raid trapped hundreds. NDRF, police, and fire brigades evacuated them in 30 minutes, with ambulances ensuring timely hospital transfers. Collector Ruchika Chauhan and SSP Dharmveer Singh urged public co-operation, highlighting the drills role in fostering disaster readiness. Jabalpur: Bomb blasts at Samdariya Mall, multi-location drills: Jabalpur conducted drills at four locations: Samdariya Mall, Garment Cluster Gohalpur, Sihora, and Old Gorakhpur police station. At Samdariya Mall, two consecutive bomb blasts triggered a fire on the upper floors, spreading smoke. Police, ambulances, municipal teams, and NDRF launched a rapid rescue, advising people to lie on the floor or hide under tables.

Masks and cloths were provided to counter smoke inhalation, and victims were carried out on shoulders due to a shortage of stretchers. Emergency staircases facilitated evacuations, with NCC cadets, home guards, and citizens assisting. A city-wide blackout was enforced from 7:30 pm to 7:42 pm, with all lights in Government and private institutions turned off. The collector reassured citizens not to panic, emphasising the drills educational value. Katni: Bomb blast simulation at school: In Katni, a mock bomb explosion was simulated at Sadhu Ram School. As sirens blared, security personnel sprang into action, with fire brigades arriving to extinguish the fire and evacuate trapped individuals. Troops climbed to the roof to rescue those stranded, while citizens were guided on safety measures during such crisis. The exercise tested security arrangements and raised public awareness.
MOCK DRILL Bhopal conducts blackout exercise





Staff Reporter :

Bhopal witnessed a comprehensive civil defence mock drill and blackout exercise on Wednesday, aimed at raising public awareness about emergency preparedness and testing the efficiency of administrative agencies. Conducted under the guidance of Collector and District Magistrate Kaushlendra Vikram Singh, the drill involved impactful rescue operations at five key locations in the city. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav virtually monitored the mock drills across five districts from the State Disaster Management Control Room in Bhopal, engaging with district collectors to review the exercise. At DB Mall, a fire drill simulated rapid firefighting and safe evacuation of the injured during a blaze.

A temporary hospital at Sarojini Naidu Girls College effectively demonstrated primary treatment for victims. In New Market, a successful evacuation exercise transported people to Police Lines, showcasing excellent crowd management and relief co-ordination. In the BHEL area, a search and rescue operation extracted individuals trapped in debris, while at Kokta Multi, a building collapse simulation saw efficient rescue efforts for trapped persons. Collector Singh noted that the drill validated the co-ordination among agencies and citizen participation in emergencies, praising the efficiency of all involved teams.

From 7:30 pm to 7:42 pm, a city-wide blackout exercise was seamlessly executed. Following the Red Alert siren, citizens switched off lights at homes, shops, offices, and institutions, while drivers halted vehicles and turned off headlights and taillights. The Green Alert siren at 7:42 pm signalled all clear, allowing lights to be restored. Residents displayed discipline and responsibility, adhering fully to administrative directives.
Operation Sindoor Indian missiles destroy 9 terror camps in Pak, PoK





NEW DELHI :

Jaish HQ, LeT, Hizbul strong-holds razed to ground in precision strikes

Targets inside Pak

Bahawalpur

Muridke

Sarjal Targets in PoK Kotli (2 targets)

Muzaffarabad

Barnala

Muzaffarabad

Sialkot

STRIKING at the core of Pakistans terror infrastructure in a series of precision attacks, Indian jets early on Wednesday hit training camps, launch pads and headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen without breaching Pakistans airspace, in a 25-minute-long measured and non-escalatory strike, officials said. A large number of terrorists were present at the nine high value sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir when India attacked in the darkness of the night, they said. Codenamed Operation Sindoor, the sites included the JeMs sprawling headquarters in Bahawalpur and the LeTs in Muridke, both in Pakistan Punjab.

The retaliatory action follows the savage killing of 25 male tourists, gunned down in front of their wives and families, and one local guide in the higher reaches of Kashmirs Pahalgam town on April 22. The Armed Forces chose four targets in Pakistan and five in PoJK based on credible intelligence about terror camps operating at these sites, camouflaged as health centres to evade detection and circumvent sanctions from international organisations, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), officials said. A Pakistani Armed Forces spokesperson confirmed to BBC in an interview that the IAF had targeted Bahawalpur and Muridke. LeTs nerve centre in Muridke, about 30 km from Lahore, was hit four times in quick succession during the operation, they said. Muridke, the base of the terror group since 1990, is where Ajmal Kasab and nine other terrorists were trained ahead of the 26/11 terror siege of Mumbai.

Besides, 26/11 accused David Headley and Tahawwur Rana also visited the LeT hub. Al Qaeda terrorist Osama Bin Laden, killed in 2011 in Pakistans Abbotabad town, had donated Rs 10 lakh for the construction of a guesthouse in Muridke. Headed by the shadowy Hafiz Saeed, the LeT has also carried out terror strikes in many other parts of the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, Bangalore and Hyderabad, officials said. The Markaz (centre) Taiba at Muridke, dubbed a terror factory, is the most important training centre for the LeT. Recruits, officials said, are brainwashed, given physical training and a two-week-long indoctrination course. Around 1,000 students in different courses get enrolled in this camp, they said. The other big ticket target is Bahawalpur, which became the hub of the JeM after the release of Masood Azhar in exchange for the hijacked passengers of IC-814 in 1999.

The group has since been involved in a series of terror attacks in India, including the Parliament attack in 2001, the strike on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2000, the attack on the IAF base in Pathankot in 2016 and the Pulwama suicide bombing in 2019. The elusive Azhar, a designated global terrorist, has not been seen in public since April 2019. He started the terror outfit in January 2000 and received assistance from Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the then Taliban leaders in Afghanistan, bin Laden and Sunni sectarian outfits in Pakistan, officials said. The Markaz Subhanallah at Bahawalpur is where the JeM trains and indoctrinates its recruits. The Pulwama terror strike of February 2019 in which 40 CRPF personnel was planned at this camp, the officials said. Giving details of the targets chosen, they said the JeM camp at Sarjal Tehra Kalan in Narowal district of Pakistans Punjab was the central launching pad for the terror group and was being operated from a primary health centre looked after by its de facto chief Abdul Rauf Asgar. The facility, just six kilometres from Jammus Samba sector, is used for identifying places and digging cross-border tunnels to enable infiltration, and the operation of drones for dropping arms and narcotics across the border.

Among the other targets hit in Wednesdays operation to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack are Markaz Abbas in Kotli and Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad in PoJK (all JeM camps). Besides, the Markaz Ahle Hadith at Barnala and the Shwawai Nalla camp at Muzaffarabad (all belonging to the LeT) and the Markaz Raheel Shahid in Kotli and Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot (of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen) were also hit in Operation Sindoor. Giving details of some of the strikes, the officials said, the Shawai Nallah camp at Muzaffarabad in PoJK is a crucial LeT camp where the 26/11 attackers had received training. Started in 2000, the Pakistani army and ISI frequently visit the camp, which can accommodate up to 200-250 terrorists at a time, they said.

The terrorists from these camps infiltrate mainly into north Kashmir, they said, adding the facility is also used for radicalisation and map reading to fresh terror recruits. Markaz Abbas camp in Kotli in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir was selected because it is headed by Qari Zarar, a close aide of Asghar, and has a presence of 100-125 JeM terrorists. Zarar is wanted by the NIA. This facility is used for the infiltration of terrorists from Poonch and Rajouri sectors, and all terror strikes are planned in this camp, the officials said. Another JeM camp known as Markaz Syedna Bilal, located at Muzaffarabad, has a presence of 50-100 terrorists. The Special Services Group of the Pakistan army provides training to the JeM cadres at this facility. The Mehmoona Joya terror facility at Sialkot is concealed in a health unit, and is used for the infiltration of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists into Jammu region. It is also a place for training, including in handling weapons.

The camp, housing about 30 terrorists, is headed by Irfan Tanda, who has been responsible for carrying out attacks in Jammu city, the officials said. Markaz Raheel Shahid camp at Kotli in PoJK was also hit by the IAF. It is also used for the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, especially to train them in Border Action Team (BAT) and sniper attacks. India has categorically stated that its actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature and that no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed, the Defence Ministry said in a statement released at 1.44 am. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution, it said.
Operation Sankalp 22 Naxalites killed in Cgarh encounter





By Mukesh S Singh

BIJAPUR (KEREGUTTA)/RAIPUR,

IN A high-impact escalation of counter-insurgency operations in southern Chhattisgarh, security forces on Wednesday neutralised 22 Maoists in a sustained encounter near Keregutta Hills, situated along the ChhattisgarhTelangana border. The area has been under tight siege as part of Operaytion Sankalpthe regions longest-running anti-Maoist initiative, now in its 15th consecutive day. Drone footage captured during the ongoing assault has surfaced, showing a sizeable group of Maoists taking cover beneath trees as they attempt to repel the coordinated offensive by specialised units. The confrontation, which erupted early on Wednesday morning, remains active with gunfire exchanges continuing across forested ridges and rocky enclaves.

Confirmed, said Additional Director General of Police (Naxal Operations), Vivekananda Sinha. In an exclusive confirmation to The Hitavada, he noted, The engagement is still active. Security forces have inflicted heavy losses on the Maoists. DRG, CoBRA, CRPF, and STF units are leading the operation with sustained precision. Keregutta, once considered a virtual sanctuary for senior PLGA cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist), was surrounded following credible intelligence indicating the presence of high-ranking insurgent operatives stockpiled with food and arms for a prolonged standoff. Multiple tactical units launched a layered containment strike under Operation Sankalp, methodically tightening their hold across the topography. Security officials familiar with the terrain confirmed that elite units intercepted internal Maoist communication and propaganda in recent days, which included appeals for ceasefire and dialogue.

However, authorities held firm on their strategy, refusing to dilute operational momentum. Despite Telangana forces initially refraining from full-scale engagement, Chhattisgarh units maintained an uncompromising cordon, culminating in Wednesdays massive breakthrough. According to security sources, several slain Maoists could be part of Indravati Area Committee, PLGA Company No. 06, and Platoon 16, all crucial nodes in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) chain of command. A senior ground-level commander remarked, Weve breached a deeply embedded stronghold that had once served as a sanctuary. The volume and calibre of weapons recoveredAK-series rifles, LMGs, SLRs, and .303 riflesvalidate the scale of the enemys embedded infrastructure.

Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Gyanendra Pratap Singh, has been personally monitoring updates from New Delhi, while CRPF IG Rakesh Aggarwal, Bastar Range IG Sundarraj P., and ADGP Vivekananda Sinha are overseeing on-ground coordination and high-frequency tactical assessments. Notably, the Keregutta campaign also underlines a strategic shift in force posturefrom defensive disruption to full-spectrum dominance. The missions continuity amid rough terrain and operational fatigue showcases a deliberate intent to dismantle long-held Maoist bastions without negotiating from a position of compromise. As per field intelligence, more Maoist casualties could be confirmed by nightfall, as combing operations continue amid the unforgiving contours of the hills. This is not just a tactical win; it is symbolic. We are reclaiming geography long considered irretrievable, a senior CRPF officer told this newspaper reporter on condition of anonymity. A field officer of intelligence agency remarked, The Red Corridors twilight appears closer than ever along this stretch of southern Chhattisgarh, where the fight now hinges not merely on firepower, but on psychological encirclement.
Pahalgam victims wife thanks PM Modi, armed forces for taking revenge





KANPUR (UP) :

PAHALGAM terror attack victim Shubham Dwivedis wife Ashanya on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and armed forces for taking revenge on her husbands death. The reaction came after the security forces launched Operation Sindoor against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In retaliation to the April 22 attack, Indian Armed Forces carried out missile strikes early Wednesday on nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas base Muridke.

I want to thank Prime Minister Modi, ministers and chiefs of armed forces, including Air Force and Army Chief General, for taking revenge for my husbands death in the Pahalgam terror attack, said Ashanya. Me and my entire family had enough trust in PM Modi and our armed forces, and the way they carried out strikes at terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has kept our trust alive, she added. Ashanya also said that the strikes will keep the terrorists away from carrying out such attacks on innocents in the future. While talking to PTI over the phone, Ashanya also said that PM Modi has kept his promise of pursuing the attackers and their backers to the ends of the earth. Indian armed forces action has sent a clear message to the world that India will hunt the terrorists and their supporters down and will punish them, she said. Modi, at a rally in Bihar, had said that those responsible for the Pahalgam attack would be punished beyond their imagination.

This is the real tribute to my husband (Shubham) and those who were also killed in the Pahalgam attack. Wherever my husband is, he will be at peace today, she said. She expressed happiness over choosing the name Sindoor for the operation and said it has instilled faith among us that he stood with us. Shubhams father, Sanjay Dwivedi, said that the armed forces attack on terror infrastructures in Pakistan and PoK instilled a sense of faith in the countrys Government and PM Modi. We kept watching the TV news, and we salute the Indian army. We thank PM Modi and the Indian military for carrying out strikes, saying they listened to the pain of Pahalgam terror victims and the countrys people, Dwivedi said. My entire family has been feeling relieved since we heard this news, he added. Shubhams uncle also expressed his satisfaction over the strikes, saying that justice has been finally served to the victims. On April 22, 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed in a terrorist attack in south Kashmirs Pahalgam town.
Pakistan army pounds villages along LoC in J&K, 12 killed





JAMMU/SRINAGAR :

AT LEAST 12 people, including four children, were killed and 57 others injured as the Pakistan army resorted to heavy artillery and mortar shelling on forward villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said. The intense shelling from across the border started shortly after Indian armed forces carried out missile attacks on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir to avenge the April 22 terror attack in south Kashmirs Pahalgam that had left 26 civilians dead. The officials said the Indian Army is responding to the shelling in a befitting manner, resulting in many casualties on the enemy side after several of their posts engaged in firing were destroyed. The worst-hit in the Pakistani shelling was Poonch district which accounted for all the civilian deaths, the officials said, adding 42 people were also injured and the condition of some of them was stated to be serious.

The indiscriminate shelling by Pakistan created panic among the border residents who were forced to take refuge in underground bunkers or shift to safer places within or outside their villages, the officials said. The shelling was reported from all along the LoC in Poonch, including Balakote, Mendhar, Mankote, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, Kerni and even Poonch district headquarters, resulting in damage to dozens of houses and vehicles, they said. The officials identified the deceased as Balvinder Kour alias Ruby (33), Mohd Zain Khan (10), his elder sister Zoya Khan (12), Mohd Akram (40), Amrik Singh (55), Mohd Iqbal (45), Ranjeet Singh (48), Shakeela Bi (40), Amarjeet Singh (47), Maryam Khatoon (7), Vihaan Bhargav (13) and Mohd Rafi (40). Ten persons, including five minor children were also injured in cross-border shelling in Uri sector of Baramulla district, while three others were injured in Rajouri district, the officials said, adding several houses also caught fire due to shelling in Karnah sector of Kupwara district.

The shelling from across the border was intense till noon and later continued intermittently, mostly restricting to Poonch sector. Locals faced a tough time in evacuating the victims to hospital in view of the heavy shelling which also hit Poonch bus stand, damaging several vehicles, the officials said. Earlier, a defence spokesman said during the intervening night of May 6 and 7, the Pakistan Army resorted to arbitrary firing, including artillery shelling, from posts across the LoC and International Border opposite Jammu and Kashmir. He said the Indian Army is responding in a proportionate manner. Army sources said Indian troops caused many casualties to the enemy forces after destroying several of their posts in the retaliatory action. Authorities have ordered that all educational institutions in the five border districts of Jammu region will remain closed on Wednesday.

In view of the prevailing situation, all schools, colleges and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch will remain closed today, Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said on X. This was the 13th consecutive night of unprovoked firing along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir, amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan again violates the Ceasefire Agreement by firing artillery in Bhimber Gali in Poonch- Rajauri area. Indian Army is responding appropriately in a calibrated manner, the additional directorate general of public information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army wrote on X. The ceasefire violations along the LoC and International Border (IB) have been very rare after India and Pakistan renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.
Retired air warriors, citizens celebrate success of Operation Sindoor at Ajni Sq





Retired air warriors of the IAF and citizens at the War Memorial in Ajni.

Staff Reporter :

Retired air warriors of Indian Air Force (IAF) came together and celebrated the success of Operation Sindoor, carried out by Indian Armed Forces against terror camps in nine different locations in Pakistan in the wee hours of May 7. Retired air warriors conducted a programme at Ajni Square under the banner of Ex-Air Warriors Welfare Association Nagpur (EAWWAN) on Tuesday evening to celebrate the attack. As the war-like situation is emerging on the border, the ex-sevicemen of Indian Air Force showed their support to Government of India and expressed their willingness to serve the country in this tense situation.

A large number of veterans volunteered their support and prepared a list, which included their names, home town, address, education and other information to be a part of the war. The members of EAWWAN played a significant role during the COVID-19 pandemic as they helped citizens. From time to time, the organisation conducts various activities, celebrating the patriotism towards the nation and its victories over the enemies. On Tuesday, a large number of citizens and veterans gathered at Ajni Square near the Sherman Tank Memorial to celebrate the victory of Indian armed forces. The citizens also condemned the Pahalgam attack and termed Operation Sindoor a perfect reply to our enemy.
Surgeon Vice Admiral Dr Sarin advises medicos to add to ideals of healthcare





Business Reporter :

You are the architects of this new India and your institute is at the centre of building a self-reliant, inclusive and innovative nation. The responsibility now lies on your shoulders to further enhance this ideal by adopting a global perspective and a technology compatible with humanity, said Dr Arti Sarin, Surgeon Vice Admiral of India and Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services. She was speaking at the 16th convocation ceremony of Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be university), Sawangi Meghe on Tuesday. Prominent among those present was Dr Preeti Adani, Chairman of Adani Foundation, and Datta Meghe, former MP and Chancellor of the University. Dr Preeti Adani said that the responsibility of the new generation is to shape the world. The values that this university and your parents have instilled in you are the true guide for the future. Use your skills to make the world a better place. Helping those in need is our culture.

The world needs the knowledge, skills, compassion and commitment you have gained from this university to shape the future of others, she said to the students. Dr Rajiv Borle and Dr Abhay Datarkar also expressed their views on the occasion. Meanwhile, the Chief Advisor of the university, Dr Vedprakash Mishra, conveyed his best wishes to the students through audio-visual media. At the function, Dr Preeti Adani, former Vice-Chancellor Dr Rajiv Borle and Dean of Government Dental College, Nagpur, Dr Abhay Datarkar were awarded honorary degrees of Doctor of Science.

Also present on the occasion were Vice- Chancellor Dr Lalit Waghmare, Principal Advisor Sagar Meghe, Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Gaurav Mishra, Management Board Members Dr Mandar Sane, Aarti Kulkarni, Anil Parekh, Executive Director Dr Anup Marar, Chief Coordinator Dr S S Patel, Dr Sandeep Srivastava, Dr Trupti Waghmare, Dr Zaheer Qazi, Registrar Dr Shweta Pisulkar, Ravi Meghe, Controller of Examinations Dr Sunita Wagh, Dr Alka Ravekar, Brajesh Lohia, Dr Pankaj Anawade, Sukeshini Lote, Dr Deepak Khobragade, and others.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Cooperation issues in the field of IT, digitalization, technologies, and cybersecurity between Azerbaijan and Vietnam were assessed, Azerbaijani Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev wrote on X, Trend reports.

"We met with Minister of Science and Technology of Vietnam Nguyen Manh Hung, who is on a visit to Baku.

We discussed cooperation issues in the field of IT, digitalization, technologies, and cybersecurity between our countries.

At the same time, we exchanged views on the future operation of Vietnamese IT companies in Azerbaijan," Nabiyev said.

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TBI Foundation fuels future of entrepreneurs need at RBU





Business Reporter : The Ramdeobaba College of Engineering and Management (RCOEM) Technology Business Incubator (TBI) Foundation, comes under Ramdeobaba University is a Section 8 not-for-profit company, was created to turn student ideas into real-world startups. Since its start in 2016, the Foundation has rooted over 75+ startups ideas with hands-on mentorship, structured incubation, and access to funding through angel investors, VCs, and government grants. The university aims to empower early-stage entrepreneurs and translate ideas into viable business ventures. What truly stands out is that 15 student ventures received their first investment / funding directly from the university. Among its many success stories, the foundation proudly highlights a few standout ventures that capture the spirit of innovation and ambition nurtured within the university who interacted with mediapersons at the TBI.

IRA Industries (Founder - Akshay Shirpurkar): From Internship to Industry Leader, Akshay Shirpurkars journey began with an internship under the RGSTC MSME Scheme, but it quickly became much more than that. What started as an idea for a sustainable, high-quality paver block turned into a patented innovation, paving the way for IRA Industriesa startup thats now manufacturing these eco-friendly blocks on a commercial scale. Akshays story is a perfect example of how an internship can lay the foundation for industry-shaping ventures that stand the test of time. Bio Spectronics (Founder: Dr Sangeeta Sammanwar):- From Lab Bench to Life-Saving Breakthroughs, Dr Sangeeta Sammanwar turned her Ph.D. research into Bio Spectronicsa patented blood analyzer designed to make diagnostics more affordable and accessible. Her innovation earned ?20 lakh from the Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge (MeitY), Rs 50 lakh from BIRAC, and Rs 7.5 lakh under the NIDHI PRAYAS schemedemonstrating how academic research can deliver real-world healthcare impact. Mech Help (Founder: Gaurav Chavhan and Ashutosh Dohare) Turning Wrenches into Opportunities. Gaurav Chavhan and Ashutosh Dohare proved what happens when innovation meets necessity with their innovation, Mech Help. It is a digital platform that connects vehicle owners with verified service providers. With an angel investment from a Nagpur-based investor, the startup validated its market potential early.

The Imperial Lubricant (Founder: Apurv Dey):- From Research to Real-World Impact, Apurv Dey started his journey with a self-motivated research on advanced lubricants at the university. This led to The Imperial Lubricanta patented innovation. Today, it powers high-performance solutions for automotive and industrial applications. Apurvs venture shows how curiosity and innovation can fuel a business and drive success. Sigmatronics Innovations (Founder: Siddharth Mishra):- A passion for automation and technology sparked a business idealeading Siddharth to launch Sigmatronics, an IoT-based solutions for industrial automation. His work in integrating smart tech into manufacturing reflects the Universitys vision of enabling Industry 4.0 solutions through student innovation. ROCCA (Founders: Yash Pande and Sonal Bahilani):- A love for chocolates sparked the creation of ROCCAa student-led venture thats now delighting taste buds with handcrafted perfection. ROCCAa premium chocolate brand thats winning hearts and headlines nationwide. Proud RBU alumnus Yash Pande and Sonal Bahilanis brand ROCCA stands as a delicious example of how bold ideas, nurtured in the right environment, can scale beyond anticipations.

Backed by ?1.25 crore funding from 100X VC and a feature on popular reality show Shark Tank India, this student-led venture proves that the leap from campus to the national stage is possible, with the right blend of vision, grit, and support. The RCOEM TBI Foundation has been identified as a Host Institution/Business Incubator (HI/BI) by the Ministry of MSME, Government of India, thus emerging as a regional entrepreneurial development centre. It has also been granted a fund under the ASPIRE scheme for the promotion of rural and agro-based startups, further reflecting the University's emphasis on inclusive and sustainable innovation. Chancellor Dr S S Mantha, Vice Chancellor Dr Rajesh Pande, Principal, RCOEM Dr Manoj Chandak and Director of RCOEM TBI Foundation Dr Rupesh Pais were present.
Terrorists will think 100 times before acting, says Pahalgam victims father





CHANDIGARH :

PAHALGAM terror attack victim Lt Vinay Narwals father, Rajesh Narwal, on Wednesday hailed Indias response and said the Modi Government has sent a strong message and now the perpetrators of the April 22 attack will think 100 times before repeating such attacks in the future. Retaliating against the terror attack, Indian armed forces on early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas base in Muridke. When this (Pahalgam) incident happened, even then you (media) came to my home and asked what I expected from the Government. My answer was that I had faith in our Government. And today, the Government has justified that trust, Rajesh Narwal told reporters at his residence in Karnal.

I had said that such a thing (retaliatory strikes) has to be done so that no one dares to do such a cowardly act again...The strikes carried out on the terror targets (in Pak and PoK) will resonate in their minds forever. Responding to a question on the missions name, Rajesh said, This operation has been aptly named Operation Sindoor. Earlier, when Vinay Narwals mother, Asha, was asked to comment about Indias response to the Pahalgam incident, she told reporters, It is a very good thing that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has avenged the (Pahalgam) attack. I am with them (the Government), people are with them, and our entire family is with them. I want to tell our Army to give a befitting reply so that such incidents (like Pahalgam) do not occur again, she said and added that those who got martyred have got justice. Married about three weeks ago, Narwal (26), accompanied by his wife Himanshi, was on a honeymoon in south Kashmirs Pahalgam town when terrorists shot him at point blank, an incident in which 25 others, mostly tourists, were also killed.

Pahalgam victims daughter welcomes Operation Sindoor, salutes PM, Army

KOCHI,

May 7 (PTI)

ARATHY, daughter of N Ramachandran who was gunned down by terrorists in Kashmirs Pahalgam, on Wednesday welcomed Indian Armys Operation Sindoor and expressed hope that it would bring some relief to the families of those killed in front of them. The Operation Sindoor seems to be a reply from the women of India through the army and the Government, she said. She also extended a big salute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian Army and the Union Government for the missile strikes against terror camps in Pakistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir. Arathys father was killed by terrorists in front of her while holidaying in Kashmirs Pahalgam on April 22. This news is a kind of relief from the Government, and the army who have done this, she said. When the news came out in the morning, it was a kind of relief...And a comforting situation for all of us in the family, she said. Arathy said there wont be any other suitable title for the strikes other than Operation Sindoor. Obviously, it is the apt name, but I dont think wiping the tears will happen. The loss, which had been inflicted, it wont be compensated. The title, Operation Sindoor, seems to be like a reply from the women of India through the army and the Government, she said. Expressing happiness that India targeted and chose terror camps for attack, Arathy said, It shows what India is. The message to Pakistan is clear... Think twice before act. This is the reply India will be giving, she added. While talking to reporters earlier, she said there could have been no befitting reply other than this to the terrorism which had killed our fathers, brothers or husbands in front of us. So, a big salute for those who have done this operation. A big thank you to the Government, the Prime Minister and the army people who have been working for this operation...Who have been behind it continuously, she said. Arathy also said she and her family are praying for the Army. Let all Indians see a comfort in this operation. Let Operation Sindoor bring some comfort and relief to all the families of victims, including Himanshi (Narwal), she added. Himanshis husband was one of those killed in the terror attack, and a picture of her sitting beside his lifeless body with a crestfallen face turned out to be the defining image of the deadly incident. In retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes early Wednesday on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas base Muridke. The military strikes were carried out under Operation Sindoor two weeks after the massacre of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam.
Azerbaijan tallies savings of local industrial parks' residents

Azerbaijans industrial park residents have saved over 511 million manat (around $300 million) thanks to extensive tax and customs exemptions, according to the Economic Zones Development Agency. These incentives aim to boost investment and production, especially in the countrys liberated territories.

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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, May 8. The Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE) is ready to act as a gateway for Turkmen businesses seeking to export products or purchase goods from Belarus, Trend reports via the BUCE.

BUCE aims to strengthen its cooperation with Turkmen companies by increasing transaction volumes and expanding the range of goods involved in mutual trade. This collaboration would provide Turkmen businesses with access to the entire Belarusian market, along with updated pricing and delivery information, streamlining their operations.

Whereas Belarusian lumber currently dominates trade, BUCE sees significant potential for Turkmen exports of textiles, fruits, and vegetables.

In addition, BUCE officials recently met with Turkmenistans State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange and discussed opportunities for deeper collaboration, including data sharing and technology exchange.
Yes  Significant efforts are being made

No  Much more needs to be done

Some progress  But there are still critical gaps

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 8. The State Budget Policy Department of Uzbekistan met with an Indonesian delegation, led by Muhiddin Muhammad Said, Deputy Chairman of Indonesia's Budget Committee, and discussed cooperation in public financial management, Trend reports, citing Uzbekistans Ministry of Economy and Finance.

In the course of the meeting, the Indonesian side expressed a keen interest in Uzbekistans experience in public financial management, tax administration, and budget system reforms.

Ministry representatives provided detailed insights into the structure of the state budget, the processes of fund allocation, and measures aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in budget procedures.

Special attention was given to key macroeconomic indicators, fiscal policy, and the current priorities of Uzbekistans socio-economic development.

Following the talks, the sides expressed their readiness to further deepen cooperation. Meanwhile, it was decided to exchange experience in the field of public finance management to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 8. The second meeting on the development of Uzbekistan's nuclear infrastructure within the framework of cooperation with the IAEA is being held at IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Trend reports via Uzatom.

Uzbekistan's delegation, led by the Atomic Energy Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers, is taking part in the event. The delegation includes representatives from the Ministry of Energy and the Committee for Industrial, Radiation, and Nuclear Safety.

During the consultations, the activities covering 19 key areas of nuclear infrastructure development are being thoroughly discussed and agreed upon. Special attention is being given to identifying priority areas of cooperation, clarifying the stages of implementation, and aligning the timeline for upcoming activities with the support of the IAEA.

The Uzbek delegation is focused on developing further steps and determining priority measures for implementing joint projects throughout the duration of the meeting in Vienna.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an autonomous international organization established in 1957 to promote the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear energy. It works with member states to help them develop their nuclear programs following international safety standards, provide technical expertise, and monitor the use of nuclear materials to prevent misuse.
Uzbekistan reports solar energy subsidies to key regions in early 2025

In the first quarter of 2025, Uzbekistan rolled out the red carpet with generous subsidies for those harnessing the sun's power, putting a feather in the cap of over 12,000 households that reaped the rewards for their contributions to the national grid. The subsidies are part of the Solar House program, designed to encourage renewable energy production and contribute to the country's sustainable energy goals.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 8. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has invited his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro to pay a state visit to Kazakhstan, as the two leaders met on the sidelines of their visit to Moscow, Trend reports.

Tokayev described Venezuela as an important partner and expressed readiness to strengthen bilateral ties, noting that progress in cooperation between the two countries has so far been limited due to objective reasons.

During the meeting, the presidents discussed prospects for deepening trade and economic cooperation, with a particular focus on the energy sector. Both sides agreed to exchange lists of priority export goods as a step toward identifying concrete areas for growth in their economic relationship.

President Maduro welcomed the opportunity to explore new avenues of collaboration with Kazakhstan.
The residents of Chandannagar have urged the State Heritage Commission to declare the city as a heritage one.

On 2 May, 1950 Chandannagar came under the Indian Republic following a referendum.

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To commemorate the occasion, a function was held jointly by Chandernagore College which was set up in 1862 and the alumni of the college. A rally was taken out in the morning which was attended by many important residents of the city. City mayor Ram Chakraborty and deputy mayor Munna Agarwal took part in the rally. Later, a cultural function was held in the auditorium of the heritage building.

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Chandernagore College has a museum on the Indian freedom movement and the cultural history of the area. It was a French colony.

Chandannagore was known for its revolutionary activities. Rashbehari Bose was brought up in the area. Aurobindo Ghose after being acquitted from the Alipore bombing case went to Chandannagore and stayed in the house of Matilal Roy. Rabindranath came to see Ghose in Chandannagore. From here he left for Puducherry. Kanailal Dutta laid down his life for killing Naren Goswami, who became an approver in the Alipore bombing case.

Chandernagore College is the only educational institution in the country which had remained closed for more than two decades for the alleged involvement of the students in revolutionary activities.

Professor Debashis Sarkar said the museum has attracted people from all walks of life. The river cruise organised by the state tourism department takes a break at the college to allow the travellers to have a look at the museum.
The ruling party, Trinamul Congress and the opposition, BJP lauded Operation Sindoor that India launched against Pakistan on Wednesday midnight.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee wrote on her X-handle: Jai Hind! Jai India!

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Other Trinamul Congress leaders also hailed the forces for the successful strike against Pakistan.

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Let Team India keep going, let Team India win. The entire country is on the side of jawans. Rest of the words will be spoken later. Jai Hind, Mr Ghosh said.

As a proud Indian my support goes for the Indian Army, he said.

Let the terror camps be razed to the ground, let there be more such emphatic response to terror attacks on our people, said Mr Ghosh.

Joy Prakash Majumdar, Trinamul Congress spokesperson, said: We support any action by our forces for the sovereignty of the country and security of our citizens and emphatic action against terror.

He also said: We have been told about Indias supremacy in the air and on the ground as compared to Pakistan. So, there should not be any apprehension among the people of this country about Pakistan. We are united.

Union minister of state for education and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said the strike sent a message that the country has zero tolerance to terror.

Thank you, Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji! Under your fearless leadership, India doesnt stay silent  we strike back with force. 9 terror camps in Pakistan and PoK have been wiped out by our brave Armed Forces in a precise and powerful mission, Mr Majumdar said on X.

In retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian Armed Forces carried out missile

strikes early Wednesday on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas base Muridke. This is New India  we enter their homes and destroy terror!, he added.

Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee wrote on X: Thank you @adgpi for this powerful image that reaffirms Indias unity in the face of external attempts to divide us. I salute our armed forces for their unmatched bravery and extraordinary valour for striking with precision, restraint and discipline!

INDIA neutralised terror infrastructure without crossing the line or endangering innocent lives. This is the strength of INDIA- Firm in resolve, yet honourable in action!

But LETS BE CLEAR: Putting down a RABID DOG doesnt stop the threat if the ONE BREEDING IT is still alive and PLOTTING TO RAISE MORE. The REAL PROBLEM IS NOT THE RABID DOG- Rather ITS THE VILE HANDLER WHO BREEDS,TRAINS AND UNLEASHES TERROR. To ensure lasting peace and security, the world must stand up and dismantle the very source that breeds, trains and unleashes this violence. Its time we stop treating the SYMPTOM and go straight for the DISEASE. Jai HIND!
Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta honoured healthcare workers, including nurses and doctors, for their dedication and sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He commended the selfless and tireless contributions of the nursing staff and the doctors during the celebration of International Nurses Day on Thursday at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital. Nursing staff embody sacrifice, compassion, and dedication  the qualities we should all aspire to adopt in our lives, said Gupta.

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He noted that patients affectionately refer to nurses as Sister due to their nurturing nature and caring qualities, which are typically associated with family members.

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Acknowledging the sacrifices of the nurses during the testing times of the pandemic, Gupta said, We cannot forget the dark days of COVID-19. During those trying times, nursing staff displayed extraordinary courage and compassion, saving countless lives through their tireless efforts. Some even laid down their lives in service.

The Nurses Association of the GTB Hospital organized the event to commemorate the International Nurses Day 2025 which was attended by Gupta as Chief Guest joined by Jitender Mahajan, MLA Rohtas Nagar, and Dr Vinod Kumar, Medical Director, GTB Hospital.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 8. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has held talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Trend reports via Akorda.

During their meeting, President Tokayev warmly recalled his official visit to Belgrade in November last year, emphasizing its importance in strengthening mutual understanding and developing multifaceted cooperation between Kazakhstan and Serbia.

He highlighted the agreements signed at that time across various sectors, including trade and investment, industry, energy, construction, agriculture, transport, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and military-defense cooperation.

President Vucic expressed Serbias interest in further expanding its strategic partnership with Kazakhstan.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to implementing previously reached agreements and agreed to continue dialogue on bilateral and international issues during the upcoming visit of the Serbian president to Astana.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Veteran actor Anupam Kher has expressed deep pride and admiration for the Indian Armed Forces following the launch of Operation Sindoor, a high-precision military response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

The operation, carried out under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, targeted and destroyed nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

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Speaking to ANI, Anupam Kher delivered a powerful message: Whoever tries to destroy our sisters sindoor would get such a response.

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This operation wasnt just a strikeit was justice, Kher added. Under the leadership of PM Modi, it sent a clear message: if you bring terror to our doorstep, we will answer in kind. I felt immense pride, especially seeing two women officers, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sophia Qureshi, delivering the official briefing. It shows the strength and resolve of our armed forces.

The veteran actor, known for his outspoken patriotism, highlighted the significance of public acknowledgment and respect for the military.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anupam Kher (@anupampkher)

We sleep peacefully because of the sacrifices they make. Ive lived through the 1962 and 1965 warsour army has always stood tall. Its time we thank them openly. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat, he said.

Operation Sindoor came just days after the horrific terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam. 26 civilians lost their lives, including one Nepali national. The brutality of the attackmany victims were reportedly executed at close rangeshocked the nation and led to calls for immediate action.

In a detailed press briefing held in Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi explained the rationale and execution behind the operation.

Wing Commander Singh said the strikes were carefully planned to ensure precision and to avoid civilian casualties or infrastructure damage. She confirmed that nine terror camps were hit and successfully neutralized.

Colonel Qureshi presented visual evidence of the destruction, including drone footage of the targeted camps. Among them were key sites like Muridke. There 2008 Mumbai attack convicts Ajmal Kasab and David Headley reportedly trainedalong with Sarjal in Sialkot, Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala, Markaz Abbas in Kotli, and Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot.

The locations choices came with strategic intent. These were not random strikes. They aimed at dismantling camps with historical links to terrorism targeting India, Qureshi noted.

Foreign Secretary Misri gave a chilling account of the Pahalgam attack. He revealed that the massacre created fear and destabilized peace efforts in Kashmir. Victims were executed in front of their families. The attackers wanted to send a psychological message. Not just to the victims but to all who hope for peace in the region.

In a broader move to enhance preparedness, mock security drills took place across major Indian cities. That includes Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Jaipur on Wednesday evening. These drills aimed to assess and strengthen local responses to emerging threats.
It wouldnt be a quiet news day if Donald Trump didnt take a swing at the media  and this time, his fury is directed straight at the iconic news program 60 Minutes.

The reason? A freshly announced Emmy nomination that he claims is a total slap in the face.

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The CBS program has been nominated in the Outstanding Edited Interview category at the News and Documentary Emmy Awards for a segment featuring Vice President Kamala Harris.

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The episode in question aired last October, but now its back in the spotlight  not just because of the Emmy buzz, but also thanks to a $20 billion lawsuit Trump has filed against CBS.

Yes, twenty billion.

Here is a rare video of Donald Trump singing on stage at the 2005 Emmy Award Show in a farmer outfit. pic.twitter.com/hOwhAqQ7uZ  Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) March 31, 2025

According to Trump, CBS deliberately edited Harriss responses to paint a misleading picture  specifically about her remarks on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Biden administrations dealings with Israel.

Donald Trump insists the edited footage misrepresented Harris and was part of a broader media campaign to influence the 2020 election.

Now, with an Emmy nomination in play, hes fuming. Taking to Truth Social  his preferred megaphone  the former president didnt hold back. He slammed the Emmy nod as a slap in the face to anyone who believes in truth and honest journalism.

He also suggested the nomination might have come from Fake Outlets conspiring to give legitimacy to what he sees as a falsified piece of journalism.

Did 60 Minutes and its Corporate Parents apply to get an Emmy for an illegally falsified interview, Donald Trump wrote, or did other Fake Outlets nominate them for this dubious honor?

The controversy boils down to how the interview was aired across different platforms. CBS says Harriss full answer was split between two shows: Face the Nation and 60 Minutes. Critics, including Trump, argue that this split was deceptive and strategically edited to change the tone and meaning of her comments.

But CBS is standing by its work  and theyre not the only ones. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), which oversees the Emmy awards, has publicly defended the nomination.

According to a statement, the segment was thoroughly vetted by two independent panels made up of senior editorial leaders from major U.S. broadcast news outlets.

The segment was nominated on the strength of its journalism, said NATAS. The organization also made it clear that political bias or editorial slants are not considered in the judging process.

Interestingly, despite Trumps pushback, legal experts have pointed out that his claims might clash with First Amendment protections. Media lawyers and scholars argue that criticizing how an interview is edited  without proof of intentional falsehood  likely doesnt hold water in court.

Meanwhile, theres a bigger corporate subplot unfolding in the background. CBSs parent company, Paramount Global, is deep into discussions about a potential merger with Skydance.

According to Deadline, Trumps legal team has been talking with the conglomerate about potential settlements, possibly to avoid more public fireworks during the regulatory approval process.

As for the Emmys themselves, the winners will reveal on June 25, and the Harris interview remains in the running.

This isnt Trumps first Emmy-related tirade, either. Long before politics, he famously complained that Emmy voters snubbed The Apprentice.
Five women devotees and the pilot of the helicopter carrying them crashed in Uttarakhands Uttarkashi hills Thursday morning. The victims were visiting the Chardham and the lone surviving pilgrim has been airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh.

The victims included three from Mumbai, and one each from Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, police said.

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According to the information shared by Uttarakhand State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF), the incident took place at Bhatwadi area when the helicopter was flying from Kharsali near Yamunotri shrine towards Harsil Valley enroute Gangotri.

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The ill- fated helicopter VT-OXF belonging to Aerotrans Services Private Limited fell into a nearly 200-250 metres deep gorge owing to bad weather and some technical snag.

The helicopter took off from Shahastradhara helipad Dehradun to Harsil Valley with seven Chardham devotees who were to first visit Yamunotri and then Gangotri. The seven member heli crew included five women pilgrims and one male passenger with the pilot.

All six devotees had successfully paid their visit to Yamunotri Shrine but the heli crashed as it was flying to land at Harsil Valley where from the pilgrims would have gone to Gangotri on road.

Although official confirmation of the deceased persons was not made by the state government and the agencies, SDRF officials confirmed that six bodies were found and effort was being made to retrieve them.

One Passenger from Andhra Pradesh identified as Maktoor Bhaskar, 51, was seriously injured and airlifted to All India Institute of Medical Science(AIIMS) Rishikesh for treatment. Bhaskar is a resident of Mominabad, Guntakal, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. Sadly the dead Andhra Pradesh passenger was his 48-years old Vedanti.

Among other deceased Chardham devotees were three from Mumbai, one from Uttar Pradesh and Vadodara based 60 years old pilot Robin Singh. They have been identified as 57 years old Vijayalakshmi Reddy C, Ruchi Agarwal, 56 years, and 61-year Kala Chandrakant Soni, all residents of Powai Mumbai. Another woman devotee who lost her life was 79 years old Radha Agarwal from Bareilly Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, a rescue operation was in progress by the team of SDRF, local police and District Disaster Management Authority to recover the bodies at the time of writing the story.
Political parties cutting across party lines on Thursday hailed the armed forces for conducting Operation Sindoor against terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror attacks.

The gesture of unity was displayed across all political parties at the All Party meeting held today in the wake of Operation Sindoor.

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All parties supported the military action The meeting was positive. All parties hailed armed forces, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told newsmen after the meeting.

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The Centre has called an all-party to brief political leaders on the military strikes carried out by the Indian armed forces targeting the terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who chaired the meeting, briefed party leaders that at least 100 terrorists were killed in Indian strikes under Operation Sindoor.

In Operation Sindoor, precise strikes were carried out on 9 terrorist hideouts. Around 100 terrorists were killed, a leader who attended the meeting said quoting Rajnath Singh.

We do not wish to escalate the situation. But if Pakistan acts, we will not back down either, the Defence Minister had reportedly said while briefing the All Party meeting.

Coming out from the meeting Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said: At this hour of crisis we are with the government. We dont want to create any controversy at this hour.

However, at the meeting Mr Kharge had raised questions about the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister, he pointed out, had also skipped the previous all-party meeting held after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Praising the Indian Army for Operation Sindoor, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said: We are proud of our armed forces. He further said: We have extended our full support to the government.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi complimented the government and the armed forces for carrying out Operation Sindoor.

During the meeting Mr Owaisi urged the government to lobby with the US to get The Resistance Front designated as a terrorist organisation.

I have complimented our armed forces and the government for Operation Sindoor..I also suggested that the government should request the USA to designate it as a terrorist organisation. We should also make efforts to grey-list Pakistan in FATF, Mr Owaisi said after the meeting.

Pakistan was delisted from the Financial Action Task Forces document after four years in 2022. FATF is a global watchdog that monitors terror financing.

From the government side of the meeting, besides Rajnath Singh and Kiren Rijiju, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, Bharatiya Janata Party chief and Health Minister J P Nadda, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also attended the meeting.

On the opposition front the meeting, other than Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Asaduddin Owaisi, was also attended by Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav, Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP TR Baalu, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Prem Gupta, YSR Congress MP YV Subba Reddy, Biju Janata Dal MP Sasmit Patra, Communist Party of In dia-Marxist MP John Brittas, and Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh.
The Central University of Jharkhand (CUJ) is making big moves on the global academic map. Its Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kshiti Bhusan Das, is all set to visit South Korea and Japan from May 9 to May 20, in a 12-day tour aimed at strengthening international partnerships and opening new doors for students and faculty.

During this trip, CUJ will renew existing MoUs with two well-known Korean universitiesHankuk University of Foreign Studies and Busan University of Foreign Studies. But thats not all. Prof. Das is also expected to meet officials from three more South Korean institutionsKwangwoon University, Konkuk University, and Donguk Universityto sign new academic collaboration agreements.

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This visit is about more than just paperwork. Its about building real bridges between CUJ and the world, Prof. Das shared before his departure.

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Were creating opportunities for our students and teachers to gain global exposure, and for international scholars to experience India through Jharkhand.

One of the most exciting developments is the extension of CUJs collaboration with Hankuk University for another five years. As part of this partnership, the Samsung Global Experts Hindi Language and Indian Culture Training Programme will be expanded. This means that Korean studentsand even Samsung employeeswill be coming to CUJ to learn Hindi and explore Indian culture firsthand.

On May 13, Prof. Das will deliver a special lecture at Hankuk University titled Need of Fostering Indian Experts in Korea. Hell also be giving away certificates and prizes to students who recently participated in a Hindi speech contestan encouraging nod to Indias growing cultural presence abroad.

The journey doesnt end in Korea. In Japan, Prof. Das has been invited to speak at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University on May 19. His lecture, part of the universitys prestigious RCAPS Seminar Series, will explore Articulation of Resurgent India and Emergence as a Global Influencer: Contribution of Japan.

Hell also be giving another lecture at Busan University of Foreign Studies during the trip, further solidifying CUJs academic footprint in the region.

This visit reflects CUJs larger vision: to connect Jharkhands academic community with the world. Its also in line with Indias National Education Policy 2020, which encourages international collaboration and the globalisation of Indian education.

At a time when higher education is rapidly evolving, this tour marks an important milestonenot just for CUJ, but for Jharkhands place in the global knowledge landscape.
China, the Iron Brother of Pakistan, on Thursday called on both India and Pakistan to accord priority to peace and stability in the wake of the ongoing military tension between the two South Asian neighbours.

China opposes all forms of terrorism and calls on both India and Pakistan to prioritise peace and stability, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a media briefing in Beijing.

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His brief remarks are significant because China has always openly come out in support of Pakistan whenever Islamabad is involved in a confrontation with India.

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The Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, has forwarded the report of the in-house committee that probed allegations of cash recovery at Justice Yashwant Varmas residence to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Justice Varmas response to the findings.

In an official statement released on Thursday, the Supreme Court said, Chief Justice of India, in terms of the In-House Procedure, has written to Honble the President of India and Honble Prime Minister of India enclosing therewith copy of the 3-Member Committee report dated 03.05.2025 along with the letter/response dated 06.05.2025 received from Mr Justice Yashwant Varma.

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The development comes days after reports emerged that the three-member in-house committee, comprising Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, Justice Sheel Nagu , Chief Justice if Himachal Pradesh High Court, Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Anu Sivaraman of Karnataka High Court, had indicted Justice Varma in its report submitted to the Chief Justice Khanna.

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The forwarding of the report and Justice Varmas response to the constitutional authorities now clears the way for possible impeachment proceedings, if necessary, in accordance with the procedure laid down under Article 124(4) of the Constitution.

The in-house panel, constituted by CJI Khanna on March 22, 2025, commenced its probe on March 25 and submitted its report on May 4, 2025.

The controversy dates back to March 14, 2025, when a fire at Justice Varmas official residence in Delhi allegedly led to the discovery of large amounts of unaccounted cash by fire-fighters.

Justice Varma and his wife were reportedly travelling in Madhya Pradesh at the time, while only his daughter and aged mother were present at home.

Following the incident, a video showing bundles of burnt cash surfaced and was shared by the Delhi Police Commissioner with the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court took the unprecedented step of making public the preliminary report of the Delhi High Court Chief Justice along with Justice Varmas initial response.

In the aftermath of the allegations, Justice Varma was transferred back to his parent High Court, the Allahabad High Court, where he was recently administered the oath of office.

However, he has not been assigned any judicial work, as per instructions from the CJI. The Allahabad High Court Bar Association had earlier protested against Justice Varmas repatriation, going on an indefinite strike.
Asserting that the state is fighting twin battles, one against Pakistan to safeguard the borders, and the other against the Union and Haryana governments to protect its waters, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann claimed on Thursday to have foiled the nefarious design of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

Leading from the front, the chief minister personally staged a sit-in at Nangal to ensure that the BBMB Chairman doesnt divert the waters of the state to Haryana. He said that if Punjabis can protect the borders of the state, they are capable enough to save it water too.

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It is shameful that the BJP-led Union government is playing dirty games over the waters of the state in this crisis when the country is supposed to fight the enemy in unison with each other, said Bhagwant Singh Mann.

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The chief minister said today, when the entire countrys sirens are being blown for blackout as a part of strategy of battle against Pakistan, the BJP is playing petty politics with Punjab.

He said it is really shameful that BJP is searching for an opportunity in the hour of crisis (Apda mein Avsar) to harm interests of the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab will never allow the nefarious plans of the BJP to succeed and not even a single drop of water will be shared with any other state.

The chief minister said the BJP and its allies are in a haste to steal the water from the state whereas Haryana has been using 4000 cusec for the entire year.

He said that the BJP should tell whether Punjab should safeguard the borders of the country or they should protect the waters. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that due to vigilance of the state government today the illegal stealing of water by BBMB and Haryana has been prevented.

The chief minister said the state government would challenge the decision of the High Court on the BBMB and water sharing in the Apex court adding that the battle to protect the waters will be fought politically and legally.

He said that the BBMB Chairman has tried to illegally loot the water of the state which is highly condemnable. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that any such move will not be tolerated and the state government will oppose it tooth and nail.
Indian Armys Colonel Sofia Qureshi, one of the officers who briefed the media about Operation Sindoor, has an old connection with Madhya Pradesh.

According to reports, Sofia Qureshi was born in 1976 and lived and studied till Class V at Naugaon in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. She studied in the Government Primary School at Naugaon in childhood, as her father was posted there.

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Colonel Sofia Qureshis male cousin and other family members still live at the familys ancestral home in Chachcha colony in Naugaon.

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Her family members and other residents celebrated the success of Operation Sindoor as well as the fact that Colonel Sofia Qureshi was part of the media briefing team about the operation.
In a strong statement on Operation Sindoor, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called it a reflection of a developed Indias strength.

Referring to the air strikes on terrorist targets inside Pakistan by the Indian Army, he said India does not interfere in others matters, but if anyone threatens its internal security or citizens, the new India strikes back with full force.

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India now enters the enemys hideouts if needed, he said, adding that the world witnessed this strength yesterday and will continue to see it in the future as well.

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The CM was addressing an event organised to distribute appointment letters to 494 assistant teachers and 49 lecturers selected through a fair and transparent process by the UP Public Service Commission here on Thursday.

During the event, he appealed to all newly-appointed teachers to adapt to the changing world. If we move forward with the times and prepare our youth according to todays needs, we will remain relevant. But if we fall behind, the consequences will not only affect the current generation but also future ones, who may never forgive us. Teachers must become part of the present mission and lay the strong foundation of a developed India starting from their schools, he added.

The chief minister also laid the foundation stone for mini stadiums in 23 government inter colleges, with a total cost of Rs 4.92 crore on the occasion. Principals of five government secondary schools were awarded certificates for setting up Atal Tinkering Labs, while principals of another five government secondary schools received certificates for establishing ICT labs.

In his address, the chief minister emphasized the importance of innovation, research, and development in the education sector. Teachers must focus on what changes they can bring to education, which techniques they can use to ensure that youth face no identity crisis and have a clear direction towards a bright future, he said.

He encouraged teachers to study new teaching methods and make lessons engaging, suggesting that stories could be a great tool to keep students interested and make classes more lively.

The Chief Minister further highlighted that the entire selection process for teachers had been completely fair and transparent. There was no need for recommendations at any level, he stated.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, May 8. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in Dushanbe between Tajikistans Somon Air national airline and Germanys Triwo Hahn Airport, Trend reports via the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan.

The MoU was concluded on the sidelines of the Tajik-German Business Forum held in the capital. Another MoU was signed between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tajikistan and the German Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (BVMW). The specific content of the agreements has not been disclosed.

The forum also featured B2B meetings between entrepreneurs from both countries. The German delegation included representatives from 18 major companies operating in banking, agriculture, insurance, construction, transport, medicine, and pet food production. From the Tajik side, leading companies from various sectors participated in the discussions.

Triwo Hahn Airport is the tenth-largest passenger airport in Germany. More than 1.865 million passengers pass through the airport in 2024.
Authorities on Thursday banned flying of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles by the general public and tourists across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh after the Indian Armed Forces foiled Pakistans attempt to target Srinagar, Jammu, and Awantipura IAF stations with drones and missiles on Wednesday night.

An official said the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems neutralised these attempts.

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Leh DM Santosh Sukhadeve on Thursday prohibited drone and UAV flights in the region under Section 163 of the BNSS, even as restrictions were already in force in various J&K districts.

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The DM cited credible inputs and security concerns over the potential misuse of drones and UAVs by anti-social elements.

In view of the likelihood of threats to public safety, security installations, and the general public, the Superintendent of Police, Leh, vide letter No. CRB/Crime/2025-10071-74, dated. 08.05.2025, requested issuing orders prohibiting drone/UAV flights by the public and tourists, the DM said.

The DM has ordered that any person spotting a drone or UAV flying in violation of this order shall immediately report it to the Police Control Room (PCR), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS), or the nearest police and civil authorities.

Any violation of this order shall attract strict legal action under relevant laws, he warned.

It is worth mentioning that the Jammu IAF station, near the Pakistan border, was targeted by a drone in June 2021 when two 2-kg Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were dropped, damaging a building.

The Air Traffic Control (ATC) and helicopters were the intended targets, but the IEDs fell elsewhere.

Pakistani agencies have been using drones to supply arms, ammunition, narcotics, and fake currency to terrorists across the Line of Control (LoC), the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, and the neighbouring Punjab.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated an inquiry into the liquor scam in Andhra Pradesh during the YSRCP regime under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The decision of the ED to look into the scam, allegedly worth Rs 3,600 crore, came after Kesineni Sivanath, the TDP MLA from Vijayawada, wrote to the CBI demanding an independent inquiry, citing interstate financial irregularities.

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The ED has formally written to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) chief and Vijayawada police commissioner for a certified copy of the FIR, details of bank accounts, and properties identified, details of the accused arrested in the case and a copy of the chargesheet if filed.

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The SIT probe has so far found the involvement of several senior officials as well as influential politicians like YSRCP MP P Mithun Reddy and former MP V Vijayasai Reddy. The prime suspect is Rajasekhar Reddy Kasireddy, better known as Raj Kasireddy, who was an IT advisor in the YSRCP regime. It has been alleged that he used this as a front to facilitate backdoor operations in the liquor scam. He was also involved in film production. He was arrested by the SIT on 21 April at Hyderabad Airport after he returned from Dubai. His assistant, Paila Dilip, has also been arrested.

According to investigators, the scam operated between 2019-2024, soon after YS Jagan Mohan Reddy assumed office as chief minister and generated kickbacks of Rs60 crore per month. The YSRCP government had come to power promising total prohibition in the state. It is alleged that the brands that paid kickbacks were promoted while the others were sidelined. Funds were allegedly routed through hawala networks using fake GST invoices, which were masked as promotional expenses. The SIT said the bribes were later diverted to real estate investments in Bengaluru. Govindappa Balaji, a full-time director of Bharathi cements associated with YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Krishnamohan Reddy, an officer on special duty in the chief ministers office during YSRCP regime are key suspects.
An FIR has been registered against Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai at Chetganj police station for allegedly mocking the Rafale fighter aircraft by tying lemon and chillies to a toy plane.

The complaint was lodged by Pradeep Gupta, President of the Hindu Shakti Vahini. Based on the complaint, police have filed a case against Ajay Rai under Sections 107(1) and 353(2) for disturbing public peace, spreading misinformation, and making inflammatory remarks.

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If found guilty, Rai may face up to two years of imprisonment along with a fine.

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The controversy stems from a press conference held by Ajay Rai in Varanasi on May 4, during which he reportedly said:

When the government bought Rafale, the Defence Minister tied lemon and chilli to it. Has the Rafale come here just to be adorned with lemon and chilli?

He added, When will the lemon be removed from Rafale and when will it perform its actual duty? The public wants to know. The family of Shubham, who was martyred in the Pahalgam terror attack, also seeks answers. When will the government deploy it to deliver justice?

Further criticizing the government, Rai said that the martyrs of the country are asking whether Rafale jets were acquired to respond strongly to terrorists or merely for display.

We are all waiting. We want terrorists to be dealt with strictly, he remarked.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly condemned Rais comments. A BJP spokesperson stated, Ajay Rai has insulted the Indian armed forces by calling Rafale a toy. This statement appears to be made at the behest of Rahul Gandhi. Pakistani media is using it for propaganda purposes. The Congress is playing with national security.
A day after India launched Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam attack, the operations pertaining to commercial flights have been halted at multiple airports. The airports that are shortlisted are either housing important Indian Air Force bases or are close to the international borders.

Earlier, India had imposed several air space restrictions in the wake of the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan post the killings of 26 tourists in Pahalgam on April 22.

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Among the airports that are shut down to commercial operations include Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Gwalior, Rajkot, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Dharamshala, Bathinda, Shimla, Hindon, Kishangarh, and Kandla.

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In the wake of the closure, several domestic and international flights were also cancelled by the flight operators. As per the reports, the Indian Air Force has taken control over the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Chandigarh and Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar, and cancelled the civilian flights under further notice. On Wednesday, the IAF had taken over operational control of the Srinagar Airport too following the missile attack.

Speaking to the media, Ajay Kumar, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Chandigarh International Airport Ltd (CHIAL), confirmed that the Air Force has taken full control of the airport and all 52 domestic and international flights remain suspended until further orders.

In a post on X, Spicejet Airlines issued a flight advisory for airports in the northern parts of the country, stating, Due to the ongoing situation, airports in parts of northern India, including Dharamshala (DHM), Leh (IXL), Jammu (IXJ), Srinagar (SXR), and Amritsar (ATQ), are closed until further notice. Departures, arrivals, and consequential flights may be impacted. Passengers are advised to plan their journey accordingly and check flight status.

Indigo Airlines too issued an advisory on X. Due to changing airspace conditions in the region, our flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh and Dharamshala are impacted. We request you to check your flight status before reaching the airport, the post read.

Update: Flights to/from Bikaner are also impacted by the current airspace restrictions. We request you to check your flight status before reaching the airport, the post further reads.
Refuting the allegations levelled by Pakistan that India targeted religious places in the first phase of Operation Sindoor on the intervening night of May 6-7, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Pakistan launched a full-blown attack on the Sikh community by attacking a gurudwara based in Poonch and killing three people from the community.

During a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press briefing on Thursday, calling Pakistan a hub of global terrorism, Misri said the neighbouring countrys reputation as the epicenter of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances. I dont need to remind where Osama Bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr. Pakistan is also home to a large number of UN-proscribed terrorists and also to terrorists proscribed by many countries. You must have seen in the last few days, their defence minister and former foreign minister accepted their countrys involvement with such terror groups, he added.

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Questioning the presence of Pakistans top military brass at the funeral of civilians killed in the counter offensive launched by India, Misri said it was also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out by coffins wrapped in their national flag, and state honours are being awarded. Misri said, flashing a picture of the funeral.

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Responding to Pakistans claim that civilians were targeted on May 7, the foreign secretary said, We have made it very clear that the attacks were against terrorist infrastructure. If only civilians, if any civilians were killed in these attacks, I wonder what message this picture actually sends to all of you. This is a question that is worth asking. Its also odd that the funerals of civilians are carried out with the coffins being draped in Pakistani flags and state honours being about it. As far as we are concerned the individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists, giving terrorists state funerals, maybe a practice in Pakistan. Doesnt seem to make much sense to us.

The funeral in question was attended by Pakistan Army personnel, police, civil officials, and members of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), founded by Hafiz Saeed.

Dubbing the April 22 Pahalgam massacre as the original escalation from Pakistan, Misri said the Indian Armed Forces responded to that escalation yesterday. What is interesting is that when talks on Pahalgam were ongoing at the UNSC, guess which country opposed the TRFs mention? It was Pakistan. Indias response is non-escalatory, precise, and measured. Our intention is not to escalate matters, and we are only responding to the escalation. No military targets have been selected. Only terror infrastructure has been hit, he added.

Debunking the claims being made by Pakistan about India allegedly targeting a dam near the Neelum-Jhelum project in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK), Misri called it a blatant lie. Stating that the allegations were an absolute and complete fabrication, Misri said that actions under Operation Sindoor were focused solely on terrorist infrastructure. India has targeted only and only terrorist infrastructure, and the details of that infrastructure, along with the precise locations, were shared yesterday, he said.

If this kind of a claim is a pretext of targeting Indian infrastructure of similar nature, then Pakistan will be solely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow, Misri warned Pakistan.

Addressing the media, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said that in the second edition of the Operation Sindoor launched on Thursday morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Pakistans Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations. Stating that the Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan, the officer said that it has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

Earlier, rattled by the air strikes conducted under Operation Sindoor, Pakistan launched a counter offensive on multiple defence bases located in the northern and western of the country. However, all the attempts were neutralized by the Indian Armed forces who engaged the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks, she said.

On the night of May 07-08, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.

Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh added towards the end.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to co-chair the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Araghchis visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty and comes at a time of heightened tensions in South Asia.

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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) welcomed Araghchi, noting the visit as a timely opportunity to deepen bilateral ties.

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Warm welcome to FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi, as he arrives in New Delhi for the India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting. An opportunity to review and enhance bilateral cooperation on the 75th Anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty, the MEA posted on X.

The meeting, hosted at Hyderabad House in the capital, will cover wide-ranging discussions on trade, energy, connectivity, and regional cooperation.

This is Araghchis first official visit to India since taking office in August 2024. Later in the day, he is also scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

While the India-Iran Joint Commission is meant to meet annually, the recent gap in meetings has been attributed to the Covid pandemic and pressing domestic issues in both countries.

According to the MEA, the 20th edition of the commission will focus on reviewing the progress of various bilateral economic agreements and exploring avenues to strengthen strategic cooperation.

Irans Embassy in New Delhi, echoing the MEAs sentiments, said the commission will review and follow up on the latest status of the implementation of bilateral economic agreements between the two countries.

Araghchis visit takes place in the shadow of escalating conflict between India and Pakistan, following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives, including a Nepali national.

India responded on Wednesday with a tri-services military operation  codenamed Operation Sindoor  that targeted nine high-value terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Wednesday voiced serious concern over the intensifying India-Pakistan conflict, calling for restraint.

The growing tensions and clashes between two major nations, both of which share long-standing ties of friendship with Iran, are a matter of serious concern, Baghaei said, urging both sides to de-escalate and prevent further deterioration.

Foreign Minister Araghchi had earlier condemned the Pahalgam attack and extended condolences to India.

Iran strongly and unequivocally condemns the terrorist attack against tourists in Pahalgam. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the people & government of India, he posted on X.

Prior to arriving in India, Araghchi visited Pakistan earlier this week, leading a political delegation and holding talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Karnataka is strictly following all the guidelines from the Centre, has carried out all the advised security drills, and has placed security personnel on high alert at all sensitive installations and critical infrastructure.

Chief Minister S Siddaramaiah said on Thursday that security has been beefed up at all vital installations like dams as part of the national security enhancement protocols. Interacting with media persons at Maddut in Mandya district today, the chief minister said all central guidelines were being complied with.

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We are on high alert across the state. Instructions from the Centre were being followed diligently. Precautionary drills were being carried out to ensure public safety in case of any unforeseen circumstances, said Siddaramaiah.

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All the Pakistani nationals living in Karnataka, except for a few who have sought legal recourse, have already been deported, Siddaramaiah said.

Almost all Pakistani nationals in Karnataka have been deported, the Chief Minister said and added, Only a few individuals, particularly in Mysuru, have taken the legal route by approaching the courts. Other than those cases, the deportation process has been effectively carried out.

When pressed further, the Chief Minister said that he did not have any information about the number of such Pakistani persons still in the state.

When asked about the organisation of special prayers in temples coming under the Muzrai Department, the Chief Minister said Tourism Minister Ramalinga Reddy had taken the decision in consultation with him.

On Friday, there will be special prayers held at mosques in the state for the wellbeing of the army personnel.

The Karnataka government is also planning to take out a unity march in support of the soldiers, to honour the soldiers who participated in Operation Sindoor. The unity march will be led by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. He will lead the march under national tricolour in Bengaluru on Friday.

All senior government officials, including the Chief Minister and cabinet ministers, are expected to participate in the procession, which aims to express collective gratitude and support for the armed forces.
A complete blackout is being witnessed in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan after a missile and drone attack by Pakistan. According to defence sources, Pakistan launched eight missiles at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia sector in Jammu Division. However, all were intercepted by Indian Air Defence Units.

Pakistani drones were also intercepted by Indias Sudarshan ChakraS-400 Air Defence System. A video shared by news agency Asia News International shows flashes in the sky after a Pakistani drone is successfully intercepted. Explosions can also be heard in the video.

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India also shot down two Pakistani JF-17 fighter jets while trying to intrude into the Indian airspace, multiple reports claimed. However, the Pakistani military has denied the claim and termed a video of DG ISPR admitting the loss as deep fake

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Reports also claimed an F-16 supersonic fighter jet of the Pakistani Air Force was shot down by India using a surface-to-air missile defence system.

Meanwhile, a complete blackout has been enforced in several border areas, including Udhampur, Samba, Akhnoor and Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir, and Jalandhar in Punjab, and Jaisalmer in Pakistan. Sirens are also being heard in several areas throughout the district.

The tensions between India and Pakistan started after Islamabad backed terrorists gunned down 25 innocent civilians, mostly tourists from across the country, and a Nepali national in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam on April 22. Following the brutal attack, India launched Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam attack and destroyed nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

While India maintained its strikes only targeted terror bases, as New Delhi didnt want an escalation, Pakistan resorted to intense shelling in Jammu and Kashmir and targeted Indian military establishments in the wee hours on Thursday, May 8. Indian armed forces foiled the attack and launched a retaliatory strike, destroying a Pakistan air defence system in Lahore.

Below are the latest updates on the India-Pakistan conflict:

12:24 pm: US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce says, This morning Secretary Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and EAM Dr S Jaishankar. In both calls, the Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation and called for an end to the violence. He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications.

#WATCH | US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce says, This morning Secretary Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and EAM Dr S Jaishankar. In both calls, the Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation and called for an end to the violence. He pic.twitter.com/kFM8Tjfvlk  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

12:15 pm: Pakistan targets civilian areas in Uri sector. Visuals outside a hotel where Pakistani shells dropped.

| Pakistan targets civilian areas in Uri sector. Visuals outside a hotel where Pakistani shells dropped.

Source: ANI#IndiaPakistanWar #NewsUpdate #TheStatesman pic.twitter.com/YeDKselcxP  The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) May 8, 2025

12:10 pm: Two Pakistani drones shot down by Indian Army Air Defence Units in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Heavy exchange of artillery fire on between the two sides in the sector: Defence Sources

#BreakingNews | Two Pakistani drones shot down by Indian Army Air Defence Units in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Heavy exchange of artillery fire on between the two sides in the sector: Defence Sources#IndiaPakistanWar #TheStatesman pic.twitter.com/rg6XK115tP  The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) May 8, 2025

12:05 pm: A complete blackout has been enforced in Chandigarh

#WATCH | A complete blackout has been enforced in Chandigarh (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/yfonf8zOqB  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

11:44 pm: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that the news about a Pakistan pilot is in Indian custody is also fake.

11:40: Important Update: The news about a fidayeen attack on an Army brigade in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir is fake. According to the governments Fact Check unit, no such fidayeen or suicide attack has occurred on any army cantonment.

11:25 pm: X (formerly Twitter) has received executive orders from the Indian government requiring X to block over 8,000 accounts in India, says Xs Global Government Affairs in a post.

11:20 pm: Akasa Air issues travel advisory. Tweets, Due to enhanced security measures at all airports across India, we request you to reach the airport at least 3 hours prior to departure, to ensure a seamless check-in and boarding experience. Please ensure you carry valid government-approved photo identification documents for entry to the airport. In addition to your check-in baggage, only one handbag weighing upto 7 kgs will be permitted. As per regulatory guidelines, all passengers will be required to undergo secondary security checks before boarding

11:16 pm: BREAKING NEWS: Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks with the Director Generals of border guarding forces to take stock of the border situation. He also speaks to the CISF DG regarding airport security.

11:15 pm: Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the International Border in J&K today. The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). No casualties or material losses were reported. India remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people: Ministry of Defence

11:10 pm: Air India tweets, In view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding. Check-in closes 75 mins before departure.

10:59 pm: All schools and colleges in Kapurthala district to remain closed on May 9 and 10, as per the orders of the Deputy Commissioner

10:53 pm: All the Leaves of Delhi Police officials/personnel stands cancelled: Delhi Police

10:50 pm: EAM Dr S Jaishankar tweets, Spoke with US Secretary Marco Rubio this evening. Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism. Underlined Indias targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation.

10:40 pm: Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by Indian Armed Forces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means: HQ IDS

Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by Indian Armed Forces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means: HQ IDS pic.twitter.com/iJEOPgINjA  The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) May 8, 2025



10:30 pm Pakistan launched 8 missiles at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia sector, All intercepted by Indian Air Defence units: Defence Sources

Explosions can be heard as Indian air defence intercepts Pakistani drones in pur?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>#Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.

Visuals deferred by unspecified time.

Viewers note that the red light in the sky is the ignition of the ammunition cap from an anti-drone gun, and the explosion sound pic.twitter.com/yg1axIgqmY  The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) May 8, 2025

10:25: Pakistani drones intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer. Explosions can be heard, and flashes in the sky can be seen.

10:24 pm: Pakistan has targeted Jammu with loitering munitions; Indian Air Defence guns are firing back

10:22 pm: A complete blackout has been enforced in Samba of Jammu Division and sirens can be heard.

10:20 pm: A complete blackout has been enforced in Akhnoor of Jammu Division; sirens are being heard.

10:15 pm: A complete blackout has been enforced in Kishtwar of Jammu Division, and sirens are being heard throughout the district.

10:10 pm: US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce says, Secretary Marco Rubio spoke today with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation.

10:10 pm: He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications. The Secretary reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.

10:00 pm: Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma held a high-level meeting at the Chief Ministers residence today evening regarding the tension that arose on the border. Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director General of Police, DG Intelligence and ADG Law and Order attended the meeting.

Note: The updates deferred by unspecified time
Panic gripped Jammu late Wednesday night after a series of missile attacks were launched from Pakistan, triggering loud explosions, sirens, and an enforced blackout across the city and nearby areas. The strikes came just hours after India neutralized Pakistan-based air defence radars and systems as part of the ongoing Operation Sindoor.

Army sources confirmed that eight missiles were fired from Pakistan targeting areas such as Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia. All were successfully intercepted and blocked by the Air Defence Units. The visuals from Jammu resemble Hamas-style attacks on Israel, using multiple low-cost rockets, said a senior military source.

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Pakistans military is operating and behaving like the terrorist organization Hamas. Its noteworthy that last month, ISI and Hamas held a meeting in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the source further claimed.

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Former Jammu and Kashmir DGP Sesh Paul Vaid posted on X, Complete blackout in Jammu. Loud explosionsbombing, shelling, or missile strikes suspected. Fret notMata Vaishno Devi is with us, and so are the valiant Indian Armed Forces.

Reports also confirmed blackouts at various locations in Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, and Rajasthan as a precautionary measure.

Army sources further revealed that hostile drones were sighted at multiple locations along the western front and were engaged effectively by Indias air defence systems.

In an official statement, the Ministry of Defence said that during the night of May 78, Pakistan attempted to target multiple military installations across Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.

These were neutralized by Indias Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. Debris recovered from multiple locations confirms the Pakistani origin of the attacks, a Ministry spokesperson said.
Colonel Sofia Qureshi of the Indian Army, who, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Air Force, in the presence of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, jointly addressed the nation about precision military strikes on nine terror bases inside the Pakistan, in the past was praised by the Supreme Court in its February 17, 2020 landmark judgment granting permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Army.

The February 17, 2020 top court judgment that paved the way for the permanent commissioning of women officers of the Short Service Commission (SSC) acknowledged the laurels brought to the Indian Army by its women officers, recorded the names of 10 women officers, with Colonel Sofia Qureshi topping the list.

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Women officers of the Indian Army have brought laurels to the force. These are documented in the course of (top court) proceedings and have not been controverted in the submissions (by the central government), the top court had recorded the names of 10 women officers for the distinctions  (they) have achieved 

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About Colonel Sofia Qureshi  then Lt. Colonel Sofia Qureshi  the top court had said, Lieutenant Colonel Sofia Qureshi (Army Signal Corps) is the first woman to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multi-national military exercise named Exercise Force 18 which is the largest ever foreign military exercise hosted by India. She has served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006 where she, along with others, was in charge of monitoring ceasefires in those countries and aiding in humanitarian activities. Her job included ensuring peace in conflict affected areas;

The contribution of other women officers, who brought laurels to the Indian Army, included Lieutenant Colonel Anuvandana Jaggi, Major Madhumita (Army Education Corps), Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi , Lieutenant A Divya, Major Gopika Bhatti, Major Gopika Ajitsingh Pawar, Major Madhu Rana, Major Preeti Singh and Major Anuja Yadav, Captain Ashwini Pawar (Army Ordnance Corps) and Captain Shipra Majumdar (Army Engineer Corps).

The judgment had also noted that the women officers from the Indian Army have been participating in the UN Peacekeeping Force since 2004 and have been deployed in active combat scenarios in Syria, Lebanon, Ethiopia and Israel.

Since September 8, 2009, the women officers have also been made part of the Quick Reaction Teams, where women and male officers perform similar duties;

Brushing aside the argument of the Central government against the grant of permanent commission to women officers on the grounds of their biological composition and social milieu, former Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, speaking for the bench, had said, Numerous other commendation certificates and laurels achieved by women officers have been placed on record. Their track record of service to the nation is beyond reproach. To cast aspersions on their abilities on the ground of gender is an affront not only to their dignity as women but to the dignity of the members of the Indian Army  men and women  who serve as equal citizens in a common mission.

The Supreme court recorded the contribution of Lieutenant Colonel Anuvandana Jaggi, Major Madhumita (Army Education Corps), Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi, Lieutenant A Divya, Major Gopika Bhatti, Major Gopika Ajitsingh Pawar, Major Madhu Rana, Major Preeti Singh and Major Anuja Yadav, Captain Ashwini Pawar (Army Ordnance Corps) and Captain Shipra Majumdar (Army Engineer Corps).

Lieutenant Colonel Anuvandana Jaggi served as the Womens Team Leader of the United Nations Military Observers Team in the UN mission in Burundi. She was awarded the United Nations Force Commanders Commendation and an Appreciation Epistle from the Chief of Army Staff for her commendable effort.

Major Madhumita (Army Education Corps) is the first woman officer in the country to receive the Gallantry Award (Sena Medal) for fighting Taliban terrorists in Afghanistan. Despite adversity, she continued and her speedy rescue and evacuation efforts saved many lives.

Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi recently led a contingent of the Indian Army Service Corps, becoming the first woman to lead an all-men Army contingent in the history of India. Similarly, Captain Tania Shergill recently became the first Indian woman Parade Adjutant to lead an all-men contingent in New Delhi on January 15, 2020.

About Lieutenant A Divya, the top court noted that in September 2010, the Sword of Honour in the Officers Training Academy, Chennai (the only training centre for SSC male and female officers) was given to Lieutenant A Divya amongst 170 male officers and 57 women officers.

Major Gopika Ajitsingh Pawar was awarded the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal by the Secretary General of the United Nations in recognition of her role as a military member of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

Major Madhu Rana, Major Preeti Singh, and Major Anuja Yadav were awarded the United Nation Medal completing the qualifying service as military members of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Captain Ashwini Pawar (Army Ordnance Corps) and Captain Ashwini Pawar (Army Ordnance Corps) and Captain Shipra Majumdar (Army Engineer Corps) were awarded the Sewa Medal by the President of India in 2007.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, May 8. The next high-level meeting of the working group on the Caspian Sea issues will be held in Turkmenistan, Trend reports via the country's foreign ministry.

The decision was taken at the end of the tenth session of the RGVU, which was chaired by the head of the Russian delegation, Mikhail Petrakov. Representatives of five Caspian states  Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan  took part in the negotiations. The delegation of Turkmenistan was headed by Murat Atadzhanov.

The parties continued to discuss the method of establishing direct baselines on the Caspian Sea  a key element of the legal design of maritime borders. In addition, the delegates exchanged opinions on issues of regional cooperation and reviewed the preparation for the upcoming meeting of the foreign ministers of the Caspian countries.

The exact date for the forthcoming assembly will be ascertained via established diplomatic conduits.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
In a significant fallout of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Eastern Zonal Council meeting scheduled to be held in Ranchi on May 10 under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been postponed.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has communicated the decision to all four participating statesBihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal.

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While the Centre has not officially disclosed the reason for the deferment, highly placed sources suggest the move is directly linked to the prevailing cross-border tensions and internal deliberations following Operation Sindoor.

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Shah was expected to arrive in Ranchi a day earlier on May 9. However, following a high-level all-party meeting in Delhi amid heightened geopolitical developments, the government decided to put the zonal meeting on hold.

Adding to the political unease in the region, Ranchi district authorities have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The directive, issued by Ranchi Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Utkarsh Kumar, prohibits public assemblies, protests, rallies, and processions in sensitive zones across the city.

The move comes in the wake of alerts indicating possible demonstrations by political and social organizations at locations that have recently shifted from designated protest zones like Zakir Hussain Park to high-security areas such as Raj Bhavan, the Chief Ministers residence on Kanke Road, and other government complexes.

These restrictions apply within 100 meters of the perimeter of the Chief Ministers residence, Raj Bhavan, and the Jharkhand High Court. A 500-meter restriction zone has been placed around the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly.

Similar prohibitions have also been ordered around Nepal House and the Project Bhawan premises, including the HEC complex in Dhurwa.

This sweeping clampdown on civic activity reflects the growing sensitivity in governance and law enforcement circles.

With the postponement of the Eastern Zonal Council meeting, Ranchi has transitioned from a hub of federal coordination to a city under heightened administrative caution.

As New Delhi recalibrates its strategy on the western front, the ripple effects are now visibly unsettling the rhythm of federal dialogue in the east.
A damaging power struggle has erupted within the Assam unit of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), with top state leaders trading serious allegations of fund misuse, political sabotage, and criminal intimidation, casting a long shadow over the partys ambitions for the 2026 Assembly elections in Assam.

The infighting burst into public view after AITC state president Romen Chandra Borthakur filed a police complaint against senior vice president Dulu Ahmed.

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The complaint lodged at Dispur Police Station on Wednesday accuses Ahmed and his close associate Sanjib Mahanta of sending vulgar and threatening messages over WhatsApp, demanding a response from Borthakur by May 12.

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The state president claims that these threats are grave enough to put his life at risk and has requested police protection.

In a sharp rebuttal, Ahmed accused Borthakur of siphoning off party funds amounting to over Rs 15 lakh that were meant for panchayat poll candidates in key Lower Assam districts, including Goalpara, Mankachar, Boko-Chaygaon, Samaria, Barpeta, Nalbari, and Bajali.

He further alleged that Borthakur had gone missing during critical campaign periods, remaining in Kolkata while workers in Assam received little to no support.

Ahmed also accused Borthakur of weakening the party from within by secretly engaging with senior Congress leaders, a move he claimed was intended to sabotage Trinamools growth in the state.

The escalating internal conflict comes at a crucial moment for the Trinamool Congress, which has been striving to carve out space as a third force in Assam politics.

While the party has projected itself as an alternative to the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, its Assam unit has struggled to build a stable organisational base and continues to battle internal divisions.

Party insiders say the public fallout has further demoralised grassroots workers, with many complaining of a lack of transparency, direction, and strategic leadership.

As one senior party functionary put it, Without unity and a clear vision, our prospects for 2026 could vanish before they begin.

Borthakur has denied all charges of financial impropriety and political sabotage, asserting that the allegations are part of an intimidation campaign. He has signalled his intent to take the matter to the partys national leadership in Kolkata, as well as to central investigative agencies.

With Mamata Banerjees AITC keen on expanding its footprint in the Northeast, the Assam units implosion could seriously undermine the partys credibility and readiness for the electoral battle ahead.
UN ceasefire monitors in Kashmir and in the Pakistan-occupied area are safe and accounted for after the Indian missile strikes on terror infrastructure and the Pakistan shelling, according to a UN spokesperson.

We checked with our colleagues in peacekeeping, and they said everybody was accounted for, and everybody was safe, Stephanie Tremblay, the UN Secretary-Generals associate spokesperson said on Wednesday.

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Formally known as the UN Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has 44 military personnel and 75 civilian staff posted on both sides of the Line of Control (LOC) in Kashmir.

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Now headed by Mexican Major General Ramon Guardado Sanchez, UNMOGIP began operations in 1949 monitoring the fragile ceasefire in Kashmir under a UN Security Council mandate.

India has called the UNMOGIP redundant and called for its termination.

The Resistant Front, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist organisation, owned responsibility for the religiously targeted massacre of 26 people in Pahalgam, a tourist spot in Kashmir.

India launched a missile attack in retaliation, hitting nine places in Pakistan and Kashmir territory it occupies that New Delhi identified as terrorist locations.

Pakistan shelled India across the Line Of Control killing at least 10 people, and downing three Indian jets, according to media reports.

On Tuesday night, Pakistan served notice that it was preparing for further attacks on India, telling the UN Security Council that it reserves the right to hit back.

Earlier on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remains very concerned about Indias military operation against Pakistan, saying the world cannot afford a confrontation between the two countries, according to his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries, Dujarric said shortly after India announced missile strikes into Pakistan and territory it occupies in Kashmir.

The Secretary-General is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border, he added.

Indias Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday that it launched Operation Sindoor hitting nine places in Pakistan and the part of Kashmir it occupies.

Focused strikes were carried out on nine #terrorist infrastructure sites in a precise and restrained response to the barbaric #PahalgamTerrorAttack, it said in a post on X.

Earlier, the Indian Army said that it has hit nine locations deep inside Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack.

A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed, the Army in a press statement said.

The Indian Army also posted on its official X handle, Justice is Served. Jai Hind.

Altogether, nine (9) sites have been targeted. Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and the method of execution, the Army said.
In a major stride towards making Uttar Pradesh a $1 trillion economy and a hub of modern technology, the Yogi Adityanath government is set to launch a transformative initiativeAI Pragya.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate the programme on Friday.

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In the first phase, the programme aims to equip 10 lakh citizens with advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity skills, officials here on Thursday said. Participants will also receive certification upon completion.

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The programme, designed to foster technical proficiency across multiple sectors, will be implemented in collaboration with departments such as Education, Health, Agriculture, Rural Development, Revenue, and Secretariat Administration. It promises to create new employment opportunities while enhancing efficiency in governance, healthcare, education, and farming practices.

Special emphasis will be placed on training farmers, students, teachers, women from Self-Help Groups (SHGS), village heads, and Public Service Centre operators, particularly from rural areas. The goal is to empower these groups digitally, enabling their active participation in the evolving technological landscape and giving them access to emerging opportunities in employment, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and education.

The Centre for e-Governance (CEG) Society under the Department of IT and Electronics will serve as the nodal agency at the state level, while District Magistrates will oversee implementation at the district level.

The involvement of global technology leaders such as Microsoft, Intel, HCL, Amazon, Google, the Wadhwani Foundation, and 1M1B will ensure high-quality training and impactful outcomes.

By bridging the digital divide and empowering a diverse cross-section of society with future-ready skills, the AI Pragya programme marks a critical step in Uttar Pradeshs journey towards becoming a leader on Indias technological map and achieving its trillion-dollar economic vision.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday claimed that the state is now crime and mafia-free, and the state police swiftly neutralizes any threats.

Addressing the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA) conclave held here, he highlighted Uttar Pradeshs remarkable progress in strengthening its economy and law and order over the past eight years.

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Assuring full government support to stakeholders in the gems and jewellery sector, the Chief Minister expressed gratitude to IBJA for organizing the conclave in Lucknow. He noted that such events not only open new avenues for trade, but also give momentum to the governments ongoing Aath Saal Bemisaal campaign.

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CM Yogi highlighted the crucial role of the gems and jewellery industry in Indias economy, stating that the sector contributes around 7% to the national GDP and generates significant revenue through import duties and GST. He added that beyond economic growth, the industry also plays a vital role in job creation and enhancing Indias global identity.

Reflecting on the transformation in UPs law and order situation, the Chief Minister recalled that just eight years ago, the state was plagued by unrest, riots, and a general sense of insecurityespecially for traders and womenduring festivals. But in 2017, the people placed their faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and gave the BJP a clear mandate. Today, UP is not only riot-free but also mafia-free. Festivals of all communities are now celebrated peacefully, he said.

He added that this positive change in law and order has created a conducive atmosphere for business and investment. Uttar Pradesh now offers world-class infrastructure and all necessary amenities, making it a land of immense opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors, CM Yogi remarked further.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasized the urgent need to establish a dedicated Gems and Jewellery Park in Uttar Pradesh, calling it vital for the states economic growth. He urged the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA) to develop a comprehensive model incorporating design, technology, processing, packaging, supply chain management, and export.

Highlighting UPs demographic advantage, he noted that the state, with a population of 25 crore, serves a broader region catering to the needs of nearly 30 crore people in terms of trade, employment, healthcare, and education. He stressed the importance of adopting a modern, forward-looking approach to fully leverage this vast market.

The Chief Minister assured traders of the governments steadfast support through enhanced security measures and open dialogue. He outlined significant strides taken under the Safe City initiative, including reducing police response time from 2530 minutes to just 78 minutes.

He added, While UP had only one cyber police station in 2017, today, every district is equipped with cyber police stations and help desks. Additionally, forensic labs and dedicated police units have also been established across all districts, along with a state-level forensic institute set up last year.

CM Yogi also encouraged businesses to use modern surveillance tools. He noted the shift from traditional CCTV systems with DVRs to advanced cloud-based cameras, which have greatly enhanced crime detection and resolution. Today, UP Police can neutralize any criminal threat within minutes, he affirmed.

Sharing data on the states economic transformation, the Chief Minister revealed that UPs economy has grown from Rs 12.75 lakh crore in 2017 to Rs 30 lakh crore todaya 150% increase in just eight years. Per capita income has more than doubled from Rs 46,000 to Rs 1.10 lakh. He proudly noted that Uttar Pradesh, once considered a BIMARU state, has risen from being the countrys seventh-largest economy to the second-largest, now recognized as a powerful engine of national growth.

In conclusion, CM Yogi called on IBJA and business leaders to seize this unprecedented opportunity and scale new heights. He expressed confidence that the gems and jewellery sector would significantly contribute to economic development, employment generation, and enhancing Indias global reputation. The state government stands firmly with you, he said. Together, we will chart a new course for Uttar Pradesh.
In a strong response to the stance taken by the Punjab government on the ongoing water dispute, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Thursday that the AAP-led government in Punjab neither respects the Constitution nor the countrys constitutional institutions.

He added that the Punjab government has disregarded the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the water issue, which he termed unfortunate.

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Addressing media persons after offering prayers at the historic Nada Sahib Gurudwara in Panchkula, the chief minister said, Today, I have had the good fortune to bow my head at Nada Sahib Gurudwara and pray for the welfare of the country and the state.

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He said Punjab, the land of the Gurus, has always spread the message of harmony and welfare. When Punjab and Haryana were one, there was no discrimination. But today, the Mann government is creating unnecessary conflict for political gains. We are not demanding Punjabs share of water, we are merely asking for Haryanas share of drinking water, he added.

While thanking the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chief Minister Saini said that the court has delivered its decision after carefully considering and hearing both parties. Taking a dig at the chief minister of Punjab, he remarked that refusing to accept the High Courts verdict amounts to an insult to the constitutional bench. Disregarding constitutional decisions has unfortunately become a habit for them, he added.

He said the Constitution is supreme and it is the duty of persons like us holding constitutional offices to uphold and respect the authority of the judiciary. Defying the courts order, locking the dam, and staging a protest is not only improper but also sets a wrong precedent.

He further stated that the people of Haryana are facing a serious drinking water crisis. He said that water is essential for life. Yet, the Punjab chief minister is withholding it for political mileage. When the dam water levels were lower than today, Haryana still received its rightful share. What has changed now. This is nothing but politics over water.

Saini demanded that the Mann government should accept the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to refrain from politicizing the issue of water. There are numerous other matters to engage in political debateplease do not politicize Haryanas rightful share of water, he said.

Chief Minister Saini strongly condemned the recent attacks by Pakistan, describing the targeting of innocent civilians, including women and children, as deeply reprehensible. He commended the Indian Armed Forces Operation Sindoor and delivered a strong and decisive response to terrorism.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism through firm foreign diplomacy. Today, the entire nation stands united with our armed forces in their resolute action. The country is firmly behind our soldiers in this critical fight against terrorism, he added.

Saini said even in the current sensitive circumstances facing the country, Sh. Mann continues to indulge in politics, which is deeply unfortunate. This is contempt of the High Courts decision. The Chief Minister said that it is the responsibility of all those in constitutional positions to uphold and respect the authority of the judiciary.
The decision by Israels security cabinet to intensify its military offensive in Gaza and seize territorial control marks a dangerous and deeply troubling shift. At a time when diplomacy should be at the forefront, this renewed military strategy underscores a broader failure ~ not just in securing hostages or ensuring security, but in preserving basic humanitarian norms and human dignity. At the heart of this plan lies a chilling premise: that Gazas civilian population can simply be moved as a strategic variable in a military campaign.

The notion that 2.1 million people can be displaced, again, under the pretext of protection, disregards the suffering and trauma already endured. Many of these civilians have faced repeated evacuations, loss of homes, and crumbling access to food, medicine, and water. The idea that forced relocation equates to protection is not only cynical ~ its inhumane. It is also worth noting that Israels stated aim to eliminate Hamas remains as elusive as ever. Despite months of bombardment, the group has not been eradicated, and many of the hostages remain captive. Instead, what the world sees is a battered, starving population and a rising death toll.

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When the military fails to achieve strategic goals, doubling down rarely yields success ~ it only compounds the tragedy. Whats more concerning is the plan to control humanitarian aid through private or military channels, effectively bypassing established international organisations. This move strips aid of its neutrality and risks turning food and medicine into tools of leverage. Such a tactic not only contravenes international humanitarian law but also sets a perilous precedent. Civilians should never have to choose between starvation and forced displacement. The psychological toll on Gazas population ~ es  pecially children ~ is profound and enduring. Generations are growing up amid rubble, trauma, and fear, with no clear vision of peace or stability.

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This emotional devastation will haunt the region long after the last missile falls, sowing seeds of resentment that no wall or army can contain. The broader implications of this strategy are equally bleak. By prioritising territorial control over the lives of hostages and the welfare of civilians, the Israeli leadership risks alienating even its staunchest allies. Domestic pressure is mounting, and the Israeli publics frustration over the governments inability to bring the hostages home is palpable. The hostage families cries for negotiation and de-escalation have been drowned out by the drumbeat of war.

A true victory in this conflict cannot be measured by territorial gains or body counts. It will be measured by the ability to forge a just, lasting peace where both Palestinians and Israelis can live with dignity, security, and hope. The current path ~ marked by siege, displacement, and despair ~ leads only to more hatred and more bloodshed. It is time for leadership that values restraint over retaliation, negotiation over domination, and humanity over territorial ambition. The world watches not just the battlefield, but the moral compass of those who lead it.
Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast. If there is a paradise on earth, It is this, it is this, it is this ~ Amir Khusrau

Few have described Kashmir more beautifully than Indo-Persian Sufi poet Khusrau ~ a place which was converted into a graveyard on 22 April 2025. This backdrop has led to the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) as India retaliates ~ albeit diplomatically.

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Apart from its water consequences on Pakistan, it raises a far more important question: Whether India could have done this, in the first place. Accordingly, I argue that India walks a fine line ~ where arguments galore both for and against exist ~ while clarifying certain misconceptions that have crept in. The IWT needs no separate introduction. For 64 years the treaty has been at the forefront of Indo-Pak diplomacy and tug of war. Previously, Pakistan has invoked IWTs dispute settlement provision (Article IX) birth ing two arbitrations. The first resulted in an award by the PCA in 2013. The latter is still pending (Pakistan v. India, PCA Case No. 2023-01) and has uniquely re  sulted in a parallel proceeding in which both the PCA and the neutral expert have asserted competence and jurisdiction. The Pahalgam attacks have now compelled India to annou  nce the immediate abeyance of IWT followed by the official notification. This raises a fundamental question, can India do so? It is interesting to note that India in its official announcement uses the phrase abeyance with immediate effect instead of suspension or termination. The word abeyance means suspension or temporary inactivity (Blacks Law Dictionary; See also P. Aiyar, Concise Law Dictionary). The IWT text no  where uses the word suspension or abeyance nor does it provide for an exit clause. In case of termination or modification, under Article XII, it can only be done by a mutually ratified treaty. Thus, ab  e yance taken at face value can only mean suspension ~ in this case a unilateral suspension or at best a modification. Wordplay cannot obfuscate the content, essence and effect of the word. Given this, abeyance, prima-facie, could only have been effected under Article XII. Pertinently, the unilateral suspension (which is not envisaged in the treaty) can be seen as a violation of the treaty. This could trigger the dispute settlement provision under Article IX of the IWT.

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Whether the dispute settlement provision can at all be applied to such unilateral suspension is a different matter altogether. However, the prima facie reading of IX(1) can cover such unilateral suspension as it does seem to be a dispute concerning the interpretation of the treaty. By keeping the treaty in abeyance a.k.a suspension, India has indeed exposed the vulnerable veins of Article IX. Given IWTs history, it will not be surprising if Pakistan, once again, invokes Article IX to take India before the PCA. Under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969 (VCLT), a treaty may only be suspended or terminated based on specific grounds, such as material breach (Article 60), impossibility (Article 61), and fundamental change (Article 62). Moreover, the VCLT does not provide for any unilateral suspension or modification owing to conflicts, political tensions and aggression of one party.

The VLCT does not provide for a treaty to be unilaterally placed on hold (or in abeyance) without activating any of the grounds mentioned under Articles 6062. In the present case, Article 62 sits in the eye of the storm, encapsulating the doctrinal principle of rebus sic stantibus allowing for suspending the operation of the treaty in the case of fundamental change in circumstances. The preamble of IWT makes it clear that the treaty is borne out of a cooperative spirit of goodwill and friendship. Arguably, Article 62

(a) provides enough wriggle room to consider the recent acts as a fundamental change in circumstances of the cooperative spirit of goodwill and friendship that constituted an essential basis of the consent of the parties to IWT. Despite the apparent wriggle room, the bar of Article 62 is considerably high. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case of Gabikovo-Nagymaros Project (Hungary/Slovakia) [ICJ reports 1997, p 7] has held that even political and economic shifts may not be closely connected to the object and purpose of the treaty to justify termination.

Considering this, India will face an uphill task to rely on Article 62. If not Article 62, India can also turn towards Article 60. This allows suspension/termination based on a material breach of the treaty. Since India believes that Pakistan is in material breach, this may justify suspending the treaty. Even then, the defence of Article 60 is predicated on a violation of an essential provision of the concerned treaty ~ it has to be judged objectively. In the present case IWT does not contain any provisions and/or indication ~ express or implied ~ that acts of conflict or aggression which are not per se violations of the provisions of the treaty, may constitute essential conditions and justify suspension.

The only justification can be by relying on Article 60 (3) (b) that Pakistans act seriously jeopardizes accomplishing the object of the treaty which is, as indicated in the preamble, cooperative spirit of goodwill and friendship. Moreover, the whole question of defensibility based on the VCLT looms large for two reasons. Firstly, India is not a signatory to the VCLT. Thus, the applicability of Article 62 or any provision of the VCLT will be called into question; Secondly, IWT is pre-1969 ~ how and to what extent VCLT can be applied will be a huge question by itself.

(The writer, a Kings College, London, alumnus, is an international disputes lawyer)
Indias cross-border strikes under Operation Sindoor mark a pivotal moment in the evolving security dynamics of South Asia. Triggered by the brutal militant attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, including that of a Nepali national, Indias response reflects not just military retribution but a broader assertion of sovereig  n ty and zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism. While Pakistan has dismissed any link to the April 22 killings, Indias strikes were clearly aimed at signalling that the days of strategic patience in the face of proxy attacks are over.

The decision to hit nine identified locations ~ said to harbour terror infrastructure ~ without targeting Pakistani military assets indicates a calibrated strategy: to punish, not provoke. This balance, though delicate, is crucial for a region long plagued by volatility. Operation Sindoor is part of a discernible shift in Indias defence posture post Uri and Pulwama.

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What was once a predominantly diplomatic or covert response to terror emanating from across the border has now evolved into overt, publicised military action. The message is unmistakable: India will no longer be reactive, but resolute and decisive when it comes to defending its citizens. Critics may argue about the risks of escalation, especially when dealing with a nuclear-armed neighbour. Yet, history shows that well-timed and proportionate responses often prevent larger conflicts by establishing deterrence. Inaction or ambiguity, on the other hand, invites further aggression. Indias strike, therefore, is not merely about retaliation ~ it is about restoring deterrence in a rapidly shifting regional matrix.

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Yet, amid the surge of nationalistic fervour, it is important to recognise the human cost of any military operation. Even precision strikes can leave civilians displaced or traumatised. Responsible statecraft must pair hard power with humanitarian sensitivity, ensuring that Indias moral high ground remains intact in the eyes of the world. That said, the situation is far from defused. Pakistan has responded with predictable rhetoric, denying involvement in Pahalgam, while simultaneously claiming civilian casualties and claiming the downing of Indian aircraft. Whether or not these claims hold water, the reality is that civilian lives on both sides remain at risk. Escalation serves neither country, nor the millions living along the Line of Control.

The larger tragedy lies in the fact that Kashmir remains a deeply contentious issue. Militancy has ebbed and surged over the decades, but the core issues remain unadd r e s sed. Meanwhile, lives continue to be lost, and trust remains elusive. Effective steps within the territory, however difficult, must eventually follow these military actions ~ lest we allow short-term tactical gains to blind us to the need for long-term solutions. India has made its position clear through action, not just words.

The international community, while urging restraint, must also acknowledge the right of a sovereign nation to defend its people. Peace, ultimately, will require accountability, dialogue, and a shared commitment to ending the ma ch i nery of cross-border terror. Until then, Indias message stands: there will be a cost to spilling innocent blood.
When terrorists killed Indian citizens in the cowardly attack in Pahalgam, the fingers were immediately and justifiably pointed across the Line-of-Control (LoC). The perfunctory official message of Pakistani authorities in condemning the attack and condoling the deaths was insincere, insufficient, and incorrigible, given that this has been the tactic for decades following every such terror attack. The nefarious hand of Pakistan in creating, nurturing, and supporting, the terror ecosystem needs no reiteration or reconfirmation.

Harking back to the first tweet of 2018 by the then President of the USA, Donald Trump (in his first term) ~ the clearly frustrated POTUS had called out Pakistans deceit and duplicity on terrorism, and for offering a safe haven to terrorists. Even Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, who disagreed with Trump on most things, was completely aligned on Pakistan as he had earlier said, We need to make clear to people that the cancer is in Pakistan.

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That Pakistan itself is mired in a self-acknowledged and deadly mutation of religious extremism, intolerance and terrorism, is clearly its own doing. Political scientist and global terror expert Daniel Byman had famously stated, Pakistan may now be the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism, beyond even Iran, yet it has never been listed by the US State Department as a state sponsor of terrorism.

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The fact that Pakistan was always key to American interest often allowed it get away without adequate censure or sanctions ~ the Americans would conveniently look the other way when it wasnt their own interest or personnel that were targeted or pat Pakistan on its back, whenever it helped get an occasional hit on someone from Americas wanted list (like Trump recently praised Pakistan for aiding the arrest of a key terrorist involved in the 2021 Kabul airport bombing). But that is the typical American transactional policy.

Islamabad has all along played the duplicitous act of fanning terrorism across its borders. It seeks to flex its muscle with the undue leverage that regional dissonance and discord affords it. From supporting violent insurgent groups based on sectarian considerations in Iran, to deadly groups loyal to Islamabad in Afgha  nistan, to virtually any grouping willing to create mayhem in India ~ anything goes for Pakistan.

Afghanistans former President, Hamid Karzai had lamented, we seriously have issues with the military and intelligence agency of Pakistan because they are using extremist methods based on religion to destabilize Afghanistan. Irrespective of which government came in Iran, Afghanistan or India ~ each has consistently and uniformly blamed the Pakistani hand in each terror incident. It is so bad that now even Pakistans own creation in Afghanistan, the Taliban, are up in arms against Islamabad, for they believe Islamabad always plays a double-game, even against its own creation i.e. the Taliban.

India of course is well versed with the Pakistani playbook in post-terror incident management as it can deploy a combination of outright denials, deflections, mealy-mouthed whataboutries, implausible contexts, to one of its favourite tactics i.e., blame it on so-called, non state actors, as they come with the handle of plausible deniability. Except that there are no takers for Pakistans innocence, and it has found itself embarrassed to feature on the global finance laundering watchdog agency FATFs (Financial Action Task Force) infamous Grey List.

Incorrigibility on terror has been a hallmark that has frustrated all its neighbours, ostensible allies like the USA, and even its own citizenry who are now facing the brunt of patronized religious extremism. Against this backdrop to disingenuously call the Pahalgam terror attack in the Kashmir Valley by terrorists as a False Flag Operation was typically and instinctively, a Pakistani patent. Except that as usual, it cuts no ice.

The 16th century term False Flag is rooted in the times when pirates on high seas would ignobly deceive other ships into allowing them proximity under the false belief that they were of one sovereign or intention, when they were not. The intention basically was to carry out an action (attack) with the intention of blaming an opponent or enemy. So, the Pakistani reaction was predicated on the suggestion that the terror attack had no links or support from Pakistan, as the country had no reason to disturb the peace in India, especially the Kashmir Valley.

To even imagine such a ludicrous suggestion is to reject all telltale militaristic/security pointers in this action, ignore the history besetting terrorism in Kashmir, and to forget Pakistans own position and preference on outcomes in Kashmir. Just weeks ago, the Pakistani Army Chief had called Kashmir Indias jugular vein and even worse, even as the blood in Pahalgam had barely dried, the Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister had called the terrorists who had carried out this specific carnage freedom fighters. It is further an anathema and abhorrence to attribute this tragedy as a False Flag Operation as that would suggest that the terror attack was deliberately organised by India to make the perpetrators appear to be Pakistanis (or supported/controlled by Pakistan), thereby giving India a handle to name and shame or even offer a pretext for a destructive attack/strike on a foreign country (in this case, Pakistan).

This was the exact storyline that Pakistan had adopted during Kargil (when it initially refused to accept bodies of Pakistanis killed), during the attack on Mumbai (Islamabad had even denied that Ajmal Kasab was a Pakistani) and during Pulwama. This bogey of non-State actors who supposedly conduct false flag operations is a conspiracy theory that is actually eating into the vitals of Pakistan itself. Today after making a killing with a false flag approach to wash its bloody hands of any blame-game in supporting the birth and rise of Taliban in Afghanistan, the uncontrollable genie of religious extremism is rebounding on Pakistan itself, with deadly consequences.

For Islamabad to plead innocence in creating the mess in Afghanistan or in India, is to live under a rock. Having deliberately pussyfooted on repeated requests from India to control the people, policies, and nurseries of terrorism in Pakistan that are creating havoc in the region ~ it is ironic that it does not see that while neighbours are still socioeconomically and morally resilient to withstand such incidents, Pakistan is living on dole, aid and desperation. India will do what it has to do on Pahalgam, but every day and with every act of denial such as the False Flag chicanery, Pakistan is only digging a deeper grave for itself.

The writer is Lt Gen PVSM, AVSM (Retd), and former Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 7. President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay a working visit to Moscow on May 8-9 at the invitation of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, Trend reports

According to the schedule of the visit, the leader of Uzbekistan will take part in solemn events on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in World War II, as well as hold several bilateral meetings.

The Moscow Victory Day Parade is an annual military parade of the Russian Armed Forces on Moscow's Red Square on May 9 during the Victory Day celebrations. The most important parade of those being held on May 9 is the one held on Moscow's Red Square, with the President of Russia as the guest of honor and keynote speaker in virtue of his constitutional mandate as Supreme Commander of the Russian Armed Forces. The parade is a commemoration of the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Red Army, marking the end of the Eastern Front of World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a crucial directive to all states and Union Territories, emphasising the need to enhance civil defence mechanisms. This move, the first since the 1971 IndoPak war, comes in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam which claimed the lives of 26 individuals. While the directive does not directly mention the possibility of a war with Pakistan, it signals a significant shift in Indias national security posture, aligning with growing concerns over military threats and the preparedness to counter them.

The MHAs directive mandates the installation and operability of air raid sirens across the country. These sirens are a critical element of civil defence, ensuring that citizens are alerted in the event of an em  ergency, such as an aerial attack or sudden threat. The focus on air raid sirens highlights the governments commitment to bolstering preparedness for scenarios that may escalate into more severe threats. Additionally, the ministry has called for an extensive review of blackout protocols to ensure the country is ready for any power disruptions that may arise during critical moments.

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The government has scheduled a nationwide civil defence exercise on May 7, spanning 244 districts, down to the village level. This exercise will involve various stakeholders, including district authorities, civil defence volunteers, home guards, and students from schools and colleges. The participation of students is a key aspect, reinforcing the governments aim to train civilians, in  clu ding the younger generation, in essential civil defence practices. These mock drills will simulate real-life emergency situations to assess the operational readiness of various civil defence measures.

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This exercise is a critical step in evaluating the coordination and efficiency of preparedness strategies at the grassroots level. The MHAs push for enhanced civil defence comes just days after a high-level meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. This meeting, alongside other Cabinet-level discussions, un  der scores the urgency with which the government is addressing the security situation, particularly following the Pahalgam attack. The attack itself prompted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take charge of the investigation, which has led to the questioning of over 300 individuals.

This directive to ramp up civil defence readi  n ess and conduct nationwide exercises could also be seen as part of Indias broader strategic recalibration, which is focused on ensuring that the nation is well-prepared to deal with a range of internal security challenges. In the context of the strained relationship with Pakistan, this emphasis on civil defence may be an indirect acknowledgment of the possibility of further regional instability. Indias proactive approach to enhancing its internal defence mechanisms reflects a broader strategic response to potential threats.

The MHAs directives are a clear signal of Indias resolve to bolster civil defence readiness and ensure the safety and security of its citizens. While these steps are necessary to mitigate the risks of war, they also subtly acknowledge the on-going security concerns at the international level.
The recently concluded trade agreement between India and the United Kingdom marks not just a bilateral economic milestone, but also a reflection of Indias rising status in the global order. After three years of complex negotiations, the two countries have arrived at a deal that promises tangible benefits for businesses, workers, and consumers on both sides ~ though not without political and policy-level friction, especially in the UK.

At the heart of this deal is the clear recognition of India as a future economic powerhouse. With forecasts placing India as the worlds third-largest economy in the coming years, the UK has moved decisively to strengthen its commercial foothold in South Asia. For India, this is an affirmation of the export-led growth strategy that has become a central part of its economic vision. The ability to strike such a significant deal with a G7 nation underscores both diplomatic maturity and economic appeal. For Indian exporters, the reduction of tariffs on key sectors like textiles, footwear, seafood, and gems comes as a welcome relief. These are labour intensive industries that provide employment to millions and are critical for the health of Indias small and medium enterprises.

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Lower duties will improve competitiveness in UK markets and could help revive sluggish export growth, especially in traditional sectors that have been facing pricing pressure and global uncertainty. On the flip side, the phased lowering of tariffs on UK goods such as whisky, cars, and luxury food items may raise concerns about the impact on domestic producers. However, the deal appears to have been negotiated with an awareness of these sensitivities, with safeguards like quotas on high-end car imports and staged tariff reductions in place. This indicates a careful balancing act ~ encouraging consumer choice and foreign investment without undermining domestic capacity.

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The inclusion of social security exemptions for temporary workers transferred between the two countries is another forward-looking aspect. In a globalised economy where talent mobility is crucial, such provisions ease the cost burden on businesses and employees, fostering smoother operations for Indian IT, consulting, and service firms with UK clients or subsidiaries. Yet, while the economic prospects are promising, India must remain vigilant. Trade liberalisation should not lead to lopsided dependence or erode the foundation of domestic industry. Policymakers need to ensure that gains are equitably distributed and that structural support reaches sectors poised to benefit.

This deal also sets a precedent for future negotiations with other developed economies, showing that India can engage confidently, protect its interests, and still emerge with forward-looking trade frameworks. Ultimately, this trade pact is a signal that Indias time at the negotiating table is no longer symbolic ~ it is strategic. It is a quiet but firm assertion of the countrys global relevance, not just as a market, but as a maker of terms. The next step is to ensure that this diplomatic success translates into enduring economic opportunity at home.
In the first 100 days of his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump has shown a willingness to lean on airpower when his administration decides that military force is necessary abroad. So far, the second Trump administration has launched limited airstrikes in Somalia and carried out a weeks-long air campaign against the Iranian-aligned Houthis who rule most of Yemen. The president has also threatened direct strikes against Iran itself should talks on a new nuclear deal collapse.

This turn to airpower for Trump makes sense to me. Airpower is cheap when compared with ground wars, and it usually comes with fewer casualties for those conducting the strikes. This helps explain why U.S. leaders, including Trump as a self-proclaimed anti-war president, typically find it attractive. But if the Trump administration is not careful, it could fall into what military strategists informally call the airpower trap. This happens when the stated objectives of military force are too big for airpower alone to achieve, potentially leading to a facesaving escalation of conflict that could  if history is a guide  draw in ground forces from the U.S. or their local allies. U.S. presidents such as Lyndon Johnson, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama all fell into this trap.

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In Vietnam, the Balkans and Syria, respectively, all ended up with far bigger wars than they bargained for, with consequences for civilian casualties, international peace and damage to Americas reputation abroad. As an expert on U.S. national security policy and the Middle East region, I believe the Trump administration is in danger of falling into the airpower trap in Yemen and could potentially do the same in Iran should it elect to use direct force against Tehran. Recognizing this military and historical risk, and opting for some kind of off ramp from continued airstrikes, might be the best hope the U.S. government has to avoid a further escalation into full-scale war.

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Research shows airpower is most effective when its used for limited objectives  things like taking out leaders of terrorist groups or degrading rival capabilities  or in support of ground operations for more ambitious ends, like bolstering or overturning governments. Given the sophistication of U.S. airpower, a common fallacy among American strategists in particular is to think big strategic gains can be achieved solely by dropping bombs from above. But when airpower alone fails, leaders can feel the pressure to expand the scope of conflict and end up with bigger military commitments than expected. Johnsons initial airpower-only strategy for attempting to stop communism in South Vietnam failed miserably, leading to his decision to commit half a million U.S. troops into war.

That expanded conflict presaged years of war, with massive humanitarian and political consequences for people in Southeast Asia and America, as well as lasting reputational damage to the U.S. Worried about U.S. and NATO credibility, Clinton escalated airstrikes  nearly to the point of introducing ground troops  for the ambitious end of stopping genocide in the Balkans during the early 1990s. Likewise, Obamas initial airpoweronly strategy to degrade and destroy the Islamic State group quickly faltered, leading Obama, under intense pressure at home and abroad, to introduce thousands of ground troops to combat the groups territorial gains across Syria and Iraq.

In each case, relying on airpower alone ultimately failed to meet their objectives. There are reasons to believe that conditions in Yemen mean that Trump, too, could be falling into a similar trap. Trump has adopted an airpoweronly strategy to completely annihilate the Houthis, a powerful rebel movement that all but won the recent Yemeni civil war. The proximate cause of the air campaign, a policy inaugurated by the Biden administration and expanded dramatically by Trump, is to restore the free flow of shipping in the Red Sea that the Houthis have disrupted by force to protest Israels ongoing war in Gaza. The early signs are that this air campaign isnt going well.

Despite the U.S. burning through finite munitions supplies at a cost of US$1 billion to bomb at least 800 sites since March 15, the Houthis are undeterred and the volume of Red Sea shipping remains as depressed as ever. Houthi attacks on U.S. ships and Israel continue. A Houthi missile narrowly missed Israels Ben-Gurion airport on May 4. In fact, the direct attacks on the Houthis and the rapidly growing casualty count among Yemeni civilians from the Trump administrations bombing campaign appear to be strengthening the Houthis political position in Yemen. In a particularly shocking case, U.S. bombs reportedly hit an African migrant camp, killing and injuring dozens of people. The humanitarian crisis from the brutal bombing campaign by the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis in the late 2010s had a similar effect.

Airpower played a big part then, too. The Saudi coalition, supported by the U.S., engaged in some 25,000 air raids against the Houthis, killing or maiming approximately 19,000 civilians. Yet despite such overwhelming force, the Houthis kept seizing territory and eventually won the civil war, according to experts. They have been the countrys de facto rulers ever since. Now, Trump is exploring options to further escalate to defeat the Houthis. Reports indicate his administration is considering arming, training and enabling anti-Houthi resistance fighters who are loosely affiliated with Yemens government in exile to launch ground operations.

Proxies are a common tool U.S. leaders turn to when caught in the airpower trap. Sometimes those proxies fulfill American policy objectives, such as the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, which helped the U.S. defeat the Islamic state caliphate in 2019. Often, U.S. proxies fail on both strategic and humanitarian terms, leading to further escalation, strategic quagmires for the U.S., and loss of life and political sovereignty for the people under attack. South Vietnam was an instructive example. Riven by corruption, poor governance, weakness and political infighting, the South Vietnamese army and government proved so ineffective at fighting the North Vietnamese that Johnson decided to launch a ground war once U.S. airpower failed.

Today, the anti-Houthi resistance in Yemen looks a lot more like the South Vietnamese government than the Kurdish YPG. According to a 2025 report from the Soufan Center, a security think tank, the anti-Houthi forces are poorly trained and considered incapable of pulling off victories over the Houthis without major U.S. support. Meanwhile, the anti-Houthi resistance consists of an estimated 85,000 fighters, compared with some 350,000 for the Houthis. Absent continuing the air war or escalating it into a more all-encompassing conflict, U.S. officials can still pursue diplomacy in order to try to find a political solution to the Yemen conflict. Despite the Trumps administration public threats, the U.S. is already negotiating with the Houthis main sponsor, Iran.

For their part, the Houthis continue to insist that they will stop attacking ships in the Red Sea if the U.S.-backed Israeli war in Gaza halts, something that happened during the recent Gaza ceasefire. The Trump administration might consider seeking alternatives, such as direct or indirect talks, if it wants to avoid getting stuck in a widening conflict in Yemen. History is full of examples of what happens when airpower takes on a logic of its own.

(The writer is Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University. This article was published on www.theconversation.com)
As attacks were reported across the India-Pakistan borders, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday encouraged efforts to de-escalate the confrontation there, according to his Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq.

Certainly, we encourage all efforts to de-escalate the situation, and encourage both India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint, Haq said.

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International diplomatic efforts were afoot to douse confrontation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaking to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Saudi Arabias Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir were in New Delhi on a diplomatic mission.

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Haq reiterated: The world cannot afford another conflict between India and Pakistan, and he (Guterres) has offered his good offices to help de-escalate the situation.

On Thursday, the conflict was spreading as Pakistan widened attacks beyond the Line of Control to other areas of India.

Aerial attacks by Pakistan targeting Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border were successfully foiled by Indias air defence systems on Thursday night.

The attempted strike, involving drones and missiles, triggered blackouts and sirens across several areas in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors and vigilant as emergency protocols were activated.

India has reportedly undertaken retaliatory action in the wake of the attacks.

According to the Integrated Defence Staff, there was no damage to the military stations, including Jammu and Udhampur.

According to sources, the Indian air defences neutralised several drones launched near the Jammu airport, with no casualties reported.
Flustered by the Indian armed forces attack on terror bases, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed retaliation.

Indias targeted military strikes under Operation Sindoor hit nine high-value terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including the hideouts of top terror masterminds Maulana Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed.

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Addressing the nation following Indias unprecedented action against terrorism, Sharif on Wednesday asserted Pakistans intent to respond forcefully.

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Pakistan will take revenge. We will take this war to the end. My Pakistani people, for your safety, our army and our people  we will always be united. Pakistan is most affected by terrorism, he said.

Pakistans National Security Committee earlier issued a statement saying the armed forces had been authorised to retaliate at a time, place, and manner of its choosing in response to Indias strikes.

However, earlier in the day, Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that the situation could de-escalate if India stepped back from its current military posture.

If India is ready to back down, we will definitely wrap up this tension, Asif said.

Notably, in a recent interview with Sky News, Asif candidly acknowledged Pakistans long-standing support for terror organisations, although he sought to deflect some responsibility by recalling the Cold War-era collaboration with the West in Afghanistan.

We have been doing this dirty work for the US for the past three decades, including the West and the United Kingdom, Asif admitted, though no Western nation has backed attacks on India.

Indias operation came as a direct response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including a Nepali national. The Resistance Front, a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, took responsibility for the massacre.

The precision strikes on Wednesday, carried out jointly by the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy, targeted six key locations deep inside Pakistani territory. Among them was Masjid SubhanAllah in Bahawalpurs Ahmedpur Sharqia, believed to be a hideout of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar.

Other targets included facilities in Muridke  reportedly the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, as well as terror installations in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bagh.

India has underscored that Operation Sindoor was a measured, calibrated and non-escalatory response focused solely on neutralising terror threats and avoiding civilian or military infrastructure.
UK Conservative Party MP Priti Patel extended support to India, saying that it has the right to take reasonable and proportionate steps to defend itself, and to dismantle the vile terrorist infrastructure that has caused death and continues to threaten it. She slammed Pakistan for threatening India and Western interests by fostering terrorism.

The remarks came after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday morning launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine high-value terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 innocent civilians.

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Speaking at the House of Commons on Wednesday, the UKs Shadow Foreign Secretary Patel extended her condolences to the victims of murderous, violent terrorism in Pahalgam.

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It was an act of terrorism, and we must reflect on the fact that Pahalgam has joined Mumbai, New Delhi and other places in India in being forever scarred by an act of terror, she said.

On April 22, terrorists brutally killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam in a barbaric and savage act of violence. Most victims were killed at point-blank range by gunshots to their head, she pointed out.

Terrorists based in Pakistan threaten India and Western interests. It was the country that Osama bin Laden was hiding in  and because of the long history of violence being inflicted by terrorists on India, the UK has in place long-standing security co-operation agreements with India, she added.

She further urged the government to cooperate with the allies of the UK in tackling global threats of terrorism.

Given those links, the UK Government should be at the forefront in working with our friends and allies to tackle the terrorist threats that we face collectively, she added.

She asked the UK government whether it had assisted India after the brutal Pahalgam terror attack.

The Minister will not be able to speak about intelligence sharing between the UK and India, but will he at least confirm whether our intelligence and security services have been in contact with India about the incidents that took place, and whether they are supporting its investigations? Has the government provided any specific security assistance to India in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Kashmir? Could Britain offer specific support that might help avert escalation? she asked.

Highlighting on the terrorist group The Resistance Front (TRF) who claimed the resposibility of the terror attack, she further asked, Does the Minister agree with Indias assessment that The Resistance Front, which claims responsibility for the April 22 attacks, is a front for the proscribed Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has a clear history of committing acts of terror against India, and has reported links to Hamas?

Highlighting the reports about Hamas-Lashkar-e-Taiba links, Patel asked, Will the Minister confirm whether the UK government are aware of any co-operation and links between Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hamas?

Patel questioned if the Foreign Secretary would be able to give the evidence of the discussion he held with his Indian counterparts following the brutal assault.

Have Ministers undertaken an assessment of the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan? Has he had discussions with the Pakistani government on this matter? she questioned.

Raising concerns over the aid the UK gives to Pakistan, the Shadow Minister said, Can Ministers give assurances that there are sufficient measures in place to ensure that no British aid to Pakistan, either bilaterally or through multilateral sources, ends up in the wrong hands?

Patel also demanded the governments assessment of the terror attack and the perpetrators behind it.
United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday called Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the administration led by US President Donald Trump made a fresh attempt to de-escalate tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi.

During the phone call, Sharif strongly condemned Indias missile and drone strikes in Pakistan, which have claimed at least 31 lives and injured 57 others.

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Pakistan reserves the right to act in self-defence, in accordance with Article-51 of the UN Charter, maintained Sharif.

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As per details from the Prime Ministers House, Sharif accused India of violating Pakistans sovereignty and territorial integrity while gravely jeopardizing peace and stability in the South Asia region.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistans firm resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs, PM house press release stated.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington is keeping a close eye on the situation and is monitoring the crisis, expressing serious concerns over the deteriorating security situation in South Asia.

To this end, he emphasised upon the need for both Pakistan and India to work closely to de-escalate the situation, read the PM House statement.

India on Thursday said that Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles on the night of May 7-8 which were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems.

However, Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who held a media conference alongside DGISPR Lt. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, rejected Indias claims.

Today, there was a political statement that yesterday night, Pakistan tried to attack Indian installations. It is not true, said Dar.

Addressing the media, DGISPR revealed that three missiles were fired by India towards Pakistan, claiming that two missiles were deliberately targeted in Indias Punjab, while one was intercepted over Dinga, stating that its debris was picked up from DInga area near Gujranwala.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Iran supports the decisions made by the OPEC+ alliance aimed at stabilizing the global oil market, Iran's Oil Minister and OPEC's rotating president, Mohsen Paknejad, told reporters, Trend reports.

He noted that the decisions made during a meeting on May 3, which included representatives from eight countries voluntarily reducing oil production, were positively assessed.

Paknejad explained that since 2022, OPEC+ member countries had voluntarily reduced daily crude oil production by about 2.2 million barrels. Currently, they are gradually returning to this production.

The official also added that as part of this framework, a decision has been made to return about 411,000 barrels per day of production by June 2025.

"The meeting of the energy ministers of OPEC+ member countries, supported by the technical assistance of the OPEC Secretariat, closely monitors the prevailing conditions and processes in the oil market. OPEC+ member countries are fully ready to continue and adjust oil production decisions based on global economic and market conditions, in line with the economic development of member countries, and contribute to maintaining stability in the oil market," Paknejad added.

As many as 74 oil fields and 22 gas fields are currently operating in Iran. There are 37 oil fields in the territory of the National Company of Iran's Southern Oil Zones, 14 in the territory of the Iranian Central Oil Zones Company, five in the territory of the Arvandan Oil and Gas Production Company, and 18 in the territory of the Offshore Oil Company. Additionally, the South Oil Zones National Company of Iran operates five gas fields, the Central Oil Zones Company operates 13, the Pars Oil and Gas Company operates one, and the Offshore Oil Company operates three.

Iran's total hydrocarbon reserves are 1.2 trillion barrels. Iran can produce 340 billion barrels of this gas with existing technological equipment. Iran can use about 30 percent, while 70 percent remains unused underground.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel


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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Iran-India bonds of friendship are deeply rooted in history and provide a solid ground for mutually beneficial relations, the country's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei wrote on X, Trend reports.

The spokesperson noted that the Foreign Minister of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, is on an official visit to New Delhi, India today to analyze bilateral relations between Iran and India and hold consultations on regional and international developments.

''Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi and his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, will co-chair the 20th Iran-India Joint Commission (JCM) and sign a series of bilateral documents aimed at expanding cooperation in the fields of economy, customs, and health,'' the publication reads.
As a coveted writer, broadcaster and naturalist, with 32 university degrees and two knighthoods in 1985 and 2022 respectively, Sir David Attenboroughs journey started rather early when he was a 12-year-old boy strolling through Leicestershire.

ALSO READ | David Attenborough's 'Ocean'  a hope to restore life on earth?

The fossils I chipped, as a twelve-year old boy, from the beautiful yellow ironstones of Leicestershire, led me to a life-time's absorption in natural history; and when in my twenties I began to travel in the wilder parts of the world, the stone axes, wooden masks and feathered headdresses I brought back soon proved to be more than mere souvenirs, as quoted in Attenboroughs Eye a journal article by British-Australian archaeologist Vincent Megaw. This spirit of his has made him a quintessential figure in the forefront of global conservation for more than sixty years.

A name synonymous to the British Broadcasting Corporation

Attenboroughs contributions gained momentum in 1954 with the premiere of Zoo Quest, a documentary where a young Attenborough along with a team from the London Zoo travelled in pursuit of exotic animals. Furthermore in 1965, he was appointed as the controller of BBC2 which led to his designation as Director of Programmes at BBC.

From his first scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef in 1957 where he was left taken aback, to a historic 1,000-foot dive in 2015 in a BBC-backed documentary revisiting the same, Attenborough told The Guardian, No other organisation has the ambition to do films like this and I just hope it will go on doing it.

A paragon of conservation

With his notable programmes such as, Life on Earth (1979), The Blue Planet (2001), The Living Planet (1984), Frozen Planet (2011), Ocean (2025) and so forth, he has left an immutable change in the trajectory of environment conservation and awareness. His passion towards effective and emotive storytelling continues to characterise a ripple effect towards the restoration generation. Attenboroughs shows have captivated the attention of some of the most prominent figures in the global scene, garnering much international support for the conservation initiatives.

Talking about Attenborough, current UN secretary general Antonio Guterres reminisced from the COP26 Climate Summit held in Glasgow in 2021, If working apart, we are force powerful enough to destabilize our planet, surely, working together, we are powerful enough to save it. In my lifetime, I've witnessed a terrible decline. In yours, you could and should witness a wonderful recover, reported The Guardian. Sir David Attenboroughs bravery resonated with the world during his address at Glasgow where he called out the human characteristic of failing to see the bigger picture while in pursuit of short-term goals.

In honour of his contributions to the cause, the UN Environment Programme announced Sir David Attenborough as the recipient of the Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.

The biologists 99th birthday today coincides with the release of his latest documentary, Ocean with David Attenborough, the legend reinforces in the film, "I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea."
Amid Pakistan's claim that it shot down Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale aircraft, an unnamed French intelligence official has said that "one Rafale fighter jet operated by the Indian Air Force was downed by Pakistan".

The French official told CNN that the French authorities were looking into whether one or more Rafale aircraft were downed. If the reports were true, this would be the first time that one of the sophisticated French-made warplanes has been lost in combat, according to the official.

However, Dassault Aviation, the French manufacturer of the jet, has not yet responded to CNNs requests for comment.

India has not acknowledged the reports of Pakistan downing aircraft, including one Mig-21 and three Rafale. It, however, called out Pakistan for the misinformation campaign carried out, including releasing false videos and footage to prove its claim.

One of the images being circulated on pro-Pakistan social media, claiming the debris belonged to a Rafale fighter jet of India, was fact checked by the PIB which clarified that the images being circulated are from a previous accident involving an Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-21 fighter jet.

 PAKISTAN HUMILIATED ON GLOBAL MEDIA



CNN Journalist Becky Anderson asked Pakistan Defence Minister, Pakistan claims it shot down 5 Indian jets and a drone. So can you provide us more details and proofs.



Pakistan Defence Minister, It's all over social media. pic.twitter.com/l964FfcFCZ  Donald J. Trump  Update (@TrumpUpdateHQ) May 7, 2025

Meanwhile, Pakistan's defence minister, Khawaja Asif cut a sorry figure on international television when a CNN journalist asked him for proof of Pakistan's claim on downing jets. "It is all on social media, and Indian social media, not our social media. The debris of the jets fell on their side. It is all over the Indian media," he claimed.

Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told the country's national press that they downed two Indian jets around 2:45 am and the third one, a Rafale, an hour later. Around 5 am, the fourth and fifth jet was downed, according to Asif.
Ever since the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan's propaganda machinery is at work 24x7 to spread misinformation through local media and social networking sites. This has increased exponentially following the success of Operation Sindoor to mask Pakistan military's failure.

The latest such propaganda is circulation of old videos falsely alleging airstrikes on a military base in Amritsar. However, the PIB Fact Check team has clarified that the video is from a wildfire in 2024.

Pakistan Propaganda Alert!



Pakistan-based handles are spreading old videos falsely alleging strikes on a military base in Amritsar. #PIBFactCheck



The video being shared is from a wildfire from 2024



 Avoid sharing unverified information and rely only on official pic.twitter.com/1FdtfXUqEY  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 8, 2025

PIB has warned citizens against sharing unverified information on social media and rely only on official sources from the Indian government for accurate information.

In a post shared by a Pakistani social media handle, it was claimed that Pakistan struck the military base in Amritsar. It even went on to allege that numerous casualties were reported with many suffering severe injuries.

This comes a day after pro-Pakistani social media handles even went on claimed that the Pakistan Air Force struck the Srinagar airbase and the Indian Brigade Headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir. However, PIB's Fact Check team clarified that it was part of Islamabad's misinformation campaign.

On Wednesday, a fake letter allegedly written by a non-existent DRDO scientist claiemd that Brahmos missile components have suffered failure. PIB Fact Check clarified that DRDO has not sent any such letter nor does a scientist named AS Kumar is working at DRDO's Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE).

Another misinformation campaign saw circulation of images that allegedly showed debris of India's Rafale fighter jets. These were later revealed to be the images from a previous accident involving a MiG-21 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force.

Another post showed image of an IAF twin engine fighter aircraft MiG-29 that was allegedly downed by Paksitan. However PIB Fact Check team pointed out that the images was from a 2024 crash.

Reports of senior Indian officers were sacked, exiled or dismissed over operational failures have also been debunked. India clarified that those officers were actually retired honorably or promoted.
The government, on Thursday, said as many as 100 terrorists were killed in 'Operation Sindoor' launched against terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

According to media reports, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told the leaders at an all-party meeting that the operation is still underway and hence it is difficult to provide the exact number of terrorists killed in the strikes.

Further, the government said it will not take any action on its part until Pakistan makes any provocative move.

The leaders reportedly shared their concerns over the issue of national security and the safety of all Indians, especially in border areas, even as they extended all support to the government to show that the nation stands united in the fight against terrorism.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told reporters after the meeting that it was convened to evolve a broad political consensus on the issue. "The defence minister told the meeting that it was an ongoing operation and that is why he cannot share the technical details of Operation Sindoor that was launched by Indian armed forces," he said.

ALSO READ: Truth behind Pakistan's claims of IAF aircraft crash, drone interception

The entire nation is united with the government and the armed forces, Rijiju added.

Leaders of several parties were present at the meeting, which was also attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Further, Rijiju hit out at Pakistan for propagating fake news against India and urged people "not to trust any fake news coming out of the country or from within the country and to trust only authentic information."
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reiterated India's stance that the military actions against nine terror outfits in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor were "non-escalatory, precise, and measured".

Addressing the media on Thursday, Misri said India's intention is not to escalate matters and that its security forces were responding to the original escalation that happened on April 22.

He clarified that no military bases of Pakistan have been targetted, and that only terror infrastructure has been hit.

Pointing out that Pakistan's engagement with and patronising of militant outfits were clear in several instances of terror attacks, he said, "When talks were going on about the Pahalgam at the UNSC, Pakistan opposed the role of TRF (The Resistance Front). This is after TRF claimed the responsibility of the attack not once, but twice."

ALSO READ: Govt says 'Operation Sindoor' is still ongoing, 100 terrorists killed so far

Pakistan's reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances, he said, adding, "I don't need to remind where Osama Bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr...Pakistan is also home to a large number of UN-proscribed terrorists and also to terrorists proscribed by many countries."

It's also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out with coffins wrapped in their national flag, and state honours are being accorded. The individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving state funerals to terrorists may be a practice in Pakistan, but it doesn't seem to make much sense to us.

He said Pakistan launched a targetted attack on the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday in which three members of the community were killed. A total of 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch and several others have been injured, he added.

"Any further action by Pakistan, some of which we are seeing today, is nothing but escalation by Pakistan once again, and will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately," he warned.

Earlier, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military.
A Pakistani security source has claimed that over 125 Indian Air Force and Pakistan Air Force fighter jets were engaged in a "dog fight" that spanned over an hour in the early hours of Wednesday during Operation Sindhoor.

The unsubstantiated claim was made by an unnamed senior Pakistani security source to CNN. However, CNN nor any other international media houses have confirmed the claims.

The official claimed Pakistan downed five Indian planes in the dog fight, which was "one of the largest and longest in recent aviation history". India has not yet confirmed these claims and has even gone on to debunk false claims by Pakistan, including footage. The officials have also called out Pakistan for its disinformation campaign.

 PAKISTAN HUMILIATED ON GLOBAL MEDIA



CNN Journalist Becky Anderson asked Pakistan Defence Minister, Pakistan claims it shot down 5 Indian jets and a drone. So can you provide us more details and proofs.



Pakistan Defence Minister, It's all over social media. pic.twitter.com/l964FfcFCZ  Donald J. Trump  Update (@TrumpUpdateHQ) May 7, 2025

The Pakistani official told CNN that the missile exchanges happened at distances sometimes greater than 160 kilometres (100 miles), and neither side breached the borders. He attributed this to the 2019 incident wherein Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was apprehended.

Pakistan's claim is that it downed Indian jets around 2:45 am while the third one, a Rafale aircraft, was downed an hour later. Hours later, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed Pakistan downed four and fifth Indian jets after 5 am.

He claimed, without giving any evidence, that Indian fighter jets took multiple runs at targets. The official added that Pakistan had warned civilians in advance and hence could minimise civilian casualties.

Dear world, this video is from Pakistan. Pakistani Army officers are openly participating in the funeral of terrorists...



Do you need more proof that in Pakistan, there's no difference between the Army and terrorists? pic.twitter.com/RxVajNhfJt  Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) May 7, 2025

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that national security advisers of Pakistan and India have spoken after Operation Sindhoor. "There has been contact between the two, yes," he told TRT World, but refused to give more details.

Prime Minister Shehbaz too, had claimed without giving evidence that the Pakistan armed forces destroyed five Indian jets. He lauded the Pakistan Air Force and its chief "for the swift response" and claimed that the armed forces had prior intelligence about India's plans. Shehbaz claimed that India "paid a heavy price" for attacking Pakistan despite its numerical superiority and strength, despite later bemoaning that over 31 civilians died in the attacks.
Amid the ongoing military standoff between India and Pakistan in the wake of Operation Sindoor, the defence ministry said Pakistani-origin drones targetted military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur.

"Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin #drones and missiles along the International Border in J&K today," a tweet from the ministry read.

The ministry said these threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established Standard Operating Procedures.

No casualties or material losses have been reported so far.

According to the ministry, India is fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people.

ALSO READ: Jammu blackout: India guns down Pakistani drone outside airport, say eyewitnesses

According to media reports, Indian security forces intercepted several drones and missiles that were fired by Pakistan along the International Border.

Loud explosions were heard in Jammu and blackouts and sirens were activated across the region.

Military sources said missiles from Pakistan were also directed at Jammu's Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia towns and that they were blocked by India's air defence systems.

On Thursday morning, Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan, the ministry said.

It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised, it added.
Satellite internet is close to becoming a reality in India, but with all thats happening at the border, the government is not taking any chances. The demands made by the telecom ministry to prospective players include tracking satellite connections in special monitoring zones.



In fact, the original, expansive requirement included monitoring up to 10 kilometres beyond Indias international borders, as also 50 kilometres within it.



According to reports, this clause was inserted upon the insistence of security agencies, though finally, the need for monitoring of satellite communication beyond Indias borders was taken out. It is said that players like Starlink, owned by Elon Musk, were non-committal on the requirement of monitoring zones extending beyond Indias sovereign shores. Finally, DoT is said to have dropped this requirement, even while retaining the 50 kilometres inside Indian borders as a special monitoring zone.



Another security condition is that mobile satellite internet devices (fixed line service is also being offered, which would be of use in remote and hilly terrains where normal networks are not feasible) would need to report their location for every 2.6 kilometres they move, or a one-minute duration, whichever is lesser.



The government also reportedly toyed with insisting that companies providing satellite internet had a shareholding pattern skewed towards Indian partnership; however, this was also dropped. The players in the field presently are Jio-SES from Reliance Jio, OneWeb which is owned by Bharti Airtel along with Eutelsat and Starlink, the latter becoming the latest to get the GMPCS license earlier this week. GMPCS stands for Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite.



While the first two have already got all permissions and are now awaiting the allotment of radio spectrum, Musks Starlink needs to get clearance from Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (In-SPACE) which now shouldnt take long.



Starlink had initially faced pushback from the government after setting up office in India in 2022 and taking orders before getting any clearances.

However, the companys fortunes in the country changed after Elon Musk became the new US President Donald Trumps friend, philosopher and confidante.



While Starlink has tied up with the two leading telecom operators in the country, Airtel and Jio, for distribution, it is not clear whether it will be only for equipment and subscriptions or whether the satellite access itself will be available through their domestic networks  just like Starlink having already put in orbit nearly 7,000 satellites for service around the globe, Bharti Airtels OneWeb also has as many as 648 satellites in place, with plans for another 100 to join them.



Apples 15 series phones onward are enabled for emergency satellite connectivity, which has been rolled out in a handful of Western nations so far.
Amidst the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions in the backdrop of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and retaliatory 'Operation Sindoor', unconfirmed reports claimed that Islamabad lost its AWACS in Pak-Punjab. Bringing down the Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) is equal to making the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) blind in the sky as the airborne radar early warning system is critical for identifying incoming threats.

ALSO READ | How Pakistan reacted to reports of India shooting down its F-16, JF-17 fighter jets

Derived from the Boeing 707 airliner, it provides all-weather surveillance, command, control, and communications. However, there are variants of this originally American surveillance aircraft. In 2008, Pakistan reportedly became the first country in the region to buy the Chinese AWACS system. Beijing started developing them in 2004 after the US stopped the Israeli government from selling the system worth $1billion to Beijing.

What is AWACS?

Airborne Warning & Control System is an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system. It is said that they are capable of tracking hundreds of targets across vast distances. Sometimes referred to as The Boeing E-3 Sentry after the authentic US design, the AWACS is a modified aircraft equipped with a radar capable of detecting air traffic over large distances and at low altitudes. In simplest of terms, AWACS are aircraft that are capable of monitoring a nation's airspace in real-time.

ALSO READ | Pakistani pilots in Indian custody? PAF man reportedly caught alive from Jaisalmer

How AWACS work?

The antennas for the radar systems are found in the Rotodome (a term for a rotating radome) that is carried atop the AWACS. A radome is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a radar system or antenna. According to a NATO relase, this structure rotates every ten seconds, providing 360-degree surveillance coverage. Radar systems are able to detect not only airborne targets but also maritime vessels.

ALSO READ | With border terror worries, govt doubles down on security rules for satellite internet players

AWACS Operators are able to identify and track enemy aircraft operating at low altitudes over all different types of terrain and give directions to friendly aircraft operating in the same area. "Because the onboard Radars are able to look down at the ground below, targets which would normally be obscured by stationary ground clutter can be picked up and tracked. Backed up by an EMS System, the crew can even determine the type of aircraft, ground equipment and ship to enhance the E-3A's surveillance capabilities. In addition to the surveillance systems, the AWACS fleet also carries extensive avionics equipment for navigation,communications and data processing," a NATO document said.
The latest offering from misinformation campaigns taking social media by storm is that entry to airports across India has been banned.

This was circulated as a part of the fear spread by Pakistan's retaliation to India's Operation Sindoor, a joint operation between the Indian Army and Indian Air Force that launched precision strikes on 70 terrorists based in nine camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

This claim, however, has been debunked as false by PIB Fact Check, a fact-checking arm of the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

 Fake News Alert



Social media posts are claiming that entry to airports across India banned#PIBFactCheck:



 This claim is #FAKE



 Government has taken no such decision pic.twitter.com/MoaUcQqO2d  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 8, 2025

The X poster, identified in PIB Fact Check's screengrab as @waquarhaider10, further added a response to his post that identified airports in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gujarat, Punjab, and Rajasthan.

However, a while later, the poster's X account had been deleted.

Pakistan currently continues to retaliate for Operation Sindoor, claiming that they were well within their rights to respond.

According to India's defence ministry, Pakistani-origin drones targeted military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur.

"Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin #drones and missiles along the International Border in J&K today," a tweet from the ministry read.

The ministry explained that these threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities, in line with established Standard Operating Procedures.

No casualties or material losses have been reported so far.

According to media reports, Indian security forces intercepted several drones and missiles that had been fired by Pakistan along the International Border.

Loud explosions were heard in Jammu, accompanied by the sounding of blackouts and sirens across the region.
The first featured a white Minnesota woman named Shiloh Hendrix, who allegedly spotted a Somali child rifling her diaper bag at the park; she then reportedly called the child the N-word. An irate park-goer with a rather questionable background then followed her down the street while filming her and yelling at her; she responded by doubling down. The video, as it generally does nowadays, went viral. Hendrix claims that her address has been publicly revealed, and that she is under threat  and so she took to GiveSendGo to ask for money. She quickly raised over $500,000.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, a similar case broke into the news. A young Muslim man named Mo Khan posted a video to his Instagram from a Barstool restaurant, in which he reportedly asked waitresses to bring out a sign reading "F- The Jews." This prompted Barstool owner Dave Portnoy, who is Jewish, to call him out publicly. Khan then posted his own video begging for money, claiming that he was being victimized by cancel culture. To date, he has raised approximately $15,000.

So, what's going on? There is an ongoing argument breaking into the open about "cancel culture"  meaning, variously, criticism, ostracization or other social sanction for behavior or opinion. The first perspective, which was the dominant left-wing perspective for over a decade, suggests that cancellation is itself a positive good and ought to be widely applied: that any violation of taboo, no matter how minor, ought to be socially punished. This perspective, as applied, was censorious and ugly; it forbade useful conversations about vital but controversial topics.

The right responded by embracing a counter-perspective: that social sanction and even criticism should be treated as wrong. The problem with the Cancel Nothing perspective is that if there is never any social sanction or criticism for bad behavior or terrible opinion, we slide into a world of total moral relativism, in which the ugliest opinions and expressions are given equal credibility with decent or even controversial but useful opinions.

The reality of social consequences for ugly behavior and argument is more complex: Sometimes people deserve blowback. Not all blowback is created equal. Criticism is not social ostracization is not firing is not violence. So, for example, you have no duty to hire or have over to dinner someone who shouts the N-word at children or who says that white people are colonizers and evil  but you also shouldn't post that person's address online so people can harass them.

We all know this in our daily lives. If there's a nasty fellow at the local diner who sits around grumbling over the Jews or the whites or the blacks, we all simply avoid that guy. And that's generally the end of it. In practice, the emergent and informal standards of the social fabric work just fine. Most issues remain personal.

But the social media age has ended all that. Now mobs form to destroy people for reasons both good and bad  and so we're all forced to decide whether we think that person in question is bad or good, hero or villain, deserving of shame or of support. And we must decide what level of shame and what level of support. These are complicated questions. Add to that the fact that we, as a society, no longer hold in common any conception of what constitutes appropriate behavior or argument, and we quickly descend into a world of bright lines: Cancel Everything or Cancel Nothing.

So, what is the solution? The solution is to prosecute those who violate the law  if you incite violence against someone because they said something nasty to a child on the playground, you should go to jail; to adjudicate, on a case-by-case basis and with dispassion, the nature of the behavior or speech; to defend those who are innocent and those whose "cancellation" is disproportionate.

But will that happen? It's increasingly unlikely in a world in which the most extreme behavior and opinion receive the loudest applause. Those who shout to Cancel Everything drive support for those who shout to Cancel Nothing, and vice versa. If we wish for a better world and a better conversation, we ought to acknowledge that we are all human  that we all deserve both criticism and mercy, when appropriate. Perhaps to build that better world, we all ought to log off for a while.

(COMMENT, BELOW)

Ben Shapiro, bestselling author and syndicated columnist, first went into syndication after appearing in JWR.


BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Iran is maintaining its crude oil exports at near-maximum levels, said the country's Minister of Oil, Mohsen Paknejad, Trend reports.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 29th Iran International Oil, Gas, Refining, and Petrochemical Exhibition in Tehran on May 8, Paknejad emphasized that the countrys crude oil exports remain strong despite increasing sanctions from the US and Western countries.

Paknejad stated that Iran is still in the early stages of its efforts to expand crude oil production and exports.

The Iranian minister added that new opportunities for boosting Iran's crude oil exports will arise through investments in the oil and gas sector, as well as by preserving and increasing current production levels.

To note, Iran produced 3.335 million barrels of crude oil per day in March 2025, according to the latest data from OPEC. This marks a slight increase of 12,000 barrels per day from Februarys output of 3.323 mb/d, and is also up from Januarys 3.278 mb/d.

As many as 74 oil fields and 22 gas fields are currently operating in Iran. There are 37 oil fields in the territory of the National Company of Iran's Southern Oil Zones, 14 in the territory of the Iranian Central Oil Zones Company, five in the territory of the Arvandan Oil and Gas Production Company, and 18 in the territory of the Offshore Oil Company. Additionally, the South Oil Zones National Company of Iran operates five gas fields, the Central Oil Zones Company operates 13, the Pars Oil and Gas Company operates one, and the Offshore Oil Company operates three.

Iran's total hydrocarbon reserves are 1.2 trillion barrels. Iran can produce 340 billion barrels of this gas with existing technological equipment. Iran can use about 30 percent, while 70 percent remains unused underground.

The US imposed new sanctions against Iran in November 2018 over Iran's nuclear program. Since then, the sanctions have affected Iranian oil exports and more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
A US-origin F-16 supersonic fighter jet, one of the mainstays of the Pakistani Air Force, was shot down on Thursday by an Indian surface-to-air missile defence system, according to sources cited in an NDTV report. This comes amid Pakistan's foiled attempt to target Jammu with drones and missiles.

But here's what is important to know about the reliable two-seater jet that has a storied past, with inputs from the official website of the United States' Air Force:
What if Rajkummar Rao never became an actor? While the Stree star always knew his passion lay in the creative arts, there was another line of profession that fascinated him.

ALSO READ | I would like to relive it again and again: Rajkummar Rao on Stree 2 success, National Award glory, and wedding bliss

During a conversation with the cast of Bhool Chuk Maaf organised by Hindustan Times, a fan asked the actor if there was any secret dream or hidden talent that they audience was unaware of, to which the actor replied: To be honest, since I was little, this is the only thing Ive wanted to do (acting), and Ive worked hard only towards this. Ive never thought of a Plan B. Yeah there was never a Plan B, to be honest. Plan A was there, and Plan B was to make Plan A work. But if I have to choose hypothetically, I think I would be in the armed forces only. It is, yeah, I get very fascinated seeing soldiers.

ALSO READ | Operation Sindoor: Another strike imminent? Key all-party meeting today

When asked about Indias recent retaliation against Pakistancode name Operation Sindoora response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 souls in April, he replied that he will stand with the decision of the government and showed immense pride in the armed forces. Whatever decision that our administration is taking, we are with them in it, because what has happened should not have happened. It made us all very, very angry, very sad. So absolutely we are in it together as a nation, and we are extremely proud of our armed forces, he said.

About Bhool Chuk Maaf

Ranjan makes a vow to Lord Shiva to help him land a government job as a prerequisite for marriage to his love Titli, but to his luck, he forgets it. This unfortunate scenario lands him in a Groundhog Day situationreliving his haldi day on a loopuntil he fulfils his vow. Directed by Karan Sharma, the film also features Wamiqa Gabbi, Seema Pahwa, Zakir Hussain, and Raghubir Yadav.
On May 8 every year, World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is observed as a tribute to the unwavering dedication of the volunteers to the communities they serve, the principles they uphold, and the people they assist and protect.

Significance:

The date May 8 was chosen as it falls on the anniversary of the birth of the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Henry Dunant. ICRC is one of the worlds largest humanitarian networks, and it works to provide aid to people around the world. The day does not just honour the achievements but also remembers the service the volunteers provide in times of need in disasters, for their assistance in hard-to-reach areas.

History:

The Battle of Solferino was the largest battle since the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. Henry Dunant, who witnessed the Battle of Solferino, wrote a book, A Memory of Solferino. The idea for this memorable day was founded after the First World War. It was officially established after World War II. May 8, the birth anniversary of the founder, Henry Dunant, became the day to honour the Red Cross Moment. The International Red Cross Day became known as the Red Cross and Red Crescent Day in 1984.

Theme:

The theme for this year is 'Keeping Humanity Alive'. It honours the people who give their blood and sweat to ease the suffering of others and protect their dignity even in the face of danger.

Several Red Crescent staff and volunteers had suffered to protect the people in a natural and armed disaster. According to International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), since September 2023, a total of 28 Red Cross and Red Crescent staff members and volunteers have lost their lives in the line of duty.

The day is also a reminder of the harsh truth that is hard to swallow: the enormous risk faced by these humanitarian workers and their sacrifice.
At least five persons are feared dead as a helicopter with tourists onboard crashed in Uttarkhand's Uttarkashi district on Thursday. As per reports, there were seven passengers onboard and rescue operations are underway at the crash site.

According to authorities, the helicopter with seven persons onboard crashed at Gangnani in Uttarkashi during the early hours of Thursday. Uttarkashi District Disaster Management Officer Shardul Singh told PTI that one person has been rescued and relief efforts are progressing in the area. Authorities said the cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained.

Uttarakhand | Five passengers dead, two seriously injured in a helicopter crash near Ganganani in Uttarkashi district, confirms Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey.



Administration and relief teams are present at the helicopter crash site.



(Photo source: pic.twitter.com/JKoYpq7z1Q  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

The helicopter, reportedly with six passengers and a pilot onboard, was flying from Dehradun to the Harsil helipad. The tourists were travelling to Gangnani and were planning to cover a distance of around 30km from the helipad by road.

Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey soon after they heard about the incident, said relief and rescue teams were mobilised and rushed to the site to assist with rescue operations and provide medical aid.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condoled the incident and added that rescue operations are underway. "Very sad news has been received about some casualties in a helicopter crash near Gangani in Uttarkashi. SDRF and district administration teams have immediately reached the spot for relief and rescue work," Chief Minister Dhami said in a post on X.

Dhami added that the situation is being monitored. "I have instructed the administration to provide all possible help to the injured and investigate the accident. I am constantly in touch with the officials in this regard and every situation is being monitored," he added.

The Union civil aviation ministry said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will conduct an investigation into the accident involving helicopter Bell 407 VT-OXF of Aero Trans Service Private Limited. The ministry said the chartered helicopter from Ahmedabad had six passengers and one captain onboard.
Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked shelling along the Line of Control in Kupwara and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir late on Thursday evening with the Indian armed forces retaliating effectively. At the same time, security forces detected Pakistani drones near the Jammu airport and a blackout was imposed.

Many videos appeared on social media, particularly X, in which projectiles were seen flying over Jammu. The city plunged into darkness with electricity snapped soon after two powerful explosions were heard in the vicinity of the airport.

WATCH | Indian social media flooded with blackout videos as Pakistan fire drones at Jammu

Officials said counter-measures have been initiated and a few Pakistani drones were downed by the Indian anti-drone system.

Here are five latest updates that you need to know:

1. MEA S Jaishankar spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, EU Representative for Foreign Affairs Security Policy Kaja Kallis and other prominent leaders, "Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism. Underlined Indias targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation," the minister wrote on X.

Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening.



Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.



Underlined Indias targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation.



   Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 8, 2025

2. The reports of suicide attacks by terrorists at Pathankot and Rajouri are baseless. The PIB's fact check wing also dismissed social media claims that alleged that the Indian military used Ambala Airbase to attack Amritsar. "This claim is completely baseless and part of a concerted misinformation campaign," PIB said.

A social media post falsely claims that the Indian military used Ambala Airbase to attack #Amritsar and its own citizens.



 #PIBFactCheck:



 This claim is completely baseless and part of a concerted misinformation campaign.



Read more about #Pakistan attack on Amritsar pic.twitter.com/C2NnXPjkgF  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 8, 2025

3. Hostile drones were spotted at multiple places along the western front of the country, the Indian Army confirmed. Like in Kashmir, they were effectively engaged by air-defence systems, it added.

4. The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff said that India's military stations in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary was targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. However, they were thwarted effectively. "Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by #IndianArmedForces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means," the X post read.

Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones.

No losses.

Threat neutralised by #IndianArmedForces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means.#OpSindoor pic.twitter.com/TZlU9BSR9U  HQ IDS (@HQ_IDS_India) May 8, 2025

ALSO READ | US Consulate General in Pakistan highlights tense situation in the country, issues advisories to safeguard American citizens

5. Additional Directorate General of Public Information said that there was no tank movement on either side of the border.

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Jammu faced a blackout late on Thursday evening after India's security forces detected Pakistani drones near the city's heavily guarded airport, officials said. It was not known during the time of compiling this report whether the airport, which also houses an Indian Air Force (IAF) station, was breached by the projectiles. Sirens were sounded in Akhnoor while a complete blackout is in place in Kishtwar, Samba and Udhampur among other places.

Pakistan also increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors, news agency PTI reported.

ALSO READ | Pakistani pilots in Indian custody? PAF man reportedly caught alive from Jaisalmer

Jammu plunged into darkness with electricity, which snapped soon after two powerful explosions were heard in the vicinity of the airport. The Pak missiles were aimed at key locations, including Satwari (Jammu Airport), Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia, PTI said in a report. The PRO Defence Jammu said on X, "Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir today."

"The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established Standard Operating Procedures. No casualties or material losses were reported. India remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people," it added.

ALSO READ | US Consulate General in Pakistan highlights tense situation in the country, issues advisories to safeguard American citizens

Officials said counter-measures have been initiated and a few Pakistani drones were downed by the Indian anti-drone system. The sources confirmed the activation of air defence protocols, resulting in the downing of several Pakistani drones by the Indian Air Defence System.

According to some eyewitnesses, one of the drones was seen dropping outside the airport.

ALSO READ | Social media abuzz with rumours of Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir's arrest, ouster

"Sounds of shelling and firing can be heard. Smoke was seen in the sky. There is a complete blackout. We have full faith in our army," a Jammu resident was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

There were also potential sightings of hostile drones along India's western border, which were successfully thwarted.
Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna is understood to have recommended the Union Government to initiate a motion for the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma.

The CJI on Thursday forwarded the inquiry panels report on the incident regarding cash at Justice Varmas residence to the PM and President, along with Justice Varmas response.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Supreme Court said:

"Chief Justice of India, in terms of the In-House Procedure, has written to Hon'ble the President of India and Hon'ble the Prime Minister of India enclosing therewith copy of the 3-Member Committee report dated 03.05.2025 along with the letter/response dated 06.05.2025, received from Mr Justice Yashwant Varma."

Photo: Supreme Court of India

While the details of the panel's report are not yet known, the sources said that Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna has recommended that a motion for the removal of Justice Varma be initiated.

According to the sources, since Justice Varma has refused to resign, CJI Khanna had therefore informed the President and Prime Minister to initiate removal proceedings under Article 124(4) of the Constitution.

This would involve referring the matter to Parliament for impeachment, requiring a motion supported by MPs and a three-member inquiry under the Judges (Inquiry) Act.

On March 22, a three-judge committee was formed under the in-house procedure established by the Supreme Courts full court in 1999. The committee, formed to probe claims of burnt currency found at Varmas residence, comprised Justices Sheel Nagu, G.S. Sandhawalia, and Anu Sivaraman.

Shortly after, Justice Varma was transferred to his parent Allahabad High Court and has been assigned no judicial duties since.

ALSO READ | Cash at judge's house: Can Justice Varmas inquiry pierce the veil of judicial secrecy?

The in-house committee report relied on testimony from 50 witnesses: firefighters, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, and Varmas security staff, along with a damning video of burning cash.

Justice Varmas claim that the storeroom was accessible to others and the cashs origins unknown crumbled under scrutiny. The committee noted that some cash mysteriously vanished post-fire, raising questions of tampering.

A fire broke out at Justice Yashwant Varmas residence on the evening of March 14, allegedly leading to the discovery of unaccounted cash by firefighters at the scene.

At the time of the incident, Justice Varma and his wife were away in Madhya Pradesh, while only their daughter and elderly mother were present at the house.

Subsequently, a video emerged, showing bundles of cash engulfed in flames during the fire.
As the AICC announced a new leadership team for the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), it was evident that the party had carefully weighed its community equations and political priorities through a series of calculated moves. The Congress leadership adopted a step-by-step strategy to execute the transition, though, at one point, the delay in making the announcement gave the impression that the high command was mishandling the situation.

From the outset, the party maintained that any leadership change would be carried out in consultation with K. Sudhakaran. As the first step, the high command sought inputs from state leaders regarding a possible change at the helm. Subsequently, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge summoned Sudhakaran to Delhi to offer reassurances and communicate the leaderships decision. Until that point, the party took great care to ensure that Sudhakaran was not publicly embarrassed.

ALSO READ | Sunny Joseph replaces K. Sudhakaran as Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president

However, following the Delhi meeting, widespread media speculation emerged, interpreting the visit as a signal of Sudhakarans imminent replacement. This placed Sudhakaran in a politically awkward position. The veteran leader, who had previously claimed that the party was united under his leadership and that factionalism was a thing of the past, responded by asserting that there were no plans to remove him, that he had received assurances, and that a faction was working to sideline him.

Sudhakarans public statements, in turn, put the party high command in a difficult spot. Adding to the challenge was internal criticism from senior state leaders targeting Anto Antonywidely seen as the high commands preferred candidate for the KPCC president post. These developments added further complexity to the already delicate leadership transition.

Finally, the party high command settled on Sunny Joseph for the top post. While Sunny Joseph may not command the mass appeal that K. Sudhakaran does, his appointment reflects a calculated, two-pronged strategy by the Congress leadership. By elevating Joseph, the party is clearly signalling to the Christian communityparticularly the Catholic leadership. This move stems from a growing concern within the party that a significant section of the Catholic voter base, which has traditionally backed the Congress and the UDF, is now drifting toward the BJP. The BJPs victory in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, a known Catholic stronghold, served as a wake-up call.

Furthermore, after the passing of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, there was a growing perception that the Congress lacked leaders from the Christian community in its upper ranks. Josephs elevation appears to be a response to that gap. At the same time, by replacing Sudhakaran with another leader from Kannur, the party also seems to be acknowledging the unique political dynamics of the region. The CPI(M), Congresss primary rival in Kerala, is led by leaders from Kannurnamely, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan. In this context, bringing in Sunny Joseph can also be interpreted as a strategic message to the CPI(M), particularly with the upcoming elections in view.

Significantly, the appointment of a new KPCC president came alongside a broader organizational reshuffle. Here too, one can observe that community representation was carefully considered. Sudhakaran, who belongs to the Ezhava community, has been succeeded as UDF convenor by Adoor Prakash MP, also from the community, replacing veteran M.M. Hassan. Meanwhile, the party appointed P.C. Vishnunadh MLA, A.P. Anilkumar MLA, and Shafi Parambil MP as new working presidents of the KPCC, replacing Kodikunnil Suresh MP, T.N. Prathapan, and T. Siddique MLA. In this reconstitution, the Congress ensured balanced representation across the Nair, Dalit, and Muslim communitieshighlighting once again its thinking in terms of community equations while finalizing the leadership roles.

Notably, all key positions in this reshuffle have been entrusted to sitting MLAs or MPsindicating that the partys intention to project leaders with proven electoral appeal and the capacity to take on the CPI(M)-led LDF even at its peak. Shafi Parambil is widely regarded as one of the partys most effective election crowd-pullers in Kerala, while A.P. Anilkumar is seen as a close confidant and strongman of AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal in the state. Meanwhile, P.C. Vishnunadhs elevation to the working president role follows his stint as AICC Secretaryan experience that is likely to help ensure better coordination with the central leadership.

The party's high command also took visible steps to ensure that Sudhakaran did not feel sidelined. In a gesture not extended to any of his immediate predecessors, the AICC acknowledged his contributions while announcing the leadership change and appointed him as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee. This rare honour indicates the high commands recognition of Sudhakarans mass appealand a clear understanding that an unceremonious exit could trigger unrest within the party ranks.
India on Wednesday refuted having targeted a dam near the Neelum-Jhelum project in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) while carrying out 'Operation Sindoor'. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called the allegation made by Islamabad in this regard a "blatant lie." While briefing the media alongside Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Misri also warned that if such lies are being made by Pakistan as a pretext to target Indian infrastructure, there will be consequences.

ALSO READ | Original escalation happened on April 22, India merely responded to it: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri

'Operation Sindoor' was carried out by the Indian armed forces on Wednesday categorically targeting terrorist infrastructure in Sawai Nalla, Sarjal, Muridke, Kotli, Kotli Gulpur, Mehmoona Joya, Bhimber and Bahawalpur. "India has targeted only and only terrorist infrastructure, and the details of that infrastructure, along with the precise locations, were shared yesterday," Misri said while adding that it was "an absolute and complete fabrication" to say Indian missiles having targeted the dam.

He added that there would be consequences if these lies were going to be used as an excuse for further escalation by Pakistan. "If this kind of a claim is a pretext of targeting Indian infrastructure of similar nature, then Pakistan will be solely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow."

ALSO READ | US Consulate General in Pakistan highlights tense situation in the country, issues advisories to safeguard American citizens

In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on terror targets including Bahawalpur, a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group.

The Foreign Secretary also ruled out that Pakistani civilians lost their lives after India launched projectiles into the nine locations in PoK and mainland Pakistan. "As far as we are concerned, the individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving terrorists state funerals may be a practice in Pakistan, but it doesnt seem to make much sense to us," he said.

ALSO READ | 'Where is proof for downed Indian jets?' CNN host's blunt question has Pakistan's Khawaja Asif giving bizarre explanation

He reiterated that India's intention is not to escalate matters and that its security forces were responding to the original escalation that happened on April 22.
An Indian Army soldier posted in Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir was killed in the intense, unprovoked cross-border firing of Pakistan in targeting areas across the Line of Control, for the second day in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar hails from Haryana, and his mortal remains will be laid to rest in his native village on Thursday.

Army officials said Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked small arms and artillery guns firing on Thursday in four areas across the Line of Control. Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked firing across the LoC in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and after India announced a series of diplomatic measures against the neighbouring country.

"During the night of May 7-8, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked fire using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor areas in J&K. Indian Army responded proportionately," an Army official said. Most of the civilians were moved to safer areas after Pakistan resorted to shelling in the aftermath of 'Operation Sindoor'.

Pakistan's intense firing and shelling targeting border villages comes a day after India launched 'Operation Sindoor' to avenge the killings of 26 persons in the Pahalgam terror attack. India launched precision strikes targeting terror infrastructure at nine locations in the neighbouring country during the early hours of Wednesday.

The Indian Army paid tributes to Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, who was killed in the cross-border firing on Wednesday. "#GOC and all ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps salute the supreme sacrifice of L/Nk Dinesh Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on 07 May 25 during Pakistan Army shelling. We also stand in solidarity with all victims of the targeted attacks on innocent civilians in #Poonch Sector," White Knight Corps tweeted.

The 32-year-old soldier hails from Palwal district in Haryana, and he joined the force in 2014. Kumar's father, Daya Ram Sharma, said, "We were informed that Dinesh, along with four other soldiers, was patrolling along the Line of Control (LOC) and died in the mortar shelling. The entire nation is proud of him, and his sacrifice will be remembered. He was a brave soldier, Hindustan Times reported. Two of Kumar's siblings are also serving in the Army.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini condoled his death and tweeted that every citizen of the country is proud of Kumar's martyrdom.
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In a press briefing by India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday displayed a picture of Pakistani army personnel at a funeral organised for three terrorists that were killed in India's retaliatory strikes on May 7.

He highlighted the fact that the three peoplewhom Pakistan had claimed were civilianswere being buried in coffins draped in Pakistani flags, with full state honours accorded to them.

The funeral, held on Wednesday in Muridkeapproximately 40km from Lahorewas also attended by members of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), the banned organisation led by terrorist Hafiz Saeed, according to a PTI report.

The three individuals, identified in the report as Qari Abdul Malik, Khalid, and Mudassir, were killed in a targeted strike on terror groups headquarters in Muridke, one of the nine terrorist camps on which the Indian military launched precision strikes, as a part of 'Operation Sindoor'.

ALSO READ | JeM operational head Abdul Rauf Azhar, who orchestrated Kandahar hijacking, killed in Operation Sindoor: Reports

The funeral was held under tight security and was also attended by members of Pakistans civil bureaucracy, the report said, quoting Tabish Qayyum, spokesperson of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, a political wing of the JuD. The funeral prayer was led by Hafiz Abdul Rauf, with prayers offered for the safety and security of the country.

Misri soon refuted Pakistan's claim that the three people being buried were civilians, since no civilian was likely to be buried in such a grand manner, with full state honours accorded to them.

"We have made the point very clearly that all attacks on the morning of May 7 were against carefully selected terrorist infrastructure, terrorist targets. In fact, seeing some of the coverage of the after effects of these strikes, including the funerals for the terrorists that are held yesterday, I think a lot of you have seen the reports and the coverage on media.

He then used this argument to refute another of pakistan's claims: that India had deliberately attacked religious sites.

I have made it clear that the targets were terrorist infrastructure, terrorist facilities, and locations connected clearly with incidents of cross-border terrorism into India. And it is, in fact, Pakistan that is misusing religious sites as a cover to, in fact, radicalise, direct and indoctrinate and train terrorists, Misri added.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has replaced K. Sudhakaran with Sunny Joseph as the new Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president.

The decision came after days of suspense, with speculation mounting following Sudhakarans recent meeting with the Congress high command in Delhi. Amid growing media discussions about his health and potential replacement, Sudhakaran had alleged that a faction within the party was attempting to sideline him. In an apparent move to resist an abrupt exit, posters demanding Sudhakaran's continuation as KPCC president had appeared across various parts of the state.

Sunny Joseph, a veteran Congress leader from Kannur and the current MLA from Peravoor, began his political journey as a Kerala Students Union (KSU) activist at Newman College, Thodupuzha in the 1970s.

There had also been widespread speculation that the Congress was considering appointing a Christian leader to maintain community balance, with reports suggesting that the Catholic Church was lobbying for the post. Sunny Josephs name was frequently mentioned among the top contenders. However, this narrative sparked a backlash from the Church, with the Syro-Malabar Catholic Churchs mouthpiece sharply criticizing the party in an editorial.

The AICC, while announcing the leadership change, acknowledged Sudhakarans contributions and appointed him as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee. It remains to be seen how Sudhakarans loyal support base will respond to his removal.

In a broader organizational reshuffle, Adoor Prakash MP has been appointed the new United Democratic Front (UDF) convenor, replacing veteran leader M.M. Hassan. P.C. Vishnunadh MLA, A.P. Anilkumar MLA, and Shafi Parambil MP have been named as the new KPCC working presidents, replacing Kodikunnil Suresh MP, T.N. Prathapan, and T. Siddique MLA. Vishnunadh has also been relieved of his responsibilities as AICC Secretary.
A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the cancellation of leaves for state government employees amidst Indias military action against Pakistan-based terror outfits, an official notification was issued on Thursday formalising the decision.

The notification stated that, in light of the current circumstances and in the interest of maintaining public services, all previously approved leaves for West Bengal government employees are to be cancelled with immediate effect -- except for medical leave.

Additionally, it instructed that no government official is allowed to leave headquarters without written permission from their departmental head. The order, issued in the public interest, will remain in effect until further notice.

Following the directive from Nabanna, the state secretariat, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) reportedly took immediate action by cancelling all leaves for its employees indefinitely. The KMC has communicated this decision to departmental heads across all offices.

All disaster management units have been instructed to remain on high alert until further notice, especially during night hours. Essential supplies such as tarpaulins, rice, pulses, and dry food must be kept ready for relief efforts, and fresh stock should be procured if needed.

The KMCs control room will remain operational 24/7, with officials required to be present at all times. Additionally, strict surveillance has been ordered for all KMC infrastructure. Senior and key officials have been instructed to keep their mobile phones on at all times to ensure constant availability.

Meanwhile, CM Banerjee held a meeting on Thursday to restrict the black marketing of essential food items and agricultural products. She issued a stern warning to unscrupulous traders who might exploit the situation by hoarding food products and raising their prices.

Given the current situation in the country, no one should try to raise prices through black marketing or hoard goods excessively. Border regions must be monitored closely. There is enough stock of potatoes in the states cold storages. Supply is greater than demand, she stated

The state government already has a special task force in place to monitor and control prices. Along with representatives from various traders associations across the state and cold storages, several ministers and senior administrative and police officials attended the meeting.

We must think of the country as our own home. Everyone should treat it like their own and stay vigilant. In the current situation, if any reports of black marketing emerge in the state, the government will seize everything involved, the chief minister added.
The Centre has convened an all-party meeting in New Delhi on Thursday to brief political leaders about 'Operation Sindoor' and developments in the aftermath of India's successful anti-terror operation. Political leaders across party lines lauded the armed forces for carrying out the successful strike.

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, said on Wednesday, "Govt has called an All Party leaders meeting at 11 am on 8th May, 2025 at Committee Room: G-074, in the Parliament Library Building, Parliament Complex in New Delhi."

In a key cabinet meeting held after the strike, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the armed forces and said 'Operation Sindoor' was carried out as planned. Briefing the cabinet, Modi said the anti-terror operation was carried out with no mistakes whatsoever". The prime minister had also chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to assess the situation in the aftermath of the operation.

India carried out precision strikes targeting nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during the early hours of Wednesday. The operation was launched to avenge the deaths of 26 persons in the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. No Pakistan military facilities were targeted in the strike, Centre said. The targeted sites include Jaish-e-Mohammad's base in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke.

Congress and key opposition parties lauded the armed forces and expressed support for the Union government. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday applauded the resolute resolve and courage of the Indian armed forces. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "Proud of our Armed Forces. Jai Hind!" Congress also postponed all its political programmes in solidarity with the operation.
The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have ordered evacuations in border areas from Kathua to the Chicken Neck region in the Akhnoor sector.

The order comes due to intense artillery shelling by Pakistan in areas close to the Line of Control, which left 13 people dead after India launched air strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan under Operation Sindoor. The operation was launched to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 26 tourists and one local horse ride operator were killed.

People living in all villages within a five-kilometre radius of the International Border (IB) have been advised to move to safer locations.

Since the wee hours of May 7, 13 people were killed in Pakistan's shelling, including four children and two women; 50 others suffered injuries across the districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu, and Kashmirs Uri in Baramulla, and Tangdhar in Kupwara.

The targeting of border areas marks a serious escalation in shelling and firing after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. After 'Operation Sindoor', Pakistan has been shelling areas close to the Line of Control (LoC) and IB using artillery and mortars. The shelling has destroyed homes, vehicles and also left one soldier dead.

In response, local administration quickly deployed emergency teams to evacuate residents to government buildings or to their relatives.

Relief camps have been set up at several places, including at the Government Higher Secondary School in Bishnah and four other sites in the Arnia sector, where around 10,000 people have taken shelter. Similar facilities have been arranged in the Madreen and Hiranagar blocks of Kathua district.

In Poonch, one of the worst-hit areas, many families fled on their own during the night as the shelling continued. Casualties have been reported from Mankote village, where resident Mohammad Rafiq described spending a terrifying night under fire before moving his family of six to safety at dawn.

Authorities have ensured that all temporary shelters are stocked with food, bedding, and special provisions for women and children.

As a safety measure, all schools, colleges, and other educational institutions, both government and private, in the districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch will remain closed on Thursday. This was confirmed by the Divisional Commissioner of Jammu in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Fresh satellite images revealing the impact of Indias Operation Sindoor emerged on Thursday, showing how precisely the Indian armed forces targeted terror infrastructure at nine locations in Pakistan. The sites demolished by India included Jaish-e-Mohammads headquarters in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas base in Muridke.

During the early hours of Wednesday, India conducted precision-based strikes targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan that had already been identified by the Indian security establishment. The strikes were carried out under the codename 'Operation Sindoor' to avenge the deaths of 26 persons in the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.

#WATCH | Satellite pics from Maxar Technologies show damage caused by Indian missile strikes on Jamia Mosque in Bahawalpur and the city of Muridke, Pakistan, before and after the strike.



(Source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/6idaYwwjOW  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

In a statement following the strike, India said, Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution, the release said.

In a media briefing later in the day, India's foreign secretary Vikram Misri said, "These actions were measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible. They focused on dismantling the terrorist infrastructure and disabling terrorists likely to be sent across to India. Our intelligence monitoring of Pakistan-based terrorist modules indicated that further attacks against India were impending. There was thus a compulsion both to deter and to pre-empt.

Satellite pics from Maxar Technologies show damage caused by Indian missile strikes on the city of Muridke, Pakistan, before (Pic 1) and after (Pic 2) the strike.



(Source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/iiZj4wybwc  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

During the briefing, Indian Armys Colonel Sophiya Qureshi said the targets were selected based on credible intelligence inputs and the role of these facilities in perpetrating terror activities. "The locations were so selected to avoid damage to civilian infrastructures and loss of any civilian lives," she said. Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Vyomika Singh added that no Pakistani military installations were targeted.

India conducted precision-based strikes on four locations in Pakistan and five in PoK. The JeM targets were Markaz Subhan Allah at Bahawalpur, Sarjal at Tehra Kalan, Markaz Abbas in Kotli and Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad.

The LeT targets were Markaz Taiba at Murdike, Markaz Ahle Hadith at Barnala and Shwawai Nalla camp at Muzaffarabad, while the Hizbul Mujahideen targets included Makaz Raheel Shahid in Kotli and Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot.
Damodaram Sanjivayya holds many distinctionsIndias first Dalit Chief Minister, first Dalit President of Congress party and the youngest Chief Minister of any Telugu state, a record unbroken till date. On May 8, on his death anniversary, tributes poured in for the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister.

The official handle of Indian National Congress put out a post, Remembering Damodaram Sanjivayya, the first Dalit Congress President and former CM of Andhra Pradesh, known for his visionary leadership. He broke barriers and remained deeply committed to empowering marginalized sections and addressing the challenges faced by Indias working population.

Sanjivayya was born in 1921 in Kurnool district in the backward Rayalaseema region of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. Struggles shaped his life right from an early age as he lost his father at a very young age. His family was steeped in poverty and couldnt afford a proper uniform. Even then, he excelled in education at every level and went on to participate in freedom struggle. Sanjivayya graduated in law from Madras Law College. Known for his integrity, strategical mind and intellectual prowess, he soon stepped into politics. In 1960, he rose to become the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, at a very young age of 38.

As CM, he introduced a slew of progressive welfare measures like distributing land for the landless people, promoting Telugu literature, improving health and education infrastructure and introducing policies that helped the downtrodden and the SCs and STs. His national role also tested his mettle. He also held important portfolios like labour and employment as a union cabinet minister.

At a time, when the country is locked in a conflict with its neighbour with Operation Sindoor underway, Sanjivayyas temperament and his contribution during a similar crisis of the past becomes relevant. In 1962, Sanjivayya was elected as the first Dalit president of the Congress at a time when the party was steering India through a volatile terrain. He was helming the party when the India-China war broke out and he rallied the Congress cadre and the population behind Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, calling for national unity and sacrifice in the face of Chinese aggression. He ensured that the party didnt falter even when the country grappled with one of its toughest military challenges. Congress continues to count him as timeless icons of the party. He died while serving as the president of the party for the second term.

However, the irony of his legacy is hard to miss. His grandson, Sridhar Gandhi, made headlines in the recent past as he was featured and interviewed by a wide section of Telugu media. He worked as a private security guard in Kurnool. In a video that went viral, he was seen in uniform, calmly stating that he is content with his simple life and has no political aspirations. Simplicity and dignity seems to run in the family as Sanjivayya was also known to simply take walks or immerse himself in literature in his free time without worrying about amassing wealth or holding on to power. In todays world of politics where pomp, show and wealth is a marker of a powerful politician, Sanjivayyas family stands out as a rare breed.
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the West Bengal government to grant permission within two weeks to initiate the trial against the states former education minister Partha Chatterjee and other co-accused in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam.

The directive came during a hearing on Chatterjees bail plea, with the division bench of Justices Surya Kant and N.K. Singh responding to arguments from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which claimed that the state had failed to provide the required sanction.

Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju told the court that the delay was hindering the investigation and unnecessarily prolonging the legal process. The court noted that once permission is granted, the trial against Chatterjee and the other accused can proceed in the trial court.

The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for July 17, when it will consider the bail applications of Chatterjee and the eight other co-accused.

The CBI's investigation focuses on alleged recruitment irregularities within the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBPE). On December 27, the agency filed a chargesheet against former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Partha Chatterjee, accusing him of accepting bribes from more than 1,000 job seekers in exchange for promises of jobs.

Chatterjee was first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in July 2022 during a money laundering probe linked to the suspected recruitment scam involving the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC). The Supreme Court later granted him conditional bail in this case in December last year.

Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday declined to hear a contempt of court petition concerning the SSC recruitment case, in which over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff positions were annulled.

The petition accused the SSC and the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) of failing to comply with directives issued by both the High Court and the Supreme Court in connection with the job cancellations.

The petitioners argued before a division bench comprising Justices Debangsu Basak and Mohammad Shabbar Rashidi that the authorities had yet to begin recovering salaries from disqualified or "tainted" candidates.

In response, the SSC and the states education department contended that the contempt proceedings were not maintainable in the high court, as the core matter is already pending before the Supreme Court.
Officials have confirmed that Sheikh Sajjad Gul, 50, is the key mastermind of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people on April 22. Gul is the chief of The Resistance Front (TRF), the proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the attack.

Where is Sheikh Sajjad Gul now?

TRF leader Sheikh Sajjad Gul alias Sajjad Ahmed Sheikh is reportedly hiding in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He enjoys the protection of Pakistani espionage agency ISI with the support of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The Kashmir native did his schooling in Srinagar and later went to Bengaluru for MBA. He then went to Kerala to pursue a lab technician course. After returning, he set up a diagnostic lab in Kashmir.

Not long after, Gul turned an overground worker for the LeT and provided them with logistic support. He is said to be behind several terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in the past six years. These included grenade attacks in Kashmir in 2023 and the Z-Morh Tunnel attack in Ganderbal in 2024.

In 2002, Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Gul at Nizamuddin Railway Station for possession of 5 kg of RDX and for plotting serial blasts in Delhi. He was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to 10 years before being released in 2017.

Gul soon fled to Pakistan. ISI then installed him at the helm of The Resistance Front, which was formed in 2019. In April 2022, the NIA had designated him a terrorist and put a Rs 10 lakh reward on him.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday night spoke to chiefs of the country's border guarding forces, including the BSF that guards India's border with Pakistan.



According to media reports, the home minister took stock of the situation along the international borders in the wake of the heightened tension between India and Pakistan following India's strike on multiple locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday and Pakistan's attempts to strike Indian military sites on Thursday.



The attempts were foiled by the Indian security forces.



The directors general of the border guarding forces briefed the home minister about the prevailing situation and the steps taken to beef up security, sources told news agency PTI.

ALSO READ: Social media abuzz with rumours of Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir's arrest, ouster

While the BSF guards the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders, the ITBP guards India's border with China and the SSB guards the border with Nepal and Bhutan.



Shah also spoke to the chief of the CISF, who guards most of the airports in the country, metro networks and other vital installations, and took stock of the security at airports in the country.



Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said nothing will stand in India's way to protect the country's sovereignty and the nation is fully prepared for such responses.



The defence minister said India has always played the role of a responsible nation exercising great restraint and it believes in resolving issues through dialogue.



"However, if anyone tries to take advantage of this restraint, they will face quality action," he said, assuring the nation that no limit will become an obstacle to protecting India's sovereignty.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. Cardinals failed to elect a new Pope at the conclave held in the Vatican, Trend reports via the Vatican.

According to information, black smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, indicating the failure of the vote.

The next voting will take place following the lunch break. The vote is being held in the presence of 133 cardinals, isolated from the outside world and without any means of communication.

A conclave is a clandestine meeting of cardinals to elect a new pope in the Roman Catholic Church. It is held in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel once a pope dies or resigns. Cardinals under the age of 80 are locked inside, and a clerical vote is held four times a day.
As tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, reports have emerged that two Pakistani pilots have been captured. The Pakistani Air Force men were reportedly captured from planes that were shot down in Jammu's Akhnoor and Rajasthan's Jaisalmer.

Neither Pakistan nor India have confirmed the reports. However, Tribune quoted a source that said that the pilot was captured after he ejected from the fighter jet, which crossed the Indian border.

BREAKING: Pakistani pilot captured alive in India.



He was ejected from the downed F-16 pic.twitter.com/fN2Hn2NDXo  Manobala Vijayabalan (@ManobalaV) May 8, 2025

If true, this will help India prove that Pakistani pilots breached the airspace. India has clarified that its fighter jets did not cross the border. Since both countries are technically not at war, the exchange of pilots will not be covered under the Geneva Convention, which lays down the treatment for prisoners of war (POWs).

The incident reminds India of the 2019 incident wherein Indian fighter pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by Pakistan.

Meanwhile, there are reports that India shot down Pakistan's Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft inside Pakistan's Punjab province. Besides, an F-16 fighter jet and two JF-17 fighter jets too were allegedly downed on Thursday night. No confirmation has come from the Ministry of Defence yet. The AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) is used for long-range radar surveillance and command and control of air defence.

The Defence sources have also told ANI that two Pakistani drones were shot down by Indian Army Air Defence Units in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir. This comes amid heavy exchange of artillery fire on between the two sides in the sector.

Pakistan denies reports

Pakistani state broadcaster PTV News has stated that the country has lost no aircraft. "Pakistan has not lost any pilot; lost any F-16 fighter jet; lost any AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aeroplane; there is no report whatsoever of any attack on Lahore," the state claimed.

Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has sought evidence from Indian government of the downing two Pakistan Air Force fighter jets and the capturing a pilot. "I am 100 per cent denying it. With fullest confidence at my command, I am denying it," the information minister said.

"Get out of [your] B-tier Bollywood mindset, the information minister said in an interview on Geo News.
As the India-Pakistan conflict worsens, all eyes are on whether the US will finally intervene to dissipate the tensions. The hopes are that the US mediation could happen after EAM Jaishankar said he spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also rang up Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The Pakistani side also announced that they are in deliberations with the US. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Reuters on Thursday that Washington was leading global efforts to reduce tensions between India and Pakistan.

Soon after, US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce too said Rubio stressed the need for immediate de-escalation and an end to the violence. "He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications," Bruce added.

#WATCH | US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce says, "This morning Secretary Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and EAM Dr S Jaishankar. In both calls, the Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation and called for an end to the violence. He pic.twitter.com/kFM8Tjfvlk  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

Despite expectations, the US hadn't intervened this time as tension soared, as President Donald Trump did in 2019. Last time, after India and Pakistan sparred, the then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo played a major role in diffusing the tensions between the neighbours. "I do not think the world properly knows just how close the India-Pakistan rivalry came to spilling over into a nuclear conflagration in February 2019," Pompeo wrote in his memoir 'Never Give an Inch."

Unlike in past India-Pakistan wars, the US held itself back this time, leaving the countries to settle the scores.

According to Tim Willasey-Wilsey of the Royal United Services Institute in London, the US may not be inclined to play a leading role in cooling crises over Kashmir any more, but he favours Narendra Modi. "We now have a president in the White House who says he doesnt want to be the policeman of the world, said Willasey-Wilsey, a former British diplomat, told CNN. "And also hes probably more sympathetic to (Indian) Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi than he is to the Pakistanis."

Many regional experts also feel that the current Trump administration is bent on making changes in its foreign policy and not very insistent on the multinational leadership it once helmed before.

However, the mediation efforts could be challenged by the fact that the US and Pakistan aren't close anymore since the US's exit from Afghanistan. Pakistan is now close to the US's foe, China. "Theres no question that theres been a sea change in the USs position in recent years," Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told CNN. "India is one of the most important strategic partners for the United States, whereas Pakistans importance  has really declined," he added.

Gulf nations?

There are also speculations that Middle Eastern countries, especially Saudi Arabia, could step in to solve the crisis. Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Aljubeir arrived in India on Thursday morning on an unannounced visit to hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. There are also unconfirmed reports that he could be heading to Pakistan to meet Shehbaz Sharif.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday on a scheduled visit which will see him hold wide-ranging talks with high-ranking officials, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. While the visit was scheduled before India launched Operation Sindoor, a mission targeting airstrikes on terror sites in Pakistan, it is expected that the conflict between the countries would feature in Araghchi's agenda.

Before he embarked on his Delhi trip, Araghchi had asked India and Pakistan to "exercise restraint" to prevent an escalation and expressed willingness to mediate between New Delhi and Islamabad. While the two foreign ministers may deliberate on the topic, especially India's response to the Pahalgam attack, a foreign expert has warned that India shouldn't encourage Iran to mediate.

Former Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal, who boasts 41 years of experience in diplomacy, believes India shouldn't encourage any mediation effort from the part of Iran as it has zero credentials for this. He also warned against opening doors for Iran towards mediation, "as others too will get into the act".

"Araghchi is welcome to visit India on a purely bilateral basis, not in any mediatory effort. Iran has no credentials for this. Its Supreme Leader has made references to Kashmir, and the joint statement on the Iranian Presidents visit to Pakistan a few months ago mentioned J&K. We protested on both occasions. We should let it be known in advance publicly that any mediation is not on the agenda," Kanwal posted on X.

He said that mediation would also overlook the central issue of Pakistans complicity in terror and shift the focus to avoiding a conflict. He said the issue of Pakistani terrorism remains unresolved.

Also read: How Pakistan is actively wooing Iranian leaders to mediate with India

While Iran issued a statement in August 2019 criticising the abrogation of Article 370, Tehran was also not happy about India succumbing to pressure from the West to impose sanctions on it.

But, now that bilateral relations have improved, Tehran believes it would fit the role of a mediator considering its geographic proximity with Pakistan and historic relationship and bilateral relations with India, which have vastly improved over the years. Iran claims that, unlike many other nations, it seeks to remain neutral and not directly engage in internal disputes of its neighbours.

For Iran to be a successful mediator, it would need to maintain a delicate balance, which involves agreeing with India's demand to respond to the attacks.
Pakistan has claimed that it intercepted 12 Indian drones in the early hours of Thursday during Operation Sindoor, which saw India launch air strikes at nine terror sites in Pakistan. However, what drew eyeballs was the statement that the drones were Israeli-made suicide 'Harop drones'.

According to Pakistani officials, Harop drones were shot down in various locations, including near major urban centres like Karachi and Lahore. "Debris is being collected from all impact sites, including within Karachi and Lahore city limits," the Pakistan military spokesperson told reporters in a press conference. "We are neutralising them one by one," he added.

Though Pakistani officials have not yet produced any evidence for their claim, India later confirmed that its drones targeted Lahore., But the PIB said the footage doing rounds on Pakistani social media was an old image claiming that the Pakistan Army had intercepted a UAV drone that fell in Gujranwala, Pakistan.

Looks like India has retaliated to murderous firing on civilians along the border. Sometime today our Harop drones targeted high value sites (most probably air defence missile launchers) in and around Lahore. Remember they lobbed large calibre rockets at us last night. pic.twitter.com/QFRFYe0WW1  Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) May 8, 2025

However, the news of Pakistan's allegations has been taken up by Israeli media, which stressed Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar's statement that Israel supports Indias right to self-defence and New Delhi knows it can rely on Jerusalem.

What is Harop drone?

Harop is a suicide drone, which is technically called a loitering munition. The Harop combines the capabilities of an UAV and a precision-guided missile and has a maximum flight range of 200 kilometres. It can hover over hostile territory, identify targets and crash into them.

With an endurance of over six hours, the Harop is usually canister-launched from ground or naval platforms. Once the drone identifies the target, it self-destructs upon contact with incredible precision. Its warhead is highly explosive and is designed to detonate upon impact with the target.

Harop came into the world's attention after it proved to be lethally effective in the Second Karabakh War in 2020, in which Azerbaijan defeated Armenia.

As per reports, the Indian Air Force has been operating the Harop munition for over a decade. In 2021, India bought the Israeli drones, over 100 of them, to beef up its operational capability along the borders with Pakistan and China. Israel has sold the drone to India, Germany and Azerbaijan.
The US and Israel are engaged in discussions about Washington potentially leading a temporary post-war administration in Gaza, according to five individuals familiar with the matter. Reuters broke the story on Wednesday, saying the talks are still in early stages. The reports came at a time Israel intensified airstrikes across Gaza, with at least 92 people reported dead on May 7 alone. Health officials reported that one strike in central Gaza left at least 33 dead and 86 wounded, warning that the actual death toll could be higher.

The latest proposal envisions a transitional authority led by a US official to govern Gaza until it is demilitarised and a viable Palestinian leadership can take over. The plan appears similar to the US-led provisional administration in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. Independent observers, however, consider that an unmitigated disaster as it could not stop an insurgency, leading Iraq into untold chaos.

Sources indicated that other nations may be invited to participate in the Gaza administration, but key detailsincluding which countries would be involvedremain undecided. The new mechanism would include Palestinian technocrats but will have no role for Hamas and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

President Donald Trump, who has reportedly backed the idea, suggested in February that Washington could take over Gaza to remove unexploded ordnance, demolish ruined infrastructure and launch a broad economic redevelopment programme to generate jobs and housing. However, the plan lacks a clear timeline and remains contingent on developments on the ground.

Neither side has publicly confirmed the origins of the proposal, and State Department officials have declined to comment on specifics, reiterating Washingtons support for Israel and its desire for peace and the release of hostages. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also refused to comment.

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has floated a separate vision involving a temporary international trusteeship, possibly including moderate Arab nations, to oversee Gazas reconstruction and governance. However, he emphasised that Israel does not wish to control the civil affairs of Gazans and stressed that its priority remains security.

Hamas officials have condemned any foreign-imposed governance, insisting that Gazans must choose their own leadership. The Palestinian Authority has remained silent on the matter.

The UAE, which normalised relations with Israel in 2020, has also proposed an international coalition to manage post-war Gaza. The UAE, however, wants the PA as part of the new setup and also insists on a plausible roadmap to Palestinian statehood. But the Netanyahu government accuses the PA of being hostile to Israeli interests, and has been consistently against the two-state solution.

The potential American role in governing Gaza would mark Washingtons most significant Middle East intervention since Iraq, carrying risks of regional backlash if perceived as an occupying power. Two sources warned that such a move could spark strong opposition from both allies and adversaries in the region.

While some Israeli far-right ministers have openly called for the "voluntary" displacement of Gazans and the rebuilding of Jewish settlements in Gaza, more pragmatic elements in the government are reportedly examining post-war scenarios that do not rely on mass Palestinian migration. Proposals include carving up Gaza into security zones, restricting reconstruction to designated areas and building permanent Israeli military bases.

On May 5, Netanyahus Security Cabinet approved Operation Gideons Chariots, a plan to seize control of Gaza, expel much of its population to the south, and entrust aid distribution to American agencies. Some Israeli officials claim that Trump is unlikely to object to the plan. His upcoming tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE is expected to focus on investment and efforts to normalise Saudi-Israeli relations, rather than resolving the Gaza conflict.

Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff remains involved in peace efforts but is said to be overextended, simultaneously juggling peace efforts in Ukraine and nuclear negotiations with Iran. Meanwhile, the US and Israel continues to negotiate an alternative aid delivery mechanism to bypass Hamas. However, the UN and humanitarian agencies have condemned the proposed scheme, describing it as an Israeli attempt to weaponise aid as part of a broader military strategy.

Adding to doubts over Washingtons capacity to govern Gaza, the Trump administrations budget and diplomatic staff cuts have weakened its ability to engage in effective regional diplomacy. The State Department is reportedly planning to eliminate the security coordinator role for the West Bank and Gaza, a key position in managing Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

No wonder most seasoned Middle East watchers consider the latest plan to govern Gaza 'dead on arrival'.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, who will now officially go by the name of Pope Leo XIV, makes history by being the first Pope to be elected for the sacrosanct role of leading the Catholic Church.

"Peace be with you," he uttered on Thursday from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica as he graced jubilant crowds with his presence, and they loudly chanted "Leone" and "Leo" in unison.

The new pontiff's appearance marks the end of the enigmatic papal conclave, signified beforehand by the sweet chime of bells and white smoke issuing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, where 133 cardinal electors had been sequestered just two days ago.

Emphasising the importance of constructive peace and dialogue "without fear", he first spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling that more than an American, he was an Augustinian priest, a bishop and a Christian above all, so we can all walk together.

The Chicago-born archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru, had been invited by his predecessor Francis to the Vatican in 2023 to lead the Dicastery for Bishops, an important office of the Holy See that helps nominate bishops around the globe and also investigates allegations of abuse or negligence against bishops.

Despite the long-term taboo against an American leading the Catholic Church, on account of the United States' geopolitical prowess, Pope Leo XIV, aged 69, has spent a significant chunk of his career in Peru, first as a missionary, and then as an archbishop, according to an AP report.

Prevost's experience as the two-time head of the Augustinian ordera 13th century order founded by St. Augustine of Hippotill 2015, by which time he acquired a Peruvian citizenship, as well as his role as the head of the Dicastery for Bishops since 2023, could have therefore been the decisive factor for his victory.

US President Donald Trump congratulated Pope Leo XIV in a post on Truth Social.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!
The banned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group's two 'Markaz' (centres)its Bahawalpur headquarters and Narowal in Pakistan's Punjabfunctioned as a breeding ground for suicide attackers, had links with Palestine's Hamas and served as a facility for hoarding smuggled NATO arms from Afghanistan, officials said in New Delhi on Thursday.

Both these centres located on the opposite ends of Pakistan's Punjab province were among the nine targets hit by missiles launched by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the early hours of Wednesday, in a strong retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, in which 25 tourists and a local guide were gunned down by terrorists.

According to officials, the Bahawalpur centre of JeM, spread over 15 acres, is run by de-facto chief Abdul Rauf Asgar and the area houses of JeM founder Masood Azhar and other family members.

Masood Azhar acknowledged after the IAF strikescodenamed 'Operation Sindoor'that 10 members of his family and four close associates were killed in India's missile attack on the outfit's headquarters in Bahawalpur.

A statement attributed to Azhar said that those killed in the attack on the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur included the JeM chief's elder sister and her husband, a nephew and his wife, another niece, and five children from his extended family.

The Bahawalpur centre is notorious for hoarding arms and ammunition left behind by the NATO forces in Afghanistan, the officials said.

ALSO READ | Before and after video of Jaish-e-Mohammad headquarters demolished in Operation Sindoor goes viral

They added that Bahawalpur is often frequented by JeM commanders who were fighting in Afghanistan, and that Asgar purchases (as well as smuggles) consignments of weaponryincluding M4 series riflesthrough a network of criminals based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which was earlier known as the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Besides the M4 series, the arms and ammunition included sniper rifles, armour-piercing bullets, Night Vision Devices (NVD), and rifles fitted with NVD.

Regarding the centre in Narowal, the officials said that the Markaz has been used for learning tactics from the Palestinian Hamas group. The involvement of Hamas started in 2014, when one of the JeM terrorists, Mohammed Adnan Ali (codenamed 'Doctor') had imparted paraglider training to operatives of another group as well.

The training was given by Jagtar Singh Tara, who was deported to India, and his associates Jaswinder Singh Jassa and Mohammad Umar Gondal.

The tactics for paragliding and the use of tunnels for infiltration seem to be inspired by the modus operandi used by Hamas in the Middle East, the officials said, adding further that there were multiple inputs about regular interactions of JeM terrorists with Hamas leaders.

Then, in February this year, senior Hamas functionaries addressed a rally on 'Kashmir Solidarity Day' in Rawalakot, PoK, that had top Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad cadres in attendance.

ALSO READ | 'India's temporary happiness will be turned into permanent sorrow': Pakistan leaders spew venom after 'Operation Sindoor'

The rally was addressed by Hamas spokesperson Khalid Qaddoumi, a development that Indian agencies saw as an attempt to link the jihadi campaign in Jammu and Kashmir to the Palestinian fight in Kashmir.

The Bahawalpur and Narowal facilities have produced terrorists responsible for multiple suicide attacks in India, including the 2016 strike at the Pathankot IAF base and the 2020 attack in Nagrota.

Among those indoctrinated for these "fidayeen" (suicide) attacks were close relatives of Masood Azhar, specifically his nephew Tallah Rasheed, as well as Usman, Umar, and Mohammed Ismail, also known as 'Lambu'.

After being indoctrinated at these facilities, the individuals were reportedly sent to Balakot for arms training.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to retaliate against India after the successful Operation Sindoor by Indian armed forces destroyed terror targets in PoK and the Punjab province. However, many Pakistani citizens were irked by the slow speech of their PM whom they said sounded 'weak and underconfident'.

In his televised speech, Shehbaz claimed that India committed a grave mistake and vowed to seek revenge for "every drop of Pakistani blood".

However, instead of evoking patriotism, Sharif's words drew ire of Pakistani citizens who slammed the PM's slow speech.

        "  "                  

So it is clear from Shahbaz Shareef cliched speech that there is no plan to retaliate . #IndiaPakistanTensions #FreeImranKhan pic.twitter.com/zDAPyPkkcH  HAY (@yasiralihamza) May 7, 2025

One of the Pakistani users said, "Shebaz uncle, please start speaking in 2x speed. We don't want a speech on every matter, please come to the point."

Another citizen said Shehbaz looked weak and underconfident. "It's not a good look. Just saying," the user added.

Annoyed by the Pakistani premier's slow speech, one citizen said, "Looking at the speed of Shahbaz Sharif's speech, the war may end but his speech won't."

Mocking the prime minister's pledge to retaliated against India, one user said, "Listening to Shahbaz Sharif, it seems that this is the only retaliation he wanted to show."

Another Pakistani citizen went on to call Shehbaz Sharif a coward, saying, "While addressing the nation on Indian attack, he didnt even once mention that India has to pay for its actions. Unbelievable. Utterly disappointed. Thats why nations are built on true leaders, not imposed ones".

Yet another user said that after listening to the "cliched speech", it is clear that Pakistan is not planning to retaliate.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh clarified that Operation Sindoor is an ongoing operation. He said India does not want to escalate the situation but would strike back if Pakistan retaliates.
The US Consulate General in Pakistan issued one advisory each on Wednesday and Thursday that cautioned its citizens about the tense situation between India and Pakistan, as well as the high possibility of escalation.

Upholding its Do Not Travel advisory status for sensitive areas around the Line of Control between India and Pakistan, as well as a Reconsider Travel advisory for Pakistan in general, the embassy reiterated the importance of leaving active areas of conflict, if possible, or finding shelter otherwise.

Flight availability into and out of Pakistan remains fluid. Some civilian flights reportedly operated overnight. This morning, the Pakistan Airports Authority announced a temporary suspension of flight operations in Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot, the Thursday advisory said.

Assuring their citizens that the US Embassy in Islamabad and Consulates General in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar would remain open for regular business, the advisories also offered other tips on staying safe in a volatile nation, such as monitoring the local media, keeping a low profile, carrying identification, and cooperating with the authorities.

The US has also warned its citizens and government personnel to avoid travelling to Jammu and Kashmir.

In the meantime, all US advisories also stress on the importance of their citizens joining the Smart Traveller Enrollment Program (STEP), a free, 20-minute process that allows citizens to enroll their trip abroad, so that the Department of State could accurately and quickly contact them in case of emergencies.

The conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations can be attributed to the Pahalgam attack of April 22 that killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir, in lieu of which India launched a series of 20+ precision strikes, taking out about 70 terrorists spread across nine camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Pakistan, in turn, has fired missiles at 15 Indian cities, which was promplt neutralised by the Indian military.
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was seen fumbling his words when CNN anchor Becky Anderson confronted him with facts and some blunt questions. The journalist asked the minister if he has any evidence to prove that Pakistan struck down Indian jets. Asif cited information circulated on social media as evidence.

Anderson told Asif that Pakistan has alleged that it shot down five Indian Air Force jets. However, India said there is no evidence of Pakistan's claims. "Can you provide more detail? Let's start with this very specific claim of five fighter jets shot down. Where's the evidence for that, sir?" asked the CNN journalist.

CNN anchor grills Pakistan's defence minister



Anchor: You say PAK shot down 5 Indian jets. Where's the evidence?



Khwaja Asif: It's all over social media



CNN Anchor: ....I'm sorry we didn't ask you here to talk about social media content pic.twitter.com/hA8LucaaKv  Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) May 7, 2025

Responding to her, the Pakistani minister said that it is all over social media. "On Indian social media, not on our social media. The debris of these jets fell... it's all over Indian media."

However, Anderson was quick to shame him, reminding him that he is the defence minister of Pakistan. "Youre the defence minister, sir. The reason to talk to you today, sir, is not to talk about content all over social media. I'm sorry," the host said.

Asif's CNN interview was soon circulated on social media, with people brutally slamming the defence minister. One user said, "A day without international embarrassment is a day wasted on Pakistan." while another said, "Pakistan goes to international media only to embarrass themselves."

Another user said, "No wonder  US troops took out Osama bin Laden right near Pakistani army quarters, and they only heard about it later from the news!"
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. U.S. President Donald Trump has extended his congratulations to the newly elected Pope, Trend reports.

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment," he wrote on social media.

In a historic decision, the Catholic Church has elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new leader of the global Catholic community. The 69-year-old American cleric has taken the papal name Leo XIV, marking the first time in history that a pontiff hails from the U.S.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), the separatist group fighting to establish a Baluch/Baloch state in Pakistan, made news recently when they hijacked the Jaffar Express, a Pakistani passenger train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar. 64 lives, including all 33 militants, were lost by the time the Pakistan military managed to end the hostage crisis.

Amidst the ongoing Indo-Pak tensions, a video surfaced on the internet that showed a utility vehicle carrying Pakistani military personnel being taken out. Claiming, responsibility for the blast, BLA said that Islamabad lost 14 soldiers in the incident.

 BREAKING NEWS: 14 Pakistani soldiers, including senior officers, have been ELIMINATED by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in twin IED attacks in Balochistans Bolan and Kech regions. #BLA #Pakistan #SecurityAlert pic.twitter.com/z9PbPbPr04  SenaWatch (@SenaWa1ch) May 8, 2025

Pakistan has accused New Delhi of funding and supporting the BLA, which has been designated as a terrorist organisation by many countries including the United States, China and Iran. Here are five things you may like to know about the Balochistan Liberation Army, which remains a perennial headache to the Pakistani military:

1. The lion's share of BLA fighters come from the Marri and Bugti tribal communities. They want greater regional autonomy for the province of Balochistan. Founded in 2000, BLA dreams of creating a "sovereign state of Greater Balochistan", bringing together parts of Pakistan, Iranian and Afghanistan Balochistan territories.

2. The State of Pakistan believes that all Muslims are created equal. BLA is against this way of thought and emphasises ethnic identity should take precedence over religious identity, a report by mappingmilitants.com claimed.

3. According to the report, BLA "is the oldest and the most dangerous among all Baloch groups currently active in the region." They hold the Pakistani government responsible for exploiting the region's natural resources while depriving the Baloch people of any dividends. They demand Islamabad to invest "greater economic resources" and take its abundant resources away.

4. BLA has vowed to rid the region of Chinese and Pakistani influence. The influence of foreign powers like China is among the reason why Islamabad continue to exploit natural resources in the region, they believe.

5. Crowdfunding is crucial in keeping BLA afloat. They enjoy reasonable support among Baloch people across age groups as they fight for the autonomy and independence of Balochistan They make generous contributions to ensure BLAs income and weapons supply never suffers. It is also reportedly believed that the BLA has managed to fetch weapons leftover from conflicts in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.
Five Jewish men wearing yarmulkes suffered an antisemitic incident this week at a bowling alley in Antwerp near the Jewish Quarter, Ynet reported.

When they arrived at their bowling, they discovered the large lit screen over their lane stated 5 Joden [Jews] under Reservation.

After a complaint was filed, the bowling company fired the two employees responsible for the incident, who were also found to have expressed pro-terror views on social media.

Tzvi Grosskopf, a community activist in Antwerp, said that the Belgian Jewish organization JID, which works to combat antisemitism, contacted the company about the incident.

The company said in a statement: We are shocked and disappointed by the incident that occurred at our Antwerp location, during which two employees acted in a racist and antisemitic manner. We offer our sincere apologies to anyone who felt hurt or excluded as a result. This behavior is completely inconsistent with our company values. We place great importance on ensuring that everyone feels welcome and safe at our venuesalways and everywhere.

After learning about the incident, we took immediate action. The employees involved were dismissed on the spot. The rest of the Antwerp staff is now undergoing a thorough review regarding this incident. Racist or discriminatory behavior is absolutely unacceptable in our company. We take this matter very seriously and are acting decisively.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The White House is withdrawing the nomination of a former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat for U.S. surgeon general, marking at least the second health-related pick from President Donald Trump to be pulled from Senate consideration.

The withdrawal was confirmed by two people familiar with the matter. Nesheiwat had been scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Thursday for her confirmation hearing. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm a decision not yet made public.

Nesheiwat is a medical director for an urgent care company in New York and has appeared regularly on Fox News to offer medical expertise and insights. She is a vocal supporter of Trump and shares photos of them together on social media. Nesheiwat is also the sister-in-law of former national security adviser Mike Waltz, who has been nominated to be Trumps ambassador to the United Nations.

But she has recently come under criticism from Laura Loomer, a far-right ally of Trump who was instrumental in ousting several members of the presidents National Security Council. Loomer posted on X earlier this week that we cant have a pro-COVID vaccine nepo appointee who is currently embroiled in a medical malpractice case and who didnt go to medical school in the US as the surgeon general.

CBS News reported last week that Nesheiwat earned her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in St. Maarten, despite saying that she has a degree from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine.

The surgeon general, considered the nations doctor, oversees 6,000 U.S. Public Health Service Corps members and can issue advisories that warn of public health threats.

In March, the White House pulled from consideration the nomination of former Florida GOP Rep. Dave Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His skepticism on vaccines had raised concerns from key Republican senators, and he withdrew after being told by the White House that he did not have enough support to be confirmed.

(AP)
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a plan Wednesday to use medical data and records from people on Medicaid and Medicare to help study autism although experts say its unlikely to help reveal the conditions root causes.

The program will involve a data sharing agreement between the National Institutes of Health, the governments health research arm, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which has access to claims data from nearly 150 million Americans across the country.

Were using this partnership to uncover the root causes of autism and other chronic diseases, Kennedy said in a statement.

The agreement will be consistent with applicable privacy laws to protect Americans sensitive health information, the HHS statement said. The health department did not respond to additional questions about the program.

Using the data, the agency said researchers will focus on autism diagnosis trends, health outcomes from medical or behavioral treatment, access to care based on demographics and geography as well the economic burden of autism on families and health care systems.

The problem is that this isnt the kind of data needed to answer questions about autisms causes, said Helen Tager-Flusberg, professor emerita at Boston University who leads a new Coalition of Autism Scientists pushing back on Kennedys characterizations of the condition.

Enough research has been done at this point to know there is no simple magic bullet, she said, cautioning that this type of dataset wont help with the type of research most needed  into genetics and other prenatal, preconception and early infancy factors.

Kennedy has directed the health department to undertake a far-reaching research effort to identify the causes of autism, a complex disorder that impacts the brain. Announcing his plans last month, Kennedy said he plans to provide answers as to what causes autism by September. He has since said the department will determine at least some of the causes.

His research directive comes as autism rates in the U.S. are rising, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releasing a report that an estimated 1 in 31 U.S. children have autism, a marked increase from 2020. Scientists and researchers who study autism have said that increase in diagnoses is the result of increased awareness about the disorder, especially among people who exhibit milder symptoms of autism.

Kennedy has rejected that explanation in public appearances, instead describing autism as a preventable disease that is caused by environmental factors.

Autism is not considered a disease but a complex brain disorder. Those who have spent decades researching autism have found no single cause, although genetic factors are associated with it. In addition to genetics, scientists have identified various possible factors, including the age of a childs father, the mothers weight and whether she had diabetes or was exposed to certain chemicals.

Kennedys comments have sparked alarm among autism researchers and advocates, who fear he will use the study to support a discredited theory that vaccines cause autism. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine critic, has pushed that theory before, although decades of research has found no link between vaccines and autism. President Donald Trump has also suggested that vaccines could be to blame for autism rates.

The new platform that HHS plans to launch around autism will be a pilot, that will be used to study chronic conditions and treatments, the agency said.

(AP)
President Donald Trump has issued a proclamation designating Thursday as a day for the United States to celebrate victory in World War II as countries in Europe already do.

Cities from London to Moscow are holding parades, flyovers and memorials this week as the world observes Thursdays 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, when Nazi Germany surrendered to Allied forces, including the U.S.

Heres what to know about Trumps plans:

What is Trump doing and why?

The Republican president is designating specific days for the U.S. to celebrate being on the winning side in World War I and World War II. He complained in recent social media posts that Americans dont spend enough time celebrating those achievements, which he said wouldnt have been possible without the U.S.

Many of our allies and friends are celebrating May 8th as Victory Day, but we did more than any other Country, by far, in producing a victorious result on World War II. I am hereby renaming May 8th as Victory Day for World War II and November 11th as Victory Day for World War I, he said last week on social media. We won both Wars, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance, but we never celebrate anything  Thats because we dont have leaders anymore, that know how to do so! We are going to start celebrating our victories again!

Can Trump rename an existing federal holiday?

No. Nov. 11 is already Veterans Day, a federal holiday in the U.S., and only Congress can create, rename or take it back. That could explain why Trump backed away from his renaming plan and said hed instead be declaring national holidays instead.

We won two World Wars, but we never took credit for it  Everyone else does! All over the World, the Allies are celebrating the Victory we had in World War II. The only Country that doesnt celebrate is the United States of America, and the Victory was only accomplished because of us, he wrote Monday on social media. Without the United States, the War would have been won by other Countries, and what a different World it would be. Therefore, I am hereby declaring a National Holiday in celebration of the Victories of World War I, where the Armistice was signed on November 11, 1918, and World War II, where the Victory date was May 8, 1945.

He signed a proclamation on Wednesday that designates May 8, 2025, as a day in celebration of Victory Day for World War II. Hes expected to issue a similar proclamation for World War I later this year.

Is Thursday a day off from work?

No, Thursday is not a federal holiday and therefore not a day off from work. Only Congress can create federal holidays, and Trump has complained that there already are too many of them.

What does he envision will happen around the U.S. on these days?

Its unclear. Trump didnt say what he envisions happening, and the proclamation didnt include any details. But he said during an unrelated appearance Wednesday in the Oval Office that he noticed France and other countries were all getting ready for Victory Day.

We dont celebrate it and I think thats a great disservice, Trump said.

What happens in other countries?

On major anniversaries like this years 80th, Britain celebrates VE Day with parades, airplane flyovers and memorials. The British royal family traditionally watches the airplanes pass overhead from a balcony at Buckingham Palace.

Russia celebrates on Friday, and its Victory Day parades are a massive show of its armed forces, with thousands of troops, scores of heavy equipment rolling across Red Square and flyovers involving dozens of warplanes. Military parades, fireworks and other festivities are held in cities across the country.

What have veterans groups said about Trumps plans?

Rob Couture, director of public affairs for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said they are encouraged by any steps that bring attention to the service of veterans from that time.

Just over 66,100 of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II were alive as of 2024.

(AP)
President Donald Trump has agreed to cut tariffs on U.K. autos, steel and aluminum in a planned trade deal with Britain, which would buy more American beef and streamline its customs process for goods from the United States.

The symbolically resonant agreement still has yet to be finalized, but it suggested that Trump was still able to negotiate with other countries after his vast set of tariffs stoked fears around the world of an economic downturn and higher inflation.

The announcement provided a political victory for U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and offered a degree of validation for Trumps claims that his turbulent approach on trade may be able to rebalance the global economy on his preferred terms.

The U.S. president talked up the agreement to reporters from the Oval Office, even as the fine print remains in flux.

The final details are being written up, Trump told reporters. In the coming weeks, well have it all very conclusive.

The president said that the agreement would lead to more beef and ethanol exports to the U.K., which would also streamline the processing of U.S. goods though customs. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the baseline 10% tariffs would stay in place, while U.K. officials said that Trumps auto tariffs would go from 27.5% to 10% on a quota of 100,000 vehicles and the import taxes on steel and aluminum would go from 25% to zero.

Starmer, speaking over the phone to Trump, stressed the importance of the relationship between the two countries as the anniversary of the World War II victory in Europe was being commemorated.

To be able to announce this great deal on the same deal 80 years forward, almost at the same hour and as we were 80 years ago with the U.K. and the U.S. standing side by side, I think is incredibly important, Starmer said.

The planned deal was the first outlined since Trump began his stutter-step efforts to rewire the global economy by dramatically increasing import taxes in an attempt to increase domestic manufacturing. The Republican president quickly rolled out tariffs after returning to the White House, targeting traditional allies such as the U.K. with import taxes on steel, aluminum and autos. Trump announced near universal tariffs on April 2, then partially retreated a week later and announced that his administration would seek individual agreements with various countries over the next few months.

The U.S. already runs a trade surplus with the U.K., making it a bit easier to find common ground as Trump has staked his tariffs on specifically eliminating the annual trade deficits with multiple nations he says have taken advantage of the U.S.

No new deals have been reached with Americas largest trading partners, including Canada, Mexico and China. Trump has left the highest tariffs in place on China, sparking a confrontation between the worlds two biggest economies. Washington and Beijing are sending officials to Switzerland this weekend for an initial round of trade talks.

Trump promised on Thursday that there are many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!

Starmer, speaking at a defense conference in London, said talks with the U.S. have been ongoing, and youll hear more from me about that later today.

The U.S. and the U.K. have been aiming to strike a bilateral trade agreement since the British people voted in 2016 to leave the European Union, allowing the country to negotiate independently of the rest of the continent. Then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson touted a future deal with the U.S. as an incentive for Brexit.

Negotiations started in 2020, during Trumps first term. But the talks made little progress under President Joe Biden, a Democrat and a critic of Brexit. Negotiations resumed after Trump returned to office in January and intensified in recent weeks.

A major goal of British negotiators has been to reduce or lift the import tax on U.K. cars and steel, which Trump set at 25%. The U.S. is the largest destination for British cars, accounting for more than a quarter of U.K. auto exports in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Britain has also sought tariff exemptions for pharmaceuticals, while the U.S. wants greater access to the British market for agriculture products. Starmers government has said it wont lower U.K. food standards to allow in chlorine-rinsed American chicken or hormone-treated beef.

The British government will see a deal as a vindication of Starmers emollient approach to Trump, which has avoided direct confrontation or criticism. Unlike the European Union, Britain did not announce retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods in response to Trumps import taxes.

A trade deal with the United Kingdom would be symbolically important and a relief for British exporters. But an agreement would do little to address Trumps core concern about persistent trade deficits that prompted him to impose import taxes on countries around the world.

The U.S. ran a $11.9 billion trade surplus in goods with the U.K. last year, according to the Census Bureau. The $68 billion in goods that the U.S. imported from the U.K. last year accounted for just 2% of all goods imported into the country.

The U.S. is much more important to the U.K. economy. It was Britains biggest trading partner last year, according to government statistics, though the bulk of Britains exports to the U.S. are services rather than goods.

Trump has previously said that his leverage in talks would be U.S. consumers, but he appeared to suggest that the U.K. would also start buying more American-made goods.

I think that the United Kingdom, like every other country, they want to  go shopping in the United States of America, he said.

A trade deal with the U.S. is one of several that Starmers government is seeking to strike. On Tuesday, Britain and India announced a trade agreement after three years of negotiations. The U.K. is also trying to lift some of the barriers to trade with the EU imposed when Britain left the bloc in 2020.

(AP)
Hardly any other country marks the end of World War II with the same fanfare and fervor as Russia, for which the victory over Nazi Germany 80 years ago remains a source of immense pride and a defining moment of history.

Victory Day, celebrated on May 9, is Russias most important secular holiday, reflecting its wartime sacrifice. But its also used by the Kremlin to bolster patriotism and regain the superpower prestige it lost when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

President Vladimir Putin, who has ruled Russia for 25 of those 80 years, has turned Victory Day into a key pillar of his tenure and has tried to use it to justify his 3-year-old invasion of Ukraine.

He has also sought to underline the failure of Western efforts to isolate Moscow by inviting Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders to the festivities, which this year have been overshadowed by reports of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Moscow and severe disruptions at the capitals airports, as well as cellphone internet outages.

A look at why Victory Day is so important for Russia and Putin:

The Soviet sacrifice of World War II

The Soviet Union lost a staggering 27 million people in what it calls the Great Patriotic War from 1941-45. That sacrifice left a deep scar in the national psyche.

Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, and quickly overran the western part of the country. They got as close as 30 kilometers (under 19 miles) from Moscow by October of that year, but the Red Army rebounded and routed the invaders.

Soviet troops dealt crushing defeats to Germany in 1943 in Stalingrad and Kursk. and then drove the Nazi forces back across the western Soviet Union all the way to Berlin.

Putin has noted that every seventh Soviet citizen was killed, while the United Kingdom lost one out of every 127 and the United States one out of 320.

The Soviet Union and the Red Army, no matter what anyone is trying to prove today, made the main and crucial contribution to the defeat of Nazism, Putin wrote in 2020.

A Putin family story from World War II

Putin is deeply emotional to the history of World War II, saying we will always remember the high price the Soviet people paid for the victory.

He often invokes stories from his parents, Vladimir and Maria, in the war, and the death of his 2-year-old brother, Viktor, known as Vitya, during the 2 1/2-year Nazi siege of his home of Leningrad, now called St. Petersburg.

It was the place where my mother miraculously managed to survive, Putin wrote. My father, despite being exempt from active duty, volunteered to defend his hometown.

He also recalled in a magazine article how his father talked about a scouting mission behind Nazi lines when his comrades were killed and he survived by hiding in a swamp and breathing through a reed while German soldiers walked a few steps away.

Putins father was badly wounded. After leaving the hospital, he walked home on crutches to see morgue workers taking his wifes body away for burial.

He came up to her and it seemed to him that she was breathing, and he said to the orderlies, Shes still alive! Putins father recounted to his son.

The morgue workers replied, Shell die on the way, she wont survive. But Putin said his father pushed them away with crutches and forced them to carry her back to their apartment.

World War IIs role in Kremlin policies

Putins emphasis on World War II history reflects not only his desire to showcase Russias military might but also his effort to rally the country behind his agenda.

World War II is a rare event in the nations divisive history under Communist rule that is revered by all political groups, and the Kremlin has used that sentiment to encourage national pride and underline Russias position as a global power.

Victory Day parades are a massive show of its armed forces, with thousands of troops and scores of heavy equipment, including mobile launchers carrying nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles, rolling across Red Square, and flyovers of dozens of warplanes. Military parades, fireworks and other festivities are held in cities across the country.

Authorities also encourage May 9 demonstrations featuring what is known as the Immortal Regiment, in which people carry photos of relatives who fought in World War II. Putin joined those rallies for several years, carrying a picture of his father.

Using World War II to justify the invasion of Ukraine

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Putin declared it was aimed at the demilitarization and denazification of its neighbor, falsely alleging that neo-Nazi groups were shaping Ukraines politics under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is Jewish. The claims were vehemently dismissed by Kyiv and its Western allies.

Putin tried to cast Ukraines veneration of some of its nationalist leaders who cooperated with the Nazis in World War II as a sign of Kyivs purported Nazi sympathies. He regularly made references to Ukrainian nationalist figures such as Stepan Bandera, who was killed by a Soviet spy in Munich in 1959, as an underlying justification for the Russian military action in Ukraine.

The Kremlin has mixed those issues and used the victory over Nazi Germany as a foundation for building anti-Ukrainian narratives, said political analyst Nikolai Petrov. In Putins mind and in the Kremlins plans, the victory over Nazis rhymes with the victory over the Ukrainian neo-Nazism as they put it.

(AP)
The more President Donald Trump talks about his efforts to reach deals with Americas trading partners, the more confusing the tariff picture gets. His team seems good with that, saying Trump is using strategic uncertainty to his advantage.

Trump says the United States does not have to sign any agreements, and that it could sign 25 of them right now. He says he is looking for fair deals on all sides, and that he does not care about other countries markets. He says his team can sit down to negotiate the terms of a deal, and that he might just impose a set of tariffs on his own.

I am struggling to make sense of it, Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, wrote in an email.

Late Wednesday on his social media site, Trump wrote that hell be holding a news conference Thursday morning concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. He added that it would be THE FIRST OF MANY!!!

Although Trumps team holds up his best-selling book The Art of the Deal as proof that he has a master plan, much of the world is on tenterhooks. That has meant a volatile stock market, hiring freezes and all kinds of uncertainty even as Trump continues to promise that new factories and jobs are on the horizon.

A look at how the trade talks may play out:

Trump still wants tariffs

As part of any deal, Trump wants to keep some of his tariffs in place. He believes the import taxes can generate massive revenues for a heavily indebted federal government even though other countries see the whole point of striking a deal as getting rid of tariffs.

Theyre a beautiful thing for us, Trump said recently about tariffs. If you can use them, if you can get away with using them, its going to make us very rich. And well be paying off debt, well be lowering your taxes very substantially because so much money will be taken in that well be able to lower your taxes even beyond the tax cut that youre going to be getting.

So far this year, the U.S. government has collected $45.9 billion from tariffs, about $14.5 billion more than last year, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. Those revenues could escalate sharply given the 10% baseline tariffs, the 145% rate being charged on Chinese goods and rates as high as 25% on steel, aluminum, auto and Mexican and Canadian imports.

To reach Trumps stated goals of repaying the $36 trillion debt and reducing income taxes, his tariffs would need to raise at least $2 trillion annually without causing the economy to crash in ways that lead to lower overall tax revenues. That would be close to impossible mathematically.

How do negotiations work?

The Republican administration has said 17 of its major 18 trading partners have essentially presented them with term sheets, which list the possible compromises that they are prepared to make. Agreeing to a mutual understanding of the terms would be only the start of any trade talks.

But foreign leaders have said it is unclear exactly what Trump wants or how deals could be codified into a durable agreement. They also know Trump approved the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 2020, only to charge new tariffs on those same two trading partners this year.

While meeting with Trump on Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney suggested the next version of that agreement would need to be strengthened to prevent a repeat of the fentanyl-related tariffs imposed this year by Trump that Canada saw as arbitrary.

Some things about it are going to have to change, Carney said.

Can the US reach a deal with China?

The 145% tariffs on China  and the 125% tariffs on the U.S. that Beijing imposed in response  hang over the entire negotiating process. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledges that those tariffs are not sustainable.

The first talks between the U.S. and China are set to begin this weekend in Switzerland, but they will likely be limited to finding ways to de-escalate tensions enough for meaningful negotiations to take place.

The key issue is that China is the worlds dominant manufacturer, which makes also makes it a leading exporter in ways that can supplant domestic industries. Because China suppresses domestic consumption and focuses on production, the rest of the world buys what it makes because there is not enough internal demand. The U.S. wants to rebalance trade, but it has done so also through tariffs on countries that could be its natural allies in defending their auto and tech industries against China.

Obviously in this trade puzzle, China is the biggest piece, Bessent said this week. Where do we end up with China?

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian has suggested that a meaningful way for the Trump administration to jump-start talks would be to pull back on its rhetoric and punitive import taxes.

If the U.S. truly wants to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation, it should stop threatening and pressuring and engage in dialogue with China on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit, Lin said Tuesday.

Asked on Wednesday whether he would reduce the tariffs on China as a condition for negotiations, Trump said, No.

The president also disputed statements by the Chinese government that his administration sought the talks in Geneva. Well, I think they ought to go back and study their files, Trump said.

Would Congress need to approve any deals?

Not necessarily.

Trump unilaterally imposed his universal tariffs without Congress, using the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to do so, which has led to multiple lawsuits. The administration also maintains that any agreements to change the rates would not need congressional approval.

Previously, presidents, including Trump in his first term with his Phase One China deal, could negotiate only more limited agreements that have focused on select bilateral trade and tariff issues, according to a Congressional Research Service report updated this April. Other examples of limited deals include a 2023 agreement on critical minerals and a 2020 deal on digital trade with Japan.

The challenge is that Trump has also made nontariff barriers such as safety regulations for autos and the value added taxes charged in Europe part of his talks. He wants other countries to change their nontariff policies in exchange for the U.S. reducing the new tariffs he introduced. Other countries, in return, might object to U.S. subsidies to its companies.

In theory, it would take House and Senate approval to complete a deal that would address non-tariff barriers and require changes to U.S. law, the Congressional Research Service report said.

Is it really a deal if Trump just imposes it?

If other countries fail to satisfy him, Trump has suggested he will just do some kind of internal deals and set a tariff rate, although he technically already did that with his April 2 Liberation Day tariffs. The import taxes announced by Trump then led to a financial market sell-off that caused him to pause some of his new tariffs for 90 days and charge the lower 10% baseline rate while negotiations take place.

It appears Trump will agree not to impose the originally threatened tariffs if he thinks other countries are making adequate concessions, essentially meaning that the U.S. gives up nothing because the tariffs are new. But Trump might also pull back his tariffs without necessarily getting much in return.

Trump is notorious for making maximalist demands and then retreating as negotiations go on, so well see how long he sticks with his formula, said William Reinsch, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. But so far it is pretty clear that countries coming in and wanting a normal trade negotiation with both sides making substantive concessions are being rebuffed.

(AP)
The Indian government announced Thursday that its military forces conducted a targeted operation resulting in the death of Abdul Rauf Azhar, a senior commander of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Indian authorities claim Azhar was a key conspirator in the 2002 kidnapping, torture, and beheading of American-Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl.

Daniel Pearl, a 38-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter and South Asia bureau chief, was kidnapped in Karachi, Pakistan, on January 23, 2002, while investigating links between Pakistani terrorists and Richard Reid, the so-called shoe bomber. Pearl, who was Jewish, was lured to a meeting under the pretense of an interview with a religious cleric. Instead, he was abducted by a coalition of Islamist terrorist groups, including members of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, operating under the banner of the National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty.

The kidnappers issued demands for the release of Pakistani detainees held by the United States and an end to U.S. military actions in Afghanistan. They released haunting images of Pearl in chains, holding a newspaper with a gun to his head. Nine days later, on or around February 1, 2002, Pearl was beheaded. A graphic video of his execution was sent to the U.S. Consulate in Karachi and later circulated online, shocking the world and foreshadowing the brutal propaganda tactics later adopted by groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS. Pearls dismembered remains were discovered in May 2002 in a shallow grave north of Karachi.

Investigations into Pearls murder implicated multiple individuals. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a British-born terrorist, was convicted in 2002 for orchestrating the kidnapping and sentenced to death in Pakistan. However, his murder conviction was overturned in 2020 by the Sindh High Court, which reduced his sentence to seven years for kidnappinga term he had already served. The decision sparked international outrage, with the Pearl family and U.S. officials calling it a travesty of justice.

In 2007, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, confessed to personally beheading Pearl during interrogations at Guantanamo Bay, though his confession, obtained under waterboarding, raised concerns about its admissibility in court. A 2011 investigation by the Pearl Project at Georgetown University substantiated Mohammeds role in the beheading but confirmed Sheikhs involvement in the kidnapping.

Abdul Rauf Azhar, the terrorist killed in the recent Indian operation, was a senior Jaish-e-Mohammed operative and brother of the groups founder, Masood Azhar. He was also a key figure in the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, which led to the release of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and other terrorists in exchange for hostages. Indian authorities have long accused Azhar of involvement in Pearls kidnapping and murder, citing his role in Jaish-e-Mohammeds operations in Pakistan.

According to Indian government sources, Abdul Rauf Azhar was killed in a precision strike in a remote area, though specific details about the location and method were not disclosed. The operation was described as a response to credible intelligence linking Azhar to ongoing terrorist activities and his historical role in high-profile attacks, including Pearls murder. Indian officials emphasized that the strike underscores their commitment to combating terrorism and holding perpetrators accountable, regardless of borders.

India has delivered justice for the brutal murder of Daniel Pearl, a government spokesperson said. Abdul Rauf Azhars elimination sends a clear message: those who target innocents and spread terror will face the consequences.

The U.S. State Department has not yet commented on Indias announcement, but past statements from U.S. officials have underscored a commitment to securing justice for Pearls family. In 2021, then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that the U.S. was prepared to prosecute Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in the United States for his role in Pearls abduction and murder. The Pearl family, who have consistently appealed for accountability, could not be reached for immediate comment but have previously expressed frustration with Pakistans handling of the case.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
8-11th May

Eberhard & Co. once again confirms its role as Main Sponsor and Official Timekeeper of the Coppa della Perugina, an event that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. Taking place from May 8th to 11th, the Coppa della Perugina was born to revive the first speed race ever held in the Italian region of Umbria, originally organized between 1924 and 1927 by Giovanni Buitoni, founder of the confectionery company La Perugina.

This historic re-enactment is part of the prestigious ASI Circuito Tricolore (a nationwide series of events organized by the Italian Historical Automobile Club) and is open exclusively to vintage cars built up to 1965. Around one hundred classic vehicles are expected to take part in a tour that will explore some of the most picturesque locations in Umbria, blending a passion for automobiles with the discovery of the regions cultural and natural beauty. The event will kick off on Thursday, May 8th with a visit to Lake Trasimeno and Isola Maggiore, where participants will be able to enjoy breathtaking landscapes, charming fishing villages, centuries-old olive groves, and panoramic views over the lake.

Coppa della Perugina  Eberhard & Co.

On Friday, the convoy will head to Gualdo Tadino, a town known for its thermal waters and the imposing Rocca Flea fortress. The tour will continue through the Valsorda, a green paradise in the heart of the Umbria-Marche Apennines.

On Saturday, the cars will arrive in Citta della Pieve, with its distinctive red-brick historic centre and picturesque views of the Val di Chiana. In the afternoon, participants will ride through the streets of Perugia in the traditional downtown procession.

On Sunday, the crews will meet in San Sisto, at the headquarters of Bartoccini, official Eberhard & Co. retailer. From there, the historical re-enactment will begin, including a regularity race that will conclude at the Nestle-Perugina factory. The event will end with the awards ceremony, during which the winning team will receive a Champion V wrist chronograph, a symbol of Eberhard & Co.s sporting spirit.

On this occasion, the Swiss Maison proudly renews its commitment to historic motorsport and to events that bring together a love of driving with the celebration of Italys cultural, artistic, and natural heritage.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Tuesday urged Israel to consider launching direct strikes on Irans oil infrastructure and to continue hammering Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, warning Tehran of grave consequences for its role in regional escalation.

The senators call came after Israeli warplanes pounded the port city of Hudaydah and the Saana International Airport in Yemen, retaliating for a brazen Houthi ballistic missile strike that landed dangerously close to Israels main international gateway, Ben Gurion Airport, injuring six.

To my friends in Israel, do what you have to do to protect your airspace and your people, Graham posted on X. It is long past time to consider hitting Iran hard. It wouldnt take much to put Iran out of the oil business.

Grahams comments followed a dramatic announcement from President Donald Trump earlier Tuesday, declaring that the United States would suspend its bombing campaign on the Houthis. Trump said the group had agreed to stop interrupting important shipping lanes in the Middle East and had requested an end to U.S. airstrikes during a direct appeal Monday night.

They said please dont bomb us anymore, and were not going to attack your ships, Trump told reporters. I will accept their word, and we are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis effective immediately.

Graham welcomed the news that American vessels were no longer in immediate danger but warned that Tehrans continued support for Houthi aggressionparticularly against Israelwould not go unanswered.

As to the Houthis continuing to attack Israelthey do so at Irans own peril, Graham said. Without Iran, the Houthis do not possess the capability to attack America, international shipping or Israel.

The senators warning is part of a broader campaign hes waged against Irans regional ambitions. He has repeatedly urged the Trump administration to take a harder line on Tehran, especially as diplomatic efforts to rein in its nuclear program gain traction.

There is zero chance that Ayatollah Khamenei is going to agree to a deal that stops him from building a nuclear weapon, Graham told Fox News Brian Kilmeade in March. We need to face that reality and act accordingly.

In February, Graham led a bipartisan Senate delegation to Israel, where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and emphasized the threat posed by a nuclear-armed Iran.

Iran with a nuke is a nightmare for the Jewish state, Graham said at the time. Its a nightmare for the world because it will trigger a nuclear arms race across the region.

Graham also accused Ayatollah Khamenei of being hell-bent on three things: purifying Islam in their own image, destroying the Jewish state, and driving every Westerner out of the Middle East.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Israeli security forces overnight Wednesday arrested the terrorist who carried out the shooting attack on Wednesday evening at a checkpoint near Jenin, in the Shomron.

Following the attack, the terrorist fled the scene, and IDF and police forces launched a manhunt. Eventually, with the aid of precise Shin Bet intelligence, the forces located the terrorist hiding in his home in the Arab village of Bartaa. They surrounded his home, and he eventually surrendered to the forces.

The condition of the two IDF reservists injured in the attack, who were initially listed as being in moderate condition, later deteriorated and they are both now in serious condition.

They were evacuated by helicopter from the scene of the attack to the hospital.

A third IDF reservist was moderately wounded in a ramming-stabbing attack near Chevron that occurred minutes after the shooting attack.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The Iranians arrested over the weekend in the UK were planning on carrying out a large terror attack at the Israeli embassy in London, The Times reported on Wednesday.

The police have refused to comment on the details of the case, but according to the report, it is understood the embassy was the main target.

Dan Jarvis, the security minister, refused to give details of the immigration status of the suspects citing the continuing police inquiry, the report added.

The suspects were reportedly hours away from carrying out the attack before being arrested. Authorities said that the suspects plots were some of the biggest counter-state threats the UK has seen in recent years.

According to the report, British security and intelligence officials have grown increasingly concerned about Iranian threats on British soil.

In October, MI5 Director General Sir Ken McCallum warned that Iran could target the UK if it believes it is showing too much support to Israel.

The Telegraph revealed on Tuesday that one of the suspects has close ties to the Iranian regime.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Relations between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu appear to have hit a new low, with sources close to Trump confirming to Yisrael Hayom that the president has grown deeply frustrated with his Israeli counterpart.

What began as quiet tension has escalated into open diplomatic coldness. Just days after reports surfaced of Netanyahus dissatisfaction with Trumps handling of regional affairs, insiders from Trumps inner circle now reveal that the feeling is mutual  and intensifying. According to two senior figures who spoke in closed-door discussions reported by Yisrael Hayom, Trump has run out of patience and has resolved to forge ahead with his Middle East agenda without waiting for Israel to fall in line.

At the heart of the fallout is the stalled progress on normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia  a diplomatic prize both leaders once championed. Trump reportedly blames Netanyahu for dragging his feet, particularly on decisions critical to Saudi participation, including a public commitment toward a future Palestinian state. According to sources, Israels delay, driven by internal political resistance and widespread public opposition to a two-state solution, has pushed Trump to the breaking point.

Behind the scenes, Israeli Minister Ron Dermer has spent countless hours attempting to wordsmith an Israeli stance palatable to both domestic audiences and foreign allies. But those efforts, it seems, have not been enough to convince Washington  or to keep Israel in the loop. Most notably, Israel was left entirely out of recent ceasefire talks with the Houthis. After Trump announced the agreement, Israeli officials were reportedly unable to obtain any updates from the White House for a full 24 hours  a stark departure from the usual coordination between the two allies.

Adding fuel to the fire, Trump is reportedly livid over what he perceives as a behind-the-scenes effort by Netanyahus team to pressure former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz into military action against Iran. Waltz has since been removed from his post. Although Netanyahu claimed he spoke to Waltz only once, the explanation fell flat with Trump, further souring an already deteriorating relationship.

As the American president prepares for a major regional tour next week  pointedly excluding a stop in Israel  Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz have begun signaling a stark new message: Israel may soon need to stand alone.

The rule I have established is that Israel will defend itself by its own forces, Netanyahu declared, when asked whether Israel can confront the Houthi threat without U.S. support. Defense Minister Katz echoed this Thursday morning, saying, This was true facing many challenges in the past, and will also be true in the future.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Am I allowed to make egg and onion on Shabbos?

How to choose a shirt from a pile of clothing and not transgress borer on Shabbos?

Can you put food in the oven on Shabbos?

Numerous Shabbos questions are impossible to answer without thorough knowledge of its laws. Shabbos comes once a week, so if a person is not well-versed in its intricacies, then it is inevitable that transgressions will take place.

The many books of basic laws are wonderful, but to really understand the halachos and to apply them, it is essential to learn and remember hilchos Shabbos with the background discussion. What is the challenge we face? It takes several years for a full-time advanced Torah learner to cover the laws of Shabbos in depth. Kinyan Hilchos Shabbos for men offered a solution. World famous Rosh Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel, HaRav Hagaon Yitzchak Berkovits shlita used his vast knowledge to arrange all the Gemaras with the commentators on each area of hilchos Shabbos and presented it in the form of source sheets that cover material from the Gemara until practical halacha. This enables one to cover the main opinions in each topic and gain a deep understanding of the halacha without being overwhelmed with a lot of information.

Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen, a close talmid of Rav Berkovits who spent eight years as a Rosh Chaburah in Rav Berkovitss famous Jerusalem Kollel, with the Ravs endorsement, took on the monumental task of adaptng the Hebrew sheets into English to make the program available for busy professionals.

After successfully running the Hilchos Shabbos program for several years, Rabbi Gefen joined forces with Rabbi Dr. Yakov Pesah, also a musmach of Rabbi Berkovits, and together they co-founded Kinyan Hilchos Shabbos program for men and launched it online. It became an instant success worldwide.

During the launches of the Hilchos Shabbos course for men, it became crystal clear that a course especially tailored for Jewish women was necessary. The program received many emails asking for a womens cohort of this important and highly relevant series. Women, just as much as men, require practical knowledge on how to keep the myriad halachos of Shabbos. Indeed, they may even be faced with more scenarios than men. Therefore, Rabbi Gefen, in consultation with Rabbi Berkovits has adapted the original curriculum to be uniquely tailored to Torah observant women, as an online program in Hilchos Shabbos (www.HilchosShabbosforWomen.com), accessible to motvated women worldwide. It empowers women to know the laws of Shabbos that are so relevant to their lives.

Participants in each online chabura receive source sheets with explanations in English. In addition to the weekly online Zoom shiur with Rabbi Gefen, he is available for questions. There are tests in each section, and the option of a signed certificate of completion from Rav Berkovits.

While this course for women is in Hilchos Shabbos, several months ago, Rabbi Gefen has also launched another online program for women in Hilchos Bein Adam LChaveiro. This program is based on a curriculum of Kollel Linas Hatzedek / Center for Jewish Values, a premier international Bein Adam LChaveiro resource, whom we thank for their permission. The Bein Adam LChaveiro online program for women taught by Rabbi Gefen became very successful already in its first launch.

As women, we are required to learn halacha in order to fulfill it properly. Says Dr. Shoshana Snyder from Los Angeles. Rabbi Gefens course  provides women with a level of knowledge and understanding of the halacha from the primary sources to the halacha lmaasei. The depth of the learning is gratifying. Participating in this program has raised my awareness of the need to apply the halacha in situations that would have escaped my notice in the past. The shiurim are clear and there is plenty of opportunity for questions. Rabbi Gefen is available for questions via email in between shiurim as well. I am not aware of any other opportunity available for women to learn halacha at this level. I look forward to receiving the sources and hearing the shiur every week!

Its been a real pleasure to be part of the  program. I look forward to the source sheets and shiur every week. I have an increased appreciation of the halachos and how to apply them in daily life. The material has abundant sources with varying opinions and a halacha lmaaseh sectionI highly recommend the program!  says Basya Gutmann from Clifton, New Jersey.

Over 1000 of our past and present participants in our programs come from six continents and range in skill level from beginner to advanced, adds Rabbi Dr. Pesah. Our vision is to enable everyone to learn halacha in a structured way and make it doable for every motivated person.

Mrs. Batya Eshel from Safed in Israel shares her experience: The shiur is well focused in general, and of course the more prepared I am the more I get out of it. Questions from the participants are handled well, and we all get a lot out of the shiur. Using Zoom allows us access to a shiur that we wouldnt be able to access in person.

Says Rabbi Berkovits: Imagine never getting stuck again on Shabbos not knowing what to do!

The program begins on May 28th.

For more information, tuition, and to apply go to: www.HilchosShabbosforWomen.com
A prominent Northern Irish software developer has agreed to be acquired by a US private equity business in a deal valuing the group at 542million.

FD Technologies revealed on Wednesday that it was in 'advanced discussions' with Boston-based TA Associates regarding a potential 24.50 per share bid.

It has now accepted the proposal, which reflects a 27 per cent premium to its closing stock price on Tuesday.

FD's directors intend to unanimously recommend the cash offer, which they say provides shareholders with 'cash certainty'.

The Newry-based firm is also providing investors with an alternative offer involving the exchange of every share they hold for 2,450 rollover shares.

Founded in 1996 as First Derivatives by Brian Conlon, who died aged 53 in 2019, the company is one of Northern Ireland's largest homegrown technology businesses.

Takeover deal: Northern Irish software developer FD Technologies has agreed to be acquired by US private equity business TA Associates

It employs approximately 3,000 people in 15 offices across Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific regions.

FD's signature technology is KX Insights, which analyses data sets in real-time to help groups in industries like aerospace, life sciences, and financial services react to market trends.

Clients have included investment banks Credit Suisse, JP Morgan, and Goldman Sachs, as well as betting giant Paddy Power and numerous Formula One teams such as Red Bull Racing.

Three years ago, Microsoft agreed to integrate KX Insights into its cloud computing platform Azure, a deal FD's chief executive, Seamus Keating, hailed as a 'landmark agreement.'

Ashok Reddy, chief executive of KX, said: 'KX's high-performance data and analytics software supports fast-moving, data-intensive organisations and is foundational to the AI and analytics stacks of global enterprises.

'TA's strategic and operational expertise will support our mission to accelerate product innovation and deepen our impact across high-growth, high-value verticals.'

FD Technologies shares increased 2.3 per cent to 24.25 by mid-Thursday afternoon, having soared by 21 per cent yesterday.

In the year ending February 2024, FD recorded turnover of 248.9million, but a pre-tax loss from continuing operations of 7.7million, up from a 0.4million loss in the previous 12 months.

Earnings were impacted by revenue declining in its First Derivative business by 8 per cent to 170million due to cautious spending among investment banking clients.

FD's takeover announcement comes one day after American food delivery giant DoorDash struck a 2.9billion deal to buy Deliveroo.

While Deliveroo recorded its first annual profit last year, its shares have plunged since a disastrous initial public offering in 2021, partly owing to cost-of-living pressures and loosening Covid-related curbs slowing demand for takeaways.

Multiple major London-listed groups have been snapped up in recent years by foreign predators taking advantage of discounted valuations to buy firms cheaply.

They include cybersecurity specialist Darktrace, Robinsons Squash maker Britvic, private security business G4S and video game services provider Keywords Studios.

Others to have made acquisition deals include NHS landlord Assura, Royal Mail's parent company, International Distributions Services, and the Bank of England's currency printer, De La Rue.
Next has upgraded annual profit guidance for the second time in two months after unseasonably warm weather drove higher sales in the first quarter.

The retailer told shareholders on Thursday is had benefited from recent demand for summer clothes, while in-store footfall has also fared well.

It expects sales in the second half to come under pressure as the impact of April's hike in employer's national insurance 'will begin to filter through to the wider economy'.

Employer national insurance contributions went up in April, alongside the minimum wage, leading to concerns about rising costs among UK firms.

In January, Lord Wolfson, chief executive of Next, backed an attempt in the House of Lords to change the planned hike.

Next reported an 11.4 per cent increase in full-price sales for the 13 weeks to 26 April, notching up 55million more sales than it had expected for the quarter.

In charge: Lord Wolfson is the chief executive of Next

It said its annual results were set to be better than previously forecast thanks to the first quarter outperformance.

Next upped its annual pre-tax profit guidance by 14million to 1.08billion, which representing a 6.8 per cent increase on the previous year.

Full-year sales are also expected to increase by 6 per cent to 5.4billion, up from 5.3billion previously pencilled in.

The group said some customers would have brought forward summer purchases that would normally have been made in its second quarter.

It added: 'We believe much of the over-performance in the first quarter has been the result of warmer weather, which has benefited the sale of summer-weight clothing.

'It is likely that some of these sales have been pulled forward from the second quarter.

'So, despite the strength of the first quarter, we are not increasing our sales guidance for the second quarter, or the rest of the year.'

Next increased its 2025-26 outlook in March, but also warned then that the employer national insurance contributions hike would hit jobs and weaken consumer spending.

The retailer has already said it will have to raise prices by around 1 per cent to offset the impact of surging wage costs. It has been focusing on boosting sales of full-price items rather than discounted lines.

Next shares rose 1.46 per cent or 180.00p to 12,475.00p on Thursday, having risen over 30 per cent in the last year.

John Moore, senior investment manager at RBC Brewin Dolphin, said: 'Next continues to shine, buoyed in the first quarter of this year by the good weather.

'Its another better-than-expected update, underlining the strength and consistency of the business.

'While the sun might have brought forward sales, Next is in a real sweet spot in terms of its brand offering, the roll out of its hosting format for third parties, and its traditional retail operation.

'Were reaching the point with Next where anything other than solid momentum and exceeded expectations would be considered a disappointment, but the company continually delivers and shows no signs of stopping any time soon.'

Adam Vettese, a market analyst at eToro, said: 'Shares are already up 30 per cent this year and trading around record levels.

'Investors will be hoping that Next can keep up this momentum and keep delivering outperformance.

'With such a high bar they have set themselves and with healthy gains already on the table, it is possible some profit taking will take place at some point.'
TSB Bank was buoyed by an ongoing cost-cutting drive and rush to beat April's stamp duty hike in its first quarter.

The lender, which is owned by Spanish bank Sabadell, said it helped borrowers buy more than 3,000 new homes in March alone, representing a 36 per cent increase year-on-year.

It helped TSB's pre-tax profit almost doubled during the first three months of 2025, hitting 101.3million compared to 53.4million during the same period a year ago.

Buyers flocked to beat the deadline for Rachel Reeves' stamp duty threshold changes at the start of April.

The bank also said its operating expenses fell 4.7 per cent to 195million, as it ploughed ahead with its commitment to efficiency initiatives and cost control.

TSB saw total customer lending rise by 100million to 36.4billion from its 2024 year-end.

Boost: Demand for credit cards and mortgages helped boost TSB's bottom line in the first quarter

The bank saw secured lending rise by 12 per cent year-on-year in the period to 1.5billion in the period.

TSB said it helped more than 1,900 first-time buyers after it extended its mortgage range offerings on new-builds and shared ownership homes.

The bank said it also saw strong demand for personal loans and credit card lending, up 5 per cent and 13 per cent respectively, marking its strongest quarter for loans since 2020.

TSBs net interest margin rose by 13 basis points to 2.89 per cent in the final quarter of 2024. This marked an increase of 28 basis points from the same period last year.

Looking ahead, TSB said: 'The UK consumer remains resilient in the face of sluggish economic growth and uncertainty about the global outlook.

'Key concerns relate to the impact of trade tariffs on growth and employment in the UK economy.'

Marc Armengol, TSBs chief executive, added: 'TSB has delivered an exceptional performance in the first three months of 2025 and continues to make an increasing contribution to Sabadell Group.

'It is encouraging to see margins improving and costs continuing to reduce, alongside the benefit of some one-off items.'

The bank's owner, Sabadell, is in the middle of a drawn-out takeover battle after rival BBVA launched a hostile bid for the group.

BBVA is now waiting for approval from the Spanish government for the deal, which has faced fierce opposition from the Sabadell board.

Separately, Metro Bank released an update on Thursday confirming it remained 'profitable on both an underlying and statutory basis' at the start of this year.

However, Metro Bank's total net loans slipped 6 per cent since the end of last year to 8.5billion as of 31 March as it sold off its unsecured personal loan portfolio amid a switch towards corporate, commercial and small business lending, as well as specialist mortgages.

Daniel Frumkin, chief executive at Metro Bank, said the group remained 'firmly on track to meet our guidance given at full year.'

Last week, Lloyds Banking Group said its mortgage lending rose by 4.8billion as it saw 19,000 completions in the first three months of the year, with 27 March its top ever single day for completions.
Centrica shares fell on Thursday after the British Gas owner flagged tough market conditions following warmer than usual spring weather.

The business told shareholders the residential energy arm of British Gas 'has been impacted by warmer than normal weather in Q2'.

Centrica said the unit is still expected to be within its 150million to 250million sustainable profit margin, but flagged issues elsewhere.

Centrica Energy, an energy trading unit, is currently expected to be towards the bottom of medium-term profit guidance range for the year, 'due to more challenging market conditions in the gas & power trading segment'.

In addition, Centrica Energy Storage+ is now expected to post an adjusted operating loss at the higher end of the indicated range of 50million to 100million.

Centrica reaffirmed 2025 full year adjusted operating profit guidance ranges and revealed its intention to increase the full year 2025 dividend per share to 5.5p.

However, Centrica shares fell 7.23 per cent or 11.50p to 147.60p on Thursday, having risen 10 per cent in the last year.

Share impact: Shares in British Gas owner Centrica fell over 7% on Thursday

In an update ahead of its annual general meeting today, Centrica also said it remained in talks with ministers about securing financial support to expand and revamp its Rough gas storage site.

The facility in the North Sea is the largest of its kind in Britain, but Centrica had stopped filling it with natural gas last month amid concerns over its financial viability.

The company usually starts injecting fuel into the Rough site by spring, but it had not done so by mid-April, according to reports.

Centrica said on Thursday that it was running at a loss of between 50million and 100million, but that it was pressing ministers for more financial support.

The group said: 'Constructive discussions are ongoing with the UK Government to secure a regulatory support mechanism that unlocks 2billion of investment to increase Roughs capacity and ultimately convert it into a hydrogen-ready storage facility.'

While Britain does not rely heavily on gas storage compared to other countries, the Rough site comprises around half of its storage capacity and acts as a buffer when the weather is particularly cold and demand for gas increases.

The company added that its energy trading arm, Centrica Energy, had taken a hit in the first part of this year as a result of 'more challenging market conditions in the gas and power trading segment'.

It said it was 'closely monitoring the impact of potential global trade restrictions and will continue to do so.

'Given our diversified supply chains across key projects and operations, we do not currently anticipate any material impact on our business or financial results.'

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: 'In recent years Centricas gas and power arm has helped transform its prospects  delivering lots of cash which helped the company repair its balance sheet and return capital to shareholders.

'However, the boost to energy prices provided by the Russian invasion of Ukraine has now ebbed away and more recently, a warmer than usual spring has hit demand in its retail British Gas business.'

He added: 'While Centrica is sticking with full-year guidance and current dividend plans, the company does note challenging conditions. It would not be a major surprise if it was forced to cut guidance, particularly given the expected second-half weighting for the current financial year.'

On the group's energy storage operations, Mould said: 'Centrica expects heavy losses from its energy storage operations centred around the Rough gas field in the North Sea. It is looking for government support to increase capacity and convert it into a hydrogen-ready facility.

'While the Exchequer hardly has lots of money to throw around, the strategic importance of Rough as a buffer to help cover periods of high energy demand means Centrica may get a sympathetic hearing.'
A top shipping boss has warned Donald Trumps trade war is creating paralysing uncertainty  and said cheap imported T-shirts would cost 110 if made in the US.

Moller-Maersk chief executive Vincent Clerc said the number of containers travelling between the US and China is down as much as 40 per cent as the worlds two largest economies hit each other with tariffs of over 100 per cent.

He told Bloomberg TV: This uncertainty is paralysing for a lot of customers, who have a really hard time understanding what the right decision is going to be.

The dream of being able to produce locally, with all youll need for your supply chain, is not possible.

Unemployment is at a historic low in the US, and they are deporting hundreds of thousands. If we have to pay US labour, no T-shirt will be sold for less than $150.

Maersk runs about 14 per cent of the worlds container fleet, and is seen as a barometer of world trade.
For discerning, discreet collectors, platinum is as hot as its melting point. Rolex, Chopard, A. Lange & Sohne, Vacheron Constantin, Ferdinand Berthoud, Cartier, and Parmigiani are among the brands releasing novelties made of platinum in the spring of 2025.

When Clark Kent took to the skies people asked Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, its Superman. At Watches and Wonders 2025 the questions were often Is it stainless steel? Is it white gold? No, its platinum.

There are many reasons for choosing platinum, ranging from rarity  platinum is 15-20 times rarer than gold  to cultural norms suggesting that you refrain from gold, or making a heavy investment, as it is 20% heavier than gold. Atomic number 78 in the periodic table, platinum is one of eight precious metals, with a grey-white, subtly more subdued hue than white gold. But it takes a trained eye to differentiate platinum from white gold or stainless steel. Especially given the fact that the maisons are getting better and better at polishing platinum, mixing and matching different kinds of matt, shiny, and tactilely varied polishings and finishes.

So, what to do when the weight of a watch is indicating platinum, but you are not sure? Grab a loupe and try to seek out the material stamp (950)  or the brand-specific secret platinum insignia, for instance the bee stamp found on the case of the platinum iteration of Chopard Alpine Eagle, or on Rolexs ice blue dials.

Alpine Eagle 41 XP CS Platinum  Chopard

Even though platinum is softer and scratches more easily than gold, it is hailed for its density and that it doesnt oxidise. With the new FB 3 collection, released for the brands 10th anniversary, Ferdinand Berthoud joined the platinum trend. Platinum is a noble material known for its inalterable nature, but is also very delicate to obtain a perfect polishing. For such a complex case as the FB 3, it demonstrates the expertise of our artisans, said General Manager Vincent Lapaire.

However, most artisans have a love-hate relationship with the grey-white metal, given its complex properties. For instance, you cannot apply the same pressure as you would with gold if you want a polished sheen. Why not? Applying hard pressure gives platinum a hazy surface. In an interview with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, Patek Philippe, which in April 2025 released the Calatrava (ref 6196) with a platinum case and rotor, confirmed platinums uncooperative side: Tools become worn faster on platinum because of its abrasiveness and stickiness. We use three times as many tools to manufacture, assemble and finish a platinum case compared with gold. To make matters worse, the material doesnt come in nuggets, and it cannot be perfectly melted, even though its melting point is around 18001900C, roughly double the melting point of gold. Thus, its lustre arises from removing imperfections from its surface.

Calatrava Ref. 6196P-001  Patek Philippe

Even though there are no specific statistics for platinum available, the new trend is part of the Swiss watch export rise in the category precious metals, which went from 9.36 to 9.67 billion Swiss Francs when comparing 2023 and 2024. Looking at the whole millennium makes the precious metal category even more interesting, as it has risen exponentially from 2.62 to 9.67 billion. A figure that might rise given beautiful platinum timepieces from 2025, including Vacheron Constantin Small Seconds Patrimony, Chanel Monsieur de Chanel Tourbillon, Louis Vuitton Escale Platinum, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin, Cartier Tank a Guichets, and Parmigiani Toric Quantieme Perpetuel Platinum Morning Blue.
Centrica has been rocked by a shareholder revolt over executive pay.

Nearly 40 per cent of votes cast at the energy firms annual general meeting were against rewards to directors.

The British Gas owner faced criticism for how much it pays chief executive Chris OShea. He was handed 4.3million last year as his basic salary was topped up by bonuses and perks.

This was about half of the 8.2million he earned in the previous 12 months. He then received a 245,000 pay rise last month, taking his basic salary for this year to 1.1million.

OShea, who has previously said his pay is impossible to justify, could earn as much as 5.9million once bonuses and other awards are included.

The April 1 rise came in on the day the typical household energy bill increased 6.4 per cent, or 111, to 1,849.

Centrica chief exec Chris OShea (pictured) - who has previously said his pay is impossible to justify - could earn as much as 5.9m this year

Nearly 40 per cent of shareholders went against approving the annual remuneration report.

Mel Evans, head of climate at Greenpeace UK, said: You know the profiteering has gone too far when even the shareholders start rejecting the bumper pay rises.

Centrica said: We acknowledge the outcome of the vote relating to the directors remuneration report.

'While we welcome the backing of the majority of our shareholders following extensive engagement on remuneration, we will continue to engage with shareholders in constructive and open dialogue.

The company will provide an update to shareholders within six months.

Shareholder proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services reportedly recommended against supporting his pay packet.

It said: The salary positioning and manner in which the increase has been implemented is not considered to be supported by cogent rationale.

OShea told the BBC in 2024 there was no point trying to justify his pay package, when at the time many of his customers were struggling with high energy bills.

Companies including Unilever and Melrose have faced similar shareholder revolts over pay in April.
Shares in Aston Martin soared as Donald Trump agreed to lower tariffs on imports of British cars.

The luxury car maker rose 13.9 per cent after the levy on UK vehicles was cut to 10 per cent from 27.5 per cent.

But that is still well above the 2.5 per cent before the trade war began. And 10 per cent will only apply to the first 100,000 cars exported to the US  less than the total last year.

Aston announced plans to slash exports to the US over tariffs.

Shares in engine maker Rolls-Royce also rose 3.7 per cent, while parts supplier Melrose as up 5.2 per cent on hopes of a favourable outcome for the aerospace industry.

But drugs giant AstraZeneca fell 3.5pc and GSK was down 1.1p amid a lack of detail on potential tariffs on pharmaceuticals.

Green light: Shares in Aston Martin rose 13.9% after US President Donald Trump cut the levy on UK vehicles to 10% from 27.5%

And the FTSE 100 fell 0.3 per cent amid disappointment over the scope of the deal.

Matthew Ryan, strategist at financial services firm Ebury, said: Weve seen little sign of euphoria in UK financial markets, which tells you all you need to know about how investors view the deal.

'This is also far from a full-blown trade agreement.

Toyota, the worlds biggest car maker, said tariffs mean profits will fall by a fifth to 19.6billion in the year to March 2026.
The only thing that subdued the indestructible Howlin Wolf during his eventful life was the rejection he experienced from his mother. Wolf, the epicenter of blues music and a 61 (1.98 m) tall, 300-pound (135-kilo) powerhouse, was kicked out of his home when he was 10 years old.

He was already beginning to take a liking to the blues, and Gertrude, his mother, a religious fanatic who sang in the church choir, couldnt stand her son getting lost in that rhythm, played in nightclubs. Already a blues figure and beacon for rock stars (Keith Richards, Led Zeppelin, Tom Waits, and Eric Clapton are fans, to name just a few), Wolf tried to contact his mother, even offering the money he had at the time as a lure. But Gertrude slammed the door in his face. You sing the devils music, she argued, refusing to see him. Wolf, who died in 1976 at the age of 65, took to the grave the heartbreak of this maternal rejection.

Sinners, the cinematic blockbuster of the moment opens with a variation on this episode from Howlin Wolfs life: a bewildered and bloodied Sammie bursts into church as his preacher father labors on with his Sunday sermon; the boy, who seems to have spent the night fighting Satan, has only one thing to hold on to: the splintered neck of a guitar, which he grips tightly as if it were his only means of salvation.

If you keep dancing with the devil, one day hell come chasing you home, the father warns his son, a musician just starting out in his career. Its the same story that separated Howlin Wolf from his mother: the confrontation between the profane (the blues) and the sacred (the church).

Howlin' Wolf in July 1968 in San Francisco. Sandy Guy Schoenfeld (Getty Images)

Sinners is directed by Ryan Coogler, who is responsible for the two Black Panther films and Rocky spin-off Creed, a filmmaker who is a skillful composer of action plots that, strictly speaking, describe the voracity of white people when it comes to appropriating Black cultural identity. Sinners also addresses the human dilemma of the confusing realms occupied by good and evil, and whether they are not one and the same thing.

Few anticipated the success of Sinners, perhaps due to the weak commercial potential of the blues and the movies unique combination of genres: musical, action, horror, period, and vampires. In the U.S. it has already grossed $187 million as of May 6, compared to $79 million for the latest Marvel offering, Thunderbolts* (the latter was released two weeks later). The difference also lies in the budgets of each: Sinners cost $90 million and the Marvel film $180 million.

The blues are fertile ground for legend to germinate and eventually take shape. Sinners is set in the 1930s, in a country  the United States  still reeling from the 1929 crash and with unbearable levels of racism. In that context, the Mississippi Delta blues developed, a rural, authentic blues that later became electrified in metropolises like Chicago. Musicians would leave for months at a time to make a living, lending their guitars and voices for food and drink. Some returned, others didnt. The cleverest of those who survived invented stories shrouded in mystery and interventions from beyond the grave, gruesome tales that ended up being taken as true: how could a legend that has endured for almost a century not be credible?

Sinners throws the musical symbolism of the era into the narrative. At the center of all of them is that of Robert Johnson (19111938), perhaps the most influential blues musician in history. Therein lies his famous pact with the devil, who kept his soul in exchange for giving him extraordinary musical talent. This interweaving of mystery, religion, sex, and violence is what the films director artfully works. Johnson, who died at 27, left behind only 29 songs. One is titled Me and the Devil Blues, in which he sings: Early this mornin / When you knocked upon my door / And I said, Hello, Satan / I believe its time to go.

Sammies guitar is given to him by twins Smoke and Stack (played by the same actor, Michael B. Jordan) after winning it at cards from Charley Patton. The boy receiving the instrument is amazed, because Patton (18911934) is another of the titans of the blues: he was more popular than Johnson during both of their lifetimes, but he was subsequently forgotten.

In addition to being an excellent bluesman, Patton was a real force to be reckoned with: he would drink from morning and by early afternoon he would already have gotten into fights. At night, he played in dives with his raspy voice and his guitar riffs, which stars like Johnny Winter and Jack White have admitted to copying. Bob Dylan paid tribute to him in High Water (For Charley Patton).

One of the few images that exist of Robert Johnson.

Perhaps the best supporting actor in Sinners is Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim, a drunken harmonica player who will be crucial in the final battle with the vampires. His character is very reminiscent of Little Walter (1930-1968), the best harmonica player of the golden age of the blues. Walter recorded with Muddy Waters and solo, but he squandered his talent on barrels of alcohol that led to an aggressive temper. He deservedly earned the nickname The Bad Boy of the Blues. But how well he played the harmonica.

The traces of the blues are perceptible in Sinners even when the music isnt playing. For example: one character asks another, How are you? and the response is, No point in complaining. Better to dance and sing. A good part of the films two hours and 17 minutes take place in a lumberyard converted into a nightclub. Its the smoky space where lascivious glances cross, the place where the blues comes into its own, with its tribal feel, its syncopated rhythms, and its growls.

Later, white musicians (the Beatles, the Who, the Rolling Stones) transformed it into a fan phenomenon with performances before thousands of teenagers. There was generosity on the part of some budding new pop stars, who welcomed their Black idols as opening acts. When the Stones visited their beloved Chess studios in Chicago in the 1960s, they were astounded to see their hero, Muddy Waters, painting the ceiling with a broad brush, his face covered in whitewash. An image that could define Sinners: whites appropriating Black values.

Miles Caton playing guitar in a still from 'Sinners.'

Longed-for freedom hovers throughout the film, a freedom questioned by a racist society with whites at the wheel. This space of freedom is represented by the dive bar, the only place where Black people of the time felt they could behave as they pleased. In the final stretch, Buddy Guy, 88, the last great living electric blues artist, appears. Guy plays the adult version of Sammie, the preachers son. (Warning: spoilers ahead).

Sammie has made a career as a musician and is enjoying his last few active years playing in clubs. There, sitting in a bar, he is presented with his own pact with the devil, but this time its a vampire: one bite and youll achieve immortality. Itll be gentle, I promise. But, unlike Robert Johnson, Buddy Guys character doesnt sign the agreement. Weve lived long enough, he says. And the vampires respect the blues master.

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The end of World War II in Europe on May 8, 1945, with the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany  although in Russia it is commemorated on May 9  marks its 80th anniversary this Thursday. The conflict left a devastated continent in its wake where, as historian Keith Lowe explains in Savage Continent, there was no morality, only survival. In the still-smoking ruins of Europe, as the full extent of the Nazi extermination and concentration camps was being revealed, with millions of refugees and homeless people and millions more dead, one question loomed over all others: how could it have happened? How could it have come to this?

The first investigative books on the conflict were very quick in appearing. Hugh Trevor-Roper, a British intelligence agent sent to Berlin to reconstruct the Nazi dictators end, published The Last Days of Hitler in 1947, which became a bestseller. Much of what we take for granted about those final hours in the bunker  brilliantly reconstructed in the German movie Downfall  was revealed then for the first time, although Trevor-Roper suffered a tremendous setback to his reputation when he erred in authenticating the fake Hitler diaries. Robert Harris, the author of Conclave, masterfully recounts that episode in Selling Hitler.

Since then, it is no exaggeration to say that hundreds of thousands of books have been published in all languages, covering every aspect of the conflict. Two of the great contemporary military historians, Antony Beevor with The Second World War (2012) and Max Hastings with All Hell Let Loose (2011), are among those who have dared to write comprehensive histories, and French historian Olivier Wieviorka now joins them with The Total History of the Second World War. The list of recommended books is simply endless.

However, there are still too many unanswered questions, many aspects to be studied, and deep taboos surrounding the war not yet fully explored. Many countries that were victims of Nazism or Stalinism, or both, such as Poland, France, Ukraine, and the Baltics, simultaneously bore enormous responsibility for the Holocaust. Antisemitism was not Hitlers invention, and many citizens of the occupied countries enthusiastically joined in the extermination. Wieviorka devotes a chapter to this subject entitled A Racial War?

Newly released British prisoners of war in Germany, May 4, 1945. Eddie Worth (AP)

In one of the last interviews she gave, in the summer of 2017 at her home in Budapest, the Hungarian philosopher Agnes Heller, a Holocaust survivor who was later persecuted by the Hungarian communist regime, responded thus to the question of whether she thinks she will ever be able to understand how the Holocaust was possible: It completely eludes me. I wanted to understand two things above all: how is it possible that people felt morally capable of doing that? And how can social and political institutions deteriorate to such an extent that they allow something like that to happen? Ive never been able to find an answer. Asked about Hungarian collaboration in the Holocaust  of the one million Jews exterminated at Auschwitz, 400,000 were Hungarian  she replied: Adolf Eichmann came here with 300 people. The Nazis couldnt have killed hundreds of thousands of citizens without the help of the Hungarians. There was enormous complicity. And that applies to too many countries.

How was such hatred possible? How was it possible for the idea that some citizens were inferior to others to become normalized? How was institutional racism tolerated and established? How could a very significant portion of society  and this is something that Raul Hilberg demonstrated in the classic of classics on the Holocaust, The Destruction of the European Jews  participate in the extermination, from those who drew up train schedules, giving priority to convoys that traveled east full and always returned empty, to the officials who identified each citizen by their origin?

In these times, when the far right is once again rampant in Europe and attempts are being made to whitewash fascist regimes like Francos in Spain, or even Nazism itself, the question is more relevant than ever. As is another tremendously uncomfortable one: what did the world do, apart from closing its borders to Jews trying to flee? When the Olympic Games were held in Berlin in 1936, with a large international presence, it was impossible to ignore what Nazism was up to, because they had already passed the racist Nuremberg Laws. The persecution of Jews was already a state policy at that time.

An article by Amanda Taub last week in The New York Times entitled The Frightening Precedents for Trumps Legal Abyss recalled a book that has been widely cited lately in the U.S.: The Dual State: A Contribution to the Theory of Dictatorship, by Ernst Fraenkel. Its author was a German Jew who managed to practice law until 1938, when he fled his country because he was certain he would be arrested. His book, a legal classic, argues that in dictatorships many people live as if nothing were happening around them, while others plunge into a world of terror and death. Fraenkels crucial observation, Taub writes, was that in a dual state, authoritarianism arrives much sooner for some people than others. Those unlucky enough to fall into the legal abyss would find themselves subjected to uncontrolled state violence, while life continued largely as normal for others.

Taub continues in her analysis: Past episodes in American history suggest that the United States  despite its democratic traditions  is vulnerable to the creation of zones of authoritarianism. But history also shows that the zone of legality can strike back. When the country was founded, the liberal legal order applied to European settlers, while Native Americans and enslaved people were subjected to a more authoritarian, violent system. During the Jim Crow era, Southern states operated as single-party authoritarian regimes, permitting or even encouraging extralegal violence like lynching, while participating in democracy at the federal level.

Bruno Ganz as Hitler in the movie 'Downfall.' ASSOCIATED PRESS

At its core, its a reinterpretation of the famous quote by Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoller, falsely attributed to Bertolt Brecht: First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out  because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out  because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out  because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me  and there was no one left to speak for me.

A similar reflection exists in the film Judgment at Nuremberg, Stanley Kramers classic about the Nuremberg trials. Burt Lancaster plays Ernst Janning, a fictional jurist of enormous prestige who, nevertheless, was seduced by Nazism  some believe he was inspired by the philosopher Martin Heidegger. He shows complete remorse, and when he is sentenced, he tells the judge, Spencer Tracy: Those people, those millions of people... I never knew it would come to that. To which the judge replies, Herr Janning, it came to that the first time you sentenced a man to death you knew to be innocent.

Could the United States, like some European countries, be at the beginning of a process that could lead to something worse? Do we live in dual states? The Trump administration is daily ignoring habeas corpus, the basic right of every detainee to appear before a judge, and people are being arrested in the street and then disappearing, but, as in the poem, so far none of them have a U.S. passport. Do we in Europe live in dual states because of the way we treat undocumented migrants? The recently released film, Souleymanes Story, which chronicles 48 hours in the life of an irregular migrant in Paris, clearly shows what it is like to live without rights in the very heart of rights and guarantees that is the EU.

Perhaps the first lesson of the Second World War is that no form of racism is acceptable, and that by the time we realize weve lost our freedom, its already too late. When Germanys secret services claimed last week that the far-right AfD party was incompatible with democracy, they drew a red line that many other European countries should reflect on this May 8: Crucial to our assessment is the AfDs idea of the people, based on ethnic origins, which devalues entire population groups in Germany and violates their human dignity, read a secret service statement reported in Marc Bassetss column in this newspaper. Its objective, it specifies, is to exclude certain population groups from equal social participation with others, to subject them to unequal treatment that is inconsistent with the Constitution, and to assign them a devalued legal status. The AfD are by no means alone in this. But they havent come for us yet.

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The Irish government has been accused of false ignorance on reports of flights carrying arms to be used in Gaza through Ireland.

Irish deputy premier Simon Harris was handed a folder of what he said were aircraft inventories by an opposition TD who said there was no mystery to the issue.

He said that a robust investigation was being carried out by the Department of Transport and added that any breach of Irish law cannot be consequence free.

News website The Ditch has reported that several flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Israel have travelled over Ireland.

Permission is needed from Irelands transport minister to carry munitions through Irish airspace.

Mr Harris, who is also the Foreign Affairs Minister, said last week that he did not believe weapons being used in Gaza were being flown through Irish skies based on the information available to him.

He admitted that it was a real challenge to know what is being carried in planes flying above Ireland.

On Thursday, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of false ignorance and of pretending you dont know whats going on.

He produced a green folder of what he said were waybills that show thousands of tons of weaponry have gone through Irish airspace on the way to be used in a genocide in Gaza.

This is not a mystery. The airlines admit it.

He added: You want to know my practical solution? My practical solution is that the Minister for Transport should prosecute the companies. Its the law. Theyre currently breaking the law.

Mr Harris said that the Department of Transport is examining the reports and agreed that any breach of Irish law cannot be consequence free.

Irish law matters, Im very clear in relation to that, as is the Taoiseach, as is the Minister for Transport, he told TDs.

If there have been breaches of Irish sovereign law, decisions will need to be taken on the next steps, based on clear and robust evidence.

I think we also need to be clear here, and I this is the point I was trying to make, that if you know existing legislation doesnt provide for the implementation of a system of routine and random inspections, and rather, it requires that there first be an appearance of intention or likelihood for a civil aircraft to depart from a point in the state in a manner that will contravene the legislation, for example, carry munitions, I think it is a legitimate question for government to now consider whether we need to amend our own domestic legislation and whether more needs to happen internationally.

So Im very clear any breaches of Irish law, it cannot be consequence free, I agree with you. The Department of Transport is carrying out a robust examination of all of these matters and then will advise Government on what next steps are required.

In response to questions from Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan, Mr Harris said that no one is dragging their feet and Ireland is not standing idly by on Palestine.

He said that he intends to call his EU counterparts in the hours ahead and see if they will echo Irelands call for the EU to review Israels obligation to adhere to human rights clauses in its trade association agreement, which the Netherlands had called for on Wednesday.

Mr Harris also said he had met senator Frances Black about her bill that would ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands.

Mr Harris and Irish premier Micheal Martin had initially committed to passing the Ms Blacks Occupied Territories Bill after it was amended to make it legally robust, but since then have suggested new legislation may be required.

Mr Harris said that there is a narrow pathway based on an advisory opinion from the International Courts of Justice, to legislate on banning trade, but Mr Harris said we have not yet been able to identify the narrow pathway on services, thats the truth.

Campaigners have criticised the move to ban the trading of goods but not services, which is estimated to represent around 70% of trade activity.

Its not a policy position. Its a legal position, he said.

There is a need to make sure any bill can withstand the inevitable challenge that this will face.

He said his hope was that if Ireland brought forward such legislation that it may encourage other countries to do the same.

If the EU refuses to act as a collective in relation to this, why dont a number of member states do what were proposing to do here in Ireland, he said.
The Irish Government needs to be alert to protecting the all-island economy amid an upset in global trade relations, the Dail was told.

The EU published a list of potential countermeasures on Thursday in response to a 10% tariff on the EU and a 25% tariff on the auto sector announced by US president Donald Trump last month.

The total package is worth around 95-100 billion euro (80-85 billion) and targets US aircraft, car and car parts, and some alcohol products.

Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty asked Irish deputy premier Simon Harris if he was concerned about the counter proposals and if they protected the all-island economy.

This major change in US economic policy, particularly in the context of a trade deal with Britain, brings unique challenges here on the island of Ireland for cross-border trade and for our all-island economy, Mr Doherty said.

The Government really needs to be alert, needs to act to ensure that the post-Brexit gains and the progress made are protected, so that the all-island economy can continue to grow and continue to prosper.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said he had spoken to Stormonts Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald that morning and had agreed to meet by video-link on Friday or Monday to discuss any UK-US trade agreement.

Im very clear in all my engagements with the British government, I was very clear when I met the secretary of state from Northern Ireland about 11 days ago, and Im very clear in all my engagements at a European level that the unique position of this island and the unique position of the north of this island, needs to be factored in to all discussions, both at an EU level, with the US and indeed, of course, in our ongoing discussions with the British government too.

He said the list of EU countermeasures would hopefully not need to be used.

I want to be able to ultimately see the countermeasures list ripped up and never come into effect, because we can get to a point of agreement, he said during Leaders Questions on Thursday.

He said it was almost impossible to publish a list of EU counter-tariff measures that would not affect every EU member state.

There is the time, because unlike President Trump, were not saying heres the list and it comes in tomorrow or it comes in in 30 days, were saying heres the list of measures that we dont want to take, he said.

We have to have them prepared, though, in case we want to consult, we want to engage, there will be consultation out until at least June 10, so nothing will change in the here and now.

We keep working at this calmly and, as you say, with cool heads.

The European Commission published the new list of potential countermeasures on Thursday which it said it would be subject to a four-week consultation period.

The Irish Government said it would analyse the list over the coming days and said a negotiated solution remained very clearly the goal and the preferred outcome.
Quick question . . .

CAN ANYBODY TELL US HOW LOCAL CONTROL IS GOING TO SOLVE DOWNTOWN STREET RACING OR CURB THE URBAN HOMICIDE COUNT?!?!

I'll wait.

In the meantime . . .

In the aftermath of scathing coverage of trending Downtown/Crossroads crime in Kansas City. Supporters of the Mayor diligently work to direct blame against police and governance structures.

Journalist Kevin Collison recently shared a great example of this blame shift . . . Check-it:



"Twenty-five years of reinvestment in downtown is being jeopardized by this chronic breakdown in security, shame on KCPD, the governor and his police commission, and City Hall...Fair or not, this is shaping up to be the mayors legacy."

And so we ask . . .

HOW SHOULD KANSAS CITY VOTERS ASSIGN BLAME AMID WORSENING CRIME IN DOWNTOWN & THE CROSSROADS?!?!

In the meantime, we wanted to share just a few more links on what seems to be the story of the week.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

KMBC: Kansas Citys Mannys Mexican restaurant may close amid Crossroads crime surge



Fox4: Downtown KC business owners demand action; mayor pushes back over text message dispute

Developing . . .


First of all . . .

Credit where it's due or maybe not . . .

"Deaths from fentanyl appear to be going down for the first time in a decade after reaching astronomic levels - but experts warn there's a 'horrific' reason behind it.



"They say the drug is simply running out of people to kill, after claiming the lives of around 320,000 Americans in the last decade."

Nevertheless . . .

This morning we share a more upbeat angle on the trade war that MIGHT NOT ruin Christmas after all.

Check-it . . .



In the wake of tariffs reaching upwards of 145% on some Chinese goods, toy industry giant Mattel said it is considering raising prices.



This comes after President Donald Trumps comment about kids needing fewer toys, during a time of year when many retailers are placing orders for winter holiday items.



UMKC supply chain economist Larry Wigger said while holiday gifts are not in jeopardy, prices will likely be inflated.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
The bigger question . . .

Will people treat each other fairly without legislative mandates?!?! The Supreme Court seems to think so. The punchline is that relying upon decency from anyone is for suckers . . . Which is just one more reason to be nice, treat others with respect and appreciate & express gratitude for those sentiments in return.



But we don't mean to be pessimistic . . . Heck, yesterday we went off on a weird existential tangent about death in order to spice up the endless and STUPID conversation about the next Royals move.

And so . . .

We're not gonna overthink this one . . . Given that KU profs can do that for all of us . . . Check-it:



Kansas universities have largely scrubbed their websites for mentions of diversity, equity and inclusion. Many have consolidated or renamed existing offices in an effort to comply with state and federal guidelines.



Last April, the Kansas Board of Regents also prohibited universities from requiring employees to affirm their support of DEI, sometimes called DEI oaths.



Months later, KU renamed and combined several offices, including the Emily Taylor Center, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity. They are now housed together in the Student Engagement Center.



Students and faculty protested the decision, saying it would potentially deplete resources for students from marginalized backgrounds . . .



In response to the recent executive orders, the Lawrence Journal-World reports that KU is also looking to change certain identity-based scholarships.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Black smoke billowed again from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signaling that no pope has been agreed on yet to replace the recently deceased Francis. The cardinals, who have already cast two votes today, will do so again in the afternoon. Thursday is set to be a decisive day to determine whether this is going to be a quick conclave, just like the two last ones, or whether the tension resulting from the late pontiffs 12 years of reforms will lead to a prolonged debate.

Meanwhile, out in the street rumors abound about who is most likely to become the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church. This week, despite the Italian medias emphasis on Pietro Parolin as the top candidate, three new names have emerged as potential winners.

In Rome, you hardly ever see members of the clergy wearing a cappello romano or Saturn hat anymore; its a shame, but theres a reason for that. Yet at about 10:30 a.m. on a recent morning, a classic old-fashioned priest emerged from an alleyway connecting Piazza Navona to Corso del Rinascimento, dressed in strict black, wearing an immaculate cassock and one of those hats with a wide circular brim and round crown reminiscent of the planet and its rings. In the religious clothing stores that abound around the Pantheon, these items cost between 200 and 300. This may be the reason theyre on the verge of extinction; the other is that this particular priests look  shoulders squared, an unfriendly expression on his face, and a backpack on his back with an Air France frequent flyer card  looks both ridiculous and pre-conciliar. One was tempted to take a picture of him, but his face suggested the answer would be no. A few meters further on, the priest stopped at the bus shelter to take Line 64 towards the Vatican.

What followed inside the bus was a mini-conclave in its own right. The priest got on and stood towards the front of the bus, from where he had a full view of the passengers. The 64 line wasnt very crowded, and three very young nuns who looked Indian and wore tunics somewhere between orange and salmon, matching the veil that showed their hair, and a light black jacket, stood out. One of them, looking very stylish, also wore a white scarf, and unlike the prelate, all three were quick with a smile and immediately struck up a conversation with some tourists.

The rest of the passengers were quietly going about their business until suddenly, three ticket inspectors boarded the bus like Daniel Harrelsons S.W.A.T. team, one through each door to make sure that nobody escaped. Displaying an aura similar to that of the priest in the Saturn hat, they immediately approached an elderly Argentinian couple with a confused look on their faces. Bingo. They had purchased tickets, but had failed to validate them, and so were facing a fine of 57. There was a small uproar because everyone could plainly see there was no malice involved, but one of the ticket inspectors pointed his finger at the husband and said, The law is the law, in your country and in this one too.

I looked at the priest to see if he was going to react  if he was being given a chance to earn his place in heaven, why should I get involved? I had no way of convincing the inspectors. But the priest clearly had no plans to step in. On the contrary, he accompanied each admonishing phrase from the ticket inspector with a supportive nod. Its the dogma, he seemed to be saying: you start by breaking it, and you end up blessing gays.

In the end, the Argentinians escaped punishment by the skin of their teeth. They were fined, but  in the face of angry public reaction  they didnt demand immediate payment. Once on the street, the man asked: Do you think the fine will reach us in Buenos Aires? We came here with the intention of seeing Pope Francis, but it seems were late. His wife added: What a shame, that man was so nice. They headed toward St. Peters Square with their backpacks on their shoulders, still looking scared.

In the square, there were more police officers and journalists than private citizens. The latest rumor  and rumors have long dominated the news  was that the names of three cardinals with a good chance of winning the papal tiara had suddenly emerged. Although the Italian media continue to insist that the new pope will be Pietro Parolin, who is Italian and upright, some outlets are now pointing to Cristobal Lopez, Angel Fernandez Artime, and Pablo Virgilio David.

It seems that for the cardinals, the days spent together with prayer, coffee, drinks and cigars may have yielded results. The first two potentials are Spanish; the third one is Filipino, and none of the three look like theyd be caught dead wearing a Saturn hat. Quite the contrary. Cristobal Lopez, as this newspaper was able to confirm in an interview conducted a week ago, is an interesting, good-natured 72-year-old who was a missionary for many years, and is now the Archbishop of Rabat, in Morocco. One of the things he said in the interview was: Im ashamed of the EU and Spains immigration policy. The other Spaniard, Fernandez Artime, has his young age working against him  at 64, he is a kid by the Vaticans reckoning  but on the upside, he knows his way around.

The third long shot is the 66-year-old Filipino Pablo Virgilio David, Archbishop of Kallookan, recently made a cardinal. Pope Francis would bring back members of the clergy with him from his world travels instead of souvenirs; then he would pick up the phone and name them cardinals. David may benefit from the fact that the Filipino cardinal who was at first a leading papal candidate, Luis Antonio Tagle, seems to have lost his luster.

The first smoke to come out of the chimney in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday was black, very black, as it was on Thursday morning at 11.50 a.m., indicating that no pope was elected on the second or third ballots either. It could still be a long conclave.

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Kilmar Abrego Garcia has become a symbol of the arbitrary actions and injustices committed by the Donald Trump administration in its campaign of mass deportations. Rivers of ink have flown about his removal to El Salvador, despite having a court order prohibiting it, and about the governments refusal to facilitate his return after the Supreme Court ordered it. But the Salvadoran man and Maryland resident was not the only migrant wrongfully deported that March night. Daniel Lozano-Camargo also had a court document protecting him from deportation, yet he was shackled and put on a plane to the Central American country, only to be incarcerated in a maximum-security prison for terrorists upon arrival.

Lozano-Camargos case has received less media attention than Abrego-Garcias, but it has reached the courts. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return in late April, ruling that the 20-year-old Venezuelan had been deported in violation of a 2024 legal agreement prohibiting immigration authorities from removing him while his asylum application was pending. The government, however, has refused to bring him back.

Maryland District Judge Stephanie Gallagher, a Trump appointee during his first term, approved a legally binding settlement last November under which the U.S. pledged not to deport a group of migrants who entered the country as unaccompanied minors until their asylum claims were resolved. Lozano-Camargo was protected by that agreement, achieved by the Biden administration in a 2019 class-action lawsuit challenging a change in asylum policy during Trumps first presidency.

Lozano-Camargos identity had been kept confidential by the courts under the pseudonym Cristian until Politico revealed his name in an exclusive published last Monday. The Venezuelan national arrived alone in the United States at the age of 17 and applied for asylum in December 2022. His application was still being processed when he was deported to El Salvador on March 15. He, along with 237 other Venezuelans and 23 Salvadorans, including Abrego Garcia, was expelled from the country without due process under a 1798 wartime law, the Alien Enemies Act, which allows for the expedited removal of foreigners deemed a threat.

The deportees were accused of belonging to Latin American gangs designated as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration  Venezuelas Tren de Aragua and El Salvadors MS-13  and transferred to CECOT, a mega-prison denounced for its poor conditions and violations of inmates human rights. This is despite the fact that the vast majority of them had no criminal record, as several journalistic investigations have shown and as the government itself has acknowledged. Their families and lawyers continue to maintain their innocence and demand their return, asserting that many of the migrants were detained and deported simply because of their nationality or tattoos, without sufficient evidence being provided to prove any ties to the gangs.

To justify Lozano-Camargos deportation, the Justice Department initially argued that invoking the Alien Enemies Act superseded the 2024 agreement that protected him from expulsion while his asylum claim was being processed. However, after Judge Gallagher rejected that argument and ordered that his return be facilitated so he could access the process to which he was entitled, the administration changed its tactics.

In a hearing on Tuesday, the court argued that even if the Venezuelan were returned to the United States and his asylum application were to proceed, it would be denied because he was allegedly part of a violent terrorist gang. Therefore, the government insisted, his return was unnecessary, as it would no longer serve any legal or practical purpose.

Once again, Gallagher disagreed. I dont think this is a case about whether Cristian will be granted asylum or not. Whether he ultimately receives asylum is not the issue. The issue is, and always has been, the process, the judge noted. We dont jump to the end and say, We all know how this will end. My order requires that Cristian be returned to this country to access the process, she concluded.

Although Gallagher paused her decision for 48 hours so the government could appeal, she said that if it doesnt, or if a higher court doesnt order her to stop, she will demand that the administration begin reporting to her on the steps its taking to bring Lozano-Camargo back, just as the judge overseeing Abrego Garcias case has done.

Who is Daniel Lozano-Camargo, or Cristian?

His name was on the list of deportees released at the end of March. His story and photos have appeared in several news stories about the removals to El Salvador. However, it was not publicly known until this week that, like Abrego Garcia, the young man was deported improperly.

Salvadoran police escort suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang deported from the United States to the Terrorist Detention Center in Tecolula, El Salvador, in April 2025. SECOM (via REUTERS)

Politico reported on Monday that Lozano-Camargo was in fact Cristian, the Venezuelan migrant whose return Judge Gallagher had ordered late last month. Although his identity had been kept confidential in court proceedings since April, the news outlet was able to identify him through metadata embedded in the cases court records. The judge had approved the use of the alias to protect the man, finding that he and other migrants in similar situations clearly face the risk of retaliatory harm in their home country, as well as in detention in El Salvador and potentially within the United States, if their identities are made public.

After his name was revealed, it has been possible to piece together the story of how he came to the United States at age 17 and how he ended up behind bars in El Salvador at age 20, based on statements his family has made to the media and details included in court documents.

Originally from Maracaibo, Venezuela, Lozano-Camargo emigrated to the United States from Colombia, where he lived for a few years with an uncle. After crossing the countrys southern border illegally in 2022, he was detained by immigration authorities and sent to a juvenile facility, where he remained until he turned 18. He then settled in Houston, Texas. He applied for asylum and obtained a work permit. He started a car wash business, which he promoted on Facebook, and started a family with his partner and her baby, whom he considered his own daughter.

However, his immigration status became complicated last year after he was arrested twice for cocaine possession. He was first arrested in June and charged with possessing between one and four grams of cocaine. He was released on a personal recognizance bond, but it was revoked after he failed to appear for a court date in October. In November, he was arrested again, this time for possessing less than one gram.

In January of this year, the Venezuelan national pleaded guilty to a reduced felony drug charge as part of a plea deal and was sentenced to 120 days in jail. From there, however, he was handed over to immigration authorities for deportation, despite having a valid work permit and a pending asylum application.

Lozano-Camargo will complete two months in prison in El Salvador next week. His mother, grandmother, and partner have insisted, by every means possible, that the young man has no ties with any gang. His tattoos  a rose, praying hands, a crown, the names of his father and his girlfriends daughter, among others  were used as justification for his deportation.

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By Nicole Lyons, May 8, 2025

Andrew Eyo will earn a masters in Computer Information Systems and Information Technology at the

Spring 2025 Commencement ceremony.

Countdown to Commencement The University of Central Missouri offers a community of support, allowing students to redefine whats possible as they forge a path to their future. With help from faculty and staff, UCM students are empowered to be the heroes of their own stories and as we prepare for 2025 Spring Commencement, the News Bureau is shining a spotlight on some of those stories.

While at the University of Central Missouri (UCM), graduate student Andrew Eyo has found a balance between working hard in the classroom and having fun with friends on campus.



Eyo, of Cross Rivers State, Nigeria, said he chose the Computer Information Systems and Information Technology (CIS and IT) graduate program at UCM because it aligned with his goals and aspirations. He noticed the courses fit his career path, offering instruction and understanding in software engineering, coding, network engineering and IT.



Eyo is a graduate assistant for Mos Activities Council, the event programming board for the Office of Student Activities. As Eyo describes it, Mos Activities Council is the fun side of campus.



Bringing these events on campus has really been an amazing feeling for me because I'm able to bring events like bingo, singo, Fun Before Finals and the MuleFest, Eyo said. And all these events have really been a beautiful experience for me in terms of programming and in terms of bringing students together to have fun.

Over the last year, Eyo has had several proud moments in his work with Mos Activities Council. Within two weeks in October, he helped organize the first-ever HOCO Fair, facilitated Spirit Windows for Homecoming, and coordinated the Nightmare on South Holden event that annually coincides with Halloween.



Christina Kerns, assistant director of Student Activities, said nearly 1,000 people participated in the two large events.



All of these events were complex, had many people involved and many moving parts, Kerns continued. I think it would have stressed many full-time professionals out. I'm not implying he wasn't stressed  you just wouldn't have known it. He led with a smile and joy, even through the stress.



Thanks to Eyos efforts, Mo's Activities Council and the HOCO Fair received the Programmers Hall of Fame Innovation Award at this year's Student Leadership Awards.



Eyo also served as president of the Nigerian Student Association and has been involved with the Newman Center, along with finding time to play ping pong to destress. He had the opportunity to attend conferences for the National Society of Black Engineers and the National Association for Campus Activities.



He had plenty of proud moments in his academic career, too.



Before studying at UCM, Eyo earned a cybersecurity degree in Nigeria. Even with his technology background, Eyo said he was hesitant to work in coding. As it turns out, having the right professors at UCM made all the difference.



I had to develop and implement a three-tier software, Eyo said of his advanced systems project. I've been running away from coding all my life, and when I came to UCM, it was just in front of me. I was like, Can I do it? But Professor Paravastu took me through the whole process from the start to the finish, and I'm so proud of the software I created.

Narasimha Paravastu, Ph.D., associate professor of CIS and Analytics, said Eyo created a user-friendly, intuitive and secure portal for a car maintenance system using an MVC framework called Laravel.



He developed a complete and functional web application, and he took about three months to learn and develop the entire application, which is phenomenal by any standard, Paravastu said.



Paravastu said Eyo has many essential skills for a software developer: attention to detail, a good imagination and a knack for improvisation. He is also a budding leader.



While developing as a programmer, he also showed that he had a real passion not just for coding but also in seeing to it that if others around him needed a little bit of help here and there with coding, he would be there to help them, Paravastu said.

Kerns said shes seen Eyo improve his planning skills, and that growth is seen when he facilitates weekly meetings. She added that his icebreakers have become so famous that the students protest if he tries to skip them.



In an icebreaker once, he said his superpower is his smile. That's a pretty accurate assessment, Kerns said. To have Andrew on your team is to have energy, joy and humor on your side. He is very passionate about people getting involved. Our students absolutely adore him.

Eyo recognizes that he has grown as well and said hes enjoyed every experience from day one at UCM. He mentioned countless faculty and staff members who have pushed him beyond his academic limits and helped him on his career path to being a software developer or data science engineer.



Right now, as I'm graduating, I feel fulfilled. I feel happy, Eyo said. I feel that I have learned so much. I've been able to make a lot of friends. I've been able to travel to over five states in America and have been able to create projects I never thought I could create before.
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CBSE 10th, 12th Results 2025 - Steps, Links to Check

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is set to declare within days the results of the Xth and XIIth board exams held in February/March 2025 on its official website cbseresults.nic.in

Friday May 9, 2025 0:01 AM , Ahmed Abdullah Faizee

CBSE 10th, 12th Results: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is set to declare within days the results of the Xth and XIIth board exams held in February/March 2025 on its official website cbseresults.nic.in.

The CBSE Class 12th exam started on February 15 and continued till April 04, 2025. The CBSE Class 10th exam 2025 also began on February 15, but ended on March 18, 2025.

Over 44 lakh students from India and abroad appeared in the two board exams.

The board started the assessment of answer sheets soon after the two exams concluded, and is currently in the final stage of declaring the result, said reports citing the CBSE sources.

CBSE 2025 Board Results Date, Time

The board has not officially confirmed the exact date and time to announce the CBSE 10th and 12th result of the academic year 2025.

A look at the previous years records show, the CBSE releases the board exam results in the month of May. Last year both the results were announced on May 13, 2024.

Accordingly, the students are expecting their results to be out any time in the next few days. Multiple media reports have claimed that the CBSE 10th and 12th results will be announced on May 9 to 13, 2025.

Students should note that CBSE Class 12th and Class 10th results of all regions including CBSE Delhi, CBSE Mumbai, CBSE Ahmedabad, CBSE Hyderabad, CBSE Chennai, CBSE Bengaluru, CBSE Kolkata, CBSE Kerala and other states will be declared on the same day.

The results of CBSE Dubai, CBSE UAE, CBSE Riyadh and other international and overseas centres will also be declared simultaneously.

Links to Check CBSE 10th, 12th Results

Once declared the CBSE 10th and 12th results 2025 will be available on the official websites:

cbseresults.nic.in

results.cbse.nic.in

cbse.gov.in

Results are also available via DigiLocker, UMANG app, SMS, and IVRS for convenience.

Steps to Check Xth, XIIth CBSE 2025 Results

Go to the official website: "cbseresults.nic.in"

Click on the link marked as "CBSE Xth Result 2025" or "CBSE XIIth Result 2025"

Enter your roll number, school number, admit card ID, and date of birth

Click on "Submit" button to check the result

Download and take printout

The CBSE Class 10th and 12th Results 2025 can also be accessed through Google search engine www.google.co.in and Microsoft search engine www.bing.com and SMS Organizer App on mobile which can be installed from playstore aka.ms/sms.

Candidates should note that like previous years, the CBSE will release the 10th and 12th results without Merit List and Toppers details.

CBSE 10th, 12th Results of Previous Years

The CBSE Class 12 exams in 2024 were conducted from February 15 to April 02, 2024. The CBSE Class 12 result last year was declared on May 13, 2024 when the pass percentage was 87.98%.

On the other hand, the CBSE Class 10 exams in 2024 were conducted from February 15 to March 13, 2024. CBSE Class 10 result last year was declared on May 13, 2024 when the pass percentage was 93.60%.

The CBSE Class 12 exams in 2023 were conducted from February 15 to April 05, 2023. The CBSE Class 12 result was also declared on May 12, 2023 .

On the other hand, the CBSE Class 10 exams in 2023 were conducted from February 15 to March 21, 2023. CBSE Class 10 result was declared on May 04, 2023 .

The CBSE 10th result in 2022 was announaced on July 22 and the pass percentage was 94.40%. The CBSE 12th result in 2022 was announaced on July 22 and the pass percentage was 92.17%.

[Ahmed Abdullah Faizee is Staff Writer at ummid.com.]

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Kosmos 482 crashing to Earth within hours

The Soviet Union's failed Kosmos 482 (Cosmos 482) spacecraft is crashing to Earth within the next 40 hours, and the aerospace experts are closely monitoring its predicted path or ground track

Thursday May 8, 2025 9:54 PM , Science Desk

The Soviet Union's failed Kosmos 482 (Cosmos 482) spacecraft is crashing to Earth within the next 40 hours, and the aerospace experts are closely monitoring its predicted path or ground track.

Kosmos 482, originally bound for Venus was launched on March 31, 1972. The attempted Soviet Venus probe, however, failed to escape low Earth orbit and is now set to crash land on Earth any time in the next two days.

Currently, Kosmos 482 is circling the planet at an orbit of around 140 kilometres at its lowest and 260km at its highest.

This is rapidly dropping as the Russian Venus lander tumbles around the Earth, and experts predict the probe will soon hit the point of no return, according to ABC News.

Cosmos 482 Crash Date, Time

According to SatTrackCam Leiden,Cosmos 482 is expected to crash back to Earth sometime around early 9 to 10 May 2025.

Aerospace Corporation is more specific. It predicts the Kosmos 482 will land at 12:37 PM AEST on Saturday, May 10, 2025 with 16 hours leeway either side.

Aerospace Corporation, a federally funded space organisation in the US, has been using publicly available radar data supplied by the US Space Surveillance network to track the out-of-control probe.

Not the first crash

It is however not the first part of this Soviet Venus probe to come back to Earth. After achieving an Earth parking orbit, Kosmos 482 made an apparent attempt to launch into a Venus transfer trajectory.

It separated into four pieces, two of which remained in low Earth orbit and decayed within 48 hours into south New Zealand.

The first of these pieces or space debris, crashed outside Ashburton, New Zealand in April 1972 whereas the was discovered near Eiffelton, New Zealand, in 1978, according to The Space Review.

The remaining two pieces of Kosmos 482 in orbit are likely to reenter sometime in the second week of May 2025, on early 9 or 10 May - after more than 50 years in space.

While space junk and meteors routinely veer toward a crash-landing on Earth, most of the objects disintegrate as theyre torn apart due to friction and pressure as they hit Earths thick atmosphere while traveling thousands of miles per hour.

But if the Cosmos 482 object is indeed a Soviet reentry capsule, it would be equipped with a substantial heat shield, meaning it might well survive Earth atmosphere entry and hit the ground", according to Dr. Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist and astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

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TN 12th (2025) Result Declared, Ariyalur State Topper

Tamil Nadu State Board of Secondary Education (TNBSE) has announced Class 12 i.e. HSE +2 exam result 2025 on its official website tnresults.nic.in along with Pass Percentage details, Merit List and Toppers name

Thursday May 8, 2025 1:02 PM , Ahmed Abdullah Faizee

TN HSE +2 Result 2025 Date and Time: Tamil Nadu State Board of Secondary Education (TNBSE) has announced Class 12 i.e. HSE +2 exam result 2025 on its official website tnresults.nic.in along with Pass Percentage details, Merit List and Toppers name.

TN board registered an overall Pass Percentage of 95.03% in the 2025 HSE +2 (Class 12) board exams. This is a notch higher than 2024 when the pass rate was 93.76%.

Pass percentage of boys is 93.16 whereas that of girls is 96.70%.

A total of 7,924,94 students - including 4,193,16 girls and 3,731,78 boys appeared in the TN Plus Two Board Exam 2025. Of them 7,531,42 passed, the board said.

TN HSE +2 Toppers 2025

The Tamil Nadu State Board of Secondary Education does not release the Merit List and toppers details of students. Thus refraining to declare the names and marks of TN 12th Toppers.

The board however has released 12th result complete data giving details of district toppers, pass percentage, stream wise resulst, gender wise pass percentage, and supplementary or improvement exam date and time.

According to the TN 12th Plus Two result announced today, Ariyalur district topped with 98.82% pass rate followed by Erode (97.98%) at second position and Tiruppur (97.53%) being the 3rd best performing district in Tamil Nadu.

TN 12th Result 2025 - Full List of District Toppers

Ariyalur: 98.82

Erode: 97.98

Tiruppur: 97.53

Coimbatore: 97.48

Kanyakumari: 97.01

Sivagangai: 96.71

Virudhu Nagar: 96.64

Perambalur: 96.58

Tuticorin: 96.19

Cuddalore: 96.06

Nagapattinam: 96.03

Trichy: 95.83

Thanjavur: 95.80

Madurai: 95.74

Namakkal: 95.67

Tirunelveli: 95.53

Dharmapuri: 95.25

Villupuram: 95.11

Ramanathapuram: 94.96

Dindigul: 94.90

Krishnagiri: 94.83

Tenkasi: 94.70

Chennai: 94.44

Theni: 94.43

Tiruvarur: 94.35

Salem: 94.32

Tiruppathur (V): 94.31

Chengalpattu: 94.29

Ooty: 93.97

Karur: 93.66

Tiruvannamalai: 93.64

Kancheepuram: 93.27

Mayiladuthurai: 93.25

Ranipetta: 92.78

Pudukottai: 92.55

Tiruvallore: 91.49

Kallacurichy: 90.96

Vellore: 90.79

Karaikkal: 98.12

Puducherry: 98.57

TN 12th 2025: Stream wise result

Science stream: 96.99 per cent

A total of 5,153,68 students - including 2,353,94 boys and 2,799,74 girls, appeared in the HSC +2 exam 2025 in Science stream. Of them, 4,998,32 or 96.99 students passed.

Commerce stream: 92.68 per cent

A total of 2,372,85 students - including 1,149,85 boys and 1,223,00 girls, wrote the Tamil Nadu HSC +2 exam in Commerce stream. A total of 2,199,07 passed the examination.

Vocational stream: 84.22 per cent

A total of 28,430 students - including 17,815 boys and 10,615 girls, wrote the Tamil Nadu HSC +2 exam in Vocational stream. A total of 23,943 passed the examination.

Arts Stream: 82.90 per cent

A total of 11,411 students - including 3,803 boys and 5,657 girls, wrote the Tamil Nadu HSC +2 exam in Arts stream. A total of 9,460 passed the examination.

TN 12th Result 2025 Date, Time

The Directorate of Government Examinations, Tamil Nadu had earlier officially confirmed to declare Class 12 HSE +2 result 2025 on May 08, 2025.

TN HSE +2 result 2025 is now available on the board's official website from 09:00 am.

"HSE(+2) Results is expected on Thursday, 8th May 2025, @ 09:00 Hrs", the Directorate of Government Examinations Tamil Nadu said in a single message posted on its website.

The Tamil Nadu HSE Plus 2 exam 2025 was held from March 3 to 25, 2025.

How to check TN Plus 2 Result 2025

The students can now check and download their Plus Two result on the official website "tnresults.nic.in".

Since thousands of students check their result simultaneously after the release, website response time becomes longer, and sometimes it even crashes.

The Directorate therefore provides alternate ways to check the TN Plus 2 result. This includes alternate websites - dge1.tn.nic.in, dge2.tn.nic.in and dge.tn.gov.in.

Candidates can also check their result via SMS. For this candidates are required to write TNBOARD12REGNO, DATE OF BIRTH on their cell phone and send it to 09282232585 or 919282232585.

TN HSE +2 Previous Exam Results

Tamil Nadu 12th exam in 2024 was held from March 1 to 22, 2024 and TN 12th result was announced on May 06, 2024 when the overall pass percentage was 94.56%.

The TN board had registered a pass percentage of 94.56% in Class 12th exams of the year 2023 the result of which was declared on May 06, 2023 .

Tamil Nadu State Board of Secondary Education (TNBSE) had published Class 12th i.e. HSE +2 result and Merit List containing the names of toppers on its official website tnresults.nic.in in 2022 on June 20. TN board had registered an overall Pass Percentage of 93.76 in 2022 board exams .

Around 8,06,277 lakh students from different districts of Tamil Nadu had registered for the 12th board exam in 2022. Out of them, a total of 7,55,998 were declared pass in 2022.

In 2020 and 2021 TN HSE +2 Class 12 exams were disturbed by the Covid 19 pandemic. The TN HSE Plus 2 pass per cent in 2020 was 92.34, in 2019 , the pass percent was 91.30, in 2018 students success rate was 91.10 and in 2017 the HSEPlus Two overall result was 92.10.

[Ahmed Abdullah Faizee, is Staff Writer at ummid.com.]

Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates.

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The News in Brief Thursday, May 8, 2025

On the evening of May 6, the U.S. Embassy in Georgia issued a security alert regarding reported bomb threats targeting three major shopping malls in Tbilisi: East Point, Galleria Tbilisi, and the Tbilisi Shopping Area. The Embassy advised its personnel to avoid these locations until further notice and encouraged the public to monitor local media for updates."The Regional Security Office of Embassy Tbilisi has advised all Embassy staff to avoid these locations," the alert stated, raising concerns over public safety and the nature of the threats.Shortly after the alert was made public, Georgia's State Security Service (SSSG) responded via a Facebook post, calling the threats "another false report" and stressing that all necessary and urgent measures were being taken. In a pointed remark, the agency called on members of the diplomatic corps to show greater responsibility and to refrain from releasing uncoordinated statements.Judge Iza Kelenjeridze of Tbilisi City Court found businessman Giorgi Chikvaidze and his associate Irakli Papiashvili guilty of embezzling large sums of money. Chikvaidze received a nine-year prison sentence, while Papiashvili was sentenced to eight years. Both men deny the charges, and their legal teams plan to appeal the ruling.Tensions flared in the courtroom as Papiashvili was taken into custody, prompting an emotional reaction from supporters and family members. Chants of "Shame!" and "Murusidze's servant" echoed through the court - the latter referencing influential Appeals Court judge Levan Murusidze, often associated with Georgia's so-called "judicial clan."Chikvaidze's mother, Eka Tsereteli, alleged that the case was politically motivated. She claimed her son holds sensitive information about Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and vowed to reveal more in the coming days. Tsereteli defended both men's innocence and openly criticized the presiding judge.Similarly, Papiashvili's father accused the court of being influenced by politically connected figures, suggesting that the verdict was intended to target Chikvaidze specifically.
There are places where an AIDS patient or a malnourished child cannot cling to life for several weeks. Death is immediate. This is the cruel observation of Davide Rasella, a researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and lead author of a study estimating that 14 million people will die worldwide  4.5 million of them children aged under five  if the funding cuts decreed by Washington continue and USAID is dissolved.

According to the recently published ISGlobal study, in which researchers from Brazil, Mozambique, the United States and Spain participated, these people will die from AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, diarrhea, respiratory illnesses or malnutrition. These deaths are mostly preventable and also linked, beyond the diseases themselves, to poverty, poor hygiene and sanitation, and a lack of access to basic health services.

These cuts will cause permanent damage to the health of the most vulnerable populations, especially because they are being implemented abruptly. The system could adapt to a lack of funding, but not if it is done so drastically and against people with no resilience, who have no way of coping with this sudden disappearance of funding, Rasella adds. Thats why the terrible impact of the cuts is already being seen in many places.

According to this study, the suspension of U.S. funding has already caused, for example, 25% of tuberculosis control agencies in 31 countries to halt their work, the World Food Programme (WFP) to decide to close its office for southern Africa in Johannesburg, exposing 27 million people to extreme hunger in the midst of a major drought, and the world to the risk of recording 15 million additional cases and 107,000 deaths due to the suspension of malaria control programs.

The system could adapt to a lack of funding, but not if it is done so drastically and against people with no resilience, who have no way of coping with this sudden disappearance of funding" Davide Rasella, ISGlobal

Beyond causing these millions of preventable deaths, these cuts also risk reversing decades of progress in health and socioeconomic development in low- and middle-income countries, the ISGlobal study insists.

To support their study, the experts first analyzed the positive impact of the work of USAID, which until a few months ago was responsible for 43% of the funds that the worlds governments allocate to development aid. Their conclusions are that programs funded by the U.S. aid agency have helped directly and indirectly prevent more than 91 million deaths worldwide, almost a third of them among children, over the past 20 years.

USAID contributed to a 15% reduction in global mortality, the study states. More specifically, its funds reduced the number of deaths from HIV by 74%, deaths from malaria by 53%, and deaths caused by neglected tropical diseases by 51%, according to this research.

Millions of preventable deaths

But at the end of January, Donald Trump decided to freeze development aid funds for 90 days and reassess their relevance. Currently, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, 83% of USAID-coordinated programs have been canceled, although the decision is being challenged in court.

Children will suffer these cuts especially. The paradox is that we always talk about the cost-effectiveness ratio when we invest in health, and there is no more effective action on a global level than saving the life of a child in an African country. They are so vulnerable that with a little money we can save many lives, Rasella points out.

The main destination of USAIDs budget was sub-Saharan Africa. In practice, a person in a country like Zambia could be vaccinated, attend a public school with trained professionals, receive food assistance, benefit from antiretroviral treatment for AIDS, or participate in a malaria prevention program thanks to USAIDs budget.

Right now, various studies are being published to calculate the impact of this sudden freeze in funding, and most show similar and equally dramatic results: these cuts from the United States and other foreign aid agencies will cause millions and millions of preventable deaths, Rasella insists.

The expert points out that other Western countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, have announced reductions in their development aid, which exacerbates the cooperation financing crisis. Of the 31 countries that make up the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a kind of thermometer for measuring development financing, only four currently exceed the emblematic threshold of 0.7% of their GDP.

There is no more effective action on a global level than saving the life of a child in an African country. They are so vulnerable that with a little money we can save many lives" Davide Rasella, ISGlobal

Cascade effect

Rasella also warns that the studies being published focus on a few aspects and do not consider the cascading effect of the current and future cuts. There are deaths that cannot be counted in these studies, which focus on the most direct deaths, he points out. Because the research emphasizes that its not just diseases that kill, but also poverty, lack of education, lack of access to health services, and poor hygiene and sanitation.

Specifically, it is worth noting that USAIDs impact on mortality reduction goes beyond its direct funding of health programs and interventions. A substantial part of its influence lies in improving aspects that impact the quality of life of low-income populations. For example, poverty alleviation, education, and access to clean water significantly reduce mortality among children and adults.

The study highlights the proven evidence that cash transfer programs reduce adult female mortality by 20% and child deaths by 8% in low- and middle-income countries. Each additional year of education also reduces the risk of adult mortality by 1.9%, and improving access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene reduces child mortality by 17%.

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With journalism in the crosshairs of all kinds of powers pressing to silence the truth and amid a global advance of authoritarianism, more than 50 international ombudsmen are meeting in Madrid this week to discuss an increasingly threatened profession. On the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the ombudsman position at EL PAIS, this newspaper is organizing the annual meeting of the Organization of News Ombuds and Standards Editors (ONO). And more than 50 of its 80 members from five continents  both ombuds and other executives responsible for maintaining ethical practices within their newsrooms (standards editors)  began Wednesday to share their concerns in the face of these turbulent times.

During the presentation of the conference at the CaixaForum center in Madrid, EL PAIS editor-in-chief Pepa Bueno highlighted the reason for the success of the event. We are living in a time when we need to talk, meet, and exchange experiences about the practice of journalism and internal checks and balances within news organizations. Soledad Alcaide, the current readers representative at EL PAIS, had previously recalled that Bueno mentioned the need for innovation when she proposed that she play this fundamental role in the newspapers self-regulatory structures, which include the Style Guide, the Newsroom Statute and the Comite de Redaccion, the representative body of the newsroom staff. The only instruction she gave me was: invent it, Alcaide said.

EL PAIS editor-in-chief Pepa Bueno during the opening of the session on Wednesday. Jaime Villanueva

The editor-in-chief of EL PAIS said about Alcaides appointment as the news ombuds that the time had come to reach out to digital readers and propose an ongoing conversation, to step down from the civil pulpit and establish a conversation with a public with a commitment to respect. And she noted  despite all the difficulties facing journalism  certain elements of hope at a crucial moment for media credibility. During the recent blackout in Spain, citizens who had their own electricity connected to our newspaper as if it were an election night. I hope there wont have to be a pandemic or a blackout for journalists to regain credibility. I hope the search for reliable information becomes a daily occurrence. Its not enough to survive; we need to be relevant to democracies.

For ONO president Margo Smit, who serves as the news ombuds for Dutch public media, being a journalist has never been easy, but being a readers representative or a guarantor of a media outlets quality standards is even less easy. She highlighted, among the current challenges, the increasingly limited access to reliable sources of information and the decline of journalism in times of fake news. But Smit also wanted to inspire a message of optimism for her peers by delivering a poem written by a colleague in collaboration with ChatGPTs artificial intelligence, entitled Guardians of the Fourth Estate, which outlines some key aspects of the work journalists do: They do not seek praise, they do not seek fame, but let justice speak in our name.

In addition to the topics that will be included in its annual internal meeting, the presentations  which are closed to the public and also feature professionals from outside the ONO  will address issues ranging from responsible image publishing to the investigation of sexual abuse in the era of social media; legal threats to independent journalism; difficulties practicing journalism in regions such as Latin America; the rise of influencers among information-seeking audiences; the strengthening of standards in times of crisis; and the need to promote media literacy programs among citizens.

Emilio Morenatti, one of Spains most internationally renowned photojournalists, outlined the principles that have guided his work throughout his career during a presentation Wednesday. While images he captured during various armed conflicts and events such as the impact of the pandemic in 2020 were projected, Morenatti reminded the readers representatives and journalistic standards advocates present in the room of the importance of their work as editors. Defending the images, contextualizing them, is in your hands. Morenatti, who is affiliated with the Associated Press, praised his organizations standards, which guarantee the reliability of its publications, but also warned of the risks posed by the use of generative artificial intelligence to create images about armed conflicts. Its going to happen soon if we dont react as journalists. That line cant be crossed; youll ruin your reputation as a media outlet. When I get emotional taking a photo, it provokes the same feeling in the audience. Generative AI bypasses all of that. Thats why journalists who communicate on the ground are so important.

The ONO members debate with Morenatti was followed by another with EL PAIS journalists Ana Marcos and Elena Reina, who shared details of the investigation process, along with their colleague Gregorio Belinchon, into various cases published in the newspaper about sexual abuse in the Spanish cultural industry. Soledad Alcaide recalled that these stories have always come from women who wanted to give their testimony, and they have not been testimonies of one woman against a man, but of several women pointing the finger at one man whom the industry has been covering up. Reina and Marcos emphasized that every line of these womens stories had to be verified because they would be questioned, much more than any other issue, due to a situation of structural sexism.

Gerardo Albarran de Alba (MVS Radio), Luz Mely Reyes (Efecto Cocuyo), and Adela Navarro Bello (Zeta). JAIME MASSIEU

Venezuelan journalist Luz Mely Reyes, founder of the outlet Efecto Cocuyo, and her Mexican colleague Adela Navarro Bello, editor of the investigative weekly Zeta, published on the Tijuana-San Diego border  moderated by Gerardo Albarran de Alba, ombuds for several Mexican media outlets  debated the threat to journalism in Latin America. The moderator recalled the low ranking of the speakers countries of origin on the Reporters Without Borders list of global press freedoms, and how Mexico is the most dangerous country for journalism in the entire region, with more than 170 journalists murdered since 2000. Several of them were members of the weekly newspaper directed by Navarro Bello, who highlighted the decision they made in 2006 to withdraw their names from the bylines of stories about drug trafficking and organized crime in Mexico to protect the safety of their reporters.

Journalists who investigate drug trafficking and government corruption are caught in the crossfire, said Navarro Bello. The bullets of drug traffickers and the attempted censorship of governments at all levels. Mely Reyes, for her part, challenged those present: You have readers and media outlets to defend because you have democracy. We no longer have any of that in Venezuela.

ONO members attended a final presentation in the afternoon before departing for a private visit to the Prado Museum, followed by another to the Royal Collections Gallery. Eduardo Suarez, editorial chief of the Reuters Institute at Oxford University, and Gia Thom, development director of Impress  the independent media regulator in the United Kingdom  discussed the rise in audiences, especially younger ones, turning to social media as a means of consuming digital news. This is where influencers who develop political commentaries, infotainment, new young creators, and journalists who are switching to this business model play a key role. After years of trying to promote equality in our industry, this is instead a very masculinized world, noted Suarez after recalling the role they played in the recent U.S. presidential elections. Thom concluded: On many occasions, content creators have figured out how to beat the system.

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On August 8 at 3:30 p.m., Jeju Province signed an MOU for activating run-cation and exchange cooperation with Jeju National University and three American institutionsGeorge Mason University, the University of Utah, and Stony Brook Universityat the provincial office, a report by Maeil Business said. Under the agreement, 25 students from the American universities visited Jeju from July 15 to 28 to attend a summer semester program at Jeju National University.

The program offered Korean language education, experiences with haenyeo, and visits to the island's natural heritage sites. Jeju Province promoted the run-cation concept since July last year by signing agreements with 15 domestic and 5 foreign universities, the report said.

The agreement marked the third step in expanding the island's global education network. Earlier arrangements with Princeton University in January and Kyoto University of Advanced Science in April set the stage for further international exchange. Fifteen Princeton students visited Jeju in June, and another 15 from Kyoto University arrived between July and August, a report by Kyunghyang Shinmun said.

The University of Utah, established in 1850 and recognized for its programs in computer engineering, medicine, and business, had an enrollment exceeding 33,000 students, the report said. George Mason University, founded in 1972 in Virginia with core courses in economics, information security, data science, political science, and international relations, had 40,000 students. Stony Brook University, established in 1957 and noted for its programs in medical technology, life sciences, computer engineering, mathematics, and physics, had over 26,000 students, according to the report. All three institutions operated Korean campuses in Incheon Songdo International City.

American university students embarked on a run-cation in Jeju that allowed them to study while enjoying travel, a concept similar to workation, a report by Kyunghyang Shinmun said.

"Jeju's run-cation is Jeju's new brand strategy of enjoying academia, healing, and education in nature together," said Governor Oh Young-hoon, according to a report by Maeil Business. "With the agreement with the three American universities, Jeju Province increased its global competitiveness in education, research, and exchange of young talents," he added, according to the report.

Under the summer program, the visiting students resided in the dormitory at Jeju National University while completing their courses and participating in run-cation activities. Students paid for dormitory fees and some program expenses while covering additional costs on their own, a report by Kyunghyang Shinmun said.

A provincial official stated, "The specific content of the program will be finalized after discussions with the universities following the signing of the agreement," according to a report by Kyunghyang Shinmun. The report noted that run-cation and workation participants tended to stay longer than regular tourists, a factor expected to boost the local economy.
NEW YORK  Dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested Wednesday evening after occupying part of Columbia University's Butler Library, an escalation of campus tensions tied to the Israel-Gaza conflict. The protesters, many wearing masks and kaffiyehs, breached a security gate shortly after 3 p.m. and took over the second floor of the library's main room, renaming it "the Basel Al-Araj Popular University," according to witnesses and the demonstrators' statements.

The occupation, which disrupted students studying for final exams, appeared to be an attempt to reignite the protest movement that gripped Columbia's campus last spring. "Free, free Palestine," and "Free, free, free Palestine," chanted the protesters, with some also shouting, "Let them go, let them go, let them go," as reported by The New York Times. Banners were hung in the library's soaring main room, and clashes with public safety officers ensued.

Columbia's acting president, Claire Shipman, condemned the action, stating, "Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies." She added, "Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today." Shipman reported that two public safety officers were injured during a crowd surge outside the library as some individuals attempted to force their way in. Several protesters also appeared to have been injured.

The New York Police Department, responding at the university's request, moved in after 7 p.m. to clear the library, arresting more than 70 people, according to a law enforcement official cited by Bloomberg. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, posting on X, emphasized, "While the city will always defend the right to peaceful protest, it will never tolerate lawlessness."

The protest group, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, claimed responsibility for the occupation, stating on social media that it aimed to "The flood shows that as long as Columbia funds and profits from imperialist violence, the people will continue to disrupt Columbia's profits and legitimacy." The action follows months of heightened tensions at Columbia, including the arrests of activists like Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi, and the Trump administration's cancellation of $400 million in federal funding over allegations of antisemitism.

The university locked down the campus Wednesday, restricting access to students and essential staff. Columbia has faced criticism for its handling of protests, with some faculty and students arguing that administrators have stifled free expression. A university senate report recently suggested that last spring's occupation of Hamilton Hall could have been resolved without police intervention, highlighting ongoing debates over free speech and campus safety.

Wednesday's events have drawn national attention, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating he is "reviewing the visa status" of the protesters. The incident underscores the challenges universities face in balancing free speech, student safety, and academic operations amid politically charged demonstrations.
Over the past two weeks, the 12 general congregations have sparked an intense debate about the state of the Church. In more than 260 interventions, cardinals eligible to enter the conclave (those under 80) and those excluded due to age have together mapped out a shared landscape of concerns and pressing issues. From this agenda, they seek the right man to become Pope  someone capable of confronting these challenges.

In 2013, following the unprecedented resignation of Benedict XVI, the priority was clear: to clean house, restore order, balance the accounts, end corruption, and take decisive action on the clerical abuse scandal. In short, the Church needed fresh momentum and a new style after the 27-year papacy of John Paul II and its conclusion with Benedicts eight-year tenure.

The 12 years under Francis have been a whirlwind, shaking the foundations of the Church, deepening internal divisions, and leaving many processes unresolved. It is now up to Pope Leo XIV to determine which direction the Church should take next.

A pastor and a manager

Francis was, undeniably, a pastor  on that, all the cardinals agree. But now they also want a manager, or at least someone more adept in that role than the Argentine pope. His critics accuse him of having upended the Curia, practically dismantling the Secretariat of State, sidelining the network of nuncios, and governing in an overly authoritarian manner. Jorge Mario Bergoglio operated largely on his own, relying on a close circle of collaborators. Its no secret that many within the Vatican resented himpartly because he dismantled privileges, imposed austerity, and disrupted centuries-old inertia.

Francis centralized economic control and brought order to the Vaticans finances. Yet, theres a growing sense that calm must now be restored to the Curia, internal discontent addressed, and some decisions reassessed. This sentiment fueled a movement within the conclave to support an Italian pope  a return to the kind of normalcy that many feel has been lost in recent years, someone who can govern with a lighter touch.

At the same time, there has been debate over what kind of pastor the Church now needs. No one denies that Francis made a powerful impact on the public. His charisma, his vision of an outgoing Church  a field hospital focused on mercy rather than rules  resonated with many. But for some within the Church, that same approach sowed doctrinal confusion. They now want someone who can clearly draw the red lines, someone with a more didactic, teacher-like profile.

Many were also looking for a pontiff with a more institutional tone. A symbolic but significant decision will be whether the new pope chooses to reside in the Apostolic Palace  something Francis famously declined to do when he arrived in Rome.

Divorce, women, LGTBQ+ community

The most visible battleground of open doctrinal conflict  where Pope Francis made his boldest and most controversial moves in the face of traditionalist resistance  has been in the area of sexual doctrine. He permitted Communion for divorced and remarried couples, approved blessings for same-sex couples, and welcomed transgender individuals to the Vatican. He also opened the door to the possible ordination of women as deacons  an ecclesiastical role just below that of priest, with the authority to administer Communion, baptize, and preach. However, he ultimately stepped back in the face of intense opposition.

The same approach applied to priestly celibacy. In 2023, Francis acknowledged that the discipline could be reconsidered, but deferred the decision to his successor, framing it as a matter of Church discipline.

Francis also challenged long-standing norms in the structure of Church leadership, particularly by elevating women to prominent roles. Sister Raffaella Petrini now heads the Vatican City Governorate, overseeing nearly 2,000 employees. More significantly, Sister Simona Brambilla leads a dicastery  one of the Vaticans key ministries  traditionally held by a cardinal.

All of these reforms remain open questions. For some, they represent progress and inclusivity; for others, they are hotly contested departures from tradition. Pope Leo XIV must decide whether to advance these paths or close them.

The unfinished reckoning with abuse

In recent years, Pope Francis acted with determination and compassion, introducing significant legal reforms to confront the clerical abuse crisis. Yet in the end, his became a largely solitary battle  one in which some within the Church supported him, but many did not. Across much of the Vatican bureaucracy and episcopates in countries like Spain, resistance has persisted.

While the issue was discussed among cardinals in recent weeks, its prominence has clearly declined since the 2013 conclave, when the abuse crisis was viewed as an urgent emergency. Inside the Vatican and across many national hierarchies, there is a growing, though often unspoken, desire to turn the page and believe the worst is behind. But new cases continue to surface, and thousands of victims worldwide are still awaiting justice and a credible response.

Pope Leo XIV must now decide: continue to delegate the issue to national bishops conferences, maintain the current course with minimal change, or face the scandal head-on  with clear conviction, strong leadership, and decisive action from the heart of the Vatican.

More shared governance

One of the most frequently voiced demands is for the Pope to govern less unilaterally and more in communion with the cardinals  a principle known as collegiality. It reflects a call for shared responsibility in the governance of the Church. Pope Francis had often been criticized for making decisions alone, at times impulsively, and for implementing reforms that some have deemed canonically weak or lacking consultation.

During his entire pontificate, Francis convened only one consistory  a formal assembly of cardinals to discuss Church matters  in 2014. That meeting was marked by tensions, and he never called another. Cardinals are now urging for at least one consistory to be held annually, not only to debate pressing issues but also to build familiarity among themselves, avoiding the current situation in which many arrived at the conclave as near-strangers.

This absence of consultation caused friction across the ideological spectrum, but especially among the more traditional and conservative cardinals, who have often felt sidelined. Early in his papacy, Francis formed a council of nine cardinals, known as the C-9, to advise him, but its influence was limited. There are now multiple proposals to strengthen that body  or to design new mechanisms  to ensure broader participation in decision-making.

Synodality: the participation of the faithful

The shared governance between the Pope and the cardinals must also extend downward  to include bishops, priests, and laypeople. This model is known as synodality, and it is expressed through synods: large assemblies periodically convened at the Vatican. Pope Francis embraced this approach as a way to guide the Church, making it one of the defining legacies of his pontificate.

For the first time, laypeople and women were included as participants in these synods, a move that has sparked concern among more conservative factions. Critics argue that the Church is not a democracy and that cardinals, by virtue of their office, hold distinct teaching authority that cannot be equated with that of lay assemblies.

Pope Leo XIV will now have to decide whether to continue down this path, to deepen the synodal model, or to recalibrate its scope and tone.

International politics: the clash with the US

One of the most debated issues leading up to the conclave was the Churchs role in todays complex geopolitical landscape and its approach to foreign policy. As the first pope from the global South, Francis brought a bold and disruptive vision that broke with long-standing traditions. He openly challenged Donald Trump during his presidency beginning in 2016 and, more broadly, criticized the capitalist and consumerist model embodied by the United States.

At the same time, Francis extended a hand to China, forging a historic yet highly controversial  agreement. The deal, kept secret, has drawn sharp criticism, especially from conservatives, who argue that it grants too many concessions. Bergoglio also took a critical stance toward Israel, and in the war in Ukraine, sought to play a neutral, mediating role  carefully balancing between Moscow and Kyiv in a bid for peace.

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May 8 2025

The first opening road bridge spanning the River Clyde has been completed, with traffic invited to make the crossing between Yoker and Renfrew from midday tomorrow.

The Renfrew Bridge is a 117m infrastructure project led by Renfrewshire Council, employing a distinctive twin-leaf design that employs a cable-stayed system to hold up a two-lane crossing and associated active travel routes.

Spanning 184m the bridge links Meadowside Street south of the river to Dock Street in the north without blocking upstream access to ship traffic.

Associated road improvements include the extension of Argyll Avenue from Inchinnan Road to Meadowside Street.

Jim Armour, project director at Graham, commented: "This transformational piece of infrastructure will revitalise an area that has endured industrial decline over many years.

"The twin leaf cable-stayed swing design presented unique engineering challenges, which our team overcame through innovation and value engineering. By reconfiguring the deck section and optimising the stay-cable configuration, we've delivered a more efficient structure with a 35% carbon reduction. We're immensely proud to have constructed a landmark transport link that celebrates the shipbuilding heritage of the Clyde."

The bridge designs were drawn up by Kettle Collective.
Small-business owners can learn how to protect themselves against cyber criminals who crack passwords and get people to fall for scams by using social engineering and deepfake strategies Thursday, May 15.

Paul Johnson, Marree Reed, Izabella Carbert, Ian Moon and Kaeden Adams will lead a Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network webinar titled How Did You Know That? How Hackers Use Social Engineering and Deepfakes to Scam You from noon-12:30 p.m. To register, go here.

The Wyoming SBDC Network offers business expertise to help Wyoming residents think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by the University of Wyoming with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The webinar will present examples of scams and cyberattacks through social engineering and AI deepfake trickery; practical tips to navigate the evolving landscape of online threats; and provide small-business owners with information to fortify their defenses from hackers to keep their businesses safer online.

Johnson is manager of the Wyoming SBDC Networks Cybersecurity Program.

Reed is a cybersecurity program assistant in UWs Cybersecurity Education and Research Center and a part-time employee with Institutional Marketing.

Carbert, a UW student from Ranchester, is a cybersecurity program assistant in UWs Cybersecurity Education and Research Center and a part-time employee with the Wyoming SBDC Network.

Moon, a UW student from Fort Collins, Colo., and Adams, a UW student from Cheyenne, are both cybersecurity program assistants with the Wyoming SBDC Networks Cybersecurity Program.

For more information, call Tyler Schanck, marketing, communications and database manager for the Wyoming SBDC Network, at (307) 343-0925 or email tschanck@uwyo.edu.
For those interested in helping track various amphibian populations in the Rocky Mountain region, the University of Wyomings Biodiversity Institute will host a training session for community scientists Saturday, May 10.

The training, for the Rocky Mountain Amphibian Project, will take place from 10 a.m.-noon near the Blair picnic site in the Happy Jack/Vedauwoo area.

The Rocky Mountain Amphibian Project has been a community science project since 2014 and is one of the only long-term monitoring programs for amphibians in the state. It is a partnership of federal and state agencies, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations and citizen scientists dedicated to collecting data on amphibians in the Rocky Mountain region in a standardized manner.

Amphibians are in decline across the world due to a number of factors, and we have had native species in Wyoming that have declined significantly, such as the Wyoming toad, says Mason Lee, senior project coordinator in the Biodiversity Institute. This project specifically monitors the more montane wetland species, such as northern leopard frogs, boreal chorus frogs, wood frogs, Western toads and Columbia spotted frogs. Our state amphibian is the tiger salamander, and they also are found at some of these Rocky Mountain Amphibian Project sites.

The UW Biodiversity Institute has sites available in three Wyoming national forests -- Medicine Bow, Routt and Bridger-Teton. Ideally, Lee says there will be enough volunteer teams to monitor each of the catchments. There are 18 catchments in the Medicine Bow National Forest; 36 in Bridger-Teton in northwest Wyoming; and 15 in Routt National Forest in northern Colorado.

Some of the catchments can be difficult to access and monitor due to uneven terrain, downed trees, thick willows and wildlife, including moose in all three national forests as well as grizzly bears in Bridger-Teton. So, volunteers should be prepared for conditions, Lee says.

Volunteer teams monitor their catchment twice -- in June and July -- during the summer breeding season. Volunteers record the species that they observe, as well as weather and environmental data. If volunteers catch any amphibians, they also can collect skin samples for disease monitoring.

Their data is used by researchers at the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to monitor the populations, Lee says. One paper using this community science-generated data has already been published and, I believe, two more papers on amphibian occupancy of these sites are in the works.

To read the paper that was published in Ecological Indicators -- to which Lee was a contributing writer -- go here.

For more information about the Rocky Mountain Amphibian Project, go to http://wyomingbiodiversity.org/index.php/community-science/rocky-mountain-amphibian-project or email Lee at mlee37@uwyo.edu.

About the University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute

The UW Biodiversity Institute fosters conservation of biodiversity through scientific discovery, creative dissemination, education and public engagement. In this setting, scientists, citizens, students and educators come together to share a wealth of perspectives on the study and appreciation of biodiversity -- from microbes to poetry and ecosystems to economics. For more information, go to www.wyomingbiodiversity.org.
An occasional look at issues facing Wyoming business owners and entrepreneurs from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, a collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming.

By Devan Costa-Cargill, regional director, Wyoming SBDC Network

A dollar is not stretching like it used to. Managing your personal finances is critical if you plan to buy a car, a home or apply for business funding.

As we look at tax season in the rearview mirror, you likely have data at the ready. Now is the best time to review your spending from last year and analyze where you can save money, service your debt and achieve your financial goals.

Analyzing personal finances is not the beastly task it appears to be. It is as easy as printing out your spending from last year; assigning categories to your earning and spending; and then analyzing the categories for patterns. The patterns will tell you a lot about your financial behavior. From this analysis, you can make plans to continue or change the way you earn, spend and save.

Equipping you with the tools needed to make better spending decisions is important to us. Our clients are people first and foremost and, although business finance is our general focus, we are here to help you succeed on a personal level, too. If you want to make better spending decisions, reduce debt and save for life goals, you can apply some of the very same habits we teach small-business owners.

-- Use what you have. Your online banking portal likely has great built-in software to help you analyze your spending at no additional cost. Otherwise, with tools such as Google Sheets and Excel, you can quickly organize and arrange your spending data to show you a picture of your spending habits. Simply export your monthly banking statements to a spreadsheet file.

How much do you spend on eating out? What did you spend on fuel and auto repairs last year? Did you put as much money in savings as you planned?

All of these questions and many more can be answered in minutes with a few free tools.

-- Access free resources. UW Extension offers free, self-paced courses on financial topics. For more information, go to https://www.uwyo.edu/uwe/programs/money/courses.html .

The Wyoming SBDC Network offers a robust learning library with a variety of financial topics at no cost. Learn more at https://wyomingsbdc.org/recordings/ and locate the accounting, finances and taxes tab.

-- Make timely payments and reduce credit card balances. Timely payments are the No. 1 way to keep your credit clean. If a negative mark impacts your credit, be sure to remediate it as soon as possible. A target number for credit card usage is 30 percent of your available credit. If you have a $1,000 credit card, your balance should stay below $330.

-- Limit new credit applications. Unless you have a clear intention to make a purchase, or open a new credit line, limit unnecessary credit applications. Each time you apply for new credit, it can temporarily lower your score.

-- Check your credit report regularly. To ensure there are no errors or fraudulent activities, access a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus each year. This is key to keeping your credit history clean and free from errors and identity theft.

Your home finances are a tool to meet your personal and professional goals. Financial habits are built on small changes or adaptations. There are many ways change can occur: Sometimes, we are forced to make a change, and a plan is developed out of sheer need. Other times, we realize a change will be helpful and we embark on a plan to embrace the change. No matter the way, being positive about the process is helpful. Looking ahead can help you stay focused on your goals and the rewards.

The Wyoming SBDC Network operates within an environment of small-business resources. If you are trying to prepare for business ownership or lending, the network can assist you with identifying your needs and aligning you with the resources that may best fit your priorities. The no-cost program can support you in many ways: personal budget preparation, business ideation, financial projections and market research.

Entrepreneurs and business owners who access services enjoy the benefits of no-cost advising, group learning events -- both online and in-person -- and perpetual access to the team of expert advisers across the state. With an ever-changing business landscape, it is quite honestly the best value for your time.

You can meet with your regional director in person at the regional office, a community location such as the library, or your business. Accessing services is as easy as making a call or registering online. You will receive a response from an adviser to set up an appointment. The initial appointment is typically a discovery call to gather some preliminary information on your goals. This sets the stage for the follow-up meetings.

The Wyoming SBDC Network offers no-cost advising and technical assistance to help Wyoming entrepreneurs think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. In 2024, the Wyoming SBDC Network helped Wyoming entrepreneurs start 46 new businesses; support 1,870 jobs; and bring a capital impact of $2.9 million to the state. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by UW with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

To ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, email wsbdc@uwyo.edu, or write Dept. 3922, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071-3922.

For more information, go here.


A Chinese company representative (second left) and Dr Anousack Phongsavath shake hands after signing an agreement. --Photo Loufa

Laos, China partner to establish mineral testing and research centre

Laos mining sector will receive a boost with the establishment of a new Minerals Testing and Research Centre, which will enhance the countrys capacity to analyse and certify minerals to international standards, and attract more investment in the industry.

The centre will be jointly developed by the Research Institute for Energy and Mines (RIEM) under the Ministry of Energy and Mines and a Chinese company, following the signing of a new cooperation agreement in Vientiane on May 5.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Director General of RIEM, Dr Anousack Phongsavath, said the agreement marks a significant step towards implementing a long-term strategic partnership between Laos and China in mineral development.

It is a great honour to witness the signing of this agreement, which aims to implement comprehensive, stable and sustainable cooperation based on our shared mining development strategies, he said.

The partnership is in line with the governments development strategy for the energy and mining sector to 2030 and vision to 2040, which aims to transform Laos into an industrialised, modern, and environmentally friendly nation.

Under the agreement, the two sides will cooperate in key areas such as capacity building for RIEM staff, who will be trained to operate modern analytical equipment for mineral testing, including the analysis of ultra-pure gold (99.9999 percent).

Dr Anousack said the project would strengthen the Research Institute for Energy and Mines technical capabilities and international credibility, while also expanding testing and certification services for gold and other minerals to international standards, facilitating identification and boosting investor confidence.

The partnership will span five years, with the first two years dedicated to developing human resources and setting up a standardised and safe management system for laboratory operations.

The goal of this partnership is to establish a Joint Research Laboratory that will provide sample analysis and mineral testing services to companies investing in mineral exploration and processing, he said.

He added that RIEM will continue to collaborate with international organisations and foreign state-owned enterprises to seek funding for the development of a world-class mineral research and testing facility in Laos.

The new centre is expected to become a vital resource in promoting scientific research, innovation, and sustainable growth in the countrys mining sector. By Souksamai Boulom

(Latest Update May 8 , 202 5 )










Vietnam Briefing has developed into a premium source for insight on doing business in Vietnam. It publishes business news concerning foreign direct investment into Vietnam, including the most important tax, legal and accounting issues. The Vietnam Briefing Magazine was first published in 2009, and is contributed to by investment professionals based in Vietnam.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S., appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 8, 2025.

Leo XIV is the new Pope. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church. The 133 cardinals of the most multicultural conclave in history elected the new pontiff in a conclave that was swifter than anticipated. The chosen candidate secured 89 votes, the two-thirds majority required for election.

The peace be with all of you, sisters and brothers was the first message from Leo XIV. Help us build bridges, the Supreme Pontiff asked those gathered in St. Peters Square. Pope Leo XIV revived the papal presentation attire that Pope Francis had previously rejected. Cardinal Prevost emerged, ready to address the crowd, dressed in the red mozzetta (a short garment covering the back and chest), the embroidered stole, the golden cross, and the rochet.

Leo XIV, 69, was born in Chicago to French and Spanish parents. He has spent 40 years in Peru, where he served as bishop. With a calm and humble demeanor, he was not opposed by any sector of the Catholic Church, perhaps due to his very low profile (he has given no interviews). He is one of the few whom Pope Francis singled out in 2023, unexpectedly appointing him head of the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, a position that has allowed him to engage with every continent. He has extensive experience both in pastoral work and governance, having served as the superior of the Augustinian order to which he belongs, and he is well-versed in the workings of the Curia.

Robert Francis Prevost, in September 2023 at the Vatican. Riccardo De Luca (AP)

With the election of Prevost, the long-standing taboo against selecting a Pope from a global superpower has been broken. A U.S. Pope at this moment, with Donald Trump in power, represents a significant shift for the Church, positioning it to engage directly with the White House and the American people.

Trump congratulated Prevost in a post on Truth Social: It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement and what a Great Honor for our Country, he posted. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

The conclaves of the past century have been relatively brief, lasting between two and five days. There is no time limit for a conclave, and none has lasted more than five days since 1830. In 2005, it took just 24 hours and four ballots to elect Benedict XVI. In 2013, Francis was elected on the second day of the conclave after five rounds of voting: one on the first day, two the following morning, and two more that same afternoon.

The 12 general congregations of cardinals held over the past two weeks have been an intense debate about the state of the Church. In more than 260 interventions, the cardinals  both those eligible to enter the conclave (under 80 years old) and those who are not  have been outlining a shared map of concerns and pressing issues. Based on that agenda, the search has focused on for the right man to be pope, someone seen as capable of addressing those challenges.

In 2013, following Benedict XVIs resignation, the priority was to clean house, restore order, fix the accounts, root out corruption, and confront the clerical sexual abuse scandal head-on. In short, to breathe new life  with a new style  into the Church after the 27-year papacy of John Paul II and the eight-year epilogue of Benedict XVI.

Francis 12 years have been a whirlwind that has shaken the Church, created divisions, and left many processes still unresolved. The new pope must now decide which path to follow.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin's order for a three-day truce with Ukraine took effect Thursday, a move the Kremlin said would test Kyiv's readiness for peace but that Ukraine has slammed as a farce.

It was not clear whether either side was observing the ceasefire, even with world leaders -- including China's Xi Jinping, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic -- in Moscow for commemorations of the end of World War II.

It appeared relatively quiet overnight, though Ukraine's military said early Thursday that Russian forces had launched air strikes in the eastern Sumy region. Kyiv did not report any damage or casualties.

Putin unilaterally ordered the temporary truce to coincide with Moscow's Victory Day parade on Friday.

Ukraine never agreed to the proposal, has dismissed it as theatrics and called instead for a 30-day ceasefire.

US President Donald Trump has sought to end Moscow's three-year military assault on Ukraine since his inauguration in January, but has failed to ease hostilities between the enemies.

Hours before Putin's order was scheduled to enter force, Moscow and Kyiv staged aerial attacks, prompting airport closures in Russia and leaving at least two dead in Ukraine.

Russia's Nizhny Novgorod airport in the west was closed for about one-and-a-half hours early Thursday "to ensure flight safety of civil aircraft", according to a Federal Air Transport Agency spokesperson.

The Kremlin has said Russian forces will honour Putin's order for the duration of the holiday period, but will respond "immediately" if attacked.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for a 30-day ceasefire in his evening address on Wednesday.

"We are not withdrawing this proposal, which could give diplomacy a chance. But the world is not seeing any response from Russia," he said.

- Push for direct talks -

Putin announced the truce last month, calling it a "humanitarian" gesture, after pressure from the United States to halt Russia's assault on Ukraine.

Putin rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire in March.

Ukraine has said it does not believe Russia will adhere to the truce and accused Moscow of hundreds of violations during a previous, 30-hour ceasefire Putin ordered for Easter.

Russia, which launched a full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in 2022, fired over 100 drones and multiple ballistic missiles at its neighbour between late Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, killing a mother and her son, Kyiv said.

The White House has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress towards a peace deal between the warring sides, despite Trump's efforts.

US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday called on the two to enter direct talks.

- 'Peaceful atmosphere' -

Russia marks Victory Day with a grand parade of military equipment on Red Square and an address from Putin.

More than 20 world leaders were expected in Moscow for the May 9 parade.

"Our military and special services are taking all necessary measures to ensure that the celebration of the great victory takes place in a calm, stable and peaceful atmosphere," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

He also said authorities had jammed internet connections ahead of the parade, citing the threat from Ukraine.

"As long as guests are here, until May 10, we need to be ready for restrictions," he added.

Russian forces occupy one-fifth of Ukraine, and this spring hit the country with a string of deadly attacks on civilian areas.

- 'Nothing scares us' -

Russians from outside Moscow visiting the heavily policed capital on Wednesday ahead of the parade appeared unfazed.

"We are from Rostov-on-Don. Nothing scares us," said 22-year-old student Valeria Pavlova. The southern city serves as a command and logistics hub for the Ukraine offensive and has regularly been targeted.

"It's much calmer here," she added.

But scenes at airports in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities were more chaotic on Wednesday.

Ukraine launched a barrage of drones at Russia earlier in the day, forcing airports to halt traffic. Around 60,000 people's flights were disrupted, according to Moscow.

Kyiv's drone attacks disrupted about 350 flights Tuesday and Wednesday, Russia's Association of Tour Operators said.

Social media videos showed people sleeping on the floor and airports with rows of over a dozen planes queuing on the tarmac.

Ukraine's airspace has been forced to close since Russia launched its offensive in February 2022.

bur/sco/jhb
Al Pacino and Katie Holmes to star in mob thriller.

The 1973 kidnapping of John Paul Getty III in Rome is to be the subject of a new film titled Captivated starring Hollywood heavyweights Al Pacino and Katie Holmes.

Filming is set to get underway in the Italian capital later this month, with director Dito Montiel promising a different take on previous cinematic adaptations of the infamous crime that shocked the world.

John Paul Getty III, the 16-year-old grandson of the wealthy oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, was abducted in Rome and held for five months in southern Italy.

His grandfather, the richest man in the world at the time, eventually paid the hefty ransom but not before the kidnappers had mutilated his grandson.

Captivated will reportedly explore the unexpected and complex relationship that develops between Calabrian mafia boss Saro Mammoliti (played by Pacino in his older version), and Gail Getty (played by Holmes), the determined mother of the kidnapped teenager.

Captivated comes after Ridley Scott's 2017 film All the Money in the World and the FX television series Trust, both of which also tackled the Getty kidnapping.

The new film promises to add a new perspective to the mystery surrounding the Getty kidnapping, hinting at a "seductive game of chess" between the mafia boss and the desperate mother.

Image: Al Pacino at the 2014 Venice International Film Festival. Photo credit: Matteo Chinellato / Shutterstock.com.
Free public event showcases emerging international filmmakers from AURs graduating class

The American University of Rome (AUR) is proud to announce its annual, taking place overat, located in Piazza della Repubblica in central Rome.

Each year, AURs graduating Film majors present their final projects to the public as part of their transition from academic study into the professional world of filmmaking. These free screenings - open to the public and accompanied by a Q&A session and complimentary aperitivo - will begin at 4:30 PM on May 13 and 14, and 4:00 PM on May 15.

This years Capstone Films are a true testament to the creative courage and diversity of perspective that our students bring to the screen, said Professor Theron Patterson, Director of the Film Program at AUR. These films reflect not only artistic maturity and originality but also a deep commitment to storytelling as a vehicle for connection and insight. Were thrilled to share them with the public and the wider film community.

Twelve original films will be screened, spanning a wide range of genres including fiction, documentary, experimental, and science fiction. Themes explored include migration, memory, identity, cultural heritage, mental health, bureaucracy, and the pursuit of creative and personal truth. All films are in English.

Screening Highlights Include:

Between Hits by Lena Bendriss - an experimental short that explores distraction and presence through the rhythm of a ping pong match.

Under Damascus' Soil by Antonio Fronterre  a documentary examining Syrian cultural preservation through food in Rome.

Le Storie de Ciasa by Sabina Da Via  a fantastical tale set in the Dolomites involving a cursed book and lost sisters.

A Star Is Born by Shadae Small  a cross-continental music documentary following the rise of a bold new artist.

Ether by Giacomo Vidoni  a psychological fiction piece about a writer descending into creative obsession.

In Another Time by Kendall Sieg  a documentary comparing the lives of independent musicians in Seattle and Rome.

Each evening's screenings will be followed by a Q&A session with the student filmmakers, moderated by Professor Patterson, offering the audience a chance to engage directly with the next generation of cinematic storytellers.

EVENT DETAILS

Dates: May 13 & 14 at 4:30 PM | May 15 at 4:00 PM

Venue: Space Cinema Moderno, Piazza della Repubblica, 43/45, 00184 Rome

Admission: Free and open to the public, no reservation required

Language: All films are in English

Extras: Q&A with filmmakers and a complimentary aperitivo

The American University of Rome welcomes members of the public, students, the international community, and especially film industry professionals and media representatives to attend and discover fresh, globally minded voices in contemporary cinema.

More information here
By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

The Government has been accused of false ignorance on reports of flights carrying arms to be used in Gaza through Ireland.

Tanaiste Simon Harris was handed a folder of what he said were aircraft inventories by an opposition TD who said there was no mystery to the issue.

He said that a robust investigation was being carried out by the Department of Transport and added that any breach of Irish law cannot be consequence free.

Simon Harris said he did not believe weapons being used in Gaza were being flown through Irish skies based on the information available to him. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

News website The Ditch has reported that several flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Israel have travelled over Ireland.

Permission is needed from Irelands transport minister to carry munitions through Irish airspace.

Mr Harris, who is also the Foreign Affairs Minister, said last week that he did not believe weapons being used in Gaza were being flown through Irish skies based on the information available to him.

He admitted that it was a real challenge to know what is being carried in planes flying above Ireland.

On Thursday, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of false ignorance and of pretending you dont know whats going on.

He produced a green folder of what he said were waybills that show thousands of tons of weaponry have gone through Irish airspace on the way to be used in a genocide in Gaza.

This is not a mystery. The airlines admit it.

He added: You want to know my practical solution? My practical solution is that the Minister for Transport should prosecute the companies. Its the law. Theyre currently breaking the law.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of false ignorance and of pretending you dont know whats going on Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

Mr Harris said that the Department of Transport is examining the reports and agreed that any breach of Irish law cannot be consequence free.

Irish law matters, Im very clear in relation to that, as is the Taoiseach, as is the Minister for Transport, he told TDs.

If there have been breaches of Irish sovereign law, decisions will need to be taken on the next steps, based on clear and robust evidence.

I think we also need to be clear here, and I this is the point I was trying to make, that if you know existing legislation doesnt provide for the implementation of a system of routine and random inspections, and rather, it requires that there first be an appearance of intention or likelihood for a civil aircraft to depart from a point in the state in a manner that will contravene the legislation, for example, carry munitions, I think it is a legitimate question for government to now consider whether we need to amend our own domestic legislation and whether more needs to happen internationally.

So Im very clear any breaches of Irish law, it cannot be consequence free, I agree with you. The Department of Transport is carrying out a robust examination of all of these matters and then will advise Government on what next steps are required.

In response to questions from Social Democrats deputy leader Cian OCallaghan, Mr Harris said that no one is dragging their feet and Ireland is not standing idly by on Palestine.

He said that he intends to call his EU counterparts in the hours ahead and see if they will echo Irelands call for the EU to review Israels obligation to adhere to human rights clauses in its trade association agreement, which the Netherlands had called for on Wednesday.

Mr Harris also said he had met Senator Frances Black about her bill that would ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands.

Mr Harris and Taoiseach Micheal Martin had initially committed to passing the Ms Blacks Occupied Territories Bill after it was amended to make it legally robust, but since then have suggested new legislation may be required.

Mr Harris said that there is a narrow pathway based on an advisory opinion from the International Courts of Justice, to legislate on banning trade, but Mr Harris said we have not yet been able to identify the narrow pathway on services, thats the truth.

Campaigners have criticised the move to ban the trading of goods but not services, which is estimated to represent around 70% of trade activity.

Its not a policy position. Its a legal position, he said.

There is a need to make sure any bill can withstand the inevitable challenge that this will face.

He said his hope was that if Ireland brought forward such legislation that it may encourage other countries to do the same.

If the EU refuses to act as a collective in relation to this, why dont a number of member states do what were proposing to do here in Ireland, he said.
TOKYO - Two men have been arrested after breaking into a suburban Tokyo elementary school on Thursday, causing minor injuries to five teachers and appearing to have smashed a window, investigative sources said.

There were no immediate reports of children being injured at the public Daisan Elementary School in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, according to the sources. They said a parent who was at the school for a consultation had called the two suspects to the premises.

The two men, one in his 20s and the other in his 40s, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

The elementary school had around 520 children enrolled as of April last year, according to its website.

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The time to end the wait for funding to develop Waterford Airport is now.

That's according to Sinn Fein TD for Waterford, Deputy David Cullnane, who called on the Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris, to directly intervene and ensure funding is provided to extend the runway at the facility.

He said both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael had campaigned strongly in the General Election on the airport issue and that promises made must mean promises delivered.

Commenting on the matter to Waterford News & Star and waterford-news.ie, Deputy Cullinane said: There is incredible frustration in Waterford with the ongoing delay in making a decision on funding Waterford Airport. This was compounded by news of a 200m investment in Cork Airport, launched by Taoiseach, Micheal Martin."

In 2019, the then Minister for Transport, Shane Ross signed off on funding the runway extension at Waterford Airport," said Deputy Cullinane.

"At a meeting with local Oireachtas members at the time he outlined the level of resistance he met in the Department of Transport but made a decision nonetheless," he added.

However, Deputy Cullinane said that in the interim there has been lots of delays.

"Ever since we have seen delay after delay and hurdle after hurdle put in the way of providing the funding," he said.

"Business cases, clarification and additional information has been sought and provided time and again, with final clarifications given last August," he added, before going on to comment: The question is why are we waiting? What is the delay? Without this funding Waterford Airport has no viable or sustainable future. The runway extension will pave the way for a commercial carrier to provide commercial flights to Britain and elsewhere."

Deputy Cullinane said air connectivity to Britain is very important for business and tourism and that at a time when Dublin Airport is under pressure, regional airports can act as an important counterweight.

It is now decision time, it is a case of no more delays," he said.

"This requires intervention at the highest political level," he added.

"Micheal Martin and Simon Harris must now directly intervene, break the log am and deliver the funding and give Waterford Airport a fighting chance to grow and thrive.
A community group in County Waterford held a very successful tea morning recently in support of a very worthy community organisation.

Kilmacthomas Women's Group held the event in aid of Alzheimer's Day.

The tea morning, supported mainly by group members, local residents and supporters, raised 600 for the organisation.

One of the organisers commented: "This is our third year holding the Tea Morning, and we are delighted to share these fundraising efforts."

The event featured various activities, including a raffle and guest speakers who highlighted the importance of Alzheimer's care. All funds raised will be used to support local Alzheimer's care initiatives in Waterford.

The proceeds from the event was presented to Maire, on behalf of the Alzheimer's Centre in Waterford, who expressed sincere appreciation for the efforts of all involved.
By Jonathan McCambridge, PA

Support for Irelands membership of the European Union has dropped to its lowest level since 2013, a new opinion poll has suggested.

However, the annual European Movement Ireland poll still found strong backing for Irelands membership of the EU at 82 per cent.

The research also suggested that 43 per cent across Ireland do not believe their views are represented at EU level.

The all-island poll conducted into European affairs by Amarach Research is now in its 12th year.

The survey found that 34 per cent of respondents feel the EU is not upholding its core values and 26 per cent are dissatisfied with its direction.

The research also found that 36 per cent of respondents are dissatisfied with Irelands role and influence in Brussels.

Noelle O Connell, chief executive of European Movement Ireland, said: It is encouraging to see strong support for EU membership in Ireland, albeit a decline on recent years.

In our 12th year of polling, it is clear that we cannot be complacent, with some people expressing dissatisfaction with the EUs current trajectory and Irish influence at EU level.

At a pivotal time in European politics with intensifying efforts to end the war in Ukraine, the ongoing issues relating to EU-US trade which could have serious implications for Ireland, and the increasing influence of populism, among other issues, it is important citizens feel their views are heard across all levels of the EU.

More than half of respondents (56 per cent) cited cost of living as the most pressing issue for people in the Republic of Ireland, along with housing (41 per cent) and migration (53 per cent).

The poll suggested EU-US relations (44 per cent); the EUs response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict (43 per cent) and to the Israel-Palestine conflict (41 per cent) were also prominent concerns.

Respondents in Northern Ireland cited the Israel-Palestine conflict as their top concern at EU level (52 per cent).

Half of those polled in the Republic of Ireland believe the state should be part of increased EU defence and security co-operation, with 32 per cent opposing it and 18 per cent unsure.

Ms O Connell said: This years poll clearly shows that Irish people are worried about both domestic and global issues, from the cost of living and housing to EU-US relations and the EUs response to migration and international conflicts.

As the debate on the future of Europes security and defence continues, building trust, dialogue and understanding around this complex issue is more important than ever.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen (PA)

The poll also suggested that a majority would support a united Ireland within the EU, with 67 per cent in Northern Ireland and 62 per cent in Ireland in favour.

Opposition to a United Ireland in the EU is higher in Northern Ireland (27 per cent) compared to the Republic of Ireland (16 per cent).

In Northern Ireland, a majority (60 per cent) believe changes in the EU-UK relationship following Brexit have not improved the regions relationship with the EU.

Amarach Research was commissioned by the European Movement Ireland to undertake the survey on attitudes to the EU across the island of Ireland.

It used a sample of 1,200 people aged 18 or over in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The data was collected online between March 26-28 and has a margin of error: +/- 2.5 per cent.
Taste Waterford has launched its food tours for the coming season with a new coffee experience being a key draw as it expects demand from Ireland and internationally.

Their latest food experience, the City Select Taste Tour, is a three-hour lunchtime walking tour of Waterford.

Along with five food stops at renowned venues, guests will also experience coffee cupping, a method to try different coffee beans and understand their flavour characteristics and profile.

Fintan Stanley, owner of Trade Coffee, explained: We dont know a food tour in Ireland currently offering coffee cupping.

Cupping is crucial for quality control, helping roasters determine optimal roast profiles and ensuring consistent quality  so its fascinating for coffee lovers.

Other venues on the tour include Momo Restaurant, the Stable Yard Food Hall, Phoenix Yard Market, and blaa tastings provided by Walshs Bakehouse at The Reg.

Pamela Flanagan is the local tour guide, who talks about the food and drink history of Waterford, whilst highlighting todays current cuisine.

Taste Waterford now offers four food tours, Richard Povey, Taste Waterford project manager, said: These tours help local, domestic and international visitors to connect with producers and suppliers that make our region standout for food and drink, and support the local economy.

Richard said theyve already seen bookings for the new Waterford tour and other experiences, with North America being a key market.

Other Taste Tours include an evening walking tour of Waterford City, and also the foodie town of Dungarvan.

They also offer the Mountain Splendour Taste Tour  a six-hour food experience in the Comeragh Mountains.

A mountain forage, visit to a sustainable farm, and shepherding in action prove highlights amongst guests.

If people want to enjoy the county at their own pace, they can use the self-guided Coastal Discovery Taste Trail, where participants download a map to their phone, and explore the coastline whilst visiting food and drink members en-route.

For information, dates and booking on Taste Tours, visit: tastewaterford.ie/experience/tours
Young people from Dungarvan impresses judges at a national talent show recently with their impressive performances.

The spotlight shone on some of Irelands brightest young performers as No Names Got Talent 2025 took to the stage on Saturday, April 26, at the Dean Crowe Theatre in Athlone.

Young people from clubs across the country came together for an unforgettable evening of music, dance, comedy and more.

No Name Club, a national, voluntary youth organisation, provides young people with a space to socialise in a fun, safe, and alcohol-free environment.

The clubs play a vital role in helping teenagers build confidence and social skills, while avoiding the risks associated with peer pressure.

The annual talent show is one of the No Name Clubs biggest and most anticipated events and this year was no exception.

Two overall winners on the night were No Name Club Dungarvan, for their impressive group dance to Disturbia, and Isis Kindratowicz from No Name Club Hollywood, for her beautiful rendition of If Only.

Kasia Swiderczuk also from No Name Club Dungarvan was awarded the first-place Gallery Award for her mixed media piece.

The judges described the Dungarvan group's dance as sublime, saying they had outdone themselves. Their team work was also praised.

Judges praised both the variety and the standard of talent on display, and all participating clubs were recognised with trophies and awards.

Speaking about the competition, Dr. Garrett Keenaghan, Chairperson, No Name Club said: Its so heartening to see the talent on show from our young people.

"The level of effort, organisation and team work that weve seen here is just fantastic."
Music fans across Waterford, South Kilkenny and the south east region are in for a real treat this coming weekend when what promises to be an unforgettable night of music and storytelling will take place at the Seanti, in Smartcastle East, Co Kilkenny.

The venue, which is located just five minutes from Waterford City is well-known for the quality of performers who play there and Saturday, May 9, will be no different when it plays host to the extraordinary Buddy Mondlock, making his way from the vibrant music scene of Nashville, Tennessee, and local songwriter, Martyn Travis.

Mondlock is a celebrated songwriter and performer, whose journey began in the 1980s when he was discovered by the legendary Guy Clark. After relocating from Chicago to Nashville, Buddy quickly made a name for himself, signing a publishing deal with EMI and immersing himself in the rich tapestry of Nashvilles musical landscape. Since then, he has dedicated his life to writing and performing, captivating audiences with his heartfelt compositions.

However, Buddy Mondlock is not just a songwriter; he is a master of his craft. His songs are poetic narratives that weave together deep emotions, self-reflection, and relay vivid storytelling. With each performance, he showcases a unique charm that resonates with listeners, drawing them into the world of his music.

On this special evening, Buddy will delight the audience with selections from his critically acclaimed recent album, 'Filament', alongside timeless favorites such as 'The Kid', 'Coming Down in the Rain', and 'Cats in the Coliseum'.

His ability to connect with the audience through his music makes him a truly remarkable performer, and he has collaborated with some of the greatest names in the industry, including Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, Garth brooks, Art Garfunkel, Janis Ian, and Joan Baez.

Joining Buddy on stage will be the talented Martyn Travis, hailing from the picturesque coastal village of Dunmore East.

Martyn Travis and the Dock Road band will also be appearing

Martyn and his band, The Dock Road, will bring their own unique sound to the evening, blending original compositions with an infectious folk/rock/trad style.

The band enhances Martyns songs with a rich tapestry of harmonies and instrumentation, creating a musical experience that is both uplifting and deeply resonant.

The lineup includes Martyn Travis on vocals and acoustic guitar, Dean Flynn on violin and electric guitar, Killian Delahunty on mandola, acoustic guitar, and whistles, Gerry Madden on mandolin, and Peter Curran on bass.

Travis possesses a remarkable gift for crafting music that captures the complexities of life, navigating through moments of joy, sorrow, and everything in between.

His distinctive style and potent storytelling shine through in his performances, ensuring that the audience feels every note.

The Dock Road band will perform a delightful mix of tracks from Martyns, 'Walk a Path', album, including the vibrant 'Deckhand on a Trawler', as well as his recently released single, 'Red Headed Girls'.

This quirky narrative explores the enduring influence of superstition on the seafaring community in Ireland, inviting listeners to reflect on the traditions that shape their lives.

This night promises to be more than just a concert. It will be a celebration of music, storytelling and the connections that bring people together.

Dont miss this extraordinary night filled with heartfelt performances and unforgettable melodies.

Doors will open at 8pm and the gig kicks off at 9pm. Tickets for the show are now available online at https://www.seanti.net/upcoming-gigs and also at https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/buddy-mondlock-with-martyn-travis-the-dock-road-band-tickets-1074386090719?aff=oddtdtcreator
Investors have staged another revolt against the board of Australias biggest oil and gas company over what they say are weak emissions-reduction targets and a failure to plan for a future beyond fossil fuels.

Perth-based Woodside Energy endured intense scrutiny from environmental campaigners and some of its own large investors at its annual general meeting on Thursday, as it plots a massive expansion of oil and gas production at a time of deepening worries about the impacts of climate change.

Richard Goyder is the chairman of Woodside and the Australian Football League. Credit: Trevor Collens

Nearly one-fifth of its shareholders voted to oust Ann Pickard, who chairs its suitability committee, while a contingent of protesters interrupted chief executive Meg ONeills opening address seven times by blowing loudly on whistles. No more gas, one protester yelled. Gas is poison, shouted another.

The sizable shareholder protest vote against Pickard, one of three directors up for re-election at the meeting, was partly attributed to long-held concerns that Woodsides strategic direction is out of step with international efforts to restrain rising temperatures.
The Murdoch family feud has been a gift that keeps giving for those fascinated by the dynastic machinations of one of the most famous families in the world. And media hounds are now lining up for the next round of the fight.

February 13, 2025, was arguably a red letter day for transparency or voyeurism  depending on how you look at it  as The New York Times unpacked a treasure trove of documents from the epic succession battle under way in court between Rupert Murdoch and three of his four eldest children.

Life imitates art for Rupert Murdoch and his children (from left) Lachlan, Elisabeth, Prudence and James. Credit: SMH

While the initial proceedings were conducted behind closed doors, media outlets  including CNN, The Washington Post and The New York Times  are now determined to get access to the next chapter in the moguls family brawl, and are legally contesting the publics right to know about who gets to control the worlds most influential conservative media company.

The Murdochs  Rupert and eldest son Lachlan  had always wanted the details of the feud to be shrouded in mystery. The closest anyone got to that case was photographs of family members entering the court building.
Australias richest person was, like most of the country, unhappy with the Liberal Party on Saturday night. But for different reasons to your average swing voter.

Billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart lashed the Coalition following its electoral drubbing for being insufficiently Trumpian, accusing left media of frightening the Liberals away from following the lead of the US president.

Gina Rinehart (centre), pictured at a Donald Trump rally last year, says the Liberals lost because they didnt go Trump enough. Credit:

And while moderates bemoaned the perceived ties between Donald Trump and Peter Dutton that helped smash the party at the ballot box, a handful have echoed Rineharts sentiments. Chief among those was South Australian senator and anti-woke warrior Alex Antic, who told Sky News this week that it was time to Make the Liberal Party great again.

Turns out not only have the pair been singing from the same hymn book on the Liberal Partys future, theyve also been hanging out. According to an election-eve register of interests disclosure, Antic received dinner and hospitality from Rinehart and her Hancock Prospecting.
Motown star Smokey Robinson is being sued over allegations of sexual assault and battery, as well as workplace negligence, by four women who worked for him as housekeepers at his California home.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday, also included allegations of false imprisonment, gender violence and creating a hostile work environment. It also named his wife, Frances Robinson, as a defendant. The women, who identified themselves as Jane Does to protect their privacy, seek a trial and $50 million in damages.

Smokey Robinson in Melbourne in 2009. Credit: Michael Clayton-Jones

The lawsuit alleges sexual assault incidents and hostile work environment situations that took place from 2007 until April 2024 when the women were employed at Robinsons home in the Chatsworth neighbourhood of Los Angeles. One woman alleged she was also raped at other Robinson homes, in the Bell Canyon neighbourhood of Los Angeles and in Las Vegas. Among several accusations, the women accused Robinson, 85, of ordering them to his bedroom or other areas of his property, where he would allegedly sexually assault or rape them.

Defendants conduct was outrageous, despicable, and intolerable in a civilised society, the complaint said.
WASHINGTON - Joseph Nye, a prominent scholar of international relations who had a significant influence on the U.S.-Japan alliance, has died, Harvard University said Wednesday. He was 88.

Nye, who was dean of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government from 1995 to 2004, after serving as assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs under U.S. President Bill Clinton, died on Tuesday, according to the university, which did not disclose the cause of his death.

Known for pioneering the theory of "soft power" to shed light on how nonmilitary strengths, such as cultural curiosity, can influence the behavior of other countries, Nye was a leading voice on U.S.-Japan relations.

With Richard Armitage, a fellow senior U.S. official who served as deputy secretary of state, Nye brought together a bipartisan group ahead of the U.S. presidential election in 2000 to shape a vision to improve the alliance between Washington and Tokyo.

Nye and Armitage, who died in mid-April at the age of 79, were in charge of regularly releasing reports containing a set of proposals to bolster the bilateral relationship.

The latest report, the sixth of its kind, was issued in April last year. In it, the group called on the two countries to build a "more integrated" partnership amid a challenging security environment, with one key pillar being the transformation of the decades-old alliance's command-and-control architecture.

In addition to holding the high-ranking assistant defense secretary post between 1994 and 1995, he served as chair of the National Intelligence Council and deputy undersecretary of state for security assistance, science and technology.

Nye, born in South Orange, New Jersey, first joined Harvard's faculty in 1964 upon earning a doctorate in political science. Prior to that, he studied at Princeton and Oxford universities.

He was a prolific writer, publishing more than 10 books including "Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics," "The Future of Power" and "Is the American Century Over?"

"It is impossible to capture Joe's intellectual contributions in a paragraph or a page," the Harvard school's current dean, Jeremy Weinstein, said in a statement on his death.

"In a century of unprecedented change in global politics, he was among the foremost thinkers to shape our understanding of contemporary international relations."

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba offered his condolences in a message released Thursday, saying that Nye had "profound insight" into the bilateral alliance and made significant contributions to deepening it through dialogue and policy recommendations.

"I would like to once again express my respect for his significant achievements," he said, lauding his "many years of dedication to strengthening Japan-U.S. relations."

Related coverage:

Richard Armitage, former U.S. deputy secretary of state, dies at 79
Cassius Turveys mother says her son identified the two men found guilty of his murder on Thursday in the days before he died.

Jack Brearley, 24, his then-girlfriend Aleesha Gilmore, 23, Mitchell Forth, 26, and Brodie Palmer, 29, were accused of killing the 15-year-old, who was attacked while walking home from school in Middle Swan in October 2022.

Mechelle Turvey (second from left) and supporters outside a Perth court after a jury finds two men guilty of murdering her son. Credit: Rebecca Peppiatt

A jury returned a guilty verdict for Brearley and Palmer on Thursday, but found Forth guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter, while Gilmore was found innocent of any involvement.

Cassius was bashed in the head with the metal handle of a shopping trolley, leaving him with significant head trauma. He succumbed to his injuries in hospital 10 days later, sparking a murder investigation and national outcry.
Aleesha Gilmore looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders on Thursday when a Supreme Court jury declared her not guilty of the murder or manslaughter of Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey.

The verdict marked the end of a two-year battle for Gilmore and her family, who say they have suffered death threats and assaults since she was arrested accused of being involved in the brutal bashing of an innocent boy.

Aleesha Gilmore was found innocent of murder. Credit: 9 News Perth

Gilmore, 23, a former childcare worker, was at the time in a relationship with Jack Brearley, 24, who declared war against a group of schoolkids he wrongly believed had smashed the windows of his car.

Cassius, 15, was caught up in the melee on October 13, 2022 and chased by Brearley and his former friend and fellow thug, Brodie Palmer, 29.
An election battle is still raging in Perths hills, with Labors Trish Cook leading Liberal Matt Moran by fewer than 100 votes as counting continued in the fight for Bullwinkel late yesterday.

As of 8pm Wednesday, the Australian Electoral Commission count had Cook ahead by 86 votes.

It means the winner will come down to the remaining postal and absentee votes.

Labors candidate for Bullwinkel, Trish Cook, is holding on to a narrow lead over the Liberals Matt Moran. Credit: Getty Images

So far, there are about 2500 absentee votes and 160 postal votes waiting to be counted, but more postal votes may trickle in over coming days.

Postal votes are included in the count as long as they arrive within 13 days of election day. The margin in Bullwinkel makes it one of the tightest in the country.

WAs other marginal count concluded yesterday, with Labor MP Josh Wilson pulling away from Climate 200-backed independent Kate Hulett to retain his seat of Fremantle.

Hulett managed to erode Wilsons grip on the seat with a 15.8 per cent swing toward her, but by Wednesday afternoon he had an unassailable lead of 2000 votes.

Labor MP Josh Wilson has survived a scare to retain Fremantle. Credit: Mark Naglazas

The result mirrored Huletts attempt at unseating state Fremantle MP Simone McGurk in March, where she lost by just 424 votes.

Hulett said when people had a real, positive alternative to the same old politics, they voted for it.

Climate 200-backed independent Fremantle candidate Kate Hulett. Credit: Trevor Collens

This whole campaign has been a win for the Fremantle community and the result is the strongest vindication yet of what Ive always said  there are no safe seats and the government is on notice, she said.

Twice in two months we have shown Labor what happens when they take Fremantle for granted.

They wont make that mistake again.

Wilson took to Facebook to thank the electorate for re-electing him.

I have always said that I cannot imagine work that is more meaningful than serving the community that has shaped me, while carrying Freos values into the shaping of our national journey, he said.
Sussan Ley has trekked the wilderness before. Before gap years were a rite of passage, an 18-year-old Ley hitched up a horse and a pack horse and decided to ride from Yass to the Ninety Mile Beach. She rode through Kosciuszko with no phone, just a topographical map on her saddle to guide her through to the other side.

Ley will need to rely on the same grit and instinct now she is the opposition leader. There is no map to guide a shattered Liberal Party through its worst defeat in history. But in taking the reins, it will be keeping with the adventurous bent she inherited growing up in Nigeria, the Middle East and Britain as the daughter of a British intelligence officer, before arriving in Australia.

Liberal Party Leader Sussan Ley enters the party meeting on Tuesday morning. Credit: James Brickwood

Travelling, and being at boarding school on my own, I think you either sink or swim, Ley has said in previous interviews. Obviously, I was someone who decided very early on in life that I wasnt going to sink.

Ley has prepared for the challenges of becoming Australias first federal female Coalition leader. She cut her teeth as one of two women in Tony Abbotts famously male-heavy cabinet. Before that, she tried and failed to become one of Australias first female commercial pilots. Ley arrived at her first university class aged 30 with a baby in tow, and studied part-time for 10 years while raising three children.
The party of protest has just discovered it protested far too much.

Greens leader Adam Bandt has suffered a devastating verdict from voters after victories at five elections since he made history for his party by seizing the seat of Melbourne from Labor in 2010.

Greens leader Adam Bandt. Credit: Getty

While Bandt has not conceded defeat, he is losing steadily as more votes are counted. It would be a miracle if he were saved by the late discovery of hordes of votes in his favour. The most likely outcome will be a concession speech.

Bandt has been a strong advocate for the environment, social justice and action on Gaza. Nobody can doubt his passion for the Greens cause and his energy in parliament. But there are consequences for every party when they misjudge the Australian electorate.
Apple is actively looking at revamping the Safari web browser on its devices to focus on AI-powered search engines, a seismic shift for the industry hastened by the potential end of a longtime partnership with Google.

Eddy Cue, Apples senior vice president of services, made the disclosure during his testimony in the US Justice Departments lawsuit against Alphabet. The heart of the dispute is the two companies estimated $US20 billion ($31 billion)-a-year deal that makes Google the default offering for queries in Apples browser. The case could force the tech giants to unwind the pact, upending how the iPhone and other devices have long operated.

Apple says it is actively looking at revamping the Safari web browser on its devices to focus on AI-powered search engines. Credit: Bloomberg

Beyond that upheaval, AI is already making gains with consumers. Cue noted that searches on Safari dipped for the first time last month, which he attributed to people using AI. Cue said he believes that AI search providers, including OpenAI, Perplexity AI and Anthropic, will eventually replace standard search engines like Alphabets Google. He said he believes Apple will bring those options to Safari in the future.

We will add them to the list  they probably wont be the default, he said, indicating that they still need to improve. Cue specifically said the company has had some discussions with Perplexity.
Washington: A US judge said any effort by the Trump administration to deport migrants to Libya would clearly violate a prior court order barring officials from swiftly deporting migrants to countries other than their own without first weighing whether they risk persecution or torture if sent there.

District Judge Brian Murphy issued a new order restricting their removal on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) following reports the Trump administration could deport people as soon as this week  despite previous US condemnation of Libyas harsh treatment of detainees.

Donald Trump has brought in a series of tough measures aimed at curbing illegal immigration. Credit: Bloomberg

Reuters could not determine how many migrants would be sent to Libya or the nationalities of those the administration was eyeing for deportation, including whether any were Libyan nationals. The relatives of one Mexican national said he had been instructed to sign a document allowing for his deportation to the African nation.

Immigration rights advocates said in court filings that individuals potentially subject to deportation to Libya also included Filipino, Laotian and Vietnamese migrants.
TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it expects a 34.9 percent drop in net profit for the current business year through next March to 3.1 trillion yen ($21.6 billion), due to U.S. President Donald Trump's higher tariffs and a stronger yen.

Its operating profit is projected at 3.8 trillion yen, down 20.8 percent from fiscal 2024, on estimated record sales of 48.5 trillion yen, up 1.0 percent, the Japanese automaker said.

For the business year ended March, Toyota posted a net profit of 4.77 trillion yen, down 3.6 percent from a year earlier, on record sales of 48.04 trillion yen, up 6.5 percent.

The latest earnings report from the world's largest automaker by volume comes amid growing concern over Trump's steep import taxes, including an additional 25 percent levy imposed since early April on all automobiles manufactured outside the United States.

As the United States remains Toyota's largest market, accounting for roughly 20 percent of its global vehicle sales, the tariffs could significantly affect the company's performance.

Toyota said U.S. trade policies are projected to reduce its operating profit by 180 billion yen, adding it tentatively priced in their impact for two months through May.

"It is still extremely difficult to forecast the outlook, as the details of the tariffs remain fluid," Toyota President Koji Sato said at a press conference.

When asked how Toyota would respond if the trade policies remain in place over the long term, Sato only said the company will continue to develop and manufacture products tailored to local customers, without providing further details.

Chief Financial Officer Yoichi Miyazaki said the Japanese company has no immediate plans to pass heftier levies onto customers.

"We believe that prices should be determined by customers...and we have raised prices of items in high demand," Miyazaki said, adding, "We will make an appropriate response at the right time."

For fiscal 2025, the yen's appreciation is estimated to slash Toyota's operating profit by 745 billion yen.

As a weaker yen inflates overseas profits when repatriated, Toyota and other Japanese exporters benefited from the currency's fall in recent years.

The company's earnings outlook is based on an exchange rate assumption of 145 yen to the U.S. dollar and 160 yen to the euro, compared with 153 yen and 164 yen, respectively, the previous year.

Every 1 yen rise against the dollar is estimated to cut Toyota's operating profit by some 50 billion yen a year.

The Toyota group's global vehicle sales, including those of truck maker Hino Motors Ltd. and compact car subsidiary Daihatsu Motor Co., edged down 0.7 percent in fiscal 2024 to 11.01 million units following a certification scandal that briefly suspended production of several models.

But the figure still exceeded its projection of 10.85 million units, due partly to strong demand for hybrid cars.

For the current business year, the automaker group plans to sell 11.2 million units worldwide, up 1.7 percent, Toyota said.

Related coverage:

Toyota, U.S. firm Waymo to collaborate on self-driving tech

Trump's 25% auto part tariff takes effect, in latest blow to Japan

Japanese carmakers post firm U.S. sales growth on rush of buying
TOKYO - Lost something on the train? AI might help track it down, even if you thought it was gone for good.

Public transportation service providers and other concerns in Japan are introducing artificial intelligence to categorize and catalog lost items and provide information on where to return them.

Some 30 organizations have introduced a "lost-and-found platform," developed by Tokyo-based information technology firm Find Inc., at about 2,300 stations and other locations.

They include the Sapporo City Transportation Bureau and Haneda airport in Tokyo, as well as the Tokyo police force and the Oita prefectural police.

Tokyo-based railway operator Keio Corp. has seen its rate of return of lost possessions increase to 30 percent, up from less than 10 percent before the adoption of the system.

When a lost item is turned in, transportation or other workers take a picture of it with their tablets. Find's AI-based system then registers the color, shape and other features of the item before storing the information along with the photos in a database.

Through messaging apps such as Line, owners of a lost item can make inquiries by entering related information, such as where the item was lost, its features and photos. If there is no photo, the owner can pick a similar-looking image, and the system will let them know if it finds something that matches. The service is available in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.

Find's staff scour the database using AI based on information entered by the owner of the lost item.

Even if the person does not provide a photo or enters only a vague description of the missing item, the AI indicates multiple possible candidates in descending order of probability. If it determines that the item indeed belongs to the person in question, it will guide them to a station or facility counter to retrieve it.

Yurikamome Inc., operator of an automated monorail transit service between Shimbashi and Toyosu in Tokyo's waterfront area, introduced the AI system in July 2024.

While the company handles some 15,000 lost-and-found items per year, the number of inquiries has dropped off significantly, said Kiyomichi Mano, an official at the transit line's Shimbashi Station.

Previously, Yurikamome used Excel spreadsheets to categorize lost-and-found items, which was less efficient to search, but Find's system has cut down the time needed to look for items.

Mano said the train operator has received messages from people expressing gratitude for the system's help in recovering their belongings and praising the overall convenience of the service.

Certain departments of the Tokyo and Oita police departments use the system to handle their lost-and-found services.

"Items can be returned to owners faster than before as we no longer need to go to the storage warehouse to verify them," said an official in the accounting section at the Oita police department.

Facilities at Hakata Station in the city of Fukuoka, such as the station's commercial building and underground shopping center, have adopted the service collectively, eliminating the need to inquire about lost items at various points around the building.

Find launched its platform in June 2023. As of the end of March, the company had handled a cumulative total of about 1.5 million lost items, of which around 480,000 were returned.

"Until now people who had lost their belongings had to check various places by phone," Ryu Wada, chief executive officer of the company, said. "As more facilities use this service, the recovery of lost-and-found items will become easier because inquiries can be matched through a huge database."

Related coverage:

Record 4.5 bil. yen in lost cash turned in to Tokyo police in 2024

Japan police to launch unified online system for lost and found items
Xi says China, Russia find right path of state-to-state interactions between neighboring major countries

Xinhua) 08:05, May 08, 2025

Chinese President Xi Jinping inspects the guard of honor during a grand welcome ceremony at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

MOSCOW, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Wednesday that China and Russia have found a right path of state-to-state interactions between neighboring major countries.

He made the remarks in a written statement upon his arrival in Moscow for a state visit to the country and attendance at the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Xi noted that the two sides, as good neighbors that cannot be moved away, true friends who share weal and woe, and good partners of mutual achievement, have forged a spirit of strategic coordination for a new era, which features permanent good-neighborly friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation.

The independent, mature and resilient bilateral relationship, Xi said, not only brings great benefits to the two peoples, but also makes important contributions to maintaining global strategic stability and promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, he noted.

China and Russia, both major countries of the world and permanent members of the UN Security Council, will join hands to safeguard the victorious outcome of World War II, firmly safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics, practice true multilateralism, and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, Xi said.

The Chinese president also said that during the visit he will have in-depth communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin on bilateral relations, practical cooperation as well as major international and regional issues of common concern, which will inject strong impetus into the development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Noting that he will attend Russia's May 9th Victory Day celebrations again after a decade, Xi said he looks forward to working with leaders of other countries and the Russian people to deeply commemorate the martyrs who heroically sacrificed their lives for the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, and send out a strong voice of the times to safeguard international fairness and justice.

Xi's plane was escorted by Russian Air Force aircraft after it entered the country's airspace.

When Xi arrived at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, he was warmly welcomed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and other senior government officials.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is warmly welcomed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and other senior government officials at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Members of an honor guard line up at the airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Members of a military band are pictured at the airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

Members of an honor guard are pictured at the airport in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. Xi arrived here on Wednesday to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. (Xinhua/Dai Tianfang)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
The Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), the National Alliance of Anti-Nuclear Movements (NAAM) and the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) express grave concern over the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan

The current crisis was triggered by the brutal terrorist attack on April 22 at the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam where 26 innocent civilians were brutally gunned down. This tragedy represents a major security lapse, as the area lacked any security outpost despite being a popular tourist destination and none of the terrorists have been apprehended. On the night of May 7, Indian forces conducted air strikes on multiple targets within Pakistan, reportedly aimed at terrorist bases. In response, Pakistan has retaliated with cross-border shelling so innocent civilians on both sides have been killed. This is to be unequivocally condemned.

India and Pakistan are the only two nuclear nations to have engaged in this kind of an armed confrontation with direct attacks within each-others sovereign territory. We are greatly concerned by the potential for miscalculation in this volatile situation and the grave consequences of further escalation.

As peace groups based in India, we are aghast at the level of Islamophobia and anti-Pakistan sentiment within Indian society and the role of the Indian media that has sought to whip up pro-war hysteria. These domestic factors differentiate the current situation from the period of the Kargil conflict in 1999 or the tensions that arose after the attack on the Indian parliament in 2001 and the attacks in Mumbai in 2008. The situation also differs from 2019, after the Balakot strikes, when an Indian jet was shot down but the conflict was defused after Pakistan swiftly returned the pilot.

Our greatest worry is that the current conflict might escalate to a nuclear exchange. Although the probability of such an event is still low, even a limited nuclear exchange could lead to millions of deaths in the region. It would also have serious consequences for billions of people all over the world.

The CNDP, NAAM and IDPD call upon the governments of both countries to immediately desist from further military actions and work towards peace through a political and diplomatic process.
SEOUL/TOKYO - North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Thursday, South Korea and Japan said, with no damage reported so far after the first such act by Pyongyang in almost two months.

The missiles were fired between 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. from the Wonsan area in the eastern part of the country, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding it detected launches of various types of short-range ballistic missiles from the area.

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters in Tokyo that one of the missiles that was launched around 9:20 a.m. reached a maximum altitude of around 100 kilometers and may have flown on an irregular trajectory.

The projectiles are estimated to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone and no damage to ships or planes has been reported, Nakatani said, adding that Tokyo has lodged a stern protest with Pyongyang over the incident.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a press conference that North Korea's missile development "threatens peace" and is "unacceptable."

The missiles flew as far as approximately 800 km before falling into the sea, the South Korean military said.

North Korea last launched missiles on March 10 toward the sea, hours after South Korea and the United States began their large-scale annual joint military exercise called Freedom Shield.

The latest missile activity by Pyongyang came as its military cooperates with Moscow in Russia's war against Ukraine and ahead of South Korea's June 3 presidential election to choose the successor to Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted from office last month over his short-lived declaration of martial law in December.

Related coverage:

North Korea test-fires new destroyer's weapons system

Families of Japanese abducted by North Korea call for Trump's support

North Korea confirms troop deployment to Russia under bilateral pact
Chicago native moved across country for Weber State, now designing her own future

May 8, 2025

OGDEN, Utah  Taylor Mirshak grew up in Chicago before making the daring decision to move to Utah to pursue interior design at Weber State University, bringing her passion for designing and creating spaces with her.

I never truly knew what my future would hold, Mirshak said. But somewhere along the way, I decided to leave the comfort of my family and the citys deep-dish pizza to move to Utah and pursue interior design.

Growing up, Mirshak loved watching HGTV, redesigning her room, and experimenting with color. She knew she wanted a four-year degree in interior design, but she wasnt sure where. After exploring programs around the country, she came across Weber State as a top program and was drawn to the class offerings.

The interior design program at WSU Davis includes classes and minors that focus on sales, building design, and construction. Mirshak said this gave her options for a well-rounded education that could benefit her future.

Her excitement for the program didnt necessarily make the 1,400-mile move easy, especially fresh out of high school.

Moving to an unfamiliar state came with challenges, but some of the stress during her first two rocky years was lightened by financial support. Mirshak took advantage of the Waterfall Canyon Scholarship aimed at non-Utah residents, which covers the cost of eight semesters  or up to $30,000.

Mirshak said her first two years at WSU challenged her assumptions about what interior design really entails.

Most people think its fluffing pillows and picking out paint colors, Mirshak said. But there's actually a lot more to it. You're doing a lot of architecture, using all these different programs, drawing up floor plans. There's all these different parts to it that I didn't quite realize I was going to have to do.

Mirshak said her passion for the field got her through the sleepless nights and self-doubt. She soon started noticing growth in her work and more joy in the learning experience, especially connecting with people.

Mirshaks internship in Cape Coral, Florida, drove that point home. She was able to apply what she had learned, gain hands-on experience, and network with others in her profession  things she said were made possible by her time at Weber State.

Mirshak graduated last month and said she feels knowledgeable and well-equipped with a full portfolio. She said shes ready to go out and help create spaces that are more than just rooms, but also reflections of the people and personalities that occupy them.
BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has established over 1,000 specialized teams with approximately 100,000 personnel for emergency rescue duties, according to a press conference on Wednesday.

These teams operate across eight fields, spanning disaster relief, medical aid, water supply management, public health services, emergency transport, psychological support, search and rescue, and aquatic rescue operations.

The RCSC activated emergency response measures 565 times and deployed 775,000 relief items in 2024, said Wang Bin, deputy president of the organization.

The RCSC is further committed to leveraging its grassroots networks and volunteers, integrating technological solutions to enhance rescue capacities, and collaborating with emergency response agencies to deliver rapid humanitarian assistance to disaster-stricken communities.

In addition, Chinese Red Cross Foundation President Bei Xiaochao highlighted the foundation's closed-loop system, which covers everything from fundraising and resource allocation to compliance monitoring.

Bei said that the foundation maintains real-time updates on relief operations and the distribution of materials in compliance with regulations, ensures the public disclosure of donation receipts and expenditures, and publishes audit reports for transparency. 
COUSHATTA, La. -- A Red River Parish businessman faces multiple charges after he allegedly defrauded customers out of about $500,000.

Thomas Hoeflinger, 63, of Coushatta, was arrested Tuesday following an investigation by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, which is the investigative division of the Louisiana Attorney Generals Office. The Red River Parish Sheriffs Office assisted with investigating and the arrest.

Hoeflinger owned the Quality Outdoor dealership in Coushatta. In July, he closed the business, leaving many customers and the bank with many outstanding financial disputes, Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a news release.

The subsequent investigation by the LBI identified numerous victims of theft and fraud, including previous customers of Hoeflingers dealership and a financial institution that funded the inventory purchases for retail sales.

As Quality Outdoors, Hoeflinger sold lawn equipment, tractors, generators, trailers, and other products to customers across the southern United States. Often, customers funded expensive purchases through their banking institutions, and Hoeflinger received the bank funds for payment of the purchased item, but never ordered the products from the manufacturer. This left the customer without delivery of the purchased item and obligated them to the bank financing they had arranged, Murrill said.

One example provided by Murrill related to the sale of a new tractor negotiated by Hoeflinger that included a used tractor as a trade-in allowance. Hoeflinger sold that tractor from his dealership and never paid off the customers trade-in. This left the customer financially responsible for the outstanding loan on the traded-in tractor and the newly purchased tractor, Murrill said.

In another case, Hoeflinger took one pickup truck in on consignment at Quality Outdoors. He sold it and paid the owner by check for the trucks sale. However, the bank reported the account as having insufficient funds, and Hoeflinger did not compensate the vehicle's owner.

LBI interviewed several victims who purchased towing trailers and paid the licensing fees to register them with the state motor vehicle office but never received their registration. The investigation found that Hoeflinger charged the customers fees to cover the cost of the registration charges and misappropriated the funds himself, Murrill said, meaning those customers were left financially responsible for paying fees a second time to have the trailers registered as required by law.

After Hoeflinger closed the business, the LBI discovered several financed inventory items were removed from the business property, sold, or, in cases, used by Hoeflinger for personal use, again defrauding the financial institution of the bank loans.

Hoeflinger is charged with the following:

 1 count of bank fraud

 9 counts of theft

 1 count of issuing worthless checks

 2 counts of misdemeanor

Hoeflinger must appear at a bond hearing before a judge to determine a bond amount. No bond has been set at this time.
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BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Wednesday launched an emergency response to and multiple alerts for incoming or possible natural disasters.

The National Meteorological Center has issued a blue alert for heavy rainfall and severe convective weather, and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has initiated a Level-III emergency response to meteorological disasters.

From 8 p.m. Wednesday to 8 p.m. Thursday, thunderstorms, gales or hail are forecast to hit parts of Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Beijing, Shanxi, Anhui, Hubei, Chongqing, Guizhou, Hunan and Jiangxi, while winds of over force 11 (28.5-32.6 meters per second) on the national wind scale will hit parts of Hunan, Jiangxi, Chongqing and Guizhou.

The Ministry of Water Resources and the CMA have also issued a yellow alert for mountain torrents that could strike parts of Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei and Hunan.

A yellow alert for meteorological risks of geological disasters was also launched on Wednesday, warning that such risks will be relatively high in some areas of Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi and Guizhou.

Localities have been urged to spare no effort in their real-time monitoring, early warning and evacuation procedures, and the public has been advised to be cautious when in the affected areas.

China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. The emergency response system also has four tiers, with Level I being the most severe. 
Sarah Slater

An Irish woman detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last month after returning from a visit to Ireland to see her ill father is to be released following a court appearance earlier today.

Cliona Ward, 54, a green-card holder, who has been living legally there for around 30 years, first ran into legal trouble in March after arriving back in the US from a trip to Ireland to visit her father in Youghal, Co Cork who is living with dementia.

Ms Ward, whose green card is valid until 2033, was detained and questioned by customs at the San Francisco airport on March 19th over her past criminal record.

Her prior criminal record includes six cases - two felonies for possession of drugs in December 2007 and January 2008, and four misdemeanours.

She and her sister Orla Holladay, who also lives in the US, claimed her convictions were expunged however, prompting customs to temporarily release her to obtain the appropriate documentation to prove that her records had been cleared in California.

When she went to plead her case at San Francisco airport Customs on April 21st and present proof of her expungement, she was detained once more and told to argue her case in front of an immigration judge.

On Wednesday, Ms Ward's Washington state-based attorney Erin Hall, said that an application was made in California on Friday last for the original convictions to be formally vacated in a manner that would be recognised at a federal level.

A California judge agreed to the application, which allowed Ms Hall to subsequently file a motion to terminate the immigration proceedings.

A GoFundme page has been set up by her sister, Orla to cover legal costs.

Ms Ward, a mother of one son, appeared in court in Seattle at 8.30 am local time (Irish time 4.30 pm) and in an update on the fundraising page, Clionas Hope: A Mothers Fight for Freedom, Ms Hollady said that the charity group her sister works with are organising protests for her preliminary court hearing.

Ms Ward is a caregiver for her son Malachi, who is an American citizen, and chronically ill.

On Wednesday, a judge at the Tacoma Immigration Court signed an order ending the removal proceedings against Ms Ward.

Another sister of Ms Ward, Tracey Ward told RTE that the development is a "huge, huge relief."

"I was trying to maintain hope today but I know how the system works over there so I was very fearful for her. I'm just completely relieved," she said.

"The outpouring of love worldwide that we've received has been absolutely unbelievable.

Democrat California Representatives Jimmy who has supported and been calling for Ms Wards release said in a statement on social media:

"Im proud to share that Cliona Ward, a 30-year legal permanent resident of Santa Cruz County, will be released after being detained and threatened with deportation.
Two Mayo students have been awarded an All Ireland Scholarship which will cover the full duration of their undergraduate studies.

Luke Feeney (Ballina) and Christopher Lee Lavelle (Ballina) were honoured at the All Ireland Scholarships Awards Ceremony on the 25th of April in the University Concert Hall, University of Limerick.

In attendance at the ceremony was All Ireland Scholarships Sponsor JP McManus, Guest of Honour and CEO of Cuan Mhuire Bruree, Sr Agnes Fitzgerald, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick ODonovan TD, and Director of Skills, Strategy and Policy, Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland, Graeme Wilkinson as well as the family, friends and school representatives of the scholarship recipients.

Commenting at the awards ceremony, All Ireland Scholarships Sponsor JP McManus said: I am honoured to be here to celebrate the outstanding academic achievements of these 125 students. To date, 1,924 students have received an All Ireland Scholarship and 1,382 of those students have since graduated from university. Today is a very special occasion for the class of 2024, their families, friends, and teachers. We wish them all the very best as they pursue their studies and university and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the years to come.
Mayo artist, Charlotte Greham, is pictured with her prize-winning artwork at the opening of an exhibition of winning paintings to celebrate 71 years of the Texaco Children's Art Competition at the Regional Cultural Centre in Letterkenny.

Last year, as a pupil at Breaffy National School, Ballina, Charlotte won first prize in the 12-13 year age category for her work entitled Inspiration.

Charlottes artwork was described at the time by Final Adjudicator, Gary Granville, Professor Emeritus of Education at the National College of Art and Design as a finely executed representation of an artist at work.

The exhibition, which features over 40 winning artworks from 16 counties, is open to the public from 11am - 5pm (Tuesday to Friday) and from 1pm  5pm (Saturdays only) until Saturday, 7th June. Admission is free.
A Mayo beach has made the list for 'The World's 50 Best Beaches' in 2025.

Keem Beach, located past Dooagh village in the west of Achill Island, is the only Irish beach to make the prestigious list.

The website (https://worlds50beaches.com/) describes the Mayo location as "set in a dramatic environment, Keem Beach stands out for its raw natural beauty and surprisingly blue waters, which resemble those found in more tropical locations."

The beautiful Keem Beach at Achill Island, in Co. Mayo, Ireland.

It added: "What also makes Keem Beach stand out is its horseshoe-shaped bay, surrounded by towering cliffs and picturesque hills, creating calmer waters that are ideal for swimming in the summer."
A Mayo pub that was destroyed by a fire is set to re-open in the coming months after remarkable progress has been made in rebuilding it.

There was shock and sadness when Erris institution, the High Chaparral, was devastated by a blaze in February. The speed and ferocity of the fire was frightening and nothing inside the property survived.

Famed for its traditional music sessions, The High Chaparral was far more than a watering hole, it was a focal point for the community in Geesala and surrounding areas.

There has been a public house on the footprint of the High Chaparral since the late 1800s and the Munnelly family has run the bar since 1949.

Ingenuity, hard work, and community spirit have combined to see the bar rise from the ashes in recent months.

We should be sending them up to Dublin to show them how to build the Childrens Hospital," quipped local councillor Gerry Coyle, who is a life-long friend of the Munnelly family.

The importance of the High Chapparal to the coastal community was emphasised by Cllr Coyle in the aftermath of the fire.

Some will say that it was only a pub but it was so much more, it was the central hub for community interaction, it was peoples gathering place, a second home, a safe place, maybe their only place for a friendly word all day, their warm place, their welcoming place, their community, a place that welcomed you in your moment of need, he said.

The High Chapparal in Geesala is rising from the ashes of the devastating fire.

A new roof and windows are to be installed this week and it is hoped that the bar could reopen in Autumn.

Blockwork has been completed and gable walls restored.

Its going mighty now, John Munnelly told the Western People.

He praised the efforts of local tradesmen who have helped in the task of bringing the bar back to the community.

Its all local lads who have been on the build so far and that has made a huge difference, said John who is a qualified construction engineer but never had to utilise his qualifications fully until now.

Everything was destroyed in the fire. The only thing left standing was the old stone walls that would have been built over 100 years ago, he said.

The indomitable spirit of the Munnelly family will see their pub return to their beloved village again.

You have to have a go at it. Theres no point looking back, you have to go forward. Were determined to get it finished and things will be back to normal, said John.
Twenty students have been left without access to the school bus to Crossmolina National School.

The impacted students, who are from the areas of Coolturk, Eskeragh and Dooleague outside Crossmolina have not been eligible for the Bus to School Scheme over the past number of years despite having family links and connections to the school. The scheme recently closed to applications for the next academic year.

Fine Gael Senator Mark Duffy raised the issue in the Seanad last week having met with the affected families. Senator Duffy said he would welcome a discussion with the Minister for Education Helen McEntee on the matter.

It is very important for all the families in this area at a time when we need to encourage sustainable transport and sustainable travel to school in an area where there is plenty of congestion in the morning, he said.

Senator Duffy said it is important that families living in rural areas be treated equally to those living closer to towns and villages and called for further supports to be made available for people living in these areas.

When we are at such high employment with families working, we need to make sure we have fair access for all parents and families and I hope we can deliver for the families in this area, he said.

This is my first opportunity to raise this at an Oireachtas level and I would welcome a discussion on the matter," added Senator Duffy.

Seanad leader Senator Sean Kyne acknowledged Senator Duffys contribution and suggested he follow up the matter with the Minister and potentially invite her to speak to the Seanad members as there are wider issues with school transport that need to be addressed.

Senator Duffy can table a Commencement matter with the Minister to get a more immediate response and certainly ask that she come in to talk about issues of school transport anyway," said Senator Kyne. "I know it is an issue that has been raised in the House on many occasions, he added.
We can be stuck on the wrong thing sometimes. When it comes to the health of our democracy, we have been worrying for years about low voter turnout. The last general election caused particular concern. With turnout in that election estimated at 59.7%, many commentators were shocked that fewer than three in five people actually bothered to vote.

That disappointing figure produced a lot of angst. It generated much discussion. Comparisons with the golden electoral contests of the past were lingered on and laboured over. The share of the vote the parties got in the election was contrasted unfavourably with the actual share of voters  including those who didnt vote  that supported them. Much was said about how voters were disengaged, and much more about why so many people didnt bother to vote.

That commentary made it feel like we were reaching a tipping point, looking down the barrel of a day when fewer than half the electorate would vote in an election. Where would the democratic legitimacy of a government be then?

Well, it now turns out that when it comes to turnout we should have been worried about something else altogether. A report last week confirmed that we actually dont have a clue what the percentage turnout in our last general election was, or in most recent ones for that matter.

That report last week from An Coimisiun Toghchain, the Electoral Commission, confirmed what many political observers have suspected for years: our electoral register is a mess.

What is even worse is that we have no real idea just how big a mess. The register has names on it of people who have moved home, or are (long) dead or are just no longer around. So if you lived in Dublin or Cork for a while, you could well still be on the register there while also being on the register in Mayo. That would make voting early and often possible if still very much illegal.

It was reported last week that some political scientists estimate that up to 500,000 names are on the register that should not be. All An Coimisiun Toghchain can say for sure is that the miscount is in the hundreds of thousands. The extra names on the register could underestimate the actual turnout of actual voters by as much as 5%: for all that is known, it could be higher.

What that means is that when we say turnout in our last election was 59.5%, it means 59.5% of people on a list that includes hundreds of thousands of names that shouldnt be on the list. It is like saying you invited 100 people to your party, and you were disappointed that only 60 showed up, without realising that a whole pile of people you invited never got the invitation.

There is another problem than turnout. An Coimisiun Toghchain reports that 11 local authorities  many of them in the west  have more names on their local election register than the entire population of those areas eligible to be on the register.

Such inaccurate registers also make it impossible to know with any certainty how many people are not registered at all. So since we have no idea how many people are on the list inaccurately, there is less urgency to get those who should be on it, onto it.

The central problem with all this is that we dont have one electoral register. We have 31, individually maintained by each local authority. In most places those registers dont, as it was put, "talk to one another", meaning duplication is regular, and weeding it out is near impossible.

In fairness, the problem goes back decades, and some local authorities have made good efforts to improve things. Some though have clearly not given it the priority it deserves. A lack of resources is suggested as one of the reasons for this.

Isnt this all a sorry state of affairs? Now there is some sign of improvement and of change. An Coimisiun Toghchain has called for a full audit of every electoral register in the country. They want to see a national awareness campaign to encourage the public to correct their own entry on the registers, and they want the appropriate resources dedicated to getting the registers right. Some sort of national standardised system  with appropriate resources applied to achieving that  would surely help.

The Department of Housing and Local Government is compiling a single national register, with the hope that it will be done by autumn 2026. Local authorities are being asked to put more unique identifiers into the entries in their individual registers to help this process. It would certainly help if every entry had something like a PPSN number, or an Eircode in it. The PPSN would certainly make weeding out duplicates easier. Sharing data with other agencies  like the Department of Social Protection  would help to confirm who isnt claiming their pension anymore. That sharing of data might produce some civil liberties concerns, but really, in the modern world, where people share all sorts of data with Google and Meta all the time, we can use modern tools thoughtfully to get this right.

Now of course all this will be difficult: one can only imagine how many Pat Murphys are on the register nationwide. And of course, there are certainly both a Pat Murphy Snr and a Pat Murphy Jnr in some houses  but those fixing the register have to make a start somewhere and wont get it always right. And it is also of course appropriate that we should we be slow to take someone off the register unless we are really sure they shouldnt be on it.

We need to get on with it, as the electoral register is the title deeds of our democracy, and we should treat it with more respect. The list is the source of authority in our land. Our democracy - and thus us - needs that respect.

And one thing this report last week should also do is tone down the handwringing and fixation about turnout as a barometer of our democracys health. For the issues which affect that go much deeper than turnout. We should be more worried about the depth of engagement in our democratic process.

What worried me about our last election was not the amount of people who turned out, but the amount of people who turned off. That cant be fixed by updating a register, but treating the register with more respect is no bad place to start.
Award-winning novelist Eimear McBride has been named as judge of this years Wild Atlantic Words short story competition.

Eimear McBride is the author of four novels: A Girl is a Half-formed Thing, The Lesser Bohemians, Strange Hotel, and The City Changes Its Face. She held the inaugural Creative Fellowship at the Beckett Research Centre, University of Reading, resulting in the performance text, Mouthpieces. Her full-length, non-fiction work, Something Out of Place: Women & Disgust, was published in 2021. In 2022, she wrote and directed A Very Short Film About Longing (DMC Films/BBC), which was selected for screening at the 2023 London Film Festival. She is the recipient of the Womens Prize for Fiction, Goldsmiths Prize, Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize, Kerry Prize, and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.

The Wild Atlantic Words short story competition is jointly sponsored by Bridge St bar and Mayo Books Press, with a first prize of 500, and second prize, 250. A reading and prize-giving ceremony will take place during the 10th annual Wild Atlantic Words festival this October. Entry forms, along with a full list of competition rules and regulations, are available on the festivals website, www.wildatlanticwords.ie. The closing date for entries is Thursday, July 31, at 5pm.

Founded in 2016, the Wild Atlantic Words festival takes place every autumn in Castlebar, County Mayo. This years festival will run from Monday, October 6th to Sunday, October 12th and will once again see the welcome return of the Wild Atlantic Words Festival Dome at Bridge Lane in the town centre.

The Wild Atlantic Words festival was created to provide a platform for all literary activities celebrating the connection between the rugged Atlantic coast and the inspiration it provides for the creation of stories which help us to make sense of the world and each other. Previous guests have included former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, plus a host of acclaimed national and international authors, including Sally Rooney, Katriona OSullivan, Donal Ryan, Billy Keane, Professor Diarmaid Ferriter, Dominic Price, Maureen Gaffney, Paul Brady, Michael OConnor, John Healy and many, many more.
ISLAMABAD, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-one people were killed and 57 others injured in an Indian attack on Pakistani territory and subsequent exchange of fire between Pakistani and Indian troops along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border that divides the disputed region of Kashmir, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said on Wednesday.

India carried out large-scale "ceasefire violations" in border areas throughout the day on Wednesday, following attacks on houses and mosques that targeted civilians in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and the eastern Punjab province during Tuesday night and the early hours of Wednesday morning, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, told the media during a briefing.

He stated that Pakistan responded effectively by targeting an Indian brigade headquarters, a battalion headquarters, and multiple military posts across the LoC in the Kashmir region, and along the working boundary between Pakistan's Punjab and India-controlled Kashmir during the day-long exchange of fire.

The ISPR chief said that Indian jet fighters struck six locations within Pakistani territory, but the Pakistani Air Force responded by shooting down five Indian fighter jets with precision.

In addition, the Pakistani army shot down seven Indian spy and combat drones and captured two more using advanced technology, he added.

"We were well-prepared. Pakistan did not suffer any combat casualties during the exchange of fire, and the Air Force did not lose any aircraft or assets in the strikes," he said.

India had accused Pakistan of hosting terrorist camps, but after Pakistan invited both local and foreign media to inspect the alleged sites, India launched a surprise night-time attack on those locations, he added.

Pakistan reserves the right to respond in self-defense at a time of its choosing, he said, adding that the country's commitment to peace should not be mistaken for weakness.

While Pakistan seeks regional stability, it will not hesitate to act decisively if provoked, Chaudhry said. 
BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- China remains committed to advancing its accession process to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday.

Since formally applying to join the CPTPP in September 2021, China has analyzed the agreement's provisions in depth and engaged in multi-level exchanges with member economies through various channels, while also launching pilot programs in domestic qualified free trade zones and ports, MOC spokesperson He Yadong said at a press conference.

These moves demonstrate China's determination, capability and concrete actions in seeking to meet the agreement's high standards, He added.

"No matter how the international landscape evolves, China will only open its door wider to the world," the spokesperson said.

Moving forward, China will steadily expand institutional opening up, proactively align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, and advance the CPTPP accession process, He added. 
SINGAPORE, May 8 (Xinhua) -- While energy demand across Asia continues to grow, renewable energy already accounts for a significant share of the energy mix in some parts of the region, supported by falling costs, said Chia Der Jiun, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the country's central bank.

Speaking at the Financing Asia's Transition Conference 2025 on Wednesday, Chia pointed to recent progress in China, where the installed capacity of wind and solar power surpassed fossil fuel-based thermal power for the first time in March this year.

He added that countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia are also seeing renewable energy costs fall below those of coal-generated electricity.

"In Asia, enabling energy transition will be key to transitioning our economies," Chia said, noting that electricity demand in the region is projected to rise by 4 percent annually until 2035, driven by end-use sectors such as transport, industry and buildings.

However, he warned that the global outlook for climate action is becoming increasingly uncertain. "A more uncertain path" lies ahead for climate action than at any time in the last five years, he said, citing waning commitments to a timely transition.

Chia also observed that global private-sector coalitions are pulling back. Many financial institutions have exited net-zero alliances, and some of these coalitions have revised their objectives.

More broadly, he noted, corporate investment may become more cautious amid heightened trade tensions and economic uncertainty. 
KABUL, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan General Directorate of Passports had issued over 2.2 million passports over the past year, local media outlet TOLOnews reported on Thursday.

"We had distributed 2.27 million passports during the year 1403 (in the Persian calendar, which ended on March 20)," TOLOnews quoted Abdul Rahim Hasib, general director of the passport directorate, as saying.

The distribution of passports has brought an income of 13 billion afghani (more than 181 million U.S. dollars), the official said.

He stated that the directorate is capable of printing over 500,000 copies of passports daily if required.

Currently, the General Directorate of Passports is issuing passports through online submissions as well as physical applications. Moreover, passports are delivered straight to the homes of applicants in the national capital, Kabul. 
South Africas HIV programme is collapsing

We are about to see a wave of new HIV infections, sickness and death, with children born infected in record numbers.

We will see our public hospitals further overwhelmed, and our hard-won victories against TB reversed.

It is all preventable.

Two decades ago, South Africas HIV crisis was defined by denialism and delay. Then president Thabo Mbeki and the late health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang presided over a period in which scientific consensus was rejected and the roll-out of antiretroviral medicines was obstructed, and preventable deaths spiralled into the hundreds of thousands. Their names are now linked to one of the worst public health failures in modern history.

The consequences of todays inaction will also be deadly.

Sadly, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and President Cyril Ramaphosa are charting their own tragic legacy. This time, it isnt denialism; its ignoring the problem.

The US has abruptly suspended almost all foreign development assistance globally, including the Presidents Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants.

In South Africa, NGO-led clinics closed overnight, stockouts were reported of antiretrovirals, and thousands of workers across HIV programmes lost their jobs. MatCH, an organisation that provides vital HIV services, entered business rescue. Anova, also a major service provider, retrenched 2,000 staff. TAC/Ritshidze, which monitors the HIV programme, retrenched 75% of its team. And 230,000 doses of long-acting injectable medicines that prevent HIV transmission have not been released due to the funding freeze.

Pepfar progress on the brink

You notice a system was working well when it is suddenly removed. Many South Africans may realise HIV hasnt been on their minds or in the media much for the past 15 years. That is because the HIV response in South Africa is one of the Health Departments few delivery jewels.

South Africas HIV response has made monumental strides over the past two decades:

6.2 million of eight million people with HIV are on treatment;

with HIV are on treatment; Life expectancy is up by more than a decade from where it was at the peak of the HIV epidemic;

New infections dropped from more than 500,000 a year to about 170 000; and

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is now an unusual event.

Central to that success was Pepfar, which funded a critical part of the system that held much of the HIV response together, built around the Health Departments functional primary care clinic system.

The Pepfar programme was efficient. Targets for testing were set, and more than 200 technical experts were funded by Pepfar to support the national and provincial health departments.

This pressure pushing a sluggish Health Department was essential. The competition and accountability mechanisms created the urgency needed to keep the system responsive and moving forward.

Missing in action

While HIV programmes unravel and lives are lost, Ramaphosa and the government of national unity (GNU) are nowhere to be seen. Motsoaledi, once praised for his HIV leadership, offers no leadership, communication or urgency.

The triggered by the US government funding withdrawal has meant:

The destruction of the nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) supporting the Health Department in critical areas, including testing, HIV prevention, services tailored to key populations, bringing people interrupting treatment back into care, and technical support; The disruption of research, and accompanying job losses, from the funding withdrawal; and The collapse of health systems and key economic support areas in our neighbouring countries.

HIV testing programmes have all but collapsed. Clear evidence from the Covid epidemic shows that fewer tests means far fewer people start treatment. Services to trace people who have fallen out of care are now halted. Key populations have effectively been abandoned. Community monitoring systems have been turned off. HIV data systems are dark. ARV supply chains are faltering. Programmes have been gutted that were advancing long-acting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), community outreach and disease surveillance. Our world-class HIV and TB research cadre has been severely damaged.

And still, South African health and political leadership has not produced a plan, despite civil society repeatedly pleading for transparency. Help has been offered  by the private sector and donors  but spurned. The Health Department has been slow to request funds from National Treasury. Instead the department has sent out a thin emergency circular that appears not to have been implemented at any level.

Motsoaledi announced a grand plan to get an additional 1.1 million people on treatment by the end of the year, but with no operational plan, no reprioritisation and no budget.

It is difficult not to feel despair. I have seen the recent data on HIV testing, the PrEP numbers, the infant diagnostic stats and, most shockingly, the viral load suppression figures, and they all paint the picture of a rapidly decaying system. I am seeing the consequences in Johannesburgs inner city where I work.

He was too busy with the G20

A study commissioned by the Health Department suggests there will be between 56,000 and 65,000 additional deaths and 150,000 new infections in just three years from the US withdrawal. TB experts predict 580,000 fewer people screened and 35,000 fewer people on TB treatment in 2025. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that health damage within Africa from the current funding cut is already, in just three months, the equivalent of 75% of Covids peak damage.

Yet, I was told at a meeting of my senior university leadership to discuss the massive funding and job cuts, that Ramaphosa, who appeared weekly on television during Covid, was too busy with the G20 meeting to meet them. Civil societys leading organisations confirmed to me last weekend that the President and ministers have not responded to formal letters asking for a plan, despite emails pleading with them to do so, beyond acknowledgements of receipt. Motsoaledi has had one meeting with the NGOs and only with selected partners.

The loss of hard-working NGO jobs was not met with concern, outrage or even a word of thanks by the Health Department, but with a hostile press statement.

What are the pluses?

We are not where we were in 2004, at the height of Mbeki denialism, and it is good to remind ourselves of the many strengths of the HIV response and public health within our country:

Our nurses, doctors, and other health workers now have significant experience in treating HIV;

The backbones of the system  the treatment algorithm, tests, the medication, the laboratory systems  are all world-class;

We have significant internal expertise, within the government and within the academic, civil society and private sectors  all deeply committed to making the public health system work at its best;

Recent data suggest patients negotiate the convoluted clinic webs to remain in care, and are not lost or fall out of the system nearly as commonly as we thought;

Despite the delay by the Health Department in responding to the mass retrenchments, there is the possibility that the organisations could be rebuilt to be better integrated within the broader health system;

Some basic data systems are still functional;

Our current low rate of new infections will protect us for a brief period;

South Africas HIV and TB research infrastructure is world-class; and

Our history of HIV leadership involving every sector of society and many brave people inside and outside government in the 2000s is recent enough to hopefully inspire something similar now.

Where to from here?

We should have little patience for further delay and silence from our government. We cannot have a Health Department with no plan and, critically, no communication as to what is being done. Get the experts into the room, and get a plan together  with actual priorities, funding, targets and partners. We dont need perfection, but we do need urgency.

The health system that is delivering HIV care is unravelling now. A combination of action, strategy and urgency can save us.

It will be hard. But the cost of doing nothing is millions of lives and a shattered legacy.

Professor Francois Venter is a clinician researcher at Wits University. He led a large Pepfar programme until 2012 and has had a support role since then. He and his unit do not receive Pepfar, CDC or USAID funding. This article has assistance from ChatGPT regarding referencing and suggested editing, and the author takes full responsibility for the content and fact-checking. This opinion piece was published by Spotlight and GroundUp.
Alumni spotlight: Dr Aayesha Soni

Neurologist shares how she discovered a passion for epilepsy and now plays a key role in raising awareness about the disease.

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders in South Africa, yet patients often face stigma, delayed diagnoses, and limited treatment options. Dr Aayesha Soni (MBBCh 2014), a clinical epilepsy fellow at Western University in Ontario, Canada, says she is driven by a dream to change this. Not just through clinical care, but also through education and public awareness.

In May 2025, the 34-year-old was elected as the first South African advocate to attend the Palatucci Leadership Forum, hosted by the American Academy of Neurology. The Academy seeks members who have a clear passion, strong leadership potential, and are willing to serve as a key advocacy contact for neurological conditions within the media and government. The competitive process only chooses 28 American and two international neurologists annually.

Soni received the Vice-Chancellors Award in 2014 and she says neurology, specifically epilepsy, chose her. After completing my community service year, I had no plans at all of becoming a neurologist. I have diplomas in both emergency medicine and anaesthetics, and was already looking into avenues to join an organisation such as Medecins Sans Frontieres.

However, at that time a loved one was diagnosed with a neurological condition, and it was in my reading round the condition and possible treatments, that I became truly intrigued by the brain.

She decided to start her masters early, at the University of Cape Town, choosing a supervisor, and not a topic. My supervisor was very interested in epilepsy, and what I initially thought would be very boring and simply an academic task to complete, quickly transformed into a passion.

Learning about epilepsy and the massive treatment gap that exists in resource-limited settings and how this impacts patients really interested me. I completed my masters in a record six months and used the remaining time of my training to clinically translate our results.

The results of her research helped motivate for the establishment of the first adult epilepsy surgery clinic in a public hospital in South Africa, which she spear-headed with the epilepsy team at Groote Schuur Hospital.

Wits feels like home

Soni comes from a family of Witsie medics. When I think of Wits, it will always make me think of home.

Her dad, Jalaluddin Soni (MBBCh 1978), as well as her two older sisters, Zakiyya (MBBCh 2008, MMed 2018) and Zaheera (MBBCh 2009, MMed 2018), and her younger brother, Abdullah (MBBCh 2018), all graduated from the university.

As a family, it is a place close to our hearts, which allowed us to not only build many memories which spanned generations but also gifted us with a love for medicine, she says.

Some lecturers have been etched into my psyche as people. I aspire to be like Professor Moosa Patel and Professor Phillip Tobias. What struck me was that they were not just academically brilliant, but had a love for their chosen specialities that transcended academia.

They infused their passion into treating patients and teaching students too. You always left their teaching sessions truly inspired. It was apparent that medicine wasn't just a job or degree for them, it was truly something they loved.

I often think back to legends like them when I think about how I'd like my epilepsy career to be, not necessarily filled with academic accomplishments but dictated by sincerity and a commitment to excellence in serving those who needed their skills and knowledge most.

She plans to return to South Africa later in July 2025 and will be the countrys first female adult epileptologist, offering surgical solutions for focal epilepsies. In this type of epilepsy the affected part of the brain is removed, and the person can be rendered seizure free. She also hopes to further establish epilepsy surgery services in more public hospitals.

When I look back at the timeline of events which brought me here, I can definitely say that none of it was planned, and even though my path has taken directions under very trying and difficult circumstances, it has eventually led me to a field which I'm truly passionate about improving for all those affected.
Sekhukhune mining communities call for renewable energy solutions

Mining-affected communities from the Sekhukhune region of Limpopo are calling for social ownership of renewable energy

South AfricaOn Monday, 12 May 2025, the Sekhukhune Combined Mining-Affected Communities (SCMAC), in collaboration with 350.org, the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), Ahinasa and Lawyers for Human Rights, invite the media and the public to the Sekhukhune Social Ownership Case Study Online Report Launch.

Mining-affected communities in Burgersfort are amplifying their call for socially-owned renewable energy (SORE) as part of South Africas Just Transition. This demand aligns with longstanding advocacy by trade unions, civil society and researchers, calling for a just energy transition that prioritises the protection and empowerment of workers and communities whose lives and livelihoods have been deeply intertwined with the impact of the fossil fuel industry. These groups remain particularly vulnerable in the shift toward a carbon-neutral economy.



The SCMAC Report highlights the community-led push for socially owned renewable energy in Sekhukhune, a mining-affected community in Limpopo. It showcases how mining-affected communities are organising for energy access and justice and examines the feasibility of different models for socially-owned renewable energy. It outlines the role of Eskom and other state entities in supporting these initiatives as part of South Africas just energy transition and a vision for a Green New Eskom.



A just transition must serve as an engine for transformation, addressing the legacies of inequality, poverty, and injustice. It must be guided by principles of social, racial, environmental, gender and economic justice. Social ownership of energy generation at the community level, supported by Eskom and other state bodies, is critical to achieving this vision, said Ferron Pedro, senior campaigner from 350Africa.org.



Event Details:

Date: Monday, 12 May 2025

Time: 10:00 AM South Africa Standard Time / GMT +2

Location: Online. Click here to register.

Organisers: Sekhukhune Combined Mining Affected Community, 350.org, Centre for Applied Legal Studies, Lawyers for Human Rights and Ahinasa

For interviews and additional information, please contact:



From 350 Africa.org

Boitumelo Masipa at tumi@350.org

From the Centre for Applied Legal Studies:

Robert Krause at Robert.Krause@wits.ac.za

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Learn more about the Green New Eskom campaign here.
Transforming Tanzanias Monitoring and Evaluation System for Lasting Change

CLEAR-AAs work in Tanzania highlights the transformative impact of partnerships in strengthening the countrys M&E system.

Now, people are asking for reports, asking for results, said Ms. Sakina Mwinyimkuu, Director of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation at the Prime Ministers Office. They want to make decisions based on evidence. This cultural shift is a major win.

The Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Anglophone Africa (CLEAR-AA), an implementing partner of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI), has played a pivotal role in reshaping Tanzanias approach to monitoring and evaluation (M&E). What was once a fragmented and underutilized system is now on the path to becoming robust and centralized, thanks to Tanzanias bold reforms, political will and buy-in, and strategic partnerships with organizations like CLEAR-AA.

The government had previously recognized the importance of M&E-starting with the 1990s Public Service Reform Programbut progress had been inconsistent. Other priorities overshadowed M&E, leaving it poorly resourced and largely ignored. By 2020, it was apparent that Tanzania needed a radical overhaul to align its evaluation systems with its ambitious development goals, such as the Five-Year National Development Plan (FYDP-III), Tanzania Development Vision 2025 (TDV), and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The turning point came in 2019, when CLEAR-AA began collaborating with the government of Tanzania on a long-term basis to address the countrys specific needs through co-creation and technical support.

Key to this collaboration was the Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Analysis (MESA) conducted by CLEAR-AA in 2020/21 and revised in 2024. The study revealed significant weaknesses, including inadequate knowledge of M&E among government officials, poor indicator measurement, and limited coordination across agencies. Based on these findings, CLEAR-AA helped to develop an M&E capacity strengthening strategy and plan, which set out actionable steps to address the identified gaps.

Collaborating with CLEAR-AA has been a turning point for a lot of monitoring and evaluation work in Tanzania, said Ms. Mwinyimkuu, Director of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation at the Prime Ministers Office. Their support is going to change the way we do business in government.



Ms. Sakina Mwinyimkuu, Director of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation at the Prime Ministers Office

Building the Foundations of Change

One of the most tangible outcomes of the partnership was the establishment of the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PMED) under the Prime Ministers Office in 2022. The PMED is tasked with coordinating M&E efforts across ministries, agencies, and local governmentsa critical step in centralizing Tanzanias fragmented M&E system.

The Prime Ministers Office also began drafting a national evaluation manual and plan, co-created with CLEAR-AA. These documents provide standardized guidelines for conducting evaluations and ensure consistency, transparency, and quality across public institutions. The manual, finalized in 2023, and approved in 2024, is expected to strengthen the evaluation culture and promote evidence-based policy making.

True outcome and impact measurement transforms M&E from a passive record keeping to an active storyteller of meaningful transformation, where success is measured not by what we do, but by the profound changes in relation to service delivery that we bring to citizenry, said Dr. Chirau, Deputy Director of CLEAR-AA.

CLEAR-AAs influence extends far beyond frameworks and policies. Recognizing the importance of human capacity, the organization has focused heavily on training government officials. Beginning in 2019 with a workshop attended by 40 participants from 8 ministries, CLEAR-AA introduced Tanzanian officials to advanced M&E methodologies, including equitable evaluations and the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) approachwhich sets international standards for tracking, assessing, and improving the effectiveness of development assistance to promote sustainable development.

By 2024, over 300 participants, including M&E officers from ministries, departments, agencies and local government authorities, had attended capacity building workshops with an emphasis on practical skills, such as designing effective M&E systems, communicating results, and ensuring evaluations are inclusive and equitable. The result? Officials now view M&E as a tool for decision-making rather than mere compliance.



Mr. Taku Chirau, Deputy Director of CLEAR-AA

Expanding Impact Through Collaboration

CLEAR-AAs work in Tanzania highlights the transformative impact of partnerships in strengthening the countrys M&E system. By convening stakeholders from government, development partners, academia, and civil society, CLEAR-AA has helped foster collaboration and a shared commitment to improving M&E practices.

Key initiatives include training government officials on effective M&E system design and equitable evaluations in partnership with DEval at the 2023 Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning conference, as well as facilitating knowledge exchange through staff participation in international conferences and a learning visit to South Africas Department for Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation in 2024. These efforts have advanced Tanzanias capacity for evidence-based decision-making and institutionalized evaluations.

While significant progress has been made, challenges remain. Data quality continues to be a concern, particularly at the local level, where capacity is limited.

We are trying to build a strong culture for M&E and evidence-informed decision-making, said Ms. Mwinyimkuu. This includes improving data collection and reporting practices and ensuring that evaluations are strategic and impactful. To address these challenges, the government plans to enhance training, organize study tours to countries with advanced M&E systems, and boost visibility of M&E in the country.



Early Wins and a Vision for the Future





Early successes have highlighted the potential of a strong M&E system to drive impactful development in Tanzania. One notable example is the evaluation of the Agricultural Sector Development Programme Phase Two (ASDP II), supported by CLEAR-AA, GEI, DEval, and the Government of Finland. This rigorous, government-led evaluation is setting a precedent for how evidence can inform large-scale development programs, while simultaneously incorporating a robust capacity building component. Through a learning-by-doing approach, government officials are building expertise in evaluations, with plans to expand M&E units, enhance capacity, and strengthen partnerships to sustain progress.

Strengthening Tanzanias M&E system will not be an event but a process, said Ms. Sinenhlanhla Tsekiso, Programme Manager at CLEAR-AA. The fruits of our efforts will be reaped in the future, but we are enjoying the quick wins now.

Tanzanias M&E transformation is not just a national success story; its a model for other countries grappling with similar challenges. By prioritizing collaboration, with organizations like CLEAR-AA and GEI, capacity building, and a culture of evidence-based decision-making, Tanzania is proving that systemic change is possibleeven in the face of entrenched challenges.

CLEAR-AA helped me to open my eyes and see the light, concluded Ms. Mwinyimkuu. Their support has had a profound impactnot just for today but for the years to come.
Ugandas First Ever National Evaluation Plan is a Watershed Moment

CLEAR-AA has played an important role in Ugandas M&E evolution and the Ugandan government established a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system.

"We need to look at where we want to take society, and for us in the national government, where do we want to take our citizens in the future? Taking a futuristic approach is important but we must do it within the context of giving people hope, giving direction and giving assurance to our citizens, said Timothy Lubanga, Commissioner for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) at Ugandas Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

This vision underscores Ugandas ongoing efforts to tackle deep-rooted socioeconomic challenges. World Bank poverty projections showed that 4 out of every 10 Ugandans were poor in 2024. Rural communities struggle with access to quality education, clean water, and health care, while youth unemployment remains a persistent hurdle, exacerbating social issues and affecting well-being. Uganda also ranks 159th out of 193 countries and territories on UNDPs human development index. Gender disparities in education, employment, and resource ownership further complicate progress.

To address these systemic issues, the Ugandan government established a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. This strategic tool aims to assess the effectiveness of development initiatives and drive evidence-based policy making. We have been on a long journey, Mr. Lubanga explained. Now, we are among the first countries on the continent to have an M&E policy and an established M&E cadre across government.



Mr. Timothy Lubanga, Commissioner for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) at Ugandas Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)

A Decade-Long Journey Toward Accountability

The foundation for Ugandas M&E system was laid in 2006 with the National Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy (NIMES). Later, in 2013, the National Policy on Public Sector Monitoring and Evaluation was introduced to institutionalize and streamline M&E practices. This policy aligned national strategiesboth medium and long term such as the National Development Plan (NDP) and Uganda Vision 2024with broader frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Despite this progress, challenges linger. The third National Development Plan (NDP III), drafted in 2022, highlights gaps in implementation, limited integration of M&E systems, and poor utilization of evaluation results. To address these issues, the OPM partnered with the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results, Anglophone Africa (CLEAR-AA), an implementing partner of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI). This collaboration focused on building robust systems to enhance governance, transparency, and accountability.

We partnered with CLEAR-AA to take advantage of their capacity to conduct a very comprehensive needs assessment, said Mr. Lubanga. We wanted to understand our strengths and weaknesses and then develop a new M&E strategy that best suits our needs.

CLEAR-AA has played an important role in Ugandas M&E evolution. In 2018, they trained civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Theory of Change and offered OPM staff advanced development evaluation training. In 2019, CLEAR-AA collaborated with the Ministry of Health to enhance the role of CSOs in Ugandas M&E ecosystem. A workshop was held to explore the role of CSOs in the health sector, focusing on capacity building and co-creation. Participants developed a theory of change to guide collaboration between CSOs and the Ministry of Health and created an evaluation plan to assess the impact of health interventions. These efforts culminated in a comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Analysis (MESA) in 2020/21, revealing critical gaps in existing frameworks.

The analysis informed the development of Ugandas first National Evaluation Plan (NEP) in 2023, a collaboration involving UNICEF Uganda and CLEAR-AA. The NEP aligns with NDP III and aims to expand the scope of interventions subject to rigorous evaluation. The ultimate goal is to foster evidence-based decision-making across government ministries and agencies.

Fostering National Ownership

Our value proposition at CLEAR-AA is to empower the OPM and Ugandas broader institutional ecosystem to take the lead in developing their NEP, said Dr. Taku Chirau, Deputy Director at CLEAR-AA. By fostering a collaborative approach that prioritizes local leadership, we aim to cultivate genuine commitment and ensure meaningful utilization of evaluation evidence.

This aligns with the 2022 Turin Agenda, which emphasizes national ownership of evaluation systems. This principle, spearheaded by the OPM in Uganda, guided the co-creation of the NEP through workshops involving diverse stakeholders, from government ministries to civil society and academia.

In 2023, two key workshops shaped the NEP. The first brought together stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Kampala Capital City Authority, and the Parliament of Uganda. Using a structured template designed by CLEAR-AA, participants worked collaboratively to draft the NEPs five sections, covering legislative and policy frameworks, national development planning, evaluation criteria, and implementation strategies.

The template was vital as it ensured the process was organized, collaborative, and productive, said Mr. Lubanga. It allowed time to be managed efficiently as it allocated slots for each section of the NEP.

The second workshop focused on validating the NEP and consulting stakeholders within five thematic clusters: value addition, private sector competitiveness, infrastructure development, living standards, and public sector productivity. These clusters mirror the 20 programs outlined in NDP III and will guide future evaluations.

This marks a watershed moment in the history of evaluation in Uganda, declared Mr. Lubanga. Never before has Uganda witnessed such a development, one that not only defines evaluations aligned to NDP III but also sets a new trajectory for transparency and accountability.



Dr. Taku Chirau, Deputy Director at CLEAR-AA

A Game Changer for Ugandas Development

The NEP is expected to revolutionize Ugandas approach to evaluations. By summarizing evaluations of national commitment, the plan aims to increase the demand and supply of evaluation evidence useful for resource allocation, programming and policy and decision-making.

Once the NEP is approved, it is going to be a game changer, asserted Mr. Lubanga. It will institutionalize an evaluative culture in government, ensure evaluation evidence informs policy and decision-making, and improve the quality of evaluations.

The NEPs stakeholder review process has ensured broad input and inclusivity. As Uganda transitions to the fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) in 2025, it will be more important than ever for the NEP to be formally approved and strategically revised to ensure alignment with the countrys evolving development priorities under the new NDP.

By building a culture of evidence-based policymaking, Ugandas NEP represents a significant step toward addressing the nations pressing socioeconomic challenges. As Mr. Lubanga concluded, Were giving hope, direction, and assurance to our citizens.
The handover ceremony of the 12th batch of emergency humanitarian in-kind assistance dispatched by the Chinese government is held in Yangon, Myanmar, May 8, 2025. The 12th batch of emergency humanitarian in-kind assistance dispatched by the Chinese government was handed over to Myanmar on Thursday in Yangon, Myanmar. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe)

YANGON, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The 12th batch of emergency humanitarian in-kind assistance dispatched by the Chinese government was handed over to Myanmar on Thursday in Yangon, Myanmar.

The aid supplies included 17,000 tons of gasoline, which were accepted by Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein.

A 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28. As of May 7, the earthquake has claimed around 3,800 lives and injured over 5,100 people, with around 100 others remaining unaccounted for, according to Myanmar's official data. 
Bill Gates announces plan to give virtually all his money away and end the Gates Foundation in 20 years
Smokes billow from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Nabatieh, Lebanon, May 8, 2025. Israeli warplanes carried out a series of intense airstrikes on Thursday on the outskirts of the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, according to official and security sources. Israeli warplanes conducted two waves of violent strikes targeting valleys, highlands, and wooded areas between the village of Kfar Tebnit, Upper Nabatieh, and the city of Kfar Remen, said the official Lebanese National News Agency (NNA). (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes carried out a series of intense airstrikes on Thursday on the outskirts of the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, according to official and security sources.

Israeli warplanes conducted two waves of violent strikes targeting valleys, highlands, and wooded areas between the village of Kfar Tebnit, Upper Nabatieh, and the city of Kfar Remen, said the official Lebanese National News Agency (NNA).

A Lebanese security source told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes carried out around 15 airstrikes in the vicinity of Nabatieh, launching approximately 30 air-to-ground missiles.

"The panic led to heavy traffic congestion, with dozens of ambulances heading toward the targeted areas. Most government offices closed their doors," said the NNA.

The Israeli army confirmed the strike in a statement, saying it targeted a military infrastructure site in the area of the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon, which it said was used by Hezbollah to "manage its fire and defense array."

The strike destroyed the site as well as weapons and tunnel shafts, the military said.

Although a ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel has been in place since Nov. 27, 2024, the Israeli military continues to conduct occasional strikes in southern Lebanon, citing the need to counter ongoing Hezbollah threats. 

This photo taken on May 8, 2025 shows broken windows in a building after an Israeli airstrike in Kfar Tebnit, Upper Nabatieh, Lebanon. Israeli warplanes carried out a series of intense airstrikes on Thursday on the outskirts of the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, according to official and security sources.

Israeli warplanes conducted two waves of violent strikes targeting valleys, highlands, and wooded areas between the village of Kfar Tebnit, Upper Nabatieh, and the city of Kfar Remen, said the official Lebanese National News Agency (NNA). (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)

A Lebanese army truck carrying a destroyed Hezbollah missile platform is pictured in Kfar Tebnit, Upper Nabatieh, Lebanon, on May 8, 2025. Israeli warplanes carried out a series of intense airstrikes on Thursday on the outskirts of the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, according to official and security sources.

Israeli warplanes conducted two waves of violent strikes targeting valleys, highlands, and wooded areas between the village of Kfar Tebnit, Upper Nabatieh, and the city of Kfar Remen, said the official Lebanese National News Agency (NNA). (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)
Trump agrees to cut tariffs on UK autos, steel and aluminum in a planned trade deal with Britain
Ansley Baker and Liz Victor said they were confronted in the women's bathroom at the Liberty Hotel.
The devastation from the Palisades Fire is shown in an aerial view in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Monday, January 27, 2025. [AP Photo/Jae C. Hong]

A report published by the Los Angeles Times over the weekend reveals staggering levels of toxic soil contamination left in the wake of Januarys devastating wildfires, laying bare a deepening public health emergency and the criminal negligence of government authorities at every level.

Testing shows toxic heavy metals like lead, arsenic and mercury at levels hazardous to human health, with children and workers bearing the brunt of the risk. The local, state and federal government response, or rather lack thereof, illustrates a broader political failure, with environmental oversight failing at every level, revealing systemic gaps rather than isolated missteps.

Biochemical data underscores the gravity: arsenic, a carcinogen, impairs lung function and heightens cancer risk even at low levels; lead causes irreversible neurodevelopmental damage in children; mercury is linked to nervous system disorders. These risks are amplified when fires ravage aging homes coated in lead-based paint, a widespread issue in Los Angeless older neighborhoods and, doubtless, across the country.

The Los Angeles Times testing, using government-standard methodologies, confirmed the danger. Lupe Sanchezs yard showed lead levels 20 times the states safety limit, along with arsenic and mercury exceeding hazardous thresholds. Sanchez lamented to the Times, We thought we were safe after the debris was cleared, but now we know our kids have been playing in poison. Tom Purnells soil showed similarly high contamination; he remarked, Weve been left to clean up a mess no one warned us about. Its criminal negligence.

About 85 percent of homeowners enrolled in the Army Corps of Engineers cleanup, which removed surface debris but left contaminated soils intact. The costs for deeper remediation are astronomical, out of reach for working families.

Meanwhile, Californias FAIR Planthe insurer of last resorthas ballooned as private insurers flee fire-prone areas. Between 2020 and 2024, FAIR Plan policies in fire zones nearly doubled to 28,440, with homeowners mired in disputes and delays, often forced into lawsuits for insufficient payouts.

The situation of those who are most at risk is clear and chilling. Clean-up workers, construction crews, and landscapers are in direct contact with contaminated soils daily, while children, whose behaviors and developing bodies make them uniquely vulnerable, face long-term health hazards simply by playing outdoors.

Particularly hard-hit are lower-income communities, already overburdened by the environmental crisis. Entire neighborhoods, built decades before the 1978 lead paint ban, remain toxic. Fires churn up old lead-based paint and other toxins, depositing them back into residential soila hazard policymakers of both big business parties have ignored for generations.

At the top of this debacle is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has refused to conduct the necessary level of soil sample testing across the burned out neighborhoods. In an immediate sense, the roots of its inaction trace back to a 2020 policy decision under Trumps first presidency, when FEMA was instructed to stop funding crucial wildfire cleanup measures such as soil sampling and deeper excavation. This reckless rollback gutted the federal capacity to ensure public safety.

Then, in a show of breathtaking cynicism, Trump visited Los Angeles in January amid the wildfires, berating FEMA for being too bureaucratic and slow and threatening to dismantle itdespite having himself undercut its ability to perform.

The Democrats under the Biden administration, for their part, did nothing to reverse this deadly policy, letting the status quo fester. Rather than an isolated event, this bipartisan failure aligns with the patterns observed in disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Maria as well as the handling of the COVID pandemic, highlighting a long-standing trajectory of governmental negligence and institutional breakdown.

Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsoms complicity is glaring. Instead of mobilizing Californias vast resourcesthe fourth-largest economy in the world, home to 197 billionaires and nearly 1,200 centi-millionairesNewsom deferred to federal authorities, issuing press releases demanding action while failing to deploy state-led soil testing. His public pleas ring hollow against his actual record: no meaningful California-led intervention materialized, leaving thousands exposed to carcinogenic dust and toxic soils.

Locally, Democratic Mayor Karen Bass and the Los Angeles City Council offered little more than symbolic gestures. They authorized minimal soil sampling to gain a general understanding of the situation, a strategy devoid of meaningful warnings about the dangers or any serious clean up initiatives.

Worse, Los Angeles County and the city have issued numerous rebuilding permits with zero soil testing requirements, with hundreds more applications awaiting approval. This confirms that the rebuilding of Los Angeles under the capitalist system will only lay the foundation for further disasters.

A series of statements by experts lays out the dangers produced by the systemic failure. Environmental advocate Jane Williams, speaking to the Times, bluntly stated: Without effective hazard communication, you dont give people the option to make good choices. Its beyond wrong. Its immoral.

Greg Kochanowski of the American Institute of Architects wildfire task force also warned about the range of the risks: The ramifications are huge. California becomes the poster child for a lot of this because of the amount of fires that we do have. But were seeing fires in New York, in Floridaall over the country. This is a national issue that I think has implications on all state budgets.

Rachel Morello-Frosch, an environmental health scientist at UC Berkeley, echoed this, stating, The problem is systemic. Its not enough to clear debris; we need comprehensive environmental health assessments to prevent these hidden dangers from compounding future disasters.

These statements highlight a failure that extends far beyond Los Angeles. The crisis is not a local anomaly but a manifestation of a global refusal to protect populations from environmental hazards under the profit-driven capitalist system.

On top of an already catastrophic situation, figures like Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has played a pernicious role in undermining public health through anti-scientific measures, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, now head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, who champions privatization of essential health services, epitomize how this rot permeates every level of governance and policy. The same neglect is mirrored internationally, wherever disaster response and prevention is subordinated to corporate interests and short-term profit.

Meanwhile, private equity firms, led by billionaires like Rick Caruso, are poised to rebuild atop poisoned ground with no accountability. Jane Williams of California Communities Against Toxics warns, We are setting the stage for generational harm that will haunt these communities for decades.

The Los Angeles wildfires and their aftermath have exposed the lethal inadequacies of disaster response under capitalism. California has the wealth and capacity to ensure a comprehensive, rational and safe recovery and to prevent future disastersbut under this system, resources are siphoned off for profit rather than public safety. This crisis underscores an urgent need to fight for socialism: a system that prioritizes human health and safety over private profit which will safeguard communities against environmental catastrophe and the disastrous effects of climate change.
The Socialist Equality Party in the UK is hosting a public meeting in London, providing a vital opportunity to discuss President Donald Trumps war on constitutionally enshrined democratic rights.

Trump is seeking to establish a presidential dictatorship, mobilising the full force of the state to crush political dissent and to carry out sweeping attacks on the working class, including mass firings by the Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon Musk.

ICE and Homeland Security agents are targeting hundreds of immigrants for deportation to concentration camps in El Salvador, abducting legal residents in broad daylight, denying them due process or contact with lawyers and family in defiance of court orders. He has declared his intention to do the same to homegrown US citizens.

Students and academics face dismissal and overseas students deportation for opposing the Gaza genocide. Even a judge, Hannah Dugan from Wisconsin, was arrested for defending an immigrant.

Trump now declares that he has no obligation to uphold his oath of office to protect the constitution of the United States, openly declaring that the American people will no longer have any of the rights they have won over generations of struggle spanning 250 years.

Our speakers will pose and answer the question, Is America going fascist? They will explain that Trumps regime poses a threat to the working class all over the world. They will place his offensive in the context of his threats to annex Canada, Greenland, the Panama Canal and Mexico, including by military force, while colluding with Israels plans to complete the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, and his turn to trade war measures targeting China that are driving humanity ever closer to a new world war.

The meeting will outline a strategy on which the working class in America and internationally can mobilise to defeat not just Trump but the turn by capitalist governments the world over to state repression, savage austerity and military violence. They will also explain why it is that Starmers Labour government in the UK has emerged as the chief accomplice of Trumps repression of anti-genocide protests.

Momodou Taal

Momodou Taal is a British-Gambian dual citizen, whose student visa was revoked while completing his PhD at Cornell University. He was one of hundreds of international students facing imprisonment and deportation for exercising their First Amendment right to free speech by opposing Israels genocide of the Palestinians. Taals F-1 student visa was revoked after he filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Trumps executive orders criminalising protest against Israels assault on Gaza. He took the decision to leave the US after concluding that the courts offered no protection against his arrest and deportation.

Eric Lee, Momodou Taal's attorney

Eric Lee, an attorney specialising in US immigration and civil rights cases, represented Taal in his struggle against deportation. In 2024, Lee argued before the US Supreme Court on behalf of a wife unable to live with her husband for nine years due to a consular official denying him a visa because of his tattoos. He is uniquely placed to discuss the Trump administrations unconstitutional assault on free speech targeting student activists and educators, and the arbitrary detention, deportation and incarceration of migrants.

Joseph Kishore

Joseph Kishore is the national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in the United States and a prominent writer for the World Socialist Web Site. He was the SEPs candidate for president in the 2024 US elections. He will discuss the international and historic significance of the Trump presidency and the way forward for the working class.

Tickets are available online at Eventbrite and are strictly limited. Register early to secure your seat. Ticket price: waged 10 | unwaged 5 | solidarity price 20

LONDON

Saturday May 31, 12.30 p.m.

Crowne Plaza, Kings Cross  Bloomsbury Suite

1 Kings Cross Road, London, England, WC1X 9HX

(15-minute walk from Kings Cross-St Pancras railway station)

Buy your ticket at Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/trumps-war-on-free-speech-the-case-of-momodou-taal-tickets-1355443390669

The venue has disabled access. HEPA filters will be operating at the venue, and we encourage masking to make the event as safe as possible for the medically vulnerable.
As the rains return to southern China, Poyang Lake swells. In Duchang County, a stunning "green tree" landscape emerges. Water flows form the trunks, lake grass makes the leaves. Nature paints its own masterpiece. 
About 50 protesters gathered Tuesday, May 6 in opposition to the event hosted on UW's campus with right-wing activists Riley Gaines and Olivia Krolczyk

On Monday at about 5 p.m. Pacific, dozens of protesters demonstrating against the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza occupied the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building on the University of Washington (UW) campus in Seattle. The protest was broken up by riot police and SWAT teams at 10:30 p.m. after someone set fire to a dumpster outside the building.

In total, 31 of the estimated 75 protesters were arrested early Tuesday morning and were charged with trespassing, property destruction, disorderly conduct and conspiracy to commit the previous three offenses. The UW administration also claims the protest caused $1 million in damages.

The occupation was led by the group Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return (SUPER) UW, which has organized many previous protests at the university, especially against the administrations involvement with the Department of Defense and military contractors, such as Boeing. Among the demands of the group included that, UW will no longer be complicit in genocide and that, our tuition money and our research not be used to fund and fuel genocide.

The demonstrators also renamed the building the Shaban al-Dalou Building in memory of a 19-year-old Gazan who was burned alive in an attack by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on October 14, 2024.

Shaban al-Dalou was a patient in the Al-Aqsa hospital receiving treatment after surviving the IDFs bombing of the Shuhada al-Aqsa mosque a week earlier. The hospital and its surroundings had been designated as a safe zone and was densely populated with patients and refugees. According to news reports, this was the seventh time that his family were forced to relocate as a result of Israelis genocidal onslaught against the enclave.

At the time, even the typically pro-Israeli bourgeois press was forced to note the brutality of the attack on the hospital. The Associated Press reported that Shabans father stated, My son was being burned in front of me.

Shabans younger brother, one of five siblings he was taking care of told the BBC, I was screaming for someone to let me go, but in vain My brothers leg was trapped and he couldnt free himself. I think you saw it in the video. He was raising his hand. That was my brother. He was my support in this world. ... I saw my brother burning in front of me, and my mother too. What more do you need, and you stay silent? You see us burning, and you stay silent.

Three days later, Shabans younger brother, 11-year-old Abdul Rahman al-Dalou, died after succumbing to his own burns. Five days after that, their sister Farah al-Dalou also died from the burns she suffered as the result of Israels bombing of a hospital.

Among the latest developments in the genocide is the declaration by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that, Gaza will be entirely destroyed. It is part of a plan, approved by both the Biden and Trump administrations, to ethnically cleanse Gaza and repurpose the land on behalf of American and Israeli capitalism.

The crackdown on protests at UW comes amid a broader attack on the right to free speech by the Trump administration, particularly any opposition to the Gaza genocide. Among the highest profile attacks on democratic rights include the arrests and attempted deportations of Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts University Ph.D. student Rumeysa Ozturk, neither of whom has been accused of a crime. Their only crime is opposing the Gaza genocide.

Among the hundreds of others who have been targeted for their activism against the Israeli assault include Cornell graduate student Momodou Taal, who was forced to flee the United States under threat of deportation for suing the Trump administration.

Campus administrators, including those closely tied to the Democratic Party, have collaborated closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other arms of Trumps gestapo to make these arrests. Many others have been arrested at Columbia, while the heads of the University of California Los Angeles recently sent police to break up a viewing of the pro-Palestinian documentary The Encampments, which was set to be viewed by 200 people. At least three arrests were made.

Trumps actions are an escalation of the precedent set under former President Joe Biden, who oversaw the arrest of thousands of protesters against the Gaza genocide since it began in October 2023. These include attacks on peaceful encampments and protests by police, as well as aiding and abetting fascist and pro-Zionist forces in attacks against pro-Palestinian protesters.

UW is no different, banning SUPER from its campus as of December 13, 2024, as part of the purported fight against antisemitism. In reality, the ban was a response to the leading role the organization played in the encampment on the universitys quad from April 29 to May 20 of last year.

SUPER has also organized numerous rallies against military contractor and aerospace giant Boeing, which has enormous ties to the university. The immediate reason for Mondays protest was the recent $10 million donation for the engineering building by the airplane manufacturer. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, thousands of weapon systems made by Boeing have been sold to Israel over the past decade.

UW also enjoys a very close relationship with the US military, which stretches back to 1943. It hosts the Navy-sponsored Applied Physics Laboratory and has an Institute for National Security Education and Research sponsored by the Defense Intelligence Agency. The university works with the NSA, FBI, Homeland Security and numerous other state agencies and is one of the most militarized campuses in the United States.

And for all the supposed claims of fighting antisemitism, the university has openly sided with Ukraine in the US-NATO backed war against Russia. Amid claims of the brutal invasion of Putins force, no mention has ever been made of the instigation of the war by the US or the openly fascist and neo-Nazi forces operating inside the Ukrainian military and government.

The right-wing political orientation of the campus administration was also revealed when it forcefully protected an event Tuesday night using the right-wing anti-trans activists Riley Gaines and Olivia Krolczyk. Using the excuse of the anti-genocide protest, as well as the fact that they had been blocked from UWs campus by protests against them in January, Krolczyk and Gaines were permitted to bring private armed security onto campus. These guards were bolstered by campus and local police.

A successful fight against such forces, however, will not ultimately succeed through anarchist protest politics, which is aimed ultimately at pressuring the university administration. As was witnessed in the response to the protest and occupation on Monday, the state takes such opportunities to further develop its instruments of repression.

Students must instead turn to the working class, including Boeing workers, as part of a broad campaign to defend immigrants and democratic rights and put an end to the US facilitated genocide. Such efforts must be combined with the fight to build an international working class movement against dictatorship, fascism, genocide and war. Those interested in joining this fight should contact the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) today.
This speech was given by Socialist Equality Party (UK) National Committee member Jean Shaoul at the International May Day 2025 Online Rally, held Saturday, May 3.

May Day 2025 speech given by Jean Shaoul

Workers and youth all over the world have watched in horror, and mounting anger, the greatest crime of the 21st centuryIsraels slaughter of the defenceless Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel has dropped 70,000 tonnes of explosives, equivalent to six Hiroshimas, killing at least 51,000 people. 70 percent of verified deaths have been women and children.

This figure excludes the tens of thousands buried under the rubble or who never made it to hospital. For every direct death, researchers estimate there may be between 3 and 15 indirect deaths due to illness, disease, and lack of medical treatment, drugs, food and clean water. All told, the real figure is likely to be more than 200,000.

Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians return to the destroyed northern Gaza Strip on January 27, 2025 [AP Photo/Mohammad Abu Samra]

More than 1.9 million people, or 90 percent of the population, have been internally displaced. Public and social infrastructure lie in ruins.

This mass slaughter is deliberate policy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invoked the biblical story of the destruction of the Amalekites. Former Defence Minister Gallant referred to the Palestinians as human animals. Defence Minister Katz imposed a complete blockade on Gaza, promising to deliver only destruction. Israel has set up a government agency for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, with Trumps plan as its blueprint.

Netanyahu has the backing of all the imperialist powers. The United States, first under Biden and now under Trump, has taken the lead, as part of their plans to secure control of the resource-rich Middle East, plans which now threaten all-out war with Iran. They will tolerate no opposition to their crimes. Lying charges of antisemitism are used to brutally suppress protests against genocide and silence dissenting voices.

President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he leaves the West Wing of the White House, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Washington [AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein]

Israels Zionist regime is not imperialisms only ally in the Middle East. The Arab states have not lifted a finger to help the Palestinians as they work with Washington to police their own populations, extend trade with Israel and, in the case of Egypt and Jordan, act as its border police.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas spoke for them all when he blamed Hamas for the slaughter, denouncing them as sons of bitches for not capitulating to the demands of Trump and Netanyahu.

Israels government of racists and fascists, committed to an expansionist Israel and apartheid rule, is not an aberration, as Netanyahus democratic critics within Israel declare. These critics too backed the assault on Gaza. It is the culmination of Israels decades-long suppression of the Palestinians and repeated wars against its neighbours.

Gaza stands as a searing indictment of the entire Zionist project. The foundation of the state of Israel was portrayed as the answer to the Nazi persecution of the Jews that ended in the Holocaust. It would supposedly provide them with a safe haven. But it was realised in the form of a capitalist state that dispossessed another people and was maintained through war and repression.

Palestinians in Nahr el-Bared, a refugee camp established in Lebanon, in 1952 [Photo: S. Madver / UNRWA]

Israel developed into a society torn by deep social inequality and divisions, dominated by far-right settlers and religious fundamentalists, with Arabs as second-class citizens. The Jewish people, long associated with progressive movements, above all the international socialist movement, are now implicated in the brutal oppression of an entire people.

The Israeli state does not represent the interests of the Jewish working class, let alone world Jewry. It is the political instrument of a corrupt clique of billionaire gangsters, who rule a military garrison policing the region on Washingtons behalf.

Millions have marched and rallied in defence of the Palestinians. But this cannot succeed through moral appeals to any imperialist power or capitalist government. There must be a turn to the working class and to the methods and politics of class struggle.

These past weeks, Moroccan dockworkers have boycotted ships supplying Israel, in the latest example of such class-based action. Dockers and airport ground crew in Greece, Belgium, Spain and India have mounted similar boycotts.

In Israel, Tel Aviv has seen protests of thousands holding up pictures of hostages and murdered Gazan children--echoing the call heard on Holocaust Memorial Day, Never again means never again for anyone!

The conditions exist to end national divisions between workers and develop a mass socialist movement against genocide and war.

But this means breaking with the rotten social democratic, Stalinist and nationalist parties. It means ending the trade union bureaucracies stranglehold over the working class. But above all, it means building a new leadership that takes as its own rallying call Karl Marxs famous dictum: Workers of the world, unite!
One year after the arrest of Ukrainian Trotskyist Bogdan Syrotiuk, Left Voice, which is affiliated with La Izquierda Diario Network, has issued a statement calling for his release. Bogdan, then aged 25, was arrested by the Ukrainian Secret Service (SBU) on April 25, 2024, and indicted for state treason. The charge carries between 15 years and life in prison.

Bogdan Syrotiuk in mid-April 2024.

Since then, Bogdan has been held in an overcrowded prison in Nikolaev, together with imprisoned youth and factory workers from the area. The principal evidence leveled against him are articles he wrote or translated for the World Socialist Web Site.

Titled, Release Bogdan Syrotiuk, Socialist Imprisoned for Opposing War in Ukraine, Left Voices statement declares:

Leftists who claim the mantle of internationalism must speak out against the reactionary nationalism that the Russian and Ukrainian regimes are using to crack down on dissent. Ukrainian socialist Bogdan Syrotiuk has been imprisoned for a year now for criticizing the proxy-war in Ukraine. He must be released immediately!  While we at Left Voice have important political differences with WSWS, we unequivocally oppose the Ukrainian regimes attacks on opponents of the proxy-war which offers nothing for the Ukrainian working class. With growing trends towards great power conflict, war, and all the worst crimes of imperialism, leftists must stand in solidarity in defense of the right to advocate for anti-imperialist ideas, class solidarity across borders, and opposition to all wars in which the capitalists use our class as cannon fodder for their profits. For this reason we demand the immediate release of Bogdan Syrotiuk and an end to the repression of all left-wing movements in Ukraine and Russia.

Left Voice is politically identified with Morenoite tendencies in Argentina and throughout Latin America and Europe. However, neither the Spanish-language websites nor the websites affiliated with groups in Europe have issued statements calling for Bogdans release from prison. Left Voice should demand that its comrades internationally immediately issue statements in support of Bogdan Syrotiuk.

Prominent individuals, publications and organizations throughout the world have declared their support for the campaign to free Bogdan Syrotiuk.

These include Pink Floyds Roger Waters, the Ukrainian socialist Maxim Goldarb; German historians Mario Kessler and Christian Gerlach; Rabkor.Ru and several other organizations in Russia, the Militant group in Ukraine, Jill Stein from the US Green Party, journalists Katie Halper and Matt Taibbi as well as Mint Press in the US; the Socialist Laborer Party in Turkey, and the Partisan Defense Committee, which is affiliated with the Spartacist tendency.

This campaign has been critical in weakening the position of the state prosecution in court. It is by no means unusual for youth and workers to be arrested and disappeared in Ukrainethere were an estimated 55,000 people languishing in Ukrainian prisons for alleged collaboration with Russia as of March 2024.

However, the prosecution has visibly struggled to prove its case in court. This is despite the fact that, so far, the court has rubber-stamped every request by the SBU to extend Bogdans detention and the confiscation of evidence. Most recently, the detention of Bogdan was extended by another 60 days.

The World Socialist Web Site therefore reiterates its call upon all organizations and individuals who claim to defend democratic rights and be left wing to join the fight to free Bogdan Syrotiuk. It is an essential component of the fight against imperialist war and the escalating attacks on democratic rights not only in Ukraine and Russia, but the US, across Europe and internationally.

To support the fight to free Bogdan Syrotiuk, sign the petition and learn more about the case, go to wsws.org/freebogdan.
Ronald Adams Sr. and Shamenia with some of the children in their blended family [Photo by Family of Ronald Adams Sr. ]

Wednesday marked one month since Ronald Adams Sr., a 63-year-old skilled trades worker, was crushed to death at the Stellantis Dundee Engine Complex in southeast Michigan during the early morning hours of April 7. Since then, Stellantis, the United Auto Workers and state safety agencies have released virtually no information about the causes or circumstances of the fatal incident, aside from a few sparse details disclosed immediately afterward.

Family members are still waiting to receive Adams death certificate from the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner. A spokesperson for the examiners office told this reporter that the autopsy report remains incomplete, and that the office has up to 30 additional days to release its official findings on the cause of death.

In a brief statement, the UAW said the fatal accident is currently under investigation by the UAW-Stellantis Health and Safety Department with assistance from the International Union, UAW Health and Safety Department, and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).

But one month later, the family and co-workers remain in the dark. We have not been told what happened or what caused my husbands death, Ronalds widow, Shamenia Stewart-Adams, told the WSWS. Outside of condolences, we have not gotten anything from the UAW.

She said co-workers told her that Adams was widely respected as a highly skilled tradesman and a fierce advocate for safety inside the plant. Ronnie worked at Dundee for 19 years, and many of his co-workers had become like family, she said. Theyll tell you firsthand that my husband knew safety better than the head of safety at the plant. Theyre all outraged at what happened, how it happened and the unsafe conditions they have to work in. Theyre angry over how many times they have written up a machine and nothing was done about it.

Before working at Dundee, Ronald spent 16 years as an aircraft mechanic at Northwest/Delta. He would tell me that there are planes that go up in the air to this day with my signature still on them, she said. After transferring to the engine complex, he fought hard to earn his license as a machine repairmana process that required years of study and practical experience to obtain a UAW Journeyman Card for a Mechanical Journeyperson, certifying his expertise in the trade.

To his co-workers, Shamenia said, her husband was a protector of the plant, a big brother and well respected. He used to have rough, raw conversations over safety with some supervisors. If they asked him to do something dangerous, he would tell them, Im not going to do that. You get safety over here, and Ill do my job. He didnt care if he got fired or let go. He did his job well, and my husband was just as qualified as an engineer.

For an independent investigation by rank-and-file workers

Shamenia and other family members told the WSWS they supported the call for an independent investigation by rank-and-file workers, citing concerns about a potential cover-up. If we dont speak out against these corporations, Shamenia said, its going to be other families losing their loved ones.

Shamenia Stewart-Adams (upper row left), children and some grandchildren at repass after April 28, 2025 funeral service [Photo by Brittney DeSouza-Williams]

Ronalds sister, Shevaughn, who retired from the US Postal Service after 33 years, said, If the truth doesnt come out, its going to repeat itself. Dundee workers have to stick together and hold their own investigation. With the union trying to cut them down, I can see the difficulty and why workers would feel hesitant, but I also know the workers know it is right to say something.

Youve got to know that if it was done to him, unfortunately, you or someone else is going to be next, Shevaughn added. The company was cutting back on safety. Its sadworkers are just trying to make a living, and these companies are just looking after their bottom line.

In the post office, we used to say theyre trying to kill us, so that you wont be around to collect your first retirement check. I know several letter carriers who suffered that fate. I stood up for safety, and I even bucked the union. Workers should be in charge of safety, because theyre the ones in there every day.

Shevaughn urged Dundee workers to come forward and expose the truth. Just know one thing: You work better in a group. When they try to break the chain, when deception comes in, you have to stay together like a fist. Let them know they cant intimidate or dangle money in front of you to shut you up. If you stay together, they cant break that fist.

UAW apparatus sides with corporate management

Any investigation carried out by the company or the UAW would serve only to exonerate themselves and shift blame onto the victim. Both the auto companies and the UAW bureaucracy are complicit in sacrificing workers lives for corporate profit.

As for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal agency and its state affiliates are being gutted by the Trump administration. Even with current funding, OSHA defers to the labor-management safety partnership between the UAW and the auto companies.

When Stellantis worker Antonio Gaston was killed at the Toledo Jeep plant just nine months before Adams death, OSHA imposed a paltry $16,000 fine. To add insult to injury, the multi-billion-dollar corporation challenged the penalty.

Ronald "Ronnie" Adams Sr.

An indication of the cover-up in progress was the crude Workers Memorial Day video posted by the UAW on April 28. The five-minute video featured two Stellantis North America executives and Kevin Gotinsky, director of the UAW Stellantis Department.

Released on the very day that hundreds of family members, coworkers and friends gathered in Detroit to bury Ronald Adams Sr., the video praised the joint efforts of the company and the union to create a safe workplace. It implied that accidents were caused by careless workersnot by managements relentless speed-up and cost-cutting.

Gotinsky gushed that UAW officials regularly engage with management to address and resolve issues as they arise. But making safe decisions, he said, was ultimately the responsibility of every UAW member.

Tim Fallon, Stellantis Senior Vice President of Manufacturing for North America, cynically declared in the video: A review of past incidents indicates that unsafe acts are a leading cause of injury.  A shortcut may save you a moment of time, but it could lead to a lifetime of consequences.

This is nothing but a slander against the workers. At the Dundee plant, workers have long complained about hazardous conditions and the complicity of the UAW bureaucracy in enforcing them. The plant is currently undergoing retooling to prepare for the launch of key gas-powered, electric, and hybrid engines for Dodge and Jeep vehicles. As one veteran worker who was injured during a previous product launch explained, during ramp-up periods, Safety is out the door!

Workers have already reported that the company may have quietly fired the plant manager, Adams direct supervisor and the UAW health and safety representative in an attempt to cover up what happened. There are also growing concerns among workers that critical evidence of criminal negligence may be tampered with or destroyed.

What is known so far about the fatal incident

While Stellantis, the UAW and state authorities have released few details, the limited information that has emerged paints a disturbing picture of the events leading to Adams death.

According to the UAWs April 28 statement, Adams was working in Department 7300 on a Cinetic Washer when, at some point during the maintenance task, the overhead gantry engaged, pinning Brother Adams between the gantry and the conveyor, which resulted in fatal crushing injuries to the upper torso.

As John, a former co-worker of Adams, explained: The gantry is a crane, seven or eight feet long, that picks up engine blocks and moves them over to drop them into the washer. The whole area is cagedyou cant walk into it while that thing is moving. If it stops, the whole operation stops. But to fix it, you have to lock it out. Once the skilled trades worker opens the gate, the power is turned off and he puts his lock on it so it cant reengage.

But somehow the lockout was bypassed, John added. Itd be hot, steamy, dark in there. If the gantry reengaged while Ronnie was leaning over that line, and it tried to pick five engine blocks up, he would have been crushed to death.

Production workers at Dundee Engine Complex [Photo by Stellantis Media]

If management bypassed the safety precautions, there would be a record of it in the factorys IT system. During start-up, management has records from every station that goes downhow many times it went down, how long it was down, the time of day, the shift. All of that is there. And theres a lot of damn information.

They would want to scrub that information because this is a death now, and you can bet after the one that happened in Toledo at the Jeep plant, theyre trying to make sure nothing comes out about this. Because if it does, it could change everything.

Now that people see the family demanding to know what happened, there are going to be workers saying, Come on yall, lets get behind this. Its time now, this time, to know the truth, instead of another death with nothing happening. They are going to want to make it better for themselves and have control. Im pretty sure thats what they want.

The death of Ronald Adams Sr. has raised urgent questions. The silence from the company and the union only underscores the need for workers to take matters into their own hands. The only way to uncover the truth and hold those responsible to account is through the formation of an independent rank-and-file committee, composed of trusted co-workers and supported by the broader working class.

Are you a Dundee Engine worker? Fill out the form below and provide what information you have about conditions at the plant. All submissions will be kept anonymous.
This speech was given by Ulas Atesci, a leading member of the Sosyalist Esitlik (Socialist Equality Group) in Turkey, at the International May Day 2025 Online Rally, held Saturday, May 3.

May Day 2025 speech given by Ulas Atesci

On behalf of the Sosyalist Esitlik Grubu in Turkey, I commemorate May Day, the international day of unity, solidarity and struggle of workers and youth all over the world and send our revolutionary greetings.

We are celebrating this May Day under conditions in which the building of a presidential dictatorship by the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has entered a new phase. More than 90 people were detained in house raids in Istanbul ahead of May Day. Last month, Ekrem Imamoglu, the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) mayor of Istanbul, was arrested and sent to prison, joining countless political prisoners, including leaders of the Kurdish movement.

The unlawful arrest of Imamoglu, who is increasingly ahead of Erdogan in the polls for the presidential elections to be held at the latest in 2028, has led to spontaneous protests of broad masses of youth and working people across the country.

Mass protest against the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu in front of the building of Istanbul Municipality in Sarachane, Istanbul, March 23, 2025 [Photo: herkesicinCHP/X]

The potential for these mass protests to trigger an independent and revolutionary working class movement frightened both the Erdogan government and the other capitalist establishment parties, including the CHP. That is why the government resorted to police-state repression to suppress the protests, while the CHP did its best to end the movement by directing it towards the next elections.

Both the contempt for basic democratic rights and the growing social opposition and radicalization among the working class and youth are international phenomena that stem from the deepening crisis of the capitalist system and the ruling class.

The Turkish government took this undemocratic step after Donald Trump became president for a second term in the United States. The Trump administration itself is building a presidential dictatorship in the US and faces growing opposition among workers and youth.

In Turkey, as in the US, this authoritarian regime is essentially targeting the working class, the only social force that can put an end to the rule of the capitalist class, take power and establish a genuinely democratic regime.

In this Nov. 13, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a news conference in the East Room of the White House, in Washington. [AP Photo/Evan Vucci]

The Sosyalist Esitlik Grubu calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners, including Imamoglu. This is part of a global campaign by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), the world Trotskyist movement of which we are a part, for the freedom of all political prisoners, first and foremost the Ukrainian socialist Bogdan Syrotiuk.

Without defending democratic rights in principle, workers cannot advance their interests and the struggle for socialism.

This also applies to the necessity to oppose imperialist war on principle. The genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza by the Zionist Israeli state has been going on for more than one and a half years. This genocide could not have been maintained without the full support of NATO, of which Turkey is a member, for Israel. Now, the same imperialist and Zionist powers are increasingly targeting Iran and its allies and preparing for a war that will turn the entire region into a bloodbath. Their aim is the full imperialist domination over the entire Middle East, including Iran.

The Sosyalist Esitlik Grubu demands that Turkey leave NATO and break all relations with Israel. The military bases used for the benefit of the United States and Israel must be closed and the mediation of the flow of oil from Azerbaijan to Israel must be stopped. Hands off Palestine, Iran, Yemen and the Middle East as a whole!

This means the struggle not only against Erdogan's government, which heads NATOs second largest army, but against all pro-NATO and pro-imperialist parties, including the CHP. It is part of the struggle to unite the working class against imperialism and Zionism on the basis of a revolutionary socialist program in the Middle East and internationally.

The catastrophe of war that has been escalating in the Middle East for decades is a product of the imperialist nation-state system and can only end with it. The allies of the Middle Eastern workers of Turkish, Kurdish, Arab, Persian, Jewish and other nationalities in this struggle are not the bourgeois nationalist regimes and movements, which are part of the capitalist system and whose programs are bankrupt, but the American, European and international working class. Our battle cry and goal is the Socialist Federation of the Middle East.

The subject of this fight is the working class, which is beginning to mobilize in defiance of the union bureaucracies controlled by the capitalist parties. The emerging wildcat strike movement of workers in Turkey for better wages and decent working conditions must be linked to the struggles of the workers in other countries who are facing the same problems and the same class enemy. The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) provides the means for this.

The struggle to improve the social conditions of the working class and youth must be developed as an integral part of the struggle for democracy and against imperialist war internationally. All these struggles are essentially a fight for socialism against capitalism, the final battle between a handful of profiteering oligarchs and the working class, the majority of the worlds population.

In the mass protests that erupted in Turkey in March, growing social inequality, discontent and concern for the future played a significant role. What was missing was a revolutionary perspective and leadership knowing how to overcome these global social problems, which are fundamentally rooted in the capitalist system, and how to build a society based on social needs, not private profit.

Together with the ICFI, the Sosyalist Esitlik Grubu is advancing this perspective and building this leadership based on the objective revolutionary role of the international working class. No fundamental social and political problems can be solved without seizing the ill-gotten wealth and power of the capitalist class. And in a globally integrated economy, these solutions must be international.

The recent earthquakes in Istanbul and the Marmara region, which revealed the danger facing millions of people, have shown the urgency of this program. The wealth acquired by the capitalist class through exploitation and financial profiteering must be expropriated. Both this social wealth and the vast resources squandered on war must be used to rapidly solve urgent social problems, especially safe housing.

People camp outdoors following an earthquake shook Istanbul and other areas of Turkey on Wednesday, in Istanbul, Turkey, April 24, 2025 [AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra]

This massive social transformation requires that the working class, which creates all wealth and ensures the functioning of the world economy, take power through socialist revolution. This is what the Sosyalist Esitlik Grubu and its ICFI sister parties are fighting for around the world.

On this May Day, I call upon all those who are watching us to join in building the ICFI and Sosyalist Esitlik Partisi in Turkey and internationally.

Break with all the bourgeois establishment parties and the so-called left parties that claim there is no other way but to support them!

Forward to the founding of the Sosyalist Esitlik Partisi in Turkey!
Around 180 Nigerian migrants stand in line before being deported from Tripoli, Libya, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. [AP Photo/Yousef Murad]

On Wednesday afternoon, a federal judge in Boston blocked the Trump administration from deporting immigrants in the United States to Libya or Saudi Arabia. The temporary restraining order (TRO), issued by District Judge Brian E. Murphy, requires the government to provide written notice to immigrants and their attorneys regarding any planned deportations, as well as a meaningful opportunity to apply for protection under the United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT).

Judge Murphy wrote:

If there is any doubtthe Court sees nonethe allegedly imminent removals, as reported by news agencies and as Plaintiffs seek to corroborate with class-member accounts and public information, would clearly violate this Courts Order.

The request for an emergency TRO was filed earlier that same day by lawyers with the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and Human Rights First. In their request the lawyers wrote that they had received alarming reports that their clients, who are of Laotian, Vietnamese and Philippine descent, were being prepared for removal to Libya.

The lawyers warned that anyone removed to Libya

faces a strong likelihood of imprisonment, followed by torture and even disappearance or death.  For years, Libya has been notorious for widespread and systemic abuses of migrants from other countries by state security forces, as well as militias and non-state armed groups.

Quoting Amnesty International, the lawyers wrote that migrants in Libya are

trapped in a cycle of serious human rights violations and abuses, including prolonged arbitrary detention and other unlawful deprivation of liberty, torture and other ill-treatment, unlawful killings, rape and other sexual violence, forced labor, and exploitation at the hands of state and non-state actors in a climate of near-total impunity.

In the motion, the lawyers wrote that their clients were being prepared for deportation despite not receiving the required notice or an opportunity to apply for CAT protection. They also noted that the motion should not have been necessary, as the judge had already issued a preliminary injunction in the case, blocking deportations without notice or a chance to appeal. However, the lawyers wrote, multiple credible sources report that flight(s) are preparing to immediately depart the United States carrying class members for removal to Libya.

In their motion, the plaintiffs wrote that, in addition to Libya, at least one detaineea citizen of Laosreported that he had been verbally informed he was to be removed imminently to Saudi Arabia on a military flight.

The thuggish and inhumane tactics employed by the immigration Gestapo to facilitate the banishment of immigrants to foreign gulagswhere they face mistreatment and possible enslavementwere detailed in the motion. Citing a recent Reuters report, the lawyers described how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at a South Texas detention facility used the threat of solitary confinement to coerce immigrants into signing documents that would fast-track their removal to Libya.

The lawyers wrote that ICE thugs gathered six migrants into a room and told them they needed to sign a document agreeing to be deported to Libya:

When they all refused, they were each put in a separate room and cuffed in (basically, solitary) in order to get them to sign it.

Following the US-NATO bombing of Libya in 2011, the country has been locked in a protracted civil war and is now divided between two competing governments. On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that both governmentsincluding the one in Tripoli, which controls western Libya, and the rival Benghazi-based administration led by CIA-backed warlord Khalifa Hifterhave denied accepting immigrants.

However, the Times noted that last week, Khalifa Hifters son, Saddam, who also serves as the deputy general commander of the military in eastern Libya, was in Washington. He met with several Trump administration officials, and it is possible that the eastern Libyan military struck its own deal with the United States.

Judge Murphys ruling was one of several issued in the last 48 hours blocking the Trump administrations efforts to kidnap and exile immigrants to foreign gulags without due process. On Tuesday, District Judge Alvin Hellerstein barred the administration from deporting Venezuelan immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act, writing that the government had failed to prove the United States was, in fact, under a military invasion.

The ruling follows a similar decision issued last week by Trump-appointed District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. in Brownsville, Texas, which also found that the administration had improperly invoked the Act, as the United States was not facing a military invasion or predatory incursion.

Judge Hellerstein observed that Venezuelan immigrants sent to El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) endure abuse and inhumane treatment with no recourse to bring them back.

Hellerstein wrote:

The destination, El Salvadora country paid to take our aliensis neither the country from which the aliens came, nor to which they wish to be removed. ... But they are taken there, and there to remain, indefinitely, in a notoriously evil jail, unable to communicate with counsel, family, or friends.

Also on Tuesday District Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Colorado granted a preliminary injunction blocking Venezuelans in her jurisdiction from being deported under the AEA. Like Hellerstein, she ruled the Trump administration arguments that the US was under an invasion were unpersuasive and those sent to El Salvador faced irreparable harm inside CECOT.

In the face of these court rulings in multiple states, all of them finding that his administration is pursuing illegal and unconstitutional, effectively criminal, methods in its persecution of immigrants, Trump responded Wednesday with a social media post threatening the courts. He wrote:

Our Court System is not letting me do the job I was Elected to do. Activist judges must let the Trump Administration deport murderers, and other criminals who have come into our Country illegally, WITHOUT DELAY!!!

One of the men deported to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act in March was Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father of three. Despite the US Supreme Court ordering his return last month, the Trump administration has refused to return him or provide updates to the court on what steps they have taken to facilitate his release. As of this writing, Abrego Garcia remains incarcerated in El Salvador, although he is no longer in CECOT.

In a court hearing Wednesday, Trump Justice Department lawyers invoked the state secrets privilege to justify not providing District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland updates on what actions the government has or has not taken to return Abrego Garcia. The state secrets principle, which argues that the government does not have to provide information in legal cases if there is a reasonable danger that disclosing such information would harm national security, was recognized by the Supreme Court in 1953.

In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi endorsed invoking state secrets privilege to block disclosing information to Judge James E. Boasberg concerning the deportation flights to El Salvador. Neither Boasberg nor Xinis has ruled on whether they consider the governments invocation of the principle to be valid.

Even with these setbacks in the courts, the immigration Gestapo continues to kidnap and detain workers and their family members, the vast majority of whom have committed no serious crimes. On Wednesday, ABC9 in Georgia reported that a 19-year-old college student who has lived in the US since she was a toddler, and her father, are both facing deportation after being arrested on separate minor traffic violations.

Ximena Arias-Cristobal, 19, and her father, Jose Fransciso Arias-Tovar, are both being held at the ICE Stewart Detention Center outside Columbus, Georgia. Arias-Tovar was sent to the facility after being arrested for driving 19 miles over the speed limit, while Arias-Cristobal was incarcerated at the center after she made a right turn on a red light.

Speaking to ABC9, Arias-Cristobals mother told the outlet her husband tried to obtain a work visa but was unable to, while her daughter was not eligible to register for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program because entry into it was closed shortly after they came to the US in 2010.

Conditions inside the overwhelmingly for-profit facilities are inhumane and deadly. On Monday, El Pais reported that within the first 100 days of the Trump administration at least seven people had died in ICE custody, including six men and one woman, all between the ages of 27 and 55.

Among the dead was Marie Ange Blaise, a 44-year-old Haitian woman, who died on April 25. That same day she had previously notified guards that she was suffering from severe chest pain. Despite discovering Blaise was suffering from hypertension, guards did not take her to a hospital and instead gave her some pills and told her to rest. A few hours later, she notified guards she was in extreme pain, screaming, My chest! My chest! and at 8:35 p.m. she was pronounced dead.

Brayan Rayo-Garzon, 27, is the youngest person identified so far to have died in ICE custody during the first 100 days of the Trump administration. After immigrating to the US in 2023 with his family from Venezuela, Rayo-Garzon was arrested by St. Louis Metropolitan Police officers this past March on accusations of credit card fraud and transferred to ICE custody in the Phelps County Jail.

On April 7, Rayo-Garzons mother, Lucy Garzon, received a call from the Phelps County Jail informing her that her son tried to take his own life ... his situation is critical, and he may die tomorrow. The next day Lucy was told by doctors her son was brain-dead.
Tyre Nichols in the hospital after his arrest. [Photo: Family of Tyre Nichols]

On Wednesday, a Tennessee jury acquitted three former Memphis police officersTadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smithof all state charges, including second-degree murder, in the brutal and fatal beating of Tyre Nichols on January 7, 2023.

The verdict came after a nine-day trial that included graphic video evidence, expert testimony and witness accounts of the killing of Nichols. The acquittal has once again brought to the fore the reality of police violence and murder in America. It shows the persistent protection of criminal actions by law enforcement by the legal system and lack of justice for the victims of police brutality, whether the officers are black or white and regardless of the skin color of their victims.

The state trial unfolded in a Memphis courtroom before Criminal Judge James Jones, Jr. which was packed with observers, media and members of Nichols family. The jury, drawn from nearby Hamilton County due to concerns about pretrial publicity in Memphis, was predominantly white and deliberated for over eight hours before reaching its decision.

The three officers faced charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression for their roles in the vicious beating of Nichols, a 29-year-old FedEx worker and amateur photographer.

Testimony from prosecution witnesses painted a harrowing picture of the night Nichols was killed. Desmond Mills Jr., a former officer who pleaded guilty to federal charges and testified for the prosecution, described how he struck Nichols three times with a baton out of anger after accidentally pepper-spraying himself during the struggle.

I regret not stopping the beating. I failed my duty to intervene, Mills told the court. He confirmed that Nichols never punched or kicked officers but acknowledged that Nichols resisted being handcuffed. Under cross-examination, Mills said that some force used complied with Memphis Police Department policies, including wrist locks and baton strikes.

Dr. Marco Ross, the medical examiner, detailed Nichols fatal injuries, including tears and bleeding in the brain, extensive bruising and a broken neck. He concluded the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, consistent with repeated kicks and punches.

Nichols mother, Row Vaughn Wells, took the stand to describe her son as a peaceful soul, who loved photography and skateboarding. Wells refuted defense claims that Nichols resistance justified the violence, stating, He was scared. They treated him like an animal.

The defense called use-of-force experts to testify that Bean, Haley and Smith acted within department guidelines. They argued that Nichols resistanceincluding attempts to swim out of officers gripsrequired escalating force. One expert told the jury, The officers adrenaline and fear of an armed suspect justified their response.

This combo of booking images provided by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office shows, from top row from left, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, bottom row from left, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith. [AP Photo/Shelby County Sheriff's Office via AP]

Character witnesses described Bean as a by-the-book officer and Smith as calm under pressure, portraying them as inexperienced but well-intentioned recruits. Although Emmitt Martin, another officer who pleaded guilty, did not testify, defense attorneys repeatedly shifted blame to him, highlighting his role in delivering the most severe blows. Security footage showed Martin kicking Nichols in the head at least twice.

The prosecution argued that the officers actions were driven by frustration, not legitimate policing. Video evidence showed Nichols being kicked, punched and baton-struck for over three minutes while pinned to the ground. Prosecutors emphasized that Haley shouted, Beat that man! during the assault. The officers waited 22 minutes to render aid, during which Nichols slumped unconscious against a patrol car.

Prosecutors also pointed out that Bean and Smith were later convicted in federal court for falsifying reports that omitted key details of the beating, a standard coverup tactic used by police in most cases of violence and abuse.

The defense focused on Nichols actions and claimed he had superhuman strength, suggesting drug use was the cause. However, toxicology reports only found alcohol and a trace of marijuana in his system. They also argued that stolen credit cards in Nichols car were a possible motivation to flee.

Despite their acquittal in state court, all three officers were convicted in federal court on October 3, 2024, on related charges. Bean and Smith were found guilty of witness tampering, carrying potential sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison. Haley was convicted of multiple counts, including excessive force and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses, and faces a possible life sentence without parole.

Sentencing in the federal cases has been postponed pending the outcome of the state trial. Martin and Mills accepted plea deals in federal court, admitting to excessive force and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses and will serve concurrent federal and state sentences.

Ben Crump, representing Nichols family, condemned the verdict in a joint statement with co-counsel Antonio Romanucci:

Todays verdicts represent a heartbreaking miscarriage of justice. The world witnessed Tyre Nichols endure a brutal beating at the hands of those sworn to protect. This inhumane assault was documented on video, yet the officers involved have been acquitted. Tyres life was unjustly taken, and his family has been denied the justice they rightfully deserve. We are outraged and know we are not alone.

The World Socialist Web Site, in its January 31, 2023 analysis, rejected the mainstream medias racialized narrative of the Nichols killing and police violence in general, noting that all five officers involved, as well as Nichols himself, were African American. The WSWS wrote,

No evidence has been presented that the January 7 traffic stop of Nichols, and subsequent police assault, were motivated by racism. And while racist and backward attitudes are cultivated by the ruling class in police departments around the world, the racial composition of the Memphis Police Department roughly corresponds to that of the working class population of Memphis.

We explained that the focus on race serves to obscure the deeper, class-based roots of police violence in the United States, which is fundamentally tied to the defense of capitalist property and the suppression of working class opposition. We also highlighted the initial false statements by the Memphis Police Department, which downplayed the severity of the assault and only acknowledged the truth after public outrage and the release of video footage.

In the aftermath of the verdict, the Nichols family has filed a $550 million civil lawsuit against the officers, the city of Memphis, and the police chief, with a trial expected next year. Protests have condemned the verdict as proof of legalized immunity for police violence, and Memphis residents have vowed continued demonstrations.

The acquittal of Bean, Haley and Smith in state court, despite federal convictions and the widely broadcast video evidence, underscores the class nature of the American legal systems response to police violence. The case exemplifies how legal and political institutions work to shield state violence against the working class and poor, whether white, black or immigrant. More than 1,000 Americans fall victim to police violence every year, while only a literal handful of police officers ever face any criminal prosecution.
President Donald Trump meets Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Washington [AP Photo/Evan Vucci]

Tuesdays White House meeting between the fascist US President Donald Trump and Canadas recently elected Liberal Prime Minister, Mark Carney, underscored the historic breakdown in relations between Ottawa and Washington that has taken place with stunning rapidity over the past six months.

At an Oval Office press conference Trump reiterated on several occasions his goal of destroying the Canadian economy so as to take over the country and lay the basis for waging world war against China. Carney, while obsequiously complimenting the would-be dictator, urged the President to accept Canadian imperialism as a duly recognized subservient partner in the scramble to redivide the world among the major powers.

Underlining a strategy akin to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitlers Anschluss (joining) of Austria to the Third Reich in 1938, Trump stated at one point with reference to the suggestion of Canada becoming the 51st state of the US, This is not necessarily a one-day deal. This is over a period of time. They have to make that decision. He countered Carneys statement that Canada would never agree to become part of the US with the retort, Never say never! Whats more, he referred once again to the artificial border dividing the two countries and compared the acquisition of Canada to a real estate deal.

That these remarks were anything but rhetorical flourishes was demonstrated by Trumps comments on his economic policies, specifically the 25 percent tariffs on autos, steel, and aluminium imports from Canada. He stated,

We want to make our own cars. We dont really want cars from Canada. And we put tariffs on cars from Canada. And at a certain point, it wont make economic sense for Canada to build those cars. And we dont want steel from Canada because were making our own steel and were having massive steel plants being built right now as we speak. We really dont want Canadian steel and we dont want Canadian aluminum and various other things, because we want to be able to do it ourselves.

For over eight decades, the Canadian ruling class has advanced its global imperialist interests first and foremost through a close military-strategic and economic partnership with Washington. From the late 1980s onwards, bound up with the development of the globalization of production, continent-wide supply chains brought a dramatic integration of the two countries economies, together with that of Mexico. But this period has clearly come to an end.

Trump made no specific demands for trade concessions from Canada, either publicly or according to Canadian officials in private talks, and suggested that rather than renegotiate the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)the successor to NAFTAwhich is due for renewal next year, he might simply scrap it altogether. This is because the only negotiations Trump wants to pursue will concern the terms by which Washington can dominate and annex Canada over time. His conviction that the US relationship to Canada should be that of a colonial overlord was illustrated when he asserted that he and Carney were having a friendly discussion, in contrast to when we had another little blow-up with somebody else. The clear reference was to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was sent packing by Trump in February after a spat between them in front of the press at a meeting where the pair were supposed to have signed an agreement to facilitate Americas plundering of the countrys raw materials.

While it can by no means be excluded that Ottawa and Washington will conclude some sort of agreement in the coming weeks or months, it will do nothing to change the reality that Trumps strategy remains the annexation of Canada. Under conditions of a complete breakdown of inter-state relations, and a resurgence of the trade warfare and frenzied rearmament that characterized the build-up to World War II in the 1930s, such an agreement would be worth little more than the Munich Agreement between Chamberlain and Hitler in September 1938, which the Fuhrer broke six months later to dismember and annex the remainder of Czechoslovakia before launching World War II in September 1939.

Carney, who sat silently during most of the press conference as Trump delivered a series of rambling fascist tirades, used his opening remarks to effusively praise his host. Trump is a transformational President, with a focus on the economy, with a relentless focus on the American worker, securing your borders, ending the scourge of fentanyl and other opioids, and securing the world, declared Carney. The history of Canada and the US is were stronger when we work together. And theres many opportunities to work together. Later, he applauded Trump for revitalizing NATO, before adding, My government is committed to a step change in our investment in Canadian security and our partnership.

A subsequent statement from the Prime Ministers Office on Carneys summit with Trump confirmed the Liberal governments commitment to massively divert resources to building up Canadas military-security apparatus to ensure Canadian imperialisms role as a protagonist in the repartition of the world, preferably at Washington and Wall Streets side. It declared:

As the Prime Minister returns to Canada, he remains focused on reinforcing Canadas strength at home. His new government will transform border security, Arctic security, and Canadas investments in national defence.

Carneys unrestrained endorsement of Trump came just two days after the President asserted in an NBC interview that he does not believe he is obligated to respect the US Constitution and as the far-right Zionist regime, with Trumps approval, is implementing the genocide in Gaza. As the World Socialist Web Site explained in a recent perspective, Trump is declaring, in so many words, a presidential dictatorship. The United States is led by a political criminal who views the Constitutionand with it every democratic rightas given or taken away at his own pleasure.

The fact that Carney and his visiting entouragewhich included several leading members of his cabinetnot only have no problem sitting down with the would-be dictator, but positively praised him to the skies exposes whose class interests the incoming Liberal government really serves. Like Trump, Carneya lifelong servant of the super-rich as a central banker and investment manager who never held elected office until he won his seat in the April 28 electionrepresents the financial oligarchy that dominates all aspects of social and political life. To the extent that this oligarchy and its political mouthpieces oppose Trump, they do so exclusively from the standpoint of his failure to take account of Canadian imperialisms interests as a junior partner of American imperialism in the plundering of the world.

If there is no constituency for the defence of democratic forms of rule within the American ruling classa fact underscored by the Democrats refusal to mount any serious challenge to Trumps dictatorial movesthis is all the more true for the Canadian ruling class. A class that consolidated its control over the northern tier of North America by explicitly denouncing the revolutionary traditions of the American bourgeoisie, Canadas ruling class never associated itself with the fight for democratic rights. The bourgeoisies motto upon Canadian Confederationcarried out under the auspices of the British Empire on the basis of peace, order, and good governancedoes not need much updating to express its current drive for peace and order for corporate Canada under an oligarchic dictatorship.

Carneys performance Tuesday provides a devastating indictment of all of those organizations and individuals who claim that opposition to Trump must be based on Canadian values. The trade union bureaucracy, Liberals, New Democrats, and many of their pseudo-left satellite organizations repeated this claim incessantly throughout the recently concluded federal election campaign and have championed the retaliatory tariffs adopted by corporate Canada in the ongoing trade war with the US. Carney heads a government that, in addition to seeking close cooperation with the would-be dictator in the White House, intends to slash public spending to invest tens of billions of additional funds every single year in the military to prepare Canadian imperialism for war. His government also plans to dismantle existing labour and business regulations in the name of keeping Canadas economy competitive and establishing free trade between its thirteen provinces and territories.

As the Socialist Equality Party explained in our election statement,

The vast gulf between the super-rich and the working class, and the sharpening domestic and international tensions produced by the capitalist crisis, are driving the financial oligarchy in Canada, as in the United States, to turn to authoritarian forms of rule. The normalization of the use of the notwithstanding clause, which allows governments to violate basic democratic rights supposedly guaranteed in Canadas Charter of Rights and Freedoms; the virtual abolition of the legal right to strike; the police-state crackdown on anti-Gaza genocide protesters; and the promotion of far-right and fascist forcesall of these developments expose the putrefaction of bourgeois democracy in Canada Trump is a menace to the workers of Canada and the world. But workers cant fight him and all he representsoligarchy, dictatorship and imperialist warby lining up with the Canadian bourgeoisie, any of its rival factions or political representatives. Rather, they must assert their independent class interests by forging a movement for workers power and fighting to fuse their struggles with the mass opposition to Trump now emerging within the American working class.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., speaks after being sworn in as health and human services secretary in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. [AP Photo/Alex Brandon]

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made a series of false claims in recent days that harken back to the time before he was nominated for the post. From anti-scientific claims about the contents of the measles vaccine to allegations that the department he now heads, under the Biden administration, was engaged in child trafficking, Kennedy has suddenly reverted to his practice of promoting fringe conspiracies.

Fantasies about the MMR vaccine

In a live broadcast on News Nation on Wednesday, referring to the measles outbreak in West Texas, Kennedy said:

There are populations in our country like the Mennonites in Texas, were most afflicted [sic], and they have religious objections to the vaccination because the MMR vaccine contains a lot of aborted fetus debris and DNA particles.

The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine does not contain any cells or tissue at all, let alone fetal tissue. Nor does the production of the vaccine rely on fetal parts. Rather the viruses in the vaccine are grown in various cell cultures and then purified to ensure the vaccines contain no cellular components.

Dr. Miriam Laufer, Interim Director of the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the University of Maryland, told Reuters: The virus is grown in these cells, then this virus is purified, meaning everything other than the virus is filtered out, and all thats left is this attenuated virus that cant make you sick.

The rubella component of the MMR vaccine is typically cultured in the human fibroblast cell line WI-38. Cell lines are considered immortalized because they can reproduce new cells indefinitely. The WI-38 cell line dates all the way back to the 1960s where it was derived from an aborted fetus from a woman in Sweden. This is where the false narrative of fetal tissue in the vaccines originates.

Separate images of the WI-38 molecule, in high density (left) and low density (right). [Photo by Yuanyuan Li, Trygve O. Tollefsbol / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Given that rubella infection is a devastating disease during pregnancy, it is notable that the rubella vaccine has prevented innumerable fetal abortions and stillbirths. In the 1964-1965 rubella epidemic, 11,000 women lost their pregnancies, and 2,100 newborns died. For infants who manage to survive to birth, congenital rubella syndrome is typically devastating with cataracts, heart defects, deafness and developmental delays.

Kennedy also said recently that the mumps component of the vaccine was ineffective and posed unspecified safety concerns. At a live televised town hall on Monday, Kennedy said: The problem is really with the mumps portion of the vaccine and the combination. That combination was never safety tested.

These claims too have no scientific basis and are patently false. The mumps component of the vaccine, after a full series of MMR vaccination, provides 86 percent effectiveness against infection when a vaccinated child is exposed to the virus. There is abundant experience with the MMR vaccine that demonstrates its safety as well.

During the worst measles outbreak in the United States since 2019, Kennedy has also falsely claimed that the measles vaccine causes deaths, promoted quack measles remedies, including vitamin A, and begun the process of reviving comprehensively debunked claims that the vaccine causes autism.

Also this week, Kennedy doubled down on vitamins as a treatment for measles. An HHS spokesperson told CBS News:

Secretary Kennedy will be enlisting the entire agency to activate a scientific process to treat a host of diseases, including measles, with single or multiple existing drugs in combination with vitamins and other modalities.

Finally, Kennedy in the same town hall where he made the outlandish fetus debris claim, also encouraged parents to do their own research, saying:

part of the responsibility of being a parent is to do your own research. You research the baby stroller, you research the foods that theyre getting, and you need to research the medicines that theyre taking as well.

The phrase do your own research is the rallying cry of the anti-vaccination movement. What it really intends to encourage is for people to access the flood of vaccine misinformation and anti-scientific garbage promoted by Kennedy and his ilk, particularly on the internet. It explicitly avoids and even discourages accessing and understanding actual scientific information and medical knowledge.

Experts have condemned Kennedys remarks and highlighted the danger they pose. Hassan Vally, associate professor of epidemiology at Deakin University in Melbourne Australia said on LinkedIn:

 we cant let a single piece of misinformation or distortion from RFK Jr. go unchallenged. We must consistently call out falsehoods and be unequivocal when he crosses the line into outright lies.

His recent claims about the MMR vaccine containing fetal debris are not only demonstrably false, but dangerously irresponsible. And his fearmongering around DNA fragments in the vaccine is a deliberate distortion of the science.

The MMR vaccine is an extraordinary scientific achievement that has unequivocally saved millions of lives and prevented millions more from suffering severe disability. Kennedys deliberate false narrative, sowing doubt and fear about the MMR vaccine, is a reprehensible act that experts caution will cost lives.

The chemtrails conspiracy theory

The second major flight of fancy that Kennedy engaged this week involves fringe allegations about chemtrails. The chemtrails myth alleges that the US government is including toxic chemicals in jet airplanes, whereby these chemicals end up in the contrails the jets leave behind as they fly. Contrails are condensed water vapor and ice crystals that appear as white streaks in the sky in the wake of airplanes.

At the same town hall on Monday during which he called into question the mumps vaccine, Kennedy said in a response to a question about chemtrails from an audience member:

Its done, we think, by DARPA [Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]. And a lot of it now is coming out of the jet fuelso those materials are put in jet fuel. Im going to do everything in my power to stop it. Were bringing on somebody whos going to think only about that, find out whos doing it, and holding them accountable.

The adherents of this fringe theory believe that the chemicals are intended for various nefarious purposes such as mind control, mass sterilization, and controlling the weather, including creating or intensifying hurricanes.

The theory originated in the 1990s and has waxed and waned in popularity since then. With a prominent government official like Kennedy promulgating the lies, the chemtrails fringe narrative is now enjoying renewed popularity.

Contrails in the sky over Sitges, Spain, near Barcelona [Photo by Unknown / CC BY-SA 3.0

Multiple government agencies are falsely implicated. Kennedys calling out of DARPA is significant. DARPA is a frequent target as a result of its past research on climate change, geoengineering, weather modification, and atmospheric sensing, whereby sensors in the atmosphere are used to detect certain events like bomb explosions.

Due to the false narrative around weather control, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is also a frequent target of people who believe in the story. Dr. David W. Fahey, Director of the Chemical Sciences Laboratory of the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, told the Guardian that the conspiracy theory bubbles up every once in a while and the hurricanes and weather modification kind of brings it up to the floor again.

Research has repeatedly debunked the chemtrails theory. However, the reaction of proponents of chemtrails is often to target the messenger. Ken Caldeira, a climate scientist who carried out a 2016 study debunking the chemtrails narrative received multiple death threats.

Caldeira told the Guardian last December:

I felt like it was a risk to my personal safety. People have bought into this false narrative. Were now seeing a worrying resurgence of conspiracy theories in general, from chemtrails to vaccines. Theres a detachment from facts and rational analysis.

This is not the first time Kennedy supported the chemtrails theory. He responded to a tweet on Twitter/X promoting the theory in November 2024, saying he would end the alleged practice.

As fringe unscientific and unproven theories go, chemtrails is at the extreme. That one of its adherents is now Secretary of Health and Human Services is highly dangerous.

Child trafficking at HHS

In his third major effort at lending credence to debunked conspiracy theories, Kennedy claimed that his own department, Health and Human Services, had been engaged in child trafficking prior to his appointment as secretary. In the videotaped, highly performative presidential cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Kennedy said:

We have ended HHS as thethe role as the vectorthe principal vector in this country for child trafficking. And during the Biden administration, HHS became a collaborator in child trafficking and for sex and forfor slavery. And we have ended that. And were very aggressively going out and trying to find these children. Thats 300,000 children that were lost by the Biden administration.

As with his other canards in the last week, there is zero truth to these allegations either. The reference to the 300,000 echoes claims made by both Kennedy and Donald Trump on the campaign trail, at the time Kennedy was also a presidential candidate prior to dropping out and endorsing Trump.

The 300,000 number originates from an August 2024 report from the Department of Homeland Security about immigrant and refugee children. The report noted that 32,000 unaccompanied minors who entered the US failed to make scheduled appearances at immigration courts. Another 291,000 children received no notice to appear at all.

However, just because 291,000 children did not receive a court notice does not mean that they are being trafficked or abused. The government simply does not know, due to the failure to provide the resources to ensure the welfare of these children and rigorously document their efforts. No evidence exists that these children are the victims of trafficking or that government employees are directing or facilitating it.

HHS comes into the narrative because the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is part of HHS and has primary responsibility for the welfare of unaccompanied minor immigrants and refugees. The child trafficking smear is particularly vicious because it was the Trump administration in its first term which greatly expanded the practice of separating children from their parents or other adult relatives while they were in detention. The children were handed over to ORR while the Department of Homeland Security retained control of the parents. Later, when the two agencies could not match children still in the US with parents who had been deported, many of these family separations became permanent.

Rather than asking for appropriate resources to uncover the fate of these children, Kennedy has instead been involved in gutting his agency, cutting 25 percent of its workforce. Furthermore, the Trump administration has made deep cuts to the Court Appointed Special Advocates Guardians Ad Litem (abbreviated as CASA/GAL or CASA) program.

This program is designed to combat child trafficking, the social evil that Kennedy claims to care about. However, CASA program officials were notified by the Trump administration that its grants, authorized by Congress, were canceled because they no longer effectuate the program goals or agency priorities.

Conclusion

During the process of his nomination and confirmation to head HHS, Kennedy avoided articulating the false claims and bizarre narratives that he was identified with for many years prior to the 2024 presidential campaign. Even in his first weeks as secretary, while he had made multiple statements that promote anti-scientific narratives on vaccines and quack remedies for measles, he had been silent on the most lunatic fringe theories. No longer.

It would be easy to dismiss Kennedy and his outlandish claims this week as the ravings of a madman. But a raving madman does not become Secretary of HHS, controlling approximately 25 percent of the federal budget, without an underlying objective process creating the conditions for that to happen. It takes a society controlled by an insane ruling elite to put such a figure in charge of public health.

That objective process, which put Kennedy in position to peddle anti-science as science, is the intensification of the contradictions inherent in the capitalist system. As the global productive forces clash with national barriers, the ruling class increasingly is desperate to keep the capitalist system afloat. That has set the conditions for clawing back all working class gains of the 20th century, including the extraordinary improvements in health and life expectancy.

Kennedys role is to sow doubt in the scientific underpinnings of the modern healthcare and public health systems to justify stripping them of hundreds of billions of dollars to enrich the financial oligarchy and prop up their teetering economic system.

The working class must cut through the maelstrom of misinformation deliberately being hurled at it, organize its own independent political program, and replace the capitalist system with a system that among other things, puts human health above profit.
This speech was given by Darren Paxton, leader of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (UK), at the International May Day 2025 Online Rally, held Saturday, May 3.

May Day 2025 speech given by Darren Paxton

Students and young people around the world are fighting for a future free from war, fascism, social inequality, economic crisis and climate catastrophe.

Last summer, they took the lead in protest movements in Kenya and Bangladesh that shook those countries' governments to the core.

In Greece, they were in the front lines of the fight for justice after the deadly Tempi rail crash and the state cover-up which followed.

Protesters block the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway in the Mlolongo area, Nairobi, Kenya., July 2, 2024 [AP Photo/Brian Inganga]

They initiated historic protests in Serbia against government corruption, triggered by the Novi Sad train station collapse.

And in all the main imperialist countries, they have taken up the struggle against the Gaza genocide and the complicity of their own governments.

Our last May Day rally was held amid the wave of student encampments rolling across the US, the UK and elsewhere. The Biden administration and other world governments responded with brutal police crackdowns on these encampments.

But now Donald Trump, Keir Starmer and their international counterparts are deepening this repression with academic suspensions, arrests and deportations.

Pro-Palestinian protesters chant at University of Chicago police while being kept from the university's quad as the student encampment is dismantled Tuesday, May 7, 2024 [AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast]

These include the pro-Palestinian student activists Mahmoud Khalil, Momodou Taal and Rumeysa Ozturk, who have either been arrested by ICE Gestapo agents or, in the case of Taal, forced to self-deport from the US. Despite being a British-Gambian citizen, Taal was abandoned by the Starmer government.

The International Youth and Students for Social Equality have participated energetically in this global movement of young people, and we stand in solidarity with all students and workers facing political repression.

And we fight to bring forward the political lessons which must guide the struggle in defense of democratic rights and for an end to fascism and war. These are the lessons of Marxism, the lessons of Trotskyism.

There is no shortage of determination and self-sacrifice among young people today or of hostility to social inequality, military violence and police-state rule. What must be developed is an understanding of the capitalist system at the root of these problems, and of the revolutionary class struggle which can bring it to an end.

Immense pressure is being brought to bear on politically active young people to prevent such conclusions from being drawn. The professional ideologues of the bourgeoisie, aided by the pseudo-left, promote all manner of reformist, pacifist and nationalist diversions. And above all, a skepticism in the revolutionary potential of the working class.

This must be fought and overcome. Students and young people cannot meet the enormous political and social challenges they confront by themselves. They cannot pressure capitalist governments and politicians to act in their name.

Jeremy Corbyn and other general election independent candidates are paraded on the stage during the rally. From left: Michael Lavalette; Leanne Mohamed; Corbyn; Andrew Feinstein, and Iqbal Mohamed, July 6, 2024

The horrors and injustices multiplying across the world today are the responsibility of a capitalist class mired in crisis. It sees no way out except through war on the working class at home and abroad.

There is no fixing this social system. It must be overthrown. That task falls to the international working class.

The last years have seen waves of strikes throughout the world, as workers are driven to fight against intolerable social conditions. To this point, workers struggles have been reined in by trade union bureaucracies acting arm in arm with capitalist governments and major corporations. But support for a rank-and-file rebellion is growing, led by the IWA-RFC.

Aiding this rebellion is a vital task for socialist-minded students and young workers. A return to the levels of class struggle seen in the revolutionary decades of the 20th century will transform the political situation, turning the tide on right-wing reaction.

The most decisive political role to be played by young people is to help infuse the emerging working class movement with a Marxist political culture. That begins by educating ourselves.

The IYSSE, the youth movement of the International Committee of the Fourth International, stands in the tradition of the Russian Revolution.

We stand in continuity with Leon Trotskys fight for socialist internationalism against the nationalist counterrevolution represented by Stalinism.

We base ourselves on the decades-long struggle against every political tendency which tried to liquidate the Fourth International founded by Leon Trotsky.

These are the principled foundations for the mass revolutionary socialist movement against capitalism and war which must be built.

Join the IYSSE today to begin your own training as a fighter for Trotskyism in the working class. And take your place in the ranks of revolutionary fighters for a socialist future.
By Qabil Ashirov

In the age of fast-paced technological shifts and energy transitions, smaller economies are often dismissed as peripheral players. Yet, Azerbaijan is crafting a compelling counter-narrative  one that blends industrial policy with quiet diplomacy, and long-term planning with regional cooperation.

The latest signal came with the announcement that vehicles and machinery produced by a major automobile plant in Ganja will now be exported to Turkiye and other international markets. At first glance, this may seem like a routine business development. But beneath it lies a deeper story  one that reflects nearly two decades of deliberate state-backed industrial rebuilding and external engagement.

What sets this apart is not the size of the contracts or the scale of production  the annual output remains modest, with around 700 to 800 tractors produced each year. Rather, it is the sustained commitment to cultivating industrial capabilities and fostering cross-border manufacturing partnerships that deserves attention.

The foundation for this trajectory was laid in the mid-2000s, when Azerbaijan began deepening its economic and technological ties with Eastern Europe. Over the years, collaborations with major Belarusian manufacturers in the automotive and agricultural machinery sectors led to joint production ventures and knowledge transfer. A once-dormant plant in western Azerbaijan has been transformed into a functioning production hub, steadily assembling tractors, municipal vehicles, and waste collection equipment.

This transformation has not occurred in isolation. A recent memorandum signed between the governments of Azerbaijan and Belarus reaffirms their commitment to developing joint production in heavy machinery. Additionally, a separate contract involving a European industrial partner  a well-known German firm specializing in waste management systems  brings added credibility and technical depth to the venture.

The significance of these partnerships goes beyond mere economics. They serve as a template for how middle-income, resource-rich countries can reimagine their industrial future. For Azerbaijan, the goal is clear: to diversify away from hydrocarbons without abandoning national strengths. Rather than chasing high-tech industries for which there may be limited domestic expertise, the country is focusing on tangible, utilitarian sectors  agriculture, logistics, municipal services  where it can build scale, train labor, and serve both domestic and export markets.

Exporting to Turkiye adds an additional layer of strategic value. As a regional economic power and a close trade partner, Turkiye represents both a validation of quality and a springboard to broader markets. The inclusion of Turkiye in the export strategy signals Azerbaijan's ambition to position itself within a larger regional value chain  one that spans Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe.

This is not to say the road ahead is easy. Competing with established machinery exporters requires not only consistent quality but also marketing acumen, after-sales support, and supply chain resilience. Still, the fact that Azerbaijan is entering these competitive markets through partnerships rather than isolationist policies gives it a stronger footing.

Whats especially instructive here is the patient, incremental nature of Azerbaijans approach. Unlike countries that chase overnight industrial revolutions through flashy megaprojects, Azerbaijans strategy relies on reviving legacy infrastructure, adapting proven technologies, and embedding itself in transnational production networks. Its a slower path  but also a more sustainable one.

In an era where many post-Soviet states still struggle to define their post-oil or post-transition identities, Azerbaijans industrial policy offers a noteworthy case study. It shows that industrial revival is not just possible but practical  if its rooted in long-term partnerships, regional coherence, and a realistic understanding of domestic capacity.

This quiet industrial diplomacy may not make global headlines. But its building something even more valuable: national capability with international relevance.
GUANGZHOU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command tracked, monitored, and warned off a Philippine vessel that attempted to intrude into the waters off China's Huangyan Dao on May 5, a military spokesperson said Thursday.

"The actions were carried out in accordance with laws and regulations, effectively preventing the vessel from entering China's territorial waters," said Tian Junli, spokesperson for the theater command. He said the operation is "professional and legitimate."

Tian said that relevant remarks made by the Philippine side ignore facts, confuse the public and attempt to mislead international perception.

"Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory," Tian stressed, urging the Philippine side to "immediately stop all infringements, provocations and misleading hype."

He added that the command's forces remain on high alert and are fully prepared to defend China's sovereignty and maritime rights, as well as to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea. 
BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- China will always be committed to high-level opening-up, win-win cooperation and being a growth engine for the world economy, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks when asked to comment on the view that the resilience of the Chinese economy enables it to withstand various external shocks, with the vitality of the Chinese economy during the May Day holiday especially seeming to defy concerns about the nation's economic outlook.

"The booming holiday consumption reflects the vitality and potential of the Chinese economy," Lin said, noting that the number of entries and exits by foreigners averaged around 1.1 million for each of the five days of the May Day holiday, growing 43.1 percent year on year, and that the sales of inbound tourism increased by about 90 percent during the period.

"Institutional opening-up measures are being transformed into tangible appeal to foreign tourists," he added.

Lin noted multiple indicators such as the attendance of overseas buyers and record on-site intended export transactions at the recently concluded Canton Fair, reflected that foreign business communities continue to be optimistic about the long-term development of the Chinese economy.

"Temporary turbulence cannot capsize the giant ship of China's economy, nor can it stop the Chinese people's pursuit for a better life," Lin said, noting that China will always be committed to high-level opening-up, win-win cooperation, and being a growth engine for world economy. 
BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping extended here Wednesday congratulations to a China-Russia people-to-people and cultural exchange event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

In his message, Xi pointed out that 80 years ago, the Chinese people and the Russian people jointly made indelible historical contributions to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and forged an unbreakable great friendship with blood, laying a solid foundation for the high-level development of bilateral relations.

Xi said that 80 years later, with joint efforts of both sides, China-Russia relations have demonstrated renewed vitality and forged a new model of major-country relations.

He emphasized that strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges is of great and far-reaching significance for enhancing mutual understanding, promoting good-neighborliness and friendship, and consolidating the social and popular support for the development of bilateral ties.

The Chinese president said that he hopes media outlets of both countries will join hands to forge ahead with a shared mission and carry out warm and down-to-earth people-to-people and cultural exchanges that connect people's hearts, so as to inject new momentum into mutual understanding and amity between the two peoples, refresh the development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, and make new contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The event was co-hosted by China Media Group and All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company.

On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin also sent a congratulatory message to the event. 
PHNOM PENH, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodia's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) expert team has found and safely removed another war-left U.S.-made MK-82 aerial bomb in southern Kandal province, a mine clearance chief said late on Wednesday.

Heng Ratana, director general of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), said the bomb, weighing about 230 kg, had been discovered in a soil pit in Angk Snuol district.

"Buried for about half a century (50 years), it's still new," he wrote on social media, with photographs showing experts defusing the bomb.

Ratana said experts safely removed and transported it to the CMAC's disposal center for further action on Wednesday.

According to the official, since the start of the year, the EOD expert team had unearthed and safely removed at least eight MK-82 aerial bombs in different provinces, including Kampong Cham, Kandal, Kampong Speu, and Kampong Thom.

Cambodia is one of the countries worst affected by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERWs). An estimated 4 million to 6 million landmines and other munitions had been left over from three decades of war and internal conflicts that ended in 1998.

According to the Yale University, from October 1965 to August 1973, the United States had dropped over 2.75 million tons of ordnance in 230,516 sorties on 113,716 sites in Cambodia.

A Cambodia's official report showed that from 1979 to 2024, landmine and ERW explosions had claimed 19,834 lives and maimed 45,252 others in the Southeast Asian country. 
This year marks the 35th anniversary of China's participation in UN's peacekeeping operations. Here is an in-depth exploration into the rigorous training of the Chinese peacekeepers.
Local culinary luminary Jesse Griffiths, owner of the acclaimed Dai Due restaurant in Cherrywood, is a finalist for a 2025 James Beard Media Award in the Single Subject book category for "The Turkey Book: A Chefs Journal of Hunting and Cooking Americas Bird." The nomination underscores Griffiths' multifaceted expertise as a chef, hunter and author.

Last month, Birdie's co-owner Arjav Ezekiel was also recognized as a James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service.

Griffiths' influence extends beyond his literary achievements. As Dai Due's owner, he has been instrumental in shaping Austin's distinctive culinary identity. The restaurant, which began as a supper club and farmer's market stand in 2014, embodies a strong commitment to seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, primarily from the Lone Star State. This dedication to Texan regional bounty has garnered national recognition.

Wild turkey, from hunt to table gets Beard nod

Dai Due Co-owner and Chef Jesse Griffiths in front of the restaurant in Austin, Oct. 30, 2024.

The James Beard Awards are some of the most coveted honors in the American culinary world. Established by the James Beard Foundation, the awards recognize talent in various categories, including chefs, restaurants, journalists, authors and other food professionals. The Media Awards specifically celebrate achievements in food and beverage-related content across books, broadcast media and journalism.

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Griffiths' nomination falls in the Single Subject category, which honors books with a focused culinary theme, exploring a specific ingredient, dish, or cooking method through recipes and narratives. "The Turkey Book" aligns with this category, offering an exploration of wild turkey from the hunt to the plate.

"The Turkey Book," offers readers a journey through a single turkey season. Griffiths chronicles his travels across four distinct regions of the United States, joining hunters and chefs in pursuit of America's iconic native bird. Beyond the hunting narratives, Griffiths' book offers a guide to preparing wild game. Readers will find step-by-step instructions for plucking and skinning, detailed butchery sequences, and over 100 recipes that utilize every part of the bird. The book also includes photography capturing the diverse habitats of the wild turkey.

Griffiths won a Single Subject James Beard Award in 2022 for "The Hog Book."

Dai Due recognized among nation's best restaurants

Lion's mane, chestnut and blue oyster mushrooms cooked on tallow with an egg yolk, garlic and chives, served with grilled sourdough and paired with Sangiovese "The Source" Grower Project red wine from Dai Due in Austin, Oct. 30, 2024.

Earlier this year, USA Today lauded Dai Due as one of the best restaurants in the country, highlighting its confident expression of Texan cuisine under the guidance of executive chef Janie Ramirez. The review specifically praised dishes like the smoked porterhouse hog with apple butter and tallow-roasted mushrooms with whipped cherry lard, underscoring the restaurant's innovative yet deeply rooted approach.

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The James Beard Media Award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Chicago on June 14. Griffiths' nomination not only celebrates his individual contribution to food writing but also shines a light on the culinary scene he has helped cultivate in Austin.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Dai Due's owner recognized as James Beard Awards finalist for his book
British influences, Josh and Jase of England, continued their week-long tour of Louisiana on Thursday with a visit to West Monroe to meet the "Duck Dynasty" stars. They posted a teaser on their social media platforms.

The English pair who traveled to the U.S. posted a TikTok video early Thursday asking their fans to identify their location and guess their destination.

"We are really excited to meet these guys (in West Monroe)," they said in a TikTok post with someone blowing a duck call in the background. "They are very Louisiana."

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Josh later posted that they were "heading to meet the Duck Dynasty guys today to film a podcast."

British TikTokers Josh and Jase arrive in Louisiana

"I heard they are Christians so I'm taking my Bible to hopefully speak publicly about my faith," Josh posted. "Please pray for a successful recording session!"

Josh and Jase have already visited Shreveport, where they criticized their hotel. They received an offer from Lake Charles, where they stayed at L'Auberge casino and ate crawfish and poboys, and Lafayette, where they also sought food recommendations.

The "Duck Dynasty" stars still operate the Duck Commander family business from their West Monroe headquarters.

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"Duck Dynasty" is returning to A&E's primetime lineup for a reboot beginning this summer with 10 episodes of "Duck Dynasty: The Revival."

The new version will feature Willie and Korie Robertson and their adult children as they key players, but favorites like matiarch "Miss Kay" Robertson and Uncle Si also will make appearances. Patriarch Phil Robertson is suffering with Alzheimer's disease and isn't expected to appear on the new show.

More: 'Duck Dynasty' couple Phil Robertson and Miss Kay Robertson suffer serious health problems

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: British TikTok influencers visit Duck Dynasty stars on Louisiana tour
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." That's one of Walt Disney's most popular quotes, often used in the context of the theme park marvels imagined by the company he created.

Over the decades Walt Disney Imagineering, the secretive arm of the Walt Disney Co. devoted to theme park experiences, has dreamed up a room full of singing birds and flowers, brought to life a mini New Orleans, captured the idealism of space flight and re-envisioned modern transportation, to name just a few of its many varied accomplishments.

For its latest trick, Imagineering will attempt to resurrect a life of sorts, that is to fully animate a highly accurate robotic creation of one of the most recognizable figures of the 20th century, Walt Disney himself. First unveiled last summer at the company's fan convention D23, the goal, said Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro at the event, is to capture "what it would have been like to be in Walts presence.

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That means finding a middle ground between romanticism and realism.

On Wednesday morning, Imagineering previewed for a select group of media the upcoming show "Walt Disney  A Magical Life," set to premiere July 17 to coincide with Disneyland's official 70th anniversary, when it will temporarily displace an attraction centered on a robotic Abraham Lincoln. An early sculpt of what would become the animatronic was revealed, one complete with age spots on Disney's hands and weariness around his eyes  Imagineers stressed their intent is faithful accuracy  but much of the attraction remains secretive. The animatronic wasn't shown, nor did Imagineering provide any images of the figure, which it promises will be one of its most technically advanced.

Instead, Imagineering sought to show the care in which it was bringing Disney back to life while also attempting to assuage any fears regarding what has become a much-debated project among the Disney community. When D'Amaro unveiled "A Magical Life" last summer, he did so noting he had the support of the Disney family, singling out Disney's grandnephew, Roy P. Disney, who was in the audience.

Yet soon a social media missive critical of the attraction from Walt's granddaughter would go viral. It raised anew ethical questions that often surround any project attempting to capture the dead via technology, be it holographic representations of performers or digitally re-created cinematic animations, namely debates surrounding the wishes of the deceased and whether such creations are exploitative. "Dehumanizing," wrote Joanna Miller in her Facebook post on the figure.

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Read more: He worked with Walt Disney to shape Disneyland. Now at 93, boy, does he have stories

The animatronic somewhat represents a shift in thinking for the Walt Disney Co., as the majority of its robotic figures are representations of fictional characters or overly-saturated political figures such as those in Florida's Hall of Presidents, in which new politicians are added while they are living. Arguably, the Walt Disney Co. first tested the public's willingness to embrace a resurrected Disney via a holographic-like projection for its touring "Disney 100: The Exhibition," which initially raised some eyebrows.

Longtime Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald, known for his work on beloved Disney projects such as Star Tours and the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster in Florida, said Wednesday that "A Magical Life" has been in the works for about seven years. Asked directly about ethical concerns in representing the deceased via a robotic figurine, Fitzgerald noted the importance of the Walt Disney story, not only to the company but to culture at large.

"His life story had been told in these other formats already," Fitzgerald says, referencing the film "Walt Disney: One Man's Dream," which currently airs at Florida's Hollywood Studios. "What could we do at Disneyland for our audience that would be part of our tool kit vernacular but that would bring Walt to life in a way that you could only experience at the park? We felt the technology had gotten there. We felt there was a need to tell that story in a fresh way."

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Disneyland, in contrast to the company's other parks around the globe, places a premium on historical attractions, in part because it's the only park Disney walked in. The park's patriarch even had a small apartment on Main Street, U.S.A., in which he would occasionally spend the night. After its initial run during the 70th celebration, "A Magical Life" will play in tandem with Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln thanks to a newly constructed revolving stage. A new pre-show gallery will feature a mini-re-creation of Disney's apartment and also unveil some never-before-seen artifacts, such as early master plans of Disneyland.

Read more: Everything you need to know about Disneyland's biggest event of the decade

The figure, essentially, was created in part to anticipate criticism. Fitzgerald notes modern audiences, with the ability to zoom in on a character via smartphone, are far more discerning. The animatronic will aim to represent Disney in 1963. Disney died in 1966 at 65.

"He needs to be able to speak with his hands. Hands, very important," Fitzgerald says. "When you watch Walt Disney talking, he's very expressive with his hands when he talks. He also has expressive eyebrows, which many of you had heard about. When he speaks, he speaks with his eyebrows. ... One of the things I discovered in watching the footage, he doesn't blink when he speaks." Thus, when animating the figure's eye movements, Fitzgerald says, there was much discussion over his "blink profile," ensuring it matched up with filmed footage.

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Though the exact arc of the show, which will run about 17 minutes, wasn't revealed, Fitzgerald and fellow Imagineer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, who was instrumental in the recent reimagining of Disneyland's Toontown, noted that all dialogue will be taken directly from Disney's speeches. The setting will be in Disney's office, and for much of the show Disney will be leaning on his desk, although the figure was teased as being able to stand up.

Fitzgerald and Shaver-Moskowitz note that they researched Disney's shoe size, looked at molds of his hands and even attempted  and failed  to find out which hair products Disney used. He will be wearing a tie emblazoned with the logo for Palm Springs' Smoke Tree Ranch, a favorite retreat of Disney's.

"We didn't order an animatronic to look like Walt," Shaver-Moskowitz says. "We built a Walt animatronic to deliver a performance that was specifically Walt."

Yet can any animatronic capture the essence of a human, even a theatrical interpretation of one?

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"You could never get the casualness of his talking," Disney's granddaughter Miller wrote in her post. While those who know the Disney family have confirmed the veracity of the post, attempts to reach Miller have been unsuccessful. Members of the Walt Disney family are said to be divided, with many supporting the animatronic and some others against it, say those in the know who have declined to speak on the record for fear of ruining their relationships.

"He was so fascinated with technology, and also the intersection between technology and art," says Kirsten Komoroske, executive director of the Walt Disney Family Museum, of Disney. Multiple descendants of Disney's sit on various boards that the Family Museum is associated with, and Komoroske says those working with the institution have pledged their support of the animatronic. "They really feel that he would have liked this project."

Others who knew Disney, such as legendary Imagineer Bob Gurr, the designer of the Disneyland Monorail, the Matterhorn Bobsleds and more, as well as a pivotal collaborator on the Lincoln figure, have confirmed that they have seen the animatronic but have chosen not to discuss it. I am embargoed, Gurr told The Times, adding only that the public would have quite a reaction.

Imagineers were asked about Miller's comments. Dusty Sage, executive editor of Disney fan site Micechat, told the audience he has spoken with Miller and her primary concern was that Disney never wanted to be turned into a robotic figure.

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Read more: 14 places in L.A. that every Disney lover must visit at least once

"In all our research, we never found any documentation of Walt saying that," Shaver-Moskowitz says. "We know that it's anecdotal and we can't speak to what was told to people in private and we can't speak to Joanna's specific feelings about the project. But we have worked very diligently for many years with the Walt Disney Family Museum and members of the Disney and Miller family. ... We've taken care to make sure that the family is along the journey with us and we feel that we've presented a faithful and theatrical presentation that keeps Walt alive in the medium that he pioneered."

The Walt Disney Co. has made a significant effort over the years to mythologize Disney. Statues of Disney can be found at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, and trinkets bearing his image, including an ornament of the latter, can occasionally be spotted for sale in the park's gift shops. The reality of who Disney was has arguably become obscured.

"Walt Disney  A Magical Life" will walk a fine line when it opens, attempting to inspire a new generation to look into Disney's life while also portraying him as more than just a character in the park's arsenal.

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"Why are we doing this now?" Fitzgerald says. "For two reasons. One is Disneyland's 70th anniversary is an ideal time we thought to create a permanent tribute to Walt Disney in the Opera House. The other: I grew up watching Walt Disney on television. I guess I'm the old man. He came into our living room every week and chatted and it was very casual and you felt like you knew the man. But a lot of people today don't know Walt Disney was an individual. They think Walt Disney is a company."

And now nearly 60 years after his death, Disney will once again grace Main Street, whether or not audiences  or even some members of his family  are ready to greet him.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Mubi, the global streamer, producer and distributor behind The Substance, has struck a major three-year co-production, financing and distribution agreement with Our Films, the new Rome-based company founded by prominent European producers Mario Gianani and Lorenzo Mieli.

Our Films, which is part of Mediawan, was launched last year by Gianani and Mieli, and has already become a creative hub for world-class filmmakers from Europe, the U.S. and overseas. Mubi and Our Films share the same passion for artistically ambitious movies that resonate internationally.

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The first film to emerge from this strategic alliance will be the next feature from Pawe Pawlikowski, the Oscar-winning director of Ida and Cold War.

Mieli previously successfully collaborated with Mubi on three high-profile films: Sofia Coppolas Priscilla, starring Cailee Spaeny; Pablo Larrains Maria, starring Angelina Jolie; and Luca Guadagninos Queer, starring Daniel Craig.

Under the pact, Mubi will finance a slate of new projects produced by Our Films, while Our Films will contribute additional equity investment. Mubi will also distribute the co-produced titles in key territories; while The Match Factory, which ranks as one of the worlds top international distribution banners and is owned by Mubi, will handle worldwide sales.

Were incredibly excited to embark on this new journey with Efe, Jason, Michael and the exceptional team at Mubi, said Gianani and Mieli. Their bold, forward-thinking vision aligns seamlessly with ours championing powerful, emotionally resonant stories crafted by the worlds most inspiring filmmakers and creative talents, the pair continued, adding that they strike to build something truly lasting  cinema that connects deeply with audiences and resonates across cultures, borders and generations.

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Mubis founder and CEO Efe Cakarel said: It is an absolute privilege to be partnering with Lorenzo and Mario, two extraordinary producers whose work I have long admired. Their commitment to bold, auteur-led cinema is second to none. We share the same passion and curiosity for storytelling, and I couldnt be more excited about what lies ahead.

This deal follows a bullish year for Mubi, which earned six nominations at the Academy Awards and broke box office ground with Coralie Fargeats Oscar-winning body horror The Substance, grossing over $17 million in North America and more than $83 million worldwide.

The three-year partnership with Our Films marks a structural milestone in the strategy of Mubi, which started out as a streaming service almost 20 years ago and has evolved into a distribution powerhouse with direct theatrical operations in multiple key markets such as the U.S. and the U.K., Latin America, Germany and the Netherlands (through their acquisition of Cineart), and is now becoming a full-fledged producer.

Mubi Productions current slate includes Kelly Reichardts The Mastermind starring Josh OConnor, which will world premiere in competition at Cannes, and co-productions including Jim Jarmuschs anticipated Father Mother Sister Brother, starring Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Tom Waits, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat; and Karim Ainouzs Rosebush Pruning, starring Callum Turner, Riley Keough, Jamie Bell, Lukas Gage, Elena Anaya, Tracy Letts, Elle Fanning and Pamela Anderson.

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Besides The Substance, which earned an Oscar best actress nomination for star Demi Moore, Mubis recent releases include Queer, Joshua Oppenheimers The End with Tilda Swinton and George MacKay, Magnus von Horns Oscar-nominated The Girl With the Needle, Pinny Grylls and Sam Cranes Grand Theft Hamlet, Andrea Arnolds Bird and Coppolas Priscilla.

Mubi is also at Cannes with Joachim Triers Sentimental Value and Chie Hayakawas Renoir; as well as Akinola Daviess My Fathers Shadow in Un Certain Regard.

Earlier on Thursday, the company picked up Wong Kar Wais epic drama series Shanghai Blossoms. Mubi will release the 30-part drama series in Latin America, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Turkey and India.

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Rick Ross and Drake have remained at odds since exchanging jabs on a series of diss tracks last year, but Rozay is open to ending the beef with his Stay Schemin collaborator.

The Biggest Boss joined Bootleg Kev for an interview Wednesday (May 7), during which they discussed the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, something Ross saw as necessary for the rap game.

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The conversation then switched to spotlight the root of Rozays issues with Drake, which Bootleg Kev theorized came from Drakes treatment of French Montana on a track.

I spoke on that on the record I released. Like I said, Fk that st,' Ross said. Was it something really deep? Nah, fk that, though. But if you py, you py. If its real, its real.

Now, its unclear if Ross is being 100 percent serious, but the Florida rapper says hed be open to squashing his feud with Drizzy.

You never know, he began. If a na send me a bottle of Luc Belaire, especially the white one. That go for any of these young n-s out here  Send me a white Belaire and Ill take a picture with you.

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Drake sent shots at Ross on his April 2024 Push Ups diss track, and Rozay returned the favor with Champagne Moments. Ross accused Drizzy of getting a nose job and referred to the OVO rapper as the white boy while continuing to troll the 6 God on social media.

Rick Ross and Drake have teamed up for a handful of anthems over the years, including Rozays three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: Lemon Pepper Freestyle, Money in the Grave and DJ Khaleds Im On One.

Last year, Ross joined Yung Miami for an episode of Caresha Please, which saw him reflect on being at odds with Drake.

He mentioned my name, and thats a no-no, he said. Dont do that, especially when it aint about no real st. But when you do that, OK then: this is how we gonna play. I can wake up every day and say BBL Drizzy or some old st, while Im smoking a joint, listening to the waterfalls and all that st, looking at the birds fly off. That st easy for me. I dont know. It depend on how I feel. I aint losing no sleep over none of that.

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Watch Rick Ross talk to Bootleg Kev about his Drake feud below:









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One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing outside Santa Ana High School Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.

Santa Ana police responded to the incident at around 3:25 p.m. All victims are students at Santa Ana High.

A 14-year-old boy was taken to the hospital in critical condition and two teens, ages 15 and 16, were transported in stable condition. Police later confirmed the 14-year-old boy passed away from his injuries.

One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA) One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA) One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA) One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA) One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA) One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA) One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA)

That deadly attack occurred right outside the high schools entrance.

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Two male suspects, who police described as Hispanic males who are students at the high school, fled the scene and remain at large. A perimeter was set up in the area as officers searched for the teens.

The high school, along with a nearby elementary and middle school, was cordoned off with police tape.

Details are limited and its unclear what led up to the deadly altercation, but police said it may be gang-related.

Our investigators are still trying to assess the situation and interview victims, witnesses, and maybe gather some surveillance regarding the incident, said Officer Natalie Garcia with the Santa Ana Police Department.

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Dianna Vasquez said her daughter was friends with the student who was killed.

When she got home with her friends and they found out, she was in tears, Vazquez said. She was crying. She couldnt believe it. She said he was a really nice kid.

Students and parents were shocked to hear the news, with many saying they were fearful to be near campus.

At a time like this, where something can just happen out of nowhere, I wouldnt be surprised if people were to take more precautions or just feel like it wouldnt be the best idea to come to school after something like this happened, a student told KTLA.

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The victims identities have not been released. Grief counselors will be on campus on Thursday for any students or staff who may need additional support.

Anyone with information on the attack is urged to call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8049.

This developing story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A student has died and two others have been hospitalized after a stabbing outside a school in California, the Santa Ana Unified School District confirmed in a statement shared via Insatgram.

The statement, posted on Wednesday, May 7, said that the school was "heartbroken to confirm that one of the students injured in an incident outside Santa Ana High School this afternoon has tragically passed away." It added that, "Two additional students were also injured and remain hospitalized."

According to NBC News, authorities confirmed the stabbing happened on Wednesday, May 7, in front of the school, with The Los Angeles Times noting that the three victims are aged between 14 and 17.

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The school's statement stated that the incident involved an altercation among several individuals, occurring shortly after dismissal," while the Los Angeles Times reports that officers responded to the scene at around 3:25 p.m. local time.

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Local outlet KLTA 5 said that "two suspects, also believed to be students, ran from the scene and were being searched for," with the Los Angeles Times saying that it was "currently unclear what their motive was."

The school's statement continued, "Our thoughts are with the family of the student who passed, and with all those impacted by this senseless act of violence.

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"We understand the emotional toll it may have on our students, staff, and families across the district," they added, noting that the stabbing was being "actively investigated" by the Santa Ana Police Department and Santa Ana School Police.

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The school went on to say that there will be an increased presence of Santa Ana School Police on and around Santa Ana HS on Thursday," and noted that crisis counselors would be made available for students.

We are committed to providing a safe, caring, and supportive environment for all students and staff. We will continue to share updates as they become available, the statement concluded. Thank you for your continued support and compassion.



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PEOPLE has contacted Santa Ana Police Department and Santa Ana School Police Department for comment but did not immediately receive a response.



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One student was killed and two others were wounded in a stabbing outside their Southern California high school, and two of their classmates have been arrested, authorities said.

The students were attacked during a fight in front of Santa Ana High School at about 3:25 p.m. Wednesday, shortly after dismissal, according to school officials and police in Santa Ana, which is about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

A 14-year-old boy was hospitalized in critical condition and later died from his injuries, police said. He was identified later in the week by the Orange County coroner as Armando Morales.

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A 15-year-old boy and 16-year-old boy were hospitalized in stable condition, police said. The Santa Ana Police Department later identified the boys as brothers.

MORE: Jennifer Aniston gate-crashing suspect charged with stalking and vandalism

The attack appeared to be gang-related, Santa Ana police spokesperson Natalie Garcia told reporters.

Garcia said Wednesday that police were searching for the two unidentified suspects. On Thursday, police said the suspects -- a 15-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy -- were identified and turned themselves in.

"Based on interviews with the parents, witness statements, and other video surveillance, both suspects were arrested and booked into juvenile hall for murder and attempted murder," Garcia told reporters.

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The unidentified boys were taken to Juvenile Hall and booked for murder and attempted murder, police said.

"Our thoughts are with the family of the student who passed, and with all those impacted by this senseless act of violence," the Santa Ana Unified School District said in a statement.

"Out of an abundance of caution, there will be an increased presence of Santa Ana School Police on and around Santa Ana HS on Thursday," the district added.

1 boy killed, 2 hurt in stabbing outside their high school; 2 classmates arrested originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
HANGZHOU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A hospital in Yiwu, a bustling trade hub in east China's Zhejiang Province, has launched an AI-powered bilingual medical examination report service as part of its latest efforts to break language barriers for foreign patients.

The new service offered by the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, allows foreign patients to apply for free English versions of their medical examination reports.

Dubbed "the world's supermarket," the city of Yiwu is an international hub for the production and trade of small commodities. The hospital's bilingual initiative is part of efforts to improve healthcare services for the city's large community of foreign traders and residents.

Earlier this year, the hospital deployed the popular AI model DeepSeek into its outpatient and inpatient systems, which has assisted doctors in keeping medical records. In April, it added the AI-powered medical examination report translation service, streamlining the process that has been traditionally reliant on time-consuming human translation.

The service leverages AI to instantly generate English translations of medical reports, which are then checked and reviewed by doctors and medical experts to ensure accuracy.

"Just one click and the draft translation is done immediately," said Zhang Yunyun from the hospital's ultrasound department. "Doctors then check the content, followed by expert review to finalize the report.

The bilingual service is currently available across multiple departments, including radiology, pathology, ultrasound, and electrocardiography.

A patient from Lebanon, who was identified as Nesir, recently received English versions of five medical reports at the hospital. He said the service finally enabled him to understand the medical examination reports on his own when seeing doctors in China.

A foreign doctor working at the hospital introduced the service to Nesir. With the English versions, Nesir's doctors back in Lebanon can also participate in treatment discussions.

In addition to English-version reports, the hospital also offers international commercial insurance direct billing and medical escort services. It has signed agreements with 22 global insurance companies to expand the one-stop direct billing service.

Last year, the hospital offered medical services for 19,950 foreign patients, the highest number among hospitals in Zhejiang Province. The hospital also has an international outpatient department with English-speaking doctors, an English version hospital appointment registration system, as well as medical escorts and volunteers. 
TAUNTON, Mass. (WPRI)  An investigation is underway into a fire that heavily damaged a Taunton home Wednesday evening.

Firefighters rushed to the Fruit Street triple-decker after several callers reported seeing flames shooting from the third floor.

The Taunton Fire Department told 12 News the third floor sustained heavy fire damage, while the first and second floors sustained water damage.

The 10 residents who lived in the home have been displaced and are being assisted by the American Red Cross. Its unclear if the home has been deemed a total loss.

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No one was injured and the cause remains unknown at this time.

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $4.5 million in state funding for 10 Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams across the state including Children's Home of Wyoming Conference.

The funding will be provided by the state Office of Mental Health, divided into a single $450,000 payment for each of the 10 service provides.

The Children's Home of Wyoming Conference will be awarded funding to expand its services in Chenango County, to include 36 children between the ages of 10 to 21.

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The multidisciplinary teams across New York will assist 360 children dealing with emotional disturbances who are at risk of entering high intensity services or who are transitioning back home.

More: Children's Home of Wyoming Conference gets $14.5 million for new program: How it works

"Children and youth living with mental illness sometimes require additional care to remain at home or return back into the community," Hochul said in a press release.

This expansion of our Youth ACT program will help provide more families with this critical support and the services they can rely on to bring their child home after inpatient care or from a residential facility.

Children's Home of Wyoming Conference located in Chenango Valley on May 7, 2025.

What organizations are receiving funding?

Access Supports for Living Inc., serving Westchester County

The Charles Evans Center, serving Nassau County

Central Nassau Guidance and Counseling, serving Suffolk County

Children's Home of Wyoming Conference, serving Chenango County

Interborough Developmental & Consultation Center, serving Brooklyn

The Child Center of NY, two teams serving Manhattan and Queens

Jewish Child Care Association of NY, serving the Bronx

Child and Family Services of Erie County, serving Erie County

Richmond University Medical Center, serving Staten Island

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During the annual Whats Great in Our State Celebration of Childrens Mental Health event in Albany last week, Hochul took another step to recognize organizations and individuals dedicated to addressing childhood mental health. May 4 to May 10 has been made Childrens Mental Health Awareness Week for the state of New York.

Kalyn Grant reports on public service issues for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, focusing on schools and community impact. Have a story to share? Follow her on Instagram @KalynCarmen and on Facebook under Kalyn Kearney. Get in touch at kcgrant@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Children's Home gets $450K for Chenango NY expansion
Gary Jackson rests in bed at a former La Quinta Inn on Park Avenue in Denver, June 12, 2022. He lived at the hotel during the spring of 2022 after receiving an emergency housing voucher due to his vulnerability to COVID-19 while managing congestive heart failure. (Giles Clasen for Colorado Newsline)

Gary Jacksons most recent spell of homelessness happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. After being released from a more than 12-year prison sentence, his son died. He then lived unsheltered for a couple of years before his heart began to fail, which Jackson says is a direct result of his homelessness.

These challenges made Jackson a perfect candidate for the federal Emergency Housing Voucher program.

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EHVs were created by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to provide housing for the chronically homeless; people fleeing domestic violence, human trafficking or sexual assault; and families facing housing instability. About 70,000 EHVs were distributed to public housing authorities across the nation.

Jacksons EHV helped him get a room at the La Quinta hotel at Interstate 25 and Park Avenue in Denver while he received medical treatments for his heart condition. The EHV gave him enough stability to receive a Section 8 voucher that hes used to rent an apartment of his own for more than a year.

I got the Holy Grail of housing vouchers, apparently, Jackson said.

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Jackson is one of a handful of EHV holders who have successfully transitioned to more stable housing. However, there are hundreds more EHV holders in Colorado facing the possibility of being sent back to the streets.

In March, the Colorado Division of Housing received a letter from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development saying that the EHV program is expected to run out of money by the end of 2026, four years earlier than originally expected.

Part of the reason for the lack of funding for the program is the national spike in rent costs. Median rents across the U.S. stood at $1,781 per month at the end of 2021, according to Realtor.com. Those rents peaked in July 2022 at around $1,850 per month, though they have steadily fallen to $1,694 as of March 2025.

Should the funding for this program end, many participants will go back to the dangerous living situations they were in.

 Shannon Gray, spokesperson for the Colorado Division of Housing

At the same time, the Trump administration has made it clear that it does not intend to continue funding the program.

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While these EHV funds are being obligated to your PHA, you should manage your EHV program with the expectation that no additional funding from HUD will be forthcoming, the letter DOH received says.

Colorado received 996 EHVs, which it then distributed to 12 public housing agencies across the state. Those public housing agencies were primarily located in Front Range counties like Boulder, Denver, Jefferson, and Adams. Cities like Fort Collins, Aurora, Colorado Springs and Littleton also received vouchers. Altogether, nearly 1,200 households benefitted from EHVs, according to federal data. There are 892 EHV units still leased, DOH spokesperson Shannon Gray told Colorado Newsline in an email.

We are concerned about the implications of non-renewal of the funding for all (EHV) participants in Colorado, Gray said. Should the funding for this program end, many participants will go back to the dangerous living situations they were in.

Gary Jackson is treated by Dr. Daniel Lindberg for complications related to his heart disease at the emergency room at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in May 2024. Since 2022, Jackson estimates he has been hospitalized more than 50 times due to complications from chronic congestive heart failure. (Giles Clasen for Colorado Newsline)

No other options

For public housing officials, the anticipated end of the EHV program has become a significant cause for concern. Peter LiFari, CEO of Maiker Housing Partners in Adams County, told Colorado Newsline that there is a mad frenzy of communication and collaboration among public housing authorities in Colorado to figure out contingency plans for the remaining EHV holders.

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Those contingency plans are complicated as Colorado leaders have already had to navigate a $1.2 billion state budget shortfall, and federal support remains uncertain. Meanwhile, advocates at the National Low Income Housing Coalition expect the Trump administration to significantly overhaul the Housing Choice Voucher program and reduce the number of available vouchers by around 200,000 in the fiscal year 2026 budget. Housing Choice Vouchers, also known as Section 8 vouchers, are the most common voucher available to people experiencing homelessness.

One change LiFari expects the Trump administration to push for is adding work requirements to the HCV program. HUD Secretary Scott Turner said after his confirmation that the agency should work to increase self-sufficiency and empower Americans to climb the economic ladder toward a brighter future. A 2022 federal review of work requirement policies found that they can increase part-time employment, but the impact of the policies to reach a level that enables self-sufficiency remains unclear.

This is an appetizer from the administration to move the Overton window on work, LiFari said.

Cathy Alderman, spokesperson for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, told Colorado Newsline that many of the EHV holders dont have other housing options.

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They cant just find another affordable place, Alderman said. Its not likely that they have a great deal of resources saved up to move them into a market-rate unit that doesnt accept vouchers, which is going to ultimately put a lot of people into the cycle of homelessness at a time when homelessness is already on the rise.

Over the last year, homelessness in Colorado increased by more than 29% to more than 18,700 people, according to federal data. Subpopulations like families with children saw an even more significant increase in homelessness, rising 134% compared to 2023.

Moving people from an EHV to a more permanent housing voucher is also a complicated process, Alderman added. About 20% of the people who qualify for a housing voucher receive one for various reasons. The number of available vouchers fluctuates every year. There are also waitlists for people to apply for housing vouchers. The program also relies on landlords who accept housing vouchers, which can be inconsistent.

The Coalition has units it owns that can be used to provide housing for people who lose their EHV, but Alderman said there are not enough housing units to help the nearly 900 people who could be impacted.

Theres no affordable housing for people to move into, Alderman said. Its why we have the homeless crisis that we have.

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A Beaver County man and more than a dozen others have been charged for allegedly trafficking fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Tuesday.

Korrtezz Martin, 34, and 13 alleged co-conspirators are accused of trafficking pressed fentanyl pills and cocaine in Beaver, Allegheny and Washington counties between April 2023 and August 2024. Ten of the 14 were taken into custody on Tuesday.

Martin, who was arrested on Tuesday, is charged with possession with intent to distribute, criminal conspiracy, corrupt organizations, dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity, illegal firearms possession and criminal use of a communication facility. He is being held on $500,000 bail.

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The investigating grand jury found that Martin was at the top of a drug distribution chain employing a network of runners, according to the attorney generals office. Throughout the investigation, officials determined Martin and his accomplices were upper-level dealers in the region.

Our Bureau of Narcotics Investigation worked diligently to identify the leader of this criminal enterprise and his conspirators, which resulted in charges that put a stop to this network of fentanyl dealers, Sunday said. Drug traffickers push poisons into our communities without a care for the lives put at risk. My office will continue to vigorously prosecute traffickers who value dollars over human lives.

Members of the Pennsylvania State Police, Drug Enforcement Agencys High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, Beaver County District Attorneys Office and Beaver County Drug Task Force assisted in Tuesdays arrests.

The attorney generals office announced charges against the other defendants:

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Edward Reynolds, 33, Dion Eberhardt, 35, Mara Hieber, 29, Michael Motton, 34, Daphne Scott, 51, Victoria Jones, 31, Chelsea Durr, 33, Breanna Lewandowski, 21, Tyler McQuaid, 36, Jack Balser, 31 and Katrina Balser, 35: Possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and deliver, criminal conspiracy of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and deliver, criminal use of a communication facility, corrupt organizations and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity. Following their arrests, bail was set at $500,000 for Scott, $250,000 for Motton, $150,000 for McQuaid, $125,000 for Jack Balser, $100,000 for Katrina Balser, and $50,000 for Jones and Durr.

Timothy Namath, 40: Possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, criminal conspiracy of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, criminal use of a communication facility, corrupt organizations, dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.

Courtney Goode, 30: Corrupt organizations and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity. Goode is being held on $100,000 bail.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Kara Cotter of the Drug Strike Force Section is prosecuting the case.

The attorney generals office noted that criminal charges and any discussion thereof are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  A 16-year-old was arrested Wednesday morning in connection with a shooting last week at a park in Greenville County.

The Greenville County Sheriffs Office reported on Monday, April 28, that a man arrived at Hillcrest Hospital with at least one gunshot wound following a shooting at Southside Park on Baldwin Road.

Deputies did not share the victims current condition since the shooting.

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Further into the investigation, deputies identified the teenager as a suspect.

The sheriffs office has charged the individual with high & aggravated breach of peace, possession of a weapon under 18 and first-degree assault & battery.

Deputies said the suspect will be transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Columbia, where he will remain in custody.

Investigators believe there may be additional suspects involved in the incident and are continuing to work to identify the individuals.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact CrimeStoppers of Greenville at (864) 23-CRIME.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Sixteen states and D.C. are suing the Trump administration over blocking EV charger funding.

The lawsuit targets the Department of Transport for halting the $5 billion NEVI program.

Tesla was a major funding recipient, receiving $31 million from the initiative.

A coalition of 16 states and Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Trump administration for suspending a $5 billion electric vehicle charging initiative.

The suit targets the Department of Transportation, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, the Federal Highway Administration, and its Acting Administrator Gloria M. Shepherd, over the abrupt halt of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula program.

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NEVI was established under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and was a central component of the Biden administration's push for a national EV charging network.

Tesla was one of its top recipients, receiving $31 million to expand its Supercharger network in partnership with public initiatives.

However, an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on his first day back in office directed federal agencies to freeze funds allocated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The lawsuit, backed by states including California and Colorado, argues that the executive branch does not have the authority to withhold or redirect the funding, and that the FHWA unlawfully revoked funds that Congress had directed to states for building infrastructure.

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The plaintiffs said that the FHWA's action to immediately freeze more than $2.7 billion in NEVI funds disrupted projects already under contract or in planning, causing long-term financial and logistical harm.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized the move, calling it "another Trump gift to China."

Newsom added that "instead of hawking Teslas on the White House lawn, President Trump could actually help Elon  and the nation  by following the law and releasing this bipartisan funding."

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said that the Department of Transportation was "breaking the law" by withholding funding.

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"Congress had the foresight to authorize funding to build this important infrastructure, and it must be restored immediately," he said. "I will not hesitate to take them to court to ensure they follow the law."

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EVANS, Ga. (WJBF)  The 17th annual Ryan Clark Scholarship and Community Service Award Banquet was held Wednesday night at Lakeside High School.

The scholarship was founded in 2010 to honor Ryan Clark who was killed in the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007.

Clark was raised in Augusta and graduated from Lakeside High School in 2002.

Ryans mom, Letitie Clark, says Ryan was passionate about giving back to his community and its inspiring to see students have the same passion so many years later.

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Its a joy that we can give back to our community no matter what the reason, we can always help someone, and he would be thrilled to know that his legacy is continuing to help. said Clark.

Savannah Finley won the award in 2015 and is now a medical student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

She graduated from Lakeside High School and told me she was honored to be the guest speaker at the banquet.

Ryan Clarks legacy just really instilled something in me, and it kept me motivated all these years later and I just want to carry forward that legacy. Finley said.

The recipients of the award this year made history being an all-girls recipient list.

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There were four scholarships given out and McKenzie Hill, Senior at The Academy of Richmond County, won the highest scholarship award of $2,000.

She says she is still choosing which college to attend but is honored to have been given this award.

It means quite a lot, to Mrs. Clark, just being able to honor her son and his legacy and to give back to the community and know that I have done my part thus far to give back to my community and exemplify some of what Ryan has done for our community and other, so, it means a lot. said Hill.

The hope is for Ryans legacy to be remembered through community service many years later.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  An 18-year-old man accused of being involved in a January shootout with police while he was 17, has been indicted in Franklin County court.

Tamari Stroughter is being charged as an adult in Common Pleas Court after he allegedly fired shots at Columbus police officers on Jan. 9 on the southeast side. He has been charged with four counts of felonious assault, one count of discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises, one count of receiving stolen property, and one count of tampering with evidence.

Stroughters arraignment hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning. He has a criminal history dating back to when he was 12, according to police and court documents. He had been arrested multiple times on charges including robbery, kidnapping, and having weapons under disability.

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Four children, ages 12-17, facing murder charges in east Columbus shooting

Officers were called to the 1000 block of Lockbourne Road on Jan. 9 just before 11 a.m. after reports of a boy threatening to shoot his girlfriend. Moments after officers arrived, Stroughter allegedly fired a rifle at officers and then ran from the scene.

During the chase, officers allegedly found Stroughter in an alley, where he and officers exchanged gunfire. The chase continued, and officers were able to take Stroughter into custody near East Columbus Street.

Before being arrested, the suspect reportedly threw the rifle onto a roof; police said it was located by a helicopter a short time later. Stroughter was also allegedly carrying a handgun during the chase; police said that weapon was found on Studer Avenue.

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May 7Two men with ties to the Miami Valley were arrested as part of a nationwide sting targeting child sex predators.

Operation Restore Justice is an FBI initiative aimed at identifying, tracking and arresting child sex abusers. Federal, state and local law enforcement groups worked together as part of the initiative.

Last week, 205 people were arrested and 115 children were rescued across the U.S. as part of Operation Restore Justice, according to the FBI Cincinnati Division. Four arrests included men connected to Ohio.

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William Clark Shepherd, a former Cincinnati-area resident, was arrested in Orange County, California, on April 28 for coercion and enticement of a minor.

Shepherd is accused of exchanging sexually explicit photos with a boy he met on Roblox, an online gaming platform.

The alleged crimes took place while Shepherd was living in Warren County, according to the FBI.

Dakota Michael English, of Middletown, was arrested on May 2 for distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

He reportedly used the Kik app to share explicit images of children. Investigators found more than 700 images and videos of suspected child pornography when they searched his phone, according to the FBI.

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"I hope the message is clear  crimes against children will not be tolerated," stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. "The FBI will always protect the vulnerable, especially the children in our community."

The other two Ohio men included Philip Michener, of Cambridge, and Brett Jarrett Farley, of Delaware.

Michener was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography after prior conviction and Farley is facing production/manufacturing of child sexual abuse material, according to the FBI.
PORT ORANGE, Fla. (WFLA)  Two employees were injured when a person opened fire inside of a Walgreens in Port Orange.

The shooting happened Wednesday at 5:26 p.m. at the Walgreens on Taylor Road, the Port Orange Police Department said.

Two employees were taken to the hospital. The suspect was found dead in the parking lot with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

One customer was inside the store at the time of the shooting, but they were not hurt.

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Detectives are still working to determine what led up to the shooting. Witnesses are urged to contact the Port Orange Police Department at (386) 248-1777.

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PHNOM PENH, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A total of 296 prisoners in Cambodia had received reduced sentences on the occasion of the Visak Bochea, or Buddha's birthday, which will fall on May 11, a spokesperson said on Thursday.

Kim Santepheap, who is also a secretary of state at the Ministry of Justice, said Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni reduced jail terms for them at the request of Prime Minister Hun Manet.

He said the prisoners, including 28 female convicts, saw their jail terms reduced between three months and one year.

According to the country's law, a prisoner is qualified for a royal amnesty provided he or she has served at least two-thirds of the jail term and behaved well while serving time in prison.

For a jail-term cut, a well-behaved inmate, who has served one-third of the prison term, will see his or her jail term reduced.

However, Santepheap said no pardon or jail term commutation for the prisoners who had been sentenced for drug crimes, brutal acts, child rapes, gang rapes, and relative rapes.

The Southeast Asian country usually pardons or cuts jail terms for inmates on the occasions of the Victory Day, Khmer New Year, Visak Bochea Day, Independence Day, and Water Festival. 
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  A Monday SWAT standoff left one Oildale home nearly destroyed and another without electricity.

The two families involved dont know where theyll be sleeping tonight.

On Monday, sheriffs deputies searched for 37-year-old Keith Julifs who had warrants for his arrest. One for illegal possession of a firearm and one for evading arrest. They located him hiding in a home near Ray Street. The sheriffs office says Julifs was armed and fired at deputies.

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BPD and KCSO SWAT teams were called and the ATF also joined deputies during a 12 hour siege.

Early Tuesday, Julifs was able to escape but was arrested nearby. SWAT officers ripped out the entire garage door and demolished a second floor bedroom. Residents say deputies cut the power line going into the two homes and took away the meter. Deputies fired multiple rounds of tear gas into the home.

On Wednesday, gas canisters were scattered inside, and around the property. The gas still lingers in the air.

We were having a birthday party for my cousin, cops came, kicked in the door, pointing their guns at us, told us to get out and they were looking for my brother and he dont even live here so, said Ashley Julifs, Keiths sister, who lived in the demolished home.

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Ashley said she and her four kids have no place to stay.

Thanks. Thanks for making me homeless. My kids want to come home but I have no home for them to come home to so, said Ashley.

As of Wednesday, her kids are staying with her sister.

Now theyre telling us that we cant live here at all. That theyre gonna board up our house and we have to get our belongings out, said Stephanie Duke, who lives in the home in front of the torn up house.

Her house was not involved, but it has no power. Code enforcement left a notice on their door now saying they have to leave, declaring it uninhabitable.

Duke and her husband were homeless for two years, until they moved into the house in March and now, theyve been turned back to the streets.

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I dont know what to do nowI really dont.I think a law aint fair, I think what they did to my neighbor is very uncalled for, said Duke. Its not rightits not right. Kern County is just way over the top.

We reached out to the landlord of the two homes. He hasnt returned multiple phone calls. We also reached out to KCSO with questions including:

Why did they damage the house so severely?

Why did they cut the power?

Did they keep doing damage to the house after the suspect was arrested?

What was used to damage the home?

How many tear gas canisters were used?

Why did they leave them at the scene?

As of Wednesday, KCSO hasnt answered any of these questions.

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Two Florida Walgreens employees were shot and their shooter was found dead by police in the parking lot of the Port Orange store from a self-inflicted gunshot May 7.

The condition of the employees who were shot was not released during a press conference by Lt. Mike Wallace, Port Orange Police Department spokesman.

Police responded quickly to the shooting call after 5 p.m. The store is just off Interstate 95 in one of the highest-traffic areas of the city.

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Wallace said the shooter was found dead in the parking lot by responding officers. No one else was injured.

Here's what we know.

How many people were shot, killed at the Walgreens?

There were two Walgreens employees shot by the gunman, Wallace said. And the shooter then shot himself.

Were any customers shot in the Walgreens shooting?

Port Orange police Lt. Mike Wallace said in a press release that there was one customer inside the store at the time of the shooting.

Where is Port Orange, Florida? What Walgreens was where the shooting happened

The Walgreens where the shooting occurred was at 1625 Taylor Road, near Interstate 95.

Port Orange is in northeast Central Florida the next city south of Daytona Beach. It is about 60 miles northeast of Orlando.

Who to call if you have information

The Port Orange Police Department is asking anyone with information related to this incident to call 386-248-1777.

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Port Orange, Florida shooting injures Walgreens employees
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Two people are in critical condition after a Southwest Memphis shooting Wednesday night, Memphis police say.

At 6:46 pm, officers responded to a shooting in the 40 block of Haas Avenue.

They located a man, and he was transported to Regional One in critical condition.

Tipton County man allegedly assaults mother

Police say another person arrived at Methodist South by private vehicle in critical condition.

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There is no suspect information at this time. This is an ongoing investigation.

If you have any information that could help police, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.

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Two people were arrested in Rome, Georgia, after agents with the Rome/Floyd Metro Task Force searched their home.

On Wednesday, police executed a knock and announce search warrant at 23 Lawton Street in Rome as part of their drug investigation.

Police arrested Rafael Marin Castillo, Jr., 23, and Vanessa Gutierrez, 23, for multiple drug charges, including several for possession of drugs with intent to distribute.

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Police seized approximately 15.8 pounds of marijuana, 40 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms, four LSD tabs, digital scales and packing materials, 30 Xanax tablets, four grams of THC wax, four packages of THC edibles, three Hydrocodone tablets, one Oxycodone tablet, multiple smoking devices, and one gun.

They were booked into the Floyd County Jail.

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A pair of teenagers turned themselves in to police overnight after a deadly stabbing outside of Santa Ana High School on Wednesday, authorities confirmed to KTLA.

The two teens, 15 and 17, are both male students at Santa Ana High. The Santa Ana Police Department told KTLAs Carlos Herrera that they, joined with their parents, turned themselves in overnight and remain in custody.

Later Thursday, the department confirmed through a post to X that the pair were arrested.

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They were each arrested on suspicion of murder and suspected murder. Neither suspect has been identified publicly.

Officers responded to reports of a stabbing at about 3:25 p.m. A 14-year-old boy was transported to a local hospital where he later died.

One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA) One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA) One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA) One student was killed and two others were hospitalized after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School on May 7, 2025. (KTLA)

The boy, a freshman at the school, has yet to be identified officially, although friends and classmates described him as kind and funny.

A pair of additional victims, aged 15 and 16, were transported in stable condition after being stabbed in the upper torso. Theyre expected to make full recoveries.

Police confirmed Thursday that all involved parties, including suspects and victims, were affiliated with gangs.

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In a statement posted to social media on Wednesday night, the Santa Ana Unified School District said it would increase police presence at and around Santa Ana High on Thursday.

We are committed to providing a safe, caring, and supportive environment for all students and staff, the statement reads in part. We will continue to share updates as they become available. Thank you for your continued support and compassion.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WKRN)  Spring Hill officials are asking for the publics help to find the arsonist(s) responsible for two suspicious structure fires over the last two months.

The incidents are unusual since they happened less than eight weeks apart in two abandoned houses across the street from each other.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

The latest fire was reported around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 4 on Jim Warren Road at Crafton Road. Body camera footage shows the Spring Hill Police Department responding to the secluded area as an orange light filled the night sky. Fire investigators determined this blaze was the result of arson.

May 4 fire in Spring Hill (Courtesy: Spring Hill Fire Department)

May 4 fire in Spring Hill (Courtesy: Spring Hill Fire Department)

There was no other cause than to be lit. Its an incendiary-type fire, Spring Hill Fire Chief Graig Temple told News 2.

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Less than two months earlier, just before 1 a.m. on March 12, there was another arson involving an abandoned home in the 3400 block of Jim Warren Road

March 12 fire in Spring Hill (Courtesy: Spring Hill Fire Department) March 12 fire in Spring Hill (Courtesy: Spring Hill Fire Department) March 12 fire in Spring Hill (Courtesy: Spring Hill Fire Department) March 12 fire in Spring Hill (Courtesy: Spring Hill Fire Department)

According to Temple, since a woman was seen in the vicinity, fire teams came back the next day and carefully sifted through the charred debris: We completely dug out the entire scene to make sure that we didnt have evidence of a body.

Temple said he suspects homeless individuals frequenting the area may have played a role in both incidents.

There are several properties here that have been abandoned, the fire chief said. They were previously farms, but the homes are now just dilapidated, theyre boarded up. It gives someone an opportunity where theres nobody around.

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First responders rescue dog amid Clarksville house fire

On Wednesday, May 7, Spring Hill Fire officials said there was a small break in the case. According to Fire Marshal James Berry, he was traveling down Jim Warren Road around 8 a.m. when he passed two men in their late 20s or early 30s walking along the road.

A woman traveling behind Berry flashed her lights several times to get the fire marshals attention. The woman told Berry that she saw the men jump the fence and then run toward another property thats part of the same development.

The lady said they just scaled it and started going on up the driveway, Berry said, calling the situation suspicious.

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Police were called to the scene, but the men disappeared into the countryside.

So two of five homes on this road have been set on fire by somebody and literally across the street? News 2s Andy Cordan summarized. You never hear about that.

Theres coincidences and then theres things like this that come up, Temple replied. Theres really no other cause, no other reason for why these homes were destroyed.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

By the time we arrived in both instances, both of these houses were already completely burned to the ground, so they had been burning a long period of time, the fire chief added. This area of Jim Warren is not traveled very often, especially at those late hours, so the person that has been involved in this  or the persons  have had ample time to light the fires and get away from the area.

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If you know anything about either of these suspicious structure fires in Spring Hill, youre asked to contact Temple at gtemple@springhilltn.org or 931-451-0636, or call the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture offers a reward of up to $5,000 to anyone who provides information leading to the apprehension of an arsonist.

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April was Earth's second warmest on record and that's keeping 2025 on a pace to finish slightly behind 2024 for the planet's record warmest year, according to just-released data.

April Again: April 2025's globally average temperature was 1.08 degrees Fahrenheit above average, only 0.13 degrees cooler than the record warmest April in 2024, according to a report released Thursday by the European Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

April 2025 global temperature anomalies ECMWF

Pacing Only Behind Last Year: With four months in the books, 2025 is pacing to be the planet's second warmest year on record, climate scientist Zeke Hausfather estimated in a post on X.

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C3S calculated Earth had its warmest January, third warmest February and second warmest March, in addition to the second warmest April in 2025.

2024 was the planet's warmest year in records dating to the late 19th century, according to both NOAA and NASA.

(For even more granular weather data tracking in your area, view your 15-minute details forecast in our Premium Pro experience.)

earth temperatures pace 2025 vs 2024 early may ecmwf

Above The Threshold? April 2025 was the 21st in the last 22 months in which global temperatures were more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) above the pre-industrial (1850-1900) levels, according to the C3S.

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The most recent 12-month period through April was also more than 2.7-degrees above late 19th-century temperatures.

That doesn't necessarily mean we've broken above the 2.7 degree limit agreed upon in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

According to climate scientists, that would require that threshold to be topped for over a decade. But they also stress it means we're closer to that threshold than ever before.

(Further beef up your forecast with our detailed, hour-by-hour breakdown for the next 8 days  only available on our Premium Pro experience.)

Highlights: April was the warmest on record in the United Arab Emirates, and was the second warmest in China and Pakistan.

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On April 30, Athenry, Ireland, set the republic's all-time April record high of 25.9 degrees Celsius (78.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

In the U.S., it was the hottest April on record in Asheville, Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, as well as Shreveport, Louisiana, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

April 2025 global temperature anomalies ECMWF

Oceans also warm: Global ocean temperatures were also the second highest of any April on record, C3S found.

Among patches of ocean record warm in April included most areas near Australia, the Philippine Sea, the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii, the northeast Atlantic Ocean near Ireland, the U.K. and Scandinavia, and the southwestern Indian Ocean east of Madagascar.

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Despite all that, 2025's April ocean warmth paled in comparison to the off-the-charts ocean warmth in April 2024, which included both record tropical Atlantic warmth and an El Nino, the periodic warming of water in the equatorial eastern and central Pacific Ocean.

April 2025 sea surface temperature anomalies ECMWF

NOAA, NASA and the Japan Meteorological Agency are scheduled to issue their April global reports in the coming days.

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Facebook and Bluesky.
On Wednesday, 21 students were suspended from the University of Washington for taking over a campus building during a protest this week.

The students, along with non-student protesters, are banned from all UW campuses. There is no timeline on when theyll be allowed to return.

I think that I probably agree with their message, but I think using violence and tactics is not really the best way to do it. I think they couldve gotten a lot more done if they just occupied the building instead of starting fires, said Odessa, a UW student.

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Odessa and her classmate, Willa, say they support the right to protest, but without the destruction.

Violence is not ideal, but also there have been a lot of peaceful protests so I understand why, like, that emotion kind of escalated. But definitely not an ideal outcome for anyone, Willa said.

Dumpster fires, shattered windows, and smashed equipment from Monday nights protest totaled $1 million in damages.

The federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is now reviewing federal grants and contracts with the university. The Task Force says it expects changes to prevent this from happening again, adding:

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The university must do more to deter future violence and guarantee that Jewish students have a safe and productive learning environment.

The University of Washington says its made changes to improve campus climate for Jewish students by:
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  Lakeland Behavioral Health System in Springfield is facing another personal injury lawsuit this week after 28 people filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, May 7, alleging they suffered child sexual abuse while residents at the mental health treatment facility.

According to the six-count petition, the lawsuit is filed by 28 former inpatient residents who were admitted to Lakelands juvenile treatment facility located in Springfield. All plaintiffs were minors when they were admitted.

All 28 plaintiffs in the lawsuit allege they were sexually abused by employees of Lakeland in Springfield.

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Defendants in the lawsuit include Acadia Healthcare Company LLC, a Tennessee-based company that owns Lakeland, as well as Lakeland Behavioral Health System and Lakelands CEO Nate Duncan, among other corporate Lakeland employees.

The 78-page petition details the alleged child sexual abuse that each of the 28 plaintiffs experienced, and also details ways in which Acadia and Lakelands logistics and operations allegedly failed to prevent the abuse.

The petition says some of the plaintiffs listed in the lawsuit were abused by former Lakeland employee Lessie Butler, who was charged with sexually assaulting three patients in 2023.

Other plaintiffs were abused by former Lakeland employee Mark McMannamy, who was sentenced for two separate counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in late 2024, according to the petition.

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The petition alleges other plaintiffs were sexually abused by employees who are not named in the document.

The first four counts of the petition allege Acadia and Lakeland were negligent in supervision of the plaintiffs, as well as failing to report the abuse against the plaintiffs to the proper legal authorities or their parents.

In addition, those counts allege Lakeland failed to have functioning video monitors throughout the facility.

Count five of the petition alleges premises liability against the defendants, and count six alleges the defendants were negligent in supervision of Lakeland employees.

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The lawsuit asks for damages in excess of $25,000 for each count, as well as any further relief the court deems just.

The 28 plaintiffs are being represented by Onder Law LLC in St. Louis.

This lawsuit comes after another personal injury lawsuit was filed against Lakeland yesterday in Greene County.

Lakeland Behavioral Health released a statement to Ozarks First.

Lakeland Behavioral Health does not tolerate assault, abuse and neglect, and the kind of behavior alleged runs counter to our standards, practices, and training, the statement says. While we are limited in what we can say regarding patient situations and pending litigation, the two former employees cited in the lawsuit were terminated and no longer work at our facility.

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BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A China Coast Guard (CCG) spokesperson on Thursday said that a Japanese fishing vessel had been expelled after illegally entering the territorial waters of China's Diaoyu Dao.

The CCG has taken necessary control measures in accordance with the law, issued warnings and drove the vessel away after it illegally entered the waters from Wednesday to Thursday, according to CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun.

Emphasizing that Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are China's inherent territory, Liu urged the Japanese side to immediately cease all illegal activities in these waters.

"The CCG will continue to carry out law enforcement operations in the territorial waters of Diaoyu Dao to safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," Liu added. 
CHICAGO (WGN)  A federal superseding indictment returned Wednesday charges three alleged Chicago street gang members with conspiracy to commit multiple murders and carjackings throughout the city and suburbs.

According to the federal indictment, 23-year-old Edson Resendez, 24-year-old Maverick Cela, and 24-year-old Prezila Apreza are accused of committing the violent acts as part of their association with the Spanish Gangster Disciplines, a street gang based in Chicagos Northwest Side.

The federal indictment further alleges that over two weeks in 2020, the trio, along with others, allegedly committed three murders, two attempted murders, four carjackings, and attempted carjacking and an act of arson.

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All three charged hail from Chicago and remain in police custody.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

As of this writing, arraignments for the three charged have not yet occurred.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Three former Memphis, Tenn., police officers were found not guilty Wednesday on state charges related to the in-custody beating death of Tyre Nichols.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith Jr. were all charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression for their role in the 2023 death of Nichols following a police stop.

A mostly white jury from Hamilton County deliberated for about 8 and a half hours before finding the three not guilty on each count.

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But the three have been convicted on federal charges and will face time in federal prison. Sentencing in the federal case was postponed until the state trial concluded.

The trio became emotional after the verdict was read. Haley and Bean hugged.

Nichols died on Jan. 10, 2023, from injuries he sustained during a brutal beating from the officers on Jan. 7. He was initially stopped for reckless driving, though officials later said there was no evidence to substantiate the reckless driving claim.

Nichols ran from police officers, who eventually caught up to him and kicked, punched and beat him with a baton for three minutes. No aid was given to Nichols by the officers, and it was revealed that one of them texted photos of Nichols to friends after the beating.

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The five officers, who were part of a controversial team called the SCORPION Unit, were eventually fired and charged by both state and federal officials.

Bean and Smith were found guilty on federal charges of witness tampering and face up to 20 years in federal prison.

Haley was found guilty on federal charges of using excessive force, being deliberately indifferent to Nicholss medical needs, witness tampering and conspiracy to witness tamper. The jury found that though Haley violated Nicholss civil rights, his actions resulted in injury, not death. Haley faces life in federal prison.

The two other former officers involved, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., pleaded guilty on federal charges of using excessive force and conspiracy to witness tamper.

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Millss plea agreement extended to the state case, and he will serve both his federal and state sentences at the same time.

Both Martin and Mills testified in the federal trial, but only Mills testified in the state trial.

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NEW YORK  Someone emailed threats to three New York City politicians Tuesday afternoon, with one of the threats including a bomb threat, according to police sources.

Cops were alerted to three separate threats, which were sent to the offices of Council members Althea Stevens of the Bronx and Crystal Hudson of Brooklyn, as well as state Sen. Michael Gianaris of Queens, sources said.

The first incident was reported to police around 2:25 p.m. at the office of District 16 Council member Stevens, near Jerome Ave. and W. 170th St. in Mt. Eden. An email was sent around 2:06 p.m. by a person unknown to the office, referring to threats to Council women supporting progressive policy and stating there was a bomb planted inside the bathroom stall of the office, plus another bomb planted near the mail collection area that was going to distract police.

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It was determined that there were no bombs at the location.

Another threat was received around the same time at the Queens office of state Sen. Gianaris, near Ditmars Blvd. and 45th Ave. in Ditmars Steinway. The specific nature of the threat in this incident was unknown.

The last threat was sent to District 35 Council woman Hudsons office, located near Hanson Place and Fort Greene Place in downtown Brooklyn, where five staff members in her office received the menacing email. It was unclear if Hudson herself personally received a threat directly sent to her.

Hi, im comming [sic] to burn down the office and mass shoot every one of you woke lunatics. Im a current police officer who is fed up and you will all pay with your lives, the email said.

Both Hudson and Stevens are members of the Councils Progressive Caucus.

There were no arrests in the incidents as police were investigating the threats.

_____
MEBANE, N.C. (WGHP)  A 3-year-old is dead as a result of an accidental shooting that took place on Wednesday night, according to the Mebane Police Department.

Around 7:55 p.m. on Wednesday night, Mebane officers came to the intersection of West Lee Street and South First Street after getting a report of shots fired.

At the scene, police found the child inside a car with a critical injury and a gun.

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Investigators say that the gun went off accidentally inside the car.

The 3-year-old was taken to the hospital. Around 8:48 p.m., officers learned the child had died.

Police say there is no indication of any ongoing threat to public safety, and this is being investigated as an apparent accidental shooting.

Mebane police chief Mitch McKinney told FOX8 that a T-ball game was happening around the time of the shooting.

McKinney also stressed the importance of securing firearms.

In the event this turns out to be a situation where there was a firearm that there was a firearm that was left unsecured, We just ask the community to be very vigilant about that. Were seeing this happen in the United States and its easily avoidable, secure your firearms. Mebane police chief Mitch McKinney

Community members say they are just heartbroken over this tragedy.

Sonshine Ministries, a preschool and an afterschool program, is not far from where the shooting happened.

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They say they know the little boy because his sibling goes there

We are all devastated, and heartbroken  Its really hard, a staff member said.

Some staff members are lifelong friends of the family.

Nobody ever wants to hear about a loss of a child, and we dont always understand why things happened, but God has a reason for everything, and we just have to believe  that He needed another angel in heaven, a staff member said.

They say they are trying to support the family the best they can and are bringing over supplies like utensils and plates to the family.

Molly Green is a neighbor who lives right across from the baseball field where the shooting happened.

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She said she heard the gunfire.

I just sort of cant fathom as a parent, even if I had a gun, allowing a child to be anywhere near it unprotected  I cant imagine what that family must be going through, Green said.

Green says Mebane is a close-knit community, and they are all grieving even though they didnt know the child personally.

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A Cathay Pacific flight attendant mistakenly served a glass of white wine to a child in business class.

His mother said there was a "lack of care" for her son after the incident.

The airline said it sincerely apologized and had launched an internal review.

Cathay Pacific apologized to a family after a flight attendant mistakenly served a 3-year-old boy a glass of white wine with his meal.

The incident occurred in business class on Flight 255 from Hong Kong to London on April 24.

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The child's mother contacted the South China Morning Post after initially posting on a Chinese social media platform.

The woman, whom the publication identified only by the surname Wong, said the child took a sip of what he thought to be water and said it tasted sour. His father then checked the drink and found it was actually wine.

The mother said flight attendants quickly replaced her son's drink with water.

The airline told Business Insider in a statement that the cabin crew put out a call to medical personnel aboard the flight and consulted a ground-based medical service before monitoring the boy's condition for the rest of the flight.

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"During the whole process, there was a lack of care for my son," the woman told the SCMP. "They gave me the impression that they were trying to shirk responsibility."

Cathay Pacific said it "sincerely apologises" for the incident.

"We take this matter very seriously and have launched an internal review to ensure appropriate follow-up actions are implemented and goodwill is being offered," the airline said. "We will continue to support and assist the family."

Read the original article on Business Insider
The streets of Oak Park, Illinois, erupted in chaos when $300,000 in cash spilled from a Brinks armoured truck into the street.

People were running down the streets with money bags, Nicole Phillips-Edwards, an Oak Park resident, told CBS News Chicago.

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Although she did not witness the unfolding event, Phillips-Edwards says police arrived at her home to provide details of the incident.

Bystanders scramble for found money

In a scene reminiscent of a Hollywood heist, Oak Park turned into a frenzied free-for-all when the back door of a Brinks armoured truck suddenly swung open and three bags of cash, worth $300,000, tumbled out.

The Brinks driver reported to police that a swarm of people  estimated between 50 and 100  rushed to collect the loose bills scattered across the street. Bystanders stuffed their pockets with cash and fled the scene.

With the police involved in the investigation, authorities are scrambling to track down those who took part in this unusual incident. If caught, individuals involved may experience serious legal consequences.

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Read more: BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has an important message for the next wave of American retirees  here's how he says you can best weather the US retirement crisis

The legal line between found and stolen

According to Illinois law, the rules regarding found property are clear: If a person comes across lost items, including money, they are legally obligated to return them to the rightful owner  in this case, Brinks  without expecting any form of compensation.

Former FBI agent Mike Driscoll shared insights on the challenges of apprehending suspects in this scenario.

In an instance like this where youre talking about loose cash, thats very, very difficult, he told CBS News.

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Law enforcement will have to rely on old-fashioned investigative techniques.

Investigators will likely comb through surveillance footage and interview witnesses to identify potential offenders.

Anyone who keeps lost money can face severe penalties. If someone commits property theft of between $500 and $10,000, they may be charged with a Class 3 felony. Individuals caught may face a prison sentence of 2 to 5 years, alongside fines reaching up to $25,000.

Depending on the amount, passersby who believe they found an extraordinary stroke of luck may instead face court appearances and lasting criminal records.

Returning found money

As the investigation continues, the incident serves as a cautionary tale: When you come across lost cash, report it immediately to local authorities.

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If you find cash or property valued at $100 or more in Illinois, you must file an affidavit within five days.

This document should detail what you found, where and when you discovered it, and affirm that you have no knowledge of the rightful owner  and have not kept any portion of the money or property.

In the meantime, Village of Oak Park spokesperson Dan Yopchick told USA Today that the Oak Park Police Department is continuing to investigate the incident. Any witness who can share valuable information can contact the department by calling 708-464-1636 or visiting www.oak-park.us/crimetip.

As the dust settles on this freak event, those who seized the moment may find that the real cost of their actions is only beginning to emerge.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  In the past three months, the Trump administration has cut the National Institutes of Healths 60,000 research grants by about 800, and counting.

While that represents just over one percent of all NIH research grants, the financial value of those grants far outweighs their number.

Community CloseUp: Were in your neighborhood

So far, more than $2.3 billion in research has been discontinued, or nearly 5% of the NIHs yearly research budget of $47 billion. The Trump administration this month also proposed slashing the NIH budget for next year by nearly half.

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This year, meanwhile, its worth noting that nearly one-third of discontinued grants were for research being carried out in New York.

One New Yorker whos taking an active stance to prevent further cuts points out that the value of the research goes far beyond each projects price tag. Lauren Ruotolo, 48, has been a direct recipient of NIH research, as well as a participant.

I never thought that I was that different, Ruotolo said in a recent interview at her apartment, with her Maltipoo, Dutchie, sitting beside her on the sofa.

In many ways, Ruotolo isnt particularly different from any other author, content creator, public speaker or influencer. She did, however, talk about one way in which she stands out.

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I have McCune-Albright syndrome, she said. Its a very rare disease.

The disease strongly affects bones as they grow, beginning at birth. It creates cysts on bones, which fill with blood.

At the age of eight, I actually stopped growing, said Ruotolo about the effect of her condition.

That has not kept her from going anywhere or doing anything. Still, she said that shes fully aware of the challenges that she, and other people with disabilities, face.

Its transformed her from being only a bone disease patient to also becoming an advocate for people with disabilities. She said that one issue in particular is front and center in her advocacy.

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Americas crown jewel is biomedical research, she said, as she pointed out that most of that research is funded by the NIH, which is the largest funder of biomedical research in the world.

The amount of cuts that have been made is a significant issue, said Ruotolo. At the end of the day, it affects patient care.

She speaks from personal experience.

I go and I get poked and prodded in every single test that you can imagine, she said, describing a process in which shes been involved for more than 15 years.

Ruotolo has been one of a variety of patients in studies and treatment of her rare bone disease at NIH headquarters, in Maryland.

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She said that while its extremely thorough and time-consuming, its time well spent  all of the time.

I got to meet children with [McCune-Albright Syndrome], she said, and they got to see me, and I got to tell them that its going to be okay, among the many benefits she said that participating in NIH research on her condition has given her and others.

However, during a recent visit to Capitol Hill to advocate for fellow differently-abled Americans, she said, one major development occurred which showed her how under attack many programs are.

[At] the agency at the NIH that my study is in, Ruotolo said, 17% of the staff was cut that day.

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It was part of an effort to cut up to 20,000 jobs ordered by Kennedy, whose department, HHS, oversees the NIH.

In explaining the cuts recently, Kennedy said that the point of them is simple.

Were eliminating redundancies, he said. Were streamlining the agency.

Most of the grants HHS has cut are related to HIV / AIDS; transgender health; diversity, equity, and inclusion in healthcare; and COVID. Also, while more than two-thirds of the cuts are in states that voted blue in the 2024 election, red states are by no means immune, with the remaining one-third of the reductions.

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It seems like this is just the start, said Noam Ross, executive director of rOpenSci, a data-science non-profit that has collected and analyzed details from scientists directly affected by the grants cuts.

This is going to have huge impacts in the long term, Ross said about the reductions in research funding. These grants are planned out for years, and then can take five years, six years, seven years, to complete this research because its difficult, complex scientific work.

And they can only do that [work], he continued, if the government is going to make a commitment, and keep its promises.

When the Trump administration does not keep the promises that the federal government made to back research, Ross said, the result is something that affects patients like Ruotolo, as well as the rest of Americans wholl need high-quality healthcare at various points in their lives.

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Ruotolo, who describes herself as being no different than anyone else, is able to be no different  despite her rare disease  because of treatments and innovations made through the NIH.

That point is not at all lost on Ruotolo. She said that its motivated her to increase the number and frequency of her trips to Washington, D.C. to lobby legislators and policymakers, and to try to prevent more cuts.

She said that shes also been speaking out on social media, and on other platforms, as well as writing letters and other content, about preserving and restoring NIH research. Shes also encouraging as many people as possible to do the same.

Because I dont want to just sit at home and be upset and be angry and scream at the TV or just scroll on Instagram, Ruotolo said. I cant just sit down, and not do anything.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Four juveniles and one adult were arrested on Wednesday, being linked to multiple vehicle thefts, according to the Forrest City Police Department.

According to the Forrest City Police Department, they investigated automobile thefts in Forrest City, and they linked all five suspects to the thefts.

This is an ongoing investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
GRANDVIEW, Mo.  Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating after a local artist said her UTV, trailer and thousands of dollars worth of original artwork were all stolen off her property in Cleveland, Missouri.

Grandview police recovered the trailer outside the OReilly Auto Parts store.

700 residents impacted by Aspen Place Condemnation in Gardner, Kansas

Owner Beth Houts said the more than $40,000 worth of original artwork and equipment that was inside is nowhere to be found.

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I immediately started crying because it was all my lifes work, Houts said. I put in blood, sweat and tears in my work, making the handmade pieces. So, it was devastating.

Houts is a wildlife photographer. She travels the country capturing and creating original pieces, some of which you may have spotted in places like the Lowes Kansas City Hotel.

She said more than $40,000 worth of artwork and equipment was inside her trailer, which was sitting on her land in Cleveland, Missouri.

She said in April, thieves stole her UTV, trailer and the original artwork inside.

Houts said she found out when a stranger sent her a message on Facebook, asking if she was missing a trailer.

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Houts told police someone saw the trailer in Grandview, near E. 151st Street and Barat Avenue, just east of 71 Highway.

They had painted over my logo on the trailer, Houts said. Because it had my website, my phone number, all of my information on it.

Grandview police said they confirmed the Cass County Sheriffs Office was investigating a trailer theft.

About an hour later, police said a Grandview officer found the trailer outside the OReilly Auto Parts store.

Police said they contacted three people, and arrested one suspect, whos been transferred to another jurisdiction for warrants.

Days later, someone sent Houts the location of her stolen UTV.

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Kansas City police said they recovered the vehicle near E. 75th Terrace and Manchester Avenue.

He had proof that he had purchased it on Facebook Marketplace, Houts said.

Independence school bus driver from Oak Grove charged with child sex crimes: police

The trailer and UTV are back with Houts, but no sign of her artwork or $10,000 worth of equipment.

Houts wasnt able to display all her work at the East of Oak Art Fest last weekend, cutting into her income.

Houts said she typically makes thousands of dollars at these art shows.

Trey Sabates is the owner of Brookside Wine and Spirits. Their team set Houts up with a table at the event and GoFundMe page to support.

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Its horrible that it was taken from her in the way that it was, Sabates said. So, we just wanted to do anything that we could and rally around her as a community.

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Im grateful there are still good people in this world and in this community who reach out their hand when people are hurting, Houts said.

If you have any information, call the Cass Co. Sheriffs Office at (816) 380-5200 or you can go here.

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JERUSALEM, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Thursday that the Houthis in Yemen will "suffer heavy blows" if they continue to fire at Israel.

Katz said that Israel's forces are "prepared for any mission."

Katz accused the Iranian leadership of funding and arming the Houthis. "The era of proxies is over, and the axis of evil has collapsed," he said.

He said Tehran bears "direct responsibility," and warned, "what we did to Hezbollah in Beirut, to Hamas in Gaza, to Assad in Damascus, and the Houthis in Yemen -- we will do to you as well in Tehran."

The Houthi forces, who control much of northern Yemen, have been targeting Israel and the Israel-linked shipping since November 2023, citing solidarity with the Palestinians. The attacks later expanded to targeting U.S. ships.

On Tuesday, the United States and Houthis agreed to an Oman-mediated deal to cease trading attacks after weeks of air strikes. However, the Houthi group claimed it would continue launching attacks against Israel until Israel ends its offensive in Gaza and lifts the blockade against Palestinians.

On Wednesday, the Houthis claimed they had launched fresh drone attacks towards Israel, though no damage was reported. The attacks came a day after Israeli Air Forces severely damaged Houthi-held Sanaa International Airport and Hodeidah port on the Red Sea in a series of deadly airstrikes. 
SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO)  A Sioux Falls man is behind bars accused of sex crimes.

47-year Bartolome Francisco is facing multiple counts of first and second degree rape.

Court documents say the victim reported Francisco to her middle school counselor. The victim told police the crimes started when she was in the 4th grade.

According to court documents the crimes were not random.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Colorado House Majority Leader Monica Duran speaks with Rep. Alex Valdez on the House floor during the last day of the 2025 legislative session on May 7, 2025 at the Colorado Capitol. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

The 2025 regular lawmaking term in Colorado wrapped up Wednesday evening after 120 days of policy proposals.

Lawmakers grappled with a year of financial strain  an extraordinarily tight budget situation prevented new programs or many new spending attempts  and an ever-changing federal landscape as President Donald Trump began his second term in office, two themes that colored much of the session.

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Democrats controlled both chambers of the Colorado Legislature with a 43-22 majority in the House and a 23-12 majority in the Senate. Those margins, combined with Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, allowed Democrats to pass most of their priority bills, though not all. A bill supported by Polis that would allow churches to build affordable housing on their land could not pass the Senate, and a resolution to direct the Legislature to sue over the constitutionality of the Taxpayers Bill of Rights did not get a debate.

Here are five of the biggest bills to pass this year.

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Training standards for some gun purchases

Senate Bill 25-3 was introduced as a ban on the sale of semiautomatic firearms that accept detachable magazines, a description that includes a huge portion of guns sold in the state. The idea was to bolster enforcement of the states large-capacity magazine law, passed in 2013, by allowing in gun sales only fixed magazines that accept no more than 15 rounds.

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But pushback from the governors office resulted in a major change in the Senate  the addition of a permit-to-purchase program to access the otherwise-banned firearms. The bill passed the Legislature with entirely Democratic support, and Polis signed it into law on April 10.

Starting in August 2026, anyone who wants to buy most semiautomatic guns with a detachable magazine will need to complete either a four- or 12-hour safety training, depending on whether the person already has a hunting license. Course completion will result in a five-year purchasing ability. Colorado joins a handful of states with similar training requirements.

Supporters see the law as a way to reduce accidents and injury, because people who buy the powerful weapons will have education about how to use them safely. Opponents say it is an additional hurdle in Colorado to exercise Second Amendment rights and worry about a lengthy wait time to get into a necessary safety course.

A coalition of Republican lawmakers and gun rights advocates recently asked the U.S. attorney general to review the constitutionality of the new law. It is also possible opponents will attempt a legal challenge in court.

Union election requirements

Though it was announced last year and became one of the first bills introduced this year, Senate Bill 25-5 didnt pass until the penultimate day of the session, after months of negotiations between labor and business groups broke down. The bill now heads to a likely veto from Polis.

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The bill would repeal a second election thats required for union formation in Colorado. The first election, governed by federal law, requires a majority vote to form a union. Colorados unique second election requires a 75% vote for a union to negotiate union security, the term for compelling all workers to pay into the representation a union provides, regardless of membership.

Bill supporters say the second election creates an opportunity for employers to intimidate workers and represents a barrier to forming strong unions.

Supporters immediately faced a call from Polis to rework the bill around a compromise that both labor and business advocates could agree to. That deal never came to fruition, and an unamended version of the bill passed through the Legislature on party-line votes, with Democrats in favor of the measure.

Protections for transgender people

House Bill 25-1312, dubbed the Kelly Loving Act after a transgender woman killed in the Club Q shooting, adds more legal protections for transgender Coloradans. It would make it discriminatory for a person to intentionally not refer to a transgender person by their chosen name in places of public accommodation.

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It would also make it easier for a person to change their gender marker on a drivers license and other government documents. It would require schools to be more flexible in chosen-name policies and dress code requirements.

Some of the bills most controversial original provisions were amended out, including a section that would have made courts consider a parents treatment of their childs transgender identity during custody decisions. Another removed section would have enacted a shield provision against other states custody laws. The original bill would have also added legal definitions for misgendering and deadnaming into the states anti-discrimination act.

Polis has not yet taken action on the bill.

Protections for immigrants

As the Trump administration began ramped-up deportation efforts, Democrats moved to protect the civil rights of Colorados immigrants. Senate Bill 25-276 would prohibit public employees, like those in local governments, from sharing data about immigration status with federal immigration enforcement authorities. It would also repeal affidavit requirements for immigrants without legal status seeking in-state tuition and drivers licenses.

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The bill would also limit where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents can access within schools, hospitals, libraries and child care facilities without a signed warrant. It would clarify and strengthen existing law that prevents local law enforcement from holding someone in jail on behalf of immigration authorities after their release time.

Republicans opposed the bill and argued that it could jeopardize federal funding to the state. As it passed, the Department of Justice sued Denver and the state over so-called sanctuary policies, which the bill is seen as expanding.

Polis has not yet taken action on the bill.

Vacancy selection process

The start of the legislative session was packed with vacancy committees after three state senators resigned shortly following the 2024 election. That prompted calls for reform on how vacancies are filled in the Legislature, as the current system permits a small number of party insiders to decide on new lawmakers.

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The bipartisan House Bill 25-1315 would change the vacancy process by adding elections for the seat in question into an already-planned November election. A vacancy committee would pick a replacement, but that person would need to run in the newly created vacancy election, where voters of the same party and unaffiliated voters could participate.

Polis has not yet taken action on the bill.

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Tensions are rapidly escalating between nuclear powers India and Pakistan after India on Tuesday struck what it says were terrorist targets deep inside Pakistan, which says its military shot down five Indian fighter jets.

India on Tuesday launched what it said were retaliatory strikes against Pakistan, the most significant attack in decades, coming two weeks after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists.

Pakistan has denied any involvement in the attack in Kashmir and has called Indian strikes in Pakistani territory an act of war. Officials in Pakistan have vowed to respond to the strikes.

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President Trump on Wednesday from the Oval Office encouraged de-escalation and said I know both very well. I want to see them work it out. Trump added, I want to see them stop.

If I can do anything to help, I will be there, the U.S. president added.

Heres what to know with the two nuclear-armed countries on the brink.

Damage on both sides

The Indian missile strikes killed 31 people and injured 57 in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and the countrys Punjab province, according to a statement from Pakistans military.

Shortly after the strikes took place Tuesday, Indias Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted at least nine sites where terrorist attacks against India have been planned.

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Indias army said 15 civilians were killed and 43 were injured on its side of the border.

In an hourlong air battle, our pilots blew up the jets of the enemy to smithereens, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in an address Wednesday.

Pakistan is claiming it shot down five Indian jets in an act of self-defense. India has not responded to those claims.

A French official also told CNN that one Rafale jet, which is operated by India, was downed in the skirmish.

All eyes on Pakistans response

Sharif said Wednesday that Pakistan would fight until the last drop of their blood to hold India accountable for the strikes.

We will promise that every drop of their blood that has been shed will be made accountable, he added.

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This is that coward enemy that will always attack innocent people and then they will think they are brave. Last night we proved Pakistan will give an answer.

Sharifs comments raised concerns about the conflict escalating, although experts also caution that neither country is eager to engage in a wider war.

Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence, at a time, place, and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives and blatant violation of its sovereignty, said a readout from a Pakistani National Security Committee emergency meeting.

Indias fury over attack

Indias retaliation to the April 22 attack has long been expected. India has described the massacre as a terror attack and said it had cross-border links, blaming Pakistan for backing terror organizations.

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Tensions within the country have also been heightened in the wake of the terror attack as witnesses said that Hindus were targeted and shot dead after confirming their religion.

India called its retaliatory operation Sindoor, which in Hindi refers to the red vermilion worn by married Hindu women on their forehead. The operation name is a reference to the women who witnessed their husbands deaths in the April 22 attack in Kashmir.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has boasted about returning normalcy to Kashmir, and his base had been clamoring for revenge after last months attack.

Trump, Rubio call for de-escalation

Trump on Tuesday called Indias strikes on Pakistan a shame and expressed hope that the violence ends quickly.

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Its a shame. We just heard about it just as we were walking in the doors of the Oval, Trump said during a swearing-in ceremony for Steve Witkoff, his special envoy for the Middle East.

I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past, Trump said. Theyve been fighting for a long time, you know? Theyve been fighting for many, many decades, and centuries, actually, if you really think about it. No, I just hope it ends very quickly.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also the national security adviser, spoke to his Indian counterpart shortly after the strikes on Tuesday. He also held a phone call with his Pakistani counterpart Lt. Gen. Muhammad Asim Malik.

Earlier this afternoon, @SecRubio spoke to the national security advisors from India and Pakistan. He urged both to keep lines of communication open and avoid escalation, the U.S. Department of State posted on the social platform X.

Fears of nuclear war hang over conflict

India and Pakistan are both said to have 170 nuclear warheads, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), adding to fears that any escalation could lead to a nuclear war between the two countries.

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India and Pakistan have exchanged fire on an almost daily basis since the April 22 attack across the line of control.

But the strikes on Tuesday marked the largest attack in Pakistan in at least 50 years.

Indian officials said the strikes were precisely targeted at terrorist infrastructure and showed considerable restraint. That hasnt quelled concerns.

Joel Rubin, a former senior State Department official for the Obama administration, called the India-Pakistan conflict the most unstable nuclear standoff on the planet, and he called on the Trump administration to step up its response.

There are 350 nuclear warheads between them, yet no guardrails on this relationship, he said in a BBC interview. We should lean into diplomatic efforts to stop this war, not cede leadership to others like Iran.

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State police, with the help of a search dog, discovered a missing woman in Vermont last week

The body is believed to be that of 51-year-old Sue Mi Ko, who went missing in January

"She has been on everyones minds in the North East Kingdom since search efforts were hampered and delayed by difficult terrain and high snowpack," North Country Search Dogs shared on Facebook

Vermont authorities taking part in a training last week believe they discovered the body of a hiker who went missing back in January, with the help of a rescue dog.

On Wednesday, April 30, the Vermont State Police announced that it had discovered what is believed to be the body of 51-year-old Sue Mi Ko earlier that afternoon  over three months after the Craftsbury woman was initially reported missing on Jan. 9.

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During the rescue, which happened during a search and rescue team training near Lake Willoughby in the town of Westmore, crews recovered the woman's body "several hundred yards from the Mount Pisgah trailhead," per state police.

The Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Burlington will next conduct an autopsy to determine the woman's cause and manner of death, however, state police notes that there are "no indications that this incident is suspicious."

A spokesperson for the VSP confirmed to PEOPLE on Thursday, May 8, that no further information was available.

According to the VSP, the agency was first notified of Ko's missing status on Jan. 9, when she "was overdue" in the area of the Mount Pisgah trailhead. Ko's vehicle was discovered in a trailhead parking at the time, per the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

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Related: 'Experienced' Hiker, 71, Spends Night in the Calif. Mountains After Friend Reports Her Missing

North Country Search Dogs Area of Westmore, Vermont where the missing hiker's body was recovered Area of Westmore, Vermont where the missing hiker's body was recovered

The woman's body was also located thanks to the work of Radar, a black German Shepherd rescue dog, according to a Facebook post by North Country Search Dogs in West Wardsboro, Vermont.

"Yesterday, one of our search dogs located the remains of Sue Mi Ko, who has been missing since early January. She has been on everyones minds in the North East Kingdom since search efforts were hampered and delayed by difficult terrain and high snowpack," the nonprofit shared in its statement.

"North Country Search Dogs has been very invested in this search  this was the third time our dogs were deployed to look for Sue Mi, and weve been impatiently waiting for the snow to melt so we could get back out there. We were searching yesterday in parallel with the Vermont State Police SAR team, who were conducting a team training in the area."

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Related: Hiker Missing for 13 Days Found Alive After Living off Foraged Berries and Granola Bars: 'Happiest Day of Our Lives'

North Country Search Dogs Radar Radar

The nonprofit added that it is "proud and honored to provide some closure for Sue Mis family, who have been through the agony of unknowing and can now begin the next stage of the grieving process."

As for the dog responsible for the discovery, Radar "delivered the result we have all been hoping for" as he alerted his handler, Katie.

"A find like this is the result of countless hours of training and we commend Radar and Katie for their dedication," North Country Search Dogs added.



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As Russia prepares to celebrate Victory Day, its airports were plunged into chaos by drone attacks.

At least 350 flights were canceled or delayed for hours, a Russian tourism body said.

Russia's Defense Ministry said it shot down hundreds of Ukrainian drones on Wednesday.

At least 60,000 passengers had their flights delayed or canceled at airports across Russia as Ukraine unleashed large-scale drone attacks this week, according to a national tourism body.

Russia's association of tour operators said in a statement on Wednesday that at least 350 flights were affected by the threat of drone strikes, including trips out of the country to destinations such as Istanbul and Dubai.

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The affected facilities included Moscow's four airports and air travel hubs in the regions of Sochi, Kazan, and Kirov, per the association. Its statement said many of the flights were delayed overnight, while some flights that did manage to depart had to wait up to seven hours.

Russian independent Telegram news channels posted photos of large crowds gathering in airports and stranded passengers resting in departure hall areas.

"This delay will provoke subsequent delays according to the domino principle," the tourism operators' association warned.

"The aviation infrastructure is working at its limit," it added.

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It advised travelers across the country to prepare for further disruption by bringing cash to buy food and drink at airports and taking a "small supply" of water with them.

The chaos comes as Russia is set to hold an annual Victory Day parade on May 9 that commemorates the Soviet Union's role in ending World War II  a major source of national pride promoted by Moscow nowadays.

Russia says it's expecting 29 world leaders to attend the parade, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who arrived on Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Kyiv has warned visiting leaders that it can't guarantee their safety if they fly into Moscow, which has been harassed by Ukrainian drone strikes for years.

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"We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reports on Saturday.

The week leading up to Russia's Victory Day parade has seen Ukraine launch an intensified series of drone strikes over three consecutive days.

They appear to be ramping up in severity, with the Kremlin saying on Wednesday that it shot down 524 drones. Business Insider couldn't independently verify that figure, but if accurate, it would record one of Ukraine's largest drone attacks on Russian territory.

Oleksandr Kovalenko, a popular Ukrainian military observer, wrote on his Telegram channel that Wednesday involved the "most massive raid of Ukrainian attack drones" since the full-scale war began. However, he also accused Russian reports of overplaying the number of drones launched by Ukraine.

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Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, wrote in his Telegram channel that Russian forces had repelled at least 14 drone attacks on the capital on Wednesday. Emergency services were dispatched to several locations where debris had fallen, he added.

No casualties were reported as of press time.

Previous Ukrainian drone attacks have caused Moscow's airports to close before, including a wave of strikes in September that shut three of the region's four air travel hubs.

Russia also regularly attacks Ukrainian cities, primarily with ballistic missiles and Iranian-designed Shahed exploding drones. Most recently, Kyiv reported that a mother and son were killed during a missile and drone attack on Tuesday evening.

Read the original article on Business Insider
NEW YORK (AP)  It was her night once again. Lainey Wilson took home the top prize at the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards  the title of entertainer of the year  for a second year in a row. And that was after she cleaned house, taking home trophies for both female artist and album of the year.

I really do have the best fans in the world, she said in her final acceptance speech, admitting to experiencing impostor syndrome. I dreamed about entertaining. ... Country music has given me more than I deserve.

Beyond Wilson's dominance, the 2025 ACM Awards were packed with celebration. Earlier, first-time and leading nominee Ella Langley's duet with Riley Green, the ubiquitous You Look Like You Love Me, was named single and music event of the year.

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Both Langley and Green used their first acceptance speech to shout out classic country  songs with talking in them  that inspired their modern hit.

A revisitation of the past might have been a theme Thursday night, evidenced right at the top of the ceremony: a 14-minute medley of six decades of country classics, performed by giants of the genre.

Host Reba McEntire launched into Merle Haggard's Okie from Muskogee, followed by Clint Black with Glen Campbell's Rhinestone Cowboy" and Wynonna Judd with The Judds' Why Not Me." LeAnn Rimes returned to the ACM Awards stage for her 1997 ballad Blue." Little Big Town tackled their 2014 track Girl Crush and Dan + Shay delivered their Tequila.

It was an exciting way to kick off the ACM Awards, live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas.

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And it was a show highlight, rivaled only by the introduction of the ACM Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award, the inaugural trophy given to its namesake, Jackson, after he performed Remember When.

In his acceptance speech, he joked that a fan named a dog after him. Having an award named after him? That isn't half bad, either.

The first trophy of the night, the coveted song of the year, was awarded to Cody Johnson for his radio hit Dirt Cheap."

Performances followed, fast and furious. McEntire, Wilson and Miranda Lambert teamed up for the world premiere of their new single Trailblazer, celebrating women in country music.

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Eric Church performed his brand-new single Hands of Time, succeeded by the most awarded artist in the history of the award show, Lambert with Run. She was then joined by Langley to duet Kerosene" from Lamberts 2005 debut album of the same name.

Zach Top stripped things down for Use Me. Blake Shelton channeled the great George Strait for his new single Texas," followed by Wilson with Whirlwind. Kelsea Ballerini performed atop her Baggage." Johnson rocked The Fall," before performing Red Dirt Road with Brooks & Dunn. Chris Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, harmonized on It Takes a Woman.

Jelly Roll and Shaboozey joined forces for their collaboration, Amen.

Its Shaboozeys birthday, Jelly Roll said. We wanna thank yall and we wanna thank God.

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Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts closed the show.

The Oak Ridge Boys gave the group of the year award to Old Dominion. It was a moving gesture; in 2024 the Oak Ridge Boys' Joe Bonsall, a Grammy award winner and celebrated tenor, died from complications of the neuromuscular disorder Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Another tearjerker: McEntire leading the audience in a sing-along of the late Kris Kristofferson's Me and Bobby McGee.

Male artist of the year went to Stapleton. Duo of the year was awarded to Brooks & Dunn.

Megan Moroney covered Keith Urban's Stupid Boy and Stapleton did Blue Ain't Your Color ahead of the Australian superstar's reception of the coveted ACM Triple Crown Award, marking the first time an artist has received the trophy on stage since Carrie Underwood was honored in 2010.

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If anything, the 60th ACM Awards proved the show is at its best when it celebrates new acts and legends in equal measure.

The ACM Awards streamed on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch Live. No Prime membership was required to view the livestream.

___

For more coverage of this years ACM Awards, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-of-country-music-awards
Seven in 10 business executives are expecting immigration enforcement actions by President Trumps administration to impact their workplaces over the next year, according to a survey released Wednesday.

The annual poll from Littler found that 70 percent of employers said they expect immigration enforcement by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to have a significant or moderate impact on their workplaces over the next year. Some 30 percent disagreed, saying it would have no impact.

Nearly 6 in 10 employers, 58 percent, were concerned about potential staffing challenges because of the presidents immigration policies. More than 4 in 10, 42 percent, said they are not concerned at all, according to the survey.

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The poll, which was conducted among lawyers, business executives and human resources professionals, discovered that 75 percent of employers said they think changes in the areas of immigration will impact their businesses.

Among large organizations  those that have more than 10,000 workers  the figure increased, with 81 percent expecting impacts on their companies, according to the survey.

Since Trumps return to the White House earlier this year, his administration has sought to crack down on immigration and carry out the largest amount of deportations in U.S. history.

This years survey data shows that employers are closely tracking the news headlines, while also feeling the pressure as regulatory uncertainty in numerous areas continues to build, Littlers Workplace Policy Institute co-Chair James A. Paretti Jr. said in a statement.

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Though it may be some time before the dust settles, employers would be wise to actively revisit their policies and make strategic adjustments based on where this new regulatory regime is likely to be headed in the months and years to come, Paretti added.

Retail, hospitality and manufacturing workplaces, at 83 percent, were the most concerned about the administrations immigration policies. That is 8 points higher than the 75 percent for all employers.

Most retail and hospitality employers, 89 percent, said they anticipate that ICE and DHS enforcement will have a moderate to significant impact on their workplaces, nearly 20 points higher than the rest of the employers at 70 percent.

The survey was conducted from late February to mid-March among 349 professionals.

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GARDNER, Kan.  Hundreds of people have until 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, to leave the Aspen Place Apartment in Gardner, Kansas.

The city condemned the 180 units due to what they called, on Tuesday, significant safety concerns.

Downtown Kansas City business owners issuing a warning: This isnt a political issueits a safety issue

Cars lined Aspen Street late Wednesday morning as 700 people are supposed to be out of their homes by 6 p.m. Thursday. One resident named Danielle says issues have been going on at the apartments for years, but it got really bad around the holidays.

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Over Christmas Break, there were people without water, she said on Wednesday.

I mean, people were trying to have Christmas dinner, and there was no running water, no way to flush toilets, no way to take care of the babies that are here, the kids.

She says the little kids in the neighborhood cant comprehend whats happening.

Even my kids, being older, shes a sophomore in high school, and all day when the news came through about it, its finals week, Danielle continued.

Theres no way that she was properly studying yesterday, and we were up until two oclock in the morning, and then she had to go to school again today.

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The KDR Group out of Lenexa owns the property, and while they wouldnt comment on camera, their attorney, Jeff Zimmerman, released a statement.

We are working to figure out a system to refund the May rent that had already been paid by some of the Tenants and to inspect the units to release security deposits, he said.

The condemnation makes that process more difficult as the tenants are dispersing to comply with the citys order to vacate, which may affect the lines of communication. Ownership intends to go forward with the plan that was being put into place to overhaul the water system. That process will take about 90 days from the time the city approves the permits.

The mother of one of the Aspen Place residents called the KDR Group a slum on Wednesday.

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You really are, Rhodes continued.

The city, theyve known this has been going on for years, and all theyve done is give them citation after citation, and to me its like a smack on the hand.

Kansas mom convicted for 2024 crash that killed 1-year-old son

Our emails to the city werent returned by Wednesday afternoon in time for our deadline.

Golden Rule Relocation Owner and city resident Matt Thrasher was helping people move out on Wednesday. He was thankful for companies like New Haven Moving Equipment, which donated $1,250 in moving materials for people needing to pack.

The citys known that there was a good chance that anytime that this place was going to go through this, he said.

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A fire truck got stuck on a private access road in the complex Saturday night, and the condemnation notice from the city came out three days later. The road has a large hole in it. Since KDR took over the property three years ago, theyve had to fix water line breaks.

My clients are responsible property owners and bought this property to provide affordable housing, Zimmerman continued.

Keeping up with the aging water system became too much, so they decided to completely overhaul the system. The timing of the Citys condemnation was unfortunate when the Citys firetruck collapsed the water line. This has become a monumental problem and we are working to figure out solutions and will work with the City and Community Groups who are also working on this.

Grace Baptist Church hosted a meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday for Aspen Place residents.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  A local organization that hosts a global flamenco performance is struggling to put on its marquee event after the federal government cut tens of thousands of dollars in funding. And those cuts are coming at the absolute worst time.

Story continues below

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Members from the National Institute of Flamencos Yjastros, The American Flamenco Repertory Company, and University of New Mexico students studying Flamenco, carefully correct their movements as Ana Morales, a guest artist visiting from Spain, adjusts and clarifies their work.

Morales, who recently received the prestigious National Dance Prize, is one of several featured performers in the upcoming 38th annual Festival Flamenco. But this years Festival faces a challenge unlike ever before. I received an email from the National Endowment for the Arts stating that the grant funding was being withdrawn, said Marisol Encinias, Executive Director of the National Institute of Flamenco.

The Trump Administrations budget cuts include a $70,000 grant the institute has received over the past 15 years. This year, because we were awarded the grant, and we moved forward with that, it was part of our budget. So, this is a big blow, said Encinias.

The grant for this year was awarded in November 2024. Now, with only 45 days left until the nine-day festival, the institute is meant to be working on its finishing touches. At this time, its unfortunate to have our focus pulled from what we really need to be doing, but I just would like to tell everybody that the festival is moving forward, said Encinias.

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Travel costs have been paid for artists coming from around the world. Visas have been approved, all since October of 2024. Cancelling the event, Encinias says, is not an option. Its an event that serves people from around the world, and it really does support the work that we do in this community year-round, said Encinias.

The community is rallying behind the group during what the institute calls a time of uncertainty. Though we are a little nervous, were pushing forward in faith, said Encinias.

The National Institute of Flamenco has seven days to appeal the decision. They plan to make their appeal on Thursday.

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by Xinhua writer Zhao Zhiqin

BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Eighty years ago, the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War rescued humanity from catastrophe and laid the foundation for the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law. History reminds the world that peace is never a given -- it must be actively upheld by all nations.

Today, the post-war international order, which constitutes the foundation of decades of global peace and stability, faces unprecedented threats. The dangerous mindset that once dragged the world into conflict -- the pursuit of power through coercion, exclusion and confrontation -- is resurfacing in new guises.

As unilateralism, bloc politics and a Cold-War mentality intensify, the international community must unite in defending a fair and inclusive global framework, rooted in international law and upheld through true multilateralism.

The post-war international order represents a historic departure from centuries of global dominance by imperial powers. From the Westphalian and Vienna systems to the Versailles-Washington system, the world had long been divided into "dominant" and "subservient" nations.

The victory over fascism made possible a global system in which the principle of sovereign equality was enshrined for the first time. This marked a new era in global governance, one based on fairness, inclusiveness and common responsibility.

However, this progress remains fragile. A certain major country, prioritizing its own narrow interests, has systematically undermined world peace by reneging on global agreements and weakening the UN system, engaging in bloc confrontation, and stoking regional tensions.

In particular, the repeated use of coercive measures -- from weaponizing free trade to abusing extraterritorial legal tools -- reflects a growing disregard for the principles of international law. Such behavior threatens the very foundation of global peace and development.

At this pivotal moment in history, upholding the international order established after World War II is not a matter of choice, but a shared obligation. True multilateralism must transcend empty slogans. It must embody a genuine dedication to inclusive dialogue, equitable cooperation and the common good of all nations.

China stands firmly for a multipolar world, and a more fair and equitable system of global governance. It has long championed mutual respect between civilizations, opposed bloc confrontation, and called for reforms that give developing countries and emerging economies a stronger voice in shaping global rules. This is not only a matter of fairness -- it is a necessity for global stability and prosperity in the long run.

The growing unity of the Global South represents one of the most promising forces for progress in our uncertain world. When these countries come together, they can strengthen the call for peaceful development, defend their legitimate rights and challenge the outdated power imbalances in global decision-making.

Through multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China continues to promote strategic coordination, strengthen cooperation across the Global South, and support collective development. In doing so, it helps build resilience against external pressure and fosters conditions for more balanced and inclusive growth.

As the world marks the 80th anniversary of the World Anti-Fascist War victory, the international community must reaffirm its commitment to preserving the post-war international order and act together to defend peace, development and justice.

Amid new global challenges, China will remain a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of justice and fairness. It stands ready to work with all nations to uphold true multilateralism, oppose hegemonic practices, and help build a community with a shared future for mankind -- a vision characterized by stability, fairness and lasting prosperity. 
LONDON (AP)  Even if the end of World War II in Europe spawned one of the most joyous days the continent ever lived, Thursdays 80th anniversary of V-E Day is haunted as much by the specter of current-day conflict as it celebrates the defeat of ultimate evil.

Hitlers Nazi Germany had finally surrendered after a half-decade of invading other European powers and propagating racial hatred that led to genocide, the Holocaust and the murdering of millions.

That surrender and the explosion of hope for a better life was celebrated with parades in London and Paris and towns across Europe while even the leaders of erstwhile mortal enemies are bonding again.

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Germany itself again expressed gratitude for the change that May 8, 1945, brought  to the world and to itself.

It was Germans who unleashed this criminal war and dragged all of Europe with them into the abyss, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told parliament. Today, 80 years later, our profound thanks still go to the Allied soldiers and the European resistance movements who mustered all their strength and endured great losses in order to defeat the Nazi regime.

Gloomy outlook

Steinmeier's comments underscore that former European enemies may thrive  to the extent that the 27-nation European Union even won the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize  but that the outlook has turned gloomy over the past year.

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The body count continues to rise in Ukraine, where Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion started the worst war on the continent since 1945. The rise of the hard right in several EU member states is putting the founding democratic principles of the bloc under increasing pressure.

We are not celebrating this 8 May today in a spirit of calm self-assurance. Because we can see that freedom is not the grand finale of history, Steinmeier warned. We therefore no longer need to ask: Did 8 May free us? But we ask: How can we stay free?

Such warnings made the continuation of the unlikely stretch of peace in most of Europe anything but a given.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which assured peace in Europe under the U.S. nuclear umbrella and its military clout, is under internal strain rarely seen since its inception.

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There too, the German president, who has a largely ceremonial role but embodies the moral resolve of the nation, also took a not-so-veiled swipe at the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump, saying the way the United States is turning away from the international order is a shock on an entirely new scale.

U.S. contributions to the war effort

The United States was instrumental in turning the tide of the war in Europe, invading along with Allies the D-Day beaches in France's Normandy on June 6, 1944, in what proved to be the tipping point of the war in Europe that inexorably led to the invasion of Germany and the defeat of the Nazis.

On Wednesday, Trump proclaimed Thursday as a day for the United States to celebrate victory in World War II, insisting the country should better recognize its essential role in the war.

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"We are going to start celebrating our victories again! he said.

The war did drag on beyond Europe, especially in the Pacific against Japan, but even Taiwan joined in marking the day for the first time  and highlighting current-day threats. Instead of Russia, it was centering on China, its immediate rival. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory to be annexed by force if necessary.

"Military aggression against another country is an unjust crime that is bound to fail, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said, adding that both Taiwan and Europe were now facing the threat of a new authoritarian bloc.

European celebrations

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Commemorations have been going all week through Europe, and Britain has taken a lead. Here too, the current-day plight of Ukraine in its fight against Russia took center stage.

The idea that this was all just history and it doesnt matter now somehow, is completely wrong, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. "Those values of freedom and democracy matter today.

In London, a service was held at Westminster Abbey, where the royal family took time to chat with the veterans, bending over to hear the older veterans in wheelchairs, many of whom the royals have now met at previous services.

In France, where the date is a public holiday, President Emmanuel Macron presided over a wreath-laying ceremony in Paris in front of a statue of Gen. Charles de Gaulle, who refused the Franco-German armistice in 1940. De Gaulle fled to London and founded the French Free Forces, organizing networks of resistance fighters and overseeing anti-Nazi sabotage missions in France.

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In Berlin, Chancellor Friedrich Merz again highlighted how Germany has remodeled itself into a beacon of European democracy by laying a wreath at the central memorial for the victims of war and tyranny.

Symbolically, President Vladimir Putin will be totally out of lockstep with the rest of Europe as Russia celebrates its Victory Day one day later with a huge military parade on Moscow's Red Square to mark the massive Soviet contribution to defeat Nazi Germany.

___

Raf Casert reported from Brussels. Mike Corder in Wageningen, Netherlands, Samuel Petrequin in Paris and Jamey Keaten in Geneva, contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the Oval Office of the White House on May 05, 2025 in Washington, DC. Credit - Anna MoneymakerGetty Images

Eighty years after the Allied powers accepted Germanys unconditional surrender and ended the fighting in Europe, world leaders are now fighting about who did the most for victory. President Donald Trump declared May 8 as a national holiday to commemorate American victory in WWII because, as he wrote in one social media post, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance. But in Kyiv, my Ukrainian aunt Vita immediately thought of Vladimir Putin.

The Russian President has long made the veneration of World War II the central tenet of Russias national idea. Starting from 2010, he centralized Russias sole role in saving the world from fascism, while simultaneously declaring that Russia would have defeated Nazi Germany even without Ukraine.

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My aunt couldnt believe Trump was usurping the war from a country that bore such a huge brunt of Hitlers invasion. Though it can be difficult to measure, according to Western, Soviet, and Ukrainian historians, between 17% and 25% of Ukraines population was killed during World War II. The fact that sheand I for that matterexist today is quite miraculous.

Vita's Ukrainian mother (my grandmother) survived as an orphan for two years under German occupation and barely evaded being carted off to Germany to work as a forced laborer. My grandfather, a Jewish soldier from Ukraine, was a prisoner of war and a forced laborer in Nazi Germany, where he managed to evade Hitlers deadly antisemitism through a whole lot of luck and survivors cunning. When he returned home to Soviet Ukraine, he realized Stalin was intent on punishing those who had, in his opinion, surrendered to the enemy and sat out the war. For the rest of his life, Grandpa kept what happened to him hidden from his family because of fear and shame. Unaware of his true story, my family celebrated Victory Day at home with flowers and a small feast every year until my grandfather passed away.

In 2014, war broke out in the Donbas where my family lived, and Putins messaging around Victory Day became much more bellicose, making my family reject the holiday ever since.

Russian propaganda weaponized the memory of World War II, accusing Ukraine of being overtaken by Nazis and threatening the West not to mess with Mother Russia, lest it repeats its victory. As fighting broke out on the streets of her city, Donetsk, my aunt Vita walked by posters that declared Our grandfathers won victory. Well do it again if needed and cars carrying bumper stickers of St. George ribbon, a symbol associated with victory and Russian militarism.

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Ukraines government immediately responded by changing its own approach to commemorating Victory Day. In 2015, Ukraine began officially observing May 8a day earlier than the Russiansas the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, shifting the conversation away from that of victory. The St. George ribbon was replaced with the red poppy symbol, used in the UK, Italy, and other countries. A year after Russias full-scale invasion in 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law establishing May 8 as the official Day of Victory over Nazism in World War II, aligning it definitively with Europe and claiming Ukraines own right to history. And yet, unlike Moscows flashy military parades, Ukraine focused more on memorials, concerts, and educational programs. Their slogan became Never again.

Now, it appears that Trump also wants to jump on this bandwagon. We are going to start celebrating our victories again! he declared before establishing May 8 as the newest national holiday in the U.S.

But if there is one thing that growing Russian militarism has shown its that the focus on ones victoriousness can easily transform into a militant arrogance and, eventually, an actual war that perpetrates the exact same crimes that it purports to have fought.

Reports have emerged of Russian prisons where captured civilians are used as forced laborers and prisoners of war are tortured and starved in the same way my grandfather and millions of other captives had been in Germany. But simultaneously, there is no place where the 80th anniversary of the end of the last world war is more pompously celebrated than in front of the Kremlin.

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Vita, who was a teen when the first celebration of Victory Day was conducted in the USSR in 1965, tells me The end of the war in Europe should be a day to cry about the dead, not be happy about victory.

Today, there are fewer and fewer WWII veterans left alive to tell us what that war was really like. But when I researched my grandfathers story for a novel I wrote based on it, I came across many witness accounts describing how they made it alive to victory day. And whether they were soldiers, prisoners, forced laborers, or civilians, they often mentioned crying on May 8, 1945 when they heard that Germany had capitulated. They didnt cry because they won. They cried because the worst war in human history was finally over.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Thursday marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the end of World War II in Europe. It's also the 80th anniversary of a heroic U.S. Air Force mission that should remain a source of inspiration for America now.

U.S. planes dropped tons of life-saving food into the famine-ravaged Netherlands at the end of World War II. The Dutch people were dying of starvation. The Allies reached agreement with the German occupying forces to do the food drops starting in late April 1945.

America's Operation Chowhound started about a week before VE Day. Britain's Royal Air Force also did its own food drops, called Operation Manna, and Canadian forces began to bring food in by truck. It took great preparation for the U.S. and Allies to build up food stocks and personnel for the task  especially amid the war.

A B-17 bomber aircraft drops food parcels in May 1945 on Schiphol in the Netherlands as part of Operation Chowhound. The American effort delivered food to starving areas at the end of World War II in Europe.

Millions of lives were saved in the Netherlands because of the Allied hunger relief mission. Think of all the children who were rescued from deadly malnutrition. Two decades later the countries involved in the relief of the Netherlands would come together to help create the United Nations World Food Program, which fights hunger on a daily basis.

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We should remember this because hunger is a powerful enemy all its own. We can't afford to neglect hunger now. Sadly, the Trump Administration has shut down U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), our lead humanitarian agency.

The shutdown of USAID and the reduction in humanitarian funding is a tragic mistake. If we had ignored the hunger caused by World War II, there would have been famine and chaos throughout Europe. We never could have won the peace.

Protesters rallied in Washington, D.C. in February to oppose cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development, better known as USAID.

And we cannot today, either, unless we fight hunger. Food and humanitarian aid are among the few stabilizing forces in a world in which there is so much conflict and drought. In addition, global food aid is such a relatively small part  not even 1%  of the U.S. budget. Far more money is spent on armaments than global food aid.

U.S. farms also benefit from having their food used in hunger relief missions overseas.

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We should be boosting our global food aid now, as there is famine in Sudan and numerous other hunger emergencies. Wars in Gaza, Congo, Ukraine, South Sudan and other areas are worsening hunger. Haiti, Yemen, Syria, the Sahel Region, Malawi and many other areas need hunger relief.

U.S. leadership is needed to fight hunger and promote stability. We can't withdraw from that responsibility. Congress needs to step up to get USAID and humanitarian programs running again and fully funded.

The U.S. Food for Peace program, which was started by President Dwight Eisenhower, especially needs a funding boost. Part of the program funds life-saving nutrition for malnourished infants around the globe, an even greater need in the wake of the USAID takedown. We have to get back into action like the U.S. and Allies were at the end of World War II, fighting hunger and saving lives.

The pilots who took part in Operation Chowhound thought it was the greatest mission: dropping food to save lives. That should remind us of the powerful spiritual impact of our global food aid programs. Compassion must be stronger than any other force in the world. That is what America is about and we can't lose that.

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Lets stop the budget cuts and shutdowns to humanitarian aid. Let's get back into action fighting hunger with heart and will.

William Lambers is an author who partnered with the UN World Food Program on the book "Ending World Hunger." His father, Vincent, was with the U.S. Army in the liberated section of the Netherlands during World War II.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Celebrate VE Day 2025 like the Allies did: Feed the hungry | Opinion
The countries that won World War II in 1945 are on Thursday marking the 80th anniversary of its end - commonly known as Victory in Europe (VE) Day - with parades and various other events.

United Kingdom: Churchill, royals and extended pub hours

On Thursday, a service at Westminster Abbey in London and a large concert are planned for Britain's celebrations. Pubs can also stay open longer on VE Day. The whole country should come together to remember the sacrifices made by the war generation which should "never be forgotten," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

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The country held a military parade in London on Monday, which the royal family attended. The words of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill were recited, and the Red Arrows flew over the city. King Charles III also hosted veterans at a tea party at Buckingham Palace.

France celebrates liberation

Paris marks Thursday with the traditional laying of a wreath by President Emmanuel Macron at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe and with a military parade on the Champs-Elysees.

The liberation of France from German occupation was celebrated last year. The highlight was the commemoration of D-Day, the Allied landing in Normandy in June 1944. The then US president Joe Biden and King Charles III attended.

The commemoration of the liberation of Strasbourg at the end of November also held great symbolic significance for France. In early February, the liberation of Colmar in Alsace was also commemorated, marking the last major battle of World War II on French soil.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Nine people have been arrested following a retail theft mission at a Cornelius Walmart and Fred Meyer led by Washington County Sheriffs Office, authorities announced Wednesday.

On May 2, detectives with the Sheriffs Office partnered with the Cornelius Walmart and Fred Meyer locations in an effort to address organized retail crimes.

During the mission, detectives worked with the stores asset protection staff to identify people engaging in retail crime, authorities explained.

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Arrest made for driver accused of intentionally hitting Hwy 26 motorcyclist

The investigation led to eight arrests for theft and criminal mischief charges, with one of the arrests being for an outstanding warrant, Washington County Sheriffs Office said.

The next day, a ninth person was arrested during an investigation into return fraud at Walmart.

Overall, authorities say hundreds of dollars of merchandise were recovered from those who were arrested.

Further details of the mission and retail thefts were not immediately available.

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An infant has been found dead in the Trinity River in California, days after he was swept away following a car crash

Baby Oliver disappeared following the crash on Friday, May 1, which left his mother and father with minor to moderate injuries

Neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to have factored into the crash, officials said







A 9-month-old baby boy has been found dead days after he was swept away in a California river following an early morning car crash.

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Oliver Cox was lost in the Trinity River after the crash on Thursday, May 1, according to a news release from the Trinity County Sheriffs Office (TCSO).

CHP spokesperson Keith Krick told McClatchy News that the boy was with his 19-year-old mother and 21-year-old father early that morning when the Lexus sedan they were in went off State Route 299, down an embankment, and into the Trinity River.

Despite their attempts to save Oliver, Krick said the baby was ultimately swept away.

A diver from out of the area, who traveled to the Big Flat to assist with the search, located Oliver deceased and submerged in the Trinity River on Tuesday, May 6, according to the TCSO.

GoFundMe Baby Oliver and his parents. Baby Oliver and his parents.

The baby was removed from the river" and his family was notified. The TCSO thanked all the search teams, who assisted in returning Oliver to his family.

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Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Oliver, authorities said in the news release.

Michelle Huskey, Olivers aunt, told NBC affiliate KNVN that the family was returning from a beach trip when the crash occurred.

"He was always playful, always happy to see everybody, she explained. He loved his mommy more than anything.

More than $7,800 has been raised through a GoFundMe campaign started to support Olivers family following his disappearance and death.

Huskey, who organized the campaign, thanked Juan Heredia, the volunteer diver with Angels Recovery Dive Team who located Oliver, and his crew for helping in the search.

GoFundMe Baby Oliver and his mother. Baby Oliver and his mother.

Officials with Trinity COSAR said in a previous news release that the terrain was extremely challenging to search, including portions that were steep, rocky and in some areas impassable.

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Heredia said in a Facebook video that the car was pushed by the current several hundred feet downriver from where it entered the water.

Also in the video, Heredia showed the tire tracks left behind by the Lexus as it veered into the river, and said he found the back rear window of the vehicle had been broken.

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Several agencies assisted with the search for Oliver, including Trinity County Search and Rescue (Trinity COSAR), the Shasta County Sheriff Dive Team, the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), CalFire and the United States Coast Guard, according to the TCSO.

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The mother and father involved in the crash, from Shasta Lake, were transported to Trinity General Hospital with minor to moderate injuries, ABC affiliate KRCR-TV reported.

Officials said neither drugs nor alcohol is believed to have factored into the crash, per KRCR-TV and The Sacramento Bee.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Read the original article on People
Editors Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolexs Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action.

Crashing waves, glistening sea spray, a calm expanse of deep blue. These are the images that open Ocean with David Attenborough, the veteran broadcasters latest film. After decades of sharing stories of life on our planet, he tells viewers that: The most important place on Earth is not on land but at sea.

The film  released in cinemas today and available to stream globally on Disney+ and Hulu in June  coincides with Attenboroughs 99th birthday, and describes how the ocean has changed during his lifetime.

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Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man, he says in a press release. In this film, we share those wonderful discoveries, uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can be restored to health.

The feature-length documentary takes viewers on a journey to coral reefs, kelp forests and towering seamounts, showcasing the wonders of the underwater world and the vital role the ocean plays in defending Earth against climate catastrophe as its largest carbon sink.

But the ocean also faces terrible threats. The film was shot as the planet experienced an extreme marine heatwave and shows the effects of the resulting mass coral bleaching: expansive graveyards of bright white coral, devoid of sea life.

Extraordinary footage shot off the coast of Britain and in the Mediterranean Sea shows the scale of destruction from industrial fishing. Bottom trawlers are filmed towing nets with a heavy chain along the seafloor, indiscriminately catching creatures in their path and churning up dense clouds of carbon-rich sediment.

Many whale populations, including the humpback, have bounced back since a commercial ban on whaling. - Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios/Steve Benjamin

The trails of destruction can be seen from space, Attenborough narrates, adding that not only does the process release vast amounts of carbon dioxide, the majority of the catch is discarded, since the fishers are usually only targeting one species. It is hard to imagine a more wasteful way to catch fish, he says.

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The practice is not only devastating entire marine ecosystems but coastal communities that depend on fish for their livelihoods. Industrial fishing vessels  what Attenborough calls vast factories at sea  hoover up everything and leave little behind for locals. It is a form of modern day colonialism, he says, and has even reached the depths of Antarctica.

A moment of change

Yet, despite all this, Attenborough has hope. He points to the oceans amazing ability to recover when it is given space to do so. In the Pacific Ocean nations of Kiribati and Palau, and the Indonesian province of West Papua, coral reefs that have suffered mass bleaching events are alive once more, and areas where fishing has been banned, such as small marine reserves in the Mediterranean, have bounced back to life. The film highlights Papahanaumokuakea, the worlds largest no-fishing zone, off the coast of Hawaii, where native fishers are reporting bountiful fish stocks, as populations recover and spill over into neighboring waters, and where seabird populations like the albatross have thrived as a result of the restrictions.

Enric Sala, founder of National Geographics Pristine Seas program and scientific advisor to the film, has seen the oceans remarkable recovery firsthand, diving in the Southern Line Islands, where half of the corals died after marine heat waves a decade ago. After four years, they had fully recovered, because the fish were there and the fish helped to clean the reef so the corals could come back, he tells CNN.

Sala shares Attenboroughs optimism that the ocean could be saved if we act now. There are three main threats, he says: global warming, plastic pollution and overfishing. The latter is the easiest to fix: If we stopped fishing in one place today, less fish will die; the system will start to recover the day after.

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The films overriding message is not that all fishing is bad, but that priority areas must be fully protected with clear no-take zones. Less than 3% of the ocean is fully protected, according to the Marine Conservation Institute  this needs to increase, says Attenborough.

David Attenborough looks out to sea in Southern England. The film is released in cinemas on his 99th birthday. - Conor McDonnell

Success is possible, he adds, as he reminds viewers that action like this has happened on a global scale before. Whales were hunted to the brink of extinction, but a ban on commercial whaling in 1986 has seen many populations make a comeback.

Sala believes that Attenboroughs movie could help turn the tide: (The message that) we are draining life out of the ocean, but if we protect at least a third, we can bring it back to life: I have been saying it for years, scientists have been saying it for years, but now that he says it, people are going to listen.

Whats more, the shocking images from the film illustrate the damage industrial fishing can do to the ocean. This has been out of sight, out of mind for too long, says Sala. We have been talking to the brains of decision makers, now we have the images that will speak directly to their guts and their hearts.

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The film is being released ahead of Junes United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, in the hope that it might influence governments to take action. Member states have already agreed in principle to protect 30% of the worlds oceans, but implementation has been slow. In Ocean Attenborough calls for more urgency.

This could be the moment of change, he says. Nearly every country on Earth has just agreed on paper to achieve this bare minimum and protect a third of the ocean. Together, we now face the challenge of making it happen.

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(WHTM)  Sheryl Lee Ralph attracted a crowd at the Capitol Wednesday. Shes an actress from the popular sitcom Abbott Elementary, which you can see on abc27.

The fictional Abbott Elementary is set in Philadelphia and is a huge hit, but what is not fictional is that Sheryl Lee Ralph is married to State Senator Vincent Hughes, a Philadelphia Democrat. The two appeared at a rally today, preaching the power of reading.

We are not going back by reading, said Sen. Hughes.

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Senator Hughes is the Appropriations Chairman, and he called for more funding to expand a literacy program. He insists reading levels are way too low, and that crushes the chance of future success.

Ralph turned and addressed the students assembled on the Capitol steps and told them that they can be anything they want to be if they work hard in school, then turned back to the cameras with a message for parents. She graduated from both high school and college in three years.

We, as good citizens of our communities, cannot let our children be poor students, said Ralph. We cannot let it be acceptable that our children cannot read. If were gonna be great, our children must be greater.

Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV devices

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Ralph then spent time reading with the kids and passed out books provided by Scholastic. The program got some money last year, and they were calling for more in the upcoming budget.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
AUSTIN (Nexstar)  To get his bail reform priorities passed, Gov. Greg Abbott needs to convince at least 12 House Democrats to join all the House Republicans. On Wednesday, Abbott hinted he still needs those votes.

Theres progress, but not sufficient progress, he said. Abbott also didnt shoot down the idea of going to special session over bail reform. Well make decisions like that as they arise. My expectation is that no Democrat, no Republican, wants to have on their record that they supported dangerous criminals over the safety of their own constituents.

An (even) stricter bail proposal

In February, the Texas Senate passed out State Sen. Joan Huffmans, R-Houston, bail reform package, including two proposed constitutional amendments. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds vote from each chamber of the Texas legislature before needing a simple majority in a public vote.

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Senate Joint Resolution 1 would require jails to hold those charged with felonies without bond if theyre in the country illegally. Senate Joint Resolution 5 would give judges discretion to hold those accused of certain violent and sexual felonies without bond. However, Abbott appears to want SJR 5 to go further.

We need to amend the [Texas] Constitution to do several things, Abbott said. One, judges must automatically deny bail for violent crime. Crime like murder, rape and human trafficking  unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the defendant will appear in court and not endanger the community. What this does [is] it changes the law to shift the burden for repeat violent criminals to prove that they are not a danger to the community.

Ill never see him again: Activists argue against Texas bail reform

Abbott acknowledged that most Democratic lawmakers have yet to see the updated version.

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I dont know how many Democrats have actually seen that yet, so they have not been put to the test, Abbott said. They will be put to the test, though, here in a week or two.

Getting bail reform passed

On Thursday, May 15, all House bills with a chance to pass will need to have been heard on the House floor. Both SJR 1 and SJR 5 had identical versions heard in the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee in March. Theyve been sitting there ever since.

Weve got to get it this week out of committee, House Criminal Jurisprudence Chair John Smithee, R-Amarillo, said. Hopefully it will be on the floor within a week or so.

Advocates make the case against bail reform: Texas pretrial system is broken

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If it gets to a floor vote, the 88 House Republicans will not be able to pass it without at least 12 Democrats jumping on board. However, Abbott said this as an issue Democrats should want to vote in favor of.

Its a common sense issue, fixing the deadly and broken bail system that lets dangerous criminals right back onto our streets, he said. This is and should not be a Republican or a Democrat issue. This is a public safety issue, plain and simple.

Huffman took a stronger stance and said shes done enough negotiating.

[House Democrats] constituents are being raped, murdered, threatened, terrorized [and] they should have a moral obligation to take this vote and to pass this on, so the Texas voters can make a decision, she said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  An Abilene man has been arrested for allegedly promoting child pornography, and police are asking anyone with information to reach out.

Joel Michael Paris, courtesy of the Taylor County Jail

On May 7, 39-year-old Joel Michael Paris was arrested by the Abilene Police Departments Cyber Crimes Unit, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations. This arrest is based on a cyber tip, where detectives say they discovered videos of girls under the age of 15 engaging in sexual conduct.

Abilene police executed a search warrant at his house, and Paris was taken into custody at his workplace, Big Brothers Big Sisters.

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Paris was booked into the Taylor County Jail on a second-degree felony charge of Promotion of Child Pornography. Abilene police are urging anyone with information related to the case or who may have had inappropriate contact with Paris to contact the Cyber Crimes Unit at (325) 676-6610.

Big Brothers Big Sisters issued the following statement regarding the arrest:

We have been informed of the serious allegations against Mr. Joel Paris. Mr. Paris is no

longer with our organization. Big Brothers Big Sisters Abilene is committed to the safety

of our children first and foremost and has cooperated fully with the authorities regarding

this matter. It is the policy of BBBSA that every staff member, Board Member or volunteer

be thoroughly screened through a series of professional checks and interviews prior to his

or her employment or acceptance as a Big or volunteer Mentor. Nothing is more

important to us than the safety and well-being of our youth and this commitment to

safety is one which we take most seriously.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
By Qabil Ashirov

The cultural journey that the Albayrak Group has been continuing for 11 years has brought the most exquisite examples of calligraphy to England this time. The Ruha ?ifa Husn-u Hat exhibition, created together with the Kim Psychology and Mental Health Association, opened its doors to art lovers on the evening of May 6, hosted by the London Yunus Emre Institute. The exhibition, which opened with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the participation of Minister of Trade Omer Bolat, will continue to host its visitors until May 20.

The exhibition presents the elegance of calligraphy not only as a visual feast but also as a process of inner healing. Each masterfully written work bears the mark of patience, spirituality, and contemplation. This special selection, which touches on mental health, invites viewers to seek both aesthetic depth and spiritual balance.

The opening ceremony, which took place on May 6, was attended by Trade Minister Omer Bolat, Deputy Trade Minister Mustafa Tozcu, London Ambassador Osman Koray Erta?, UK Member of Parliament Afsal Khan, Yunus Emre Institute London Coordinator Mehmet Karaku?, Albayrak Media General Manager Abdullah Hanonu, Albayrak Group Corporate Communications Coordinator Esad Sivri, Albayrak Media Sales and Marketing Deputy General Manager Ziya Kadam, Yeni ?afak Internet Publishing Director Ersin Celik, Albayrak Media Sales and Marketing Deputy General Manager Burak Sezai Ilk?, Albayrak Advertising and Events Manager Fatih Emre Tu?rul, and Mental Health Association President Omer Akgul. The speeches emphasized that calligraphy is not only a cultural but also a spiritual healing tool.

Minister of Trade Omer Bolat, who attended the opening of the exhibition, said, As part of our visit to London, we are opening the Calligraphy Exhibition for the Healing of the Soul hosted by the Albayrak Group at the Yunus Emre Institute Cultural Center. The exhibition, which brings together various examples of polite words from the verses of the Quran that are healing for the soul with calligraphy, also offers a different perspective on Islamic arts. I would like to thank the Albayrak Group for organizing this valuable exhibition and our Yunus Emre Institute for hosting it.

London Ambassador Osman Koray Erta? said, We are very happy to introduce this form of calligraphy that has found great meaning to art lovers in London as a result of the great efforts of the Albayrak Group. We are proud to present the ancient values of our country and nation in every geography where our flag flies together with our Yunus Emre Institute.

Albayrak Media General Manager Hanonu said the following: As the Albayrak Group, we have met with over 3 million art lovers in the journey of calligraphy that we started 11 years ago. Our past civilizations have always held the art of calligraphy in high esteem and carried it to the top. As the Albayrak Group, we also hold the art of calligraphy in high esteem and leave works for our future. I would like to thank the President of the Yunus Emre Institute and his entire team for their unwavering support in realizing this exhibition. We would like to thank everyone who showed interest and support.

Yunus Emre Institute London Coordinator Mehmet Karaku? said, Today, as the London Yunus Emre Cultural Institute, we opened our doors to host the Soul Healing Calligraphy works. As the Yunus Emre Institute, we undertake the role of a cultural bridge between England and Turkey. We are very happy to contribute to this process with the Soul Healing Calligraphy exhibition. We would like to thank the Albayrak Media Group and other stakeholders.

Continuing its mission to bring art together with social goodness, the Albayrak Group is not only leading the way in protecting cultural heritage with this exhibition but also in drawing attention to mental health. Believing in the transformative and restorative power of art, the institution offers an exemplary culture-social benefit union in this respect.

The host of the exhibition, the London Yunus Emre Institute, continues to play an important role in introducing Turkish culture and art to the world. In this sense, the Soul Healing Calligraphy exhibition opens a new window to those who seek both art and individual well-being.

The exhibition will be open to all visitors until May 20. This special selection, which carries the elegance of calligraphy to the depths of the soul, invites art lovers in London to an aesthetic and spiritual journey.

Those who are interested can visit the exhibition virtually via Hattapsikoloji.com.
by Dana Halawi

BEIRUT, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Foreign companies participating in Project Lebanon 2025, an annual construction exhibition, have expressed their keen interest in contributing to Lebanon's reconstruction efforts following widespread destruction caused by the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

Roger Luo, a manager of Shandong Lingong Construction Machinery, a Chinese construction equipment manufacturer at the event, told Xinhua on Wednesday that his company has adjusted its strategy to meet Lebanon's urgent reconstruction needs.

"We are working to shorten delivery times for our equipment by streamlining our supply chain and accelerating shipments from our factories to dealers and end customers," Luo said. "We are also supporting our dealers with payment facilities and after-sales services to assist contractors operating in Lebanon."

Luo said Chinese companies could play a major role in Lebanon's rebuilding efforts due to their competitive pricing, advanced technology, and high-quality products.

"We have been present in Lebanon for many years, and we intend to maintain this momentum with new products introduced each year," he said.

Hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel began on Oct. 23, 2023, amid the escalation of the conflict in Gaza. Fighting intensified significantly on Sept. 23, resulting in hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, and severe destruction across southern Lebanon's border towns and villages.

The Council of the South, a Lebanese governmental body tasked with assessing damage and overseeing reconstruction, is still compiling a comprehensive report. Its head, Engineer Hashem Haidar, told Xinhua that inspection teams have surveyed most of the affected areas.

"Preliminary figures show that around 37,500 housing units were completely destroyed, 55,000 severely damaged, and 130,000 affected overall," Haidar said. "We estimate the total damage at approximately 4 billion U.S. dollars."

Separately, the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme estimate infrastructure damage at about 8.5 billion U.S. dollars -- nearly half of Lebanon's GDP.

Reconstruction efforts have yet to begin, as they remain heavily reliant on securing foreign aid. Political negotiations and conditions set by international donors continue to delay the launch of recovery initiatives.

Nevertheless, several foreign companies are actively seeking to position themselves for involvement once the process begins.

Jessica Bou Samra, marketing manager at IFP Group, the organizer of Project Lebanon 2025, which runs from May 6-9, said this year's exhibition features around 250 companies, including 50 foreign firms from about eight countries.

"Foreign participation is higher than in previous years," Bou Samra told Xinhua, attributing the increase to international companies seeking to enter the Lebanese market amid emerging opportunities in the country's post-war reconstruction.

Guido Rossi, industrial department manager at Tessitura Tele Metalliche Rossi, an Italian manufacturer, said Italy has the expertise, facilities, and technology to assist Lebanon in its reconstruction process.

"There are many promising projects in Lebanon, and this exhibition is a valuable opportunity for us to explore the local market," Rossi said.

Similarly, Herwig Neuper, commercial counsellor at Advantage Austria, a trade promotion organization, told Xinhua that Austrian companies are also showing interest in investing in Lebanon following the political breakthrough.

"We feel there is a sense of relief among companies. They are no longer hesitant to come here," Neuper said. "They are building strong relationships with local businesses, and there is potential to elevate this cooperation to a new level."

Exhibitors also cited several challenges to their participation in Lebanon's reconstruction.

Andrea Frigo, Middle East sales manager at Italian company CGM Gruppi Elettrogeni, said one of the main difficulties his company faces is strong competition from Chinese manufacturers in terms of pricing and quality.

"Industrial firms in China are making significant improvements in quality," Frigo told Xinhua. "Competition is a major challenge, which is why we are focusing on enhancing our own product quality."

Johnny Khamisse, general manager at Afitex, a French company specializing in soil drainage, waterproofing, and structural reinforcement, pointed to security concerns and lack of financing as key obstacles in Lebanon.

"Security issues are causing delays and putting some projects on hold," Khamisse said. "There is also a lack of funding from banks, which is affecting progress." 
Attorneys for wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia said in a court filing Thursday that after conducting three depositions, they are "still in the dark about the Government's efforts to facilitate Abrego Garcia's release from custody and return to the United States."

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, seeking to determine how the government has failed to return Abrego Garcia after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, last month ordered expedited discovery in the case which included the depositions of the four government officials who submitted status updates on Abrego Garcia to the court.

In their filing on Thursday, attorneys for Abrego Garcia asked Judge Xinis to authorize three additional depositions of officials from the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of State, and the Department of Justice.

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MORE: Justice Department investigating 2022 Abrego Garcia traffic stop: Sources

"As the Court stated in that Order, "discovery is necessary in light of Defendants' uniform refusal to disclose 'what it can' regarding their facilitation of Abrego Garcia's release and return to the status quo ante," the lawyers wrote.

The motion comes a day after Judge Xinis, in a court order, said that the Trump administration had invoked the rarely used state secrets privilege to shield information about the case, and scheduled a May 16 hearing on the matter.

PHOTO: Undated photo provided by Murray Osorio PLLC shows Kilmar Abrego Garcia. (Murray Osorio PLLC via AP)

Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native who has been living with his wife and children in Maryland, was deported in March to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison -- despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation to that country due to fear of persecution -- after the Trump administration claimed he was a member of the criminal gang MS-13. His wife and attorneys deny that he is an MS-13 member.

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The Trump administration, while acknowledging that Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador in error, has said that his alleged MS-13 affiliation makes him ineligible to return to the United States.

"Garcia is a citizen of El Salvador and should never have been in this country and will not be coming back to this country," Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Thursday in an appearance at a budget hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee.

"There is no scenario where Garcia will be in the United States again. If he were to come back, we would immediately deport him again," Noem said.

Abrego Garcia's lawyers say they're 'still in the dark' about government's efforts to facilitate his return originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A federal judge in the District is hearing arguments in a case involving a wartime law last used to send hundreds of thousands of Japanese-Americans to internment camps.

The Trump Administration is now using the Alien Enemies Act to remove planeloads of immigrants to El Salvador quickly.

Multiple federal judges across the country have used the act was not properly used. Now, the question in federal court in DC is whether the U.S. will act to facilitate their return so they can continue with their immigration hearings.

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Federal judge blocks Trump administration from removing migrants in Massachusetts

They have fundamental due process rights, said Scott Michelman, the legal director of the ACLU of the District of Columbia, which is part of a team arguing the case. We defend the civil rights of everyone who is affected by unconstitutional government overreach.

In court, Judge James Boasberg questioned government attorneys about President Trumps comments in which he said he could return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvadors CECOT prison.

While Boasberg asked if the president was not telling the truth, the government attorneys said influence does not equate to constructive custody.

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Michelman objects to that belief.

Given the presidents statements on this, given top official statements on this, it is remarkable that they still contend somehow that they dont have custody over these people, he said.

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The acquittals of three former Memphis police officers in the brutal killing of Tyre Nichols are a devastating moral failure and a damning indictment of a system devalues Black and Brown lives. Despite video evidence showing Nichols being beaten to death by multiple officers while crying out for his mother, an all-white, out-of-town jury found the officers not guilty of all charges.

By seating an all-white jury from outside Memphisa majority-Black city with a long history of police violencethe system silenced the voices of the community. This decision was about finding a jury more likely to view the defendants with sympathy and more likely to see Nichols as a threat. The result was a jury disconnected from the citys racial reality, its trauma, and its demands for justice.

That was exactly the point. The trial was never meant to deliver justice.

The Tyre Nichols verdict has echoes of Rodney King's

Some have pointed to the officers federal convictions as a sign that justice was served. But that narrative is misleading. The officers were acquitted in federal court of the most serious charges and now face sentencing before U.S. District Judge Mark Norris, a far-right Trump appointee with a well-documented history of hostility to civil rights, police accountability, and criminal legal reform.

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The federal case may result in some punishment, but it will not deliver justice. The closest thing to justice would have been a conviction in state court on charges that fit the crime: murder.

The killing of Tyre Nichols could not have been more public, more brutal, or more clear-cut. And yet the legal system failed, just as it has so many times before. We are witnessing, once again, the same playbook used after the beating of Rodney King more than 30 years ago: undeniable video evidence, national outrage, and a verdict that defies basic humanity.

The message is clear: Officers can murder someone on camera and still walk free.

American policing was designed to oppress marginalized communities

This case is emblematic of the systemic racism that is ingrained in American policinga system designed to enforce racial and social hierarchies. Its roots lie in slave patrols that hunted down Black people seeking freedom and enforced the violent order of white supremacy. That legacy never disappeared; it merely shifted.

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From Reconstruction-era Black Codes to Jim Crow enforcement, to the modern criminalization of poverty, substance use, and protest, policing has always been a tool of social control aimed primarily at Black, Brown, poor, and otherwise marginalized communities.

Opinion: Block Mayor O'Connell's transit plan? It may be only way to secure much-needed MNPD reform

Officersregardless of their individual backgroundsare trained and empowered by institutions built to surveil, control and punish.

This is not a problem of rogue officers or isolated misconduct. Policing functions through intimidation, brutality and impunity, and it is upheld by courts, lawmakers and police unions. What happened to Tyre Nichols is not an aberration. Its the predictable result of a system that is violent and oppressive at its core.

Two years after Nichols' death, the Memphis Police Department still needs reform

What makes this case even more infuriating is how little has changed in Memphis since Nichols death. The SCORPION unit, responsible for his killing, has been disbanded, but its tactics and culture persist.

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The Memphis Police Department continues to operate without meaningful oversight or structural changes. A 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed what residents and advocates have said for decades: that MPD engages in discriminatory, violent and unconstitutional policingparticularly against Black residents.

Even after that damning report, city officials refused to enter into a consent decree with the DOJ that would have mandated reform. Instead of embracing accountability, they chose resistance.

And what little progress has been proposed has been swiftly gutted by the Tennessee General Assembly, dominated by white, Christian nationalist legislators who have waged relentless campaigns to suppress local autonomy and crush grassroots demands for change.

This verdict must be a wake-up call for the entire country. We cannot rely on the very systems that protect and perpetuate racial violence to suddenly deliver justice out of goodwill or shame. History tells us that justice will never arrive if we wait patiently or meagerly.

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We must instead challenge injustice wherever it livesin statehouses, in the courts, on the streets and beyond. We must speak when its uncomfortable, demand change when its unpopular, and organize when its hardest. The system will not fix itself. It will only change if we force it to.

Tyre Nichols life mattered. His deathand the systems failure to hold his killers accountablemust not become another footnote in the long, shameful legacy of racial injustice in this country.

Tyler Foster, vice president of the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope and board member of the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network

Tyler Foster is a Memphis-based law student, community organizer, and formerly incarcerated advocate working at the intersection of criminal legal reform and broader social justice movements. He serves as vice president of the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH) and as a board member of the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network (FICGN).

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Memphis' Tyre Nichols verdict reveals racism in policing | Opinion
Cameron Hamilton, acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told lawmakers Wednesday that he does not believe the agency should be eliminated  breaking with musings from the president and a recent declaration from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

As the senior adviser to the president on disasters and emergency management  I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hamilton said during a House Appropriations Committee hearing.

However, he said that ultimately the decision is not up to him, but rather Congress and the president.

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Hamilton also said he does not believe that federal assistance is going away, but he said the administration is coming up with a new way to categorize disasters.

We want to find thresholds whereby the states can manage reasonable outcomes and lower level disasters may not incur and push FEMA and federal resources  unless they meet a very very high standard and burden.  Were not looking at a future without federal assistance, Hamilton said.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) asked him if this meant the agency was going to categorize disasters as low, medium and high to determine if their funding should come from states or the federal government.

Hamilton responded, Its a little more complex than that.

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What were looking at is the idea of when investments are made, what is the overall impact? Whats the states actual capability? Were looking at proposals that even require states to demonstrate what their insurance levels are  so that we can analyze each state and territory on an individual basis and assess their needs, he added.

DeLauro said she appreciated Hamiltons recommendation not to cut the agency but said that the final power resides with Congress.

What is being done is unlawful and illegal, and were going to continue to push that point to the people of this country what in fact is about to hit them when all of a sudden the rains come down, the fires blossom and the federal government says Well, lets see what category youre in.

His comments come after President Trump said he would consider getting rid of FEMA. Since that time, Noem said she was working on eliminating the agency.

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Two spines sit in the Statehouse on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, before activists with Students for Life Action planned to deliver them to representatives' offices. (Photo by Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette)

COLUMBIA  The inflammatory tactics by anti-abortion activists demanding a near-total ban in South Carolina prompted most members of the Legislatures Family Caucus to leave the group and rebuke its GOP leader.

A resignation letter Wednesday to Rep. John McCravy, the caucus leader, was co-signed by 29 of its previously 48 House members.

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The mass departure came soon after McCravy, whose official caucus title is moderator, stood at the Statehouse with activists whose tactics included going to the churches of GOP leaders and putting fliers on windshields that say Act NOW. Dont Let Any More Preborn Babies Die!

At a news conference Wednesday  the next-to-last day of the 2025 legislation session  members of Students for Life Action showed reporters the two plastic spines they planned to deliver to House Speaker Murrell Smith and Judiciary Chairman Weston Newton. The message theyre delivering: Grow a spine and bring up McCravys bill for a vote.

The legislation, similar to previous bills by McCravy that the Senate rejected, would ban nearly all abortions from the onset of pregnancy, with no exceptions for victims of rape or fatal fetal anomalies.

McCravys support of the Virginia-headquartered group pushing for that bill prompted the Family Caucus split, according to the letter.

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Chief among our concerns is your continued refusal to condemn the deeply troubling behavior of out-of-state, third-party groups that have descended upon South Carolina churches to provoke and disrupt worship services, reads the resignation letter to McCravy, provided to reporters.

The letter comes a week after Majority Leader Davey Hiott, R-Pickens, confirmed he left the caucus he co-founded in 2017 with McCravy.

Beyond differences in opinion over how to proceed with the abortion ban, Hiott accused McCravy of making homophobic and antisemitic comments about fellow legislators, which the Greenwood Republican vehemently denied.

Wednesdays letter made no mention of those comments.

Rep. John McCravy, R-Greenwood, talks during a Students For Life Action news conference pushing for a near-total abortion ban on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette)

The Family Caucus, which McCravy called the conscience of the Republican Party, functions as a support group of sorts for socially conservative Christians interested in promoting issues that support children and families, Rep. Richie Yow, R-Chesterfield, told reporters.

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That used to include members of the agenda-setting House Republican Caucus and the hardline Freedom Caucus, as well as a single Democrat.

Members of the Freedom Caucus, who also participated in Wednesdays news conference and have all signed on to McCravys bill, didnt join the mass resignation. Instead, they jumped to McCravys defense.

Despite the schism, McCravy remains in the majority Republican Caucus. And the Freedom Caucus, which has publicly feuded with the majority, has not asked him to join, he told reporters Wednesday.

Abortion

Yow, a Baptist pastor, said what the activists did is not OK, no matter what the issue. People should be in church on Sunday morning, he said, not lobbying outside with activism that potentially turns people away from their faith. Yows signature topped the list of resigning legislators.

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Their harassment of churchgoers  on Palm Sunday, no less  crosses a moral line, reads the letter to McCravy. Your silence as the moderator of this caucus, along with your continued support and engagement with the groups that employ those tactics, is unacceptable.

The fliers put on churchgoers windshields claimed Smith and Newton were holding up McCravys near-total abortion ban. The activist group also sent text messages and bought advertisements targeting the legislative leaders, a spokeswoman said.

If the groups tactics were aggressive, they were justified to push for what they see as right, said Kristan Hawkins, the organizations national president, who lives in Idaho.

I think educating citizens in a House members district about what hes really doing in Columbia is actually our job, Hawkins, who was at the Statehouse for the news conference, told the SC Daily Gazette. Thats our job as human rights activists.

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Members of House leadership, including Hiott, repeatedly asked McCravy to step in and ask the group to stop. McCravy refused, he said.

I dont think thats appropriate, McCravy told the Gazette. I think thats unethical.

He declined to say whether he thought visiting representatives churches crossed a line.

College students are going to be more enthusiastic than probably older people like me, McCravy said. I dont want to dampen that enthusiasm.

House leaders said they arent opposed to McCravys bill, which received three hours of testimony but no vote during a subcommittee meeting earlier this year. Smith and Hiott are co-sponsors with McCravy. Newton is not.

Previous attempts by the House to pass near-total abortion bans have failed repeatedly in the Senate, so leaders decided to avoid the lengthy debate until the legislation has a better chance in the upper chamber, Newton told the Gazette.

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Plus, there are still lawsuits pending on South Carolinas existing six-week ban, including a challenge before the state Supreme Court on whether the language in the law  which does not actually give a number of weeks  means the ban should start at nine weeks instead.

Amid the March 4 hearing on McCravys bill, Hiott put out a statement urging fellow representatives to press pause until the state Supreme Court rules  which they did.

But McCravy believes the House should have passed the bill anyway.

If you give up just because you hear a rumor that somebody might not do something, youre never going to win, McCravy said Wednesday. So, we dont give up.

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The groups tactics arent new, though theyre newly against House Republicans.

In 2023, members of Students For Life Action delivered smaller spines to the five female senators who helped defeat McCravys proposals of a near-total ban following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.

That delivery backfired, as the women took the Senate podium to proudly display proof of having a backbone.

What ultimately became law in 2023, over the objections of the women who dubbed themselves Sister Senators, was the so-called six-week ban, with exceptions for victims of rape or incest and fatal fetal anomalies, as well as the mothers health. The three GOP female senators lost their re-election bids last year.

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Hawkins, head of the activist network, said the larger spines for Smith and Newton were to help them grow up a little bit.

These spineless, feckless attacks against John McCravy, against pro-life students in South Carolina  its beyond the pale, Hawkins said Wednesday.

One of the fliers advocacy group Students for Life Action distributed, including at churches. (Photo by Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette)

But Newton said the group hasnt affected him one way or the other. The lobbying clearly didnt cause him to bring up the bill in the sessions waning days. Nor has it made him less inclined to start the debate, he said. He told the Gazette he considers it more of a distraction from legislating.

Comments about other legislators

Hiott told The Post and Courier he resigned his membership partly over McCravys offensive comments about two fellow legislators. Hiott declined say anything more about that to the Gazette.

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The alleged comments date back to last session. Hiott claimed McCravy complained to him and other House leaders that Newton, a Bluffton Republican, appointed a gay and a Jew to serve as subcommittee chairs on the House Judiciary Committee.

The comments could only be referring to then-Rep. Jason Elliott, the Legislatures first  and still only  openly gay member of the Legislature and now a state senator; and Rep. Beth Bernstein, the states only Jewish legislator.

Newton told the Gazette he directly heard the reference about Elliott, saying McCravy told him he didnt want to serve on a subcommittee with that gay.

Elliott, R-Greenville, did not respond to requests for comment from the Gazette. Bernstein, D-Columbia, said she heard about the remarks secondhand several times.

But McCravy denies saying those things. He said he has good relationships with both Bernstein and Elliott and wouldnt disparage them in any way.

I would never refuse to serve on a committee because of someones characteristics or preferences, McCravy told the Gazette.

He did have private conversations questioning Newtons decision to make Elliott and Bernstein subcommittee chairs because of disagreements over policy issues, he said.

I dont have anything against either of those people personally in any way, McCravy said.

Friction on the Judiciary Committee became public after the November election, when McCravy asked to be removed from the powerful committee that vets many of the bills on the Family Caucus priority list. He denied that his request had anything to do with his fellow committee members, instead citing disagreements with Newton over policy.

The two have publicly butted heads over proposals about betting and alcohol sales. McCravy is a staunch gambling opponent who doesnt imbibe.

Newton, on the other hand, is a co-sponsor this year of legislation legalizing a casino off Interstate 95 in Orangeburg County. The bill advanced through a committee to the House floor last week. On Wednesday, the House voted to continue the bill, meaning it cant be taken up again until 2026.

Other measures the two have publicly disagreed about include bills to create a legal way to bet on horse races, allow people to drink cocktails anywhere in an airport terminal, and enable people to order alcohol for delivery to their homes.

But Newton said it was McCravys claims that the chairman was funded by alcohol lobbyists, followed by the comments about Elliot, that led to this unraveling.

Wednesdays letter, however, cited none of that.

Instead, it said the caucus has become the antithesis of what its supposed to be while bringing the unwanted divisions of Washington, D.C., to the South Carolina Statehouse.

We believe this is both unwise and spiritually corrosive, the letter read.

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Actor Michael Pitt, known for his TV roles on Boardwalk Empire and Dawsons Creek, is accused of sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend, choking her, and attacking her with a cinder block and a piece of lumber at his New York City home, according to a grand jury indictment.

Pitt, 44, whose lawyers denied the allegations, was arrested Friday on nine counts, including first-degree sexual abuse, criminal sexual acts, assault, attempted assault and strangulation. The indictment cites four incidents between April 2020 and August 2021 at Pitts home in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalezs office declined to comment Wednesday beyond the allegations listed in the indictment.

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Pitts lawyer, Jason Goldman, said he already had exonerating evidence and expected the case to be dismissed.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where somebody like Mr. Pitt  an accomplished professional who would never so much as contemplate these crimes  can be arrested on the uncorroborated word of an unreliable individual, Goldman said in a text message to The Associated Press.

He added, In reality, this baseless claim is suspiciously raised some four or five years after the alleged incident, from a time when the two parties were in a completely consensual relationship.

Pitt pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday and posted $100,000 bail, Goldman said. He is due back in court in Brooklyn on June 17.

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The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, which the woman in Pitts case has not done.

The indictment alleges Pitt forcibly touched his ex-girlfriend sexually in April 2020. In August 2020, the grand jury alleges Pitt forced oral sex on the woman and assaulted her with a 4-inch-by-4-inch (10-centimeter-by-10-centimeter) piece of lumber.

The indictment also says Pitt attacked her with a cinder block twice in June 2021 and choked her in August 2021.

Pitt, who grew up in West Orange, New Jersey, played the character Jimmy Darmody for two seasons on HBOs Boardwalk Empire, with the cast led by Steve Buscemi winning Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2011 and 2012 for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series. The show also won a Golden Globe for best drama series in 2011.

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His first major role came in the 2001 film Hedwig and the Angry Inch. In 2005, he starred in Last Days, director Gus Van Sants film about a fictional rock star inspired by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. He also played Henry Parker in one season of The WBs Dawsons Creek in 1999-2000.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  An additional 10 men are alleging that they were sexually abused by a former Oregon Youth Authority doctor, according to a new lawsuit.

All 10 allege they were abused as children while in custody of the state by Dr. Gary Edwards, also known as Dr. Cold Fingers.

The abuse started in 2000 and continued through 2008, the suit says.



This comes less than two months after a separate sexual abuse lawsuit was filed against OYA, which led to the firing of director Joe OLeary.

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Edwards served as the primary medical provider at Maclaren from 1977 until at least 2008, and attorneys say he had private access to thousands of children during this time.

This doctor was in charge of intake exams at MacLaren, which means that he had a reason to be alone with every single child that came through MacLaren during those 40+ years of service, attorney Peter Janci said. And at nearly 300 youth housed there at any given time, by 40 years, that means this doctor had an opportunity to abuse more than 10,000 children in Oregon custody.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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LGBTQ advocates are claiming victory after this years legislative session.

We just achieved the impossible again: Every anti-LGBTQ bill filed this year has been defeated! wrote Equality Florida in a press release.

Bills that would have banned pride flags and regulated the use of pronouns in the workplace died in committee or never even had a hearing, the LGBTQ advocacy group said.

Equality Florida policy director Jon Harris Maurer attributed the failure of this years anti-LGBTQ bills to the hundred of LGBTQ Floridians and their allies who showed up to the Capitol and met with lawmakers face to face.

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Florida lawmakers are increasingly turning away from the relentless anti-LGBTQ culture war attacks of recent years, Maurer told the USA TODAY Network  Florida. Those laws have done real harm to the LGBTQ community, especially transgender Floridians. But theyre not helping anyone. And thats what Floridians want lawmakers to focus on  making their lives better.

In recent years, the Republican majority has pushed laws that have targeted LGBTQ Floridians. It kicked off in 2022, when the Florida Legislature passed HB 1557, which is known as the Dont Say Gay bill by critics. The law, called the Parental Rights in Education Act, prohibits the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

Since then, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican leaders have expanded that law and passed more legislation, including laws that require people use the bathroom of their biological sex at birth and that drivers licenses display the biological sex at birth versus someones gender identity.

DeSantis has touted these laws as examples of how Florida is the state where woke goes to die.

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But in 2025, the four bills advocates flagged as expressly anti-LGBTQ, died at the previously scheduled end of the regular legislative session. (Lawmakers will return to Tallahassee May 12 but only to finish the state budget and related bills, including a tax cut package.)

A bill that would have banned Pride flags flying on government buildings (SB 100) failed after the Senate bills sponsor, Randy Fine, R-Melbourne, resigned to run for Congress, and no other senator picked up the measure.

Sen. Lori Berman smiles during the festivities in the senate on opening day of the Florida legislative session Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

Another bill advocates dubbed the Dont Say Gay or Trans at Work (SB 440) never moved past the committee phase in the Senate and was never heard in the House. If passed, it would have prohibited workplaces from requiring employees to use preferred pronouns.

Official Actions of Local Governments (SB 420) would have banned local municipalities from spending money or promoting diversity, equity and inclusion policies. While it got through a committee stop, lawmakers, including Senate Rules Committee chair Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, did voice concern about the language, worrying it was too broad. The bill was never heard in its second committee.

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And Official Actions of Local Governments (SB 1710/HB 731) died in committee in both the Senate and the House. The measure would have prohibited spending on DEI initiatives and applying for federal health care grants that include DEI.

This year the Legislature asserted more independence and spent less time on partisan issues, said Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach. Positively, with more emphasis on policy over partisanship, many of the culture war issues failed, including anti-LGBTQ legislation.

Ana Goni-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network  Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida LGBTQ advocates say every targeted bill failed this session
A radiologist reviews the results of a mammogram. (Photo: Getty images)

Legislation that would provide health coverage parity for supplemental and diagnostic breast imaging won near unanimous support in the North Carolina House Wednesday, a week after breast cancer survivors called out their male counterparts in the legislature for failure to advance the bill.

Rep. Mary Belk (Photo: NCGA)

We are all familiar with mammograms and how important they are to detect breast cancer. But people who have survived breast cancer or have other major risks need to get more precise ultrasounds or breast MRI tests, explained Rep. Mary Belk (D-Mecklenburg) in giving her bill a final push ahead of this weeks crossover deadline.

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The diagnostic parity bill makes it so that all patients in North Carolina can get supplemental preventative screenings, with the same cost-sharing arrangement as routine mammograms. Far too many women, said Belk, cannot afford the medically necessary tests because of copays that can range from $252 to $1,200.

Rep. Jennifer Balkcom (R-Henderson) said that the Womens Legislative Caucus would stand with Belk in supporting House Bill 297.

Rep. Sarah Stevens, a breast cancer survivor, spoke against the bill. (Photo: NCGA)

But Rep. Sarah Stevens (R-Surry), herself a breast cancer survivor, said she could not support the bill that would likely raise insurance costs.

This increases our health care costs because it increases our insurance costs. Im afraid I cant do this, said the Surry County Republican. This is one of those we put an extra burden on the insurance company, anytime were calling something parity.

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On any other day, such a critique by the veteran Republican might have been enough to sink Belks bill.

But House Speaker Pro Tem Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba) came to the rescue.

My mother is a 28-year breast cancer survivor. I hope you all will fully vote for this bill, Setzer told his colleagues. Well deal with the consequence later, but it is something that is desperately needed.

But it was Rep. Howard Penny Jr. (R-Harnett) that shocked the chamber when he revealed he too was a breast cancer survivor.

In April of 2021, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the House Deputy Majority Whip confided.

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Rep. Penny said following a biopsy, a surgeon removed his right chest tissue where a lump was found. He was back at work the following week. Early detection and treatment are critical for improved outcomes.

I was sitting here with a port in my side, back there on the House floor. Once a year, I go get a mammogram, which is a lot of fun for men because, guess what? We dont have the anatomy to do what theyve got to do, Penny joked.

Penny urged his male colleagues in the House to be as brave as the women in their lives.

If youve got any indication, youve got a lump in your breast, go get it checked.

House Bill 297 passed 111-1, surviving crossover week. The bill now moves to the NC Senate where Democratic Leader Sydney Batch (D-Wake) is running Senate Bill 553. The Save More Tatas Act would provide health coverage parity for breast cancer diagnostic imaging. That bill would also allocate $3.5 million to help recruit and retain mammography technologists in rural and underserved areas.
ISLAMABAD, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Flight operations at airports of major cities of Pakistan have been temporarily suspended due to operational reasons, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) said on Thursday.

The PCAA officials told Xinhua that flight operations at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Islamabad International Airport, and Sialkot International Airport will remain suspended until further notification.

The PCAA said that air routes will be unavailable for commercial flights, advising the passengers to stay in touch with relevant airlines for the latest situation.

Earlier on Thursday morning, four people were injured when a blast occurred at a military compound in Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, official sources told Xinhua.

Official sources from Pakistan also said two people were injured when an Indian drone crashed near a gas well in southern Sindh province on Thursday morning.

On the same day, Pakistani authorities also reported shooting down drones in the Lahore and Chakwal districts of eastern Punjab province.

At least 31 civilians have been killed and 57 others injured in an Indian attack on Pakistani territory and subsequent exchange of fire between Pakistani and Indian troops along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border that divides the disputed region of Kashmir, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing said on Wednesday. 
Reports on the air war between India and Pakistan in recent days suggest what may well be the most intense series of aerial engagements for decades. While its still very hard to obtain confirmed details of this combat, which some sources state has involved more than a hundred fighters simultaneously, we do, at least, know what kinds of air-to-air missiles (AAMs) are available to the Indian and Pakistan Air Forces. Already prominent among these is the Chinese-made PL-15, with wreckage of at least two examples of this weapon having been uncovered. You can read more about the implications of the first use of the PL-15 in our recent story on the subject.

Pakistani security sources have posted claims of five Indian Air Force fighters shot down, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif boasting that the Pakistan Air Force had blown the five Indian jets to smithereens. Of these supposed aerial kills, Pakistani sources have claimed the destruction of no fewer than three Rafale multirole fighters. So far, there are reports of one Rafale shootdown confirmed by a high-ranking French intelligence official, speaking to CNN, with French authorities meanwhile looking into possible further Rafale losses. Imagery allegedly showing the wreckage of one Rafale  single-seater serial BS-001, the first Rafale EH to be delivered to India  has been posted on social media.

Rotating the original image, and looking at pic of serial BS 001 in better times, from the same side (right/starboard), all the details pretty much line up ("RAFALE" and "BS 001", roundel flag positioning, slime light, panel lines etc)



If the pic is real, this would call it. https://t.co/dm62aOmHBM pic.twitter.com/IZZwAB2sKP  Rick Joe (@RickJoe_PLA) May 7, 2025

Meanwhile, another senior Pakistani security source has described to CNN a large-scale air battle involving 125 jets, fighting for over an hour, in which time the aircraft remained in their respective airspaces and lobbed AAMs at each other from long distances.

BIG: Pakistan-India fighter jet dog fight was one of largest and longest in recent aviation history, CNN reports.



A total of 125 fighter jets battled for over an hour, with neither side leaving its own airspace.



The missile exchanges were happening at distances sometimes pic.twitter.com/XqXp3c2wnL  Clash Report (@clashreport) May 8, 2025

As well as crewed fighters, Pakistan has also made extensive claims on the destruction of Indian drones. Earlier today, Pakistan said it had downed 25 Israeli-made Harop loitering munitions. One of these drones was able to partially engage a target near the city of Lahore, injuring four army personnel, according to Pakistan Army spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.

Pakistans air defence forces intercepting Indias Israeli-origin Harop kamikaze drone attack over Lahore, Pakistan.



Pakistans military reported shooting down 12 Indian Harop drones near major cities like Karachi and Lahore. pic.twitter.com/Qx3aq5D70s  Clash Report (@clashreport) May 8, 2025

So far, Indias government has neither confirmed nor denied any of these losses. The use of Chinese-made AAMs by the Pakistan Air Force has also been capitalized on by Beijing, leading to the Indian embassy in China accusing Chinese state media of disinformation.

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Overall, a significant degree of confusion is very much typical when dealing with engagements that have been happening in the heat of combat. A flood of official and unofficial claims and counterclaims, some of them outlandish, is also to be expected, especially when dealing with social media. So, we should keep an open mind about the results of these aerial confrontations and consider that accidents, as well as friendly fire incidents, are also very possible. At the same time, Indian and Pakistani ground-based air defense systems have very likely also played a significant role, and any aircraft losses could also be the result of surface-to-air missile engagements.

A Pakistan Air Force JF-17 on static display with a range of air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance, in Karachi, in November 2024. Photo by Asif HASSAN / AFP

Nevertheless, AAMs are clearly a hugely important factor in the air war. The following roundup looks at the major weapons in this class used by both sides in the conflict. While the information provided is as accurate as possible, for any AAM, performance  especially range  and overall reliability are highly dependent on a variety of factors, including the track of the target and the height and speed of the launch aircraft. The overall diversity of missile types and suppliers is especially noteworthy, with both countries having sourced AAMs from different nations. On the one hand, this is part of keeping ahead of the opposition, but it is also intended to secure supply lines, should access to certain technologies be cut off, especially in times of tension or conflict. In the same way, India, for example, has consistently procured fighters from both the Soviet Union (now Russia) and from Western manufacturers.

INDIA

ASRAAM

The heat-seeking MBDA AIM-132 ASRAAM (Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile) is a notably capable dogfighting weapon, which has also come to greater prominence recently due to its use in the war in Ukraine, where its been successfully adapted for surface launch.

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Weighing a little under 200 pounds and measuring 9 feet 6 inches long, the ASRAAM is broadly analogous to the AIM-9X Sidewinder, but with some performance differences. In particular, it reportedly has an unusually long maximum range for a weapon in its class. Indeed, unconfirmed accounts assess it can engage targets out to as far as 31 miles, although its more usually attributed with a range of more than 15 miles.

U.K. Ministry of Defense UK MoD

The missiles infrared seeker provides a high off-boresight (HOBS) acquisition envelope.

India selected the ASRAAM for its upgraded Jaguar ground-attack aircraft and also integrated it on the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The Hawk Mk 132 advanced jet trainer, which has a secondary combat capability, can also use ASRAAM, although its unclear if these are issued operationally.

Astra

Currently only known to be carried by the Su-30MKI, the Astra is Indias first homegrown beyond-visual-range AAM. Developed by the Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO), the missile is a product of Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).

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According to the DRDO, the Astra is capable of engaging highly maneuvering and supersonic targets at a range of up to 61 miles and flies at a speed of Mach 4.5. The missile features inertial guidance, midcourse updates via datalink, and an active radar seeker for the terminal phase (the active seeker is activated around eight miles from the target). The missile is claimed to offer a significant degree of electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) to avoid hostile jamming.

Four Astra test rounds carried by a Su-30MKI. DRDO admin

Astra is also planned to be integrated on the Tejas Mk 1A and the Indian Navys MiG-29K.

Derby

Within the Indian Air Force, the Israeli-made Rafael Derby is used exclusively by the Tejas. The Derby ER (Extended Range) version used by India can hit targets at a claimed maximum range of up to 61 miles, putting it in the same class as the locally developed Astra. The Derby ER also employs inertial guidance, midcourse updates via datalink, and an active radar seeker for the terminal phase.

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Rafael advertises the Derby ER as having a full-sphere launch envelope, meaning that it can be used to engage targets in the aft hemisphere, as well as in the forward sectors. The missile has a stated range of around 25 miles against targets in the aft hemisphere. For these kinds of engagements, the missile would be fired in lock-on-after-launch (LOAL) mode, beginning its flight under inertial control, with a datalink allowing the launch aircraft to provide target updates during missile flight, before achieving an in-flight lock-on.

Tipping the scales at 260 pounds, the Derby ER is relatively light for a beyond-visual-range AAM, making it well suited to the diminutive Tejas. For larger fighters, however, the Indian Air Force has apparently chosen to stick with Russian-made AAMs and the locally developed Astra to tackle beyond-visual-range targets.

Meteor

The most capable beyond-visual-range AAM in the Indian Air Force inventory is the MBDA Meteor, which was acquired as part of New Delhis deal to buy Rafale multirole combat aircraft.

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As we have discussed in detail in the past, the pan-European Meteor is distinguished by its novel ramjet propulsion system. This kind of motor can be throttled during different phases of flight. This means it still has sufficient energy during the terminal attack  when traditional air-to-air missile motors are normally losing energy and, therefore, agility.

Thanks to its ramjet motor, the Meteors all-important no-escape zone is much larger than for comparable weapons. This means the enemys chance of evading the missile at the endgame of the engagement, using high-energy maneuvering, is considerably reduced. Another advantage of being able to throttle the motor is that the Meteors autopilot can calculate the most efficient route to the target for very long-range shots.

The Meteor is also one of the longest-ranged Western AAMs, likely being able to engage targets out to around 130 miles.

As well as an active radar seeker for the terminal phase, the Meteor has a two-way datalink. This provides the missile with in-flight updates as it flies out to the target, while the pilot in the launch aircraft can use the datalink to get information on the Meteors fuel, energy, and tracking state. That can help determine if and when to fire another, disengage, or even assign a different target of opportunity.

MICA

The other AAM used on Indias French-made fighters is the MICA, arming both the Rafale and the older Mirage 2000.

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Unusual for a modern Western beyond-visual-range AAM, the MICA can be fitted with either an active radar seeker or an infrared seeker head. When using the latter option, the seeker can act as a poor mans infrared search and track system and provide target detection indication in the pilots head-up display (HUD).

A Mirage 2000 touches down on an expressway, with a single infrared-guided MICA missile under the left wing. Photo by Subhankar Chakraborty/Hindustan Times via Getty Images

The MICA uses a thrust-vectoring motor for improved agility and has a reported maximum range of around 37 miles.

Python 5

The infrared-guided Rafael Python 5 is the latest member of a family of dogfight missiles that Israel began to develop in the late 1970s.

While early iterations of the Python missile were simpler, short-range heat-seeking weapons, later versions were designed to be used with a helmet-mounted sight, namely successive iterations of Elbits Display and Sight Helmet System (DASH). As well as having the ability to be slaved to the radar during the early part of the engagement, the Python seeker can be directed to nearly wherever the pilots head and helmet are pointed.

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The Python 5s immediate predecessor, the Python 4, appeared in the early 1990s and is reported to have a 60-degree high off-boresight (HOBS) capability during close-quarters combat and maneuver at up to 70g; it is also said it can make a 180-degree turn after launch to intercept a target behind the launch aircraft. It also introduced a dual-waveband imaging infrared (IIR) seeker and infrared counter-countermeasures (IRCCM).

The Python 5 adds further improvements, including a new seeker that is understood to provide better performance against drones.

The Python 5 was acquired by India, together with the Derby ER, to arm the Tejas.

R-27

Known to NATO as the AA-10 Alamo, the Vympel R-27 was developed by the Soviet Union from the mid-1970s to arm the MiG-29 and Su-27.

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The first two versions that entered production in 1983 are the semi-active radar-homing R-27R and the infrared-guided R-27T. The R-27R uses inertial navigation with mid-course radio corrections during the first 30 seconds of flight, with semi-active radar guidance for the terminal phase (requiring illumination by the fighters radar). The R-27T has a passive infrared seeker and launches only after the seeker has been locked onto the target.

An Indian Air Force MiG-29. Seen under the right wing (from left to right) are examples of the R-73, R-77, and R-27R missiles. Photo by MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP via Getty Images MANJUNATH KIRAN

Longer-range versions of these weapons were also produced by adding a more powerful dual-pulse engine section. These are the radar-guided R-27ER and the infrared-guided R-27ET.

The maximum range of the R-27T is reportedly 37 miles, and 31 miles for the R-27T. The extended-range versions are able to hit targets at a maximum range of 59 miles (R-27ER) or 56 miles (R-27ET).

A version of the R-27 with a passive radar seeker was also developed, but is not understood to have been acquired by India.

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Despite its age, the R-27 is still a primary weapon for the Indian MiG-29 and Su-30MKI.

R-73

The Vympel R-73, known in the West as the AA-11 Archer, entered Soviet service in 1983 and quickly became regarded as a very capable short-range AAM. Its combination of an all-aspect infrared seeker, high off-boresight capability, thrust-vectoring controls, and the fact it could be cued by the pilots helmet-mounted sight made it an immediate threat and ensured it would be an influential design.

Today, the R-73s advantage has been eroded by the appearance of the AIM-9X Sidewinder, successive versions of the Israeli Python, the ASRAAM, and others.

An Indian Air Force Su-30MKI with an R-73 mounted on the wingtip hardpoint, carried inboard are R-77 and R-27 missiles. Photo by Pallava Bagla/Corbis via Getty Images Pallava Bagla

Nevertheless, the R-73 remains a very potent close-air combat missile, with a maximum range of around 18.6 miles against a head-on target, or 8.7 miles in a tail-on engagement.

In Indian Air Force service, the R-73 is issued to MiG-21 Bison, MiG-29, and Su-30MKI units.

R-77

Assigned the NATO reporting name AA-12 Adder, the Vympel R-77 was developed as the Soviet counterpart of the AIM-120 AMRAAM. First test-launched in 1984, it eventually entered service in 1994. Ultimately, the original R-77 saw only limited production for Russia, with most examples being completed for export.

The missile is typically launched under inertial guidance, with midcourse updates provided by datalink, before using its active radar seeker for the terminal phase. Reportedly, the R-77 can switch to a passive radar homing mode if it encounters heavy electronic countermeasures, engaging the source of the jamming.

An Indian Air Force Su-30MKI carrying inert R-73 (outboard) and R-77 (inboard) missiles under the left wing, as well as a free-fall bomb. Photo by Ajay Aggarwal/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Hindustan Times

The basic R-77 has a reported maximum range of 50 miles.

The Indian Air Force uses the R-77 to arm the MiG-21 Bison, MiG-29, and Su-30MKI.

PAKISTAN

While India sources its AAMs primarily from Europe and Russia, as well as increasingly undertaking local development, Pakistan primarily relies on Chinese-made missiles for its Chinese-developed fighters, while mainly U.S.-made weapons arm its F-16 fleet.

AIM-9 Sidewinder

The classic Sidewinder infrared-guided AAM remains the short-range weapon of choice for Pakistans F-16 fleet. While Pakistan hasnt received the latest AIM-9X, it continues to use the all-aspect AIM-9L as well as the older AIM-9P version.

A U.S. Air Force F-16C carries an AIM-120C AMRAAM on the wingtip, with an AIM-9L/M Sidewinder on the outermost underwing pylon, and an AGM-88 HARM on the mid-wing pylon. U.S. Air Force

AIM-120 AMRAAM

The primary beyond-visual-range AAM for Pakistans F-16 fleet is the AIM-120C-5 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), a weapon that first began to be delivered to the U.S. military in 1996. Overall, the AMRAAM is the most proven missile in its class.

With the introduction of the longer-range AIM-120C-7, as well as the even longer-legged AIM-120D, the AIM-120C-5 is no longer quite as cutting edge as when it first appeared: it also lacks the two-way datalink and third-party targeting capabilities found on the D-model, for example.

Nevertheless, the AIM-120C is still very capable and also offers some significant advantages over the earlier AIM-120A/B models. Even in its most basic, first sub-generation form, enhancements in range, guidance, resistance to countermeasures, and more are significant.

An F-16 from the 421st Fighter Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, fires an AIM-120 AMRAAM. U.S. Air Force USAF

According to data from one of its operators, the AIM-120C-5 provides a maximum range of around 46 miles.

The big question around Pakistans AMRAAM  and its F-16 fleet more broadly  is whether it would employ them in a confrontation of this kind with the Indian Air Force.

Pakistan has a fleet of around 76 F-16s, which are a mix of A/B Air Defense Fighter (ADF), AM/BM Mid-Life Update (MLU), and Block 52 C/D models. These include jets acquired directly from the United States and second-hand sources. Other batches of the aircraft have, in the past, been placed under embargo by Washington, blocking their delivery.

Back in 2019, during clashes between the Indian and Pakistan Air Forces, India publicly showed portions of an AIM-120C-5 as evidence that the F-16s were involved in some way. New Delhi also said it had irrefutable evidence that a Pakistani F-16 had been shot down by a MiG-21 Bison. Meanwhile, Pakistan denied that its F-16s, which are its only aircraft capable of carrying AMRAAMs, participated in the fighting and denied any related losses.

February 28, 2019: Indian Air Force officials show parts of an AMRAAM missile, said to be fired by a Pakistan Air Force F-16, which were found in Rajouri district, in the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in the larger disputed Kashmir region. Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Hindustan Times

Regardless, there is a major political dimension to Pakistan using its F-16s against India.

Over the years, there has been significant U.S. political opposition to selling F-16s to Pakistan at all from members of Congress, for various reasons, chiefly allegations that its state security apparatus is at least complicit in various terrorist activities, if it is not supporting them outright. With this in mind, Pakistan may think twice about using its F-16s against India to avoid restrictions on future military aid from the United States.

A three-ship of Pakistan Air Force F-16s during the national day parade in Islamabad on March 23, 2025. Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP AAMIR QURESHI

With a growing fleet of Chinese-designed combat aircraft, armed with Chinese-made AAMs, the option of Pakistan keeping its F-16s out of any confrontation with India is also becoming more realistic.

Magic

The French-made Matra Magic 2 infrared-guided AAM is broadly analogous to the AIM-9L and can be used by Pakistans F-16s as an alternative to the U.S.-made weapon. It is also used to arm the older F-7PG and Mirage 3/5 fighter fleets, although it is unlikely that these jets would be exposed to combat with the Indian Air Force, bearing in mind their more limited capabilities.

Magic 2 missile. (Globalsecurity.org)

PL-5 and PL-9

The Chinese-made PL-5 dogfight missile has its origins in the 1960s, although it only entered production in 1982, emerging as something of a clone of the AIM-9. The first version to enter service was the infrared-guided PL-5B, superseded in the mid-1980s by the improved PL-5C, and finally the PL-5E-II in the early 1990s. This last model is likely the one used by Pakistan, and it reportedly has much-improved high-off-boresight capabilities (an off-boresight angle of +/-25 degrees before launch), conferring all-aspect performance. It also features a laser proximity fuse.

A mock-up of a PL-5E-II at the China Airshow at Zhuhai in 2008. Externally, the weapon is very similar to the AIM-9L/M Sidewinder. MIKE CLARKE/AFP via Getty Images

The PL-9, meanwhile, is another Chinese-made infrared-guided AAM, and a design that was produced exclusively for export, development starting in the mid-1980s. While based on the same missile body as the earlier PL-5 and PL-7, the PL-9 differs in its use of an all-aspect infrared seeker.

While the PL-5E-II is primarily associated with the JF-17, the PL-9 is understood to arm the F-7PG, a type that remains in only limited operational service with the Pakistan Air Force.

PL-12

China began work on the PL-12 in the early 1990s as a response to the AMRAAM. As such, the beyond-visual-range missile features active radar homing, as well as a datalink for mid-course updates.

Reports suggest that the PL-12 uses a variable-thrust rocket motor to ensure speed and maneuverability across the flight envelope, and that the Chinese military considers it superior to the AIM-120B and the Russian R-77, although marginally less capable than the AIM-120C.

A Chinese J-10C conducts a training sortie, with a single inert PL-12 round carried under the starboard wing. Xinhua/Liu Chuan via Getty Images

According to official specifications, the PL-12 has a range of between 44 and 62 miles, reduced to 37-44 miles for the export-configured SD-10. The U.K.s Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) defense think tank assesses that the PL-12s range sits somewhere between the AIM-120B and AIM-120C-5.

The PL-12  or, more properly, the SD-10 export version  arms Pakistans JF-17 and J-10C.

PL-15

Chinas PL-15 beyond-visual-range AAM was developed as the follow-on to the PL-12, reportedly intended to at least match the performance of the AIM-120D.

Most significantly, the new missile employs a dual-pulse rocket motor that helps boost its range to a reported 124 miles. A two-way datalink provides guidance updates to the missile and the launching aircraft, and the seeker uses active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology, with active and passive modes, and its also said to have better resistance to countermeasures.

An air-to-air load-out for the J-10C comprising PL-15 (inboard) and PL-10 (outboard) AAMs. via Chinese internet

The PL-15 likely began development around 2011 and, as well as replacing the PL-12 across Chinas fighter fleet, it has also been offered for export under the PL-15E name. Pakistan became the first customer for the PL-15E to arm its JF-17 and J-10C fighters.

Published performance figures for the PL-15E include a range of 90 miles, somewhat less than for the domestic version.

RUSI determines that the PL-15 out-ranges the US-made AIM-120C/D AMRAAM series and has a comparable maximum range to the Meteor. The same source notes, however, that the pan-European Meteor likely has a much larger no-escape zone and better long-range kill probability thanks to its ramjet motor. Regardless, the PL-15 provides Pakistan with a weapon that is at least comparable to the most capable AAMs employed by India.

Of the missiles profiled, the PL-15 is the only one so far confirmed to have been used during the current hostilities. So far, wreckage of the missile has been identified in at least two locations, although the outcomes of the engagements remain unknown.

Further confirmation: Another Chinese long-range PL-15E air-to-air missile parts were found in Indias Punjab region, fired by Pakistans J-10C fighter jets against Indian fighter jets. https://t.co/O0Y3KsPwGg pic.twitter.com/DGET3QEVOZ  Clash Report (@clashreport) May 8, 2025

Between them, India and Pakistan clearly have access to a wide variety of AAMs, many of which are highly capable  at least on paper.

However, whatever their potential, air-to-air missiles will only ever be one part of securing a successful aerial engagement. Equally important are the respective sides abilities to harness the advantages of training, networking, airborne early warning, electronic warfare, tactics, and many other factors. Ultimately, whatever happens in the ongoing standoff between India and Pakistan, it will be these elements that determine the wider fortunes of the respective air forces.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
(NewsNation)  Lawmakers were told this week that the Air Force and Space Force were planning on laying off thousands of workers, which could hinder recruitment and operations efforts, according to reports.

In a hearing on April 30, the deputy chief of space operations for human capital, Katharine Kelley, said, I will tell you, because we rely heavily upon the Air Force for support, and that the preponderance of our Guardians, military and civilian, are operationally-focused, this is going to be a challenge for us.

US tests hypersonic aircraft, advances toward China in arms race

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This comes two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Defense Department would reduce the agencys civilian workforce by around 5% to 8% as part of the Department of Government Efficiencys efforts to reduce government spending.

12K Air Force civilian employees expected to be cut: Lt. Gen.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Caroline Miller reportedly expects to lose around 12,000 Air Force civilians, which is about 6% of the agencys employees. Kelley believes that the Space Force will lose around 10% of civilians, which would be about 570 employees.

Space Force Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant reportedly said in March that a considerable number of civilian employees at the agency had taken advantage of President Donald Trumps deferred resignation program.

A spokesperson with the Air Force told Air & Space Forces Magazine that, right now, it is too soon to know how these reductions will break down when it comes to job specialty or pay grade.

Air Force One is prepared for the arrival of President Donald Trump at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Until they know, that spokesperson said the Air Force expects near-term civilian employee reductions to affect all mission areas to some degree, while limiting reductions that directly support warfighter readiness and lethality.

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Another fighter jet from USS Harry S. Truman crashes into sea

It is said that probationary employees in the Air Force will only be a very small portion of the overall reductions. At Space Force, the cuts will reportedly be proportionately distributed across the workforce based on both skill and tenure of civilian Guardians.

Army expects to lose around 16K employees: Lt. Gen.

Miller reportedly said she hopes the resignations will be voluntary, but she did admit that these cuts could affect recruiting, since candidates could feel uncertainty about whether or not youll be able to maintain that position.

Lt. Gen. Brian Eifler with the Army is allegedly expecting to lose around 16,000 employees, but is working on making sure this doesnt impact the agencys mission.

This image provided by the U.S. Army shows Capt. Seth Deltenre, left, and 1st Lt. Gabrielle White, from the Maneuver Center of Excellence in Fort Benning, Ga., as they compete during the Malvesti obstacle course in the 2025 Best Ranger Competition, April 11, 2025, at Camp Rogers in Fort Benning. (Patrick A. Albright/U.S. Army via AP)

In the Marines, Lt. Gen. Michael Borgschulte said around 1,600 civilians took the voluntary resignation offer from the Trump administration. The Navy didnt have an estimate, but told the Air & Space Forces Magazine about the importance of Navy civilians.

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Defense Secretary Hegseth to slash senior-most ranks of military

Navy Vice Adm. Richard Cheeseman Jr. said, I cant do my job without my three-star civilian equivalent deputy She did not take the DRP but I am very concerned about my force development pipeline, how this will affect the schoolhouses and how itll affect our pay systems going forward, depending on how that shakes out.

Air Force, Space Force complying with military-wide hiring freeze of civilians

The Air Force and the Space Force are reportedly complying with the military-wide hiring freeze on civilians. This is in place for everything except what is considered mission-critical roles.

Supreme Court allows Trump administration to enforce trans military ban

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This freeze has allegedly caused issues in a lot of areas, including child care. During the hearing at the end of April, Miller said many civilians who trained child care providers took the first round of Trumps resignation offer. This, among other things, has allegedly caused the Air Force to move around its workers and resources.

This could mean that the Air Force will need to reduce the hours on some of its programs when summer hits, which is a popular time for youth activities and child care needs.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
A former United Airlines pilot said Newark air traffic controllers already had a tough enough job prior to the recent system outage. Some air traffic controllers involved in the Newark airport system chaos opted for a 45-day trauma leave," adding to an already vacant profession.

Despite the system outage at Newark Liberty International Airport that has delayed flights into this week, air traffic controllers tasked with airports logistics already have a ridiculously hard job, a former United Airlines pilot said.

I equate a good, A-level, traffic controller that can handle a place like Newark, JFK, LAX, San Francisco, to a three-dimensional-chess player who can juggle a chainsaw, an axe, a sword, a razor blade with his eyes closed, Aero Consulting Experts CEO and a former United pilot Ross Aimer told Fortune.

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Last week, air traffic controllers in the Philadelphia TRACON (PHL) tasked with oversight into the logistics of arrival and departure flights at the Newark Liberty International Airport temporarily lost radar and communications with the aircraft under their control, unable to see, hear, or talk to them, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) told Quartz.

The incident came after an American Airlines flight collided with a U.S. Army Blackhawk Helicopter over the Potomac killing everyone on board and adding further scrutiny to the Federal Aviation Administrations and its 50-year-old technology.

While there were no accidents as a result of the outage at Newark, the 60- to 90-second darkness was the most dangerous situation you could have, an on duty air traffic controller told CNN.

Following the outage, some employees who work Newark arrivals and departures have taken time off to recover from the stress of multiple recent outages, the Federal Aviation Administration posted on X. Under the Federal Employees Compensation Act, air traffic controllers are allowed to take a 45-day trauma leave after a stressful event.

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A supervisor, three controllers, and a trainee were among those who took the 45-day leave, another air traffic controller told CNN.

While we cannot replace them due to this highly specialized profession, we continue to train controllers who will eventually be assigned to this busy airspace, the Federal Aviation Administration posted on X.

The ranks of qualified air traffic controllers are sparse. In January, NATCA President Nick Daniels said in an interview with CBS News that there are 10,800 air traffic controllers, but the number should be 14,335. Additionally, more than 90% of the nations air traffic control facilities fall below the recommended staffing levels, the New York Times reported.

NATCA did not return Fortune's request for comment.

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It takes a long time to train [an] air traffic controller, Aimer said.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website, entry-level applicants must spend several months completing training courses at the agencys academy before gaining two to three years of classroom and hands-on experience.

A lot of these guys, they burn out, Aimer said. They cant finish the training, which is very grueling.

Due to the staffing shortage in Newark, United Airlines pulled 35 round-trip flights to the airport.

Keep in mind, this particular air traffic control facility has been chronically understaffed for years and without these controllers, it's now clearand the FAA tells usthat Newark airport cannot handle the number of planes that are scheduled to operate there in the weeks and months ahead, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement.

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Currently the Philadelphia-based tower in charge of Newark has 22 fully certified controllers and 21 controllers and supervisors in training, according to an FAA statement obtained by Fortune.

We have a healthy pipeline with training classes filled through July 2026, the FAA wrote.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscumbia, speaks in the Alabama Senate on May 8, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The House passed his bill to raise the medical age of consent to 16 on Wednesday.(Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that raised the age of medical consent from 14 to 16.

SB 101, sponsored by Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscambia, would require parental consent for medical, dental, and mental health services for minors under 16 and prohibit health care providers and governmental entities from denying parents access to a childs health record.

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Fourteen-year-olds brains are not fully formed. We dont let 14-year-olds get a tattoo or vote, Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, who handled the legislation, said. We want parents engaged in the process.

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The House Health Committee approved the legislation on April 23 with a substitute that allows a child to receive emergency mental health treatment without the parents consent. The substitute passed the House 85-0.

The bill provides several exemptions to the age of consent requirement. Minors under 16 who are pregnant or emancipated can make their own medical decisions. Minors under 16 can also consent to services related to sexually transmitted diseases and alcohol or drug misuse. Health care professionals would also be allowed to provide emergency services without parental consent under specific circumstances, including imminent threats to the minors health, suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation.

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Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, offered an amendment that requires parental consent for individualized counseling. The amendment was adopted 87-0 with 14 abstentions.

It also spills over into the area of education, so just for some clarity there on whats allowed and whats not allowed, Shaver said.

The bill passed 85-0 with 18 abstentions. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee. The last day of legislative session is May 14.

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Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro (left) looks at the phone of Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, on the floor of the Alabama Senate on May 7, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. The Senate saw two filibusters on Wednesday: one from Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham that would have allowed the governor to appoint members of the governing board of the Alabama Department of Archives and History without Senate confirmation; the other from Singleton in protest of the House not taking up a bill he considered important for his district. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

The Alabama Legislature ground to a halt on Wednesday afternoon amid a dispute between the Alabama House and a senator over a gambling bill for Greene County.

The stand-off on the next-to-last legislative day of the session punctuated a tense day in the chambers that saw another filibuster on a bill that would change the governance of the Alabama Department of Archives and History and two Republican representatives getting into a shouting match on the House floor.

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The question about ending it today was the right decision, I believe, so that everyone stopped, we had a clean break, and then were going into the last legislative day, knowing exactly whats in front of us, said Senate President Pro Tempore Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, after the Senate adjourned, adding that cloturing the Democratic filibuster would create a little bit of animosity towards each side of the aisle, and we dont want that.

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The disputes left the fates of high-profile legislation and dozens of local bills for individual districts up in the air. The last day of the session is May 14.

[Next week] looks slow because Im settled in Theyve got 40 more House bills, said Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, who filibustered a Senate calendar for most of the afternoon. Im willing to talk 40 more hours.



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Singleton wanted the House to pass a SB 90, a bill for Greene County that would update the distribution of local gambling revenue in the county and change the appointing authority for Greene County Racing Commission members from the governor to the legislative delegation.

Wednesday was the last day for lawmakers to get bills to the governors desk before Gov. Kay Ivey can wield a pocket veto over legislation. Singleton said Iveys staff said she wasnt going to sign his bill, and that a Senate agenda of 10 bills taken up by the chamber on Wednesday needed to get out because shes not going to sign the bills.

The governor has said to leadership that there were certain bills that she was not going to sign  Thats why you saw all those bills because they needed to get out today, so that therefore they could override the veto on the last day if she decided to veto them, Singleton said.

Gina Maiola, a spokesperson for the governor, wrote in a text message Wednesday thats not necessarily true regarding issues with local bills, saying that the governor met with leadership to discuss the final days of the session and agree to a final schedule.

Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscumbia (right) speaks with Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman in the Alabama Senate on May 7, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

Singleton filibustered the local calendar but allowed the first five local bills on it to pass.

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The House did not put Singletons bill on a calendar on Wednesday, likely dooming it for the session. In the House, Rep. Curtis Travis, D-Tuscaloosa, requested to bring SB 90 to the floor out of order, a move that requires four-fifths of members present to approve. After an hour and 45 minutes of debate, Travis withdrew the motion.

House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, said after the House adjourned that all gaming bills must be brought to the floor on a special order calendar, regardless if they are local legislation or statewide bills.

(Singleton) was really adamant about getting on the floor, and gave a chance for Rep. Travis to have a conversation about it, Ledbetter said after the House adjourned. And I think thats what he wanted to do. And unfortunately, our rules and rules in the Senate arent the same. And anything thats got to do with gaming in the House, its got to be general and going to the House floor.

Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, who co-sponsored a comprehensive gambling package last year, supported the motion saying Alabamians gamble anyway.

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I do feel that we failed our citizens last year by not voting on a comprehensive gaming package, Whitt said. This is a great demonstration of what happens when we let this patchwork gaming happen all across the state, and it will continue to happen. If you dont think gambling and gaming is happening in your communities, youre all wrong.

Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, signals to House Speaker Pro Tem Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, to wait before setting a date for the chamber to return to work in the Alabama House of Representatives on May 7, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

Spat in the House

The House had its own internal drama Wednesday when Reps. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, and Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, had a heated discussion on the House floor over an amendment to SB 82, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur.

The bill requires municipal court magistrates and circuit court clerks to annually audit and recall outstanding warrants for Class B and Class C misdemeanors and violations that have not been served within 10 years.

Faulkners amendment allowed the presiding judge to decide if a warrant would be recalled. Simpson asked Faulkner to change his amendment to also alert the prosecuting attorney.

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Were not amending the amendment, Faulkner said. You can amend the bill.

Simpson argued Faulkner could not do that.

I can have this debate with you right now because Im asking to amend the amendment, Simpson said. Lets let the body ask to amend the amendment.

The pair got heated, then the bill was carried over to the call of the chair. The pair continued their debate away from the podiums on the House floor, then moved to a side room for about an hour.

They emerged, but the bill was not brought back up.

Final Day

Both chambers of the Legislature will return on Wednesday afternoon, but the battle between the chambers may not ease. Ledbetter said Singletons bill will not be on the calendar when the House returns.

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But Singleton said after the Senate adjourned that he still wants his bill passed like all other local bills. The Senate minority leader noted the Senate still had to pass about 50 local bills and approve confirmations, and warned that he was willing to filibuster most if not all of them.

Thats where we will be. If thats what game they want to play, Im willing to play, and I think most of you know that I can play that game, Singleton said. We probably have another 25 confirmations out there. Somebodys not going to get confirmed, and some local bills will die.

Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro (left) speaks to Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence (right) on the floor of the Alabama Senate on May 7, 2025 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

The impasse could also threaten high-profile state bills, including a bill broadening police immunity that Ivey called for in her State of the State address in February. A bill to change the governance of the Alabama Department of Archives and History also stalled after Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, objected to the bill removing Senate confirmation of board members. The bill will go to a conference committee.

As of right now, the local legislation is my main priority because all politics is local. We want to make sure that we try to take care of our members here and the members in the House, Gudger said after the Senate adjourned Wednesday.

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT)  We all hear the national anthem performed before sporting events, and soon, students in Alabama could be singing it in the classroom.

Lawmakers disagree on a bill that passed out of committee today, requiring schools to play the Star-Spangled Banner at least once a week. Rep. Arnold Mooney (R-Indian Springs) said it should be a part of education in the state.

Just being sure that we provide those opportunities for young people to know about the history of their country, from the national anthem standpoint and all, said Mooney. And singing it, learning about other things in history, or civic, or whatever.

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The bill outlines the history of the song, and states its important students have exposure to that history. As a longtime educator, Rep. Barbara Boyd (D-Anniston) said that decision should be left to local schoolboards.

Gov. Kay Ivey signs bill that largely wrestles control of the Birmingham Water Works Board out of the citys hands

Im a little confused, after 45 years of being around a little bit, what are we dealing with? she asked. And, why are we having to deal with this right now?

Rep. Marilyn Lands (D-Huntsville) said students already have enough on their plate.

Id like to see us have a moment of quiet, so our minds could rest a little bit, said Lands. Its not that Im not for the national anthem, I just feel like we dont need to be adding other things in at this point.

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But, Rep. Mooney defended the effort. I believe very strongly that singing the national anthem, or hearing it presented in some manner, they can choose from all sorts of things, is a beneficial thing to the students, Mooney replied. It is, in a sense I think, a calming thing.

With only one day left in the session, the bill now goes to the House floor for final passage. If signed by the governor, Alabamians would have to vote on the requirement, as it is a constitutional amendment.

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A woman scrolling on a smartphone. The Alabama Legislature Wednesday gave final approval to a bill sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, that would require school boards to adopt policies restricting cellphone use by students during classroom instruction hours. (Getty)

The Alabama Senate gave final approval Wednesday to a ban cellphones during school hours in public schools.

HB 166, sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, would require local school boards to adopt a policy for students to store cellphones during class hours. The bill passed on a 30-2 vote and goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.

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Much of the discussion on the Senate floor centered around an amendment proposed by Sen. Chris Elliot, R-Josephine, that would have allowed students to use their phones to contact their parents or legal guardians.

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Elliott said that while he support[s] what hes trying to do, constituents told him they were concerned about not being able to reach their children during school hours. The chamber voted the amendment down on a 9-23 vote.

Youre going to hear from parents back home if this passes, Elliot said to the body.

Students can access their phones under three exceptions: if they study under an Individualized Education Plan that allows it, for teacher-approved instruction and for medical purposes.

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Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, who sponsored a similar bill and handled the legislation in the Senate, said that students can use the schools front office to contact their parents.

In school systems where this has been implemented, it has worked, Sessions said.

Cellphones can be stored in a locker, car or other storage device so long as they are not on the students person. According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of U.S. high school teachers say that cellphone distraction is a major issue in their classrooms. At least 11 states ban or restrict cellphone use during school hours, according to KFF, and 17 other states have introduced legislation.

Ivey in her 2025 State of the State endorsed legislation to ban cellphones in schools, saying that social media is negatively impacting students.

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Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor poses for a photo in his office last month. (Photo by Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal)

In the state of Alaskas published travel report for top administration officials, the Department of Law disclosed spending $650 to send Attorney General Treg Taylor to a two-day conference in Colorado last year.

Not mentioned in that report, however: at least $20,000 that a corporate-funded group spent on a trip for Taylor and his wife, Jodi, to the Normandy region of France last summer.

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Attendees stayed at a five-star hotel favored by Hollywood stars and polo players and dined at Le Cote Royal, where patrons can spend 38 euros on braised pork cheeks, according to a schedule obtained by a watchdog group.

Roughly half of the countrys attorneys general participated, according to the Associated Press. Their schedule called for four hours of business meetings and more than two days of ceremonies and sightseeing, including guided tours of World War II battlegrounds and a centuries-old abbey.

Taylor ultimately did report that trip in an unpublished financial disclosure he filed in March thats only released from state regulators upon request.

The disclosure also reported a 2023 trip to South Africa, where attorneys general were scheduled to take an educational tour of wine estates and a daylong trip to a game reserve that offers viewing of lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo. Participants were accompanied by corporate officials from firms like Uber, TikTok and Albertsons, the parent company of the Safeway grocery store chain, according to reporting by CNN.

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Taylors participation underscores watchdogs growing concerns about the group that paid for the trips, the Attorney General Alliance, or AGA, which has raised millions of dollars from corporations  including some that have had legal disputes with states.

Taylor recently assumed the alliances chairmanship, his department announced earlier this year, and he is holding a cybersecurity-focused meeting for the group in Alaska in August.

The alliance, created in 2019, has come under increasing criticism, including from the former head of the century-old National Association of Attorneys General, who said in his retirement letter that the alliance, a competing group, is overwhelmingly dependent on corporate and lobbyist money and creates pathways for attorneys general to have their travel paid by entities they are investigating or suing.

The simple fact is they are a lobbyist access group with some programming to cover for it, said Tom Jones, head of the American Accountability Foundation, a conservative group thats used public records requests to expose some of the alliances corporate links and sponsored trips.

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Taylors office describes the alliance as a nonpartisan forum where attorneys general work in cooperation to share ideas, educate on emerging issues, build relationships and foster enforcement through meetings, panels, working groups, and social activities.

In an interview at his downtown Anchorage office, Taylor said he took vacation time for his trips to South Africa and France, on which he flew business class.

And he vehemently defended AGAs value. In addition to trips, he said, it also provides trainings for state attorneys on subjects like organized retail crime, online gaming and artificial intelligence.

Taylor said that AGA-sponsored trips contain substantive panels and discussions  such as, in South Africa, sessions on intellectual property rights and cybersecurity.

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And he added that the relationships hes developed with experts and corporate officials on trips have helped him and other attorneys general resolve problems without the need for long, nasty and expensive litigation.

But he also rejected the idea that those relationships make it more difficult for attorneys general to hold corporations accountable: He noted that states have sued and litigated against major sponsors of AGA like Amazon and Pfizer.

The only benefit they have is that I do know who they are. And they do know who I am, and they can reach out, he said. But that doesnt stop us from doing our jobs as AGs, as weve proven over and over again.

Taylor is a former top attorney for a large, Indigenous-owned oil and gas contracting business, and he began his tenure in state government in 2018 as deputy attorney general in charge of the civil division at the Alaska Department of Law.

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Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy appointed him attorney general in 2021.

The AGA was created in 2019 by a group of Western attorneys general and has grown to include more than 40 states and territories, according to its website.

Alaska pays some $10,000 in yearly membership fees. But Taylor acknowledged that a very, very low percentage of the AGAs budget comes from those dues and that the rest comes from sponsors.

CNN reported that the group collected nearly $27 million in sponsorships between 2019 and 2023  and allows companies, depending upon the size of their contributions, to suggest speakers, panelists, working groups, white papers and events.

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Jones, from the conservative advocacy group, said one problem with the corporate participation in the trips to foreign countries is that the other side of that conversation is not happening there.

People who would advocate for tougher legal scrutiny of corporations, he said, dont have the tens of thousands of dollars a year to pay into associations to buy time in Normandy with the attorneys general.

Taylor said he understands criticism that traveling internationally for AGA programming isnt necessary in the Zoom era, which, he added, is why I take personal time for those trips.

He also said that he paid for his six children and one of their spouses to accompany him on the trip to Normandy, which they followed with a weeklong stay at an Airbnb on southern Frances Mediterranean coast to explore the Pyrenees, since Im already there.

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Amid a spate of negative press coverage and public records requests about the alliance, though, Taylor acknowledged that the group has room for improvement and will consider potential changes.

AGA is a worthless organization if AGs cant take advantage of the things that they offer, he said. And if they cant take advantage of the things that they offer because of the types of trips that are occurring, then we need to change those types of trips.

Detailed documentation of Taylors alliance-paid trips  including travel confirmations and receipts for plane tickets  is not public because expenses covered by a third party do not need to be recorded, said Alan Birnbaum, a state attorney and public records specialist who handled a Northern Journal request to the Department of Law.

[Read the Department of Laws response to Northern Journals records request]

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Birnbaum cited a state administrative manual that says that if travel is immaterial to an agency travel budget, related transactions dont need to be recorded as an expenditure and a revenue.

At Taylors direction, Birnbaum later released some general itineraries for the trips, though more detailed documentation was still withheld.

Taylor said he did not know whether hed deleted the requested records, but, he added: I cull my email all the time. He also said that state law aims to define what he described as the limits of a public record.

Any time we start to diminish what a public record is, thats something that I worry about, because that is a slippery slope: Well, you did it in this case. Why, now, wont you release the memo that you wrote the governor on this issue? Do you have something to hide? Taylor said. Thats just one of those roads that Ive just made a policy decision, were not going to go around.

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Nathaniel Herz welcomes tips at natherz@gmail.com or (907) 793-0312. This article was originally published in Northern Journal, a newsletter from Herz. Subscribe at this link.

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The Alaska State Capitol is seen in partial morning sun on May 10, 2024. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

The Alaska Legislature has approved what would be the first state measure to raise significant new revenue in a decade and in the process has unlocked a key section of its own education-funding bill.

On Wednesday, the Alaska House voted 26 to 14, to update the corporate income tax for companies doing business over the internet. The revenue measure is tied to pay for part of House Bill 57, a bipartisan education funding measure awaiting Gov. Dunleavys verdict.

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HOW THEY VOTED

In favor

Robyn Niayuq Burke, D-Utqiagvik

Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan

Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks

Mia Costello, R-Anchorage

Maxine Dibert, D-Fairbanks

Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham

Ted Eischeid, D-Anchorage

Zack Fields, D-Anchorage

Neal Foster, D-Nome

Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage

Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage

Carolyn Hall, D-Anchorage

Sara Hannan, D-Juneau

Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka

Ky Holland, I-Anchorage

Nellie Unangiq Jimmie, D-Bethel

Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage

Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage

Donna Mears, D-Anchorage

Elexie Moore, R-Wasilla

Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage

Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna

Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage

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Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks

Andi Story, D-Juneau

Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak

Against

Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River

Julie Coulombe, R-Anchorage

Bill Elam, R-Nikiski

DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer

Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake

David Nelson, R-Anchorage

Mike Prax, R-North Pole

George Rauscher, R-Sutton

Dan Saddler, R-Eagle River

Rebecca Schwanke, R-Glennallen

Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla

Frank Tomaszewski, R-Fairbanks

Jubilee Underwood, R-Wasilla

Sarah Vance, R-Homer

Its great news, said Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, sponsor of the legislation on Wednesday following the vote. This is a critically needed bill. It can generate some much needed revenue for education funding, and it is not going to result in any new taxes on Alaskans.

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Senate Bill 113 would clarify that businesses that do at least 50% of sales of goods or services online, in Alaska or delivered to Alaska customers, must pay a state tax. Currently, businesses can argue a sale is taking place out-of-state at a company server farm or warehouse, not subject to Alaska taxation. But companies are still subject to taxes in those states where theyre located, so supporters of the bill argue the update to market-based sourcing will bring that tax revenue to Alaska.

Wielechowski argued its an issue of fairness for Alaskans. When a sale is made over the internet, they often use our state-funded broadband. When a product is shipped, it comes into our state-funded airports or Port of Alaska. Its trucked over our state-funded roads, and across our state-funded bridges, he told the House Finance Committee on Friday.

And who pays for all this? The people of Alaska, he said. While the out of state corporation pays very little, or likely nothing in the case of highly digitized businesses,  this bill fixes this inequity.

The bill also garnered support from some more conservative Republican legislators, including Sen. Rob Yundt, R-Wasilla, who penned an op-ed published in the Anchorage Daily News. Today, highly digitized businesses can rake in hundreds of millions of dollars from Alaskans without ever setting foot in our state. They compete directly with our local retailers, undercutting prices and displacing local jobs, he wrote.

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Because double taxation is illegal, if Alaska exercises its rightful authority to tax companies like Amazon on the income they earn here, they will not be taxed on that income again. This means the tax is already included in the companys budgets, and prices will not be changed for the seller or consumer.

The Alaska House voted 26-14 to pass Senate Bill 113, the first significant revenue measure in over a decade, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

Under federal tax law, businesses are taxed based on apportionment, or a formula based on revenue from a companys property, payroll and sales. Under the legislation, only the sales in Alaska would be factored in for companies that are deemed highly digitized, which means more than 50% of their business is done online.

The legislation does not change Alaskas corporate income tax rates or brackets.

Other Republicans, like Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, opposed the tax, raising concerns businesses would shift the cost of the tax and raise prices on consumers. I think its going to impact people greatly, she said in the House Finance Committee meeting on Friday. I feel like this is a hidden cost to Alaskans.

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Wielechowski said prices are usually set nationally, and pointed to at least 36 states that already have some form of this locally based corporate income tax. So the extent that we think our implementing this is going to somehow outweigh the impacts of California doing it and New York doing it  and North Carolina doing it, and Ohio doing it, and Oregon doing it, and all those other states  I know we like to think very highly of ourselves, he said, to laughs from the committee, but I just dont think we have that sort of market impact.

By updating the law to capture these corporate sales, the bill could generate $25 million to $65 million each year at full implementation, according to a state estimate. It would cost more than $250,000 to administer, the state Department of Revenue said.

Lawmakers have tied the revenue to pay for part of House Bill 57, an education funding bill for next year, which is waiting for a decision from Dunleavy.

Legislators passed the bill in late April, with an estimated $22 million earmarked for reading improvement grants, and $10 million for career and technical education programs  both policy items sought by Dunleavy. But lawmakers made that contingent on Senate Bill 113 also passing.

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House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, said the legislation would generate much needed revenue for the state.

I dont think its lost on a lot of members in the Legislature that were now entering an era where were going to have to look at other revenue measures. And you can interpret this as a first step in that direction, he said, whether the governor approves it or not. But overall, I think for other legislators its kind of considered low-hanging fruit.

The last time the Legislature approved a significant revenue measure was in 2015, when lawmakers voted to add a 0.95-cent-per-gallon surcharge to the states fuel tax in order to fund spill response and prevention.

The education funding bill is now with Dunleavy, who has until May 17 to sign it, veto it or let it become law without his signature. If he vetoes it, majority leaders say they believe they have the votes to override it.

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In the days leading up to the House vote on SB 113, lawmakers complained that Dunleavys staff with the Department of Revenue declined to answer questions about the legislation.

When you have a whole department thats just saying were not going to help you with a piece of legislation, Ive never experienced that in my time here, Wielechowski said on Tuesday, ahead of the vote.

SB 113 now goes back to the Senate chamber and then will be transmitted to the governors office.
May 7Albert Lea Area Schools saw a small decline in its graduation rates in 2024, though Albert Lea High School remains above the state average, according to data released Wednesday from the Minnesota Department of Education.

The data showed that 171 students, or 86.4%, of students graduated from Albert Lea High School, and 13 students, or 27.1%, graduated from the Area Learning Center. Districtwide, the graduation rate was 74.2%, with a combined 184 students graduating.

That is down from 181 students, or 88.3%, in 2023, for Albert Lea High School and 16 students, or 28.6%, for the Area Learning Center. The districtwide graduation rate that year was 75.6%, with a total of 201 students graduating.

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"In looking at trend data, we celebrate Albert Lea High School's ability to remain above the state average. However, the graduation rate data does prompt a call to action for proactive analysis and strategic planning," the school district said in a press release. "While this decline poses a challenge, it also underscores the importance of asking probing questions and disaggregating data to identify underlying factors and opportunities for growth."

The release stated the district acknowledges the challenges posed by attendance, engagement and meeting the needs of students with various ability levels.

"As a district, we are prioritizing multi-tiered systems of support for our student body as it is imperative that students have access to rigorous Tier 1 instruction; however, we must also address any academic, social, emotional and behavioral differences that may exist. We remain committed to addressing these challenges head-on through targeted interventions, enhanced support structures and collaboration with stakeholders to ensure every student receives the necessary resources for academic success. Our ongoing commitment to student achievement and equity drives our resolve to overcome these obstacles and improve outcomes for all learners.

Statewide, 59,720 students  or 84.2% of the 2024 class  graduated, which is the highest the state has ever recorded. According to the Minnesota Department of Education, the statewide data showed increases for students in the American Indian, Asian, Black, Hispanic or Latino and white student groups. Graduation rates also increased for English learners, students from low-income families and students receiving special education services.

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"The students of the class of 2024 worked hard and overcame challenges to achieve this milestone," said Commissioner Willie Jett. "I am thrilled to see the success of many of our student groups  especially those most at risk  and a closing of the achievement gap as we work to make sure every student, of every background, zip code and ability has access to a world-class education. I am also grateful for the educators, families and communities who stood behind these graduates and supported their needs and encouraged their successes. Their achievement is evidence that investing in kids pays off."

The statewide graduation rate in 2023 was 83.3%.

Graduation rates

Albert Lea Area Schools

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2024: 184 students, 74.2%

2023: 201 students, 75.6%

2022: 228 students, 78.1%

2021: 186 students, 71.8%

2020: 220 students, 80.9%

Albert Lea High School

2024: 171 students, 86.4%

2023: 181 students, 88.3%

2022: 188 students, 88.6%

2021: 166 students, 85.6%

2020: 181 students, 85.8%

Albert Lea Area Learning Center

2024: 13 students, 27.1%

2023: 16 students, 28.6%

2022: 25 students, 41.7%

2021: 20 students, 30.8%

2020: 39 students, 63.9%

Alden-Conger Public Schools

2024: 30 students, 96.8%

2023: 34 students, 100%

2022: 24 students, 92.3%

2021: 46 students, 88.5%

2020: 35 students, 94.6%

Glenville-Emmons Schools

2024: 10 students, 100%

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2023: 15 students, 88.2%

2022: 14 students, 82.4%

2021: 20 students, 87%

2020: 10 students, 100%

NRHEG School District

2024: 57 students, 95%

2023: 68 students, 88.3%

2022: 56 students, 84.8%

2021: 65 students, 84.4%

2020: 52 students, 89.7%

United South Central School District

2024: 44 students, 91.7%

2023: 32 students, 74.4%

2022: 45 students, 84.9%

2021: 48 students, 88.9%

2020: 42 students, 85.7%
HONG KONG, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Fourth 6G Global Summit opened here on Thursday, bringing together industry representatives from around the world to explore the potential of the sixth-generation (6G) mobile communications technology in shaping a better future.

Held for the first time in the Asia-Pacific region, the summit was organized by the Communications Authority in a hybrid format of both online and offline.

The event attracted over 600 participants from around the world, including representatives from policymakers, regulatory bodies, international organizations, telecommunications operators and corporations, as well as industry experts and scholars.

Algernon Yau, secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said that the HKSAR government is fully committed to fostering a conducive environment that drives technological advancement and prepares Hong Kong for the 6G era.

Yau said that relevant measures included releasing suitable spectrum through auctions to support the development of advanced mobile communication services, exploring further facilitation measures from telecommunications perspectives to support the development of the low-altitude economy, and conducting a review on streamlining the licensing procedures of Low Earth Orbit satellites to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in satellite development.

The two-day summit will focus on key priorities shaping 6G developments, including standardization, technological innovations, sustainability and potential applications, as well as the strategic role of the Asia-Pacific region and opportunities presented by a more connected and intelligent global network. 
May 7SANTA FE  With just a few weeks before more than 70 New Mexico National Guard members hit the streets of Albuquerque, top law enforcement officials involved in planning the unusual deployment insisted it will not be military occupation of the state's largest city.

During a Wednesday news conference at the National Guard headquarters in Santa Fe, Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina expressed confidence about the operation that's expected to fully begin around Memorial Day weekend.

"There is no intent of a military presence in Albuquerque," said Medina, who reiterated the National Guard members deployed on the mission, officially called Operation Zia Shield, will not carry guns, wear fatigues or be authorized to make arrests.

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In all, 71 members of the National Guard will be deployed as part of the mission, which was authorized last month by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham upon a request from Medina. In making the request, the police chief said it would free up Albuquerque Police Department officers to fight crime. Medina has said the guard members would do auxiliary duties for APD  like direct traffic and secure perimeters  so not as many officers will have to.

Of the guard members being deployed, 53 are from the Albuquerque area, said New Mexico National Guard Adjutant General Miguel Aguilar.

"It's our community," Aguilar said during Wednesday's news conference. "We're from this community."

But some local residents remain concerned about how the operation will play out, especially in Albuquerque's International District along East Central that has seen high rates of open air drug use and homelessness in recent years.

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Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, who represents a legislative district that encompasses the area, said in a recent interview that not all area residents were on board with the plan.

"I've got concerned constituents," Stewart told the Journal. "I hope what the governor and the mayor are trying to do works."

The National Guard deployment has drawn national media attention, while also generating criticism from prominent New Mexico Republicans like state GOP chairwoman Amy Barela, who said Lujan Grisham was "giving cover to a Democrat-run city entrenched in crime."

However, APD officials have cited statistics showing a drop in Albuquerque's homicide rate so far this year compared to 2024.

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The arrival of National Guard troops could help sustain that trend by freeing up police officers from routine tasks, Medina said Wednesday.

"I'm at the point of my career that I'm not afraid to stick my neck out and try something outside the box," Medina said.

In preparation for the deployment, the National Guard members who volunteered for the assignment have undergone extensive training in recent weeks. Some of that training includes self-defense tactics and responsible use of force, said New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler, whose agency assisted with the training.

"We want to make sure the guardsmen have the ability to protect themselves," Weisler said.

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While they will not carry firearms, the deployed National Guard troops will carry pepper spray for self-protection, just as police aides do, Medina said. He also said they would carry Narcan, which can be used to reverse an overdose of fentanyl or other opioids.

During a Wednesday crisis intervention training session that was open to reporters, National Guard members sat in a conference room responding to questions from a psychologist about ways to interact with individuals dealing with mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder.

Several of the National Guard members present for the training said they signed up for the mission out of a sense of community duty.

"It's an opportunity to help the community and that's why I volunteered," said Staff Sgt. Alfonso Deocampo of Bosque Farms.

Meanwhile, Aguilar said the New Mexico National Guard would still have the capacity to respond to any wildfires, flooding or other natural disasters that might occur in the coming months. He also said the Albuquerque operation would not interfere with plans to send National Guard troops on overseas humanitarian missions.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  An unprecedented mission for New Mexicos National Guard will have them helping fight crime on East Central this month. So, how are the volunteers feeling about something thats never been done before?

Story continues below

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Some of those guardsmen and women told KRQE News 13 that they have a feeling that theyll be helping out the community by working alongside the Albuquerque Police Department for whats being called Operation Zia Shield. Its drastically gotten worse, said Kayla Chavez, New Mexico National Guard.

That feeling of crime is what Albuquerque native and National Guard staff sergeant Kayla Chavez says helped fuel her decision to join Operation Zia Shield. The first-of-its-kind mission will put National Guard members on city streets helping APD starting this month.

We come to the point where we need to help and we need to stop before it gets progressively worse and continue expanding in any way of our community, said Ssgt. Chavez.

More than 100 guard members volunteered, and now, there are 71 National Guard members in training for the mission, which will focus on East Central Ave. 53 of those guardsmen and women taking part, call Albuquerque home. Like the general said, these are citizens of Albuquerque that are going out there and help cleaning up the community, said Chief Harold Medina with Albuquerque Police Department.

APD said the National Guard will do work similar to what Police Service Aides do, like helping watch crime scenes and direct traffic. Theyll also use drones and help tag evidence, with full deployment expected by the end of the month. APD and the National Guard sayid the goal is to free up police officers so they can go to the next call quicker. They will not be doing an arrest. They will not be taking traffic accidents, police service aides do that. But we will not task them with that for now. They also, for now, will not be guarding prisoners, said Chief Medina.

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In the lead-up, theyre getting nearly 40 days of training. I can assure you that the training provided aligns with or exceeds NM standards and is grounded with practices used by law enforcement statewide and nationwide, said Chief Troy Weisler, New Mexico State Police.

National Guard members received defense training from New Mexico State Police. Our specific role was to prepare the National Guard personnel in defensive tactics skills for self-protection and the safe control, restraint of individuals. While we hope that these tactics are never required, readiness is essential, said Chief Weisler.

Guard members will also carry pepper spray for self-defense and Narcan to aid with overdoses.

National Guard members are also learning de-escalation tactics. This definitely involves a lot more training, but as we have seen in the Hermit Peak Calf Canyon Fire, we have worked with law enforcement for most of these situations, so its nothing really new, said Ssgt. Alfonso Deocampo, Bosque Farms, NM National Guard.

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KRQE News 13 asked Chief Medina how he plans on gauging if the operation is successful. The chief said hes hoping that by October, or about five months into the operation, the police department will be able to see if crime rates have dropped on East Central.

APD Chief Medina said Wednesday hed like to see the guard help out for at least a year.

When the governor authorized the mission last month, she too endorsed a longer operation between six months to a year.

The full operation, which will focus on east Central, is set to hit the ground by Memorial Day weekend. As soon as next week, a few guardsmen will start deploying to help with drone operations.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.






Key Takeaways

Aldi is finally coming to Nevada, with three news stores opening in the Southwestern state.

Two locations are already open and the third store will open later this month.







Any true Aldi fan will tell you, the store is absolutely worth the hype it gets. Behind its minimalist digs and quirks lie unbeatable prices on everyday essentialsnot to mention all the limited-time goodies that catch our eyes in the Aisle of Shame. Plus, Aldi is packed with copycat products that are often even better than the original brand names themselves. Need we say more?

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While 38 states have at least one Aldi location, the bulk of these stores are concentrated in a few specific states such as Florida, Illinois, and Ohio. Other areas of the country, like the Pacific Northwest or pockets of the Southwest, are still patiently waiting for Aldi to arrive.

But for shoppers in Nevada, the wait is over, as Aldis expansion into new uncharted territory includes The Silver State.

Aldi Opens New Stores in Las Vegas

Last month, Aldi opened its first two stores in Las Vegas, hosting grand opening events for the new locations in North Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada. And instead of quarters, the celebration featured Aldi-branded poker chips to insert into those famous shopping cart handles.

Aldi

With soaring food prices still a major concern for shoppers, these openings are a big deal for the Nevada market. According to the 2025 ALDI Price Leadership Report, the company claims that shoppers can save up to 36 percent on their average grocery run, and that the savings for a family of four adds up to about $4,000 a year compared to other grocery stores. Now, families in the Las Vegas area can reap those benefits, too.

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On Facebook, fans said the latest openings in the area are a long time coming and that they are surprised it took this long for Vegas to get Aldi, especially when other markets like Phoenix has had them for a while.

The new locations in Henderson, Nevada and North Las Vegas are just the start of whats to come in the area. A third location will open on May 15 in Las Vegas and in a press release, Aldi hinted that a fourth Las Vegas location is expected by the end of the year.

These Nevada locations are part of Aldis 5-year national growth strategy, which has the store set to open more than 225 new locations this year and 800 stores by the end of 2028. So, if youre still waiting for an Aldi store in your neighborhood, it could be coming very soon!



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Franco-Algerian writer Kamel Daoud is the target of two international arrest warrants issued by Algerian authorities in connection with the controversy surrounding his novel Houris, which won the Goncourt Prize in 2024.

Daoud became the first author of Algerian descent to win the Goncourt Prize  the most prestigious award in French literature.

France has been informed of the two arrest warrants, a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry said. We are following and will continue to follow developments in this situation closely, said Christophe Lemoine, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, stressing that France was committed to freedom of expression.

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The author, who is a French citizen and resides in France, is accused of having used the story of a survivor of a massacre during the Algerian civil war without her consent  an accusation he denies.

Last November, an Algerian court accepted an initial complaint against the writer and his psychiatrist wife for using the story of a patient in the writing of his novel Houris.

Two appeals were lodged against Daoud and his wife, who treated Saada Arbane.

One complaint came from Arbane, a survivor of a massacre during the civil war in Algeria (1992-2002), who accused the couple of using her story without her consent.

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The other is from the National Organisation of Victims of Terrorism.

On learning that these arrest warrants had been issued against him, the writer's lawyer, Jacqueline Laffont-Haik, said that Daoud would contest them with Interpol.

The motives behind these Algerian warrants can only be political and part of a series of procedures aimed at silencing a writer whose latest novel evokes the massacres of the black decade in Algeria, said Laffont-Haik.

Kamel Daoud - AP Photo

Houris is a dark novel set partly in Oran about Aube, a young woman who has been mute since an Islamist slit her throat on 31 December 1999.

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The book is banned in Algeria, as the country prohibits any work evoking this period of civil war. Indeed, Houris contravenes an article of the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation, which prohibits the evocation of the "wounds of the national tragedy" - the expression used to describe the civil war that pitted Islamist groups against the Algerian army from 1992 to 2002, killing 200,000 people and leaving thousands more missing.

Kamel Daoud previously claimed that the story was public in Algeria and that his novel does not recount (the) life of Saada Arbane.

This unfortunate young woman claims that this is her story. While I can understand her tragedy, my answer is clear: it's completely false, wrote Daoud in an article for the French publication Le Point last December. Apart from the apparent wound, there is nothing in common between this woman's unbearable tragedy and the character Aube. The wound is not unique. Unfortunately, it is shared by many other victims, continued Daoud, who accused the plaintiff of being manipulated to achieve an objective: to kill a writer and defame (his) family.

Daouds publisher, Gallimard, has denounced the violent defamatory campaigns orchestrated (against the writer) by certain media close to a regime whose nature is well known.
SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56)  An Allen County man is facing charges after deputies claim a missing minor was found on Tuesday.

In an announcement on Facebook, the Allen County Sheriffs Office said its crime task force went to Bandy Road to locate a missing minor, Ava Stranger.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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The sheriffs office said detectives confronted Dalton Eubank, 24, who admitted that Ava was inside. He also reportedly told detectives that he knew she was underage and was missing and that she had been there for a couple of days.

He was placed under arrest and taken to the Allen County Detention Center, where he was charged with custodial interference, authorities said. Ava was located unharmed inside.

Court records show that Eubank is being held on a $10,000 cash bond.

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RIPLEY, N.Y. (WIVB)  Businesses in the Southern Tiers Town of Ripley said theyre struggling and that a nearby construction project, a bridge closure across the state line, is to blame.

The bridge, which carries Route 20 over Twenty Mile Creek, is located in North East Township between the interchange with Interstate 90 and the New York state line.

Bob Bentley, who manages Meeders Restaurant on East Main Street in Ripley, said since the Route 20 bridge closure, his restaurant is losing between $1,200 to $1,500 per day. Many of his customers travel from Pennsylvania, but with the closure, there is no longer a quick way for his costumers to get to the diner.

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Sixty-five percent of our business comes from that side of the state lines and it sounds like theres no end in sight til Thanksgiving or after, so were going to be out a year and a half with the financial impact of it, Bentley said.

The lack of business has forced him to make tough decisions to save money.

What weve done to weather it, we went from 33 employees to 11 and thats a big impact, Bentley said. The biggest thing we can do is control our labor costs, were down to two cooks, two prep cooks, three dish washers and a handful of servers.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportations website the bridge was built in 1973 and is rated in poor condition. It was closed to traffic in February of last year after a design analysis of the structure. On average, around 2,500 vehicles per day use the bridge.

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Tom Cooney owns Cooneys Island Ice Cream. His business should be getting ready for a busy spring and summer season, but the construction project is cutting off traffic to many of his customers from Pennsylvania.

Were a community already thats struggling, on the outskirts of New York like this, we dont get the attention that New York City does, he said. Were already a struggling community and this is making it even more of a struggle for us, bringing more of a decline to the area. Its sad.

With construction expected to be completed in the fall, businesses are left wondering how theyre going to make it until then.

This summer is very impactful. It can make or break us, really, Cooney said. If we dont get the income in from this year, we may not be around next year.

Latest Local News

Sarah Minkewicz is an Emmy-nominated reporter and Buffalo native who has been a part of the News 4 team since 2019. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahMinkewicz and click here to see more of her work.

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SPANISH FORK, Utah (ABC4)  Fire season is upon us and crews who battle flames year in and year out are getting ready.

Wednesday was a field day for the Alta Hotshots in the Spanish Fork Canyon. Crews spend all day simulating a response to a fire by clearing debris, sawing down dead trees, and digging fire lines.

The job as a hotshot is a physically demanding one. As they hike for miles to even get to a fire, the real work begins when they get there. Kayli Guild of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands explained, The guys have to be in excellent shape. They have to be able to dig and scale mountains and do all these things at very hard, arduous levels.

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Austin Wilson is the Alta Hotshots Captain. He detailed that the training goes beyond the physical. His crew needs to be mentally prepared for the fights ahead.

Alta Hotshots Captain Austin Wilson looks on as his crew clears potential fire fuel. Courtesy: Jordan Tracy/KTVX

He said, This job is going to be hard regardless, and its up to you to decide whether you can put yourself through it or not.

Every year the new campaign is even more daunting. The fires are changing and even intensifying. Wilson described, Weve seen fires get larger, quicker with more fuel loading, drought conditions. And I think really the challenges that we face are the challenges every firefighter faces is the fact that were dealing with fires we havent seen before in some cases.

Wilson explained that the Hotshots work a fire season from May 1 to October 31. It includes 16 hour shifts for 40 hours a week. However last year they clocked 1,380 hours of overtime. Thats because the Alta Hotshots are a national crew. They are called to blazes all across the country. It means weeks at a time away from their families.

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Alta Hotshots train for fire season in Spanish Fork Canyon. Courtesy: Jordan Tracy/KTVX

Its really important to have a good support system and take care of the things you need to do when youre at home, make it quality time at home, said Wilson.

Despite the challenge, hotshots like Wilson are mounting up for another fiery campaign. What keeps me coming back as the guys. Weve got an incredible crew culture and it is definitely a family to me and its really fun to watch them grow and succeed in this job as well.

The training Wednesday took place on private land in the Spanish Fork Canyon where their work helped with fire mitigation and clearing potential helicopter landing spots for future fires.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
JERUSALEM, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers have discovered that brown widow spiders, a global invasive species, aggressively defend their egg sacs from parasitic wasps, offering insights into how certain species adapt and thrive in new environments with parental care, Ben Gurion University said in a statement on Wednesday.

In the study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the researchers compared the brown widow spider, commonly found in urban areas such as fence posts and trash bins, with the native white widow spider, which lives in desert regions in the Middle East.

When wasps approached their silk-wrapped egg sacs, the brown widow tapped them, circled them protectively with legs, and aggressively attacked the wasps, capturing and either killing or removing them from the web.

In contrast, white widows only shook their webs to scare the wasps away.

The researchers also found that wasps are more likely to target the smooth side of an egg sac. Interestingly, as an effective deterrent, brown widow spiders cover the silk-wrapped egg sacs with protective silk spikes and increase the number of silk spikes after encountering wasps, hinting at an adaptive defense strategy.

The researchers concluded that the brown widow spiders employ behavioural defences and modifications to the egg sac structure to protect against the threat, providing an advantage over native species, potentially contributing to invasion success. 
By Tim Hepher and Mike Stone

(Reuters) -A dogfight between Chinese-made Pakistani jets and French-made Indian Rafale fighters will be closely scrutinized by militaries seeking insights that could offer an edge in future conflicts.

A Chinese-made Pakistani fighter plane shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, two U.S. officials told Reuters, marking a potential major milestone for Beijing's advanced fighter jet.

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The aerial clash is a rare opportunity for militaries to study the performance of pilots, fighter jets and air-to-air missiles in active combat, and use that knowledge to prepare their own air forces for battle.

Experts said the live use of advanced weapons would be analyzed across the world, including in China and the United States which are both preparing for a potential conflict over Taiwan or in the wider Indo-Pacific region.

One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters there was high confidence that Pakistan had used the Chinese-made J-10 aircraft to launch air-to-air missiles against Indian fighter jets.

Social media posts focused on the performance of China's PL-15 air-to-air missile against the Meteor, a radar-guided air-to-air missile produced by European group MBDA. There has been no official confirmation these weapons were used.

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"Air warfare communities in China, the U.S. and a number of European countries will be extremely interested to try and get as much ground truth as they can on tactics, techniques, procedures, what kit was used, what worked and what didn't," said Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

"You have arguably China's most capable weapon against the West's most capable weapon, if indeed it was being carried; we don't know that," Barrie said.

The French and Americans would likely be hoping for similar intelligence from India, Barrie said.

"The PL-15 is a big problem. It is something that the U.S. military pays a lot of attention to," a defense industry executive said.

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Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation declined comment and the MBDA consortium,, could not immediately be reached for comment on a French public holiday.

SCANT DETAILS

Western analysts and industry sources said crucial details remained unclear including whether the Meteor was carried and the type and amount of training the pilots had received. Arms firms would also be anxious to separate technical performance from operational factors, analysts said.

"There will be audits of what works and what doesn't work, but I think the other overlay is the proverbial fog of war," said Byron Callan, a Washington-based defense expert and managing partner of Capital Alpha Partners.

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U.S. arms companies are getting constant feedback about how their products are working in the war in Ukraine, he said.

"So I absolutely expect the same to be the case with India's European suppliers, and Pakistan and China are probably sharing the same feedback. If the PL-15 is working as advertised or better than expected, the Chinese would like to hear that."

A defense industry source from a Western country operating the Meteor said an online picture of a seeker appeared to feature the component of a missile that had missed its target. There are conflicting reports on whether Pakistan has the domestic version of the PL-15 from the PLAAF, China's air force, or the lower-range export version publicly unveiled in 2021.

Barrie, who has written extensively on the missile, said he believed that Pakistan most likely has the export version.

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A Western industry source dismissed claims that the rocket-powered PL-15 had longer range than the air-breathing Meteor but acknowledged that its capability "may be greater than was thought." The Meteor's range has not been officially published. "At the moment it's not possible to judge anything. We know so little," the industry source said.

The PL-15's range and performance have been a focus of Western interest for years. Its emergence was seen as one of many signals that China had moved well beyond reliance on Soviet-era derivative technology.

The United States is developing the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile via Lockheed Martin partly in response to the PL-15 and its beyond-visual-range performance - part of a broader reset of Western priorities toward China.

European nations are exploring a mid-life upgrade for Meteor, which specialist publication Janes says could involve propulsion and guidance, but analysts say progress has been slow.

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U.S. President Donald Trump in March awarded Boeing the contract to build the U.S. Air Force's most sophisticated fighter jet yet, which would likely include stealth, advanced sensors and cutting-edge engines.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher in Paris and Mike Stone in Washington; Additional reporting by Jonathan Saul in London; Editing by Joe Brock and Matthew Lewis)
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Stacked human skulls were found in a cave in Guatemala. | Credit: James E. Brady

Deep in an underground cave in Guatemala, archaeologists stumbled upon hundreds of fragmented human bones showing signs of injury. The discovery paints a chilling picture: The people here were sacrificed during the dry season to appease the Maya rain god  or parts of them were.

"The emerging pattern that we're seeing is that there are body parts and not bodies," Michele Bleuze , a bioarchaeologist at California State University, Los Angeles, told Live Science. "In Maya ritual, body parts are just as valuable as the whole body," she said.

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In the early 1990s, a survey underneath the archaeological site of Dos Pilas in Peten, Guatemala, revealed more than a dozen caves that were used by the Maya between 400 B.C. and A.D. 250. One of them  called the Cueva de Sangre, or "Blood Cave"  had a large collection of human bones scattered on the floor, many of which showed evidence of traumatic injuries around the time of death.

In a presentation at the annual Society for American Archaeology meeting on April 24, Bleuze detailed the team's analysis of the Cueva de Sangre bones and explained why they believe the cave was the site of an ancient Maya sacrifice two millennia ago.

Related: Mysterious Tikal altar that wasn't Maya after all includes at least 4 skeletons  and 1 was a child

"There are a few lines of evidence that we used to determine that this was more likely a ritual site than not," Ellen Fricano , a forensic anthropologist at Western University of Health Sciences in California who examined the injuries to the bones, told Live Science. For example, the bones were on the surface, rather than buried, and the injuries to the bones suggest ritual dismemberment, rather than immediate burial.

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A fragment of the left side of the forehead, for instance, had a mark suggesting that someone used a tool with a beveled edge  like a hatchet  on the skull, Fricano said. A child's hip bone had a similar cut. Both appear to have been made around the time of death.

A fragment of skull bone that has been removed with a beveled implement is shown on the right; on the left, a line drawing of a human skull showing the area the bone fragment came from. The bone was found in Cueva de Sangra. | Credit: Michele M. Bleuze

Some human remains were also arranged in a nonanatomic way, pointing to a ritualistic nature to their collection. On the ground in one part of the cave, excavators found a series of four stacked skull caps.

The combination of injuries discovered on the bones; the high density of human remains in the cave; and the presence of ritual items, such as red ocher and obsidian blades, strongly suggests that Cueva de Sangre was the site of an ancient Maya ritual sacrifice rather than a standard burial practice, Fricano said.

Sacrifices for a rainy season

Cueva de Sangre is accessed via a small opening and a descent into a low passageway that opens onto a pool of water. Both today and in the past, the cave would have been flooded for most of the year.

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The cave was likely accessible only during the dry season, between March and May, and the researchers think this timing is a clue to the meaning of the sacrifice. One important contemporary Maya ritual celebration is called the Day of the Holy Cross . Occurring on May 3, the celebration happens just before the onset of the rains, and people visit caves to pray for rain and a good harvest.

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A clear answer to the mystery of the bones in the cave will need to wait a bit longer, Bleuze said. Analysis of the bones from Cueva de Sangre has only just begun. Further work, including ancient DNA and stable isotope analyses, is planned, followed by peer-reviewed publications.

"Right now, our focus is who are these people deposited here, because they're treated completely differently than the majority of the population," Bleuze said.
Carmen Bonilla has barely slept for nearly two months, her mind filled with terrifying thoughts about what might be happening to her son, whose dream to go to the United States for a better life has turned into a waking nightmare.

Andry Blanco Bonilla, 40, was among the nearly 240 Venezuelan immigrants who were boarded onto planes and taken to a mega-prison in El Salvador on March 15, in a case that has spurred multiple legal battles and reached the Supreme Court.

Families and attorneys told NBC News they havent heard from the men since, and that the United States and Salvadoran governments have given them little to no information. The Trump administrations action taken nearly two months ago has rippled across continents, leaving loved ones broken and in the dark, they said. They said that their family members have been wrongfully caught up in the administrations agenda to deport immigrants en masse.

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I know nothing about whats happening to him, Bonilla said in Spanish from her home in Venezuela. I dont sleep. Ive lost weight. Watching the news about this makes me sick.

The men are expected to be held in El Salvador for at least a year, in a prison system that has faced multiple allegations of human rights abuses. The president of El Salvador has said that the one-year sentence is renewable.

A whole year lost because he was unjustly sent to that prison? Bonilla said through tears. Hes always been a good son, father, brother and hard worker. He is not a criminal. Its not fair.

It remains unclear what will happen to the men after a year spent in the prison. Bonilla and other families are praying they are somehow released before then, but legal pathways for that are also still uncertain.

The Trump administration has said the men are members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, but has shared little evidence of its claims or explained why these men were chosen to be sent to El Salvador. In a proclamation on March 15, Trump said that Tren de Aragua was designated a terrorist organization and was perpetuating, attempting, and threatening an invasion or predatory incursion against the territory of the United States.The Department of Homeland Security and White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Some of the mens families and attorneys strongly denied their loved ones have any ties to the gang and said they were unfairly targeted because of tattoos that may be popular in Venezuela and are unrelated to Tren de Aragua. They also say the migrants were denied due process and a chance to defend themselves from the accusations against them. Experts have said tattoos are not closely connected with affiliation to Tren de Aragua.

The United States government has not released a list of the Venezuelan men who were taken, but their names were first reported by CBS News. A New York Times investigation found that most of the men dont have criminal records in the United States or in the region and that very few of them appear to have any documented evidence connecting them to the gang.

Blanco Bonilla was living in Texas and seeking asylum when immigration authorities arrested him in February after an official stopped him at his cousins immigration appointment and asked about his tattoos. He was an engineer in Venezuela but had recently been working as a delivery man in the United States to make ends meet and support his family still in his home country, his mother said. He used to call her every day he could. Now, she hasnt heard his voice for nearly two months and has no idea when she will hear from him again.

We dont know if hes eating. How hes feeling. What hes going through, Blanco Bonillas sister, Angy Blanco Bonilla, said. We ask God for a sign that hes OK. Not having any information is what hurts us the most.

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Some of the Venezuelan men had open immigration cases, including asylum-related, while others had orders of deportation, according to attorneys representing them.

How did they end up in El Salvador? asked Martin Rosenow, a Miami attorney who represents one of the Venezuelan men, asylum-seeker Franco Jose Caraballo Tiapa.

Caraballo Tiapa, 26, a barber and father of two, was in the United States seeking asylum because of political persecution related to his advocacy against the current Venezuelan government and has no criminal history, Rosenow said. He had been released into the United States with his wife before he was detained after a routine immigration appointment in February.

The fact that en masse, these individuals have been sent without due process to another country, this has never happened before, Rosenow said.

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What has been alarming to Rosenow and a group of attorneys representing the men, is how the Trump administration has casually dismissed the possibility of bringing these people back, he said.

Even for those who had orders of removal against them, the orders were for them to be returned to Venezuela, not to be sent to a different country, said attorney Natalie Cadwalader-Schultheis. She represents three Venezuelan men who had orders of removal to their home country and were sent to El Salvador instead. The men all entered the United States legally through a Biden-era app that set appointments for migrants with immigration authorities, she said, adding that the men did not have criminal convictions.

I hope people recognize that this is a really dangerous precedent to set. We are seeing people disappeared by the government to a torture prison in another country, Cadwalader said.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man who was also taken to the prison in El Salvador despite a judges order that barred him from being sent there, has become a center of the legal battles relating to the deportations. His attorneys have brought a lawsuit against the federal government seeking his return to the United States.

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The Trump administration has accused Abrego Garcia of being a member of the gang MS-13, which his attorney and family deny. He was also subject to a judges order that he could not be returned to El Salvador, based on evidence presented in court that he would be targeted by gang members.

The Supreme Court has weighed in and ordered that the Trump administration facilitate his return.

President Donald Trump said in an interview with ABC News last week that he could have Kilmar Abrego Garcia returned to the United States with one phone call, even though the administration had argued previously in court that the government had no ability to get him back.

If he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that. But he is not, Trump said in the interview.

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Rosenow responded to the president's comment. Its very disheartening for him to say he does have the authority. It also shows a kind of blatant disregard for the Supreme Courts order to facilitate his return.

The whole fight has to do with due process. He should be entitled to due process as the Constitution dictates, he said.A federal judge, an appeals court and the Supreme Court have all ordered the administration to facilitate Abrego Garcias return to the United States. Lawyers for the Justice Department have acknowledged in court filings that the deportation was a mistake because an immigration judge had ruled he could not be sent back to his native El Salvador. Lawyers have argued that Abrego Garcia and the other men were denied due process and the chance to defend themselves in court.

Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act in March after declaring the Venezuela gang Tren de Aragua an invading force. Immigration officials have since used that act to deport hundreds of people, without immigration hearings, alleging that they are members of the gang. Many have ended up in the mega-prison in El Salvador known for its harsh conditions and reported abuse.

On May 1, a Trump-appointed judge rejected the administrations invocation of the act from 1798 to deport Venezuelans it alleges are members of Tren de Aragua. The Supreme Court also put a pause on deportations under the act in April, as buses with Venezuelans were headed to an airport.

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In Venezuela, a group of mothers has been closely following Abrego Garcia's case.

If they bring Kilmar back, then theres still hope that they could bring the more than 200 Venezuelan men back as well, Bonilla said. But when I see Trump talk like this, every day I lose more hope.

Austria Pulgar, 65, whose son is also in El Salvador, said Trumps latest comments are so unjust. The Venezuelan men have no reason to be there. They have wrongly accused people and sent them to El Salvador without a chance to defend themselves. She denies her son has gang ties.

All I do is cry. I miss my son so much, she said in Spanish from her home in Venezuela. Im afraid this is going to give me a heart attack.

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Frizgeralth de Jesus Cornejo Pulgar, 25, entered the United States with his girlfriend in June 2024, his mother said. His girlfriend was released into the country, but his mother said Cornejo Pulgar was detained because he had a floral tattoo on his neck. He was seeking asylum and remained in detention until he was sent to El Salvador, she said.

Like many families, she discovered her son was taken to El Salvador when she recognized his face in propaganda videos and photos released by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.

That photo broke my soul, she said.

For the families of the men already sent to El Salvador, the situation feels dire and they pray that there is still a chance their loved ones could be released.

Im desperate, Cornejo Pulgar said. I just want my son to return safe and sound.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Dont expect to see top British stand-up comedian Stewart Lee performing in the United States anytime soon, because of his fear that his past gags could be used against him amid the Trump White Houses targeting of dissenters.

I wouldnt work in the States at the moment, Lee told Channel 4 News Krishnan Guru-Murthy in a lengthy interview released this week.

Id worry about them going them through my jokes and ending up spending two days locked up without my heart medication, he said, adding: I just worry about it.

"I wouldn't work in the States at the moment."



Comedian Stewart Lee says he would fear being "locked up" if he performed his comedy in President Trump's America.



In this episode of Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy he also discusses the state of comedy today. pic.twitter.com/QQKfp2vfnk  Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) May 7, 2025

The admission came after Lee revealed hed recently turned down an offer to perform his new show, titled Stewart Lee Vs. The Man-Wulf, for a week at a venue in Chicago.

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Its not something Id normally do anyway, he acknowledged, before lightheartedly quipping: At the moment, Id have to take a huge set of American cityscape and two full-sized werewolf costumes. Id have to get those through American customs at the moment

Guru-Murthy had earlier asked Lee if he really believed his recent characterization of whats happening in America right now under Trump as fascism.

Oh yeah, I call it what is it. Absolutely, Lee replied. People are pussy-footing around this idea. People are being deported wrongly from the States to an El Salvador jail without due process. Whats that?

Trump is doing deals for resources with dictators, he added. It absolutely is that, and we have to call it that, and we have to act in the way that we should have done more quickly in the 30s.

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Watch the full interview here:

Last month, award-winning Australian comedian Alice Fraser told HuffPost shed canceled an upcoming trip to New York, during which shed hoped to boost her new book, partly because she feared she may be targeted by officials over her jokes about Trump.

Related...
It is a dark day in UK politics when a dozen or so members of Parliament support those forces seeking the destruction of Israel, a key ally of the United Kingdom.

The recent letter to the Prime Minister, signed by senior Conservative MPs and peers urging recognition of Palestine breaks ranks with the UKs formal policy on Israel, undermines international law and will serve only to encourage the death cult of Hamas that is committed to the destruction of Israel as an outpost of Western liberalism in the Middle East.

Let me explain why.

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The law, as outlined in the 1933 Montevideo Convention, is well established: the necessary criteria for statehood include a permanent population, defined territory, government, and capacity to enter into relations with the other states.

The Palestinian Authority, in the areas of the West Bank which it controls, does not comply with these criteria  nor does Hamas-governed Gaza. The political division between these two groups undermines any argument that Palestinians might fulfil these established criteria in the foreseeable future.

But it gets worse. The legal illiteracy of the letters authors is highlighted by their comparison of the issues in the West Bank to Russias invasion of Ukraine. The inversion and double standards displayed thereby undermine any credibility the authors might profess to have.

The formation of Ukraines borders followed the same rule of international law (uti possidetis juris) that defined Israels borders in 1948. According to this default rule, the borders of new states follow the pre-existing administrative boundaries of the previous entity, in Israels case, the British Mandate. The application of this default rule belies the letters allegations of annexation, since a state cannot annex its own sovereign territory.

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The same legal rule of uti possidetis juris underpins the consensus that Russia has occupied Crimea from Ukraine, because Crimea was within the administrative boundaries that became Ukraines borders at its formation. If Ukraine were to recover Crimea from Russia in this war, in the same way that Israel recovered East Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan in 1967, it is doubtful that Ukraine would be accused by the letters authors of occupying Crimea from Russia. Yet they would have different rules apply when it comes to Israel.

Any potential alteration to the borders of Israel, which is what their letter would entail, has been universally recognised as an issue that would have to be subject to final status negotiations. But the authors seek to overturn this position in breach of international agreements, including the Oslo Accords, which the United Kingdom has itself endorsed.

What is the value of such agreements if they may be torn up or ridden roughshod over after Israel has made serious security concessions. What possible incentive might there be for Israel to engage in any future agreement with the UKs encouragement and endorsement, if they are not worth the paper they are written on?

The deeper one digs into the legal context of this letter the clearer it becomes that this stunt, which subverts and weaponises international law and ignores the UKs own guarantees, is playing firmly into the hands of Israels genocidal neighbours, encouraging them further in their war of annihilation.

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The UKs longstanding advocacy for a two state solution, to which the letter refers, needs to be reassessed in light of its impact of plainly encouraging Palestinian terror, costing lives on both sides and encouraging unrest across the UK.

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Pride flags wave on the building of a Community Church of Hope on 7th Avenue in Phoenixs Melrose District on March 3, 2025. The Melrose District is a very popular area for members of the LGBTQ+ community, with several businesses and bars that proudly offer a place for community. Photo by Brian Petersheim Jr. | Cronkite News

Lawmakers across the country are introducing anti-trans bills at increasing rates, with the number spiking more than 28 times higher, from 30 in 2018 to 859 bills this year.

These bills often make accessing health care and, some argue, the right to exist publicly difficult by creating legal red tape, which exacerbates mental and emotional distress.

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Some members of queer communities report feeling more vulnerable to discrimination in public, at schools, in workplaces and within health care systems.

Currently, the Arizona Legislature is considering 11 anti-trans bills, in addition to two that have been vetoed. They would impact education, birth certificates, employment, health care and more.

In March, the Arizona Senate passed Senate Bill 1002 in its third reading. Its now also passed through the House. For students under 18, written parental consent would be required for school district employees or independent contractors to call students by names that differ from the ones on their government-issued documents. They are also prohibited from using pronouns that dont match the persons biological sex.

At a Senate meeting on Feb. 20, Sen. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills), who sponsored SB1002 and other bills like it, defended his vote, saying, This bill was very simply about parents rights to direct the health care of their child.

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He cited gender dysphoria treatment as a reason for needing parental consent.

Some of these children that are transgendered may suffer from a psychological condition called gender dysphoria, which causes depression and, in some students, suicidal thoughts, Kavanagh said. These students may be under treatment for this condition, which their parents arrange, and their health care provider may have said not to entertain the different pronouns. It would be dangerous and bad for your child.

According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), treatment plans for people with gender dysphoria include judgment-free therapy with supported exploration of the persons experiences and feelings of gender identity and expression. The APA states that attempts to force a transgender person to be cisgender, such as conversion therapy, are considered unethical and have been linked to adverse mental health outcomes.

Democratic senators spoke out against SB1002 during the meeting.

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Theres no other way to look at this. It was a law that was intended for trans people to be bullied, Sen. Mitzi Epstein (D-Tempe) said.

Epstein reflected on her childhood experience and said she is thankful her parents didnt need to write a note justifying her desire to be called Mitzi instead of her birth name, Denise.

By the time I was in high school, I think I was old enough to know what name I wanted to be called, Epstein said. So this is a horrible travesty of freedom. I really dislike this bill. It hits me personally, and I vote no.

Along with state and national bills, executive orders from President Donald Trump are affecting queer communities. One of them, titled Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness, was blocked by federal Judge Ana C. Reyes. She called the order animus, meaning intentionally discriminatory against transgender people in the military and having no legal basis.

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The executive orders also hit DEI, pressuring universities and other academic institutions to change their resources to comply with Trumps Jan. 20 executive order requiring government agencies to terminate all DEI actions, initiatives, or programs or face federal funding cuts.

Despite rallying club support and institutional efforts, many in the queer community at colleges and universities say they are scared and need validation that they are allowed to take up space.

On March 5, several Arizona State University social media accounts posts announced the universitys systematic removal of LGBTQIA+ mentions from their pages.

A search for trans-specific resources on the ASU website redirects to the Student Connection and Community page, with no mention of LGBTQ+ resources or clubs.

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Access to Displayname Changes and other resources have been consolidated into a drop-down menu on the Rainbow Coalition (RainCo) at the bottom of the page under Campus Resources.

At the end of April, five Instagram accounts affiliated with the university reported that ASUs Global Education resource page had removed the T in LGBT.

The page has a variety of guiding questions for queer students to consider when studying abroad. The reflection and research questions, along with things to keep in mind, are designed with students safety and comfort as they travel in mind.

The State Press later reported the letters were removed without the universitys permission and have been restored throughout the page to include the T in every mention of LGBTQIA.

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Antonio Duran, the president of the, LGBTQ+ Faculty/Staff Association, acknowledged the negative ramifications of changes due to executive actions.

We are seeing that an increasing amount of institutions are pulling their services specifically for trans and queer communities, Duran said. Whether thats the closing of centers or the shutting down of staff positions that are specifically tasked with serving trans and queer communities.

Cronkite News reached out to LGBTQIA+ students on campus and got no response. Duran said this is because students are feeling unsafe and vulnerable.

Duran said resources and facilities are still available to queer students and staff are doing their best. However, he said student organizations are better equipped to support one another as institutions comply with federal and state laws.

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Because many of the people who are in the staff positions are at-will employees, and they dont have a strong sense of job security, Duran said. If they are told not to put on a specific event and they try to move forward with that, they do have the potential of losing their jobs. Student groups are frequently allowed a little bit more freedom in being able to put on events, and were seeing this at ASU, where I think students are starting to step up and try to mobilize.

Alyssa-Leigh Alcantara, an ASU student and Planned Parenthood Generation Action officer, echoed the sentiment: Weve lost the schools support, but were gaining more support from clubs.  People are fighting back way harder, but you can just tell it has a really sad undertone.

Alcantara said the student queer community has worked overtime to support one another by hosting club meetings and private events to share information and resources safely.

ASU students participate in about 65 LGBTQ+ affiliated clubs, covering a wide range of interests and experiences, from Greek life and performance groups to lawyers and drag communities.

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Qmunity, an ASU LGBTQ+ social club, hosts regular events that include movie and game nights, dances, professional workshops and drag shows.

An ASU student who attended the Astral Allure: Qmunity Drag Dinner on April 9 and whose identity Cronkite News agreed to withhold to protect their association within queer clubs said, Its a space for queer people to just exist and be queer and not have to feel queer about it to finally be normal and queer at the same time. There are so many other spaces for all different types of people.

Right now, I know a lot of queer students on campus are feeling really, really disenfranchised and really not taken care of, said another queer ASU student. Cronkite News agreed to withhold the students identity.

Alcantara noted that the increase in hostility has exacerbated anxieties and made the campus feel less safe.

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Its microaggressions. They are really small things, where on their own it doesnt feel like that big of a deal, but in the grand scheme of it, it does feel like a big deal, Alcantara said. I go out with my queer friends, and I get text later, like, Hey, do you think what we did at XYZ location was OK? And I was like, we sat down and did nothing. We are fine.

Topics like sharing locations, setting aside funding and packing a go-bag are commonly discussed in the queer community. While being prepared is important, Alcantara acknowledged that many, particularly trans and non-binary individuals, feel worn down by the bombardment of coverage, from social media to family and club facilitators.

A lot of the conversation is like, Hey, I saw this. I dont really want to talk. I dont know what to do. Im going to go shut off for a little bit, Alcantara said.

Despite the fear, frustration and anxiety, she stresses the importance of learning from the past and being inspired by the resilience of queer movements.

I feel like with everything thats been happening, its easy to forget how much queer people have persevered, Alcantara said. Learn your history, attend a few events, and watch a video on Marsha P. Johnson.

The Trevor Projects LGBTQIA+ Youth Specialized Services branch of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline faces uncertainty after a leaked Trump administration budget draft proposed cutting all funding for the hotline, as the Washington Post first reported.

The Trevor Project, the leading queer suicide prevention organization, estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ youths ages13-24 seriously consider suicide each year in the United States.

On April 22, more than 400 officials from educational institutions signed a letter to the Trump administration denouncing unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education. ASU did not sign the letter, nor did any of Arizonas other public universities.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7. Call or text 988.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
NEW YORK  New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez  whose mayoral endorsement could weigh especially heavy this year  recently met individually with Brad Lander and Zohran Mamdani, indicating she may be narrowing down her search for who to potentially support in the race for City Hall, sources familiar with the matter told the Daily News.

Ocasio-Cortezs influence on Junes Democratic mayoral primary could be especially impactful because other liberal institutions that many progressive voters turn to for advice in local elections, such as the New York Times editorial board, arent endorsing in the race.

To boot, Ocasio-Cortezs political stature has grown lately.

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Since President Donald Trumps return to office, she has become a national figure, hosting anti-Trump rallies across the country with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders that are drawing tens of thousands of people. Her name has even recently been floated as a potential 2028 presidential candidate.

Ocasio-Cortezs sit-downs with Lander and Mamdani  which took place in the past few weeks  focused on their runs for mayor and signal shes in the final stages of deciding who she might endorse as her top pick in the June 24 mayoral primary, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations.

The sources cautioned the situation remains fluid and said there could be a chance she doesnt offer any mayoral endorsement, speaking to the complicated political calculation that the race presents to her.

In the 2021 mayoral race, Ocasio-Cortez endorsed progressive candidate Maya Wiley a week before early primary voting started.

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Some progressive voices were disappointed Ocasio-Cortez didnt offer an endorsement earlier in that race, which Mayor Eric Adams won. Adams isnt running in this years Democratic mayoral primary, after having dropped out to instead seek reelection as an independent in Novembers general election after Trumps Department of Justice secured a controversial dismissal of his federal corruption indictment.

Since this Junes mayoral primary is ranked choice, the sources said Ocasio-Cortez, as part of any endorsement, will likely urge supporters to list a slate on their ballots, with one candidate as her No. 1 pick.

Mike Casca, the Queens-Bronx congresswomans chief of staff, declined to comment on the meetings with Lander and Mamdani, saying Ocasio-Cortez doesnt discuss private conversations.

But Casca stressed, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez hasnt made any decisions about getting involved in the mayoral primary. Her focus is on next weeks national showdown with the GOP over cuts to Medicaid. It is disappointing that anyone thinks trafficking in petty rumors is a way to force her into a decision.

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A rep for Mamdani, an Assembly member who represents some of the same neighborhoods as Ocasio-Cortez, declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Lander, the citys current comptroller, also declined to comment.

Ocasio-Cortez has a long working relationship with Lander and her endorsement of his 2021 comptroller run was seen as a major boost to his campaign that year.

Last week, Lander attended a town hall Ocasio-Cortez hosted in her district. He tweeted from it: It was a pleasure to be there and hear about the work shes doing to lead our country forward.

Lander has struggled to gain momentum in the mayoral race, typically registering in third place in most polls.

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Mamdani, meanwhile, has consistently polled in most recent surveys as the runner-up to ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whos ranking as the favorite to win the primary.

Like Ocasio-Cortez, Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. He has also raised more money than any other mayoral candidate to date.

According to sources familiar with her thinking, Ocasio-Cortez, as part of any mayoral endorsement, will urge supporters not to rank Cuomo on their ballots.

Ocasio-Cortez, whos distinctly to the left of Cuomo, was one of the first New York members of Congress to call on him to resign as governor in 2021 amid sexual misconduct accusations that he denies.
Grassroots group Apache Stronghold asked the U.S. District Court in Phoenix on May 7 to temporarily block the Trump administration from moving ahead with plans that would help clear the way for Resolution Copper to take ownership of Oak Flat and begin extracting copper a site considered sacred to Apache and other Native peoples.

Attorneys for the group argued in the hearing that if the government issues a final environmental impact statement and the land exchange is finalized before the U.S. Supreme Court decides if it will hear the case this fall, it would be too late to reverse and return the land to the U.S. Forest Service.

The hearing was the latest turn in an ongoing struggle over a small plot of land in the mountains at the heart of an ongoing national debate about the conflict between First Amendment religious rights, public lands oversight and a 150-year-old mining law's relevance in the 21st century.

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The mining company argued that formally blocking the environmental review wasn't necessary because the government's schedule would still give the Supreme Court time to decide if it would take Apache Stronghold's longstanding lawsuit to stop the swap of other environmentally sensitive lands for Oak Flat.

Judge Steven P. Logan, who heard Apache Stronghold's case in 2021 and rejected the group's call to stop the land swap, again oversaw the hearing. Logan said he would issue a decision no later than 5 p.m. May 14.

Land transfer 'is the point of no return'

The judge had some strong questions for all three parties.

He asked Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, if Resolution would have the right to exclude Apaches after the transfer is done.

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"Yes," Goodrich replied. "There is no legal recourse, no binding obligation on Resolution's part to reserve waters, trees or sacred spaces.

"All Religious Freedom Restoration Act rights will expire."

Goodrich said his firm had serious questions over the merits of the case, including why the government was rushing to reissue the environmental impact statement.

"There is an imminent loss of federally protected rights if the land exchange happens," he said. "At the moment of the land swap, the regulatory ability of the government to affect access (to the property) ceases."

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Goodrich also pointed out that the court would not be able to rescind the exchange retroactively.

Resolution Copper wants to extract copper from Oak Flat, a campground that is part of the Tonto National Forest in Miami, Arizona. The method of extraction the mining company wants to use will eventually create a giant sinkhole on land sacred to the Apache.

"Once it happens, it's done and the court can't act any longer," he said. "The transfer is the point of no return."

Sacred lands: Indigenous people find legal, cultural barriers to protect sacred spaces off tribal lands

A 20-year struggle over a small campground

Also known as Chichil Bidagoteel, "the place where the Emory oak grows," Oak Flat is at the heart of a dispute over what should happen to the 2,200-acre site about 60 miles east of Phoenix.

Naelyn Pike, 25, a citizen of the San Carlos Apache tribe, speaks to protestors at Oak Flat about the importance of environmental protections. Pike and members of Apache Stronghold, gathered to discuss possible actions by the federal government.

A federal agency that oversees and supports permits for public lands projects added Resolution Copper's proposed mine east of Phoenix to a new priority list on April 18, along with nine other mining projects. It is part of the administration's push to increase domestic production of critical minerals through an executive order issued March 20.

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The list was posted in the wake of an announcement by the U.S. government on April 17 that it would reissue the final environmental impact statement 60 days later, or June 16. When the document is published, a 60-day window opens to complete the land swap and transfer the site to Resolution.

The Mining Law of 1872 opened federal lands to mineral extraction. U.S. citizens are entitled to explore and purchase mineral deposits on public lands designated as open for mining claims. It's the foundation of mineral extraction laws and hasn't been significantly changed in its 153-year history.

In December 2014, Congress authorized the U.S. Forest Service to trade the site, currently a campground amid big Emory oaks, other trees and plants, for parcels of environmentally sensitive private land owned by Resolution, a company owned by British-Australian mining corporations Rio Tinto and BHP.

Members and supporters of Apache Stronghold, a grassroots advocacy group opposing a land swap that would open Oak Flats to mining, listen to speakers talk about the importance of environmental protections and give updates on the group's legal challenges.

Resolution plans to extract the copper ore using a method known as block cave mining, in which tunnels are drilled beneath the ore body and then collapsed, leaving the ore to be moved to a crushing facility. Eventually, the ground would subside, leaving behind a crater about 1,000 feet deep and nearly 2 miles across where Oak Flat and its religious and environmental significance now stand.

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The U.S. Forest Service published the final environmental impact statement and draft decision for the copper mine and land swap five days before the end of the first Trump administration in January 2021. The land deal could have been finalized within 60 days of that action.

Apache Stronghold filed for an emergency injunction April 24 in response to a letter from the administration to the U.S. Supreme Court on April 18 that it intended to issue the final environmental impact statement 60 days later, as soon as June 16. The high court has been debating since late 2024 if it would accept the case.

Necessary minerals: Why can't the US mine and refine all its copper? What to know about new Trump order

Resolution was granted permission to join the lawsuit in 2023.

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After being turned down by the federal district court and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Apache Stronghold appealed to the Supreme Court in 2024. The high court has continued to consider the case, but as of May 5, has not yet decided if it will hear the group's appeal.

Resolution Copper, whose attorneys also participated in the hearing, said before the hearing it understands and respects that not everybody approves of the mine. However, a spokesperson said the company has been consulting with tribes and communities for almost a decade.

"The information collected and the two-way dialogue with Native American tribes and communities in a co-design approach has significantly reshaped the project," he said. "The company has agreed to forego portions of the ore body and major facilities have been completely relocated to avoid dozens of areas of cultural significance and hundreds of ancestral sites, medicinal plants, seeps and springs."

Apache Leap has been placed in permanent protection, and Oak Flat campground will remain open and accessible for decades, he said.

Resolution officials detail site costs

Logan asked Victoria Peacey, Resolution Copper's president and general manager to clarify the firm's assertion that it was spending about $11 million a month in carrying costs, and if it would be paying those costs after construction commences.

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Peacey said the current figure was to maintain the two tunnels the company has already drilled, to maintain and shore up older tunnels from the mine's Magma Mine days, to wrap up rehabilitating waste piles in and around Superior and repurposing at least one site into a water treatment plant for the town, and for payroll for Resolution's current 400-employee roster.

She said most of those employees are local to Arizona's Copper Triangle, including San Carlos Apache members, and include biologists, cultural resource specialists, technicians and engineers.

She said some of those costs, such as keeping the major mine shafts clear, would be incurred through the mine's anticipated 40-year lifespan. And some costs, like lighting, she said, would actually increase.

The judge asked Julia Morgan, attorney for the U.S. government, if the high court had reviewed any petition as many times as Apache Stronghold's, but then ended up refusing to deliberate the case. Morgan said she wasn't aware of any.

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Logan then asked both parties to list their opponents' strongest arguments and state their counterarguments.

Goodrich said the biggest argument would be the large copper deposit  estimated to be about 40 billion pounds  but Congress also passed legislation affirming Native people's right to practice their religions. He said Apache Stronghold is just asking for a halt to the land swap process until the Supreme Court decides if they will take the case.

"If the Supreme Court says no the government loses nothing."

He asked Morgan, the attorney for the government, what she felt was Apache Stronghold's main argument and the government's counterargument.

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"The Stronghold's argument is the surface destruction, the ultimate destruction of lands that will disrupt their religious practice," she said. "However, that harm won't occur in the next 14 days or 30 days."

Morgan added that the harm to the land won't occur before the courts are done deliberating, "thus there is no need for an injunction" to halt the land swap process.

After the hearing, a Resolution spokesperson said the mine is vital to securing Americas energy future, infrastructure needs and national defense with a domestic supply of copper and other critical minerals.

"We are encouraged by the significant community support for the project, which has the potential to become one of the largest copper mines in America, add $1 billion a year to Arizonas economy and create thousands of local jobs in a region where mining has played an important role for more than a century."

"(The government) knows that the Apache people are still today engaging in sacred practices there that they can't engage in anywhere else," Goodrich said after the hearing. "And yet it told the court today it wants to rush ahead with a mine that will completely swallow Oak Flat in a crater and end centuries of Apache religious practices forever."

"Today, I heard Resolution Copper say that they spent $11 million (a month) to maintain the assets," said Naelyn Pike of Apache Stronghold. "My religion, my way of life, my culture, is not an asset. It is our way of life that we've had since time immemorial, and it is priceless."

Debra Krol reports on Indigenous communities at the confluence of climate, culture and commerce in Arizona and the Intermountain West. Reach Krol at debra.krol@azcentral.com. Follow her on X @debkrol.

Coverage of Indigenous issues at the intersection of climate, culture and commerce is supported by the Catena Foundation.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Apache Stronghold asks judge to halt action on Resolution copper mine
CALHOUN COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  Last year, the Apalachicola Riverkeeper filed a lawsuit to stop Clearwater Land & Minerals from drilling for oil in the Apalachicola River floodplain.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced it intended to grant Clearwater a permit to drill in Calhoun County.

Last week, Judge Lawrence P. Stevenson issued an order recommending that DEP deny the drilling permit.

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The two main reasons that the judge said that this was a bad idea was they had a very limited view on essentially what was just a pile of dirt, a listed area of dirt that was completely surrounded by the flood plain thats impacted by flood waters and that dpi did not take that into consideration. The judge cited that they did not prove there was the likelihood of finding oil, Apalachicola Riverkeeper Cameron Baxley said.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill banning fluoride additives in Florida drinking water

DEP has the last word, but Baxley said they usually follow the courts recommendation.

In years past, it would be a matter of time before another company requested a drilling permit from the state.

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However, the state legislature unanimously passed a bill last week that could permanently end the threat. It prohibits drilling, exploration, and extraction of oil and gas resources within 10 miles of the National Estuarine Research Reserves.

This judges decision is just for one permit. They could ask for another permit tomorrow. However, the legislation would actually give dep the power to not issue any of those permits, Baxley said.

The governor still has to sign it into law. But riverkeepers job is never done. The newest issue involves dredging.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a study to see if dredging the Apalachicola River is feasible.

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A deeper river could accommodate larger barge traffic. It used to be a common practice until the corps lost its dredging permit.

The state pulled their permit, and they werent allowed to do that, but its been about 20 years since that occurred, Baxley added.

Baxley said dredging caused sand to clog up the river and disconnect it from the floodplain.

Considering how the Army Corps handled past dredging and it was very destructive. Riverkeeper would not be interested in the Corps doing what they did before, and we would not want them back on the river dredging, Baxley said.

Baxley said they expect DEPs final order on Clearwaters drilling permit in August.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks during a special solemn meeting in commemoration of all victims of World War II at the UN headquarters in New York on May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie E)

by Ada Zhang

UNITED NATIONS, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday convened a special solemn meeting in commemoration of all victims of World War II, as the international community marks the 80th anniversary of the war's end.

China, which won the war in the major Oriental theater of WWII, endured casualties exceeding 35 million, said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, emphasizing China's role in the global victory over fascism.

"By holding back the main forces of Japanese militarism, China not only secured its own survival and national salvation, but also provided strong support to the resistant forces in Europe and the Pacific, making an indelible contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War," said Fu.

Fu said that 80 years later, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and change, with unilateralism on the rise and bullying running rampant.

Fu called for jointly promoting "a correct understanding of the history of WWII." "Any scheme or action seeking to downplay, deny, or distort the history of WWII and any rhetoric that glorifies wars of aggression and colonial rule tantamount to a mockery of history and an affront to human conscience, and will surely lose the trust of the global community," he said.

"We must firmly uphold the UN-centered international system, the international order based on international law, and the rules-based multilateral trading system, and unequivocally say no to all forms of power politics and bullying," he said.

He also called for jointly upholding the authority and status of the United Nations.

"Certain countries treat the UN as something they can use when it suits them and discard when it doesn't. They willfully withdraw from agreements and organizations, default on contribution payments, and cut funding in an attempt to place their narrow interests over the collective global good," Fu said, adding that such practices are "deeply unpopular and are ultimately doomed to failure."

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, said the victory came at the cost of millions of people.

"China lost 35 million people. The United States, approximately half a million. Serbia organized the largest partisan movement in Europe. The struggle for the freedom of the peoples was carried out by heroes from Latin America, Asia, and Africa. The cost for the Soviet Union was 27 million people. Twelve million of them were military losses," Nebenzia said.

"We will forever remember the great feat that was achieved by the Soviet people, the participants of these historic events. This was a time that was exceedingly difficult, but it was very sacred. A person who experiences significant trials and who vanquishes this will forever draw strength from this victory," he said.

Antje Leendertse, Germany's permanent representative to the United Nations, said the war, unleashed by Nazi Germany, caused immeasurable suffering, in Europe and beyond.

"That legacy of pain, destruction, and loss will forever be tied to my country's name. We carry this burden with humility and a moral responsibility, and we accept it without hesitation," she said.

"'Never again' is not only a commitment for Germany. It is a universal obligation -- one that binds us all. An obligation to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. To protect civilian lives and defend the vulnerable. To uphold the dignity of every human being. And to safeguard the principles of the United Nations Charter for all, including future generations," said Leendertse.

Stavros Lambrinidis, head of the European Union Delegation to the United Nations, said it is the occasion to "honor the sacrifices made and mourn the countless lives lost during and after the war."

"It is also an opportunity to reiterate our commitment to collaborating with all Member States of the United Nations to ensure a more peaceful, equitable, and prosperous future for generations to come," Lambrinidis said.

He said that 80 years on from the end of the Second World War, "we are reminded of the solemn responsibility entrusted to us: to remain true to our collective commitment to uphold the principles of the UN Charter and to ensure that the horrors of war are never repeated."

Philemon Yang, president of the UNGA, said in his remarks: "On this 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, we reflect on the immense sacrifices made by the millions who fought and died to secure the freedoms we too often take for granted."

"As time passes, these commemorations take on a deeper meaning. Most surviving veterans are now centenarians... Preserving their stories is not only a tribute to them, it is a moral responsibility for us all. We must ensure that the lessons they leave behind do not fade but endure," he said.

Yang called on world leaders "to choose dialogue over conflict. Diplomacy over escalation. Cooperation over division. Peace over the absence of peace."

"We stand at a defining moment -- not only for this institution, but for humanity," said the UNGA president.

In March, the UNGA passed a resolution to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The resolution calls for a special commemorative meeting to be held in the second week of May 2025, and every five years thereafter, to honor the victims of the war.

It was introduced by Russia, China, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. 

Fu Cong (on the screen), China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks during a special solemn meeting in commemoration of all victims of World War II at the UN headquarters in New York on May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie E)

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks during a UN General Assembly's special solemn meeting in commemoration of all victims of World War II at the UN headquarters in New York on May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie E)


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Bodies voluntarily chained to rocks. Acts of self-flagellation. Living beings reduced only to skin and bones through consenting abstinence from food consumption.

Asceticism in Christianity as practiced for centuries can comprise an array of devotional practices from fasting to meditation. But its this more extreme form of asceticism, first documented in the second century, that has held a lurid fascination with the public, both within and outside of the Christian faith. Though these acts of extreme deprivation and self-harm were condemned by Church figures like Saint Barsanuphius and John the Prophet, radical acts like Simeon Stylites 36 years atop a pillar have been immortalized in works as far ranging as a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and a 1965 film by the Mexican director Luis Bunuel. In the 21st century, this fascination with extreme asceticism re-emerged in the public consciousness through the character of Silas, the self-flagellating monk in the thriller novel The Da Vinci Code.

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But while these pop culture depictions of ecstatic suffering vary in style and genre, one thing remains consistent: the practitioners depicted are always male. Only men performed self-punishment in the Byzantine period, a recent Haaretz article notes of the general assumption made by historians. Ecstatic suffering was the fief of the exalted male.

But that assumption has been drastically shaken, after an article published in the Journal of Archaeological Science provides the first solid evidence that women in early Christendom also engaged in self-punishment.

The evidence in question was found within a Byzantine monastery near the Old City of Jerusalem, which likely existed from 350 to 650 A.D. Within the two crypts therein, archaeologists were able to categorize many of the bodies as men, women, and children. But one had been so damaged by tree roots and other degradation that the so-called diagnostic bones, primarily the pelvis, were indecipherable. What was evident about it, however, was that these remains had belonged to a practitioner of a particularly extreme form of asceticism, as the bones had been wrapped in chains.

With only only three vertebrae and a tooth available to them, and roughly 1,600 years elapsing since the initial burial, the idea of extracting and analyzing DNA in order to identify the biological sex of the figure formerly wrapped in chains was off the table. But, remarkably, a different kind of analysis had previously been pioneered by Dr. Paula Kotli and their team for the purposes of studying ancient animal domestication.

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In animaldom, Kotli and others developed a methodology to sex ancient remains based on a protein in dental enamel, amelogenin, which differs slightly between males and females, Haaretz summarizes. It was the first time the sex of ancient cattle remains had been elucidated, enabling researchers to explore the domestication pathway through changes in herd management.

This analysis hinges on the fact that, as Dr. Kotli explained, we humans have two copies of the amelogenin gene: one on the X chromosome and one on the Y. Those with two X-chromosomes would only have the X-linked amelogenin. But the presence of a Y-linked amelogenin means the tooth in question was in the mouth of a biological male.

When the tooth of this chain-bound ascetic was subjected to analysis, there was no Y-linked amelogenin present, which highly suggests the tooths owner had been female.

We say highly suggests because there is some wiggle room here. The absence of an AmelY unique spectra enabled us to classify the remains as very probably those of a female, is what the paper concludes. Since men have both the X- and Y-chromosomes, its possible this tooth at one time had a Y-linked amelogenin, which simply didnt survive as well and wasnt discovered in the analysis.

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But without expressing absolute certainty, the team appears fairly confident that the likely owner was a female. This discovery offers a new insight into ancient devotional practices, and broadens our understanding of the spectrum of early Christian worship, not just in terms of what was practiced, but who was permitted to practice it.

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By Lucila Sigal

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentine cardinal Angel Rossi, one of the 133 now gathered at the Vatican to elect a new pope, told Reuters before the conclave that he hoped the next leader of the global Catholic Church - whoever he is - will maintain intact the vision of Pope Francis, a fellow Jesuit and his former teacher.

Rossi, 66, archbishop of the central Argentine province of Cordoba, is one of four cardinals from the South American country in the conclave that began on Wednesday at the Vatican to elect the pope who will succeed Francis.

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Francis, a reformer who sought to open up the Church despite criticism from more conservative groups, died on April 21 at the age of 88. He pushed interfaith dialogue and focused on defending the poorest in society.

"He left clearly defined lines of belief: service, not being a court church, looking out for the poorest, sharing among the wealthy, calling for the charity of nations," Rossi said in an interview last week.

Rossi, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, said that the 23 Latin American cardinals at the conclave would not necessarily be pushing for another pope from the region, but would want one who would continue the reforms made by Francis.

"I think the solution isn't for him to be Latin American, but rather for the person to have the sentiments of Pope Francis," said Rossi, who had a close relationship with the former pope, who was previously Jorge Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires.

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"It seems to me there is a shared view we should borrow Pope Francis' vision so we can look at the world from our own land and not from outside, but with our feet in Latin America."

A column of black smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on Wednesday and again on Thursday morning, signaling that the cardinals gathered in the secret conclave have so far been unable to elect a new pope.

(Reporting by Lucila Sigal; Editing by Nicolas Misculin and Rosalba O'Brien)
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's Senate voted down a bill on Wednesday that would have barred individuals convicted of corruption from holding public office.

The legislation, which opposition figures had said was aimed at sidelining former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner from future national races, was backed by 36 senators, while 35 voted against.

It fell short of the 37 votes required to become law.

(Reporting by Eliana Raszewski; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle)
Yui Inoue will spend the rest of her life in prison for killing her two children with a meat cleaver

She was convicted in February for first-degree murder, child abuse, and disorderly conduct

Inoue reportedly denied killing her children, saying in court that they were with her parents

A woman in Arizona who killed her two young children with a meat cleaver four years ago has learned her fate.

According to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office, Yui Inoue, 44, was sentenced on May 2 to two consecutive natural life sentences for the murders of her 7-year-old son, Kai Inoue, and her 9-year-old daughter, Mia Inoue. The sentence follows her conviction in February for two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of child abuse and one count of disorderly conduct.

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Prosecutors also announced that Inoue received an additional 35 years in prison for the child abuse and disorderly conduct convictions, which will be served consecutively to the life sentences.



According to court records and police reports cited by the County Attorneys Office, Tempe police officers responded to Inoues apartment near Mill and Southern Avenues just after midnight on May 15, 2021, following a domestic disturbance. Inoue and her ex-husband had recently divorced and were reportedly arguing about finances and her planned move back to Japan.



The County Attorneys Office stated that Inoues ex-husband told officers she had become physically aggressive and used a meat cleaver to destroy his electronics. He left the apartment before police arrived. Officers reported that both children were alive and sleeping when they checked the apartment, and they departed without further incident.



Shortly after officers left, prosecutors say Inoue went into her childrens bedroom and held each child down on the floor while she delivered dozens of blows with the meat cleaver. One prosecutor told the court that a very conservative guess was that Inoue struck the children approximately 100 times.

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The Maricopa County Attorneys Office said Inoue then attempted to clean up the scene. She showered, put her blood-stained clothing in a trash bag, and partially washed the weapon. She also packed a bag containing her passport, cash, and jewelry. Authorities said she then covered her childrens bodies with trash, a mattress, and other household items before locking the apartment and leaving.

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According to officials, Inoue went to a nearby Tempe police station and told an officer she had heard voices telling her she had killed her children and saw blood. Police returned to the apartment and discovered the children deceased.



During sentencing, Inoue allegedly denied killing her children and made bizarre claims to the court. According to local media reports, including KTVK-TV, Inoue told the judge: My children are not dead. My parents have them. They are spending their time with my parents.



Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Rueter called the crime unimaginable. Words cant adequately describe what occurred, he said during sentencing, per the outlet. I cant imagine what those children went through in their last minutes. The fear, the pain, the suffering, its incomprehensible.



Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell also issued a statement condemning the crime and praising the work of law enforcement and prosecutors.



Inoue will never be eligible for release.

Read the original article on People
ARKADELPHIA, Ark.  Arkadelphia High seniors are only a few school bells away from graduation, and on Wednesday, the organization that provides scholarships for Arkadelphia seniors made a big announcement.

Officials announced that the Arkadelphia Promise Scholarships for graduating seniors, due to expiration this year, are now extended for 12 years. The program began in 2010.

UA Little Rock launches new scholarship program with $7.5 million gift

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Side by side with college t-shirts on, graduating senior Xenai Harper and the class of 2025 are excited for the next step in life.

Arkadelphia is family to me, Ive been here most of my life, Harper said.

Harper is headed to Louisiana State University to study theatre.

I was considering going to a smaller school if I wasnt able to get money from the Promise, so its really helped me a lot, Harper said.

Jason Jones, the director of Arkadelphia Promise, says the Ross Foundation and Southern Bancorp fund the program.

We help fund our Arkadelphia High School graduates that go on to college or two-year schools or technical training, Jones said. We help pay for their schooling.

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This years graduating class was set to be the last to receive the scholarship. However, as of Wednesday, thats changed.

From our 11th grade all the way down to our kindergarteners, the Promise is still going to be around for them, Jones said.

Sara Adams was in the first Arkadelphia Promise class. Now, shes a special education teacher in the school district.

With the Arkadelphia Promise, I was able to go to Henderson all four years, Adams said.

She gives the Promise an A-plus, as now her children will also graduate with it.

Not only was I the very first class to receive access to that, now my biological children are going to be doing that also, and I think thats really cool, Adams said.

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As Xenai signs the Promise letter, shes ready to be an LSU Tiger, but remains proud to be an Arkadelphia Badger.

Im glad the school sponsors a Promise because it helps out a lot of kids, and I know it helps me, Harper said.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin visits Little Rock as over $70 thousand in scholarships were given to young men

Certain scholarships are available for each year of school, paired with the Arkansas Challenge Scholarship. Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State are also partnering with the Arkadelphia Promise to help out graduates.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
A handful of environment-adjacent legislation made it into law this year. (Photo courtesy of National Park Service)

Arkansas lawmakers passed a handful of bills during the 2025 legislative session to address environmental concerns, such as the application of industrial biosolids to farmland and a moratorium on medium and large swine farms in the Buffalo River watershed.

Rep. Brad Hall, R-Van Buren, rallied legislators to pass Act 1009 overwhelmingly in both chambers, after months of complaints by Crawford Country residents of noxious odors from a waste lagoon and fields where Denali Water Solutions, a waste recycling company, stores and applies waste from chicken processing plants to farmland as fertilizer.

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The bill requires the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environments Division of Environmental Quality to levy the maximum penalty allowed under state law when those permitted to apply industrial biosolids either over-apply or apply industrial biosolids near a rain event.

It also authorizes DEQ to write rules specifically to authorize no-discharge land application permits of industrial waste.

Hall said he made it clear to company representatives that the odor from its operations, which he described as smelling like death, was unacceptable to him.

Im tired of people living like that, Hall said. Its ridiculous. I mean, its obscene. They [Denali] dont have to live like that where they live, so they shouldnt expect everybody else to live like that.

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Halls bill went through numerous substantive amendments. Its final form, he said, was prompted because Denali promised it would shut down the open-air waste lagoon in Crawford County by Jan. 1, 2026.

A Denali spokesperson said they have not committed to a specific shutdown timeline.

The Crawford County storage facility remains a critical storage asset, particularly during periods of inclement weather when land application is restricted, Denali spokesperson Nancy St. Pierre wrote in an email. Denali will continue to use the site through the remainder of 2025 as we work to continue developing alternative storage capacity and long-term infrastructure solutions throughout the region.

St. Pierre said obtaining permits and permit modifications from DEQ were critical in order to shut down the lagoon.

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Hall said you better have your popcorn ready if Denali doesnt abide by the agreement he said they made and the situation has to be addressed again during the 2027 legislative session.

DEQ fined Denali $19,800 earlier this year after numerous incidents where the company was documented applying waste to farmland within 24 hours of a rain event  defined as when there is a 50% chance or greater of precipitation.

Such application practices are prohibited in the companys permits. A letter last year from Denali to state regulators stating its intent to violate its permits to apply during those periods while self-imposing requirements on itself earned a sharp rebuke from the head of DEQs Office of Water Quality, Stassie Wassel, who wrote that Denali had a duty to comply with the requirements explicitly set forth in its permits.

DEQ does not recognize the legitimacy of self-imposed requirements and will not rely upon any assertions from the May 8 letter as mitigating factors for future enforcement actions relating to non-compliance on behalf of Denali, Wassel wrote in a letter dated May 2024.

Buffalo River permit moratorium

Perhaps the most visible piece of environmental legislation that made it into law this year was Senate Bill 290, now Act 921.

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SB 290 in its original form would have stripped away a decade-old moratorium that prevented medium and large concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, from obtaining certain water permits necessary to operate within the Buffalo River watershed, while setting new hoops for agencies to jump through if one wanted to institute a watershed-based permit moratorium in the future.

Aided in their cause by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Buffalo River advocates expressed relief that the final form of Act 921 ultimately preserved the moratorium for the Buffalo watershed in its current form.

They also said that it never should have reached the 11th hour the way it had.

We were pretty crestfallen after the three heads of three state agencies got in there and had their say, and in spite of that, the committee still voted to support SB 290 before it was amended, said Gordon Watkins, president of the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance. And then we were, needless to say, we were happy to find out that the governor subsequently stepped in and twisted some arms and amended it to a more acceptable level.

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Even with the protections for the existing moratorium, Watkins said his organization is still opposed to the legislation as a whole. He said he felt sorry for the rest of the state thats going to be under these onerous requirements if other watersheds end up needing a similar moratorium in the future.

Thompson also emphasized that his organization was extremely grateful to Sanders for her role in preserving the existing swine farm moratorium.

It was a tough position for her to take, Thompson said. Still though, the fact that the agencies will have to jump through additional hoops down the road is unfortunate, but we did get a big part of what we wanted, so we were pleased. We owe it to the governor.

Other environmental laws

Senate Bill 427 / Act 945 of 2025: Sponsored by Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, and Hall, the act creates the Arkansas Wind Energy Development Act, to minimize any adverse effect upon the environment or upon Arkansans quality of life as a result of wind turbine construction, operation and decommissioning. It creates a requirement that the construction, operation or redevelopment of a wind turbine be permitted by the Arkansas Public Service Commission and local governments if there are specific local regulations regarding wind turbines.

House Bill 1681 / Act 812 of 2025: Sponsored by Rep. DeAnn Vaught, R-Horatio, and Sen. Joshua Bryant, R-Rogers, the act creates a matching grant program for water and sewage utilities for use in infrastructure and improvement projects. Vaught has been vocal about the deterioration of utility infrastructure, especially in rural areas of the state.

Senate Bill 421 / Act 578 of 2025: Sponsored by Hester and Rep. Howard Beaty, Jr., R-Crossett, the act reauthorizes the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to borrow money via general obligation bonds for the development of water, waste disposal, and pollution abatement projects. The measure will require approval by voters either during the 2026 general election or via a special election called by the governor before bonds can be issued.

Editors Note: This story has been updated to reflect more accurately what Denali does.

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BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  Amber Waterman can now be prosecuted on state charges connected to the alleged killing of a pregnant Benton County woman and her unborn child, according to court documents.

Waterman, 44, is charged with two counts of kidnapping in connection with the deaths of Ashley Bush and her unborn child, Valkyrie Grace Willis. Prosecutors previously told KNWA/FOX24 that they are seeking the death penalty.

Amber Waterman, 44 (Courtesy: Benton County Detention Center)

A majority opinion from the Arkansas Supreme Court said it affirmed Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Greens decision denying the possible dismissal of murder charges against Waterman.

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Benton County prosecutor Sexton sworn in, taking on high-profile cases

Watermans attorney previously filed a motion to dismiss the charges on the grounds of double jeopardy after she pleaded guilty in federal court in Missouri and was sentenced to two life sentences.

Green ruled that Waterman would face her capital murder charges, stating that double jeopardy does not apply to those charges. The judge also ruled that the states kidnapping case would be dismissed due to double jeopardy.

Benton County prosecuting attorney Bryan Sexton told KNWA/FOX24 that the state was awaiting the Arkansas Supreme Courts decision before moving forward with the case.

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Benton County prosecuting attorney Josh Robinson gave the following statement to KNWA/FOX24:

I am gratified that the Supreme Court agreed with Judge Robin Green that we may move forward with our prosecution of these heinous crimes. I look forward to continuing to seek justice in Benton County for our victims and the lives of those affected by these deaths.

Sexton said Watermans pre-trial hearing is scheduled for July 7.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
LAMPASAS COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44)  A Lampasas County man has been arrested after the serving of a high-risk felony warrant turned into a standoff.

The Lampasas County Sheriffs Office received a call from a woman at approximately 1:07 pm. Tuesday regarding a man identified as Charles James Cadle, of Lampasas County, trespassing with a weapon on her property at County Road 3340 at approximately 11 p.m. Monday.

That night, Cadle pointed a gun at the homeowner and stated that he was looking for someone. After receiving this information, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden and Lampasas County Sheriffs deputies responded to Cadles residence on County Road 3300.

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The Lampasas County Sheriffs Office says when officers arrived at the residence, they saw Cadle close the front door of the residence. At 2:25 p.m. Wednesday, the Sheriffs Office received a phone call from Cadles mother saying he was in the house and had a gun. The Lampasas County Sheriffs Office obtained a warrant of arrest for Cadle for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Lampasas County Sheriffs deputies attempted to talk to Cadle from outside of the residence to no avail. Due to the fact no dialogue was established with Cadle, the Coryell County Sheriffs Offices SWAT Team was dispatched to help with executing the arrest warrant.

One held in warehouse break-in, attempted copper theft

The Coryell County Sheriffs Office says its Crisis Negotiation Team, and K-9 teams were also deployed. The SWAT Team made entry to the building at approximately 5:51 P.M. after numerous attempts by Crisis Negotiations Team members to coordinate a negotiated surrender went unanswered. Cadle was found armed with a loaded firearm concealed in the closet.

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The Coryell County Sheriffs Office says Cadle refused to peacefully surrender, resulting in the application of non-lethal force measures which allowed the SWAT Team to successfully apprehend him at 5:57 p.m.

Cadle was evaluated by on site medics and was transported to the hospital for an evaluation. He was then turned over to the Lampasas County Sheriffs Office.

Charles James Cadle. (Courtesy: Coryell County Sheriffs Office)

The Lampasas County Sheriffs Office says this incident is still under investigation, and there is no threat to the public.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
A woman carrying a gun was shot and killed by Broward Sheriffs Office deputies in Deerfield Beach Wednesday night, officials say.

She was identified Thursday as Santrina Lester, 28, of Pompano Beach.

A little before 9:30 p.m., deputies responded to a 911 call about a woman pointing a gun at another person near 2060 NE Second St., where the restaurant Fat Tuesday is located.

Deputies arrived to find Lester inside of a car, the Sheriffs Office said in a release. There, despite verbal commands from deputies not to do so, Lester produced a firearm, the release said.

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Multiple deputies opened fire on Lester, then attempted to give her CPR after she was struck. Paramedics took her to Broward Health North in Pompano Beach, where she was pronounced dead.

The encounter with Lester occurred inside and outside the vehicle, the release said.

One deputy was injured and taken to a nearby hospital.

The Sheriffs Office did not say exactly what led to the deputies opening fire or whether the deputy who was hospitalized was shot.

A threat was presented to the deputies themselves, Sheriff Gregory Tony told reporters at the scene late Wednesday.  It doesnt require an individual to fire at us in order for us to have to engage them.

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The Sheriffs Office recovered a gun that had been next to Lester.

Wednesdays shooting is the second fatal deputy-involved shooting in Deerfield Beach in the last three weeks. On April 21, a BSO deputy shot and killed a woman who was charging at him with a large knife, according to the Sheriffs Office. The woman was later identified as 60-year-old Debra Lobbins.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating both shootings. The deputies in both are on administrative leave.
A U.S. Army combat medic received an award of courage for providing medical care to a shooting victim while exchanging gunfire with the assailant, according to an Army release.

Sgt. Brian Lieberman  of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division  received the Soldiers Medal on Tuesday at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The Soldiers Medal acknowledges acts of heroism that fall outside the scope of combat with adversaries, rewarding actions that aid fellow soldiers or civilians.

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Specialist Liebermans bravery and willingness to risk his life to protect others is in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon him, the 82d Airborne Division, and the United States Army, an Army citation read.

Lieberman reacted quickly on June 5, 2023, when he heard gunshots ring outside his apartment building, The Reserve at Carrington Place in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

He reached for his personal firearm, rushing outside to find a victim near the pool suffering from a gunshot wound.

Lieberman worked to address an injury to the victims back, using a plastic grocery bag as a chest seal while waiting for his roommate to deliver medical supplies.

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I went into fight or flight, Lieberman said in a pre-ceremony interview. I reverted back to everything the Army taught me.

Suddenly, the active shooter drove by in a car, opening fire on Lieberman and the victim, who Lieberman shielded with his body.

Lieberman uncorked his firearm and shot back at the assailant, which prompted him to get back into the vehicle and drive away from the scene.

He then returned to treating the victim, helping them remain conscious until the Fayetteville Police eventually arrived.

Once on the scene, local authorities provided Lieberman with medical supplies to help stabilize the victim and treat their wounds as they waited for an ambulance.

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Col. Jason Schuerger, commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team, presented the medal to Lieberman during the award ceremony and praised Liebermans actions as both selfless and emblematic of the teams identity.

Without a doubt our Airborne medics move to the sound of gunfire to save lives, Schuerger said. Of course he moved to the sound of gun fire, of course he administered aid, of course he saved somebodys life.

Lieberman wielded his own act of heroism as a lesson for younger service members.

I always tell my junior medics to never lose their passion for the craft of medicine, he said. That way no matter where they are, no matter what theyre doing, they can always be there for someone on their worse day.
ZHENGZHOU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has called for efforts to ensure food safety, maintain a fair and competitive market order, optimize China's consumer environment, and protect the interests of the people.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in central China's Henan Province which began on Wednesday and ended on Thursday.

Noting that food safety is crucial to the lives and health of the people, Zhang urged strict prevention of problems at their source, strict management during the process and strict control of risks. He stressed that there can be no relaxation of such efforts at any point.

He emphasized that market supervision plays an important role in serving high-quality development and meeting the people's needs for high-quality life.

He called for enhanced capabilities to promptly identify and resolve problems. He also urged the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data to advance penetrative supervision, and called for continuous improvement of supervision and law enforcement, as well as the quality and efficiency of inspection and testing processes.

During a visit to the Yellow River flood control and drought relief headquarters, Zhang also stressed the importance of analyzing rainfall and flood trends promptly, of intensifying the identification of risks and hidden dangers, and of flood control preparations. 
HENDERSON COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  A man arrested in Gun Barrel City has been sentenced to life in prison after multiple grams of illegal drugs were found inside his vehicle, according to officials.

Houston County Sheriffs Office arrest suspects in connection to death of 16-year-old teen

Jeffrey Lee Sharp was arrested in October 2023 during a routine traffic stop. According to officials, during the stop an investigator smelled marijuana coming from Sharps car, which led him to conduct a probable cause search of the vehicle. During the search a clear baggie that contained multiple baggies with methamphetamines and a bag of marijuana.

Courtesy of Henderson County District Attorneys Office

During the court hearing, the jury heard testimony stated that Sharp was a habitual offender, which extended his sentence. Sharp was previously sentenced to 35 years in prison for delivery of a controlled substance and was on parole at the time of his arrest.

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Grapeland ISD announces interim superintendent after retirement of Dr. Davis Maass

Sharp had previously been spent time in prison after being charged with burglary and injury to a child. Due to his lengthy criminal history, Sharp was sentenced to life in prison by the 392nd District Court Judge R. Scott McKee

This defendant has repeatedly shown a disregard for the law and the safety of others, District Attorney Jenny Palmer said. This verdict and Judge McKees sentence reflect the seriousness of his crimes. Our office will continue to hold repeat offenders accountable and fight to keep Henderson County safe.

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Over 100 demonstrators crowded a Columbia University library reading room Wednesday, prompting school administrators to call on the New York Police Department to quell the protest. The NYPD told POLITICO that multiple arrests had been made, but did not give a specific number.

A video posted on X by a protest group called Columbia University Apartheid Divest, shows protesters wearing masks and keffiyehs while chanting and clapping along to drums. Painted banners were hung throughout the library.

The flood shows that as long as Columbia funds and profits from imperialist violence, the people will continue to disrupt Columbia's profits and legitimacy, CUAD wrote in a statement posted to Substack. Repression breeds resistance  if Columbia escalates repression, the people will continue to escalate disruptions on this campus.

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The protests at Columbia harkened back to last year when the university was one of the focal points of the nations protests relating to the Israel-Hamas war, as well as arguments over antisemitism within the protest movement.

The protesters said they had renamed the library the Basel Al-Araj Popular University, after a Palestinian writer killed by Israeli forces in 2017.

Claire Shipman, Columbias acting president, said in a statement Wednesday that the university had mobilized the NYPD in response to the protests. Shipman said that two university public safety officers were injured during a crowd surge of individuals trying to enter the reading room, which she called outrageous.

Shipman said participants were asked several times to identify themselves and leave the library prior to the arrival of the NYPD.

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We have been clear from the outset about applying our protocols and advising participants of the potential consequences of not complying, Shipman said. Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community.

The occupation occurred just days before students are slated to sit for final exams. In its Substack post, CUAD listed five demands, including financial divestment from Zionist occupation, Apartheid, and genocide and an academic boycott of complicit institutions, including the end of the Israel-based Tel Aviv Global Center.

The confrontation comes as Columbia continues to struggle under President Donald Trumps ongoing assault on universities and colleges that he claims arent adequately fighting antisemitism.

In March, the White House slashed $400 million in federal funding for the university. Columbia announced Tuesday that nearly 180 staff members working on impacted federal grants would be let go, citing financial difficulties.

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Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), whose high-profile grilling of university presidents from Harvard, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania helped catapult her to GOP stardom in 2023, framed the demonstration as vindication for Trumps aggressive approach.

While Columbia students try to study for finals, theyre being bombarded with chants for a 'global intifada,' Stefanik said. President @realDonaldTrump is right: not a single taxpayer dollar should go to a university that allows chaos, antisemitism, and civil rights violations on its campus. Columbia must act  enough is enough.
NEW YORK  Arrests were underway late Wednesday as the NYPD moved in to clear about 100 pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University who took over Butler Library just days before final exams.

Several hours into the protest, Acting President Claire Shipman authorized the NYPD to enter campus, on top of a limited number of arrests made by campus security who have the power to take in students. Shortly after, police began clearing the library, coming out with dozens of protesters in zip ties.

The universitys temporary leader  its third in as many years  attributed the decision to the large number of protesters, including a group trying to force their way into the library and people they suspect do not attend the school.

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Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community, Shipman wrote.

She said protesters injured two Columbia officers while trying to force their way into the building and the room of the demonstration.

Videos on social media showed the activists, who wore masks, pushing through security at the entrance of Butler, the main campus library, shortly after 3 p.m., steps away from where students pitched a tent demonstration last year. They played drums, and posted signs and stickers to free Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia grad who has been detained by federal immigration authorities.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams condemned the protest by making a plea to their parents on live television.

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Parents, if your children are going to Columbia campus and participate in this, I think you should reach out to them, Adams said on NBC 4. This is not what you do on the college campus, particularly going inside a library and protesting in this manner. We are in engagement with the college.

At least three protesters were brought out of the library by Columbia security in handcuffs. There was no immediate information available on what charges they might face.

A fourth person was taken out on a gurney by emergency medics and put into a Columbia ambulance.

The NYPD had not entered campus as of 6 p.m., but were stationed outside the gates.

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Nearly an hour into the protest, the large group attempted to push through public safety and out of the reading room, but were stopped by personnel who asked for their identification cards, the videos show.

Through a megaphone, one officer informed students that if they show ID, they will be allowed to leave without issue, but failure to do so would make them subject to arrest.

Individuals have been asked for identification, which will be recorded, and asked to disperse. They have been told that failure to comply will result in violations of our rules and policies and possible arrest, the school said in a statement.

The statement said protesters would face disciplinary action after an investigation.

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It is completely unacceptable that some individuals are choosing to disrupt academic activities as our students are studying and preparing for final exams.

A vandal with a green marker wrote on glass cases and desks Columbia will burn 4 the martyrs and Butler was a Nazi, an apparent reference to former Columbia president Nicholas Murray Butler, according to photos on social media.

Hours into the protest, one person pulled a fire alarm inside the library, renewing the protesters calls to be let go without the precondition of their identity. Another group of about 50 demonstrators gathered outside the library chanting Free Palestine.

Columbia finals begin on Friday, according to an academic calendar.

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Its an utter disgrace, said Columbia alum Franziska Sittig, 24, who finished a masters program last year. My finals were disrupted last year. Neither the administration nor the protesters have learned anything.

The library demonstration was at least the third major takeover of a campus building this semester, after activists staged occupations of an administrative building and library at the affiliated Barnard College.

Columbia is actively negotiating with the Trump administration to restore $400 million in federal funding that was canceled over claims the school did not do enough to protect Jewish students from harassment during the protests.

Once again, protesters violated many University rules, Hillel executive director Brian Cohen said in a statement Wednesday, and infringed on the rights of Jewish students to study for exams without being screamed at and harassed.

_____

(With Josephine Stratman.)

_____
NEW YORK  Arrests were underway late Wednesday as the New York Police Department moved in to clear about 100 pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University who had taken over Butler Library just days before final exams.

Several hours into the protest, Acting President Claire Shipman authorized the NYPD to enter campus, on top of a limited number of arrests made by campus security who have the power to take in students. Shortly afterward, police began clearing the library, coming out with more than 75 protesters in zip ties who they said were trespassing.

The universitys temporary leader  its third in as many years  attributed the decision to the large number of protesters, including a group trying to force their way into the library and people they suspect do not attend the school.

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Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community, Shipman wrote.

Protesters injured two Columbia officers while trying to force their way into the building and the room of the demonstration, the college president said.

Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams, Shipman said. Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today.

The main protest group on campus, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, reveled in their ability to pull off the disruption, despite a crackdown on student activists. Last month, an effort to repitch a tent encampment was averted after NBC News publicized their plans.

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Despite Columbias transformation of the university into a dystopian site of surveillance through its carceral expansion of cameras, wifi and ID tracking, externally contracted security, disciplinary processes, and arresting power for Public Safety officers, it still failed to quell the student movement. Students outsmarted the university, exposing the cracks in their broken system, the group said in a statement.

Students know that resisting genocide is their moral imperative, and history is on their side.

Videos on social media showed the activists, who wore masks, pushing through security at the entrance of Butler, the main campus library, shortly after 3 p.m., steps away from where students pitched a tent demonstration last year. They played drums, and posted signs and stickers to free Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia grad who has been detained by federal immigration authorities.

Mayor Eric Adams condemned the protest by making a plea to their parents on live television.

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Parents, if your children are going to Columbia campus and participate in this, I think you should reach out to them, Adams said on NBC 4. This is not what you do on the college campus, particularly going inside a library and protesting in this manner. We are in engagement with the college.

Nearly an hour into the protest, the large group attempted to push through public safety and out of the reading room, but were stopped by personnel who asked for their identification cards, the videos show.

Through a megaphone, one officer informed students that if they show ID, they will be allowed to leave without issue, but failure to do so would make them subject to arrest.

Individuals have been asked for identification, which will be recorded, and asked to disperse. They have been told that failure to comply will result in violations of our rules and policies and possible arrest, the school said in a statement, adding that protesters would face discipline.

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A short time later, at least three protesters were brought out of the library by Columbia security in handcuffs before the NYPD was brought on campus. Thirty-six personnel are gaining arrest powers under a deal negotiated with the Trump administration.

A fourth person was taken out on a gurney by emergency medics and put into a Columbia ambulance.

Inside, a vandal with a green marker wrote on glass cases and desks Columbia will burn 4 the martyrs and Butler was a Nazi, an apparent reference to former Columbia President Nicholas Murray Butler, according to photos on social media.

One person pulled a fire alarm inside the library, prompting demands by protesters to be let go without the precondition of their identity. Another group of about 50 demonstrators gathered outside the library chanting Free Palestine.

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Columbia finals begin on Friday, according to an academic calendar.

Its an utter disgrace, said Columbia alum Franziska Sittig, 24, who finished a masters program last year. My finals were disrupted last year. Neither the administration nor the protesters have learned anything.

Another observer, a 28-year-old Columbia researcher who declined to give her name, said she witnessed the protester be taken out on the stretcher.

They tried to push the public security out, and security pushed back, she said. Thats when one of the protesters went down.

The library demonstration was at least the third takeover of a campus building this semester, after activists staged occupations of an administrative building and library at the affiliated Barnard College.

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They followed the high-profile occupation of Hamilton Hall last spring, for which several students were expelled earlier this year.

Once again, protesters violated many university rules, Hillel Executive Director Brian Cohen said in a statement Wednesday, and infringed on the rights of Jewish students to study for exams without being screamed at and harassed.

Columbia is actively negotiating with the Trump administration to restore $400 million in federal funding that was canceled over claims the school did not do enough to protect Jewish students from harassment during the protests. It was not immediately clear if Wednesdays protests would derail those efforts.

Students should be able to study peacefully in the library of a school they pay tens of thousands of dollars to attend, Republican Rep. Tim Walberg, chairman of the House Education Committee, said in a statement. Instead, the school enables antisemites who antagonize students and make Jews on campus feel unsafe. Unacceptable.

About 200 protesters continued their demonstration outside the campus gates after the library was cleared.

______

(Josephine Stratman contributed to this report.)

_____
The company that sells Arrowhead brand bottled water has won a court ruling overturning a decision by California water regulators, who in 2023 ordered it to stop piping millions of gallons of water from the San Bernardino National Forest.

Fresno County Superior Court Judge Robert Whalen Jr. said in his ruling that the State Water Resources Control Boards order went beyond the limits of its delegated authority.

The board had ordered the company BlueTriton Brands to stop taking much of the water it has been piping from water tunnels and boreholes in the mountains near San Bernardino. The board issued the cease and desist order after the agencys staff conducted an investigation and determined the company was unlawfully diverting water from springs without valid water rights.

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The judge found, however, that the state water board misunderstood and inappropriately applied state law. He said the legal question was not about water rights, and he cited a provision stating the board does not have the authority to regulate groundwater.

A spokesperson for BlueTriton Brands said the company appreciates the court decision in its favor, which affirmed that the state water board exceeded its authority in issuing a cease and desist order targeting the companys operations at Arrowhead Springs in Strawberry Canyon.

The State Water Resources Control Boards officials are analyzing the court decision, which was issued Monday, said Jackie Carpenter, a spokesperson for the board.

The State Water Board strongly disagrees with the courts decision and believes the legal, engineering and hydrogeologic record in this case demonstrates the sound basis for its 2023 decision, Carpenter said. The board is assessing whether to appeal the ruling.

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Read more: A rare glimpse inside the mountain tunnel that carries water to Southern California

The companys bottled water pipeline is also at the center of two other lawsuits pending in U.S. District Court in Riverside.

In one of the cases before District Judge Jesus Bernal, the company is challenging the U.S. Forest Services 2024 decision denying its application for a new permit to continue operating its pipeline and other water infrastructure in the national forest. The agency ordered the company to shut down the operation and submit a plan for removing its pipes and equipment from federal land.

In another lawsuit, the local environmental group Save Our Forest Assn. is suing the Forest Service , arguing the agency violated federal laws by allowing the company to continue piping water, and alleging that the removal of water has dramatically reduced the flow of Strawberry Creek and is causing significant environmental harm.

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The company has denied that its use of water is harming the environment and has argued that it should be allowed to continue using water from the national forest.

Rachel Doughty, a lawyer for Save Our Forest Assn., said the Forest Service is correct in seeking to deny the companys permit.

I hope there is water in the creek as soon as possible, Doughty said. That's the objective, is that the water remains on the land for the benefit of the public on public lands.

If the Forest Services decision stands, it would prevent the company from using the namesake source of its brand Arrowhead 100% Mountain Spring Water.

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Read more: Forest Service orders Arrowhead bottled water company to shut down California pipeline

The springs in the mountains north of San Bernardino, which have been a source for bottled water for generations, are named after an arrowhead-shaped natural rock formation on the mountainside.

A system of 4-inch steel pipes collects water that flows by gravity from various sites on the steep mountainside above the creek. Records show about 319 acre-feet, or 104 million gallons, flowed through the companys network of pipes in 2023, filling a roadside tank where trucks pick up water and haul it to a bottling plant.

State officials have said that the first facilities to divert water in the Strawberry Creek watershed were built in 1929, and the system expanded over the years as additional boreholes were drilled into the mountainside.

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The company has for years had a federal special-use permit allowing it to use its pipeline and other water infrastructure in the national forest. The Forest Service has been charging a permit fee of $2,500 per year. There has been no charge for the water.

Controversy over the issue erupted when the Desert Sun reported in 2015 that the Forest Service was allowing Nestle, which then ran the operation, to siphon water using a permit that listed 1988 as the expiration date.

The Forest Service then began a review of the permit, and in 2018 granted a new permit for up to five years. The revelations about Nestle piping water from the forest sparked an outpouring of opposition and prompted several complaints to California regulators questioning the companys water rights claims, which led to the state investigation .

BlueTriton took over the pipeline operation in 2021 when Nestles North American bottled water division was purchased by private-equity firm One Rock Capital Partners and investment firm Metropoulos & Co.

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Last year, BlueTriton merged with Primo Water Corp. to form a new company called Primo Brands Corp. , which has dual corporate headquarters in Tampa, Fla., and Stamford, Conn.

The company says that in addition to the site in the San Bernardino National Forest, Arrowhead bottled water is sourced from various other spring sites in Northern and Southern California, as well as one spring in Colorado and another in British Columbia, Canada.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
It was one of the biggest nights of the year for Keir Starmer.

Glued to the television, his beloved Arsenal took to the pitch against Paris Saint Germain (PSG) in the final stages of the Champions League.

As he settled in for a nail-biting 90 minutes, the evening took a dramatic turn with a single phone call.

Donald Trump rung his British counterpart around 8pm UK time, demanding more concessions in the highly anticipated US-UK trade deal.

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While the final points of contention remain unclear, the agreement will see American tariffs on British cars fall to 10 per cent for the first 100,000 vehicles exported to the US, while tariffs on steel are scrapped.

The US has also removed the 25 per cent tariff rate on UK steel and aluminium exports, reducing the additional trade barrier for these goods to zero.

Elsewhere, beef exports will be allowed both ways, with officials insisting there will be no weakening of food standards for meat sent to Britain.

At the 11th hour on Wednesday, as Arsenal went home without a trophy, the Prime Minister secured a prize of his own  the highly coveted first trade deal with the United States since Mr Trumps tumultuous liberation day tariff blitz.

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I wouldnt have been having my phone call with President Trump during the second half of the Arsenal-PSG game had I planned it better, the Prime Minister told reporters at a Jaguar-Land Rover branch in Whitley.

At the beginning of the second half, it was one-nil to PSG.

But thats the way it turned out... and Im really pleased to be able to come here today, and to be able to do it on VE Day is really significant, he added.

Officials in London had been waiting patiently for their Washington counterparts to choose the right moment to put the deal in front of Mr Trump for the last week, The Telegraph can reveal.

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After an important call between the two leaders last week, the Sir Keirs team had been preparing in case Mr Trump decided to pull the trigger at a moments notice, a Whitehall source close to negotiations told The Telegraph.

It was all systems go, they said.

Even so, final details were still being hammered out late on Wednesday as Mr Trump teased from the White House that there would be a major trade deal announcement with a big and highly respected country.

Donald Trump speaks on the phone to Sir Keir on Thursday - Evan Vucci

It came as a surprise to even those closest to the president, who did not expect Britains deal to be first over the line.

Many believed the White House was prioritising Asian nations which could help isolate China, including Japan, India, South Korea, and even Australia.

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But Sir Keirs month-long charm offensive paid dividends, British officials say.

It was not just Sir Keirs Oval Office meeting, where he presented Mr Trump with an unprecedented invite for a second state visit from the King, that helped charm the president.

As Sir Keir was also the only world leader who last year scored a dinner date in Mr Trumps private quarters at Trump Tower while others had to make do with the members terrace at Mar-a-Lago, a much less intimate venue.

Sir Keir gives Mr Trump a letter from the King during his meeting at the Oval Office - Kevin Lamarque

In a sign of how quickly the deal was pulled together, Thursday mornings meeting was delayed by around 45 minutes as aides rushed to patch Sir Keir into the Oval Office via telephone in time for the announcement.

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At the same time, British journalists were sent to the wrong venue for Sir Keirs post-announcement speech at a Jaguar-Land Rover branch in the West Midlands.

Its just been a deal that we thought was very complicated, it became very simple. Its opening the country that we really didnt have the access to that I would have thought, I was surprised, the US president said.

I think its why the deal didnt get done before, theyve been working on this deal for 25 years and we got it done, its going to be great.

The agreement marks the end to a remarkable week for the Prime Minister and his trade team, led by Jonathan Reynolds.

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The ink on Britains landmark post-Brexit trade deal with India has hardly dried before the contract with the United States has been reached.

It was great news for the Prime Minister, if not for his team, whose dreams of a Champions League victory were dashed once again.

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.
GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA)  According to the CDC, one in three, or an estimated 1 million people, will develop shingles each year in America.

As part of our Ask the Expert series, in partnership with Bon Secours St. Francis, 7NEWS spoke with a nurse practitioner about the often painful viral infection and the best way to protect yourself.

Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash, said Nurse Ruthie Crapps.

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Family nurse practitioner Ruthie Crapps said shingles are caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox.

So were exposed to chickenpox. Then, once that chickenpox resolves, and that initial infection is gone, and that rash is gone we dont shed that virus. It actually stays in our bodies, said Crapps.

That virus lies dormant, but in some people it reactivates later as shingles.

Crapps said 90% of adults, 18 and older, have been infected with chickenpox, making shingles pretty common. Its more often seen in older adults.

Shingles is typically present due to some stress or some sort of immune deficiency, said Crapps. As we age, our immune systems get a little bit weaker, and so it predisposes us to that reoccurrence or reactivation of the virus.

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Shingles is not contagious, but a person infected with shingles can still make someone else sick.

Heres the thing, you have a rash that comes, and it has some fluid, said Crapps. When that fluid is touched by somebody else, they can potentially, if they havent been vaccinated for chickenpox or theyve never had chickenpox, they can certainly develop chickenpox, but they wouldnt develop shingles.

Crapps said its important to take precautions to keep others safe if you have shingles.

If you have shingles, an active rash with fluid-filled blisters, you should really keep that covered. If you do touch it, which you shouldnt, you should wash your hands really well to avoid spreading those germs, said Crapps.

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Shingles can be incredibly painful. Nurse Crapps said the best way to protect yourself is to get the shingles vaccine.

If you are 50 and above, you can get a two-dose series of the shingles vaccine. Its about 97% effective in that age group. Once you hit 70 years of age, its about 91% effective, said Crapps.

If you are immunocompromised, your doctor may recommend the shingles vaccine at a younger age.

To submit a health topic for our Ask the Expert series, 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 WSPA 7NEWS.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains is seeking answers from the state Attorney Generals Office on why former Kern County supervisor Zack Scrivner isnt facing child sexual abuse charges.

In a news release on Wednesday, Bains (D-Delano) noted a lengthy investigation determined Scrivner got into bed with and inappropriately touched a child  but wasnt charged with a crime reflecting those findings.

1 year since former Kern County supervisor Zack Scrivners fall from grace: Everything we know and still dont know

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Instead, he faces three counts of child cruelty and two counts of possession of an assault rifle.

While the DOJ has charged Mr. Scrivner with willful cruelty to a child and weapons charges, there is considerable confusion regarding the absence of any sexual assault charges, Bains wrote in a letter she sent to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

Scrivner was charged in February and is due back in court in July.

Sheriff Donny Youngblood blasts California Attorney General over Zack Scrivner charges

Its been a year since allegations of child sexual assault first surfaced against Scrivner. It took 10 months for charges to be filed, and the California Department of Justice is handling the prosecution because Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer is Scrivners aunt.

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In the letter, Bains asked the following:

Please explain the evidence that led the DOJ to the conclusion that Mr. Scrivner consumed mind and/or mood altering drugs . . . got into bed with an subsequently touched inappropriately a child. Why was this evidence deemed insufficient to bring child sexual abuse charges? If Mr. Scrivner had committed the same actions identified in the complaint without having consumed mind or mood altering drugs, would the available evidence have been sufficient to bring child sexual abuse charges? Did the consumption of mind and/or mood altering drugs factor into DOJs determination not to bring child sexual abuse charges?

The public deserves a clear and transparent explanation of the decisions made in this case, she wrote.

The case is scheduled for a status conference on July 10.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News.
An assault suspect was arrested for allegedly targeting an 86-year-old woman in Los Angeles.

The suspect was identified as Marcus Penn, 39, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

On April 30, officers responded to a possible burglary suspect seen on the 100 block of Ocean Front Walk at 8:30 a.m.

The caller who reported the incident said they saw Penn entering a residential building with the elderly woman.

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Police arrived at the building and found Penn inside the victims home.

During the investigation, police said they discovered evidence that suggested Penn intended to assault the woman.

He was arrested for assault with the intent to commit a felony during a burglary. He is being held on $2.05 million bail.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call LAPDs Operation West Bureau detectives at 213-473-0447. The public can also call the LAPD at 1-877-527-3247.

Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at 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.
ASSUMPTION, Ill. (WCIA)  After the Assumption Zoning Board voted no to keeping a cat rescue open, the city council will have the final say in a Wednesday night meeting. However, the rescue is making its case for why it should continue its efforts.

The Assumption City Council will be voting on whether or not the Whimsical Whiskers Rescue in Christian County should remain open in a meeting on May 7 at 7 p.m. A no vote would require the entire rescue to stop all efforts and shut down completely.

Pro-Palestine protestors gather outside of Champaign City Council meeting as new members are sworn in

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This vote was influenced following rumors spread by select residents, the rescue said in a Facebook post. Concerns include hoarding and spreading disease. These concerns are misleading, not educational, and simply untrue!

The rescue is a foster-based, nonprofit rescue that relies on volunteer foster homes instead of having a main, physical location. The cats in care with the rescue are not kept in one location but spread throughout a number of foster homes.

By not having a physical shelter, the rescue is licensed under the founder and current director, Hailey Monnet, who currently lives in Assumption. She is responsible for all records, staff coordination, intakes, medical and fostering matters.

Vermilion Co. officials propose coordinated document shredding program

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The rescue said that Monnet does not house all rescued cats in Assumption, but instead processes intakes, completes exams, provides medical treatment if required (under veterinary supervision) and relocates cats to temporary foster homes pending adoption. All cats housed with Monnet are kept in catios located in a fully enclosed, temperature-controlled garage.

The Whimsical Whiskers Rescue has been licensed and legally operating since July 2024 and has undergone regular and surprise inspections from the Department of Agriculture to make sure the rescue remains compliant with protocols and regulations.

Shutting down WHMS only puts more animals at risk. Feral and stray cats will continue breeding on the streets, multiplying their numbers, the rescue said. One single unspayed female can produce up to 300 kittens in her lifetime. The sick and diseased cats will not receive any treatment, continuing to spread illness throughout the community of cats and other animals!

This rescue is asking for support from the public to vouch for the rescue to stay open. They are asking anyone available to attend the Wednesday night City Council meeting at Bromwell Lodge in Assumption to show their support for Whimsical Whiskers Rescue. They also said that those who cant attend the meeting can sign the rescues petition online.

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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 WCIA.com.
TEHRAN, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The 29th International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition, also known as Iran Oil Show 2025, opened on Thursday in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

More than 2,000 domestic and international companies are participating in the four-day event, showcasing their latest products and services. Among them are 150 foreign firms representing 14 countries.

The exhibition spans over 37 specialized areas, covering both upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, as well as investment, finance, trade, and emerging technologies.

The exhibition aims to boost investment in Iran's oil and gas sectors, promote the transfer and development of modern technologies, and foster collaboration between Iranian enterprises and foreign investors, said Iran's IRIB news agency.

Throughout the event, expert panels, educational workshops, and conferences are scheduled to take place.

At the opening ceremony, Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad stated that Iran's oil exports remain at peak levels despite intensified sanctions. He noted that since President Masoud Pezeshkian's administration took office in July 2024, Iran's daily oil production has risen by 150,000 barrels, gas output by 30 million cubic meters, and refining capacity by 180,000 barrels.

Paknejad added that the country's annual petrochemical production capacity has grown by 7 million tons, while gasoline and diesel outputs have increased by 7 million and 8 million liters per day, respectively.

He also announced that the ministry plans to complete over 30 major oil industry projects by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2026), with nearly 10 billion U.S. dollars in planned investments. 
Germany saw the number of applications for asylum fall by almost half in April 2025 compared to the previous year, authorities said on Thursday.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, based in the southern city of Nuremberg, said it recorded 9,108 first-time asylum applications last month, down from 17,500 in April 2024.

However, the figure was a 1.4% increase from March.

The most applications were submitted by people from Afghanistan (2,191), followed by Syria and Turkey.

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Over the first four months of the year, the agency has received 45,681 applications for asylum, a steep drop compared to the 84,984 in the same period of 2024.

The figures came as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's new government imposed stricter controls at the country's borders on Wednesday, causing concern among Germany's neighbours.
AUSTIN (Texas Tribune)  Fentanyl test strips are among the cheapest and easiest ways to prevent overdoses, but multiple attempts to legalize them  even with Gov. Greg Abbotts support in the past  have failed in the Senate.

This year, legislation to legalize these test strips faces similar challenges.

I think that theres a different stream of thought that feels like if you give an inch, you give a mile, and that any sort of lessening of prohibition stance is sort of giving up and giving over to drug use, said Katharine Neill Harris, a drug policy fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy.

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House Bill 1644, by state Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, would remove testing strips for fentanyl and xylazine, a veterinary sedative also known as tranq, from the list of banned drug paraphernalia. This bill passed unanimously in the House last month and is now pending in the Senate.

Fentanyl, a potent drug commonly mixed with other substances and has caused the deaths of more than 7,000 Texans in the last six years, is odorless and tasteless, making detection nearly impossible without specialized equipment.

This is why Oliverson called fentanyl testing strips a mine detector for a person trying to walk across a minefield.

The cost of fentanyl test strips can range from $10 to $30 for a box of 30. To use the strips, testers dissolve a small amount of a drug in water and then dip the strip into it. One line indicates fentanyl is present, and two lines indicate a negative result.

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This is the second legislative session in a row that Oliverson has tried to get his bill passed. Both times, his legislation didnt get a committee hearing in the Senate. With less than four weeks left in the legislative session, his bill this session hasnt yet been considered in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.

Oliverson, in his speech from the House floor, suggested that Senate lawmakers fear that legalizing the strips would mean that people would start using drugs to their hearts content safely.

I want every person in Texas who is struggling with addiction to get the help they need. But I cant fix that if they are dead, Oliverson told lawmakers last month when his bill passed.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who oversees the Senate, did not return a request for comment nor did the criminal justice committee chair, Sen. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton. Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, credited by drug policy advocates last legislative session for blocking fentanyl testing strips from a hearing, didnt comment on whether she supports legalization.

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The structural nature of the Senate, where the lieutenant governor has the power to decide whether a bill gets a hearing or not, can be quite a big hurdle, Harris said.

Travis County Judge Andy Brown said the delay in legalizing fentanyl testing strips is only costing lives with each passing year.

Our fight against the number one cause of accidental death in Travis County is hampered by the fact that we havent legalized fentanyl test strips in Texas, Brown said.

Advantages of fentanyl strips

Early last year, a rash of over 70 overdoses rocked Travis County in a span of three days, killing more than nine people. However, more deaths could have occurred if the county and the state hadnt made efforts to get overdose reversal drugs like Narcan and naloxone to the general public last legislative session.

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To combat the growing number of fentanyl overdose deaths in Texas, state lawmakers in 2023 launched a $10 million fentanyl awareness campaign and plan to distribute doses of Narcan to every county in the state.

I also get the sense that publicity campaigns that we have done and that the state has done have helped get the education out there, too, Brown said.

Brown said Travis County, despite the harrowing encounter last year, saw a decline in fentanyl related deaths, dropping by 36%, from 279 in 2023 to 179 in 2024.

During this same period, deaths from fentanyl overdose statewide dropped 14%, to 5,070 in 2024.

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We dont know yet if this is a long-term decline. Certainly, its an encouraging development that we hope to see continue, Harris said, pointing out that 87,000 deaths are still a lot.

A dip doesnt mean a complete decline as the drug market is unpredictable. This is why drug policy advocates and others are clamoring for the legalization of drug testing strips, which are cheaper to stock than Narcan and can keep someone from using fentanyl in the first place.

In December 2022, Abbott announced his support for fentanyl testing strips as he believed the opioid crisis had gone too far. Attempts to contact Abbott to see if he still supports testing strips were not returned. Abbott did not respond to a request for comment on whether he still supports legalization.

I think we would reduce the number of deaths that were seeing in the state of Texas if we just made test strips legal, Brown said.

Uncertain future

Maggie Luna, executive director of the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance, an Austin-based nonprofit that does outreach and operates a drop-in center for people who might need Narcan, condoms, bandages, and more, has seen firsthand the demand for fentanyl testing strips.

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Their organization cant legally buy testing strips but accepts tests donated to them from other states.

People are always asking for fentanyl testing strips and xylazine test strips, Luna said.

The Texas Harm Reduction Alliance has been on the front-lines of this fight against drug-related deaths, reversing more than 300 overdoses in 2024 alone with Narcan, Luna said.

If fentanyl use continues, Luna is concerned about it worsening because of federal funding cuts to substance abuse programs, Texas lawmakers attempt to ban intoxicating substances like hemp and kratom, and the economic downturn, which notoriously leads to spikes in drug usage.

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We are going to start seeing people seeking drugs at the same time we are clawing back the money that we have for tools to keep people alive, Luna said. We are heading to a period of death.

Luna said legalizing test strips allows organizations like hers, which face an uncertain future, a cheap option to save lives.

Every overdose can be reversed if we are applying the right education and giving out the correct tools, Luna said.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at www.texastribune.org. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

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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 KXAN Austin.
Austria on Thursday called on Germany to respect EU border law, as German police stepped up checks.

Germany's neighbours have voiced concern at Chancellor Friedrich Merz's plans to increase checks at the country's borders and turn away ayslum seekers, a policy which critics have argued contravenes EU law.

While Vienna has outlined its support for a tighter line on immigration, it has warned the new administration - which took office on Wednesday in Berlin - against breaching EU laws.

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"Austria generally welcomes Germany's endeavours in the fight against the smuggling mafia and illegal migration," the Austrian Interior Ministry said on Thursday. "We assume that German authorities will adhere to the European legal order in all measures that are taken."

German police officers stand during border controls at the Breitenau police station on Highway 17 near the German-Czech border. The Pirna Police Headquarters has tightened controls at the borders with the Czech Republic and Poland. Sebastian Kahnert/dpa
THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2025, 5:00 P.M.

CROSS PLAINS, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities in southern Wisconsin are canceling a missing endangered person alert for a 43-year-old woman.

In an update, police say theyve located Lacy Storkson.

She was found and is considered safe.

Authorities issue alert for missing woman last seen in southern Wisconsin

THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2025, 1:37 P.M.

CROSS PLAINS, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities in southern Wisconsin have issued a missing endangered person alert for a 43-year-old woman last seen Monday night.

The Cross Plains Police Department is searching for Lacy Storkson, who was last seen around 11:30 p.m. at 27098 Westview Court, Apt. 2, in Cross Plains. She was reportedly intoxicated at the time.

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UPDATE: Suspect arrested following domestic disturbance on 15th Avenue in Green Bay

Storkson, a resident of Richland Center, has not been seen or heard from by friends or family, and her phone has been shut off since the complaint was filed.

She was last seen wearing a black tank top and black pants. Storkson is described as white, 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighing approximately 145 pounds, with blue eyes and red hair.

Father of teen who killed teacher & student at Wisconsin school faces felony charges

Authorities noted several identifying features, including a pierced belly button and multiple tattoos: a pink and black dragon on her abdomen, the words Crazy Lace on her lower back, and an aquarium symbol on her chest.

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Anyone with information regarding Storksons whereabouts is asked to contact local law enforcement.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
NOAAs Office of Law Enforcement is requesting the publics help regarding a shocking incident involving a young elephant seal pup that was stabbed at Neskowin Beach, Oregon. The stabbing took place on Sunday, March 16, between 8:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. local time in a cove near the Proposal Rock Condominiums.

The pup, though seriously injured with multiple stab wounds, was treated and relocated by a marine mammal response team. Officials are searching for a suspect described as a white male, about 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with a medium build, black and white hair, a trimmed beard, and a gap between his front teeth.

Related: Hawaii's Most Famous Volcano Just Put on a Show Not Seen for Decades

At the time of the violent incident, the perpetrator was wearing aviator glasses, a light fleece jacket in blue and green over a checkered shirt and a climbing style cord necklace, as well as a black flat-front cap with the word Timber.

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Authorities are also seeking information about a van that may be linked to the suspect. The vehicle is an older model, dark blue Dodge or Chrysler can, with the rear passenger side window on the drivers side covered in plastic. The interior of the car, parked behind the Proposal Rock Condominiums near the beach access. appeared to be messy or cluttered.

Anyone who may have seen the individual or the vehicle, or who has relevant details, is encouraged to contact the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964.
May 8 (UPI) -- The Jamaica Defense Force said an escaped animal initially reported to be a tiger cub is actually an ocelot, a wildcat native to the Americas and Caribbean islands.

The JDF initially said Wednesday that a tiger cub was on the loose in the Black River, St. Elizabeth, area after escaping during a raid on a smuggling vessel that was also carrying four monkeys, 12 parrots and an undisclosed amount of marijuana.

Officials later corrected the report, saying the escaped feline is actually an ocelot.

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Sophia Ramlal, director of veterinary services for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, said the juvenile ocelot, which could be confused for a domestic cat, should be treated as a potentially dangerous wild animal and residents should report sightings rather than attempt to capture it themselves.

"It is advised not to be interacting with the ocelot, not to harm the ocelot, to treat it as a species we know we have not allowed entry to Jamaica, and so as a precaution to ensure that they are treating with it safely, but reporting it so we can come and collect it," Ramlal told The Jamaica Observer.
Satellite imagery indicates there are now 10 U.S. heavy bombers  six stealthy B-2s and four B-52s  on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. A key question now is whether the arrival of the B-52s, which occurred this week, will lead to the B-2s departing the highly strategic British island territory. Since they first deployed to Diego Garcia in March, the B-2s have been used in strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen, with which U.S. authorities recently concluded a ceasefire deal, and their presence has also been a huge show of force aimed at Iran.

A low-resolution satellite image taken today, seen in the social media post below, appears to show the six B-2s and four B-52s. An array of other large aircraft, which could include KC-135 tankers, as well as C-5 and C-17 airlifters, are also visible. KC-135s arrived at Diego Garcia along with the B-2 in March, and C-17s have also been key to supporting that deployment.

10 US Air Force strategic bombers are at Diego Garcia as of today.



Yet to be seen is whether the B-2s will return to the States or stay for a while longer. https://t.co/vVNqnfRqm2  TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) May 8, 2025

Satellite imagery had already emerged yesterday that looked to show a pair of B-52s having touched down on the Indian Ocean island. This all also aligns with online flight tracking data that began emerging earlier in the week, which had pointed to the deployment of two separate pairs of B-52s from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana to Diego Garcia.

 NSF Diego Garcia 

For those that have been watching, not surprised to see 2x B-52 bombers at Diego Garcia along with 6x KC-135, 6x B-2 bombers, 1x C-5 Galaxy and 1x unknown



Caveats apply given resolution

Src  : @esa

7 May, 2025 pic.twitter.com/4Zbwr0yKgg  MT Anderson (@MT_Anderson) May 7, 2025

#WAKE11 flt, a second pair of Barksdale B-52H heading to Diego Garcia, working San Francisco Radio HF 13288. https://t.co/bJ9WNrKu47 pic.twitter.com/PAeDIQjnjy  EISNspotter  (@EISNspotter) May 6, 2025

While testifying before members of the House Armed Services Committee yesterday, U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Andrew Gebara, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, did say theres a Bomber Task Force of B-52s going on as we speak, but did not name Diego Garcia or provide any additional details.

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The Air Force uses the term Bomber Task Force (BTF) to refer to irregular deployments of bombers to forward locations around the world, as you can read more about here. The last known B-52 BTF deployment, which saw four of the bombers head to RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, wrapped up in March.

B-52s on Diego Garcia during a BTF deployment in 2024. USAF

In response to questions about the B-52 deployment and whether the B-2s will now depart Diego Garcia, a U.S. defense official told TWZ that we have nothing to provide.

A satellite image showing six B-2s at the airfield on Diego Garcia on April 2, 2025. PHOTO  2025 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION

Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) routinely conducts global operations in coordination with other combatant commands, services, and participating U.S. government agencies to deter, detect and, if necessary, defeat strategic attacks against the United States and its allies. To preserve operational security, we do not discuss details about exercises or operations, the command, which oversees the vast majority of Americas B-52s and other bomber fleets, also told Air & Space Forces Magazine in a statement.

Sending six B-2s to Diego Garcia in March was already a major show of force. This represents roughly a third of the 19 of these stealth bombers currently in operational Air Force service. Only a portion of the B-2 fleet is actually available for mission taskings at any one time, too.

A stock picture of B-2s at Diego Garcia during a past deployment. USAF

The B-2s are the Air Forces preeminent aircraft for prosecuting penetrating nuclear or conventional direct strikes deep inside heavily defended enemy territory. The stealth bombers also offer a unique conventional strike capability against deeply buried and otherwise hardened targets through their ability to drop 30,000-pound-class GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) precision-guided bunker buster bombs. B-2s, each of which can carry a pair of MOPs on a single sortie, are the only aircraft currently certified to employ these weapons operationally.

A B-2 drops a GBU-57/B MOP during a test. USAF

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In April, U.S. officials told TWZ that, despite reports at the time, B-2s flying from Diego Garcia had not dropped MOPs on Houthi targets in Yemen. Since March, B-2s forward-deployed to the Indian Ocean island have conducted strikes targeting the Iranian-backed Yemeni militants using other still unspecified munitions. B-2s flying from their main operating base in Missouri had also struck the Houthis last October with a still unknown mix of weapons.

Questions have emerged previously about the utility of employing B-2s, which are very expensive to operate and maintain, against a non-state group like the Houthis. At the same time, the Yemeni militants have demonstrated that they have air defense capabilities that present real threats. This, in turn, may have contributed to the use of stealthy aircraft like the B-2 and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, as well as a noted increase in the employment of air-launched stand-off munitions by non-stealthy U.S. aircraft. The Houthis have succeeded in downing an alarming number of U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones. You can read more about what we know about Houthi air defenses in this recent TWZ feature.

   | The Houthis show footage from the shootdown of another U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper UCAV.



If I'm not mistaken, that would be the 20th MQ-9 downed by the Houthis from Yemen. pic.twitter.com/SCwRVLSs7s  Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (BlueSky too) (@Archer83Able) April 18, 2025

Yemeni Houthis (Ansar-Allah group) claim that they have shot down yet another (26th) US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone today (April 22, 2025) in the Al-Hajjah governate.

This is the 7th Reaper shot this April (22nd in the recent war after Oct 7, 2023). pic.twitter.com/chAiBnx4JZ  Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) April 22, 2025

As already noted, sending such a large number of B-2s to Diego Garcia had also sent signals well beyond Yemen, particularly to Iran. TWZ had highlighted the strategic messaging factor of employing the stealth bombers after the October 2024 strikes on the Houthis.

Diego Garcia was used for years as a launchpad for bomber sorties against targets in Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. military has also previously sent B-52s to the Indian Ocean island amid heightened tensions with Iran in the past, though they do not offer the penetrating and GBU-57/B employment capabilities of the B-2. B-52s have dropped MOPs during testing, but are not cleared to do so on operational missions. B-52s can employ a wide range of other munitions, including AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) cruise missiles and smaller precision-guided bunker-buster bombs.

A satellite image showing six B-52s deployed to Diego Garcia Feb. 14, 2020, during another period of heightened tensions between the United States and Iran. PHOTO  2020 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION

Its interesting to note that Gebara also highlighted the value of having a mix of stealth bombers like the B-2s and the incoming replacement B-21 Raiders, and non-stealthy B-52s, at yesterdays hearing before the House Armed Services Committee. The Air Forces B-52 fleet is in the process of being massively upgraded and is expected to continue serving through at least 2050, as you can read more about here.

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The decision to go forward with the B-52 was a decision made several years ago in that we needed a high-low mix of capabilities, he said. So, it would not be cost-effective to the American taxpayer to have all high-end, exquisite things when many missions could be done with the proverbial old truck thats paid for and we just need to do some upgrades to it.

The current massing of the huge force of U.S. heavy bombers on Diego Garcia now does follow the announcement of a ceasefire deal between the U.S. government and the Houthis on May 6, which officials in Oman helped broker. There is already skepticism about whether the agreement will hold, especially given that the Iranian-backed Yemeni militants have pledged to continue their campaign against Israel.

The Houthis say they will continue to target Israel until it stops its operations in the Gaza Strip, which first began in response to attacks launched by Palestinian terrorist groups in the enclave on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel, just this week, has conducted its own major airstrikes on Yemens port of Hodeidah and the international airport in the countrys capital Sanaa.

 Breaking: Israel  just obliterated Hodeidah port, the largest port of Yemeni Houthis, with 50 massive bombs  pic.twitter.com/ziHn3djnhb  Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) May 5, 2025

Some of the first footage from tonights unilateral strikes by the Israeli Air Force against Hodeidah in Houthi-controlled Western Yemen, which is reported to have heavily targeted a cement factory on the outskirts of the city as well as the Port of Hodeidah. pic.twitter.com/gWDSVCLnsV  OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 5, 2025

The IDF published images of Houthi targets struck at Sanaa airport. pic.twitter.com/m0PT5ieVtA  Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) May 8, 2025

Satellite images taken on May 7, 2025, of the international airport in Sanaa showing the aftermath of Israeli strikes. Satellite images 2025 Maxar Technologies

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The U.S. government is also currently engaged in negotiations with Iran, primarily over the latter countrys nuclear ambitions. In recent months, President Donald Trump and other American officials have threatened direct action against Iran should those talks fall through, as well as over Tehrans continued support of regional proxies like the Houthis.

I would much prefer a strong, verified deal where we actually blow them up  or just de-nuke them, Trump said just yesterday during an interview with radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt. There are only two alternatives there, blow them up nicely or blow them up viciously.

Trump on Iran talks:



"I would much prefer a strong, verified deal where we actually blow them up  blow them up or just de-nuke them.



"There are only two alternatives there: blow them up nicely or blow them up viciously." pic.twitter.com/dCoCO2USyT  Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) May 8, 2025

Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also notably wrote in a post on X on April 30. We know exactly what you are doing. You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of  and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.

Message to IRAN:



We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing.



You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of  and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.  Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) May 1, 2025

There are reports that Hegseths comments were among the factors that prompted Iran to pressure the Houthis into the ceasefire deal with the United States.

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Swapping out the B-2s for the B-52s on Diego Garcia could align with the current focus on diplomatic efforts, while still retaining additional heavy airpower assets for use in future operations targeting the Houthis or Iran. B-2s can and do perform non-stop global power strike missions from the United States, as was demonstrated in the strikes on Yemen last year, and the bombers could still take part in future operations in the region if called upon.

Other factors, including the cost of sustaining a deployment of six B-2s on the Indian Ocean island, could also contribute to a decision to send the B-2s back to their home base following the arrival of the B-52s. The B-2 fleet has unique maintenance requirements, and some of the stealth bombers now at Diego Garcia could require work that cannot be performed at this kind of forward location.

There is the possibility, though it seems less likely, that a combined force of B-2 and B-52 bombers will remain in place at Diego Garcia for the foreseeable future. Doing so could help step up pressure on Iran and its regional proxies like the Houthis.

At the same time, the satellite imagery in hand now of the increasingly tightly packed conditions at the airfield on the island does underscore the limited infrastructure there, especially when it comes to enclosed shelters. The initial deployment of the B-2s in March had already highlighted the lack of shelters at Diego Garcia. This, in turn, had further fueled a heated debate over whether the U.S. military should be investing more in hardened aircraft shelters and other fortified infrastructure at key facilities globally, particularly airbases across the Indo-Pacific region, amid the possibility of a future high-end fight with China.

A wider view of the airfield on Diego Garcia as seen on April 2, 2025. PHOTO  2025 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION

Part of why Diego Garcia is so strategic is that its remote physical location has historically helped reduce vulnerability to attack, especially from smaller countries like Iran. However, the array of potential threats to the island, particularly from missiles and drones, continues to grow. You can read more about the hardened infrastructure debate and how it applies to Diego Garcia specifically in this past TWZ feature.

For the moment, at least, 10 U.S. heavy bombers do look to be arrayed at the Indian Ocean outpost.

Howard Altman contributed to this story.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Majed Al Romaithi, chairman of the Management Committee of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) of the United Arab Emirates, in Beijing, capital of China, May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met with Majed Al Romaithi, chairman of the Management Committee of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) of the United Arab Emirates, in Beijing on Wednesday.

He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China's economy got off to a good start this year, with solid progress in high-quality development and continued improvements in social confidence and expectations.

China is continuing to deepen its reform comprehensively, and making efforts to promote high-level opening-up in various fields such as finance, He noted, adding that China welcomes foreign financial institutions including the ADIA and long-term investors to engage in business in China and share in its development opportunities.

Majed said the ADIA is optimistic about China's economic prospects and is looking forward to conducting cooperation and exchanges with China in different fields. 

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Majed Al Romaithi, chairman of the Management Committee of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) of the United Arab Emirates, in Beijing, capital of China, May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)
MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WBTW)  A newborn baby was safely turned over to authorities on Monday at Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital in Murrells Inlet under South Carolinas Daniels Law, which allows infants to be surrendered at designated locations.

The Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, known as Daniels Law, was enacted in 2001 to prevent the dangerous abandonment of babies up to 60 days old.

The baby boy born on Sunday weighed 7 pounds, 4.4 ounces, and was 20.1 inches long, the state Department of Social Services said Thursday in a news release. Georgetown County DSS took custody of the child and placed him in a licensed foster home.

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Under Daniels Law, a person who abandons a newborn cannot be prosecuted for abandonment if he or she takes the baby to staff or an employee of a Safe Haven as defined in state law. Safe Havens are defined as a hospital or hospital outpatient facility, law enforcement agencies, fire stations, emergency medical services stations, or a house of worship during the time the church or synagogue is staffed.

A hearing to terminate parental rights and determine the long-term placement of the child is scheduled for 9 a.m. June 25 at the Georgetown County Family Court, the state DSS said.

For more information about the Safe Haven Act, please click here. For a listing of crisis pregnancy organizations, please see this brochure.

* * *

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Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
KINSMAN, Ohio (WKBN)  Badger pitchers (Lewis Flowers and Tyler McWilliams) combined to strike out 12 while allowing 2 hits and a walk in the Braves 4-1 win over Lordstown.

Flowers tossed the first four innings, striking out 7 and allowing 2 hits for the win. McWilliams came on in the fifth to get through the final three innings with 5 strikeouts and not a single base hit.

Alton Winchek, the Braves cleanup hitter, reached base 3 times (2 by walk, 1 single) and scored twice. McWilliams, Hunter Gilbert and Preston Hunkus all had singles as well.

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Badger will travel to take on East on Monday.

For Lordstown, Anthony Volpini went the distance by tossing 7 innings and striking out 15 batters.

Volpini and Chandler Burbridge each had singles for the Red Devils.

On Thursday, Lordstown will travel to Chalker.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
If you're planning on traveling to Bali, Indonesia, soon, be aware that the government has imposed a staggeringly long list of new rules for tourists.

Bali, a popular beach vacation hotspot, has cracked down on tourist "misbehavior" with the additional guidelines, according to News Nation.

In addition, there is a U.S. travel warning for Indonesia in effect. Bali is a province in Indonesia. "Exercise increased caution in Indonesia due to terrorism and natural disasters. Some areas have increased risk," the alert says.

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In 2024, Bali welcomed more than 6.3 million tourists, according to Bali Management Villas. That amounted to a 20% increase when compared to the previous year.

Bali's government issued the lengthy list of rules for tourists in Spring 2025, warning that they will be strictly enforced.

"In an effort to maintain order and preserve Balis cultural integrity, Gov. Wayan Koster has issued Circular Letter (SE) Number 7 of 2025, which sets new guidelines for foreign tourists visiting the island," the government's announcement says. "The regulation aims to address growing concerns over misbehavior among some visitors and ensure that Balis tourism industry aligns with local laws and customs."

On March 24, 2025, Koster "acknowledged the evolving challenges in the tourism sector over the past 1.5 years," the statement says. "...I am implementing this circular as an immediate measure to regulate foreign tourists while they are in Bali," he added.

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Tourists must, according to the announcement:

Respect sacred sites and symbols.

Dress appropriately  "When visiting temples, tourist attractions, or public spaces, tourists are expected to wear modest and respectful clothing."

Behave respectfully  "Tourists must maintain polite and considerate behavior."

Pay the tourist levy  "A mandatory tourist fee must be paid electronically via https://lovebali.baliprov.go.id/ before or during their stay." According to News Nation, this amounts to about $9.

Use licensed tour guides - When exploring cultural or natural sites.

Exchange currency at authorized money changers.

Follow traffic laws - Including wearing a helmet on motorbikes, not overloading vehicles, and not driving drunk .

Use legal transportation and stay at licensed accommodations

Tourists are forbidden from:

Entering sacred temple areas (Utamaning Mandala & Madyaning Mandala) - "Unless they are worshippers wearing traditional Balinese attire. Menstruating women are also prohibited from entering these areas."

Climbing sacred trees or monuments.

Littering.

Using single-use plastics  "Plastic bags, Styrofoam, plastic straws, and plastic-packaged drinks are banned ."

Engaging in "aggressive or disrespectful behavior," which includes sharing "hate speech or misinformation on social media" as well as swearing and being rude to people.

Working or running a business without proper permits.

Participating in illegal activities.

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"Gov. Koster made it clear that these rules will be strictly enforced. Tourists who fail to pay the tourist levy will be denied access to attractions, and those caught violating the regulations will face legal consequences in accordance with Indonesian law," the statement says.

Related: Southwest Airlines Announces 'Unprecedented' Change Amid Free Bag Outrage
DENVER (KDVR)  Authorities say that new technology has provided decisive evidence that conclusively links a suspect in the 1975 murder of 20-year-old John Curtis Patterson.

However, the suspect, identified as Louis Jess Locicero, then 32, had previously been suspected in the case and died in 2024.

Police search for culprit in 2017 cold case homicide

The case was reported on Sept. 29, 1975, in the 4500 block of North Broadway, where the Boulder County Sheriffs Office found the body of 20-year-old John Curtis Patterson, a Cascade Service Station clerk, in the gas stations restroom. The agency said Patterson had a fatal stab wound to his chest.

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The agency recovered two unfired .30 caliber cartridges on the bathroom floor, near Pattersons body. The agency said the cartridges had extractor marks and light hit indications on the primers.

John Curtis Patterson (Photo distributed by the Boulder County Sheriffs Office) The Cascade Service Station in Boulder in 1975. (Photo distributed by the Boulder County Sheriffs Office) 4500 Broadway in Boulder in May 2025. (KDVR)

They also said that the cash register was found open and the cash was missing, which indicated to investigators that theft was the likely motive.

Detectives were led to Locicero, who had a criminal history of robbery, burglary, drug and weapon charges. Locicero was staying at a motel that is also located in the 4500 block of Broadway around the time of the murder, according to the sheriffs office.

Evidence found in Lociceros motel room included:

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A .30 caliber M1 carbine firearm

A knife that matched the victims wound

Fibers from Pattersons shirt found on the knife and in the sheath

Hairs on Lociceros that matched Pattersons hair

Locicero and countless others were interviewed by detectives and ultimately, Locicero was arrested for the crime in 1975. However, he was released for unknown reasons three days after his arrest, and before any charges were filed.

Recently, a breakthrough in ballistics evidence testing resulted in evidence linking Locicero to Pattersons murder.

Man arrested in nearly 18-year-old Colorado cold case murder

The Boulder County Sheriffs Office was evaluating the Ballistics IQ device from Evidence IQ which linked the cartridges found at the murder scene and cartridges found in Lociceros nearby hotel room to a single firearm  Lociceros .30 caliber M1 carbine, the office reported Wednesday. Evidentiary items were later sent to Ballistics IQ for evaluation by ballistics experts, which ultimately confirmed these findings. This evidence now conclusively links Lociceros weapon to the crime scene.

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If Locicero were still alive, the Boulder sheriff said there would be probable cause to arrest him. The Boulder District Attorneys Office, which sent a letter detailing the findings to the sheriffs office and confirming that if Locicero were still alive, he would be charged with first-degree murder under 1975 law.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
A Baltimore-based educational program is suing AmeriCorps and the Trump administrations Department of Government Efficiency for rescinding its grants to the organization.

The suit, filed in Maryland District Court by Elev8 Baltimore and a group of organizations from around the country, challenges DOGEs decision to terminate over $400 million in AmeriCorps funding.

According to the complaint, AmeriCorps pledged $145,000 a year for five years to Elev8 under its Volunteer Generation Fund in 2023. AmeriCorps notified Elev8 in April that the organizations VGF award was terminated.

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Elev8 says that it has already used the funding to build its internal staff and amass 60 local volunteers who provided tutoring and after-school programs to more than 800 students a week at 20 Baltimore City schools and programs.

As a community of concerned citizens in Baltimore, we have to band together to ensure that young people are not harmed by these political moves that they are caught in the middle of, Elev8 Executive Director Alexandria Warrick Adams told The Baltimore Sun on Wednesday.

Following the notification of its grant rescission, Elev8 said it was forced to cut its internal team in half, and reduce its programming by 30%.

The cuts came after Elev8 pledged to pick up the slack created when the Trump administration slashed $48 million in coronavirus-pandemic-era funding from Baltimore City Public Schools. On Tuesday, a federal judge blocked the governments COVID-related funding cuts for education.

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Adams said the organization is already on the hunt for new sources of funding, looking for help from private philanthropists to corporate grantmakers.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, alongside 23 other states attorneys general, has also sued the Trump administration over DOGEs AmeriCorps grant terminations.

Have a news tip? Contact Mathew Schumer at mschumer@baltsun.com, 443-890-7423 and on X as @mmmschumer.
The Newsom for President bandwagon hit another rut this week.

A new poll by the L.A. Times and UC Berkeley found California's registered voters believe  by a margin of more than 2 to 1  the state's gallivanting governor is more focused on boosting his chances of winning the White House than fixing the multitude of problems facing him here at home.

Which is not great news if you believe the best credential when seeking a new job is high praise for the one you're doing.

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Those surveyed were decidedly mixed on Newsom, with a tepid 46% approving of his performance in his second and final term. (Presumably few, if any of them, have listened to Newsom's unctuous political podcast.) The same percentage of registered voters said they disapprove of his job performance.

That's not a great look compared with other Democratic governors swirling about the 2028 gossip mill.

Pennsylvania voters give their chief executive, Josh Shapiro, a healthy 59% approval rating and Michigan's Gretchen Whitmer gets favorable marks from 54% of her constituents. Kentucky's Andy Beshear boasts a positively gaudy 68% approval rating in his deep-red state, the highest of any Democratic governor in the country, according to Morning Consult's nationwide survey.

Read more: Barabak: Gavin Newsom has lots to say. Is it worth listening?

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Of course, Newsom insists he's not even thinking about running for president, though a simple application of the duck test  if it waddles and quacks like a duck, you can be reasonably certain of its waterfowl status  suggests otherwise.

In a recent interview with video podcaster Mark Halperin, the governor insisted he's more undecided about a 2028 run than people think.

I have to have a burning why, and I have to have a compelling vision that distinguishes myself from anybody else. Without that, without both ... I dont deserve to even be in the conversation," Newsom said.

All the while very purposefully thrusting himself into the conversation  which is sort of like someone stripping naked, standing in a department store window, then asking why everyone is staring.

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But whatever.

The good news for Newsom is that California voters probably won't have an opportunity to weigh in on his presidential candidacy, should he run, until well into the nominating contest. Come March 7, 2028  the date currently set for the state's presidential primary  California will almost certainly continue its 50-plus years of having very little bearing on the outcome.

Maybe next century.

The full 2028 political calendar has yet to be determined. In 2024, Democrats shook things up at the behest of President Biden, eliminating their kickoff caucuses in Iowa and pushing South Carolina and Nevada to the fore. More changes may be coming, though New Hampshire, which has held the first presidential primary for more than a century, may very well hang on to its lead-off spot, which might not be a bad thing for Newsom.

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Jim Demers, a lobbyist in Concord  the state capital  and a longtime Democratic activist, said California's governor stands as decent a shot as any Democrat thinking of running.

"Whether it's Gavin Newsom, or [Illinois Gov.] JB Pritzker, or Shapiro or Whitmer or [New Jersey Sen. Cory] Booker  whoever  people are ready to hear them out and want to see who's going to really be willing to take Trump on and stand up," said Demers, who's so far neutral in the contest.

Newsom, he said, is "pretty much a blank slate" in New Hampshire. "The average person really doesn't know that much about him, other than they know of him."

What's more, Demers doesn't see Newsom's California return address as necessarily a detriment.

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"You probably will have Republicans who'll paint a California candidate as being a lefty liberal," Demers said. "But I think you have a lot of Democrats ... who look at many of the policies that have occurred in California and see them as maybe progressive, but forward thinking."

Dick Harpootlian is certainly no Republican. He's a former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman, state senator and veteran of decades of presidential politics.

His tongue is sharp and pungent, like the vinegar-pepper barbecue sauce favored in parts of his state and  though, he too, has no early favorite  Harpootlian had little good to say about California's governor, or his 2028 prospects.

"I think Gavin Newsom is what all of us think of when we think of a slick, wealthy California playboy kind of guy," Harpootlian said from his law office in Columbia. "I mean, his hair is perfectly coiffed. His shoes are shiny, and probably Italian.

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"Many of us," he went on, "remember during COVID when he was telling everybody not to go out and he was having a fabulous dinner at the French Laundry in Napa. I just think he's out of touch with the blue-collar folks we need to get back in the [Democratic] Party.

Nor, Harpootlian suggested, is California a particularly good place to hail from politically. He cited the state's "huge homeless population," its tent cities, looming budget deficit and taxes that "are so freaking high."

"It's not," he said dryly, "a model the rest of the country wants to follow."

Read more: Barabak: The candidates for California governor are a mystery. What voters want is not

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Iowa has probably lost forevermore its privileged place on the political calendar after the disastrous 2020 caucuses, which took days to yield a winner.

Still, Democratic strategist Jeff Link has a practiced eye from observing scores of presidential candidates pass through over the years. He worked for half a dozen of them.

"I don't think 2024 helped the California cause," Link said of the chances Democrats would turn, after Kamala Harris, to another San Francisco-bred Democrat, as their nominee. "But I don't think it's a death sentence."

Newsom might arrive in Iowa toting some baggage. (Assuming he shows up as a presidential hopeful.) But "there is real credibility in governing a state of that magnitude, even if it's seen as too liberal and too quirky at times," Link said from Des Moines. "I think people would be open to learning more."

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Which suggests a Newsom tilt at the White House is not entirely far-fetched.

Assuming he first gets his own house in order.

Get the latest from Mark Z. Barabak

Focusing on politics out West, from the Golden Gate to the U.S. Capitol.

Sign me up.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
It might seem surprising, but federal research funding isnt just for scientists. A component of many federal grants that support basic research requires that discoveries be shared with nonscientists. This component, referred to as broader impacts by the National Science Foundation, can make a big difference for K-12 students and teachers, museumgoers, citizen scientists and other people interested in science, while also helping the scientists themselves give back to the taxpayers that fund their work.

Basic research, often done because of a curious scientists interest, may not initially have a direct application, like developing the smartphone or curing a disease. But these discoveries build important knowledge in the natural sciences, engineering, mathematics and related disciplines.

The U.S. is a world leader in scientific and technological innovation. On the federal level, the National Science Foundation, or NSF, is one of the primary funders of this kind of basic research. In 2022, the federal government funded 40% of all basic research done in the U.S., with the remainder coming from other sources, including the business sector.

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During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to position the U.S. for strategic and economic leadership worldwide. He commissioned physicist Vannevar Bush to develop a vision for the future of U.S. science and technology. His 1945 report, Science: the Endless Frontier, became the blueprint for government-funded basic research. In 1950, Congress created the National Science Foundation to promote the progress of science, advance national prosperity and welfare and secure the national defense.

Vannevar Bush historically said that without scientific progress, no amount of achievement in other directions can insure our health, prosperity and security as a nation in the modern world. Office for Emergency Management Defense

During the early decades of NSF, the 1950s until the late 1990s, proposals were mostly evaluated based on the quality of the science and the scientists doing the work. But then, the foundation created a new system, still in place today.

Thus, each NSF research proposal is now peer-reviewed based on two criteria: intellectual merit, or the quality and novelty of the science and track record of the research team, and broader impacts  related activities that disseminate the discoveries to general audiences.

Intellectual merit is about advancing science knowledge and innovation, while broader impacts describe why people who arent scientists should care, and how society could benefit from this research.

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Another pragmatic aspect to broader impacts is that taxpayers pay for these activities, so its important for them, and Congress, to understand their return on investment. These broader impacts activities communicate about, and engage the public in, research in a variety of ways.

While researchers usually understand the intellectual merit of their NSF-funded projects, these broader impacts can be challenging to characterize.

Broader impact activities

Since childhood, Ive had an interest in paleontology  the study of fossils and what we can learn from them about prehistoric life. This field is primarily basic research  adding to knowledge about ancient life. As a scientist conducting basic research, Ive felt the responsibility to give back to society through broader impacts activities, and Ive seen many of the benefits that these activities can have.

My primary area of interest has been extinct mammals of the Americas, particularly the 55-million-year-old record of fossil horses on this continent. For years, NSF supported my discoveries about this interesting group of animals. Fossil horses are a classic example of evolution  in books and museum exhibits.

A fossil horse from the Ice Age on display at the Florida Museum. Fossil horses are a classic example of evolution  both in books and museum exhibits. Florida Museum (Mary Warrick photo)

Many people are generally interested in horses, so its easy to attract their attention with this charismatic group. They also are often surprised to learn that prehistoric horses were native to North America for millions of years. Then, during historical times, they were first introduced by humans onto the continent about 500 years ago.

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Over the years, my research team has used grant-funded broader impact activities to teach people about these fossil horses and our research. One example included working with K-12 science teachers to develop lesson plans. The students measured fossil horse teeth and explored how their teeth adapted to feeding on grasses. Weve also developed exhibits on fossil horses and studied how they communicate science to museum visitors.

Science teachers have joined our fieldwork to collect fossils along the Panama Canal during its recent expansion. Ive given many talks and collaborated with fossil clubs and their members throughout the U.S. Weve also promoted projects like Fossils4Teachers where fossil collectors donated their fossils and worked alongside K-12 teachers to develop lesson plans that were implemented back in the teachers classrooms.

The Fossils4Teachers professional development workshop, hosted by the Florida Museum in 2017, is one example of a broader impacts activity. Florida Museum (Jeff Gage photo)

Weve also been able to activate peoples interest in other animal groups  such as fossil sharks. Through our Scientist in Every Florida School program, we gave middle school teachers study kits with real fossil shark teeth. Their students learned to identify the shark teeth and then trained computers to identify the teeth using machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence.

Students study fossil shark teeth through a program at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Florida Museum (Megan Higbee Hendrickson photo)

Broader impact outcomes

Broader impacts activities like these can have a variety of short- and long-term outcomes. More than 50 million people visit natural history museums in the U.S. annually. Activities that promote museums can reach large numbers of people in their pursuit of lifelong learning.

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More broadly, participatory science interest groups can allow people to learn about science while informing basic research projects. Within the field of natural history, a few popular examples include the Merlin app and the iNaturalist app, both of which have millions of active observers. Merlin encourages people to submit their observations of birds, and iNaturalist accepts sightings of plants, animals and fossils, which researchers can carefully vet and use as data.

Many of the K-12 teachers my team has worked with report that they feel more confident teaching the new science content that they learned from our collaborations.

Interestingly, although much of the research on science professional development focuses on the teachers, scientists also report a high level of satisfaction and improved communication skills after working with these teachers, both in the field and back in the classroom.

Basic research benefits for society

Generations of U.S. scientists have greatly benefited from federal investments in basic research. In the 75 years since NSFs founding, the organization has funded hundreds of thousand projects to advance science and technology.

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These have supported basic research discoveries and also the training and career development of the tens of thousands of scientists working on these projects annually.

Many prominent scientists have gone on to be productive leaders and innovators in the U.S. and internationally. NSF has funded more than 268 Nobel laureates.

While NSF invests in the discovery of foundational knowledge about the natural world, funded projects have not traditionally had direct applications for societal benefits. To be sure, however, many of NSFs projects  for example, on lasers and nanotechnology  started out as curiosity-driven basic research and ended up with immense applications for technological innovation and economic prosperity.

For example, mapping the Earths ocean floors magnetic properties during World War II helped scientists understand how the crust moves and mountains form. This led to the plate tectonic revolution in the earth sciences. This line of basic research then led to an important application: predicting the probable location of high-risk earthquake zones worldwide.

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None of these downstream applications and benefits to society would have been realized without basic research discoveries supported by federal agencies such as NSF, and the further value added through broader impacts activities.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Bruce J. MacFadden, University of Florida

Read more:



Bruce J. MacFadden has received funding from the U. S. National Science Foundation.
Amid the election of the first ever American Pope, Robert Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, Roland Oliphant looks at the rise of a new force in US politics: MAGA Catholics.

Vice President JD Vance, First Lady Melania Trump, and of course Steve Bannon - Trumps first term chief of staff - are among the best known names in Washington. Tim Stanley, The Telegraphs weapons-grade Catholic sketch-writer, joins from Rome to discuss what unites Catholics and the MAGA movement, how much influence they wield in Washington, and whether they can influence the choice of the next Pope.

Plus, as Donald Trump prepares to go to the Middle East for the first official foreign trip of his second term, program director at the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia Group Jonathan Guyer explains what is on the agenda and what may actually be achieved.

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Listen to Battle Lines using the audio player in this article or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favourite podcast app.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Thursday issued yellow alerts for rainstorms and severe convective weather, as southern China braced for the most intense phase of a prolonged downpour, coupled with widespread severe convective conditions.

From 2 p.m. Thursday to 2 p.m. Friday, parts of south and north China will experience heavy rains, with torrential rains expected to hit parts of east China's Jiangxi, Hunan in central China, and Guangxi in the south of the country. Some of the affected areas will see thunderstorms, gales and hail.

The NMC said strong winds will sweep parts of Anhui and Jiangsu, both located in east China, as well as Hunan, Guangxi and south China's Guangdong -- while tornadoes are possible in some areas of Jiangxi.

The NMC has advised the public to closely monitor weather forecasts and emergency alerts, prioritize road safety, and stay vigilant against potential secondary disasters.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. 
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  Since 1975, the Association of Bay County Educators has represented Bay Countys teachers during contract negotiations and personnel matters.

Today, teachers and union leaders gathered to celebrate ABCEs 50th anniversary. The union formed as a result of the 1968 teachers strike, the last one to occur in Florida.

The last few years have been difficult for Floridas teachers unions. Under the DeSantis administration, unions have lost the ability for teachers to pay monthly dues through payroll deductions.

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Florida Blue gifts $50K to aid FSU social work students

If teacher membership drops below 50%, the union can be dissolved. And in 2011, all teachers lost tenure and went to annual contracts.

Union officials said all this has created difficulties in maintaining a reliable workforce.

The core of education is having a professionally well-trained, committed, long-term workforce, and the loss of continuing contract is one of the most painful things I think that weve experienced as an organization, ABCE President Alexis Underwood said.

I think thats one thing I was very disappointed in with the legislative session, because they were trying to get back to offering more than one-year contracts to teachers or those annual contract teachers, and it did not go through again. So like Alexis said, were losing. We lose a lot of really good teachers because of this process, ABCE Former President Denise Hinson said.

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Two state Senate bills that would have reinstated multi-year teacher contracts both died because there were no House companion bills.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
Sitting down for a highly anticipated live interview on The View, Joe Biden assailed his successor in the White House, claiming that Donald Trump was doing a very poor job in the interest of the United States throughout the first 100 days of his presidency.

Additionally, the former president took a swipe at the current commander-in-chiefs fixation on him, noting that Trump only continues to bring him up because of Bidens 2020 election victory.

I beat him, Biden bluntly noted.

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So its been 100 days, and you have waited to speak out until now. Why is now the right time for you to speak out? View co-host Ana Navarro asked the former president, wondering what his honest assessment of Trumps first three months in office was.

I think he has done, quite frankly, a very poor job in the interest of the United States of America, the ex-president declared. I think, you know, the greatest alliance in the history of the world is NATO, not a joke. And hes blown it up. I was able to expand it.

Former President Joe Biden appeared for his first live TV interview since Donald Trump's inauguration, claiming that the president is fixated on him because "I beat him." (ABC News)

Biden added that he was worried about the long-term impact of Trumps foreign policy on the world, including the presidents seemingly close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

I have known Putin for over 45 years. Hes a dictator, Biden grumbled before also taking aim at Trumps handling of healthcare and Social Security.

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Liberal co-host Joy Behar, meanwhile, brought up Trumps obsession with Biden and his White House tenure, noting that the president has mentioned you and your family and your administration at least 580 times since entering the White House.

 Why is he so fixated on you and blaming you for everything? Behar wondered.

I beat him, Biden snarked as the audience roared with laughter. Im used to dealing with bullies.

Saying she promised she would ask this question, Behar also brought up how Trump is obsessed with Bidens use of an autopen to sign preemptive pardons for members of his family and prominent Democrats right before leaving office.

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Now hes calling for investigations and claiming the pardons are void and vacant, she declared, prompting Biden to react: Oh, hes vacant!

And on that note, we are going to break, because that was the dropping of the mic! Whoopi Goldberg reacted.

After former first lady Jill Biden sat down at the table midway through the broadcast, the hosts brought up the sweeping allegations that the former president was suffering through a dramatic decline in his cognitive fitness in the final year of his term, asking the couple about the numerous books detailing these claims.

They are wrong. Theres nothing to sustain that, the former president replied. Mrs. Biden, meanwhile, also dismissed these books because the authors were not in the White House with us and didnt see how hard Joe worked every single day while in office.

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I think he was a great president and if you look at things today, give me Joe Biden any time, she added to applause.

At the same time, resident conservative host Alyssa Farah Griffin pointed out that former President Barack Obama, among others, had expressed concerns about Bidens ability to do the job for another four years.

Can I ask what your relationship is with President Obama and how you address those concerns that they raised? Griffin asked.

Look, I think that the only reason I got out. The race was because I didnt want to have a divided Democratic Party. It was a simple proposition, and so thats why I got out, Biden responded. The race. I thought it was better to put the country ahead of my interests, my personal interests. Im not being facetious. Im being deadly earnest about that.

Joe Biden made his 11th appearance on The View, which has become a safe haven for him in recent years. (ABC News)

After Biden defended his final few months in office, saying he did a pretty d*mn good job, the other hosts appeared to brush aside questions about his age and mental fitness. Whoopi Goldberg, for instance, attributed the disastrous Trump debate to merely a bad night for the former president.

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The former first lady also objected to claims that she created a sort of cocoon around her husband and limited his interactions with the media to hide his condition, saying he wasnt hiding somewhere and she didnt have him sequestered away. She also hit back at those who compared her to Lady Macbeth.

It was very hurtful, especially from some of our so-called friends, she said.

The Bidens appearance on The View, which has long been a safe haven for the former president as this marked his 11th time on the show, appears to be part of a concerted media effort to respond to recent books about his cognitive decline and fitness while in office.

In their book Fight, which was released last month, veteran political reporters Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes paint a picture of the battle within the White House as Bidens age and gaffes became an increasing issue, prompting prominent Democrats to urge him to step aside and allow Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place.

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Meanwhile, CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios correspondent Alex Thompson have collaborated on the upcoming book Original Sin, which will be released later this month and is about Biden's decline, its cover-up, and his disastrous choice to run again. During a CNN appearance on Wednesday night, Navarro  who is also a CNN commentator  said she felt that the former president was trying to preempt the news cycle.

There's books that are coming out that are basically arguing that he was practically brain dead and that there was a massive cover-up by his administration, she declared on CNN NewsNight. And I think he wants to get ahead of it and respond and put out his version.

Earlier this week, Politico reported that Biden had hired his former deputy press secretary Chris Meagher to help publicly defend his reputation as he looks to become more engaged publicly following Trumps first 100 days. The View sitdown, which is his first live television interview since Trumps inauguration, looks to be the first big test of this new strategy.

The timing of Bidens appearance on The View is notable because it comes after the 100-day mark, a period in which former presidents have typically avoided criticizing their predecessors, Politico noted. Now Biden can take on Trump more directly, the people said. It is also a venue he has often retreated to at fraught moments dating back to 2007, including his first interview after launching his 2020 presidential run and last September as the first sitting president to do so, during which he called Trump a loser.

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The interview also comes after he sat down with the BBC for an interview that was released on Wednesday, in which he tore into his successor on multiple levels.

Specifically, he called Trumps suggestion that Ukraine give up territory to Russia in order to bring an end to the war modern-day appeasement, adding that he was gravely concerned about NATO potentially breaking up.

What the hells going on here? What president ever talks like that? Biden also said about Trumps proposals to annex Greenland and make Canada the 51st state. Thats not who we are. Were about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation.
May 7BEMIDJI  The Beltrami County GOP will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 12, at its office in the Paul Bunyan Mall, Suite 102, 1401 Paul Bunyan Drive NW.

A potential candidate for Minnesota governor in the 2026 election is expected to be present, a release said.

Coffee and treats will be served starting at 6 p.m. All interested Republicans are invited to attend.

For more information about Republican activities and programs, visit

beltramigop.com

or call

(218) 760-1624.
May 8BEMIDJI  The

Beltrami County Historical Society

will host a public panel titled, "Beltrami County Women of Law and Order," at noon on Thursday, May 15, at the Beltrami County History Center, 130 Minnesota Ave. SW.

As part of an ongoing series recognizing the significant impact of women in shaping Beltrami County, this panel will feature distinguished women who serve in various roles within the region's law enforcement and public safety sectors, a release said.

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Attendees will have the opportunity to hear firsthand accounts from local female leaders in law enforcement and public safety, engage in discussions, and gain a deeper appreciation for their work.

Panelists include:

* Calandra Allen, Beltrami County Jail Administrator, who oversees the operations of the Beltrami County Jail, managing inmate care and facility improvements. With years of experience in corrections, she has played a key role in addressing capacity challenges and policy changes in the county's correctional system.

* Tabitha Carrigan, Bemidji Police Officer, a dedicated member of the Bemidji Police Department. Known for her outstanding community service and engagement, she has been recognized with the Melissa Schmidt Community Service Award and is actively involved in initiatives like "Coffee with a Cop" and "Heroes and Helpers."

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* Katie Nolting, Bemidji City Attorney, who provides legal counsel to the City of Bemidji and oversees municipal legal matters. She has been instrumental in addressing issues like rising misdemeanor cases and city planning concerns while ensuring compliance with legal frameworks.

* Amanda Pedersen, Beltrami County Telecommunications Team Leader, who has been working in 911 dispatching for over 10 years. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the communication center and has been focused on public outreach and education of the 911 system.

Panelists will share insights into their careers, experiences, challenges, and the evolving role of women in maintaining law and order in our community.

"We are honored to highlight the achievements of the women who dedicate their lives to keeping our communities safe," Emily Thabes, executive director of the historical society, said in the release. "Their stories provide an important historical perspective while inspiring future generations to serve."

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The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For more information about this event, visit

beltramihistory.org

or contact the Historical Society at

(218) 444-3376

or via email at

depot@beltramihistory.org.
Bernie Sanders, who has been calling for progressives to run for office on his Fighting Oligarchy tour, is putting more organizational muscle behind his appeal.

The Vermont senator is teaming up with the liberal group Run for Something and other outside organizations to provide support to potential candidates, according to plans shared first with POLITICO. The effort, if successful, could help push the party at least incrementally in Sanders direction. And it is almost certain to draw the ire of some Democrats, as Sanders and some of his allies help both Democrats and independents run for office.

More than 5,000 people have signed up with Sanders operation to explore campaigns, his team said.

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We want to make sure that we're not just going into these spaces and holding rallies and disappearing, and we're not just asking people to run for office, said Jeremy Slevin, a top Sanders adviser. We're giving them the tools they need to actually do it.

Sanders has long encouraged people to run for office, but some progressives in his orbit have complained in the past that he hasnt done enough to prepare those in his movement for a post-Sanders future. Sanders, who is 83, appears to be attempting to burnish that part of his legacy, including by touring the country recently with younger progressives and populists such as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.).

It is really exciting to see Bernie model bringing in a new generation of leaders for all other older Democrats, said Amanda Litman, president of Run for Something. She argued that it is not enough to just be at the front  you got to build power that sticks behind you.

Sanders sent an email to his supporters recruiting candidates and held a Zoom call with people who are eyeing a run. Potential contenders 40 and under are being connected with Run for Something, which focuses on younger candidates, while others are working with the organizations Contest Every Race and National Democratic Training Committee, Sanders team said.

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Slevin said the groups will provide candidates with resources and trainings of how to file, how to hire a staff, how to set fundraising deadlines and comms goals  basically, how to run a campaign.

Sanders has openly encouraged both Democrats and left-leaning independents to run for office, and a questionnaire from his team asked potential candidates which of the two they consider themselves.

Litman said that all candidates in her organizations pipeline, regardless of party, have access to resources. Run for Something currently endorses Democratic candidates only. But she said that the group is weighing changing that to include independents, as a growing number of Democrats and liberal strategists consider whether shedding the party label could help some candidates in battleground and red states.

Were considering it because theres certainly some places where it might be a more valuable way to move forward, said Litman. I actually dont know where well land.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent agreed when asked if he considered Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal on May 7.

When asked, "Do you consider Vladimir Putin a war criminal?" by Democratic Representative Juan Vargas, Bessent replied, saying, "Yes."

Bessent has previously been critical of Ukrainian leadership, including President Volodymyr Zelensky. On May 1, Bessent suggested a reset in relations between Ukraine and the U.S. following the signing of a bilateral minerals deal on April 30.

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The comments were made as Bessent spoke in the U.S. Congress and gave an annual testimony in front of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee.

When Vargas asked, "Would you negotiate with a war criminal?" Bessent replied, saying, "I think that's the nature of diplomacy, one must negotiate with both sides, Sir."

"I believe negotiation was needed with the Japanese after World War II," Bessent added.

The previous administration, led by former U.S. President Joe Biden, provided Ukraine with aid but imposed "very weak" sanctions on Russia, Bessent said.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in April that the minerals deal would underscore Washington's commitment to Ukraine as an economic partner and could be used as leverage to encourage Russia to negotiate an end to its war.

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The minerals deal establishes a 50-50 joint investment fund focused on new critical minerals and energy projects.

According to First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, the fund will capture revenues from newly licensed projects, while existing projects and budgeted income remain outside the agreements scope.

The deal was negotiated for months and became a point of tension between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump, who got into a heated argument in the White House on Feb. 28 when the deal was set to be signed by the two leaders.

Read also: She fed all the birds, dogs, and cats  64-year-old animal rescue volunteer and son killed in Russian attack on Kyiv

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Joe Biden is in reputation management mode, hiring a veteran campaign and communications strategist to help burnish his legacy at a time when many in his party want him to exit the stage.

In a sign of Bidens intent to remain engaged publicly, his inner circle tapped Chris Meagher, a former Biden deputy press secretary and Defense Department spokesperson, to help him transition past the first 100 days of the Trump administration, according to multiple people familiar with the hire and granted anonymity to speak freely.

Meagher, who has worked for former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, played an instrumental role in booking Bidens appearance on The View on Thursday, the people said, his first live interview since President Donald Trumps inauguration.

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It is a critical time for Biden, who has come under heavy criticism from Democrats for staying in the presidential race as long as he did last year.

At the same time, Biden finds himself buffeted by both sides: The Trump administration is making plans to release the audio of Bidens interview with Robert Hur, the special counsel who investigated Bidens handling of classified documents and raised questions about his mental acuity, POLITICO reported on Wednesday. The recordings  the release of which remains in flux  have long been sought by Trumps Republican allies to tarnish him. While the transcripts were released long ago, Bidens allies fear the audio could be used by Republicans in an attempt to further damage his legacy  one of several reasons for bringing on Meagher.

Kelly Scully, a former special assistant and deputy press secretary to Biden, has been Bidens lone spokesperson post presidency. But her tenure as a government employee dispatched to Biden ends soon.

The timing of Bidens appearance on The View is notable because it comes after the 100-day mark, a period in which former presidents have typically avoided criticizing their predecessors. Now Biden can take on Trump more directly, the people said. It is also a venue he has often retreated to at fraught moments dating back to 2007, including his first interview after launching his 2020 presidential run and last September as the first sitting president to do so, during which he called Trump a loser.



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That Thursdays interview will air live could be exonerating or perilous for Biden, or perhaps somewhere in between. Ultimately, it is a chance for him to rebut criticism that he is in decline.

If hes doing these interviews and hes having a lot of the same verbal gaffes, there should be a conversation if continuing to do interviews helps or hurts him, said Caitlin Legacki, a Democratic consultant. But if Biden goes and does the interviews, we see a rested and relaxed and thoughtful Biden, that could play very well.

The Hur audio has been a source of extreme sensitivity for Bidens allies, after Hur described his interview with Biden as revealing a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. While Hur last year issued a report concluding he would not bring criminal charges against Biden, the former president at the time asserted executive privilege to block the release of the tapes. He and his Justice Department claimed releasing them would have a chilling effect on witnesses cooperating in high-profile investigations.

Biden has already begun inching back onto the national stage with several speeches and appearances this spring.

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In an interview with the BBC, released on Wednesday, Biden gave a scathing assessment of Trumps administration, calling Trumps suggestion that Ukraine give up territory as a part of a peace deal with Russia modern-day appeasement and possibility of a NATO alliance break-up a grave concern.

I found it sort of beneath America in the way that it took place, Biden said of Trumps Oval Office meeting with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Biden also suggested that he had no regrets about the timing of his decision to drop out of the 2024 campaign, which many Democrats believe set Kamala Harris back in her own presidential campaign. Biden said he didnt think it would have mattered if he had dropped out earlier, describing Harris as a good candidate who was fully-funded.

That analysis of the 2024 election isnt sitting well with some Democrats.

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There are a lot of young and dynamic leaders in the Democratic Party who are focused on the path forward, and it's better we focus on them, instead of an old man trying to convince himself and America he isn't responsible for Donald Trump's reelection, said one Democratic operative, granted anonymity to discuss the issue candidly.

Or as Matt Bennett, of the center-left group Third Way, put it, I dont think hes reading the room at the moment.

I think the party, ultimately, will come around to the view that he did a good job as president, that he passed a lot of big things, Bennett said. But the horrible devastation were witnessing [with the Trump administration] which is undoing a lot of the good that he did and the anger and despair that Democrats feel, makes this an inauspicious moment for him to re-enter the debate.

Biden appears unlikely to sit on the sidelines. The hiring of an outside communications aide typically comes following a sixth-month period when former presidents are afforded a taxpayer-funded spokesperson bound by the constraints of the Hatch Act, which prevents political activity. Bringing on Meagher earlier  he can retain Scully through July 20  may allow Biden to more forcefully engage in the public eye.

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Ashley Eitenne, a Democratic strategist who served as a senior advisor to Nancy Pelosi as well as presidents Barack Obama and Biden, described Bidens reemergence as a positive development in response to Trumps Washington.

I celebrate Joe Biden leveraging his own platform and stature  to lift up and expose the truth about our current leadership and the dangers of where were headed, not just as a nation, but as a world, she said. This is not a moment for anyone to shrink.

In addition to the Hur audio and other other post mortems on Bidens presidency, his allies are also bracing for the release of a new book by a pair of high-profile journalists that promises an unflinching and explosive reckoning with one of the most fateful decisions in American political history. The book offers a behind-the-scenes look at Bidens decision to run despite evidence of his serious decline  amid desperate efforts to hide the extent of that deterioration, according to promotional copy for Original Sin, by CNNs Jake Tapper and Axios Alex Thompson, who declined to comment.

Biden has other immediate tasks at hand that an outside communications official could be helpful with: He is at work on his own book, and is said to be building out his library and foundation teams. I know that Biden is the center of their universe but their book is not the center of ours, a person close to Biden told POLITICO.

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But Tapper and Thompsons release is an immediate looming headache for Biden. The first excerpts are expected to trickle out as early as next week, and a publicity campaign is expected to span weeks. Last month, Meagher attacked the book, which Thompson plugged in a speech at the White House Correspondents Dinner accepting an award for his White House reporting chronicling the final tumultuous months of Bidens administration.

Meagher, who joined Bidens team that same month, declined to comment.

Not a great look hawking a book based on a false premise while accepting an award based on the same false premise, Meagher posted to X on April 27. Yes, Biden was old, but thats a lot different than an allegation of mental decline that kept him from being able to do the job, which there is no evidence of.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States, appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. Credit - Stoyan NenovReuters

Pope Leo XIVborn Robert Prevostis the first American Pope. His election on May 8 signals a shift in the world order of the Churcha shift that many people did not believe would happen anytime soon. But as the once improbable has become reality, Pope Leo XIV must now choose how he will lead the Churchand the some 1.4 billion Catholics across the globeand how to build on Pope Franciss work.

Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at 88 years-old, was known for prioritizing inclusivityif an imperfect inclusivityand his push to globalize the Catholic Church. He accomplished much during his 12 year tenure, including making the College of Cardinals more global, making the Catholic Church more inclusive, and centralizing the Vatican on climate emergencies.

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Yet, that does not mean his challenges were not plentiful, and that the new Pope is not left without a complicated legacy to contend with.

Read More: The Powerful Legacy of the First Latin American Pope

Here are some of the challenges that newly elected Pope Leo XIV will face as he takes up the mantle of Pope. The world will be watching to see whether he follows in the footsteps of Francisor shifts the course of the Catholic communitys priorities as drastically as his predecessor did.

LGBTQ+ Catholics

Pope Francis began his more inclusive papacy by dealing with unrelenting pressures from the more conservative side of the Catholic Churchespecially those in the United Statesover his championing the poor, migrants, and the environment, as well as his more nuanced take on LGBTQ+ individuals in the church and gay marriage.

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Though Francis never changed official doctrines of The Church, he was more publicly inclusive of the LGBTQ Catholic Church than ever before seen by a Pope, supporting civil unions and meeting with LGBTQ+ groups.

"If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?" Francis famously said in 2013, a bombshell of a quote.

Read More: As the Conclave Continues, Catholicism Is at a Crossroads

Francis ruled in 2023 that Roman Catholic priests can administer blessings to same-sex couples, and earlier that same year he signed a document that allowed transgender people to be baptized and to serve as godparents.

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Though these were landmark decisions, they did not come without a price. Francis had to contend with conservatives deeply angered by his reform and a bureaucracy that fought tooth and nail to prevent it from happening. Pope Leo XIV must decide now whether he will follow Franciss path of continuing to include LGBTQ Catholics, or chart a different course. Though the New York Times reports that the new Pope is less welcoming than Francis when it comes to gay Catholics, in 2012 he was quoted as saying that some Western values offer sympathy for things that are at odds with the gospel, pointing to the homosexual lifestyle. Time will tell, though, whether Pope Leo XIVs leadership at the highest level will differ from these comments made prior to Franciss recent reforms.

Sexual Abuse

Francis assumed the role of Pope as media attention of the systematic cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church was at a heightwith many instances coming to light under his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI. In the first years of his Papacy, Francis was criticized for his failure to act against sexual abuse in The Church, but in later years he attempted to reform his policies. He even was quoted as telling Chilean victims of clerical sexual abuse that he himself was part of the problem and apologised for dismissing accusations of a cover-up by Catholic bishops.

In 2019, Francis publicly acknowledged the problem of the sexual abuse of nuns by priests and bishops and also warned against psychological and spiritual abuses of sisters.

The Catholic communitys contentious history with sexual abuse, and its coordinated efforts to cover these instances up, remains an ongoing issue. And its one Pope Leo XIV will not be able to avoid. Proir to becoming Pope while leading the Diocese of Chiclayo, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, an advocacy group, accused Pope Leo XIVborn Prevostof covering up sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church.

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Now that hes leading the entire religious community, Pope Leo XIVs priorities regarding addressing and acting upon allegations of sexual abuse against priests and other Catholic leadership will come under further scrutiny.

Women in the Church

Included within the tent of Pope Franciss inclusivity was a movement towards more equality for women in the churchequality that comes as nun populations have declined over the past few decades.

In 2023, Francis for the first time allowed women to vote at a significant meeting of bishopsa profound reform that the new Pope Leo XIV presided over. But, the Pope will have to deal with some wider questions that Francis left unanswered about the role of women in the Church, including one of the fiercest ongoing debates: whether women should be allowed to become deacons, and if eventually this is a pathway for them to become priests.

Geographic Diversity of Catholic Community

The Catholic Churchand the College of Cardinalslook very different since Francis became Pope in 2013. This 2025 conclave was the most geographically diverse conclave in history, a legacy in part brought about by Pope Francis, who consistently emphasized the importance of this diversity, dismissing the idea that nationality or geography should determine who became Pope.

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Though Europe is still over-represented in the College of Cardinals, says the Pew Research Center, the more geographically diverse leadership shows the changing and growing influence of Africa and Asia in the Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIVs election as the first American Popefollowing Franciss reign as the first Latin American Popeonly further highlights this globalization. Leo is a Peruvian-American who was born in Chicago, but spent much of his life and Catholic leadership in Europe and Peru. He worked for 20 years in Peruthe first 10 of which were Trujillo, Peru, after which he was appointed bishop of Chiclayo, another Peruvian city, where he served from 2014 to 2023. Since then, he held an incredibly influential Vatican post, serving in Rome as head of Franciss main advisory group on picking new Bishops. With ties to America, South America and Europe, his reach is wide-ranging.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
The Ten Commandments on the Nebraska State Capitol. April 17. 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  The Nebraska Legislatures Education Committee has been trying for a month to get one of its packages of education proposals out of committee and onto the floor. But the past few executive sessions have been tense, and committee members remain divided.

Now, the committee chair, who until last week had been optimistic about the packages chances, says the bill that includes giving teachers more time off to deal with significant life events is running out of time to reach the legislative floor this year. The obstacle: lawmaker objections to including one senators priority proposal that would allow K-12 students to be excused during the school day for off-site religious instruction and coursework.



Two Democratic-aligned lawmakers and one Republican on the committee have questioned the inclusion of the religious-themed bill in the package. But the Education Committee chairman, State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenville, continues to emphasize the importance of including the bill.

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The inclusion of Central City State Sen. Loren Lippincotts Legislative Bill 550 was part of a deal involving the state Legislatures Retirement Systems Committee, one Democrat and other Republicans on the committee and the states largest teachers union.

Earlier in the session, people weighed in during a public hearing about a handful of religious-themed, school-related proposals from Murman, Lippincott and State Sen. Glen Meyer of Pender.

Murmans proposal would require displaying the Ten Commandments in every state school. Meyers bill would require In God We Trust to be displayed prominently in K-12 schools. Lippincott, in addition to the release time bill, proposed allowing school districts to employ unlicensed religious chaplains to counsel students.

Murmans Ten Commandments proposal follows a successful effort by conservatives in Louisiana requiring it last year, the first new state law requiring the change in decades. Other states are attempting to do the same.

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Lippincotts release time bill, LB 550, is part of a national lobbying effort by a Christian education organization, Lifewise Academy, with populist right ties. It also indicates that a decades-old push to infuse more religion into schools still has a pulse in the Nebraska statehouse.

In other states, resistance from teachers, advocates and lawmakers to putting more religion in public schools has been used to build political support for taxpayer-funded vouchers or school choice for K-12 students to attend private schools. The latest victory for school vouchers came in Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott signed a voucher bill into law, ending a years-long battle. Nebraska voters repealed a similar voucher law in November, though lawmakers have pledged to keep trying to pass a replacement.

The Nebraska State Education Association on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, in Lincoln. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)

Some religious experts said Lippincotts LB 550 would help already privileged groups, and a few lawmakers from both sides of the aisle shared concerns about blurring the line between church and state. A few said its passage could lead to the adoption of other religious bills. One GOP lawmaker who has proposed religious bills said LB 550 would just be the start.

If we let these things go by unchecked, it can absolutely lead to larger bills down the road, State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln said.

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The Education Committee effort to include Lippincotts bill in the package could signal a tipping point toward more openness in the Legislature for passing religious-themed bills. Senators this year have debated several bills with culture war undertones, including proposals relating to transgender youth and lab-grown meat some call elitist and unnatural. Gov. Jim Pillen has said in the past that Catholics and Christians should have more courage to stand up for Christian values.

Nebraskas religious bills mirror a national push by Republican state lawmakers that has been emboldened by President Donald Trump and recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that appear to have altered the legal landscape for such proposals in schools.

Release time proposals like Lippincotts LB 550 have been legal since the 1950s. A 1952 ruling by the high court held that New York City schools could allow students to be released for religious education and activities outside of school with parental consent.

Deal blown up

Murman aides had been confident for weeks that the broader education package would advance out of committee, repeatedly saying they had the votes to get out, including from State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha, a Democrat.

Juarez, who deal brokers and Republicans on the committee had viewed as a key vote for the package, told the Nebraska Examiner she flipped positions to a likely no during a roughly month-long effort to get the package to the floor.

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Juarez said she was misled about why the Lippincott bill needed to be included. She said she was under the impression that the committee was required to include all of the bills discussed during the executive sessions.

Republicans on the committee say they had been pretty clear about the terms of the deal.

Murman said he secured a deal with the Retirement Systems Committee to combine LB 550 with a bill from State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha that would help schools find more long-term substitutes so teachers could take paid time off around significant life events.

Lincoln Sen. Beau Ballard, chairman of the Retirement Systems Committee, said his deal was with education stakeholders. He said he wasnt part of the negotiations on the packages parts. Juarez also confirmed the Nebraska State Education Association was aware of the deal and could live with Lippincotts proposal, if amended.

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Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, had said earlier that finding common ground regarding religion is a centuries-old issue in America, but the battleground shouldnt be in our public schools.

Royers on Friday said the union would only accept the release time proposal if its language shifted from shall adopt a policy to may.

Democrats on the committee said Murmans strong-armed approach about needing LB 550 in the package caused the stalemate. Lippincotts bill was chosen because it was seen as less controversial than the three other religious-themed proposals, people familiar with the package said

On religion in schools, Nebraska Republicans seem more conflicted than some of their red-state counterparts. Some Nebraska Republicans in the Legislature  not on the committee  privately told the Examiner Lippincotts bill could be a step too far for them.

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Lippincott has said the bill would empower parents by giving them a stronger voice in their childrens education. Fellow Education Committee member Meyer called LB 550 a good first step.

America is always losing its way

Currently, 12 states require school boards to adopt release-time policies for off-site religious instruction, while 18 other states have laws or regulations allowing boards to adopt release-time policies. Nebraska, Washington, D.C. and 19 other states have no laws requiring or prohibiting release time for such instruction. In those states, parents or religious organizations can petition their local school boards to establish a program, but the boards could reject it.

One national tie to Lippincotts bill is LifeWise Academy, an Ohio-based religious instruction program.

During a National Association of Christian Lawmakers meeting last December, the group proposed a model bill on release time from school. After Lifewise Academy proposed the model bill, NACL approved embracing it. Lippincotts bill is similar.

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Lippincott confirmed that his bill is modeled after other states release time legislation. Jesse Vohwinkel, LifeWise Academys Vice President of Growth, testified in favor of Lippincotts bill during its public hearing in February.

LifeWise serves over 630 schools in 31 states, it told the NACL at its meeting. LifeWise has seen its revenues increase from $2 million in 2021 to $35.3 million in 2024, according to the groups IRS reports.

We see a viable path of reinstalling Bible education for the public school system across the nation, Joel Penton, the founder of LifeWise, said during a Family Research Councils, a Right-Wing Think Tank, podcast last year.

LifeWise has received legal support from rightwing groups like America First Legal and has allied with some groups on the populist right, including Moms for Liberty. One Democratic-aligned lawmaker said during a recent legislative discussion that LB 550 catered to Lifewise.

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Nebraska Family Alliance, a lobbying group that has a history of being against abortion and advocating Biblical values, supports LB 550. On his podcast, Nate Grasz, the groups executive director, said Nebraska parents must have the same rights and opportunities as those in other states.

That must include giving their children a religious education, Grasz said.

Nate Grasz, executive director of the Nebraska Family Alliance, speaks to reporters before a Nebraska hearing to expand gambling, such as to online sports betting, in-state collegiate sports and fantasy sports. March 10, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Meyer said the Lippincott proposal could provide school boards cover for those who wanted to implement a policy but didnt because of potential pushback, since every school would be required to do so.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Religious Studies Professor Max Mueller said the Family Alliance and other supporters of similar bills appear to want to blur the lines between church and state.

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Grasz interviewed Vohwinkel, who said the group enables communities to provide Bible education to their public school students during the middle of the school day.

Lippincott proposed a similar bill during the last legislative session, but it was bottled up in committee.

We aim to support families who seek religious education with their children while strengthening character education in our public schools, fostering a well-rounded and inclusive learning environment for every student, Lippincott said.

He said the difference with his bill this year is that it would cost school districts nothing and that all religious studies would be conducted off school grounds.

We got away from some of the things that made this country great, Meyer said.

That echoes what he said during his LB 122 hearing: We have somewhat lost our way on values.

Narrative matters

Mueller said this type of framing of a type of moral decline, known as declension narrative, has often been used throughout U.S. history.

America is always losing its way, and most often its lost its way from its founding principles of this kind of Christian experiment  of Christians governing themselves, Mueller said.

Meyer said he didnt expect his In God We Trust bill to be included in an education package because it was controversial. But he said he would not give up. Mueller said some lawmakers are more candid than others about their goals regarding these religious bills.

Which is to have schools promote a very specific set of ideas about religion, ideas and about gender and sexuality, Mueller said.

State Sen. Victor Rountree of Bellevue, a pastor and Democrat, said he doesnt think the state should try to infuse more religion into schools. He said such decisions should be left up to school districts and families.

I send my kids to school to be educated, Rountree said. If there were things in the public school that went against how I felt religiously, then I pulled my kids out or had them with an alternative course of instruction.

Dungan said he has seen an increase in extreme social bills during his time in the Legislature. He pointed to term limits as a reason why the statehouse is seeing more model bills, because lawmakers are newer and less independent.

When you have either lobbyists from Nebraska or other states able to influence senators at a greater rate, youre going to see more bills like this get introduced, Dungan said.

Murman said the committee could consider an amended version of Lippincotts bill as early as this week. Time is not on senators side, with many of the remaining days of the session dedicated to the budget and other contentious bills.

Examiner reporter Zach Wendling contributed to this report.

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Bill Gates has urged Sir Keir Starmer to reverse billions of pounds in foreign aid cuts amid a funding emergency in global healthcare.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Mr Gates said he planned to remind the Prime Minister and Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, of their commitment to international aid.

In February, the UK confirmed a cut in overseas aid to 0.3pc of national income, down from 0.5pc.

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Mr Gates said: The portion [of UK aid] thats going to the poorest countries will be down pretty dramatically. I think the UK voters are proud of their aid work  and I hope we get it restored.

British aid was spent very effectively. Wed like to see the global health work prioritised, and that we get it back to the levels that it was.

The billionaire Microsoft founder also accused Elon Musk of killing the worlds poorest children by gutting Americas overseas aid agency. He warned a funding black hole could cause childhood mortality rates to rise for the first time after years of falls.

His intervention comes as global charities grapple with a reduction in funding after the US government shut down USAID, its international development agency, under the orders of Mr Musk.

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Mr Gates  formerly the worlds richest man  said Mr Musks decision would result in children in Africa being infected with HIV, measles and polio in some of the worlds poorest nations.

The picture of the worlds richest man killing the worlds poorest children is not a pretty one, he told the Financial Times.

Elon Musk branded USAID a vipers nest of radical-Left Marxists who hate America - Samuel Corum/Getty Images North America

USAID managed more than $40bn (30bn) in US international aid but Mr Musk gutted the organisation, which he branded a vipers nest of radical-Left Marxists who hate America and a criminal organisation.

Officials from Mr Musks Department for Government Efficiency (Doge) took control of USAIDs offices in early February, sacking nearly all of its staff or placing them on leave. Overseas projects were left in limbo, with staff ordered to return home.

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Mr Gates said Mr Musk had cancelled hospital funding to Gaza Province, in Mozambique, falsely claiming that the funding was sending condoms to Hamas in Gaza in the Middle East.

He said: He thought that Gaza, Mozambique was in the Middle East. Now we have babies infected with HIV in Gaza Province, Mozambique, because that money was cut.

I dont think hes been out in the field to see USAID in the Congo or Nigeria or Ethiopia like I have.

Mr Musk later admitted Doge had made some mistakes.

Global cuts to international aid would mean that for the first time, see childhood deaths go up  these cuts will mean millions of additional deaths, Mr Gates said.

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The two billionaires have clashed previously. Mr Musk originally signed Mr Gatess Giving Pledge, in which billionaires promise to give away half their wealth. However, the Tesla chief later called most philanthropy bull----, according to Walter Isaacson, his biographer.

Mr Musk also fumed at the Microsoft founder after he discovered Mr Gates had taken a short position against Tesla, betting its stock price would fall.

Mr Gates made the comments about USAID as he committed to giving away $200bn over the next 20 years. Mr Gates, 69, on Thursday announced plans to accelerate his philanthropic giving with a view to shutting down the Gates Foundation, his charity, by 2045.

The donations are in addition to more than $100bn in giving since the foundation was launched at the turn of the millennium.

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Mr Gates had originally intended for the Gates Foundation to run for several decades after his death. However, on Thursday he said: I have decided to give my money back to society much faster than I had originally planned.

I will give away virtually all my wealth through the Gates Foundation over the next 20 years to the cause of saving and improving lives around the world.

He added: I expect the foundation will spend more than $200bn between now and 2045.

As well as criticising Mr Musk, Mr Gates also took aim at Labour cuts to Britains overseas aid budget, warning of a gulf in funding for international charities that would hamper efforts to eradicate diseases.

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The Prime Minister announced plans to cut the UKs overseas aid budget in February from 0.5pc of national income to 0.3pc by 2027, instead boosting defence spending.

He told The Telegraph he intended to raise his concerns with Sir Keir and urge him to think again about the funding cuts.

He said: No doubt when they meet with me I will remind them of I will remind them of this commitment to try and restore this funding.

Mr Gates also called on the UK to continue funding he Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi). The British Government is currently the biggest contributor to the programme, with Boris Johnson pledging 1.6bn in 2021.

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However, there are concerns that this budget could be under threat. Its funders, who include the Gates Foundation, are expected to confirm their commitments to Gavi in June.

Mr Gates said: We have to make sure [aid funding] goes to the highest priority. That includes Gavi being able to buy vaccines.

The Gates Foundation was originally launched as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000. The couple divorced in 2021.

Ms French Gates, whose net worth is now $30bn, has already announced her own plans to donate more than $1bn to support women and families over the next two years.

The Foreign Office was contacted for comment.

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Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, chairman of the board of directors of Saudi Aramco, in Beijing, capital of China, May 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang met with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, chairman of the board of directors of Saudi Aramco, in Beijing on Thursday.

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic partnership had developed rapidly with deepened cooperation in various fields.

Noting that Saudi Aramco has long been an active player in China's reform and opening up as well as modernization drive, Ding said it is hoped that both sides will continue to deepen cooperation in traditional fields such as energy and chemical engineering, actively carry out cooperation on sci-tech innovation and green transformation, work together to maintain the stability of the global industrial and supply chains and the multilateral trading system, and make greater contributions to China-Saudi Arabia relations and the world economy.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan said that Saudi Aramco had always been optimistic about China's development prospects and is willing to further expand investment and trade cooperation with China, making contributions to the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. 
Bill Gates accused Elon Musk of killing poor children as he announced Thursday that he would donate his remaining fortune to his charity, the Gates Foundation.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Financial Times, Gates addressed Musk's recent cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development, the federal agency responsible for distributing foreign aid around the world. Musks Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, effectively shut down the agency in February.

Gates, 69, criticized the shuttering of the agency, accusing Musk of risking a resurgence of diseases such as measles, HIV and polio.

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The picture of the worlds richest man killing the worlds poorest children is not a pretty one, he told the Financial Times.

Id love for him to go in and meet the children that have now been infected with HIV because he cut that money, Gates said of Musk.

A representative for Musk did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Last week, Musk announced that he would be stepping back from his role at DOGE after Tesla, one of his several companies, reported a sizable drop in first-quarter profit and revenue.

"Elon Musk is a patriot working to fulfill President Trumps mission to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse," Harrison Fields, a spokesperson for DOGE, said in a statement. "Backbenchers should celebrate the selfless efforts of Americas most innovative entrepreneur, who is dedicating time to support American taxpayers and hold Washington accountable to the people of this great nation.

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Gates, who co-founded Microsoft, also announced that he would give up his remaining wealth to his nonprofit foundation over the next two decades in the FT interview, an interview published in The New York Times and a lengthy blog post on the Gate Foundations website, all published on Thursday, the nonprofit's 25th anniversary.

The billionaire philanthropist also said that the foundation would be ceasing operations on Dec. 31, 2045, sooner than originally projected.

"People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that 'he died rich' will not be one of them," Gates wrote in the blog post. "There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people."

"That is why I have decided to give my money back to society much faster than I had originally planned," he added.

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In February, Gates met with President Donald Trump at the White House to advocate for continuing foreign aid disbursements from USAID. In an interview with NBCs TODAY show shortly after the White House meeting, Gates warned that replicating USAID's work would be difficult.

"Getting those people out there in their depth of experience, thats an asset that would be very hard to re-create," he said.

Gates said in his blog post that since he and his former wife, Melinda Gates, started the foundation in 2000, it has donated more than $100 billion. He said he expects it will donate another $200 billion over the next 20 years, including from its endowment and Gates' future personal donations.

Gates has a personal fortune of $168 billion, according to Bloomberg's Billionaires' Index, which ranks him as the fifth-wealthiest person in the world.

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"The Gates Foundations mission remains rooted in the idea that where you are born should not determine your opportunities," Gates wrote. "I am excited to see how our next chapter continues to move the world closer to a future where everyone everywhere has the chance to live a healthy and productive life."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
In an ongoing battle for which capitalist overlord can claim the moral high ground, Microsoft founder and the world's sixth richest man, Bill Gates, has accused Elon Musk of "killing the world's poorest children" by gutting the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

"The picture of the world's richest man killing the world's poorest children is not a pretty one," Gates told the Financial Times.

Musk, through his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), all but shuttered USAID in February by freezing its grants used for foreign assistance and slashing its workforce, once 10,000 strong, to less than 300 employees.

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Gates said that the abruptness of the cuts meant that troves of food and medicines are now rotting in warehouses. In April, the New York Times reported that Musk's USAID cuts forced hundreds of soup kitchens in Sudan to shut down.

Gates also slammed Musk for having no understanding of USAID or the work it did, citing how Musk cancelled grants because he wrongly believed that the agency was supplying condoms to Hamas in Gaza, Palestine  when in reality, those grants were for a hospital in Gaza Province, Mozambique, to prevent women transmitting HIV to their babies.

"I'd love for him to go in and meet the children that have now been infected with HIV because he cut that money," Gates told the FT.

In a separate interview with the New York Times, Gates called the USAID cuts "stunning" and chided Musk for his lack of charitable giving.

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"Well, he's the one who cut the USAID budget. He put it in the wood chipper, because he didn't go to a party that weekend," Gates told the NYT. When the interviewer raised Musk's commitment to the Giving Pledge, Gates noted that the pledge to give away most of your fortune doesn't have to be fulfilled while you're still alive  it can be done after you're dead, too.

"So who knows? [Musk] could go on to be a great philanthropist," he said. "In the meantime, the world's richest man has been involved in the deaths of the world's poorest children."

Grimly, Gates offered an estimate of just how many children's lives were being endangered due to the cuts to foreign aid.

"On childhood deaths, which over the next few years should have gone from five million to four million  now, unless theres a big reversal, well probably go from five million to six million," Gates told the NYT.

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Gates' comments come as he announces his plan to close down the Gates Foundation by 2045, which is decades ahead of schedule. His intent, in the meantime, is to accelerate his philanthropic giving.

As the FT notes, critics have accused Gates of using his charitable initiatives as a tax shield. USAID isn't above criticism, either. For all the very real aid it provides, it's also an extension of aggressive US foreign policy, furthering imperial interests under a benevolent guise and going as far as in some cases to foment regime change.

Of course, that's not why Musk or the Trump administration is gutting the agency. There's no coherent and principled anti-imperialist thinking informing Musk, who once declared that the US would "coup whoever we want."

Most of his logic, from what he's shared with the public, amounts to brainless conspiracies, such as believing that USAID has been constructing a "Truman Show"-style false reality around all of humanity, or that it was a "viper's nest of radical left Marxists who hate America."

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His right-wing counterparts, meanwhile, believe that USAID went "woke." Musk himself once claimed that USAID was "funding DEI abroad."

In short, it's clear that Musk doesn't have the best interests in mind of the children and everyone else who once depended on foreign aid to survive.

More on DOGE cuts: Trump Admin Cancels Programs to Protect Children From Toxic Chemicals
In a new interview, Bill Gates criticized both Elon Musk and DOGE.

The Microsoft cofounder said that DOGE is "geographically illiterate."

He said that Musk was "involved in the deaths of the world's poorest children" by cutting USAID.

Bill Gates sharply criticized Elon Musk in an interview with The New York Times published on Thursday, calling out the Tesla cofounder's role in cutting foreign aid as part of his Department of Government Efficiency initiative.

The Microsoft cofounder said that cuts made to foreign aid, particular programs administered by the now-shuttered US Agency for International Development, were "stunning."

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"He's the one who cut the USAID budget. He put it in the wood chipper, because he didn't go to a party that weekend," Gates told the Times of Musk. "The world's richest man has been involved in the deaths of the world's poorest children."

Gates also referred to an instance early in President Donald Trump's term in which administration officials said that the US had been sending condoms to Gaza via foreign aid. In reality, the US had been providing contraceptives to a province in the African country of Mozambique.

"They cut the money to Gaza Province in Mozambique. That is really for drugs, so mothers don't give their babies HIV," Gates said. "But the people doing the cutting are so geographically illiterate, they think it's Gaza and condoms. Will they go meet those babies who got HIV because that money was cut? Probably not."

Gates made the remarks as he discussed his plans to give away the remainder of his wealth over the next 20 years before closing his foundation in 2045.

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The Gates Foundation has invested heavily in public health initiatives around the world, often focusing on childhood diseases.

This isn't the first time Gates has been critical of Musk  or vice versa.

Gates has argued that Musk has destabilized the politics of foreign countries through his support for right-wing causes in the United Kingdom and Germany. He's also said that while he believes Tesla is having a positive environmental impact, he wishes Musk were more outspoken about the climate crisis.

Musk, in turn, has said that Gates has a "limited" understanding of artificial intelligence.

Musk, DOGE, Tesla, and the White House did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Bill Gates set the stage for the end of the Gates Foundation on Thursday, but also used the announcement to call out the Trump administration for hindering his work toward helping the international community.

They cut the money to Gaza Province in Mozambique. That is really for drugs, so mothers dont give their babies HIV. But the people doing the cutting are so geographically illiterate, they think its Gaza and condoms, the billionaire told The New York Times. Will they go meet those babies who got HIV because that money was cut? Probably not.

The picture of the worlds richest man killing the worlds poorest children is not a pretty one, he then said of DOGE boss Elon Musk to The Financial Times.

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In the next four years  or eight years, I dont know  the actual money going into these causes is reduced, and reduced way beyond what I would have expected, Gates added to the NYT. On childhood deaths, which over the next few years should have gone from five million to four million  now, unless theres a big reversal, well probably go from five million to six million.

In January, a Trump executive order put a freeze on USAID funding. That was followed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing the cancelation of 83% of its programs in March.

The reductions to USAID are stunning. I thought thered be like a 20 percent cut. Instead, right now, its like an 80 percent cut. And yes, I did not expect that. I dont think anybody expected that, Gates admitted on Thursday. Nobody expected the executive branch to cut PEPFAR or polio money without the involvement of Congress. Whats going on with HIV research and trial networks, I didnt expect that either. We will do our best to get these things changed. I will be an advocate. But those are real headwinds.

And whats Congress going to do? My history with Congress is that theyre very supportive. Weve had cases during Trumps first presidency, when he and Russ Vought at the Office of Management and Budget said, Were going to cut PEPFAR. And Congress didnt give it the time of day, he continued. But these are different times. And the cuts are so dramatic that even if we get some restored, were going to have a tough time.

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Still, Gates remains optimistic his $200 billion commitment to international health and human development will help save millions of childrens lives by the time the foundation closes in 2045.

I dont think were going to have administration after administration who cuts and cuts and cuts and cuts these things, he concluded. I see it as a four- to six-year interruption. And if we zoom out and think about 20 years from now  I do think well cut childhood deaths, despite all this, because the Golden Rule was not repealed.

Thursdays interview comes four months after Gates said Trump impressed him over a shared dinner where they discussed working to end HIV and Polio. However, the Gates Foundation co-founder then laughed at the idea that his fellow billionaires were cozying up to Trump at his inauguration for the good of the country a month later.

You can read Bill Gates full NYT interview, here.

The post Bill Gates Calls Trump Admin Geographically Illiterate Over Foreign Aid Cuts to Gaza Province appeared first on TheWrap.
Bill Gates wants to share all of his good fortune  literally.

The billionaire businessman and philanthropist revealed exclusively to "CBS Mornings" on Thursday that he will give away virtually all of his wealth over the next 20 years through the Gates Foundation. He says a total of $200 billion will go toward causes that will help save and improve lives around the world.

"By deciding to spend all this money in the next 20 years, we can get a lot more done," Gates said in an interview taped last week, days before he announced the initiative. He's confident the money will save "tens of millions of lives."

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A change of plans

It's a decision Gates did not take lightly, explaining in a letter posted online Thursday that he was inspired by a famous quote from Andrew Carnegie's 1889 essay "The Gospel of Wealth," which argued "the man who dies thus rich dies disgraced."

Gates said his net worth, which is currently $108 billion, will drop 99% over the next two decades.

"People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that 'he died rich' will not be one of them. There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people," Gates wrote.

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So, he changed his plans. The Gates Foundation, which was originally supposed to shutter decades after his and ex-wife Melinda French Gates' deaths, will now close in 2045.

The Gates Foundation, which is marking its 25th anniversary this year, has already spent $100 billion to help cut the global childhood mortality rate by investing in medical innovations. Gates said he's seen firsthand how impactful the distribution of vaccines for illnesses like diarrhea and pneumonia can be. That's why he's determined to "double down."

He has three main goals: stopping the deaths of mothers and children from preventable causes, eradicating deadly infectious diseases, and putting more countries on a path to prosperity  with a focus on improving education.

Gates says more children could die due to Trump administration aid cuts

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But he's concerned progress could be stalled as the U.S. and European countries scale back on foreign aid and reduce humanitarian funding.

In 2023, an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching the age of 5, according to a UNICEF report released in March. Without substantial government assistance, Gates says that number will rise.

"So we should be going from 5 million children dying a year over the next five years to 4 million. And now with these cuts, if they're not reversed, we will go to over 6 million dying. So, instead of going down, we will go back up," Gates said.

Gates said he's been in touch with President Trump and had a "great discussion" about some of his foundation's initiatives, including HIV prevention and polio, over dinner at Mar-a-Lago in December.

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"Since then, some of the programs have been cut off," Gates said. "And I'm hoping, both with the president or the Congress, to get them to restore some of those aid activities."

On the first day of his second term, Mr. Trump signed an executive order to start the country's withdrawal from the World Health Organization. In March, the Trump administration revealed plans to shrink the Department of Health and Human Services  a major overhaul that impacted thousands of employees. Part of his plans to slash federal spending also included the suspension of U.S. foreign aid assistance, essentially gutting the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID.

Last week, a senior official with the Office of Management and Budget said Mr. Trump's proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 also includes "enormous cuts to foreign aid," focusing more on "targeted" foreign aid in situations when it's in the interest of the U.S.

The Gates Foundation isn't large enough to replace U.S. foreign aid. In fiscal 2024 alone, the U.S. federal government disbursed nearly $72 billion in foreign aid, according to the Pew Research Center, which cited ForeignAssistance.gov. The U.S. federal government spent four times more on global health than the Gates foundation, Gates said.

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"You always want more money going into these things where you're saving lives for a few thousand dollars. And I will be an advocate for that," said Gates, praising global health initiatives spearheaded by former President George W. Bush  like his Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief launched in 2003  which he says should be maintained.

"The last stage" of a long career

Gates, who is turning 70 years old this fall, said this move marks the beginning of the "last chapter" in his career. But he certainly hopes he's around to see the impact it makes.

"Well, I wish I had even more time. But I have to say, 'OK, this is the last part of my life. And I'm a steward of these resources,'" he told "CBS Mornings." "I should make sure that it's well spent. And now this is the last stage of all that."

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When asked if he'll miss his billion-dollar fortune, Gates chuckled.

"No, I won't. I hope I'm still alive when we finish the 20 years, but I will save a little bit to be able to buy hamburgers as much as I need," he said.

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Bill Gates has huge plans for his estimated $107 billion fortune

He will be donating 99% of his fortune to the Gates Foundation

It was also revealed that the foundation will close in 20 years









Bill Gates announced huge plans for the majority of his estimated $107 billion fortune.

In an interview with the Associated Press published on Thursday, May 8, the 69-year-old businessman confirmed that he would be donating 99% of his fortune to the Gates Foundation. Its kind of thrilling to have that much to be able to put into these causes, Gates told the outlet about his plans, noting that the philanthropic foundation is set to close in 2045.

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According to the AP, the donation will provide the foundation with an additional $200 billion to spend over the next 20 years. I think 20 years is the right balance between giving as much as we can to make progress on these things and giving people a lot of notice that now this money will be gone, he said of the decision.

Gates noted that the foundation work has been way more impactful than I expected.

Craig Barritt/Getty Bill Gates in New York City on Sept. 24, 2024 Bill Gates in New York City on Sept. 24, 2024

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In an article posted to Gates Notes, he explained his decision even further, revealing that he was inspired by a 1889 essay by Andrew Carnegie, which "makes the case that the wealthy have a responsibility to return their resources to society."

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"That is why I have decided to give my money back to society much faster than I had originally planned," Gates wrote. "I will give away virtually all my wealth through the Gates Foundation over the next 20 years to the cause of saving and improving lives around the world. And on December 31, 2045, the foundation will close its doors permanently."

Gates added later, "This decision comes at a moment of reflection for me. In addition to celebrating the foundations 25th anniversary, this year also marks several other milestones: It would have been the year my dad, who helped me start the foundation, turned 100; Microsoft is turning 50; and I turn 70 in October."



Gates opened the foundation in 2000 alongside his then-wife, Melinda French Gates.

According to the AP, in addition to $100 billion since it was first founded 25 years ago, the foundation "has directed scientific research, helped develop new technologies, and nurtured long-term partnerships with countries and companies."



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The latest plans for the foundation follows French Gates's departure in May 2024, which came after the couple got divorced in 2021 following 27 years of marriage,

"l'm holding a complicated mix of emotions today," she said the following month in a letter to foundation colleagues and alumni. "I'm sad to be saying goodbye, proud of all we accomplished, energized by what's ahead, and excited to see what you do next. But the emotion I feel most strongly right now is gratitude.



Christophe Viseux / COP28 via Getty Bill Gates in Dubai on Dec. 1, 2023 Bill Gates in Dubai on Dec. 1, 2023

She continued, saying, "As you know better than anyone, the work we do here every day isn't always glamorous  there are lots of spreadsheets, lots of slide decks, lots of inconveniently timed meetings to accommodate a globe's worth of time zones  but the impact you and our partners are having in the world could not be more important."

During an April 14, appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, French Gates, 60, spoke about the end of their relationship. She noted that she "wanted" to have a "trusted relationship." To achieve that, she said that "both partners have to be honest with one another."

"And if you can't, you can't have intimacy and you can't have trust," she explained. "So in the end, I had to go."



Read the original article on People
Bill Gates didnt mince words on what he thinks about Elon Musk in an interview with the Financial Times that was published on Thursday.

The Microsoft mogul accused the Tesla CEO of killing the worlds poorest children by making drastic and, in Gates view, misguided cuts on the U.S. Agency for International Development through the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.

Musk declared it was time for USAID to die in February and called it a criminal organization on social media.

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Gates went on the offensive Thursday and said Musks actions resulted in life-saving food and medicine being allowed to go to waste in warehouses.

The picture of the worlds richest man killing the worlds poorest children is not a pretty one, Gates said.

Then, Gates added that Musk had cancelled grants to a hospital in Gaza Province, Mozambique, that would have helped prevent women from transmitting HIV to their babies because Musk incorrectly thought the U.S. was supplying condoms to Hamas in Gaza in the Middle East.

Id love for him to go in and meet the children that have now been infected with HIV because he cut that money, Gates said.

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Musk hadnt commented on Gates attack as of Thursday afternoon, but its safe to say he probably wont be happy.

The two billionaires have had a long-running feud, stemming in part from disagreements over philanthropy, to Gates attempt to make money by shorting Tesla stock.

Gates, in January, referred to Musks desire to promote far-right politics around the world as insane shit.

Related...
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Bill Gates says he has been horrified at the cuts to global humanitarian aid programs by the US Trump administration and will be lobbying the White House and Congress to help restore some of the axed programs. In an interview with Semafor to mark the Gates Foundations 25th anniversary, Gates warned that the cuts will likely cost lives in some of the most vulnerable regions of the world.

The billionaire philanthropist announced on Thursday that he now plans to give away virtually all his wealth over the next 20 years and sunset the foundation in 2045. Gates estimated that he will give away around $200 billion via the foundation in that time  or twice the amount given away since the foundation was founded when he had significant support from fellow billionaire Warren Buffett.

Im still quite optimistic about what we can do in the next 20 years, even though Im horrified about where we find ourselves with these aid reductions, Gates told Semafor, referring to both the tens of billions of dollars in US foreign aid cuts and budget tightening by wealthy European nations. As part of the cuts, the Trump administration is shutting down USAID, the governments primary development aid organization.

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Gates said his decision to accelerate giving away his wealth was not related to the cuts and noted that it was unlikely even the Gates Foundation, which had an endowment of $77 billion at the end of 2023, could replicate the role of USAID.

The cuts in USAID are larger than what the Gates Foundation is able to provide. I look forward to a day that we get those USAID numbers back up again, he said.

Know More

USAID, which has now been folded into the US State Department, managed a budget of up to $50 billion last year, running hundreds of humanitarian and economic developmental projects around the world. It was dismantled in February by the Trump administration for being non-aligned with the administrations America First campaign pledges. USAID was a wonderful organization that I think if people had known what they do, they wouldnt have cut that money. But here we are, said Gates.

Gates Foundation was started by Gates and his former wife Melinda French Gates in 2000 to help reduce inequity in global health and in education in the United States. Since then the foundation has claimed success in helping to save millions of lives around the world from diseases like malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis with a range of initiatives, including vaccine programs and over a hundred innovations. But in an open letter announcing his plans today, he acknowledged that he could not ignore that progress had been made by partnerships with governments: No philanthropic organization  even one the size of the Gates Foundation  can make up the gulf in funding thats emerging right now, he wrote.

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He told Semafor the cuts will have notable consequences: Id say in the next five years, some of our key figures, like the number of children who die or vaccine coverage levels, some of those will actually go backwards.

Yinkas view

One of the notable aspects of slashing foreign aid budgets, particularly by the US, has been a response from some Africans acknowledging that their own governments need to do more for their citizens and fully cut the cord of dependency. Gates told me he certainly agrees with that sentiment and noted some Asian countries had largely graduated from dependency, but he also cited examples in Rwanda and Tanzania as countries that have been making progress in building capacity in primary health care for their citizens. And yet, he wrote in his letter, its still not enough, especially at a moment when many African countries are spending so much money servicing their debts that they cannot invest in the health of their own people  a vicious cycle that makes economic growth impossible.

Some of the most important work the Gates Foundation has done on the continent has been around vaccine promotion, But that is also an area where the Bill Gates brand has become tainted on African social media, with conspiracy theories shared widely on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook about his true intentions with Africans. Those conspiracies really took hold around the global pandemic.

Gates said his team monitored the wild talk but seemed to recognize the challenge of some man who has a lot of money whos far away, does he have our best interests at heart? He said the foundation would continue to work with government leaders, civil society leaders and religious leaders to avoid rumors [getting] out of control.

Room for Disagreement

While the Trump administration has been quick to slash aid budgets that do not align with its America First philosophy, it has also asked the US Congress to approve $3.2 billion in contributions to the World Banks International Development Association (IDA), which provides grants and low-interest loans to the worlds poorest countries. The figure surprised some observers who had thought the administration would skip making contributions, according to Reuters.

Notable
Bill Gates celebrated the 25th anniversary of his foundation on Thursday by announcing his plans to shutter the operation in 2045. That gives the Gates Foundation 20 years to give over $200 billion towards international health and human development, from both its endowment and the billionaires own fortune.

After saving millions of childrens lives around the world and already giving $100 billion towards charitable causes, the foundation first established by Gates and then-wife Melinda French Gates in 2000 will come to an end on Dec. 31, 2045.

You could say this announcement is not very timely. Over the last 25 years, we achieved far more than I  or I think anyone  expected, Gates told The New York Times on Thursday. The world invented new tools, we made them cheap, we got them out. We went from 10 million childhood deaths to five million. Over the next 20 years, can you cut that in half again? The answer is: Absolutely.

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However, due to President Donald Trumps cuts toward foreign aid, the next four to eight years may not be as philanthropic as Gates would hope.

On childhood deaths, which over the next few years should have gone from five million to four million  now, unless theres a big reversal, well probably go from five million to six million, he explained. Now, thats not to say that itll go back to 10 million. And in the year 2000, when it was 10 million, did people know to feel so bad? Not as much as I wish they would have.

You have to go to Africa and see a malaria ward at the height of the malaria season. Or you have to see kids who are stunted. And weirdly, the incredible success of the last 25 years is not as visible to people as it should be, Gates continued. But that also means that when people cut these things, will they notice? They cut the money to Gaza Province in Mozambique. That is really for drugs, so mothers dont give their babies HIV. But the people doing the cutting are so geographically illiterate, they think its Gaza and condoms. Will they go meet those babies who got HIV because that money was cut? Probably not.

I dont think were going to have administration after administration who cuts and cuts and cuts and cuts these things. I see it as a four- to six-year interruption, he said. And if we zoom out and think about 20 years from now  I do think well cut childhood deaths, despite all this, because the Golden Rule was not repealed.

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But ultimately, Gates isnt going to let anyone stand in the way of his goal.

My optimism hasnt been shaken. You could say its not just the last four months. Its certainly post-pandemic. And when did our movement reach its peak  2008? 2015? But I dont think its inherent. Its just that some people have focused on other things. If its brought to them, if they get to see it, people do care about childrens deaths, he concluded. And science  thank God science doesnt go backward as we invent these tools.

You can read Bill Gates full NYT interview, here.

The post Bill Gates to Shutter Foundation 20 Years and $200 Billion From Now appeared first on TheWrap.
France will soon begin celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory over fascism  a sacred holiday for the civilized world. For almost all of it.

As it turns out, for the French authorities, petty malice is more important than respect for memory.

They invited nearly everyone to the events  almost. Azerbaijan was somehow ignored. A mistake? Unlikely. This is a deliberate act of rudeness, perfectly in line with todays Paris.

France loves to talk about "values" but forgets them when it comes to Azerbaijan. Lets recall: Ahmadiya Jabrayilov  an Azerbaijani, a hero of the French Resistance  saved French lives, risked his own, and fought for their freedom.

Eighty years have passed  and France ignores the country of a hero. This isnt just hypocrisy. Its a slap in the face of history. A disgrace.

Apparently, the new France doesnt need real heroes. It prefers pocket-sized freedom fighters.

If their memory has really rusted, or they are pretending not to know, we can remind them.

Ahmadiya Jabrayilov was born in the village of Okhud, Shaki District, Azerbaijani SSR, on September 22, 1920. In 1941, he began serving in the Soviet Army.

During his active military service, Jabrayilov joined the French partisans against the Nazi Germans, with whom he carried out numerous dangerous combat operations. With the Poppies squad, he liberated the city of Toulon, making his way through the sewers to the city center and striking behind enemy lines. Jabrayilov also participated in the liberation of Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, and Paris.

Captured in a German camp, Jabrayilov was later tested by fate with even harder trials. Through his honorable service, he wrote the most unforgettable chronicle of heroism in his life.

But today, those who do not want to see or speak of this want to cast a shadow over the name of a hero who saved dozens, perhaps even hundreds of lives 80 years ago.

Perhaps France is jealous to speak of such heroism. Because it has no example it can present to match such courage. If it is favorable, lets elevate it; if it is against us, lets smear it  the traditional policy continues.

But heroes like Ahmadiya Jabrayilov always live in hearts, in memory. Let those who pretend to be suffering from amnesia take care of their illness  their hearts are diseased anyway.
BEIRUT, May 8 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and eight others injured on Thursday in the Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon's southern city of Nabatieh, said the Public Health Emergency Operations Center at the Ministry of Public Health.

According to the National News Agency (NNA), a tense and anxious atmosphere prevailed among residents in the city of Nabatieh and its surrounding areas following the Israeli airstrikes that targeted the highlands and woodlands between the village of Kfar Tebnit, Upper Nabatieh, and the city of Kfar Remen.

Civil Defense teams worked to extinguish fires that broke out in the Ali al-Taher woodlands as a result of the strikes. Their efforts were hampered by the area's challenging terrain and the presence of suspicious objects believed to be remnants of the bombardment.

The Israeli army confirmed the strike in a statement, saying it targeted a military infrastructure site in the area of the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon, which it said was used by Hezbollah to "manage its fire and defense array."

The strike destroyed the site as well as weapons and tunnel shafts, the military said.

During Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's visit to Baalbek in eastern Lebanon on Thursday, he inspected the military and security measures in place to secure the border, prevent smuggling, and safeguard the area.

According to NNA, Salam said Lebanon has spared no political or diplomatic effort to achieve Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

"My stance has not changed; the Israeli violations of UN resolution 1701 must be stopped as soon as possible. The government has spared no political or diplomatic effort to accelerate the Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territories and stop all the aggressive actions in Lebanon," he said.

Although a ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel has been in place since Nov. 27, 2024, the Israeli military continues to conduct occasional strikes in southern Lebanon, citing the need to counter ongoing Hezbollah threats. 
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  A package of bills banning gender-affirming care for minors has been introduced in both chambers of the Michigan legislaturecausing controversy and splitting public opinion.

Well, we are going to oppose it with every fiber of our being, because its cruel, callous, dangerous, and its discriminatory. Thats what Jay Kaplan, a staff attorney of the LGBTQ+ Project of the ACLU of Michigan, said in response to the bills introduced by State Sen. Thomas Albert (R-18) and State Rep. Brad Paquette (R-37) that would ban gender-affirming treatment for minors.

Jay Kaplan speaks with 6 News over Zoom. (WLNS)

Lawmakers want to ban gender-affirming treatments for minors because they say the procedures have negative or even consequential side effects and outcomes. These lawmakers have introduced House Bills 4466 and 4466, as well as Senate Bills 289 and 290.

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Paquette went even further to explain that children could file a lawsuit against their doctors up to 20 years after the initial treatment, which could result in doctors losing their licenses.

Former case manager of the Washington University Transgender Center Jamie Reed spoke at a press conference in Lansing Wednesday, saying that the effects these treatments have on the body can be permanent and long-lasting, which is why lawmakers need to step in.

It is critical that legislative bodies step in to protect children in this state from these dangerous and reckless practices, said Reed.

Jamie Reed speaks at a press conference in Lansing. (WLNS)

Reed said that she was once allied with these treatments, but now is completely against the system that the university followed when treating transgender children.

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I was complicit in harming patients because the protocol itself harms patients, said Reed. There is no safe or legal way to sterilize the child, and there is no safe way to medically disrupt the function of the endocrine system.

The bills dont have complete bipartisan agreement, with at least one lawmaker, State Rep. Emily Dievendorf, voicing opposition to the legislation.

Dievendorf said in a statement to 6 News that this package represents more attacks on our kids that ignore science and facts, go against best practices for medical care, and aim to dehumanize our most vulnerable neighbors. (What is) especially offensive today is that the neighbors targeted for hateful rhetoric are now our children. This package is going nowhere fast and exists solely to defend hate and bigotry. Lets make hate abhorrent again.

Tess Miller, member of St. Johns CallIn Coalition and mother of a transgender son, says this is the reason she is not seeing any progress with her sons doctors, because of the fear that they may lose their license or might not be able to give consistent treatment altogether.

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Miller says she doesnt see gender affirming care for children as harmful, but as necessary care to ensure her child can be who he is meant to be.

Tess Miller speaks to 6 News in-studio. (WLNS)

When my son came out as trans in 2020, I realized that no matter how comfortable I was making him out in the world, if he wasnt feeling comfortable on the inside, then there was a chance he might not be able to go on and live a healthy, productive life, said Miller.

Activists say the legislation is a distraction from lawmakers who want to single out the transgender community rather than work on more pertinent issues, such as affordable housing or grocery prices.

What are you doing to solve the real problems for the residents in the state of Michigan? said Kaplan. Do your job and quit bullying transgender youth  they are some of our most marginalized and vulnerable populations. Who make up less than half a percent, maybe 1% at most of Michigans population.

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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 WLNS 6 News.
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that backs President Donald Trump renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, sponsored the Gulf of America Act, which was also backed by GOP leadership. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Nebraska, was the only Republican lawmaker to vote with Democrats against the bill on May 8.

It passed 211-206 and is now up for consideration in the GOP-majority Senate. There are 45 Democrats, 53 Republicans and two Independents in the chamber. It will require 60 votes to become law.

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If passed, the law will require federal agencies to use Gulf of America when talking about the body of water for "any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States."

Trump made the move to rename the gulf in an executive order signed on his first day in office. He also changed the name of Denali, a mountain in Alaska, back to Mount McKinley. (The president later designated Feb. 9 the "first ever" Gulf of America Day, saying there should be celebrations.)

It's not the first time someone has tried to rebrand the area. A Mississippi lawmaker had a failed attempt to rename it the Gulf of America more than a decade ago.

Trump's name changes will only apply to maps in the United States of America, and the Trump administration is working to enforce use of the gulf's updated name.

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The White House has kept Associated Press reporters from events in an ongoing battle over the organization's refusal to use Trump's preferred name for the body of water off the southern coast of the U.S.

The United States and Google and Apple already officially updated maps to the Gulf of America.

Here's what we know about the name change and how it's been handled so far.

When did Trump announce the name change of Gulf of America?

Were going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring, Trump said in a Jan. 7 news conference at his his Florida home at Mar-a-Lago. That covers a lot of territory. The Gulf of America, what a beautiful name. And its appropriate.

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Changes created under the "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness" executive order signed Jan. 20 were to go into effect within 30 days, according to the text.

Mississippi lawmaker wanted to rename the Gulf

In 2012, Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville, introduced a bill at the state level to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Holland reportedly said he was poking fun at anti-immigration talking points. The bill was unsuccessful.

Who says what names go on world maps?

In the U.S., the U.S. Board on Geographic Names determines what places go on government maps. It uses local names and often uses one preferred by the most people locally.

The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names helps countries standardize names similarly at the global level.

Do other countries have to call it the Gulf of America?

Outside of the U.S., users will see both the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf of America when using Google Maps.

Short answer, no.

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Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has said they will ignore it. She threatened legal action against Google over the move in February.

If a country wants to change the designation of something in the sea, it would only apply up to 12 nautical miles. It cannot apply to the rest, in this case, the Gulf of Mexico. This is what we explained in detail to Google, she said in a January news conference.

Every country doesn't have to agree to the same names. There are workarounds.

If two or more countries use different names for a body of water, Google Earth uses both and designates which country prefers each option. For example, South Korea's East Sea and Japan's Sea of Japan are the same area.

See photos of Trump during first 100 days of new term

Contributing: Sudiksha Kochi

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Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: House passes bill to back Trump, rename Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America
RANDOLPH COUNTY  An area legislator said that hes shepherding a bill through the N.C. General Assembly thats meant to address concerns expressed by cities and counties and their residents about homeless camps.

Rep. Brian Biggs, R-Randolph, is a primary cosponsor of House Bill 781, which would prohibit unauthorized homeless encampments on public property in the state. Exemptions to the proposal would have to come with the acceptance of local government officials and meet specific requirements.

I saw some of the problems that local municipalities were having with long-term encampments and the damage that they were causing to the areas that they occupied, Biggs told The High Point Enterprise. I felt the need to do something to protect the communities that were being affected by these camps. Municipalities reached out for guidance, surrounding property owners worried about their property values and communities worried about the cleanliness, dignity and the safety of the people inhabiting these camps.

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House Bill 781 would set parameters for cities, towns and counties to allow for homeless camps, which could only remain in place for up to a year.

A local government would have to show that there arent enough local shelter beds available for its homeless population to allow for an encampment. The camp site wouldnt be allowed adjacent to property zoned residential and couldnt adversely or materially affect the property value or safety of any residential or commercial property, the bill states.

A municipal or county government would have to address public safety and accommodations, such as access to well-maintained restrooms, options for mental health treatment and enforcement of prohibitions on substance abuse.

House Bill 781 would require the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services to review the local government plan before a municipality or county could allow for a homeless camp.

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Critics of the proposal argue that banning homeless camps statewide on public property would lead to the criminalization of homeless people from enforcement of the law and further complicate the lives of people on the margins of society.

Biggs saide that his goal is to help people in homeless camps who can be in desperate situations.

The hope is that we can help the people who are living in these situations through some of the remedies in the bill and also help the municipalities respond to a growing problem in the state, he said.

pjohnson@hpenews.com | 336-888-3528 | @HPEpaul
Max Graham

The Northern Journal

For years, plans to develop Alaskas largest gold prospect appeared to have stalled amid lawsuits and questions about costs.

Now, a $1 billion deal could inject new life into the massive Donlin gold project in Western Alaska.

Thats the message, at least, from the investors who are doubling down on Donlin, including two prominent East Coast billionaires. They say theyre more motivated to push the project toward production than the global mining giant that just pulled out.

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In a sale announced this week, Barrick Gold Corp., one of the world's most prolific gold mining companies, will give up its half of Donlin.

Paulson Advisers, a Florida-based firm led by financier John Paulson, is paying Barrick $800 million for 40 percent of the project.

The remaining 10 percent will go to Novagold Resources for $200 million . Novagold is a publicly-traded company that already owned half of the project and has been working on it alongside Barrick for years.

Barrick, which operates gold and copper mines in the U.S., Africa, South America and the Middle East, brought deep pockets to Donlin, along with expertise as a developer.

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But the company also had competing priorities and wasnt pressed to move Donlin from exploration into the multibillion-dollar construction phase, Novagolds chairman, Thomas Kaplan, said at a briefing this week.

Donlin, which is one of the world's largest gold prospects, is gaining deeper backing from Paulson, a longtime investor in the metal who already owned shares in Novagold. He says hes poised to bring not only new cash to the project but also fresh intent to speed it along.

Our goal is to immediately advance this project toward production, Paulson said at the briefing.

A coveted, contentious deposit

Donlin has been studied for years and Novagold estimates that it contains deposits of gold worth more than $100 billion. Boosters consider the project to be one of Alaskas most promising deposits, given its sheer size. But its also one of the most contentious.

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Its developers enjoy considerable support from elected officials and Alaska Native-owned corporations, which own the land where Donlin sits. They see the project as an opportunity to create hundreds of jobs and generate revenue for local governments and Indigenous shareholders.

But Donlin faces staunch opposition from several tribal governments as well as regional and statewide conservation groups. They fear the effects of a large-scale mine in a remote region where people have long depended on salmon and other wildlife and traditional foods.

Paulsons investment comes as four separate lawsuits over Donlins state and federal permits work their way through the courts  and as questions linger about the economics and logistics of powering a sprawling, open-pit operation. The mine would be built on tundra near the upper reaches of the Kuskokwim River, far from existing roads and the electricity grid.

The Donlin prospect sits on land owned by Alaska Native corporations. (Donlin Gold via The Northern Journal)

Donlin is almost fully permitted but has not moved into construction in part, according to its new owners, because Novagold and Barrick werent aligned on how quickly to proceed.

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Traditionally a gold company, Barrick has recently shifted its focus to copper  a key component for electric cars and other modern technologies that some investors consider a more strategic, long-term bet. Barrick has appeared more interested in developing copper mines in other countries than in advancing Donlin, according to industry observers.

I think what held (Donlin) back in the past was Barrick, through no fault of their own, Paulson said. They had many projects around the world. And Donlin was somewhat of an orphan asset.

Market analysts at Jefferies, a New York investment bank, echoed Paulson in their own review of the deal.

From what we could tell, Donlin was not a priority in Barrick's portfolio  not anytime soon, anyway  and so we are not surprised by the sale, the review said.

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The analysts added, however, that the deal appears to have come at the right time for Barrick because of rising gold prices  which likely boosted Donlins value.

Gold has hit repeated record-high prices in recent months and is now selling at more than $3,300 per ounce, up some 30 percent this year.

Barrick appears poised to use cash from the sale to invest in its other mines. In a press release , the companys chief executive, Mark Bristow, said Donlin might be better suited in the hands of others, while we pursue our priority portfolio of Barrick-managed growth projects.

A Barrick spokesperson declined to comment further.

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Kaplan, Novagolds chairman, said he harbors no ill will toward Barrick and looks forward to celebrating the Donlin deal with Bristow over a bottle or two or three of very, very fine Bordeaux. He also said at the briefing, perhaps jokingly, that he almost named one of his children Donlin.

Kaplan himself is a billionaire investor, who, like Paulson, has long been known for his enthusiasm for gold. His firm, The Electrum Group, invested in Novagold over a decade ago and is now the companys largest shareholder. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Kaplan made multiple attempts to buy Barricks half of Donlin over the past 15 years.

Donlin for me was the Holy Grail, Kaplan told the Journal.

Novagolds stock has jumped nearly 60 percent since the sale was announced, in a sign that investors view it as a good deal.

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Along the Kuskokwim River, downstream of the Donlin prospect and thousands of miles from Wall Street, the deal elicited a range of opinions. Some said they hadn't heard about the project's change in ownership. Others said it made no difference to their opposition.

It's scary and frustrating, said Beverly Hoffman, an elder in Bethel, a Kuskokwim River town and regional hub. As someone who depends on the food resources to sustain our way of life, Hoffman said in a phone interview, it angers me that this money can just be thrown around."

The Donlin prospect sits above Western Alaska's Kuskokwim River, pictured here. (Nathaniel Herz, Northern Journal)

Hoffman co-founded Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition, a regional advocacy group thats fighting Donlin. She said shed like Paulson, the investor, to come visit her in Bethel.

I'll take him out in a boat, she said. I would love to talk salmon with him. I would love to talk birds and berries."

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Like many Bethel residents, Hoffman is a shareholder of the regional, Indigenous-owned company Calista Corp., which owns rights to the minerals at Donlin.

The corporation, which selected those lands for their mineral potential under the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, has strongly supported Donlin, given its potential to pay royalties to Calista and create jobs for shareholders.

Although theres this news about a planned ownership change, our vision and our priorities at Calista have not changed, said Vice President of Corporate Affairs Thom Leonard.

Calista periodically meets with Donlins owners, has had a very positive history with Novagold and doesnt expect that to change, Leonard added. Were ready to move forward when its proven and we believe that its safe to do so.

A politically connected investor

It still might be too early to say exactly how the sale will affect the mines prospects, according to Brett Watson, an economist at University of Alaska Anchorage who follows the industry closely.

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Watson is waiting to see what changes Novagold and Paulson make to Donlins operations this year, and how quickly the owners move to update their economic analysis of the project.

Before Barricks sale, Donlin had announced plans to spend $43 million on exploratory drilling and other operations this year.

As soon as the deal closes, the new ownership team aims to begin a key step toward construction: an $80 million, two-year update of an existing economic study of Donlin, said Novagolds chief executive, Greg Lang.

Donlin is already halfway done with its planned drilling for the year, he added. Once the sale is finalized, Lang said in an interview, Novagold and Paulson will look to expand Donlins budget, if appropriate.

Paulson originally gained fame by making billions of dollars in a bet against the U.S. housing market leading up to the 2008 financial crisis.

Since then, Paulson has poured large sums into mining, becoming one of the countrys highest-profile gold investors.

His firm holds a roughly 35 percent stake in Perpetua Resources, which is building a large mine in Idaho with support from the Trump administration. That project targets gold and antimony  an element thats surged in value amid a trade war with China  and it recently has progressed quickly from the study phase toward construction .

We want to repeat that success we've had with Perpetua, with Donlin, Paulson said. It was a similar mine development as we have here. Only Donlin is much larger.

Paulson & Co., Paulsons family investment office, has other mining interests in Alaska, though the billionaire has largely stayed behind the scenes.

They include a one-third stake in International Tower Hill Mines, a small company looking to develop a gold deposit north of Fairbanks. The firm also owns nearly 9 percent of Trilogy Metals, which is seeking to build a copper mine near the end of the controversial, state-proposed Ambler Road in remote Northwest Alaska.

Beyond investing, Paulson is known for his ties to President Donald Trump. He donated millions of dollars to Trumps presidential campaign and hosted a fundraiser last year at his home in Palm Beach, Florida. He was floated last year as a potential U.S. treasury secretary pick.

A spokesperson for Paulson referred a request for comment to Novagold.
State Rep. Sean Brennan, D-Parma, describing legislation to regulate submetering companies. (Photo by Nick Evans, Ohio Capital Journal.)

Many Ohioans living in multi-unit developments get their utility services through their landlord rather than a power or gas company.

A bipartisan pair of state lawmakers argue that arrangement leaves consumers unprotected and opens the door to higher rates or unnecessary fees. They want to see those submetering companies regulated like utilities.

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If you act like a utility, and you look like a utility, and you smell like a utility, and you sound like a utility  youre a utility, said state Rep. Sean Brennan, D-Parma. And you should therefore, have the same PUCO oversight as any other utility in the state of Ohio.

Whats submetering?

For large developments like apartment buildings, condominiums and manufactured home parks, setting up a different meter for every unit can be cumbersome. Instead, third party companies offer to set up a single meter for the entire complex and then purchase utilities wholesale. The company then resells the services to residents and bills them directly.

The problem, argued state Rep. Tex Fischer, R-Boardman, is submetered residents dont get the benefit of shopping around for their utility provider and the company theyre forced to purchase from isnt regulated.

At my core, Im a free market conservative, Fischer said. What I do not believe in is businesses who are selling the same product to customers while playing by a completely different set of rules.

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He argued if the Ohio has built its energy market to provide lower rates through competition, it doesnt make sense to allow companies to carve out little monopolies for themselves.

State Rep. Tex Fischer, R-Boardman, describing legislation to regulate submetering companies. (Photo by Nick Evans, Ohio Capital Journal.)

Submetering may appear to be a simple pass-through of utility costs, Brennan added, but in practice, these companies operate in a legal gray area.

Most glaring  theres no entity determining whether utility rates passed on to consumers are fair. But the sponsors said residents miss out on benefits like low-income energy assistance programs or dispute resolution before state regulators.

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Brennan noted lawmakers just approved House Bill 15, which included several provisions strengthening consumer protections  like requiring utilities to justify their rates before state regulators on a regular basis.

He argued those utilities are subject to consumer protection laws, disconnection procedures, billing transparency requirements and complaint resolution mechanisms.

But submetering companies are not bound by any of these same obligations, even though the service they provide is identical from the customers point of view, Brennan said.

Reactions

Brennan and Fischers proposal has the backing of Ohio Consumers Counsel Maureen Willis. Her office represents consumers in proceedings before the PUCO.

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She pointed to residents lack of choice and lack of protections, saying its not fair and its not transparent.

This bill closes that loophole, Willis said. It restores the basic principle that no one should profit off reselling essential services without public accountability.

In addition to Brennan and Fischers proposal, a different measure would explicitly exempt submetering companies from utility regulation, while prohibiting them from jacking up rates. Under that proposal, sponsored by state Rep. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, and state Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, submetering companies could charge no more than the standard consumer rate charged by the local utility.

Nationwide Energy Partners, which provides submetered services in Central Ohio, favors that approach. In a dispute between the company and AEP Ohio, the PUCO sided with NEP. Their decision required AEP to add provisions to its term sheet (known as a tariff) to allow NEP to continue providing service and put residents on similar footing with people who are not submetered.

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NEP has been supportive of consumer protections and specifically supports the consumer protections the PUCO put into tariffs, an NEP spokesperson said. We believe thats the correct approach for legislation. Putting those tariff requirements into statute would give the PUCO clear authority over submetering and embed the current PUCO requirements for bill cap and disconnect into law.

But while submetering companies argue theyre operating fairly, Fischer said he has no way of proving their claims one way or another.

Thats the whole point of a public regulatory process, he said.

If, in fact, these submeter companies are doing as they say, Fischer argued, then they should have no problems continuing under Public Utilities Commission oversight.

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(NewsNation)  Cardinals returned to the Sistine Chapel for the second day of voting to select the next pope Thursday, and black smoke marked a pair of failed attempts to reach a decision around 12 p.m. local time.

Up to four votes are expected Thursday as the conclave continues to replace Pope Francis.

The 133 cardinals eligible to pick the next pope were also unable to agree Wednesday.

When someone receives a two-thirds majority of the cardinals votes, they will become the 267th pope, and white smoke will fill the air above the Vatican.

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Trump downplays AI pope image: The Catholics loved it

Thousands have flocked to Vatican City to witness the decision in real-time. One traveler told NewsNation: It feels like Im living in an open history book.

For much of the past century, a conclave has required between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I  the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978  was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

To this day, much mystery surrounds the conclave, a process that consists of secret votes, political intrigue and, of course, faith. Cardinals take an oath of secrecy, and the penalty for violating it is excommunication.

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Conclave: Inside the Sistine Chapel

Ironically, we know a great deal more about what happened in conclaves 500 years ago because all of those letters are sitting around in state archives in Paris, Vienna, Madrid and so on, Miles Pattenden, University of Oxford, told NewsNation.

This years conclave is the largest and most diverse in the history of the Catholic Church, with a vast majority of participating cardinals appointed by Francis himself.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Black smoke appeared from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on Thursday, signalling that cardinals meeting in a secret conclave did not elect a new pope during their two morning ballots.

The cardinals held an initial inconclusive vote on Wednesday evening. They now hold two votes in the morning and two in the afternoon daily until someone wins the necessary two-thirds majority to become the next pontiff.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer)
By Aftab Ahmed, Adnan Abidi and Saeed Shah

JAMMU, India/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Blasts rang out across the Indian city of Jammu late on Thursday during what the government said was a Pakistani drone and missile attack on military stations around the Kashmir region on the second day of clashes between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Sirens sounded and red flashes and projectiles erupted in the night sky above Jammu for about 2-1/2 hours, a Reuters journalist said, in what appeared to be an escalation in the countries' worst confrontation in more than two decades.

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Two days of fighting have killed nearly four dozen people.

"Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the international border in J&K today," India's Ministry of Defence said on X, citing places in and near the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The threats were swiftly neutralised .... No casualties or material losses were reported."

Indian TV channels also showed flares and flashes in the sky above Jaisalmer city in Rajasthan state, which shares a border with the southern Pakistani province of Sindh.

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In a statement, Islamabad denied attacking Pathankot in India's Punjab state, Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley and Jaisalmer and said the accusations were "entirely unfounded, politically motivated, and part of a reckless propaganda campaign aimed at maligning Pakistan".

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country would respond to any escalation "with full resolve and determination to safeguard Pakistans sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Electricity in Jammu was slowly being restored after a blackout during the attack, a Reuters journalist said.

Eight missiles, fired from Pakistan at the Jammu region towns of Satwari, Samba, Ranbir Singh Pura and Arnia, were intercepted by air defence units, added an Indian military source who asked not to be named.

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They were part of a wider attack, the source added.

Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif earlier said further retaliation was increasingly certain after both countries accused each other of launching drone attacks.

World powers from the U.S. to Russia and China have called for calm in one of the world's most dangerous and populated nuclear flashpoint regions. The U.S. Consulate General in Pakistan's Lahore ordered staff to shelter in place.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for de-escalation in separate calls with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, the State Department said.

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The relationship between India and Pakistan has been fraught with tension since they gained independence from colonial Britain in 1947. The countries have fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir, and clashed many times.

The neighbours, which both claim Kashmir in full and rule over parts of it, separately acquired nuclear weapons in the 1990s.

DRONES, MISSILES, AIR DEFENCES

In the latest confrontations, India said it hit nine "terrorist infrastructure" sites in Pakistan on Wednesday in retaliation for what it says was a deadly Islamabad-backed attack in Indian Kashmir on April 22.

Pakistan says it was not involved and denied that any of the sites hit by India were militant bases. It said it shot down five Indian aircraft on Wednesday, a report the Indian embassy in Beijing dismissed as "misinformation".

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Pakistan's military said earlier on Thursday it shot down 29 drones from India at multiple locations including the two largest cities of Karachi and Lahore and the garrison city of Rawalpindi, home to the army's headquarters.

The Indian defence ministry said Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in northern and western India from Wednesday night into Thursday morning and they were "neutralised" by Indian air defence systems.

In response, Indian forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan on Thursday, the ministry said.

Before trading ended, both countries saw their stocks, bonds and currencies decline, and Pakistan's benchmark share index closed down 5.9%.

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Local media reported panic buying in some cities in the Indian state of Punjab, which shares a border with Pakistan, as people hoarded essentials.

(Reporting by Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore, Saurabh Sharma in Amritsar, Shivam Patel, Tanvi Mehta, Surbhi Misra in New Delhi, Saeed Shah, Charlotte Greenfield, Gibran Peshimam and Asif Shahzad in Islamabad, Ariba Shahid in Karachi, Fayaz Bukhari in Srinagar; Additional reporting by Shakeel Ahmad in Bengaluru and Colleen Howe in Beijing; Writing by Sakshi Dayal, YP Rajesh and Andrew Heavens; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Andrew Heavens, William Maclean, Alexandra Hudson and Cynthia Osterman)
PRAGUE, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The manager of a leading Czech developer has voiced strong enthusiasm for deepening business ties with Chinese companies, citing the success of existing partnerships and the potential for future collaboration.

"We've seen a proven track record of success with Chinese and other Asian companies establishing factories, logistics hubs, or even RMB centers in Central Europe, including the Czech Republic. These ventures continue to grow," Jakub Kodr told Xinhua in an interview on Wednesday following a meeting on Czech-China cooperation hosted by his company, CTP - a leading European developer of industrial and logistics parks.

The event was attended by representatives from the Association of Chinese-Invested Enterprises in the Czech Republic and the Chinese Embassy, aiming to boost bilateral economic relations.

As the CIP managing director in the Czech Republic, Kodr said: "I'm very pleased we're here to discuss ways to grow and attract more Chinese investment to Europe, especially to the Czech Republic." He emphasized the importance of deepening ties with Chinese businesses and expanding both the scale and scope of cooperation.

According to Liu Haiyan, economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic, who also attended the meeting, the two countries share a strong foundation for economic and trade cooperation. Chinese enterprises have significantly expanded their investment in the Czech Republic in recent years, with more than half active in the manufacturing sector, he said.

Kodr praised Chinese firms for their professionalism and operational strength, describing them as "focused, detail-oriented, and well-prepared." He said CTP has already established notable partnerships with Chinese companies in Slovakia and Hungary.

"They are technologically skilled and operate with large, well-organized teams," Kodr noted. "We are proud to partner with Chinese companies and look forward to furthering our cooperation."

Kodr also expressed a keen interest in visiting China this year, drawn by its market scale, trade expos, and innovation potential. "I've heard many positive things about China - its business environment, its ambition, and especially its advancements in research and development and automotive production," he said.

Gabriela Bauerova, a representative of CzechInvest - the Czech Republic's investment and business development agency, also attended the event and echoed Kodr's view. She highlighted the country's investment appeal in areas such as health tech, mobility, artificial intelligence, and advanced industrial technologies.

"China is now producing state-of-the-art cars. As a car enthusiast, I closely follow these developments online. It's truly impressive," Kodr said. 
The three-member Board of Public Works approved contracts that some say will lead a generational opportunity to reinvigorate Pimlico Race Course and the surrounding Park Heights community. (File photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.)

The Board of Public Works gave the green light Wednesday to a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate horse racing in Maryland, even as one member questioned if this would be the last chance for the industry.

The three-member board approved contracts for the demolition and rebuild of Pimlico Race Course and the purchase of a Carroll County farm that will become a horse training center. The effort is not only another state attempt to save the industry, but is also seen as a way of revitalizing the Park Heights community in northwest Baltimore.

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Almost a year ago today, this board approved the transfer of ownership of the Pimlico race course to the state of Maryland, seizing a once in a generation opportunity to reimagine thoroughbred racing in the entire state with the celebration of the 150th Preakness states that is taking place next week, said Gov. Wes Moore, who chairs the board.

Moore said the new track, once completed, will become a year-round hub for economic activity within Park Heights and serve to revitalize Marylands horsing industry, an industry he said accounts for 28,000 jobs and $3 billion in economic activity.

But its an industry that has struggled for decades, and one that some have questioned the value of using state taxpayer dollars to save. Treasurer Dereck Davis questioned whether this latest effort represents the states final attempt to steady a struggling industry.

Maryland Treasurer Dereck E. Davis (D) asked if efforts to expand racing in Maryland were more than a pipe dream. (File photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.)

The state, with the implementation and subsequent completion of this project, we will have done everything we could do to make racing successful, other than the third weekend in May every year when the Preakness is run, Davis said. Is there anything left that I guess we can do or  this has to be successful, I guess is what Im getting at. The states invested a lot of money over the years. This has been an issue since I first came to Annapolis, literally 30 years ago.

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Davis said he did not question efforts to revitalize Park Heights but wondered aloud if remaking Pimlico and consolidating thoroughbred racing at the track would save the industry.

I guess what Im asking, is this just a pipe dream, quite frankly,  can provide racing, or is it just sort of a niche thing that we enjoy every third weekend in May, and then its just sort of out there waiting for the next May to come? Davis asked.

Craig Thompson, board chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority Board, which will have a hand in the redevelopment, agreed that the state has done everything that it can to make sure that we lay the foundation for the success of not only the 150th running of the Preakness, but the racing industry, as it grows and expands and races to come in Baltimore.

Continued success will hinge on what he called the participation and spread the word theory.

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Its going to be very important for each and every one of us to participate in the Preakness and in the non-racing  days in Park Heights, Thompson said. Support the community. Make sure that on those non-racing days you come to the Park Heights community. Youre going to see a wonderful evolution and revolution in that area. So, when theres not a race, still come. Participate in that area.

The plan approved Wednesday includes a $15.2 million contract with Baltimore-based Clark Construction Group related to the demolition and redevelopment of Pimlico Race Course.

An architects rendering of the new clubhouse envisioned for Pimlico, which was inspired by Baltimores Rawlings Conservatory and the old clubhouse, which burned down in 1966. (Rendering courtesy Ayers Saint Gross and Populous)

Demolition of the storied but deteriorating track could begin later this year. The 2026 Preakness Stakes will be run at Laurel Park, but is scheduled to return to a new Pimlico in 2027.

Thompson showed renderings of what the new facility would look like. In addition to the Preakness, the plan calls for consolidating all thoroughbred racing in the state at Pimlico, expanding race days.

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This is more than just about a racetrack, as historic and important as it is, Thompson said. This is about bringing hundreds of millions of dollars in state investments to Park Heights. The Pimlico Plus plan that the state is implementing will transform Pimlico into the home of Maryland thoroughbred racing, going from hosting about 15 racing days per year to well over 100.

The board voted unanimously to approve the contract with Clark Construction and voted 2-0  Comptroller Brooke Lierman recused herself from the vote  to buy a 328-acre Carroll County farm for nearly $4.5 million. The property known as Shamrock Farm will become a new training facility to support expanded racing at Pimlico.

The purchase price was the highest of three appraisals conducted for the racing authority. The General Assembly in 2024 set aside $110 million for construction of a new, state-of-the art training facility as part of a thoroughbred racing centralization plan. The planned state-of-the-art facility will house 800 horses.

Too many cooks in the kitchen

Davis was not the only board member to question the effort: Lierman raised concerns about who would have ultimate oversight as the state invests hundreds of millions into the project.

Comptroller Brooke Lierman. (File photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.)

Currently, the project includes the Maryland Thoroughbred Race Track Operating Authority, the Maryland Stadium Authority, and the Maryland Economic Development Corp., as well as the reconstituted Maryland Jockey Club.

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In July, the race track authority will be disbanded. The stadium authority will oversee construction while MEDCO handles economic development around the track and the possibility of a hotel and parking garage.

Its a lot of cooks in the kitchen on whats already a very complicated project, Lierman said. Sometimes when there are multiple cooks in the kitchen, its hard to determine where the buck stops.

Lierman asked Thompson to help us understand how there is going to be oversight when there are so many different bodies who are involved, to be sure that there are loopholes, to be sure that we know where these bonded dollars are going, that  we are spending them efficiently. Because there is a limited amount of dollars, and I think the General Assembly has been pretty clear that theres not going to be any more.

Comptroller recuses herself from land purchase

Lierman recused herself from the Shamrock Farm purchase request and left the room for the discussion and vote. The comptroller said during the meeting that she recused herself on the advice from the state ethics commission. She did not elaborate.

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A spokesperson for Lierman cited state ethics law that requires recusal  because of a qualifying relatives employment with a business entity that is a party to this matter.

As is the practice of members of the Board of Public Works, Comptroller Lierman notified both her colleagues on the board and made the appropriate disclosures to Ethics ahead of todays meeting, Robyne McCullough said in an email response to questions. She did not participate in any discussions on this item and left the room prior to BPW consideration.

McCullough declined to answer questions regarding the identity of the relative in question or the connection to the farm purchase.

I dont think were going to go into that, McCullough said.

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She said the decision to not elaborate on any recusal is a practice for us and were just being consistent.

Board approves payment to erroneously convicted man

The board also unanimously approved a payment of more than $1.2 million to Tyrone Jones and two law firms as compensation for time Jones spent behind bars on an erroneous conviction on charges of conspiracy to commit murder.

Moore, as he has done in the past with others who were erroneously convicted, apologized directly to Jones.

Tyrone Jones, wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit murder. (Photo by Steve Crane/Maryland Matters)

Mr. Jones as the governor of this state, but also, more importantly, as a father and a husband and a son and a fellow Marylander, I want to share words that you deserve to hear, because Im not just speaking on behalf of myself and the treasurer and the comptroller, Im speaking on behalf of this entire state: Im sorry. It should have never happened, and I know there are no words that can undo the injustice and what was taken away from you and your family, Moore said.

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Jones, now 48, was convicted in Baltimore City of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in 1999 related to the shooting death of Tyree Wright. In that trial he was found not guilty of first- and second-degree murder.

He spent the next 10 years in prison as part of a life sentence. In 2009, Jones filed a petition for post-conviction relief and a judge vacated his verdict. City prosecutors, who initially said Jones should get a new trial, declined to retry Jones, and dropped the case.

Jones applied for compensation under the Lomax Act but was initially denied. A hearing officer ruled that the charge of conspiracy to commit murder did not qualify for compensation. The General Assembly in 2024 passed legislation that changed the eligibility standards.

Jones was confined for 3,611 days. As a result, he was awarded $976,233.85 in compensation by the Office of Administrative Hearings. The money will be paid out in five installments. The first payment of $98,678 was due May 2. He will receive four additional payments of more than $219,000 each between December 2025 and July 2027.

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The state hearing officer also awarded payments to two law firms related to the case. Brown Goldstein Levy will receive nearly $137,000. Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel will receive more than $110,000 in legal fees.

The money paid to Jones and his attorneys comes entirely from the state. In two months, that will change.

Starting in July, payments made to individuals who were wrongly convicted and imprisoned will be split equally between the state and the jurisdiction where the individual was convicted. That change is part of a compromise budget agreement reached by the House and Senate earlier this year.

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Long-delayed next Air Force One jets from Boeing might now be delivered by 2027  in time for President Donald Trump to use them, according to a top Air Force official.

While thats still years behind the original delivery date of 2022, its one to two years earlier than Boeing had most recently predicted.

Trump has expressed anger at the delays, and he reportedly had been looking at buying a different jet to use on an interim basis.

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News of the potential 2027 delivery came Wednesday from Darlene Costello, the Air Forces acting acquisitions chief, who testified before the House Armed Service Committee about recent negotiations between the Air Force and Boeing.

I would not necessarily guarantee that date, but they are proposing to bring it in 27, if we can come to agreement on the requirement changes, Costello said.

She was referring to contract requirements that are being loosened to get to that earlier date  such as the Air Force relieving Boeing of some of the top-clearance security requirements for workers performing work on the aircraft, which has been blamed for some of the delays.

Boeing said it had no comment on Costellos testimony.

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Keeping Trump and the Air Force happy is critical for Boeing, which gets 42% of its revenue from US government contracts, according to its most recent filing.

Boeings $3.9 billion contract to replace the two Air Force One jets has become an expensive and embarrassing albatross. Boeing has reported losses totaling $2.5 billion already on the program, known as VC-25B, since it agreed to be responsible for what has become soaring cost overruns.

There are multiple reasons for the delay in delivery. After signing the original contract in 2017, Boeing began refurbishing two 747 jets in February 2020 that it had built for another customer but never delivered because of that customers bankruptcy  a process that in hindsight probably was more expensive and time consuming than if it had built from scratch.

And the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, which started just weeks after Boeing began refurbishing the planes, caused significant additional delays.

Current jets used by six different presidents

The two jets now in use, which have the code letters VC-25A and carry the Air Force One designation when the president is on board, have been in service for nearly 35 years, starting during the term of President George H.W. Bush. Replacing the planes has long been a priority for Trump.

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Im not happy with the fact that its taken so long, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One in February. Theres no excuse for it. He said he wouldnt turn to Boeings European rival Airbus , but would consider buying a used 747 and having a different company refurbish it for use as Air Force One.

Soon after those comments Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told investors that he is all in on trying to speed up the delivery and praised suggestions made by Elon Musk, who visited the Texas facility where the work is being done in December on Trumps behalf.

The president is clearly not happy with the delivery timing, Ortberg said at that time. Hes made that well known. Elon Musk is actually helping us a lot in working through the requirements to try to help us get the things that are non-value-added constraints out of the way, so we can move faster and the president those airplanes.

Even before Trump took office for the first time in 2017, he complained about the cost of the Boeing contract and threatened to cancel an existing deal. In February 2018 he negotiated the current contract for two of the jets, which saved the Air Force $1.4 billion over the previous deal, the White House said at the time. He had requested that the aircraft be delivered by 2021.

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The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the situation, reported last week that the government has commissioned defense contractor L3Harris to overhaul a Boeing 747 formerly used by the Qatari government, with the aim to have it in service by this fall as an Air Force One jet. But that contract has not been announced by the government, and Costello was not asked about it during the hearing.

The challenge is not the basic jet , but what it takes to turn a run-of-the-mill Boeing 747 into the flying communications and command post fit for the president of the United States, said Richard Aboulafia, managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory, an aerospace consulting firm. They are supposed to be able to fly and protect its occupants from missile attack or even the shock waves of a nuclear blast.

You can have a jet anytime, he said. But it takes a great deal of work to have encrypted communications and manage the military and federal government from anywhere around the world in any circumstance.

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By Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Boeing has proposed delivering its delayed new version of Air Force One in 2027, a U.S. Air Force official said on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump negotiated with Boeing for a pair of new 747-8 aircraft during his 2017-2021 first administration. They were initially expected to be delivered in 2024.

"We are looking at the requirements that are being potentially traded off to get to that date, and so I would not necessarily guarantee that date, but they're proposing to bring it into '27," Darlene Costello, acting assistant secretary of the Air Force, told the House Armed Services Committee.

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Costello said the Air Force is working with the White House on "what's acceptable" from a capability standpoint for Air Force One.

The government has temporarily lifted some security requirements for the production facility, Costello said. This, she said, has allowed Boeing to be more "efficient and productive" in assembling the aircraft.

She said there are a few remaining issues that need to be resolved but once they are, it will give a better estimate on the schedule of delivery.

Boeing deferred questions to the Air Force.

In mid-February, Trump expressed his displeasure with Boeing but ruled out European rival Airbus as an alternative. Around the same time, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said Elon Musk, who serves as an adviser to Trump, was "helping us a lot" in navigating delivery of the presidential jet.

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The government recently tapped defense contractor L3Harris Technologies to overhaul a Boeing 747 formerly used by the Qatari government for use as an interim Air Force One amid Boeing's delays.

That aircraft is expected to be available for use as early as fall, according to The Wall Street Journal.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
President Trump has made it clear hes not backing down from the tariffs on China. Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton joins NewsNations On Balance to discuss the trade war and whether China or Russia will make concessions. Bolton agrees with On Balance host Leland Vittert that U.S. adversaries are economically suffering because of the tariffs, and that the economic impact on those countries has been underreported.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Boris Johnson has rejected calls to come back to save the Conservative Party following its catastrophic showing in last weeks local elections.

The former prime minister, who is no longer an MP, said he had as much chance of returning to politics as he had of being locked in a disused fridge.

And he told GB News he believed Kemi Badenoch had every chance of turning things around, although she needed time to get going.

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Mr Johnson claimed he did not believe Nigel Farage would be prime minister after the next election, and said he opposed a merger with Reform UK, likening it to a monkey gland infusion from another party.

And he pointed out: Remember that Reform was on zero when I was around.

Reform UK won control of 10 county councils and topped the popular vote last Thursday, while Mrs Badenochs Tories lost control of every council they were defending.

Mr Johnson said Kemi Badenoch just needs time to get going - Stefan Rousseau

Earlier this week, a poll suggested that the Tories could only defeat Mr Farages party if they brought back Mr Johnson.

More in Common found that he was the only potential Conservative leader under whom the party would poll higher than Reform UK.

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Asked if he would return to politics three years after being ousted, Mr Johnson said: Ive got as much of a chance of returning to Parliament, as I have of being decapitated by friends, being locked in a disused fridge or being reincarnated as an olive, or whatever else it was I used to say.

I think Ive got a very productive life doing all sorts of things that really interest me. I spent a lot of time trying to campaign for Ukraine and to make sure that peoples awareness and understanding of that is raised where it needs to be raised.

But I think that Im a proud, passionate Conservative, and Im sure that we are going to come back, and I think Kemi has got every chance of turning this thing around, I really do.

The More In Common poll found that under Mr Johnson, the Tories would beat Reform by three points, pushing Labour into third place. Mrs Badenoch was eight points behind Reform, while Robert Jenrick was seven points behind.

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Mr Johnson admitted the Conservatives were in a tough spot but that everyone knew what was coming in the elections.

Kemi is a very interesting and original mind, he said. I think shes probably the most original thinker of the current crop of leaders by a long, long way. And I think she just needs time to get going. And she has got time.

He urged Mrs Badenoch to continue to be dogged and determined like former Australian prime minister John Howard.

If I were her, I would just keep going The Tories are going to recover. Of course they will, he said.

Because I think in the end, the people of this country are going to be completely fed up by 2028, 2029, whatever it is, with a high-tax, high-regulation, massively woke government that is taking us in completely the wrong direction. And so the goal is really wide open.

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Asked whether he believed Nigel Farage would be the next prime minister, he added: I dont, no. And I think that if you look at the direction of travel of the country, at the moment, the case for conservatism is really overwhelming.

Mr Johnson also rejected a merger between the Conservatives and Reform UK, saying: You cannot in politics, you cant hope to make yourself more compelling or attractive or dynamic or successful by having some sort of transplant operation or merger, or monkey glands infusion from another party, it doesnt work.

It doesnt work. What I always used to say, and remember that Reform was on zero when I was around.

Mr Johnson and other former prime ministers attended Thursdays VE Day service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey - JULIAN SIMMONDS

The former prime minister also castigated Sir Keir Starmers Government over its failures on small boats, and insisted the Tories plan to process applicants in Rwanda would have worked.

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It (the small boats situation) drives me nuts, and it drives the British people nuts, he said. And in my moments of real, real anger and impatience about this, I think, why dont we kind of do something really crackers, like Trump, and put a 500 per cent tariff on all French cheese and wine until they stop the boats coming from Calais?

Theyre surrounded by lawyers who do everything they can to keep them here

He (Sir Keir Starmer) is part of the whole network, right? I cant remember which chambers he was at but hes part of this, of this great network of human rights lawyers.

That is basically devoted to the idea that they should try to defeat UK immigration law, defeat public will and common sense, and try and bring in as many people as possible to make sure that if people come here illegally, then their human rights trump the fact that theyve broken the law. And thats the problem.

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Mr Johnson said that while he was in Number 10, he looked at so many ways to deal with the problem, such as sonic booms.

We looked at weird James Bond things that could kind of come up from the sea and engulf the boats, he said.

All sorts of strange things we looked at. We were going to have sonic booms to deter them, all sorts of stuff.

Id have blocked NI exemptions for Indians

Mr Johnson praised the trade deal just struck by the Government with India, although he said he would not have signed off on plans to exempt workers from Indian businesses who transfer here from National Insurance for three years.

The India deal actually is a pretty good deal, he said. Theres a bit in it, like a bit of a try-on by the Indians, which is this thing about the carve-out for Indian workers they dont have to pay National Insurance contributions.

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I thought that was a complete wind-up when it was presented to me ages ago. And I think that the then international trade secretary, Liz Truss, felt the same. Why shouldnt everybody working in this country pay the same basic taxes?

The former prime minister also demanded an inquiry into grooming gangs, despite having criticised a previous inquiry as spaffing money up the wall.

It looks like a pretty systematic habit of exploitation of young girls, he said. And no matter who is doing it, it needs to be stamped out.

And I dont know quite why we dont have a proper national inquiry into it. In my view, it can often be a huge waste of taxpayers time and money. But in this particular case, I think I want to understand how this thing has been going on in this way.

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Boston Police have captured three people on the departments Most Wanted list.

On Thursday, the Department of Corrections arrested Brendan Houlihan, 49, in Weymouth, police said Thursday.

Houlihan was wanted on an outstanding warrant out of Plymouth District Court for escape from a penal institution, and out of Dorchester District Court for multiple counts of assault and battery.

On Wednesday, at about 4:55 p.m., officers arrested Ray Johnson, 42, of Dorchester, on a warrant in the area of 128 Gordon Ave. in Hyde Park, police said.

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Johnson was wanted on an outstanding warrant issued out of Roxbury District Court for unarmed assault with intent to rob.

Boston Police Department

Later Wednesday, at approximately 6:30 p.m., officers arrested Krishnamarie Santiago-Cosme, 26, of Jamaica Plain on a warrant in the area of 16 Supple Road in Dorchester.

Santiago-Cosme was wanted for armed robbery, assault with a dangerous Weapon, threat to commit a crime, and larceny under $1,200, police said.

Johnson and Santiago-Cosme are expected to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court.

Detectives are currently working to track down and arrest the following individuals, according to the Boston Police Department:

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Gerald Vick -- Wanted on eight counts of assault and battery with a firearm

Edward DeLossantos -- Firearms

Maurise Hunt -- Assault with a dangerous weapon, larceny

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of these individuals is asked to call CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or text the word TIP to CRIME (27463) or online at Boston police 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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Mayoral candidate Brad Lander said hes so Jewish that I almost became a rabbi while discussing his faith and the fight against antisemitism Wednesday night.

Lander, the city comptroller, also took swipes at a chief rival for Democratic nomination, Andrew Cuomo, claiming the ex-governor discriminated against Jews and has weaponized antisemitism for personal gain.

Donald Trump and Andrew Cuomo are welcome to disagree with my positions. But they dont get to decide whos a good Jew, Lander said during his speech at the West Side Institutional Synagogue.

Mayoral candidate Brad Lander admitted he almost became a rabbi. William C Lopez/New York Post

Lander, who described himself as a liberal Zionist, said he has been steeped in Judaism since childhood.

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You may be surprised to learn it, but growing up, I almost became a rabbi, the St. Louis native said.

He was the national social action vice president of the Reform Jewish Youth Movement and a member of the Hillel chapter when he attended the University of Chicago.

Lander was also a Hebrew School teacher, a so-so songleader and a pretty good canoe instructor at Jewish summer camp.

Lander spoke at the West Side Institutional Synagogue on Wednesday. William C Lopez/New York Post

Lander described himself as a liberal Zionist on Wednesday. William C Lopez/New York Post

In addition, he organized youths for a 1987 rally in Washington, DC, to free Soviet Jews as well as efforts to fight Republican cuts to social programs.

I was taught to stand up both for Jews and for all people who are facing oppression  to work to build a more equal and inclusive society grounded in the Jewish value of btzelem elohim, that idea that everyone is created in the image of God, he explained.

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He named his kids after Jewish heroes. His son, Marek, after Warsaw Ghetto uprising leader Marek Edelman, and his daughter, Rosa, after workers rights advocate Rose Schneiderman.

Lander also showed sharp elbows, rapping Cuomo, in particular, over his actions against Jews or unfairly smearing people as antisemites. Polls show the ex-governor is the front-runner in the Democratic primary for mayor.

Lander ripped Cuomo saying that he is using antisemitism as a political game. Gregory P. Mango

Andrew Cuomo, who has been sued for antisemitic discrimination and caught using anti-Jewish slurs, came to this very shul and tried to weaponize antisemitism against me, the highest-ranking Jew in New York City government, for his own political gain  right out of the Donald Trump playbook, he charged.

He was referring to three Jewish congregations that sued the then-governor over a streak of antisemitic discrimination for his crackdown on religious gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, Cuomo said the restrictions were put in place to stem the spread of the deadly virus.

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Lander also cited a New York Times story that reported that Cuomo condemned Jews observing Sukkot with curse words and slurs and making fun of our tree houses.

When it comes time to score political points, he uses antisemitism as nothing more than a political game. A few years back, he secretly distributed a mailer falsely claiming his opponent was antisemitic, and then pretended he didnt know about it, he said.

Lander is the NYC Comptroller and a 2025 Democratic Mayoral candidate. Paul Martinka

He was referring to a dirty tricks state Democratic Party mailer in 2018 that slimed Cuomos primary rival Cynthia Nixon as antisemitic, a controversy reported extensively by The Post.

Another mayoral candidate who is Jewish, former city Comptroller Scott Stringer, also criticized Cuomo for exploiting antisemitism for political gain, during a recent West Side Institutional Synagogue address.

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The Cuomo campaign defended the ex-governors record combatting Jew hatred.

Amid a rise in antisemitic attacks, the governor passed the strongest hate crime laws in the nation, made New York the first state in the nation to ban BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions movement], developed a model program that delivered millions of dollars in security upgrades for synagogues and yeshivas and when Hamas was firing rockets into Israel, he organized a solidarity mission from New York to show the world that we stand with them, said Cuomo campaign spokesman Rich Azzopardi.

Lander, on the other hand spent his adult life as a card carrying member of anti-Israel, pro-BDS Democratic Socialists of America and  in the only significant action as comptroller  divested pension funds from Israel bonds. New Yorkers know Andrew Cuomo has the record and the experience to get this city back on track and wont be fooled by Landers feeble attempts to deflect from his record.

Andrew Cuomo spoke to the congregation at the Mount Ararat Baptist Church in Brooklyn on Sunday. Gregory P. Mango

Lander said Jews across the spectrum differ on the actions of the Israeli government and criticism of the Jewish state doesnt make an American Jew any less so.

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I have sharply criticized the actions of the Israeli government, called for a cease-fire in Gaza, for an end to the war, for the resumption of aid to prevent starvation of Palestinian kids, and criticized the ongoing apartheid of life in the West Bank. We arent going to agree on all of this, he said.

We havent for 2,600 years.

He said not all critics of Israel are anti-semites.

But lets be clear: if youre using the word Zionist as a slur for Jews, if youre targeting people because theyre Jewish, if youre going to a Orthodox Jewish neighborhood and calling the people `gross and telling them to go back to Europe, if you dont think Israeli Jews are fully human, and deserving of human rights  then you have crossed way over the line into antisemitism, and you are part of the problem. And I will stand up and oppose you fiercely, said Lander, touting his own plan to combat antisemitism if elected mayor.
GUIYANG, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland recorded a total volume of 428,100 tonnes for tea import and export in 2024, up 5.3 percent year on year, according to the Tea Industry Committee of China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation.

Wei You, secretary general of the committee, shared these figures while releasing an annual report on the mainland's tea trade at a tea industry conference held on Thursday in southwest China's Guizhou Province.

During 2024, the mainland's tea import volume reached 54,000 tonnes, an increase of 38.34 percent year on year, while its tea export volume totaled 374,100 tonnes, a rise of 1.79 percent year on year.

The report noted that black tea was the dominant import tea product, making up 77.63 percent of total tea imports. Green tea led exports, accounting for 86.57 percent of the mainland's total export volume last year.

Notably, tea exports to Belt and Road partner countries in 2024 had reached 322,300 tonnes -- up 2.22 percent year on year. 
AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP)  A pair of vibrant new murals now adorn the walls of Amherst-Pelham Regional High School and Summit Academy.

Witch Panic! exhibit coming to Springfield Museums, exploring the citys forgotten witch trials

The murals are part of the Imagined Worlds project, which invites students to answer a simple but profound question: What would a world look like where you feel happy and safe? Through a collaborative, art therapy-informed process, students work together to design and paint murals that reflect their hopes, dreams, and visions of belonging.

Courtesy of Ray Brod Photography

Imagined Worlds is not just about painting muralsits about making space for young people to be seen, heard, and to imagine better futures for themselves and their communities, said Sharon Leshner, mural designer and Artistic Director at The Color Collaborative. The art and the mental health work go hand in hand. The mural uplifts the mood and spirit of everyone who passes through.

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The completed murals at the two schools mark a key milestone in The Color Collaboratives newly launched 102030 campaign, an effort to bring the Imagined Worlds initiative to 10 schools by the end of the decade. With three school projects now finished, the nonprofit is actively seeking additional school and funding partners to continue expanding the project regionally and beyond.

Courtesy of The Color Collaborative

Founded as a nonprofit public art organization, The Color Collaborative specializes in community-engaged murals that serve both aesthetic and emotional purposes. The organization partners with schools, municipalities, and nonprofits to use art as a means of transforming shared spaces and promoting wellness.

I feel like it makes the school more welcomingthis is the pop of color that we needed. It shows that this is a place that supports creativity, said student Emmett. Another student, Elijah, added, It makes me smile!

The Amherst-Pelham and Summit murals were co-designed and painted by Leshneralso known by her artist moniker Sharona Colorand fellow artist Nellie Marshall-Torres, with the help of many students and community volunteers.

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.
I am no fan of Google. But forcing the company to sell off Chrome - which is exactly what the government aims to do in an ongoing antitrust lawsuit - threatens to break the open Internet far more than it protects it.

A key component to the governments case pertains to Googles Chrome browser and argues that allowing its continued ownership of Chrome creates a monopoly. Lets look at a few alternatives: Microsofts Edge, Brave, and Opera. What do all of these have in common? Theyre all built on whats called Chromium, which is an open-source version of Chrome - with Googles components (see: spyware) stripped out. From there, developers are free to build whatever code theyd like to, such as Edges built-in Copilot and Braves native ad-blocking.

Google is under no obligation to provide its open-source Chromium foundation for competitors to use, much less continue to invest in and improve. Forcing Google to sell Chrome would risk upending this ecosystem.

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It should be little surprise that none other than OpenAI has expressed interest in purchasing Chrome if it is spun off. The irony of selling off the browser from Google under the guise of breaking up monopolies only to hand it to the largest AI platform - which is currently smoking Google in the field - was apparently lost on the government.

So what? Wouldnt people be free to just switch to a non-Chromium browser?

While this is an option, its becoming less and less realistic. Edge, Brave, and the like are fast, and they feel like using Chrome because theyre built on the same source code. There are only two mainstream alternatives out there away from this foundation, and both have their own issues. There is Safari, but that only works on Apple software. Alternatively, Mozillas Firefox is the last major browser to run on an engine independent from Chromium. However, it has been steadily declining in terms of performance and was recently embroiled in a PR crisis over privacy concerns. For the vast majority of users seeking a high-quality alternative to Chrome, Chromium is going to be the way to go.

A second part of the governments case rests on the fact that Google has struck deals with different companies to make themselves the default search engine, including in Firefox. I have always found the case that making a search engine set as the default to be "monopolistic" to be extremely weak - Edge sets Bing as the default, which many users change immediately.

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However, this initially trivial complaint could have disastrous consequences for competition. Google has long paid Mozilla - among many other companies - to be the default search engine in Firefox, which has become their largest revenue source in recent years. The companys CFO testified last week that without the Google search deal, Firefox could be "doomed." Such a ruling could plausibly put an end to the last alternative to Chromium across platforms. Because, you know, monopolies.

As is so often the case with government intervention, they spot what they perceive to be "bad behavior" and attempt to remedy it with alternatives that are often worse than the problem they set out to fix. The real-world fallout from this case could be quality alternatives to Chrome such as Edge and Brave losing access to the open-source bedrock theyre built on, and the complete collapse of Firefox itself. You need not be a fan of Google to recognize the potentially disastrous consequences this could have for the Internet as we know it.

Kyle Moran is a political commentator with Young Voices, specializing in international affairs and national security. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island, and his work has been published widely from RealClearPolitics to the Washington Examiner.
Two days after the College of Cardinals gathered to elect a new pope, a decision has been made. Robert Prevost has been chosen, becoming the first American pope in history. He's adopted the name Pope Leo XIV.

Leo's ascension to the papacy comes after Pope Francis, a relatively progressive pope when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, died last month.

The new pope is from Chicago and is 69. He earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, then received a diploma in theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.

He previously served as a Catholic missionary in South America, CNN reports. He worked in Trujillo, Peru, for about 10 years and then served as bishop of the Peruvian city of Chiclayo from 2014 until 2023.

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The outlet states that many believe Leo will continue many of Francis's reforms.

In his first speech as pope, Leo said, We have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue."

The new pontiff also honored his predecessor.

Let us keep in our ears the weak voice of Pope Francis that blesses Rome. The Pope who blessed Rome, gave his blessing to the entire world that morning of Easter. Allow me to follow up on that blessing. God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail."

While he honored Francis, there are some questions about his support of LGBTQ+ rights. Francis made several pro-LGBTQ+ reforms during his papacy. But the new pope has made some anti-LGBTQ+ statements. In 2012, at a meeting of bishops, he lamented that Western news media and popular culture fostered sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel, The New York Times reports. He specifically mentioned the homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children. As bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, he objected to a plan to teach about gender in schools, saying, The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that dont exist.

However, he has voiced compassion for the LGBTQ community, according to the Meidas Touch Network. But while he may foster a more welcoming environment, he has not signaled any openness to changing Church teaching on same-sex marriage or the ordination of women, Meidas Touch reports.

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LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD said it looked forward to working with Leo. The group had previously met with Francis to discuss LGBTQ+ rights.

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The Roman Catholic Church stands on the threshold of a hopeful and inclusive new chapter. With Pope Leo XIVs leadership, there is an extraordinary opportunity to inspire billions around the world and further embrace LGBTQ people with compassion, dignity, and love," GLAAD's CEO and president Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement provided to The Advocate. "He can build on the progress already made and help create a Church that truly reflects the universal message of acceptance and care for all. We are hopeful to collaborate with Pope Leo, just as we did with Pope Francis, to help ensure the Church continues to grow as a welcoming home for everyone.

Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, which works for LGBTQ+ equality in the Catholic Church, released a statement saying it was "disappointing" to hear of the new pope's 2012 anti-LGBTQ+ comment. "We pray that in the 13 years that have passed, 12 of which were under the papacy of Pope Francis, that his heart and mind have developed more progressively on LGBTQ+ issues, and we will take a wait-and-see attitude to see if that has happened," DeBernardo added.

"We pray that as our church transitions from 12 years of an historic papacy, Pope Leo XIV will continue the welcome and outreach to LGBTQ+ people which Pope Francis inaugurated," he continued. "The healing that began with Who am I to judge? needs to continue and grow to 'Who am I, if not a friend to LGBTQ+ people?'"

DignityUSA, another LGBTQ+ Catholic group, issued a press release saying in part, "We note that this [2012] statement was made during the papacy of Benedict XVI, when doctrinal adherence appeared to be expected. In addition, the voices of LGBTQ people were rarely heard at that level of church leadership. We pray that Pope Leo XIV will demonstrate a willingness to listen and grow as he begins his new role as the leader of the global Church."





- YouTube www.youtube.com

Trudy Ring contributed reporting.
By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republicans on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee backed five nominees for diplomatic positions on Thursday despite a Democratic boycott, underscoring deep divisions between members of President Donald Trump's party and lawmakers from the minority.

It is unusual for Senate committees to press ahead on such votes without the participation of both parties.

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It was a notable departure for the foreign relations panel, which, more than other committees, has long been known for bipartisan action, including steering the unanimous confirmation in January of then-Senator Marco Rubio, to be Trump's Secretary of State.

The committee's 12 Republicans backed Trump's nominees to be ambassador to Chile, the Dominican Republic, France, Ireland and the Netherlands. The panel's 10 Democrats did not attend the meeting, or a subsequent nominations hearing, saying Republicans had bowed to White House pressure to go ahead without a traditional bipartisan agreement on the agenda.

Senate divisions along party lines have widened since Trump began his second term on Jan. 20, with Republicans nearly unanimously supporting the president's initiatives like slashing foreign aid that once enjoyed strong bipartisan support as a crucial source of U.S. "soft power."

Republicans have not hesitated to take a hard line to overcome what they see as Democratic obstruction. In April, the Republican Majority Leader John Thune scheduled votes after midnight to confirm Trump's nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after Democrats, angry over Trump's firing of his predecessor, blocked a quick vote.

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The foreign relations committee's approval of the latest nominees tees up their consideration by the full Senate, where Trump's Republicans have a 53-47 majority and have confirmed every one of his picks who has come up for a vote.

'RULES AND TRADITIONS'

"Unfortunately, today the Majority did not agree to the Committee's long-standing rules and traditions to keep the Minority properly informed. Therefore, Democrats did not participate in todays proceedings," Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the panel's top Democrat, said in a statement.

Democrats said the majority normally ensures both parties are informed about meeting agendas and time.

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Asked for comment, a spokesperson for Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, the committee's chairman, pointed to his remarks at the hearing. Risch said little about the Democrats' absence, beyond noting that the committee could vote on the nominees as long as every Republican was present.

"Democrats have all been previously notified, have indicated they have no interest in attending this meeting. So be it," Risch said.

The nominee for ambassador to Paris backed by the panel on Thursday was Charles Kushner, the father of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. The elder Kushner served two years in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion, witness tampering and other federal charges. He was later pardoned by Trump.

The committee also held a confirmation hearing without Democrats for five other Trump nominees, including Kenneth Howery to be ambassador to Denmark, and Trump's picks to serve in Switzerland, Malta, at the Organization of American States and as assistant secretary of state for economic and business affairs.

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Relations between the U.S. and long-time ally Denmark have been chilled of late over Trump's talk of annexing Greenland, a Danish territory. On Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he would call in the acting U.S. ambassador for talks after the Wall Street Journal reported Washington had ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to step up spying on Greenland.

The Republicans did not question any of the nominees at the hearing. In his opening statement, Howery acknowledged recent "spirited" discussions over the island and expressed belief in "open dialogue and cooperation."

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Don Durfee and Daniel Wallis)
Donald Trump is expected to unveil a trade deal with Britain in the Oval Office on Thursday, according to sources familiar with talks.

The agreement would be a major victory for Sir Keir Starmers government, as Britain would become the first nation to secure a deal with Mr Trumps administration after Washington introduced a raft of global tariffs.

It would also provide a fillip to Mr Trump, whose trade war has sent turmoil through markets.

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The president teased the new trade deal in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday evening without naming the nation involved, revealing that a press conference would take place at 10am ET (2pm GMT) on Thursday.

Big News Conference tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M, The Oval Office, concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!! he wrote, with his trademark use of capital letters and punctuation.

The British embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

However, two sources confirmed to The Telegraph that British officials were expected at the White House for the announcement.

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Three weeks ago, The Telegraph revealed that Mr Trumps officials expected to reach an agreement with London within two to three weeks.

Trade between the two nations is already almost balanced, making it easier to find agreement, and Mr Trump has developed a warm relationship with Mr Starmer.

Donald Trump and JD Vance speak with Keir Starmer during a meeting at the White House in February - Getty Images

Britain also comes with advantages that other countries cannot hope to match, according to JD Vance, Mr Trumps vice president.

Theres a real cultural affinity, he told UnHerd recently.

And of course, fundamentally America is an Anglo country... I think theres a good chance that, yes, well come to a great agreement thats in the best interest of both countries.

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Details of the agreement were not immediately clear and it is possible that the announcement involves unveiling a roadmap or framework for further negotiations.

Both countries have discussed reducing British tariffs on American cars and farm goods.

British trade negotiators arrived in Washington on Wednesday, according to The Guardian.

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LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's farmers union gave Thursday's U.S.-UK economic deal a mixed reception, welcoming the retention of British food standards on U.S. imports and reciprocal market access for beef, but flagging concern over a removal of tariffs on bioethanol.

The deal gave UK farmers a U.S. quota for beef of 13,000 metric tonnes, which the National Farmers Union said was a positive. Under the deal, U.S. farmers will have the same quota for sales into Britain.

Crucially there will be no weakening of UK food standards on U.S. beef imports, which was a red line for the union and an election manifesto pledge for the Labour government. That means U.S. beef bred with growth hormones still won't be allowed into the UK.

We appreciate the governments efforts in listening to our concerns, particularly around maintaining high standards, protecting sensitive agricultural sectors and securing reciprocal access for beef," NFU President Tom Bradshaw said.

Brooke Rollins, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, said the deal would "exponentially increase" U.S. beef exports to Britain.

However, with little price differential between British produced beef and U.S. beef that does meet UK standards, the U.S. product could struggle to find a UK market.

Finding favour with the UK consumer may also be a tough task. Currently 100% of the fresh beef sold by Britain's two biggest supermarket groups - Tesco and Sainsbury's - is British and Irish.

Bradshaw also said he was concerned that the U.S. had been given full access to Britain's market for bioethanol, which is used to produce beer.

"Two agricultural sectors have been singled out to shoulder the heavy burden of the removal of tariffs for other industries in the economy," he added.

(Reporting by James Davey and Sachin Ravikumar; editing by William James)
Karen Carter told a neighbour that she was formalising her separation from her husband

A British mother who was stabbed to death in Dordogne revealed to her close friend the night before she died that she had filed for divorce.

Karen Carter, 65, was in the process of buying a one-bedroom cottage worth 135,000 in Tremolat, in the south-west of France, where she planned to permanently settle and live alone, The Telegraph was told.

The night before her death on April 29, Carter told Beverley Needham, her neighbour and fellow expatriate, over dinner that she was formalising her separation from Alan Carter, her husband, who lives in South Africa.

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The next evening, she was found with multiple stab wounds in the driveway of her gite 10 minutes after returning from a wine-tasting event at the home of Jean Francois Guerrier, her 74-year-old alleged secret lover.

Mr Guerrier was the first to discover Carter and phoned emergency services as she lay dying from eight injuries to her chest, groin, arm and leg.

A local woman, identified as Marie-Laure Autefort, a 69-year-old retired carer, was arrested in connection with the attack and held by the gendarmes for 48 hours before being released after police checked her schedule.

0705 Dordogne murder

Ms Needham, who helped broker the sale of Carters new cottage, explained how she learnt of the separation over dinner.

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Seated outside her large farmhouse, Ms Needham, a former Paris restaurateur, told The Telegraph over a morning coffee: I asked her have you served the papers? and she said, yes, I gave him the papers.

She told me the relationship was over and said Im done... that was her words. She said Im done.

She said Carter and her husband only saw each other periodically over the last couple of years.

Ms Needham described Mr Guerrier as a confidant and extremely close friend of Carter and said that any romantic relationship between the pair would have been very discreet.

Karen came with me to view the property and fell in love instantly, she said this is perfect.

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She wanted this little house so that when her property is rented, she had her own little thing, a little house.

Ms Needham says Carter was formalising her separation from her husband

Ms Needham said the process of divorcing her husband probably weighed heavily upon Carter and that she appeared tired during the soiree.

They have four children, 30 years of marriage, it is going to be upsetting, isnt it?

Mr Carter is said to have denied that they were divorcing but admitted that the news, confirmed by prosecutors, of his wifes relationship with Mr Guerrier, a former executive at the IT corporation Fujitsu, had left him feeling a sense of betrayal.

Jean-Francois Guerrier is alleged to have been Carters secret lover - Paul Grover

Ms Needham, originally from Manchester, said Carters upbringing and life in South Africa had left her with street smarts and an acute awareness of danger.

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Gesturing to her own slight frame, Ms Needham, 69, added: She was bigger than me, she was fit, she was strong.

If she sensed danger she would not have taken a risk. Karen was just fabulous, my husband said shes got so much class, shes so dynamic and just a lovely, lovely person.

Ms Needham said she had given interviews to the gendarmes on two separate occasions for a total of three hours and was at a loss as to who in the village could have had reason to murder her friend.

What possible motive could there be  I mean everybody loved Karen. She was just a sheer [delight], always there for you.

The house that Karen Carter was intending to buy before her death - Paul Grover for The Telegraph

A squad of gendarmes were seen searching a coppice a few hundred yards from the scene on Friday, three days after the attack.

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Ms Needham commented: I think the fact that they left it three days before searching in a field is a bit sloppy.

Philippe LaBroue, Ms Needhams friend and former media lawyer, pointed out there was a prison only 7.5 miles from the scene that houses sex offenders and mentally disturbed inmates.

Mr LaBroue said it was possible Carters death was the work of a psychopathic escapee from the prison who had drifted through the tiny village of 600 residents.

His wife dismissed his theory but said there were many hunters around Tremolat, armed with butchering knives, one of whom may have been persuaded to carry out the attack on behalf of an individual in the village.

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Its countryside where they hunt  boar, deer, everything, she said, gesturing to the surrounding fields.

Prosecutors on Wednesday announced they were officially treating Carters death as a murder and that the investigation was being led by judicial authorities in Perigueux.

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FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY)  More than 100 ninth and tenth-grade students from across Marion County attended East Fairmont High School on Wednesday for the inaugural Broadband Summit.

The event was the first of its kind in West Virginia and gave students a chance to learn about career opportunities in things like broadband, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence from professionals in the field, including those who work in the federal government.

Upshur Leadership graduating class holds Community Skills Share event

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Not every student is intended to go to college, nor should they be forced into that pathway. And so today, during this collaboration, theyre talking about careers that are available if a student explores a career technical education certification or a college degree, Marion County Superintendent Donna Heston said. It also feeds a pipeline that is in need in West Virginia with the broadband.

Superintendent Heston said that the goal is to bring the event back every year.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
Students pose with award certificates of the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on May 7, 2025. Six students from the University of Malta showcased their Chinese language skills and talents on Wednesday during the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

The event provided a platform for students to express their passion for the Chinese language and share their dreams of visiting China.

VALLETTA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Six students from the University of Malta showcased their Chinese language skills and talents on Wednesday during the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students.

The event, held at the university and organized by the Confucius Institute, provided a platform for students to express their passion for the Chinese language and share their dreams of visiting China.

Following their speeches delivered in Chinese, participants demonstrated talents, such as singing Chinese songs, playing Chinese music with piano or flute, performing shadow puppetry or reading a Chinese poem. The performances captivated the audience, who responded with enthusiastic applause.

A student gives a speech during the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

Marie Claire Aquilina won the first prize in the competition and will travel to China to represent the University of Malta in the global finals. Aquilina is currently pursuing a master's degree in translation and hopes to one day work as a translator between Chinese and Maltese, or become a Chinese language teacher.

Second-place winner Matilde Ferrario would also have the opportunity to visit China. "Knowing Chinese will help me a lot with my future job hunting," said Ferrario, who hopes to pursue a career in tourism.

A student performs a Chinese costume show during the Maltese leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign university students at the University of Malta in Msida, Malta, on May 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

Dennis Mizzi, foreign director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Malta, expressed hope that more students would take up the study of Chinese. 
NBC News, citing police documents, reports that Bryan Kohberger searched online for serial killer Ted Bundy both before and after the University of Idaho murders

Kohberger also allegedly searched for nonconsensual pornography with keywords including "forced," "passed out," "drugged," and "sleeping," according to the documents

These are just some of the new allegations that will be revealed about the case on a new episode of Dateline this Friday, May 9, at 9 p.m.

Bryan Kohberger allegedly searched online for Ted Bundy as well as pornography depicting nonconsensual sex in the weeks before and after four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death at an off-campus home, according to a report from NBC News, which cites police documents.

The network reports that Kohberger allegedly searched for pornography with the keywords "forced," "passed out," "drugged," and "sleeping."

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Those are just two of the new allegations that will be revealed about the case on a new episode of Dateline this Friday, May 9, at 9 p.m.

The Bundy search could have been related to Kohberger's role as a teacher's assistant in an introductory-level criminology class, a job he held both before and after the murders.

It could also have been a way for him to find the op-ed his mother wrote about the serial killer in 1999, which later went viral after her son's arrest.

Latah County Prosecutor's Office Bryan Kohberger hours after the murders Bryan Kohberger hours after the murders

By that time, Kohberger was incarcerated and did not have access to a cell phone or computer.

NBC News also obtained video footage of a car similar to the one driven by Kohberger that was taken both before and after the fatal stabbings of Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, on Nov. 13, 2022.

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The four were found stabbed to death inside the home that Mogen, Goncalves and Kernodle shared with their two surviving roommates.

The probable cause affidavit alleges that authorities linked Kohberger to the killings after running traces of DNA found on a knife sheath through genetic genealogy sites to identify a relative.

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Police also traced the location of Kohberger's cell phone on the night of the murders. NBC News reports that cellphone tower data and records reviewed by an FBI expert allegedly showed Kohbergers phone connected to a tower providing coverage within 100 meters of the murder house 23 times over four months.

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The phone always connected after sunset, according to the report, and the last recorded visit occurred just six days before the killings, NBC News reports.

In a motion laying out his alibi, Kohberger's lawyer, Anne Taylor, said the suspect was out driving by himself on the night of the murders and that he did not kill the four victims.

Kohberger's murder trial is set to get underway Aug. 11 in Ada County after the defense successfully petitioned for a change of venue. If convicted, he could be sentenced to death.

The murder suspect previously told the public defender who represented him after his arrest in Pennsylvania that he expects to be exonerated at trial. He declined to enter a plea in an Idaho courtroom when he was formally charged with four counts of murder, so the judge entered a not guilty plea for him.

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Latah County Prosecutor William Thompson and Taylor, who are prohibited from making extrajudicial statements about the case under a non-dissemination order filed just days after Kohberger's arrest, did not respond to requests for comment.

Read the original article on People
GREENVILLE, N.C (WNCT) The Town Common is the main location for outdoor events in Greenville, especially in the summer months.

Starting in July of 2025, parts of the Town Common will be shut down for an estimated 400 days, for much needed construction.

The city announced the official approval for construction efforts to begin as soon as logistics are settled. Director of Greenville Recreation and Parks Don Octigan said they are working closely with construction crews to figure out an appropriate timeline.

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Parts of the Town Common such as the fishing dock, amphitheater and parking lot will be closed. The playground and the entrance to the greenway will remain open.

Bulkheads are supposed to last 50 years, Octigan said. The current bulkhead is almost 60 years old so were borrowing time here and so its due. I know its a slight inconvenience. But, we are going to work with the community and with the contractor to minimize any negative impacts.

For more info on the construction plans, click here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT.
The execution chamber in the Department of Corrections' Columbia prisons complex, as seen from the witness room, includes the firing squad chair (left) and the electric chair under the cover. Attorneys for inmate Mikal Mahdi claim bullets mostly missed his heart during his execution last month. (Provided by the S.C. Department of Corrections)

COLUMBIA  Bullets mostly missed an inmates heart during the states last execution by firing squad, attorneys for condemned inmates claimed in a Thursday letter to the state Supreme Court.

The court filing doesnt ask the states highest court to take any action. Attorneys felt obliged to share this information with justices and other condemned men offered the option to die by firing squad, according to the letter, filed as a notice of botched execution.

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Three members of the media who witnessed the April 11 execution said Mahdi groaned and continued to breathe after the bullets struck him, then continued to let out periodic low moans for about 45 seconds. A doctor declared him dead about a minute after marksmen fired.

The autopsy confirms what I saw and heard, David Weiss, who witnessed Mahdis execution, said in a statement. Mikal suffered an excruciating death. We dont know what went wrong, but nothing about his execution was humane.

Under the states protocol, when an inmate is executed by firing squad, three marksmen fire live rounds at a target over the heart of the condemned inmate, who is strapped to a chair about 15 feet away.

Mahdis chest had only two bullet entry wounds, unlike the three that were clear in Brad Sigmons chest following his March 7 execution by firing squad.

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The doctor performing the autopsy reported that to a corrections official, who suggested two of the three bullets entered in the same location, creating only two entrance wounds, according to an autopsy report.

Corrections spokeswoman Chrysti Shain reiterated that explanation in an email Thursday.

All three weapons fired simultaneously, and all three bullets struck Mahdi, she wrote.

The gunmen use .308 Winchester bullets, which expand and fragment on impact, according to what officials have previously told the state Supreme Court. So, an autopsy would not find whole bullets.

No fragments of bullets were discovered in the room, Shain said.

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The possibility that two bullets followed the exact same path is extraordinarily uncommon, wrote Jonathan Arden, a pathologist hired by inmates attorneys to analyze the autopsys findings.

The bullets that struck Mahdi appeared to have hit his chest below the heart, causing more damage to his liver and pancreas than the heart itself, Arden wrote.

Thats also in contrast to Sigmons autopsy, which showed the bullets destroyed his heart, according to the report.

Its likely Mahdi did experience excruciating conscious pain and suffering for up to a minute after he was shot, Arden wrote.

An inmate struck directly in the heart should die within 15 seconds, he added.

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The implications of this botch are horrifying, the Thursday court filing reads.

At his request, Mahdis body was cremated after the execution, the attorneys said. So, exhuming a body to learn more is not an option.

Attorneys also raised questions about the autopsy itself.

Mahdis autopsy included no close-up photos of the gunshot wounds or X-rays that might show their path, and the doctor performing the autopsy didnt examine or document his clothing, which might have given more information about the wounds, Arden wrote.

Sigmons autopsy did include those details, according to the report.

Such rigorous documentation is especially critical for deaths that carry special interest or importance, such as homicides and deaths in custody, both of which pertain to the death of Mr. Mahdi, Arden wrote.

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Attorneys have also raised concerns about executions by lethal injection. Autopsies showed that inmates lungs filled with fluid as they died, and they laid on the table for upwards of 20 minutes before being declared dead. Media witnesses reported that inmates stopped breathing after several minutes in each case.

Mahdi was sentenced to death in 2006 for a crime spree committed two years prior, in which he shot Capt. James Myers, an Orangeburg public safety officer, to death with his own gun after hiding out from police in Myers shed.

Mahdi also shot gas station clerk Christopher Boggs to death in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and stole multiple cars during his 10-day flight from Virginia to Florida.

His execution was the fifth in the state since September, when the state resumed carrying out death sentences after an unintended 13-year hiatus. He was the second to choose to die by firing squad in state history after legislators added it as an option in 2021.

Another inmate, Stephen Stanko, is expected to be scheduled for execution in the coming weeks after running out of appeals in one of the two killings for which he was sentenced to death.
A look at Western Maryland Hospital Center in Washington County. (File photo by Hannah Gaskill/Maryland Matters)

The Trump administration has signaled an interest in reining in Marylands ability to set rates for Medicare services  an authority the state has held for about 40 years.

Marylands system, unusual among states, gives the state significant say over the costs of health care services across different coverage plans to keep costs low and consistent. The state hopes to have a similar authority as it transitions into a federal program called the States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development, or AHEAD, model.

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But advocates worry that the feds apparent interest in changing who sets Medicare rates could disrupt health care payments for consumers, governments and providers.

Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) told reporters this week that he was cautiously concerned about the future of Marylands health care system while those negotiations continue between federal and state health officials.

I dont want to over-index anything  Theres reason to be concerned that there are going to be substantial changes, he said.

The states ability to set Medicare rates has been in place for about 40 years under a waiver granted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI).

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In the time since, the states health care system has evolved and the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission now determines the rates for care across all hospitals in the state, so that health care service costs are similar whether someone has private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.

But the current iteration of that payment system, called Total Cost of Care, is set to end in December 2025. Last November, Maryland entered into an agreement with the Biden administration to continue under the similar AHEAD system. The AHEAD model was actually based on Marylands Total Cost of Care model and similar systems in other states, due to its success in reducing health care costs.

But the Trump administration is now talking about taking another look at that arrangement and possibly making some changes. Specifically, federal officials are interested in removing Marylands ability to set rates for Medicare services

While current talks focus on Medicare rates, there could be ripple effects on rates for Medicaid and private insurance due to the states all-payer model that aims to keep costs for health care consistent across the board, according to health care advocates.

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Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees CMMI, did not confirm whether the Trump administration plans to end Marylands rate-setting authority for Medicare, but reiterated that subject to discussions with State authorities, the AHEAD model is currently set to begin in January 2026.

Maryland Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani, a former CMS official in the Biden administration, said that those discussions are ongoing.

Since the change in federal administration, the Maryland Department of Health has been in direct discussions about the future of the model, working with CMMI and in-state stakeholders to align the Maryland model with federal priorities to deliver high-quality outcomes for all Marylanders, Seshamani said Wednesday. The administration will not comment further, given that discussions are ongoing and confidential.

There may be opportunities where CMMI and the state can find common ground over shared goals like preventing and reducing chronic disease, experts say, though it is unclear where negotiations will land at this moment.

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Gene Ransom, CEO for MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society, believes it is not time to panic, and that there is still opportunity for the state and the Trump administration to meet in the middle  even if CMMI officials signal interest in changing the rate-setting process for Medicare.

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And despite his cautious concern, Ferguson said he hopes that any changes that come down on the states current health care plan will still help lower health care costs for Marylanders while pushing for greater quality of care.

There could be changes that dont have a dramatic impact on the financial stability of our marketplace for health care, he said.

I am hopeful that those in charge of CMS and CMMI will see the benefit that the Maryland model has provided for lowering costs over time, he said, noting that there may be important updates in the next few weeks.
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza (AP)  Hamza Abu Shabab cringed in pain as his mother pulled off his shirt and eased his bandaged head back onto his pillow so she could apply ointment to his small, burned body.

The 7-year-old suffered third degree burns across his head, neck and shoulders when, frightened by an Israeli airstrike, he spilled a hot plate of rice and lentils onto himself in his familys tent in southern Gaza last month.

His recovery has been slowed by Israel's blockade, now in its third month, that bars all medicine, food, fuel and other goods from entering Gaza. His burns have gotten infected  the boys immune system is weakened by poor nutrition and supplies of antibiotics are limited, said his mother, Iman Abu Shabab.

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Had there not been a siege or it was a different country, he would have been treated and cured of his wounds, she said at her son's bedside in Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

Israel's blockade, imposed since March 2, has forced hospitals and clinics across Gaza to stretch limited stocks of medicines even as needs increase. For burn patients, the lack of supplies is particularly excruciating.

Burns are painful and susceptible to infection, but hospitals, including Nasser are short on painkillers, anesthetics, dressings and hygiene materials, said Julie Faucon, the medical coordinator for Gaza and the occupied West Bank with Doctors Without Borders.

Burn cases are surging

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Since Israel resumed bombardment across Gaza in mid-March, the number of patients with strike-related burns coming into Nasser Hospital has increased fivefold, from five a day to 20, according to Doctors Without Borders, which supports the facility. The burns are also bigger, covering up to 40% of peoples bodies, Faucon said.

Some patients have died because burns impacted their airways and breathing or because they developed severe infections, she said.

While strikes are a main cause of burns, people also seek treatment for accidents, such as spilling hot liquids. That is in part due to the squalid living conditions, with hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians squeezed into tents and crowded shelters, often cooking over wood fires.

Hamza was one of more than 70 patients in Nasser Hospitals burns and orthopedic ward  as many as it could hold  with more streaming in for daily care.

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His mother said Hamza has undergone nine surgeries, including four on his face. The hospital ran out of the liquid painkillers used for children, and he struggles to swallow the larger pills, she said.

Lack of food also slows recovery

In another room, 4-year-old Layan Ibrahim Sahloul sits despondently among her dolls, with second-degree burns across her face, foot and stomach. A week ago, a strike on her house in Khan Younis killed her pregnant mother and two siblings, burying her under the rubble.

Layan has difficulty moving and has become withdrawn and in a constant state of fear, said her aunt, Raga Sahloul. She also suffers from malnutrition, she said.

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I am scared it will take her months instead of weeks to heal, said her aunt.

The number of malnourished children has swelled under Israel's ban on food to Gaza, with aid groups warning that people are starving. Without proper nutrition, patients' recovery is slowed and their bodies cant fight infection, say health professionals.

At the meeting of Netanyahus security Cabinet this week, which decided to expand operations in Gaza, ministers were told that at this point there is enough food in Gaza, without elaborating. according to two Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the meeting.

Israel says its blockade and renewed military campaign aim to pressure Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages it holds and to accede to Israels demands that it disarm. Rights groups have said the blockade is a starvation policy and a potential war crime.

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The United Nations has warned that Gazas health-care system is on the brink of collapse, overwhelmed by casualties with essential medicines running out.

Life in tents brings suffering

Doctors say theyre also worried about prospects for long term care for burn patients. Many need reconstructive surgery, but few plastic surgeons remain in Gaza. Israel has increasingly rejected entry for international medical staff in recent weeks, aid workers say, though some continue to have access.

At the end of April, 10-year-old Mira al-Khazandar was severely burned on her arms and chest when a strike hit near her tent. Worried that she will have permanent scars, her mother combs pharmacies looking for ointments for her.

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Miras been able to return to the family's tent to recover, but she suffers from the sand and mosquitos there, said her mother Haneen al-Khazandar. She has to go regularly to the hospital, which risks infecting her burns and causes her pain, standing under the sun waiting for transport.

She is slowly recovering because there is no treatment and no medicines and no food, she said. She is tired, she cant sleep all night because of the pain, even after I give her medicine, it doesnt help.



Associated Press writers Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, Lebanon contributed.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  A motion to sell the Birmingham Water Works to the city of Birmingham for $1 was approved by the board with a 5-2 vote.

This comes after the Birmingham City Council approved a resolution to buy the company, which is worth millions after the state legislature voted to restructure its board.

Governor Kay Ivey signed SB 330 into law, effectively taking the Birmingham Water Works Board mostly out of the citys hands and restructuring it to include regional members appointed by both the state and surrounding counties, just hours before the boards vote.

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Michael Davis capital murder trial day 2: Who pulled the trigger first?

Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson feels the vote should have taken place a day sooner.

They had an opportunity yesterday before the governor signed the bill you know but its too late to point fingers, said Tyson.

Some residents remain hopeful the boards approval could help the city regain control, despite the governor signing the law.

We should have been come together and did this, but I also think that were going to fight because its our water and we know that right now its always been top ten in the country. So, if they think theyre going to come here and treat us any type of way at the end of the day, we know that this is an overreach, said Birmingham resident Richard Franklin.

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Some fear the city owning the water works could negatively impact residents even more.

Years ago, Birmingham city owned the water works and it got into so much debt they sold it. Now how can we trust you all to get the water works back, said Birmingham resident Susan Palmer.

58 criminal cases involving Hanceville Police Department dismissed

This whole thing was tore up from the floor up from day one and nobody is at the table trying to find common ground, said Birmingham resident Keith Williams.

Birmingham Waters Works released a statement saying in part quote:

The actions we took tonight were to ensure that every one of our customers, from all five counties, continue to feel the tremendous improvements the system has made in the last 10 months. We remain committed to our customers, making improvements to the BWW and to leading ethically, with dignity and respect.

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In response to Wednesday nights vote, Phillip Wiedmeyer, a member of the newly created Regional Water Works Board, filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Birmingham. Weidmeyer is asking for judge to invalidate all action taken by the Birmingham Water Works after SB 330 was signed and reaffirm that the Regional Water Works Systems is now in control.

Wiedmeyer was appointed to the regional board by Jefferson County Commission President Jimmy Stephens.

Lawsuit filed against city of Birmingham by Phillip WeidmeyerDownload

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STANSBURY PARK, Utah (ABC4)  A pair of bystanders at Stansbury Lake in Tooele County are being hailed as heroes after rescuing an 8-year-old girl from a near-drowning earlier this week.

The Tooele County Sheriffs Office said a group of girls were practicing swimming in the lake on Wednesday evening, May 7, when two of them began struggling in the water. One of the two girls was able to make it back to shore on her own, but the other needed help.

One bystander jumped into the lake and pulled the young girl out of the water and, along with a second bystander, performed CPR. After a few moments, the Tooele County Sheriffs Office said the girl became responsive, was talking and alert.

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Emergency medical personnel arrived on scene and evaluated the young girl, eventually taking her to a local area hospital for further care.

The Tooele County Sheriffs Office would like to extend sincere appreciation to the two individuals whose swift actions helped save this young girls life, the Sheriffs Office said in a media release posted to social media. Their willingness to step in without hesitation undoubtedly made a critical difference in todays outcome.

Replies from community members to the sheriffs office post praised the two bystanders, with one commenter saying, Not all heroes wear capes.

Another commenter said, They should be rewarded by the community. Stepping up instead of recording it on ones phone is something we should all encourage.

Latest headlines:

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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)Caddo Parish Schools has announced that one of its high schools received national recognition from Project Lead the Way (PLTW).

According to the news release, Captain Shreve High School has been named a 2024-25 PLTW Distinguished School for its commitment to student achievement.

The districts largest school is among a select group of high schools across the U.S. to be recognized for its commitment to inspiring and engaging its students to unlock their potential through the PLTW program. Only four high schools statewide earned the recognition for the 2024-2025 school year.

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Caddo Schools was seeking great people who love kids during annual job fair

Captain Shreve is part of a community comprising PreK-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and philanthropic partners nationwide.

Being named a Project Lead The Way Distinguished School is an honor for Captain Shreve and a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and staff, said Captain Shreve Principal Bryant Sepulvado. This recognition affirms our commitment to preparing students not just for graduation, but for success in college, career and in life. Through PLTW, our students are building real-world skills in STEM and beyond. They learn to collaborate, think critically and solve complex problems. Were proud to be one of only four high schools in Louisiana to receive this distinction and even prouder of the life-changing opportunities were creating for our Gators every day.

Caddo Parish Schools to close three schools

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The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in the PLTW programs. Caddo Public Schools said to be eligible for the designation, Captain Shreve had to meet multiple criteria during the 2023-24 school year.

We are proud to honor Captain Shreve High School for their commitment to providing students with exceptional educational experiences through PLTW programs, said Dr. David Dimmett, PLTW President and CEO. This achievement celebrates their dedication to student achievement and their focus on empowering students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in school and a wide range of post-secondary opportunities.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong testified at a tense hearing before a congressional committee Wednesday morning, fielding questions about the universitys response to antisemitism on campus while escaping the worst of panel members ire.

In fact, Armstrong emerged from the hearing rather unscathed  especially compared to the other two university presidents, who at times endured withering questioning from Republicans on the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

The goal of the hearing was to hold Cal Poly, Haverford College and DePaul University accountable for perpetuating antisemitism, Republican Committee Chair Tim Walberg said in his opening remarks.

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Committee members directed most of their questions to Haverford College President Wendy Raymond and DePaul University President Robert Manuel. Raymond faced repeated, aggressive questioning that left her stammering and speechless at times.

Both Haverford, a private university in Philadelphia, and DePaul, a Catholic university in Chicago, had far more substantial incidents, including encampments of Pro-Palestine protesters and a Jewish student who was attacked.

Attorney and Georgetown University professor David Cole also testified, but not on behalf of the university.

In his opening statement, Armstrong condemned the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack as horrific and pledged the universitys commitment to creating a safe environment for students regardless of their religious beliefs.

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The violence perpetrated that day must be condemned without equivocation, he said. And the targeting of Jewish students on campuses across the U.S. that followed was terrible and unacceptable.

In defending Cal Polys response, Armstrong pointed to multiple initiatives the university has made to improve the campus climate, from establishing an antisemitism task force to developing an Interfaith Center.

Our efforts to support Jewish students and combat antisemitism have made progress, Armstrong said. I want to emphasize that our goal is continuous improvement. We will work to give each student the safest possible environment, free from discrimination and religious intolerance, so they can learn, grow and succeed.

Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong, right, testified before the House Committee on Education and Workforce on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, about antisemitism on the San Luis Obispo campus. He was joined by three others, from left, Haverford College President Wendy Raymond, DePaul University President Robert Manuel and Georgetown University professor David Cole.

How is Cal Poly combating antisemitism on campus?

Armstrong said that Cal Poly has enjoyed a vibrant Jewish community for many years, adding that the number of Jewish students enrolled at the university has doubled since 2011.

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Cal Poly is home to student organizations like SLO Hillel and Chabad, who support and advocate for Jewish students. Armstrong said he and his wife have attended many of these organizations events.

To combat antisemitism on campus, Cal Poly bolstered its student orientation program and employee training with more information about antisemitism. Meanwhile, university representatives have attended eight training sessions with the Hillel Campus Climate Initiative, Armstrong said.

Cal Poly announced the creation of an antisemitism task force in April, and the university is fundraising to hire a chair of Jewish studies.

When asked if Cal Poly was a hotbed of antisemitism, Armstrong simply said, No.

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Later, when asked if he believed anti-Zionism could constitute national origin discrimination, Armstrong said, Yes.

We work very hard to make sure all students have a safe learning environment, Armstrong said. We want to make sure theyre free from harassment and discrimination, but we also balance that with free speech.

Cal Poly is also working to establish an Interfaith Center, which would support students practicing all types of religions  including Judaism.

We view that as an opportunity where students can come together, where they can have a dialog, Armstrong said of the Interfaith Center.

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The university has been discussing such a center with Chabad, Hillel and other religious leaders for several years, but the COVID-19 pandemic slowed progress on the project, Armstrong said.

Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat who represents the 12th District of North Carolina, said she felt encouraged by Cal Polys efforts to establish an Interfaith Center.

Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong testifies before the House Committee on Education and Workforce on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, about antisemitism on the San Luis Obispo campus.

When students gather across faiths and backgrounds to talk, to grieve, to organize together  thats how we build resilience, and thats how we push back against hate, she said.

To address antisemitism along with all forms of discrimination, Adams called for providing resources to the Office of Civil Rights, which investigates allegations of discrimination. The Trump administration, however, has cut seven of the 12 local offices of the Office of Civil Rights, Cole and Democrats on the panel noted.

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Every student, regardless of background, deserves to feel safe, protected and welcomed on campuses, and that includes Jewish students, that includes Muslim students, Adams said.

In a rare display of congeniality during the hearing, California Democratic Rep. Mark DeSaulnier complimented Armstrong.

You have one of the highest returns on investment for students, DeSaulnier said. When your graduates get out, they go out to work and make a good return on investment. So thank you for that.

DeSaulnier submitted to the record letters from two Jewish students and SLO Hillel Executive Director Lauren Bandari, which shared that Armstrongs leadership facilitated a safe atmosphere for Jewish students on campus. He then asked Armstrong about the universitys partnership with law enforcement.

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Armstrong said the Cal Poly Police Department collaborates with the San Luis Obispo Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies when necessary.

We deploy campus police whenever there is potential for threatening activity or trouble, and they make arrests and file criminal charges when justified, Armstrong said.

A Pro-Palestine protest outside the Cal Poly Recreation Center in January 2024 was met with a heavy police presence. The demonstration ended in a violent clash between police and demonstrators and eight arrests.

Then, in May 2024, another Pro-Palestine protest at the California Boulevard entrance to campus also ended with eight arrests  that time without incident.

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Armstrong said the university investigates all allegations of antisemitism or harassment on campus and imposes discipline when appropriate.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, six students have been disciplined for antisemitic conduct  with sanctions ranging from a two-quarter suspension to probation, he said.

At Cal Poly, when people do not live up to our commitment to prohibit prejudice and bias, we hold them accountable, Armstrong said. We have dealt with antisemitism and other forms of discrimination by faculty, staff, visitors and students.

The question of discipline came up repeatedly during the hearing, with all three presidents fielding questions about their universities processes.

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But it was the Haverford president who received the brunt of Republican members anger when she refused to share details.

Republican New York Rep. Elise Stefanik repeatedly asked Raymond what disciplinary action her university took against students who called for the complete dismantling of the apartheid settler colonial state of Israel by all means necessary.

When Raymond refused to share specifics, Stefanik clapped back.

You were the one university president who failed to lay out if any disciplinary action has been taken, Stefanik said.

Later, Missouri Republican Rep. Bob Onder also called out Raymond for refusing to answer questions about the universitys disciplinary process.

I suppose its your First Amendment right to be evasive, but its also our right to decide that such institutions are not deserving of taxpayer money, he said.

Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong, right, testified before the House Committee on Education and Workforce on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, about antisemitism on the San Luis Obispo campus. He was joined by DePaul University President Robert Manuel, left, Georgetown University professor David Cole and, not pictured, Haverford College President Wendy Raymond.

Cal Poly president grilled about DEI

Republican South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson used some of his time to grill Armstrong about diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, calling the Cal Poly president an outspoken DEI proponent.

I believe that DEI chills and actually restricts and restrains academic freedom. Its been my view that diversity means no ideological diversity, Wilson said.

Wilson asked Armstrong how he viewed diversity, equity and inclusion.

Cal Poly, since Ive been there, weve focused on student success  and all student success, Armstrong said.

Wilson then interrupted Armstrong and asked, Does that mean equity for everybody? They all get the same grades?

Oh no, sir, Armstrong said. We have been admitting students under Prop. 209, (which) has been in existence for more than 25 years in California, so weve been operating under an affirmative action ban during that time, and we have had significant changes in the makeup of our population, because weve increased financial aid and made students more able to  

Wilson then interrupted Armstrong again to ask what percentage of Cal Polys professors were conservative, before answering his own question.

Im sadly concerned there are none, or very few, Wilson said, without giving Armstrong the chance to respond.

Democrats criticize the hearing

The stated intent of the hearing was to hold universities accountable for antisemitic incidents on campus and enact policies that create a safe environment for Jewish students, Walberg said in his opening statement.

Numerous Democrats on the committee, however, questioned the sincerity of this effort.

Virginia Democrat Rep. Bobby Scott explained that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act promises all students the right to learn in a safe environment free of discrimination. The Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights investigates allegations of discrimination and enforces compliance with the law.

If a student alleged that a campus didnt provide a safe learning environment, the Office of Civil Rights has a process for investigating and disciplining the university. If the university doesnt comply with the offices requirements, the Department of Education can withhold funds, Scott said.

Scott said the Title VI process is more effective for addressing antisemitism than the committees Wednesday hearing.

However, the Trump administration closed seven of the Office of Civil Rights 12 regional offices and laid off nearly half of its staff  preventing the office from investigating and punishing antisemitic incidents the committee wished to protect students from, Scott said.

That raises reasonable doubt about the plans for addressing antisemitism on campus, as well as racism, homophobia, sexism, Islamophobia or the needs of students with disabilities, Scott said. We should be focused on trying to solve the problem rather than just complaining about it.

Instead of holding hearings about antisemitism, he called for the committee to empower the Office of Civil Rights to conduct fact-finding investigations into each incident and address them accordingly.

Cole explained that only two types of antisemitic speech violate Title VI, the first being if the speech targets an individual because they are Jewish.

Not because he supports Israel, but because of his Jewish identity specifically, Cole said.

If the speech isnt targeted at an individual, such as at a rally, it only violates Title VI if it is so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it denies equal access to an education, Cole said.

The Office of Civil Rights investigates such incidents to balance free speech with the safety of students and compliance with Title VI, Cole said.

The line between protected antisemitic speech and prohibited antisemitic discrimination is necessarily fact-intensive. It requires a careful assessment of what was said to whom and why it was said, Cole said. As a result, it is not sufficient to make general accusations of antisemitism, as members of this committee have repeatedly done in all of the prior hearings and already today.

Holding a hearing for each alleged antisemitic incident, with testimony from the perpetrator and the complainant, would be a more effective way to investigate and address antisemitism than this hearing, Cole said.

You need to look at what happened, hear both sides of the encounter, and make a legal assessment, not a political harangue, Cole said.

Texas Democrat Rep. Greg Casars comments were perhaps the most scathing of the day.

He asked Republican committee members to raise their hand if they condemned President Donald Trump for saying there were fine people on both sides after white supremacists and neo-Nazis marched through Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.

He then asked them to raise their hand if they condemned U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for spreading an antisemitic conspiracy theory that COVID was engineered to target white and black people, but spare Jewish people.

Not a single Republican today has been willing to condemn any of this antisemitism, Casar said. If my Republican colleagues want to stop the spread of antisemitism, maybe they should stop apologizing for and promoting anti-Semites.

He also called for the strengthening of the Office of Civil Rights.

This hearing called by the Republican majority is all about Trump Republicans distorting the definition of antisemitism to silence anyone, including Jewish students, who speak out, nonviolently, against what the Israeli government is doing, he said. The Republican plan is not about keeping Jewish students safe. Its about keeping the Israeli government safe from any form of criticism. That is a disservice to the truth.

In their letter to the committee, Cal Poly students Avi Shapiro and Benjamin Broudy said they appreciated the hearing.

The work that the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development and the House Committee on Education and Workforce is doing to publicize and help prevent future antisemitic incidents is incredibly important in keeping Jewish college students safe and comfortable, the letter said. When university students are not doing well, universities are not doing well. It is necessary, and a huge step in the right direction, to put a spotlight on universities that have failed their Jewish students and who have made zero effort to combat antisemitism on their campuses.

Letter detailed allegations of antisemitism at Cal Poly

Armstrong was called to testify in an April 21 letter that the committee sent. It detailed new allegations of antisemitism on the universitys campus.

The letter repeated claims outlined by the Anti-Defamation League, an organization known for its pro-Israel advocacy, in its Campus Antisemitism Report Card, which originally gave Cal Poly an F rating. The rating was later raised to a D after Cal Poly implemented new policies, according to the report card website  and the boost occurred just days after Cal Poly announced a new antisemitism task force.

The Anti-Defamation Leagues analysis found that Cal Poly had high levels of hostile and anti-Zionist students and faculty, and the universitys administration was marked down in the report for not publicly condemning antisemitic incidents on campus, according to the organization.

The committee letter relied on these claims to justify Armstrongs appearance and cited alleged verbal harassment of Jewish students by a Cal Poly professor in April 2024 outside a lecture on campus by a former Israeli Defense Force soldier.

The alleged harassment included a Cal Poly professor, while holding a Palestinian flag, confronting Jewish students and attendees in the lobby and stating You are Zionists  you are part of the KKK, the letter reads. The same professor, while standing in the lobby near the entrance, allegedly held the Palestinian flag over the face of a woman as she entered the lobby and stated F--- Israel.

Despite that list of grievances, committee members did not question Armstrong about any particular incident.
ANNISTON  Several Calhoun County administrative offices will open late on Wednesday, May 14, to allow personnel to attend a countywide employee meeting, according to a recent news release from the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency.

Calhoun County offices, including the Calhoun County Administration Building, Calhoun County Commission, Calhoun County Sheriffs Office and license and tag office annexes in Alexandria and Piedmont, will open at 10 a.m. These offices will close at their normal time of 4:30 p.m.

The delayed opening also affects the License Commissioners Office, Revenue Commissioners Office, Probate Court, Highway Department and Emergency Management Agency.

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The Calhoun County Courthouse will maintain its regular operating hours and will not be impacted.

According to the release, the modified schedule allows county employees to participate in a professional development session. The training is part of an ongoing effort to invest in the workforce and public servants who support the community, according to the release.

We appreciate the publics patience and understanding during this brief delay in service, the release stated.
ISTANBUL, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police detained 16 suspects on Thursday over alleged links to the Islamic State (IS), in Turkiye's largest city, Istanbul, according to authorities.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that arrest warrants had been issued for 23 individuals suspected of operating as "foreign terrorist fighters" within the organization.

Following the warrants, police carried out extensive operations across the city to apprehend the suspects.

So far, 16 of them have been detained, and efforts are ongoing to locate and detain the remaining seven fugitives.

Turkiye officially designated IS as a terrorist organization in 2013 and has since been targeted by the group in multiple attacks. In response, Ankara has launched numerous counter-terrorism operations both domestically and abroad. 
Democratic divides over the ongoing bloody conflict in the Middle East were on display this week as gubernatorial candidates made their pitches to politically active Jewish Californians.

Five of the candidates running to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who cannot run in 2026 because of term limits, overwhelmingly agreed about the horror of the Hamas attack on Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023, while also lamenting the ensuing deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, notably women and children.

But there were differences in their views of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus response to the terrorist attack, which the Jewish states authorities said caused the deaths of about 1,200 people, and 251 people being taken hostage, including some American citizens. The Israeli efforts have resulted in the deaths of more than 52,000 Gazans, according to the regions health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

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Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa raised the terrorist attack on Israel most directly when he spoke to the Jewish Public Affairs Committee gathering in the states capital on Tuesday.

For me, Oct. 7 was a day that will live in me and a day that will be seared in my memory, he told hundreds of attendees. To see women and children brutalized, older people, people without weapons, killed in front of their family.

He said in an interview afterward that although he is not a Netanyahu supporter, he doesnt believe the Israel response has gone too far.

Look, I'm well aware of what Hamas does. Hamas puts their ammunition in hospitals. They put their rockets under apartment buildings. They built infrastructure in places, daring the Israelis to hit them back, Villaraigosa said. Nobody enjoys seeing the number of innocents who have been killed. But I put that mostly on Hamas.

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At the conference, former Rep. Katie Porter spoke about the rising antisemitism in the nation.

So we have to be honest and just say that it is scary right now to be a Jewish person. It is scary to be American in many instances, because we are seeing rising hate, and that hate has been targeted in particular at the Jewish people and at Jewish institutions, Porter said on Monday, pointing to the recent arson attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiros home.

Porter, a law professor at UC Irvine, added that although she prioritizes protecting free speech, there is a line above which you cannot go, when speech places people in danger.

Though governors do not craft foreign policy, Californias voice is influential because of the large number of Jewish and Muslim residents who live here  the second-most of any state in the nation for both religious groups.

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Additionally, the conflict and the United States support of Israel has roiled Democratic politics in the state and across the nation, not only among members of the two religious groups, but also with young and liberal voters.

Weeks after the terrorist attack, about 1,000 protesters shut down a California Democratic Party convention in Sacramento, calling then-President Biden Genocide Joe. The incident occurred days after protesters clashed with police outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee.

Read more: California Democratic Party convention locked down amid anti-Israel protests

The administrations response led to some Democrats turning against the party in the 2024 presidential election. Nearly 70% of voters in Dearborn, Mich., traditionally a Democratic stronghold that is home to the largest concentration of Muslims in the country, voted for President Trump or Green Party candidate Jill Stein last year.

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The divide could reemerge at the state Democratic Party convention in Anaheim later this month.

This weeks appearance by five gubernatorial candidates points to the importance of Jewish voters, who tend to vote at higher rates than average Americans, according to Brandeis University. Each spoke about their ties with the Jewish community.

Former state Controller Betty Yee, whose husband is a rabbi, said she believes that the governor of California can help build bridges between the diverse communities in this state.

I'll just speak as someone who cares about our common humanity; as a humanitarian, I can't stomach what's happened, she said in an interview, adding that Netayahu has overstepped.

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Her husbands experiences leading interfaith dialogues grew more challenging in the aftermath of the attack.

Oct. 7 really put a lot of strain on those relationships, and it's just now finally kind of starting to come around  to move forward together, and to understand whos the enemy, she said. Well, the enemy is anybody who's just going to be for senseless killings.

State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Turmond, whose family converted to Hebrew Pentecostalism when he was a child, said his agency has had to intervene in some K-12 districts about discussions of the conflict and its effect on students.

Teachers and educators at the end of the day have to refrain from imparting their personal view to students and telling them how they should feel, and that has happened in a few cases, and that has gotten those districts in trouble, he said in an interview.

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Current events ought to be teachable moments, he said.

We have a history of social science framework that says we should use world life events as an opportunity to teach, Thurmond said. But the moment that anyone starts imparting their personal view for any side, then it's gone too far. And what it has led to has been experiences where Jewish students have felt targeted and isolated, and ultimately, some have left those districts.

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra held the Jewish community up as a paragon for what the state ought to strive for in challenging times.

When I visit communities across the state, I hear a very familiar worry that our politics are too broken, our systems too slow, our future too uncertain. But I don't believe in giving in, he said Tuesday morning. We dont get to choose the challenges of our times, but we do get to choose how we respond to them. The Jewish community in California has answered that question time and time again, with action, with advocacy, with hearts.

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Villaraigosa discussed his childhood in Boyle Heights, growing up alongside Latinos, Jews and Asian Americans, as well as the strong support he received from Jewish Angelenos during his campaigns. Porter touched upon her relationship with the Jewish community in Orange County, including holding her first town hall at a synagogue there.

Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis was scheduled to appear at the conference but had a scheduling conflict because of a family matter.

Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox twice per week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Madison Schaeffer described it as her favorite call.

As an epidemiologist and director of the New Mexico Department of Health's NMHealth Helpline, Schaeffer and her staff had fielded their fair share of health care-related questions. They have helped New Mexicans find primary care doctors and specialists, scheduled vaccines for children and adults, responded to concerns about bites from various real and mythical creatures  monkeys and javelinas, chupacabras and Bigfoot.

But until her favorite call came in, Schaeffer had never heard of a lemur in a rural New Mexico town, taking up residence behind the bar of a chain restaurant and snacking on mozzarella sticks.

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The caller asked whether rabies can be transmitted by being in the same room as a lemur. Schaeffer and her team contacted the requisite animal control officials  who determined the "lemur" was in fact a cat with a striped tail.

The call demonstrates the 5-year-old helpline's central credo: No question is too outlandish for the helpline staff to handle, Schaeffer said. Particularly as New Mexicans worry about a variety of unusual maladies  measles, hantavirus, plague  the state Department of Health's on-call nurses are available seven days a week to answer calls and pressing questions. In total, Schaeffer said, her staff fields and places about 10,000 calls per month.

"We can help with pretty much anything," she said. "If people need help, they should call us. It's what we're here for."

The helpline got its start as the state's COVID-19 hotline, with Department of Health nursing staff answering questions related to the illness, conveying positive test results and, as time went on, scheduling vaccinations.

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As pandemic-related worries waned, however, the hotline maintained its services  and expanded to offer more and more health resources.

"We built this infrastructure, and it seems like it would be a waste to just let it go away, so we gradually started adding more things," Schaeffer said.

Now, she added, "Our primary goal is to help members of the public with literally anything health-related."

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Nurse practitioner Brieann Peralta calls a pharmacy April 28 from an examination room at the Albuquerque Northeast Heights Health Office. "The telehealth program is really great because it has the potential to reach those who are most vulnerable, with little to no access to care otherwise," she said.

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The NMHealth Helpline helps fills a gap left in 2016 when the more than 10-year-old nonprofit NurseAdvice New Mexico hung up its phones. The longtime service, operated through a public-private partnership, provided residents across the state with free, 24-hour phone access to state-based nurses to help ease the strain on rural health clinics and hospitals. It had been hailed as a national model.

But as managed care companies that had long supported the program began switching to out-of-state phone services, the nonprofit's revenues began to decline, and last-minute efforts to shore up its budget fell short.

The state's NMHealth Helpline provides several services to the public at no charge:

* Helping callers find primary care doctors, mental health care providers, specialists and addiction treatment.

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* Offering advice about diseases and infections, including food poisoning, COVID-19, winter viruses and animal bites.

* Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

* Scheduling vaccines for kids and adults.

* Connecting callers with reproductive health services, like finding birth control, abortion providers, pregnancy resources and prenatal care.

The helpline's services are available 13 hours a day on weekdays and six hours a day on weekends in English and Spanish, with after-hours support for clinicians.

Who's on the other end of the phone?

The helpline is staffed by a team of about 20 registered nurses, Schaeffer said, plus a few nonclinical vital records workers to handle questions about birth and death certificates.

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A handful of other providers offer telehealth services through the helpline, too, even prescribing medications.

Nurse practitioner Brieann Peralta is one such provider. Though she originally joined the helpline team to prescribe antiviral medication during the pandemic, the scope of her work has since expanded to include some telehealth visits. She can coordinate free mail-order tests for routine screenings for sexually transmitted infections or help schedule testing at a local laboratory or public health office.

Helpline workers can also call in prescription treatments for certain STIs to a local pharmacy or help coordinate treatment at a public health office.

Another provider can consult with patients and prescribe medication for opioid abuse.

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Nurse practitioner Brieann Peralta in an examination room April 28 at the Albuquerque Northeast Heights Health Office. "The telehealth program is really great because it has the potential to reach those who are most vulnerable, with little to no access to care otherwise," she said.

It's particularly helpful in New Mexico, where providers are often scarce and far away from rural communities, Peralta said.

"The telehealth program is really great because it has the potential to reach those who are most vulnerable, with little to no access to care otherwise," she said.

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Peralta added, "We know that the world of health care is changing, and we have to meet people where they are, especially in public health."

As other agencies and organizations scramble to find funding amid massive federal cuts to public health programs  particularly those with lingering connections to the pandemic  the NMHealth Helpline is safe, Schaeffer said. Starting with the new fiscal year July 1, the helpline's roughly $3 million annual budget will be covered with state funds.

After the helpline's five years in existence, Schaeffer said she's interested in the possibility of expanding its telehealth offerings.

"[We're] looking at what opportunities there are in order to help New Mexicans continue with their access to services, make sure they're getting what they need," she said.
The United States isn't the only country issuing serious travel warnings as of late.

While the United States has issued travel warnings for several notable countries in recent weeks, Canada has also issued "urgent" warnings for two notable countries.

America's neighbors to the north have issued "urgent" travel warnings for two countries amid times of unrest overseas.

Canada has officially issued "urgent" travel warnings for both India and Pakistan. There is ongoing tension in both countries, amid a time of unrest and multiple airstrikes. Canadians have been warned to proceed with a "high degree of caution" due to ongoing threats of terrorism, insurgency, and political unrest in the two countries.

Airport warning. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The United States issued a Level 3: Reconsider Travel warning for Pakistan back on March 7.

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The warning was issued due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.

U.S. citizens were warned to specifically avoid the following areas:

Balochistan Province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province , which include the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism.

The immediate vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.

"Violent extremist groups continue to plot attacks in Pakistan. Terrorist attacks are frequent in Balochistan Province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KP), which include the former FATA. Large-scale terrorist attacks have resulted in numerous casualties, and small-scale attacks are frequent. Terrorism and ongoing violence by extremist elements have led to indiscriminate attacks on civilian, as well as local military and police targets," the U.S. State Department said.

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"Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, military installations, airports, universities, tourist attractions, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and government facilities. Terrorists have targeted U.S. diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past."

A Level 3 warning is the second highest warning the U.S. State Department can issue for traveling abroad.
BOSTON (SHNS)  One representative called it a wonderful, reefer-smelling bag and another worried a drug-sniffing dog might alert to him at the airport later as he passed the bundle of products down the Cannabis Policy Committee dais Wednesday.

The bag didnt contain items sold in legal retail marijuana stores here, or even marijuana items sold on the illicit market. Inside were products purchased legally and without clear state regulation from gas stations, convenience stores and vape shops around Massachusetts, each one purporting to be a legal hemp product under federal law but offering the same kind of high as cannabis.

These intoxicating hemp-based products largely fall into a gray area of the law and between the regulatory cracks. Since the gummies, energy shot-like drink bottles and seltzers proliferated across Massachusetts convenience store checkout counters and social media feeds in recent years, lawmakers and regulators have already expressed a desire to straighten out what is and is not cannabis, and how it should all be regulated.

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In my opinion, if it smells like it, looks like it, I think it is it, Cannabis Policy Committee co-chair Sen. Adam Gomez said Wednesday after hearing concerns about hemp products from legal cannabis retailers and others.

The products at issue get around the regulation that comes with cannabis by calling themselves hemp products, but the distinction between hemp and cannabis is really just a legal fiction, a legal creation, Jesse Alderman, co-chair of Foley Hoags nationwide cannabis practice, told the committee.

Hemp is defined as cannabis that contains no more than 0.3% Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound of marijuana, by dry weight at the time of harvest. The 2018 federal farm bill removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and gave oversight of hemp production to federal and state departments of agriculture.

Alderman said 0.3% Delta-9 THC by weight would be a very small amount in a plant, but can be equivalent to a far greater amount of THC in a processed final product so that while they have a concentration of less than 0.3% while measured dry, they are intensely psychoactive.

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I mean, they can knock your socks off, he said.

On the committees docket Wednesday was H 168 from Newburyport Rep. Dawne Shand, which would require the Cannabis Control Commission to regulate hemp-derived cannabinoid products and require a hemp endorsement from the CCC for their sale and transfer of such products.

It would define or redefine CBD, cannabinoids, Delta-8 THC, Delta-9 THC, and more. Something would be considered a hemp-derived cannabinoid product if it is derived from hemp, intended for human consumption and contains more than 0.5 milligrams of THC per serving and 2.5 mg per multi-serving package.

The intoxicating hemp industry makes a mockery of cannabis laws in states like Massachusetts, where we have attempted to create a fair, legal and safe cannabis market, Shand said. The intoxicating hemp products are pure product competitors  beverages, edibles, pre-rolls, vapes  same high.

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Peter Gallagher, CEO of the licensed cannabis producer and retailer INSA, passed the bag of hemp products among committee members and explained that he bought more than 100 hemp products from more than 20 stores around the state and sent them out for testing.

What we found was quite alarming. Approximately 90% of those products would qualify as cannabis, meaning that the percentage of Delta-9 was well above 0.3%. In fact, in some cases, it was well north of 10%. Not only that, about a third of those products wouldnt have passed the strict regulatory testing thats required by the state of Massachusetts, and would have failed for microbials, pesticides, in some case banned pesticides in the United States, as well as heavy metals and residual solvents, he said, adding that none of the stores checked an ID and some were not charging sales tax at all.

He said among the products purchased was a package of edibles that contained 1,200 milligrams of THC per piece and about 36,000 mg for the entire package  well in excess of the states legal limit for cannabis of 5 mg per piece and 100 mg per package.

What were seeing is cannabis is being sold in gas stations, convenience stores and vape shops under the guise of hemp. This really looks a lot like what we saw in 2019 with the vape crisis, where illegal, unregulated, untested vape cartridges were being sold with cutting agents in them and ultimately led to people harming themselves, Gallagher said. I think a lot of consumers today dont understand that whats being purchased in these gas stations, convenience stores, vape shops, or even online, is different and potentially more damaging, especially with the synthetic cannabinoids, than what youre able to purchase in the regulated dispensaries.

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Republican Rep. Michael Soter of Bellingham has also filed legislation to regulate CBD and hemp products (H 179) and to regulate Delta-9 THC (H 173). He said Wednesday that his bills are based on conversations with the owner of a CBD store in his district, someone who has many of the same concerns as Gallagher.

My biggest part of it is that I think there are a lot of CBD shop owners that are very concerned, like you are, about the Delta-9 levels and making sure that we regulate that, because I think what were seeing in the level of that stuff out there is extremely toxic and we need to regulate it and we need to put more focus on that, he said. I just want to make sure that were kind of all aligned in what were trying to do. Were not trying to hurt your industry, and Im not trying to kill a CBD industry.

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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The Catholic Church has a new pope: Chicago Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected on Thursday after four rounds of voting as the new head of the Catholic Church after just 24 hours of conclave in the Sistine Chapel.

As pontiff, the 69-year-old will take the name Leo XIV. The first-ever pope from the United States previously served in the Vatican as a curial cardinal, heading the important dicastery  effectively the ministry  responsible for bishops worldwide.

Earlier in his career, he worked as a missionary and bishop in Peru and served as the prior general of the Augustinian Order. He is regarded as someone who can mediate well between the conservative and reform-oriented factions within the Catholic Church.

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After his election, he appeared before the public for the first time on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at 7:13 pm (1713 GMT). This was met with huge cheers. He addressed, in Italian, the more than 100,000 people who had been waiting for the new pope. "Peace be with you all, dear brothers and sisters," he said.

He also referred to his immediate predecessor, Francis: "God loves us all, and evil will not prevail. Let us move forward without fear, hand in hand with God and one another. Help us to build bridges to the world. Thank you, Pope Francis."

Pope Leo, who speaks fluent Italian and Spanish, also addressed the massive crowd in front of the chapel in Spanish in his first comments as head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

First pope from the United States

For the first time in two millennia of church history, a pontiff comes from the United States. For the past 12 years, Argentine Pope Francis led the faithful worldwide. Shortly after 6:00 pm (1600 GMT), white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel  the signal that the 133 cardinals from around the world had reached a two-thirds majority.

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Loud cheers erupted on St Peter's Square, where more than 15,000 people were waiting at the time. The bells of St Peter's Basilica rang out in celebration. Prevost had already been considered one of the favourites before the conclave. However, he was not at the very top of most published lists.

Conclave began on Wednesday

Leo XIV is the 267th pontiff in 2,000 years of Catholic Church history. From the balcony, he gave his first Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to the world) blessing.

By then, St Peter's Square was filled with more than 100,000 people. Many residents and tourists rushed to the central square of the small church state in the heart of Rome after hearing the news of the white smoke.

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The successor to Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, was elected relatively quickly. The cardinals had only entered the chapel on Wednesday at around 5:45 pm, where they deliberated strictly isolated from the outside world. They were not allowed any contact with the outside, even during breaks and at night.

Since the 1960s, no conclave has lasted longer than three days, and this one was no exception. It was also quicker than the 2013 election of Francis, which required five rounds of voting. This time, the electoral body was larger than ever, with 133 cardinals.

There is great anticipation as to whether Pope Leo XIV will continue the cautious reform course of his Argentinian predecessor. Conservative cardinals had previously called for a return to a more traditional direction.

World leaders congratulate new pope

Among the first to congratulate the new pope was US President Donald Trump.

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"It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Germany's new chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is Catholic, said in a press statement that people in Germany look to the new pontificate "with confidence and positive expectations."

Congratulations and well wishes came in from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Polish President Andrzej Duda, who all wrote on X.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote: "May his pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defence of human rights in a world in need of hope and unity."

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated the new pope, saying he hoped the new head of the Vatican would continue to support his war-torn country and condemn Russia.

"Ukraine deeply values the Holy Sees consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federations military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians," the Ukrainian president added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine more than three years ago, said in a statement that he hoped that "the constructive dialogue and cooperation established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values that unite us."

Church losing support in Europe

In Europe, the Catholic Church has lost significant numbers of members in recent years, driven by numerous abuse scandals. Elsewhere however the number of Catholics is growing.

Since 1978, the papacy has been held by John Paul II from Poland, Benedict XVI from Germany and Francis who hailed from Argentina.

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV, the American Robert Prevost, appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican after the Papal Conclave. Oliver Weiken/dpa
Black smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican for the second time, indicating the cardinals meeting in the papal conclave were again unable on Thursday morning to agree on a new leader for the Catholic Church.

The smoke emerged at 11:51 am (0951 GMT), signalling that the 133 cardinals tasked with choosing the new pope failed to agree on a successor to pope Francis in the second and third rounds of voting.

Thousands of observers again gathered on St Peter's Square to await the results of the voting.

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The conclave began on Wednesday, two weeks after the Argentinian pontiff died on Easter Monday aged 88.

The election of the 267th pope in 2,000 years of Church history could take some time, with a two-thirds majority needed to select a new leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

Until then, the rest of the world will rely on the smoke signals from the chimney on the roof of the ornate chapel in the Apostolic Palace, as the cardinals are secluded from the outside world during the process.

Voting is set to continue on Thursday with up to two further rounds in the afternoon after a pause for lunch in the Saint Martha House residence in the Vatican.

Black smoke rises from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at midday on the second day of the conclave in the Vatican, signaling that the cardinals have not yet agreed on a new pope. Oliver Weiken/dpa
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA)  Teachers work day in and day out preparing the leaders of tomorrow. In Urbana, some have to do that differently for students who are deaf and hard of hearing.

During Teacher Appreciation Week, Carle Auditory Oral School staff are thanking the people behind the students progress  who help kids ages 3 to third grade communicate orally, rather than with sign language.

Volunteers needed for Carles No One Dies Alone program

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We have some kids that start out that are not speaking at all when they first start here, so its our job to get them talking, Deaf Educator Leah Burris said.

The school got its start in 1997. Since then, Champaign-Urbana is still the smallest population base to have a listening and spoken language program.

When [a childs] hearing loss is first identified, they dont have much in the way of communication skills just yet, School Director Danielle Chalfant said. They may be making some sounds, but not really using words or understanding the spoken language thats around them.

Families relocate from all over the country to get access to the schools programming. Some across Illinois drive upwards of an hour each way to get to Urbana on the daily.

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Carle doctors testing out digital intelligence technology in certain appointments

Leah Burris is one of the six teachers on staff, who work together across multiple disciplines to best serve students. Shes about to wrap up her 15th year at the school.

Every kid works hard, but especially those kids that are deaf or hard of hearing, they work really hard, Burris said.

Daily crafts and activities may look like playtime, but they actually work to build up speech skills through modeling of teachers and typical-hearing children.

Infused in every activity the kids are engaged in whether it be painting or morning circle time or building with blocks, [teachers] infuse this repeated success practice with spoken language and listening skills, Chalfant said.

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Teachers vocal repetition and cues help students make progress almost daily  something special education teacher Alex Ward said is beyond rewarding.

City of Urbana finalizes last property tax payment to Carle Health

Getting to see first-hard that language that theyve taken and just ran with and then getting the opportunities to practice it is amazing  even in the span of a couple weeks, Ward said.

Teachers work changes outcomes for kids by giving them the tools to make their voices heard.

With small class sizes of only about five kids per adult, teachers say the school is one big family. They say its always special when a child comes back years down the line to show how far theyve come.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.






On May 7, President Donald Trump announced that he had chosen Dr. Casey Means as his new surgeon general nominee

Means and her brother were key advisers on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign, and have been prominent supporters of his "Make America Healthy" agenda

The holistic medicine doctor has voiced anti-vaccine views and focused her work on treating chronic illnesses by focusing on nutrition







President Donald Trump has made his new pick for surgeon general: Dr. Casey Means.

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On May 7, the president announced on Truth Social that he would nominate Means for the role, confirming that he had withdrawn his first pick, former Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat.

As a holistic medicine doctor and wellness influencer, Means previously wrote in a newsletter that there were several things she wanted to "see happen at the policy level to improve the health of Americans."

"More than anything, I would like to see our future White House rally Americans to be healthy and fit," she continued. "We need inspirational national leaders helping to inspire people to care about their health, the food they eat, and their fitness. We also need leaders who understand the relationship between human health and environmental health, which are inextricably linked."

She added, "We cannot go on poisoning the earth without destroying our own health; we are one with nature."

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From her education to her career, here's everything to know about Casey Means, Trumps new nominee for surgeon general.



She attended Stanford University

Real Time with Bill Maher/ Instagram Casey Means smiles for a photo in November 2024. Casey Means smiles for a photo in November 2024.

After graduating from The Madeira School in 2005, Means went on to attend Stanford University, per her LinkedIn.

In 2009, she graduated from Stanford with a bachelor's degree in human biology. She then continued her education there to receive her medical degree.

Means pursued a surgical residency at Oregon Health & Science University, per NPR, but dropped out before her final year.

"During my training as a surgeon, I saw how broken and exploitative the healthcare system is and left to focus on how to keep people out of the operating room," Means wrote on her website.

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According to her LinkedIn, she returned to Stanford University in 2020 as a lecturer, teaching a course on food, design and technology.

Means is a holistic medicine doctor and wellness influencer

Casey Means/ Instagram Dr. Casey Means with her book 'Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health.' Dr. Casey Means with her book 'Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health.'

Means MD postgraduate license was granted in 2014 but shifted to inactive status in 2019, per the Los Angeles Times.

The Stanford alum describes herself on her LinkedIn as a "former surgeon turned metabolic health evangelist" who is "striving to create a happier and healthier world and planet."

The wellness guru has also taken her passion to the tech space. In August 2019, she co-founded Levels, a digital health company dedicated to helping people see how food affects their health by using personalized data, per her LinkedIn.



Means has expressed skepticism about vaccines

Casey Means/ Instagram Casey Means records her audio book in March 2024 Casey Means records her audio book in March 2024

In her newsletter plea to the White House, Means expressed wanting the administration to "reform the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 and increase unbiased research on the safety of the cumulative effects of vaccines on the CDC vaccine schedule."

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"There is growing evidence that the total burden of the current extreme and growing vaccine schedule is causing health declines in vulnerable children," she continued. "This needs to be investigated."

According to the CDC, millions of children safely receive vaccines every year, and the U.S. currently has "the safest vaccine supply in its history."

She and her brother were key advisers on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign

Calley Means/ Instagram Dr. Casey Means and brother Calley Means pose for a photo together in January 2025. Dr. Casey Means and brother Calley Means pose for a photo together in January 2025.

Means and her brother Calley Means, who is a former lobbyist, served as key advisers to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2024 presidential bid, per AP News. According to the outlet, they also helped arrange Kennedy's endorsement of Trump.

The sibling duo are vocal advocates of Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) agenda, which views pharmaceutical and food companies as corrupt and responsible for a rise in chronic disease, per BBC.

Her focus is on chronic diseases

Casey Means/ Instagram Dr. Casey Means with a book 'Glucose Revolution: The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar' written by Jessie Inchauspe. Dr. Casey Means with a book 'Glucose Revolution: The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar' written by Jessie Inchauspe.

In Trump's Truth Social announcement, he praised Means' work on chronic diseases.

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"Casey has impeccable 'MAHA' credentials, and will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans," he wrote.

Means has made several podcast appearances throughout her career, often speaking about the rise of chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and obesity. In August 2024, she appeared on right-wing political commentator Tucker Carlson's podcast and said that chronic illnesses are "driven by our toxic food system and our toxic environment."



"These subtle insidious forces that are creating slow progressive illness  that allow patients to be profitable and on the pharma treadmill for their entire lives," she said. "They make us sick but they don't kill us, and then we are drugged for life."



She co-wrote a book with her brother

Calley Means/ Instagram Dr. Casey Means and brother Calley Means pose for a photo together in May 2024. Dr. Casey Means and brother Calley Means pose for a photo together in May 2024.

In addition to working with her brother on Kennedy Jr.'s campaign, the sibling pair also co-wrote a book.

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In 2024, Means and her brother published Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health, a book focused on "what is causing symptoms and diseases, and how to feel amazing now and in the future," per her website.

"Good Energy is the simple answer to achieving incredible health: for ourselves, our children, our parents, and the planet," she continued.

Read the original article on People
KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Malaysian Central Bank has on Thursday lowered the country's statutory reserve requirement (SRR) ratio by 100 basis points, from 2 percent to 1 percent, effective May 16.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) said in a statement that the decision to reduce the SRR is part of the bank's continuous efforts to ensure sufficient liquidity in the domestic financial system.

This will facilitate banks in better managing liquidity in an environment of greater financial market volatility and provide continued support for financial intermediation activity, it noted.

According to the bank, the SRR reduction will release approximately 19 billion ringgit (4.44 billion U.S. dollars) worth of liquidity into the banking system.

The SRR is an instrument to manage liquidity and is not a signal on the stance of monetary policy. 
European countries have long celebrated on May 8 to commemorate the day Nazi Germany surrendered in 1945. U.S. President Donald Trump has now declared the anniversary Victory Day as well, signing a proclamation on May 7, 2025. Russia, meanwhile, honors the Soviet Unions victory over Nazi Germany each May 9, with an enormous parade in Moscow to display the countrys military prowess.

This years 80th anniversary celebration has special significance for President Vladimir Putin, whose own war in Ukraine drags on. Under Putin, May 9 has become one of Russias most revered holidays. Spokesperson Dmitri Peskov has described it as the holiest holiday in our country, according to the Defence Blog.

Many scholars have researched how World War II has become a cornerstone of Russian nationalism during Putins time in power. It is also reflected in Russian rhetoric about its war in Ukraine. Russian leaders have portrayed the invasion as a fight against Neo-Nazis, and a holy war.

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This fusion of World War II, religion and Russian nationalism are embodied in one unusual building: the Main Church of the Russian Armed Forces, on the outskirts of Moscow. The massive, khaki-colored cathedral in a military theme park was dedicated in June 2020, and celebrates Russian might. The grand opening was supposed to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Unions victory over Nazi Germany, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conceived by the Russian defense minister after the countrys illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, the cathedral embodies the powerful ideology espoused by Putin, with support from the Russian Orthodox Church.

As a scholar of nationalism, I see this militant religious nationalism as one of the key elements in Putins motivation for the invasion of Ukraine, my native country. It also goes a long way in explaining Moscows behavior toward the collective West and the post-Cold War world order.

Angels and guns

The Church of the Armed Forces bell tower is 75 meters (250 feet) tall, symbolizing the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. Its domes diameter is 19.45 meters (64 feet), marking the year of the victory: 1945. A smaller dome is 14.18 meters (47 feet), representing the 1,418 days the war lasted. Trophy weapons are melted into the floor so that each step is a blow to the defeated Nazis.

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Frescoes celebrate Russias military might though history, from medieval battles to modern-day wars in Georgia and Syria. Archangels lead heavenly and earthly armies, Christ wields a sword and the Holy Mother, depicted as the Motherland, lends support.

Service members and young army cadets gather for an event held outside the cathedral to mark the 80th anniversary of the German invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II. Gavriil Grigorov\TASS via Getty Images

Cradles of Christianity

Frescoes also celebrate the Crimean occupation that began in 2014, with jubilant people holding a banner that reads We are together.

When Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated, calling Crimea the cradle of Russian Christianity. This mythology draws on the medieval story of Prince Vladimir, who converted to Christianity in the 10th century and was baptized in Crimea. The prince then imposed the faith on his subjects in Kyiv, and it spread from there.

The Russian Orthodox Church, also called the Moscow Patriarchate, has long claimed this event as its foundational story. The Russian Empire, which linked itself to the church, adopted this foundational story as well.

Russian World

Putin and the head of the Russian church, Patriarch Kirill, have resurrected these ideas about empire for the 21st century in the form of the so-called Russian World  giving new meaning to a phrase that dates to medieval times.

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In 2007, Putin created a Russian World Foundation, which was charged with the promotion of Russian language and culture worldwide, such as a cultural project preserving interpretations of history approved by the Kremlin.

For church and state, the idea of Russian World encompasses a mission of making Russia a spiritual, cultural and political center of civilization, to counter what they see as the liberal, secular ideology of the West. This vision has been used to justify policies at home and abroad.

The Great Patriotic War

Another planned mosaic depicted the celebrations of Soviet forces defeat of Nazi Germany  the Great Patriotic War, as World War II is called in Russia. The image included soldiers holding a portrait of Josef Stalin, the dictator who led the USSR during the war, among a crowd of decorated veterans. This mosaic was reportedly removed before the churchs opening.

The Great Patriotic War has a special, even sacred, place in Russians views of history. The Soviet Union sustained immense losses  26 million lives is a conservative estimate. Apart from the sheer devastation, many Russians ultimately see the war as a holy one, in which Soviets defended their motherland and the whole world from the evil of Nazism.

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Under Putin, glorification of the war and Stalins role in the victory have reached epic proportions. Nazism, for very good reasons, is seen as a manifestation of the ultimate evil.

Honor guard soldiers warm up prior to a May 5 rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade that will be held May 9, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Russia, to mark 77 years since the victory in World War II. AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky

The rhetoric of this militant nationalism has been on display as Russia threatened to and ultimately did invade Ukraine. Putin has consistently claimed that Ukraines government is run by Nazis, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has even compared Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy  who is Jewish  to Adolf Hitler.

These claims are absurd. However, portraying the government in Kyiv as evil helps the Kremlin paint the war in Ukraine in black and white.

Putin has also spoken of fraternal relationships between Russian and Ukrainian people and denied the existence of the Ukrainian state. In his view, Ukraines sovereignty is an example of extreme, chauvinistic nationalism.

Patriarchs and parades

Patriarch Kirill, who has called Putins rule a miracle of God, said the Church of the Russian Armed Forces holds the hope that future generations will pick up the spiritual baton from past generations and save the Fatherland from internal and external enemies.

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Since the beginning of the invasion, Kirill has defended it, painting the conflict as one with metaphysical significance, as he said in a sermon soon after the war began.

This religious nationalism will be on display May 9. However, the realities of the fighting loom large over the celebrations.

This is an updated version of an article originally published on March 2, 2022. Updates were made on May 6, 2022, to include plans for Russias parade, and again on May 7, 2025, to include Trumps proclamation.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Lena Surzhko Harned, Penn State

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Lena Surzhko Harned does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Bishop John E. Keehner and the Catholic Diocese of Sioux City has released a statement on the appointment of historys first American Pope.

In a statement, Bishop Keeher said he is pleased with the selection of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV.

Keehnar said he sees Pope Leo XIV as a holy man who will lead the Catholic church with strong faith and humility.

You can read Bishop Keehners full statement below.

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I am pleased to learn of the selection of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, who is a holy man who will lead us with strong faith and humility. We realize this was a monumental task for the cardinals to select the next Holy Father to lead the Church and we trust that they did so prayerfully with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I ask the faithful of the Diocese of Sioux City to join me in praying for our new pope as he begins his role as Vicar of Christ, sharing the Gospel message. Statement from Bishop John E. Keehner

KCAU 9 also spoke with Keehner, saying he was surprised and happy with the decision.

I was astounded. I thought there would never be a Holy Father, a pope from the United States of America, Keehner said. I hope he brings some stability with him, some recognition of Gods love for all of humanity, a recognition that we are we are each and every one of us called into relationship with Jesus.

David Esquiliano, the rector of the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City, also spoke with KCAU 9 about his reaction to the news.

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Even without knowing and knowing the name, it was an exciting news from from the Vatican, Esquiliano said. The main thing is that he is a missionary pope. He is somebody who understands what being a Catholic outside of Italy, outside of Europe is, so Im very hopeful that he will guide us in how we should be missionaries.

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Additionally, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen released on statement on the appointment of Pope Leo XIV.

This is a historic moment for the Catholic Church  and an opportunity for Christians across the planet to reflect on our faith and the ultimate love of Jesus Christ. Suzanne and I join believers around our state and world as we welcome and pray for Pope Leo XIV. Statement from Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts also released a statement.

I am amazed by this historic moment to witness the first ever American Pope. I pray for the Holy Father Leo XIV and look forward to a long-lasting pontificate. Statement from U.S. Senator Pete Rickets (R-Neb.)

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The cause of the deadly CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crash near Pine Valley last year was revealed Wednesday.

The investigation determined the helicopter crash was due to pilot error, including failure to maintain safe obstacle clearance and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) visibility requirements, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said in a news release Wednesday.

Military officials ruled out material or mechanical failure to the aircraft.

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Lawsuit filed against Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe amid ongoing salmonella investigation

The incident occurred on Feb. 6, 2024, when the military helicopter crashed into a mountain ridge near Pine Valley during a flight from Imperial County Airfield to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

Aboard the flight were Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, Sgt. Alec Langen, Capt. Benjamin Moulton, Capt. Jack Casey and Capt. Miguel Nava. All five Marines were killed in the crash.

In November, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing also relieved the HMH-361 Commanding Officer of command due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to continue to serve in that position.

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While the Commanding Officers actions were not directly causal or contributing factors to the mishap itself, the Commanding General determined that he exhibited poor judgment, and was expected to exercise greater care in the performance of his duties, military officials said.

In response to the investigation, 3rd MAW has implemented multiple recommendations to its policy and training.

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Chaos at Heathrow was triggered after decades-old equipment filled with flammable oil caught fire, the first report into the disaster has found.

The blaze that shut down Heathrow airport in March began in a 57-year-old electricity transformer at the North Hyde substation, investigators discovered. It then spread to a second transformer next to it before a third, newer transformer then overloaded and cut out.

Both transformers that caught fire were filled with highly flammable mineral oils, which were used to cool and insulate the circuits.

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Heathrow said the findings raised questions about the resilience of the National Grid substation and asked why a fire-breaker wall was not installed between the substations to prevent the blaze spreading.

Rules introduced in the 1970s mean transformers should have firewalls between them to stop blazes spreading.

The cause of a substation fire remains unknown despite a six-week inquiry, according to the interim report.

A preliminary report by Britains energy system operator said forensic work was still under way into the incident which saw 270,000 passengers stranded in March. However, it added that police had found no evidence to suggest that the incident was suspicious in nature.

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Around 1,300 flights were cancelled following the fire which happened just before midnight on March 20. It took almost 24 hours for the airport to be up and running again.

Heathrow said the findings of the report, commissioned by Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, from the National Energy System Operator (Neso), raised key questions about National Grids management of its substation.

A spokesman said: We understand that the substation was built in the 1960s and had three transformers which were all knocked out because proper firewalls had not been retrofitted between them (a safety requirement that was introduced in the 1970s).

This meant a fire in one transformer could easily spread or disable adjacent equipment  a risk that was unfortunately realised in March.

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We still do not know the cause of the fire at the North Hyde substation, and there are important questions for involved organisations about the resilience of their facilities.

Asked why it was relying on such old equipment to supply Heathrow, National Grid said: Neso are looking into this as part of their continued investigation and final report.

There are also important questions for Heathrow, especially over why it was so reliant on a single substation and why it took over 24 hours to restore normal service.

The Neso report found power was restored to Heathrow airports terminals seven hours before flights resumed on the day it was closed.

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The flow of electricity to all four of the west London airports passenger terminals was restarted by 10.56am on March 21. Flights did not resume until approximately 6pm.

Neso said power was restored to the wider Heathrow Airport Limited network by 2.23pm, which was followed by a period of safety checking to ensure safety-critical systems were fully operational prior to passengers arriving at the airport.

The fire also cut power to around 66,000 properties in the surrounding area.

The inquiry since then has focused partly on the cause of the blaze but also on why a fire in a single substation could have caused the whole of Heathrow to shut down.

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LONDON (Reuters) -The cause of the fire at an electricity substation that forced Britain's Heathrow Airport to shut down for almost a day remains unknown, the National Energy System Operator said in an interim report on Thursday.

The closure of Heathrow, the busiest airport in Europe, on March 21 cost airlines tens of millions of pounds and stranded thousands of passengers. It also raised questions about the resilience of Britain's infrastructure.

NESO, which manages the country's electricity network, said it would produce a final report on the outage in June, with recommendations on the resilience of energy systems and plans for response and restoration.

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The police said in March the fire was not suspicious. London Fire Brigade and National Grid Electricity Transmission continue to conduct forensic investigations into the cause of the fire, NESO said in the interim report.

The outage prompted scrutiny from the government, airlines and passengers, who asked why all of Heathrow's four terminals had to shut and why it took 18 hours for power to be restored.

Heathrow said it hoped the final report would provide answers on the cause of the fire.

"Further clarity on how the fire started and why two transformers were subsequently impacted can help ensure greater resilience for the UK's energy grid moving forward," the airport said in a statement.

(Reporting by Muvija M and Sarah Young; Editing by Catarina Demony aqnd Paul Sandle)
Black smoke emerged from the Vatican on Wednesday evening, indicating that a new Pope had not been chosen in the first round of voting. Over 130 cardinals are now gathered in the Sistine Chapel, signaling the beginning of the Papal Conclave.

CBS covered the beginning of the event on Wednesday, and one journalist's comment is going viral after viewers were stunned to hear it during such a prestigious ceremony.

As the cardinals prepared to begin, a host asked a papal contributor to explain the process.

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"The one thing we know theyre not doing is checking Instagram, because their devices have all been confiscated," said CBS' John Allen, providing context to the ceremony as viewers looked at a live stream of the Vatican.

Allen mentioned that the cardinals will read prayers during their time inside the chapel, as the process takes place and a new pope is determined.

"I believe the kids call it raw-dogging it, if you go through a long period of time with no electronic device," said the host, drawing awkward laughter and a quick subject change from the rest of the panel.

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means," said one commenter, drawing from a scene out of "The Princess Bride."

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Another commenter posted emojis, signaling that they were covering their eyes in shame.

The Papal Conclave is underway to find a new Pope following the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88 last month.

At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father, Cardinal Kevin Farrell said on behalf of the Vatican on April 21 - Easter Monday.

He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and the marginalized."

Let's check in on CBS News' coverage of the Papal Conclave.



"The one thing we know theyre not doing is checking Instagram, because their devices have all been confiscated."



"I believe the kids call it raw-dogging it." pic.twitter.com/294F1fHxIs  Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 7, 2025

The ceremony will continue until white smoke billows from the top of the Vatican and a new Pope emerges from the balcony. We'll see how long it takes for the cardinals to come to a decision, and if other news outlets can avoid awkward moments during its duration.
May 7VAN WERT  A Celina man's murder sentencing did not proceed Wednesday after the man asked his attorney to withdraw a no contest plea he submitted to Van Wert County Common Pleas Court months earlier.

Ryan Houser, 39, notified his attorney, Kenneth Rexford, of his intent to withdraw the plea shortly before the court was expected to sentence Houser for the shooting death of Barbara Ganger in September 2023.

"The first I heard of this was 20 minutes ago," Rexford told the court Wednesday morning. Rexford said Houser wished to withdraw the plea on the basis of his innocence.

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Houser accepted an offer from the state in March and pleaded no contest to a single count of murder, an unclassified felony, resulting in his conviction.

The state agreed to dismiss three remaining charges against Houser, which included aggravated murder, an unclassified felony, as well as third-degree felony charges of possessing a weapon under disability and tampering with evidence.

Houser faces a minimum sentence of 15 years to life in prison with a murder conviction. If the court accepts his motion to revoke the no contest plea, the state's offer will be removed, and Houser will proceed to trial on all counts.

Rexford described the state's offer as "a nice compromise for my client to consider."

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Judge Martin Burchfield set a motion hearing to consider the plea change but said he will not consider any further continuances or delays.

"This case is ancient," the judge said. "It needs to be done. We have a hearing scheduled. Everyone was prepared and ready to go. A plea was entered, and now we have this last-minute assertion of actual innocence."

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Nancy OReilly raised her hands in the air, cheering at the news that an American cardinal was elected as the new pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

I couldnt believe my ears, the Apopka resident said Thursday afternoon. I was surprised. Its exciting.

OReilly was just one of many Catholics across Central Florida elated at the choice of Chicago native Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV. He is a Villanova University graduate who comes to the papacy after years as a bishop in Peru and as a prefect in the Vatican.

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It seems like he will be a pope for everyone, not just Catholics but for everyone, OReilly said, adding that at 69 years old, Prevost also is relatively young for a pope.

At a press conference Thursday afternoon at St. James Cathedral in downtown Orlando, Bishop John Noonan of the Orlando Diocese said it was a privilege that the pope is from the United States.

Thank you Lord for giving us a new Shepherd, Noonan said. Thank you Lord for giving us somebody who is a wonderful priest, a wonderful vision.

Noonan said the new pope has the experience necessary to lead the church.

He was born in Chicago, became a priest, spent most of his life working in Peru, was a teacher, worked in Rome became a bishop and then a Cardinal, Noonan said. He has a broad experience of what it is to serve God and I think thats exactly what the church needs.

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Noonan said Pope Leo XIV could also unite different nationalities as he speaks multiple languages.

He has spent so much time outside of the country, so I would say Hispanic Americans probably know him better than anyone else, Noonan said.

Father Miguel Gonzalez, the rector at St. James, said the new pope will continue Pope Francis legacy of helping the immigrant community.

Just like Pope Francis, he is talking about the rights and the dignity of every human person, especially those who are immigrants, Gonzalez said. I think that we see here the continuity  in continuing his solidarity with those who suffer.

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Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe, who is Catholic, said she was happy to hear that some of Leos views mirror those of the late Pope Francis, who had championed greater openness and inclusion from the church as well as empathy for refugees.

I think that its great, not only for Catholics, but for our community and our country, to know that we are part of this bigger picture of Christianity, she said.

Uribe had just finished up a press conference announcing her bid for county mayor when she heard that a new pope had been chosen.

I had my daughter pause it because I was trying to get home to watch it, Uribe said. This is huge for our country. And hopefully it will unite people.

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Mel Martinez, the former Republican U.S. Senator and Orange County mayor, said it was very exciting to see the outcome of the Conclave.

Martinez, a Cuban immigrant raised in a devout Catholic family, said in an email he was happy with the cardinals decision.

Pope Leo, an American who also has a world view through his missionary work, seems like a great choice to lead our church, Martinez wrote.

Sandra Dickerson, a former Catholic but now Unitarian, called Leos ascension Gods decision but, speaking outside a Catholic church in Altamonte Springs, said she was excited to see an American chosen.

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God selected him  through the cardinals  to be our next pope for a reason, the Maitland resident said.

Eric Russ, 20, was on vacation in Orlando when he heard there was a new pope and decided to stop by St. James to pray.

He has been a practicing Catholic for one year and last month was confirmed.

The biology major at the University of Florida said he was in his hotel room in downtown when the new pope was announced. Russ said he had watched the livestream of the white smoke with excited anticipation and then headed to the church after the new pope was announced.

Being American, its nice to see that we have the first American ever, Russ said. Im really excited for what perspective he has to bring.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  Central High School graduate Alissa Zhu has earned whats widely regarded as the highest honor in journalism.

Zhu, a 2011 CHS alumna, was part of the team at The Baltimore Banner awarded the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting this week, recognizing their in-depth investigation into the citys deadly opioid crisis.

Credit: Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Banner

Reporter Alissa Zhu, center left, and photojournalist Jessica Gallagher, center right, celebrate with the Baltimore Banner newsroom as they find out theyve won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting on Monday, May 5, 2025.

According to the publication, the reporting project, led by Zhu, revealed that Baltimore has the highest drug overdose rate among large U.S. cities.

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Their work uncovered a public health emergency that had long been overlooked  one that has taken a disproportionate toll on older Black men and was worsened by inadequate regulation and response from government leaders.

There was a treatment program where people went to get help for addiction problems but a lot of them ended up overdosing and dying and among the 13 deaths that we traced to that one program in Baltimore included a 1-year-old child who had starved to death, said Zhu.

Zhu and her colleagues spent nearly two years sifting through thousands of previously inaccessible public records and conducting on-the-ground reporting in some of Baltimores hardest-hit communities. Their efforts culminated in a sweeping investigative series that not only exposed systemic failures but is now shaping public policy.

Credit: Ulysses Munoz/The Baltimore Banner

Journalists Jessica Gallagher and Alissa Zhu celebrate in the Baltimore Banner office after winning a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the overdose crisis in downtown Baltimore, Md. on Monday, May 5, 2025.

What we found in our reporting is that a lot of top leaders had kind of dropped the ball as the overdose rate in Baltimore had gotten worse and worse in recent years, Zhu said.

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The Banners reporting began with a legal battle for transparency. In 2022, the newsroom sued Marylands Office of the Chief Medical Examiner after it refused to release complete autopsy records. A judge ruled in the papers favor earlier this year, opening the door to a deeper understanding of the overdose epidemics toll.

For the better part of two years I was working nights and weekends, said Zhu. My co-reporters and I and our editors, we put a ton of time into this project because we felt it was so important to bring light to this problem.

The Pulitzer Prize committee praised the work as a compassionate investigative series that captured the breathtaking dimensions of Baltimores fentanyl crisis and its disproportionate impact on older Black men.

Zhus journey from Central High School in Springfield to the national spotlight is a point of pride for the local community.

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I grew up there but my roots in journalism are also there. My very first byline was at the Central High Times and my first full-time reporting job after college was at the Springfield News-Leader, Zhu reflected. Its so crazy to think that over the course of 10 years or so I would end up in Baltimore and end up winning a Pulitzer Prize.

Ozarks First spoke with Zhus journalism teacher at Central High School about the achievement.

Im very proud of her. I knew when she started journalism she was someone with special talent, said Deborah Garner. Alissa was serious about even the smallest stories she wrote. Ive been privileged to teach talented students and shes certainly one of the best and brightest.

Zhu studied journalism at Northwestern University and launched her reporting career in Springfield.

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I have followed Alissas professional career and read her work, said Garner. Im not a bit surprised that she was awarded a Pulitzer. Her hard work and dedication to making a difference through good journalism is exactly what I have always seen in her.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A central Ohio priest was in Rome for the last several months of Pope Francis life and is still there as the papal conclave takes place.

I consider myself very blessed to be here during this time, and to be able to see him, said Fr. Adam Streitenberger, chaplain and executive director of the St. Thomas More Newman Center.

He has been in Rome this semester working on his doctorate. He arrived in mid-December. He was writing his dissertation when he found out Pope Francis had died.

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Conclave to choose the new pope will be the most geographically diverse in history

I was really kind of stunned even though we knew his health was fragile, I did not really think that we would lose him. So I think that was very moving, Streitenberger said.

When Pope Francis was hospitalized earlier this year, Streitenberger prayed for him with others from St. Peters Square. He was also in the square when the pope gave his Easter blessing the day before he died. Streitenberger went and viewed the popes body and was at the funeral mass.

I think Francis was uniquely able to be very comfortable around the poor and the marginalized. Not that, again, other popes havent been, but I think he was very intentional about that, Streitenberger said.

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Streitenberger remains in Rome as 133 cardinals elect the next pope at the Vatican.

I also think the next pope has a huge task before him. I mean every pope its a difficult task, but the church I think, is very divided, and so hes going to have to be a man who everyone can get behind, Streitenberger said.

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He said Pope Francis will be remembered for how humble he was as well as his ability to reach out to younger generations and those less fortunate. He hopes to see some of those same qualities in the next pope.

All popes should be of the people. I think Francis has taught future popes that its an essential part of the job description, he said.

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BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Thursday issued a stern warning to the Philippines against offending China's core interest in any form.

Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks at a press conference when asked about Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong's appearance in the waters north of the Philippines during a recent Philippine-U.S. joint exercise, as well as the Philippine Navy spokesperson's claim about potential joint exercises involving Philippine and Taiwan troops.

The Shandong aircraft carrier task group was conducting its annual training mission in relevant waters to further test and enhance the integrated combat capabilities of the carrier task group, Zhang said.

"This is in accordance with international law and common practice, and is not directed at any specific country or target," he said.

Certain individuals in the Philippines are colluding with external forces such as the United States, to "stir up the sea" for selfish gains, undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea region. They even attempt to play with fire on the Taiwan question, the spokesperson said.

"We sternly warn the Philippine side to cease its infringements and provocations, and stop offending China's core interest in any form," Zhang said, adding that China will continue to take resolute and forceful measures to defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. 
CHAMBERS COUNTY, Ala. (WRBL)  A Chambers County man pled guilty Wednesday morning May 7th to multiple felony charges after prosecutors say he raped and sodomized a young girl after getting her drunk.

Jesse Garner entered the plea during jury selection, withdrawing his previous not guilty plea. District Attorney Mike Segrest tells WRBL Garner admitted to first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, endangering the welfare of a child, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Prosecutors say Garner got the victim, a minor, drunk before committing the sexual assaults.

Garner was sentenced to 255 months-just over 21 years-in prison on the rape and sodomy charges.

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Additional sentencing information for the remaining charges was not immediately available.

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What will change under the rent control measure passed by the St. Paul City Council on Wednesday?

The ordinance now fully exempts residential buildings constructed after 2004. It also includes new tenant protections, which require the mayors signature and take effect a year later.

Among those protections for tenants:

 Security deposits will be limited to the equivalent of a single months rent, unless the tenants application might otherwise be denied because of criminal history, credit history or rental history.

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 A landlord must make their screening criteria readily available to any prospective tenant. A prospective tenant could not be rejected because of a conviction for a crime that is no longer illegal in Minnesota, a petty misdemeanor, a gross misdemeanor older than three years, and most felony convictions.

 For certain crimes, such as first-degree assault, arson or murder, a landlord can look back 10 years.

 Landlords cannot reject tenants based solely on their credit score, insufficient credit history or insufficient rental history.

 Landlords will not be allowed to consider pending evictions, evictions more than three years old and evictions that have not resulted in an order to vacate.

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 Evictions for nonpayment of rent will require 30 days advance written notice to the tenant specifying the total amount due, as well as their right to seek legal help and a phone number and web address for legal and financial assistance.

 If affordable housing is sold, the new landlord may not terminate or fail to renew a tenants rental agreement without just cause, raise rent or rescreen existing tenants during a three-month period of time known as the tenant protection period without providing relocation assistance.

 Within 30 days of the transfer of ownership, a new landlord must give written notice to tenants in an affordable unit that the property is under new ownership and explain whether the new landlord will require them to be rescreened, whether they will be terminated without cause and whether there is an increase in rent.

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Credit: TikTok/@qaid.faranca

Migrants are being offered summer season discounts for Channel crossings after a surge in arrivals this year.

Some people smugglers are advertising prices as low as 1,500, despite evidence that their profits are being hit by law enforcement disrupting supply chains and intercepting boats and equipment.

It follows the disclosure in March that the crime gangs are offering migrants cheaper crossings if they agreed to be filmed so smugglers can then use the videos to promote their services on social media.

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Channel crossings by small boat migrants have hit record levels this year, with 11,516 having reached the UK so far, up more than 40 per cent on 2024.

Videos show dozens of migrants carrying a boat into the sea with a caption saying the date of the crossing was March 25.

One commenter asks: How much money?

The account holder replies: 1,500.

Other people commenting then ask for the phone numbers of the smugglers.

Officials said prices could be as high as 6,000 and as low as 1,500. Discounts for taking films meant migrants could pay between 1,000 and 2,000.

Rising costs

The National Crime Agency (NCA), which has been targeting upstream supply routes with partner law enforcement agencies in Europe, said there was evidence that people smuggling gangs were absorbing lower profits to keep down prices for migrants crossing.

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A NCA spokesman said: It is highly likely that organised crime groups have increased the number of migrants on each boat, in part to maintain profit margins in the face of higher costs for purchasing and transporting small boat equipment in 2024.

Costs incurred by organised crime groups for delivery of boats and engines to northern France have risen substantially, likely in part as a result of law enforcement seizures. Small boats remain, on average, the least expensive form of facilitated irregular entry into the UK by a considerable margin.

Costs paid by migrants differ significantly by nationality, but many paying migrants are unlikely to be able to pay more, so organised crime groups are likely judging that they can optimise profits by keeping small boat crossing prices stable.

Some migrants secure free passage by piloting the boat and there are increasing reports of migrants storming boats, contributing to overcrowding.

Credit: TikTok/@qaid.faranca

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In social media posts, the smugglers are referred to as kings and lions by those wanting to cross and commenting.

Another video shows migrants taunting the French navy, which is escorting them across the Channel after they have left for Britain. One account is called France to UK and features French and British flag emojis along with a boat emoji.

The NCA has been working with social media companies to have video footage of the crossings removed, with more than 19,500 posts, pages or accounts advertising smuggling services taken down.

The spokesman said: We have increased the pace of takedowns, with more than 8,000 being removed in 2024, a 40 per cent increase on the previous year.

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We are clear that the industry urgently needs to work with us and do more to prevent their platforms being exploited by organised criminals. They have a responsibility to do so, and we have ongoing positive engagement with them.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to 48 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing mail from multiple areas across Charlotte, according to the Department of Justice.

According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on Jan. 13, 2024, Montavius Hancock was seen stealing mail from a business park in Charlotte using an arrow key. The arrow key is a master key used by the U.S. Postal Service.

CMPD officers responded to the scene and attempted to stop Hancocks vehicle as he tried to flee. After Hancock was taken into custody, CMPD searched his vehicle and found stolen mail from several locations around Charlotte.

Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area  >> Latest stories here

The face value of the checks contained within the stolen mail was over $400,000.

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Hancock was also sentenced Wednesday for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon after he was charged under a separate criminal indictment. He pled guilty to the offenses on August 21, 2024.

Court records show that on December 22, 2023, officers arrested Hancock for possessing a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield EZ 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number. He has several previous felony convictions including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

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Even from atop the Buckingham Palace balcony, Kate Middleton was in full motherhood mode, helping her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis navigate what was likely an overwhelming occasioncelebrations connected to the 80th anniversary of VE Dayno matter how many times theyve done it before.

Max Mumby/Getty Images

It was a rare appearance by the entire royal family on Monday to celebrate Victory in Europe Day and the fact that 80 years have gone by since Europe declared victory and marked the end of World War II on May 8, 1945. William and Kates appearance, alongside their children, but also King Charles and Queen Camilla, kicked off a week full of events, but none with quite the same level of pomp and circumstance as Mondays event.

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A big deal? Yes, but nothing George, Charlotte and Louis arent prepped for, you would assume. Still, lip reader, Nicola Hackling, who chatted with Hello! magazine following the occasion, caught the Princess of Wales helping to guide her children in real time with a simple four-word instruction: Eyes to the sky, Kate told them, just ahead of the RAF Red Arrows flypast.

With Prince Louis especially, she took extra care, narrating exactly what would happen to help keep him in the loop: When the flypast comes, you will see it smoke blue, white and red, Kate says, according to Hackling. For his part, Louis, 7, replied: Look at the back/black one, they have lots of tanks.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Of course, all mothers know: The effort made by Kate to clue Louis in to what was ahead matterswithout it, the little prince may have been caught off guard and reacted poorly. Worse, he may have missed it, looking up at the wrong moment. Longtime fans of Louis are well-aware that his balcony appearances tend to be pretty priceless. That four-word phrase, delivered by Kate, was short and sweet, but helped her kids stay focused and up to speed on what to expect.

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Royals, theyre just like us: In Kates case, that means being in mom mode, no matter what.

Kate Middleton Dazzles on Palace BalconyBut I Cant Get Over Whats Around Her Wrist (and Its Connection to Diana)
DENVER (KDVR)  A stolen truck being pursued by Douglas County Sheriffs deputies crashed into a building at Centennial Airport on Wednesday night.

The Douglas County Sheriffs Office says a FLOCK camera alerted them of the stolen truck at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday. The driver failed to stop and took off, and deputies began to pursue the vehicle along I-25, heading east on E-470.

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The truck exited at Peoria Street and continued to County Line Road until it entered the Centennial Airport property. The driver then lost control of the truck and crashed into a building that is used as a hangar and a pilots lounge.

The driver was taken into custody and is facing charges for eluding deputies, theft and outstanding drug charges. One passenger was also arrested on an outstanding warrant. A third passenger was issued a summons for drug paraphernalia possession.

The airport remains open, and operations arent impacted by the crash.

This case is still under investigation.

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The Catholic Church has a new pope: Chicago Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected on Thursday as the new head of the Catholic Church after just 24 hours of conclave in the Sistine Chapel.

As pontiff, the 69-year-old will take the name Leo XIV. Previously, Prevost served in the Vatican as a curial cardinal, heading the important dicastery  effectively the ministry  responsible for bishops worldwide.

Earlier in his career, he worked as a missionary and bishop in Peru and served as the prior general of the Augustinian Order. He is regarded as someone who can mediate well between the conservative and reform-oriented factions within the Catholic Church.

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Pope Leo, who speaks fluent Italian and Spanish, addressed the massive crowd in front of the chapel in both languages in his first comments as head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

First pope from the United States

For the first time in two millennia of church history, a pontiff comes from the United States. For the past 12 years, Argentine Pope Francis led the faithful worldwide. Shortly after 6:00 pm (1600 GMT), white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel  the signal that the 133 cardinals from around the world had reached a two-thirds majority.

It took four rounds of voting.

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Loud cheers erupted on St Peter's Square, where more than 15,000 people were waiting at the time. The bells of St Peter's Basilica rang out in celebration. Prevost had already been considered one of the favourites before the conclave. However, he was not at the very top of most published lists.

After his election, the new pope was dressed in white in the sacristy of the chapel. All the cardinals swore obedience to him. Following a joint prayer, he proceeded to the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica. There, the "Habemus Papam" or "We have a pope" was proclaimed  along with his name. Unlike his predecessor Francis, he appeared wearing a gold brocade stole, as earlier popes did.

Conclave began on Wednesday

Leo XIV is the 267th pontiff in 2,000 years of church history. From the balcony, he gave his first Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to the world) blessing.

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By then, St Peter's Square was filled with more than 100,000 people. Many residents and tourists rushed to the central square of the small church state in the heart of Rome after hearing the news of the white smoke.

The successor to Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, was elected relatively quickly. The cardinals had only entered the chapel on Wednesday at around 5:45 pm, where they deliberated strictly isolated from the outside world. They were not allowed any contact with the outside, even during breaks and at night.

Since the 1960s, no conclave has lasted longer than three days, and this one was no exception. It was also quicker than the 2013 election of Francis, which required five rounds of voting. This time, the electoral body was larger than ever, with 133 cardinals.

On the first evening, it took more than three hours before black smoke first rose into the evening sky over the Vatican. On the second day, there was another signal at midday: no agreement.

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But by the evening, the decision had been made. Thus, after 12 years under Francis and two and a half weeks of sede vacante (the period of an unoccupied papal seat), the Catholic Church has a new pontiff.

There is great anticipation as to whether Pope Leo XIV will continue the cautious reform course of his Argentinian predecessor. Conservative cardinals had previously called for a return to a more traditional direction.

Trump and Merz congratulate new pope

Good wishes started pouring in. Among the first to congratulate the new pope was US President Donald Trump.

"It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

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Germany's new chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is Catholic, said in a press statement that people in Germany look to the new pontificate "with confidence and positive expectations."

Church losing support in Europe

In Europe, the Catholic Church has lost significant numbers of members in recent years, driven by numerous abuse scandals. Elsewhere however the number of Catholics is growing.

In the run-up to the conclave, there was much speculation that the new pope might once again not come from Italy. Since 1978, the papacy has been held by the Polish John Paul II, the German Benedict XVI, and the Argentine Francis.

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV, the American Robert Prevost, appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican after the Papal Conclave. Oliver Weiken/dpa
Robert Francis Prevost has become the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.

The 69-year-old from Chicago is the first pope from the United States in the history of the Catholic Church.

Prevost's election is seen as a compromise and a sign of unity from the cardinals who elected him in a secret conclave that lasted around 24 hours.

The combination of his American origins, Latin American influences and Church leadership experience made him a consensus candidate for the 133 cardinals, who had to overcome cultural and ecclesiastical differences to elect a successor to the late pope Francis.

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"Peace be with all of you!" began Prevost's first public address as Pope Leo XIV.

Speaking from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, Prevost said: "We can all walk together."

Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents with French, Spanish and Italian roots, Prevost first studied mathematics before joining the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977.

He received priestly ordination in 1982, before being sent to Peru to work as a missionary, where he founded parishes, ran a seminary and was active in the training of bishops, while promoting stability during the country's political crises.

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The late pope Francis appointed him bishop of Chiclayo, a diocese in the north of Peru, in 2015.

Prevost was promoted to head of the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, the Vatican authority that selects bishops worldwide, in 2023, and made a cardinal the same year.

Despite this key role, he is said to have remained reserved, shunning the media spotlight.

In church circles, Prevost is considered pragmatic and moderate, according to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

Close to Francis and sharing the late pope's support for decisive action against climate change, Prevost stands for continuity, and is considered someone who listens, mediates and wants change without polarization.

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He is seen as a moderate reformer and has repeatedly emphasized that the Church must be more transparent and open to the voices of the faithful. In his view, this includes strengthening the role of the laity and reducing hierarchical leadership.

At the same time, Prevost rejects the ordination of women to church offices, warning at the World Synod in 2023 against "clericalizing women."

His career has also not been without controversy. Prevost was accused of failing to consistently pursue cases of abuse during his time in Chicago, and later as bishop in Chiclayo - accusations that both he and the diocese reject.

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV, the American Robert Prevost, appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican after the Papal Conclave. Oliver Weiken/dpa
The Library of Congress has acquired a gold mine of resources that document the Chicano Movement in Los Angeles.

The cultural institution in Washington, D.C., now has a collection from activist and journalist Raul Ruiz that includes more than 17,000 photos and almost 10,000 manuscripts. The vast archive was donated by Ruiz's daughter, Marcela Ponce, and Marta E. Sanchez, a close friend of Ruiz and a professor at Loyola Marymount University.

Woman covering mouth during Chicano Moratorium protest in Los Angeles California in 1970. (Raul Ruiz/Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)

Read more: The Chicano Moratorium: A loss of innocence

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Ruiz, who died in 2019, was a co-editor of La Raza, a pioneering Chicano newspaper that documented Mexican American life across the country from 1967 until it folded in 1977. The publication ran Ruizs photo of slain former L.A. Times reporter and columnist Ruben Salazars purported killer on its cover under the headline in English and Spanish, The Murder of Ruben Salazar." He let The Times reprint and syndicate the shot worldwide to expose what he called a farce of an investigation into the columnists death.

"We captured it. No one else was covering it," Ruiz said of the events of the Chicano Moratorium in an interview with PBS. It turned out to be a police riot. The police rioted against the people. The police assaulted the people."

Participants in Chicano Movement protest in Los Angeles, California in the late 1960s or early 1970s. (Raul Ruiz/Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)

Ruiz ran for a state Assembly seat in 1971 under the La Raza Unida Party banner, a political party created by activists who believed the Democratic Party ignored Chicanos. Ruiz earned 7% of the vote, enough for Bill Brophy, Democrat Richard Alatorres Republican opponent, to pull off a stunning upset.

Read more: The Chicano Moratorium: Reading Ruben Salazar

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Ruiz taught for 45 years in the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at Cal State Northridge, retiring in 2015.

Included in the trove of documents are unpublished drafts of Ruiz's book on Salazar, photographs from La Raza's coverage of the Chicano protests of the 1960s and '70s, a photo of Salazar being tear-gassed by L.A. County sheriff's deputies during a Vietnam protest, handmade layouts of several important issues of La Raza and a photo of Cesar Chavez protesting. Audio recordings, photo negatives, correspondences and videos are also a part of the collection.

Girls pump fists at Chicano Movement protest in Los Angeles, California in the late 1960s or early 1970s. (Raul Ruiz/Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)

The Ruiz collection speaks to the heart of the Chicano Movement and will be an important resource for the study of journalism and Latino history and culture at the Library of Congress, said Adam Silvia, the Library of Congress curator of photography in the prints and photographs division.

Parts of the collection will be available to see only at the physical Library of Congress location in Washington. Select photographs will be available for viewing through the institution's online catalog in the coming weeks.

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Times columnist Gustavo Arellano contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Chief Justice John Roberts stressed the importance of judicial independence during public remarks Wednesday, noting that the judiciarys role as a co-equal branch of government is central to the nations political system.

The judiciary is a coequal branch of government, separate from the others with the authority to interpret the Constitution as law, and strike down, obviously, acts of Congress or acts of the president, Roberts said at an event in his native Buffalo, New York.

The judiciarys role, Roberts added, is to decide cases but, in the course of that, check the excesses of Congress or the executive.

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That work, Roberts said, does require a degree of independence.

Roberts remarks on the judiciary drew an extended round of applause from the judges and lawyers who gathered in Western New York to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the federal court there. The chief justice was born in Buffalo but moved to Indiana when he was 10 years old.

Roberts, who in September will mark his 20th year as chief, did not mention President Donald Trump by name, nor did he directly discuss the tension between the executive and judicial branches that has surfaced since the president took office in January. Asked about calls by Trump and some of his allies to impeach judges who rule against his administration, Roberts noted that he had issued a statement on that issue earlier this year.

Impeachment is not how you register disagreement with decisions, he said.

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Roberts delivered a rare rebuke to the president in March, issuing the statement in response to calls at the time to impeach judges who have placed some parts of his agenda on hold, including the administrations rapid rewriting of federal immigration policies and its efforts to reduce government spending approved by Congress.

For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision, Roberts said in his earlier statement. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.

In recent public remarks, Trump has been more careful to specifically vow to honor future Supreme Court rulings  even as he has continued to rail against judges who rule against him. But in a number of high-profile cases, including one involving a Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador, the administration has interpreted any ambiguity to its advantage.

Roberts, who has frequently raised the importance of judicial independence in the past, made no mention of the large number of cases involving Trumps second term that have landed on the Supreme Courts emergency docket in recent months, including appeals involving the firing of board members at independent agencies and the controversial effort to deport some migrants under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.

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One of the highest profile cases now pending at the court involves Trumps order to effectively end birthright citizenship. After lower courts blocked the administration from moving forward, the administration has asked the justices to significantly limit who would be protected by those lower court orders.

The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in that case on May 15.

Most of Roberts remarks Wednesday stuck to familiar themes, though the chief justice did briefly defend decisions that overturn precedent. Though Roberts did not discuss specific modern cases, his court has received significant blowback  and sagging public approval  for its 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

A lot of people talk as if were overruling a lot more. Its the lowest its been since the 50s, Roberts said.

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And some cases, Roberts said, should be overruled.

The idea that its invariably a bad thing to overrule precedent is, I think, quite mistaken, he added. At the same time, you cant do it willy nilly.

Asked by US District Judge Lawrence Vilardo if he ever thought about retiring, Roberts shot back flatly: No.

The chief justice, who turned 70 this year, then launched into a discussion about how he might make that calculation some day. If he recognized, at some point, that he was a burden to the court, he said, maybe that would be different. Roberts said he once asked very good friends to let him know if they ever felt it was time for him to step down.

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After a long pause, Roberts said, both friends simultaneously joked that it was already time.

For now, Roberts said, he felt pretty healthy.

Im going out feet first, he said.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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KABUL, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Police have rescued a kidnapped man and arrested four alleged kidnappers in eastern Afghanistan's Parwan province, a statement of the Ministry of Interior Affairs said Thursday.

The alleged kidnappers abducted a man from Kabul on Saturday and demanded 300,000 U.S. dollars as ransom for his release, the statement said, adding that police tracked down the kidnapped man in Jabal Saraj district and rescued him from the clutches of kidnappers on Wednesday.

Police have handed over the kidnappers to the judiciary for further investigation, the statement said without providing more details.

Although security is tight elsewhere in Afghanistan, the criminal elements are still active in parts of the country and, in some cases, attempting to kidnap members of well-off families to extort money in the war-ravaged and poverty-stricken Afghanistan. 
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  A 7-year-old boy who has been on life support since being pulled out of a hotel pool last Thursday has died, his mother announced.

Lauren Hill-Wilson said her son ZJ was swimming at the Red Roof Inn in the 7300 block of E. Kellogg Ave. while she was at work. She said he was under the supervision of a trusted friend when he went under.

First responders performed CPR and took him to the hospital. On Tuesday, his mother told KSN News that ZJ had died twice while in the hospital, and they brought him back those times.

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Justice Together offers solutions to help the community

She announced his death on her Facebook page Thursday morning.

A GoFundMe for the familys needs remains open.

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At 4am on Wednesday, Chinas ambassador to Pakistan hurried to the foreign ministry to celebrate an unprecedented military success.

Pakistan had reportedly shot down several Indian aircraft in the hours before using Chinese J-10C fighter jets.

Our jet fighters shot down three Indian Rafales, three Rafales [that] are French, Ishaq Dar, Pakistans foreign minister, told parliament on Wednesday. Ours were J-10C.

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The Chinese delegation, roused from their sleep by the outbreak of conflict between two nuclear-armed nations, was thrilled with the success of the Pakistani defence, Mr Dar said.

Being a friendly nation, they expressed great happiness.

India has not officially responded to reports that it lost as many as five fighter jets. But the apparent involvement of Chinese aircraft in shooting down a Rafale has ricocheted through defence circles  and sent stock in its maker, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, surging by as much as 20 per cent.

The PL-15 missile, carried by the J-10C jets, has never been used in combat before

Until now, Chinese weaponry had not been field-tested against Western-made systems like the Rafale. The Indian Air Force (IAF) operates a fleet of 36 Rafale F3Rs, the most advanced model of the aircraft.

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A French intelligence source confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that at least one had been shot down, marking the first time a Rafale has been lost during combat.

In an official statement, Chinas foreign ministry said it was not familiar with the matter when asked whether Chinese jets were involved in the skirmish.

Later on Thursday evening, a US official told Reuters that there was high confidence a J-10C had shot down two Indian fighters, using air-to-air missiles.

That appeared to confirm the aircraft first known kill, having entered service in its earliest form in 2003. It has been described as a 4.5 generation fighter, like the British Eurofighter Typhoons and almost at the level of fifth generation systems like the US-made F-35.

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Hu Jixin, the former editor of the Chinese state-owned Global Times, said the battle showed that Chinas level of military manufacturing has completely surpassed that of Russia and France, adding that Taiwan should feel even more scared.

0905 PL-15E Specification

Defence analysts remain cautious of reading too much into the technological battle between the two systems. Pilot error, or the rules of engagement, could have contributed to the Indian Rafales demise.

But open-source intelligence analysts are poring over images of the wreckage of a Chinese-made PL-15 missile, broadcast on Indian television and shared on social media.

The missile, which is carried by the J-10C, has never been used in combat before. But its ability to fire at targets far beyond the visual range of pilots appears to fit with the outlines of the clash on Wednesday morning.

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Neither Pakistani nor Indian aircraft crossed the border, engaging instead in a stand-off conflict at a distance of more than 100km at times. The wreckage of a Rafale was discovered near the city of Bathinda deep inside India, according to multiple open-source analysts.

Images of the wreckage of a Chinese-made PL-15 missile were broadcast on Indian television and shared on social media

Chinas development of the PL-15 prompted the US military to invest in a missile specifically designed to outrange it.

The PL-15E, the version exported to the Pakistani armed forces, can travel up to 145km, somewhat less far than the domestic equivalent.

Chinese military observers have long viewed it as a very capable missile, said Fabian Hoffmann, a missile technology researcher and non-resident fellow of the Centre for European Policy Analysis.

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But obviously [if a hit is confirmed] this is now a very public demonstration of the prowess of Chinese military aerospace technologies that carries outside the bubble.

This is another point of indication that, if there was a Taiwan conflict, you probably should not assume that Chinese technology would fail at the same rate as Russias during the war in Ukraine.

Fighter jets armed with PL-15 missiles reportedly used by Pakistan

On April 29, with cross-border tensions rising, Pakistans army published a YouTube video showcasing its military arsenal.

In the video, a Chinese-made JF-17 Block 3 fighter jet, less advanced than the J-10C, can be seen equipped with PL-15 missiles. The combination offers potent punch, a caption reads.

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For pilots in the Pakistani Air Force, the PL-15 missile has several advantages. Once fired, it has a large rocket booster that briefly propels the projectile to above Mach 5, or hypersonic, speeds.

In the middle of its flight, it is guided to target by an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar that can be held on the launch system or a separate vehicle. Close to the target, it switches on its own AESA radar, locks on, and homes in with deadly accuracy.

A dual-pulse motor means that, after the initial blast falls away, a second burst of speed can be generated within 10 or so kilometres from the target.

Because they are very, very fast, they basically have what you call a no-escape zone, Mr Hoffmann said.

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The switch from the first radar system to the missiles onboard version also allows the jet that launched it to turn away from the target and flee any counterfire.

Theres survivability for the [launch] platform, but also lethality for the [missile] itself.

When India and Pakistan clash, so do their military backers. In recent years, the two nations have rapidly diverged in terms of where they source their weaponry.

Now, Islamabad buys the vast majority of its arms from China. Some 82 per cent of imports between 2019 and 2023 came from its iron brother, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which tracks global arms flows.

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Imports from the US, meanwhile, have collapsed.

At the same time, Delhi has stepped up arms purchases from Western allies and reduced its reliance on Russia. Since 2006, purchases from France, Israel and the US have surged. Imports from Moscow have fallen from 75 per cent of the total to 36 per cent, according to the SIPRI.

The big advantage the Pakistanis have is that their primary weapon supplier is China, said Dr Walter Ladwig, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank.

The Indian defence budget is bigger on paper, the modernisation budget is bigger.

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But Beijing delivers. It has rapidly supplied Pakistan with armour, a jointly developed fighter jet (in the form of the JF-17 Block 3) and missile systems.

For various reasons, Indias main suppliers, Russia and France (who provide 36 per cent and 33 per cent of imports respectively) have been slower to fulfil their orders, said Dr Ladwig. Indias air force is still operating these antiquated MiGs, he added.

Chinas foreign ministry has urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid a full-scale war. But there will be some in Beijing hoping for further, explosive field tests.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on May 8 and met with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, the Russian state news agency Ria Novosti reported.

Xi is one of 27 leaders expected to attend the Victory Day parade in the Russian capital on May 9. Other expected guests include Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, though Fico's attendance remains uncertain due to illness.

The Kremlin had previously announced that during Xi's visit, Beijing and Moscow would "sign a number of bilateral intergovernmental and interdepartmental documents" to strengthen Chinese-Russian relations.

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During his meeting with the Chinese leader, Putin expressed his willingness to pay another official visit to China and emphasized that the governments of both countries are working to fully develop their bilateral relations.

Xi said he was pleased to take part in the Victory Day celebrations and that "China and Russia are ready to defend the truth about the history of World War II."

The Chinese president's visit to Russia is expected to last until May 10. During this time, the Chinese and Russian sides will hold talks in various formats, both between the two leaders and between delegations, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

China has strengthened ties with Russia since the Kremlin launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, becoming Moscow's leading supplier of dual-use goods that bolster Russia's defense industry.

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While China has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the war, it has simultaneously criticized the U.S. and its allies for "exacerbating" the war by supplying weapons to Ukraine. NATO has labeled China a "decisive enabler" of Russia's aggression.

President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on April 17 that China is supplying weapons to the Russian military. His statement marks Kyiv's first confirmation that Beijing supports Russia's war effort by providing weapons.

Kyiv also presented Beijing with evidence that Chinese citizens and companies have participated in Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry reported on April 22.

Read also: Whos attending Moscows Victory Day parade? The Kremlin has published a guest list ahead of May 9

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday were set to hold talks in Moscow.

According to the Kremlin, the talks between the two leaders were set to focus on the construction of a long-planned second gas export pipeline to China, while international issues would include Russia's war in Ukraine and the resumption of talks between Moscow and Washington.

Xi, who arrived in Russia on Wednesday for a four-day visit, was set to be the highest-ranking state guest at Russia's annual military parade on Moscow's Red Square on Friday, which commemorates the end of World War II in Europe 80 years ago.

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Russian and Chinese officials are expected to sign several government-level agreements during Xi's visit.

The more Russia has become estranged from the West, the more it has been relying on its strategic partnership with China. According to official figures, bilateral trade volume rose to $245 billion last year.
SUQUAMISH, Wash. (AP)  For over two decades, Suquamish tribal member Joshua George has dived into the emerald waters of the Salish Sea looking for an unusually phallic clam thats coveted thousands of miles away.

George is a geoduck diver. Pronounced gooey-duck, the worlds largest burrowing clam has been harvested in tidelands by Georges Indigenous ancestors in the Pacific Northwest since before Europeans arrived.

In recent years it has also become a delicacy in China, with Washington state sending 90% of its geoducks there, creating a niche yet lucrative American seafood export.

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But the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China is now crippling an entire industry that hand-harvests geoducks, leaving Washington state divers without work, Seattle exporters without business and Chinese aficionados with fewer of these prized clams.

Its the first time in 24 years where I dont know when or if well be going back to work or if I have to find another job or what were going to do, George said.

U.S. President Donald Trumps tariff-driven economic feud with China, which dates back to his first term in office, swiftly resumed in February within weeks of taking back the White House. By April, Trump had placed tariffs of at least 145% on China, which led China to retaliate with tariffs of 125% on the U.S.

Top U.S. officials are set to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland in the first major talks between the two nations since the latest tariffs were imposed, but it is unclear where those talks will lead.

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Enter the geoduck, weighing about 2 pounds and so entrenched in local culture that it is the mascot for Evergreen State College in Olympia. The meaty mollusk is best described as sweet and briny, and it's often sliced raw for crisp sashimi out west while China consumers prefer it chewy in stir-fries or hot pot soups. Pre-tariff costs were as high as $100 per pound in restaurants, so its a dish generally reserved for special occasions like Chinese New Year, or to celebrate a business gathering.

Unlike other products with long-lasting shelf life and standing inventory, the trade war has had an immediate, direct effect on the delicate geoducks, which are shipped alive the same day of harvest.

The whole market, everybody just had to stop, said Jim Boure, general manager of Suquamish Seafoods, an enterprise of the Suquamish Tribe. We started getting phone calls from buyers saying orders are canceled.

Fewer geoducks are being harvested

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The millions of pounds of geoducks shipped annually to China come from two main sources: wild harvests on tracts of seafloor that are split between the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Puget Sound Treaty Indian Tribes, and tideland farms. The states share is auctioned to private exporters that often hire contract divers to harvest them.

As of late April, Washington state divers had only pulled about half of the expected harvest from the state tracts, said Blain Reeves, an aquatic resources division manager for the states Department of Natural Resources. Last year, the state and tribes collectively harvested about 3.4 million pounds of wild Washington geoduck for sale. The state generated $22.4 million in revenue for their half of the clams, which went toward paying for aquatic restoration projects locally. The state doesn't track how much is harvested by private farmers.

If only half the pounds that were contracted are harvested, then our revenue is halved, Reeves said.

The Suquamish operation has no orders to harvest for at the moment, but it still must keep up with the maintenance to stay ready for business if and when China comes calling.

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On a recent April day, Georges team made a quick trip to collect a handful of the clams for state lab testing.

When were doing the job, and its not all this other political stuff behind the scenes and everything else, we love this, said George, adding that diving, which takes place early in the day so that the geoducks are on an airplane by evening, has allowed him to watch his kids grow up.

Fellow diver Kyle Purser said he cherishes his underwater job, but now fears it's being taken away.

"When youre watching your money disappear and youve got families to feed and not knowing when you're going to get your next paycheck, (it's) very stressful, he said.

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America's loss is Canada's gain

The geoduck import market was already facing weaker demand in recent years due to the Chinese economys struggle to regain post-pandemic momentum. While the tariffs have only exacerbated troubles for geoduck sellers in Washington, there's also been an unintended consequence: The American trade war has inadvertently boosted the Canadian geoduck business, which is facing a mere 25% tariff from China in comparison to the 125% for the U.S.

Washington state in the U.S. and Canada's British Columbia province are the two primary places where the wild geoducks grow naturally for commercial harvest. The two countries did healthy business primarily serving Chinese appetites for decades, in part because quantities are limited. Its a labor-intensive and heavily-regulated harvest, as divers must go several feet below the surface to dig for them.

They love the fact that it tastes like the sea, said James Austin, president of Canadas Underwater Harvesters Association. Its a product thats really a hit with the Chinese. Its all about the wild coastline. Its really prestigious.

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Austin said he expects there will be 2.75 million pounds of Canadian geoducks harvested in 2025, worth approximately $60 million Canadian dollars ($43.4 million USD) in revenue.

While demand has been relatively low but still steady for Canadian's geoducks, Austin said they're now the leading exporters for China, which has helped them negotiate higher prices as a result. For example, after Canada got hit with a 25% tariff in March, export sale prices dropped to $12 per pound, and after the U.S. got hit with a 125% tariff in April, Canadian geoducks are now being sold for $17 a pound.

We have no competitors right now, Austin said.

Yang Bin at Beihai Huaxiashougang Health Industry Company in Beihai city of Guangxi province in China said their seafood wholesale important business no longer gets geoduck from the U.S.

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We dont care about U.S. tariffs because we can get geoduck from other countries with stable prices, Yang said.

Waiting for geoducks

On their first week back to work since the tariff fight brought business to a standstill in Washington state, Derrick McRae and his brother pulled up about 800 pounds of wild geoducks in just one April day.

He donned a full-body diving outfit with an oxygen line tethered to his boat to dive under the cold waters of an inland sea channel west of Seattle. Kneeled on the seafloor, McRae used a water spray gun to move the sand covering the geoducks. In the cloud of sediment, he felt for the neck with his hand, pulling the clam and stuffing it in a net attached to him.

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Were just kind of waiting on the edge of our seats to see what happens next, McRae said.

At one of the southernmost inlets, farmer Ian Child said the tariff disruption is not just hurting his bottom line but the entire farming process. He usually places young geoducks in the sand in the summer, but he cant mix new crops with any existing unharvested clams.

I think that the demand is still over there for the product, he said of China. I think they still want it. Its just a matter of where the tariffs will land.

___

Associated Press researcher Yu Bing contributed from Beijing.
By Laurie Chen and Antoni Slodkowski

BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit Malaysia in late May for a summit with a newly established group of Southeast Asian and Arab nations that Beijing hopes to rally against U.S. tariffs, two sources told Reuters.

China is on an offensive to mend ties with the European Union, Japan and Korea after U.S. President Donald Trump unleashed a global tariff salvo on April 2, which he then abruptly paused for dozens of countries except China.

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Li will be in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN-GCC-China summit on May 27, held shortly after the ASEAN Summit on May 26, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. China has not publicly confirmed who it will send. GCC stands for Gulf Cooperation Council, which comprises six Arab states including major oil producers Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.

The visit of China's second-ranked official comes shortly after President Xi Jinping visited Malaysia, this year's ASEAN chair, last month. While there, he urged ASEAN nations to unite in resisting "excessive tariffs" and progress has been made on finalising an ASEAN-China free trade deal since then.

The Malaysia meetings will follow the high stakes U.S.-China trade talks in Switzerland this weekend that will likely lay the groundwork for deeper negotiations between the world's two largest economies after a period of escalation in the trade war.

One of the sources said the planning of the summit, which began a few months ago, predates Trump's import tax blitz but trade is expected to be high on the agenda with two major geopolitical power players invited to the region.

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When asked to confirm the visit, China's foreign ministry said on Thursday it was willing to "deepen mutually beneficial cooperation" with ASEAN and GCC countries at the summit.

"We will... jointly safeguard the international economic and trade order and the global free trade system," spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters.

Malaysia's foreign ministry confirmed the ASEAN, ASEAN-GCC Summit and ASEAN-GCC-China Economic Summit will be held in Kuala Lumpur May 26-27.

"These... are expected to draw high-level participation from ASEAN member states and dialogue partners," it said in a statement to Reuters.

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As part of its outreach to Southeast Asia, China has emphasised that it is willing to buy its exports, particularly agricultural items, according to a Beijing-based diplomat.

China is concerned that other countries are wary of huge trade diversions from U.S. tariffs on Chinese products, and that they could be convinced by Washington to put up economic barriers as a result, the source added.

ASEAN is China's largest trading partner, with total trade value reaching $234 billion in the first quarter of 2025, according to Chinese customs data, while China is the Gulf Cooperation Council's top trading partner.

The GCC's total commodity trade with China reached almost $298 billion in 2023 while the bloc accounted for 36% of China's total crude oil imports that year, according to UN figures.

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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday Washington is currently negotiating with 17 major trading partners, with some trade deals potentially finalised this week.

U.S. officials say they intend to use trade negotiations with third countries to isolate China economically. In mid-April, China's commerce minister held a video call with Saudi Arabia on responding to U.S. tariffs.

(Reporting by Laurie Chen and Antoni Slodkowski; additional reporting by Colleen Howe and Mei Mei Chu in Beijing and Danial Azhar in Kuala Lumpur; editing by Lincoln Feast and Mark Heinrich)
Chinese military personnel will take part in the parade on Red Square in Moscow on Victory Day. [Victory Day is a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, celebrated on 9 May  ed.]

Source: Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin during closed-door talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on 8 May, as reported by Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency TASS

Details: Putin said that the parade formation of Chinese military personnel will be the largest among all foreign military contingents that will take part in the military parade in Moscow on 9 May.

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Quote from Putin: "Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand guard over historical truth, defend the memory of those years and counter modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism."

Background:

In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine under mythical propaganda slogans about "demilitarisation and denazification".

By committing war crimes against civilians in many occupied Ukrainian cities, the Russians contributed to the emergence of a new term  "Ruscism".

In a video address on the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism on 8 May, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the parade of fear on Red Square in Russia would feature columns of tanks, marching formations of killers and a disguised crowd.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Chris Hayes was blunt during a commentary related to the wave of arrests and deportations of foreign nationals, calling the Trump administrations efforts to suppress or punish pro-Palestinian speech the closest to McCarthyism in my lifetime.

That assessment came while discussing Rumeysa Ozturk, the Tufts PhD student who was abducted by immigration agents and sent to a Louisiana prison facility over an she wrote for the school paper criticizing Israels conduct in the Gaza war and Tufts handling of student protests. On Wednesday three judges on the US Second Circuit Court of Appeals, a three judge panel ruled that Ozturk must be returned to Vermont and that her appeals must be heard there.

Shes currently being imprisoned for her protected free speech, Hayes said, calling her abduction part of a authoritarian attempt to criminalize thought, criminalize political speech and protest in this country, adding that the Trump administration is attempting to use the full force of the government to punish those who disagree with its support for Israels war.

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Hayes then noted several other harrowing instances of this policy and how its even being applied to U.C. citizens, and said, this atmosphere, this use of pressure and legal means to kind of render taboo an ideological tendency, its the closest Ive seen the McCarthyism in my lifetime.

Its an attempt to take a specific, constitutionally protected ideological perspective and intimidate people away from expressing it through threats of force and banishment, Hayes continued. Its gotten the point where, when I saw these viral images of musician Dave Matthews holding up signs reading stop the genocide and stop killing children, honestly, my first thought was to check his immigration status for fear the Trump administration would try to have him deported. Turns out, though born in South Africa, hes a naturalized US citizen.

Hayes then said people are protesting that Gaza has been bombed for a year and a half. Best estimates we have are that 15,000 children have been killed. A million people have been dislocated. The entire strip has been effectively raised to the ground, adding that much of this happened with previous President Joe Bidens explicit support.

And after all that, the Trump administration says that the real extremism, the danger is the one happening on college campuses.

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Hayes then took some time bringing viewers up to speed on recent news out of Israel, including as the New York Times reported, plans to capture more land and displace more Gaza residents. He also discussed the Trump administrations reported negotiations with other countries to take in Palestinian refugees.

Currently we are looking at U.S. and Israeli policy that is more aggressively radical and extremist, more flagrantly in violation of international law and human rights than I think weve seen before, Hayes said. But if you point that out, or you hold up a sign, or you protest, or you write a student op-ed on campus, the Trump administration may try to label you a terrorist and enemy of the state, and have you removed from the country or put into detention for months.

Hayes then criticized unnamed Democratic leaders who, he said, have effectively abdicated their leadership on this issue. So what exactly are young Americans who, as almost every poll shows, have increasingly sour them Israeli policy in Gaza. What are they supposed to do? Exactly? Should students shut up and pretend that their government isnt abetting mass civilian death and population transfer? I dont think thats going to happen. I can tell you this no amount of repression and bullying is going to successfully stamp out the movement against this ongoing carnage, if history is any indication it is just as likely to make the movement, stronger.

You can watch the full clip below:

The post Chris Hayes Calls Trump Efforts to Punish Pro-Palestine Speech the Closest to McCarthyism in My Lifetime | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- China witnessed a vibrant surge in inbound tourist consumption during the recent May Day holiday as more foreign visitors flocked to Chinese attractions and left with full shopping bags, driven by the country's recently optimized tax refund policies.

Central bank data has revealed that the number of transactions made by inbound visitors and processed through card payment giant China UnionPay or NetsUnion Clearing Corporation, a Chinese online payment clearing house, increased nearly 245 percent over the five-day holiday that ended on Monday, with the total transaction value up over 128 percent year on year.

On mobile platforms, popular Chinese payment app Alipay reported a 180 percent rise in inbound tourist spending between May 1 and 3, while WeChat Pay recorded nearly tripled foreign user transaction volume and value figures in China compared to the same period last year.

This rise in inbound consumption is the fruit of China's latest push to encourage foreign tourist spending. In late April, the country introduced a package of measures to optimize its departure tax refund policy, including lowering the minimum purchase threshold for refunds, raising the cash refund ceiling, expanding the network of participating stores, and widening the range of products available.

Overseas travelers in China can now claim a tax refund if they spend at least 200 yuan (about 27.75 U.S. dollars) at a single store in a single day and meet other relevant requirements, with refunds available in multiple forms, including mobile, bank and cash payments. The upper limit for cash refunds has been raised to 20,000 yuan.

China's metropolises led the shopping surge. From May 1 to 5, Beijing welcomed some 104,000 inbound tourists -- up 42.4 percent year on year -- whose spending saw a 48 percent year-on-year increase.

In Shanghai, tax-refund-on-departure sales jumped 120 percent in value during the holiday, and the amount of tax refunded increased 130 percent. So far, 1,013 enterprises have registered for departure tax refund services, covering more than 3,300 branded stores.

China's streamlined tax refund process has also had an impact on figures. Right before this year's May Day holiday, taxation authorities in Shanghai introduced self-service machines that allow foreign shoppers to submit most of their transaction details for their tax refund applications by scanning their passport and receipts.

In the southwestern city of Chengdu, a refund-upon-purchase service which allows eligible tourists to receive tax refunds instantly at retail outlets rather than waiting until they leave the country, has benefited many foreign tourists during the holiday.

"It's so convenient, and I'm planning to buy more," said a tourist from Singapore who received a refund of over 4,000 yuan when he bought two pieces of luggage at Chengdu IFS, one of the biggest shopping malls in the city.

"Providing overseas travelers with a greater variety of shopping options and more convenient tax refund services will stimulate inbound consumption and support China's high-standard opening-up and economic growth," said Chen Binkai, vice president of the Central University of Finance and Economics.

China introduced its departure tax refund policy for overseas travelers in 2015. Inbound tourist spending has increased over the years as China opens wider to global visitors by facilitating visas, payments and accommodation.

The country now grants unilateral visa-free entry to people from 38 countries, and has extended its visa-free transit period to 240 hours for travelers from 54 countries. About 380,000 foreigners entered China under these arrangements during the May Day holiday, a year-on-year increase of 72.7 percent.

China is also accelerating its development of international consumption center cities to stimulate inbound spending further. The country is working to transform five cities -- Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing -- into major shopping centers.

In 2024, the number of inbound foreign travelers to the five cities doubled compared to the previous year. Together, they now account for nearly 70 percent of the country's departure tax refund stores and more than half of imported consumer goods.

"China's inbound consumption holds great growth potential," said Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping, noting that last year, spending by overseas visitors contributed about 0.5 percent of the country's GDP, compared to 1 to 3 percent in major economies. 
TIRANA, Albania (AP)  Some of the architects of Donald Trump's presidential campaigns have reunited in Albania as they try to help a Trumpian candidate prevail in this weekend's elections.

They include Chris LaCivita, who served as co-campaign manager of Trumps successful 2024 effort, Trumps longtime pollster Tony Fabrizio, and Paul Manafort, who served as chairman of Trumps 2016 campaign before he was convicted in 2018 of crimes that included secretly lobbying for Ukraines former pro-Russian president.

The trio is working for former prime minister and president Sali Berisha, the head of Albanias opposition Democratic Party, who is challenging Prime Minister Edi Rama to return the Democrats to power, even as he awaits trial on corruption charges.

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Its the only Democrat Party I would ever consider working for, quipped LaCivita as he headed to the country for his third trip before Sunday's election.

Berisha, who is hoping the new administration will reverse sanctions barring him from entering the U.S., has also signed a two-year, $6 million contract with Continental Strategy, a Republican consulting and lobbying firm. Its staff includes Katie Wiles, the daughter of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who along with LaCivita, led Trumps campaign. Katie Wiles is not involved with the client.

Foreign consulting has long been a popular way for U.S. strategists from both parties to rake in cash between election cycles. But Berishas decision to lean on Trump hands  and to highlight their involvement  makes clear how valuable they can be to candidates trying to harness populist sentiment and replicate Trumps rise. In Albania, like many other countries, being seen as having close ties to the U.S. and its leaders is also considered a major asset.

Rama has his own connections with Trump allies. In December, Ramas Cabinet approved entering into negotiations with Atlantic Incubation Partners LLC, owned by Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, for development of a $1.6 billion luxury resort on the small island of Sazan.

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The Strategic Investment Committee awarded Kushner's company the status of strategic investor for 10 years.

There's more at stake than just an electoral victory

Throughout the campaign, Berisha has cast himself as a Trump-like figure and the victim of a politically motivated scheme that he blames in part on the U.S. billionaire George Soros, a booster of liberal causes around the world and longtime foil of conservatives.

He launched his campaign with a promise to Make Albania Great Again, but later had to change the slogan amid concerns that it could be misinterpreted as a reference to greater Albania and spark confrontation in the western Balkans over fears some in neighboring countries have about Albanian expansionism.

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The campaign now vows to make Albania grandiose": madheshtore instead of e madhe."

Like Trump, Berisha also has his own signature campaign hat  a blue one that features the No. 1, the Democrats' ranking on the ballot.

While recent elections in Canada and Australia have demonstrated the power of backlash against candidates deemed too aligned with Trump, in other countries those ties have been a major boon. In Argentina, Javier Milei swept to power with a Make Argentina Great Again slogan and Trumpian flair.

And in El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele has become one of Trump's strongest allies, agreeing to detain U.S. deportees in his country's notorious terrorism megaprison.

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Will new consultants deliver a long-sought victory?

Berisha's party presents its hiring of Trump campaign staffers as a major coup. The Americans, they say, have been working on all aspects of the campaign, from strategy to messaging and public communication.

LaCivita managed one of the most spectacular campaigns in the political history, making president a politician who had all against him, media companies, exit poll companies, NGOs, etc, to a certain extent the same situation with the opposition and its leader here in Albania," the party said in a written response to questions from The Associated Press.

Albanias Democratic Party and U.S. Republicans are natural allies, they added, since both are against the woke culture and support family and free market too.

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LaCivita has been featured in Democratic social media posts and appeared at a series of events in the country and abroad, including a rally where he took the stage to the Village People's YMCA, Trump's signature walk-off song.

Who is ready to make Albania great again? he boomed as he opened his speech  notwithstanding the concerns about referencing greater Albania. (Other times, he goes with Make Albania magnificent.")

Rama, the Socialist Party leader, derisively calls Berisha a swamp owl and frequently criticizes the Americans' involvement, with LaCivita even featured in a negative ad.

The Democrats have not disclosed how much LaCivita is paid, but said his payment was done in line with the law and the election rules, here in Albania and in America and that the contract would eventually be made public.

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LaCivita has stressed he is being paid solely to advise the party and that he is not lobbying officials in the U.S.

Manafort, they said, is part of LaCivitas team as a friend and collaborator, and he has been in Tirana at that capacity."

Manafort was charged in 2017 by special counsel Robert Muellers team with, among other things, concealing from the U.S. government lucrative political lobbying work hed performed on behalf of a pro-Russia party in Ukraine. He was convicted of multiple financial crimes and sentenced to prison but ultimately pardoned by Trump.

Hiring a lobbying company, aimed at lifting Berishas non grata designation

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In addition to the campaign help, in late April the Democrats signed a $250,000-a-month lobbying contract with U.S.-based Continental Strategy to help them establish relationships in the executive and legislative branches, and to promote democracy, anti-corruption initiatives and governmental reforms, according to the companys filing with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

The firm is led by Carlos Trujillo, a longtime Trump ally who served as U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States during Trump's first term and whom Albania's Democratic Party has touted as President Trumps lawyer and as a staunch anti-communist in his stand! Trujillo is working on the contract with the firm's managing partner, Alberto Martinez, who served as now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio's Senate chief of staff.

The arrangement has raised eyebrows in Albania and triggered an investigation by Albanias SPAK, the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime.

The firm is being paid by the Make Albania Great Again Foundation," a newly created nonprofit founded by Nuredin Seci, an Albanian American contractor from New Jersey, with what is supposed to be money collected from the Albanian-American community.

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Seci did not respond to questions about the foundation and where the funding had come from sent to his Facebook account. Numbers and an email address associated with Seci appear to have been disconnected.

Melissa Stone, a spokesperson for Continental, said, Our work is being funded by an American-Albanian businessman and active leader in the Albanian-America diaspora who loves America and loves Albania.

That includes trying to lift the sanctions on Berisha, who was barred from campaigning in the U.S., where many Albanians ex-pats live.

As part of our work to improve bilateral relations between Albania and the United States, we are actively petitioning the Trump Administration to launch a full-scale review and reversal of the Biden-era weaponization of Section 7031(c) against conservative, pro-American leaders, including President Sali Berisha, she said in a statement.

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In May 2021, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken sanctioned Berisha for alleged significant corruption and barred him and his wife and children from entering the U.S.

Britain did the same a year later.

Blinken said that during Berishas 2005-2013 tenure as prime minister, the politician was involved in corrupt acts, such as misappropriation of public funds and interfering with public processes, including using his power for his own benefit and to enrich his political allies and his family members," which Berisha denies.

Last year, Berisha was charged with corruption for an alleged scheme in which he helped his son-in-law privatize public land to build apartment buildings in the capital, Tirana. The trial has yet to start.

Berisha told Albanian media in January that he considered Trumps election a miracle for humanity and said that he would ask the new administration to review his designation as a persona non grata" and demand that it be changed.

LaCivita has called Berisha a true friend of the United States." And he has drawn parallels between Trump and Berisha, casting both as having been unfairly prosecuted and persecuted by a government that has no regard for Democracy.

LaCivita has acknowledged Berisha's decision to promote his involvement is different from other foreign clients who prefer more discretion.

Thats one place where you know, America meddling in their elections is encouraged, right? Everywhere else, not so much, LaCivita said in a conversation with journalists posing as potential clients that was published by The Guardian.

___

Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The Cinco de Mayo Falls Park Fiesta celebrates Latino cultures in Sioux Falls and surrounding areas. Theres a number of ways to get involved this weekend.

The family-friendly celebration is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. this Saturday, May 10, at Falls Park. The event benefits Caminando Juntos, a ministry that supports Latino cultures with community resources across South Dakota.

Tulips faced tough growing conditions

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We connect them also with Immigration Legal Services and help them to get their paperwork in the right order and also with English language learning, Caminando Juntos executive director Matthew Tschetter said.

Saturdays fiesta will feature live music, food trucks and kids activities. A dog fashion show, or Perros con Sombreros, is also on the lineup.

It has to be 40 pounds or less. You can dress the dog up. You can also dress up yourself, Tschetter said. Its just a fun time.

Organizers are still looking for volunteers to help with the fundraiser, too. You can sign up here.

Were still looking for people to help tear down that night, which is a really important role. Everybody comes out and puts it together, and then theres lots of work to be done at the end, so we really enjoy people to come out and help us, director of Mission Development Brooke Nicholson said.

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Entry is free, and parking maps will be provided to visitors upon entrance.

A full list of times and events is available 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.
SOUTHWICK  The trustee of a property on Granville Road has filed a citizens petition to have an article included on the warrant for the upcoming Town Meeting proposing a bylaw to prohibit hunting on private property without the permission of the landowner.

In November of 2023, Janet Prifti sent a letter to the Select Board recounting her experience with a hunter on the 55-acre property she oversees, requesting the board consider supporting a bylaw to prohibit hunting on private property.

When Select Board member Douglas Moglin referenced the letter at the November meeting, he called it a tale of woe.

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Prifti wrote that earlier that year that a hunter or hunters had set up an 18-foot-high deer stand that was locked to a nice tree on the property and failed to remove it within 30 days of the end of hunting season, which was Jan. 30.

She waited 30 days and at the end of February, she had the stand removed and its building materials recycled.

Three months later the deer stands owner contacted her and let her know he wanted the stand returned or compensation to cover the cost of replacing it. The stands owner filed a $450 claim in small claims court, Prifti wrote.

She filed a countersuit for a similar amount, including the cost she incurred retaining an attorney, before dropping it in the interest of neighborhood peace.

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In the letter she wrote there were no trespassing signs posted on the property and that the hunter should have contacted her to even go on the property, but he didnt.

The hunter claimed he had hunted the land for 30 years and there were lots of people hunting back there, and added he had permission to hunt there.

Prifti, however, claimed she never given the hunter permission, and had never heard of him.

She also included in the letter complaints from neighbors about hearing gunshots in the area the year before.

When she contacted the Southwick Police Department about the situation on the property, she was told hunters needed written permission to hunt on private property. Later, however, Environmental Police told her the town did not have a bylaw, like some surrounding towns, that required permission.

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Initially, Moglin and noard member Jason Perron supported the idea of the bylaw but wanted the Police Departments opinion.

It took nearly two months, but former Police Chief Robert Landis said the proposal had merit, but he wanted to hear from the community.

With that recommendation, the board held an informational meeting at Town Hall to hear from residents.

In April of last year, the meeting was held with nearly 50 residents attending and over a dozen spoke out against it.

It was at that meeting that many who attended learned about the states private property laws. One attendee said she went to the meeting to support the bylaw but changed her mind after learning the states private property laws.

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In Massachusetts, unlike Connecticut, unless a property is conspicuously marked as private and there are no no trespassing signs posted around the propertys perimeter, anyone can access a private property, for any purpose.

At the meeting, Environmental Police Lt. Frank Soleimani provided his perspective on hunting activities in town and the states private property laws.

If [private property] is not posted, you can hunt it, he said.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Moglin and Perron decided against including the bylaw on the Town Meeting warrant.

Board member Diane Gale didnt stake out a position during the meeting but did say she believed there were residents who supported it but they were afraid to speak out.

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Despite that, she joined Moglin and Perron in deciding not include the proposal on the Town Meeting warrant.

Draft of proposed bylaw

No person shall hunt by any means, trap or discharge a firearm on any private property in the Town of Southwick, other than on said persons property, without written permission of the owner of the land upon which hunting, trapping, or discharging of a firearm will take place. Permission forms shall be obtained from the Southwick Town Clerks office. The fully completed form signed by the owner shall be retained by the hunter and must be carried while hunting. All permits shall be valid for not more than two years or a shorter period as indicated by the landowner.

Each offender shall receive a written notice to appear before the clerk of the district court at any time during working hours no later than 21 days after the date of such notice. Fine for first offense shall be $100. Second time offenders shall be fined a minimum of $100 up to $300. This bylaw shall be enforced by all state and local enforcement officials and shall be administered under the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 21D on non-criminal dispositions. This bylaw shall not apply to the lawful defense of life and property, or to any discharge of firearms in accordance with law enforcement.

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For the purposes of this bylaw a firearm shall be defined as any instrument used in the propulsion of shot, shell, bullets or balls, by the use of gunpowder or any weapons as defined in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, Section 121, and shall include any bow and arrow.

Read the original article on MassLive.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  City workers have completed several major utility relocation projects tied to the larger Polk-Quincy Viaduct (PQV) project on I-70 in Topeka.

City of Topeka spokesman Dan Garrett said in a press release on May 7 that workers have completed six big utility relocation projects in the area of the viaduct. In total, workers removed, replaced or relocated more than 14,200 square yards of pavement, nearly 6,000 feet of sanitary sewer, more than 2,500 fee of storm sewer and nearly 7,000 feet of water line.

This work was done in connection with the Kansas Department of Transportations (KDOT) PQV ongoing PQV project. The $239 million project is set to run through to 2027, bringing some big changes to Topekas local roads.

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These relocations were a critical step in supporting one of the regions most significant transportation improvement projects, laying the foundation for the future of Topekas transportation network, City of Topeka Utilities Director Sylvia Davis said. The effort put forth by our Utilities team is a testament to their tenacity and dedication to getting the job done. Along with our partners, they managed a difficult timeline, numerous unforeseen challenges and were successful in completing this work for well under half of the original cost estimate. I am extremely proud of this team.

What changes are coming to the Kansas Avenue Bridge in 2026?

Workers have relocated water, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure throughout the project area over the past year. Each of the project sites associated with the PQV are now under KDOTs supervision.

Garrett said the utility relocation work included extensive coordination with KDOT and several departments within the city. Workers moved the lines out of the path of the construction zone to accommodate road improvements, bridge enhancements and safety upgrades along the viaduct corridor.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  After three former Memphis police officers were acquitted Wednesday in the beating death of Tyre Nichols, community and civil rights leaders expressed outrage over another disappointment in the long push for police reform.

Nichols' death at a traffic stop more than two years ago sparked nationwide protests and renewed calls for systemic change as the first post-George Floyd case that revealed the limits of an unprecedented reckoning over racial injustice in Black America.

Now, Wednesday's acquittals again show the need for reforms at the federal level, civil rights leaders said.

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Tyre and his family deserve true justice  not only in the courtroom, but in Congress, by passing police reform legislation once and for all," NAACP President Derrick Johnson posted on social media. "Traffic stops should never be a death sentence, and a badge should never ever  be a shield to accountability.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who spoke Wednesday to Nichols' mother and stepfather, said they were outraged.

Justice can still be delivered, Sharpton added in a statement, referring to the officers' upcoming sentencing in a federal civil rights case. Tyres death was preventable, inexcusable, and tragic.

Officers avoid a murder conviction

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Nichols, 29, was on his way home on Jan. 7, 2023, when he was stopped for an alleged traffic violation. He was pulled out of his car by officers, one of whom shot at him with a Taser. Nichols ran away, according to video footage that showed him brutally beaten by five officers. An autopsy found he died from blows to the head.

An out-of-town jury from a majority-white county found Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith not guilty of all state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating. All five officers, the city of Memphis and the police chief are being sued by Nichols family for $550 million. A trial has been scheduled for next year.

Let this be a rally and cry: We must confront the broken systems that empowered this injustice and demand the change our nation  and Tyres legacy  deserves, said civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing the family in the lawsuit.

Nichols' family, supporters rally in Memphis

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On Thursday, more than 100 supporters of Nichols family joined them at a rally at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. The museum is built on the site of the former Lorraine Motel, where the Rev. Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968.

Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, spoke to the crowd in the rain, covered by an umbrella, in front of the balcony where King was felled by a rifle bullet. Behind her, people held posters showing with a photo of a hospitalized Nichols, his face swollen and bruised. On the posters was the saying, I Am a Man, the rallying cry for the sanitation workers' strike that brought King to the city.

Wells said the verdict was a devastating blow to her family. She said the jury didn't care about her son. Jurors were brought in from the Chattanooga area after a judge's ruling that intense pre-trial publicity made it difficult to find an impartial jury.

They were allowed to come here and look at the evidence, but they didn't see the evidence, Wells said. What they saw was a Black man running from the police. They didn't care that my son was afraid for his life.

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A push for police reform

After Floyd's 2020 murder by a former Minneapolis police officer, states adopted hundreds of police reform proposals, creating civilian oversight of police, more antibias training and stricter use-of-force limits, among other measures. But federal reforms in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act have been stuck in Congress without enough bipartisan support to get enacted during the Biden administration.

The Nichols case sparked a 17-month federal investigation into the Memphis Police Department, which found a host of civil rights violations, including using excessive force, making illegal traffic stops and disproportionately targeting Black people.

Last year, police traffic-stop reforms put in place in Memphis after Nichols death were repealed by GOP Gov. Bill Lee, despite pleas from civil rights advocates.

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One of the ordinances had outlawed traffic stops for reasons unrelated to a motorist's driving, such as a broken taillight and other minor violations. Lee echoed arguments from Republican lawmakers who said Nichols death needed to result in accountability for officers who abuse power, not new limits on traffic stops.

Speaking after Wednesday's acquittal, Shelby County District Attorney Steven Mulroy said: Our office will continue to push for accountability for everybody who violates the law, including, if not especially, those who are sworn to uphold it.

If were going to have any silver lining from this dark cloud of both the event itself and in my view todays verdict, it has to be that we need to reaffirm our commitment to police reform, he said.

Memphis struggles with police accountability

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Thaddeus Johnson, a former Memphis police commander and a senior fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice, said Nichols' beating and Wednesday's acquittal compound wounds from generations of policing problems in the majority-Black city.

I do believe that reform is local, but I do believe this has kind of put a black eye on things, Johnson told The Associated Press. "People feel like police cannot be held accountable. Or they wont be held accountable.

Andre Johnson, a pastor at Gifts of Life Ministries in Memphis and a community activist, said he was disappointed but not surprised at the verdict.

It is extremely difficult to convict officers even when they are on camera, he said, calling the acquittal a loud and clarion acknowledgment that certain groups of people do not matter.

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For a lot of people who have had engagement with police officers, the message is loud and clear: that even if we get you on camera, doing what you did to Tyre, that you cannot face justice, Johnson said.

____

Brewer reported from Norman, Oklahoma. Mattise reported from Nashville. Associated Press writer Travis Loller in Nashville contributed.
The Clark Atlanta University community is mourning the loss of an alumna who died in a shooting in California.

Its very unfortunate that we have lost one of ours, Aaron Wells, the Director of Finance at Clark Atlanta University, told Channel 2s Audrey Washington on Wednesday.

News of the tragedy made its way around the Clark Atlanta University campus on Wednesday.

I do think it is very devastating, Clark Atlanta University senior Colleen Reddick said.

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This week the CAU community learned one of their own, Dr. Cameisha Clark, died in a shooting at the college where she worked across the country.

Police in Los Angeles, California, said Jesse Figueroa shot and killed Dr. Clark on Friday.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The shooting, according to police, happened on the campus of Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology - Inglewood Campus.

Thats the same college where Dr. Clark served as dean.

We believe it occurred in an office inside the school. We believe its a workplace violence-related incident, said one official.

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Police said Figueroa used to work at the college as a security guard.

They said that on Friday, he returned to the college in security clothes and opened fire on Dr. Clark and her assistant. The assistant survived.

Investors called the incident a targeted, execution style shooting.

The motive is still unclear.

Tragic, and it shows you how important life is, Wells added.

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Dr. Clark obtained her bachelors, masters, and educational doctorate from Clark Atlanta University.

Leaders at Clark Atlanta University said they will honor Dr. Clark at an upcoming service, and they plan to establish a scholarship in Dr. Clarks name.

Dr. Cameisha Clark exemplified the Panther spirit. She lived with purpose, led with heart, and leaves behind a legacy that will continue to uplift and inspire the CAU Nation for generations to come, CAUS President Dr. George T. French, Jr. wrote in a statement.

I think its a great idea because its honoring her legacy and what she stood for, Reddick said.

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May 7The Albuquerque City Council sent about $4.6 million in opioid settlement money to three Gateway Center services, the latest vote in a series of decisions about how to spend the historic settlement.

The council's resolution approved at a meeting Monday night states that the funds will help cover operational costs at the First Responder Receiving Area, Medical Sobering Center and Micro-Community Recovery Housing.

Overdoses in New Mexico declined 8% in 2023 from their peak in 2021 with 1,029 deaths, according to recent data from the New Mexico Department of Health.

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The vote came about a month after the City Council set guardrails for spending money from the historic settlement between local governments and big pharmaceutical companies. That settlement gave Albuquerque $80 million over several years. The funds must be spent in ways that remediate the effects of the opioid epidemic, per the settlement agreement.

In that agreement, pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors accused of spreading misleading information about opioids' addictive nature while overprescribing the drug were forced to pay millions to states and local governments.

That ruling followed years of litigation.

The city of Albuquerque formed a joint committee with Bernalillo County to help determine what to do with the money. Together, officials decided the money would primarily go to nonprofits and providers doing on-the-ground work with people experiencing addiction.

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The council gave some money to Albuquerque Public Schools to expand its Crossroads treatment program and set aside money for the mayor's office but set strict guidelines on how it could be used.

The council said the mayor's portion could not be used for police vehicles, police salaries, safe-use sites or naloxone vending machines. Additionally, they said 40% must be spent on disconnected youth, while 60% must be used on treatment efforts.

Mayor Tim Keller's office objected to the plan. The office raised concerns that the nonprofits and providers would use the money for infrastructure and capital development, arguing it would be better spent on further investment in the Gateway Center.

The objection led to heated disputes between the mayor and the council, but those tensions did not resurface on Monday night.

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When introducing the legislation, Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn said this proposal from the mayor's office perfectly aligned with the council's guidelines.

"This is just closing that loop on the opioid settlement funds for this year," Fiebelkorn said.

Fiebelkorn co-sponsored the legislation with Councilors Nichole Rogers, Renee Grout and Dan Champine. The measure passed unanimously.

After the late-night vote, Keller released a statement touting the city's "work to build a continuum of care for folks experiencing addiction and homelessness," highlighting the services the council funded.

"With this funding, City Council is doing its part to open a critical component of the Gateway system  the Sobering Center  and to provide recovery housing to help people turn their lives around," Keller said.
Clayton County police are looking for a missing, endangered 15-year-old.

Officers responded to a youth group home on Rex Road, in Rex, Georgia, and spoke with staff, who told them that Maddox Lane left the home without permission at 10:30 p.m.

Police say Lane is diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. They dont know which direction he was walking.

He is five feet and six inches tall, weighs about 115 lbs, and has blonde hair and brown eyes.

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He was last seen wearing light-colored blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and white Air Force One shoes.

Police say he should be wearing an ankle monitor.

Anyone with information on his location is urged to call Clayton County police at 770-477-3747.

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WAUKEE, Iowa  Manning Ag Services is working to clean up a 4,000-gallon diesel spill caused by a former employee.

Joe Manning, the Co-Owner of Manning Ag Services, said that cleanup costs will exceed $200,000.

We scraped the driveway, tested the rock. Uh, the pond will be there next project. Theyre going to skim the pond with the diesel that on top of it. And then this is the main project right now. And the field where all the, uh, diesel fuel is leaking into our field tiles. We also farm with our trucking company. Its leached out into the field tiles, and thats whats going it just going into the stream, Manning said.

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Watching the Conclave from an Iowa Catholic landmark

Manning plans to add a keypad to the diesel pump tank to prevent a spill from happening in the future.

Were getting quotes out to put in a keypad system on the pumps that only our employees that are still employed with us have numbers, Manning said.

Ginny Renaud, a resident who lives near Little Walnut Creek, has concerns about runoff from the spill.

Were more of a retirement community here. But almost every one of us has children and grandchildren, and the first thing we want to show them is our cute little creek back here. And of course, in time well probably waiting through that. So that is a huge concern, Renaud said.

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The DNR recommends staying out of Little Walnut creek for a while.

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CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA)  Residents at a Clearwater condo are still unable to return to their homes after cracks were found in a pillar on Tuesday.

Clearwater Fire & Rescue was called to The South Beach III Condominiums on Gulf Boulevard after engineers found a support column splitting in the first-floor parking structure.

Fire rescue officials said 60 people were evacuated after the 12-story building was deemed unsafe.

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Clearwater officials said the threshold engineer hired by the condo association will determine when the building is safe to occupy.

9 people displaced after Clearwater home catches fire

Temporary support structures are being placed on each floor next to the compromised support column.

They had to do at least 18 struts and 18 shoring mechanisms for the first floor, Clearwater Fire Division Chief Jevon Graham said. As they go up again, they just make sure that its stable and it disperses and supports the weight. They use steel struts and steel beams to make sure that the column isnt going to come down and that the floor and roof was under control and supported.

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The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents. Graham said there isnt a clear repair timeline, and residents likely wont be able to return until structural engineers give the all clear.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Stephane Bonamy, head of the regional delegation for Central Africa of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Yaounde, capital of Cameroon, April 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Kepseu)

YAOUNDE, May 8 (Xinhua) -- As the world faces multiple conflicts, it is imperative to step up international efforts to ensure the sustainability of humanitarian aid, a senior official of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said.

In an interview with Xinhua, Stephane Bonamy, head of the ICRC's regional delegation for Central Africa, voiced concern that humanitarian support is declining in the midst of rising violent conflicts worldwide.

"Humanitarian support is being reduced or being prioritized. We are witnessing a situation where priority is given to some situations more than others," he said. "My fear is that with this, we are excluding certain people and also condemning certain people to continue to have to live with their suffering and the consequences without any response being given."

Humanitarian support should be provided universally and without discrimination, Bonamy said.

Cameroon, he said, is still facing a major humanitarian crisis in the country's Far North region where the Boko Haram terror group continues to attack civilians and soldiers, and in the Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest where a prolonged armed separatist conflict is in progress.

The ICRC has responded broadly to the needs of populations affected by conflict in those regions, including protecting civilians, supporting health facilities, assisting internally displaced people, and restoring access to essential services such as water and agriculture, Bonamy said.

In 2024 alone, the ICRC facilitated access to health care for 172,123 patients, including children under four years old, he said, noting that the organization is more concerned about the impact of its actions on individuals than the statistics.

Bonamy acknowledged that it is sometimes difficult for humanitarian organizations to access populations in need but said they were trying to minimize the risk exposure as much as possible.

"The first challenge for humanitarian workers is security and respect for the humanitarian workers who ultimately come to help, with no agenda behind them, no political agenda or anything like that. The ICRC has good relationships. The ICRC bases its action on neutrality, its independence," he said.

The interview with Bonamy was conducted on the eve of World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, which is celebrated annually on May 8.

"May 8th is above all a reminder that at the heart of the Red Cross is voluntary commitment, and I would like to pay tribute to its national societies, particularly those that the ICRC supports in Central Africa," he said. "They are the first to respond when there are people in need of assistance, and they are the ones who deserve to be applauded." 
CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA)  Crews were at work Wednesday stabilizing and repairing a cracked pillar in a Clearwater Beach condo building.

On Tuesday, residents were forced to evacuate from the South Beach III condominium building on Sand Key. Construction crews remained on scene the following day.

Lawsuit filed against Jeff Knight in deadly Clearwater Ferry crash

They shored up the first floor and the second floor, and then they still have to continue to shore up the entire 12-floor building, said Clearwater Fire Division Chief Jevon Graham. There was a support column that was compromised.

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The split prompted a massive response on Gulf Boulevard. Sixty people were forced to evacuate, and some residents were carried out on stretchers.

Residents will not be able to return home until the project is complete.

They had to do at least 18 struts and 18 shoring mechanisms for the first floor, Graham said. As they go up again, they just make sure that its stable and it disperses and supports the weight. They use steel struts and steel beams to make sure that the column isnt going to come down and that the floor and roof was under control and supported.

Officials said the crack was discovered amid the condo renovation project to the garage floor.

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Its one of many renovations taking place over recent months.

Of course its scary, said resident Bruno Polunic. Its always scary to see something like that; but thank God everything is OK. Nobody got hurt. Everybody is good.

Last year, an engineering firm conducted a milestone inspection for the Clearwater Key Association, South Beach III Condominium at 1460 Gulf Boulevard.

The City of Clearwater released the following statement about the recent milestone inspection report conducted by Karins Engineering:

Those documents were provided to their Community Association in August and September of 2024, and the city does not have record of receiving these required building milestone inspection reports by the Dec. 31, 2024, deadline. Per Florida Statute, buildings 30 years old before July 1, 2022, must have their initial inspection by Dec. 31, 2024, and meet all the statutory requirements in order to be in compliance.

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On Wednesday, city officials received the phase 1 milestone inspection reports that were issued on August 8, 2024, and Sept. 26, 2024.

The report states that the engineer did not observe conditions that would compromise the safety of the building for its intended use and occupancy.

The city issued a permit to a general contractor for temporary shoring. Officials say there will be a threshold inspection to verify the work and to allow occupancy of the building. Additional work will be needed to complete more substantial repairs.

According to officials, the Clearwater Building Official will not allow residents to return to the building until a structural engineer delivers a report with confirmation that the structure is stable and safe to occupy.

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Meanwhile, Aurora Donnelly is one of dozens who received evacuation orders.

What goes through your head is Miami, right? So, Im running down the stairs saying, Oh my gosh, I hope the building doesnt fall down, Donnelly said.

Support columns in the back of the building were taped off. Leaders with the Clearwater Fire and Rescue Division said construction crews saw a crack in one of the beams, noticed the split was widening and called first responders.

You have a support column thats displaced, so its probably a couple feet wide, at least. Its still splitting, and again, its one of the main supports for the structure, Graham said.

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The 12-story, 140-unit condo building was constructed in 1980. According to the Clearwater permitting website, the structure was inspected last May.

Its a very inconvenient thing, but they were able to evacuate the building in time, nobody got hurt and nobody will get hurt. I strongly believe the engineers, the fire department and police are doing the right things, said resident David Zusman said.

The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents. Graham said there isnt a clear timeline for repairs and that residents likely wont be able to return until structural engineers give the all clear.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CLEARWATER, Fla., (WFLA)  Everyone hates to lose things, but sometimes, they have a way of coming back to us.

A Lieutenant with the Clearwater Fire Department is being recognized for going above and beyond to help a woman get her belongings back.

Lawsuit filed against Jeff Knight in deadly Clearwater Ferry crash

The woman was on her honeymoon when she lost her purse with all of her belongings in it. Lt. Gray Joyce was able to track the woman down and ship everything back to her in Texas.

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Lt. Joyce has been with CFD for 27 years and has made it one of his missions to help people in every way he can, even if it is returning lost items.

If youre here on vacation and you dont have your ID, its a nightmare trying to leave. I do my best, Ive done it countless times, and I tracked Susan down. She had her ID, she had a couple of business cards, he said.

The purse was lost on Clearwater Beach and turned into the fire station.

After some digging around the internet, Joyce found the woman, Susan, on Facebook. He sent her a message, called the number on a business card in her purse and spoke to her boss.

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Florida father reveals whopping bill for familys trip to Disney park

I gave him my phone number, and he relayed it to her, and she called me back. She had already left Clearwater at that point, for points unknown on the rest of their honeymoon, and I said Well, I can get it back to you. She gave me her home address, and I shipped it back to her in Texas, Joyce said.

The lieutenant said the bag came to the best place possible and it was waiting for the woman when she returned home.

She was just overwhelmed with gratitude, he said.

Returning things to their rightful owners is something Joyce has been doing since 1971. When he was in first grade, he found $4 at the fair and turned it into the sheriffs office.

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A mother called, and her daughter had lost $4, wadded up, near the cotton candy machine. She wondered if anybody had turned in it. The sheriff said yes, that did happen and then I ended up getting an award through the Sheriffs Youth Association, Joyce said.

Joyce said he would like to thank Susan for her gratitude and that a little bit of kindness goes a long way.

With the help of social media and technology, Joyce said it is much easier to help people get their lost items back these days.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Natalie Clydesdale - WKYC

Natalie Clydesdale will join Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC as a reporter later this month.,

Clydesdale comes form KFOR in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where she was the 4 a.m. anchor.

She said goodbye to KFOR on Wednesday, posting on social media, How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard? Last week was my last day at KFOR. I absolutely loved spending the last three years in Oklahoma. I got to work alongside some of the best in the business and made incredible, lifelong friends who made living halfway across the country feel like home. Ill miss everything (except for that 2 a.m. alarm), she said. But, its time to get much closer to my family. I couldnt be more excited to start reporting at @wkyc3 in a few weeks

She started working at KFOR in January 2022 as a weekend reporter. She worked at WANE in Fort Wayne, Indiana before that.
A home along Paul Sawyier Drive in Frankfort is submerged by Kentucky River flooding, April 6, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer)

An increasingly warming climate intensified the deluge of rain that fell on Kentucky and other states in early April, according to a new report from a multinational academic group that studies climate changes connections to extreme weather events.

Torrential downpours inundated communities across Kentucky in early April, with some parts of Western Kentucky receiving more than a foot of rain in just four days. Some waterways including the Kentucky River in Frankfort crested at near-record highs as Kentuckians were forced to evacuate low-lying homes and businesses. Dozens of counties declared states of emergency, hundreds of roadways were closed and Gov. Andy Beshear said the storms were responsible for the deaths of seven Kentuckians.

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A report from World Weather Attribution found, based on climate modeling, that the extreme rainfall across Kentucky and seven other states was about 9% more intense because of warming, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, that already has occurred.

Climate change increased the likelihood of the extreme rainfall  which pulled its moisture from a significantly hotter Gulf of Mexico  by about 40% compared to a cooler climate according to the report. The likelihood of such a rainfall event is still relatively rare, the report authors found, at about a 1 in 100-year event.

Bernadette Woods-Placky, a chief meteorologist at the New Jersey-based nonprofit research organization Climate Central, said in a Wednesday briefing that its hard to discern how climate change impacted flooding in specific waterways and communities without studying the hydrology of each area.

But she said an increase in flooding intensity, even if marginal, can be significant when talking about a tipping point of whether a river crests a bank or barrier thats holding it back.

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If you hit that tipping point, then it floods over to everything. And so the littlest bit in certain areas can make a huge impact, Woods-Placky said. A warmer atmosphere forces more evaporation, so our atmosphere in general has more water to come down whenever theres a trigger, wherever theres a trigger. So thats why were seeing, overall, an increase in heavy rain events.

Basil Griffin Park in Bowling Green remains inundated on April 7 after days of heavy rain. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)

Friederike Otto, an author of the report and a senior lecturer in climate science at Imperial College London, said while the methods used in the report have been peer reviewed, the study on the April rainfall has not yet been peer reviewed.

Based on modeling, the report predicts that if current climate policies across the globe remain consistent, the climate will warm by approximately 2.6 degrees Celsius by 2100; in that case, extreme rainfall events are expected to approximately double in likelihood again and further increase in intensity by another 7%. Earth recorded its hottest year on record in 2024, crossing a warming threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius that the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015 aimed to avoid exceeding.

Otto, the report author at Imperial College London, said significant increases in the likelihood of such weather events from climate change could also compound the costs of recovery in communities hit repeatedly by flooding. If recovery from an extreme weather event costs billions of dollars, having it happen again could transform what extreme weather can mean for a community.

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Those speaking Wednesday also commended the National Weather Services preparedness and early warnings of the incoming weather last month across multiple states, saying it was vital in protecting people and property.

Woods-Placky advocated for the national agency in light of reporting that multiple NWS offices across the country, including three offices covering almost the entirety of Kentucky, were without a chief meteorologist to lead teams of forecasters and other staff.

They did some tremendous work, and they did save lives, Woods-Placky said.
The historic rain and flooding in parts of Arkansas, Kentucky and other states caused by intense April thunderstorms was likelier and also more intense because of climate change.

Thats according to the World Weather Attribution project, a group of scientists who analyze major weather events for the effects of climate change.

From April 3 to April 6, torrential rain pounded the Southeast, causing flooding that put more than 70 million people under flood alerts, killed at least 15, swept away cars and derailed a train.

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Researchers used climate models and historical data to analyze the storm system in eight states it tracked and found that it was about 9% more intense because of global warming and 40% likelier today than in a climate without global warming.

We conclude that present warming of 1.3 degrees did amplify the extreme rainfall leading to flooding in this region, said Ben Clarke, a researcher at Imperial College London, who helped author the report. We know that a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture.

Severe flooding in Frankfort, Ky., on April 7 caused by days of heavy rain across the Midwest. (Leandro Lozada / AFP via Getty Images file)

The reference to 1.3 degrees is how much the world has warmed, in Celsius, since humanity began spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as a result of the Industrial Revolution. Its equivalent to about 2.3 degrees F.

Clarke said the groups probability estimates are conservative. The researchers noted that a somewhat unusual meteorological setup contributed to the extreme rain.

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Shel Winkley, a meteorologist with the nonprofit news organization Climate Central who contributed to the report, said the low pressure weather system producing the storms hit a ridge of high pressure and then stalled, which sent thunderstorms parading one after another over the same stretches of the Southeast and the Midwest.

That front was the road for these storms to travel on and also the trigger mechanism ... that allowed these thunderstorms to essentially pile up on already saturated soil, Winkley said. This is a very interesting event where weather and climate change collided together.

Winkley said the National Weather Service issued the third-most severe weather warnings on record on April 2.

By the end of that day, the National Weather Service had issued, across their different offices, 728 different severe thunderstorm warnings and tornado warnings combined, Winkley said, adding that from April 3 to April 6, many locations got 6 to 12 inches of rain, with extremes upward of 16 inches.

Vehicles drive through a flooded street after large storms in Portageville, Mo., on April 7. (Scott Olson / Getty Images file)

After they analyzed the historic April rainfall, the researchers found that a storm system similar in scope and scale could be expected once every 100 years in todays warmer climate.

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Kentucky State Climatologist Jerald Brotzge, a professor at Western Kentucky University, who wasnt involved in the research, said hes often skeptical of such studies, which attribute large flooding events to climate change but dont account for unique meteorological setups. But this research appeared solid, he said.

It looks like theyve done a pretty good job with it, Brotzge said. In this case, it was a stalled boundary, and the thunderstorms kept forming over the same area. They recognize that.

Brotzge said his state, Kentucky, has warmed by about a degree Celsius (1.8 degrees F) over the past 130 years of recorded weather. The state has experienced heavier rainfall over time.

Our annual rainfall has increased about 10%, Brotzge said. Our top 10 wettest years  five of those have occurred since 2011. 2011 remains our wettest year, and 2018 remains our second-wettest year. And this year, our January through April is our wettest start to the year.

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World Weather Attribution is a consortium of scientists who publish quickly produced analyses of climate changes role in extreme events. Its methods are peer-reviewed, but specific analyses arent immediately reviewed. The groups previous work on heat, wildfire and hurricane disasters has held up to outside academic scrutiny.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Morgantown, West Virginia  In West Virginia's coal country, Marion Tennant says he was destined to work in the mines.

"That was the only thing in this area when I graduated high school," Tennant said.

That was in 1974, when Tennant was protected by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH.

For decades it offered free screenings for black lung, a chronic disease caused by prolonged exposure to coal dust. But the screenings have stopped because of President Trump's mandated budget cuts.

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Tennant says he's worried for the younger workers.

"What's going to happen, I'm afraid, is your young ones, before they realize what they've done to their body, they're gonna have black lung, and the numbers is going to rise," Tennant said.

Catherine Blackwood was a PhD scientist at the NIOSH facility in Morgantown, West Virginia, where she studied the dangers of mold exposure.

"I'm angry that we are just being cast aside," Blackwood said.



Her job was eliminated April 1, along with over 200 others at the facility  from the people who oversee mine safety to those who study cancer-causing chemicals in firefighters.

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"I'm really worried and fearful about what the impacts are going to be on the rest of us," Blackwood said.

And it's not just about Morgantown.

"Every single person faces different hazards at their work every day. And without NIOSH, I think that we are all in danger," Blackwood said.

Although some roles were temporarily reinstated in recent days, the Trump administration still plans to terminate all staff in the coming months, leaving the future of the health screenings and other programs in doubt.



When asked about the cuts to crucial programs, a Health and Human Services spokesperson said in part: "The department remains focused on cutting wasteful bureaucracy and eliminating duplicative administrative roles."

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But Blackwood says, "The work being done at NIOSH was not wasteful. It was not duplicative. It was not redundant. The research that was being done at NIOSH was being done nowhere else in the world."

West Virginia isn't only coal country  it's Trump country. He won the state in 2024 with 70% of the vote.

Tennant, now retired, says he didn't vote for former Vice President Kamala Harris or Mr. Trump.

"He's looking at the coal-fired power plants, but he's also doing away with NIOSH that helps the safety of the coal miners," Tennant said.

The budget for NIOSH was about $363 million in 2023, the same year that job injuries and illnesses cost Americans around $176 billion, according to the National Safety Council. Without NIOSH, officials say that number could be higher.

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"I don't think it's hyperbole to say that eviscerating NIOSH, as they have, will cause people to die," Blackwood said.

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Update: 15-year-old Aubrey Michelle Lymon has been found safe, according to the Poquoson Police Department.

POQUOSON, Va. (WAVY)  Virginia State Police has issued a CODI Alert for a missing teen girl from Poquoson.

Aubrey Michelle Lymon

Poquoson Police is looking for Aubrey Michelle Lymon, 15, who was last seen on foot around 1:50 p.m. Wednesday in the area of 101 St. Clair Circle in Yorktown. Police said her disappearance poses a threat to her health and safety.

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The teen has black hair, brown eyes and is 5-foot-2, 120 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black shirt and black pants.

If anyone sees her, they are asked to call 911.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
COLBERT COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  The Colbert County Sheriffs Office has been asked by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to join a program called 287 G, a program that allows the sheriffs office to work alongside ICE.

The sheriffs office will choose to participate in one or more of the 3 modules in the program.

3 Colbert County Schools placed under secure perimeter, sheriff says no threat to schools

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Colbert County Sheriff Eric Balentine told News 19 what modules they want to pursue.

There is a task force module, there is a warrant service module and there is a corrections module, we are interested in the corrections module and the warrant service, Balentine said.

Sheriff Eric Balentine explains that the program allows local law enforcement agencies to detain or arrest immigrants without ICE being present.

Its not something that were gonna be going into schools and taking children, Balentine said. Right now, were concerned with our violent immigrants, they are here breaking laws abducting, killing, raping, committing serious crimes. Were gonna do whatever ICE asks us to do, whatever they need is.

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He says that changes the rules as they currently stand.

As it stands right now, if we come in contact with someone that is wanted by ICE or has a detainer on them, if we dont have a state or local charge, then we cant hold them for just that reason, Balentine said.

Cat, snake and lizard all saved from house fire in Florence Sunday evening

Sheriff Balentine told News 19, its a rare occurrence in Colbert County to have a felon deported. He says there has only been one within the last few months.

Were here to help and we want people to be in this country and we want people to do it the right way. Theres a right way to do it, but if youre here and youre breaking laws, then youre gonna be deported, Balentine said.

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As for whats next, Balentine says the Colbert County Sheriffs Office is pending participant status, and a training will follow.

According to the ICE website, as of Wednesday, seven agencies in Alabama are participants, one being the Franklin County Sheriffs Office. The website also shows that three agencies in Alabama are pending participants, including the Colbert and Limestone County Sheriffs Offices.

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The security guard usually arrived at Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology to the sound of planes roaring overhead.

He began his shift later in the day at the campus near Los Angeles International Airport, according to students, and wore a blue, collared shirt as part of his uniform.

But on Friday, the guard, later identified as 40-year-old Jesse Figueroa, was allegedly armed with a handgun that he used to shoot two women  one of them fatally, authorities said.

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The Los Angeles County district attorney's office charged Figueroa on Tuesday with murder, attempted murder, possession of a firearm with prior violent convictions and possession of a firearm by a felon with prior convictions.

Read more: Security guard held in shooting of two coworkers at Spartan College in Inglewood

The victims, both employees at the college, were shot inside an administrative building, authorities say. One woman  who was wounded but survived  worked in the admissions office. The other was Cameisha Clark, who had recently been promoted to dean of student affairs, according to her family.

Arriving officers found the two wounded women breathing and still conscious. They were taken to local hospitals while police searched the campus for the shooter.

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Figueroa fled the scene in his car and was taken into custody less than three hours later in Koreatown, authorities say.

One shooting victim remains in the hospital. But Clark died from her injuries Monday at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, according to her family. She was 35.

Clark arrived in California several years ago to further her career, according to her family, who called her a trailblazer and inspiration.

"Cameisha was the most compassionate, loving and fiercely loyal person," her family said in a statement. "She was a radiant, joyful, driven, and compassionate woman who touched countless lives across the country from her hometown of Atlanta, GA, to LA."

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Her family said her legacy should not be defined by her death but "by the extraordinary way she lived."

Clark earned her bachelor's degree in psychology and her master's degree and educational doctorate in higher education from Clark Atlanta University, according to the school, which recently featured her in an "alumni spotlight" post on social media.

"Cameisha uplifted everyone fortunate enough to cross her path," her family said. "Her leadership, integrity, and deep sense of purpose helped shape futures of countless students from the campus of Clark Atlanta University to Spartan College. She believed in the potential of others even when they could not yet see it in themselves."

Read more: 2 women critically injured in shooting at Spartan College in Inglewood; suspect in custody

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Authorities confirmed Figueroa worked as a security guard for a third-party company at the Inglewood campus, but have not revealed a possible motive. Inglewood Mayor James Butts called the episode an act of "workplace violence" and not a random shooting.

Spartan College Campus President Chris Becker said the school is cooperating with the investigation.

"We are deeply saddened and upset by what transpired," Becker said over the weekend, adding that counseling services and support were being arranged for students and staff.

On Wednesday, there was little indication of the shooting from outside the college property. School officials would not say whether there was a memorial on the campus to honor the shooting victims.

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Students said they saw Clark on campus from time to time and she would say hello as they made their way between the industrial buildings.

"It's really tragic," a student who identified himself only as Hector said from the sidewalk outside the administrative building.

Since the shooting, security has increased at the campus and classes remain in session, other students said.

Figueroa was convicted of robbery in 2007, records show. He was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and making a criminal threat in the same case, but those charges were dismissed due to a plea deal, according to court records.

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Prosecutors allege Figueroa used a handgun to cause great bodily injury or death. Gun sentencing enhancements carry an additional penalty of 25 years to life in state prison for each offense.

Any student, faculty member or employee should feel safe and secure going to school, Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said in a statement announcing the charges.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Nazrin Abdul



Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has met with Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Bui Thanh Son, Azernews reports, citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The Ministry noted that the meeting focused on the future development of strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Vietnam, as well as bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Discussions also covered regional and international security issues.

The importance of mutual visits and contacts between the two countries was emphasized, particularly the state visit of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, to Azerbaijan. During this visit, a Joint Statement on Strategic Partnership between Azerbaijan and Vietnam was adopted, marking a key milestone in their collaboration.

The meeting also highlighted the significant potential for cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, defense industry, energy security, transportation, and humanitarian fields. The necessity of utilizing various mechanisms to boost these opportunities, including political consultations and platforms like the Intergovernmental Commission, was noted.

Discussions also included cooperation within regional and international organizations, such as the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Both sides stressed the importance of continued mutual support and solidarity.

Additionally, other matters of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting.
BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A China Coast Guard spokesperson on Thursday said that a Japanese fishing vessel had been expelled after illegally entering the territorial waters of China's Diaoyu Dao. 
A Georgia college student who has lived in the U.S. since she was 4 was placed in ICE custody and is now facing possible deportation after being pulled over for making an improper right turn at a traffic light.

Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a 19-year-old Dalton State College student, was pulled over by Dalton police on Monday after she turned right, disregarding a no turn on red sign, according to a police report obtained by HuffPost.

Arias-Cristobal allegedly told officers that she had an international drivers license, but did not have it with her at that moment. Police then arrested her for driving without a valid drivers license and for making a right turn on red.

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A spokesperson for the Dalton Police Department told HuffPost that officers are required to arrest individuals who are driving without a license and do not have the discretion to not arrest for that offense.

The spokesperson continued by saying that Arias-Cristobal was taken to Whitfield County Jail following her arrest and clarified that the facility is operated by the Whitfield County Sheriffs Office, not local police.

Ximena Arias-Cristobal was placed in ICE detention after making an improper turn at a red light. GoFundMe/ Hannah Jones

ICE did not immediately respond to HuffPost, but Arias-Crisobals family members told ABC affiliate WTCV that the teen is now being held at Stewart Detention Center with her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, who was taken into custody two weeks ago for going 19 miles over the speed limit. The facility is located near Columbus, Georgia.

According to the outlet, Whitfield County has had a jail enforcement model agreement with ICE since June of 2020, which allows ICE to identify and take custody of removable immigrants arrested by state or local law enforcement agencies.

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Arias-Tovars wife told the outlet her husband does not have a criminal record, owns a construction company, and pays taxes.

Translating for her mother, Arias-Cristobals younger sister told WTCV: My dad has his own company, and they called a lawyer to see if they could get a job permit or a visa, and they said that they hadnt hit that status to get one yet.

Hannah Jones, who said Arias-Cristobal has been her familys longtime babysitter, wrote in a GoFundMe that the detained teen came to this country in 2010 at the age of 4 and did not qualify for DACA, because her family had arrived in the U.S. after the cutoff date to qualify for the program, which gives certain undocumented people who arrived in America as children protection from deportation.

Jones fundraiser has raised more than $50,000 for Arias-Cristobals attorney fees and bond.

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Arias-Cristobals mother and younger sister told WTVC their family came into the U.S. illegally with big dreams and hope for a brighter future.

My sister goes to college, and she was an honor student since middle school. And she runs. She loves to run. Its her passion, and the only reason they came is to follow my sisters dreams, the teens sister told the outlet.

Related...
Ximena Arias-Cristobal has lived in Georgias Whitfield County since she was four years old.

On Monday, Dalton Police Department officers pulled over the 19-year-old college student for allegedly making an illegal right turn at a red light. She told officers she didnt have her international drivers license on her, according to a police report, and she was taken into custody.

Now she faces the possibility of being deported from the country along with her family.

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Arias-Cristobal was wearing chains around her wrists and ankles when she was moved to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center this week, according to friends and family.

Online records reviewed by The Independent show she is jailed inside the Stewart Detention Center, roughly four hours away from Dalton in Lumpkin, home to one of the largest and most notorious immigration detention centers in the country, operated by private prison firm CoreCivic, formerly the Corrections Corporation of America. At least 10 people died in the facility between 2017 and 2024, according to a report from the American Civil Liberties Union, which had previously criticized the facility for inadequate conditions and due process violations.

Arias-Cristobals parents did not have legal permission to enter the United States from Mexico in 2010 when she was a toddler, and she did not qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which ended the year before her family entered the country, according to family friends.

Georgia college student Ximena Arias-Cristobal is awaiting immigration court proceedings while she is jailed inside Immigration and Customs Enforcements Stewart Detention Center (Whitfield County Sheriffs Office)

She is not expected to appear before an immigration judge for several weeks, and she is isolated from her family members  except one. Her father Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar was recently arrested after going 19 miles over the speed limit and is inside the same ICE detention center, according to online records.

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"The family will be able to return to Mexico together, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to The Independent.

Mr. Tovar had ample opportunity to seek a legal pathway to citizenship. He chose not to. We are not ignoring the rule of law, she added.

The Trump administrations CBP Home app is giving parents illegally in the country a chance to take full control of their departure and self-deport, with the potential ability to return the legal, right way and come back to live the American dream, McLaughlin said.

Arias-Cristobal is a recent graduate of Dalton High School and a cross country athlete now attending Dalton State College. She was enrolled for the spring 2025 semester, a college spokesperson told The Independent.

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The family came to the United States with big dreams because they wanted a big future for my older sister, Arias-Cristobals younger sister told Georgias WTVC NewsChannel 9.

My sister goes to college, and she was an honor student since middle school. And she runs. She loves to run. Its her passion, and the only reason they came is to follow my sister's dreams, she said.

Arias-Cristobal was a babysitter for family friend Hannah Jones for the last three years, she told The Independent.

Shes extended family, she said.

The last few days have been an emotional rollercoaster for the family, Jones said. She created a GoFundMe that has raised more than $60,000 as of this publication.

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Dalton is a largely Republican-leaning part of the state, but Jones said everyone knows this is wrong.

Republican state Representative Kacey Carpenter is pressing an immigration judge for her release.

The reality is, the conversation has always been that we need to get hard criminals out of the country, Carpenter told NewsChannel 9. Unfortunately, the people that aren't hard criminals are getting caught up in the wash. It seems like we are much better at catching people that are committing misdemeanors than people that are actually a danger to society.

Dalton Police Department in Georgia is among several local law enforcement agencies with ICE partnerships (AFP via Getty Images)

Polling has routinely shown a wide majority of American support legislation that would open a pathway to permanent legal status for young immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children. In January, days before Donald Trump entered office, a federal appeals court ruled against DACA, but the decision did not deliver any immediate changes for the programs more than 500,000 beneficiaries, teeing up a Supreme Court challenge.

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The overwhelming majority of the American public supports legal protections for immigrants who entered the country with their parents as children, said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior Fellow with the American Immigration Council.

It makes no sense to deport this woman. We make the USA worse off by doing it, he wrote.

The Independent has requested comment from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.

Dalton Police is among local law enforcement agencies with a jail enforcement model agreement with ICE, which allows federal officers to identify and process removable aliens  with criminal or pending criminal charges  who are arrested by state or local law enforcement agencies.

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The Trump administration is seeking to expand the use of those so-called 287(g) agreements, named after Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which lays the groundwork for partnerships between local police and federal law enforcement.

Arias-Cristobals arrest follows several high-profile cases across the country involving immigrant families with mixed legal statuses, as the president and immigration officials embark on a sweeping, aggressive anti-immigration agenda.

The White House claims to have removed more than 142,000 people from the country within the presidents first few months in office, though its unclear how the administration is counting those numbers.
To bypass artificial intelligence writing detection, college students are reportedly adding typos into their chatbot-generated papers.

In a wide-ranging exploration into the ways AI has rapidly changed academia, students told New York Magazine that AI cheating has become so normalized, they're figuring out creative ways to get away with it.

While it's common for students  and for anyone else who uses ChatGPT and other chatbots  to edit the output of an AI chatbot, some are adding typos manually to make essays sound more human.

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Some more ingenious users are advising chatbots to essentially dumb down their writing. In a TikTok viewed by NYMag, for instance, a student said she likes to prompt chatbots to "write [an essay] as a college freshman who is a lil dumb" to bypass AI detection.

Stanford sophomore Eric told NYMag that his classmates have gotten "really good at manipulating the systems."

"You put a prompt in ChatGPT, then put the output into another AI system, then put it into another AI system," he said. "At that point, if you put it into an AI-detection system, it decreases the percentage of AI used every time."

The irony, of course, is that students who go to such lengths to make their AI-generated papers sound human could be using that creativity to actually write the dang things.

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Still, instructors are concerned by the energy students are expending on cheating with chatbots.

"They're using AI because its a simple solution and its an easy way for them not to put in time writing essays," University of Iowa teaching assistant Sam Williams told the magazine. "And I get it, because I hated writing essays when I was in school."

When assisting a general education class on music and social change last fall, Williams said he was shocked by the change in tone and quality between students' first assignments  a personal essay about their own tastes  and their second, which dug into the history of New Orleans jazz.

Not only did those essays sound different, but many included egregious factual errors like the inclusion of Elvis Presley, who was neither a part of the Nola scene nor a jazz musician.

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"I literally told my class, 'Hey, dont use AI,'" the teaching assistant recalled. "'But if youre going to cheat, you have to cheat in a way thats intelligent. You cant just copy exactly what it spits out.'"

Students have seemingly taken that advice to heart  and Williams, like his colleagues around the country, is concerned about students taking their AI use ever further.

"Whenever they encounter a little bit of difficulty, instead of fighting their way through that and growing from it, they retreat to something that makes it a lot easier for them," the Iowa instructor said.

It's a scary precedent indeed  and one that is, seemingly, continuing unabated.

More on AI cheating: Columbia Student Kicked Out for Creating AI to Cheat, Raises Millions to Turn It Into a Startup
ATLANTA, Ga. (WRBL)  The Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), a corporate office in Atlanta, has elected a councilor from Columbus to serve in its board.

According to ACCG, Columbus-Muscogee County Councilor Toyia Tucker was elected to serve on its 2025-2026 Board of Managers. Tucker is serving as one of three National Association of Counties (NACo) Board Representatives and is representing all 159 Georgia counties. These counties are members of the NACo organization.

We are excited to welcome our newly installed Board of Managers, a group of dedicated leaders chosen by their peers to guide our organization, said Dave Wills, Executive Director. Their commitment and expertise will be invaluable as we work together to advance the interests of Georgia counties.

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Councilwoman Toyia Tucker is described as a dedicated public servant who represents District 4 on the Columbus, Georgia City Council. She is also a United States Air Force veteran.

ACCG says Tucker will help advocate for Georgia counties on federal policy issues and legislation as a NACo Representative.

Its an honor to represent Georgias counties on the national stage, said Tucker. I am committed to ensuring that local governments, especially those in underserved and rural communities, have a strong voice in shaping federal policy and accessing the resources they need to thrive.

The corporate office also says Tucker will work alongside other ACCG board members to lead the association and guide policies during the next year.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  As lawmakers in Ohio debate the state budget, public school advocates say proposed cuts and policy changes could harm childrens education.

Whats at stake is education for not just every single student who lives in Columbus, but every single child who lives in the state of Ohio, Ohio Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D-District 4) said.

Which school issues central Ohio voters approved in May 2025 election

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Columbus City Schools held a town hall meeting Wednesday night to bring together educators, lawmakers, and members of the community for a vital conversation about the state of public education and the proposed biennial state budget, including its direct impact on Columbus City Schools. Leaders made it clear that the conversation was grounded in a simple but urgent truth: fair school funding is not just a policy issue, but a justice issue.

It is incredibly important that our legislators do their constitutional duty to fund our public schools, Columbus Board of Education Vice-President Jennifer Adair said. Without that, we are really, really devastated in what we can do for our students here in Columbus City schools, as well as across the state.

The Fair School Funding Plan was passed in 2021. It was a bipartisan overhaul of Ohios K-12 funding system and was created to meet the actual cost of educating every student and have the state contribute more fairly. That formula, though, is now under threat.

This is detrimental not only to CCS, but to be honest, all public education in this state, Adair said. So, the budget, it includes issues around vouchers. It includes the ability not to fund. It makes us give away our cash balances, our cash reserves.

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Southwest Licking rejects levy; board member says another attempt likely

In its new budget proposal, the Ohio House announced it would abandon the Fair School Funding model entirely.

A lot of people focus on, well, this school district in this area or this school district in this area, resident Sonja Nelson said. But if they all do not have the opportunity to thrive, then we are not competitive as a country and thats our fault and we need to fix that.

About 90% of Ohioans send their children to public schools and around 47,000 children attend Columbus City Schools. According to leaders, those students and future generations are at stake.

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It is incredibly detrimental, Adair said. It is very difficult then to plan and budget for what it is our children need. And its really an opportunity to continue to just push an agenda that devalues our children and public education.

The state budget has already passed the House and is now in the Senates hands, but leaders said its not too late to advocate for public education. They said its not just about numbers on a spreadsheet; its about making sure every student has the support and resources to thrive.

According to Adair, the district could lose $123 million in funding.

Whitehall residents successfully take council-approved tax breaks to a citizen vote

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Just to put that into context, our voters did what they needed to do and pass our levy, which is only 35 million, she said. I dont want to say only; it was a sacrifice, $35 million a year, which pays for various essential services.

Lawmakers and educators stressed there are severe consequences if the state doesnt invest on the front end of a life.

If we dont do that, what that means is that we are going to pay more and its going to be invested in things that we dont want to be invested in, things like incarceration and in Medicaid, because we are not investing in education so that children can have opportunity to become productive and contributing members of our communities, Piccolantonio, said.

Leaders are urging the community to take action in support of fair school funding by calling and writing to state lawmakers, even challenging residents to take it a step further and educate others around them on whats at stake.

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Following the Hamas October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel, in which that group murdered approximately 1,200 people and took 251 more hostage, Israel began a military campaign of total victory against the groupa terrorist organization it has previously promoted by facilitating Qatari funding for the group in order to weaken the Palestinian Authority and thereby lessen pressure on Israel to allow the creation of a genuine Palestinian state. That campaign has since killed well over 50,000 Gazans, a majority of whom were women or children.

During the course of its attacks, Israel has seen fit to cut off water, electricity, and food supplies to Gazas population, destroyed much of its physical infrastructure, and left its residents enduring what the British Red Cross called a desperate humanitarian crisis. As if that werent enough, in addition to the war on Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces have recently launched multiple attacks in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran, with the strong possibility of a much larger attack on Irans nuclear facilities later this year.

At the same time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus deeply unpopular, scandal- plagued extremist right-wing governmentone that features an avowed racist and homophobe and a longtime supporter of Jewish anti-Arab terrorismis in the process of attempting to destroy the nations democracy from within as it prioritizes military attacks over the lives of its remaining hostages in Gaza.

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The war has exacerbated a burgeoning conflict between the country that Israel is becoming and the values of the majority of American Jews. To put it in familiar terms, Israel has grown politically bright red while American Jews, alone among ethnicities that code as white, remain proudly deep blue. Two-thirds of Israelis questioned told pollsters they preferred Donald Trump over Kamala Harris; the exact opposite held true among American Jews. (Trump gets nothing but praise here, the Tel Avivbased pollster and political analyst Dahlia Scheindlin told me.)

Legacy Jewish organizations are throwing in with a president and political movement that seek to destroy the democratic pillars and educational institutions that have helped to make Jews secure and successful in the United States and are shot through with neo-Nazis.

Despite this, the leaders of the large legacy American Jewish organizations, without exception, have chosen to side with Netanyahu, defending Israel against all critics and demonizing as antisemitic anyoneespecially other Jewswho they believe threatens it. In doing so, however, they face the problem not only of opposing the views of the vast majority of American Jews, but also of throwing in with a U.S. president and political movement that seek to destroy the democratic pillars and educational institutions that have helped to make Jews secure and successful in the United States and are shot through with neo-Nazis and Jew-haters of all sorts.

The net result is that we are in the early stages of a Jewish civil war unmatched since the early battles over Zionism of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In essence, Trump and the forces arrayed behind himthe legacy organizations, a new and well-financed right-wing Jewish media, and the Christian evangelical world that blindly supports Israel and Benjamin Netanyahuhave offered American Jews a kind of devils bargain: throw in with us against the antisemitic universities and campus rabble-rousers, but pay no attention as we dismantle the traditions and institutions that Jews value and that have provided the foundation for all they have been able to accomplish as Americans. Whos in?





Donald Trumps Pro-Israel Antisemitism

Back in September, Donald Trump appeared at an event about antisemitism together with mega-pro-Israel donor Miriam Adelson and promised the crowd: I will be your defender, your protector, and I will be the best friend Jewish Americans have ever had in the White House. Shocker: This was a lie. Trumps antisemitism is no secret to anyone who cares to look. We know from his former chief of staff that he believes Hitler did a lot of good things. We know that according to his ex-wife Ivana, he kept a book of Hitlers speeches by his bed. No less worrisome is the sympathy he has consistently shown toward contemporary neo-Nazis. This was most obvious when he referred to the Charlottesville protesters who chanted Jews will not replace us as very fine people. Then came the high-profile dinner he had at Mar-a-Lago with Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and the Hitler-loving rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West).

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Trump, moreover, exploits antisemitism as a political weapon. In 2016, for instance, he tweeted an image that featured Hillary Clinton backgrounded by hundred-dollar bills together with a Jewish star. His campaign ran an ad that went after disloyal globalist billionaires, illustrated, coincidentally, with the faces of three Jews: Janet Yellen, George Soros, and Lloyd Blankfein. He also embraces the antisemitic canard that the primary loyalty of American Jews lies with Israel rather than their own country. Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion. They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves, he proclaimed.

Equally offensive is Trumps idiotic claim that Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer is not Jewish anymore and has instead become a Palestinian. In assuming the right to decide who is and isnt legitimately Jewish, Trump is emulating both his hero, Vladimir Putin, who says much the same thing about Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other ethnic Jews, as well as the virulently antisemitic mayor of Vienna, Karl Lueger, who in the late nineteenth century famously asserted, I decide who is a Jew; a claim later picked up by Hermann Goring.

Perhaps most worrisome of all, however, is Trumps eagerness to blame the Jews when things dont go his way. At the same Adelson event mentioned above, he warned, If I dont win this election  the Jewish people would have a lot to do with a loss. He was preparing his followers for an old-fashioned, antisemitic stab-in-the-back attack on liberal Jews. This is no idle threat, given the fact that Trump leads a movement whose members are not averse to political violence and that includes actual neo-Nazis.

This billboard congratulating Donald Trump appeared in Tel Aviv the day after the 2024 election.

Such threats should be ringing alarm bells among Jews. After all, the vast majority of violent attacks on Jews in the United States since Trump came on the political scene have come from the right. These include synagogue murders in Pittsburgh and Poway, California, and the planting of an explosive device at George Soross house. Like the neo-Nazi marchers in Charlottesville, many Trump supporters expound the racist, antisemitic great replacement theory that appears to inspire these attacks.

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Finally, there is the administrations embrace of Europes and Latin Americas extreme right wing. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, who heads the Union for Reform Judaism, told me, To see the vice president at the Munich conference saying that we should give a break to the AfD [the Alternative for Germany party] and not talk about this Nazi past, its just incredible that an administration would think such a thing, much less say it. One AfD leader has been fined twice for repeatedly using a Nazi slogan thats banned in his country. (JD Vances February speech, not coincidentally, came a day after his visit to Dachau.)

The apparent contradiction between fealty to Israels government and hostility to diaspora Jews is evidence of a phenomenon that Georgia State University political scientist Jelena Subotic has named pro-Israel antisemitism. It can be seen today in the ruling parties in Russia, Hungary, and Poland, and in the ideologies of Germanys AfD and Frances National Rally. Their parties make up what is often termed the Illiberal International and attract support with antisemitic memes and themes thereby laying the groundwork to blame Jews when things go sour. But they support Israel because they appreciate its model of ethno-nationalist statehood and because they despise Muslims even more than they do Jews.

By the way, all of these concerns can be applied to Trumps BFF, Elon Musk, and then some. When the worlds wealthiest man bought X (formerly Twitter), he purposely opened it up to what a report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate found to be a surge in hate speech, including antisemitic and white supremacist content. Much of its antisemitic content was encouraged by Musk himself. For instance, when someone calling himself Eric responded to a PSA about antisemitism by saying, Jewish communties [sic] have been pushing the exact kind of dialectical hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them, Musk replied, You have said the actual truth.

Back in 2022, when Musk decided to reinstate Trump on the site, the Anti-Defamation League co-led a campaign for an advertising boycott. (ADL chief executive Jonathan Greenblatt was initially a great fan of Musks purchase of the site, calling him an amazing entrepreneur and extraordinary innovator and the Henry Ford of our time, apparently unaware that Ford was one of the most prominent antisemites in American history; he quickly reconsidered after an intense backlash.) Meanwhile, toxic antisemitism continues to flow freely on X.

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And of course there was the astonishing sight of Musk, on Inauguration Day, thrusting his arm into the air at Trumps inauguration in what pretty much every educated, intelligent person in the Western world would have recognized as a Nazi salute. (Musk has vehemently denied the charge.) Almost immediately, Musk was gifted with a get-out-of-jail-free card from the two people who, at least in theory, perhaps should have been the last people on Earth to offer one: the prime minister of Israel and the head of the ADL. Netanyahu rushed to X to proclaim Musk a great friend of Israel who was being falsely smeared by these Nazi accusations. No less incredibly, the ADLwhose CEO, Greenblatt, is the scourge of every college student who has ever chanted Free Palestinecalled the salute, which the groups own website defines as the most common white supremacist hand sign in the world, merely an awkward gesture, and said the man who made it should be given the benefit of the doubt. The Jewish actor Josh Malina was inspired to report the ADL to the ADL.





The Legacy Groups and the New Media Landscape

The political world of American Jews is so simultaneously large and chaotic that it can be hard even for its participants to imagine it in full. While Jews number barely more than 2 percent of the U.S. population, there are 54 organizations that make up whats called the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, as well as numerous groups outside the conference. These groups can be divided into roughly three classifications. First, there are the legacy groups, which are the best known and best funded, and inarguably the most influential. Its fair to say that they see themselves as the contemporary manifestation of the historic shtadlanim (intercessors), those Jews appointed to represent the entire community to whatever ruling powers happened to control the region in which they found themselves. The most famous of these are the ADL; the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC; the American Jewish Committee, or AJC; and the office of the CEO of the conference itself. In recent years, all have moved closer to the traditional position of the Orthodox Union, or OU, which represents the faction of Jewish voters who went heavily for Trump and accounts for approximately 10 percent of American Jews today.

A second set of organizations seeks instead to speak for the Jewish majority that consistently votes Democratic and remains committed to defending democracy in both Israel and the United States. Working with far fewer resources than the legacy groups, they walk a political tightrope, balancing their simultaneous commitments to both Zionism and the traditional Jewish liberal agenda and constantly finding themselves fending off attacks from both their right and leftespecially when these attacks involve attempts by the right to weaponize antisemitism and by the left to ignore it. These groups include the pro-peace, pro-Israel J Street; the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; Truah, a group of liberal rabbis and cantors; the Nexus Project, an antisemitism watchdog group; New Jewish Narrative, a product of a merger between Americans for Peace Now and Ameinu; the New Israel Fund, which supports civil society and Arab-Israeli cooperation in Israel; and the recently revitalized Jewish Council for Public Affairs, or JCPA, under the leadership of Amy Spitalnick. Call these the Next Generation Jewish organizations.

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In the space beyond both groups are those on the far right and left. The far rights influence has rocketed skyward of late, owing to what former U.S. diplomat Aaron David Miller calls the Vulcan mind meld between Trump and Netanyahu on undermining the independence of the courts and fighting the woke left. These groups promote Israels annexation of both the West Bank and Gaza and thrilled to Trumps lunatic notion that the United States and Israel could create a second nakbaArabic for the catastrophe of the Palestinians 1948 expulsionin the service of turning Gaza into a sort of Middle Eastern Mar-a-Largo (brilliant and courageous, as judged by the Zionist Organization of Americas Morton Klein). The anonymously funded Canary Mission, which spies on students and faculty, and Betar, which specializes in violent threats against Jews whom the group doesnt like, have staked out similar ideological territory. Together with stopantisemitism.com, which exists almost exclusively for this purpose, they take credit for reporting foreign-born students and faculty to ICE in the hopes of getting them deported.

On the opposite side of the spectrum are the youth-dominated, protest-oriented groups like Jewish Voice for Peace, or JVP, IfNotNow, and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. Popular in college towns and a few cities where young Jews congregate, these groups insist that it is their commitment to Jewish values and religious teachings that underlies their anti-Israel politics. Their membership has grown in recent years to the point where JVP can credibly claim to be the largest progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organization in the world. The most eloquent expounder of this viewpoint is likely Peter Beinart, an observant Jew and former editor of this magazine in its obsessively Zionist days who now calls himself a cultural Zionist and supports the creation of a single binational state in what is today Israel, the occupied West Bank, and Gaza. To the degree they enjoy any influence in Washington, it is exclusively with the Squad members who make up the Democratic Partys left flank.

The legacy groups have two massive advantages over their opponents. The first is that Republican politicians are happy to march in lockstep on behalf of Israeli government demands. According to a recent Gallup poll, 83 percent of registered Republicans say they have a favorable opinion of Israel. And while most Democratic members of Congress remain committed to supporting Israel, the percentage of Democrats surveyed by Gallup with a favorable view of that country has fallen to just 33 percent. Fifty-nine percent expressed greater sympathy for Palestinians, and just 21 percent for Israelis.

Second, and hardly less important given that this is America, is the power of money. The ADL alone enjoys assets of nearly $250 million. (It recently launched what it called the first ever Jewish advocacy investment fund. With comically terrible timing, among its top recommendations was Musks Tesla, whose stock, at this writing, is down over 40 percent on the year.) The Republican Jewish Coalition, which carries out what political pros term the Adelson primaries, worth tens or even hundreds of millions to the right candidate, also plays on this team. (Miriam Adelson alone contributed over $148 million to Trump and the Republicans in 2024.) By contrast, J Street, the best funded of the politically minded Next Generation groups, enjoyed assets of roughly $4.45 million, with another $4.6 million sitting in its education fund, according to its most recent filings.

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AIPAC, the traditional 800-pound gorilla of Jewish politics, is influential for many reasons besides money. It recruits congressional candidates and helps to staff their offices if they win. It writes legislation, arranges junkets, and smears the reputations of those with whom it disagrees. Its power and influence created an atmosphere on Capitol Hill where its staffers did not even have to act in order to get what it wanted, since it enjoyed what William Quandt, the Middle East expert and former White House adviser who worked on the Camp David accords, termed the law of anticipated reaction, under which certain policy options are frequently rejected because of the expectation of negative reaction from AIPAC and its allies.

Lately, AIPAC has also directly entered the money fray, after decades of pretense otherwise, with its own political action committee: one that specializes in raising money from wealthy Republicans and funneling it into Democratic primaries to ensure that the more pro-Israel candidate wins the race. In 2022 and 2024, it set all-time records for its primary contributions, though, ironically, its advertising rarely mentioned Israel. AIPACs website brags that the group spent a $70 million investment to help defeat 24 candidates whose support for Israel did not meet its exacting standards. As a result, as Matt Duss, formerly the top foreign policy adviser to Bernie Sanders, explained, AIPAC scares the shit out of members of Congress. If you vote against or even speak overly critically of Israel in a public forum, Duss explained, AIPAC will take you down, and it has any number of means at its disposal. While J Street does raise money for more progressive candidates, albeit nowhere near as much as AIPAC, its true value lies in its pro-peace, pro-Israel umbrellas ability to protect those under attack.

In recent times, the ADLs relentless attacks on Israels critics led to the perception among insiders that it had overtaken AIPAC as the most influential member of the presidents conference. Once identified with civil rights struggles and the fight to maintain a separation of church and state, it has downgraded virtually all efforts save those involving attacking Israels critics wherever they may appear. (Anti-Zionism is antisemitism, full stop, Greenblatt insists.) In the past, it was AIPACs job to root out those unfriendly to Israel anywhere in the presidential bureaucracy. But in March, when Tulsi Gabbard, Trumps director of national intelligence, felt forced to deny the Israel critic Daniel Davis an important post that would have put him in charge of managing briefings for the president, The New York Times account of the internecine fight credited the ADL, which had called the appointment extremely dangerous. (Davis had called U.S. support for Israels Gaza war a stain on our character as a nation.)

Antony Blinken, Bidens secretary of state, spoke to a J Street conference in Washington in 2022.

As enormous as the imbalance of power is inside the Jewish lobbying groups, its even greater within the Jewish media. The right dominates here as well. Obama deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said he found striking during his time in the White House the degree to which the drivers of opinion on foreign policy come almost entirely from the right. Right-wing Jewish billionaires and multimillionaires have invested heavily in websites, daily email blasts, and thick policy journals. It would take a lot of space to list all of them, but among the most important are Jewish Insider, which acts as a tribal drum for right-wing Jews, often pounding the same targets as Rupert Murdochs New York Post but with greater depth and fewer fireworks. Bret Stephens uses his New York Times column to defend whatever Israel does and is also blessed with his very own Jewish policy journal, Sapir, funded by a dark-money foundation called the Maimonides Fund, which refuses to identify its donors. Its a remarkable state of affairs for a newspaper that seeks to avoid even the appearance of conflict of interest. The Free Press, founded by Stephenss former mentee, Bari Weiss, is obviously all in for Israel. Tablet is another extremely well-funded right-wing outlet that frequently traffics in Trump-style conspiracy theories and personal attacks on those Jews who resist them. Ditto The Algemeiner, a New York newspaper widely read by Hasidic Jews.

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More: Miriam and Sheldon Adelson started their own news service explicitly for this purpose, called Jewish News Syndicate, and it is edited by a former Commentary magazine blogger Jonathan S. Tobin. The Jewish Review of Books publishes transparent hatchet jobs on dovish-sounding writers on issues relating to Israel alongside otherwise respectable intellectual inquiry (much like this magazine in the days when Martin Peretz was the owner and editor in chief). It competes in this category with the equally right-wing Mosaic, published by the far-right Tikvah Fund. Commentary, edited by nepo-baby John Podhoretz, has doubled down on its poisonous rancor directed toward anyone and everything that does not hew to the far-right Israeli line in the style of his father, Norman Podhoretz, though with less elan than it had under the old man. For instance, among his barrage of tweets that followed this years Oscar victory for the Israeli/Palestinian film No Other Land in the best documentary feature category were these: Congratulations to HAMAS for its Oscar win. Now lets see them destroyed, together with, Fuck you, anti-Semitic anti-Israel Hollywood filth.

The Jewish medias middle ground is occupied primarily by The Forward and the English edition of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Both lean left editorially but are open to almost all (non-Nazi) viewpoints in their respective opinion sections. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, which has ably served as an analogue to the Associated Press ever since 1917, is also dependable journalistically and open to all sides. The Jewish media far left belongs to Jewish Currents, where Beinart frequently publishes. While it can be depended upon for sophisticated, well-documented journalism, its viewslike those of other anti-Zionist publicationsare considered too extreme to affect mainstream politics. In a shock to this reader at least, its editors could not even bring themselves to condemn the horrific attacks of October 7.





Columbia: Ground Zero of the Backlash

In todays Jewish political world, there is a single word that will likely dominate almost any conversation: antisemitism. Expressions of Jew-hatred are, we can all agree, to be resisted whenever possible and condemned whenever necessary as with all forms of ignorance and prejudice. The problem with antisemitism is that we lack any remotely consensual understanding of how to define it; even less so on how to successfully combat it.

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Most of the members of the mainstream media, and therefore many of the people who consume its product, rely on the ADL to tell them whats going on in this arena, as it is understood to be this legacy stalwarts bread and butter. But the ADLs statistics are corrupted by its ideology. For instance, the group defines virtually every single pro-Palestinian demonstration on any campus anywhere, including those in which Jews are significant participants, as antisemitic. Almost every weekday, noted Jodi Rudoren, until recently the editor of The Forward, the ADL blasts what she calls an exhausting and confusing Campus Crisis Alert email to roughly 200,000 subscribers (featuring a red siren emoji). These enjoy the highest open rate, according to the ADL, of any of its constant stream of email blasts. Campus conflicts have calmed down across the country; emergency ADL email blasts have not.

Pro-Palestinian protesters and pro-Israel counterprotesters faced off at Columbia in October 2023.

Whatever antisemitism may or may not be, it obviously is not manifested in every single student demonstration for Palestinian rights. As the venerable Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller, who spent four decades as executive director of the Yitzhak Rabin Hillel Center for Jewish Life at UCLA, put it to me in conversation: One is a political issue that has to do with the politics of Israel, and one involves hatred of Jews.

A considerable number of student protesters are themselves Jewish and insist that it is their religious commitments that lead them to protest Israels treatment of the Palestinians. Last year at Columbia University, for instance, encampment participants held a solidarity Seder. Are they antisemites? We can also agree that there are obviously plenty of reasons to object to Israels actions in Gaza, its now-multiple military occupations, and its treatment of Palestinians inside and outside its borders without, say, also hating the people on line at the lox counters at Zabars and Barney Greengrass. The growing number of anti-Zionist rabbis and especially rabbinical students offers further evidence of the lie of this simple equation.

While Israels popularity remains off the charts among conservative Christians, it is rapidly declining among American Jews. Its as if one group of Americans has fallen in love and another is contemplating divorce. In a survey that shocked many people back in 2021, 34 percent of American Jews questioned agreed that Israels treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States and 38 percent of those under 40 agree that Israel is an apartheid state. Those numbers have likely increased in the past four years. In a May 2024 Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs survey, over half of American Jews supported withholding certain weapons from Israel, and fully a third agreed that Israel was committing genocide in Gazaagain, numbers that have likely grown over time.

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As evidenced by the choice of Mike Huckabee to be U.S. ambassador to Israel, when it comes to Israel and the Trump administration, however, its the right-wing Christians who are driving the bus. While the Heritage Foundations Project Esther has received far less attention than its Project 2025, it appears to be no less accurate in presaging the Trump administrations attack plan. Its almost exclusively conservative Christian authors live in a world where what they call a Hamas Support Network is funded by liberal billionaires, especially Jewish ones like Soros. According to a pitch deck that accompanied the report obtained by The Forward, the first necessary step to save mankind from this fate was to locate foreign [network] members vulnerable to deportation and deploy law enforcement to generate uncomfortable conditions for U.S. citizens similarly engaged. The pitch deck suggested designating certain groups and organizations to be TSEs, for terrorism support entities, in order to allow ICE agents to arrest and to seek to deport foreign-born pro-Palestine protesters on campus. Trump began putting Project Esther into practice almost immediately when, on January 29, he issued an executive order that promised to deport noncitizens who have joined in pro-jihadist protests and to cancel student visas of all sympathizers of Hamas. The order was accompanied by the cheers of most of the legacy groups.

Columbia has the largest contingent of Jews in the Ivy Leaguenearly 23 percent of its undergraduatesand is located in the city where the 12 percent of citizens who identify as Jewish make it second only to Tel Aviv as the largest Jewish city in the world.

The Trump administration picked Columbia University to begin its attack on Americas institutions of higher learning, and, from a purely political standpoint, this made sense. Columbia has been ground zero for pro-Palestinian protests, encampments, disruption, harassment, building takeovers, destruction of property, and ultimately massive arrests. When called on the carpet by publicity-seeking Republican representatives, wealthy Jewish funders, and legacy Jewish organizations, Minouche Shafik, then the universitys president, attacked her own faculty before Congress and pressured a prominent pro-Palestinian professor to retire before quitting herself (along with the presidents of Harvard, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania). Whats more, its the school with the largest contingent of Jews in the Ivy Leaguenearly 23 percent of its undergraduatesand is located in the city where the 12 percent of citizens who identify as Jewish make it second only to Tel Aviv as the largest Jewish city in the world.

In March, ICE made the shocking arrest of the pro-Palestinian protester, graduate student, and green cardholder Mahmoud Khalil (in Columbia housing, in front of his then-pregnant U.S.-citizen wife, who was also threatened). He may be deported. That same month, Trump threatened Columbia with withdrawal of $400 million in federal research funds. ADLs Greenblatt loudly cheered both the arrest and the attack on the university itself.

There was no shortage of prominent Next Generation voices standing up to the onslaught. Among the most eloquent of these was JCPAs Spitalnick. While the Trump administration claims to prioritize the fight against antisemitism, it has, in reality, repeatedly taken steps to gut the very tools we need to protect Jewish students, she explained. Indeed, the Trump administration shuttered seven of the 12 regional offices of the Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights, which actually deals with complaints about antisemitism in our universities. He has, of course, threatened the termination of the entire department. Spitalnick charged the administration with exploiting our communitys legitimate concerns about antisemitism on campus to undermine due process, civil liberties, and the rule of law and seeking to pit the Jewish community against the strong education institutions and inclusive democracy that have been inextricably linked with our communitys advancement, rights, and safety.

As the Jewish journalist Ron Kampeas recently reported, a confrontation recently erupted between the legacy groups and the Next Generation. It began when Spitalnick and the JCPA initiated a letter that was eventually signed by the leaders of 10 organizations, including the leaders of all three non-Orthodox denominations, stating, escalating federal actions have used the guise of fighting antisemitism to justify stripping students of due process rights when they face arrest and/or deportation, as well as to threaten billions in academic research and education funding. The signatories categorically reject[ed] any policies or actions designed to exploit Jewish concern about antisemitism to undermine democratic norms and rights, including the rule of law, the right of due process, and/or the freedoms of speech, press, and peaceful protest.

Eric Fingerhut, a former congressman who heads the Jewish Federations of North America, an umbrella organization boasting assets of nearly $300 million and 146 member groups, urged his members to reject the JCPA letter. He claims, somehow, that ICEs targets were receiving due process and are represented by able legal counsel. (Fingerhut earlier provided Trump administration officials a forum to promote their campus crackdown.)

The jury is still out on the ultimate victor in this battle, but it appears that Team Next Generation has so far carried the day. Even Greenblatt felt forced to backpedal. Following the ADLs celebratory statement in the wake of the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, Greenblatt said his detention serves as a deterrent to others who might consider breaking the law on college campuses or anywhere. Later, Greenblatt apparently experienced a civil libertarian revelation: If we sacrifice our constitutional freedoms in the pursuit of security, he warned, we undermine the very foundation of the diverse, pluralistic society we seek to defend. Not long afterward, the AJC followed suit, belatedly decrying the profound threat to the survival of Americas leading universities that Trumps actions represented, without, however, reconsidering its support for the ICE arrest of Kahlil.





All Roads Lead to  Resistance

During the course of writing and researching this article, I had occasion to speak to dozens of liberal Jewish leaders and noted scholars of American Jewish history. Among them, the only difference I could discern in their views was their degree of concerna better word in many cases would be panicover what constitutes the greater threat to American Jews: Trumps attack on universities and his apparently unconstitutional treatment of pro-Palestinian protesters in the name of combating antisemitism, or the threats to the survival of U.S. democracy inherent in these actions.

Both of these, however, are tied up with the problem of the transformation of Israel into a country to which millions of liberal American Jews remain profoundly emotionally committed, but whose government consistently violates their most deeply held values. Taken together, these challenges combine to present American Jews with what J Street president Jeremy Ben-Ami described as the fundamental question: What does it mean to be Jewish in the U.S. in the middle of the twenty-first century? The conflict he described is partially related to Trump but also related to Israel and over who gets to define what it means to be Jewish in the U.S. On the one side is fealty to domination, a particularist Jewish vision that is tribal, nationalist, and territorialist. On the other are the liberal universalist values that have historically defined the politics and culture of (non-Orthodox) American Jewish life.

The Israel problem is complicated enough. As Rabbi Jill Jacobs, an eloquent progressive Zionist who heads up Truah (formerly Rabbis for Human Rights), explained: Judaism is not just a religion, it is also a peoplehood, and it is a connection and responsibility for other Jews. And half the Jews in the world live in the state of Israel. We are not in some cafe in Vienna. Ben-Ami predicted that if Israel moves back toward the center and normalizes relations with the neighboring states while assisting in the emergence of a stable, viable state of Palestinethen I can see a long-term reconnection of the Jewish community with the state of Israel, even for those younger Jews who today feel so distant from it. Evidence, alas, for even the hint of such a transformation anytime soon would be microscopic, were it to exist at all. Far more likely is Israels continued embrace of illiberalism, corruption, and the same general disdain for what Thomas Jefferson called the good opinion of mankind that one sees in Donald Trump.

Indeed, it is Trump who is helping to unshackle whatever boundaries Netanyahu and company had until recently respected. As a recent New York Times explainer observed, the result of Americas replacement of Joe Biden with Donald Trump is a prime minister unleashed, with fewer guardrails to constrain his actions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. This is true domestically as well. The Trump-era Netanyahu is all the more likely to succeed in his campaign to destroy Israels own fragile democratic institutions. (Others who have been unleashed include lawless West Bank settlers, who, supported by Israels military, have increased their campaign of terror designed to force Palestinians out of their homes and pave the way for the ultimate Israeli annexation of the territory.)

According to Beinart, young American Jews outside these established institutions will need to create Jewish ones independent of what he terms the worship of Israel or assimilate entirely into secular American life. (Notably, a recent Gallup poll found that fully one-quarter of those Americans raised as Jews no longer identify themselves that way.) Like Beinart, the influential scholar Rabbi Shaul Magid looks forward to younger Jews creating a new form of diasporism that draws from the proximate past but has its own originality, one that is universal in aspiration rather than dependent on Zionism in the manner that American Jewish identity operated for roughly the half-century that followed the 1967 Six Day War. Magid looks forward to these changes as Israeli Jewry doesnt really care that much about the American diaspora unless it supports them. It is a transactional relationship. They are watching American Jews get thrown under the bus by being subjects of weaponizing antisemitism for a conservative agenda, and they say nothing because in effect they support it because that supports their agenda. Young Jews see that and are basically saying fuck you!

To be fair, there are many thousands of Israeli Jews who remain committed to finding a peaceful and fair-minded solution to the Palestinian issue. A small number of them are also Orthodox Jews. In March, I was present at an extremely well-attended meeting of American and Israeli religious Jews committed to peace at BNai Jeshurun synagogue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. But when it comes to elections and the actual making of Israels policies toward the Palestinians, and especially regarding the war in Gaza, they are, alas, all but invisible.

Those Jews like Jill Jacobswho remain committed to a profound belief in Jewish peoplehood and its implied deep connection to Israeli Jewsworry about the impact of the current Israeli political leadership pushing away young Jews from their own religion and history as it simultaneously inspires antisemitism on the part of those who would blame Israels actions on Jews more generally. In many respects, this latter phenomenon is exactly the problem that Jewish students have been facing on college campuses, where pro-Palestinian protesters rule the day in popularity and have sometimes verbally abused Jews who they simply assume support Israel. Now, with the harsh, anti-democratic measures being undertaken at so many universities, Jacobs worries that, if this posture becomes widespread, it will lead to a broader perception that Jewish power is causing all the trouble. It will start with the accusation that it is the Jews who are behind defunding the universities and grow into far worse attacks. Speaking from UCLA, Rabbi Seidler-Feller told me, I already hear the resentment against Jews based on exactly these claims.

The more immediate crisis, however, is the one identified earlier by Spitalnick. Trump, with either the support or acquiescence of the legacy groups, and the enthusiastic backing of the new right-wing Jewish media infrastructure, is offering American Jews the following deal: They get a short-term win in shutting down a protest movement focused on Israel that discomfits them, just so long as they are willing to turn a blind eye to purposeful destruction of the educational and democratic institutions that have allowed them to become the safest, most secure, and most economically successful Jewish population to exist anywhere, anytime, ever.

In truth, both crises require exactly the same response. As the head of the Union for Reform Judaism, the largest single organized group of Jews in the United States, Rabbi Rick Jacobs insisted that in protecting Jews from antisemitism, we will find there is no Noahs Ark that will allow American Jewry to survive the resulting flood of injustice and hate. The rights and civic institutions that have allowed Jews to prosper in the United States, he said, are imperiled by the beginning of the slide into authoritarianism we are witnessing in America and in Israel. Jacobs shares the concern with others that Trump and the Christian rights enthusiastic support is supporting Israel on a path that will forever alienate it from the majority of American Jews, particularly those coming of age during the horrors of its war on Gaza. The Nexus Project recently released a report called Fighting Antisemitism, Protecting Democracy: A Strategy for the Trump Era. The groups founder, Jonathan Jacoby, advises Jewish leaders and rabbis to inform Trumps supporters, You cannot exploit our fear for your nefarious purposes. We will not let you destroy our democracy in our name. We will not let you endanger our community, and the communities of disadvantage groups and of other minorities, and ultimately, all Americans, in our name.

Whatever the future holds for American Jews, David Myers, the esteemed UCLA professor of Jewish history, insisted that whatever ones beliefs about antisemitism may be, there is a much larger issue at hand. Jews are being instrumentalizedin the name of anti-antisemitismas tools in a larger battle with much higher stakes. Trump and his people want to take down the university as a bastion of liberal values that poses an obstacle to their makeover of the American political order. Their larger goal is a twenty-first-century version of authoritarianism in which there is no martial law or soldiers at every street corner, but one that nevertheless strangles the institutions that constitute the lifeblood of any democracy. Myers cited the warnings of the Jewish philosopher Hannah Arendt about the dangers of the Jews vertical alliance with the state and said: This seems to be another moment at which Jews must seriously weigh the merits of aligning themselves with a regime whose valuesanti-rights, anti-due process, anti-rule of law, anti-universityare so antithetical to those that have provided them with the most successful diaspora existence in their history.

To which all one can say is Amen.
Food prices are still climbing, and according to a report out of South Africa, it's not a temporary blip. Rising food prices are part of a larger trend hitting households across South Africa.

What's happening?

Independent Online (IOL) reported that the Competition Commission's latest Essential Food Price Monitoring report identified several pressure points across the food supply chain: extreme weather, high transportation costs, and ongoing load shedding.

"The reason we started this was because of factors called feathers and rockets," Competition Commission economist Khalirendwe Ranenyeni told Independent Online.

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In plain terms, that means food prices tend to rise quickly when costs increase but fall slowly when costs decrease. Take maize, for example. When prices surged by 60%, grocery costs jumped almost immediately. But even after maize prices cooled off months later, those savings weren't passed on to shoppers nearly as fast.

Canned pilchards, frozen chicken, and maize meal are a few examples of everyday staples that are getting more expensive. Some prices are still high due to past events, such as the avian flu that caused egg shortages in late 2023. Others are rising again because harvests are falling short, and South Africa is expected to produce 1 million fewer tons of maize than last year.

What causes rising food prices?

A major cause of rising food prices is the climate crisis. Droughts last year dried up key crops, and that ripple effect is still being felt. Changing weather patterns, made worse by our overheating planet, are making food harder to grow  not just in South Africa but around the world.

Climate shocks are driving up rice prices across Asia, according to multiple reports, affecting billions of people. And a World Bank report warned that food insecurity is rising globally, which means lower-income households are being hit the hardest.

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It also puts pressure on school meals, nutrition programs, and health outcomes, especially in communities that are already struggling.

What can you do to make a difference?

Smarter grocery shopping, such as planning ahead, shopping in season, eating better food, and wasting less, can make a huge difference for you and everyone else. And by supporting clean cooking tech and climate-smart farming, you can help build more resilient food systems. Solar-powered stoves in Rwanda and the Digital Heating Room in Germany are two examples that make household energy use more efficient, lowering costs and reducing strain on the planet.

Food prices may be rising, but smarter systems and small everyday choices can help keep groceries more affordable for everyone.

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.
As Crawford County readies for the May 20 primary election, County Commissioner Chairman Eric Henry is cautioning about a proposed Pennsylvania election reform bill approved by the state Houses State Government Committee.

House Bill 1396 was approved Tuesday by the committee on a 14-12 vote along straight-party lines with all 14 Democrats on the committee voting in favor and all 12 Republicans opposed. State Rep. Brad Roae, a Republican whose 6th District includes the Meadville area and western Crawford County, is Republican minority chairman on the committee.

The proposed bill now moves on to the full state House for consideration and, if passed, would go to the Pennsylvania Senate. In the Senate, it would go to a committee for a review and vote before possible consideration by the full state Senate.

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Henry, a Republican, expressed concerned Wednesday at the commissioners work session about the speed with which the bill was written and passed by the committee.

It was only about 20 hours from introduction of the 98-page bill to then passage by the committee  all without input from local officials across Pennsylvania who conduct elections in their respective counties, Henry said.

Roae also was critical of House Bill 1396, saying in a statement to The Meadville Tribune that it makes major changes to our election code without allowing our counties, which oversee elections, to provide feedback. This does not instill confidence in the election process.

The proposal had a number of requirements that were concerning to both the Crawford County Office of Elections and Voter Services and the commissioners.

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One would require all electronic poll books in precincts for voter rolls instead of paper ones, according to Henry.

Its a concern for us as some of our older poll workers may not be able to work with electronic poll books, he said. Im concerned about throwing another electronic device in front of them.

The bill would require at least two mandatory ballot drop boxes out in a county with surveillance and at least one of them to have 24-hour access.

Thats just one incendiary device for losing ballots, Henry said with a chuckle. The ballots (in the drop boxes) have to be retrieved every day at 4:30 p.m. by two people from opposite parties.

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The proposal, if approved, would require the county to pay the postage for the return mailing of a completed ballot. However, the county already pays the postage to mail out ballots to registered voters who request them.

Weve had 11,000 (mail-in and absentee) ballots that would have to have postage for them, Henry said.

At the current rate of 73 cents per stamp to mail a 1-ounce letter first class, thats an added cost of $8,030 for return postage on 11,000 ballots per election. With a primary and a general election each year, the additional mailing cost would be more than $16,000 a year.

Henry said the bill may have good intentions but would require more of a financial burden on counties.

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Theyre putting more fiscal responsibility on the county, putting manpower responsibility on the county, he explained. I wish theyd ask the people who run elections for our advice prior to throwing a bill out in 20 hours. I wish senators and representatives when they consider these bills would ask to take the time to sit with us and talk with us about some of these concerns.

Commissioners are expected to follow up with letters to the state House and the state Senate expressing the concerns.

Meanwhile, county elections officials have been doing logic and accuracy testing on the countys electronic voting machines ahead of the May 20 primary.

The countys 210 machines are been tested this week along with 75 ballot scanners before deployment to the countys 61 precincts.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  On Thursday afternoon, community members will gather in the courtyard of the National Civil Rights Museum in response to the not guilty verdict in state court for officers charged in Tyre Nichols death.

The family of Tyre Nichols and community organizers say theyll discuss the verdict and grieve the loss and legacy of Nichols.

Jury finds three ex-officers not guilty in Tyre Nichols death trial

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Vickie Terry with the Memphis branch of the NAACP says shes been following the case. She argues justice was not given to Nichols family, however, she says its important to remember that all officers were found guilty of some charges in the federal trial.

I think that what we need to do is make sure that we stay calm and use a calm head right now because I dont want anything to happen to anybody else like Tyre Nichols, said Terry.

Tyre Nichols: The video evidence the jury saw

The three officers will soon be sentenced for their federal crimes.

Demetrius Haley faces the most prison time. He was convicted on four counts and faces life in prison.

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Justin Smith and Tadarrius Bean face up to 20 years after being convicted of witness tampering.

Both Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills made plea deals in the federal and state trials. Their sentencing has not been scheduled.

We will keep you updated as this continues to develop.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
NEW DELHI, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Indian armed forces on Thursday launched military operations against air defense systems at multiple locations inside Pakistan, Indian media reports said.

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that "Operation Sindoor", which was started against Pakistani targets on May 7, is still ongoing.

India does not want to see the situation escalating, but it will hit back if Pakistan takes any further actions, he said.

The Indian defense ministry stated that on the night of May 7 and May 8, Pakistan attempted to strike military targets across northern and western India with drones and missiles, but all of them were neutralized by India's air defense systems.

Speaking at a media briefing earlier in the day, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistani army, said Indian drones have been continuously intruding into Pakistani territories since the early hours of Thursday. Pakistan shot down 12 Indian drones in locations including Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi.

Additionally, one Indian drone that entered Pakistan struck a military target in Punjab province, injuring at least four military personnel and damaging military facilities. 
On Thursday, the cardinals gathered in Rome to choose the new leader for 1.4 billion Catholics. Now, following the sighting of white smoke from the Sistine Chapels chimney, the announcement of a new Pope is expected shortly.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church once again stands at a crossroads. The animating question facing the conclave was whether the cardinals want the Church to continue in the direction of a broader, more capacious understanding of the faith as articulated by Francis, or will they revert to the conservative, more traditionalist ways of his predecessors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

The Church has stood at similar crossroads several times in the modern era.

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From 1545 to 1560, the Council of Trent met to determine the Churchs response to the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther, an Augustinian friar prior to his excommunication in 1520, had pointed out the corruptions of medieval Catholicism and emphasized the doctrine of justification by faith (not works) and what he called the priesthood of believers.

The question before the prelates at the Council of Trent was whether to acknowledge the excesses and reform the Church in the direction of the more stripped-down Protestantism that Luther and other Reformers advocated. Trent, however, moved in the opposite direction, becoming more Catholic in its affirmation of the importance of the sacraments and good works. This hyper-Catholicism can be traced most graphicly in the Baroque and Rococo architecture that followed, which John Updike described as the incredible visual patisserie of baroque church interiors, mock-marble pillars of paint-veined gesso melting upward into trompe-loeil ceilings bubbling with cherubs, everything gilded and tipped and twisted and skewed to titillate the eye, huge wedding-cake interiors meant to stun Hussite peasants back into the bosom of Catholicism.

Another crossroads for modern Catholicism occurred following the death of Pope Pius XII in October 1958. The cardinals opted for what they thought was a caretaker pope, 76-year-old Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who took the name John XXIII. He turned out to be anything but a caretaker. Declaring that it was time to throw open the windows of the Church and let the fresh air of the spirit blow through, he convened the Second Vatican Council, which reformed Church theology and liturgy (including mass in the vernacular) and, its supporters say, brought the Church into the modern world.

John XXIIIs successor, Pope Paul VI faced another crossroads shortly after the conclusion of Vatican II. John XXIII had formed a study group, the Pontifical Commission on Birth Control, to review the Churchs teaching on the matter. The commission, which Paul VI expanded, included laywomen, married couples, theologians and bishops. The overwhelming recommendation was that the Church should revise its teaching to allow artificial means of birth control.

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Paul VI, however, rejected that recommendation and issued the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae on July 25, 1968. The only acceptable means of birth control, the Church decreed, was the rhythm method, which critics promptly dubbed Vatican Roulette.

Humanae Vitae persuaded many Catholics, especially in the United States, that the Pope was hopelessly out of touch. Second-wave feminism, the drive for upward mobility, career opportunities and the desire for smaller families prompted many Catholic households to ignore the papal directive on birth control. As many studies have shown, Catholic attendance declined after 1968; many Catholics felt for the first time that it was all right to disobey the pope and still consider themselves good Catholics.

Now, following the death of Pope Francis, the Church once again stands at a crossroads. Conservatives, those Mark Massa, a historian and a Jesuit, calls Catholic Fundamentalists, are pressing for a pope who will reverse course. They criticize Francis for making overtures to the LGBTQ community and for permitting priests to bless same-sex unions. They claim he has feminized the Church by calling out what others describe as toxic masculinity. They dislike the fact that he restricted use of the traditional Latin mass and entertained the possibility of ordaining married men to the priesthood.

The other faction of the Church points out that Francis graciously sought to welcome marginal peoplegays, lesbians, divorced peopleinto the Church and evinced concern for immigrants and for the poor, positions that have demonstrable appeal to a younger generation of Catholics. They also appreciate his attention to the ravages of climate change.

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The term liberal in the context of the Roman Catholic Church may be an oxymoron, but this second camp seeks to perpetuate the work and the legacy of Francis. The conclave stands at a crossroads, and the person the cardinals choose will likely determine the direction of the Church for years to come.

As an Episcopal priest, not a Catholic, I have only a rooting interest in the conclave, and Im loath to make predictions. But I recall the lyrics of The Devil Went Down to Georgia, by the Charlie Daniels Band, a fiddlers faceoff between Satan and a young man named Johnny. The devil bets a fiddle of gold against Johnnys soul and leads off with the bow across the strings, making an evil hiss. The rendition may be technically perfect, but it lacks soul.

When Johnny takes his turn, the fiddle vibrates with verve and passionand he prevails. Whoever prevails in the cardinals deliberations will inherit a church with plenty of gilding but still in need of some of the verve and passion that Francis brought to the task.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
The secretive election to choose a new pope began on May 7.

A group of 133 cardinals  the so-called Princes of the Church  have gathered inside the Sistine Chapel at the heart of the Vatican to pick a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month of a stroke and heart failure at the age of 88.

When will the cardinals vote today?

There could be as many as four votes today with two ballots held in the morning and two in the afternoon until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority.

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The first ballot will be at 10:30 (09:30 BST), followed by another at 12:00 (11:00 BST).

After the cardinals have lunch, there will be two more votes at approximately 17:30 (16:30 BST) and 19:00 (18:00 BST).

Smoke will be released periodically throughout the day to update the outside world.

What is a conclave?

The conclave is the arcane process of choosing the next pope. Cardinals from around the world gather beneath the frescoed ceilings of the Sistine Chapel in the heart of the Vatican, where they vote for Pope Franciss successor by secret ballot.

The chapel will have been swept for bugs and other recording devices and cardinals will be banned from using laptops or mobile phones.

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For the last conclave in 2013, which followed the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, an oath of secrecy was taken by members of the Swiss Guard and Vatican gendarmerie, the city states police force, as well as the doctors and nurses who assisted elderly or infirm cardinals.

A Vatican master of ceremonies will pronounce the words Extra omnes (Everyone out), ordering staff and aides to leave the chapel so that only the cardinal electors remain.

How long will the conclave last?

The centuries-old tradition must be held between 15 and 20 days after the Popes death. For a few days it will restore Romes ancient title  caput mundi or capital of the world  as 1.2 billion Catholics await the result of the election.

One ballot is held on the first day of the papal conclave.

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For the rest of the conclave they will vote four times a day  twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon  burning their ballot papers after every second vote, until they reach a two-thirds majority.

How many cardinals are there?

There are currently 252 cardinals, but only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote.

This leaves 135 cardinals, coming from 71 different countries, with the decision to select the next pope.

How is the new pope elected?

The new pope will be elected by a secret ballot. The cardinals, known as princes of the Church, will be seated on chairs made of cherry wood behind 12 wooden tables covered in satin and cloth.

There will be a 13th table positioned in front of the altar, on which will be placed a silver urn into which the cardinals will cast their ballot papers.

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Each cardinal writes his choice on a ballot paper inscribed with the words Eligo in summum pontificem  I elect as Supreme Pontiff.

What does the white smoke mean?

Two metal stoves are installed inside the 15th-century chapel, connected by a long metal pipe to the chimney on the roof.

One stove will be used for the burning of ballot papers after cardinals cast their votes, while the other will be used to emit coloured smoke  black to signify that the cardinals have yet to reach agreement, white to announce habemus papam  we have a Pope.

Chemicals are used to create the different coloured smoke, although to avoid ambiguity, the white smoke that signifies a Pope has been elected will be accompanied by the ringing of St Peters bells.

White smoke coming from the chimney on the roof of the Vaticans Sistine Chapel signifies that a new pope has been elected - Gregorio Borgia/AP

Once the two-thirds majority has been achieved, the most senior cardinal will ask the chosen cardinal if he is prepared to become pope.

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If the answer in Latin is Accepto (I Accept), he is taken into a side room known as the Stanza delle Lacrime, or Room of Tears, so named because many have wept at the enormity of the task they face.

There, he is given help to take off his scarlet cassock and change into the white vestments of the papacy.

He also has to decide by what name he wishes to be called  the name-changing tradition dates back to the sixth century when a priest named Mercury who was elected pope felt his name was too pagan and changed it to John II.

How will the Vatican declare the new pope?

The senior cardinal will then step out onto the balcony of St Peters Basilica and declare in Latin: Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus papam! (I announce to you a great joy. We have a pope!).

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He will announce the name of the elected cardinal and the papal title he has chosen.

The new pope then gives his first blessing, watched by huge crowds in St Peters Square and on television by millions around the world.

The ceremony to install the pope takes place a few days later.

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.
Pope Leo XIV is celebrating his first Mass as the leader of the Catholic Church while congratulatory messages poured in for making history as the first American-born pontiff.

The 69-year-old former Robert Prevost was chosen to be the 267th pope by the Conclave on Thursday after more than two-thirds of the cardinals voted for him to succeed the late Pope Francis.

Pope Leo will hold the Mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel at 11am (8am British time) on Friday, during which he will deliver his first homily as Pope.

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The pope prayed for peace in his first official remarks, but his words come against a backdrop of deadly wars, a long shadow of abuse within the church he now leads, and chaos and division at home under the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump celebrated the Chicago-born cardinal's papacy as a great honour for our country, while world leaders also reacted to the historic day.

However, the right-wing media figures and MAGA provocateurs decried his election after it was revealed that he had publicly criticised vice president JD Vance and expressed sympathy for immigrants and George Floyd.

Key Points

Watch live: Leo XIV to give first mass as Pope

Robert Prevost is the new Pope

Who is the American cardinal named Pope Leo XIV?

Trump and world leaders react on 'historic' day

MAGA melts down over WOKE MARXIST POPE who is a Never Trumper liberal

Church must light 'the dark nights of this world'

11:26 , Reuters

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In his first mass as Pope, Leo XIV painted the spiritual picture of the Church he would like to see under his papacy.

"God has .... entrusted this treasure to me so that, with his help, I may be its faithful administrator for the sake of the entire mystical Body of the Church," he said in his homily.

"He has done so in order that she may be ever more fully a city set on a hill, an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumiates the dark nights of this world," he added, according to the official translation.

The 1.4 billion-member Church, was great not because of "the magnificence of her structures or the grandeur of her buildings, but rather through the holiness of her members."

Pope Leo XIV during the mass (VATICAN MEDIA/AFP via Getty Imag)

Watch: Pope Leo XIV addresses cardinals

11:21 , Rachel Clun

In pictures: Pope Leo delivers first Holy Mass in Sistine Chapel

11:08 , Rachel Clun

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Leo XIV is leading his first mass as Pope.

Pope Leo prays during the Mass (Vatican Media)

The Pope ahead of delivering his homily (Vatican Media)

Its the first mass Leo XIV has led as Pope (Vatican Media)

The Pope's full English comments at the beginning of his homily

10:53 , Rachel Clun

While Pope Leo XIV delivered his homily in Italian, he began with some words in English.

Here are those remarks in full:

I begin with a word in English and the rest is in Italian, but I want to repeat the words from the responsorial Psalm: I will sing a new song to the lrod because he has done marvels.

And indeed, not just with me, but with all of us my brother cardinals, as we celebrate this morning I invite you to recognise the marvels that the Lord has done, the blessing the lord continues to pour out upon all of us.

Through the ministry of Peter, you have called me to carry that cross and to be blessed with that mission, and I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me as we continue as a church, as a community of friends of Jesus as believers, to announce the good news, to announce the gospel.

Pope says: Recognise the marvels the Lord has done

10:37 , Rachel Clun

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Pope Leo XIV has begun his address in English.

He called on the gathered cardinals and the faithful watching to recognise the marvels the Lord has done.

You have called me to carry that cross, to be blessed with that mission, he said.

I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me as we continue as a church, as a community of friends of Jesus as believers, to announce the good news, to announce the gospel.

Watch: Pope Leo XIV enters Sistine Chapel to caelebrate his first Mass as pontiff

10:29 , Rachel Clun

Pope leading mass in prayer

10:21 , Rachel Clun

The new Pope has opened the special mass at the sistine chapel, acknowledging his sins, and then led the congregation in a prayer.

A bible reading is now being read in English.

Pope Leo XIV (Vatican Media)

King Charles II sent private congratulations to Pope Leo XIV

10:15 , Rachel Clun

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The King has sent a private message to Pope Leo XIV, congratulating him on his election as the 267th pontiff and Bishop of Rome, Buckingham Palace said.

Pope Leo XIV (AFP/Getty)

Entrance procession enters Sistine Chapel

10:10 , Rachel Clun

The entrance procession for the Holy Mass has begun.

The choir is singing as the Pope walks into the chapel, holding a large gold crucifix.

Cardinals are seated in Sistine chapel for first mass

10:07 , Rachel Clun

Dressed all in white, the cardinals have gathered in the Sistine Chapel for Pope Leo XIVs first mass.

Just yesterday afternoon, they were gathered in the same chapel to decide who should be the next leader of the Catholic Church.

The cardinals have gathered for the holy mass in Vatican (Sky News)

Watch live: Leo XIV to give first mass as Pope

09:52 , Rachel Clun

Leo XIV is delivering his first mass as Pope. Watch it live:

Suggestions that Parolin stepped back to allow Prevost to gain papacy

09:42 , Rachel Clun

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The deliberations of the conclave are meant to be secret.

However, Italian media have been speculating about how American Cardinal Robert Prevost won the papal election, beating several other favourites.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the second most senior Vatican official under Pope Francis, had been the firm favourite to win going into the conclave, and Corriere della Sera reports he secured a chunk of votes but not enough to gain a two-thirds majority.

The news outlet said there have been stories that Parolin then stepped back, in favour of Prevost.

Given the vow of secrecy the cardinals took at the beginning of the conclave, its unlikely we will ever know for certain how the vote played out - unless the Pope himself decides to divulge it.

Watch: New Pope blesses people hours after his election

09:29 , Rachel Clun

World leaders congratulate new Pope

09:16 , Rachel Clun

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Congratulations have poured in from leaders around the world after the secret conclave elected American Cardinal Robert Prevost as the next Pope.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he looked forward to continuing the cooperation between the UN and the Vatican to build a just and sustainable world for all.

Our world is in need of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity & compassion, he said.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the Popes first public remarks were a powerful call for peace and responsibility in a time of conflict and unrest.

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A spiritual legacy that follows the path traced by Pope Francis, and that Italy looks at with respect and hope, she said.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also shared his congratulations, and said he was looking forward to meeting the Pope soon.

The election of Pope Leo XIV is a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom and around the world.



I look forward to meeting the Holy Father soon. pic.twitter.com/kcXXDCAWk0  Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 8, 2025

Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he offered his prayers and best wishes to Pope Leo XIV.

At a time of global challenges, may his pontificate carry forward a mission of solidarity, compassion, and dignity for all, he said.

Watch: The moment Pope Leo XIV steps onto the balcony

09:01

Donald Trump has welcomed the first American Pope, despite Leo XIVs previous criticism

08:46 , Rachel Clun

The US President has sent his well wishes to the new American Pope, even though Leo XIV has previously been critical of the presidents policies.

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Robert Prevost had previously shared social media posts critical of the White Houses treatment of migrants.

One scathing post he retweeted read: There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.

Read the full report below:

New American Pope Robert Prevost once blasted Vance

Senior cardinal welcomes Leo XIV as 'Pope of great spirituality'

08:31 , Rachel Clun

The dean of the College of Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re has welcomed the new Pope.

"Leo XIV is a Pope of great spirituality. He will strengthen faith in God in this secularised world, Re told Italian media.

The 91-year-old cardinal was too old to participate in the conclave, but he led the special pre-conclave Mass and also led the funeral for Pope Francis.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re celebrating the pre-conclave mass on Wednesday (AP)

The conclave to elect Pope Leo XIV was short, but it wasnt the shortest ever

08:12 , Rachel Clun

The two-day election of Pope Leo XIV was a short conclave.

But its not out of line with other recent papal elections. Read more about that history here:

The conclave to elect Pope Leo XIV was short, but it wasnt the shortest ever

Filipinos welcome the first-ever American pontiff

07:54

The Philippines' president has congratulated Pope Leo on his election.

The Philippines is the largest Roman Catholic nation in Asia and there were hopes the late Pope Francis would be succeeded by a prominent Filipino Cardinal, Luis Antonio Tagle, from the laidback city of Imus just south of Manila.

Still, Leo's election was welcomed and Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he prays that the new pope would "continue to bring the church closer to the poor and disadvantaged."

"I wanted the candidate from the Philippines  but let's accept this choice because this was God's plan," Alexandra Bonilla, a 20-year-old student, said at a cathedral in Imus.

Brother describes moment pope's name was announced: 'Niece began screaming'

07:35 , Shweta Sharma

When white smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel revealing that a new pope had been chosen, John Prevost turned on his television in Illinois, called the new popes niece and they watched in awe as his brother's name was announced.

"She started screaming because it was her uncle and I was in the moment of disbelief that this cannot be possible because it's too far from what we thought would happen," Mr Prevost said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press from his home in New Lenox, Illinois.

Next, he said he felt an intense sense of pride that his brother, Cardinal Robert Prevost, had become the 267th pontiff to lead the Catholic Church, making the Chicago-born missionary the first US pope.

"It's quite an honour; it's quite a once in a lifetime," he said. "But I think it's quite a responsibility and I think it's going to lead to bigger and better things, but I think people are going to watch him very closely to see what he's doing."

John Prevost described his brother as being very concerned for the poor and those who don't have a voice.

He said he expects him to be a "second Pope Francis."

"He's not going to be real far left and he's not going to be real far right," he added. "Kind of right down the middle."

MAGA melts down over WOKE MARXIST POPE who is a Never Trumper liberal

07:30 , Rhian Lubin

It didnt take long for right-wing media figures and MAGA provocateurs to cry out in rage over the election of Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV after it was revealed that hed publicly criticized Vice President JD Vance and expressed sympathy for immigrants and George Floyd.

Despite feeling national pride over the fact that the Chicago-born Prevost has become the first American pope in history, conservative pundits and Trump loyalists fumed over the WOKE MARXIST POPE and complained that he is worse than Francis, referencing the previous pontiff known for his progressive values.

Even before the dark horse American cardinal was elected the 267th pope, former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon warned about Prevosts views, claiming that he would be a poor choice for the MAGA movement.

Justin Baragona reports.

MAGA melts down over WOKE MARXIST POPE who is a Never Trumper liberal

Popes brother says LeoXIV played wordle and watched Conclave to learn to behave

07:21 , Shweta Sharma

Older brother John Prevos has said he often played wordle with his brother Robert Prevost and asked him to watch Conclave.

In an interview with NBC, the elder brother of the newly elected pope said he asked if his brother had watched the movie "Conclave" before the start of the papal conclave so he would "know how to behave.

He said he spoke to his brother right before the Conclave.

John Prevost, the brother of Pope Leo XIV, holds a portrait of the three Prevost brothers from 1958 while answering reporters' questions outside his home Thursday, May 8, 2025, in New Lenox, Illinois. (AP)

"So he knew how to behave. So it's that kind of stuff, because I wanted to take his mind off of it, laugh about something, because this is now an awesome responsibility," Mr Prevost said.

He added that the two often played games such as Wordle and Words with Friends together.

"It's something to keep his mind off of life in the real world," he said.

The youngest of three brothers, Pope Leo was usually the one who gave advice to his brothers.

"Be yourself, because then he's got it made," he said, giving advice to his brother on his papcy.

Pope Leo XIVs first speech in full as new pontiff declares evil will not prevail

07:03 , Shweta Sharma

In his first speech from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Leo XIV spoke warmly about late Pope Francis and thanked the cardinals who had elected him after two days of voting.

Pope Leo XIV spoke in Italian and Spanish throughout his speech. The following is the full first translated speech of Pope Leo XIV:

Evil will not prevail - Pope Leo XIVs first speech in full

Pope to hold first Mass as the new Catholic leader

06:49 , Shweta Sharma

Pope Leo XIV will celebrate his first Mass as the leader of the Catholic Church after making history as the first American-born pontiff.

Pope Leo will hold the Mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel at 11am (0900 GMT) Friday, during which he will deliver his first homily as pope and will be broadcast live.

He will deliver his first Sunday noon blessing from the loggia of St Peter's and attend an audience with the media Monday in the Vatican auditorium, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

Watch: Cardinals celebrated Pope Leo XIV being chosen in rare Conclave video

06:30 , Rhian Lubin

MAGA melts down over WOKE MARXIST POPE who is a Never Trumper liberal

06:04 , Shweta Sharma

It didnt take long for right-wing media figures and MAGA provocateurs to cry out in rage over the election of Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV after it was revealed that hed publicly criticized Vice President JD Vance and expressed sympathy for immigrants and George Floyd.

Despite feeling national pride over the fact that the Chicago-born Prevost has become the first American pope in history, conservative pundits and Trump loyalists fumed over the WOKE MARXIST POPE and complained that he is worse than Francis, referencing the previous pontiff known for his progressive values.

Even before the dark horse American cardinal was elected the 267th pope, former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon warned about Prevosts views, claiming that he would be a poor choice for the MAGA movement.

Justin Baragona reports.

MAGA melts down over WOKE MARXIST POPE who is a Never Trumper liberal

China's Catholic organisation congratulates Pope Leo

05:58 , Shweta Sharma

The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Bishops' Conference of Catholic Church in China congratulated newly elected Pope Leo XIV on Friday, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

China has an estimated 12 million Catholics and his predecessor had put greater focus on building ties with China and Chinese-speaking Catholics across Asia.

His funeral sermon concluded with a prayer in Mandarin, the only prayer offered in an Asian language.

The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) and the Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC) have a fraught history with the Holy See due to their autonomy from papal authority.

However, the 2018 Sino-Vatican agreement marked a partial thaw, granting the Pope the right to veto bishop candidates proposed by Chinese authorities. Still, tensions persist: in 2023, China unilaterally appointed Bishop Joseph Shen Bin to the Shanghai diocese, bypassing Vatican approval.

Watch how cardinals celebrated Pope Leo XIV being chosen in rare Conclave video

05:45 , Shweta Sharma

Rare footage from inside the Conclave to select the new Pope shows cardinals applauding Leo XIV as he left the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, 8 May.

Recap: Who is Robert Prevost? 'Dark horse' who is first American pope

05:30 , Rhian Lubin

American Robert Prevost has become the 267th pope, succeeding the late Francis as Leo XIV.

After the death of Argentine Pope Francis, many observers believed the cardinals would elect a European successor.

But cardinals voting in the conclave at the Vatican decided to go back to the Americas, with the 69-year-old Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishop from Chicago, the largest Archdiocese in North America.

Read on...

Chicago-born Robert Prevost appointed 267th Pope

Pope Leo XIV thought there was 'no way' he would be pope - brother

05:30 , Rhian Lubin

Pope Leo XIV told his brother that there was no way he would be elected pontiff in the days before the Conclave.

Last Saturday when I was at church, one of the priests came over and told me the odds in Las Vegas were 18 to 1, John Prevost told The New York Times. He didnt have a doubt. He thought it would definitely be my brother.

But Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, was almost certain that wouldnt be the case when his brother called him that night.

He said, No way, not going to happen, Prevost told the newspaper.

The brothers are close  they usually talk every night on the phone and last August, Leo stayed with Prevost at his Illinois home for a few weeks.

Prevost said that his brother is likely to follow in the footsteps of the late Pope Francis, and said they were two of a kind.

Leo will be looking out for the disenfranchised, he will be looking out for the poor, he will be looking out for those who dont have a voice.

Prevost was pictured outside his home Thursday holding a portrait of the three brothers as boys while he answered reporters questions.

John Prevost, the brother of Pope Leo XIV, holds a portrait of the three Prevost brothers from 1958 while answering reporters' questions outside his home Thursday, May 8, 2025, in New Lenox, Illinois. (AP)

Australian Catholics welcome 'humble, gentle' Pope Leo XIV

05:15 , Shweta Sharma

Australian Catholics and politicians have welcomed the new Pope Leo XIV, hoping he would continue to support peace and social justice like his predecessor.

Brother Mark OConnor, head of communications for the Catholic archdiocese of Parramatta, said he had the opportunity to meet the new pope and described him as a humble, gentle leader.

Hes not different from Pope Francis in terms of vision, but maybe in style, he said. Hes more low key.

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, the president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, extended his wishes to the pope on behalf of the Roman Catholic church in Australia.

The Catholic Church in Australia assures Pope Leo XIV of our prayers, loyalty, and joyful anticipation of his spiritual leadership, he said.

May his pontificate be marked by peace, unity, and a deepening of the Gospel message throughout the world.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese also sent his heartfelt congratulations to Pope Leo XIV.

He invited him to Australia for the International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Sydney 2028.

This is a moment of joy and hope for Catholics all over the world, the prime minister said. May God bless Pope Leo XIV and may his papacy advance the cause of peace and justice, in the service of all humanity.

Why did Pope Robert Prevost choose the name Leo XIV?

04:46 , Shweta Sharma

Cardinal Robert Prevost chose Pope Leo XIV as his papal name after he was elected as the leader of the Catholic Church.

There are no set written rules or official criteria for choosing a pope's name. But new popes choose names that have meaning in the Catholic tradition.

Shortly after the announcement of the new Pope, Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, addressed journalists at a conference in the Holy See Press Office.

Mr Bruni confirmed that the decision to be called Leo XIV was a clear and deliberate reference to Pope Leo XIII, author of the 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum.

That document marked the beginning of the Churchs modern social doctrine.

In this context, Mr Bruni said, it is clearly a reference to the lives of men and women, to their work - even in an age marked by artificial intelligence.

Taiwan congratulates Pope Leo XIV and hopes for deeper ties

04:30 , Shweta Sharma

Taiwan president Lai Ching-te has sent his congratulations to Pope Leo XIV on his appointment, saying Taiwan hopes to continue working with the Vatican to pursue peace, justice and religious freedom, the island's foreign ministry said on Friday.

The Vatican is one of only 12 countries to retain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, whichis claimed by China, though Mr Lai did not attend Pope Francis' funeral last month, sending instead former vice president Chen Chien-jen, a devout Catholic.

Francis had led a wide-ranging outreach to officially atheist China, including signing a deal on the appointment of Catholic bishops in that country, worrying Taiwan.

In his message, Mr Lai "stressed that Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the Holy See to jointly pursue peace, justice, religious freedom, solidarity, fraternity, and human dignity", the statement said.

Habemus Papam! We have a Pope!



The Cardinals gathered in the Vaticans Sistine Chapel have elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope, who took the name Pope Leo XIV. https://t.co/OVQfVWMbEZ  Embassy of the ROC (Taiwan) to the Holy See (@TW_HolySee) May 8, 2025

"Taiwan will continue to promote various exchanges and co-operation with the Holy See, to further strengthen bilateral relations, and to make more contributions to the world together with the Holy See," said the ministry statement.

The ministry did not say whether Mr Lai might attend Leo's inauguration.

China has yet to comment on the U.S.-born Leo's appointment.

Taiwan's embassy to the Vatican on Friday posted a picture of its outgoing ambassador, Matthew Lee, shaking hands with Leo at a Vatican event in 2023.

Mr Lee told Taiwan's official Central News Agency that when he told Pope Leo, whose real name is Robert Prevost, that he was from Taiwan, Pope Leo's response was that he was able to distinguish the difference between "democratic Taiwan and communist China".

Chicagoans celebrate Pope Leo XIV

04:20 , AP

Students in every classroom at The Frances Xavier Warde School in Chicago had their eyes glued to TV screens.

As the image of the new pope, Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prevost, appeared onscreen, cheers erupted through the hallways.

Children jumped out of their seats, pumping their hands in the air.

Our students are just beside themselves, said Mary Perrotti, director of advancement at the school. They're beyond excited and can't believe a Chicagoan is their new pope. They were in awe.

Raul Raymundo, co-founder of a local community advocacy group called the Resurrection Project, said Thursday was a proud day for Chicagoans and he hoped Pope Leo XIV will continue Pope Francis' legacy and Chicago's legacy of social justice and compassion, especially in welcoming immigrants.

There's tears of joy, of hope, of motivation to rise to this moment and leave this world better than we found it, said Raymundo, an immigrant from Mexico who grew up in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.

Pictured: Childhood home of Pope Leo XIV and now-derelict school

04:00 , Rhian Lubin

Pictures show the childhood home and former school of Pope Leo XIV in Chicago.

The modest family home where the pope, formerly Robert Prevost, grew up is in Dolton, Illinois.

Photographs also show the St. Mary of the Assumption Church and School where he attended, which is now derelict.

The childhood home of Pope Leo XIV in Dolton, Illinois. (Getty Images)

The St. Mary of the Assumption Church and Schoo in Dolton where Pope Leo XIV attended, which is now closed. (Getty Images)

Pictured: Young Robert Prevost meeting with late former popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II

03:40 , Rhian Lubin

Pope Leo XIV is pictured meeting with the late former popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II in undated photographs obtained by Reuters news agency.

Another black and white photograph shared by the agency shows a young Robert Prevost in another undated snap.

A young Robert Prevost in an undated photograph. (via REUTERS)

An undated picture of Robert Prevost with the late former Pope John Paul II (via REUTERS)

An undated photograph of Pope Leo XIV, then Robert Prevost, pictured with the late former Pope Benedict XVI. (via REUTERS)

Steve Bannon predicted Prevost could be elected

03:20 , Rhian Lubin

Steve Bannon predicted last week that Robert Prevost could be elected pope  much to his dismay.

I do think one of the dark horses  and unfortunately one of the most progressive  is Cardinal Prevost... he's certainly on the shortlist, Bannon, who is Catholic, told Piers Morgan about the prospect of the first American pope.

I think its pretty shocking given the contempt they hold the American church, he said. The American church gives so much money, theyre afraid it has too much power. So theyve never really wanted to have an American pope.

Bannon, President Donald Trumps former chief strategist during his first administration, likened Prevost to Francis ideologically, and for years attacked the late pope.

Steven Bannon, who is Catholic, predicted that Prevost could become pope (Getty)

Social media users welcome the Chicago-born head of the Catholic Church

03:00 , Rhian Lubin

The new pope isnt just from America, hes from Chicago  a fact that social media users are eating up like it's deep-dish pizza.

Pope Leo XIV was born in Chicago, making him the first American to ever be elected by the conclave in the Catholic Churchs 2,000-year history.

Outside the Sistine Chapel, cheers erupted in the packed Vatican City, where many awaited who would be named as Pope Francis. Online, social media users flooded the internet with memes and jokes about the city hes from, including its signature deep dish pizza, its beloved but often disappointing sports teams, and all things Chicago.

Everyone seems to be more than happy to lean into his Chicago roots...

Kelly Rissman has the details.

Social media users welcome the Chicago-born new pope

Exclusive details: Former protege describes the American set to lead the Catholic Church

02:40 , Rhian Lubin

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV  Chicago-born Robert Prevost, a member of the Augustinian religious order who spent much of his life ministering to Catholics in Peru  is a true servant of God, who lives his life according to St. Augustines core values of truth, unity, and love, a former protege who has known him for decades told The Independent.

In a phone interview on Thursday, Fr. Rob Hagan, who was mentored in his earlier years by Prevost, said that he always referred to the 69-year-old Pope as Bob.

Now, he said, referring to him as Pope Leo XIV is just an honor.

Justin Rohrlich reports.

A twinkle in his eye: Former protege describes American set to lead Catholic Church

Empire State Building lights up gold and white in honor of Pope Leo XIV

02:20 , Rhian Lubin

The Empire State Building is lit up gold and white tonight in honor of Pope Leo XIV.

Shining gold and white tonight in honor of Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope.



: @DanTVusa pic.twitter.com/Kz28tq5T9S  Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) May 8, 2025

'Even as a young teenager, he knew what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go'

02:00 , Rhian Lubin

Former classmates of Robert Prevost shared how, even as a boy, he was destined to become Pope Leo XIV.

Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost grew up in the citys south suburb, where he lived in Dolton with his parents and two brothers.

Growing up, the youngster reportedly had a positive experience of parish life, serving as an altar boy and attending school in the St. Mary of the Assumption parish on the far South Side.

It was pretty apparent back then that was going to be his route, former classmate John Doughney told the Chicago Sun-Times, speaking before Prevost was elected.

For him, I think it was a true calling, Doughney said. And, even as a young teenager, he knew what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go.

(REUTERS)

Others recalled a sense of humor in class.

He was kind of a little trickster, too, Joseph Merigold, who used to sit near Prevost in class, said. Used to poke me in the back of the head with a pencil all the time because I was a kidder. So he definitely had a sense of humor that a lot of people wouldnt know because he wasnt really that outgoing.

Merigold said Prevost was the smartest person in the class.

Prevost was also remembered as a good singer from the choir who cared about people and looked for the good in things, according to Marianne Angarola, who also grew up in Dolton and went to school with him.

He was the pride and joy of every priest and nun in that school, Angarola told The Chicago Tribune. Everybody knew he was special.

Macron hails 'historic moment for Catholic Church'

01:40 , Oliver O'Connell

French President Emmanuel Macron called the election of the new pope a historic moment for the church, hoping that his time leading the worlds Catholics would be one of peace and hope.

A historic moment for the Catholic Church and its millions of faithful. To Pope Leo XIV, and to all Catholics in France and around the world, I extend a message of fraternity.



On this May 8th, may this new pontificate be one of peace and hope.  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 8, 2025

When will Pope Leo XIV deliver his first service?

01:20 , Rhian Lubin

According to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, Pope Leo XIV will celebrate his first Mass as pontiff on Friday, kicking off a busy few days.

Here is his schedule:

Pope Leo XIV will celebrate Mass on Friday at 11 a.m. with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel.

He plans to deliver his first Sunday noon blessing from the loggia of St. Peters Basilica.

And he plans to hold an audience with the media on Monday in the Vatican auditorium.

Pope's brother advised him against 'Leo' on eve of conclave

01:00 , Rhian Lubin

Pope Leo XIVs brother advised him against adopting the name Leo should he be elected pontiff.

On the eve of the conclave, John Prevost told his brother that it shouldnt be Leo because it will be the 13th, he told the Daily Herald.

He said, What should my name be? Prevost recalled. But he mustve done some research to see its actually the 14th.

After the traditional announcement of Habemus Papam  We have a pope  from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the new pontiff's baptismal name was revealed, followed by the all-important papal name, laden with symbolic meaning.

The last pope to choose the name Leo was more than 100 years ago. Pope Leo XIII led the Church from 1878 to 1903. The first pope of the name, Pope Leo the Great, led the church from 440-461.

Americans in St. Peter's Square stunned by choice of new pope

Friday 9 May 2025 00:40 , AP

Americans in St. Peters square were stunned and joyous when they learned that an American cardinal, Robert Provost, was elected pope Thursday and had taken the name Leo XIV.

Who in our lifetime would have thought that we would see a North American Holy Father? said Father Thomas Montanaro, an American priest with the Legionaries of Christ.

Montanaro was among the many tens of thousands of people who filled St. Peters Square for the historic moment.

Read on...

Americans in St. Peter's Square were stunned by choice of new pope

Meloni congratulates pope, noting his call to 'peace, brotherhood and responsibility'

Friday 9 May 2025 00:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered her congratulations to Pope Leo XIV on X: I extend my most sincere wishes to Pope Leo XIV for the beginning of his pontificate.

In a time marked by conflicts and anxieties, his words from the Loggia delle Benedizioni are a powerful call to peace, brotherhood and responsibility.

A spiritual legacy that is gathered in the furrow traced by Pope Francis, and that Italy looks at with respect and hope.

Rivolgo i piu sinceri auguri a Papa Leone XIV per linizio del suo pontificato.

In un tempo segnato da conflitti e inquietudini, le sue parole dalla Loggia delle Benedizioni sono un richiamo potente alla pace, alla fraternita e alla responsabilita.

Uneredita spirituale che si pic.twitter.com/k63TYy0frx  Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) May 8, 2025

Gaza, gay rights, abuse and Trump: How will Pope Leo XIV confront a world in crisis?

Friday 9 May 2025 00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The first-ever American-born pope inherits a world in crisis.

In his first remarks as Pope Leo XIV, Chicagos Robert Francis Prevost prayed for peace.

He said it nine times during Thursdays brief address.

Alex Woodward reports.

What will Pope Leo XIV do? A world in crisis turns to the Vatican

Bill Clinton hails Pope Leo XIV's election as 'a historic moment'

Thursday 8 May 2025 23:40 , Rhian Lubin

Former President Bill Clinton hailed Pope Leo XIVs election as a historic moment in a post on X this evening.

In his first message today, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV spoke to billionsCatholics and non-Catholics alikecalling for unity and offering peace, a message the world needs now more than ever. As the first American to lead the Catholic Church, his election marks a historic moment. I  Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) May 8, 2025

Watch: Americans in Rome react to US-born Pope being chosen as Francis successor

Thursday 8 May 2025 23:15 , Rhian Lubin

MAGA melts down over WOKE MARXIST POPE

Thursday 8 May 2025 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

It didnt take long for right-wing media figures and MAGA provocateurs to cry out in rage over the election of Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV after it was revealed that hed publicly criticized Vice President JD Vance and expressed sympathy for immigrants and George Floyd.

Despite feeling national pride over the fact that the Chicago-born Prevost has become the first American pope in history, conservative pundits and Trump loyalists fumed over the WOKE MARXIST POPE and complained that he is worse than Francis, referencing the previous pontiff known for his progressive values.

Justin Baragona reports on what our US readers likely knew was coming.

MAGA melts down over WOKE MARXIST POPE who is a Never Trumper liberal

Is Pope Leo XIV a Chicago White Sox or Cubs fan?

Thursday 8 May 2025 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Well, that depends on who you believe...

Heres a report from the AP:

The bells pealed at Holy Name Cathedral as a crowd quickly gathered. Schoolchildren mingled outside, whooping and shouting. Bishop Larry Sullivan, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago, told a press conference that its an exciting day for the city and the country.

I would say the Chicago way is that we come together, we share our faith, he said.

The cathedrals rector, Father Gregory Sakowicz, said the sun came out in Chicago when the new pope was announced, a coincidence he described as Gods way of remaining anonymous.

He said he was happily shocked, and that he had a burning question: was the new Pope a White Sox fan? A journalist said shed heard hes for the Cubs, and Sakowicz chuckled. God bless him, he said.

However, local network WGN scored an interview with the new popes brother, and theyre reporting the pontiff is a White Sox fan...

Funnily enough, this actually turned into a little parable about unconfirmed reports going viral on the internet. Many people have been tweeting that Leo XIV is a Cubs fan based on an offhand comment made on ABC, but now WGN is reporting this: https://t.co/dv2HZZyWCX  Nathaniel Rakich (@baseballot) May 8, 2025

Day one, and already a papal mystery has taken shape.

UN Secretary General offers heartfelt congratulations

Thursday 8 May 2025 22:16 , Oliver O'Connell

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he looks forward to building on the long legacy of cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See  nurtured most recently by Pope Francis  to advance solidarity, foster reconciliation, and build a just and sustainable world for all.

The election of a new Pope is a moment of profound spiritual significance for millions of faithful around the world, and it comes at a time of great global challenges. Our world is in need of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity and compassion, Guterres said.

And he quoted the new popes first words: Despite the rich diversity of backgrounds and beliefs, people everywhere share a common goal: May peace be with all the world.

What the new popes name choice says about his future plans

Thursday 8 May 2025 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The first hint of the new pope's direction has come with the name he picked.

USA Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, was elected the new pope and leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday and has taken the name Pope Leo XIV a senior cardinal announced to crowds in St. Peter's Square.

Continue reading...

Pope Leo XIV: What the new popes name choice says about his future plans

Putin wishes new Pope success based on 'Christian values'

Thursday 8 May 2025 21:51 , Oliver O'Connell

Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his cordial congratulations to the new pope in a message published on the Kremlins website, wishing him success in fulfilling the high mission entrusted to you, as well as good health and well-being.

I am confident that the constructive dialogue and interaction established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values that unite us, the Russian leader said.

Canadian prime minister offers prayers and best wishes for the pope

Thursday 8 May 2025 21:48 , Oliver O'Connell

Newly-elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, a practicing Catholic, called the popes election a historic day for Catholics and all who look to the Vatican for guidance.

At a time of global challenges, may his pontificate carry forward a mission of solidarity, compassion, and dignity for all, Carney said in a post on social media.

I offer my prayers and best wishes to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election, an historic day for Catholics and all who look to the Vatican for guidance. At a time of global challenges, may his pontificate carry forward a mission of solidarity, compassion, and dignity for all.  Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) May 8, 2025

Catholics in Boston celebrate  but weren't represented at Conclave

Thursday 8 May 2025 21:39 , AP

Boston is among the most Catholic of U.S. cities  about a quarter of the population identifies as Catholic, according to the Pew Research Center, down from 29% in 2014 after the clergy abuse scandal broke in the city and spread worldwide.

Bostons former archbishop, Cardinal Sean Patrick OMalley, turned 80 in June, so he was too old to vote, and his successor, Archbishop Richard Henning, is not a cardinal. The city lacked a direct representative inside the conclave, but is cheering nonetheless.

We have a pope! I join with Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston and throughout the world, along with people of good will, in celebrating the election of Pope Leo XIV as the new Holy Father, Henning said in a statement.

We pray for him as he begins this ministry as the Vicar of Christ and the Bishop of Rome. May he be for us a visible source and foundation of communion in faith.

Trump welcomes new American-born pope and says he cant wait to meet him

Thursday 8 May 2025 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

President Trump sent his well wishes to the new American Pope, Robert Prevost  even though the new pontiff has been critical of the president, his administration and his treatment of migrants.

Prevost, who has taken the name Pope Leo XIV, has shared several highly critical posts about Trump and his immigration policies on X.

Isabel Keane reports.

New American Pope Robert Prevost once blasted Vance
Habemus Papam. We Have a Pope.

After days of feverish speculation American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the 267th leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics.

The crowd reacts as white smoke signals that cardinals elected a new Pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8, 2025. Dimitar DilkoffAFP/Getty Images

Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus Papam [I announce to you a great joy. We have a Pope], said French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti as he introduced the man who will take over from the beloved Pope Francis, who died on April 21.

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He will take the name Leo the 14th Mamberti said in Latin to rapturous cheers from crowds that had been gathering in St. Peters Square since white smoke poured from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, where the election took place, a little more than an hour before.

Read More: Photos Show Joyous Vatican Scenes as Robert Prevost Is Announced the New Pope

The newly anointed Pope Leo XIV came to the balcony clad in a white cassock topped by a red cape trimmed in ermine and draped in a gold embroidered sash. He clasped his hands in prayer and smiled as the crowds chanted his name, and Viva La Papa!

Photograph by Guglielmo MangiapaneReuters

Buy a copy of the Pope Leo XIV issue here

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May peace be with all of you, Leo said in accented Italian. To all people, wherever they are, to all the people of the earth, may peace be with you.

He spoke briefly of his predecessor, saying: May we all build bridges with dialogue, thank you Pope Francis.

He thanked his fellow cardinals then briefly switched to Spanish, to thank his diocese in Peru, where he served for several decades. He concluded with his first Urbi et Orbi blessing, a formal address to the city of Rome and to the world, indicating the beginning of his papacy.

Read More: Peace Be With You: Pope Leo XIV Steps Onto the World Stage

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At the conclusion of the prayer, the crowd packed into St. Peters square waved flags from scores of countries, including a few American ones. It was a microcosm of the more than one billion Catholics around the world who have been waiting more than a week for this moment.

Leo will be the first Pope from the United States that the church has ever seen, and only the second Pope from the Americas, after Francis who was from Argentina.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who attended Francis funeral last month, congratulated Leo in a post on social media: It is such an honor to realize that he is the First American Pope, Trump wrote. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment.

Read More: World Leaders React as Robert Francis Prevost Becomes Pope Leo XIV

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As the sun sank behind the Vatican, Leo, from Chicago, grinned and waved to the 100,000-strong crowd. He bowed, then left the balcony.

The appearance of Leo, 69, on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica, was the culmination of a centuries-old election ritual in which specially selected cardinals, sworn to secrecy, spent days behind the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel to decide who could best lead the church through a period of tumultuous change.

The newly elected pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, is seen for the first time from the Vatican balcony on May 8, 2025. Dan KitwoodGetty Images

The voting began on Wednesday night with an inconclusive result. Another three rounds were held on Thursday, before Cardinal Prevost obtained the required two thirds majority necessary to be selected.

The fact that the selection took less than two days, on par with the selection of Francis in 2013, shows that the cardinals were nearly unanimous in their choice. It was not a given. While many wanted to see an extension of Francis inclusive legacy, there were those who feared that opening church doors to different views might dilute the power of the leadership.

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Read More: Where Pope Leo Stands on Specific Issues

The selection of Cardinal Prevost, a moderate pragmatist considered close to Francis as well as the Vatican leadership, is an indication that the cardinal-electors were seeking a steady hand to steer the church through thorny doctrinal debates sparked by Francis reformist bent.

His choice of nameLeo has historically signified strength during crisisis also a strong indicator that he is prepared for what awaits the church during a time of global instability.

Read More: The Biggest Challenges Pope Leo XIV Faces

The fact that he donned the traditional ermine fringed red cape that Francisin a sign of his commitment to humilityrefused in 2013, could be an indication that Leo XIV might try to bring the church back to some of its more traditional roots. Still, he praised Francis commitment to ministering to the suffering of the world and reiterated a desire to continue in Francis path of opening doctrinal debates to diverse voices, which is known as synodality.

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Pope Leo XIV will return to the balcony above St. Peters Square for his inauguration in a few days, when thousands of Catholic pilgrims from around the world gather to celebrate his leadership, no matter where it leads.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
A bipartisan group of House members is drafting a sweeping bill to overhaul the Federal Emergency Management Agency  and in some cases expand its services  in an effort to head off President Donald Trump's threats to shrink or abolish the agency.

Under the bill, FEMA could pay for major repairs to homes damaged in disasters, instead of only temporary fixes. The agency would be able to penalize states that dont try to mitigate disasters, according to a detailed summary obtained by POLITICOs E&E News.

The bill also would remove FEMA from the Department of Homeland Security and make it an independent agency reporting directly to the president. The measure, which is described as a discussion draft, was written by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves, Republican of Missouri, and Washington Rep. Rick Larsen, the panel's top Democrat.

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Committee staffers explained the bill Wednesday in a private virtual conference with about 100 experts. E&E News listened in.

Committee Republicans and Democrats expect to publicly release the discussion draft Thursday.

The administration has talked about finding a better way to support states taking the lead in disaster response, Johanna Hardy, a subcommittee Republican staff director, said at the conference. The draft legislation by the committee will help achieve those goals.

Making FEMA a Cabinet-level agency will better enable FEMA to support states and local governments, Hardy said.

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The bill could become Congress principal effort to try to influence the future of FEMA, which Trump has started cutting and intends to further weaken or abolish.

The fact that the committee is moving on this is promising, Manann Donoghoe, a senior research associate at Brookings Metro, said in an interview after listening to the virtual conference.

One cut by Trump  the cancellation of a multibillion-dollar grant program for states to protect against natural disasters  has drawn widespread and bipartisan opposition. Trump has discussed abolishing or shrinking FEMA and created an expert council to recommend changes.

On Wednesday, as House Transportation Committee staffers were explaining their bill, FEMA acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton bluntly told a House Appropriations subcommittee that the agency should not be abolished.

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I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hamilton said in response to a question by the House Appropriations Committees top Democrat, Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut.

Having said that, Im not in a position to make a decision, Hamilton added. That is a conversation that should be had between the president of the United States and this governing body.

Earlier in the hearing, Hamilton said the administration is looking at policies and initiatives that encourage greater state participation in disaster recovery.

Trump has been adamant about downsizing FEMA and giving states more responsibility for disaster recovery.

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But the House bill would expand FEMA spending in at least one area, according to the 2,500-word summary and Transportation Committee staffers.

The bill would remove restrictions that limit FEMA to paying only for minor home repairs after a disaster and would create a permanent repair program of owner-occupied homes, the summary says.

It would expand FEMAs authority to continue to repair homes  past the point of habitability, Lauren Gros, a Democratic committee staffer, told the conference.

We learned FEMA was spending upwards of $300,000 on travel trailers to temporarily house disaster victims, Gros said. Why spend so much money on a temporary solution instead of a permanent solution?

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Under federal law, FEMA currently gives households only enough money  usually a few thousand dollars  to make their home habitable after a disaster. The policy has forced many households without homeowners insurance to live in temporary housing for long periods.

The bill also would urge FEMA to give greater weight to events that damage economically distressed  or rural areas in deciding whether to recommend that a president declare a disaster, the summary says. Presidents have the final and sole decision on whether to declare a damaged area a major disaster, entitling states to federal aid for cleanup and recovery.

FEMA typically pays 75 percent of disaster-recovery costs for states, which pay the remaining 25 percent.

But the House proposal would incorporate cost-share sliding that would let FEMA reimburse only 65 percent of costs if a state were not doing appropriate mitigation measures, Logan de La Barre-Hays, a Republican staffer on the House Transportation Committee, told the virtual conference.

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FEMA could increase its reimbursement to 85 percent for states making significant improvements in their vulnerability to disasters.

Its unclear how much effect the bill would have if it became law.

Presidents have almost complete discretion over disasters, including when to approve federal aid and how much to give.

Many of the 51 sections in the bill summary simply authorize FEMA or a president to take certain action.

Donoghoe of Brookings said a lot of good ideas are contained in the bill, which along with Trumps executive orders have put a spotlight on disaster-management reform in a way there hasnt been in a while.

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Other people who watched the virtual presentation said the federal government needs to revise not just FEMA but its entire response to major disasters, which encompasses numerous departments.

But, Donoghoe added, I have reservations about what can be accomplished in the current legislative environment.
CONNECTICUT (WTNH)  A large crowd in St. Peters Square erupted in cheers Thursday, as Pope Francis successor was announced to be Pope Leo XIV, the American Robert Prevost.

In Connecticut, regional church officials and lawmakers reacted to the news. See their statements below.

Bishop Richard F. Reidy of the Diocese of Norwich

I join the faithful across the Diocese of Norwich and throughout the world in offering heartfelt thanks to God for the election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. The See of Peter once again stands filled, and with it, the Church is renewed in its visible sign of unity, continuity, and hope.

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Having been appointed by Pope Francis just a few months before his passing, I carry with me a deep sense of gratitude for his paternal care and tireless witness to the Gospel. His humility, courage, and pastoral heart inspired countless souls, including my own.

Now, as we welcome Pope Leo XIV, we entrust his ministry to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin Mary. May his leadership draw the Church ever closer to Christ, and may he be strengthened in his mission to proclaim the truth in love to a world in need of mercy, peace, and faith.

Bishop Reidy, ordained to the episcopacy on April 29, 2025, was appointed by Pope Francis in early February and serves as the sixth Bishop of Norwich.

Governor Ned Lamont

Today is a celebratory day for millions of Catholics all over the world. My prayers are with Pope Leo XIV as he guides the church and leads with wisdom, faith, and compassion.

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03)

This is a historic moment as the first American prepares to lead the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV  I am praying for your success, your wisdom, and your moral clarity in guiding the church through these trying times.

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Leo XIII was the Father of Catholic Social Teaching  reminding us of the importance of affirming the rights and dignity of workers. I am hopeful Leo XIV will follow in his tradition.

Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne took questions from the media around 3 p.m. Watch the video from the press conference in the player above.

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HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  Some police officers from Connecticut are starting a long bike ride to honor one of their own.

The name of Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier will be added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Suspect in hit-and-run that killed Connecticut State Police trooper accepts plea deal

Officers began riding their bicycles from Hartford, starting Thursday morning.

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They call this the Police Unity Tour. The bulk of the bike riders go from New Jersey to D.C., but these officers are going the extra mile.

They left from Hartford Police headquarters late Thursday morning, and they will get to Washington on Monday, which is when Police Week kicks off.

Officers and family members of those killed in the line of duty attended a kick-off ceremony Thursday morning in Connecticut.

Today, we honor our officers and troopers who didnt make it back and their families who we love dearly, Interim Hartford Police Chief James Rovella said.

The ceremony will include hearing the name of Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier read aloud at the national law enforcement memorial. Dominique Pelletier, Aarons wife, joined the officers as they left Thursday, as well as Will Garten, brother of fallen Hartford police officer Bobby Garten.

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Ill be thinking about Bobby, Ill be talking to Bobby, hell give me motivation through hard times sure, Garten said.

Thanks to the riders who reluctantly signed up when I gave them the idea but I hope we stay safe and dry, lets have fun and lets do this, Pelletier said.

Watch the full video in the player above.

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Matthew Constant, a former Owensboro Public School superintendent, received a 360-month federal prison sentence Wednesday, on counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, online enticement of a minor and transfer of obscene material to children.

Constant, 53, who was superintendent of Owensboro Public Schools from 2020 to 2023 before being removed by the school board, was given a lighter sentence than he could have received  although U.S. District Judge Greg Stivers said the 30-year sentence likely amounts to life in prison.

There is nothing more despicable, nothing more repugnant than hurting a child, said Stivers while delivering the sentence. As an educator, Constant understood the harm this kind of predation does to a child.

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Constants August 2024 indictment says Constant had contact with three minors, including sending obscene material to two minors, using the internet to contact minors for sexual activity and for sexually exploiting minors.

In February, Constant pleaded guilty without entering into a plea agreement.

During Wednesdays sentencing, Constants attorney Bryce Caldwell said that by pleading guilty without an agreement, we placed our faith in the court, and that Constant did not attempt to avoid the charges.

I have never had a situation with him where he did not address responsibility, Caldwell said. ...At the end of the day, he wants to take responsibility.

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Caldwell said Constant still has several people who supported him in the community, and asked Stivers to impose a lighter, 20-year sentence. The prosecutors had recommended 30 years.

Even 20 years in federal (prison) easily lets everyone know in this jurisdiction ... how seriously this court takes the offenses, Caldwell said.

A person who receives good time credit in federal prison can be released after serving 85% of his or her sentence.

If Constant receives all available good time credit, he would be released after serving 25.5 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

Once you get to 20-30 (years), you could realistically be saying, Im sentencing you to life,  Caldwell said.

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Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus told Stivers that Constant had attempted to have evidence of his conversations with minors erased.

After being interviewed by detectives, He (Constant) is communicating with minors about cleaning up their Snapchats, which showed, hes still trying to get away with it, Dycus said.

Dycus said imposing a 30-year sentence shows this conduct wont be tolerated.

While none of the three victims were physically touched and no local minors were involved, his conduct was escalating, Dycus said.

Constant, who hung his head at times and wiped away tears, read from a statement where he said, I have waited for two long years to be able to speak and take responsibility for my actions.

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While Constant expressed remorse, he said of his contact with the three minor victims that he wanted to just give people a voice.

But my methods were excessive and overreaching, Constant said, which led to reckless communication on my part, and Im so sorry for that.

Constant said, While my professional life was flourishing, my inner self was not.

Constant said he hopes to still work with people in the future.

I can only resolve to learn from this, get better and show everyone what I can become, Constant said.

Stivers said a letter written by one of the victims said other juveniles were also targeted.

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He (the victim) knows there were others that Mr. Constant was not held accountable for, Stivers said, and that Constant had contacted victims, asking them to destroy evidence of their communications.

Mr. Constant speaks of mistakes, Stivers said. An ongoing crime of abusing children is not a mistake.

The federal sentencing guidelines recommend life in prison for Constants offenses.

Stivers said the guidelines are a starting point, and he had to weigh factors such as public safety, sending a message of deterrence to other potential offenders and making sure the sentence is not excessive.

Im not going to sentence him to more than the (prosecution) asked for, although I could, Stivers said.

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Of the sentence, Stivers said, I think theres a good chance (Constant) will not get out of prison, and in terms of protecting the public, I think thats a good thing.

After serving his sentence, Constant will be placed on lifetime supervision. Constant was not ordered to pay restitution, because none of the victims identified had requested supervision.

Constant can appeal his sentence to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. despicable attempt to smear and attack China-Caribbean relations and cooperation is doomed to fail, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks in response to recent comments by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding Caribbean countries' selection of vendors and contractors for infrastructure projects.

Speaking at a daily press briefing, Lin said the remarks constituted a malicious attack on China and aimed at smearing the country and undermining its relations with relevant nations, revealing both ideological prejudice and a disregard for fundamental norms of international relations.

"China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition," said the spokesperson.

Lin emphasized that Caribbean countries have the right to independently choose friendly cooperation partners and do not need any country to lecture.

China's relations with Caribbean countries are in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides, Lin said, pointing out that the despicable attempt of the United States to attack and smear China-Caribbean relations and cooperation will not succeed. 
BELEM, Brazil (AP)  In the run-up to the annual U.N. climate conference, set to take place in Brazils Amazon in November, the construction of a road is drawing attention, with critics arguing it will lead to environmental degradation.

Before the talks, called COP30, the state government of Para is building a 13-kilometer (8-mile) avenue designed to ease traffic on a major highway that runs parallel.

The road was planned long before Belem, a metropolitan area of 2.5 million people that sits on the edge of the Amazon, was chosen as conference host. That hasn't spared it sharp criticism, however, because the road is expected to cut across the last remnants of rainforest in Belem.

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Road building in the Amazon, which historically has often led to deforestation and development of surrounding areas, also stands in stark contrast to a central aim of climate conferences, and in particular this one: conservation of biodiversity.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has made the slowing of deforestation a central focus of his administration, has frequently boasted that this will be the first such conference in the Amazon rainforest.

The Amazon is key to regulating the climate, because trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that heats the planet when released into the atmosphere.

We will hold the best COP in history because the topic of all the ones held in other countries was the Amazon," Lula said while visiting Belem worksites in February. This one will be in the Amazon.

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An official project map shows a straight line dividing a green area through the citys outskirts. This protected area is slightly larger than Manhattan. It was designated in 1993 to protect two lakes, a river basin and to restore a degraded rainforest. However, its rules allow private properties, government-approved deforestation and public works. Two university campuses are located within its limits.

Even with measures to reduce the damage, there are tough issues to address, said Roberta Rodrigues, a professor of architecture at the Federal University of Para. Its hard to imagine a road being built along the banks of the Guama River without it leading to illegal development. It may lead to the end of this protected area."

The project dates back to 2020. Construction began in mid-2024, despite criticism over its impact on one of the citys few remaining green areas. The project drew wider attention in March, when the BBC reported that the avenue was "being built for COP30. As the story was picked up by news outlets around the world, Brazils government issued a statement saying the avenue wasn't among the 33 infrastructure projects planned for COP30.

In a statement to The Associated Press, the state government of Para said that the avenue, named Liberdade, or Freedom, will be an expressway and development around it won't be permitted.

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The chaotic growth of Brazilian cities, however, suggests it's a promise that will be hard to keep. Countless public areas have been occupied for the irregular construction of housing  from modest structures to luxury condos  with the expectation that they will eventually be legalized, which often ends up happening.

Belem is the capital of Para, which is run by Gov. Helder Barbalho, a politician from a traditional family who is an ally of Lula. Both support oil drilling in the nearby mouth of the Amazon River, likely a point of contention during COP30.

The road is scheduled to be inaugurated just before the conference kicking off on Nov. 10.

___

The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
That theres a spasm of dislike for Trumps chaotic presidency is not news  new polls show Americans unhappier with this president at 100 days than any of his predecessors. Much of the attention has focused on his rapidly falling numbers with young voters (Is Gen Z abandoning Trump? Newsweek asked last week), but were seeing signs  in the data and on the streets  of something that may be an even bigger problem for the MAGA world. Older Americans are increasingly repelled by this guy.

Numbers first: If you look at the internals of, say, the most recent Marist poll, he does worst among members of the oldest age cohort: Only 37% of the greatest/silent generation  people in their 80s and 90s  approve of the presidents performance. Baby boomers  those, like us, in our 60s and 70s  arent far behind, with only 41% giving him the nod, compared to very nearly half of Gen X.

Read more: Trump's popularity in a slump in California amid abuse-of-power concerns

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Meanwhile, anyone whos taken part in protests against the administration around the nation can testify to the amount of gray hair in the crowd. Weve marched in New York, New England and California in recent weeks, and large swaths of the crowd definitely qualify for senior discounts at the movies. Mark Engler, co-author of This Is an Uprising, about the rise of modern protest movements, wrote to us last week: Here in Philly, the crowd made me feel like I was on the younger side, an increasingly rare experience now that Im about to turn 50.

All of this goes against the common wisdom: Youre supposed to get more conservative as you age, and isnt Trump supposed to be taking people our age back to our happy youth by making America great again? But we arent surprised: Weve spent the last three years organizing liberal and progressive Americans over the age of 60. They make it clear whats going on.

Some issues are obvious: As Elon Musk and his minions mess with the Social Security Administration and the White House plans big Medicaid cuts , people of a certain age feel a rare combination of fear and anger. Two-thirds of older Americans rely on Social Security for more than half their income  we spent our entire working lives paying in, on the explicit promise that it would be there for us when we retire. Even those who have savings and investments are watching them tank amid Trumps tariff chaos: If your 401k drops 10% when youre 30, you may have a chance to make it back. But if youre 75?

Read more: Column: Hate Trump? Love him? Either way, you'll be annoyed by this column

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And it goes deeper than dollars. Older voters watching Musk and Trumps Cabinet dismantle the federal government understand why those agencies were built in the first place. If youre 40, the Clean Air Act may seem a little abstract, but thats because its worked so well. If youre 70 or 80 you remember smog-choked cities and rivers that caught fire, and you have no idea why anyone would want them back.

That sentiment goes for all kinds of things. Lani Ritter-Hall, a board member of our organization, wrote recently of her memories of being a Polio pioneer in 1954, lining up for the shots that changed childhood for the better. I have that special memory of participating in a grand scientific experiment to benefit humanity. How do you think she feels watching RFK Jr. blather on about vaccines? (Were old enough to remember Kennedys father, by the way, and to mourn how far the apple fell from the tree).

We know from experience why the country had DEI programs, because we remember Jim Crow and its vestiges in segregated schools and neighborhoods. When the government removes lessons about the Tuskegee Airmen from air force training, or purges Jackie Robinson from a Department of Defense website, these are not figures of the impossibly distant past to us; the visceral anger of those whose lives paralleled these people are why the government had to backtrack.

Read more: Anti-Trump, Musk protests draw big crowds in L.A. and around the nation

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Sometimes even the smallest things seem especially galling. President Trumps celebration of the idea that henceforth kids would only have two dolls instead of 30 under the Christmas tree may be ridiculous (did anyone ever get 30 dolls for Christmas?)  but you know who really really likes spending their remaining money on toys? Grandparents.

One way of saying this is that the older you are, the longer your past, and so Trumps assault on normalcy is especially egregious to us  we know hes behaving in a way that no former president even imagined behaving.

Happily, we vote in higher numbers than any other age group, and weve got a longer future as activists than the president and his allies might imagine. If you turn 60 this year, chances are youll live another quarter century. Oh, and women  who dislike the president in larger numbers than men  will live longer still.

So expect another couple of decades of us causing good trouble, with all the skills and connections weve built over a lifetime. Trump is turning out to be our nightmare, and were more than willing to be his.

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Akaya Windwood is a senior advisor at Third Act, which organizes older Americans for climate action and democracy protection. Bill McKibben is a founder of the group.

If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
May 7Gov. Kay Ivey has designated the Cook Museum of Natural Science in Decatur as the North Alabama STEM Center, and the state has appropriated $9.5 million for the museum's education budget that it plans to use for an expansion.

The museum provides camps and classes with hands-on learning experiences. Students from the public, private and homeschool sectors from 21 Alabama counties attend the museum. That comes to more than 18,000 students annually on field trips with more than 7,000 of those students participating in the camps and classes.

"This is a jump start into a phase two that we have already begun," Cook Museum Executive Director Scott Mayo said Tuesday of the funding and STEM Center designation. "Our dilemma has been with these sorts of numbers we do run out of space. ... So, we get toward the end of the school year and we've had schools that we just have not been able to fit in. Part of this is just an expansion of scope, to be able to allow more schools to take advantage of the museum itself, and also our labs."

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He said the expansion would allow the museum to provide more in-depth classes and get into new subject matters.

Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, said obtaining the funding was a joint effort by the Morgan County delegation, the Cook Museum team and Decatur City Council President Jacob Ladner. They all went to Montgomery and presented to Ivey their vision for the North Alabama STEM Center to be located at the Cook Museum. Orr said in 2023 Ivey gave considerable funding to create a West Alabama STEM Center in Tuscaloosa.

Orr said Ivey proposed giving the museum $7.5 million to become the North Alabama STEM Center. He said when it came before the Legislature, they added an additional $2 million. Orr is chairman of the Senate education budget committee.

Mayo said the planned expansion of the museum will provide broader experiences to students.

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"As part of this expansion, there will be additional lab space. We've currently got three STEM labs; we hope to almost double that capacity," he said. "The labs aren't just square footage. ... There's all sorts of equipment and we're working with some experts now on bringing some of that equipment here to the museum to where the kids can see it, they can experience it and interact with it in real time."

Ivey said the state's future depends on its ability to prepare students for the workforce, and STEM education is a key to that.

"This significant state investment reflects the outstanding work the Cook Museum of Natural Science has accomplished in STEM education," she said. "This expansion will undoubtedly strengthen educational opportunities for students and support workforce development in one of the state's fastest-growing regions."

State Superintendent Eric Mackey said four of the fastest-growing school districts in the state are in north Alabama.

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"We continue to attract and grow STEM-related workforce opportunities," he said. "The Cook Museum is in the heart of the region and is already doing an excellent job serving our educators and school systems as a resource, particularly for our elementary students."

Orr said the STEM Center designation and planned expansion will have economic benefits for Decatur.

"I think it's significantly important for an expansion to happen to bring more tourists and more visitors to town, which certainly helps drive the economy restaurants, hotels, shops, etc.," he said, including "more foot traffic coming to Decatur as the Cook Museum becomes the destination attraction."

Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling said the designation as the North Alabama STEM Center "enhances Decatur's reputation as a city that values education, innovation, and the future of our children."

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Mayo said the $9.5 million from the state will be a part of a much bigger plan.

"In this investment from the state, we're going to have to raise plenty of private funding just like we did with the original museum," he said. "It's going to light a fire under some fundraising efforts. If nothing else, maybe look at it as a catalyst."

Mayo said they do not have a timeline for when the expansion will happen.

"As we move this process along and we do start coming up with tentative timelines, we'll get that out just as soon as we're able to. We're excited about it, and we do want everyone to know where we're going," he said. "We want to keep doing what we're doing, only better."

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The nonprofit Cook Museum of Natural Science opened as a 62,000-square-foot educational institution and tourism destination at 144 Fourth Ave. N.E. in June 2019.

erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.
By Lisandra Paraguassu

BRASILIA (Reuters) -The Brazilian presidency of COP30, this year's climate summit, called for new global climate governance mechanisms to help nations implement their commitments to curb global warming, according to a letter it released on Thursday.

The summit, to be hosted in the Amazonian city of Belem in November, marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Accord, when signatories agreed to limit warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels.

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Though nations have so far committed to plans that would limit warming to around 2.6 degrees Celsius, many are struggling to get their proposals off the drawing board and to lower carbon emissions enough to stop the planet from heating to catastrophic levels.

According to the letter by the COP30 presidency, "the international community should investigate how climate cooperation could become better equipped to accelerate" implementation.

The proposal was first introduced by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva last November, during the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro. At the time, Lula proposed creating a "United Nations climate change council" to help countries implement commitments they made to address climate change as part of the 2015 Paris Agreement.

"There's no point in negotiating new commitments if we don't have an effective mechanism to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement," Lula said. "We need stronger climate governance."

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The proposal has now been adopted by Brazilian ambassador Andre Correa do Lago, who will preside over COP30. Correa do Lago argued that, after decades of debates, the Climate Convention, known as the UNFCCC, has completed necessary negotiations but lacks implementation capacity.

"The UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement don't have the strength or mandate to take this forward, so we're proposing to reconsider how we can institutionally strengthen implementation," Lago told journalists on Wednesday.

The COP Presidency letter suggests that the United Nations General Assembly, not COP30 itself, should be the forum for this discussion.

"Debates at the U.N. General Assembly could explore innovative governance approaches to endow international cooperation with capabilities for rapid sharing of data, knowledge and intelligence, as well as for leveraging networks, aggregating efforts and articulating resources, processes, mechanisms and actors within and outside the U.N.," the letter states.

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Sources in the Brazilian government told Reuters that while the creation of a U.N. Climate Council features in Lula's diplomatic discussions with world leaders, immediate results are not anticipated in the short term.

"It's still an initial convincing effort," one source said.

(Reporting and writing by Lisandra Paraguassu, editing by Manuela Andreoni and Lincoln Feast.)
May 7LIMA  Lima resident Steve Smith died in July 2023 as the result of gunshot wounds to his left arm and chest, Lucas County Coroner Dr. Thomas Blomquist told jurors Wednesday on the opening day of testimony in the murder trial of Donya Perkins.

The coroner said the multiple wounds suffered by Smith "conceivably could represent a single projectile" that the coroner believes was fired from an "intermediate" distance.

In his opening statement to jurors, Assistant Allen County Prosecuting Attorney Joe Everhart said evidence during the trial will prove Perkins fired the shot that killed Smith, 41, who was alleged to have been involved in a romantic but explosive affair with Perkins' mother.

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Perkins was bound over from Allen County Juvenile Court to stand trial as an adult for the shooting that took place when he was 17. The teenager was indicted by a grand jury in November 2023 on two counts of murder and single counts of felonious assault, discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises, tampering with evidence and carrying a concealed weapon in connection with Smith's death.

Multiple lovers alleged

Perkins' mother, Latoya McClellan, was charged by police in connection with Smith's death. She was sentenced in March of 2024 to an 18-month prison term for hiding the firearm allegedly used by her son to shoot and kill Smith.

Jurors on Wednesday afternoon heard testimony from two women, in addition to McClellan, who said they also had relationships with Smith. Rochele White said she and Smith dated "on-again, off-again" in 2023 and that she was aware Smith was also involved with McClellan.

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Smith's lifeless body was discovered in the early morning hours of July 16, 2023, in the 1000 block of Reese Avenue in Lima, near the home of Perkins and his parents. Jurors heard testimony Wednesday morning from a Reese Avenue resident who discovered Smith's body in his neighbors' yard on the morning of July 16. The man said he called 911 immediately.

Tiffany Armstead, who said she and Smith were "just friends," told jurors she had seen Smith during the day on July 15 and the pair made plans to meet later that night. Armstead said Smith called her around 10 p.m.

"He sounded frustrated and said he was going over to Reese Avenue because Latoya's husband had been harassing him," Armstead testified. "We were on the phone when he knocked on the door" of the McClellan home.

"I told him to be careful," the woman testified.

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McClellan is expected to take the witness stand on Thursday.

Members of the Lima Police Department testified that Smith's body was found lying on his back in the rear of a yard at 1087 S. Reese Ave. Jurors viewed photographs of the blood-soaked body. Officers said no weapon was found on or near the body. Sgt. Amy Glanemann said she interviewed neighbors in an attempt to learn more about the shooting. Among those interviewed were Perkins and McClellan, who each said they had no knowledge of the incident.

Patrolman Justin Wireman testified that later that day he was asked by LPD Detective Steve Stechschulte to bring McClellan to the police station to give a statement. Wireman said McClellan's demeanor immediately "went from calm to almost panic" when told of the detective's request.

'Keep an open mind'

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In his opening statements to jurors, Everhart said evidence will show that McClellan, after initially denying any knowledge of the events that led to Smith's death, admitted to LPD's Stechschulte that her son had fired the shot that killed Smith.

Perkins similarly denied any involvement in the murder after he was taken into custody "until his mom came in and she had told Detective Stechschulte what happened," Everhart told jurors. The prosecutor also said evidence will show Perkins had "hunted" Smith with a firearm on previous occasions.

Allison Hibbard, an attorney with the Ohio Public Defender's Office, asked jurors to "keep an open mind" as evidence in the case unfolded.

"There is reasonable doubt that Donya Perkins shot Steve Smith. There was no weapon found; no projectile found. This is a case about a mom who was involved in a volatile relationship with a man; a mom who evidence will show said she was going to kill Smith" herself, the defense attorney said.

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BIG STONE GAP, Va. (WJHL)  Two correctional officers hospitalized after a reported gang stabbing at Wallens Ridge State Prison in Big Stone Gap were released on Thursday.

Our entire agency is relieved that all five officers involved in this heinous attack have now been

discharged. They have constantly been in our prayers and are at the forefront of our thoughts, VADOC Director Chad Dotson said in a news release. We wish them nothing but the best in their recovery and will continue to stand by them and the rest of our Wallens Ridge family. I want to say thank you to the medical professionals who rendered aid and care to our dedicated public servants.

PREVIOUS: Gang members accused of stabbing 3 corrections officers at Southwest Virginia prison

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On May 2, five VADOC officers were taken to a hospital after an alleged premeditated stabbing by six inmates at the Big Stone Gap prison. Three officers were released from the hospital later that day.

Five of the six inmates were confirmed MS-13 gang members from El Salvador who were in the country illegally, each convicted of various crimes including murder and rape, according to the news release.

The other inmate involved is a reported member of the Sureno 13 gang from the United States and is serving a sentence for second-degree murder.

Our Corrections Officers are public servants who work around the clock to keep the

Commonwealth safe, Dotson said in the release. They protect their fellow officers, other corrections team members, people across Virginia, and the inmate population. Please know that our Department will seek to prosecute these inmates, and any inmates who so much as lay a hand on our officers, to the furthest extent of the law.

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The stabbing remains under investigation.

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N.J. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker will appear with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear at the Florida Democratic Party's annual Leadership Blue Gala in June.

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, two potential Democratic candidates for president 2028, will headline the Florida Democratic Partys (FDP) annual Leadership Blue Gala next month at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, officials announced Thursday.

Booker, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, made history last month when he stood on the Senate floor and gave a 25-hour speech protesting the actions of the Trump administration. It was the longest floor speech in the history of the U.S. Senate.

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Beshear is the popular two-term governor of Kentucky who has shown an ability as a Democrat to win in a red state. He is believed to be seriously considering a run for president in 2028.

Senator Booker and Governor Beshear are two of the brightest starts of todays Democratic Party, and their visit to Florida is more proof of the partys commitment to the future of our state and the importance of the South, said FDP Chair Nikki Fried in a written statement.

The event is considered the FDPs premier fundraising event of the year. It will take place with the party once again back on its heels following the defection two weeks ago of one of its legislative leaders, South Florida Sen. Jason Pizzo, who turned independent, saying that the state party was dead.

The Republican Party of Florida is holding its Florida Freedom Forum on Aug. 2 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, which will feature U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, Attorney General James Uthmeier, and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, among others.

The FDPs Leadership Blue Weekend is scheduled to take place from June 20-June 22.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A judge sentenced a couple to probation Wednesday on animal abuse charges connected to 16 dogs.

Police arrested Carolyn Luke, 78; and Timothy Miller, 80, last year following a multi-jurisdictional animal abuse investigation. Boulder City officers first located several live and deceased animals in the couples car. Metro police later located more live and deceased animals at a west valley home and hotel room, documents said.

A judge previously sentenced the couple to a suspended jail sentence on charges connected to their arrest. On Wednesday, Clark County District Court Judge Jasmin Lilly-Spells sentenced Luke and Miller to another suspended jail sentence, ordering them to 18 months of probation, a court spokesperson confirmed.

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The sentence was part of a settlement conference, and prosecutors did not oppose it, records said.

Should either violate the terms of their probation, a judge could send them to prison for up to four years.

Lilly-Spells also ordered Luke and Miller to pay $13,800 to the City of Las Vegas Animal Protection Services, the spokesperson said. She also barred the couple from possessing or owning any animals.

In their previous case, the court expected the couple to take counseling sessions.

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  A 56-year-old man accused of driving drunk when his pickup hit another vehicle on Highway 65, killing the driver, has been assigned a courtroom for trial, according to court records.

William Pederson is charged with second-degree murder and other offenses in connection with the Feb. 14, 2023, crash that killed Juana Torres de Calderon, 53.

54-year-old Ana Barbosa still missing after a year, daughter speaks out

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His trial will be heard in Department 8 in the downtown Bakersfield courthouse, records show. A hearing is set for Thursday.

Pedersons Dodge Ram crossed double yellow lines into the opposing lane as he drove south on Highway 65 at about 3:50 a.m., according to California Highway Patrol. The pickup collided with Torres de Calderons vehicle just north of Famoso Road.

Pederson told officers he was returning home to Porterville after spending time with family in Sacramento. He said he drank about a six-pack of Coors beer.

Preliminary tests showed his blood-alcohol content at 0.158 and 0.156%, according to court documents, nearly twice the legal limit.

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UNITED NATIONS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is gravely concerned that recent drone attacks in Port Sudan, the main entry point for humanitarian aid into Sudan, threaten to increase humanitarian needs and further complicate aid operations in the country, a UN spokesperson said Thursday.

"The secretary-general warns that this major escalation could lead to large-scale civilian casualties and further destruction of critical infrastructure," said Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for the UN chief, at a daily briefing.

He said Guterres is alarmed at the expansion of the conflict into an area that has served as a place of refuge for large numbers of people displaced from the capital, Khartoum, and other areas.

Since January, increased attacks across the country on power stations and other critical infrastructure have disrupted civilians' access to electricity, healthcare, clean water and food.

Haq said the UN secretary-general reiterates that all parties to the conflict must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law. They must not direct attacks against civilians and civilian objects; must take all feasible precautions to avoid, and in any event to minimize, incidental civilian casualties; and must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need.

The UN chief calls on the parties to engage constructively with the mediation support mechanisms already in place to assist the parties to reach a political solution, underscoring the United Nations' continued support to help find a way out of this crisis, said the spokesperson.

Guterres also renews his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and stresses that dialogue is the only way to achieve the peace that the people of Sudan demand, he said.

On Tuesday, drone attacks struck strategic sites in Port Sudan, a port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, including an international airport, a hotel near the temporary presidential palace, and an oil export port. 
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  This week on Crime Stoppers, police need your help identifying suspects in a sexual assault and an armed robbery.

If you have information regarding the cases below, call Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan at (517) 483-STOP. You can remain anonymous.

Those who contact Crime Stoppers with information can receive up to a $1,000 award.

Sexual Assault

(Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan)

(Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan)

(Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan)

The Lansing Police Department is asking for any information that could identify a suspect involved in a sexual assault in the 400 block of Grand Ave. during the late afternoon of April 29.

Armed Robbery

(Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan)

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(Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan)

(Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan)

The Lansing Police Department is asking for information that could identify a suspect involved in an armed robbery at around 11:30 p.m. in the 6000 block of S Pennsylvania Ave. on April 28. The suspect was wearing a black hooded jacket, black gloves, black mask, black shoes, and black backpack. They had a black handgun with a silver ejection port.

Crime Stoppers

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) asked a witness in a House hearing on transgender athletes Wednesday to play a game of Trump or trans.

This hearing has nothing to do with improving government efficiency, Crockett said during the Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee meeting. Its another attempt by Republicans to distract from their demonic and disastrous policies that are making it more difficult for Americans to make ends meet.

So, Miss Goss Graves, I want to play a game, she added. Its called Trump or trans, you ready?

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OK, National Womens Law Center CEO Fatima Goss Graves responded.

Crockett then told Goss Graves that she would ask questions and wanted Goss Graves to tell her whether or not it is Trump or trans people that are responsible. Shortly after, the Texas Democrat began firing off a series of questions including who was behind gutting medical research, raising the cost of everything, and conducting an idiotic tariff war.

Goss Graves answered with President Trumps name to every single question Crockett asked.

Trumps administration has targeted the transgender community through multiple actions during the first few months of his second term, including by signing an executive order in January recognizing male and female as the only two sexes and directing federal agencies to stop promoting the concept of gender transition.

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As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female, Trump said in his inaugural address earlier this year.

Attorney General Pam Bondi also ordered gender-affirming care procedures for youth to be investigated in a memo from late last month.

Gender ideology, masked as science, teaches that children should process adolescent stress and confusion as a case of mistaken identity and that the solution is not to root out and eliminate the underlying condition but to acquiesce in it permanently through life-altering chemical and surgical intervention, Bondi said in her memo.

The Hill has reached out to the White House and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee for comment.

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The Camino Real Regional Authority (CRRUA) is clarifying misrepresented claims by Empowerment Congress that stated the utilitys water is unsafe, CRRUA announced on Wednesday, May 7, in a news release.

CRRUA says it is now nearly 95% compliant in addressing state inspection

This comes after the Empowerment Congress held a community rally on Monday evening, May 5, in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, to demand safe drinking water for all CRRUA customers and consumers, according to a news release sent by the organization.

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As we previously reported, CRRUA, which provides water and wastewater service to Sunland Park and Santa Teresa, has been under fire for over a year over concerns about water quality and discolored water.

Law firms discuss CRRUAs lawsuit in town hall meeting

According to the news release by Empowerment Congress, community members and advocates demanded the following from CRRUA to address the historical and ongoing public water crisis:

Demand 1: Preventative measures : CRRUA must establish preventative and protective measures when an incident occurs that impacts water quality.

Demand 2: Arsenic test strips : CRRUA must provide arsenic testing strips to all households, allowing residents to independently verify the safety of their water. These strips should be mailed directly to each home serviced by CRRUA.

Demand 3: Clean water supply : CRRUA must supply clean third-party water to residents for a minimum of six months to compensate for the contaminated water previously supplied, as well as during events and incidents where residents water quality is impacted.

Demand 4: Rate increase moratorium : CRRUA must place a freeze on water rate increases for the next four years. This moratorium is crucial to relieve the financial burden on residents paying for unsafe water they cannot use and the cost of buying water which is safe for them to use.

Demand 5: Accessible public meetings: CRRUA must change the time of the regularly scheduled CRRUA Board meetings to 5:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month, so as to ensure these meetings remain open and accessible to community members.

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Consequently, the utility responded to these claims, saying its water is safe to consume, and that its compliant with New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safe drinking water standards.

CRRUA says its passed latest round of arsenic tests

Further addressing this issue, CRRUA sent the following statements responding to every demand, according to the news release.

Demand 1 response: CRRUA conducts daily monitoring and regularly scheduled testing. If a change in treatment is needed, the adjustment is made quickly following protocols and procedures initiated by CRRUA in partnership with NMED, with follow-up monitoring and testing at an NMED-certified laboratory.

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Demand 2, 3, and 4 responses: Under state law, CRRUA is unable to either provide arsenic testing strips or third-party water to residents. Doing so would result in a violation of Article IX, Section 14 of the New Mexico Constitution, otherwise referred to as the Anti-Donation Clause. This constitutional provision prohibits public entities from making donations using public funds to any person, association, or public or private corporation, either directly or indirectly, with limited exceptions. CRRUA has been informed that none of the exceptions to the Anti-Donation Clause apply to providing arsenic test strips or third-party water to residents.

Also, test strips contain hazardous materials that require proper handling. They are not intended for public use. For accurate results, NMED requires designated sample points where water samples must be collected for testing purposes.

In addition, CRRUAs water quality is compliant with NMED testing for arsenic at all four arsenic treatment facilities, and CRRUA has passed 22 arsenic tests since January 2024, including NMEDs quarterly tests. CRRUA makes all test results available to the public via the CRRUA website, Facebook page, and through local news media.

As such, CRRUA provides safe water to its customers as certified by both NMED and NMED-certified laboratories. Water quality information is available in the 2023 Consumer Confidence Report, released in June 2024.

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Demand 5 response: Conducting morning meetings is a standard practice for government agencies and a cost-effective way of maximizing limited staff availability and resources, especially for the size of the CRRUA organization. CRRUA board meetings are available on Zoom and provide a convenient way for participants to address the board without having to physically attend meetings.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
A man who was arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of a fellow passenger on a cruise has been released on bail.

According to a police statement obtained by PEOPLE, the 57-year-old from Devon, England, was released on bail on Tuesday, May 6, after Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary arrested him following a fatal altercation on a cruise ship.

We are investigating the death of a 60-year-old man from West Sussex on board the MSC Virtuosa, which happened around 8.30pm on Saturday (May 3), the release read. As part of our enquiries, a 57-year-old man from Exeter was arrested at Southampton Docks, but he has now been released on bail while our enquiries continue.

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They added, We remain keen to hear from anyone who was on board the boat and may have information which could assist our enquiries.

"Anyone who has any information relating to an altercation between two men, in particular anyone who witnessed anything, should call 101, quoting the reference 44250193676, authorities concluded.

Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty MSC Virtuosa in Portugal in April 2025 MSC Virtuosa in Portugal in April 2025

The Guardian previously reported, citing police, that a 60-year-old man had died following an altercation on the ship and a 57-year-old man from Exeter has been arrested on suspicion of murder and was in custody,



According to the BBC, the incident took place two and a half hours after the cruise ship, MSC Virtuosa, departed from Southampton on Saturday.

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.

Sky News reported that the victim was a member of a bachelor party onboard the ship.

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According to the outlet, the cruise ship returned to the British port on Monday, May 5, after spending two nights in Bruges, Belgium.

Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty MSC Virtuosa in Portugal in April 2025 MSC Virtuosa in Portugal in April 2025

In a statement to PEOPLE, MSC Cruises shared, Following an incident on board our ship, the relevant authorities were contacted, and we are cooperating fully with their investigations. We are providing full support to those impacted and thoughts are with the family and friends at this difficult time.

According to the MSC Cruises website, the MSC Virtuosa has a 6,334-guest capacity. It also has 2,421 cabins and 1,704 crew members.



Read the original article on People
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  The Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) held its second blood drive of the year on Wednesday, May 7, at Fire Station 19.

CSFD said it often has people reach out and ask how they can help the department and what they can do for the community. CSFD said the blood drive is the perfect way to give back, as the amount of donors at their last drive equated to saving at least 100 lives.

In 2024, CSFD Medical Lieutenants, with the help of UCHealth and the UCHealth Memorial Foundation, became the first in the state to carry whole blood (Type O) in their rigs to give life-saving blood transfusions in the field before a patient gets to the hospital.

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Whole blood is blood that has none of its components missing. Currently, first responders use IV fluids to treat patients en route to the hospital, but whole blood increases the chance of survival. Whole blood is safe to use for any blood type.

Courtesy: FOX21 News photojournalist Cora Mitchell Courtesy: FOX21 News photojournalist Cora Mitchell Courtesy: FOX21 News photojournalist Cora Mitchell

If you look at this little logo down here, thats our whole blood logo, said CSFD Public Information Officer Ashley Franco. So we became the first fire department in the state to carry whole blood on our apparatus, and basically what that does is we can give blood transfusions in the field before people get to the hospital.

CSFD is holding quarterly blood drives at Station 19, 2490 Research Parkway, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with the next two scheduled for Aug. 11 and Nov. 4.

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According to CSFD, the whole blood program has achieved a 70% survival rate, which equates to about 57 lives saved.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
A Connecticut woman has made 19 trips to Ukraine to help sick, orphaned and dying children.

Now, Anna Kobylarz has opened a non-profit in Connecticut to help supply kids here  from infants to teens  with clothing and personal care items.

The Anna Kobylarz Hope Foundations new Butterfly Closet provides clothing, hygiene products and other essentials through referrals from partnership agencies.

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The Butterfly Closet was founded with the goal of ensuring that more children in our community have access to clothing and basic essentials such as diapers and hygiene products, Kobylarz said.

But its about more than just providing items  its about restoring dignity, lifting spirits, and letting these kids know they are seen and valued.

The Butterfly Closet operates out of a small 1,000-square-foot warehouse at 322 Ellis St., New Britain.

The program provides a pretty butterfly box of items to those between infancy and 18-years-old who have been referred by agencies throughout Connecticut. They are not set up yet for individual requests from the public, Kobylarz said.

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Were getting requests from organizations who work directly with children, she said.

The boxes are filled with underwear, shorts, sweat pants, shirts, a hoodie, a pair of shoes and hygiene products. In some cases a toy may be included. Diapers are available too.

Theres a huge need, Kobylarz said. Were looking to grow.

In a time when many struggle to pay rent, bills and buy food, some necessities can fall through the cracks, she said.

While kids amazingly understand their parents situation, that doesnt solve the problem, she said.

Kobylarz said they are looking for money donations to buy new clothes, gently used clothing items, volunteers and community partnerships.

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The more items they have, the more kids they can help, she said. To contact Kobylarz on any of these matters text her at 914-441-6062 or email her at akobylarz@hotmail.com.

As for her ongoing work in Ukraine on behalf of children, Kobylarz is planning a 20th trip.

The war should stop now, but the bombing has gotten worse, Kobylarz said.

Putin says he hopes there will be no need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine

In Ukraine shes helped raise money from the United States and abroad to build a childrens medical center as part of the City of Goodness, an orphanage and place for displaced moms to live.

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In addition to tireless fundraising Kobylarz has rocked the babies, played with the children, fed them, and changed them as an all-around volunteer.

The three-story medical center, one floor for rehabilitation, one for medical treatment and the other for hospice care, opened in October.

There is also a focus on raising money to continue to pay medical staff, buying more equipment and purchasing a much-needed ambulance.

This war breaks your heart into pieces, she has said.
HAVANA (AP)  Ten times a day for the past two weeks, Heidy Sanchez has made the same two-block trek from her parents home in Havana looking for an internet signal to video call her family and sing her daughter to sleep. And every single time she has ended up crying.

Cuban-born Sanchez, 44, was detained in Florida in April during a routine check-in appointment at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, office. Two days later, she was deported to Cuba.

A breastfeeding mother to a 1-year-old and wife of a U.S. citizen, Sanchez is pleading with U.S. President Donald Trump to help her go back and reunite with her family.

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To president (Trump) who has a family, he says he believes in God, and I believe in God too...I would like him to put his hand on his heart and please help us reunite our family," she told The Associated Press. "My baby is little, she needs me.

Sanchez's story has raised questions among lawyers and activists about the Trumps administration crackdown against illegal immigration, including who is being deported, the legal basis for people's removal and if the expulsions have followed the proper procedures.

ICE didnt respond immediately to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has made it a top priority to deport about 1.4 million people who have been ordered by a judge to leave the country, arguing that they have exhausted all avenues to a legal challenge regardless of individual circumstances.

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Sanchez broke out in tears several times while looking at family photos of her baby and husband. I am physically and mentally destroyed," she said. My world has collapsed and my life is over.

Sanchez arrived at the southern border of the United States in 2019, among hundreds of thousands of Cuban immigrants. She appeared before a judge once without problems but was late for her second appointment.

By the time Sanchez finally appeared before the judge, he had signed a deportation order for non-compliance. Despite this, she was allowed to stay, although she spent nine months in an immigration detention center.

After her release, Sanchez got her life back on track. She went to school and started working as a nursing assistant.

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In 2021, she married Carlos Yuniel Valle, an American citizen and entrepreneur from Tampa, and after two rounds of in vitro fertilization, their daughter Kailyn was born in November 2023.

We were very happy, she said.

Meanwhile, in Florida, Sanchezs 40-year-old husband is grappling with the sudden reality of being a single parent.

He recounted a moment when Kailyn didn't want to sleep and her mom, on a video call, suggested she sing her a song to help put her to bed.

When she started to sing, the girl began reaching out to touch the screen to caress her mother's face, he said. She began to kiss the screen...I started crying and so did her mother.

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Valle is also concerned about his future, missing work to care for their child and fearing hell be unable to keep up with his house and car payments.

The family and their lawyers are launching a campaign to collect signatures in support of a humanitarian visa for Sanchez, and Tampa Rep. Kathy Castor has requested her parole from the Trump administration.

____

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Left to right: Don Fallin, Alex Braswell and Heath Allbright qualified for the HD 11 special election. The primary between Fallin and Allbright will be on May 13, and the general between that winner and Braswell will be on Aug. 26. (photos courtesy of candidates/graphic by Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)

Republican voters in Cullman and Blount counties will choose between two GOP candidates in the special primary election Tuesday.

Heath Allbright, a 39-year-old business man and former member of the Cullman County Board of Education, has raised about $60,000 for his campaign, according to campaign finance records. His top donor is the Progress Political Action Committee (PAC), the fundraising arm of the Business Council of Alabama, which donated $7,500.

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Allbright said in an interview last week that he has gotten a lot of positive responses in his campaign.

I know it takes money to run campaigns, and I was happy to get some support from some associations that Im a part of, Allbright said.

Allbright said he values conservative christian family values, funding local schools and tax cuts for small businesses.

A lot of these go a whole lot deeper than just what they sound like on the surface, Allbright said.

Don Fallin, a 60-year-old veteran, declined to comment Wednesday morning on anything related to the election until after the primary on Tuesday, if he wins.

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According to campaign finance records, Fallin has raised $30,000, most of which come from individual contributors. The Alabama Veterans PAC donated $5,000.

The winner of the primary will face Democratic nominee Alex Braswell in a general election on Aug. 26.

Allbright accuses Fallin

Allbright accused Fallin on Sunday of attacking his character through campaign advertising. A mailer that Allbright said was sent to voters in District 11 that says Allbright was hand picked by Montgomery. According to Allbrights campaign finance records, the Alabama House Majority Party PAC donated $5,000 to his campaign.

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As many of you have seen, my opponent has resorted to negative attacks on myself, my family and my character, Allbright said in a video posted to his campaign Facebook page. I just wanted to let you guys know I am not going to engage in this type of behavior because that is not what a true leader does.

Allbright said the 1776 PAC funded the mailers. The PAC donated $2,150 in-kind for advertising to the Fallin campaign, according to campaign finance records.

Fallin declined to comment on anything election related on Wednesday.

Braswell said she has not received the mail, nor can she find anybody in the district that has. Allbright did not respond to a request for a copy of the mail on Monday.

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I have called this district from top to bottom and cannot find a single person who has actually received one of these, she wrote in a text Monday night.

The lone Democratic candidate

Although the primary election does not matter for Braswell with no challenger, she said she has enjoyed running a blue dot campaign and meeting people throughout the district that support her.

Im enjoying getting to meet new people and meeting new supporters every day, the 30-year-old said in a phone interview last week.

Braswell has raised about $4,000 for her campaign, most of which come from individual contributors, according to campaign finance records.

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As her campaign has evolved, so have her priorities. While disability rights are still important to her, she is shifting her concentration on the topic to making sure the definition of special needs within the CHOOSE Act aligns with federal guidelines.

The rights of the disabled are still facing disruption in my community with the CHOOSE Act for special needs children to qualify, the American Sign Language interpreter said.

She also is prioritizing helping the middle man in Alabamas tax structure.

The middle man is not exactly meant to succeed here, and the low class families really bear a lot of the Alabama state tax burden here in the state, she said.

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She also wants to increase access to mental health care and substance abuse care.

Making sure that our mental health centers have the funding they need and arent turning people away because their insurance isnt accepted there because of their inability to pay, she said.

Local legislation

SB 322, sponsored by Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Vestavia Hills, received final passage on May 1. The bill allows the City of Cullman to annex a resort in Cullman County, a dry county, in order for the resort to serve alcohol. Allbright and Braswell oppose the legislation. Allbright said the timing of the legislation was poor.

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What I was against is the timing that all of that happened. The people that were giving me pressure, theres not a representative from our district down there right now to tell them what was going on, other than Senator (Garlan) Gudger, (R-Cullman) Allbright said.

Cullman County currently does not have representation in the House. Former Rep. Randall Shedd, a Republican, resigned in February to work for Gudger, the Senate President Pro Tem, opening the seat up. Rep. Corey Harbison, a Republican, resigned in April after not being present for most of the session.

Braswell said the bill should have been scrapped because there are no Cullman voices in the House.

I think having economic development out on Smith Lake is a great opportunity for my county to have more jobs, she said. But that bill should have gone through the people.

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The legislation passed 74-0 with 25 abstentions. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey to be signed into law.

RAISE and CHOOSE Acts

Allbright said he wants more local control of education and said the CHOOSE Act is as local as it gets.

Im all about more control at a local level, and if thats able to go all the way down to the parents so that they can make the choice for their for their kids, then Im a fan, he said

He also supports the RAISE Act on the same principle.

Braswell said that education should be accessible to everybody. Although she is skeptical of the CHOOSE Act expansion, she said $7,000 is not enough for private school tuition anyway.

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Education should be equally accessible, period. Thats why public schools are here, she said. And I feel like the money that were putting back in our community in these tax credits through the CHOOSE Act, we should be putting back into our public schools that can accommodate everyone across the board.

For public education, Braswell said the RAISE Act is a step in the right direction, but wants to monitor it to make sure rural schools are benefiting from the program.

I just want to make sure that the funding is being distributed into our community, to make sure equal access is given to everyone, no matter their families, economic status, what language they speak, what disability they have, she said.

How to vote

District 11 voters can choose between Allbright and Fallin for the Republican nomination on Tuesday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Polling locations can be found here.



Meet the Candidates

Heath Allbright

House District 11 candidate Heath Allbright. (courtesy of Allbright)

Age: 39

Residence: Holly Pond

Occupation: Farmer/Business owner

Education: Associates degree, Agricultural Science, Snead State Community College, 2005

Party: Republican

Previous political experience: Cullman County Board of Education 2016-2024

Don Fallin

House District 11 candidate Don Fallin. (courtesy of candidate)

Age: 60

Residence: Cullman

Occupation: Redstone Technologies Executive Director of International Programs, U.S. Army Veteran

Education: U.S. Military Academy at West Point, 1988; M.S., Troy University; M.S., National Defense University

Party: Republican

Previous political experience: First-time candidate

Alex Braswell

House District 11 candidate Alex Braswell. (courtesy of candidate)

Age: 30

Residence: Cullman

Occupation: American Sign Language interpreter

Education: B.S. American Sign Language, Troy University, 2023

Party: Democrat

Previous political experience: First-time candidate

This story was updated May 8 at 9:15 a.m. to correct Braswells age.
CULLMAN, Ala. (WHNT)  The Cullman County District Attorney says a grand jury has determined that 58 cases investigated by the Hanceville Police Department cannot be prosecuted.

District Attorney Champ Crocker said a Cullman County Grand jury conceded in April and voted to dismiss 58 felony cases previously investigated by the Hanceville Police Department. Crocker said the dismissals are due to the illegal actions of several former Hanceville Police officers.

Alabama bill giving ABC Board regulation over THC products derived from hemp awaiting Gov. Iveys signature

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The Grand Jury that unanimously indicted the former Hanceville police officers determined that those officers cases, and other cases from the Hanceville Police Department, were unprosecutable, The district attorney said. The same Grand Jury reconvened in April and voted to no-bill, or dismiss, 58 felony cases due to the illegal actions of those former Hanceville officers. Most of these cases involved drugs, and only a few were personal crimes with victims. One dismissal is too many, but the Grand Jury had no other recourse.

Crocker said the jury convened after the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation completed its audit of the department.

That audit showed that 249 pieces of evidence in the departments evidence room were not documented with case numbers and approximately 78 evidence bags were unsealed or torn open.

Crocker shared images of the results of that audit, which can be found here:

(Courtesy of the Cullman County District Attorneys Office) (Courtesy of the Cullman County District Attorneys Office) (Courtesy of the Cullman County District Attorneys Office) (Courtesy of the Cullman County District Attorneys Office)

Crocker also shared several photos showing the state of the evidence room.

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Lieutenant Chad Whaley with the Cullman County Sheriffs Office confirmed to News 19 Wednesday night that the Cullman County Sheriffs Office is still patrolling the Hanceville Police Departments Jurisdiction.

We continue to provide our deputies with Hanceville paying the overtime costs associated with it, he said.

Back in March, Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry agreed to work with the city for at least 30 days. That was nearly 60 days ago.

This all comes after an investigation into the death of a Hanceville dispatcher, Christopher Willingham. The Cullman County Coroner said Willingham died of an accidental drug overdose in his office on August 23, 2024.

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The death investigation led officials with multiple agencies to look into what was happening within the Hanceville Police Department.

On Feb. 19, Crocker and Sheriff Matt Gentry announced that five Hanceville Police Officers, including Police Chief Jason Marlin, and one of the officers wives were arrested on various charges including tampering, solicitation and failure to report.

Crocker shared other findings from the Cullman County Grand Jury, which found that the death of former Hanceville dispatcher Chris Willingham is the direct result of Hanceville Police Departments negligence, lack of procedure, general incompetence, and disregard for human life.

The grand jury also recommended that the Hanceville Police Department be abolished.

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The Hanceville City Council later acted on that recommendation by voting to disband the department entirely, with the goal of starting a new police department. The city said its first step would be hiring a new police chief.

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CHESTERFIELD, Mo.  The Missouri Department of Transportation has removed a controversial safety feature from Chesterfield roads and begun removing them from future plans on New Halls Ferry Road.

Shuvette Young moved into a home on New Halls Ferry Road in north St. Louis County just a few months ago and says the traffic at times can be scary.

You know how people like to swerve in and out of cars. I see people doing that a lot, she said.

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MoDOT says on her road from Shackelford south to Dunn Rd., there have been 1,800 crashes in a five-year span. So, it developed plans for safety upgrades there as part of its $52 million Safety Improvement Project around St. Louis County, St. Louis City, and Jefferson County. But one of those planned improvements, curb bump-out islands, were so controversial that they were just removed from Clarkson Road in Chesterfield.

Missouri Department of Transportation pulled this on us with zero notification and that just really irked a lot of us, so yeah, huge win for the residents of Chesterfield, resident Ben Murphy said.

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Curb bump-out islands are designed to slow the speed of traffic. But a volunteer EMS driver tells us they just created new hazards.

It made a lot less room for cars to move over and yield to emergency vehicles and for emergency vehicles to use those side lanes, the shoulders, Alter Love said.

After a lot of backlash, MoDOT removed them in Chesterfield. It also held a public meeting about its plans for New Halls Ferry Road. Based on feedback received at that meeting, MoDOT has decided to remove curb bump-out islands from those plans as well. Other features like flashing stop signs, reflective traffic signals and modified right turns will move forward.

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Its just greatly appreciated and its good to see that theyre really looking for the best solution, Love said.

To see the plans for New Halls Ferry Road, click here.

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BRUSSELS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Europe celebrated the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War this week, with parades and wreath-laying ceremonies unfolding across the continent. The defeat of Fascism and Nazism in 1945 is celebrated on Victory in Euorpe (VE) Day and and throughout the week, European leaders underscored the enduring value of peace and unity.

In Poland, nationwide observances on Thursday culminated in Warsaw's Wesola district, home to the Polish Army's Tadeusz Kosciuszko Armored Brigade. During an address to the army, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk vowed to strengthen Poland's defense capability and safeguard the country.

Meanwhile, on the social media platform X, Polish President Andrzej Duda posted a strong plea: "No more war! This appeal must resound today." He called for a world grounded in "the force of law" rather than "the law of force," and called the memories of World War II a solemn reminder of the need to be "responsible stewards of peace."

German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday reflected on Germany's responsibility for the wars and called for the protection of unity, citing challenges including growing extremist forces in the country. He also reaffirmed Germany's commitment to the principles of the post-war international order.

In addition, the CEOs of 48 major German companies, including BASF, Evonik, Siemens, Bayer, and Deutsche Bank, issued a joint statement acknowledging their companies' historical responsibility in the Nazi era and calling for efforts against hatred, exclusion and antisemitism.

On the eve of the anniversary of VE Day on Wednesday, a meeting between newly-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris bore a special significance. The two leaders, representing nations once bitter enemies, emphasized the significance of German-French reconciliation.

"German-French friendship is a gift, a gift of forgiveness and reconciliation, especially for us Germans," Merz said during his first trip abroad since being elected.

Earlier this week in Britain, nearly 30,000 ceramic red poppies cascaded down the walls of the Tower of London, representing the loss of lives during the war. British King Charles and Queen Camilla reviewed a military parade in front of Buckingham Palace, as part of four days of commemorations beginning on Monday.

In Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico laid a wreath on Tuesday at the Red Army Military Cemetery in Michalovce, a city liberated by the Russian Red Army. Paying tribute to young soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the liberation of Slovakia, Fico emphasized that victory over fascism is a celebration of peace and life.

In the Netherlands, flags were flown at half-mast across the country for the national day of remembrance. Thousands gathered in Amsterdam on Monday, where Dutch King Willem-Alexander laid a wreath at a war memorial, and the nation held a two-minute silence to honor the fallen.

Italy's commemorations began earlier, on April 25, with Liberation Day parades in Rome, Milan, Florence and other cities. National museums and parks offered free admission to the public as part of the celebrations. Italian President Sergio Mattarella, accompanied by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Altar of the Fatherland.

"Defending the freedom of the European peoples is a shared task," President Mattarella declared. "Now, equality, the affirmation of the rule of law, cooperation, the same freedom and democracy, have become common goods of the European peoples to be protected by all the parties to the European Union pact."

At the EU level, the European Parliament marked the occasion in a plenary session that featured three Second World War veterans on Wednesday. Parliamentary President Roberta Metsola stressed that the best tribute to those who gave their lives is the resolve to "never again" repeat such wars.

European Council President Antonio Costa underlined: "Peace is a heritage, but also a responsibility." 
Video above: This Nexstar Media video details the most reported crime in America.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The San Diego County Sheriffs Office has released new information surrounding the death of a man in custody at the George Bailey Detention Facility, revealing his passing has been ruled accidental due to drug toxicity and medical complications.

Majid Arif Almajid, 38, was found unresponsive in his bed on the morning of May 5, 2024, around 11:15 a.m., according to officials. Despite immediate lifesaving efforts by deputies, jail medical staff and paramedics from CAL FIRE, Almajid was pronounced dead at the scene.

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An autopsy conducted by the San Diego County Medical Examiners Office determined Almajid died from pulmonary infarcts of uncertain origin, with contributing toxic effects of fentanyl and trazodone. His manner of death was listed as an accident.

Semi tractor-trailer crashes into Oceanside Starbucks

Almajid had been in custody since December 2023 after being arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force on multiple charges, including sexual intercourse, sodomy and oral copulation with a child under the age of 10. He was initially booked into the San Diego Central Jail on Dec. 20, 2023, before being transferred to George Bailey Detention Facility six days later.

In a statement, the Sheriffs Office expressed condolences to Almajids family and confirmed that a Family Liaison Officer was assigned to support them during the investigation.

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Sheriff Kelly Martinez emphasized ongoing efforts to improve conditions within county detention centers, explaining that there have been significant infrastructure upgrades and expanded medical and behavioral health care for individuals in custody.

The Sheriffs Office has also highlighted recent enhancements in contraband prevention through its Contraband and Narcotics Interdiction Team, including the use of advanced screening technology to keep drugs and weapons out of jail facilities.

For more information on the sheriffs ongoing jail improvements, visit the offices official website.

The Sheriffs Homicide Unit continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death, which is standard procedure for any in-custody fatality.

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DALLAS  The Dallas Police Department this week added two names to its police memorial, honoring Officers Gabriel Bixby and Darron Burks. They are the 94th and 95th Dallas officers to be memorialized.

Bixby, 29 and a resident of Quinlan, died on Jan. 7. He was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle westbound on State Highway 276 in Hunt County when a vehicle turned left into a private driveway and into his path.

Bixby had served nearly seven years with the Dallas Police Department, assigned to the Northeast Patrol Division. He joined the force in 2018 and was known for his dedication to public service.

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At the time of his death, he was pursuing a bachelors degree at East Texas A&M University and taking additional college courses through Trinity Valley Community College.

He is survived by his wife, Annmarie, and their two young children. Colleagues described him as a committed officer who brought integrity, energy, and compassion to his work every day.

Beginning Sunday, police departments and the communities they serve will mark National Police Week through May 17. The annual week serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who wear the badge, organizers with the Fraternal Order of Police say.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation that designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  The Birmingham Police Department announced that arrest warrants have been obtained in connection to a 2023 homicide and a 2024 double homicide. Police said Damien McDaniel, who is already charged in 14 murder cases, is connected to both crimes.

Detectives with the BPD obtained arrest warrants for two suspects in connection to the fatal shooting of Reginald Bryant. Bryant, 52, was shot and killed in the 500 block of Closhire Lane in the Pratt Neighborhood on Nov. 27, 2023.

Timeline of all the murder cases Damien McDaniel is charged with in Birmingham

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McDaniel, as well as Lorenzo Wiley, 30, of Fairfield, are both charged with capital murder in Bryants death.

Additionally, McDaniel was also charged with the murders of Christian Norris and Angeliyah Webster. The BPD says that Norris and Webster were reported missing by their families on Feb. 14, 2024. On Feb. 16, they were found dead inside if a vehicle. McDaniel is charged with the murder of the couples unborn child.

McDaniel now stands accused of killing 18 people, including the unborn child of Norris and Webster. Wiley and McDaniel are both in police custody.

We havent seen the indictments yet, said John Robbins, McDaniels attorney. We will continue to vigorously defend Damien on all charges. He has maintained that he is not guilty. The defense team is busy preparing to defend the Trendsetter case for trial. These new charges will have to go to the back of the line while we prepare the Trendsetter case.

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One high school student was killed and three others were critically injured in Dana Point when a vehicle carrying a group of students hit a tree, the Orange County Sheriff's Department said.

A total of six students from Dana Hills High School were traveling in a white truck when the single-vehicle crash took place at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday. The collision happened less than two miles from the campus near the intersection of Island Way and Dana Point Harbor Drive.

Deputies confirmed that the driver, 16-year-old Rebecca Cespedes of Dana Point, was declared dead at the scene. Three students, two male and one female, were in critical condition but were expected to survive, and two others suffered minor injuries. Public Information Officer Gerard McCann said it could be a while before investigators determine what caused the crash.

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Read more: 6 friends, 5 seats: Too many youths piled into car before deadly high-speed O.C. crash, police say

The school sent out a letter to parents Wednesday morning, expressing deep sadness for the life lost.

We are aware this tragedy will affect our entire school family and have multiple counseling agencies and therapy dogs on-campus providing support for any student or staff member in need,  said Dana Hills Principal Brittany Casey in the letter. If your student would benefit from speaking with a counselor, please do not hesitate to reach out to our site directly.

The crash comes just days before the schools prom on Saturday.

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Some parents shared their condolences on social media. One online user wrote on a Dana Point Facebook Group that his daughter, a junior at Aliso Niguel High School, was rattled.

I pray that something positive comes from this horrible tragedy  that our young drivers might realize theyre not invincible, the user wrote.

School officials did not say why the students were let out early on the day of the crash.

Dana Hills High School is a strong community who will come together for each other and the affected Dolphin families. We thank you all for your support and compassion during this very difficult time, Casey said.

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Anyone with details or who witnessed the traffic collision may assist investigators by calling (949) 425-1860. Anonymous information may be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The FBI is offering up to $75,000 as a reward for information about whoever killed Emily Pike, a 14-year-old from the San Carlos Apache tribe whose dismembered remains were found near Globe on Valentine's Day.

The May 7 announcement came two days after FBI Director Kash Patel met with members of Emily's family and vowed to raise awareness and find answers in her case.

"The FBI is now offering a reward of up to $75,000 for any person providing independently verifiable information identifying the individual(s) responsible for her disappearance and murder," FBI spokesperson Kevin Smith said in an email.

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The reward is on top of $75,000 separately offered by the tribe.

Tribal communities across the nation held ceremonies and rallies May 5 to raise awareness about missing and murdered indigenous women. Emily has become a symbol in the effort to bring attention to the international movement. Marches and vigils calling for justice were held in her name.

Emily's aunt and uncle met with Patel and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to share the story of how their niece, a victim of sexual violence, ran away from a group home and disappeared weeks before her body was discovered off Highway 60.

Members of Emily Pikes family met with FBI Director Kash Patel and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burton as part of Missing and Murdered indigenous Peoples Awareness Day in Washington, D.C., on May 5, 2025. Emilys aunt, Carolyn Pike, positioned posters of her niece outside the White House.

They also met with U.S. Reps. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., and Greg Stanton, D-Ariz.

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"This is all about Emily," Carolyn Pike, Emily's aunt, said. "It's all about bringing to light her situation, to get justice for her and ... all of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People."

Allred Pike Jr. said the meetings left him feeling positive that Emily's case would receive attention, along with the plague of violence visited upon tribal members.

Emily ran away from a Mesa group home on Jan. 27. Her body was found in a pair of trash bags. Her arms and hands were missing.

Death exposes challenges with crime on tribal land

Her death has exposed frustrating layers of bureaucracy and overlapping jurisdictions when it comes to crimes on tribal lands.

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An investigation by The Arizona Republic found Emily was sexually assaulted on the San Carlos Apache Reservation about 18 months before she was killed. The tribe's Game and Fish Department, not the San Carlos Apache Police Department, was the lead agency in the case, and tribal prosecutors released the suspect, who was not charged.

Days after Emily reported the attack in 2023, a federal investigator was ready to close the case for lack of evidence. A special agent with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, who had interviewed Emily, said the then 13-year-old could not answer questions about the attack and offered details that could not be independently verified.

But officials at the Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office maintain no federal or tribal law enforcement agency submitted the case for a review of charges, a required step before a prosecution is declined.

Tribal leaders, in response to The Republic's inquiries, promised an independent review to find out why the alleged assailant wasn't charged and why the tribe's "specialized law enforcement officers were excluded from the investigation."

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The Gila County Sheriffs Office, the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the San Carlos Apache Police Department and the Mesa police formed a task force in March to catch Emily's killer. No arrests have been made. No persons of interest have been identified.

The Pinal County medical examiner has not yet determined a cause of death.

Robert Anglen is an investigative reporter for The Republic. Reach him at robert.anglen@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X @robertanglen.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: FBI offers $75K reward in Emily Pike murder investigation in Arizona
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A local 20-year-old had a heartfelt reunion Wednesday with the doctors who saved her life with a heart transplant.

When Dayton native Shaniah Woodshicks discovered she was suffering from heart failure, she and her family rushed to Cincinnati for treatment, where a group of doctors changed her life.

Woodshicks was 19 when she found out she would need a new heart.

I was getting really tired at the time, like Im the only one getting tired here, whats going on? Thats what I first brought to my moms attention, said Woodshicks.

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Doctors say once the heart starts to fail, things happen quickly.

She came in emergently and needed to be transferred quickly, said Liz Eng, Miami Valley Hospital Heart Failure Clinic.

Through a partnership between Premier Health and Christ Hospital, Woodshicks was rushed to Cincinnati, where her heart was hooked up to a device that would pump it, but that was only a temporary solution.

Her only option was a transplant.

You can never make promises, but at a center like this, the odds are severely stacked in your favor, said Dr. Rob Dowling, Heart Transplant Program director.

After just a week, doctors had good news  they had found a perfect match.

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It was kind of like a waiting game, it was scary, it was nerve wracking, said Woodshicks.

The surgery took place on Nov. 6, 2024 and Doctors Bhat and Dowling said they had a perfect patient.

She took it in stride, its been a pleasure taking care of her, said Dr. Gheeta Bhat, Heart Transplant Program medical director.

She is why we do what we do, said Dowling. It makes all the sleepless nights and the fatigue and all the downs not so bad.

Woodshicks says shes grateful for the doctors who helped her in her time of need.

Im very grateful, said Woodshicks. Ill take care of the heart within me for as long as I live.

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Woodshicks says she feels a tremendous responsibility to keep her new heart healthy as she beings this new chapter of her life.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  D.C. police said a man was arrested for a deadly shooting that happened on H Street in February.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said on Feb. 18, at around 9:45 p.m., officers responded to the 700 block of H Street for reports of a shooting.

There, they found a man who had been shot. He was unconscious and not breathing.

Pennsylvania woman charged in DC with distributing child pornography

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Despite all life-saving measures, MPD said the man died there. He was identified as 23-year-old Jaydon Parson.

On Wednesday, May 7, 42-year-old Dione Dorn was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing Parson.

He has been charged with first-degree murder while armed.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Police in D.C. are looking for a vehicle of interest in a hit-and-run that happened in Southeast in April.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said that on April 19, around 12:45 a.m., officers responded to the 4200 block of Southern Ave. SE for a reported crash.

Officers found a pedestrian who had been hit by a car that left the scene. MPD said that the man was unconscious but breathing. Responders took him to the hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

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Man sentenced to 13 years for shooting that injured 5-year-old and her father

MPD said that the suspects car was captured by surveillance cameras. On Wednesday, it shared photos and videos of the car.

(Images courtesy of the Metropolitan Police Department.)

Anyone with any information about this car or this incident is asked to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A PDS gang member was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a shootout in broad daylight at a Southeast neighborhood in Washington, D.C.

22-year-old Isjalon Armstead was sentenced on Wednesday to 120 months in prison in connection with the shootout that took place in June 2023.

Armstead, aka Smaut, was a member of the Push Dat S*** (PDS) street crew and pleaded guilty on Jan. 30 to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. Armstead was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release.

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RELATED STORY | Gang member pleads guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy in DC

According to court documents, on June 5, 2023, Armstead intended to sell a half-pound of marijuana.

Around 3:15 p.m., Armstead was sitting in the passenger seat of a Nissan Altima, near the intersection of Third and Atlantic Streets, SE, when he engaged in a shootout with the driver of another car.

Armstead fired a .300 caliber AR-Pistol before the car he was in crashed through a fence and stopped in a grassy area on Atlantic Street. During the shootout, Armstead was struck in his wrist and chest before he and the driver of his car fled.

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The two then ran through a wooded area between Atlantic Street and Valley Avenue, where they threw the gun in the trash.

RELATED STORY | Senior DC street gang member sentenced to 35 years in prison

Minutes later, D.C. police officers arrested Armstead at the intersection of Fourth Street and Valley Avenue, SE. They also found the AR-Pistol, which was later determined to have Armsteads DNA on it.

According to court documents, PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300  3500 blocks of Wheeler Road and operated an open-air drug market outside a market.

In August 2018, PDS allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang.

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This sentence is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has resulted in 26 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and about $500,000 in cash.

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TEHRAN, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday categorically rejected media claims that Iranian nationals were involved in a suspected "terror plot" against the Israeli embassy in London.

"Iran in no uncertain terms categorically rejects any involvement in such actions and confirms that we have not been informed of any allegations via proper diplomatic channels," Araghchi wrote on social media platform X.

Iran has urged Britain "to engage so that we may assist any probe into credible allegations. Timing and lack of engagement suggest that something is amiss," he wrote, urging the British authorities to afford Iranian citizens "due process."

Araghchi warned of third parties' intention of "derailing diplomacy and provoking escalation, resorting to desperate measures, including false flag operations."

On Sunday, London's Metropolitan Police said five Iranian nationals were arrested on Saturday over an alleged plot to target "specific premises," without naming the targeted site.

The police said Monday that it had secured warrants to detain four of the arrested for questioning until May 10, whereas the fifth had been released on bail, with conditions, to a date in May.

On Wednesday, The Times and BBC reported that the Israeli embassy in London was the target of the "terror plot." 
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA)  A Decatur man is facing a charge of attempted murder after police said he shot at a man in response to a verbal altercation, but missed and hit the wrong person.

The shooting happened on April 20 in the area of Church and Division Streets. Five days later, the Decatur Police Department asked for and received an arrest warrant for 21-year-old Caiden Brittain. The warrant charged him with three counts  one of attempted murder, one of aggravated battery with a firearm and one of aggravated discharge of a firearm.

Brittain was tracked down in Kankakee and was arrested on May 1. He has since been returned to Macon County and is in custody at the jail.

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Decatur teen sentenced for accidentally shooting, killing friend

In a sworn statement filed in support of the arrest warrant, Detective Clayton Zilz explained that the person Brittain was trying to shoot was a 24-year-old man  they knew each other because the intended targets best friends ex-girlfriend was now dating Brittain. They had a handful of interactions since the relationship started, including an argument about one year prior to the shooting.

The intended target told investigators that on the day of the shooting, he and another friend were riding around Decatur on their motorcycles when they passed the home of Brittains girlfriend. Zilz said Brittain was on the front porch.

[The target] said that he saw Caiden stand up and yell something at him, Zilz said. [The target] said he immediately yelled [expletives] back to Caiden.

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The two motorcycle riders then drove to a home on Church Street, parked their motorcycles and stood on the sidewalk near the street. About 10 minutes after the interaction with Brittain, at 3:28 p.m., the 24-year-old said he saw a car driving down Church Street that was extremely similar to the car belonging to Brittains girlfriend.

[The target] said he observed a white male with his arm out of the drivers window armed with a handgun, Zilz said. This white male then fired three shots at him and [his friend].

The intended target of the shooting was not hit, but his friend was shot in the left leg. Zilz said the friend suffered a fractured femur and needed surgery to put a steel rod into his leg.

The 24-year-old would not say if it was Brittain who shot at him, Zilz said. He feared retaliation for snitching, but police were able to identify Brittain as the shooter through other evidence.

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UPDATE: Man arrested on three charges for Easter Sunday shooting in Decatur

The shooting was recorded on a nearby doorbell camera and another home camera recorded the car as it left the area. The license plate reader system also recorded the car, and it was identified as belonging to Brittains girlfriend. A prior traffic stop in Mt. Zion proved Brittain also uses the car.

Zilz said investigators later went to the girlfriends home but did not find her. They did make contact with her stepfather; Zilz said he told investigators he was aware of the shooting on Church and who was responsible.

When he arrived at his home after the shooting, he found Brittain and his stepdaughter there and described them as freaking out.

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[The stepfather] stated that [she] and Caiden advised he had shot who he thought was [the 24-year-old], Zilz said. Caiden claimed to have shot out of fear as he advised [the 24-year-old] had clutched for something.

The stepfather told investigators that it had been his stepdaughters gun used in the shooting. Zilz said she had a FOID card.

The stepfather also told investigators his stepdaughters car was at his garage and that he had assisted in concealing it.

[She] and Caiden stated they wanted to hide it to avoid potential retaliation from the shooting, Zilz said. [The stepfather] advised [she] was staying at another address in town to avoid being targeted in retaliation and stated he believed Caiden was in Kankakee.

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With consent from both the stepfather and his wife, investigators entered the garage and found the Altima buried under miscellaneous items, as if someone was attempting to conceal it.

Man accused of attempted murder in Paxton out on pretrial release, arrested again

Zilz added that a check of Brittains past revealed he had two prior convictions in Kankakee County  a 2022 case of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and a 2023 case of possessing a controlled substance.

Since his arrest and extradition to Macon County, Brittain appeared in court for arraignment and a detention hearing. He was denied pretrial release and will remain in the Macon County Jail as his court case progresses.

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He is due back in court on May 21.

Decatur Police told WCIA that the investigation into the shooting is still open and investigators are still looking for information. Tipsters can call either the Decatur Police Department or Macon County Crime Stoppers.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA)  A Decatur teen has been sentenced to three years in prison after he admitted in court to accidentally shooting and killing his friend last year.

Jayden Michniewicz, 19, was in court last week for sentencing on a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Court records show he agreed to plead guilty to this count in November and the plea was formally made in February.

Man arrested in Macon Co. for sexual assault of 12-year-old

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In a sworn statement, Decatur Police said the deadly shooting happened on April 6, 2024, at an apartment in the area of William and Monroe Streets. When officers responded, they found 16-year-old Tremayne Bass in a bedroom with a gunshot wound to the chest. Bass later died at Decatur Memorial Hospital.

While at the apartment, Decatur Police said officers met Michniewicz and were told by him that he was responsible for the shooting. Michniewicz then spoke with detectives at the Decatur Police headquarters, where he told them what happened.

Police said Michniewicz and Bass were hanging out and drinking tequila when Michniewicz mentioned that he had been given and still had a silver semi-automatic pistol. When Bass asked to see the gun, Michniewicz grabbed it from a box near his bed and started to hand it over.

UPDATE: Man arrested on three charges for Easter Sunday shooting in Decatur

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Mr. Michniewicz advised that as Mr. Bass grabbed the gun, it went off and fired one round into the chest area of Mr. Bass, police said. Mr. Michniewicz stated he lifted Mr. Basss shirt and located one single wound to the upper chest.

Michniewiczs 15-year-old brother was also present, and detectives spoke with him as well. The brother said there was no argument between Bass and Michniewicz before the gun was fired. When Michniewicz realized what had happened, his brother said he started freaking out.

Police said Michniewicz told detectives he called emergency services and attempted to save his friends life until officers and EMS arrived. The gun and a single shell casing were recovered in the bedroom where the shooting happened.

Michniewicz had no criminal history or arrests before the shooting, police said. He was subsequently arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection to Basss death.

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UPDATE: Urbana man accused of stabbing wife denied pretrial release

Court records show Michniewicz was allowed to remain out of custody with conditions as his court case progressed. He pleaded not guilty, but eventually changed his mind and pleaded guilty.

The plea left the sentencing up to the judge to decide, with no recommendation from prosecutors and allowing the judge to consider the full range of sentencing. Under Illinois law, reckless homicide of one person is a Class 3 felony punishable by two to five years in prison.

On April 29, Judge Jeffrey Geisler sentenced Michniewicz to three years in prison, as well as a $250 fee to enter his DNA into a criminal database. Upon release from prison, Michniewicz does not face mandatory parole, but the parole board could decide to place him on parole for up to six months.

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Having been free since the start of the case, Michniewicz was taken into custody and booked into the Macon County Jail ahead of his transfer to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

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The Ministry of Defence has codified and approved three modifications of Ukrainian-made pump-action smoothbore shotguns for use by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Source: Main Directorate for Support of the Life Cycle of Weapons and Military Equipment at the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

Details: These 12-gauge pump-action shotguns are designed to perform various tactical tasks. They use 76 mm (3-inch) shell cartridges, which can be loaded with either slugs or buckshot.

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"These firearms are effective, particularly in close-quarters combat, easy to operate, and highly reliable. Such weapons are especially suitable for infantry troops (as secondary weapons) during engagements in dense urban environments or narrow trenches," the Ministry of Defene stated.

The ministry also noted that in the Russo-Ukrainian war, pump-action shotguns have proven effective against Russian kamikaze drones. Loaded with buckshot, the shotguns are used to destroy UAVs at short range  especially during their final approach toward the target.

"Ukrainian pumpguns are compact and equipped with Picatinny rails for mounting accessories such as foregrips, reflex sights, tactical flashlights, and laser designators. The compactness of the weapon is ensured by folding or telescopic stocks that can be adjusted to fit the shooter's anatomy," the statement added.

The Ministry of Defence also reported that Ukraine has launched licensed serial production of Western-model small arms. Among them is the Czech CZ Bren 2 assault rifle, which surpasses Kalashnikov rifles in terms of ergonomics, lighter weight, and modular design.

Background: Earlier it was reported that since early 2025, over 60 types of domestically produced ammunition have been approved for use in Ukraine.

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A decorated Tuskegee Airman and one of the countrys first Black combat pilots got a special honor in his hometown of DeLand.

The city dedicated Charles P. Bailey Road in the growing Northwest Industrial Business Park by the DeLand Municipal Airport. The road intersects with Eidson Drive.

The city Bailey was the first Floridan to join the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.

Bailey, a lieutenant, flew 133 combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

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After his military service, he returned to the area, earned his bachelors degree in elementary education and became a teacher in DeLand. He later opened Charles P. Bailey Funeral Home, which the city says merged with J.E. Cusack Mortuary in 2014.

Charles P. Bailey is a shining example of bravery, determination, and excellence  not just for DeLand, but for the entire nation, said DeLand Mayor Christopher Cloudman. Naming this road in his honor ensures that future generations will remember the legacy of a man who helped change the course of history, and who once called this city home.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
WASHINGTON (KELO)  Among the 85 area veterans honored on Tuesdays Midwest Honor Flight trip were Dorothy Morris and her husband Richard of Dell Rapids, S.D., who felt lucky to be a part of the experience.

Tulips faced tough growing conditions

We do, that we get to have our daughter and grandson share the experience with us, Dorothy said Tuesday on the trip. Its going to be in their memory for years to come.

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Those family members were the couples guardians: companions in white shirts helping the veterans in blue navigate a busy day that starts early in South Dakota, includes several stops across Washington and northern Virginia and finally ends late back in the Midwest.

I wanted to come for years, Dorothy said.

Dorothy and Richard have now been married 55 years after meeting in Texas while serving in the Army together.

Santella: Was it love at first sight?

You might say that, yeah, Richard said Tuesday on the trip while seated next to his wife.

The Midwest Honor Flight journey to Washington, however, didnt immediately come together.

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I had a hard time getting him to come because of his Vietnam experience, Dorothy said.

As it has with so many veterans, PTSD has impacted her husbands world.

Crowds is a problem, stuff like that, Richard said.

And theres no shortage of people in Washington. But nevertheless, he was happy to be on the trip.

Yes, I am, Richard said.

Santella: And happy to do it with her.

Thats right, Richard said with a smile.

Midwest Honor Flight is a nonprofit organization based out of Iowa. KELOLANDs Dan Santella was on board Tuesdays journey, and he has five additional reports planned for the coming days.

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House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst spoke during floor debate in the Iowa House March 18, 2025. She launched her campaign for Iowa's 3rd Congressional District seat May 8, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst said Iowans in the states 3rd Congressional District want a representative who will hear their concerns and speak up against President Donald Trump  actions she committed to take if elected representative in 2026.

Konfrst, a Windsor Heights Democrat, announced her campaign for Iowas 3rd Congressional District Thursday. The seat, representing most of the Des Moines metro and large parts central and southern Iowa, is currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn.

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Speaking with the Iowa Capital Dispatch, Konfrst said she decided to run for Congress after having conversations with Iowans in communities like Ottumwa, Red Oak, Atlantic and Jefferson, who told her they felt unheard by Nunn as they expressed frustrations about actions being taken by President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress.

They want someone whos going to go out there and stand up for them, Konfrst said. Again, when Donald Trump says hes going to cut 83,000 jobs for veterans, and Congressman Nunn says nothing, that is unacceptable to these folks.  When tariff policy is so confusing that farmers are concerned about whats going to happen next, they dont expect their congressmen to just nod along and say, Okay, that sounds great  they expect their congressman to stand up and say, Wait a minute, this isnt okay. What are we going to do for these folks?'

Democrats have accused Nunn of not holding public town halls in the months since Trumps election, a criticism Nunn has disputed. Town halls and other public events have become an issue of contention as the House GOPs campaign arm advised its members to not hold town halls in March. This guidance came as some GOP federal lawmakers face fiery crowds, upset with actions taken by Trump, Congress and Elon Musks DOGE at these events. Some of Iowas federal delegation, including U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley and U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, were met with jeers and heckling about immigration, federal government cuts and the future of programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid at recent town halls.

Konfrst said across Iowas 3rd District, she has heard two major asks from Iowans: People want to be heard and they need a fighter. She said she has talked to many voters who felt Nunn was not listening to what they are concerned about or advocating for them at the U.S. Capitol.

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A lot of promises happen during the campaign, but at the end of the day, are you listening when bad things happen? Konfrst said. And are you fighting for us? Are you coming back to my community and listening? Are you in Wapello County listening, you know, to what voters here have to say  or are you not showing up?

She said her experience, abilities and fighting spirit make her the best choice to meet these voters wants in 2026. Konfrst has served as House minority leader since 2021, having first been elected to the Iowa House in the 2018 midterm election. Many of the issues she has focused on in the Iowa Legislature are topics she wants to focus on in Congress, Konfrst said  economic, kitchen table issues like the costs of health care and housing.

She also said preserving Social Security and Medicaid funding would be major priorities if elected.

Right now there are so many unknowns, and I think thats whats causing so much concern, Konfrst said. Folks are getting laid off, right? Layoffs are increasing in the state. You know, there are threats to Social Security every day. There are threats to Medicaid every day. People deserve to know that when they go to their mailbox, their Social Security checks going to show up. And with all of this uncertainty at every level, that every generation is facing right now, its just not a good time to have confidence in the economy. And we need to do better.

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Konfrst is not the only Democrat running for the position  state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, launched her campaign on Monday. Others, including Rep. Austin Baeth, D-Des Moines, have also expressed interest in joining the race.

While Nunn has not officially announced he will seek reelection in 2026, he is expected to run again. Konfrst said her campaign focus will be on Nunn, not primary competitors. National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Emily Tuttle criticized both Konfrst and Trone Garriott in a statement Thursday.

Out of touch Democrat Jennifer Konfrst is an ineffective leader of an ineffective and shrinking super minority, Tuttle said. Now, she and radical Sarah Trone Garriott will fight to be the most extreme Democrat left standing after a messy primary, while Zach Nunn delivers results for Iowans.

Nunn first won election in 2022 against former U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, a Democrat, and won reelection in 2024 against Democratic challenger Lanon Baccam. But Iowas 3rd Congressional District is rated as a tossup by some political forecasters, including Sabatos Crystal Ball, and has been highlighted as a focus by U.S. House Democrats campaign arm heading into the 2026 midterms.

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While Republicans earned major victories in recent elections in Iowa, Konfrst said there is dissatisfaction among many Iowa voters who elected Republicans to state and federal office.

Republicans are in charge nationally, and theyre in charge in Iowa, Konfrst said. And if things arent going well, its time to bring some balance back.  Its not about Democrats and Republicans. Its about are we having every voice at the table thats going to work together to actually get something accomplished?
Democratic state Sen. Jeremy Moss, a 38-year-old former Southfield city councilman who also served in the state House, on May 8 announced his candidacy for the Oakland County-based congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Birmingham, who is running for Michigan's soon-to-be-open U.S. Senate seat.

Hundreds of thousands of voters in the 11th Congressional District have trusted me to be their voice in the state Senate and now Im ready to take that fight to Congress, said Moss, whose current district runs through Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Pontiac and Auburn Hills, covering much of the 11th District represented by Stevens. With looming threats from Donald Trump and Elon Musk, Democrats can no longer be the party that shows up to this tough fight ahead with another pie chart."

State Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, is running for Congress in 2026 to replace U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who is running for an open U.S. Senate seat.

Southfield itself, where Moss lives, is not covered by the congressional seat. It is not a requirement that a member of Congress live in his or her district, though most do, and Moss  who at various times has represented as much as half of the 11th Congressional District  is expected to move this year into the 11th.

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Moss, who as president pro tempore of the state Senate is a key member of Democratic leadership in that chamber and who worked for state Rep. Rudy Hobbs and former U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, gives the party its first formal entry into the race to succeed Stevens, who has held the seat since 2019. After redistricting in 2021, the district lines were changed such that the 11th Congressional District is much more Democratic-leaning.

No other candidates have announced, though media reports have said that Oakland County Commissioner Dave Woodward of Royal Oak is looking at it. The Detroit News has also said that former U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, D-Bloomfield Township, who lost a fractious primary to Stevens in 2022, said he was being urged to run.

Moss, who is Jewish, is well known in political circles in Oakland County and was Southfield's youngest-ever councilman when elected at age 25. He is also the first openly gay person to serve as a state senator and has advocated for civil and voting rights. In terms of accomplishments in Lansing, he points to his efforts at helping to pass legislation to protect access to abortion, gun safety legislation and repeal taxes on seniors.

He also points to $50 million he was able to secure for the redevelopment of downtown Pontiac.

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Moss said he can represent a district that a decade ago was supporting Republican officeholders like former Gov. Rick Snyder and former U.S. Rep. Dave Trott, R-Birmingham, and remains aligned with business interests and manufacturing, which has been a key area of interest for Stevens, who is running next year for the seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat.

"I don't think these (business interests and progressive policies) are competing values in this district. You talk about the changes in Oakland County over the last decade and a half (during which time it has become much more Democratic-leaning). Donald Trump prompted that. These attacks on civil rights and voting rights and abortion rights and LBGTQ rights are high priorities now in this district because they're being driven by the Trump administration. I'm certainly a leader in all those fights."

"He's also causing a lot of threats on economic stability in Oakland County and the rest of the state (with) these erratic tariffs," he said, referring to the Republican president's broad plans to use import taxes on goods to raise federal funds and bring back manufacturing though they have rattled the stock market, threaten high prices and have automakers concerned about lost sales. "That's a focus as well."

Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on X @tsspangler.

.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Democratic state Sen. Jeremy Moss announces run for U.S. House
WASHINGTON  Senate Democrats on Thursday filibustered a major cryptocurrency bill because it didnt contain sufficient safeguards against corruption  including by the president of the United States, who promotes and sells digital assets of his own.

The move is a setback for the influential crypto industry, which lobbied hard on behalf of the bill and spent over a hundred million dollars on last years elections in hope of winning legitimacy as an industry from Congress and President Donald Trump.

The vote was 48-49, with GOP Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Josh Hawley of Missouri joining every Democrat in opposition.

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The bill, titled the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins, or GENIUS Act, would have set up new regulations for stablecoins, a category of digital asset whose value stays pegged to $1, making it more useful for transactions. The legislation would set up federal regulation over stablecoin issuers and what kind of assets they hold in reserve.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led the opposition, saying a vote for the bill was essentially a vote for the presidents corrupt crypto schemes, including the May 22 dinner and reception hes offering to the top 200 purchasers of his $TRUMP meme coin.

The opportunities for corruption are enormous, Warren said Thursday. We know that one of Donald Trumps business partners has been sent to jail, and the rumor is hes looking for a pardon. What better way to make yourself favorable to Donald Trump than give him a good business deal on stablecoins? We know that there are countries that want to see tariff relief. What better way to put yourself in Donald Trumps good graces than to offer him a great deal around his stablecoins?

A group of crypto-curious Democrats initially supported the legislation and voted to advance it out of the Senate Banking Committee earlier this year. It looked like it would move forward on the Senate floor with bipartisan support until last week after several reports of Trumps use of crypto to personally profit off the presidency and enrich his family to the tune of billions of dollars.

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Democrats were negotiating with Republicans up to the last minute before Thursdays vote to put stricter language in the bill, with some Democrats demanding a ban on the president profiting from digital assets while in office, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement.

While weve made meaningful progress on the GENIUS Act, the work is not yet complete, and I simply cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to vote for this legislation when the text isnt yet finished, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said in a statement.

I remain fully committed to getting this right, he added. I plan to continue working with my colleagues to strengthen this legislation and move it forward in a way that promotes innovation while protecting the interests of the American people.

Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), a crypto supporter whose Senate campaign received $10 million in aid from the industry, tried to push the vote till next week to give the negotiations more time but he was rebuffed by Republicans, who said Democrats had ample opportunity to move forward.

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Im just very disappointed, Gallego told reporters on Thursday.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), a top crypto advocate in Congress, said she was equally frustrated, faulting Democrats for throwing monkey wrenches into bipartisan talks by insisting the bill address Trumps self-dealing.

Stablecoins may sound obscure to people unfamiliar with the crypto world and its many layers of jargon, but the bill is the first of two industry-backed pieces of legislation that would essentially enshrine crypto as part of the financial regulatory system, said Todd Phillips, an assistant professor at Georgia State University.

Without these bills, there is still ambiguity and some question of where crypto stands, if it is permissible, Phillips said. These bills, by providing a regulatory framework, cement the industrys legitimacy as part of the financial system.

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Some Democrats tried to downplay any opposition to the crypto industry, which has emerged as one of the top funders of federal campaigns in addition to its main role as an engine of financial speculation.

Gallego insisted that the presidents participation in the industry had nothing to do with his no vote. He said his group of pro-crypto Democrats werent pushing for a ban on crypto sales by a sitting president, an idea endorsed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).

A lot of us had recognized that that made it very difficult for the Republicans. Theres some questions about the constitutionality of it, Gallego said, adding that the holdup stemmed merely from some national security issues and some consumer finance issues.

Nevertheless, national Republicans pointed to the vote as a reason why supporters of crypto should rely only on the GOP to advance their interests in Congress.

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Republican leadership is the only path to real crypto wins in Congress, National Republican Senatorial Committee Executive Director Jennifer DeCasper said in a statement. Senate Democrats blocked critical, common-sense legislation that would have fortified Americas digital asset future, they chose partisan politics over results. We warned that Senate Democrats couldnt be counted on, and we were right.

Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, an industry lobbying group, said in a statement they were disappointed by the vote but remain encouraged by the bipartisan engagement on this critical digital asset legislation.

The bill is likely to get another chance at passage. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), in a procedural move, voted against the measure on Thursday to allow himself the opportunity to bring it back up for a vote in the future.
VILNIUS, Lithuania  U.S.-based Saildrone will deploy four large unmanned surface vessels in Danish waters next month to conduct maritime surveillance missions and help protect critical undersea infrastructure.

The deployment, which represents Saildrones first European mission, will be done in close cooperation with the Royal Danish Navy Command and the Danish Ministry of Defense Acquisition and Logistics Organization.

Thales, Saildrone pitch a windsurfing fleet of submarine spotters

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Four 10-meter Voyager USVs equipped with a suite of intelligence-gathering sensors and AI data fusion will be sent to Denmark to support the Danish military gain better maritime awareness.

The North and Baltic seas are some of the busiest shipping routes in the world. An estimated 2,000 ships are generally at sea at any given time in the Baltic Sea, according to the Helsinki Commission.

Denmark currently lacks sufficient assets to provide consistent and comprehensive monitoring of the waterway.

The threats we face at sea are different and far more serious than just a few years ago, the Danish Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen said at a recent press conference.

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The Danish government approved last month a series of naval expansion plans, including the development of a program dedicated to assessing autonomous platforms such as naval drones and remote-controlled vehicles to conduct underwater surveillance.

Saildrone, which announced the establishment of a subsidiary in Copenhagen only a few weeks ago, has plans to expand its presence in the region, the companys President John Mustin told Defense News.

Our goal is to have that act as a sort of centre of excellence for our platforms, if for example some would need repair or maintenance work, they could do it right there, the executive said in a May 8 interview.
TRIPOLI, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Libya's internationally recognized Government of National Unity on Wednesday "categorically" rejected any arrangement about receiving illegal migrants deported from the United States without knowledge or acceptance.

"The Government confirms its rejection of any country using Libya as a destination to deport migrants without its knowledge or acceptance, and commitment to its right to protect the national sovereignty," the Tripoli-based government said in a statement published on its official Facebook page.

The statement came after several Western media outlets, including Reuters, BBC, CNN, and The New York Times, reported that Washington is planning to fly migrants without legal status to the North African country.

Because of the insecurity and chaos in Libya since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, many migrants, mostly Africans, chose to cross the Mediterranean to Europe from Libya.

The country has been ramping up efforts recently to address the issue of illegal migration and human smuggling. 
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Denmark on Thursday summoned the top American diplomat in the country for an explanation following a Wall Street Journal report about the United States stepping up intelligence gathering on Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory coveted by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Jennifer Hall Godfrey, acting head of the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, met with high-ranking Danish diplomat Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen at the Danish Foreign Ministry over the Journal article published Tuesday, the ministry said in an email.

It provided no further details. The embassy declined to comment.

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The Journal, citing two people familiar with the U.S. effort that it did not identify, reported that several high-ranking officials under the U.S. director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had directed intelligence agency heads to learn more about Greenlands independence movement and sentiment about U.S. resource extraction there.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told broadcaster DR outside a meeting Wednesday with colleagues in Poland that Denmark would summon the U.S. diplomat to seek a rebuttal or other explanation following the report.

Rasmussen, who has previously scolded the Trump administration over its criticism of NATO ally Denmark and Greenland, said the information in the report was very worrying" and "we dont spy between friends.

"We are looking at this with quite a lot of seriousness," he added.

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In response to questions about the Journal's report, Gabbard's office released a statement noting that she had made three criminal referrals to the Justice Department over intelligence community leaks. Nearly a dozen more leak cases are being investigated, Gabbard said in the statement.

The Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of aiding deep state actors who seek to undermine the President by politicizing and leaking classified information," Gabbard wrote. "They are breaking the law and undermining our nations security and democracy. Those who leak classified information will be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Greenland's prime minister said last month that U.S. statements about the mineral-rich Arctic island have been disrespectful and it will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.

In a visit to the island last month, Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, addressing the United States during a visit to Greenland, that you cannot annex another country, even with the argument made by U.S. officials that international security is at stake.

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington will respect Greenlands self-determination and alleged that Greenlanders "dont want to be a part of Denmark.

___

Associated Press writer David Klepper contributed to this report from Washington.
WASHINGTON (AP/WGN)  DePaul University President Robert Manuel and the heads of two other colleges were grilled before the House Education and Workforce Committee (HEWC) Wednesday.

Manuel and his counterparts were berated by Republican lawmakers in a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism, with some suggesting schools should lose federal funding because if they refuse to discuss student discipline in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests.

You knew yourself there was a problem, but decided not to remove it. Why? said Republican Rep. Lisa McClain of Michigan.

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At that moment, we realized the security of safety of everyone was at jeopardy, Manuel said. That is the moment we decided to work with CPD.

And it took you six days? McClain said.

Committee members also asked Manuel how he plans to stop the spread of anti-Semitism at DePaul.

Weve taken strong steps to support our Jewish community members prioritizing campus safety and student well being, Manuel said. We have made mistakes along the way. As DePauls leader, I want to acknowledge that openly.

Just this week, DePaul announced a new policy requiring staff and students to remove masks or face coverings if asked by a public safety officer. The university has also suspended some pro-Palestinian groups on campus like Students for Justice in Palestine, which spoke out Wednesday on Manuels testimony.

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Today, we heard from President Manuel himself, testify and brag about silencing and repressing Palestinian voices, which he claims will keep other students safe, Olivia Zaied said. He has made it clear that he supports the stereotyping of Palestinian students as violent criminals not worthy of free speech.

Last October, Jewish students at DePaul, Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, were attacked on the universitys campus in what was investigated as a hate crime. At the hearing Wednesday, Manuel apologized to the young men.

What happened to them was a hate crime, Manuel said. No one should ever be attacked because of who they are, and Im sorry for the pain theyre experiencing.

Wendy Raymond, the president of Haverford College, was singled out as the only one who would not detail punishments for students and faculty accused of anti-Jewish bias during the hearing. Asked repeatedly, Raymond said her institution does not publicize the outcomes of disciplinary processes.

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I suppose its your First Amendment right to be evasive, but its also our right to decide that such institutions are not deserving of taxpayer money, said Republican Rep. Bob Onder of Missouri.

Also appearing before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce were Jeffrey Armstrong of California Polytechnic State University. It was the latest in a series of hearings scrutinizing university presidents over their responses to allegations of anti-Jewish bias in the wake of Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and a wave of protests that swept the nations campuses.

Unlike others that featured leaders of Harvard, Columbia and other elite institutions  with stumbles that later contributed to their resignations  this one intentionally focused on lesser-known schools. Republicans sought to look beyond the Ivy League to underscore the pervasiveness of antisemitism on U.S. campuses.

The committees leaders aimed to choose a diverse mix of colleges. Haverford is a small liberal arts school outside Philadelphia, founded by Quakers. Cal Poly is a campus of 22,000 students in San Luis Obispo, California. DePaul is a Catholic university in the citys Lincoln Park neighborhood.

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For more than three hours, Republicans grilled the presidents over reports of anti-Jewish harassment on their campuses, ranging from social media posts to the attack of Long and Kaminsky. Democrats denounced the hearing, calling it political theater that does little to fight discrimination.

The trio of presidents mostly struck a deferential tone, acknowledging some missteps while highlighting work to make students feel safer. Raymond joined Manuel in apologizing for shortcomings, while Armstrong said We have to do better holding people accountable for prejudice.

But while the presidents of Cal Poly and DePaul shared information on disciplinary action against antisemitism, Raymond refused.

We do not talk about those numbers publicly, she said when pressed on the question. She acknowledged some action had taken but declined to go further.

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It drew a searing rebuke from Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., known for orchestrating fiery exchanges with former presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania that contributed to their resignations last year.

Respectfully, president of Haverford, many people have sat in this position who are no longer in their positions as presidents of universities for their failure to answer straightforward questions, Stefanik said.

Stefanik questioned Raymond over a professors social media post describing the Hamas attacks as imprisoned people breaking free from their chains. Raymond called it repugnant but refused to discuss individual cases.

Other Republicans endorsed the idea of funding cuts for schools that refuse to disclose punishments, saying Congress should explore the issue. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania said it should be a baseline for receiving funding.

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Republicans began the series of hearings in late 2023 and have routinely called education leaders to Capitol Hill to testify. Those called include chiefs of Harvard, Columbia, Penn, Northwestern University and the University of California, Los Angeles.

The Trump administration has separately frozen billions of dollars in grants to colleges targeted by a federal antisemitism task force. Those targeted include Columbia, Penn and Harvard, which is suing to restore $2.2 billion in grants. The Education Department doubled down last week, saying Harvard is no longer eligible for new grants.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Mark Vawter, 65, was shot and killed by a deputy outside of the Hendricks County Courthouse in Danville, Ind., on Monday, May 5

Vawter was the great-grandfather of two children killed in a car crash on Feb. 5

Vawter was allegedly present to attempt to shoot the man charged in the car crash that resulted in his great-grandchildren's deaths







An armed man shot and killed by authorities outside of the Hendricks County Courthouse in Danville, Ind., was identified as the great-grandfather of two young children killed in a car crash on Feb. 5 in Plainfield, Ind.

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Mark Vawter, 65, was allegedly at the courthouse on Monday, May 5, to confront S'Doni Pettis, 25, WTHR reported, citing Indiana State Police. Pettis was driving a vehicle that struck the car carrying Vawter's grandchildren in February.

On Monday at 12:55 p.m. local time, Vawter allegedly fired at an inmate transport van and deputies outside of the courthouse. Two deputies responded by opening fire at Vawter, and he was struck once. He was pronounced dead at the scene, per WTHR.

A gun was found near Vawter's body, Indiana State Police public information officer Sgt. John Perrine confirmed to IndyStar. There were no other casualties, and the inmates were instead transported to a different, unknown location, the outlet reports.

Vawter's great-grandchildren, Ares, 3, and Iris, 2 months, died upon impact when a car driven by Pettis slammed into theirs, which burst into flames, according to WTHR. Pettis was allegedly driving a stolen vehicle per police, Fox 59 reported.

Pettis, who survived the crash, has been charged with three counts of resisting law enforcement- use of vehicle and causes death or catastrophic injury (a level three felony), causing death when operating a motor vehicle with a Schedule One or controlled substance (a level four felony), two counts of causing catastrophic injury when operating a motor vehicle with a Schedule One or controlled substance (a level four felony), conversion (a level five felony) and auto theft (a level six felony), per Fox 59.

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The crash occurred at the intersection of U.S. 40 and Ronald Reagan Parkway, the outlet reported. Pettis was allegedly meant to be one of the inmates in the transportation vehicle on May 5, but his hearing was rescheduled, and he was not present, per WTHR. Prosecutors now believe that Vawter was present to attempt to shoot and kill Pettis.

The Hendricks County prosecutor, Loren P. Delp, filed a motion to shield Pettis' records on Wednesday, May 7. Defense attorney Brad Banks told WTHR, "In these instances, they are rare. We don't see things like this happen very often."

gofundme Vawter children killed in crash Vawter children killed in crash

"Not only for his own safety, but obviously this put the other inmates, because they transport in groups," Banks continued. "They're usually chained together. So even a bullet that hit the intended target could pass through and hit another inmate. Also, the deputies themselves who are transporting them. It puts everybody in danger."

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"Access to or dissemination of the information about court hearings and the location of the defendant on a particular day may create the opportunity for further attempts at vigilantism or reprisals and would create a significant risk of substantial harm to and could endanger the safety of the defendant, other inmates, law enforcement officers, courthouse personnel and the general public," the Hendricks County prosecutor's office said in a statement to WTHR.

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Before his death, Vawter spoke to IndyStar in February at Riley Hospital for Children while observing a Walk of Honor for Ares, an organ donor.

"It should have been Ares who buried me, not me burying him," Vawter said at the time. "He was so young."

PEOPLE reached out to the Hendricks County Police Department, Indiana State Police, and the Hendricks County prosecutor's office, but did not immediately hear back.

Read the original article on People
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  There are two opposing plans in Tallahassee involving cutting taxes.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has called on reducing or eliminating property taxes. State lawmakers are finalizing a plan in their budget that involves reducing the state sales tax.

Judge sentences James Staten, of Olympus Pools, to 20 years in prison, orders $1 million in restitution

During a roundtable in South Tampa on Wednesday, DeSantis proposed that state lawmakers do two things relating to property taxes before the extended session ends.

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Ive proposed, we have the money to fully fund the education budget, DeSantis said. We could send you a rebate on your property taxes this year. Well only do it for homesteaded Floridians. Were not going to do it for the snowbirds.

The governor said many homeowners could get a rebate from $300 up to $1,000 by December of this year, if lawmakers approve. He also pushed lawmakers to put language on the November 2026 ballot to reduce or eliminate property taxes altogether.

Which is really how you have to do it by a constitutional amendment to provide protections for homeowners. This is all very doable, DeSantis said.

If voters approve, that could force county and city leaders to make major changes before 2027. Previously, some elected officials in Tampa Bay municipalities have expressed concerns on how to fill the gap for crucial services if they are forced to reduce or eliminate their main source for their budgets.

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You can bank on tourists coming, DeSantis said. You can obviously look at expenditures, but you can also shift the tax to the non-residents. That could be done very easily.

The governor said bigger counties, like Pinellas, could easily shift the tax burden to tourists and possibly seasonal residents for budgetary purposes. For smaller and rural counties, the governor says the state could help.

No Tampa Bay County leader has responded to a request for comment about the governors idea.

State lawmakers are scheduled to continue working on the budget next week, which includes a plan to reduce the sales tax. DeSantis disagrees with the effort.

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The average Floridian would save a whopping $47, if they were to do it, DeSantis said.



Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez previously spoke about the state house version of the plan before reaching a deal with the senate.

It is $5 billion of real cutting going back to the people in a way that has never been done in the state. The first time ever, Perez said.

The state house has recently started a 37-member committee to look at whether reducing or eliminating property taxes is feasible. However, any decision is expected to be discussed during the next regular session.

As for discussions on reducing the sales tax, the governor has hinted that he plans to veto the plan.

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Any Florida last tax package is going to be dead on arrival. We are not going to kneecap our ability to provide you property tax relief, just so we can give a little bit of a benefit to Canadian tourists, DeSantis said.

As of now, its unclear if property owners will see any relief on sales or property taxes.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Packages of Mifepristone tablets are displayed at a family planning clinic on April 13, 2023 in Rockville, Maryland. (Photo illustration by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

When the news broke on Jan. 31 that a New York physician had been indicted for shipping abortion medications to a woman in Louisiana, it stoked fear across the network of doctors and medical clinics who engage in similar work.

Its scary. Its frustrating, said Angel Foster, co-founder of the Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, a clinic near Boston that mails mifepristone and misoprostol pills to patients in states with abortion bans. But, Foster added, its not entirely surprising.

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Ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, abortion providers like her had been expecting prosecution or another kind of legal challenge from states with abortion bans, she said.

It was unclear when those tests would come, and would it be against an individual provider or a practice or organization? she said. Would it be a criminal indictment, or would it be a civil lawsuit, or even an attack on licensure? she wondered. All of that was kind of unknown, and were starting to see some of this play out.

The indictment also sparked worry among abortion providers like Kohar Der Simonian, medical director for Maine Family Planning. The clinic doesnt mail pills into states with bans, but it does treat patients who travel from those states to Maine for abortion care.

It just hit home that this is real, like this could happen to anybody, at any time now, which is scary, Der Simonian said.

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Der Simonian and Foster both know the indicted doctor, Margaret Carpenter.

I feel for her. I very much support her, Foster said. I feel very sad for her that she has to go through all of this.

On Jan. 31, Carpenter became the first U.S. doctor criminally charged for providing abortion pills across state lines  a medical practice that grew after the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization decision on June 24, 2022, which overturned Roe.

Since Dobbs, 12 states have enacted near-total abortion bans, and an additional 10 have outlawed the procedure after a certain point in pregnancy, but before a fetus is viable.

Carpenter was indicted alongside a Louisiana mother who allegedly received the mailed package and gave the pills prescribed by Carpenter to her minor daughter.

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The teen wanted to keep the pregnancy and called 911 after taking the pills, according to an NPR and KFF Health News interview with Tony Clayton, the Louisiana local district attorney prosecuting the case. When police responded, they learned about the medication, which carried the prescribing doctors name, Clayton said.

On Feb. 11, Louisianas Republican governor, Jeff Landry, signed an extradition warrant for Carpenter. He later posted a video arguing she must face extradition to Louisiana, where she can stand trial and justice will be served.

New Yorks Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul, countered by releasing her own video, confirming she was refusing to extradite Carpenter. The charges carry a possible five-year prison sentence.

Louisiana has changed their laws, but that has no bearing on the laws here in the state of New York, Hochul said.

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Eight states  New York, Maine, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington  have passed laws since 2022 to protect doctors who mail abortion pills out of state, and thereby block or shield them from extradition in such cases. But this is the first criminal test of these relatively new shield laws.

The telemedicine practice of consulting with remote patients and prescribing them medication abortion via the mail has grown in recent years  and is now playing a critical role in keeping abortion somewhat accessible in states with strict abortion laws, according to research from the Society of Family Planning, a group that supports abortion access.

Doctors who prescribe abortion pills across state lines describe facing a new reality in which the criminal risk is no longer hypothetical. The doctors say that if they stop, tens of thousands of patients would no longer be able to end early pregnancies safely at home, under the care of a U.S. physician. But the doctors could end up in the crosshairs of a legal clash over the interstate practice of medicine when two states disagree on whether people have a right to end a pregnancy.

Doctors on alert but remain defiant

Maine Family Planning, a network of clinics across 19 locations, offers abortions, birth control, gender-affirming care, and other services. One patient recently drove over 17 hours from South Carolina, a state with a six-week abortion ban, Der Simonian said.

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For Der Simonian, that case illustrates how desperate some of the practices patients are for abortion access. Its why she supported Maines 2024 shield law, she said.

Maine Family Planning has discussed whether to start mailing abortion medication to patients in states with bans, but it has decided against it for now, according to Kat Mavengere, a clinic spokesperson.

Reflecting on Carpenters indictment, Der Simonian said it underscored the stakes for herself  and her clinic  of providing any abortion care to out-of-state patients. Shield laws were written to protect against the possibility that a state with an abortion ban charges and tries to extradite a doctor who performed a legal, in-person procedure on someone who had traveled there from another state, according to a review of shield laws by the Center on Reproductive Health, Law, and Policy at the UCLA School of Law.

It is a fearful time to do this line of work in the United States right now, Der Simonian said. There will be a next case. And even though Maines shield law protects abortion providers, she said, you just dont know whats going to happen.

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Data shows that in states with total or six-week abortion bans, an average of 7,700 people a month were prescribed and took mifepristone and misoprostol to end their pregnancies by out-of-state doctors practicing in states with shield laws. The data, covering the second quarter of 2024, is part of a #WeCount report estimating the volume and types of abortions in the U.S., conducted by the Society of Family Planning.

Among Louisiana residents, nearly 60% of abortions took place via telemedicine in the second half of 2023 (the most recent period for which estimates are available), giving Louisiana the highest rate of telemedicine abortions among states that passed strict bans after Dobbs, according to the #WeCount survey.

Organizations like the Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, known as the MAP, are responding to the demand for remote care. The MAP was launched after the Dobbs ruling, with the mission of writing prescriptions for patients in other states.

During 2024, the MAP says, it was mailing abortion medications to about 500 patients a month. In the new year, the monthly average has grown to 3,000 prescriptions a month, said Foster, the groups co-founder.

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The majority of the MAPs patients  80%  live in Texas or states in the Southeast, a region blanketed with near-total abortion restrictions, Foster said.

But the recent indictment from Louisiana will not change the MAPs plans, Foster said. The MAP currently has four staff doctors and is hiring one more.

I think there will be some providers who will step out of the space, and some new providers will step in. But it has not changed our practice, Foster said. It has not changed our intention to continue to practice.

The MAPs organizational structure was designed to spread potential liability, Foster said.

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The person who orders the pills is different than the person who prescribes the pills, is different from the person who ships the pills, is different from the person who does the payments, she explained.

In 22 states and Washington, D.C., Democratic leaders helped establish shield laws or similarly protective executive orders, according to the UCLA School of Law review of shield laws.

The review found that in eight states, the shield law applies to in-person and telemedicine abortions. In the other 14 states plus Washington, D.C., the protections do not explicitly extend to abortion via telemedicine.

Most of the shield laws also apply to civil lawsuits against doctors. Over a month before Louisiana indicted Carpenter, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a civil suit against her. A Texas judge ruled against Carpenter on Feb. 13, imposing penalties of more than $100,000.

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By definition, state shield laws cannot protect doctors when they leave the state. If they move or even travel elsewhere, they lose the first states protection and risk arrest in the destination state, and maybe extradition to a third state.

Physicians doing this type of work accept there are parts of the U.S. where they should no longer go, said Julie F. Kay, a human rights lawyer who helps doctors set up telemedicine practices.

Theres really a commitment not to visit those banned and restricted states, said Kay, who worked with Carpenter to help start the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine.

We didnt have anybody going to the Super Bowl or Mardi Gras or anything like that, Kay said of the doctors who practice abortion telemedicine across state lines.

She said she has talked to other interested doctors who decided against doing it because they have an elderly parent in Florida, or a college student somewhere, or family in the South. Any visits, even for a relatives illness or death, would be too risky.

I dont use the word hero lightly or toss it around, but its a pretty heroic level of providing care, Kay said.

Governors clash over doctors fate

Carpenters case remains unresolved. New Yorks rebuff of Louisianas extradition request shows the states shield law is working as designed, according to David Cohen and Rachel Rebouche, law professors with expertise in abortion laws.

Louisiana officials, for their part, have pushed back in social media posts and media interviews.

It is not any different than if she had sent fentanyl here. Its really not, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill told Fox 8 News in New Orleans. She sent drugs that are illegal to send into our state.

Louisianas next step would be challenging New York in federal courts, according to legal experts across the political spectrum.

NPR and KFF Health News asked Clayton, the Louisiana prosecutor who charged Carpenter, whether Louisiana has plans to do that. Clayton declined to answer.

Case highlights fraught new legal frontier

A major problem with the new shield laws is that they challenge the basic fabric of U.S. law, which relies on reciprocity between states, including in criminal cases, said Thomas Jipping, a senior legal fellow with the Heritage Foundation, which supports a national abortion ban.

This actually tries to undermine another states ability to enforce its own laws, and thats a very grave challenge to this tradition in our country, Jipping said. Its unclear what legal issues, or potentially constitutional issues, it may raise.

But other legal scholars disagree with Jippings interpretation. The U.S. Constitution requires extradition only for those who commit crimes in one state and then flee to another state, said Cohen, a law professor at Drexel Universitys Thomas R. Kline School of Law.

Telemedicine abortion providers arent located in states with abortion bans and have not fled from those states  therefore they arent required to be extradited back to those states, Cohen said. If Louisiana tries to take its case to federal court, he said, theyre going to lose because the Constitution is clear on this.

The shield laws certainly do undermine the notion of interstate cooperation, and comity, and respect for the policy choices of each state, Cohen said, but that has long been a part of American law and history.

When states make different policy choices, sometimes theyre willing to give up those policy choices to cooperate with another state, and sometimes theyre not, he said.

The conflicting legal theories will be put to the test if this case goes to federal court, other legal scholars said.

It probably puts New York and Louisiana in real conflict, potentially a conflict that the Supreme Court is going to have to decide, said Rebouche, dean of the Temple University Beasley School of Law.

Rebouche, Cohen, and law professor Greer Donley worked together to draft a proposal for how state shield laws might work. Connecticut passed the first law  though it did not include protections specifically for telemedicine. It was signed by the states governor in May 2022, over a month before the Supreme Court overturned Roe, in anticipation of potential future clashes between states over abortion rights.

In some shield-law states, theres a call to add more protections in response to Carpenters indictment.

New York state officials have. On Feb. 3, Hochul signed a law that allows physicians to name their clinic as the prescriber  instead of using their own names  on abortion medications they mail out of state. The intent is to make it more difficult to indict individual doctors. Der Simonian is pushing for a similar law in Maine.

Samantha Glass, a family medicine physician in New York, has written such prescriptions in a previous job, and plans to find a clinic where she could offer that again. Once a month, she travels to a clinic in Kansas to perform in-person abortions.

Carpenters indictment could cause some doctors to stop sending pills to states with bans, Glass said. But she believes abortion should be as accessible as any other health care.

Someone has to do it. So why wouldnt it be me? Glass said. I just think access to this care is such a lifesaving thing for so many people that I just couldnt turn my back on it.

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This article is from a partnership that includes WWNO, NPR, and KFF Health News. It 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 and subscribe to KFF Health News free Morning Briefing.
The Detroit Public Library is hosting free estate planning workshops throughout the spring and summer for Detroiters who need help ensuring their homes get passed down to the next generation.

The workshops, which kick off May 17, cover estate planning tools such as wills, deeds and trust agreements. Attendees can also connect with an attorney to draft and execute documents.

The push to educate Detroiters on estate planning is key because as many as 5,525 intergenerational properties in Detroit  worth more than $268 million  had unclear ownership, according to a 2024 analysis from the think tank Detroit Future City, which emphasized the importance of estate planning. Title problems can hurt Detroiters' financial well being, barring them from getting into assistance programs and building generational wealth through their homes.

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Detroit City Council Member Scott Benson is leading the effort. He chairs the city's Wealth Generation Task Force, which identified a lack of estate planning among Detroiters that undermines Black families' ability to build wealth, according to a news release.

More: Home title problems leave some Detroit families who need debt help in tough spot

The Detroit Future City report cautioned that homes that haven't gone through estate planning are at risk of becoming "heirs' property." That situation arises when a person dies and leaves behind a property without formal legal documents, like a will, to prove who owns it. Researchers found thousands of such properties, worth tens of millions of dollars, and pointed to education and outreach around wills and estate planning as one solution to prevent future heirs' properties.

"The Detroit Public Library is pleased to facilitate these free informational workshops on estate planning to help people make important decisions about what will happen to their homes and other assets after they're gone. An estate plan is a gift that makes things easier for the loved ones left behind," said Margaret Bruni, director for public services at the Detroit Public Library, in a news release.

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The Detroit Public Library is partnering with the city of Detroit and the Elder Law & Advocacy Center, a division of the nonprofit Neighborhood Legal Services Michigan. The programming is an extension of free estate planning and legal services that began last year with funding from the city's share of American Rescue Plan Act dollars and the Gilbert Family Foundation.

Here are where and when the workshops will take place:

To register, go to bit.ly/DetroitEstatePlanningWorkshops.

Contact Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@freepress.com. Follow her on X: @NushratR.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit libraries are offering free estate planning help
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  The Trump administrations 2026 budget plan calls for deep reductions to the Department of Education.

This includes eliminating support for programs serving thousands of first-generation, low-income and disabled students. In the proposal, the administration calls the TRIO programs a relic of the past.

Educators in Savannah said the loss of these services would be devastating for generations to come.

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Bobby Roberts is the director of the Upward Bound program at Savannah State University. He said TRIO programs have been a part of the institution for 59 years.

These programs are undoubtedly important. Students are given the opportunity to dream, Roberts said. You have to look at the impact that these programs have and the results, the sheer results.

Nationally, over 1 million students have been served through over 3,000 programs, according to Roberts. He said these programs help students K-12 stay on track and pursue higher education.

This allows students to dream in color and actualize those short-term goals, which is of course is graduating from high school, but definitely aligning with college and post-secondary options before they leave strengthens the workforce, Roberts said.

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The Trump administration wrote that institutions should be using their own resources to engage with k-12 schools in their communities to recruit students, and then once those students are on campus, aid in their success through to graduation.

Roberts told News 3 this wouldnt be a change for the better.

Where does the mentorship happen? Where does the academic support happen? What happens to students who had access to special devices due to their disability when they dont have access to those things, how will those students continue to function?

Roberts asked the community to fight back by advocating for these programs and calling your local representatives.

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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.
Construction has started on a housing development at 10798 128th St. in South Hill.

Core Design, Inc. was granted a plat permit in December 2023. Christina Rohila, a spokesperson for Pierce County, said via email that the plat divided a 4.6-acre site into 46 single-family residential lots and a recreational area measuring 71,202 square feet. The plat application lists the owner as Edwards Development Group, LLC and C.C. Edwards Construction, which is based in Sumner.

The News Tribune has not been able to reach a representative of the company for further information about the project, but someone who answered the phone at the business this week and helped The News Tribune leave a message for the project manager referred to it as a townhome project.

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According to the permit, the area is classified as a High Density Single-Family zone, which requires a minimum density of 6 dwelling units and a maximum density of 18 dwelling units per acre. The South Hill plat has a density of 12.6 dwelling units per acre, Rohila wrote.

A developer plans to build 46 homes at 10798 128th St. in South Hill, according to Pierce County records. Courtesy of Pierce County

The lot was previously undeveloped, and had heavy foresting  this makes it difficult to preserve trees because new wind exposure and grading create falling hazards as parts of the forested site are cleared, she said in the email. However, Rohila wrote, the plat applicant is required to plant trees extensively throughout the development. Further, according to a tree retention plan by Core Design, multiple areas on the property will allow for significant trees to be retained.

During planning for the project, a representative from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians requested that a cultural resources survey be done, writing via email to Pierce County senior planner Tony Kantas that the proposed development was in the immediate vicinity of multiple archaeological sites and considered a high probability area for encountering cultural resources.

Kantas replied via email that the underlying permit applications were conditioned to include a cultural resource survey requiring approval by the Puyallup Tribe and the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historical Preservation. On Aug. 15, the survey was sent for review to the DAHP, Puyallup Tribe, Nisqually Tribe, Squaxin Indian Tribe, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, and a Pierce County cultural resource archaeologist. The permit was approved on Dec. 20 and the cultural resource survey was received by a Pierce County permit technician on Jan. 25.
Kazakh military helicopters fly in formation during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Kazakhstan's presidential press service/Handout via Xinhua)

Kazakh troops march during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

Kazakh military jets fly in formation during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

Kazakh troops march during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

Kazakh military jets fly in formation during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

Kazakh military vehicles and weapons are seen during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

Kazakh troops march during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

Kazakh military helicopters fly in formation during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Kazakhstan's presidential press service/Handout via Xinhua)

Kazakh troops march during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

Kazakh military vehicles and weapons are seen during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

Kazakh military helicopters fly in formation during a military parade of the armed forces to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War in Astana, Kazakhstan, on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)
Two hours in the state capital was enough for U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to criticize Illinois immigration laws and its governor while invoking the 2023 murder of a local progressive activist.

Her short Wednesday visit largely served as an opportunity for an official from President Donald Trumps cabinet to take photos highlighting immigration policies in a Democrat-run state. Noem visited a DHS office where she briefly spoke with two people being processed for deportation and then held a news conference with family members of people murdered by noncitizens.

To illustrate her point, Noem held the news conference on the same block where Springfield progressive activist Emma Shafer was murdered in 2023. Shafer was allegedly stabbed by her partner at their Springfield home.

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She lost her life to an illegal alien thats still out, at large, probably in this state, Noem said at a news conference in Springfield. We cant confirm that because the local law enforcement and the state law enforcement are barred by state law, with the support of Gov. (JB) Pritzker, from sharing any information.

The suspect in the case has not been arrested and Springfield police said last year the man, a Mexican national, may have fled the country.

Noems remarks appalled one of Shafers friends who was protesting near the news conference and said Shafer would be advocating for immigrants.

Emma Shafer would have never supported Trumps policies and would have never supported what Kristi Noem had to say, Francesca Butler told Capitol News Illinois. Emma would want Kristi to know we should lead with compassion and humility.

Democratic State Senator Willie Preston, D-Chicago, criticizes DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a rally at the Statehouse immediately following Noems news conference.

Noem said she was not in contact with Shafers family and was unaware they were at another site protesting her visit.

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Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said the Republican lawmakers at the news conference didnt know Shafer was going to be mentioned, but you have to mention all the people that have been killed by people that shouldnt have been here.

Democratic lawmakers and immigration activists protested Noems visit outside the Governors Mansion and Capitol Building.

State law does not protect people in Illinois from deportation. Federal officers under Noems leadership can still make arrests and deport people in Illinois. Under the 2017 TRUST Act signed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, Illinois law enforcement is prohibited from arresting a person based solely on their immigration status and in most cases, cannot assist immigration officials with detaining people based on immigration status, according to the Illinois Attorney Generals office.

This governor has bragged about Illinois being a firewall against President Trumps immigration enforcement agenda, and it is very clear that he is violating the constitution of the United States because it is a federal law that the federal government set and enforce immigration policies, Noem said.

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Noem claimed Illinois laws make the state less safe, citing a series of crimes committed by people in the U.S. illegally.

Governors like JB Pritzker dont care if gang bangers, rapists and pedophiles roam free in this state, she said. If they are here illegally, hes going to protect them.

Pritzker slammed the visit as a publicity stunt and said Illinois complies with federal immigration laws.

Trump-Noem publicity stunts do not make our communities safer or our immigration system smarter, Pritzker said in a statement. Illinois doesnt need to abuse power or ignore the Constitution to keep our people safe. Like the millions of Americans asking for sensible, humane immigration reform, I encourage the Secretary to spend less time performing for Fox News and more time protecting the Homeland.

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Pritzker has repeatedly said he supports the federal government deporting people who are illegally in the country if they are convicted of violent crimes.

Republicans are continuing to call for the TRUST Act to be repealed  unlikely in the Democrat-controlled legislature.

These are crimes that the state could have prevented, had the option to prevent them, and decided not to, McClure said.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with one of the two men being processed by ICE officials during her visit to Springfield.

Noems first stop in Springfield was a federal field office where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were processing two men.

Noem spoke with ICE officers and one of the two men who were being held in the room while their fingerprints were being scanned. The ICE officer told her that the men were from Guatemala and would eventually be deported because they were illegally in the U.S.

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Noem asked one of the men a series of questions, including whether he was aware he was being detained and would ultimately be deported, and if he had family in Guatemala. He responded yes to both questions. When an ICE officer told Noem that the man had also been charged with battery, she asked him whether he knew what he was being charged for, to which he replied that he did not understand the question.

Noems visit also comes a day after Pritzker agreed to testify next month to the U.S. House Oversight Committee about Illinois immigration policies. The Republican-led committee plans to probe Pritzker, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz about policies that shield criminal illegal aliens from immigration enforcement, according to a news release.

Noems visit also comes less than a week after President Donald Trumps Department of Justice sued Illinois for the second time over state laws aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants.

In February, the U.S. Department of Justice sued over Illinois 2017 sanctuary state law. Last week, the Trump administration sued Illinois again, this time over Illinois new requirement that employers notify workers whose U.S. employment eligibility is flagged when run through the federal E-Verify system, which compares workers employment eligibility federal form I-9 with other federal databases.

Illinois law now requires employers to inform workers of their rights to correct their I-9 forms, if flagged by E-Verify as a possible undocumented immigrant, and of impending worksite inspections from ICE. The feds allege the law disincentivizes employers from using E-Verify and encourages unlawful employment of aliens in the United States. Hannah Meisel contributed to this report.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  Two hours in the state capital was enough for U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to criticize Illinois immigration laws and its governor while invoking the 2023 murder of a local progressive activist.

Her short Wednesday visit largely served as an opportunity for an official from President Donald Trumps cabinet to take photos highlighting immigration policies in a Democrat-run state. Noem visited a DHS office where she briefly spoke with two people being processed for deportation and then held a news conference with family members of people murdered by noncitizens.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with one of the two men being processed by ICE officials during her visit to Springfield. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jade Aubrey)

To illustrate her point, Noem held the news conference on the same block where Springfield progressive activist Emma Shafer was murdered in 2023. Shafer was allegedly stabbed by her partner at their Springfield home.

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She lost her life to an illegal alien thats still out, at large, probably in this state, Noem said at a news conference in Springfield. We cant confirm that because the local law enforcement and the state law enforcement are barred by state law, with the support of Gov. (JB) Pritzker, from sharing any information.

The suspect in the case has not been arrested and Springfield police said last year the man, a Mexican national, may have fled the country.

Noems remarks appalled one of Shafers friends who was protesting near the news conference and said Shafer would be advocating for immigrants.

Emma Shafer would have never supported Trumps policies and would have never supported what Kristi Noem had to say, Francesca Butler told Capitol News Illinois. Emma would want Kristi to know we should lead with compassion and humility.

Democratic State Senator Willie Preston, D-Chicago, criticizes DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a rally at the Statehouse immediately following Noems news conference. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Peter Hancock)

Noem said she was not in contact with Shafers family and was unaware they were at another site protesting her visit.

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Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said the Republican lawmakers at the news conference didnt know Shafer was going to be mentioned, but you have to mention all the people that have been killed by people that shouldnt have been here.

Democratic lawmakers and immigration activists protested Noems visit outside the Governors Mansion and Capitol Building.

State law does not protect people in Illinois from deportation. Federal officers under Noems leadership can still make arrests and deport people in Illinois. Under the 2017 TRUST Act signed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, Illinois law enforcement is prohibited from arresting a person based solely on their immigration status and in most cases, cannot assist immigration officials with detaining people based on immigration status, according to the Illinois Attorney Generals office.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem speaks in front of a house in the neighborhood where progressive activist Emma Shafer, a Springfield woman who was killed in 2023, allegedly by her boyfriend, who was from Mexico. She is joined by Republican lawmakers and family members of people identified as crime victims. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jade Aubrey)

This governor has bragged about Illinois being a firewall against President Trumps immigration enforcement agenda, and it is very clear that he is violating the constitution of the United States because it is a federal law that the federal government set and enforce immigration policies, Noem said.

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Noem claimed Illinois laws make the state less safe, citing a series of crimes committed by people in the U.S. illegally.

Governors like JB Pritzker dont care if gang bangers, rapists and pedophiles roam free in this state, she said. If they are here illegally, hes going to protect them.

Pritzker slammed the visit as a publicity stunt and said Illinois complies with federal immigration laws.

Trump-Noem publicity stunts do not make our communities safer or our immigration system smarter, Pritzker said in a statement. Illinois doesnt need to abuse power or ignore the Constitution to keep our people safe. Like the millions of Americans asking for sensible, humane immigration reform, I encourage the Secretary to spend less time performing for Fox News and more time protecting the Homeland.

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Pritzker has repeatedly said he supports the federal government deporting people who are illegally in the country if they are convicted of violent crimes.

Republicans are continuing to call for the TRUST Act to be repealed  unlikely in the Democrat-controlled legislature.

These are crimes that the state could have prevented, had the option to prevent them, and decided not to, McClure said.

Noems first stop in Springfield was a federal field office where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were processing two men.

Noem spoke with ICE officers and one of the two men who were being held in the room while their fingerprints were being scanned. The ICE officer told her that the men were from Guatemala and would eventually be deported because they were illegally in the U.S.

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Noem asked one of the men a series of questions, including whether he was aware he was being detained and would ultimately be deported, and if he had family in Guatemala. He responded yes to both questions. When an ICE officer told Noem that the man had also been charged with battery, she asked him whether he knew what he was being charged for, to which he replied that he did not understand the question.

Noems visit also comes a day after Pritzker agreed to testify next month to the U.S. House Oversight Committee about Illinois immigration policies. The Republican-led committee plans to probe Pritzker, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz about policies that shield criminal illegal aliens from immigration enforcement, according to a news release.

Noems visit also comes less than a week after President Donald Trumps Department of Justice sued Illinois for the second time over state laws aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants.

Read more: Illinois locked in legal battles with Trump administration over immigration policy

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In February, the U.S. Department of Justice sued over Illinois 2017 sanctuary state law. Last week, the Trump administration sued Illinois again, this time over Illinois new requirement that employers notify workers whose U.S. employment eligibility is flagged when run through the federal E-Verify system, which compares workers employment eligibility federal form I-9 with other federal databases.

Illinois law now requires employers to inform workers of their rights to correct their I-9 forms, if flagged by E-Verify as a possible undocumented immigrant, and of impending worksite inspections from ICE. The feds allege the law disincentivizes employers from using E-Verify and encourages unlawful employment of aliens in the United States.

Hannah Meisel contributed to this report.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

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MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  More than two dozen members of law enforcement in Madison County have lost their lives in the line of duty since 1880. On Wednesday, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 6 held its annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service to honor them.

They will never be forgotten, that what they died for is always going to be remembered, always going to be respected, were going to come back every year and remember that, said FOP spokesperson Donny Shaw.

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Shaw told News 19 that, unfortunately, all 26 of the fallen heroes listed on the wall have one thing in common.

They got up, got dressed, they kissed their loved ones goodbye, thought they would come home, Shaw said. But it just so happened that they had something that took their life.

Now, the family members and friends of those fallen law enforcement members have this day to come together to honor them.

At the ceremony, a member of each of the families, or a descendant of each family, came forward one at a time to pin a flower to a cross in front of the memorial.

That includes members of fallen Huntsville Police Officer Garrett Crumbys family.

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Seeing his name on the wall, theres a lot of emotions with that, said Eric Crumby, Garrett Crumbys cousin. Its good and kind of sad, but its a great honor.

Officer Crumby died in the line of duty on March 28, 2023, after being ambushed while responding to a shots-fired call at an apartment complex in Huntsville.

Huntsville Police Chief Kirk Giles told News 19 that not a day goes by that the department doesnt think about him.

I think about him, I think about his coworkers that are still struggling, but you know, he was an inspiration to us to be able to go forward with what he stood for, Chief Giles said.

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He said he hopes events like this memorial service remind the community of the daily sacrifice that members of law enforcement make.

One day is not enough to remember them, Chief Giles said. Hopefully, people will take time to think about that day in and day out. When they see an officer, just tell them thank you for their service.

The law enforcement memorial service is one of several similar events scheduled across North Alabama in the next week. National Police Week is observed from Sunday, May 11, through Saturday, May 17.

Fallen heroes in Madison County:

U.S. Marshal John B. Hardie. EOW: December 8, 1880

Police Officer William B. Street. EOW: October 8, 1883

Deputy Jailer Tim Anderson. EOW: July 7, 1887

Constable W.A. Russell, Jr. EOW: November 22, 1903

Police Officer Frank McKissack. EOW: May 26, 1916

Deputy R. Hugh Craft. June 12, 1929

Deputy James C. Drake. December 11, 1928

Deputy William T. McMinn. EOW: October 7, 1939

Officer Euell B. Starr. EOW: December 5, 1953

Officer Alan S. Logel, Jr. EOW: November 19, 1956

Officer Emmett C. Bright. EOW: November 5, 1957

Officer Charles E. Drake, Jr. EOW: July 23, 1962

Officer Preston R. Butler. EOW: June 3, 1966

Officer William T. Gaskin. EOW: August 27, 1968

Deputy Kenneth J. McDonald. EOW: May 26, 1975

Officer Billy F. Clardy, Jr. EOW: May 3, 1978

Deputy Thomas R. Lewis. EOW: November 1, 1994

Deputy Billy J. Thrower. EOW: September 17, 1995

Trooper Willis V. Moore. EOW: February 26, 1996

Deputy Haskel G. McLane. EOW: May 31, 2001

Officer Daniel H. Golden. EOW: August 29, 2005

Officer William Eric Freeman. EOW: December 15, 2007

Officer Keith Earle. EOW: April 9, 2018

Officer Billy F. Clardy III. EOW: December 6, 2019

Investigator Steven Ray Finley. EOW: January 14, 2022

Officer Garrett Crumby. EOW: March 28, 2023.

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A witness for the prosecution in Karen Reads second murder trial testified Wednesday that a critical phone search for hypothermia was done after the defendants Boston police officer boyfriend was found in the snow not hours earlier.

Prosecutors say Read, 45, backed her SUV into OKeefe, 46, and left him to die after dropping him off at a party hosted by a fellow officer. Her lawyers say she was framed in a police conspiracy and that someone inside the home that night in January 2022 must have killed him.

A mistrial was declared last year. Reads second trial on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene has appeared to be similar so far.

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SEE ALSO: Boston officers mom gives tearful testimony

When was the phone search?

Jessica Hyde, a digital forensic examiner, testified that she was asked by the state to examine the phone of Jennifer McCabe. She was with Read the morning that they found OKeefe in the snow.

Hyde testified that she found McCabe searched the words hos (sic) long to die in cold at 6:24 a.m. soon after OKeefe was found on the front lawn of a Canton home. Reads defense argued during the last trial the search was made around 2:27 a.m. and then deleted.

What I can state, to a scientific degree of certainty, is that that search occurred at 6:24 a.m. and was the last search in the tab that had been opened at 2:27 a.m., Hyde said.

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MORE: Defense disputes key witness testimony in Karen Read retrial

Hyde also said she didnt find any evidence that McCabe deleted that search from her phone nor deleted any phone calls in the hours before OKeefe was found.

Reads attorney Robert Alessi, pointing to earlier reports Hyde wrote about the phone, questioned whether she could say definitively when the phone search was made. Alessi pointed to a May 2023 report in which Hyde wrote that testing showed great inconsistency with regards to time stamps on the phone.

So as of May 2023, you said the definitive reason as to why the time-stamp is listed as 2:27:40 is unknown, Alessi asked Hyde. Correct? Im just asking, is that what you wrote? Unknown.

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Hyde didnt dispute that she used the word unknown in the report but she never wavered from her testimony earlier in the day.

Solo cups and cocktail glasses

On Tuesday, State Police Trooper Kevin OHara testified police officers searched the site on the afternoon of Jan. 29, 2022. They found a shoe along the curb  OKeefe was missing a shoe when he was found  and six or seven pieces of a broken taillight. The pieces were red and clear, and prosecutors showed the jury images of them. The search was suspended that day because of darkness.

On Wednesday, Trooper Connor Keefe took the stand and showed the jury other items that were found at the scene  including two red pieces of broken taillight and a black Nike shoe.

RELATED: Karen Reads words used against her in witness testimony

Karen Read was angry or distraught?

Prosecutors on Tuesday called State Police Trooper Nicholas Guarino, who retrieved cellphone data from OKeefes phone.

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He detailed how the data show Read called OKeefe nearly 30 times that morning. The first batch continued for nearly an hour after 12:35 a.m. Most were missed calls. She also left several profanity-laced emails, including one in which she accused OKeefe of sleeping with someone else and leaving his two adopted children home alone.

ALSO READ: Karen Reads angry voicemails to boyfriend played aloud in court

John I (expletive) hate you, she yells in one voice message that was played to the jury.

The calls from Read resumed several hours later. Most didnt connect, but one voicemail just after 6 a.m. sounded like it came from the scene and included a muffled voice, apparently Reads, screaming and sounding distraught.

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MORE: Karen Read Trial

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  The Diocese of Knoxville released a statement welcoming the new pope, Leo XIV, and celebrating his election.

We are filled with immense gratitude to the Holy Spirit for guiding the College of Cardinals in selecting Pope Leo XIV to lead our Catholic Church, said Bishop Mark Beckman of the Diocese of Knoxville. The faithful of East Tennessee join in prayer and thanksgiving for our new Holy Father.

Vanderbilt Poll: Tennessee voters largely oppose federal spending cuts on key programs

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Beckman wrote that Pope Leo XIV brings tremendous gifts to the papacy and the diocese looks forward to his leadership as they continue to proclaim the Gospel message of Jesus Christ in East Tennessee and throughout the world.

On Thursday, Robert Prevost was elected as the first pope from the United States. He is a Chicago native and was a missionary in Peru for years. He took the name Leo XIV.

Zoo Knoxville welcomes litter of endangered red wolf pups

The diocese also released a statement in April after the death of Pope Francis.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
FBI Director Kash Patel left senators dumbfounded during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing today, practically scoffing at the idea that he has to deliver a budget request in a timely manner, while throwing up his hands about any responsibility the FBI might have in holding Donald Trumps administration to account for denying due process to immigrants.

The hearing focused on the FBIs budget, although Patel didnt seem very interested in cooperating with Congress  which is tasked with appropriating the agencys funding. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) was in disbelief that Patel didnt have a budget request ready for review. It was due last week, by law, she said. Patel didnt care. You have no timeline? Murray continued. No, Patel said.

Were now having a budget hearing without a budget request, Murray continued. So, Director Patel, where is the FY2026 budget request for the FBI?

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Patel said its being worked on and refused to give any sort of timeline for when it might be produced. Im doing the best I can, he said.

Well, that is insufficient and deeply disturbing, Murray said.

Kash Patel, the conspiracy theorist that Republicans made FBI Director, came to a Senate hearing on the budget  with NO budget, NO timeline, and NO clue, Murray wrote later on X. Its downright incompetent, and its making America less safe. We need serious leadership at the FBI.

The budget wasnt the only thing Patel appeared clueless about. The FBI director also got into it with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) over the Trump administration deporting immigrants without due process, and whether the FBI would investigate the matter. The Constitution explicitly affords due process to all people, and the Supreme Court has ruled and reaffirmed that the protection extends to undocumented immigrants  which means denying it is illegal.

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Patel questioned whether the immigrants should have been afforded due process. Your position is that every one of those individuals is by constitutional right afforded due process. I dont know the answer to that, he said, sounding skeptical of the idea that the hundreds of migrants the administration sent to prison in El Salvador were supposed to be given due process.

When Merkley said, Thats what the Constitution says, Patel said, It doesnt say that, while simultaneously insisting he reads the Constitution every day.

As the first public defender whos ever served the FBI as its director, I am more aware of due process than any predecessor in my seat. Youre delineating between removal proceedings and criminal acts. My job is to investigate criminal acts, Patel told Merkley during the tense back-and-forth, adding that the FBI is not the agency involved in removing immigrants.

So if an agency other than the FBI violates the law and the Constitution, you will not investigate because its a different agency? Merkley asked.

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I will investigate every violation of law.

But you just said you wont investigate.

Patel then said he disagrees that the Supreme Court has ruled that due process applies to undocumented immigrants.

Top Trump officials have pushed a similar argument to justify the administrations refusal to honor the Supreme Courts order to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man wrongfully deported to El Salvador.

Trump has tried to wash his hands of the issue entirely, repeatedly claiming ignorance while referring the matter to his lawyers, meaning the Justice Department.

Dont you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States, as president? Kirsten Welker of NBC News asked the president on Saturday.

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I dont know, Trump replied.

Patel doesnt either, apparently, which doesnt inspire much confidence in the leader of the nations premier law enforcement agency.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  The woman convicted of manslaughter of a 7-month-old child will serve the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Dixie Denise Villa was found guilty of manslaughter in November 2024 for giving 7-month-old Abigail Lobisch a fatal dose of Benadryl back in 2019.

Judge denies new trial for Dixie Villa

Following a heated trial of disputed testimony and claims of withheld evidence, a Circuit Court judge clarified his position, saying the court could not ignore the medical evidence presented in the case.

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The family waited six years for justice. Our keiki are vulnerable and those who care for them should be held accountable when they harm them, said Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm.

Before the sentence was handed down, Abigails mother, Anna Lobish, addressed the court, describing the emotional toll the ordeal has taken on her and her family.

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My life has been defined by grief, loss and the pain of living without Abby is a heavy weight I will carry every single day for the rest of my life, Anna said as she broke down in tears.

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Prosecutors urged the court to impose the full sentence.

The defendant could have easily called Anna that night to take back her children and she didnt. She made a choice and now, she should have to deal with the consequences of her choice, said Tiffany Kaeo, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney.

Whats the Law: Exploring the Legalities of the Babysitter Trial

Meanwhile, Villas defense pushed back, asking for 10 years probation to allow Villa to continue caring for her two young children.

Ms. Villa has remained arrest and conviction free, shes been a contributing member of our community and she was the mother of a special needs child and another child that she cared for on a full-time basis, said Megan Kau, Villas attorney.

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After the sentence was read, Villa was taken back into custody. On the other side, a sense of relief.

Im so relieved that its over. Im happy with what happened in there, said Anna Lobisch.

Check out more news from around Hawaii

While Dixie Villa begins serving her 20-year sentence, her new legal team will be preparing to appeal the conviction, meaning this legal fight is far from over.

I strongly believe that we have legal basis to overturn the conviction and ask for a new trial, said Villas attorney, Megan Kau. Kaus motion to withdraw as Villas counsel was granted by the Judge, due to Kaus office not handling appeal cases.

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Prosecutors say they expect an appeal, but hope this sentence brings closure to the family, for now.

Six years is a long time to wait for justice and while justice has been delayed, we hope this is not justice denied, said Kaeo.

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May 8Dixon Public Schools' newest addition, Thomas J. Dempsey Therapeutic Day School, is nearing what is sure to be a historic moment for the district  the end of its first school year.

The kindergarten to 12th grade school provides special-education services to students who experience difficulty in their home schools because of severe behavioral or emotional challenges.

It opened Aug. 14, 2024, with two classrooms for 11 students and quickly expanded to three rooms and 16 students in grades kindergarten to eighth, Principal Janine Huffman said.

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Opening the school has "been a labor of love," Superintendent Margo Empen said at Dempsey's open house Oct. 19, 2024.

Discussions about adding therapeutic day services to the district had been going on for several years. By bringing these students back to Dixon, the district hopes to better incorporate them into the DPS community, Empen said.

"That was a driving factor" behind the district's creation of the school, Huffman said.

Before opening, in-need students were sent to locations that included the Quad Cities, Rockford and Loves Park. That meant those students weren't getting home until around 4:30 p.m. and couldn't participate in a lot of district activities, she said.

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Since opening, two Dempsey students participated in a district fundraiser and will get to take a limo ride to Angelo's for lunch because of how much they raised, Huffman said.

The role of Dempsey is to fill in students' emotional and social gaps for them to be successful at their home school, which is based on grade level within the district, she said.

The program follows a basic-level system that students move up in throughout the year based on point sheets that track different behaviors, such as following directions, responding to frustration and, for older students, academic goals. At 10 points, students move up a level and earn rewards like recess time or "Dempsey Dollars" to spend at the school store, Huffman said.

At the highest level, which is four, school administration would begin considering whether a student is ready to transition back to their home school, she said.

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"We work with the students every day on social, emotional skills, academic skills, things like that," Huffman said.

Classrooms are blended with one for kindergarten and first, another is second and third and then fourth to eighth. A big focus is regulation, and the staff "tries to find different things that really calm the kids," Huffman said.

Dempsey's first through third grade teacher plays calming music and videos in their classroom. The art teacher does therapeutic art with students, and there's a cool-down room where students can go if they're emotionally dysregulated.

All Dempsey students have individualized education plans, and a lot of them have some type of trauma and have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or another mental health diagnosis.

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"It's not a one-size-fits-all. We tailor the services to the needs of each individual student because every student is different," Huffman said.

With only 16 students in the entire school, class sizes are significantly smaller than the typical 15 to 25.

"That really makes this kind of a unique place because we really, really get to know the kids and what helps them," she said. "We love them a lot."

"Even with myself being the principal, I have the joy to be able to get into the classrooms and really get to know all the students ... I love working with kids, so this is like the perfect fit for me," Huffman said.

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Huffman previously worked as a special education teacher at Lighted Way, a therapeutic day school in LaSalle. She then moved into administration, becoming a special education coordinator at the Bureau-Marshall-Putnam Special Education Cooperative before joining DPS.

"I have great staff here. I can't do this without them. They're wonderful and they're very dedicated," she said.

Dempsey has four teachers and four paraprofessionals, along with a secretary, a nurse and a custodian, Huffman said.

In the fall, Huffman said, they're hoping to expand by hiring more teachers and enrolling more students. At capacity, the school could have 50 to 70 students.

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The school will also be getting a playground, and updates are planned for the gym floor and ceiling, she said.

Huffman said she's excited to get the playground installed because it's been a challenge to run a school with kindergarten to eighth grade students without one.

"I'm excited. This is kind of a final culmination of everything," DPS Superintendent Margo Empen said at the Dixon School Board's April 16 meeting.

The projects total $366,765 and are being funded through an Individuals with Disabilities Education Act grant from the Illinois State Board of Education. All three projects were approved by the board at its April 16 meeting.
COLOMBO, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, announced on Thursday that it has suspended all flights from Sri Lanka to Lahore and Karachi in Pakistan, until further notice, due to safety concerns.

The airline confirmed to the media that flights to both cities have been suspended.

Passengers with bookings to Lahore and Karachi are advised to contact SriLankan Airlines for assistance with rescheduling or obtaining refunds.

The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority stated on Thursday that flight operations at Karachi, Lahore and Sialkot airports have been temporarily suspended, in light of the current tension between Pakistan and India. 
A documentary film has shed new light on how the administration of United States President Joe Biden responded to the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, suggesting Washington had evidence indicating her shooting death was likely intentional.

An Israeli sniper fatally shot Abu Akleh nearly three years ago while she reported from the Jenin refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on May 11, 2022.

The new film  a 40-minute investigative documentary from the Washington, DC-based media company Zeteo  was released on Thursday just ahead of the anniversary of her death.

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Under the title Who Killed Shireen?, the documentary explores not only who pulled the trigger but why justice has been so elusive in Abu Aklehs case. It also offers the clearest picture yet of the Biden administrations political manoeuvring as public pressure mounted for accountability.

Abu Akleh was a US citizen, and during her final reporting assignment, she wore both a helmet and a blue vest clearly labelled with the word press to indicate her status as a journalist.

In the aftermath of her killing, the Biden administration faced pressure to investigate the circumstances of her death and whether the shooting was intentional.

But while the administration initially called for an independent, credible investigation, it shifted its stance as the months progressed. It walked back calls for the killer to be prosecuted and eventually described the shooting as the result of tragic circumstances.

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It also eased its scrutiny of the Israeli military, calling for accountability only in the form of a review of its rules of engagement.

The documentary Who Killed Shireen? features interviews from former Washington insiders about why the Biden administration made such a pivot. Its most damaging testimony comes from an anonymous official, who spoke with his face and voice obscured.

In the film, the official claims the evidence available to the Biden administration indicated that Abu Aklehs death was an intentional killing. He said that assessment was based on the visual capabilities of that day and the distance between the Israeli snipers and the journalists who were shot.

Another journalist, Ali al-Samoudi, was also wounded at the same time as Abu Akleh, though he survived his gunshot.

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Whether or not they knew it was her [Abu Akleh] or not can very well be debated, but they would have absolutely known it was a media person or a noncombatant at a minimum that [the Israeli soldier] shot and killed, the anonymous Biden official said.





He added that it was his belief that the shooter would have been able to see Abu Aklehs blue press jacket.

The official acknowledged the shift in the Biden administrations position, from viewing the shooting as an intentional killing to describing it as a tragic accident. He linked that about-face to the historically close ties the US has shared with Israel.

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Ultimately, I think what it came down to was different pressure within the administration to not try to anger the government of Israel too much, by trying to force their hand at saying they intentionally killed a US citizen, the official said.

Another former US official, Andrew Miller, also spoke to filmmakers as part of the documentary. Miller served as the deputy secretary of state for Israeli-Palestinian Affairs from 2022 to 2024, and he indicated that the Biden administration had not been forthcoming about the stonewalling it faced from the Israeli government.

He said the government of then-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett refused to allow the US access to the soldier who fired the fatal shot, even for informal questioning.

Miller also cast doubt on Israeli claims that Abu Akleh was shot during a crossfire with Palestinian fighters. He explained that the Biden administration had information from the start that contradicted those claims.

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The fact that the official Israeli position remains that this was a case of crossfire  [that] the entire episode was a mistake  as opposed to potentially a mistake in identification or the deliberate targeting of this individual  points to, I think, a broader policy of seeking to manage the narrative, Miller said.





The Biden administration had never publicly contradicted Israels assessment. Instead, when the Israeli military released its final report on the killing in September 2022, it said it welcomed the assessment.

That report asserted that Abu Akleh was accidentally hit by an Israeli bullet during an exchange of fire in which life-risking, widespread and indiscriminate shots were fired toward Israeli soldiers.

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To date, the US government has never declassified a State Department report on the killing or confirmed media reports that the Department of Justice was conducting a separate probe.

Rights groups, press freedom organisations, and lawmakers have long called the Biden administrations response inadequate, appealing for greater transparency and for the US to withhold aid to the military unit responsible.

Advocates said the latest revelations underscore a continued cycle of impunity.

The US government has acted as an accomplice to Israeli war crimes, not only against Palestinians but Americans, too, trumping loyalty to its own laws and citizens, said Raed Jarrar, advocacy director at the human rights organisation Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), in a statement responding to the documentary.
Filmmakers behind a new documentary on the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by Israeli forces say they have uncovered the identity of the soldier who pulled the trigger.

Who Killed Shireen?, a 40-minute investigative documentary released on Thursday by Washington, DC-based media company Zeteo, identifies the killer as a 20-year-old Israeli soldier who was on his first combat tour in the occupied West Bank and lifts the lid on attempts by the United States to avoid holding ally Israel accountable for the murder.

Dion Nissenbaum, the executive producer of the documentary, told Al Jazeera that its makers had set out to uncover exactly who was behind the killing  a secret closely guarded by Israel up to now, according to Zeteo  and that they hoped the findings would lead to further investigations by the US.

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The administration of former US President Joe Biden had concluded early on that an Israeli soldier had intentionally targeted her, but that conclusion was overruled internally, he said.

We found some concerning evidence that both Israel and the Biden administration had covered up Shireens killing and allowed the soldier to get away without any accountability, he added.

Anton Abu Akleh, Shireens brother, said the documentary was really important for her family. Im sure it will shed more light and prove that she was systematically targeted like other journalists in Palestine by the Israeli army, he said.

The documentary features exclusive interviews not just with ex-US officials but also former top Israeli officials and soldiers, as well as journalists who knew Shireen personally.

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We hope that people will be reminded of what an icon Shireen was, said Nissenbaum.

In cold blood

Abu Akleh was wearing a helmet and a clearly marked press vest when she was killed while covering an Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp on May 11, 2022, an act that the Al Jazeera Media Network condemned as a cold-blooded assassination.

Investigations into her killing carried out by news agencies, rights groups and the United Nations have all concluded that Abu Akleh was killed  likely deliberately  by Israeli soldiers.

Israel initially tried to deflect blame for the incident and suggested that Palestinian fighters killed the journalist, but it eventually walked back that claim and acknowledged its troops were responsible for her death, saying it was an accident.

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A year later, Israels military said it was deeply sorry for the death of Abu Akleh, but said it would not launch criminal proceedings against the soldiers believed to be behind the killing.

The US dropped its request for an Israeli criminal investigation after Israels apology.

Abu Aklehs death shocked the world and focused an international spotlight on Israeli killings of Palestinian journalists.

Reporters Without Borders said on Friday that Israeli forces killed nearly 200 journalists in the first 18 months of Israels all-out assault on Gaza, at least 42 of whom were slain while doing their job.
HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP)  We can always count on hot weather in the summer here in North Carolina.

We are now rolling through May, and this is the month when we normally experience our first 90-degree day.

You may be surprised to learn that our first 90 has been arriving later over the years. Over the past 122 years since records began for the Triad in 1903, the first 90-degree day of the year averages to May 19. Since 1950, it has averaged to May 25, and, since 2000, the first has averaged May 29.

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The earliest was March 17, 1945, and the latest was July 18, 1971. I prefer years like 1971.

How many of these hot days can we expect?

If we go by all-time, it would be 37 days. Based on records for the Triad, that is the average from 1903-2024.

If we just look at 1903-1950, that period averaged 43 days. That was at a time when most people did not have air conditioning.

In the period from 1950-1999, the average dropped to 32 days.

Since 2000, that number has remained very stable, sitting at 34 days, well below the average from 1903-1950.

The coolest summer we ever had, based on 90-degree days, was 1971 when only seven days got that hot.

The most was 82 days back in 1914.

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When we talk about normals, we use the most recent 30 years.

We are sitting at 33 days. Over the last two years, we have hit 90 degrees on 29 days in both 2023 and 2024.

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TOPEKA (KSNT)  One local volunteer-based organization is worried about their service availability going forward following funding cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

DOGE made cuts to AmeriCorps nationwide. The United Way of Kaw Valley said Kansas specifically is losing over $4.5 million in funding, and 375 staff members from these cuts.

These cuts range from the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) in Topeka, to universities across the Sunflower State, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Manhattan and Lawrence. Those clubs are losing nearly $2 million in funding. The United Way of Kaw Valley CEO, Jessica Lehnherr, told 27 News it was expecting this round of funding through the next six months.

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What do Kansas Catholics want from the next Pope?

Now, the organization is having to ask difficult questions, like how will they be able to support the numerous service across the community?

So many rely on our nonprofit sector to help provide for them in times of need, Lehnherr said. Not only that, helping with education and our educational system. If we want families to be able to continue to work, we need to help support them while they are working by having affordable childcare.

Lehnherr encourages those in the community that are concerned with these cuts to reach out to their state representatives.

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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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It's not just Elon Musk's plan to step back. DOGE-related initiatives are stalling in Congress, too.

The DOGE caucus hasn't met in months, and the DOGE committee held an off-topic hearing.

"The DOGE caucus in Congress is dead, it's defunct," one lawmaker said recently.

Everywhere you look in Washington, DOGE is beginning to slow down.

It's not just that Elon Musk is preparing to scale back his involvement in the project and devote more time to Tesla. Nor is it merely that Musk's estimated $2 trillion in cuts to the federal budget have shrunk to less than $200 billion. DOGE-related initiatives on Capitol Hill  where decisions about government spending are ultimately made  are also losing steam.

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"That's one of my big frustrations right now," Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee, told BI. "The president's DOGE agenda is all through executive orders, and not through anything else."

A House caucus established to provide cost-cutting ideas to DOGE has had little interaction with the Trump administration. On Wednesday, a House panel created to support government efficiency efforts held a hearing on transgender athletes in fencing. And plans to vote on making DOGE cuts permanent have stalled as well.

Despite the shock and awe of Musk's first several weeks in government, time has shown that DOGE is still subject to the laws of political gravity. Musk has become unpopular, DOGE has faced massive blowback from the public, and Tesla  the source of most of Musk's wealth  has become the target of protests.

The substance of Musk's project is also at risk. Though Congress has largely taken a back seat to the executive branch in the initial months of President Donald Trump's term, the legislative branch will have to act to ensure that any changes made by DOGE aren't reversible by the next administration.

'We're not even going to call it the DOGE subcommittee anymore'

For months, the House Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency  aka, the DOGE subcommittee  has been the main forum for Republicans and Democrats to hash out DOGE-related topics in a public forum. It's held hearings on improper payments, USAID, funding for NPR and PBS, and whether the federal government should downsize its real estate portfolio.

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On Wednesday, the subcommittee departed from that course and held a hearing on transgender athletes participating in fencing competitions.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, the chairwoman of the subcommittee, said ahead of the hearing that the topic was tied to government efficiency because Trump signed an executive order aimed at barring transgender women from competing in women's sports.

During the hearing, several Democrats on the committee argued that the hearing was off topic.

"We're not even going to call it the DOGE subcommittee anymore. This is called the fencing oversight committee," Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico, the top Democrat on the panel, said mockingly. "Welcome to the fencing oversight committee."

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Republicans on the subcommittee largely demurred when asked about the apparent off-topic nature of the hearing. "Yeah, I don't know," Burchett said. "You know, people are concerned about it."

Meanwhile, the House DOGE caucus  a bipartisan group that boasts nearly 80 members  has been far less active than originally envisioned. Leaders told BI in January that the group planned to release a report at the end of the first quarter that compiled cost-saving suggestions for the White House and Musk.

But the group hasn't met in months, and Republican Rep. Blake Moore of Utah, one of the group's three co-chairs, told BI that the plans for a report had been delayed.

"There just hasn't been a lot of interaction with us and the administration," Moore said.

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Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida, one of a handful of Democrats who had joined the group, went even further in a recent CNN interview. "The DOGE caucus in Congress is dead, it's defunct," Moskowitz said. "It met twice, I was there, it never met again. They weren't included in any conversations."

Moore said that members are waiting for the White House to submit a request asking Congress to withdraw funding that lawmakers had previously approved, known as a "rescission."

The administration had planned to ask lawmakers to cut funding for USAID, NPR, and PBS, according to various reports. But now that's also been put on hold, and the White House did not respond to a request for comment on when the recission request would be made.

"Our focus is just, at this point, going to be on what rescissions ultimately come," Moore said. "But there's been a major delay in that, so it's kind of waiting to see what legislative action happens."

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Department of Justice is charging a 20-year-old with hate crimes after he allegedly assaulted Jewish people with connections to Columbia University during protests this year and last against the war between Israel and Hamas.

Tarek Bazrouk was arrested and charged with three counts of hate crimes Wednesday after the government says he assaulted Jewish people, including two Columbia students, in three separate incidents.

As alleged, on three separate occasions, Tarek Bazrouk deliberately targeted and assaulted Jewish victims at protests relating to the Israel/Gaza war, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said in a press release.

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Despite being arrested after each incident, Bazrouk allegedly remained undeterred and quickly returned to using violence to target Jews in New York City. This Office is dedicated to seeking justice for victims of hate crimes and will aggressively prosecute those who spread bigotry and discrimination through violence, Clayton added.

The first incident happened April 15, 2024, when Bazrouk  who is not identified as a Columbia student  was arrested by officers during a protest and on his way to the police vehicle allegedly kicked a Jewish student, who was wearing a kippah and carrying an Israeli flag, in the stomach.

On Dec. 9, Bazrouk reportedly punched a Jewish student in the face after stealing an Israeli flag from the victims brother. And the last incident occurred Jan. 6, when Bazrouk allegedly punched another Jewish person in the face.

The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard Berman.

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According to court documents, authorities discovered text messages in which Bazrouk identified himself as a Jew hater, said Jewish people were worthless and was happy to find out he had family members in Hamas.

Authorities said his phone was also filled with support for Hamas and Hezbollah.

Each hate crime charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

The arrest came the same day some 80 pro-Palestinian activists were detained after they stormed Columbia Universitys library, injuring two employees in the largest protest the school has seen this year.

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On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the alliance between Britain and America is once again in the spotlight. Sir Keir Starmer has struck a trade deal with Donald Trump  not a phrase many people would have seen coming this time last year  turning the chaos of Aprils Liberation Day tariffs into a golden opportunity for the United Kingdom. Britain, and not Brussels, is first in line for a full and comprehensive trade deal. Stick that one in your pipe, Obama.

At least, thats the story Sir Keir Starmer will undoubtedly try to sell. One of the most ardent Remainers reformed as a buccaneering Brexiteer, signing deals with India and the US in his first year in office.

At this point, however, a slightly more sober assessment is warranted. Aprils tariffs were set to be highly damaging, and its good that weve managed to limit their impact. Its also the case that were still far worse off than we were in March.

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The trade deal announced today is thin. It doesnt lift all the tariffs introduced this year, or do anything close. Britain has negotiated the 25 per cent additional rate for 100,000 cars each year, and for automobile components, down to 10 per cent, and the rate for steel and aluminium to zero. This is a good thing, to be clear. But its also the case that every other additional tariff  including the 10 per cent baseline rate  is staying in place. The tariffs our exporters face when trying to sell to the US will still be far higher than they were just a few months ago.

In practical terms, this means that Britain will be billions worse off. By putting together data on UK exports by subcategory, US tariff rates, and trade elasticities, Ive come up with a rough estimate of the deals effects. It isnt exact  given the time constraints it cant be  and Ive had to make some judgment calls about which tariffs apply to which categories.

But with those caveats out of the way, my back-of-the-envelope calculation is that the April tariffs would have lowered UK exports to the US by around 12.4 billion, and the value of the remaining goods sold by about 250 million. Not all of that would be a hit to GDP  some trade would likely be redirected  but it would certainly have been a blow. The deal on beef is essentially a rounding error, with the UK exporting around 3 million per year.

Todays deal only slightly cushions it. Cars and automobile parts are a major component of the UKs exports to the US, so there is some positive impact. But the net effect is that between lower export volumes and lower prices, well still likely be 9.5 billion worse off than we were before.

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In exchange, weve cut existing tariffs on US beef and apparently agreed to buy $10 billion worth of Boeing planes, in some form or another.

For Donald Trump, its a clear negotiating win. He lowered tariffs that were most likely imposed in an attempt to get other countries to fall into line, delivering a synthetic solution to an artificial crisis. In exchange, he won material concessions from Downing Street.

For Britain, meanwhile, its not a triumph. Its not even really a trade deal. Its partial relief at best from Trumps trade war. And while Sir Keir believes the deal is an incredible platform for the future, the chances of building on it to a proper trade agreement seem slim, with the Prime Minister fixated on an EU reset that is limiting his ability to offer regulatory concessions of the sort required for a more comprehensive pact with Washington. The result is that British exporters are not so much running to stay still as they are sprinting flat out while still sliding backwards.

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Crews have officially begun work to demolish Bresee Tower, requiring the closure of the portion of Main Street in front of the tower  a process which could take as long as two months, according to a May 1 press release from the City. Downtown business owners are concerned about the impact this could have on their businesses.

Ethan Burt, owner of the new Revel Bakery & Play Cafe  which opened in Towne Center in December 2024 and celebrated with an official ribbon cutting April 20  came to Tuesdays City Council meeting with his concerns.

Weve already seen what a road closure can do when Vermilion was closed, Burt said. Several businesses saw an immediate and dramatic drop in traffic.

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As an example, Burt cited The Local Farmhouse, which he said reported to him their business was down 80% during the Vermilion Street closure.

They werent alone. This closure is more substantial and will last much longer, Burt said. Ive spoken with several businesses downtown and I can tell you plainly if this even has a similar impact to them, as it did with Vermilion, let alone worse, you will see businesses close.

Ciping Daisy Liu, owner of Green Island Chinese Restaurant on Vermilion, next to the court house, is one of those business owners.

Liu said her business has dropped by at least 30% since the beginning of the demolition project.

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After the re-opening of Vermilion Street when the annex building demolition was complete, work crews cordoned off five parking spaces right in front of her building  something Liu said was a major cause of the drop in business.

Business has been very slow. Because they closed those parking spaces, people have to walk a little bit farther [for parking] and they dont want to do that, she said.

Although she and her husband had to close down the restaurants dining room during COVID-19 quarantines, Liu said the road closure hit their business even harder.

People were still coming a lot to get take-out orders in COVID, she said. Now, its a lot less.

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Liu, who has owned the building for 21 years, said she is not sure how her business will be impacted by the extended Main Street closure, but if the Vermilion Street closure is any indication, it wont be good.

On the other hand, thanks to a few social media posts made by concerned residents, Liu said, she is grateful to the new customers who have come to replace the ones she lost.

A lot of people who never came here before came to support us when they saw the Facebook post, Liu said.

Burt was particularly concerned, he said, because of the impact the extended closure could have on the downtown area, which he called the heart, blood, and soul of the city.

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Weve been getting real momentum downtown. Theres so many businesses down there, he said, adding that although things like the casino on Lynch Road and the new Sonic on the corner of Fairchild and Vermilion Streets bring services, and were appreciative of those things, theyre not the heart, blood, and soul of a city.

Its the small businesses, and we all already know that. We kind of get, at best, the last fruits. So we get considered the least, Burt said.

Burt also took issue with the lack of conversation between City officials and downtown business owners.

The tower needs to come down. Im not against that, he said. If this level of shutdown were going to take place in front of a school or a hospital or some other major institution, I imagine [leadership] would have been brought to some pretty important conversations, Burt said.

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Burt called on the City Council to see if there was anything the City could do to help offset this impact, a question Cooper also asked later in the meeting.

Can the city legally do anything to offset the impact on these businesses and what theyre going through? asked Cooper. Financially, can we do anything as far as tax breaks or anything?

Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr. responded, saying they had just held a leadership meeting to discuss that very question, though no final determination had been made yet.

We decided for sure that well be doing additional signage and some additional public awareness, Williams said, adding that they have discussed other financial incentives to offer area customers to get them to continue frequenting downtown businesses, though he said there is nothing decided yet  something he hopes they will have soon.

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Why two months?

Tyler Zindars, owner of Zindars Property Management, also expressed his concerns over the impacts of the extended closure on his business.

Weve been doing quite a bit of work renovating that area, and I was kind of shocked when I heard that it was going to close for two months, Zindars said, asking why the demolition would take so much time.

I doubt its going to take them two months, and that will negatively affect those businesses that are downtown, Zindars said. Thats kind of excessive a time frame to take that building down, considering they took the annex down pretty quick.

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As to why the closure could last as long as two months, Dave Ruwe, director of public works, said its about minimizing the possibility of damage from falling pieces of the buildings facade.

Were not worried about the building toppling over. Its not the structural [integrity]. What theyre concerned with, and why Main Street is being closed, is for little pieces of facade that fall off and then hit the pavement and scatter across the street, Ruwe said. Theyre worried about cars being damaged with a bouncing piece of facade.

For that same reason, the windows on the north-facing side of the Old National Bank building have been boarded up with plywood, Ruwe said, as the bank wanted to prevent any possible broken windows during the demolition.

The decision to close Main Street during the Bresee Tower demolition was made recently when the demolition crew came to the City expressing their concerns after witnessing such facade pieces falling to the ground during the annex demolition, Ruwe said.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  One day after FOX4 highlighted rising safety concerns from downtown business owners  concerns they say have gone unanswered  Mayor Quinton Lucas is pushing back.

Bradley Gilmore, chef and owner of Lulas Southern Cookhouse, was one of several business leaders who shared frustrations about crime, enforcement and what they described as a lack of meaningful response from the city.

Kansas City Costco hit-and-run victim speaks out

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The post from last night and this morning has brought a lot of eyes, Gilmore told FOX4. Ive received messages from customers, vendors, even strangers. If you read the comments, its the same story from the City Market to Waldo.

People dont feel protected in their own city right now.

While the issues arent new, Gilmore and others allege the citys silence is.

One day after FOX4s initial story aired, Lucas took to the comment section of FOX4s Facebook page to dispute the reporting.

The mayor denied receiving a text message from Gilmore, despite Gilmore showing a read receipt on his end.

Its been a frustrating couple of weeks, Gilmore said. This past weekend, the ATVs were out again. I sent a message to the mayorjust like he asked me to.

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Not only did Gilmore send the message, he sent it to the correct number, the same one Lucas has shared publicly. Both FOX4 and the Mayor have also verified the number is correct.

Regardless, the mayor maintains that he never received the message.

Recently burglarized KC business find stolen items on Facebook Marketplace

When Lucas texted Gilmore during a visit to FOX4 studios on Tuesday afternoon, Gilmore replied instantly.

Even with the back-and-forth over the text, business owners say the bigger concern is feeling ignored when it comes to crime and public safety.

Weve had employees and customers robbed in broad daylight, Gilmore said. This goes back to a local chef being shot. Every day, theres broken glass from car break-ins. And the new parking regulations? Completely out of control.

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Lucas did not address public safety during his visit to the FOX4 studios. He declined a full sit-down interview, saying he had previous engagement to attend.

If we want to talk more about public safety, Ive got Ketanji Brown Jackson to go see at 4 oclock. Id like to be there and get through security. We told you, I didnt see a message, you looked at my phone. Bring his device here, Im a lawyer, like youre a reporter, bring his device, bring my device, call AT&T and we can figure it all out.

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The one positive to come out of this? Lucas and Bradley Gilmore are now directly connected via text.

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FOX4 will continue to follow this developing story.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Dozens are expected to gather Thursday outside the Embassy of El Salvador demanding the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an El Salvador man who was living in Maryland before being wrongfully deported to an El Salvadoran prison by the Trump administration in March.

Trump administration invokes state secrets privilege in Kilmar Abrego Garcias case

Since his deportation, advocates and community members have been working tirelessly to secure his return to the United States. The rally, scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m., aims to send a strong message to both U.S. and Salvadoran officials to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U.S.

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This was totally unfair and against our whole constitutional system of laws, said Ross Wells, a rally organizer, describing his reaction when he learned of Abrego Garcias case. Ultimately, we want our message to be heard in San Salvador by President Kelly.

Abrego Garcia was deported despite a protective order that should have prevented his removal. The White House later admitted the deportation was an administrative error, but has maintained that Abrego Garcia is linked to the MS-13 gang, a claim his legal team strongly denies.

If President Trump wanted him to return, he could make that happen, said Wells. All he has to do is ask President Kelly of El Salvador to release him.

In recent weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration must facilitate Abrego Garcias return.

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Recently, a federal judge in the ongoing case has ordered both sides to submit briefings regarding the circumstances of his deportation but the Trump administrations claims documents in the legal battle regarding Abrego Garcia are state secrets.

What were asking for is the rule of law and due process, said Well. Did he have a fair chance in the legal system? Let people have their day in court.

Despite the legal battles, community organizers remain resolute.

Oh, well never give up, said Wells. This kind of pushback is getting stronger, not weaker.

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VIENTIANE, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government is advancing a master plan to develop and manage the national tourism zone in Vangvieng, a tourism town in Vientiane province, with the goal of boosting tourism and attracting more visitors.

The dissemination conference for the 2025-2035 National Tourism Zone Development and Management Master Plan for Vangvieng district and surrounding areas was held on Wednesday, with attendance from representatives of the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and related sectors, Lao National Radio reported on Thursday.

The conference served as a platform to present the details of the master plan to stakeholders at both the national and local levels. It aims to promote coordinated implementation and encourage all parties to align their efforts with the shared vision for a sustainable tourism future in Vangvieng.

Speaking at the meeting, Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suansavanh Viyaket emphasized the government's strong commitment to tourism as a key driver of socio-economic development.

She noted that the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the Lao government have prioritized the tourism sector as a means to stimulate economic growth by harnessing the country's rich tourism potential.

The master plan emphasizes integrated urban and tourism development, sustainable land use, and the protection of Vangvieng's natural and cultural heritage. It provides a strategic framework for guiding infrastructure development, environmental conservation, and investment planning over the next decade.

Vangvieng is one of Laos' most iconic tourism destinations, known for its pristine natural beauty, vibrant rivers, limestone mountains, welcoming communities, and diverse eco-tourism and adventure activities.

In 2024, Vangvieng attracted 1,460,159 tourists, including 777,698 domestic visitors. 
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Mahmoud Issa

CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) -Dozens of community kitchens in Gaza shut their doors on Thursday due to a lack of supplies, closing off a lifeline used by hundreds of thousands of people in a further blow to efforts to combat growing hunger in the enclave.

The move followed hours after the U.S.-based World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity announced that it had run out of the ingredients necessary to provide much-needed free meals and had been prevented by Israel from bringing in aid.

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Amjad al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) in Gaza, told Reuters that most of the enclave's 170 community kitchens had shut down after running out of stock due to Israel's continued blockade on Gaza.

Shawa said the decision by the WCK, announced late on Wednesday, and the closure of community kitchens on Thursday would cause a drop of between 400,000 to 500,000 free meals per day for the 2.3 million population.

"Everyone in Gaza today is hungry. The world must act now to save the people here," said Shawa, speaking to Reuters by phone from Gaza.

"The remaining kitchens will be closing soon. The hunger catastrophe is beyond words. People are losing their lone source of food," Shawa added.

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Those Gazans trying to cook independently meanwhile complain that flour still available on the market is contaminated.

"The flour is full of mites and sand ... We sieve it three, four times, instead of once, so we can bake it," said Mohammad Abu Ayesh, a displaced father of nine from northern Gaza.

'WE ARE HELPLESS'

On Thursday, the Gaza health ministry said Israeli military strikes across the enclave killed at least 105 people in the past 24 hours, in one of the biggest death tolls in a single day in two months. It added that more than 52,700 people have been killed by Israel since the war began on October 7, 2023.

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The war began when Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

"We don't want to eat from it, but we feed the children, for the children. You can't tolerate its smell, cattle and animals would not eat it, we are forced to eat it against our will, we are helpless, he told Reuters.

Israel has faced growing international pressure to lift an aid blockade that it imposed in March after the collapse of a U.S.-backed ceasefire that had halted fighting for two months.

Israel has accused agencies, including the United Nations, of allowing large quantities of aid to fall into the hands of Hamas militants, who it accuses of seizing supplies intended for civilians and using them for their own forces.

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Hamas denies the allegation and accuses Israel of using starvation as a weapon against the population, most of whom have been displaced at least once during the 19-month-old conflict.

In Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian woman Huda Abu Diyya has just returned from a visit to a community kitchen where she received what the owners told her would be her family's last meal.

"If it werent for the community kitchen, we would have died. For the sake of our children, what shall we do? ... What should I feed them tomorrow?" the woman told Reuters.

'WE WILL DIE OF HUNGER'

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"Nothing is available here. Everything became so expensive, we have nothing here. The situation is below zero. A bit more like this and we will die of hunger," she added.

Two weeks ago most of the population relied on one and a half meals per day, but in the past few days that has dropped to one meal a day, and even that will lack meat, vegetables or the necessary healthy components, said Shawa.

"The free meals are usually rice or lentils, that is now also at risk of being suspended within the next week. I am afraid that we may begin to witness deaths among elderly, vulnerable children, pregnant women, and the ill," said Shawa.

Growing looting of community kitchens, stores of local merchants, and U.N. headquarters have prompted Hamas security forces to crack down on local gangs. Hamas executed at least six gang members last week, according to sources close to the group.

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U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA has said more than 2 million people - most of Gaza's population - face severe food shortages. Food has dried up in Gaza markets, and prices have risen beyond the means of the vast majority. Flour sells at around $500 for a 25 kg (55 lb) sack, compared with $7 in the past.

(Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi. Additional reporting by Mahmoud Issa and Hatem Khaled in Gaza, Editing by William Maclean)
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Dozens of workers will be impacted by the looming closure of a Portland Albertsons.

According to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification issued on Wednesday, 87 employees will be laid off from the location on 5415 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy. But Albertsons spokesperson Jill McGinnis told KOIN 6 most of the associates will be relocated to nearby stores.

Zero tolerance: 205 arrested in national FBI child sex predator operation, including 3 Oregon men

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Previous reports announced that the location is set to shutter on Tuesday, July 1. Last week, McGinnis noted that the closure is due to the grocers inability to secure a lease agreement with the current landlord.

The WARN Notice is now revealing that the affected workers were informed of the closure on April 29.

While opportunities for continued employment at other company locations are available, a small number of associates may experience separation from the company, Albertsons Human Resources Director for the Portland Division, Debbie Willer, wrote.

Willer added that employees are permitted to continue working to finalize operations for a period beyond when the store is slated to shut down.

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Albertsons is also planning to permanently close its Safeway store on 1205 Campbell St. The eastern Oregon location, the only one in Baker City, will shutter on May 25  laying off 82 associates.

Oregon attorney general seeks court order to pause Trumps tariffs amid lawsuit

While the WARN Notices do not indicate the closures are related to Albertsons failed merger plans, they follow the supermarket giants lawsuit that accused Kroger of failing to secure the $24.6 billion acquisition.

After the company shutters its Southwest Portland store, just two locations on 451 NE 181st St. and 5850 NE Prescott will remain.

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Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at Columbia University late Wednesday after activists forced their way into a school library, injuring two public safety officers in the process.

Claire Shipman, the universitys acting president, released a statement saying the school requested New York Police Department (NYPD) officers come to campus after groups of protesters forced their way into Butler Library and were also standing outside the building.

The individuals refused to identify themselves or leave, given multiple warnings they would be charged with trespassing, according to the statement.

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Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community, Shipman said.

Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams. Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today, she added.

Police said at least 80 people were arrested, The Associated Press reported. Videos seen on social media show the protesters hanging up Palestinian flags and drawing Columbia will burn into framed pictures.

The Hill has reached out to the NYPD for comment.

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The protests were condemned by New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D), Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and the Trump administration.

Everyone has the right to peacefully protest. But violence, vandalism or destruction of property are completely unacceptable, Hochul posted on the social platform X.

The Trump administration that has been cracking down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators from last years spring encampments, taking away student visas and attempting to deport some individuals, as well as going after the schools involved, including Columbia.

We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia Universitys library. Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X.

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The Trump administration has already frozen hundreds of millions of dollars of Columbias federal funding, accusing the school of failing to protect its students from antisemitism.

This is the biggest demonstration Columbia has seen since last years encampments.

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Police in helmets streamed into Columbia University on Wednesday night to remove a group of mask-clad protesters who staged a pro-Palestine demonstration and injured security officers inside the schools main library.

Videos shared on social media showed the long line of NYPD officers entering the library hours after dozens of protesters pushed their way past campus security.

The group had raced into the building, then hung Palestinian flags and other banners on bookshelves in an ornate reading room, with some writing graffiti on books and writing Columbia will burn across framed pictures.

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Other videos showed campus security barring another group of protesters from entering the library, with both sides shoving to try and force the other group aside. At least two of the universitys security officers were injured in the struggle.

Dozens of people were removed by officers with their hands tied behind their backs. Protesters and other supporters, meanwhile, gathered around the metal barriers set up outside the building by police cheering on the detained demonstrators and chanting Free Palestine.

The universitys acting president, Claire Shipman, said Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today.

Protesters covered their faces, defying a recent ban on masks - Ryan Murphy

Police were called after demonstrators who occupied the Butler Library had been asked to show their student identification, and leave, but had refused, Ms Shipman said.

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Sadly, during the course of this disruption, two of our Columbia Public Safety Officers sustained injuries during a crowd surge when individuals attempted to force their way into the building and into Room 301, she said.

These actions are outrageous.

The unacceptable disruption had occured as students were studying for final exams, Ms Shipman added.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also denounced the protesters. Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, the Democrat wrote on X. But violence, vandalism or destruction of property are completely unacceptable.

The demonstration and effort to break it up came the same evening that the US Justice Department announced it had brought hate-crime charges against a man who had been repeatedly arrested at pro-Palestinian demonstrations over the past year, including one held near Columbia.

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An indictment charged Tarek Bazrouk, 20, with assaulting Jewish people at the demonstrations.

Dozens of people were detained by police - Ryan Murphy

The federal charges against Mr Bazrouk alleged he kicked a person in the stomach at a protest near the New York Stock Exchange, stole an Israeli flag and punched someone in the face at a demonstration near Columbia, and punched someone wearing an Israeli flag at another Manhattan protest in January.

Mr Bazrouks lawyer, Andrew Dalack, said his attorneys look forward to zealously defending him.

A magistrate said on Wednesday that Mr Bazrouk could be released on bail, but he will be held overnight pending a bail hearing before a federal judge on Thursday.

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Columbia University in March announced sweeping policy changes related to protests following Trump administration threats to revoke its federal funding.

Among them are a ban on students wearing masks to conceal their identities and a rule that those protesting on campus must present their identification when asked. The school also said it had hired new public safety officers empowered to make arrests on campus.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a pro-Palestinian student group, said it had occupied part of Butler Library because it believed the university profited from imperialist violence.

Repression breeds resistance  if Columbia escalates repression, the people will continue to escalate disruptions on this campus, the group wrote online.

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May 7A driver died Wednesday afternoon after crashing into an office building near Route 32 in Columbia.

The car crashed into a building on Gerwig Lane that houses the nonprofit Humanim, Inc., Howard County Police said in a news release.

Police were called at 12:04 p.m. and found the driver, identified as a man, dead inside the car. No one else was injured.

Officials said the car was seen speeding and then "failed to negotiate a curve in the road."

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Police preliminarily believe the crash was not intentional. The building was evacuated, and county inspectors are investigating.

Have a news tip? Contact Bryna Zumer at bzumer@baltsun.com, or on X as @brynazumer.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A driver was hospitalized after a truck flipped onto its side in south Abilene Thursday morning.

The incident happened at the intersection of Spindletop Drive and Industrial Boulevard just before 9:00 a.m.

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Police at the scene told KTAB and KRBC the driver of the truck pull out onto Industrial Boulevard and was hit by a truck that was oncoming. The truck that pulled out onto Industrial did flip onto its side, and the driver was hospitalized with unknown injuries.

No other injuries have been reported in connection to this crash, and its unknown if any citations have been issued.

The investigation is ongoing. Check with BigCountryHomepage.com for any updates on this crash.

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Armenian Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan told reporters that the text of the new Armenian constitution will be ready in just 10 months. According to her, the document is still being developed and various options are under discussion.

Interestingly, this isnt the first time Pashinyan and his team have offered comforting narratives for the domestic audience  first the text is almost ready, then its not anytime soon, then some amendments are supposedly finalized, and then everything is still unclear again.

In reality, only one amendment is being seriously discussed  the one related to the Declaration of Independence, in which Karabakh is declared a part of Armenia.

Everything else is just a smokescreen. The more ambiguous things are, the easier it is for Pashinyan to control the narrative.

Pashinyan has repeatedly spoken about other constitutional amendments, but none of them are actually being debated. Why? Because everyone understands that the entire process is directly tied to Azerbaijans demands.

Everyone knows it. Everyone sees it. Armenians themselves understand that there are no more alternatives. And Pashinyan knows this too. So when the full package of amendments is eventually announced, protests, rallies, and public outrage are inevitable.

Thats why Vovaevich has no choice but to keep feeding the angry revanchists and their sympathizers with soothing reassurances: Dont worry, it wont happen anytime soon.

But it will happen. Inevitably.
KIEV, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday ratified a natural resources deal with the United States, which would establish a joint investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction.

The motion was passed with 338 votes in favor, exceeding the required minimum of 226, the Ukrinform news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Kiev hopes the fund will be fully operational within a few weeks.

Last week, Svyrydenko and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signed an agreement in Washington to establish the fund, which will be partially financed by new royalties on Ukraine's mineral resources, gas and oil.

According to Svyrydenko, both countries will co-manage and co-finance the fund, while Ukraine would maintain ownership and complete control over its mineral and energy resources. 
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called for a massive investment of billions of dollars in the countrys air traffic control system following a series of issues that have plagued it, most recently communication issues at the Newark, N.J., airport that stranded hundreds of flights.

Duffy said at a press conference Thursday that he will ask Congress to grant upfront appropriations for all the money needed to update technology and equipment, which he said will be an effort that could take three to four years.

He said the department will rebuild some air traffic control towers and other centers, but everything else that controls the airspace is going to be brand new.

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He said this includes new telecommunications, radios for air traffic controllers to communicate with each other and airplanes, radar on the ground, and sensors for tarmacs. He said a new flight management system will also be created to improve efficiency in the airspace.

In essence, all the front-facing equipment for controllers, all the back-end systems for controllers, all brand new, Duffy said. All new hardware, all new software, is going to be built into this brand-new air traffic control system.

He said he cant accomplish these goals on his own and will need help from Congress. He said he needs funding up front because politics and priorities can change over time when funding is only given in smaller, incremental amounts. A cost figure was not mentioned.

A release from the department states that the plan is made up of four infrastructure components: communications, surveillance, automation and facilities. The release also notes that some of the most critical actions that the plans call for include replacing antiquated telecommunications technology with new fiber, wireless and satellite technologies at more than 4,600 sites and replacing 618 radars that are past their life cycle.

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Other actions include building six new air traffic control centers for the first time since the 1960s and installing new hardware and software at all air traffic facilities to ensure they have a common platform system.

Duffy said he would appear before Congress every quarter to give an update on the plans progress and how much money has been spent.

They can pressure test whats been done to do the oversight to make sure were doing this correctly, he said.

But Duffy added that permitting reform is necessary to clear the deck and make sure regulations dont block the proposal from going through. If regulations slow the project down to require 10 to 15 years for completion, then the technology installed will already be old by the time its finished, he said.

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Duffy compared the current air traffic control system to a flip phone that cant be built on and needs to be overhauled.

If we build a new state-of-the-art system, which is what we want to do, then like your iPhone, you can actually get updates, he said. You can build on top of what we have in place. So as new technology becomes available, we can actually deploy it. And were going to build upon the safety, build on the technology, build on innovation thats going to happen in this country to continue to make airspace safer and more efficient.

The announcement comes after chaos disrupted normal operations at Newark Liberty International Airport. Air traffic controllers lost communication with planes at the airport for about 90 seconds last week, which led to hundreds of flights being delayed or canceled.

Air traffic controllers at a Philadelphia control center lost radar and communications with the flights, leaving the controllers unable to see, hear or speak to them. The situation escalated, and air traffic controllers took absences through the Federal Employees Compensation Act.

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The law allows federal workers to take time off if they are injured or experience trauma while working. Some air traffic controllers said they took time off to recover from the stress they experienced from the outages.

Duffys proposal also comes after a series of crashes or close calls that have taken place at airports, including the deadly crash at Reagan Washington National Airport in January that claimed 67 lives. The crash happened when a plane collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on a training flight.

Duffy was joined at the press conference by the CEOs of the five largest airlines and family members of the victims of the crash.

More recently, two commercial passenger jets landing at National Airport last week needed to shift course because of an Army helicopter taking a scenic route near the airport.

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This is bold. This is going to be challenging, but we absolutely can do it, he said.

The proposal could face an uphill battle as it comes as the Trump administration and congressional Republicans have been pushing for massive cuts to nondefense spending, outlined in the budget request the White House released last week. But President Trump called into Duffys conference and expressed support for the plan.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, was also present at the event Thursday and said he would work to give the department the resources it needs to accomplish the plan.

Updated at 3:28 p.m. EDT

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A DUI suspect is dead following an altercation at a weigh station on I-5 near Ridgefield Wednesday night, authorities said.

According to the Clark County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to a crash in Vancouver near Northeast 14th Court and Northeast Minnehaha Street just before 11 p.m., where a vehicle had crashed into two parked cars.

At the scene, deputies arrested a driver, who they said appeared to be impaired and possibly under the influence of something.

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Zero tolerance: 205 arrested in national FBI child sex predator operation, including 3 Oregon men

The driver was taken to the Washington State Patrol Scale House near Ridgefield, where they were equipped with a breath alcohol analyzer.

Just before midnight, a deputy reported that there had been a physical altercation and that the driver had attempted to take his gun, leading to the deputy stabbing the driver several times.

Deputies, as well as other responding agencies, attempted to provide aid to the subject, but they were declared dead by 12:39 a.m. Thursday morning.

Officials said the deputy involved in the incident wasnt injured, and they were put on leave following standard protocol.

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KOIN 6 News spoke with neighbors who saw the crash that set the series of events into motion, with many saying they were scared.

One woman who wished to remain anonymous said the suspect struck her car and KOIN 6 crews saw pieces of it that were still on the side of the road the next day.

Another neighbor said he saw a man trying to get away but he could barely stand.

It was a rude awakening for neighbors like Dylana Williams living off of Northeast Minnehaha Street.

Heard like a bomb. Like, I mean, it was like, baboom,' Williams said, referring to the noise from the crash that woke her out of her sleep.

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I grabbed my grandson because he jumped up. And I come out to the porch and Im like, what the hell? My neighbor comes out, what the hell. We come down here, call the police, she said.

Willaims said her neighbors tried to keep the man on the scene as Clark County Sheriffs deputies came to arrest him.

He was out of his mind. All I know is the collision woke everybody up in here up, Williams said.

The investigation is being taken over by the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations.

In the few cases that weve investigated so far, and even the prior investigations that have been invited to us for review, none others have involved a sharp-edged or bladed weapon, said Washington State Office of Independent Investigations Communications Director Hector Castro.

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The agency, launched in December 2024, is tasked with investigating incidents where law enforcement use deadly force. It currently operates in 12 counties in Southwest Washington.

As of today, we now have responded to four use-of-deadly-force incidents. Two of those have occurred in Clark County, Castro said.

Authorities said the incident was captured on a body-worn camera, and the footage will be released at a later date following a review.

To me thats hard because the deputy had to do something to save his own life. But he had to take somebody elses life, and Im sure he definitely didnt want to do that, Williams said.

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The Washington State OII said they will release the name of the deputy and the man he killed at a later time before releasing their report to prosecutors in the next 120 days.

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Family and friends hold posters of missing and murdered Indigenous people on May 5, 2025 in Duluth | Photo by Frank Zufall/Wisconsin Examiner

On Monday, May 5, near Duluth City Hall, the mayors of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin gathered with tribal members from the two states to offer their support for the 5th Annual National Day of Awareness for Missing, Murdered, Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR).

The May 5th event was one of many held in Wisconsin and around the nation to highlight the crises plaguing Native American communities.

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.

Tribal members face violence, both domestic and outside their families, at a higher rate than the general population. Several factors contribute to the MMIWR phenomenon including the fact that missing people belong to a vulnerable population that has suffered historical trauma and is disproportionately affected by poverty and substance abuse; exploitation associated with itinerant workers in mining and oil camps near reservations; and an inconsistent track record of law enforcement committing resources to solve murders or finding missing person.

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On this day, we remember our stolen relatives and honor those who are still missing, the Minnesota Indian Womens Sexual Assault Coalition said in a statement. May 5 also serves as a call to action at the national level, for intervention at both the state and federal levels to the epidemic of our missing & murdered relatives.

Tribal members, including many holding posters of missing or murdered people, represented family and friends.

Ian Martin is the nephew of Peter Martin, a Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa tribal member who went missing from the Minnesota reservation in March 2024. Ian noted that May 5 was Peters 33rd birthday.

After this week, were going to be starting up our search parties again, said Ian. That consists of looking through acres of woods, acres of properties. We have set up meetings with the agencies working this case and tips and leads are still being followed up on, and the investigation is still ongoing.

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Ian said there is no solid theory why his uncle went missing.

When a relative disappears from us or is taken from us, it creates a lot of unresolved grief, a lot of incomplete relationships, he said. Our family wishes day and night that he comes home.

He continued, I dont have a solution to this MMIR issue in Indian Country, but I do have advice. The best advice is that care of one another. Theres only a handful of us, Indian people on this world. Remember to take care of your well-being.

The mother of Chantel Moose, 25, a Native American murdered April 12, 2024 in Duluth also spoke.

This year has been hard, said Shauna Moose, speaking in a trembling voice. Hoping and praying for justice for her.

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Rene Ann Goodrich, a MMIWR advocate who organized the event, noted that the trial is set for the man accused of killing Chantel.

The family has just completed their first memorial, said Goodrich. Now is the time that theyre seeking justice, and they need support from the communityand we want the family to know that were here with you. Were here for the duration.

Tony Mainville, a tribal member from Northern Minnesota and the uncle of Jeremy Jourdan, 16, who went missing on Halloween 2016, spoke of the familys pain of missing the young man and their determination not to stop looking for him.

Steve Woodworth, a Leech Lake Tribal Member, filled out information at the event about his sister, Melissa Woodworth, who has been missing since December 2020. Steve said during a RV trip that Melissas boyfriend said she walked away in a town in Iowa, a town the boyfriend couldnt remember, and she has never been heard from again.

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Steve said he was the one who had reported his sister missing, and as the only remaining sibling, he had been working with the FBI and the Minnesota, Murdered, Indigenous. Relative (MMIR) Office.

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ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO)  A 14-year-old East High student suffered an overdose in class after she claims another student gave her a fentanyl-laced candy on the bus.

The 14-year-old student, Gabby Romo, said she had received snacks before from the same acquaintance who gave her the candy.

He had got on the bus after me and he came to the back. He was like, Well, I got some candy. Do yall want some? I was like, Sure. And then he gave me like three of them and he was passing them out to everybody else, Gabby recalled.

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It was soon after, in her first class, that Gabby said she started feeling the effects of the drug.

It was about time for us [to leave], the bell was going to ring, and Im sitting up, rocking back and forth, Im seeing things, and then I just vomit everywhere, she said. I thought I was just gonna die or my heart was going to stop.

Gabby said she was in and out of consciousness while she was being transported to UW SwedishAmerican.

Doctors said she suffered an accidental fentanyl overdose.

Seeing the word overdose to me I see your child almost died,' said Gabbys mother, Jasmine Shearer.

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Shearer said she hopes the scary situation can be used as a warning to others.

Poisoning kids isnt just happening at Halloween anymore. This is a year-round thing, she said. You have to check everything your kid has, screen who your kid was hanging out with, get to know who your kid is hanging out with. In the end of the day, my daughter didnt really know this person by their first name. Nobody really knew this boy but by his first name. But because, you know, always passing out stuff, being friendly, they never saw it coming. She never saw it coming.

One of Shearers friends posted about the incident on Facebook, prompting a response from Rockford Public Schools, which issued a statement, saying, We are aware of a social media post alleging that multiple East HS students were impacted by an illegal substance shared on a school bus. We have been unable to substantiate the incident at this time. The Rockford Police Department is investigating.

The Rockford Police Department confirmed an active and ongoing investigation is underway.

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I want answers. I want to know what consequences are happening. I want to know where this situation is leading, Shearer said.

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EAST PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  East Peoria City Council on Tuesday approved a $50,000 grant program to replace lead pipes in homes around the city.

The citys Lead Service Line Replacement Plan will give eligible low-income homeowners up to $1,000 each to comply with Illinois Environmental Protection Agency requirements.

Its our way of saying, hey, we know that the EPA is pushing this, theyre pushing us and were going to have to be pushing you. This is our way of helping people that are in financial straits to get in line in time, said Commissioner Michael Sutherland.

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Out of 9,000 homes in East Peoria, Sutherland said about 275 homes have lead water service lines. Those homes are in Richland Farms and near East Peoria Community High School at the bottom of Springfield Road.

So in the grand scheme of things, thankfully its small scale, but in reality, theyre a public responsibility and a private responsibility. The public responsibility is the citys up to a certain point. The homeowners are then on the hook for replacing their lead service line, said East Peoria Mayor John Kahl.

Eligible low-income homeowners must live in their homes and qualify for Section 8 using East Peoria Housing Authority benchmarks.

We know that there are people out there who cant afford to replace the water lines, Sutherland said, adding the average cost is between $2,500 to $3,000.

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Grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the money is gone, its gone. East Peoria City Council is actively looking for federal and state grants to replenish the pot.

The Illinois Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act mandates the replacement of all lead service lines throughout the state by 2042. East Peoria identified lead service lines through a comprehensive inventory process with resident surveys.

In 1986, Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act to ban the use of lead pipes in new installations. Lead is a toxic metal that can damage the brain and nervous system, especially in children, leading to developmental delays, learning disabilities and behavioral problems.

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Justin Wolfers, a University of Michigan economics professor, offered a short but biting summary of President Donald Trumps unpredictable trade policies on Wednesday, warning they could help trigger a recession.

You and me, our family budgets and how we make plans depends entirely on what happens in the White House, and its even harder than that because they havent announced a single clear coherent policy, Wolfers pointed out to MSNBCs Nicolle Wallace.

He then summarized the chaos in just five seconds:

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We have tariffs, then we dont. Then were on a pause. Then were not. Then were going to make deals. And actually, were not going to make deals  Im just going to say a new number.

Wolfers said that both families and businesses are frozen in place, unable to plan budgets or make purchasing decisions amid the uncertainty.

That paralysis, he warned, potentially is the start of a recession.

Earlier in the segment, Wolfers said the Trump administration had totally messed up with its trade policy, and suggested the best-case scenario now would be for Trump to back off from his tariffs.

He also noted that the U.S. now has tariff rates about 10 times higher than those of key trading partners, and cited a funny fact that you have to be an economist to really geek out on, which is that the economic pain caused by tariffs increases exponentially with the rate.

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The pain that this set of tariffs is going to cause is going to be roughly 50 times larger than the tariffs that Trump imposed in his first term, Wolfers warned.

Realize that everything we buy is at risk, he cautioned, especially everyday products at the grocery store that are either made in China  now subject to a 145% tariff  or use inputs from China.

With the 145% tariff, it basically becomes impossible to buy any of those things, he added.

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Donald Trumps Justice Department is trying to jail a guy for trespassing on federal property in order to mount an illegal protest  a nonviolent version of what the president pardoned 1,500 people for doing .

And the case is being handled by the office of interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin, the Trump ally who once represented Jan. 6 defendants and described the day as Mardi Gras in D.C. On taking office, Martin summarily demoted veteran prosecutors who pursued Jan. 6 cases, part of a controversial record that this week has suddenly put his nomination in jeopardy .

Now this little-noticed prosecution looks likely to become a test of whether Trumps pardons have created new legal defenses for people who get arrested at Washington demonstrations.

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I spoke to a half-dozen lawyers who have worked both sides of protest arrests and they all said the legacy of Jan. 6 is likely to shape future proceedings, either in court or in the minds of jurors. The defendants own attorney, Robert Haferd, signaled the strategy when he said in an interview: Why is this harmless, conscientious, respectful, nonviolent, organized demonstration being prosecuted seeking a conviction when, on the other hand, other violent, disgraceful mob-style vigilantism is being pardoned?

Indeed, when marauding rioters get off scot free, it has a way of changing the culture for everyone.

The specifics of the case are laughably mild: According to charging documents, a longtime activist named Adam Eidinger was among a group that went to the front steps of the National Archives on Jan. 10, climbed ladders to the top of its Corinthian columns and raised a 40-foot banner urging then-President Joe Biden to recognize the Equal Rights Amendment.

After police arrived, six demonstrators were arrested for unlawful entry, similar to the charge that faced 95 percent of Jan. 6 participants. The arrests happened without incident; the activists never went inside the building. I followed all orders from law enforcement, Eidinger told me. There were no tasers, bear-spray canisters or purloined metal barriers involved.



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In a Washington still haunted by images of a frenzied pro-Trump mob beating up cops and trashing the Capitol, this isnt exactly the stuff of nightmares. In short order, the offending banner was gone, the original one was back and there was no indication that anything had happened. If Jan. 6 was Mardi Gras, the Archives incident was a sleepy Sunday morning in Lent.

And yet Eidinger, unlike the pardoned mob that stormed the Capitol, still faces the possibility of jail time for this much more sedate stunt just a few blocks away.

In February, Martins office let the other arrestees take deferred-prosecution deals that should lead to dropped charges, a common outcome for arrests at demonstrations. Eidinger, with a record of left-wing protests and civil-disobedience arrests, didnt get the deal. He goes to trial in October.

It doesnt seem fair on multiple levels, Eidinger told me. Im a peaceful demonstrator, I havent been violent ever, and I wasnt even the one hanging the banner. Just because youre in the presence of a demonstration doesnt mean youre criminally liable for what others are doing. I find it ironic that the guy who made the same argument on behalf of so many people is now pursuing the case against me.

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The U.S. Attorneys office declined comment about Eidingers case and whether Martins Jan. 6 record could imperil a prosecution.



The office may have bigger concerns at the moment: Martin, who is serving in an interim capacity, must be confirmed by the Senate before May 20. His prospects have suddenly become iffy, with Democrats demanding a hearing in order to ask about an array of controversies that have dogged the prosecutors brief tenure. Though Trump on Monday made a lengthy Truth Social post lobbying for Martin , North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis on Tuesday announced that he would not vote to confirm the nominee, citing Jan 6.

In fact, the question of how the Jan. 6 pardons affect criminal prosecutions is going to be with us for a while, and not just in cases involving people like Eidinger, a relentless activist who over the years has thrown himself into issues ranging from decriminalizing marijuana to blocking public stadium funding.

Since the dawn of the republic, people have made their way to Washington to protest. And some portion of those people have gotten themselves arrested. The charges often get dropped, but for those who actually face trial, the pardons are going to be an awfully useful rhetorical device.

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There are those in higher levels of law enforcement authority who are celebrating and countenancing and supporting a violent attack on the Capitol, and have no problem with that, and yet wish to bring the entire force of the state to bear on nonviolent protesters, said Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, a longtime lawyer for free-speech causes and activists in Washington. I think people would use it to show the nature of the prosecution, that its an ideological prosecution."

Alyse Adamson, a former D.C. prosecutor, said she expected that prosecutors would try to keep Jan. 6 from coming up in a trial, raising objections that invoking the assault could inflame the jurys emotions. But she said that defense attorneys would still lean heavily on it in pretrial motions, perhaps by noting the administrations warm treatment of the rioters. I would say, Your honor  why is my client not being treated the same?

Even if a judge puts the kibosh on courtroom invocations of the insurrection, its pretty hard to erase memories of that day. A savvy lawyer can conjure them without overtly discussing Trumps pardons or the U.S. Attorneys praise of Jan. 6. There are ways to present this case that will allow the jury to see those parallels, Adamson said. They can say, What my client did is nonviolent, without even having to mention Ed Martin. If a skillful defense attorney finds a way to powerfully contextualize what his guy did, it could invite jury nullification.

As a veteran of the office Martin now runs, Adamson views jury nullification as a terrible outcome. But it may be an inevitable byproduct of the administrations Jan 6 actions. To use a phrase once favored by law-and-order pols, weve defined deviancy down. Thatll make it hard to bust others for anything similar. And itll make it especially hard to convict them for something so much less frightening, like helping hang an ERA banner at the Archives.

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So far, there arent a lot of test cases. D.C.s Metropolitan Police Department estimates that only a couple of dozen people have been arrested at protests this year; the U.S. Capitol Police says there are a few hundred protest arrests annually, usually for the charge of crowding, obstructing and incommoding. Most of those cases, including last weeks arrest of activist minister William Barber during a Moral Monday protest that blocked the Rotunda, wind up with a post and forfeit situation. Thats the equivalent of a ticket with no further proceedings.

As for Eidinger, he said he would have taken the deferred-prosecution deal given to his compatriots. And he said hes not looking forward to the six months of jail time he could face in the event that hes convicted by a jury.

But he did say he was happy with how the protest turned out. Soon afterward, Biden announced that he agreed that the ERA had indeed been legitimately ratified by enough states to become the 28th Amendment. Of course, a couple days after that, the Trump administration was in office, and it doesnt agree with the interpretation. The matter will likely be settled by a court.

Ironically, Martin himself got his political start as a close aide to conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly, who rose to fame in the 1970s as the face of opposition to the very same amendment.

I have never been involved in a demonstration that had such a response from the White House, Eidinger said. Its taken over 100 years to get this amendment in. Were part of the story now.
An idle Southern California Edison transmission tower was dismantled, removed and flown away via helicopter Wednesday so it could be tested to determine what, if any, role it played in igniting the devastating Eaton fire.

The pylon overlooking Eaton Canyon has for months been the focus of investigators who are looking to determine what sparked the deadly fire on Jan. 7, after video captured the initial flames burning underneath the structure.

Known as M16T1, or Tower 208, the structure has not been used by the utility company for more than 50 years, but Edison officials said it, and the idle line it carried, somehow became reenergized the day the fire began to burn. In a previous interview with The Times, Edison International Chief Executive Pedro Pizarro said the reenergization of the line, through a rare phenomenon known as induction, is now a leading theory into what sparked the inferno.

Workers are flown to the tower site by helicopter on Wednesday. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

On Wednesday, crews uninstalled the metal tower from a steep, now-charred hillside overlooking Eaton Canyon, where it has stood since 1971.

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A sky crane helicopter lifted and transported the tower in two large pieces.

SCE had planned to remove the tower since last week, but rain and overcast skies forced crews, and the helicopter used to lift and carry the equipment off the hillside, to delay the work.

The tower was dismantled and transported via truck to a warehouse in Irwindale, where it will be examined, photographed and tested in a laboratory setting to look for clues, said David Eisenhauer, spokesperson for Southern California Edison.

In the warehouse, the tower will be tested and examined by fire investigators with Los Angeles County Fire, Southern California Edison officials and experts hired by a growing list of plaintiffs who have since sued the utility company for allegedly sparking the fire.

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"We're really looking for anything that will help in the investigation," Eisenhauer said. "It's a close-up examination where we look for any information."

Three transmission towers sit near one another on the steep hillside, but only the idle tower was removed Wednesday.

Read more: Edison to bury more than 150 miles of power lines in wake of devastating L.A. County firestorms

Two weeks ago, SCE removed the idle power lines that connected to the tower and were part of the Mesa-Sylmar SCE line, which has also been idle for decades.

Los Angeles County Fire officials are still investigating the fire's start and have not commented on a possible cause, but private investigators and Southern California Edison officials have focused their attention on the canyon transmission towers.

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The utility company has also disclosed to state regulators that it found unusual activity on its equipment at about the same time the fire was believed to have started.

The idle transmission tower at the center of the Eaton fire investigation is carried away by helicopter on Wednesday. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

The company reported to state regulators that four lines, including the dormant Mesa-Sylmar line, saw a momentary increase of electrical current at about the same time the fire began. The incident occurred after the company detected a fault on its Eagle Rock-Gould line, which connects to the Gould substation in La Canada Flintridge, roughly five circuit miles from the suspected ignition point of the fire.

On Jan. 19, Edison crews also briefly reenergized the transmission lines over Eaton Canyon and "observed a small flash of white light upon each re-energization." The flashes occurred on equipment that carry the Mesa-Vincent and Goodrich-Gould active lines, Edison officials said in a letter to regulators. Flashes were also seen on the Mesa-Sylmar line, which was not connected to a substation.

Some attorneys suing Edison have also alleged that the idle tower, 208, was improperly grounded and posed a risk, pointing to a grounding wire that appeared to have been exposed on the hillside. The grounding line is meant to be connected to the tower and buried deep in the ground, but photos submitted in court showed about 4 feet of the wire protruding from the steep hillside, under the tower.

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Read more: Secret changes Edison imposed after Eaton fire remain shrouded in mystery

Just weeks after the fire ignited, SCE updated an internal manual, detailing how crews should ground idle transmission towers  like Tower 208  from now on. SCE officials said it was the only change made to the large, detailed manual after the Jan. 7 fire.

Edison at first declined to disclose what changes were made to the manual. A spokesperson said the changes were to clarify language in its grounding policy.

A helicopter gets in position over an Altadena hillside to remove a transmission tower. The tower and the idle line it carried somehow became reenergized the day the Eaton fire started. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

The company later shared with The Times the changes made to its idle tower grounding policies, showing the new grounding instructions provided new specifications for equipment, including the type of grounding wire and number of bolts to be used, depending on the type of structure.

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The previous version of the manual did not provide that type of specificity. Rajdeep Roy, vice president of transmission operations for Edison, told The Times that, before the changes, engineers determined the grounding procedures on a case-by-case basis, taking equipment, terrain and surroundings into account.

Edison officials said a second tower, which had also been connected to the Mesa-Sylmar line, was scheduled to be removed and taken to the Irwindale warehouse later this week, so it could also be inspected and tested.

That tower, Eisenhauer said, was near the Gould substation, where the fault had been detected by the utility company.

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.
We have a suggestion for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission when it meets later this month: Take all the documents, web pages and press releases commission staff have prepared for a potential bear hunt later this year, and do a search-and-replace command that swaps the phrase big invasive reptiles for black bears.

Its a move that should be universally popular. Judging from the reaction so far, Floridians are just as disgusted at the idea of another mass slaughter of bears as they were the last time the FWC called for a statewide massacre. They probably wont feel the same revulsion to the idea of tracking down and eliminating the giant iguanas, pythons and Nile monitor lizards that are ravaging native animal populations and unnerving homeowners across an ever-widening range of territory.

Is this speciesist? Maybe. But we dont see a need to get all woke about it. After all, a statewide search-and-destroy mission might also do something to satiate state leaders hunger to persecute immigrants. If it helps, we can Photoshop gang tattoos on their scaly hides.

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But seriously: FWC should tell staff to shift their focus when the commission meets May 21-22 in Ocala, with a presentation on the bear hunt on the agenda (Its scheduled for a final vote in August). Unlike the shambling bears, which many consider to be endearing and occupy a critical role as one of Floridas apex predators, the states assortment of scaly invaders represent a significant threat to the ecological balance of their adopted state. Pythons were the first invasive reptile to gain attention, with scientists increasingly alarmed by their size  the snakes can grow to 20 feet in length, breed prodigiously and have voracious appetites.

Then came the iguanas. Like pythons, they were known to be in the wild and breeding since the 1960s, but their population seems to have exploded in the last 10 years. They are herbivores, but they can ravage crops, presenting a serious threat to Floridas multi-billion-dollar produce industry. They are also hated for their ability to burrow under infrastructure such as seawalls, sidewalks and roads, causing considerable damage. One infestation nearly took out a critical dam in Palm Beach County last year.

And now the Nile monitors are slithering onto the scene. The nicest thing we can say about these monsters, which can grow to six feet in length, is that they seem to have a taste for iguanas  and that for now, their population is counted in just the thousands, not the millions.

The FWC will consider a new rule this month that allows Floridians to catch and sell iguanas out of state (which only seems to perpetuate the problem) and already sponsors a python hunt, with cash prizes ranging up to $10,000 for the person who catches the most. And its legal to kill any of these invasive species as long as its done humanely. But state leaders should do more to promote their eradication. One option: A photo op with state leaders chowing down on various reptiles, perhaps using some of the recipes the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently shared.

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Wouldnt it be more satisfying for hunters to go after species that actually present a problem? State officials should do everything in their power to encourage that mindset. And thats why they should be urging people to hunt reptiles, not bears.

We understand why many Floridians might worry about bears. This week, in Southwest Florida, state officials recorded what they believe is the states first ever human death from a bear encounter. Its likely well see more interaction between humans and bears as the bears lose habitat. However, there are simple steps that will keep the bears from encroaching on subdivisions and presenting a danger to humans. And in contrast to the damage invasive species wreak on Floridas ecosystem, danger from bears is minimal.

Beyond that, the FWC should identify  and consider banning  any additional fish or reptile species that is currently sold in the state if it has the capacity to become a problem in the wild. (Pythons and iguanas are already banned.) Because these predators didnt get here by swimming across the Gulf of Mexico. They were brought here as pets, and then released by irresponsible owners.

That spells out the final and perhaps most consequential difference between slaughtering bears and going after exotic speciet. The bears were here first. The reptiles arrived due to human intervention and carelessness. Thats why humans should be encouraged to help eradicate them.

The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com
Unable to make a case in court against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man illegally deported to the notorious CECOT mega-prison in El Salvador, federal investigators have focused on smearing his character. Their target now: a traffic stop in Tennessee three years ago that ended without major incident and does not appear to have attracted much law enforcement attention in the interim.

But the traffic stop involved Abrego Garcia and the Trump administration is getting desperate. This even though Maryland Federal Judge Paula Xinis  backed by a 9-0 Supreme Court ruling  ordered him returned to the United States, the administration has not only failed to comply but began looking into this Tennessee incident and gone hunting for old allegations of domestic violence made by his wife, who is now at the forefront of pleading for his return.

The government is attempting to try Abrego Garcia in the court of public opinion to obscure from the fact that he did not receive proper due process in this countrys real courts, and certainly nothing that would have enabled his removal to a foreign gulag.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi and other Trump lackeys have made much hay out of the fact that he was once denied bond by an immigration judge, who found that the governments contention that he was a member of MS-13 appeared to be trustworthy enough based in part of the testimony of a since-disgraced cop.

These bond determinations have a far lower evidentiary standard than what would be acceptable in any other context, and an immigration judge later granted Abrego Garcia withholding of removal and allowed him to live and work in the United States. He would have been granted full asylum were he not past the filing deadline.

Are some of the facts that the government has tried to dig up concerning in a vacuum? Sure, perhaps youd have some questions if you were, say, thinking of hiring him to work at your company. But thats not the point here. This whole fishing expedition is being done now, long after his removal and the judicial orders to bring him back, to retroactively justify the administrations violations of due process and ongoing defiance of the courts.

There is nothing the administration could trot out now that would change the fact that it admitted to deporting him illegally and is under federal court order to bring him back. This is purely a public relations gamble that, if they are able to turn up just enough of the right sort of dirt, people will figure that Abrego Garcias removal and imprisonment is warranted.

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This is not how our system works, nor should it be. If you zoom out, what the Trump administration is really saying is that it can and will take heavy-handed action against people without due process, and if anyone complains, endeavor to smear them to the point that the public will accept their mistreatment. This is a very familiar playbook, albeit not in the United States.

Tyrants from Vladimir Putin to Mohammed Bin Salman to Kim Jong Un have perfected the art of propaganda blitzes to smear opponents and disfavored groups enough to violate their rights. That is a path of no return.

___
Aircraft fly in formation during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

Soldiers prepare to attend a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

Aircraft fly in formation during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

Soldiers prepare to attend a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

Aircraft fly in formation during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

Soldiers prepare to attend a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

Aircraft fly in formation during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

Soldiers prepare to attend a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

Soldiers prepare to attend a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)
While federal lawmakers consider slashing billions of dollars from the federal education budget, Michigan education leaders are once again sounding the alarm on public school students' lagging academic achievement, which puts the state in the bottom half of the nation for both fourth grade reading and eighth grade math, according to a new report.

The report is an annual analysis from EdTrust-Midwest, a Detroit-based advocacy organization that has long tried to capture the moment in the state's public school system in its state of education reports.

The organization has found in this year's report that Michigan ranks 44th in fourth grade reading and 31st for eighth grade math, two barometers researchers use to measure academic standings of public K-12 school students. The statistics underscore growing unease by some education advocates over President Donald Trump's proposed education plans, which include a cut to federal funds.

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"It is unquestionable that we are at an urgent moment and that we must do something, and we're doing something by being strong advocates for our children," said Alice Thompson, chair of the Detroit Branch NAACP's education committee.

And this year especially has marked a shift in the way policymakers, education leaders and more have talked about academic outcomes. While the past four years have focused on pandemic school closures and those closures' meteoric collision with education, leaders have begun to point out that students were lagging before "COVID-19" became a recognizable term. Instead, the data shows how the pandemic widened achievement gaps and complicated student outcomes, experts say.

"We were just kind of going along, not really strengthening reading for our kids," said Jen DeNeal, director of policy and research for EdTrust. "We were just kind of barely keeping pace. And then when a huge catastrophe like the pandemic hit, our kids didn't have the foundation they needed to sustain that learning."

Where Michigan students stand

EdTrust's report puts Michigan in the bottom five states nationally for pandemic learning loss in reading since 2019, just ahead of Florida, Oklahoma, Delaware and Nebraska, behind North Carolina and West Virginia.

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The academic struggles are more pronounced in the scores of Michigan's Black and Latino students, as well as students with disabilities, according to the report. Students from low-income backgrounds, Black and Latino students, fell at least 10 percentage points below the state's third grade reading average on the state M-STEP test, according to EdTrust's analysis.

And DeNeal said the losses are similar among types of districts across the state, meaning rural areas are struggling similarly to suburban areas and cities in student proficiency on assessments.

"What we can see is that across all of these locales is: The kids are still behind," DeNeal said. "And, in fact, in suburbs and towns, in rural areas and in small and midsized cities, we still see some of the largest gaps between where kids were in 2019 ... in 2024."

Teacher Appreciation Week 2025: Deals, free food and discounts for Michigan educators

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The organization's report calls for a larger state investment in education, including an infusion of $2 billion over the next five years to fully fund its newly created opportunity index, which targets funding for schools serving higher proportions of vulnerable students. The report also calls for stronger fiscal transparency and accountability laws, to better account for where schools spend money.

Mike Jandernoa, the founder of an investment firm in Grand Rapids, said it is critical that business leaders support public education because the system creates future workers. More transparency will help parents and leaders alike trust the system and know that it needs strong funding from the state, he said.

"We have one of the weakest systems for accountability and transparency," he said. "Most parents have no idea of the challenges that we face, so it's important that we're able to communicate the need and the message to the rest of the state."

More: Trump's budget hits Michigan with education, housing, community development cuts

What federal education budget could mean for Michigan schools

Trump's proposed skinny budget would, overall, slash $163 billion from the federal budget. But for now, the proposal is just that  a plan that's not set in stone. Nationwide, education spending would be cut by $12 billion under the plan, which would consolidate some spending streams into what are called block grants, which supporters say would give schools and states more flexibility in their spending.

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The plan doesn't touch two major federal funding sources: the main portion of Title I funding, meant to boost schools that serve the highest proportions of disadvantaged students, and the primary federal funding for students with disabilities through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA sent about $460 million to schools in Michigan in 2024, or about 15% of the funding for special education services, according to the Michigan League for Public Policy.

However, the proposed cuts do call for eliminating or consolidating funding for programs for English Learners, adult education, migrant education and some early childhood programs. Amber Arellano, executive director of EdTrust-Midwest, said the proposal drastically eliminates accountability measures for federal education spending, potentially taking safeguards away that would make sure the funding is spent on vulnerable students who need it the most.

"We are now, I think, facing as a state  and I've never used this term to describe the moment that we're in  potentially catastrophic consequences for schools, especially schools with significant percentages of low-income students," she said.

Free Press staff writer Todd Spangler contributed to this report.

Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump education plan could make Michigan scores worse, advocates say
Elon Musk's interest in sending humans to Mars is no secret  and he has a plan (and vehicle) to do it.

The billionaire founder of SpaceX, who has been thrust into the spotlight for his association with the Trump administration, has often stated his goal of colonizing the Red Planet  part of his long-held dream of making "life multiplanetary."

But why is the richest man on Earth so obsessed with Mars?

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As Musk made clear in an interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters that aired Tuesday, May 6, it has to do with ensuring humanity's longterm survival. You see, sometime in the future  as in, a few billion years from now  the expanding sun that gives our planet life will eventually destroy Earth.

"That's one of the benefits of Mars, is life insurance for life collectively," Musk told Watters in the interview. "We do at some point need to be a multiplanet civilization, because Earth will be incinerated."

Elon Musk tells Fox News: 'Earth will be destroyed by the sun'

The cosmic destruction of Earth at the hands of our sun won't happen for a very, very long time. But our imminent doom still apparently preoccupies Musk, who told Watters it's what is motivating him to seek to create a self-sustaining city on Mars.

When the sun begins to die, it will expand into a red giant star, becoming so large that it will engulf Mercury, Venus and possibly Earth.

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"Eventually, all life on Earth will be destroyed by the sun," Musk told Watters.

Musk estimated in the interview that humanity has about 450 million years "before it gets so hot that life is impossible." The sun's entire lifespan, though, will last for another six billion years, according to NASA.

Elon Musk wants SpaceX to send a rocket to Mars

That should be plenty of time for Musk and SpaceX to develop its massive Starship rocket, which has yet to reach orbit in any of its flight tests, which began in 2023.

Musk as recently as March reiterated his desire for his commercial spaceflight company to send the 400-tall launch system vehicle on its inaugural uncrewed trip to Mars as early as 2026. Human trips could follow in the years after, most likely in the early 2030s, Musk has stated.

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The tech mogul, who spent more than a quarter-billion dollars to help reelect President Donald Trump in November 2024, has had substantial influence over the administration's spaceflight agenda. In fact, Trump has at times signaled his support of Musk's vision of sending humans straight from Earth to Mars.

The plan potentially conflicts with NASA's goals, as the U.S. space agency has for years been preparing to send astronauts first to the moon and then to Mars under its Artemis campaign. American astronauts have not stepped foot on the moon since 1972 under the Apollo program.

SpaceX rocket launch: What is Starship?

SpaceX's next-generation Starship spacecraft atop it's Super Heavy booster launches March 6 on its eighth test at the company's Boca Chica launch pad in Brownsville, Texas.

Preparations appear to be underway for SpaceX to launch Starship on its ninth-ever flight test, though the company has not offered a target date.

Photos and video from the company's X account indicate SpaceX recently performed a "static fire" test of the rocket's upper stage, igniting one of the vehicle's six Raptor engines.

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SpaceX also recently received key regulatory approval to increase the number of Starship launches to 25 annually from Texas.

Starship launches from SpaceX's Starbase, the company's headquarters in Boca Chica. The company town, which voters recently approved to become its own city, is built about 23 miles from Brownsville in Cameron County, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border.

The vehicle, composed of both a capsule and rocket, is in development and has been undergoing demonstrations since 2023. The first two flight tests of 2025 both ended in dramatic explosions.

Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Elon Musk and Mars: SpaceX CEO tells Fox News sun will destroy Earth
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  During Kristi Noems visit to Springfield on Wednesday, she spoke in front of the former residence of Emma Shafer.

Shafer, 24, was found stabbed to death in her apartment in 2023. Her ex-boyfriend, Gabriel Calixto-Pichardo, is accused of killing her. Police are still looking for him.

Shafers death rocked the city. She was a pillar of the activist community, and had organized for several different causes, including immigrant rights.

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Kristi Noem to speak in Springfield, take aim at Illinois sanctuary policy

On Wednesday, Noem speculated about Shafers case and used her death as a political talking point, and not only without her familys consent, but while Shafers mother was actively protesting Noems trip to Springfield.

She lost her life to an illegal alien thats still out at large, probably in the state, we cant confirm that, Noem said.

The police have refuted that Calixto-Pichardo may still be in the state. On Wednesday, the Springfield Police Department said they have no reason to believe Calixto-Pichardo is in the country, let alone Illinois.

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While Noem was in Springfield, she also claimed that state law blocks local and state law enforcement from sharing information with ICE officers. But, U.S. Marshals have actively been involved in the case from the beginning. And, the TRUST Act does not prevent local law enforcement from working with federal law enforcement on any case involving a criminal warrant.

Former Springfield man found guilty of sexual abuse crimes against children

Following Noems speech, Shafers family members released a statement expressing their disappointment:

My daughter Emma radiated love and light everywhere she went and for all people. Even as a child, she was a friend to everyone and someone who spoke up for the less fortunate. She dedicated her life  her career and her free time  to causes of social justice and equity. That was just who she was. To see her used by Secretary Noem and others to advance a cruel and heartless political agenda is not just deeply painful to us  it is an insult to her memory. Noems words are in direct conflict with who Emma was as a person. Emma built up community and stood with all members, including immigrants. No parent should have to experience the loss of a child. But every time her name is brought into these conversations  conversations she would have wanted nothing to do with  we have to relive the pain of her death. Secretary Noem, as a mother still grieving the loss of a child, I beg you to stop. This is not who she was. This is not helping us. Her memory should live in all the people she touched and the causes that she fought for. And I ask all of you to remember Emma as she was. And to live your life as she did: with courageous empathy and love for all. Cathy Schwartz and John M. Shafer

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
One of the first executive orders President Donald Trump signed upon beginning his second term was the Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions, which included counteracting the injection of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our institutions [that] has corrupted them by replacing hard work, merit, and equality with a divisive and dangerous preferential hierarchy. He went on to sign orders Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and, on day two, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity. And hes continued pursuing that mission, most recently signing an order Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education, in part by removing DEI criteria.

Taken together, these orders mark a complete reversal of President Joe Bidens focus on insinuating DEI into every nook and cranny of federal structures and programs. While couched in anodyne termswho could possibly want to perpetuate [the] systemic barriers to opportunities and benefits for people of color that Bidens very first order railed against?Bidens orders removed barriers to identity-based rules, attacking legal neutrality under the guise of supporting equity. Thats why Bidens first order also revoked President Trumps 2020 executive order Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, which, among other things, blocked federal agencies and contractors from giving workplace training based on divisive concepts. Apparently it was essential to an administration elected to restore normalcy that the government be able to advance a vision of America that is grounded in hierarchies based on collective social and political identities rather than in the inherent and equal dignity of every person as an individual (which Trumps order prohibited).

But didnt Trump go too far in reversing not only Bidens whole-of-government DEI push, but President Barack Obamas directive to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce and President Bill Clintons instruction to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations? Isnt that throwing the colorblind baby out with the woke bathwater?

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In a word, no. Look, theres nothing wrong with diversity, equity, or inclusionas words, values, or goals. Its good to bring together people with diverse views and backgrounds, to prevent groupthink and facilitate creativity. Equity is a centuries-old concept in Anglo-American law that boils down to fairness and justice, and indeed we ought to treat everyone fairly. We should make people feel included where they work or study, because kindness is costless and also helps organizational missions.

Point

Diversity has emerged organically as laws and norms change to break down barriers based on immutable characteristics, but mandating it imperils the very merit-based colorblindness that those first pleading for civil rights sought.

Ilya Shapiro

Counterpoint

In our recoiling from the excessive and counterproductive programs and efforts that have appeared under the DEI banner these last few years, we shouldnt pretend that the issues they ostensibly sought to address dont exist or shouldnt be addressed intelligently.





Angel Eduardo

The problem arises when DEI dogma perverts those basic words to mean the opposite of their dictionary definitions, to stifle intellectual diversity, undermine equal opportunity, and exclude dissenting voices. DEI as practiced stands for discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrinationand treating people in ways that make social justice warriors indistinguishable from white supremacists.

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Thats why Im not calling for the repeal of anti-discrimination lawsthough Trumps executive order removing disparate-impact analysis from their application to civil-rights enforcement is a good stepjust the reversal of their cancerous outgrowth. If you institutionalize equity policies that go beyond make sure youre not just recruiting from your alma mater, you end up with quotas, as well as training that labels excellence and rigor as racist tropes. Diversity has emerged organically as laws and norms change to break down barriers based on immutable characteristics, but mandating it imperils the very merit-based colorblindness that those first pleading for civil rights sought.

DEI structures and systems take the noble mission of eradicating racial discrimination and other bigoted actions and replace it with an equally illiberal identitarianism. They enforce a noxious ideology that contends that truth is subjective and must be viewed through the lenses of race, gender, and other identity categories, according to some privilege hierarchy. Your rights and freedomsincluding what sentence you get for committing a crime and whether you can get hiredthus depend on whether youre part of a class deemed oppressor or oppressed.

We dont need that postmodern nonsense to achieve a society of equal human dignity where people are judged solely on the content of their character and have equal opportunity to pursue happiness. To frame this in terms that should appeal even to progressives who might be sympathetic to the DEI project but just want to trim its excesses, DEI inhibits social justice because it rejects such liberal values as due process and equality under the law. Theres simply no way to reform an ethos thats antithetical to the American way of life, so its time to dismantle what Ive called the diversity-industrial complex. To coin a phrase: End it, dont mend it.

DEI is most pernicious in higher education, not just because thats where its theoretical architecture was built but because, unlike in the real world, academic institutions lack a critical mass of dissenters. As we saw from the out-of-touch university presidents who testified after October 7not least because their DEI offices are the font of their antisemitismweak leaders have placated the illiberal left that now drives campus culture. University officials facilitate and even foment social-justice mobs, with everyone else keeping their heads down so as not to be caught in the cancellation crossfire. The recent growth of apparatchiks with no connection to teaching or research chills speech and eviscerates due process.

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DEI offices have broadened terms like harassment and discrimination, as well as therapeutic terms like harm and safety not to promote equal opportunity or a welcoming campus environment but to enforce progressive ideology. The infamous case of the Stanford Law School DEI dean who egged on the shout-down of federal Judge Kyle Duncan two years ago was illustrative of how these regimes are incompatible with universities basic missions.

Duncan had been invited to discuss how courts reach decisions in times of doctrinal flux. Alas, many students werent interested in that sort of nerdy experience elite schools pride themselves on providing, because Duncan hasnt adopted contemporary mores, particularly on LGBT issues. His work was problematic, so he was deemed unfit to enter Stanfords progressive utopia.

The morning of the event, the associate dean for DEI, Tirien Steinbach, sent a schoolwide email noting that Duncan had repeatedly and proudly threatened healthcare and basic rights for marginalized communities  and his presence on campus represents a significant hit to their sense of belonging.

About 100 students lined up outside the event to boo those who entered, trying to shame individual classmates by name. As Duncan approached the room, someone shouted, I hope your daughters get raped! When he took the stage, he was jeered continually.

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After Duncan asked for help in trying to restore order, Steinbach came up, identified herself, and pulled out prepared remarks. She said that the event was causing real pain and that the juice wasnt worth the squeeze.

Law school Dean Jenny Martinez eventually issued a letter that was the best recent exposition of free-speech values that weve seen from a prominent university official. But the second part of her letter, in which she discussed why our commitment to diversity and inclusion means that we must protect the expression of all views, is telling. Martinez laid out a synthesis of liberal values, but I doubt that anyone who views things through racial and gendered lenses of intersectional power dynamics will accept neutral rules based on objective principles of equality and dignity. The radical theories on which DEI is based maintain that existing social structures are forms of oppression.

The Stanford incident thus exemplifies why DEI is irredeemable. Of course it would be the DEI dean who commandeered a student event to berate a speaker about the supposed harm his mere presence was causing.

The irony is that DEI regimes lead schools to become places with fewer ideas, fewer opportunities, and fewer of the mavericks who so often produce outside-the-box thinking. DEI isnt just a harmless institutional add-on; the way in which each plank of its platform has been defined has turned its ideology into administrative acid.

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As columnist Jarrett Stepman put it, the growth of DEI is in line with larger trends in American society as diversity consultants operate to inculcate woke orthodoxies in elite institutions. Legions of DEI officers populate corporate boardrooms, government agencies, and K12 schools. These activists are the shock troops of a top-down social revolution being foisted on America and much of the West.

The dynamic was described by former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, who had been forced out of Harvards presidency for discussing why there are more men than women at both the lower and upper tails of test-score distributions. There is a great deal of absurd political correctness, Summers said on Bill Kristols podcast in 2016. Now, Im somebody who believes very strongly in diversity  but it seems to me that there is a kind of creeping totalitarianism in terms of what kind of ideas are acceptable and are debatable on college campuses.

In that vein, lets turn Dean Steinbachs message around: Is the DEI juice worth the squeeze? Tal Fortgang, a recent New York University Law graduate and also now a Manhattan Institute colleague, has written that DEI, at least as employed by its professional purveyors, cannot be made to conform with a law schools openness to those who dissent from a very narrow progressive orthodoxy. Thats because DEI, notwithstanding its facially unobjectionable name, is predicated on contestable progressive assumptions and a thoroughly left-wing worldview that make it incompatible with the proper practice of law. To the extent such illiberal principles continue to infuse public, private, and nonprofit bureaucracies, our institutions will systemically work against anyone who is quite literally politically incorrect.

In the end, Steinbach reinforced the basic tenets of her vocation: favoring groups according to a privilege hierarchy, pushing for equal outcomes, and dismantling any institutions that dare resist such goals. Despite the insistence of academic grandees that DEI supports free speech, objective inquiry, and the development of legal and other academic traditions, it is the DEI project that marginalizes and excludes.

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The New York Times Nate Cohn astutely identified the key characteristics of the new DEI-ified left: (1) speaking with righteousness, urgency, and moral absolutism; (2) being very conscious of identity, elevating marginalized voices such that the personal is political; (3) seeing society as a web of overlapping power structures, constituted by language and norms as much as by law and policy, with academic jargon entering the mainstream and the equation of hurt feelings with the physical harms of traditional oppression; (4) viewing racism, sexism, and other intersectional hierarchies as deeply embedded, leading to a pessimistic view of America; and (5) prioritizing the pursuit of a more equitable society over Enlightenment-era values, such that equal rights are a veneer that conceal and justify structural inequality.

Thats not a full diagnosis of the complex social phenomena afflicting our society, but it covers much of how DEI programs operate. Whatever good faith the diversity-industrial complex brings to bear, it ends up bludgeoning people into mouthing platitudes they dont believe and excluding them if they resist. It is at the root of the illiberal takeover of our institutions, so we must excise it root and branch.

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WASHINGTON -- Energy Secretary Chris Wright clashed with House Democrats on Wednesday over Energy Department funding freezes and steep cuts proposed by the Trump administration.

The White House's preliminary 2026 budget requested $45.1 billion for the Energy Department, a 9 percent decrease from the previous fiscal year. The administration's proposal would cut funding for electric vehicles, batteries, some nuclear initiatives and toxic-waste cleanup programs.

Additionally, the budget proposal sought to cancel more than $15 billion in green energy and climate-change research programs authorized by the bipartisan 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

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"My priorities for the department are clear: to unleash a golden era of American energy dominance, strengthen our national security and lead the world in innovation," Wright told Congress in a hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. "The Department of Energy will advance these critical missions while cutting red tape, increasing efficiency, unleashing innovation and ensuring we are better stewards of taxpayer dollars."

Democratic lawmakers pressed Wright for answers on why billions of dollars in promised grants and contracts had been frozen, and why Energy Department staff were being let go.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright speaks during a House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies budget hearing for the U.S. Department of Energy at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

"Since January, the Department of Energy has suspended critical energy programs, canceled executed awards and contracts authorized by this Congress, and severely reduced staffing," said Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.

But Wright testified that the Energy Department had not frozen any funding.

In a hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said: "My priorities for the department are clear: to unleash a golden era of American energy dominance, strengthen our national security and lead the world in innovation." Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

"We have not frozen funding. We don't have a single unpaid invoice at our department. Not one," Wright said, adding that fewer than 1,000 employees had left the agency, primarily through voluntary retirements. He described the agency as "in flux" while he looks to "restructure" it.

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Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., pushed back on Wright's claim that the department had not withheld any funding, citing a list compiled by the Appropriations Committee showing more than $67 billion in withheld funds.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright speaks during a House committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

"This is in clear defiance of both congressional intent and multiple court orders," Wasserman Schultz said, urging Wright to release the funds.

Wright rejected the figure as "incorrect" and offered to follow up with her privately.

After exiting the hearing, Wasserman Schultz said the secretary was evading accountability.

"He doesn't want to answer uncomfortable, difficult questions," she said. "If he can illuminate me and show me that the programs that we know are frozen have not been and the funds have been distributed, then I will certainly be relieved. But that's not what the recipients are telling us."

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Some Republican congressmen were also skeptical about the agency's budget cuts to energy projects.

"I do have some concerns candidly with the proposed reduction to the nuclear energy budget," subcommittee Chair Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., said to Wright.

Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Ind., warned the cuts could threaten clean energy jobs in the Midwest, pointing to a hydrogen hub project in Indiana that he said would create 12,000 jobs and modernize steel distribution. This was one of two hydrogen hubs that received commitments of $2.2 billion in 2024. The funding for these projects is now in flux.

Mrvan asked Wright for an update on the project. Wright responded that the hubs were still under review, comparing the process to how "any business would look at investments." He said he hoped the review would be completed before the end of the summer.

"I want to make sure the secretary understands how deadly serious I am about the approval of the hydrogen hub," Mrvan said after the hearing. "Real people's lives are being impacted."
Coal is stored outside the Hunter coal-fired power plant, operated by PacifiCorp, in Emery County on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

When Berkshire Hathaway bought PacifiCorp  Rocky Mountain Powers parent company  in 2005, stakeholders didnt consider the losses future devastating wildfires in the West would bring.

It was a mistake to keep PacifiCorps structure and not carve it up into the states that comprise the utility, Warren Buffett, CEO and chair of the conglomerate, said during an annual stakeholder meeting last weekend in Omaha.

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There are some problems that cant be solved, and we shouldnt be in the business of taking your money, investor money, and tackling things that we dont know the solution for, Buffett said, explaining that these risks are often political decisions, since they deal with states or the federal government. And if youre in something where youre going to lose, the big thing to do is quit, he added.

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Its important that the country has a smart energy policy, Buffett said. During historical emergency times, like World War II, there was collaboration between the private and public sector. How does that work in todays democracy? Hes uncertain.

A group of Utahns, joined by environmental activists from other Western states, attended the meeting to try to speak with stakeholders about the effects of burning fossil fuels  including the proliferation of wildfires. They watched as Buffetts comments unfolded, just days after Utahs Public Service Commission rejected an 18% residential rate increase proposed by Rocky Mountain Power attributed to rising prices of fuel and wildfire liability.

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All of these costs are driven by Rocky Mountain Powers reliance on fossil fuels, which is a majority of its energy mix in Utah, the Sierra Club wrote in a release, arguing that coal reliance may have been empowered by SB224, which passed the Utah Legislature in 2024 establishing a $1 billion fund to allow the state to self-insure in case of fire events caused by electrical corporations.

Meanwhile, Rocky Mountain Power has also indefinitely extended the life of its coal-powered plants in its long-term resource planning.

One of the Utahns attending the meeting was Luis Miranda, senior organizer with Sierra Clubs Beyond Coal campaign, who said the organized opposition had a tough goal during the meeting  to ask stakeholders to remove climate risk from their portfolio by decarbonizing their grid.

Using the opportunity afforded by clean energy, that should resolve a lot of the problems being caused by climate change, which they feel is an unchangeable issue, he said.

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Greg Abel, chair of Berkshire Hathaway Energy and named successor of Buffett, however, defended the use of fossil fuels during the meeting, arguing that the company has to follow state policies.

While people would like to see coal plants retired, the reality is that the company still needs them to keep the system stable and rates low, Abel said.

Let us know what you think...

Wildfires are intensifying and, with them, the insurance risks the company is absorbing. Abel said that the company has learned from its mistakes and it is switching priorities to protect its assets, like de-energizing when a fire is approaching its equipment  which means the lights may not be kept on during these emergencies anymore.

One thing is certain, Abel said: We cant just become the insurer of last resort, and that were going to cover any costs and all costs, irrespective of what occurred. And thats a little bit of the situation were in right now.

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This isnt the first time Berkshire Hathaway leaders have questioned the place of private enterprises in public utilities. Buffett has notably suggested he would be interested in selling the utility, saying were not going to throw good money after bad, when speaking on the conglomerates demand for protections against liability from the government.

Now, after a lawsuit over the massive 2020 Oregon wildfires, the company is now asking every legislature where it operates to get a clear definition of its liability.

An example, cited by Abel in the past, is Utahs SB224, which also limits the amount of money a person physically injured by a wildfire can sue for to $450,000, and $100,000 for those who arent physically injured.

For Miranda, from the Sierra Club, listening to the meeting left him worried about what could happen for his utility bills as a Rocky Mountain Power customer. Also what could the lasting burning of coal may mean for his communitys public health?

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I have to live with those consequences. These folks do not care about our experience, about how much we are paying and about how were living with the consequences of burning unaffordable, dirty coal, Miranda said. Is this really the company and the incentive structure in which we are going to put our trust on?

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May 8EPHRATA  The Ephrata School District, in collaboration with local law enforcement and the North Central Educational Service District, will host a town hall meeting titled "Understanding Youth Gangs" today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Ephrata High School Performing Arts Center.

This free event aims to engage community members in discussions about gang activity affecting Ephrata and the surrounding areas.

"At a minimum, we believe we're still on the front side of this, and so we're really trying to be very proactive in recognizing and understanding for our district to be positioned as well as we want to be," Ephrata School District Superintendent Ken Murray said. "It really needs to be a collaborative effort between not only law enforcement, but also the school district (and) families. The goal is to increase awareness so that we can stay ahead of this to the best of our ability."

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The evening will feature a presentation by the North Central Educational Service District, detailing gang types, observable behaviors and preventive strategies. Following the presentation, a Q&A session with representatives from the Ephrata School District and local law enforcement will facilitate dialogue among attendees.

"At the end of the day, if we can reduce some of the gang behaviors and some of the associated risks that it presents to our youth, then that's a win," Murray said.
Once the paint dries, you dont usually get a second chance to go back and change the artwork. When the owners of Scottsdales classic midcentury Hotel Valley Ho inherited a too-small lodge with higgledy-piggledy renovations, they stumbled upon the original plans by architect Edward L. Varney and simply completed his ideas from 1956 when restoring the historic hotel. Every summer, legions of revelers descend on the hotel to celebrate Polynesian pop culture at Tiki Oasis.

Swimming pool at the Hotel Valley HoPhoto courtesy Hotel Valley Ho

Scottsdale has long been known for its innovative architecture. The most famous architect in the world came to town during the Great Depression and started his school Taliesin West, which influenced generations and is open daily for tours.

The Frank Lloyd Wright - designed drafting room at Taliesin WestPhoto by Steven C. Price

One of Wrights students was Italian designer Paolo Soleri whose Cosanti home and studio in Scottsdale is open to visitors, as is his ambitious city of the future Arcosanti, ninety minutes north and worth the drive. Both sell Soleris signature modernist bronze bells, which help fund the efforts.

Bronze bells at Cosanti in ScottsdalePhoto by Jessica Jameson

Wright was still around when the Stockyards restaurant in nearby Phoenix opened in 1947 and its Victorian frippery would have surely enraged the ideologue. The vintage murals and stained glass at the steakhouse transport you to a time when the good old days were the 1890s, a la Disneylands Main Street, U.S.A. We're counting down the days until Phoenix's other icon of dark wood and hearty steaks, the iconic Durant's, reopens under the ownership of the Mastro family later this year.

Stockyards Restaurant in ScottsdalePhoto by Chris Nichols

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Three generations of the founding family have run the Sugar Bowl ice cream parlor in ScottsdalePhoto courtesy Old Town Scottsdale

When you find your way back to Old Town, be sure to stop for a treat at the deliciously 1950s Sugar Bowl ice cream parlor. The perfectly chilled pink room is the perfect antidote to the scorching desert heat, as are the pineapple, strawberry and marshmallow banana splits. You can walk it off with a stroll through the Main Street Scottsdale Arts District on your way back to the Valley Ho.
The local elections proved that vast numbers of English voters are considering political revolution over politics as usual. But we will only know if they will stand by Reform when the full weight of the political establishment fights back.

Much of the establishment mobilised against Brexit, and these same organisations view Reform with greater horror. Quite soon, the establishment will send signals it is moving into direct confrontation with Reform.

The public will then realise that a Reform government will lead to political combat on a scale that dwarfs post-Brexit fighting. The big question is whether voters will stomach another decade of political stasis and societal division.

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Talking about the establishment can make you sound like an ancient pub bore or a modern bedroom conspiracy theorist. Maybe it is the wrong word, but I refer to those groups which define modern politics: the main political parties; the BBC; the universities; the judiciary and legal profession; the civil service; the countrys biggest businesses; and the monarchy. Reform can expect hostility from each of them.

The hostility of mainstream parties is to be expected. It has made no difference to date because of their collective poor performance in government. Failed politicians struggle to persuade anyone of anything.

Hostility from the BBC and universities can similarly be expected but will also likely have little impact. Amongst those considering a Reform vote, the BBC has long ceased to have relevance and many doubt its political independence. Universities, for this group of voters, are even less relevant.

Other parts of the establishment are potentially much more problematic for Reform. In short order, we should expect senior civil servants to reveal they are wargaming a Reform victory, with the impact on the economy and national security in mind. The implication being that a major shock to Britains prosperity and standing in the world will follow a Reform win.

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We will surely also hear from junior civil servants in the most obviously exposed government departments  the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office  suggesting they will not implement Reform policies.

Incidentally, outside of the establishment, the same dynamic is likely in the NHS over time. Senior leaders will express concern about their ability to run the NHS with lower levels of immigration. Junior NHS staff will talk about the development of a climate of fear in Britain and will imply strikes.

The judiciary and legal profession would once have retained a dignified silence, but there is no prospect of that. KCs regularly campaign online using the most intemperate language. Extraordinarily, even some judges make their political views on such matters known.

Collectively, the judiciary and legal profession will warn that Reform plans are illegal, unworkable and immoral. Much nearer the time, if it looks like a Farage government is possible, senior business leaders will warn about the impact of a restriction of visas on growth, and others will suggest investment will flee Britain. As with the civil service, they will talk about the prospect of a re-run of a Truss government.

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And, on the eve of an election, if Reform look set for power, it is easy to imagine the King suggesting everyone should vote with tolerance in mind. This will be seen as a rebuke to Farage; even a raised eyebrow from the King can splash news for days.

In a climate of political failure, Nigel Farage can easily brush aside attacks from Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch. He has done this effectively to date.

But it will be much more difficult to brush off warnings that his economic plans are worrying the Treasury and the markets; or that his immigration plans will lead to strikes that will cost people their place in the queue for NHS care; or that his proposed changes to human rights laws will see courts grind to a halt; or that his entire programme is generally un-British.

All Reform can do is to stay ruthlessly focused on policies they know carry overwhelming public support  and to junk those policies which do it for a small number of activists but leave the public cold. At its most basic, that means talking about border control and not net zero.

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You have to doubt Reform will survive such an onslaught, but the public is in a revolutionary mood.

James Frayne is a political consultant

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Hertz has been hit with class-action lawsuits over a data breach that exposed its customers' personal information to cybercriminals.

Federal suits have been filed in multiple states, including Florida and Illinois.

The cases would have to be qualified and certified as class actions to proceed that way. Often, such cases get combined.

Mark Camplese, a resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, is one of at least two plaintiffs filing suits in the Middle District of Florida's Fort Myers division, closest to Hertz's headquarters.

Failing to 'take precautions,' suit alleges

The rental car giant has its global headquarters in Estero.

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In his suit, Camplese seeks millions in damages for the class, made up of thousands of customers.

He accuses Hertz of failing to "take precautions designed to keep individuals private information secure," despite benefiting from it.

That private information includes social security, driver's license and credit card numbers and birthdates.

More coverage of Hertz: Hertz reports disappointing results, makes strides on its operational transformation

And: Hertz has a new job for former NFL quarterback Tom Brady: As a used car salesman

Hertz began alerting customers about the data breach on April 11, saying some of their personal information may have been stolen, due to unknown vulnerabilities in a vendor's software.

Hertz Global Holdings, headquartered in Estero, face class-action lawsuits over a data breach last year.

In a statement, Hertz said: "We take the privacy and security of personal information seriously. This vendor event involves Cleo, a file transfer platform used by Hertz for limited purposes. Importantly, to date, our forensic investigation has found no evidence that Hertz's own network was affected by this event."

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Cleo is based in Rockford, Illinois, triggering multiple lawsuits in that state.

Hertz notified customers of data breach in April

While Hertz confirmed the breach internally in February, following its own investigation, the company stated it didn't want to notify customers until after it determined "the scope of the event," and identified "whose personal information may have been impacted."

The investigation found customer data was acquired by an "unauthorized third party" after cyberattacks in October and December of last year.

In his suit, Camplese claims he and many other customers have suffered irreparable harm, with their personal information "exposed to criminals for misuse."

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He argues not only have he and others lost their ability to control their private information, but they have been subjected to an increased risk of identity theft. He faults Hertz for failing to provide "prompt and accurate notice" of the breach, and concealing it for an "unreasonable duration of time."

Personally, Camplese said, he's spent hours researching what happened and taking steps to protect his finances and identity, he's suffered fear, anxiety and stress, and he's experienced a "significant uptick in spam calls, and texts."

He accuses Hertz of negligence, unjust enrichment, breach of implied contract and breach of confidence.

Under the Class Action Fairness Act, damages must exceed $5 million for a class-action case to be considered in federal court, and it must involve at least 100 plaintiffs.

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Camplese has demanded a jury trial.

He seeks damages "in amounts to be determined by the court and/or jury," along with interest, attorneys' fees and other litigation costs, and restitution.

Tom Brady on the set of the Hertz's "Let's Go" campaign celebrating the future of mobility by making electric vehicle rentals fast, seamless and more accessible than ever before.

Multiple class-action suits filed in Florida against Hertz

Muneerah Crawford, another Hertz customer from California, has filed a similar case in the same federal court in downtown Fort Myers over the breach, with more counts, or allegations, listed in her complaint, including invasion of privacy.

She describes the breach as "widespread and preventable" affecting "thousands, if not millions" of people in the United States. It impacted customers of the Hertz, Thrifty, and Dollar rental car brands, which share the same parent company.

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The notorious Clop cybercriminal ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack via a statement on its website.

Crawford accuses Hertz of maintaining customers' private information in a "reckless manner," and in "a condition vulnerable to cyberattacks."

She seeks to represent a national class and a California subclass. She alleges Hertz violated several of her state's laws, including a Consumer Privacy Act.

Hertz is just one of many companies affected by the exploitation of Cleo's vulnerability in its software platform late last year.

According to an article by BleepComputer, Clop stated they stole the data for 66 companies. Among them: WK Kellogg and Western Alliance Bank.

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While the two lawsuits in Florida only named Hertz as a defendant, others have included Hertz and Cleo, outside of the state.

One of at least two complaints filed against Hertz and Cleo in Illinois, however, has been voluntarily dismissed.

Initially, Joshua Jonte, a Hertz customer, who filed a class-action suit in the Northern District of Illinois, included Cleo as a defendant, but he later removed it as a party in his amended complaint.

While Cleo issued a patch in October 2024, it was insufficient. It released another one in December to address the problems, urging customers to "immediately" apply it.

Hertz is facing class-action lawsuits over a data breach last year.

Hertz has provided two years worth of identity monitoring services to its affected customers at no cost, and urged customers to remain diligent in protecting themselves.

Suit claims Hertz received a ransom demand from cybercriminals

In his complaint, Jonte claims Clop "purportedly issued a ransom demand" to Hertz, threatening to release all stolen information obtained from the data breach onto its leak page.

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Hertz, he said, has not disclosed whether it paid a ransom.

As a policy, the company does not comment on pending litigation.

Hertz has not shared just how many of its customers were affected by the data breach.

According to a notice filed by Hertz in Maine, however, 3,409 customers in that state alone were impacted.

TechCrunch reported another 96,600 or so in Texas may have been affected. Hertz customers in Australia, Canada, the European Union, New Zealand and The United Kingdom were also alerted about the breach.

Hertz currently has more than 11,000 rental locations in 160 countries.

The company completed its move to Estero in 2016  after building a new and modern world headquarters, off U.S. 41.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Hertz faces class actions after customers' personal information exposed
European countries are already seeking consensus so as not to give 240 billion in frozen Russian assets to Putin.

Source: Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna at an informal summit of EU foreign ministers in Warsaw, as reported by Ukrinform

Details: In June 2025, the fate of 240 billion in frozen Russian assets and the issue of extending sanctions against Russia will be decided. To extend European sanctions, a consensus will need to be reached, which requires appropriate work.

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Tsahkna said that they were working hard to find a way out, as they needed this consensus or other decisions that form different coalitions to support the Belgian government, which actually owns most of these assets.

He stressed that Russia's frozen assets cannot under any circumstances be "given" to Putin. Tsahkna noted that he could not imagine that any leader in Europe could come back from the June foreign affairs meeting and say that the EU gave Putin 240 billion as a "reward" for everything he had done.

An informal summit of EU foreign ministers began yesterday, with the United Kingdom also participating.

Background:

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Earlier, Tsahkna said that Hungary's blocking of the extension of sanctions against Russia would force the G7 and the EU to pay Ukraine multibillion-euro loans secured by Russian assets.

Tsahkna noted that if Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban carried out his threat to block the extension of EU sanctions, this could place the financial burden of multibillion-dollar loans to Ukraine on the G7 countries and the EU, as these loans were secured precisely by revenues from frozen Russian assets.

Most of the frozen assets are held by Euroclear, a financial intermediary based in Belgium.

The European Commission is trying to develop a contingency plan in case the sanctions are not extended, but most of the legal options are fraught with serious difficulties.

Therefore, Estonia supports the complete seizure of Russian assets by the G7 countries rather than simply freezing them.

Earlier, it was reported that the European company Euroclear will transfer 3 billion in frozen Russian funds to Western investors who worked in Russia and whose funds Moscow confiscated last year.

Euroclear plans to seize and redistribute these Russian funds frozen in a Belgian company.

This opportunity became available to the EU authorities in 2024 after a change in the sanctions regime. The competent authority has given permission to consider compensation amounts and their use.

Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the European Union would not allow a return to dependence on gas and oil from the aggressor. She said that dependence on Russia was harmful to the EU's security and economy.

The European Commission president acknowledged that energy imports from Russia had recently increased slightly in Europe but predicted that it would be temporary.

It was also reported that the European Union is considering imposing sanctions against the Dubai-based trading arm of Russian oil giant Lukoil PJSC. Lukoil's parent company was the second-largest seller of Russian oil on foreign markets last year.

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European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius arrived in Kyiv on Thursday 8 May.

Source: European Pravda, citing Kubilius on X (Twitter)

Details: Kubilius shared photos from a memorial event in Kyiv marking the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, where he was seen alongside Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. He recalled that around 10 million Ukrainians died during World War II.

"But the day of Victory in Europe for another half of Europe, including Ukraine, was the beginning of another period of oppression, by an empire still collapsing today.

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Ukrainians fight against this empire's aggression, for their freedom  and ours. And we shall win!" Kubilius wrote.

80 years ago, Nazism was defeated and part of Europe regained freedom.



Victory in Europe today is celebrated in #Kyiv, remembering that 10 mln Ukrainians died for this Victory.



1/2 pic.twitter.com/cifKux5BnJ  Andrius Kubilius (@KubiliusA) May 8, 2025

Later, the Ukrainian government press service reported that Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal had met with the EU commissioner to discuss defence and technological cooperation.

Shmyhal noted that the European rearmament initiative ReArm Europe and the White Paper on the future of European defence present new opportunities for strengthening cooperation with Ukraine in the security sector and for integrating Ukraines defence industry with that of the EU.

He also expressed Ukraines interest in working with European companies under the recently announced Security and Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative.

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Kubilius and Shmyhal also discussed Ukraines current military needs, the development of its defence industry, and potential ways to direct frozen Russian assets in Europe "towards strengthening Ukraine".

Background: On the same day, the European Commission announced that during the visit of EU foreign ministers to Ukraine on 9 May, a political decision would be adopted to establish an international tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

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The European Parliament voted on Thursday to lower the protection status of the wolf to allow European Union countries to cull the animals more easily.

The plans were backed by 371 EU lawmakers, while 162 voted against and 37 abstained.

EU countries still have to give their approval before the protection status of the wolf can be changed from "strictly protected" to "protected".

Until now, wolves have been highly protected in Europe. In some regions, however, people have questioned whether the status quo is still justified as the number of wolves grows.

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Having been extinct in large parts of Europe until the 1960s, there are currently around 19,000 wolves in the EU, according to conservationists.

The wolf's comeback in Europe however is highly controversial.

Under EU law, "strictly protected" species receive the highest level of protection, meaning EU countries must prohibit all forms of deliberate capture or killing, as well as deterioration or destruction of breeding or resting sites.

Local authorities may still take action in the case of conflicts with rural communities and farmers, including shooting wolves.

Hunting of "protected" species can be authorized if it takes into account the conservation of the population.

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While some EU countries, including Germany and France, and farmers' associations have called for culling to be made easier, nature conservation groups are campaigning for different approaches, such as better herd surveillance, night confinement and more guard dogs.

The wolf's protection in the EU is tied to the 1979 Bern Convention, the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, governed by the Council of Europe.

The Bern Convention was amended last year as a first step, paving the way for changes to EU legislation on the protected status of the wolf.

The Council of Europe is independent of the EU. Its 50 members include the 27 EU member states as well as countries such as Britain and Turkey.
The European Commission on Thursday unveiled plans to impose additional tariffs on US imports worth around 95 billion ($107 billion) if negotiations with Washington do not lead to a solution to the trade conflict.

A list of targeted products published on Thursday covered industrial and agricultural goods.

Additionally the commission is consulting with capitals "on possible

restrictions on certain EU exports of steel scrap and chemical products to the US worth 4.4 billion," a press release read.

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"The EU remains fully committed to finding negotiated outcomes with the US," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

"We believe there are good deals to be made for the benefit of consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. At the same time, we continue preparing for all possibilities," von der Leyen added.

In April US President Donald Trump paused special levies on imports from most trading partners including the EU for 90 days, prompting the bloc to suspend its planned countertariffs to allow for further talks.

The commission also announced that it will initiate proceedings against the US at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Trump's tariffs.

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Earlier this week EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic warned that the United States might impose new tariffs on European exports, targeting up to 97% of exported goods.

In addition to an ongoing investigation on lumber, the US administration recently opened six further investigations to determine the effect of imports on national security, said Sefcovic.

The additional targeted sectors include pharmaceutical products, semiconductors, critical minerals, and trucks and truck parts, he said.

If all these investigations lead to additional tariffs, 97% of EU exports to the US would be subject to import duties representing a trade volume of 549 billion, he said.
Ukraine has received 1 billion euro ($ 1.1 billion) from the European Union under the G7's Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) initiative, the European Commission announced on May 8.

The ERA mechanism, totaling $50 billion, provides loans to Ukraine that will be repaid using future profits from frozen Russian assets.

This is the fourth such tranche from the bloc which is secured by proceeds from frozen Russian assets.

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The EU's contribution to the initiative totals 18.1 billion euros ($20.4). With the recent payment, the Commission's total lending to Ukraine under this MFA has reached 6 billion euros ($6.8 billion) since the start of the year, the statement read.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said that the government will use the funds to "cover critical budget expenditures and strengthen the state."

"It is part of a consistent and just response: the aggressor must pay for the devastation it has caused," Shmyhal wrote on X.

"We are counting on further steps  full confiscation of assets and toughening sanctions in response to Russia's continued atrocities," he added.

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Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, G7 countries have frozen approximately $300 billion in Russian sovereign assets.

The ERA initiative, backed primarily by the U.S. and the EU, aims to use profits from these frozen assets to finance Ukraine's defense and reconstruction.

Previously, in March, Ukraine received the first tranche of 2.5 billion Canadian dollars (about $1.7 billion) from Ottawa and 752 million pounds ($970 million) as the first installment of the U.K.'s contribution to the G7 loan.

Read also: Clearly, Ukraine is holding cards  economist on why US pressure wont force Kyiv to concede

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BRUSSELS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- April 2025 was the second warmest April globally, the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported on Thursday.

C3S said April 2025 was only 0.07 degrees Celsius cooler than the record April 2024, with an average surface air temperature of 14.96 degrees Celsius.

April 2025 was 1.51 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level (1850-1900). Twenty-one of the last 22 months saw global-average surface air temperatures at more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level, a critical threshold set by the Paris Agreement, it added.

"Globally, April 2025 ... continued the long sequence of months over 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial level," said Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at C3S.

The report said most of Europe experienced above-average temperatures, with the most significant warm anomalies observed in Eastern Europe, western Russia, Kazakhstan and Norway.

The average sea surface temperature in April 2025 was the second highest for that month, which is 0.15 degrees Celsius below the April 2024 record.

Regarding sea ice, the report noted that Arctic sea ice extent was the 6th lowest on record for April while Antarctic sea ice extent was the 10th lowest for the month. 
European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas announced an additional 1 billion ($1.13 billion) for Kiev's defence industry on Thursday ahead of a symbolic trip to Ukraine.

The new military aid is a "very important sign for Ukraine," said Kallas, speaking at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Warsaw.

The announcement comes on the eve of a visit to the Ukrainian city of Lviv by Kallas and several foreign ministers to show solidarity with the country, while Russia is set to hold its annual Victory Day military parade.

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Many foreign guests are expected to attend the parade in Moscow on Friday, including Chinese head of state Xi Jinping.

"I want to stress that all those who truly support peace cannot stand side-by-side with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, who has started this full-scale war of aggression in Ukraine," Kallas said.

"Who truly supports peace should be in Ukraine rather than in Moscow tomorrow," she added.

Special war crimes tribunal

In addition to fresh military aid, Kallas is set to give her political endorsement in Lviv to the establishment of a special tribunal for war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.

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"There will be no impunity. There will be accountability for the crimes committed," she said.

In Warsaw EU foreign ministers discussed different new measures against Russia including additional sanctions.

Kallas said she was hopeful that the EU could adopt a new set of sanctions in two weeks' time when foreign ministers are set to meet again in Brussels.

Russia's shadow fleet

According to EU sources, the new sanctions aim to further tighten measures against the so-called Russian shadow fleet.

These often uninsured ships with murky ownership help Moscow evade Western oil price caps. They are considered a security and environmental hazard.

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Under the proposal, a total of around 150 additional ships would be banned from entering EU harbours. They would also no longer be able to benefit from services provided by European companies.

There are also plans to target several dozen companies that are involved in circumventing Russia sanctions.

Ministers also discussed a proposed ban on Russian imports of gas to the bloc in an effort to end the bloc's energy dependence and cut Moscow's revenues.

Earlier on Thursday the European Commission disbursed 1 billion in budget support for Ukraine as part of a large economic aid programme.

"Symbolically, the disbursement coincides with Ukraine's Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II," the commission wrote in a press release.

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The money is part of loans worth 45 billion provided by the Group of Seven (G7) economically developed Western democracies and the EU.

With Thursday's payment, the EU has disbursed 6 billion since the beginning of the year. The bloc has committed to lend Ukraine a total of 18.1 billion under the programme.

The loans are to be repaid with proceeds from frozen Russian assets in the EU.

"Russia will pay for the destruction it has caused to Ukraine, said Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis.

"The EU continues to support Ukraine  politically, financially, economically and militarily," he added.

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU and its 27 member states have provided Ukraine with almost 150 billion in economic, humanitarian and military aid.
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP)  As Europe celebrates the 80th anniversary of its triumph over fascism and the end of World War II, Algeria is remembering a darker anniversary: the colonial-era massacres that erupted the same day.

In a message this week, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune framed commemoration as a matter of national pride and called the event a prelude to Algerias fight for independence.

The commemoration of May 8 reflects the Algerians commitment to freedom and dignity, for which they took to the streets with bare hands to confront an enemy, Tebboune said, calling French colonialism genocidal and a crime against humanity.

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More than 500,000 tirailleurs from North Africa, West Africa and Madagascar fought for France during WWII. Some volunteered, others were forcibly conscripted. Many lost their lives. Across the board, they were generally paid less than European soldiers.

Many Algerian veterans believed their service would lead to greater rights. But when the war ended, Algerians who dared to demand them were met with repression and violence, even as French leader Gen. Charles De Gaulle exalted how the cause of liberty and justice had prevailed in a radio broadcast throughout France and its colonies, including Algeria.

On May 8, 1945, Algerians filled city streets in Ain Temouchent, Guelma, Kherrata and Setif, waving flags and reviving pre-war calls for independence. After demonstrators faced police fire, anti-French riots broke out, killing more than 100. France subsequently launched an air and ground offensive that killed thousands of Algerians  45,000, according to Algerian authorities, and around 3,000, according to French statistics.

The war's ending sparked similar disenchantment in Britains colonies in East and West Africa, where more than 375,000 men enlisted. Soldiers who returned home expecting to be rewarded for their service instead faced racism and a continued lack of political representation. Both helped fuel the subsequent Mau Mau rebellion against British rule in Kenya, during which tens of thousands were killed.

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In recent years, memorials there as well as in South Africa have honored the service of African veterans. Elsewhere, including in Senegal, theyve commemorated injustice and violence that many endured post-war.

For many in Algeria, the May 8 massacres awakened the anger and resolve that later fueled Algerias war for independence.

They understood that the only possible and unique path to independence was armed struggle, historian Mohamed Ferrad said in an interview this week.

V-E Day events have been going all week in Europe, where leaders have focused on the plight of Ukraine in its fight against Russia and values such as freedom and democracy. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to speak on similar topics on Thursday evening.

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Meanwhile, Algerias Ministry of War Veterans is marking the anniversary with a series of nationwide events and panels featuring firsthand accounts from veterans and lectures from historians on the battle for independence after 132 years of French colonialism.

The massacres have been debated in popular books and films in Algeria and France and are a recurring theme when tensions flare between the two countries.

Tebboune and Macron announced a truth commission-style dossier de memoire in 2022, led by a committee of historians from both countries. However its activities have stalled as relations deteriorated over issues such as immigration and how Frances juggles ties between Algeria and its regional rival Morocco.

French leaders, including Macron, have called for truth and recognition but stopped short of fulfilling Algerias demands for a formal state apology for the massacres.

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Algeria will never allow the memory issue to be forgotten or used as a bargaining chip, out of loyalty to our martyrs, Tebboune wrote in his Wednesday letter.

A delegation of around 30 French lawmakers from leftist and centrist parties arrived in Algiers on Wednesday to participate in the commemorations of the massacres.
European leaders have joined those congratulating Pope Leo XIV, who was announced as the new head of the Catholic Church on Thursday after the secretive conclave in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.

"We sincerely congratulate His Holiness Leo XIV on his election as Pope and head of the Catholic Church," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X.

Von der Leyen said she hopes his pontificate will "be guided by wisdom and strength, as he leads the Catholic community and inspires the world through his commitment to peace and dialogue."

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also congratulated the new pontiff on X, writing: "May his pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defence of human rights in a world in need of hope and unity."

Polish President Andrzej Duda extended his congratulations: "From the bottom of my heart, on behalf of the Polish Nation and on my own behalf, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his election to the See of Rome."

Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost, became the first US pope to head the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Russia to return the children who were forcibly taken and deported from Ukraine.

Source: press service for the European Parliament, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The resolution was adopted with 516 votes in favour, 3 against and 34 abstentions.

In the resolution, members of the European Parliament strongly condemned "the genocidal strategy" aimed at destroying Ukrainian identity that is being pursued by Russia with the support of Belarus.

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The resolution states that the forced transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children, their illegal adoption, killings, forced Russification and militarisation must end.

MEPs noted that Russia must disclose the identities and locations of all deported Ukrainian children and ensure their welfare, as well as their safe and unconditional return.

They also demand that Russian authorities grant access to all deported Ukrainian children to international organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNICEF.

MEPs stress that the EU should continue supporting the Ukrainian authorities and international and non-governmental organisations in their efforts to document the cases of deported children.

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They also urge the EU and its member states to join the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.

The resolution underlines that the international community must hold Russia accountable by strengthening coordination through the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the Special Tribunal investigating the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Background:

In April 2025, the Austrian parliament adopted a resolution calling for the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.

In September 2023, the European Parliament called on the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, over the deportation of Ukrainian children.

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The European Parliament has extended the trade visa-free regime  the suspension of quotas and customs duties  for Ukrainian iron and steel for three years, in view of the fact that the general autonomous trade measures for Ukrainian exports to the EU are set to expire on 6 June 2025.

Source: the text of a European Parliament legislative resolution entitled Suspending certain parts of Regulation (EU) 2015/478 as regards imports of Ukrainian products into the European Union, adopted on 8 May 2025, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The European Parliament's resolution will extend duty-free steel and iron imports from Ukraine to the EU until 5 June 2028.

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"The Commission is currently working on a longer-term solution to offer economic certainty for EU-Ukraine trade," the European Parliament's press service said.

"Ukraine's steel industry is the backbone of the Ukrainian economy," said Karin Karlsbro, MEP from Sweden (Renew group), rapporteur of the European Parliament. "It continues to deliver, despite many workers having left the steel plants to fight on the front lines and factories being subjected to severe attacks by Russia."

The resolution has been adopted with 354 votes in favour, 147 against and 53 abstentions.

The legislative resolution will enter into force after its approval by the EU Council and official publication.

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Background: The European Commission does not intend to extend the regime of autonomous trade measures for Ukraine, which will remain in effect until 5 June. However, plans are in place to ensure a smooth transition to a new framework, where all terms of trade liberalisation will be outlined in a free trade agreement between Ukraine and the EU.

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The European Parliament on May 8 overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning Russias forcible deportation and Russification of Ukrainian children, calling it a "genocidal strategy" aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity and demanding the unconditional return of all abducted minors, it said in a press release.

The resolution passed with 516 votes in favor, three against, and 34 abstentions. Lawmakers urged the EU and its member states to step up efforts to hold Moscow accountable through international courts and support for Ukraines campaign to bring its children home.

Since the start of Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has identified over 19,500 children who were illegally transferred to Russia, Belarus, or Russian-occupied territories. Fewer than 1,300 have been returned.

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The European Parliament condemned the illegal adoptions, militarization, and forced Russification of Ukrainian children.

Many of those taken are placed in Russian foster homes, enrolled in military training camps, and subjected to intense propaganda. Children who have returned report being punished for speaking Ukrainian and being told their country no longer wants them.

Russia must report the identities and whereabouts of all deported Ukrainian children and ensure their well-being and safe and unconditional return, lawmakers said, calling on Russia to allow international humanitarian agencies, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and UNICEF, access to all affected children.

The resolution calls on EU institutions and member states to join the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, and to continue supporting Ukraines efforts to document and trace abducted minors. It also reiterates that any future peace deal with Russia must include the childrens repatriation and full accountability for war crimes.

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Childrens Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova in connection with the abductions.

According to the Yale School of Public Health, Russia is conducting a systematic, intentional, and widespread campaign of forced adoption and Russification. Many children are enrolled in organizations like Yunarmiya, or the Young Army, which trains minors in military skills and indoctrinates them with loyalty to the Kremlin.

Russia has also expanded its Warrior Center network, designed to prepare youth for military service. Previously, there was one center in each occupied region except for Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Recently, however, Russia opened a new center in Mariupol, the second in the occupied Donetsk Oblast.

Read also: As Russia trains abducted children for war, Ukraine fights uphill battle to bring them home

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Ohios public universities have less than two months until Senate Bill 1 goes into effect, and they have a spectrum of responses underway.

Senate Bill 1, dubbed the Advance Higher Education Act, will go into effect at the end of June. The bill implements dramatic changes to higher education by banning diversity, equity and inclusion programming, restricting faculty union abilities and requiring universities to sunset majors with low degree conferral rates. Ohios 14 public universities are now tasked with implementing major changes, and NBC4 is tracking how they are working to comply with SB 1.

Southwest Licking rejects levy; board member says another attempt likely

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Ohio universities said they are collaborating among themselves and speaking with state legislators to ensure they understand all that SB 1 requires. The bill is lengthy but still somewhat ambiguous, especially as it does not define diversity, equity or inclusion. See previous coverage of SB 1 in the video player above.

Senate Bill 1 is state law, but federal orders from President Donald Trump, the Department of Education and various research-granting departments also complicate university operations. These directives are wide-ranging but typically target DEI efforts on campuses or alleged antisemitism.

To keep up with the wavering guidelines, many institutions have implemented a webpage keeping students informed about relevant legislative changes. Some institutions have also cancelled events promoting DEI, such as Ohio Universitys Black Alumni Reunion, or quietly removed references to DEI on university websites.

Universities have varied dramatically in their communication with students, faculty and staff regarding changes. Many universities have said DEI offices may need to be restructured, but have not formally announced a plan. With plenty of announcements revealing vague proposals, only a few universities have formally announced major changes.

NBC4 also reached out to each public university to ask them about SB 1 changes. Find your school below:

University of Akron

Akrons Senior Director of External Communications Cristine Boyd said the universitys Institute for Teaching and Learning (ITL) is hosting a faculty session to discuss how SB 1 may affect teaching. At the event, faculty will hear from university leadership, who will provide updates from the Ohio Department of Higher Education. Akron has not announced any major changes yet, although it did not renew its Rethinking Race series for this upcoming year.

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A faculty panel will then share their perspectives on teaching within the context of the new law, and ITL will offer suggestions for syllabus language, assignment design and classroom discussion framing, Boyd said.

Bowling Green State University

Last Friday, BSGUs Board of Trustees passed five resolutions to comply with Senate Bill 1. The resolutions affirmed commitment to intellectual autonomy, disbanding DEI programs, adjusted faculty workload policy, established a new set of questions for faculty evaluations, and created new evaluation policies.

Whitehall residents successfully take council-approved tax breaks to a citizen vote

BGSUs president addressed students and staff after SB 1 passed, acknowledging that change may be coming and asking for campus feedback. BGSU has a Division of Inclusion and Belonging to support all students, which a spokesperson clarified is different than an Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. BGSU said it is still working to identify which identity-specific programming needs adjusted or removed.

Central State University

As Ohios only public Historically Black College and University, Central State is in a unique position with S.B. 1. So far, the university has said it believes it is already in compliance with the law and has not announced changes.

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At this time, the university has no comment regarding this matter. Alissa Paolella, Central State communications manager, said.

Cleveland State University

Cleveland State has not announced closure of its Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement, although that may not qualify as a DEI office under SB 1. The university did not respond to NBC4s inquiry and has not made information available online regarding SB 1. However, students at Cleveland State have hosted several protests against the bill, both before and after its passage.

University of Cincinnati

The university shared an update on April 24 thanking students and staff for their patience as plans for the four campus identity centers are being finalized. The update said the university hopes to restructure their student-centered spaces to promote connections between students. However, the update did not include any major changes or announcements.

To be clear, these spaces may need to transition in terms of programming but will remain in use for and by our current and future students, the letter read.

Kent State University

Kent State President Todd Diacon has been involved in many discussions about SB 1, but the university is still determining how it will be implemented. Kent State hosted four discussions in April about the new bill, inviting dialogue in townhall-style meetings. Director of University Media Relations Emily Vincent said Diacon estimates SB 1 will cost Kent State $1.5 million-$2 million to implement each year.

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We will follow the law, but it wont change our commitment to each member of our community, Diacon said.

Miami University

On April 18, Miami announced it is discontinuing its Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence, its Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion and Miami Regionals Center for Diversity Equity and Inclusion. Representatives said all impacted staff have been offered other opportunities elsewhere in the university.

Ohio bill offers protection for off-label prescriptions

Miami said more information about specific changes will be shared once plans are finalized.

Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)

NEOMED President Dr. John Langell said the university is already in compliance with most of the bill. Although the university used to have a diversity office, that office quietly closed in the past few years. Spokespersons did not address NBC4s inquiry as to when that shuttered. In March, NEOMED announced it would no longer provide university support to student organizations with diverse missions, although they have since walked that decision back due to backlash.

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We are continuing to support all of our student organizations, while ensuring compliance with state and federal requirements. Above all, we remain dedicated to providing an Exceptional Student Experience, empowering students to realize their full potential as Ohios future healthcare leaders, Langell said.

Ohio State University

Ohio State was the first university to announce changes in compliance with Senate Bill 1. In February, before the bills passage, OSU referenced SB 1 in its decision to sunset its diversity offices. OSU faculty and students have been outspoken against the bill, and the university said it advocated for changes to SB 1 to protect academic freedom.

The university established an implementation committee with representatives from across campuses to facilitate compliance with the bill. OSU said it will engage stakeholders while deciding how to best comply with the law.

Ohio University

Ohio University leadership has invited student and staff input while weighing SB 1s effects. On April 29, the university announced it would close its diversity offices, and women and pride centers to comply with the law. In the announcement, President Lori Gonzalez asked for student and staff feedback to create new spaces to advance equity while remaining in compliance with the law.

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The university established six work groups to help implement different SB 1 requirements. Read previous coverage of Ohio Universitys response to SB 1 here.

Shawnee State University

Shawnee State has released limited information about its SB 1 compliance. It did have a DEI resources page, but clicking the link leads to a blocked webpage. It also used to have an Office of Diversity and Inclusion, but clicking that link leads to an Office of Student Engagement. Shawnee State did not respond to NBC4s inquiry about SB 1 or these online changes, and it has not announced updates publicly.

University of Toledo

Toledo announced it will stop accepting admissions to nine undergraduate majors to comply with low conferral rate requirements: Africana studies, Asian studies, data analytics, disability studies, Middle East studies, philosophy, religious studies, Spanish and Womens and Gender Studies. Toledo spokesperson Nicki Gorny said the changes were announced April 21 so faculty could be made aware before summer. All students in those programs will be able to finish their degrees, and the programs will be offered as minors.

The University continues to evaluate our campus policies and procedures as it relates to SB1. UToledo, along with other colleges and universities in our state, is engaged with the Ohio Department of Higher Education and the Inter-University Council of Ohio for guidance, Gorny said.

Wright State University

Wright State has an Office of Diversity Initiatives, but appears to have already adjusted its Office of Equity and Inclusion. A link listing the Office of Equity and Inclusion now leads to a page about the office of the vice president. Earlier this week, that same link went to an Office of Inclusive Excellence but has since been changed.

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Wright State has not publicly announced any changes under SB 1 and did not respond to NBC4s inquiry. However, its culture and identity centers still appear intact.

Youngstown State University

Youngstown State also did not respond to NBC4s inquiry and has not announced any SB 1 changes. As listed in the 2024-2025 undergraduate student catalog, Youngstown State had an office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the start of the school year. However, the link now leads to a page that reads you are not authorized to access this page.

Educators at Youngstown State are responding differently, however. Faculty members organized to take Senate Bill 1 to a referendum vote, allowing citizens to vote on whether to implement SB 1 with enough signatures. On Monday, faculty and other organizers were given state permission to begin collecting the more than 250,000 signatures needed to get SB 1 on the ballot. Organizers have until June 25 to collect and submit valid signatures.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Ten days after an equipment malfunction left about a dozen planes flying blind for 90 seconds in the crowded skies over New Jersey, worried pilots and air traffic controllers are imploring the Federal Aviation Administration to fix the system's aging infrastructure.

The "shell-shocked" controllers who guide planes in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport work in constant fear of radar systems' going down or losing radio contact with pilots as they're approaching one of the busiest airports in the country, a recently retired controller told NBC News.

Both of those failures happened at once on April 28.

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Its everybodys worst nightmare, said Michael Donahue, who worked at Philadelphia International Airport for two decades and who, up until February, shared space with the controllers who handled the flights into Newark. Every time, the FAA goes back and says this wont happen again. It keeps happening.

Donahue, 53, said there were at least half-a-dozen times when the radar they used to track planes suddenly stopped working. He said they lost radio contact with pilots on almost a weekly basis.

People would come out of the room screaming, Weve lost the frequencies! Donahue said. Thats almost just as scary, because you could see two planes going towards each other and not be able to do anything.

Last year, the FAA moved controllers who are responsible for aircraft arriving and departing from Newark from a facility on Long Island, New York, to the one in Philadelphia. The move was intended to reduce the workload of controllers at the Long Island facility who were also handling traffic for New York Citys other major airports.

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But theres been one problem after another since the shift, Donahue said.

Each air traffic control facility has its own operational emergency plan for dealing with cataclysmic events. (Elijah Nouvelage / Bloomberg via Getty Images file)

As soon as they got here, they were having frequency issues, and one day they lost the radar completely, Donahue said. It happened again and again and again.

Theyre at stress level 10 at the Newark approach because every time they go in, theyre like, am I gonna lose the radar today? Am I gonna lose the frequencies? he said. I think theyre just at their breaking point.

'A frail system'

The technology breakdown at Philadelphia's Terminal Radar Approach Control facility, or TRACON, can put more pressure on pilots to avoid catastrophe.

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Jason Ambrosi, president of the 79,000-member Air Line Pilots Association, echoed calls for the FAA to fix outdated technology and staffing shortages at the facilities.

For pilots who navigate these skies daily, our message is unequivocal: Now is the time for immediate, decisive action with steadfast commitment to safeguard and enhance aviations safety and efficiency, Ambrosi said in a statement.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy insisted Monday there was never any danger of planes colliding during the brief communications breakdown last week.

Were planes going to crash? No. They have communication devices, Duffy said on Fox News. They can see other air traffic.

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Ambrosi said pilots are highly trained to anticipate potential issues and communicate with crew members and others in the system to share "experiences for awareness and action."

And United Airlines, a major carrier at Newark airport, insisted its pilots train for midair communication breakdowns with air traffic controllers. CEO Scott Kirby reassured employees in an email Wednesday that its pilots have thousands of hours of flight experience, regularly undergo simulator training and have procedures to re-establish communication if they lose radio contact with controllers.

Because of those protocols, its not likely that planes left in the dark will crash, said Benjie Coleman, a former National Transportation Safety Board investigator and FAA inspector.

The professional pilots and the folks flying the airlines these days have procedures for everything, including communication failures and radar failures, said Coleman, who is also a pilot. Its not a good situation, but its not a lethal situation.

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Still, there's some risk whenever a plane loses contact with air traffic controllers on the ground. "The longer that a radar and radio outage lasts, the longer the exposure to an increased risk of a collision," Jeff Guzzetti, a retired air safety investigator for the NTSB and the FAA, said in an email.

Each air traffic control facility has its own operational emergency plan for dealing with cataclysmic events like power outages, he said.

These systems have redundancies, but sometimes a failure can be so large, or occur to basic infrastructure, that the redundancies are eliminated, Guzzetti said.

Donahue, the recently retired Philadelphia controller, said it seems like theres no redundancies in Philadelphia.

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If the radar system goes out, Donahue said, theres a button to press, called emergency service, which backs up the radar and immediately provides a backup scope that displays all the planes, their altitudes and their speeds.

But of late, when the team in Philadelphia that handles Newark has been hitting the backup button, he said, its blank, just like the regular screen.

So at that point, they have nothing to work with, he said. I dont know why they havent fixed it. Theyve been shouting from the rooftop to fix it.

The Newark airspace controllers lost all contact with pilots last week after a failure of the copper wiring that transmits radar data from New York to Philadelphia TRACON, the FAA said.

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Its a sign that we have a frail system in place, and it has to be fixed, Duffy said.

Since then, the FAA has announced plans to replace copper telecommunications connections with updated fiber-optic technology with greater bandwidth and speed.

To ease the flight delays at Newark, it said, the FAA hopes to bring in more controllers, including some controller trainees, to replace the five who have gone on trauma leave since the April 28 incident. The agency also plans to use a temporary backup radar system in Philadelphia to enable planes to get in and out of Newark faster.

A current Newark airspace controller who asked not to be identified told NBC News on Tuesday that similar technological breakdowns have happened at least two other times since August and that controllers have lost radio contact with pilots flying into Newark at least eight or nine times in recent months.

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The controller said the team that handles Newark air traffic is working stressful 10-hour days, six days a week, with unreliable equipment.

The FAA knew about this situation for years, and they waited too long to act, the controller said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A former NYPD commander pleaded guilty Wednesday to covering up an off-duty drunken driving crash with a cabbie on a Midtown Manhattan street in 2022, officials said.

Former NYPD Deputy Inspector Paul Zangrilli, 44, had already been terminated from his high-ranking post  18 days before he could retire with a full pension.

A Manhattan judge sentenced him to a 90-day license suspension and a three-year conditional discharge that prevents him from seeking future employment with the NYPD.

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Prosecutors said Zangrilli betrayed his badge when he tried to cover up an Aug. 16, 2022, crash with a city cabbie following a night of binge drinking with girlfriend Nikole Rupple, 35, at a Midtown bar.

Members of law enforcement, particularly those in leadership positions, must obey the laws they are entrusted to enforce, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. Former Deputy Inspector Zangrilli misused his authority to cover up a dangerous drunk driving incident. Public servants who abuse their positions of power and violate the trust of the people they serve will face consequences.

Prosecutors said the couple spent about three hours at the American Whiskey bar before getting into the inspectors NYPD-issued vehicle and heading home.

At the bar, Zangrilli, a 19-year veteran, downed around 10 shots of alcohol, according to court documents. He did not get behind the wheel. Instead he let Rupple drive the city vehicle, even though shed had seven shots of alcohol and three beers, the court records said.

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She didnt get far. Shortly after 8:30 p.m. Rupple crashed into a yellow cab at W. 30th St. and 10th Ave.  just a few blocks from the bar  and sped away without stopping.

Rupple parked the car a few blocks away on 10th Ave., and the two switched places, officials said. The cabbie caught up with the couple at a red light on W. 34th St. and flagged down a uniformed officer, who pulled over the NYPD vehicle, according to prosecutors.

The cab driver suffered minor back and neck injuries in the crash and claimed Zangrilli was drunk, but the responding officer sent the inspector on his way, telling the cabbie to file an accident report at an NYPD precinct.

Zangrilli instructed the uniformed officer to leave the area without instructing her to complete a police accident report, officials said. Zangrilli then called a duty captain and informed them his vehicle was involved in a collision. He told Rupple to take off, and told the responding duty captain that he was operating the vehicle at the time of the crash, officials said.

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Zangrilli offered the cab driver $500 and then $1,000 to avoid an insurance exchange, according to prosecutors.

Zangrilli then personally called the owner of the bar and asked him to delete the security video of him and Rupple drinking. The footage was erased but during an investigation the NYPDs Internal Affairs Bureau was able to recover it.

He was arrested on June 12, 2024, and was fired from the NYPD in December following a departmental trial.

Zangrilli pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence, falsifying business records, obstructing governmental administration, official misconduct and operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol.

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Rupple also pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting; she was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge.

Zangrilli joined the NYPD in January 2005. He was the commanding officer of the 5th Precinct in Chinatown when the crash occurred.
BUDAPEST, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's industrial production showed no year-on-year growth in March, while working-day adjusted data revealed a 5.4 percent decline, the Central Statistical Office reported on Thursday. The discrepancy was attributed to two additional working days in March 2025 compared to the same month in 2024.

On a monthly basis, seasonally and working-day adjusted output edged up by just 0.1 percent. Despite this slight increase, most manufacturing subsectors recorded year-on-year declines. Notable exceptions included transport equipment, computer and electronic products, and food and beverage manufacturing, while electrical equipment production posted a drop.

Industrial output in the first quarter of 2025 fell by 4.4 percent compared to the same period last year.

Ministry for National Economy attributed the weak performance to external factors, pointing to subdued demand in major export markets - particularly Germany's prolonged economic slowdown. The ministry also criticized the European Union's economic strategy and its financial support for Ukraine.

Reaffirming its industrial policy goals, the government highlighted the expansion of its "100 new factories" program, now targeting 150 projects designed to boost investment and production capacity.

Janos Nagy, a macroeconomic analyst at Erste Bank, said the outlook remains mixed. He noted that although Germany began the year on a strong footing, confidence has since diminished amid escalating trade tensions. He warned that global uncertainty, fueled by tariff volatility and moratoriums, could delay investment decisions.

Nagy added that the anticipated economic benefits from ongoing capacity expansions may not be realized until 2026 - and even then, the outcome is becoming increasingly uncertain. 
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP)  A celebration of local teaching excellence, with over a hundred educators honored during an award ceremony in Holyoke.

This event is part of the Excellence in Teaching Awards program, an initiative of the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation.

It is one of three banquets held this spring to recognize a total of 108 educators from across the region. Each event includes the presentation of an engraved plaque, a $250 check, tuition scholarships, and incentives from eight local colleges, including American International College.

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The pandemic, I think, was a big wake-up call for all of us who didnt realize what all teachers do, says Uli Nagel, Program Director of the Excellence in Teaching Awards. I have learned so much since then. The range of students they have to prepare for, and the lesson plans they have to be ready with. Its just extraordinary.

This program is in its 22nd year, continuing to recognize educators who go above and beyond.

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.
By Alexandra Alper

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The federal human resources agency at the heart of billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to slash the federal workforce is poised to roll out software to speed layoffs across the U.S. government, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The software could turbo-charge the rapid-fire effort to downsize the government at a time when a number of larger federal agencies are preparing to execute plans for mass layoffs of tens of thousands of workers.

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Some 260,000 government workers already have accepted buyouts, early retirement or been laid off since Republican President Donald Trump returned to the presidency in January, according to a Reuters tally. The process has been far from smooth. Some workers were mistakenly fired and had to be rehired.

The software is an updated version of a decades-old Pentagon program, known as AutoRIF, that had been little used in recent years.

Under direction from Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), software developers at the U.S. Office Of Personnel Management (OPM) have created a more user-friendly web-based version over the past few months that provides targets for layoffs much more quickly than the current labor-intensive manual process, four sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The program is poised to be rolled out to the agencies by OPM just as Musk steps back from DOGE, which has driven the downsizing effort, to focus more on Tesla and his other companies.

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AutoRIF's name comes from "Reduction in Force," a term used to describe mass layoffs. The revamped version has been given the more benign-sounding name "Workforce Reshaping Tool," three sources said.

With the software revamp now complete, OPM will lead demonstrations, user testing and start adding new users in the coming weeks, one of the sources said.

DOGE, OPM, the White House, Pentagon and Musk did not respond to requests for comment.

Wired magazine was first to report on the revamp effort. But Reuters is reporting for the first time on the completion of that revamp, the capabilities of the new program, rollout plans and its new name.

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JOB-CUTTING SCYTHE

Trump established DOGE to modernize government software, cut spending and drastically reduce the size of the federal workforce, which he complains is bloated and wasteful.

DOGE has said it has saved more than $160 billion through cuts to federal contracts and staff, but it has given few details publicly about what it is doing to modernize technology to make the government more efficient.

The update of the Pentagon software, which DOGE has not publicly confirmed, is the only known example of that effort bearing fruit.

Currently, most federal RIFs are done manually - with HR employees poring over spreadsheets containing data on employee seniority, veteran status and performance, three sources told Reuters.

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The new software is being rolled out just as larger agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs are set to move forward with plans to eliminate some 80,000 jobs. The Internal Revenue Service has said it wants to slash its payrolls by 40%, according to media reports.

The tool will allow agencies "to remove a massive number of federal employees from their positions," if it works, said Nick Bednar, an associate professor of law at the University of Minnesota who has been tracking the government layoffs.

"What DOGE has started is going to continue without Elon Musk," Bednar said.

AutoRIF was developed by the Pentagon more than a quarter century ago. It pulled data from its HR system, sifted through firing rules quickly and produced names of employees eligible to be laid off.

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But it was difficult to migrate it to other agencies, whose workers had to manually input data on potential candidates for dismissal, a cumbersome process that is subject to errors. The program, described as "clunky" by a 2020 Pentagon HR newsletter, also would allow only one employee to work on a RIF, two sources said.

The upgrade makes it web-based, easing employee access to the tool while enabling multiple people to work on a mass layoff, three sources said. It also allows for the upload of employee data for analysis, freeing HR workers from having to manually input personal records of possible targets for dismissal.

While speed is a clear advantage, the software could pose other challenges, according to Don Moynihan, a professor at the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy.

"If you automate bad assumptions into a process, then the scale of the error becomes far greater than an individual could undertake," Moynihan said.

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"It won't necessarily help them to make better decisions and it won't make those decisions more popular," Moynihan added.

Trump's drive to downsize and reshape the government already has led to the gutting of entire agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which seeks to protect Americans from financial abuses.

The government overhaul has led to numerous lawsuits that seek to block the Trump administration from moving forward with some of the planned dismissals.

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper; Additional Reporting by Raphael Satter and Tim Reid; Editing by Ross Colvin and Will Dunham)
By Saeed Shah, Idrees Ali

ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A top Chinese-made Pakistani fighter plane shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, two U.S. officials told Reuters, marking a major milestone for Beijing's advanced fighter jet.

An Indian Air Force spokesperson said he had no comment when asked about the Reuters report.

The performance of a leading Chinese fighter jet against a Western rival is being closely watched in Washington for insights into how Beijing might fare in any showdown over Taiwan or the wider Indo-Pacific.

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One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was high confidence that Pakistan had used the Chinese-made J-10 aircraft to launch air-to-air missiles against Indian fighter jets - bringing down at least two.

Another official said at least one Indian jet that was shot down was a French-made Rafale fighter aircraft.

Both officials said Pakistan's F-16 aircraft, made by Lockheed Martin, were not used in the shootdown.

Delhi has not acknowledged the loss of any of its planes and instead said it carried out successful strikes against what it said was "terrorist" infrastructure inside Pakistan.

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World powers from the U.S. to Russia and China have called for calm in one of the world's most dangerous, and most populated, nuclear flashpoint regions.

In France, Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation and the MBDA consortium, which makes the Meteor air-to-air missile, could not immediately be reached for comment on a public holiday.

While Reuters reported on Wednesday that three Indian planes went down, citing local government officials in India, this marks the first Western confirmation that Pakistan's Chinese-made jets were used in the shootdowns.

Pakistans Defense minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told Reuters on Thursday that the J-10 was used to shoot down three French-made Rafale planes, which were newly acquired by India.

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Altogether, Pakistan says it downed five Indian planes in air-to-air combat.

CLOSELY EYING

The Rafale and the model of the J-10 used by Pakistan are both considered generation 4.5 fighter jets, placing them at the leading edge of combat aircraft.

Western analysts and defense industry sources said the live use of some of the advanced weapons that could be deployed in future major power conflicts would be scrutinized in minute detail, but emphasized it was too early to draw firm conclusions.

"Air warfare communities in China, the U.S. and a number of European countries will be extremely interested to try and get as much ground truth as they can on tactics, techniques, procedures, what kit was used, what worked and what didn't," said Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

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Social media posts highlighted the face-off between China's PL-15 air-to-air missile against the Meteor, produced by European missile group MBDA.

But the analysts and sources said crucial details were unclear including whether Meteors were carried or how they may have been deployed.

"At the moment it's not possible to judge anything. We know so little," a Western defense industry source said.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought three major wars, as well as numerous smaller conflicts.

Blasts rang out across the city of Jammu in Indian Kashmir late on Thursday during what Indian military sources said they suspected was a Pakistani drone attack across the region on the second day of clashes between the neighbors.

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Pakistan said earlier on Thursday it shot down 25 drones from India overnight, while India said its air defenses had stopped Pakistani drone and missile attacks on military targets.

(Reporting by Saeed Shah in Islamabad and Idrees Ali in Washington; Additional reporting by Tim Hepher in Paris and Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Don Durfee and Matthew Lewis)
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A top Democratic lawmaker has asked the Pentagon's Inspector General's office to investigate whether the U.S. military broke the law when it deported 17 migrants to El Salvador at the end of March without any U.S. government civilians on board.

President Donald Trump's use of the military to carry out deportations of migrants, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, has previously come under intense scrutiny from Congress and from courts.

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But a flight on March 30 from a U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to El Salvador was different because of disclosures that no DHS personnel participated in the flight. At the time, the Pentagon declared it a "counter-terrorism" mission, a move that appears to be its justification for conducting the flight without any civilian personnel aboard.

In a letter to the Department of Defense acting Inspector General Steven Stebbins, Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was unaware of any counter-terrorism authorities that would allow for such a flight.

"This clearly would have been in violation of various immigration laws and policies," Reed said in a speech on the Senate floor.

The Inspector General's office doesn't typically comment on what investigations it has granted but officials say such requests are taken seriously, particularly when they come from such a senior lawmaker.

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A spokesperson for the Inspector General said it had received the letter. The Pentagon declined to comment.

Reed, in the letter seen by Reuters on Thursday, asked that the investigation look into the military chain of command authorizing the flight, any internal legal review, and "whether this flight complied with federal law."

In a legal filing on April 23, a senior DHS official submitted written testimony that the flight to El Salvador had "no DHS personnel onboard." DHS also declined to take responsibility for the flight, deferring to the Department of Defense.

Trump, a Republican who made immigration a priority during his election campaign, has moved aggressively on the issue since taking office, sending more troops to the southern border and pledging to deport millions of immigrants in the United States illegally.

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The administration has tried to encourage migrants to leave voluntarily by threatening steep fines, attempted to strip away legal status, and carried out deportations to Guantanamo Bay and El Salvador.

Earlier this week, Reuters reported that for the first time the U.S. military could fly migrants to Libya.

On the Senate floor, Reed said that sending a military aircraft to Libya would have endangered U.S. troops and sending migrants there was unconscionable.

On Wednesday, a U.S. judge said any effort by the Trump administration to deport migrants to Libya would clearly violate a prior court order barring officials from swiftly deporting migrants to countries other than their own without first weighing whether they would risk persecution or torture.

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U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy said that DHS could not "evade" his order by transferring responsibility to the Defense Department or any other agency.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
By Pesha Magid

RIYADH (Reuters) - The United States is no longer demanding Saudi Arabia normalise ties with Israel as a condition for progress on civil nuclear cooperation talks, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit next week.

Dropping the demand that Saudi Arabia establish diplomatic relations with Israel would be a major concession by Washington. Under former President Joe Biden, nuclear talks were an element of a wider U.S.-Saudi deal tied to normalisation and to Riyadh's goal of a defence treaty with Washington.

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The kingdom has repeatedly said it would not recognise Israel without a Palestinian state, frustrating Biden administration attempts to expand the Abraham Accords signed during Trump's first term. Under those accords the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalised relations with Israel. Progress towards Saudi recognition of Israel has been halted by fury in Arab countries over the war raging in Gaza. The nuclear talks had also stumbled over Washington's non-proliferation concerns.

In a possible sign of a new approach, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that Saudi Arabia and the United States were on a "pathway" to a civil nuclear agreement when he visited the kingdom in April.

"When we have something to announce, you will hear it from the President. Any reports on this are speculative, U.S. National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt told Reuters in response to a request for comment.

Saudi Arabia's government media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Even without the normalisation requirement for civil nuclear talks to progress, and despite unpacking the issue from a wider defence treaty, a deal is not yet in close reach, one of the sources said.

One sticking point is Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act that allows cooperation with other countries developing civil nuclear capabilities but specifies nonproliferation criteria including limiting uranium enrichment.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has said that the kingdom would seek to enrich uranium and sell the product.

One of the sources said the kingdom was still not willing to sign a so-called 123 agreement, which would prevent enrichment or reprocessing of plutonium made in reactors - two routes that have the potential to culminate in nuclear weapons.

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Secretary Wright previously told Reuters a 123 agreement would be a prerequisite to any deal.

However, there are several ways to structure a deal to achieve both countries' objectives, Wright has said.

One solution being discussed is a "black box" arrangement where only U.S. personnel would have access to a uranium enrichment facility on Saudi soil, the same source said.

SELL MORE OIL

Riyadh wants to build nuclear generation capacity as it seeks to diversify its economy away from oil. Nuclear power could also help free up more crude barrels for export.

Arms control advocates have previously expressed concern about a Saudi nuclear programme because de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom would seek to quickly develop nuclear weapons should its regional rival Iran do so.

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The U.S. and Iran are currently holding talks over Tehran's nuclear programme, which Washington and Western allies say is geared towards producing weapons. Iran insists it is purely for civil purposes.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday described the talks with Iran as "so far, so good" and said there was a deal to be made that would reintegrate Iran into the global economy while preventing it from getting a nuclear weapon.

Saudi Arabia and the United States are set to discuss a number of blockbuster economic deals during Trump's visit next week, with the U.S. poised to offer Saudi Arabia an arms package worth well over $100 billion, sources have told Reuters.

Trump has said Riyadh should "round up" a planned investment package in the U.S. to $1 trillion from an initial $600 billion.

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The trip is Trump's second visit abroad, after a short trip to Rome for the pope's funeral, since he returned to office in January. In his first term a lavish trip to Saudi Arabia marked his first overseas stop.

Trump fostered close ties with Gulf states including Saudi Arabia during his first term.

The country invested $2 billion in a firm formed by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and former aide, after Trump left office, and there are plans to build two Trump towers in Jeddah and Riyadh.

(Reporting by Pesha Magid; additional reporting by Timothy Gardner; Writing by Yousef Saba; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel)
By Jonathan Saul and Jarrett Renshaw

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration is considering a proposal to create an international shipping registry in the U.S. Virgin Islands as part of efforts to enlarge the tiny commercial shipping fleet flying the American flag, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

Increasing the number of U.S.-flagged vessels is important for Trump's administration because it would enhance the ability of the U.S. commercial shipping fleet to provide logistical support for the military in time of war, and ease Washington's dependence on foreign ships to transport supplies and equipment across sea lanes.

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The U.S.-flagged fleet currently numbers around 187 vessels, of which only 80 are involved in international trade. This contrasts with at least 5,500 of vessels under China's control, according to industry estimates and assessments from U.S. lawmakers.

The U.S. flag registry has struggled to attract ship owners for decades due to higher costs, a bigger tax burden and multiple requirements such as having a crew of U.S. citizens. China has become the worlds top shipbuilding and shipping nation with 230 times more shipbuilding capacity than the U.S., a congressional report showed last year.

Using the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) could be the most efficient way to "strengthen American maritime posture" because the island territory could provide a U.S.-controlled flag without the costly restrictions associated with a straight U.S. flag registration, according to Eric Dawicki, president of the Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE) research body, which submitted the proposal to U.S. officials.

All commercial ships must be registered, or flagged, with a particular country or jurisdiction to comply with safety and environmental rules.

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A U.S. official said the proposal had been submitted to the National Security Council, adding it was unclear on the status. Another U.S. official confirmed that the National Security Council was aware of the proposal.

White House and USVI officials did not respond to requests for comment.

In previous conflicts, such as the 1991 Gulf War, the U.S. relied upon foreign-flagged vessels to bolster shipping access.

"The ongoing reliance on voluntary charter arrangements with foreign-flagged vessels to supplement Americas sealift capacity poses a strategic vulnerability to U.S. maritime interests," said COPE's Dawicki, a U.S. maritime industry veteran who co-founded the Dominica flag registry.

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While some lawmakers support the idea of a U.S. Virgin Islands registry, the proposal is likely to face opposition from unions and others keen for a revival in domestic shipbuilding.

"The USVI is an alternative, but it probably will not get much support with the drive to enlarge the U.S. fleet," said Salvatore Mercogliano, associate professor of history at North Carolinas Campbell University and adjunct professor at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

NATIONAL FLAG

The majority of U.S.-flagged ships operate under a century-old regulation called the Jones Act. That law requires that U.S.-flagged vessels be built in the U.S., employ a U.S. crew, and be owned by an American individual or entity.

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Those requirements were meant to help U.S. shipowners but they ultimately limited growth of the U.S. fleet, said Basil Karatzas, U.S.-based consultant with shipping specialists Karatzas Marine Advisors & Co.

"As a national flag, it can never compete on cost with foreign nationals' labor."

Unlike with the U.S.-flag, which is vetted by the U.S. Coast Guard, the USVI authority would administer and regulate an international registry that imposes fewer requirements, according to COPE. The vessels, for example, could be foreign built and crewed by non-U.S. nationals, it said.

The U.S. Coast Guard and union officials did not respond to requests for comment.

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During World War II, the U.S. Merchant Marine - a civilian organization of the commercial fleet - played a vital role in defeating the Axis powers, with over 10,000 ocean-going vessels involved in operations, according to U.S. data.

The U.S. fleet current represents under 1% of global shipping by value, separate U.S. data showed.

The idea to create an international flag in the USVI was first discussed by industry officials and COPE in 2022 although it was not submitted to the previous administration under former President Joe Biden, COPE said.

Trump's administration is pushing for a regeneration of U.S. shipbuilding as well as attracting more ships to the U.S. flag registry.

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There are around 20 shipyards in the U.S. - many ageing and in need of major investment, down sharply from over 80 at the end of World War II, according to U.S. lawmakers.

On April 30, U.S. Congress members from both parties launched the SHIPS for America bill that seeks to bolster and secure consistent funding for the U.S. maritime industry.

Dawicki said a USVI registry would complement the SHIPS Act, "without affecting cabotage (coast to coast shipping) or the Jones Act".

Senator Todd Young's office, one of the lawmakers involved in the bill, did not respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul and Jarrett Renshaw; editing by Simon Webb, Richard Valdmanis and David Gregorio)
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued internal instructions to the Pentagon to start kicking out transgender troops who do not elect to leave on their own by June 6, according to a memo obtained by Reuters.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The decision was immediately condemned by transgender rights activists contacted by Reuters.

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"It is just shameful," said Jennifer Levi, a senior director at the pro-LGBTQ legal group GLAD Law.

"It is senseless to fast track people out of the military who are meeting standards and putting lives on the line to defend the country."

Hegseth's memo illustrates how President Donald Trump's administration intends to swiftly act to remove thousands of transgender servicemembers after the Supreme Court's ruling on Tuesday cleared the way for a ban to take effect.

In the memo, Hegseth said active duty transgender troops could identify themselves for "voluntary separation" from the U.S. armed forces until June 6. Troops who are in the reserve forces had until July 7.

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"On conclusion of the self-identification eligibility window, the Military Departments will initiate involuntary separation processes," the memo said.

The Pentagon's ban is just one of a series of steps the Trump administration has taken to curb transgender rights.

Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office on January 20 stating that the U.S. government will recognize only two sexes, male and female, and that they are not changeable.

But his efforts to end transgender rights in the military were a special focus on his election campaign, and he quickly moved to reverse a policy implemented under his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden that had allowed transgender troops to serve openly in the American armed forces.

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Biden, who also reversed Trump's 2017 ban on transgender recruitment, said in 2021 that "America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride."

Former Democratic President Barack Obama in 2016 first allowed trans people to serve openly and as of late last year, there were 4,240 U.S. active-duty and National Guard transgender troops, officials have said. Transgender rights advocates have given higher estimates.

In Thursday's memo, Hegseth wrote that the U.S. military would immediately start removing transgender troops who had already self-identified for voluntary separation prior to a court ruling in March that halted the Trump administration's last attempt to implement the ban.

A poll from Gallup published this in February said 58% of Americans favored allowing openly transgender individuals serving in the military, but the support had declined from 71% in 2019.

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A former Fox News host, Hegseth has embraced conservative stances on culture war issues, including eliminating diversity initiatives at the Pentagon.

Speaking on Tuesday, Hegseth told a conference hosted by U.S. special operations forces: "No more pronouns, no more climate-change obsessions, no more emergency vaccine mandates, no more dudes in dresses."

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Leslie Adler, Chris Reese and Marguerita Choy)
By Anna Hirtenstein and Marwa Rashad

LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) -With a frost covering Europe's energy relations with Russia, officials from Washington and Moscow have held discussions about the U.S. helping to revive Russian gas sales to the continent, eight sources familiar with the talks have told Reuters.

Europe slashed its imports of Russian gas following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a move that saw Russian exporter Gazprom post a $7 billion loss the following year.

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U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for peace in Ukraine, raising the prospects of a thaw in gas ties.

Sources close to the bilateral discussions said carving out a renewed role for Moscow in the European Union's gas market could help cement a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Though much of Europe has sought alternative supply, some buyers have remained, and industry officials say more could return once a peace deal is agreed.

As for Russia, nothing has hit its economy harder than the loss of most of Europe's gas market three years ago.

It now supplies 19% of Europe's demand, down from 40%, mainly consisting of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and some piped via Turkey along the TurkStream pipeline.

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Washington's involvement in restoring the gas sales could help Moscow navigate political opposition in much of Europe.

U.S. involvement would also benefit Washington, giving it visibility, and possibly some control, over how much Russian gas returns to Europe, two diplomatic sources and a White House source said.

Since 2022, Europe has turned to other gas providers, including U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin's investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, have held conversations about gas as part of Ukraine peace talks, two of the eight sources said.

Witkoff's spokesperson declined to comment when asked if he discussed the issue of Russian gas exports to Europe.

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"Currently, there are no such discussions," Russia's Direct Investment Fund, headed by Dmitriev, said in a statement to Reuters.

Gazprom would consider selling gas to Europe if a new owner took control of the gas network between Russia and Europe, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told French magazine Le Point in April.

On the route crossing the Baltic Sea Gazprom controls the two twin pipelines of Nord Stream 1 and 2 backed by European firms which hold stakes.

Moscow is ready to trade its gas and knows that some European countries still want to buy it, Peskov said in the Le Point interview. "There is a gas seller, there are potential buyers," Peskov told reporters in April.

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Countries still buying include Hungary and Slovakia which receive gas through the TurkStream pipeline. Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Spain get LNG from Russia's Novatek under long-term contracts.

Regarding how the Americans might get involved, five sources said talks to date have discussed U.S. investors taking stakes in the Nord Stream pipeline connecting Russia and Germany, or in the pipeline crossing Ukraine, or in Gazprom itself.U.S. firms could also serve as the buyers, purchasing gas from Gazprom and shipping it to Europe, including to Germany, the sources said. Two of the sources said diplomatic talks involving potential U.S. investors have also looked at the idea of a U.S. buyer taking Russian gas and then exporting it on to Europe as a way of alleviating European political opposition to resuming supplies.

BlackRock, Vanguard and Capital Group each hold stakes of 1-2% in Gazprom.

BlackRock, Vanguard and Gazprom did not respond to requests for comment. Capital Group declined to comment.

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The European Commission declined to comment. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed her opposition to returning to Russian energy supplies.

"Some are still saying that we should re-open the tap of Russian gas and oil. This would be a mistake of historic dimensions and we would never let it happen," she told a European Parliament session on May 7.

"Russia has proven, time and again, that it is not a reliable supplier."

Brussels wants to ban new Russian gas deals by the end of 2025 and ban imports under existing deals by the end of 2027. The plan, to be debated next month, would require approval from the European Parliament and a majority of member states. Hungary and Slovakia have expressed their opposition to the move.

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Trump has said he hopes for a Ukraine peace deal soon and expects this to pave the way for both Russia and Ukraine to do big business with the U.S.

Russia is ready to restart gas exports to Europe immediately if there is political will to do so, Putin has said.

Kyiv and Washington signed a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal on April 30 to include all Ukrainian government-owned natural resource assets and infrastructure but did not explicitly mention the pipeline.

"If this level of engagement between Russia and the U.S. continues, it's very likely that there will be a resumption of Russian gas flows... involving U.S. intermediaries," said a person who is familiar with the discussions.

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Gazprom, keen to resurrect its European sales, is considering offering German clients short-term 24-month contracts and steep price discounts, two sources said.

Traditionally it has asked buyers to sign contracts lasting decades, two sources noted.

HURDLES

Yet the EU remains broadly opposed, and there are other hurdles to overcome. There are numerous legal cases hanging over breaches of legacy contracts.

The Nord Stream pipelines were damaged in a sabotage attack in September 2022. Three of the four pipes were ruptured, leaving just one still able to pump gas.

The war in Ukraine has also changed the situation, with Russian attacks damaging pipelines crossing Ukraine, though the key transit route remains in working order.

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A more technical matter is that Nord Stream 2 also never received German government approval to begin sending gas to Germany, a spokesperson from Germany's economy and energy ministry noted, declining to comment further.

(Reporting by Anna Hirtenstein and Marwa Rashad in London; additional reporting by Jarrett Renshaw in Washington, Kate Abnett in Brussels and Holger Hansen in Berlin; editing by Dmitry Zhdannikov and Jason Neely)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  After the Real ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005, it is finally being enforced nearly 20 years later.

Starting Wednesday, if you plan to fly domestically or enter certain federal buildings you will be required to present a valid Real ID denoted by a star on the top right corner of your drivers license.

At McGhee Tyson Airport, travelers told 6 News the process of using their Real ID has been a breeze so far, but acquiring one was the hard part.

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REAL ID: When you need one and when you dont

We found it was easier to get a passport and wait for however many days it took, and then take that down to the DMV. So we were at the DMV five times to try to get this done, said one traveler, Cherie House.

House said getting her Real ID was a pain after moving from Tennessee to Oklahoma, but it paid off Wednesday.

We were so glad we could go to the airport in Oklahoma this morning, I said thats one thing we did right, weve already got it, said House.

According to airport spokesperson Becky Huckaby, travelers who do not present a Real ID or a passport may need to go through additional screening.

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So our Real ID is a part of what came from the 9/11 Commission about creating a unified licensing system for people to use in federal buildings and at airports and travel, and its something that has been talked about being implemented for years, she said.

Lawyer, state lawmaker discuss former Blount County teachers sentence amid calls to change laws

Other travelers said because this has been talked about for so long, they have had their Real IDs for years now.

My son had prepared me for that, made me take a picture of my ID, like do you have a real ID? And I was like yes, I do, said another traveler, Cynthia West.

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West said she has had her Real ID for five years.

Maybe leaving early was the reason why, but it has been business as usual, she said.

House agreed. Now that she has a Real ID, she said the security process was seamless.

Going to the airport was a breeze. They took a picture of our face, and we showed them. We just flashed our ID and went right through, said House.

 See more top stories on WATE.com

Nuclear power plants like Oak Ridge National Lab, and Y-12 National Security Complex are also requiring a Real ID for those accessing their facilities. While most federal buildings require a Real ID, according to the Tennessee Department Of Safety, you do not need a Real ID to enter federal court buildings.

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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 WATE 6 On Your Side.
As the second-largest textile manufacturer in the world, Bangladesh often boasts its ready-made garment industry as a feminist revolution.

It employs about 4 million workers, 80% of whom are women, according to Economics Observatory. But the outlet noted that the facade of prosperity hides a darker side of the industry that feeds fast fashion and frequently violates workers' rights.

What's happening in Bangladesh?

Starting in the 1980s, Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry saw explosive growth because of market deregulation. Economics Observatory cited RMG Bangladesh data that said apparel made up about 4% of the country's total exports in 1983. In 2022, garments accounted for nearly 85% of all exports.

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This growth called for a workforce to support it. Bangladesh's garment industry still employs mostly women, though a Brac University survey, shared by The Daily Star, reported it's closer to 60% today due to rapid automation. The numbers point to a population of women who have found empowerment through work.

However, despite the economic freedom women have gained from working in the garment industry, many feel disenfranchised, pointing to low wages and violations of workers' rights.

According to Economics Observatory, Bangladeshi garment workers are among the lowest paid in the world, with the minimum wage of around $113 a month significantly lower than the estimated local living wage of $460 a month.

"I can't get by on what I earn," one worker told NPR. "I have to pay for my son's schooling, I have to pay rent, I have to look after my mother and my parents-in-law. It's just not enough."

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However, Economics Observatory noted there is "no incentive" among the state or investors to increase wages for fear of undermining the nation's reputation as a leader in garment production.

Why does it matter?

Right now, dozens of brands source their apparel from Bangladesh, contributing to an industry built on worker exploitation. This, in turn, feeds fast fashion, an industry that generates more than 101 million tons of waste each year, per Earth.org.

A few companies sourcing from Bangladesh have been vocal about their sustainability efforts. Some have come under fire for amplifying words over actions.

What can be done?

Consumers should educate themselves about greenwashing efforts by apparel companies as sustainability campaigns become more popular.

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Various industries utilize misleading marketing tactics to make customers feel good about buying from them. It's important to research companies before making a purchase.

Cutting out fast fashion completely can also help the situation. Alternatives such as thrifting keep clothes out of landfills and reduce harm to the planet.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
BUDAPEST, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Hungary welcomed its five millionth tourist of the year on May 6, marking a new milestone in the country's rapidly growing tourism sector, Visit Hungary said Wednesday.

Data from the National Tourism Data Supply Centre (NTAK) revealed that 2.4 million domestic and 2.6 million international guests have stayed at accommodation in Hungary so far this year - an 18 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

NTAK attributed this surge to strong Easter holiday demand, school breaks, and a busy long weekend in early May, supported by favorable weather conditions.

According to Visit Hungary, domestic tourism rose by six percent year-on-year. Popular destinations included the Matra-Bukk region, the area around Budapest, Debrecen, and its area, and Tokaj and Nyiregyhaza. Over half of tourists stayed in hotels, with four-star accommodation accounting for 56 percent of bookings.

International visitors primarily came to Hungary from Germany, Romania, Italy, Britain and Austria, with Budapest seeing a 20 percent increase in foreign tourists - notably from Italy, Britain, Germany, Spain, and Israel. Outside the capital, top destinations included thermal spa centers in Sarvar and Heviz.

Visit Hungary said that if the current momentum continues, the country could reach its strategic goal of 20 million annual visitors before 2030. 
By Yousef Saba

DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and the United States are discussing a deal to cooperate on the kingdom's ambitions to develop a civil nuclear industry, talks that have long been complicated by regional politics and concerns over weapons proliferation.

Here are some of the main issues at play:

WHY DOES SAUDI ARABIA WANT A NUCLEAR PROGRAMME?

As the world's largest oil exporter Saudi Arabia may not seem an obvious candidate for nuclear power, but it aims to reduce carbon emissions and free up crude for export under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 economic plan.

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The U.S. Energy Information Administration said last year that 68% of Saudi electricity was generated by burning gas and 32% by burning oil, with 1.4 million barrels a day of crude being used for power generation during the peak month of June.

Atomic power could displace some of that, including for energy-intensive water desalination and air conditioning, allowing the kingdom to make more money from oil sales.

However, Saudi Arabia has also said that if old foe Iran develops a nuclear weapon it would have to follow suit - a declaration apparently aimed at ramping up pressure on Tehran, but which has also fuelled concern about its own ambitions.

In January it said it would enrich uranium - a process that can also be used as part of a military programme - to create 'yellowcake' fuel for nuclear power generation that it could sell.

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Any deal with Washington would likely address safeguards to assuage worries about military ambitions, on top of Saudi Arabia's existing commitment not to pursue a bomb under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

WHAT'S IN IT FOR THE UNITED STATES?

There could be strategic and commercial gains.

Civil nuclear cooperation was an important inducement along with security guarantees in an effort by Trump's predecessor Joe Biden to broker a deal for Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize relations.

However, those two issues are now uncoupled, Reuters has reported, though a nuclear deal could be a sweetener in U.S. diplomatic efforts with the kingdom. Riyadh has ruled out normalizing ties with Israel without Palestinian statehood.

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U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright met Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman in April and said the two countries were on "a pathway" to a civil nuclear agreement. He made no mention of a wider deal over other issues such as normalisation.

A deal would put U.S. industry in a prime spot to win contracts to build Saudi nuclear power plants as well as providing insight into the kingdom's atomic programme that could alleviate any U.S. worries over weapons proliferation.

Under Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954, the U.S. may negotiate agreements to engage in significant civil nuclear cooperation with other nations.

It specifies nine nonproliferation criteria those states must meet to keep them from using the technology to develop nuclear arms or transfer sensitive materials to others.

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U.S. law stipulates congressional review of such pacts.

SAUDI ARABIA HAS OPTIONS

Should the U.S.-Saudi talks fail, several countries with established nuclear industries have expressed interest or are seen as potential partners for Saudi Arabia's nuclear programme.

State-owned China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) reportedly submitted a bid in 2023 to construct a nuclear plant. Russia's state nuclear firm Rosatom, which built a nuclear plant in Egypt, has also signed preliminary cooperation agreements with Riyadh. Other potential contenders include South Korea, which built reactors in the neighbouring United Arab Emirates, and France.

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The choice of partner will likely depend on technological offerings, financing, and geopolitical alignment, including conditions related to nuclear fuel handling.

URANIUM ENRICHMENT

A key issue is whether Washington might agree to build a uranium enrichment facility on Saudi territory, when it might do so, and whether Saudi personnel might have access to it or it would be run solely by U.S. staff in a "black box" arrangement.

Without rigorous safeguards built into an agreement, Saudi Arabia, which has uranium ore reserves on its territory, could theoretically use an enrichment facility to produce highly enriched uranium, which, if purified enough, can yield fissile material for bombs.

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Another issue is whether Riyadh would agree to make a Saudi investment in a U.S.-based and U.S.-owned uranium enrichment plant and to hire U.S. companies to build Saudi nuclear reactors.

There are diplomatic issues too: Washington's top regional ally Israel has repeatedly voiced opposition to the idea of a Saudi civil nuclear programme.

(Reporting by Yousef Saba; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel)
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles issues a warning on toll text scams.

Scammers are operating under the Louisiana OMVs name, telling Louisiana residents they owe toll fees.

The message reads, This your final official notice from the Louisiana OMV regarding your unpaid toll associated with your vehicle on a Louisiana toll facility.

However, the OMV said they do not collect toll violation fees or send text messages and emails threatening to suspend your drivers license for a toll violation.

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Kathryn Mobley, Better Business Bureau of Acadiana CEO, said the common thread in text scams is a link for recipients to click on, which is included in these messages.

Then, when they click on the link, then it takes them to a fake website, Mobley said. Then, they get your personal information. Theyll usually ask you for your Social Security number, things like that.

The toll text scams use a sense of urgency, threatening a fine and even the loss of your drivers license if you dont comply.

Anything where they can kind of make you worry that it might be legitimate from the government or from a source like that, seems to be the way they work, Mobley said.

Heres how to avoid the OMV text scam:

Do not open the message. Delete it before opening the text.

Do not respond to the message. Answering signals to scammers that you are susceptible to fall for more scams.

Do not click any links. The links often contain malware that steal your personal information or lead you to a fake website ran by con-artists.

Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission. Report scam texts at reportfraud.ftc.gov for help figuring out what your next steps should be.

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If you have a scam youd like to report, send me an email at lmiller@klfy.com.

Latest news

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com.
The Federal Aviation Administration will embark on an ambitious three-year plan to modernize America's air traffic control systems and phase out the "outdated technologies that are unable to meet" modern demands, officials said Thursday.

The federal government has been under pressure to address mounting traveler concerns in the wake of fatal crashes, ongoing delays and an embarrassing recent revelation that the airspace controllers for Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey lost all contact with pilots last week after a failure of the copper wiring that transmits radar data from New York to Philadelphia TRACON.

President Donald Trump said he sympathizes with passengers trapped in airports because of air traffic delays.

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"I'm sorry what youre going through with the terminals, but were going to get them fixed up," he said in a phone call with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

Trump said too much air traffic data and communications run through "equipment thats from the 1960s, if you can believe it, doesnt even mesh with the plane."

Duffy acknowledged the administration will need considerable assistance from Capitol Hill.

"I need help. I cant do it by myself, and its going to take the help of the Congress to make that happen," he said. "So to do it in three or four years, we need all of the money up front."

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Reps. Sam Graves of Missouri and Rick Larsen of Washington, the top Republican and Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, appeared with Duffy and vowed to make a bipartisan effort.

"Weve talked about how this effort spans, sometimes, administrations. We dont want the effort to span generations," said Larsen, who represents a district north of Seattle.

"Democrats will be ready to stand with you, Sean, to improve the safety of us aviation," he said.

The FAA said ever-increasing consumer travel demands make the upgrades an absolute necessity.

"As the National Airspace System (NAS) users increase, the FAAs air traffic system is based on outdated technologies that are unable to meet the demands," it said in a statement Thursday.

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"These outdated systems are showing their age  which leads to delays and inefficiencies. The lack of funding for major investments in key air traffic infrastructure, such as radars, telecommunications, and facilities, is now putting the aviation sector at risk."

The FAA plans an accelerated "full replacement" of its current Time Division Multiplexing network with an internet protocol by 2028 in hope of smoothing over and safeguarding communications on busy air traffic control channels, officials said.

Some air traffic voice communications are conducted on "legacy radios" more than 30 years old that "rely on outdated analog technology" and should be replaced by 2027, officials said.

The government also seeks to build six new "state-of-the-art" ATC centers "for the first time since" the 1960s, the FAA said.

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The FAA also intends to quickly upgrade surveillance systems as "618 FAA airborne radar systems "exceed their intended lifespan."

Demands on all of those systems are only growing, the government said.

"The agency needs greater technology investment to better accommodate increasing commercial space and re-entry activity and unmanned aircraft systems activity," the FAA said.

The flying public has been growing increasingly worried in the wake of several accidents this year.

An American Eagle jet and a military Black Hawk helicopter collided in the air over Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport outside Washington, D.C., killing all 67 people aboard both on Jan. 29.

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An air ambulance crashed in northeast Philadelphia on Feb. 1, killing seven people and injuring about two dozen more.

Bering Air Flight 445 crashed on its way from Unalakleet, Alaska, to Nome on Feb. 6, killing all 10 people on board.

And 21 people were injured in February when a plane overturned upon landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Loved ones of some of the victims of the Reagan Airport collision appeared at the event to support modernization.

"We mourn with you, and were going to be with you now and for the long run," American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said.

"This accident should never have happened," he said. "I thank you for being here, because it is using this moment to really do great things going forward."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Congress is forging ahead with its budget for next year, but the most controversial program on the chopping block  Medicaid  is causing a rift within the Republican Party.

Earlier this year, Congress passed a budget blueprint that contains billions of dollars in cuts to federal spending, which House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) promised did not touch Medicaid. But as lawmakers hammer out the details of the spending plan, changes to the popular government-funded healthcare program are looming.

Republicans are scrambling to find creative ways to fulfill budget cuts they voted on without gutting Medicaid, a politically risky move that would endanger healthcare for more than 71 million people nationwide and lead to cascading effects for hospitals and nursing homes.

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So far, the options being floated  ramping up eligibility and work requirements and limiting access for immigrants  would have a drastic effect on Medicaid, even as Republicans brand their vision as tackling "waste, fraud and abuse," a popular line used by Trump administration officials who are downsizing federal government departments and programs.

The GOP is "strengthening Medicaid for people who need it by eliminating things like fraud, waste and abuse, which is a huge problem in the program, including removing illegal aliens," Johnson said at a news conference Tuesday.

Read more: Hiltzik: Inside the GOP's secret plan to destroy Medicaid

Other options that lawmakers have considered involve drastically cutting how much money the federal government gives to states that expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. If the minimum threshold were eliminated, California could lose as much as $156.5 billion in federal funding for the program over the next 10 years, according to an analysis by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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"States can't really raise that kind of revenue in general," said Kathy Hempstead, senior policy officer at the foundation. "What states will do is maybe raise some revenue, but they'd have to start cutting services."

Johnson indicated Tuesday that he'd moved away from that consideration.

Still, advocates warn that other options clamping down on eligibility will inadvertently disadvantage millions of people who qualify for the program.

The budget Congress passed included an order for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which governs spending on Medicaid, to slash $880 billion over 10 years. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said that level of reduction is possible only by cutting into Medicaid.

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In a letter to committee leaders Wednesday, the CBO outlined how federal changes to Medicaid would result in a shrinking of the program.

It anticipates that states would spend more themselves on Medicaid, reduce payment rates to healthcare providers, limit optional benefits and reduce enrollment.

Last week, the committee postponed a planned meeting on the bill over continued disagreements among its members. Matt Herdman, state director for Protect Our Care California, saw the delay as a partial win.

"Theyve clearly noticed they have a huge problem on their hands. They have a ton of vulnerable members," Herdman said. "They would not have pushed this back if they thought this was a done deal."

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But Johnson dismissed the idea that the postponement was "a snag," saying that after meeting with President Trump over the weekend and reviewing numbers, they decided "it just made sense for us to press pause for a week ... to get it right." The speaker said he is still aiming to pass the budget by Memorial Day.

Read more: If Trump cuts Medicaid, this California Republican's House seat would be imperiled

In the meantime, Johnson is wrangling members from the far-right flank of the party, who support defunding and reforming Medicaid, and other Republicans, who are beseeching party leaders to avoid forcing them to vote for the cuts.

Twelve members who represent districts with high Medicaid populations  including California Reps. David Valadao (R-Hanford) and Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills)  sent a letter to House leaders last month, warning that a vote to cut Medicaid would jeopardize their hard-won districts in future elections.

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"We cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations," the letter read, adding that the lawmakers support reforming the program. It concluded: "Communities like ours won us the majority, and we have a responsibility to deliver on the promises we made."

Valadao told Politico that he texts and meets with his colleagues in Congress regularly, working on alternative solutions. Valadao has serious motivation to save the program  he represents the California district with the highest percentage of Medicaid recipients, and he lost his congressional seat after voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2017.

His office declined an interview for this article.

Protests to preserve Medicaid have been sweeping the nation for weeks. The Service Employees International Union, home to many care workers in the U.S., organized several demonstrations outside Republican congressional offices in recent weeks, including Kim's.

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"I'm seeing unbelievable energy about this," Herdman said. "I don't think I've seen anything quite as large in person since the pandemic on a legislative issue."

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), who sits on the Energy and Commerce Committee, told reporters Tuesday that she's been hearing from constituents in her district who rely on Medicaid to sustain their healthcare.

"Medicaid is a lifeline. It keeps children healthy, it helps parents work and it cares for seniors in nursing homes," Dingell said. "The American people cannot afford Medicaid cuts, especially as the economy is being crashed around them by President Trump."

Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox twice per week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Claim:

A video authentically shows U.S. President Donald Trump complaining in early May 2025 about the organizers of the Met Gala banning him from the annual event.

Rating:

Rating: Fake

A rumor that circulated online in early May 2025 involved a video purportedly showing U.S. President Donald Trump delivering a speech in which he complained about the organizers of the Met Gala allegedly banning him from attending their event. The annual New York City occasion, which prominently features celebrities wearing extravagant garments, raises funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.

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For example, on May 7  two days after the 2025 Met Gala  an X user who reposted (archived) the video claimed it showed Trump "whining" about not being invited to the event.

The clip depicted Trump complaining about former Vice President Kamala Harris' attendance at the 2025 event and protesting his alleged ban:

Listen. These pitiful Met Gala organizers actually let Kamala Harris walk the red carpet, but they dared to ban me, the greatest president in American history, from attending. This is simply the biggest scandal in the fashion industry, the United States. No one understands the red carpet better than I do. During the golden era I created when I was in the White House, over 100,000 designer jobs were added in New York. But these ungrateful fashion experts now would rather invite Harris, who can't even speak coherently, than allow a, a real star like me to enter. The Met Gala is nothing but a money laundering club of the Democratic Party. There must be taxpayers and money hidden in that ridiculous gown Harris wore. Just you wait. These corrupt fashion shows won't get any tax breaks anymore. I will make the American red carpet great again and burn all those shabby gowns with socialist buttons.

While it's true Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, attended the 2025 Met Gala, the video showing Trump complaining about the Met Gala allegedly banning him from being invited, including him calling the matter "the biggest scandal in the fashion industry," was fake.

The X user's clip displayed a watermark for the TikTok user @7.dazzle_daily. That user's account hosted videos labeled as the products of artificial-intelligence tools. As of this writing, the in-question clip no longer publicly appeared on the TikTok user's account.

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Snopes made attempts to reach @7.dazzle_daily that included requesting permission in a public comment under a video to send a private message to ask questions about the matter. A previous attempt to send a private message failed due to the user's settings disabling such correspondence from users they do not follow.

A White House spokesperson said of the video: "This is fake news."

The original, unaltered video  one that either the TikTok user or someone else used to create the fake clip  showed Trump delivering a speech about American investments at the White House on April 30, 2025. PBS NewsHour's YouTube channel hosts a video with Trump's full remarks. The moment matching the AI-edited clip begins at the 12:41 mark.

Another example of @7.dazzle_daily posting an inauthentic video occurred on May 8, with a clip allegedly showing first lady Melania Trump saying, "I actually regret marrying Trump." The fake video displayed a TikTok notice reading, "Creator labeled as AI-generated." The same label appeared on some of the user's other clips. Because the in-question video about Trump and the Met Gala no longer appeared on the user's account, we could not verify whether the AI label also appeared on that video.

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Snopes previously reported that Anna Wintour, Vogue editor-in-chief and longtime co-chair of the Met Gala, in 2017 named Trump as a person she would "never invite back" to the prestigious event. Whether Wintour's statement constituted a formal ban remained unclear. Trump attended the Met Gala with his wife, Melania, as recently as 2012. We also found that a video purporting to show Wintour describing her reasons for allegedly banning Trump was an AI fake.

Sources:

Christensen, Laerke. "Here's What We Know about Rumors Met Gala Co-Chair Anna Wintour Banned Trump from Attending 2025 Event." Snopes, 8 May 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/trump-met-gala-ban/.

Palumbo, Jacqui. "Kamala Harris Makes a Surprise  and Quiet  Debut Appearance at the Met Gala." CNN, 6 May 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/06/style/kamala-harris-surprise-appearance-met-gala.

Prussin, Mark, and Jesse Zanger. "Met Gala 2025 Photos, Best Looks and Moments Celebrating 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.'" CBS News, 5 May 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/live-updates/watch-met-gala-red-carpet-2025/.

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"Transcribe Audio to Text - AI Transcription Software." Restream, https://restream.io/tools/transcribe-audio-to-text.

"Trump Speaks on American Investments." Rev.com, 30 Apr. 2025, https://www.rev.com/transcripts/trump-speaks-on-american-investments.

"WATCH LIVE: Trump Delivers Remarks on American Investment as Economy Slightly Shrinks." YouTube, PBS NewsHour, 30 Apr. 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ITMsSrq0qs.

Wrona, Aleksandra. "Video Showing Anna Wintour Saying Why She Banned Trump from Met Gala Is a Deepfake." Snopes, 8 May 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/anna-wintour-trump-met-gala/.
By Alvise Armellini

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, who on Thursday was elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church taking up the name of Leo XIV, is a soft-spoken figure who has shunned the limelight during his priestly career.

The 69-year-old from Chicago has served as a missionary in Peru and has given few media interviews. However, he spoke to Vatican News in May 2023, upon his appointment as head of the Vatican department that oversees bishops' appointments, and to RAI Italian public television before the conclave.

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Here are some extracts from those interviews:

ON HIS FAMILY BACKGROUND:

"I was born in the United States ... But my grandparents were all immigrants, French, Spanish ... I was raised in a very Catholic family, both of my parents were very engaged in the parish." (RAI)

ON CONSIDERING DROPPING PLANS FOR PRIESTHOOD:

He talked with his father about "very concrete things, doubts that a young man may have (such as) 'perhaps it is better (that) I leave this life and I get married, I have children, a normal life". (RAI)

ON BEING PROMOTED TO A TOP VATICAN JOB IN 2023:

"I still consider myself a missionary. My vocation, like that of every Christian, is to be a missionary, to proclaim the Gospel wherever one is." (Vatican News)

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ON HOW TO BE A BISHOP:

"We are often preoccupied with teaching doctrine, the way of living our faith, but we risk forgetting that our first task is to teach what it means to know Jesus Christ and to bear witness to our closeness to the Lord." (Vatican News)

ON CHURCH DIVISIONS:

"Divisions and polemics in the Church do not help anything. We bishops especially must accelerate this movement towards unity, towards communion in the Church." (Vatican News)

ON THE CHURCH AS AN INSTITUTION:

"Too many times we have allowed the Church to become an institution in part or in its entirety... One thinks of the Vatican, the Holy See, there are institutional dimensions, but that is not the heart of what the Church is and must be." (RAI)

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ON WOMEN BEING APPOINTED AS MEMBERS OF THE VATICAN'S DICASTERY FOR BISHOPS, AN INNOVATION BY POPE FRANCIS:

"On several occasions we have seen that their point of view is an enrichment." (Vatican News)

ON THE DUTY OF BISHOPS TO ACT AGAINST SEX ABUSE:

"We cannot close our hearts, the door of the Church, to people who have suffered from abuse. The responsibility of the bishop is great, and I think we still have to make great efforts to respond to this situation that is causing so much pain in the Church. It will take time."

"In any case, silence is not an answer. Silence is not the solution. We must be transparent and honest, we must accompany and assist the victims, because otherwise their wounds will never heal. There is a great responsibility in this, for all of us." (Vatican News)

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ON FINANCIAL CHALLENGES FOR THE CHURCH:

"The (late) Pope (Francis) has told us that he wants a Church that is poor and for the poor (...) Personally, I am not of the opinion that the Church should sell everything and 'only' preach the Gospel in the streets. However, this is a very big responsibility, there are no one-size-fits-all answers." (Vatican News)

ON THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

"Social media can be an important tool to communicate the Gospel message reaching millions of people. We must prepare ourselves to use social media well."

"(There are) situations where we really have to think several times before speaking or before writing a message on Twitter, in order to answer or even just to ask questions in a public form, in full view of everyone. Sometimes there is a risk of fuelling divisions and controversy." (Vatican News)

(Writing by Alvise Armellini; Editing by Diane Craft)
Former St. Lucie County Republican supervisor of elections candidate George Umansky addressing a crowd in Pinellas County on April 24, 2024. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix)

An election bill requiring new Florida voters to show proof of U.S. citizenship failed to advance in the just-concluded regular legislative session, drawing sighs of relief from both voting-rights and voting-integrity groups, although for different reasons.

The measure arose shortly after President Trump issued his executive order requiring voters to show proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. This bill fully answers the presidents call, said Lee County Republican Persons-Mulicka when introducing her proposal (HB 1381) before the House Government Operations Subcommittee on April 1.

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The bill would have mandated that all voter registration applications, including any with a change in name, address, or party affiliation, could only be accepted after the Florida Department of State verified that the applicant was a U.S. citizen in one of three ways:

The applicants voter record indicated that his or her legal status as a U.S. citizen had been verified.

The applicants legal status as a citizen was matched against records of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Or the voter showing one of seven identification sources, such as a driver license, a U.S. passport. or a birth certificate.

Critics noted that the provision removed several previous categories to verify voter identification, such as a debit or credit card, student identification, or retirement cards.

Its not just an issue for noncitizens, said Brad Ashwell, Florida state director for All Voting is Local Action.

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If the bill had passed, after Oct. 1 any of us who are renewing IDs due to an address change, a party change, a name change, would all have to show proof of citizenship. And it had a list of IDs to do that are pretty cumbersome and that a lot of people dont have  like a passport or an original copy of a birth certificate.

The bill resembled the federal Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives last month with four Democrats joining all Republicans in supporting it, Ashwell said.

One of the talking points that critics formed in that debate was how the bill would potentially disenfranchise married women who changed their last names. An estimated 69 million American women and 4 million men lack a birth certificate that matches their current name, according to the Center for American Progress, a progressive group.

What about passports? In Florida, approximately 40% of the voting population, or around 8.1 million citizens in the state, lack passports, also according to statistics provided by the Center for American Progress.

Read the details

Voting integrity activists also had major problems with the bill.

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There were multiple things in there that appeared good at first glance but, when you read the details, werent good at all, said Deb Monks of the group Defend Florida, which held town hall meetings throughout the state discussing the bill. I call it window dressing. Some were positive, but if you really looked in it, it didnt accomplish what we needed.

Monks said her organization had more involvement with bills filed in the House by House Republicans Berny Jacques (HB 831) and Webster Barnaby (HB 1203) plus several by Miami Sen. Ileana Garcia (SB 1330, SB 390, SB 394 and SB 396). Those fully addressed the citizenship issues as well as cleaning up the voting rolls, Monks said.

None of them received a hearing.

The citizenship bill also called for replacing the existing ballot machine recount and audit process with an automated, independent pre-certification vote validation process for every vote cast in every election  the first state in the country to do so, Persons-Mulicka boasted.

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The likely software that supervisors of elections would need to accommodate that change would be ClearAudit, which creates an image of every paper ballot and lets election officials quickly call up ballots with questionable markings to verify votes.

However, not every county in the state uses the ClearAudit technology, which is produced the company ClearBallot. That was a problem mentioned by both voting rights and voting integrity advocates.

My issue with that is economic  the only way that theyre going to be able to comply with that law is if they get software that allows them to audit every precinct for every vote before the certification deadline, said Ashwell.

So, if they cant do that, its going to delay the certification deadline and thats a huge problem. If they do get the software to do that, it wouldnt be a problem, but that costs money, and my understanding is that only about 2/3rds of the counties have that software at this point.

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The way that we feel, we dont need another machine, added Cathi Chamberlain of the voter integrity group Pinellas Watchdogs.

We want to get rid of the machines, so were really strong on that. We saw what VR [Systems] did in the last election, so these systems are not really reliable. We dont trust them at all. Clear Ballot is extremely expensive, especially for your smaller districts that cant afford that, not just the machines, but the upkeep as well.

A glitch in VR Systems machines delayed results in the August primaries last year.

A spokesperson for the Florida Department of State told the Phoenix that the agency was looking into how many counties use ClearAudit, but did not provide those numbers before this story was published.

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Not all conservatives were critical of the measure.

Section 6 [of the bill] authorizes data sharing with other states to purge deceased or ineligible voters, and Section 8 leverages federal jury data to flag ineligible voters, said Karen Jaroch of Heritage Action. Thats smart, practical reforms to protect every lawful vote.

Voting integrity advocates

Meanwhile, election-related bills sponsored by Democrats and voting rights advocates predictably went nowhere, with none of them getting a hearing.

Those advocates favorite bill encompassing an assortment of provisions was packed into the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Florida Voting Rights Act (SB 1582/HB 1409) originally sponsored in the Senate by Democrat Geraldine Thompson, who died just weeks before the session began (Jacksonvilles Tracie Davis later become the Senate sponsor).

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The 113-page omnibus measure proposed a variety of changes, including establishing Election Day as a holiday and authorizing same-day voter registration. It would have required counties with histories of voter suppression to get pre-clearance before making voting changes (a provision of the 1965 federal Voting Rights Act that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 2013).

It also would have repealed recent laws on vote-by-mail and created a database for felons to determine whether they have had their voting rights restored.

Realizing the bill would never get a hearing on its own, Orange County Democratic Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis opted to insert the entire measure onto Persons-Mulickas bill as an amendment when it came before its sole committee hearing last month. It was voted down by the GOP-dominated committee.

Both sides say they expect a version of this bill to be resurrected next year. While Persons-Mulicka was unsuccessful in moving this measure, she was also the sponsor of one of Gov. DeSantis highest priorities this year. That would be HB 1205, a proposal designed to reduce fraud in the signature petition process with citizen-led constitutional amendments, a bill that critics say will make it much harder to get such measures on the ballot.

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Florida voters have already shown that they want only U.S. citizens to vote in state elections. A 2020 constitutional amendment calling for that was approved by more than 79% of the electorate.

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DENVER (KDVR)  Charges were dropped for three more officers in the 2022 death of Christian Glass.

A spokesperson for the Colorado Judicial Branch confirmed to FOX31 on Wednesday that charges of failure to intervene in the excessive force of another law enforcement officer were dropped for Idaho Springs police officer Brittany Morrow, former Georgetown police officer Timothy Collins and Colorado State Patrol trooper Ryan Bennie. Similar charges were also dropped for two other officers late last year.

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FOX31 spoke with Colorados 5th Judicial District Attorney Heidi McCollum on Wednesday night and learned that the charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. The DA said there were a few factors that led to the plea agreement being offered.

Those included that Andrew Buen, a former Clear Creek County deputy, was convicted of a lesser charge than what he was originally charged with, leading prosecutors to believe that a jury would not find these individuals guilty of the charges they faced.

McCollum also noted that its coming up on the third anniversary of Christian Glass death, and the process is taking a toll on his family. She said that the Glass family has been consulted on every step of the case.

The charges stemmed from June 2022, when Glass car broke down in Clear Creek County and he called for help. During the call, he told dispatchers that he had possible weapons in his car, including knives and a hammer, which his family said were for an amateur geology trip.

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Several law enforcement officers responded. Body-worn camera footage showed that deputies with the Clear Creek County Sheriffs Office broke a window of his vehicle, shot him with bean bags and used a Taser against him before a deputy shot him six times.

More than a dozen officers faced charges in the case.

The plea deal publicized on Wednesday included two main parts:

The three individuals will be given additional training on de-escalation techniques, mental health response competencies and critical incident training. All three have completed interviews to be used in training to be distributed to all law enforcement officers as an example of what not to do The three were asked three questions each: What went wrong and why, what would you do differently and what has been the personal impact on you

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The training video will be produced by the Colorado State Patrol and distributed.

If this video can prevent one lethal incident with law enforcement officers and can get one officer to rely on their de-escalation training, then that saved life makes this plea agreement worth it, McCollum told FOX31.

She added that no one is winning in this case, as Christian lost his life and his family lost their son, while Buen is in prison and other officers have had their lives also irreparably changed, as well as the community they served.

The only outstanding case in this incident is against former Georgetown police officer Randy Williams.

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CSP Col. Matthew C. Packard released the following statement:

This case began when the Glass family suffered the loss of their son, a loss that should never have occurred. I was very pleased to learn about the agreement reached between the 5th Judicial District Attorneys Office and Trooper Ryan Bennie, specifically that the criminal charges he faced would be dismissed. While I wish the process to arrive at this outcome would have been different, particularly in avoiding an unnecessary criminal charge against Trooper Bennie, I also understand the complexities involved. Our agency will continue its efforts to learn and grow following our involvement in incidents as a part of our drive for continuous improvement. The Colorado State Patrol is glad to have Trooper Bennie continue his professional service to the people of Colorado as a member of our agency.

Former Clear Creek County Sheriffs Office deputy Andrew Buen was convicted of criminally negligent homicide in Glass death and was sentenced to three years in the Department of Corrections.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
BRUSSELS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Several European countries have issued or updated travel warnings for India and Pakistan amid escalating military tensions between the two South Asian neighbors, urging citizens to avoid high-risk areas due to an increasingly volatile security situation.

On Thursday, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a "code red" travel advisory, warning against travel to specific regions in both countries.

"The security situation is unpredictable," the ministry said, highlighting areas near the India-Pakistan border as particularly dangerous. The advisory, now in effect, urges: "Do not travel here. It is too dangerous."

The warning follows heightened military activity, including recent Indian airstrikes on targets in Pakistan and the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

In response to the deteriorating situation, Dutch airline KLM announced earlier this week that it would avoid flying over Pakistani airspace. The move mirrors decisions by several other international carriers, including Air France and Emirates.

In a related development, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has canceled a planned visit to the Netherlands, according to Dutch and Indian media reports. Modi was scheduled to travel to Norway, Croatia, and the Netherlands from May 13 to 17, but the trip has been called off due to the escalating situation with Pakistan.

The Dutch travel advisory comes in the wake of similar warnings issued by other European countries.

On Wednesday, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel guidance for India and Pakistan, advising British nationals to avoid several high-risk areas, including locations within 10 kilometers of the India-Pakistan border, due to rising tensions between the two nations.

"We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. British nationals should stay up to date with our travel advice and follow the advice of local authorities," the FCDO stated.

That same day, Sweden's Ministry for Foreign Affairs issued a warning against all travel to Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Indian-administered Kashmir, the Jammu region of India, and areas within 10 kilometers of the shared border. The ministry noted that the advisory would remain in effect until further notice.

Finland also revised its travel advisory on Wednesday. The country's Ministry for Foreign Affairs urged citizens to avoid all travel to several parts of Pakistan, including Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and to limit non-essential travel to Punjab, the province bordering India.

"The security situation varies significantly between different parts of the countries and can change rapidly," the ministry cautioned. 
COLUMBIA, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame formally inducted seven fallen officers Wednesday.

One of the officers honored was South Carolina State Transport Police Officer First Class Mark Reynolds, who experienced a medical emergency during training and died hours later in 2024.

Each year, we come together on this solemn occasion to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities, said SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods IV. This ceremony is especially personal for DPS because one of our own, Officer First Class Mark Reynolds, lost his life last year in the line of duty. And while we can never repay Officer First Class Reynolds and the other brave men for their courageous acts, we offer a humble recognition of their lives and legacies by permanently inducting them into the Hall of Fame.

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Sheriff Elijah Nunn of the Chester County Sheriffs Office was also honored. Sheriff Nunn was remembered as a Revolutionary War veteran and a devoted family man.

On March 17, 1809, Nunn was attempting to serve a bail writ on Samuel Floyd, who had reportedly been carrying a firearm and threatening to use deadly force against anyone who attempted to arrest him.

When Nunn approached Floyd in a field, Floyd fatally shot him.

Sheriff Max Dorsey, along with two of Sheriff Nunns great-granddaughters were there for the ceremony.

South Carolina Department of Public Safety

Pictured: Sheriff Dorsey and Sheriff Nuns great-granddaughters

Other officers honored were:

Deputy Sheriff Elias Grantham : Marion County Sheriffs Office End of Watch: July 11, 1864

Sheriff William P. Campbell : Marion County Sheriffs Office End of Watch: November 17, 1864

Deputy Sheriff William B. Page : Marion County Sheriffs Office End of Watch: December 12, 1873

Special Agent James F. Jimmy Grayson III : Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives End of Watch: January 10, 1976

Patrolmen Sammie Lee McCoy Jr .: Lancaster Police Department End of Watch: February 29, 1980



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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Tou Sue Vang ran a profitable family business in Sacramento with his brother, Andrew, and his mother, Monica Moua.

But the lucrative family enterprise was illegal and involved buying stolen catalytic converters in a scheme that made more than $38 million for the family, according to authorities.

On Tuesday, Tou Sue Vang, 33, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in the theft ring, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office in the Eastern District of California.

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In 2023, Vang, along with his brother and mother, pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport stolen catalytic converters bought from local thieves and selling them to a New Jersey buyer for more than $38 million, officials said. Vang also pleaded guilty to 39 additional money-laundering charges. Vang's brother and mother are awaiting sentencing.

Catalytic converter theft has become common across the U.S. because the car part is easy to steal, includes no identifying markings and is very valuable. Catalytic converters contain precious metals that make some of them worth more than $1,000 each on the black market.

At least one man in Inglewood was shot and killed trying to stop a catalytic converter theft.

Read more: Inglewood police seek suspects in death of man who tried to stop catalytic converter theft

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Vang and his family operated the illegal enterprise from private residences and storage units and didn't have a valid business license or a scrapyard, officials said. Vang shipped to DG Auto in New Jersey more than 1,000 pounds in goods.

DG Auto then sold the converters and the precious metals to a metal refinery for more than $600 million, according to the indictments.

The case also includes 12 defendants from New Jersey, including brothers Navin Khanna and Tinu Khanna, who ran DG Auto and bought the stolen catalytic converters from California, authorities said.

Vang used some of the money from the business to buy a five-acre, $1.235-million home in Rio Linda and another home in Sacramento, as well as more than a dozen cars and personal watercraft, authorities said. Vang forfeited more than $150,000 in cash as part of his sentence, plus 13 cars, four watercraft, jewelry, real estate and other property.

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"This defendant led a network of criminals that hurt thousands of innocent car owners," said Acting U.S. Atty. Michele Beckwith in the news release. "This case represents the kind of far-reaching investigation that federal, state, and local law enforcement partners can do when working together."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
SHAWNEE, Okla. (KFOR)  A family is searching for answers after a young man was found critically injured on the side of a road in Shawnee.

Police are still investigating, but those we spoke with believe he was hit by a car and the driver took off.

32-year-old Timothy Olson had just moved to Shawnee for a fresh start.

Hes been here about two months maybe and just getting back on his feet, trying to make a better life for himself and do something different with his life, said Crystal Hicks, Timothys cousin.

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People were running everywhere: 7 injured after shoot-out in Midtown

But last Thursday evening, at around 9 p.m., everything changed. His family says he was riding his bike to the store, but never made it back home.

I dont know who hit him, how he was hit, nothing like that, said Hicks.

Ana Johnson lives nearby and says she walked out of her home to police lights and ambulances.

There was a guy laying in the street and I seen a bike, a bicycle, and it still had the flashers on, said Johnson.

Johnson says it happened near Kickapoo and Farrall, an area where there are no lights and no sidewalks. The speed limit there is 35 mph.

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Its always racing or speeding on this street, said Johnson.

Police say they cant confirm if this was a hit-and-run because there were no witnesses and they havent been able to speak with Olson yet.

Im no doctor, but from the injuries, Im sure he was hit, said Johnson.

Olson is now at OU Health with a broken neck and multiple brain injuries.

He has short-term memory loss. Not for sure if hes going to be able to walk or not, but other than that, hes up and talking, but hes very aggressive, said Hicks.

With no insurance, his family says the road to recovery will be tough, but all they want is answers and accountability.

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You could have stayed there, at least until somebody else came, but I would like for them to pay for what theyve done someway, somehow to apologize to something, said Hicks.

If you know anything, you are asked to call the Shawnee Police Department at (405) 273-0989.

There is also a GoFundMe to help with Timothys medical expenses. To donate, click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
A womans family is suing a Kansas City-area medical center for negligence, claiming it failed to prevent a sexual assault that they say led to her death.

The victim was receiving treatment at Saint Joseph Medical Center, 1000 Carondelet Drive, on March 16, 2024, for septic arthritis, according to court records.

In the early hours, Stanley J. Antoine was allegedly allowed to walk into the hospital, visit several floors and steal one patients phone before arriving on the victims floor. Antoine later pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and two counts of stealing.

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Court documents say Antoine was not approached or questioned by staff before entering the victims room, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her. She screamed for help and he hit her nose, causing it to bleed.

Family said in court documents that the victim received severe and continual injuries from the sexual assault, including injuring her nose, PTSD, pain, suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life, which they said contributed to her death on April 7.

The victims family argues in court documents that the hospital had a duty to care for the victim, including providing a safe environment, and breached that by negligently hiring, training and supervising its employees, as well as failing to prevent abuse and have proper security measures in place.

The family is asking for a trial by jury and a minimum of $50,000.
KIOWA COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW)  A woman and two Fowler students were killed in a crash involving a pickup and semi on U.S. Highway 54 in Kiowa County. The crash happened west of Greensburg just after 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Kansas Highway Patrol said a Ford F-150 was westbound in the eastbound lane. A semi was eastbound in the eastbound lane. Troopers said the semi went left of center to avoid the pickup, but the pickup returned to the westbound lane and the two collided.

The driver of the pickup, 68-year-old Teresa C. Davis, was killed along with 10-year-old Hunter Welch and 13-year-old Travis Welch. Davis was the boys grandmother. All three were from Meade. The 22-year-old driver of the semi from Sunnyvale, California, wasnt injured. The KHP said all were wearing seatbelts.

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Fugitive in Wichita chase found hiding in fridge

The highway was closed for hours during the investigation.

Fowler USD 225 released this statement late Wednesday:

It is with immense sadness and heavy hearts that we confirm the tragic loss of two of our beloved elementary students, Travis and Hunter Welch, earlier today in a car accident. Our entire school district community is grieving this devastating news, and our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of these precious children during this incredibly difficult time. The loss of young lives is a profound tragedy that impacts us all. Tomorrow, and in the coming days, USD 225 Fowler Schools will be providing comprehensive support services for our students and staff as they process this heartbreaking event. Support Services Available Thursday, May 8, 2025: Crisis Counseling Teams: We will have additional counselors, school psychologists, pastors, and social workers on site, as well as representatives from Compass and Hospice. These professionals are trained in grief counseling and crisis intervention.

Safe Spaces: Designated quiet rooms will be available at our schools for students and staff who need a calm and supportive environment to talk, reflect, or simply be.

Staff Support: We recognize that our teachers and staff are also deeply affected. Support will be available specifically for them, including opportunities for debriefing and access to counseling services.

Age-Appropriate Information: School staff will be equipped with guidance on how to discuss this tragedy in an age-appropriate and sensitive manner with students in classrooms.

Parent Resources: We will be sharing resources with parrents on how to talk to their children about grief and loss, and how to recognize signs that their child may need additional support. This information will be available on our district website and sent home to students. We understand that the grieving process is unique for each individual, and we are committed to providing ongoing support for as long as it is needed. We encourage parents to talk with their children and to reach out to their childs school if they have any concerns or feel their child needs additional assistance. Our school community is strong, and in the wake of unimaginable loss, we come together to support one another. We ask for your compassion and support for the families directly impacted and for our entire school community as we navigate this sorrowful time. We will share further information regarding any community vigils or memorials as details become available, in accordance with the wishes of the family. Sincerely,

Mrs. Cori McDowell

620-646-5234

Fowler Friends Church will hold a community prayer time at 7 p.m. The church will be praying for the family, friends of the family, students, and faculty of both the Fowler and Meade schools.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
Rep. Rob Menendez, a Democrat, is one of several federal lawmakers who wants to ban all non-essential helicopter traffic in a 20-mile radius around the Statue of Liberty. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

A month after a sightseeing helicopter fell apart in the sky over Jersey City, killing six, three federal lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill that would ban all non-essential helicopter traffic within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty.

Such restrictions are necessary because sightseeing and commuter helicopters clog the airspace sometimes at dangerously low altitudes, create excessive air and noise pollution, and endanger densely populated urban areas on both sides of the Hudson River, said Reps. Rob Menendez (D-08), Jerrold Nadler (D-New York), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-New York).

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Last months tragic crash should be a clarion call for every level of government to take action on helicopter safety, Menendez said in a statement. Rising congestion of non-essential helicopters, coupled with concerning safety records of air tourism operators, are causing a direct threat to public safety. Along with my colleagues from New Jersey and New York, were doing what is necessary to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.

The National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday released a preliminary investigative report on that April 10 crash. It offered no cause but shed light on the helicopters path and fatal fall.

The Bell 206L-4 helicopter carrying a Spanish family of five broke apart in the air about 17 minutes after it took off from the Wall Street Heliport in Manhattan, according to the report. Killed were Agustin Escobar, 49, a Siemens executive; his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, 39; their three children, Victor, 4, Mercedes, 8, and Agustin, 10; and pilot Seankese Johnson, 36.

Investigators determined that Johnson  on his eighth sightseeing flight of the day in that helicopter  first flew by the Statue of Liberty before heading north on the Manhattan side of the Hudson River past the George Washington Bridge. He then made a U-turn and headed south again along the New Jersey side of the river.

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As he approached the Holland Tunnel ventilation towers by Jersey City at a height of about 675 feet, witnesses heard several loud bangs and the chopper fell in three pieces into the river, investigators found.

This chart shows the helicopter breaking apart in the sky over the Hudson River near Jersey City. (Courtesy of the National Transportation Safety Board)

The fuselage, with engine attached, landed in about six feet of water north of the tunnels ventilation towers, and investigators found the choppers main rotor and tail sections in about 30 feet of water farther north, according to the report. They also found debris on a Hoboken rooftop.

An initial review of the choppers maintenance records showed its most recent inspection occurred on Feb. 27, the report says. Johnson, a U.S. Navy veteran, had logged 790 hours of flight experience, the report says.

The aircraft, which was operated by a company called New York Helicopter, had no video or data recording devices onboard, the report says. Photos taken of Johnson before he flew his final flight showed him wearing computer-augmented sunglasses that had video and audio recording capability, but they were not recovered.

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The crash was one of about 30 helicopter crashes that killed 31 people in the region since 1983, according to Menendezs office.

His bill, co-sponsored by Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-10), also has the support of Stop the Chop NY/NJ.

That grassroots advocacy group says the fatal helicopter crashes, along with a longtime shortage of air traffic controllers, prove the need for the immediate reform of the current Wild West-like conditions over NYC and surrounding communities.

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Lea County Attorney John Caldwell discussed the future of the Lea County Correctional Facility in Hobbs on May 8, 2025. (Screenshot courtesy of the Lea County Board of County Commissioners)

Local officials said Thursday they dont know what will happen to a private prison in southeast New Mexico set to close this summer, but the company running it has expressed interest to the federal government in converting it into an immigration detention center.

The Lea County Correctional Facility in Hobbs is owned and operated by private prison company GEO Group, which holds people convicted under state law and in New Mexico Corrections Department custody.

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In January, GEO Group officials told the Lea County Commission they dont intend to extend the companys agreement beyond Nov. 24, 2025, according to a letter read by County Attorney John Caldwell during the Lea County Commissions regular meeting on Thursday.

GEO Group and the state have been unable to reach a decision in negotiations, Caldwell said, after the company on April 21 offered to sell it to the Corrections Department for $175 million. GEO Group had previously offered to sell the prison to the county and the state government for $240 million, he said.

GEO Group on May 1 informed its 203 workers, the county, the state Department of Workforce Solutions and Hobbs Mayor Sam Cobb that it would stop operating the prison on June 30, Caldwell said.

Then last week, the New Mexico Corrections Department told the county it would stop sending incarcerated people to the prison and would transfer everyone currently held there to other prisons by June 30, he said.

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As to whether anyone else has expressed interest in taking over the prison, Caldwell said that in his discussions with GEO, I know that they have spoken with the federal government, but nothing specific.

GEO Group mentioned the Lea County Correctional Facility in response to an ICE request for information last September as one that might be available for ICE use. The American Civil Liberties Union obtained the document via a Freedom of Information Act request.

ACLU filed the FOIA request in August 2024 and a month later sued to force ICE to hand over the records. ICE in April released the document mentioning the Lea County prison  along with other records showing CoreCivics interest in renewing the migrant detention contract for the Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia.

The documents received provide important details regarding what we have long feared  a massive expansion of ICE detention facilities nationwide in an effort to further the Trump administrations dystopian plans to deport our immigrant neighbors and loved ones, ACLU National Prison Project Senior Staff Attorney Eunice Cho said in a statement. This expansion is a disastrous waste of billions of taxpayer dollars that will only line the coffers of the private prison industry.

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The Trump administration is rapidly expanding immigration detention through billion-dollar contracts with private prison companies, including GEO Group and CoreCivic, Stateline reports.

Source NM has asked spokespeople for ICE and GEO Group whether the agency intends to detain people at the prison in Hobbs and will update this story if a response is received.
A Detroit man is accused by police of stealing a car to drive it across town to a home he allegedly attempted to burglarize. However, thats not the worst part. Upon the investigation, police found someone assisted him in the alleged crimes. His accomplice will surprise you.

Authorities from the Wayne County Prosecutors Office say they charged 29-year-old Andre Stephon-Curtis Broadenax with multiple felonies this week in connection to a break-in his 11-year-old daughter was allegedly swept into, per CBS News. Prosecutors said the evening of April 29, Broadenax was found inside a home on Marquette Drive near Jefferson Avenue on the east side of the city. The 75-year-old homeowner wasnt present.

However, his son arrived at the property that night to discover the alleged intruder, per WXYZ. Neighbors told local news the house was under renovation - which may have been the reason why the home was a target for a potential burglary. Not only was Broadenax accused of trespassing the property but he was also accused of stealing his getaway car from a 52-year-old man from Dearborn Heights.

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Once Broadenax was caught inside the home, police say he fled on foot. Its unclear if he managed to grab anything from the home but he sure did leave some things behind. Police say they found the stolen vehicle and also an unsuspecting accomplice: his 11-year-old daughter. Police came to the conclusion later that the man forced his young daughter to assist him in his mini crime spree.

Detroit Police tracked him down later and was arrested. He was arraigned on a laundry list of charges including including first-degree home invasion, second-degree home invasion, larceny in a building, receiving and concealing a motor vehicle, inducing a minor to commit a felony and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

His bond was set at $150,000. Hes due back in court on May 14.

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By Andrew Goudsward and Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -FBI Director Kash Patel told a U.S. Senate panel on Thursday that he supports a White House proposal to cut the bureau's budget, a day after telling lawmakers he had wanted $1 billion more than the administration had requested.

Patel's Wednesday testimony to a House of Representatives panel had exposed a rare break with President Donald Trump's administration, which has pushed to slash spending across the federal government. Disagreements between agencies and the White House over funding requests to Congress are rarely made public.

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Patel told the Senate appropriations committee on Thursday that he would make the mission work on whatever budget we're given.

My view is that we will make and agree with this budget as it stands, and make it work for the operational necessity of the FBI, Patel said. As the head of the FBI, I was simply asking for more funds because I can do more with more money.

Trumps administration has called for a $545 million cut to the FBI as part of a plan to shrink the federal budget by $163 billion.

Patel told the Wednesday House hearing that he was working to explain to both the White House and Congress why we need more than what has been proposed in that budget.

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The proposed cuts to the FBI attracted bipartisan concern from senators, who said they feared cuts would impact the bureaus ability to counter violent crime and national security threats.

"I'm concerned that the scale of the proposed reduction could force the FBI to eliminate vacant positions and leave positions unfilled," Republican U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, of Kansas, said.

The budget proposal, released last week, includes few details about what would be cut at the FBI, but cites diversity policies, pet projects of former Democratic President Joe Bidens administration and what it calls duplicative intelligence activities.

The proposal repeats allegations that the FBI had been "weaponized" against Trump and his supporters. Trump and his allies, including Patel, have repeatedly made such claims over FBI probes of Russian election interference, the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol and other issues.

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Democratic senators on Thursday scolded Patel for failing to submit a detailed budget proposal for the FBI. Senator Patty Murray of Washington called Patel's failure to offer a timeline for a blueprint "insufficient and deeply disturbing."

Patel said he was working with the Justice Department and the White House budget office on the issue.

"We are now having a budget hearing without a budget request," Murray said.

(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Scott Malone and Bill Berkrot)
OSLO, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the acting U.S. ambassador for a meeting on Thursday over media reports suggesting an escalation of American intelligence operations in Greenland.

The meeting with U.S. Acting Ambassador to Denmark Jennifer Hall Godfrey was held in Copenhagen and included a representative from Greenland's government.

"The focus of the meeting was the article in the Wall Street Journal: U.S. Orders Intelligence Agencies to Step Up Spying on Greenland," the ministry said in a statement.

The report, published on Tuesday, said that U.S. intelligence agencies have been directed to identify individuals in Greenland and Denmark who align with American strategic interests concerning the Arctic island, citing unnamed sources.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stressed that Denmark had expressed its concerns clearly to the United States (U.S.).

"The purpose of the meeting was to make the Kingdom's position completely clear. It is our impression that the acting ambassador took that seriously," Rasmussen told the media after the meeting. He added, however, that the meeting did not verify the article's claims.

"I cannot disclose what was said during the conversation. The purpose of the meeting was to convey to the U.S. that we take what we read in the paper very seriously. I have not had the accuracy of it confirmed," he said.

Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen strongly condemned the reported espionage activities.

"Spying in Nuuk (the capital of Greenland) by the U.S. is completely unacceptable. It's disrespectful to an ally and entirely abnormal," Nielsen told Danish broadcaster DR.

Greenland, once a Danish colony, became an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953. It was granted home rule in 1979, expanding its autonomy, although Denmark retains control over foreign affairs and defense. 
FORT SMITH, Ark.  A national FBI-led operation to identify, track and arrest child predators resulted in the arrest of three in Arkansas.

A Wednesday release from the Department of Justice for the Western District of Arkansas and a second release from the Little Rock FBI said the national Operation Restore Justice resulted in Arkansas arrests as part of the operation.

Former Arkansas pastor sentenced to 110 years for child pornography possession

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The Western District release said two were arrested in that district, while the FBI Little Rock release said three were arrested statewide. The releases did not name those arrested, their charges or the arrest location.

Nationally, officials said the operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children, with 205 arrests of abusers over five days.

A third release from the DOJ Western District of Michigan, however, stated 23-year-old Shauntelle Blackmon of Arkadelphia was arrested there and is facing charges related to alleged sexual exploitation of a child, with the grand jury returning a separate charge accusing Blackmon of sex trafficking of a child.

The alleged acts took place in both Michigan and Arkansas, according to the Michigan districts release, with Blackmon cooperating with 29-year-old Martell Scott-Ware in explicit conduct with a girl under 16 years old.

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Sherwood man arrested on child pornography charges

According to the Michigan release, Blackmon is also facing a charge for offering the same girl for commercial sexual activity. The release indicates Blackmon was arrested in Michigan, but the office did work with the Little Rock FBI office as part of the operation.

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Researchers have developed a more precise method for detecting fecal contamination in water using viral DNA markers, allowing them to trace even low-level pollution and identify whether its from humans, animals, or multiple sources.

Traditional methods, like fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) testing, are limited because they only detect high levels of contamination and dont reveal the source, whereas the newer microbial source tracking (MST) technique is more detailed, cost-effective, and better suited for current climate challenges.

Fecal contamination is a widespread and serious global issue, affecting nearly 2 billion people, and this improved testing could help public health officials respond faster and more accurately to threats, especially as aging infrastructure and climate-driven flooding increase risks.







Researchers have found a new way to test for water contamination. And it's thanks to our poop.

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In late 2024, researchers from Chungnam National University and Gyeongsang National University published their findings on a new technique for detecting fecal contamination in water using human viral DNA, known as microbial source tracking (MST), in the journal Water Research.

And while this may make you let out a little "ew" under your breath, it's critical to know that fecal contamination is, in fact, a significant issue both globally and here in the United States. The World Health Organization explained, "In 2022, globally, at least 1.7 billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with feces. Microbial contamination of drinking-water as a result of contamination with faeces poses the greatest risk to drinking-water safety."

And as noted in a 2020 study published in the journal Current Environmental Health Reports, "Aging sewer infrastructure in the USA and elsewhere will require rapid methods to assess fecal contamination of water. The number of extreme weather events, including flooding events, is forecasted to increase with climate change and has been associated with contamination of water resources."

Related: Your Cutting Board May Have 200 Times More Fecal Bacteria Than a Toilet Seat

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Runoff contamination can transfer harmful bacteria to humans, such as E. coli, leading to various health concerns. Therefore, recognizing fecal contamination in the water supply is crucial for your health. Thankfully, scientists are on the case.

As Food Safety explained, conventional testing involved sampling water by adding droplets to a microbial culture (known as fecal indicator bacteria or FIB). Although this method is both cheap and easy, it can only detect fecal matter at higher contamination levels.

However, a viral-DNA method employs microbial source tracking (MST), which can detect biomarkers of fecal matter at much lower levels. While the MST method itself isnt new  its been around for roughly two decades  the real breakthrough is these researchers' deployment of human-specific crAss-like phage DNA markers, which is a really fancy way of saying they can now spot smaller traces of fecal matter and identify if it's human waste far more precisely than before. It can even detect where the fecal matter originated  i.e., if it's human or animal  or identify multiple sources at once.

A 2024 study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment examined this updated MST method by "investigating the abundance, sources, and potential causes of fecal contamination" across three marine and seven freshwater stations in Vaughn Bay, Washington. This research included tests conducted in a shellfish growing district during both "base- and storm-flow events."

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Related: Is It Safe to Drink Water From a Glacier? We Asked a Glaciologist

This research team evaluated the old-school FIB method, along with optical brightener assessment (a fluorescent compound that indicates fecal contamination), and the newer MST method, the last of which "targeted a broad range of hosts including, such as humans, birds, cows, horses, ruminants, dogs, and pigs, with sequencing-based MST in identifying fecal contamination sources."

After testing the waters, they identified a few critical points. First, birds and humans are the primary culprits of contamination; second, stormwater runoff exacerbates contamination significantly; and third, the sequencing-based MST provides the most effective testing approach. The researchers noted that this method is more cost-effective per sample and yields much more detailed information, which is why they now recommend its use to officials.

But here's a little other fun fact for you: Fecal contamination doesn't just happen in our waterways. As the Washington Post explained in 2023, there's fecal contamination on essentially everything.

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The paper pointed to a 2012 study that tested 85 grocery carts and found that 72% of them tested positive for fecal bacteria. Another 2017 study looked at "microbial contamination" in home kitchens, including fecal coliforms. It found fecal coliforms in 44% of homes, "most often in samples from kitchen sinks, sponges, and dishcloths," and E. coli in 15% of homes, "mostly in samples from kitchen sinks." So, go ahead and wash your hands right now. And be grateful for scientists who help us keep our waterways safe.



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The Trump administration may not, for now, impose new conditions furthering the presidents agenda on certain mass transit and homelessness services grants, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

Senior U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein, an appointee of former President Carter, temporarily blocked the administration from placing the constraints on hundreds of millions of dollars worth of grants for the local governments that challenged them, from the Seattle area to New York City.

The constraints were meant to bolster core tenets of President Trumps sweeping second term agenda, the eight cities and counties that sued said, spanning efforts to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies; facilitate mass deportations; and make information about lawful abortions less accessible.

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The challengers wrote in court filings that some plaintiffs were directed to decide whether to agree to the conditions or forfeit federal funding as soon as Thursday, which would have slashed critical programs and services, forced workforce reductions and significantly impacted their budgets.

Defendants have put Plaintiffs in the position of having to choose between accepting conditions that they believe are unconstitutional, and risking the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grant funding, including funding that they have already budgeted and are committed to spending, Rothstein wrote in a terse five-page order.

The Trump administration argued the lawsuit amounts to a contract dispute and should have been brought in the Court of Federal Claims, not before Rothstein.

However, the judge rejected those arguments, finding the challengers asserted claims based on statutory and constitutional rights, not a contract claim, and the injunctive relief they seek would not be available to them in the other venue.

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The order bars the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration from enforcing the new conditions or withholding funding for 14 days. The local jurisdictions will likely seek longer-term relief now that the pause is in place.

Boston, New York City, San Francisco, Californias Santa Clara County and Washington states Pierce and Snohomish counties sued over changes to homelessness services grants. Washington states King County, which includes Seattle, sued over the homelessness grant condition changes and mass transit funding.

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A federal judge pressed the Justice Department on President Donald Trumps suggestion that he could secure the return of migrants deported to a Salvadoran super prison, during a Wednesday evening hearing where the judge approved more fact-finding into whether the US has custody over the migrants it sent to the prison.

US District Judge James Boasberg is considering a dispute stemming from Trumps invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, but he brought up the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia  who was wrongly deported to El Salvador under a different immigration authority and whose case is in front of a different judge  as he weighs a request from the migrants before him that they be returned to the US so they can have the opportunity to challenge Trumps use of the sweeping wartime authority against them.

Didnt the president say just last week that he could secure the return of Abrego Garcia just by picking up the phone and asking El Slavador to release him  so is the president telling the truth? Boasberg asked an attorney for the Justice Department.

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DOJ attorney Abhishek Kambli did not answer the question directly, prompting frustration from Boasberg. He instead claimed that Trumps comments spoke to the presidents belief of the influence he has.

The belief doesnt negate the idea that El Salvador ultimately has control, Kambli argued.

Before Boasberg decides whether the migrants in his case should be returned, he first must decide if the US even has custody of them now that theyre in the Salvadoran prison.

I think plaintiffs may well have sufficiently made out a case for constructive custody, he said at one point during the hearing Wednesday afternoon but added that he wanted more information to help him make a decision on the question.

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Boasberg is first requesting that the Trump administration put forward any declarations or documents by Friday that would back up its claims that the US government does not have custody of the migrants. Lawyers for the migrants will then be able to request any additional discovery  though the judge said he would only allow for a very cabined inquiry  that would help him make his decision.

He said he would issue an order on Thursday that will give more detail about how the process will move forward.

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Prison officers stand guard at a cell block at maximum security penitentiary CECOT on April 4, 2025, in Tecoluca, San Vicente, El Salvador. (Photo by Alex Pena/Getty Images)

A 1798 law is the foundation of the Trumps administrations recent deportations of Venezuelan nationals suspected of gang membership.

But on Wednesday afternoon, it was over a 21st-century technology that a federal judge decided to lengthen the timespan needed for the feds to notify a Central Falls man if hes to be transferred out of Rhode Island, such as to the maximum security prison CECOT in El Salvador.

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I do want to preserve the status quo with respect to this petitioner, so I am going to extend my order to a 72-hour notice provision, U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose said during the roughly 25-minute remote hearing, held over Zoom and broadcast live on YouTube.

But DuBose did not fulfill the wishes of the plaintiffs counsel, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), whose attorneys filed a request for a temporary restraining order Monday to stop the man, identified in court documents as G.M.G., from being deported on suspicions of membership in Tren de Aragua, an international cartel based in Venezuela.

The man is a Venezuelan asylum-seeker who, fearing political persecution in his native country, came to the U.S. in 2023 with his fiancee and her son. He was arrested while at work at his job as a barber on March 26 and has been held at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls since.

The ACLU contends he is being held as a suspected member of Tren de Aragua, based on his tattoos. Members of the gang are named in Trumps March 15 executive order, as eligible for rapid removal from the country under the Alien Enemies Act (AEA)  a wartime statute previously invoked only during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II.

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On Monday, DuBose ordered that the court receive 48 hours notice before any transfer of G.M.G. outside Rhode Island. But Wednesday she expanded that to 72 hours to give counsel time to respond if the removal process is triggered.

The harm to him is certainly great if he were confined in a prison in El Salvador, said My Khanh Ngo, a Senior Staff Attorney at the SACLU Immigrants Rights Project in its San Francisco office, during the hearing.

DuBose agreed to keep the ACLUs motion for a restraining order pending, and it can be reactivated if the federal government initiates a formal removal process under the Alien Enemies Act DuBose based her decision partially on the uncertainty on the federal side of the equation  including who will be responsible for handling the case going forward.

We are in kind of a weird, kind of gray area here, DuBose said during the hearing.

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Sara Miron Bloom, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Rhode Island, filled in to represent federal arguments Wednesday, and could not confirm if her office or someone at the U.S. Department of Justice would serve as the feds attorney of record on the case.

Bloom said she was also unaware of any application of the Alien Enemies Act or proceedings involving G.M.G. She said he is engaged in immigration proceedings under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

It is therefore quite possible that he will continue to be under immigration proceedings under the INA, and so if that is to happen, then there is no need for this court to rule, Bloom said.

But Bloom could also not confirm whether the Alien Enemies Act would not be applied to G.M.G. in the near future  a major concern for his attorneys, who argued it could happen with little warning.

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I understand that 48 hours notice ahead of transfer in an ordinary case may be sufficient, but were talking about removals in the AEA context, Ngo said. If the government were to give notice right after his hearing and say hes going to be moved Friday evening, it will take us some time to locate himHe could be on a plane or already at the prison in El Salvador come Monday.

Ngo said this line of argument led to successful acquisition of temporary restraining orders in other states courthouses, but Bloom noted those cases were class-actions. This individual petitioner is protected against sudden removal or transfer by your current order, she said to DuBose.

The harm to him is certainly great if he were confined in a prison in El Salvador.

 My Khanh Ngo, senior staff attorney, SACLU Immigrants Rights Project in its San Francisco office

The judge acknowledged that she cant extend the scope of my reach outside of the four corners of the petition thats before me.

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But DuBoses interest was also piqued by the fact that there hasnt been this filing of the removal order or a petition under the AEA, she said. Im also troubled or concerned thatprotocol has not been consistently established.

While the ACLU did not secure a restraining order immediately, Ngo argued that the extended notice period would suffice for the moment: It would be fine if the order were amended to provide for 72 hours notice of any transfers out of this district.

I dont really have a concern with the 72 hours versus 48 hours, Bloom agreed. My understanding is under this order that the court has already entered, what counsel is describing would not occur.

And Attorney Bloom, DuBose added at the end of the hearing, addressing the acting U.S. attorney who joined the District of Rhode Island in January 2022. Im hoping at some point well get clarity as to whos going to be representing the respondent.

I hope so too, Bloom replied with a laugh.

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SEATTLE (AP)  A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from imposing new conditions on hundreds of millions of dollars worth of mass transit grants for the Seattle area or homelessness services grants for Boston, New York, San Francisco and other local governments.

The new conditions were designed to further President Donald Trump's efforts to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies; coerce local officials into assisting with the administration's mass deportation efforts; and cut off information about lawful abortions, according to the lawsuit filed last week by eight cities and counties.

The administration argued that Senior U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein in Seattle did not have jurisdiction over the lawsuit because it was essentially a contract dispute that should have been brought in the Court of Federal Claims  an argument the judge rejected.

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Rothstein wrote that the local governments had shown they were likely to win the case, because the conditions being imposed on the grants had not been approved by Congress, were not closely related to the purposes of the grants and would not make the administration of the grants more efficient.

Defendants have put Plaintiffs in the position of having to choose between accepting conditions that they believe are unconstitutional, and risking the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grant funding, including funding that they have already budgeted and are committed to spending, Rothstein wrote.

Her order blocks U.S. Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Transportation Administration for 14 days from enforcing the new grant conditions or withholding or delaying funding awarded under the grants. The local jurisdictions said they would seek a longer-term block in the meantime.

The Trump administration did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

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King County, which includes Seattle, sued over changes to grant conditions for homelessness services as well as mass transit funding that helps pay for maintenance of the region's light rail system. Boston and New York, Pierce and Snohomish Counties in Washington, the city and county of San Francisco, and Santa Clara County in California all sued over the changes to homelessness services grants.

Todays ruling is a positive first step in our challenge to federal overreach," King County Executive Shannon Braddock said in a statement. "We will continue to stand up against unlawful actions to protect our residents and the services they rely on.

The conditions highlighted in the plaintiff's restraining order motion included barring grant recipients from using the funding in a way that promotes illegal immigration or abets policies that seek to shield illegal aliens from deportation. Another condition bars them from using the funding to promote elective abortions.

___

AP reporter Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A federal jury found a Texas man guilty of threatening to lynch and kill the District Attorney General for Nashville and Davidson County, according to the Department of Justice.

A press release from the DOJ said that on July 14, 2024, members of Goyim Defense League, described as a national and international network of antisemitic provocateurs who espouse vitriolic antisemitism online, were protesting in downtown Nashville.

PREVIOUS: Texas man charged with threatening to lynch and kill Nashville District Attorney

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While in the city, GDL members reportedly posted about their activities on social media platforms  including Telegram. A Telegram user associated with the GDL  later identified as 60-year-old David Aaron Bloyed  allegedly posted threats against DA Glenn Funk.

The DOJ said that Bloyed posted an image of Funk with the caption Getting the rope, and a finger emoji pointed toward the image. Posts allegedly also included a photograph of someone hanging by the neck from a gallows. Law enforcement officers reportedly identified another social media account with a nearly identical username belonging to Bloyed containing nearly identical threats.

The conviction of David Bloyed is yet another example of the FBIs commitment to holding those accountable who threaten public officials and the Jewish community, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBIs Counterterrorism Division, David J. Scott, said. This criminal behavior and these disgusting threats will not be tolerated. The FBI will continue to work with our partners across the nation to investigate, identify, and hold those accountable who threaten violence and harm to specific communities and people.

GDL members also encountered an employee at a Nashville bar and a fight broke out, the DOJ said. Ultimately, a GDL member was arrested and charged with aggravated assault for hitting the employee repeatedly with a metal flagpole that had a swastika affixed to the top.

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RELATED: Neo-Nazi protester charged with assaulting Nashville bartender with flag

The defendants heinous threats strike at the heart of our justice system and the safety of those who have chosen to serve. As todays verdict demonstrates, violent threats and intimidation against government officials and law enforcement will not be tolerated, Head of the DOJs National Security Division, Sue J. Bai, said. I am grateful to our law enforcement partners and prosecution team for their swift and determined work to bring justice in this case.

Bloyed faces up to five years in federal prison.

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A class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York accuses Diageo of falsely labeling Casamigos and Don Julio tequilas as 100% agave, alleging the presence of non-agave alcohols like cane spirits.

The complaint seeks $5 million in damages and challenges the reliability of tequila certification by Mexicos regulatory body, the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT), citing unverified reports of corruption and lax enforcement.

Diageo strongly denies the allegations, asserting its tequilas meet all regulatory standards and are certified by the CRT and U.S. authorities.







Over the past several years, the conversation around transparency in tequila has largely centered on the use of additives and the precise language producers can use on their bottles to describe whats been addedor not addedto the spirit inside. However, this week, that conversation shifted to the purity of the agave spirit itself, as a class action lawsuit filed in U.S. federal court accused global spirits giant Diageo of adulterating some of its most popular luxury tequilas and misleading consumers through deceptive labeling.

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The class action complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York alleges that an investigation of Casamigos and Don Julio tequilas has shown that they consist of significant concentrations of cane or other types of alcohol rather than pure tequila.

As such, the complaint contends that neither brand meets the regulatory requirements to label itself 100% agave in either the United States or Mexico, although both Casamigos and Don Julio bottles carry the descriptors Tequila 100% Agave Azul and 100% de Agave, respectively.

In the filing, the plaintiffs, which include a Brooklyn sushi restaurant and a New York-based bartender who runs a popular Instagram account, claim that they purchased both Casamigos and Don Julio tequilas under the assumption that both contained spirits made exclusively from Blue Weber agave. Moreover, they and countless consumers like them paid a premium for what they believed to be high-quality tequila based on Diageos labeling terms. Had they known those products were (allegedly) adulterated with non-agave spirits, they wouldnt have bought those products or wouldve paid less for them.

David Becker / Getty Images for Casamigos According to a new lawsuit, the luxury tequila brands Casamigos and Don Julio may not be as pure as advertised. According to a new lawsuit, the luxury tequila brands Casamigos and Don Julio may not be as pure as advertised.

The suit ultimately seeks $5 million in damages on behalf of consumers, as well as an injunction compelling Diageo to cease the deceptive advertising alleged in the complaint. Via a statement, Diageo global head of agave Sophie Kelly responded that these claims of adulteration are outrageous and categorically false.

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According to Mexican law, tequilas branded as 100% de agave, or similar variations, must be produced solely from Blue Weber agave grown in specific regions of Mexico. While it is allowed to add flavoring substances post-distillation, these can only comprise up to one percent of the total volume. However, the use of spirits not derived from Blue Weber agave is strictly forbidden. Tequilas that include spirits from cane, corn, or other sugars are classified as mixtos and are generally labeled accordingly (or sometimes simply referred to as tequila without the 100% designation).

Related: There Are Additives in Most Tequilas, But That's Not Necessarily a Bad Thing

In Mexico, the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) enforces regulations, certifying that products sent to market comply with both production requirements and labeling standards. For tequila exported to the United States  the largest market for tequila  the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) also enforces labeling rules, deferring to Mexicos regulations.

Don Julio and Casamigos tequilas are crafted from 100% Blue Weber Agave and, following a rigorous certification process by the CRT, are in full compliance with the official tequila standard (NOM) and U.S. TTB regulations, Kelly said in a statement. We look forward to vigorously defending the quality and integrity of our Tequilas in court.

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However, the lawsuit challenges the idea that certification by the CRT equates to truth in advertising. The filing cites a recent report by agave spirits authority Mezcalistas, in which protesting agave farmers assert that there is a lack of regulatory compliance throughout the industry, particularly concerning the issue of tequila adulteration.

Susana Gonzalez / Bloomberg via Getty Images In response to accusations that Don Julio and Casamigos include non-agave spirits, Diageo insists its tequilas are fully compliant with all relevant standards. In response to accusations that Don Julio and Casamigos include non-agave spirits, Diageo insists its tequilas are fully compliant with all relevant standards.

The lawsuit also levels a more inflammatory allegation of CRT corruption. There are reports that CRT officials have been turning a profit by allowing some tequila corporations to mix cane or corn alcohol into Tequila thats then labelled as 100% agave, the court filing says. This has been confirmed by sending samples of tequila for laboratory analysis and observing trucks delivering cane alcohol to distilleries.

These allegations remain wholly unsubstantiated, and many of the more serious accusations in the complaint rely heavily on secondhand reports like the aforementioned Mezcalistas dispatch. However, it directly addresses a long-simmering debate in the tequila industry over transparency, labeling standards, and uneven regulation.

Related: If You Love Tequila, Try Bacanora

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Additives have emerged as a particular flashpoint within the industry over the past two years, as the CRT has prohibited producers from marketing their tequilas as additive free, at times taking actions that critics view as heavy-handed.

Last month, the CRT filed its own lawsuit in U.S. District Court, accusing the Additive Free Alliance  an industry non-profit promoting transparency in tequila production and labeling  of misleading consumers. The CRT asserts that it is the only regulatory body with the authority to certify tequilas as additive free, although it currently offers no such certification.

In February the CRT also temporarily blocked exports of Patron into the U.S. in response to a nationwide advertising campaign touting the tequilas lack of secret ingredients.

Read the original article on Food & Wine
NEW YORK, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A pro-Palestinian protest broke out at Columbia University on Wednesday afternoon and more than 100 demonstrators occupied part of the university's main library, leading to the arrest of some 75 individuals.

Tensions escalated quickly as clashes erupted between protesters and university public safety officers. Protesters were pushed back toward the library entrance, and two safety officers sustained injuries during the confrontation. A fire alarm was triggered amid the chaos.

Protesters chanted slogans including "No cops. No K.K.K. No fascist U.S.A." and "Free Palestine."

The New York police entered the main campus of Columbia University at the university's request around 6 p.m. local time (2200 GMT) and made arrests on the grounds of trespassing.

This marks the most significant protest at Columbia University since the demonstrations in April 2024 and resulted in a big number of arrests to date.

Earlier this week, Columbia University's faculty and staff held vigils to protest the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's detention of three international students and vowed to continue weekly vigils until all detainees are released.

"Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams," according to a statement from Claire Shipman, acting president of the university.

New York City authorities also responded. Eric Adams, mayor of New York City, called the demonstrators' action "unacceptable."

"To those protesting on campus who do not attend Columbia: exit the campus immediately or you will be arrested. We will not tolerate hate or violence in any form in our city," said Adams in a post on social media.

Columbia University has been at the center of pro-Palestinian protests. In April 2024, a massive protest at the university led to over 100 arrests.

In March, the Trump administration also withdrew 400 million U.S dollars in federal funding from Columbia University, citing the failure to curb anti-semitism on the campus.

The current protest could complicate negotiations between the federal government and university officials seeking to restore federal funding. 
FORSYTH, Ga. (AP)  Georgia's governor signed a law Thursday to exempt federal crop insurance and disaster payments following Hurricane Helene damage from Georgia state income taxes, but it could be months more before some federal money starts flowing to farmers in the hardest-hit states.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture published a schedule Wednesday to start disbursing disaster aid, part of a $100 billion package passed by Congress in December.

The September storm cut a swath from Floridas Big Bend across eastern Georgia and upstate South Carolina before causing historic flooding in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

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Helene is the seventh-most expensive disaster in the United States since 1980, causing an estimated $78 billion in damage and 219 deaths.

Officials have estimated that Helene caused billions in property and economic damage to agriculture, including $5.5 billion in Georgia and $4.9 billion in North Carolina.

Federal officials in March began handing out $10 billion designated in the bill for farmers nationwide harmed by low crop prices and high fertilizer prices. But billions more were set aside for farmers harmed by Helene and other natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was questioned about the timeframe Tuesday by lawmakers including Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia. He told Rollins that Time is of the essence.

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Ive seen the devastation firsthand, Rollins said. It is heartbreaking to witness it.

Some farmers have dipped into savings to pay for losses not covered by insurance. Others have unpaid debts from last year, restricting borrowing to plant 2025 crops. A few have sold equipment or land to generate cash.

The schedule shows federal officials will open applications for some aid in stages from May 30 through Sept. 15. But states have to negotiate plans to distribute other aid through block grants. If state and federal officials agree on a plan by May 28, block grants would be finalized by June 13, federal officials said. If agreements can be reached by June 13, they would be finalized by June 30. After that, states must give out the money.

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said Thursday that he didn't know how much money Georgia would get in block grants. He said whether the state made the May 28 deadline depends on how our negotiations go with USDA over the next couple of weeks.

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Kemp on Thursday signed into law tax breaks for farmers and timber owners harmed by Helene that could be worth nearly $300 million.

Farmers operate on extremely tight margins, and to rebuild from a storm of this magnitude could be impossible for some to shoulder," Kemp said at Georgia Forestry Association headquarters in Forsyth, saying Helene was a storm like no other in out state.

The tax breaks come on top of $867 million in spending that Georgia lawmakers earlier allotted for Hurricane Helene relief .

The law exempts federal payments to farmers because of Helene from Georgia state income taxes. That could be worth $140 million.

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Georgias law also lets private timberland owners claim a credit for damaged timber on state income taxes if they replant trees. The timberland tax break could be worth $83 million to $104 million through 2030, estimates show.

Another tax break waives state and local sales taxes on building materials to rebuild chicken houses, barns, and fences.

A fourth program lets counties waive taxes when timber owners cut down trees for 15 months. Any county that waives taxes would refund any taxes collected since Oct. 1. The state could spend $17.4 million to reimburse counties lost tax money.

Georgia lawmakers earlier approved $285 million for low-interest loans to farmers and to remove downed trees from private lands so they dont become a fire hazard. Theres also $25 million in grants to nonprofits that are supposed to go to help individuals.

In South Carolina, Republican legislative leaders are discussing hundreds of millions in Helene relief as part of the states budget. North Carolina lawmakers agreed to a $524 million supplemental Helene relief in March, in part to provide more funds for agricultural needs. It was North Carolinas fourth Helene aid package.
The Catholic Church and federal government reacted vehemently to new legislation in Washington state that requires priests to report child abuse or neglect to law enforcement after learning about the crime through confessions.

Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the controversial bill into law last week, making it mandatory for all clergy to report child abuse, without exemptions for information disclosed during confession. Confessions were previously considered privileged.

The Archdiocese of Seattle  which was made up of 160 priests and 90 permanent deacons as of 2024  said it will excommunicate priests who comply with the legislation. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice called the law "anti-Catholic" in a statement announcing a probe into the policy, just days before the Vatican selected the first pope from the United States.

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The Seattle Archdiocese in a statement, warned that breaking the confidence of confession is grounds for a priest to be kicked out of the church, essentially reiterating the rules already established for Catholic clergy.

"Catholic clergy may not violate the seal of confession  or they will be excommunicated from the Church," the Archdiocese said. "All Catholics must know and be assured that their confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential and protected by the law of the Church."

Too many victims

The U.S. Department of Justice said it had opened a civil rights investigation into Washington's law, focusing on how it was developed and eventually passed. It suggested the legislation could be at odds with the First Amendment, with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon saying the legislation "demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law."

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In the text of Washington's reporting law, "clergy" refers collectively to everyone ordained for religious duties in any religion, but confession as a practice is singled out because of the secrecy around it.

Ferguson's office addressed the federal probe in a statement to CBS News.

"We look forward to protecting Washington kids from sexual abuse in the face of this 'investigation' from the Trump Administration," the statement said.

Washington lawmakers are not the first to try to mandate clergy members to report child abuse, especially as the Catholic Church has increasingly faced public reckonings over sex crimes since the turn of the century. Although a majority of U.S. states already have abuse reporting mandates in place for religious leaders, each of those laws includes a provision exempting information learned through confession.

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California tried in 2019 to propose a bill that would have required clergy to report abuse without that exemption, but the church fought its passage and the legislature eventually put it on hold.

The legislation was originally proposed by Washington State Senator Noel Frame, whose jurisdiction includes Seattle. After two earlier attempts to pass this bill failed because of disagreements about whether confessions should be exempt from reporting mandates, the final version passed during the legislative session this spring.

"Far too many children have been victims of abuse," said Frame in a statement once the latest bill had passed in the state Senate. "The Legislature has a duty to act and end the cycles of abuse that can repeat generation after generation. When kids ask for help, we need to be sure that they get help. It's time to pass this bill once and for all."

The seal of confession

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Thomas Plante, a psychologist and Santa Clara University professor who has worked with the church for decades and written extensively about child sexual abuse among clerics, said removing exemptions for confession could have unintentionally adverse effects.

Plante told CBS News that the "absolute" confidentiality understood to apply in church confessions has, in his experience, encouraged people who have committed crimes to come clean to a priest who has then referred them to a psychologist such as himself.

He said multiple patients were referred to him this way over his career, and he then reported the situation to authorities as a medical professional.

"The seal of confession, which is sort of a global thing that's been going on for several thousand years, is basically that anything you say under the seal is in complete confidence, and it gives people a place to talk about stuff they can't talk about anywhere else," Plante said. "That's one advantage. People that are involved in a crime or abuse or anything else, they do have a place in the Catholic Church to talk about it with 100% confidentiality."

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Without that assurance, Plante said he suspects priests in Washington will stop offering confession and instead direct people to seek that service at churches in nearby states.

"And I think that would be a terrible tragedy," he said.

Confession is a core principle in Catholicism. It calls for private conversations where congregants or laypeople divulge their wrongdoings to a priest, and, in turn, receive forgiveness on behalf of God. Anything said during the exchanges is kept secret.

Technically, priests, through their religious oaths, are bound to a seal of confidentiality after hearing confessions, and the church forbids them from sharing the information learned in those sessions with others. Catholic doctrine explicitly prohibits them from notifying authorities even after someone has confessed to a crime.

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The Seattle Archdiocese said they agree "with the goal of protecting children and preventing child abuse" and are committed to reporting it, as long as the information is acquired in a setting outside of confession. It also accused the state of Washington of violating constitutional protections for religious establishment and free exercise of religion.

"With this law, the State of Washington is specifically targeting religious conduct by inserting the government into the Catholic tradition, namely, the highly defined ritual of the Sacrament of Reconciliation," the Archdiocese said."The state is now requiring priests to violate an essential element of the rite, the confidential communication between the priest and penitent in which the absolution of sin is offered."

Washington's new law requires priests to share information from confession only if the person confessing admits to abusing a child.

Last year, while Washington's current governor, Ferguson, was still the state's attorney general, he pushed to investigate Catholic church leadership in Seattle, Spokane and Yakima for allegedly using charitable funds to cover up allegations of child sex abuse by clergy. But the probe faced challenges as the church refused to cooperate, arguing it did not need to obey subpoenas for its records.

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Editor's Note: This story was updated to correct the Washington governor's first name.

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A registered nurse from Grosse Pointe Park pleaded guilty after federal prosecutors said he tampered with vials containing liquid fentanyl that were intended for patients in a Detroit hospital emergency room.

Travis Eskridge, 53, pleaded guilty May 7 to tampering with consumer products, according to a plea agreement in U.S. District Court in Detroit. He is to be sentenced Sept. 11. His bond was continued under conditions that include he not seek employment as a nurse, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"Licensed medical professionals are supposed to be healers. Most are. When instead of healing they create a serious risk of harm to patients, the community must and will be protected," Interim U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. said in the release.

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Eskridge's attorney, Harold Gurewitz, had no comment.

Eskridge was indicted in January on three counts of tampering with consumer products and one count each of theft of medical products by an employee and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Prosecutors will dismiss the remaining counts if the court accepts the plea agreement and imposes a sentence consistent with its terms, according to the agreement.

Prosecutors said Eskridge worked as a nurse in the emergency room at Ascension St. John Hospital from July 2014 until Aug. 10, 2022. They said he was removed from his position in August 2022 when the tampering and thefts were discovered.

The situation unfolded Aug. 9, 2022, when a nurse accessed a vial of fentanyl from a machine in the ER that locks, stores and dispenses medications to patients. The nurse intended to give the fentanyl to a patient to treat pain.

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The nurse discovered the vial appeared to be tampered with, with a punctured stopper and appeared partially full, according to the plea agreement. It indicated the nurse gave the vial to the hospital pharmacy and pharmacy staff conducted an inspection of fentanyl vials in multiple machines in the ER, with two more fentanyl vials from two other machines found with punctures through the safety caps.

Records showed Eskridge accessed and returned fentanyl vials to and from all three machines where the tampered vials were found, according to the plea agreement.

Hospital administration and security searched his locker Aug. 10, 2022, and found two additional vials of fentanyl that appeared to be tampered with. The five total vials were sent to the lab and found to be tampered with and contained a concentration of fentanyl that was "significantly less" than the concentration of fentanyl declared on the labels, according to the plea agreement.

A review of hospital records determined Eskridge had access to the machines where the tampered vials were found during the time period.

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They also revealed that between May 2, 2022, and Aug. 8, 2022, Eskridge was involved in about 178 "suspicious fentanyl transactions," according to the plea agreement. It indicated he improperly accessed/stole 40 vials in May 2022; 60 vials in June 2022; 73 vials in July 2022, and five vials in August 2022.

An analysis found his delayed returns of fentanyl vials to the machines, including 13 returns from Dec. 22, 2021, and July 25, 2022, where he had fentanyl in his possession for a long time, according to the plea agreement, with it adding "sufficient time to allow him to tamper with the fentanyl." The agreement indicated he admitted returning tampered vials of fentanyl to the machines.

"The defendant knew that patients arriving in the Emergency Room in severe pain would be administered injectable fentanyl to manage their pain. The defendant knew the adulterated vials of fentanyl and the absence of pain medication may cause the risk of extreme physical pain," according to the plea agreement.

"The defendant's substitution of tampered vials with diluted fentanyl would not have managed pain as intended. The ineffectiveness of a tampered fentanyl injection could lead to an additional injection from a non-tampered vial, creating a risk of adverse medical consequences."

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The plea agreement did not describe the impact, if any, on patients.

According to the indictment, Eskridge admitted to removing the vials on many occasions without a doctor's authorization and using the drugs. It indicated a drug test Aug. 10, 2022, showed the presence of fentanyl in his urine, a test that detects the drug 24-72 hours after it is injected.

Regarding the vials found in his locker, the indictment indicated Eskridge admitted to stealing the vials, using the fentanyl, then injecting saline into the vials.

Eskridge faces up to 10 years in prison; a fine up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release, according to the plea agreement.

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(This story has been updated to add new information.)

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @challreporter.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Feds: Nurse Travis Eskridge pleads guilty to tampering with products
SPRINGFIELD  Federal officials are reexamining the four-year consent decree directing reforms at the Springfield Police Department after an executive order by President Donald J. Trump signaled the mandates are no longer a priority.

Five years ago, the U.S. Department of Justice released a scathing review of the departments narcotics unit, which concluded officers routinely and unnecessarily roughed up suspects.

The investigation into the Springfield Police Departments use of force was the only federal investigation of its kind during Trumps first term in office. When Joe Biden took office, Springfield was one of the first communities to enter into a consent decree over its policing practices.

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The executive order is under review, said Christina Sterling, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts, last week. We have no further comment.

Trump issued an executive order April 28 that aimed to unleash high-impact local police forces. The order directed U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to review every federal consent decree involving local law enforcement with the goal to modify, rescind, or move to conclude such measures that unduly impede the performance of law enforcement functions.

Trumps order continued, in part: Safe communities rely on the backbone and heroism of a tough and well-equipped police force. My Administration is steadfastly committed to empowering State and local law enforcement to firmly police dangerous criminal behavior and protect innocent citizens.

Meanwhile, four attorneys in the DOJs Civil Rights Division who had been working with Springfield regarding the consent decree are gone or going from their posts, according to police sources. Sterling disputes that any staffers have been reassigned, however.

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Police and city sources, who were not authorized to speak officially, say three of four of the members of the team assigned to Springfield have retreated in some way, and a fourth is not far behind.

Springfield City Solicitor Stephen J. Buoniconti said municipal officials have been trying to sort out what the future of the consent decree means, given the gutting of the DOJ civil rights team.

Were very close to wrapping this up, Buoniconti said.

The decree is still in place, yielding body-worn cameras, greater reporting methods and other checks and balances in police work, such as a court-appointed independent monitor.

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Most of the mandates in the consent decree have been fulfilled. The last reform will be more one-on-one field training for new recruits, said one police official.

A hearing before a magistrate judge is set for May 21.

more news from Western Massachusetts

Read the original article on MassLive.
(Photo by JHVEPhoto/Getty Images)

Gov. Bob Ferguson said Wednesday he trusts those arrested for the occupation of a building at the University of Washington will be held accountable for the harm they caused.

Fergusons comments to reporters after a bill-signing were his first public remarks on the pro-Palestinian protest that ended with about 30 arrests and has drawn national attention.

GOP state lawmakers and other Republicans have described the demonstration at the universitys new Interdisciplinary Engineering Building as an act of domestic terrorism. The Democratic first-term governor stopped short of using that phrase.

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I dont know exactly what that definition is, but this is obviously a serious situation, said Ferguson, the former three-term state attorney general.

Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return UW, or SUPER UW, occupied the engineering building Monday night to call on the school to cut ties with Boeing over its supplying of weapons systems to Israel. They also looked to rename the building after a 19-year-old Palestinian man killed last year in the Israeli bombing of a hospital in the Gaza Strip.

They set dumpsters on fire and blocked nearby streets to prevent firefighters access and vandalized equipment inside, according to the university. Damage to equipment in one room was estimated at $1 million, university spokesperson Victor Balta said.

In total, police arrested 31 demonstrators on suspicion of criminal trespassing, a gross misdemeanor, said Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County prosecutors office. All have since been released, either after posting bond or based on a judges order. No felony cases from the incident have been referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office, McNerthney said.

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Balta said Wednesday that the university had suspended 21 students who were arrested and banned them from campus facilities. Non-students who participated in the protest will also be banned from UW campuses.

This was no peaceful protest in support of Palestinian rights or against the war in Gaza, university President Ana Mari Cauce wrote in a statement. I condemn this dangerous, violent and illegal building occupation and related vandalism.

Ferguson said he thought Cauces statement was appropriate.

In a blog post explaining the occupation, SUPER UW called the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel a heroic victory. The attack left about 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, dead, and around 250 people were taken hostage. Since then, Israel has battled Hamas in the Gaza Strip, with tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in the fighting.

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Ferguson called the groups rhetoric about the Oct. 7 attack outrageous and said a response to it was hard to put into words.

The governor also said he appreciated the quick and decisive response from law enforcement Monday night, so no one got hurt.

In a statement, Fergusons successor as attorney general, Nick Brown, said his office was closely monitoring the disturbing events.

I am thankful that those responsible were arrested and, if found guilty, should be held accountable, he continued. I fully and always support peoples right to protest and to express their views. Indeed, it is foundational to our democracy. But everyone has a right to be safe on campus and UW must enforce the law.

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Late Tuesday, the Trump administration opened an investigation into antisemitism at the UW because of the protest. Federal officials called on university leaders to do more to protect Jewish students and prevent future events like this.

No institution that tolerates violence, harassment, or the open intimidation of Jewish students should expect to receive billions in taxpayer support, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. This isnt about politics  its about whether a federally funded university is upholding the law, protecting civil rights, and fostering a safe environment for all students.

Columbia and Harvard universities have faced similar probes. In March, the UW and dozens of other colleges across the country received letters from the Trump administration warning of potential enforcement actions based on alleged antisemitic harassment on campus. This followed a national wave of university protests last year over Israels conduct in the war in Gaza, including an encampment on the University of Washingtons Seattle campus.

Ferguson said he hadnt heard about the latest inquiry but wasnt surprised.

Look, the federal government is investigating just about everybody these days, he said. So its not especially unusual.
A heated debate concerning the future of the Rainier School in Buckley has winded down for now.

On April 27, the state legislature passed Senate Bill 5393, an amended bill that will prohibit new admissions to the Rainier School and to the Yakima Valley School in Selah. The bill will allow current residents to stay at the facilities indefinitely. The bill now heads to the desk of Gov. Bob Ferguson, who has not approved or vetoed the bill yet.

The Rainier School and Yakima Valley School are two of the states four residential habilitation centers, which provide housing, employment and care for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

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I think we made the bill infinitely better, said Josh Penner, a Republican from Orting who represents District 31 in the House. I think we created a sense of safety for the residents of Rainier.

The original Democrat-backed bill would have required the facility to close on June 30, 2027 and prohibit new admissions in the time between the bills passage and closing. This would have given the state about two years to come up with alternative plans for each of the facilitys residents.

Proponents of the original bills pointed to the Rainier Schools long history of abuse and believe residents should move from residential habilitation centers to community-based systems of care such as adult family homes, companion homes, group homes or supported living. Opponents believe the Rainier School plays a critical role and say community-based settings do not have the capacity to support those who rely on the centers.

What changes did legislators make to the original bill?

The Rainier School opened in October 1939 and serves people with disabilities by offering 24-hour residential care. This includes housing, medical care, occupational and speech therapies, employment, nutrition services, recreation facilities and more. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services runs the school.

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DSHS previously told The News Tribune the facility has 81 residents and costs roughly $52 million to run each year  or roughly 0.03% of the states $165 billion budget in 2024. The states other residential habilitation centers include the Yakima Valley School in Selah, Lakeland Village in Medical Lake and the Fircrest School in Shoreline. The Rainier School and Yakima Valley School are the only facilities impacted by this bill.

If Gov. Ferguson approves the amended bill, the Rainier School wont be able to accept new residents, but will operate until each resident either moves to a different setting or passes away. Each resident will get to choose between staying at the Rainier School, moving to one of the other residential habilitation centers or moving to a community-based setting. If they move to community care and want to come back to the Rainier School within their first year of transferring, they can return.

The News Tribune reached out to a representative for Democratic senators June Robinson and Twina Nobles  two of the three senators behind the bill  but did not get a response before deadline.

I think if somebody can be successful in community-based care, it is a superior approach to that person  and I think its really important to emphasize that there are a number of folks who rely on systems that the RHCs can provide, Penner said. Without those systems, they would be homeless, in jail or in a hospital, physically and chemically restrained.

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Employees at the Rainier School will also be able to keep their jobs, and the bill requires the state to offer them opportunities to work in state-operated living alternatives and other state facilities and programs. DSHS previously told The News Tribune the facility has 460 full-time employees and Courtney Brunell, Buckleys city administrator, previously confirmed that the Rainier School is the largest employer in the city of 5,114 people.

The bill also requires DSHS to submit a report to the legislature once a year, with the first deadline being Dec. 1, 2025. The report must contain the following information:

How many residents are in each of the states residential habilitation centers.

How many former residents have transitioned out of the Rainier School and where each person ended up.

How many former residents who transitioned out of the Rainier School have since died.

The geographic distribution of residential placements.

Information about former Rainier School employees who have transitioned to other state employment, left the industry or transitioned to private sector employment.

Penner said this report will allow lawmakers to have the information they need to make decisions about residential habilitation centers in the future.

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[The report is about] laying down the feedback systems that are going to help me and other policymakers move forward in a good direction that I think is going to be informed, rather than just kneejerk, We have a budget crisis, lets take a shot at RHCs, Penner said.

A win is buying time

Penner called the original bills absolutely cruel policy and said the Rainier School is essential for providing care.

There is a place in the continuum of care for facilities in the Rainier School and RHCs, and to just try and shut it down is head-in-the-sand kind of behavior that will get disabled people killed and has gotten them killed, Penner said.

Rep. Joshua Penner Courtesy photo

On April 23, Republicans in the House Appropriations Committee walked out in protest after the senate bill advanced. On March 25, 40 or 50 people attended a Save the Rainier School town hall at the Buckley fire station.

Dozens of residents spoke out against the proposed closure of the Rainier School at the Buckley Fire Station on March 25, 2025. Isabela Lund/ilund@thenewstribune.com

Penner mentioned that, while there has been abuse and neglect at the Rainier School, there has also been abuse in community-based settings.

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You cant get away from this by shutting down facilities  you have to get ahead of this by improving care at all facilities, Penner said.

The News Tribune reported in 2018 that a former supervisor at the Rainier School was sentenced for sex crimes against residents. In 2020, a residents family sued the state, alleging the Rainier School staffs neglect following her bunion surgery led to her death in 2017.

When The News Tribune asked Penner how he felt about the bill taking away the Rainier Schools ability to admit new residents, he said it wasnt ideal but that it was necessary while Republicans were negotiating to protect current residents.

Well, sometimes a win is buying time, Penner said. Im not happy with the fact that admissions [will be] paused at Rainier, but it does allow us time to look into what could be done with that property  and get ahead of the problem.

Doesnt fit in with the future

Stacy Dym, spokesperson for The Arc, a disability rights organization in Washington, said the bill is progress.

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I think, overall, it is a small step forward for reconsidering and reconsolidating the use of that facility for people with disabilities, Dym told The News Tribune on Wednesday. The use of that facility just doesnt fit in with the future.

Dym has been an advocate for closing Washingtons residential habilitation centers, arguing that community-based care is the more ethical option. She said the updated bill is a push in the right direction, and she disagrees with many of the arguments for keeping the Rainier School open.

I think that there were some accusations that the community just doesnt offer robust care  over 4,500 people are cared for in supported living every day, Dym said. Washington state is not turning its back on folks that need it.

In a March interview with The News Tribune, Dym pointed out that Washington is the only state on the west coast that has residential habilitation centers, with 18 states across the country closing the centers completely. She also mentioned the Frances Haddon Morgan Center in Bremerton, which she said the legislature closed in 2013 with successful results.

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On May 16, 2013, DSHS released a report that said 52 people who had been living at the Frances Haddon Morgan Center found new homes in community-based settings or at one of the states other residential habilitation centers. It also said those 52 people were remain[ing] stable in their new homes.

Dym has also said residential habilitation centers are relics from a past where people with disabilities were treated poorly.

I think that supported living and adult family homes offer exactly the same level of care, same level of training, Dym told The News Tribune on Wednesday. We have a robust system of people living in the community, living closer to their families, and so were making sure that the state plans for serving everyone.

The News Tribune asked Dym in March if she thought moving residents to community-based facilities was the safer choice. She said that while abuse is always a possibility, residents can experience better care in smaller settings because they have more autonomy and are treated as individuals.

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However, Dym does understand the fears that come up when moving out of a residential habilitation center. Her sister was a resident at Fircrest School and in 2003, the legislature ordered the school to be downsized.

When [my mom] finally found a place that had other individuals my sisters age  that my mom felt was close enough for her to visit and she felt like the home was nice looking and met my sisters need, and she was willing to give it a try  she was really frightened, Dym said. It took her time to build trust in those communities and those community providers.

Her sister ended up thriving, Dym said, because of the care and freedom that came with the community setting.

My sister, she got to paint her room purple, Dym said. She got to have a cat, she got to pick out the food she wanted to eat for dinner and lunch, she made new friends, she got a job at the food bank.

The News Tribune archives contributed to this report.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now)  The last member of a 20-person dogfighting ring was sentenced Tuesday, according to the United States Attorneys Office (USAO) for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Charles Reginald McDougald, 55, of North Carolina, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for his role in a dogfighting ring.

Spotsylvania County school community mourns loss of student killed day of prom

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Court documents say, from March 2015 through December 2022, McDouglad and other members of the dogfighting group chat known as The DMV Board or The Board discussed training fighting dogs, arranging fights, sharing videos of the fights, and methods of killing dogs that lost.

The group also analyzed media coverage of how other dogfighting participants were caught to brainstorm additional ways to avoid detection.

According to court documents, McDougald made multiple offers for dogfights where participants could win thousands of dollars per fight.

The USAO states that McDougalds arrest marks the last of the 20 participants in The DMV Board, which consisted of members from Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and North Carolina.

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OTTAWA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Canada's second-largest airline, WestJet, is pausing nine routes between the United States and Canada as demand dampens for travel between the two countries, local media reported Thursday.

According to CBC News, flights from Canadian cities to U.S. cities of Austin, Los Angeles and Chicago are among those impacted.

"WestJet continuously evaluates and adjusts its schedule to meet demand, and we remain committed to reviewing opportunities for direct service on these routes in the future," a spokesperson was quoted as saying.

WestJet announced in April that it would add new domestic routes within Canada and make it easier to connect with flights to Europe.

The changes came as fewer Canadians travel south amid trade-related tensions, and as U.S. President Donald Trump continues using annexationist rhetoric toward Canada, which he has repeatedly said should be the 51st state of the United States, said the report.

According to Statistics Canada, in March 2025, Canadian residents flew back from 719,500 trips to the United States, which represented a 13.5 percent decline from the same month in 2024.

Amid the tariff war with the United States, the Canadian government is encouraging Canadian consumers to shop and travel within Canada. 
An Ohio man has been charged in the decades-old murder of a California woman after authorities linked him to fingerprints found on a cigarette pack in the victims Volkswagen Beetle, officials said.

The prints were those of Willie Eugene Sims, 69, and it was discovered in the car of Jeanette Ralston, 24, Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Rob Baker said Tuesday in a news release.

Ralston appeared to have been strangled and sexually assaulted when her body was found wedged into the VW's back seat on Feb. 1, 1977, near a bar in San Jose, Baker said.

Jeanette Ralston in an undated photo. (Santa Clara County)

DNA found on Ralston's fingernails and on the alleged murder weapon  a shirt used to strangle her  was later found to match Sims, Baker said.

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Sims is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in San Jose on one count of murder, Baker said in an email. It was not immediately clear whether he has a lawyer to speak on his behalf.

He faces a maximum prison sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

Baker said investigators had sought to identify the prints through an FBI database. But those efforts proved futile, he said.

Then, Baker said, his office "threw a Hail Mary" last year and ran the prints again after the FBI updated the search algorithm in the fingerprint database. The effort was successful, he said, and it produced a "hit" for Sims, who was living in Ashtabula County, northeast of Cleveland.

The cigarette pack that helped solve the case is circled in red. (Santa Clara County)

Baker told NBC Bay Area that Ralston's son, who was 6 when his mother was killed, told him he was thankful for Sims' arrest.

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"His birthday is coming up," Baker said. "He said this was such a great birthday present."

Ralston was found dead after her friends told authorities she left the bar with an unknown man just before midnight on Jan. 31, 1977, Baker said. Her VW was found the next day in the carport area of an apartment complex near the bar.

Her killer had tried to burn the vehicle but failed, Baker said.

At the time, Sims was a private assigned to what was then an Army base in Monterey County, south of San Francisco, Baker said.

In 1978, he was convicted of assault with intent to commit murder and robbery in a Monterey County, California, case that involved another woman, court documents show. Sims was sentenced to four years in prison.

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Sims left California long before DNA became an essential forensic tool for law enforcement, Baker said, and although his prints were in the FBI's database, it was not until August when Baker was notified of Sims' identity.

Forensic genealogy gets all the attention these days, Baker said. But a retired cold case prosecutor from the San Diego DAs office told me years ago to never underestimate latent print search since the FBI upgraded the algorithm.

Baker also said investigators relied on a powerful new forensic tool known as STRmix to help develop DNA profiles from crime scene evidence.

The tool uses statistical modeling to analyze tiny and complex mixtures of genetic material that most likely would have been considered unusable a decade ago.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
WARRICK COUNTY, Ind. (WEHT)  Its a case of what was old is new again at Grimm Road and State Road 66 between Newburgh and Evansville. Drivers will soon see the return of a stoplight at the busy, high-speed intersection. We were against taking it out in the first place just because of the safety factor, explains Ohio Township Fire Chief Scott Foreman.

Chief Foreman says he is relieved to hear Indiana 66 and Grimm Road will once again have a stoplight. Weve had numerous accidents since they took the lights out, says Chief Foreman. Numerous serious accidents, and I think they were all probably preventable by having the light there.

Temporary traffic lights were used at the intersection during construction of the displaced left turn at Epworth Road. Those lights were removed after the Epworth intersection opened. Now that weve been able to take a look and really understand what this intersections going to look like, were confident to reinstall those lights, explains Gary Brian with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT).

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Traffic signal going back in at State Road 66 and Grimm Road

Brian says conversations with community members and leaders revealed a lot of concern about having the lights re-installed. We knew that we were going to be looking into this, so thats why we never took the equipment down, says Brian. Were anticipating that, yeah, maybe we need to do this.

We were looking at it more on the real world. We were responding to the wrecks, we saw what was happening, we saw a lot of the near misses, says Chief Foreman. Instead of using data and numbers, we were actually seeing what was happening, and its human error, obviously, right? But, if you can prevent it, predictable is preventable, and if you can predict something bad is going to happen, lets try to do what we can to prevent it.

Starting on or around May 21, flashing red and yellow lights will be visible at the intersection for three day before converting to the normal stoplight intersection. INDOT says they will continue to monitor the intersection for any needed adjustments after installation. Chief Foreman says the lights are coming back just in time, with ongoing and future growth and expansion planned for this part of Warrick County.

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We know that theres going to be problems, but I think this will prevent a lot of the problems, says Chief Foreman.

More from Cody Bailey

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ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG)  Escambia County Fire Rescue officials said a dryer is to blame for a Wednesday morning house fire.

Escambia County, Fla., Fire Rescue responded to a house fire Wednesday. (Courtesy of Escambia County Fire Rescue)

Thomasville crash kills 2, injures 4, police chief says

According to an Escambia County Fire Rescue Facebook post, several units were called out at about 3:39 a.m. to a home in the 10 block of Merritt Street.

When firefighters arrived, they saw heavy smoke and flames coming out of the attic of a single-story house, the post said.

The homes attic. (Courtesy of Escambia County Fire Rescue)

A burned room of the house

The laundry room, where the fire began.

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According to the post, ECFR extinguished the fire by 4:14 a.m. No one was hurt.

Most of the home had moderate damage, with significant damage in the attic, and the home will need extensive repairs before the homeowners can return, the post said.

An investigation determined the fire started in the dryer in the laundry room, and quickly spread to the attic, the post said.

Formerly missing Albertville 13-year-old found under blanket in vehicle during Arizona traffic stop

Florida Power and Light provided assistance, and the American Red Cross has assisted the homeowners with temporary housing.

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Firefighters were called to battle a blaze that erupted overnight in the attic of a tattoo shop in Los Angeles Fairfax neighborhood.

The blaze was reported around 1:15 a.m. in a row of one-story commercial businesses on the 600 block of Poinsettia Place.

Crews arrived at the nearly 100-year-old structure to find a fire burning in the attic space above a tattoo studio, the Los Angeles Fire Department stated in a news release.

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It took 49 minutes for firefighters to knock down the stubborn flames inside the structure built in 1932.

Emergency crews respond to a tattoo shop fire in Fairfax on May 8, 2025. (KTLA)

There were no immediate reports of injury.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
CHICAGO (WGN)  Emergency crews were called to the scene of an overnight fire that broke out at a school on the citys Northwest Side.

According to Chicago police, the fire erupted just after 1 a.m. on the third floor of Chicago Academy High School, located in the 3400 block of North Austin Avenue in Dunning.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Flames were reaching above the buildings roof and smoke-filled parts of the school as crews worked to get the fire under control.

Crews were eventually able to stamp out the blaze and no injuries were reported.

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A resident who lives nearby and attended the school witnessed the flames and said he was shocked to learn about the blaze.

Honestly, horrifying that this could happen so close to home because I live on the other side. So its just crazy, the good thing is, I dont think there was anyone inside because I think the building was empty, Dunning resident Brayan Skobel said.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Officials said nobody was inside the school at the time the fire broke out and it is unclear what sparked the blaze.

An investigation by the Chicago Fire Department is now underway and it is unclear if students will be able to return to class on Thursday.

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Officials were called to a fire at a school overnight on the Northwest Side in the Dunning neighborhood, Chicago police said.

Shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday, police and fire officials were summoned to a fire at Chicago Academy located in the 3400 block of North Austin Avenue, police said.

Officials extinguished a fire on the third floor of the school that was closed at the time the fire broke out. No injuries were reported.

Officials said Thursday morning the fire was accidental and most likely was spurred from work done earlier on the roof where flames erupted during the night.
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA)  Around 25 firefighters responded to Dr. Preston Williams Elementary School Wednesday evening for a reported fire.

The fire department arrived on the scene around 5:45 p.m. They met with school staff who reported visible smoke from the north side of the building.

St. Joseph house considered total loss in fire

Crews from both the Urbana and Champaign Fire Departments extinguished the fire and searched the entire school, confirming that it was unoccupied. The fire was brought under control within 10 minutes of the firefighters arrival.

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No injuries were reported, according to the Urbana Fire Department. The fire department added that the fire was caused by a malfunctioning light fixture. Damage estimates are still pending.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
Cincinnati Catholics greeted the selection of the first American pope Thursday with shock, joy and anticipation about what the choice might mean for the future of the church in the United States and beyond.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who will go by the name Leo XIV, emerged as the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics after several rounds of voting by 133 Catholic cardinals in Rome. Though considered a contender, the choice of the 69-year-old Chicago native stunned many.

Cincinnati Archbishop Robert Casey, also born and raised in Chicago, saw the selection as "a unifying moment in the life of the Church."

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"With great joy and gratitude, I join the people of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in praying for our new Holy Father," Casey said in a statement. "May the Lord grant him wisdom, courage, and strength in carrying out his sacred ministry."

Casey will celebrate a Votive Mass for the new pope Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in Cincinnati.

Ken Craycraft, a professor of moral theology at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati, said Prevost's choice of the name Leo XIV is a symbolic move that suggests the focus of his papacy will be on "Catholic social doctrine," a century-old doctrine that seeks to apply Catholic teachings to modern economic and political problems.

He said the new pope's name appears to be inspired by Pope Leo XIII, who in the 1890s became the first pope to advocate Catholic social doctrine as a guide for the church during the political and social turmoil of the industrial revolution. The doctrine teaches that the "dignity of the person," regardless of wealth or status, is of great importance.

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Craycraft said the cardinals may have seen conditions in the world today as similar as those at the end of the 19th Century, which may, in turn, have led them to Prevost.

"I think the cardinals saw he is the man for the moment," said Craycraft, author of "Citizens Yet Strangers," a book about how Catholics can live their faith in politically divided times. "The name is not accidental. The name is very symbolic."

Craycraft said the significance of an American pope can't be understated.

"To speak Catholicism with an American accent is somewhat affirming for we American Catholics," Craycraft said. "With one of our own as head of the church, it gives more of a sense of connectedness to the worldwide church than we've had."

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Vice President and former Ohio Sen. JD Vance, a Catholic convert who still has a home in Cincinnati, also welcomed the arrival of the first American pope. "Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election!" Vance wrote on his X account. "Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!"

In February, Prevost shared a post on social media that pushed back at Vance's contention that Catholicism teaches a hierarchy of love that puts family ahead of strangers.

Prevost offered no additional commentary, but the message seemed clear: The then-cardinal disagreed with Vance's take on Catholic teaching. Pope Francis also took issue with Vance's view.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine praised Prevost's work in poor communities throughout his priesthood as a member of the Augustinian order. The new pope left Chicago as a young man and lived for years in Peru before taking a position at the Vatican under his predecessor, Pope Francis.

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"Through his work as a teacher and missionary, he has been committed to spreading the Gospel by helping the poor, migrants, and the least among us," said DeWine, a Catholic. "His background as a parish priest and as a missionary tells us that he will be a Pope who will work hard to stay in touch with people of all backgrounds around the world."

Craycraft agreed Pope Leo XIV's history of working among the poor is appealing, and likely also appealed to the cardinals who chose him as the new leader of the church. He said he expects that work to continue in the years to come, but on a larger scale.

"I think he'll be a globe trotter," Craycraft said. "I think he wants to be a voice of peace, of economic reform, of economic justice. And I think he's going to take that message to the world."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: First American pope: Cincinnati Catholics greet Leo XIV with shock, joy
By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -From his first moments on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Leo XIV gave three important clues about what kind of leader of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church he will be.

Leo, formerly U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected by the world's cardinals on Thursday as the new pope on the second day of the conclave to choose a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month.

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He is the first pope from the United States, but holds dual citizenship in Peru, where he was a missionary for decades before becoming a cardinal.

Leo's first clue was his choice of name. Popes often use this choice to send their first major signal about the priorities of their new papacy.

Francis took his name from the 13th century St. Francis of Assisi, who rejected wealth and wanted to care for the poor.

The last pope to take the name Leo, Leo XIII, focused much of his 1878-1903 papacy on advocating for the rights of workers, calling for fair pay, fair working conditions, and the right to join unions.

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"By picking the name Leo XIV, he shows he is committed to the social teaching of the church," said Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit commentator who follows the papacy closely.

Leo's second clue was his choice of language and the words he spoke, which put a clear emphasis on the need for peace, something Francis also often focused on.

None of his speech to the crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square was in English, but rather Italian, the language of the papacy, and a brief foray into Spanish to greet his former community in Peru. He did not mention the U.S.

"La pace sia con tutti voi!" (Peace be with you!), Leo's first words in public, echoed the ones Catholics use in their celebrations but also offered an immediate message of peace in a world riven with conflict.

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Before heading into the secret conclave on May 7, the world's cardinals issued a statement lamenting the conflicts "in Ukraine, the Middle East, and many other parts of the world" and making a "heartfelt appeal" for peace.

The new pope said he wanted to share God's peace, calling it "a disarmed peace and a disarming peace" that is "humble and persevering."

Leo also mentioned Francis, who offered his last blessing to crowds in Rome on Easter Sunday, the day before he died of a stroke after battling double pneumonia for weeks.

"We still have in our ears that weak, but always courageous voice of Pope Francis," he said.

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Leo asked permission to offer the same blessing Francis used just a few weeks ago, saying: "God loves us, God loves everyone, and evil will not prevail. We are in the hands of God."

Leo's third clue was in his choice of attire.

Unlike Francis, who spurned all the trappings of the papacy including on the first day he was elected in 2013, Leo wore a traditional red papal garment over his white cassock.

Although Leo follows in the tradition of Francis, he signalled he is a new, and different, pope.

(Reporting by Joshua McElweeEditing by Frances Kerry)
KOKEE, Hawaii (KHON2)  State firefighters on Kauai are working to control a brush fire in Kokee.

Oahu gets EMS overhaul with new fleet of life saving vehicles

According to the Countys preliminary report, flames broke out near the junction of Kokee Road and Waimea Canyon around 6 a.m. on Wednesday, May 7.

Kauai Fire Department responded shortly after and turned over the incident to State officials.

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In the most recent update, officials said the fire was about 70 percent contained and scorched about two acres.

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The County has closed Waimea Canyon Drive from Panini Place to Kokee Road junction until further notice. Kokee Road near mile marker 7 has also been closed to the public.

Officials said the public should avoid the area as crews remain on scene.

Check out more news from around Hawaii

This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

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General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam has concluded his state visit to Azerbaijan

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Tottenhams Pedro Porro Linked with Shock Exit as Barcelona Circle  What Next for Spurs?

In what could be one of the more surprising moves of the summer, Spanish outlet Fichajes has reported that Tottenham Hotspur are willing to sell Pedro Porro for just 50million (42.5m). The Spanish defender, one of Spurs standout performers during a dismal domestic campaign, is now a transfer target for Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Villarreal.

According to the report, Barcelona want Porro and are considering a bid, viewing him as a versatile addition capable of challenging Jules Kounde at right-back, while offering depth on the left. New boss Hansi Flick is already evaluating his options as he looks to reshape the squad to suit his dynamic system.

Porros attacking contributions  three goals and nine assists across 47 appearances  have kept him in the headlines even as Spurs flounder in the league. Fichajes claims Spurs have opened the door to a sale, signalling a potential major shake-up at Hotspur Way.

Surprise Exit for One of Spurs Best Performers?

Its this point that will concern Tottenham supporters most. Pedro Porro has been one of the few consistent bright spots in a season where Ange Postecoglous side find themselves sitting a perilous 16th in the Premier League, just one point clear of the drop zone.

Despite progressing to the Europa League semi-finals  where they lead Bodo/Glimt 3-1 on aggregate  the domestic collapse has brought scrutiny across the squad. Even Daniel Levys support of Postecoglou is in question, with Fichajes noting that even if Postecoglou comes through on his trophy promise Levy could still swing the axe.

Still, parting with Porro for just 42.5m seems uncharacteristically soft from a club known for driving hard bargains. As Fichajes rightly points out, Spurs have previously rejected major bids for star players, including Harry Kane, from both Manchester City and Manchester United.

Contract Situation Strengthens Tottenhams Position

While the reported valuation might hint at Spurs being open to business, context is everything. Porros contract runs until June 2028, meaning Spurs hold a significant advantage in negotiations. Selling now would appear premature, unless there is an undisclosed desire from the player to return to Spain or an internal strategic shift by the club.

Fichajes also raises the possibility of Manchester City re-entering the race, with interest from April 22 suggesting there may be Premier League competition for his signature. Yet, Citys pursuit of Kane previously highlighted how difficult Spurs can be to deal with  particularly under Levys watch.

LaLiga Bidding War Could Drive Up Price

If anything, the presence of multiple suitors  from Barcelona to Atletico Madrid and Villarreal  means Tottenham are in a strong position to trigger a bidding war. With Real Madrid instead eyeing Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free, the LaLiga market for right-backs is hot, and Porro is very much in demand.

Should all three clubs make formal approaches, Spurs may well revise their valuation upward, potentially to the 60m mark or higher, which feels more in line with Porros output and potential. In short, this one looks far from settled.

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To be honest, this report from Fichajes has left me uneasy. 42.5m for Pedro Porro? Its hard to swallow. Hes arguably been one of the only reliable players this season, and if were serious about rebuilding under Postecoglou or whoever comes next, selling him sends the wrong message.

Whats even more worrying is the fact that it sounds like the club are almost inviting offers. The phrase opened the door makes it sound like were ready to offload him without a fight. I know finances might be tight  especially if we miss out on Europe entirely next season  but this feels short-sighted.

Porros still only 25, hes quick, technical, and honestly, hes been a leader without the armband on several occasions this season. Selling him now when hes under contract until 2028? It doesnt make sense  unless the player himself wants to go, and even then, 42.5m is far too low in this market.

Levy needs to hold firm. If Barcelona or Atleti really want him, they should pay upwards of 60m, maybe even 70m. Because if we start letting top-tier players go for mid-tier fees, then how do we expect to attract or retain elite talent in the long run?

As a Spurs fan, I can only hope this is a strategic leak to stir up interest and raise the price. Because if this is serious, and Porro is sold for under 50m, it would be another example of us shooting ourselves in the foot at a time when we cant afford more self-inflicted wounds.
May 7MORGANTOWN  By all accounts, the business end of the storm that turned out the lights in Morgantown and the surrounding area on April 19 only lasted a few minutes.

But what was done in those few minutes required 475 workers, the replacement of 188 poles  including 135 in Monongalia County alone  and nearly eight miles of wire to undo.

Crews restored power to 63, 600 total customers over much of the following week  first in large swaths, then in smaller, more isolated pockets.

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First Energy Local Engagement Specialist Krissy Michael provided the data to leadership with the city of Morgantown and the Monongalia County Commission. The commission shared it during Wednesday's regular meeting.

Power outages began at about 8:30 p.m. on the Saturday evening before Easter as 60-to 70-mph wind gusts caused extensive damage to power infrastructure. Snapped poles and broken cross arms resulted in downed lines.

"Our priority immediately following a storm is to clear hazards, such as downed power lines and trees blocking the roads. Hazard responders are dispatched to damaged locations, such as downed lines, to protect the public from these hazards until a line crew has arrived to make the area safe, " Michael explained.

Once immediate threats are identified and made safe, Michael said the pecking order for repairs starts with the substation facilities that supply power to the lines, followed by hospitals and other critical medical, communications and emergency response agencies /facilities. After that, crews work to restore power as quickly as possible to customers, starting with areas that will restore power to the largest number of homes and businesses.

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"I just wanted to, again, thank Krissy and her staff for all they did to address that outage and make that public. It was a pretty big undertaking, " Commissioner Sean Sikora said.

A representative of FirstEnergy said the company does not publicly share the cost of restoration efforts, but noted historical outage data shows storm activity in the first four months of 2025 has been higher in the Mon Power service area than anything the company has seen in the last decade.

In other business from Wednesday's commission meeting, the body approved up to $2, 500 to match funds raised by Monongalia County students participating in the Future Problem Solving International Conference to be held next month in Bloomington, Indiana.
BOSTON (WWLP)  The United States Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that 205 child sex abuse offenders across the country have been arrested as a result of Operation Restore Justice, including five in Massachusetts.

According to the Department of Justice, this operation was conducted across five days from April 28 to May 2 by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Departments Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys Offices throughout the nation.

Mugshots released in Massachusetts Operation No Love fentanyl takedown

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This team was organized to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators across the United States. A total of 205 child sexual abuse offenders within the country were arrested as a result of the operation, including school leaders, members of law enforcement, and registered sex offenders. Those arrested were accused of crimes ranging from possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to child sex trafficking.

In the District of Massachusetts, the following individuals were arrested and charged as a result of Operation Restore Justice:

Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Emmanuel College Jacob Henriques , 29, of Boston, is charged with attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Henriques is accused of soliciting an underage college applicant to engage in commercial sex with him.

Level 1 sex offender Justin Ouimette , 34, of Holyoke, is charged with possessing CSAM. Officers seized over 400 files depicting CSAM from Ouimettes home, including files depicting the abuse of victims as young as three years old. The defendant has a prior 2022 state conviction for possessing CSAM.

Warren Messeck , 75, of Agawam, is charged with possessing CSAM. Messeck was allegedly identified as a user of an internet-based peer-to-peer network downloading CSAM. Officers seized over 40 electronic devices from his residence, and over 10,000 CSAM files were found on six of the seized devices.

Brandon Bendall , 49, of Wareham, is charged with possessing and receiving CSAM. According to court documents, Bendall was identified as a member of an online chat group in which members viewed and posted CSAM. During a search of Bendalls residence and cell phone, approximately 9,400 images and videos of CSAM, including images of children as young as infants being sexually abused, were allegedly located.

Cess Frazier, 32, of Boston, is charged with receiving CSAM. It is alleged that approximately 100 media files depicting CSAM were saved on the defendants phone.

Protecting children from exploitation is among the most sacred responsibilities we have in law enforcement, said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. Each case serves as a difficult reminder that child predators are embedded in our communities. Some take on roles that increase their direct contact with children, while others prey on children from behind a keyboard. But make no mistake, we will identify, arrest, and hold every one of them accountable, no matter how long it takes or how far we have to go. As Child Abuse Prevention Month came to a close, Operation Restore Justice delivered a powerful and urgent message: protecting children is not just a worthy cause we recognize, it is a mission we carry out every day. We will not relent in our pursuit of those who exploit children, and we are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their tireless work to bring these predators to justice. This work will not stop.

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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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging five former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employees with stealing mail.

The defendants were employees at a post office on North 51st Street and Leavenworth Road in Kansas City, Kansas.

Downtown KC business owners demand action; mayor pushes back over text message dispute

They are accused of stealing Amazon return packages, mail and other items of value for their own personal use  allegedly between early 2023 and mid-October 2023.

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According to court documents, the following people have each been charged with conspiracy to steal mail and theft of mail:

Terrence Luster, 49, of Lees Summit, Missouri

Laura Dantzler, 64, of Kansas City, Kansas

Arthur Hook, 49, of Lathrop, Missouri

Craig Roland, 54, of Kansas City, Kansas

Cheryl Wankum, 60, of Overland Park, Kansas

The USPS  Office of Inspector General is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
After Mexico reported a case of an infected cow, the United States Department of Agriculture is warning states along the southern border to monitor livestock and pets for signs of a flesh-eating parasite.

The New World Screwworm  a fly that was eradicated in the U.S. in 1966 through a program that released sterile male flies and pupae to create infertile screwworms  now poses a renewed risk as confirmed cases are spreading northward from Central and South America.

The parasite uses its sharp mouth hooks to open the flesh of mammals and lay eggs in the wounds or body openings, including cows, deer, birds, pets, and even humans. This can lead to a sometimes fatal infection.

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In November 2024, America halted imports of Mexican livestock after the country alerted the U.S. to a new detection in a cow at an inspection checkpoint close to the Mexico border with Guatemala. Subsequently, the agriculture department increased sterile fly deliveries and supported additional surveillance programs, which led to livestock imports restarting in February 2025.

But recently, relations became strained in April when Mexico authorities began curtailing 7-day flights of U.S. Department of Agriculture planes dispersing sterile flies and imposing import duties on "critical aviation parts, dispersal equipment, and sterile fly shipments," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a letter to Esteban Moctezuma Barragan, Mexico's ambassador to the U.S., dated April 26, 2025.

Mexico avoided another U.S. livestock ban last week by reaching a deal to allow additional flights and to waive customs duties.

What is the New World Screwworm?

Adult screwworm flies are similar to  or slightly larger than  the common housefly, but they have orange eyes, a metallic blue or green body, and three dark stripes along their backs, according to the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

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The parasite gets its name from how the larvae's resulting maggots, which as they feed on an animal will burrow, or screw, into the wound or opening, creating "extensive damage by tearing at the hosts tissue with sharp mouth hooks," according to the agency.

What are symptoms of a New World Screwworm infection?

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department listed some warning signs in wildlife, birds and pets:

Isolation from other animals

Loss of appetite

Irritated behavior

Head shaking

The smell of decay

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: A flesh-eating parasite could soon reach Texas, officials say
Following the devastating collapse of Champlain Towers South in 2021, Florida has undertaken the most sweeping condo safety reforms in the states history. These new regulations, while aimed at preventing another tragedy, have also placed significant financial burdens on condo associations and unit owners, raising concerns about affordability, property values, and legal exposure.

The key changes revolve around mandatory structural inspections and reserve funding requirements. Under the new laws, any condo building over 30 years old (or 25 years if near the coast) must undergo a milestone inspection conducted by licensed engineers. These inspections assess the structural integrity of a building, identifying potential safety hazards before they become catastrophic. Additionally, the state now requires structural integrity reserve studies, forcing associations to fully fund reserves for critical repairs  a stark departure from previous practices where boards could waive or underfund reserves to keep costs low.

Condo safety measures have a big price tag

While these measures undeniably enhance resident safety, they come with a hefty price tag. Many older condos are now facing massive special assessments to cover repair costs and reserve funding, leaving some unit owners unable to afford staying in their own homes. This has led to increased litigation as residents challenge assessments, question management decisions, and seek financial alternatives.

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Florida's condo crisis: Fix to address tightened regulations heads to governor's desk

Furthermore, the new laws are accelerating a shift in the Florida condo market. Some buildings that cannot afford to comply are being sold to developers, particularly in high-demand coastal areas where land values are skyrocketing. This is triggering a wave of condo terminations, where older buildings are demolished and replaced with new high-end developments  essentially displacing longtime residents who cannot afford to buy back in.

How does Florida balance safety and cost?

The state now faces a difficult balancing act: ensuring building safety while preventing financial devastation for condo owners. While lawmakers have provided some funding assistance, it is not nearly enough to cover the full scope of the required repairs statewide. Moving forward, policymakers must explore additional financial relief options, such as state-backed low-interest loans or grants for struggling condo associations, to prevent widespread displacement.

Condo Crisis: No easy answers as Post panel discusses fallout of the Surfside disaster

Peter Sachs

For Florida property owners, these reforms represent a new era of heightened accountability and cost management. Condo associations must now prioritize long-term financial planning, transparent communication, and expert legal guidance to navigate these changes. The future of Floridas condo market depends on how well these reforms are implemented  and whether the state can balance safety with affordability in the years ahead.

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Peter S. Sachs is a founding partner of Sachs Sax Caplan P.L. in Boca Raton, Florida. He is board certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law by the Florida Bar.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida's condo market is changing. Will reforms help? | Opinion
In 2007, a volunteer firefighter was arrested and charged with intentionally setting fire at a womens club. A story about his arson arrest made the paper back then, but that arrest did not prevent him from staying at his job or getting other jobs in other departments, including in Lake County.

Lake County did a background check through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, but there was no criminal history shown, including any arrest. The records were expunged in the court records too. Thats why this 9 Investigates is not using his name.

But WFTV looked at his personnel record from Polk County. That personnel file showed documents about his arrest. It showed that there that there was a pretrial diversion, along with complaints from patients and some unsatisfactory performance reviews. It also shows that it was recommended that he be fired in 2014.

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Lake County officials said they did not have anyone to speak to WFTV, but said by email that it is not common practice to request entire personnel files due to the fees and time required. They also said he was not required to divulge his arrest, saying, Lake County makes employment reference checks with listed employers within the last 5 years. At the time, a reference check was conducted with the applicants current employer.

But the union for the Lake County fire department sent a statement about the hiring, saying in part, While we are disappointed that these serious charges were not identified during the hiring process, we believe it is appropriate to recuse ourselves and allow lake county administration to conduct a full independent investigation.

The county has not yet said there would be an investigation.

Other local departments, like Orange County Fire Rescue, said they do run whats called a level 2 background that includes fingerprints based criminal checks and polygraphs, and said the previous employer may be contacted.

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According to attorney Mark Lippman, that is not unusual for public agencies. When asked if he thinks public agencies should have stricter background checks or if the current system works, Lippman said, It depends. I mean, how strict can you go when youre doing a complete background check and nothing comes back even with a fingerprint? I mean, thats pretty intense.

But the fire union at the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District said its agency has gone one step further by now checking those personnel files for candidates so it can look for any disciplinary issues.

Lippman said thats great but a big undertaking for cities, and not every department can do that.

So the further you investigate, the better it is, but it also, you have the which side,

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Do you want to get somebody hired faster to fill the position or do you want to have a complete background check that may result in the same reason of hiring them, but it also may give you a better reason not to hire them? So it really depends on the need at the time, he said.

Lake County said the employee has been a good employee and moved up the ranks since he has been there.

Do you have a story for WFTVs 9 Investigators?

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We had another mass shooting in Florida.

The United States has one of the highest rates of gun violence in the developed world, and Florida has one of the highest rates of gun violence in the United States.

Opinion: Florida must stop its war on tourism. It could hurt jobs and communities.

There are a series of meaningful reforms that are supported by large majorities of the American people. Polls show that over 80% of the American people support universal background checks. and more than 60% of the American people support bans on assault weapons and high capacity magazines.

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Opinion: Florida wildlife officials have insufficient scientific data to support bear hunt

But, the Florida Legislature and the Congress refuse to act. The reason for this is that the vast majority of Republican elected officials are owned by the NRA and the gun industry.

We should all refuse to vote for any candidate who does not support common sense gun legislation.

Richard Greene, West Palm Beach

Join the Conversation: The Palm Beach Post is committed to publishing a diversity of opinions. Email us at letters@pbpost.com. Letters are subject to editing, must not exceed 200 words and must include your name, address and a daytime phone number to confirm the letter is for publication. We only publish names and cities with the letters.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida gun violence must stop. Pass common sense laws | Letter
Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., March 5, 2020. Andrew Kelly/Reuters

Morgan Stanley advises investors to favor large-cap stocks as the economic outlook remains muddled.

Large caps offer better pricing power and efficiency, acting defensively in late economic cycles.

Here's what Morgan Stanley is recommending to investors with uncertainty still looming.

With trade tensions volatile amid President Donald Trump's tariff policies, Morgan Stanley has laid out a clear playbook for investors looking to navigate the growing uncertainty.

In a Monday note, Morgan Stanley equity strategist Mike Wilson broke down where investors should rotate their investments to better shield themselves from the global trade risks.

Here's what the bank's chief investment officer thinks you should do with your portfolio.

1. Go big: Favor large caps over small caps

Large-cap stocks offer investors better pricing power and operational efficiency compared to small-cap stocks, Wilson said.

In addition, large-cap stocks typically act more defensively than small-cap stocks during late economic cycles, which Wilson believes we're in.

"Small caps have more economic sensitivity and more rate sensitivity," Wilson said. "Given the slowing macro backdrop, a Fed that's on hold and sticky back-end rates, large caps should continue to see relative outperformance."

2. Swap consumer staples for healthcare

Healthcare stocks are trading at a massive discount to the S&P 500 and an even bigger discount to consumer staples stocks.

That means for investors seeking defensive exposure, there's better value in healthcare names.

Investors view the healthcare sector as defensive because people typically continue to spend on healthcare even when the economy enters a downturn.

Within the healthcare sector, Wilson said the biotech industry looks particularly de-risked.

On the other hand, Wilson said, given their high valuations, consumer staples stocks may not provide investors with the defense they seek.

"Besides more expensive valuation, Staples is also more exposed to a slowing consumer and generally has limited pricing power/slimmer margins," Wilson said.

3. Buy industrials over consumer discretionary

For investors seeking cyclical exposure to the stock market, the industrials sector offers a better deal than consumer discretionary.

That's because industrial companies typically have stronger pricing power relative to consumer discretionary companies, which are at the mercy of the consumer's health.

Additionally, industrial stocks are less directly exposed to tariffs set against China and Vietnam, and they have benefited from the USMCA tariff exemptions on Mexico.
The Florida Legislature passed a bill that stiffens existing penalties and creates new penalties for boating infractions, but lawmakers rejected mandatory boating education and driver license suspension for boating under the influence.

The House and Senate passed Lucy's Law on May 2. Now it awaits the governor's signature to become law.

The legislation is named after Lucy Fernandez, a 17-year-old Miami girl who died in a boating crash that also permanently disabled passenger Katerina Puig. Lucy's Law was proposed by her parents, Andy and Melissa Fernandez.

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George Pino, the driver of the boat who hit a channel marker, refused to submit to a breathalyzer test and was charged with felony vessel homicide in the 2022 Labor Day weekend crash in Biscayne Bay off Miami-Dade County.

What is Lucy's Law in Florida?

The legislation:

Enacts punishments for leaving the scene of a boating crash resulting in death, injuries and/or property damage.

Establishes a minimum punishment of four years in prison for a BUI manslaughter conviction.

Makes it a second-degree misdemeanor to give a false statement to law enforcement officers after a crash.

Lawmakers initially proposed making boater education mandatory for everyone boating in and off Florida's coast. The watered-down version of the bill makes it mandatory only when a boater is found guilty of a criminal or non-criminal boating infraction.

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"The boating education is where we got the pushback," Andy Fernandez told TCPalm. "It (the legislation) was not everything we wanted, but it was something ... The good guys won. We didn't get everything, but this is the first significant change in boating laws in years. We're excited."

State law currently requires boat drivers born on or after Jan. 1, 1988  those younger than 36  to complete a boating safety course. That leaves many boat owners without formal knowledge of essential maritime safety.

Fernandez and the bill's initial sponsors proposed suspending boat drivers' motor vehicle driver licenses if they're convicted of boating under the influence, but that was stripped from the House and Senate bills.

No mandatory boater education training

Andy, Melissa and Lucy Fernandez pose for a selfie on their boat Bimini in May 2022.

Statistics show many fatal boating crashes involve drivers older than 36. About 83% of drivers involved in fatal crashes had no formal boater education, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's 2023 statistics.

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Florida leads the nation in boat ownership  with 1.04 million registered vessels in 2023  and boating crashes  with 659, resulting in 59 fatalities. On the Treasure Coast, there were:

Indian River County: 11,045 registered vessels, 4 reported crashes, 1 fatality and 6 injuries

Martin County: 18,168 registered vessels, 14 reported crashes, no fatalities and 9 injuries

St. Lucie County: 17,256 registered vessels, 23 reported crashes, 1 fatality and 5.

Bill revokes boat inspections Bill revoking boat inspections and fuel source rules powers through Florida Legislature

Technology impacts fish populations Expensive fishing technology turns novice anglers into pros, but results in overfishing

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"This is just the beginning," Andy Fernandez said. "It's a significant first step. You can bet your bottom dollar we will be back."

The Fernandez family also created the Lucy Fernandez Foundation that provides scholarships and experiential learning opportunities for students at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami.

Tim O'Hara is TCPalm's environment reporter. Contact him at tim.ohara@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: What is Lucy's Law in Florida boating? Bill awaits DeSantis signature
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. (WFLA)  A Florida man was injured after getting too close to a bison at Yellowstone National Park.

The incident happened Sunday afternoon in the Lake Village area of the park, according to a news release from Yellowstone National Park.

Woman tossed from canoe, killed in alligator attack identified

The 47-year-old man from Cape Coral suffered minor injuries after being gored by the bison. Park officials said he had approached the bison.

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Park staff urge visitors to keep their distance from animals like bison and deer  specifically, at least 25 yards  and to remain 100 yards away from bears and wolves.

This was the first report of a person injured by a bison this year. There were two reported incidents last year and one in 2023.

A miracle: Cat survives fall in Utah national park that killed 2 Florida hikers

The latter incident had a relatively happy ending, though. While the Arizona woman suffered fractured vertebrae and collapsed lungs after being gored, she later said yes to her boyfriends proposal at the hospital.

Also last summer, an Idaho man suffered minor injuries and was arrested on alcohol-related charges after allegedly kicking a bison at Yellowstone.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wy. (WFLA)  A Florida man was injured after getting too close to a bison at Yellowstone National Park.

The incident happened Sunday at 3:15 p.m. in the Lake Village area of the park, according to a news release from Yellowstone National Park.

FWC identifies woman killed in alligator attack at Lake Kissimmee State Park

A 47-year-old man from Cape Coral was gored by a bison after approaching it. He suffered minor injuries.

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This was the first report of a person injured by a bison this year. There were two reported incidents last year and one in 2023.

Park staff urge visitors to keep their distance from animals like bison and deer  specifically, at least 25 yards  and to remain 100 yards away from bears and wolves.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Florida may let people hunt bears for the first time in 10 years, although the plan was in the works before a man and his dog were killed by one.

According to First Coast News, The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission "is considering a bear hunt to take place this December." The Commission's website confirms that it is considering implementing bear hunting.

Robert Markel, 89, and his dog were killed by a black bear "in a rural area east of Naples," Florida, on May 6, 2025, according to WESH. After his death, officials killed three bears.

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The last bear hunt in Florida was a decade before, First Coast News reported, adding that some people don't want it to happen. However, the Commission's website indicates that the possibility of a bear hunt was underway before Markel's death.

"Its really a trophy hunt," Adam Sugalski of Jacksonville told the television station, which reported that he "founded a group called One Protest, aimed at combating injustice to animals."

Others support a bear hunt for population control, First Coast News reported.

The Commission has an entire web page devoted to the black bears in Florida.

"The black bear population has come back from just several hundred bears in the 1970s to over 4,000 today and is one of Floridas most successful conservation efforts," the Commission wrote on the website.

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"Regulated black bear hunting occurred in Florida in the 1930s and continued until 1994. Hunting was closed until 2015, when it was reopened in the fall. No bear hunting seasons have been open since 2015," the website says.

The FWCs Bear Management Program "gave Commissioners a 5-year update on implementing the 2019 Florida Black Bear Management Plan at the December 2024 Commission meeting, highlighting recent bear management and research efforts. Following the presentation, the Commissioners directed staff to return to a future Commission meeting to propose options for implementing a potential bear hunt," the website says.

"The primary objectives of regulated hunting are to balance species population numbers with suitable habitat and to maintain a healthy population, as stated in the 2019 Bear Management Plan. Hunting provides people with recreational and economic benefits. A hunter can use the meat, pelt, fat, and other parts of any bear they harvest," the Commission added.

The last time there was a Florida bear hunt, "3,776 permits were sold, 99 percent (3,724) of which were obtained by Florida residents," the Commission wrote in a summary report.

Related: U.S. Announces Major Plan for 42 New Hunting Opportunities Nationwide
(This story was revised for a minor edit.)

A 61-year-old Davenport woman was killed while canoeing near the mouth of Tiger Creek on Lake Kissimmee about 4 p.m. May 6, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

FWC Maj. Evan Laskowski said Cynthia Diekema was killed after the canoe she was riding in with her husband passed over an alligator hidden beneath them in roughly 2.5 feet of water.

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"This is not believed to be a predatory incident, but simply a defense incident where they came upon the alligator beneath the water's edge and when the canoe struck it, it caused a reaction," Laskowski said during a news conference May 7 in Tampa.

The couple headed out on a 14-foot canoe into Lake Kissimmee, which has the second highest population of alligators in the state with more than 16,000, according to a 2024 census from FWC. It's second only to Lake Okeechobee.

According to Laskowski, Diekema was sitting in the bow of the canoe, when the alligator thrashed and tipped the boat over. The couple were sent into the water. "She ended up on top of the alligator in the water and was bitten," Laskowski said. "Her husband attempted to intervene was but unsuccessful."

A Computer-Aided Dispatch report obtained by The Ledger from Polk County Sheriff's Office shows FWC reached out for assistance at 4:05 p.m. FWC requested a unit and emergency medically personnel to the site for potentially two alligator victims.

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The Osceola County Sheriff's Office had received a call at 3:59 p.m. reporting, "man advised his wife had been killed by an alligator," according to the CAD report. Not much other information was immediately available to Polk deputies.

At 4:35 p.m., the husband reported "he last saw vic[tim] in the gator's mouth before she disappeared," according to the CAD report. Responders at the scene had air support and later brought drones into the area helping search for Diekema.

At 5:04 p.m., Polk deputies in a helicopter spotted Diekema from the air and reported the gator still had her in its mouth.

"The gator actively has the victim," reads the dispatch report at 5:05 p.m.

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Moments later, FWC officials were able to recover Diekema's body from the water as the alligator slipped back under.

There is still an active investigation into the fatal attack, according to FWC officials.

Two gators captured, killed from Lake Kissimmee area

FWC officials said they contracted a trapper who has captured two alligators in the area off Lake Kissimmee since the attack.

Laskowski said the first gator was 11-foot, 4-inches long and matched the description of the alligator that attacked the couple. A second alligator measuring 10 to 11 feet in length was also captured and killed.

FWC agents working with trappers remained near the scene of the attack watching for alligators in the size range of concern on the afternoon of May 7.

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There have been 487 unprovoked alligator bites on people between 1984 and 2024, according to the FWC. Of those, 339 were major bites and 27 were fatal.

"Alligator attacks resulting in fatalities are extremely rare," FWC Executive Director Roger Young said at the May 7 news conference in Tampa. "This tragedy serves as a somber reminder that they share our natural spaces."

The last fatal attack occurred in 2023 while a woman was walking her dog along the edge of a retention pond in St. Lucie County. The alligator was 10 feet long.

Keeping safe around alligators

FWC oversees the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program to help address alligators that may pose a threat to people, pets or property. Each year it issues tags to hunters across the state to remove alligators 4-feet or longer in length.

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Young said FWC increased the allotment for the 2025 statewide alligator hunt by 1,000 tags. Between the hunt and SNAP program, up to 15,000 alligators were taken out of the wild in 2023, he said.

"It's hard to say those numbers correlate," he said. " There are going to be alligators in the population in the wild anyway. With alligators in the wild, the potential is always there."

FWC recommended the following tips for staying safe when out in nature and around alligators:

Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator.

Keep pets on a leash and away from the waters edge. Pets often resemble alligators natural prey.

Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.

Never feed an alligator. Its illegal and dangerous.

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If there is concern about a gator, contact FWCs toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Alligator attack in Florida: Woman killed in Lake Kissimmee
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ)  On the second Friday of every month, Food for Families, a subsidiary of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, packs 400 boxes filled with food for seniors. The organization is located on Franklin Street in Johnstown.

Its for the Senior Food Box Program, which provides low-income older Pennsylvanians with a supplemental food package.

Now, the organization is running low on volunteers, just two days away from packing day.

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Pennsylvania bill focused on creating blighted property registry moves to Senate

Were always in need of volunteers. On the second Friday of every month, we need approximately 20 to 23 volunteers. We have individuals who come faithfully every month. But we want to increase that so that we have maybe some people on standby to support us when we do the senior boxes, Georgia Lehman, Food for Families Community Relations, said.

Lehman said right now theyre looking for 6-7 volunteers. If they receive more help than anticipated, they will not turn anyone away. Packing starts at 8:30 a.m. and goes until 10:30 a.m., or whenever the volunteers are finished.

Food for Families is the distribution center for the 18 food pantries in Cambria County.

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We have a very limited staff. We have, like, two part-timers and two full-timers. Thats it. So if we didnt have the volunteers to help support that project, then it would be a very tedious task for our volunteers for our staff, Lehman said.

If you are interested in volunteering on Friday, call the Food for Families office at (814)-535-3315 to secure your spot.

Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters.

If you are at least 60 years old and your income is at or below 150% of the U.S. poverty level, you may be eligible for the Senior Food Box Program. For more information, 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 WTAJ - www.wtaj.com.
WICHITA COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL)  Time in prison is known in many circles as hard time. However, some prisons are known to be harder than others.

To the north of Wichita Falls, the Allred Unit is one of those hard prisons. Its tallied 10 inmate deaths since January 17. Out of those 10 deaths, six of them are from unknown causes after they were found unresponsive by prison staff.

Former correctional officer Deyana Connolly believes a drug problem within the prison might be playing a part in some of the deaths.

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I did speak with nurses in the infirmary, and they advised me that K2 is what is being smuggled in, Connolly said.

According to the DEA, K2 is a synthetic form of marijuana that is known to cause severe adverse effects, such as seizures or unconsciousness. Though Connolly was only employed at Allred for 5 months, she said she was there long enough to witness an inmate overdose on drugs on multiple occasions.

When I called in an I.C.S. (Incident Command System), the officers came and brought him in. They left him in the infirmary for about two, three hours, put him back in his cell, Connolly said. That same inmate, I believe, passed away shortly after I left the prison.

When asked about the potential of a drug problem at Allred, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said they have a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and contraband. They also said they are committed to holding those who introduce contraband accountable.

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According to Connolly, this was not the case at Allred.

I did have an inmate tell me that another officer was bringing in drugs, Connolly said. And when I reported it to my sergeant, he just told me I mean, he didnt really say anything. Nothing was done about it.

Not all of the recent deaths at Allred were the same. One prisoner out of the 10 died after being assaulted by a fellow inmate. Connolly believes deaths like these can be prevented through simple changes in routine and staffing. Those changes could have helped prevent a situation she witnessed with one prisoner while conducting a security check.

He had told me that he was being sexually assaulted all night and beaten up by his cellmate, Connolly said. Had security checks been done every 30 minutes, the officers would have known. I mean, if it had kept going, that other inmate would have killed him.

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After her experience with that inmate, Connolly is certain of some solutions that could create a safer environment at Allred.

Security checks, bringing in more officers to make sure those security checks are done, will prevent a lot of deaths, Connolly said.

A closer look at the death records from the Attorney Generals office shows that all 10 of the recent inmate deaths at Allred are still under official investigation, with the majority of the deaths happening back in January.

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ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A former teacher at the Arkansas Arts Academy has pleaded not guilty to his Benton County charges, according to court documents.

Robert Beard, 39, was arrested by the Benton County Sheriffs Office on Feb. 11 for 25 counts of sexual grooming of a child.

A release from the Rogers Police Department said detectives interviewed multiple students who were taught by Beard during a two-year period.

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During the investigation, 25 victims were identified to have been sexually groomed by Beard during his time as a teacher at the Arkansas Arts Academy, the department said.

Arkansas Supreme Court denies double jeopardy appeal in Amber Waterman case

A probable cause affidavit filed on Feb. 12 said that after the first arrest, students came forward and claimed that Beard sent pornography to them.

The pornography was sent to students in the form of an Adobe Flash player link and was reportedly sent to multiple classes starting in September 2022.

The school reportedly sent a detective with RPD a list of more than 60 students who potentially received pornographic materials from Beard, according to the affidavit.

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Beard has an omnibus hearing in Benton County set for June 5.

Washington County case

Beard also faces charges in Washington County. He was arrested on Jan. 24 for internet stalking of a child, first-degree sexual assault and traveling for the purpose of an unlawful sex act with a minor.

A news release from the Springdale Police Department said on Jan. 17, the department was notified that a former teacher at a school in Rogers had picked up a child from a dance at the school.

School staff noticed the incident and followed Beards vehicle while notifying police, according to a news release.

Officers stopped Beards car and took the juvenile to the Childrens Safety Center for an interview.

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Search continues for missing kayaker on Mulberry River

Investigators found through the juveniles phone that Beard, a former teacher at their school, had been talking to the minor online before taking them to his home.

Police also searched his home and collected more evidence, according to the release.

Allison Roberts, CEO of Arkansas Arts Academy, previously told KNWA/FOX24 that Beard was employed with the school from August 2022 to June 2024 and was terminated in July 2024.

He has been ordered to have no access to any device that can access the internet.

Beard has a status hearing in Washington County on June 30.

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Dive Brief:

Chicago-based Archer Daniels Midland expects its 2025 earnings to be at the lower end of its $4 to $4.75 adjusted earnings per share guidance range given the current market backdrop, CFO Monish Patolawala said on the companys earnings call Tuesday.

In addition, the finance chief said that, with the uncertainty related to tariff policy and macroeconomic conditions we are not providing segment operating guidance for future quarters, we are providing directional guidance for the full year.

The global grain merchant is taking steps to offset the headwinds it faces. Patolawala said the company is on track to cut $200 to $300 million  part of a previously announced program that includes layoffs  and noted that the company will improve its financial flexibility through inventory rationalization and more timely collection of past-due balances.

Dive Insight:

In the first quarter, the company reported net earnings sunk to $295 million compared to $729 million in the year-earlier period. The companys agricultural services and oilseed segment, hit by trade and biofuels policy uncertainty, saw its operating profit roughly halved, falling to $412 million from $864 million, while its carbohydrate solutions segments operating profit fell just 3% to $240 million and its smaller nutrition segment saw its operating profit rise 13% to $95 million in the quarter.

Shares of ADM rose 1.7% to close at $48.32 Tuesday. Profits fell due largely to lower soy crush margins, but ADM's guidance for the year, even with with the nod towards the lower end of their prior guidance range, was above consensus estimates, so that is why the stock rose after the earnings report, Seth Goldstein, an equity analyst at Morningstar Research Services, said in an email. Goldstein also said he doesnt expect to see material impacts from tariffs at the company.

If China's tariffs on U.S. soybean exports remain in place post-U.S. harvest, I'd expect ADM would send more soybeans to other countries, while rerouting more South American soybeans to China, leading to little overall impact, Goldstein wrote.

During the quarter, the company also said it was exiting trading operations in China and Dubai.

Asked on the earnings call for color about how the company plans to replace demand from China in the wake of the tariffs, CEO Juan Ricardo Luciano said a significant impact had not been felt in the first quarter. Still, he said the company was working with about 60,000 U.S. farmers to offset the tariffs impact. He also noted that President Trumps 90-day pause on some tariffs gives the company some breathing room to negotiate agreements with different parties.
CHICAGO  A former Chicago Public Schools principal who pleaded guilty to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars was found dead on the day of her sentencing.

Sarah Jackson Abedelal failed to show up for sentencing Tuesday and was found dead later that night.

Abedelal was the principal at Brennemann Elementary School, located at 4251 North Clarendon Avenue, before she was indicted in an overtime fraud scheme in 2021.

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She pleaded guilty in 2022 to submitting time cards for school employees with hours they did not work, and pocketed the cash.

Former CPS principal federally charged in overtime fraud scheme

The charges allege that Abedelal fraudulently obtained at least $200,000 in CPS money through the scheme. Five other people were also charged.

Abedelals cause of death is unknown at this time.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A former D.C. police officer previously convicted for prostituting teenage girls is facing a slew of new charges, including child sex trafficking, officials announced Wednesday.

The United States Attorneys Office (USAO) for the District of Columbia said that authorities arrested 59-year-old Linwood Barnhill, of Washington, D.C., on May 1 for recruiting children to engage in sexual acts for money from April 1, 2024, through April 29, 2025.

DC man pleads guilty in 20+ year Maryland murder cold case

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The USAO states Barnhill was federally charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; sex trafficking of children; coercion and enticement; transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity; and interstate travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises.

Court documents state that in 2014, Barnhill resigned from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) after pleading guilty to two counts of pandering a minor and one count of possession of child pornography.

Barnhill served seven years in prison and was required to remain on the sex offender registry for the rest of his life.

His recent arrest was part of the Department of Justices sex offender crackdown, Operation Restore Justice, which aims to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators.

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Economic growth in Washington County showcased at Chamber of Commerce forum

According to court documents, in August 2024, Childrens National Medical Center called Child and Family Services to report that a 15-year-old girl said shed been working for a pimp who made her have sex for money.

The girl told a social worker she worked as a stripper at a club in Maryland and that her pimp  who she knew as Nico  knew she was a minor and made her perform lap dances and have sex with men.

During a later meeting with law enforcement, she identified Barnhill as being Nico.

Another witness told police during an interview in March that he was pimping out girls ranging in age from 16 to 24 years old. That witness  who was 15 years old at the time of her interview with authorities  identified Nicos phone number as being the same as Barnhills.

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Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us, said FBI Director Kash Patel. Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, were sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) Former Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Odin Rathnam was sentenced today to 15 to 30 years in state prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to the sexual abuse of a minor.

Rathnam, 59, of Ohio, pleaded guilty Thursday, May 8, to multiple charges and no contest to five other charges.

Rathnam had been offered a plea deal after a woman alleged he raped and sexually abused her as a child for over a decade, with the crimes starting when the victim was between the ages six and nine.

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The victim and her family were in court on Thursday for Rathnams sentencing. The victim stated in court, You have a darkness inside of you. No apology or crying from you will change the way I feel.

Rathnam initially denied committing the crimes, claiming he had a drinking problem. He reiterated that claim on Thursday, saying he abused alcohol but that he knew this did not absolve me from the darkest mistakes Ive ever made.

Rathnam added he cannot put into words the remorse I have.

The former concertmaster was supposed to appear in court on Monday, but the date was delayed until Thursday afternoon after his attorney indicated a prison lockdown over the weekend prevented them from meeting.

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Although he was a notable figure in the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra while the crimes occurred, he left the group in 2012 and has not been affiliated with the organization since.

This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available

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PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  A former federal inmate at Pekins federal prison was indicted this week for allegedly beating another man to death in 2023 while both were inmates.

Nestor Lugo, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Peoria, on the single count of voluntary manslaughter in connection with a Nov. 6, 2023, death of someone with the initials D.K.T.

Federal officials will not comment on who that person was but on Nov. 6, 2023, an inmate, 67-year-old David Tran, was reported to be killed while he was being held at FCI Pekin.

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At the time, officials said it was due to a perceived altercation with another inmate.

Inmate dies at Pekin Prison

Few details were contained in the one-paragraph charge except that Lugo upon a sudden quarrel and heat of passion, knowingly did kill D.K.T. by beating him to death.

At the time, Tran was serving a 35-year prison term for child porn at the time of his death. Based upon federal court records, it appears he was sentenced 62 months in prison for a federal weapons conviction.

The federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator indicated he was to be released in June. Lugo is currently being held at a federal facility in Springfield, Mo.

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According to U.S. code, the penalty for voluntary manslaughter is up to 15 years in prison.

It was not immediately clear, based on online federal court records, when Lugo would appear in court on the charge.

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The X account of the imprisoned and deposed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been blocked in Turkey at the request of the Turkish government.

The Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority submitted a request to the criminal court to temporarily block Imamoglu's account, saying his posts to the public from pre-trial detention "harm public peace," according to a post by X's Global Government Affairs team on the platform on Thursday.

The court then ordered the access block, stating that it was not possible to block individual posts. The block is set to remain in place until the end of Imamoglu's pre-trial detention.

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Imamoglu's profile, which is not currently run by the former mayor himself, is still accessible from other countries, with the last post shown from Wednesday.

X has lodged an appeal against the decision. "While we have followed Turkiye's order regarding the account, we strongly disagree with the order and are challenging the order in court," the Global Government Affairs team wrote.

The company noted that it could face "severe sanctions, including throttling of the entire platform in Turkiye" if it does not comply with the restrictions during its appeal.

It added: "We believe keeping the platform accessible in Turkiye is vital to supporting freedom of expression and access to information, particularly following natural disasters and other emergencies."

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The Istanbul public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation against Imamoglu based on a post on his X account from April, the communications agency said. The former mayor and rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is accused of publicly inciting a criminal offence.

Imamoglu's arrest and subsequent detention has plunged Turkey into its worst crisis in years.

The former mayor was taken into custory on March 19 in connection with corruption and terrorism investigations and is being held in pre-trial detention on corruption charges.

Critics accuse the government of using the judiciary to eliminate Erdogan's main competition.

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Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in regular mass protests since then.

On Wednesday, large numbers of people demonstrated again in Istanbul, this time in front of the university that revoked Imamoglu's decree shortly before his arrest.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A former deputy for the Mahoning County Sheriffs Office who worked in the county jail as a corrections officer pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court for sexually abusing a federal inmate at the jail.

Read next: Hermitage woman dies after bicycling incident

Damon Perry, 53, entered his pleas before U.S. Judge Donald C. Nugent in the U.S. Northern District Court of Ohio to two counts of sexual abuse of a detainee and two counts of sexual abuse.

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Sentencing is set for Sept. 2 before Judge Nugent. Perry will remain free on bond pending sentencing.

He was indicted Dec. 5 by a federal grand jury.

The indictment in the case said Perry is accused of improper conduct with the inmate, who was being housed in the jail for the U.S. Marshals, on Nov. 9 and Nov. 30, 2023.

The jail has had a contract to house federal inmates for several years.

At the time Perry was indicted, Sheriff Jerry Greene said investigators in his office discovered the allegations on their own and had begun an investigation on their own, but the federal government said they wanted to take over the case because the victim was a federal inmate.

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Perry resigned as soon as the sheriffs office investigation began.

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Former model Kaja Sokola testified Wednesday against Harvey Weinstein in New York, becoming the 14th woman to take the stand in a criminal court to accuse the disgraced movie mogul of sexual assault.

Sokola was sworn in at the Manhattan courtroom and began to tell her story to the jury, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. She had been in communication with prosecutors during his 2020 trial, but was not called to testify at the time, when six other women  two of whom spoke only to prior bad acts  took the stand.

By the time Weinstein was convicted in that trial, prosecutors were still investigating Sokolas claims, and she was not included. But that conviction was overturned  in part because of the inclusion of prior bad acts witnesses  and the case was sent back for retrial.

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This time, it was with Sokolas ordeal as a charged crime. Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist who says she just launched a film production company, only began to tell her story of meeting Weinstein on Wednesday, though she is expected to return Thursday to pick up where she had left off and will later face cross-examination.

Prosecutors outlined her story in the opening arguments, however, saying the Polish model was only 16 when Weinstein forced oral sex on her in his Manhattan hotel room in 2002  making her the youngest victim at the time of the alleged assault to go on record.

She sued Weinstein in 2017 after the #MeToo movement was in full swing. Prosecutors say Sokola received $3.5 million in compensation for that civil action.

Weinstein, now 73, has pleaded not guilty, arguing that his accusers consented to sexual encounters in exchange for movie and TV opportunities.

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Sokola said during the trial that she agreed to try modeling at age 14, but only as a bridge to acting and writing. Her civil lawsuit filings say that shortly after she met Weinstein in 2002, he invited her to lunch to discuss her career and sexually assaulted her  then sexually harassed and emotionally abused her for years.

The criminal charge is from a 2006 incident, when she says Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in a Manhattan hotel after Weinstein arranged for her to be an extra The Nanny Diaries and agreed to meet her visiting older sister.

The sister, Ewa Sokola, testified Wednesday that her younger sibling was proud to know Weinstein, and was there when the three met in a hotel lobby. She said her younger sister and Weinstein left the table for about a half-hour, and that Kaja was tense when she returned  but didnt say anything about an assault at the time, only to be shocked to read about the allegation years later in a magazine.

Seven women testified against Weinstein in his Los Angeles trial, which ended in a conviction and is pending appeal.

The post Former Model Testifies Against Harvey Weinstein, Becomes 14th Woman to Accuse Him of Abuse in Criminal Court appeared first on TheWrap.
A college dean who was fatally shot in her office last week is being remembered as an amazing person who was doing the work she loved.

Prosecutors allege Dr. Cameisha Denise Clark, a dean at Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Inglewood, Calif., was shot inside her office by a former security guard last Friday. She was 35 years old.

School officials described the shooting as an apparent act of workplace violence, according to reports from 11Alive.com.

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KTLA and local KABC reported that Clark, who was a Clark Atlanta University graduate who had recently moved to Los Angeles to take the job as a dean of Spartan College, was taken to a local hospital where she later died. KTLA reported that another victim, a receptionist in the office, was injured in the shooting and remains in critical condition.

Authorities said this week that a motive in the shooting is unclear, according to the outlets.

Cameisha Clark/Facebook Cameisha Denise Clark Cameisha Denise Clark

Clark's family mourned her death in a statement to NBC 4, KTLA, and KABC, saying they are beyond devastated by her alleged murder.

Cameishas life was taken from us far too soon, in an act of senseless violence that no woman should ever have to endure, Clarks family said, according to the outlets. She was an amazing person who didnt deserve this. She was living her best life, doing the work she loved. Cameisha was the most compassionate, loving and fiercely loyal person. She was a radiant, joyful, driven, and compassionate woman who touched countless lives across the country from her hometown of Atlanta, Ga. to L.A.

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The Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said in a news release on Tuesday that a former school security guard, Jesse Figueroa, had been arrested after allegedly fleeing the campus and was later charged in the shooting.

Figueroa, 40, was charged with one felony count of murder, another felony for attempted murder, as well as felony counts for possession of a firearm with prior violent convictions and for possession of a firearm with prior convictions. The charges carry a possible life sentence in state prison, Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said.

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The district attorney also said Figueroa is being charged with using a handgun to cause great bodily injury or death, which carries an additional possible sentencing of 25 years-to-life.

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Any student, faculty member or employee should feel safe and secure going to school, Hochman said in a statement. This horrific act of gun violence has shaken Spartan College and our entire community. We will file all appropriate gun enhancements in this case and send a clear message to criminals that violence will not be tolerated in Los Angeles County.

Read the original article on People
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  On Wednesday, a Sangamon County Jury found a former Springfield man guilty of six counts of sexual abuse against two girls, aged nine and 11-years-old at the time of the offense.

Ricardo A. Black of Florissant, Missouri, formerly of Springfield, has been found guilty of four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Evidence presented at trial showed that Black was the boyfriend of a Springfield woman with two minor daughters and that between late 2020 and Feb. 2021, Black sexually assaulted and abused the children who were nine and 11-years-old at the time of the offense.

UPDATE: Man arrested on three charges for Easter Sunday shooting in Decatur

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Black is now scheduled for sentencing before Chief Judge Ryan Cadagin on Aug. 20. He faces a minimum sentence of 27 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Cadagin ordered Black into custody following the guilty verdict where he will remain pending sentencing.

Two children in our community bravely disclosed abuse they were suffering at the hands of a trusted adult, States Attorney John Milhiser said. This case highlights the unfortunate reality that children are often abused by caregivers inside the home.

UPDATE: Urbana man accused of stabbing wife denied pretrial release

This case was prosecuted by Sangamon County States Attorneys Office Child Protection Division Chief Kendra Hansel and Assistant States Attorney Nick Bailey in coordination with the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center and the Springfield Police Department.

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We endeavor to protect all children in need through aggressive prosecution of these crimes, Milhiser said. Investigations of child sexual abuse require a multi-faceted approach and we appreciate the hard work of the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center and the Springfield Police Department for empowering these two young ladies to come forward and holding this offender accountable.

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At his home in South Boston Thursday, former Boston Mayor and US Vatican Ambassador Ray Flynn watched the historic moment an American, for the first time ever, is chosen to lead the Catholic church

In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Ray Flynn, then the Mayor of Boston, to be the US Ambassador to the Vatican.

He considered Pope John Paul the Second a friend.

Today, Flynn could not be happier with the selection of Pope Leo the 14th.

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It really is extraordinarily exciting, Flynn said. This is an extraordinary choice, and Im glad that Im alive to see the first American pope.

At the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, in Bostons South End, as fresh yellow bunting signified the selection of a new pope, there is enthusiasm

Im just astonished that actually theyve chosen an American pope. I wasnt expecting this at all, Stacey Cannon said.

Back in South Boston, Ray Flynn is hoping this new, American-born pope can lead to healing in the face of the clergy crisis

The Conclave just chose the person they thought is best for uniting not only America, but the world as well, and that couldnt make me happier. Its exactly what we need, Flynn said

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AEye, a software company, has completed the initial high-volume production of its Apollo LiDAR sensors at Lite-On Technology's (LITEON) manufacturing line in Taipei, Taiwan.

Apollo, known for its exceptional one-kilometre detection range at highway speeds, is set to redefine the standards of automotive safety and performance of autonomous transportation.

AEye CEO Matt Fisch said: We recently announced that we were working with our automotive Tier 1 manufacturing partner, LITEON, to ramp up the Apollo production line. Today, I am pleased to share that the line is now operational with the first customer-ready units completed.

"Automotive OEMs demand the highest-level product quality and consistency that can only be delivered at scale by seasoned automotive suppliers. Thanks to our partnership with LITEON, we are able to deliver Apollo sensors to OEMs with the utmost confidence.

LITEONs distribution of Apollo units marks a milestone in the partnership with AEye, aligning with AEye's strategy of maintaining a low-capital business structure.

Apollo, the inaugural offering from AEye's 4Sight Flex series of advanced LiDAR sensors, is designed to offer superior range and resolution. It has a wavelength of 1550nm.

With the flexibility to be mounted behind the windshield, on the roof, or within the grille, the Apollo LiDAR sensor allows OEMs to incorporate essential safety elements.

AEye Apollo software-defined LiDAR solution was introduced in March 2024. It is the first product in the companys 4Sight Flex next-generation family of LiDAR sensors.

The technology supports up to 120 horizontal and 30 vertical field of view.

LITEON Technology, started in 1975, has established a formidable presence in the global market through its expertise in opto-electronics and power management.

"AEye ramps up Apollo LiDAR production line with LITEON" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




A former University of Texas professor has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of five counts of possession of child pornography, officials said.

Mario Villarreal, 54, of Round Rock, also was fined $10,000, according to a news release Wednesday from the Williamson County district attorney's office. Villarreal was convicted May 1 and sentenced May 2.

His attorney, David Gonzalez, said Wednesday that he had asked for probation for Villarreal. Villarreal didn't have a previous criminal record and had not absconded, Gonzalez said. He said a therapist also testified during the trial that Villarreal had been in therapy since his 2020 arrest.

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The case against Villarreal started when police in Knoxville, Tenn., began investigating a phone sex operator in 2019 for sending and receiving child pornography from several clients, including Villarreal, the release said.

At the time, Villarreal was a managing director at the Salem Center for Policy at UT's McCombs School of Business. The university released a statement in October 2020 that as soon as officials found out Villarreal had been arrested, he was relieved of all teaching and administrative duties.

More: University of Texas professor charged with five counts of possession of child pornography

Communications between Villarreal and the phone sex operator "indicated that he was sending graphic sexual material depicting very young children," the release from the DA's office said.

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It said investigators with the Texas attorney general's office searched Villarreal's home in September 2020 after getting a search warrant. "A digital forensic examination of devices seized from his home uncovered numerous images and videos constituting child pornography, including material depicting the sexual assault of toddlers and infants," the release said.

Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick said that "evidence presented in this trial revealed disturbing acts involving the most vulnerable members of our society."

"Possessing and sharing material depicting the horrific abuse of infants and toddlers warrants significant consequences," he said. "I commend the hard work of our prosecutors, whose collaboration with our law enforcement partners was crucial in bringing Mr. Villarreal to justice. My office will continue to seek justice for both known and unidentified victims of child pornography.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Former UT professor gets 12 years for possession of child pornography
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT)  A former Vanderburgh County Prosecutors Office employee pleads guilty to wire fraud. Regene Newman will be sentenced July 31 in federal court.

Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Diana Moers says this happened before she took office but wants to correct the wrongs by the previous employee.

The prosecutor says its hard to say how 90 thousand dollars went unnoticed. Moers says Newman was taking money that was not hers and using it as her own personal bank account.

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We dont have a lot of funds that are designated to us by the county, and to see someone taking funds, and just living off of them, and really, just doing things for her own enjoyment, getting her nails done, hair done, going to Ulta, going to Starbucks, Dairy Queen, target shopping trips. I mean, it was really disheartening to see that and thats why its important to prosecute public corruption, Moers.

The prosecutors office will be seeking $90,000 in restitution and prison time.

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HAMPTON  The Fort Monroe Authority is working to transform two historic buildings at the former U.S. Army base into upscale apartments by next year as part of a larger residential plan.

The first phase will begin this spring to convert 67,000 square feet between two buildings into a total of 78 apartments  including studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms. Randolph Hall, near the forts Mill Creek entrance, will be used for 40 apartments, while Building 100, in the village section, will be redeveloped into 38 apartments.

Randolph Hall was built in 1932 and used for barracks, while Building 100 was built in 1906, with several uses throughout the decades.

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The authority is partnering with developer Echelon Resources, which has worked on building revitalization projects in South Boston, Fredericksburg and Woodstock, and will use state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and National Park Service to finance the project.

Were proud to partner with the Fort Monroe Authority on a project of such significance, Echelon President Edwin Gaskins said in statement. Fort Monroe Lofts embodies our passion for preserving history while creating meaningful places for people to live.

The new units are expected to be completed by early fall 2026, and eventually will be joined by two additional sites in the next few years, bringing Fort Monroe Lofts up to roughly 250 apartments across 14 buildings. Echelon is expected to be the developer for those projects, though that has not be finalized.

Site 3 will be an 85,000-square-foot project across three buildings  including 27 and 27A, which previously manufactured seacoast gun carriages.

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The largest development will be the 4.2-acre site 4, which will turn the six-building U.S. Army Training Doctrine Command into a complex across the street from the Old Point Comfort Marina. Plans to redevelop the marina were put on hold indefinitely last year until utility upgrades are completed.

The phased strategy is due to costly utility upgrades that other sites require before new projects can begin, as well as challenges in balancing multiple developers at the same time, according to the Authoritys Chief Operating Officer John Hutcheson.

However, Hutcheson said Echelon is bullish on Fort Monroe and is already aiming to begin work on site 3 when the current project is done this time next year.

They remain committed to Fort Monroe, Hutcheson said. Theyre a good partner to have in this first phase, because theyve been patient with us as weve been trying to get everything lined up to make sure we can facilitate these redevelopment projects in the future.

Devlin Epding, 757-510-4037, devlin.epding@virginiamedia.com
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (WKRG)  Slow down, or be prepared to pay the price.

Okaloosa County roads to close during Eglin Air Force Base tests

Speed zones at nine schools throughout the City of Fort Walton Beach are now monitored by security cameras.

Those schools include:

Choctawhatchee High School (Racetrack Road)

Pryor Middle School (Racetrack Road, not Denton Boulevard)

Liza Jackson Preparatory School (Hospital Road)

Bruner Middle School (Holmes Boulevard)

Silver Sands School (Holmes Boulevard and Wright Parkway)

Fort Walton Beach High School (Hollywood Boulevard and Wright Parkway)

Edwins Elementary School (Hollywood Boulevard and Wright Parkway)

Elliott Point Elementary School (Hughes Street and Ferry Road)

Saint Mary Catholic School (Robinwood Drive)

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The safety of the children and the pedestrians around the school are our primary responsibility and we want to go out there and ensure that the driving behavior is changed, Robert Bage, chief of police for the Fort Walton Beach Police Department, said.

Bage said the nine schools were chosen after a traffic study revealed which areas had the largest number of traffic violations.

The system registers a violation for vehicles traveling more than 10 miles per hour over the current speed limit in a school zone.

Theres a video and a still photo that is sent here to the Fort Walton Beach Police Department. One of our officers then reviews the video and determines if the speed is over that 10 mile threshold, then a citation will be generated, Bage said.

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The fine for each violation is $100. Drivers will receive citations in the mail.

The system went online on April 1, and up until May 6, drivers were given warnings. During that time, the city said the cameras recorded nearly 4,300 speeding violations.

So we definitely know that there is a need for photo enforcement in the school zones. It also allows officers now to deploy in other areas and take on other priorities with the hopes that the driving behavior will change around our local schools, Bage said.

The enforcement system is active 30 minutes before school starts, throughout the school day and deactivates 30 minutes after the school day has ended.

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The system will also remain active during the summer school session at select schools.

Keesler Air Force Base resumes operations after lockdown

Bage said the money collected will be divided between the city and the state and used for initiatives to improve public safety.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
WKAR General Manager Shawn Turner, Senior Director of Station Operations Brant Wells, Senior Director of Content and Education Ashlee Smith and Senior Director of Development and Communication Melanie McGuire during a public forum the station hosted in East Lansing, Mich., on May 6, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

The Lansing regions NPR and PBS member station is sounding the alarm about the impact losing federal funding would have on its services.

WKAR General Manager Shawn Turner said during a public forum the station hosted this week that about 16% of the stations budget comes from federal funds.

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I will tell you that it absolutely will have an impact on local programming, Turner said. It doesnt mean that it will all go away; Ive been very fiscally conservative in trying to make sure that we have reserves here to continue to do work. But it does mean that some of the capacity  to me, 16% of my budget will just be gone overnight, so some of the capacity to do that work will go away.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this month directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease federal funding for NPR and PBS.

Neither entity presents a fair, accurate or unbiased portrayal of current events to tax-paying citizens, the order says. The CPB Board shall cancel the existing direct funding to the maximum extent allowed by law and shall decline to provide future funding.

Turner said the legality of the executive order remains an open question, noting that the CPB has indicated they do not believe it is valid.

WKAR General Manager Shawn Turner, Senior Director of Station Operations Brant Wells, Senior Director of Content and Education Ashlee Smith and Senior Director of Development and Communication Melanie McGuire during a public forum the station hosted in East Lansing, Mich., on May 6, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

But Trump also plans to introduce a rescission package asking Congress to strip federal funds for public broadcasting out of the budget, which were most recently allocated in March.

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Turner said he believes supporters of public broadcasting contacting their members of Congress about the reportedly forthcoming rescissions package were making some real progress.

He speculated that waning support among members of Congress for a potential rescissions package may have prompted the abrupt pivot to an executive order, though he said the rescissions package is also likely still on the horizon.

Either way, we recognize that the threats are real, Turner said. Whether its through the executive order or whether its through the rescissions package or whether its through one of the dozens of bills that members of Congress have put forward to zero out funding for NPR and PBS, the threat is real and its significant.

If federal funding for public broadcasting is cut, Turner said WKAR would focus on doing their top priorities well  meaning some programming would be cut  rather than trying to maintain all of their existing programming in a potentially watered down format.

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One key area is emergency alerts. WKAR is designated as the primary Emergency Alert System station for the state of Michigan, Senior Director of Station Operations Brant Wells said.

Additionally, they are part of the Warning, Alert & Response Network, sending out alerts for FEMA.

WKAR General Manager Shawn Turner speaks during a public forum the station hosted in East Lansing, Mich., on May 6, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

While the emergency alerts also go to cell phones, Wells noted that cellular networks can get overloaded, making public broadcasting a helpful backup for times of emergency.

Turner pointed to his own experience being in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001, as an example. While he said he had a cell phone, he said it was nothing more than a brick for four days.

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We really wont know how well that system works until something like that happens, Turner said. Right now, the Public Radio Satellite System can reach 99.7% of Americans. Theres absolutely nothing that exists in the commercial world that can do that.

Last year, more than 11,000 alerts were sent out through WARN.

If you think about that, just one alert, if that saves one life, isnt it worth it? Wells said.

NPR and PBS arent the only ones whose funding the Trump administration has targeted.

Trump has promised to begin fundamentally changing, terminating, or overhauling FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. And the National Weather Service has been significantly downsized.

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Turner said the most likely scenario, if Trumps sweeping cuts to the federal government are successful, is that you will see our emergency alerting system basically be taken over by the commercial sector.

Im very concerned about that, and I think we should all be concerned about that, because the commercial sector does not exist to do nonprofit sort of work for the community. It exists to make a profit, Turner said.

Federal funding cuts are also already being felt in WKARs educational programs, said Director of Education Robin Pizzo.

She said PBS member stations were told earlier this week that they could no longer spend any money connected to the Ready to Learn program, which targets preschool and early elementary school children.

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Many of the programs that were already in the queue to be developed  high quality, educational programming that supports 60% of children who are ages three and four who cannot access preschool education  many of these programs will not move forward with production, Pizzo said.

She said WKAR also partners with Head Start, whose regional office serving Michigan was abruptly closed last month.

We see a ripple effect throughout our educational system, Pizzo said.

She said WKAR has provided more than 11,500 reading kits to more than 130 organizations in 30 counties throughout mid-Michigan, as well as partnering with various local organizations, making them a bridge between educators and families.

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In being that bridge, we really are like a gap filler for many of our children and many of our families, Pizzo said. They just dont have the resources to be able to give the high quality school readiness supports to their children that they might need for a variety of reasons.

With federal funding more uncertain than ever, Turner said one of the best things people can do to support public media is to donate to their local member stations.

While federal funds make up about 16% of WKARs budget, he said they account for just 1% of NPRs budget.

The reason that donation to the local station matters is because what we try to do at the local level is to bring you NPR and PBS programming, and to take those national level stories, and our reporters, our team, they look at how those stories impact us on a local level, Turner said.

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When youre listening to All Things Considered or Morning Edition and you hear that local twist on whats happening at the national level, that is because your donations have allowed us to purchase in to be NPR member stations and to purchase that programming.

But while one audience member wanted NPR and PBS to take a more forceful stand against Trumps actions, Turner defended public broadcasters approach.

I can bang on the window and say, you know, what youre doing is wrong and you should do something different, and its very clear what my message is if I do that, Turner said. But I can also do the work that sends a clear message, that is that we have a set of values and beliefs that are fundamental to who we are as Americans, who we are as a nation.

Note: Andrew Roth is a freelance reporter for WKAR.

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Restoring health care coverage for Arizonans who lost it during the Great Recession stands out as one of my proudest moments as governor.

It wasnt easy, but it was the right thing to do for the people of Arizona  and we got it done, despite a lot of people telling me I shouldnt, or couldnt.

Now, more than a decade later, that same coverage is once again in jeopardy. And Arizonas members of Congress will play a critical role in determining whether folks can still count on that care.

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The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid, has been tasked with finding $880 billion in savings to help fund an extension of the 2017 tax cuts.

Thats a big number. And theres no question  Medicaid is on the table.

If feds cut support, Arizona only has bad choices

Gov. Jan Brewer holds up a Medicaid expansion bill after signing it at the Arizona State Capitol on June 17, 2013.

Some of the proposals being floated would mean deep cuts to state Medicaid programs, including the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). If these ideas move forward, our state could lose close to $2 billion in federal funding.

That kind of shift would dump massive costs onto the state without a roadmap for how to cover them. And as every governor knows  Democrat or Republican  we cant just print more money.

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If the federal dollars disappear, the state is left with a handful of bad choices: cut eligibility, cut services, cut payments to providers or raise taxes.

Ive sat in that chair. Ive faced those choices. I had to make all of them as governor during one of Arizonas hardest times. We were in the middle of a deep recession, and I inherited a budget crisis unlike our state had ever seen.

Some in Washington say they dont want to hurt those who depend on Medicaid. They say they want to stop waste and fraud and make sure that people who can work, do.

But here in Arizona, weve already done that. We already have work requirements  there has been a law on the books since 2015.

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And most AHCCCS recipients are working. In fact, more than 200,000 people left the program in 2023  most because they got jobs. Thats something to celebrate.

Voters decided whom Medicaid must cover

Arizona voters made it clear nearly 25 years ago who should qualify for Medicaid in this state with the passage of Proposition 204. That wasnt a decision made by politicians  it was made by the people. So, regardless of what Congress does, Arizona is still required by law to cover this population.

If Congress forces states to find savings, Arizona wont be trimming fat  itll be cutting muscle. Tens of thousands of Arizonans will lose coverage. Ive seen what happens when that lifeline disappears. Its not theoretical. Its real.

In 2024, AHCCCS helped 64,000 Arizonans battling cancer. It treated 67,500 people fighting opioid addiction. It supported 180,000 residents managing diabetes.

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But sick people just dont disappear if they dont have coverage. They show up in emergency rooms, the most expensive place to get care. Under federal law, hospitals are required to treat them.

Opinion: You'll pay more for health care if Republicans ax AHCCCS expansion

Hospitals and the health care industry cant provide services for free, so they end up passing the costs on to health care insurance companies who end up raising all our premiums to cover the cost of service, something called the hidden health care tax, which creates a drag on the whole economy.

You'll pay more for health care if AHCCCS suffers

Thats not just bad health policy. Its bad economics. Hospitals will struggle. Some may close.

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Health care workers like doctors and nurses will lose their jobs. Insurers will raise premiums to make up for the losses. Employers and families will pay more  and Arizonas economy will feel the strain.

These cuts dont just hurt AHCCCS members. They ripple through every part of our state.

I know what its like to be a lawmaker faced with a tough vote. I know what its like to stand up to your own party when it matters. And I know how hard it is to do the right thing  especially when its not the popular thing.

But I hope our delegation remembers whats at stake. This isnt about politics. Its about people. And its about protecting something that works  for patients, providers and taxpayers.

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Because at the end of the day, leadership is about more than just holding the line  its about doing whats right for Arizona.

Jan Brewer, a Republican, is a former Arizona lawmaker and secretary of state who served as governor from 2009 to 2015. Reach her on X @GovBrewer.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jan Brewer: Scaling back AHCCCS hurts all of Arizona | Opinion
(COLORADO)  Four men have been arrested as part of a large fentanyl distribution ring bust, in addition to the seizure of several pounds of fentanyl, other illicit drugs, cash, and multiple cars.

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a significant interstate investigation recently concluded on April 28, and resulted in the arrests of four men: 40-year-old Rafael Salazar-Amaya, 52-year-old Fernando Noriega-Alvarado, 31-year-old Celedonio Pulido-Romero, and an unnamed 24-year-old.

The CBI confirmed to our sister station KDVR in Denver that Rafael Salazar-Amaya is the brother of Heriberto Salazar-Amaya, who was arrested in Oregon following what U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called the largest fentanyl bust in our nations history.

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AG Bondi announces largest fentanyl bust in our nations history spanning 5 states

Through the execution of search warrants in the Denver Metro area, authorities seized approximately 41 pounds (800,000 pills) of fentanyl, along with fentanyl powder, methamphetamine, heroin, and approximately $60,000 in cash. Additionally, six cars were seized, and four undocumented people were arrested, including the main target, Rafael Salazar-Amaya. Additional arrests are pending, CBI said.

Courtesy: Colorado Bureau of Investigation Courtesy: Colorado Bureau of Investigation Courtesy: Colorado Bureau of Investigation Courtesy: Colorado Bureau of Investigation

The CBI said the investigation originated in Canon City in October 2024, in which CBI and DEA agents identified the initial targets. This led to the identification of related targets between Denver and Canon City, and subsequently to individuals in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Mexico.

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The successful dismantlement of the Salazar-Amaya organization by CBI, DEA, and North Metro Task Force is a testament to what can be accomplished through inter-agency collaboration, said Jonathan Pullen, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division. The investigation netted the seizure of over half a million fentanyl pills here in the Denver-Metro Area, directly impacting our community through the saving of lives. Colorado is undoubtedly safer as a result.

All four suspects are currently being held at the Adams County Detention Center and face prosecution by the 17th Judicial District Attorneys Office.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP)  At eight months old, Dashawn Vincent Jr. is thriving. His parents call him Junior.

He is getting very active, said Amber White, Juniors mom.

Hes growing so fast, its like he grows three feet every day, said Dashawn Vincent, Juniors dad.

The two are first-time parents, and the past year has been full of adjustments.

Im used to it just being me and just taking care of my husband, White said. Now Im taking care of all three of us, and it takes a toll on me. But I wouldnt trade it for anything.

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The family recently moved to North Carolina from Texas in search of more opportunities. Money is tight, and theyre living at The Salvation Army of High Point Center of Hope Family Shelter until they can get on their feet.

Its very challenging, Vincent said. Sometimes, we find ourselves wanting to break down.

Thats where the FOX8 Community Baby Shower comes in. Generous donations from FOX8 viewers, including diapers, wipes, formula and other essentials, take a tiny bit of that burden off local families in need.

It makes me happy because now I dont have to worry, Oh, hes running out of diapers or, Hes running out of food or wipes,' Vincent said. The fact that there is a program that helps with that makes it ten times easier. Now, I can focus on going to work and coming back.

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The FOX8 Community Baby Shower allows families to focus on what matters most.

Our goal is to get on our feet 100 percent and not have to backtrack, Vincent said.

I just want him to always have stability and know that he can come to us because we dont have family to go to, White said. We want to be his safe haven.

The FOX8 Community Baby Shower ends on Mothers Day.

You can drop off donations at any A Cleaner World or State Employees Credit Unit in the Piedmont Triad.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.
French defense company Safran is boosting its production of Hammer bombs.

They've been used by Ukraine to hit Russian targets, and have proved difficult to take out.

The company told BI it could further double production over a few years if it gets enough orders.

France is ramping up its production of Hammer bombs, which Ukraine has used to take out Russian military targets.

French company Safran Electronics & Defense told Business Insider that it is increasing production of AASM Hammer bombs by more than 40% this year.

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A company spokeswoman told BI that it expects to make 1,200 AASMs in 2025, up from 830 in 2024.

And the company plans on going further. The spokeswoman added that "we plan to double this rate over the next few years, if the orders are there."

It's unclear how many of the bombs will go to Ukraine's military. The spokesperson said she couldn't give details on that, but added, "I can confirm that AASMs are combat-proven and used in Ukraine."

The Hammer is an air-to-surface weapon with a guidance and propulsion kit that turns munitions into precision-guided bombs capable of deep strikes and close-air-support missions.

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They have been fitted to Ukraine's older, Soviet-era jets, and footage has shown them allegedly striking Russian troops and drone hubs. Ukraine also said it used them to hit a control center in Russia.

Safran said the Hammer has a range of more than 43 miles.

A still from video footage showing a Ukrainian fighter jet dropping an AASM Hammer bomb. Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine/Telegram

Hammer bombs are a type of glide bomb, a piece of weaponry that Ukraine has increasingly adopted throughout the war, after Russia used them to devastating effect.

Glide bombs are typically older munitions that have been converted into precision-guided weapons that are hard to intercept. They're also significantly cheaper than many other types of weaponry, which means they can be easily mass-produced.

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Ukraine has increasingly used glide bombs, including domestically made ones.

Safran has adapted the Hammer bombs so they could be used with Ukraine's MiG-29 and Su-25 aircraft.

It's not clear how many Hammer bombs Ukraine has received to date, but France's defense minister, Sebastien Lecornu, said in January 2024 that France would be delivering 50 to Ukraine every month.

Safran's jump in production comes as European defense companies increasingly look to boost their production, as European nations increase their aid to Ukraine and their own defense spending.

Europe's overall defense spending has soared since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, with many countries fearful that Russia may attack elsewhere on the continent.

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European leaders have warned that much more needs to be done, including countries placing larger orders and changing rules that may be preventing defense-related industries from ramping up production.

Some European defense companies have said that they need larger orders to give them the confidence to make sizable investments, like new production facilities, that would allow them to grow their output over many years.

Read the original article on Business Insider
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WKRN)  Franklin held its annual State of the City address Wednesday morning, talking about a wide range of topics, one of those being a widening project in the works.

Mayor Ken Moore invited city administrator Eric Stuckey onto the stage to talk about the Mack Hatcher Parkway widening project.

Stuckey showed a snapshot of Mack Hatcher during rush hour, cars bumper to bumper, which he said consistently causes frustration for Franklin residents.

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Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More

The city is proposing that a portion of the 2026 budget be dedicated to funding in partnership with TDOT for widening the road from two lanes to four lanes, both Mack Hatcher Southeast and Northwest.

He says the widening will be crucial to alleviating traffic on that road, they just need to secure more funding.

Weve gotten some initial good news. Southeast has been included in the initial round of its 10-year capital program. Its not fully funded, weve got a little bit left to go, so were still working on that. Northwest is not yet funded, theres a second round of funding, because the governor recommended up to $1 billion in additional one-time infrastructure funding, said Stuckey.

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The mayor also brought up members of the police department, including Chief Deborah Faulkner, to discuss things happening at their agency.

Faulkner talked about how the department has done a lot of things to improve the internal health of the department and each individual officer. Police officers see so much on a day-to-day basis, so they have routine checks for their officers to make sure they are mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually well.

However, a new position the department just created focuses on counseling victims of crimes.

Chief Faulkner said a lot of times their officers act as counselors to victims, but having someone who is solely dedicated to that role has become essential. A victim support counselor can provide crisis intervention and referral assistance to the victim, not just that day, but for many days and weeks and months to come, because it needs to be a continual check-in.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Another new thing for the department is updated traffic light technology that allows first responders to change red lights to green so they can get to scenes faster.

Do you have news happening in your neighborhood? Let us know by sending an email to neighborhoodnews@wkrn.com.

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Bloomberg / Getty Images

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) delivered first-quarter earnings that topped analysts estimates as sales from its data center segment surged.

The chipmaker reported revenue of $7.44 billion, up 36% year-over-year and ahead of the analyst consensus from Visible Alpha. Adjusted net income of $1.57 billion, or 96 cents per share, rose from $1.01 billion, or 62 cents per share, a year earlier, above Wall Streets estimates.

The gains came as AMD's data center sales climbed 57% to $3.67 billion, exceeding expectations.

We delivered an outstanding start to 2025 as year-over-year growth accelerated for the fourth consecutive quarter driven by strength in our core businesses and expanding data center and AI momentum, said AMD CEO Lisa Su.

AMD shares wavered in after-hours trading following the release. The stock was down about 18% for 2025 through Tuesdays close.

Looking ahead, AMD projected second-quarter revenue of $7.1 billion to $7.7 billion. Analysts had called for $7.3 billion.

The company warned its results would be affected by charges of roughly $800 million related to tightening restrictions on sales of its chips to China. Competitor Nvidia (NVDA) has also said it expects a potential $5.5 billion charge related to limits on exports of its H20 chip.

Despite the dynamic macro and regulatory environment, our first quarter results and second quarter outlook highlight the strength of our differentiated product portfolio and consistent execution positioning us well for strong growth in 2025," Su said.

This article has been updated since it was first published to reflect more recent share price values.



Read the original article on Investopedia
Detroit Free Press restaurant and dining critic Lyndsay C. Green is in the running for another highly coveted James Beard Media Award.

The award nominees, announced Wednesday, were revealed ahead of the James Beard Foundation's annual Media Awards ceremonies taking place June 14 in Chicago.

Green is nominated for her 2024 series on urban farming, titled As Detroit sees a future in urban agriculture, some pushback harkens to a dark past.

Detroit Free Press Restaurant and dining critic Lyndsay C. Green.

"Being in this James Beard conversation for the past three years now feels like a true blessing," Green said. "I still consider myself a new food writer, so this recognition is a real honor. Being a nominee in two different categories at this point also shows a range of food writing. I'm so grateful that I'm able to explore food in so many ways at the Free Press."

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In 2024, Green was nominated for the prestigious Jonathan Gold Local Voice Award, named after the late Los Angeles Times restaurant critic, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2018. The award last year ultimately went to Mike Jordan of Atlanta Magazine.

Green's reporting explored the progress and potential of farming efforts in Detroit as a pioneering city for urban agriculture. She said the project allowed her to dig into tensions between generations of Detroiters.

As the city leaned into more urban farming initiatives, I noticed that many of those Great Migration-era Detroiters and the generation that followed them were pushing back, she said.

She explored the forces behind those tensions in the thought-provoking package while painting a picture of the city's overall agricultural landscape.

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Others nominated in the same category are Robert Kunzig of the Food & Environment Reporting Network and Switchyard for Transforming the Delta: Climate change is creating opportunities to turn Americas poorest region into a fruit- and vegetable-growing hub; and Eaters Nylah Iqbal Muhammad for Grief, Solidarity, and Molokhia.

Lyndsay C. Green of Detroit Free Press, right, speaks next to Wesley Morris of The New York Times during Pulitzer on the Road in Detroit: Cultural Criticism Today at Michigan Central in Detroit on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

In 2023, Green was the recipient of a James Beard Journalism Award for Emerging Voice. It was the same year that the Free Press' documentary film "Coldwater Kitchen," took home a James Beard Foundation media award for best documentary. That same year, Green was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for criticism.

More: Pulitzer Prize panel at Michigan Central Station explores importance of criticism in news

Local freelance writer Mickey Lyons, was also nominated this year in the foundation's Media Award Beverage category. This award recognizes "distinctive style, thorough knowledge, plainspoken prose, and innovative approach in a single article on alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages," according to the foundation.

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Lyons piece Detroits Third-Shift Bars Were a Lifeline. Now Theyre a Dying Breed for Punch earned him the nomination.

Congratulations to our 2025 Media Award nominees, whose exceptional storytelling deserves celebration, said Beard Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach in a news release. Through their work, they inspire us to reflect on the profound ways food touches and shapes our lives, society and culture.

A James Beard Award is considered one of the most prestigious honors in the culinary industry.

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: Free Press dining critic Lyndsay Green nominated for James Beard Award
Ukrainian authorities early on Thursday reported fresh bombing raids despite a unilateral ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which reportedly came into effect at midnight (2100 GMT Wednesday).

Russian aircraft dropped guided bombs multiple times over the northern Sumy region, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Telegram, warning of ongoing air activity in an easterly direction.

Meanwhile, drone alerts and attacks were also reported early Thursday in the Lipetsk region in western Russia, according to regional governor Igor Artamonov.

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The information provided by both sides could not be independently verified.

A 72-hour unilateral ceasefire declared by Moscow came into effect just after midnight, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

Putin announced the ceasefire to coincide with Russia's annual Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which commemorate the end of World War II in Europe.

Ukraine has dismissed the move as symbolic and, along with the United States, continues to call for a minimum 30-day ceasefire.

A general view of a building damaged by a large-scale Russian drone attack in the city of Maryinka. Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa
Ukrainian authorities early on Thursday reported fresh bombing raids despite a unilateral ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which reportedly came into effect at midnight (2100 GMT Wednesday).

Russian aircraft dropped guided bombs multiple times over the northern Sumy region, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Telegram, warning of ongoing air activity in an easterly direction.

Meanwhile, drone alerts and attacks were also reported early Thursday in the Lipetsk region in western Russia, according to regional governor Igor Artamonov.

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The information provided by both sides could not be independently verified.

A 72-hour unilateral ceasefire declared by Moscow came into effect just after midnight, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

Putin announced the ceasefire to coincide with Russia's annual Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which commemorate the end of World War II in Europe.

Ukraine has dismissed the move as symbolic and, along with the United States, continues to call for a minimum 30-day ceasefire.

"Our proposal for a halt to the strikes, for a ceasefire of at least 30 days, still stands," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly video address on Wednesday.

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"But it is Russia that the world sees giving no answer  no response except for new strikes," he added.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than three years.

A general view of a building damaged by a large-scale Russian drone attack in the city of Maryinka. Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa

A general view of a building damaged by a large-scale Russian drone attack in the city of Maryinka. Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56)  Funeral arrangements for two teenagers killed in a Franklin County house fire have been announced.

According to their obituary, 15-year-old Rylan Fields and 13-year-old Bently Field attended the Midland First Church of God in Salt Lick and were active in the youth group there.

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A memorial service for both boys will be held this Friday at 6 p.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the public is encouraged to consider a donation in Rylan and Bentlys honor.

Their father, Dustin Fields, has been arrested and charged in connection with the deadly fire.

According to the arrest citation, Fields allegedly used accelerants to set the fire, which were detected by a K-9 on his shoes and throughout the home.

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He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Monday and remains in the Franklin County Regional Jail.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
KANKAKEE, Ill.  Funeral services will be held Thursday for former Illinois Governor George Ryan.

A memorial service will be held at noon at Asbury United Methodist Church, located at 196 South Harrison Avenue in Kankakee.

Ryan, a Republican, served as the 39th governor of Illinois from 1999 to 2003. Alongside his time as Governor, Ryan also served as Illinois Secretary of State from 1991 to 1999 and as the states Lieutenant Governor from 1983 to 1991.

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Former Illinois Governor George Ryan, who served time for corruption, dies at 91

He will be long remembered for taking action to end the death penalty in Illinois.

After his time in office, Ryan was convicted on fraud and racketeering charges in 2006 and later served over five years in federal prison.

The former governor died last week at 91.

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Republican appropriators are alarmed that the White House is open to unilaterally freezing cash Congress could approve in September, if lawmakers overshoot President Donald Trumps latest budget request.

It marks a shift for top Republicans in charge of writing government funding bills, who have largely hesitated to speak too harshly against the presidents funding freezes this year.

As defense hawks on Capitol Hill demand far more funding than Trump is seeking for the military, the presidents willingness to withhold congressionally approved cash  known as impoundment  is widening the rift between the White House and GOP lawmakers ahead of the fall fiscal cliff and increasing worries of a government shutdown.

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Ive got a real problem with impoundment, Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), who chairs the House Appropriations panel that funds the EPA and the Interior Department, told reporters this week.

Thats like a line-item veto, and I think it's illegal, Simpson said. That will be a challenge, for sure.

Withholding federal money is nothing new for Trump, who has spent months freezing billions of dollars signed into law on former President Joe Bidens watch despite lawsuits challenging the tactic. It goes back even further, with Trump's impeachment in 2018 tied in large part to his decision to hold back military aid to Ukraine. But it would be considered far more radical for the president to defy congressional leaders from his own party by locking up congressionally approved funding after nine months of total GOP control in Washington.

Several senior Republicans decried Trumps budget proposal last week to keep the militarys funding flat in the upcoming fiscal year while piling on $150 billion more through the party-line package Republican leaders are endeavoring to pass this summer, which is far from guaranteed.

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Asked during a call with reporters what Trump would do if lawmakers approve more military funding, a senior official with the Office of Management and Budget said impounding federal cash is always an option.

Obviously, we have never taken impoundment off the table, because the president and myself believe that 200 years of the president and Executive Branch had that ability, said the OMB official. But we're working with Congress to see what they will pass, and I believe that they have an interest in passing cuts.

Republican appropriators will soon embark on writing the dozen funding bills for fiscal 2026, which starts in October. Traditionally, they consider a presidents budget request a mere suggestion for how to craft those measures, throwing around the old saying: The president proposes, Congress disposes.

That principle would be upended, however, if the White House withholds funding in excess of the budget request, rather than just using the threat of impoundment to influence Congress funding decisions.

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House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said he understood the White Houses strategy: If I were them, I would too, he said of the administrations leveraging of the threat of impoundment.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capitol (R-W.V.), a top Senate appropriator and a member of GOP leadership, wasnt so sure.

I mean, if that's a pressure campaign, I get that, she said this week. If that's reality, I think that there's some fundamental questions there. So that kind of surprises me, actually.

Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), another senior appropriator, had a similar reaction to the White House leaving open the possibility of withholding funding that the Republican-led Congress clears in the coming months.

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Thats a funny way to treat your friends, he said in an interview.

The threat of impoundment could undermine the foundation of bipartisan funding negotiations, with Democrats arguing that its useless to negotiate if Trump isnt going to spend the money as Congress prescribes.

Republicans need Democratic votes to pass their funding bills in the Senate. And with less than five months to go until the next shutdown deadline, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer  who was derided earlier this year for helping pass a Republican-crafted funding package  is now under pressure to at least fend off Trumps desire for Congress to cut non-defense programs by more than 20 percent.

At least one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, said he wasnt surprised by how things are playing out. He predicted that Trumps ultimate objective is to get the nations highest court to rule that the 51-year-old impoundment law is unconstitutional.

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I think the goal is the Supreme Court, said Paul, who publicly told a top official from the White House budget office last month that he doesnt think Trump can impound direct funds indefinitely under the Impoundment Control Act.

It's a reasonable question to ask. And it's never been all the way to the Supreme Court, Paul, a staunch advocate of limited government, said this week. And of course, everybody has to adhere to what the final decision will be.
Children in South Florida are being taken across county lines or flown to other states for specialized medical care they cant get close to home.

A plan to consolidate medical pediatric treatment in South Florida, though, could result in the creation of a giant childrens hospital system providing specialized care currently available only in other states. Still, the idea has caused some friction among doctors.

Leaders at Nicklaus Childrens Health System, Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital, and Broward Health say they want to develop a large health system similar to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta that provides medical care to infants, children, teens, and young adults.

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I want children in the community to have the best specialty care accessible to them anywhere they are, said Caitlin Beck Stella, CEO of Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital in Hollywood. We look at the future and were talking about a bigger picture for childrens health, so a Childrens Hospital of Florida, concept. That is the right model. Thats the model thats been established around the country.

The changing dynamics

The first step toward this model is underway: Nicklaus Childrens Hospital in Miami is crossing the county line in a significant way to partner with Broward Health, the public health system in northern Broward County. As part of a recently approved affiliation agreement, Nicklaus Childrens Health System is set to become the pediatric provider of Broward Healths Salah Foundation Childrens Hospital. Salah occupies two floors in the Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale and also offers services through Broward Health Coral Springs.

Miamis Nicklaus has had a small presence in Broward for 27 years. However, by the end of the year, Nicklaus doctors will treat all children at Broward Healths flagship Fort Lauderdale hospital, follow up in nearby medical offices, and treat newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Joe DiMaggio in South Broward and Salah in North Broward are part of taxpayer-funded health systems and must treat all patients regardless of their ability to pay. Nicklaus, a nonprofit in Miami, is South Floridas only standalone childrens hospital and is funded mainly through donations.

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Nicklaus Childrens Health president and CEO Matthew Love said his pediatric staff at Broward Health will work and live in Broward County, rather than travel from Miami. Its doctors will add manpower so families dont have to drive to Miami, or endure long wait times to see a pediatric neurologist or ear, nose and throat specialist as many now do, he said. Were already looking at establishing a very large additional outpatient location in Northern Broward, Love said.

This is about how we help northern Broward have great pediatric services, he said. Joe DiMaggio is a good organization, but the breadth, depth, and scope of services at Nicklaus are larger. We are four times the size of Joe DiMaggio by most metrics.

Love, like Stella, sees a future where South Floridas childrens hospitals join to care for pediatric patients. Together, they would attract coveted pediatric specialists to the region, train new doctors, cut back on wait times for pediatric appointments, and provide complex medical care to the more than 750,000 children who live in the tri-county area.

I do have a vision of a pediatric healthcare delivery system that rivals others across the country, Love said. We in Florida deserve it. Our kids deserve it. We dont want people leaving Broward or Palm Beach or Miami-Dade and having to go to the northeast to get their pediatric health care.

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Our goal is to grow across South Florida, to create Childrens Hospital of Florida, whatever you want to call it  so that no kid has to leave Florida, he said.

The example local hospital leaders point out is Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, a consortium of three childrens hospitals. CHOA is considered the largest healthcare provider for children in Georgia, offering more than 60 pediatric specialties and providing children access to 2,300 physicians.

Some Joe DiMaggio doctors feel slighted

While local CEOs may have that vision, some Joe DiMaggio staff view the situation differently.

Memorial Healthcare, the parent of Joe DiMaggio, is currently collaborating with Broward Health under a single interim CEO, Shane Strum; some staff at Memorial who are chafing under Strums leadership are wondering why he would partner with a competing childrens hospital. Theres a core, vocal group who are unhappy with the situation, said a Joe DiMaggio doctor who asked not to be named.

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For decades, Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital has been the premier destination for pediatric care in Broward County, treating children for a wide range of conditions, from gunshot wounds and organ transplants to broken bones or severe infections. Located next to Memorial Regional in Hollywood, Joe DiMaggio has built its reputation and pediatric specialties over three decades. In the last two years, Joe DiMaggio expanded from four floors to eight, adding new technology and pediatric ICU rooms. It also recently added a pediatric cardiology group.

Strum, CEO of Broward Health since 2021, became the interim CEO of Memorial Healthcare System in September 2024. In his short tenure, Strum has restructured departments at Memorial, fired staff and demoted department leaders. A half-dozen Joe DiMaggio employees told the South Florida Sun Sentinel they are angry that the only two options for physicians to work at a childrens hospital in Broward now fall under the same CEO. They asked not to be named and said they fear for the future of Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital.

It is only a matter of time before Nicklaus assumes control of Joe DiMaggio, someone who identified themself as a Memorial doctor wrote in an email to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. It was always part of the plan to partner with our only real competitor in the pediatric acute care space in South Florida  The Childrens Hospital of Florida will eliminate competition in the tri-county and directly impact physician compensation, because there is nowhere else to go without leaving the market.

Dr. Frank Scholl, a pediatric cardiologist at Joe DiMaggio, said those voices represent a minority. Most doctors at Joe DiMaggio want to collaborate with their colleagues at other childrens hospitals, including those at Nicklaus, when they begin working at Broward Health. We want to better serve the patient population we all care for, he said.

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Scholl envisions Holtz Childrens Hospital in Miami also participating in the Childrens Hospital of Florida. By pooling our resources together, we can better attract and retain talent from a national and internal pool that is limited, he said. Thats a huge factor in this. There are people at all three hospitals who truly want to collaborate.

If they were to form a united network and one local childrens hospital were to lure a top pediatric neurologist, a highly sought-after specialty, all those who are part of the Childrens Hospital of Florida could tap into that expertise for consultations or referrals.

Missed opportunity?

While the bigger vision for a future Childrens Hospital of Florida includes Joe DiMaggio, for now, the Hollywood hospital is not part of the Broward Health/Nicklaus partnership. However, both Love at Nicklaus and Strum at Broward Health say they independently had approached Memorial Healthcare Systems former CEO Scott Wester to collaborate or partner with Joe DiMaggio. Wester served as CEO from 2022 to 2024, serving only two years on a three-year contract. He resigned under pressure from the board in September 2024.

Nothing came out of that discussion, and that was not my decision, Love said. I would have loved to be able to collaborate (with Joe DiMaggio). Shane had approached them first and they had an opportunity to do something big and great with Broward Health and it was turned down.

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Wester did not return calls or text messages seeking comment.

It sounds like people are mad because were trying to get good health care to all the children in Broward County, said Memorial Board member Doug Harrison. When it comes to this idea of a Childrens Hospital of Florida  my take is I just want to provide great health care for children. Its not a mysterious thing. Theres no stock in it. Theres no money in it. Im not a doctor. I dont make any money off of it. Its about the children of Broward County.

Stella said doctors at Joe DiMaggio who resent that Nicklaus has teamed up with Broward Health are misguided and dont understand the headwinds facing childrens hospitals: More children on Medicaid rather than on higher-paying private health insurance, sicker children with chronic conditions or preventable diseases, a greater need for specialty care for children with more complex illnesses, fewer medical graduates pursuing pediatrics, and more financial pressure.

Federal cuts to Medicaid, if passed on to states, could pose a problem, too, by jeopardizing the coverage that pays for much of the pediatric hospital care in Florida. At Nicklaus, for example, about 70% of patients use Medicaid.

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The best path forward for children, Stella said, is for Nicklaus, Joe DiMaggio and Broward Health to work together, and maybe even include other childrens hospitals in Miami or Palm Beach.

If you pool your resources and you regionalize programs and you create centers of excellence and you come together under a larger network or integrated delivery system, youre basically directing children to the place where they will get the highest level, most specialized, most appropriate care, she said. Thats the model thats happening around the country.

Stella acknowledges some of her medical staff arent happy about Nicklaus partnering with Broward Health, or the concept of a Childrens Hospital of Florida.

Its disruptive. We get it, she said. We get that its a strange way of thinking for folks here that are used to a very traditional healthcare model. The markets changed, though, and we have to be thoughtful about what its going to look like 20 years from now, not 20 years behind us.

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In California, Childrens Hospital of Orange County and Rady Childrens Hospital San Diego announced in January that a merger had been completed between their parent companies, creating a new combined healthcare system called Rady Childrens Health. Each kept its separate medical staff, governing boards and onsite leadership.

Hospital executives said the merger aims to create one of the nations most advanced pediatric healthcare systems. The organizations say theyll be able to improve patient outcomes, expand their research capabilities, and be better positioned to attract and keep top talent.

The regionalization of childrens hospitals is an incredible model, said Dana Ferrell Birchfield, executive director of the Florida Association of Childrens Hospitals. I would love to see what they have been able to do in Georgia happen in Florida. You dont have to have every service at every childrens hospital because they can collaborate and form one provider network.

Hospitals nationwide that serve the general population, from regional medical centers to smaller local facilities, are closing down pediatric units. The motivation is financial; hospitals make more money from adult patients.

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Parents with extremely sick children who need specialized services such as transplants and childhood cancer or rare disease treatments typically turn to childrens hospitals because this care is not provided at general hospitals. They tend to use Medicaid coverage to access highly specialized services, and Medicaid reimbursement is often far below the actual cost of care.

Florida has 14 childrens hospitals, five in the tri-county area of South Florida: Nicklaus Childrens Hospital, Salah Foundation Childrens Hospital, Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital, Holtz Childrens Hospital at Miami Jackson Memorial Medical Center, and Palm Beach Childrens Hospital at St. Marys Medical Center.

Some families have reported traveling outside the state after difficulty finding specialists or getting timely access to needed care for their children, especially for complex or rare conditions. While no one tracks how many leave Florida, Strum at Broward Health said about 16% of pediatric patients leave Broward County for specialized care.

Strum said the affiliation with Nicklaus will eventually triple the size of the pediatric staff at Broward Healths Salah Childrens Hospital. But thats just the start, he said, referencing his vision of a Childrens Hospital of Florida: Imagine the combined forces, the cross-pollination, the credentialing physicians could do so they can go back and forth. It would actually change the pediatric landscape, Strum said, adding that this vision may take time and baby steps to accomplish.

Strum said medical staff at Joe DiMaggio have no reason to be fearful: We want to grow. We want to get larger. We want to recruit more physicians. I mean, South Florida should be a hub for innovation and technology in the healthcare space. The for-profits arent going to do the academic work  they arent going to train future pediatricians because you dont make money in that. But we can do it.

Nicklaus has the largest physician teaching program in the Southeast United States, and of its residents and fellows, about 70% stay in Florida, said CEO Love. Through the Nicklaus affiliation, Salah will be a robust pediatric hospital with both inpatient and outpatient, as well as community activity, he said.

Time will tell, says a skeptical Joe DiMaggio doctor: A lot can happen with Nicklaus and Broward Health  it may or may not work out. It could be a failed partnership or it could be a great one.

If the partnership does work, the doctor said, then Memorial could find a way for Joe DiMaggio to also partner with them. Thats going to take buy-in, though. For a long time, our doctors have looked at Nicklaus as competition. It will be hard to look at them as collaborators.

Says Love: This is not about Nicklaus Children. Its not about Joe DiMaggio. Its not about the physicians. Its not about Broward Health. It is really around the kids in our community. And if we always come back to that and leave our egos at the door, then well get what we need done and the families of South Florida will benefit.
WINTERSET, Iowa  A limestone structure that has stood as a prominent fixture for Winterset and Madison County will celebrate 100 years next year.

Around 100 years ago, the Clark family, at one of their infamous family reunions, began planning how to remember the first Clarks to settle in Iowa. They settled on a tower made of limestone mined from where the current tower now stands.

More: Gabe on the Go

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Clark Tower is about 25 feet tall and 12 feet in diameter. A curved stairway winds around the tower. On the front stands a plaque remembering Caleb and Ruth Clark, two of the first settlers in Madison County. They first arrived in the county in 1846.

Visitors can explore the first two stories of the tower and climb a ladder to the roof. From the roof, visitors can observe great views of the Middle River valley.

Clark Tower can be found in historic Winterset City Park at the back of a long, winding trail. The road closes after sunset and during the winter months. For more information about Clark Tower, City Park, and other recreation areas in Winterset, visit the citys parks and recreation website.

Iowa news

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Though most of the billions a year that the Gates Foundation spends go to health projects in Africa and Asia, about 10% goes to a much different program in the U.S. Its ambitious goal: improve public education from kindergarten through high school, especially in cash-strapped or underserved school districtsand then guide high school graduates to good jobs.

Using its signature combination of data-driven insights, a tech-industry-derived focus on return on investment, public-facing advocacy, and collaborations across a range of public and private entities, the Gates Foundation has quietly nudged school districts toward its core tenets. Those include a focus on math, especially algebra; professional development for teachers; and reform-minded experimentation.

Since the United States Program at the Gates Foundation began 25 years ago, it has partnered with more than 3,700 organizationsincluding school districts, colleges, nonprofits, community groups, research institutions, and businessesacross the nation. In that time, U.S. public education has improved by several important measures: Most notably, the high school graduation rate has risen from 71% in 2001 to 87% in 2022, the latest available data. The foundation cant take all the credit for that improvement, says Allan Golston, who runs the Gates Foundations U.S. Program, but we have certainly contributed to that, and are very proud of that.

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The programs first problem mirrored what confounded the tropical-disease fighters in the foundations international operations: lousy data. Most high schools defined their graduation rate as the percentage of 12th-graders who graduated, ignoring all those who dropped out in the previous three years. With the help of the National Governors Association, all states now use the foundations comprehensive definition of the graduation rate, which of course produces lower numbers. That change alone shocked officials and parents into demanding action, but it was only a beginning.

Equipped with better data, the foundation identified some 2,000 dropout factories across the country, mostly in urban centersschools with terrible graduation rates. They tended to be big schools, so the foundation reasoned that smaller schools with more individualized support and more engagement between students and teachers would yield better results.

The model worked, up to a point. In some of the big cities where it was tried, significantly more students graduated, went to college, and received bachelors degrees. But in other cities, improvements were modest.

Unfortunately, the model was also impractical as a nationwide template. For starters, breaking up a big high school isnt easy. There are 15,000 school districts in the U.S., says Golston. Each has different contexts, different boards, different perspectives, different views on how to teach and what to teach. The model was also expensive. New York City has kept many of these small high schools, and hundreds of high schools elsewhere have adopted the model successfully, but theyre a small proportion of Americas 24,000 public high schools. Bottom line, small schools are great, but in the real world not a broad-based answer.

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Today the foundation focuses on factors that any school, regardless of size, can benefit fromimproved curriculum, professional development of teachers, tutoring. Research has revealed the crucial importance of one course: algebra. Its a critical success factor to graduating and has a number of other predictive factors, Golston says. Students who pass Algebra 1 in ninth grade are twice as likely to graduate from high school, more likely to enroll in and complete college, and better positioned for careers that increasingly require analytical skills. Its so significant in a students trajectory, he says, that if you could move that metric, you could unlock a lot of progress and success.

More jobs every year require postsecondary education, which means focusing on high school graduation isnt enough. The foundation wants students to get good jobs, so it helps them get a postsecondary credential with valueeven if that doesnt always mean a four-year college degree. It could be a two-year course, or some type of certificate, but research shows that momentum is critical: The student should ideally enroll immediately after high school.

The foundations U.S. Program is constantly experimenting, which by its nature proves some hypotheses and disproves others. You see progress in certain parts, and that gives you some optimism, Golston says. It also gives you a sense of determination, because we cannot rest until those pockets of success for students arent pockets.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
US and Russian officials have held talks on possible American assistance in restoring Russian gas exports to the European market despite the current freeze in energy relations between Europe and Russia.

Source: Reuters, citing unnamed sources

Details: Following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe significantly reduced its imports of Russian gas. As a result, Gazprom posted losses of US$7 billion the following year.

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Sources familiar with the discussions say restoring Russias role in the European gas market could help secure a peace deal with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

While much of Europe has switched to alternative suppliers, some countries continue to purchase Russian gas. Industry experts believe that the number of buyers could increase after a peace agreement.

Currently, Russian gas covers only 19% of Europes demand  down from 40%  mainly through liquefied natural gas (LNG) and pipeline deliveries via the TurkStream route through Turkiye.

US involvement in reviving Russian gas exports could help Moscow overcome political resistance in parts of Europe. Washington would also benefit by gaining leverage over supply volumes and maintaining access to the process, two diplomatic sources and one White House official said.

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US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian Presidential Representative for Investments Kirill Dmitriev discussed gas issues as part of peace negotiations on Ukraine, two of eight sources stated. Witkoffs spokesperson declined to comment.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund, headed by Dmitriev, told Reuters: "Currently, there are no such discussions".

Countries still importing Russian gas include Hungary and Slovakia  via the TurkStream pipeline  and Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Spain, which receive LNG from Russian company Novatek under long-term contracts.

Background:

On 5 May, it was reported that the European Commission intended to propose measures banning all Russian gas imports by the end of 2027.

On 6 May, the European Union confirmed that it would completely end Russian gas imports and minimise Russian oil imports by the end of 2027.

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Retirement: aka your golden years. Youve worked hard for many decades and finally saved up enough to call it quits at your 9-to-5 job. For many Americans, saving money with a 401(k) retirement plan is one way to achieve financial security in their later years.

In fact, a 401(k) retirement savings plan is one of the most common vehicles to save for retirement. The average 401(k) balance for someone in their 60s hovers around $573,624, according to data from Empower.

If youre lucky enough to work at a company with an employer match, youll want to take full advantage so you can get that number up even higher by the time you stop working. Heres more on employer matches and what the typical one looks like in 2025.

Find Out: How To Protect Your 401(k) From a Stock Market Crash

Read Next: The New Retirement Problem Boomers Are Facing

What Is a 401(k) Match?

An employer match is when your employer contributes a certain percentage to your retirement savings plan based on how much you contribute. For example, if you contribute 4% of your salary, your employer may offer a 4% dollar-for-dollar match on your contribution, for an 8% total contribution.

If your employer offers a 401(k) match, youll want to be sure to contribute at least the minimum required amount to take advantage of the full match. Otherwise, youll be leaving money on the table.

Learn More: The Money You Need To Save Monthly To Retire Comfortably in Every State

Whats the Average 401(k) Plan Match in 2025?

In 2025, the average 401(k) plan match is 4% to 6% of an employees total compensation. The most common matching structure is a 50% partial matching contribution, up to 6% of the employees salary. This means that youd need to contribute a greater percentage in order to qualify for the full employer match.

If they dont offer a 100% dollar-for-dollar match, employers may offer a 25% to 50% partial matching contribution up to a determined percentage of the employees salary. Its worth noting that employers may not contribute more than 25% of an eligible employees annual compensation.

Overall, you wont want to miss out if youre offered a 401(k) matching contribution. Its free money that will compound over time and could make a huge impact on your financial future.

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Sources

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: What Is the Average 401(k) Plan Match in 2025?
(NewsNation)  Experts studying why Gen Z is drinking significantly less than previous generations have offered up several potential factors, including health concerns and the influence of social media.

A Dutch banking company offers a much simpler reason: Gen Z is broke.

Rabobank last month published an analysis that explored whether Gen Zs lower consumption of alcohol is due to a life stage or a generational shift. Gen Z is described by Time magazine as anyone born between 1997 and 2012.

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The stigma has decreased: Behind Gen Zs alcohol aversion

Time reported in January that alcohol consumption in the U.S. has risen overall, but not among younger adults. A 2023 Gallup poll determined that the share of adults under age 35 who say they drink dropped ten percentage points in two decades, from 72% in 2001-2003 to 62% in 2021-2023.

George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, suggested that Gen Zers are more health-conscious than previous generations.

It is becoming clear that, for whatever reasons, todays younger generations are just less interested in alcohol and are more likely than older generations to see it as risky for their health and to participate in periods of abstinence like Dry January, Koob told Time.

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The magazines report cites multiple other factors, like the increased legality of marijuana and changing socialization patterns. A 2023 Surgeon Generals advisory stated that the average amount of time people spent with friends in person decreased from 30 hours a month in 2003 to 10 hours a month in 2020.

Gen Z socializes more online than previous generations, and alcohol is a social drug, Koob said.

Dry January: What an alcohol-free month does for your health

Experts theorize that social media, and the desire young people have to look their best online, are significant factors affecting drinking patterns. Technology, including tracking apps, also makes it much easier for underage drinkers to get caught.

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Rabobanks report suggests that while these factors are legitimate, the narratives are greatly overblown. According to analysts, half of Gen Z is under the legal drinking age, while those 21 and older may be struggling to make ends meet.

(Those Gen Zers) have yet to get a college degree, are working an entry-level job or not working at all, and therefore dont have any money to spend on alcohol, the report said. This was also true of millennials, Generation X and baby boomers when they were in their 20s.

As Generation Z gets older, their alcohol purchases are likely to grow, though the industry will need to adjust its products and its advertising to connect with the diversity of the generation and with their changing drinking patterns.

This is an ideal outcome for the alcohol industry, which can celebrate the declines in underage drinking and binge drinking while still benefiting when Gen Zers reach their more mature and responsible prime spending years, the report stated.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  An East Tennessee woman lost more than 120 pounds in just a year after learning she showed signs of a genetic link to her obesity. UT Medical Center offered her a new medical breakthrough that has changed her life, proving that all cases and causes of obesity are not the same.

The simple act of walking into an exam room to meet with her nurse practitioner is something Angelia Collins will never take for granted. At her heaviest, she weighed 386 pounds. She was unable to drive and in a wheelchair. Obesity was something she lived with her whole life.

Two convicted in 2022 death of child in New Tazewell get lengthy prison sentences

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At the age of 4, Collins was already on her way to battling obesity and being bullied at school because of her weight. She remembers the snacks her dad had at the ready.

He always kept boxes of Little Debbies in the vehicle in his work truck, so if you got hungry and werent ready for lunch, you could just grab a cake, Collins said. So I got in the habit of grabbing a cake. And so, my obsession with Little Debbies grew.

(Photo courtesy of Angelia Collins) (Photo courtesy of Angelia Collins)

After her marriage, she learned to hide her food obsession from her husband.

I would actually, when my husband would go to work, it was nothing for me  he worked third (shift)  so it was nothing for me to go into the cabinets and pull out five or six little cakes or grab me a handful of cookies and a Mountain Dew. I drank five of them a day, she said.

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After not being able to lose weight on her own, her primary care doctor said her only option was gastric bypass surgery. Collins went to University Bariatric Center, where she was not rushed into surgery. After talking with her, doctors felt shed be a good candidate for a medical breakthrough drug instead.

Its called Imcivree. Its an injectable drug, but different than other weight loss drugs on the market.

Everyone is familiar with the GLP1s that work on the gut. These work on the brain, explained Nurse Practitioner Amber Evans. So, its like a broken traffic light. These patients feel hunger all the time and they never reach satiety. So that medication helps to stop that traffic signal to say Its not blinking yellow-its time to stop. Youre full. And theyre like Ok, Im full with this meal. Im satisfied.'

Man charged with vehicular homicide after fatal crash on Millertown Pike

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Imcivree is for people with a genetic link to obesity. Collins falls into that category by her signs and symptoms alone.

There are lots of different signs, Evans said, but the two main ones are childhood obesity and hyperphasia, so we call that preoccupation with food. You may eat and then feel hungry again. You may want to sneak food , you want to know when your next meal is. You may feel stressed if youre deprived of food.

A year after being on Imcivree, Collins isnt afraid to step on the scale. Shes down to 260 pounds today. Thats more than a 120 pound weight loss, and she has her eyes set on a goal.

I am 80 pounds away from where I want to be, but its gonna happen! she exclaimed.

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Collins is now looking forward to her 40th high school reunion in June.

One side effect of the drug-it can cause skin to darken, which isnt stopping Collins from taking it. To see if youre a candidate for free genetic testing at UT Medical Center, call 865-305-9620.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Nearly 40 years before the Catholic Church chose its first American pope, Alabama Gov. George Wallace had his own private audience with Pope John Paul II, where the two discussed something they had in common.

On July 21, 1984, Wallace and his team were traveling through Europe in an effort to recruit industry to the state when they arrived in Rome. From there, work was done for the lifelong Methodist to meet the Pope.

Wallace had tried before. In 1975, just three years after being paralyzed during an assassination attempt, the governor was in Italy on business when he requested an audience with Pope John Paul II, but ended up coming short. A report in The New York Times about the failed meeting called the move unusual.

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Mr. Wallace, in a news conference today, said Vatican officials told him that Pope Paul was limiting his special audiences to heads of state and government because of a heavy schedule during the present holy year, the report stated.

However, things were different a decade later. By the second time around, Wallace and his team were able to meet with the Pope at Castle Gandolfo, his summer retreat about 20 miles away from Vatican City. As told by Elvin Stanton, Wallaces aide, the meeting lasted 20 minutes and included Wallaces wife, Lisa.

The pope mentioned the state of Alabama and the fact that it was mostly Protestant, Stanton told The Associated Press at the time. The governor told him he had prayed for him following the assassination attempt on his life.

Just three years earlier in 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot by Mehmet Ali Agca in St. Peters Square, the effects of which he would feel the rest of his life.

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At the time, Stanton divulged very little about Wallaces visit with the pope, but following John Pauls death in 2005, he opened up about how both men related to one another because of how close each had come to death in their lives.

The pope praised the governor on overcoming the attempt on his life and the governor did likewise, Stanton told the AP in 2005.

Wallaces son, George Wallace Jr., told the AP that the papal meeting was a highlight for his father that he often talked about up until his death in 1998.

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A member of Georgia's advisory committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has resigned after his charges associated with a deadly hit-and-run came to light.

DeAndre Pickett, who was first appointed in 2020, was charged with vehicular homicide and hit and run in August 2024, court records show. He posted a $50,000 bond two days after his arrest and then appeared to have resumed his official duties.

Joseph Banks III died in the crash, Fox5 reported. Now, the victims family is speaking out.

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"He hit a human being and did not stop," Latoya Banks, the victims sister, told the outlet. "Joseph was crossing the street and a vehicle struck and hit him, and he died on impact.

Pickett was appointed to another term as recently as March, records show.

But then, Banks got involved. She got in touch with the government agency in April.

DeAndre Pickett, a member of the Georgia advisory committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, resigned after homicide charges came to light (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

"I was like, you know what? Let me just Google him," she told Fox5. "That's when everything popped up, his credentials. He was just appointed to his second term for the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights. I was shocked.

The commission is made up of eight commissioners, four of whom are appointed by the president and four by Congress. Each state has an advisory committee, which is approved by the eight commissioners. Each advisory committee member has a four-year term.

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After his reappointment, Pickett wrote in a post on LinkedIn: This appointment is incredibly meaningful to me. As someone who understands the challenges faced by communities that are often overlooked and underestimated, I am eager to contribute to shaping policies that reflect our true realities, uphold our rights, and honor the dignity of every Georgian.

Banks objected to his role on a commission advocating for civil rights.

"You're fighting for civil rights or you're empowering the youth. You're a mentor, you know, all of these great things, to the public or on paper or whatever. But he killed a human being," she said.

A spokesperson for the commission confirmed to the outlet that he resigned after being asked about the allegations.

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The Independent has reached out to the commission and an attorney for Pickett.

His attorney told the outlet that the case was still active, so Pickett couldnt comment, but said in a statement: We extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Mr. Joseph Banks.

"This is an unimaginable tragedy, and Dr. Pickett is overwhelmed with profound remorse and sorrow. Dr. Pickett has been a steadfast presence in the community throughout his life - committed to public service, civic engagement, and the well-being of those he has served, he continued. His record of service has been both meaningful and consistent, and this incident stands in stark contrast to the values he has long upheld."
WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH)  A Georgia woman was arrested by the Coweta (Ga.) Countys Sheriffs Office on a Connecticut warrant, and extradited to Connecticut for allegedly defrauding Medicaid by billing for services she did not provide.

Brittany Gresham, age 36, of Senoia, Ga., was extradited by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief States Attorney and charged with one count of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, one count of health insurance fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, and one count of conspiracy to commit health insurance fraud.

Gresham allegedly enrolled as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) in the Connecticut Medical Assistants Program (CMAP). The PCA program, providing an alternative to entering an assisted living facility, is a Medicaid-funded program which provides recipients who have permanent, severe, and/or chronic disabilities, funds to hire PCAs to physically assist them with daily self-care.

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According to the investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, that between March 2021-July 2023, Gresham while living in Georgia, and the co-defendant, Tywan Marion, with Greshams knowledge, allegedly completed a job application for Gresham and submitted time sheets on her behalf for PCA services she did not provide to a Connecticut recipient.

Gresham allegedly received payment from Medicaid for the unrendered services and transfer some of the money to Marion. Gresham allegedly received a total of $44,476.57 from the scheme.

Gresham was arraigned in Waterbury Superior Court on Wednesday and is being held on a $100,000 surety bond. Marion, who was previously arrested, is being held on a $200,000 surety bond.

All charges are each classified as B felonies and punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

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During his first visit to Poland, Germany's new Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has reiterated Germany and Europes support for Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda, as reported by ntv

Details: Wadephul said that Europe would defend and support Ukraine by all means. He stressed this on the sidelines of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Warsaw.

He also noted that everyone in Moscow must know that they would have to reckon with Germany.

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Regarding the financing of defence spending in the EU and possible joint debt, Wadephul said that more needs to be done to support Ukraine.

The minister said there are different ways to do this. The most important thing, he stressed, is that funds are allocated to support Ukraine.

Background: The new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that he planned to visit Ukraine in the near future.

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German police on Thursday stepped up border checks, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's new administration sought to project a tough line on irregular immigration - prompting concerns from Germany's neighbours.

A spokesman for the federal police in the southern state of Bavaria said more checks are being carried out on the borders to Austria and the Czech Republic.

"We are ensuring that the disruption is as minimal as possible," the spokesman told dpa. "But we are carrying out more checks and that will be noticeable for travellers."

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Police are reopening checkpoints on smaller routes such as over the Saalach river between Austria's Salzburg and the German town of Freilassing.

Possible conflict with EU law

Austria on Thursday called on Germany to respect EU border law, echoing other neighbours of Germany that have voiced concern over the increased border checks and possible plans to turn away asylum seekers, a policy which critics have argued contravenes EU law.

While Vienna has outlined its support for a tighter line on immigration, it has warned the new administration - which took office on Wednesday in Berlin - against breaching EU laws.

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"Austria generally welcomes Germany's endeavours in the fight against the smuggling mafia and illegal migration," the Austrian Interior Ministry said on Thursday. "We assume that German authorities will adhere to the European legal order in all measures that are taken."

Merz not declaring national emergency

The stepped up checks - and the subsequent criticism - came as Merz rejected reports that he will declare a "national emergency" to ensure permanent checks at Germany's borders.

"The chancellor will not declare a national emergency," a government spokesperson told dpa on Thursday.

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The new government wants to activate Article 72 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the German daily Die Welt reported. The ambassadors of Germany's neighbouring countries would be informed of this at the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

This article essentially preserves national sovereignty in matters of law enforcement and security.

Article 72 contains a so-called emergency clause. According to this, exceptions to the ban on rejections at the borders are possible if public order or national security is threatened.

The Interior Ministry confirmed on X that the ambassadors of neighbouring countries had been invited. However, this was done to inform them about the measures previously decided upon to intensify existing internal border controls.

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The X-post went on to say: "At this meeting, it was mutually emphasized that we will continue to work closely together in a spirit of partnership."

Asylum numbers down in April

The measures come two days after Merz's conservative-led government took office, pledging to maintain temporary border checks implemented under previous administrations and turn back illegal migrants at the border, even if they apply for asylum.

The policies, which Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt put in force on Wednesday, have already attracted controversy from Germany's neighbours, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressing his displeasure at a press conference with Merz.

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The Swiss Justice Ministry also slammed the measures in a post on X.

"In Switzerland's view, systematic rejections at the border violate applicable law," the ministry said, adding that the Swiss government is considering countermeasures.

A spokesman for the police said on Thursday that it was unclear whether any asylum seekers have already been turned away under the new policy.

Increased checks have also been announced on Germany's borders with the Netherlands and Belgium.

A dpa reporter in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia said there was little evidence of tighter controls.

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However, a police spokesman said: "If you don't see us, that's good, because then the people we want to control won't see us either."

Fewer asylum seekers in April

The tighter controls comes as the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees reported on Thursday that there were 9,108 first-time asylum applications last month, down from 17,500 in April 2024.

However, the figure was a 1.4% increase from March.

The most applications were submitted by people from Afghanistan (2,191), followed by Syria and Turkey.

Over the first four months of the year, the agency has received 45,681 applications for asylum, a steep drop compared to the 84,984 in the same period of 2024.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier reminded the country of the lessons learned from World War II in a major speech on Thursday, as Germany commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe and the downfall of the Nazi dictatorship.

"We know where isolation leads, where aggressive nationalism and contempt for democratic institutions lead. We have already lost democracy once in Germany," Steinmeier said in a speech to Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, attended by foreign diplomats based in Berlin.

"Let us trust in our experience! Let us stand up for our values. Let us not freeze in fear," he said.

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The president emphasized that May 8 has become central to the identity of the whole of Germany.

Today, he said, Germans no longer need to ask whether May 8 represented liberation. "But we ask: How can we remain free?"

International order under attack

Steinmeier noted that the United States was currently calling into question the international order built after World War II.

He said Washington's policies and Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine marked a "double break with history."

"Russia's war of aggression and America's breach of values mark the end of this long 20th century."

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Steinmeier said the fascination with authoritarianism and populist temptations are also gaining ground in Europe, and doubts about democracy are being voiced.

Extremist forces in Germany

The German president expressed concern about the rise of extremist forces in the country.

These forces mock the institutions of democracy, poison debates, play on people's fears, trade in fear and incite people against each other, he said.

"Anyone who wants good for this country must protect coexistence, cohesion and the peaceful reconciliation of interests. I expect this of all democrats in this country," Steinmeier said to prolonged applause in the lower house of parliament.

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The anniversary comes just two days after the new German government under conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office, with the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany forming the largest party in the opposition.

Directing a warning towards the AfD, Steinmeier cautioned against attempts to "close the book on our history and our responsibility."

He said he was surprised by the stubbornness with which some people, "unfortunately also in this house," were calling for this.

"Let us not flee from our history. Let us not throw its lessons overboard, especially when they demand something of us. That would be both cowardly and wrong," he said.

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Bundestag President Julia Klockner echoed this warning in her speech at the opening of the special ceremony in parliament.

"To this day, not everyone is aware of the monstrous extent of the German crimes. Or worse still, many no longer want to deal with it," she said.

Forgotten victims of the war

Klockner highlighted the forgotten victims of the brutal war, emphasizing the suffering of the Polish nation, and of the scale of German destruction in modern-day Belarus and Russia.

She also brought up the plight of the German women who faced sexual violence by invading forces, drawing a direct parallel to the conflict in Ukraine.

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Among others, the Israeli and Ukrainian ambassadors to Germany, Ron Prosor and Oleksii Makeiev, as well as the president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, sat in the public gallery during the memorial service.

Ambassadors from Russia and Belarus were not invited to the ceremony due to their governments' involvement in the war against Ukraine.

80 years on

The event marks eight decades since Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender, which came into effect late on May 8, 1945 - when it was already May 9 in Moscow.

The war, started by Adolf Hitler's regime in 1939, resulted in the death of between 50 million and over 60 million people worldwide, most of them civilians.

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The Soviet Union was particularly hard hit, with around 27 million dead. Germany lost around 6.3 million people, including many soldiers.

Fighting in the Asia-Pacific continued for several months after the defeat of Nazi Germany. Japan surrendered to the Allied forces, ending hostilities, on September 2, 1945.

Commemorations were taking place in capitals including Paris and Ottawa. Moscow will hold its annual Victory Day parade on Friday. London held a smaller parade earlier in the week.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier cautioned German lawmakers against isolationism and nationalism on Thursday, during a memorial service marking the end of World War II 80 years ago.

"We know where isolation leads, where aggressive nationalism and contempt for democratic institutions lead. We have already lost democracy once in Germany," the president said in a speech to Germany's lower house of parliament.

"Let us trust in our experience! Let us stand up for our values. Let us not freeze in fear," he said.

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Steinmeier noted that the United States was currently calling the international order built after World War II into question.

He said Washington's policies and Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine marked a "double break with history."

"Russia's war of aggression and America's breach of values mark the end of this long 20th century."

Steinmeier said the fascination with authoritarianism and populist temptations are also gaining ground in Europe, and doubts about democracy are being voiced. In Germany, he said, extremist forces that mock the institutions of democracy and their representatives are growing stronger.

The anniversary comes just two days after the new German government under conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office, with the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany the largest party in the opposition.
U.S. stocks could retest Aprils lows as investors seek progress from the White House on trade deals. - Getty Images

Optimism around trade negotiations helped the S&P 500 index recoup its losses in the wake of President Trumps April 2 liberation day tariffs  but the rally has left little room for disappointment on where the levies ultimately shake out.

Selling pressures were picking back up in stocks to start this week, with investors eager for progress on trade deals and anxious about the potential damage already inflected to the economy.

Most Read from MarketWatch

I think the market is pricing in baseline tariffs prior to liberation day, said Emily Bowersock Hill, chief executive and founding partner of Bowersock Capital Partners in Kansas, in a Tuesday interview  gauging the priced-in tariff level for stocks at about 5% to 10%.

Before Trumps 90-day partial pause on extra tariffs against most countries, with the exception of China, he raised the average effective tariff rate in the U.S. to about 25%  the highest level in over 100 years  from roughly 5% previously, according to J.P. Morgan Wealth Management.

One of the reasons the market has rallied so much is the expectation that the administration is going to use this pause as an off-ramp, Bowersock Hill said.

Tariff countdown

Billionaire hedge-fund investor Paul Tudor Jones on Tuesday described Trumps existing tariffs as the biggest tax increase in the U.S. since the 1960s, he said in an interview with CNBCs Squawk Box.

Jones also expects Trump to dial back China tariffs to about 40% or 50%, but said that even at those levels stocks still could visit new lows. Furthermore, he expects higher tariffs to start slowing the economy, prompting the Federal Reserve to come off the sidelines to resume interest-rate cuts and opening a window for stocks to rally.

The S&P 500 SPX closed at a record high of 6,144.15 on Feb. 19, before tumbling almost 19% to a 4,982.77 low on April 8  the same day Trump paused some tariffs, which sparked a powerful rally. The index finished about 8% below its record close on Monday.

Read: Paul Tudor Jones says U.S. stocks will fall to new lows  even if Trump dramatically dials back China tariffs
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier conveyed his warmest blessings to the newly elected Pope Leo XIV in a message on Thursday.

"The people of Germany, especially Catholic Christians, look forward to your pontificate with great expectation and heartfelt affection, Steinmeier wrote.

Pope Leo is taking on an important spiritual and moral responsibility in a time marked by discord and profound global challenges, he continued.

"May your personal character as a bridge-builder between the United States and the countries of Latin America help you to give voice to the concerns and hopes of people throughout the world," Steinmeier added.
BERLIN (AP)  Germany's domestic intelligence agency said Thursday it will await a court ruling before moving forward with plans to classify the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party as a  right-wing extremist  movement, a step that could subject the party to broader surveillance and scrutiny of its activities.

The announced pause comes after the party, known as AfD, filed a lawsuit in the western city of Cologne against the move by the intelligence service and the party's supporters alleged a politically motivated crackdown.

German officials have denied that allegation and have faulted what they called the party's ongoing agitation against refugees and migrants.

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The AfDs co-leaders, Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, responded in a joint statement saying the intelligence services decision Thursday was a first important step that would help counter the accusation of right-wing extremism.

The pause by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution means that it cannot move forward with previous plans to use enhanced tools like video and audio surveillance, and use of informants, to scrutinize the activities of the AfD, which came second in parliamentary elections in February. It does not mean that the intelligence agency has dropped those plans for good.

The decision, months in the making, came days before the new German government led by conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office on Tuesday  replacing the outgoing coalition led by the Social Democrats' Olaf Scholz.

The intelligence agency cited a number of pronouncements by AfD officials, including statements like, "Every additional foreigner in this country is one too many, the German news agency DPA reported.

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The U.S. administration has criticized the decision by the intelligence service, prompting a retort from the German Foreign Ministry.

In a social media post last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Germany to undo the classification, saying the move to give new powers to the spy agency to watch the opposition amounted to tyranny in disguise.

The German Foreign Ministry responded by saying the decision resulted from an independent investigation to protect Germany's Constitution and the rule of law.
Germany must recognize the "monstrous extent" of the crimes it committed during World War II, the president of the Bundestag - the lower house of parliament - said on Thursday as German lawmakers marked 80 years since the end of the conflict.

In a speech to the German parliament, Julia Klockner highlighted the forgotten victims of the brutal war, which Germany started with its invasion of Poland in September 1939.

"German occupying forces committed war crimes almost everywhere in Europe," she said. "To this day, not everyone is aware of the monstrous extent of the German crimes. Or worse still, many no longer want to deal with it."

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Among the overlooked victims of the conflict, Klockner emphasized the suffering of the Polish nation, and of the scale of German destruction in modern-day Belarus and Russia.

She also brought up the plight of the German women who faced sexual violence by invading forces, drawing a direct parallel to the conflict in Ukraine.

"Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol: Once again, girls and women are becoming victims of sexual violence, used as weapons of war," she said, referring to Ukrainian cities that have become symbols of the current war.

Klockner further condemned Russia's justification of the war in Ukraine through reference to World War II as an "abuse of history."

She warned that while post-war Germans have long considered peace to be inevitable, the 80th anniversary of the conflict shows that "those who were liberated have a duty to defend freedom."

German Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner speaks during the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in the Bundestag. On May 8, 1945, the war in Europe ended following Germanys unconditional surrender. Michael Kappeler/dpa

German Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner speaks during the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in the Bundestag. On May 8, 1945, the war in Europe ended following Germanys unconditional surrender. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Germany on Thursday was set to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe and the downfall of the Nazi dictatorship with a special ceremony in the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is set to deliver the keynote speech, addressing the lessons of the conflict's end.

According to the German president's office, Steinmeier intends to discuss the manipulation of history by Russia in connection with its ongoing war against Ukraine, the pressure on international law, including from the Trump administration, and the rise of right-wing extremism and nationalism in many Western democracies.

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The president of the German Bundestag, Julia Klockner, was also set to speak at the ceremony, which will be attended by foreign diplomats based in Berlin.

Ambassadors from Russia and Belarus were not invited due to their governments' involvement in the war against Ukraine.

The event marks eight decades since Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender, which came into effect late on May 8, 1945 - when it was already May 9 in Moscow.

The war, started by Adolf Hitler's regime in 1939, resulted in the death of between 50 million and over 60 million people worldwide, most of them civilians.

Commemorations were taking place in capitals including Paris and Ottawa. Moscow will hold its annual Victory Day parade on Friday. London held a smaller parade earlier in the week.

Fighting in the Asia-Pacific continued for several months after the defeat of Nazi Germany. Japan surrendered to the Allied forces, ending hostilities, on September 2, 1945.
Police in Germany on Thursday stepped up border checks, drawing criticism from the country's neighbours.

A spokesman for the federal police in the southern state of Bavaria said more checks are being carried out on the borders to Austria and the Czech Republic.

"We are ensuring that the disruption is as minimal as possible," the spokesman told dpa. "But we are carrying out more checks and that will be noticeable for travellers."

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Police are reopening checkpoints on smaller routes such as over the Saalach river between Austria's Salzburg and the German town of Freilassing.

Increased checks have also been announced on Germany's borders with the Netherlands and Belgium.

A dpa reporter in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia said there was little evidence of tighter controls.

However, a police spokesman said: "If you don't see us, that's good, because then the people we want to control won't see us either."

The police said "measures to temporarily increase manpower" were being continuously reviewed and implemented but said they would not make comments on specific deployment numbers.

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The police spokesman said on Thursday that it was unclear whether any asylum seekers have already been turned away under the new policy.

The measures come two days after Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative-led government took office, pledging to maintain temporary border checks implemented under previous administrations and turn back illegal migrants at the border, even if they apply for asylum.

Just hours after taking office, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said asylum seekers would also be turned away at the border in future, emphasizing that this would not apply to pregnant women, children and other members of vulnerable groups.

The measures have already attracted controversy from Germany's neighbours, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressing his displeasure at a press conference with Merz.

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The Swiss Justice Ministry also slammed the measures in a post on X.

"In Switzerland's view, systematic rejections at the border violate applicable law," the ministry said, adding that the Swiss government is considering countermeasures.

Austria, meanwhile, said it supported a tighter line on immigration, but called on Germany to respect EU border law.

"Austria generally welcomes Germany's endeavours in the fight against the smuggling mafia and illegal migration," the Austrian Interior Ministry said on Thursday. "We assume that German authorities will adhere to the European legal order in all measures that are taken."

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Germany's Green Party leader, Franziska Brantner, also criticized the lack of cooperation with neighbouring countries "at a time when we need more Europe."

Brantner said the measures would mean officers were withdrawn from crime hotspots. "These are the main railway stations, the airport, crime hotspots in this country. That's where they'll be missing."

"So less security in other places to send a signal at the border," she added.

The legal situation regarding rejections at the border is currently unclear. Some experts interpret EU law as meaning that rejections are not permitted in principle.

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This is also related to the fact that border checks are not carried out exactly on the border line, but often slightly behind it.

The deputy chairman of the German police union, however, told Die Welt newspaper that Germany has concluded so-called readmission agreements with all neighbouring countries.

These agreements also specify the point at which a person is considered to have entered the country, Heiko Teggatz said.

"This is only the case once the entry check has been completed," Teggatz said, adding that the territory in which the checkpoint is located is irrelevant.

A German police officer holds a submachine gun during entry checks at the German-Polish border crossing Stadtbruecke. Hours after taking office, Interior Minister Dobrindt announced that asylum seekers could also be turned back at land borders. Carsten Koall/dpa

A sign reading "Federal Republic of Germany" surrounded by EU stars stands in front of a border post in German national colors at the German-Polish border crossing Stadtbruecke. Hours after taking office, Interior Minister Dobrindt announced that asylum seekers could also be turned back at land borders. Carsten Koall/dpa
Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, is set to declare a national emergency on migration so that he can use a loophole in EU rules to turn away asylum seekers.

Mr Merz intends to trigger Article 72 of the EU treaties, which, in theory, allows member states to suspend asylum regulations if they pose a threat to internal security, German media reported.

It is unclear when the chancellor will make the announcement, but neighbouring EU countries were reportedly notified of Mr Merzs intentions on Thursday.

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The centre-Right leader of the Christian Democrats (CDU) party has vowed to turn back asylum seekers from Germanys land borders, claiming the countrys capacity to receive them is overwhelmed.

Berlin risks triggering a diplomatic row with neighbouring Poland, Austria and Switzerland, who oppose the move because it undermines the EUs policy of open internal borders.

Mr Merz may also face resistance from liberals in his new coalition, consisting of his CDU party and the centre-Left Social Democrats (SPD). Their agreement states that asylum seekers can only be rejected in agreement with neighbouring countries.

If Mr Merz declares the emergency, it is understood that he would have to convince EU member states that the level of migration in Germany is so high that it risks collapsing internal order and security.

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The German government may struggle to achieve this as the number of asylum seekers entering Germany has already fallen by around 30 per cent, according to the latest statistics.

Friedrich Merz has vowed to turn back asylum seekers from Germanys land borders, claiming the countrys capacity to receive them is overwhelmed - Reuters

The European Union has previously launched disciplinary actions against member states, such as Hungary, for incorrectly using the same emergency powers to reduce migration levels.

This week, Alexander Dobrindt, the German interior minister, revoked an order dating back to 2015 under Angela Merkel, which had allowed asylum seekers to enter Germany without residency papers.

The Merkel government-era order was given to police after she threw open Germanys borders at the height of the refugee crisis to welcome Syrians, Afghans and others fleeing conflict.

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The German government says the decision to revoke that order is justified and legal, as in practice it will mean turning away people who have already acquired refugee status in a safe neighbouring EU country.

Mr Merz, a former BlackRock banking executive, was sworn in as chancellor this week after winning the second of two votes in the Bundestag, the German parliament, on approving his leadership.

The CDU leader lost the initial round of voting after more than a dozen of his allies in the new coalition rebelled against him in the secret ballot. He went on to win the second vote that afternoon by a small margin.

Mr Merz is facing intense pressure from the far-Right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to introduce major reforms on migration. The AfD came second place in last Februarys federal elections, making it the de facto opposition in Germany.

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Germanys domestic intelligence service has moved to classify the AfD as a Right-wing extremist group, opening the door to a potential ban of the party. The party has been embroiled in a series of scandals over divisive migration rhetoric and playing down Nazi war crimes, as well as Russian and Chinese spying allegations.

On Thursday, the intelligence service said it had temporarily paused that process, awaiting approval from the federal constitutional court to continue. However, the AfD reacted by claiming a victory over political censorship in Germany.

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Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz congratulated "His Holiness Pope Leo XIV" on being elected to head the Catholic Church.

Robert Prevost, formerly a cardinal from Chicago, was elected on Thursday to head the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. He has taken the name Leo XIV.

Merz, who is Catholic, said in a press statement that people in Germany look to the new pontificate with confidence and positive expectations."

"Through your office, you provide hope and guidance to millions of believers worldwide during these times of great challenges. For many people, you are an anchor for justice and reconciliation."
New German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on India and Pakistan to de-escalate after India launched attacks across the border, bringing the two rival nuclear powers to the brink of another war.

"It is now more important than ever to keep calm," Merz said during his inaugural visit as chancellor to Paris on Wednesday.

Merz, who took office on Tuesday, stressed the need for "prudence and reason," adding that "no one in the region should have any interest in further escalation."

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Merz said he and French President Emmanuel Macron were deeply concerned by the previous night's clashes between India and Pakistan, which came following a terrorist attack in the Indian-administered part of Kashmir on April 22 in which at least 26 civilians, most of them Indian tourists, were killed.

New Delhi blames the attack on Pakistan, but Islamabad has denied the accusations and has said it will retaliate against the Indian strikes.

"We remain in contact with our partners in Europe and the region, as well as with the parties to the conflict, and are endeavouring to exert our influence," Merz said.

The German Foreign Office called on India and Pakistan to prevent further escalation, while advising its citizens against travelling to the region.

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"After the horrific terrorist attack in Kashmir and the Indian military response to it, there is an urgent need for both countries to act responsibly," the German Foreign Office wrote on social media platform Bluesky, calling on both sides to prevent escalation and protect civilians.

The office said it was in contact with both India and Pakistan.

The German Foreign Office updated his travel advisory for Pakistan on Wednesday, recommending that citizens postpone planned flights to the country.

Following the overnight Indian strikes, Pakistan initially closed its airspace but has since reopened it. Islamabad said that the strikes killed at least 31 people and wounded another 57 people. Three people were reportedly killed on the Indian side.

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International flights to and from Pakistan as well as domestic flights have been suspended, according to the Foreign Office, which also advised against travelling to the regions of Jammu, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

Travellers were advised to contact their airline for more information on their flight status.

The Attari-Wagah border crossing between India and Pakistan remains closed, according to the German Foreign Ministry, which noted that further travel restrictions are possible.

A chinar tree branch has fallen on a residential house following a plane crash in Wuyan, after India launched airstrikes on Pakistan. Basit Zargar/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Security personnel cordon off the area following a plane crash in Pampore, as tensions rise after India launched air strikes on Pakistan on May 7. Basit Zargar/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Army soldiers examine a building damaged by a suspected Indian missile attack near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan controlled Kashmir. Hussain Ali/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

A person receives treatment for injuries sustained during a suspected Indian missile attack at a hospital in Bahawalpur, following missile strikes by India on cities in Pakistan, as reported by the Pakistani military's Inter Services Public Relations. Hussain Ali/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz by telephone on Thursday, in what he described as a "good and detailed conversation."

In a post on X, Zelensky said Merz had pledged continued support for Kiev, adding: "It was important to hear that."

"We count on Germany to continue playing one of the key roles in supporting Ukraine  both in protecting our people now and in rebuilding the country after the war ends," Zelensky wrote.

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He said the two leaders had "already agreed to work on implementing many important things," emphasizing that there is "great potential" for partnership between Germany and Ukraine.

Zelensky was one of the first foreign politicians to congratulate Merz on X immediately after his appointment as chancellor on Tuesday.
BlackRock has more than 21,000 staff around the world. Photograph: Lucas Jackson/Reuters

BlackRock, the worlds biggest asset management company, is reportedly preparing to order its senior managers to work from the office five days a week.

The New-York based company is expected to tell its staff as early as Thursday that about 1,000 managing directors around the world should work in the office full-time, the Financial Times has reported.

BlackRock last told staff in 2023 they had to go into the office at least four days a week. More junior staff will still be allowed to work from home one day a week under the new guidance, according to the report.

BlackRock, which has more than 21,000 staff around the world, is one of many big American corporations calling time on an era of remote and hybrid working triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Earlier this year, JPMorgan Chase summoned all its workers back into the office. Jamie Dimon, the head of the bank, has long been a proponent of restoring pre-pandemic working patterns.

In an internal memo to staff, Dimon and other executives acknowledged that some workers preferred a hybrid schedule and that they respectfully understand that not everyone will agree with this decision. However they insisted that it was the best way to run the company.

Barclays also hardened its stance on remote working earlier this year, ordering that all staff should work from the office at least three days a week, up from a previous requirement of two days.

While technology companies led the shift in working patterns during the pandemic, businesses in the sector are also beginning to mandate a return to the office. This year Amazon increased its requirement from three days to five days a week in the office for its staff.

On Thursday, a House of Lords committee set up to investigate how the rise of remote and hybrid working has affected employers, employees and the wider British economy, was told that the traditional Friday post-work drink had all but disappeared from UK city centres as a result of changes in working patterns.

In Londons instance, the Friday night drink hasnt gone away; it has just shifted to a Thursday, Paul Swinney, the director of policy and research at the thinktank Centre for Cities, told the committee.

When we looked at other large cities  it appeared from the data that we have, that the post-work drink has reduced.

The committee was told that recent Centre for Cities research had found increased home-working had changed the spending habits of commuters and this could pose a challenge for service businesses that depended on footfall from office workers, such as hospitality venues, sandwich bars and coffee shops.
A development in Detroit near Michigan Central Station that promised to serve as a model for building affordable housing fast has instead suffered delays, frustrated neighbors and raised questions about whether the homes will truly be affordable.

In February 2024, the Gilbert Family Foundation and North Corktown Neighborhood Association announced they would build nine homes on a mostly vacant street to show the potential of manufactured home building to quickly deliver affordable options.

But the up to $5 million project is behind schedule, leaving the seven homes built thus far sitting vacant for months  long after their October public unveiling. Since then, two have been broken into, with doors boarded up and the neighborhood association hiring round-the-clock security to protect the homes.

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Building costs estimated to exceed more than $500,000 for some houses have also rendered the project too expensive to replicate without a deep-pocketed backer like Gilbert, the foundation acknowledged.

From left to right: Four unoccupied homes at a new Gilbert Family Foundation-funded affordable housing development sit alongside the existing home of an aggrieved neighbor. Photo taken Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.

Detroit faces an affordable housing shortage driven by rising rents and a historic lack of investment in repairing aging homes and building new ones. Peter Hammer, faculty director of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne State University Law School, who studies economic and social issues impacting Detroit, said the project's challenges show the difficulty of creating affordable housing in a highly dysfunctional housing system, and offer a broader lesson.

This is the wrong tool for the problem that theyre trying to solve  if youre not focusing directly on the nature of the problem and trying to tailor your solutions to what people actually need, you get all of these white elephants, Hammer said, an analogy that references an expensive and costly-to-maintain gift of limited use.

Gilbert Family Foundation Executive Director Laura Grannemann stood by the project, saying its primary objective was to spark a conversation around the potential for manufactured housing in Detroit.

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The current vacancy is not a problem, she added, as long-awaited electrical connections included upgrades to ensure the homes are set up for success. Low-income buyers will also receive support to maintain the homes, she said.

"While this was a delay, were still really confident that were doing the right thing that will ultimately be to the benefit of the homeowners and to the community," Grannemann said.

North Corktown Neighborhood Association President Bre Williamson, who inherited the project after her predecessor's departure, said the homes will be listed for sale as soon as June.

Though she said she appreciates the intent to create affordable housing, she has concerns about how the project unfolded.

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I do just think a lot of this boiled down to inexperience  on our part as an organization, inexperience on (the Gilbert foundations) part in it being their first run at this type of project, said Williamson. Its a hard project to work on. I would caution community groups to not entertain housing unless its something theyre already specialized in.

An innovative project

The development funded by the Dan Gilbert-backed foundation is known as Tomorrow's Housing Innovation Showcase  or THIS.

Located about a half-mile from the newly revamped Michigan Central Station, it sits in North Corktown, a neighborhood seeing a surge of new construction and rising housing costs. In the last 24 months, the average North Corktown home sale price soared to more than $400,000, sales data shows. Median income in the neighborhood, however, remains just $30,000, according to census data.

A new $5 million housing pilot in North Corktown has frustrated neighbors has been delayed.

Built on two mostly vacant blocks at 16th and Perry streets, the nine homes to eventually make up THIS are reserved for households earning 50% to 80% of the regions median income, with the Gilbert foundation covering the gap between building costs and sale prices. The seven houses erected thus far range from 800- to 1,800-square feet and were initially due to be priced from $225,000-$280,000, Williamson said.

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In addition to spotlighting factory-built construction, the development is to be managed by a Community Land Trust, a budding concept in Detroit. Under the CLT model, a nonprofit owns the land on which the houses sit and maintains long-term affordability by limiting the profit owners can make when they eventually sell the home. Grannemann said the Gilbert foundation was drawn to North Corktown because its neighborhood association had already established a separate CLT.

Detroit lacks quality, affordable housing solutions, Grannemann said in a February 2024 statement announcing the plan. This investment will showcase the next generation of housing solutions, putting Detroit at the center of housing innovation. It would also lay the groundwork for a more stable housing ecosystem, she said.

Unrealistic timeline, vacancy

Philanthropies are known  and often lauded  for their willingness to take on risky investments in an effort to solve stubborn societal challenges.

To show how quickly manufactured housing could be built, the partners budgeted less than four months for the project, starting construction in July with a plan to unveil the homes in October.

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That, however, left less than four months for DTE hookups in a long-idling area with antiquated infrastructure. Such upgrades typically take at least a year, Williamson and two Detroit development experts told the Free Press.

By the time of the October open house, the homes were still not connected to power.

Nevertheless, the four-day festival went on  with a DJ, food trucks serving free fare and a community land trust policy talk that asked attendees What is a city but the people? For the duration of the event, the houses ran on generators.

One of the two Gilbert foundation-funded homes that have been broken into in North Corktown on 16th Street in Detroit on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.

Three weeks later, as they remained unoccupied  appliances and staging furniture still inside  two were broken into. Stolen was a generator valued at $1,500, according to a police report obtained by the Free Press.

The neighbors view

Thirty-six-year-old Alex Lauer poured his savings into gutting and renovating a pre-1900s Victorian he bought in 2017 on a vacant block of 16th Street. In the last year, THIS was built around his home.

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A construction manager and real estate broker, Lauer was skeptical about the pace of the project when he learned about it and expressed his concerns to the groups involved  including the Gilbert Family Foundation, North Corktown Neighborhood Association and the architects  but "pretty much nobody listened to me or cared to hear what I had to say," he said.

Alex Lauer, 36, who has lived in Corktown for 16 years, stands near his home in North Corktown on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Lauer lives across the street from a Gilbert Family Foundation-backed housing project, where factory-built homes remain vacant, without electricity, and have been broken into months after their expected completion.

Twice in July, after construction began, an excavator ripped out powerlines, triggering explosions on the street and cutting his power, Lauer said.

"Every step of this process has been problematic," he said. "There hasn't been one step that has been executed properly." Then in November, the two break-ins happened.

"The Gilbert Family Foundation has postured themselves in this way where they want to take the credit for the good that has yet to be done, and they want no accountability for the damages and neglect that has occurred. And I'm just stuck here having to watch this every single day, and to me, there's no end in sight," he said.

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The new houses surrounding him are expected to remain vacant through at least next month, according to Grannemann. Power hookups ordered July 2 took 10 months to complete, with work wrapping up April 29.

Michigan Central is seen from the porch of Alex Lauer, 36, on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, in North Corktown. Lauer lives across the street from a Gilbert Family Foundation-backed housing project, where factory-built homes remain vacant, without electricity, and have been broken into months after their expected completion.

At issue was a late-stage development decision to add garages that triggered a safety requirement to move power poles. DTE requested a city permit for that work in October, but did not receive one until February. The city said the approval process took five months because the developer did not provide clear instructions.

Grannemann said the complicated nature of Detroit development makes it important to push on some of these deadlines a little bit.

Part of this project is to say we think we can bring this innovative technology to the city of Detroit in a way that meets our design standards, is beautiful, is high quality and is preserving affordability but that also brings product to market in a quicker way, Grannemann said.  So I think it's still important to push on the process so other projects can benefit from speed to development."

'Who's got that kind of money?'

Tony Candell, a 70-year-old lifelong North Corktown resident, says he has endured a lot in the neighborhood over the years, from hearing gunshots nightly to drug trafficking and regular thefts. THIS has come too late to help the people who were there alongside him, he said.

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With seven homes standing empty, Candell said he doesnt like the look of it all.

Sounds like these highly educated, smart billionaires don't have no common sense to me. They got more money than brains.

As for the price, initially projected to be at least $225,000  nearly 10 times the assessed value of his own home, he asked: Whos got that kind of money?

Indeed, the association is reevaluating the sales prices of the homes. Williamson said in April that prices may need to come down to ensure theyre affordable for people living at 50% to 80% of the area median income.

Academics have also questioned whether the houses could be affordable for buyers earning so little. The income bands translate to $50,500 to $80,800 for a household of four. For a home to be considered affordable, total housing costs including utilities cannot exceed 30% of the households income.

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It doesnt take a mathematician  anyone trying to support a family on $50,000-$80,000 could tell you a quarter-million dollar home is not affordable, said Lex Eisenberg, an affordable housing researcher and lecturer at the University of Michigan, noting that beyond paying their mortgage and utilities, buyers would have to cover the cost of repairs, property taxes and home insurance.

Factory-built homes from a Gilbert Family Foundation-backed housing project sit vacant and without electricity in North Corktown on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. The units, located across the street from a longtime resident, were expected to be completed months ago but remain unfinished and have been broken into.

Eisenberg added that a house deemed affordable based on AMI for the entire Detroit metro is not actually affordable for legacy Detroiters, because median household income for Detroiters is about half that of the metro region.

If you want to make homes truly affordable for people who have lived here, if you want people to be able to stay in these homes and build wealth, the costs to them must be much lower, Eisenberg said.

Prices are high because the project has had conflicting goals: displaying the cost efficency of manufactured housing, and destigmatizing that type of housing, which can conjure the image of trailer parks. The latter goal resulted in a showcase of varied home models from multiple manufacturers and of higher aesthetic quality  at least two of which are on pace to exceed more than $500,000 in building and site work costs, Williamson said.

For Williamson, ultimately the goal was to show this is just a really cost-effective way to build. But, she added, It has just turned out this is not the case. I dont know if the industry is far enough along to produce in-fill homes at a reasonable cost that meet a certain design aesthetic."

Williamson declined to provide a complete project cost breakdown, saying investments are still being made in garages and other areas. She said the decision to designate the homes as for-purchase to households earning as little as 50% AMI  the lowest designated buyer income bracket in Detroit, as per city data  predated her.

Who benefits?

Bill Cheek, who lives a few blocks from THIS, called the development a vanity project and said the foundation should have instead helped low-income North Corktown residents maintain their homes by investing in new roofs and other needed repairs.

It's frustrating from the perspective of what they could have accomplished here, Cheek said. When you look at having the resources Gilbert has  deploying ($5 million) into this neighborhood could have made orders of magnitude of difference in people's lives.

Factory-built homes from a Gilbert Family Foundation-backed housing project sit vacant and without electricity in North Corktown on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. The units, located across the street from a longtime resident, were expected to be completed months ago but remain unfinished and have been broken into.

This is the pinnacle of the nonprofit grift that exists in Detroit, he added. You've got all these dollars that seem readily available around the city, and how are we using those dollars to  really make a difference?

Williamson thinks a lot about rising housing prices in the neighborhood  the adult children and grandchildren of longtime North Corktown residents who cannot afford to buy homes there. For her, the project is beneficial because it ensures some quality lower-cost and community stewarded housing.

But she also thinks about the approximately 60 North Corktown homes with crumbling roofs.

I think were just repeating the same cycle that got us to homes with significant deferred maintenance, Williamson said. Why do we have all this land in Detroit? Because it used to be houses. And we didnt invest in upkeeping them then, we didnt invest in the people who were in them, we took the people out of them and then we just let them sit, and then they disappeared and we were just left with land.

The Gilbert foundation and its sister charity, the Rocket Community Fund, have indeed historically focused on stabilizing existing Detroit housing, with $33 million in investments in home repair and tax-foreclosure prevention programs.

But Grannemann said the philanthropy has expanded to new development because were not going to repair our way out of the housing issues in Detroit. Also needed, she said, is increased innovation in (the) housing supply so we can have more housing diversity that can address lots of needs and increase the quality of our housing stock.

THIS  even with its prohibitively high costs  helps move the city toward that goal, she said.

If you are a regular developer and you're trying to replicate the project, is it going to be replicable? No, she said. But does that mean factory-built technology is not an important tool for the future of housing affordability? I also think the answer is no.  We can take the information from and the learnings from this project and apply them to future projects in ways that will be more affordable and sustainable."

For Williamson, the projects lessons are different.

The way we do all of these things is just broken," she said. "Theres been such significant disinvestment that were just sort of putting Band-Aids on bullet wounds here. Were not actually solving a problem."

Nushrat Rahman, who covers economic mobility for the Free Press and BridgeDetroit, contributed to this report.

Violet Ikonomova is an investigative reporter at the Free Press. Contact her at vikonomova@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Delays, doubts cloud Gilbert-backed project near Michigan Central
Glendale police asked the public on May 7 to help detectives identify three people who were present for a mass shooting that killed three and injured five at El Camaron Gigante, which is roughly a block away from the citys historic downtown, on May 4.

Before the shooting, hundreds of people were attending a dance party on the restaurant's patio. The event had been put on by On A Sunday Afternoon, a Chicano lifestyle and clothing brand that regularly organized dance events.

The department published two pictures capturing three people.

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Officer Moroni Mendez, a department spokesperson, said homicide supervisors asked for the images of the people to be shared because they believed the people pictured possessed important information related to their case.

Mendez said the people police were searching for were not suspects.

Mendez asked anyone who recognized any of the people pictured to contact police by calling the departments nonemergency number at 623-930-3000. Calls can be made anonymously through Silent Witness at 480-948-6377.

The department's May 7 appeal to the public wasnt its first.

Glendale police spokesperson Jose Santiago previously encouraged anyone with information about the incident to anonymously upload any videos or photos they had of the incident to a web portal. Anyone with verbal tips could call the departments nonemergency number, Santiago said.

Glendale police asked the public on May 7 to help detectives identify three people who were present for a mass shooting that killed three and injured five at El Camaron Gigante restaurant on May 4. They were not suspects, police said, but may have important information.

Glendale police asked the public on May 7 to help detectives identify three people who were present for a mass shooting that killed three and injured five at El Camaron Gigante restaurant on May 4. They were not suspects, police said, but may have important information.

Persons of interest appear in videos posted to social media

In video footage posted online, the woman police designated as the first person of interest can be seen pointing to a group of men and calling security over.

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As security arrives and separates her from the group of men, the person labeled as the second person of interest can be seen throwing an object, possibly a bottle, at the men she was pointing out.

This confrontation drew the attention of the disc jockeys on stage, who stopped the music. The event organizer, Bobby Luera, can be heard on the video using a microphone on the stage to ask for calm, and then ending the event after the object is thrown.

The man police labeled as the third person of interest appears on video talking to at least one of the men from the group the woman pointed out as security escorted him towards the exit.

Videos posted to social media capturing the incident depict a chaotic scene with some people pushing and striking each other. One video shows a crowd chanting beat it as security separates the participants of a fight and removes them from the area.

Questions about Glendale shooting remain as days pass

Glendale polices latest appeal came three days after the fatal shooting killed brothers Damien Anthony Sproule, 17, and Christopher Juaquin Sproule, 21, as well as Milo Christopher Suniga, 21.

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Stephanie Ortega and Regenea LaRoche Sproule, the mother and stepmother of Damien and Christopher, respectively, said the brothers were looking to meet people who were also interested in cars.

They were out there trying to make friends from the lowrider community, Sproule said. Because they had just gotten their own lowriders and they wanted to fix them up, so they needed to make friends.

Veronica Tarango, Suniga's cousin, the third person who died in the shooting, told The Arizona Republic at a community vigil on May 6 that he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught in the crossfire. Suniga wasn't a violent or confrontational person, she said.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Glendale police want to talk to these people about mass shooting
President Donald Trump told reporters today that he is dropping the nomination of Ed Martin to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia because of slipping Republican support for Martin in the Senate.

"He's a terrific person, and he wasn't getting the support from people that I thought," Trump said at the White House.

The news should be welcomed by free speech advocates or really anyone who dislikes bullies. Martin was a menace to the First Amendment and a loyalist who put his adoration of the president above his oath to the Constitution.

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Doubts over Martin's nomination began to accumulate as news investigations uncovered his frequent appearances on far-right podcasts and Russian-backed media, which he had failed to disclose to the Senate.

Trump appointed Martin as the acting U.S. Attorney for the D.C. in January. It's one of the more powerful federal prosecutor offices in the country, both because of its political proximity and because it handles D.C.'s felony caseload.

Martin, a Missouri Republican, was an organizer and fundraiser for the 2020 "Stop the Steal" movement and later represented defendants charged with participating in the January 6 Capitol riot. It was quickly apparent that Martin was out of his depth as a U.S. attorney and wrapped in conflicts of interest. In one instance, he asked a court to dismiss the cases of a January 6 defendant whom he had previously represented.

But once in office, Martin made himself useful as an attack dog for the president's agenda. He began using his new official letterhead to pen threatening and legally dubious letters to various enemies of the Trump administration.

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One of his first official acts was to threaten several Democratic lawmakers with criminal investigations for statements opposing Trump that were, while heated, protected speech under the First Amendment.

Martin also spent his time writing sycophantic letters to Elon Musk and threatening social media users for posting the names of employees of Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

In April, Martin sent a letter to the nonprofit that runs Wikipedia, accusing the website of spreading foreign propaganda and suggesting its 501(c)(3) status was in jeopardy.

Martin announced in a March letter to local law enforcement, as part of his "Make DC Safe Again" initiative, his office "would stand up in court against the 'public defender service' and anyone who maligns our officers for sport or advantage unfairly."

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Martin said he would rewrite the office's policy of disclosing misconduct by police officers to defense attorneys. Prosecutors are required to disclose exculpatory material to defense lawyers, including officers' misconduct and disciplinary history. Prosecutor offices usually maintain a list of officers with significant credibility problems. However, Martin wrote that the office "will no longer allow judges or others to gratuitously damage your careers because of the outsized impact of inexact characterizations." Martin wants criminal defendants to know less about the credibility of police officers testifying against them.

In another bizarre social media post, Martin promised to support the president's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, although it's unclear what role a U.S. attorney would have in cartographical disputes.

"As President Trumps' [sic] lawyers, we are proud to fight to protect his leadership as our President and we are vigilant in standing against entities like the AP that refuse to put America first," Martin wrote.

Of course, Martin is not Trump's lawyer. Unlike Trump's private lawyers, he gets paidby taxpayers.

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But it was Martin's comments about January 6 defendants, and his poor attempts to hide those comments, that ultimately sunk his nomination. For example, Martin apologized in April for praising a pardoned January 6 defendant who was an avowed Nazi and photographed himself posing as Hitler. Martin said he wasn't aware of the man's ideology. However, The Washington Post reported that Martin defended the man in videos and podcasts as late as 2023, describing him as a friend who had been smeared by allegations of antisemitism.

CNN revealed over 200 media appearances that Martin had failed to disclose to the Senate, including appearances with white nationalists. In written responses to a Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire, Martin claimed under oath he couldn't recall if he'd ever made statements denigrating the service of a police officer who was injured on January 6. (He did several times.)

"I have no tolerance for anybody who entered the building on Jan. 6," Sen. Thom Tillis (RN.C.) told reporters on Tuesday, explaining why he would not support Martin's nomination.

The job of a defense lawyer is to provide a zealous defense for their client, but Martin made it clear that his advocacy was personal and political, and that those concerns took precedence over any professional or ethical duties.

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Unfortunately, Martin isn't going anywhere for the meantime. He's still the interim U.S. Attorney for D.C., and Trump told reporters that he'd like to keep him around.

"Ed is unbelievable, and hopefully we can bring him into, whether it's DOJ or whatever, in some capacity," Trump said.

The post Good Riddance to Ed Martin, Trump's Failed Pick for U.S. Attorney for D.C. appeared first on Reason.com.
A Spokane Valley man intervened in a violent assault Wednesday morning and fired a shot at a stolen cars tire in an effort to stop the suspect from fleeing, according to the Spokane County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies responded around 9:50 a.m. to a report of a man pointing a pistol at a vehicle near North Conklin Road and East Sprague Avenue.

When they arrived, they learned the man with the gun was a bystander who had stepped in to stop an attack on a woman and ended up preventing the suspects escape.

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According to investigators, the Good Samaritan was with his wife and daughter when he saw 36-year-old William C. Morris allegedly beating a woman near the road.

The witness confronted Morris, told him police had been called, and tried to block him from driving away in a black Kia Soullater confirmed as stolen from Seattle.

The Good Samaritan told deputies that Morris ignored his commands to stay and accelerated the Kia toward him.

Fearing he was about to be hit, the man drew his handgun.

Morris then lurched the vehicle forward again, prompting the man to step aside and fire one shot, hitting the front drivers side tire.

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Morris fled the scene in the damaged Kia.

The woman he was allegedly assaulting was last seen walking away westbound on Sprague.

A coordinated search involving Spokane Valley Deputies, Liberty Lake Police, and Spokane County Deputies quickly followed.

Officers found the stolen Kia abandoned near Sprague and Barker and detained a man matching Morriss description walking west on Sprague.

Deputies also located the female victim a short distance away.

She had accepted a ride from Morris earlier that day, but they began arguing, which escalated into physical violence, investigators said.

The victim declined serious medical attention.

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Authorities say Morris traveled to Spokane from Seattle in the stolen vehicle.

He was booked into Spokane County Jail on charges of first-degree robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle, and fourth-degree assault.

He also had an outstanding King County warrant for possession of a stolen vehicle and is being held pending extradition.

The Good Samaritan and his family fully cooperated with investigators and were released without charges.
SPRINGFIELD, MO.  One of the bluest buildings in the Ozarks is undergoing a major remodel thatll alter the look of the longtime landmark.

In recent days, construction crews have started work on a major multi-million-dollar makeover of the Assemblies of God National Office at 1445 N. Boonville Ave. A rendering on site (see photo below) shows the big changes in store.

This week, contractors have started removing some of the old blue exterior panels and replacing them with sections of dark glass. But, the color change appears to be just one element of the overall plan.

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A rendering on a sign in the construction zone shows a new multi-story wing on the south side of the building. There will also be a new entrance driveway and parking lot. Building permits filed with the City of Springfield also reveal several interior changes are taking place.

Ozarks First reached out to the General Council of the Assemblies of God for additional details about the project, but we havent heard back from them.

The area around the AG campus has become a beehive of activity in recent weeks. Construction is also taking place across Campbell Ave. on the new Pipkin Middle School. Springfield Public Schools purchased the 8.86-acre property from the denomination back in January. The former AG-owned buildings on the site were demolished in recent months to make way for the new school set to open in 2027.

The Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world, moved its headquarters to Springfield in 1914 just four years after the groups founding. According to the A/Gs website, the organization constructed its first buildings on the current site (a Gospel Publishing House production plant and office building) in 1949. That was followed by the construction of a new four-story administration building facing Boonville Ave. in 1962. Additional expansions resulted in a new six-story distribution center in 1972 and a shipping warehouse in 1980.

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The Assemblies Springfield office serves as an administrative base for the denominations United States arm, which has 13,000 churches and 3-million members. Across the world, the group claims nearly 70 million members.

According to data from the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, more than 700 people are employed at the General Council of the Assemblies of God National Office.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
WASHINGTON  Republicans on Capitol Hill are scrambling to resolve intense divisions over Medicaid as they hammer out a key piece of their massive bill for President Donald Trumps agenda with hopes of advancing it through a House committee next week.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is facing new conflicting pressure from within his narrow majority: Swing-district Republicans are growing increasingly wary of significant Medicaid cuts as they face political heat, while conservative hard-liners are threatening to torpedo the bill unless it contains $2 trillion in cuts.

Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee met behind closed doors Wednesday to try to resolve their differences, and will meet again Thursday. The panel is tasked with finding $880 billion in savings, most of which will have to come from Medicaid, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, and it has already delayed releasing legislative text and holding a hearing.

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While GOP lawmakers sounded upbeat as they exited Wednesdays meeting, disagreements persisted at the highest levels about the path forward.

Most notably, Johnson told reporters on Tuesday he believed two major Medicaid cuts under discussion  lowering the federal match (the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, or FMAP) to states for enrollees added under the Obamacare expansion, and slapping per capita caps on spending  were off the table.

But after Wednesdays meeting, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., wasnt so sure.

Ill hopefully get to talk to leadership about it a little later. My understanding  what I saw, though, was per capita caps were still kind of alive, Guthrie told reporters. So well see.

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Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a centrist who represents a swing district Trump lost last fall, said that if FMAP changes and per person spending caps are included in the bill, it will probably fail.

I dont think these measures will pass the House, let alone the Senate, Bacon told NBC News on Wednesday.

The House majority is 220-213, meaning Johnson can spare just three Republican votes before the bill risks collapsing. Johnson has set a goal of passing the bill through the House by Memorial Day.

Meanwhile, a group of 32 Republicans sent a letter to Johnson on Wednesday insisting that the reconciliation bill must include at least $2 trillion in verifiable savings either through spending reductions or scaling back the size of the tax package in order to win their votes.

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Critically, the deficit reduction target must be met with real, enforceable spending cuts  not budget gimmicks, the GOP lawmakers wrote in the letter, led by Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa.

Ahead of the letters release, Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., a former chair of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, said in an interview he simply wont vote for a bill that adds to the deficit.

Im not worried. I got a vote, and if somebodys gonna ask me to vote to bankrupt the country  I dont know what that coalition is, but Im not going to be in it, said Perry, a rare GOP hard-liner in a competitive district who narrowly won re-election last fall.

What is a 'benefit cut'? Republicans disagree

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, insisted categorically that there will be no cuts to benefits under Medicaid in the bill, which Republicans are aiming to pass on a party-line basis in both chambers.

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Were not going to cut benefits to American citizens. That should be the headline of every news article you guys ever do. The Republicans are not going to cut benefits to American citizens, Moreno said in an interview. So you can talk about anything you want in the other chamber, but if it comes here with a cut of benefits, its not going to pass.

But what constitutes a benefit cut? Republicans have different views on how that should be defined.

Some Republicans say anything that cuts benefits for those who are lawfully on Medicaid today  or restricts their access to the program  amounts to a benefit cut. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said lowering the federal match to states and imposing per capita caps may well be benefit cuts, leaving Missouri with a choice of slashing programs, raising taxes or throwing residents off Medicaid. If so, hed vote no.

But GOP fiscal hawks see it differently: Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, argued that aggregate Medicaid spending is likely to rise in the long term even if those restrictions are implemented, therefore it should not be construed as a cut.

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And Perry defended the idea of reducing the federal payment to states, saying the Medicaid expansion created by the Affordable Care Act went too far.

The policy as it currently exists incentivizes states to add people to the rolls that are decidedly not within the design of Medicaid as envisioned. Medicaid is for the poor, Perry said. Were disadvantaging the poor even more for the sake of those who dont really qualify for the program.

Republicans broadly agree on some new limits to Medicaid, like work requirements for able-bodied adults, citizenship verification and more frequent eligibility checks. They say those provisions are about program integrity and rooting out fraud and waste.

But that saves a limited sum of money  probably not enough to meet their targets. GOP lawmakers are at loggerheads over policies that would save larger sums of money, while not affecting benefits.

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Were making sure that anyone who is eligible remains eligible, and people who should not be on the program, aka illegals, are not on the program, Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., said after Wednesdays Energy and Commerce Committee meeting.

Meanwhile, Democrats are turning up the political heat over Medicaid. Outside the Capitol, prominent Democrats and outside allies held what they termed a 24-hour vigil for Medicaid as they warned of horrific consequences, including to older adults, if the program gets the ax.

A new report Wednesday by the Congressional Budget Office analyzed some of the ideas Republicans are considering. The report, requested by Democrats to score GOP ideas that have been floated, found that lowering the FMAP under Medicaid and slapping on per capita caps would save hundreds of billions of dollars, while removing millions of Americans from Medicaid.

No more bulls--- letters or cable TV appearances from the fake moderates. If they really wanted to save Medicaid, they had the opportunity to vote no on their extreme budget  twice  but refused, said Justin Chermol, a spokesman for the Democrats House campaign arm, which has focused on Medicaid. This new CBO report is further proof that their words are meaningless.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Rep. Susan Estes, a Wichita Republican and vice chair of the state task force devoted to rewriting the public school finance formula, said she would welcome inclusion in the formula a mandate that public school teachers earn at least $45,000 annually so compensation was above the federal poverty level for a family of four. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  Two Republicans leading the Kansas task force developing a new public education finance formula expressed frustration that superintendents were being recruited to join a prospective lawsuit amid speculation the reform process would result in elimination of districts with fewer than 100 students.

Wichita GOP Sen. Renee Erickson and Rep. Susan Estes, who serve as chair and vice chair of the task force, said Wednesday disruptive speculation was rampant despite no formal policy votes by the task force on reshaping the frequently litigated formula.

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Ive been disturbed that Im getting phone calls from superintendents who are saying they are being told, Were going to need a lawsuit. Oh, districts with less than 100 students are going to cease to exist,' Estes said.

Erickson said she was approached by superintendents who said they had taken part in meetings of the Kansas Council of Superintendents in which superintendents were told the task force would write the 10 school districts with fewer than 100 students out of the formula. She declined to identify the source of that claim, but characterized the assertion as fearmongering.

There has been a poisoning of the well against this process already, and superintendents are worried, Erickson said. It doesnt benefit anyone to poison the well and already start gearing up for an expensive lawsuit without having anything to sue over yet. That mentality is not helpful to anyone in this process.

In 2017, the Kansas Supreme Court found the formula devised by the Legislature to be in violation of Article 6 of the Kansas Constitution. The decision was the culmination of years of litigation by Schools for Fair Funding which represented individual school districts that served as plaintiffs in the case.

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Task force members Jim Porter, a Fredonia member of the Kansas State Board of Education, and Brad Neuenswander, superintendent of the Jefferson West School District, said they hadnt participated in presentations to superintendents about a hypothetical lawsuit.

That discussion has not happened in my presence, Porter said.

Frank Harwood, a deputy commissioner at the Kansas Department of Education and a task force member, said he was skeptical the state would do away with the rural districts that enrolled fewer than 100 students.

I dont think Kansas can ever get rid of all districts below 100 because we just have areas where thats what they need, he said.

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The current Kansas school finance formula expires in June 2027, but GOP leaders of the task force expect to submit a revised formula to the 2026 Legislature in January. Republicans hold supermajorities in the House and Senate, which suggested a school finance bill could pass on party-line votes. If the Legislature waited until the 2027 session to complete work on a new formula, the bill would be presented to a new governor because Democratic Gov. Laura Kellys second term would end in January 2027.

Teacher salaries

During the task force meeting at the Capitol, Estes triggered a lengthy discussion about whether the finance formula should set a statewide baseline for public school teacher salaries. She said a mandate that local school districts comply with a minimum teacher salary of $45,000 per year might be appropriate. Federal poverty status for a family of four was $41,000, she said.

Its reasonable to have a discussion that sets a minimum standard of teacher salary above the federal poverty limit, Estes said. Theres nothing more important in a classroom, that we touch, than teachers.

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Teacher salaries should remain a function of local school boards and district administrators while remaining outside of the states school finance formula, said GOP Sen. Beverly Gossage, a Eudora member of the task force.

Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, told colleagues on the task force the Legislature could direct districts to pass a percentage of state appropriations to teachers in the form of salary. She also said public school teachers had 190 contract days each year and had the option of securing a second job in summer months when schools were closed.

Erickson, the task force chair, challenged the premise higher teacher salaries would improve educational prospects of students.

We overpay our ineffective teachers way too much, Erickson said. The longer theyre embedded in the system, the harder it is to get rid of the teachers who are not doing right by our kiddos. The sad truth of the matter is those are the teachers that are the highest paid because theyve been there the longest.

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Erickson said it was discouraging for young, effective teachers to observe educators with 30 years of experience arrive at school just before the morning bell rang and beat half the students to the parking lot at the end of the day.

Kansas employs about 37,000 public school teachers, but districts reported 1,900 vacancies in fall 2024.

Pre-K funding

The task force debated whether the revised formula should continue to include state funding for at-risk pre-kindergarten children aged 3 and 4.

No vote was taken by the task force, but it appeared a majority was content to concentrate the formula on K-12 programs and leave pre-K initiatives to local school districts.

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Williams, the Augusta House member, said Kansas hadnt done a satisfactory job handling K-12 education and shouldnt be part of preschool education. She said the federally funded Head Start program for 3- and 4-year-old children hadnt lived up to expectations and the opening of Kansas public schools to pre-K programs undermined private schools that operated in that realm.

We have put out of business many Christian schools, preschools and other types of classical education because they cant compete with a free education, Williams said.

Williams, who has been an advocate in the Legislature for distribution of state tax dollars to private schools, said that if the state wanted to continue investing in pre-K programs the funding should be made available to parents so they could decide where to enroll their children in preschool.

I get heartburn when we talk about giving state funding to private entities, especially if theyre not accredited, said Rep. Nikki McDonald, an Olathe Democrat on the task force.
The BMW CEO, Oliver Zipse, said he expected a return to lower tariffs between the US, Canada and Mexico because the costs are far too big for everybody. Photograph: Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

The boss of BMW has predicted that Donald Trumps import tariffs on foreign cars will be lowered this summer, as the German carmaker reported profits for the first three months had tumbled by a quarter.

Oliver Zipse, BMWs chief executive, said he expected that Trumps 25% tariffs on the import of foreign cars would be dropped by July.

He made the prediction after the company reported a drop in profit to 3.1bn (2.6bn) as it braced for the effects of Trumps trade war and strong competition in China.

Zipse also said he expected a return to lower tariffs between the US, Canada and Mexico  previously a free-trade zone under a deal he signed  because the costs are far too big for everybody.

In trade conflicts, nobody wins. All sides should avoid a spiral of isolation and trade barriers, Zipse said, calling for zero-zero tariffs deals amid challenging trading conditions for car manufacturers.

In March, the carmaker said tariffs imposed by the US, EU and China could cost it 1bn this year. BMW imports some of its models from China but EU tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars  in response to alleged state aid from Beijing  cost BMW more than 100m in the first quarter of 2025, it said on Wednesday.

Trumps 90-day pause on tariffs above a flat rate of 10% on most countries is due to end in early July, with the threat of a return to much higher levies, alongside the 145% duties still in force on China. However, the US is rushing through a series of what it describes as trade deals with major trading partners that could lower tariffs.

BMW insisted it was nevertheless well-placed to endure extra tariff costs, with separate factories in the US and China. Zipse said BMW has experienced hardly any effect from the steep US tariffs on China and Chinas retaliation.

Zipse said its factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina, made BMW the largest automotive exporter from the US by value. He added that the companys arguments against tariffs were being listened to.

BMW also owns the Mini factory in Oxford, England, where the company last month cut 180 contract workers in response to lower demand for vehicles.

Despite the first-quarter earnings slump, BMW stuck with its guidance for profits for the year in line with 2024. It expects the global tariff situation to improve as countries scramble to secure trade deals with the US, and insisted BMW was experiencing continued strong demand for its battery electric vehicles, with sales up 32% year-on-year, despite stiff competition in China.

In the first months of the year, BMWs sales in China, the Munich-based manufacturers biggest individual market, fell by 17% even as sales in Europe and the US rose by 6% and 4%, respectively.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)- Indiana Governor Mike Braun signs a bill banning advertising marijuana in the Hoosier State.

Former Vanderburgh County Prosecutors Office employee pleads guilty to wire fraud

The ban language was included in House Bill 1390, which primarily focused on legislation for Indianas Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Indiana is surrounded by three states that have legalized marijuana for adult recreational usage: Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. Advertising for marijuana products and dispensaries within Indianas borders has been a contentious issue, particularly for communities bordering these states, which advertise for visitors to partake during their time visiting, despite still being illegal in Indiana.

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The ban is effective immediately and includes advertising for marijuana by any medium within Indianas borders. In addition to physical advertising, ads for marijuana are also banned on social media, web ads, and geo-targeted promotions. Despite the signing of the law, advertising campaign agreements signed before the law will remain legal until 2035. The Indiana Attorney Generals Office will enforce the law, with fines starting at $5,000.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Gov. Kay Ivey has signed into law a bill that the city of Birmingham is actively trying to stop from reorganizing its water department.

Ivey signed SB330 into law on Wednesday, her office confirmed, effectively taking the Birmingham Water Works Board mostly out of the citys hands and restructuring it to include members appointed by both the state and surrounding counties.

On Tuesday, the city of Birmingham filed a federal lawsuit against Ivey, seeking a temporary injunction from the law going into effect. Because of how the lawsuit was filed, which a District Judge Emily Marks claimed did not give Ivey enough time to respond, the motion to halt the bill was denied. However, a hearing has been set May 15 to discuss the bill.

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The bill, which has now gone into effect with Iveys signature, would reform the BWWB to have seven members, only two of whom would be picked by Birmingham. The remainder of the board would be filled by selections from Ivey, Lieutenant Gov. Will Ainsworth, Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens and representatives from Shelby and Blount Counties.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and other city leaders have long been opposed to the bill, claiming that it was political overreach by the state and was unconstitutional.

This bill does not take politics out of the water works, it actually inserts more into the water works, Woodfin said Tuesday.

Rep. Jim Carns, R-Vestavia Hills, was one of the sponsors of SB330 and said BWWB needed to change.

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In the private sector, if this was a business, they would come in and clean house and it took 19 years for this to happen, Carns previously told CBS 42. I never hear anyone thats happy with the Birmingham water system. I hate it. Its just not something that I wanted to hear, not something that I wanted to be involved with. This has taken a lot of effort and its been painful for a lot of people. Every time you make major change, there is pain involved. The old saying no pain, no gain and I expect a lot of gain out of this.

Birmingham Water Works has faced many struggles over the years. Being nearly $1 billion in debt, the board recently approved water rate increase of 4.9%, coming out to an increase of $2.14 per customer each month.

The city has reported that an estimated 91% of BWWBs clientele is in Jefferson County.

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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCAU)  Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced the launch a new project that will act as an alternative to the federal governments Summer EBT program.

According to a press release Wednesday, Reynolds office announced that that the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service approved the Healthy Kids Iowa program.

The summer initiative will provide families to select $40 dollars worth of fresh food per child each month at their local participating pantry. Those foods include fruits, vegetables, dairy items, whole grains, and proteins.

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Reynolds opted out of the federal Summer EBT program which provides low-income families with EBT cards worth $120 per child to buy groceries over the summer.

In response to the USDA for approving the summer plan, Reynolds said in part, that she is glad the USDA is placing its trust into the state of Iowa. Read the full statement below.

Story continues below

Our goal has always been to ensure all Iowa children have access to nutritious, balanced and wholesome food, while promoting healthy eating habits. Im grateful to the USDA and Secretary Rollins for partnering with the State of Iowa and placing their trust in our statewide network of meal providers. Together were building on the strong foundation already in place to better meet the unique needs of Iowas children and families. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds

The release said that Iowa received over $12 million in USDA meal reimbursements for summer programs in 2023-2024. Meanwhile, Reynolds also invested an additional $900,000, which resulted in 61 new meal sites in 2024.

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The Foodbank of Siouxland said they are excited about the program.

The Food Bank of Siouxland staff and I are excited to join forces with the State of Iowa on the new Healthy Kids Iowa Pilot Program! We are working with Iowa Department Health and Human Services staff on finalizing program details to help identify the right distribution locations to reach families where they need food assistance the most. Through this program, well provide the qualifying families healthy, nutritious foodssuch as fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains and proteins, to help ensure kids stay nourished and supported during the summer months. We will distribute more information as it is developed. https://hhs.iowa.gov/healthy-kids-iowa The Food Bank of Siouxland does believe there are many ways to support families with children over the summer. Adding more food into the charitable food system network is always positive, which Healthy Kids Iowa will do. The Food Bank staff and I will work with the other food banks across the State of Iowa to ensure best practices are developed and as many families with children are served as possible. Statement from Jacob Wanderscheid

Under the Healthy Kids Iowa Pilot Program:

Households must meet the federal poverty level of 185% or below AND have children ages 4-18 in their care.

Households will be allowed to choose from a selection of nutritionally balanced foods each month at their local participating pantry.

Foods will include fruits, vegetables, dairy items, whole grains and proteins.

The Healthy Kids Iowa pilot program will run during June, July, and August 2025. More information can be found here.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  On Monday, Governor Kevin Stitt vetoed an Oklahoma Senate bill that wouldve extended the timeline for Oklahomans facing eviction.

Senate Bill 128, a bipartisan bill authored by Senator Democratic Leader Julia Kirt (D-Oklahoma City) and Representative Daniel Pae (R-Lawton), would have extended the period between the eviction trial notice and court date from 5-10 days to 10-15 days.

Kirt said the purpose of the bill was to give Oklahomans facing eviction more time to seek legal representation or catch up on their unpaid rent and keep their housing.

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SB 128 passed both the House and the Senate in April, but Stitt decided to veto the bill.

This bill seeks to expand minimum wait times in eviction proceedings, making the already burdensome and difficult process of obtaining an eviction that much more burdensome, reads Stitts veto message. The existing procedures already provide adequate due process and notice. This bill would also do the opposite as intended. Instead of assisting renters in arrears, it would incentivize landlords to specifically not rent housing units to low-income households, for risk of greater eviction costs. We cannot overcome economic realities with good intentions.

Oklahoma lawmakers work across the aisle to address high eviction rates, Gov. vetoes bill

News 4 reached out to Oklahoma Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt (D-Oklahoma City) for her reaction following the veto.

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I am disappointed by the Governors veto, Kirt said. This bipartisan bill would have improved our eviction process and increased housing stability across the state. This was the only bill still active addressing housing, which is one of the biggest challenges Oklahoma families face.

Kirt also said she has started conversations with leadership about a potential veto override, but a veto override would be very challenging, considering how close the original vote was to send the bill to the governors desk.

SB 128 passed the Senate with a vote of 26 to 19 and the House with a vote of 51-35. Two-thirds of the House and the Senate would need to approve a veto override to pass the bill into law.

The Oklahoma Policy Institute released a statement on Tuesday, also expressing disappointment in the veto.

Gov. Stitts veto of Senate Bill 128 is more than a missed opportunity  its a step backward for housing stability in Oklahoma. This bipartisan bill would have added just five days to the eviction trial timeline and increased the notice period from three to seven days. Five days could mean the difference between a family staying housed or landing in a shelter. The governors veto demonstrates that he cares more for corporate landlords interests than the needs of everyday Oklahomans who struggle to keep their families safely housed. Right now, large corporate landlords and bad actors can exploit Oklahomas eviction laws to extract extra revenue from their tenants. Under the current system, landlords are able to bounce tenants on the street in under two weeks. This is almost no time to pay back rent, no time to ask off work and find child care, and no time to find a lawyer or prepare for court. And, as housing costs rise faster than wages, more families are falling behind. SB 128 wouldnt have stopped evictionsit just would have slowed the clock. Thats not radical. Thats meeting the needs of everyday Oklahomans. Sabine Brown, Housing Senior Policy Analyst for the Oklahoma Policy Institute

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ALABAMA (WDHN)  Governor Ivey officially signed a bill that will permit the Alabama Farmers Federation to offer and provide health care plans for its members that does not have to follow the same laws and regulations as health insurance programs.

The legislation passed the House 98-1, and it passed the Senate 30-2.

People who support it said the plan would provide affordable plans for farmers and self-employed people who are ALFA members, and members who cannot afford their insurance.

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However, members who have employer-sponsored plans cannot buy the plans.

People against it said the plan will create an unfair playing field with other insurance companies because it would not have to comply with the Affordable Care Act, and it could deny coverage to people with preexisting medical conditions

This new legislation will go into effect shortly, now that the bill has Governor Iveys signature

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  With summer quickly approaching, Graeters Ice Cream is starting to release its flavors for the new season.

Until August, Graeters will serve Cinnamon Sticky Bun at its locations and online by the pint.

Cinnamon Sticky Bun | Photo/Graeters

Inspired by the cozy comfort of a cinnamon roll, this flavor features a rich cinnamon base, swirled with brown sugar, sticky bun dough pieces, and crunchy toffee pieces, said Graeters.

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Additional flavors expected to be released in the future include:

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

Lemon Blueberry Crumble

Minty Brownie

Pineapple Passion Sorbet

Its the perfect delicious kickoff to Graeters 2025 Bake Sale summer.

To find a Graeters near you, click here.

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May 7EDITOR'S NOTE  If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, visit CVIC's website at https://www.cviconline.org/ or call the 24-hour crisis line at (701) 746-8900.

GRAND FORKS  Fundraising is one goal of CVIC's annual Judd Sondreal Memorial Rise & Shine for Peace Breakfast, but this year's Jim Vigness Peacemaker Award recipient  Grand Forks County Sheriff Andy Schneider  emphasized the importance of contributing to the nonprofit's mission in other ways.

"Everybody can be a peacemaker," Schneider said. "If you can impact just one person's life  maybe it's through a conversation with them  then you've definitely made a difference."

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Schneider was selected as this year's awardee because of the work he does to address violence as a law enforcement official, as well as advocating for funding in the Legislature, according to CVIC Board Chair Catherine Gillach.

Approximately 800 people attended the 20th-annual memorial breakfast, which took place Wednesday morning, May 7, at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. Guests included local lawmakers, current and retired law enforcement, violence survivors and advocates. The organization's fundraising goal was to collect $450,000 worth of pledges, which are made by monthly donations throughout a five-year period.

The keynote speaker, Amanda Hendrickson  a violence survivor and CVIC donor  spoke about experiencing sexual violence from a very young age, and spending years in denial of what she had endured.

"I spent over 25 years dealing with the secret pain that I couldn't understand  afraid of a memory," Hendrickson said. "I tried to stuff it away and pretend it was a dream. I tried to be good enough to be worthy of love."

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Fourteen years ago, attending a CVIC memorial breakfast for the first time, her heart broke when she learned just how many people were like her. On the other hand, realizing how many others had faced their traumatic pasts helped Hendrickson feel ready to address her own, she said.

"It took until my late 30s to finally realize that I was a victim of someone else's choices," Hendrickson said. "As I look around the room today, I wonder if there are any of you out here like me, lost in a painful past, afraid of a memory. ... Today, I hope to give you the courage to embark on your own healing journey and see what is waiting for you on the other side. Let this be a new beginning for you. You are not alone."

CVIC is here, she said, no matter who someone is or how long it has been since they were victimized.

Considering this year's theme, "Champions for Change," speakers spoke about people in their lives who embodied that title, including CVIC CEO and President Coiya Tompkins Inman who, for the first time, shared the story of herself, her younger brother and her mother fleeing from her abusive stepfather and seeking help from an organization similar to CVIC.

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"I think a lot about how hard that must have been for (my mother), how scared she must have been, how long that 10-minute drive must have felt and how truly courageous she was to ask a stranger for help," Tompkins Inman said. "Most of all, I think about (my brother) Matt and I, and how fortunate we were that she took that first step."

She and her brother are both now parents, and it's a powerful thing to consider the impact her mother has had on her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Tompkins Inman said.

She thinks of her former stepfather, now deceased, who repeated the abusive patterns of his own father and, after separating from Tompkins Inman's mother, repeated the cycle with other people in his life.

"Without proper intervention, these devastating patterns compound for families," she said. "What if he or his father would have been able to participate in (CVIC's violence intervention program) New Choices? Or, better yet, what if the rural community where they grew up would have talked about healthy relationships?"

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After the event, Tompkins Inman told the Herald it has been easy to speak about her mother, brother and the people who helped them in the past.

"But the missing piece of all of this, when we talk about violence, is those folks who didn't learn how to have a healthy relationship," Tompkins Inman said.

She has slowly started learning to forgive her former stepfather, she said, in hopes of doing right by her daughter and grandchildren by approaching the issue holistically in order to truly end interpersonal violence in the community.
GRAND RAPIDS  A west Michigan jury is slated to enter a fourth day of deliberations May 8, as it has yet to produce a verdict in the murder trial of former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr.

The 12-person jury heard five-and-a-half days of testimony in the trial starting April 28, where prosecutors allege Schurr used excessive force in the April 2022 killing of Patrick Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant who was 26 at the time of his death. Lyoya and Schurr were engaged in a physical struggle after Lyoya had attempted to flee from Schurr during a traffic stop.

If convicted of second-degree murder, Schurr faces up to life in prison. Before jurors began deliberating May 5, Kent County 17th Circuit Judge Christina Mims included voluntary manslaughter as a secondary charge in her instructions to the jury, over objections from Schurrs defense attorneys. Manslaughter is punishable by up to 15 years in prison in Michigan.

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Jurors had initially informed Mims on May 6 they could not reach a verdict at 3 p.m., after about nine hours of deliberation. Matt Borgula, Schurrs lead defense attorney, had motioned for a mistrial at the time, but Mims instructed the jury to continue seeking a verdict.

The media room display shows Christopher Schurr taking the stand to testify in 17th Circuit Court on Friday, May 2, 2025, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Schurr, 34, is charged with second-degree murder stemming from the April 2022 fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya.

Schurr's attorneys had argued the former officer was acting in self defense, after Lyoya attempted to grab Schurrs Taser during the physical struggle. Prosecutors had argued Schurr used excessive force.

Outside the courthouse in downtown Grand Rapids, demonstrators continued to gather May 7 to await a verdict, as they had since the trial began April 28. Some waved thin blue line flags, a common signal of law enforcement support. Others, in larger numbers, arrived at the courthouse to support the Lyoya family. Dozens of demonstrators chanted justice for Patrick at vehicles passing by, some honking in apparent signs of support.

More: Christopher Schurr testifies in trial over Lyoya shooting, says he feared for his life

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On May 6, demonstrators clashed outside the courthouse. One woman was arrested for fighting, a Grand Rapids Police (GRPD) spokesperson confirmed to the Free Press. An investigation attempting to identify other involved individuals will take place, the spokesperson said. GRPD officers have been stationed across the street on bikes since demonstrations started.

Schurr was patrolling the southeast side of Grand Rapids on the morning of April 4, 2022, when he pulled over Lyoya for a traffic stop. Lyoya later tried to run away from Schurr, who chased after him and tackled him in a nearby front lawn. As the two struggled, Lyoya attempted to grab Schurr's Taser, footage released by the GRPD and played in court shows. Just before Schurr fatally shot Lyoya in the back of the head, he yelled, Let go of the Taser, footage shows.

Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Christopher Schurr trial: Jury enters fourth day of deliberations
Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) shares are trading higher on Thursday. The company disclosed that Taiwan-based China Airlines has ordered 14 Boeing 777X wide-body aircraft.

China Airlines placed an order for ten 777-9 passenger aircraft and four 777-8 Freighter airplanes. This order, which was booked in March 2025, also includes options for an additional five 777-9s and four 777-8 Freighters.

Notably, China Airlines is the first airline in Taiwan to order the fuel-efficient 777X. The airline will utilize the widebody jets increased capacity and extended range on its long-haul routes connecting Taiwan with North America and Europe.

Also Read: Boeing Jet Returns To US Amid Escalating Tariff Tensions With China

Kao Shing-Hwang, chairman of China Airlines said, The advanced technology and features of the 777-9 will provide our customers with the best-in-class flying experience, while the 777-8 Freighters range and fuel-efficiency will enable us to maintain a leadership position in air cargo.

Dan Schull, Boeing vice president of Commercial Sales, Northeast Asia added, Operating the 777-9 and 777-8 Freighter will allow China Airlines to add capacity and position the airline for further growth going forward.

In April, Boeing reported first-quarter revenue of $19.496 billion, beating the consensus of $19.43 billion and adjusted loss per share of 0.49 cents beat the consensus of a $1.27 loss per share.

The company booked 221 net orders and delivered 130 commercial airplanes, with a backlog of over 5,600 planes valued at $460 billion in the quarter.

On April 23, 2025, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed that China has stopped taking delivery of Boeing aircraft due to escalating trade tensions and high tariffs between the U.S. and China.

The halt in Boeings China deliveries came after President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%. China retaliated with 125% tariffs on U.S.-made goods, including aircraft, which made Boeing planes significantly less affordable for Chinese customers.

The ban has drawn the attention of President Donald Trump toward Boeing. The company's significant role in China's retaliation strategy has been highlighted by Bank of America (BofA) aerospace and defense analyst Ronald Epstein, Fortune reported.

Epstein stated that Boeing is the U.S.'s largest exporter and is not surprised by China's move; however, they viewed the situation as unsustainable.' When considering balances of trade, we think the Trump Administration cant ignore Boeing," cautioned Epstein.
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek police said on Thursday they had dismantled a far-right criminal group linked to robberies, assaults and violence with a racist motive in the northern city of Thessaloniki.

After a months-long investigation, police said they arrested on Wednesday 28 members of the alleged criminal gang, operating under the name Nationalist Youth of Thessaloniki or Defend Salonika, 13 minors among them.

The group spent its revenue from membership fees on banners, helmets, flares and batons which its members used for activism as well as criminal acts, police officials said. Their targets included people with leftist or anti-establishment views, the officials said.

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The investigation found that the core members of the group, which was active in 2019 but re-emerged in 2024, planned their acts through a mobile application to avoid police attention.

The adults had a leading role in the group that tried to recruit new members, mainly minors, police said. The members used a large number of social media accounts to spread their far-right beliefs, while revealing their criminal acts.

Greece in 2020, following a five-year political trial, declared the far-right party Golden Dawn a criminal gang linked to a string of hate crimes, including the killing of a left-wing rapper in 2013. Golden Dawn emerged from obscurity during the country's financial crisis.

(Reporting by Yannis Souliotis. Editing by Mark Potter)
GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  Greenfield Community College is celebrating a major academic honor as Associate Professor of History Alyssa Arnell has been awarded a 2025 Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship.

The national award, granted by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), recognizes 45 doctoral students across the country who are breaking new ground in humanities and social sciences research.

All Our Kids launches Foster Care Awareness Campaign during Foster Care Awareness Month

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Arnells selection from a pool of nearly 900 applicants highlights the significance of her work, which examines the 1962 removal of Fazendevillea historically Black community near New Orleansto expand the Chalmette National Battlefield. Her dissertation focuses on how historical preservationists and political leaders invoked patriotic narratives to justify the displacement of a self-sustaining and politically active community, ultimately challenging conventional interpretations of democracy and historical memory in the U.S.

We are incredibly proud of Alyssas recognition and her contribution to both our academic community and historical scholarship, said Dr. Michelle Schutt, President of Greenfield Community College. Her work embodies the colleges commitment to equity and excellence in education.

The Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship was launched in 2023 with a mission to support scholars who are taking risks and introducing novel approaches in their dissertation research.

In addition to a stipend, the fellowship provides funding for research expenses and professional development, enabling recipients to push boundaries in their academic fields. Alison Chang, ACLS Program Officer in US Programs, praised this years cohort of fellows.

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ACLS is proud to support these fellows, who are poised to conduct groundbreaking dissertation research and broaden the audience for humanistic scholarship, Chang said.

Arnell, who serves as both Associate Professor of History and Department Chair at GCC, is widely respected for her emphasis on inclusive historical inquiry. Under her leadership, the college has expanded its curriculum to include courses in civil rights history, Indigenous studies, and queer history. She is also a participant in the Mellon-funded Five Colleges Building Academic Leadership in the Humanities initiative.

Her scholarly work and campus leadership have earned Arnell multiple accolades, including the African American Female Professor Award and GCCs Martin Luther King Jr. Living the Dream Award.

For more information on the Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship, visit acls.org.

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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GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  An investigation is underway after a man was stabbed, Wednesday evening.

Greenville County deputies said they are investigating a stabbing that happened just after 9:45 p.m., Wednesday evening. The stabbing happened at a laundry facility on Poinsett Highway.

Deputies said the victim suffered at least one stab wound. He was transferred to the hospital.

No suspect is in custody and deputies said they believe the incident is isolated.

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Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Greenville at 23-CRIME.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  In 2024, there were a total of 45 officer involved shootings in South Carolina, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Seven of those happened in Greenville County.

So far in 2025, officer involved shootings have happened every month in Greenville County, SLED said.

We have an officer involved shooting that took place earlier today around 2:40 p.m., Greenville County Sheriff, Hobart Lewis said in January.

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The suspect was armed at which time an officer involved shooting took place, Sheriff Lewis said in May. The suspect is deceased.

Greenville County has been involved in five out of 19 of the states officer involved shootings that were reported this year. Four of those incidents involved deputies at the Greenville County Sheriffs Office.

One of those shootings happened January 23 when 45-year-old Sean Scates was shot and killed. Theres body camera footage of that day.

After blocking the suspect in with their vehicle at a motel, officials said that six deputies fired their weapons. It was confirmed by deputies that Scates was involved in an armed robbery at a gas station in Pickens County, earlier that day.

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In February, SLED said a South Carolina Highway Patrol trooper fired his weapon at a homeowner off Farrs Bridge Road. The woman was reportedly armed and was responsible for an abandoned vehicle involved in a crash.

No one was injured in the shooting.

In March, the Greenville County deputies said they responded to a disturbance in Travelers Rest, where 75-year-old Jesse Wright Sr. was shot and killed.

At some point, the suspect was armed and an officer involved shooting took place that involved two deputies, Sheriff Lewis said. All law enforcement are ok. The suspect is deceased.

We are in the 800 block of South Piedmont Highway, where an officer involved shooting took place today, Sheriff Lewis said in April.

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A heavy law enforcement presence filled Piedmont Highway as deputies said that they encountered a wanted and armed Anderson County man.

Recently on May 4, Greenville County deputies responded to a home in Simpsonville.

Around 9:50 p.m., deputies responded to a domestic dispute at a home, Sheriff Lewis said.

Sheriff Lewis said the victim was removed from the home but the suspect was armed, and a deputy fired his weapon.

The Greenville County Coroners Office identified the individual shot as 34-year-old James Webster Jr.

Per protocol, every officer involved shooting is investigated by SLED. Several weeks after the investigation is complete, critical incident reports are shared with the community and an answer is given on if the shooting is ruled as justified.

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The investigation into Januarys shooting has been completed and shared with us.

Following their investigation, it was determined their (deputies) use of deadly force was justified, according to the sheriffs office use of force policy, Sheriff Lewis said.

The next critical incident report, in relation to the March shooting, will be released on Friday.

Others are expected mid-June.

To find out more information, you can visit the sheriffs office website.

Five Upstate counties have not been involved in an officer involved shooing this year. Those counties include Spartanburg, Abbeville, Oconee, Union, and Laurens.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Just a day before leaders in planning and development gathered to discuss how Tampa Bay can grow sustainably, emergency vehicles surrounded a 12-story Sand Key condominium complex.

Residents were evacuated due to potential structural issues, calling to mind South Floridas Surfside condo collapse in 2021.

That disaster, plus last years storms, have made one thing clear: sustainable development can make the difference between life and death, between destruction and security. Thousands of Tampa Bay residents have been asked to rebuild their homes to be more resilient against hurricanes.

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At a Spotlight Tampa Bay event hosted by the Tampa Bay Times and presented by Tampa Electric on Wednesday night, panelists discussed how the region can balance its breakneck growth with residents quality of life and safety.

There are now more than 860,000 residences and homes in the region, and those numbers continue to grow, said Stephanie Smith, vice president of state and regional affairs at Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas. Roads, amenities and community resources must keep up with a surge of new residents and neighborhoods.

Heres who participated in the panel:

Moderator: Rebecca Liebson, real estate reporter

Kartik Goyani, principal at Metro Development Group

Melissa Zornitta, executive director of Plan Hillsborough

Taylor Ralph, the president and founder of Real Building Consultants LLC

Casey Ellison, CEO of Ellison Companies

Abbye Feeley, administrator for development and economic opportunity with the city of Tampa

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Panelists weighed in on the future of Tampa Bay, particularly focusing on how to build more densely in a region defined by sprawl. Here are four takeaways from the event.

Residents need choices in where they live

People should be able to choose: do they want an urban, suburban or rural lifestyle while living in Tampa Bay?

Thats what Zornitta, the Hillsborough planner, emphasized.

Hillsborough County is expanding its urban growth boundary, called an urban service area.

But Zornitta said the county still wants to preserve a rural lifestyle for those who want it.

In suburbs like Brandon and Town N Country, the goal is to introduce more mixed-use concepts and connectivity with the rest of the region, she said. Thats true for growing suburbs in places like Plant City as well.

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Meanwhile, developers on the panel highlighted the need for more dense housing in urban Tampa, like the upcoming Gasworx project in Ybor City, for those who want true city living.

In our urban markets, the more density, the better, Ellison said.

Tampas Riverwalk and other pedestrian amenities are some of the most important advancements the city has made in recent decades, Ralph said. Residents crave more urban housing stock than developers are currently supplying, driving prices up in the regions downtowns, he said.

Goyani added that suburbs fulfill an important role: they can offer cheaper rents than the urban core. And they can be walkable, too, he said.

It will take public-private cooperation to protect against storms

Panelists agreed its not just a local government problem: developers have a responsibility to help protect residents against storms, too.

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The city of Tampa is preparing permanent and temporary stormwater pumps, and placing generators high up, to ease flooding and power problems the next time a big one strikes, Feeley said.

It will take private sector redevelopment in places like the University area, where flooding was widespread after Hurricane Milton, to fortify the area, Zornitta said.

Building regulations are stronger than ever in terms of protecting structures against flooding, Ralph said. And developers are getting creative about the features they install.

At The Central in St. Petersburg, a 2.1-acre project that will include a hotel, office building, retail space and workforce housing, Ellison is putting greenery on the top floor of the parking garage and roofs to prevent stormwater runoff. Ralph, at the Gasworx redevelopment project, is putting utilities underground so they dont get swamped with floodwaters.

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New development will help make the region stronger against storms, Ralph said.

New development and redevelopment should not be a bad word, he said. Bad development should be a bad word.

Are there places where developers shouldnt build anymore?

Panelists shied away from saying there are parts of Tampa Bay, like its vulnerable barrier islands, where future development should be discouraged due to hazards from hurricanes.

I dont know that there are places that are too risky to develop, Zornitta said. But local governments discourage adding more density in the first places to evacuate, known as the coastal high-hazard area, she said.

Insurance prices help inform consumers about the risks where they live, Ralph said.

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Its one of the first questions we get from our builders, Goyani said. Hey, will our future homeowners have to pay a flood insurance premium, or did you raise the home high enough?

Balancing the old and the new

One audience member asked about how older buildings factor in to all the buzz about new development.

Zornitta said planners are updating the code so builders will face more requirements to balance the look of new homes with the rest of an older neighborhood.

Theres nothing wrong with old neighborhoods, Feeley said. Theyre great. Protecting what is there is important.

Feeley recounted a small businesss struggle to bring an old Ybor City house up to code in order to open a bookstore there. She suggested local leaders should put more thought into how to find new uses for places that are no longer livable.

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At Gasworx, residents can walk into an apartment building and read about historic Ybor City, Ralph said. Hes also fought to preserve old buildings near the development, he said.

That sense of place and those historic designations bring value to the community, he said. What do you protect and what do you not protect?

---

Find more information about our Spotlight Tampa Bay series, including video recording of Wednesdays event here.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Edward Vallez, one of two New Mexico inmates accused of running drugs into the Cibola County Correctional Center has pleaded guilty to his charges.

Story continues below

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According to a federal indictment, in August 2024 staff at the correctional center found a package near the rec yard. The package contained heroin, tobacco, THC wax, suboxone, drug paraphernalia and cell phones. Through their investigation, officials learned the package was intended for Vallez and Lupe Vargas. According to the indictment, federal investigators say Vargas and Vallez are believed to be gang members. They say the pair got Vargas wife and another person to use a fishing rod to throw the package into the prison.

Wednesday, Vallez pleaded guilty for his role in the crime. Vallez faces up to 40 years when sentenced.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
By Sarah Morland and Harold Isaac

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - The designation of Haiti's major gangs as terrorists by Washington could risk further entrenching their power by limiting financial and humanitarian aid, NGOs focused on organized crime and human rights have warned.

The United States last week designated Viv Ansanm, the armed alliance that controls most of capital Port-au-Prince, and Gran Grif, which operates in the breadbasket Artibonite region, as terrorist groups, following similar measures made recently for Latin American drug cartels.

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The designation is intended to isolate the groups, denying them access to financing from U.S. people or companies.

"Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against these vicious groups and are an effective way to curtail support for their terrorist activities," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the time.

Analysts at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime said on Thursday that the designation could, however, "inadvertently worsen the situation on the ground."

It said the move could threaten the activities of some NGOs who engage with gangs to deliver aid to communities under gang control - potentially cutting off aid and making populations even more dependent on the armed groups. International businesses could also leave Haiti to avoid the risk of falling foul of U.S. law, it added.

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Haiti's Center for Analysis and Research for Human Rights earlier this week raised similar doubts, saying the move could hurt NGOs working with Haiti's most vulnerable in gang-controlled areas, already hit by frozen U.S. aid funding.

"If drastic and appropriate measures are not taken to contain the root of the problem (such as) arms trafficking from the United States and across the Haitian-Dominican border, then gang members, most of whom are social victims, could become even more radicalized," it said in its report.

An alliance of gangs has been using brutal tactics to grow its power since the 2021 assassination of Haiti's last president.

Pierre Esperance, who heads Haiti's National Network for the Defense of Human Rights, said in an interview on Tuesday that his group had long considered the gangs as terrorists.

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"During 2024 they started setting people on fire while they were in their homes, they stopped them from running out and burnt them, rapes continued, kidnappings... These are terrorist acts," he said.

In a recent report, Haiti-focused security adviser Halo Solutions Firm said while nuanced enforcement could cripple gang financing, "a policy that does not distinguish between corrupt enablers and extorted survivors will risk collapsing the commercial backbone of the country."

Haiti's central bank on Wednesday warned lenders, exchange bureaus and payment services to be vigilant for exposure to operations financing terrorist groups.

More than 1,600 people were killed in violent clashes in the first three months of this year while over 1 million are internally displaced, according to U.N. estimates, with local security services backed by limited international support.

(Reporting by Sarah Morland in Mexico City and Harold Isaac in Port-au-Prince, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Lebanon reaffirmed on Thursday its full commitment to the ceasefire along the Lebanese-Israeli border, following a recent rocket-launching incident that raised tensions there.

In a statement, Ahmad Abdel Hadi, Hamass representative in Lebanon, said the group had informed Lebanese authorities of its stance and was cooperating with the state to address the matter.

He described the rocket fire as an unauthorized act carried out by individuals reacting emotionally to Israels ongoing offensive in Gaza. Hamas, he emphasized, had no prior knowledge of the launch and did not approve it.

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In response to a formal request by Lebanese authorities, Hamas handed over three of the four individuals allegedly involved and is continuing coordination with Lebanese security services.

Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli airstrikes and intermittent rocket fire from Lebanese territory have continued, including two unclaimed attacks on March 22 and 28. Israel has said it reserves the right to continue targeting militant groups in Lebanon. On Wednesday, another Hamas commander was killed in such an attack.

In April, the Lebanese Army arrested several Lebanese and Palestinian individuals reportedly connected to those attacks, including three members of Hamas, according to security sources.

Abdel Hadi called his recent meetings with senior Lebanese officials positive and constructive, and denied rumors of tension with the state.

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He stressed Hamass respect for Lebanese sovereignty, stability, and laws.

The statement also said Jordan had not raised any concerns about Hamass presence in Lebanon, following claims by Jordans Intelligence Department that it foiled plots linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group ideologically close to Hamas.
By Alimat Aliyeva

The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing to roll back the export rules on artificial intelligence (AI) chips that were introduced under President Joe Biden. The move comes as the Trump administration aims to adjust export controls related to chips manufactured in the United States, a key component for AI technologies, Azernews reports.

The revision of export control standards is reportedly timed to coincide with preparations for Trumps upcoming visit to the Middle East. Several countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have previously expressed dissatisfaction with the restrictions placed on their ability to purchase AI chips from American companies. With the expected changes, these nations will have the opportunity to negotiate new, more favorable terms of supply with Washington, according to reports.

Under Biden, the decision was made to categorize countries into three groups based on the level of restrictions for importing American-made chips. This system, however, is now likely to be scrapped, and the new approach might not take effect on May 15 as initially expected. Countries like Russia, Iran, China, and others were placed in the most restrictive category under Bidens framework, with maximum bans on AI chip exports.

According to Bloomberg, the Trump administration is working on a new policy that would eliminate the categorization system altogether. Instead, the new rule would impose export restrictions on countries that send American chips to China, including Malaysia and Thailand, which have become key intermediaries in the global tech supply chain.

A spokesman from the Bureau of Industry and Security at the US Department of Commerce explained the change, stating, Biden's AI chip supply rule is too complicated, too bureaucratic, and will hinder the development of American innovation. We will replace it with a much simpler rule that will ensure that the United States remains superior in the field of AI.

This shift in policy reflects growing concerns about the geopolitical implications of AI and semiconductor technology. As the global competition for AI dominance intensifies, the US is reevaluating how best to balance national security interests with fostering innovation. The Middle Easts growing interest in AI could also signal a shift in tech dynamics, with countries in the region potentially becoming key players in the global AI race if they gain greater access to cutting-edge technologies.
By Emma Rumney

LONDON (Reuters) -European beer makers remain confident about their growth potential despite U.S. tariffs posing some threat to sales and investors see the companies as a relatively safe haven in an intensifying global trade war.

Brewers such as Anheuser-Busch InBev, Heineken and Carlsberg have been trying to restore margin expansion and boost volumes after a difficult few years, when surging costs led to higher prices, hurting sales volumes.

Solid first-quarter earnings have bolstered hopes they can do so this year even as trade tensions rise.

Brewers are relatively shielded from effects on costs, prices and consumer spending thanks to localised production and geographic spread, which should support growth, the companies and investors say.

"We produce everything locally," AB InBev finance chief Fernando Tennenbaum told Reuters after the company reported a surge in first-quarter profit on Thursday.

"We are not changing the outlook," he added, echoing Carlsberg CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen in saying the brewer had not seen any change in consumer behaviour as a result of tariffs so far.

He described the impact of tariffs on aluminium, which may hurt AB InBev's can costs, as currently "not relevant".

Brewers are not directly under fire in the same way as other industries like pharmaceuticals, said Tom Lemaigre, portfolio manager at beer investor Janus Henderson.

While they could suffer if tariffs weaken economies, brewers' share performance indicated the market saw them as relatively protected, he said, adding: "That is probably a sensible assumption to make".

GEOGRAPHIC ADVANTAGES

Brewers' geographical footprints also offer some protection to any impact on consumers.

Lea Seanz, portfolio manager at investor Flornoy Ferri, pointed out that AB InBev makes a hefty chunk of sales in Latin America, where it enjoys high pricing power and growing consumption, while easier comparative numbers should also support brewers' performance in 2025.

"All in all, I think they should be able to compensate for tariffs in the U.S.," she said.

Carlsberg has the least U.S. exposure, at less than 0.1% of total volumes. Both it and Heineken are more reliant on countries in regions like Africa and Asia for growth, though the trade war nevertheless threatens local economies there too.

Carlsberg, AB InBev and Heineken all maintained their full year outlooks in recent weeks.

U.S.-focused rivals like Molson Coors and Constellation Brands have been harder hit. Molson Coors' shares fell 8% on Thursday when the company cut its full-year sales guidance due to tariffs.

(Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Matt Scuffham and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
CAIRO (Reuters) -Hamas militants engaged in "fierce fighting" with Israeli soldiers on Thursday in the south of the Gaza Strip near Rafah, the Palestinian militant group said.

The statement, issued on Telegram, suggests that Hamas is still active in areas where the Israeli military has expanded its control, more than 19 months after the start of Israel's air and ground campaign in Gaza.

In a later statement, it said fighters ambushed an Israeli 12-man force inside a house in the Tanur neighborhood in the eastern Rafah area with two anti-personnel and anti-armour rockets, killing and wounding several soldiers.

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The Israeli army confirmed in a statement on Friday that two of its soldiers had been killed in combat in the southern Gaza Strip.

The statement added two officers and two other soldiers had been severely injured.

Hamas has rarely reported fighting around Rafah in recent months, with most clashes reported in the eastern area of the nearby city of Khan Younis and northern parts of the coastal territory.

Israel said earlier this month it would further extend its offensive in Gaza.

Israel resumed its offensive in March after the collapse of a fragile, U.S.-backed ceasefire that had halted fighting for six weeks.

(Reporting by Nidal Al Mughrabi; Additional reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly; Writing by Ahmed Elimam and Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Aidan Lewis, William Maclean)
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said a man who "targeted and killed" a sheriff's deputy May 2 near the University of Cincinnati's campus will face the death penalty.

Pillich said Rodney Hinton Jr. drove his car into Deputy Larry Henderson as Henderson was operating a traffic control device "because he was a law enforcement officer."

"It was (Hinton's) specific purpose to kill a law enforcement officer," Pillich said at a May 8 news conference announcing that a grand jury had indicted Hinton on multiple counts including aggravated murder. The grand jury's indictment includes the possibility that Hinton, if convicted, would face the death penalty.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich at a news conference May 8 announcing that a grand jury indicted Rodney Hinton Jr. on charges including aggravated murder that carry a possible death sentence. Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey stands to her right.

Hinton was "upset" and "agitated" that day, according to a detective's testimony, because Cincinnati police had shown him and other family members bodycam video of his son being fatally shot by an officer the previous day.

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Pillich, the first Democrat to be elected prosecutor in nearly a century, said her office is seeking the death penalty because "the facts of the case meet the law that's written in Ohio."

Under state law, the death penalty can be sought if the person killed was a law enforcement officer and the defendant had reasonable cause to know or knew the victim was an officer, and the officer was engaged in his or her duties.

The death penalty also can be sought if it was the defendant's specific purpose to kill a law enforcement officer.

Car 'accelerated directly at' deputy

Henderson was wearing an orange reflective vest over his uniform, working traffic control for a UC graduation ceremony the afternoon of May 2, when prosecutors say Hinton drove directly at him.

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Henderson, a 57-year-old father of five who grew up in Terrace Park, had retired in December after 33 years with the sheriff's office. He continued to work special assignments.

Pillich added some new details about what led up to the incident  including that Hinton's family members were following him in another vehicle when Hinton's car struck Henderson.

That morning, Pillich said the Hinton family met with police officials at the department's offices on Linn Street in Queensgate. Hinton was so upset he left the meeting early, she said.

Afterwards, family members drove Hinton to Findlay Market to get something to eat, then to someone's home to take a nap, according to Pillich.

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Hinton then was driven back to the Linn Street building to retrieve his car. When he eventually drove out of the parking lot, his family followed him for a few miles, to Martin Luther King Drive near Clifton Avenue.

Pillich described how video showed Hinton pull his car into a center lane and wait. She said Hinton would have been able to see Henderson. After waiting for oncoming traffic to clear, Hinton accelerated "into the opposing traffic lanes," she said.

His family, she said, "was watching all this happen."

At a May 6 court hearing, Hintons attorney, Clyde Bennett II, indicated that he may pursue an insanity defense. Bennett said Hinton was not in his right mind and that what happened was classic mental illness, criminal conduct.

Pillich's stance on death penalty

Pillich's stance on the death penalty is not well known. She told WCPO in a 2024 interview that in certain cases the death penalty "is the appropriate punishment."

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Attorney Mike Allen, who served as Hamilton County prosecutor from 1999 to 2004, told The Enquirer that a grand jury almost always "follows the prosecutor's feelings" on the death penalty.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Prosecutors sought death penalty for Rodney Hinton Jr.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  Three of five former Memphis, Tennessee, police officers were acquitted by a jury Wednesday on all state charges including second-degree murder in the January 2023 fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. The other two ex-officers previously agreed to plead guilty to the state charges.

The acquittals are the most recent development in the case, which come after the same three officers were convicted of at least one crime in federal court and the two others pleaded guilty.

Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, ran from a traffic stop after officers yanked him out of his car, pepper-sprayed him and used a Taser on him. The five officers, who are also Black, chased down Nichols and punched, kicked and hit him with a police baton, struggling to handcuff him as he called out for his mother just steps from his home. Nichols died three days later, sparking nationwide protests and renewed calls for police reforms in the U.S.

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The five officers  Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith  were part of a crime suppression team called the Scorpion Unit that was disbanded after Nichols death. The team targeted illegal drugs and guns and violent offenders to amass arrests, while sometimes using force against unarmed people. All of the officers were fired after the beating, charged in state court with murder, and indicted by a federal grand jury on civil rights and witness tampering charges.

Here's a look at each former officer's role in the beating and status related to the court cases.

Tadarrius Bean

Bean tackled Nichols from behind as Nichols ran away from officers and toward his nearby home. Bean then held Nichols on the ground while other officers struck Nichols. According to footage from the scene, Bean said Nichols was eating the blows.

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Bean was acquitted Wednesday of state charges including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. He was convicted last year on a federal charge of witness tampering related to the cover-up of the beating. He was acquitted of federal civil rights charges of using excessive force and being indifferent to Nichols serious injuries.

Demetrius Haley

Haley was one of the officers who pulled Nichols out of his car and onto the ground. Haley also kicked him and said beat that man, according to prosecutors. Haley wrote in his response to resistance form that Nichols ignored all directives to get out of the car and that Nichols was swinging his arms and cursing at the officers. But body worn camera footage shows Nichols was immediately yanked from the vehicle by officers, while the officers are swearing and shouting and threatening to shock Nichols with a Taser.

Haley was acquitted Wednesday of state charges including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. In federal court, Haley was convicted of witness tampering related to the cover-up of the beating, as well as violating Nichols' civil rights by causing bodily injury. He was also convicted of a conspiracy to witness tamper charge. Haley was acquitted of violating Nichols civil rights causing death.

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Justin Smith

Smith joined the pummeling after Nichols was caught near his home. He is accused of holding Nichols down and saying hit him, according to prosecutors. Smiths body worn camera shows that he and another officer exchanged a high five as Nichols was injured on the ground afterward. Footage also shows that Smith said they hit Nichols with so many pieces, or punches.

Smith was acquitted Wednesday of state charges including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. Smith was convicted in October in federal court of witness tampering related to the cover-up of the beating. He was acquitted of civil rights charges of using excessive force and being indifferent to Nichols serious injuries.

Desmond Mills Jr.

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Mills said he tried to pepper-spray Nichols, while others held Nichols down, but Mills ended up spraying himself. After stepping away to recover, Mills then walked up to Nichols and hit his arm three times with a police baton. Mills told prosecutor Paul Hagerman that he hit Nichols with the baton because he was angry over the pepper spray.

Mills has agreed to plead guilty to the state charges and did not stand trial. He testified as a state prosecution witness saying he regrets his failure to stop the beating, which led to Nichols death from blunt force trauma. He acknowledged on the stand that he had a duty to intervene to stop the beating but didnt and that Nichols never punched or kicked any of the officers. Mills also pleaded guilty in federal court, where sentencing for all five officers is pending. He took a plea deal in which prosecutors call for up to 15 years in prison.

Emmitt Martin

Martin was one of the first officers in the encounter with Nichols. Defense attorneys in the state case have said Martin acted with the most violence, kicking and punching Nichols several times in the head. Martin testified in federal court that he punched Nichols at least five times while other officers held his arms. He also said he lied to his supervisor about their use of force.

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Martin has agreed to plead guilty to the state charges and did not stand trial under deals with prosecutors. He also pleaded guilty in federal court. Under Martin's plea agreement, prosecutors will suggest a prison sentence of up to 40 years.

Sentencing will come at a later date for the former officers. The federal witness tampering charges carry possible sentences of up to 20 years in prison. The federal civil rights charge against Haley carries up to 10 years in prison.

The five officers, the city of Memphis and the police chief also are being sued by Nichols family for $550 million. A trial has been scheduled for next year.

Late last year, the U.S. Justice Department said a 17-month investigation showed the Memphis Police Department uses excessive force and discriminates against Black people.
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  If you frequent the east side of Colorado Springs, you may be noticing a growing number of empty storefronts after numerous large retailers announced their closures. That got us wondering, with such enormous and unique spaces, what happens to these buildings after their inhabitants move out?

While a business closing up shop is not an unusual occurrence, the east side has seen a noticeable number of large retailers announce closures recentlyParty City, Big Lots, and soon-to-be-closed JOANN Fabric and Crafts. Typically, another business moves in where an old one once lived, but with the size of these spaces, the number of options for filling them dwindles.

FOX21 News reached out to the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) to find out what the process is like when a space like this becomes available, and what it takes for new businesses to make their homes in an existing building.

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According to PPRBD, the only space among the aforementioned businesses that already has permits pulled for a replacement is the old Big Lots on New Center Point, off North Powers Boulevard. PPRBD said permits were pulled in March to turn the space into an indoor pickleball facility.

While permits are a good indicator of whether a new business might be eyeing a space, theyre not always required. If a business plans to move into a space and it doesnt require any remodeling to fit the businesss needs, then permits arent necessary.

For the Big Lots off North Powers to become a pickleball facility, though, PPRBD said walls need to be removed and bathrooms added, so permits are needed. When the two previous K-Mart locations in Colorado Springs became VASA Fitness, those, too, required permits.

For a retail space to move into an existing retail space, however, permits dont always indicate whether the space is spoken for. This appears to be the case for the old Party City, also on New Center Point near Big Lots. The Hill reports that several discount retailers are among the top bidders in an auction for nationwide Party City leases, including Dollar Tree and Five Below, according to a Texas court filing.

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Dollar Tree appears to have won a bid for the Party City location on New Center Point, according to The Hill.

As for the large retail spaces that dont appear to be spoken for yet, PPRBD said the possibility of them sitting vacant for a while is not uncommon, like the K-Mart locations on Fillmore Street and Palmer Park Boulevard that sat vacant for years before becoming VASA Fitness.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
May 7Seven U.S. Small Business Administration Lower Rio Grande Valley District award winners were honored at a luncheon and ceremony at Rancho Viejo on Tuesday, with SBA South Central Regional Administrator Justin Crossie serving as keynote speaker.

The Lower Valley district covers 14 counties in southernmost Texas. The event was held as part of 2025 Small Business Week (May 4-10), which has taken place in May each year since it was designated by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

Two of the award recipients, including this year's Small Business Person of the Year, are based in Harlingen and three in Brownsville.

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In the national category, Abygail T. Elizondo, owner of Elizondo Insurance Services in Harlingen, was named Small Business Person of the Year, nominated by Allan Leonard, chapter chairman of SCORE, a nationwide business mentorship program.

Also in the national category, Small Business Exporter of the Year went to Hansheng Lei, owner of American Instrument Inc., doing business as America Ship, based in Brownsville. Lei was nominated by Dainela Sosa, executive director of the Business Development Fund of Texas.

Under the heading of district director awards, Home-Based Business of the Year went to Francisco Javier Garcia, owner of Harlingen-headquartered Bruskees Spices LLC. He was nominated by Orlando Campos, CEO of the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation.

Another director award recipient was Daniel Perez Rodriguez, owner of Sandia-based Malfunction Junction Automotive LLC, who was named Rural-Owned Small Business of the Year. Rodriguez was nominated by Celia Garza, rural program manager for the Del Mar College Small Business Development Center.

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Martin Rubio Flores, owner of Marty McPies LLC, based in Corpus Christi, received the director's Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year award after being nominated by Theresa Moffitt, certified business advisor IV with the Del Mar center.

The director's Women-Owned Small Business of the Year award went to Karina M. Saldivar, owner of Sweet & Fit, doing business as Amor Y Pan and headquartered in Brownsville. She was nominated by Linda Ufland, director of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialization for the UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center.

Finally, Daisy Nayeli Alcazar, owner of La Pale Frozen Fruit Bar LLC in Brownsville, was named the director's Young Entrepreneur of the Year, with LiftFund Market Director Marlene R. Rodriguez nominating.

SBA Lower Valley District Office Director Angela Burton, taking her turn at the podium during the ceremony, said she was honored to "celebrate the resilience and innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit that powers our community."

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Burton, who joined SBA in 2013, said her favorite part of the awards each year is calling the winners to share the news.

"I can see their smiles through the phone and hear the excitement in their voices," she said. "I just love it."

Burton called this year's seven winners "remarkable businesses that represent the best of the American small business landscape."

"You remind us that small businesses are not just economic drivers," she said. "They are the true heart and soul of our community.

Crossie said during his speech that the nation's 34 million small businesses "form the backbone of the United States of America."

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"Small businesses drives innovation and create two out of every three new jobs, and employ nearly half of America's workforce," he said, adding that 45.1% of every job in Texas is provided by small business.

"That's an impressive number," Crossie said.

Tuesday's event hosted by RGV Partnership and sponsored by the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, Harlingen Economic Development Corporation and Texas Gas Service, with supporting sponsorship from Elizondo Insurance Services and Pathfinder Public Affairs.

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May 7Harmony Public Schools, the largest STEM-focused public charter school system in Texas, is hosting a job fair Saturday, May 10, in Odessa to recruit outstanding educators and staff for its growing campuses in the Permian Basin, including the brand-new Harmony School of Innovation  Odessa opening in August 2025.

The job fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Harmony Science Academy  Odessa, located at 2755 N. Grandview Ave.

Prospective candidates are invited to explore open teaching and support positions for the 2025-2026 school year. Attendees are encouraged to bring updated copies of their resume for potential on-site interviews. Walk-ins are welcome, and participants may also register in advance here: https://www.harmonytx.org/jobfair

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Why Join Harmony Public Schools?

Harmony Public Schools offers a supportive, innovative work environment focused on student success. Key benefits include:

 Up to $10,000 Sign-On Bonus for TIA-designated teachers

 $3,000 Regional Bonus for newly hired or relocating staff*

 Brand-new campuses opening in Midland and Odessa in August 2025

 Early Release Fridays for work-life balance

 Competitive salaries, full benefits, and retirement plans

*Transfers within the Midland-Odessa region are not eligible for the relocation bonus.

Harmony offers competitive salaries, with the average teacher salary of $67,000. However, Harmony teachers may earn up to $100,000 annually with additional bonuses for teacher experience, hard-to-teach subjects, club sponsorship and selection to the Teacher Incentive Allotment pool.

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Harmony also offers comprehensive benefits, career growth and paid professional development opportunities, as well as early release Fridays at 1 p.m. each week.

Interested applicants may browse current openings at: https://harmonytx.org/Jobs.

Harmony is now accepting applications for both students and team members for the 2025-26 school year.
U.S. Special Operations Command has test-loaded an AGM-84 Harpoon missile onto an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. The addition of the Harpoon to the AC-130Js arsenal would give the gunship an all-new dedicated standoff anti-ship capability, which could be particularly relevant in a future large-scale conflict in the Pacific. Harpoon would also pair well with separate plans to expand the long-range targeting capabilities of the Ghostrider with the help of a new active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar.

Maj. Andrew Monroe, commander of U.S. Special Operations Commands (SOCOM) Detachment 1, mentioned the Harpoon load test during a talk at the annual SOF Week conference earlier today, at which TWZ was in attendance. Based at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, Detachment 1 is primarily responsible for developmental testing related to the AC-130J, as well as the MC-130J Commando II special operations tanker/transport and OA-1K Skyraider II special operational light attack aircraft. The unit also supports integration work for special operations aircraft, broadly, as well as special operations aviation capability demonstrations.

An AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. USAF Senior Airman Ty Pilgrim

Over the last year, our team executed Precision Strike Package testing, Harpoon loading, and Small Cruise Missile integration and launch efforts off the AC 130J, Maj. Monroe said.

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Precision Strike Package (PSP) is the official term for the AC-130Js armament package, as well as the associated sensors and fire control systems. Small Cruise Missile (SCM), which features a 400-mile range, is another current effort to add a new standoff strike capability to the Ghostrider, which you can read more about here.

This appears to be the first time the possibility of adding Harpoon to the arsenal of an AC-130 gunship has emerged. TWZ has reached out to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), which operates all 31 Ghostriders currently in service, for more information.

A Marine F/A-18C Hornet fighter armed with a live AGM-84 Harpoon during an exercise. USMC

Each AC-130J is currently armed with a 30mm automatic cannon and a 105mm howitzer, both mounted in the main cargo hold and firing out of the left side of the fuselage. The gunships can also employ various precision-guided bombs and missiles via Common Launch Tubes (CLT) and underwing racks. This includes variants of the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), a 250-pound-class glide bomb offering standoff range.

The Ghostrider has a demonstrated capability to engage maritime targets with its existing array of weapons, but it does not currently have the ability to employ a dedicated standoff anti-ship munition like Harpoon.

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The potential for Harpoon-armed AC-130Js comes amid growing questions about the Ghostriders relevance in future high-end conflicts, especially a potential major fight with China across the broad expanses of the Pacific. The gunships are among a number of special operations aircraft facing these questions amid an ongoing U.S. military-wide shift away from primarily focusing on counter-terrorism and other lower-intensity missions. Even while supporting operations in largely permissive airspace over countries like Iraq and Afghanistan in the past two decades, AC-130s have operated almost exclusively under the cover of darkness to reduce vulnerability to ground fire.

The TWZ video below provides an overview of the evolution of the AC-130 gunship and its armament, as well as how the AC-130J variant is now evolving to meet new operational demands.

As TWZ wrote after the release of a video last year showing a Ghostrider pummelling the former Austin class amphibious warfare ship ex-USS Dubuque with its guns during the biennial Rim Of The Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise:

The video from the RIMPAC 2024 SINKEX [sinking exercise] highlights how the Ghostriders, and their guns specifically, could be utilized against larger ships and in instances where the objective might not be to sink the vessel, such as during special operations boarding operations. The aircrafts 30mm cannon, in particular, could be used to engage personnel on a ships deck.

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However, during a future major conflict, just getting within gun range of a higher-value target like an amphibious warfare ship, likely operating as part of a larger group of warships further supported by air and other assets, would be a very tall order, if not impossible, for Air Force AC-130s. Ghostriders might still be able to leverage their guns against vessels in lower-risk areas or to help finish off severely damaged vessels separated from their companions. Armed overwatch over and around friendly forces on islands and anchorages could be another future maritime mission in a higher-end fight.

A standoff anti-ship missile like AGM-84 would change the dynamic considerably for an AC-130J. Even just in the aforementioned force protection scenario around island outposts and ports, Harpoons would give Ghostriders a valuable new way to engage maritime threats at extended distances.

AGM-84 also has the benefit of being a weapon that is already in U.S. service. The Harpoon family is also still in production and upgraded versions continue to be developed. Current generation Block II Harpoons have a maximum range in excess of 77 miles (67 nautical miles), according to Boeing, which manufactures the missiles. The company also offers an extended range version with greater reach, thanks in part to a lighter, but also reportedly more advanced warhead.

Interest within the U.S. Air Force, as well as the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, in expanding overall capacity to launch aerial anti-ship strikes has grown, in general, as focus has shifted to the Pacific region. A growing list of U.S. military aircraft are also in line to be armed with AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) in the coming years. AFSOC MC-130Js are also among transport aircraft that have been tested as potential launch platforms for cruise missiles, including the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) from which the LRASM is derived, using a palletized munitions system called Rapid Dragon.

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It is worth pointing out here that Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the C-130J and did the AC-130J conversions, has pitched Harpoon as an armament option for a maritime patrol variant of the aircraft in the past. Sometimes referred to as the SC-130J, this proposed version has also been depicted armed with AGM-84H/K Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) derivatives of the Harpoon. Integrating anti-ship Harpoons onto the AC-130J might also be a path to adding SLAM-ERs to the gunships arsenal.

A rendering of Lockheed Martins proposed SC-130J maritime patrol version of the aircraft with a pair of AGM-84 Harpoons seen under its right wing. The aircraft is also depicted here releasing an anti-submarine torpedo from a weapons bay inside an elongated landing gear sponson, another feature of the SC-130J concept. Lockheed Martin

Another rendering of the SC-130J concept with a pair of AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER missiles under each wing. Lockheed Martin

There are questions about how an AC-130J armed with Harpoons would be able to find targets at sea and cue the missiles to them. This is where separate plans to add a new AESA radar to the Ghostrider could come in. This is something SOCOM has been actively working toward since at least 2023.

Were looking to include or to deliver enhanced precision effects on the AC-130J, which includes AESA radar integration, Lt. Col. Shawna Matthys, Division Chief for Integrated Strike Programs within SOCOMs Program Executive Office-Fixed Wing (PEO-FW), also told TWZ and other attendees at SOF Week today. This will allow us to see further [and offer] more accurate target tracking.

Matthys also noted that radar might help with operating in contested environments. TWZ has highlighted in the past how an AESA radar would give the AC-130J improved threat warning and general situational awareness, and could offer new electronic warfare capabilities. When the Ghostrider fleet might begin receiving new radars remains to be seen.

USAF

Were doing some pathfinding with an APG-83, which is a very common solution in the Air Force, Col. T. Justin Bronder, head of PEO-FW, also said today at the SOF Week conference. We certainly look to leverage [non-special operations] service infrastructure where we can, because that gives us good economies of scale.

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The Air Force is currently in the process of integrating Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83, also known as Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), onto a significant number of its F-16C/D Viper fighters. In addition to its aerial surveillance capabilities, the AN/APG-83 has a synthetic aperture mapping mode, also referred to as SAR mapping, which allows it to produce high-resolution images. That imagery, in turn, can be used for target acquisition and identification purposes, as well as general reconnaissance. An AC-130J could use that capability to help find and target enemy ships with Harpoons, as well as SDBs. You can read more about the SABR in this past TWZ feature.

The plan right now is to leverage the existing technology and then tailor that to the AC-130J, Lt. Col. Matthys added following Col. Bronders comments about current work with the AN/APG-83.

Much remains to be learned about the extent of plans to arm the AC-130J with Harpoon. Still, a dedicated anti-ship weapon would give the gunships an important capability boost, especially with an eye toward future fights in the Pacific, even if they were to still operate in lower-threat portions of the battlespace.

Update: 5/8/2025 

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Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has provided the following statement in response to TWZs queries for more information about any plans to integrate Harpoon onto the AC-130J:

AFSOC is constantly testing and evaluating capabilities that can provide enhanced precision effects for our platforms. Like any of our aircraft, the AC-130J is a highly adaptable platform with the ability to employ modular solutions. We will continue to iterate on these solutions to ensure AFSOC can effectively support the Joint Force in complex operating environments.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY)  The Harrison County Chamber of Commerce hosted its 106th Annual Awards Dinner Meeting on Thursday evening at the Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center in downtown Clarksburg, bringing together business leaders, entrepreneurs and community stakeholders.

Throughout the evening, the chamber honored outstanding individuals and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the local community and economy. Awards were presented in a variety of categories, including:

New Business of the Year

Citizen of the Year

Community Champion of the Year

Young Entrepreneur

Business of the Year

Lifetime Commitment

Chairmans Award

Outstanding Leadership Award

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Each award highlighted the remarkable efforts and achievements of those making a meaningful impact in Harrison County.

Upshur Leadership graduating class holds Community Skills Share event

Weve done 13 ribbon cuttings so far this year, weve got five more on the calendar over the next month, and weve got many more in the pipeline, businesses that are relocating, expanding, new businesses that are coming to the area. So, we are super excited about the business growth, the President of the Harrison County Chamber of Commerce, Kathy Wagner, said.

The event also served as a vibrant networking opportunity, fostering connections among business professionals and civic leaders.

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Weve got a lot going on in the county with the soon-to-be-open new airport terminal, the expansion and growth at Charles Pointe as well as the expansion and growth of United Hospital Center, Wagner added. Weve got a lot of major projects going on as well as the small business projects.

Chamber representatives expressed great enthusiasm about the momentum and growth occurring within Harrison County, emphasizing how the region is emerging as a standout in north central West Virginia, citing numerous ongoing development projects and economic initiatives.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
My review of motherhood, 19 months in? Ten out of ten.

Watching our toddler learn new words, belly laugh, and test every boundary with giddy abandon has made life fuller than I ever imagined. Her meltdowns are epic, her curiosity relentless, her joy completely unfiltered. Ive never once wished for life before her.

It helps that my husband and I have found our stride. Between juggling jobs, family, exercise (yes, I made it back to the gym!), and  most importantly  our marriage, were doing pretty great. Life is a blur of snacks, bedtime books, and endless laundry, but its a beautiful blur.

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But one looming question hangs over us: Should we have another?

Despite how much we adore our daughter, theres a very real list of reasons to stop at one. And as Mothers Day approaches  and headlines fill with reports of policy proposals to boost the U.S. birth rate  I find myself wondering: Could the government ever really influence this decision?

Babies shouldn't be patriotic gestures or GDP fixers

Pundits and politicians are once again sounding the alarm: Americans arent having enough babies! Birth rates are falling. Millennials are too selfish. Women are too career-focused. Family values are collapsing. Society is teetering!

The U.S. fertility rate has been below replacement level since 2008. It's now around 1.63 children per woman, far below the 2.1 needed to maintain population levels. In response, some in Donald Trumps orbit have floated ideas like a National Medal of Motherhood for women with six kids, reserving Fulbright scholarships for married parents, or a $5,000 baby bonus. Of those, the cash bonus is the only one that even begins to acknowledge what raising a child costs  but that amount would only cover two kids in daycare for a single month.

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Needless to say, none of these proposals would impact our familys decision.

Because babies arent patriotic gestures. Theyre not GDP fixes or population stats. Theyre tiny, snack-hoarding people who fill your life with love and chaos. When we ask whether to have another, its not about what does America need? Its can we do this again  emotionally, financially, logistically?

For starters, if politicians want a baby boom, maybe they should try making life with more babies less financially punishing.

Parental exhaustion has rightfully been called public health crisis

Its not a mystery why more American families arent having kids or why many have adopted a one and done stance. Child care costs now rival those of housing. Health insurance doesnt always cover the physical or emotional toll of birth. Maternal mortality, especially for Black women, is still alarmingly high. It costs nearly $300,000 to raise a child to 18, and that doesnt include college.

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Letters: I've seen firsthand how wake-enhanced boating makes small Wisconsin lakes unsafe

This isnt just about economics, though. Its about energy. Parents, but especially mothers, are tired to the point of the former U.S. Surgeon General calling parental exhaustion a public health crisis. And still, our culture often dismisses that exhaustion as ingratitude. So when politicians say we need more babies, it can sound like a request from people whove never had to wipe applesauce off a work laptop.

Thus, its not surprising that much of the public reaction to the rumored White House proposals was for politicians to instead focus on the policies that actually support families and not just nudge women toward the delivery room.

What real support from the government for families must include

If policymakers actually want to support families, they should start with the basics:

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Paid family leave that allows bonding time without risking financial ruin

Universal, affordable childcare so returning to work isnt a punishment

Health care that covers maternal mental health and childhood needs

Relief from student loan and housing debt, two of the biggest reasons people delay or forgo parenthood

These wouldnt just help families  theyd empower them. And they might actually move the needle, if only slightly. Countries like Sweden and France offer generous family policies, and while their birthrates are still declining, the support improves child health, gender equality, and parental well-being.

As economist and parenting researcher Emily Oster notes, these policies arent magic bullets, but theyre good practices because they help families thrive. That should be the point. Not coercing more births, but supporting the ones that are happening.

It's ultimately a personal decision, not a national agenda

So here I am, a mom of one on my second Mother's Day, sitting with the question: Do I want to do this again?

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Not just the cuddles and milestones, but the night feeds, the costs, the emotional recalibrations. The decision to have another child wont come from a cash bonus or patriotic appeal. It will come from love  and from an honest accounting of our bandwidth, our finances, and our dreams for the family we already have.

Opinion: Nick Cannon and Elon Musk have a lot in common, but they are judged differently

This Mothers Day, I dont want flowers or fanfare. I want mothers, whether they can count their kids on one finger or need both hands, to be seen as a full human being with limits, desires, and autonomy.

Because motherhood is not a quota. Its not a duty to the economy. Its a profound, exhausting, beautiful role  and each time a woman chooses it, that choice should be honored.

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Kristin Brey is the "My Take" columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Despite what Musk and Trump want, motherhood is not a quota | Opinion
By Summer Zhen and Selena Li

HONG KONG (Reuters) -Prospective investors in CATL's upcoming $5 billion Hong Kong listing have been told the stock may be sold at a less than 10% discount to the Chinese battery maker's Shenzhen-listed shares, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

The discount offered could be around mid-single digits, two of the sources added.

CATL, whose automaker clients include Tesla and Stellantis, is meeting investors ahead of launching the book building for the deal next week that could be the largest new share sale in Hong Kong for four years.

Investors are pushing CATL to price the Hong Kong shares at least 10% below the Shenzhen-traded stock, one of the sources and a fourth person told Reuters.

The pricing has not been finalised, the sources said.

CATL wants to have cornerstone and anchor investors subscribe for around half the shares to be sold in the deal, two of the sources added.

The sources could not be named discussing information that has not yet been made public.

CATL did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

CATL shares were trading 3.0% higher on Wednesday at 238.61 yuan. However, the stock has fallen 10.3% this year. China's CSI300 index was up 0.6% on Wednesday.

Hong Kong shares typically trade at a discount compared to mainland stocks. Investors are usually offered stock at a cheaper price in offshore listings like this as an incentive to buy into the share offering.

Midea Group priced its Hong Kong shares at about a 20% discount when it raised $4 billion in a listing in September last year.

Five mainland to Hong Kong listings since 2022 led by Midea, China Tourism Group Duty Free and S.F. Holding had price ranges during their bookbuilds with discounts between 28% and 37%, according to Global Equity Research analyst Arun George who publishes on Smartkarma.

CATLs listing would be the largest in Hong Kong since 2021, when Kuaishou Technology raised $6.2 billion in an initial public offering.

The battery maker has previously said in a regulatory filing that part of the funds raised will be used to build a 7.3 billion euro ($8.28 billion) battery plant in Hungary.

CATLs net profit in the first three months in 2025 rose 32.9% year-on-year to 14 billion yuan ($1.91 billion), its fastest pace in nearly two years.

It has been extending its lead in the battery market with a 38% share globally in 2024. That increased from 36% in 2023, according to data from SNE Research, driven by CATL's faster growth in shipments of batteries for energy storage systems and its wide range of auto sector clients.
COURTESY PHOTO Kyle Yamashita 1 /2 COURTESY PHOTO Kyle Yamashita COURTESY PHOTO State Rep. Chris Todd 2 /2 COURTESY PHOTO State Rep. Chris Todd COURTESY PHOTO Kyle Yamashita COURTESY PHOTO State Rep. Chris Todd House Finance Chair Kyle Yamashita, who led the powerful House money committee for the last three Hawaii legislative sessions, has been replaced by Majority Caucus Leader Chris Todd.

Yamashitas tenure as Finance committee chair got off to a rocky start three years ago during chaotic, end-of-session conference committee hearings to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of bills.

Yamashita played a key role in the negotiations that had both House and Senate members openly complaining that they did not know what they were being asked to vote on under the pressure of deadlines to move out legislation.

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Then-House Speaker Scott Saiki stuck with Yamashita for his second year as Finance chair and said he had improved from his first year.

New House Speaker Nadine Nakamura reshuffled House leadership in her first session as speaker this year and left Yamashita in place.

Nakamura included him at Fridays end-of-the-session news conference in the House chamber, along with House leadership and key committee chairsas well as at a House news conference at the mid-point of the session.

In a memo to the House Tuesday, Nakamura offered no explanation for replacing Yamashita and wrote only : Representative Chris Todd is hereby appointed as the Chair of the Committee on Finance and will replace Representative Kyle T. Yamashita effective May 7, 2025.

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In a statement today, she said, Leadership transitions are a part of any organizations growth. The House has decided to move in a new direction and appreciates Representative Chris Todds readiness to lead the Committee on Finance.

We sincerely thank Representative Kyle Yamashita for his dedicated and trusted public service as Chair of the House Committee on Finance. We value his experience and contributions to the Legislature and are confident that he will continue to serve his Upcountry Maui community with the same thoughtfulness and commitment.

The House remains focused on continuing its productive work throughout the interim.

Its unclear who will replace Todd as majority caucus leader because House leaders are prevented from simultaneously serving as committee chairs.

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Yamashita did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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For years, health officials have warned outdoor lovers of the dangers of Lyme disease from tick bites. However, researchers are now sounding the alarm over the rise of a relatively obscure virus.

What's happening?

According to a Minnesota Department of Health report, cases of the little-known Powassan virus have increased in Minnesota over the past few years. In 2024, 14 cases of the virus were reported in the state, the highest number since Minnesota began keeping track of Powassan in 2008. The previous record-high was 11 cases in 2011.

Blacklegged ticks can transmit the Powassan virus through bites, similar to Lyme disease. However, the majority of Powassan virus cases originated in north-central Minnesota. As the MDH noted, the virus appears to be widely distributed throughout the wooded areas of Minnesota.

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The MDH reports that most cases of Powassan virus began to experience symptoms of their illness in late spring to midsummer. It is noted that there is also the potential for additional cases appearing in the fall, which may correspond with the peak of blacklegged tick activity in the state.

Why is the Powassan virus important?

The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that the National Institutes of Health awarded Matthew Aliota, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota's Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, a $3.5 million grant to study the virus in 2024.

Aliota emphasized the importance of further research on the Powassan virus, noting the obscurity of the disease among the general population. "We don't understand everything there is to know about this virus," Aliota said. "What we do know is that if you are infected with it, there can be some really severe symptoms because it's a virus that can invade the central nervous system and go to your brain."

According to the data, the fatality rate for the Powassan virus is around 10 percent. While most people may not be aware of any symptoms, severe cases can cause seizures and swelling of the brain. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and immunocompromised, are most at risk of experiencing the most severe symptoms.

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"The Powassan virus is an understudied virus," Aliota said. "It's one more thing on the list of reasons of why you should be diligent in terms of taking precautions to prevent tick bites."

What can be done to prevent the Powassan virus?

Despite the growing concern, Elizabeth Schiffman, epidemiologist supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Health, reassured Minnesotans. "The risks are relatively low; however, all the tick prevention that you would do to keep yourself from getting one of those more common diseases will also help keep you safe from getting Powassan," Schiffman said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that anyone venturing outdoors be aware of where ticks may be most common, such as high grass, wooded areas, or on infested various wildlife.

You can also treat your clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing, and camping gear. The chemical works by overstimulating the tick's nervous system, causing it to become paralyzed and detach from the treated fabric.

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Thursday is another warm and active weather day for Central Florida.

There are scattered to numerous showers and storms forecasted for the afternoon, according to NWS Melbourne.

Locally heavy rainfall could lead to minor flooding and poor driving conditions.

There is a marginal risk for excessive rainfall across east Central Florida.

Other threats include strong wind gusts, coin-sized hail and frequent lightning strikes, according to NWS Melbourne.

Temperatures will be in the high-80s to low-90s across the region.

There is a moderate risk of dangerous rip current at Central Florida Atlantic beaches.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich questioned USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins on Wednesday regarding the potential closure of a dispatch center that handles responses to wildfires in the Gila National Forest. (Photo courtesy Heinrich's office)

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) questioned the nations agriculture secretary Wednesday about the potential closure of a key wildfire dispatch center in the Gila National Forest that remains on a list of lease cancellations the so-called Department of Government Efficiency announced earlier this year.

The Silver City Dispatch Center handles communications and resource orders, among other duties, to ensure small wildfire starts in the fire-prone Gila National Forest do not burn out of control. Its housed in the Gila National Forests 29,000-square-foot supervisors office in Silver City, an office whose lease could be canceled in the name of federal cost-cutting measures.

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Congressional staffers and Forest Service employees have raised alarm about the potential closure, particularly in the remote Gila, because its not clear where else in the area would be suitable.

Heinrich opened his questioning yesterday during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee meeting by asking USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins about the center. His office previously told Source New Mexico that Heinrich had received assurances the office would remain open, but that official word would have to come from the federal General Services Administration, which holds the leases.

In our conversations, you assured me that you would seek to keep this dispatch center open, that you would designate it mission critical, Heinrich said to Rollins. Talk to me about what you are doing to make good on that promise.

Rollins said her agency has been in conversation with the GSA regarding the center, but did not provide any status updates.

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We agree that this is important and, especially as wildfire season is heating up, ensuring that we are operationally ready at every turn in your state and in other states that are highly affected by that, she said. So we remain focused on that, and if you hear something different, please call me.

A GSA spokesperson Thursday referred comment back to the USDA about the status of the lease. A spokesperson said* the Forest Service had nothing to add to Rollins testimony. The spokesperson also said the administration is reviewing all options to optimize the federal footprint and building utilization.

The GSA spokesperson, while not mentioning the dispatch center lease directly, also said the administration is actively managing lease contracts, which allows it to work with agencies on their longer-term needs and possibly negotiate better rent prices.

Heinrich, in his question to Rollins, cited the ongoing Iron Fire in the Gila. That fire ignited Sunday afternoon and has burned, according to the latest figures, 822 acres. Dispatchers coordinated the response of more than 180 personnel to the fire, including two helicopters, two engines and two Hotshot teams.

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As of Thursday, the fire is 10% contained with reduced smoke activity. Investigators have determined lightning caused the fire, and crews are focused on mopping up hot spots and strengthening containment lines.

The fire ignited in a remote area within the 2012 Whitewater Baldy Fire burn scar and is burning in grass, as well as heavy dead and downed fuel and timber, according to an update from the Gila National Forest.

The fire occurs in an area where snowpack is far below normal, including some areas in Southwestern New Mexico where it is 0% of the median snowpack that accumulated there between 1991 and 2020.

According to the May national wildfire outlook from the National Interagency Fire Center, citing drought and other factors, all of Southwestern New Mexico should expect above-normal fire conditions. The outlook for much of the rest of the state has improved to normal, however, according to the outlook.

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In addition to the dangerous conditions and threatened closure of the dispatch center, more than 25 people who work in the Gila National Forest were fired earlier this year as part of federal cost-cutting measures. Its not clear how many of them returned to work due to federal orders or how many are on administrative leave.

UPDATE May 8 at 12:45 p.m.: This article has been updated to include brief comment from the Forest Service.
President Donald Trump threatened a new tariff on the European Union on Friday.

Over the holiday weekend, he backed down from the threat.

Trump has touted some initial deals, but he's made clear that the threat of new tariffs remains.

President Donald Trump pulled back from threatening a larger trade war with Europe, again.

On May 23, Trump said he would impose a 50% tariff on the EU starting on June 1. He later told reporters he felt no need to cut a deal. By May 25, the president said he had agreed to the EU's request to pause the additional tariff until July 9.

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"Remember, I am empowered to "SET A DEAL" for Trade into the United States if we are unable to make a deal, or are treated unfairly," Trump wrote on Truth Social on May 27. "I have just been informed that the E.U. has called to quickly establish meeting dates."

Trump's 90-day pause on his "reciprocal tariffs" is also set to end July 9th.

Here's what we know about where discussions stand for major US partners.

European Union: Another tariff pause

Trump said on May 23 that discussions with the EU "are going nowhere!"

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News, "the EU proposals have not been of the same quality that we've seen from our other important trading partners."

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As a result, Trump moved to impose the 50% tariff. Days later, the president said that talks had improved.

"I hope that they will, FINALLY, like my same demand to China, open up the European Nations for Trade with the United States of America," Trump wrote May 25 on Truth. "They will BOTH be very happy, and successful, if they do!!!"

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic are expected to meet in Paris next month.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in April that he hoped to see a "free trade zone" between the US and Europe.

China: Interim deal

US-China trade tensions have cooled considerably. On May 12, both sides announced a 90-day period where US tariffs were slashed from 145% to a base of 30%, while China cut its tariffs from 125% to 10%.

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The breakthrough came after Bessent and Greer held face-to-face talks with Vice Premier He Lifeng.

Wall Street was surprised by the development as, on the campaign trail, Trump had discussed 60% tariffs on Chinese goods.

Before the interim agreement, Trump had already softened the US stance by granting exemptions on iPhones, computers, and other electronics imported into the US from China.

Trump's recent comments show that such exemptions may not last forever if companies don't reshore manufacturing.

Canada: Talks are still early on

Trump met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office on May 7.

Carney, an economist and onetime governor of the Bank of England, told reporters that Canadian officials, himself, and Trump planned further trade discussions "in the coming weeks."

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During a public portion of their Oval Office meeting, Trump and Carney both said that there needs to be changes made to the US-Mexico-Canada agreement, Trump's first-term rewrite of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

In the meantime, the United States continues to impose a 25% tariff on non-USMCA-compliant Canadian goods and a 10% tariff on energy imported from Canada. Additional US tariffs on automobiles, steel, and aluminum also apply to Canadian goods.

Canada retaliated by imposing a 25% tariff on US goods, including steel, aluminum, and agricultural goods.

United Kingdom: Interim deal

The White House announced an agreement with the UK on May 8, the first since Trump announced and later paused sweeping "reciprocal tariffs."

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In the trade agreement, Trump will reverse tariffs on British steel and automobiles

British steel and aluminum won't be subject to US-imposed 25% tariffs. And tariffs for UK cars imported into the United States will be cut from 27.5% to 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles.

US farmers will also get more access to UK markets.

The White House said the deal represents a "$5 billion opportunity for new exports for US farmers, ranchers, and producers."

Trump's 10% tariff  still in effect for most countries  will remain in place for the UK.

India: Talks ongoing

Vice President JD Vance said on May 1 that a US-India trade deal would "be among the first deals" the administration will reach.

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A deal has yet to be announced. Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently traveled to the US. On X, Goyal wrote that he had "good discussions."

Bloomberg reported that India expects a potential deal to have three phases, beginning with an initial phase that would cover "market access for industrial goods, some farm products and addressing some non-tariff barriers."

Trump announced a 27% tariff on Indian goods at the White House as part of his "Liberation Day" celebration. His 90-day pause on those tariffs ends on July 9.

As a large purchaser of Venezuelan oil, India could also face additional US tariffs.

Vietnam: Talks ongoing

The US and Vietnam have held two rounds of trade talks, but a deal is still no quite done.

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Vietnam's Trade Minister Nguyen Hong Dien met with Greer in Washington for some of the meetings. After discussions concluded, Reuters reported, that the Vietnamese statement said that talks will need to continue next month.

Trump imposed a 46% tariff on Vietnam as part of his "Liberation Day" announcement  it, too, is subject to the 90-day pause.

Japan: Talks ongoing

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters that he spoke with Trump directly, The Associated Press reported

"I expressed my expectations for productive discussion to be held, and we agreed," Ishiba told reporters after the talks, the AP reported May 23rd.

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Japan and the US have held three rounds of talks thus far. Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa was recently in Washington for in-person meetings.

Trump imposed a 24% tariff on Japanese goods before announcing his 90-day pause.

South Korea: Talks ongoing

South Korea sent representatives to the US early on, but it's unlikely to be one of the first countries to strike a deal.

That's because South Korea is holding snap elections on June 3. A senior government official previously told Reuters that no deal would come before the election.

South Korea sent a delegation to the US for talks that wrapped up just before Memorial Day weekend.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BOSSIER PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS)Heroes of northwest Louisiana will be recognized for their daily contributions to the community, including a police officer who rushed into danger to stop a shooter. The public can support these first responders and others at an upcoming awards ceremony.

One of the officers who will be recognized was a part of a crime that horrified Bossier City when families lost two loved ones in a fatal shooting inside the Valero gas station in 2023.

Bossier City Police Officer Kenny Gallon responded to the scene and got into a shootout with the suspect. He was shot several times. Danny Bo Turner, his fellow officer, applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. They are credited with saving more lives and each others. The Bossier Chamber of Commerce will recognize the duo as community heroes.

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Our first responders are the first ones to get in there and take care of it with no hesitation, take bullets and save lives, said Lisa Johnson, President/CEO of the Bossier Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber will host its annual Salute to Community Heroes event. This awards program has grown over the years to include individuals from various jobs and organizations, including health care workers after the pandemic.

We have caring people here, and our human assets are what sells us, Johnson.

Johnson said that community heroes are what make Northwest Louisiana strong. The chamber spotlights these individuals to showcase the areas best.

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Business retention does not happen without community development and quality of life issues. We want businesses to stay, and new businesses to move in, and those are the things that they look for. So why not celebrate those who are making a difference, Johnson said.

The Salute to Community Heroes is May 15 at 8 a.m. inside Margaritaville. The Bossier Chamber of Commerce said its a free program open to the public. Purchasing tickets supports their effort,s and sponsorships are still 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 KTALnews.com.
HICKORY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  In conjunction with International Firefighters Day on Sunday, May 4, seven Hickory Fire Department firefighters, who are also Veterans, were awarded Quilts of Valor by members of the Catawba Valley Quilters Guild.

The following men were honored:

Andrew Dixion (US Marine Corps)

Chris Allison (US Navy)

Bo Johnson (US Marine Corps)

Brandon Williams (US Army)

Jonas Bradshaw (US Army)

Brandan Daniels (US Army National Guard)

Eric Sprinkle (US Air Force).

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The Quilts of Valor Foundation is a national, non-profit organization whose mission is to cover Service Members and Veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor in gratitude for their military service to the United States of America.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
High school students found a concerning level of microplastics in water samples collected from two remote Grand Teton National Park lakes.

What's happening?

The Jackson Hole News&Guide reported on tests conducted by two San Francisco Bay Area high school students.

The duo collected water samples with a portable pump from eight lakes in Grand Teton National Park. They returned to California to analyze the lakewater with a microscope and spectrometer and found plastic particles in samples from two of the lakes.

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Researchers have determined that microplastic particles can enter remote areas by wind or rain. Ski areas are another likely culprit for the contamination.

The National Park Service does not regularly sample for microplastics in water, according to the Jackson Hole News&Guide. Independent research, including the study conducted by the students, is vital to understanding the scope of microplastic pollution.

Why is finding microplastics in lakes so concerning?

Microplastics have been found just about everywhere  in soil, the Arctic Ocean, and freshwater lakes.

"I don't think you could sample anything and not find plastics anymore," said Janine Brahney, a Utah State University biogeochemist, to Jackson Hole News&Guide.

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"The rate at which we're producing this waste is fast outweighing our ability to control it," she added.

Research into the impact of microplastic pollution on nonmarine aquatic ecosystems is relatively recent. In 2020, Brahney published a study that found between 1,000 and 4,000 tons of plastic, the equivalent of 100 million to 400 million water bottles, in 12 wilderness areas and national parks in the western United States.

"I'll be honest with you, I gave a talk recently and I cried three times," said Brahney.

These tiny bits of plastic waste are more than an environmental menace; they also pose a serious hazard to human health.

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When plastic breaks down into tiny fragments, it gets inside food, water, and even the air we breathe. Once inside the human body, microplastics can damage cells and impact immune systems. Studies have shown that microplastics can cause liver complications and reduce blood flow to the brain. Microplastics have even been found in human semen.

Now that microplastics have been found in remote lakes of Grand Teton National Park, it shows just how widespread the problem has become.

What's being done about microplastic pollution?

Strides are being made to combat the proliferation of microplastics in the environment.

Filmmakers are documenting the impact of plastic pollution on the Great Lakes, helping bring wider attention to the issue.

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Researchers are developing new filters for drinking water and a powder additive that can be dissolved in water to remove microplastics. A startup is developing a filtration system for household laundry wastewater to capture plastic microfibers before they can pollute waterways.

On an individual level, ensuring plastic products are properly recycled and reducing plastic use can prevent contributing to the growing scourge of microplastic pollution.

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High schooler Rebecca Cespedes died after crashing her pickup truck into a tree in Dana Point, Calif., on May 6

The five others injured, including three critically, were also students at Dana Hills High School

An investigation into the crash is ongoing, authorities said







A 16-year-old high school student has died, and five of her classmates were injured after a truck crashed into a tree, authorities said.

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Rebecca Cespedes, the driver of the pickup truck, was found dead at the scene after deputies responded to a single-vehicle crash in Dana Point, Calif., on Tuesday, May 6, just before 12 p.m. local time, the Orange County Sheriffs Department said.

Deputies arrived and discovered that a pickup truck with six juveniles struck a tree, the sheriffs deputies said.

The five other students in the vehicle were transported to local hospitals, officials said. Two boys and a girl were in critical condition, but are expected to survive. The other boy and girl were treated for minor injuries.

"All juveniles are students at Dana Hills High School," the department said. "It is currently unknown if drugs, alcohol, or speed contributed to this traffic collision." An investigation is ongoing.

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Authorities and Dana Hills High School did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs requests for comment.

A Dana Point resident, Mark Przybylak, told NBC affiliate KNBC that the accident sounded like a huge explosion. On the edge of Dana Point Harbor Drive, where the accident occurred, a memorial has been placed with candles and flowers, according to the report.

In a letter shared with the high school community, Principal Brittany Casey confirmed that one student had died and five others had been injured.

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We are aware this tragedy will affect our entire school family and have multiple counseling agencies and therapy dogs on campus providing support for any student or staff member in need, Casey wrote in the letter, Fox affiliate KTTV reported.

Dana Hills High School is a strong community, she wrote, according to the outlet, who will come together for each other and the affected Dolphin families.

Read the original article on People
By Arsheeya Bajwa, Max A. Cherney

(Reuters) -Advanced Micro Devices on Tuesday forecast a $1.5 billion hit to revenue this year due to new U.S. curbs on chips, which require the company to obtain a license to ship advanced artificial-intelligence processors to China.

But it issued a second-quarter revenue forecast that topped Wall Street estimates, which analysts attributed to customers buying more chips ahead of tariffs. Its shares were last up about 1% in after-hours trading after rising as much as 6% and falling as much as 3.5%.

Under the Biden and Trump administrations, the U.S. has pursued increasingly aggressive curbs on AI chip exports to China. These controls are aimed at hobbling China's ability to build advanced AI models and applications that, according to the U.S., could have national security implications.

AMD CEO Lisa Su said on a conference call on Tuesday that most of the impact from the curbs would affect the second and third quarters this year. Despite the new controls, Su said she expects AI chip revenue from the company's data center business to grow this year by "strong double digits."

"It's certainly a headwind, but one which we think is well contained given everything else that we have going on," she said.

In April, AMD said it would record an $800 million charge from the new U.S. tariffs on chip exports to China. On Tuesday, it forecast adjusted gross margin of 43%, which represents an 11 percentage-point drop from the gross margin excluding the charge.

Like AMD, Nvidia has also warned Wall Street that it will now need an export license to China. Nvidia faces a $5.5 billion charge as a result.

China accounts for roughly a quarter of AMD's total revenue, and the impact of the export controls would shave nearly 5% off the Wall Street forecast for revenue of $31.03 billion per LSEG data.

AMD finance chief Jean Hu said in the conference call following the results that the $1.5 billion revenue hit for 2025 was due to the new round of export controls from April.

"The subtext is hard to miss; big hyperscalers would rather accelerate purchase order dates than risk exportlicense roulette once the latest China rules bite," said Michael Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital.

"The flip side is that, once those safetystock closets are full, Q3 could feel like the morning after a Red Bull binge ... keep one eye on backlog burn rates and another on Washingtons next tariff tweet," he said.

GROWTH DESPITE CHINA

Still, the optimistic forecast shows that demand for AMD's advanced processors remains strong as they power complex AI systems for Microsoft, Meta Platforms and other customers. These cloud giants recently reinforced hefty spending plans for building AI infrastructure.
Americans have become woefully familiar with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the purveyor of flagrant misinformation about medical treatments. And with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the minimizer of health crises such as the spreading measles outbreak. And with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the antivaccine crusader.

Now let's meet Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the promoter of a costly, time-consuming and distinctly unethical order for testing vaccines. "All new vaccines will undergo safety testing in placebo-controlled trials prior to licensure  a radical departure from past practices," HHS announced in a May 1 statement. What it didn't say was that the "departure" is "radical" because it's shunned by medical authorities as a bad thing.

Just this week, Kennedy's agency doubled down on this order with the appointment of Vinay Prasad, an oncologist at UC San Francisco, as head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, the division at the Food and Drug Administration that oversees vaccine testing.

I suspect that none of the parents who volunteered for Jonas Salks polio vaccine trial were hoping their children were in the placebo group.

Vaccine expert Paul Offit, referring to the nationwide clinical trial of the polio vaccine in 1954

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Prasad was a strident critic of the Biden administration's approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the COVID vaccines. In a blog post in late April, he called for clinical testing of COVID boosters, along the lines of Kennedy's order. Prasad succeeds Peter Marks, a widely respected expert who resigned from the FDA in March after clashing with Kennedy.

"I was willing to work to address [Kennedy's] concerns regarding vaccine safety and transparency," Marks wrote in his resignation letter. "However, it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies."

The HHS announcement about Kennedy's demand for placebo-controlled trials was unclear about how it defined "new vaccines." But his previous claims about vaccine safety have made clear that he's referring not only to first-generation vaccines for diseases, but also boosters and expanded formulations. That's an important point, as I'll cover in a moment.

The antivaccine camp, of which Kennedy has long been a leader, has pushed the claim that most childhood vaccines haven't been adequately tested for safety because they haven't been subjected to placebo-controlled trials  and therefore may be unsafe.

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"Except for the COVID vaccine, none of the vaccines on the CDC's childhood recommended schedule was tested against an inert placebo, meaning we know very little about the actual risk profiles of these products," Kennedy's spokesman at HHS, Andrew Nixon, asserted in connection with the order.

Read more: Hiltzik: These 'experts' sold the U.S. on a disastrous COVID plan, and never paid a professional price

Both components of that claim are misrepresentations.

Let's take a closer look, starting with some rudimentary points.

The testing that Kennedy and Prasad advocate are randomized control trials. They're correct in asserting that so-called RCTs are the gold standard in clinical testing of drugs and vaccines.

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RCTs typically involve at least two groups of subjects: One receives the medicine in question and another  a control group  receives something else, such as a placebo, a concoction that's designed to resemble the medicine but is essentially inert, with no evident effect on the disease. The placebo may be an injectable saline solution, or water, or a sugar pill.

Kennedy, like other antivaxxers, is deceptive in saying that the safety of vaccines should be questioned if it hasn't been tested against an "inert placebo."

That brings us to the ethics of clinical testing, and why Kennedy's policy is so dangerous.

Read more: Hiltzik: Trump's assault on science will make Americans dumber and sicker

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Testing a vaccine against a true placebo is ethical and proper when it's the first treatment for a disease for which no other safe and effective treatment exists. That's not the case, however, when a known treatment does exist  say after a vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective and has become the standard of care.

As vaccine specialist Paul Offit of Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia has explained, subjecting new versions of those vaccines to placebo-controlled testing  giving some subjects the new vaccine and the control subjects no treatment, would be unethical, because it would require depriving the placebo group access to a known treatment. That was the conclusion of an expert panel assembled by the World Health Organization in 2014.

Offit, in a 2023 rejoinder to Kennedy's appearance on a Joe Rogan podcast, in which he claimed that drug companies "never do placebo-controlled trials, pointed to what may be the most famous vaccine trial to illustrate this point.

That was the nationwide trial of Jonas Salk's polio vaccine. In 1954, 420,000 first- and second-graders were given the Salk shot, and 200,000 got a shot of salt water. Salk objected to the trial's design. Smaller trials had established the safety and efficacy of his vaccine, so the plan meant depriving 200,000 children of immunity to a disease that was paralyzing 50,000 children a year and killing 1,500.

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As Offit noted, in the full trial 16 children died from polio; all were in the placebo group. So were 34 of the 36 children paralyzed in the course of the trial. "These are the gentle heroes we leave behind," Offit wrote.

Now let's examine Kennedy's order as it applies to modern vaccines. As the veteran pseudoscience debunker David Gorski has pointed out, contrary to the assertion by Kennedy's spokesman, almost none of the vaccines on the current childhood vaccination list is a first-generation vaccine warranting placebo testing. (An exception is Gardasil, which safeguards against human papilloma virus.) They're upgraded preparations of vaccines that themselves underwent placebo-controlled trials, or formulations aimed at new variants of the targeted disease, or shots that inoculate against several diseases all at once.

Read more: Hiltzik: Trump's anti-science backers go after water fluoridation, a historic healthcare success

To demand that every new formulation be tested against an inert placebo would mean turning back the clock to reproduce trials that may have taken place decades ago, but resulted in the licensing of the original vaccine after safety and efficacy were established.

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That means it would have been unethical to test the new version against a saline control, because the control group would be deprived of any effective treatment. "The bottom line," Gorski writes, "is that, if you trace back the history of the vaccines developed for a disease like, say, measles, you will eventually find the RCT testing the first effective vaccine against it and that vaccine will have had a placebo control."

He's right. In a tweet thread, vaccinologist Peter Hotez traced back the history of several vaccines to their initial RCTs.

What makes Kennedy's order especially cynical is that designing and implementing a clinical trial is an extraordinarily complex, costly and time-consuming process. As a team of Canadian researchers observed in a 2018 Nature article, a full-scale Phase 3 clinical trial  the level at which drugs and vaccines are studied for safety, efficacy and dosing  requires as many as 3,000 participants and can take as long as four years.

In an online posting last month, Prasad ridiculed "the mainstream media" for being upset about the idea that COVID boosters should in effect receive full randomized clinical trials before approval. He took particular issue with an article by Helen Braswell of STAT asserting that such a requirement might well delay approval of a vaccine targeting a new COVID variant until it was too late to protect users from that variant. Prasad called the argument false because "the virus spreads year round."

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Read more: Hiltzik: Trump and RFK Jr. want to make the world safe again for polio and measles. You should be terrified

Is that so? At the height of the pandemic, new COVID variants sometimes appeared within months of one another. The virulent Delta variant, for example, appeared in the spring of 2021 and was overtaken by the Omicron variant, which also caused severe disease, that November.

Delays in rolling out vaccines to combat newly emergent disease strains and variants could cost millions of lives. Under existing vaccine approval protocols, the COVID vaccines prevented as many as 20 million deaths globally within a year after they were introduced early in 2021.

Prasad's new job will put him in charge of developing vaccine testing policies and overseeing the design and approval of clinical trials. I asked him via email what policies he would pursue, whether he was in alignment with Kennedy's approach, and how he expected vaccine developers to reconcile the costs and time constraints of undertaking clinical trials on the scale he advocates with the imperatives of public health. I didn't receive a reply.

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So far, the Kennedy regime at HHS has lived down to the worst expectations of his critics. His devotion to unnecessary testing of vaccines that have already shown their safety and efficacy is only one aspect of a comprehensive assault on public confidence in science-based medicine.

In a recent appearance on Sean Hannity's Fox News program, Kennedy dismissed the severity of the current measles outbreak and denigrated the effectiveness of the measles vaccine. The current outbreak of 935 cases is by far the worst in the U.S. since 2019, when 1,274 cases were recorded; at the current rate, we are on the path to nearly 3,000 this year.

Kennedy has promoted almost useless nostrums against measles, such as vitamin A, while describing vaccination as a personal choice. That's devastatingly wrongheaded. Kennedy confuses "medicine" and "public health." The former concerns itself with the individual; the latter with the community. Vaccine policy belongs in the latter category because vaccines are most effective when the effort is communitywide.

Measles is among the most contagious diseases known to humankind, which means that communal vaccination is crucial. Professionals have concluded that a 95% vaccination rate is the minimum required to protect the most vulnerable, such as infants, from infection; as of 2024, the U.S. vaccination rate among kindergartners had fallen from 95.2% in 2019-20 to 92.7%.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which falls within Kennedy's jurisdiction, says the decline in measles vaccinations leaves 280,000 kindergartners at risk. Two children in the U.S. already have died from a disease that was thought to have been eradicated in the U.S. in 2020; Kennedy doesn't seem concerned that the toll on his watch is poised to get much worse.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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The Arizona Legislature wont be able to sic county sheriffs offices on people who ignore their subpoenas and people who testify at the state Capitol wont face felony charges if they lie, after Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that GOP lawmakers sent her last month.

The measure would have delegated the power to hold a person in contempt to individual legislators  the Senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives or a committee chairman  instead of requiring a vote by the full chamber.

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It also would have required every person who testifies in front of a legislative committee to do so under the penalty of perjury, along with it the prospect of a class four felony and at least two years in prison.

The bill weaponizes the power of the Legislature in a way that could be used to intimidate Arizonans, Hobbs wrote in her veto letter.

Additionally, the governor said, the power to hold someone in contempt is best left to be determined by the full legislative chambers and not any single legislator.

In 2021, Republicans in the Arizona Senate failed in a vote of 15-15 to find the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in contempt for refusing to comply with wide-ranging subpoenas for election equipment and materials to be used in the Senates partisan audit of the 2020 presidential election results.

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One Republican joined with Democrats to block the proposal.

The last time that bald-faced lies to a legislative committee resulted in significant consequences was in 2023, when then Rep. Liz Harris, a Chandler Republican, was ousted from her seat in a bipartisan vote for lying about her intent when she invited a woman to testify in front of a joint elections committee, knowing she planned to spread wild conspiracy theories.

The woman claimed that various state and local officials from both parties were involved in a housing deed money laundering scheme involving a Mexican drug cartel and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The vetoed bill, House Bill 2824, passed both the House and the Senate along party lines with only Republicans in favor.

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Homeland Security Investigations agents raided Dymeng Technology Solutions on Paseo Reyes Drive Thursday morning, surprising employees at nearby businesses.

The businesses asked not to be identified, but employees said they watched unmarked vans pull into the lot as agents donned vests and worked with a K-9 to secure the area.

Katie Picciano said she was surprised to see the agents.

I noticed two officers and a woman in a blue T-shirt with a clipboard that said HSI Support, and I was immediately confused, Picciano, who works nearby, said.

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Action News Jaxs Yona Gavino knocked on the door to Dymeng Technology Solutions and exchanged words with someone inside.

A man told her to get out. He did not identify himself and quickly took off without shedding light on why agents with tactical gear swept the business.

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A spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville confirmed the warrant execution but declined to provide further details, saying:

Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville executed a federal search warrant this morning in St. Augustine. It is part of an ongoing investigation, and there is no additional information available at this time.

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They told us they were acting on a search warrant and were searching for stuff; it seemed like search and recovery, almost CSI-style, Picciano said.

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She was puzzled by the scale of the operation in such a small community.

Like, what is Homeland Security doing in such a small community like Palencia? Its such a huge departmentwhats happening right under our noses every day? she said.

Authorities have not released additional information. We will update this story as new details on the investigation become available.

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Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) called out Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Wednesday after the DOGE subcommittee  a panel she chairs under the House Oversight Committee  held a hearing on transgender people in sports.

What the hell are we doing here? Seriously? asked Casar of the GOP-majority panels Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Womens Sports hearing.

We are here because Chairwoman Marjorie Taylor Greene thinks that if she picks on vulnerable people like trans folks, she can avoid having a discussion about the allegations of insider trading against her.

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Casar made a nod to the congresswomans disclosure that shed bought somewhere between $21,000 and $315,000 in stocks on the day before  and the day of  Trump announcing a pause to most of his widespread tariffs last month.

Democrats have since accused Greene of violating insider trading laws, suggesting that she knew about the trade policy change-up prior to the presidents announcement, which sent markets soaring.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), as part of a push to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks, claimed that Trumps approach to tariffs was all about manipulating the markets so that he could quietly enrich his friends who bought the dip.

Greene told reporters at the time that her financial adviser handles her stocks and claimed she doesnt place her own buys, per the Georgia Recorder.

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Thats something that my portfolio manager does for me, and he did a great job. Guess what he did? He bought the dip, she said.

And thats what anybody that has any financial sense does when they know the markets going to be going down. That was obvious to everyone.

On Wednesday, Casar continued to dig into Greene over her focus on debating trans athletes, a population that Republicans have fixated on and legislated against despite trans people making up just a tiny portion of all athletes.

She thinks she can distract from the fact that Trump and MAGA Republicans are raising your costs every single day, suppressing your wages every single day, stealing your taxpayer dollars every single day and threatening your health care, he stressed.

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Thats the reason were at this crazy hearing today.

Casar: "I've knocked on thousands of doors and not a single time has someone flung open their door and said, 'Thank God you're here, congressman. I want to ask about transgender people fencing.' It's just never happened ... what the hell are we doing here? We are here because pic.twitter.com/vKkDP9S3My  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 7, 2025

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House Democrats are getting Ezra Klein-pilled.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.) is launching a new roughly 30-member bloc thats claiming inspiration from the abundance movement championed by the liberal commentator Klein.

This is a moment that has been building for a while, said Harder. I think there's been a lot of simmering interest in permitting reform and making sure that things are built faster, better, cheaper. But now, I think over the past year or so, it's really reached a boiling point on both sides.

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Its the latest sign that some Democrats see the abundance movements ideas  something that sprung up around Klein's book "Abundance" co-authored with Atlantic writer Derek Thompson  as a solution to the partys woes.

The subject is not without its critics. Some progressives have pushed back on the proposals, which they argue fail to focus on what they see as larger problems like the concentration of power.

But in spite of those detractors, Harder said his new caucus has a broad swath of support.

I think this may be one of the only active bipartisan caucuses doing work that has folks across the ideological rainbow, Harder said.

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The blocs emergence comes amid a broader conversation among Democrats about their post-2024 message and potential failure of governance in blue cities and states. Harder said hed read the book and had been in touch with Klein, who also spoke at the Senate Democrats private gathering this week.

In a short interview, Klein said it was good that the caucus was forming but that he didnt know much about it.

Harder said the Build America Caucus is set to focus on cutting red tape around energy permitting and housing, and aimed to make recommendations on embedding provisions in must-pass legislation this Congress like the annual defense authorization bill or federal surface transportation legislation.

But with congressional Republicans currently pursuing a party-line policy megabill, its not clear how much of an appetite for bipartisan dealmaking exists in Washington at the moment.

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Harder, who represents a district around Stockton, California, cited his frustrations with the cost overruns and delays associated with marquee Democratic projects, including his states high-speed rail project and the rollout of funding from the bipartisan infrastructure and climate law signed by former President Joe Biden.

I think voters want to see action, and I think we need a government that actually works and actually delivers the services that people are voting for, Harder said.
House Republican leaders are negotiating over GOP members conflicting demands before an expected floor vote on the GOPs massive tax and spending cuts package this week.



Among several sticking points is the timeframe over when new Medicaid work requirements would kick in and whether to change the federal-state cost sharing program for Medicaid.

Nearly 80 million children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, parents and adults without dependents rely on Medicaid and the related Childrens Health Insurance Program. Most US adults say they dont want to see decreases in Medicaid spending, according to a recent KFF poll.

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Republican lawmakers voted to pass a budget blueprint in April that gave the House Energy and Commerce Committee instructions to shave $880 billion in funding from programs in the committees jurisdiction. They have said they want to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse. Its uncertain, however, whether Republican lawmakers Medicaid revamp will achieve their topline goal for the cuts needed to help finance President Donald Trumps sweeping tax and spending cuts agenda.

More than 60 House Republicans represent districts with higher-than-average Medicaid enrollment, according to a CNN analysis of Medicaid enrollment data and 2024 election results.

While most Republican districts arent heavily reliant on the program, Speaker Mike Johnsons historically tight margin in the House means that he can only afford a handful of Republican no votes to pass any changes to Medicaid without Democrats help.

Just 29% of Republican districts have higher-than-average Medicaid enrollment rates, compared with more than half of districts represented by Democrats. Thats due, in part, to the fact that the 10 states that have not chosen to expand Medicaid lean red (with the exception of Wisconsin where the GOP-controlled legislature has long blocked expansion). Nearly 40% of House Republicans represent those states.

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Most of the lawmakers on the Energy and Commerce Committee considering any changes to Medicaid represent districts with relatively low Medicaid enrollment rates, compared with all other House districts, CNN found. Nearly three-quarters of committee Republicans and more than half of committee Democrats come from districts that fall below the nationwide district average.

Their colleagues will be watching closely  especially those who represent high-enrollment districts and those who won by close margins in November.

CNNs analysis found that 49 of the 64 GOP lawmakers representing districts with high Medicaid enrollment won their races by a wider margin than President Donald Trump did in the 2024 election  raising questions about how much appetite there may be to implement cuts to the program.

Among those 64 Republican lawmakers who represent high-enrollment districts, five of them won their races in November within a tight 5-point margin: Reps. Nick Begich (AK-AL), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-6), Ken Calvert (CA-41), Jeff Hurd (CO-3) and Rob Bresnahan (PA-8).

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Republicans representing districts with high Medicaid enrollment rates could face more pressure to break from party lines on a vote to cut funding for the program  particularly those who won in close races last year and those who outperformed Trump, including those who ran as moderates. A group of moderate House Republicans  including Bresnahan, Ciscomani and Hurd  reminded House leadership in a letter that they helped to deliver a Republican Majority and would not support a bill that included cuts to Medicaid benefits.

We cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations, they wrote on April 14.

About half of the dozen lawmakers who signed the letter represent higher-than-average Medicaid populations and almost all of them won their districts by a wider margin than Trump did in November.

Bresnahan and Ciscomani had previously joined four other Republican members of the Congressional Hispanic Conference in signing a letter to Johnson in February warning against cuts to Medicaid. Bresnahan also issued a statement in response to budget reconciliation negotiations, saying, If a bill is put in front of me that guts the benefits my neighbors rely on, I will not vote for it.

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There are also a number of GOP senators who have expressed concerns about backing any proposal that fundamentally reshapes or cuts Medicaid benefits, including Sen. Josh Hawley who said earlier this year, I am very skeptical about cuts to Medicaid that result in any benefit cuts.

I dont want any benefit cuts. If somebody has ideas for reforming the system, Im open to that, but that had better not be code for benefit cuts, he told CNN in February.

Senate Republicans currently hold a 53 to 47 majority.

New Mexico and California, each represented by two Democratic senators, lead the country with the highest enrollment rates as of November 2024. A third of constituents represented by two GOP senators, though, have higher-than-average Medicaid and CHIP enrollment rates, according to CNNs analysis.

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Of all states with two GOP senators, Alaska has the highest enrollment rate, ranking fourth nationwide, as of December 2024  with one in three residents enrolled in the program for health care. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has pledged to protect access for Alaskans and fight cuts to the program.

Louisiana, represented by Republican Sens. John Neely Kennedy and Bill Cassidy, also ranks in the top five states with the highest Medicaid and CHIP enrollment rates.

CNNs Manu Raju contributed to this report.

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A ceasefire deal between Yemens Houthi rebels and the U.S., mediated by Oman, has secured a tentative end to attacks on American ships in the Red Sea, but details are slim on the concessions made by both sides.

Still, the ceasefire allows the Trump administration to claim victory in clearing the pathway for commercial shipping. Attacks on vessels served to justify the U.S. military campaign against the designated-terrorist group in Yemen, which launched in earnest in mid-March.

The Houthis have suffered major losses because of the airstrikes, said Nadwa Al-Dawsari, associate fellow with the Middle East Institute.

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As the Houthis do whenever they are under serious military pressure, they agree to a ceasefire. In a way, the ceasefire for Iran and the Houthis is to prevent irreversible damage to Houthi capabilities on the ground.

The deal comes ahead of a high-profile trip by President Trump to the Gulf nations next week, with his first stop in Saudi Arabia. The U.S. is also pursuing talks with Iran to defang its nuclear program  and the Islamic Republic is a primary backer to the Houthis.

Trump clearly wanted an off-ramp so that he could claim progress before his visit to the region, and he also wanted to remove an irritant in the Iran nuclear talks, said Daniel Shapiro, a distinguished fellow with the Atlantic Councils Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative who most recently served as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for the Middle East in former President Bidens administration.

So he took a real, but rather modest, win in the Houthi commitment not to target U.S. ships, he added.

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Trump credited the U.S. strikes with bringing the Houthis to the table. Since mid-March, the U.S. military has said it has struck more than 1,000 targets in Yemen as part of Operation Rough Rider. The strikes have killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and leaders, including senior Houthi missile and UAV officials, and degraded their capabilities, Pentagon officials claimed late last month.

We hit them very hard. They had a great capacity to withstand punishment. They took tremendous punishment.  But we honored their commitment and their word, they gave us their word that they wouldnt be shooting ships anymore, and we honor that, Trump said during a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office on Wednesday for his new ambassador to China, former Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga).

Al-Dawsari said the ceasefire agreement came to fruition through different interventions and with different interests at play. She pointed to a visit from Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud to Tehran in mid-April, where the message was for Iran to rein in the Houthis attacks on the shipping lanes.

Thats one major factor, she said.

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Al-Dawsari said the ceasefire might be sustainable but not durable.

A ceasefire for the Houthis and Iran is an opportunity to sort of regroup, restrategize, the Houthis will replenish their stockpile through the massive smuggling network that they have created with the help of IRGC [Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] across the Red Sea, she said.

Al-Dawsari said the Houthis, and by extension Iran, are working to project power into and from East Africa, and that a resumption of attacks on the Red Sea is likely to take place as a way to expand their influence.

These are groups that think long-term. We might not see attacks on ships in the next couple of years, but eventually it will happen, she said. But by then, the Houthis will have more strength, and also with a wide outreach across the region, that it will be impossible to put them back in the box.

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As a way to bolster their image, the Houthis also used the ceasefire to claim victory by excluding a halt on attacks against Israel, a major feature of their campaign of strikes that began in fall of 2023 in opposition of Israels war in Gaza, they say.

Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam told the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV that the groups support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip had not changed, a justification for their strikes on Israel.

What changed is the American position, but our position remains firm, he said, according to the BBC.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran welcomed the ceasefire, even as it still held the U.S. complicit in Israels war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

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Baqaei praised the steadfastness of the great nation of Yemen in supporting the oppressed people of Palestine in the face of genocide and occupation as well as the Yemenis resilience against repeated US attacks over the past year. the foreign ministry wrote in a post on the social platform X.

Israel and the Houthis are engaged in an escalating back-and-forth of military strikes. The Houthis successfully hit Tel Avivs Ben Gurion Airport with a ballistic missile Monday  a major feat that temporarily disrupted flights and demonstrated a failure of Israels multilayered air defense system.

Israel responded with devastating strikes on Yemens Sanaa International Airport, under Houthi control, with the Israeli military claiming it has completely disabled the airport, and a senior Houthi official saying the damages amount to $500 million.

Israels exclusion from the deal, and the reported U.S. snubbing of informing Israel ahead of it, raises a concern on whether the two countries are in lockstep.

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Announcing [the ceasefire] without informing Israel in advance, and two days after the missile strike at Ben Gurion Airport, suggests Trump is willing to tolerate continued Houthi attacks on Israel as long as the U.S. isnt being targeted, Shapiro said.

Thats a recipe for attacks to continue, and frankly, for continued conflict in the region.

Al-Dawsari said the U.S. needs a strategy, working with its allies in the region and the Yemeni government in Aden, in the south of the country, to degrade the Houthis military capabilities on the ground for any gains to become durable.

The Houthis need to be denied access to the Red Sea, to the ocean, at a minimum, she said.

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We recently published a list of Billionaire Louis Bacons 10 Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential. In this article, we are going to take a look at where ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) stands against other stock picks with huge upside potential.

Louis Moore Bacon is the founder, Chairman, and principal investment manager of Moore Capital Management, a global investment management firm that provides services to institutional and high-net-worth clients through diversified hedge funds and specialized funds that focus on global fixed-income and emerging markets. It was established in March 1989 and is headquartered in New York City with offices in London and Hong Kong. He holds an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School and a BA in American Literature from Middlebury College. Bacons investment philosophy is based on risk management and capital preservation principles. His trading strategies are focused on macroeconomic trends and fundamental analysis of the markets.

Bacon emphasizes diversification, which allows him to invest across different geographies and asset classes. He is known for his contrarian investment style and takes positions against prevailing market sentiment. Moore Capital Management is a hedge fund with 4 clients and discretionary assets under management (AUM) of $33.20 billion, as reported in the firms Form ADV dated 19 November 2024. Their last reported 13F filing for Q4 2024 included $8.70 billion in managed 13F securities and a top 10 holdings concentration of 25.53%. He believes that there are opportunities to profit from mispricing that come with volatility or fear. Louis Moore Bacon is also the Founder and Co-Chair of The Moore Charitable Foundation, which was established in 1992 to support conservation-focused nonprofits dedicated to preserving land, water, and wildlife habitats. Bacon has received several awards in this regard, including the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) Lifetime Conservation Achievement Award and the Audubon Medal.

Our Methodology

To compile the list of billionaire Louis Bacons 10 stock picks with huge upside potential, we sifted through Q4 2024 13F filings of Moore Global Investments from Insider Monkey. From these filings, we checked each stocks upside potential from CNN and ranked the stocks in ascending order of this upside potential. We have also added Moore Global Investments stake in each company and the hedge fund sentiment around each stock.

Note: All data was sourced on May 2.

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).
IDA GROVE, Iowa (KCAU)  Hundreds of people over in Ida Grove, Iowa hiked and biked their way around town Wednesday to raise funds for scholarships for high school students.

The 31st annual Whitey Thompson Hike-Bike-a-thon had 577 kids in attendance and thats not even counting the adults and teachers that joined in.

The event began at the United Bank of Iowa with people either walked or rode their bikes for roughly two miles around Ida Grove.

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With periodic breaks for a fun game and a drink of water. The event is a sort of reward for kids after raising money for OABCIG Dollars for Scholars which provides a scholarship for students going to college.

One student people who took part in the event said they look forward to the event every year.

Story continues below

Doing it with my friends, I like to walk. I think walking is easier than biking, said Tonie Boysen, a Hike-Bike-a-thon rider.

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This year, a total of more than $300,000 in scholarships will be split between 52 graduating seniors.

In the past 30 years, more than $1.1 million have been donated to students.

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Hungary is not opposing the adoption of the European Unions 17th sanctions package against Russia and it could be officially approved as early as May 2025.

Source: several EU diplomatic sources in Brussels speaking anonymously to European Pravda

Details: EU diplomats told European Pravda that the absence of veto threats from Hungary would allow for the swift adoption of the 17th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, possibly within May 2025.

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A diplomat from one of the EUs key member states told a European Pravda correspondent that at the Coreper (EU Committee of Permanent Representatives) meeting on 6 May, the European Commission had presented a draft of the 17th sanctions package against Russia. The discussion, as the diplomat noted, had been fairly constructive, and it appeared that Hungary was not opposing the package.

The diplomat explained Hungarys neutral stance by noting that the package "mainly concerns legal entities that are not problematic for them".

Two other EU diplomats confirmed to European Pravda that Hungary did not object to the 17th sanctions package during the 6 May Coreper meeting.

One of the sources remarked that Hungarys current position did not necessarily mean it would act the same way when the sanctions were up for renewal in July, adding that this would be a different story.

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The diplomat also said that all EU member states were currently analysing the 17th sanctions package in more detail, but they did not expect any major difficulties in its adoption, since it was a relatively consensus-based package without particularly controversial elements.

In response to a question about whether the sanctions package could be announced during the planned visit of EU foreign ministers to Lviv on 9 May, the diplomat said that the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs (Kaja Kallas  ed.) may announce the package is in preparation, but it will likely be formally approved on 20 May at the next official meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

The diplomat added that the European Commissions presentation of the package the day before had been its first and that its discussion was already scheduled for the Coreper meeting on 14 May.

Background:

On 6 May, EU representatives began discussing the 17th sanctions package against Russia, which focuses on Moscows military-industrial complex and so-called shadow fleet.

Some reports indicated the European Commissions proposal includes a list of 15 legal and natural persons linked to Russias hybrid threats, as well as individuals suspected of using chemical weapons in Ukraine.

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A Washington, D.C., restaurant owned by the husband of CBS News senior correspondent Norah ODonnell was reportedly raided by federal agents as part of the Trump administrations continued crackdown on immigration.



The New Mexico Avenue location of Chef Geoffs  one of two D.C. restaurants owned and operated by ODonnells husband, Geoff Tracy  was subject to a raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on the morning of Tuesday, May 6.



Local outlet Fox 5 reported that nearly a dozen agents from the Department of Homeland Security entered the restaurant at around 10:30 a.m. ET and demanded to see employees I-9 documents.



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The agents reportedly stayed in the restaurant for around 90 minutes, though ultimately, no one was arrested or detained.

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Geoff Tracy at his Chef Geoff's restaurant on March 26, 2020 Geoff Tracy at his Chef Geoff's restaurant on March 26, 2020

Chef Geoffs isnt the first D.C.-area restaurant to face a recent ICE raid. Massachusetts Avenue eatery Millies was also reportedly raided Tuesday morning, with officers wielding a search warrant signed by an ICE agent  not a judge.



D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said that local law enforcement was not involved in the raids.



"I have heard those reports I am disturbed by them, Bowser stated. It appears as though ICE is at restaurants, or even at neighborhoods, and it doesnt look like theyre targeting criminals, and it does look like theyre disrupting."



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Related: D.C. Mayor Orders Removal of Black Lives Matter Mural She Commissioned After House GOP Threatens to Do It for Her

In a statement to Fox News Digital, an ICE spokesperson said, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations is conducting worksite enforcement across the nation to ensure businesses are following U.S. immigration and employment laws. This includes recent worksite enforcement operations [in] the D.C. area, during which more than 100 Notice of Inspections were served to local employers at various business. No arrests were made as part of these worksite enforcement operations."

Michele Crowe/CBS News via Getty Norah O'Donnell reports from the 2024 Democratic National Convention on Aug. 21, 2024 Norah O'Donnell reports from the 2024 Democratic National Convention on Aug. 21, 2024

The raid on Tracy's business comes amid Trump's battle with CBS as part of his vendetta against 60 Minutes, where O'Donnell is a correspondent.

Trump claimed that the newsmagazine show edited a Kamala Harris campaign interview in October 2024 to improve her chances of winning the White House, and CBS News has since released unedited transcripts from the interview to the public to counter the allegations.



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The legal team for CBS News' parent company, Paramount, argued that Trump's lawsuit against a historic network is an affront to the First Amendment and is without basis in law or fact, noting that news shows regularly edit interviews for clarity, context and airtime.



Additionally, in an April 13 post on Truth Social, Trump called for his appointed FCC chairman, Brendan Carr, to impose fines and strip CBS of its broadcasting license over 60 Minutes segments on Greenland and Ukraine.



They are not a News Show, but a dishonest Political Operative simply disguised as News, and must be responsible for what they have done, and are doing, he claimed of the popular Sunday night broadcast.

Hopefully, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as headed by its Highly Respected Chairman, Brendan Carr, will impose the maximum fines and punishment, which is substantial, for their unlawful and illegal behavior," he continued. "CBS is out of control, at levels never seen before, and they should pay a big price for this."



Read the original article on People
Just weeks after arrests at the Milwaukee County Courthouse sparked national attention and widespread local protests, federal immigration officials took another defendant into custody at the courthouse complex on the morning of May 7.

Milwaukee County Chief Judge Carl Ashley confirmed the arrest by the U.S. Immigration and Customs agency but provided no further details. Multiple judges also said they were aware of ICE's action, but none could provide the name of the defendant.

"I have been informed that an ICE arrest occurred today, May 7, at the Courthouse Complex after the court hearing was completed," Ashley said in a text message to the Journal Sentinel.

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Earlier in the day, he wrote a one-sentence email to courthouse officials saying the arrest took place at 9:30 a.m. "outside of the preliminary hearing courtroom."

Officials with the FBI and ICE weren't immediately available for comment.

This would mark the fifth time in recent weeks that federal officials have arrested someone at the courthouse complex as part of a national crackdown by Trump officials on undocumented immigrants.

On April 18, ICE agents arrested Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 30-year-old undocumented Mexican immigrant, just outside the courthouse on April 18 after his court appearance on three misdemeanor domestic battery charges. He has since been indicted by a federal grand jury accusing him of re-entering the United States after being deported.

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He has state and federal court appearances on May 8. He is being held at the Ozaukee County Jail.

On April 25, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, 66, was handcuffed at the courthouse on allegations she tried to assist Flores-Ruiz avoid arrest after his hearing in her courtroom. She was charged with a felony count of obstruction and a misdemeanor of concealing a person to prevent his arrest.

The day after President Donald Trump's inauguration, his administration rescinded a Biden-era policy that limited civil immigration arrests in or near courthouses. Unlike criminal arrests, civil immigration arrests are arrests of people who are in the U.S. without legal authorization, as opposed to those who have violated criminal law.

A CNN report on May 6 said it had confirmed a dozen cases of people being arrested by ICE on or near courthouse grounds in Virginia, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Wisconsin.

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The high-profile arrest of Dugan and the federal government's use of the courthouse to nab undocumented immigrants have sparked protests in Milwaukee County and criticism by local officials concerned that defendants may not appear for court hearings if they fear they might be deported. Ashley has also said he and his colleagues are "all concerned" about the manner in which Dugan was handcuffed at the courthouse.

"I've worked with administrations led by Republicans and Democrats alike, and they all made it abundantly clear that sensitive sites, including courthouses, were not to be targets of immigration detentions unless there were extreme circumstances involved," Darryl Morin, national president of Forward Latino, said on May 7.

Morin noted that Ashley currently has a draft policy on how federal officials should be permitted to make arrests at the courthouse: "This area, with regards to jurisdiction and authority, is extremely complex, and it's very important that he take the time to get it right."

Trump administration officials, including U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, have publicized Dugan's arrest, even posting a picture of Dugan in shackles on X, formerly known as Twitter. The case has placed Dugan at the center of the nationwide dispute between the Republican president and members of the judiciary.

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Some Wisconsin Republicans are talking about removing Dugan from office.

Dugan's next court appearance is on May 15.

More: Now a polarizing symbol, Hannah Dugan known as advocate for poor, judge devoted to letter of law

Records filed in the case against Dugan have offered some insight into ICE operations taking place at the courthouse.

The documents noted state and local law enforcement agencies routinely execute warrants and make arrests in public buildings, such as the courthouse, because they know where and when a person is expected to be and know that the person passed through a security checkpoint and should be unarmed.

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Those factors minimize the risk of injury to law enforcement, the public and the person being sought, federal agents have said.

The ICE task force in Milwaukee has been "focusing its resources on apprehending charged defendants making appearances in criminal cases  and not arresting victims, witnesses, or individuals appearing for matters in family or civil court," according to the criminal complaint filed against Dugan on April 25.

The task force's policies "had been made known to courthouse officials" in Milwaukee, the complaint says.

Federal authorities have linked individuals charged with crimes locally, such as Flores-Ruiz, to their immigration files through biometric fingerprint data, records show.

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Ashley Luthern and Eva Wen of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.

This story has been updated to add new information.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: ICE arrests another defendant at Milwaukee County Courthouse Complex
This story has been updated to include additional information from the Mexican Consulate of Austin and a statement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Two children who are U.S. citizens and had been living in Austin were removed to Mexico on Wednesday alongside their mother, an immigrant without legal status, according to advocacy groups and the Mexican Consulate of Austin.

Denisse Parra Vargas, 38, was detained Tuesday along with her 9-, 5- and 4-year-old children after reporting to a Homeland Security Department facility in Pflugerville for a check-in, according to Sulma Franco, an Austin-based activist with the immigrant and criminal justice advocacy group Grassroots Leadership.

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Carlos Enrique Gonzalez Echeverria of Austin's Mexican Consulate confirmed the familys removal, stating that Parra Vargas had an active deportation order.

Franco, who personally knows the family, said Parra Vargas had lived in Austin for at least seven years. Her two youngest children are U.S. citizens, born and raised in the city, Franco said.

Homeland Security Department inspectors Stephen Day, left, and Marshall Caudle keep an eye on a protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Pflugerville on Feb. 1.

They were good people, Franco said. They were people who were doing all that they could to provide for their families, responsibly, without trouble.

Texas Civil Rights Project lawyer Daniel Hatoum said he had confirmed that Parra Vargas and her children were in the Mexican border city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, as of Wednesday afternoon. Franco said the family told her Parra Vargas and the children were at a shelter Wednesday, hoping to reunite with the childrens father, who was deported to Nuevo Laredo in the days before Parra Vargas deportation. The couple is originally from Mexico.

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The deportation of Parra Vargas and her children appears to be the latest instance of the Trump administration removing minors who are U.S. citizens amid its ongoing immigrant crackdown.

Last month in Louisiana, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed a 4-year-old with stage 4 cancer after stopping the child, its mother and others. In South Texas, immigration officials also removed four young U.S. citizens, aged 6 to 15, along with their parents. One of those children had brain cancer while another had a heart disorder.

They basically tell the family: Either take them with you or were going to separate them quickly from you, said Hatoum, whose organization is representing the South Texas family. They then claim that's not really a deportation because they were given the option of going. But it certainly is in a colloquial sense.

ICE declined to answer questions about Parra Vargas or her children, referring the American-Statesman to the Department of Homeland Security for comment. In a statement given Thursday evening, the Homeland Security Department said Parra Vargas had chosen to take her children with her to Mexico rather than designate someone in the U.S. to take care of them.

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The narrative that DHS is deporting American children is false and irresponsible reporting," DHS wrote in a statement.

In a joint statement Thursday afternoon, Grassroots Leadership, Texas Civil Rights Project and the Immigration Legal Rights Council said they, along with family members of Parra Vargas, were neither able to communicate with the mother during her time in detention nor talk to her about keeping the children in the country.

Parra Vargas arrest came days after the Texas Department of Public Safety stopped her and her partner near Dobie Middle School in Northeast Austin. Gonzalez Echeverria said the DPS stopped the couple because the truck they were in had expired license plates, which were from Nevada.

The DPS called ICE after discovering the couples unauthorized status, Gonzalez Echeverria said. Agents then arrested Parra Vargas partner, Omar Gallardo Rodriguez, and deported him to Mexico within days, while Parra Vargas was given an ankle monitor, Gonzalez Echeverria said. Gallardo Rodriguez is the father of the three children.

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DHS said in its statement that Parra Vargas was given a deportation order in 2019 after failing to appear at an immigration court hearing. Gonzalez Echeverria said he believes Parra Vargas had a deportation order because the federal government rejected an asylum claim she made at the border in 2016.

In a statement, ICE said Gallardo Rodriguez had a final deportation order and that he had previously been arrested three times for driving while intoxicated, once for assault, and another time for illegal reentry into the U.S.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: ICE deports Austin woman to Mexico alongside her U.S. citizen children
The Milwaukee County Courthouse (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)

Update: ICE spokespeople directed Wisconsin Examiner to a post made on X (formerly known as Twitter) announcing the arrest of Kevin Lopez, 36, a Mexican citizen, who the post said is facing state charges of sexual assault of a minor, and sexual assault of an unconscious victim. The post states that Lopez had been previously arrested by local authorities for cannabis possession. Online court records confirm the charges against Lopez.

Another Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest was made at the Milwaukee County Courthouse on May 7. Chief Judge Carl Ashley said he was told the arrest occurred after a court hearing. Since March, at least four people have been arrested for immigration enforcement in or near the courthouse. Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was charged with obstruction after escorting a man sought by ICE into a public hallway outside her courtroom.

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The identity of the person arrested Wednesday has not been released. ICE officials have been unable to provide information at this time to Wisconsin Examiner.

In late March, Marco Cruz-Garcia, 24, a Mexican citizen, was arrested in the courthouse as he appeared in family court on a domestic violence restraining order. In a statement, ICE accused Cruz-Garcia of being a known member of the Surenos transnational criminal street gang, and cited his 2020 deportation order by a judge.

Edwin Bustamante-Sierre, 27, a Nicaraguan citizen, was arrested days after Cruz-Garcia on April 3. ICE said in a statement that Bustamante-Sierre had been charged with reckless driving, endangering safety, reckless use of a firearm, use of a dangerous weapon and cocaine possession in Fond du Lac County and Milwaukee County.

On April 18, agents arrested Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 30, a Mexican immigrant lacking permanent legal status, who faced three misdemeanor domestic battery charges.

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The arrest of Flores-Ruiz led to Judge Dugans arrest. On April 25, Dugan was arrested outside the courthouse, with agents leading the judge to an unmarked squad car in handcuffs. Protests erupted that day and over the weekend at the FBI Milwaukee office, which conducted a speedy investigation into Dugan, after right-wing media outlets claimed to have broken a story about Dugan helping the man evade ICE by leading him out a side door in her courtroom.

A bipartisan letter from judges around the country objected to the unusual, high-profile arrest and perp walk of Dugan.

Local officials in Milwaukee have spoken out against the ICE arrests at the courthouse, saying they are disrupting proceedings as community members seek crucial services and are discouraging people from coming to court.

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ICE agents visited at least nine restaurants in Washington, D.C., demanding that they prove their employees are eligible to work in the United States. NewsNations Leland Vittert says some restaurants were owned by people who oppose Donald Trump, including former White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients. Vittert questions whether this is a taste of their own medicine.

Josh Hammer, senior counsel for the Article III Project, and Jose Aristimuno, former deputy national press secretary of the DNC, join On Balance to discuss.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
On Wednesday evening, a jury found Samson Allen guilty on charges of resisting arrest and obstructing justice during a police encounter last June that culminated in the arresting officer pressing his knee to the young Meridian mans neck.

Videos of the incident went viral and sparked concerns over then-Meridian Police Officer Bradley Chambers use of force, which became subject to an internal review, the department announced in October. During the trial Wednesday, jurors considered video footage of the incident, including from police body cameras and patrol cars and videos captured by Allens brothers. They also heard testimony from Meridian police officers, Chambers and Allen himself.

Prosecutors argued that Allen failed to comply with Chambers commands on June 30, 2024, namely for Allen to remove a dirt bike from the bed of his truck for Chambers investigation and to step back from the truck. Allens attorney, Ryan Black of Boise, argued that the commands were not lawful and that Allen was not given adequate time nor the clarity needed to comply.

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Jurors sided with the prosecution after just over an hour of deliberation. And while Black failed to convince jurors that Chambers acted outside of his course and scope of his duties as a law enforcement officer, other Meridian officers testimony and post-trial reflections from the judge revealed concerns about Chambers actions.

Officers actions raise red flags in review

Allens arrest began with a dirt-bike accident involving his younger brother, Parks, 16, who had spun out of control in a residential neighborhood on Ensenada Drive in North Meridian. While paramedics took Parks to the hospital, Allen, who was 21 at the time, and another brother, Gannon, 18, loaded the over-200-pound bike into Allens truck. Chambers approached the brothers, telling them, Thats not gonna work, according to police body-cam footage. Take it out of the truck.

Allen asked Chambers if he wanted to take photographs of the bike and refused to unload the bike, while Gannon filmed the encounter. Roughly one minute into the interaction, Chambers approached Allen from behind, ordered him to step back, grabbed his right wrist and eventually forced him to the ground, where Chambers pressed his knee to Allens neck for nearly a minute.

Though the findings of the internal review have not been released, two Meridian officers involved in the review took the stand during Allens trial. Sgts. Brandon Fiscus and Justin Dance said that while Chambers did not violate Meridian policy or standards, or Idaho law, his approach and failure to adequately deescalate the situation raised red flags.

These four images from video show Bradley Chambers subduing Samson Allen, 21, after Allen did not comply immediately when the Meridian police officer told him to step back from the pickup truck. Allen had objected to Chambers request that he and his brothers remove the motorcycle from the back of the truck. Instead, Allen worked to stop a fuel leak. Allens parents have questioned Chambers forceful tactics in the arrest.

Fiscus, the head of the Meridian Police Departments Office of Professional Standards, noted that Chambers didnt use many deescalation tactics and that the situation couldve gone differently had Chambers better explained why he needed the bike. He also said Chambers could have waited for more officers to arrive on the scene, and he questioned why officers sometimes want to resolve things so quickly. He said that officers in the moment do not have the hindsight he is afforded in his reviews.

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Fiscus was also concerned by the truthfulness of some of Chambers statements to his sergeant, Bryan Albers, after the incident, though he said he believed Chambers was not intending to mislead anyone but made an excited utterance while still energized from the interaction.

Fiscus testified that the internal review did not find any wrongdoing but that Chambers actions could not be considered best practices.

Dance, who oversees the Meridian-Nampa Joint Patrol Academy, which Chambers graduated from in 2022, also noted his concern about Chambers application of pressure to Allens neck. That is not a technique that we teach, he said.

Black asked Dance if he believed Chambers had made every effort to deescalate the situation. I would question that, Dance replied.

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Chambers left the Meridian Police Department in September and was quickly hired by Boise. In February, Haley Williams, a Boise police spokesperson, told the Idaho Statesman in an email that Chambers was separated from Boise police on Jan. 17. Williams declined to say why, citing personnel matters. Chambers testified Wednesday that he is now employed as an officer in Napa County, California, where he worked before moving to Idaho.

While testifying, Chambers was presented with a training program on deescalation that he had supposedly completed with the Meridian Police Department. Black asked Chambers questions about the training, but Chambers had no recollection of it.

Judge orders probation, encourages Allen to get past this

The judge presiding over the case, Ada County Magistrate Judge Michael Lojek, sentenced Allen, now 22, to three months of unsupervised probation and entered an order withholding judgment. If Allen successfully completes his probation, he may apply to have the conviction set aside and the case dismissed, which Lojek said he had every expectation would happen. Allen spent the evening of June 30 in the Ada County Jail before being released on bond, and he will not have to serve any additional jail time.

Samson Allen, 22, stands outside the Ada County Courthouse on Wednesday after receiving a guilty verdict for charges of resisting arrest and obstructing justice. In his allocution before being sentenced, Allen told the court that he found it very disheartening to see that this is the standard for our supposed protectors.

Lojek declined to order Allen to perform community service or take any behavioral class, as was advocated by the prosecutors, saying he agreed with Black that Allen has learned (his) lesson.

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Lojek also told the courtroom he thought it was shocking to say the least that Chambers struggled on the witness stand to articulate his training in deescalation and that he can imagine several scenarios in which Chambers could have acted differently and potentially created a different outcome.

Lojek called Allen a smart young man who was put in a difficult situation and said he hoped Allen could get past this without animosity toward police.

When I was 22 years old, I was arrested in the city of Boise for resisting and obstructing, Lojek told Allen and the court.

Youll never forget it, but I hope that you can find some peace with it.

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Black told the Statesman by phone that Allen has the opportunity to appeal the verdict within 42 days, but that the decision would be 100% up to Samson.

It was a really tough result for the family, really disappointing, Black said.

Ada County police shooting poorly executed but justified, prosecutor says

This man was beaten by a Meridian police officer during arrest. He just sued

Boise police hired Meridian officer amid use of force investigation. Then this happened

Its horrific. Young man faces trial after Meridian officer presses knee into his neck
Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday signed an executive order that formally restricts the unauthorized collection of autism-related data by state agencies.

Pritzkers order responds to federal efforts under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to create databases of personal information for those with autism without clear legal safeguards or accountability, according to a news release from Pritzkers office.

Every Illinoisan deserves dignity, privacy, and the freedom to live without fear of surveillance or discrimination, Pritzker said. As Donald Trump and (the Department of Government Efficiency) threaten these freedoms, we are taking steps to ensure that our state remains a leader in protecting the rights of individuals with autism and all people with disabilities.

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Kennedy said in a news release Wednesday that he aims to build a database using Medicare and Medicaid data to enable research on the root cause of autism. According to the release, the database falls under President Donald Trumps larger efforts to research chronic conditions and will proceed in a manner consistent with applicable privacy laws to protect Americans sensitive health information.

Were pulling back the curtain  with full transparency and accountability  to deliver the honest answers families have waited far too long to hear, Kennedy said in the release.

Pritzkers office said Kennedys threats to create such a database have sparked outrage and concern from tens of thousands of people across the United States, from advocates, to parents, to individuals with autism. His office also pointed to Kennedys February statement when he referred to autism as an epidemic, saying it stigmatizes a narrative condemned by leading health experts and advocacy groups across the United States.

Pritzkers order prohibits state agencies from collecting or disclosing personally identifiable autism-related data unless its required for care, legal compliance or program eligibility. Even then, such efforts must still follow strict privacy and data minimization rules. Contractors, vendors and grantees who work with state agencies must follow the same restrictions, and are barred from storing the data. Any disclosures of autism-related information must also be limited to the minimum amount of information and anonymized when allowed and practicable, according to the order.

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Several Illinois advocates, such as Chicagoland Autism Connection, the Southern Illinois Autism Society and Autistic Self Advocacy Network, supported the order.

It is deeply gratifying to see Illinois affirming the value of our lives, affirming that autism is not an epidemic, and taking concrete action to protect our privacy and ensure personally identifiable information about us does not fall into the wrong hands, said Colin Killick, executive director of Autistic Self Advocacy Network.

Kennedy is a longtime vaccine critic who has pushed a discredited theory that repeated childhood vaccines cause autism. He announced in early April that he plans to determine the cause of autism by September through a massive testing and research effort involving hundreds of scientists.

Kennedy hired David Geier to lead the research effort in March. Geier also claims theres a connection between vaccines and autism, and the state of Maryland has found he was practicing medicine on a child without a doctors license.

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The Department of Health and Human Services in a Wednesday news release said the database research, accomplished through a partnership between the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, will use claims data, electronic medical records, and consumer wearables to research diagnosis trends over time, outcomes from medical and behavioral interventions, disparities of access to care and the economic burden on families and healthcare systems.

Pritzkers office said that his latest executive order makes Illinois one of the first states to formally restrict the mass collection or sharing of autism-related data absent legal or medical necessity.

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Gerry Reed closed his small South Texas trucking company in December because he couldnt compete with foreign B-1 visa drivers illegally delivering loads across the U.S.

As FreightWaves has reported several times since 2021, trucking and transportation operations in the U.S. and Mexico have been violating cabotage rules by misusing foreign B-1 visa drivers to deliver loads within the U.S.

Reed, whose name has been changed for this story, spoke to FreightWaves on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

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I closed in December, because I saw what was going to happen now, Reed told FreightWaves in an interview. There was no reason to try and keep up with the B-1 drivers nonsense. No one really understands whats happened, and theres too many interests in between.





Misuse of the B-1 visa program by carriers and foreign truck drivers is forcing freight rates lower and lower, Reed said, as well as taking business from U.S. companies.

In South Texas, where Reed operated, he competed with companies employing Mexico-based B-1 visa drivers.

A Mexico-based driver with a B-1 visa can pick up a load in a Mexican city such as Reynosa, across the border from Pharr, Texas, then take that load across the border to Pharr. The driver can either take another load headed directly back to Reynosa, or deadhead back to Mexico through the same border crossing he came through with the U.S.-bound load. Thats legal.

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Instead of returning to Mexico, however, B-1 drivers are then often hired by companies to pick up new loads and go farther into the U.S., which is illegal, taking work for far less pay than a U.S. trucker would.





In some cases, its U.S. carriers that unlawfully use Mexican drivers with B-1 visas, creating significant savings by paying them less than U.S. truckers. In other cases, Mexican carriers are starting U.S. trucking companies and then leasing trucks to themselves using both U.S. and Mexican license plates.

Another trucking company in South Texas said B-1 visa truckers continue to undercut his fuel-hauling business.

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Look at I-35 coming out of Laredo: All you see is the Mexican trucks coming across going north, and nine out of 10 trucks are B-1 drivers; its just getting out of hand, the fuel hauler told FreightWaves in an interview. He also spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution.

Im an owner-operator. I have a few trucks that I operate as a regional hauling business, but I cant compete with the B-1s, the trucker said. You have a lot of B-1 drivers, they take less pay, and you lose work because they can get the work. I cant afford to drop down on my rates. Nobody will be making money, right?

It isnt just B-1 drivers from Mexico taking loads for less pay. Sources told FreightWaves that Canadian B-1 visa truck drivers have also been running illegal loads across the U.S. for years.

While Reed said authorities have been slow to crack down on foreign B-1 visa drivers, there has been a recent push by the American Trucking Associations to strengthen cabotage enforcement.

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The ATA discussed the misuse of B-1 visa drivers at the Truckload Carriers Association conference on March 25 in Phoenix.

If you are using Mexican B-1 drivers to haul domestic loads, that is illegal, Bob Costello, ATAs chief economist, said during a presentation at the conference. Its another reason why the market has been bad.





Costello said he anticipates a possible crackdown in the near future by the Trump administration on companies that illegally employ Mexican B-1 drivers who, upon getting into the U.S. by driving freight from Mexico, stick around and drive domestic routes before heading back south of the border.

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ATA President Chris Spear also recently sent an open letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urging the DOT to partner with other federal agencies to halt instances where drivers entering the U.S. from Mexico overstay to deliver domestic loads.

While we recognize this is not within FMCSAs immediate purview, we urge you to work with the Homeland Security Investigations Office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to better patrol violations of international drivers operating domestically with a B-1 visa, Spear said in the letter.

One way law enforcement could check B-1 visa drivers is to have authorities check licenses and visas at weigh stations where trucks are generally required to stop.

They could check them at the scale houses along I-35, the South Texas fuel hauler said. They definitely have enough manpower. They could check them if they wanted to. Sometimes Im driving through Eagle Pass, Texas. Any given time, you have 1,000 state troopers securing the border, quote unquote, instead of actually doing work. Theyre out here chasing illegals. Let the Border Patrol deal with it, and the National Guard, but instead they are here doing that instead of actually cracking down on things that really matter. As far as trucking matters.

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Mexican trucking officials said when B-1 visa drivers break the law in the U.S., it also hurts the freight industry in Mexico.

In Mexico, truck drivers who have the B-1 visa often leave Mexico to get jobs in the U.S. because the U.S.-based companies can pay more, said a trucking company owner in Monterrey, Mexico, who wanted to remain anonymous.

In Mexico, truckers can earn up to $1,500 a month. In the U.S., working for an American company, they can make $5,000 to $6,000 a month.

Its the same thing as always: U.S. companies are still hiring Mexican drivers, and were seeing an increase in B-1 drivers, the owner said.

For more stories on B-1 visa truck drivers, click here.

The post Illegal use of foreign drivers undercuts US trucking industry, stakeholders say appeared first on FreightWaves.
Palantir CEO Alex Karp is feeling vindicated as corporate America warms up to his companys flagship AI offering and revenues from its bread-and-butter government work continue to increase in the DOGE era. Karp is known for his brazen and philosophical commentary, but it doesnt appear to have gotten in the way of results.

Palantirs commitment to serving U.S. military and intelligence agencies long made it an outlier in Silicon Valley. For years, CEO Alex Karp recalled on the companys first-quarter earnings call Monday, potential private-sector clients shied away from doing business with the upstart defense contractor and its quixotic chief executive.

But now, as chief technology officer Shyam Sankar noted on the call, companies like AIG, Citi, BP, Hertz, and fellow defense firm L3Harris are touting their gains from using Palantirs flagship Artificial Intelligence Platform, or AIP, to investors. Meanwhile, when it comes to the companys bread and butter, managementalong with plenty of investors and Wall Street analystsbelieves Palantir is perfectly suited to capitalize on efforts to cut federal spending and streamline government contracting.

We were the freak show, Karp said. And we spent 20 years for this moment.

Its not hard to see why he feels vindicated. The companys U.S. revenue in Q1 grew 55% year over year and 13% from last quarter to $628 million. Even after Palantirs highly priced shares fell sharply after the earnings call, the stock is still up roughly 330% in the past year.

Karp, who cofounded the company with Peter Thiel, Stephen Cohen, and Joe Lonsdale in 2004, has become famous for his brazen and philosophical commentary. His quarterly letter to shareholders quoted Saint Augustine, the Gospel of Matthew, and a speech from Richard Nixon to staff on the day of his resignation in 1974.

His unorthodox style, however, doesnt appear to be getting in the way of results. On Monday, Palantir raised its forward guidance, projecting revenue to grow 36% to between $3.89 billion and $3.902 billion in 2025.

High expectations, however, are already baked into the stock price. Palantir shares currently trade at roughly 200 times its projected earnings over the next 12 months, according to estimates from S&P Capital IQ, compared with a forward P/E ratio of just over 20 for the S&P 500. That helps explain why the stock was down about 13% as of midday Tuesday, but shares are still up over 40% this year compared with the S&Ps 4% decline.

Poised for the era of AI and DOGE

Mariana Perez Mora, a VP of equity research in aerospace and defense at Bank of America, has called Palantir an overnight AI success 20 years in the making. Karp echoed a similar message on Monday, citing a massive cultural shift in the U.S. amid corporate Americas embrace of the companys offerings. U.S. commercial revenue hit $255 million, soaring 71% compared with the same quarter last year and up 19% from the final quarter of 2024.
ILLINOIS (WTVO)  ComEd is alerting customers that their bills will increase, starting in June.

According to ComEd, Energy prices are driven by supply and demand. Large power generators sell this electricity supply to ComEd and we pass this cost directly to you. Because of factors like extreme weather, spikes from high energy users like data centers, and other factors, demand is outpacing supply, so costs are getting more expensive. Due to these factors, starting in June 2025, the Capacity Charge will increase for all ComEd customers.

With the capacity auction price spike, Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Communications Director Jim Chilsen told The Center Square a customer who uses 500-kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity a month would pay $7.50 to $10 extra each month, from June 1st, 2025 to May 31st, 2026.

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Capacity prices are extra payments consumers pay power plant operators to have enough reserve electricity available in the event of a sudden spike in demand.

According to the CUB, capacity prices jumped 830% when power grid operator PJM Interconnection announced the results of its Base Residual Auction last year.

ComEd said it will not make money off the increased cost but will pass it along to consumers.

Governors from five states, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, sent a letter to PJM in October to address the increasing costs after prices surged to almost 10 times higher than the previous year at the capacity auction.

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To lessen the impact of the supply price increase, ComEd recommends practicing energy efficiency at home, considering a community solar deal to help ease costs, or installing solar panels.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said dozens of notices have been served to D.C. area businesses and employers by immigration officials.

This comes after flyers began circulating on social media over the weekend, alerting people to increased immigration and homeland security enforcement activity around D.C.

Immigrant advocacy organizations offer advice amid reports of increased immigration enforcement in DC

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A DHS spokesperson told DC News Now that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have been conducting worksite enforcement across the country to ensure businesses follow immigration and employment laws.

This includes recent worksite enforcement operations [in] the D.C. area, during which more than 100 Notice of Inspections were served to local employers at various [businesses]. No arrests were made as part of these worksite enforcement operations, DHS wrote in a statement.

The Washington Post reportedly confirmed officials visits to seven restaurants in the District on Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS), employers will generally receive a Notice of Inspection at least three days before an inspection, during which DHS officials and employees from the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) at the Department of Justice and employees from the Department of Labor may inspect the business owners Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.

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Trump announces two new national holidays, including one on Veterans Day

When officials arrive for inspection, the employer must do the following, CIS stated:

Retrieve and reproduce electronically stored Form I-9 and any other documents the officer requests.

Provide the officer with the necessary hardware and software to inspect electronic documents.

Provide the officer with any existing electronic summary of the information recorded on the employers Form I-9.

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As the conflict between two nuclear-armed neighbors escalates, Pakistan claims it destroyed more than two dozen Israeli-made Harop drones launched by India, including during an attack on an air defense system in Lahore. India claims it destroyed that system, but did not acknowledge the use or loss of any Harops. Each side also accuses the other of launching missile attacks. You can catch up on the initial outbreak of open hostilities in our previous coverage here.

Before moving forward, we must note that the situation is very murky and a flood of blanket claims and assumptions are emanating from both sides, which has overrun social media. So we have to deal with claims as such until we have more comprehensive proof.

Pakistan Armed Forces have so far shot down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones, the Pakistani Defense Ministry claimed in a statement. Debris of Israeli-made Harop drones is being recovered from various areas across Pakistan.

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Video emerged on social media purporting to show Harop drone remnants recovered by Pakistani forces.

#Pakistan / #India   : Indian Forces (#IAF) have struck the #Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in #Punjab.



Judging by the debris the attack appears to be carried out with an #Israel-made  IAI 'HAROP' Loitering Munition. pic.twitter.com/yvWploQCf4  War Noir (@war_noir) May 8, 2025

In addition, a video was posted on X claiming that Pakistani forces used what appears to be an Oerlikon GDF-002 35mm twin autocannon short-range air defense system (SHORAD) to defend against those drones. The War Zone cannot independently verify these claims.

#Pakistan / #India   : Pakistani Forces attempting to shoot down Indian Drones over #Lahore.



Seemingly Pak Forces use what appears to be 35mm Oerlikon GDF-002 / Type 90 Twin Autocannons. pic.twitter.com/a8VHn6mBk4  War Noir (@war_noir) May 8, 2025

The Pakistani military previously said one drone attacked a military target near the eastern city of Lahore, causing damage and wounding soldiers, the Times of Israel noted.

India sent Israeli Harop drones to multiple locations, including the two largest cities of Karachi and Lahore, and their debris is being collected, Pakistan military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said, according to the publication.

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Indian drones continue to be sent into Pakistan airspace(India) will continue to pay dearly for this naked aggression, he said.

Looks like India is expanding its attack by targeting Pakistani air defence systems. If there was any prospect of avoiding Pakistani retaliation yesterday, there certainly isnt today. https://t.co/yOp2zT1VhE  Shashank Joshi (@shashj) May 8, 2025

Indian officials said their forces carried out a response to Pakistans attacks on its military installations, but did not offer specifics on what weapons were used.

Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defense Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan, the Indian Defense Ministry (MoD) said in a statement on Thursday. Indian response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defense system at Lahore has been neutralized.

While India did not say what it used to attack the Pakistani air defenses, it makes some sense that it would use Harops. Made by Israel Aircraft Industry (IAI), these loitering munitions are often used as Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD/DEAD) weapon systems, designed to home in on an enemys radio frequency-emitting air defense sensor capabilities.

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Armed with a 50-pound warhead, the Harop uses its camera system and operator to track and engage moving targets or its radiation seeker to sniff out and attack radar sites on its own. It can even be equipped for both missions at the same time, so that if a radar site were to go offline after being detected, the Harop can fly to its location and use electro-optical targeting to locate and kill it. It can also hit many other kinds of ground targets  moving or static  as well. Harop can fly for about six hours or about 600 miles after being launched by a truck- or ship-mounted canister. Once in the air, it can be operated by man-in-the-loop control or it can go about its mission autonomously.

Harop was put to use with devastating results by the Azeris in the spring of 2021, during fighting with the Armenians. The attack drone supposedly hit a bus full of soldiers, killing six and destroying the bus. You can read more about them in our story here and here.

Though India made no mention of the Harops, officials in New Delhi said its integrated air defense and counter-unmanned aerial systems grid came into action Wednesday night and took down several Pakistani armed drones, loitering munitions and missiles that were targeting 15 military installations, including IAF bases in Pathankot and Srinagar, the Indian ThePrint news outlet reported on Thursday.

India used its Russian-made S-400, indigenous Akash and several other surface-to-air missile systems, as well as integrated counter-drone systems that included hand-held jamming devices, to thwart Pakistans escalatory military action, the publication reported. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks, the MoD statement said.

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The primary targets of the Pakistan missiles and drones were the [Indian Air Force] stations in some of these locations and radar stations in some, ThePrint posited, citing its sources. Ever since the launch of Operation Sindoor, the air defense systems were put on high alert along the western sector, they added.

Indias S-400, Akash see their first action



They took down several Pakistan missiles, armed drones, loitering munitions



What was Pakistan targeting and how India tracked them?



Details below  https://t.co/tBJOHmJvl0  Snehesh Alex Philip (@sneheshphilip) May 8, 2025

Casualties are starting to mount as the two sides trade drone and missile volleys and fighting intensifies along the Line of Control in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region.

Overnight developments along the India-Pakistan border: missile/drone incidents reportedly attempted by both sides after India struck terror-linked targets in Pakistan yesterday, many attempts thwarted by both, several LoC sectors report intense artillery exchanges as well pic.twitter.com/PmZuuqYFiY  Damien Symon (@detresfa_) May 8, 2025

It appears that Jammu city, in Indian-administered Kashmir, came under attack Thursday, an Indian Army spokesperson told CNN.

We dont have any more details. At this point, we are trying to ascertain the situation. A blackout is in place, the spokesperson said. Loud explosionsbombing, shelling, or missile strikes suspected, Shesh Paul Vaid, former director general of Jammu and Kashmir police, said in a post on X, and he added there is currently a blackout.

Complete blackout in Jammu. Loud explosionsbombing, shelling, or missile strikes suspected. Fret notMata Vaishno Devi is with us, and so are the valiant Indian Armed Forces.  Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) May 8, 2025

The city of Jammu, Indian-administered Kashmir, is now reportedly under drone attack from Pakistan, with Indian air defenses active in and around the city. Jammu is one of the dual capitals of the Indian-administered region. pic.twitter.com/MM0MMSKVRA  OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 8, 2025

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Air raid sirens were activated in Islamabad, Pakistan, but it is unclear if there was any attack there.

BREAKING: Sirens sounding in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad pic.twitter.com/VtAINmPk3a  Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) May 8, 2025

A Pakistani military official said at least 31 civilians were killed Wednesday in what India dubbed Operation Sindoor, which New Delhi said targeted terrorist infrastructure, CNN reported. On the Indian side of the de facto border that divides Kashmir, cross-border Pakistani shelling has killed at least 16 people, Indias defense ministry said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan said it has killed 40 to 50 Indian soldiers along the de facto border in Kashmir, the network reported.

So far, U.S. military officials have declined to comment on this conflict. On Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

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The Secretary emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation. He expressed U.S. support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications, he said, according to a readout provided by spokesperson Tammy Bruce. The Secretary reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.

The Indian government has said its latest strikes were retaliation for the terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians in Kashmir last month. Pakistan denies any involvement in that incident.

This is a developing story. We will update it as more news comes in.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
Amidst mounting diplomatic and military tensions between India and Pakistan, the Indian government has issued a formal advisory ordering all over-the-top (OTT) platforms and digital streaming services to take down content originating from Pakistan with immediate effect.

The directive follows the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of several Indian civilians and a Nepali national, and comes on the heels of strikes against Pakistan by Indian forces under Operation Sindoor.

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The advisory  issued under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021  applies to web series, films, music videos, songs, podcasts, and any other form of digital content produced in Pakistan. It extends to both subscription-based and free platforms, covering any material that may be deemed to threaten Indias sovereignty, integrity, security, public order, or relations with foreign states.

Publishers of online curated content and significant social media intermediaries are advised to refrain from hosting Pakistani content that is against the sovereignty and integrity of India, the advisory said. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that the move was made with the approval of the competent authority. Copies of the directive have been sent to the self-regulatory bodies of Indian streamers and Indian streamers associations.

This development adds to a growing digital standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. In recent weeks, India has blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major networks such as Geo News, ARY, Bol, and Samaa TV, accusing them of spreading misleading and provocative content about the Indian armed forces and stoking tensions over Kashmir.

Pakistan responded in kind. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced it had blocked 16 Indian YouTube channels and 32 websites, citing concerns over the spread of anti-state propaganda and what it described as disinformation surrounding Indian airstrikes that allegedly killed 31 Pakistani civilians.

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The latest advisory marks a formal escalation in the cultural boycott that has periodically emerged between the two countries, often mirroring broader geopolitical frictions. Indian broadcasters and the Central Board of Film Certification have previously restricted Pakistani artists and content in the wake of terror attacks or cross-border hostilities.

While the advisory is non-binding, platforms that fail to comply risk being penalized under the IT Rules, potentially affecting their operational licenses and liability protections. Several Indian platforms are reported to have already begun compliance processes.

The ban arrives at a time when digital content consumption in India is at an all-time high, and Pakistani dramas, in particular, had found a niche audience among Indian viewers on select streaming platforms. That window, for now, appears shut.

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This weeks clashes between Pakistan and India are the most serious escalation in tensions between these two historic foes in decades with millions on both sides of their border now wondering what might come next.

Despite a vow to avenge Indias strikes on its territory, Pakistan has yet to retaliate in kind on India, and both sides appear to have already claimed victory. But hostilities continue.

Palpable panic rocked both nations Wednesday after New Delhi launched targeted military strikes on its neighbor, while Islamabad claimed it had shot down its rivals fighter jets.

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On Thursday, Pakistan claimed it downed at least 25 Indian loitering munition drones across the country overnight, in what it called a new serious provocation from New Delhi that wounded four of soldiers and killed a civilian. CNN cannot independently verify these claims and has reached out to the Indian Air Force and Ministry of Defense.

The fear is that each additional confrontational step by either side could quickly spiral into an all out conflict.

Indian media was euphoric after Wednesdays strikes. Strokes of justice, ran an editorial from one of Indias leading English newspapers commending the countrys sharp and resolute response to the massacre of 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir, at the hands of militants. A headline from The Indian Express echoed a similar tune: Justice Served it said across the front page.

In Pakistan, the public response from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was similarly bellicose.

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He has vowed to avenge the deaths of 31 people Pakistan says were killed in Indias strikes but still appeared to declare triumph for its apparent shooting of Indias airplanes.

It only took a few hours for the enemy to fall on its knees, he said in a late-night address to the nation.

India says it struck terrorist infrastructure belonging to two Islamist groups  Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed  who have been accused of being behind some the deadliest militant attacks on the country. Wednesdays strikes did not target military infrastructure and didnt kill civilians, New Delhi said, potentially giving India and Pakistan an opportunity to find a way to avoid an all-out war.

One location India struck was deep in Pakistans Punjab province, the deepest attack in Pakistans undisputed territory since both countries fought a major war in 1971. It also targeted multiple other locations in Punjab  the heartland of the powerful military and home of the Sharif government  and hit a mosque, according to Pakistani officials, angering millions in the Muslim-majority nation.

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What happens now, analysts say, mostly depends on Islamabads next move.

All eyes are on Pakistan, said Washington-based South Asia analyst, Michael Kugelman. If it decides to save face and claim victory  perhaps by pointing to the downing of Indian jets (which New Delhi has not confirmed)  and call it a day, an off ramp could be in sight.

But he warned all bets would be off should Pakistan decide to strike back.

Smoke billows after an artillery shell landed in Poonch district in India's Jammu and Kashmir region on May 7, 2025. - Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images

Something to lose

Most analysts agree the nuclear-armed neighbors cannot afford another battle.

India and Pakistan have already fought three wars over Kashmir, a contested region they both claim in its entirety and each control a part of. Another conflict could have catastrophic consequences.

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Since its birth seven decades ago in the partition of what was British India, Pakistan  now home to 230 million people  has faced mounting challenges, from political instability to an alarming militant insurgency, climate catastrophes and economic disarray.

National Disaster Response Force personnel take part in the nationwide civil defense mock drill in Varanasi on May 7, 2025. - Niharika Kulkarni/AFP via Getty Images

India is seemingly in a stronger position; its military is seen as superior in any conventional conflict based on number alone and it boasts an economy more than 10 times the size of Pakistans. But it too would have something to lose should the conflict escalate, according to Tanvi Madan, a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution.

Largely on the basis of what weve seen in previous times, these are two rational actors who dont want a broader war, Madan said.

Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to elevate Indias status on the global stage, bidding to host the Olympics and seeking to overtake China as the worlds manufacturing hub.

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Not to mention, India already faces security threats on multiple fronts  particularly along contested borders with China.

De-escalation or more to come?

India was quick to project that its response to the April 22 massacre was focused, measured and non-escalatory and make clear that they were in response to the tourists massacre.

Top officials in New Delhi reached out to key counterparts in the United States, Middle East and Russia, among others, presumably to encourage international pressure for Pakistan to avoid escalation, said Nisha Biswal, Senior Advisor at The Asia Group.

Pakistans leaders touted a victory by the countrys air force, saying five Indian fighter jets were shot down during an hour-long battle fought at ranges over 160 kilometers (100 miles).

Passengers wait at Jinnah International Airport after all domestic and international flights were cancelled in Karachi on May 7, 2025. - Asif Hasan/AFP/Getty Images

Indias leaders have said little in response to those claims and have not acknowledged any aircraft losses. The Pakistanis have yet to show any evidence proving they downed fighter jets, but a French Defense Ministry source said at least one of Indias newest and most-advanced warplanes  a French-made Rafale fighter jet  was lost in the battle.

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If there have indeed been losses for India, Pakistan could claim victory even if the circumstances are murky, said Milan Vaishnav, a senior fellow and director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

This would allow Pakistan to claim it has imposed costs on Indian military targets.

Yet, amid the fog of war, Pakistans powerful army general Asim Munir had already vowed to match any aggression from India.

And Munir, who is known for his hardline stance on Hindu-nationalist Modi, has a reputation of being more assertive than his predecessor Qamar Javed Bajwa.

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Meanwhile there have been many voices within Modis Hindu nationalist party pushing for a decisive blow against Pakistan for years.

Kugelman, the South Asia analyst, said the US, which has historically interceded in these crises, could try to defuse the tension, but its unclear how much bandwidth the Trump administration is willing to allocate.

China has called for de-escalation, but its fraught ties with India rule it out as a viable intermediary. The top mediator candidates are the Arab Gulf states, especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, he said, given their strong ties with both nations.

Qatar was quick to urge diplomacy in the hours after Wednesdays strikes.

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While most analysts think there is an off-ramp for both nations, they all agree the situation remains fluid and tense.

This crisis is as unpredictable as it is dangerousan unsettling combination, Kugelman added.

CNNs Sophia Saifi, Azaz Syed, Aishwarya S Iyer, Esha Mitra and Vedika Sud contributed to this report.

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP)  India and Pakistan have fought three full-scale wars since they gained independence from Britain in 1947. Theyve also had dozens of skirmishes and conflicts, including one atop a glacier dubbed the coldest and highest-altitude battlefield in the world.

The latest escalation follows a deadly gun attack on tourists that India blames Pakistan for  Islamabad denies any connection. But they dont fight wars like other countries.

The dominant factor is their nuclear weapons arsenal, a distinct way of deterring major attacks and a guarantee that fighting doesnt get out of hand, even when the situation is spiraling.

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Heres how  and why  India and Pakistan fight the way they do:

Their nuclear arsenals can destroy each other

Pakistan and India have enough nuclear weapons to wipe the other side out several times over, says security analyst Syed Mohammed Ali, who is based in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital. Their nuclear weapons create a scenario for mutually assured destruction.

Both countries have deliberately developed the size and range of their stockpile to remind the other about the guarantee of mutually assured destruction, he adds.

Neither country discloses their nuclear capabilities but each is thought to have between 170 and 180 warheads that are short-, long- and medium-range. Both countries have different delivery systems  ways of launching and propelling these weapons to their targets.

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The arsenals are a defensive move to prevent and deter further fighting, because neither side can afford to initiate such a war or hope to achieve anything from it, Ali says.

It might not look this way to the outsider, but nuclear weapons are a reminder to the other side that they can't take things too far.

But the secrecy around their arsenals means that it's unclear if Pakistan or India can survive a first nuclear strike and retaliate, something called second-strike capability.

This capacity stops an opponent from attempting to win a nuclear war through a first strike by preventing aggression that could lead to nuclear escalation.

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Without this capability, there is, in theory, nothing to stop one side from launching a warhead at the other.

Kashmir at the crux of the dispute

India and Pakistan have each laid claim to Kashmir since 1947, when both gained independence, and border skirmishes have created instability in the region for decades. Each country controls a part of Kashmir, which is divided by a heavily militarized border.

The two archrivals have also fought two of their three wars over Kashmir  a disputed Himalayan region divided between the them where armed insurgents resist Indian rule. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

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Border flare-ups and militant attacks in India-controlled Kashmir have prompted New Delhi to take an increasingly tough position on Islamabad, accusing it of terrorism.

In the latest conflict, India punished Pakistan by hitting what it said were sites used by Pakistan-backed militants linked to a gun massacre last month.

A conventional military imbalance

India is one of the biggest defense spenders in the world, with $74.4 billion in 2025, according to the Military Balance report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Its also one of the worlds largest arms importers.

Pakistan is no slouch, spending $10 billion last year, but it can never match Indias deep pockets. India also has more than double the number of active armed forces personnel than Pakistan does.

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While Indias armed forces are traditionally focused on Pakistan, it has another nuclear neighbor to contend with, China, and it is increasingly concerned with maritime security in the Indian Ocean. Those are two factors that Pakistan doesnt have to consider in its security paradigm.

Pakistan's long and narrow shape, together with the outsized role of the military in foreign policy, makes it easier to move the armed forces around and prioritize defense.

A pattern of escalation and defusing

Neither Pakistan or India are in a hurry to announce their military moves against the other and, as seen in the current flare-up of hostilities, it can take a while for confirmation of strikes and retaliation to surface.

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But both launch operations into territories and airspace controlled by the other. Sometimes these are intended to damage checkpoints, installations, or sites allegedly used by militants.

They are also aimed at embarrassing or provoking  forcing leaders to bow to public pressure and respond, with the potential for miscalculation.

Many of these activities originate along the Line of Control, which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan. It's largely inaccessible to the media and public, making it hard to independently verify claims of an attack or retaliation.

Such incidents raise international alarm, because both countries have nuclear capabilities, forcing attention back to India and Pakistan and, eventually, their competing claims over Kashmir.

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The fear of nuclear war has put the two countries at the top of the agenda, competing with the papal conclave, U.S. President Donald Trumps policies, and the Sean Diddy Combs trial in the news cycle.

No desire for conquest, influence or resources

Pakistan and Indias battles and skirmishes are away from the public eye.

Strikes and retaliation are late at night or early in the morning and, with the exception of the drone attacks on Thursday, they mostly take place away from densely populated urban centers. It shows that neither country has the desire to significantly harm the others population. Attacks are either described as surgical or limited.

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Neither country is motivated by competition for resources. Pakistan has huge mineral wealth, but India isn't interested in these and, while there are stark ideological differences between Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan, they dont seek control or influence over the other.

Other than Kashmir, they have no interest in claiming the others territory or exercising dominance.
India launched strikes into Pakistan this week, kicking off a new round of fighting.

Pakistan said it responded with its Chinese-made fighter jets and shot down five Indian aircraft.

The Indian aircraft have since been identified as French-made Rafales and Soviet-era fighters.

Nuclear powers India and Pakistan are clashing again, and there are claims of aircraft kills from air battles that sound like a hodgepodge of foreign-made fighters.

Pakistani officials said Thursday that the country had shot down five Indian fighter jets and a number of drones since India launched cross-border strikes earlier this week, kicking off a new round of fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

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Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's foreign minister, said the country's air force "engaged with the Indian fighter jets in self-defense" and shot down five aircraft and an undisclosed number of aerial drones.

Dar said Wednesday that Pakistan used Chinese-made J-10C jets in its response to India's strikes the night before. He identified some of the Indian aircraft downed as the French-made Rafale fighters, according to the state-run national news agency.

The five aircraft said to have been shot down consisted of three Rafales and two Russian-designed fighter aircraft: a MiG-29 and a Su-30, per reports citing Pakistan's military.

Pakistan said its Chinese-made J-10Cs took part in the response to India's strikes. Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images

That's quite the mix of fighter aircraft. Both countries fly jet designs from all around the world, and conflict has the potential to bring jets into battle that might otherwise not engage one another.

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Pakistan, for instance, flies Chinese-made J-10s, the joint Pakistani Chinese JF-17 fighter, American-made F-16s, and French Mirages, while India operates the French-made Rafales and Mirages, Russian-origin Su-30s, MiG-29s, and MiG-21s, UK Jaguars, and a homemade fighter jet known as the Tejas.

The J-10C Pakistan touted, as it claimed victories over the Indian air force, is a single-engine, multirole aircraft manufactured by the Chinese aerospace conglomerate Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group. Pakistan received its first batch of these fighter jets  upgraded versions of the original J-10  in 2022. They can carry bombs, air-to-air missiles, and rockets.

The Rafale is a twin-engine multi-mission fighter aircraft manufactured by the French aerospace company Dassault Aviation. India is one of only a small number of countries that operate these fighter jets and fields 36 of them. Recently, it signed a deal to purchase more than two dozen more for its navy.

And then the Mikoyan MiG-29 and much larger Sukhoi Su-30 are twin-engine fighter aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by Russian aerospace firms. These two jets are operated by dozens of countries around the world and can carry out various missions.

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The MiG-29, introduced in the early 1980s, was built to counter the American-made F-15 and F-16. The Su-30 entered service in the following decade. These aircraft represent a major component of India's air power. The country fields hundreds of them.

India fields the MiG-29, which was introduced by the Soviet Union in the 1980s. REUTERS/Amit Dave

Business Insider couldn't independently verify Pakistan's claims that it shot down the five aircraft. India's defense ministry and its embassy in the US didn't respond to queries about the aerial engagements.

Information from these clashes can be unreliable. During the 2019 conflict, India claimed that one of its MiG-21 pilots defeated a Pakistani pilot flying an F-16. The US later called that into question.

Reuters reported that US officials confirmed that in the latest clashes, Chinese-made J-10s were used to down at least two Indian aircraft.

Not just planes, but drones too

Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, a spokesperson for the Pakistani Army, said Thursday that Islamabad had destroyed a dozen of India's Harop drones  loitering munitions, or one-way attack drones, packed with explosives. The weapons, which can linger over a target area before striking, are made by Israel Aerospace Industries.

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Chaudhry, during a press conference, displayed images purporting to show debris from the downed Indian drones. "The armed forces are on a high degree of alert, and neutralizing them as we speak," he said.

India on Tuesday night said that it launched strikes against nine "terrorist infrastructure sites" in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, signaling the start of a new military operation  Operation Sindoor  that Islamabad has labeled an act of war.

The Soviet-era Su-30 is newer and much larger than the MiG-29. Photo by IDREES MOHAMMED/AFP via Getty Images

The latest round of fighting, which has sent tensions soaring between the two rivals, follows a massacre last month in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 people dead. India has historically accused its neighbor of supporting cross-border terror, though Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack.

India's defense ministry initially said no Pakistani military facilities were hit, "reflecting India's calibrated and non-escalatory approach." But on Thursday, New Delhi said it had targeted air defense systems and radars across the border.

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Pakistani leadership vowed to respond to the Indian strikes, and the country has already hit back at India with mortars, artillery shells, drones, and missiles, New Delhi said. Several people have been killed in both countries.

Early Saturday morning local time, tensions escalated with reports of additional strikes into Pakistan, an official said on state television, according to CNN, and promises of retaliatory strikes into India.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) -Delta Air Lines must face a proposed class action by passengers who said it refused to offer full refunds after delaying or canceling their flights following a massive computer outage last July, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen in Atlanta said five of the nine plaintiffs may pursue breach of contract claims based on Delta's failure to refund.

The judge allowed a different group of five plaintiffs to pursue claims related to delayed and canceled flights under the Montreal Convention, a multilateral treaty.

Cohen dismissed the remaining claims, including those he said were preempted by federal law.

The July 19, 2024 outage stemmed from a flawed software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike that crashed more than 8 million computers and affected many Microsoft customers.

Disruptions eased the next day for many U.S. airlines but lasted longer at Delta, which canceled about 7,000 flights.

"This ruling is a major step forward for Delta passengers seeking accountability," Joseph Sauder, a lawyer for some of the plaintiffs, said in an email.

Neither Delta nor its lawyers immediately responded to requests for comment.

The Atlanta-based carrier had sought the dismissal of all claims, aside from one refund claim and international travelers' claims under the Montreal Convention.

Passengers accused Delta of failing to provide automatic refunds following the outage, and providing partial refunds only if they waived further legal claims.

One plaintiff, John Brennan of Florida, said he and his wife missed a $10,000 anniversary cruise after Delta stranded them in an Atlanta layover, yet the carrier offered just $219.45 in compensation.

Another plaintiff, Vittorio Muzzi of the Netherlands, said he spent 5,000 euros ($5,685) and his luggage was delayed 15 days after Delta scrapped his flight to Florida from Amsterdam, yet the carrier offered just 588 euros ($669) in compensation.

Delta has estimated that the outage cost $550 million in lost revenue and added costs, while saving $50 million of fuel.

The case is Bajra et al v Delta Air Lines, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, No. 24-03477.

(1 euro = $1.137)

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New YorkEditing by Bill Berkrot)
(NewsNation)  As India and Pakistan head toward the possibility of all-out war, the world faces uncertainty about the nuclear arsenal of both countries.

India launched missiles into Pakistan Tuesday night in retaliation for an attack on tourists in April. Pakistan has vowed to respond and called the move a declaration of war, raising fears of an all-out conflict.

Pakistan lags behind India in military spending, with an investment of $10.1 billion to Indias $86.1 billion. The country also lags behind in other measurements of military strength, with 651,800 troops to Indias 1.45 million and has considerably less artillery and aircraft and only eight submarines, half the number of India.

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However, the country has one thing to level the playing field, which is a nuclear arsenal.

Neither country knows what nuclear weapons the other has or how many. India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974. Pakistan carried out its first in 1988.

Think tanks have estimated India has an arsenal of 172 nuclear weapons, while Pakistan has 170. Both countries have signed a pact prohibiting each other from attacking each others nuclear facilities.

India has a no first use policy, which means it has said it will only use nuclear weapons if there is a nuclear attack launched on Indian territory or forces.

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Pakistan, which has lost three conventional wars against its better-armed rival, has not ruled out using nuclear weapons first if it feels an existential threat.

Global leaders have called for restraint in the conflict, with President Donald Trump urging both countries to bring an end to the fighting very quickly.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Pakistans military said on Thursday morning that the countrys air defence system had brought down 25 Indian drones overnight over some of the countrys chief cities, including Lahore and Karachi. At least one civilian has died, and five people were wounded, it said.

Indias Defence Ministry confirmed hours later that it had targeted Pakistans air defence radars and claimed that it was able to neutralize one defence system in Lahore. It said Pakistan had attempted to attack India and Indian-administered Kashmir with drones and missiles overnight, but that these had been shot down.

The drone attacks represent the latest escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours, a day after India launched deadly missile strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing at least 31 people, according to Islamabad. Those were the most extensive Indian strikes ever on Pakistan outside the four wars that they have fought. Heavy artillery shelling from both sides overnight caused border communities in the disputed Kashmir region to flee.

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Simmering tensions erupted on April 22 after gunmen killed 25 tourists and a local pony rider in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for backing fighters who claimed the attack. Islamabad has denied any involvement.





Heres what we know about the latest escalation of drone attacks:

What happened?

In a briefing on Thursday, Pakistani army spokesman Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said the country came under attack from a wave of drones overnight, targeting many of the most populated cities, including Karachi and Lahore.

Pakistans air defence system intercepted and brought down these drones, he said. Pakistans military said 25 such drones were jammed and shot out of the sky.

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The falling debris killed one civilian and injured another person in the southern Sindh province, while an additional drone targeted and wounded four soldiers in a military installation in Lahore, Chaudhry said in the news briefing. Partial damage to military equipment was recorded in that latter incident.

Chaudhry described the drone attacks as an act of naked aggression and a serious provocation, and pledged that Pakistan was ready to retaliate.

It appears that India has apparently lost the plot and, rather than going on a path of rationality, is further escalating in a highly charged environment. Pakistan Armed Forces remain fully vigilant to any type of threat, he said.

People gather outside a street near the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium after an alleged drone was shot down in Rawalpindi on May 8, 2025. Pakistans military said it shot down 25 Indian drones across the country on May 8, including some that fell near sensitive military installations [Aamir Qureshi/AFP]

What has India said?

Hours after the drone attacks, India accepted responsibility  but insisted it had been provoked.

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On the night of May 7-8, Indias Ministry of Defence said, Pakistani forces attempted to engage a number of military targets in multiple areas in northern and western India and Indian-administered Kashmir using drones and missiles. These were shot down by Indias air defence systems, the ministry said.

Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan, the ministrys statement said. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

Pakistan has not commented on Indian claims that it attempted to strike India with drones and missiles.

A picture taken on June 21, 2011, at the Bourget airport on the second day of the International Paris Air Show, shows an Israeli UCAV IAI Harop drone [Pierre Verdy/AFP]

Where were the drones in Pakistan brought down?

In his briefing, Pakistan army spokesperson Chaudhry said drones either attacked or were shot down in the following locations:

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Lahore: The capital of the eastern Punjab region, and Pakistans second-largest city of 14 million people. Local police official Mohammad Rizwan told reporters a drone was downed near Walton Airport, an airfield that the Pakistani military manages and uses for radars. The airport also has training schools.

Gujranwala: The fourth-largest city in Punjab, with a population of 2.5 million people.

Chakwal: Also in the Punjab region, with a population of about 1.5 million.

Rawalpindi: The city in Punjab is home to the headquarters of Pakistans powerful military. The city has a population of close to 6 million people.

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Attock: Close to the capital, Islamabad, Attock is a cantonment city with a population of 2.1 million.

Nankana Sahib: The Punjab city has a population of just more than 100,000 but enjoys far greater significance than that number suggests: It was the birthplace of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, and is one of the holiest sites of the faith.

Bahawalpur: Also in Punjab, it has a population of nearly one million.

Miano: A town in Sindh province, housing a major oil field.

Chor: A small town in the Umerkot district of the southeastern province of Sindh.

Ghotki: A city in northern Sindh known for its date palms, with a population of about 120,000.

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Karachi: Pakistans most populous city of 20 million people is based in Sindh.

Which cities did India claim Pakistan was targeting?

India said Pakistani missiles and drones attempted to strike 15 cities and towns but that all were brought down.

Awantipora: A town of 12,000 people, on the Jhelum River in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Srinagar: The biggest city in the Kashmir valley, Srinagar has a population of 1.2 million people.

Jammu: The winter capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, it has a population of 500,000 people.

Pathankot: Also in Indian-administered Kashmir, Pathankot is a major nerve centre of the Indian armys operations. It is home to the largest military base in Asia.

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Amritsar: The city in Indias Punjab state has a population of 1.1 million and is home to the Golden Temple, one of Sikhisms holiest shrines.

Kapurthala: A smaller town of 100,000 people in Indian Punjab.

Jalandhar: Right next to Kapurthala, Jalandhar has a population of nearly 900,000.

Ludhiana: The most populous city in Indian Punjab is home to 1.6 million people.

Adampur: The Punjab town is tiny, with just 20,000 people. But it is home to Indias second-largest air force base.

Bhatinda: The city in Indian Punjab has a population of nearly 300,000.

Chandigarh: The capital of both Indian Punjab and the neighbouring state of Haryana, Chandigarh has a population of just more than one million.

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Nal: A tiny town near the India-Pakistan border in the desert state of Rajasthan, it is home to a civilian airport and an air force base.

Phalodi: A city of 66,000 people in Rajasthan, Phalodi is famous for its salt industry.

Uttarlai: A small village in Rajasthan that is home to an air force station.

Bhuj: A city of 190,000 people, Bhuj is in Gujarat, the western state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Interactive_Indian_Drones_Pakistan_shotdown_May8_2025_4_REVISED

What drones were used in the attack on Pakistan?

Chaudhry, the Pakistani military spokesperson, identified the Indian projectiles as Harop drones.

Harop drones are a form of what are known as loitering munitions, and are developed by the Israeli governments primary aviation manufacturer and supplier, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

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Loitering munitions are usually remotely controlled unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) designed to hover in the air after being deployed, waiting for a precise target to be exposed before they crash into it and self-detonate.

They are not meant to survive a confrontation, and so are also known as suicide drones or kamikaze drones.

The IAI Harop is reputed to be one of the deadliest drones because it combines ordinary UAV and missile capabilities. Spanning two metres (6.6ft) in length, the vehicle is small enough to bypass most aircraft detection systems. It can fly over a range of 200km (120 miles) and is programmed for about six hours of flight. The drone can return and land at its launch base if it fails to engage a target.

The Indian Armed Force (IAF) is one of Israels biggest clients for drones. Between 2009 and 2019, India bought at least 25 Harop drones, with a single sale of 10 units costing $100m, according to reporting by The Jerusalem Post.

Indias fleet also includes Searcher and Heron drones, similarly manufactured by the IAI. Searchers are typically used for reconnaissance missions, while the Heron has similar missile capabilities to the Harop.

Why are the drone attacks on Pakistan significant?

Multiple drones breaching Pakistans airspace, hovering in the countrys most populous regions, and managing to attack a military location imply that India has the capabilities to breach Pakistans air defence and strike its most crucial nerve centres.

The attacks, according to the Pakistani army, were an extreme act of provocation that could lead to a major escalation of violence between the two nuclear powers.

Additionally, the drone breach poses a potential threat to civil aviation safety in Pakistan.

The countrys civil aviation authorities temporarily suspended operations in four airports on Thursday, before lifting the restrictions: Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Islamabad International Airport, and Sialkot International Airport.

Whats the wider context?

Kashmir, famed for its picturesque lakes, meadows and snow-capped mountains, is at the heart of tensions between the two countries.

India and Pakistan both administer parts of it, as does China. But India claims all of it, and Pakistan claims Indian-administered Kashmir, too. Three of the four previous India-Pakistan wars have been over Kashmir, which spans 22,200 sq km (8,570 square miles).

India has for years blamed Pakistan for supporting, arming, and training armed groups seeking secession from India. Pakistan has insisted it provides only moral and diplomatic support to Kashmirs separatist movement.

New Delhi blamed Aprils attack on an obscure group, The Resistance Front (TRF), and claimed it was Pakistan-backed. Islamabad, however, has denounced the attacks and denied involvement, calling for a transparent, credible, impartial investigation into the incident.

Both countries, with a combined population of 1.6 billion, are nuclear powers, raising fears among security experts that further escalation could be disastrous.




Paramilitary soldiers cordon off an area in Wuyan, Indian-administered Kashmir, on May 7, 2025. Credit - Faisal BashirSOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

In the most significant escalation in years, India and Pakistan have exchanged gunfire and airstrikes. On May 7, India launched a series of missile attacks into Pakistani territory, and Pakistan shot down Indian jets in retaliation.

The escalation comes after a terrorist attack in Kashmir left 25 Indian tourists and one Nepalese national dead on April 22. India has claimed that Pakistan supported and aided the attack, which Pakistan has denied.

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The latest escalation, which has killed over 40 people across both sides, is ongoing, and world leaders, including U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as well as President Donald Trump and officials in China and Russia, have urged de-escalation.

The region of Jammu and Kashmir is at the heart of the conflict, and control over it has been disputed between the two neighbours since independence from the British Empire in 1947.

Heres what to know about the history of tensions.

1947 - Partition and independence from the British Empire

Clashes over Kashmir between India and Pakistan are as old as the countries themselves. When both countries gained independence from Britain in 1947, princely states were given the option to join either Pakistan or India.

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The Hindu maharaja, or prince, of Kashmir was Hari Singh. Since Kashmir was predominantly Muslim in population, but Singh was Hindu, he was unsure whether to become part of India, which is predominantly Hindu, or Pakistan, which is predominantly Muslim.

Pakistani tribesmen invaded Kashmir in October 1947, attempting to take control of the state. Hari Singh looked to India for assistance, and signed the Instrument of Accession. This temporarily incorporated Kashmir into India, which would then be subject to a public votethough no such plebiscite ultimately took place. However, India would later interpret the treaty as final, claiming the territory as part of India.

This led to the start of the First Indo-Pakistani war, which ultimately resulted in a United Nations-mediated ceasefire in 1949, establishing a border through Kashmir that split control between India and Pakistan.

Under the division, which was set up as a temporary border, India was given roughly two-thirds control over Jammu and Kashmir, with Pakistan controlling the other third. However, both countries still claimed the entire region.

1965 - Tensions continue along a temporary border

Small clashes and disagreements between the two countries continued after 1949, and began to escalate further in the 1960s. In August 1965, Pakistan launched an invasion called Operation Gibraltar in an attempt to stir up rebellion in Kashmir. The operation failed, but refueled the conflict over Kashmir.

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Over the course of a few weeks, thousands of Pakistani and Indian soldiers were killed as the two nations eventually reached a stalemate. A ceasefire was once again brokered by the U.N., with no changes to the border of control. Both sides claimed victory while maintaining claims to the full territory.

1971 - A third war and permanent division

Until 1971, Pakistan also included the territory of East Bengal. It became East Pakistan in 1955, and fought for independence in 1971 to become Bangladesh.

Conflict in Bangladesh led to a refugee crisis in neighbouring India, encouraging Indian intervention in the push for independence and triggering a third war with Pakistan. Following a swift end to this war and sovereignty for Bangladesh, India and Pakistan tried to further stabilize relations with each other.

In July 1972, both parties signed the Simla Agreement, solidifying the temporary border in Kashmir as the Line of Control. Despite both countries still claiming authority over the entirety of Kashmir, the Line of Control officially defines the administrative boundaries for India and Pakistan and remains in place.

1987 - A controversial election followed by violence

It is widely believed that the 1987 local elections in Indian-administered Kashmir were rigged in favor of Farooq Abdullah, the head of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference party. This led to widespread anger and resentment amongst the population, much of which felt disillusioned with politics and the democratic process.

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The following years would see a sharp rise in militant uprisings in Kashmir, largely from groups supported by Pakistan vying for separation from India. The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) was established and, with the support of Pakistan, led the insurgency in the region in the early 1990s. It would later distance itself from Pakistan, instead pushing for Kashmiri independence.

Other groups still maintain support from Pakistan, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Throughout the 1990s LeT became the most active and prominent militant group in Kashmir.

In 1999, Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants seized several points in the Indian-administered Himalayan region, resulting in retaliatory airstrikes and the deaths of over 1,000 combatants over 10 weeks.

2000s - Violence continues beyond Kashmir

After conflict throughout the 1990s and escalation between India and Pakistan at the end of the decade, Kashmir became one of the most militarized areas in the world. Militant groups had a significant presence in the region as did the Indian Army.

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A number of Kashmiri militant groups, mostly backed by Pakistan and designated as Foreign Terror Organizations by the U.S, continued with attacks into the 2000s.

In 2001, LeT and another group, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), coordinated an attack on the Indian parliament in New Delhi, resulting in the deaths of 14 people including five militants. LeT also carried out 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, which left 166 people dead.

2019 - Further escalations in Kashmir

Armed police were the target of the next significant attack in Kashmir, after a lone JeM terrorist drove a car full of explosives into an Indian Central Reserve Police Force convoy in February 2019, killing 40 police personnel.

Later that year, the Indian government stripped Kashmir of its autonomy status. Authorities cut internet and phone connections in the region, and thousands of soldiers were sent to help quell any potential uprisings.

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The clampdown would last for months, and toward the end of 2019, a new militant group was formed called The Resistance Front (TRF). The group carried out smaller attacks and targeted killings of individuals.

2025 - Tourist terror attack and missile exchanges

April 22 saw the most significant escalation in years and has elevated the conflict between India and Pakistan to worrying heights as the two exchange fresh missile fire.

TRF carried out a terror attack last month in Pahalgam, a popular tourist spot, killing 26 people.

India then canceled a longstanding joint water resources management treaty with Pakistan that also served as a de facto peace accord, and Pakistan responded by suspending the Simla Agreement.

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After ensuing tit-for-tat exchanges of gunfire across the border, on Tuesday, India fired a total of 24 strikes as part of Operation Sindoor, hitting targets in Pakistans Punjab province as well as its administered region of Kashmir and killing at least 31 people, according to Pakistani officials.

Pakistan has since responded with its own strikes and continued deadly artillery fire across the Line of Control.

Chad de Guzman contributed reporting.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Pakistan has attacked several military installations with missiles and drones in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir, the Indian government said on Thursday.

A military station near the border in the Indian state of Punjab was also targeted in the airstrikes, according to the Integrated Defence Staff headquarters responsible for coordination among the Indian army's branches, which posted the information on Platform X.

The threat had been "neutralized," it said. There were no reported casualties. It was initially unclear whether the attacks were continuing. There was no confirmation of the attacks from Pakistan.

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According to Indian media reports, loud explosions in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir late Thursday evening caused panic amongst local people. Air raid sirens were sounded.

The India Today newspaper reported that a drone had hit the airport in the city of Jammu, where an air force facility is located. India said it had activated its air defence system.

"Suspected bombing, shelling or missile strikes," the former police chief of the Union Territory, Shesh Paul Vaid, wrote on X.

India's government had previously stated that it had attacked air defence systems in several locations in Pakistan overnight. Pakistan, for its part, said it had shot down 25 Indian drones.

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Tensions between the two nuclear powers have escalated significantly since a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 that left 26 people dead.

New Delhi accuses Pakistan of involvement in the attack. Islamabad rejects this.
India claimed on Thursday morning to have intercepted "drones and missiles" fired by Pakistan at several military targets throughout northern and western India, saying the overnight attack amounted to a bid by Pakistan to "escalate" the conflict between the two countries.

India also said it targeted Pakistani sites, including a Pakistani air defense system at Lahore, which it said it destroyed.

PHOTO: A big hole is seen on a rooftop of a house suspected to have been damaged in Indian drone attack Pakistan's air defense system shot down a suspected Indian drone in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (Fareed Khan/AP)

"Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan," the Indian Ministry of Defense said in a statement. "Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan."

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India on Tuesday and Wednesday launched aerial attacks on Pakistan, about two weeks after a deadly terror attack in the disputed Kashmir region. India blamed Pakistan for that militant attack, the Pahalgam incident, which left 26 people dead in Indian-held Kashmir. Pakistan denied involvement.

MORE: At least 31 dead in Pakistan in overnight India attacks, military says

At least 16 people have been killed in India, the defense ministry said on Thursday. The Pakistan prime minister's office said Thursday that 31 people were killed in India's missile and drone attacks.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had convened on Thursday a meeting of his secretaries to discuss "national preparedness," a high-level defense discussion that came as his Pakistani counterpart declared that Pakistan had "once again proven its superiority over its enemy."

PHOTO: An Indian paramilitary personnel stands guard near closed shops along a partially deserted street at the Lal Chowk in Srinagar on May 8, 2025. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP via Getty Images)

The Pakistani prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, on Thursday praised the actions of his country's military over the last few days.

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"I salute the heads of all three armed forces and every brave soldier," Sharif said, according to his office. "The 240 million people of Pakistan are proud of their armed forces."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Sharif on Thursday, according to a statement from the prime minister's office. Sharif conveyed to Rubio "Pakistan's condemnation of India's missile and drone strikes" and claimed India's attacks "violated Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity," according to the readout.

Rubio also spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday, according to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

In both conversations, Rubio "emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation" and "expressed U.S. support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan," Bruce said.

India says it intercepted 'drones and missiles' fired by Pakistan originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
India says it targeted Pakistan's air defenses, as tensions increase between the countries.

On Thursday, Pakistan said it shot down 25 drones over its airspace.

India and Pakistan have been trading blows following a terror attack in Kashmir last month.

India says it targeted Pakistan's air defenses in strikes on Thursday, in a sign of escalating violence between the two nuclear-armed countries.

India's defense ministry said its forces had "targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan."

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"It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," the government said in a statement.

This was the first time India acknowledged going after Pakistani military installations.

Targeting air defenses threatens to deepen the crisis, as it removes defenses and clears the way for further and deeper strikes.

India's statement doesn't detail how the attacks were carried out.

Clashes between the two countries have ramped up in recent days, after India carried out military strikes overnight on Wednesday. It said these were in retaliation for a terrorist attack that killed 26 people in the contested region of Kashmir last month.

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For its part, Pakistan claimed Thursday to have shot down 25 Indian drones, including Israeli-made HAROP long-range drones that can scout and strike targets.

The Jerusalem Post reported in 2019 that India had bought several batches of HAROP drones from Israel, including the purchase of 10 drones in a $100 million deal.

"Debris of Israeli-made Harop drones is being recovered from various areas across Pakistan," the Pakistani military said in a statement.

India also said in the statement that it had neutralised Pakistani missile and drone attacks on its territory.

The use of drones in clashes between India and Pakistan is a worrying new development in a long-simmering conflict over Kashmir, and points to the growing influence of warfare techniques and technologies used in the war in Ukraine.

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Both countries have used drones for years for reconnaissance in Kashmir, Christopher Clary, a professor at the University at Albany in New York, told BI, but never before "for apparent attacks on the other."

"It seems possible both Pakistan and India were probing enemy air defenses," he said of the strikes.

Pakistan said that 31 people have been killed in Indian strikes since Wednesday, while India says Pakistan's attacks have killed 16.

The exchange of blows comes after an attack by Pakistani militants on Indian tourists in Kashmir on April 22, which killed 26 people. India has accused Pakistan of being behind the attack, an accusation Pakistan denies.

Read the original article on Business Insider
NEW DELHI (AP)  Airlines in India have suspended flight operations from two dozen airports across northern and western regions of the country amid heightened tensions with Pakistan.

Indias Civil Aviation Ministry late Thursday confirmed in a statement the temporary closure of 24 airports.

Pakistan, meanwhile, resumed flights nationwide after a suspension at four airports, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.

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In advisories to passengers, India's key domestic airlines said their flights would remain suspended until Saturday from airports including Amritsar in northern Punjab and Srinagar in India-controlled Kashmir, bordering Pakistan.

Indigo, the countrys biggest domestic carrier, on Wednesday canceled 165 flights, while Air India and Air India Express had a similar number of cancellations. Air India diverted two of its international flights enroute from Amritsar, close to Lahore, to New Delhi, because of the sudden closure of the airport.

India and Pakistan are teetering on the edge of a fresh military crisis after New Delhi launched missile strikes inside Pakistani territory Wednesday, targeting what it called terror training camps to avenge last months massacre of 26 Indian tourists in India-controlled Kashmir.

India blames Pakistan for backing the gunmen, an accusation that Islamabad denies.

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Soon after the killings, the two countries swiftly moved to close their respective airspace last month, and India has shut some of its airports. The cancellation of flights has resulted in woes for passengers.

Rahul, a 32-year-old Indian businessman who goes by a single name, said his flight from Dubai to Chandigarh was canceld on Wednesday after closure of the Indian airport. The airline offered him a rescheduled flight to Delhi and then a bus ride to Chandigarh. Its a security situation. I understand," he said.
What should have been a day of celebrations after securing Britains biggest trade deal since Brexit with India was quickly overshadowed.

Hours after London and New Delhi announced the historic agreement, it became clear that the worlds fastest-growing large economy had struck its neighbour, Pakistan, killing dozens.

The military strikes have brought the two nuclear-armed countries to the brink of war, extending a long-standing dispute over the Himalayan region of Kashmir.

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The escalating tension comes after a remarkable divergence in economic fortunes for the two neighbours, which experts say has played a role in inflaming tensions.

At the start of the century, living standards in Pakistan were slightly higher than in India. But over the last three decades India has experienced a growth miracle that could one day make it the worlds largest economy.

Living standards in India are today a third higher than in Pakistan, after jumping ahead at the end of the 2000s. Meanwhile, Pakistan is a melting pot of crises.

The divergence has only added to the simmering tensions between the two rivals.

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We used to talk about India and Pakistan in the same breath, says Tim Willasey-Wilsey, a professor at Kings College London who served for 27 years with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including in Pakistan.

When I was there in the 1990s, they had about the same GNP per capita [output per head]. Now, theyre just vastly different. India is an emerging power. Pakistan is struggling. I think this is part of the problem. I dont think Pakistan have fully woken up to the new reality.

Indias economic might is demonstrated by the fact Western nations such as Britain are queuing up to sign trade deals, ignoring inconvenient facts like the countrys burgeoning trade with Russia.

It is clear why Labour would be willing to turn a blind eye: children born today are likely to live to see India become the worlds biggest economy. It is a rising economic power, links to which could prove hugely lucrative.

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Based on figures from the end of last year, India is to overtake the US in 2087 and China in 2097, says Pushpin Singh, a senior economist at the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

This assumes that China will overtake the US at some point as well. So by the end of the century, they will be the worlds biggest economy.

Indias growing middle class is already proving an engine of economic growth, as many Western countries have outsourced roles in sectors like IT to the country.

A tale of two nations

What is behind its rise?

They deregulated the economy in 1990 and have never looked back, says Willasey-Wilsey. Theyre developing more and more. As more international companies move out of China and choose India instead, the prospects really look quite good.

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As well as deregulating, India also invested heavily in infrastructure: road, rail and renewable energy.

A lot of massive infrastructure projects have happened, especially under the Modi government. With a huge population, you also have a huge middle class, and infrastructure especially being concentrated initially in the urban areas, youre seeing a lot of migration from rural to urban areas, Singh says.

Infrastructure has also become a symbol of the rising tension between the two countries. India has pushed forward the start date of four hydro-power projects in the Kashmir region, sparking fears it will lead to less water downstream.

Water levels in Pakistans Chenab River have already fallen by 60pc, threatening its agriculture. India has also suspended a 65-year-old water-sharing treaty between the two countries.

Indias success stands in stark contrast to its debt-bloated, struggling neighbour.

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You would expect Pakistan to be performing the same way as India, given the geographical proximity, similar kind of cultures, and obviously they were once within the same kind of country, to say it very crudely, Singh says.

Modern-day India and Pakistan were born out of the partition of British India in 1947. For several decades, Pakistan was the more successful economy. But political instability, profligate borrowing and less favourable demographics mean it is today among the worlds poorest countries.

There is a huge reliance on external debt in Pakistan, which is very much a function of the governance. It hampers quite a bit of economic progress, says Singh.

As a result, two thirds of Pakistans day-to-day spending goes to servicing its debts. The country is in the midst of a $7bn (5.2bn) bailout deal struck with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) just last year.

The costs of war

Can Islamabad afford war? Pakistan would have far more to lose in that scenario given its weaker economy, Willasey-Wilsey warns.

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However, Pakistans prime minister has so far vowed to take revenge for every drop of blood spilled as result of the strikes on the country. While Pakistan is far smaller, it is heavily militarised.

The two countries have been locked in dispute over the Kashmir region, effectively since partition. Both administer parts of it and conflicts have flared up over the years.

Indias precision strikes on nine terrorist camps this week were in retaliation for the killing of 26 people in its part of Kashmir two weeks earlier. New Delhi claimed Pakistan had supported the terrorists behind the attack.

The threat of full-blown war between the two countries is worrying, given they are both nuclear powers.

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It could get very bad, says Willasey-Wilsey. If Pakistan responds, then what does India do next? So it all depends on that.

The escalation is happening at a time when the US is showing little interest in ensuring global peace. However, Pakistans high debt levels mean other countries could force it to step away from an escalation, he says.

India is very rich, Pakistan is very indebted. What really needs to happen is Saudi Arabia, UAE and Pakistans creditors really need to turn the screw on Pakistan and say, right, this is just not going to happen.

Simmering religious tensions and national resentments have bought the two nuclear powers to the brink of war. The best hope of averting a devastating crisis may be economic.

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We recently published a list of 10 Stocks with Insanely High PE Ratios Insiders Are Selling. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Dutch Bros Inc. (NYSE:BROS) stands against other stocks with insanely high PE ratios insiders are selling.

The U.S. stock market has turned into a theater of extremes right now. Growth stocks are seeing an abnormal price hike, but in some cases, it is almost proportionately met with the insiders cashing out. The flood of insider sales in companies trading at unbelievable price-to-earnings (PE) ratios has become the prime example of what would happen when euphoria crashes with caution.

But why are corporate executives  the insiders who know the company best- selling shares when investors are piling in on them? Lets connect the dots.

READ ALSO: 20 Large-Cap Stocks Insiders and Short Sellers Are Dumping Like Crazy

Growth stocks continue to be at the center of attraction in 2025. They have been outperforming their value counterpart over the past decade, fueled by declining interest rates and increasing bets on innovation. Even when the Fed hiked the rates in 2023, growth stocks strived under pressure, with some sectors continuing to command premium valuations.

Many of these companies are now trading at PE ratios that even optimistic analysts could not justify. For that reason, insiders are selling, and they are doing it aggressively.

Retail investors chase fast-paced moments while corporate executives and major stakeholders pull their investments from the company. Data from the SECs Form 4 filings reveal that insider sales for high-PE firms have increased recently, reflecting a widening gap between Wall Streets optimism and Main Streets reality.

It is yet to be decided whether these sales are a vote of no confidence in the insanely high valuations or simply prudent profit-taking. To answer this, we need to look at the broader economic environment. Recently, President Trump proposed a $163 billion budget cut, which involves slashing domestic programs while concentrating on defense and border security. The reduced funding for housing, education, and healthcare could hurt consumer spending, and hence, the cut has introduced fresh uncertainty into a market where investors are already scrambling due to interest rate and tariff rate uncertainties.

On the other hand, the Treasury bond market is also flashing warning signs. According to a report by Reuters, two-year yields have declined to 3.57%, nearly a full percentage point below the Feds benchmark rate. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calls the gap a clear signal for rate cuts. When we look back at history, we will see that these dislocations usually preceded economic slowdowns, and in such an environment, the high PE stocks that could not meet the inflated expectations with their earnings will fall.
One of Secretary of State Diego Morales' booths at the Indiana State Fair, shown on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales on Wednesday celebrated the states forthcoming student ID voting ban  just two days after he and other Hoosier election officials were named in a lawsuit challenging the prohibition.

Since Indiana enacted its photo ID law in 2005, it has allowed students to use IDs issued by public colleges or universities as proof of identification at the polls. A card must include the prospective voters name, photo and a valid expiration term.

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Thats changing under Senate Enrolled Act 10. Gov. Mike Braun signed it into law last month, but the ban goes into effect July 1.

A news release from Morales office asserted that the law ends the use of unsecured cards that do not meet uniform security standards  and instead ensures that all forms of ID used at the polls are held to the same level of verification.

Voting is a sacred right, and it must be safeguarded through consistent and reliable security standards, Morales said Wednesday. The law reinforces my promise that only eligible Hoosiers are voting in our state, he continued.

But a lawsuit, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, called it a surgical attack on young voters.

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Indiana University sophomore Josh Montagne  who is originally from Missouri  doesnt have any other form of ID. He said obtaining one would be burdensome because his primary form of transportation is walking and he doesnt have access to a car.

Count US IN and Women4Change Indiana, meanwhile, said the ban would hamper their get-out-the-vote efforts by requiring resource-intensive volunteer re-training and voter education campaigns. They anticipated needing to help students secure alternative forms of ID or provide on-site Election Day assistance so unaware students arent disenfranchised.

The trio of plaintiffs alleged that Senate Enrolled Act 10 deliberately abridges young voters right to vote, in violation of the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The plaintiffs further argued that the sever(e) burden on such voters, done without any corresponding justification, violates the 1st and 14th Amendments. They requested an injunction.

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An estimated two-thirds of students at Indiana Universitys flagship Bloomington campus used student IDs to vote at the in-campus polling place in the 2024 general election, according to the complaint. It cited Monroe Countys election supervisor.

University of Indianapolis students Madison Riley, left, and Sam Hunt protest Senate Bill 10 outside the House Chamber on April 1, 2025. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

The plaintiffs alleged the laws narrow exclusion of student IDs was unfair.

Indiana law does not exclude any other category of ID in this way. In fact, in recent years, the legislature has amended the voter ID law to expand the scope of acceptable IDs, even allowing for the use of certain IDs that do not otherwise meet the statutory requirements, the lawsuit reads.

For example, documents issued by the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Indiana National Guard, a federally recognized Native American tribe or other entities can be used even when they dont have expiration dates, or have indefinite expiration dates.

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Morales and lawmakers justified the ban as ensuring that only Indiana residents and U.S. citizens can vote in the states elections.

The plaintiffs, however, noted that Indianas photo ID law isnt structured to confirm a voters residence or citizenship  just that the person who shows up at the polls is who they claim. Proof of residency and citizenship are established during the voter registration process and should not be conflated with proof of identity requirements, the states guidebook reads.

Other accepted federal forms of ID, like a passport or military-issued card, dont indicate where their subjects reside.

While prohibiting the use of student IDs will not advance any of the legislators purported rationales, it will make it harder for a specific group of people  young voters  to participate in Indianas elections, the complaint argues.

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Meanwhile, Morales and Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita are waging their own lawsuit to force federal citizenship verification for nearly 600,000 Hoosiers who registered without providing an Indiana drivers license number or a Social Security Number  or who live overseas. Some of those could include those who registered before those numbers were required.

Morales also applauded the passage of legislation allowing county clerks to send a notice requesting proof of citizenship when someone registers to vote with a temporary credential ID.

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Leaders of the Virginia GOPs 2nd Congressional District Committee ousted Laura Hughes, chairwoman of the Virginia Beach Republican Party, late Wednesday night.

The vote by secret ballot came after a four-hour meeting at the Chesapeake GOP office. Not all district committee members attended; five sent proxies to vote on their behalf, which drew criticism from more than 50 Hughes supporters who waited outside.

The meeting was closed to party members and the public. Just after 11 p.m., 15 ballots were cast. Eleven favored removing Hughes for failing to function as the chair.

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It was a difficult decision, said Dennis Free, chair of the 2nd District Committee. Well move forward with a minimum of disruption, and I think well correct anything that we thought that contributed to this decision.

The committee also voted to appoint Virginia Beach member Larry Lane as the interim chair.

The turbulence within the party leadership has become an unwanted distraction in the crux of a critical election season. Efforts should focus on electing a Republican governor, lieutenant governor and state delegates, said former Virginia Beach Republican Party chair Kenny Golden.

Its extremely hurtful for our party, and its going to be extremely difficult to put things back together for the election, Golden said Wednesday night.

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Turmoil in GOP pits Virginia Beach Republican party chair against party leaders

The 2nd District Committee is made up of party leaders within the district, including the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk and Franklin as well as the counties of Accomack and Northhampton, among others. Party members, who are volunteers, work the polls and promote candidates leading up to the November election.

Free declined to elaborate on Hughes missteps, citing confidentiality of the executive session. A financial report of the Virginia Beach party, which was requested by Hughes, may have played a role in her removal, though she denies any wrongdoing.

Vice Chair Bruce Meyer said Thursday several factors contributed to her downfall.

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There were a lot of system failures, said Meyer, who attended the closed meeting.

Among the concerns of the district committee was how the Virginia Beach party manned the precincts in November, which Meyer said was insufficient. He also said the committee had requested but not received the partys meeting minutes and treasurer reports for several months.

Hughes had hoped to hear which committee members supported her. Instead, members wrote their votes on a folded piece of paper, and only Free saw the votes and read the tally aloud. The voting process was open to the public.

It would be hard to express the cowardness involved with wanting a secret ballot, Hughes said after the vote.

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Hughes, an attorney and former Virginia Beach School Board member, plans to appeal the decision to the state party. If she wins, she could be reinstated.

Supporters wore I stand with Laura Hughes buttons. Many said they couldnt understand what she had done wrong and claimed Free and other committee members have been nitpicking since she won the seat last year.

Everything she tries to do, they drag down, said member Marie Dottino. My heart goes out to her.

Its a witch hunt, and its sad, said Elaine Fekete, chairwoman of the finance committee.

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Hughes was elected in March 2024. The schism between her and party leadership began a few months later, according to Hughes, when she engaged a city auditor to conduct an audit of the Virginia Beach Republican Party. In a Facebook post late last month, Hughes wrote that the task was long overdue, and when she pursued the audit, the past administration failed to turn over key documents, and the process was delayed.

The Republican Party of Virginia ultimately conducted a financial review. Hughes maintains the findings of that report should be made public, But, she said, in order to view a copy of the report, she had to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Soon after Hughes received the report from Free, he called the executive session to vote on whether Hughes should leave office.

The report was distributed to party members Wednesday night.

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It showed us we have some things we have to fix, Golden said. If she had done something wrong, she certainly wouldnt have wanted an audit.

Separately, Hughes faces criminal charges for intercepting wire communications that appear to involve an incident where Hughes allegedly improperly recorded a phone call inside the GOP Party headquarters about who else was running for chair. The trial is scheduled for July.

Hughes appeal process for her removal as chair will begin with the state central committee, which meets in August. Mark Peake, a state senator representing Lynchburg and chairman of the state Republican Party, will appoint an appeals committee, which will produce a report.

All splits can be rectified, and thats my job to do everything I can to get everybody back together, because no matter how many fights were involved with amongst each other, the big fight is against the Democrats in November, Peake said.

Staff writer Kate Seltzer contributed to this report.

Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
Antonio Fins, Ana Goni-Lessan and John Kennedy discuss the biggest capture of undocumented immigrants ever which draws into question the level of "violent criminal" status for the detained. Also, President Donald Trump begins his second hundred days in his Florida office and why is trouble brewing between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican lawmakers ahead of the looming special session.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: ICE agents detain undocumented criminals, non-criminals in Tidal Wave
The way attorney Jamie Diez describes it, visiting the El Valle Detention Center was usually straightforward. After making the 50-minute drive from Brownsville, he told TPM, he would usually stroll in unannounced. Officials would, after a wait, bring Diez, an immigration attorney, whichever client he was seeing that day. He was so used to El Valle that, on March 15, he showed up wearing shorts.

But when Diez arrived at the rural Texas immigration detention center that day, he instead encountered an overwhelming show of force. On that day, he was denied entry, he told TPM. There were law enforcement officers in riot gear. A helicopter flew above. Detainees were being rushed onto buses.

Diez had become a witness to the Trump administrations secretive operation to remove more than 100 Venezuelans to an El Salvador detention camp under the Alien Enemies Act, the 18th-century wartime power whose invocation Trump premised on the absurdity of a Venezuela-backed invasion of the United States. On that day, Diezs client, undocumented Venezuelan Zacarias Matos, was slated for removal to El Salvador under the Act, his attorneys say. Diez told TPM he had traveled to the detention center after filing a habeas corpus petition seeking to block his clients removal, and was checking to make sure he was still there.

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Diez didnt know it at the time, but he had stumbled into the all-out campaign by the Trump administration to shield its Alien Enemies Act removal operation from scrutiny by the courts. Had the removal process involved any kind of notice to those removed or their attorneys, judges could examine how the government was deciding who belonged to Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which, the government contends, would qualify them for removal to El Salvador as an alien enemy. Scrutiny could prompt judges to intervene, potentially imposing significant delays on the effort or shutting it down entirely. After a federal judge, later on March 15, ordered a halt to the effort, the President and senior administration officials argued directly that the government should be able to remove people from the country  potentially for indefinite imprisonment in an El Salvador detention center  without due process.

But on that Saturday, Diez and other attorneys on Matos case quietly managed to interrupt the administrations plans for their client. After an official at the jail told him that Matos was still here, Diez informed the chambers of federal district court Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., a Trump appointee who had received the habeas case, that Matos was still there, the attorney told TPM. Within an hour, Judge Rodriguez issued an order blocking Matos removal. ICE officers complied with the order. Matos later told his lawyer that he had already been seated on an aircraft in Harlingen, Texas  the airport from which three planes would soon depart, carrying more than 200 migrants to CECOT, the El Salvador detention center. Officers removed Matos before the plane took off, Diez said.

The episode demonstrates that even in the final hours of the operation to remove Venezuelans to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act, the administration was fully capable of complying with detailed court orders. It also serves as a reminder of how little the government has revealed about its removals to El Salvador. Matos attorneys have pieced together that he was likely designated under the AEA from other claims the government has made in his immigration case, and from the fact that ICE attempted to send him to El Salvador without any removal order as he was still seeking asylum. The government said that it had evidence that he was a member of Tren de Aragua, but refused to back up that claim when confronted about it in court.

Since then, the government has acted with haste to find another way to remove Matos that did not require it to deem him an alien enemy. In the week after he dodged removal to CECOT, DHS managed to bring an end to Matos immigration court case. He was quickly scheduled for a credible fear interview, necessary for an asylum claim, and promptly was denied. Now, less than two months after March 15, hes scheduled for removal.

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ICE did not return TPMs request for comment.

Getting off the plane

Diez emphasized to TPM that, on March 15, he was unaware of the broader drama unfolding around the removals. He showed up at El Valle simply to help his client, and was surprised by the hubbub.

Matos case is relatively typical of the Venezuelans who were sent to CECOT on March 15. He entered the United States in December 2023 with his daughter, seeking political asylum from Venezuela. He was initially released as his case progressed through immigration court. Matos, however, had a few brushes with the law. In May 2024, El Paso police accused Matos of throwing a Glock handgun out of a car during a traffic stop. He was released, and later failed to appear for his arraignment, police said. He was detained in October 2024 on misdemeanor charges that were later dropped. He hasnt left detention since; ICE held Matos in El Paso, where his immigration case was proceeding, until March 9. It was around then that his relatives got word he was being transferred to another detention facility; ICEs tracker showed that he was moved to El Valle that day.

From there, he experienced what many other Alien Enemies deportees did. On March 14, after President Trump signed the Alien Enemies proclamation but before it was publicly revealed, ICE officials told Matos that he was about to be removed by plane to Venezuela or Mexico, according to a declaration filed by his attorneys in his habeas case. That plane never departed, but it was enough to tip off Matos family and an attorney working on his case that he was in danger of imminent deportation.

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By that point, rumors were circulating that Trump was on the verge of invoking the 18th-century measure. Diez found out about the case via an attorney group chat he was in, and filed a habeas petition, seeking a restraining order blocking Matos removal, late on the night of March 14.

The next morning, Diez told TPM, he left home in Brownsville, heading for El Valle to verify that Matos had not yet been deported. There, after being denied entry, he spoke outside the entrance with a jail official who at first told him to call a 1-800 number to verify Matos location.

I said, every time you call a 1-800 number, you dont go anywhere, Diez recalled. So he said, well, let me see if I can help you.

The man checked and told Diez that Matos was still here, Diez said. Diez felt that still was significant  it confirmed that Matos had not yet been removed. It was also a sign that that could soon change.

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Diez informed the court. Soon after, Judge Rodriguez issued a restraining order blocking ICE from removing Matos from El Valle or the surrounding Texas counties.

His removal would moot the Courts consideration of Zacarias Matoss claims, including whether the Court possesses subject matter jurisdiction to adjudicate those claims, Judge Rodriguez ruled.

By that point, the Alien Enemies Act removal operation was well underway. Hundreds of miles away, Chief Judge James Boasberg for the District of Columbia was preparing to hold a hearing in a class-action suit brought by the ACLU seeking a nationwide injunction blocking the removals. As Boasberg began to suspect that the Trump administration was trying to fly people out of the country before he could issue a ruling, he gave an extraordinary order from the bench: the planes were to return to the United States.

They did not do that. Instead, they continued on to El Salvador.

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But in Harlingen, Texas, ICE complied with Judge Rodriguezs order.

Per Diez, Matos later told him that he had made it to Harlingen airport and was aboard a plane when ICE officials pulled him off. He recalled being sent back to El Valle with more than a dozen others from the airport; ICE officials told him he was lucky, Diez said.

After informing the court that Matos had not yet been removed from the country, Diez stood outside El Valle and saw a bus driving by, with a helicopter flying low overhead. He recorded it via video; UCLA Law Professor Ahilan Arulanantham, co-counsel on the case, posted it on Bluesky that afternoon.

I didnt record it because I knew what was really going on  I recorded so that I could show to the people that I was working with on the case, Im here and this is whats going on, Diez recalled. I didnt have anything else to do. I was waiting for the court.

Did the government decide Matos was no longer an alien enemy?

Matos had no valid removal order on March 15; his abortive removal could only have happened if ICE designated him an alien enemy as a member of Tren de Aragua, Ahilan Arulanantham, the UCLA law professor on the case, told TPM.

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After the planes left and a national scandal erupted over the Trump administrations El Salvador removals and potential defiance of Boasbergs order, ICE began to try to find other ways to rush Matos out of the country.

The speed may have been prompted by the prospect of a habeas case that could test the administrations claims. In the case, Matos lawyers sought information from the government about how it came to determine that their client was a member of Tren de Aragua. The lawyers also began to claim that removal to CECOT was itself a form of unlawful detention.

These arguments prompted some revealing responses from the government.

In a lengthy filing, the government said that Matos criminal background, admissions, associations, and TdA-related tattoos clearly mark him as a member of TdA and therefore an alien enemy subject to removal under the Proclamation.

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But it declined to pursue its claim that Matos was a TdA member to its logical conclusion: removing him under the Alien Enemies Act. Instead, the government said that it no longer viewed him as an alien enemy. ICE Assistant Field Office Director Carlos Cisneros said in a declaration that after the Supreme Court mandated that the government give all alien enemy deportees the chance to ask for and receive habeas review before removal, Matos was not deemed an alien enemy under the current notice process.

The government did not address why it attempted to remove Matos on March 15. Instead, it argued that none of these potentially damaging questions around how and why it sought to remove Matos absent a lawful order to do so were relevant: the government had found a new way to deport him.

On March 24, court filings show, the government moved to dismiss Matos asylum case, seeking expedited removal instead. On the same day, Matos had a bond hearing scheduled. Two days later, an immigration court judge granted the governments motion, ending the case.

Unlike expedited removal, which can take place per the order of a rank-and-file DHS agent, immigration court proceedings require the order of an immigration judge to allow the government to deport.

Rushing out

After the immigration court case ended, attorneys for Matos said that the government began to try to remove him from the country as quickly as possible.

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Matos sat for a credible fear interview in support of a last-ditch attempt to save his asylum claim. That was denied, opening Matos up to immediate expulsion under expedited removal. An immigration judge affirmed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services decision on April 19, clearing a final hurdle for the removal order to go into effect.

Jorge Dominguez, an immigration attorney representing Matos, said in a declaration that he never received a copy of the governments March 24 motion to dismiss, that the immigration court dismissed the case without giving him an opportunity to respond, and that ICE never called him as a subsequent credible fear interview took place.

This is one more example of the admins disdain and contempt for due process, David Leopold, an immigration attorney not involved in the case, told TPM after reading Dominguezs declaration and other filings in the matter.

ICE didnt reply to questions about the matter from TPM. In court filings, officials portrayed Matos removal proceedings as standard.

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For the government, the removal order ICE issued is further proof: theres no longer any need for the government to rely on AEA authority to deport Matos, Department of Justice attorneys wrote in a brief.

From March 24, when the government moved to dismiss his case, to April 14, when it denied his credible fear interview, a little less than four weeks passed.

It just seems like all of that wouldve been unnecessary if they could just remove him under the AEA, Arulanantham told TPM, adding that they had been trying desperately to find some other way to deport him without having to defend it on AEA grounds.

Rodriguez, the judge overseeing Matos case, ruled in a separate class action brought by the ACLU last week that Trumps invocation of the AEA was illegal. It mooted continuing elements of Matos case, including attempts by lawyers to uncover how the government came to accuse him of belonging to Tren de Aragua.

In May, Matos and the government settled, bringing an end to the kafkaesque episode. Arulanantham told TPM in an email that, after, the government continued to argue that it could remove Matos to El Salvador. The settlement agreement blocks that. The government can now remove him, provided one criterion: that Matos be returned home to Venezuela.
Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson, served his 27th birthday behind bars, and his meal was far from a celebratory feast.

Based on a new report, Luigi Mangione's birthday meal included a sad array of bland dishes, specifically a makeshift special called "breakfast cake."

Luigi Mangione Spent His 27th Birthday Behind Bars And Was Served The Saddest Meal

MEGA

According to TMZ, Mangione, who was arrested in December 2024 after the death of Thompson went viral, spent his 27th birthday behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.

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However, it was far from a joyous occasion, especially considering the food he was served was as unappetizing as could be.

For breakfast, the alleged shooter was served fruit, cereal, sugar substitute packets, skim milk, and a piece of breakfast cake. The latter is described as a "cake-like" dish usually comprised of crushed items from the prison's commissary.

Come lunch time, Mangione was offered pasta with meat sauce and chickpea marinara, spinach, whole wheat bread, fruit, and a beverage.

For dinner, he was served a chicken patty sandwich, a chickpea burger, steamed rice, pinto beans, lettuce, tomato, mayo, a hamburger bun, and a drink.

Luigi Mangione Given Until May 27th To Prepare Defense

MEGA

Mangione's birthday meal comes days after the 27-year-old pleaded not guilty to a series of serious charges, including murder through the use of a firearm.

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The judge presiding over his case mandated that all discovery materials be provided to the defense by May 27th.

Mangione's Team Trying To Stop The Death Penalty

PA State Police/MEGA

The discovery materials aren't all that Mangione and his legal team have to worry about, though. In early April 2025, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced her plans to seek corporate punishment for Mangione if he is found guilty of his charges.

She said, "Luigi Mangione's murder of Brian Thompson  an innocent man and father of two young children  was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America."

Bondi added, "After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again."

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Mangione's legal team is fighting back against the request and called it "political, arbitrary, capricious" and a "breach of established death penalty protocol."

They also wrote in their filing, "The stakes could not be higher. The United States government intends to kill Mr. Mangione as a political stunt."

Bondi's move to seek the death penalty came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order, instructing the attorney general to "pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use."

Trump Blasts People For Praising Luigi Mangione

Aaron Schwartz / CNP / MEGA

President Trump has also spoken candidly about the praise he's seen Mangione receive across social media, calling his supporters "terrible" people with a "sickness."

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"I think it's really terrible that some people seem to admire him, like him," Trump said. "I was happy to see that it wasn't specific to this gentleman that was killed. It's just an overall sickness as opposed to a specific sickness ... That was a terrible thing. It was cold-blooded. Just a cold-blooded, horrible killing."

"And how people can like this guy is a ... that's a sickness, actually," he added.

"Maybe it's fake news," Trump continued. "It seems that there's a certain appetite for him. I don't get it."

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch agreed, saying, "We dont celebrate murders, and we dont lionize the killing of anyone."

Mangione Allegedly Filmed Over 20 Videos Of Himself Having Sex Before Being Arrested

MEGA

In March 2025, reports surfaced that Mangione allegedly filmed over 20 videos of himself having sex with different people throughout his adult years.

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"It wasn't just some grainy, late-night mistake," a source close to Mangione shared. "It was perfect lighting, everything."

They continued, "He wanted to be watched. He got off on it."

Many of Mangione's supporters, who have rallied behind him since his arrest last year, reacted to the rumors with glee.

"Streets are saying [that] Luigi Mangione filmed 20+ sex tapes," one user wrote. "Send it to me, Rachel," they finished, referencing a viral TikTok in which a lady begs her family member named "Rachel" to send her something on her cellphone.

"Luigi s*x tapes and [Lady Gaga's seventh studio album] Mayhem about to drop," another user commented. "What a week to be Italian American."
An investigation is underway at Dover-Sherborn Middle School, where police say male students were sharing explicit photos.

Police say they found boys had shared pictures of middle school girls clothed and one student was also sharing nude photos with unknown identities.

With the technology thats available to young people today, we are in a whole new world this is only the opening, the beginning of what were going to see probably a great deal more, said Peter Elikann, Boston 25s legal expert.

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Police say one of the students was charged in this case, but Superintendent Beth McCoy says the judge dismissed those charges, and all families of any students involved have been notified.

An email was sent out to families this week, raising concerns over this investigation.

It is important to know that some of the statements contained in the email are not factual and could be misleading, said Beth McCoy, Superintendent of Dover-Sherborn Schools, in a letter Wednesday. We take very seriously our responsibility to protect the safety and due process rights of every student in our schools. District officials have taken appropriate action throughout this process to adhere to federal, state and district policies and protocols and will continue to do so.

At this point, its not clear to us it may just be some young people who are using very poor judgement and doing something very, very unfair and mean, however it may not be a violation of the law, said Elikann.

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Superintendent McCoy says this incident took place last fall, off school grounds, and they believe the photos of girls from the middle and high school were taken off the internet.

Our Department placed a high premium on supporting the identified victims and prioritizing their well-being throughout. The Dover Police Department remains committed to the safety and dignity of all  especially our youth, said Chief Joseph Vinci of the Dover Police Department.

The superintendent says support services have been provided to any student involved in this case.

She also says they hired an independent investigator to look into whether there was a Code of Conduct, Title IX, or Bullying violation here, and that investigation is still in progress.

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DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi called for restraint between India and Pakistan upon landing in New Delhi on Thursday, state media reported, a day after India targeted what it says are terrorist camps in Pakistan in retaliation for a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir last month.

"We hope that India and Pakistan will prevent the escalation of tension in the region," Araqchi said, reiterating calls for restraint he made during his visit to Pakistan on Monday.

Islamabad rejected Indian allegations it had terrorist camps on its territory and pledged to respond to Indian strikes which it said killed at least 31 civilians.

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New Delhi warned any Pakistani response would warrant retaliation, fuelling fears of a larger military conflict in one of the world's most dangerous - and most populated - nuclear flashpoint regions.

Araqchi's visit to India was pre-planned to attend a joint economic commission between the two countries.

"Our region needs peace, especially to expand economic cooperation between regional countries, and we hope this will happen," the foreign minister added.

(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Irish support for EU membership has fallen to its lowest level in 12 years amid fears over immigration, a poll has found.

Fewer than half of the people in the study said they thought the bloc was heading in the right direction.

There has been a slow decline in support since a high in 2019, during the Brexit negotiations, when 93 per cent of people backed continued membership of the bloc.

Now, 82 per cent of people said that Ireland should remain in the EU.

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That is the lowest level of support since 2013, when European Movement Ireland began carrying out the annual polls in a country with some of the strongest pro-EU sentiment in Europe.

Brussels had backed Dublins concerns over the post-Brexit border between the Republic and Northern Ireland.

Support for EU membership last year was 84 per cent in Ireland, meaning a drop of two per cent.

In Northern Ireland, where most people voted Remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum, support for EU membership increased by one per cent to 77 per cent this year.

About 34 per cent of people in Ireland felt the EU was not upholding its core values, and 26 per cent were dissatisfied with its direction.

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While 47 per cent said they thought the EU was headed in the right direction, 43 per cent said they didnt believe their views were represented at EU level.

Immigration control was cited as the biggest reason why people in Ireland thought the EU was going in the wrong direction.

But 35 per cent of those saying they were dissatisfied with the EUs direction cited migration.

Activists take part in an anti-immigration rally on April 26 in Dublin - Getty Images

EU red tape (24 per cent) and the perceived militarisation of the bloc since the war in Ukraine (24 per cent) in neutral Ireland were also mentioned. Half of the respondents said they backed increased EU defence cooperation.

EU asylum policies have been attacked by anti-immigration campaigners and far-Right parties in Ireland, which is in the grips of a housing crisis.

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Despite that, 56 per cent of people said they backed more countries joining the EU, which would mean more nationals being given freedom of movement rights.

62 per cent of people in Ireland and 67 per cent in Northern Ireland were in favour of a united Ireland in the EU. Opposition to that was higher in Northern Ireland (27 per cent) than in the Republic (16 per cent).

The survey of a representative sample of 1,200 people was carried out by email on March 26 and 28 by Amarach Research and was published on Thursday.

Noelle O Connell, head of European Movement Ireland, told the Irish Times that the level of support for the EU was still incredibly high.

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She said the research showed Irish people were pleased to be part of the EU trading bloc because of the threat of tariffs from US president Donald Trump.

Conor McGregor, the mixed martial arts fighter, plans to run in Octobers presidential election on an anti-immigration ticket.

McGregor, who recently lost a civil court case for rape, has vowed to hold a referendum on EU reforms to asylum law if elected president of Ireland.

He has also suggested Ireland should leave the EU if necessary to avoid US tariffs from Donald Trump, who recently welcomed him to the White House.

However, it is not certain McGregor will get the support he needs to be able to stand in the election to be Irelands head of state.

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IRS staff have been told they must complete 16 hours of weekend overtime this month to help the agency process tax returns that have been flagged as containing possible errors.

IRS Input Correction Operation employees working at the services submission processing center in Kansas City, Missouri, received a memo from Operation Manager Latifah Hisham on Friday informing them that they must serve the mandatory overtime on the weekends of both Saturday, May 10, and Saturday, May 17, to help clear the backlog.

Remember, if we do not make a sizable dent in the [Error Resolution System] ERS rejects there is the possibility of additional required overtime, she added, saying that optional weekday overtime would also be available but would not be counted as part of the required 16 hours.

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Common filing errors spotted by the ERS must be manually reviewed and addressed by staff, a practice that may necessitate mailing notifications to the people concerned before the matter can be resolved.

The headquarters of the Internal Reveue Service in Washington, D.C. (Getty)

The development comes after President Donald Trump assigned Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to root out excess federal spending and waste. This prompted the IRS to fire some 6,700 probationary staff ahead of tax season and reportedly plan to remove a further 50 percent of its 90,000-strong workforce through both voluntary separation incentives and involuntary layoffs.

The Kansas City office is one of just three sites across the United States where the IRS still processes paper tax returns. The others are centres in Austin, Texas, and Ogden, Utah, although all three also oversee online submissions.

Over time, theres been a lot of overtime worked, especially when offices were closed during the pandemic and there were millions of pieces of correspondence to be handled, former IRS commissioner John Koskinen told Federal News Network.

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Requiring people to work 16 hours on the weekend, no matter what their other obligations are, is certainly not going to help morale at a time when the agency is already under great pressure and losing thousands of employees.

Kelly Reyes, executive director of the Professional Managers Association, told the same source that such an order was rare within the IRS and suggested that it might indicate that the agency was seeking to get ahead of the problem before it loses so many of its employees.

I would be thinking, Im getting ready to lose some folks. What do my inventory levels look like, and how can I make sure that I continue to serve the taxpayer through this process? So thats a possibility, she said.

An unnamed employee at the Kansas City center told Federal News that they were stunned by how many people had already left the workplace.

Problems have been mounting at the IRS since the Trump administration began ordering cuts across the federal bureaucracy ahead of tax season (AP)

Everything is a mess, they said. People are sick all the time. A lot of people are despondent. Its eerily quiet. So many people are gone.

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Problems at the IRS have been foretold ever since the Trump administration entered office and unleashed DOGE upon the federal bureaucracy.

In March, it was reported that the service was bracing for a $500bn revenue drop because individuals were wagering that auditors will not examine their accounts due to the much-publicized turmoil.

Last month, acting chief Melanie Krause resigned in protest after she learned from a bulletin on Fox News that the U.S. Treasury had agreed to a deal to share undocumented immigrants taxpayer data from the IRSs records with the Department of Homeland Security as part of the administrations mass deportation push.

Krause had only been in the role a month after succeeding Doug ODonnell, who had resigned in opposition to DOGEs activities.

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Then, as tax season reached crunch time, it was reported that members of the public were struggling to get through on the phone to raise queries about their returns.

Staff basically tell us they dont have time to look at certain cases, said Eric Santos, executive director of the Georgia Tax Clinic.

The work is getting spread across fewer and fewer people.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israel permanently closed six U.N. schools in east Jerusalem on Thursday, forcing Palestinian students to leave early and throwing the education of more than 800 others into question.

Last month, heavily armed Israeli police and Education Ministry officials ordered six schools in east Jerusalem to close within 30 days. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, runs the six schools. UNRWA also runs schools in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which continue to operate.

The closure orders come after Israel banned UNRWA from operating on its soil earlier this year, the culmination of a long campaign against the agency that intensified following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel that ignited the war in Gaza. Israel claims that UNRWA schools teach antisemitic content and anti-Israel sentiment, which UNRWA denies.

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UNRWA is the main provider of education and health care to Palestinian refugees across east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel has annexed east Jerusalem and considers the entire city its unified capital.

When I said goodbye to the teachers, and when I went to hug the teachers, I started crying because I dont know which school I will go to, and where we will study," said Layan Ramadan Nataheh, a student at Shufat Basic Girls School, one of the UNRWA schools ordered shut.

"The presence of soldiers inside a school scares the girls, and the decision to close the school has affected their spirits and their future because they have nowhere to go, said Shujan Abu Remailah, a resident of the Shufat refugee camp.

The Israeli Ministry of Education says it will place the students into other Jerusalem schools. But parents, teachers and administrators caution that closing the main schools in east Jerusalem will force their children to go through crowded and dangerous checkpoints daily, and some do not have the correct permits to pass through.

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In a previous statement to The Associated Press, the Ministry of Education said it was closing the schools because they were operating without a license. UNRWA administrators pledged to keep the schools open for as long as possible.

Farhan Haq, the U.N. deputy spokesperson, on Thursday stressed the inviolability of U.N. facilities, quoting the statement from Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General, saying that storming schools and forcing them shut is a blatant disregard of international law.
A report has revealed that the European electricity grid is currently unprepared to accommodate the anticipated rise in electricity demand from the electrification of light-duty vehicles.

Released by the Transport & Mobility Leuven (TML) for the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), the report outlines the progress and challenges in the EU automotive sector's transition to zero-emission mobility.

TML's first quarterly key performance indicators (KPIs) focus on four areas: the electricity grid's capacity for EV charging, consumer perspectives on EV affordability and accessibility, charging infrastructure availability, and competitive energy prices for manufacturing.

The report indicates that all European countries fall short in solar panel installations and the grid is not ready for smart charging.

The quarterly update offers insights to help policymakers and industry leaders identify roadblocks.

It highlights uneven progress across key areas of transition, emphasising the urgency and complexity of shifting to zero-emission mobility.

While Europe meets certain benchmarks, significant gaps remain, potentially delaying progress if not addressed.

The report adds that regular KPI monitoring is essential for agile responses and alignment between ambition and implementation.

TML will provide quarterly updates on the state of enabling conditions.

In terms of consumer adoption, the report reveals that the uptake of zero-emission vehicles is below the levels needed to meet the 2035 target, particularly for light commercial vehicles.

Affordability was cited as a significant barrier to consumer adoption, especially with reduced financial incentives.

The issue is most acute in the mini and small car segments and for those relying on public charging networks.

Performance metrics for recharging and refuelling infrastructure reveal a varied outlook.

Although all European countries meet Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR)-based charging capacity targets, public charging infrastructure is often perceived as inadequate.

The report also points out that hydrogen refuelling infrastructure falls short of the AFIR target of one station every 200km along the TEN-T network.

In manufacturing, European automobile manufacturers face challenges due to higher electricity costs compared to China and the US, limited EV battery production capacity, and increasing reliance on imports.

The report said addressing these issues is crucial to strengthening the global competitiveness of Europes automotive sector.

"Europes road to zero-emission vehicles faces hurdles: TML report" was originally created and published by Motor Finance Online, a GlobalData owned brand.
Tel Aviv/Beirut (dpa)  Israeli fighter jets carried out a series of heavy airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, targeting a Hezbollah site near the city of Nabatieh, according to Lebanese security sources.

At least 15 strikes were reported in the area, resulting in the death of one person and leaving eight others injured, Lebanons Health Ministry said.

The Israeli military confirmed the operation, stating that the targeted Hezbollah facility was used to manage weapons systems related to both offence and defence.

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The base was described as part of a major underground project run by the Iranian-backed militia.

"The strike targeted terrorists, weapons and tunnels," the military said, adding that the facility has been rendered inoperable.

Israel accused Hezbollah of violating a ceasefire agreement that has officially been in place since late November 2023.

Though both sides have repeatedly blamed each other for violations, Israel maintains it will continue to strike militant targets in Lebanon if deemed necessary to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its capabilities.

The latest escalation highlights the fragility of the truce between Hezbollah  an ally of the Palestinian militant organization Hamas  and Israel, as tensions in the region remain high.

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Hamas, which mainly operates in the Gaza Strip and was responsible for attacking Israel, along with others on October 7, 2023, which started the current conflict, said on Thursday that it is fully committed to an Israel-Lebanese ceasefire.

This came after a recent rocket-launching incident by Hamas that raised tensions there.

In a statement, Ahmad Abdel Hadi, Hamass representative in Lebanon, said the group had informed Lebanese authorities of its stance and was cooperating with the state to address the matter.

He described the rocket fire as an unauthorized act carried out by individuals reacting emotionally to Israels ongoing offensive in Gaza. Hamas, he emphasized, had no prior knowledge of the launch and did not approve it.

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In response to a formal request by Lebanese authorities, Hamas handed over three of the four individuals allegedly involved and is continuing coordination with Lebanese security services.

Despite the November ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes and intermittent rocket fire from Lebanese territory have continued, including two unclaimed attacks on March 22 and 28. Israel has said it reserves the right to continue targeting militant groups in Lebanon. On Wednesday, another Hamas commander was killed in such an attack.

In April, the Lebanese Army arrested several Lebanese and Palestinian individuals reportedly connected to those attacks, including three members of Hamas, according to security sources.

Abdel Hadi called his recent meetings with senior Lebanese officials positive and constructive, and denied rumors of tension with the state.

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He stressed Hamass respect for Lebanese sovereignty, stability, and laws.

The statement also said Jordan had not raised any concerns about Hamass presence in Lebanon, following claims by Jordans Intelligence Department that it foiled plots linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group ideologically close to Hamas.
The Israeli military has been altering commercial drones to carry bombs and surveil people in Gaza, an investigation by Al Jazeeras Sanad verification agency has found.

According to Sanad, drones manufactured by the Chinese tech giant DJI have been used to attack hospitals and civilian shelters and to surveil Palestinian prisoners being forced to act as human shields for heavily armoured Israeli soldiers.

This is not the first time DJI drones have been modified and used by armies. There were similar reports about both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.

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At the time, DJI suspended all sales to both countries and introduced software modifications that restricted the areas where its drones could be used and how high they could fly.

However, DJI has not stopped selling drones to Israel.

A DJI Avata captured in Gaza [Handout/Saraya al-Quds]

Israels use of DJI drones

The Israeli armys use of DJI drones is not new.

By 2018, DJI drones were reportedly in extensive use across numerous divisions in the Israeli military. The Israeli campaign group Hamushim found evidence that Israeli military-trained operators were using DJIs Matrice 600 model to drop tear gas on civilian protesters during the following years Great March of Return in Gaza.

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Despite their previous deployment by the Israeli military, their lethal use against civilians and protected targets in Gaza, as documented in this investigation, is unprecedented.

Al Jazeera has reached out to Israeli authorities to request comment on the findings of this investigation but has received no response by time of publication.

A DJI Matrice 300 captured in Gaza [Handout/Saraya al-Quds]

Tools of war

Sanad has documented several DJI drones that have been adapted for military use.

However, it is the powerful DJI Agras drone, developed for agricultural use, that is the most significant.

According to its manufacturers, the DJI Agras can carry a substantial payload and is capable of precision flight.

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As Sanads investigation shows, it can also be used to deliver an explosive payload to targets beyond the reach of conventional military forces.

In addition to the DJI Agras, the DJI Mavic has been used by the Israeli military across Gaza for reconnaissance and target acquisition.

Similarly, the compact DJI Avata drone, designed for recreational filming, has been repurposed by the Israeli military to navigate and map the intricate tunnel networks beneath Gaza.

Israeli soldiers equip a DJI Agras drone with explosives [tamerqdh on X]

Attacks on northern Gaza

By late 2024, Israel had laid siege to Gazas north, pushing the population to the brink of famine and imposing conditions described as apocalyptic by United Nations observers.

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Residents and humanitarian organisations reported an alarming number of what appeared to be civilian drones armed with explosives.

In an incident documented by displaced civilians, footage shared on July 17, 2024, shows a DJI Agras drone dropping a bomb onto the IHH Turkish charitys building in Jabalia, northern Gaza, less than 100 metres (330ft) from a school serving as a shelter and aid distribution centre.

A DJI Agras drone drops a bomb on a building next to a school used as a shelter [hamza20300 on Telegram]

In November in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, a DJI Agras drone dropped a bomb in a residential neighbourhood where civilians had fled after Israeli shelling of a UN-operated school-turned-shelter.

People who witnessed the bombing told Sanad the attack seemed calculated to instil fear.

A DJI Agras drone drops a bomb on residential buildings [moneer._20 on Instagram]

Surveillance and urban warfare

Beyond direct attacks, Israeli-modified DJI drones have been used extensively for surveillance and tactical operations throughout Gaza.

An Israeli soldiers TikTok account shows him operating a DJI drone using first-person-view goggles. The DJI headset is compatible with drones like the Mavic and Avata [amitmaymoni via TikTok]

In a further incident, footage obtained by Al Jazeera Arabic from one Israeli drone shows a DJI Avata helping to track an unnamed Palestinian being used by heavily armed Israeli soldiers as a human shield  an illegal practice under international law  in Shujaiya in December 2023.

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The individual is seen opening the schools doors to make sure there were no Palestinian fighters inside, closely monitored by another drone that captured the entire operation.

Israeli drone footage secured by Al Jazeera shows a second, DJI Avata, drone tracking a Palestinian detainee being used as a human shield to clear a school [Sanad/Al Jazeera]

DJI double standards: Gaza vs Ukraine

In 2022, in response to complaints from Ukrainian officials that DJI was sharing critical data with their Russian adversaries, the drone manufacturer suspended all sales to its retail partners in both countries.

DJI explained the move: We will never accept any use of our products to cause harm, and we will continue striving to improve the world with our work.

Despite evidence of DJI drones being weaponised by the Israeli military in Gaza, DJI has had no such response.

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Responding to direct inquiries from Sanad, DJI said: Our products are for peaceful and civilian use only, and we absolutely deplore and condemn the use of [DJI] products to cause harm anywhere in the world.

A subsequent direct query asked if it plans to halt sales in Israel or implement measures similar to those taken in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

But DJI did not respond to the query not has it undertaken any measures to halt sales or impose software restrictions on where drones can fly over Gaza, allowing continued military deployments of their drones by the Israeli military.
This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his security Cabinet has authorized a new plan to eradicate Hamas and its system of underground tunnels in Gaza, involving the mobilization of roughly 10,000 reserves and the occupation of large swathes of the territory. The plan is ostensibly meant to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining Israeli hostages it continues to hold, without engaging in the permanent withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza envisaged by the short-lived ceasefire the two sides agreed to in mid-January.

But in many ways, the return to massive military operations in Gaza after the relatively successful ceasefire, which saw the release of dozens of hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gazas civilian population, reflects the shift in Israels regional security calculus to what amounts to a permanent war footing.

Since Hamas unleashed its surprise attack on Israeli military installations and civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, killing roughly 1,200 people, Israeli forces have been continuously engaged across the region. Starting with its war in Gaza and the conflict with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and including intermittent exchanges of fire with Iran and the Yemen-based Houthis as well as repeated airstrikes in Syria, Israel is now approaching nearly 600 consecutive days of war.

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Long after severely diminishing the militant groups that stepped up their attacks against Israel in the wake of Oct. 7, it has opted to continue destroying infrastructure and civilian life in both Gaza and Lebanon, as well as in Syria and Yemen. Moreover, in mid-April, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the Israeli military would remain indefinitely in the territories it has occupied in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Though Hamas and Hezbollah no longer pose any military threat, and the Houthis only a manageable one, Israel continues to act as if it faces a military emergency.

To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter.

Yet, despite regularly framing its wars as existential, Israels military operations around the region today have little to do with survival. Its current belligerence, fueled by hubris and the unquestioning support of U.S. Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump, is no longer about countering the threat from militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, or even about returning Israeli hostages from Gaza.

Rather, the common thread in all these fronts is that they allow the current Israeli government to maintain in place conditions that it needs in order to fulfil several goals, chief among them the messianic expansionism espoused by the extremist members of Netanyahus Cabinet.

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Initially billed as an incursion to eradicate Hamas and rescue the nearly 250 hostages seized on Oct. 7, the war in Gaza has long since turned into wanton killing and displacement of Palestinian civilians, with barely any military response from Hamas. Israeli bombing and military incursions have killed at least 52,000 people, the majority of whom have reportedly been women and children, while damaging or destroying nearly 70 percent of all housing and infrastructure in the territory. Severe food shortages endured by the population are being worsened by the two-month blockade of aid delivery enforced by Israel since it torpedoed the ceasefire in March. Whats more, the militarized campaign has spread to the West Bank, where Israel seized more Palestinian land in 2024 than in any previous year over the past three decades.

Israel has transformed the tragedy of Oct. 7 into an excuse for regional intervention, changing facts on the ground in the Palestinian territories and accelerating its expansionist ambitions in the wider region.

In Lebanon, Israeli forces continue to bomb Hezbollah targets regularly and occupy parts of southern Lebanon, both in violation of the ceasefire that ended the conflict in November. As part of that agreement, the Lebanese army and state have the difficult task of disarming what remains of Hezbollahs military apparatus, while leading the countrys difficult post-conflict recovery amid Lebanons long-running economic crisis. As President Michel Aoun has repeatedly emphasized, Israels continued military operations in the country complicate both tasks.

To the east, Israel is also regularly bombing and conducting ground operations in Syria, even as the country navigates a challenging political transition after the collapse of the regime of former dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Last week, Israeli warplanes bombed the vicinity of Syrias presidential palace in what Netanyahu described as a warning to President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, after sectarian clashes between Sunni militias and Syrias Druze minority left over 100 people dead. The next night, Israeli warplanes conducted another sweeping raid, targeting Syrian military targets all over the country.

Israel has presented itself as the defender of Syrias Druze minority, a self-portrayal it similarly deploys with regard to its own Druze community. But this is simply cover to justify its ongoing intervention in Syria. Last weeks strikes followed months of Israeli air raids as well as the seizure of a buffer zone beyond the occupied Golan Heights in the days after Assads fall, despite the fact that the new Syrian authorities have made it clear since taking power that they do not seek a confrontation with Israel. Even if they did, it is hard to imagine how Syrias Soviet-era military capabilities could possibly threaten Israel.

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Instead, Israels actions in Syria since the fall of Assad can be seen as an effort to simultaneously stoke and take advantage of instability in the country. By derailing the political transition, Israel aims to maintain Syria as an assortment of disjointed statelets, rather than risk seeing it coalesce into a unified country headed by an Islamist-leaning Sunni majority with strong ties to Turkey. Syrians have many reasons to be suspicious of Al-Sharaas intentions as well as of Turkish encroachment. But few want Israel to step in and play the role of savior.

Throughout, Israels overreach in its response to the Oct. 7 attacks has been enabled by unconditional U.S. backing, first under Biden and now under Trump. Indeed, because they feel they can count on Washingtons full support, while never having to answer for the war crimes the Israeli military has committed in these conflicts, the most extremist members of the Israeli government dont even try to hide their intentions.

Just hours after Israeli aircraft had launched yet another air raid over Damascus last week, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared that Israel would not stop fighting until Syria was partitioned and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had been expelled from Gaza into third countries.

As in the past, Israeli forces seem intent on building buffer zones for land Israel seized in previous conflicts by occupying territory beyond it. Nearly eight decades after its founding, Israel remains a country without finalized borders, its expansion driven by the political aspirations of the Israeli right, whose vision of a Greater Israel encompasses not only the West Bank and Gaza, but also parts of Lebanon and Syria.

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Although Netanyahu does not openly advocate for this sort of messianic expansionism, it is the position of several far-right members of his Cabinet, including Smotrich but also Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir. Both see the idea of a Greater Israel as the way forward and the current conditions as the most favorable in decades for achieving it.

Whether or not Netanyahu is fully aligned with his Cabinet on the question of Greater Israel, his political future also seems to hinge on perpetual war. Should Israels multiple conflicts ever end, he would be forced to reckon with the security failures under his watch that made the attacks of Oct. 7 possible. Public attention would also turn back to the multiple corruption cases he is fighting in court as well as his concerted efforts to undermine rule of law.

But more importantly, Netanyahu would have to explain to the Israeli families waiting for the return of their loved ones still being held in Gazaas well as to those who have had to mourn the deaths in captivity of their ownwhy, given so many chances to bring the hostages home, he has repeatedly opted to endanger their lives by continuing the offensive in Gaza.

Israel has transformed the tragedy of Oct. 7 into an excuse for unbridled brutality and regional intervention, changing facts on the ground in the Palestinian territories and accelerating its expansionist ambitions in the wider region. And by giving it carte blanche to continue with no end in sight, the U.S. and other Western countries are enabling a state of permanent war in which there is a constant risk of regional escalationand a guarantee of humanitarian suffering.

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Francisco Serrano is a journalist, writer and analyst. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, Al-Monitor, Weapons of Reason, The Outpost, Foreign Affairs and other outlets. His latest book, As Ruinas da Decada, about the Middle East in the decade after the 2011 popular revolts, was published in 2022.

The post Israels State of Permanent War Is About Expansion, Not Survival appeared first on World Politics Review.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to defend ourselves alone against Yemens Houthi rebels after US President Donald Trump struck a deal with the Iran-backed group.

The US deal, announced just hours after the Israeli military carried out major strikes against Yemens international airport and other facilities in response to a Houthi attack on Israels main airport, was a surprise to Israel, which was not informed in advance about the truce, an Israeli official told CNN earlier.

According to Trump, the US would halt an ongoing military campaign against the Houthis in exchange for the group stopping its attacks on US interests in the region.

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The Houthis acknowledged the agreement but made it clear their attacks on Israel would continue. Senior Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi said after the announcement that the agreement was a victory that separates US support for the temporary entity (Israel) and a failure for Netanyahu.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu said, Israel will defend itself by itself. In the past, Israel has carried out joint strikes with the US against the Houthis, but two consecutive days of Israeli attacks on Yemen earlier this week were done alone. If others join usour American friendsall the better. If they dont, we will still defend ourselves on our own, he said in a video posted on social media.

Trump referred to the deal as capitulation from the Houthis on Tuesday but on Wednesday he said they had a good outcome with the Houthis, adding they had a great capacity to withstand punishment from repeated US strikes.

You could say theres a lot of bravery there, Trump said at a swearing-in of his ambassador to China at the White House. It was amazing what they took.

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He added that the US would honor their (Houthis) commitment not to attack US warships or commercial vessels in the region.

Trump thinks about Americas interests

The US-Houthi truce sidelined the Israeli government, according to former US Middle East envoy Dennis Ross.

He noted that Netanyahu was left in the dark when the US began talks with Hamas in March and only found out about US nuclear talks with Iran when Trump made the announcement seated next to the prime minister in the Oval Office last month. The US-Houthi ceasefire is one more instance where Israels concerns were a tertiary consideration for the White House, if at all, he said.

Whether Houthi ballistic missile launches against Israel continue remains to be seen, but Ross told CNN that Israel does not appear to have been a major factor in the White Houses thought process.

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The Trump Administration thinks about Americas interests, said Ross.

There has been no public criticism of the White House decision from Israeli officials. Netanyahu, who once openly criticized the Biden administrations requests and policies, is one of Trumps most vocal international supporters. Other members of the government have reserved their judgement as well, instead focusing on Israels resolve against the Houthis.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement on Thursday that Israel must be able to defend itself by itself against any threat and any enemy. This has been true in the face of many past challenges, and it will remain true in the future.

Trump designated the Houthi group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in the final days of his first term as president. President Joe Biden revoked that designation early in his presidency in 2021, and Trump designated it again in January.

CNNs Jeremy Diamond contributed reporting.

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An explosion in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip has killed and injured Israeli troops from the Golani Brigade, who were detonating a building, according to Israeli websites.

There is currently an Israeli media blackout on the incident on Thursday and there has been no official comment from the government there yet.

Witnesses in Rafah told Al Jazeera of a large explosion, and Israeli helicopters trying to evacuate the wounded. There has been heavy fighting in the area, they said.

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Al Jazeeras Tareq Abu Azzoum, reports from Deir el-Balah, in central Gaza, that Hamass armed wing, the Qassam Brigades says it is engaging in fierce point-blank clashes and confrontations with Israeli occupation forces operating in the El Geneina neighbourhood east of Rafah city.

There are more reports that a number of Israeli forces are trapped under the rubble of a building that had been previously rigged by explosives by Hamas in Rafah city. This has been a tactic that has been used by Hamas fighters to ambush Israeli ground forces, Azzoum added.

Later the Qassam Brigades released this statement: As part of the Gates of Hell operations, we detonated a powerful explosive device targeting a patrol of 7 soldiers near the Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Mosque in Al-Tannour neighborhood, east of Rafah. We observed the dismembered bodies of several Israeli soldiers at the scene.

Israeli Forces were said to be facing difficulties in evacuating the dead and injured from the site due to the intensity of the fighting. Footage broadcast by Israeli sources showed some helicopters ferrying soldiers to hospitals.

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Al Jazeeras Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City said: The available information talks about a group of Israeli soldiers  this is part of the occupying forces in the city of Rafah  and they were in the process of placing explosive wires as part of the ongoing, systematic demolition of homes across Rafah City, where the vast majority of buildings were destroyed so far since the invasion of Rafah City.

Mahmood also said that eyewitnesses describe seeing military choppers moving along the borderline. They patrolled the area several times before landing in Rafah City. They also reported massive, heavy machine guns and explosions that kept going on for some time before it got quieter.

In the meantime, Israeli air strikes have killed at least 16 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, following a deadly 24-hour period in which more than 100 people lost their lives, according to medical officials.

New strikes on Thursday killed at least three people in separate attacks in Deir el-Balah and the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, Al Jazeera Arabic reported, quoting medical sources. In Shujayea, east of Gaza City, shelling killed another person and wounded several others.

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Further north, Israeli warplanes targeted a home in Beit Lahiya, killing nine. Rescuers were still searching for a woman believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.

The attack site in Beit Lahiya was full of displaced people, said Mahmoud earlier.

The owner of this residential home and the displaced people he hosted were killed inside this residential home, he said. Many others were reported with severe injuries and burns and transferred to the Indonesian Hospital, which is already overwhelmed.

One single family just lost nine family members, including women and children, and more people are missing and trapped under the rubble.

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In Khan Younis, one girl was killed and four others wounded after Israeli artillery hit tents sheltering displaced families in the western part of the city.

A Palestinian man embraces the body of his five-year-old son, who was killed in an overnight Israeli air strike on a United Nations school used as a shelter, in the central Gaza Strip, May 7, 2025 [Abdel Kareem Hana/AP]

We have no more food

The continuing assault on Gaza comes amid growing alarm that Israels total blockade of aid is pushing the enclave into famine.

The U.S. State Department said on Thursday a solution to be able to deliver food aid to Gaza was steps away, although it did not detail what the plan would entail.

European leaders and aid groups have criticized purported Israeli plans to take over distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza and use private companies to get food to families after more than two months in which Israel has prevented supplies entering the besieged territory.

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Israels blockade on Gaza  tightened on March 2  has pushed the population deeper into crisis, cutting off aid and crippling humanitarian relief. On Wednesday, World Central Kitchen (WCK), one of the key food providers in Gaza, announced it had halted all cooking operations.

We have no more food to prepare, the aid group said, after exhausting flour and other basic supplies needed to run its soup kitchens and mobile bakeries. WCK had been providing at least 130,000 meals and 80,000 loaves of bread daily.

The trucks are ready in Egypt, Jordan and Israel, said WCK founder Jose Andres. But they cannot move without permission. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to flow.

The World Food Programme previously warned that its food stocks in Gaza had run dry, ending a vital lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. The continuing blockade, aid agencies say, has accelerated the onset of famine. Malnutrition is now widespread, with humanitarian workers warning they can no longer treat or prevent hunger-related illnesses.

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Rights groups have condemned the blockade as a starvation tactic and argue it may constitute a war crime.

Sean Carroll, president of Anera (American Near East Refugee Aid), told Al Jazeera that Gazas humanitarian crisis has reached a critical point, with aid deliveries plummeting. We were delivering nearly a million meals a week, and weve only delivered a few thousand in the past 66 days, he said, noting that stocks are depleted.

I think governments have to use every diplomatic lever, every political lever, every economic lever to convince all parties that there needs to be a return to some semblance of delivering humanitarian aid. We are losing our humanity here, said Carroll.

Scenes at the few remaining open aid centres are increasingly chaotic. Children, women and men jostle for shrinking rations as food distribution systems break down. Bakeries have shut and fuel shortages have left water distribution networks paralysed.





Israel threatens Iran

Elsewhere, tensions have flared beyond Gaza, with Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warning Iran that it could face the same fate as Hamas and Hezbollah. His remarks followed a Houthi drone attack near Israels Ben Gurion Airport.

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You are directly responsible, Katz said on Thursday. What we have done to Hezbollah in Beirut, to Hamas in Gaza, we will do to you in Tehran, too.

Yemens Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile that struck near Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv on Sunday, saying the attack was in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

The strike disrupted flights and prompted Israel to launch air strikes on Sanaa International Airport and power stations in Houthi-controlled areas, killing at least one and injuring dozens, according to Houthi reports.

Iran denied backing the Houthi assault. Despite a United States-Houthi ceasefire mediated by Oman on Tuesday, ensuring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said, We will carry out more military operations against the Israeli enemy, targeting Israel and its ships.
Irans notorious Revolutionary Guard plotted the alleged terrorist attack on Israels embassy in London to derail nuclear peace talks with the US, insiders have told The Telegraph.

Sources inside the regime suggested a hardline faction within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is to blame for sanctioning an attack on the Israeli Embassy in Kensington, central London.

The imminent attack was allegedly foiled by MI5 and counter-terrorism police after a series of raids across the country on Saturday.

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The Telegraph understands that the alleged plot involved gunmen launching an assault on the embassy, a stones throw from Kensington Palace in central London.

Four Iranians were arrested and remain in custody in what Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, described as one of the biggest counter-state threats and counter-terrorism operations that we have seen in recent years.

Iran has officially denied involvement in the attack and even suggested the alleged plot was a false flag operation staged by Irans enemies to discredit the regime.

Credit: Social Media

But a senior Iranian official told The Telegraph that an inquiry had been launched inside the IRGC amid concerns that a faction had gone rogue and sanctioned the alleged attack in an attempt to collapse ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran over Irans nuclear programme.

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An Iranian attack on Israels London embassy would have sparked international outrage and forced the US into cancelling talks. The alleged plot was unusual in that Iran in the past has typically utilised proxies  hiring local gangsters and criminals to attempt assassinations and kidnappings.

The arrest of the four Iranian suspects makes it harder for Tehran to distance itself from any proven blame. However, employing Iranian nationals to carry out the alleged attack would make sense if a breakaway faction inside the IRGC wanted the blame to fall on Iran.

It is unclear how the men under investigation arrived in the UK, amid speculation that they may have arrived in the UK claiming asylum.

Regional allies unhappy about negotiations

The senior official, speaking from Tehran, said: Not everyone in the Sepah [IRGC] is happy with the talks with the Americans, and an investigation has begun to understand whats going on with these arrests.

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The source insisted that the alleged attack was not discussed at the leadership level and that no such operation was authorised.

He added: There are many others who could have plotted it without informing senior commanders. The investigation will clarify the facts.

The official also suggested that factions inside the IRGC or Irans regional allies may be implicated in the alleged attack.

Another reason we suspect a link to the nuclear talks is that England claims the arrested individuals are Iranian. No such plan would have been made unless there was an intention to blame the Islamic Republic, said the official.

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In addition to discontent inside Iran, we also know that many of our regional allies are unhappy about the negotiations  they might have planned it.

They could have targeted Israeli assets anywhere in the region, but they chose London, the heart of Europe, because thats the only way to disrupt the [nuclear] negotiations. We are almost certain that whoever did it was motivated by the progress being made in the talks.

The nuclear talks are aimed at curbing Irans nuclear capabilities in exchange for the potential lifting of sanctions.

Iran is currently enriching uranium to 60 per cent purity, above the 3.67 per cent limit set by the 2015 agreement with five member states of the United Nations, but below the 90 per cent needed for weapons-grade material.

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Tehran and Washington have held three rounds of talks in recent weeks, which both sides described as positive.

However, a fourth round was abruptly cancelled last week without any explanation.

The IRGC, which controls Irans military operations overseas as well as sponsoring terrorism, has offered its support for the nuclear talks. Rasoul Sanaeirad, political deputy in Supreme Leader Ali Khameneis office, has said: The IRGC supports the team negotiating with America.

The statement marks a significant shift from the IRGCs longstanding position of complete distrust of the United States and rejection of negotiations.

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Several hardline factions within the Islamic Republic view the talks with the Trump administration as treason and a disrespect to the blood of IRGC General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in January 2020 in a US strike ordered by Donald Trump.

Mohammad Ali Abtahi, the former vice-president said earlier this month: I had said that the further the negotiations go and the more positive the outcome, the more opponents of the negotiations will start to mobilise on both sides and blow up a mine right in the middle of the negotiating table.

But the notable thing is that even the hardliners opposed to negotiations in Iran have remained silent and are not seriously disrupting the work.

The US president said on Wednesday that his administration is pursuing an agreement with Iran aimed at eliminating the countrys nuclear centrifuges while also suggesting that military action remains an option if diplomatic efforts fail.

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He said: Its very simple. And Id much rather make a deal, you know, a really verified deal. We want total verification. We can do that.

There are only two alternatives there. Blow them up nicely or blow them up viciously.

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The Israeli military acknowledged Thursday that it does not have sufficient evidence to substantiate terrorism funding allegations it leveled against a prominent Palestinian journalist, even as an Israeli general ordered he be detained for another six months.

The Israeli militarys top general in the occupied West Bank ordered the journalist, Ali Samoudi, 58, to be held under administrative detention, which allows the military to hold individuals without trial for up to six months at a time. Administrative detention orders can be renewed indefinitely.

The commander issued the order on Wednesday following a military court hearing last week during which prosecutors sought to extend his detention.

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As sufficient evidence was not found against him, and in light of the accumulated intelligence material, security authorities requested to consider issuing an administrative detention order, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement to CNN. Today, after reviewing the intelligence, the commanding officer of the Central Command decided to place him under administrative detention for a period of six months.

Palestinians living in the West Bank are subject to Israeli military law and are typically tried in military courts, not Israeli civilian courts.

Samoudi, a prominent Palestinian journalist who has worked with CNN and other Western news outlets, was detained by Israeli forces on April 29 following an early morning raid on his sons home in the West Bank city of Jenin.

Ali Al-Samoudi outside the entrance of Jenin Camp, in Jenin, West Bank in 2022 - Abeer Salman/CNN

At the time, the Israeli military accused him of transferring funds to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a militant group in the West Bank and Gaza which Israel considers a terrorist organization. The Israeli military provided no evidence to back up its claim.

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Israeli military prosecutors never leveled that accusation in court, Samoudis lawyer Jamil al-Khatib said, instead vaguely accusing Samoudi of harming the activity of Israeli forces in the West Bank.

The militarys administrative detention order cites Samoudis presence posing a danger to the security of the region as justification for his detention.

He is one of 20 journalists detained and held under administrative detention since the start of the war in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS).

Samoudis arrest and administrative detention is part of the occupations escalating campaign of targeting journalists, particularly through the systematic use of administrative detention, the PPS said in a statement.

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Samoudi is now being held in Megiddo prison in central Israel, according to his lawyer, where he is still waiting to receive his eyeglasses and medications for several chronic conditions, including high blood pressure and diabetes.

One of the most well-known Palestinian journalists in the West Bank, Samoudi has worked with international news organizations for decades as a local producer and fixer.

He was also a witness to the high-profile killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, by Israeli forces in 2022, during which he was also shot.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Founders Metals Inc. (TSXV: FDR) (OTCQX: FDMIF) (FSE: 9DL0) ("Founders" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has completed the expenditure requirements for Stage 2 of its Option Agreement on the Antino Gold Project in Suriname. The Company has submitted an audited report demonstrating that it has completed the required US$10,000,000 in exploration and development expenditures stipulated in the amended and restated Option Agreement with Lawa Gold N.V. ("Lawa") and Nana Resources N.V. ("Nana").

Upon completing Stage 2, Founders will increase its ownership stake in the Antino Project to 70% (51% from Stage 1 plus an additional 19% from Stage 2). To finalize Stage 2, Founders expects to deliver all payments and the outstanding internal concept study on the project, by month's end (Table 1).

"Reaching this major milestone ahead of schedule demonstrates our commitment to rapidly advancing the Antino Gold Project," said Colin Padget, CEO of Founders Metals. "The exploration results to date have exceeded our expectations, and the internal concept study currently being finalized will provide valuable insights into the project's world-class economic potential."

Table 1: Summary of Founders' requirements under Stage 2 of the Option Agreement

Requirement Details Status Work Expenditures US$10,000,000 Completed Cash Payment US$1,500,000 In Progress - expected completion in the coming weeks Share Issuance 95,000 common shares of FDR Concept Study Delivery of an internal concept study (similar to a preliminary economic assessment) by an independent qualified professional

Stock Options and RSU Grant

The Company also announces that, pursuant to its Option and RSU Plans, it has granted a total of 2,950,000 Stock Options (Options) and 1,380,000 Restricted Share Units ("RSUs") to directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Company. The Options are exercisable at a price of C$4.70 per share and expire five years from the date of grant. Options and RSUs will vest over a period of three years, with one-third vesting on each of the first, second, and third anniversaries from the date of grant.

About Founders Metals Inc.

Founders Metals is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on advancing the Antino Gold Project located in Suriname, South America, in the heart of the Guiana Shield. Antino is 20,000 hectares and has produced over 500,000 ounces of gold from surface and alluvial mining to date1. The Company is fully financed for up to 60,000 metres of drilling in 2025.
By Gwladys Fouche

OSLO (Reuters) - Israel's plans to evacuate Palestinians from Gaza would amount to illegal forceful displacement, would lead to more violence and would undermine efforts to create a Palestinian state, the foreign ministers of Norway and Iceland said on Thursday.

The pair are part of a group of Western European nations - which also includes Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and Luxembourg - which on Wednesday condemned Israel's plans to step up its military operations in Gaza as it seeks to remove militant group Hamas.

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Israel's Security Cabinet this week approved a plan that may include the seizure of the entire enclave of 2.3 million people, as well as control over aid, which it has blocked from entering since March.

"We are alarmed and appalled by what we have heard from the Israeli security cabinet about plans to step up even stronger the military campaign in Gaza and to do what they refer to as an evacuation," Norway's Espen Barth Eide said in an interview.

"It will amount to forceful displacement of the Palestinian people, first from north to south, and potentially out of the country. This is clearly illegal in international law," he said, adding "it will undermine the hope for a Palestinian state ... (and be) a recipe for more bloodshed."

The foreign minister of Iceland, the first Western European nation to recognise Palestine as a state in 2011, said Israel must let humanitarian aid in to help civilians.

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"What is needed more urgently than ever is a resumption of a ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages," Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir said in the joint phone interview.

The U.S. and Israel have discussed the possibility of Washington leading a temporary post-war administration of Gaza, Reuters reported on Wednesday, with sources citing the U.S. administration of Iraq after the 2003 war as a possible model.

Norway, which served as a facilitator in the 1992-1993 talks between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization that led to the Oslo Accords in 1993, has more recently been supporting Arab efforts for a post-war plan for Gaza.

Barth Eide said Palestinian governance in Gaza was needed, not Hamas-run, but "a Palestinian governance that will be in charge of both Gaza and the West Bank".

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"The authority that they (the U.S.) set up in Iraq after the Iraq war, to put it very carefully, is not universally recognized as a very good idea," he said. "That was not successful."

(Reporting by Gwladys Fouche in Oslo; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Wednesday marked the third day of jury selection in the sex trafficking trial of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs.

More prospective jurors were brought into the mix for the 45-person jury pool, which will likely be whittled down to a final 12 on Friday, along with six alternates. Unfortunately, the vetting process for some of these new candidates was less than satisfactory.

According to TMZ, at least two people with ties to the case were eliminated from the selection process Wednesday. One of them, Juror 317, reportedly used to work with Judge Arun Subramanian on anti-class action cases.

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The potential juror, who is a lawyer, also said serving might make it difficult for him to defend a client in an upcoming case, which led to his dismissal. Another possible juror was let go because he works at MDC Brooklyn, the jail where Diddy has been housed since the fall.

"While many in the courtroom laughed, and the man was quickly dismissed, Judge Subramanian chastised the attorneys on both sides ... telling them they needed to do a better job filtering candidates to make the process more efficient," TMZ wrote.

The court will not be in session on Thursday, and once the jury is finalized on Friday, it will be time to look ahead to opening statements on Monday.

Combs, 55, is alleged, over the course of at least two decades, to have "abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct," according to the indictment in the case.

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"To do so, Combs relied on the employees, resources, and influence of the multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled--creating a criminal enterprise," the indictment says.

Combs is accused of attempting to engage in sex trafficking, obstructing justice, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, and bribery.

The New York City native has maintained his innocence throughout the process, going as far as to reject a plea deal at his final pre-trial hearing.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade is asking for the communitys help in solving a nearly four-year-old homicide case.

Ella James, 62, died after being shot multiple times at her home on Palmyra Street in July 2021.

Wade called attention to the case on Wednesday as part of his Stand With Me initiative, which brings attention to unsolved homicide cases in Jackson.

We have got to bring justice to this family. This young lady I met with last week is suffering. Her siblings are suffering. Suffering. Her family is suffering, and we mourn with her, he said.

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Ridgeland police arrest teen in Two Gun Tactical burglary

Wade said his officers have been thoroughly investigating the case, and the plan to continue their hard work to get justice for James family.

Throughout the investigation, a person of interest was established. We do not have enough at this time to charge that individual with her murder. But we will continue to work hard to evaluate evidence to try to locate witnesses, he said.

Lashuan James, the daughter of Ella James, said her mother cared deeply for her community.

I know that we are in a different era of time to where the village dont want to say anything. But she was a village. She was there. She loved people. She wasnt just our family, my brothers and I. She wasnt just our family. She was your family, too, she said.

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Anyone with information about the case can contact the Jackson Police Department at 601-960-1234.

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ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Access to the X account of jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival, has been blocked in Turkey in response to a legal demand, a message on his social media account said on Thursday.

Police detained Imamoglu on March 19, triggering Turkey's largest protests in a decade. He was jailed four days later pending trial on corruption charges that he denies.

Critics of Erdogan and his government have called the arrest politicised and anti-democratic. Imamoglu's Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkey's main opposition, has called it "a coup against our next president". Erdogan's government rejects the criticism and says the judiciary is independent.

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Imamoglu's X account has nearly 10 million followers. On Thursday the message "Account withheld" appeared, explaining that it was blocked in Turkey in response to a legal demand.

X said it was complying with a Turkish court order to block Imamoglu's account, but had filed a legal challenge because it believes keeping the platform accessible in Turkey is vital to supporting freedom of expression and access to information.

"Lack of compliance with these orders can lead to severe sanctions, including throttling of the entire platform in Turkiye," its global government affairs division said on X.

Istanbul prosecutors opened an investigation into an April 24 post on Imamoglu's account on the grounds that it may constitute incitement to commit a crime, the presidential communication's directorate said in a statement on X.

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In a post on that date, Imamoglu condemned his arrest and a wider judicial crackdown on the opposition, calling on the nation to complain and "raise your voice".

Prosecutors requested that access to Imamoglu's X account be blocked in Turkey until his pre-trial detention ends and an Istanbul court subsequently decided to enforce the block, the presidential office added.

X shared its objection, filed to an Istanbul court, to the decision to block access saying it was disproportionate and violated Turkish laws, according to the document.

CHP leader Ozgur Ozel told reporters after meeting Imamoglu in prison that blocking the mayor's X account was the "digital pillar of the coup", and added Imamoglu's messages from prison would be posted on a different X account.

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Opinion polls show that popular support for Imamoglu has risen since his arrest, extending his lead over Erdogan, reinforcing the view that he would be Erdogan's main rival in the next presidential election, not due until 2028.

(Reporting by Daren Butler and Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Alexandra Hudson)
The morning rush on Thursday is dry and humid before another round of scattered showers and storms in the afternoon. First Alert Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh says well see scattered showers and storms begin to develop between 2 and 4 pm this afternoon and move east. Some neighborhoods saw 1 - 3 inches of rainfall yesterday where slow moving storms occurred. Showers and storms increase in coverage into Mothers Day weekend.

FREE EVENT: Register for Weathering the Storm with Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh and the First Alert Weather Team on June 4 live in the Farah and Farah Performance Center. Lunch will be provided.

One lucky winner hits all six numbers after buying a Florida Lotto X ticket from a Jacksonville Beach gas station. The J and J Food Store on Beach Boulevard sold the two dollar ticket, according to a Florida Lottery news release. The estimated jackpot is $8.75 million, a tidy gift ahead of Mothers Day. The next Florida Lotto X drawing is Saturday estimated at one million dollars if theres no winner.

Three Big Things to Know:

A sales tax cut is unlikely to become law. Governor Ron DeSantis says hell veto a bill to cut the sales tax if it reaches his desk. Hes calling instead for a property tax cut for homesteaded Floridians. DeSantis says that would be better because it would be targeted toward year-round residents.

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DEI programs are being phased out in Duval County Public Schools. The school board voted yesterday to remove all references of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from its business enterprise policy. The boards legal counsel told members the change was necessary to comply with an executive order issued by President Trump. District 4 board member Darryl Willie was the only no vote. He says the DEI programs are working, and hes disappointed to see the board operating in a state of fear.

Nine city officials have been subpoenaed by the State Attorneys Office as part of its investigation into the citys list of gun owners who carried concealed in city buildings over the past two years. Jake Stofan reports the State Attorney is seeking all emails and texts containing 15 key words, including constitutional carry and registry.

PODCAST: Dr. Bill Hennessey, Chief Integrity Officer for CareGuide, joined Jacksonvilles Morning News with details on a study suggesting that 1 in 3 people cant afford health insurance or associated costs for care, prescriptions, etc. His organization advocates price negotiations, and he has tips for how patients can mitigate costs by using resources other than hospitals for care processes.

SPOTLIGHT: Every Thursday morning the Jacksonvilles Morning News team talks about big events, and some obscure ones, happening in the 904.

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At 6:00 am EDT, black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney. That indicates no pope was elected on second or third ballots of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church. Foxs Jonathan Savage provided an update on the status of the conclave and why recent history suggests a new pope may be named today.

Action News Jax investigator Chandler Morgan joined Jacksonvilles Morning News with a story about the risks airliners face every day, every flight, and the precautions taken to ensure passenger safety. Risks run from weather concerns, to grass considerations (type, height, etc!), to wildlife in the airport vicinity, and particularly bird strikes - when birds and planes collide. Watch Chandlers full report tonight at 5:45 pm on CBS47 and FOX30.
Jeanette Nunez, until recently lieutenant governor, is becoming interim, and likely permanent, president of Florida International University. (Photo via FIU)

Former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez was the sole finalist named for the Florida International University presidency Thursday, a job she has held on an interim basis since February.

Gov. Ron DeSantis office had reached out to the university and suggested that we consider Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez as the next leader for FIU, FIU Board of Trustees Chair Roger Tovar said during a February special meeting in which Nunez was introduced as interim president.

Then-President Kenneth Jessell became senior vice president and chief administrative officer even though his presidential term wouldnt expire until November.

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According to FIU, a search committee selected three finalists but two said they would only allow their names to be made public if they were the lone candidate. Those candidates withdrew, according to FIU. The committee unanimously agreed on Nunez as the sole finalist, again according to FIU.

Nunez will participate in FIU community forums on campus on May 21 and trustees will meet on June 2 to interview her.

FIU is the second State University System institution in the past week to name a sole finalist. The University of Florida on Sunday named University of Michigan President Santa Ono as its only finalist.

UF search committee Chair Rahul Patel said in an opinion column published by the Tampa Bay Times that other applicants for that position were only interested in being named a finalist if they were the only finalist.

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Interim President Nunezs distinguished career and commitment to further cement FIUs position as a leader in higher education in Florida and across the country make her an excellent leader for FIU at this pivotal point in our universitys journey, FIU Board of Trustees vice chair and chair of the search committee Carlos Duart said in a news release.

Nunez graduated from FIU in 1994 with her bachelors degree and in 1998 with a masters in public administration. She has served as an adjunct professor at the university and as Floridas lieutenant governor from 2019 until two months ago.

In February, FIU trustee Dean Colson said the probable results of the search are already known.

The unexpected move to name Nunez as interim president came shortly before the 2025 legislative session, when legislators were supposed to determine how much money each SUS institution would receive from the state. The House ands Senate couldnt agree on a budget and will return to Tallahassee to continue negotiations.

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In February, Tovar said Nunezs experience as a health care lobbyist and lieutenant governor make her an ideal leader to help transition FIU into the future, noting her connections in the community and in Tallahassee.

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Jennifer Aniston on Feb. 24, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. - Credit: Monica Schipper/FilmMagic

Days before Jimmy Wayne Carwyle allegedly crashed his car into the gate of actress Jennifer Anistons Bel-Air mansion, the Mississippi man repeatedly sent her unwanted social media, voicemail, and email messages, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys office.

The alleged harassment culminated on Monday, May 5, when he rammed his car into Anistons front gate, damaging the barrier, and was detained by her security guard before police arrived and took him into custody, per the DAs office.

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Carwyle was charged with one count of felony stalking and felony vandalism. The 48-year-old man faces an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm, and his arraignment has been set for May 8.

Prosecutors intend to request that his bail be set at $150,000. If Carwyle is convicted of all charges, he faces three years in state prison, said the DAs office.

Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities, District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.

According to NBC News, Carwyle frequently posted about Aniston on social media prior to the incident and believed that unnamed forces were keeping them apart. If someone out there can reach Jennifer Joanna Aniston Carwyle, let her know about the corruption going on trying to keep Me from her, you will be Blessed! he wrote in a post last fall.

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I really hate that this happened to Miss Aniston, this was terrible, his childhood friend, Marty Merritt, told the outlet. But since it did, the only thing I hope is this would get enough attention, attention that could get Jimmy some help. He needs some serious help. This is rock bottom.

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In the 2025 budget, the government made strategic allocations across various ministries to drive economic growth, enhance social welfare, and improve infrastructure development. Some of the major ministries that have received significant expenditure allocation include: the Ministry of Education - 28.4bn cedis; the Ministry of Health - 12.7bn cedis; the Ministry of Roads and Highways - 2.4bn cedis; the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources - 727.1m cedis; the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations - 364.5m cedis; the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition - 354m cedis; the Ministry of Transport - 192.6m cedis; the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts - 166.9m cedis; and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation - 61.8m cedis.

The 2025 budget estimates total expenditure at 270.9bn cedis ($16.2bn), reflecting a 3.2% decrease from the 2024 budget allocation of 279.2bn cedis. The reduction in the budget was primarily attributed to the government's efforts to address a significant fiscal deficit and mounting public debt, coupled with stabilising the economy. The fiscal deficit is projected at 43.8bn cedis - 3.1% of gross domestic product, a significant improvement compared to the previous years 56.9bn cedis. According to Ghana's Ministry of Finance, the total public debt in the country stood at $49.4bn at the end of 2024, which comprised external debt of $28.3bn and domestic debt of $21.1bn. In the 2025 budget, the government has allocated 76.2bn cedis for employee compensation, which includes wages, pensions, gratuities, and social security. Interest payments amounted to 64.2bn cedis, with 56.2bn cedis directed towards domestic debt and 7.9bn cedis for foreign debt. Grants to other government units were estimated at 54.5bn cedis while other expenditures and remittances totalled 36.7bn cedis. Capital expenditures stood at 32.7bn cedis, and spending on goods and services at 6.67bn cedis. This highlights a strong emphasis on debt servicing, public sector obligations, and infrastructure investment.

On 11 March 2025, Ghanas minister for finance and economic planning presented Ghanas 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to the country's parliament, outlining plans to reduce government expenditure, expand youth-focused programmes, and increase funding for social services. A major aspect of the 2025 budget is tax reforms, including the abolition of certain taxes, most notably the Electronic Transfer Levy, a levy on electronic transfers conducted via both mobile money and banking platforms of 1%, the Emission Levy on industries and vehicles, VAT on motor vehicle insurance policices, and a 1.5% withholding tax on the winning of unprocessed gold by small-scale miners.

Story Continues

Ghana: Government expenditure by ministries, per cent share. Credit: GlobalData.

Ghana: Expenditure by ministries, in cedis million. Credit: GlobalData.

Infrastructure, energy, healthcare, and housing are some of the key areas of focus in the governments latest budget. The government will prioritise the completion of key road projects in 2025, including the Nsawam-Ofankor, Kasoa-Winneba, Adenta-Dodowa, and Takoradi-Agona Nkwanta dualisation works. Intensive road maintenance will be undertaken nationwide to improve road conditions in 2025. The government will prioritise the completion of some major projects in 2025, which includes the construction of 214km of feeder roads in the Bono East Region (81% completed as of March 2025); rehabilitation of the Tamale-Tatale road and Lot 1 - Tatale-Zabzugu-Yendi Road (90% completed as of March 2025) and Lot 2 - Yendi-Tamale, which is 106km (91% completed as of March 2025); and Sekondi-Takoradi Phase 1 (60% completed as of March 2025). Funds allocated for road infrastructure will focus solely on maintenance and operational improvements to support economic growth. Additionally, the government will continue modernising the Western Railway Line to boost cargo and passenger transport. The government also plans to conduct a fundraising event where private players will be bidding for the various railway projects showcased by the government. Apart from this, the focus of the event will be on electric vehicles (EVs) and other transport policies.

The government will also continue focusing on addressing the national housing deficit of 1.8 million units by completing over 1,000 housing units for flood victims, who were affected in the September 2023 floods and resuming stalled projects like the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project in 2025. Construction will also continue on the 490 units under the Redevelopment Program and additional housing by State Housing Company and TDC Development Company Limited (TDCL). Coastal protection, flood control, and water system projects across several regions will also be prioritised to protect lives and improve living conditions.

As part of the latest budget, the government reported that it will continue expanding Ghanas renewable energy sector with the construction of 35 mini-grids and 381 solar home systems in off-grid communities. Apart from this, the government also reported that it is currently undertaking multiple solar projects with a combined capacity of 200MW. One such project, which is under construction, includes a 30MW floating solar plant at Bui. To support these efforts, the Renewable Energy and Green Transition Fund will help finance solar systems for public institutions, EV charging stations, and green technology developed locally. As part of the Energy Transition Framework, Ghana is targeting 380,000GWh of electricity demand by 2070, supported by 83GW of generation capacity, including 21GW from renewables.

The latest budget is anticipated to boost the domestic construction sector, with leading data and analytics company GlobalData projecting Ghanas construction industry to grow by 5.9% in real terms in 2025. Furthermore, it is expected to maintain an average annual growth rate of 5.2% from 2026 to 2029, supported by investments in the industrial and energy sectors. Over the forecast period, the growth in the construction industry will be supported by the governments aim to increase the share of renewable energy in the total electricity mix to 10% by 2030 and its plan to generate 30% of electricity from nuclear energy by 2070. The country also aims to decrease its reliance on biomass and increase the share of renewable energy in the generation mix from 42.5MW in 2015 to 1.4GW by 2030 under the 77.9bn cedis Renewable Energy Master Plan. Moreover, President John Mahama committed to implementing a '24-hour economy' to boost employment and industrial productivity. The policy promotes round-the-clock operations to drive import substitution and export-led growth.

"Ghanas 2025 budget announces measures to stabilise the economy" was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand.




The 48-year-old man from Mississippi arrested for crashing through a gate at Jennifer Anistons Bel Air home faces the possibility of three years in prison if convicted on all charges, authorities announced Wednesday.

In a news release, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said Jimmy Wayne Carwyle is charged with stalking the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress since March 2023.

Prosecutors said Carwyle, a resident of New Albany, Mississippi, repeatedly harassed Aniston, identified only as Jennifer A in the release, leaving her unwanted voicemails, as well as sending her messages over social media and email.

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Carwyles alleged fixation culminated in a frightening ordeal on May 5 when he reportedly crashed through the front gates of Anistons Bel Air mansion, causing damage to the property.

The Friends and Morning Show actress was reportedly home when the incident happened.

Actress Jennifer Anistons home in Bel Air is seen here after a man was arrested for crashing through her front gates while she was home. May 2025. (Sky5)

Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to the neighborhood around 12:20 p.m. on reports that a burglary suspect had driven through the gate of a home near Sunset Boulevard and Bellagio Road.

Private security in the area detained the suspect until officers arrived. Carwyle, who reportedly complained about being in pain after crashing through the gate, was taken into custody without further incident.

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He has since been charged with one count each of felony stalking and felony vandalism, as well as an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm, L.A. County prosecutors said.

Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities, L.A. DA Nathan Hochman said. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.

Prosecutors intend to ask the court to set Carwyles bail at $150,000. He is due to appear in court tomorrow.

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Jennifer Aniston is said to be furious with the Los Angeles Police Department for their perceived lack of discretion in the aftermath of her attempted home invasion.

The famous actress is reportedly considering taking "drastic" action as she fears her safety has been put at risk.

According to reports, Jennifer Aniston is "extremely shaken up" by the incident and is now considering selling the Bel-Air property.

Jennifer Aniston's Home Was Gate-Crashed By A 'Stalker'

River / MEGA

Aniston is displeased with the LAPD for how they handled the aftermath of her "stalker" incident.

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The "Friends" star was at home on Monday afternoon when an intruder rammed through the gates of her $21 million Bel-Air mansion.

The suspect, who cops have now identified as 48-year-old Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, was held at gunpoint as Aniston's security team apprehended him and waited for police to arrive.

"On the 5th of May at approximately 12:20 p.m., West LA officers responded to a burglary at a property in Bel Air," a spokesperson said, as police told CBS News Los Angeles the exact block the officers reported to.

Why The Actress Is 'Furious' With The LAPD

MEGA

According to the Daily Mail, a source close to Aniston shared that she's furious with the cops after they released her address and is now considering whether to sell her 8,500 square-foot hilltop property.

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She has also reportedly beefed up her security in the wake of the terrifying ordeal as she fears for her safety.

"Jen is furious with the LAPD for releasing where she lives. Although you can Google her address, she can't believe the police revealed her block," the insider told the news outlet.

They added, "Since the incident, she's had people flooding outside her house, hoping to get a glimpse of her. As one of the biggest celebrities in the world, she expected more protection from the police."

The insider further revealed that Aniston would have been fine if the LAPD had "just said it was her house in Bel-Air," rather than sharing her exact location, which she believes "has put her at risk."

Jennifer Aniston Is 'Extremely Shaken Up' By Incident

MEGA

Another source told the news outlet that Aniston is "extremely shaken up" by the incident and is even "considering selling her property" because of the crash.

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"This was her dream home, but everyone knows the address," the second source added.

Aniston purchased the property in 2011 while she was dating actor Justin Theroux. The modern style mansion has four bedrooms and six-and-a-half bathrooms with a wine cellar, pool, and guesthouse. It also boasts city and ocean views and sits on almost two acres of land.

However, the actress would give all that up if it would guarantee her safety.

"Jen is getting to the point in her life where the last thing she ever wants is to fear for her safety," the second source said. "It is filled with so many memories, but her safety is first and foremost."

The Suspect Is Still Under Investigation

MEGA

Meanwhile, the suspect is undergoing investigation for stalking. Carwyle was reportedly booked for felony vandalism in connection with the crash, but hasn't been officially charged.

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He is being held at the LA County jail without bail as police told TMZ they are "reviewing social media posts" under the suspect's name, as they already found a Facebook page "with several bizarre and rambling posts," including one that refers to the actress as his "bride."

It remains unknown if the account is connected to Carwyle or someone else with the same name. The case is now being handled by LAPD's Threat Management Unit.

Jennifer Aniston Seen On Date With Pedro Pascal

MEGA

The stalker incident comes months after the "Horrible Bosses" actress sparked romance rumors with actor Pedro Pascal after they went on a three-hour date.

The pair stopped by at the Sunset Tower Hotel in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 23, after what a source told People Magazine was "a business dinner to get to know each other better."

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"Jen likes [Pedro's] energy and would love to work with him," the source told the news outlet.

Aniston also recently opened up about her "extreme fear" in an interview with Travel + Leisure.

"I have an extreme fear of flying," she said, noting that she had a superstitious remedy to it as she'd usually touch the plane with her right hand when she was about to board and also step onto the aircraft with her right foot.

"But I have been doing some hypnosis lately, and one of the requirements is to remove all of those superstitions," she continued. "I have not been doing the right hand, right foot [thing anymore]  and now it's shockingly good!"
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman filed felony charges against the man, who crashed into Jennifer Anistons front gate of her Bel-Air residence Monday.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle was charged with two felony counts Wednesday, one for stalking and one for vandalism. He is set to appear in court Thursday. If convicted as charged, he would face three years in state prison.

Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities, District Attorney Hochman said Wednesday. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.

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The 48-year-old man is accused of repeatedly harassing the Friends star, spamming her with unwanted social media messages, voicemails and emails from May 1 to May 5. The alleged harassment culminated when Carwyle crashed his car into her front gate, causing significant damage, around noon Sunday. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Aniston was home during the incident. Her private security detained Carwyle until police arrived.

I want to thank law enforcement and our Stalking and Threat Assessment Team, particularly Deputy District Attorney Sam Hulefeld, for their outstanding work in this case, District Attorney Hochman added. By working together, we are ensuring that dangerous individuals are taken off our streets.

Prosecutors requested the court to set statutory bail at $150,000. Carwyle did not appear in court Wednesday as scheduled due to transportation issues getting him to the courthouse, officials said. He is now scheduled to be in court Thursday.

In addition to the felony charges, Carwyle faces an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm.

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The Morning Show actress purchased her Bel-Air mansion for just under $21 million in 2012, according to reporting by Architectural Digest. Season 4 of her Apple TV+ series has yet to set an air date but will likely premiere later this year.

The post Jennifer Aniston Stalker Who Crashed Car Through Her Front Gate Charged With Felony Stalking, Vandalism appeared first on TheWrap.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has doubled down on her refusal to turn election training materials over to the House Oversight Committee, which has subpoenaed her for documents she says could harm the states election security if handed over.

In a letter sent to the committee on her behalf by the Michigan Department of Attorney General, Benson maintains that the materials could compromise election security, as they contain sensitive information that could be used to tamper with ballots and other election equipment and even impersonate a clerk on Election Day.

FILE  Jocelyn Benson, Michigan Secretary of State, (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Subpoena for election training materials delivered to Secretary of State

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State Rep. Jay Deboyer (R-Clay Twp.), the chair of the House Oversight Committee, says the Secretary of State has refused to turn requested materials over to him or any other member of the state legislature for five months, following a request from House Election Integrity Committee Chair State Rep. Rachelle Smit (R-Shelbyville).

The committee gave Benson a deadline of April 14 to provide the materials, and when the office did not comply, the House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena them.

State Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township)

The department has been unable to provide a compelling reason for why they are unwilling to give us, the peoples elected representatives, access to materials that are available to every single locally elected clerk in the state of Michigan and their respective staffs, said DeBoyer.

A portion of the letter reads:

The Secretary of State firmly believes transparency in the administration of Michigan elections is vitally important. To that end, [M]DOSs Elections website is replete with information concerning all aspects of the voting processfrom registering to vote, to tabulating ballots, to post-election audits, and everything in between. But just as important is protecting the security and integrity of the voting process itself. Releasing material that would reveal security feature information or other sensitive information jeopardizes the process. This is true even if those seeking the information are well-intentioned, because each time sensitive information is released, its potential for intentional or accidental disclosure to those who would misuse it increases. Letter from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on behalf of Secretary of State Benson and the Department of State, May 7, 2025.

The letter also says that the subpoenas violate state law and the rules of the Michigan House of Representativesand that they have no legislative purpose. Benson says her office has provided more than 3,000 pages of documents to the committee, ones that do not include sensitive information.

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The full letter and provided attachments can be viewed below.

2025.05.07-House-Oversight-Committee-subpeona-response-AG-letterDownload

2025.05.07-Attachments-House-Oversight-Committee-subpoena-response-AG-letterDownload

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
State Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) speaks after a Senate elections committee meeting on June 13, 2023. | Photo by Anna Gustafson

State Sen. Jeremy Moss announced Thursday that he is running for an open Oakland County congressional seat.

The Southfield Democrat is the first candidate to announce for the race after U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) said last month she would be seeking Michigans U.S. Senate seat next year, leaving the 11th Congressional District seat open.

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Moss, who serves as the Senates speaker pro tem, is the first openly gay member of the Michigan Senate, having won election to that chamber in 2018, after serving two terms in the state House. He was also previously a member of the Southfield City Council.

I represent hundreds of thousands of residents in this district who are looking for a bold voice for Oakland County in Congress, Moss told Michigan Advance ahead of his announcement. I hear about their alarm and anguish about our democracy and about our economy and were at a critical moment and its going to call on a new generation of leaders to step up and take action and thats what Im ready to do.

State Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) | Submitted photo

Moss says he has been disruptive force in politics from the start, which he believes is the type of leadership Democrats need to project against the Trump administrations attacks on civil liberties and American institutions.

Im not a status quo kind of guy. It was disruptive when I ran and was elected as the youngest ever member of the Southfield City Council, but it brought about new economic development and neighborhood growth to the city. It was disruptive when I ran to be the first out gay member of the Michigan Senate, but as a result, we enshrined LGBTQ protections in our state civil rights law, and it is disruptive now as I take on our institution and work to open up our records to public scrutiny and bring more transparency to state government, Moss said.

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Moss has been a peristent advocate for expanding the states Freedom of Information Act and also sponsored legislation that expanded the 1973 Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to protect against discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

More recently, Moss garnered headlines when he literally stared down state Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford) at his own press conference after the Oakland County Republican introduced a resolution urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its 2015 decision legalizing same-sex marriage.

I walked into that room and looked at the seat right in front of the podium and thought, Im going to sit right there as hes going to try to inflict harm upon my community. Im going to make him say it right to my face and then he cowardly left without taking any questions, Moss said.

Michigan state Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford) (right) speaks at a news conference introducing a resolution condemning same-sex marriage in front of Michigans first openly gay state Senator Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) (left) in Lansing on Feb. 25, 2025 | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols

He says he saw it as an opportunity to tell not just his side as a gay person, but also speak for those in the community who support their LGBTQ neighbors and family members and are tired of divisiveness and hatred in politics.

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We got such an overwhelming response to my office, not just from the district, but from across the state, and really across the country, of people telling me this is the way forward, Moss said. So you know my feet and my heart led me into that room and its just kind of intrinsic within me to keep the fight going and to stand up boldly in this moment.

Moss said that moment is one rife with concern over the state of the economy and just what Michigans future will look like, especially with the Trump administrations erratic tariff policy.

I dont think you could tell me what the tariff policy is today, because it changes every day. It depends on what the president tweets every morning thats created a lot of instability and economic anxiety, especially in our manufacturing economy here in the state of Michigan, so that is top of mind for folks in my district.

When asked if he had the resources to mount and win a congressional campaign in a battleground state like Michigan, Moss said he was ready for that challenge, but also believes that the 11th District, which spans central Oakland County and includes Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Farmington Hills, Pontiac, Royal Oak, and Troy, is much more progressive than it has been in the past, which he says is largely due to the rise of President Donald Trumps MAGA movement.

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Where people in this district, in Bloomfield and Birmingham and West Bloomfield, who may at one point in time traditionally have voted Republican could not sustain this continued attack on social issues driven by Donald Trump, so this district in this county has gone through a big shift over the last several years that I can stand boldly on my Democratic values and absolutely campaign on that record, said Moss.

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NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56)  Jessamine County Sheriff Kevin Grimes is urging people to be cautious as scams continue to rise in the community.

Were not going to solve these problems overnight. But if people get more and more aware of whats going on, maybe thatll help us, said Grimes.

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Just last week, he said two people were scammed out of a total of $60,000.

Grimes said the likelihood of getting that money back is almost impossible, and the chances of holding the scammer accountable are just as unlikely. He said anyone can become a victim, too.

They dont necessarily discriminate. They dont just pick older people. But a lot of times, that is who they would target because theyre more susceptible to some of the things weve done. But weve had some people in their 20s and 30s that have fallen victim here in the past few weeks to these things, too, Grimes told FOX 56.

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These scams come in a variety of disguises. Some come in the form of computer viruses, false bill collections, alleged missed court appointments that come with the threat of arrest, and even fake bank notifications asking for private information and money transfers.

Grimes told FOX 56 that his office is regularly posting about these scams on social media, but people are becoming numb to the posts.

Its almost like crying wolf, he said. Were putting out so much that people arent even reading them anymore. Theyre not even commenting on them because they say, Hey, theres another one, another scam.'

Many times, these scammers request people to wire money to them using Bitcoin, which the sheriff said should be one of the first major red flags people notice.

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He said the sheriffs office put out signs at Bitcoin machines around Jessamine County as a last-ditch effort to help people keep their money safe.

The signs warn people that attempting to send any form of Bitcoin to the sheriffs office is a sign of a scam and that the office will never call requesting money in place of warrants or fines.

People who are legitimate businesspeople and law enforcement, and courts and things like that, we never ask for money to be deposited into Bitcoin machines, Grimes said.

He encouraged anyone who thinks they might be dealing with a scam artist to stop and evaluate the situation before making a decision that could have long-term consequences.

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If in doubt, call. Call your bank, call law enforcement, call someone else. Have that conversation. Dont pay anybody money. Im not going to come and arrest you. Because thats just not how we operate. And sadly, theyre scaring people into doing it.

The Sheriff told FOX 56 that his office has been in contact with federal authorities regarding the situation and are working with them in some ways. But due to the sophistication of some of these scams, the fact that many of them come from other countries, and due to changing technology, it is hard to come to a solution.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
A rabble-rousing Jew hater was arrested by the feds Wednesday for allegedly assaulting multiple Jewish victims in a spate of vicious hate crime attacks across the Big Apple  including one where he allegedly snatched an Israeli flag and spewed pro-Nazi venom, The Post has learned.

Tarek Bazrouk, 20, was picked up by the feds on three hate crime charges early Wednesday morning over the string of alleged antisemitic attacks at various Israel-Gaza war protests dating back to April last year, federal prosecutors said.

In a criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday, the feds detailed how Bazrouk  who has already been repeatedly arrested by the NYPD over the alleged hate-filled antics  had pro-Hamas propaganda on his phone and a barrage of texts describing himself as a Jew hater.

Tarek Bazrouk, 20, was picked up by the feds on three hate crime charges early Wednesday over a string of alleged antisemitic attacks in the Big Apple. DCPI

Bazrouk also allegedly once told a friend that he was mad happy to have learned that certain relatives overseas were part of Hamas, prosecutors said.

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The FBI will pursue violent criminals who assault Jewish citizens. Todays arrest sends a clear message that we are not backing down, FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement. Thank you to our FBI teams and partners for their diligent work in this case.

Bazrouk deliberately set out to harm Jewish New Yorkers  targeting them at protests, singling them out, and assaulting them for nothing more than their identity, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement.

The NYPD worked closely with the FBI and the US Attorneys Office to track him down and ensure he faces real consequences. Antisemitism and all forms of bigotry have no home here in New York  period.

New Yorkers of all faiths are welcome to live and worship in our city freely, and we will never stop fighting to protect that right.

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Bazrouks alleged crime streak stretches back to April 15, 2024, when he assaulted three Jewish people at a war protest outside the New York Stock Exchange.

In that incident, Bazrouk  who was wearing a green headband typically worn by Hamas terrorists  allegedly lunged at a group carrying Israeli flags, according to the federal filing.

As he was being hauled away by cops, Bazrouk allegedly kicked a Jewish college student in the stomach.

In a criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday, the feds detailed how Bazrouk  who has already been repeatedly arrested by the NYPD over the alleged hate-filled antics  had pro-Hamas propaganda on his phone. Instagram/jewhatedb

He is also accused of slugging a Jewish Columbia University student in the face while allegedly ranting about Hitler and the Nazis in an unhinged flag-snatching tantrum near the Ivy League campus on Dec. 9.

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The victim in that ordeal, 22-year-old Jonathan Lederer, told The Post at the time that Bazrouk allegedly stole his brothers flag and then decked him for trying to intervene.

One month later, Bazrouk again targeted a protester with an Israeli flag draped on his shoulders at a protest near Union Square on Jan. 6, prosecutors allege.

Bazrouk, who was wearing a keffiyeh on his face, allegedly punched the victim in the face with a closed fist.

One of Bazrouks alleged victims, 22-year-old Jonathan Lederer, told The Post he was punched in the face near Columbia University on Dec. 9. Paige Kahn/NY Post

Investigators probing the alleged violence later uncovered the trove of antisemitic bias on his phone, according to prosecutors.

In texts to friends, Bazrouk allegedly labeled Jews as worthless, called an acquaintance a fking Jew, and told one to slap that bitch in reference to a woman with an Israeli sticker on her laptop.

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Bazrouk has already been arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on a host of assault, hate crime and harassment charges.

In addition to local charges, Bazrouk is now charged with three counts of committing hate crimes, which each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

He is slated to appear before US Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron later on Wednesday.
JEWETT, Texas (FOX 44)  A powerful tornado ripped through Leon County on Tuesday, leaving behind a trail of destruction in the small town of Jewett, Texas.

Courtesy of Kristen Crook Photography

The storm uprooted trees, destroyed buildings, and left parts of the area nearly unrecognizable. But amid the devastation, residents and officials say the community is already coming together to begin recovery efforts.

There wasnt any waiting time  it was pretty fast, said Jewett Police Chief Drek Tompolait. Everybody was prepared. I mean, it comes through pretty often, and we get the storms here. Not quite this bad. This was one of our worst.

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Tompolait said city employees worked through the night, with support from the Leon County Sheriffs Office, Centerville law enforcement, and volunteers across the county. Together, they cleared debris, removed fallen trees, and restored access to blocked streets.

At the Kozy Lakes RV Park, Leah Dewberry said her family endured terrifying moments as the storm pushed their RV several feet into a nearby truck.

My mom was in her trailer and she was already calling me, telling me goodbye because she thought it was the end of her life, Dewberry said. She told me she loved me. If the RV hadnt hit the truck, she probably would have gone over.

Despite the damage to their property, Dewberry said shes thankful her family made it out alive.

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We are very blessed to have each other here today, she said. Material things can always be replaced. But our lives cant.

Others echoed the same sentiment.

Im really thankful for everybody coming together and showing great love and humanity, said Susan Spenst, a property manager. No one got seriously hurt. There are little bumps and bruises, but everyones alive, and were really thankful for that.

Though recovery is expected to take time, residents say the storm has only strengthened the towns spirit. From clearing trees to checking on neighbors, the people of Jewett are working hand-in-hand to rebuild  and heal.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
Jim De La Vega - KMPH

Jim De La Vega has announced his decision to retire from Fresno Fox affiliate KMPH for medical reasons.

De La Vega has been part of the morning show for about 17 years. He said hes had an issue with his blood pressure and felt it was necessary to retire to focus on his health.

He changed his mind about coming back after talking with his doctors and decided to medically retire.

According to his bio, he once confronted then Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court William Rehnquist when the justice barred broadcast media from covering an event but allowed print reporters.

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Early in my career I had more brass than brains. Jim recounts. Luckily for me the Chief Justice seemed amused that this skinny kid from Georgia had the temerity to question the most powerful jurist in the country. He even answered my question explaining that our cameras were banned because he didnt like the way he looked on TV. Whew. But I got the story.

He joined the station in 2008.
Last week, Senator John Fetterman held what would normally be a friendly meeting with Pennsylvanias largest teachers union.

Representatives from the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the National Education Association praised Fetterman for defending public education. But when the subject turned to asking Fetterman to take stronger actions against the Trump administrations education cuts, the senators mood took a turn.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Fetterman started yelling and banging his fists on a desk at the five union representatives before him, asking them what they wanted from him. He shouted, Everybody is mad at me, Why does everyone hate me? and What did I ever do? beginning to repeat himself.

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The meeting quickly fell apart, with a staffer for the senator ushering the representatives into the hallway before she broke down in tears. The outburst from Fetterman seemed to show a disturbing pattern in the senators mental health, especially as just one day later, a story was published by New York magazine painting a picture of Fetterman as unrecognizable to his own staff following a 2022 stroke.

In a statement to the Inquirer, Fetterman defended the meeting as a spirited conversation about our collective frustration with the Trump administrations cuts to our education system.

As a proud product of PSEA, I will always support our teachers, and I will always reject anyones attempt to turn Pennsylvanias public schools into a voucher program, the statement read.

The Inquirer spoke to several former Fetterman staffers anonymously who said that Fetterman wasnt living up to his duties as a senator. His sharp, zero-sum advocacy for Israel and antipathy toward Palestinians amid Israels war on Gaza has alienated staff and constituents. He frequently misses meetings and votes, avoids colleagues, and spends many hours on Capitol Hill alone in his office.

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Its pretty impossible to overstate how disengaged he is, said one former Fetterman staffer. He doesnt read memos, hes taking very few meetings. The job is just a platform for him to run for president; thats all he cares about.

Fetterman has the third-worst voting attendance record in the Senate this year, missing 29 of 236 votes, and in the past two years, he has the lowest voting attendance record of any senator. Hes only made one public appearance in Pennsylvania since August. Its a shocking turn for a man who started his political career as the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, helping to rebuild the Rust Belt town. Now, it seems that he ought to leave politics and focus on his health and well-being.
Shares of clothing company HanesBrands Inc. (NYSE:HBI) are trading higher on Thursday after the company reported better-than-expected first-quarter 2025 earnings.

Sales grew 2.1% year-over-year to $760.148 million, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $752.34 million. Adjusted EPS of 7 cents beat the analyst consensus of 2 cents.

U.S. net sales declined 1% year over year as gains in Basics, Active, and New were outweighed by ongoing challenges in Intimate Apparel business. Operating margin rose to 20.9%, up 285 basis points from last year, driven by cost savings, lower input costs, and a better product mix.

Also Read: Palantir Stock Gains 5% Thursday: Whats Going On?

International net sales declined 2% on a reported basis due to a $12 million FX headwind but rose 4% in constant currency, with growth in Australia and Asia. Operating margin improved to 11.5%, up 310 basis points, driven by a favorable mix, cost savings, and lower input costs.

Adjusted gross profit also grew 6% to $316 million, with an adjusted gross margin rising 165 basis points to 41.6%, excluding restructuring-related charges.

Adjusted operating profit rose 61% to $81 million, and adjusted operating margin improved 390 basis points to 10.7% compared to last year.

Inventory fell 5% year-over-year to $977 million, aided by better SKU management, lower costs, and stronger sales.

Operating cash outflow was $108 million, compared to an inflow of $26 million last year, due to seasonal inventory builds for back-to-school, while free cash outflow was $119 million, down from an inflow of $6 million.

"We also reiterated our full-year outlook, which now reflects our expected impact from U.S. tariffs, as the current environment presents challenges but also creates real revenue opportunities. We're confident we can fully mitigate the cost headwinds as we have many levers to pull, including further cost reductions and pricing actions, commented Steve Bratspies, CEO.

We're also actively pursuing new revenue opportunities, which we believe we're in an advantaged position to capture given our western hemisphere supply chain speed and capabilities matched with our strong retailer relationships, he added.

Second quarter Outlook: HanesBrands anticipates sales of $970 million against an estimate of $972.50 million. It sees adjusted EPS of $0.18 against an estimate of $0.19.

2025 Outlook: HBI reaffirms sales guidance of $3.47 billion to $3.52 billion versus an estimated $3.50 billion. It sees FY25 adjusted EPS of $0.51 to $0.55 versus the $0.51 estimate.
John Fetterman has long been on a political island  and now his tendency to rebuff professional relationships is coming back to bite him.

Few fellow Democrats have rushed to Fettermans defense after an explosive article in New York magazine reported that current and former staffers are seriously concerned about his mental and physical health. The Pennsylvania senator, who has strongly denied claims that he is unfit to serve, is not doing traditional damage control, and most top Democrats arent going out of their way to do it for him.

Instead, private chatter about primary challenges to Fetterman has ramped up. And in recent days, some Pennsylvania Democrats have begun to quietly review the rules about what would happen if he stepped down and whispered about potential replacements. Fetterman has vowed to serve his full term, which ends in 2029.

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Even some top Democrats in his state, who would normally be expected to be in contact with their legislative counterpart, arent speaking out in support of their partys only senator.

I have had no contact or conversation with him, so I have no way of weighing in on that, said Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), when asked to comment on the report. She added that I couldnt tell you when shed last talked to Fetterman.

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) said she hadnt spoken to Fetterman recently and didnt know the underlying facts about Fettermans situation, but that the article obviously raises questions.

Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.), a progressive whose district includes the town where Fetterman lives, said she hadnt talked to him recently. Asked about the story, she responded pointedly that Pennsylvanians thoughts matter more than her own: I hope they read it.

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The episode has illustrated Fettermans standing  or lack thereof  in a party where many who once embraced him as a potential model for the future have now ostracized him over his shifting political persona. The public defense of Fetterman has largely come from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the few Democrats with whom Fetterman has existing relationships.

In a sign of evolving political allegiances, the home-state elected official offering the strongest defense of Fetterman is actually a Republican.

Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) told POLITICO that Fetterman is authentic and a fighter, and these disgraceful attacks against him are not the John that I know and respect. McCormick said he and Fetterman have a great relationship, both professionally and personally.

Fetterman declined to comment for this story. But in a Tuesday interview with CNN , he said the New York article is a one-source hit piece, and it involved maybe two or three and anonymous disgruntled staffers saying just absolute false things. He denied missing medical check-ups or doses of medication.

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Fetterman has always had a go-it-alone attitude , and while progressives once adored him, he has never been a favorite of the Democratic establishment . In his 2022 Senate primary, only a handful of elected Democrats endorsed Fetterman . Going as far back as when he was mayor of Braddock, he ruffled feathers among Democrats .

So its no surprise to Fettermans current and former aides, at least, that he finds himself relatively alone at a perilous moment in his career.

Hes never been somebody that has all these long-standing relationships with other elected officials, said a Fetterman adviser who was granted anonymity to speak frankly. That's been his whole career. So I don't think it's abnormal when it comes to him to not see an outpouring of defense or support for him.

The adviser argued voters like that he isnt seen as his fellow colleagues best friend and he partly got elected for that reason.

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Recent Morning Consult polls have found Fettermans popularity on the rise in Pennsylvania, as Republican voters have increasingly given him a thumbs-up while Democratic voters have stood by him despite criticism from some on the left. Fifty percent of state voters approved of his job performance, while 35 percent disapproved. But a survey of adults across the nation painted a different picture, showing his approval rating underwater among Democrats and independents, but positive among Republicans.

Schumer told reporters that Fetterman is an all-star who is doing a good job. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who joined the Senate in the same class as Fetterman, recently had dinner with Senator Fetterman, a spokesperson said. Hes a friend and hell continue to support him. Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), a fellow western Pennsylvania Democrat, said Fetterman has been up front in the past about his mental health treatment, and should get a chance to weigh in and address the reports here.



Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), who has suffered his own health setbacks since having a stroke in 2024, said that he had no concerns about Fettermans fitness. But he also acknowledged that he has not talked with him recently, something he didn't read too much into and said was par for the course.

When Fetterman faced medical crises in the past, Democrats united around him in a tight battleground election while Republicans expressed concern.

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After Fetterman suffered a stroke in his 2022 campaign, top Democrats, especially then-Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), strongly vouched for him. Democrats also came to his defense when he checked himself into the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for clinical depression in 2023. They hailed him as courageous for speaking out about his mental health struggles  a marked departure from past elected officials.

But Fetterman's personal and professional support has dwindled since then. Online progressives, once his social media army, now detest him over his hardline views on Israel and meeting with President Donald Trump . His congressional office has hemorrhaged staff. And Casey, who lost reelection last year, is no longer in the Senate.

The article in New York magazine reported that his former aides claim he has avoided doctors appointments, driven away people close to him and potentially not taken his medication.

The fallout has exacerbated existing party tensions. Even before the most recent accusations, Democrats had floated the prospect of primary challenges against Fetterman, including by current and former members of the congressional delegation.

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Talk of a contested primary  an attempt to oust the partys own swing-state incumbent  has also increased, years before the seat is up for election in 2028. Fettermans erstwhile primary rival, former Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.), has drawn attention recently by criticizing Trump  and, now, Fetterman.

Ive seen politics be hard on people so Im concerned for the Fettermans, Lamb said. I think I share the feeling of many that I dont know his true condition, but if he is okay, as he says, I dont understand why hes rarely seen in our state and he doesnt answer constituent questions on things like his vote for [Attorney General] Pam Bondi or his advocacy for war with Iran.

Asked if he is weighing a challenge against Fetterman, Lamb said he is not considering any campaign right now and that his recent appearances at public demonstrations against Trump are aimed at just trying to help others.


(WHTM)  U.S. Senator John Fetterman reacted to concerns that he is not fit to serve amid reported concerns for his health.

Fetterman, who suffered a stroke in 2022 and was hospitalized for depression in 2023, reportedly repeated himself and was shouting in a meeting with teachers union representatives.

According to an Associated Press report on Thursday morning, citing someone who was briefed on the meeting, Fetterman questioned why everybody is mad at me, why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do, while slamming his hands on a desk.

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On Thursday, when asked if hes confident in his ability to serve, Fetterman replied, Yes, of course, of course.

The interaction at Fettermans Washington office, described to The Associated Press by the two people who spoke about it on the condition of anonymity, came the day before New York Magazine published a story in which former staff and political advisers to Fetterman aired concerns about the senators mental health.

That story included a 2024 letter, also obtained by the AP, in which Fettermans one-time chief of staff Adam Jentleson told a neuropsychiatrist who had treated Fetterman for depression that the senator appeared to be off his recovery plan and was exhibiting alarming behavior, including a tendency toward long, rambling, repetitive and self-centered monologues.

Asked about the meeting with teachers union representatives, Fetterman said in a statement through his office that they had a spirited conversation about our collective frustration with the Trump administrations cuts to our education system. He also said he will always support our teachers, and I will always reject anyones attempt to turn Pennsylvanias public schools into a voucher program.

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Fetterman earlier this week brushed off the New York Magazine story as a one-source hit piece and some anonymous sources, so theres nothing new. Asked by a reporter in a Senate corridor what he would say to people who are concerned about him, Fetterman said: Theyre not. Theyre actually not concerned. Its a hit piece. Theres no news.

Reached by telephone, Aaron Chapin, the president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association who was in the meeting with Fetterman, said he didnt want to discuss what was a private conversation.

Surviving a stroke, battling depression

The teachers union encounter adds to the questions being raised about Fettermans mental health and behavior barely three years after he survived a stroke on the 2022 campaign trail that he said almost killed him. That was followed by a bout with depression that landed him in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for six weeks, barely a month after he was sworn into the Senate.

The scrutiny also comes at a time when Fetterman, now serving third year of his term, is being criticized by many rank-and-file Democrats in his home state for being willing to cooperate with President Donald Trump, amid Democrats growing alarm over Trumps actions and agenda.

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Fetterman  who has been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, in which the heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged, and auditory processing disorder, a complication from the stroke  has talked openly about his struggle with depression and urged people to get help.

In November, he told podcast host Joe Rogan that he had recovered and fended off thoughts of harming himself.

I was at the point where I was really, you know, in a very dark place. And I stayed in that game and I am staying in front of you right now and having this conversation, Fetterman said.

But some who have worked closely with Fetterman question whether his recovery is complete.

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In the 2024 letter to Dr. David Williamson, Jentleson warned that Fetterman was not seeing his doctors, had pushed out the people who were supposed to help him stay on his recovery plan and might not be taking his prescribed medications. Jentleson also said Fetterman had been driving recklessly and exhibiting paranoia, isolating him from colleagues.

Overall, over the last nine months or so, John has dismantled the early-warning system we all agreed upon when he was released, Jentleson wrote. He has picked fights with each person involved in that system and used those fights as excuses to push them out and cut them off from any knowledge about his health situation.

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where Williamson works, declined to make him available for an interview, citing privacy and confidentiality laws protecting patient medical information.

A lone wolf in the Senate

Fetterman has long been a wild card in the political realm, forging a career largely on his own, independently from the Democratic Party.

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As a small-town mayor in Braddock, the plainspoken Fetterman became a minor celebrity for his bare-knuckled progressive politics, his looks  hes 6-foot-8 and tattooed with a shaved head  and his unconventional efforts to put the depressed former steel town back on the map.

He endorsed the insurgent Democrat Bernie Sanders in 2016s presidential primary and ran from the left against the party-backed Democrat in 2016s Senate primary. In 2020, when he was lieutenant governor, he became a top surrogate on cable TV news shows for Joe Bidens presidential bid and gathered a national political following that made him a strong small-dollar fundraiser.

Elected to the Senate in 2022, he has made waves with his casual dress  hoodies and gym shorts  at work and at formal events and his willingness to chastise other Democrats.

Fetterman returned to the Senate after his hospitalization in 2023 a much more outgoing lawmaker, frequently joking with his fellow senators and engaging with reporters in the hallways with the assistance of an iPad or iPhone that transcribes conversations in real time.

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Yet two years later, Fetterman is still something of a loner in the Senate.

He has separated himself from many of his fellow Democrats on Israel policy and argued at times that his party needs to work with, not against, Trump. He met with Trump and Trumps nominees  and voted for some  when other Democrats wouldnt.

He has stood firmly with Democrats in other cases and criticized Trump on some issues, such as trade and food aid.

One particularly head-scratching video of Fetterman emerged earlier this year in which he was on a flight to Pittsburgh apparently arguing with a pilot over his seatbelt.

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Despite fallout with progressives over his staunch support of Israel in its war in Gaza, Fetterman was still an in-demand personality last year to campaign in the battleground state of Pennsylvania for Biden and, after Biden dropped his reelection bid, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Since Trump won Novembers election  and Pennsylvania  things have changed. Many one-time supporters have turned on Fetterman over his softer approach to Trump and his willingness to criticize fellow Democrats for raising alarm bells.

It nevertheless brought Fetterman plaudits.

Bill Maher, host of the political talk show Real Time with Bill Maher, suggested that Fetterman should run for president in 2028. Conservatives  who had long made Fetterman a target for his progressive politics  have sprung to Fettermans defense.

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Still, Democrats in Pennsylvania say they are hearing from people worried about him.

People are concerned about his health, said Sharif Street, the states Democratic Party chairman. They want to make sure hes OK. People care about him. Theres a lot of love for him out there.

___

Associated Press reporter Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.

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Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare statement in March after President Donald Trump called for impeaching a judge who ruled against his administration. Roberts said then that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.

While seemingly not wanting to delve into the issue, the chief justice reiterated his stance Wednesday. He spoke in Buffalo, New York, with Buffalo-based U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo. Vilardo raised the subject, and Roberts noted that he had already spoken to that, adding that impeachment is not how you register disagreement with decisions. (The exchange comes at about 1:40 in this clip from C-SPAN.)

Roberts didnt mention Trump, and his comment was in keeping with other broad statements he made in Buffalo about the importance of judicial independence.

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While arguably stemming from the same independent root, his appearance thus stood in contrast to Justice Ketanji Brown Jacksons speech to a judicial conference in Puerto Rico earlier this month. There, the Biden appointee lamented that judges across the country are facing increased threats of not only physical violence but also professional retaliation, just for doing our jobs. She said that the attacks are not random; they seem designed to intimidate those of us who serve in this critical capacity.

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administrations legal cases.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts doubled down on his response to critics calling for the impeachment of judges whose decisions they disagree with.

Roberts staunchly defended the independence of the judiciary in a Wednesday night fireside chat in Buffalo, New York, as the Trump administration continues to clash with numerous judges who do not rule in its favor.

In our Constitution, the judiciary is a coequal branch of government, separate from the others, with the authority to interpret the Constitution as law and strike down acts of Congress or acts of the president, he said. And that innovation doesnt work if the judiciary is not independent.

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Its job is to, obviously, decide cases, but in the course of that, check the excesses of Congress or of the executive, and that does require a degree of independence, he added, drawing applause from the crowd.

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts (R) as Melania Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump look on after being sworn in during inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. / Chip Somodevilla / via REUTERS

In March, Roberts issued a rare statement after President Donald Trump called for the impeachment of a federal judge who blocked the administrations efforts to deport immigrants to El Salvador.

Im just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post at the time, referring to U.S. District Judge James Boasberg. This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!

Roberts hit back just hours later.

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For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision, he said in a statement. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.

The statement triggered a MAGAworld meltdown, with one far-right pundit calling Roberts totally out of line for commenting on the dispute, and another describing the chief justice as a Trump hater.

Trump had a more reserved reaction, telling Fox News: He didnt mention my name in the statement. I just saw it quickly.

But that doesnt mean hes moved on. In an Easter Sunday rant, Trump once again blasted WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges for blocking his mass deportation blitz.

Question: What do you think about these calls for impeachment of judges based on their decisions?



Roberts: Impeachment is not how you register disagreement with decisions. pic.twitter.com/CkZDxsziUa  Acyn (@Acyn) May 7, 2025

Roberts reiterated his message on Wednesday night: Impeachment is not how you register disagreement with decisions; thats what were there for.
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts made a rare address to the public Wednesday at an event celebrating the 125th anniversary of Western New Yorks federal court.

During the evening event, Roberts voiced unwavering support for judicial independence and stressed that, as the third branch of the government, the judicial is coequal with the other two branches.

The judiciary is a coequal branch of government, separate from the others with the authority to interpret the Constitution as law, and strike down, obviously, acts of Congress or acts of the president, Roberts told gathered judges, lawyers and reporters.

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As such, Roberts said, the role of the Supreme Court is to obviously decide cases, but in the course of that, check the excesses of Congress or of the executive, and that does require degree of independence.

Chief Justice John Roberts, right, speaks with U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo during a fireside chat at the 125th anniversary celebration of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. | Jeffrey T. Barnes

What does Roberts mean by excesses?

Disagreements between the highest court in the land  which is currently is governed by a 6-3 conservative majority  and U.S. President Donald Trump, a Republican, are scrutinized and debated when they arise.

Case in point: Trump and his allies have criticized judges who have blocked the administrations agenda, including in cases related to higher education and, recently, immigration. Specifically, Trump called for the impeachment of U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who had ordered that the Trump administration pause its efforts to deport Venezuelan migrants and rebuked the administration for invoking war powers.

Last week, the administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene against Boasberg and allow the deportation of more than 300,000 migrants to go through; the Supreme Court has not yet responded.

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In March, Roberts censured Trump for calling for Boasbergs impeachment.

For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose, he stated.

In his Wednesday remarks, Roberts addressed impeachment again.

Impeachment is not how you register disagreement with decisions, he told Judge Lawrence Vilardo, who interviewed him at the Wednesday event. Vilardo is a member of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York.

Thats what we (the Supreme Court) are there for, Roberts said.

Roberts called the Supreme Court the only real political science innovation in the U.S. Constitution.

That innovation doesnt work if its not the judiciary is not independent, he said.
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  Joint Base Charleston on Thursday will hold a medical response exercise with partners from across the community.

Officials with JBC said the multi-day event will simulate an aircraft mishap with a mass-casualty scenario designed to test the Regional Mass Casualty Plan, which was developed by Joint Base Charleston and Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties.

Base agencies are expected to work with 18 community partners to enhance multi-agency coordination, disaster response and medical readiness across the Lowcountry region.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
JOPLIN, Mo.  The city of Joplin is working to expand its trail system this year, including some unique features.

You know, our goal is to connect the north of Joplin to the south of Joplin with these projects going on right now. Were getting that just one step closer, said Paul Bloomberg, Joplin City Parks & Rec Dir.

Expansion in Joplins trail system is pushing that change.

You know, other communities are starting to do trails, Neosho, Carl Junction, Carthage, Webb City, and so its, you know, were all looking at the benefits of what trails can bring to your community, not only, you know, for the health and wellness, but for the connectivity, you know, to get people out, said Bloomberg.

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Joplin students participate in National Bike to School Day

Construction at 4th and Murphy will help with that.

The primary project is overhauling the intersection for traffic, but it has also added a sidewalk under 4th Street. That means walkers and bike riders dont have to stop for a traffic signal to change.

Definitely similar to some of the trail system down Northwest Arkansas, kind of, where we took some inspiration. And this just helps take you underneath the road, so youre not having to cross with live traffic, and theres a signal there, but its still safer to go underneath the road, said Dakota Rusk, Joplin City Traffic Engineer.

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Something thats unique in Joplin.

This is the first city-specific project Ive taken a trail through a tunnel. The college does have the tunnel under Newman Road, but that wasnt really a city project. So this is the first one for for us. So were really excited about it, said Rusk.

Meanwhile theres new segment of trail under construction starting at 32nd and McIntosh Circle. That will add a mile and a half segment toward McIndoe Park with another unique feature. This trail will eventually include a suspension bridge

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JOPLIN, Mo.  Joplin police arrest a man in connection with Saturdays armed bank robbery.

Yesterday, David Cox, 28, of Joplin turned himself in to authorities. Hes currently being held in the Joplin City Jail on a $250,000 cash-only bond on charges of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action.

Authorities search for suspect in armed robbery

Police say shortly after 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Cox walked into the Commerce Bank on East 20th and Connecticut, wearing a face mask and dark clothing. They say he gave the teller a note saying it was a robbery and demanded money for his sick daughter.

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According to court papers, Cox was wearing a cross-body bag with a gun sticking out of it. Officers say the teller handed Cox $200. Cox allegedly stated This was a bad idea before leaving on foot toward the wooded area behind the bank. Investigators say anonymous callers were able to identify Cox by his tattoos, and officers were able to get his phone number and called him. They say during that phone conversation, Cox admitted to robbing the bank and later turned himself in.

According to the Statement of Probable Cause, Cox also committed a home invasion the week of the robbery.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  U.S. Senator Josh Hawley is calling on the Department of Labor (DOL) to investigate Tyson Foods after a whistleblower accused the company of illegal child labor practices.

This week, Senator Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, urging her to investigate Tyson Foods in light of these allegations.

Five former Kansas City USPS employees indicted on mail theft charges

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As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committees Subcommittee on Crime, I have been contacted by a whistleblower who alleges that Tyson Foods used child workers at one of its processing plantsin likely violation of federal child labor law, Senator Hawley wrote in the letter. I have opened an investigation in my Subcommittee. Given your role in enforcing federal labor law, I urge you to fully investigate these troubling allegations immediately.

Hawley says in the letter that the whistleblower, a former Tyson Foods employee, alleges that they personally witnessed underage workers and also received multiple reports from hourly Tyson employees about child workers in the plant.

According to the allegations, these child workers were employed by a third-party entity contracted by Tyson for work in the plant.

The whistleblower claims that Tyson retaliated against them after reporting concerns to company superiors about child workers employed at the plant.

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FOX4 reached out to Tyson Foods Wednesday afternoon but has not gotten a response.

You can read the full letter here.

Food sanitation contractor employed minors at two Tyson Foods facilities in 2023, DOL says

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division found that Packers Sanitation Services Inc. (PSSI) employed minors at 13 meat processing facilities in eight states.

The company employed at least 102 children  from 13 to 17 years of age  in hazardous occupations and had them working overnight shifts, the department said in a 2023 news release.

PSSI was found to have employed seven minors at two Tyson Foods facilities in Arkansas and Tennessee, according to the DOL.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Nine bodies have been pulled out of the Willamette and Clackamas rivers this year and rescue teams anticipate rescuing and recovering dozens more by the end of the year.

KOIN 6 took a plunge in the water with the supervision of Portland Fire and Rescue to show how to stay safe this summer. That includes demonstrating how rescuers save people from drowning and sharing tips on how to prevent unnecessary deaths.

Fred Meyer employee stole $60K for gambling

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This waterway is a  is a joy yet a threat, said PF&R Public Information Office Rick Graves.

Every year, an average of 40 Oregonians die from drowning in natural water like the Willamette River. Boating, fishing and swimming are all great activities to do on Oregons waters over the summer but they can become deadly.

We get marine calls so frequently. You know, we will respond to what is perceived to be somebody in the water, will respond to people who might be on the edge of the bridge, appearing as if theyre going to jump so our response, submarine response, is very, very frequent, said Graves.

Rick Graves, a Portland Fire and Rescue spokesperson, explains the importance of water safety during the summer season. May 7, 2025 (KOIN).

Drowning is the leading cause of death of children four and younger, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The City of Portland said two-thirds of those deaths happen between May and August.

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Theres an emotional component to our job, right? Like we see things that most of the public dont see, Graves said.

Last year in Oregon, 19 people died boating, according to the Oregon State Marine Board. They said it is likely that 16 of the victims would have survived their incidents had they worn a life jacket.

Driver arrested after Hwy 26 motorcyclist hit-run

Accidents can happen at any time, and we want people to be wearing their life jackets at all times so we dont have to encounter these, these traumatic situations in the water, Graves explained.

The Portland Fire and Rescue teams are out on these waters saving people all year long. To be prepared, they train.

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KOIN 6 News Reporter Ariel Salk slid into the cold, 60-degree Willamette River, taking a moment to catch her breath, then distanced herself from the PF&R team before it was time for them to demonstrate their practice by pulling her back onto the boat.

KOIN 6 News Reporter Ariel Salk took a plunge in the water to help firefighters demonstrate how they do water rescues. May 7, 2025 (KOIN). KOIN 6 News Reporter Ariel Salk took a plunge in the water to help firefighters demonstrate how they do water rescues. May 7, 2025 (KOIN). KOIN 6 News Reporter Ariel Salk took a plunge in the water to help firefighters demonstrate how they do water rescues. May 7, 2025 (KOIN).

Portland Fires advice is that if you are in the water without a life jacket and cant make it to shore, dont panic while you wait to be rescued. Thats exactly what Ariel Salk tried, lying still in the water as the rescuers brought her back onto the boat.

If you take a large breath in and hold your breath and just hang, you can even hang with your face in the water and just relax. Youre not active. Youll actually maintain buoyancy, said Graves.

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So when youre out having fun, dont forget to wear a life jacket, dont turn your back on the water and keep an eye on children.

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MILAN  Kering is reshuffling its C-suite with internal changes.

Mehdi Benabadji, chief executive officer of Brioni since January 2020, is moving on to Ginori 1735 as CEO, and Federico Arrigoni, most recently deputy CEO and Asia-Pacific president of Saint Laurent, will succeed Benabadji at Brioni. Both appointments are effective immediately.

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Benabadji will report to Jean-Marc Duplaix, Kerings deputy CEO and chief operating officer, while Arrigoni will report to Francesca Bellettini, Kering deputy CEO in charge of brand development.

Mehdi Benabadji courtesy of Brioni

Arrigoni joined Kering in 2006 at Gucci and was appointed subsequently worldwide human resources director at Saint Laurent in 2015. Since then he has held key international positions at the storied French brand such as Asia Pacific president and chief commercial officer. In 2023 he was appointed Saint Laurent deputy CEO, directly overseeing all industrial operations and commercial activities for the brand.

He began his career at Decathlon in 1996, and in 2002, he moved to Autogrill as HR manager. In 2004, he was appointed Europe HR manager at Dolce & Gabbana.

I am proud to see Federico becoming CEO of Brioni, said Bellettini. I trust that his extensive knowledge of the industry and his strong international experience make him the best profile to drive Brioni into the next phase of its development, building on the houses remarkable history and achievements.

Benabadji joined Kering in 2003. He was previously chief operating officer of the group, in charge of the groups logistics and industrial activities. The executive has also worked for LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton label Berluti and Hermes Internationals crystal glasswear brand Saint-Louis. He was temporarily in charge of Ginori after the departure of Giovanni Giunchedi as CEO in 2019.

Ginori 1735 is a gem of Italian savoir-faire in porcelain, tableware and decoration, and I am glad that Mehdi will bring his deep understanding of traditional craftsmanship as well as his strong experience in international brand development to the house, said Duplaix. I am sure that he will help Ginori 1735 reach the further stage in its global growth.

Brioni, designed by Norbert Stumpfl since October 2018, is marking its 80th anniversary in 2025. Embracing the younger generation and determined to nurture the tailors of tomorrow, Brioni  which has been controlled by Kering since 2011 in October unveiled the Nazareno Fonticoli School of Haute Tailoring, further strengthening the close relationship of the company with the Penne town, where it was founded, and the Abruzzo territory. Stumpfl has succeeded in shaping a precise and elevated design strategy for the brand, and while tailored suits are still Brionis bestsellers, the designer has been adding more casual looks and has expanded the knitwear offer.
SAN FRANCISCO  A U.S. District Court judge has granted a temporary restraining order to a coalition of local governments that sued the Trump administration last week over new strings attached to federal homelessness grants.

San Francisco officials argued that nearly 2,000 people in the Bay Area city alone could face eviction if they lost their subsidies from the federal funding.

The order temporarily blocks the Trump administration from revoking grant money over new requirements related to DEI, immigration enforcement, abortion and gender ideology it added to Department of Housing and Urban Development funding.

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Judge Barbara Jacobs Rothstein, of the Western District of Washington state, issued the order, concluding that the grant rules likely violate the separation of powers doctrine by imposing requirements that were not approved by Congress and are not closely related to the purposes of the grants and the programs they fund.

Local governments behind the lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Seattle, argued HUD lacks the authority to attach such strings to federal grants without congressional approval. The coalition also includes Santa Clara County, two counties in Washington state, Boston, New York City and Columbus, Ohio.

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said Thursday the city was relieved by the temporary order. The city receives more than $50 million dollars annually from HUD, funding that mostly goes toward rental assistance and supportive services to house chronically homeless residents.

These new grant conditions blatantly violate the Constitution and have nothing to do with the purpose or performance of these grants, Chiu said in a statement. This is part of Trumps strategy to push his ideology by threatening local programs and budgets.

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Attorneys representing HUD and the Trump administration asserted, in an earlier filing, that the agency has broad executive authority to administer grant programs. They also argued to move the case to the Court of Federal Claims in Washington.

Jacobs Rothstein rejected the arguments. Her temporary restraining order is in place for two weeks, pending a decision on a more extended injunction.
Public comments from President Donald Trump and his aides are once again scrambling the Justice Departments efforts to defend his administrations deportation policies in court.

A federal judge on Wednesday homed in on Trumps recent claim in a TV interview that he could, with a phone call, persuade El Salvador to return an illegally deported Salvadoran man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, to the United States.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said during a court hearing that Trumps claim appears to undercut the administrations legal position that it has no authority to return Abrego Garcia or hundreds of other immigrants the U.S. sent there in recent weeks, despite growing questions about the legality of the operation.

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Didnt the president say just last week that he could secure the return of Mr. Abrego Garcia simply by picking up the phone and asking the president of El Salvador to release him? Boasberg asked. Was the president telling the truth?

The inquiry forced Justice Department attorney Abhishek Kambli into a tricky spot.

That goes to the presidents belief about the influence that he has, Kambli said.

But influence, the DOJ attorney added, doesnt equate to legal control.



Boasberg, the chief federal district judge in Washington, D.C., is trying to discern whether the U.S. government retains constructive custody of nearly 140 Venezuelan immigrants who were hurriedly deported to El Salvador under Trumps mid-March invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used wartime power. If so, it would be possible to bring them back to receive due process, which Kambli reluctantly acknowledged they did not receive two months ago.

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The judge is now asking for an expedited fact-finding inquiry so that he can decide whether to advance the case further. He is asking for statements under oath from administration officials about the U.S. governments legal arrangement with El Salvador so that he can rule on whether the government does in fact retain custody of the prisoners it has sent overseas.

Another pointed exchange came as Boasberg pressed Kambli about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noems visit to the notorious Salvadoran prison, known as CECOT, where the deportees are being held. Noem claimed during the appearance that the prison was one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use.

Is she wrong about that? the judge asked.

Im not going to necessarily parse out every statement, Kambli demurred. Sometimes public statements lack the nuance of any given situation.

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Is that another way of saying these statements just arent true? the judge said.

No, thats not what Im saying at all, Kambli said.

Drilling down further, Boasberg pressed on whether the U.S. government is paying El Salvador to house the people it has deported there in partnership with the countrys president, Nayib Bukele, a close Trump ally. Kambli acknowledged that the U.S. government had paid grants to El Salvador for law enforcement and anti-crime purposes, which the country could use to house deported immigrants in its prisons.

Boasberg is weighing whether he still has authority to preside over ongoing litigation related to the El Salvador deportations. Early in the litigation, Boasberg issued a sweeping block on Trumps Alien Enemies Act deportations, but the Supreme Court lifted that block and ruled that challenges to future deportations had to be brought in the judicial districts where the detainees were being held. Many were in Texas at the time, and others have since filed suit in Colorado, California, Rhode Island and New York. But lawyers advocating for the release of the people who have already been deported to El Salvador say Boasberg can still preside over their case.

Boasberg also used Wednesdays hearing to force the Justice Department to acknowledge that those around Trump had spent weeks misrepresenting the Supreme Courts ruling. Trump allies have claimed that the high court upheld Trumps use of the Alien Enemies Act. But the justices intentionally avoided that question. In the meantime, three federal district court judges  in Texas, New York and Colorado  have ruled that Trumps use of the Alien Enemies Act was improper.


A federal judge ordered that rapper Lil Durk remain behind bars pending his trial on murder-for-hire charges, citing a report that he is violating jail rules by using other inmates phone accounts and engaging in three-way calls.

During a bail review hearing Thursday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue said the rapper, whose legal name is Durk Devontay Banks, showed a disrespect for the rules, by using 13 other inmates phone accounts at L.A.'s Metropolitan Detention Center.

Drew Findling, Banks attorney, argued that other inmates have done the same thing and said the defense team didn't "see it as an issue" that would prevent his release. He also told the judge that Banks, who was wearing a white prayer cap, was committed to his Muslim faith.

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Read more: Prosecutors say rapper Lil Durk may be linked to second killing as judge orders him jailed in L.A. case

Banks, 32, is accused of ordering the murder of Tyquian Bowman, a Georgia rapper called Quando Rondo, whose cousin was killed in a botched ambush near the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles in 2022. Banks has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Last week, prosecutors filed a superseding indictment that added a stalking resulting in death charge. That indictment removed prior references to lyrics it had previously said Banks used to commercialize the shooting death.

Prosecutors previously said Banks had rapped about his revenge with music that explicitly references audio from a news clip of Bowman screaming, No, no! after seeing his cousins body.

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At a December detention hearing, Findling told the court that the song prosecutors referenced was recorded eight months before the shooting.

During the Thursday hearing, Findling focused on the removal of those lyrics from the indictment, calling it provably false that his client had monetized and celebrated the death at the heart of this case."

This murder case is not about defendants lyrics and its not about his music. Its about his conduct, Assistant U.S. Atty. Ian Yanniello told the judge.

Yanniello said the defense team had failed to provide new information that undermined the judges original December ruling that Banks be detained. Referencing the jail calls, Yanniello said Banks "will not follow the rules."

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Findling repeatedly referred to the allegations against his client as "sweeping generalizations."

If you are going to allege dangerousness, there has to be some specifics," Findling told the judge.

Read more: Spirit Air, cramped hotels, In-N-Out: Police say Chicago hit men killed in L.A. on a budget

Although Findling said Banks was willing to hire around-the-clock security to ensure compliance with conditions imposed by the court, the judge questioned whether the guards would be willing to report the person paying them.

After the hearing, Findling said the case against his client "all comes down to one out of context text message."

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We feel that a 32 year-old man with no record should be entitled to time outside of the jail cell that he can spend with his family and colleagues," he said.

Banks' trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 14.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A federal district court judge in Minnesota ordered the release of a detained international student Monday after finding the Trump administration failed to show it didnt target him for speaking publicly about Palestine.

Minnesota State University-Mankato student Mohammed Hoque, a Bangladeshi national who entered the United States on a valid F-1 visa in 2021, was arrested by Department of Homeland Security officers outside his home in March, according to court documents.

Officers had followed the student home after class and arrested him  purportedly due to a visa revocation  in front of his parents who were there for a visit, documents show.

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Hoque was detained until US District Judge Jerry Blackwell ordered his release this week, saying his arrest matched a pattern of activity by the Trump administration targeting non-citizens who engaged in protest activity against the war in Gaza, raising concerns about First Amendment violations.

The record contains sufficiently clear evidence of viewpoint-based targeting for (Hoques) exercise of protected speech on a matter of public concern, the judge wrote in his order, adding that the arrest aligns with the publicly stated executive policy of targeting social media users who express support for Palestinian human rights and criticize violence in Gaza, as Petitioner had done.

Blackwell added the Department of Justice failed to present any evidence to justify Hoques initial arrest and his continued detention.

Hoque, a student of management information systems, has argued in court filings he was targeted for his political speech and not any immigration violations or criminal activity. Attorneys told the court Hoques student visa and Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record were terminated.

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CNN has reached out to the Justice Department for comment on the judges order.

Hoques case is among a string of recent student visa cancellations and revocations of statuses from SEVIS that have affected thousands of students across the United States amid a larger Trump administration immigration crackdown. In many instances, students and their attorneys said they believed their statuses were revoked because of minor entanglements with law enforcement like traffic violations or underage drinking.

In calling for Hoques visa to be revoked, the State Department cited two previous misdemeanor charges against him  including one misdemeanor assault charge he was never convicted of  and called him a threat to public safety, according to the judges order, which notes that the memo does not accurately represent that the student was never arrested, and instead completed a stayed sentence in mid-2024.

Court records show Hoque was convicted of disorderly conduct in 2023 in Minnesota  which the judge said is a crime that does not appear to support removability. CNN has reached out to Hoques lawyers for more information on the conviction.

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Hoque was released on bail Tuesday and has been reunited with his family, according to his attorneys.

Yesterday, Mohammed Hoque was released on bond, Teresa Nelson, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union in Minnesota said in a statement. While we celebrate that Mr. Hoque has been reunited with his family, we are deeply aware that Mr. Hoque should never have been detained in the first place. We know Mr. Hoque cant recoup the 40 days he spent in custody.

Reasoning for detaining the student kept changing, judge says

Shortly after his arrest, attorneys for Hoque filed suit against the Trump administration, and a habeas petition seeking to stop his transfer out of the state. Blackwell initially granted their motion for a temporary restraining order, which kept Hoque in detention in Minnesota.

During a bail hearing before an immigration judge last month, Hoque was found not to be a danger to the community despite the governments charges and ordered to be released. That decision was appealed by the government, which kept him in detention, according to the judges order.

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In his release order, Blackwell chided the government for changing charges against Hoque, apparently to keep him in custody. The lack of clarity has only supported Hoques claims that he was targeted for his speech, not any illegal activity, Blackwell wrote.

The judge said, the Government cited different reasons at different times for its actions, first citing failure to maintain status and foreign policy, then criminal records.

The Government also refers to requests and communications without providing the requests or communications themselves, Blackwell wrote. In the face of public evidence of a practice of targeting speech, these omissions are glaring and fail to rebut the evidence that the Government was motivated to arrest and detain Petitioner because he had spoken publicly about Palestine.

Now that Hoque has been released, the lawsuit will move forward along with the immigration proceedings that the Department of Homeland Security has started against him.

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Its not just visa holders that have been targeted by the Trump administrations crackdown. Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Madawi  pro-Palestinian activists at Columbia University  are now fighting deportation after the State Department ordered revocation of their permanent legal resident status, commonly known as a green card, and arrested them in March and April, respectively.

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A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Delta Air Lines must face a class action lawsuit over flights delayed or canceled last July due to computer outages.

U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen approved five plaintiffs to pursue breach of contract claims based on Deltas failure to refund. Nine plaintiffs attempted civil action against the company, which allegedly canceled more than 4,500 flights between July 19 and 21 last year.

The airline said it was unable to resume operations due to its reliance on CrowdStrike and Microsoft, both of which had system outages.

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However, plaintiffs allege that CrowdStrike contacted Delta to offer assistance and resources within hours of the incident and that CrowdStrikes CEO even personally reached out to Deltas CEO to provide onsite assistance, but Delta repeatedly either declined the offers or did not respond, according to legal filings.

One plaintiff, John Brennan of Florida, said he and his wife missed a $10,000 anniversary cruise after Delta stranded them in an Atlanta layover, yet the carrier offered just $219.45 in compensation, as reported by Reuters.

Delta filed a motion to dismiss the case under the the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, a measure that removed government control over airline fares, routes and market entry.

Cohen ruled in favor of its dismissal under the law for four cases, but the other five will proceed forward under the Montreal Convention, an international treaty that governs airline liability, particularly in cases of passenger death, injury, or damage to baggage and cargo, according to court documents.

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Delta Air Lines did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Military families whose drinking water became contaminated with jet fuel in 2021 on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, have won their cases against the U.S. Navy, with a federal judge confirming Thursday that the residents were exposed to an environmental hazard and sickened by it.

U.S. District Court Judge Leslie Kobayashi said that under the Federal Tort Claims Act, the Navy was liable for the spill at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility near Honolulu and should pay damages for pain and suffering -- and, in some cases, future medical expenses and economic loss -- to the families.

"By a preponderance of the evidence, the court finds and concludes that [the] defendant is liable under the [Federal Tort Claims Act] and with the application of Hawaii law," Kobayashi wrote in her opinion issued Wednesday.

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Read Next: Tweaks to Army's Physical Fitness Test Are Relatively Modest

As many as 93,000 people were exposed to jet fuel and other contaminants in their military residences over Thanksgiving in 2021 after a pipe ruptured at the Red Hill fuel tank farm, sending up to 5,000 gallons of fuel into a nearby well that supplied drinking water to the base and elsewhere.

Following the spill, families were not immediately notified, and when they began complaining about the smell as well as symptoms such as rashes, nausea, vomiting, headaches and other problems, Navy officials told them the contamination was minimal.

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It was later revealed that the fuel was in the pipe as a result of a massive spill in May.

The lawsuit alleged the Navy was negligent in preventing and handling the public health crisis that occurred as a result of the spill, saying it failed to announce the leak in a timely manner and efforts to flush out the contamination did more harm.

It also said the government failed to provide appropriate medical care to families.

The original case, Feindt v. United States, was filed in August 2022. Since then, two additional lawsuits have been filed, representing more than 7,500 service members, military dependents and civilian residents across the cases.

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During the Feindt trial, which took place in April 2024, Kobayashi heard testimony from 17 families, known as "bellwether plaintiffs" because they represented individuals across the suits.

Under the judge's ruling, the 17 were awarded damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses and, in one case, economic damages.

"These families can be proud that they helped prove to the world what truly happened when the Navy poisoned the water supply near Pearl Harbor and sickened so many," Kristina Baehr, an attorney with Just Well Law, said in a statement Thursday. "The court rejected the government's argument that thousands of our clients were just psychosomatic and that there was not enough fuel to make anyone sick."

The spill and its aftermath led the Navy to shut the facility and remove the fuel from its storage tanks. In all, the service relocated 104 million gallons of jet fuel and diesel from Red Hill and is moving forward with reactivating the water supply system in the area.

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The cost of the facility's cleanup and closure has been more than $2 billion, according to government reports.

Altogether, the families were awarded a total of $540,500 in various amounts for emotional distress, while several families received awards totaling $38,489.15 for future medical expenses and plaintiff Patrick Feindt received $2,144 for economic damages.

Each family also received $1,000 each for "loss of enjoyment of life," according to court documents.

In a release, attorneys for the plaintiffs called the awards "disappointing," but added that they were "a step forward in our clients' pursuit of justice."

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Army Major Mandy Feindt, whose husband Patrick Feindt was the lead plaintiff in the original case, said Thursday that the ruling held the Navy liable and "put the Defense Department on notice."

"You can no longer poison our people and get away with it," Feindt said in a statement to Military.com. "If this crisis tells us nothing else, it should be that our warfighters cannot be 'mission ready' if they are sick or if the military is making their family sick."

The two other cases, Jessica Whaley et al. v. United States, which represents active-duty personnel who say they were harmed by the spill, and Hughes et al. v. United States, also are pending in Hawaii federal court.

The ruling Wednesday is likely to weigh heavily on the outcomes of the other cases and for the 7,500 claims filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

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The Department of Justice, which represented the federal government in the Feindt case, declined to comment on the decision, citing ongoing litigation.

Related: 1,000 More Pearl Harbor Area Residents Join Lawsuit over Red Hill Fuel Spill
A judge ruled this week that Bryan Kohbergers immediate family may attend his upcoming murder trial in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students even if they might be called to testify.

Sometimes, witnesses in criminal cases are excluded from attending trials to prevent them from shaping their testimony around what other witnesses have told the jury.

However, Judge Steven Hippler wrote that the Sixth Amendment entitles him to, at the very least to have his friends, relatives and counsel present, no matter with what offense he may be charged.

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Judge Hippler went on to say that having family members present at trial ensures fair proceedings and reminds the prosecutor and judge of their grave responsibilities. He also said that it discourages perjury and encourages witnesses to come forward.

Securing a fair trial is something Kohbergers defense team has flagged multiple times, pointing to the large media coverage of the case. They also noted that the emotions of the close-knit Moscow community may make it difficult to find an impartial jury. The trial was moved out of the county where the university resides.

Hippler said the court must balance Kohbergers right to a public trial with the states interest in obtaining forthright testimony from witnesses.

The judge added that there is little risk of Kohbergers family members shaping their testimony around other witnesses because they have previously given recorded interviews that will help guard against them changing their story. Also, he noted, the scope of their testimony is narrow and likely wont be tied to the testimony of other witnesses.

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Kohberger is accused of murdering Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin at an off-campus home in November 2022.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Jury selection is set to begin on July 30 of this year.

The trial is scheduled to begin on August 11 and is expected to last through November 7.

If convicted, prosecutors are asking he face the death penalty.
A slain Arizona man's family used AI to bring him back from the dead for his killer's sentencing hearing  and the judge presiding over the case apparently "loved" it.

As 404 Media reports, judge Todd Lang was flabbergasted when he saw the AI-generated video of victim Chris Peskey that named and "forgave" the man who killed him in 2021.

"To Gabriel Horcasitas, the man who shot me, it is a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances," the video, which Peskey's sister Stacey Wales generated, intoned. "In another life we probably could have been friends. I believe in forgiveness, in God who forgives, I always have. And I still do."

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Found guilty earlier this year, Horcasitas' sentencing was contingent, as many cases are, upon various factors, including impact statements from the victim's family.

As Wales told 404 Media, her husband Tim was initially freaked out when she introduced the idea of creating a digital clone of her brother for the hearing and told her she was "asking a lot."

Ultimately, the video was accepted in the sentencing hearing, the first known instance of an AI clone of a deceased person being used in such a way.

And the gambit appears to have paid off.

"I loved that AI, and thank you for that," Lang said, per a video of his pre-sentencing speech. "As angry as you are, and as justifiably angry as the family is, I heard the forgiveness, and I know Mr. Horcasitas could appreciate it, but so did I."

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"I feel like calling him Christopher as weve gotten to know him today," Lang continued. "I feel that that was genuine, because obviously the forgiveness of Mr. Horcasitas reflects the character I heard about today."

Lang acknowledged that although the family itself "demanded the maximum sentence," the AI Pelkey "spoke from his heart" and didn't call for such punishment.

"I didnt hear him asking for the maximum sentence," the judge said.

Horcasitas' lawyer also referenced the Peskey avatar when defending his client and, similarly, said that he also believes his client and the man he killed could have been friends had circumstances been different.

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That entreaty didn't seem to mean much, however, to Lang. He ended up sentencing Horcasitas to 10.5 years for manslaughter, which was a year and a half more than prosecutors were seeking.

It's a surprising reaction, showing that many are not only open to AI being used this way, but also in favor of it  evidence that the chasm between AI skeptics and adopters could be widening.

More on AI fakery: Slop Farmer Boasts About How He Uses AI to Flood Social Media With Garbage to Trick Older Women
LONDON (AP)  Jurors in the case of two men charged with cutting down the Sycamore Gap tree that once stood along the ancient Hadrian's Wall in northern England did not reach a verdict Thursday after several hours of deliberations.

Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, have pleaded not guilty to two counts each of criminal damage. The former friends each testified that they were at their separate homes that night and not involved.

Justice Christina Lambert told jurors in Newcastle Crown Court to take as long as they need to reach unanimous verdicts in the trial that began April 28.

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Jurors began deliberations just before noon and were sent home a little more than four hours later without reaching a verdict. They resume deliberations Friday.

The tree was not Britains biggest or oldest, but it was prized for its picturesque setting along the ancient wall built by Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 122 to protect the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire.

The tree was long known to locals but achieved international fame in Kevin Costners 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. It sat symmetrically between two hills along the historic wall and was a draw for tourists, landscape photographers and those taking selfies for social media.

Prosecutors said the tree's value exceeded 620,000 pounds ($830,000) and damage to the wall, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was assessed at 1,100 pounds ($1,460).

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Prosecutor Richard Wright told jurors in his closing argument that the men cut the tree down for a bit of a laugh in the dark of night during a blustery storm on Sept. 28, 2023, but had failed to realize the outrage they would spark in the "arboreal equivalent of mindless thuggery.

They woke up the morning after and soon realized  as the news media rolled in, as the outrage of the public became clear  it must have dawned on them that they couldnt see anyone else smiling, Wright said. Far from being the big men they thought they were, everyone else thought that they were rather pathetic.

The two men had once been best friends. But during the trial Graham blamed Carruthers and another man for cutting down the tree, saying they tried to frame him by taking his car to the scene of the crime and using his phone to shoot video of the tree being cut down.

Andrew Gurney, a lawyer for Carruthers, said Grahams story didnt add up and he was projecting his guilt on his former friend.

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Is that a plausible chain of events or is that the desperate story of a man caught out? Gurney said.

Wright mocked the duo's defense, saying common sense and a trail of evidence should lead jurors to convict them for their moronic mission.

Prosecutors showed grainy video from Grahams phone of the tree being cut down  a video sent shortly afterward to Carruthers' phone. Metadata showed it was taken at the tree's location in Northumberland National Park. Data showed Graham's Range Rover had traveled there.

Wright said he couldn't say who cut the tree and who held the phone, but the two were the only people in the world who had the video on their devices.

Text and voice messages exchanged the following day between Carruthers and Graham captured their excitement as the story went viral.
Within just a few hours of white smoke rising out of the Vatican, MAGA is already fuming over the new pope.

Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the new leader of the Catholic Church Thursday, becoming the first American pontiff. But like any American, Pope Leo XIV seems to have his own opinions about President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. (Spoiler alert: He doesnt seem like a fan!)

Charlie Kirk, the Christian nationalist founder of Turning Point USA, started out backing Prevosts selection, pointing to his apparent Republican voting record, but seemed to descend into doubt.

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In a video posted to X, Kirk initially appeared nonplussed as he aired his concerns about Pope Leos not-so-great tweets. The right-wing fanatic was referring to several old reposts by an X account associated with the name Robert Prevost, which has been confirmed as belonging to the new pope.

Kirk mused that perhaps an American pope had been selected because they want a voice that is also for the opening of American borders while we have President Trump!

God Save the Church, Jack Posobiec, the pitiable MAGA activist covering the papal conclave for The Charlie Kirk Show, wrote in a post on X.

The End Wokeness account on X posted screenshots of reposts from Prevosts account, including posts that criticized Trumps first-term immigration polices, one that advocated for gun reform, and another that advocated to end racism in our hearts and in society, in the wake of George Floyds murder.

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While Kirk seemed less certain about what exactly Pope Leos appointment meant for the future, far-right internet troll Laura Loomer was decidedly more  decided. Just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican, she wrote in a post on X. Catholics dont have anything good to look forward to.

Loomer spread her vitriol across several posts about the new popes supposed online activity. The new Pope once retweeted a post about how we need to keep praying for career criminal & drug addict George Floyd, she wrote in another post. The tweet said, May all hatred, violence and prejudice be eradicated. What prejudice? Is that another way to spell FENTANYL OVERDOSE? MARXIST POPE!

In another post, she simply wrote, WOKE MARXIST POPE.

This is the same woman who met with the president last month to advise that he oust multiple staffers on his National Security Counciland he did.

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Other MAGA voices werent quite as disturbedeven the really far-right ones. Ryan Girdusky, a political consultant who previously wrote for notorious neo-Nazi Richard Spencer, counseled caution, in a post on X.

Trying to fit the ideology of the Pope in the context of American politics is a fruitless endeavor, he wrote. If youre Catholic, pray that hes a good steward of the Church and defends the throne of Christ as the successor of Peter.

This story has been updated.
Successful collaborations with country music star Lainey Wilson and the launch of the fit-focused line Bespoke has elevated Wranglers womens business in the U.S. The brand aims to recreate that magic on the global stage. At just 10 percent of global revenue, Baxter said Wranglers female business is just getting started.

Wrangler brand global revenue was up 3 percent to $420 million. The heritage brands U.S. revenue increased 3 percent, driven by a 14 percent increase in DTC and a 2 percent increase in wholesale.

International revenue was $130 million, down 7 percent compared to prior year. Wholesale decreased 8 percent and DTC decreased 2 percent. The company saw a 4 percent decrease in Europe, driven by a 3 percent decrease in DTC and a 4 percent decrease in wholesale. Asia decreased 3 percent and non-U.S. Americas decreased 18 percent.

U.S. revenue was flat compared to the prior year at $493 million. U.S. wholesale revenue saw a slight 1 percent decrease, while DTC increased 11 percent, driven by a 17 percent increase in digital partially offset by a 4 percent decrease in brick-and-mortar retail.

Joe Alkire, Kontoor chief financial officer, said softer than anticipated point of sales (POS) in key accounts in the first quarter was offset by strength in Western, DTC and international businesses relative to the companys plans.

Kontoors global revenue was flat with the prior year and consistent with its outlook. Global revenue was $623 million, down one percent and just below the estimated $626.32 million. On an adjusted basis, EPS was $1.20, a 3 percent increase compared to the prior year.

This time will be no different. We have operated through multiple cycles and have the team and operating playbook to not only navigate the current environment but come through the other side even stronger, he said.

In the companys Q1 2025 earnings call on Tuesday, Kontoor president, CEO and chairman Scott Baxter reiterated how the company is focused on controlling what it cana strategy that has helped Kontoor maneuver other moments of disruption and uncertainty such as cotton spikes, inflation and ocean freight disruptions.

Kontoor Brands, the parent company of Wrangler and Lee, ended the first quarter of 2025 preparing for the effects of President Donald Trumps tariffs and closing in on its $900 million deal to acquire Norwegian outdoor and workwear brand Helly Hansen from Canadian retailer Canadian Tire Corp.

Story Continues

What used to simply draft off the male business is now a dedicated focus. We are targeting the female consumer and seeing results, giving me tremendous confidence in the long-term growth opportunity in the years ahead, he said.

The expansion of rodeo culture is fueling the brands Western business as well. The category saw mid-teens growth in Q1 and wholesale customers are healthy and growing.

Lee brand global revenue was $200 million, down 9 percent compared to prior year. The brands U.S. revenue decreased 8 percent driven by a 9 percent decrease in wholesale. Lees international revenue decreased 11 percent driven by a 15 percent decrease in wholesale. Baxter said this performance was expected.

Lee x Buck Mason

Our brand repositioning is tracking to plan, and we are seeing green shoots that give us confidence in sequential improvement going forward. Our new creative vision is starting to show up in the marketplace. We are driving better segmentation across consumer types, sharpening our storytelling to be more aligned with Lees consumer, and addressing challenges in mid-tier distribution. We are confident we have the right team in place and a new strategic playbook to build our way back to growth over time, he said.

Kontoors acquisition of Helly Hansen is on track to close at the end of this month. Kontoor expects the business to contribute approximately $425 million to 2025 revenue, approximately $37 million to 2025 adjusted operating income, and approximately 20 cents to 2025 adjusted EPS. Additionally, Kontoor anticipates the Helly Hansen to contribute approximately $50 million to 2025 cash flow from operations.

Baxter outlined a value creation framework the company will follow to accelerate Helly Hansens growth through a combination of wholesale and retail expansion, strong digital growth and investments in demand creation. He added that he sees see a clear path to double-digit growth for the brand in the U.S. market as well as opportunities in DTC, China, global workwear and category expansion.

Additionally, Kontoors supply chain and global scale is poised to provide Helly Hansen with capability enhancements and significant cost advantages. For example, Alkire said Helly Hansens freight expenses will decrease between 10- 20 percent.

By leveraging our global operating platform, we have clear line of sight to double Hellys operating margin over time by both gross margin expansion and SG&A leverage. This will create additional investment capacity to further accelerate top line growth, improve profitability and cash flow, and generate even greater long-term value for our shareholders, he said.

While Kontoors business has become more volatile week to week, Alkire said overall trends have generally improved over the past two months.

On tariffs, Baxter said the company does not expect an impact to second-quarter results due to recently announced policy changes and mitigating actions have been put in motion that would begin in the third quarter should tariffs proved to be more permanent. As an organization, we challenge ourselves to look around corners. Coming through the supply chain disruptions over the last several years, we put plans in motion to create a more agile organization, he said.

Alkire said most of the companys expected 2025 U.S. production volume originates from Bangladesh, Mexico, Egypt, Pakistan and Kenya. What Kontoor sources in China is for the Chinese market. Helly Hansens U.S. production volume originates from South Asia, but Alkire pointed out that 75 percent of the brands global revenue is outside of the U.S.

Should tariffs remain at the currently proposed levels on all imports, the unmitigated impact to operating profit in 2025 is approximately $50 million, including Helly Hansen, he said. This assumes no mitigating actions, including transferring production within our global supply chain, pricing increases, inventory management, supplier partnership initiatives and other proactive mitigating cost actions.

Efforts like a SKU level analysispart of Project Jeanius, the three-year initiative to transform Kontoors global operating model, as well as enhance and optimize its supply chainis increasing flexibility within Kontoors manufacturing and sourcing operations. Baxter said this initiative has given the company a tremendous head start and will help offset the impact from tariffs in a year.

While we are not immune over the near-term, our supply chain is a competitive advantage. We expect to begin to offset the impact of tariffs beginning in the third quarter of this year and we expect the mitigated impact of tariffs in 2025 to be below $50 million and are confident we can substantially offset the impact of tariffs within a 12- to 18-month period, Alkire said.

Despite these challenges, Alkire said Kontoor does not see any meaningful change in its ability to deliver full year commitments. Full year revenue is now expected to be in the range of $3.06 billion to $3.09 billion, representing growth of 17-19 percent. Revenue is expected to increase 4 percent to $630 million in Q2.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  The loved ones of those arrested in Nashville Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Tennessee Highway Patrols public safety operation has demanded answers; other community members gathered Wednesday night in what they called a show of strength for those families.

Dozens of people gathered in the parking lot of Glencliff High School in South Nashville with candles, showing support for all those affected by ICE activity within the past week. According to a Wednesday statement from the THP, the operation with ICE resulted in more than 350 traffic stops and ICE detained 94 individuals. ICE had previously told News 2 that 84 people had been detained.

RELATED: Nashville releases timeline of ICE activity across city

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Molly Kramer was in attendance.

I just had to do something, Kramer said. I feel really heartbroken about whats happening  people being taken away with no due process because of their immigration status. I just think its disgusting  I just wanted to bring my kids out and let them see that their community is not going to allow this to go on.

Metro Councilmember Ginny Welsch was one of several leading the vigil.

Theres a lot of talk about people being illegal or people being this or that  and no human being is illegal, Welsch said. When people in our community can be randomly scooped up, when they can be randomly taken away from their families, no information given out. No one is safe. We have Constitutional rights and we need to stand up for those Constitutional rights.

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Welsch said the show of support is also a call to action.

We cant just stand aside when they are being abused by a system, Welsch added. We just cant accept that, and we need to make sure that we are taking action to push back and push back strong.

SEE ALSO: Immigrant community on alert amid reports of ICE activity in Nashville and beyond

She mentions how much immigrants here add to the Nashville community and beyond.

They add so much to our life here and to the culture of our city, Welsch said. Our city is not what it is without them.

Families like Kramers braved the rain to also stand up for what they believe in.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
May 7SAN ANTONIO  The Department of Justice on Wednesday announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department's Criminal Division, and United States Attorney's Offices around the country.

"The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims  especially child victims  and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate."

"Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we're sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children."

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In the Western District of Texas, five individuals were arrested and charged with federal crimes, including Kevin Dale Franklin Jr. in El Paso, charged with receipt and distribution of child pornography; Zaid Mashhour Haddad and Mario Garcia Martinez in San Antonio, charged with access with intent to view child pornography and possession of child pornography, respectively; James Christopher Hoyt in Austin, charged with distribution of material involved the sexual exploitation of children; and Dakota Gunther Vaught in Pecos, charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

"Cases involving the sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, will always be a priority for this U.S. Attorney's Office, as it is most certainly our duty to protect our most vulnerable citizenschildren," said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. "These operations are significant in that they bring a vast number of resources together to carry out a shared mission and highlight critical criminal cases, but know that we work with our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners year-round and around the clock to investigate, arrest, and prosecute those who violate children, their rights and federal law."

"The FBI El Paso Crimes Against Children Task Force is unwavering in its mission to combat the horrific crime of child exploitation," said FBI El Paso Field Office Special Agent in Charge John Morales. "We pursue these cases relentlessly, every day, without exception because protecting children from predators is among our highest priorities, and we will stop at nothing to identify, investigate the abuse of innocent children, and bring these monstrous individuals responsible to justice. Day-in and day-out we work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure these predators face the full consequences of their depraved actions. Let this message be clear: if you exploit a child, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will make sure you face the full power of the justice system. There will be no refuge for those who prey on our most innocent and vulnerable."

Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

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In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

This effort follows the Department's observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and underscores the Department's unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)  Authorities arrested two juveniles in connection with an April 27 shooting in a Summerville neighborhood.

Deputies responded to the Dorchester County Fire Rescue Station on W. Fifth North Street after a shooting victim arrived seeking help. It was determined that the shooting happened on Renau Street in Summerville.

After interviewing witnesses, investigators identified the suspects as a pair of juveniles aged 12 and 16.

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According to the Dorchester County Sheriffs Office, the 12-year-old was identified as the shooter. He was arrested on a slew of charges, including assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, unlawful possession of a pistol, and pointing and presenting a firearm.

The 16-year-old was also arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to a felony and unlawful possession of a pistol.

The Dorchester County Sheriffs Office is working closely with the First Circuit Solicitors Office to ensure those responsible are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, the Dorchester County Sheriffs Office said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
What do Kansas Catholics want from the next Pope?

MANHATTAN (KSNT)  Wednesday, May 7 marks the official start to the Catholic Churchs search for the 267th leader.

27 News met with a local spiritual leader to find out what they hope for in the next Pope. Father Leo Blasi at Seven Dolors Catholic Parish in Manhattan, said Pope Francis was definitely a Pope for the poor and marginalized, groups that have been a focus of the church from the beginning.

Kansas professor weighs in on Trumps 100% foreign film tariffs

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In addition to continuing that outreach by the former Pontiff, the biggest hope Father Leo has for the next Pope has to do with unity.

Christ wanted the church to be one, Father Leo said, so anything that our Pontiff can do to bring that church back into unity is something that I would be supportive of.

27 News asked the Father the million dollar question, when he thinks the conclave will decide on the next Pope. Father Leo expects the decision to take days, not weeks, though the Father noted only the Spirit knows.

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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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
A U.S. Department of Education employee leaves the building with their belongings on March 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump was set to sign an executive order later in the day calling on Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure" of the agency. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

President Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency have declared war on the U.S. Department of Education, dismissing it as a con job and calling for its dismantling. Theres no doubt that inefficiencies exist in government, but eliminating the department altogether isnt reform  its a reckless gamble with the future of millions of children.

At the heart of this attack is the idea that federal education programs  especially those focused on diversity, equity and inclusion  are unnecessary. But this framing ignores the real issue: federal education funding isnt about political buzzwords. Its about ensuring that every child, no matter where they live or how much their parents earn, has a fair shot at a quality education.

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For decades, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act has helped level the playing field, sending federal dollars to schools in low-income communities that lack local resources. Without this support, children in underfunded districts will be left behind, stuck in overcrowded classrooms with outdated textbooks and too few teachers to give them the attention they deserve.

This issue isnt about ideology. Its about fairness.

Other legislation executed by the Department of Education focuses on our most vulnerable children. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, passed in 1975, guarantees that students with disabilities receive the support they need to learn alongside their peers. Federal funding helps schools provide speech therapy, assistive technology and specialized instruction for children who would otherwise be pushed to the margins. Slashing this funding sends a message: that these students dont matter.

Perhaps the most devastating move is the gutting of the Institute for Education Sciences and its statistical branch, the National Center for Education Statistics  the backbone of education research in this country. These agencies dont deal in politics; they deal in facts. They provide data on which states have the highest testing scores on our only national test. They fund research on trends in student outcomes, understanding which innovations work with struggling readers and which do not, and how our bilingual students fare after they exit an English learning program.

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Without them, education policy will be based on guesswork instead of evidence.

As an example, the elimination of What Works Clearinghouse means that schools will no longer have an unbiased source to evaluate curriculum, textbooks and learning programs. Without WWC, districts will have to rely on flashy marketing brochures rather than independent research. Schools will waste money on ineffective programs, and students will pay the price.

Make no mistake: these cuts will not just hurt bureaucrats in Washington. They will hurt children, families, and teachers in every corner of this country, including those in Kansas. Parents will lose access to vital information about their schools. Teachers will be left without the latest research on how to help struggling students. And students with disabilities will be denied the tools they need to succeed.

Yes, cut the fat. But dont bring a chainsaw to education. Once these programs are gone, rebuilding them will take decades  while an entire generation of students is left behind.

Marianne Perie is the former director of the Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation at the University of Kansas. After working in the field of educational measurement for 30 years, she now runs a private consulting firm in Stilwell. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
Theres a new chapter in the spat between Karl Rove and President Donald Trump, and Trumps not going to like it very much.

In a Wednesday editorial in the Wall Street Journal, the veteran Republican strategist doubled down on his earlier assessment that Trumps in very bad shape on some issues, especially the economy.

That opinion, offered last week on Fox News, triggered an immediate response from Trump on social media, where he called Rove a total Loser whos been wrong about almost everything!

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Rove seemed to find the situation almost amusing as he mulled it over Wednesday.

Im glad he was watching but am a bit cloudy on how I got under the presidents skin, he wrote.

Maybe he doesnt like to be second-guessed, he ventured. Maybe my praise wasnt lavish enough.

Rove then returned to the same line of thought that seems to have irked Trump in the first place, assessing all the ways the president is self-sabotaging his second term.

As before, Rove argued, Trump remains very weak on the economy, keeps shooting himself in the foot with weird distractions like imagining himself as the pope, and his repeated claim he cant bring back immigrants hes wrongly imprisoned in an El Salvador prison seems especially feeble.

Dont waste more time arguing about whether Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a bad guy, Rove advised Trump. Or intimate he cant be retrieved from the El Salvador prison. The latter reeks of weakness.

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Bring Mr. Garcia back to the U.S. and put him in a courtroom. If hes as bad as the president says, then its game, set, match. If not, hell get justice and the issue will fade.

Turning to tariffs, Rove marveled at how poorly Trump has tried to sell them to the American public by repeatedly saying young girls will have to sacrifice by getting fewer dolls at Christmas.

These comments made him sound like Scrooge, Rove wrote. Get less, pay more isnt a winning message.

Rove closed with a pledge to keep doing what hes been doing, presidential name-calling be damned:

My job as a commentator remains: call balls and strikes. Ill keep doing that. And Ill be grateful whenever the president tunes in. Americans want their president to succeed, no matter who he is or what party we are.

Related...
Originally appeared on E! Online

Kate Middleton is giving a fashionable nod to Princess Diana.

The 43-year-old, who is married to Dianas son Prince William, honored her late mother-in-law as she stepped out alongside her husband for a service marking the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day at Westminster Abbey in London May 8.

During the occasion, the Princess of Wales wore a pair of Collingwood teardrop earrings previously belonging to Diana, who was gifted the accessories by the London-based jeweler prior to her wedding to King Charles in 1981. She also wore a black and white polka dot dress with long sleeves, cinched cuffs and a high neckline, finishing the look with a black hat, brown shoes and a matching brown handbag.

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Kates dress also served as a subtle tribute to Diana, who died in 1997 after a tragic car crash in Paris. The late royal famously wore a similar ensemble to the Royal Ascot in 1988, complete with a matching wide-brim hat and heels.

For more royal news, keep reading.

More from E! Online

The event also saw William and Katewho wed in 2011 and share kids Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7put on a united front days after Prince Harry discussed his strained relationship with his family, particularly over the slashing of his security protection in the U.K.

Samir Hussein/WireImage; Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

There have been so many disagreements, differences between me and some of my family, he told The BBC in an interview aired May 2. This current situation that has been on our ongoing for five years with regard to human life and safety is the sticking point. It is the only thing that's left.

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And while Harry expressed his hope for reconciliation with his relatives, he admitted that his 2023 memoir Spare could complicate his wish.

Some members my family will never forgive me for writing a book, he continued. Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things.

For more royal news, keep reading.

Prince Harry Loses Appeal to Dismiss Decision in His Security Protection Case

Over one year after the High Court denied additional security protection through the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, Prince Harrys legal fight ended when the courts dismissed the case May 2. His and Meghan Markles security was lessened after they stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2021 and moved to the United States. However, in the years that followed, Harry had requested security while visiting the U.K. The Duke of Sussex told the BBC May 2 that he was devastated about losing his legal battle. He emphasized, I cant see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.





Prince Harry and King Charles III Are Not Speaking

Harry told the BBC May 2 that his father King Charles III wont speak to him because of this security stuff, but added that it would be nice to reconcile. The Duke of Sussex, who shares kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet with Meghan, said that he would love to reconnect with his family. But the ball is in his dads court. I cant see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point, he said. Its really quite sad that I wont be able to show my children my homeland. There is a lot of control and ability in my fathers hands, ultimately this whole thing could be resolved through him, Harry added. Not necessarily by intervening but by stepping aside and allowing the experts to do what is necessary and to carry on. Despite the years of conflict, hes waving the white flag in hopes of reconciliation. He added, Life is precious, I dont know how much longer my father has.





King Charles III Shares Insight Into His Cancer Diagnosis

Over one year after King Charles shared his cancer diagnosis, he wrote April 29 that his health journey and cancer treatment are experiences that bring into sharp focus the very best of humanity." "Each diagnosis, each new case, will be a daunting and at times frightening experience for those individuals and their loved ones," Charles wrote in the booklet for the reception to provide resources for those with cancer. But as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch for the fact that it can also be an experience that brings into sharp focus the very best of humanity." He also thanked healthcare workers who helped him amid his journey, adding, It has certainly given me an even deeper appreciation of the extraordinary work undertaken by the remarkable organisations and individuals gathered here this evening, many of whom I have known, visited and supported over the years.





Prince William and Kate Middletons Family Skips Royal Familys Easter Service

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis did not attend the royal familys annual Easter service at St George's Chapel in Windsor April 20. While King Charles III and Queen Camilla celebrated with the rest of the royal family, William and Kate decided to spend the weekend at their Norfolk country home with their kids, multiple outlets reported. Their absence marked the second Easter they skipped, with the 2024 holiday taking place a week after the Princess of Wales announced her cancer diagnosis.

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Royal Aide Who Accused Meghan Markle Of Bullying Receives a Promotion

Jason Knauf was announced as the new CEO of Prince Williams organization, The Earthshot Prize, April 15. He shared a statement on the website that he was looking forward to working with our exceptional team and incredible Earthshot community to advance our mission of urgent optimism for our planet. His promotion came nearly seven years after he made a complaint against Meghan Markle, accusing her of bullying two personal assistants and seeking to undermine a third staff member. A spokesperson for the Sussexes denied the allegations and told The Times that the rumors were part of a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation. Buckingham Palace investigated the allegations and the case was wrapped up in 2022 without any findings made public.





Prince George Makes His First Public Appearance of 2025

William and Kates eldest son George attended a soccer match in Paris alongside his dad April 7. The father-son duo were all smiles at the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final game as the Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa FC faced off at the Parc des Princes stadium.





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.

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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.





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."

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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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As the United Kingdom wrapped up their commemorations of the the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, the royal family attended a concert at Horse Guards Parade.

Joining the royals was Kate Middleton, who looked lovely in a white Self-Portrait dress, accessorizing with pearl jewelryincluding what appears to be the five-strand pearl necklace from jeweler Susan Caplan that she debuted on Holocaust Memorial Day.

Chris Jackson - Getty Images

She also seemed to be wearing pearl cluster earrings from Orelia, which retail at just $63 (though they are currently out of stock).

WPA Pool - Getty Images

The dress appears to be the Self-Portraits Cream Tailored Boucle and Chiffon Midi Dress that the Princess has worn on previous occasions, including to a concert celebrating Queen Elizabeths Platinum Jubilee. Kate is a longtime fan of the brand.

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Also in attendance this evening were King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

K

Chris Jackson - Getty Images

Chris Jackson - Getty Images

Earlier today, the royals attended a Westminster Abbey service, where Kate wore earrings that belonged to Princess Diana, and repeated a polka dot Alessandra Rich dress.

Attending today's VE Day 80th anniversary service at Westminster Abbey was a powerful reminder of the courage, sacrifice and resilience of those who served, the Prince and Princess of Wales posted on social media. An honour to mark this historic moment and give thanks alongside veterans and families.

Tonights concert marks the end of the commemorations surrounding VE Day 80. On Monday, they kicked off with a military parade and a flypast, which the royals watched from the Buckingham Palace balcony. Kate and William brought their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, for that event, marking their first public engagement of the year.

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A lip reader broke down the Wales familys comments while attending a royal engagement together on May 5.

At one point, Kate Middleton appeared to make a flirty comment about her husband, Prince William, to her daughter, Princess Charlotte.

As evidenced by William and Kates 14th anniversary trip to Scotland last week, the Prince and Princess of Wales seem more in love than ever.







Never is a lip readers service perhaps more employed than after a Buckingham Palace balcony appearanceand there was one earlier this week, when Prince William and Kate Middleton were, in a surprise appearance, joined by kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis to kick off four days worth of commemorations for VE Days 80th anniversary (which falls on May 8).

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At one point, the Princess of Wales made a flirty comment about her husband the Prince of Wales, who was in military uniform for the days events. Turning to her daughter Charlottewho had just turned 10 years old three days before on May 2Kate said of her husband (via People), Doesnt Papa look smart today? (Papa is the affectionate nickname George, Charlotte, and Louis call their dad.)

Getty Prince William and Prince George on May 5, 2025 Prince William and Prince George on May 5, 2025

Getty Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte on May 5, 2025 Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte on May 5, 2025

William and Kate, who met in 2001 as first-year students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, recently traveled back to the Isles of Mull and Iona in that country on their 14th wedding anniversary on April 29and looked more in love than ever while there. Of the couples recent ramp up in PDA, royal biographer Ingrid Seward told People, They are able to express themselves in a way they would never have done before.

They feel they are very lucky to be married to each other, royal historian and writer Dr. Amanda Foreman told the outlet. Their marriage is strong, and they are being honest about it.

Getty Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29, 2025 Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29, 2025

Elsewhere on Monday, just before the RAF Red Arrows flypast took place, Kate was surrounded by her kids on the palace balcony and said, Eyes to the sky, lip reader Nicola Hickling told Hello!.

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Speaking specifically to Louiswho had a whale of a time MondayKate added, When the flypast comes, you will see it smoke blue, white, and red, which left the youngest child of William and Kate immediately intrigued, People reported. Pointing to the planes, Louis added, Look at the [back/black] onethey have lots of tanks.

Getty Prince George, Prince Louis, Kate Middleton, and Princess Charlotte Prince George, Prince Louis, Kate Middleton, and Princess Charlotte

Getty Prince Louis and Prince William on May 5, 2025 Prince Louis and Prince William on May 5, 2025

Louis had strong opinions earlier in the day, which he told William during the military march that preceded the flypast. While sitting front row at the Queen Victoria Memorial to watch 1,300 members of the Armed Forces honor veterans of World War II, Louis (God love him) turned to his dad and said, as a 7-year-old is prone to do, Wasnt this supposed to be fun?

Per The Sun, William handled the situation like a pro, telling Louis, It is, son. He added, Its not going to be long, and I want you to be taking an interest.

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British entrepreneur Emma Grede, who founded the womens bodywear company Skims along with her husband, Jens Grede, and Kim Kardashian, is getting a lot of attention after dismissing work-life balance as a priority for employers.

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Work-life balance is your problem, not the employers responsibility, Grede said on The Diary of a CEO podcast on Monday, hosted by British entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, which features interviews with CEOs and other successful leaders. Look, I have four kids, and I had to figure out how I would think about my own ambition balanced with my parenting. Thats the truth, she continued.

While they say that all PR is good PR, Gredes claim is sure to be controversial among leaders, employees, and employers. She also added that she viewed the priority negatively in the hiring process.

When somebody talks to me about their work-life balance in an interview process, Im, like, Something is wrong with you,  Grede told Bartlett, calling it a red flag to bring up in a job interview, and recommending that prospective employees not ask about it.

However, Gredes comments feel problematic in the context that Skims is marketed primarily to women, who still bear a heavier load than men in balancing work and family, despite progress in recent decades in the workplace, according to the Pew Research Center. In fact, women are more likely than men to report experiencing work-life balance challenges, with 60% of women saying its a significant issue, versus 47% of men.

Thats because women continue to shoulder a greater amount of work at home, both in childcare and housework, and continue to be paid less in the workplace for the same job on average. Furthermore, a 2023 Pew report that researched opposite-sex marriages found that even when earnings are similar, husbands spend more time on paid work and leisure, while wives devote more time to caregiving and housework.

The research found that even in so-called egalitarian marriages, wives are still spending more than double the amount of time on housework than their husbands (4.6 hours per week for women versus 1.9 hours per week for men), and almost two hours more per week on caregiving, including tending to children. Husbands, meanwhile, spend roughly three hours more per week than their wives on paid work, and three-and-a-half hours more on leisure activities.






Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have both been shouted out by TIME magazine

Princess Kate, 43, was named to the TIME100 Health list in a citation praising her public announcement about undergoing treatment for cancer last year

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, graced the stage at the TIME100 Summit in N.Y.C. on April 23 about her entrepreneurial endeavors and private life with Prince Harry







Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are being highlighted by TIME just a few days apart.

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On May 8, TIME named Princess Kate, 43, to its second annual TIME100 Health list, which recognizes the 100 most influential people in the world of health today. The Princess of Wales was included within the list's "Catalyst" group for publicly announcing in March 2024 that she was undergoing cancer treatment and drawing global awareness to the disease.

The magazine unveiled the TIME100 Health list two weeks after the Duchess of Sussex, 43, spoke on stage at the TIME100 Summit in New York City about her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, lifestyle brand As ever and podcast Confessions of a Female Founder. Meghan and Prince Harry were previously on the cover of TIME for their inclusion in its Most Influential People list in 2021, and he joined her at the April 23 summit.

Craig Barritt/Getty Sam Jacobs, Jessica Sibley, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at the 2025 TIME100 Summit in New York City on April 23, 2025. Sam Jacobs, Jessica Sibley, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at the 2025 TIME100 Summit in New York City on April 23, 2025.

The 2025 TIME100 Health list also included Melinda French Gates, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Colin Farrell, Seth Rogen, Dwayne Wade and Ilona Maher, among many others.

TIME praised Princess Kate's candor in sharing that she was receiving cancer treatment in a video issued in March 2024, smashing past precedent around the palace's tight-lipped approach to medical information, and commended how she reduced her royal duties to focus on her health.

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"As a popular public figure, Middletons revelation brought significant attention to cancer awareness and treatment, including the rise in early-onset cancers in patients under age 50," the TIME tribute said. "Her decision to focus on her recovery by taking nine months away from public duties also reignited conversations about the importance of self-care and strong support networks that can ease healing and speed the return to normal activities."

The citation said that the princess "became a beacon for cancer patients, and inspired others to address their own health," and recapped how she updated the public in September about completing chemotherapy with a direct message for other patients.

"To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey  I remain with you, side by side, hand in hand," Princess Kate said in the intimate video released then, which followed her exploring the outdoors with Prince William and their children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7. "Out of darkness can come light, so let that light shine through."

In January, the Princess of Wales announced that she was in remission after a surprise stop at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London. The outing came with the confirmation that she previously received treatment there and became a patron of the medical center with Prince William, 42.

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The royal family was rocked by another cancer diagnosis last year as the palace announced in February 2024 that King Charles was receiving treatment for cancer, which continues into this year.

Neil Mockford/GC Images King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince George, Prince Louis, Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on May 5, 2025. King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince George, Prince Louis, Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on May 5, 2025.

Kate graces the TIME100 Health list just two weeks after Meghan spoke at the magazine's signature summit in N.Y.C. There, she spoke about her mental health (revealing, "I tune out the noise"), shared her shock at that As ever's inaugural product drop sold out in 45 minutes and said her "confession" is that she is in a wonderful place today.

"A confession for you today that I can very comfortably say is that I'm the happiest I've ever been," the Duchess of Sussex said when Jessica Sibley, the Chief Executive Officer of TIME, asked her to share a "confession" as inspired by the title of her new Lemonada Media podcast.

"To have a partner and a husband who is so supportive and have healthy kids who are so joyful I never would have imagined at this point I would feel so happy and grateful, and I really do," Meghan said about her private life with Harry and their kids, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 3.

Jemal Countess/Getty Meghan Markle at the TIME100 Summit in New York City on April 23, 2025. Meghan Markle at the TIME100 Summit in New York City on April 23, 2025.

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A distance continues between Prince Harry and Prince William, and a friend of Harry's previously told PEOPLE that his calls to his father, the King, go unanswered amid an ongoing rift.

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In a bombshell interview last week with the BBC after a judge dismissed his legal appeal to restore the automatic security he argues was unfairly stripped when he and Meghan stepped back from their royal roles in 2020, Prince Harry said that King Charles is still not speaking to him.

"Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has. He won't speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile," Prince Harry said.

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Kate Middleton and Prince William are continuing VE Day celebrations with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

On May 8, the Prince and Princess of Wales made a surprise second appearance of the day, attending a celebratory concert at Horse Guards Parade concluding the U.K.'s VE Day (Victory in Europe) commemorations.

Princess Kate, 43, stood out in an all-white ensemble, mixing timeless glamour with a modern edge in a structured blazer and feminine skirt. She carried a black clutch and pulled her hair back into a half-up style, accessorized with a statement bow. For jewelry, Kate paired oversized stud earrings with a multi-strand pearl necklace.

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After spending most of 2024 out of the spotlight amid her cancer diagnosis and treatment, the Princess of Wales returned to royal work this year. The concert marked her third appearance of the week as the royals commemorated VE Day's 80th anniversary and a confident return to the spotlight.

Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Prince William and Kate Middleton attend VE Day concert on May 8, 2025 Prince William and Kate Middleton attend VE Day concert on May 8, 2025

Prince William, 42, and Princess Kate joined the King and Queen Camilla among the concert's 12,000 attendees, heading to their seats in the royal box. Also in the exclusive seating area were six veterans, Londoners who had been evacuated from the city as children during the war and 102-year-old Loretta Boston, who entertained in the forces during the war.

Upon arrival, William and Kate spoke to some of the veterans in attendance, including a 107-year-old bomber pilot who took part in 62 missions, per the BBC.

The members of the royal box  led by King Charles, 76  stood in tribute after presenter Zoe Ball praised the veterans in attendance.

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The network said that VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember will combine music, storytelling and tributes "in a moving salute to those who served and sacrificed during World War II." The star-studded lineup of performers includes Samantha Barks, Fleur East, John Newman and Calum Scott, plus cameos by Joan Collins, Mary Berry and Brian Cox.

The festivities are expected to echo the historic celebrations of VE Day 80 years ago, when Queen Elizabeth's father, King George VI, announced via radio that World War II was over in Europe amid victory by the Allied Powers. A young Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, even secretly slipped out and joined the crowd to celebrate, a scene reimagined in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.

Chris Jackson/Getty Prince William and Kate Middleton attend VE Day concert on May 8, 2025 Prince William and Kate Middleton attend VE Day concert on May 8, 2025

Thousands of members of the public will be welcomed into the audience for the special event, which will include music from the era and highlight the stories of veterans from World War II.

The concert marks the second appearance of the day for King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate. Earlier on Thursday, the royal couples stepped out for a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey. The church service commemorated the sacrifices of the World War II generation on the historic anniversary, and it was also attended by Prince Edward, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne, her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

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King Charles and Prince William both laid wreaths, and the royals joined the congregation of 1,800-strong in a two-minute silence reflecting and remembering the war.

JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty King Charles and Queen Camilla attend VE Day concert on May 8, 2025 King Charles and Queen Camilla attend VE Day concert on May 8, 2025

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The palace previously announced that the British royals would honor the landmark 80th anniversary of VE Day in a major way with a series of key events throughout the week. The programming kicked off on May 5 with a military procession and RAF flypast at Buckingham Palace, where the Prince and Princess of Wales brought their children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, along in a surprise appearance.

Following the flypast and parade, Prince George also joined his parents for his most formal royal duty to date by tagging along to the palace tea party for members of the World War II generation and their families.



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On Wednesday, May 7, influencer Kayla Malec, 20, posted a 15-second TikTok to reveal that the domestic assault case against her ex Evan Johnson resulted in conviction.

Malec previously revealed that she had been in an abusive relationship in early April.

Her announcement on TikTok about her courtroom victory earned over 6.4 million views and 1.6 million likes within an hour of its upload.







On Wednesday, May 7, Kayla Malec posted a TikTok filmed outside of the courthouse to announce a win in the domestic assault case against her ex, Evan Johnson.

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In her video, the influencer, 20, can be seen enthusiastically lip syncing to Kanye West's 2021 song "Jail." She smiled as she threw her hand up in celebration, mouthing along to the lyrics, "Guess who's going to jail tonight?" (Johnson's sentence was suspended, meaning he will not spend time in prison.)

The overlaying text states the outcome: "I WON," she wrote alongside the 15-second clip. Less than one hour after its upload, the video already had over 6.4 million views and 1.6 million likes.

In her caption, Malec continued, in all capital letters, "I'M SOBBING. FOR US. WE DID IT. WE DID IT."

Related: Evan Johnson Arrested on Charge of Domestic Assault Days After Ex Kayla Malec Claimed to Be in an Abusive Relationship

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The creator first revealed that she was in an "extremely abusive relationship" in early April. She noted that the physical violence had been going on for several months and recalled incidents of abuse in multiple emotional tell-all videos shared on TikTok and YouTube.

Social media users speculated that Malec's stories were connected to her ex Evan Johnson, who was arrested in Sumner County, Tenn., on a charge of domestic assault and a violation of his probation on April 7. He was later released on bail that same day, though police did not identify the victim at the time.

Johnson did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment at the time of his arrest.

PEOPLE later confirmed that Malec was named the victim in Johnson's case on domestic assault charges filed on April 10, per the Sumner County online court records system.

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On April 25, Malec shared that her court day was coming up in a couple of weeks. In a TikTok update, she said the prospect of further legal action felt both "really exciting" and "really nerve-wracking" at the same time. The vlogger noted that it would be her first time back in Nashville "since everything."

Kayla Malec/Instagram Kayla Malec. Kayla Malec.

Related: Kayla Malec Reveals Upcoming Court Appearance Weeks After Ex Evan Johnson Was Charged with Domestic Assault

Two weeks out from her court date, Malec admitted that she'd been "the most depressed" she's ever been, and shared that she's been having "so much anxiety" the past two weeks.

"Ever since I started talking about this stuff and reliving it, every day I wake up at 6 a.m., I have an anxiety attack, I run into my kitchen, I chug an entire bottle of water and then I go back to bed," the online personality said.

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"This is the most depressed I've ever been in my life," she continued. "I know it will get better and I know the healing process takes a long time. And there are days when I feel really good and there are days when I wake up... and I don't want to get out of bed for the rest of the day."

She added, "But I know that it's normal, and I know that it's a part of healing, and it's a part of PTSD."

Phillip Faraone/Getty Kayla Malec. Kayla Malec.

Related: Russell Brand Granted Bail by London Court Over Rape and Sexual Assault Charges

She reiterated that her purpose for her sharing so honestly was to prevent others from finding themselves in similar abusive situations or help those who are in such a relationship right now.

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"The one thing that's keeping my head up and getting me out of bed is known that I'm doing this for a reason and that I'm doing this to help ya'll," said Malec. She concluded, "It's genuinely what's been keeping me motivated and getting me out of bed."



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.



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AUSTIN (KXAN)  Showing support for teachers and their principal, students at Dobie Middle School staged a walkout Wednesday airing their frustration over the future of the school.

In August 2024, Dobie was identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement under the Federal Accountability System for the third consecutive year. A campus that fails to exit CSI for multiple years is required to prepare a campus Turnaround Plan.

Dobie and the discussion about what the district will do moving forward has been a hot button topic, with AISD discussing closing the school, moving students to Lamar Middle School and the most recent announcement that they are looking at a district managed restart plan.

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Another option could mean a charter school and AISD work together to turn things around at Dobie.

Current teachers and staff and the principal has been working so hard for the past two years, said Yessyka Velasquez, a parent at Dobie.

While the district is no longer exploring a temporary closure for Dobie, the district is now proposing a district-managed restart plan, which could mean that not all staff will be around next year.

It is concerning because they want to get rid of the principal along with every staff member, teachers and all, Velasquez said.

TEA extends deadline for Dobie MS turnaround plan

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Velasquez said the school has seen a lot of turnover through the years and students have not had stability. She said shes hoping some of the same faces return next year if AISD decides on a restart plan.

Jose Carrasco, with Austin Voices, shares the same concern with a restart.

We need to stabilize things, we need a consistency of things, not restarts, Carrasco said.

He said the STAAR Test and the A to F accountability system are also part of the reason some schools are seeing failing grades.

Especially for a school like Dobie who has 73% of students that dont have the strong English, then to give them an English test, said Carrasco. That test is a broken system nobody likes it.

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In a recent meeting with Texas Education Agency (TEA) commissioner Mike Morath, he said the A to F accountability system will help improve student outcomes.

What the evidence shows is that schools that have a D or F rating, they get better very quickly because people realize that, hey, we need to change what we have been doing

because what we have been doing hasnt worked, Morath said.

Webb and Burnet Middle School are also facing the same decisions.

AISD will hold a meeting Thursday to discuss these plans.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) reintroduced a bill Wednesday that would aid Louisiana crawfish farmers after a weather-related disaster.

The bill, known as the Crawfish Recovery Assistance from Weather Disasters and Droughts (CRAWDAD) Act, would make it possible for crawfish producers to be eligible for Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) funding permanently. Kennedy said it would also classify droughts as a weather event that the Secretary of Agriculture could declare as an emergency.

Come rain, shine, sleet or snow, Louisianas mudbug farmers always work hard to deliver quality food to crawfish lovers. My CRAWDAD Act would make sure crawfish producers have access to the emergency support they need when droughts and other severe weather strike, said Kennedy.

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A summer drought in 2023 negatively impacted crawfish production, resulting in higher-than-usual prices for the next season. Gov. Jeff Landry issued a disaster declaration in March 2024 for the industry after 365,000 acres were affected by extreme drought conditions.

Louisiana congressmen and leaders asked the federal government for aid. The U.S. Small Business Administration offered low-interest federal disaster loans in March 2024, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture added crawfish to the ELAP program in May 2024.

Louisiana crawfish farmers hope to never see another drought like they did in 2023. Louisiana Farm Bureau appreciates Senator Kennedy in the reintroduction of the CRAWDAD Act to provide additional support for this vital Louisiana industry, Louisiana Farm Bureau President Richard Fontenot said.

Bill co-sponsor Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said, Crawfish farmers work hard to provide Louisiana and the world with the tastiest crawdads possible. Lets support them as they do so, rain or shine.

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Louisianas top-rated seafood restaurant is in New Orleans, Yelp says

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56)  Blood donors now have another incentive to roll up their sleeves, and it comes just in time for Mothers Day.

Starting May 8 through 10, anyone who donates blood at any of the Kentucky Blood Center donor locations will get two movie tickets, and the idea is to take Mom out on a fun Mothers Day night. Eric Lindsey is the director of media and branding at the Kentucky Blood Center. Lindsey said these fun giveaways tend to get a lot of attention.

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We always try to think of fun things, fun giveaways to incentivize donors to come in. We know thats not why they do it. They do it to save lives, but if theres an extra motivation to help nudge and get you in here, we certainly want to do it, Lindsey said.

This also ties into new mothers often needing help from blood donors. Lindsey said 1 in 83 childbirths will need a blood transfusion.

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More information on donating can be found here.

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56)  Kentucky Congressman Andy Barr reintroduced legislation over the weekend aimed at expanding access to capital to grow the thoroughbred racing industry.

The legislation, named the Regulation Advancement for Capital Enhancement (RACE) Act, would update the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration requirements that Rep. Barrs office called outdated in a news release.

Barr announces bid for McConnells seat, touts Trump backing

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Barr said simplifying the SECs rules, the RACE Act will allow companies to secure ownership in thoroughbred racing more easily, opening the way for everyday Americans to invest in and support horse racing.

The RACE Act removes unnecessary regulatory barriers so more Americans can invest in the future of horse racing, Barr said. This legislation is about modernizing capital markets, supporting Kentucky jobs, and preserving the heritage of the sport we love. At a time when the industry needs revitalization, this bill gives companies the tools to innovate and grow.

Tom Rooney, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), said the RACE Act is a common-sense solution to modernize racehorse ownership.

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It acknowledges the growing diversity of owners and opposes penalizing individuals and companies interested in fractional participation due to excessive federal regulations, Rooney said. This is what the industry needs, so I express my gratitude to Congressman Andy Barr for his leadership on this crucial issue and continued support of our beloved sport.

During the 151st Kentucky Derby, over 147,000 people came to attend Churchill Downs. Barrs office said in a news release that Kentucky supports tens of thousands of jobs through the horse racing industry.

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As the rare Democrat whos won two elections in a staunchly red state, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has a unique perspective on the U.S.s two-party political divide.

People arent as political as we think that they are, he explains to Katie Couric in a new interview. When someone wakes up in the morning, theyre not thinking about the next election. Theyre thinking about their job. And whether they make enough to support their family.

In their comprehensive conversation, Beshear explains how he builds bridges based on the practical concerns of his constituents: I spend 80 percent of my time focused on those core concerns and areas. The great part is when we do better in those areas  and we have across the board in Kentucky  we lift everybody up. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, we make their life better.

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Given his effort to unite the state of Kentucky, Beshear has some specific thoughts on the first 100 days of the Trump administration. Voicing one of his chief concerns, Beshear says, [Trumps] tariff policy is hitting my people harder than just about anyone.

The prices of everything are going up, he goes on. Theres one study, I think its [a] Yale study, that said one of these tariff policies could cost an American family $4,700 in extra costs a year. Most Kentuckians will not make it. Most Americans will not make it.

The tariffs have gotten outsize criticism, thanks in large part to numbers like that, but the governor told Katie the negative responses are clearly warranted.

Ive never seen anything in politics or in government as potentially devastating to families in terms of higher costs, he says. That is attributable to the decisions of one person and one person alone, because Donald Trump is saying, Im making the decisions on these tariffs that are making it harder for you to get by.'

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In the full interview, which you can see in the video above, Katie and Beshear discuss how average Kentuckians feel about Trumps first 100 days, the threat of cuts to Medicaid, the rumors Beshear could run for president in 2028, and much more.

The post Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Blasts Trumps Tariff Policy appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
PERRY COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  A dangerous social media trend involving school-issued Chromebooks has reportedly made its way to Kentucky.

In a letter to families on Thursday, Kevin Payne, principal at Southern Middle School in Lexington, said that a national trend has been spreading on social media called the Social Media Laptop Fire Challenge.

The trend reportedly challenged students to try shorting out their school-issued laptop or Chromebook, leading it to catch fire. On Thursday, Principal Payne said a student attempted to do just that at school, resulting in an evacuation.

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Rowan County superintendent announces new protest policy

Southern Middle School leaders said that after the Lexington Fire Department was contacted and students and staff were let back in, the event disrupted the classroom learning environment of students and staff.

This is a serious offense, Payne said. Please speak with your children at home

and reinforce this behavior is criminal and not acceptable at school.

In Jessamine County, a letter was sent to families on Thursday that said an evacuation was implemented at West Jessamine Middle School stemming from a smoke incident, which prompted district leaders to raise awareness to make sure students, staff, and families stay safe.

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Jessamine County district leaders asked families to help by talking to their students about the dangers the challenge poses, both to their safety and to that of others. Parents were also asked to emphasize the financial and legal consequences of knowingly damaging school property.

Perry County School District officials posted on Facebook on Wednesday, asking the community to be aware of a social media trend encouraging students to attempt to short out the laptops.

In some cases around the country this has led to injury and even caused electrical and fire damage to homes, district leaders said.

Across the district, PCSD wrote that seven Chromebooks had already reportedly been damaged by students trying out the trend.

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Please remind your student how dangerous these trends can be, and the financial consequences of destroying a $435 Chromebook, district officials said on Facebook. Additionally local enforcement will be notified of any damage to school district property.

Hardin County Schools posted a video on Facebook on Wednesday featuring an officer with the Elizabethtown Police Department to warn the community about the dangers with damaging essential student equipment.

In the video, the officer said that damaging a Chromebook is a crime that could lead to a fire and personal injury.

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On Thursday, the Leitchfield Police Department (LPD) asked parents in the community to talk to their kids about viral TikTok challenges.

You should know that if any of these challenges result in property damage, personal injury, or other adverse effects your child could be charged with misdemeanor or felony offenses and through prosecution you may be responsible for paying restitution for damages, the department warned.

Around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Wayne County Schools posted on Facebook, asking parents to work with their children and school leaders to report any dangerous activity that could put others at risk.

Social media trends may come and go, but the consequences of these actions are very real, district leaders wrote.

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An SEC enforcement push began with a self-reporting program in 2018 and grew to involve more than 100 cases of wealth management firms' inadequate disclosures of the 12b-1 marketing and distribution fees collected from investors out of the funds' expense ratios. But revenue sharing falls outside of the expense ratio, and it hasn't sustained the same type of regulatory crackdown. In a now-overturned judgment one large company was ordered to pay $93 million over its revenue-sharing practices; the case is now back with lower courts.

When it comes to picking among mutual funds with similar strategies, holdings and performance, the considerations may begin with the expense ratio or any transaction or commission costs. Then there are questions about any third-party payments involved with one fund or another and whether and to what extent they may affect overall returns. Those questions remain hard to answer, despite Regulation Best Interest going into effect nearly five years ago and SEC guidance to wealth management firms on mitigating and disclosing revenue sharing.

Revenue sharing involves payments from fund managers to wealth management firms that recommend their products. The practice takes many forms and presents various risks to investors due to the incentive to sell products from issuers that pay revenue sharing to the so-called intermediary companies building clients' portfolio allocations.

But as other forms of product distribution payments taper off or disappear, revenue sharing payments keep streaming into some of the largest wealth management firms.

"So in the financial advice industry, there's a lot of conflict of interest," the financial professional said, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office study, released last August. "First, you want to be wary of any commission-driven brokerage kind of advisors. There are some advisors out there like that, they might put you in the mutual funds that have a kickback fee to them, so they're getting paid through the mutual fund, so they might not be putting you in the lowest-cost, best possible thing for you."

When a government watchdog sent undercover researchers (posing as a 60-year-old prospective client with $600,000 in retirement savings) to ask 55 financial professionals about their industry conflicts of interest, a dozen responded that they had none. But one of the financial professionals quickly flagged practices like revenue sharing, describing them more clearly and more candidly than the often confusing disclosures mandated by regulators.

Revenue sharing is one of the wealth management industry's murkiest and most persistent conflicts of interest, with billions of dollars likely changing hands each year.

Story Continues

Some argue that revenue sharing should be eliminated entirely, while others see it as another closely scrutinized industry area subject to substantial disclosure requirements.

Conflicts of interest arise because revenue-sharing payments compensate the recommending intermediary firm out of the profits earned by a fund manager on their clients' investments.

The implications of those arrangements can be profoundly complex, thanks to the many factors involved with clients' fund decisions and the potentially blurry relationships between advisors' compensation models and their counsel to customers.

Revenue sharing is one of various industry arrangements that beg the need for advisors to have nonjudgmental, productive discussions through a "Socratic debate about the benefits of different providers and what the conflicts might mean for the clients," said Sara Grillo, an advisor lead generation consultant who launched the Transparent Advisor Movement in 2022. That professional network aims to bring together "the most ethical, logical, and fair financial advisors that the industry has ever seen," according to its website.

She believes more advisors and other industry professionals would discuss practices like revenue sharing if they were not "scared to look stupid" about the complicated arrangements or afraid "to find out that I'm not as fair as I think I am." The planning profession should "bring it all out in the open" so that investors and advisors can decide for themselves, Grillo said.

"I think, if we do that, things will change. But we can't be scared to have the conversation," she said. "We have to be willing to look ourselves in the face and say, 'Am I really doing what I'm saying I'm doing for them?"

READ MORE: Setting the standard: The first 42 enforcement cases under Reg BI

The extent and origins of revenue sharing



Those conversations may prove anything but easy, though, when there are so many unknowns about revenue sharing.

To better understand current practices, Financial Planning reached out to nine of the largest wealth management firms in the industry that disclose revenue sharing arrangements . Two referred inquiries to the companies' disclosures, four declined to comment and the other three didn't respond to emails.

Only Edward Jones and Ameriprise shared the exact amounts they received in revenue sharing payments for a given year: A combined $652 million in 2024 and "cost reimbursement payments" in 2023. Merrill , in a disclosure regarding "marketing services and support fees" from fund firms, mentioned that BlackRock had paid over $60 million in 2023 but didn't provide the total from it and other product providers that had sent revenue sharing payments. The other half dozen companies' disclosures left that number out as well.

The available totals added up to a small fraction of the firms' overall revenue but suggested revenue sharing payments across the entire industry likely reach several billions of dollars every year.



Mark Quinn, director of regulatory affairs with Cetera Financial Group

Revenue sharing payments began in the industry as much as 40 years ago, and the SEC has "never taken the position that they're inappropriate or shouldn't happen," according to Mark Quinn, director of regulatory affairs with Los Angeles-based Cetera Financial Group , one of the largest companies in the independent brokerage channel of the industry.

Asset management firms aimed to open sales distribution channels through the ranks of independent advisors. And wealth management firms sought revenue streams enabling higher payouts to retain advisors who receive a share of the business that they generate from their base of clients. Independent brokerage firms in particular "pay a very high percentage" of the annual revenue, Quinn noted. That's where revenue sharing from fund companies entered into the equation.

"We're looking to collect as much as we can, and they're looking to pay as little as they can, and somehow the market finds equilibrium," Quinn said. "It would be extraordinarily difficult for independent firms paying out that much to really be profitable without ancillary revenue sources."

READ MORE: Edward Jones wins $3.5M award against Commonwealth team

A point of contention over conflicts of interest



Others disagree with that perspective. The industry's current revenue sharing practices call for "aggressive enforcement of the rules that are in place  fiduciary duties and Regulation Best Interest"  alongside new legislation in Congress, according to Corey Frayer, the director of investor protection with the Consumer Federation of America , a research and advocacy group composed of more than 250 nonprofit consumer organizations.

"Congress could restore a lot of faith in markets by banning these arrangements entirely, the same way they could restore faith in government by making it illegal for members of Congress to trade stocks on non-public information," Frayer said in an email. "We know from experience that, not just investors but the entire market, benefits when transactions happen at arm's length, conflicts are weeded out, firms are in competition and not in cahoots with each other and everyone's incentives are transparent. When you're both providing advice and managing assets for investors with varied interests there are some unavoidable conflicts; it seems like common sense to eliminate the unnecessary ones."

READ MORE: Cambridge agrees to settle SEC charges for $15M

SEC calls for revenue sharing clarity, not elimination



Representatives for the SEC declined to discuss the topic in general or comment beyond the agency's public filings in the closely watched case it first filed in 2019 against Commonwealth Financial Network's registered investment advisory firm over its disclosures about revenue sharing and other conflicts in its mutual fund recommendations.

The industry has pushed back against what trade groups often refer to as "regulation by enforcement" or "rulemaking by enforcement," and firms have ramped up production of disclosure documents to inform investors, but revenue sharing continues to be shrouded by the resulting volumes of legalese.

Many wealth management companies in the RIA channel of the industry do no revenue sharing at all. Others accept the payments in both retirement accounts (for which advisors must abide by the fiduciary duty, placing clients' interest above their own) and in brokerage holdings (where the advisor is subject to Reg BI's lesser obligation to act in customers' best interests). A third group has explicitly ended the practice in retirement accounts but not brokerage ones.

In a 2022 staff bulletin about reducing and explaining conflicts of interest, the SEC specifically and repeatedly cited revenue sharing as a conflict but stopped short of calling for firms to end the practice.

"A firm's product menu can have a significant impact on the conflicts of interest present in its business model," the bulletin stated. "The staff believes that firms should carefully consider how their product menu choices  which could include limitations such as offering only proprietary products (i.e., any product that is managed, issued, or sponsored by the firm or any of its affiliates), a specific asset class or products that pay revenue sharing or feature similar third-party arrangements  comply with the firm's obligations to act in the best interest of retail investors when providing investment advice and recommendations and to disclose conflicts."

READ MORE: Retirement plan analysis suggests rampant fiduciary breaches







A 'common' conflict of interest for investment advisors



Research relating to revenue sharing reveals why many experts see it as a cause for concern.

It's one of several conflicts that "are common in investment advice, including advice on transactions involving retirement assets" such as 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts, according to a report last year by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, an independent watchdog agency that reports to Congress. The IRS agreed with the report's recommendation to create its own process outside of Labor Department referrals for identifying transactions that are prohibited under the fiduciary rules of the internal revenue code (IRC) and subject to excise taxes, according to Tranchau "Kris" Nguyen, director of education, workforce and income security issues with the GAO and the primary author of the report.

"Revenue sharing is one of a variety of financial interests that can be present when retirement investors are receiving recommendations on 401(k) or IRA savings," Nguyen said. "DOL officials told us employer plan fiduciaries may use revenue sharing in employer plans to defray other plan expenses in an economical way. However, revenue sharing is also one of the conflicts of interest that firms disclose. To receive additional compensation associated with IRA product recommendations, a fiduciary under the IRC might need to comply with prohibited transaction exemption provisions aimed to protect retirement investors."

READ MORE: Texting is the new email for RIA client transitions

A range from most to least conflicted



Six years ago, research firm Morningstar used a spectrum to explain what it called "a variety of opaque arrangements" between fund and wealth management companies, characterizing the revenue sharing on a spectrum from the least to the most conflicted conduct, depending on the amount of the payments and the degree they're tied to sales.

Educational expenses for teaching financial advisors about the products showed up as the conduct that was "least likely to be conflicted," followed by fees for being listed on a wealth management firm's fund menu, for accessing its data on clients' investment choices or for placing vehicles on a select listing. The "most likely to be conflicted" form of revenue sharing stemmed from payments based on sales, client assets or the number of accounts investing in the fund companies' products.

The report's conclusion  that investors would benefit from greater transparency around revenue sharing  still holds true today, according to Lia Mitchell, a senior analyst of policy research with Morningstar who co-authored the report with Jasmin Sethi and Aron Szapiro.

The report also found that the industry is moving away from some of the most conflicted revenue sharing practices. That remains the case today as well, Mitchell noted in an interview. The "bundled" funds of yesteryear that included sales loads and 12b-1 distribution fees are losing out to cheaper "unbundled" products with no arrangements other than the underlying expense ratio and "semibundled" vehicles that have revenue sharing or subaccounting fees but no traditional sales and marketing payments to intermediaries.

But Mitchell acknowledged that revenue sharing and other incentives tied to fund recommendations could generate confusion among investors and advisors.

"It's, ultimately, how are you paying for the different services that are connected to the investment process?" she said. "I don't think it's that a bundled fund is necessarily worse for investors, but it can be less transparent."

READ MORE: Independence? It depends







The hidden scale of revenue sharing



Still, the full picture on revenue sharing is unclear. Data about it is "notoriously difficult to obtain," given the varying amount of information about the size, payers and recipients of the payments in fund prospectuses and wealth management company disclosures, according to " The Worst of Both Worlds? Dual-Registered Investment Advisers," a working academic paper first posted in December 2019 by Nicole Boyson, a professor and the group chair of finance courses at Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business.

Boyson's study focused on firms registered as brokerages and RIAs  the form of affiliation used by most advisors in the industry. Regardless of the impact of Reg BI on the brokerage side of the business, the "conflicted dual registrants oversee trillions of dollars of retail client assets under management that are already subject to a fiduciary standard," Boyson wrote. Many "fall short of the spirit of the fiduciary standard," she concluded, citing the potential conflicts from revenue sharing as a key reason.

"Mutual fund management companies (families) may make revenue sharing (profit sharing) payments to advisors that sell their funds," Boyson wrote. "These payments are in addition to commissions and are at the discretion of the mutual fund family. Unlike commissions  which are paid directly from the mutual fund's expenses  revenue sharing payments come from fund family profits. Revenue sharing payments can create a conflict of interest for advisers to sell funds from families that pay revenue sharing relative to families that do not."

READ MORE: The wealth management industry's $1T conflict of interest

The revenue sharing case winding through the courts



Similar criticism pervaded the SEC's case against Commonwealth, which a federal district judge ordered to pay $93 million in disgorgement of revenue sharing income, prejudgment interest and a civil penalty based on the finding that the company failed to adequately disclose its conflicts.

Between July 2014 and December 2018, National Financial Services, a trade clearing and asset custody unit of Fidelity Investments, paid Commonwealth more than $189 million in revenue sharing and other payments that Fidelity collected from outside fund management firms then paid to Commonwealth based on its clients' investments, court documents showed.

"If Commonwealth had disclosed its economic self-interest to have clients hold more expensive share classes despite the availability of cheaper share classes in the same funds, then its clients would have had a clear economic incentive to convert to lower cost alternatives that would have paid less or no revenue to Commonwealth," the SEC said in a filing. "Instead, Commonwealth withheld this material information from deceived clients who continued to hold more expensive share classes while unaware of both the conflict of interest and the cost to their investments."

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled in a summary judgment that the company generated much more revenue sharing than it would have if Commonwealth had fully explained to certain clients that they could choose lower-cost funds. Last March , she ordered the firm to pay disgorgement of $65.6 million alongside the other payouts. This April, Commonwealth won its appeal of the ruling, and the case was remanded for a possible jury trial.

"We trust this decision validates the fact that Commonwealth and its advisors prioritize their client's interests and make investment decisions based on what they believe is best for their clients," Peggy Ho, Commonwealth's senior vice president, general counsel and chief risk officer, said in a statement.

READ MORE: Amid regulatory rollback, advisor group seeks to restart AML debate

Many in the industry will be closely following the case for any indication that their own revenue-sharing disclosures may be inadequate or could result in penalties related to their clients' choices of funds.

The Financial Services Institute, a trade and advocacy group for independent wealth management firms like Commonwealth, filed an amicus brief in the appeal case.

"FSI is product agnostic," spokesperson Allison Mutschler said in a statement. "Our amicus brief focused on the fact that the Commission sought to create specific disclosure obligations through a patchwork of staff guidance and settled enforcement actions as opposed to the established notice-and-comment rulemaking process. As stated in our amicus brief, this creates an opaque and unpredictable regulatory landscape where financial advisory firms that act in good faith  and the financial advisors who affiliate with and agree to be supervised by those firms  struggle to comply with shifting regulatory expectations."

READ MORE: FINRA wants to narrow reporting rules on brokers' side hustles

'Modern conflicts'



However that case turns out, some aspects of revenue sharing have emerged into the sunlight, while others stay in the shadows.

The Morningstar report highlighted that while investors and their advisors were dropping or avoiding funds with "explicit fees for distribution and front-end loads that are shared back with brokers," new share classes  ones that paid revenue sharing without engaging in those other traditional conflicts  presented challenges for both investors and regulators.

These "modern conflicts are much harder for regulators and the public to evaluate than traditional conflicts of interest," Mitchell and the other researchers wrote. "The SEC has not historically focused on revenue-sharing arrangements but rather on the once-typical practice of paying for distribution out of the expense ratio. Even though revenue sharing has not been heavily scrutinized, it has the potential to create a variety of distortions in the advice investors receive from brokers. Further, because of the lack of focus, the disclosures on revenue sharing are very limited and are presented in an open-end format that stifles efforts to summarize and quantify the wide variety of potential conflicts of interest they create."

Six years later, the disclosures still leave many advisors, investors and experts struggling to understand some aspects of revenue sharing, Mitchell said.

The advent of Reg BI led to a new disclosure document called a "customer relationship summary" that was supposed to clarify revenue sharing and similar arrangements, but there's still room for companies to make their disclosures "as investor friendly, as jargon-free, as plain English-language as possible" and "as specific as possible," she said. If firms don't report the exact amount of revenue sharing money, they could at least communicate the rough magnitude of them.

"It's not just that the payment exists, but it's how much payment is there?" she said. "Those are important facets of this to consider, and that was not clear in the majority of the client relationship summaries, I would say."

READ MORE: Financial planning clients are undefined, undercounted and underserved

Investors should 'be suspicious,' while advisors should embrace transparency



The confusion surrounding disclosures and associated regulations means that when considering mutual funds, advisors and investors must examine the arrangements as closely as they can, Frayer said.

"Investors should be suspicious of revenue sharing the same way they would be suspicious of their doctor receiving commissions for prescribing a certain drug," he said. "These arrangements are too common, and they mean your financial advisor might be more interested in their compensation than your financial health."



Sara Grillo, founder of the Transparent Advisor Movement

It comes down to advisors figuring out how to fully communicate to clients the conflicts involved in revenue sharing, "so they understand fully what the effects may be," according to Grillo of the Transparent Advisor Movement. Doing so could feel strange, but clients can often be much more worried about whether they're on track for retirement, if they have enough money to take a vacation and the basic state of their investment portfolios, she said.

"The [advisors] that do recognize this and have the conversation with their clients, it's a little bit of a virtue signal, but guess what? Some of the clients may not even care," Grillo said. "We cannot eliminate every single conflict of interest, nor would we want to burden ourselves or our clients with that task."

Advisors are hardly alone in the need to address their conflicts. Professionals in any line of work  including doctors, lawyers and architects  have "a conflict with their client, because the professional has an interest in earning as much from the relationship as they can," according to Quinn of Cetera. In his view, the regulatory oversight of advisors has resulted in more disclosure and reduced conflicts compared with other fields.

Revenue sharing has "evolved a lot over the years," but the topic isn't going away anytime soon, he noted. In the end, the murkiness surrounding the practice offers one more opportunity for advisors to educate clients.

"When advisors bring this up, I say, 'Look, you should embrace this,'" Quinn added. "The more you tell people upfront about what you do and how you get paid and the potential conflicts it creates, it creates a healthier relationship and environment between you and your client."
A new documentary claiming to have uncovered the name of the Israeli soldier responsible for shooting Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh has been released online.

Abu Akleh, a Palestinian American who had been with Al Jazeera since 1997, was killed while reporting from Jenin in the occupied West Bank in May 2022.

Shortly after her death, Israeli officials and media suggested she had been killed by Palestinian gunfire.

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However, subsequent reports from human rights organisations and news agencies showed that the Palestinian fighters initially accused by Israel were some distance from Abu Aklehs killing and, in September, Israel conceded there was a high probability its forces had accidentally killed the correspondent.

Contributors to the documentary, Who Killed Shireen? released on Thursday by Zeteo, suggested that Abu Aklehs killing has helped further embolden a sense of impunity among Israeli soldiers, which has since contributed to the killing of more than 200 journalists by the Israeli military and settlers in the West Bank.

Here are four of the key takeaways from the investigation:

Biden administration knew that Israel was responsible for Abu Aklehs killing

According to numerous testimonies featured in the film, officials within the Biden administration either knew or suspected that Abu Akleh had been shot by an Israeli soldier, but continued to support Israeli claims that she had been killed by Palestinians.

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The filmmakers also claim that US officials had been informed by an unnamed Israeli general responsible for the West Bank within hours of Abu Aklehs killing that one of his soldiers had likely shot her.

US Representative Rashida Tlaib speaks outside the US Capitol at event honouring Shireen Abu Akleh [Ali Harb/Al Jazeera]

Despite this, US officials continued to support public Israeli accounts of Abu Aklehs killing that attempted to shift the blame, and then, when Israel publicly admitted the likely culpability of one of its soldiers, that the killing was unintentional.

US officials did not publicly dispute that narrative, and instead said they were unable to determine if a crime had been committed without access to the shooter, which Israel refused to allow.

US refused to take the matter further

Speaking to reporter Dion Nissenbaum, one anonymous staffer within the former administration of President Joe Biden said that officials declined to press the Israeli administration on killing one of their citizens for fear of anger[ing] the Israeli government.

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This is despite officials having concluded, the same source said, that Abu Aklehs killing had been an intentional act.

Interviewed in the documentary, Eyal Hulata, who was Israels national security adviser at the time of the killing, defended Israels decision not to release the suspected soldier for questioning by the United States, saying that Israel had a very good and trustworthy investigative mechanism.

Asked if he could ever remember the subject of the US journalists murder arising in discussions between President Biden and Naftali Bennett, who was Israeli prime minister at the time, Hulala replies, This wasnt a topic between the prime minister and the president.

President Joe Biden shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, August 27, 2021, in Washington, DC [Evan Vucci/AP Photo]

Further requests from the Biden administration that Israel change the rules of engagement that some felt had led to Abu Aklehs death met, according to one interviewee, the brush off.

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The failure of the Biden administration to hold Israel to account or bring about a change to its rules of engagement after Abu Aklehs murder has, US Senator Chris Van Hollen told filmmakers, contributed towards the deaths of  other Americans and other civilians.

The soldier blamed for killing Abu Akleh is now dead

The film reports that, according to soldiers active that day, Abu Akleh was killed by Alon Scagio, a sniper with the Israeli militarys elite Duvdevan unit.

Speaking of his response to having killed the journalist, despite her identity as a member of the press being clear, a friend of Scagio says he didnt remember anything special about Abu Aklehs killing, so it wasnt, like, an issue. He wasnt happy, like, Hey, I killed a journalist, of course, but he wasnt  eating himself from the inside.

Investigations by the filmmakers show Scagio was moved out of the Duvdevan to a commander position in a different unit, distancing him from any investigation, as a result, the filmmakers guess, of having killed Abu Akleh.





Scagio was later killed in June 2024 by a roadside bomb in Jenin, the same West Bank city in which he is accused of killing Abu Akleh.

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As a result of the fallout from Abu Aklehs killing, Scagios friend claims the Duvdevan unit took to using her image for target practice.

US government support for Israel is unwavering

The killing of Abu Akleh came during what at the time was considered an intense phase of Israeli raids on the occupied West Bank. She was one of at least 145 Palestinians killed during the raids in 2022.

But since then, Israel has only ramped up its violence in both the West Bank and Gaza.

Israel has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians since it launched its war on Gaza in October 2023, decimating the territory and refusing the entry of food since March, starving the local population.

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And in the West Bank, Israel has increased the severity of its attacks, using heavy weaponry and air strikes, and forcing Palestinians out of their homes. More than 900 Palestinians have been killed there.

Palestinians wait in long queues to receive pots of food as they face food crisis, March 11, Gaza City, Gaza [Mahmoud Issa/Anadolu Agency]

Despite that, the US  both under former President Joe Biden and current President Donald Trump  has maintained its support of Israel, even as much of the rest of the world has criticised its actions.

At the United Nations, the US regularly votes alongside Israel, while the majority of member states seek to use the international body to pressure Israel to stop. And the US has threatened the International Criminal Court for seeking to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for committing war crimes.

It is, therefore, perhaps no surprise that, even though Abu Akleh was a journalist doing her job when she was killed and an American citizen, the US has been willing to look the other way.
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP)  A foster child can need a family for days, months, or years. Its a process that can be difficult for someone becoming a foster parent.

For one, you dont necessarily know the children in your care. So learning and understanding what their needs are and how to meet them is a huge challenge, said Marianna Litovich, Founder & Executive Director, AOK in Holyoke.

For some families, it can be unplanned or unexpected. We are called whats considered kinship foster care. So we came forward for a child specifically that was identified in our lives that needed placement, said Wendy Provost, Foster Parent in Ludlow.

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In 2018, the Provost family fully immersed itself in adopting a child. Despite working alongside social workers for four years, they dealt with loneliness for several months. No one could share a similar experience with them. Things changed once All Our Kids invited families to a Christmas event in December.

Ill never forget it, it made me cry at the event, because it was just like meeting the needs that I needed, said Provost.

Each year, the non-profit, All Our Kids, helps to serve more than 2000 individuals with the support of community donations.

Unlike a very populated place like Boson or Worcester, our population is only like 7% of the state, but we have about a quarter of the kids in care and so its really important that we make sure we do everything we can to keep those families who are foster families involved and engaged and not lose them, said Litovich.

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Which is why employees at PeoplesBank came together to donate $2,500 to the AOKs mission.

We want to get the word out there, so people feel part of a community and not as isolated, said Matthew Bannister, SVP of Marketing and Corporate Responsibility at PeoplesBank.

Their donation is kicking off AOKs Foster Care Awareness Campaign to support the community center, referral services, and community closest.

With no state funding, the organization hopes to raise about $100,000 by the end of the year.

You can also support AOK by donating new and gently used items or by volunteering.

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.
CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP)  There were dozens of statements submitted to the court by family and friends of Christopher Pelkey when it came time to sentence the man convicted of fatally shooting him during a road rage incident. They provided glimpses of Pelkeys humor, his character and his military service.

But there was nothing quite like hearing from the victim himself  even if it was a version generated by artificial intelligence.

In what's believed to be a first in U.S. courts, Pelkeys family used AI to create a video using his likeness to give him a voice. The AI rendering of Pelkey told the shooter during the sentencing hearing last week in Phoenix that it was a shame they had to meet that day in 2021 under those circumstances  and that in another life, the two of them probably could have been friends.

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I believe in forgiveness and in God who forgives. I always have and I still do, Pelkey's avatar told Gabriel Paul Horcasitas.

The AI version of Pelkey went on to encourage people to make the most of each day and to love each other, not knowing how much time one might have left.

While use of AI within the court system is expanding, it's typically been reserved for administrative tasks, legal research and case preparation. In Arizona, it's helped inform the public of rulings in significant cases.

But using AI to generate victim impact statements marks a new  and legal, at least in Arizona  tool for sharing information with the court outside the evidentiary phases.

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Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Todd Lang, who presided over the case, said after watching the video that he imagined Pelkey, who was 37 at the time of his killing, would have felt that way after learning about him. Lang also noted the video said something about Pelkey's family, who had expressed their anger over his death and had asked for Horcasitas to receive the maximum sentence.

Even though that's what you wanted, you allowed Chris to speak from his heart as you saw it," Lang said.

Horcasitas, 54, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10.5 years in prison.

Horcasitas' lawyer, Jason Lamm, told The Associated Press they filed a notice to appeal his sentence within hours of the hearing. Lamm said it's likely the appeals court will weigh whether the judge improperly relied on the AI video when handing down the sentence.

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The shooting happened the afternoon of Nov. 13, 2021, as both drivers were stopped at a red light. According to records, Pelkey was shot after getting out of his truck and walking toward Horcasitas car.

Pelkeys sister, Stacey Wales, raised the idea of her brother speaking for himself after struggling to figure out what she would say. She wrote a script for the AI-generated video, reflecting that he was a forgiving person.

In Arizona, victims can give their impact statements in any digital format, said victims rights attorney Jessica Gattuso, who represented the family.

Wales, a software product consultant, took the AI idea to her husband, Tim. He and his friend, who have work experience creating humanlike AI avatars. Using a video clip of Pelkey, they aimed to replicate his voice and speech patterns. They generated Pelkey's likeness through a single image of him, digitally manipulating it to remove glasses and a hat logo, edit his outfit and trim his beard.

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Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Ann Timmer didn't address the road rage case specifically in an interview Wednesday. But she said the rise in popularity and accessibility to AI in recent years led to the creation of a committee to research best practices in the courts.

Gary Marchant, a member of the committee and a law professor at Arizona State University, said he understands why Pelkeys family did it. But he warned the use of this technology could open the door to more people trying to introduce AI-generated evidence into courtrooms.

Theres a real concern among the judiciary and among lawyers that deepfake evidence will be increasingly used, he said. Its easy to create it and anyone can do it on a phone, and it could be incredibly influential because judges and juries, just like all of us, are used to believing what you see.

Marchant pointed to a recent case in New York, where a man without a lawyer used an AI-generated avatar to argue his case in a lawsuit via video. It took only seconds for the judges to realize that the man addressing them from the video screen didnt exist at all.

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In the Arizona case, Wales said the AI-generated video worked because the judge had nearly 50 letters from family and friends that echoed the video's message.

Everybody knew that Chris would forgive this person, Wales said.

___

Yamat reported from Las Vegas. Associated Press reporter Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this report.
The biker community came together to honor one of their own.

Austin Galloway was killed on Gate Pkwy while riding his motorcycle just last month.

Police said a driver turned into the teens path, where he had struck the passenger side door of the car.

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On Wednesday, family, friends, local car and biker groups took part in a memorial ride for Galloway. They rode from Friendship Fountain to the site of the crash, where a memorial was created.

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Loved ones laid flowers, said prayers and shared how they are remembering Galloway.

He was just a kind soul, said Sydd Thompson, a friend.

Thompson said Galloway was like a son to him.

I was the one getting on to him, kind of guiding him and helping him out a little bit, said Thompson.

As soon as he found out about the tragedy, he helped organize that memorial ride to honor Austin on what would have been his 18th birthday.

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This is what he loved, said Thompson.

So far this year there have been 146 motorcycle crashes in Duval County, 13 were deadly. That is according to crash data from Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

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Its definitely been pretty sad seeing a lot of people go, said Caleb Newbill, a member of 904 motorcycles.

Newbill came out to show his support for Galloway but also wants all drivers to know this.

Use everything that you can with a motorcycle, said Newbill. Flash at them, honk, rev, anything that you can do to make sure that they know you are there.

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LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's King Charles said on Thursday the world had a duty to commit to seeking lasting peace and preventing warfare in a speech to mark the end of four days of commemorations for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

Following a sombre thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey, Charles and senior royals joined 10,000 guests including veterans for a music concert at Horse Guards Parade near Buckingham Palace as part of events to remember Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender, which took effect on May 8, 1945.

The anniversary, which comes at a time of ongoing conflict in Europe with Russia's war in Ukraine, was also marked with events in France and Germany, while Moscow will hold a major military parade on Friday.

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In a speech at the concert, the British monarch echoed the words of his grandfather George VI from 80 years earlier, saying how those who had died in the cause of freedom in World War Two should never be forgotten.

"As we reach the conclusion of the 80th anniversary commemorations, we should remind ourselves of the words of our great wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill, who said Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war," Charles said.

"In so doing, we should also rededicate ourselves not only to the cause of freedom but to renewing global commitments to restoring a just peace where there is war, to diplomacy, and to the prevention of conflict."

Earlier the 76-year-old king and heir to the throne Prince William, standing beside elderly veterans in wheelchairs, laid wreaths at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at the Abbey, while Britain observed a two-minute silence at midday.

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'SACRED'

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke of the "sacred" victory over Adolf Hitler, and said his country was standing against "neo-Nazism", a characterisation of the current conflict in Ukraine that is strongly rejected by Kyiv.

Putin was holding talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is joining Russia's celebrations.

French President Emmanuel Macron laid a wreath at the statue of French wartime hero Charles de Gaulle in Paris, where there was also a military parade down the Champs-Elysees avenue.

In Berlin, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier addressed the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany's parliament, when he too warned against forgetting the lessons of World War Two.

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VE Day's 80th anniversary will be one of the last major celebrations with living veterans attending events, as most are now in their 90s or older.

During his speech Charles also reflected on how his late mother Queen Elizabeth, then a 19-year-old princess, had joined the crowds on VE Day to celebrate, believed to be the only time during her 96 years she mingled with the public unrecognised.

In her diary she wrote how she had "Conga-ed into House. Sang till 2 a.m. Bed at 3 a.m," he said.

"I do hope your celebrations tonight are almost as joyful, although I rather doubt I shall have the energy to sing until 2 a.m., let alone lead you all in a giant conga from here back to Buckingham Palace," he told the crowd.

(Reporting by Sarah Young and Michael Holden; Additional reporting by Richard Lough in Paris; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Gareth Jones and Daniel Wallis)
HONOLULU (KHON2)  From the ahupuaa of Kalihi to Waikiki, which all lie within the moku of Kona here on Oahu, stands one of the busiest yet oldest named roads. We are speaking of King St.

On August 30, 1850, the first 35 streets throughout Honolulu received their official names.

Merrie Monarch Festival named in honor of King Kalakaua

While some streets no longer exist because of either development or absorption by another, some still do.

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King Street, named in honor of the rulers of the Hawaiian Kingdom, once carried the name Moi, meaning king, as early as 1836.

Originally an ancient foot path which led from the waterfront to the grounds of todays Iolani Palace, King Street continues to serve as a principal thoroughfare but now encompassing much more distance.

King Street has been referred to by other nicknames over the generations.

From Lower Road to Broadway to Main to Chapel to even Kawaiahao because of the church.

Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news

But Hawaiians were known to call it Alanui Alii; alanui meaning street and alii meaning chief or king.

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The first King of all the Hawaiian Islands was Kamehameha I, who established the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1810.

His sons, Liholiho and Kauikeaouli, succeeded him as King Kamehameha II and III, respectively.

His grandsons, Alexander Liholiho and Lot Kapuaiwa, followed in succession as King Kamehameha IV and V.

William Charles Lunalilo then because the first elected king as his predecessor failed to name his heir prior to passing.

King David Kalakaua won the following election, who passed the throne to his sister and Hawaiis only ruling Queen, Liliuokalani.

Check out more news from around Hawaii

Did you know? Now you do!

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  A kite surfer was rescued near the Golden Gate Bridge on Wednesday. According to the San Franciso Fire Department, the kite surfer got into distress near the bridge shortly after 4 p.m.

Mysterious human skull found on NorCal beach identified

SFFD responded with the assistance of the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard secured the surfer safely with no injuries, officials said.

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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 KRON4.
Protesters are escorted out of Columbia Universitys Butler Library after their arrest in New York City on May 7, 2025. Credit - Spencer PlattGetty Images

Columbia University has once again found itself at the epicenter of pro-Palestinian campus protests after an attempted takeover of its main library by demonstrators on Wednesday.

New York police stepped in, arresting multiple people in relation to the protests, and officials including the mayor and governor, as well as members of the Trump Administration, have addressed the situation that continues to unfold.

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Heres what to know.

How did the protest begin?

The protests, which erupted days before exams, began at roughly around 3:15 p.m. on May 7, student newspaper the Columbia Daily Spectator reported.

Some 100 protesters entered Butler Librarys Reading Room 301 and hung a Liberated Zone banner that resembled banners posted during the pro-Palestinian university encampments last year. Videos on social media showed the occupants, many of whom were wearing keffiyehs and masks, chanting Free Palestine. Photos also appear to show that protesters scribbled messages on desks.

A Substack post that appeared to be from Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition of student groups supporting the Palestinian cause, said the protesters renamed the library the Basel Al-Araj Popular University after a Palestinian activist and writer who died in 2017.

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The flood shows that as long as Columbia funds and profits from imperialist violence, the people will continue to disrupt Columbias profits and legitimacy, the Substack post added, also reiterating calls for the University to divest from companies with business links to Israel.

How have university authorities responded?

The university issued a statement shortly after the protest broke out, saying that Columbias Public Safety Team was responding to the disruption. Individuals were asked to identify themselves and warned that failing to comply could possibly result in arrests.

Video on social media shows protesters attempting to leave the room.

Acting President Claire Shipman said in a follow-up statement that the university requested New York police presence to secure the Butler Library following the disruption in Reading Room 301. Shipman said two of Columbias Public Safety Officers were injured in the standoff with protesters. These actions are outrageous, she said.

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Shipman said they sought the NYPDs help due to the number of individuals participating in the disruption inside and outside of the building, a large group of people attempting to force their way into Butler Library creating a safety hazard, and what we believe to be the significant presence of individuals not affiliated with the University.

How did law enforcement respond?

The NYPD did not become involved until hours later. At the direct request of Columbia University, the NYPD is responding to an ongoing situation on campus where individuals have occupied a library and are trespassing, the NYPD posted on X shortly after 7 p.m.

The Columbia Daily Spectator reported that at around that time, NYPD officersincluding members of the Strategic Response Group, entered the library. A video posted by Columbia University Apartheid Divest showed protesters chanting, We have nothing to lose but our chains.

Videos on social media showed NYPD escorting protesters out of the library. Some 75 people were arrested, according to the Columbia Daily Spectator, though the NYPD did not confirm the total number of arrests.

What have officials said?

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement: New York City will always defend the right to peaceful protest, but we will never tolerate lawlessness. The mayor also asked parents of student protesters to make clear to their children that breaking the law is wrong.

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Adams warned those attending the demonstrations who are not Columbia students to exit the campus immediately, or you will be arrested. We will not tolerate hate or violence in any form in our city.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also posted on X, saying she had been briefed on the situation at Columbia, adding: Everyone has the right to peacefully protest. But violence, vandalism or destruction of property are completely unacceptable.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X: We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia Universitys library. Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation. The Trump Administration in recent months has pursued deportation cases against a number of participants in pro-Palestinian protests last year, including recent Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil.

What is Columbia Universitys history with student protests?

Columbia was at the heart of pro-Palestinian protests across U.S. college campuses last year, beginning with the first major pro-Palestinian campus encampment on April 17, 2024, on its Morningside campus. Protesters then barricaded the Universitys Hamilton Hall, and called for it to be named Hinds Hall after a child who was killed during Israels military offensive in Gaza.

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Historically, Columbia was the site of famous 1968 anti-Vietnam war and civil rights protests. Like in 2024, students also took over Hamilton Hall, and New York police also intervened. The 1968 protests have been the subject of archives and exhibits in recognition of how they shaped campus activism and national politics in the U.S.

How has the Trump Administration and the university cracked down on protests?

The university has taken a number of steps to try to prevent similar incidents from happeningafter pressure from the Trump Administration.

In March, Columbia said it issued a broad range of sanctions on students who took part in the 2024 protests, including multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocations, and expulsions.

The same month, Columbia announced a series of counter-protest measures, including recruiting special officers authorized to make arrests, imposing restrictions on protests, limiting face mask use, and adopting a formal definition of antisemitism that holds students accountable for a broad range of acts deemed discriminatory to Israel.

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The measures came after the Trump Administration announced the cancellation of some $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia. Many of the universitys new policies have been seen by some critics as kowtowing to the Trump Administration.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
The Catholic Church has a new pope.

American Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected the 267th pontiff. He has chosen the name Leo XIV, a senior cardinal deacon announced.

The 69-year-old Chicago native is the first American pope and is seen as a diplomat in the church.

MORE: Papal conclave live updates

Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, the 133 cardinals -- the church's highest-ranking clergy -- gathered to elect a new pope for the Catholic Church in the secret conclave in Rome.

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On Thursday afternoon local time, white smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel and the bells of St. Peter's Basilica rang out, signifying the cardinals had elected a new pope. The cardinals cast at least four ballots at the Vatican before a cardinal received at least two-thirds of the vote.

Tune in to "The American Pope: Leo XIV," a special edition of "20/20," on Friday night at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on ABC, and streaming later on Hulu and Disney+.

PHOTO: Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)

Over an hour after the white smoke emerged, the new pope, clad in his papal vestments, stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and greeted the world.

He mentioned Pope Francis twice and explicitly said he wants to pick up where the late pope left off on that very balcony on Easter, before giving the Urbi et Orbi blessing -- meaning to "the city and the world."

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"We have to be a church that works together to build bridges and to keep our arms open, like this very piazza, welcoming," Leo told the crowd while speaking in Italian.

His full authority and jurisdiction begin immediately upon his acceptance of the office, prior to the public announcement.

MORE: Could an American pope be waiting in the wings? Experts weigh in

Significance of papal name

Leo is the fifth-most-popular name chosen by popes.

The director of the Holy See told reporters Thursday that the name is a "direct reference to Leo XIII," the last pope to take the name Leo.

Pope Leo XIII, who headed the Catholic Church from 1878 until his death in 1903, was a founding figure of the Catholic social justice tradition.

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He is known for his encyclical "Rerum Novarum," meaning "Of New Things," which is "considered to be the foundation for the modern social doctrine of the Church," the Holy See director said.

"Looking to the history, Leos were strong popes," Father Vito Crincoli told ABC News on Thursday. "Like Leo XIII, he loved his people. He loved his people. His people, he considered man not a machine. A man's work was a reflection of his dignity."

"We don't know this yet, but it'd be really interesting to know why he took the name Leo," he said of Pope Leo XIV.

While popes aren't obliged to change their name, every pontiff for the past 470 years has done so, usually choosing the name of a predecessor to both honor them and signal their intention to emulate his example. Pope Francis was a notable exception, choosing not the name of a former pope but that of St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century cleric and patron saint of animals and the environment.

PHOTO: White smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new pope has been elected at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images)

Seen as front-runner

Pope Leo started to emerge as a front-runner for the papacy in the days before the conclave began, according to the Rev. James Martin, a papal contributor to ABC News.

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Following the announcement of the new pope, Martin told ABC News on Thursday that he knows Leo, describing him as "very down-to-earth" and a "very kind person, very reserved."

Pope Leo was the only U.S. cardinal on a short list of front-runners for pope, also known as "papabiles," compiled in the aftermath of Pope Francis' death by The Associated Press.

1st Augustinian friar to be elected pontiff

In addition to being the first pope from the United States, Leo is the first Augustinian friar to be elected pontiff.

He graduated from Villanova University, one of only two Augustinian Catholic universities in the nation, in 1977.

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"As an Augustinian Catholic institution, we celebrate this significant day for our University community and the global Church," the Rev. Peter Donohue, the university's president, said in a statement Thursday. "Villanova, built on the teachings of St. Augustine, has always been grounded in advancing a deeper understanding of the fundamental relationship between faith and reason -- between spirituality and wisdom. With today's election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, I cannot help but reflect on what his Augustinian papacy will mean to our University community and our world. Known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence and warmth, Pope Leo XIV's leadership offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our educational mission."

PHOTO: US Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost attends the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

Leo entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in the province of Our Lady of Good Counsel, in Saint Louis, in 1977, according to his bio on the Vatican Press website.

He earned a diploma in theology from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago in 1982. He went on to study canon law at the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University and received priestly ordination on June 19, 1982, according to his bio.

After receiving his licentiate in 1984, he was sent to work in the mission of Chulucanas, in Piura, Peru, from 1985 to 1986.

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He mostly served in Peru until returning in the late 1990s to Chicago, where he was elected to lead the Augustinians' Midwest province in 1999. He was subsequently twice elected prior general, or top leader, of the Augustinian religious order.

Brought to work at the Vatican by Pope Francis

PHOTO: Pope Francis appoints as new cardinal U.S-born prelate prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Robert Francis Prevost during the Ordinary Public Consistory for the Creation of new Cardinal at St. Peter's Square on September 30, 2023 in Vatican City. (Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

Francis brought Pope Leo to work at the Vatican after first appointing him in 2014 to serve as the bishop of Chiclayo, Peru. He has spent the majority of his time in Peru, where he has also worked as a teacher, missionary and parish priest. During his remarks from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday, Leo spoke briefly in Spanish and greeted the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru specifically.

In April 2020, Francis appointed him to be the apostolic administrator of the diocese of Callao, also in Peru, his profile said.

Since 2023, he has held the position at the Vatican as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, in charge of vetting nominations for bishops around the world.

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MORE: 'Habemus papum': Here's what happens immediately after a new pope is chosen

Pope Leo told Vatican News in October 2024 that a "bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom, but rather called authentically to be humble, to be close to the people he serves, to walk with them and to suffer with them."

He also currently serves as the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

In a 2023 interview with the Catholic News Service, he was asked how he responds to problems with bishops or dioceses -- to which he said he reminds clergymen to reflect on their oath to "live and work in communion with the Holy Father."

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"The spirit of synodality includes a need and desire to listen to not only the bishop himself, but to many people in the diocese to see what's the best way to promote authentic church in each and every diocese in the world," he said at the time.

What we know about Leo XIV, the new American pope originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty Images





Key Takeaways

Marriott International CFO Leeny Oberg said on the hotel chain's first-quarter earnings call Tuesday that the company expects a "continuation of declines" in U.S. government bookings.

Marriott lowered its full-year worldwide revenue per available room, or RevPAR, growth forecast to a range of 1.5% to 3.5% from the prior 2% to 4%.

Rivals Hyatt Hotels and Hilton Worldwide Holdings also lowered their full-year RevPAR growth forecasts in recent days.







Marriott International (MAR) CFO Leeny Oberg said on the hotel chain's first-quarter earnings call Tuesday that the company expects a "continuation of declines" in U.S. government bookings.

Marriott on Tuesday reported first-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $2.32 on revenue of $6.26 billion. Analysts polled by Visible Alpha expected $2.25 and $6.22 billion, respectively. It also posted comparable systemwide revenue per available room, or RevPAR, growth of 4.1% worldwide, above the consensus projection of 3.0%.

However, Marriott lowered its full-year worldwide RevPAR growth forecast to a range of 1.5% to 3.5% from the prior 2% to 4%. The new outlook "incorporates somewhat softer expectations in the U.S. & Canada region," Marriott said.

'Continuation of Declines in US Government Demand'

On Marriott's earnings call with analysts, Oberg said the lowered RevPAR growth forecast "is primarily due to an expected continuation of declines in U.S. government demand," according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense. In 2024, Oberg said, "the U.S. Government segment contributed around 4% of the U.S. and Canada region's room nights," and March brought "a 10% year-over-year decline in US government RevPAR" amid broad federal layoffs.



Rivals Hyatt Hotels (H) and Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT) also lowered their full-year RevPAR growth forecasts in recent days.

Marriott shares were up 1.6% in recent trading but are down about 10% for the year.



Read the original article on Investopedia
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Cardinals are meeting in a secret, sacred conclave for a second day as they seek a new pontiff to follow Pope Francis. The conclave opened at the Vatican on Wednesday afternoon but a first round of voting resulted in black smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel.

The 133 cardinals who are eligible to choose the next pontiff are trying again Thursday to elect a successor to Francis to guide the 1.4 billion strong Roman Catholic church at time of human upheaval.

Here are some things to know about the election of the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church.

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Why is the conclave being held now?

The conclave was called after Francis died on April 21 at age 88. There was a delay between his death and the conclave to allow time for a funeral, burial and a period of mourning. It was also necessary to give cardinals time to arrive in Rome from all corners of the Earth, and to let them get acquainted before entering the conclave, an ancient ritual steeped in mystery and ritual.

What happens in a conclave?

The cardinals are cut off from the world while at the Vatican, between residences and the Sistine Chapel, where they vote in secret  and in silence  beneath Michelangelos famed ceiling fresco of the Creation and his monumental Last Judgment.

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The process  fictionalized in the 2024 political thriller Conclave  is said to be guided by the Holy Spirit, and is designed to be both contemplative and free from outside interference.

They began the mystery-steeped ritual of choosing a new pontiff with a morning Mass before entering in procession into the Sistine Chapel.

To maintain secrecy and security, the Vatican asked cardinals to hand over their phones for the duration of the conclave and is deactivating cellphone coverage. It also was using signal jammers around the Sistine Chapel and the Domus Santa Marta hotel and adjacent residence where the cardinals are sleeping to prevent surveillance and communication with the outside world.

White or black smoke signals?

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The electors cast paper ballots, and voting continues until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority, or 89 votes. After voting, ballots are burned in a special stove  black smoke signals no decision, while white smoke means a new pope has been chosen.

Electors must be under 80 years old, and are more geographically diverse than ever. They represent Catholicisms growing presence in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as well as its traditional power base in Europe.

How long does it take?

The longest conclave in history lasted nearly three years, but its reasonable to assume that this conclave will be much, much shorter.

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Cardinals this week said they expect a short conclave, though it will likely take at least a few rounds of voting.

For most of the past century, it has taken between three and eight ballots to find a pope. John Paul I  the pope who reigned for 33 days  was elected on the third ballot in 1978. His successor, St. John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

Who are the contenders?

There are no official candidates for the papacy, but some cardinals are considered papabile, or possessing the characteristics necessary to become pope.

After John Paul II broke the Italian hold on the papacy in 1978, the field has broadened considerably, such that cardinals from far-flung countries are now seen as contenders. The past three popes have hailed from Poland (John Paul II), Germany (Benedict XVI) and Argentina (Francis).

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Of the 133 cardinals expected to vote at the conclave, 108 were appointed by Francis. They may feel a loyalty to continuing his legacy  even though the late pontiff didnt choose cardinals based on ideology, but rather for their pastoral priorities and geographical diversity.

What happens after a new pope is chosen?

Once a candidate receives the necessary votes and accepts, he chooses a papal name and enters the Room of Tears  named for the emotional weight of the responsibility ahead  to don his papal vestments.

Minutes later, he is introduced to the world from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica with the proclamation in Latin: Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam! (I bring you tidings of great joy: We have a pope!)

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That will be immediately followed by the revelation of his baptismal name, in Latin, followed by the papal name he has chosen.

A line that stretches back to St. Peter and Jesus

Every new pope is seen as a successor to St. Peter, the apostle believed by Catholics to have been appointed by Jesus as the head of the church. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells him, You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, a verse that forms the biblical basis for the papacy.

According to tradition, Peter traveled to Rome to spread the Christian message and was martyred there during the reign of the Emperor Nero, around 64 A.D., as Christians were being persecuted. He was said to be crucified upside down at his own request, considering himself unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus.

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St. Peters Basilica now stands over what is believed to be his tomb.

Why does the pope matter beyond the Catholic Church?

Though the pope leads a religious institution, his influence extends far beyond it. Pope John Paul II played a pivotal role in supporting the Solidarity movement in his native Poland and encouraging resistance to Soviet domination in Eastern Europe. His moral leadership was credited by many with helping to hasten the end of the Cold War.

Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America, became a prominent voice on global issues from climate change to migration and economic inequality. He called for compassion toward refugees, warned against the dangers of nationalism, and urged action to protect the planet  stances that resonated well beyond church walls, and at times put him at odds with political leaders.

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A name to signal a papal direction

The first sign of the new popes priorities will come in the name he chooses.

A Francis II might signal a new popes embrace of Francis legacy of prioritizing the poor and marginalized; a Pius would hint at a traditionalist restoration.

____

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.
Three former Memphis police officers were acquitted Wednesday of state charges in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, concluding a fraught two-year examination of the brutal encounter that led to a parade of firings, two trials and escalating demands for national police reform.

Five officers faced state and federal charges in connection with Nichols death in January 2023, but two  Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin  pleaded guilty and ultimately went on to testify against the three officers who maintained their innocence.

Former officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith were found not guilty Wednesday on all state charges, including second-degree murder.

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Though the three men still face the possibility of years in prison after being convicted on federal charges last year, they have avoided the harshest charges leveled against them.

Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was hospitalized in critical condition after the arrest and died three days later from injuries sustained during the beating. Graphic footage of the encounter  captured by police pole cameras and body-worn cameras  was released to the public and examined in excruciating detail during both trials.

Nichols death fueled nationwide protests against police brutality, particularly against Black men, and heightened scrutiny of police in Memphis, a majority-Black city. All officers charged in the case were Black, and a Department of Justice investigation found the Memphis Police Department engages in discriminatory policing of Black people.

Sentencing on both the state and federal charges remain pending.

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Here is what you need to know.

How a traffic stop turned fatal

Memphis police initially said Nichols, a father, skateboarder and photographer, was pulled over on January 7, 2023, on suspicion of reckless driving. Police Chief Cerelyn CJ Davis later told CNN authorities were unable to substantiate the reason for the stop.

Footage of the encounter shows officers repeatedly threaten Nichols with violence, even as he appeared to comply with their commands or was already on the ground. Disciplinary hearing records show Nichols was never told why he was being pulled over or that he was under arrest.

Nichols fled on foot after being yanked out of his car, pepper-sprayed and struck with a Taser. Five officers  those who were later charged  caught him and punched, shoved and kicked him in the face and head as he cried out for his mother.

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Footage also shows officers standing around Nichols after the beating - some talking and laughing - and not appearing to render aid.

Nichols was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died three days later, on January 10. Medical examiners determined he died from blunt force trauma to the head. He had tearing and rupturing in his brain and had suffered cuts and bruising all over his body.

The officers involved

Six Memphis police officers were fired for their involvement in the fatal traffic stop. All but one  Preston Hemphill  were later charged at both the federal and state levels for their actions that night.

The officers were all part of the forces controversial SCORPION unit  created to tackle rising crime in the city and disbanded amid national outcry and allegations of pervasive policing abuses following Nichols death.

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None of the fired officers had previously been disciplined for excessive force, according to their personnel records.

The Memphis Police Department has terminated five police officers in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols. Top: Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III. Bottom: Desmond Mills, Jr., Justin Smith - Memphis Police Dept.

Hemphill, who is White, was only present at the initial stop and did not pursue Nichols alongside the other officers, prosecutors said. He was not criminally charged but was fired and c ited by the department for policy violations.

After Nichols fled, Hemphill was captured on bodycam footage saying, I hope they stomp his a**.

Haley was one of the first officers to make physical contact with Nichols, dragging him out of the car before officers Hemphill and Martin begin helping pin him to the ground. Haley deployed pepper spray and was later is recorded kicking Nichols in the torso alongside Martin.

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Haley later admitted to snapping a photo of Nichols after he was beaten and sending it to at least five people, including two other officers, a civilian employee and a female acquaintance.

Moments after Nichols was brought to the ground at the second location, Smith and Bean were recorded punching him in the face.

Martin can be seen kicking Nichols as other officers attempt to handcuff him, then punching him in the face five times as officers hold Nichols hands behind his back.

Mills, who was only present at the second scene, pepper-sprayed Nichols twice and beat him with a police baton, video shows.

The charges against them

Nichols death fueled growing national outrage and protests against police brutality and led to both state and federal criminal charges against the officers involved.

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Haley, Martin, Bean, Smith and Mills were charged by the state of Tennessee with seven counts each, including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.

The five officers were also indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of deprivation of rights, witness tampering and obstruction of justice.

Former Memphis Police Department officers Demetrius Haley, center, Tadarrius Bean, left, and Justin Smith Jr., right, hug each other after they were acquitted of state charges, including second-degree murder, in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he ran away from a traffic stop. Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (Chris Day/Commercial Appeal/USA Today Network via AP, Pool) - Chris Day/Commercial Appeal/USA Today Network/AP

Initially, all pleaded not guilty but Martin and Mills reversed course, later accepting plea deals . Mills and Martin agreed to plead guilty to some federal charges, as well as all state charges, and did not stand trial.

The federal trial of Bean, Haley and Smith ended in a mixed verdict, with the officers acquitted of some of the more serious charges. All three were convicted of witness tampering. Haley was also convicted of conspiracy to witness tampering and violating Nichols civil rights causing bodily injury but was acquitted of the more severe charge of violating Nichols civil rights causing death.

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A Tennessee jury found Bean, Haley and Smith not guilty on all state charges.

During the state trial, prosecutors argued the officers used unnecessary force against Nichols, saying they were frustrated, angry and pumping with adrenaline after Nichols fled. They also said the officers failed their duty to intervene or inform medics that Nichols had bit hit repeatedly in the head.

The defense claimed Martin, who was not facing trial, was responsible for the majority of the violence and called several use-of-force experts who testified the officers on trial acted in compliance with police department policy and law enforcement standards.

What happens next

All five officers now await sentencing in both cases, though prosecutors have already agreed to recommendations of 15-year sentences for Mills and Martin.

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In the aftermath of Nichols death, the US Department of Justice launched a civil rights investigation into the city of Memphis and its police department. The report, released in December under the Biden administration, concluded that Memphis police engage in a pattern of excessive force, illegal traffic stops and disproportionate targeting of Black people in the majority-Black city.

The Justice Department recommended placing the police department under federal oversight, but city officials refused to enter an agreement with the federal agency over changes within the department.

MEMPHIS,TN- OCTOBER 21: Rodney Wells (L) and RowVaughn Wells, parents of Tyre Nichols, pose for a portrait next to Nichols' mural on October 21, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. Tyre Nichols was beaten by several Memphis police officers during a traffic stop in January of 2023, where he suffered a fatal traumatic brain injury. Jury members earlier this month found three of the officers guilty on different charges stemming from Nichols death. (Photo by Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images) - Joshua Lott/The Washington Post/Getty Images/File

It remains unclear what will happen to the Justice Departments recommendations or negotiations with Memphis officials under President Donald Trump. Shortly after Trumps inauguration, a Justice Department official sent a memo to the agencys civil rights division ordering it to halt agreements that may require reform in police departments.

Nichols mother, RowVaughn Wells, continues to press for justice and accountability from the police department for her sons death, and has filed a $550 million civil lawsuit against the city and police department, saying Nichols death was the result of  unconstitutional policies, practices, customs, and deliberate indifference by the City of Memphis and its police leadership.

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The civil lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in July 2026.

CNNs Nick Valencia, Ryan Young, Matthew Gannon, Demetrius Pipkin, Mark Oliver, Kenneth Uzquiano, Claudia Morales, Paul Murphy, Selwyn Rocha and Yukari Schrickel contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Julie Powers, a 79-year-old senior from Knoxville, Tennessee, is facing eviction from her long-time rental apartment.

The septuagenarian, who is living on a monthly fixed income of $1,900, began experiencing trouble when neighbors started filing complaints about Powers 42-year-old daughter, who moved into the apartment over a year ago.

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Although her daughter had been living there for some time, tensions escalated when residents in the community raised concerns about the daughter's behavior.

She would scream, Julie Powers told 6 News, She would say words that didnt need to be said. But what she said was loud enough for the neighbors to hear.

Eventually, the property management company issued an eviction order for Julie Powers. If nothing changes, shell be required to leave her apartment within a few months.

Facing eviction after 25 years

Powers has lived at the Center Court apartment complex  managed by Freedom Investment Group (FIG)  for more than 25 years. Until recently, everything was going well. But when her adult daughter moved in after a period of homelessness, things took a turn.

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She called and said, Mom, can I come over? I said, Of course. So, that was in December of 2023, Powers said.

Her daughter, who struggles with unaddressed mental health issues, exhibited behavior that unsettled other residents. As complaints mounted, the property manager issued a notice giving her 14 days to vacate the premises, citing excessive noise and the presence of an unauthorized guest. Her daughter left within the 14-day window, but returned shortly after.

In early April, Powers discovered she might be evicted from her apartment after her rent payment was declined. A week later, FIG accepted Powers rent payment, but the underlying issue remained unresolved.

As a result, a formal complaint was filed, and Powers was summoned to court on April 29. From FIGs point of view, it is responsible for providing tenants with a peaceful and tranquil living environment, which includes limiting excessive noise and disruptive behavior by a tenant.

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Powers appeared in court with a Legal Aid attorney. As of now, she is allowed to remain in her apartment for two more months  under strict conditions.

First, Powers daughter must leave the apartment by May 1 and remain on the no-trespass list. She cannot return to the property or be invited back. If she shows up, Powers is required to report it to the police.

Powers is now hoping to find a new place to live within the next month  ideally a single-family home, where her daughters presence wont disturb the neighbors. In the meantime, the Knox County Eviction Program will cover Powers rent through June, and Water Angel Ministries is stepping in to support both her and her daughter.

With her daughter, we will work hand in hand with her, said Kathy Oran, program coordinator at Water Angel Ministries. Do an assessment first of all to find out what her needs are so that she can be somewhere safe, so that she can be successful.

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Read more: BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has an important message for the next wave of American retirees  here's how he says you can best weather the US retirement crisis

How can seniors on a fixed income protect themselves?

Julie Powers isnt alone. Many seniors living on a fixed income face similar challenges  especially during a housing crisis.

After living in what was presumably an affordable apartment for over 25 years, Powers is now being forced to look for a new home in an increasingly expensive rental market.

With average rent prices in the Knoxville area hovering around $1,800, it may be difficult for her to find an affordable place to call home with her fixed income of $1,900 per month.

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Along with rising housing costs, older adults often face increased health care expenses. These mounting costs can quickly deplete retirement savings. However, financial assistance programs are available. Seniors may qualify for rental assistance, housing vouchers and emergency rental aid to help cover expenses and avoid eviction.

The HOPE Hotline (1-888-995-4673) offers free counseling and housing-related education. Representatives can also help connect older adults to local resources that offer financial and housing support.

According to the National Council on Aging, thousands of public and private programs exist to help low-income older adults pay for essentials like groceries, health care and more. Accessing these resources can help reduce pressure on fixed income.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Question : Ive been reading about how food banks are struggling across the country because of federal budget cuts () and I wondered how the local food bank is doing. Are there specific things they need ?

Answer : The Hawaii Foodbank is down to a roughly two-week supply of food, when it normally has at least a three-week inventory, and is counting on state and city grants and private donations to help fill the gap caused by the loss of millions of dollars worth of high-quality meat, fish, cheese, eggs and other food previously funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, president and CEO Amy Miller said in a telephone interview Wednesday. As for what the Foodbank needs, monetary donations are best, she said, because the nonprofit organization stretches those dollars by purchasing in bulk at a discount. We love all our food drive partners and any food drive is helpful, but you dont have to donate food to participate,  she said.

Adele Yoshikawa, the Hawaii coordinator of this Saturdays Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, concurs. Postal customers can leave nonperishable food donations in their mailboxes for U.S. Postal Service carriers to pick up, or they can text NALC  to 71777  for a link to donate money directly to the Hawaii Foodbank, which can use it to buy whatever is needed, including fresh vegetables and fruit and other perishable food that cant be donated Saturday. Go to for details.

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Offering the community a monetary donation option is a win-win proposition. Its so much easier for our customers. It also enables us to maximize the impact of customer support for those in need,  Yoshikawa, a Pearl City letter carrier, said in statement. In the past, a customer may have used $20 to purchase and donate one 25-pound bag of rice. But that same $20 donated virtually can be used to purchase 240 pounds of food, or 25 entire meals !

The National Association of Letter Carriers event, billed as the nations largest one-day food drive, is held annually on the second Saturday of May. Donations go to food banks in the cities and towns where they are made.

For those who prefer to donate nonperishable food rather than money, postal customers should place the items in their mailbox, or, if theres too much food to fit, greet the carrier with the donation, Yoshikawa said. Its OK, but not preferred, to leave a note in the mailbox with instructions, such as to pick up a bag of canned goods by the front door. Nonperishable foods high in protein, such as canned tuna, salmon, beans and peanut butter, are most needed.

Volunteers are needed Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. at the Pearl City Post Office to box up the donated food. Each volunteer must wear covered shoes and submit a liability waiver. To volunteer, contact Yoshikawa by phone at 808-351-4095 or email at adeleyoshikawa @yahoo.com.

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This can be a great way for school kids to do community service projects and we will give them a volunteer letter confirming that they helped,  she said, adding that people dont need to stay the whole six hours.

Miller said donations are appreciated as the Hawaii Foodbank copes with the elimination of a specific category of federal funding that had provided a total of about $4 million worth of food last year to food banks throughout Hawaii, including the Oahu facility. The funding had served a dual purpose, buying commodities from U.S. farmers and providing nutritional food to needy people through local food banks.

From this funding channel last year we had received frozen chicken ; cheese ; fresh eggs ; hazelnuts ; frozen fish ; frozen pork chops  so lots of great proteins ; high quality, high-cost items,  she said. Before the funding cuts, USDA commodity foods accounted for about 20 % of the Hawaii Foodbanks stock, she said. So our inventory is down, as the need is rising. I dont want to panic anybody. We are working hard (to fill the gaps ) but it is a challenge for sure,  she said.

With nearly one in three Hawaii households experiencing food insecurity, the Hawaii Foodbank is now serving nearly as many people as it did during the height of the pandemic, she said. Were seeing lots of new people who have never used a food bank before  but cant keep up with the rising cost of living. Read more at.

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Q : I received two texts from the Department of Motor Vehicles. They say your toll payment for E-Z Pass Lane must be settled by May 7, 2025. To avoid fines and the suspension of driving privileges, kindly pay by the due date. Is anyone else receiving these texts ?

A : These are scam textsthey are not actually from the DMV. Yes, other people are receiving them. Do not respond to the texts or click on any links within them. Delete them and block the senders.

Mahalo I would like to thank Gwen and Bob for paying my lunch bill at Anna Millers. This grateful senior citizen really appreciates it very much.Dennis------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
Advocates and lawmakers in May 2023 rallied outside the Maine State House in support of Paid Family and Medical Leave, which was signed into law later that spring. (via Maine Center for Economic Policy)

Heeding the advice from the Maine Legislatures Democratic leadership, the Labor Committee is not endorsing proposals that would make substantial changes to the states new paid family and medical leave program.

While voting on a series of bills related to the new benefit program Wednesday afternoon, the majority of the committee threw its support behind just two of them. Though a proposal intended to safeguard the future of the programs trust fund drew bipartisan support, Democrats voted down any new exemptions to the program, as well as an effort to make the benefit voluntary.

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If we pull at the threads now, we are going to unravel some really hard-earned consensus, said House co-chair Rep. Amy Roeder (D-Bangor), noting the years-long process that went into developing the program that was made law by the 131st Legislature.

On several bills, some Republicans on the committee put forth a sizable amendment backed by a minority of lawmakers with a list of 10 recommendations to update the program at-large. It includes clarifications to the undue hardship provision, capping the cost of private plan applications and modifying return-to-work requirements, among other provisions.

While some members, including some Republicans, were hopeful that LD 1712 brought by Rep. Tiffany Roberts (D-South Berwick) could be a compromise to address issues raised with the program, Democrats ultimately voted it down.

The paid family and medical leave program will allow eligible public and private sector workers to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for reasons such as illness, to care for a loved one or the birth of a new child.

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At the start of the year, Maine employers began withholding a portion of wages to pay into the programs fund. Employees are expected to be able to access the benefit starting May 2026.

The committee voted 8-1 in favor of an amended version of LD 1221, which was introduced by Rep. Gary Drinkwater (R-Milford). While the legislation originally proposed a constitutional amendment prohibiting the Legislature from using the program funds for any other purpose, the amendment supported by most members instead directed the Department of Labor to determine ways to further protect the money and report back to the committee early next year.

Luke Monahan, director of the paid family and medical leave program for the Department of Labor, told the committee that there is $75 million in the fund as of Wednesday. Additionally, he said more than 900 applications for employers to use private plans have been approved so far.

The committee also backed the legislation brought by Senate President Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland), on behalf of the department. LD 894 wants to make a series of amendments to the current law to create certain enforcement mechanisms and penalties, as well as clarify intermittent leave.

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Though Daughtry urged her fellow lawmakers to give the program time to be fully implemented before making substantial reforms, she said the changes in her bill are coming from the people who have been working to implement this program that identified specific refinements to the policy.

During the public hearing, Daughtry opposed every other bill except her own, but told the committee that if she were to support one, it would be LD 1221.

Some of the bills before the committee were duplicative, including two seeking to repeal the program entirely. While all members voted to reject LD 539 for streamlining purposes, three Republicans on the committee voted in favor of one of the repeal bills, LD 406.

Multiple bills were unanimously rejected by the committee, including LD 575, which wanted to remove the undue hardship clause and LD 1249, which sought to delay the payment of benefits.

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However, the committee voted along partisan lines on proposals to make the program voluntary (LD 1273), exempt agricultural workers from the program (LD 952), certain public school district employees (LD 1400), along with two measures seeking to issue refunds to employers who had approved private plans (LD 1169) and (LD 1307).

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May 8AUSTIN  State Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, is urging the Texas Education Agency to release End-of-Course (EOC) exam results early for students in the Ector County Independent School District, to ensure eligible seniors are not blocked from walking the stage at their graduation ceremonies.

In a formal letter to Commissioner Mike Morath, Landgraf requested that ECISD receive its scores by May 21, 2025  two days ahead of the statewide release date. Without early access to scores, many seniors and early-graduating juniors could be left out of ceremonies scheduled before May 23, including Permian High School's graduation on May 22.

"These students have done everything required of them  completed their coursework, passed their classes, and earned the right to graduate," Landgraf said in a news release. "They shouldn't miss this moment because of a bureaucratic delay."

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Landgraf stressed that graduation is a major milestone for students, families, and the entire community, and that the state should do its part to make sure every qualified student can participate.

"I strongly urge the agency to approve ECISD's request, " Landgraf added. "I am fighting to make sure these students get the recognition they've worked so hard to earn."

The parent of a Permian High School student who is planning to graduate early expressed concern Tuesday that his daughter may not be able to walk the stage due to a technicality.

David Patrick said his daughter has taken on a double workload the past semester so that she can graduate early from PHS because he is being relocated for work in June.

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"The technicality is that State test results arrive on May 23rd. Since PHS graduation occurs on May 22nd, 22 ECISD students  who, like my own daughter, went above and beyond, are being told they will not be allowed to walk the stage because they haven't fulfilled all the requirements for graduation (if test results arrive early, then they will not be held back if they passed)," Patrick posted on Facebook.

Ector County ISD issued a statement saying:

"Our long-standing school board policy is that students must satisfactorily complete all coursework requirements for graduation and satisfy all applicable state testing requirements in order to participate in commencement activities and ceremonies.

"Unfortunately, this year, the Texas Education Agency's release of individual student test results is scheduled for May 23, which is after all ECISD's high school graduation ceremonies, except Odessa High School.

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"The timing not only affects early graduates but also all seniors who are waiting for the results of make up End of Course exams to determine whether or not they have met graduation requirements and will be eligible to participate in their respective graduations. The alternative is to participate in Summer Graduation in July.

"School district leaders have sent a formal request to TEA asking the agency to release ECISD's individual results on or by May 21 to help accommodate our students who have worked so hard to earn their diplomas and are one last piece of data away from walking the stage. We are proud of all they have accomplished and hopeful this request for scores will work out in their favor," the statement said.

A spokesman for the Texas Education Agency said Wednesday there are ways early graduates can walk the stage.

If a student hasn't passed their end of course assessments and they're trying to graduate there is an option called an individual graduation committee where they take a holistic look at what the student has done and they are able to recommend them for graduation, spokesman Jacob Kobersky said.

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However, ECISD Chief Communications Officer Mike Adkins said an individual graduation committee is not an option for early graduates.

Adkins emphasized that it has been district policy for more than 10 years that students have to meet all the requirements to walk the stage and graduate.

The ECISD Board of Trustees meets for a workshop at 6 p.m. May 13 and for a regular meeting at 6 p.m. May 20. Both have public comment periods for items posted on the agenda.
May 7A Las Cruces man wanted on a probation violation was killed in a noon shootout with a New Mexico State Police officer north of Truth or Consequences on Tuesday.

Dennis Jones, 75, was pronounced dead at the scene on N.M. 181, NMSP spokesperson Ricardo Breceda said in a news release Wednesday, updating the incident.

According to the police, an officer pulled over Jones around 12:10 p.m. after running his license plate and finding that Jones was wanted in Arizona on a probation violation in connection with a sexual assault case.

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Police said during the traffic stop, "an altercation ensued," and the officer fired at least one shot from his pistol at Jones, who stayed in his pickup truck and fled onto N.M. 181.

"The officer caught up to the vehicle, which had stopped in the middle of High Winds Road," Breceda said in the release. "The officer gave commands to Jones, who then began firing at the officer. The officer returned fire with his duty-issued rifle. After the exchange of gunfire, officers approached the vehicle and located Jones unresponsive."

The officer, whose name won't be released until interviews are completed, was not injured. He has since been put on administrative leave, which is standard.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA)  Thursday was the last day of the South Carolina General Assemblys 2025 regular session.

Governor Henry McMaster signed several bills into law, with more sitting on his desk, awaiting his approval. Lawmakers have been working since January, and wont return again until 2026.

PENDING BILL: SC House passes new bill that will lower income tax

By next year, lawmakers will have one more chance to push any bills through to McMasters desk.

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Since the 2024 elections created a Republican supermajority in the Senate and locked in the one in the House, issues like a hate crimes law or medical marijuana measure that have been building support fell off the radar this session.

In the big picture, we didnt do any momentous legislation this year thats going to be remembered long after this year other than potentially the voucher bill if it is somehow found to be constitutional, Democratic Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto said.

PENDING BILL: SC lawmakers reach compromise on liquor liability reform

During the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers passed the Hands-Free Act, which cracks down on using cell phones while driving. The law also allows police to pull people over if they have reason to suspect the driver using their phone. Despite the legislations passage, the bill saw strong opposition from some Democrats, who said police could use cell phones as an excuse to pull someone over.

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I think we all want to see safer roads. We all want to see drivers that are less distracted. My greatest concern is that the bill will allow for discrimination,  said Rep. Kambrell Garvin (D  Richland), who voted against the bill.

Rep. Bill Taylor (R  Aiken) tried to pass the hands-free bill many times.

Discrimination, that hasnt been proven, and no ones ever said that. Its the same with this. If they see you with a phone in your hand, youre breaking the law. 

Another bill that pushed through this week involved the states energy supply. The legislation creates a partnership between Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper to build a natural gas plant in the Midlands. Sen. Shane Massey (R  Edgefield) said if this bill had not been passed, it would hurt every South Carolinian.

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Your constituents are going to be paying more for energy, Massey declared. Theyre going to be paying more for energy because of the cost of generation.

TO BE DETERMINED: Treasurer Curtis Loftis appears to survive attempted removal

On the education front, lawmakers pushed forward a bill that would give K-12 students public money to attend private schools. The original law was ruled unconstitutional because of how public funds were being used.

Lawmakers hope implementing a third-party person to oversee the funds will help.

The Education Scholarship Trust Fund has been a long and rocky path sometimes. Weve been working on it now for five years, said Sen. Greg Hembree (R  Horry), the bills main supporter and advocate.

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But still, not everyone is in agreement.

I think theres a strong chance that this ends up in court again, said Patrick Kelly with the Palmetto State Teachers Association. That it potentially gets struck down again. Ultimately this should be left for voters to decide if they want this.

Though there are still hundreds of bills left to be debated, its just the end of the first year in a two-year legislative session.

Lawmakers will pick back up where they left off in January 2026.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Cardinal Robert Prevost has taken the name Leo XIV. The Chicago-born missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and took over the Vaticans powerful office of bishops was elected the first pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

In his first words as Pope Francis  successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, Leo, 69, said, Peace be with you, and emphasized a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelization. He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy  a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013. He spoke to the crowd in Italian and Spanish, but not English.

Here is the latest:

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Canadian prime minister offers prayers and best wishes for the pope

New Canadian Prime Minister Carney, a practicing Catholic, called the popes election a historic day for Catholics and all who look to the Vatican for guidance.

At a time of global challenges, may his pontificate carry forward a mission of solidarity, compassion, and dignity for all. Carney said in a post on social media.

Professor of canon law sees continuity with Francis

Kurt Martens, who teaches at The Catholic University of America in Washington, said Robert Prevosts choice of the name of Leo XIV, referencing XIII and his foundational encyclical on social teaching  suggests continuity with the churchs direction under Pope Francis.

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Martens said references in Leo XIVs speech to embracing the whole world as well as synodality are more signs that the new pope will continue to focus on the poor and those on the margins of societies.

Leaders of African countries offer congratulations

Mozambique President Daniel Chapo said it was with joy and jubilation that the people and government of the Republic of Mozambique received the happy news of his election. Mozambique, once a colony of Portugal, has nearly 9 million Catholics.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said in a Facebook post, I wish a Pontificate filled with achievements and blessings, under the sign of interreligious dialogue, peace and human brotherhood, The West African nation, while predominantly Muslim, has a significant Catholic minority.

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Kenyas Archbishop Anthony Muheria said Pope Leo XIV has visited Kenya many times, remembering him as a very pleasant person and a good listener. Catholics in Kenya make up the second largest denomination.

Vladimir Putin wishes Leo XIV success based on Christian values

The Russian president extended his cordial congratulations to the new pope in a message published on the Kremlins website, wishing him success in fulfilling the high mission entrusted to you, as well as good health and well-being.

I am confident that the constructive dialogue and interaction established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values that unite us, the Russian leader said.

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UN secretary general offers heartfelt congratulations

Antonio Guterres said he looks forward to building on the long legacy of cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See  nurtured most recently by Pope Francis  to advance solidarity, foster reconciliation, and build a just and sustainable world for all.

The election of a new Pope is a moment of profound spiritual significance for millions of faithful around the world, and it comes at a time of great global challenges. Our world is in need of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity and compassion, Guterres said.

And he quoted the new popes first words: Despite the rich diversity of backgrounds and beliefs, people everywhere share a common goal: May peace be with all the world.

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A burning question: is Pope Leo XIV a Chicago White Sox or Cubs fan?

The bells pealed at Holy Name Cathedral as a crowd quickly gathered. Schoolchildren mingled outside, whooping and shouting. Bishop Larry Sullivan, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago, told a press conference that its an exciting day for the city and the country.

I would say the Chicago way is that we come together, we share our faith, he said.

The cathedrals rector, Father Gregory Sakowicz, said the sun came out in Chicago when the new pope was announced, a coincidence he described as Gods way of remaining anonymous.

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He said he was happily shocked, and that he had a burning question: was new Pope a White Sox fan? A journalist said shed heard hes for the Cubs, and Sakowicz chuckled. God bless him, he said.

Catholics in Boston celebrate  though they didnt get a vote

Boston is among the most Catholic of U.S. cities  about a quarter of the population identifies as Catholic, according to the Pew Research Center, down from 29% in 2014 after the clergy abuse scandal broke in the city and spread worldwide.

Bostons former archbishop, Cardinal Sean Patrick OMalley, turned 80 in June, so was too old to vote, and his successor, Archbishop Richard Henning, is not a cardinal. The city lacked a direct representative inside the conclave, but is cheering nonetheless.

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We have a pope! I join with Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston and throughout the world, along with people of good will, in celebrating the election of Pope Leo XIV as the new Holy Father, Henning said in a statement. We pray for him as he begins this ministry as the Vicar of Christ and the Bishop of Rome. May he be for us a visible source and foundation of communion in faith.

The first U.S. pope didnt use English in his first speech

His choice of languages reflects his pastoral care, said Prof. Bruce Morrill of Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

First and foremost his office is bishop of Rome, Morrill said after the American pope initially spoke Italian, then switched to the Spanish he used in decades spent ministering in Peru.

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The conventional wisdom was that there would not be an American pope because of geopolitical implications, said Morrill, a Jesuit priest.

Morrill also noted that Leo XIII issued the first modern encyclical on modern social justice, about workers protections. So choosing the name Leo XIV suggests the new pontiffs priorities: This is a man also very concerned about the church serving the greater social needs of the world, Morrill said.

Spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians welcomes the new Roman Catholic Church leader

I greet the new Pope, the new Bishop of Rome, with great brotherly love in Christ and great expectations, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew told the Associated Press Thursday at an event in Athens. He said hell be in Rome for the popes enthronement.

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Reflecting on his long-standing cooperation with Pope Francis, Bartholomew expressed hope for continued progress in Catholic-Orthodox relations. He and Francis collaborated on global challenges including climate change, migration and the impact of technological change. They also hoped to end a centuries-old dispute by finding a common date to celebrate Easter.

I hope that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will be a dear brother and collaborator ... for unity of the whole Christian family and for the benefit of the whole of humankind, he said.

Spanish prime minister congratulates the entire Catholic church

Pedro Sanchez cheered the election of Pope Leo XIV, saying in a post on X: May your pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defense of human rights in a world in need of hope and unity.

Pope Leo XIVs first appointments have been set

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni says:

The Bushes are delighted over an American pope

Former U.S. President George W. Bush said he and his wife, Laura, are delighted to congratulate former Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election to become pope.

This an historic and hopeful moment for Catholics in America and for the faithful around the world, Bush said in a statement. We join those praying for the success of Pope Leo XIV as he prepares to lead the Catholic church, serve the neediest, and share Gods love.

Pope Francis clearly had his eye on Prevost

In many ways, Francis saw Prevost as his heir apparent. But there had long been a taboo against electing a pontiff from a country whose geopolitical power loomed so large in the secular sphere. Prevost, a Chicago native, was seemingly eligible because hes also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

His selection is also enormously significant because of its potential impact on the future of the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been badly divided between conservatives and progressives. With Prevosts help at the help of the bishop vetting office, Francis embarked on a 12-year project to rein in the traditionalists in the United States, which is terrifically important to the global church financially.

What significance might the name Leo have for a pope?

Robert Prevost, a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru before taking over the Vaticans powerful office of bishops, chose Leo XIV for his papal name.

Leo XIII, an Italian who led the church from 1878 to 1903, softened Catholicisms confrontational stance toward modernity  especially science and politics  and laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought, most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers rights and capitalism.

The name is a deep sign of commitment to social issues. I think it is going to be exciting to see a different kind of American Catholicism in Rome, said Natalia Imperatori-Lee, the chair of religious studies at Manhattan University in the Bronx.

Trump says its such an honor for our country

Trump spoke to reporters outside the West Wing, saying that for the new pope to be American, What greater honor can there be?

Were a little bit surprised and were happy, Trump added.

US Secretary of State sends his greetings

Marco Rubio, a Catholic, issued a statement expressing his heartfelt congratulations to the new pope during a moment of profound significance for the church.

The papacy carries a sacred and solemn responsibility, Rubios message said. May the Holy Spirit impart wisdom, strength, and grace as he shepherds the Church. The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff.

A new pope sends greetings to his faithful in Peru

Speaking from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica for the first time as pope, Leo XIV addressed in Spanish the people of Chiclayo, which sits just 9 miles (14 km) away from Perus northern Pacific coast and is among the countrys most populous cities.

Greetings... to all of you, and in particular, to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop, shared their faith, he said.

What is a core value for Augustinian priests?

A religious order is a community of Catholics  which can include priests, nuns, monks and even lay people  dedicated to a particular type of mission and spirituality. A core value for the Order of St. Augustine that the new pope belongs to is to live together in harmony, being of one mind and one heart on the way to God.

Pope Francis was the first pope from the Jesuit religious order ever, and the first in more than a century and a half to come from any religious order. The previous one was Gregory XVI (1831-1846), a Camaldolese monk. In all, 34 of the 266 popes have belonged to religious orders  and six of them before Leo XIV were Augustinians, according to America, a Jesuit magazine.

The idea of a US pontiff was taboo. Prevost overcame it

Pope Francis brought Prevost, a Chicago native, to the Vatican in 2023 to lead the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church.

He kept a low public profile in Rome, but was well known to the men who count. Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals.

Back in Prevosts old diocese in Chiclayo, Peru, the Rev. Fidel Purisaca Vigil said Prevost would have breakfast with his fellow priests after saying his prayers each day. No matter how many problems he has, he maintains good humor and joy, Purisaca said in an email.

 Read more about Robert Prevosts background

The popes first words

Peace be with you all. Dear brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts to reach your families to all people everywhere to all the earth: peace be with you.

Cathedral bells ring out in Lima, Peru

Prevosts election as pope is swelling the pride of Peruvians.

For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country, said elementary school teacher Isabel Panez, who happened to be near the cathedral in Perus capital when the news was announced. We would like him to visit us here in Peru.

Trump congratulates new pope

The U.S. president posted his reaction on his Truth Social social media platform.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

New pope led order dedicated to the poor and service

The new pope was formerly the prior general, or leader, of the Order of St. Augustine, formed in the 13th century as a community of mendicant friars dedicated to poverty, service and evangelization.

The orders requirements and ethos are traced to the fifth century St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the theological and devotional giants of early Christianity.

The order works in about 50 countries, according to its website, promoting a contemplative spirituality, communal living and service to others.

Pope Leo XIVs first message: Peace and dialogue without fear

In his first words, Pope Leo XIV, history's first American pope Robert Prevost, said Peace be with you.

From the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, he recalled that he was an Augustinian priest, but a Christian above all, and a bishop, so we can all walk together.

He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

The voting cardinals look over the crowd

The voting cardinals now fill the four balconies that flank the flag-draped balcony where Pope Leo XIV will speak. Many  including several who had been identified as possible contenders  seem joyful as they look over the crowd below.

Robert Prevost is elected the first American pope in history

Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vaticans powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

Prevost, 69, took the name Leo XIV.

A new popes last moments before emerging to a global role

The new pope, whoever he is, should now be donning his papal vestments in the so-called Room of Tears. It is thus named due to the emotional weight of the moment and the responsibility ahead.

People in the crowd continue to scream Viva il papa! as they remain suspended in time in huge anticipation.

One cardinals hometown mystery

Three friends in Cardinal Pietro Parolins hometown Schiavon clinked their glasses in an Italian salute when the white smoke went up in St. Peters Square. We hope its him, said Mariano Vialetto, over an aperitif in Caffe Centrale. We have our fingers crossed.

Morgan Zaetta was more sure: Its him, its him.

Then the bells rang in the church, St. Margherita  only the sacristan says it wasnt he who rang them and doesnt know who did.

It wasnt me, said Angelo Cisotto, adding no one was in the bell tower and they could not be rung by remote.

Its a mystery, he said. Asked if it could be a sign: We hope, we hope.

Trump saw the smoke

President Donald Trump was asked about the white smoke signaling that a new pope had been chosen. He offered little immediate reaction.

I saw the smoke but I havent seen the pope, Trump told reporters on his way out of a White House event with military mothers.

A last quiet moment before the excitement

A few minutes before the white smoke, a small Seagull chick appeared near the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Alongside the chick were two larger seagulls, almost as if they were a family. Just as the mother was feeding the chick, the chimney began to smoke.

Older cardinals who didnt participate in the conclave rush out to the square

These cardinals lined up as military bands played the Italian and Holy See national anthems.

Spotted in the crowd were American Cardinals Sean OMalley and Donald Wuerl, both of whom are over 80 and didnt vote.

Swiss Guards have taken position in front of front of St. Peters Basilica

A marching brass band in blue uniforms led a contingent of Swiss guards through the crowd to a central spot below the balcony, generating another huge roar from the crowd.

The Pontifical Swiss Guard is the official security force of the Vatican, and holds a ceremonial and a protective function.

And now more marching bands are celebrating the election of a new pope in a parade that includes large groups in military dress uniforms.

Vivi il Papa! erupts from the crowd whenever the music pauses.

All eyes are now on the red-draped central balcony of St. Peters Basilica

Thats where a cardinal will soon emerge to to proclaim a new pope to Rome and to the world.

There is incredible excitement  the crowd is roaring, and some are shouting hallelujah!

Church bells ring in Spain

Moments after white smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel, the bells began tolling in Barcelonas towering Sagrada Familia basilica and the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, across from the royal palace.

The great bells of St. Peters Basilica are tolling

And down below, amid the cheers in the vast mix of humanity in St. Peters square, priests are making the sign of the cross and nuns are weeping at the white smoke wafting into the sky.

The crowd erupted with joy in St. Peters Square

Some are obviously deeply moved, others excited. Theyre clapping and waving national flags and taking photos with their phones.

Viva il papa! some shouted.

White smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney

It signals that a pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church.

That means the winner secured at least 89 votes of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

The crowd in St. Peters Square erupted in cheers.

The name will be announced later, when a top cardinal utters the words Habemus papam! Latin for We have a pope! from the loggia of St. Peters Basilica. The cardinal then reads the winners birth name in Latin, and reveals the name he has chosen to be called.

The new pope is then expected to make his first public appearance and impart a blessing from the same loggia.

The smoke emerged from the chimney at 6:07 p.m.

Pope Francis appointed 108 of the cardinals voting for his successor

He elevated these men and others who are not eligible to vote in groups throughout his papacy, beginning in January 2014 with 19. They came from around the world, including the developing nations of Haiti and Burkina Faso, in line with his belief the church must pay more attention to the poor and that its hierarchy should reflect the face of the faithful.

His last batch was installed in December 2024 with 21 cardinals, 20 of whom are in the conclave.

The excitement in the square is contagious

At one point there was applause from the crowd as thousands train their eyes on the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, but it was a false alarm.

We want a Pope close to the people and close to us, to the youth, who represent the future of the Church, said Kacper Michalak, 20, a seminarian from Poland who came for the 2025 Jubilee. The holy year is an ancient church tradition encouraging spiritual renewal which encourages pilgrimages to Rome.

How long does it take to choose a pope?

Its hard to say precisely. The Vatican doesnt officially publish the number of votes in past conclaves, and sources compiling their own tallies dont completely agree. But historical data provide a few clues.

The longest conclave since the 20th century began took 14 rounds of balloting across five days, ending with the election of Pius XI in 1922. The shortest, electing Pius XII in 1939, took three ballots over two days.

Cardinals must reach a two-thirds majority to elect a pope. That may have been easier in the past: In 1922 there were just 53 voting cardinals, and until 1978 conclaves had fewer than 100. This year there are 133, so 89 votes are needed.

These are the US cardinals voting for the next pope

The United States is home to 10 of the 133 cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope. Thats more than any other nation except Italy, home to 17 of the electors in the conclave choosing a successor to Pope Francis.

Only four of the American electors actively serve as archbishops in the U.S.  Timothy Dolan of New York, Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, and Robert McElroy of Washington. Two others are retired archbishops, and four have spent many years serving at the Vatican.

Its a mixed group, ideologically. McElroy was one of Francis staunchest progressive allies. Cardinal Raymond Burke, a traditionalist, was a frequent critic of Francis.

 Read more about the US electors in the conclave

Conservative cardinals are likely seeking a more orthodox successor

Francis had many traditionalist critics who made clear they believed themselves to be more Catholic than the pope.

Francis sought to neutralize the conservative opposition through key appointments and targeted removals, and he also oversaw a crackdown on the old Latin Mass. When he approved blessings for same-sex couples, African bishops united in disapproval. And when he allowed divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion, some accused him of heresy.

 Read more on Pope Francis conservative critics

The faithful in the piazza dont get a vote. But if they did ...

Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina, is hoping for a new pope in Francis image. Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didnt do enough. Well see if the next one will be able to do more.

The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis. He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, hed be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists.

He has clear ideas, not much ideology. Hes a direct, intelligent, and respectful man, Bogataj said from the square. Most of all, hes agile.

A hot mic moment feeds conjecture over papal candidates

As the Sistine Chapels doors slammed shut to seal the cardinals off from the outside world, leadership of the proceedings was assumed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and a leading contender to succeed him as pope.

Parolin is the most senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate, and seemed to have received blessings from none other than Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, who was caught on a hot mic during Wednesdays pre-conclave Mass telling Parolin Auguri doppio or double best wishes.

Italians are debating whether this was a customary gesture, an informal endorsement or even a premature congratulations.

Prominent cardinal hopes for white smoke by the evening

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, expressed hope that a new pope would be elected within hours, according to reports in major Italian newspapers.

I hope that when I return to Rome this evening, Ill find the white smoke already rising, he said, speaking from the city of Pompeii on Thursday.

Re is 91 years old, which makes him too old to participate in the conclave of 133 cardinals who are electing the next pope and who all have to be under 80.

However, he has been prominent and delivered a Mass on Wednesday before the cardinals began their conclave. As the Mass ended he was caught on a hot mic saying to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, viewed as a favorite for the papacy: auguri doppi (double best wishes).

Italians discussed whether this was a customary gesture acknowledging Parolins role as the most senior cardinal present in the conclave, or if it might have been an informal endorsement of Parolins candidacy for the papacy.

Black smoke again pours from the Sistine Chapel chimney: No pope elected yet

Black smoke is again pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected on second or third ballots of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.

The smoke billowed out at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday after the morning voting session to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member church.

With no one securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the 133 cardinals will return to the Vatican residences where they are being sequestered. They will have lunch and then return to the Sistine Chapel for the afternoon voting session.

Two more votes are possible on Thursday.

Day 2 of waiting for a new pope

Many faithful are hoping that the second day of the conclave will give the church and the world a new pope after a first vote produced dark smoke on Wednesday evening, sending a disappointed crowd to disperse in all directions in Rome.

Earlier, some of the people had started thinking that the long wait was the sign cardinals had reached a decision in a first vote, which would be unprecedented in the modern era.

They probably need more time, said Costanza Ranaldi, a 63-year-old who traveled from Pescara in Italys Abruzzo region to be present at the historic moment.

Chiara Pironi, a 26-year-old who lives in Rome, said she would keep returning to St. Peters Square until a new pope is chosen.

I dont want to miss that moment, she said.

A proverb and a warning

There is an old prover that Italians keep repeating: He who enters the conclave as pope leaves as a cardinal.

The saying warns against overconfidence among front-runners in papal elections  those widely expected to win often do not.

In Rome, the phrase is heard frequently, from casual conversations to live TV broadcasts, where commentators use it to temper speculation.

Its a reminder of the secrecy and unpredictability of the conclave, where decisions are made behind locked doors, and outcomes can surprise even seasoned Vatican watchers.

Who is voting in the conclave?

Of the 133 cardinals voting in the conclave, 108 were appointed by Pope Francis, who died last month at the age of 88.

The electors could feel loyalty to continue his legacy  even though the late pontiff didnt choose cardinals based on ideology, but rather for their pastoral priorities and geographical diversity.

Beyond that, the cardinals will consider practical matters, like age. Piking a relatively young man  say in his 60s  could result in a papacy of 20 years or longer.

Also, choosing a pope from where the church is growing  Asia or Africa  could bring more upheaval to the Vaticans Italian-heavy bureaucracy that is still smarting from the Argentine popes go-it-alone style.

Why might papal voting might have taken longer Wednesday evening?

Casting and counting ballots for a new pope might have taken longer than expected on Wednesday evening because of the large number of cardinals participating  133  and the linguistic diversity among them.

The electors hail from 70 countries, and not all speak or understand Italian fluently, which could have slowed down the proceedings if help with translation was needed. While in the past Latin was the universal language of the church, nowadays not all cardinals understand Latin or even Italian, the lingua franca of the Vatican.

Another unknown was the length of the meditation delivered by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa after the Sistine Chapel doors closed and the voting began. Cantalamessa is the retired preacher of the papal household.

Also, the vote might have had to be done twice, if for some reason the first ballot had to be invalidated. That occurred in 2013 when during one voting round, an extra empty ballot appeared.

Black smoke pours from Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating conclave hasnt elected pope

The smoke billowed out at 9 p.m. Wednesday, some four hours after 133 cardinals solemnly entered the Sistine Chapel, took their oaths of secrecy and formally opened the centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member church.

With no one securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the cardinals retired for the night to the Vatican residences where they are being sequestered.

 Read more about the conclave to pick the next pope
By Raphael Satter

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Israel's NSO Group was handed a $168 million penalty by a federal jury in California on Tuesday for hijacking the servers of WhatsApp in order to hack users of the Meta-owned chat platform on behalf of foreign spy agencies. The case caps a six-year battle between the American social media giant and the surveillance firm. It has also cast a unusual amount of light on the inner workings of the spyware industry.

Here is what we have learned:

TOP-SHELF SPYWARE IS NOT CHEAP

Between 2018 and 2020 NSO charged its European government customers a "standard price" of $7 million for use of its platform to hack 15 different devices at a time, according to Sarit Bizinsky Gil, NSO's vice president of global business operations. The executive said the ability to hack a phone outside the customer's country was a separate add-on worth approximately $1 million or $2 million.

"It is a highly sophisticated product," Meta lawyer Antonio Perez told the court in his opening statement, "And it carries a hefty price tag."

NSO HACKED THOUSANDS OF DEVICES

Between 2018 and 2020 the Israeli spyware firm was responsible for breaking into thousands of devices, according to Tamir Gazneli, NSO's vice president of research and development. During the trial, Gazneli said he disagreed with the idea that his company sold "spyware," leading to an exchange with Perez in which Gazneli insisted his firm's tools were used to gather intelligence on targets but "not people."

"You don't consider the targets people, Mr. Gazneli?" Perez asked him.

"That's not what I said," he responded. "What I said is that the targets are intelligence targets of intelligence agencies."

AMERICAN TAXPAYERS SENT MILLIONS TO NSO'S COFFERS

The Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation collectively paid NSO $7.6 million, according to court records. The agencies' past dealings with the Israeli spyware company had previously been disclosed by The New York Times, which said the CIA bankrolled Djibouti's purchase of NSO spyware and the bureau bought it for testing, but the trial put a price tag on the relationship.

NSO TARGETED WHATSAPP'S INFRASTRUCTURE DURING THE LAWSUIT

The lawsuit against NSO did not deter the spyware firm from continuing to abuse WhatsApp's infrastructure, Meta's lawyers said in a court document filed late last month.

"NSO repeatedly targeted Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs' servers, and Plaintiffs' mobile client even after this litigation was filed," the filing said.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India struck multiple locations in Pakistan this week after a deadly April 22 attack targeting Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir that New Delhi blames on its Muslim neighbour.

Pakistan, which denies any link to the Kashmir violence, said on Thursday it shot down 25 drones from India overnight. India said it "neutralised" Pakistani attempts to strike military targets with drones and missiles.

Here is a look at the current situation as conflict spreads between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

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WHERE DID INDIA'S FIRST STRIKES HIT?

India says it hit nine "terrorist camps" in Pakistan on Wednesday that were used as indoctrination centres, training areas and launch-pads for attacks. Some of them, it says, were linked to the perpetrators of last month's assault.

Pakistan said the Indian attacks hit six locations in its territory, none of them militant camps.

HOW HAS PAKISTAN REACTED?

Pakistan says it shot down five Indian aircraft during those first strikes. The Indian embassy in Beijing said reports of fighter jets being shot down were "misinformation".

Pakistan vowed to retaliate at a "time, place and manner of its choosing". The military said on Thursday India will continue to "pay dearly for this naked aggression".

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India says any military attack against it will be met with a "firm response".

WHAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION?

Cross-border firing and shelling increased after India's first strikes, then tapered off. Pakistan says India is sending drones into its airspace, 25 of which were shot down overnight, including some over its largest cities of Karachi and Lahore.

India said it had targeted some air defence systems in Pakistan, and that it had "neutralised" attempts by Pakistan to "engage" military targets in its north and west.

WHAT HAVE OTHER COUNTRIES SAID?

Global leaders have called for restraint. U.S. President Donald Trump said he hoped the countries would "work it out" and that he "will be there" if he can help.

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The United Nations called for "maximum military restraint", saying the world could not afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT CASUALTIES?

Pakistan says 31 of its civilians were killed in the Indian strikes and the cross-border violence that followed. India says 16 civilians have died on its side of the border.

Both countries have organised blackout drills in border areas, and panic-buying has been reported in parts of India's northern border state of Punjab.

People living along the de-facto border in India's Jammu and Kashmir have also been asked to move to safer places.

(Compiled by Sakshi Dayal)
President Donald Trump said from the White House on Thursday that his government has reached a trade agreement with the United Kingdom.

Trump said the deal increases access for U.S. agricultural products, though he added that the final details were still being written up. Britain said the agreement will cut tariffs on U.K. cars from 27.5% to 10% and eliminate tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Here's the latest:

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Forest and park service worker cuts leave wildland firefighting crews short-staffed

Administration funding cuts and a loss of federal workers who help support wildland firefighting continue to make planning for the upcoming wildfire season a challenge, according to forest and fire officials in Oregon and Washington.

The biggest issue is a lack of communication from the federal government as the West faces a pretty significant wildland fire season, Washington State Forester George Geissler said Thursday during a news conference hosted by two Democratic senators from the two states.

This is the time when we make certain that we have the aviation we need, when we have the personnel we need and that all of our systems check out and are ready to go when the alarm bell rings, Geissler said.

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A spokesperson with the Department of Interior, which oversees national parks and other public lands, said funding is not in jeopardy and efforts are being supported by increasing pay for federal and tribal wildland firefighters.

 Read more about the cuts and firefighting readiness

Trumps trade deal with the UK could have occurred before his Liberation Day tariffs

The president had invited the British government to agree to a trade deal before April 2, but he changed his mind so that he could impose his sweeping Liberation Day tariffs.

Thats according to a British government official who insisted on anonymity to discuss negotiations with the Trump administration.

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The official said the planned deal, which was unveiled Thursday, was effectively shelved so that Trump could roll out sharp increases in import taxes that caused financial markets to panic because of the possible economic damage.

After interest rates on U.S. government debt increased, Trump imposed a partial pause for 90 days of negotiations to reach deals.

Trump says he is naming Fox News host and former judge Jeanine Pirro as top federal prosecutor in DC

The president said Thursday that he is naming Pirro, a former county prosecutor and elected judge, to be the top federal prosecutor for the nations capital.

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Pirro, who joined Fox News in 2006, co-hosts The Five on weekday evenings. She was elected as a judge in New Yorks Westchester County Court in 1990 and later served three terms as the countys elected district attorney.

Trump tapped Pirro to at least temporarily lead the nations largest U.S. Attorneys office after pulling his nomination of conservative activist Ed Martin Jr. That came after a key Republican senator said he could not support Martin due to his defense of rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Hes a terrific person, and he wasnt getting the support from people that I thought, Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office. He later added: But we have somebody else that will be great.

Pirro is the latest in a string of appointments coming from Fox News, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who co-hosted Fox & Friends Weekend.

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Panama president says he will not renegotiate security deal with US despite protests

President Jose Raul Mulino said he will not renegotiate the deal, which gives U.S. troops access to Panamanian facilities, despite protests charging that he compromised his countrys sovereignty.

Thousands marched in Panama City on Tuesday in the largest protest yet against the agreement, which was signed during last months visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The U.S. Embassy said Wednesday in a statement that it does not allow for establishing military bases in Panama. A military presence in Panama is sensitive, since people still remember the U.S. invasion in 1989, and Trump has suggested taking back control of the Panama Canal.

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Panamas sovereignty is not at stake, its not handed over, its not given, Mulino said during his weekly news conference. He, too, said the agreement would not lead to U.S. bases.

Whats in the US-UK trade deal? A broad agreement with limited details

The Trump administration announced the deal in grandiose terms, but with only limited details about what it will achieve.

The agreement will open up the British market to American beef, ethanol, and other agricultural products, the White House said. It will also allow British cars and steel better access to U.S. consumers.

The pact provides some support for Trumps arguments that his steep tariffs could lead to agreements that open up overseas markets. But economists initial reactions were cool, with many noting that the U.K. isnt a large enough trading partner for to really move the needle for the U.S. economy.

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Its more symbolic than economic, Beata Caranci, chief economist at the bank TD Economics, said via email. What we have learned is that these initial announcements are going to be more fine-tuning around the edges and easing of pain points, rather than an end to the trade war.

 Read more about whats in the agreement

Lawsuit challenges new rules on migrant children in federal custody

The suit brought by two migrants advocacy groups seeks a halt to new vetting procedures for reuniting children who enter the country without their parents, saying they are keeping families separated longer and are inhumane.

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The lawsuit in federal court in the District of Columbia names the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services and its Office of Refugee Resettlement.

In February the administration changed the way it reviews sponsors who want to care for migrant children in government custody, be they parents, relatives or others. More changes followed in March and April, when the government started requiring identification or proof of income that only people legally present in the U.S. can acquire.

Critics say government data shows the average length of time that children are held before being released to sponsors grew from 37 days in January to over 112 by March.

The plaintiffs are asking a judge to declare the changes unlawful and restore previous policies.

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Ukraines Zelenskyy says he had another conversation with Trump about ceasefire

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said they spoke by phone Thursday, hours after Trump reiterated his call for Ukraine and Russia to come to an agreement on a ceasefire.

President Trump inquired about the situation on the battlefield, and I provided a brief overview. I also informed him that Ukraine is ready for a 30-day ceasefire, starting even today, Zelenskyy said via social media.

We are waiting for Russia to support this proposal. I also reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to engage in talks in any format, he added. But for that, Russia must demonstrate the seriousness of its intentions to end the war, starting with a full unconditional ceasefire.

Trump expressed frustration with the conflict earlier in the day.

This ceasefire must ultimately build toward a Peace Agreement, he said on his Truth Social platform. It can all be done very quickly, and I will be available on a moments notice if my services are needed.

Up to 1,000 transgender troops are being moved out of the military in new Pentagon order

The Pentagon will immediately begin moving as many as 1,000 openly identifying transgender service members out of the military and give others 30 days to self-identify, under a new directive issued Thursday.

Buoyed by Tuesdays Supreme Court decision allowing the Trump administration to enforce a ban on transgender individuals in the military, the Defense Department will then begin going through medical records to identify others who havent come forward.

Department officials have said its difficult to determine exactly how many transgender service members there are, but medical records will show those who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, show symptoms or are being treated.

Those troops would then be involuntarily forced out of the service.

On social media, Pope Leo XIV has shared criticism of Trump and Vance over policies

The Catholic Churchs first global leader to hail from the United States, Leo is in a new job that will have many crossovers into politics  a realm not entirely unknown to the Chicago-born priest, whose social media history includes sharing criticism of Trump administration policies and of comments by Vice President JD Vance.

The majority of Leos posts on the social platform X are related to or in support of Catholic news and church initiatives. He rarely writes original content, but a look back through his social media timeline shows numerous posts sharing viewpoints opposed to moves aimed at restricting acceptance of migrants and refugees in the U.S.

 Read more about the posts shared by Leo

US will stop tracking the costs of extreme weather fueled by climate change

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will no longer track the cost of climate change-fueled weather disasters, including floods, heat waves, wildfires and more. It is the latest example of changes to the agency and the Trump administration limiting federal government resources on climate change.

NOAA falls under the U.S. Department of Commerce and is tasked with daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings and climate monitoring. It is also parent to the National Weather Service.

The agency said its National Centers for Environmental Information would no longer update its Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database beyond 2024 its information  going as far back as 1980  would be archived.

NOAA Communications Director Kim Doster said in a statement that the change was in alignment with evolving priorities, statutory mandates, and staffing changes.

Trump to end Biden-era program helping poor communities get internet access

The president says he plans to end the $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act, which was part of the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure investments signed into law by then-President Joe Biden.

The aim of the program was to help rural and urban communities on the wrong side of the digital divide, as well as veterans and people with disabilities.

Trump said in a social media post that he spoke with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and agreed that the program is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

No more woke handouts based on race! Trump said. I am ending this IMMEDIATELY, and saving Taxpayers BILLIONS OF DOLLARS!

Reports of Trump deportation plans highlight abuse of migrants in Libya

Reports of plans to deport migrants from the U.S. to Libya, a country with a documented history of serious human rights violations and abuse of migrants, have spotlighted the difficulties they face in the lawless North African nation.

Migrants there are routinely arbitrarily detained and placed in squalid detention centers where they are subjected to extortion, abuse, rape and killings.

A U.N.-backed independent fact-finding mission found evidence that crimes against humanity have been committed against migrants in Libya. Victims were subjected to enslavement, forced disappearance, torture and murder, among other crimes, the investigators found. Dead migrants have been found in mass graves, while tens of thousands of others have drowned trying to escape Libya on smugglers boats.

Its hell on earth for migrants, said Tarek Megerisi, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

 Read more about abuses of migrants in Libya

Barbara Bush commemorative stamp unveiled at the White House

First lady Melania Trump and members of the Bush family gathered in the East Room to introduce the U.S postage stamp bearing the portrait of the former first lady.

The image is Barbara Bushs official White House portrait, which hangs in the entrance to the East Wing. She is depicted in a black suit and purple blouse, wearing her hallmark triple strand of pearls.

The stamp is set to go on sale a month from now, on Bushs birthdate of June 8, first in Kennebunkport, Maine, where the family compound is located.

Trump said she appreciated how Bush inspired people to pursue their dreams.

Barbara Bush died in 2018 at 92. She was married to former President George H. W. Bush and was the mother of former President George W. Bush.

A day after saying FBI needs more resources, Patel strikes different note to Congress on budget plan

Director Kash Patel pledged to make the bureaus mission work on whatever budget were given, striking a different tone from comments a day earlier in which he called for funding at far higher levels than what the Trump administration had proposed.

The 2026 budget proposal released Friday calls for a cut of about $545 million for the FBI as part of what the White House said was a desire to reform and streamline the bureau and reduce non-law enforcement missions that do not align with the presidents priorities.

Patel told a House subcommittee Wednesday that the FBI needs more and cant do the mission on those 2011 budget levels.

But on Thursday during a Senate committee hearing, he said: My view is that we agree with this budget as it stands and (will) make it work for the operational necessity of the FBI, and as the head of the FBI, I was simply asking for more funds because I can do more with more money.

Wall Street rises on hopes for trade deals that could forestall a recession

The rise came after the United States and United Kingdom announced a trade deal that would lower some tariffs between the two countries, the first of what Wall Street hopes will be enough agreements to keep a recession from hitting the economy.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% for its 11th gain in the last 13 days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 254 points, or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1.1%.

It wasnt just stocks. Bitcoin jumped back above $101,000, and crude oil prices climbed, while the price of gold eased back as investors felt less need for safety.

Treasury yields rose on bets that more trade deals with other countries may mean the Federal Reserve wont need to cut interest rates as sharply as feared in order to prop up the economy.

Bank of England cuts interest rates and welcomes word of US-UK trade deal

The bank lowered its main interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.25% amid concerns over the potential shock to global growth emanating from the tariff policies of the Trump administration.

Thursdays decision was widely expected, though there was an array of opinion on the nine-member Monetary Policy Committee, with two voting for a bigger half-point cut to 4% and two voting to hold rates.

Bank Gov. Andrew Bailey said inflationary pressures have continued to ease, paving the way for the fourth quarter-point rate cut since August.

The past few weeks have shown how unpredictable the global economy can be, he said. Thats why we need to stick to a gradual and careful approach to further rate cuts.

New German chancellor talks by phone with Trump on Ukraine and trade

Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke with Trump on his second full day in office about matters including the Ukraine war and trade disputes, according to the German leaders office.

Trump congratulated the conservative leader after his victory in a parliamentary vote Tuesday, government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said.

In a call that took place on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, Merz said the U.S. remains Germanys indispensable friend and partner, Kornelius said.

The two leaders agreed to work closely to end the war in Ukraine, and Merz agreed with Trumps call for the killing to end quickly, Kornelius said, adding that Russia must now agree to a ceasefire to create space for negotiations.

According to the German readout, Trump said he would support the efforts of Germany, as well as Britain, France, Poland and other European countries, to achieve lasting peace.

The leaders discussed making mutual visits to each others countries, but no dates were specified.

Democrats block stablecoin bill as they raise concerns about Trumps crypto ventures

Senate Democrats have blocked legislation to regulate stablecoins, a form of cryptocurrency, after arguing that the bill needed stronger protections and airing concerns that it could help the president enrich himself.

The bill, which would regulate how stablecoin issuers operate in the U.S., had previously won some Democratic support. But it failed 49-48 on a procedural vote Thursday after Democrats said they needed to see more changes before they could back the legislation.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans would work with Democrats if they allowed the bill to move forward, but they refused. All Democrats voted not to bring it up.

The vote is a blow to one of Trumps top legislative priorities and a setback for the cryptocurrency industry, which spent heavily in last years election and has been emboldened to cement its influence in politics and the mainstream financial system.

Vance calls Rubio probably my best friend in the Trump administration

Vice President JD Vance says he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio arent rivals, despite Trump mentioning both as possible successors.

Vance said during an interview with Fox News Channel on Thursday that Rubio is probably my best friend in the administration.

The presidents not going to name a successor 110 days into his administration, nor should he, Vance said. Asked if he could see himself as president, he said he would stay focused was on the current administration rather than the next one.

During a recent interview with NBC News, Trump was asked about a successor and responded, You look at Marco, you look at JD Vance, whos fantastic.

Trump also has repeatedly flirted with suggestions that he could seek a third term  even though that is constitutionally barred.

FACT FOCUS: Trump claims the US subsidizes Canada. Experts say the numbers dont add up

Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the White House on Tuesday in search of common ground during an ongoing trade war that has shattered decades of trust between his country and the U.S. Although the conversation was civil, President Donald Trump repeated erroneous rhetoric about how the U.S. provides Canada with billions of dollars in subsidies.

Heres a closer look at the facts.

CLAIM: The U.S. subsidizes Canada with subsidies of about $200 billion per year.

THE FACTS: This is false. According to the White House, the number is based on the U.S. trade deficit with Canada and higher military spending by the U.S., including expenditures associated with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD. An exact total is difficult to discern because there is no publicly available data on NORAD spending. But even the most generous estimates do not put the total costs anywhere close to what Trump claims.

 Read more about the numbers behind the U.S.-Canada trade relationship

Cash-strapped Bureau of Prisons freezes some hiring to avoid more extreme measures, director says

The Trump administration is halting some hiring at the crisis-plagued agency, where chronic understaffing has led to long overtime shifts and the use of prison nurses, teachers, cooks and other workers to guard inmates.

The move, which coincides with Trumps aggressive campaign to cut the cost and size of the federal government, was announced Thursday by the agencys newly appointed director, William K. Marshall III. Some union officials characterized it as a hiring freeze, though the agency denied that, saying some positions would continue to be filled.

The Bureau will maintain current staffing levels at least through the end of the fiscal year, Sept 30, Marshall wrote in an email to staff titled Staffing and Hiring Decisions. The agency will still work to fill critical positions, such as correctional officers and medical clinicians, and will honor job offers that are currently pending on an accelerated timeline.

 Read more about the freezing of some hires

Cameron Hamilton is replaced as acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

FEMAs leadership is changing hands at a moment of uncertainty over the agencys future.

Trump has floated the idea of  getting rid  of FEMA, something Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has echoed.

Last month, Trump created a review council tasked with reforming and streamlining the nations emergency management and disaster response system, according to DHS.

It was not immediately clear why Hamilton was replaced, but his dismissal comes one day after he appeared before a House Appropriations subcommittee to discuss FEMA reforms. David Richardson will now serve as acting administrator.

The former marine corps officer was appointed in January as assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Securitys Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office.

Trump talks about the new pope

The president made a surprise appearance outside the West Wing to talk with reporters about the newly announced pope.

Its such an honor for our country for the new pope to be American, Trump said. What greater honor can there be?

The president added that were a little bit surprised and were happy.

 Read more about how Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, overcame a taboo against a US pontiff

Trump administration seeks to overhaul US air traffic control

Recent deadly plane crashes and technical failures that have put a spotlight on the outdated U.S. air traffic control network are prompting the Trump administration to propose an overhaul.

The plan calls for six new air traffic control centers, along with technology and communications upgrades at all of the nations air traffic facilities over the next three years, said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. How much it will all cost wasnt immediately revealed.

Decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system that is showing its age, Duffy said in prepared remarks. Building this new system is an economic and national security necessity, and the time to fix it is now.

The Trump administration wants to add fiber, wireless and satellite technology at more than 4,600 locations, replace 600 radars and increase the number of airports with systems designed to reduce near misses on runways.

 Read more about how the administration seeks to overhaul US air traffic control

Treasury Department launching a fast track process for investing in the US

The agency says it will launch a Known Investor portal as a pilot program under which a committee chaired by Treasury can collect information from foreign investors.

The U.S. benefits from the strong and stable investments of our allies and partners, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Treasury is committed to maintaining and enhancing the open investment environment that benefits our economy, while making sure that process efficiencies do not diminish our ability to identify and address national security risks that can accompany foreign investment.

Trump asks Supreme Court to allow him to end humanitarian parole for 500,000 people from 4 countries

Trumps administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to allow it to end humanitarian parole for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from four countries.

The emergency appeal asks the justices to halt a lower-court order keeping in place legal protections for more than 500,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

An order from U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani blocked the administration from putting an early end to the immigrants temporary legal status.

The Republican administration argues that the decision wrongly intrudes on the Department of Homeland Securitys authority.

The case comes as the Trump administration seeks to crack down on immigration and dismantle Biden-era policies that created new and expanded pathways for people to live in the United States, generally for two years with work authorization.

Trump mocks former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

At the end of his Oval Office news conference, Trump turned a query from a reporter about the United States overwhelmed air traffic control system into an opportunity to throw a sharp broadside at the leader of the Department of Transportation during the Biden administration.

You know, he drives to work on his bicycle, with his  which in all fairness  with his husband on the back, which is a nice, loving relationship. But, he didnt have a clue, Trump said of Buttigieg, who regularly rode his bike to work. He added, And hes actually a contender for president?

Buttigieg made an unsuccessful 2020 run for the White House. He has been an outspoken critic of Trump during the early days of his second term.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Just after Washington, Iowa, canceled its Latino Festival, Ottumwa announced its cancellation. Now, local groups are working to keep festivals around the state going.

Latinos for Washington, Inc. announced that their annual Festival Latino of Washington was cancelled on April 24. Two weeks later, on May 7, the group VIVA Ottumwa announced their own cancellation.

In a message to the community, the group announced the cancellation, saying in part.

This decision was made with our communitys safety and well-being in mind. Like many across the country, we are navigating a time of uncertainty that has deeply impacted vulnerable community members. We believe its our responsibility to act with care and prioritize the peace of mind of those we serve VIVA Ottumwa Latino Festival Facebook

Trumps CPB cuts impact Iowa PBS and Iowa Public Radio

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Washington and Ottumwa arent the only places that express concerns, Valley Junction says their weekend Cinco De Mayo Festival was impacted.

We did take a hit on attendance, so we did notice that, said Larry Kaster, Historic Valley Junction Events and Marketing Manager. We have a large number of people that, in past years, would go through the beverage tent with Mexican IDs, and this year we only had one.

The Iowa League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC, has been in contact with festival planners around the state and says the concerns are heard, but its not stopping everyone.

Muscatine, theyre on in. Theyve had to deal with some hateful rhetoric in that community, but the Muscatine folks are going to do theirs, said Joe Enriquez Henry, LULAC Political Director. We hope that this continues on throughout the state, as we know, the Latino community and the immigrant community are growing.

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In Des Moines, the 2025 Annual Hispanic Heritage Event is set to take place September 27th and 28th, and Henry says plans are still a go.

The festivals will continue, and whatever issues that might pop up or actions or behaviors, were going to deal with it, said Enriquez Henry. Des Moines is very strong, we having a Latino festival here that has gone on several decades.

Henry says a Des Moines LULAC group will meet this weekend to discuss how to prevent further cancellations.

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Its too late to get their money back, but Latinx voters are expressing buyers remorse after electing President Donald Trump. More than half of Latinx voters confidently casted their ballots for him, and after just 108 days of Trump back in the White House, folks are having regrets... but its way too late!

Since Trumps return, mass deportations have disproportionately shaken Hispanic communities nationwide. Recent news of Trump rescinding the Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants was immediately met with backlash within the Latinx community, who thought theyd be protected from Trumps onslaught of attacks on migrants.

Adelys Ferro, the director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, told NPR he feels beyond betrayed by the administration. They used us, Ferro said, and hes not the only one. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported on a family of MAGA Latinos who tearfully shared how their son was taken to an ICE detention center despite him having a green card.

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But while many in the Latinx community continue to express their disbelief for Trumps actions, Black people are sitting back like we told you so. On X, @NaClyCem, pointed out how Black Americans warned their Latinx brothers and sisters Trump is racist and is going to deport anyone who is not the right color. Latinos should not support him, but not enough people listened.

Black people, in fact, began warning about Trump over a decade ago. In 2015, the Latinx community found its way at the center of the immigration debate after Trump repeatedly villainized Hispanic migrants. But despite the president targeting rapists and terrorist gang members coming from across the Southern border, thousands of Latinx voters still sang along to I will vote for Donald Trump jingles at rallies before showing up and out for Trump... twice.

Now, Trump is honoring his self-proclaimed mandate to tackle immigration, and in response, thousands of protestors continue to flood the streets many in cities with majority Latinx populations like San Antonio and Miami, according to Texas Public Radio and the Miami Herald.

Tensions only rose more after stories of folks like Kilmar Abrego Garcia made national headlines. Garcia was arrested and deported to El Salvador, despite a judges 2019 order barring him from being sent there, according to NBC News. The Trump administration continues to claim Garcia is an active member of a dangerous gang, but a different judge ordered his return back to the states. Trump refuses to do so.

After Trump was processed as a criminal defendant, he said that Black ppl related to him.



Because many of us have been falsely accused & sentenced but not released, we actually can relate more to Kilmar Abrego Garcia.



But it's more than race--it's JUSTICE.



BRING KILMAR HOME pic.twitter.com/LN7NKTKjMj    (@Biz4Ever) April 14, 2025

Many in the Black community empathize with stories like Garcias. @Biz4Ever tweeted, Because many of us have been falsely accused & sentenced but not released, we actually can relate more to Kilmar Abrego Garcia compared to Trump, who claimed to relate to Black folks after being convicted on 34 felonies.

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But on the other side, most folks arent as concerned considering the 51 percent of pro-Trump Latinx voters, according to exit polls. @notcapnamerica asked, What are we supposed to do with this information, referring to the AJCs article. @DrAlbertUtd responded, We used all our empathy when we voted for the women that wouldnt have done this, referencing former Vice President Kamala Harris.

We used all our empathy when we voted for the women that wouldnt have done this. We have none left for you. https://t.co/MKmMr8Ow9D  Dr. Albert (@DrAlbertUtd) May 7, 2025

Is the Black community heartless for this so-called lack of empathy? No, but they are frustrated not only with Trump but also with the Latino people who put him back in office, against their own interests. The president has a deport now and ask questions later motto, and unfortunately, the Latinx community will likely continue to bear the brunt of it.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  A new state law requires solar retailers to register their businesses with the state in an effort to protect Rhode Islanders from deceptive sales practices.

The Residential Solar Energy Disclosure and Homeowners Bill of Rights Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Dan McKee last summer, requires solar retailers to register both their business and a roster of their representatives soliciting sales in the Ocean State.

Solar retailers must also conduct criminal background checks on principal officers and sales representatives, as well as follow municipal restrictions on door-to-door sales and federal telemarketing rules.

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RELATED: New law aims to crack down on RIs solar industry

The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR) launched an online portal last week and will be walking solar retailers through the registration process.

The DBR has also been given the authority to investigate complaints and improve administrative penalties.

In the video above, 12 News consumer reporter Sarah Guernelli has more details on what homeowners need to know.

Sarah Guernelli (sguernelli@wpri.com) is the consumer investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook.

Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.

Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the new 12+ smart TV app.

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A data center reporting bill proposed by an Illinois lawmaker will monitor the amount of energy being used for the artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency boom.

What is the data center reporting bill?

The Illinois suburbs have become a focus area for the data center boom, with about a dozen new projects underway. As the Daily Herald reported, a recently filed bill aims to determine how much electricity and water these data centers consume to mitigate their impact on energy costs and the climate.

Data centers house computer systems used for 5G telecommunications, cloud storage, AI data processing, and cryptocurrency mining. Powering and cooling those computers requires a lot of energy, straining power grids and water resources.

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"As data centers continue to multiply, they are putting an incredible strain on the grid," the bill's sponsor, state Sen. Steve Stadelman, said, per the Herald.

The Illinois Data Center Energy and Water Reporting Act is intended to ensure residents don't bear the brunt of rising energy costs due to this booming industry.

A similar bill recently advanced in Minnesota.

"We want a better sense of their water and energy usage and how it will impact costs, consumer prices, and consumption," Stadelman told Axios.

Why is the data center reporting bill important?

Data centers are a resource hog, reportedly consuming billions of gallons of water nationally for cooling each year and using vast amounts of electricity. The United States has the most data centers in the world, with over 5,400 facilities, according to Statista. Even a mid-sized data center consumes around 300,000 gallons of water a day, or about as much as 1,000 U.S. households, NPR reported in 2022.

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Larger data centers, like those operated by Google or Amazon, can use up to 550,000 gallons of water per day, a University of Illinois study found.

The rise of AI has only increased the demand for data centers. On average, large language models like ChatGPT use nearly 10 times as much electricity to process as a Google search, according to Goldman Sachs Research.

Cryptocurrency mining is another energy-intensive activity. A single crypto transaction can use more power than six U.S. houses consume in an entire day, according to EnergyStar. While the crypto industry has made an effort to utilize sustainable energy and implement cleaner tech, mining still largely relies on dirty energy.

Experts are concerned data centers could pass these energy costs onto consumers.

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"Suppose those data companies can outbid everyday ratepayers for electricity generation," Sarah Moskowitz, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board, said in a Capitol News Illinois report posted by Shaw Local News Network. "In that case, that is removed from the overall markets and exacerbates real or perceived energy supply shortages that drive up market prices."

Energy providers are also turning to dirty fuels to make up for the shortfall, which could delay the transition away from planet-warming fossil fuels.

"In Virginia, for example, they are building fossil fuel generators alongside renewables because they did not have an adequate plan to support the demand of power data centers required through renewable energy," Andrew Chien, a University of Chicago professor, explained to the Daily Herald.

How will the data center reporting bill help with energy consumption?

Data centers are here to stay, but the proposed bill could help ensure data center operators don't monopolize the water and power residents use.

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Under the bill, data centers in Illinois would need to report their annual water and energy consumption or face a $10,000 fine, per the Herald. Officials will analyze this data to determine if residential ratepayers are subsidizing the cost of power-hungry data centers.

Efforts are being made to lower the energy required to power data centers. Ionic wind is being explored as an alternative method to cool data centers instead of water. Operators are utilizing more affordable energy to power data centers, like Google's battery-powered Arizona facility.

This shift to clean energy is a move in the right direction, Chien said.

"I think the right way to deal with this is to build capacity with those clean energy resources to be prepared for the growth in data centers," Chien added. "If we are prepared, we would not only attract jobs and investments. We would also do so in a way that does not increase carbon emissions."

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.
Supporters of the bill said they fear the excess use fees would eventually drive the loss of mature tree canopy in Las Vegas, lower air quality, and increase the urban heat island effect  a phenomenon that creates higher temperatures in cities due to an abundance of superheating man-made surfaces like roads and pavement. (Photo: Hugh Jackson/Nevada Current)

The Las Vegas Valley Water District implemented a water rate structure two years ago that imposed hefty levies on the valleys biggest residential water users. Now state lawmakers are seeking to reexamine those fees following years of community pushback.

Residential water use accounts for 60 percent of the water consumed in the Las Vegas Valley. The excessive use fee was designed to affect the 10 percent of single-family residential customers who are the largest water users, and slow the flow of the valleys diminishing water resources.

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But critics of the excessive use fee say the measure does not consider the lot size of properties subject to the fees and disproportionately impacts those living in the City of Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County. The cities of Henderson, North Las Vegas, and Boulder City do not have excess use fees.

The Assembly Committee on Natural Resources heard Senate Bill 143 on Monday, a bill that would authorize the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Natural Resources to evaluate and review the excessive use fees and other water conservation efforts that impact turf and tree canopy.

If passed, lawmakers would be tasked with making recommendations for the 2027 legislative session.

The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Rochelle Nguyen (D-Las Vegas), passed the Senate in April with unanimous bipartisan approval.

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Nguyen said the bills intent is to examine water conservation efforts in Nevada, particularly in older neighborhoods with more mature landscaping and larger lot sizes that may require more water.

A large part of my district is in older neighborhoods, often historic neighborhoods, and a lot of those older neighborhoods have lots of mature landscaping, including a tree canopy thats often 50 to 75 (years) if not older in age, Nguyen said. These older residential communities are really the closest things that we do have to an urban green space and places that are lacking investment by our municipalities and new parks and green spaces for outdoor recreation.

Nguyen said residents in her district have repeatedly expressed frustration about the disproportionate impact of excess use fees incurred by maintaining their mature landscaping.

In Southern Nevada, the excessive use charge applies to residential water customers who exceed certain seasonal thresholds. The charge is $9 per 1,000 gallons of water used beyond the threshold.

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We have plenty of people that cannot afford the landscaping and water costs associated with maintaining their existing landscaping, Nguyen said.

During the hearing, supporters of the bill said they fear the excess use fees would eventually drive the loss of mature tree canopy in Las Vegas, lower air quality, and increase the urban heat island effect  a phenomenon that creates higher temperatures in cities due to an abundance of superheating man-made surfaces like roads and pavement.

Robert Hillsman, an anesthesiologist and one of the top 100 water users in Las Vegas in 2023, spoke in support of the bill. Hillsman said he has landscaped much of his one acre property and his water bill has doubled due to the excessive use fees.

There are hundreds of thousands of dollars in landscaping, and despite the removal of grass, my water bill now exceeds $3,000 per month. This is due to the very unfair, lowered limited gallons and very abusive excess water surcharges, Hillsman said.

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Hillsman argued the excess use fee does not help mitigate the rapidly escalating urban heat island effect.

Andy Belanger, the director of Public Services at Las Vegas Valley Water District, said the excess use fee is working as intended.

The excessive use charge was designed to increase water conservation among people who are price insensitive to water conservation, and it has done that, Belanger said during the hearing.

It only hits the top 6% of water customers because nearly half of them have changed their behavior. The people who are still paying that, have been resistant to change, he continued.

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Belanger emphasized the importance of water conservation in a state that only receives about 2% of Colorado River flows.

While the Las Vegas Valley Water District testified as neutral on the bill, Belanger said the agency would support the idea of a study on water conservation and was fully prepared to defend the excess use fee in front of the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Natural Resources if the bill passed.

Laura McSwain, Founder and President of the Water Fairness Coalition, said the bill was a good first step in creating oversight for water conservation policies in Southern Nevada.

For 20 years, [the Southern Nevada Water Authority] and the Las Vegas Valley Water District executive team has focused on the removal of grass from water savings and spends millions of dollars each year in community outreach advertising using Lake Mead levels to convince residents to submit to their policy prescriptions for water savings.

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McSwain, who lives on a half-acre lot in Las Vegas she purchased nine years ago, said current residents should not have to bear the brunt of the water savings if that water is only being conserved in order to fuel more growth in Las Vegas. The district, she said, should be aggressive in pursuing new water saving technologies to address needed conservation.

Why would the agency responsible for water delivery and water safety so aggressively seek the removal of elements that so much protect our quality of life? McSwain said.

Nguyen said if the bill passed, she wants the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Natural Resources to investigate the impact of turf removal on urban heat island effects and the benefits of preserving trees and grass.

The committee would also be charged with reviewing advancements in landscape water conservation technologies and considering exceptions for turf grass growing under trees, based on research on the cooling benefits of the combination.

No action was taken on the bill. The bill will need to pass in the State Senate by May 23 before being sent to the governors desk for final approval.
Alabama legislators are aiming to give deer breeders more control over their facilities, which would limit the state agencies' ability to stop the spread of a deadly disease that can affect both captive and wild deer.

What's happening?

According to The Wildlife Society, the Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill on April 15 that will limit state agencies' ability to test, kill, or stop captive deer from being transferred between farms because of chronic wasting disease. It also makes the deer property of the breeder.

There are some exceptions to the bill, including the ability to test if CWD was detected on a farm or in a farm from which the deer was transferred.

Why is CWD in deer concerning?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic wasting disease is a serious disease that causes death and affects deer, moose, reindeer, and elk. It can be passed through "contact with saliva, blood, urine, or feces of an animal with CWD" and can also be spread through food, water, and soil.

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Daniel Greene, a certified wildlife biologist and president of the southeastern section of TWS, believes fencing isn't infallible; wild deer can still come in contact with captive deer. Trees can bring down fences during storms, and wild and captive deer can rub noses with each other.

"This bill compromises the public trust," said a signed opposition letter from TWS, TWS Southeastern Section, the National Deer Association, the nonprofit Boone and Crockett Club, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and the National Wildlife Federation

In Alabama, there are 200 breeders that breed large deer for hunting purposes. They are fenced in, and hunters pay a premium for access.

The TWS Alabama chapter wrote a letter opposing the bill, which said: "This legislation threatens our state's $2 billion hunting industry, which is vital to most of Alabama's rural economies and [the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources'] conservation funding."

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Deer can also spread the disease before testing positive, and soil can stay infected for years.

Republican bill sponsor Jeff Sorrells said in an interview with WBMA: "This bill has nothing to do with hunting. It is more about government overreach of a valuable resource for the state of Alabama."

What's being done about CWD spreading in deer?

Several wildlife organizations have come forward against the bill. Chris Blankenship, commissioner of the ADCNR, is asking legislators to reject the bill. He said in a statement: "This bill should be disturbing to all ethical sportsmen, hunters, and citizens in Alabama."

Angie Larsen-Gray, a certified wildlife biologist and a TWS Leadership Institute graduate, said there are ways to prevent the disease. However, she said: "It is nearly impossible to get rid of it once it's there."

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The National Deer Association has tips for deer hunters, including following local rules and regulations to prevent the spread and reporting sick deer to officials.

It's also vital to explore critical climate issues like this to understand how to combat the problem. If you learn about similar cases that affect your state, you can use your voice by speaking to your local representatives to ensure bills like this don't become law.

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A screenshot from the livestream of the House-Senate budget conference committee meeting Wednesday night. Members began work about 8:30 p.m. and settled their differences on eight spending bills at 11:30 p.m. (Screenshot from livestream video via Missouri House Communications)

Missouris public schools would be fully funded and a policy some blame for undermining a child care subsidy program would be fixed, legislative budget negotiators decided Wednesday night as they worked through eight of the 13 spending bills for state operations in the coming year.

Over about three hours, the conference committees of five lawmakers from both the House and Senate resolved differences between the spending bills, more often than not by selecting the option that spent more money.

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Tracking by The Independent shows the eight bills completed Wednesday would spend $450 million more general revenue than Gov. Mike Kehoes January budget proposal, $636 million more than the House version approved in April and $118 million more than the version approved in the Senate last week.

The committees will reconvene Thursday to finalize spending decisions on five more bills, with the full House and Senate scheduled to vote Friday in advance of the constitutional deadline.

The differences that must be resolved are between the $49.4 billion plan for day-to-day operations approved in the Senate and the $47.9 billion plan approved in the House.

The education budget that will go to the chambers for final approval includes $4 billion for the public school foundation formula, including a $297 million increase that Kehoe opposed. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education budget will also include $107 million Kehoe recommended to revamp how child care providers are paid, basing it on enrollment instead of attendance.

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House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, tried to defend the decision to back Kehoes view that the money shouldnt be spent. But he was outnumbered, with Democratic House members joining unanimous backing from senators for Senate Appropriations Chairman Lincoln Houghs position that state law required the money to be appropriated.

This is the most important thing were going to do today, and this is a statutory minimum that we have in a commitment that weve made to our kids back home, state Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Springfield Democrat, said as she advocated for the foundation formula increase.

As he agreed to the increase, Deaton looked forward to the commission Kehoe created to consider changes to the formula.

I do hope, when you look at the formula, if we have an opportunity to rewrite it, that we wont let unelected bureaucrats make a $300 million call or something similar to future general assemblies, Deaton said.

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Along with the two big items in the education department, the conference committees:

Adopted Kehoes pay plan proposal for state employee raises, which will reward longevity. State workers will get a 1% raise for every two years of state employment, capped at 10% for 20 years.

Agreed to increase the base budgets for all state colleges and universities by 3%, which was the amount approved in the Senate. The House had adopted Kehoes recommendation for a 1.5% boost and added $27.1 million for campus maintenance needs, which was cut by the negotiators.

Removed language directing the Missouri Lottery to begin a three-year pilot program for lottery courier services.

The budget negotiators began working about 8:30 p.m., about 12 hours later than the scheduled start.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, speaks with state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, as they and Sen. Mike Henderson, R-Desloge, wait to no avail Wednesday afternoon for House Republican budget leaders to appear. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).

The day began with tensions between Deaton and Hough. As Hough was wrapping up a meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee two rooms away, Deaton was announcing that because Hough was absent, the conference meetings would begin at 10 p.m.

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Deaton said he was kept waiting six hours Monday before Hough met with him. They worked for about seven hours to resolve issues that they could present to the conference committees, then for 15 minutes on Tuesday.

He said he was not informed of Houghs intent to be ready to work in the afternoon after a recess of the committee for short floor sessions.

Ive not heard anything since yesterday at 1 oclock, Deaton said.

Hough said he worked with Senate leadership to plan time for the conference meeting. He thought it was communicated to the House.

It was stated by me on multiple occasions that my intention was to get together this afternoon after a few hours of floor time, Hough said.

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Hough tried to get the conference committees together about 3 p.m., after both chambers had adjourned for the day, but Deaton was not willing and did not appear.

The budget negotiations, when they finally began, went relatively quickly and without rancor. Deaton and Hough took turns reading through the budget lines and stating the intent to take the House or Senate position, or a compromise number in between.

Members interrupted often, usually to challenge a decision about an item among the 166 new earmarked items for programs or projects added to the eight bills. Only 12 added at some point didnt make the final cut.

State Sen. Barbara Washington, a Kansas City Democrat, spoke up in favor of one threatened with a cut, $50,000 for Global One Urban Farming in Kansas City.

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This really helps the children in that community with growing food, Washington said. It is only $50,000. Its so little. I know I ask for a lot, but I dont ask for a lot of money.

Instead of being cut, the organization will receive $25,000.

Hough and Deaton both got the earmarks most identified with them in the budget. Deaton cut $8 million to restore a historic footbridge in Springfield and Hough cut $19 million to buy land for a state park in McDonald County.

Unsurprisingly, both made it into the budget.

State Sen. Brian Williams, a University City Democrat, questioned Deaton on the decision to cut $500,000 slated for an urgent care program for veterans in Kansas City. It was one of three earmarked items for veterans alongside $1 million for temporary housing for veterans in St. Louis and $1 million for a veterans housing program in Columbia.

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Williams said one consideration for earmarked appropriations of general revenue should be where the money is generated in taxes. Kansas City and St. Louis need to be treated fairly as the richest areas of the state, he said.

Jackson County makes up a significant amount of the economy in our state, we need to ensure that our budget reflects that, Williams said.

Deaton said one factor in the decision was the amount being dedicated to veterans programs and the limited nature of state funds.

Theres the give and the take, theres money in, money out, Deaton said. We cant do everything, unfortunately and be all things for all people at all times. Were doing a lot for veterans in this budget.

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The final budget will have $500,000 for the Kansas City urgent care program and $500,000 for the St. Louis temporary housing program.

No one challenged Hough or Deaton when they said they were approving earmarked spending that was in or near their districts. Fogle, however, challenged Hough when he cut $4 million from an economic development organization called Innovate SOMO.

I know you feel like you gotta give a little bit, but I would rather not give with our community, Fogle said.

I think, Hough replied, our community is fairly well served in this legislature.

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  About one in six people globally struggle with infertility, and many turn to assisted reproductive services like in vitro fertilization to build their families. Now, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing legislation that would federally protect access to IVF, preventing states from restricting the procedure.

Many couples dream of starting a family, but for some, that process involves emotional and medical challenges.

We believe, like most Americans do, that the right to start and grow a family through IVF should be protected, said Rep. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.).

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Gillen and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) introduced the Access to Family Building Act, which would codify the right to IVF nationwide.

The last thing they need to worry about is getting through the process and then having legal challenges that might delay their ability to conceive through IVF or just halt the procedure altogether, Gillen said.

We want to help people through this journey and make sure their right to IVF is protected, Lawler added.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2% of all infants born in the United States are conceived using assisted reproductive technology. Lawler says the bill would complement other efforts to support family building.

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We want to try to reduce all the barriers for folks who are trying to start and build a family, he said.

President Donald Trump previously directed his administration to provide policy recommendations aimed at protecting IVF access. Gillen sees that move as an opening for broader support.

What I saw was an opportunity to try to get him on board to at least codify the right to IVF, she said.

The legislation has drawn bipartisan support, and Lawler says he is working with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors and Foxconn subsidiary Foxtron Vehicle Technologies have signed a memorandum of understanding for the supply of an electric vehicle model, the companies said on Wednesday.

The EV model will be developed by Foxtron, manufactured in Taiwan by automaker Yulon and introduced in the Oceania region in the second half of 2026, Mitsubishi Motors said in a statement.

"Mitsubishi Motors and Foxtron will proceed with discussions towards a definitive agreement," Mitsubishi Motors said. The company will announce full-year financial results on Thursday.

Foxconn views Japan as a major opportunity for growing its EV business and has sought to strike partnerships with Japanese companies, Jun Seki, the Taiwan contract manufacturer's chief strategy officer for EVs, said at a Tokyo seminar in April. The Apple supplier's interest in working with Japanese car makers comes as they face growing competition from Chinese brands that are aggressively making inroads in markets such as Europe, Brazil and Thailand.

At last month's seminar, Seki had already confirmed that Foxconn was working with Mitsubishi but did not provide further details.

Mitsubishi Motors is a junior partner in the long-standing alliance of Nissan Motor and French automaker Renault.

Foxconn has previously said it would consider taking a stake in Nissan for cooperation, as it has ambitions to diversify into EVs. Foxtron, the company's EV joint venture with Yulon, counts Yulon-owned Luxgen as its main client in Taiwan.

In February, Nissan and rival Japanese automaker Honda Motor broke off merger talks to forge a $60 billion car company. The deal fell apart to Honda's proposal to make Nissan a subsidiary, sources have said.

(Reporting by Daniel Leussink in Tokyo and Wen-Yee Lee in TaipeiEditing by Chang-Ran Kim and Saad Sayeed)
OCCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  Parents are filing a federal lawsuit against a local school for failing to protect their child from assault and abuse while under the schools care.

On January 17, a mother and father filed a lawsuit on behalf of their son, known only as John Doe in the lawsuit, who attended Whetstone Academy during the 2024 fall semester.

Whetstone Academy is a therapeutic boarding school located in the Mountain Rest community of Oconee County. Their student roster consists of young boys in grades five through nine.

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The lawsuit claims that John Doe attended Whetstone Academy during the months of September through November, when Doe was 14 years old. Does parents lived in California when they sent him to the school, and had limited contact with their son through the form of letters.

The lawsuit claims that, during his time at the Academy, Does parents noticed that he was showing increased signs of anxiety, with Doe writing to his mother that he was wetting the bed, a behavior the parents claimed was not seen in their son for a long time. When the parents visited Doe for his birthday in mid-October, Doe told his parents that he was kept outdoor for up to 12 hours a time. Around this time, Doe also started making suggestive comments, telling his parents that another student had touched him inappropriately and asked Doe to touch him.

PAST COVERAGE: Teen was sexually abused at Upstate therapeutic boarding school, lawsuit says

Around November, John Doe told his family during another visit that another student had sexually assaulted him multiple times.

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7NEWS reached out to Whetstone for a response. The statement is as followed:

Whetstone Academy is focused on ensuring that every student is cared for in a safe and nurturing environment with close daily supervision and overnight awake staff. As a therapeutic Boarding School, we work with adolescents whose behaviors have escalated to the point that they can no longer remain in the home. The allegations alleged in the lawsuit were reported to the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Whetstone Academy and staff fully cooperated with the investigation by DSS. DSS reported that the allegations were unfounded; further, after a law enforcement investigation, no charges were filed. Whetstone is proud of the success of our students. We are part of an independent longitudinal research study that shows sustained progress long after graduation.  John Singleton, Owner and CEO of Whetstone Academy

The lawsuit stated that Whetstone Academy has had multiple cases of alleged sexual abuse and inhumane treatment, extending as far back as 2016.

The lawsuit, in its entirety, can be read below:

Whetstone-Academy-lawsuitDownload

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Kristen Payne, a member of Lead Safe Schools MKE. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)

Update: The Milwaukee Health Department announced Thursday that 22 children were screened at the clinic, and two needed follow-up blood tests. The department said in a statement the turnout was lower than officials had hoped for, but that the department will host additional school-based screening clinics. The department also is advising families to visit pop-up clinics at Childrens Wisconsin hospitals Next Door Clinic and the Sixteenth Street Health Center Community Outreach program.

As a lead screening clinic was being set up inside Milwaukees North Division High School Wednesday, a coalition of parents, teachers and locals gathered outside to voice their frustrations about the response to lead contamination in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). The group had gathered to demand that lead contamination in our schools, our city and our state, be urgently and effectively addressed in a manner consistent with health science data, said Kristen Payne, a member of Lead Safe Schools MKE, during a press conference outside the high school.

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The press conference brought together several groups including Lead Safe Schools MKE, Freshwater for Life Action Coalition, Get the Lead Out and Metcalfe Park Community Bridges. Inside North Division, the Milwaukee Health Department set up a clinic in the cafeteria and prepared to screen up to 300 children. Concern over lead in MPS buildings has grown since January, after a student was reportedly poisoned. Just under 400 MPS students have been tested and several schools temporarily closed due to lead hazards so far this year.

Melody McCurtis, deputy director and lead organizer of Metcalfe Park Community Bridges. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)

Testing our kids for lead poisoning is important, and its also not nearly enough, Payne said. Until the district, city and state work proactively to address root causes of lead exposure, these testing clinics will do little to prevent exposure of a harmful toxin. Every year, more than 1,200 children in the city of Milwaukee test positive for lead poisoning, with an average age of 3 years old. With over 70,000 MPS students among the tens of thousands of children in the city, ensuring that enough children are getting tested can be challenging.

Katie Doss is the grandmother of one of those children who tested positive. She was hospitalized, said Doss, and received a blood transfusion. The experience led Doss to work with the Coalition on Lead Emergency (COLE) and city officials to help get as many children tested as possible. She eventually became a lead program coordinator. Since then, Ive got over 400 children tested, said Doss.

Doss wasnt alone. I believe that my grandchildren have the right to go to school without the threat of exposure to lead, said Maria Beltran, a local resident, grandmother and member of Freshwater for Life Action Coalition. Lead exposure in children, like my entire family and myself  I have seven kids, seven grandchildren, and married  lead exposure in children can damage the brain and nervous system, cause developmental delays, learning challenges, behavioral issues, [and] hearing loss. Also in adults, lead exposure and lead poisoning can cause high blood pressure, kidney damage, brain damage, miscarriage, and infertility that I have experienced in my entire family as well.

Milwaukee Health Department Commissioner Mike Totoraitis (right) and Deputy Commissioner of Environmental Health Tyler Weber (left/center). (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)

The group of parents and residents that joined Payne expressed their feeling that MPS and the Health Department have been more reactive than protective when it comes to addressing lead contamination. Some questioned why only elementary schools, and not middle and high schools, are the focus of current testing and remediation efforts. Others felt that theyd been left in the dark as to how lead poisoning affected their loved ones, or felt that school officials were sending out last-minute warnings to parents about lead hazards. Such notifications often came as emails, sent in the evening hours or near weekend days, parents at the press conference said.

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The coalition demanded that MPS test all buildings for lead in dust, paint, water and soil. Additionally, the group called on the school district to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for lead-in-water readings <1.0 (parts per billion), and for better lines of communication to be established between school officials and parents. The group further demanded that the MPS Board of Directors pass a recently introduced lead-safety resolution, that city departments implement more proactive measures and that Gov. Tony Evers and the Legislature help remediate lead in schools statewide.

Melody McCurtis, deputy director and lead organizer of Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, said that city officials are concerned with growing the city without repairing the past harm that the current residents in this city is facing, especially in terms of lead. McCurtis added, This city is prioritizing policing in our schools, prioritizing more than half of our city budget going to the police, but not going to prevention of crises like the lead crisis. It is going to take more than the Milwaukee Public School, the Health Department, and the city elected officials to come together to not just treat the issue, but to prevent it from happening.

Parents and residents gather outside of North Division High School as a lead screening clinic is held inside. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)

Inside the high schools cafeteria, Health Department Commissioner Mike Totoraitis and Deputy Commissioner of Environmental Health Tyler Weber were helping oversee the final preparations for the screening clinic. They said lead dust and paint are a target and the citys youngest children are being prioritized for lead testing. Thats not to minimize that there are other hazards here at the schools and potentially in the homes, said Totoraitis.

Although older children and adults will need to be included in testing eventually, its unclear how long that might take. The city is still re-grouping after plans to send specialized lead teams from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to Milwaukee were cancelled by the Trump Administration. The teams would have helped with blood screening analysis to detect trends and gather more information. Totoraitis said that the health department has monitored citywide data for screenings, and has not noticed any new trends. Milwaukee is also working with partners in other states including Ohio and Michigan. More parents have been taking their children to pediatricians to get tested, which is encouraging, Totoratis said. That is the best way for parents to know if their child has been poisoned, he said.

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MPS assumes that lead paint exists in any building built before 1978, and the school district has 54 schools built before 1950. Addressing the full scale of the problem will take creativity, dedicated effort and time, health officials say. Weber said that although its good that positive tests since January have been relatively low, many more children still need to be evaluated.

A lead screening clinic established in the cafeteria of Milwaukees North Division High School. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)

Oftentimes, the children that we see tested arent always the children that need to be, said Tyler, noting that although more than 1,200 children test positive annually, only 40-50% of children are tested who need to be.

Doss told Wisconsin Examiner that it can be difficult to convince parents to get their children tested. Its extremely challenging, said Doss. There are a lot of parents thats lost hope and faith in the community as far as getting the children tested. They want to know whats going to happen on the reaction. If they get their child tested, will they be actually judged if the child comes back with lead and they dont know where the lead is coming from?

Doss said some parents fear that a positive lead test will lead to their homes being visited by authorities, or even that their children could be taken away. So thats why its very important to let the parents know that its nothing that they did. Its in our environment, its in our water, its in the paintThe only way that you can help your child is to get your child tested to know if your child has it. And you need to get your child tested once a year. Its very important.

Katie Doss. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)

The scale of the problem, and a lack of capacity within the health department, creates stubborn obstacles. And our old housing stock, the red-lining thats happened over time, the disinvestment in communities, and so its a lot for a single department to get to the point where we get ahead of this, Weber said. Cause it is devastating to have to see every day the results that come in from different children, and respond to those.

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Weber added that ideally lead levels in soil, homes, water and human bodies would be zero. Were an old city with a lot of deeply rooted challenges, and theres a lot of work that we have to do collectively.

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DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza (AP)  Israels ongoing blockade of humanitarian assistance for Gaza forced a leading aid group to shut its community soup kitchens Thursday as it faced empty warehouses and no replenishment of supplies in the war-battered enclave.

U.S.-based World Central Kitchen, which was serving 133,000 meals per day, said there is almost no food left in Gaza with which to cook.

The ongoing hunger is threatening Gaza's population, already battered by 19 months of war. In April, the World Food Program said its food stocks in Gaza had run out under Israel's blockade, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory.

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A UNICEF spokesperson said most of Gazas water system is damaged, while fuel shortages make it harder to operate desalination plants or water trucks.

Shortages due to blockade drive hunger, malnutrition

Malnutrition and hunger are becoming increasingly prevalent in the Gaza Strip as Israels total blockade enters its third month, and aid agencies say supplies to treat and prevent malnutrition are running out.

Israel imposed the blockade on March 2, then shattered a two-month ceasefire by resuming military operations in the territory on March 18. It said both steps aim to pressure the militant Hamas group to release hostages. Rights groups call the blockade a starvation tactic and a potential war crime.

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With restaurants and bakeries closed, community kitchens are often the only way for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza to eat a daily meal. But a third of those supported by the U.N. have closed in the past 10 days for lack of food or fuel, according to the U.N. humanitarian office, or OCHA, which said more closures could be imminent.

The hot meals provided by these kitchens constitute one of the last remaining lifelines for Palestinians, OCHA said.

At those still open, chaotic scenes of desperate men, women and children fighting to get meager rations are common.

Scarce water supplies

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UNICEF spokesperson Jonathan Crickx on Thursday said 65-70% of Gazas water system is damaged. Aid workers have instead set up water distribution points that rely on trucking.

But it's difficult to reach people when fuel has become scarce, Crickx told The Associated Press.

The children are, of course, bearing the brunt of this war, he said.

Water availability has plummeted to an average of 3-5 liters per person per day, according to the Palestinian Water Authority. Thats less than the 15 liters that the World Health Organization says people need to survive.

A pipeline operated by Israel had been supplying 70% of Gaza Citys water since the war began, but it was damaged with the renewed Israeli offensive in April. Desalination plants had supplied about 7% of Gazas water needs before the war, until the aquifer became contaminated and depleted.

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Aid is waiting on the borders

Since the start of the war, World Central Kitchen said it has served more than 130 million meals and baked 80 million loaves of bread. On Thursday, the group said it had no flour left in their mobile bakery.

Our trucks  loaded with food and supplies  are waiting in Egypt, Jordan and Israel, ready to enter Gaza, said Jose Andres, the celebrity chef who founded the organization. But they cannot move without permission. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to flow.

COGAT, the Israeli defense body overseeing aid to Gaza, said the blockade would continue unless the Israeli government changed its policy.

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Hamas is engineering hunger

Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said the government was concerned that Hamas controlled the humanitarian aid, and that Israeli officials were exploring ways to get it only to those in need.

Mencer said the hunger had been "engineered by Hamas, and said the blockade would end when the group lays down its weapons, he said.

However, Israel has provided no evidence that Hamas syphons off aid. The U.N and aid workers deny there is significant diversion of aid to militants, saying the U.N. strictly monitors distribution.

Since the start of the year, more than 10,000 children have been treated for acute malnutrition, according to the World Health Organization. The number climbed dramatically in March, to 3,600 cases from 2,000 the month before, UNICEF reported.

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Nearly half the 200 nutrition centers around Gaza have shut down because of displacement and bombardment.

World Central Kitchen had previously suspended operations in April of last year after seven aid workers were killed in Israeli strikes on their convoy, before resuming weeks later.

Toll in Gaza continues to rise

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said Thursday the bodies of 106 people killed by Israeli strikes have been brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours.

Hospitals also received 367 wounded, the ministry said in its daily report.

The overall Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war rose to at least 52,760 since Oct. 7, 2023, the ministry said. Another 119,264 have been wounded, it said.

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It said the tally includes 2,651 dead and 7,223 wounded since Israel shattered the nearly two-month ceasefire on March 18.

The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but says more than half of the dead were women and children.

The Israeli military said they are targeting Hamas infrastructure in Gaza. On Wednesday, chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told commanders that Israel plans to expand and intensify our operations in Gaza.

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon

Also on Thursday, a series of Israeli airstrikes hit hilltops in the vicinity of the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh, killing at least one person and wounding eight others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

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The Israeli military said it bombed infrastructure that belonged to the Hezbollah militant group and included weapons and tunnels. Israel said that Hezbollah's activities at the site violated a November ceasefire.

Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the strikes. Lebanons state-run National News Agency said public institutions in the area were closed after the attacks as families rushed to schools to take their children home.

Since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November stopped the war between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon have continued. Hezbollah says its has largely disarmed south of the Litani River, while Israel insists the militants are rearming themselves. Some 4,000 people in Lebanon were killed during the war, including many civilians.

Journalist from Jenin detained for six months

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A renowned Palestinian journalist arrested by the Israeli military and suffering from multiple chronic illnesses has been placed on six months of administrative detention, the Israeli military said.

Ali Samoudi, who has worked for international news outlets including CNN and Al Jazeera, was detained late last month by the Israeli military from his family home in the city of Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and has spent part of the time in the hospital due to chronic health issues.

The Israeli military said Samoudi was detained based on involvement in actions endangering regional security" but that a police investigation did not find sufficient evidence against him to issue an arrest. However, on Thursday, a military court decided to place him under administrative detention for six months.

Israeli authorities can renew administrative detentions indefinitely. Detainees are held without charge or trial. Israel says the controversial tactic is necessary for security reasons, but Palestinians and rights groups say the system denies due process and is widely abused.

___

Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, Lebanon contributed to this report.
BEIRUT (AP)  A series of Israeli airstrikes Thursday in southern Lebanon killed at one person and wounded eight others, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.

The Israeli military said it bombed infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah militant group that included weapons and tunnel shafts as part of an underground network. Israel accused Hezbollah of regrouping and maintaining its infrastructure in violation of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement in November that ended its war with Hezbollah.

Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the strikes near the southern city of Nabatieh, which came as calls mounted for the Lebanese state to disarm the powerful group. Hezbollah says it will not lay down its weapons as long as Israel controls part of south Lebanon and continues striking deep inside the country. Israel still has control of five hilltop points on Lebanese territory following its ground invasion last year.

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The government has not and will not spare any effort to expedite the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told reporters after meeting with officials in the northeastern city of Baalbek, which was battered by the war that killed 4,000 people.

Hezbollah says its has largely disarmed south of the Litani River, while Israel says the militants are trying to regroup.

Lebanons state-run National News Agency said public institutions in the area were closed after the attacks. Families rushed to schools to take their children home.

Since the ceasefire went into effect in November, Israeli strikes have continued. Israel has struck southern Beirut three times After two rocket attacks from southern Lebanon hit northern Israel, allegedly fired by the Palestinian Hamas group in March.

After their previous war in 2006, Israel and Hezbollah were supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon below the Litani River and leave it under the sole control of the Lebanese military alongside U.N. peacekeepers. That would eventually extend to the rest of the country, with the aim disarm all non-state groups in Lebanon, including Hezbollah and end Israeli military presence.
State Sen. James Ohrenschall said he personally doesn't support the death penalty and would rather see it abolished, but the legislation would at least ensure attorneys have an adequate amount of time to litigate issues once a death warrant is issued. (Photo: Jeniffer Solis/Nevada Current)

Four years after state lawmakers failed to pass legislation to abolish the death penalty, despite having a Democratic trifecta, a bill this year would extend the time period for carrying out a potential execution.

Nevada law currently calls for an execution to take place between 60 and 90 days after an execution is warranted.

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Senate Bill 350, sponsored by Democratic state Sen. James Ohrenschall of Las Vegas, would lengthen the timeframe to between 180 and 270 days.

Ohrenschall said he personally doesnt support the death penalty and would rather see it abolished.

There have been 23 states that have abolished the death penalty, citing concerns including but not limited to racial disparities in the number of death row inmates, the high costs of capital cases going to trial, and documented likely instances of people being put to death after wrongful convictions, as well as people being exonerated while on death row.

The legislation seeks to ensure attorneys have an adequate amount of time to litigate any issues that arise once an execution is ordered, Ohrenschall said.

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The legislation would also ensure that there is only one execution warrant that would be pending in Nevada at any given time.

In Nevada, unlike other states, an execution warrant is issued by the district judge in the county where the conviction occurred, said David Anthony, an attorney who specializes in capital cases who alongside Ohrenschall described the bill to a legislative panel. In many other states, execution warrants are issued by a single entity.

The bill passed out of the Senate April 21 on a 13-8 party-line vote. The legislation was heard Wednesday by the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Nevada hasnt executed anyone since 2006. The state tried, and failed, to execute Scott Dozier in 2017. A lengthy legal battle over the drugs being used to kill Dozier resulted in the execution being postponed until he died by suicide in early 2019.

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Ohrenschall, along with Democratic Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, both introduced separate bills in 2021 to abolish the states death penalty.

Former Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak said at the time he had a hard time with the idea of a complete abolition and thought executions should be reserved for extreme cases.

Despite uncertainty on whether Sisolak would sign a bill abolishing the death penalty, the Nevada Assembly voted 26-16 in a party line vote to advance Yeagers bill.

The legislation then stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee and died without getting another vote.

Anthony said SB 350 represented a common sense reform that helps bring the law into conformity with what the actual practice is in litigating capital cases.

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While there are ways for people to appeal their cases and delay their execution, there are certain constitutional rights that cannot be litigated until there is an execution warrant, he said.

The bill, Anthony said, would also give the Nevada Department of Corrections additional time to complete all the protocols statutorily required prior to an execution, including mental health evaluations and health exams.

NDOCDirector James Dzurenda told lawmakers Wednesday the logistics of training staff, notifying victims and procuring the drugs for an execution is hard to accomplish in a short time period.

The logistics for planning more than one execution concurrently would be a nightmare process for corrections, he added.

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What we do is we prepare, Dzurenda said. Even right now we are preparing for an execution in case we get one next week. Thats a lot of wasted taxpayer money. If we had an extension at the beginning of an execution we could prepare when we get a warrant. Right now we have to prepare before we get a warrant.

There are currently 59 people on death row in Nevada according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

But Dzurenda also said that if the timeframe is extended too much could actually hurt the process and opens the possibility for appeals that may not have been necessary in my eyes or get these far fetched appeals that could stretch out an execution.

Similar to efforts to get rid of the death penalty, the Nevada District Attorneys Association opposed efforts to change the timeframe for carrying out executions.

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Jennifer Noble, a lobbyist with the association who testified against the bill Wednesday, said there is already a lengthy and robust process for people to challenge and appeal their guilty verdict as well as the death sentence.

This bill will not make anything easier on victims, Noble said.

Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice, in a letter supporting Ohrenschalls legislation, wrote it wouldnt lead to unnecessary delays but rather reflect the time actually needed to ensure due process at a time when the stakes could not be higher.

Mark Bettencourt, the executive director with the Nevada Coalition Against the Death Penalty, said while the coalition was still pursuing an end to the death penalty, the legislation was a common sense bill to ensure that if an execution was carried out it wasnt rushed.

Its been almost 20 years since weve had an execution in this state, he said. To rush that now risks a botched execution and taking the life of an innocent person.
LEHI, Utah (ABC4)  Parents are now able to pick up their students from Lehi High School as police lift the campus lockdown, according to Lehi Police Department.

The school went under lockdown shortly after noon on Thursday for about 45 minutes as police scanned the building for threats. Students were locked in classrooms as police investigated a report of a firearm found in a car on campus.

Officials said an individual saw a gun in a car on campus and when they returned a short time later it was gone.

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Lehi police immediately responded and were able to locate the pistol. Surveillance footage showed a juvenile suspect entering the school and then leaving with a group of juveniles.

At around 1:15 p.m., the school lifted the order and asked parents to come pick up their children. The students who take the bus will have to wait on campus in secure classrooms until they can be picked up or taken home on a bus.

While officials say there is no ongoing threat to the public, officers will be on campus until the end of the normal school hours to ensure continued safety.

The students will not be returning to school today as police have not yet taken the suspect into custody.

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This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
At least 10 cast members of Les Miserables plan to sit out of a Kennedy Center performance the night Donald Trump will attend for a fundraiser.

According to CNN, 10-12 of the Les Mis performing cast  both major members and ensemble  will not perform June 11 when President Trump attends for his fundraiser and show. The cast was given the option not to take the stage the night the president attended and many took up the offer.

The latest boycott comes a few months after Trump fired Kennedy Center board members and named himself chairman. Among his remarks back in February were attacks against the LGBTQ community and a number of past shows at the legendary performing arts center  including Broadway Drag Brunch and BERTHA: Grateful Drag.

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At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN, Trump posted on Truth Social. I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.

He added: Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth  THIS WILL STOP. The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Les Mis seems to be one of the Trumps favorite plays. During his presidential run in 2016, he used music from the show at numerous campaign rallies  much to the chagrin of the musicals creators.

Richard Grenell, who Trump assigned as director of the Kennedy Center earlier this year, told CNN he was not aware of cast boycotts.

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Any performer who isnt professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, wont be welcomed, he said. In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldnt hire  and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience. The Kennedy Center wants to be a place where people of all political stripes sit next to each other and never ask who someone voted for but instead enjoys a performance together.

The post Les Mis Cast Members Boycott Kennedy Center Performance Due to Trump Attending appeared first on TheWrap.
Lester Holts next job has him working a role he hasnt held in a very long time: the new guy.

When Holt, who has anchored NBC Nightly News for the past decade through coronavirus, the rise of President Trump and a steady increase of horrific shootings across the nation, steps away from the desk on May 30th, he will do it with the knowledge that he still has a few stories to tell. He will start contributing more frequently to Dateline, the NBC newsmagazine that in recent years has focused on true-crime stories  and become a major contributor to the news divisions revenue in the process.

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Holt, 66 years old, is a regular Dateline presence, but usually as the host of the show, not the teller of the stories that fill its hour. The big buy-in was to be able to do more of the hours, the anchor says while sitting in his office NBC News headquarters in New York. I once spent two nights in prison for a Dateline, and Ive done heartbreaking stories on the asthma crisis and the economy. Ive done a lot of things that are outside of what many would think is a traditional Dateline, but I want to do more of those, and I want to be able to tell a producer, Yes, Ill be there for that interview next week, because I wont be jumping after whatever is happening for Nightly.

People in the news business have anticipated this decision for some time. In 2021, Tom Llamas, a popular ABC News anchor who was seen as a potential successor to David Muir jumped to NBC, spurring speculation that he was being groomed for the Nightly role. Holt says the decision behind his exit was the result of long conversations with his wife and top confidants. It wasnt like one moment of epiphany, he says. I never saw myself doing this job forever. Still, he didnt want to end his journalism career. I decided that I needed to come off the Nightly gig, but I still had gas in the tank.

The Dateline assignment represents a bet on a form of TV journalism that has a flock of die-hards attached to it, and has become increasingly lucrative to NBC. In addition to its weekly broadcast, Dateline has expanded into podcasts and scripted series, as well as streaming venues. Its library helps fill various cable schedules. Holt is looking forward to working some different news muscles, he says. Were still doing journalism, but these are hour and two-hour shows were doing. Some of the stories youll see me doing will be months in the making.

In the past, most evening-news anchors took a step back after they wrapped their tenure on one of the decades-old broadcasts. Tom Brokaw, who retired from NBC Nightly News in 2004, served as a special correspondent and analyst, while Diane Sawyer, who left ABCs World News Tonight in 2014, became a contributor to the Disney news division. Among her accomplishments: an interview with Caitlyn Jenner before her transition. Norah ODonnell, who recently left the anchor chair at CBS Evening News, has taken on a similar assignment, aiming to file big interviews and stories while taking part in special coverage.

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But Holts tenure at Nightly has been anything but traditional. He took the reins of the program in 2015 after a much-scrutinized episode that had his predecessor, Brian Williams, stepping away from the show. I dont want to say it was a scary time, but it was an unsettling time, says Holt. No one wants to necessarily get a job, you know, on the back of a crisis, if you want to call it that. But it was what it was. And some of the best advice that I ever got was to be ready for doors to open at times you dont expect.

At the time, Holt was actually considering backing away from the news grind  something he has reveled in for decades. In an earlier stage of his career, Holt says he was a total news nerd working for radio stations in San Francisco and Sacramento who would sleep with police scanners next to his bed and installed in a Jeep Cherokee. One promo from one of his employers, KCBS, billed him as the fastest mic in the west. Later, while leading hours of breaking-news coverage at MSNBC, Holt would become known as Iron Pants because of his ability to stay at the anchor desk without taking a bathroom break.

Before landing the Nightly job, however, Holt wondered if the time had come to take some sort of senior correspondent role after having won jobs leading weekend evening news and weekend Today broadcasts. He had to be ready to cover many breaking stories and be available at times many others had off. The Nightly role, he says, changed his thinking.

Holt helped to stabilize NBC News roster at a time of upheaval, but he hasnt been averse to testing new ideas  something that can be hard to put into practice in the evening-news format.

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Most notable, perhaps, were a series of end-of-the-broadcast essays delivered at particularly fraught national moments, including the rise of deaths from coronavirus, the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge near Baltimore, or violent outbursts in New Orleans or Monterey Park, California. Holt walked a tightrope by trying such a thing, because, unlike news programming on cable, the evening newscasts have largely shied away from offering opinion or perspective.

I covered a lot of stories over the last ten years that deserved a personal note, I felt, that deserved and acknowledgment of the depth of tragedy we might be covering in that moment, or the odd situation we find ourselves in, and the fear we felt during COVID, Holt recalls. So I started kind of writing these essays with a careful attention to not making them pure commentary. We dont do opinion on this broadcast, but at the same time, I thought, Were missing something. he says. What I wanted them to come off as was, Hey, I get it. I just looked at the same pictures. I just heard the same stories you did. This is uncharted territory.

He also tried to get the newscast in front of some of its unlikeliest viewers. NBC News in 2020 launched a special Nightly News edition for children, hoping to keep them informed about a swirl of issues they were no doubt hearing about during the pandemic. The show continues to stream weekly via YouTube, and Holt hopes the news generation of Nightly staffers will keep it going. It was such an organic moment. One of the producers, in a phone call, suggested, We are all freaked out by this thing. Imagine when kids are going through. And then this conversation evolved into this program. Im not sure if we ever got permission, he recalls. We just kind of did it.

He seems similarly bemused by an interview he had with Trump during his first term in office that proved consequential for the unorthodox politician. During a taped interview with Holt in 2017, Trump acknowledged he decided to fire former FBI Director James Comey without recommendations from Department of Justice officials, despite White House claims to the opposite  saying he did so because Comey was investigating whether Trump allies had ties to Russia and called for interference in U.S. elections. The exchange brought even more scrutiny to the Commander-in-Chief already under a legal microscope.

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Holt remains humble about the experience. Its hard sometimes to get a politician to make news, because everyone is so guarded, he says. I knew what questions we thought needed to be answered, and he was very forthcoming. Holt has encountered Trump subsequently, but the two have never done an interview since that time.

Despite ongoing debate about the viability of evening-news programs, Holt believes Nightly will endure  as will the overall format. Even so, there are questions about where it may be headed. CBS has retooled CBS Evening News in recent weeks with a two-anchor format that has faced ratings headwinds. John Dickerson, one of those anchors, hosts a streaming half hour after the linear broadcast is done. Llamas is also set to host a streaming program in addition to the evening-news duties he will pick up from Holt. All of this suggests that networks are likely to expect even more from their evening anchors in the future.

I always smile when people, even today, you know, predict the death of the format, Holt says. I do think that there is value in this tradition. And, you know, what is it, 15 to 18 million people kind of validate that, watching the three major newscasts every night.

He believes a sizable audience still craves a fact-based summary of the days events delivered without the extra mustard and relish that has become so common on many news-adjacent programs sent out via cable and digital outlets,

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The trick, he says, will be in getting a show with evening-news standards out via the new digital pipes favored by a younger generation. Our biggest challenge, really, is being where viewers are going to be  not where they are today  where theyre going to be in two weeks, in a month from now. And I think thats what all of us in this industry right now are focused on. We firmly believe theres always going to be an audience for a fact-based, tell-it-like-it-is, smart-analysis kind of a broadcast.

Nightly will continue, and so will Holt. People say its been a great run, he says. Its like, well, Im still running.

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By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Maggie Fick

COPENHAGEN/LONDON (Reuters) -Drugmaker Novo Nordisk expects Wegovy weight-loss drug sales in the United States to start to recover once a ban on compound copycats is enforced this month, its CEO said on Wednesday after the company cut its 2025 forecasts.

U.S. pharmacies that have been allowed to produce compounded copies of Wegovy and Ozempic due to a shortage of supply have been given until May 22 to stop, following a review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Compounders copy brand-name medicines by combining, mixing or altering drug ingredients.

Booming sales of Wegovy helped to make Novo the most valuable listed company in Europe, worth $615 billion at its peak, but its market value has halved to about $310 billion since peaking in June last year.

Prescriptions in the United States, its biggest market, have not grown since February despite Novo having increased supplies.

"Growth is expected to pick up in the second-half of the year," CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen said on a call with journalists.

Investors have been concerned that Novo's first-to-market drug is losing its lead to Eli Lilly, whose U.S. prescriptions for its Zepbound obesity shot have surpassed Wegovy since mid-March.

Novo Nordisk said first-quarter sales of Wegovy were 17.36 billion Danish crowns ($2.64 billion), declining 13% from the previous quarter, and below the 18.7 billion crowns expected by analysts.

"Over the summer, it's going to be put up or shut up for Wegovy," Barclays' analyst Emily Field said on CNBC. "Either prescriptions come back, or people are going to assume that Eli Lilly is going to take this whole market."

On a call with analysts, Novo executives said the company had a strategy for winning the market share currently held by compounding pharmacies.

Novo's shares were 3.4% higher at 1300 GMT.

Novo estimates that around one-third of the U.S. obesity drug market has been "captured" by compounding pharmacies, CEO Jorgensen said.

He said this had "dampened" the company's growth in the key U.S. market. "It's unprecedented in our industry to have very large volumes of products flowing to patients that are not approved," he said. "We were really surprised about that."

Jorgensen also said sales would benefit from a decision by the largest pharmacy benefit management unit in the U.S., CVS Health, to drop Zepbound from some lists of medicines it covers for reimbursement.

POTENTIAL NEW TARIFFS LOOM
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX)  Who doesnt love to fish? Getting outdoors, casting a line to see if you can catch lunch or dinner, and enjoying everything the Upper Midwest is all about.

Wait what did that headline say?

Lets go PHISHING! What lures work in the upper Midwest?

Oh! PHISHING! That is something completely different, isnt it?

Let me explain. Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails or other messages purporting to be from reputable companies to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers and its a BIG problem across the globe.

Let's go PHISHING! What lures work in the upper Midwest?

According to Hoxhunts Phishing Trends Report, since 2021, there has been a 49% increase in phishing attacks. Of those, 65% are focused on organizations and 35% on individuals. Furthermore, between 80 and 95% of all cyber attacks begin with a phish and the average cost of a phishing breach is $4.88 million. Even worse, since ChatGPT launched in 2022, there has been a 4,151% increase in phishing attacks.

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Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa (and 21 other states) all fall victim to the Package delay/shipping issue lure. If you have received a text message or email from USPS saying Your shipment is waiting at our warehouse after two unsuccessful delivery attempts due to an incomplete address then you know exactly what kind of lure gets the most action in our area of the country.

That got me wondering what are the most effective lures for phishing attacks in the upper Midwest. That is where my friends at Fullstack Academy helped me out. They just released a study of the Most Popular Lures in the US by State. They have broken down the numbers for all 50 states using a survey of almost 2500 Americans. They asked questions like how often, what type of phishing lures they most frequently receive, which companies are impersonated the most in these phishing lures, if theyve fallen victim to a phishing lure, and more.

Let's go PHISHING! What lures work in the upper Midwest?

Have you ever received that text or email? Did you stop and think, How does the USPS have my phone number/email address? They dont. That is someone or something trying to gain your information. And, its important to note, you are clearly not alone.

Part of what works about scams like this is that people feel ashamed for falling for them, so they go unreported. These scams play on our inattention to detail, our natural curiosity, and finally the shame of feeling duped.

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You can find Cybersecurity Bootcamp courses on Fullstack Academy and other places on the web. However, its important to stay as vigilant as you can. Pay attention to what is being sent to you and, most importantly, slow down. Take your time when opening messages and emails to think about their legitimacy. Think through things and ask yourself if they make sense. When in doubt, ask questions. Reach out to the entities that you think are sending the message and ask if they are trying to get a message to you. Most importantly, be gracious with yourself and, as always, be kind. Especially to yourself.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX2548 & WIProud.
Knowing if you can open your business on a public holiday should seem straightforward, but the situation is less clear-cut for bakers across France.

As in other countries, May 1 is Labor Day, a celebration of worker rights, and employees have the right to the day off. An exception exists for essential businesses and services, such as hospital workers. So, the issue is less about whether bakeries can open on Labor Day and more about whether bakers should ask employees to work.

Over the years, a baker's "need" to stay open has been open to interpretation. Some bakers remain open, selling goods they baked the day before, while some owners open without staff. Some employees reportedly show up to work, albeit voluntarily and paid. Some bakers open if they provide prisons or retirement homes with bread. Others open anyway. And it has been this way for decades.

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So, if bakers have flouted the rules for years, why the fuss now?

This time last year, inspectors unexpectedly fined five bakeries in the Vendee region of France because their employees worked on May 1. All were recently acquitted because the legal team was able to argue that it was a tolerated practice, and the legal wording was open to interpretation.

But it has kicked off a debate that has been rumbling for years. Bakers complain of the risk of unannounced inspections and unfair, heavy fines if they open on Labor Day.

A boulangerie is still central to the French way of life. The French eat an estimated 320 baguettes every second, half a baguette per person daily, and 10 billion annually. According to a 2017 government report, half the country lives within 1.4 miles of a bakery "as the crow flies. " In cities, 73% of the population lives within less than half a mile.

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Bread is forever tied to French history and its revolution via Marie Antoinette's infamous quote "Let them eat cake" (although it's commonly thought that the phrase is "Let them eat brioche"and that she didn't say it). French philosopher Rousseau used it in 1767, probably to describe the aristocracy in general. But ever since the revolution, the notion of every French person having access to bread has been enshrined in law.

Bread needs to be made on the premises to be considered a boulangerie, and a baguette is only a baguette if it has only four ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt. It is baked in a steam oven to achieve a crispy texture. Since the 1920s, baguettes must weigh between 250 to 300 grams and be no longer than 65 centimeters. In 2022, the baguette was added to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage because it requires a specific skill and knowledge to make and is integral to French culture.

To try to solve the baking quandary, French Union Centrist (UC) senators have tabled a new bill to "allow employees of certain establishments and services to work on May 1st." This bill is primarily aimed at bakeries but also applies to similar businesses, such as florists.

The bill aims to remove legal ambiguities and allow businesses to open as they can on Sundays, should they choose to. Advocates argue that bakers should be able to guarantee an "essential local service" while paying more to people who choose to work on those days.

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Catherine Vautrin, the French minister of labor, supports the notion, telling France24 that "the government will support this initiative because it protects the rights of citizens and meets the expectations of bakers and other essential workers." She believes it will bring legal clarity, but stipulates that employees must decide to work voluntarily.

Trade unions are unhappy. They believe it calls into question the nature of the day itself; that it undoes the progress, as reported by Le Monde, that unions have made since the 19th century. Many unions fully support inspecting premises and possibly issuing fines. These fines range from 750 to 1,500 per employee caught working.

For many bakers, there is a business imperative to open on May 1: Some bakers can sell more bread than on a typical business day. For example, the Maison Collet bakery in Paris can sell 1,300 baguettes and 1,000 pastries on May 1, compared to 800 and 360 on regular business days.

French consumers seem divided on the issue. Some hope to continue protecting the rights of workers enshrined in law, while others believe the rules that worked in 19th-century France might not apply to the modern 21st-century workforce, society, and consumer behavior.

It might only be something that a change in law can resolve.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  The Diocese of Charleston is celebrating the election of a new pope.

Charleston Bishop Rev. Jacques Fabre-Jeune issued a statement Thursday afternoon saying, I rejoice with all faithful worldwide at the election of our new Pope Leo XIV. In this moment of grace, we give thanks to the Holy Spirit for guiding the Catholic Church and entrusting her to a shepherd who will lead with faith, wisdom and love.

Let us unite in prayer for our new shepherd, that he may serve in humility and strength. As sacred Scripture reminds us, I will appoint for you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently (Jer 3:15). May God bless Pope Leo XIV and sustain him in this sacred mission.

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Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, from Chicago, became the first-ever American pope in the Catholic Churchs 2,000-year history.

Now known as Pope Leo XIV, his first words spoken as his stepped out onto the Vatican balcony were Peace be with you, and he offered a message of peace and dialogue without fear.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
May 8Lodi Unified School District teachers on Tuesday questioned why preliminary plans for a new campus did not include rooms designed for specific subjects such as art, music and science.

Tokay High School science teacher Susan Heberle told the district's board of education that the proposed construction of Samuel M. Gantner School was exciting, and that this was an opportunity for staff to create something extraordinary for students.

"Because it's going to be an elementary school, it's okay to put in a science room, or a project room, or even an art room," she said. "Because students need that. It's about looking to the future, something we can do that will help our kids flourish. Maybe if we used (the room) as a role model, we could add it to other schools."

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District staff presented the new campus' specifications to the board Tuesday, and while the plans proposed outdoor learning areas and "collaboration flex space" to give students more room to work together in smaller groups, there was no mention of rooms where students could play instruments or undertake scientific experiments.

The school, to be located on an 11.5-acre site west of GracePoint Church at Vine Street and Westgate Drive, will focus primarily on TK-6 grades, with the possibility of accommodating seventh- and eighth- grade students in the future, if necessary.

The school's capacity would be 650 students in TK-6 and 850 students if it were to accommodate seventh- and eighth graders.

Preschool through third-grade classes would have about 24 students each, while grades 4-6 would have 30 students in each class.

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Staff added that the campus' design would prioritize flexible, adaptable spaces; combine mobile furniture with built-in storage; have a sink in every classroom; and include backpack storage needed at all grade levels.

"Whether it's including middle school students or not, we want to continue to have these thriving middle school programs," music teacher Mary Guida said. "Tokay is a powerhouse because we have these feeder programs. So we need to make sure we have guaranteed space for every teacher that is going to be on that site."

Former board member Ron Heberle said he liked the idea of Gantner becoming a K-8 campus, but only if it's planned well.

He said the district should build the school with the intention that 850 students will be attending on day one.

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"If you're planning a school, you need to plan growth and build for growth," he said. "The population will increase, because Lodi's population is going to increase during the lifespan of the school. Don't build it for what you have now, build it's for what's coming down the road."

The school's name was unanimously chosen by the board in 2003 to honor the first Lodian killed in World War II.

Gantner was a Lodi High graduate and a young father who was stationed on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor when Japanese forces attacked on Dec. 7, 1941.

As planes approached, Gantner raced to his battle station, a 5-inch anti-aircraft gun on the deck. He fired at the attacking planes but was wounded and taken to the ship's hospital.

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Soon after arriving though, medics noticed he was no longer in the treatment area. He was later seen back at his battle station with his crew, firing at the enemy.

An official citation read, in part: "He maintained an effective fire with his gun, in local control, despite heavy casualties on his gun, bomb hits, exploding ammunition on deck, and serious fires, and was killed at his station."

He was 21. His remains were buried at the Punch Bowl military cemetery in Hawaii.

Board member Sherry Alexander said the district should take Guida's suggestions, as well as Susan Heberle's, into consideration.

"A science, music and art, or even a STEAM area would be hugely beneficial," she said. "When we have a chance to do something great, let's do something great."
To the editor: Contributing writer Joel Kotkin argues that California is harming itself by pushing renewable energy while leaving oil and gas in the ground ( The high cost of Californias green energy policies, May 7). But thats like saying a smoker is harming himself by quitting too early. The real damage comes from continuing to burn fossil fuels, which are driving wildfires, heat waves and drought across the state.

According to the most recent annual study by Clean Jobs California , clean energy already employs about 545,000 Californians  far more than the fossil fuel sector  and those jobs are growing faster. Yes, clean energy must be made more equitable, but the answer is better policy, not more pollution. Lets not forget that low-income families are affected more by pollution and climate change.

Kotkin also claims Californias efforts dont have much impact but ignores the fact that were not alone. The EU, Canada, Japan, South Korea and dozens of U.S. states have ambitious renewable energy and climate targets. The global transition is already underway. Californias leadership helps drive that momentum, lower global prices and shape policy worldwide.

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Brent Jacobson, Chino Hills

..

To the editor: Kotkin conveniently does not mention just how rapidly the price of solar panels and the battery storage of electricity have been coming down over the past few years. It is stunning. And if the recent past is any guide, the price collapse is not about to stop.

As environmentalist Bill McKibben once reminded us , We live on a planet where the cheapest way to produce power is to point a sheet of glass at the sun." The result is a "water-into-wine miracle." Coal, oil and natural gas are all history.

Peter L. Coye, Pomona

..

To the editor: Nowhere in Kotkin's article does he mention the cost of not doing anything. The price tag for not eliminating fossil fuels and building a renewable economy is bigger: more devastating fires, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, systemic ecological collapse, warming oceans  basically, an unlivable planet.

J.J. Flowers, Dana Point

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Denim giant Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) has accused New York-based Premier Brands Group (PBG) of orchestrating a large-scale counterfeit trafficking operation, in turn infringing on more than a dozen of its trademarks.

According to the denim brand, PBG, its CEO Alan Chartash and a variety of Doe defendantsunknown individuals who allegedly took part in the counterfeiting schemeknowingly bought and sold fake products.

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Defendants purchased, marketed, resold and trafficked over 90,000 counterfeit Levis-branded products sourced from known counterfeit producers with no reasonable basis to believe that such products might be genuine, Levis said in its complaint.

PBG, based in New York, absorbs excess inventory from global brands to resell to consumers.

Levis stated that the products allegedly sold by PBG were of exceeding low quality and stated that some of the products bore obvious errors that should have indicated their status as counterfeits.

Certain of the counterfeit products themselves contained a basic error in the spelling of San Francisco, making it Sans or without Francisco, such that no reasonable personlet alone defendants who claim to have decades of industry experiencewould have believed that the products were genuine, Levis wrote in the complaint.

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Those types of errors, Levis claimed, negatively impacted its goodwill and reputation with consumers, who have come to expect a certain standard of quality from the legacy brand.

That the products allegedly had such errors, Levis said, shows that PBG willfully perpetuated a counterfeit scheme. But the errors on the alleged counterfeits arent the only reason that Levis believes PBG carried out its actions willfully and with knowledge.

Defendants also trafficked in forged letters purported to come from LS&Co. Representatives, and which also counterfeited LS&Co.s trademarks and purported to authenticate as genuine and authorize the further resale of these counterfeit products, Levis alleged, noting that some of these letters helped PBG accomplish their counterfeit trafficking scheme, despite the fact that these letters were obviously fake on their face.

Though the letters allegedly tried to show a connection between Levis and PBG, the denim giant noted that it has no such agreement with the redistribution company.

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PBG is not a partner with LS&Co. Instead, PBG sources counterfeit products branded with the LS&Co. Trademarks from known counterfeit sources and then resells them to unsuspecting buyers, who purchase the counterfeits rather than genuine products, the company alleges in its complaint.

As a result of PBGs alleged actions, Levis claimed that it has lost out on millions of dollars in sales of its own products.

It has accused PBG of federal trademark counterfeiting, federal trademark infringement, federal trademark dilution and other offenses.

As such, Levis has asked a judge for a preliminary and permanent injunction that would prohibit PBG, Chartash and the Doe defendants from further acts of counterfeiting, infringement, dilution and/or unfair competition with respect to LS&Co. And the LS&Co. trademarks.

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It has also requested that a judge require PBG to deliver for destruction any and all products in [its] possession that counterfeit or otherwise infringe or dilute the LS&Co. trademarks and made it clear that it will seek actual damages for any profits that PBG made off its allegedly illegal conduct at Levis expense.

Federal court records show that Premier Brands Group has not yet responded to the denim brands complaint. PBG did not immediately return Sourcing Journals request for comment on the lawsuit.
A Long Island father has been sentenced to five to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the 2024 fatal overdose of his 14-month-old son, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Wilkens Adonis, 39, admitted to exposing the toddler, Joseph Adonis, to a deadly cocktail of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, according to the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office.

The incident occurred at Adonis Holbrook home on Jan. 3, 2024, after Suffolk police responded to reports of an unresponsive child.

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When first responders arrived at the residence, they found Adonis, his girlfriend, Daryllee Leibrock, and the unresponsive boy in the couples bedroom.

The young victim was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy by the Suffolk County Medical Examiners Office determined the cause of death was acute mixed drug intoxication from heroin, cocaine and fentanyl.

Detectives with the Suffolk County Narcotics Section were called in to assist in the investigation after police found narcotics and drug paraphernalia in the bedroom where the child was found.

After executing a search warrant at the apartment, authorities found more than one-eighth ounce of a heroin-fentanyl mixture, more than one-eighth ounce of cocaine, alprazolam, methadone, drug packaging materials and digital scales, officials said.

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Additionally, detectives also recovered an electronic stun gun, a loaded shotgun and a rifle  all unsecured and easily accessible to the defendants children, prosecutors said.

The couples 11-year-old child also lived in the same apartment.

Both Adonis and Leibrock were arrested three weeks later and indicted for manslaughter and related charges for recklessly causing the drug overdose death of their child.

Adonis pleaded guilty to manslaughter, drug possession and child endangerment on March 17, 2025, telling the court he took full responsibility for everything that happened.

Leibrock has pleaded not guilty, according to online court records. She is due back in court on May 14.
May 7LIMA  The City of Lima unveiled a new memorial set to break ground in the coming weeks in front of the Veterans Memorial Civic Center at Wednesday's mayoral press conference.

The Lima Veterans Memorial Grove will honor all six branches of the military and veterans from the Lima area with a design inspired by veterans, philanthropists, blacksmiths, architects and government officials.

"I have family members who gave their life in World War II, and my father was a veteran," said Jeff Tracy, a Vietnam veteran who advised the design team with four others. "It's unbelievable how this all comes full circle for remembrance."

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Mayor Sharetta Smith spoke on the importance of honoring veterans with words, actions and permanent memorials to their contributions.

"Where we are going to unveil this monument will be a place of gathering, reflection and gratitude for generations to come," she said.

Tracy, a Lima native, spoke on his experiences in service and praised the city.

"This project started in 2022," Tracy said. "The grove which we all talked about was just a bunch of trees. It's going to be a place of purpose, reflection and respect, and it's going to be wonderful."

A 9-foot-tall engraved granite monument will feature an 8-foot-high sculptural steel flame surrounded by six steel plaques listing the branches, as well as landscaping and seating.

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Veterans James Bourk, Brian Keegan, Dennis Perrin and Thomas Weis also served as advisors to a team led by architects James Bassett and Cynthia Driskell, as well as project coordinator Mary Weis.

"Everything in the grove now will be removed," Driskell said. "The design took several months, and Jim and I walked the square several times. We decided we would put this exactly where the existing grove was."

Michael Bendele and Joseph Bonifas designed and created the sculpture, Jeffery Stapleton and Drew Cronenwett carried out graphic design, Rick Wager served as granite advisor, and Michael Birkmeier of Delphos Granite Works assisted.

A private gift of $539,977 and $58,840 from the Lima Stormwater Fund will cover the $598,817 construction cost.

The project is expected to be completed by Schimmoeller Construction by the end of this year.

Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.

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PRICEVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  An Athens man was arrested on multiple warrants after being pulled over by Priceville Police.

On Thursday, officers pulled a vehicle over in the 3200 block of Hwy 67 around 3 a.m.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as Arron Jade Brooks, 26, of Athens.

Upon further investigation, officers learned that Brooks had felony nationwide extradition arrest warrants for burglary (forcible entry  residence) through the Limestone County Sheriffs Office.

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According to police, he also had a theft of a motor vehicle warrant out of Indiana.

Brooks was arrested and is now in the custody of the Limestone County Sheriffs Office.

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Its been a jam-packed week for the royal family as they marked the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), which commemorates the end of WWII in Europe on May 8, 1945. From a visit to the Tower of London to view a new ceramic poppy installation, to a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey and even a VE Day concert at Horse Guards Parade, its safe to say the royals have been booked and busy.

One of the most heartwarming moments from the commemorations came on Monday, when Prince William and Princess Kate were joined by their childrenPrince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louisat a military procession. And it turns out they were also having a little fun behind the scenes.

Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images

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According to lip reader Nicola Hickling, who spoke with Hello!, Prince William helped keep the kids engaged during the formal event by turning the aircraft flyover into a guessing game.

According to Nicola, Kate was spotted asking George, What is this, George? as a plane flew overhead. George hesitated, replying, Errr thats erm a I cant see it yet. Louis then chimed in, Its my turn!

George eventually identified the aircraft as an Atlas and William leaned toward Queen Camilla to share. Thats the Atlas, you know, he reportedly said, adding, Thats the Poseidonthey are the air fighters.

Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images

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According to Nicola, the Queen was seen joining in with the guessing game, with William responding to her, "It's the wrong answer." Laughing, she quipped, Are we playing this still? I need to try harder. William then clued her in explaining, Thats a UKMFTS. Thats similar to the Lancaster, I think.

All in all, it was a sweet and surprisingly relatable moment for a family so often seen through a formal lensproof that even royal parents use games to keep their kids entertained.

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Romania's OMV Petrom has signed a pivotal gas supply agreement with Moldova, ensuring a quarter of the latter's annual gas requirements, reported Reuters, citing a top Moldovan energy official.

This move is set to bolster Moldova's energy security amidst efforts to reduce reliance on Russian gas.

Deliveries from the significant Black Sea Neptun Deep project are expected to commence in 2027. OMV Petrom and state-owned Romgaz are the joint stakeholders in the project.

The deal is a significant step for Moldova, particularly in light of its historical dependence on Russian gas and the geopolitical shifts following the conflict in Ukraine.

Romania's Energy Ministry has confirmed the three-year contract, which taps into the Neptun Deep gas field, estimated to hold around 100 billion cubic metres (bcm) of recoverable gas.

Moldovagaz CEO Vadim Ceban was quoted by the new agency as saying: In a situation where Moldova's relations with Russia's Gazprom have broken down, obtaining gas directly from Neptun Deep increases the reliability of Moldova's natural gas supply.

He also noted that the agreement would satisfy 25% of Moldova's total gas demand, currently at around 3.2bcm annually.

The energy crisis in Moldova's Transdniestria region has escalated since Gazprom halted gas supplies following the Ukraine invasion. The OMV Petrom deal is thus seen as a crucial step in mitigating these supply issues.

Romania's Energy Ministry highlighted that the contract with Moldova's Energocom represents less than 1% of Neptun Deep's estimated reserves.

Neptun Deep stands as Romania's largest energy venture in nearly two decades and is expected to double the country's gas output, potentially making it a net exporter.

In addition to supplying Moldova, OMV Petrom has also secured a five-year contract to provide Germany's Uniper with 15 terawatt-hours of gas from Neptun Deep.

Both OMV Petrom and Romgaz are set to market the gas independently, although Romanian legislation grants the government pre-emptive rights to the project's gas under certain conditions.

The recent commencement of drilling at Neptun Deep marks a milestone for Romania, with the Pelican South and Domino fields of the Neptun block in the Black Sea poised to significantly enhance the nation's gas production.

The Neptun Deep project is not only Romania's first deep-water offshore endeavour but also the largest natural gas project in the Romanian Black Sea.

It is projected to contribute approximately 8bcm annually to the country's gas production once it reaches full capacity.
The royal family made a surprise group appearance at the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, andmuch like The Avengersthe lip readers have assembled.

The meh news: there is zero juicy drama to be found. The better news: everything that was said is pretty endearing and interestingthough at this point I'm pretty sure the royals know their public appearances are going to be lip-read, and therefore keep the topics of convo to...in this case...the literal weather.

Neil Mockford - Getty Images

Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images





Like, lip reading expert Nicola Hickling straight-up told The Sun that at one point Prince William told his youngest son, Prince Louis, "Look at this I think it's going to be quite wet today." To which Louis iconically replied "Wasn't this supposed to be fun" and William said "It is son." The heir to the throne then added, "you will never forget this" before explaining how the rest of the day would work:

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"They will come along here, and then go towards there, and then we will make our way back," Wills allegedly said. "It's not going to be long and I want you to be taking an interest." Oh, and apparently Prince George then chimed in with "Ive got something in my eye."

Meanwhile, Kate Middleton's conversations were also analyzed by Hickling, and apparently she turned to Princess Charlotte and said this: "Doesn't papa look smart today."

Okay, Kate!!!

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The Lithuanian Seimas (parliament) on 8 May voted in favour of a resolution stating that it did not recognise the territories of Ukraine seized by Russia as Russian either de jure or de facto.

Source: European Pravda, as reported by LRT

Details: 118 MPs voted in favour of this resolution, with no abstentions or votes against.

The resolution says that no seizures of Ukrainian territory carried out and continued by the Russian Federation will be recognised by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, either de jure or de facto.

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The document notes that Ukraine is a sovereign and independent European state that has the right to defend itself and independently decide on its internal, foreign, and security policy. Its borders are those recognised by the international community in 1991.

Remigijus Motuzas, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, presented the draft resolution and said it was very important to stop this unjustified war, ensure long-term peace, and restore Ukraine's territorial integrity.

In its resolution, the Seimas calls on the parliaments of other countries to adopt similar documents emphasising their unconditional support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to take measures to prevent the recognition of Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territories.

Background:

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In recent weeks, the Trump administration has been trying to push forward a peace process between Ukraine and Russia and, according to media reports, has prepared a final proposal for a peaceful settlement.

Among other things, the United States is ready to recognise Russia's control over Ukrainian Crimea and ease sanctions against Moscow.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha recently outlined red lines in peace talks, saying Ukraine would not recognise any temporarily occupied territories as Russian.

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VILNIUS, Lithuania  Dovile Sakaliene has been serving as the Lithuanian Minister of National Defense since 2024. Previously a psychologist, journalist and lawmaker, she has spearheaded a number of reforms within Lithuanias security sector, including new legal amendments aimed at significantly shortening procedures for foreign defense companies to invest in the Baltic state.

She has been an advocate for raising the countrys defense spending, with plans to spend 5.25% of its gross domestic product on the military next year. The official has also placed a key importance on supporting Ukraine, where in 2025 Lithuanias pledged commitments to the war-torn country are worth approximately 110 million ($124 million), a number that Sakaliene wants to increase.

In an interview with Defense News, she discussed the priorities of the Lithuanian military sector, future defense cooperation with the United States, navigating the Trump presidency, leaving the Ottawa Convention, and her security assessment of Russias threat to Europe.

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This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Lithuania is currently in a phase of revamping its armed forces. When considering ongoing NATO or European Union defense projects, which ones would you say are the most urgent for the growth of Lithuanias arsenal?

Ill say very frankly  Europe really is really re-arming or I would say re-building its armament capabilities and we [Lithuania] are also re-building our armed forces. Currently, the continent is at the stage where in almost every domain, we have projects that are urgent and we have acquisitions that are well for a lack of a better term burning.

Defense firms follow Lithuanias allure of making ammo sans red tape

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I do not want to distinguish one or another project as more critical while some not. For Lithuania, our main priority regarding the armed forces is rebuilding our first national division.

We had an inauguration a couple of months ago of the re-establishment of that division, which we expect to be the core of our land forces. Hence for that, we need land capabilities such as new maneuver and indirect fire support, electronic warfare, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear, military engineering, ISTAR equipment, and enablers. We are executing [these] acquisitions.

The next priority for us is the development of our defense industry, both for the sake of enhancing our readiness at a national level and strengthening our ability to defend ourselves and hopefully deter  so that maybe we will not actually need to be on the battlefield  but also to boost our economy.

Europe is old. Europe has a lot of regions that are basically depopulated and we have also undergone this transition to deindustrialize. Lithuania is no exception. For me, it is a goal working with my colleagues in government and ministers, to ensure that we can repopulate some of these regions and breathe in a little bit of life in Lithuanias defense industry.

Have business or military cooperation between Lithuania and the United States been affected by the uncertainty and volatility that has emerged since the Trump administration took office?

The first term and administration [2017-2021] of President Donald Trump was extremely beneficial to Lithuania. He has put more boots on the ground than any presidents before him or after him.

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We are extremely proud to be advocates of Ukraine and we are going to continue to be. We have actually allocated more than the promised 0,25% of our GDP to Ukraine assistance last year and we are going to continue this year.

However, we have also been known as advocates of the U.S. and we are also going to continue to do that. The U.S. is a vital component of the security architecture of the whole NATO bloc. And even though some narratives were very complicated and very concerning, and still are, two main messages have not changed through these few difficult months. The first being that the U.S. is not going to leave NATO. That is crucial if we want to maintain the current world order, which is already very fragile.

So youve had indications within discussions with your American counterparts that this is not going to happen?

That was very clearly messaged both publicly and personally by President Trump and members of his administration that his country is not going to leave NATO. The second message that has not changed is that their commitment to protect Poland and the Baltic states is [still] there, and in general commitment is there to deliver on this part.

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Therefore, what we also try to do is to somehow stabilize the level of emotional assessment and look at what exactly is happening. And currently it is that the U.S. is saying that the burden is not even. They are still the biggest contributor to NATO security compared to the rest of the bloc. Which you know is a bit unfair.

Whereas if we compare economically, European Union states are not contributing what they should and if we look a bit wider at the Europe level and add some additional countries, its even worse.

What they [U.S. counterparts] are saying to us is: We are not going to abandon you, we are going to aid you. But were not going to defend you instead of yourself. For us, in Lithuania, this is good enough. For us, this is something that we understand and that is justified, and we have been trying to persuade our colleagues all over Europe, especially in southern and western parts of the continent, to invest in defense more. In that, we are sort of partners with the U.S. in saying, Guys, money on the table now please. This is really urgent.

Regarding our acquisitions, we do have a very diverse acquisitions portfolio. 20% comes from the U.S., but then 80% is from everywhere else. We have systems from France, Germany, Norway, Poland and are now in the final negotiations about the CV90  several battalions worth of them  with Sweden.

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We see a very good possibility to cooperate with the American defense industry. Ive had wonderful meetings with companies from whom we acquire from and with whom we want to further develop industrial cooperation with, or to ensure that our companies become part of their supply chain.

Ive had very good talks with the leadership of Lockheed Martin, AM-General, and RTX  they are all showing a big interest in working with us. Because we do buy quite enough from them, [it could] make sense to have [some of their] production lines or production of certain components here in Lithuania. Also because we are really streamlining our legislative processes to be enabling to decrease certain processes from years to a matter of days. We are continuing to do this and there will be new and additional changes.

How do you assess the current security situation in Europe regarding Russian threats, four years into the war in Ukraine and looking ahead? Are you happy with the pace at which Lithuania is approaching defense initiatives such as border protection, among other things?

I think we are now moving at a good speed  although I would like to move faster. We left the cluster munition convention last year and we are leaving the Ottawa Convention that bans anti-personnel mines. We had the second vote in parliament regarding this and will also have the third and final one this week for denouncing that convention.

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While for some it may seem cruel, for me it is a necessity. Because we are going to have mines on our territory, but they will either be Russian mines, where we wont know where they are and they will be in large quantities and may kill a lot of our citizens. Or it will be our own mines where we will know where they are placed, and they do have a very good deterrence effect on Russian soldiers.

For me, this is not only about buying certain things but also sending strategic messages and working together within regions. Over the last few months, I had a lot of intense and sometimes complicated discussions [about this] with my colleagues from other countries, the five of us who have the longer border with Russia or with Belarus which is just a platform for the Russian Army. The results are great.

For this process to be even faster and better, I want us to make more joint procurement projects and I also want us to be able to finally persuade the whole EU that protection of the east and northern border is not our individual business.

If war breaks out, in any single place, the whole kingdom is going to flood. Therefore, for our colleagues in Portugal, Italy, Hungary  it is as relevant as to us. The economic stability of Europe would be done. Financial markets would fall and plummet. Nobody would be able to keep their current lifestyle. It is much cheaper to build good border protection and reinforcing it with anti-tank and anti-personnel mines as well as certain land-based entrapments.

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Difficult times sometimes need difficult decisions and we are going to make them. Regarding if I am happy with the speed  I feel like some politicians still do not really hear the military. Yes of course, we are a democratic bloc and civil control is necessary. But not being able to hear well what the military has to say is still a factor of risk. All military men and women [in Lithuania and in allied states] I have spoken to have a very clear understanding of where we stand, what is at risk and what cost we may have to pay.

For many politicians, it seems that their issue is not so much about this. Some are still living in alternative realities.

I think we really have to start the countdown  you know Russia has never really kept to any schedule. We have to imagine the worst-case scenario for us to be prepared. This is not a mistake that can be corrected. This is not a possibility to get an extended deadline.

When I am talking with my counterparts, we say lets take the worst possible example. For instance, if the negotiations  in my opinion it would be more precise to call it an attempt  at negotiating with Russia by the U.S. end badly, or if sanctions are lifted and the Russian military industry is sped up and its armed forces reforms are fasten  then we do not have those 3 to 5 years.

We may have 2 to 3 years. Id like to think that we could move even faster to ramp up our capabilities. I have moved development of my national division from 15 years to five years and I am still not happy with that. I still want to move faster. Urgency is the key word here.
Lithuania has withdrawn from an international agreement banning anti-personnel mines, becoming the second Baltic state after Latvia to do so in light of Russia's war against Ukraine.

The parliament in Vilnius on Thursday approved the governments decision to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention with 107 votes in favour, none against, and three abstentions. The decision will take effect six months after the withdrawal declaration is submitted to the United Nations.

The Seimas, Lithuanias parliament, followed a joint recommendation from the defence ministers of the Baltic States and Poland.

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Russia's war against Ukraine is seen as a direct threat to national security in the four states, all of which are members of NATO and the European Union, that border Russia.

Finland, another EU and NATO-member state bordering Russia to the east, later joined the initiative.

Russia not a treaty member

Lithuania justified its withdrawal by citing the security situation in the region, which has "fundamentally deteriorated" according to the joint declaration, since the country joined the Ottawa Convention in 2003.

According to dpa information, the declaration is expected to be submitted jointly by all withdrawing countries.

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Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda described the move as a "logical and consistent step," adding that its nature and significance had been explained to Lithuanias allies.

"Our partners clearly understand the geopolitical situation and geographical location we are in and know that we need every available means to defend our country," he said.

The Ottawa Convention bans the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of all types of anti-personnel mines, which are considered particularly cruel weapons.

The treaty was concluded in 1997 and has since been signed by more than 160 countries, including Germany. Russia, like the United States and China, has never joined the convention.
The Seimas, Lithuania's parliament, has approved the denouncement of the Ottawa Convention prohibiting the use of anti-personnel mines, Lithuanian media outlet LRT reported on May 8.

One hundred and seven MPs voted to withdraw from the convention, with three abstentions and no votes against. Lithuania's withdrawal from the agreement required the support of at least 85 members of parliament.

The denunciation of the convention will take effect six months after the decision is made.

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In March, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland announced their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, as the security situation in the region has "fundamentally deteriorated" and military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have "significantly increased."

The statement added that despite their withdrawal, the countries would remain committed to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians during armed conflicts.

Lithuania ratified the convention aimed at the complete elimination of anti-personnel mines in 2003. The agreement obliged not to use, produce, stockpile, or transfer anti-personnel mines.

Thirty-two countries are not members of the Ottawa Convention, including Russia, the U.S., and China.

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Read also: Amid missile shortage, Ukraines air defenses are struggling under Russian ballistic attacks

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  While the worlds eyes turn to the Sistine Chapel and the solemn silence of Vatican deliberations, anticipation is rippling through the hallways of Catholic High School for Boys in Little Rock, where students and faculty alike are prayerfully awaiting the selection of a new pope.

Its more than just choosing a new leader, said Father Fred, rector of the all-boys Catholic school. For any of us who are Catholic, its a time of anticipation. Its a time of looking forward to someone who, most of us, I especially hope, is someone who carries on the legacy of Pope Francis.

The passing of Pope Francis has once placed the Catholic Church at a historic crossroads, as cardinals from across the globe gather behind closed doors in a conclave to choose his successor.

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Black smoke emerges from Sistine Chapel; no pope selected on first vote

For the young men at Catholic High, the moment is more than a far-off ritual, its a lesson unfolding in real time.

But there is a vacancy here, I mean, we are missing something. We are missing a leader of a church, Father Fred said.

Teachers have turned the process into a classroom topic, guiding students through discussions of faith, global leadership, and the future direction of the Catholic Church.

In theology and history classes, students are learning that this centuries-old process remains deeply relevant in todays fast-paced, changing world.

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All I can say is we are anticipating what is there, Father Fred added.

Each day, the iconic image of black smoke, or perhaps one day soon, white, offers a spiritual checkpoint for the Catholic community. While the black smoke signals no decision yet, Father Fred remains hopeful.

The longer it takes them to make the decision, the more they are working hard to come up with someone who will lead the Church, Father Fred said.

Inside the classrooms and chapel of Catholic High, the waiting is filled with conversation, quiet reflection, and prayer.

Pope Francis funeral: Photo gallery

Students are watching closely, even through final exams, eager to see who will step onto the balcony at St. Peters and what path he will chart for more than a billion Catholics worldwide.

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Whoever it is, I firmly believe and trust in the Holy Spirit that we will get the right man, Father Fred said.

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NEWARK, Ohio (WCMH)  The trial for a semi truck driver charged in connection with a 2023 crash on Interstate 70 that left six people dead, including three high school students, entered its third day on Thursday after a day off on Wednesday.

Jacob McDonald, 61, of Zanesville, is facing 26 charges, including six third-degree felony counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, nine fourth-degree felony counts of vehicular assault and 11 first-degree misdemeanor counts of assault.

McDonald has opted for a bench trial in Licking County Common Pleas Court, meaning Judge David Branstool will decide his fate rather than a jury. Chief Felony Prosecutor Clifford Murphy will represent the state. Attorney Chris Brigdon will defend McDonald. Watch live coverage in the video player above.

Courtesy Photo/NBC4 Viewer Emergency crews respond to a fiery crash on I-70 West involving a charter bus and a semi. (NBC4) A fiery crash on I-70 West involving a charter bus and a semi. (Courtesy photo/Adam Layton) Emergency crews respond to a fiery crash on I-70 West involving a charter bus and a semi. (NBC4)

Follow along below for live updates.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
AGAWAM, Mass. (WWLP)  With Mothers Day this weekend, many are searching for that perfect gift to honor and appreciate the most important woman in their life, and many are choosing to shop local.

For Coopers Gifts in Agawam, Mothers Day is one of their busiest times of the year as people come in looking for that perfect gift for their moms.

Its been very well, its been a busy season, said Kate Gourde, the owner of Coopers Gifts. I called in extra help yesterday because it got to be a little bit much, but we are in great shape, were ready for you.

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Best restaurants for Mothers Day brunch in Springfield area, according to Yelp

Gourde says theyve got gifts for every mom, from jewelry to bags to home decor. Customers are also able to get their gifts wrapped free in-store making it easier for them to give to their moms on the special day.

It warms our hearts to know that we are here for our customers, that they can always find the gifts that speak whats in their heart, Gourde said.

People also like to treat their moms to flowers, and Durocher Florist in West Springfield is already seeing a rush come in.

We love it, its an exciting time in the store, said Heather Sullivan, owner of Durocher Florist. Its exciting to see so many of our customers every day.

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Theyve been spending the whole week putting together flower bouquets to be picked up or delivered. Every year, they see about 900 to 1,000 deliveries throughout the whole week.

Everyone works really hard this week, so we put a lot of love into what we do to make all those moms and aunts and grandmothers happy and put a smile on their faces this weekend, Sullivan said.

For every dollar spent at a small business in the U.S., 68 cents stays within local communities and stimulates economic growth. So if you havent gotten a gift yet for your mom, make sure to stop by your favorite local store.

Consumer spending for Mothers Day in the U.S. is projected to reach nearly $34 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation.

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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SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  The Concho Valley Regional Food Bank has received 1,920 pounds of apples as part of The United Familys Take A Bite Out of Hunger program.

The United Family, also known as United Supermarkets, stated that the donation is part of the 50,000 pounds of apples donated across Texas and New Mexico through the program. This years donation marks the 15th year of the program, which has facilitated the donation of more than 650,000 pounds of apples through a partnership between The United Family and FirstFruits Farms.

The United Family feels very blessed to be in the position to make these donations for the fifteenth year in a row, Joseph Bunting, produce business director for The United Family, said. We know how important donations of fresh produce can be for food banks and their clients.

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Over $4M raised through San Angelo Gives 2025

Sarah Eckel, director of outreach and development for the Concho Valley Regional Food Bank, said the apples were donated through Market Street, a store chain owned by The United Family. She said the food bank has received apples through the program for multiple years, adding that this recent donation was larger than those given in previous years.

We really appreciate the fact that United continues to be committed to fighting hunger with Concho Valley Food Bank here locally, and we very much appreciate any donation of food that we are able to send out to our neighbors, Eckel said.

Eckel shared that the apples will be offered to families within the 13 counties that the food bank serves through programs, food pantries, direct distributions and more.

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Theyre really great for kids, adults, Eckel said. Everyone loves apples, so I think its just something that people really appreciate, that fresh fruit.

The work continues for the Concho Valley Regional Food Bank, though. The food bank plans to host its Stamp Out Hunger food drive on Saturday, May 10. For information on how to participate, visit the organizations Facebook page or call it at (325)-655-3231.

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(COLORADO SPRINGS)  A high school in Widefield became the site of a disaster simulation on Wednesday May 7, with the goal of helping teachers, students, and first responders prepare for a day they hope will never come.

After rigorous training, and Wednesdays simulation, students from Discovery High School are now certified in CPR, First Aid, Stop the Bleed and more. Teachers covered themselves in special effects makeup to make the experience more realistic. The simulation covered what to do in a potential train wreck, because of how close the school is to train tracks.

We learned about the bleed, opioids, and like about law enforcement, about fire, just about the different first responders and the different types of disasters that we have, said Semaj Doucette, a student at Discovery High School.

Photo By: FOX21 News photojournalist Chris Hernandez

The students responded to the emergency train wreck by helping victims in the crash using only debris as their medical supplies.

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It crashed into homes, and it went everywhere, so we have to be the incident commander to respond to the incident, said Barbara Rivera, another student at Discovery High School.

Some of the students who were chosen as leaders during the simulation were wearing traffic vests, including both Rivera and Doucette, who say the training is helping them ahead of a possible career in the U.S. Army.

We were kind of chosen to be the team leader, to kind of guide and be like the people to lead the others, said Rivera.

Teachers covered themselves in fake blood to make their injuries look as real as possible. Some of the victims had simulated lost limbs, head wounds, and even exposure to an exposed electrical cord.

Photo By: FOX21 News photojournalist Chris Hernandez

God forbid if anything does happen at the school or in their homes, they will be able to address it with a clear mind and be able to help in any situation, said Kimberly Myers, the teacher behind it all.

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Ultimately the simulation was all about education and being prepared for the worst.

I do remember walking in our Social Studies classroom, and they were doing research on Hurricane Katrina and other natural disaster events that would displace victims and how that was handled, said Albert Wiggins, the Principal of Discovery High School.

The El Paso County Community Emergency Response Team trained with the students for six hours each week to support the program, but many of the students got more than just a certificatethey got confidence.

Photo By: FOX21 News photojournalist Chris Hernandez

It just gives me more confidence knowing that I know what to do to help them and how to help them before the first responders get there, said Doucette.

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Wiggins said that if you stay ready, you never have to get ready.

On May 21, the certified students will get to train community members on the skills they learned from 9:30 a.m.  11:30 a.m. at Discovery High School.

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(Reuters) -OpenAI has told investors it will share a smaller fraction of revenue with major backer Microsoft as it moves ahead with its restructuring, The Information reported on Tuesday.

The ChatGPT-maker has dialed back a significant restructuring plan, with its nonprofit parent retaining control in a move that is likely to limit CEO Sam Altman's power over the firm.

In financial projections shared with investors, OpenAI said the percentage of revenue shared with Microsoft would drop by at least half by the end of this decade, the report said.

In an existing deal, OpenAI has agreed to share 20% of its revenue with Microsoft through 2030, the Information reported.

OpenAI told some potential and current investors that it would only share 10% of revenues with commercial partners including Microsoft by 2030, the report said, citing private documents, adding that Microsoft wants access to OpenAI's technology beyond 2030.

In January, Microsoft changed some key terms of a deal with OpenAI after its joint venture with Oracle and Japan's SoftBank Group to build up to $500 billion of new artificial intelligence data centers in the United States.

Microsoft has said it has "revenue sharing agreements that flow both ways" with OpenAI, with the key elements of the partnership remaining in place for the duration of the contract through 2030.

"We continue to work closely with Microsoft, and look forward to finalizing the details of this recapitalization in the near future," an OpenAI spokesperson told The Information.

Microsoft declined to comment on the report, while OpenAI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours.

(Reporting by Harshita Meenaktshi in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Rashmi Aich)
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  Nurses Week began on Tuesday, and one local nurse shared what drives her, the challenges she faces and her thoughts on the nationwide nursing shortage.

For over 37 years, Nurse Robbin with Memorial Health has often been the first face patients see when entering the hospital.

She said it is a rewarding job filled with its challenges. She relies on her teams camaraderie and family to get her through the toughest days.

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The best way I can describe that for someone that doesnt work in the emergency department here at Memorial is you could be delivering a baby and come out and deliver a coworkers baby, which has happened, said Robbin. The next minute you go take care of someone thats 98 years old. You go from one extreme to the other.

The nation is currently grappling with a nursing gap. Georgia is expected to have the second worst shortage over the next decade, according to the Federal Health Resources and Service Administration.

I think that nursing itself has expanded so much and that it is difficult to fulfill all the roles that nursing itself has expanded, Robbin said. A lot of nurses are older, and they elected to get out of nursing.

The COVID-19 pandemic also had a significant impact on the nursing crisis. Many nurses had to step into roles in the medical field that pushed them outside of their comfort zones, Robbin told WSAV.

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Since COVID-19, people have become extremely more angry, aggressive, she said. Im not sure what happened to people. I think that behavior towards nursing has caused a lot of people to leave the bedside.

Nurses and doctors also called this the hardest time of their lives. There were hours spent away from loved ones. Robbin recalled telling families they cannot be there for their loved ones who were ill, which has stuck with her.

I think it was very difficult for a lot of other nurses, and they saw what happened and how the world handled COVID, and they didnt want to be a part of that, said Robbin. I adapted. I know what Ive seen versus what was on the news. I personally experienced it.

Her love for nursing stemmed from the drive to help people. With years of experience and relationships that she has formed, she said shes grown to love the profession even more.

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She said that at this point of her career, she gets the most fulfillment from witnessing younger nurses progress.

I do appreciate the days that I come in and Im able to teach them or I recognize something that someone else didnt, she said. Its just a great job.

It is a calling that has kept her in her scrubs. She said every day she is grateful of the decisions she has made early on.

A lady just gave me a hug just before I walked out of there and said, You know, thank you for everything,' she said. I took her to a room, and I didnt do much to her, but just listen to her.

National Nurses Week focuses on highlighting the continued hard work, even during the countrys lowest points.

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Ive been in it so long that it used to be Nurses Day, said Robbin. Now they got a whole week. I think thats great, and I think its an opportunity to recognize the work that nurses do.

She encouraged aspiring nurses to take the leap of faith.

Go see if you can shadow, go to a doctors office, go make those visits, Robbin said. What you see on social media is not always the real life but go do volunteer and get into the environment.

As the nation continues to work toward filling the nursing gap, visit Memorial Health to view open positions.

Click here to see open nursing positions at St. Josephs/Candler.

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Click here to see open nursing positions at Beaufort Memorial Hospital.

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PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  As news spread about the news that an American had been chosen to be the new pope, a first in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, reaction locally was positive.

Bishop Louis Tylka of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria welcomed the election of Robert Prevost who took the papal name of Leo XIV, as the new leader of the church.

In this moment of great significance for the Church and the world, we were grateful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit who led the cardinals in their sacred task, Tylka said.

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Bells tolled at the news of the new pontiff. The faithful gathered during a noontime mass at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church. Those at the mass were pleased with the selection.

Lilly Twait of Eureka said she was so excited.

It was so beautiful to hear at mass when we found out about it. It was so crazy that I might have been at one of the first masses where his name was said during the Eucharistic Prayer, she said. Father Miller started to tear up a little bit and so did I. It was so beautiful.

Having an American chosen as pope and moreover from Illinois, was wonderful, she said.

Tylka said the diocese pledged support and fidelity to Pope Leo XIV as the Successor of Peter.

United with the universal Church, we are ready to walk in faith alongside our new Holy Father, trusting in Gods providence and grace, the bishop said. Let us pray his pontificate will lead all Catholics in our efforts to bring Christ to the world  a world so in need of healing, truth, and peace.

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May the Lord bless our new Pope abundantly as he begins his ministry of service, unity, and love, Tylka said.

Praise God was the first words Brian Hennessey had to say about the new pontiffs. I hope hes a faithful servant of the Lord, a good disciple and helps guide the Catholic flock and helps to lead us.

Hennessey said it was exciting to hear about the new pope saying its not like a presidential election that happens every four years.

The last one was 2013, before that was 2005 and before that was 1979 so you just never know. Its exciting to have a new shepherd and a leader that we can look to for guidance, he said.

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Central Catholic High School in Bloomington also celebrated the new pope and watched the announcement live in the schools auditorium. School President Sean Foster said it was an unforgettable moment.

Being in the school with our students as the white smoke rose and Pope Leo XIV was announced was an unforgettable moment, Foster said. There was a sense of unity and pure excitement throughout our building. Not only is he the first American Pope, but he was born and raised in Chicago. It is a beautiful reminder that we are part of something bigger than ourselveswe are people full of hope, who are called to share our love of Christ with the world.

White smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday at 6:07 p.m. local time, signaling that a pontiff had been elected to lead the Catholic Church.

A Chicago native, Prevost, 69, spent his career ministering in Peru and led the Vaticans powerful office of bishops.

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From the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, historys first American pope recalled that he was an Augustinian priest, but a Christian above all, and a bishop, so we can all walk together.

He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This story will be updated.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  With all the talk of tariffs lately, some people might be worried about the future of big purchases, like cars or campers.

Ford dealerships across the nation are offering employee prices on most 2024 and 2025 Ford and Lincoln models through July 4. Its part of their From America, For America initiative.

Multi-state manhunt comes to an end

Theres been a lot of talk about tariffs and I think Ford went the other way last month, Josh Mills, General Manager of Sioux Falls Ford Lincoln, said. Instead of raising prices like some manufacturers did, they went the other way and did employee pricing.

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But Sioux Falls Ford Lincoln is taking it a step further with an exclusive deal only offered through them.

We also have an additional $3,000 off on all F-150 XLTs, as well as all Escapes. And those are the 2025 models, so new models, Mills said. So, thats $3,000 less than what an employee can buy the vehicle for.

General Manager Josh Mills says these are the best prices hes seen in the last 17 years.

We also, if youre a lease buyer  which is a great way to own a vehicle because theres a lot of uncertainty right now with what the future brings  but with a lease, youre guaranteed a payment for the next two to three years depending on what you choose, Mills said. And we have 2025 Escapes for $299 a month.

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Sioux Falls Ford isnt the only local dealership getting ahead of some tariff uncertainty. Out at Noteboom RV, they are offering what they are calling a Pre-tariff sale.

We are running a pre-tariff sale because prices are going up nationwide and we have stocked up our inventory so we can keep our prices down, Mary Noteboom, co-owner of Noteboom RV, said.

Noteboom says they have stocked up on all their brands and some campers are up to 50 percent off MSRP.

Its a great time to get a camper right now before the price hikes hit and the tariffs  we dont know whats going on so hopefully we have the best deals here, Noteboom said.

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Noteboom says they have already seen prices going up on different parts of campers and steel.

According to reporting from CBS, Ford Motor Company said Monday it expects to take a $1.5 billion hit to its operating profit from tariffs this year. And Wednesday, the company announced its raising prices on three models produced in Mexico. That price hike will apply to imported vehicles built after May 2, which are expected to be on dealership lots in late June.

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FARMERSBURG, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)  Wednesday is School Nurse Appreciation Day.

North Central High School honored its school nurse, Angie Brocksmith, with some flowers, a gift card, and a card signed by the staff. Brocksmith joined Northeast School Corporation at the beginning of this school year, back in August. She said she really enjoys being a school nurse for the school corporation and interacting with the students.

I just like the interactions with them, said Brocksmith. Sometimes its not necessarily that they need nursing skills. Sometimes they just need somebody to listen or words of encouragement, and I feel fortunate that Im able to do that.

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Principal Adam Azar said Brocksmith has a good rapport with all the students as well as the staff.

Were super happy that she chose to come here this year and to be a part of the T-Bird family, and we couldnt have been blessed with somebody better, said Azar.

Students agree that Brocksmith does so much for the school.

Shes really friendly. Shes also helped me through a lot of things just in general, said Paisley Wright.

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COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF)  People in the community are continuing to donate and support the families of fallen Columbia County Deputy Brandon Sikes and injured deputy Gavin White.

Charm and Char is a local small business that sells fashion accessories, home decor, and more. Owner Tanya Smelker was asked to make stickers in honor of Deputies Brandon Sikes and Gavin White. But she wanted to do more than just create and sell.

Hey, do you have the capacity to make stickers? said Tanya Smelker, Charm and Char LLC. And I was like, yeah, I do have the capacity to do that. Instead of charging for my services, I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to raise money for the Sikes and the Whites families.

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Smelker sold stickers last week at her booth at the Evans Market. But the interest was much greater.

Everybody was like We cant make it like we can order online, and thats when the online sales just exploded, so to speak, said Smelker.

The stickers are 8 dollars. Smelker is also selling hats, which are 20 dollars. Smelker and some from the Wives of Columbia County Sheriffs Office have helped her package and send off the items. 100% of the proceeds from the stickers and 10 dollars from each hat will go to the families. Shes raised more than 2500 dollars from those sales as of Tuesday.

Absolutely mind blowing to me, like I did not expect that. I expected maybe like $500 bucks, said Smelker.

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Charm and Char will be at the Columbia County Unity Fundraiser this Saturday.

Were going to have some more stickers over there. Ill have my box with me, and Ill have some hats with me, said Smelker.

Orders will be taken until May 10th, and she plans to give the donations to the families next week. If you want to order, you can do so on Charm and Chars website or you can attend the Columbia County Unity Fundraiser this Saturday.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  The valedictorian at Thurgood Marshall STEM will receive his associate degree before his high school diploma, becoming the first in the schools history to do so.

Dayton student awarded scholarship from Gates Foundation

Later this month Justin Lee will graduate with an associate degree in Psychology from Sinclair Community College through their College Credit Plus program.

The achievement is one that district Superintendent David Lawrence calls extraordinary.

Photo courtesy of Dayton Public Schools

Justins accomplishment is nothing short of extraordinary. He represents the very best of what our students can achieve when given access to rigorous academic opportunities and strong support systems.

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Lee also received college credits through a program called DPS University, which is offered at Thurgood Marshall, Belmont and Dunbar high schools.

Following graduation, Lee will head to the University of Dayton where he is a Flyer Promise Scholarship recipient. He plans to major in Psychology.

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SCHIAVON, Italy (AP)  Conclave watching turned out to be a perfect aperitivo activity.

Caffe Centrale, on the main drag of the Veneto hometown of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a papal favorite, filled up with locals and journalists on Thursday. Three friends clinked their glasses in an Italian salute when the white smoke went up in St. Peters Square.

We hope its him, said Mariano Vialetto, over an aperitivo in Caffe Centrale. We have our fingers crossed.

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Morgan Zaetta was more sure: Its him, its him.

A few moments later the bells rang in the church, St. Margherita  only the sacristan says it wasnt he who rang them and doesnt know who did.

It wasnt me, said Angelo Cisotto, adding no one was in the bell tower and they could not be rung by remote. Its a mystery, he said. Asked if it could be a sign: We hope, we hope.

All day, a large TV screen displayed images from St. Peters Square and the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, where 133 cardinals were casting the first votes for pope, as locals in the Veneto town of Schiavon, near Vicenza, quaffed glasses of wine.

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The day before, Giacomo Bonora raised a glass of the local favorite, a red wine spritz, and said that when Parolin returns to the town of 2,600, he asks to be called by his local nickname: Don Piero. It's the way a parish priest would be addressed rather than eminence," a cardinals honorific. Piero is the Veneto dialect for Pietro.

Parolin, 70, is a veteran diplomat who was Francis secretary of state, essentially the Holy Sees prime minister and No. 2 to the pope. Everyone is hopeful, but officials have been instructed not to speak to the media until a new pope is elected.

Cisotto, the 84-year-old sacristan, remembers Parolin as a child, 14 years his junior, and always devout. He used to dress up as an altar boy, and at home, in his garage, he had a little altar, where he would play saying Mass, Cisotto recalled. He is a very good, very humble and very kind person.''

As for Parolins papal chances, 86-year-old Sebastiano Minuzzo said: This is a dream, but usually dreams dont come true."

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Locals recalled that Parolin came regularly to Schiavon before his mother died last summer. His father died when he was 10, and he entered the seminary in nearby Vicenza at 14. For a period, he was a parish priest in the foothills town of Schio before joining the Vatican's diplomatic corps.

"He has such a mind, I cant grasp it,'' said Cisotto, the sacristan.

While closely associated with Francis pontificate, Parolin is much more demure in personality and diplomatic in his approach to leading than the Argentine Jesuit he served  and he knows where the Catholic Church might need a course correction. Many see him as embodying Francis' pastoral message while being more open to conservative points of view. While his career has been spent in Italy, his job as a Vatican diplomat has seen him travel the world, giving him a global perspective.

If he were elected, he would return an Italian to the papacy after three successive outsiders: St. John Paul II (Poland), Pope Benedict XVI (Germany) and Francis (Argentina).
SANTEE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  West Hills High School in Santee was temporarily placed on lockdown Wednesday after a second-hand report about a student possibly having a gun on-campus, authorities said.

Around 3 p.m., deputies responded to the school in the 8700 block of Mast Boulevard, the San Diego County Sheriffs Office said on X.

While the school was placed on lockdown, authorities searched the school where no weapon was found.

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Law enforcement determined the report about a student having a gun to be false. There were no injuries.

Shortly before 4 p.m., school officials lifted the lockdown.

Lawsuit filed against Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe amid ongoing salmonella investigation

During the lockdown, West Hills High School Principal April Baker sent out a letter to the community saying that all campus doors were secured, and movement within the school was restricted to ensure safety.

Baker followed up with a second notice, confirming law enforcement investigated the situation and determined that it was safe for them to lift the lockdown. Students were dismissed for the day.

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On Wednesday evening, Baker updated students and staff with another letter explaining the administration team was alerted to a concerning social media post that included a photo of an individual on campus holding what appeared to be a weapon.

I want to commend the student who came forward  because of their quick action, we were able to take the necessary steps to investigate the situation and ensure the safety of all. We always encourage students to report anything suspicious to an administrator right away, Baker said in the letter.

School and law enforcement officials identified and located the person in the photo, who was not on campus at the time of the lockdown.

After a thorough investigation, deputies determined that the object in the photo was a grey temperature gun  not a weapon  and that the individual did not pose a credible safety threat. Law enforcement then advised us that it was safe to lift the lockdown, and students were safely dismissed, Baker said.

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Baker added that the school is legally prohibited from sharing details about any specific disciplinary actions except with a students parent or guardian.

Authorities advise students that if they hear of any threats or potential violence, they can approach the Sheriffs School Resource Deputies or call the anonymous @sdcrimestoppers Student Speaking Out Hotline at 888-580-8477.

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After the death of a Pope, a papal conclavean incredibly secretive and important process takes place in the Vatican as cardinals determine who will next lead the Catholic Church.

Following the passing of Pope Francis on April 21, preparations for the conclave began to take shape, as cardinals from around the world made their way to Rome.

On Wednesday, May 7, the first day of the conclave, 133 cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel to cast their vote. They failed to reach a decision, as signalled by the black smoke which emerged from the Chapels chimney in the evening. A candidate must receive at least two-thirds of the vote in order to become the next Pope, and a successful vote will see white smoke leaving the Sistine Chapel.

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On the second day of a conclave, four rounds of voting are held, and so on, until a new leader of the Catholic Church is elected. In theory, this process could last indefinitely, but that wasn't the case this time, as on the evening of Thursday, May 8, white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel, informing the public that a new Pope had been decided upon. After a short wait, Cardinal Dominique Francois Joseph Mamberti stepped out onto the balcony overlooking St. Peters Square to announce that Robert Francis Prevost had been elected as Pope Francis' successor. Prevost, the first American Pope, has taken the papal name Leo XIV.

Read More: Peace Be With You: Pope Leo XIV Steps Onto the World Stage

While recent elections have been completed in a matter of days, conclaves have previously been known to last for years. The last conclave to last more than a week was in 1831, when Pope Gregory XVI was elected after 51 days of voting.

Heres a breakdown of how the length of conclaves has changed in recent years.

The longest conclave in historyand how it came to be

The death of Pope Clement VI in 1268 led to quite a crisis for the Catholic Church. 17 cardinals were part of the conclave put together to choose his successor, but the group was split between two factions known as the Guelphs and Ghibellenes.

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This division, as well as personal and political motivations amongst the cardinals, led to a stalemate, and the conclave ultimately lasted 1,006 days. It took the closing of the Viterbo city gates, where the conclave was held, and complete isolation from the outside world before a decision could be reached.

This three-year conclave led the new Pope, Gregory X, to declare in 1274 that future conclaves must be held behind closed doors, with no contact between cardinals and the outside.

Gregory X said that cardinals should be locked in isolation cum clavelatin for with a key. The term has since developed into conclave, giving this election process its modern name.

Read More: 10 Surprising Facts About Papal Conclaves

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In the years that followed, conclaves were known to last for anything from a few days to a few months.

White smoke rises from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel on March 13, 2013, at the Vatican. Alberto PizzoliGetty Images

Read More: Meet Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, a Top Contender to Succeed Pope Francis

How long have recent conclaves been?

Thankfully, for Catholics and the rest of the world, recent conclaves havent lasted a pain-staking three years. Out of the last five, the longest has only been three days.

The most recent election of Pope Francis in March 2013, lasted two days. Cardinals needed just five rounds of voting to elect the next Pontiff; one vote on the first day and four on the second.

Pope Francis waves to the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square during his Sunday Angelus blessing on Nov. 24, 2024. Vatican MediaGetty Images

It was the same time frame in 2005, as Pope Benedict XVI was chosen by cardinals after two days.

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In 1978, there were remarkably two conclaves. In October, Pope John Paul II was elected after eight rounds of voting across three days. Just months before, in August, John Paul I was elected in two days. John Paul I died of a heart attack just 33 days after the beginning of his term as Pope. His death has been shrouded in conspiracy, given the sudden nature and timing of his passing.

Fifteen years prior, in June 1963, Pope Paul VI was chosen as the next Pontiff after three days of voting.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 8, 2025) - Premium Resources Ltd. (TSXV: PREM) (OTC Pink: PRMLF) ("PREM" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its participation in an upcoming live webinar hosted by Radius Research, featuring a corporate overview and a one-on-one interview with PREM CEO, Morgan Lekstrom.

Hosted by Martin Gagel of Market Radius Capital, the webinar will showcase Premium's renewed strategy to redevelop its past-producing Selebi and Selkirk sulphide mines in Botswana, targeting copper, nickel, cobalt, and Platinum Group Elements (PGEs).

This live, interactive session will provide investors with an opportunity to ask questions directly. A recording will be available for those unable to attend the live event.

Event: Radius Research Pitch, Deep Dive, and Q&A with Premium Resources

Presentation Date & Time: Monday, May 12th at 4:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM PT

Webcast Registration Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/9517462168640/WN_PvpxVpoNRGib1R157Z34dQ

Participants will be able to submit questions throughout the presentation, however to ensure there is time to get through the potential high volume of questions, we highly encourage attendees to send through questions beforehand to jaclyn@premiumresources.com.

About Radius Research

Radius Research gives individual investors access to in-depth CEO interviews with deep-dive institutional-level discussion and Q&A. Radius Research is part of Market Radius Capital, Inc. and hosted by Martin Gagel, a former top-ranked sell-side technology and special situations analyst.

About Premium Resources Ltd.

PREM is a mineral exploration and development company that is focused on the redevelopment of the previously producing nickel, copper and cobalt resources mines owned by the Company in the Republic of Botswana.

PREM is committed to governance through transparent accountability and open communication within our team and our stakeholders. Our skilled team has worked over 100 projects collectively, accumulating over 400 years of resource discoveries, mine development and mine re-engineering experience on projects like the Company's Selebi and Selkirk mines. PREM's senior team members have on average more than 20 years of experience in every single aspect of mine discovery and development, from geology to operations.

For further information about Premium Resources Ltd., please contact:

Morgan Lekstrom

CEO and Director

morganl@premiumresources.com

Jaclyn Ruptash

Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations

jaclyn@premiumresources.com
WRIGHTSTOWN, Wis. (WFRV)  Wrightstown Community School District officials will interview three candidates for the two vacancies on their school board.

Those interviews will be open to the public and take place next Wednesday. Board members will choose two of these candidates to join them on the school board right after they complete the interviews.

The Wrightstown School Board currently has two vacancies after two board members resigned in the last month. Effective May 2, the most recent board member to resign was Michael Mollen.

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In a short statement he originally sent to current board president Rayn Warner, Mollen wrote, It is without regret that I am writing to inform you of my decision to resign from the Wrightstown Community School District Board of Education.

Local 5 News briefly connected with Mollen over Facebook Messenger on Wednesday afternoon. He declined an interview request, but said that theres going to be lots to cover in the school district over the next few months.

Family-owned and beloved Green Bay gelato shop opens brand new location in De Pere

Mollens resignation comes on the heels of former school board clerk Tony Decker also announcing his resignation in mid-April. He didnt return a message from Local 5 News seeking comment.

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Warner told Local 5 News on Wednesday night that both men told him they resigned because of personal reasons. He said he was a bit surprised when he heard about the resignations.

I think were in a good position moving forward, and hopefully we have some good applicants coming through, Warner said when asked if hes worried about the resignations.

In addition to the resignations, voters ousted two other board members in April. Former school board vice president Jeff Nelson lost his re-election campaign last month.

Former board president Angela Hansen Winker lost a recall election in April. Warner helped start a petition to collect signatures to get Hansen-Winker recalled, accusing her of not involving all board members in discussion, not being transparent, and inappropriately accumulating attorney fees for the district.

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Green Bay mens basketball looks onward, not in the past after tough first season under Doug Gottlieb

I believe it was (what is best for the district), it gets us moving in the right direction, said Warner. Puts some transparency back in the district and puts some confidence back in the board.

Hansen-Winker didnt return a message from Local 5 News seeking comment. She had filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Election Commission against Decker for certifying the recall election before the former clerk resigned from the school board.

Our main focus is getting trust back in the community, building on our transparency and trying to move forward with the district and students and putting them first, Warner said about the path forward.

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How can this new board get together, be a team, and move forward in a positive way, added district superintendent Ron Saari.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
BATON ROUGEThe House of Representatives voted 86-13 Wednesday to approve a bill that might further cut the states new flat individual income tax rate and create a tax break for seniors starting in 2027.

But the changes could occur only if voters were to pass a constitutional amendment allowing the state to shift hundreds of millions of dollars from reserve funds into the state general fund.

Wednesdays vote was just the first step in a lengthy process.

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Under the bill that the House passed, Louisianas personal income tax rate would decrease to 2.75% from 3% beginning Jan. 1, 2027, if voters approved the constitutional amendment.

In addition, the bill, House Bill 667, calls for residents 65 and older would be eligible for an extra income tax deduction equal to the standard deduction for single filers, currently $12,500, effectively doubling their deduction under existing law.

But the Louisiana Senate still needs to consider the bill, and both chambers would need to pass a separate bill creating the constitutional amendment. Voters rejected a much more complicated amendment in March, and they would need to approve a stripped-down version by sometime next year for the changes to happen by 2027.

Late last year, Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill changing the states personal income tax to a flat 3% rate from a tiered system with the highest rate of 4.25%.

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According to the Legislative Fiscal Office, the bill would substantially impact Louisianas budget.

The income tax rate reduction alone is projected to reduce state general fund revenue by $54.5 million in 2027, followed by $310.3 million in 2028 and $250.8 million annually in subsequent years.

The new deduction for residents aged 65 and older would further reduce revenue by $67.6 million in 2028, $68.6 million in 2029 and $69.7 million in 2030, assuming seniors have enough income to fully claim the benefit.

Bill author Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, said the proposal signals to voters that lawmakers intend to use newly available general fund dollars to offer tax relief, especially for seniors.

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We know that our citizens want to see some relief, Emerson said. This shows them upfront thats what we want to do.

She also argued that Louisiana must keep pace with regional neighbors who are aggressively reducing or eliminating their income taxes.

We want to continue to lower those rates like the states around us have, Emerson said. Texas being at zero and Florida being at zero and our neighbors in Mississippi are getting on a pathway to zero income tax, I want Louisiana to keep up in order for our economy to continue to grow so we wont be having these conversations about fiscal stability because our economy will continue to grow.

Supporters believe lowering income taxes will make Louisiana more attractive for businesses, retirees and workers, helping to expand the economy.

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Rep. Matthew Willard, D-New Orleans, who opposed the bill, raised concerns about the timing and long-term fiscal impact.

The current tax rates havent even been in effect for half a year, Willard said. Dont you think it would be more prudent to have more data for possibly a year or two?

Willard also questioned whether Louisiana could afford both the tax cuts and maintain commitments like teacher stipends. Emerson responded that the states Revenue Stabilization Fund, which received over $1 billion last year, would help cover the reductions.

We feel comfortable with the numbers as they are, Emerson said.

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Another layer of uncertainty involves potential budget cuts in Washington. Willard noted that federal policy changes could affect Louisianas revenue streams from certain federal agencies.

Is this a good time to make these decisions with so much uncertainty happening at the federal level right now? Willard asked.

Emerson acknowledged the unpredictability but argued the state should not delay.

Every year we debate these things, and there are always changes at the federal level, Emerson said.

Do you live somewhere tax friendly? Map shows every states grade

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NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  The conclave to officially elect a new pope began on Wednesday in Rome, where more than 100 cardinals from all over the world will vote on Pope Francis successor.

Locally, Loyola Universitys chaplain and theology professor, Tom Ryan, is weighing in on the conclave process.

Black smoke means no new pope. So, the pope picking process continues.

One vote today and then two votes each morning and afternoon following today until a new pope is elected, Ryan said.

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He said, in recent history, it has only taken two or three days to elect a pope. Two thirds of the votes must match for a new pope to be elected.

It will happen pretty quickly, he said.

Ryan said the whole world is fascinated to find out who will be Pope Francis successor.

Pope Francis was such a dynamic pope. Its fascinating to see who they are going to elect. Will they elect someone like Pope Francis? I think it is fascinating to see which way the Holy Spirit is blowing, which way the Church is moving, he said.

He said the conclave, which is the gathering of 133 cardinals, will elect the new pope.

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The process is so old. It has been going on since the 13th century. So, it is both human and divine. There are humans who are involved in this. It is divine because Catholics believe God is guiding this, Ryan said.

15-year-old sizzles as Jazz Fest piano man

When asked if there are any frontrunners or predictions?

You cant control the Holy Spirit. Who knows? We could have a pope from Africa for the first time in a long time, or from Asia, South America or even the United States, he said.

We may not know who the new pope will be yet, but we do know that white smoke out of the Sistine Chapel signifies a new pope has been chosen.

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Once the ballots are counted they are threaded together and then put in a stove with certain chemicals, and the black or white smoke will reveal whether a new pope was elected or not, Ryan said.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO.
An abandoned bed that often remains empty until morning as its usual occupants seek shelter during Russian attacks. A backpack with essentials to take along during each air raid. A family hug during a blackout, when a flashlight brings out the invisible on a mothers face in daylight.

After almost three years in wartime Kyiv, Ukrainian documentary photographer and photojournalist Elena Kalinichenko turned her camera toward the private scenes of daily life as a way of coping with her reality.

Life has become overwhelming since her partner joined the military in the fall of 2024, Kalinichenko says. Russian drone attacks on Kyiv led to frequent blackouts, leaving her to lie alone in the dark.

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Kalinichenko says the story her photos tell is about constant anxiety, panic attacks, and loneliness, things that have long been familiar to us but that, with war, take on new meaning.

Its not just Kalinichenko whose mental health took a hit during Russias full-scale invasion. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the most prevalent health issues among Ukrainians are mental health concerns, with 46% of people affected as of October 2024.

Ukrainian authorities responded to stress-induced issues of civilians and a looming PTSD crisis among soldiers with a plan to launch at least 200 mental health centers by 2030.

But for many Ukrainians living through daily news and sights of tragedies, their mental health unravels at the periphery of their attention, leaving them to deal with the fallouts as best they can.

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Im learning to face the pain instead of hiding from it, searching for emotional strength, and finding ways to cope, Kalinichenko said.

We all answer the question 'How are you? by saying that we are fine, even though our hearts ache terribly.

Im not fine

This photo series is my attempt to confront the chaos of life as a young woman living through war. Its a personal exploration of trauma and the struggle to hold on to a sense of normal life.

In Ukraine, we always answer, 'Im fine' when asked, 'how are you?'

But everyone knows it's far from reality,

Yet admitting it often hurts

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even more.

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To survive an explosion outside, you need at least two walls for protection.

Because of this, my bed and room often remain empty,

And I spend my nights

on the floor

in the corridor.

The two-wall rule is the most important one.

My younger brother takes shelter in the same closet

Hes hidden there since he was 10, even though

Hes outgrowing it now.

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He always carries my contact information in his bag,

The piece of paper

carefully sealed in plastic

to protect it from dirt and blood,

just in case.

Yes, I'll smile, indeed, through tears and weeping,

Sing my songs where evil holds its sway,

Hopeless, a steadfast hope forever keeping,

I shall live! You, thoughts of grief, away!

Lesya Ukrainka, 1890

Self-portrait

Read also: Miniature universes: The personal spaces of women at war (Photos)

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
PARIS  German Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to Paris on his first foreign trip as head of government to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron, with the two leaders promising closer defense ties and a reboot of the French-German alliance that has been a driver of European cooperation.

The two countries will accelerate French-German programs to develop capacities that go beyond current programs for next-generation tanks, fighter jets and long-range missiles, Macron said at a press conference here on Wednesday, without providing details.

The countries will also establish a Franco-German defense and security council that will meet regularly to provide operational responses to our common strategic challenges, Macron said.

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In the future, we want to use this council to coordinate our support for Ukraine even better, to coordinate our national defense planning and procurement projects even more closely, and to provide new answers to strategic questions of security and defense policy, Merz said.

Macron said the first responsibility of France and Germany is security in Europe, and this requires above all our resolute support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. The countries must continue to respond to Russias systemic threat to European security by upping defense investment, the French president said.

Merz called for further increased defense spending in all European Union member states.

This is the only way we can gradually close our military capability gaps and continue to provide comprehensive support to Ukraine, he said.

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Macron said France and Germany will have to enact the plan by the European Commission to fund priority capability needs and invest heavily in our European defense industrial and technological base. The countries will coordinate work on updating their national strategic reviews and share analyses, according to Macron.

Finally, we will establish a Franco-German defense innovation program to enable the breakthrough innovations needed for tomorrows warfare, Macron said.

Merz said he and Macron agreed on an a Franco-German new start for Europe, giving new impetus to the French-German friendship and deepening cooperation at all levels. Europe must become more competitive, and to do so, it must become more united, Merz said.

France and Germany will further develop format such as the E3 informal security conoperation with the U.K., as well as the Weimar Triangle alliance with Poland, according to the chancellor.

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We will take joint measures to further expand Europes security and defense capabilities and to further strengthen the European pillar within NATO, Merz said. This also includes bilateral defense cooperation, which we will deepen and accelerate, as well as cooperation with our European partners.

Macron said strengthening the European pillar of NATO doesnt call into question the historical alliances, but is about Europeans assuming more responsibility for themselves.

In this context, it is entirely natural that all issues should be discussed, including that of nuclear deterrence, with our histories, our specific characteristics and, in Frances case, our status as a state with independent and autonomous capabilities and different components, Macron said.

Merz said theres a fundamental need to discuss with France and the U.K. how we can continue to provide such a deterrent response together in the future, adding that would be expressly intended as a supplement to agreements with the U.S. on nuclear deterrence within NATO.

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French and German government leaders, foreign ministers and defense ministers will discuss the nuclear deterrent and other issues in coming weeks and months, according to Merz.

This is first and foremost a discussion that we will hold together because we want to know what we can do together to strengthen our defense efforts, the chancellor said, again emphasizing the goal is expressly not a substitute for the nuclear guarantee provided by the United States.

The French president said France and Germany will continue to work with the U.S. and willing nations on a ceasefire in Ukraine and to create conditions for just and lasting peace based on robust security guarantees. France is coordinating very closely with Merz and his teams on the issue, Macron said.

Merz said hes planning to visit Ukraine in the coming weeks, with discussions on the details of the visit currently taking place.

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The chancellor said that until a lasting ceasefire and an agreement can be reached, the countries cant provide information on the scope of the security guarantees for Ukraine, because we simply do not yet know the conditions.

He said the war in Ukraine cannot be ended without further political and military engagement by the United States.

We are prepared to do our part on the European side, Merz said. But we also know that we still need the Americans. We want the Americans to stay on board, to continue to fulfill their responsibilities within NATO, but also toward Ukraine.

Macron said he approves of Merzs desire to recreate strategic ambiguity regarding aid provided to Ukraine, including Taurus missiles.

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We would be crazy to give out categories of weapons, delivery dates, and models at every press conference, because the Russian army may be listening to the answers to your questions and sometimes to your questions as well, Macron said.

Merz, who had floated the idea of giving Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine in past months, was noncommittal on the issue in his first German TV interview as chancellor on Tuesday, the day he was sworn in.

Asked about prospective Taurus deliveries, he said only that Ukraine would be able to rely on him and Germany. His predecessor, Olaf Scholz believed giving Taurus to Ukraine would be impossible as a stand-alone weapon, pulling German military-support elements into the fight directly.

Macron and Merz published a joint op-ed in conservative-leaning French daily Le Figaro on their plan to reboot French-German cooperation, with a goal of making Europe more sovereign and to promote its interests.

As European countries spend on their defense capabilities, France and Germany will promote a European preference, the leaders said. Europe has to reduce its strategic dependencies as well as the number of defense systems, creating standardization and interoperability, according the president and the chancellor.
Its not exactly a secret that there are deep political divisions in the United States, but on some issues a robust majority of Americans still agree. A recent national poll from Marquette Law School, for example, found 71% of Americans oppose changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico. Other recent surveys, including a poll from Fox News, pointed in a nearly identical direction.

Clearly, Donald Trump and his team are indifferent to public attitudes on the subject and have made the name change an odd priority. In fact, at a White House Cabinet meeting last week, Gulf of America caps were placed in front of every secretary for reasons that went unexplained.

But as it turns out, Cabinet secretaries arent the only ones who are expected to play along as if Trumps idea had merit: Congressional Republicans are supposed to do the same thing. Its against this backdrop that NBC News reported:

The Republican-led House on Thursday passed a bill that seeks to codify President Donald Trumps executive order that renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. ... Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia introduced the GOP bill after Trump signed an executive order in January that ordered Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to take all appropriate actions to rename the Gulf and update a database of the official names for geographic features in the 50 states.

During the mind-numbing floor debate on the legislation, Greene, a notorious far-right conspiracy theorist, suggested that opponents of her proposal are secretly in league with Mexican drug cartels, which is why they support leaving the existing name in place.

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She did not appear to be kidding.

Despite the absurdity of the legislative effort and the arguments presented by the bills chief sponsor, 211 House Republicans voted to pass the measure. Only one GOP member, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, joined with Democrats in opposition to the bill.

Were the United States of America. Were not Kaiser Wilhelms Germany or Napoleons France. I just  were better than this. It just sounds like a sophomore thing to do, Bacon told CNN.

As for what the Gulf of America Act would actually do, the bill would codify Trumps executive order, making it more difficult for future administrations to put things back, while directing the chairman of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to ensure that any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the Gulf of Mexico is deemed a reference to the Gulf of America.

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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries took some time on the chamber floor to condemn the legislation as silly.

When the American people woke up this morning, they could reasonably ask the question, What are their elected representatives on the floor of the House of Representatives going to be debating? the New York Democrat said. In an environment where the Trump tariffs are costing them thousands of dollars more per year, Republicans are crashing the economy in real time, costs are being raised on hardworking American taxpayers and Republicans are driving us toward a painful recession. What might members of Congress under this temporary Republican majority be debating on the floor today? Would it be legislation about the economy? Something about health care? Anything about Social Security? Perhaps something on public safety? Maybe national security matters? Anything to bring to life the American dream for hardworking American taxpayers?

No? What Republicans have decided to spend this entire legislative day doing is to debate a bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

The legislation now heads to the Senate, where GOP leaders have not committed to bring the measure to the floor and where the bill would need 60 votes to clear Capitol Hill. If Trump is waiting to sign the legislation into law, he should probably lower his expectations.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
In March, when the White House dispatched an uninvited delegation to Greenland, the move was intended to be a charm offensive of sorts. Vice President JD Vance, his wife and his colleagues hoped their visit to the island  which Donald Trump is apparently determined to acquire  would make a good opening impression with locals.

That did not work. As my MSNBC colleague Clarissa-Jan Lim explained, officials in Greenland made a series of efforts to make clear that they did not want the U.S. delegation to be there. Soon after, Trump nevertheless said: Well get Greenland. Yeah, 100%. He added that theres a good possibility that we could do it without military force but said he wasnt going to take anything off the table.

In April, the White House also reportedly began work on a financial estimate gauging what it would cost to control Greenland.

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In May, the process appears to be ongoing. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration is stepping up its intelligence-gathering efforts regarding Greenland, drawing Americas spying apparatus into President Trumps campaign to take over the island, according to two people familiar with the effort. The article added:

Several high-ranking officials under Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard issued a collection emphasis message to intelligence-agency heads last week. They were directed to learn more about Greenlands independence movement and attitudes on American resource extraction on the island. The classified message asked agencies, whose tools include surveillance satellites, communications intercepts and spies on the ground, to identify people in Greenland and Denmark who support U.S. objectives for the island.

The Journals report, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, went on to note that collection-emphasis messages help set intelligence-agency priorities, directing resources and attention to high-interest targets.

Or put another way, the White House is still quite serious about taking over the island.

Administration officials had an opportunity to push back against the reporting, but they did largely the opposite. A National Security Council spokesperson told the Journal, The president has been very clear that the U.S. is concerned about the security of Greenland and the Arctic.

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Similarly, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard complained about classified leaks, but she did not say that the leak was untrue.

This comes on the heels of Trumps latest appearance on NBC News Meet the Press, which included a question from Kristen Welker about whether hed rule out the use of military force to take Greenland. I dont rule it out, he replied. I dont say Im going to do it, but I dont rule out anything. No, not there. We need Greenland very badly. Greenland is a very small amount of people, which well take care of, and well cherish them, and all of that.

The latest national Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 76% of Americans oppose trying to take control of Greenland. By all appearances, the White House doesnt much care.

But this isnt the only constituency that matters. The Wall Street Journal also reported that on the island itself, Trumps odd territorial ambitions have pushed Greenlands population toward its colonial power, Denmark. In recent weeks, the article noted, Greenland and Denmark have moved closer together as officials in Nuuk and Copenhagen sought to reinvigorate their relationship and to look with fresh eyes at outstanding problems.

In other words, the American presidents efforts have been having the opposite of their intended effect.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Since Donald Trumps second inauguration, the president has sent some truly outlandish nominees to the Senate for confirmation. In a handful of instances  Pete Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, et al.  there were a smattering of GOP no votes, but in nearly every instance, the Republican-led institution ended up confirming Trumps choice, following the White Houses demands.

Ed Martin, however, proved to be a bridge too far.

Early on in his second term, Trump appointed Martin as the interim U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., which was immediately recognized as bizarre. Not only did the Missouri Republican have literally no background as a prosecutor, he had all of the wrong qualifications: Martin was a conservative activist who supported Jan. 6 criminal defendants and was a prominent member of the so-called Stop the Steal movement.

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After Martin got to work and demonstrated almost cartoonish levels of partisanship, Trump nominated him to serve in the post on a permanent basis. That, of course, meant hed need to be confirmed by the Senate.

In the abstract, the president was probably optimistic. After all, if GOP senators were already willing to go along with some of the worst Cabinet nominees in modern history, they were likely to continue to serve as rubber stamps for a U.S. attorney nominee.

Thats not what happened. The president announced Thursday afternoon that Martin's nomination is ending, and he'll choose a new nominee in the coming days.

When Martins defeat appeared increasingly inevitable, Trump started investing real political capital into his nomination, using his social media platform to talk up the lawyers nomination, while privately making calls to Capitol Hill, hoping some presidential lobbying would help get Martin across the finish line.

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That effort clearly failed  adding to his growing list of personnel missteps.

What Trump might not have fully appreciated was just how ridiculous Martins record had become. Indeed, his greatest hits package featured misguided and unnecessary fights with the dean of Georgetown Universitys law school, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former President Joe Biden, and Democratic Reps. Robert Garcia of California and Eugene Vindman of Virginia  and thats before one adds Wikipedia and prominent medical journals to his increasingly bizarre list of targets. During his brief tenure, Martin also:

In a piece for New York magazine, Elie Honig recently described the lawyer as Trumps dangerous and ridiculous prosecutor. Martin went out of his way to prove his many critics right, and it derailed his nomination.

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As the dust settles on the White Houses latest personnel fiasco, its worth appreciating the scope of the presidents failure. Not only did the president nominate a spectacularly unqualified radical to lead one of the nations most important prosecutorial offices, and not only did he spend political capital that's suddenly in short supply, but Team Trump also appears to have failed to thoroughly vet Martin in advance  a familiar problem in this administration.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
At face value, Cameron Hamilton seems like the kind of person who Donald Trump and his team would like. Hamilton not only has experience as a Navy SEAL and former combat medic, but just last year, he also ran a Republican congressional campaign in Virginia.

In fact, when the president appointed him to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Hamilton actually seemed like one of Trumps more qualified personnel choices, given his background as an emergency management specialist at the State Department during Trumps first term and his work as the director of the Emergency Medical Services Division at the Department of Homeland Security.

And yet, Hamilton has been fired anyway. Politico reported:

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was fired Thursday morning, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation. Cameron Hamilton, FEMAs acting administrator, has told people that he was terminated, leaving the nations disaster agency without a top official three weeks before the start of the Atlantic hurricane season and as Congress scrutinizes FEMAs proposed budget for fiscal 2026.

A Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed Hamiltons departure to NBC News.

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The timing of the developments is striking: Just one day before his ouster, Hamilton testified before a House Appropriations Committee panel and defended FEMAs existence, telling lawmakers, I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

That might not seem especially notable, since it stands to reason that FEMAs chief would express public support for FEMA. However, Hamiltons comments were at odds with Trumps stated position of wanting to eliminate FEMA  the president has said he sees the agency as an unnecessary department that should be TERMINATED  and so, one day later, Hamilton has found himself out of a job.

Oddly enough, the morning after the congressional hearing, Republican Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, wrote online that Hamiltons leadership at FEMA has been nothing short of amazing. Green added, Since taking the helm at FEMA, thousands of Americans have seen FEMAs promises fulfilled, from housing to disaster relief. President Trump made the right choice!

Right around the time the congressman published that message, Hamilton was kicked out of FEMA.

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For what its worth, a DHS spokesperson told NBC News that Hamiltons ouster was unrelated to his testimony. Or put another way, the official line is that the firing of the acting FEMA director just one day after he took a public position that Trump didnt like is a coincidence.

Hurricane season begins on June 1.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Qatars Ministry of Labour, in partnership with the Qatar Association of Certified Public Accountants, has held a training course to enhance skills in internal auditing for nationals.

The course on Internal Audit Standards is aimed at preparing Qatari nationals with accounting degrees for employment in the private sector, according to Qatar News Agency.

The training programme provided participants with the necessary knowledge and skills in internal auditing.

The initiative is part of the nationalisation plan to increase the number of nationals working in the private sector, in line with the National Strategy for an Effective and Highly Productive Workforce (20242030).

Experts from the Qatar Association of Certified Public Accountants led detailed sessions on various subjects, including corporate governance, risk management, financial control, and modern accounting skills.

These sessions were in accordance with professional best practices and international standards, aimed at enhancing the operational efficiency and sustainability of institutions while ensuring legal and regulatory compliance.

The training is one of many programmes organised by the Ministry of Labour throughout the year, in collaboration with public and private sector partners.

It is part of the Ministrys strategic plan to improve the national workforce's competence, prepare them for competitive job market participation, and support their involvement in sustainable development.

This aligns with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 to establish the country as a centre of innovation and knowledge.

"Qatar hosts training on internal audit skills for aspiring accountants" was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand.




President Donald Trumps new pick for surgeon general  wellness influencer Casey Means  is already the target of MAGA vitriol, underscoring a split inside the presidents base over the future of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s Make America Healthy Again movement.

Trumps decision to select Means came just hours after news broke about his decision to withdraw Janette Nesheiwat, a former Fox News contributor, for the post.

Her brother, Calley Means, reportedly helped connect Kennedy with Trump last summer before Kennedy dropped his own presidential bid and endorsed Trump. He is now a White House adviser.

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Both siblings promote the idea that many chronic conditions can be prevented with lifestyle changes  like eating healthy and exercising  and, like Kennedy, often speak out against the food and pharmaceutical industries.

The siblings caught Kennedys attention last year, when they appeared on an episode of Tucker Carlsons podcast. But Casey has proved a controversial pick. In an opaque post to X late Wednesday, Kennedys former presidential running mate, philanthropist Nicole Shanahan, said Kennedy had promised her he wouldnt bring the siblings to HHS.

Laura Loomer, a conservative influencer close to Trump who urged him to pull Nesheiwats nomination, also criticized Means for not having an active medical license. In a post to X, Loomer accused Means of praying to inanimate objects and communicating with spirit mediums.However, several other MAGA influencers have lined up in support of the pick.

Calley Means did not respond to a request for comment. An HHS spokesperson said the agency would respond to requests for comment on Casey Means behalf, and directed POLITICO to Kennedys post on X.

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The absurd attacks on Casey Means reveal just how far off course our healthcare conversations have veered, and how badly entrenched interests  including Big Food and its industry-funded social media gurus  are terrified of change, Kennedy wrote.

Heres what you need to know about Means:

1. She graduated medical school, but dropped out of her residency

Means was trained at Stanford Medical School as a head and neck surgeon. But she dropped out of her surgical residency in the fifth year, a decision she has attributed to disillusionment with the medical system. She says it has not done enough to address the root cause of disease.

2. Shes echoed some of Kennedys vaccine misinformation

Its not clear if Means shares all of Kennedys concerns about vaccines  Kennedy has long argued that theres a link between rising autism cases and the childhood schedule of shots  but she has written in her newsletter that she wants to see the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 reformed to allow lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers from patients with vaccine-related injuries. Thats also a Kennedy priority.

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In the same newsletter , she claimed, in defiance of medical consensus, that there is growing evidence that the total burden of the current extreme and growing vaccine schedule is causing health declines in vulnerable children. This needs to be investigated.

3. Impeccable MAHA credentials

Means has dedicated her post-medical-school life to promoting healthy eating and lifestyle as a tactic to prevent chronic conditions  a world view in line with Kennedys. She wrote a book with her brother called Good Energy  which makes the same case.

Means also co-founded Levels, a biowearables and health-tracking company funded by Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm whose founders endorsed Trump last year. One of Levels co-founders, Sam Corcos, reportedly is now the Treasury Departments chief information officer.

Trump summed up her academic and professional history as impeccable MAHA credentials in a Truth Social post Wednesday , and Kennedy called Means a breath of fresh air.

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4. Shes already facing MAGA backlash .

Since Trump announced Means selection, she has become a target of Loomer, a social media personality who often has Trumps ear.

Maybe @marcorubio can be Surgeon General and save us from this WOO WOO WOMAN, Loomer posted on X Thursday , referencing Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is concurrently serving as national security adviser following Trumps decision to remove another Loomer target, Mike Waltz, from the job.

Loomer also came after Means for not having an active medical license: I would call her a Witch Doctor, but she doesnt even have a valid active medical license. So Im not going to call @CaseyMeansMD doctor.

5.  and MAHA backlash

Means also attracted the (negative) attention of Kennedys former running mate during his 2024 presidential bid, Shanahan. A lawyer, she was married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin until their divorce two years ago, Shanahan called the Means siblings artificial and aggressive like they were bred and raised to be Manchurian assets, an apparent reference to the 1962 film The Manchurian Candidate in which an Army sergeant is brainwashed by communists.
Catholics have a new pope, and for the first time in the churchs history, its an American. It took the College of Cardinals only two days to elect U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost as the successor to Pope Francis. Prevost  who has taken the name Leo XIV  was by no means a frontrunner for the papacy, and as the world scrambles to learn about the new pontiff, its clear he harbors at least one very American habit: posting.

Prevost appears to have been an active user of Twitter, now known as X, since 2011. The first tweets from the account @drprevost date back to the reign of Pope Benedict XVI and include rather mundane updates like In Rome, Council meetings.

But Prevost has also used the platform to criticize Donald Trump and his administrations approach to immigration policy. In 2015, Prevost tweeted an article critical of then-candidate Trumps problematic anti-immigrant rhetoric.

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In a February 2025 post, which has gone viral since Prevosts elevation, he wrote that Vice President J.D. Vance  a Catholic convert in adulthood  was wrong about his attempts to find a theological justification for the administrations treatment of migrants. Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others, Prevost wrote. (He added a second post critical of Vances misunderstanding of the doctrine of ordo amoris.)

In his most recent post before entering conclave, Prevost criticized Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for making light of the deportation and detention of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Prevost linked to an article from the website Catholic Standard comparing the plights and persecutions experienced by immigrant and refugee communities to the Passion of Jesus Christ.

The reaction from the MAGA right  which in recent years has also taken a liking to ultraconservative Catholicism  was immediate and predictable.

WOKE MARXIST POPE, wrote Laura Loomer  a far-right 9/11 conspiracy theorist who is close enough to Trump to advise him on national security staffing decisions. In another post, Loomer wrote that Prevost was just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican, and that Catholics dont have anything good to look forward to.

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Sean Davis, the founder of the right-wing website The Federalist, wrote that he had been worried the cardinals would select a left-wing, Western European pope to use the Roman Catholic Church to counter the rise of national populism in general, and Trump in particular, and to bolster globalist forces against those who believe the purpose of a country is to safeguard its own people.

The new pope was born in America, not Western Europe, so I was wrong on that score, but I fear I wasnt wrong about the rest, he wrote.

Right-wing commentator Megyn Kelly, who was initially thrilled over the election of an American pope, later wondered if it was too much to hope that some 20-year-old ran the new popes X account and he never looked at it?

Through his tweets and retweets, Prevost has waded into several hot-button topics in American politics  from gun control to the death penalty to climate change to the murder of George Floyd.



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In 2013, he retweeted an anti-capitalist political cartoon. It features a drawing of Pope Francis standing beside a poster reading GREED IS NOT GOOD, and behind a trio of men in suits with briefcases reading Wall Street, Banks, and Big Biz. The men are pointing back at the pontiff and shouting, Blasphemy!

In 2015, Prevost tweeted an endorsement of environmental advocacy within the church, writing: SIGN THE CATHOLIC CLIMATE PETITION.

In 2017, in the aftermath of the mass shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas, Prevost retweeted Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) criticizing Republicans and their reliance on divine intervention to solve gun violence. To my colleagues: your cowardice to act cannot be whitewashed by thoughts and prayers, Murphy wrote. None of this ends unless we do something to stop it.

In 2017, in the aftermath of the racist rally in Charlottesville, Prevost retweeted the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops condemnation of the abhorrent acts of hatred. In 2020, Prevost retweeted prayers for the murdered Floyd and his family, and posted a call for more leaders in the Church to reject racism and seek justice.

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Of course, the pope is still Catholic. Prevosts social media also contains a flurry of anti-abortion posts, such as a meme in which the B and R in ABORTION have been replaced to spell ADOPTION. In another post, Prevost shared a now-broken link to the White House website with the caption: Rescind the HHS Dept. Mandate Requiring Catholic Employers to Provide Contraceptives/Abortifacients to Their Employees. The new pope has also called for the eradication of the death penalty.

Trump and Vance have responded a little more diplomatically to Prevosts election than their followers online.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope, Trump wrote. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

The reverent tone was a shift for Trump. The president has recently flirted with blasphemy by telling reporters hed like to be chosen as pope himself, and even posting an AI-generated image of himself in papal vestments.

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Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! Vance wrote. Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!

Vance met with Pope Francis a day before his death. The same day, Francis called for mercy for migrants in his Easter blessing.

Prevost will likely cease posting under his personal social media accounts now that hes taken on the mantle of the global church. But who knows, maybe a dedicated poster in the pontificate is exactly what the Catholic Church needs.

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It didnt take long for right-wing media figures and MAGA provocateurs to cry out in rage over the election of Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV after it was revealed that hed publicly criticized Vice President JD Vance and expressed sympathy for immigrants and George Floyd.

Despite feeling national pride over the fact that the Chicago-born Prevost has become the first American pope in history, conservative pundits and Trump loyalists fumed over the WOKE MARXIST POPE and complained that he is worse than Francis, referencing the previous pontiff known for his progressive values.

Even before the dark horse American cardinal was elected the 267th pope, former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon warned about Prevosts views, claiming that he would be a poor choice for the MAGA movement.

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I do think one of the dark horses  and unfortunately one of the most progressive  is Cardinal Prevost... he's certainly on the shortlist, Bannon told Piers Morgan last week about the prospect of the first American pope.

Pro-Trump provocateurs and right-wing media personalities railed against the new woke pope on Thursday due to his past criticism of Donald Trump and JD Vance (AP)

After the white smoke poured out from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, indicating that the conclave had selected a new pontiff to replace the deceased Pope Francis, Newsmax anchor Rob Schmitt grumbled that this Pope better not be woke. Within an hour of Schmitts warning shot, however, much of MAGA world was aghast over the choice of Leo XIV.

Following the announcement of Prevost as the new Holy Father, many of his tweets criticizing Vance and the Trump administrations immigration policies, as well as expressing grief for the killing of George Floyd, began making the rounds on social media.

JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others, Prevost tweeted earlier this year, referencing comments the vice president made about Christians needing to prioritize their love. Naturally, some of the most prominent conservative voices quickly pounced on the new popes social media posts.

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Sorry, Catholics. This new Pope is an open borders globalist. He will be pushing for abortion soon. This isnt a guess. You can scroll his X account and see what hes been up to, alt-right conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich griped on X (formerly Twitter) while including screenshots of the pontiff retweeting posts about gun control and deportations to El Salvador.

Pro-Trump social media personality Joey Mannarino groused that the new Pope has recently attacked JD Vance, shown solidarity with Kilmar Abrego-Garcia and begged Trump to open the borders like Biden had them, adding that this guy is worse than Francis. In a separate tweet, he went even further, calling him a liberal piece of s*** and insisting that were f***ed. Mannarinos spouse Ada Lluch, who credits Trump for the couple getting married (theyve since separated), complained that the new pope suffers from the woke mind virus.

In case you're wondering why they picked an American to be a Pope for the first time in history, MAGA influencer Vince Langman, sharing a 2015 tweet of Prevost criticizing Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric, whined. He's a WOKE Never Trumper liberal. That's why!

Laura Loomer, the proud Islamphobe and far-right extremist who appears to have the presidents ear lately, spent much of Thursday afternoon raging on social media about the newly elected pontiffs views on immigration and social justice.

Laura Loomer, who appears to be part of Trumps inner circle lately, spent much of Thursday raging about the WOKE MARXI POPE because of his immigration stance (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The new Pope once retweeted a post about how we need to keep praying for career criminal & drug addict George Floyd, she raged. The tweet said, May all hatred, violence and prejudice be eradicated. What prejudice? Is that another way to spell FENTANYL OVERDOSE? MARXIST POPE!

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In additional tweets, Loomer lamented about the WOKE MARXIST POPE and claimed he is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis, adding that its GROSS that he is now in charge of the Vatican.

While other right-wing activists and media personalities cried on social media that they chose a globalist and woke Pope from the West ON PURPOSE to criticize the president, the anti-pope narrative began leaking onto MAGA broadcasts.

Mr. Prevost, the new pope, was retweeting George Floyd propaganda, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk muttered during his podcast. But that is what it is. Whatever.

Pizzagate conspiracist Jack Posobiec, meanwhile, was visibly irate over the tweets about Vance and immigrants before attempting to exert on-air pressure on Pope Leo XIV to openly support Trump.

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We need to see from the jump, from the absolute jump, whether or not Pope Leo is interested in working with President Trump or  as we can see from his Twitter feed  working against him, he said during the broadcast of his Real Americas Voice show.

As a representative of Catholics all around the world, perhaps he'll understand that it was Catholics who delivered the White House for President Trump, he concluded. And perhaps, just perhaps, the new pope will listen.

Trump, who was almost certainly unaware of the new popes criticisms of him and his immigration policies in the past, sent Leo XIV his well wishes after he was made the head of the Catholic Church.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope, Trump posted on Truth Social. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!
Several airlines around the globe, including British Airways and Ryanair, have suspended flights to Tel Aviv after a missile strike near Israels Ben Gurion airport.

Flights have been halted to and from Tel Aviv after a missile fired by Yemens Houthis landed near Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday 4 May, sending a cloud of smoke into the air and panicking passengers.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for the missile, the groups military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised statement, and repeated a warning to airlines that Israels main international airport was no longer safe for air travel.

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Flights were delayed or cancelled, and reports stated that access routes to the airport were blocked, but Ben Gurion Airport has now advised its passengers that the airport is operating as normal, including departures and landings.

Despite this, many airlines have made the decision to suspend their flights to and from the airport.

British Airways said in a statement it would be halting flights to Tel Aviv for over a month, one of the longest periods of cancellations out of all airlines suspending operations.

The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our priority, a spokesperson said.

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We continually monitor operating conditions and have made the decision to suspend our flights to and from Tel Aviv, up to and including 14 June. We've apologised to our customers for the inconvenience.

Other airlines have gone with different time periods, such as Air India suspending Tel Aviv flight operations until Thursday 8 May and Spains Air Europa until 9 May.

Germanys Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Polish airline LOT have also suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv up to and including 11 May. Its passengers will be notified and rebooked on alternative flights.

Swiss International Air Lines, Latvias airBaltic and ITA Airways and Europes biggest budget carrier Ryanair have also made statements that they are cancelling flights until 11 May.

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ITA, the Italian carrier, has also said its cancellation includes two flights on 12 May.

Wizz Air has stopped flights to Tel Aviv until 12 May, while Aegean Airlines, the Greek airline, said it would be cancelling flights to Tel Aviv until 13 May as well as an early morning flight the day after.

Dutch air group KLM said it is stopping Tel Aviv flights until 30 May, and Iberia Express has cancelled flights until 31 May.

While Delta has not confirmed a full cancellation, it has warned its passengers that flights to and from or through Tel Aviv could be impacted until 25 May.

United has also taken a similar response, saying travel to and from Tel Aviv may be impacted until 11 May.

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Before the strike even occurred, Virgin Atlantic said on 29 April it would be cancelling services between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast
A major utility in Iowa is facing legal trouble after allegedly discharging toxic groundwater into waterways without the proper permit. Environmental groups say the discharge contains heavy metals like arsenic, cobalt, lithium, and manganese  pollutants that can harm ecosystems and pose serious health risks.

What's happening?

At the center of the issue is the Ottumwa Midland coal ash landfill, operated since the mid-1990s by Interstate Power and Light, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy. According to Iowa Capital Dispatch, the Iowa Environmental Council, the Sierra Club, and the Environmental Law & Policy Center sent a formal notice of intent to sue, claiming IPL is violating the Clean Water Act, which requires a permit for discharges into U.S. waters.

The discharge comes from underdrain piping beneath the landfill. The system is designed to keep groundwater separate from coal ash and other waste. However, monitoring data suggests the water is actually polluted. In 2023, Iowa's Department of Natural Resources told IPL that its existing stormwater permit didn't apply to this discharge, since it wasn't "uncontaminated groundwater." But IPL never applied for a new permit.

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"It's that ongoing delay that we are concerned about," said Michael Schmidt, an attorney for the Iowa Environmental Council. "We have these discharges of arsenic and other metals going into the water on a continuous basis without really any oversight."

Why does contaminated groundwater matter?

Coal ash  the byproduct of burning coal for energy  is one of the largest sources of industrial waste in the U.S. It contains harmful pollutants that can seep into drinking water, damage ecosystems, and cause health problems for people exposed to it.

Alliant Energy said it's working with state officials on a solution and maintains that the system was designed to prevent contact with the landfill's contents. But advocates say the company has had more than enough time  and it's still discharging up to 84,000 gallons of contaminated water a day without proper authorization.

What's being done about this contaminated discharge?

IPL has 60 days to respond or come into compliance before the case moves to court. If it does, the utility could face over $12 million in fines.

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"It's another example of why the process that we have of burning coal to put pollutants into the air  and create the solid waste and have these water discharges  is a continuing problem," said Schmidt. "The more we do it, the more problems like this we create."

As the U.S. transitions away from dirty energy sources like coal, advocates are calling for stricter enforcement and better protections for communities and waterways. Going green is a massive, but crucial, undertaking  but holding big polluters accountable is an important part of it.

Individuals can help at home by exploring ways to switch to clean electricity, such as installing solar panels or signing up for community solar projects.

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 majority of Ukrainians say they are not ready to give up any territory or abandon the countrys Western course in negotiations with Russia, according to a new nationwide poll published on May 8 by the Razumkov Center, a Kyiv-based public policy think tank.

The survey, conducted between April 24 and May 4 in partnership with the Kyiv Security Forum, shows that 56.9% of respondents would not be willing to compromise on either territorial integrity or Ukraines pro-Western direction in any potential talks with Moscow.

Only 11.1% said they would consider ceding territory, while 14.7% would be open to changing Ukraines geopolitical course.

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The findings reflect a national consensus more than three years into Russias full-scale invasion, amid reports on the possible U.S.-suggested peace plan. According to Axios, the plan included de jure recognition of Russia's annexation of occupied Crimea, along with de facto recognition of its occupation of other Ukrainian territories. It also provided for lifting sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014.

About two-thirds (66.5%) of Ukrainians believe Russia would violate any peace agreement and resume its attacks when convenient, the poll showed. Just 10.8% said they thought both sides would likely adhere to a signed peace deal.

Skepticism also prevails when it comes to specific concessions. Over half of respondents (52.3%) said Ukraine should not agree to abandon its NATO aspirations, even if it were a condition of a peace treaty. Some 81% opposed reducing the size of the countrys armed forces.

Russia has long insisted on limiting Ukraines military capabilities and barring its accession to NATO as key conditions for peace. In a recent interview with Le Globo, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated that Moscow would be prepared to enter negotiations only if Ukraine commits to permanent neutrality and demilitarizes.

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Some 60.6% of Ukrainians believe a military victory over Russia is possible. At the same time, 54.1% said they do not believe a peace agreement can be reached in the near future.

Support for Ukraines integration with the West also remains strong. More than half (57.2%) favor the European model of development, compared to just 0.7% who prefer a Russian-leaning model.

More than 100 days have passed since the U.S. administration began efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign promise to end the war in one day.



Kyiv accepted an unconditional 30-day U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal in March, but Moscow rejected it, demanding a complete end to Western military support for Ukraine.

Russia has repeatedly proclaimed its supposed readiness for peace talks while simultaneously pushing for maximalist demands. Kyiv has dismissed these declarations as a propaganda stunt, noting that Russian forces have only intensified their attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns.

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Read also: The front is noisy  for Ukraines soldiers, Russias Victory Day ceasefire is yet another sham

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Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai urged leaders in India and her native Pakistan to cool tensions between the two teetering on the brink of military conflict.

Hatred and violence are our common enemies, not each other, Yousafzai, a Pakistani education and human rights advocate, said Wednesday in a post on the social platform X. The international community must act now to promote dialogue and diplomacy.

Peace is the only way forward for our collective security and prosperity, she added.

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Yousafzai rose to prominence in 2014 when she became the youngest Nobel Prize recipient in history at 17 years old and was recognized for her work advocating for the education of women and children in defiance of Taliban efforts to ban girls from attending school.

On Wednesday, she called for both nuclear-armed countries to unite against the forces of division.

The request came just hours after India launched missile strikes in Pakistani territory on Wednesday and Pakistan said it shot down five Indian Air Force jets in return  an escalation of simmering tensions between the countries that bubbled over with an attack that killed more than two dozen tourists in India-controlled Kashmir last month.

Pakistans military officials said Indias retaliatory strikes killed 31 people, including women and children, and called the attack an act of war, but officials in India argued that they targeted terror camps.

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The international community has called for restraint from both sides.

Speaking to Britains Sky News on Wednesday, Yousafzai noted she also has been the victim of extremism in Pakistan but argued that further aggression wont solve the problem.

I think we have to talk about the root cause of it  we have to talk about how it comes about, she said. Because I believe that nobody is born a terrorist, nobody is born an extremist. These things are taught. This is part of an indoctrination.

The laureate said she worries about the civilians, especially children, in both countries.

Our common enemy is extremism, terrorism and violence  not each other, added Yousafzai, who has also spoken out against the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. We have to unite against these forces that try to divide us.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The bulk of the mammoth $254 billion state budget deal was unveiled Wednesday with some last minute self-serving quietly slipped into the batter before Albany lawmakers were set to finally vote on it.

The spending plan documents  nicknamed The Big Ugly in capital lingo  provide a last-minute, warts-and-all look at much-anticipated legislation focused on New York Citys mental health crisis, recidivism problems and more.

Gov. Kathy Hochul ran a victory lap Wednesday after a deal to revamp the states discovery laws  a move to combat a slew of criminal cases that have been getting dismissed on technicalities. The tweaks caused a weeks-long impasse on the overall mammoth budget deal.

New York Senate lawmakers debate budget bills during a legislative session in the Senate Chamber at the state Capitol Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Albany, NY. Hans Pennink

I said all along I would hold up a $250 billion budget on this issue, she said.

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Sources have hinted to The Post that the budgets final price tag will actually be more than the $254 billion hinted by Hochul.

The discovery changes will prevent criminal cases from being thrown out over trivial mistakes and narrow how much evidence prosecutors must turn over to defense attorneys.

Involuntary commitment standards  the rules by which severely mentally ill people can be forced into psychiatric care against their will  will be expanded and loosened under the agreement.

Hochul and state lawmakers reached the deal after months of backroom talks prompted in part by violence in the subways, random attacks on the citys streets and Mayor Eric Adams using his bully pulpit to push for changes to involuntary commitment rules.

Kathy Hochul, joined by Queens DA Melinda Katz, Bronx DA, Darcel Clark, Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and Staten Island DA Michael McMahon announce changes to State discovery laws on May 7, 2025. James Messerschmidt

The budget was due April 1, but it went far over that deadline  a delay that state Sen. Jim Skoufis (D-Orange) lambasted.

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Im sick and tired of one individual  the Governor  superseding the will of up to 213 duly elected Senators and Assembly Members, he said in a statement. The current operating procedure is nothing short of authoritarian.

Albanys single-party Democratic rule also let Hochul, state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) sign off on a slew of self-serving deals for their party faithful.

The New York state Capitol is seen as lawmakers vote on budget bills Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Albany, N.Y. Hans Pennink for the NY Post

The state budget package wraps in measures to help incumbents game New Yorks new public campaign financing system, allow lawmakers to keep collecting salaries from side jobs and assist Hochul in warding off a challenge from her estranged lieutenant governor.

All in all, its a generally bad Albany at its cynical worst, and we have nothing positive to say about this and how theyve done this just underlines that these are self-serving changes Democratic incumbents, John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany, told The Post.

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The budget also includes a highly controversial measure pushed by Orthodox Jewish communities that would make it easier for Yeshivas to demonstrate compliance with educational standards that public schools need to meet.

A man who attacked an MTA worker with a hammer in the 14th St. and 8th Ave L train station in Manhattan, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022 is taken into custody by police at the scene. Robert Mecea for NY Post

The state Department of Education required non-public schools to demonstrate their curriculums are substantially equivalent to those of public schools. A 2023 investigation by the citys education department found 18 Yeshivas werent educating students on basic English and math.

Despite how people try to characterize this, this is not the elimination of substantial currency, Hochul told reporters Tuesday.

The new plan will give the non-public schools several other different ways to prove substantial equivalency beyond those outlined by the state education department, which is opposed to the move.

Additional reporting by Haley Brown
CHICAGO (WGN)  A Chicago man is in police custody years after allegedly shooting and killing a man in the citys Grand Crossing neighborhood.

Chicago police on Wednesday announced the arrest of 24-year-old Jamond Brown of Chicago. According to police, authorities identified Brown as the alleged gunman who shot and killed a 27-year-old male on Dec. 13, 2021, in the 6400 block of S. Martin Luther King Jr.

Members of the Chicago Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force took Brown into custody on Monday, May 5, in the 2600 block of S. California.

Jamond Brown

Brown faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with the slaying.

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Brown appeared in court Wednesday for an initial detention hearing.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
The man accused of crashing a car into the gate outside Jennifer Aniston's home has been charged with felony stalking and vandalism, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said Wednesday.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, of Mississippi, is accused of "repeatedly harassing the victim ... sending her unwanted social media, voicemail, and email messages," from Thursday to Monday, the DA's office said in a news release.

The situation culminated Monday, when Carwyle crashed his car into Aniston's front gate, the DA's office alleged. Aniston's security guard detained Carwyle before police arrived and booked him into jail on suspicion of felony vandalism in connection with the crash.

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The crash, which happened at about 12:20 p.m. in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, caused "substantial damage," the release said.

Jennifer Aniston in Los Angeles in 2024. (Michael Buckner / Variety via Getty Images file)

Aniston was home but was not hurt, law enforcement sources said Monday.

Carwyle also faces an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm, the DA's office said. Prosecutors will ask the court to set bail at $150,000.

Carwyle is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday. If he is convicted of all charges, he faces three years in state prison, the DA's office said.

Carwyle repeatedly posted about Aniston on social media, in recent months sharing online his belief that unnamed forces were keeping the two apart.

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"If someone out there can reach Jennifer Joanna Aniston Carwyle, let her know about the corruption going on trying to keep Me from her, you will be Blessed!" he wrote in October.

Carwyle's longtime friend told NBC News that Carwyle left Mississippi in September to live out of his car at a Walmart Supercenter in the Los Angeles suburb of Burbank.

The friend, Steve Rhea, said Carwyle quit his job five years ago and has since been on a downward spiral, including having delusions that he is a Christ-like figure who is married to Aniston.

Another friend told NBC News he has been concerned about Carwyle since the pandemic, when, he said, Carwyle's personality changed.

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"I really hate that this happened to Miss Aniston; this was terrible," Marty Merritt said. "But since it did, the only thing I hope is this would get enough attention, attention that could get Jimmy some help. He needs some serious help. This is rock bottom."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
May 7A man allegedly stabbed a neighbor to death during a fight outside a Northwest Albuquerque apartment Tuesday.

Clay Sanchez, 59, of Albuquerque is charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence in the fatal stabbing of Andrew Mazetta, 56. Sanchez is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

At 6:14 p.m., the Albuquerque Police Department received a call of a stabbing in the 1400 block of Seventh NW, near Bellamah, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. When officers arrived, Mazetta's sister told police someone stole his Harley Davidson and officers saw Mazetta lying on the ground.

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Police found Sanchez in a nearby apartment covered in blood, the complaint states. A neighbor told police they heard "scuffling" behind his apartment before seeing Sanchez and Mazetta fighting.

As he separated the men, the neighbor told police he saw Mazetta bleeding and Sanchez holding a kitchen knife, according to the complaint. Inside Sanchez's apartment, police found a kitchen knife with a clean blade and blood on the handle, and a paper towel with dried blood.

Sanchez told police he was unlocking his door and had a knife on him when Mazetta came and asked if he stole his Harley, police said. Sanchez told police Mazetta hit him and as they exchanged punches, "he (expletive) got cut, I guess."

Sanchez told police, "That's what happened. It was an accident," according to the complaint.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A man in Canada has been arrested in connection to the death of a Bend woman in 2023, according to local police.

Cole Nikolaus Sinclair, 25, was arrested on Dec. 17, 2024 and is currently awaiting extradition back to the U.S. Police say he is a suspect in the homicide of Evelyn Jeanette Weaver.

DUI suspect stabbed to death following altercation with deputy near Ridgefield

Officials said Weaver, 28, was found dead in her home in July 2023. Her death was later determined to be a homicide, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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There is no indication at this time that Weaver and Sinclair knew one another, officials said. At this time, the Bend Police Department is not releasing further information due to legal restrictions.

Anyone who recognizes Sinclair or had any encounters with him is encouraged to contact Bend police.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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DENVER (KDVR)  Federal, state and local officials in Colorado arrested four men and seized 800,000 fentanyl pills that were part of a massive fentanyl distribution network, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced Wednesday.

The main target of the Colorado operation, according to CBI, was Rafael Salazar-Amaya, who now faces 44 counts which include violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance and special offender charges. A CBI spokesperson confirmed to FOX31 Rafael Salazar-Amaya is the brother of Heriberto Salazar Amaya, who U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi says was arrested in Oregon as part of the largest fentanyl bust in our nations history.

AG Bondi announces largest fentanyl bust in our nations history spanning 5 states

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The Colorado investigation also revealed the drug trafficking organization involved is connected to the Sinaloa cartel, which was targeted in the operation Bondi touted that also spanned multiple states. Colorados investigation ran parallel to that investigation, the CBI spokesperson said, which Bondi said at a press conference Tuesday took place in New Mexico.

This was a meticulous operation that required interagency cooperation to take down a massive operation, said Dan Volz, Deputy Director of Investigations for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Every pill taken off the streets is one less potential overdose death.

The Colorado investigation, which CBI says spanned New Mexico, Utah and Arizona, concluded on April 28 after Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and North Metro Drug Task Force agents executed search warrants at two Denver metro homes, arresting the four men and finding the fentanyl pills along with fentanyl powder, meth, heroin and approximately $60,000 in cash.

Drugs Confiscated During Search Warrant Execution. Credit: CBI Drugs Confiscated During Search Warrant Execution. Credit: CBI Drugs Confiscated During Search Warrant Execution. Credit: CBI Drugs Confiscated During Search Warrant Execution. Credit: CBI

Three other people were arrested:

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Fernando Noriega-Alvarado, 52, who faces 13 counts including COCCA, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, and special offender charges.

Celedonio Pulido-Romero, 31, who faces 23 counts including COCCA, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance, and special offender charges.

An unnamed male, 24, who faces 7 counts including COCCA, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and distribution of a controlled substance.

The successful dismantlement of the Salazar-Amaya organization by CBI, DEA, and North Metro Task Force is a testament to what can be accomplished through inter-agency collaboration, said Jonathan Pullen, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division. The investigation netted the seizure of over half a million fentanyl pills here in the Denver-Metro Area, directly impacting our community through the saving of lives. Colorado is undoubtedly safer as a result.

CBI said Salazar-Amaya was in the U.S. illegally, as well as three other undocumented people.

Colorado man connected to Mexican cartel sentenced for high-volume drug trafficking: DA

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The investigation began in Canon City in October 2024, where CBI and the DEA identified the initial targets, leading investigators to more targets in Denver, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Mexico.

We got the bad guys and took the poison off our streets, Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in a press release. I thank the CBI and the agents who worked to get these dangerous drugs out of Colorados communities. We want to make Colorado safer for everyone and this is a step in the right direction. Its collaborative efforts like this that make Colorado safer.

All four suspects arrested are currently being held at the Adams County Detention Center and face prosecution by the 17th Judicial District Attorneys Office.

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JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Jackson police announced a man was arrested in connection to a copper-related theft.

Police said Clinton Pierre, Jr., 43, was arrested on May 2 and charged with malicious mischief (felony) and possession of burglary tools (felony).

Suspect wanted for Comfort Zone burglary in Lincoln County

According to investigators, Pierre entered a business in the 1000 block of McDowell Road and damaged the outer air conditioner unit. They said he cut the copper pipes.

Clinton Pierre, Jr. (Courtesy: JPD)

Police said Pierre is known to the department to have been involved in related criminal activity dating back to 2024.

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Pierre appeared in court and received a $10,000 bond.

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ARLINGTON, Va. (DC News Now)  The FBI Washington Field Office (FBIWFO) said agents were at the scene of a barricade situation in Arlington early Wednesday.

The situation began at a home in the 3600 block of N. Babingdon Street around 6 a.m. FBI agents attempted to execute a court-authorized search warrant, but the man barricaded himself inside the home.

Arlington County Police Department crews were at the scene during the barricade to assist.

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Cat near McDonalds in Hagerstown tests positive for rabies

As of 4:30 p.m., FBIWFO officials said the barricade situation had been safely resolved.

Investigators were still at the scene into the late afternoon in order to execute the search warrant, authorities noted.

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JENNINGS, La. (KLFY)  Man in Jennings was allegedly engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a juvenile, Jennings Police Department said.

Kelvon Brown was arrested and charged into the Jefferson Davis Parish Jail for the a carnal knowledge of a juvenile felony, police said.

On April 30, police said they were contacted by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs Office in reference to a runaway juvenile who may have been in our area with Kelvon Brown.

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The runaway juvenile was located in Jennings in the area of Hwy.26 and Baker Street who had stated she was allegedly with Brown earlier that day and was involved in an inappropriate relationship with him.

Brown was later located at a residence and arrested, police said.

Earlier this year in February, Brown was arrested by Calcasieu Parish deputies for indecent behavior with a 14-year-old girl, authorities said.

Kelvon Brown

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TOPEKA (KSNT)  Prosecutors have filed a murder charge against a man accused of killing a Topeka local last weekend.

The Shawnee County District Attorneys Office has charged Derrick Mitchell, 30, with murder in the second degree following a deadly shooting last weekend. Treveon Carrington, 27, of Topeka was killed during the incident.

The Topeka Police Department (TPD) received a call shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Friday, May 2 of gunshots being reported in the area of Southwest 13th Street and Southwest Boswell Avenue. Officers found one person, later identified as Carrington, suffering from life-threatening injuries. Medical personnel declared Carrington dead at the scene.

Police arrested Mitchell in connection to the killing later in the day and initially booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on a charge of murder in the first degree. Carringtons death marks the sixth homicide investigation of 2025.

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Court documents detail homeless mans alleged attack on Topeka Rescue Mission staff member

People with information related to this investigation are encouraged to contact the TPD by sending an email to telltpd@topeka.org or by calling 785-368-9400. You can leave an anonymous tip through Shawnee County Crime Stoppers by calling 785-234-0007 or by clicking here.

For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

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DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH)  A Powell man accused of killing a man, then kidnapping and raping his girlfriend was convicted by a jury Wednesday.

Brandon Toleque, 32, was convicted of two counts of murder with firearm specifications, one first-degree felony county of kidnapping, and one count of first-degree felony rape. Watch a previous report on this case in the video player above.

Toleque was convicted of killing Arazeia Richardson on Nov. 15, 2023, who was a guest in Toleques home at Thornbury Lane and Ascot Court in Powell. After that, Toleque forced another guest, a woman, to leave the area with him.

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18-year-old with criminal history indicted in southeast Columbus police shootout

According to court records, surveillance video obtained from a Ring camera showed Toleque, the female passenger, Richardson and two other individuals entering the home on Nov. 12. The two individuals, a couple according to the report, left later in the evening, followed by Toleque and the woman at 1:09 a.m. The video did not show Richardson leaving the home.

Toleque was arrested two days later in Marshall County, Indiana; when taken into custody, a woman in the car Toleque was driving told officers that Toleque killed my boyfriend and that he needed to trust her before raping her twice, court records state.

Toleque was convicted after a five-day trial. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Monday.

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SKP Beijing, Chinas top-grossing luxury department store operator, is slated to sell around 42 to 45 percent of the company to Boyu Capital, according to a notice posted on the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Market Supervision and Administrations website.

According to the notice, through its affiliated entities Boyu Capitals fifth and largest U.S. dollar-denominated fund plans to acquire a partial stake in SKP Beijing, or Beijing Hualian Department Store Co. Ltd. Following the transaction, the Boyu-affiliated entity will indirectly hold a 42 to 45 percent equity stake in Beijing SKP as a financial investor. The notice, which was quietly published on April 30, will remain publicly available until Friday.

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The notice revealed that Radiance Investment Holdings Pte. Ltd. and Hualian Group own 60 percent and 40 percent of SKP Beijing, respectively, before the Boyu transaction.

After the transaction, Radiance Investment Holdings will continue to indirectly hold a 42 to 45 percent stake in the company and retain control of the luxury retailer, the notice said. Radiance Investment Holdings will likely retain its directly held 10 percent stake in the company, according to SKPs company structure published by the search platform Tianyancha.

SKP Beijings operational and management structure will remain unchanged, according to the notice.

The luxury department store was founded in 2006 by Hualian Group and an individual investor, according to the notice. The individual is mainly involved in investment activities, while Hualian Group operates primarily in the domestic retail sector, the notice said.

According to Tianyancha, SKP Beijing currently has three shareholders. Radiance Investment Holdings owns 60 percent of the retailer, with 50 percent of that stake held via Ruide Fashion (Beijing) Commercial & Trading Co. Ltd., while Hualian Group owns the remaining 40 percent.

The notice also disclosed Beijing SKPs market share in the domestic department store market. In 2024, SKP Beijings market shares in Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and Wuhan were around 10 to 15 percent, 15 to 20 percent, 10 to 15 percent and 0 to 5 percent, respectively.

The details of the transaction with Boyu were not disclosed in the notice, however, previous local media reports put a $4 billion to $5 billion price tag on the SKP business.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A 55-year-old man has been sentenced to prison after pleading no contest in a 2024 Roeland Park homicide case.

A Johnson County District Court judge on Wednesday ordered Kerry Malone to serve more than eight years in prison for the death of 65-year-old David Stark.

Five former Kansas City USPS employees indicted on mail theft charges

Malone pleaded no contest to an amended charge of voluntary manslaughter earlier this year.

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Amended charging documents allege that Malone killed Stark on July 18, 2024, upon a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion. Roeland Park police officers found Starks body days later inside a home near 49th and Briar during a welfare check.

According to an affidavit filed in the case, the Johnson County Medical Examiners Office determined that Stark died from multiple blunt and sharp force injuries.

Malone was arrested and charged in September 2024 after investigators interviewed several witnesses, obtained phone records, and gathered blood and DNA tying Malone to the crime scene.

According to a previous FOX4 report, court records showed that the victim tried to evict Malone from his home in 2022.

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A man was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting three women in Southern California.

Charles Edward Gaines III, 32, of Aurora, Colorado, had attacked the victims between February 2019 and May 2020 in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to the Ventura County District Attorneys Office.

The first attack happened on Feb. 27, 2019, in Northridge. Gaines used a fake name on a dating app and picked up the female victim for a movie date. Instead of going to the theater, he took the womans phone and demanded she perform sexual acts. When she refused, Gaines violently raped her. After the attack, he dropped her off at a fast-food restaurant, returned her phone and drove away.

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The victim called 911 and underwent a sexual assault examination where DNA evidence was collected. Weeks after the attack, Gaines contacted the woman again, sending text messages that blamed her for what happened while expressing a desire to engage in additional sexual acts. When the woman declined, he sent her threatening messages.

On December 10, 2019, Gaines targeted a homeless woman in Encino. He offered to let her warm up in his car. When she entered the backseat, Gaines moved to the back as well and grabbed her. The woman struggled to free herself but Gaines threatened her, then raped her.

Charles Edward Gaines III, 32, of Aurora, Colorado, is seen in a booking photo from the Ventura County District Attorneys Office.

At some point, the woman was able to escape from the car while also grabbing Gaines cellphone. She ran towards a grocery store and an employee let her in. Gaines followed and began wrestling the woman for the cellphone. He eventually grabbed the phone and fled. Later that day, the victim reported the assault and underwent a sexual assault examination where DNA from the attack was collected.

A third victim, a 16-year-old girl, was targeted by Gaines on March 27, 2020, in Simi Valley. The teen met Gaines on a dating app where he had used a fake name. After agreeing to meet, he picked the girl up from her home and drove a short distance away before parking. They both moved to the backseat of the car.

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What started out as consensual quickly turned into Gaines forcing himself on the victim, court documents said. As the girl yelled for him to stop, he ignored her and raped her. She continued struggling and eventually grabbed the door handle and fled the car.

Gaines jumped into the drivers seat and sped away. Shortly after, Gaines texted the girl and threatened to kill her. The teen reported the attack and underwent a sexual assault exam where DNA was collected.

On May 23, 2020, Gaines attempted to rape a fourth woman in Canoga Park with whom hed previously had consensual sex with. When she refused to have sex with him again, he sent her violent messages, including threatening to send nude pictures of her to her family and friends unless she agreed to have sex with him.

He also told the woman he was outside her home and if she didnt come outside and have sex with him, that he would ruin her life.

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In May 2020 and February 2021, the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) provided suspect DNA matches for the three sexual assaults. The data confirmed all three assaults were committed by the same suspect.

In August 2022, Gaines was arrested in Aurora, Colorado on an unrelated matter. During that arrest, a DNA sample was collected and uploaded to CODIS. Based on that upload, Gaines DNA was linked to the three attacks, authorities said.

In October 2022, Gaines was arrested in Colorado in connection with the sexual assault crimes. He was extradited to Ventura County and has remained in custody since.

On Feb. 25, Gaines was convicted by a jury of forcible sodomy and attempted rape of two victims. The jury deadlocked on other charges.

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On May 7, Gaines pled guilty to forcibly raping the two additional victims and admitted that one of the victims was a minor at the time of the attack.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled on May 6, where he will face 19 years in prison.

Gaines targeted women who were vulnerable, said Brent Nibecker, a Ventura County District Attorney who prosecuted the case. But what he didnt count on was their bravery. The courage these women showed by assisting in this investigation and then coming to court and sharing what he did to them was exceptional. Their actions served to protect others from being victimized by Gaines.

More information about the Ventura County Sexual Assault Kit Initiative can be found here.

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Victims of past sexual assaults can also use the website to find supportive services or receive help to find out if their sexual assault kits have been tested.

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The Los Angeles District Attorneys office announced Wednesday that they have filed felony charges against a man who drove a car through the front gate of a home in Bel Air, California that online records indicate belongs to Jennifer Aniston.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, who the DAs office identified as the man involved in the incident in a news release, has been charged with one count of felony stalking and one count of felony vandalism with an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm.

Carwyle is set to be arraigned in a Los Angeles courthouse on Thursday and, according to the DAs office, prosecutors plan to request his bail be set at $150,000.

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If convicted, he faces three years in state prison.

He is accused of repeatedly harassing the victim  who a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation confirmed to CNN is the Friends actress  between 2023 and 2025 by sending her unwanted social media, voicemail, and email messages.

On Tuesday, Carwyle ran his vehicle through the gate of the residence located in Bel Air, an affluent Los Angeles neighborhood, at around 12:20 p.m. PT, officer Jeff Lee, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department, told CNN at the time.

A security guard on the premises held the suspect until LAPD officers arrived and Carwyle was taken into custody without incident, Lee said.

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Officer David Cuellar later told CNN that the homes owner was at home at the time of the incident.

The DAs office said on Wednesday that the crash caused substantial damage to the gate.

Attorney information for Carwyle is not listed in Los Angeles County criminal court online records.

CNN has reached out to Anistons representative for comment.

Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities, District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement on Wednesday. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.

CNNs Josh Campbell and Cindy Von Quednow contributed to this report.

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A Mississippi man has been charged after crashing his vehicle through the front gate of Jennifer Anistons Bel-Air home on Monday.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman charged Jimmy Wayne Carwyle with one count each of felony stalking and felony vandalism. He also faces an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm.

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Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities, Hochman wrote in a statement Wednesday. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.

Carwyle is accused of repeatedly harassing the Emmy-winning actress between March 1, 2023 and May 5, 2025, sending her unwanted social media messages, voicemails and emails, according to the district attorneys office.

On Monday, just before 12:30 p.m., Carwyle allegedly crashed his vehicle through Anistons gate, causing substantial damage. He then stopped in her driveway before being arrested by her security guard until police officers arrived.

Carwyles arraignment is set for Thursday. Prosecutors intend to request that statutory bail be set at $150,000. If hes convicted of his charges, he faces three years in state prison.

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I want to thank law enforcement and our Stalking and Threat Assessment Team, particularly Deputy District Attorney Sam Hulefeld, for their outstanding work in this case, Hochman added. By working together, we are ensuring that dangerous individuals are taken off our streets.

Aniston is best known for her roles in Friends, Murder Mystery, Were the Millers and The Morning Show, among dozens of others.

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LAFOURCHE PARISH, La. (WGNO)  A crash on a Lafourche Parish highway claimed the life of a Thibodaux man.

According to Louisiana State Police, at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, they responded to the scene of a four-vehicle crash involving 36-year-old Isiah Thomas.

Harvey woman faces long road ahead after tree falls on home

An investigation revealed the Lafourche Parish Sheriffs Office attempted to pull over Thomas driving a Kia Optima, who deputies said was wanted in connection to an ongoing investigation.

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Thomas reportedly refused to stop and fled, speeding north on Louisiana Highway 308 leading to a police chase.

Troopers said deputies stopped chasing Thomas, but he allegedly continued to flee and attempted to pass a northbound Nissan Frontier in a no-pass zone. A Honda Accord was also headed south on the highway when Thomas collided head-on with them causing him to side swipe the Nissan and a Ford F-150.

New Orleans City Council honors Saints Cam Jordan with his own day

Thomas, who was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt at the time, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene. The other drivers were wearing seatbelts and sustained minor to no injuries.

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The crash remains under investigation as routine toxicology reports from all drivers are being tested.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.

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May 8 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles County district attorney has announced felony stalking and vandalism charges against a man accused of driving a vehicle into the Bel-Air residence of actress Jennifer Aniston.

The district attorney, Nathan Hochman, announced the charges, with an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm enhancement, Wednesday against 48-year-old Jimmy Wayne Carwyle of New Albany, Miss.

"Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities, Hochman said in a statement, vowing to aggressively prosecute "those who stalk and terrorized others" to ensure they are held accountable.

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According to the district attorney's office, Carwyle crashed his vehicle through the front gate of Aniston's home, stopping in her driveway, at about 12:20 p.m. PDT Monday.

He was detained by Aniston's security guards before being arrested by Los Angeles Police Department officers.

Aniston was reportedly home during the incident.

The crash caused "substantial damage" to the home, the district attorney's office said.

However, the crash appears to be the culmination of years of harassment.

The district attorney's office said Carwyle is accused of sending Aniston unwanted social media messages, voicemails and emails going back to at least March 1, 2023.

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Carwyle is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday. The district attorney's office said prosecutors intend to request that the court to set statutory bail at $150,000.

Aniston is best known for her role as Rachel Green in the 1990s hit sitcom Friends, though she has dozens of TV and film credits spanning from the late 1980s to the present.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man has been found guilty of raping his teen relative back in 2020, the Shelby County District Attorneys Office says.

On February 27, 2020, 35-year-old Ledarrius Stokes attacked and raped his 15-year-old relative at a local motel just days after the teens birthday.

Prosecutors say that despite the absence of physical evidence and DNA, the victim gave a powerful and credible testimony during the trial.

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This was a difficult case, but our office remains committed to pursuing justice in every case, especially those involving young victims, said Steve Mulroy, the District Attorney. We are pleased with the verdict and proud of the victims bravery.

Sentencing for the guilty verdict will be set for a later date.

Stokes also has two additional pending cases for aggravated assault charges.

In March 2020, Stokes was arrested after exchanging gunfire with a female Churchs Chicken employee.

Police say Stokes had been at the restaurant earlier with his girlfriend, who works there. She called the store and told them he was coming back to shoot up the place, and then came back and locked all of the employees inside.

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Stokes allegedly fired numerous shots through the drive-thru window at one particular employee, who fired back. She then went out and started shooting in the parking lot.

He was charged with aggravated assault, convicted felon in possession of a gun, reckless endangerment, and vandalism in that case.

In the Shelby County Criminal Justice System Portal, the suspects name is spelled two different ways  Ledarrius Stokes and Ladarrius Stokes.

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ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis man who just completed a federal sentence has been charged with the 2021 murder of the mother of his child.

According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the murder took place on the evening off Dec. 27, 2021, in the 4000 block of Oregon Avenue, located in the citys Dutchtown neighborhood.

Police responded to a home for a welfare check around 10 p.m. and found the body of Alvatyne Thomas inside the residence. She had a plastic bag taped around her head and had been shot in the back. Police said bleach had been poured over her body as well. Thomas was 31.

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Investigators identified Karl D. Mayberry II, 34, as the suspect for the shooting.

A day in the life of a St. Louis Mayor

When questioned, Mayberry claimed he was at work at the time of the murder. Police interviewed Mayberrys co-workers, who told them he had disappeared from work for hours during the evening, and when Mayberry returned to work, he was wearing different clothes.

When searching Mayberrys social media and phone, police said they found incriminating texts and searches. Mayberry allegedly texted someone after the murder and said Thomas was found dead in tha [sic] kitchen with a plastic bag around her head, even though that information had not been made public.

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Police said Mayberry made Google searches on his phone for first degree murder defenses and can he say she say be used against a person for murder in Missouri, as well as other related searches. Mayberry allegedly texted a criminal defense attorney and asked how much it would cost to defend a murder.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Mayberry with first-degree murder.

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(KRON)  A man wanted by the FBI for the alleged production of child pornography has ties to Sonoma County, according to authorities. A federal arrest warrant for Reginold Lamont Nelson, who also goes by James Morgan, was issued on May 31, 2024, by a U.S. District Court in South Florida.

Nelson is accused of producing child pornography as well as receipt of child pornography and enticement of a minor, according to federal law enforcement. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to Nelsons arrest and conviction.

Reginold Lamont Nelson (Photo: FBI) Reginold Lamont Nelson (Photo: FBI) Reginold Lamont Nelson (Photo: FBI)

Nelson is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and 125 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. The FBI said he uses the birth dates of Oct. 27, 1992, and Oct. 31, 1992.

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The accused child predator has another alias of Nova Coagula, the FBI stated.

Former restaurant employee faces attempted murder in Santa Rosa cleaver attack

Reginold Lamont Nelson has ties to or may visit Sonoma County, California, authorities said. According to the FBI, he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBIs tipline at 1-800-225-5324 or submit a tip on the FBI website.

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PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to an August 2023 robbery of a Laurel convenience store, according to the United States Attorneys Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland.

Clarence Antonio Lynch, 22, of Prince Georges County, was charged with interference with interstate commerce by robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

DC man pleads guilty in 20+ year Maryland murder cold case

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According to court records, Lynch drove to a convenience store in Laurel, armed with a firearm, intending to rob the place.

There, he entered the store and pulled an employee by his collar, forcing him and an agent into an office.

Court records state Lynch then used a hydraulic tool to open the stores ATM and stole $65,780. He proceeded to use the firearm to take $6,940 in cash from the office along with $11,852 in cigarettes.

The USAO states Lynch faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and a maximum of life in prison for his crimes.

His sentencing is set for September 2 at 1 p.m.

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We recently published a list of Billionaire Louis Bacons 10 Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) stands against other stock picks with huge upside potential.

Louis Moore Bacon is the founder, Chairman, and principal investment manager of Moore Capital Management, a global investment management firm that provides services to institutional and high-net-worth clients through diversified hedge funds and specialized funds that focus on global fixed-income and emerging markets. It was established in March 1989 and is headquartered in New York City with offices in London and Hong Kong. He holds an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School and a BA in American Literature from Middlebury College. Bacons investment philosophy is based on risk management and capital preservation principles. His trading strategies are focused on macroeconomic trends and fundamental analysis of the markets.

Bacon emphasizes diversification, which allows him to invest across different geographies and asset classes. He is known for his contrarian investment style and takes positions against prevailing market sentiment. Moore Capital Management is a hedge fund with 4 clients and discretionary assets under management (AUM) of $33.20 billion, as reported in the firms Form ADV dated 19 November 2024. Their last reported 13F filing for Q4 2024 included $8.70 billion in managed 13F securities and a top 10 holdings concentration of 25.53%. He believes that there are opportunities to profit from mispricing that come with volatility or fear. Louis Moore Bacon is also the Founder and Co-Chair of The Moore Charitable Foundation, which was established in 1992 to support conservation-focused nonprofits dedicated to preserving land, water, and wildlife habitats. Bacon has received several awards in this regard, including the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) Lifetime Conservation Achievement Award and the Audubon Medal.

Our Methodology

To compile the list of billionaire Louis Bacons 10 stock picks with huge upside potential, we sifted through Q4 2024 13F filings of Moore Global Investments from Insider Monkey. From these filings, we checked each stocks upside potential from CNN and ranked the stocks in ascending order of this upside potential. We have also added Moore Global Investments stake in each company and the hedge fund sentiment around each stock.

Note: All data was sourced on May 2.

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).
A man prosecutors say stabbed a couple to death at Daytona Beachs Bike Week in 2022 has accepted a plea deal.

Investigators say Jean Macean randomly targeted Terry and Brenda Altman as they were riding their bike home from the festivities.

The state was seeking the death penalty, but the plea deal means he will face life in prison.

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NILES, Ohio (WKBN)  After an initial hesitancy, a man appeared in court Wednesday where he was arraigned, entered a plea, and was sentenced all at once.

Jose Delgado pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated trespass, a first-degree misdemeanor. Charges of obstructing official business and resisting arrest were dismissed.

He was charged after an incident where residents said he was inside their home. When police came to investigate, reports described Delgado as combative.

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Delgado was held in the jail for a time without bond after officials say he refused to cooperate in his initially scheduled arraignment.

On Wednesday, he was ordered to pay a $500 fine and serve 180 days in jail, with 168 days suspended and credit for 12 days served.

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NILES, Ohio (WKBN)  A former employee of a local ambulance company pleaded guilty to public indecency and was sentenced in Niles Municipal Court on Wednesday.

Court records state that Ryan Gregory pleaded guilty to public indecency, while the sexual imposition charge was dismissed.

He was sentenced to one year of probation and to pay fines and court costs. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim in the case, according to court records.

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Police reports stated that a woman accused Gregory of lying on top of her, and after she pushed him off of her, she said he returned with his pants unbuttoned and his privates exposed. The incident was reported to Niles police on Jan. 6 but happened on Dec. 5, the report stated.

Gregorys case was bound over to a Trumbull County grand jury but was later remanded back to Niles Municipal Court.

Erin Yudt contributed to this report.

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(WHTM) A Texas man was sentenced to more than 2 years in prison for embezzling more than $900,000 from two central Pennsylvania companies.

According to the United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Vincent Villarreal, 35, of Sachse, Texas, was sentenced on Wednesday, May 7, to 33 months imprisonment after admitting to embezzling around $945,000 from two companies located in central Pennsylvania.

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The attorneys office said Villarreal worked in an information technology position for a building-products company headquartered in central Pennsylvania. During his time with the company, he made unauthorized transfers from his company credit card and accessed the companys accounting system to delete said transfers.

After being terminated, Villarreal was employed in a similar position at a software company where he fraudulently purchased more than $470,000 worth of technology products for his benefit, the attorneys office said.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A Northland man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with a 2023 highway shooting.

Court records show that Zachary Oliver, 26, of Kansas City, was sentenced Wednesday in Clay County Circuit Court after pleading guilty to one count of second-degree assault and one count of unlawful use of a weapon.

Man convicted in 2024 Roeland Park killing, sentenced to prison

The road rage incident was reported Oct. 19, 2023, near Interstate 35 and Missouri 152 Highway in Liberty.

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According to a plea agreement filed earlier this year, Oliver admitted to pulling out a 9mm handgun and shooting at another car.

One person was struck by a projectile in the shooting and was reported to have minor injuries at the time.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the shooting.

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***Prior coverage shown in video player above***

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A 19-year-old will spend over 10 years in prison for shooting someone near the RTA bus hub in downtown last November.

GeNeale Galloway has been sentenced to 11 to 13.5 years in prison after being convicted of a shooting that took place in November 2024.

Local leaders discuss student safety, bussing solutions

On Nov. 11, police responded to the RTA bus hub downtown on reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they found a man with a single gunshot wound to the chest.

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Investigation revealed the victim and Galloway had gotten into an argument when Galloway pulled out a handgun and fired three shots, striking the victim once.

Video surveillance captured the shooting, as well as Galloway fleeing the scene and disposing of the firearm in a dumpster. Police found and arrested him soon after.

Galloway pleaded guilty to one count of felonious assault with a deadly weapon and one count of felonious assault causing serious physical harm. Both charges carried 3-year firearm specifications.

Galloway will now spend the next 11 to 13.5 years in prison.

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LINCOLN COUNTY, Mo.  A New London man was left injured Monday afternoon after a crash between two tractors on U.S. Route 61.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), the crash took place on southbound U.S. 61, south of Missouri Route Z, involving a mack tractor and a case tractor.

Suspect dead after shootout with St. Louis officer; investigation linked to three homicide victims

The crash occurred while both the Case tractor and the Mack tractor were traveling southbound in the second lane of U.S. 61. As both tractors were traveling in the same direction, the cast tractor was straddling both the shoulder and the second lane of the roadway.

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At some point, the front of the Mack tractor struck the rear end of the Case tractor, causing both vehicles to overturn and ejecting the Case tractors driver, according to MSHP. The driver of the Case tractor, a 62-year-old man from New London, was airlifted to a nearby hospital, suffering from serious injuries.

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MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)  A section of US-19 in Manatee County was dedicated to a fallen soldier.

US-19 between Palm View Road and Terra Ceia Road was dedicated to Army Specialist Nicholas Panipinto, who lost his life in a training incident at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, the Manatee County, Florida Government said in a post on Facebook.

Rep. Will Robinson, Sen. Jim Boyd, Commissioner Kruse, and Commissioner Bearden all showed support for the dedication.

The dedication ceremony served as a powerful tribute to Nicholass legacy and is just one of the ways Manatee County is committed to honoring its hometown heroes, the Manatee County, Florida Government said in a post on Facebook.

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Nicholas was a Manatee High School grad before joining the U.S. Army.

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SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO)  Today is Thursday, May 8. Heres a look at this mornings top stories with KELOLAND On the Go.

he multi-state hunt for a wanted man came to an end Wednesday night.

Multi-state manhunt comes to an end

A Sioux Falls Police investigation involves numerous stolen cars and guns, burglaries and shooting at a police officer. According to court documents, the main suspects were all under the age of 18.

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SFPD investigate a burglary involving teens, guns

A woman from Wall died in a single vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in downtown Wall, the South Dakota Department of Public Safety said.

Woman dies in downtown Wall crash

Our mild and dry weather pattern is the main theme of the forecast the next few days. In fact, the weather will likely turn downright hot by the weekend.

Dry and very warm 7 day forecast across KELOLAND

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SRINAGAR, India (AP)  Poet Zareef Ahmed Zareef has watched India and Pakistan fight for decades over his homeland, the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

He was born in 1947, the same year India and Pakistan became independent nations and British colonial rule ended. The two nuclear-armed neighbors have since fought two wars over Kashmir, which is split between them but claimed by both in its entirety.

Now the 78-year-old worries this week's dramatic escalation heralds yet another war.

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Weve been told that Kashmir is paradise on earth," he said. But for us, its living in a permanent fear of hell. Every war has brought misery, death and destruction.

His fears have only been exacerbated by the developments.

On Wednesday, Indian missile strikes killed 31 people in Pakistan, including women and children. The strikes came in the wake of an April 22 attack, when gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, in the India-controlled part of Kashmir.

India accused Pakistan of backing the militants who carried out the attack, a charge Islamabad denied. Pakistan has vowed to avenge the killings.

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Since Wednesday, exchanges spiked across the so-called Line of Control, the boundary dividing the Indian and the Pakistani-controlled sections of Kashmir.

Militaries on both sides have mobilized. The people are scared.

A devastated border town

Indian and Pakistani soldiers guard their side of the frontier. Coils of razor wire snake around mountain foothills, by ancient villages and across fields of rice and corn. Watch towers stand on every few hundred meters (yards) and some Indian and Pakistani troops are so close they can wave to each other.

Like many places along the frontier, the border town of Poonch in Indian-controlled Kashmir is swarmed by soldiers, their barracks close to civilian homes.

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Shortly after India's strikes, Pakistani shells and bullets rained on Poonch, killing 13 civilians, including three women and three children, and wounding 44, Indian officials and medics said.

Mehtab Din, 46, and his wife were lightly injured when three shells hit their home in Poonch. Their next-door neighbor was not that lucky, he said.

His two children were killed and hes battling for his life in a hospital, Din said. Leaders are safe in their homes. The brutal axe of the war they start falls on us.

A shattered calm

The region saw a tentative calm in 2021, after India and Pakistan renewed a ceasefire agreement from two decades earlier. But this weeks escalation shattered that.

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Rubina Begum said early morning explosions in her village of Salamabad in the area of Uri sent her running for cover with her children.

There was confusion and smoke all over. Thank God, were alive, she wailed, standing in front of her heavily damaged home as relatives tried to calm her.

Begum was among few left in Salamabad on Thursday. Many had fled in fear of more attacks; some houses were still smoldering.

Caught in the middle of bitter rivalry

In the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed after an armed revolt erupted against Indian rule in 1989.

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India decries the rebellion as Islamabads proxy war and state-sponsored terrorism. Many Muslim Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle and support the rebel goal that the territory be united, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

Zareef, the poet, said the people of the region have become cannon fodder in the conflict.

One group says you belong to us," he said. The other too says you belong to us. But at critical times, they ... punish us, he said.

Kashmiris have particularly reeled after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi scrapped the Indian-controlled sector's semi-autonomy in 2019, bringing it firmly under India's control. Since then, the governments heavy-handed approach has largely silenced people, with civil liberties eroded and the press gagged.

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Jagmohan Singh Raina, a 72-year-old Sikh businessman said like him, many Kashmiris feel they've had enough of being used in the fight between Pakistan and India.

Dont push us further," he said. "End this warfare and let Kashmiris live in peace.

___

Saaliq reported from New Delhi. Associated Press writers Channi Anand in Poonch, India, and Mukhtar Khan in Uri, India, contributed to this report.
President Trump's antitrust cops at the Federal Trade Commission just received a loud warning about attempts to block any future technology mergers.

It came as the FTC on Wednesday lost a roughly three-year-long attempt to undo Microsoft's (MSFT) $69 billion acquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard on the grounds that the deal violated antitrust law.

A three-judge panel for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals made it clear that regulators need to show evidence, and not solely a theory, that a tie-up will cause real harm to competition.

They ruled that the FTC failed to show that Microsoft would withhold from rivals Activision's widely popular video game "Call of Duty," nor that the tie-up would reduce competition in cloud gaming.

A Microsoft sign and logo are pictured at the company's headquarters, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Redmond, Wash. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)  ASSOCIATED PRESS

"Given the FTC's failure to make an adequate showing as to its likelihood of success on the merits as to any of its theories, the district court properly denied the FTC's motion for a preliminary injunction on that basis," Circuit Judge Daniel P. Collins wrote in a 40-page decision.

The unanimous decision pushes back on a wide antitrust enforcement net cast by the Trump and Biden administrations to rein in Big Tech, even as federal prosecutors continue antitrust litigation against Google (GOOG, GOOGL), Apple (APPL), and Meta (META).

The government has been successful in arguing that Google illegally monopolized the general search engine market and used illegal tactics to block competition in markets where online advertisements are bought and sold.

The Trump administration is currently asking judges to approve a breakup of Google's empire to remedy the monopoly behavior.

The 'Call of Duty' question

Microsoft closed on its deal to acquire Activision, the largest game publisher in North America, in October 2023 after a California federal district court declined to grant the FTC a temporary injunction to halt the deal.

In addition to the hit Call of Duty franchise, the company also offers World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch. The firm also owns mobile game publisher King, the company behind Candy Crush.

Adding those franchises to Microsofts existing titles, including Halo and Forza, catapulted Microsoft past Nintendo (NTDOY) to make the company the second-largest home console maker by revenue behind Sony (SONY).

It also put Microsoft behind Tencent and Sony as the third-largest gaming company by global revenue.

An advertisement poster displayed in London for the video game "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6" by Activision. (BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP via Getty Images)  BENJAMIN CREMEL via Getty Images

The FTC re-upped a challenge to the merger in a lawsuit filed in the agency's in-house court, despite the fact that the appellate court denied its request for an injunction to pause the merger.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Carnival season may be over, but not for Mardi Gras stores around Mobile as preparation is underway for 2026.

Parents of 4-year-old with ethanol in her system looking for answers

But with recent tariffs imposed on China, it has owners worried about buying shipments for parade throws.

Once Fat Tuesday is over, its back to work for Toomeys Mardi Gras in Mobile.

According to store owner Stephen Toomey, its been hard to stock the shelves recently.

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We typically would have already had four or five containers come in this year already after Mardi Gras, Toomey said. But with the tariffs, were kind of on hold there.

Toomey told News 5 that a majority of the stores merchandise comes from China.

The store has used the same Chinese manufacturing facility for year, but Toomey said that now hes considering another source.

Weve been searching elsewhere, but were very limited, said Toomey.

And I think thats the challenge because, you know, China has long been known for the inexpensive items, he continued.

Meaning that several throws that everyone loves during Mardi Gras, like beads or toys, may have a price increase next season.

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On April 12, the United States and the Trump administration raised tariffs on Chinese exports to 124%.

With the increase of exported goods from China, Toomey said customers could pay more than double.

Tyrese Campbell, a Mobile resident, said he will not buy Mardi Gras accessories next season if prices go up.

Honestly, Im a chef, Campbell said. And with the price of eggs going up, I definitely wont be able to afford Mardi Gras beads.

It is making stuff a whole lot less affordable, he continued.

Buying items now can help avoid paying the tariff upcharge.

Weve had quite a few shoppers coming in, you know, because I think they get it. I mean, one lady was in buying a few cases of beads today, Toomey said.

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Toomey said the store sells other popular items that are proudly made in the United States.

Mobile Animal Services takes in 34 abused dogs, now far over capacity

We have moon pies; we have cups; we have other items that we dont have to import from China, he said.

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May 7MITCHELL  The city of Mitchell has refined its tax increment district guidelines.

The Mitchell City Council, during its regular meeting on Monday, May 5 approved the addition of Tax Increment Districts (TID) No. 41 and No. 42.

TID No. 41 was approved for Paul Groeneweg's Woods Apartments, a proposed 70-unit complex with two-and-three-bedroom apartments across 12 buildings.

The boundary of TID No. 41 includes the empty lots

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south of First Avenue between Tiger Street and Mattie Street, as well as all of Mattie Street south of First Avenue and north of East Havens Avenue.

TID No. 42 will aid the expansion of the Dale's A1 Transmission service building, located south of East Ivy Street between South Burr Street and South Capital Street, and will generate an estimated $340,000.

TID No. 41 will be a total maximum of $4.3 million in tax financing. TID No. 41 covers the infrastructure cost of the developer at $2.28 million. Additionally, TID No. 41 is projected to cover the city's construction of Mattie Street, estimated at $2.02 million.

"We know that there is projected to be some portion of unused tax increment that should be available to support that project," City Attorney Justin Johnson said.

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The city has five years to develop Mattie Street if it wishes to capture the increment revenue of the TID district, according to Johnson.

"The city holds the cards," Johnson said. "There's really no risk to us. You'll know with a lot more certainty how much is going to be able to come in to help fund the Mattie street construction."

TID developers have to certify their costs and provide final receipt totals to the city.

"If something comes in less than what they estimated that construction cost to be, then it would free up some of those funds to Mattie Street," City Administrator Stephanie Ellwein said.

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Council member Mike Bathke asked why this was the second time that Mattie Street had been included in a proposed tax district, and why it failed to move forward the last time.

"There's no teeth in these deals," Bathke said.

The city's TID evaluation process has changed since that TID was proposed, according to Ellwein. Since then, the city council has requested developers to provide more reporting and certifications. Additionally, affordable housing rental rates are a key part of TID developments.

"We have a lot more oversight than what we found in the past," Ellwein said.

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In 2012, the original Mattie Street project,

TID No. 17,

was proposed when the city was still accepting the debt of developments. In 2015,

Davison County Tax District No. 4

also sought to develop Mattie Street between Quiett Lane and State Highway 38, but was rejected by county commissioners.

In 2021, after a four-year hiatus from approving tax districts, the city approved

TID No. 26

and no longer takes on the debt of tax district developments.

Don Petersen, of the Morgan Theeler law firm,

who represented both TID developers, also aided the creation of the first Mattie Street tax district proposal. Times have changed for proposed tax districts.

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"They've tightened down the rules and the developers have accepted those and we have to play by those rules," Petersen said.

Petersen reminded the council that developers carry the risk when building, and that a developer has five years to finish construction, according to the terms of the TID. Groeneweg plans to construct the first five apartment buildings by November, Petersen said.

Groeneweg has other housing developments as well. Groeneweg's first approved tax district was TID No. 27 for Fiala Road. Every lot in the Fiala Road development has been sold within three years, according to Petersen.

"That's just kind of a monument that shows that there's a need for this type of housing in Mitchell," Petersen said.

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TID No. 41 requires the developer to guarantee rental rates will be in line with affordable housing restrictions.

"Affordable housing is expensive to build," Petersen said.

Entry-level positions in Mitchell can't afford a $350,000 house, noted Petersen, who painted the picture of saving for a down payment while living in a family-oriented apartment could enable someone to one day own a house of their own.

In the future, Ellwein plans to add more requirements for job creation to preliminary TID evaluations.

Dale's A1 Transmission plans to add 10 jobs with full benefits, according to Petersen.

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Local resident Steve Sibson questioned how the South Dakota Department of Revenue would possibly approve TID No. 41 when it appears to be a mix of two different kinds of tax districts with two different goals. Sibson noted that a local tax district benefits a local government but does not have a regional or statewide benefit.

If the state classifies TID No. 41 as a local tax district, the TID would expire.

"If that were to happen, we may need to reconsider the TIF at a future date, take out whatever component the state had an issue with, and then reprocess a new TIF," Johnson said.

Petersen confirmed that the state no longer pre-approves tax districts before city council approval, a recent change at the state level.
An electric vehicle charger owned by Baltimore Gas & Electric in Annapolis. (Photo by Christine Condon/ Maryland Matters)

Maryland joined 15 other states in a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to overturn President Donald Trumps executive order blocking billions in congressionally approved funding for electric vehicle charging stations and other infrastructure.

It was the third suit the state has joined this week, part of an aggressive strategy by Democrat-led states targeting Trump actions.

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The states also won a preliminary injunction against Trump initiatives this week in an another suit, when a federal judge in Rhode Island blocked Trumps order severely curtailing operations at federal agencies that oversee mediation services, minority business development, and museum and library services.

The EV-infrastructure suit, filed in U.S. District Court for Washington state, challenges the U.S. Department of Transportation for illegally withholding about $3 billion in previously approved funding to build electric vehicle infrastructure. The suit says Maryland stands to lose $49 million from the five-year funding program approved under former President Joe Biden (D).

Charging stations and ports are critical to helping more families transition to cleaner vehicles that reduce pollution and support our environmental goals, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement. By unlawfully withholding $49 million in approved funding, the Trump Administration is undermining efforts to expand our states charging network, reduce emissions, and build a healthier future for generations to come.

The suit challenges Trumps Unleashing American Energy executive order, signed on his first day in office, which sought to eliminate the electric vehicle mandate.

But Wednesdays suit says there was never any such mandate, and that by trying to eliminate this fictional mandate, the Executive Order directs the Federal Highway Administration to usurp the legislative and spending powers reserved to Congress by withholding congressionally appropriated funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure required by statute to be distributed to States.

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In February, the U.S. Department of Transportation did just that, suspending the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program and directing states to stop spending money on electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The states suit says Congress approved a total of $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program when it approved the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021.

The Maryland Department of Transportation values the U.S. Department of Transportations intent to modernize and update NEVI program guidance as soon as possible,Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said in a statement. However, the action taken to indefinitely pause the NEVI program is harming current and future EV drivers in Maryland.

Besides Maryland, the suit includes the District of Columbia and 15 other states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin and Vermont.

Maryland and 20 other states, meanwhile, won a temporary injunction Tuesday in another suit against a Trump order that would have critics said dismantle federal agencies that provide federal money to libraries and museums, promote labor peace and assist minority-owned businesses.

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The Rhode Island Current, which is part of the States Newsroom network, reported Tuesday that the preliminary injunction handed down in U.S. District Court for Rhode Island blocks the order affecting the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Minority Business Development Agency, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

Trump on March 14 had ordered those agencies to reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel.The order violates the federal Administrative Procedures Act in the arbitrary and capricious way it was carried out, wrote District Judge John J. McConnell.

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It also disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our federal government; specifically, it ignores the unshakable principles that Congress makes the law and appropriates funds, and the Executive implements the law Congress enacted and spends the funds Congress appropriated, McConnell wrote.

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The states lawsuit was filed April 4 against Trump, Keith E. Sonderling, the acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and other federal agencies and officials.

This ruling safeguards essential lifelines for aspiring entrepreneurs, workers demanding fair treatment, and Maryland families who rely on their local libraries for internet access and childhood literacy support, Brown said in a statement. By defending these vital federal programs, weve ensured they continue delivering critical services to the Marylanders who depend on them every day.

Brown on Monday, Brown joined two lawsuits against the federal government: one to challenge the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for cut staffing and close agencies, and another that ordered federal agencies to pause approvals, permits and loans for all wind energy projects both onshore and offshore. Maryland also signed on to a motion seeking a preliminary injunction in another suit against Trumps March 25 executive order that would impose sweeping voting restrictions nationwide.
A Massachusetts firefighter was vacationing with his family in Bermuda when a 75-year-old Catholic priest was found floating unresponsive in water.

The New Bedford firefighter quickly sprang into action.

Michael Desouza, along with a 911 dispatcher from Waltham, heard about the 75-year-old man found floating in about 2 feet of water next to his brother at a beach. They brought the man ashore but he was not breathing and pulseless.

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The two started CPR and the 75-year-old became semi-conscious.

Two surgeons who were nearby on the beach took over after the CPR and he was taken to a local hospital.

The man is a Catholic priest from Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada and was on a cruise with his family celebrating his 50th anniversary of ordination as a priest.

He fully recovered and was able to return home, the New Bedford Fire Department said.

[Firefighter] Desouza exemplifies what the New Bedford Fire Departments slogan Service Above Self means, the fire department wrote on Facebook. His lifesaving actions illustrate that the knowledge and skills learned as a firefighter can be called upon to save a life no matter where in the world you might be.

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A whole range of hemp products including flower and pre-rolls at Healing Hemp, a hemp store in Somerville. (Photo by Bhaamati Borkhetaria/CommonWealth Beacon)

BOSTON  State lawmakers session are looking to take hemp-derived intoxicating products  which contain the same active ingredient as cannabis but are not regulated the same way  off shelves in gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops across Massachusetts.

The hemp products, which are generally edible and intoxicating like gummies or candies, have already been declared illegal in the state by several state agencies but continue to pop up in certain stores outside of dispensaries. Most of these products come from out of state.

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Some business owners who sell the intoxicating products argue that the state agencies havent settled the matter because hemp is legal federally  through a loophole in the 2018 federal farm bill which legalized hemp. Hemp and cannabis are the same plant, but this law removed hemp from the classification of cannabis as long as it contains less than 0.3% THC  the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis  by volume.

Four bills have been filed on Beacon Hill to bring any consumable hemp-derived products like edibles, concentrates, tinctures, oils, and capsules, under the purview of the Cannabis Control Commission or give local boards of health oversight to remove these products from stores other than dispensaries. Hemp products that are sold in dispensaries like CBD gummies are already regulated by the commission. These bills would specifically target intoxicating products being sold outside of dispensaries.

[Hemp products] face no additional tax impositions, no host community agreements, no recall process, no FDA testing requirements, no age limits, said Rep. Dawne Shand, a Newburyport Democrat, at a Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy hearing on Wednesday. The intoxicating hemp industry makes a mockery of cannabis laws.

Shand, a member of the committee, is pushing a bill that would prohibit intoxicating hemp products from being sold without an endorsement from the Cannabis Control Commission.

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Rep. Michael Soter, a Republican from Bellingham, has two bills that would address hemp-derived products.

The fourth bill, presented by James C. Arena-DeRosa, imposes an excise tax on the sale of hemp products in addition to the existing state tax and directs that money to be used to empower local health board to remove certain hemp products from stores.

I think [hemp] should be up to the control of the Cannabis Control Commission, said Soter, in an interview before the hearing. Youve got people who are following the rules  and then youve got some things that are kind of being sold in convenience stores and gas stations. Some of this stuff is really geared towards kids, and thats not a good thing.

Soter emphasized that he wants to be very careful in creating legislation to deal with hemp products because he doesnt want to inadvertently harm businesses that sell non-intoxicating hemp products, like oils or creams that contain CBD and are meant to be applied topically.

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What scares me about regulating this is that sometimes we over-regulate and we put more problems on an industry, said Soter. Weve got to walk that fine line. I want to keep us on a straight path of going after what we need to go after and what we dont need to go after and make sure when we do this regulation, we do it correctly.

At the hearing, Jesse Alderman, a lawyer who specializes in cannabis, and Peter Gallagher, the CEO of the cannabis company INSA, brought a bag of intoxicating hemp products that they said they collected from over 20 different gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops.

Many of these products had high concentrations of THC. One of the packages contained 10,000 milligrams of THC. For cannabis, the state allows only 100 milligrams per package and 5 milligrams per serving.

They passed the bag around to the legislators, who commented that the products smelled like cannabis.

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If it smells like it, looks like it, I think it is it, said Adam Gomez, the Senate chair of the cannabis committee.

Gallagher said that they tested these products and that over 90% of them would qualify as cannabis products because they contained well over 0.3% of THC. About a third of the products wouldnt have passed the regulatory testing required on cannabis products because of the presence of microbes, pesticides, heavy metals, and residual solvents. None of the establishments where he purchased the hemp products checked for identification to enforce age limits, he added.

This really looks a lot like what we saw in 2019 with the vape crisis where illegal, unregulated, untested vape cartridges [were] being sold with cutting agents in them and [that] ultimately led to people harming themselves, said Gallagher. A lot of consumers today dont understand that whats being purchased in these gas stations, convenience stores, vape shops or even online is different and potentially more damaging than what youre able to purchase in the regulated dispensaries.

In Massachusetts, several state agencies issued guidance in May 2024 that said that these types of products are illegal. The Alcohol Beverage Control Commission warned its licensees that their licenses could be suspended or revoked if they were caught selling hemp-derived products.

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Soon after, many of these products were taken out of liquor stores, smoke shops, restaurants, and many other places that were selling them. But the crackdown on these products has remained uneven because the enforcement on these products has largely remained in the hands of local boards of health, which are already overburdened and dont have the resources to go from store to store.

Last session, legislators decided not to intervene on the issue of hemp-derived products, but representatives of local boards of health said that they are unable to get these products out of stores and out of the hands of children without more resources allocated to them for this issue.

John Nathan, the CEO of a company called Bay State Extracts, which produces hemp-derived compounds like CBD, said that the legislation proposed at the hearing would be redundant because these products  as per the guidance from the state agencies  are already illegal. He also expressed concern about the Cannabis Control Commissions ability to actually regulate hemp products effectively. The commission has had internal conflict, allegations of misconduct, and a slow-moving regulatory process that has frustrated many within the cannabis industry.

The CCC has barely enforced their existing hemp regulations and guidance is as it stands, said Nathan. The cannabis industry is in turmoil. Theres over saturation, struggles for bill payments, layoffs, competitive and low-paying job market, what seems like monthly closures. I feel effort should be directed towards supporting the existing market and coordinating to fix these issues, rather than disrupting the supply chain in an effort to make something already illegal illegal again.

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This article first appeared on CommonWealth Beacon and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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A Massachusetts man who previously rented a room at a residential daycare was sentenced Wednesday to federal prison on child pornography charges, the U.S. Attorney said.

Juan Levano, 24, of West Bridgewater, was sentenced in federal court in Boston for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material depicting children ranging from infancy to 13 years old, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement.

More than 100 video and image files, most of which appear to depict child pornography, were found stored in a photo application on Levanos phone, prosecutors said.

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U.S. District Court Judge Richard Stearns sentenced Levano to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

White House amplifies 25 Investigates report about child rapist hiding on Cape Cod

In December, Levano pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

Investigators identified Levano as a user of an internet-based communications application used for the trafficking of child sexual abuse material.

As a user of the platform, Levano participated in groups where child sexual abuse material was disseminated, prosecutors said.

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At the time of the offense, Levano rented a room at a residence that is registered as a residential daycare, prosecutors said.

Both Levano and the owner of the residence and daycare denied that Levano worked at the residential daycare and denied that Levano had any contact with the children who attend it, prosecutors said.

Investigators seized various electronic devices belonging to Levano during a search of the residence.

During the search, prosecutors said Levano admitted to being a member of several groups on the chat application and obtaining child sexual abuse material from those groups.

A review of Levanos phone revealed that Levano was a member of several active groups on the platform that included the exchange of child sexual abuse material, including children ranging from infancy to 13 years old.

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Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  A Masury man received his sentence Wednesday in a shooting case.

Joshua Bryant, 30, will spend three to four years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of felonious assault that included a mandatory one-year firearm specification, according to the Trumbull County Prosecutors Office.

The case involved an October 2024 shooting where Bryant shot at a Pennsylvania man five times near Addison Road.

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At the time, police said the victim reported that he went to Bryants home about the custody and registration of a dog. He said when he drove up to the area, Bryant began firing a gun at him, so he drove to the end of the road and flagged down an officer.

No one was hurt during the incident, but Bryant had already left before officers arrived.

The aftermath of the shooting led to an extensive search for Bryant, who was found and arrested at a Youngstown hospital, reports stated.

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Weve all heard that April showers bring May flowers, but what does May bring? May is a month full of spring! Temperatures get warmer, flowers bloom, and everything is green. So, lets dive into some weather folklore surrounding May.

Up first is the saying, When September has been rainy, the following May is generally dry. When May is dry, September is apt to be wet.

This one is a little less common for May folklore, but it draws a connection between May and September. According to the saying, a rainy September means a dry May. Springfield averages 4.31 of rainfall in September, but September 2024 was very dry with just 1.71 of rain.

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What does that mean for May, then? Well, this bit of folklore doesnt necessarily have an answer, but if you reverse the weather conditions from wet to dry in September, perhaps the same can be done for the following May.

Next up, A wet May will find a barn full of hay. There are many weather sayings for May that revolve around having a full barn. This ties into the saying, April showers bring May flowers, in that May is a month of growth and is usually lush.

Lastly, with the Papal Conclave set to make a decision soon in the Vatican, it only seems appropriate that the final May folklore be the 3 Chilly Saints. The 3 Chilly Saints are St. Mamertus, St. Pancras, and St. Gervais. These French saints celebrated their respective days on May 11, 12, and 13, marking the occasion with a feast.

The French believed in waiting until after these days had passed before doing any planting to avoid frost damage to plants. In the United States, a similar saying is to wait to plant until after Good Friday.

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May 7ROCHESTER  A team of four students from Mayo High School recently tied for fifth place in a national competition focused on current events and world knowledge, called Academic WorldQuest.

Three of the students  Evita Hansen, Hannah Tupper and Emma Lange  spoke about the experience during a Rochester School Board meeting on Tuesday, May 6. The fourth student on the team, Adelyn Crum, wasn't present.

"If anything, I think we're just so proud of how we did," Hansen said.

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Mayo is the only high school in Rochester that hosts an Academic WorldQuest team. This is the third time a team from Mayo has advanced to the national level.

The team secured its national standing after taking first-place at a state-level competition of Academic WorldQuest, hosted by the organization Global Minnesota. Although only the one team of four went to nationals, there were multiple other Mayo teams that competed at state. Two of the other teams from the school finished fourth and eighth in the state competition.

A representative for The World Affairs Councils of America, which hosts the Academic WorldQuest, said there were a total of 33 teams competing at the national competition.
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS, WEST INDIES / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Recent developments from the European Union's highest court have reignited global discourse around citizenship by investment. In particular, the ruling against Malta's citizenship programme has highlighted a critical legal and philosophical tension: should citizenship be seen as a commodity, and if so, under what terms?

As Chairman of the Citizenship by Investment Unit of St. Kitts and Nevis-the birthplace of modern economic citizenship-I believe this is an important moment for clarity. It is essential to distinguish between different models of investment migration, and to underline how fundamentally different the St. Kitts and Nevis programme is from those found in parts of Europe.

The core of the European Union's objection to Malta's programme lies in the very nature of EU citizenship. When a third-party national becomes a citizen of one EU Member State, they gain rights across the entire Union. This includes the ability to live, work, and move freely throughout all member states. EU citizenship is not confined to national borders-it is supranational. That is why the European Commission and the European Court of Justice have long argued that granting such status in exchange for financial investment alone risks undermining the integrity of the Union as a whole.

This is not the case for the Citizenship by Investment Programme of St. Kitts and Nevis, or for similar programmes across the Caribbean. Our programme does not confer-either explicitly or implicitly-any rights or privileges to reside, work, or establish permanent presence in the EU. Citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis may travel to the EU only for short stays, not exceeding 90 days within a 180-day period, purely for visitation purposes. These arrangements are based on reciprocal visa waiver agreements and do not amount to freedom of movement, residence, or employment.

When the St. Kitts and Nevis CBI Programme offers citizenship, it offers the privileges and responsibilities associated within our Federation-no more, no less.

This distinction is not semantic-it is structural, legal, and intentional. It means that our programme does not create external obligations or ramifications for other states. The benefits that flow from citizenship-such as visa-free travel to certain jurisdictions-are granted by other nations as a sign of trust in our systems, our due diligence, and our rule of law. We do not sell access to any other state; we offer inclusion into our own.

A Model Rooted in Responsibility

Our Citizenship by Investment Programme, first established in 1984 continually evolved to meet the highest levels of international scrutiny. In 2023, we St. Kitts and Nevis did a comprehensive reform of the due diligence framework, enhanced international vetting, and created the Sustainable Island State Contribution-a forward-looking investment mechanism that supports national development while aligning with global standards. In recent years, St. Kitts and Nevis has made continuous efforts to set a benchmark in the wealth migration industry. The major changes include spearheading the signing of MOA in order to set a minimum investment threshold across all the Caribbean 5 that offfers CBI Programmes and also transforming the CIU into a body corporate.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  The new mayor of St. Louis received a warm welcome from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle Wednesday at the Missouri Capitol.

Mayor Cara Spencer was introduced in the Missouri House and spoke with Speaker of the House Jon Patterson before taking pictures with legislators and talking to representatives within the city.

Spencer also met with Gov. Mike Kehoe. She told FOX 2 that it was a productive meeting on several topics, including the state takeover of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

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We talked a lot about the state taking over the police department, Spencer said. My ambitions are for safer streets, clamping down on reckless driving, being a part of that transition and having the citys voice at the table.

She also spoke about keeping St. Louis a vibrant city and region.

We talked about investing in downtown and how important it is for the state to have a successful downtown St. Louis, she said. I think the governor really gets that.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Portland Mayor Keith Wilson officially presented his $8.54 billion city budget to city councilors on Wednesday.

Though Wilsons colleagues at City Hall already gave some pushback on the preliminary plans earlier this week, it was the publics turn to give its two cents on the mayors first budget.

Pope selection process like the Catholic Super Bowl

Dozens of Portlanders gave testimony, with many highlighting their unhappiness with more funds for public safety.

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Mayor Wilson said he hopes to follow a back to basics approach by pushing for as few layoffs as possible and hoping to get more unhoused Portlanders off the streets.

Many people addressed the Mayors plans to allocate $604 million to public safety. The budget designates about half of that money to go toward the Portland Police Bureau, which some found disappointing.

However, Wilson remained steadfast in his budget decisions.

We have an unsafe city. If we dont invest in public safety, were not going to get that vibrancy and the livability back, which is very important for everybody, the mayor said.

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Anna So testified she isnt too thrilled about the potential for more police, a sentiment shared by others.

I think that theres just so much, you know, fear that comes along with policing and theyre not really providing any solutions, solutions for you know, peoples everyday needs or what needs to be invested in, So said.

Wildfires: Kotek expects above average severity

Wilson said on top of more money to PPB, he also wants to add 14 positions to the Portland Street Response teams. He said he understands the concern Portlanders have but hes standing strong in his push for more public safety.

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You know, we have these built-up concerns about being triggered, but when you actually look at it and you talk to people and guess people like to feel safe, Wilson said.

The budget is far from final as both the mayor and city councilors will likely make several alterations to his proposal before it becomes official. A final budget vote will be conducted by the Portland City Council by the end of June.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
HAVELOCK, N.C. (WNCT)  With hurricanes like Helene and Florence happening recently in North Carolina, emergency management officials gathered to prepare for the upcoming storm season.

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point hosted its first Emergency Management Summit Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

With different local, state and federal agencies all coming together at Cherry Point today, the goal is to figure out how they can all use their capabilities to work together in times of emergencies, MCAS Cherry Point Commanding Officer Col. Brendan Cletus Burks said. Today, we have all of our regional partners together to talk emergency management and it is a great opportunity for us to put faces with names, also to talk about our capabilities, kind of learn each other and what we bring to emergency management in response and then also talk about future support for each other. So great opportunity today.

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Some of those partners included other military installations in the state, nearby county emergency management officials and energy and internet companies.

All of them came together to network and learn how to have the best joint response to disasters. Here at Cherry Point, obviously majority of our Marines are civil servants and contractors that work here, live in our local community, Director of Mission Assurance for MCAS Cherry Point Grant DeHaven said. So, its about most important is that we are out there working with them and helping them recover from such a disaster as well.

DeHaven also shared what the MCAS learned from Hurricane Florence. The first place that local community will look, or one of the first places other than going to the state headquarters, is there, go down to a military installation and ask for help because we do have those mechanisms here.

They also discussed lessons learned from Hurricane Helene. There are ways to work together and the most important thing in an event like this is meeting the people youre going to end up working with in a disaster response, Director of Joint Staff North Carolina National Guard BG Wes Morrison said.

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On a normal day, we really, they do their own jobs, coming together like this makes us a stronger response agency, North Carolina Emergency Management Eastern Branch Manager Dianne Curtis said. This was the first year for this type of summit, so they hope to continue to have more in years to come.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Analysts with the state health department are raising the alarm about how proposed cuts to Medicaid would impact healthy systems and health outcomes across the state.

Recently, Republicans in Congress announced a plan to cut $880 billion from Medicaid. If passed, it would be the largest cut to Medicaid in its 60-year history.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released a report this week on the impact of these cuts. According to their report, a reduced federal matching rate would result in just over a billion dollar annual loss to the state budget.

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New Medicaid work requirements would see a loss of coverage for up to 290,000 Michiganders in the first year. Tax reforms for providers would yield a $2.3 billion payment decrease to state hospitals.

But the departments director warned, these cuts wont just impact people on Medicaid.

Its crucial to remember that people covered by Medicaid health plans are served in underserved areas, said Director Elizabeth Hertel in a statement to News 8s Detroit affiliate. If those facilities or hospitals have to close, its not only those covered by Medicaid who will lose access; everyone in that region will be affected.

As it stands now, Michigan has approximately 2.6 million Medicaid enrollees, representing 26% of the states population. Michigans Medicaid budget is approximately $27.8 billion for this fiscal year. Around 70% of that comes from federal funding.

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*Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the acronym for MDHHS. We regret the error, which has been corrected.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
For Stephen Reagan, Wednesday was a day Reagan has anticipated since first hearing of Ernest E. Evans.

Evans had never been honored in his hometown of Muskogee, and that is why the Ernest E. Evans Memorial Fund was established, Reagan said. "I knew what a great hero he was, and Muskogee needed to honor him. I wanted to make that happen."

Evans was honored Wednesday with the dedication of a monument in front of Three Rivers Museum.

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A 1926 graduate of Muskogee's Central High School, Evans was the commander of the USS Johnston, a Fletcher-class destroyer, which was sunk by Japanese forces in World War II and the Battle off Samar.

On Oct. 25, 1944, off the coast of the Philippines, Evans and the crew of the Johnston found themselves in harms way during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, according to a media release. On that day, Evans and his fellow destroyer captains launched an offensive attack against overwhelming odds against a much larger Japanese naval force, with the USS Johnston in the lead.

Not waiting for orders, Evans commanded the crew to begin a torpedo run, drawing fire away from the carriers, directly taking hits from three powerful 14-inch guns. Despite severe damage to his ship and his own wounds from Japanese fire, Evans repeatedly put the USS Johnston between the enemy and more vulnerable U.S. ships, saving the lives of thousands of sailors.

The monument has a bronze bust of Evans, sculpted by Paul Moore, wearing his Medal of Honor. In front of him is a model of the Johnston billowing smoke. The bust rests on a black granite block, designed by Muskogee Marble and Granite Company and is inscribed on the front with Evans' history and on the back with his Medal of Honor citation.

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Reagan became aware of Evans' heroics after reading a book "The Last of the Tin Can Sailors" by James D. Hornfischer.

"This is a great day," Reagan said. "I feel like it's one of the most significant things I've ever done. I've had a good life  a lot of accomplishments  but this is important to me."

Prior to the dedication, Muskogee Mayor Patric Cale thanked some of the people involved in getting the project started.

"I know Stephen Reagan and Mayor Marlon Coleman, they worked on this project together," Cale said. "Everybody's gonna love it. It's been a really, really nice project."

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Cale is also proud of the latest addition to the city honoring Muskogee's past.

"We've done a lot of tributes in the parks and some other statues around town," Cale said. "We're getting some really nice statues. It's nice to see the city growing and showing historical items."

The monument was unveiled by Gary Cooper and Mason Cale  the mayor's son  of Muskogee Marble and Granite Company.

The mayor felt pride when the monument was unveiled.

"This is an awfully, awfully small tribute when you think about what Commander Evans did," Cale said. "We're just honored to be able to participate."
On Thursday, 133 cardinals elected a new pope.

Cardinal Robert Prevost will be known as Pope Leo XIV.

Hailing from Chicago, he's the first pope from the US.

On May 8, white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel's chimney, indicating the College of Cardinals had elected a new pope.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, from Chicago, was then introduced as Pope Leo XIV.

He's the first pope from the US and the 267th pope overall.

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Here's what you need to know about Pope Leo XIV.

Robert Prevost was born in Chicago in 1955.

US Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost attends the funeral of Pope Francis in 2025. Franco Origlia/Getty Images

He's 69 years old and moved to Peru as a child, the BBC reported.

He's also a citizen of Peru, where he served as Archbishop of Chiclayo. He was 27 when he became ordained in 1982, The New York Times reported.

The new pope has a doctorate and is multilingual.

Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost, celebrates a Mass in 2025. Franco Origlia/Getty Images

He studied at Villanova University and the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago. In 1987, he received his doctor of canon law degree from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Pope Leo XIV speaks English, Spanish, and Italian.

Pope Francis appointed him to an important position.

Pope Francis and Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost in 2023. Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images

In 2023, the then-pope appointed Cardinal Prevost to the role of prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Latin America, which oversees bishop nominations all over the world, the AP reported.

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In 2024, Pope Leo said in an interview with Vatican News that a "bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom, but rather called authentically to be humble, to be close to the people he serves, to walk with them and to suffer with them."

A group of 133 cardinals elected him.

Cardinals of the Catholic Church at the papal conclave in 2005. Arturo Mari - Vatican Pool/ Getty Images

The process is known as the conclave. It took two days and four rounds of voting for the cardinals to agree on a new pope, per the AP.

Earlier this week, the National Catholic Reporter wrote that it was unlikely the US cardinal would become pope because of political implications. Yet Cardinal Prevost was considered a contender by others, especially as the week went on, ABC News reported.

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The new pope gave his first message Thursday.

Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, addresses the crowd from the balcony of the St Peter's Basilica in 2025. TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images

Speaking from St. Peter's Basilica balcony, Pope Leo XIV said, "Peace be with all you" in his first words in his new role. He spoke in Italian and then Spanish.

Some believe the new pope will continue his long commitment to helping poor communities and immigrants, following a similar course to his predecessor, Pope Francis, per Slate.

"My experience of Cardinal Prevost was that he's not a showboat," Father Mark R. Francis, who worked with Pope Leo in the past, recently told CBS News. "He's very calm, but extremely intelligent, and extremely compassionate."

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In February, he posted a story from The National Catholic Reporter on X with the headline "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Sources say First Lady Melania Trump has spent fewer than two weeks at the White House since her husbands inauguration in January.

While Melania is expected to make a rare return to Washington, D.C., on Thursday to unveil a postage stamp honoring former First Lady Barbara Bush and attend a ceremony for military mothers, she has been noticeably absent from the limelight during her husbands second term.

The first lady has made a handful of appearances in recent months beside her husband, including attending Pope Franciss funeral the day before her 55th birthday and the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn.

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Two sources told The New York Times that since Donald Trump returned to office on January 20, the former model is estimated to have spent less than 14 days at the White House.

That estimate might be generous, the report added, citing other sources.

Melania Trump, pictured beside her husband, President Donald Trump, last month, has stayed fewer than 14 days at the White House, sources say (Getty)

Paolo Zampolli, the former modeling agent who first spotted Melania in Milan in 1995 and introduced her to Trump at New Yorks Kit Kat Club in 1998, said that claims about the first ladys absence from the White House were misleading.

She loves the White House, said Zampolli, the incumbent U.S. special representative for global partnerships. And she loves the role of serving as our first lady.

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Unlike her predecessors, Melania is not believed to live at the White House full-time.

Instead, she is reported to have slipped out of the spotlight and made Trump Tower in New York, where her son Barron goes to university, her primary residence.

Regulars at Mar-a-Lago, where the president spends many weekends, say they dont often see Melania around the resort, according to The Times.

Melania Trump is believed to split her time between New York and Florida, sources say (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Ahead of President Trumps return to the Oval Office in January, Melania outlined her future plans during an interview on Fox & Friends.

I will be in the White House, she began. And, you know, when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach.

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Her priority, she said, was to be a mom, to be a first lady, to be a wife.

At the 2016 and 2020 GOP conventions, Melania gave prime-time speeches in support of her husbands nomination.

Her brief appearance at last years Republican National Convention marked one in a handful of times she has stood by her husbands side during the campaign trail.

She was absent during the presidents numerous court appearances  including Trumps five-week-long criminal hush money trial  until she re-emerged in several Fox News interviews while also posting a spate of cryptic social media posts to promote her self-titled memoir, Melania.
Where's Melania Trump?

The first lady is not in Palm Beach, Florida, on May 8, as she is scheduled to make a couple of public appearances at the White House in Washington, D.C.

At noon eastern, Trump will host the Celebration of Military Mothers in the East Room of the White House. The president is expected to join the first lady, according to his press schedule.

At 4 p.m. ET, Melania Trump will speak at the unveiling of a U.S. Postal Service stamp honoring former First Lady Barbara Bush.

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She has only made a handful of public remarks since her husband returned to office, making May 8 a busy day in her role as first lady.

Here is how to tune in:

Who is FLOTUS? What to know about Melania Trump

Watch the Celebration of Military Mothers with First Lady Melania Trump

Watch the unveiling of a stamp honoring former first lady Barbara Bush

C-SPAN is scheduled to broadcast the ceremony, which is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET.

What has Melania Trump done as first lady?

Melania Trump has used much of her public airtime in this presidency to endorse and lobby for the Take It Down Act, which criminalizes nonconsensual, explicit images created by artificial intelligence, often known as deepfakes.

In a rare moment of bipartisanship, Congress passed it with near-unanimous approval.

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"Its heartbreaking to witness young teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content, like deepfakes," Melania Trump said on March 3 while lobbying for the legislation.

Otherwise, she has only made a handful of public appearances since Jan. 20, 2025. She spoke at the International Women of Courage Awards, attended Pope Francis' funeral (the same day as her 55th birthday), and helped host the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.

(This story has been updated with new information.)

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: LIVE: Melania honors military moms, Barbara Bush ahead of Mother's Day
Melania Trump is urging mothers to prioritize their well-being, calling the birth of a child a life-changing event that makes women invincible and exposed at the same time, during a rare public appearance at the White House.

Its remarkable, really, that my sons life creates unimaginable, unpredictable concerns and trials for me even until this day, the first lady said Thursday at a Mothers Day reception aimed at recognizing military moms. Trump hosted similar Mothers Day events throughout her husbands first term in office.

All caring mothers understand this rare feeling  nothing against fathers  but in my opinion, and Im sure everyone in this room agrees, only a mother can grasp this particular point, the 55-year-old former model quipped to the audience as President Trump looked on in the East Room.

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Military mothers, Melania Trump said, have developed an extraordinary parallel journey  they are filled with stories of personal sacrifice, determination, loss and healing.

I urge you to prioritize your well-being. Nurture yourself, for your strength is the bedrock of a brighter future for our children. By caring for ourselves, we empower the next generation to thrive together, the mother of 19-year-old Barron Trump said.

In remarks at the event  also attended by Vice President Vance and second lady Usha Vance  the president praised his wife, saying, I especially want to thank one of the best moms that I know, that Ive ever seen. Sometimes shes almost too good.

She is so good with Barron. Hes grown up strong and nice, and hes a good boy, Trump said of his youngest son, a student at New York University.

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Youve done a great job, he told the first lady.

The president spoke just moments before white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new pope had been elected.

Asked for his reaction to the news that a new pope had been chosen to replace the late Pope Francis, Trump responded with a grin, Seen the smoke, but I havent seen the pope.

Melania Trump has kept a relatively low profile since the beginning of her husbands second term, making limited appearances in Washington. The Melania author said in January ahead of Trumps inauguration that she would be in the White House but would split her time in other cities where the couple has residences.

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And when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach. But my first priority is to be a mom, to be a first lady, to be a wife, she said at the time.

At the pre-Mothers Day gathering, the president saluted the military moms on behalf of every single American, saying they had made extraordinary sacrifices for family and country.

The commander in chief also lauded his own mom.

I had a great mother, he said of Mary Anne Trump, who died in 2000 at 88.

She was such an angel, he said to the crowd, filled with administration officials, lawmakers, and military families.

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Could be very tough, I will say. She had her tough moments, some difficult moments, Trump continued.

But overall, very, very good. I had a great one.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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(Reuters) -Vodafone finance chief Luka Mucic will be stepping down after less than three years in the role, the mobile group said on Wednesday, in a surprise move that could cloud the company's prospects.

The shift in management comes amid Vodafone's efforts to revive deteriorating performance in its biggest market, Germany. In February, its shares fell more than 6% and erased gains made in the past 12 months after Vodafone reported another drop in service revenue in the Germany. They have recovered since, but fell 1.4% on Wednesday after Mucic's move was announced.

Mucic, 53, has taken up an offer to be CEO of Germany's largest landlord Vonovia SE, as the company swaps out its long-serving chief executive in a bid to recover from an industry-wide real estate slump.

"Whilst I look forward to the next step in my career back in my native Germany, it has been rewarding to help shape the transformation and I have the utmost confidence of Vodafone's future success," Mucic said in a statement.

JPMorgan analyst Akhil Dattani in a note said while Mucics departure from Vodafone will "clearly come as a surprise," and is a "major blow" for the company, "his desire to pursue this new opportunity, is understandable."

The company has been hit by the end of pay-TV bulk contracts in apartment blocks in Germany, which came into full effect last year. It has warned that the financial hit to that market would take a few quarters to wash through.

Mucic, a German national who formerly also served as finance chief at SAP, was appointed as Vodafone's chief financial officer in September 2023.

He will be stepping down no later than early 2026, the company said.

Vodafone said that a "rigorous" search for his successor is ongoing, with an update expected in due course.

JPMorgan's Dattani said it could prove difficult to identify and attract top-talent given the timing constraints imposed by the move, which will also raise concerns about visibility.

Vodafone is set to report its annual results on May 20.

(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Sharon Singleton)
First lady Melania Trump has not been a central figure in her husbands second term as president, according to new reporting from The New York Times.



The outlet claims that President Donald Trumps wife has spent fewer than 14 days at the White House since her husband took office in January, with some sources even calling that estimate generous.

Katherine Jellison, a historian and first lady expert, told the Times: We havent seen such a low-profile first lady since Bess Truman, and thats going way back in living human memory, nearly 80 years ago.

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Melania has made a handful of political appearances during Donald's second term.

She spoke out against cyberbullying and revenge pornography during a congressional roundtable in early March and presented honors during the International Women of Courage Awards in April. She also attended the White House Easter Egg Roll.



BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Melania Trump awards Amat Al-Salam Al-Hajj during the International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony on April 1, 2025 Melania Trump awards Amat Al-Salam Al-Hajj during the International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony on April 1, 2025

The president and first lady traveled together to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome on April 26, which happened to fall on Melanias 55th birthday. However, as a practicing Catholic, sources said she was honored to celebrate the late religious leader.



"She respected the pope," a social source told PEOPLE at the time. "It is a sad time for Catholics around the world, and the first lady is honored to go to the funeral."



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Melanias absence from Washington, D.C., isnt a change of pace from Donald's first term, when she spent ample time at Trump Tower in Manhattan so as not to disrupt their son Barron's school schedule.

Prior to her husband's second term, Melania was clear about her plans to split time between the White House, their Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, and New York City, as Barron started his freshman year at NYU.

"I will be in the White House. And when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach, she said in a Jan. 13 interview on Fox & Friends. My first priority is to be a mom, to be a first lady, to be a wife."

John Moore/Getty Donald, Melania and Barron Trump celebrate election night on Nov. 6, 2024 Donald, Melania and Barron Trump celebrate election night on Nov. 6, 2024

Unlike more politically active recent first ladies like Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, Melania has seemingly always planned to be a hands-off presidential spouse.

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.

In February, a longtime social source told PEOPLE that the former model couldn't care less how she looks politically.

She doesnt believe she has obligations in the political world," the source added.



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First lady Melania Trump is honoring one of the memorable women who came before her, the late Barbara Bush.

Melania welcomed reporters and guests to the East Room of the White House on Thursday, May 8, where the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a stamp honoring Barbara, a former first and second lady of the United States who would have turned 100 years old in June.

In a speech admiring Barbara's impact as the wife and mother of U.S. presidents, Melania said, "While she is known for championing literacy, she also supported women's empowerment, changed the national conversation on AIDS, and took a stand supporting gay rights."

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"I applaud Mrs. Bush's mark defending our society's vital need for women across all avenues, whether CEO or homemaker," Melania added.

Related: The Most Iconic Moments Between Former First Ladies Caught on Camera

DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty The Barbara Bush stamp is unveiled in the White House East Room on May 8 The Barbara Bush stamp is unveiled in the White House East Room on May 8

The ceremony was attended by friends and loved ones of the former first lady, including Barbara's youngest child, daughter Doro Bush Koch, who teared up while delivering a speech on behalf of the Bush family.

Doug Tulino, the acting postmaster general, and Alice Yates, the CEO of the George & Barbara Bush Foundation, were also in attendance.



Barbara's son George W. Bush and daughter-in-law Laura Bush, who have long remained distant from the Trump family, were not present. President Donald Trump also appeared to skip the event.

DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Doro Bush Koch and Melania Trump pose in front of the Barbara Bush commemorative stamp on May 8 Doro Bush Koch and Melania Trump pose in front of the Barbara Bush commemorative stamp on May 8

Born Barbara Pierce  a descendant from the family that included 14th U.S. President Franklin Pierce  the future first lady married George H.W. Bush in 1945.

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The couple shared six children: George W., Robin, Jeb, Neil, Marvin and Dorothy, a.k.a. "Doro."

Barbara served as second lady for the eight years that her husband was Ronald Reagan's vice president, and then in 1988, they won the White House.

Getty Barbara and George Bush at the 1988 RNC with Dan and Marilyn Quayle Barbara and George Bush at the 1988 RNC with Dan and Marilyn Quayle

While she remained more of a maternal figure to the nation during her time as first lady, one of Barbara's most memorable moments came when she delivered the 1990 commencement address at Wellesley College.

Students had petitioned against her appearance after their graduating class's first choice speaker, Alice Walker, declined. However, Barbara went through with the speech and won the crowd over with her self-deprecating humor.

She brought the house down with her closing anecdote, musing about the possible future leaders among the graduates.

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"Who knows? Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the president's spouse  and I wish him well!' "

Related: George H.W. Bush Had the Longest Presidential Marriage: 'First Man I Ever Kissed,' Said Barbara

At the White House event on Thursday, Melania admired how Barbara's iconic speech "encouraged women to carve their own paths in life."

"Over 35 years have passed since Barbara made the call for a female American president, a reflection of her forward-thinking vision," she said. "Mrs. Bush's legacy is marked by her respect for tradition, while also breaking with convention."

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Related: A Look Back at Our All-Time Favorite First Lady Portraits Adorning the White House

Dr. Jill Biden has also cited Barbara as an inspiration for her tenure as first lady in a speech given shortly after President Joe Biden's inauguration in January 2021.

"Mrs. Bush reminded us that we all have a role to play as we make our communities better and stronger. And she brought Americans from all walks of life together to do just that," Dr. Biden told a crowd at the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy's National Summit on Adult Literacy. "I hope to do the same."

"We can change the world in big ways and small ones. And Mrs. Bush reminded us that we need both."

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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.



Barbara died on April 17, 2018. She was followed by her husband just a few months later, on Nov. 30, 2018.

They are survived by their personal and political legacy, which includes six children, 17 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.



Read the original article on People
Melinda French Gates entered some of the most powerful circles while leading the foundation she co-founded with her ex-husband, Bill Gates.

She petitioned heads of state and convened other billionaires. Along with Gates, she won the trust of one of America's most admired investors, Warren Buffett, who has given more than $43 billion to the former couple's foundation.

French Gates, who studied computer science and worked at Microsoft, the company Gates created, exited the Gates Foundation last year to pursue philanthropy and investment through her own organization, Pivotal Ventures, which she started in 2015. The foundation changed its name from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation after her departure.

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At an ELLE Women of Impact event in New York in April, which also launched her new memoir, French Gates said she left, in part, to respond to the U.S. rollback of womens rights.

I thought, I want to be much more nimble than this, and I want to be able to set the agenda by myself without having to ask anybody else, and do it with my partners, she said.

French Gates offered written responses to The Associated Press' questions about the foundations 25th anniversary and its decision to close in 2045. She said the former couple had always intended to spend down their resources.

Ultimately, though," she wrote, the timeline was Bills decision to make with the board of trustees.

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The following responses have been edited for length.

Q: What do you hope the foundations legacy will be?

A: To me, the greatest measure of success would be if long after the foundation closed, someone, somewhere, was living a life that looked different because we existed. We talked a lot there about unlocking virtuous cycles. I like to think that right now, the foundations work is contributing to a child getting a vaccine or a woman opening her first bank account  and that decades from now, their families and communities are going to continue to look different, because of what that child and that woman unlocked for the people around them.

Q: What specific areas did you influence at the foundation?

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A: I was excited for us to launch the Giving Pledge because I believe that the most responsible thing to do with great wealth is give it away  and that you have an obligation to society to give it away as effectively as possible. I think its important for people in that position to set norms around giving generously and to learn as much as possible from each other about how to be effective in their philanthropy.

(As for gender), for too long, global health and development efforts treated women and girls as secondary  if they were considered at all. Data wasnt collected on their experiences. Their specific health needs were often ignored.

There were so many questions that needed to be asked: What is the cost of all the unpaid labor women do at home? Will mobile banking make a difference if women dont have equal access to cellphones? Why are so many infectious diseases especially dangerous for women?

We opened a gender equality division, but not just that  we made gender equality a priority across all of our work. And we put a lot of resources into expanding access to contraception, starting with a big commitment we made in 2012.

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Q: Why did you invest in opening more offices in other countries?

A: When youre doing this kind of work, it doesnt take long to see that solutions that seem great on paper may not work in reality. We funded community toilets in India that people  especially women wouldnt use because they were dangerous to go to at night. We funded vaccines in Vietnam that had to be kept cold, but came in packaging that didnt fit into the small refrigerators most people had there. We funded a simple pump to help East African farmers irrigate their land, but women  who account for half of all smallholder farmers  wouldnt buy it, because they didnt want to be seen swaying their hips in the way the pump required.

There are many ways to learn about the cultural norms and logistical issues that determine whether a solution is feasible  and they all boil down to engaging people with local knowledge and lived experience, and trusting what they tell you.

Q: Some foundation goals  like eradicating polio and controlling malaria  depend on the generosity of other countries and donors. How can you accomplish those goals given recent cuts to international aid?

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A: Its easy for people to forget  or maybe they didnt ever know  how hopeless the situation seemed around the year 2000, when malaria, tuberculosis and HIV were totally out of control. Since then, efforts funded, in large part, by development aid have saved more than 65 million lives from those diseases alone.

No doubt the work has just gotten a lot harder, but we never thought it was going to be easy. And we still have the key ingredients of success. The pipeline of innovations has never been stronger. More lower-income countries are taking a leading role. As some donors announce cuts, others are stepping up.

____

The Associated Press receives financial support for news coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation and for news coverage of women in the workforce and in statehouses from Melinda French Gates organization, Pivotal Ventures.

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___

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
Good morning! Bumble makes new hires before a tough earnings, Penny Pritzker gets swept up in Harvard-Trump drama, and Fortunes Alexa Mikhail talks to Melinda French Gates about gigantic news from the Gates Foundation.

- 20-year plan. For the last several months, Ive been working alongside Fortune Senior Editor at Large Geoff Colvin on a feature package about the 25th anniversary of the Gates Foundation. We exclusively reported this morning that the foundation, which spent $100 billion in its first 25 years, will double its spending to $200 billion in the next 20 years to fight the worlds deadliest diseases, reduce maternal and child deaths, and ease poverty. After which, the foundation will spend its last dollar and shut its doors in 2045an unprecedented move in the world of philanthropy.

To understand the sweeping implications of this decision, Colvin and I interviewed both Gateses, alongside over 30 researchers, grantees, and outside experts. I was also able to visit Gates-funded efforts in South Africa, bearing witness to programs on the ground in townships outside of Johannesburg and Cape Town that investigate the causes of five million children dying before their fifth birthday, deliver HIV prevention to young adults, and enroll participants in a Phase III trial with what could be the worlds first new tuberculosis vaccine in 100 years.

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Melinda French Gates has played a pivotal role in global health since the turn of the century, when she cofounded and served as co-chair of the then-Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for over two decades before stepping down in 2024 following her divorce from Bill Gates.

It's kind of unbelievable to think about the progress that has been made, French Gates told me in her offices in Kirkland, Wash., in February, as she reflected upon the foundations 25th anniversary. In her role, French Gates traveled across the world to learn about the needs of children and families. She has since championed getting vaccines to children in low and middle-income countries, spoken on the world stage about how family planning and contraceptives are the most important poverty reducers, and taken philanthropic advice from Warren Buffett, who contributed a large portion of his wealth to the foundation.

Now, on the outside looking in, she told Fortune that she supports the foundation's massive $200 billion announcement.

I think its a fantastic decision, she said, noting that the plan was always that the vast majority of those resources were to go back to society. This commitment comes as reports find investments in Africa from the U.S. for gender-associated funds are struggling as a result of President Trumps rhetoric on DEI.

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As for her current work, French Gates is more eager than ever to set more of an agenda here in the United States. Gates launched Pivotal Ventures in 2015 to focus on gender equality in the U.S., and is putting all of her resources into it. She recently published a memoir, where she discussed that work as well as her divorce.

I have seen the rollbacks in this country, and I know that only 2% of philanthropy goes to organizations that work on gender, she said. This is the time for me to step inI can more easily and more flexibly use every tool in my toolbox.

Last year, French Gates made a $1 billion commitment to support organizations and individuals elevating gender equality and helping women step into their power. I don't know, there's something about turning 60. My mom says you get even more opinionated, maybe because you have less time, she said, laughing.

And what is she more opinionated about?

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I want this world to be better in the United States for my granddaughter than it is today. And right now, she has less rights than I had growing up, and that just shouldn't be, she said. I am absolutely doing grant making internationally, but the majority will be in the United States.

Whats more, French Gates has a message to the worlds wealthiest about the necessityand moral imperativeof giving back.

If you're a billionaire in the United States, you benefited from this country. You benefited from good roads. You probably benefited somewhere along the way from the health sector, she said. People in other places don't have those things, and so yes, we owe something back to society, and there are lots of ways to do it.

Read my full interview with Melinda French Gates here and read the full story on the future of the Gates Foundation here.

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Alexa Mikhail

alexa.mikhail@fortune.com

The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortunes daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Todays edition was curated by Joey Abrams. Subscribe here.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Rodney and RowVaughn Wells, parents of Tyre Nichols, talk to reporters in the Tennessee Capitol on March 14, 2024. A jury on Wednesday found three former Memphis police not guilty in the beating death of Nichols. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Memphis lawmakers expressed their devastation Wednesday at an out-of-town jurys verdict finding three former Memphis police officers not guilty in the death of Tyre Nichols.

Nichols, 29, died in 2023 after police beat him during a traffic stop.

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The jury found three former officers  Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith  not guilty of all charges, including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. They deliberated for about nine hours following a 10-day trial.

In a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, Tennessee House Democratic Leader Karen Camper said the verdict leaves a deep wound in our community and renewed calls for justice and accountability.

It is particularly troubling that an all-white jury from Hamilton County was brought into Shelby County to hear this case  a decision that distanced the proceedings from the very community most impacted by this tragedy, Camper said. That move has understandably raised concerns about fairness and trust in the legal process.

Nichols had run from the scene of the traffic stop after being pepper-sprayed. Police body cameras and surveillance footage captured police striking and kicking Nichols, restraining him and taking him into custody.

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Nichols died three days later due to blunt force trauma to the head, according to his autopsy. Investigators at the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center ruled Nichols death a homicide.

In total, five officers were fired from the Memphis Police Department for their roles in Nichols death. Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations in 2024, and reportedly intend to plead guilty to state charges as well.

Bean, Haley and Smith were convicted in federal court of obstruction of justice and witness tampering. Haley was also found guilty of violating Nichols civil rights. They have yet to be sentenced.

Shelby County Legislative Delegation Chairman Rep. Torrey Harris said Wednesday that liberty and justice for all proved to be empty words on a paper.

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Todays verdict does not change the fact all are facing considerable time in prison, Harris said. For those who watched the video and were sickened by the savage beating of Mr. Nichols, we all must remember that our faith  or lack thereof  in the system has been justified. Justice is still being served federally and todays verdict does nothing to change that.

Rep. Antonio Parkinson, a Memphis Democrat, wrote, all I can think about is the family of Tyre Nichols and how incredibly heartbreaking this must be for them. A truly unfathomable pain.

State Sens. Raumesh Akbari and London Lamar, both Memphis Democrats, issued statements conveying their heartbreak and anger.

My heart is with Tyres family and everyone in our community carrying the weight of this painful outcome, Lamar stated. More than ever, Memphis  and communities across our state  need police officers who protect and serve, not intimidate and harm.

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Attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who have represented Nichols parents, called the verdicts a devastating miscarriage of justice.

The world watched as Tyre Nichols was beaten to death by those sworn to protect and serve. That brutal, inhumane assault was captured on video, yet the officers responsible were acquitted, Crump and Romanucci stated.

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A controversial case had an equally conflicting ending in Memphis this week. The three police officers accused of beating a Black man to death in 2023 were found not guilty on all charges.

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith faced second-degree murder charges, along with aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression. The jury cleared them of all charges, and Shelby County Criminal Court Judge James Jones Jr. ordered that they be released, prompting an emotional hug between the trio and their lawyers. It is worth noting that Bean, Haley, and Smith still face jail time for federal convictions related to Nichols death.

We respect the jurys decision, but we obviously strongly disagree with it, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy told reporters. We, in good faith, brought this case, and I am convinced to this day that we had compelling evidence that showed that there was proof for every element of every one of the offenses that we charged. The jury took a different view. That is, of course, their right. Thats the part of the decision. Mulroy said that he was surprised not to see a single guilty verdict given the compelling evidence provided, and that he had no explanation for it. A police training officer and use-of-force expert even testified on their behalf, stating that the three officers conduct was excessive and unnecessary.

Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, legal representatives for Tyre Nichols family, described the acquittal as a devastating miscarriage of justice, and NAACP President Derrick Johnson echoed the sentiment. Tyre and his family deserve true justice  not only in the courtroom, but in Congress, by passing police reform legislation once and for all, he said in statement. Traffic stops should never be a death sentence, and a badge should never  ever  be a shield to accountability.

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This trial stemmed from the three Memphis police officers pulling over the late Tyre Nichols, a FedEx employee and photographer, for alleged reckless driving back in January 2023. Footage showed them yelling at Nichols to get out of his car, and him responding that he didnt do anything.

They eventually got him down on the ground and tased and pepper-sprayed him before he escaped. They caught up with him and beat him some more while he yelled for his mother. Nichols died three days later, setting off another wave of police brutality protests around the country.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Two men were arrested again after being released by court order on contempt of court charges, says the DeSoto County Sheriffs Office.

The sheriffs office said Justin Alexander and Chad Johnson both had indictments for non-violent drug offenses.

Alexander was arrested again in DeSoto County, and Johnson was arrested again in Memphis.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has criticized the behaviour of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) during President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's speech in the Bundestag on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

"You might have seen the different degree of applause this morning between the different parliamentary groups we are having in parliament," Merz said after the commemorative event during a discussion with participants of the international youth camp "Youth4Peace" at the Chancellery.

"My guess was that the AFD, the so-called Alternative fur Deutschland, didn't like most of the speech the president gave this morning. This shows that the division of thinking and how we estimate our democracy is dividing our parliament," he added.

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"That's the reason why I'm feeling extremely challenged by that development we are faced with over the last 10 years now. We have to do our work thoughtfully and carefully, but we have to engage ourselves and we have to encourage you from whatever country you come from. But our democracies are at a test."

During the speech, only a few AfD members of parliament applauded at times, in contrast to all other parliamentary groups.

In his commemorative address, Steinmeier warned against isolationism, aggressive nationalism and contempt for democratic institutions.

He expressed concern about the growth of extremist forces in his own country, but without mentioning the AfD by name.
Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz has rejected reports that he will declare a "national emergency" to ensure permanent checks at Germany's borders.

"The chancellor will not declare a national emergency," a government spokesperson told dpa on Thursday.

The new government wants to activate Article 72 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the German daily Die Welt reported. The ambassadors of Germany's neighbouring countries would be informed of this at the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

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This article essentially preserves national sovereignty in matters of law enforcement and security

Article 72 contains a so-called emergency clause. According to this, exceptions to the ban on rejections at the borders are possible if public order or national security is threatened.

The Ministry of the Interior in Berlin confirmed on X that the ambassadors of neighbouring countries had been invited. However, this was done to inform them about the measures previously decided upon to intensify existing internal border controls.

The X-post went on to say: "At this meeting, it was mutually emphasized that we will continue to work closely together in a spirit of partnership."
This story was originally published on Retail Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Retail Dive newsletter.

Dive Brief:

Walmart debuted its Grow with US initiative, which provides U.S. small businesses with training, mentorship and resources to grow in collaboration with the retail giant, according to a press release.

With the program, Walmart is offering participating businesses access to mentors, its Supplier Academy curriculum and financial support via its Early Payment Program and Bridge Marketplace. Small businesses will also have a chance to present their businesses at product discovery opportunities like its U.S. Open Call event, RangeMe product discovery tool or the Walmart Marketplace, according to the press release.

In June, Walmart will begin accepting applications for its annual Open Call event in October, during which small and mid-sized businesses can promote their products to Walmart and Sams Club merchants, per the press release.

Dive Insight:

Walmarts Grow with US program is part of its broader efforts to reach small businesses, which comprise more than 60% of its American suppliers. Ahead of its Open Call event in Bentonville, Arkansas, Walmart is hosting a series of pop-up events in May, where businesses can meet with Walmart buyers, receive feedback on their ideas and potentially win a pass to its October Open Call, the release said.

The companys Grow with US is part of its small business development efforts globally, including Crece con Walmart in Mexico and Vriddhi in India, the release noted.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities and there are countless stories of how businesses  are finding long-term growth and success with Walmart, John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., wrote in a blog post. Were excited to continue providing support for and championing the achievements of these businesses every step of the way.

The Walmart initiatives come at a time when small businesses are bracing for the impacts of President Donald Trumps looming trade war. Unlike Walmart, small businesses lack the power to negotiate with suppliers, nor can they withstand wholesale and manufacturing price increases, according to Greg Stoller, master lecturer at the Boston University Questrom School of Business.

While some executives have been trying to persuade President Trump to reverse course, small businesses have taken a different route: the courts. Last month, several small businesses teamed up to challenge President Trumps tariffs in the U.S. Court of International Trade.
Friedrich Merz has told Washington to stay out of his countrys domestic politics ahead of his first phone call with Donald Trump.

The chancellor criticised the interference from the Trump administration over Berlins recent decision to classify the far-Right Alternative for Germany [AfD] party as an extremist group.

The American government must accept how we deal with our democratic institutions, and how we deal with political parties which are classified, for instance, as Right-wing extremist organisations, he told Die Welt.

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The Americans would also probably object to our interventions in American domestic politics. That is our business, we decide it, not the American government, he added.

Mr Merzs comments came ahead of a scheduled phone call with Mr Trump on Thursday, where the US and German leaders will speak for the first time.

US-German relations have been strained by Mr Trumps recent tariff bonanza, his bullying approach to key German ally Ukraine, and his administrations courting of the AfD party, which came in second place in elections in February.

When Germanys domestic intelligence services announced last week that it would classify the AfD as an extremist group, the move was heavily criticised by JD Vance, the US vice-president, and Marco Rubio, the secretary of state.

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Mr Rubio demanded that Germany reverse course, while Mr Vance claimed on X: The AfD is the most popular party in Germany, and by far the most representative of East Germany. Now the bureaucrats try to destroy it.

The AfD, led by Alice Weidel, was founded in 2017 as a Eurosceptic movement but pivoted towards anti-migrant populism after the 2015 refugee crisis, when Angela Merkel, the former chancellor, opened the borders to millions of refugees.

Ms Weidel says the party is a normal Right-wing conservative party, which has been targeted by the German elite because of its tough talk on migration and success in the last elections.

But senior AfD members have weathered a string of scandals over playing down the atrocities of the Nazis, using its slogans in speeches, suggesting that not all SS soldiers were war criminals, and allegedly spying on behalf of Russia and China.

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The extremist label for the AfD could open the door to the party being banned outright in Germany, a decision that would lie with the countrys powerful Federal Constitutional Court.

In the west German state of Baden-Wurttemberg, the Green party-led state government has called for a formal review of civil servants who are members of the AfD.

The review could lead to the dismissal of AfD-affiliated civil servants, based on the extremist label, or the removal of any weapons permits they hold. In rural Germany, it is relatively common for civilians to have weapons permits for hunting or competitive shooting.

On Thursday, Switzerland criticised Mr Merz over his governments announcement that it would turn away asylum seekers without papers from its borders, warning it was a breach of EU rules.

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From Switzerlands perspective, systematic rejections at the border violate applicable law. Switzerland regrets that Germany took these measures without consultation. The Swiss authorities are monitoring the effects and considering appropriate measures, the Swiss federal office of justice said.

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By Sarah Marsh

BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed on the need to quickly resolve trade disputes in their first phone call since Merz took office earlier this week, a German government spokesperson said.

Trump congratulated Merz on taking office, the spokesperson said, while Merz assured him that "80 years after the end of the Second World War, the United States remains an indispensable friend and partner of Germany."

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The two leaders also agreed on the need to closely cooperate with the aim of ending the war in Ukraine, the spokesperson said.

Merz has adopted a markedly critical tone of the Trump administration since his conservatives won the federal election in February.

On the night of the election he warned that Europe needed to become independent of the United States given the Trump administration's apparent indifference to its fate.

The transatlanticist, who for 10 years led an association aimed at promoting German-U.S. understanding, also criticised the "ultimately outrageous" comments flowing from Washington during the campaign, comparing them to hostile interventions from Russia.

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He urged the administration earlier this week to stay out of domestic German politics after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the German domestic intelligence agency's decision to brand far-right party the Alternative for Germany "extremist".

Merz has also been critical of Trump's widespread imposition of tariffs that are particularly damaging to Germany's export-oriented economy, calling instead for the complete abolition of tariffs between the European Union and the United States.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier accused the United States on Thursday of a "betrayal of values."

"It is nothing less than a double epochal rupture  Russias war of aggression, and Americas betrayal of values  it marks the end of the long 20th century," he said in a speech to parliament.

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Russia, he argued, is endangering the peaceful order that was built after the end of World War II and the Allied victory over Nazi Germany.

"But the fact that it is now of all countries the United States  which played a decisive role in shaping that order  that is turning away from it, is a shock of an entirely new magnitude," he added.

(Reporting by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Leslie Adler and Alistair Bell)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Metro Parks wants your help determining the name of a new park coming to a North Nashville neighborhood.

For over a year, the Metro Parks and Recreation Department has been working on plans for a brand new, 59-acre park located near the intersection of West Trinity Lane and Whites Creek Pike. The first informational meeting was held on May 30, 2024, at the Hartman Regional Community Center with Parks officials and representatives from design team Gresham Smith.

According to documents from the presentation, some possible items that could be included in the park include adult fitness equipment stations, different kinds of playgrounds for children, trailhead signage, restroom screening and access trails.

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According to Metro District 2 Councilwoman Kyontze Toombs, the main entrance for the new park will be on Aldrich Lane next to Parkwood Ballpark off Ewing Drive. The southern portion of the park will have a walking entrance from the Trinity Hills neighborhood.

Franklin Pride returns to the Park at Harlinsdale Farm for 5th year

Toombs told News 2 the original idea of putting a park in that area was actually first broached several years ago, when Habitat for Humanity started establishing its affordable homes. In an agreement with Metro, Habitat was able to purchase some of the land in question with the understanding they would turn 6 acres of it into parkland to be deeded back to Metro.

Metro, in turn, would use those 6 acres plus another 53 acres of city-owned land in the Trinity Hills area into a green space. After several years, those plans are finally coming close to fruition, according to Toombs.

The area near the Trinity Hills neighborhood where the North Nashville park will be located (Courtesy: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville) The area near the Trinity Hills neighborhood where the North Nashville park will be located (Courtesy: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville)

Theres a growing need or desire in the community to have even more green spaces and options to get out and enjoy neighborhoods, she said. Before I got into office there was a desire to keep that space green, because theres creeks there, theres an endangered salamander species that folks want to preserve.

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Keeping the land as a city park not only preserves that endangered salamander species; it also prevents higher-density development in a largely single-family residential neighborhood of Nashville, Toombs added.

Its mostly a single-family area, and just as the area grows, theyre just wanting to preserve as much green space as possible, space that folks can get out and enjoy and not just be surrounded by new construction, she told News 2.

Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More

While still in the design phase, Metro Parks officials have opened up an opinion survey for potential names of the park.

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According to the survey, four names are considered contenders for the new park:

Trinity Hills Park  named for the neighborhood area

Senator Thelma Harper Park  named for the first African-American woman to serve as a state senator in Tennessee and the longest-serving state senator in Tennessee history, who was a resident of the neighborhood

Salamander Park  named for the endangered salamander species that resides in the park area

A. Barbouri Park  named for the specific endangered species of salamander in the area, Ambystoma Barbouri

Neighborhood residents who fill out the survey will be asked to rank those four options in order of preference.

Additionally, they will also have an option to submit an alternative name suggestion. If residents opt to submit an alternative name, they must also include an explanation and/or background information supporting the submission.

| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Nashville and Davidson County

If residents want to submit the name of an individual, they must not be currently living, according to the survey. Any names submitted will be thoroughly vetted by the Metro Parks Board Naming Committee.

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The feedback from the survey will be used by Parks officials, and the final name selection will ultimately come from the Naming Committee and voted on by the Metro Parks Board, according to the survey.

Theres a lot of opportunities coming to the area for folks to have a lot of green space to enjoy, to get out and walk, bike, exercise, bring their kids to the playground, have family gatheringstheres going to be plenty of space to do it in, Toombs told News 2.

Do you have news happening in your neighborhood? Let us know by sending an email to neighborhoodnews@wkrn.com.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday said that repatriations of Mexican citizens from the United States had increased in recent weeks, mostly via flights, as the U.S. government ramps up deportations of migrants across the region.

The United States deported 37,471 Mexicans and 5,511 migrants of other nationalities to the country since U.S. President Donald Trump began his presidency, Sheinbaum told journalists in a daily press conference.

Sheinbaum said that repatriations had increased in the last two weeks, largely to airports in the southern cities of Villahermosa and Tapachula, as well as to the Felipe Angeles airport outside of Mexico City.

(Reporting by Raul Cortes; Editing by Kylie Madry)
(Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

New Mexico health officials on Wednesday reported the first measles case in Curry County, afflicting an infant, and warned of possible exposures last week at a social services office and Walmart.

Additionally, three more measles cases emerged in Lea County, bringing New Mexicos case total to 71.

Health officials have now diagnosed measles in five counties: Chaves, Curry, Dona Ana, Eddy and Lea.

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Seeing measles in a new county underscores the need to remain vigilant and get vaccinated, NMDOH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Miranda Durham said in a statement. It also serves as a reminder the measles outbreak in New Mexico isnt over. We urge New Mexicans to make sure their vaccination records are up to date.

Between Feb.1 and May 3, 23,706 New Mexicans received a vaccine, nearly double the 2024 rate of 12,985 during the same time frame. Two doses of the vaccine can provide 97% protection against measles infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Measles, a highly contagious respiratory virus spread through contact with droplets from an infected person talking, coughs or sneezes. Symptoms can take one to three weeks to appear, and people can spread measles before showing a fever, red eyes, cough, headache or the spotty red rash.

Health officials said people at the following locations may be exposed to measles:

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April 30, from 10:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., at the WIC Agency, 1216 Cameo St. in Clovis.

April 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. at Walmart, 3728 N. Prince Street in Clovis.

May 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Firehouse Subs, 3734 N. Grimes Street., Suite. A in Hobbs.

May 4 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Bobs Thriftway, 904 Avenue D in Lovington.

The current United States measles outbreak is the worst in 30 years, with cases reported in 30 of the 50 states and in Canada and Mexico.

Across New Mexico, school nurses say they remain on alert for measles cases, while working to build trust with parents about vaccinations.

After the outbreak first began in mid-February, one of the first things Desiree Smith, a school nurse in Portales for the past 15 years, did was reach out to parents of unvaccinated children.

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We wanted to let them know the process if their child was exposed, or has the measles, Smith said, noting that the latest guidance from NMDOH is for unvaccinated children to not attend school for 21 days from the last exposure. She said depending on the district, plans would need to be in place for remote learning during that period.

We did have a couple of parents who had their children vaccinated after I explained the dangers of measles, obviously, the exposure time and time away from the classroom, she said.

School nurses in New Mexico are responsible for reviewing students vaccine records, which are required by state law to be up to date. New Mexico, unlike other states, does not allow for personal or philosophical exemptions, but does allow for religious or medical exemptions, which must be updated every year.

Smith, who is also the director of the New Mexico School Nurse Association, said educational health providers are both potential first responders to an outbreak and play a crucial role in addressing the falling vaccine rates furthering spread.

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Since COVID we have had we have seen a lot more vaccine hesitancy, Smith said.

According to NMDOH data, New Mexico exemption rates are rising. Taos County has the highest exemption percentage at 3.35%, followed by De Baca County at 2.96% of students and Harding County in third at 2.70%.

New Mexico school vaccine exemption rates by county during 2023-2024 school year. (Courtesy of NMDOH)

Smith said she and other school nurses received guidance from the state health department in February to reach out to parents with exemptions, and alert them about the measles outbreak. Smith, who also sits on the board of the National Association of School Nurses, said the larger goal is to keep kids healthy enough for school.

As school nurses, we just want what is best for the children, were trying to make sure they are safe, healthy and ready to learn and that time out of the classroom is minimized as much as possible, she said. Vaccination is one of the best ways to do that.

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Supreme Court of New Mexico: (from left) Justice Julie J. Vargas, Justice Michael E. Vigil, Chief Justice David K. Thomson, Justice C. Shannon Bacon, and Justice Briana H. Zamora. (Photo courtesy of the Supreme Court.)

The state Supreme Court on Thursday issued a unanimous opinion it says reconciles conflicting rulings by the Court of Appeals regarding the states Whistleblower Protection Act.

Specifically, the new opinion says for a public employee to receive protection under the act, disclosures about wrong or illegal actions by a public employer must benefit the public in some way.

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While case law is sparse regarding the Whistleblower Protection Act, the opinion says, the Appeals Court decision in the case of corrections officer Manuel Lerma conflicted with one of its earlier rulings, the state Supreme Court said, and too narrowly interpreted the law.

Lerma, who had 16 years experience with the New Mexico Corrections Department, transferred to a new facility where he guarded the prisons sally port and ensured, as safety protocol that one side of the dual-gate system remained closed when the other was open. dual-gate system was to have one gate closed when opening the other gate as a safety protocol.

Lermas strict enforcement of this protocol led to disagreement between him and other transportation division corrections officers, who wanted him to leave both gates open at the same timeso they could come and go as they pleased. Lerma alleges that one day while he was driving home from the prison, his vehicle kept [being] block[ed] when it was sandwiched between two vehicles, each driven by a DOC employee, causing him to pull his vehicle over and stop in an empty lot. Plaintiff, fearing for [his] life, was beaten by a fellow corrections officer. A prison supervisory lieutenant filmed the altercation using his agency-issued cell phone.

Lerma reported both the pushback on the protocol and the violent episode, and Corrections cited and disciplined two people involved for what the department acknowledged as egregious conduct. Lerma, however, contends he was reassigned after disclosing as retaliation.

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He subsequently filed a lawsuit citing violations of whistleblower protections, which a district court dismissed in response to Corrections Department arguments that Lermas grievances were personal and not covered by the act. Lerma challenged the district courts summary judgement against him and the Appeals Court ruled in his favor, saying his grievances did not have to be for the benefit of the public. This, the state Supreme Court said in its opinion today, is incorrect.

A public employees disclosure of illegality or wrongdoing qualifies for protected whistleblower status, if otherwise eligible, so long as the disclosure confers a benefit on the public, irrespective of which benefit  public or personal  may be said to predominate, the opinion written by Chief Justice David K. Thomson said.

The court returned the case to the Appeals Court to decide if Lerma qualifies for whistleblower protection under that standard of public benefit.

A typographical error misspelling of Manuel Lermas last name was corrected following publication. Source regrets the error.
TROY, Ohio (WDTN)  Every year since 1999, law enforcement in Miami County gather to remember those theyve lost in the line of duty.

On the first Wednesday of every May, the community gathers to hold Police Memorial Day at the Courthouse Plaza, where a monument honors fallen law enforcement officers.

Retired Hamilton Co. deputy killed Friday identified as 33-year veteran

The memorial honored eight service members that have died in the line of duty  with the most recent addition from 2019 when an officer was killed on I-75.

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People hear it on the news that an officer lost their lives, but to know the officers here in this community in Miami County, eight of them have given their lives to help protect them over the years, said Deputy Sheriff Billie Ray, Miami County Sheriffs Office.

Law enforcement says the memorial is held to remember those whove died and to let them and their family know, they are not forgotten.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
Miami police raided an apartment building Wednesday evening searching for evidence in connection with a murder investigation in New York.

Miami officers, along with members of the Suffolk County Police Department, served a warrant around 2:30 p.m. at the Miami Riverfront Residences at 2601 NW 16th Street Road and encountered five people, said Miami police Officer Michael Vega.

Three ran away. But a man and woman, who are part of the homicide investigation in Long Island, New York, barricaded themselves inside a room in the seventh-floor apartment, Vega said.

Miami police officers gather outside the Miami Riverfront Residences at 2601 NW 16th Street Road Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Police helped Suffolk County Police detectives conduct a search warrant at a unit there in connection with a Long Island homicide.

Officers tried for almost four hours to negotiate with them to come out. Around 6 p.m., police went into the apartment and arrested them without incident, Vega said.

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Suffolk County officers found the items they were looking for, but Miami police would not disclose it.

The man and woman were taken to Miami police homicide headquarters and interviewed by the New York detectives, Vega said.

Miami police officers gather outside the Miami Riverfront Residences at 2601 NW 16th Street Road Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Police helped Suffolk County Police detectives conduct a search warrant at a unit there in connection with a Long Island homicide.

Miami police did provide details of the Long Island homicide, but Vega said the man and woman in custody had recently driven to South Florida from New York.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Michael Pitt, star of HBOs Boardwalk Empire, was arrested and arraigned in Brooklyn last week on nine criminal counts, including sexual abuse and assault. The charges stem from incidents alleged to have occurred between 2020 and 2021.

Pitt, 43, entered a not-guilty plea to all counts during his May 2 court appearance. His legal team maintains his innocence, calling the claims unsubstantiated and vowing to prove his innocence in court.

A grand jury indictment obtained by People details the allegations, which include oral sex without consent, forcible touching, and multiple assaults. The indictment outlines incidents on four separate dates between April 2020 and August 2021, though it remains unclear whether the same alleged victim is involved in each case. Names have been redacted from the court documents.

Related: Study Finds Americas Riskiest States for Sex

According to the indictment, on April 19, 2020, Pitt allegedly forcibly touched an individuals anus and vagina. On Aug. 5 of that year, he allegedly engaged in non-consensual oral sex and assaulted a person with a piece of wood. Further allegations include an attempted assault with a cinderblock in June 2021 and an alleged strangulation in August 2021.

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The charges Pitt faces include first- and third-degree criminal sexual acts, two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of second-degree attempted assault, and second-degree strangulation. The most serious charge carries a potential prison sentence of five to 25 years if convicted.

Pitts lawyer, Cary London, issued a statement expressing confidence in Pitts defense. Unfortunately, we live in a world where somebody like Mr. Pittan accomplished professional who would never so much as contemplate these crimescan be arrested on the uncorroborated word of an unhinged individual, London said.

Pitt rose to fame as a teen in Dawsons Creek and gained critical acclaim for roles in The Dreamers and Funny Games. He became a household name playing Jimmy Darmody on Boardwalk Empire before leaving the series midway through its run.

Pitt is scheduled to return to court on June 17.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The Michelin-recommended Italian eatery, Cesarina, was hit by an armed robbery attempt Saturday, the restaurant shared in a post on Instagram.

The trattoria-style restaurant said the suspect entered through its front door around 10:30 p.m., as they were in the process of closing. They then demanded money before fleeing down the street, where they were later taken into custody by San Diego police officers.

Video of the incident uploaded to the crowd-sourced neighborhood safety app, Citizen, appeared to show a number of patrons running from the entry, seemingly responding to the suspect brandishing a weapon. However, the restaurant said no one was injured in the incident.

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Lawsuit filed against Aladdin Mediterranean Cafe amid ongoing salmonella investigation

In its Instagram post, Cesarinas owners described the chaotic incident Saturday as absurd and unexpected.

While the experience was deeply unsettling, we want to be clear: we will not let fear prevent us from doing what we love most  taking care of each other and our incredible community through delicious food and love, they said.

We will remain vigilant and continue to take every necessary measure to ensure Cesarina remains a safe and welcoming space for our team, our community, and every single person who walks through our doors, the post went on.

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Cesarina has been a mainstay of the Point Loma neighborhood  and the San Diego food scene at large  since it first opened in 2019.

Regarded for its house-made pasta and inviting ambiance, the hotspot has received national accolades from a number of publications, most notably earning Bib Gourmand status in the coveted Michelin Guide in 2021.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
China, US scheduled to hold trade talks

08:15, May 08, 2025 By Wang Keju, Zhao Huanxin ( Chinadaily.com.cn

China and the United States are scheduled to hold official trade talks later this week, as Beijing reiterates its commitment to dialogue and cooperation while firmly safeguarding its legitimate interests in the face of escalating US-initiated trade tensions.

Analysts said that mounting pressure from domestic stakeholders in the US may have pushed Washington back to the negotiating table. They also said that the international community is watching closely to see whether the upcoming talks can help stabilize the global economy and provide a turning point to ease trade tensions and address trade disputes between the world's two largest economies through dialogue.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that Vice-Premier He Lifeng, China's lead person for China-US economic and trade affairs, will have a meeting with the US' lead person, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, during He's visit to Switzerland from Friday to Monday. The ministry said that the talks were scheduled at the request of the US.

The conversations mark the first official public engagement between the world's two largest economies since the Trump administration's decision to impose hefty tariffs on imports from China plunged the two sides into a trade war.

In the lead-up to Beijing's decision to agree to engage with Washington, senior US officials had been signaling adjustments to tariff measures and had proactively conveyed messages through various channels, expressing their desire to engage in talks with China on tariffs and related issues, the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

"Taking into account the global expectations, China's interests, and the calls from the US business community and consumers, China has decided to agree to engage in contact with the US," said a spokesperson for the ministry.

Bessent said on Tuesday that the two sides would hold meetings on Saturday and Sunday in order to lay the groundwork for future negotiations.

"My sense is that this will be about de-escalation, not about the big trade deal, but we've got to de-escalate before we can move forward," he told Fox News. "The current tariffs and trade barriers are unsustainable, but we don't want to decouple."

Although analysts viewed the talks more as a symbolic gesture, they said it nonetheless signals that the possibility of dialogue and cooperation still exists, which could pave the way for easing trade tensions and injecting much-needed certainty into global economic growth.

Robin Xing, Morgan Stanley's chief China economist, said: "We believe that both sides are hoping to reach a comprehensive agreement. The current stage of mutual escalation and tit-for-tat measures between the two countries might temporarily subside."

However, due to the numerous issues involved and the considerable differences between the two sides in many areas, the negotiations will be very complex and will require a substantial amount of time to complete, Xing added.

Beijing made clear that it is entering the talks with caution.

"If the US wants to talk, our door is always open," the Commerce Ministry spokesperson said. "But if you say one thing and do another, or even attempt to use talks as a cover to continue coercion and extortion, China will never agree, let alone sacrifice its principled position and international fairness and justice to seek any agreement."

The spokesperson stressed that negotiations must be grounded in "mutual respect, equal consultation and mutual benefit".

Cui Fan, a professor of international trade at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said, "China has emerged as the most resolute, decisive and forceful among all global economies in its countermeasures against the US' protectionist actions."

China has maintained a firm stance of not accepting any negotiations unless the US corrects its wrongdoings, according to Cui.

The unintended consequences of the US' unilateralism and its protectionist actions against China, such as deteriorating consumer sentiment and a record-high trade deficit, have put significant domestic pressure on the White House to find a resolution to the ongoing trade tensions.

US consumer confidence fell in April to an almost five-year low on growing pessimism about prospects for the economy and the labor market due to tariffs, decreasing nearly 8 points to 86, according to the Consumer Confidence Index released on April 29 by The Conference Board, a global think tank whose headquarters are in New York City.

Meanwhile, data released on Tuesday by the US Census Bureau showed that the US trade deficit ballooned 14 percent to a record $140.5 billion in March, as businesses stockpiled goods to get ahead of the sweeping tariffs that US President Donald Trump imposed in April.

Luo Zhiheng, chief economist at Yuekai Securities, said that Trump's extensive use of tariffs has severely affected the US' economic growth and damaged its international reputation, a development that Luo said will ultimately backfire on the US.

"What China needs to do now is to turn itself into the world's largest consumer market and a core hub of global imports, filling the market gaps left by the US. As a community of shared interests, China will garner more friends ... thereby enhancing its negotiating leverage against the US," Luo said.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
Key Points

Leidos beat top- and bottom-line estimates, helping to put fears about government cutbacks to rest.

The second quarter looks slower than the first, which could create near-term turbulence, but the long-term bull thesis remains intact.

10 stocks we like better than Leidos 

Leidos Holdings (NYSE: LDOS) reported better-than-expected quarterly results this morning, helping ease concerns that efforts by the task forced called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would eat into earnings. Investors cheered the results, sending Leidos shares up 4% around 2 p.m. ET.

Image source: Getty Images.

Strong results across the board

Leidos is the largest pure-play "Beltway Bandit," a term given to the group of defense contractors focused on providing IT (information technology) and other services to defense and civil government agencies. The company earned $2.97 per share in the reported quarter on $4.25 billion in revenue, topping Wall Street's $2.50 per share on sales of $4.1 billion consensus estimate.

The company posted 7% year-over-year revenue gains thanks to strength in all segments, fueled by higher demand for veteran medical exams, international military sales, and space sensors. The higher-than-expected medical business also led to more than a 100-basis-point beat on operating margin.

"Our robust first-quarter results build on the momentum from 2024, demonstrating the team's ability to execute in a dynamic environment that demands agility and innovation," Leidos CEO Tom Bell said in a statement.

The company also bought back about $500 million in shares in the quarter.

Is Leidos a buy?

The company's book-to-bill was a disappointment, with new awards coming in about half of the rate of sales in the quarter. But some of that is timing, and backing out to look at the data for the last 12 months shows a healthier 1.3x number. Leidos reiterated its guidance for the year, implying modest year-over-year revenue growth in 2025.

The near-term outlook could be choppy, and Leidos could still fall victim to contracts deemed unessential and cut by DOGE, but the long-term outlook is unchanged. For investors looking for a slow and steady grower tied to the U.S. defense budget, Leidos deserves a spot on the radar.

Should you invest $1,000 in Leidos right now?

Before you buy stock in Leidos, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Leidos wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in Detroit, Nov. 5, 2024 | Anna Liz Nichols

Story updated 5/14/25 at 3:50 p.m.

In response to Michigan House Republicans issuing subpoenas for copies of election-related training materials, the Michigan Department of State is asking lawmakers to narrow their request in the interest of election security.

Members of the Republican-led House Oversight Committee issued subpoenas last month ordering Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to turn over educational and training documents used in preparing clerks and poll workers to oversee elections, which Bensons office said Wednesday would be a violation of the law.

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The subpoena is the latest maneuver in a months-long effort by House Republicans to obtain copies of training materials, beginning with Rep. Rachelle Smit (R-Martin) requesting them late last year, before she became chair of the House Election Integrity Committee.

Rep. Rachelle Smit (R-Martin) speaks at an election security event in Lansing, Michigan on June 5, 2024 (Photo: Anna Liz Nichols)

Were not talking about state secrets here; these are just basic election training materials regularly provided to Michigan clerks, Smit said last month in a statement. And given Benson has lost legal challenges to rules her office has set after court intervention, Smit said, its important to ensure those overseeing election processes around the state are getting accurate, up-to-date instruction.

Its not as simple as transparency, and the subpoena needs to be narrowed in order for the secretary of state to be able to comply, the Michigan Department of Attorney General said in a letter on behalf of Benson and her office Wednesday.

Assistant Attorney General Heather Meingast, notes that Smit was the original party requesting the training materials and now the House Oversight Committee, for which Smit is not a member, has issued a subpoena. Meingast argues one committee authorizing a subpoena on behalf of another committee violates state law and the rules of the House.

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Additionally, having one committee subpoena sensitive information for another committee blurs the lines of who potentially has access to that information, making it clear that the House fails to appreciate the sensitive nature of certain of the information requested, Meingasts letter reads.

Michigan law dictates that all standing or select committees in the state House and Senate have subpoena power, but in an effort to utilize subpoenas in the interest of accountability in governance, the House Oversight Committee was granted the full scope of power when it comes to subpoenas in the House at the start of the new session this year.

The cost estimate for the time and labor it would take to move materials to a platform for the committee to view with redactions, would be around $9,000, Meingast said in the letter.

Costs for compliance could shrink if the subpoena is narrowed, Meingast said.

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There appears to be no legislative purpose to the subpoena, Meingast added, which she argues would put the subpoena outside the parameters of what is permitted under state law.

A news release from Bensons office Wednesday says that what the subpoena is asking for would chip away at the security and integrity of elections. Part of training for election workers includes information on security features and other sensitive areas that would be at risk of intentional or accidental disclosure to those who would misuse it.

Newly-named House Oversight Committee Chair Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Twp.) and Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) laid out their plans for the committee at a Jan. 23, 2025 press conference. | Kyle Davidson

Meingasts letter clarifies that the secretary of states office is not saying that those seeking the subpoena are desiring the information for nefarious intent. But it asserts that House Oversight Committee Chair Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township), a former clerk, has failed to appreciate the sensitive nature of information pertaining to the functioning of Michigans qualified voter file and election equipment.

Since the November 2020 general election, unprecedented efforts to gain unlawful access to voting equipment have occurred, Meingast wrote, noting that there have been several other attempts to obtain sensitive election information through freedom of information act requests that the department has fought against.

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When the subpoena was delivered to Bensons office in April, DeBoyer said in a statement that in order for the Legislature to do its role in providing oversight and legislating on election law, lawmakers have to understand how the secretary of states office operates. DeBoyer added that pushback from Benson on providing the subpoenaed materials is incredibly disappointing and could be an attempt to hide practices the public would be opposed to.

If the matter needs court intervention, Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) said during a news conference Wednesday Republicans would be ready to defeat Benson in court.

Were asking for training manuals, because we want to see whether these local clerks are being trained according to the law. We know that Jocelyn Benson has a history of not training them according to the law, Hall said.

Correction: This article has been amended to reflect Assistant Attorney General Heather Meingast as the author of the letter
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  The Michigan Department of Corrections has released new data this week showing sharp declines in our states prison population.

The department says helping people become successful contributors to society is the best way to improve public safety in the long term. This latest data looking at our states prison population numbers from 2007 until 2024 shows some promising trends.

There were 32,778 people incarcerated in Michigan prisons last year, down 36% from a peak of nearly 52,000 in 2007, according to the corrections department report.

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Additional projections show a continued trend of a steadily decreasing population through the end of this decade, assuming no new legislative or policy initiatives are enacted, the department said in a press release.

The 36% decline in Michigans prison population over the course of the last 15 or so years comes as police made significantly fewer arrests. Statewide arrests dropped from around 321,000 in 2007 to just around 174,000 in 2023  a 45.7% decline.

The Department of Corrections says the parole population has decreased 60% since its 2009 peak, and the probation population has decreased nearly 46% since its 2010 peak due to successful completions and reduced re-offenses.

They also report a 22.7% recidivism rate  when a convict commits a crime within three years of being released from prison. That is the second-lowest rate in Michigans history.

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The Department of Corrections says they credit successful targeted recovery programming and a trend in not sending parole and probation violators back to prison for the significant drop in recidivism.

A declining prison population is also promising for Michigan taxpayers. Currently it costs just short of $50,000 a year to house each Michigan inmate, according to the MDOC.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MIDVALE, Utah (ABC4)  A Midvale man is facing first-degree felony charges after being accused of breaking into his sisters apartment and attempting to kill her in order to solve the problem.

Taylor Don Hooiman, 33, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on first-degree felony charges of attempted murder and aggravated burglary. He also faces one count of third-degree felony aggravated assault.

According to court documents, on Tuesday, May 6, Hooiman made his way to his sisters apartment after telling a family member that he was going to kill her.

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Once he arrived, Hooiman allegedly climbed the outside of the apartment building to reach his sisters balcony and broke in through the sliding glass window. Police say Hooiman then allegedly attacked the victim with a knife, slashing at her hands.

Hooiman reportedly caused several lacerations on the victims hands and created superficial knife wounds on her chest before he stopped, saying he couldnt go through with it.

Officers with the Unified Police Department were able to safely take Hooiman into custody. During an interview with detectives, Hooiman allegedly said his sister had been messing with him for over two years and that he wanted to kill her to solve the problem.

Hooiman has been ordered to be held in Salt Lake County Jail without bail, pending a pretrial hearing.

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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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POOLER, Ga. (WSAV)  Today marks a powerful moment in history, the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Here in Savannah, the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force is honoring the day with remembrance, education, and personal stories.

The museum shared with WSAV an original 48-star American flag, just like the ones our airmen fought under during World War II. Thursday, as the museum marks 80 years since Victory in Europe Day, this flag is a symbol and powerful reminder of both the triumph and the tremendous sacrifice.

Today, the museum is inviting the public to commemorate VE Day with their special salute to victory event. One of the highlights is a talk by the son of a World War II airman from the 100th bomb group, who will share his fathers story of surviving as a prisoner of war.

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Visitors can also learn about two missions where American bombers dropped food, not bombs, over starving parts of the Netherlands in May 1945. With fewer than 1% of U.S. World War II veterans still living, events like these are crucial in preserving their legacy.

It is important to remember. Even though we have so few WWII veterans left  their families, their relatives, their descendants. they gave sacrifices of their time, their efforts, and sometimes their lives. So, it is always important to honor and remember them, said Dawn Brosnan, the Director of Communications and Marketing for the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth.

Admission today is just $6 for adults and children, and as always, veterans enter free.

Living historians will also be on-site, including a portrayal of a wasp  a female pilot who served during the war.

For many at the Mighty Eighth today, this isnt just about history  its about honoring real people, families, and sharing stories that shaped the world we live in. At the museum those stories take flight once again.

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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.
The Atesh partisan group claims it disrupted communication at several Russian military facilities when it allegedly destroyed equipment at a transformer substation in Russia's Moscow Oblast on May 8.

The Kremlin has invited many foreign leaders to its Victory Day parade on May 9 as Russia faces isolation from the West due to its ongoing war against Ukraine. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to be in Moscow from May 7-10.

"An agent of the Atesh movement successfully carried out sabotage in the village of Mogiltsy (Moscow Oblast), destroying equipment at a transformer substation that provided the regions electrical and telecommunications infrastructure," the group said in a Telegram Post.

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Mogiltsy is located about 45 kilometres (28 miles) north-east of Moscow, where foreign officials have been invited for Russia's Victory Day celebrations on May 9.

"(C)ommunication interruptions occurred at a number of important military facilities, including: the 629th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (military unit 51857), the 21st Separate Operational Purpose Brigade (military unit 3641), as well as the military town where military units 20007, 03523, and 51084 are located," the Atesh group claimed.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the group's claims.

The Atesh partisan group regularly conducts sabotage attacks in Russia and Ukraine's Russian-occupied territories.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 3 said Ukraine cannot guarantee the safety of foreign officials planning to attend Russias Victory Day parade in Moscow.

Russia is responsible for ensuring safety and security on its territory, Zelensky said.

"They are responsible for your safety. We will not provide any guarantees, because we do not know what Russia might do on those dates," he added.

Other leaders, including Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, a proponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will attend the Victory Day celebrations, despite Russia's war against Ukraine.

Read also: Whos attending Moscows Victory Day parade? The Kremlin has published a guest list ahead of May 9

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
This story was originally published by ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing around the country, to receive ProPublicas stories in your inbox every week.

Just one year ago, JD Vance was a leading advocate of the Great Lakes and the efforts to restore the largest system of freshwater on the face of the planet.

As a U.S. senator from Ohio, Vance called the lakes an invaluable asset for his home state. He supported more funding for a program that delivers the tools we need to fight invasive species, algal blooms, pollution, and other threats to the ecosystem so that the Great Lakes would be protected for generations to come.

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But times have changed.

This spring, Vance is vice president, and President Donald Trumps administration is imposing deep cuts and new restrictions, upending the very restoration efforts that Vance once championed. With the peak summer season just around the corner, Great Lakes scientists are concerned that they have lost the ability to protect the public from toxic algal blooms, which can kill animals and sicken people.

Cutbacks have gutted the staff at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Severe spending limits have made it difficult to purchase ordinary equipment for processing samples, such as filters and containers. Remaining staff plans to launch large data-collecting buoys into the water this week, but its late for a field season that typically runs from April to October.

In addition to a delayed launch, problems with personnel, supplies, vessel support and real-time data sharing have created doubts about the teams ability to operate the buoys, said Gregory Dick, director of the NOAA cooperative institute at the University of Michigan that partners with the lab. Both the lab and institute operate out of a building in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that was custom built as NOAAs hub in the Great Lakes region, and both provide staff to the algal blooms team.

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This has massive impacts on coastal communities, Dick said.

Gregory Dick, director of the Cooperative Institute of Great Lakes Research, which works side by side with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, says that cuts to the lab will have a massive impact on coastal communities. - Nick Hagen for ProPublica

Multiple people who have worked with the lab also told ProPublica that there are serious gaps in this years monitoring of algal blooms, which are often caused by excess nutrient runoff from farms. Data generated by the labs boats and buoys, and publicly shared, could be limited or interrupted, they said.

That data has helped to successfully avoid a repeat of a 2014 crisis in Toledo, Ohio, when nearly half a million people were warned to not drink the water or even touch it.

If the streams of information are cut off, stakeholders will be very unhappy, said Bret Collier, a branch chief at the lab who oversaw the federal scientists that run the harmful algal bloom program for the Great Lakes. He was fired in the purge of federal probationary workers in February.

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The lab has lost about 35% of its 52-member workforce since February, according to the president of the labs union, and it was not allowed to fill several open positions. The White House released preliminary budget recommendations last week that would make significant cuts to NOAA. The budget didnt provide details, but indicated the termination of a variety of climate-dominated research, data, and grant programs, which are not aligned with Administration policy of ending Green New Deal initiatives.

An earlier document obtained by ProPublica and reported widely proposed a 74% funding cut to NOAAs research office, home of the Great Lakes lab.

Vances office didnt respond to questions from ProPublica about how federal cuts have affected Great Lakes research. The White House also didnt respond to messages.

Water samples from bodies of water in the Great Lakes region. - Nick Hagen for ProPublica

Municipal water leaders in Cleveland and Toledo have written public letters of support on behalf of the lab, advocating for the continuation of its work because of how important its tools and resources are for drinking water management.

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In a statement to ProPublica, staffers from Toledos water system credited the Great Lakes lab and NOAA for alerting it to potential blooms near its intake days ahead of time. This has saved the system significant costs, they said, and helped it avoid feeding excess chemicals into the water.

The likelihood of another 2014 dont drink the water advisory has been minimized to almost nothing by additional vigilance from both the lab and local officials, they said.

Remaining staff have had to contend with not only a lack of capacity but also tight limits on spending and travel.

Several people who have worked in or with the lab said that the staff was hampered by strict credit card limits imposed on government employees as part of the effort to reduce spending by the Department of Government Efficiency, which has been spearheaded by presidential adviser Elon Musk.

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The basic scientific supplies that we use to provide the local communities with information on algal bloom toxicity  our purchasing of them is being restricted based on the limitations currently being put in by the administration, Collier said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations custom-built hub for the Great Lakes region in Ann Arbor, Michigan. - Nick Hagen for ProPublica

NOAA and the Department of Commerce, which oversees the agency, didnt respond to messages from ProPublica. Neither did a DOGE official. Eight U.S. senators, including the minority leader, sent a letter in March to a top NOAA leader inquiring about many of the changes, but they never received a response.

The department described its approach to some of its cuts when it eliminated nearly $4 million in funding for the NOAA cooperative institute at Princeton University and emphasized the importance of avoiding wasteful government spending. ProPublica has reported on how the loss of research grants at Princeton and the more significant defunding of the NOAA lab it works with would be a serious setback for weather and climate preparedness.

A number of the staffing losses at the Great Lakes lab came when employees accepted offers of early retirement or voluntary separation; others were fired probationary workers targeted by DOGE across the government. That includes Collier, who had 24 years of professional experience, largely as a research professor, before he was hired last year into a position that, according to the labs former director, had been difficult to fill.

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A scientist specializing in the toxic algal blooms was also fired. She worked on the team for 14 years through the cooperative institute before accepting a federal position last year, which made her probationary, too.

A computer scientist who got real-time data onto the labs website  and the only person who knew how to push out the weekly sampling data on harmful algal blooms  was also fired. She was probationary because she too was hired for a federal position after working with the institute.

And because of a planned retirement, no one holds the permanent position of lab director, though there is an acting director. The lab isnt allowed to fill any positions due to a federal hiring freeze.

At the same time, expected funds for the labs cooperative institute are delayed, which means, Dick said, it may soon lay off staff, including people on the algal blooms team.

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In March, Clevelands water commissioner wrote a letter calling for continued support for the Great Lakes lab and other NOAA-funded operations in the region, saying that access to real-time forecasts for Lake Erie are critically important in making water treatment decisions for more than 1.3 million citizens.

In 2006, there was a major outbreak of hypoxia, an issue worsened by algal blooms where oxygen-depleted water can become corrosive, discolored and full of excess manganese, which is a neurotoxin at high levels. Cleveland Water collaborated with the lab on developing a groundbreaking hypoxia forecast model, said Scott Moegling, who worked for both the Cleveland utility and Ohios drinking water regulatory agency.

I knew which plants were going to get hit, Moegling said. I knew about when, and I knew what the treatment we would need would be, and we could staff accordingly.

The American Meteorological Society, in partnership with the National Weather Association, spotlighted this warning system in its statement in support of NOAA research, saying that it helps keep drinking water potable in the Great Lakes region.

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Collier, the former branch chief, said that quality data may be lacking this year, not just for drinking water suppliers, but also the U.S. Coast Guard, fisheries, shipping companies, recreational businesses and shoreline communities that rely on it to navigate risk. In response to a recent survey of stakeholders, the president of a trade organization serving Great Lakes cargo vessels said that access to NOAAs real-time data is critically important to the commercial shipping fleet when making navigation decisions.

Because federal law requires NOAA to monitor harmful algal blooms, the cuts may run against legal obligations, several current and former workers told ProPublica. The blooms program was federally mandated to be active every single day, without exception, Collier said.

Harmful algal bloom on Lake Erie, observed during weekly sampling in 2022. - The Cooperative Institute of Great Lakes Research at the University of Michigan

A beaker holding a water sample taken from Lake Erie during a peak harmful algal bloom, shown at its natural concentration in 2017. - The Cooperative Institute of Great Lakes Research at the University of Michigan

The 2024 bloom in Lake Erie was the earliest on record. At its peak, it covered 550 square miles. Warming temperatures worsen the size and frequency of algal blooms. While the field season was historically only about 90 days, Collier said, last year the team was deployed for 211 days.

As the shallowest of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie is typically first to show signs of problems. But its also an emblem of environmental stewardship, thanks to its striking recovery from unchecked industrial pollution. The lake was once popularly declared dead. A highly publicized fire inflamed a river that feeds into it. Even Dr. Seuss knocked it in the 1971 version of The Lorax. The book described fish leaving a polluted pond in search of some water that isnt so smeary. I hear things are just as bad up in Lake Erie.

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But the rise of agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and NOAA, and labs like the one protecting the Great Lakes, along with legislation that protected water from pollution, led to noticeable changes. By 1986, two Ohio graduate students had succeeded in persuading Theodor Geisel, the author behind Dr. Seuss, to revise future editions of his classic book.

I should no longer be saying bad things about a body of water that is now, due to great civic and scientific effort, the happy home of smiling fish, Geisel wrote to them.

Early this year, headlines out of the Midwest suggested that Vance could be a game-changing Great Lakes advocate and that he might save the Great Lakes from Trump.

A 2023 report to Congress about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a popular funding mechanism for projects that protect the lakes, including the research labs, described the labs work on harmful algal blooms as one of its success stories. Last year, with Vance as a co-sponsor, an act to extend support for the funding program passed the Senate, but stalled in the House. Another bipartisan effort to reauthorize it launched in January.

Nicole Rice was recently fired from her position at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory after 10 years with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A promotion put her on probationary status. Shes worried that federal cuts are placing the Great Lakes system at risk. - Nick Hagen for ProPublica

Project 2025, the plan produced by the Heritage Foundation for Trumps second term, recommended that the president consider whether NOAA should be dismantled and many of its functions eliminated, sent to other agencies, privatized, or placed under the control of states and territories.

NOAA is a colossal operation that has become one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry, the plan said, and this industrys mission seems designed around the fatal conceit of planning for the unplannable.

That is not to say NOAA is useless, it added, but its current organization corrupts its useful functions. It should be broken up and downsized.

When asked at his confirmation hearing in January if he agreed with Project 2025s recommendation of dismantling NOAA, Howard Lutnick, head of the commerce department, said no.

One month later, the Great Lakes labs probationary staff got termination notices. That includes Nicole Rice, who spent a decade with NOAA. A promotion made her communications job vulnerable to the widespread firings of federal probationary workers.

In recent testimony to a Michigan Senate committee, Rice expressed deep concern about the future of the Great Lakes.

It has taken over a century of bipartisan cooperation, investment and science to bring the Great Lakes back from the brink of ecological collapse, Rice said. But these reckless cuts could undo the progress in just a few short years, endangering the largest surface freshwater system in the world.

Vernal Coleman contributed reporting.

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Milwaukee-area Catholics reacted joyfully to the news of a new pope.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, who chose the name Pope Leo XIV, was elected a day after the conclave began to select Pope Francis' successor. He's the first American pope in history.

When Leo's name was announced, Marquette University theology professor Kate Ward was at lunch with several colleagues.

"We were just losing our minds," she laughed. It gave the group a chance to analyze the decision from all angles.

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In watching Leo's speech in St. Peter's Square, Ward noted, "He's talking about dialogue, and building bridges, and we're all walking together, which to me are very much images of Francis that he sought to bring to the church."

Leo seems to echo Francis in some ways, but he's also well-connected in the Vatican and brings a global perspective, Ward said. His choice of name might be an indicator he's seeking to transcend the modern binary of conservatives and progressives in the church, Ward said.

Pope Leo XIII, who led the Catholic Church at the end of the 19th century, is known as the founder of modern Catholic social teaching  the idea that the Church can respond to current-day issues. His encyclical on the rights of workers was a foundation on which every subsequent pope built, Ward said.

"That was a real wise choice to say, 'Hey, we're all part of this tradition,'" Ward said. "This tradition of social justice precedes us for 150 years."

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A priest in the Augustinian order, the new pope spent much of his career in Peru. Leo XIV was first a missionary and later, the archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru. He served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops (formerly known as the Congregation for Bishops) and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023. He's also a Peruvian citizen.

More: What the name Leo likely says about the pope's mission for his papacy and the Catholic Church

More: Pastor in Pope Leo XIV's boyhood community expresses joy, hope in new papacy

Rev. Nathan Linton, vocation director for the Capuchin Franciscans in Milwaukee, discusses the news about the new pope.

Catholic leaders note Leo's focus on peace, global issues

The Rev. Nathan Linton, vocation director for the Capuchin Franciscans in Milwaukee, gathered with about 15 other friars to watch on TV as Pope Leo addressed the crowds in St. Peter's Square.

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"We're very hopeful. He began his pontificate by wishing peace upon all of those who had been gathered and upon the church. And in the midst of our war-torn world, there is nothing we need more than peace," Linton said.

The Rev. Tim Kitzke, who leads Family of Five Parishes located downtown, on the east side and in Riverwest, said he was just beginning to digest the news in between a funeral and a wedding. He said he hoped Pope Leo's American roots combined with his global ties serve as a reminder of the connectedness among all people.

"It's exciting to belong to a vision of God working in the world, throughout the world," he said. "A huge manifestation of God's love  it's not only here, but it's halfway around the globe."

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S., appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. REUTERS/DYLAN MARTINEZ

He also said Leo's election presents an opportunity to "look with wider eyes" at the diverse mix of languages and cultures across the world and the challenges that divide us.

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Like so many, Madison Bishop Donald Hying expressed surprised the cardinals chose an American, but he said Leo's international experience would serve him well, as the church is growing in what's often called the Global South.

"His missionary experience in South America will certainly lead him to understand both the opportunities and challenges of the church in places like Asia, Africa, South America," Hying said. "I also would like to think that electing an American pope is a nod to the significance and contribution of Catholicism here in the United States."

Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob praised Leo's missionary spirit.

"The wonderful qualities that already have been seen in the life and ministry of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, shown by his vision to leave his homeland and to go on mission in service to people of another land, renew in us our own call to be missionaries of the Gospel," he said in a statement.

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Grob also commended the choice of the name Leo, which recalls "for us our own commitment to peace and justice."

Milwaukee Auxiliary Bishop Jeffrey Haines said in a news conference that he didnt anticipate that a pope would be selected today and expected the process to take several days.The secretary said, 'Oh my gosh, theres white smoke,' and I ran from my office, he said.

Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee Jeffrey R. Haines speaks at a press conference about newly elected Pope Leo XIV, on Thursday May 8, 2025, at the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center in St. Francis, Wisconsin.

Haines did not know if Leo had ever been to Milwaukee or Wisconsin but said many are hopeful that he will make more visits to the U.S. The country in recent months has been defined by division, and Haines said Leo could play a critical role in bridging gaps between divided people.He is a quiet guy known for slowly bringing people together, he said.

At a daily Mass, a surprise announcement

Daily Mass at Old St. Mary's Catholic Church in downtown Milwaukee began at 12:05 p.m.  after white smoke poured from the chimney in St. Peter's Square, but before the new pope was introduced to the world.

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The Rev. Carlos Londono offered a prayer that the new pope, whomever he was, be guided by the Holy Spirit.

We pray for the leaders of nations that they may heed the voice of Christ through the mouth of his vicar, Londono said.

In the middle of Mass, a parish staff member gave Londono a note that said "Pope Leo XIV" and that he was the first American pope. Londono included his name in a prayer and, at the end of the Mass, announced that Leo hailed from Chicago. Parishioners in the pews gasped.

Milwaukee resident Bernadette Rysnut, also originally from Chicago, was shocked.

No one ever thought that would happen, Rysnut said. I hope he continues Francis legacy."

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Billy Russo was visiting Milwaukee from Buffalo, New York, and happened to be near Old St. Marys when the news broke.

Things were heading in the right direction under Pope Francis, Russo said adding hes excited for the new pope. He didnt expect to go to Mass on May 8 but felt called to go inside.

Waukesha resident Mary Jane Hoehne, a lay member of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, said she was surprised the conclave was completed so quickly, and that the cardinals chose someone no one was expecting.

Thats why theres the saying: Whoever goes in a pope comes out a cardinal, Hoehne said. It never is the one they think its going to be.

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Among the papal electors were 10 Americans, including four with Wisconsin ties, including former Milwaukee Archbishop  and now cardinal in New York  Timothy Dolan; and a leader in the conservative, traditionalist wing, former La Crosse bishop, Cardinal Raymond Burke.

A record 133 cardinals from 70 countries are casting votes, up from 115 from 48 nations for the 2013 conclave that elected Francis. The increase in cardinals is a function of Francis' efforts to expand the reach of the church, and one result is that 80% of current cardinals were appointed by him.

This story has been updated to add new information and a video.

USA TODAY contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Joyful Milwaukee Catholics see in pope's vision an echo of Francis
Pakistans government has pledged to respond at a time, place and manner of its choosing following an air attack from India that killed 31 people in Pakistan on May 6, 2025.

The missile strike comes at a time of increased tension between the two South Asian neighbors following a terror attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir on April 22 that resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists.

India blamed the assault on its neighbor although has yet to provide any solid proof of a link between the assailants and the Pakistani state.

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To understand more about how Pakistans powerful military is viewing the incident, and weighing a response, The Conversation U.S. turned to Ayesha Jalal, an expert on South Asian history and politics who is the Mary Ricardson Professor of History at Tufts University.

Who will makes the decisions over how Pakistan responds?

This is clearly a defense issue, so the Pakistani military is going to take the lead. Any decision over how to respond to the Indian airstrikes will have to be done in consultation with the civilian government. But ultimately it will be the powerful Pakistani generals that will be making the decisions.

In Pakistan, this is the usual way of doing things. The military has dominated politics in Pakistan for decades. Partly, this is due to the very dynamic we are seeing now. From the creation of Pakistan onward, there has been tension with India, including over Kashmir. Indeed the two countries went to war over Kashmir within a year of the partition of India soon after the creation of Pakistan. So the military has always been seen as central to Pakistans view of itself as an independent nation.

Then in 1958, the Pakistani army toppled the civilian government in the countrys first of several military coup attempts, three of which have been successful.

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Since that time onward, no civilian government has been able to govern successfully for long without the support of the army. Recent political developments in the country  the ouster and arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and a 2024 election that resulted in a weak coalition government  have only strengthened the hand of Pakistans military.

What do we know about Pakistans army chief Gen. Syed Asim Munir?

Despite the Pakistani Armys position of power, Gen. Syed Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff, is someone who has tried to keep out of the spotlight. He is known as a very religious character  he is a Hafiz, meaning he has memorized the Quran. And he is seen as a tough, fairly inaccessible soldier.

He is also a hawk when it comes to relations with India. Speaking after the Kashmir attack and before Indias airstrikes, Munir warned, Let there be no ambiguity: Any military misadventure by India will be met with a swift, resolute, and notch-up response.

Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir on July 16, 2023. Iranian Presidency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

This approach is somewhat of a departure from that of the man he replaced in 2022, former Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. Bajwa was more inclined to look for a peaceful resolution with India over Kashmir and other issues.

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Munir, by contrast, presents a a more belligerent front in the face of what many in Pakistan see as Indian aggression, while framing the rivalry between the two nations in religious terms.

What role has he and the Pakistani army played so far in the crisis?

A lot has been made, especially in India, of comments that Munir made a few days before the attack in Pahalgam.

Munir described Kashmir as Pakistans jugular vein and framed the long-running animosity between Pakistan and India in religious terms, invoking the two-nation theory that states that India is a homeland for Hindus; Pakistan is one for Muslims. The theory, conveyed by much of Indias media, is that Munirs was an inflammatory statement that encouraged the Pahalgam attack.

But there is nothing in what he said that was entirely original or new: This has been the narrative of the Pakistani military for several decades. It is simply how they talk.

Is there evidence that Pakistans military played a role in the attack?

None that India has presented as yet.

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India has blamed Pakistan for supporting the Kashmiri militants responsible  but hasnt articulated what the actual relationship is between Pakistan and the militant group, The Resistance Front.

Certainly, Pakistan has in the past had ties to some of the many militant groups in Kashmir. For some groups, that has meant crossing over from Indian-controlled Kashmir to Pakistan for training.

But the argument that Pakistan used to do it, so they must be doing it now seems unsupported  certainly, Indian hasnt presented solid evidence to any international body.

What has the reaction of the international community been?

India is not on as strong of ground as it was in 2019, when a suicide bomber in Pulwama, Indian-administerd Kashmir, killed 40 members of the Central Reserve Police Force. On that occasion, the international community swung behind India, with the U.S. offering counterterrorism support while calling on Pakistan to stop sheltering terrorists.

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Without firm evidence of a link between the attack and Pakistan this time around, the international community has found it difficult to go with Indias narrative of the attack. The U.S. has called on both sides to find a peaceful resolution.

Meanwhile China has indicated that it is standing by Pakistan in a statement in which it expressed regret over Indias military actions while also calling on both India and Pakistan to avoid taking actions that further complicate the situation.

What pressures will the Pakistani army be under to respond?

In Pakistan, the view is this is India attempting to assert its dominance and create what analysts have called a new normal in relationships between the two countries  one in which India will retaliate to any perceived Pakistani-linked terror attack with missile strikes on Pakistans territory.

The theory here is that India doesnt mind escalation, in fact it is seen as serving the Hindu nationalist aims of Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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But I wouldnt describe it as public pressure on Pakistans military to respond, it is more strategic pressure. Pakistan will need to prevent this new normal happening, and so will, in my view, very likely respond in kind to the Indian airstrikes.

What can Pakistan do in response?

Well, for starters it has, in theory, the capacity to hit over 200 Indian cities with its arsenal of missiles. But Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has already said that strikes would only target Indian military targets and not civilians. Pakistan also has to weigh how India may respond to any retaliatory strikes.

But India has expanded the usual terms of engagement when it comes to Kashmir. Typically in recent years, fighting has been contained along the line of control  the border between Indian- and Pakistani-controled Kashmir.

But the Indian airstrike was deep within Pakistan. India says that the targets were all terrorist, but civilians were killed in the process  and Pakistans military will not be able to just leave it at that. A response is very much expected, especially now that India has upped the ante by using Israeli made Harop drones in an attempt to target the Pakistani air defense system. Pakistan claims it has shot down 25 of these drones.

What are the risks of escalation for Pakistan?

Obviously the most pressing risk is that Pakistan and India are both nuclear states. If Pakistan retaliates in an escalatory way, and then India responds in a similar fashion, this gets to a point where the use of nuclear weapons is a very real risk.

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War would also hit Pakistans economy at a time when it is seen to be improving after years of crisis. But that will likely be of secondary importance in the decision-making process for Pakistans military if it believes that the countrys integrity is being threatened.

In addition, Pakistans generals will likely be of the view that India, in attacking Pakistan, is trying to thwart any economic recovery in Pakistan  with the belief being that Indias government fears a powerful, more economically stable rival.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Ayesha Jalal, Tufts University

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Ayesha Jalal does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
An Ohio woman missing since last month was found dead in a pond.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Darylnn Buehler, 58, from Circleville, was reported missing on April 1 by her employer, according to the Pickaway County Sheriffs Office.

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An investigation led deputies and officers to a series of ponds around State Route 762 East in Lockbourne, south of Columbus.

They searched a pond near the Rickenbacker International Airport, where authorities found a missing vehicle with Buehlers body, the sheriffs office said.

The coroners office pronounced her dead at the scene.

The sheriffs office is investigating her death.

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Frederick Wiggington Jr. was found guilty this month of murdering his wife, Elsie Wiggington, in Amherst, Va.

Elsie was reported missing in June 2023. Her remains were found buried on the couple's property more than a year later in August 2024

Elsie was a mother of two and worked in nursing for nearly three decades, her obituary says

A Virginia man was convicted this month of murdering his wife, whose remains were found buried under a concrete slab on the couples property more than a year after she was reported missing.

Frederick Wiggington Jr. was found guilty of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with the death of his wife, Elsie Wiggington, the Amherst County Sheriffs Office announced in a statement shared on May 2.

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Elsie, 45, was reported missing on June 26, 2023, the sheriffs office previously said in a press release. More than a year later, on Aug. 14, 2024, her remains were found while authorities were searching a property in Amherst, Va., per the release. Frederick, then 37, was arrested and initially charged with concealment of a dead body.

Family told WSET-TV at the time that Elsies remains were buried under a concrete slab at the couples property, though authorities did not confirm that.

Before she went missing, Elsie reportedly had concerns about Frederick. She texted her foster sister saying, "Hes going to kill me," and planned to travel to Maryland to live with her, WSLS-TV reported, citing family. But she never made it to Maryland.

GoFundMe Elsie Wiggington Elsie Wiggington

According to court documents obtained by WSET-TV, Elsie filed for divorce from Frederick in June 2020, claiming he was cheating on her with his ex-wife, Patricia Wiggington.

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Public records reviewed by PEOPLE show the divorce is in a "nonsuit" status, meaning the court dismissed the case.

Patricia is also facing charges in connection with Elsies death, according to court records cited by WSET-TV and WBDJ. Authorities allege in a criminal complaint that Patricia, who moved in with Frederick around the time Elsie went missing, lied to investigators about Elsies whereabouts, WBDJ reported.

PEOPLE couldnt immediately confirm the current status of the charges, which include obstruction of justice and accessory after the fact, according to WSET-TV. Its unclear if she has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on her behalf. Patricia was released on bond in January 2025, per WBDJ.



While a motive was not outlined during the trial, an inmate at Halifax County Adult Detention Center, where Frederick was being held, testified that Frederick admitted to killing his wife in June 2023, WSET-TV reported. Fredericks defense argued the evidence at play was circumstantial at best, per the outlet.

Amherst County Sheriff's Office Frederick Wiggington Jr. Frederick Wiggington Jr.

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According to her obituary, Elsie was a mother of two and worked in nursing for nearly three decades, most recently as the Director of Nursing at Fairmont Crossing Health and Rehab in Amherst.

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In a GoFundMe campaign created after her death, Elsies loved ones remembered her as someone who doted on her grandchildren and devoted her time to members in her community that were in need.



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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  With about a week left in the Missouri legislative session, lawmakers are considering a measure that would protect those who call for help for someone in need at a party.

It was inspired by a University of Missouri student who was left with serious injuries after a hazing incident at a now-shuttered fraternity.

Danny Santulli, now 19, was at a party at his fraternity when former members of his same student organization began giving him alcohol.

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Court documents show members of the now defunct fraternity chapter of Phi Gamma Delta said fraternity brothers ordered Santulli, a minor at the time, to drink an entire bottle of vodka at the 2021 party. This left Santulli with a host of lasting medical issues, including blindness and being bound to a wheelchair.

A day in the life of a St. Louis Mayor

The incident saw several fraternity members criminally charged, as well as massive lawsuits filed against the fraternity, its members, its national chapter, and the University of Missouri.

State lawmakers are pushing for a new law that would grant immunity to people who call 911 during or after a hazing incident.

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State Senator Kurtis Gregory, R-Marshall, is optimistic Dannys Law will pass in the last week of the session.

Peer pressure is a huge thing. Kids want to fit in and we just want to make sure that if there is an incident that happens, a hazing type incident, that first responders are called, that aid is rendered to someone that is having issues, he said.  We just want people to not be scared to call for help if there is something happening, because it may not even be related to the hazing.

Although the bill itself got morphed into a larger omnibus-like measure, Kurtis said he is optimistic is will pass and make it to the governors desk.

The bill awaits a final vote in the Missouri House, which could happen as early as Thursday.

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MISSOURI  Missouri lawmakers passed a bill that, once signed, would create significant tax cuts, but is primarily focused on eliminating capital gains taxes.

However, lawmakers like District 136th Stephanie Hein (D) didnt vote yes or no on the bill.

There are good parts to this bill. There are challenges to this bill, and I really feel like it doesnt fully address the tax relief that we need in our state, said Hein. I voted present on the bill because there were good pieces, like I said, the circuit breaker and the diaper tax elimination, but the capital gains tax is too risky at this point.

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Other taxes cut are sales taxes on diaper and feminine hygiene products as well as tax relief for seniors, which is something Hein supports.

She says the relief from capital gains far outweighs the relief that many lawmakers fought to be added in.

When we look at the tax cuts that are going towards capital gains in our general revenue, it is over $300 million. So, $334 million, thats not necessarily the great part, but you flip that with the good part with the circuit breaker tax, which provides some tax relief to senior citizens. Thats only $72 million, so the capital gains taxes are providing four and a half more times tax relief than the circuit breaker, Hein said The diaper taxes and then even hygiene taxes, which Ive supported both the circuit breaker and the feminine hygiene tax elimination, even with that, its just minimal when you think about the tax savings for the feminine hygiene products, thats 2 million, right? The capital gains tax relief is $334 million.

What are capital gains taxes?

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Capital gains is the gain that you get when you make a profit. If you buy a house for $2,000, you sell it for $4,000, then the capital gain is $2,000, said financial advisor Richard Baker. Capital gains is not when youve purchased anything, youre actually selling something. So as you have done well, youve invested in something, youve purchased something, it has increased in value. Now [capital gains taxes] are going to tax you on that gain.

Baker says he sees both sides of the issue.

[Capital gains taxes] didnt make us a very lucrative state for people to do business in. I understand that theres concerns about lost revenue for state and budget concerns, things like so obviously, if people arent paying extra in these things, taxes, the state doesnt have a lot of revenue coming in. One fear with this bill is that it would reduce our revenues coming in to the state. I think in it that could be very well happen, but what were expecting to happen is to be able to incentivize people to purchase large items to invest in our state, which will actually be an incentive to our economy, not just locally, but also bring in more tax revenue to our state. It goes either way. There is the risk of losing tax revenue, but the other part is that youre actually thinking it will be giving gas to actually bring more sales tax state to our state, Baker said. We want to reward people for taking investment, not discourage. I think that is the heart of this issue.

Amy Blouin is the head of the Missouri Budget Project, which is a non-profit that looks at the states economy and budget from an independent lens.

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Blouin supports the small tax cuts in the bill, but not the elimination of capital gains taxes.

Weve been opposed to eliminating the capital gains tax because its very expensive and the vast majority of the benefit goes to the wealthiest folks in the state. 80% of the benefits goes to the top 5% of 5% wealthiest in the state, Blouin said. Those are people with incomes averaging $400,000 and higher and a full two thirds of the cost of the bill goes to folks who are in the top 1% with incomes on average of 1.9 million and higher.

OzarksFirst asked Blouin how she was able to come up with that data.

Theres data from the IRS basically that will tell you the income quintiles that folks fall into, who and how much they have in capital gains, said Blouin. It breaks it down very easily to be able to tell this, but we also rely on the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy, which is a national organization that has a computerized simulation that uses the IRS data to actually analyze the income distribution of bills like this.

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Blouin says shes worried about the impacts the lack of revenue will have on the state.

The fact is that this is coming at a time where were going to reduce our revenue when were already looking at significant budget challenges for the state. The lawmakers are debating whether or not they can fully fund local schools, for example, but were looking at a significant cliff in years to come and lots of uncertainty at the federal level.

The bill now heads to Governor Kehoes desk, where hes expected to sign it in the coming days.

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MISSOURI  The Missouri Senate passed a budget proposal last week with over 160 new earmarks, including an additional $30 million for the Regional Springfield Convention Center Complex.

The development of the center would need to be approved by Governor Mike Kehoe, as well as a 50-50 match from the city.

Newly elected Mayor Jeff Schrag supports the proposition, calling it a bold step forward for the region.

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Projects of this scale only happen through public and private partnerships, so it takes a variety of funding sources to put the pieces all together. says Rusty Worley, Executive Director at Downtown Springfield Association (DSA). So, this is going to be a critical piece to leveraging and making it feasible.

According to Worley, the convention center could drive tens of thousands downtown Springfield and bring millions into the economy.

We want them not just passing through, we get guests coming all the time checking out Route 66 or going to Bass Pro if we can get them. And instead of them staying a few hours, to spend a night or an extra night. That will really ring the cash register for our businesses across the city, but especially downtown, Worley said.

The convention center is expected to be built along St. Louis Street, near the visitor center parking lot, across from University Plaza.

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A mistrial was declared Thursday in the trial of a former Grand Rapids, Michigan, police officer in the 2022 shooting of Patrick Lyoya, who was fatally shot after a traffic stop.

Lyoya, 26, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was shot and killed on April 4, 2022, by former officer Christopher Schurr.

Schurr had pulled Lyoya over because his license plate didn't match his car, police said at the time. Lyoya ran when he was asked for his drivers license and was face down on the ground when he was shot. An independent autopsy found that he had been shot in the back of the head.

A dashcam video shows Patrick Lyoya, 26, after a Grand Rapids, Mich., police officer pulled him over April 4, 2022. The video was blurred by police. (Grand Rapids Police Department via AP)

Schurr, who was fired in June 2022, was charged with second-degree murder.

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Videos of the encounter showed Lyoya and Schurr struggling on the ground, with Lyoya appearing to try to take control of Schurrs stun gun. Schurr ended up restraining Lyoya with his knee on his back before he shot him, video showed.

Patrick Lyoya's mother, Dorcas Lyoya, is comforted by a family member after her son's funeral at Renaissance Church of God in Christ in Grand Rapids, Mich., on April 22, 2022. (Junfu Han / USA Today Network file)

His death sparked protests in the city, and his family filed a $100 million federal civil lawsuit against Schurr and Grand Rapids, alleging that Schurr used excessive force. A federal judge dismissed Grand Rapids from the suit in August 2023.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
On its fourth day of deliberation, a west Michigan jury declared it could not reach a verdict and the judge declared a mistrial in the murder trial of a former Grand Rapids police officer.

Christopher Schurr, 34, was charged with one count of second-degree murder stemming from the April 2022 shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant. Schurr shot Lyoya in the back of the head after tackling him after Lyoya tried to flee a traffic stop in southeast Grand Rapids.

Schurrs attorneys had argued the former officer was acting in self defense, after Lyoya attempted to grab Schurrs Taser during the physical struggle. Prosecutors had argued Schurr used excessive force.

The media room display shows Christopher Schurr taking the stand to testify in 17th Circuit Court on Friday, May 2, 2025, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Schurr, 34, is charged with second-degree murder stemming from the April 2022 fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya.

The jury deliberated for about 20 hours before informing 17th Circuit Judge Christina Mims it could not reach a verdict. Mims declared a mistrial.

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Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker, who first charged Schurr in June 2022, said after the mistrial declaration he had not made an immediate decision on retrying the case. He told reporters he spoke to jurors and considered their input on the case, although he did not divulge what that input was.

"This was not an easy case," Becker said. "This was not a simple case." A decision on whether to try the case again would likely come in a matter of weeks, he said.

"I'm not going to let this drag out," he said. "I'm going to be considerate of the community. I think this is a big, big decision, I'm not going to rush through it ... but it's not going to be June. I don't have a specific timeline, but I hope to know relatively soon."

Inside the courtroom, Schurr did not have a discernible reaction when Mims announced the mistrial. There were not visible reactions from members of the Lyoya or Schurr families, either. Becker said the Lyoya family is "extremely disappointed" by the mistrial.

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Peter Lyoya  Patrick Lyoyas father  thanked the prosecution and activists he said have stood by his family. Were not going to be tired until when we get the justice for Patrick, he said via the familys translator Israel Siku, during a press conference following the hearing.

Patrick Lyoyas mother Dorcas Lyoya said that during the trial her heart was beating when Schurr began testifying. She said that she expected the former officer to apologize to the Lyoya family. Instead, she said it seemed like Schurr felt no remorse. It seemed like he only killed an animal. Thats how he presented himself, Dorcas Lyoya said in translated remarks.

Dorcas Lyoya, center, mother of the late Patrick Lyoya and her husband Peter Lyoya, right, leave the Kent County 17th Circuit Court in Grand Rapids on Thursday, May 8, 2025, after a west Michigan jury declared it could not reach a verdict and the judge declared a mistrial.

Matt Borgula, Schurr's lead defense attorney, said Schurr is disappointed at the lack of resolution, but grateful he was not convicted.

"This is not 'winners and losers' in this case. Christopher Schurr never wanted to take a life," Borgula said. "I guarantee you he is the nicest man, and this is the most difficult thing he's ever had to deal with, that decision in that split second. We cannot declare victory, because there really is no winning here. A man died, and that is a very serious thing."

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Borgula said jurors were leaning toward acquittal, but could not provide an exact split among the 12-person jury.

Throughout the trial, the jury was able to see footage of the shooting played numerous times, and from different angles, from the moment Schurr exited his patrol car to the moments after he shot Lyoya. Jurors also heard from a series of witnesses, the bulk of whom were qualified as policing experts, but also from eyewitnesses, investigators, police officers who responded to the scene of the shooting and Schurr himself.

Much of the testimony focused on the Taser  defense lawyers argued Lyoya had gained possession of it from Schurr. Once Schurr believed Lyoya had control of the Taser, he was within his rights to use deadly force and shoot Lyoya, policing experts called by the defense testified.

The prosecution focused large parts of its case around Schurrs training with the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD), where he had joined as a recruit in 2015. Policing expert witnesses called by the prosecution said Schurr acted improperly by chasing Lyoya on foot after he tried to flee the traffic stop.

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Borgula said should the case be tried again, he will appeal for evidence about Schurr's decision to chase Lyoya and his GRPD training to be excluded.

"I think there was a lot of evidence at this trial that was irrelevant, and that shouldn't have come in," Borgula said following the mistrial declaration.

The shooting, and the subsequent release of footage of the incident, sparked protests in Grand Rapids in 2022, when demonstrators called for police accountability.

A screen capture from a video released from the Grand Rapids Police Department on April 13, 2022, that shows an officer asking if Patrick Lyoya speaks English during the initial traffic stop involving Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids on April 4, 2022, that resulted in a shooting that fatally wounded Lyoya.

The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge of Michigan, in a Facebook post, accused Becker of bowing to public pressure in charging Schurr. Becker denied the assertion, and said the charging decision was "based on the facts and based on what I think can prove." Becker said the charging decision has not affected his prosecutorial relationship with the GRPD.

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"The inability of the jury to reach a unanimous decision underscores the uncertainty and controversy surrounding the charges brought against him," the post from the FOP of Michigan states.

Ven Johnson  of the familys attorneys in a separate civil case brought against Schurr over Lyoyas death  encouraged Becker to seek a retrial of the criminal case. Johnson said that Becker told the Lyoya family that he will weigh next steps and will inform the family of his decision and then make it public.

During the trial, demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse in downtown Grand Rapids to await a verdict. Some stood in support of Schurr, waving thin blue line flags that have emerged as a support symbol for law enforcement. Others chanted Justice for Patrick, with one demonstrator waving a flag with the letters BLM painted on, an apparent reference to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Free Press staff reporter Clara Hendrickson contributed.

Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Christopher Schurr trial: Mistrial declared for ex-Grand Rapids officer
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  A jury said Thursday it could not reach a verdict, leading to a mistrial in the case of a former Grand Rapids police officer who was accused of murder after he shot and killed a man following a traffic stop three years ago.

The jury deliberated for about 21 hours before telling the judge it was hopelessly deadlocked in the case of Christopher Schurr in the death of Patrick Lyoya.

I did receive communication that you were unable to reach a verdict, Kent County Circuit Court Judge Christina Mims said as the jury returned to the courtroom Thursday morning. I wanted to verify that thats true, that youre unable to reach a verdict as a panel.

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Correct, the jury foreperson replied.

Mims then declared the mistrial.

Jurors had said already said Tuesday that could not reach a verdict. At that time, Mims told them to keep deliberating. They did so, continued their work through Wednesday and returned Thursday morning.

To keep sending (jurors) back (to keep deliberating) would have been a little more fraught in the sense that you dont want to put the jurors in a situation where theyre feeling pressure to compromise, Professor Tracey Brame of Cooley Law School explained to News 8 after the mistrial was declared. The verdict has to be unanimous. They could not find a place where all 12 of them could land. Im not surprised based on the evidence we heard in the case.

LYOYA FAMILY: WE ARE IN PAIN

In a virtual news conference Thursday morning alongside their civil attorney, Lyoyas family said they were reborn of the wound of their sons death.

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The image of my son being killed, it came back again, Lyoyas father Peter Lyoya said in his native language, speaking through a translator. We were fighting and we thought we were getting to the close of this case and were going to get the justice.

I want to say that (the hung jury) hurt my family, my wife. We are bleeding, we are in pain, he continued.

An undated photo of Patrick Lyoya courtesy family.

He said the family would not give up on seeking justice for their son.

I didnt give up on my son, and were not going to be tired until we find justice for our son, mother Dorcas Lyoya said through the translator.

Lyoya family after mistrial: We will keep fighting until we get justice

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Ven Johnson, the attorney representing the Lyoya family in a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Schurr, praised Prosecutor Chris Becker for prosecuting the case and said the family supported a retrial.

We believe that this officer should be brought to criminal justice and we will certainly address the civil justice Johnson said. We are ready, willing and able to move forward in the prosecution of our civil case.

PROSECUTOR: ALWAYS KNEW THIS WAS A POSSIBILITY

Prosecutor Becker said he was disappointed but not necessarily surprised that the the jury could not reach a verdict.

What happened today is not what anybody expected or wanted, Becker told reporters in the courthouse following the mistrial. We were hoping to get a conclusion. We thought wed put a good case forward. Obviously, the jury thought differently. They were hung.

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He said he spoke with the jurors following the mistrial and knew how many fell on either side of the case, though he refused to discuss the details, saying the jury offered that information to him in confidence. He did say the questions that divided them were the ones laid out in court: the totality of the circumstances versus the moment of the shot was fired and the dangers posed by Schurrs Taser during the struggle.

No decision yet on whether to retry Christopher Schurr

Becker must now decide whether to try the case again in front of a new jury. He said Thursday he had yet not made that decision.

Its a process and Im not going to rush into it, he said.

DEFENSE CRITICIZES PROSECUTION EXPERTS THEORY

Defense attorney Matthew Borgula said the jury was overwhelmingly in favor of acquittal and there were holdouts on the other side.

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He said he had not had much chance to talk to his client yet, but he knew Schurr wanted some resolution to a case that has been pending for three years.

I think he felt that the jury took the time to deliberate, and he appreciates that, Borgula said. He obviously wanted it to be done.

He said the case never should have been filed in the first place and he hoped it would not be tried again.

I think that it was clear based on the evidence that there wasnt enough to establish a charge in this case, Borgula said. I think there was a lot of evidence at trial that was irrelevant and that shouldnt have come in. And so if there is going to be another trial, were going to likely seek rulings from appellate courts as to what evidence is put before the jury.

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City of Grand Rapids: Mistrial in Schurr case brings continued uncertainty and pain

THE SHOOTING

No one ever disputed that Schurr killed Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The question the jury could not decide an answer to was whether it was murder.

What this boils down to is this was unjustifiable and unreasonable, the prosecutor told jurors during his opening statement. It was a crime.

This case is about self-defense. This was not murder. This was about self-defense, defense attorney Mikayla Hamilton said. (Schurr) acted to save his own life.

The shooting happened the morning of April 4, 2022, during a traffic stop on Grand Rapids Southeast Side. Lyoya had been drinking before he died, a witness testified, and his blood alcohol content was more than three times the legal limit to drive, his autopsy showed.

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As murder trial starts, witnesses describe struggle over Taser before Patrick Lyoya was shot

Video from the traffic stop shows Lyoya running away from Schurr and an about 2.5-minute struggle between the two, including them grappling over Schurrs Taser. Ultimately, Schurr, who was on top of Lyoya trying to hold him down, shot him in the back of the head.

It was happening fast, Lyoyas passenger Aime Tuyishime testified on the first day of the trial.

Wayne Butler, who lives near where the shooting happened, testified he saw it happen.

This isnt going to end good, he recalled thinking.

The prosecutor said the shooting was not justified and charged Schurr with second-degree murder in June 2022. Schurr was fired from the police department.

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Schurr claimed self-defense. A series of appeals from his legal team meant it was more than three years after Lyoyas death that the case finally went to trial.

A jury of 14 people  10 women and four men  was seated April 23, and the trial got underway April 28.

THE TASER AND USE OF FORCE

At the center of the case was Schurrs Taser and the struggle over it. The prosecution called an expert witness from manufacturer Axon to explain to the jury how it worked. He explained it was fired twice  its maximum  and at that point, the harm it could have caused Schurr was less serious than when someone is hit by the darts, though it could have still been dangerous.

Two experts in police use of force said that, in their opinion, Schurrs decision to shoot Lyoya was not reasonable. They said Schurr made tactical errors before the shooting. One said Schurr should not have chased Lyoya while Lyoyas passenger was still in the car. The other said Schurr pulled his Taser too close to Lyoya, giving Lyoya the chance to grab it. One also argued Schurr should have given a specific warning that he was going to shoot Lyoya before he pulled the trigger.

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Witness in murder trial: Schurr created jeopardy that led to shooting of Lyoya

The defense worked to show that Schurr was in fear for his life when he pulled the trigger. Witnesses called by the defense included officers who responded to the scene after the shooting. They described Schurr as exhausted.

The defense also called Grand Rapids Police Department captains who said Schurr did not violate department policies in his interaction with Lyoya and that it was reasonable for Schurr to shoot him because Lyoya had gained control of his Taser and posed a threat to his safety.

An expert on exertion and exhaustion factors for a company that provides training to law enforcement told the jury that it looked to him like Lyoya was in control of the fight with Schurr and didnt seem affected by Schurrs efforts to subdue him.

Defense expert says shooting Patrick Lyoya was reasonable because of threat

The video of the shooting was played repeatedly in court, with experts offering analysis. Brame pointed out it evokes a visceral reaction. She said breaking down the images in court allowed the jury to put the actions into context.

Being able to look at this frame: Did the suspect have the Taser in his hand? What position was he in, etc? It kind of brought it back from an emotional response into a more analytical space where they were able to, again, put into context these actions within the fame of GRPD policy and the law, she said.

Taking the stand in his own defense last week, Schurr said he was already exhausted by the struggle by the time he drew his Taser. When Lyoya grabbed it, he said, he was afraid Lyoya would use it on him. By the time he drew his gun, Schurr said, he was running on fumes and afraid for his life.

I believe if I didnt do what I did when I did it, I wouldnt be here today, Schurr said.

Schurr did not have to testify. He said he chose to because he felt it was important to get my side of the story out.

The only person who could say what was in his head was Chris, Borgula told reporters.

Under cross-examination, the prosecutor tried to show that Lyoya was just working to get away from Schurr rather than harm him.

At no point did he go for your gun, did he? Becker said.

No, Schurr responded.

Christopher Schurr is cross-examined during his murder trial for the death of Patrick Lyoya. (May 2, 2025)

Cooley Law Professor Tracey Brame said it was essential for the jury to hear Schurrs testimony.

They asked him more questions than any of the other witnesses, Brame said. That really allowed them to get a window what he was thinking and feeling at the time. And it seems from their questions and the difficulty in coming to a consensus that they were really struggling with what to do with that.

CLOSING ARGUMENTS

Testimony wrapped up Monday morning, and attorneys for both sides delivered their closing arguments to the jury.

This is a real man, a human being, shot in the back of the head, Becker said. Im not going to sit here and argue Patrick was a saint. He was drunk driving. He was resisting. He was driving without a drivers license. None of those are executable offenses.

Becker told the jury that Schurr made critical mistakes after he pulled over Lyoya that day. He said Lyoya was only trying to get away from Schurr and never posed a threat to him, even if he had gained control of the Taser.

Pain is not a reason to use deadly force, Becker said. Pain of a thousand burning suns doesnt justify it.

Defense attorney Matthew Borgula said Becker failed miserably to make the case that Schurr was guilty.

You should find him not guilty after the governments case, Borgula said. His entire life is on the line. The prosecutor cannot show that his fear was unreasonable.

Borgula reminded the jury that Schurr made a lawful stop when he pulled Lyoya over and stressed that Lyoya resisted him. He argued the prosecutions expert witnesses were viewing the case in hindsight.

Judge (Schurr) on the decision, and not all this noise around it, Borgula said. If you have any sliver of reasonable doubt, you must acquit.

In the end, the jury simply could not decide.

News 8s John Hogan, Ken Kolker, Madalyn Buursma and Brittany Flowers contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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A judge declared a mistrial Thursday after the jury couldnt reached a unanimous verdict in the second-degree murder trial of a Michigan police officer who shot Patrick Lyoya, a Black man, following a traffic stop in 2022.

The judge declared a mistrial and ended the proceedings, a partial victory for Christopher Schurr, who still could face another trial. Lyoyas death had sparked weeks of protest in Grand Rapids, especially after the citys police chief released video of the confrontation.

Schurr shot Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant, in the back of the head while the 26-year-old lay facedown on the ground. Schurr told jurors that he feared his life was at stake after losing control of his Taser during an intense struggle in a residential neighborhood. Schurr, a seven-year veteran of the Grand Rapids police department, was fired shortly after he was charged in 2022.

Patrick Lyoya - Attorney Ben Crump

The mistrial came a day after three former Memphis police officers were acquitted in the beating death of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop. His death more than two years ago was the first post-George Floyd case that revealed the limits of an unprecedented reckoning over police reform and racial injustice in Black America.

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Heavy security was present in the small courtroom Thursday morning. Relatively few members of the general public were present compared to the rest of the trial, when the rows were filled with people in support of either Schurr or the Lyoya family.

Schurr stared straight ahead as the mistrial was declared. One spectator sitting on the side of the courtroom near the Lyoya family loudly objected to the mistrial as he left the courtroom.

Thank you for your time, Judge Christina Mims told the jury.

Schurr stopped a Nissan Altima driven by Lyoya for improper license plates on April 4, 2022.

Body camera and dash camera footage showed Lyoya running after Schurr requested his drivers license. Schurr tackled him and a struggle ensued. The officer tried to subdue Lyoya by firing his Taser but he was unsuccessful.

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Lyoya eventually got control of the device, which fires electrically charged probes, and Schurr repeatedly demanded that he stop resisting and drop the Taser.

Schurr was on top of Lyoya when he shot him in the head. Videos were a key part of trial and were repeatedly shown to the jury.

The struggle with the Taser was central to Schurrs defense. He testified that he was running on fumes after the fight and in great fear because a Taser can cause excruciating pain and injury.

I believed that if I hadnt done it at that time, I wasnt going to go home, Schurr said of shooting Lyoya.

The prosecutor, however, argued that the Taser had already been deployed twice by Schurr by that time and could only be used in a different mode if Lyoya had decided to turn it against the officer.

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Its not known why Lyoya was trying to flee. Records show his drivers license was revoked at the time and there was an arrest warrant for him in a domestic violence case, though Schurr didnt know it. An autopsy revealed his blood-alcohol level was three times above the legal limit for driving, according to testimony.

Lyoya ultimately joined a list of other Black immigrants who sought better lives in the U.S., only to suffer abuse or death at the hands of law enforcement. Before him were Botham Jean, Amadou Diallo and Abner Louima  all men whose cases increased awareness around the global impact of systemic racism in policing.

As in many U.S. cities, Grand Rapids police have been occasionally criticized over the use of force, particularly against Black people, who make up 18% of the population.

This story has been updated with additional developments and context.

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DOMINIC GWINN/Getty Images

What we are seeing in our politics today is a direct attack, from the inside, on American democracy. This attack isn't coming from just one man. The anti-democratic movement has been building over the past several decades, and this movement is intent on capturing the levers of power in the American system, destroying the institutions that have sustained our democracy, and stripping women and girls, among other groups, of our rights. I wrote the book Money, Lies, and God because I think it's important to understand the structure of this movement, who is really behind it, and how it works.

As a mom in Santa Barbara, California, I witnessed a program of fundamentalist religious indoctrination force its way into my kids' public elementary school. The more I learned about the program and the people behind it, the more it became clear that the leaders of the program hated public education precisely because public schools are supposed to be nonsectarian  neither affirming nor denigrating any form of religion  and because they objected to the principles of pluralism and equality that public schools are supposed to respect. They believed that any school that does not have their reactionary version of the Christian faith as its foundation is "a consequence of evil." That was 16 years ago. As I continued to delve deeper into this topic, it soon became clear to me that the attack on public education was just one part of a broader attack on America as a modern constitutional democracy.

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This selection from my book, which describes my attendance at a Moms for Liberty convention, speaks to how this movement plays off the idea that it is just a group of ordinary moms fighting for their kids. But I want to convey how ideological this group really is, along with the fact that Moms for Liberty is a thoroughly partisan political operation. These "moms" aren't fighting to improve the schools; they are spreading lies and deploying the politics of outrage in order to lay the groundwork for a wholesale assault.

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Its the late spring of 2023, Im relaxing in Santa Barbara, and I can hear the rumble of the school board wars like distant thunder across the landscape. Books are tumbling off shelves, librarians are running scared, and a tiny population of kids who identify as nonbinary are being told they represent the greatest threat to civilization. At the center of the conflicts is a group that grandly calls itself Moms for Liberty. I learn that the Moms are planning a National Summit in Philadelphia for July. I immediately buy a ticket and pack my suitcase.

Outside the Philadelphia hotel, small clumps of protesters clog the sidewalk. Its the tail end of the Pride festival, and the brand-name stores lining the streets of City Center are still festooned with colorful flags and glitter. A number of homeless people rest on the edges of the festive sidewalks, like extras from the wrong film set. The air, hazy from the Canadian wildfire plumes raging a thousand-plus miles away, parches the throat; overhead the sun appears orange. Donald Trump has just been indicted on seven counts in the classified documents probe regarding alleged mishandling of classified material. The vibe is slightly apocalyptic.

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The first event at the Moms for Liberty conference is an evening tour of the Museum of the American Revolution. To my astonishment, a police escort accompanies the bus that takes us there. A small but noisy group of protestors have gathered outside the museum; presumably the police and event organizers are taking no chances. The police form a protective corridor from the bus to the museum. The organizers appear to welcome the security theater. Thank the police officers for protecting us, okay? says a staffer as we stream inside.

The Joyful Warriors National Summit, as it is billed, properly begins the following morning in the conference center. Joining me is my friend and fellow journalist Annika Brockschmidt, the German author of Die Brand-Stifter (The Arsonists) and Amerikas Gottes-Krieger (Americas Godly Warriors). A historian by training, she is tall, blond, and stylishly attired in a pale-green suit.

The atmosphere in the lobby is militantly cheerful. Groups of women in four or five chat excitedly and compare notes. Every fingernail looks carefully polished, every cheek is bronzed. Dressed in flowing trouser suits or dresses with stylish heels, the women look well prepared to take on the photographers who roam the event in search of promotional material for social media channels.

The origin myth of Moms for Liberty says that it all started in sun-dappled Florida during the pandemic, when three conventional suburban moms bonded over complaints about mask mandates and school closures. The reality is that the Moms had high-level connections to the Florida GOP from the beginning, and conventional is not always the best way to describe them. Cofounder Bridget Ziegler is married to Christian Ziegler, the former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, and a few months after the Philadelphia conference, it was revealed that the couple engaged in three-way sexual adventures with other womenone of whom accused Christian of rape in another incident. (In January 2024 police cleared Christian of the rape allegation but asked prosecutors to charge him with illegally recording a sexual encounter. The state attorney general declined to pursue video voyeurism charges.)

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In any event, the group appears more focused on money than sex. It reported $2.1 million in total revenue in 2022, including hundreds of thousands from Publix supermarket chain heiress Julie Fancelli and the George Jenkins Foundation, of which Fancelli is the president and sole funder. (The George Jenkins Foundation also contributes substantially to reactionary and Christian nationalist groups such as Judicial Watch, Patriot Academy, and Moms for America; Fancelli was a prominent financial backer of the January 6 rally that preceded the attack on the Capitol.)

The Moms funneled a portion of that rich haul to a company funded and operated by Christian Ziegler. His firm, Microtargeted Media, specializes in targeted text messages and takes in hundreds of thousands of dollars from right-wing political campaigns. Their motto: We do digital & go after people on their phones. (Christian Ziegler has applied a digital strategy to his own legal defense; he used a phone video he made of himself engaging with his accuser to argue that the sex was consensual.)

The framing of the Moms activism has all the hallmarks of what author Michelle Nickerson calls housewife populism. In Mothers of Conservatism: Women and the Postwar Right, Nickerson points out that conservative womens political engagement in the postwar era was a powerful tool in the battle against communism and moral degeneracy. Capitalizing upon cultural assumptions about women and motherhood, they put themselves forward as representatives of local interests who battled bureaucrats for the sake of family, community, and God, she writes. The challenge to public school policies and curricula here is based on the idea that the Moms have a unique moral authoritysuperior to that of professional educators and administrators (whom the Moms often deride as the K-12 mafia).

The photographers begin circling my friend Annika, having apparently mistaken her for a populist ubermom. She ducks a bit, and they move on. The social media feeds begin to fill with images of mama-bear solidarity. The smiles are those of sisterhood and sacrifice: Were just in it for the kids.

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Tickets start at $249 for the three-day event, excluding transportation and lodging. All meals are catered, and several trips by bus to museums and other local attractions are included. I dip into the spread of fancy appetizers that greets us at the Museum of the American Revolution, and it is delicious. I have been attending right-wing conferences for about fifteen years, and this one is among the most lavish. These are moms with deep-pocketed sponsors.

To be fair, it is very hard to know where the proselytizing ends and the profit making begins. One speaker at the event turns out to be Erika Donaldsthe Florida-based education entrepreneur who happens to be the wife of Republican congressman Byron Donalds, from Floridas nineteenth congressional district. A close ally of Florida governor Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump, Byron Donalds frequently speaks at right- wing conferences and events touting privatization as the cure for the nations woes. Privatization certainly appears to enhance his own household. His wife is the founder of two for-profit companies that are sure to stand first in line for the school privatization

gravy train. Her for-profit company OptimaEd is explicitly dedicated to expanding the network of schools associated with Hillsdale College, the Christian nationalist Michigan school that members of the DeSantis administration have richly praised.

She has also founded Classical Schools Network Inc., a charter management company, which is poised to cash in on the Hillsdale expansion. Erika Donalds was also savvy enough to set up a nonprofit, the Optima Foundation, which, as the journalist Keira Butler reported in Mother Jones, fundraises for the same academies that her companies help manage. But the profit-making is frequently ignored when packaged in a protective layer of sanctimony, and from the podium at Moms for Liberty, Erika Donalds delivers it sweetly. Lord, you have elevated this organization to do your good work in this country, she preaches. Were grateful that the truth is being exposed, that parents are being able to see whats really going on in education in our country.

A section of the conference area is given over to lively booths from an extraordinarily large number of right-wing organizations. I wander through and pick up a few of the resources on offer. Parents Defending Education offers free booklets and other materials with tendentious allegations about the content of public school curricula and instructions for parents on how to root it out. EpochTV, a division of the conspiracist right-wing media company the Epoch Times, which is associated with the Falun Gong religious movement, is promoting a documentary titled Gender Transformation: The Untold Realities.The Pennsylvania Family Institute is hosting a biblical leadership conference for teens that promises a unique experience of using the political process as a means of cultivating leadership skills.

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The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and the Southeastern Legal Foundation are giving away guidebooks and other tools for saving Americas Public Schools. The California-based organization Protect Our Kids, which adheres to the biblical truth which teaches that God created mankind in His image, male and female, offers detailed instruction on how to force schools to allow parents to observe and volunteer in classrooms, examine curriculum materials, and access student records and policy materials, as well as opt out of anti-bullying lessons.

Everywhere, parents are urged to submit open records requests, inspect instructional materials for any hint of critical race theory (CRT), complain volubly and disruptively if schools take issue with any of their findings, and threaten legal action. In short, its a school administrators nightmare.

In the main conference room at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, the speakers begin beating their drums. Public schools have become gender distortion academies, or so everyone here seems to believe. They exist to turn girls into boys and boys into freaks, all for the pleasure of a sick, woke elite.

Another repeated talking point, it soon becomes clear, is that we are all supposed to be joyful. The people out therethe speakers keep gesturing toward the streets, which are presumably crawling with leftover Pride marchersmay think that we are angry, bigoted fanatics. But we are joyful! So keep smiling.

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue

Check out more Teen Vogue education coverage:
Monarch butterflies have begun fluttering across Michigan after a migration that began in Mexico.

The brightly colored insects have been reported in southeast Michigan, migration watchers say.

"Monarch butterflies are of the most recognizable and beloved butterfly in North and Central America. Millions of monarchs migrate across the United States; spending their summers in Michigan and winters in Mexico," Michigan's Department of Natural Resources said. "Despite the small size of monarch butterflies and other insects, they play a very large role in human's lives."

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Monarch butterflies pollinate many of Michigan's plants, according to the DNR, but are threatened and in need of conservation in Michigan and elsewhere.

"Insects travel to flowering plants, drinking nectar and transporting pollen. This results in a pollination service that is responsible for one-third of the world's food source," the DNR said.

As monarchs reach Michigan, here's what to know about them, and how to help increase their population.

When did monarchs reach Michigan?

On May 5, an adult monarch was spotted in Flat Rock, near Detroit. Another was spotted on May 7 in Ann Arbor, according to Journey North, which tracks various spring migrations.

How can I track the monarch spring migration in 2025?

Monarch sightings are reported online through Journey North, and can be viewed on its interactive map.

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You may help track the migration by reporting sightings and submitting photos via the website. You have to create an account first.

Monarch Joint Venture also offers a feature to report sightings.

Photo of the adult monarch spotted in Flat Rock, Michigan on May 5.

How can I help monarch butterflies in Michigan?

Here are some suggestions to consider this spring from the DNR:

What plants do monarch butterflies like?

There are several species of milkweeds, and certain species prefer the soil and climate in Michigan. Here are the species to plant in Michigan according to Grow Milkweed Plants:

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Why are milkweed plants important to monarch butterflies?

Monarch specifically favor milkweeds because female monarchs lay their eggs on milkweeds and drink the milky sap that leaks from their leaves.

In addition, monarchs feed on wild cherry, lilac, Labrador tea, blazing star, red clover, dogbane, goldenrods, ironweeds, joe-pye weed, marigolds, asters, rattlesnake-master, sunflowers, thistles, vetches and milkweeds, MSU Extension said.

Where do monarchs go over the winter?

Monarchs can travel as far as 3,000 miles to their wintering destinations in Mexico's Oyamel fir forests. The forests are located in central Mexico where Oyamel firs (or, Abies religiosa) grow in the mountains at altitudes from about 7,800 and 11,800 feet.

Are monarch butterflies an endangered species?

No, monarchs are not listed as endangered in the U.S. However they were listed as a threatened species in 2024, which means they are in need of conservational help and are at risk for becoming endangered.

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The main threat facing monarchs in the loss of habitat due to urban development, climate change, deforestation, and large agricultural space that reduce the availability of monarchs to breed, feed, shelter, and rest throughout their life cycles, the U.S. FWS said.

Though, the monarch population has declined by 90% in recent decades, according to the DNR, the 2024-25 migration season recorded more butterflies wintering in Mexico.

In a March 6 World Wildlife Fund Report, monarchs occupied 4.42 acres of central Mexico's forests, up from 2.22 acres during the 2023-24 season.

What is the lifespan of a monarch butterflies?

Monarch butterflies typically live from two to six weeks, with the exception of the last generation of the year (meaning butterflies that complete the life cycle and survive to see winter) that migrate. The migrating insects can live up to eight to nine months, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Monarch butterflies are ending migration in Michigan. When they arrive
A beaver dam slows the water of the Snake River, creating a beaver pond. (Photo by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, via Flickr)

The future of energy will be bolstered by lessons from beavers, enthusiasm from lawmakers, and consultation with tribal nations.

Those were some of the messages panelists shared Wednesday at the Clean and Affordable Energy Conference hosted by the NW Energy Coalition with an estimated 100 in attendance throughout the day.

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Patrick Yawakie, a lobbyist with the Blackfeet Tribe and conference panelist, said non-Native American companies and state agencies have a long history of failing to consult with tribes on energy.

He said those entities have left tribes in the dark on development within their reservations.

There needs to be much more transparent and regular conversations that are happening with the tribes and these entities, said Yawakie, also co-CEO of Red Medicine, a civic engagement and lobbying organization.

The conference focused on energy resources for tribal communities, reliability and transmission, and energy efficiency and housing.

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The NW Energy Coalition is an alliance of more than 100 organizations, utilities and businesses in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia that promote clean, affordable energy.

Panelist Gerald Wagner, with the Blackfeet Nation, shared the way the tribe is applying the way beavers work to help with water storage and, therefore, energy conservation.

Beavers build dams, which hold onto water, and in Montana, spring runoff is taking place earlier, and the land is becoming arid more quickly, Wagner said.

As a pilot project that mimicked the ways of beavers, the Blackfeet dammed a couple of smaller streams, he said.

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He said workers, 10 or 12 Native American youth, collected earthen material, such as rocks and willows, and then built a series of dams roughly 50 yards apart.

The dams dont stop the water, but they slow it and allow storage. He said cameras took pictures of the dammed areas every 12 hours, and the effects were visible.

The riparian zones came back, vegetation came back, said Wagner, director of the Blackfeet Environmental Program for the tribe.

The idea is part of the Blackfeet Climate Change Adaptation Plan from 2018, and the dams were installed as part of a pilot project around 2021, he said. They are good for a season or so, and then require patching.

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If you look at the beaver, theyre always maintaining their structures, Wagner said.

The larger idea, he said, is to observe what is occurring in nature, and then apply the lessons toward green energy.

He said the dams may result in less energy use because people dont have to look for water or buy it.

If youve got it stored, your wildlife, your cattle, your horses have more access to the water, Wagner said.

Montana needs more energy transmission capacity too, and panelists discussed the work underway and how to expedite energy development so it doesnt take 15 or 20 years.

Appropriate planning from the beginning is key, panelists said.

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Maranda Compton, an attorney and founder of Lepwe, said whether talking with communities or tribal nations, its important to hear criticism and have dialogue about projects.

Lepwe is a consulting firm providing advice and education to tribal nations and entities that seek to engage with tribes.

Developers need to understand tribal nations are government entities with their own political processes and priorities, Compton said.

Really understanding who in the government should be involved, what the tribes strategies and goals are, and how your project can work with those strategies and goals I think is really, really important, Compton said.

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Compton said a direct relationship between planning and development groups and tribal nations has largely been missing, and more robust conversation is needed, well before permitting is underway.

The energy summit took place on the heels of the 69th Montana Legislature, and Makenna Sellers, with the Montana Renewable Energy Association, said lawmakers see the need to increase transmission capacity, and they understand the urgency.

State lawmakers are more open and proactive about how we can solve transmission than ever before, Sellers said. Ive never seen more unanimous interest and policy prioritization happening at the state legislature on transmission.

Sellers said some proposals didnt make it to the finish line this year, but Sen. Daniel Zolnikov, R-Billings, sponsored a study resolution that will look at how state government can help solve regulatory barriers.

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Lawmakers are very open minded to some creativity here  this was the first session that Ive seen this with seriousness, Sellers said.

Senate Joint Resolution 21, to study the power grid, says competitive policies in some jurisdictions hinder transmission development, and as a result, hurt ratepayers and markets. It calls for an examination of a cooperative interstate compact.

When it comes to energy conservation, Yawakie said homeownership also plays a role, especially on the Flathead Indian Reservation, where he lives.

If people dont own their own homes, he said, they cant access programs such as those that help people install solar panels, and many tribal members live in poverty and in low income housing.

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Probably the biggest issue that lies on our reservation is the lack of homeownership to be able to access a lot of these (energy conservation) programs, Yawakie said.

Brant Johnson, with Grid United, talked about the North Plains Connector project, a high-voltage transmission line being developed to connect the eastern and western electric grids in Montana and North Dakota.

Johnson described it as a giant extension cord that can transport power in either direction and be moved whichever way the market needs.

Its intended to improve the reliability of the electrical grid and provide electricity when people need more power, such as during extreme weather.

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The value is in trying to make a grid thats bigger than the weather, Johnson said. The wind doesnt blow in Montana at the same time that its blowing in North Dakota.

He said energy demand peaks in the east at different times than in the northwest, so the needs can counterbalance each other. He said more work remains, but the project is a nice start.

It did catalyze something, Johnson said.
Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) said Wednesday he opposes the sale of public land as outlined in the budget reconciliation package.

The House Natural Resources Committee passed its portion of the massive spending bill, which included an amendment to put federal acreage up for sale in Utah and Nevada.

Its a no now. It will be a no later. It will be a no forever, Zinke, a former Interior secretary in the first Trump administration, said before the vote. He is not a member of the committee.

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Zinke later doubled down on his remarks at a separate press conference, where he said he would not change his opinion.

I have told leadership before, I have told leadership since, that  I strongly dont believe [land sales] should be in the reconciliation bill, he said Wednesday, according to Politico.

Our public land is not a Republican or Democrat issue, its an American issue, and we should use it in that context of being red, white and blue, Zinke said at the press conference outside the Capitol to launch the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus.

Alongside Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), Zinke said the new caucus would protect and expand access to Americas public lands. He said the group would urge leaders to look at addressing how to manage forests, watershed and wildlife corridors.

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The Associated Press contributed.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Dozens gathered at the Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) headquarters Wednesday morning for the Fallen Heroes Memorial Service.

Attendees remembered 22 officers who died while serving Montgomery County.

This is a challenging time of year for many of us, MCPD Chief of Patrol Darren Francke said. We are reminded of the undeniable reality that individuals sacrificed their lives for this community, prioritizing their duty above all else.

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DC man pleads guilty in 20+ year Maryland murder cold case

Wednesdays ceremony honored fallen members of the MCPD, the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office and the Montgomery County Division of the Maryland-National Capital Park Police.

Let today be a reminder of what our fallen officers stood for, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said. Integrity, service and the belief in protecting others is a worthy and noble pursuit.

Each officers name was read aloud, a candle was lit in their memory and yellow roses were handed out.

I offer a very special thank you to the families and loved ones their friends, of those who we remember here today, tomorrow and throughout next week, MCPD Chief Marc Yamada said. We offer our deepest sympathies and condolences.

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May 7LIMA  Lima Police Investigator Aaron Montgomery said it felt like a big thank you to be named the Lima Exchange Club's Jack Somerville Law Officer of the Year after the Fraternal Order of Police Lima Lodge 21 honored fallen officers with its annual memorial service Wednesday afternoon.

The club recognized Montgomery for his work on multiple task forces and for recently helping to save an unconscious elderly woman at Bowling Green State University's graduation ceremony.

"The limelight is an enjoyable thing, and I appreciate it because it means a lot to me, but I almost don't want it on me," Montgomery said. "We're a family of law enforcement and my children, wife, mom and dad have endured a lot for the last 17 years including long shifts."

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During the FOP ceremony, officers laid flowers, raised the flag and carried out a gun salute as "Taps" played to honor officers who gave their lives to the community in front of the lodge hall.

Lima Police Department Chief James Baker shared a message encouraging the audience to remember the past and move back toward ceremony.

"Remembering your past is foundational to your future," Baker said. "Sometimes when you get into the day-to-day, you forget. You ask why you stood before a judge and took an oath toward your life, and it's good to remember."

Montgomery took Baker's words to heart, reflecting on his time in law enforcement.

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"It was something I was always intrigued by, along with the physical and mental aspects," he said. "I've always enjoyed that I can carry on a conversation with anybody. I've always had the ability to be involved with different walks of life."

Montgomery is a graduate of Bluffton High School and Rhodes State College and has served with LPD since 2008.

A certified K9 trainer, Montgomery has also served on the SWAT team, the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force and as a field training officer.

The Allen County Sheriff's Office nominated Deputy Damian Tibbs for the honor.

Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.

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APOLLO BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) More than 1,000 corals that were born at The Florida Aquarium are headed to the Florida Keys.

The elkhorn corals were transported to the Florida Keys, where they will be planted on the reef or nurtured in ocean-based nurseries, the Florida Aquarium said.

The baby corals were born in 2022 and 2023 at the Aquarium. They came from rescued parent colonies originally from Floridas Coral Reef.

Courtesy: The Florida Aquarium Courtesy: The Florida Aquarium Courtesy: The Florida Aquarium Courtesy: The Florida Aquarium

The rescued coral was taken to the Florida Aquariums Coral Conservation and Research Center in Apollo Beach before the 2023 mass bleaching hit, which was the worst on record, the Aquarium said.

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The baby corals will help bring new life to the marine ecosystem by providing shelter, protecting coastlines from hurricanes, and supporting the states recreation, tourism, and fishing industries.

The summer of 2023 was devastating to Floridas elkhorn coral population, said Keri ONeil, Director of the Aquariums Coral Conservation Program. The coral juveniles we are transferring today are made up of many new mother and father combinations that we hope will be more resilient to future stressors. Without human intervention, these parent corals would not be able to breed due to the extent of the loss. Theyre a sign that, even during a crisis, we can make progress. By working together, were protecting a reef thats essential to our environment, our economy, and the thousands of species that call it home.

According to The Florida Aquarium, warming ocean temperatures have impacted 84% of the worlds coral reefs since January 2023.

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Bleaching happens when corals get stressed, usually from heat, and release the helpful algae living inside them. Without the algae, the corals lose their color and become vulnerable to disease and even death, the Aquarium said.

The baby corals were taken to the Keys Marine Laboratory on Long Key in Layton, where they will slowly acclimate to the temperature-controlled seawater system before being distributed to four different partners:

Coral Restoration Foundation

Mote Marine Laboratory

Reef Renewal USA

Sustainable Ocean and Reefs

Each group will receive around 300 coral babies, with SOAR receiving 100.

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(WHTM)  More than 40,000 Pennsylvanians will soon receive checks in the mail.

The Pennsylvania Treasury says letters are being sent to residents of the Money Match program informing them that a check for unclaimed property will soon be arriving.

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The Money Match Program authorizes the Treasury to automatically return single-owner properties worth up to $500 through an identification and verification process.

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Examples of unclaimed property include dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, forgotten stocks, insurance policies, and physical property in abandoned safe deposit boxes.

Residents who receive letters should expect a check about 45 days later.

Im thrilled to get this money back to hardworking Pennsylvanians without requiring them to file a claim or submit any paperwork at all, said Treasurer Stacy Garrity. We are actually able to remove red tape from government, something thats almost unheard of, with this great program.

You can check if you have unclaimed property on the Pennsylvania Unclaimed Property website and file your own claim.

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In March, the Treasury sent 7,468 checks worth $1.8 million in unclaimed property. Theres more than $5 billion in unclaimed property in Pennsylvania, and 1 in 10 residents is owed a piece of that.

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For a historian with an interest in the intersection of factors that propel an epidemic, 2020 offered a living case study. Edna Bonhomme, a historian of science with a PhD from Princeton, was living at the time in shared housing in Berlin, one of 11.7 million foreigners in Germany. As a person of Haitian descent, she is acutely aware of the complexities of Black life in a country where racism has its own face, similar but also different from anti-Black racism in the U.S.

She began speaking to Black women with different experiences from hers: a kink-positive sex worker from the U.K., an asylum seeker, a cancer survivor, exploring the strange ways that the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns interacted with a wide variety of privileges and privations, histories of oppression and struggle against it.

From Berlin, she watched the Black Lives Matter demonstrations after the murder of George Floyd, and she read Virginia Woolf, and histories of plagues: on plantations in the U.S. south; in Liberia, where a crisis of resources for public health exacerbated a 2014 outbreak of what turned out to be Ebola; in German-colonized East Africa. "From Berlin," she wrote, "I was afforded the space to write, breathe, and be debt free." And to write "A History of the World in Six Plagues," a new book which traces human history through our relationship with illness.

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Delving into childhood memories and the history of her family, migrants to Miami from Haiti, literature of all kinds, and historical accounts of plague, Bonhomme's account is indeed structured around six historical and modern plagues, but in each section she follows where the subject takes her. This approach results in nuanced, grounded examinations of the actual, material conditions in which the epidemics of sleeping sickness, cholera, influenza, HIV, Ebola and COVID-19 she describes took (or continue to take) place. Not leaning on any one interpretive framework that might exclude relevant factors, Bonhomme considers the highly intersecting and variable impact of colonialism, racialization, gender roles and attitudes towards the human body, and, most strikingly perhaps, class, specifically in its intersection with race.

Bonhomme weaves in engaging and poignant personal experiences as well. Her traumatic experience of quarantine in an extended hospital stay in Miami as a four-year-old with typhoid fever becomes a motif as she addresses the infection-limiting benefits of isolation and confinement  and the loneliness, dislocation and even chaos to which confinement can lead. Connecting forced and chosen quarantines with experiences of incarceration, she explores also the solidarity that can arise in situations of the greatest difficulty and oppression. Also woven through the text is that surreal experience of living through the early pandemic years in Berlin, of leaving shared housing to live more traditionally with her partner (a kind of chosen quarantine at the time), of being Black in Berlin (a different kind of isolation), of choosing to get married  an impulsive and rebellious choice, at a time when isolation was the rule  and of experiencing a miscarriage minutes before they were expected at Copenhagen City Hall, where they'd absconded to wed.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

How did you settle on the six examples of illnesses you chose?

I decided to focus on epidemics that were also tied to important historical events and institutions. And so I started off with the plantation as a site that, on the one hand, I would describe as a torture camp, a site in which people were forced to work, and it was quite difficult, and it was also profitable for some people, but it was also a site that made people sick [with cholera.] Various scholars have looked at that and unpacked [questions like] what was happening to Black lives on plantations, and how do we make sense of people's ability to survive?

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Part of the reason that I wanted to think about sleeping sickness is because it was considered a massive epidemic, and specifically because it interfered with, or at least Europeans thought that the disease interfered with, labor. The other diseases  the flu, HIV, Ebola and COVID  are ones that we live with today. With each of the epidemics that I chose, it wasn't just a case of thinking about what was the most popular, or perhaps even what had the most impact, but rather, how did people who were tied to these various institutions, in which confinement was very much part of perpetuating some form of oppression at different times... how do people figure out ways to survive in spite of those various forms of oppression and those various institutions?

You talk about the labor impact of sleeping sickness. That immediately made me think of the intersecting issues with COVID of frontline workers who would typically be racialized, and often women who have had to assume higher levels of risk, and often without a lot of clarity or ability to confront the fact that they're at higher risk for a whole other range of structural reasons. So I wonder if you could could address those parallels.

Yeah, so I think they are two very different diseases. COVID is a highly infectious airborne disease that was quite novel to us in terms of when it emerged in 2019 and it's something that we're still living with and still learning from. With long COVID, there are the studies suggesting that [sufferers are] more likely to have cognitive difficulties and so forth. So COVID is still fresh. It's still new. It was quite global in terms of its impact.

By contrast, something like sleeping sickness is spread through a fly, the tsetse fly. And it was quite regional in the sense that it has mostly been something that has impacted people in sub-Saharan Africa. I wanted to differentiate the two in terms of not just the biology and the modes of transmission, as well as the regions they come from, but also to point out that the vulnerability and the risk are fundamentally different.

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Ultimately, for people who are marginalized in some capacity, those who are frontline workers, essential workers, those who don't have the ability to have paid rest and time off, or to be able to self-isolate for whatever reason, and have the freedom both to move and to be still, a disease can be more formidable than for those who do have the privilege to have a safer space to rest.

So I was also thinking about policy. The decision to confine people in the case of sleeping sickness, and with COVID-19, the decision to move people back to work in high-risk situations, knowing that it's only certain people who actually had to do that. In other policy-making relating to pandemics, is that a common theme? One of the things I really appreciated in this book is the combination of class, which is something that is so rarely frankly discussed in North American discourse, with racialization and gender issues. So I'm just curious about how often that question of whether people of people as productive labor plays a role through the other examples that you saw.

Absolutely. In fact, the slavery question is a question of labor, and it's a question of racialization of a particular form, a set of laborers who didn't have much of a choice or agency outside of escaping or attempting to escape, or in some cases, inflicting physical harm to the body and the self, or suicide. Being sick and not having the care that was needed to recover, is essential to the question around how we think about epidemics.

Beyond that, particularly with the slavery chapter on cholera, there's also this: for some plantation owners and enslavers, it was kind of acceptable for there to be a poor quality of life, so long as there wasn't a major threat to the enslaved subjects, because all they needed is to make the market profit margins. And so the question around workers having to move through their labor even when they're sick, whether it's something as mild as the common cold, the flu, or as major as COVID, is a major issue.

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Beyond infectious diseases, one of the major issues in the U.S. context ... What does it mean that, especially in the U.S., where there's not a universal health care system, if the person, even if they have health care through their job  what does it mean for them to have to continue working while receiving chemotherapy, and how does that impact their ability to survive post-treatment, post-chemotherapy?

Unfortunately, I know how that impacts someone quite well. Someone in my family was diagnosed with cancer in the early stages of the pandemic, had to continue working in order to maintain their insurance and at one point passed out and had a brain aneurysm while working, and that really made it difficult. And then a couple of years later, they died. So that's America, ultimately. And that is something that we have to think about, like how forced labor, or even just like forced labor through what Marx would call wage slavery, continues and does a number on and damages the body's ability to heal.

Speaking of public health, we're right now witnessing this massive attack on it in the U.S. You've discussed private communities of care, there's the Black Panthers, there are COVID-cautious groups, there was mutual aid through the HIV/AIDS crisis, and it sort of relates to the other question: to what extent can these be an adequate alternative to public health?

These mutual aid networks, in which people are providing direct action, direct services, direct resources, even just circulating funds and redistributing it within a social network, can be quite vital for a community, and such an important indication of how people are ultimately good and want to help each other. Like, I don't want to discount the power and beauty of communities coming together, especially during crisis. We've seen this with the Los Angeles fires and how people have been helping with that. Nevertheless, obviously, I would say there's a limitation to what people, especially with their heavy hearts, can provide, and that there's a limit to also the money and the resources that can be distributed.

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To an extent it can be a lot more effective for governments to do that work of distributing resources and so forth because of the infrastructure that governments have. Nevertheless, we're currently witnessing the temerity of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is not an opinion that is unique to me, but it's something that we're seeing in real time, with one of the most prime examples of that recklessness  the measles outbreak  which, as we know, is a very contagious disease, extremely preventable, there's a vaccine that's highly effective, and yet what we're seeing is that vaccine skepticism is becoming normalized, and the number of cases has exacerbated.

And while the current secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services has promised to support vaccines, one of the top vaccine regulators, I think it was, Dr Peter Marks, has said that he's not doing enough, and that is indicative of, I would say a callousness [toward] human life. Because ultimately, when one then says that the government is not responsible and people have to be on their own, whether or not they have the capacity to do so or not, it means that ultimately those who are the most "fit" will be able to survive, those with the most money, the resources and so forth, as opposed to ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to survive, to be cared for. Again, I'm always moved and impressed and content by the love and the care that people can provide within a community structure. And people should continue to do that  but it's not enough, and hopefully people can come together collectively to demand that the government should also be providing that care work.

You've also talked a lot about carceral societies and a wide variety of carceral situations. Right now we're seeing the open rise of some of things that have existed and affected some communities for years, but now are becoming blatant and very open. That is to say that a profoundly carceral and punitive society, with punishment based on class and racial lines, has always been a thing, but now we're seeing the open rise of deportation, isolation, surveillance and very strict punishment. You write in the book, "a world without prisons has become a far off possibility." You wrote that before the second Trump administration, I think. So what does this mean for plagues you've already described, like measles, and the effect there?

If I were writing another book and I wanted to expand what plague and epidemics mean, then I would actually think about non-infectious diseases as well. And I alluded to this in one of my previous answers by pointing to cancer. But of course, there are other epidemics that we are living with, particularly the opioid epidemic, which is very much an epidemic that is perpetuated by poverty, that is tied to desperation, that is tied to the ways in which communities have been devastated in a post-industrial context of jobs being gone and so forth, and that that epidemic is something that people are living with, and I would say, is something that various communities, particularly in the Appalachians and Midwest, are still struggling with.

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In the book, when I talk about the prison question, it's how chronic diseases, early aging, specifically, tuberculosis, airborne diseases, are very much more likely to be present in a prison system than for a non-incarcerated population. Beyond that, if we think about this current moment in the United States, where there's an open war on migrants. Migrants who, in some cases are speaking about Palestine, students, what I would consider to be babies. These are young, idealistic, in some cases teenagers, and if anything, we should be commending them for being brave, and yet they're being hunted down by the U.S. government, or, most recently, people being taken by the U.S. government, accused of being part of gangs without any type of due process, suddenly deported to El Salvador.

What implications does that have, not just for people's mental and physical state, but just for others who might also be fearing, "will I be next?" I think that ultimately, the question around deportations, with the question around anti-immigrant policies, is really a chaotic process that is also tearing apart, in some cases, the members of families that have multinational citizenship and/or resident statuses. And so in a sense, it's not purely about infectious diseases and epidemics per se, but rather the kind of the fear that it stokes within communities.

I think one thing that people have been writing about, and I'm also doing some research on right now, is how U.S. foreign policy is going to, especially with the cuts to USAID, impact the spread of epidemics currently in Latin America, Africa and elsewhere. What various countries of the African continent are doing, luckily, is they had realized back in 2014 with the Ebola crisis that they could not rely on the U.S., and so the formation of the African CDC since then has meant that there's far more coordination between African nations. I actually attended an online press conference that they had last week, because they do regular press conferences just to answer questions posed to the African CDC in a way that I'm like, "Oh, wow. This is great. Like, this is what should be done."

But the reason I point this out is just to say that in the short term, and actually even medium term, it costs lives for us not to continue to fund the USAID, especially with specific programs around antiretroviral therapy. And at the same time, people are making do, particularly on the African continent, because they had already had a little taste of bigotry and exclusions more than a decade before.

You describe how social networks play a role in survival under duress. You mentioned Palestine, which reminds me of resistance that has often emerged, specifically within the prison system in Israel. You said TB, and I think of Nelson Mandela. In some of the other examples you talk about, groups for both mutual aid and more long term resistance to oppressive systems have come from prison systems. I wonder if you could describe where it's relevant to dealing with the plague, perhaps the HIV example, how those sites of either very strict quarantine and isolation or actual formal prison systems, how those can also spawn resistance?

So one thing I would say is that I was lucky enough to organize and learn so much from formerly incarcerated people when I used to live in New York City and being involved in reading groups for people where we discussed the New Jim Crow. And beyond that, the kind of prison literature that helped inform me, everything from Antonio Gramsci's prison letters and notes to George Jackson's letters as well, helped to show me and even beyond that, just like Malcolm X, his autobiography as someone who was incarcerated. I had a political education that allowed me to see the power, strength and intellectual prowess of people who have been incarcerated, even though I would say mainstream U.S. society would suggest that those who have been incarcerated should be disposed of.

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In thinking about the prison and that education that I had, I also wanted to see how it was connected to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and how people in prison were coping with that. When I studied public health, there was this particular way of thinking about the prison as a "vector of disease." And I put this in quotes because so often people could be perceived as just potentially highly infectious without thinking about the human stories, about who they were, their names and so forth. I think that I wanted to have a perspective and a case study in my book about survival and about women coming together in one of the most oppressed spaces to do the work of not just theorizing what the prison can do to the body and the harm it causes, but also how mutual aid is happening and how people can exercise agency even under duress.

The case of Bedford Hills Women's Correctional Facility in upstate New York, and how they formed the AIDS Counseling and Education Program during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is also, in my opinion, a continuation of freedom fighters who are incarcerated and try to make do in these spaces, people who become part of a community, in some cases, and try to ensure the survival of the collective. I would say we can often move inside and outside of various forms of marginalization, but we can also exercise our own privilege, particularly when we form collectives.

What would an anti-oppressive but also effective response to infectious plague look like?

What I thought about this question is, how do we build systems of public health and public health policy more specifically, that don't feel oppressive, that aren't just a top-down approach where people feel like they can't trust authorities? And part of what people are thinking about is participatory observation, where public health officials actually work alongside communities. They have town halls, there's active surveys and so forth, asking people what they know or don't know and that they are also part of making decisions, in a sense, and a non-oppressive public health policy would be one in which it could be a democratic perspective.

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Unfortunately, there's a lot of mistrust in the United States, and in other countries as well, when it comes to public health officials, because the government doesn't provide  it feels like the government doesn't provide  much to society. And so in order to have an anti-oppressive system, one actually has to start building trust within communities and to really make things far more democratic, so that at least people's basic needs are taken care of, but that people's questions could also be answered, and that there could be active debates, not online, but actually in person. Even beyond that, I think that basic education in biology would also be helpful.

There's a clear love of literature, of diverse sources of knowledge and thinking, that runs through the book that's really lovely. I've always had a fascination with both prison literature and plague literature, which are very intersecting, overlapping things. I wonder if you could talk about those, about literature, and how those two types of literature played out in your writing of the story.

During the early portion of the COVID-19 lockdowns, I fell in love with literature again, and I wanted an opportunity to think about how being home, turning inwards, and just taking the time to reflect on what was happening outside also meant that I was okay and reveled in being able to enter into a space of fiction, into a literary world where I could suspend everything that was happening outside these walls. Literature, especially when the prose was enlightening and also jumped from the page, I felt would inspire me. But beyond that, I also wanted to get a sense of how writers, especially those that lived through wars, crises, outbreaks, how they made sense of it, and to an extent, some of the writers that I mentioned in the book, whether it's Virginia Woolf, Susan Sontag, even W.E.B Dubois, they exercise some type of privilege by virtue of having the time, the space to sit in silence and to write and to think and to be respected, once they were celebrated.

And so I wanted to be able to be in conversation with these people, most of whom are dead, and have a way of, of not just referencing them, but showing that their words, the philosophical purchase, matters. And hopefully, for those who read the book, they can also be inspired to pick up some of that literature and find themselves thinking, Oh, wait, this perspective on the sick bed might help me during a time when I find myself dealing with surgery and so forth. So yeah, it's the literature that is what carried me through, but it's also something that's carrying me through life right now, especially as a parent now. My book is not a COVID book per se, but it's really a book about survival and how people make sense of outbreaks no matter where they are.
FAIRPORT, N.Y. (WROC)  While this case allegedly started on the app Roblox, it came to a head earlier this year at the Fairport Public Library.

Fairport Police Chief Matthew Barnes says a group out of Texas convinced Tony Rodriguez, 40, of Fairport, that he was talking with an 11-year-old girl and asked him to meet up at the library.

Fairport man accused of using Roblox to contact minors for sex

Barnes says the group did the right thing and alerted local police to the situation allowing them and the FBI to conduct their own investigation, which led to the federal child enticement charges Rodriguez is now facing.

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Some groups, Barnes says, get physical with the accused, which isnt just illegal, but can also muddy the legal process.



So if people are trying to take action because sometimes law enforcement maybe, Im not going to say handcuffed, but behind due to several issues, I cant say its wrong, but as long as they would coordinate with police and try to work hand in hand with them especially when they come from out of state, in our case they came from out of state, Barnes said.



As it happens, that Texas group came in first, then a few weeks later Barnes says another group  this one out of Pennsylvania  pointed the finger at the same man, Tony Rodriguez, and accused him of basically the same thing only this interaction, the said, was on Facebook.

Barnes says kids are targeted are all the time these days, so parents need to monitor their kids online activity.

Get involved in your kids lives, have a relationship with your kids, this is nothing new, I shouldnt be preaching anything new about what to do with kids, and if this is new to you then shame on you as a parent, Barnes said. You make room for other things in life, you brought a kid into this world, make time for them. Its sickening how widespread this is, it really is.

To learn about parental controls in Roblox, click here.



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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  Theres a new K-9 officer in the Morgantown Police Department.

The department welcomed K-9 Edo on Wednesday, a one-year-old male Dutch Shepherd from Shallow Creek Kennels, a police dog training facility in Pennsylvania. K-9 Edo will spend the summer training with his new handler, Patrol Officer First Class Marlee France, the Morgantown Police Department said in a Facebook post.

The Morgantown Police Department is thrilled to welcome Edo, the newest addition to the K-9 division! the post said.

K-9 Edo and his handler Patrol Officer First Class Marlee France (Courtesy: Morgantown Police Department)

According to the department, Edo will become certified in tracking and narcotics detection.

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Thousands of pet owners receive wrong ashes from Pittsburgh-area funeral home: Attorney General

The Morgantown Police Department already has several other K-9 officers of different breeds. The department lost one its K-9s to a spinal disorder in 2022.

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For more than three decades the annual Gazette Charities Foundation Best and Brightest Scholarship Program has recognized 20 local high school students for their outstanding academic achievements, leadership and contributions to their community.
The Smyrna Police Department is trying to determine if a toddlers injuries were caused by negligence at a private daycare and preschool.

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The incident allegedly happened at Innovators Trilingual Academy on Atlanta Road in Smyrna, at the end of the school day on April 30.

Jasmine Perkins told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell she received a call from the director that her son fell through a window.

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My son got hurt. He went through a window, and I have no facts. I dont know what was happening, who was here, what the story is, said Perkins.

Perkins said she rushed to the facility after she received the call.

His shirt was soaked in blood, but he was bandaged by EMS who was there, said Perkins.

Perkins said she asked the director about the security camera video.

I said, may I have a copy of that video? She said no. I said, OK. I asked for the police to be called to the scene, said Perkins.

According to the medical report, the toddler had an injury to his hand and arm that required stitches.

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Channel 2 Action News obtained a letter the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning sent Perkins about investigating the incident.

This student followed behind another student who was running, and he tripped and to brace himself. He braces himself against the window and his hand shattered the window, said Ms. Jones, the Director of Innovators Trilingual Academy.

Jones said she wasnt at the preschool when the alleged incident happened, but said a teacher was present.

The amazing thing is my teacher was able to react. She reacted promptly, she reacted the way she was trained, we immediately called paramedics, said Jones.

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When asked how a 3-year-old manages to shatter a glass window, Jones told Newel,l Well, see, I dont know velocity. I cant tell you science, but all I can tell you is what happened, Jones said.

Jones said she watched the security camera video and said it shows the child running, but then the toddler goes out of the view of the camera.

When asked why Jones didnt show Perkins the security camera video, Jones said, Legally, I cannot show somebody a camera, especially when it has other peoples children in there.

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Perkins said she researched the facility and expected a better outcome.

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I was paying for elite care. It is a full immersion program with Mandarin and Spanish and extracurricular activities. I think that there needs to be two teachers at a minimum with a child to be able to protect this child. You need more than just one teacher with a child, said Perkins.

We did exactly what Bright from the start trained us to do. My teacher went above and beyond because safety is first, said Jones.

The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning released the following statement about a past broken window at the facility and the most recent incident.

A window in the two-year-old classroom was cited on September 6, 2024. The next regulatory visit and an investigation was on April 3, 2025, and under the Physical Plant Safe Environment section of that report that the window had been repaired.

The most recent incident involves a three-year-old child and appears to have occurred in a different classroom. This is an open investigation. The program has only 3 children enrolled and the classroom where the broken window was observed not being used and the director stated it would not be needed due to low enrollment. The program is working to cover and repair the window, said Reg Griffin, Chief Communications Officer of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Its a heartwarming and impressive accomplishment, graduating with your son, just as Mothers Day is approaching.

Mother and son duo, Tammy and Bennett Moscato, will both walk across the stage during the University of South Floridas spring graduation ceremonies.

Tammy, a USF is receiving her masters in education, and Bennett is graduating with his bachelors in psychology.

Credit: University of South Florida Credit: University of South Florida Credit: University of South Florida

Tammy beams with pride, reflecting on sharing this road to graduation with Bennett, who will soon head to a Massachusetts hospital for a two-year fellowship as a mental health technician.

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Im overwhelmed with joy and pride. I want to make sure that even though Im graduating at the same time as Bennett, that I really want the attention to be on Bennett, Tammy said.

Bennett, equally as proud of his mom and her journey.

She put her mind to it and she just went for it and did it and I think seeing that can be done is really powerful and you know knowing that shes going to be there to support me during that is also wonderful, Bennett said.

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Tammy is a USF student support coordinator assistant, and Bennett said her willingness to help others has been a major motivating factor for him.

Look what she does here right, she works with students, she does all that she can to uplift them and support them. Thats what brings her joy and really drives her, so I think its no surprise that were somewhat similar. Not to toot my own horn, but we have a somewhat similar drive and shes an inspiration, said Bennett.

Tammy and her two sons are all USF graduates, her home a reflection of the ultimate in Bull pride.

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A suspect is in custody following the fatal stabbing of a mother-of-three in Burnsville.

Police say the killing occurred at a home on the 2000 block of 117th Street East, with officers sent to the scene around 9:35 a.m. Wednesday on a report of a domestic disturbance.

A 32-year-old woman was found dead at the scene, having suffered multiple stab wounds.

A family friend identified her to the Star Tribune as Danielle Grace Warren. The friend wrote in an online fundraiser for her family that Warren leaves behind three children, aged 10, 5 and 8-months-old.

GoFundMe

"A suspect was later apprehended by Lakeville Police. There is no threat to the public, Burnsville police said. According to jail records, the suspected was arrested at 10:05 a.m. Wednesday and booked into the Dakota County Jail for probable cause second-degree murder.

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As of midday Thursday, formal charges had not been filed.

If you know anyone who is affected by domestic violence, you can find more information on services available here, via the Minnesota DPS. You can also call the Day One Crisis Hotline at 1-866-223-1111.

The homicide Wednesday comes just days after an unrelated death prompted an investigation in Burnsville, with police issuing an appeal for public information after a man was found dead at Interlachen Park early Saturday

"We are asking anyone who made have heard or saw anything to contact us," said Burnsville Sgt. Lauren Olson. "Businesses or residents with security footage that shows activity during this time can help us in our investigation into what happened."

Police do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.
A vicious MS-13 gangbanger known as Antichrist will spend the next 55 years in federal prison for his role in savagely hacking four suspected rivals to death with machetes in a Long Island park.

Omar Antonio Villalta, 29, was handed the lengthy prison term Wednesday for conspiring with other members of the notorious El Salvadoran gang to plan and execute the bloody massacre in Central Islip on April 11, 2017, according to the US Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Villalta  whose alias was Anticristo (Spanish for Antichrist)  is the sixth person sentenced in the quadruple killing of Michael Lopez, 20; Justin Llivicura, 16; and Jorge Tigre and Jefferson Villalobos, both 18.

Michael Lopez, 20, Justin Llivicura, 16, and Jorge Tigre and Jefferson Villalobos, both 18, were killed on April 11, 2017.

More than a dozen MS-13 members and associates, who incorrectly believed the victims were rival gang members, were charged with their heinous murders, prosecutors said.

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My Office and our law enforcement partners have worked endlessly to hold MS-13 accountable for their unspeakable crimes and the harm theyve caused to countless victims and their loved ones, United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. said in a statement.

This sentencing and others demonstrate our relentless pursuit to dismantle MS-13 and other violent criminal organizations in totality.

Omar Antonio Villalta, 29, is the sixth person sentenced in the quadruple killing. CBS NEW YORK

On April 11, two female MS-13 thugs lured the four men to a wooded area near the community park, where Villalta and more than a dozen other gang members and associates waited to pounce, according to prosecutors.

Villalta handed out machetes, knives and blades, while others fashioned clubs from tree limbs to attack the victims  who they believed mocked the gang on social media.

Leniz Escobar, 24, was sentenced in October to 50 years in prison for the quadruple murder. SMoore-Glasgow

The ruthless mob surrounded the young victims and butchered them to death  before piling their lifeless bodies in a secluded spot in the woods and fleeing, prosecutors said.

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Villalta, who is a member of the Guanacos Lil Cycos Salvatruchas clique of the violent criminal enterprise, fled to Charlottesville, Virginia, following the attack. While in the Old Dominion State, he killed Marvin Rivera Guevara on July 3, 2017, after the victim reportedly flashed an 18th Street Gang sign, an MS-13 rival.

The victims bodies were found piled up in the woods the following day. CBS NEW YORK

Prosecutors said Villalta persuaded the victim to drive with him to a secluded area under the guise of smoking marijuana and meeting women before the convicted killer and other gang members forced Guevara at gunpoint deeper into the woods, where he too was murdered with machetes and knives.

The violent group later threw the victims eviscerated body off a nearby bridge into the river.

MS-13 gang associate Keyli Gomez was also charged in the heinous killing. EDNY

Villalta pleaded guilty in March 2023 to racketeering for all five killings.

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Omar Antonio Villalta, an MS-13 member, repeatedly played judge, jury, and executioner by unlawfully issuing death sentences to five victims perceived to be disrespectful or rivals to the gang, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia said.

These slaughters reflect the gangs gruesome retributive tactics while demonstrating utter disregard for life with the rapid succession of murders. May todays legitimate sentencing reflect the FBIs steadfast commitment to dismantling any gang from plaguing our communities with rampant violence.

President Trump designated MS-13 as a foreign terrorist organization when he declared a national emergency at the southern border earlier this year.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Mid-South man was arrested after he allegedly crashed his car into the gate of actress Jennifer Anistons Bel-Air home.

Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, from New Albany, Mississippi, was charged Wednesday in Southern California with one count each of felony stalking and felony vandalism. He also faces an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm.

According to a release from the LA County District Attorneys Office, between March 1, 2023, and May 5, 2025, Carwyle is accused of repeatedly harassing the Friends star, sending her unwanted social media, voicemail, and email messages.

MS man arrested at Jennifer Anistons Bel-Air home

Aniston was at home Monday when Carwyle allegedly damaged her gate and stopped on her driveway.

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A security guard arrested him before law enforcement arrived.

Carwyle is scheduled to face a judge on Thursday. Prosecutors intend to request that the Court set statutory bail at $150,000.

New Albany is about 80 miles southeast of Memphis.





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A couple in Mt. Lebanon posted a sign in their yard last week and have been updating it daily to reflect the number of days theyve been without power. They are currently on day nine and are frustrated with the lack of communication from Duquesne Light Company.

On Wednesday, Channel 11 News interviewed Maury and Ellen Katz and asked if Duquesne Light had provided a date for restoring their power.

Theyve pushed it back again and again, Ellen Katz replied.

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We didnt hear from Duquesne Light; we had to call them to report that our power was out, said Maury Katz. The couple lost power immediately during last Tuesdays storm and have been unable to get a clear answer from the company regarding when it would be restored.

Its very frustrating, Ellen Katz expressed. You dont know who to believe or what to believe. You dont know who is telling the truth.

They are not alone in their frustration; hundreds of residents across Allegheny County are still without power. Earlier today, County Executive Sara Innamorato extended the emergency declaration for an additional 30 days to allow the county to deploy all available resources for emergency response.

We are frustrated with the lack of communication and accurate information from a public utility, said Abby Goldstein, a resident of Churchill.

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Goldstein reported that she received an incorrect update from Duquesne Light stating that her power had been restored.

We received two messages over the weekend saying our power has been restored, but it hasnt, she said.

Goldstein has been without electricity since last Tuesday.

Channel 11 News contacted the power company, and they indicated that they expect to restore all power by 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday. However, when we inquired about other concerns, such as how many customers remain without power, when crews would be working in hard-hit areas, and what caused the delays in restoration, we were only informed that extensive damage and additional weather events had slowed their efforts.

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Whats frustrating is that they are not honest. Why couldnt they just say, This is a significant job, and we think well be able to get to you by such-and-such day? Maury Katz explained.

We asked residents what they would like to see happen in the future to prevent similar situations. They emphasized the need for a coordinated effort between Duquesne Light and their elected officials.

The other thing I am very disappointed in is the response from Mt. Lebanon Township; they have been absolutely unhelpful, Ellen Katz said.

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Middle Tennessee State University faces a federal civil rights complaint accusing MTSU of discrimination through 17 minority-preferred scholarships.

The Equal Protection Project based in Barrington, Rhode Island, filed the complaint May 8 with the Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Education offices in Washington and Atlanta, according to a document shared with a press release embargoed for 1 p.m. May 8.

The complaining organization's press release included comments from William A. Jacobson, founder of the Equal Protection Project (EqualProtect.org).

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"The use of DEI in higher education is controversial, particularly in 'red' states,'" Jacobson said in the press release.

"Regardless of where one stands on DEI, violation of the Civil Rights Act is unlawful. It is time for higher education everywhere to focus on treating each student as an individual, rather than categorizing students based on identity groups."

The 17 scholarships mentioned in the complaint included the Edith Ann Clark Moore Scholarship with the following guideline: Preference will also be afforded to students whoare underrepresented minorities. Moore grew up in the Murfreesboro area and attended the former historic Cemetery School that served Black children prior to desegregation in Rutherford County.

"It is shocking that in a state like Tennessee, which has passed legislation seeking to avoid discrimination done in the name of DEI, that openly discriminatory scholarships are offered at a major state university," Jacobson said in the press release.

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"MTSU has strong non-discrimination policies. MTSU should live up to its own rules, and remove the discriminatory eligibility barriers it has erected.

"At EPP our guiding principle is that the remedy for racism never is more racism. To the extent MTSU seeks greater diversity, there are many lawful means of achieving that goal, but discrimination is not one of them."

This is a developing story. The DNJ has reached out MTSU for comment.

History of school for Black children: Murfreesboro Cemetery School to be restored by descendants of students who went there

Other comments from press release

This DNJ file photos shows students and others walking along the sidewalk near the student union at Middle Tennessee State University.

The press release offered the following additional comments from Jacobson.

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"The Equal Protection Project calls on the senior administration of MTSU to make sure nondiscrimination standards are upheld throughout the institution," the release said.

"At EPP we have filed almost 100 cases challenging over 300 discriminatory scholarships and programs. In no case are we aware of a school claiming it was free to discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin, so why does it keep happening? Unfortunately there is a culture on many campuses that excuses some forms of racial discrimination, and that needs to stop.

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU faces federal civil rights complaints over minority scholarships
Credit - Courtesy Pate

Growing up in Nigeria, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate had a childhood friend paralyzed from the waist-down due to polio. The boy couldnt go to school because of his condition, and one day, sitting in the road because he couldnt stand, a car struck and killed him. Since learning of the life-and-death consequences of insufficient health care firsthand, Pate has traveled to more than 100 countries, examining how they deliver health services. Im a nomad at heart, Pate says, but he returned home in 2023 to become Nigerias Minister for Health and Social Welfare.

The country has long endured high rates of infectious disease and maternal and child mortality, and Pate has encountered some Nigerians still resisting the polio vaccine. But hes worked to understand how local realities like malaria outbreaks can make vaccinations challenging, partly by overwhelming health systems. Pates melding of global lessons with his sensitivity to on-the-ground context is leading to success. His initiatives have vaccinated over 12 million girls against human papillomavirus since October 2023. Meanwhile, by marshaling resources across Nigerias 36 states and securing national and developmental partner funding, hes upgraded more than 900 primary health care centers this past year, which have served 12 million people. Another major priority is prevention. Our population cannot afford to get sick, Pate says. His Know Your Numbers campaign has measured blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol for 10 million Nigerians. A healthier population will fuel Nigerias economy. It will shape growth, prosperity, and a new direction, Pate explainsfor every community and vulnerable child.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Multiple regional fire agencies were dispatched to a mobile house fire on Wednesday afternoon, May 7, in far East El Paso County.

The call of the fire came in at 2:41 p.m. on May 7 at the 13000 block of Amherst Drive.

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Socorro, Clint and Horizon fire departments, along with Life Ambulance, were dispatched to a single-story mobile house fire, according to Horizon Assistant Fire Chief Daniel Ames.

When units arrived, the mobile home was fully involved, Ames said.

The fire was reported as a Condition 1 fire, and fire crews had the fire under control within six minutes, Ames said.

Ames said that there was one person hurt, but no transports were made. No firefighters were hurt.

A total of 18 firefighters and seven units from the three agencies responded to the fire, Ames said.

There were minor damages done to the adjacent structure, Ames said.

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Ames said that the fire is under investigation.

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SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  The Savannah-Chatham County Public School (SCCPSS) district presented their plan for a budget increase worth tens of millions of dollars at a public hearing Wednesday night.

However, only one citizen showed up to voice their opinion on the SCCPSS FY 2026 budget.



Things cost more, SCCPSS Board President Roger Moss said. We want to take better care of our teachers. We have some things were wanting to add, like school counselors, more support for our students.

According to the districts budget, SCCPSS will increase their general fund expenditure by over $36 million from FY 2025 to 2026.

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Within the general fund expenses, under the districts operating costs, there is a 3% cost of living increase for teacher salaries budgeted for just under nine million.

The cost of housing in Savannah has gone up, Moss said. If you are a teacher, of course thats going to affect you. That affects us being competitive with other markets when recruiting and retaining teachers.

The SCCPSS board President also said there are currently fewer than 100 vacant teacher positions in the district. There is a deduction of 10 million for vacancies in the budget.

Were not allowing for 300 vacancies, but we do allow for some, Moss said.

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According to the districts budget presentation, the majority of the funding increase will come from local tax revenue with an expected contribution of just over nine million from the state.

However, one funding source was notably absent from the budget.

We dont have money from the feds in there. So, were not assuming anything, Moss said. The money that we get from the federal government, its less than 10%. Its more like 6%.

Though, board officials said they were prepared regardless.

Its an impact that we would have to address but its not earth-shattering, he said. We would have to offset it with our general fund.

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There will be another public hearing on May 14.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The multi-state hunt for a wanted man came to an end Wednesday night.

Multi-state manhunt for suspect with felony charges

Cody Dittman, 35, who was wanted for two different incidents that took place over a two-day period in multiple states, including South Dakota, has been found and apprehended by officials, according to a post on Facebook.

The coordinated efforts of Oglala Sioux Tribe DPS police, DPS troopers and federal agents lead to Dittmans capture.

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CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A family used artificial intelligence to create an impact statement for a man who was killed in a road rage incident in Arizona in 2021. Its likely the first time the technology has ever been used for a sentencing hearing in judicial history. Khalif Rhodes details the case and explains what type of precedent this could set for courtrooms.

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A Muscatine man was sentenced May 6 for child pornography charges.

According to public court documents, law enforcement received CyberTips that an account determined to be associated with Calvin Carter, 29, contained files with child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement searched Carters residence and seized electronic devices that had videos and images containing child sexual abuse material that Carter produced of a minor victim between 2021 and 2023. Carters phone also contained additional images and videos of child sexual abuse material of minor males.

Carter was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for production and possession of child pornography. Following his sentence, Carter will be required to serve a ten-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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The case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

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A Muscatine woman was sentenced May 7 for child pornography charges.

According to public court documents, Jessica Peters, 37, produced seven videos and three photos of child sexual abuse material in July 2021. Peters sent the videos and photos to a man in Indiana, who sent Peters money. The man was charged with felony child endangerment and possession of child pornography.

Peters was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for producing and possessing child pornography. Following the term, Peters will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

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The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force.

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TOKYO (AP)  The mayor of Nagasaki on Thursday announced that the city will invite representatives of all countries and regions to the peace memorial marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city.

The invitation to the 157 countries and regions that have diplomatic missions in Japan will include Russia, Belarus and Israel, who were excluded last year.

Mayor Shiro Suzuki said he wants all representatives to see the brutal consequences of atomic weapons use as a lesson at a time of growing divisions and conflicts.

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The United States dropped its second atomic bomb on Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945, three days after the first bombing of Hiroshima, together killing more than 210,000 people. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II and its nearly half-century of aggression across Asia.

Suzuki said his city is returning to its fundamental purpose of the ceremony  to mourn the atomic bomb victims and pray for lasting world peace. "We want to go beyond national borders, overcome ideological differences and any other divisions to have global representatives gather in Nagasaki.

He added: At a time of worsening divisions of the international society, I feel more strongly than ever about the importance for representatives of all countries to participate in the Nagasaki peace memorial and learn the atrocious and inhumane outcomes of the nuclear weapons use through their own eyes, ears and hearts.

Suzuki did not invite Israel to the 2024 anniversary, citing concern of unforeseeable situations such as violent protests over the war in Gaza disrupting the memorial. But Israel's exclusion drew criticisms and boycot by ambassadors from the U.S. and five other Group of Seven nations  Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the U.K.  and the European Union.

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Russia and its ally Belarus have not been invited to the Nagasaki memorial event since 2022 following Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

Japan, despite being the worlds only country to have suffered nuclear attacks, relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella and its extended deterrence amid growing tension in the region and supports atomic weapons possession for deterrence.
When the new pope took the name Leo XIV, it offered the first clue about his vision for his papacy.

First, it seems to indicate someone who wants to carry on the legacy his predecessor, Pope Francis. Second, and more broadly, the name connotes someone who is strong, particularly in a time of crisis.

When Pope Francis selected his name, it was to honor Saint Francis of Assisi, the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation, he told journalists in 2013.

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Heres a first look at the new popes name.

Who was the last Pope Leo?

The last Pope to select Leo was Pope Leo XIII, who held papacy from 1878 to 1903 and had liberalistic and conciliatory views, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia.

More: Milwaukee Catholics surprised by fast decision, optimistic in Leo's call to build bridges

More: Pastor in Pope Leo XIV's boyhood community expresses joy, hope in new papacy

Born in 1810 in Italy with the name Gioacchino Pecci, his papacy has been remembered for his push to modernize the Catholic Church and further workers rights. In 1891, he authored the encyclical Rerum novarum, where he argued for safer working conditions, fair wages, the formation of trade unions, while also defending the right to hold private property.

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Some opportune remedy must be found quickly for the misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working class, Leo XIII wrote.

He had the fourth-longest reign of any pope.

Why does the pope pick a new name?

Although not all adhered to the practice, many popes in early centuries selected a new name because their name was of pagan origin. Out of the 267 popes in history, 129  less than half  have picked a new name, according to Vatican News.

Popes can pick the name of a predecessor or saint out of respect, administration or recognition, Vatican News said. The most common name has been John, first picked in 523. Other commonly used names include Gregory, Benedict and Pius.

What might Leo mean for this papacy?

Picking Leo would tend to indicate a continuation of the overall approach of his predecessor, who was known for his concern for the marginalized.

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In his address May 8, the new pope referenced Francis several times. He also referenced being a synodal church, which means a church that focuses on listening, learning from each other, inviting participation. Rather than getting bogged down in politics, it is a church that emphasizes communion, participation and mission.

"To all of you, brothers and sisters of Rome, of Italy, of the whole world, we want to be a synodal Church, a Church that walks together, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always tries to be close especially to those who suffer," the pope said.

The church under Pope Francis recently completed a Synod on Synodality, so Leo's use of the word likely indicates his desire to continue that work.

What does the name Leo signify more generally?

The name Leo means lion in Latin, signaling bravery and strength.

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In the Catholic legacy, it also calls back to the first Pope Leo, or Leo the Great, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia. In 452 AD, Leo met personally with Atilla the Hun and persuaded him against invading and destroying the Roman Empire.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pope Leo XIV: why do popes change their names?
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Wednesday poked fun at President Donald Trumps plans to acquire Greenland, referencing the unpopularity of his suggestion among the people who live on the island.

I think that more people think that Elvis Presley is alive in the United States than Greenlanders who think they want to be part of the United States, Pelosi told Politicos Securing Europe: NATOs Next Steps Event.

Indeed, his push for annexing the island seems wildly unpopular with Greenlanders. Just 6% said they supported the idea of becoming part of the U.S., according to a poll published in late January.

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Despite the discouraging numbers, Trump, who has repeatedly made his desire to annex the semi-autonomous Danish territory known, said he would not rule out taking the island by force.

I dont say Im going to do it, but I dont rule out anything, Trump told NBCs Kristen Welker this weekend. We need Greenland very badly. Greenland is a very small amount of people, which well take care of, and well cherish them, and all of that. But we need that for international security.

The Trump administration seems to be already taking steps to realize the presidents goal. High-ranking officials working for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to step up their spying of the island, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

In response to the article, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he would call the acting U.S. ambassador to Denmark to review the reports contents, which he described as disturbing.

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We do not spy on friends, Rasmussen said, according to Reuters.

Denmark, along with the U.S., are of the 12 founding members of the NATO military alliance.

Asked if the European Union and NATO can still count on the U.S. as a reliable partner, Pelosi said: I absolutely hope so.

I think its essential to global security that the United States be an essential part of it, Pelosi added.

Despite past comments by the president questioning his commitment to NATO, the California Democrat expressed optimism that the U.S. would honor the alliances mutual assistance clause, just as its fellow members did after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Notably, this was the only time that NATOs mutual assistance clause has ever been triggered.

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Pelosi also warned of the dire consequences that would follow if the U.S. abandoned its NATO allies.

I do think that if we as the United States of America do not honor our commitments, she said, I dont know how we expect people to honor their commitments to us.

Related...
An abrupt rise in global sea level last year has raised concerns. The increase was more than what scientists had been expecting, a NASA-led analysis revealed.

What's happening?

A higher-than-usual amount of ocean warming, along with meltwater from land-based ice, caused a jump in sea level that surprised scientists. The rate of rise in 2024 was 0.23 inches per year, more than the rate of 0.17 that forecasters had projected.

"The rise we saw in 2024 was higher than we expected," said Josh Willis, a sea level researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, per ABC News. "Every year is a little bit different, but what's clear is that the ocean continues to rise, and the rate of rise is getting faster and faster."

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NASA blamed the rise mostly on the expansion of ocean water as it warms, a process known as thermal expansion. In recent years, approximately two-thirds of sea level rise resulted from land-based ice melt, while one-third was due to thermal expansion. However, in 2024, this trend reversed  thermal expansion accounted for two-thirds of the rise.

Why is an unexpected rise in sea level important?

The average yearly rise in sea level has more than doubled since NASA started using satellites to measure global sea level rise in 1993, with the global sea level increasing by a total of 4 inches.

Officials in Northern California have warned that environmental changes from rising sea levels are already being experienced in the region. A Central American Indigenous community is at risk of relocation because of the threat of flooding from rising sea levels on their small island.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said rising seas will worsen storm surges as water levels climb along coastlines.

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"Higher background water levels mean that deadly and destructive storm surges, such as those associated with Hurricane Katrina, 'Superstorm' Sandy, and Hurricane Michael, push farther inland than they once did," according to a NOAA report. "Higher sea level also means more frequent high-tide flooding, sometimes called 'nuisance flooding' because it isn't generally deadly or dangerous, but it can be disruptive and expensive."

What's being done about rising sea levels?

Bringing awareness to critical climate issues, including the impacts of rising sea levels, by talking with friends and family can help people see the importance of cooling down our overheating planet. Another way to help is by voting for candidates who pledge to fight for the future of Earth.

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.
For the first time in history, the pope is an American.

Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected May 8 as Pope Leo XIV. In Nashville, area Catholics celebrated the news.

"Let us give thanks to God for this moment of renewal and unity in the life of the Church," Nashville Bishop J. Mark Spalding said in a statement. "I invite the faithful to join me in a prayer for our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV, the successor of St. Peter."

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"May your grace work through him, filling his Apostolic ministry with joy as the courageous and faithful pastor of your flock on earth," Spalding continued in his statement. "May his witness inspire us to deepen our love for Jesus, to profess our faith boldly, and to journey together as pilgrims of hope in this Jubilee Year. Our Lady, Mother of the Church, pray for us."

As white smoke appeared from the chimney at the Sistine Chapel, signaling the election of a new pope, bells rang out from Catholic churches across the U.S.

The bells at The Cathedral of Incarnation rang out over West End Avenue in Nashville. They continued to chime more than an hour from the 111-year-old cathedral. They could be heard for blocks, echoing off the businesses and hotels as cars rolled through the bustling corridor of midtown Nashville.

Nabers Johnson leaned against a wall near the front of the building around 1 p.m. after attending noon mass. After the service, she was watching a livestream from St. Peter's Square. She said she was moved by the crowd's reaction there.

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People are so delighted to have something to be so joyful about in a crazy modern world," Johnson said.

Shortly after the mass concluded, Johnson said, someone showed the priest the news on a phone, then he went back to the altar to announce it. People broke into applause, and several lingered to pray.

Johnson, who is visiting Nashville from Warrenton, Virginia, said she was surprised an American was selected as pope, defying many predictions.

"I think its extraordinary, Johnson said. He sounds like a very impressive man of God.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, who is Catholic, said it was a proud day for the country.

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"The election of the first American pope is a historic moment that reflects the strong faith and values that have long been a part of our nations foundation," he said in a statement to The Tennessean. "I join folks across Tennessee and the nation in celebrating his elevation. May his leadership guide the Church with wisdom, integrity and moral courage.

Rep. Vincent Dixie, D-Nashville, is a member of St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church in Nashville.Pope Francis established a high standard for holding the world morally accountable," he said in a statement. "As the first Pope from the United States, I am confident that Pope Leo will remain a free thinker and will act in the best interests of all. We eagerly anticipate his leadership and religious guidance. May God bless Pope Leo XIV.

Leo, 69, who was born in Chicago, was not one of the names mentioned frequently as a top contender to replace Pope Francis, who died April 21. He attended Villanova University and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago before earning a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

He served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops (formerly known as the Congregation for Bishops) and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023. He also served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023.

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Leo is seen as someone who has transcended national borders and considered a centrist, so perhaps a compromise choice in a church at times divided between conservatives and Francis' more progressiveness tenure as pope.

USA TODAY contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Catholics in Nashville celebrate election of first-ever American pope
How do you become a writer? I taught creative writing, on and off, for almost two decades and this was the question at the heart of every class. Sometimes it was unspoken, and sometimes it was asked very loudly, but it was always there.

With the children I taught, the six and seven year olds, the answer was simple. You became a writer by paying attention. You walked through the park and wrote down everything that you saw. You listened to a recording of sound effectsa squeaky screen door or audio of howling windand tried to write about it. You went to the supermarket and picked out the strangest fruit you could find and tasted it and then tried to write a poem about it.

It was harder to answer that question for the grown-ups. If you are an adult who still wants to write, its because you want to be heard. Feeling as if no one hears you, for a prolonged period of time, can lead to a kind of desperation, a kind of intense entitlement. That energy was hard to meet, when I taught those classes. How do I become a writer? someone would ask and I would panic, because the answer is both simpleyou have to write things and you have to read what other people writeand complex. Most adults were really asking, how do you make money being a writer? anyways. I did not have an answer to that because that answer was impossible.

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So I would say instead, Go to a reading. Most of the times when I was teaching writing, it was in New York City. This city has a different reading every nightuniversity lectures with bestselling authors and the people we have all decided should be listened to at the moment, and the literary equivalent of open mics in bars and bookstores, where you might encounter some of the worst poetry youve heard in your life but also hear someone read who you are absolutely certain is a genius. I dont think you are supposed to be this earnest about those spaces. You are supposed to acknowledge that other writers are annoying and theres nothing inherently special about writing and readings are solipsistic. But I unabashedly love those spaces, where everyone in the room cares about the written word.

We are in a cultural moment where critical thinking has become synonymous with cynicism. Our government and larger media have spent decades telling us that the anxiety and desperation and deep loneliness that characterize most of American life doesnt ultimately matter when the economy is doing great. The instinct, in the face of so much of American life denying reality, is to fall into the reflex of calling things out, of meeting every gesture of expression with a sneer. But that is not how anything is repaired. To resolve, to move forward, to understand in any way, means at a certain point you have to declare what it is that you actually care about, what you actually want to fight for.

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This past weekend, numerous arts organizations in this country found out via curt email that their grants from National Endowment of the Arts money already fought for and wonwould be terminated. And this morning comes reports that every single arts director at the National Endowment for the Arts has left the organization . The federal agency has announced that it will be going in a new direction, championing Artificial Intelligence and art that celebrates America. Most sinister was the NEAs claim that it would also focus on Hispanic and African American historic cultureyet another example of the power structures attempts to use the artmaking of marginalized people as a cover for the violence of the American Empire.

Someone feeling sour, someone infected with the madness of mistaking knee-jerk cynicism for analysis, might argue that these things ultimately don't matter. That voting rights are at stake and bad actors have our personal data and are building an even more complex surveillance state and this administration no longer cares about due process or citizenship. In the face of all this, a cynic would say that art is the least of our concerns at this moment; that the NEA and the organizations it supports are that boogeyman of modern culture, gatekeepers; that artists shouldnt care about government money in the first place in order to be the most free. The person making those arguments would be an idiot, though.

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The National Endowment for the Arts is part of the living, breathing ecosystem of American culture, part of the work that keeps America honest about itself. A movie studio or for-profit publishing house can make a lot of noise about wanting to showcase diverse voices, but fall back behind non-existent marketing data when it comes time to fund more than a handful of non-white creatives. By contrast, the NEA, as a federal agency, took critiques of the whiteness and lack of diversity in arts funding seriously, and has been trying to rectify that for the last decade and a halfundoubtedly why this administration has decided to target it.

But we need the NEA not only for representation. We need it to help people make the art that can actually move culture forward. We need the literary journals that will take the short stories when a writer is experimenting with form, trying to break apart the old to make something new. We need the editor, whom the NEA indirectly pays, who is willing to read that mangled story and put it in the context of all the stories that came before it, and forge it to the chain so it can lead to something new. We need the journals dedicated to Slavic poets and Chicana lit and Jewish studies, because we need writers to figure out how to write about their experiences unhampered by translation, unencumbered by the directive to make it universal. Art needs time and space to breathe, it needs space to fail and make mistakes, it needs the breath to say things that are deeply problematic. The killing of the NEA feels like the last little bit of the end of American culture, and its the last little bit of voices of true resistance. All thats left is content created for an algorithm that a corporation wrote.

At the moment, Im listening to Edmund Whites most recent memoir, The Loves of My Life: A Sex Memoir. In one of the chapters, he mentions off-hand how one of the great tragedies of the AIDS crisis was both the death of a generation of artists, but also the death of a whole audience of people who understood the art they were making. The 1980s, he says, were depressing for so many reasons, one of which was that the average gay man gave up going to the opera for going to the gym to project a persona of health and vigor in the midst of a plague. Being learned, being an aesthete, became another harbinger of being a victim of a great historical tide. American culture has never recovered.

Were in the last stages of a battle against American art that has been ongoing for decades, that began even before I was born . The America that birthed the NEAwhich began as a hugely popular bi-partisan effortis gone. The America that made it possible for some of the NEAs biggest controversies to create pivotal cultural momentslike the censorship and eventual embrace of visual artists David Wojnarowicz and Robert Mapplethorpeis gone now, too. Right now, all I can think of is the words of author Toni Cade Bambara (herself an NEA fellow, in 1983): Here we are in the last quarter and how we gonna pull it all together and claim the new age in our name?

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In the face of all this, fighting back can feel impossible. But it can begin in very small ways. It can begin by taking the time to read another persons words fully. It can begin by taking a moment to look at a painting on a wall. Last weekend, as all those arts orgs posted about their loss of funding, I stood on a hill in Ft Greene, under a cover of very old trees, in a large group of people, listening to one hundred tubas play an Anthony Braxton composition. The performance was free and open to anyone who happened to walk by. Being there felt like being in the world I hope comes next, the one where art is a living, breathing thing, a practice as a part of our world as taking a walk in the park.

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Members of the state National Guard will begin performing some duties for police in Albuquerque as soon as this week, public safety officials said Wednesday.

Albuquerque police Chief Harold Medina answered questions about "Operation Zia Shield" at a news conference at the state National Guard headquarters outside Santa Fe.

The 71 National Guard members involved in the operation will be serving in three distinct capacities, Medina said: As "scene security" at crime scenes and SWAT operations, where he said officers sometimes spend nine hours or more parked around police perimeters; working in the agency's drone program and assisting with booking people into jail and tagging evidence.

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Medina characterized the National Guard deployment as "nothing new" during Wednesday morning's news conference, pointing to his agency's hiring of civilians to perform tasks related to "digital intelligence," criminal case management and providing evidence discovery in cases.

Frustrated with crime in Albuquerque and what she viewed as the Legislature's inadequate response to the problem during this year's legislative session, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in early April declared an "emergency" in connection with crime in the state's largest city and allocated $750,000 for the operation.

The operation, however, has attracted national attention as well as concerns by civil rights groups like the American Civil Liberties Union over the potential militarization of civilian law enforcement.

Coming to the streets soon

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The military members will not have authority to make arrests, Medina emphasized Wednesday, and they will not carry guns or stun guns.

National Guard members will be "dressed down," officials have said  in polo shirts and khakis  and they will carry only pepper spray, the same as the agency's police service aides.

People in Albuquerque can expect to see National Guard members working with the police as soon as Memorial Day weekend, officials said.

About 11 or 12 National Guard members set to work in the drone program have already completed their training and could begin serving as soon as this week, Medina said. The department uses drones  in a program similar to that of Santa Fe police  to locate suspects or missing people, assess potentially dangerous situations and document crash scenes.

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Dr. Nicole Duranceaux talks about our tendency to categorize people during a class on crisis intervention at the National Guard headquarters in Santa Fe as nearly 70 New Mexico National Guard members continue their training on Wednesday for the governor's Operation Zia Shield. The program will place dozens of guardsmen in support roles with Albuquerque police in an effort to keep more officers on the street.

Medina said he and other officials will discuss "expanding" the operation into other planned areas, depending on how the coming months of the operation go.

A written request sent to Lujan Grisham from Medina earlier this year notes some other potential areas where he would like to use the military members to supplement officers, including security at the city's airport and public transit sites, administrative work related to case preparation and "medical assistance and humanitarian efforts" along Central Avenue, one of the main thoroughfares through the city.

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The memorandum says Guard members could "distribute food water and essential supplies to individuals experiencing homelessness and vulnerable populations" in the corridor, which is known for open drug use and tent encampments, adding "their presence is crucial for de-escalating potentially volatile situations and connecting individuals with appropriate services."

Maj. Gen. Miguel Aguilar  the adjutant general of the New Mexico National Guard  said he has never raised the possibility of his members being granted authority to make arrests, and that it has not been part of the discussions between him, Medina and Lujan Grisham in recent months with regard to the operation.

Sheriff refuses to take part

The deployment of military members to perform some duties of law enforcement officers has drawn concerns from some the operation effectively blurs the line between the two distinct entities. While National Guard members have been deployed during times of civil unrest and in response to natural disasters  such as flooding in Ruidoso last year  the governor's move to send in members to supplement the duties of a metropolitan police force represents the only such deployment in the state in recent memory.

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Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said in a video posted last month to social media he declined to deputize National Guard members after speaking with Lujan Grisham, Medina and others in recent months, saying he felt it wasn't clear what role the military members would play "now or in the future" in the operation.

"Lines can be skewed," he said. "I don't want people to feel that we're militarizing our community."

Allen referred to "a ton of liability" involved with police work, giving a hypothetical of a National Guard member potentially being attacked while guarding a crime scene and using force  and potentially even escalating to "a higher use of force"  to defend themselves. He also raised the question of whether the National Guard members should be required to wear lapel cameras in their duties.

"I know it's going to help the PD in the short term, but what's going to happen in the next four or five months?" he said. "Because this crime problem hasn't gone away in the last 10 years."

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Albuquerque police Sgt. Jeff Bludworth, right, with the crisis intervention unit helps with a class on conflict resolution at the National Guard headquarters in Santa Fe as nearly 70 New Mexico National Guard members continue their training on Wednesday for the governor's Operation Zia Shield. The program will place dozens of guardsmen in support roles with Albuquerque police in an effort to keep more officers on the street.

Medina responded to Allen on Wednesday, saying he understood his concerns but wanted to think "outside the box" for a solution to public safety concerns in the city.

"Fortunately, I'm at a point in my career where I'm not afraid to stick my neck out and do something outside of the box," Medina said. "I'm not afraid of criticism  I'm going to do what I think is right, and I'm going to do what I think works, and if it fails, so be it."

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Medina said he hopes the operation will free up officers from some time-consuming duties and give them more time to patrol and make arrests.

The Albuquerque Police Department is budgeted for 1,000 officers, and 890 of those positions were filled as of Wednesday  a vacancy rate of 11%  a spokesperson said.

"If we continue to see the decline [in homicides] that we've experienced the first months of the year, and if we could hold our crime declines through the summer months and into the fall, I think we could comfortably say that this was successful and that it did what we wanted  making Albuquerque safer," Medina said.

Crisis intervention training

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In the next room, about 60 National Guard members sat in rows listening to a lecture on post-traumatic stress disorder from Dr. Nicole Duranceaux that she described as a "crash course" on the mental health condition. She asked the trainees for tips for interacting with someone in crisis, "especially if they have post-traumatic stress disorder."

One of them answered, "Be predictable, and communicate what you're doing."

Another said, "Be calm, but stern."

"You're not going to be arresting anyone, but you might need to move them out of an area," she said, emphasizing the importance of giving people a choice while giving them commands. "Give the person some dignity and some control  people don't want to be dismissed."

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Nearly 70 New Mexico National Guard members continue their training for the governor's Operation Zia Shield with a class on crisis intervention at the National Guard headquarters in Santa Fe on Wednesday. The program will place dozens of guardsmen in support roles with Albuquerque police in an effort to keep more officers on the street.

The instruction is part of "crisis intervention" training the members are receiving as part of their 38 days of training before being deployed in Operation Zia Shield. The training requirements are the same as those for people who serve as public safety aides in police departments, Aguilar said.

The members are also receiving "defensive tactics" training led by New Mexico State Police, Chief Troy Weisler said Wednesday, including "deescalation training, restraint and control techniques and handling hostile individuals."

"We want to make sure that the Guardsmen have the ability to protect themselves," Weisler said, acknowledging the possibility of a violent confrontation. "It's the area that they're going to be in, the situations that they're going to be in  while it's not expected that that will happen, it's definitely a possibility."
NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  Two men were arrested in New Mexico as part of an FBI-led nationwide effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators.

Operation Restore Justice resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders across the country. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Departments Criminal Division, and United States Attorneys Offices around the country.

VIDEO: Man throws small dog at Albuquerque officer during arrest

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As a result of the operation, the following men are now facing charges in the District of New Mexico:

Noah John Carney, 31, is accused of coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity between July and August of 2024, the DOJ said in a news release. Carney was previously convicted of attempted coercion and enticement in 2014 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was serving an 18-month term of supervised release at the time of this offense.

Carl Weatherman, 42, is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material, which was found at his home during a search warrant last year, according to the DOJ. Weatherman was previously convicted of receipt of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in 2016 and sentenced to 75 months in prison. He was serving a 10-year term of supervised release at the time of the current offense.

Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking.

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To report suspected exploitation of a child, use the FBIs tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling the local FBI field office.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
A nationwide operation to crack down on alleged child sex abusers helped rescue 115 children and led to the arrest of 205 people accused of sex crimes, including five in Connecticut.

The effort, dubbed Operation Restore Justice, involved a coordinated effort to identify and arrest alleged offenders and was carried out over five days, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut. The initiative involved all 55 FBI field offices around the country, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Departments Criminal Division, and United States Attorneys Offices across the nation.

The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims  especially child victims  and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us, Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.

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Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us, FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement. Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, were sending a clear message: There is no place to hide for those who prey on children.

Those arrested in Connecticut included 52-year-old Steven Taylor of Hartford who was indicted on charges of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Federal officials allege he used his cellphone and other devices to record sexually explicit videos and images of a minor female.

Searches of the devices allegedly revealed more than 2,300 sexually explicit images and videos of minors, federal officials said. Taylor was arrested on related state charges on Oct. 24, 2024. Last Thursday, he appeared in Hartford federal court and pleaded not guilty to the federal charges, officials said. He has been detained since his arrest.

Ryan Perry, 39, of East Hartford was also charged with transportation, receipt and distribution of child pornography following a criminal complaint, officials said.

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Federal officials allege that Perry was on state probation for prior child exploitation offenses when he was arrested in January for probation violations stemming from a 2024 home visit. A separate federal investigation identified Perry as a possible user of a darknet site where child pornography was uploaded and shared.

In April, an analysis of a hard drive seized from Perry allegedly revealed approximately 2,900 images and videos of child sex abuse material, federal officials said. He was arrested federally on April 29 and remains detained.

Stephen Dickson, 47, of Colchester was charged by criminal complaint with coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Federal officials allege that Dickson communicated on Kik Messenger with an FBI Online Covert Employee in September 2023 who was posing as the stepfather of a 14-year-old girl in Connecticut. During the communications, Dickson allegedly expressed a desire and willingness to engage in sexual activity with the fictitious girl, authorities said.

On Sept. 22, 2023, Dickson was arrested and charged with state offenses after he allegedly traveled to a hotel in Wallingford to engage in sexual activity with who he believed was the girl he had been communicating with. An analysis of computers, hard drives and a smartphone seized from Dickson later allegedly turned up several hundred images and videos of suspected child pornography and dozens of images of female children, likely downloaded from social media sites like Facebook, that were digitally manipulated to create child sexual abuse materials, officials said. Dickson was charged federally last Thursday and is free on $150,000 bond.

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Joshua Bailey, 45, of Milford and Elizabeth Jordan, 42, of West Haven were each charged by criminal complaint with receipt and distribution of child pornography, transmission of a live visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor and conspiracy to do so.

According to authorities, on March 12, 2024, Jordan allegedly engaged in sexual activity with a minor who was 17 and livestreamed the activity to Bailey using Facebook messenger. A search of Baileys phone revealed a series of screenshots of Jordan and the minor, officials said.

Bailey and Jordan have been detained since August 2024 when they were arrested for related state offenses. Bailey appeared in New Haven federal court on April 29, and Jordan appeared in New Haven federal court on Tuesday.

The Connecticut U.S. Attorneys Office has long been committed to protecting children by swiftly and vigorously prosecuting offenders, said Marc H. Silverman, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, in a statement. Sex offenders continue to find new and evolving means to commit their crimes, including using social media and messaging applications to gain access to children, and, as noted specifically in one case we are pursuing, using an AI program to digitally convert real images to create child pornography. I thank our FBI colleagues, and all the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies focusing on this important effort, for staying ahead of the technology curve to investigate child exploitation crimes and apprehend these predators.

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At FBI New Haven, protecting children is one of our most vital duties, said Anish Shukla, acting special agent in charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, in a statement. Our Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force works in collaboration with federal, state and local partners to stop those who prey on our most vulnerable. Here in Connecticut, the FBI actively disrupts violent online extremist groups, sex trafficking rings, sextortionists and other destructive criminal activity.

We do this work in partnership with the community to ensure child victims are identified and receive the care they need, Shukla added. Whether these threats come from the real world or a digital one, the FBI will fight day and night to protect all children. We will never stop in our pursuit to find and arrest those responsible for these heinous acts.

Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors and child sex trafficking, officials said. In Minneapolis, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms, according to authorities.

In Norfolk, Virginia, an individual from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex, according to officials. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  NBC4s investigation into the cyber attack on the City of Columbus is getting national attention.

NBC4 Investigates Isabel Cleary and former NBC4 journalist Mark Feuerborn were honored by the Center for Integrity in News Reporting in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. The group recognizes reporting that is fair, impartial, and objective with the goal of restoring the publics faith in journalism.

Cleary was the first journalist to expose that thousands of peoples private information had been stolen by hackers after Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said the data lacked value.

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NBC4 congratulates Isabel and Mark, and is proud of the work of all the journalists at NBC4.

Cleary continues to press for the citys official report on the attack, which has been delayed for months.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
(Photo: AmeriCorps)

The North Carolina Housing Coalition has joined a nationwide group of community organizations, individuals and unions in a lawsuit challenging the Trump administrations move to dismantle AmeriCorps, the nations flagship civil service program.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on Monday. It seeks to block the administrations attempt to dismantle the program without congressional authorization.

Samuel Gunter (Photo: NC Housing Coalition)

Our action is after receiving notice of the termination of our grant award and coming to the conclusion that it was incredibly important for us as a statewide coalition, as an organization who throughout our history, has kept in mind where the gaps are and how we can step into those gaps to serve communities across North Carolina, said Samuel Gunter, the housing coalitions executive director.

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The Housing Coalition received termination letters late last month for two AmeriCorps VISTA members it had assigned to local housing counseling agencies across the state. The nonprofit estimates that 351 AmeriCorps members at 13 sites across the state were also terminated. Nationally, just under $400 million in AmeriCorps grants were cancelled, ending the services of more than 32,000 members, it reported.

According to AmeriCorps, last year, more than 3,300 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers and other participants worked to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and expand opportunity through national service in North Carolina. AmeriCorps invested more than $27 million in federal funding into the state, the organization said.

AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers served at more than 700 locations across North Carolina, including schools, food banks, homeless shelters, health clinics, youth centers, veterans facilities, and other nonprofit and faith-based organizations, AmeriCorps said.

Gunter, a Peace Corps and VISTA alumnus, said the service programs are transformative for communities and individuals who serve.

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We felt it was important to step up into that gap, not just on AmeriCorps but as we are seeing this trend for a number of federal resources, Gunter said.

The lawsuit against the Trump administration was brought by community organizations from across the nation, individual youth plaintiffs who participate in AmeriCorps and the AmeriCorps Employees Union, AFSCME Local 2027.

It alleges that the Trump administration does not have unilateral power to cut or end the AmeriCorps grants and service programs, and that doing so would unlawfully deprive communities of critical services and opportunities provided through AmeriCorps, including education access, housing support, and youth mentorship.

We are filing this lawsuit today to stand up to this illegal assault on the essential work we do, Kelly Daly, AmeriCorps Employees Union AFSCME Local 2027 president, said in a news release. From providing mentors and educational support to students to rebuilding communities after disasters, AmeriCorps participants and other AmeriCorps grantees programs form the backbone of public service, and our union members are proud to make that service possible.

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As a result of the Trump administrations actions, Daly said families will go without homes. Kids will lose aftercare programming. Seniors will lose companion care, and our communities will suffer.

Over the last 30 years, the complaint explained, AmeriCorps has served hundreds of communities in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

It has conserved lands for use by farmers, hunters, and hikers, provided after-school care to help students from all backgrounds succeed in school, and afforded medical care to seniors and others who might otherwise not have had treatment. All of this progress now hangs in the balance as Defendants work to dismantle the Agency, the lawsuit said.

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, called the Trump administrations gutting of AmeriCorps unlawful and haphazard.

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In their latest attempt to undermine the public service values that are core to our democracy, the Trump administration has gutted Americorps, which has a proven track record of supporting and improving communities across our nation  more than we can say about the policies of this administration, Perryman said.

The Housing Coalition also took note of the recent demobilization of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC)  a development that Gov. Josh Stein decried last month, which resulted in the loss of 52 NCCC members assisting with post-Helene cleanup.

On April 23, Stein shared his frustration with the move in a post on X, writing: Since Hurricane Helene hit, Americorps NCCC teams have been on the ground in western NC delivering resources to victims, repairing homes, and leading volunteer efforts. The federal government is making a mistake taking them off the job. The people of NC need them to complete their mission.
Thousands of students, parents, and teachers have counted on PowerSchool to keep their data safe, but some feel they have been let down.

According to education leaders, 50 of its staff members and 20 local education agencies received threatening emails demanding payment to keep their information secret.

It is certainly unacceptable that these families and public servants have had their data compromised again, said North Carolina Superintendent Mo Green.

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: PowerSchool says hacker deleted student, teacher records obtained in breach

Green said the data taken from PowerSchool is identical to the breach in January, so they dont believe this one is new.

PowerSchool did assure its customers that the compromised data would not be shared and had been destroyed. Unfortunately, that, at least at this point, is proving to be incorrect, said Green.

Information accessed in the breach includes student and staff names, contact information, social security numbers, birthdates, medical notes, and guardian information.

PowerSchools contract with North Carolina is up in July, and the state has already moved on to a new company called Infinite Campus.

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We also investigated Infinite Campus security systems, and we are pleased with how they are designed, said Green.

In terms of cutting some kind of deal with the hackers, Green said that is not going to happen.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has not and will not engage with these threat actors; we are prohibited by law from doing so, said Green.

State officials said not to engage if anyone reaches out to you, threatening to use your information. Instead, contact the cybersecurity team with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

VIDEO: PowerSchool says hacker deleted student, teacher records obtained in breach
North Carolina Legislative Building (Photo: Clayton Henkel)

The North Carolina Senate passed 20 bills Wednesday afternoon in its final series of votes prior to the General Assemblys Thursday crossover deadline, after which only bills that have passed at least one chamber can be considered.

Among the higher profile measures approved were bills that would allow carrying concealed firearms in private schools, protect parents who do not affirm their childs trans identity, and provide financial support to farmers.

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The Senate also passed a pair of measures responding to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene, targeting the theft of mobile homes during states of emergency and relaxing requirements for flood repairs. And it approved a bill granting the Catawba Nation many of the same state-level rights afforded to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

These measures head to the House for further consideration. The Senate will return Thursday for a non-voting session as the House finishes its crossover business. [Note: NC Newsline will publish a comprehensive rundown of House and Senate crossover week action on Friday.]

Private School Security Act

Lawmakers passed a proposal to authorize employees and volunteers at nonpublic K-12 schools to carry concealed firearms on educational property.

Senate Bill 280, titled the Private School Security Act, would allow school administrators to give consent to employees and volunteers to possess handguns and stun guns on school grounds, with written notice to parents. The individuals would need to acquire a concealed carry permit and complete additional training.

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The bill would also allow anyone with a permit to concealed carry firearms at religious ceremonies held on the grounds of private schools, including weddings, funerals, and worship services. Its one of many measures related to gun safety this session, a number of which seek to okay the possession of weapons and other self-defense implements in schools.

The Private School Security Act is a voluntary solution to protect North Carolinas private school students in a world where threats demand actions, said sponsor Sen. Steve Jarvis (R-Davidson).

The chamber voted to pass a technical amendment to the bill and blocked four amendments proposed by Democratic senators, among them proposals to restrict the bill to veterans and current and former law enforcement officers and a provision that would prevent schools from making concealed carry permits mandatory for employment.

Senators also rejected an amendment offered by Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch (D-Wake) that would have screened employees against a state Responsible Individuals List that tracks adults found responsible for abuse and severe neglect, a proposal that had received a positive reception from the bill sponsors in committee.

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There are individuals who, if given the ability to have a gun, would then use that in very inappropriate ways, said Batch, a child welfare attorney. She cited the case of a girl in middle school who she represented in court who was sexually abused by her teacher. If he had a gun, how much more dangerous would that have been?

Sen. Buck Newton (R-Greene, Wayne, Wilson), a lead sponsor of the bill, said the proposal was just not workable because schools do not currently have access to the list. Batch responded that her proposed amendment would have granted schools access to the list.

I think a number of the colleagues at least in my caucus would have supported passing this bill, because we care about the children that are in all of our schools, private or public, she said.

Parents Protection Act

The Senate enacted a bill preventing parents and guardians who deny their trans childs gender identity from facing abuse or neglect designations.

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Senate Bill 442, dubbed the Parents Protection Act, alters statutes concerning child abuse and neglect to specifically exclude conduct described as raising a child consistent with the juveniles biological sex and prevents adoptive parents from being screened based on whether they would deny their child gender-affirming care.

It protects parents who care for their children without the threat of losing supervision over that child because the parent refuses to affirm the gender identity of a child who is experiencing gender dysphoria, said Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance), the bills lead sponsor. Second, the bill shields parents who refuse to affirm gender transitioning from prosecution.

Senators deleted a section of the bill that would have barred state agencies from considering whether prospective foster parents would affirm a trans childs identity, however, after the proposal proved controversial in committee.

There were concerns raised about including children in the foster care situation in this bill. We acknowledge that the foster children are some of the most vulnerable people in the state, and we do not want to do anything that might make it difficult to place them, Galey said. We may revisit this provision in the future.

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The chamber rejected a pair of proposals by Sen. Lisa Grafstein (D-Wake) that would have extended the same protections to parents who validate their trans childs identity and banned gender conversion therapy, respectively. She cited Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts call for abuse investigations into parents who provide their children gender-affirming care as cause grounds for safeguarding their rights in North Carolina.

The fact of being LGBTQ is just merely a fact, and its inherently part of the human experience, Grafstein said. Things that become abuse or neglect of their LGBTQ children or foster children, that must not be tolerated.

Farmers Protection Act

The chamber voted to approve a bill aiming to prevent what its sponsors characterize as discrimination in lending to farmers.

Senate Bill 554 or the Farmers Protection Act would bar banks and credit unions from denying loans to agriculture producers based on their lack of a commitment to ESG  environmental, social, and governance factors.

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Though sponsors provided no examples of North Carolina farmers who have been impacted by such practices, they argued that some lenders might condition loans based on whether a recipient is taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the use of fertilizer or fossil fuel powered machinery.

The bill faced significant vetting in the Senate Judiciary and Agriculture Committees, according to primary sponsor Sen. Buck Newton.

The bankers are neutral, so I know of no outright opposition to the bill, Newton said.

During a committee hearing for the House version of the bill, Mark Swallow from Democracy Out Loud testified that climate change would harm farmers more than financial discrimination, but lawmakers were not swayed.
CLEVELAND (WJW)  With the announcement of a new pope Thursday in Vatican City, Catholic leaders in Northeast Ohio have issued statements regarding the first American to hold the position.

Robert Prevost becomes first American pope of the Catholic Church: What to know

I rejoice with the rest of the world at the announcement, Diocese of Cleveland Bishop Edward Malesic said in a statement. Pope Leo XIV, as the Roman Pontiff, will shepherd us with love, proclaim the Gospel with fidelity, serve those most in need, and be the visible sign of our unity as believers in the Lord Jesus, risen from the dead.

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Malesic also spoke with local media Thursday afternoon, explaining he had met the new pope before and was pleased with the appointment. He also said its understandable Americans are excited by the news.

President Trump reacts to new pope: Meaningful

Were proud when one of our own is recognized as being a leader, he said. We have every right to be thankful to God for picking someone that we will be able to relate to rather easily because he understands our culture.

Pope Leo XIV, the name chosen by 69-year-old Robert Prevost, was a longtime missionary in Peru. He is the first person from the United States to be elected pope in its 2,000 year history. He is also a citizen of Peru but is a Chicago native.

Newly elected Pope Leone XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Leo XIV appears on the central loggia of St. Peters Basilica after being chosen the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

PHOTOS: New pope elected on Day 2 of voting

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Bishop David Bonnar of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown offered this statement in part:

The Church of Youngstown celebrates with gratitude, joy and hope the election of Pope Leo XIV. We pledge our prayers and support to our new shepherd. His election coincides with this weekends observance of Good Shepherd Sunday. May Pope Leo XIV be a Good Shepherd who leads, feeds, and protects with the heart of Jesus. May his leadership be strong, his influence extend wide, and his voice be heeded by all. May this moment be a grace filled time of unity for the Church and the world!

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Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, center, leads a news conference against Legislative Bill 677 that seeks to help implement medical cannabis regulations in the state. About a dozen law enforcement officials joined him in standing against the legislation as it awaits full legislative debate. May 7, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers escalated his opposition to legislative efforts to help implement medical cannabis Wednesday, parading out more than a dozen law enforcement officers who support his stance.

At a Wednesday news conference, Hilgers blasted Legislative Bill 677, from State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, asserting that the effort to build a regulatory framework around voter-approved medical cannabis is nothing more than a path to recreational marijuana that he argued would supercharge the black market.

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As he has already said this year, he urged lawmakers to wait until at least January, as he continues challenging in court the laws that voters approved last fall.

This is not about the will of the people, Hilgers, joined by various sheriffs, said of LB 677. This is going to make Nebraska less safe, more dangerous. Its going to handcuff the good men and women here that are in front of you and all their colleagues around the state.

Hansen, other lawmakers and supporters of the 2024 ballot measures have already indicated that they have no intention to wait. They argue that without LB 677, the voter-approved laws could become the wild west or prevent Nebraskans who need cannabis the most from accessing it.

The voter-approved laws allow up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis with a physicians recommendation. In effect since December, the laws passed in November with 71% voter approval.

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A new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission is set to write new regulations around the laws, part of a companion ballot measure that passed with about 68% approval.

Our fight remains

Hansen told reporters after Hilgers news conference that LB 677 being recreational couldnt be farther from the truth and that turning a blind eye to the ballot measure would hurt voters.

That would be like saying were providing recreational opiates or recreational fentanyl, Hansen said. We dont do any of that.

Crista Eggers of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, center, leads a news conference urging legislative support for bills to help implement a safe, fully regulated medical cannabis system. March 3, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, said there was no greater hypocrisy than Hilgers telling the Legislature to respect the will of the voters after actively working to undermine it at the ballot box, in the courts and within the Legislature itself.

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Eggers, who led the 2024 ballot measure, the third campaign for the group, said Hilgers actions were primary reasons why medicinal cannabis continue to be out of reach for many.

Our fight remains as it always has: as a voice for Nebraska patients  real people in our communities who are suffering, Eggers said in a statement. As long as patients like Will, Brooke, Jayen, Kyler, Colton, and countless others are suffering, you have our unwavering commitment: We will never stop fighting.

Regulations remain in limbo

Hansen and State Sens. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue and John Cavanaugh of Omaha, chair and vice chair of the Legislatures General Affairs Committee, hosted three town halls this weekend, in La Vista, Omaha and Lincoln, receiving feedback on LB 677 and a new amendment.

It was that new amendment, AM 1251, that got LB 677 out of committee in a 5-3 vote last week after earlier stalling in committee.

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The 124-page amendment makes various changes to the laws but is intended to put in place various regulations and safeguards around the new Medical Cannabis Commission. An attorney for the commission has said in court filings that, without the follow-up legislation, commissioners have no ability to carry out any duties set forth in the new laws.

As of late March, no meetings. No deliberations. No votes. No employees. No regulations.

State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, left, listens as Speaker John Arch of La Vista addresses the Nebraska Legislature. July 26, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

LB 677, with the amendment, would move the process forward, giving the commission more time to act, through Oct. 1 rather than July 1, but also more guardrails.

As it stands, the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission within the executive branch and its five governor-appointed members would get full rein over regulations, which could set up a system more restrictive than LB 677 or its amendment.

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Hilgers, whose office is defending other state officials in that same lower-court case against the voter-approved laws, said of the commissions position: We think theyre wrong.

If theyre taking that position, then theyre contrary to the law and to the will of the people, Hilgers said.

However, those comments came as Hilgers and his staff await the commissions regulations and the eventual licensure of medical dispensaries. When that happens, Hilgers office has threatened to bring a new lawsuit.

Core criticisms

Among Hilgers main concerns is that LB 677 would restrict the sale of cannabis flower, up to 2 ounces, a gigantic loophole he said would open the door to smoking. While LB 677 prohibits smoking, he said allowing flower is like saying you can buy the beer, you can bring the beer home, you can put the beer in your refrigerator, but whatever you do, just dont drink the beer.

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The ballot measure legalized 5 ounces of cannabis for all parts of the cannabis plant, including flower, which can be ground into joints or blunts. It can also be processed to be used in vaporizers, edibles, tinctures, creams and more, which would be allowed under LB 677.

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers holds up an amendment to Legislative Bill 677 that seeks to help implement medical cannabis regulations. Hilgers led a news conference with about a dozen law enforcement officials against the legislation as it awaits full legislative debate. May 7, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Hilgers also criticized that in a list of 15 qualifying conditions in LB 677s amendment, the proposal would allow medical cannabis for certain serious medical conditions or chronic pain, which he said would blow the list wide open. The list was created a few years ago with the Nebraska Medical Association. The list does not currently include post-traumatic stress disorder.

The ballot measure legalized cannabis for all conditions with a practitioners recommendation.

Also on the list of criticisms is that LB 677s amendment would not allow anyone to go after medical practitioners for recommending cannabis, and there would be little process to take away a patient or caregivers practitioner-approved card, also a new system in LB 677.

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Hilgers said his office plays an enormously critical role in ensuring health professionals follow their license. However, he said if a health care practitioner recommends cannabis to a pregnant woman, whose pregnancy ends in miscarriage or fetal development disability, or someone with a history of mental health challenges commits suicide or murder, the state needs leeway to act.

Asked by a reporter whether disciplinary action would be on a case-by-case basis, Hilgers said sometimes yes, but he acknowledged that all physicians who recommend cannabis could be at risk, which comes as the state continues to face health care staffing shortages.

He said its an ethical violation if attorneys tell physicians they can recommend medical cannabis, which he said would be in violation of federal law.

All health licensure is at risk of revocation, except in this case, if this bill were passed, Hilgers said.

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Hilgers, while telling reporters he didnt want to speculate, talked about hypothetical scenarios in which patients or caregivers could start to accumulate pounds of cannabis and sell it to friends or neighbors. No matter LB 677 or the ballot measure, that would be illegal.

State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha speaks with reporters after the core legislative proposal seeking to help implement medical cannabis stalls in committee. April 17, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Hilgers rejected a reporters question that he was punishing anyone or using supposed bad actors to argue against medicinal cannabis generally.

Hansen and Cavanaugh have said that preventing the black market starts with reasonable regulations. That includes seed-to-sale tracking and using the states prescription drug monitoring program, used for drugs such as opiates or fentanyl, Hansen said.

Opposition largely with ballot measure

LB 677 and its amendment would be able to identify issues in Nebraskas program within about two seconds, Hansen said, while providing new resources and guidance to law enforcement.

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Cavanaugh, a lawyer, noted that nearly all of Hilgers criticisms were of the ballot measure, not LB 677.

More than 300 people attended the weekend events, Cavanaugh estimated, and 97 speakers (some repeats across the three events) spoke to a bipartisan group of 13 senators.

Cavanaugh said it is disingenuous to organize opposition at this late hour but not work with Hansen or the General Affairs Committee beforehand. Now, Cavanaugh said Hilgers goal is to stop the legislation from passing at all.

Hes losing in the courts and trying to win in the Legislature, Cavanaugh said.

Hilgers also sent a letter to Speaker John Arch of La Vista, who could schedule LB 677 for debate later this month after the state budget passes. Hilgers served as speaker before becoming attorney general two years ago.

Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner speaks against a legislative proposal for additional medical cannabis regulations through Legislative Bill 677. Wagner in 2020 helped toss a previous ballot measure off the ballot in front of the Nebraska Supreme Court. May 7, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Arch confirmed he had read the letter and said it would have no effect on scheduling LB 677 for debate.

At the news conference, Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said LB 677 was purely recreational marijuana masked as medicinal. Sarpy County Sheriff Greg London said it was a red herring to get into full-fledged recreational marijuana.

Joining the letter were Sheriffs Neil Miller (Buffalo), Colin Caudill (Otoe), Robert Sorenson (Cass), Dwaine Ladwig (Polk), Shawn Messerlie (Colfax), London (Sarpy), Tom Decker (Dixon), Mark Overman (Scotts Bluff), Aaron Hanson (Douglas), Mike Vance (Seward), Lynn Lyon (Johnson), Mike Robinson (Washington), Wagner (Lancaster), Paul Vrbka (York) and Brent Lottman (Nemaha).

Vrbka also signed on behalf of the Nebraska Sheriffs Association as president, as did Police Chief Kenny Denny on behalf of the Police Chief Association of Nebraska.

Gov. Jim Pillen, speaking with the Nebraska Examiner last week, declined to comment on LB 677 other than to say cannabis wouldnt be approved in a form that could become recreational.

My advocacy for it is that if you have a medical condition [and] you need it, youll get it, but its going to taste like crap, Pillen said. Its going to be a bitter pill to swallow.

Think with the heart

If lawmakers do not act, Hansen has said Hilgers actions could inadvertently lead to recreational marijuana in a different ballot measure.

At the public forums this weekend, Hansen discussed that lawmakers might not be able to get at the full apple but would work to get 75%, 80%, and expand legislation in the future. He asked those in attendance Sunday if they would support recreational marijuana on the ballot if LB 677 failed and medicinal marijuana remained out of reach.

Of dozens of people in attendance, nearly every single one raised their hands.

Hansen has asked Nebraskans to share their stories, particularly with his Republican colleagues, to help LB 677. He estimated it could be scheduled for debate shortly after the state budget is passed, which must be done by May 15. The Legislature is set to adjourn June 9.

Were so kind of caught up sometimes in the minutia of this bill and the taxing and the regulation, which is good, but we sometimes forget about the people actually going to use this, Hansen told reporters. We need to think with the heart a little bit here as well as our head.

Nebraska Attorney General Hilgers discusses future, stance on medicinal cannabis

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, in a one-on-one interview with the Nebraska Examiner on Wednesday, said he recognizes that voters are angry with him over his continued opposition to medical cannabis, including in the courts and at the Legislature.

Hilgers said he recognizes separation of powers between the branches of government but views himself as the states voice for law enforcement officers and said its his duty to speak up.

Im a big boy. It doesnt bother me, Hilgers said of opponents. Ive gone through the wars. What people want to say they want to say.

While some view his actions as just political, Hilgers said, if thats true, its not a very good political decision because 70% of voters legalized medical cannabis. He said most politicians base political decisions on the winning side of 70-30 issues, but that is not what I ran on.

I could not go to my grave looking backward at the work that I did, whether its in the Legislature or here, and having that kind of a consideration for me not to do the right thing, said Hilgers, a former six-year member of the Legislature. And in this case, I think its the right thing.

Attorney General Mike Hilgers. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska News Service)

Dozens of other states have legalized medical cannabis, which Hilgers said is part of the reason voters are frustrated. He said its an abject failure of the feds to not follow the law they created.

I think two plus two is four even if everyone else says two plus two is five, Hilgers said.

Hilgers said his heart goes out to anyone in pain who feels they cant access something that they feel could alleviate the hurt.

But he also asked what about those whose lives have been ravaged by drug use or Nebraskans harmed by marijuana-like products, including a wife who had to call law enforcement on her husband who lost his mind and a man in a southwest Omaha neighborhood this week who ran around without any clothes saying he was going to kill people.

Hilgers said he is also working to uphold the integrity of the ballot measure process with his work, referencing his offices efforts to decertify the medical cannabis ballot measures last year alleging widespread fraud.

Those legal arguments were rejected in Lancaster County District Court last, and Hilgers is appealing to the Nebraska Supreme Court. Of four targeted campaign notaries in that case, Hilgers confirmed none have been charged or convicted. Campaign officials have denied wrongdoing.

People might be upset today. They might be upset in 10 years, Hilgers said. But at the end of the day, its a principle that matters for all of us, and thats what Im defending.

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GARDNER, Kan.  Hundreds of volunteers gathered at Grace Baptist Church in Gardner, Kansas on Wednesday, helping the displaced residents of Aspen Place.

The complex was condemned by the city on Tuesday, citing safety concerns. Since then, the community in Gardner has been pooling resources in preparation for Wednesdays meeting.

$40,000 of original work missing from Missouri artist after trailer stolen

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Micah Norman lived at Aspen Place until December; she went to the office as soon as she could to help.

I know I couldnt sit with a hot meal and a warm bed last night knowing I havent done what I can, she said. And there were probably a handful of us, just neighbors at the office looking at each other, like, how do we help? And we just started knocking on doors and saying, how do we help?

Shes organizing moving supplies and volunteers for the residents. She says the response from neighbors and local businesses has been amazing.

In the past 24 hours, we built an insane little resource center just based on all of the donations from the community, she said. Gardner has really pulled it together. We did not have to ask for anything, really.

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Among the resources available was Kansas Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm helping low-income Kansans.

Its our view that what happened here is a product of a city failing these families, said Executive Director Matthew Keenan. Its a product of a landlord thats failing these families and lets hope that the legal system and the courts dont fail these families too.

Keenan says the 48-hour notice to vacate their homes wasnt enough.

Kansas City Costco hit-and-run victim speaks out

The failure to give adequate notice and warning that this was a potential is, in my mind, the biggest failure, he added.

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The effort to get the resources together has all happened in two days, its been a large undertaking.

Brandon Champagne, pastor at Grace Baptist Church, said everyone, both residents and neighbors, was shocked.

They didnt plan for this, you know, as of 24 hours ago, they didnt know this was going to happen, Champagne said. But also, neither did our community. Its just people who said this could be me, it could be my family, and its our community so we need to help.

Despite the circumstances, the sight of so many Gardners coming to help their neighbors was a powerful sight.

In a world thats so full of conflict and arguments, its great to see, I mean theres hundreds of people here, Champagne said. And its hard to tell whos the one here getting help and whos the one helping, because again, it could be any one of us.

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Norman takes solace in the fact that the community rallied so quickly.

It makes me feel better knowing that if I ever face anything like this again, then I have a whole community of people around me and I just applaud them, she said.

See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri

If theres one positive to take from the meeting, for her, its that her and her neighbors wont be far from help.

Youre not alone. No matter what you face in life, youre not alone, Norman saqid. Even if it feels like the things that are supposed to be there to support you arent, the people next to you care.

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The Hope Market is still organizing donations and volunteers for the Aspen Place residents here.

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NEOSHO, Mo.  It was an informal Thursday for members of Neosho city government.

Council members and other city officials were part of a casual gathering Thursday morning to share a cup of coffee and donuts with residents and talk to them about anything they had on their mind.

This particular type of an event was a first for the city and now one it plans on hosting at least once a year.

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Ive had some good conversations this morning with a couple of new people Ive not met before, a couple of people whove invested in Neosho. Ive introduced them to the city leaders, city manager. Its been a great outing for us, said Neosho Mayor Richard Davidson.

We love when citizens come in and speak with us. Sometimes its the only way that we know certain things are happening in our community  and, along with council, they really appreciate everyone coming and talking to them about things, because then they can make sure its addressed, said Jessica Johnson, Neosho public information officer.

This was also done in conjunction with this week being Missouri Municipal Leagues Local Government Week.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that 21 hostages kidnapped by Palestinian militant organization Hamas from Israel and taken to the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023 were still alive, but the fate of three others was unclear.

In a video address posted on X, Netanyahu said Israel was not sure about the fate of the three other hostages.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump caused shock in Israel with comments suggesting that three more hostages held by Hamas and Hamas-affiliated groups had died.

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Several Israeli media outlets, citing government officials, reported "great concern for the lives" of the three captives. According to Israeli sources, the bodies of 35 abductees whose deaths have been officially confirmed are also being held in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli government's official position before Trump's comments had been that 24 hostages were still alive and that Hamas-allied groups were holding the bodies of another 35 people. Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister's wife, recently said there were probably fewer surviving hostages.

Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza

Meanwhile, at least 33 people, including women and children, were killed in an Israeli attack on a neighbourhood in Gaza City, the Hamas-controlled health authority said on Wednesday.

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A further 86 people were injured in the airstrike, it said.

The Palestinian WAFA news agency reported that rockets hit a restaurant and a nearby busy intersection with market stalls, killing a Palestinian journalist among others.

Videos circulating in Palestinian media showed blood-covered victims at tables and on the floor of the devastated restaurant, as well as in the market.

The footage and information could not initially be independently verified. The Israel military said it would investigate the report.

After a separate attack on a former school building in the city, volunteers recovered 15 bodies from the rubble, according to the Hamas-controlled civil defence service. Ten others were reported injured.

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Palestinian sources said the building had been used to house displaced people. Local media published footage reportedly showing several men, some in a state of despair, mourning the victims wrapped in shrouds.

The information about the attack could not be independently verified and the Israeli military did not initially comment on the reports when asked.

Recent Gaza death toll mounting

According to WAFA, at least 61 people have been killed in attacks in the Gaza Strip since Monday night. Medical sources said the number of people killed in an attack on a former school building housing displaced people in Al-Bureij, in the central Gaza Strip, on Tuesday evening has risen to 33 from 17.

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Israel said that evening it had attacked a Hamas command and control centre where weapons were also stored.

Israel recently announced that it intends to further intensify its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of pressurizing the Palestinian militant group to release more hostages.

Israel says it intercepted drone from Yemen

The Israeli military said it had intercepted a drone fired from Yemen on Wednesday, after warning sirens sounded.

Israeli media reports said the drone was fired by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen.

Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked Israel and international merchant ships in solidarity with their Palestinian ally, Hamas.

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A Houthi missile struck near Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport outside Tel Aviv on Sunday for the first time. The Israeli Air Force responded with massive airstrikes on militia targets in Yemen.

The United States has been attacking Houthi targets in Yemen for months with the stated aim of protecting international shipping in the Red Sea.

On Tuesday evening, the Houthis agreed in principle to a ceasefire with the US on the condition that Washington also abides by it.

"The US interfered to support the Israeli entity by attacking Yemen. So, if they stopped their aggression, we will stop responding," Houthi spokesman Mohamed Abdel-Salam told al-Masirah TV late on Tuesday.

Abdel-Salam stressed that the militia's stance towards Israel remains unchanged.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Money for education is a hot topic again in Carson City as lawmakers made a $126.9 million withdrawal from schools rainy day fund to help plug a gap created by a decrease in tourism.

Additional steps might be necessary after the state per-pupil spending levels are finalized in a budget session scheduled for Thursday.

Schools must address a $160 million gap between spending requests and tax revenue. Projected tax revenue has declined since budgets were drawn up at the start of the legislative session in early February.

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Gov. Joe Lombardo has recommended per-pupil spending of $9,416 in the 2026 fiscal year (July 1-June 30) and $9,486 in 2027. Critics point out that $9,416 is merely $2 more than spending this year. Some are suggesting the state go deeper into the rainy day fund for schools, which is projected to have $746.1 million remaining in July.

Per-pupil funding going up $2 next year unless something changes in Nevada budget

A final per-pupil funding figure is expected to be delivered by legislative staff on Thursday, taking into account decisions made in todays budget closing session of the Joint Subcommittee on K-12/Higher Education/CIP.

Nevada made education funding a priority in the legislative session, but building on that will be difficult in todays economy. Lawmakers voted to continue raises put into place by the 2023 Legislature, but not without some finger-pointing.

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Republicans on the committee voted against continuing $250 million in spending to fund raises for teachers in the states public school districts  but didnt have anything for charter school teachers yet.

Charter schools are public schools, Republican State Sen. Carrie Buck said. These teachers are public teachers. They deserve raises also, so I will be voting no today.

Democratic Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager reminded Republicans of discussions from the 2023 session and the commitments made then to teachers. He called a no vote utterly irresponsible, but five Republicans stood their ground.

They didnt have enough votes to stop the existing raises.

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Democratic Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro held out hope for charter school teachers.

While I recognize that today is not the day that well be talking about charter school raises, I do think that that conversation should continue for the remainder of this session so that we can come to a good resolution on that, Cannizzaro said.

Lawmakers have been watching as more families leave public school districts to put their kids in charter schools. Lombardo based his budget on no enrollment growth, and during Thursdays hearing, lawmakers were told that student populations have increased in only three counties: Mineral, Nye and Pershing. But as a whole, charter school enrollment is on the rise.

Transportation funding for charter schools  about $17 million over two years  was a sticking point in 2023. Today, the committee removed that funding from the per-pupil funding account, instead deciding the money should go to the Charter School Authority through a one-time appropriation from the state general fund.

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May 7Erika Estrada-Quezada had her hands full caring for not one, but two daughters in 2017. It was a challenge, but Estrada-Quezada's mother, Norma Estrada, stepped up to help.

It was out of that struggle, and the pair's mother-daughter bond and love for kids, that Twins Academy Inc. was born.

Twins Academy, a women-led, family-owned bilingual child care business in Albuquerque, was established in 2018. It started as a humble operation run out of Estrada's home. Today, it's a fully licensed child care business with four centers across Albuquerque.

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The business is this year's "New Mexico Family-Owned Small Business of the Year," an honor given by the U.S. Small Business Administration's New Mexico District Office .

The award is one of many that the Small Business Administration, or SBA, is handing out this week to businesses and businesspeople that demonstrate entrepreneurship, innovation, resilience, growth and community impact. The honorees are being recognized at an event on Thursday, coinciding with National Small Business Week.

In addition to Twins Academy, SBA New Mexico will recognize 12 other honorees, some of whom include TechSource Inc., Clearly Clean Janitorial Services LLC, Tax Help Santa Fe owner Peter Doniger and WESST.

Liliana Reyes, once a business adviser to Estrada-Quezada and Estrada, said their recognition is well deserved.

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"As a business adviser working with the Spanish-speaking community in Albuquerque's South Valley, seeing Norma and Erika succeed is deeply meaningful," said Reyes, who works with the Small Business Development Center at Central New Mexico Community College. "They are hardworking, family-centered Latina women who turned a dream into a thriving business that now inspires others."

Estrada-Quezada was a working nurse when she had her twins in 2017. When she saw the way her mother stepped away from her day care job to help care for them, it inspired her to dream up a child care business in which the two could combine their shared passion for early childhood education to provide needed and affordable services in the Albuquerque area.

Estrada acquired a license to start running a day care at home. During that time, she cared for 12 kids.

Discovering a "need for child care in the community," Estrada-Quezada said, the mother-daughter duo began fervently seeking out professional development and training opportunities to help them launch and grow the venture.

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They discovered the Crianza Accelerator Program in 2018, the same year it was created. The program was offered by CNM in partnership with the local Small Business Development Center to support local entrepreneurs.

With guidance from one of the center's business advisers, Reyes, the Twins Academy owners learned the ins and outs of how to get a business up and running.

"They gave us the confidence of being able to know what struggles you're gonna go through, but that's normal and not to step back and give up," Estrada, translated by her daughter, said in Spanish.

Estrada-Quezada and Estrada said the training helped them grow their home-based business to a four-center operation that has created more than 30 jobs in underserved neighborhoods and serves more than 150 families with affordable child care.

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The small business' first center opened in 2018, and its latest opened last year. The Montgomery location, the business' flagship center, currently serves up to 170 children in the Northeast Heights, they said. Estrada-Quezada said they are getting ready to open a fifth center this year.

The business' teachers and staff care for kids between the ages of 6 weeks and 12 years old on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Developing motor and social skills through a bilingual teaching process is a focus of the program.

To receive recognition from the SBA this week is "an honor," Estrada-Quezada said.

"We never thought we'd get here," she added.

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Their accomplishment also means a lot to Reyes, who said their "journey reminds me why I do this work  to support women who build not just for themselves, but for their families and their community."

"Norma and Erika show us that with faith, support and determination, anything is possible," Reyes said.
Robert Francis Prevost, the first American pope, held his first mass in the Sistine Chapel Friday morning. It comes after he was selected by the papal conclave to take over as leader of the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church.

The new pontiff, who has taken the name Leo XIV, was chosen on day 2 of the conclave. It came over two weeks after the death of Pope Francis at age 88.

Prevost, 69, is a Chicago-born cardinal who previously served in Peru for two decades.

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Just after 6 p.m. local time in Vatican City (noon ET) on Thursday, white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney as bells rang, which symbolized that the conclave had reached the two-thirds majority necessary for a new pope.

Previous votes, which resulted in black smoke coming from the chapel, meant that a vote was inconclusive and did not reach a decision.

The papal conclave began on May 7 with 133 electors, the largest number of voting cardinals in history.

A crowd of more than 10,000 people had gathered in St. Peters Square on Thursday to await the results of the votes.

The newly elected pope appeared on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica, where he was introduced to the world.
Newark, New Jersey's Liberty International Airport has been hit hard by delays and technical issues over the last week.

The issues began when air traffic controllers lost contact with planes, leaving them unable to see, hear, or talk to planes that they were responsible for, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association's Galen Munroe.

Following the technical difficulties at the Philadelphia-based facility that controls traffic for the airport, several controllers took leave after experience a traumatic event.

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The outage and the subsequent staff shortage has resulted in hundreds of delayed flights on a daily basis, but the airport appears to be close to resolving some of its problems.

According to the FAA's airport status website, Newark did not experience widespread delays or cancellations during the morning flight window. A ground delay was put into place at 1 PM ET to assist with flight volume, but there are no issues like the ones that have plagued the airport over the last week.

"The FAA is taking immediate steps to improve the reliability of operations at Newark Liberty International Airport. This includes accelerating technological and logistical improvements and increasing air traffic controller staffing," the organization said on Wednesday, addressing the core issues behind the problems at the airport.

The FAA also noted that the system that processes radar data for Newark's airport is located in New York. Telecom lines feed the information to Philadelphia, allowing the airport, aircraft and air traffic control to communicate with one another.

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21 controllers and supervisors are currently training to assist at the Newark airport, and a pipeline of classes for those positions is filled through April of 2026.

The whole system needs to be redone," said U.S, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. Duffy has advocated for a total reform of the country's air-traffic control systems and infrastructure - a multibillion-dollar plan that would require Congress' approval.

Duffy's plans for reform have been in development since the deadly crash near Washington D.C. that killed dozens earlier this year.

We'll see if the improvements continue in Newark and at other major airports around the country ahead of a busy summer travel season.
With the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88, the worlds attention now turns to who will replace him.

Predicting who will be chosen as the next leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics is notoriously fraught with difficulties. In theory, any baptised Catholic male could be made Pope.

In practice, however, the next pontiff will likely be drawn from the cardinals who will gather in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican for the secret papal election known as the conclave.

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After Pope Benedict XVI stepped down in 2013, very few Vatican observers predicted that Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina would be elected as Pope Francis.

This time around, there are no stand-out candidates, making the guessing game even more challenging.

But there are names of potential papabile (likely candidates for the papacy) swirling around the corridors of the Vatican.

Their diverse origins reflect the vast global reach of the Catholic Church.

The contest is likely to come down to a battle between progressives who applaud the late popes comparatively liberal stance on divorcees, gays and the plight of refugees, and conservatives who loathed his agenda.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67

The frontrunner in the betting markets would be the first Asian pope.

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Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, from the Philippines, is a name often mentioned among liberals within the Catholic Church.

Dubbed the Asian Francis for his good humour and progressive views, he has some of Pope Francis humility  at the seminary in the Philippines where he lived for about 20 years, his room had no air-conditioning or television.

Even when made a bishop, he eschewed a car and went to work in a bus or jeepney.

Edward Pentin, a Vatican expert and the author of The Next Pope: The Leading Cardinal Candidates, said: Five or six years ago, he was Pope Franciss favourite to succeed him. Hes head of the important new super-dicastery for evangelisation. Hes quite a strong contender. And hes still relatively young,

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His age may count against him, however  cardinals are wary of appointing a relatively young man because his papacy could last decades, thwarting their own ambitions and squeezing their chances of one day being elected.

Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76

A key adviser to Pope Francis on issues such as climate change and social justice, Cardinal Peter Turkson would be the first black pope.

Born in Ghana, Pope John Paul II appointed him archbishop of Cape Coast in 1992 and, 11 years later, made him the first cardinal in the history of the West African state.

Promotions continued under John Pauls successor, Benedict, who brought him to the Vatican in 2009 and made him the head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace  the body that promotes social justice, human rights and world peace.

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In that role, he was one of the Popes closest advisers on issues such as climate change and drew much attention by attending conferences such as the Davos Economic Forum.

Pope Francis merged Cardinal Turksons department in 2016 with three other offices, leading to what some saw as a power struggle between him and another cardinal.

Cardinal Turkson resigned from that role in 2021 and was appointed to head two pontifical academies on sciences and social sciences.

In 2023, he told the BBC he prayed against the possibility that he would be elected Pope, but some of his detractors said given his media appearances, it appeared he was campaigning for the job.

Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72

For the conservatives, there is Peter Erdo, a Hungarian cardinal and Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest.

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Mr Pentin said: Erdo is a leading contender for the conservative wing of the Church. People like him because he is a strong canonist  hes proficient in Church law.

Many Catholics feel that the Church needs to be brought back from a sense of ecclesiastical lawlessness that evolved under Francis. Erdo would be a safe pair of hands.

He ranks as a conservative in theology, and in speeches throughout Europe, he stresses the Christian roots of the continent. However, he is also seen to be pragmatic and never clashed openly with Francis, unlike other tradition-minded clerics.

That said, he raised eyebrows in the Vatican during the 2015 migrant crisis when he went against Pope Francis call for churches to take in refugees, saying this would amount to human trafficking  seemingly aligning himself with Hungarys nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70

Pietro Parolin, the current secretary of state for the Vatican  in effect, its prime minister  is also considered to be a leading candidate.

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His profile rose during the Ukraine war as the Vatican presented itself as an honest broker that could eventually mediate with Moscow to bring the conflict to a close.

Thomas Reese, an American Catholic priest and the author of Inside the Vatican, said: Hes a very competent diplomat.

Hes been the brains behind Pope Francis international diplomacy. He doesnt put a foot wrong.

He is tarnished, however, by a property scandal in which the Vatican lost millions of euros through the bungled purchase of a former Harrods showroom in London.

Questions will be raised about whether he was incompetent or delegated responsibility to subordinates. Either way, something went wrong, and he was the boss. Theres an ongoing trial, so it could overshadow his papacy, said Father Reese, who is also a columnist for Religion News Service.

Other candidates

Another Italian in the mix is Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, 69, the Archbishop of Bologna, a progressive who is regarded as having been close to Francis. The 69-year-old is closely affiliated with the Sant Egidio Community, a Rome-based Catholic charity that was influential under Francis.

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Cardinal Zuppi has extensive experience of conflict resolution. He was part of SantEgidios team that helped negotiate the end of Mozambiques civil war in the 1990s and was named Francis peace envoy for the war in Ukraine, shuttling between Kyiv, Washington, Moscow and Beijing.

He was appointed a cardinal in 2019 and is regarded as a progressive in the mould of Francis. His relative youth may count against him  cardinals could be wary of appointing someone whose papacy could last for many years, concerned that the direction he takes the Church would become too entrenched.

Aside from Cardinal Parolin and Cardinal Zuppi, there is a third Italian name coming to the fore: Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, a 59-year-old Franciscan who is the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. He is Italian but has broad experience of the wider world, having spent decades in the Middle East.

He speaks Italian, Hebrew and English. His long years observing the Israel-Palestine conflict mean he is an expert at interfaith dialogue and mediation. He could be seen as a bridge between East and West. Francis appointed him a cardinal in 2023.

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There has never been a Pope from North America but some Vatican observers think Cardinal Robert Prevost may be in with a chance. Born in Chicago, the 69-year-old has plenty of experience working in the global south  he was a missionary in Peru and then an archbishop.

He is currently the head of the Vaticans powerful dicastery (department) for bishops, in charge of vetting nominations for bishops around the world. But like Cardinal Zuppi, his relative youth may weigh against him  cardinals could be reluctant to choose a pope who could reign for a couple of decades.

Cardinal Jose Tolentino Calaca de Mendonca is a candidate from the liberal wing of the Church. He comes from the Portuguese island of Madeira and was appointed by Pope Francis as head of a department for culture and education.

Staying within Europe, Cardinal Mario Grech from Malta, the secretary-general of the Synod of bishops, is thought to have a decent chance of landing the top job.

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He is seen as having been close to Pope Francis but a conservative at heart, meaning he could fit the bill as a compromise candidate.

Another African who is being mentioned is Cardinal Robert Sarah, from Guinea, who has criticised gender ideology and denounced Islamic radicalism.

Other names of papabile (literally pope-able) cardinals include Jean-Marc Aveline from France, Joseph Tobin from the US, Juan Jose Omella Omella, the archbishop of Barcelona, and Fridolin Ambongo Besungu from the Democratic Republic of Congo who, if elected, would become the first black pope.

Forecasting a winner is a risky business

Since Pope Francis was elected in 2013, he has appointed about two-thirds of the cardinals who are eligible to elect the next pope.

Close to half the cardinals are now from the global south. They have issues that are different to issues in Europe and the US. Theyre concerned about global warming, poverty, civil wars, corruption in government, said Father Reese.

All politics is local. Every cardinal wants to know how the next pope will be viewed in their country. Is he someone who will listen to me, who speaks my language? They could choose a cardinal from the global south.

Vatican rules state that cardinals must reach a two-thirds majority when they gather to vote in the conclave, which is held inside the Sistine Chapel. For now, there is no leading candidate.

There are so many variables, and the process is so opaque, that forecasting a winner is a risky business.



Last time around, when Benedict XVI resigned, I predicted that there was no way they would elect a Jesuit pope. They went ahead and elected a Jesuit pope. It proved how poor our understanding was, said Father Reese.

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STORY: Cardinals continue to vote to elect a new pope following Francis death last month.

While the secret election appears wide open, here are some of the names being mentioned as possible successors.

:: Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline

Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, the archbishop of Marseille, is known for his easy-going nature and humor.

His ideology is close to Francis, especially on immigration and relations with the Muslim world.

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Aveline would become the first French pope since the 14th century and, at 66, the youngest since John Paul II.

:: Cardinal Charles Maung Bo

Cardinal Charles Maung Bo broke new ground in 2015 when Pope Francis appointed him as the first Catholic cardinal from Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

He has praised the late pope for reaching out to vulnerable and marginalized people.

But hes a somewhat divisive figure at home - even within the tiny Catholic minority - for his dealings with its military leadership, in charge since 2021.

:: Cardinal Peter Erdo

:: Kardinalis TV - Esztergom-Budapest Archdiocese

Hungarys Cardinal Peter Erdo would be considered a compromise candidate; conservative, but has built bridges with Francis' progressive world.

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:: February 2013

He was a contender in the 2013 conclave, seen as someone whod rekindle the Catholic faith in secularized nations, a priority for many.

:: Kardinalis TV - Esztergom-Budapest Archdiocese

But during the 2015 migrant crisis he raised eyebrows when he went against Francis' call for churches to take in refugees, saying this would amount to human trafficking.

:: Cardinal Mario Grech

Cardinal Mario Grech comes from Gozo, a tiny island that is part of Malta, the smallest country in the European Union.

Initially viewed as a conservative, Grech has become a torchbearer for Francis' reforms, becoming more open to issues such as LGBT rights.

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Grech's allies say because of his high-profile role, and friends in both camps, hes known by many cardinals - an advantage in a conclave.

:: Cardinal Cristobal Lopez Romero

Spanish-born Cardinal Cristobal Lopez Romero, archbishop of Rabat, Morocco, is known for his extensive missionary work and strong advocacy for migrants.

Hes made it clear he doesnt want to be pope but his name has repeatedly come up amongst Church watchers.

Hes seen as embodying Francis' focus on the "peripheries" and inter-religious dialog, particularly with Islam.

:: Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin is seen as another compromise candidate between progressives and conservatives.

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Hes served as Pope Francis' secretary of state since 2013, ranking second to the pontiff in the Vatican hierarchy.

Hes not been vocal on issues like abortion and gay rights, but once condemned the legalization of same-sex marriage in many countries as "a defeat for humanity."

:: Cardinal Robert Prevost

American Cardinal Robert Prevost, who's spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru, is a relative unknown on the global stage.

Originally from Chicago, he has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis' 12-year papacy.

Hes shown particular commitment to social justice issues.

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:: Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who would be the first Asian pontiff, is often called the "Asian Francis" because of his easy laugh and commitment to social justice.

Due to his decades of pastoral experience, he would, on paper, seemingly tick all the boxes to be pope.

But from 2015-22, he led a Catholic relief confederation that was accused of staff bullying.

While he was apparently not accused, Francis fired him from the position along with the rest of the leadership.

:: Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi

Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna, is known for having an affinity with Pope Francis.

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Hes considered a street priest who focuses on migrants and the poor, and cares little about pomp and protocol.

If he were made pope, conservatives would likely view him with suspicion.

As might victims of Church sex abuse, since the Italian Catholic Church, which he has led since 2022, has been slow to address the issue.
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW)  Chewy the raccoon is safe and secure after he was discovered playing with meth pipes during a traffic stop in Ohio on Monday, police said.

Officers Austin Branham and Ty Klapp with the Springfield Township Police Department detailed the first-of-their-careers encounter Wednesday and explained what will happen to the pet raccoon as his owner now faces felony drug charges.

Chewy, who the officers described as extremely playful, was discovered in Victoria Page-Vidals vehicle after the 55-year-old woman was stopped for driving under suspension. She also had an active warrant for her arrest, police said.

(Photo Credit: Springfield Township Police)

After Page-Vidal was detained in a police vehicle, officers returned to her vehicle and found Chewy the raccoon with a meth pipe in his hand.

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Definitely not an everyday thing, said Officer Branham, whose body camera captured the now-viral incident.

Police said they recovered a bag containing crystal meth, crack cocaine and three used meth pipes from the vehicle.

Meanwhile, Chewy was put into a pet carrier while the Ohio Department of Natural Resources was contacted. The raccoon was then sent home with a family member of Page-Vidals family.

It is legal to own a raccoon in the state of Ohio with a proper permit, which Chewys owners could not produce, according to police. Now, he will either be re-homed or police will help the family obtain the proper certification to legally own him.

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While Chewy was seen in the body-camera video holding one of the pipes to his mouth, police do not believe the animal ingested any drugs.

Canoeing woman killed in alligator attack at Florida state park

The pipes themselves didnt have any residue inside of them, just the burned amount that was on the outside of it, so there was no inherent risk for Chewy to have exposure, said Officer Branham.

The unique animal encounter is going viral in a humorous fashion but police are also acknowledging the seriousness of the situation.

As humorous as it is, having an animal, more of a rabid animal, with drug paraphernalia, you gotta more so think about the driver of the vehicle and her needing the help that shes gonna get, hopefully that she gets, for her drug issue, said Officer Klapp. [Because] it couldve been a kid rather than a raccoon, so you gotta look at it that way.

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According to police, Page-Vidal told officers that she is currently living out of a home in Akron and her vehicle.

Miniature dachshund captured after 18 months on remote island

It is very sad to see someone in that condition with that addiction, that is battling that every day. So thats why weve been in contact with ODNR because we want to make sure that she can get the proper paperwork that she may not be able to afford or obtain because of her current situation.

Page-Vidal is facing charges of possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
The bulk of PATH service between New Jersey and New York City went down for hours Thursday morning after a track fire in Jersey City brought the trains to a halt.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey first announced scattered delays around 7:30 a.m. after a track fire broke out west of the Grove St. station in Jersey City.

Shortly after 8 a.m., the fire reignited, a PATH spokesman told the Daily News, prompting the Port Authority to announce a nearly systemwide suspension of PATH service as power was cut to the tracks.

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Trains were held in place while crews worked to extinguish the track blaze, and service resumed shortly before 9 a.m.

During the outage, only one branch of the PATH network  service from Hoboken to 33rd St. in Manhattan  remained in operation.

NJ Transit rail and bus services cross-honored PATH tickets systemwide during the fire, while the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and New York Waterway also honored PATH tickets on select routes.

Some riders took to social media to express their frustration. One person said customers werent being allowed into a station, while another said the 8:56 train at NJ Transit was packed with PATH commuters.

Around 9 a.m., PATH officials announced that service had resumed with residual delays, and ticket cross-honoring ended at 10 a.m.
A federal judge on Monday warned former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters that her request to be released while she appeals her 2024 criminal convictions appears to be brought improperly and may be subject to dismissal.
Want some solid money advice? You might consider asking a local high school kid.

Utah is No. 1 in the nation for high school budgeting education, according to a WalletHub report released this week.

The personal finance platform compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia using a series of metrics ranging from whether high school students are required to take a personal finance courses to financial literacy test scores.

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The Beehive State edged out Virginia for top High School Budgeting Education honors  followed by North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi.

Massachusetts, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and Alaska were the bottom five states on WalletHubs list.

Utah, according to WalletHub researchers, has the most robust budgeting education, in part because students are required to take personal-finance and economics courses during high school.

Utah also conducts standardized testing on both personal finance and economics.

Those course requirements have helped Utah achieve the highest possible high school financial literacy grade from the American Public Education Foundation  and the state is projected to maintain this top rank through at least 2028, according to WalletHub.

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To graduate, Utah high school students are required to pass a General Financial Literacy course, according to the Utah State Board of Education. Designed for high school juniors and seniors, General Financial Literacy is a half-credit course that covers financial planning, career preparation, money management, saving and investing and other personal finance topics.

The course aims to prepare students to effectively manage their finances and achieve their financial goals, according to the state school board.

Additionally, Utah has the highest share of eighth graders who are proficient in math  which means that they are well prepared to learn financial concepts in high school, according to WalletHub.

All high school students should have mandatory personal finance education, including instruction in budgeting, said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

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Students who learn to budget before they join the workforce will be able to make much better financial decisions. They will also be able to save more for the future and are likely to have higher credit scores than their peers who never learned how to budget  or who had to figure things out on their own without instruction.

Baylee Zuniga, founder and co-president of the Girls Investing Club, helps fellow club member Nicole Walsman buy simulated stocks during a club meeting at Herriman High School in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. Zuniga said her parents have always taught her about financial literacy. She said that to get a car when she turned 16, her parents told her she had to read 50 books relating to financial literacy and education. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Ranking methodology

To determine the states with the best high schools budgeting education, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key dimensions: first, financial education performance and access; and second, financial education growth.

Highlights of the financial education performance and access dimension  where Utah finished No. 1  include metrics such as students being required to take personal finance and economics classes and if states required standardized testing of personal finance and economic concepts.

Lyndze Dupape has taught financial literacy courses at Utahs Herriman High School for four years.

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She teaches a wide range of students with different family backgrounds, academic interests and career goals. But each student will be well served if they graduate from high school understanding  and living  the basics of personal finance.

Dupape said most of her students arrive in class on Day 1 equipped with not much financial literacy. For the majority of them, it is new information, she told the Deseret News.

There will be a handful that have had parents who have been involved in teaching them about finance  but for the most part, they are pretty new to it.

And many of the 16- or 17-year-olds in Dupapes financial literacy classes have never had a job  or are fairly new to the workforce. So they might not have had enough time to really learn how to manage money and cant always apply the principles we are learning.

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Personal finance is a broad field  and Dupape said thats reflected in her financial literacy curriculum.

The class, she said, typically begins with instruction about budgeting and behavioral economics  the psychology behind spending money.

Thats followed by discussions on banking, investing, insurance, credit cards and credit scores, debt management and taxes.

And we also have a small unit where we do some career investigation and talk about (money) things like paying for college, she said.

Making finance matters applicable to Utah students

Dupape added the challenge for all Utah high school financial literacy instructors is to make the instruction as applicable as possible for each student. So theres plenty of discussion about, say, the differences between good and bad debt and shopping for the best form of car insurance.

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Ill have maybe three or four students in each class that are actually paying bills at home, such as their cellphones or their car insurance, she said. And I might have one or two students each semester that are actively involved in investing with their parents.

Earlier this academic year, Herriman High School students organized a Girls Investing Club to accelerate their understanding of advanced finance topics such as stock trading, Roth IRA contributions, compound interest, retirement planning and entrepreneurship.

Founders and co-presidents of the Girls Investing Club, from left to right, at the front of the room, Baylee Zuniga, Kaylee Arsenault and Elizabeth Anderson, close out a club meeting at Herriman High School in Herriman on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. All three girls said they started the club after they noticed a lack of knowledge of financial literacy among other girls in their class. They hope that through the club, they will be able to prepare themselves and their fellow students with the financial knowledge to succeed after high school. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Raising money-savvy kids

While every Utah high school student will be exposed to financial literacy instruction in class, Dupape encourages parents to take a shared role in raising money-savvy kids.

Growing up in Washington, she did not have access to a financial education in high school and learned many money lessons the hard way as an adult.

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Moms and dads, she added, can work alongside Utahs high school financial literacy teachers.

Have conversations with your children about money. Talk about your financial situations and why you make the financial decisions you are making.  And ask them about what they are learning in their financial literacy classes.
If it seems like teenagers are involved in more crimes of gun violence than in the past, and more young teens seem to be caught carrying arsenals of guns, our KIRO 7 investigation confirms, that both of those things are true.

According to King County gun violence data, since 2017, 58 teenagers ages 11 to 17 were killed in gun violence in King County alone. According to police and prosecutors, the majority of the triggers were pulled by other teens. Those numbers are trending higher than the previous ten-year span.

Multiple police sources tell KIRO 7 theyve never seen more teens carrying automatic weapons. Last July, Seattle police caught three teens, two 14-year-olds and a 13-year-old, carrying stolen handguns that had been modified to be fully automatic.

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KIRO 7 requested evidence photos and details from several police agencies of guns confiscated from teenagers, and they supplied dozens of examples.

Three weeks ago, three guns were taken from one teenager after a high-speed chase in Auburn. Auburn police say the guns were stolen and all were modified to be machine guns.

The least little aggravation and theyll pull out a gun and start shooting, said Cloyd Steiger, who now teaches homicide detectives, after solving murders for the SPD for 22 years. Lately, Steiger has noticed a clear pattern.

They just assume nothings going to happen to them. And you know what? Theyre right most of the time, he said.

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According to Seattle police, a 15-year-old recently arrested in Seattle with a stolen gun in his waistband had been arrested only months before for drive-by shooting with a different stolen gun. According to Title 13 of Washington State Law, the teen had to be released both times without an extended period of detention.

On March 5, 2023, when 29-year-old Karel Juarez was gunned down in front of his girlfriend and three-year-old daughter in White Center, 16-year-old Charles Anthony Baker was arrested and charged with his murder. King County Prosecutors discovered Baker had been arrested two previous times with stolen guns in Snohomish County, but state law required Baker to be released from custody each time. Because the latest charge includes a murder case, Baker, who is now 18, is now charged as an adult. He has pleaded not guilty.

State law says a juvenile can be arrested for gun possession five times, with five different guns for five different gun-related crimes, before a judge even has the legal option to send a teen to detention for longer than 30 days. Steiger says its no wonder the same teens make deadly choices again and again.

Because there are no consequences, he said. You have to have that threat, that hammer of the law over your head that if you dont do these required things, it will fall, and youll just go away. To wait five convictions is outrageous!

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King County Prosecutors told KIRO 7 there are seven teenagers currently charged with either murder or first-degree assault after previously being convicted of unlawful gun possession as a juvenile. Some of the suspects have multiple previous arrests for gun possession, or using a gun in a crime, and all of them were released sooner than the 30-day maximum.

State Representative David Hackney, a Democrat from the 11th Legislative District proposed a bill to stiffen penalties for teen gun crimes, but his idea died without even getting a hearing.

So where are all the guns coming from?

You might see signs in parking lots warning you about this. FBI data shows overall, the vast majority of guns are stolen out of parked cars than anywhere else. In Renton last year, 86% of stolen guns were taken in car prowls.

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KIRO 7s investigation spanning six years of data shows in Seattle alone  an average of 407 guns are reported stolen every year, the majority coming from car break-ins. From 2018 to 2023, two-thousand, four hundred, and forty guns were reported stolen. In 2005, then Seattle police Chief Gil Kerlikowske reported his Glock 32 stolen from a car parked at 4th and Olive downtown. The gun has never been recovered. Steiger noted once teens acquire stolen guns, they tend to pass them around.

Frequently we find guns involved in a drive-by over here, it was involved here, he said. Steiger told KIRO 7 he matched a stolen gun used by a juvenile to another unresolved murder six years before. Same gun, but the trigger was very likely pulled by a different killer.

Deputy Chief Ryan Rutledge of the Renton Police Department is trying an innovative approach, that seems to be working.

Rentons Violent Crimes Unit is dedicated to getting stolen guns  and teens making violent choices  off the streets. Deputy Chief Ryan Rutledge says the effort has led to a significant drop in juvenile crime since last year.

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We dont believe that just putting somebody in secure detention without any plan is going to be a great idea, Rutledge said, noting a program called LINC (it stands for leadership intervention and change) works to inspire teen offenders with influence and guidance from mentors, counselors and officers.

So, while they are in custody its an intervention, he said. Its a new chance to connect, its touch point, where that youth has a support system before they get released.

They have not attended school for multiple years.

We actively ask the judges to hold those children in detention, said Jamie Kvistad, the Senior Deputy Prosecutor for juvenile crimes in King County. Kvistad told KIRO 7 she charges kids for gun possession virtually every day, and she says one thing connects almost all of them.

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I see these kids screened in on a detention referral, I read their detention screening notes, and it says they have not attended school for multiple years, she said.

Kvistad analyzed almost 60 cases of kids arrested for gun possession, and she found nearly 90 percent had not been enrolled in school. Sometimes, theyd been truant for years. She believes reconnecting at-risk kids with school earlier changes everything.

I could tell you, it will solve violent crime for juveniles if we could do that, she said.
New Delhi, India  As Indian military officials took the podium next to the countrys foreign secretary at a media briefing on Wednesday morning, after unprecedented missile strikes into Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, a timeline of death played out on a video screen behind them.

The 2001 attack on the Indian parliament in New Delhi in which nine people were killed. An assault on the Akshardham Temple in the western city of Ahmedabad in 2002, in which 33 people died. The 2008 Mumbai attacks in which more than 160 people were killed. Several other attacks. And finally, the killings in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, in which gunmen shot down 26 people on April 22.

The May 7 missile strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir were payback, New Delhi has said, for Islamabads refusal to crack down on armed groups that India insists have been financed, trained and sheltered by its neighbours over the past four decades. Islamabad denies that charge  though it acknowledges that some of these groups are based in Pakistan.

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But the missile strikes were about more than retribution, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri suggested on Wednesday. The strikes, he said, were driven by a compulsion both to deter and to pre-empt attacks by armed groups launched on Indian territory. Misri accused Pakistan of failing to take demonstrable steps against terrorist infrastructure on its territory or territory under its control.

Yet as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalate hour by hour, with Pakistan accusing India of launching a wave of drones into its territory on Thursday, military and geopolitical analysts question whether Indias approach serves as a deterrent against armed groups eager to target it. They argue that New Delhis actions are more symbolic and aimed at addressing its domestic audience rather than tactical advancement in the so-called fight against terror.

This is all a domestic theatre, said Ajai Sahni, executive director of South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), a platform that tracks and analyses armed attacks in South Asia. The Indian strikes [in Pakistan] have no deterrent value.

The aim of the strike has nothing to do with military takeaway  the aim [for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi] was to speak with his own domestic audience, Sahni told Al Jazeera. And [Pakistans pledge] of retaliation is to speak with the audience of the other side. That is the genius of it  that both sides will claim victory from this.





Justice is served

The Indian army and Foreign Secretary Misri argued on Wednesday that the countrys security forces had been precise and careful in the selection of their targets.

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Among them was Muridke, next to Lahore, Pakistans second-most populous city, and what India described as the Markaz Taiba camp of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the group behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

At the media briefing with Misri, Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi referred to the site as the place where key perpetrators of the Mumbai assault  including Ajmal Kasab, the sole gunman who was captured alive  were trained. More than 160 people died in the Mumbai attack.

India also hit Bahawalpur, which New Delhi claims hosts the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Muhammad, an armed group behind the 2019 suicide bombing attack in Kashmir in which more than 40 Indian paramilitary soldiers were killed.

Justice is served, the Indian army noted in a post on X as early reports of the missile strikes poured in on Wednesday, 15 days after the Pahalgam killings. The Indian missile strikes killed at least 31 people in Pakistan  all civilians, according to Islamabad  including two children. India has denied that it targeted civilians.

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But Pakistan has threatened to hit back, and after Thursdays drone attacks, the South Asian nations are even closer to a full-blown military conflict. Any hits taken by armed groups from Indian missiles wont fundamentally change their ability to target India, said Sahni.

All these strikes will result in are certain tactical and operational adaptations, said Sahni.

A renewed armed movement

That  an adapted strategy on the part of armed groups  is precisely what was on display on April 22, when gunmen attacked tourists in Pahalgam, say experts.

In February 2019, after the suicide attack on Indian troops, Indian warplanes pierced Pakistani airspace and bombed Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where New Delhi claimed it hit terrorists camps. As Pakistan scrambled jets in response, a dogfight ensued, and an Indian Air Force jet was shot down. Pakistan captured the Indian pilot before returning him 60 hours later.

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Both nations claimed victory  the Modi government in New Delhi said it had entered Pakistan and bombed terrorists, while Pakistan highlighted its downing of an Indian jet and the capture of a pilot as evidence that it came out on top. And so neither side, say experts, felt the need to really change.

Thats why Sahni said he believes no matter how the current tit-for-tat threats and attacks play out, they wont alter long-term calculations for any of the actors involved. Instead, the tensions will resurface, perhaps in different forms.

A Kashmiri political analyst  who has seen India-Pakistan wars in 1965, 1971, and 1999, and three decades of Kashmiri armed rebellion against Indian rule  agreed. If it was supposed to work, then Kashmir would not be standing where we are today, they said, requesting anonymity, fearing reprisal from Indian forces. One of the worlds most volatile flashpoints.

Six months after the Pulwama attack, New Delhi unilaterally revoked the disputed Kashmir regions partial autonomy and broke down the erstwhile state into two federally governed territories in August 2019. China and Pakistan, Indias neighbours that both control parts of Kashmir, condemned the move.

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India then imposed a clampdown in Kashmir and arrested dozens of political leaders, journalists, and human rights activists, even as the Modi government claimed the region was returning to normalcy. Despite that  and the hundreds of armed rebels killed by Indian security forces over the years, the armed movement continues, Sahni pointed out.

The movement keeps on renewing itself [despite Indias countermeasures for three decades], noted Sahni. In the current attack, there has been a certain loss of material  buildings have been blown up  but if there is implicit support for these groups in Pakistan, they will always come back.

A fiasco

In the early hours of Wednesday, the Pakistani military claimed it had downed at least five Indian warplanes that had been involved in the missile strikes. Local Indian officials and security sources confirmed to Al Jazeera and other media outlets that at least two fighter jets had crashed, though Indian officials have not commented on the issue publicly.

If the jets indeed belonged to the Indian fleet, it will become difficult for India to make a decision in the future about sending in aircraft to impose punitive strikes on Pakistan, said Ajai Shukla, a defence and strategic affairs commentator, who served in the Indian Army from 1976 to 2001.

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Shukla noted that while a planned and rehearsed strike would have deterrent value, the realities eventually depend on how much loss has been inflicted, compared to losses incurred.

Its a moment where India needs to pause and think, added Shukla. Even when both countries claim victory, at least one of them in their heart of hearts knows that this was not a victory. This was something that turned out to be a fiasco.

If there is going to be an attitude that we will not admit anything and we will declare victory, then probably that weakness will never be eradicated, Shukla said.

To Sahni, theres a more imminent danger that has arisen from the strikes over the past two days. Previously, he said, both sides acted within unspoken but accepted calibrated limits.

Not any more.

There are no clear lines on what is escalation now, he said. And thats the classic slippery slope, on the edge of a risky spiral.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  No one was hurt after Charlotte firefighters responded to an east Charlotte home Wednesday night.

The fire broke out at a home in the 6900 block of Carriageway Lane.

Firefighters reported seeing smoke coming from the second floor of the home.

It took 30 firefighters almost half an hour to control the flames.

Thankfully, there were no reported injuries to civilians or firefighters. Residents and two dogs were displaced by the fire.

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Officials believe the fire was accidental. It is estimated that the blaze caused $70,000 in damage.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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More than 130 cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday. With the announcement "Extra omnes" -- "all out" -- the doors have been closed and the cardinals sequestered to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church.

They will vote, confer, pray and vote again until a candidate acquires the two-thirds majority needed to become pope.

Ten of the men voting this week are from the United States. The Conversation U.S. asked Maureen Day, a researcher at the University of Southern California who has written several books about the contemporary church, to explain what Catholicism looks like in the United States at this high-stakes moment.

How is Catholic identity and practice in the United States changing, compared with a generation ago?

In 1987, the year of the first American Catholic Laity survey, nearly half of American Catholics said that faith was "the most" or "among the most" important parts of their life. Now, only 37% say the same.

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Others are leaving the Catholic Church completely. The General Social Survey, a national survey conducted every year or two since the 1970s, asks people about the faith they grew up with, as well as their present religious identity.

According to our analysis of its data, in 1973 only 10% of Americans who grew up Catholic had changed religions, and another 7% had left religion altogether. By 2018, each of those percentages had increased to 18%.

A Pew Research Center study conducted in 2024 found that for every American who converts to Catholicism, another 8.4 leave. The only reason that Catholicism is able to maintain a relatively steady share of the U.S. population -- about 20% -- is due to the high percentage of immigrants and migrants who are Catholic.

So my co-authors and I chose the title of our 2025 book, Catholicism at a Crossroads, quite intentionally. The church has been facing a variety of challenges for decades, both nationally and across the globe. It's not just about disaffiliation, but also issues such as the sexual abuse crises and bishops' decreasing influence on lay Catholics' personal decisions.

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In response, church leaders have mostly offered minor adjustments, such as encouraging parishes to become more family- or young adult-friendly. They have not yet made larger shifts that could substantially alter some of those trend lines.

Some of your work focuses on what you call 'cultural Catholics' -- defined as Catholics who attend mass less than once per month. How would you describe cultural Catholicism in the United States today?

A big concern of Catholic leaders right now is decreasing mass attendance, as weekly mass is an important precept of the Catholic Church. Sunday mass is a place for Catholics to participate in the sacraments, strengthen their faith and build relationships with other Catholics.

One of the things Catholic leaders tend to attribute this drop in attendance to is a broader trend of secularism. There might be some merit to this, but it can't be the whole story.

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In our analysis of General Social Survey data, for example, the percentage of Protestant Christians who say they attend worship services weekly was 35% in 1950 and 40% in 2023. Among Catholics, however, weekly mass attendance has declined from 63% to 30% in these same years.

"Cultural Catholics" who say they attend mass "a few times a year" or "seldom or never" account for 53% of U.S. Catholics. Many of them demonstrate strong ties to Catholic teachings in other ways. For example, around 70% to 80% of cultural Catholics say that it is "essential" or "somewhat essential" to Catholicism to help the poor, have a devotion to Mary and practice daily prayer.

There are findings that can lend themselves to either a "glass half empty" or "glass half full" interpretation. For instance, it might be heartening to Catholic leaders to know that 62% of cultural Catholics say it is important that future generations of their family are Catholic -- although this is much lower than the 89% among those who attend mass frequently.

And when these cultural Catholics imagine future generations of their family being Catholic, what does that mean? Perhaps it entails simply a few milestones, like receiving baptism, First Communion and possibly Confirmation -- the three sacraments that initiate a person into the Catholic faith. The way many cultural Catholics are loosely tethered to the church, without much involvement in parish life, is a great concern for many Catholic leaders.

What main challenges do you see for the American church under the next pope?

I would argue that the American church's biggest challenge is how to heal the factionalism within itself.

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On the one hand, there is a great deal of common ground among the most active Catholics, even with the diversity still found here. According to our analysis, 20% of Catholics are "high commitment": those who say they attend mass weekly, are unlikely to leave the faith, and that the church is very important to them.

These Catholics are more likely to depart from their political party's position on an issue if it does not align with Catholic teachings. For example, high-commitment Catholic Republicans are much more likely to support the bishops' position on making the immigration process easier for families. High-commitment Catholic Democrats, meanwhile, are more likely to be against abortion than are their moderate- or low-commitment counterparts.

In other words, these high-commitment Catholics tend to be less polarized and could find common cause with one another.

However, there are more extreme pockets -- such as those who called into question the legitimacy of Francis' papacy -- that are more militant about their vision of Catholicism. While these Catholics are few in number, they are very vocal. There are fringe groups that mobilized to try to change the direction of the Catholic Church after Francis' papacy, which they saw as a series of liberal reforms.

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Within more mainstream Catholicism, there are divides over styles of worship, with media attention on some young Americans flocking to more conservative or traditional parishes. However, sociologist Tim Clydesdale and religion scholar Kathleen Garces-Foley found that young adult Catholics are split: While some are attracted to churches with pastors who demonstrate "orthodoxy," a similar number prefer "openness."

What do you wish more people understood about Catholicism in the United States?

I think the "missing piece" for many is the incredible diversity of U.S. Catholicism, from race and ethnicity to politics and practice. Many Americans tend to associate the religion with one or two issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage, and assume that Catholics are fairly monolithic, both in their demographics and their politics.

Catholics themselves can also forget -- or never learn -- that their small slice of Catholicism is not the whole of Catholicism.

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Recognizing and elevating what unites this vast family of Catholics, both personally and collectively, is going to be critical as the church moves forward.

Maureen K. Day is a research fellow at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture and Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
VATICAN CITY (AP/Boston 25)  Cardinals failed again Thursday morning to find a successor to Pope Francis, sending black smoke billowing up through the Sistine Chapel chimney after two more inconclusive rounds of conclave voting.

With no candidate securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the world will need to wait longer for a new leader of the Catholic Church. The 133 cardinals took a lunch break before returning to the Sistine Chapel for Thursdays afternoon voting session, where two more ballots were possible.

Despite the disappointment, hopes were still high that a pope would be chosen quickly, perhaps as early as Thursday afternoons fourth or fifth ballot.

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I hope by this evening, returning to Rome, Ill find white smoke, said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals who presided over the Mass before the conclave. Re is not participating in the balloting because only cardinals under 80 are eligible to cast votes.

Re, who was quoted by Italian media as speaking Thursday in Pompeii, said he was certain the 133 cardinals would elect the pope that the church and world need today.

Eyes on the chimney

For the general public, the rhythm of the voting is dictated in many ways by the Vatican television cameras: You know a smoke signal is near when the cameras resume their fixed shot on the Sistine Chapels skinny chimney, with white smoke indicating a winner, and black meaning no consensus.

On Thursday, large school groups joined the mix of humanity awaiting the outcome in St. Peters Square. They blended in with people participating in pre-planned Holy Year pilgrimages and journalists from around the world who have descended on Rome to document the election.

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The wait is marvelous! said Priscilla Parlante, a Roman.

Black smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel during the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

We are hoping for the white smoke tonight, said Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina. He said he and his family visited Rome during the Argentine popes pontificate and were hoping for a new pope in Francis image.

Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didnt do enough. Well see if the next one will be able to do more, Deget said from the piazza.

The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis. He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, hed be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists.

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He has clear ideas, not much ideology. Hes a direct, intelligent, and respectful man, Bogataj said from the square. Most of all, hes agile.

A long wait on the first ballot

On Wednesday night, the billowing black smoke of the first ballot poured out of the chapel chimney just after 9 p.m., about 4.5 hours after the cardinals filed into the Sistine Chapel to take their oaths at the start of the conclave. The late hour prompted speculation about what took so long: Did they have to redo the vote? Did someone get sick or need translation help? Did the papal preacher take a long time to deliver his meditation before the voting began?

They probably need more time, said Costanza Ranaldi, a 63-year-old who travelled from Pescara in Italys Abruzzo region to the Vatican.

Some of the cardinals had said they expected a short conclave. But if recent history is any guide, it will likely take a few rounds of voting to settle on the 267th pope.

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For much of the past century, the conclave has needed between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I  the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978  was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

Conjecture on contenders

The cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual Wednesday afternoon, participating in a rite more theatrical than even Hollywood could create. Bright red cassocks, Swiss Guards standing at attention, ancient Latin chants and oaths preceded the slamming shut of the Sistine Chapel doors to seal the cardinals off from the outside world.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed leadership of the proceedings as the most senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate.

Parolin seemed to have received the blessings from none other than Re, the respected elder among the cardinals. During the traditional exchange of peace during the pre-conclave Mass on Wednesday, Re was caught on a hot mic telling Parolin Auguri doppio or double best wishes. Italians debated whether it was just a customary gesture acknowledging Parolins role running conclave, or if it might have been an informal endorsement or even a premature congratulations.

The voting process

The voting follows a strict choreography, dictated by church law.

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Each cardinal writes his choice on a piece of paper inscribed with the words Eligo in summen pontificem  I elect as Supreme Pontiff. They approach the altar one by one and say: I call as my witness, Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected.

The folded ballot is placed on a round plate and tipped into a silver and gold urn. Once cast, the ballots are opened one by one by three different scrutineers, cardinals selected at random who write down the names and read them aloud.

The scrutineers, whose work is checked by other cardinals called revisors, then add up the results of each round of balloting and write it down on a separate sheet of paper, which is preserved in the papal archives.

As the scrutineer reads out each name, he pierces each ballot with a needle through the word Eligo. All the ballots are then bound together with thread, and the bundle is put aside and burned in the chapel stove along with a chemical to produce the smoke.

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Ukrainian air defence units shot down 20 drones during the third wave of Russian UAV attacks on 7 May. No Russian drones have been detected in the air since the start of 8 May, although Moscow has stepped up airstrikes using tactical aircraft.

Source: press service for the Ukrainian Air Force Command on social media

Details: Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 31 loitering munitions and various types of decoy drones from the area of the Russian city of Millerovo during the third wave of attacks, between 14:30 and 20:30 on 7 May.

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Twenty Shahed-type loitering munitions and various types of decoy drones were confirmed to have been shot down in Ukraine's north and centre.

Six Russian decoy drones disappeared from radar (causing no adverse effects).

The Russian attack affected Cherkasy Oblast.

The Ukrainian Air Force notes that since the start of the day, no missile strikes or the use of loitering munitions have been recorded in Ukrainian airspace as of 08:00 on 8 May.

However, Russian forces intensified tactical aircraft strikes in Sumy Oblast on the night of 7-8 May.

Background:

The Kremlin reported that Russian leader Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared a "truce" on the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, as the Russians call World War II.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the initiative by Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin to declare a three-day truce from 7 to 9 May as a theatrical performance to create an atmosphere of Moscow's exit from isolation. Instead, Zelenskyy insisted on a 30-day ceasefire, as proposed by the US.

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Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem is calling for the death penalty against two Mexican nationals charged with human smuggling after a boat capsized near San Diego, killing three people and leaving seven others missing.

Yesterday, off the coast of southern California, a panga-style boat capsized that was operated by Mexican nationals attempting to smuggle 14 aliens into the U.S., Noem said in a statement Wednesday. Tragically, three people were killed and seven are still missing.

Their deaths were not only avoidable but were also the direct result of greed and indifference of smugglers who exploited them. Maritime smuggling is not just illegalit is a violent and inherently dangerous crime, she said. Those who knowingly place human lives at grave risk in furtherance of such crimes must be held fully accountable.

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Noem said she was requesting the death penalty under the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Federal Death Penalty Act.

I will be formally requesting that the Attorney General ensure that these two suspected smugglers are swiftly prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, Noem said. I will also be urging the Attorney General to seek the death penalty in this case.

Noem said DHS will not tolerate this level of criminal depravity or reckless disregard for human life and will continue to work with federal partners to ensure justice is served.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and local authorities responded to the overturned boat that washed ashore near San Diego on May 5.

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Border Control confirmed through surviving individuals that 14 adults and two minors were on the boat. The three deceased individuals were recovered and identified as Indian nationals, DHS said.

Two surviving individuals were identified as Mexican nationals: Julio Cesar Zuniga Luna, 30, and Jesus Juan Rodriguez Leya, 36. They were detained on suspicion of smuggling illegal aliens into the U.S.

Three others were later arrested and face related charges for participating in a human smuggling event that led to the deaths of at least three migrants. One of the deaths was a 14-year-old boy from India. His 10-year-old sister is still missing and presumed dead, and their parents are hospitalized, the U.S. attorneys office for the Southern District of California said.

Noem said in her statement that the tragedy is a reminder that there is a lethal danger to human smuggling at sea.

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Later on Monday evening, Border Patrol agents were conducting operations about 25 miles away when they identified a vehicle that had been observed at the scene of the capsizing earlier in the day.

The driver of the vehicle fled the scene. Agents identified two other vehicles they say were involved in the smuggling event and were able to successfully arrest the drivers.

They located eight of the nine missing migrants from the boat, with the exception of the 10-year-old sister.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem delivers her 2025 State of the State address to lawmakers at the Capitol in Pierre on Jan. 14, 2025. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

After a career in journalism that has let me have my say about a wide range of issues, its galling to me whenever a group wants to shut down someone elses speech.

At issue this weekend is an honorary degree that Dakota State University in Madison plans to bestow on former South Dakota governor and current Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. She will also deliver the universitys commencement address on Saturday.

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DSU officials  who said they extended the invitation while Noem was still governor  want to honor Noem for her support of the universitys cyber initiatives and her backing of the creation of the Center for Quantum Information Science and Technology in partnership with South Dakota Mines, another state university in Rapid City.

Noems contributions to those efforts are noteworthy. She helped DSU secure $30 million in state funding, launching it on a path toward leadership in cybersecurity research and essentially creating a new industry in South Dakota, all the while providing an important, lucrative path for DSU graduates to follow.

A nonprofit, South Dakota Voices for Peace, has started a petition drive asking DSU to rescind its invitation to Noem. Voices for Peace makes its case, in part, by citing Noems actions on immigration in her current position.

Noem certainly has plenty to answer for. No doubt there will be international students in the DSU audience wondering just how welcome they are, and just how safe they are as the Trump administration makes the case for deporting as many immigrants as possible.

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The reality of that uncertainty for foreign students has reached into South Dakota with cases including Priya Saxena, a graduate student from India studying at South Dakota Mines. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is part of Noems Department of Homeland Security, is trying to deport Saxena due to a criminal records check that turned up a four-year-old traffic ticket.

Saxena has sued to protect herself from deportation, and has so far succeeded. Shes scheduled to receive doctoral and masters degrees Saturday in Rapid City, around the same time Noem will speak on the other side of the state in Madison.

In response to that controversy and a planned protest at DSU, Noem should use part of her commencement speech to explain why she thinks deporting a graduate student because of a traffic ticket serves the cause of public safety or national security. In reality, Noem, being a seasoned politician, will know how to tap dance around the elephant in the room. She might simply offer some praise for her past performance as governor, some graduation day bromides about tackling the challenges of the future, and some lofty talk about setting and meeting goals.

If we took the microphone away from everyone we disagreed with, the country would be blissfully quiet, but we would all be just as blissfully ignorant.

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The speech at least presents an opportunity for Noems critics to protest, for her to respond, and for the public to hear that response. That opportunity will be lost if the petition from Voices for Peace succeeds. The groups work advocating for immigrants is laudable, and because of that mission, its disdain for Noem is understandable. But that doesnt mean Noem should be silenced. If we took the microphone away from everyone we disagreed with, the country would be blissfully quiet, but we would all be just as blissfully ignorant.

Voices for Peace wants to punish Noem by taking away her honorary degree and her chance to speak. Thats not the right lesson for the students at DSU or for the rest of us. That lesson should center on supporting free speech, both for Noem and the people who oppose her.

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WASHINGTON, May 8 (UPI) -- Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Trump administration's deportations Thursday as Democratic senators accused the president of illegally sending U.S. citizens and legal residents to other countries.

The confrontation over deportations took center stage as Noem testified before the Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee about the Department of Homeland Security's proposed $175 billion budget.

In a tense back-and-forth with Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Noem said that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador in mid-March would "never return."

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Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadoran native, "should have never been in the U.S," Noem said, calling him a "wife beater."

Murphy accused Noem and the Trump administration of breaking the law and disregarding the Supreme Court's unanimous ruling ordering his return.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., also pressed Noem on whether the administration was facilitating Abrego Garcia's return.

Though admitting the administration was "complying with all orders," Noem would not answer yes or no on whether the government was working with El Salvador to bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States.

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Van Hollen called her response political rhetoric.

Noem insisted officials have targeted "the worst of the worst" criminals. Democrats said the administration has broken the law with its deportation of a 4-year-old with cancer; students on visas; and the 32 Venezuelans accused of being Tren de Aragua gang members.

Trump has invoked the wartime Alien Enemies Act, a law permitting the removal of people from countries that are "enemies" of the United States. He argued that members of the Tren de Aragua gang constituted an enemy state.

The American Civil Liberties Union has battled in federal court using the Alien Enemies Act in this way.

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Some Democratic lawmakers also expressed concern over the method and speed of reducing illegal border crossings and ramping up removals.

"You are routinely violating the rights of immigrants, who may not be citizens, but whether you like it or not, they have constitutional and statutory rights when they reside in the United States," Murphy said to Noem.

"Your agency acts as if laws don't matter, as if the election gave you some mandate to violate the Constitution and the laws passed by this Congress."

Meanwhile, Noem credited the president's focus on increased enforcement for the drop in illegal border crossings.

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Customs and Border Protection agents encountered around 11,000 people attempting to illegally cross the southwest border in March, according to most recent data. That's down from 189,000 in March 2024.

Republican lawmakers acknowledged their approval of DHS border enforcement.

DHS requested $175 billion to construct more miles of border wall, add Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and CBP agents, enhance cybersecurity, train local law enforcement and upgrade border technology such as mail package scanners.

Noem told UPI and Medill News Service after the hearing that she expected Congress to approve the requested budget.

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"It's one of the larger agencies with one of the smallest budgets," Noem said. "We recognize that we've now let people into this country that are dangerous, and we not only need to return them back to their homes, but we also have to have the technology to compete in this day and age when so many other countries and bad actors have invested in taking us down."

Noem is expected to face more questioning during another hearing next Wednesday.
A federal judge on Thursday concluded he did not have the authority to intervene as Colorado performed an "administrative intercept" of the $3.5 million a jury awarded a plaintiff more than a year ago for violations of his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  North Carolina state education officials say a threat actor claims to have student data months after hacked data management contractor PowerSchool assured officials it was safe.

This alarming situation stems from a significant data breach of the personal information of educators and students in January involving PowerSchool, a software tool responsible for managing educational records. Parents are reacting.

PREVIOUSLY: NC school districts, Department of Public Instruction say theyre taking breach very seriously

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This kind of breach is not acceptable, said Sownya Ram.

Im glad they caught it, said Joe Esmail.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction says the new threat came via email Wednesday morning.

We received about 50 emails from various employees here at the Department of Public Instruction, and it was confirmed that 20 local education agencies were contacted through various emails, said Dr Vanessa Wrenn.

Wrenn says they believe the emails came at random to publicly available email accounts. She says the threat actor is asking for bitcoin in exchange for data. State officials are asking educators not to engage.

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We advise anyone who received a message from the threat actor not to engage with that threat actor, said State Superintendent Mo Green.

ALSO: North Carolina attorney general investigating PowerSchool over data breach

State officials say educators in Oregon and some PowerSchool customers outside the United States also began receiving emails this week. This has left many asking if this is the same threat actor from the incident earlier this year.

We cant confirm if this is the same actor. In our conversation with PowerSchool, they have indications its the same threat actor, but cant verify that, said Wrenn.

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State Superintendent Green says the contract with PowerSchool ends June 30, and all schools will start using a new system July 1.

Infinite Campus was chosen for a number of reasons; they have a more modern and comprehensive solution that will support our students, parents, and educators, he said.

In the meantime, theyre expressing regret to see this happen again.

I do want to express my regret to our students, parents, teachers, and school district members affected by this incident. We support you and are working to make sure your info isnt further compromised, said Green.

The incident is under investigation, and state officials are taking proactive measures. They advise if you receive an email, do not engage with it and report it to the NC Department of Public Instruction. They say PowerSchool is offering credit monitoring and ID theft protection through July 31. You can find this information here.

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A paramedic is accused of installing a camera in his jobs restroom just a few weeks after he started, according to a police report.

James Crawford, 50, was booked into the Bartow County Jail on 40 counts of unlawful eavesdropping or surveillance last month. He was released on a $50,000 bond the next day, jail records show.

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According to a police report obtained by Channel 2 Action News, an employee at Metro Atlanta Ambulance Service in Adairsville noticed a clock sitting on a shelf in the restroom in Oct. 2023. When he inspected it, he noticed a slot for an SD card and a camera on the front of it.

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The companys head of IT scrubbed the card to see if there was footage of someone manipulating the camera.

TRENDING STORIES:

In a clip dated June 2023, Crawford could be seen moving the camera from the shelf, placing it on a toilet paper holder and manipulating it before placing it back on the shelf, the police report says.

The report identifies the earliest clip as being taken on June 3, 2023. It says Crawfords first day working there was May 1, 2023.

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By Ju-min Park

SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea fired what appeared to be multiple short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast, South Korea's military said on Thursday, possibly to test the performance and stability of various projectiles intended for export.

The missiles were launched from Wonsan, North Korea's eastern coastal city, around 8:10 a.m. (2310 GMT Wednesday) and flew up to 800 km (497 miles) before splashing down in the sea, the military said in a statement.

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South Korea is closely communicating with the U.S. and Japan to share information about the launch, it added. The foreign ministry said the three countries' nuclear envoys consulted by telephone and condemned it as a violation of U.N. sanctions.

South Korea's Joint chiefs of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung-jun declined to comment on the exact number of missiles detected or their characteristics, but told reporters the launch may have been to test the performance of missiles intended for export.

A North Korea analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, Hong Min, said they were likely two types of short-range ballistic missiles that had been supplied to Russia which used them to strike Ukraine.

"There is considerable amount of field data of these two missiles collected, and it's possible additional testing was needed to improve issues reported from the battlefield such as durability and precision," Hong said.

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The Japanese government also said it detected a launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea, which may have flown on a irregular trajectory.

The nuclear-armed North's ballistic missile programme is banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions, but in recent years Pyongyang has forged ahead in developing missiles of all ranges.

In March, North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles, while blaming the South Korean and U.S. militaries for conducting drills it calls dangerous and provocative.

North Korea has exported short-range ballistic missiles, among other weapons, to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine, according to U.S. and allied intelligence agencies as well as independent researchers.

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Pyongyang and Moscow have denied the weapons trade, although North Korean troops have been deployed to fight on the frontlines in Russia's Kursk region.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park, Joyce Lee; Editing by Ed Davies and Stephen Coates)
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A North Las Vegas man is accused of opening fire on his former co-workers over a week after he was fired for attacking them at a job site, according to an arrest report.

John Garcia, 46, faces several charges, including five counts of assault with a deadly weapon, five counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, and two counts of possession of a gun by a prohibited person, records showed.

On April 23, around 9:25 a.m., police responded to the scene near Mountains Edge and Durango after Garcias coworkers filed a report against him. When officers arrived, they spoke with the construction site foreman, who said he was working when he saw one of his employees, Garcia, with a bloody lip, police said.

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Garcia then said [Expletive] you! I am going to catch you and your family on the street, the report said. The coworker then said Lets handle it now, and Garcia walked away and the co-worker went back to work, the report said.

In the middle of the intersection, a group of employees were talking about another employee who had just bought a firearm. Garcia then asked if the employee really knew how to handle a gun, to which the employee said yes, and Garcia responded, We are about to find out, according to the arrest report.

Garcia and the employee began to exchange words, and at some point, Garcia punched his co-worker, resulting in the co-worker hitting him back. The other employees broke up the fight and Garcia walked to his truck, got in, and began to drive toward the group of employees. Garcia stopped short of the curb, got out, pulled out a knife and lunged toward his coworkers, the report said.

All four of his co-workers were able to stay away from him, and Garcia ultimately gave up and drove away, police said.

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Due to that incident, Garcia was fired, and the job site was shut down for the day. After that incident, Garcia went to another job site near Elkhorn and Bradley, where he made threats to his co-workers and their families before performing a tire burnout in the intersection, according to police.

Garcia was then involved in a hit-and-run crash where he left the scene without checking on the other vehicle, police said.

Garcias co-workers said they were aware of his violent past with Las Vegas paving and other incidents, according to the report.

Over a week later on May 2, surveillance footage showed a dark-colored pickup truck drive up to the construction zone, followed by loud gunshots. The employees in the video scattered and one employee used a handgun to fire back at the truck, police said.

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Police later arrested Garcia in his black pickup truck and discovered that he had a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Police said it appeared that Garcia spilled beer on his clothing and found a can of Budweiser in his truck. Police also found an AR-15 inside the truck, according to the report.

Garcia told police that his actions were because his family was hurting/struggling and that his shortcomings were because of gambling and living a bad life, while his work hours were continuously being cut. He also told police that his co-workers were yapping all the time and giving him a hard time, the report said.

Garcia said he was glad the incident wasnt more serious, but he didnt know what else to do, stating I messed up, police said.

According to the arrest report, Garcias wife told police that he was upset about losing his job and rationalized his anger due to being teased on the job site for the complexion of his skin and his inability to speak Spanish.

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Garcia is a two-time convicted felon out of Nevada with convictions from 1995 and 2023 for burglary and attempting to own a firearm by a prohibited person.

Garcia was taken to the Clark County Detention Center and he is scheduled to appear in court on May 20, records showed.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  A man from Northampton was arrested during an investigation into illegal drug activity on Belmont Ave in Springfield.

In a news release from the Springfield Police Department, for the past several months, the Firearms Investigation Unit were investigating complaints from residents about illegal drug activity in the area of Belmont Avenue. Detective identified the target as 44-year-old Rafael Aviles of Northampton.

Mugshots released in Massachusetts Operation No Love fentanyl takedown

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At around 7:15 a.m. on Tuesday, law enforcement conducted a search warrant at an apartment on Belmont Ave. Aviles was inside and detained during the search. Detectives seized approximately 22 grams of powder and crack-cocaine, nearly $2,000, loose ammunition, 15 bags of heroin and a loaded firearm.

Aviles was arrested and charged with the following:

Carrying a Firearm without a License

Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License

Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Firearm Violation with 3 Prior Violent/Drug Crimes

Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony (Two Counts)

Improper Storage of a Firearm

Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card

Trafficking Cocaine 18-36 Grams

Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug  Subsequent Offense

Conspiracy to Violate Drug Law

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
DENVER (KDVR)  On Wednesday, officials reported that a bat found acting unusual on the ground near Highland Lake in Mead tested positive for rabies, the first animal case in Colorado for 2025.

The bat was found on Monday, May 5, and submitted to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for testing. The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment received the results on Tuesday.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife looking for invasive mussels in Colorado River

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The Weld County department is asking anyone who was in the Highland Lake area on Sunday or Monday and who thinks they or their pets may have had direct contact with this bat to contact the Weld County health department at 970-400-2290 as soon as possible.

Rabies is known to infect mammals, but bats and skunks are the two main rabies carriers in Colorado. Not all bats have rabies, the WCDPHE reported, but a bat that is acting abnormally, like lying on the ground, being out during daylight hours, showing a lack of motor skills or acting aggressively, could be sick.

Rabies is almost 100% fatal and impacts the nervous system. There is a vaccine for all domestic animals, including cats, dogs, horses and livestock. WCDPHE also noted that over the past few years, a variety of animal-to-human contacts have led to several dozen Weld County residents to require rabies immune globulin and vaccine for post-exposure treatment.

Effective vaccination treatment is available to prevent rabies if started before symptoms appear. There have been no human deaths related to rabies exposure in Weld County, WCDPHE reported.

How to prevent rabies exposure

The news of the Weld County rabies case comes on the same day that the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment issued a warning on how residents can stay rabies-free this spring.

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This year Denver Animal Protection has already responded to calls of people bitten by wild animals, said Animal Protection Lt. Josh Rolfe in the DDPHE release. Rabies is more than just an animal issueits a serious public health threat that can be deadly to both people and pets. To avoid exposure to rabies, keep pets up to date with required rabies vaccination and never touch a wild animal.

Englewood dog rescue relinquishes license under PACFA agreement, will not face civil penalties

DDPHE has strict rules surrounding rabies: Any skunk, raccoon, bat, coyote or fox handled by a person or in contact with a pet must be euthanized and tested for rabies, as there is no definitive way to test for rabies in a living animal.

People who have handled wild animals must receive post-exposure rabies vaccinations. Pets must be quarantined for up to 45 days.

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Even a seemingly healthy animal could be carrying rabies and not exhibit any symptoms, DDPHE stated. If you encounter these animals, do not approach or try to touch them and keep a safe distance. Touching wild animals presents a serious rabies risk.

Baby animals may be tempting to pick up, but DDPHE warned that many baby animals are not orphaned but are left alone in safe spaces while the adults search for food or other resources. The mother is usually close by, DDPHE reported. Also, birds will leave the nest before they can fly and will be seen hopping around the ground. The fledglings are able to feed on the ground and intervention usually does more harm than good, the agency stated.

To contact the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment, call 970-400-2290. For after-hours emergencies, call the Weld County Dispatch at 970-350-9600 and select option 1.

To contact Denver Animal Protection, call 720-913-2080 or the Denver polices non-emergency number at 720-913-2000.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
May 7Shawn and Mary McMullen didn't expect hoopla Wednesday morning when they arrived at the ticket counter of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport to purchase airfare for an upcoming trip to Disney World.

"It is so convenient. This is the easiest place for use to fly out of," Shawn McMullen said.

The McMullens, from Cambria County, said they chose to travel to Florida with their 9-year-old granddaughter from the Unity airport because of its location, free parking and service. It's a comment the airport operators like to hear.

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While the McMullens made their flight arrangements, a few feet away in the main concourse, county officials and community leaders were having a party to mark the return of additional flights and passengers to the airport.

Spirit Airlines, the airport's lone carrier, which had reduced its flight schedule in the fall to just several weekly flights to Orlando, reinstated daily service there in February and marked the return of daily flights to Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Wednesday.

Twice-weekly flights to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a destination offered years ago from Westmoreland County, will restart Thursday.

"No one knew in January when people were calling to say the wheels were falling off the rails, that this would happen. This is the reason they are coming back," said airport authority Executive Director Gabe Monzo, referencing the facility's staff, including clerks hired by the authority to work for Spirit. "We felt the staff is the primary reason (flights) are coming back."

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At its peak in 2019, more than 309,000 passengers flew into and out of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. The covid pandemic and Spirit's financial struggles saw those numbers bottom out in subsequent years. Just 145,000 passengers flew out of the airport last year, and the numbers continued to be depressed during the first three months of 2025.

Those flight reductions last year plunged the airport into red ink. It lost as much as $600,000 in 2024, and during the first few months of this year, monthly operational deficits of $15,000 forced full-time staffers to be switched to part-time status. Monzo said Spirit's increased flight schedule means those employees will return to full-time work.

Passenger totals are expected to dramatically increase as summer approaches.

About 155 people were booked on Spirit's Myrtle Beach flight Wednesday, and another 100 or more passengers are expected to fly to Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, Monzo said.

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County commissioners praised what they said was the airport's revitalization.

"I was one of the people calling him (Monzo), asking about the future of our airport, and he said to hang in there. This shows this airport is a major strength in the community," Commissioner Sean Kertes said.

Commissioners and business leaders celebrated the increased flight schedule with lunch for invited guests. Spirit swag and two $300 flight vouchers were awarded to two people in attendance.

"The only requirement, you have to fly out of Latrobe," Monzo quipped.

Dan DeBone, president of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce, said the increased flight schedule will help the county grow.

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"This really provides additional access for our members who come into the county and conduct businesses. This is really so important for our county," DeBone said. He would like to see additional destinations, including flights to New York, added.

For now, Spirit plans no additional routes to operate from the Westmoreland airport, Monzo said. Spirit officials did not attend Wednesday's event.

Monzo, meanwhile, is lobbying for more flights to Fort Lauderdale and other locations.

"We're still contacting anyone who is willing to talk to us, and we're hoping someone else will come here," he said.

Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.
LOWER MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11)  New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is cheering changes to the states criminal justice laws aimed at stopping repeat offenders from having cases dismissed over technicalities.

The proposed reform is included in this years state budget, which lawmakers in Albany are expected to vote on in the coming days. The legislation is intended to give prosecutors more flexibility and prevent critical cases from being thrown out due to minor discovery violations.

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Deborah Koenigsberger, owner of the clothing boutique Noir Et Blanc in the Flatiron District, said her store has been repeatedly targeted by thieves over the past few years.

They break my window. They kicked my door in, Koenigsberger said. This became a get-out-of-jail-free card situation. Its revictimization, because theyve gotten away with it once or twice or three times.

The criticism stems largely from 2019 reforms to New Yorks discovery laws, which were designed to enhance due process by requiring prosecutors to turn over all evidence to defense attorneys early in the case. Prosecutors now argue that the current rules go too far, often resulting in dismissals over relatively minor infractions.

One of my cases was dismissed because we found an additional photo of injuriesmore proof of the case  and that got it dismissed, said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. That would not be true in any other state, and now it will not be true in New York.

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Prosecutors allege that some defense attorneys wait until the last moment to flag these technical issues, maximizing the impact and derailing prosecutions.

Under the proposed changes, if a prosecutor acts in good faith and with due diligence, plus the defense is not prejudiced by a minor oversight, the case would proceed.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

Hochul has earned a reputation for using budget negotiations to reshape criminal justice policy. This years budget also includes provisions to make it easier for officials to involuntarily commit individuals on the streets or subways who are unable to care for themselves, though the exact language of that measure has yet to be released.

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I will always be looking for areas in which we are failing the public and keeping them safe, Hochul said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Exactly one year after the Colorado Supreme Court found the state's second-highest court applied the incorrect standard when evaluating a deadly crash involving an Olathe police officer, the Court of Appeals once again determined the officer and the town are not immune from being sued.
(NewsNation)  The Manhattan District Attorneys Office has assigned an assistant district attorney to investigate a violent dog attack on the Upper West Side, where a Chihuahua named Penny narrowly survived an assault by two pit bulls.

City Council Member Gale Brewer confirmed the DAs involvement at a town hall meeting Wednesday night at Goddard Community Center, which drew approximately 150 concerned residents, many accompanied by their dogs.

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The case has sparked calls for legislative action at both city and state levels to address what many see as a gap in existing laws regarding dangerous dogs and owner accountability.

Lauren Claus, Pennys owner, attended the meeting with her recovering pet.

Were really concerned that this person is breeding their dogs to fight, Claus told NewsNations CUOMO. We want criminal action for these owners. We dont believe that they should be able to own animals ever again.

Claus said she was frustrated that police have repeatedly classified the incident as a civil matter despite video evidence of the attack and an alleged assault on a human bystander who intervened.

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They keep saying its civil, its civil, its civil. Theres nothing we could do thats criminal, and its because dogs are property, Claus said. I dont know about you, but I have literally never thought of this dog as property. This dog is my family.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

Brewer said that her top priority is getting the dogs involved in the attack off the streets and mentioned working on city-level legislation that would create more severe consequences for negligent pet owners.

According to residents attending the town hall, this is not the first incident involving the same pit bulls, raising concerns about recurring threats to public safety.

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The small Chihuahua is currently recovering from her injuries.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
NEW YORK CITY (PIX11)  Dozens of New Yorkers are outside St. Patricks Cathedral celebrating the election of an American pope.

Bells are ringing at the cathedral on Fifth Avenue on Thursday afternoon, just moments after Cardinal Robert Prevost was announced as the new pope.

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Prevost, a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order, took the name Leo XIV. Prevost is a Chicago native who is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

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Brian Kerwin, a Villanova graduate, stood outside St. Patricks Cathedral on Thursday to commemorate Prevosts election. Prevost graduated from Villanova in 1977 with a mathematics degree. Kerwin told PIX11 News he graduated the same year as Prevost.

To be a classmate, its unbelievable, Kerwin said. I wish I knew him in college.

Kerwin said he has a severely disabled son whom he takes to church every morning to pray.

We pray for miracles every day, Kerwin said. To have a Villanova  classmate, an American, I think its just wonderful.

This story comprises reporting from the Associated Press.

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Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
RELATED PHOTO GALLERY A circuit court judge Wednesday sentenced Dixie Denise Villa to 20 years in prison for the Feb. 23, 2019, Benadryl overdose death of a 7-month-old infant girl.

Villa, who ran an unlicensed daycare at her home on Aliamanu Military Reservation, on Nov. 15 was found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Abigail Lobisch.

Circuit Judge Fa auuga To oto o told Villa that he could not place her on probation as she requestedbased on the facts of the case, witness testimony and particularly the medical evidence.

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Villas attorney, Megan Kau, asked that her client, be sentenced to 10 years probation, so she could care for her two minor children.

The 46-year-old former Navy housewife, who appeared for sentencing in a white paper jumpsuit, without the makeup and stylish clothes she wore at trial, did not address the court at the advice of counsel because she plans to appeal. She remained stoic as she was sentenced.

Deputy Prosecutor Tiffany Kaeo told the judge that Villa had been under supervision in Florida for prior battery-type offenses,  including some convictions, though dated. She argued against probation, asking the judge to hold Villa accountable in order to serve as a deterrent, to protect the public from further conduct, and the need to avoid disparities in sentencing for those with similar conduct.

The judge acknowledged Villas trial before a jury had been difficult. The testimony of medical professionals showed that Abigail Lobischs blood contained a high level of diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Benadryl. It was well over the recommended amount, and should never have been given to children under the age of 6 without a doctors recommendation, Kaeo had said.

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Kaeo said Villa, as a hired babysitter, had been entrusted with the care of a child.

The childs mother, Anna Lobisch, had dropped off her daughter and son with Villa at the Aulani Resort & Spa, where Villa was staying with her young children, two visiting adult daughters and their adult friend.

According to witness testimony, Villa got into an argument and was angry with her adult daughters and their friend, who had been staying at her home.

They all abruptly left the resort, and she told them to leave her home, which left Villa alone that night to care for the four young children.

The next morning, Villa told first responders she awoke to find the unresponsive infant, who had been sleeping with Villa in her bed, along with her two young children and Abigails brother, Zachariah. But the baby had been dead for some time, showing signs of rigor mortis.

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The judge imposed 20 years of imprisonment based on the medical rec ords, and the amount of Benadryl found in the babys blood.

Anna Lobisch tearfully told the judge that her child was only 7 months old when she was cruelly taken from this world  six years ago. In all that time, my heart has never stopped hurting.

Abi was a sweet baby, so loving, so full of life. She had the kindest eyes, and anyone who met her instantly fell in love with her gentle spirit. Her presence was calming, beautiful and pure.

Her family and I have missed her first birthday,  her first steps, her first words and her first day at schoolthe milestones every parent looks forward to, having been stolen.

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I will never hear her call me mama, or comfort her through her toughest moments,  Lobisch said, her voice breaking.

Lobisch said Villa has shown no remorse.

She said Abigails death also hurt her older brother, Zachariah, who attended the sentencing, as well as the brother she never got to meet.

Through all of this, Abis story has reached people beyond this courtroom,  Lobisch said, Her story has sparked conversations, raised awareness and inspired others to speak out.

The story has been seen online by millions, on television and in the newspaper, she said. (CourtTV covered the trial gavel to gavel.)

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Shes shown the world the danger of giving children over-the-counter medications to make them sleep,  Lobisch said. Through this unbearable tragedy, others have found the strength to speak up for other children. Abis life mattered and she has made a difference, even though she was taken far too soon.

My hope is that Abis story helps others to not make the same poor choices the defendant made that night  But justice is still necessary because people like her should never be given the chance to hurt another person again. Children like Abi deserve to be protected. No family should be allowed to suffer like I (and my sons ) have.

Lobisch said Villa could have called her that night, and she would have dropped everything and picked Abigail up.

She never gave me that choice, and showed zero remorse. I ask you hold the defendant accountable  She does not deserve leniency  after walking free for almost six years.

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Kau withdrew as counsel, and Villa plans to appeal with a new attorney. Villa has a May 9 district court hearing in a case in which she is accused of theft from the Navy Exchange.

The Lobisches filed a federal civil lawsuit against the government and Island Palm Communities LLC, regarding Villas unlicensed daycare. The case was stayed while the criminal trial was ongoing, and will likely resume shortly.
The Oak Creek Applebees has closed.

The location closed late last year due to concerns from the citys health department, but it was able to reopen about a week later.

Now a sign on the front door of the building at 7135 S. 13th St. says its permanently closed. Its unclear exactly when the business shut down, but a Journal Sentinel reporter was made aware of the sign May 3.

Despite the finality of the signs wording, the location may have a future as an Applebee's or as a new concept combining Applebee's and IHOP into one location.

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When asked about the closure of the Oak Creek location, an Applebees representative responded by saying that 11 Applebee's locations were recently acquired by new franchisees.

Applebees continuously reviews its restaurant franchise portfolio to make strategic decisions that ensure future success for the brand and its franchisees, the representative said.

As part of that effort, Sam Soleimani, a current Applebees, IHOP, and Fuzzys Taco Shop franchisee, has acquired a portfolio of six Applebee's restaurants, and Dan Ashoori, an IHOP franchisee, has acquired five Applebee's restaurants in Wisconsin, the representative said.

When asked whether the Oak Creek location was one of the 11 locations acquired, the representative declined to say.

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However, in their initial statement the representative said the acquired Applebees restaurants will either be converted to Dine Brands' new dual-brand Applebees/IHOP concept, or "reimaged as Applebee's, enhancing the guest experience, and leveraging operational efficiencies.

Dine Brands owns Applebees, IHOP, and Fuzzys Taco Shop. USA Today reported in March 2024 that Dine Brands was looking to launch the dual-brand concept of Applebees and IHOP in the U.S. possibly within the next year or two after launching in international markets with success.

Applebee's in Oak Creek, 7135 S. 13th St., has permanently closed according to a sign posted to the door.

The closure of the Oak Creek location follows recent Applebee's closures in West Bend, Delafield and West Allis.

Prior to that, the Pewaukee location at 1267 Capitol Drive closed in 2023 and the New Berlin location at 15505 W. Rock Ridge Road closed in 2020.

Applebee's conducted a deep clean after cockroaches were found

Its unclear if the sanitation issues the Oak Creek location experienced in November 2024  including one live cockroach observed during an inspection and a complaint of others on a customers plate  played a role in the permanent closure. In addition to cockroaches, the health department found dirty food debris and other violations, according to an inspection report.

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The area manager for Applebees agreed to shut down, schedule pest control, and deep clean the restaurant.

Oak Creek Public Health Officer Darcy DuBois told the Journal Sentinel in November the Health Department conducted a follow-up inspection and allowed the restaurant to reopen about a week later.

Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The Oak Creek Applebee's has closed
A judge granted a nearly eight-week delay for an Oakdale woman accused of murder in the canal crash that killed her young daughter.

The attorney for Juliette Acosta, 26, made the request Wednesday, May 7, in Stanislaus County Superior Court. It was the second arraignment hearing in the March 9 death of Reagan Herrin, 4.

Judge Valli Israels postponed the matter to June 30 after defense attorney Gil Somera said he needed the time to review investigative records. The prosecution did not object.

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Acosta has yet to enter a plea to the charges, which also include felony drunk driving. She has been in Stanislaus County jail since her April 11 arrest on a no-bail warrant. Somera said he will ask for bail to be set at some amount June 30.

Reagan Herrin, 4, died March 8 when her mother, Juliette Acosta of Oakdale, crashed her Subaru SUV into a canal east of Hickman, California.

About 40 people  family members and others  turned out once again for the hearing. They did not speak with the media afterward. Acosta wore a striped jail uniform and wrist shackles both times.

The crash was reported at about 11 p.m. March 8 on Arlberg Road where it ends at Canal Bank Road and the Turlock Main Canal. The California Highway Patrol said Reagan was stuck in her car seat inside the fully submerged vehicle. She was removed by a sheriffs deputy and an uncle who lives nearby but died the next day at a Modesto hospital, the CHP said.

A news release from the District Attorneys Office said Acosta had more than three times the legal level of alcohol in her blood at the time. She was initially booked on a felony drunk driving charge and released on bail.

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The release said Acostas second arrest was at a San Francisco hotel, while she was trying to flee. Her attorney told The Modesto Bee at the time that she had planned to surrender at the Modesto CHP office later that day.

Somera also said the childs death does not merit a murder charge. That requires proof that a person drank and drove with malice aforethought. Acosta faces life in state prison if convicted on that count.
(KRON)  Fifty-five names were read aloud Thursday to honor and remember Oakland Police Department officers who died in the line-of-duty.

OPD Police Chief Floyd Mitchell and family members of fallen officers gathered together for a memorial procession and ceremony at the Oakland Police Department.

Since the OPD was formed in 1853, fifty-five officers gave their lives protecting residents. Within the past decade, three OPD officers died from injuries suffered while on duty, according to the Oakland Police Officers Association:

A photograph of Oakland Police Department Officer Jordan Wingate (Image courtesy OPD)

Oakland Police Department Officer Jordan Wingate died on April 20, 2024 from injuries he suffered in a car crash while on duty. The crash happened on August 13, 2018 and Wingate spent six years on life support. The former Rookie of the Year was surrounded by his family, including retired OPD Captain Randell Wingate, when he passed at the age of 28.

Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le (Image courtesy Oakland Police Department)

Oakland Police Department Officer Tuan Le was fatally shot on Dec. 29, 2023 while responding to a burglary. A group of men ran from a burglarized business near Jack London Square and fled in getaway vehicles. Someone in the fleeing group opened fire and killed 36-year-old Le.

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Le was born in Saigon, Vietnam and graduated from Oakland High School. The four-year OPD veteran served as a Community Resource Officer in West Oakland, and he helped strengthen relationships between law enforcement and local residents.

OPD Officer Paul Carlisle (Image courtesy OPOA)

Oakland Police Department Officer Paul Carlisle conducted a traffic stop of a stolen vehicle at the intersection of 16th Street and Broadway in 1976, according to Officer Down Memorial Page. As Officer Carlisle ordered the driver from the car, the driver shot the officer through his spinal cord. The shooter was a parolee with a prior murder conviction. Carlisle died on December 1st, 2015 from complications of the gunshot spinal wound, ODMP wrote.

Carlisle served in the U.S. Army and was a native of Oakland, his obituary states.

Oakland Police Department Officers killed in the line-of-duty. (Photos courtesy OPOA)

Former president John F. Kennedy proclaimed May as National Peace Officers Memorial month.

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An investigation into an officer-involved shooting is underway in Ocala.

Ocala police say Thursdays events started with a robbery at the TD Bank on SE 17th Street.

Police say there was then a vehicle chase until the suspects vehicle rolled into a retention pond near the 4400 block of SE Maricamp Road.

The department states there was also an officer-involved shooting. Police have not yet said who fried the shots but said no officers were injured and multiple suspects are in custody.

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Police aid they will release more information soon.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the officer-involved shooting.

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When Francis was elected as Pope in 2013, he was, in betting terms, a rank outsider.

The Argentine cardinal was up against the likes of Italian Angelo Scola (odds 3/1), Canadian Marc Ouellet (6/1) and Ghanaian Peter Turkson (11/4).

Some bookies had the soon-to-be-elected Francis as low as 40th.

Ultimately, Francis was the surprise liberal choice among a field of moderate-to-conservative contenders. Now, the inverse is true: a liberal candidate is favoured to win. A conservative resurgence, however, is far from unlikely.

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Papal candidates, or papabili to borrow the Latin term for probable contenders for the Bishop of Rome, tend to lean conservative.

Analysis of the theological and social views of 24 papabili, as determined by the College of Cardinals Report, shows that two cardinals in contention are openly in favour of same-sex blessings, ordaining female deacons or reassessing the Churchs view on birth control.

Eight support communion for divorcees and four are in favour of ending priestly celibacy. There is wider support for placing climate change at the centre of the Churchs teachings though, with 11 out of 24 in favour.

Using the report cards, we can create a papabilis liberal-conservative view on a scale of -10 for the most conservative and 10 for the most liberal.

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On this metric, four of the 24 papabili emerge as more liberal than Pope Francis. Six receive a score of minus five or lower, indicating strongly expressed conservative views.

This includes Cardinal Robert Sarah, the Guinean who has expressed concern over migration to Europe, and German Gerhard Ludwig Muller, who has warned of a schism if the Vatican does not choose an orthodox pope.

Despite this, all three of the leading candidates are in the liberal camp, according to the bookies.

These include favourite Pietro Parolin, who is viewed by many as a continuity candidate and currently has implied odds of 33 per cent. He has liberalising views on engaging the Church with its members and, whilst against same-sex marriage, has cautiously welcomed the blessings of gay couples.

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He is closely followed by Luis Antonio Tagle, from the Philippines, who has criticised the use of harsh language to describe LGBT Catholics. He has also called for a modern context to the Humanae vitae, the doctrine that outlines the Churchs view on contraception.

A continuity pope makes sense because Francis selected 108 of the 135 cardinals able to vote.

Unsurprisingly, many of these cardinals tend to be more liberal. The College of Cardinals Report shows that, on average, those chosen by Pope Francis have similar stances to him.

These include Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Italy (12 per cent chance of winning) and Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg (a slimmer 4 per cent chance).

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However, early betting odds in papal conclaves can ultimately mean very little  with Pope Francis being just one cautionary tale.

An analysis from academics at the University of Nottingham outlining the success of 500 years of papal betting shows that the markets have a patchy record. The favourite at the start certainly may not be at the end.

In 2005, Paddy Power took 200,000 on the election  the biggest non-sports betting market of all time  but it was not until after three ballots that Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) became the favourite.

For Catholics wanting a return to a strict interpretation of Church doctrine, this could be the chance.

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One move Pope Francis made was making the cardinal electors look more like the flock.

A hundred years ago, two-thirds of electors were Italian. Today, this has fallen to 12.6 per cent. For the first time, fewer than 40 per cent come from Europe at all.

Instead, there has been an increase in the number from Asia, Africa and South America. About 45 per cent of electors are from the global south, a massive change from the 2005 conclave, when just 30 per cent were from there.

Democratically, these changes make sense. Today, fewer than a quarter of the worlds one billion plus Catholics come from Europe. About 70 per cent come from the worlds poorest regions.

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This change in composition could influence the conclaves views on the way it discusses issues such as climate change, poverty and migration. Pope Franciss compassionate stance on society was undoubtedly the product of working in the poorest districts of Buenos Aires.

However, the global makeup of the Catholic Church highlights the key social differences within.

In every Western European country, Catholics want the Vatican to recognise legal gay marriage, according to a 2017 Pew Research poll. This falls to 43 per cent in Brazil, the worlds largest Catholic country. No similar polling exists for Asia or Africa, but some African cardinals have been particularly critical of Pope Franciss stance on equal marriage.

However, across Latin America  where 40 per cent of Catholics live  there has been a liberalising shift over the past decade on issues such as female priests, birth control and celibacy, according to Pew Research.

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Pope Francis epitomised this cautious progression. He preached compassion and understanding on these delicate social issues, but stopped short of a complete rewrite of doctrine.

Few cardinals eligible to vote support a move beyond what Pope Francis has already done. A conservative or liberal jolt could ultimately disturb the balance needed with a truly global and divided Church.

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Odile de Vasselot, who has died aged 103, served in the French Resistance during the Second World War as a liaison agent and escort for escaped prisoners and Allied airmen; her involvement in the mainly working-class movement was unusual because she had been born into an aristocratic family.

One of four children, Odile de Vasselot de Regne was born on January 6 1922 to Lt-Col Gaston de Vasselot de Regne and Chantal, nee de Cugnac, in Saumur in the Loire Valley, the seat of the French cavalry school, where her father was an instructor. The family had a long and distinguished military history. Her maternal grandfather was a general, and an ancestor had fought against the British in the American War of Independence.

During Odiles childhood the family followed her father around military postings, including in Dijon and Metz, where they became friendly with then Colonel Charles de Gaulle. Odile recalled playing with de Gaulles son, Philippe.

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Her father was taken prisoner by the Germans during the invasion of France, and on June 18 1940, listening to the BBC on a radio made by her brother at the family castle in Poitou, Odile heard General de Gaulles call to the French people to fight on: I came down to the living room, and I said, You know what I just heard  de Gaulle is in London. Hes calling people to come to him, quickly. Right away, we were all with General de Gaulle.

Her mother moved with Odile and her siblings to Paris where, on November 11, Odile took part in the student demonstration on the Champs-Elysees, the first public act of resistance against the occupation. It was necessary to act, she recalled in 2023: It was not possible to do nothing.

Although she and her siblings staged freelance acts of resistance, such as chalking the Lorraine Cross on walls and tearing down German and Vichy propaganda posters, she felt frustrated at being unable to do more.

Her chance came at the end of 1942, when a friend put her in touch with a Resistance group known as the Zero network, and under the code name Daniele she was tasked with transporting mail between network members in Paris and Toulouse, taking the night train on Friday and returning to Paris, via an overnight train, on Sunday morning. The hardest part was lying to my mother about my activities, especially since I had to stay out two nights a week, she recalled. At that time, young women were kept under close watch. Everything I did, I had to tell my mother about it.

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By the end of the year, arrests had made it dangerous to work with the Zero network so, under a new pseudonym, Jeanne, Odile joined another group, the Comet network. For two months, until early 1944, she trudged through muddy fields at the Belgian frontier, meeting up with Allied airmen and parachutists, accompanying them to France, then helping them to return to Britain via Spain.

Odile de Vasselot: she ate the ticket stubs of the airmen she had been escorting - ALAIN JOCARD/afp

On January 4 she was escorting two British airmen on a train from Lille to Paris when the Gestapo burst into the compartment and arrested the men. The boys walked past me, didnt wink at me, but looked at me, she recalled. I imagine they wanted to say thank you anyway, good luck... They were only prisoners of war and came back.

What still amazes me is that the Germans didnt know the conductor was a young girl. Since I was blue-eyed, blonde, and young they didnt ask me anything.

She still had the mens ticket stubs in her pocket: I ate them.

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She rejoined the Zero network that summer, as the Allies were moving toward Paris, and in August 1944 she participated in the liberation of the city.

After the war, she graduated in history at the Sorbonne and joined the Saint-Francois-Xavier apostolic community as a consecrated laywoman. In 1959, the congregation sent her to Abidjan, in Ivory Coast, where she founded and directed a school for girls, the lycee Sainte-Marie.

After retiring to Paris in 1988, she devoted much of her time to touring schools to share her story, passing on, as she put it, love of country, the rejection of the intolerable, empathy, and respect for cultures.

Among many honours, Odile de Vasselot was presented with the British Kings Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom and in November last year she was appointed Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit by President Macron at the Elysee Palace.

Odile de Vasselot, born January 6 1922, died April 21 2025

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Thursdays Top Stories

Thursdays Five Facts

[1] Family of APD officer killed in hit and run months ago still searching for answers  The family of an Albuquerque police officer killed in a hit and run is continuing to plead for anyone with information about her death to come forward. Officer Bianca Quintana was leaving a family members house after an argument. She was walking near Coors and Chapulin just after midnight when police say she was hit and killed by a driver. Nine months later, Quintanas family is still looking for answers. They are pleading for anyone who knows anything to come forward.

[2] Police outline National Guards role in east Central operation  New Mexicos National Guard will soon be working with Albuquerque police. Guard members are training for whats being called Operation Zia Shield. APD says the guard will do work similar to what Police Service Aids do, like helping secure crime scenes and direct traffic. They will also use drones and help tag evidence. Full deployment is expected by the end of the month. APD Chief Harold Medina says the department is hoping the operation will lead to a drop in crime by October.

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[3] Less rain/snow, warmer temperatures and breezier weather  Slightly-less daytime thunderstorms will form today, but locally some heavy rainfall is possible with some lightning strikes, small hail, and erratic wind gusts. Temperatures will be once again higher today, reaching the upper 40s to the 60s for most northern areas, closer to normal for this time of the year, while it will range from the 60s to the low 80s elsewhere, slightly below normal.

[4] NM Attorney General and ten other states file preliminary injunction to halt tariffs  New Mexicos Attorney General and ten other state AGs are taking new action to block the Trump Administrations tariffs. A lawsuit filed by the 11 states in April argues that congress alone has the authority to implement tariffs and that emergency powers used by the President to implement tariffs were used incorrectly. Wednesday, they filed preliminary injunction seeking a court order to pause the tariffs immediately while litigation continues.

[5] Los Alamos National Lab and NM schools work to make math fun for students  A unique partnership between Los Alamos National Laboratory and northern New Mexico elementary schools is turning the subject of math into something fun. Through the Math Teacher Leader Network partnership, Blanco Elementary School said they have seen a remarkable shift in how math is taught and how students feel about the subject. The labs Math Science Academy team works directly with the schools, their teachers, and leaders to help teachers better teach math.

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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.
Last year, more than 50,000 people took to the streets across the Canary Islands to protest against the effects of overseas visitors.

Beaches in Majorca were blockaded in response to overcrowding. Tourists were squirted with water pistols in Barcelona. As a result, many travellers  myself among them  have felt increasingly unsure about holidaying there.

It was in this context that eight mayors from the countrys major hotspots met at the Spanish embassy yesterday to discuss the future of tourism. Its a rare thing  tourist boards dont often gather the media for a summit on specific issues  and it shows just how rattled they are. But it also, possibly, demonstrated that something was being done.

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Anti-tourism is a minority feeling, insisted Juan Amengual, the mayor of Calvia, a Majorcan municipality. And statistically he is correct: estimates have the size of the protests in Majorca at around 20,000 people; the population is just under one million.

But that almost doesnt matter, because British holidaymakers have taken note. Bookings may not have decreased, but Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy claims that holidaymakers have been contacting their call centres to check their trips would be safe.

Evidently, officials are worried people will holiday elsewhere as a result. Tourism accounts for more than 12 per cent of Spains GDP and their economy would seriously suffer without it.

The mayor of Calvia, a popular Majorcan beach destination, has said that anti-tourism is a minority sentiment - getty

According to Wednesdays mayoral think-tank, the crucial issue is not tourism per se, its a lack of affordable housing that has been exacerbated by the proliferation of unlicensed short-term rentals. Research has shown that rent in Spain has risen by 80 per cent over the past decade, significantly outpacing wage increases.

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Reports of hospitality staff living in their cars have highlighted how stark the situation is. Speaking to The Telegraph in March, campaigner Joana Maria Estrany Vallespir bemoaned rich foreigners buying houses in the countryside, but they dont live here, what they do is rent their properties.

A plan to build 50,000 new homes in Catalonia was lauded as the sort of action officials should be taking. If this comes to pass, it should allow local people to find more affordable housing (and alleviate the pressures short-term lets put on public services). In theory, this would help directly with the issues protesters are worried about.

I spoke to Harold Goodwin, founder of The International Centre for Responsible Tourism, about the decision.

The permissive commodification of the housing market has encouraged short-term renting to tourists because it is very lucrative. Local people, who often work for low wages in the tourism industry, are then priced out of housing, he said.

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The problem, however, is that mayors have very limited powers to change the way the housing market works. Barcelona had considerable success in licencing and taxing holiday lets, but are now planning to ban short-term rentals. However, what a Mayor can achieve is constrained by national and EU law, said Goodwin.

Opposition to tourism has been particularly fervent in Barcelona, which received over 15 million visitors in 2024 - alamy

For holidaymakers, a more direct effect of overcrowding could be felt through increased tourist taxes. Collecting a fixed fee or a percentage of a hotel bill has become a popular method of visitor-management globally.

The method is controversial, and, even between Spanish districts, has not been uniformly accepted, but it can raise money for areas buckling under the strain of overtourism.

Its irresistible for officials to raise it, said Steve Heapy from Jet2, who thinks the risk is that, eventually, tourists will stop visiting altogether if the prices become too high. Its for this reason that Benidorms mayor, Antonia Perez, refuses to introduce one. If I was visiting a family member in hospital, would I have to pay a tourist tax? Is that fair? he asked incredulously.

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Of course, such taxes make little difference to the overall price of a holiday. As long as officials are clear about where the money goes, then in my opinion we should welcome them, as we all benefit from better services. Much-lauded developments in Catalonia have been funded by the levies, enjoyed by both local people and visitors.

The rights of holidaymakers and local people are, of course, a complicated one to balance. The idea of being local to somewhere can be fraught; similarly, visitors have a responsibility to be respectful guests. Living in a theme park, as campaigner Joana Maria Estrany Vallespir describes it, would certainly be unpleasant. But lurking beneath the surface is often a sense that certain social groups are more welcome than others.

Antitourism campaigner Joana Maria Estrany Vallespir describes the current state of Majorca as like living in a theme park

Tourism chiefs did, however, express their worries about tourists travelling elsewhere. North Africa, in particular, is proving to be a popular destination.

Morocco saw a 20 per cent increase in visitors last year, while Turkey and Cape Verde are seeing similar surges. And, crucially, they can be cheaper than some Spanish alternatives.

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The mayor of Saint Batolome de Tirajana was defiant, however, citing better service, quality and security in Spain. But surely tourists shouldnt have to choose between Morocco and the Med; both are fantastic destinations for holidays.

Its clear that Spains tourism officials are keen to confront the countrys issues (notably more so than in other crowded destinations). The protests are far more than just a little noise, as the mayor of Arona claims, but its reassuring that those in charge are responding to the worries of both tourists and locals. Now its time to see those changes in action.

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Lawmakers in Stamford, Connecticut, are considering a ban on single-use plastics in restaurants and other businesses in the city.

As the Stamford Advocate reported, the Board of Representatives voted to have a public hearing about single-use cups, utensils, and other plastic materials.

The city can't recycle these plastics, so they end up in landfills. However, Stamford doesn't have anywhere to put the waste, so the city must haul it and dump it elsewhere.

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If approved, the ordinance would ban disposable foodware at dine-in establishments, although napkins are an exception. It would also require restaurants to provide reusable foodware made of nonplastic materials such as glass, bamboo, wood, metal, or ceramic.

Under the Stamford ordinance, single-use foodware such as plastic plates, cups, and utensils would be banned. Straws, stirrers, accessories, and black plastic containers would also be restricted.

One representative who submitted the ordinance, Karen Camporeale, explained: "Connecticut and all of New England right now is facing a trash crisis. We are hauling all of our garbage out of town. There's nowhere to put it."

"This is a real problem," she said, adding that the plastics in landfills can get "into our water and soil and eventually into our bodies."

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The city scheduled a public hearing to discuss eliminating this major source of waste for the sake of public health and safety. The ordinance states that a first violation would result in a written warning. Subsequent violations would result in a $250 fine, and "each day a violation continues shall be considered a separate offense."

Stamford would use the money from fines to support sustainability initiatives and enforce the ordinance.

The city is one of many considering or already implementing plastic bans to improve human and environmental health.

Other communities making strides in banning nonrecyclable food and beverage container waste include Honolulu, Los Angeles, Richmond, Virginia, and Sindh, Pakistan. Entire nations such as India and the United Arab Emirates have also taken steps to phase out plastic and curb pollution.

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Single-use plastics clog up our landfills and contribute to the growing problem of ocean pollution. More sustainable alternatives are available to create cleaner and healthier living spaces for everyone.

Moving away from single-use plastics is largely about changing consumer behaviors.

Meanwhile, the Connecticut General Assembly passed a ban on single-use plastic and polystyrene waste to curb pollution and public health risks at the state level.

"Polystyrene alternatives such as cardboard are easier to recycle while costing roughly the same to businesses," said former Stamford Mayor David Martin. "This is a common-sense environmental reform that benefits everyone who lives on this planet."

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OGDEN, Utah (ABC4)  Two Ogden men are facing hundreds of charges related to animal abuse after nearly 156 dogs and cats were allegedly rescued from a home in April.

Miguel Salgado-Vargas, 73, is facing 637 individual class B misdemeanor charges that include:

148 counts of unlicensed animals

148 counts of failure to obtain rabies vaccination

168 counts of public nuisance

168 cruelty to animals, and

1 count of kennel/cattery violation

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Prosecutors have also filed over 300 class B misdemeanor charges against Ramon Cano Aispuro, 50, including:

168 counts of cruelty to animals

168 counts of public nuisance

The charges come after over 150 dogs and cats were allegedly removed from an Ogden home in mid-April. According to the Ogden City Police Department, the animals were found living in extremely poor and overcrowded conditions.

PREVIOUS: Heartwarming: Community rallies to help over 150 animals rescued from Ogden home

We are grateful for the swift coordination between our local and regional partners that ensured every animal was removed safely and given the care it needed, said Jake Sube, Ogden Police chief. This case is a reminder of the importance of community reporting and regional cooperation.

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Over the course of the next week, Ogden Animal Control, Weber County Animal Control, Roy Animal Control and an officer from Draper Animal Control safely removed the animals from the home. In total, as of May 8, Ogden Police said 157 dogs and 11 cats were rescued from the unsanitary conditions.

Thanks to a collaborative regional response, most of the animals have since been transferred to shelters and rescue organizations across Utah and as far as Blackfoot, Idaho, including placements with Salt Lake County Animal Services, Davis County Animal Services, and the Humane Scoeity of Utah, Ogden Police said in an update. As of today, only 13 dogs remain at the Weber County Animal Shelter and are available for rescue. No animals required euthanasia.

The Ogden Police Department said the animal owners cooperated with authorities during the recovery process and signed the necessary paperwork authorizing the rescue and removal of the animals.

Ogden Police said the records show the two were involved in a similar incident in 2012 and they recognize the emotional and mental health challenges that may contribute to animal hoarding behaviors. The City said it was committed to ensuring accountability while acknowledging compassion and access to support services.

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According to court documents, Salgado-Vargas and Aispuro have been summoned for a court hearing in July.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A discussion about off-label drugs is back in the spotlight in Ohio after a similar effort failed last year.

House Bill 12 would generally allow a doctor to prescribe any drug, even if it is for off-label use, and require a pharmacist to dispense it. An off-label drug is when it is prescribed for a purpose that is not explicitly approved by the FDA.

May 2025 primary election results for central Ohio

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It stems from a lot of the criticisms weve heard surrounding COVID response, Ohio Rep. DJ Swearingen (R-Huron), the bills sponsor, said. Doctors who felt like they had an idea of how they wanted to handle that disease and wanted to go one way with it and were kind of outcasts in some sort of sense.

Off-label drug prescriptions have been used in more cases than just COVID-19 and Ivermectin. Executive Director of the Ohio Pharmacist Association David Burke said it is most prevalent today, for example, in diabetes drugs, like Ozempic, being used for weight loss.

Currently, today, off-label prescribing and dispensing occurs unencumbered, Burke said.

Swearingen said that if an off-label prescription can work in the best interests of a patient, then physicians and prescribers should have the freedom to pursue that option. He said there is little medical free speech and this bill would protect that.

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So, if a doctor gives an opinion in a medical setting that they can do that without threat of retaliation from a regulatory board or a licensing board for something along those lines, Swearingen said.

Black smoke rises from Sistine Chapel chimney, conclave doesnt elect pope in first vote

Burke argued that there is a different standard of free speech when it comes to medical professionals.

Physicians dont have free speech for personal opinion on how drugs are to be used, they use scientific background just like pharmacists do or nurses do, and they administer care to a patient, Burke said.

Burke said he worries that under this legislation, pharmacists will have little ground to push back when they think a prescription will be harmful to a patient. He said often, pharmacists have information about certain drugs before a prescriber might.

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This returns us to the days of Dr. Smiths medicine wagon, where he has a liquid that will cure your rheumatism, Burke said. Thats where were going. Thats who this empowers.

Burke said while he believes most prescribers do act with care, he worries about places like medical spas and the prescriptions that come from those establishments.

Weve got folks writing prescriptions for any valid reason to which they think a patient could use without scientific background, Burke said. Thats going to cause a lot of harm to patients and bypasses the current system that just allows an individual opinion rather than a scientific opinion.

Which school issues central Ohio voters approved in May 2025 election

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Swearingen said the bill already has a liability portion, and does not leave the prescriber completely immune should the drug cause harm to the patient and not meet the standard of care. He said that at the heart of the bill is wanting medical providers to seek the truth.

Also have a dialogue about what they believe to be best practices and what they believe to be in the patients best interest without threat of retaliation, he said.

The bill had its third hearing on Wednesday afternoon, which featured opponent testimony. Fifty-eight people against the bill either submitted written testimony or appeared in person. During the bills proponent testimony hearing, 42 people supported it.

The bill failed to pass the Ohio Statehouse last year, in a last-minute move, but Swearingen said he is hopeful it will get through this time.

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GROVE CITY, Ohio (WCMH)  A Grove City family has filed a lawsuit against Petland, claiming a puppy they bought from the Chillicothe-based chain transmitted an ailment to them.

Nellie, the dog at the center of a lawsuit against Petland. (Photo courtesy/Brian Guerin)

The lawsuit, filed by Brian Guerin and Cara Gozzard on April 29 in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, states the couple bought a female mini Bernadoodle puppy from Petlands Grove City location in January 2023.

Columbus woman shares experience as extra for Superman filmed in Ohio

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The dog, who the family named Nellie, began to have diarrhea within 24 hours of bringing her home, the lawsuit claims. The couple originally thought this may be due to the stress of a new environment.

However, the lawsuit claims that within days, the couples 5-year-old daughter came down with a stomach bug. Within a week of their daughter falling ill, their 5-year-old son began experiencing the same symptoms, including severe abdominal pain. A short time later, Guerin also contracted the ailment.

The couple took Nellie to the veterinarian, where she tested positive for Campylobacter, a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting and a fever. Guerin and his two children then also tested positive for the bacteria, which can spread between humans and animals.

Guerin contacted Petland to inform them of the diagnosis, to which the company suggested the family could have acquired the bacteria through another source like raw meat, the filing states.

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The lawsuit claims both parents had to take time off work to care for their sick children, resulting in lost income. Guerin missed out on a work bonus amounting to thousands of dollars due to his inability to travel, and Gozzard, who is paid hourly, missed nearly a full month of work.

Roosters on Olentangy River Road near OSU expects to reopen in the fall

Additionally, the filing states Guerin has experienced long-term complications of Campylobacter, including stomach pain that impacts his daily life.

The lawsuit argues the store knowingly sold the family an animal that was not healthy and violated the terms of a contract they signed with the retailer, which assured them the animal was kept in a clean and safe environment. The legal action is asking for damages of at least $25,000.

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The lawsuit was filed by the Ohio-based law firm Holland & Muirden, with assistance from Humane World for Animals, an animal welfare nonprofit. Nellie is now a happy and healthy dog, according to the organization.

Taking weeks-old puppies away from their mothers and sticking them in a crowded store window is a recipe for spreading disease, said Mark Finneran, state director of Humane World for Animals. The Guerins case is a reminder that the puppy mill-to-pet store pipeline harms all of us, humans and animals alike.

Petland communications director Maria Smith said the companys attorneys are still reviewing the lawsuit. She claimed the retailer maintains stringent health protocols for the puppies in its care, including an exam by a veterinarian before being offered for sale.

In the event a puppy shows any signs of illness, it is not available for in-store visits or sale until the pet has undergone its full course of treatment, is no longer symptomatic, and has been re-checked by the store veterinarian and cleared for sale, Smith said. In this particular situation, Petland does not know the facts surrounding how the family contracted Campylobacter and we cannot comment further at this time.

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Trial for truck driver in I-70 that killed six will resume Thursday

The April filing is not the first time the pet store chain has been at the center of a legal battle. Several other lawsuits were brought against the company in 2024, accusing it of selling sick animals to customers.

In response to the previous lawsuits, Petlands CEO Joe Watson said Humane World for Animals is a radical animal rights group that is burdening Ohios busy legal system to generate publicity.

Campylobacter has also previously been connected to Petland. In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigated an outbreak of Campylobacter infection, stating many affected people had contact with puppies or were employees at pet stores, including Petland.

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Most people recover from Campylobacter infections within a week; however, in rare cases, it can be fatal among young children, the elderly or those with weakened immune systems, according to the World Health Organization.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
(Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

Ohio House Republicans are trying to ban diversity and inclusion in K-12 schools.

House Reps. Beth Lear, R-Galena, and Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Township, recently introduced House Bill 155. This is a companion bill to Ohio Senate Bill 113, which has had two hearings so far in the Senate Education Committee.

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Both bills would require every local board of education in the state to adopt a policy that would end any current diversity and inclusion offices or departments and ban any diversity, equity, and inclusion orientation or training. It would also prevent the creation of any new such offices or departments and using DEI in job descriptions.

Lear and Williams recently gave sponsor testimony on their bill to the Ohio House Education Committee.

The increasing incorporation of DEI programs has shifted the focus from educational fundamentals to ideological indoctrination, Lear said. These initiatives prioritize identity over ability, promote racial preferences over fairness, and undermine the principle of equal opportunity for all students.

The pair of Republican lawmakers argued banning DEI would cause less division among students.

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Through legislation like this, we hope to cultivate an educational environment that promotes unity and harmony among students, focusing on our commonalities rather than differences, Williams said. By treating all of our students and staff the same, we can allow our educators to focus on core academic subjects and ensure high-quality outcomes for every student in Ohio.

Education committee members  on both sides of the aisle  peppered the lawmakers with questions for about 40 minutes.

DEI is toxic, said state Rep. Kevin Ritter, R-Marietta. The sooner its out of our schools, the better. With that in mind, prohibition without consequences is meaningless.

Lear said they plan on adding enforcement measures to the bill in the coming weeks through an amendment.

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Some of the Democratic lawmakers pointed out how the bill doesnt define DEI.

How is a school supposed to figure out what that means? state Rep. Phil Robinson, Jr., D-Solon, asked.

Williams said he wouldnt give a narrow definition of DEI.

The easiest way to answer that is to teach the subjects you are supposed to teach, Williams said when Robinson pressed him on the question. You dont need to infuse DEI into the curriculum.

State Rep. Sean Brennan, D-Parma, continued to ask for a definition of DEI.

If we dont define what DEI is, how can we expect teachers to not mistakenly break the law? he asked.

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Williams said it would ultimately be up to the individual school boards to come up with a policy.

Were not trying to make a cookie-cutter system, he said.

This bill comes as two federal lawsuits by the ACLU and the National Education Association are challenging the Trump administrations attempt to ban DEI programs in K-12 schools.

How do you craft legislation when its a little bit unclear right now from the federal government where things stand? asked state Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio, D-Gahanna.

Williams, who is a lawyer, said he knows lawsuits can take a while and is not willing to allow school districts to continue to indoctrinate children for the next four to six years while those lawsuits pend, just because somebody wanted to file a lawsuit.

Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky.

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Every single library levy on Tuesdays ballot passed in Ohio, and none of them were close.

The victories come as Republican officials at the state and federal level look at cutting library funding.

There were 13 levies on the ballot  eight renewals, two replacements, two new ones and a bond. The least successful of those  for the Delaware County District Library and the Troy-Miami County Public Library  passed with 56% of the vote.

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The most successful, for the Gnadenhutten Public Library, received a whopping 85% of the vote. On average, voters agreed to pay local taxes to support their libraries by a 19-point margin.

These results reflect the deep connection communities have with their libraries, Michelle Francis, Executive Director of the Ohio Library Council, said in a written statement. Theyre a testament to the trust voters place in libraries, not only as centers for learning and literacy, but also as hubs for workforce development and digital access.

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The results come as the budget proposed by the Republican-controlled Ohio House would spend almost $91 million less on public libraries than the draft proposed by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

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In addition, the House budget would change library funding from a percentage of the states general-revenue fund to a fixed line item. The library council has said that would increase the possibility that at some point it could be eliminated altogether.

At the federal level, the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency has proposed eliminating the Institute of Museum and Library Services. That grant-making agency has a budget of $290 million a year.

Earlier this month, a federal judge temporarily stopped an executive order by President Donald Trump to eliminate the institute after 21 state attorneys general sued to stop the order.

The institute provides funding for the State Library of Ohio, which has a brick-and-mortar location in Columbus. It supports summer learning programs, reading programs for the blind and deaf, and the Ohio Digital Library, which helps local libraries provide audio and e-books.

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Polling shows that public libraries are highly popular with a huge, bipartisan swath of Americans. A 2022 poll was conducted by Hart Research Associates and North Star Opinion Research on behalf of the American Library Association. It found that 89% of respondents agreed that local public libraries play an important role in communities across the country including their own.

In addition, 75% of Democrats, 70% of Republicans and 56% of independents said they oppose the removal of books from public libraries.

Public support is loud and clear, said Francis of the Ohio Library Council. We hope state leaders recognize how much their constituents rely on library services.

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A senior citizen sent almost $90,000 in personal checks to a man in Arkansas before realizing she was a victim of a sweepstakes scam.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The woman from Franklin County reported in March that she had been called by a man who claimed he was a sweepstakes employee, according to a social media post.

The man told her she won $3 million from Publishers Clearing House, but said she needed to pay taxes on the winnings before she could receive them.

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The woman sent more than $89,000 in personal checks to a specific address in Arkansas, according to the social media post.

TRENDING STORIES:

Investigators believe that behind that phone call was David Nelson, 68, of Little Rock, Arkansas. Nelson was arrested and charged with felony theft in Franklin County in April.

Nelson is being held in an Arkansas jail until he is taken to Ohio to face the charges, according to the social media post.

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This case highlights the importance of being cautious in handling unsolicited phone calls, a spokesperson said in the social media post.

To help others avoid falling victim to similar scams, the Franklin County Sheriffs Office gave the following tips in their social media post:

1. Be skeptical of unsolicited calls

2. Dont share personal information

3. Dont agree to immediate payments

4. Watch out for high-pressure tactics

5. Be cautious with free offers

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Woodland Park City Council members confer during a meeting in March. They are, from left, Steve Smith, George Jones, Carrol Harvey, Jeffrey Geer, Mayor Pro Tem Catherine Nakai and Mayor Kellie Case.
Alberta could vote next year on whether to separate from Canada if a citizen-led petition gathers the requisite number of signatures requesting such a question to be put to a referendum.

Thats what Danielle Smith, the Premier of the Alberta province, which is the heart of Canadas oil industry, said this week, just after the Liberals led by Mark Carney won the federal election and ahead of Carneys meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House.

Smith stressed that the provincial government itself would not be seeking a referendum on an Alberta secession.

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To be clear from the outset, our government will not be putting a vote on separation from Canada on the referendum ballot; however, if there is a successful citizen-led referendum petition that is able to gather the requisite number of signatures requesting such a question to be put to a referendum, our government will respect the democratic process and include that question on the 2026 provincial referendum ballot as well, Smith said.

The government of Alberta will create an Alberta Next panel aimed at protecting the province from any current or future hostile policies of the federal government, including attempts to block Albertas resource development.

Following the federal election, Alberta will take steps to protect itself from overreaching federal policies and will pursue a new Alberta Accord within Canada, require Albertas consent on any export restrictions of Canadian resources, and demand guaranteed port access for Alberta energy and resources, Smith said.

Related: U.S. Freeport LNG Export Plant Set to Resume Service After Outage

The premier reiterated that I do not support Alberta separating from Canada. I personally still have hope that there is a path forward for a strong and sovereign Alberta within a United Canada.

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So I am going to do everything within my power to negotiate a fair deal for Alberta with the new Prime Minister, Smith noted.

For years, Alberta has been opposing federal legislation regarding emissions and resource development. Alberta has been fighting the federal government on the plan to cap emissions from oil and gas production, which the province and the industry see essentially as a cap on output.

Analysts are skeptical about whether citizens in the province will gather enough signatures to include a vote on separation in a referendum.

These grievances are serious, John Soroski, a political scientist at MacEwan University in Edmonton, told Associated Press.

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I think the prospects of separation are highly unlikely.

The issue of a possible referendum on Alberta's separation was raised hours before the newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney headed to the U.S. to meet with President Trump.

The meeting appeared friendlier than many expected, although Trump once again raised the proposal of a wonderful marriage of incorporating Canada into the U.S.

Carney firmly rejected the marriage proposal with a carefully worded reply, As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale, and likened Canada to the Oval Office and to Britain's Buckingham Palace.

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Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign in the last several months, it's not for sale. Won't be for sale, ever.

Before the meeting, President Trump took to his Truth Social platform to express his frustration with the U.S. trade deficit with Canada.

We dont need their Cars, we dont need their Energy, we dont need their Lumber, we dont need ANYTHING they have, other than their friendship, which hopefully we will always maintain, President Trump wrote on Tuesday, referring to Canada.

But the fact is that the U.S. needs Canadas energy, especially its crude oil, which is being refined in many refineries in the Midwest and on the Gulf Coast. Canada is the single biggest crude oil supplier to the United States, accounting for about 50% of U.S. gross petroleum imports with volumes of more than 4 million barrels per day (bpd).

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The U.S. trade deficit with Canada jumped to $4.9 billion in March 2025, sharply higher compared to previous months, data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis showed on Tuesday.

It was higher imports of cars, crude oil, and finished wood products  goods that Trump claims the U.S. doesnt need from Canada  that pushed up the U.S. deficit with its neighbor to the north.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Read this article on OilPrice.com
Gov. Kevin Stitt has vetoed a measure meant to expand Oklahomans' access to breast cancer screening, saying he doesn't want to raise insurance rates.

House Bill 1389 would require health care insurance providers to cover tests such as breast ultrasounds for people who are at higher risks of breast cancer, even if no abnormality is seen or suspected at the time. Contrast-enhanced mammograms and molecular breast imaging would also be covered in those cases and as part of diagnostic testing.

Lawmakers from both parties criticized Stitt's decision to veto the bill, which had widespread support and cleared the House floor 95-0. For many legislators, the measure carried a special significance. The bill's author, Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her colleagues in the House wore pink in her honor on the day she introduced the measure.

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Provenzano said in a statement that Stitt's veto left her "stunned and in disbelief." She noted women in Oklahoma are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than the U.S. norm.

More: Oklahoma governor vetoes MMIP bill, saying investigators shouldn't prioritize cases 'based on race'

The governor said in his May 6 veto message that while he was sympathetic to women battling breast cancer, he believed the legislation would raise costs for health insurance companies and "ultimately raise insurance premiums for working families and small businesses."

He said insurance plans already cover mammograms, and that doctors can order more tests if needed.

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Provenzano said many tests still aren't covered, which is why the legislation is needed. She pledged to "get to work" on moving the bill forward, which could still become law if legislators vote to override Stitt's veto.

In her statement, Provenzano said the measure was meant to build on a 2022 bill that required insurance providers to cover diagnostic mammograms. Stitt signed that measure into law.

Jennifer Monies, an adviser to House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, has not yet responded to questions about Hilbert's response to the veto and whether he plans to pursue an override.

Rep. Melissa Provenzano talks with a fellow member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives in this 2024 photo.

As the bill made its way through the Legislature, more than 20 lawmakers, including several Republicans, signed on as co-authors. Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, the bill's main backer in the Senate, said she was disappointed by the governor's veto.

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This legislation was vetoed due to the belief that the provision of this care could contribute to higher insurance premiums, although the reality is that the costs of providing preventative screenings are minuscule when compared to the costs to treat late-stage disease, Stanley said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Gov. Stitt vetoes bill expanding breast cancer test coverage
As the U.S. closes in on 1,000 confirmed measles cases in the past four months, Oklahoma health officials are asking schools to be more proactive about warning parents about the spread of the disease  especially those who have chosen not vaccinate their children.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health issued a May 1 memo that advises school districts to contact parents of children with a vaccine exemption on file to inform them about the current outbreak and emphasize the importance of the measles vaccine.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 935 confirmed cases of measles have been recorded across the United States in 2025 through May 1. While most have been in Texas and New Mexico, Oklahoma has 14 confirmed and another three probable cases. All but two of those Oklahoma cases involved unvaccinated people.

Health Department to schools: Warn parents about measles

In its unsigned memo written for school administrators, the state Health Department advises schools to communicate with families and staff, promote vaccination, strengthen their health messaging and monitor for symptoms among students.

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Although children are technically required to have up-to-date vaccinations by the time they enter public schools in Oklahoma, the state allows parents to submit exemptions for medical or non-medical reasons. According to the latest data collected by the CDC, 5.5% of Oklahoma kindergarteners showed up school last year with a non-medical exemption for at least one vaccine.

The rate of non-medical exemptions skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic as vaccinations became more politicized. A decade ago, the exemption rate was 1.5%.

The state Health Department memo calls on schools to ensure their students are either up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations or have an exemption on file.

Next, the letter asks schools to inform parents that measles has been identified in Oklahoma, "emphasizing the importance of vaccination and exclusion should measles be identified within the school community."

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"As long as uncontrolled spread from the Texas and New Mexico outbreak continues, there will be a risk for increased measles cases in Oklahoma," the Health Department memo said. "Due to the complexity and scale of the outbreak, it is anticipated to take time for it to be under control."

More Oklahomans getting vaccinated from measles

Despite years of vaccine skepticism in Oklahoma, data from the state Health Department suggests that the current outbreak has spurred more parents than usual to get their children vaccinated.

The number of new MMR vaccine records on file at the state Health Department has grown considerably in 2025. Doses recorded for children under 1 year old went from about one per week in January to 69 during the last week of April.

The number of all other children getting the MMR vaccine each week has nearly doubled. Adult vaccinations have tripled.

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"We have observed (or noted) a concurrent growing rise in interest regarding MMR vaccine information, administration of MMR, and immunization records at our local county health departments," said Erica Rankin-Riley, a spokesperson for the state Health Department. "We have also been actively sharing educational materials about the MMR vaccination through our social media channels and our measles webpage."

How to check if you've had the measles vaccine

Doctors recommend at least two doses of the MMR vaccine to ensure lifelong resistance to infection.

If you're not sure about you or your child's vaccine status, the Oklahoma State Immunization Information System (OSIIS) portal will probably have the records on file.

Medical providers aren't required to submit vaccination records to health officials, but many do. The portal has records going back decades. Each state maintains its own vaccination records database, but not all are as easy to check as Oklahoma's.

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To check a vaccination record, go to the portal site at shotrecords.health.ok.gov and follow the instructions to verify your identity.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Measles outbreak: Oklahoma issues school guidance on vaccines
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Gov. Kevin Stitt is under fire after vetoing a bipartisan-supported bill that would have required insurance companies to cover certain screenings that can catch breast cancer early, a decision that has left the bills author, who is battling breast cancer herself, heartbroken.

It feels personal, Rep. Melissa Provenzano (D-Tulsa)

The bill, House Bill 1389, had rare, unanimous bipartisan support in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and near-unanimous support in the Senate.

It was amazing, said Rep. Melissa Provenzano (D-Tulsa).

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Provenzano said her idea for the bill came about after she got a call from a single mom in her district.

She said the woman went in for a routine mammogram, but when her doctor saw something concerning and recommended a second diagnostic mammogram, her insurance wouldnt cover it.

And it was $1,200, Provenzano said.

Gov. Stitt vetoes bill that would extend Oklahoma eviction timeline

The woman told Provenzano something that stuck with her.

I have to pay my electric after the food on the table, so I was just not going to get it, Provenzano said the woman told her.



After that, Provenzano teamed up with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to write the bill, which would require insurance companies to cover diagnostic mammograms at no cost to patients. Early detection, she said, could save countless lives.



It was around the time she filed the bill that Provenzano got news of her own: She had breast cancer.



December 11th, I was diagnosed, Provenzano said. And that just sort of rocks your world because its fear of the unknown.



She has been undergoing chemotherapy, once a week, for the past 11 weeks, while the bill made its way through committees and onto the House floor, where it received unanimous approval on March 10.

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I turned around and it was just, you know, dots of pink, Provenzano said. Everybody had something on. And it was moving and human. And it reminded me that were humans first. And this is an apolitical thing at the end.

Even Republican lawmakers voiced strong support.

Representative Provenzano  regardless of party lines, I guarantee it, I can speak for everyone we all care about you, Rep. Steve Bashore (R-Miami) told Provenzano after the vote.

The bill sailed through the Senate and landed on Stitts desk on Tuesday.

I didnt expect a veto, Provenzano said.

But Stitt vetoed the bill Tuesday.

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I was stunned, to say the least, you know, because one in eight women in the United States are diagnosed every year, Provenzano said.

Stitt explained his decision in a video statement on Facebook Tuesday evening.

Senate committee rejects immigration rules for Oklahoma schools

It would have imposed new and costly insurance mandates on private health plans, which would actually raise premiums on Oklahoma families and businesses, Stitt said.

Provenzano said that reasoning is not backed by facts.

When you have early detection, like I had access to, like all women deserve access to, youre saving dollars and saving money for the insurance companies on the back end, Provenzano said.

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For Provenzano, its hard not to take it personally.

It feels personal, Provenzano said. But I have to separate myself from that. I just want to say, did you read the bill? Did you understand what it was were trying to do, and why this will save lives? And I just want to be able to have that conversation.

Provenzano said she still hasnt received a call from the governor.

As she heads into her final week of chemotherapy, Provenzano said shes confident the future will hold fewer vetoesand more moments of unity.

When we strip away the politics, really beautiful things happen, Provenzano said. And Ill keep working on that.

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Stitt was scheduled to hold his weekly press conference on Wednesday, where News 4 planned to ask him about his decision, but it was postponed until Thursday.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
An Olyphant bar owner is suing the town and nine borough officials after council voted in January to nullify his $130,000 bid to buy a borough-owned lot on Delaware Avenue.

Michael Dennin, who owns the Bar and Company at 415 W. Lackawanna Ave., filed a lawsuit in Lackawanna County Court on Tuesday through his attorney, Michael Pisanchyn, alleging that borough officials have done everything they can to prevent him from purchasing a vacant lot that Olyphant owns at 105-109 Delaware Ave. Olyphant appraised the land at $71,300 and held an auction for it on Dec. 3, with Dennin and Queen City Tavern owner John Basalyga getting into a bidding war over the property, which abuts Basalygas tavern at 400 W. Lackawanna Ave., and driving the price up to $130,000 for Dennins highest bid.

A perspective of E. Lackawanna Ave. in Olyphant Wednesday, May 7m, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

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Amid disagreements between borough officials and Dennin and Pisanchyn in December and January, council voted Jan. 7 to nullify Dennins bid, attributing the decision at the time to Dennin failing to comply with the conditions of the auction. As part of the nullification, the borough kept his $7,100 bid security.

It was vindictive and reckless for the Defendants to seize and take the $7,100 from Plaintiff despite his stating he was ready, willing and able to close on the property and it is believed and averred the Defendants did this because of the publicity they received by the Times Tribune and the letters sent by Plaintiffs attorney, Pisanchyn wrote in the lawsuit.

Pisanchyn, who founded the limited liability company that owns the Bar and Co. building on Lackawanna Avenue, quickly criticized the decision in January and said litigation would ensue.

Dennin is now suing solicitor and borough Manager C.J. Mustacchio, who Pisanchyn argues has a conflict of interest holding both roles, and every member of borough council, both in their official and individual capacities. Those council members are: James Baldan, Robert Hudak, Michael Abda, Dina Harrington, recently resigned Councilman Jerry Tully, David Krukovitz and Elizabeth Frushon. The lawsuit also names the borough itself, Mayor Jonathan Sedlak, three unnamed co-conspirators and five unnamed land surveyors.

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Mustacchio declined to comment on the litigation.

Following the Dec. 3 auction, the Defendants have done everything they can to prevent the buyer from actually purchasing the property despite everyone stating Plaintiff over-paid which is odd and leads to further proof of the intentional, reckless and/or negligent actions of all Defendants, Pisanchyn wrote.

He contends Olyphant officials acted vindictively and in their own personal interests.

The 80-page filing points to articles published in The Times-Tribune where Olyphant officials discussed their plans for the lot, including saying in October 2023 that the borough was seeking grant funding to turn it into a pocket park. Olyphant bought the lot in June 2020 for $30,000 and then spent $44,745 to tear down a blighted, vacant building on the land two years later.

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In a July 5 article about Basalygas plans to buy the former OTOWN Bar & Grill to convert into the Queen City Tavern, the lawsuit cites reporting that Basalyga had approached council about buying the land, and that council and Basalyga would have the land appraised with Baldan saying the borough had renovated its nearby train station with the possibility of Basalyga buying the pocket park.

It is believed and therefore averred that the Borough of Olyphant and the Olyphant Borough Defendants intended on selling the property without making proper public notice with the hopes that it would not be challenged, Pisanchyn wrote in the lawsuit.

In response to the article, Pisanchyns law firm sent the borough a letter advocating for the land to be used as a pocket park and saying an anonymous donor was lined up who would fully fund the park. The lawsuit references the letter and includes it as an exhibit.

Shortly after the Dec. 3 auction, Pisanchyn raised concerns over the Queen City Tavern storing its garbage receptacles on the lot and asked for their removal, as well as another neighboring property owner at 406-408 Lackawanna Ave., Anthony Barrett of NAB Holdings LLC of Dunmore, building a deck that encroached on the property, which Pisanchyn notes is the nephew of Councilman Michael Abda. The borough told the tavern to move its waste receptacles and issued Barrett a stop-work order Dec. 10 instructing him to remove the deck.

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In this regard, right before the auction Abdas nephew began to have a large deck being built off of his property onto the property at issue, Pisanchyn wrote. It is believed and therefore averred that this deck was so much over on the property it would only be done believing that someone else was going to win the bid for that property and allow the deck to be built.

The borough later discovered the Queen City Taverns deck also encroached on the property, prompting the town to extend the sale deadline one week from Dec. 30 to Jan. 6 and offer Dennin a $2,106 discount representing the 1.62% of the 6,650-square-foot property covered by the deck.

Pisanchyn argued the borough did nothing to have the property removed, and that it allowed the encroachments.

The lawsuit references a Dec. 16 email Pisanchyn sent to Mustacchio alleging the borough could be intentionally trying to cause a breach of contract, and that once all non-borough property was removed, Dennin would arrange to pay the borough. The following day, Mustacchio requested that Dennin sign a sales agreement, according to the lawsuit.

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The lawsuit also references Basalyga telling The Times-Tribune after the auction, When it got to $100,000, Im like, Alright, honestly, Im going to keep bidding. Im going to drive the number up because, whatever it goes to, its going to go to the borough. The borough is going to win, and I think the borough is the only one that won last night, so I got the number up to $130,000.  If he wants to do that, let him pay for it.

It is believed and therefore averred that in exchange for allowing John Basalyga to store his personal property on the Olyphant Borough property located at 105-109 Delaware Ave, John Basalyga would drive up the price of the property at auction or allowed to purchase the property, Pisanchyn wrote.

In a phone call Wednesday evening and a texted statement, Basalyga said he currently has an easement agreement to use the lot while his Queen City Tavern is under construction, paying $500 a week to use the land, and once work is done on his tavern, he will move off the property. He called the allegations totally unfounded and untrue.

He couldve closed on it, but he found every excuse under the sun not to close on it, which makes me believe he never had any intention on closing on it or being the successful bidder, Basalyga said. They tried to drive the price up on me, which I decided to flip back on them and stopped bidding knowing they would get stuck with the property at the inflated price.

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Basalyga said he didnt know the property owner behind him was building a deck, nor anything about the deck.

Hes flirting with defaming me, Basalyga said. I simply asked the borough if they had interest in selling it.

The borough told him they would have to vote to appraise the land and then put it up for auction, which the town did, he said.

The borough did everything perfectly right, and then after the bid, he had the opportunity to buy it, Basalyga said. Saying that I had some kind of deal with the (borough) to drive the price up, its just ridiculous.

The allegation also makes no sense because it was a live auction, he said.

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During a live auction, prices go up, Basalyga said. That is exactly what an auction is supposed to do.

The lawsuit seeks in excess of $50,000, plus compensatory damages, punitive damages, interest and other relief across 10 counts: breach of contract, breach of implied duty of good faith and fair dealing, fraud/intentional misrepresentation, fraud/intentional concealment, fraud/fraudulent omission, fraud/negligent misrepresentation, intentional interference with contractual relations, tortious interference with economic advantage, negligence and specific performance.
Another "once-in-a-lifetime" event is coming, but don't worry, it's happening 3,000 light years away. And we get to witness it in the Tennessee night sky.

A nova explosion in the binary star system T Coronae Borealis is predicted to happen in May 2025, which people across the United States are expected to be able to see. Scientists first alerted the public about this celestial phenomenon in June 2024. After months of hearing the binary star system that could go nova "any day now," the explosion never came. But now is the time, according to NASA scientists.

And the view from the Earth is expected to be pretty spectacular.

When is the T Coronae Borealis nova explosion expected to happen?

The highly anticipated nova in the T Coronae Borealis system isn't exactly on a specific timeline. With the system being thousands of light years away, scientists believe that the light projected from the explosion will finally make its way to Earth in the next few months, according to NASA.

Where is the T Coronae Borealis in the night sky?

T Coronae Borealis can be seen in a horseshoe-shaped constellation called Corona Borealis, or the "Northern Crown".

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NASA encourages sky watchers to practice finding the constellation Corona Borealis in the eastern part of the sky during the first half of the night between Hercules and Bootes, so that people can have a point of comparison when the T CrB nova appears.

Sky chart showing constellation Corona Borealis with the location where nova "T CrB" is predicted to appear. The view depicts the constellation with the nova occurring, indicated by an arrow.

You can also find it with the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere  Arcturus and Vega. It should be between the two of those with the Big Dipper handle pointing the way, according to The Planetary Society.

A sky chart indicating how to locate the constellation Corona Borealis between the bright stars Arcturus and Vega. The Big Dipper's handle points in the direction of Corona Borealis.

What is a nova?

In the T Coronae Borealis system, there is a red giant star with a smaller white dwarf star orbiting closely around it. The dwarf star is close enough to the puffed-up giant that the dwarf takes on some of the giant's hydrogens. When it accumulates enough, it explodes.

"About every 80 years, the white dwarf has accumulated so much of the other stars hydrogen, that it ignites a thermonuclear explosion. And thats the nova," read NASA's explanation of the phenomenon.

A red giant star and white dwarf orbit each other in this animation of a nova similar to T Coronae Borealis.

Will the T Coronae Borealis be seen in Tennessee?

People across Tennessee should be able to see it with the naked eye once it happens.

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Usually, T Coronae Borealis is very faint and people need a telescope to spot it in the night sky, but the explosion caused by the nova is expected to be so massive, spectators should be able to look up and see it with the naked eye.

Florida Today contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: A nova explosion may happen any time now. Will 'T CrB be seen in TN?
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  One person is dead and another injured after a shooting in northeast Columbus Wednesday night.

According to a Columbus police, the shooting happened in the 2500 block of Mock Road at approximately 9:39 p.m. The shooting was reported in the Mock Park area.

Man convicted in 2023 Delaware County murder, kidnapping

The victims, both women, got in a vehicle and drove nearly two miles northwest before they were found at the intersection of Minnesota Avenue and Joyce Avenue. Three other individuals were in the car, including two juveniles, but they were not injured.

One woman, later identified as 18-year-old Aujai Davenport, was taken to Grant Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead at 10:05 p.m. A second woman was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive her injuries.

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CPD is asking that anyone with information regarding this incident to call Columbus Police Homicide Unit at (614) 645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477).

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  One person was struck and injured by a car in northwest Oklahoma City Wednesday night, police say.

According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, the collision happened around 11 p.m. near NW 39th Expressway and Meridian Ave. Two people were walking with a shopping cart when one of them was hit.

Officials say the driver stayed on scene while emergency crews arrived. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital, but their condition is unknown at this time.

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No more information is available.

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Nearly 10,000 people in North Carolina were left in the dark due to a power outage on Monday, May 5, caused by an unexpected source

Duke Energy said the outage occurred after a snake came into contact with equipment at a substation

The power company noted it was making "improvements," including "physical protections to keep squirrels, snakes, and other animals out of substations and other equipment"













Thousands of North Carolina residents were left in the dark  all thanks to one snake.

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A spokesperson for Duke Energy, which provides electric utilities to customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and other states, told local outlets WBTV, WSOC-TV, and CBS17 that a power outage occurred on Monday, May 5, due to a black snake that came into contact with equipment at a substation.

The outage began around 11 p.m., when the serpent came in contact with equipment in a Durham, North Carolina, substation. According to the outlets, the outage lasted about three hours, and power was restored around 1:30 a.m.

Nearly 10,000 people were affected, including Immanuel Holland, who told CBS 17 that he had "woke up in the pitch dark" and noticed the light come "back on" at around 1:30 a.m.

The spokesperson noted to WBTV that the company was investigating how the snake got into the Durham substation, as the facility had protective fencing to prevent animals from getting in.

Getty A photo of a black snake on a gravel road. A photo of a black snake on a gravel road.

"We have been making grid improvements across our system to increase physical and cyber protections around essential equipment," the spokesperson told the outlet.

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"These improvements include physical protections to keep squirrels, snakes, and other animals out of substations and other equipment, and to keep power reliable for the communities we serve," they added.

After the news broke about the snake causing the outage, customer Jamichael Daye told CBS17 that he felt "sorry for the snake cause he was probably just trying to be warm."

According to a map shared by CBS17, the outage affected Durham, Forsyth, and Gaston.

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This isnt the first time that a snake caused problems for a power company. In 2017, a snake got caught in a power line at a Duke Energy substation in South Carolina and caused a power outage for approximately 5,000 customers in Greenville County, according to United Press International (UPI).

At the time, Duke Energy noted that snakes are blamed for about 100 power outages yearly in the six states where the company operates, per UPI.

While snakes may be one cause of power outages, they arent the only animals that cause blackouts. U.S. animal-caused outages leave an estimated 13 million Americans without power annually, according to The Nature Conservancy.

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Investing.com -- Ontario has commenced construction on the first of four small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Darlington nuclear site, marking a significant stride in clean, reliable energy production. The Ontario government and Ontario Power Generation (HM:PGV) (OPG) are leading this initiative, which is expected to surge electricity demand by at least 75% by 2050. This pioneering SMR will be the first of its kind in the G7, producing enough electricity to power about 300,000 homes.

The construction of these four units aligns with the governments strategy to safeguard Ontarios workers and economy. This project is estimated to create up to 18,000 Canadian jobs, infuse an average of $500 million annually into Ontarios economy, and contribute $38.5 billion to Canadas GDP over the next 65 years. The government and OPG have also ensured that 80% of project spending will be directed to Ontario companies and that the operation will sustain about 3,700 jobs for the next 65 years.

The SMRs will generate 1,200 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough to power 1.2 million homes, and will be crucial for powering new homes and fueling a thriving economy. The BWRX-300, a small-scale nuclear reactor, uses commercially available uranium to generate power and will be instrumental in bridging a power gap that could emerge in the early 2030s without new baseload power sources.

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The Ontario government and OPG are collaborating with power companies in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick (NYSE:BC) to deploy SMRs in their jurisdictions. They have also secured job-creating agreements that will build SMRs globally using Made-In-Ontario components.

The Ontario Independent (LON:IOG) Electricity System Operator (IESO) concluded that the Darlington New Nuclear Project is the best option to meet growing demand when compared against non-emitting generation alternatives. This conclusion, combined with OPGs successful track record on the Darlington Refurbishment Project, factored into the governments decision to support the new project.

The government is backing OPGs $20.9 billion budget for the Darlington New Nuclear Project, which includes site preparation, engineering, design work, and construction of all four SMRs. OPG will continue to build respectful, collaborative relationships with the Williams Treaties First Nations communities, exploring potential opportunities for their equity partnership in the project.

The first SMR will cost $6.1 billion, with an additional $1.6 billion for systems and services common to all four SMRs. Costs are expected to decline with each subsequent unit. OPG began site preparation for the first SMR in December 2022, and received a Licence to Construct (LTC) for Unit 1 from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) in April 2025.

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The construction of the Darlington New Nuclear Project SMRs is part of Ontarios Affordable Energy Future, the governments vision for rising energy demand. This project is a significant step towards creating a clean, reliable, and affordable energy future for Ontario.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  The Ontario County Health Director confirmed a measles case in Ontario County.

County Health Director Kate Ott told News 8 that the individual came from Ontario, Canada, where a measles outbreak is occurring. She confirmed the individual self-isolated, and anyone around the individual was vaccinated.

The individual, who traveled in March, came back at the end of March. The individual is confirmed to have completely recovered from the illness.

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Ott acknowledges there is no current risk, but is still encouraging residents to get vaccinated against measles.

Consider talking to your healthcare provider in getting that first shot early before you travel or take that person susceptible to measles to a place where they could contract it, Ott said.

Learn more about immunizations by visiting the county health departments website.

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The prosecutions opening statements were heard this morning in the Davenport double homicide case of Devon Braet and Adriana Blake.

Scott County Attorney Kelly Cunningham laid out the timeline of the events of January 14  16, 2024 that led to the deaths of Brian Goodwin, 44, and Amy Smith, 44 for the jury. Amy Smith was shot in the head along her right ear. Brian Goodwin comes home, we know thats around the 4:30 time frame and Bryan is shot in the chest on the left side and hes shot in the temple, Cunningham told the court.

Devon Braet (L) and Adriana Blake (Prieto) (Scott County Jail)

She also described how Goodwin and Smith were found. They ultimately end up finding two bodies that had been placed on a mattress. There was an accelerant poured over the mattress and these were the burnt bodies of Brian Goodman and Amy Smith. She spoke about the victims and said that Goodwin was the kind of person who would help anyone out. He offered to let people who had nowhere to go to live with him, including Blake. She later entered a relationship with Braet and he came over frequently to the home.

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Opening statements by the defense were presented after lunch. While you may hear a lot of evidence, there are going to be gaps in that evidence. There are going to be things that you simply dont know what happened and we will tell you the state has not met its burden without a doubt count one as to murder in the first degree, Jill Eimermann, Braets attorney said.

Austin Luse, Blakes attorney, urged the jury to keep their minds open. I dont have a lot to dispute about what the state told. Youre going to see they laid out the facts. Were not hiding from those facts but just because somebody does some stuff you may find morally bankrupt or corrupt, whatever the heck you want to call it, doesnt mean theyre guilty of murder.



The defense concluded its opening statements and witnesses began their testimony before breaking for the day.

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When Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia defeated Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez of New York for the ranking member position on the House Oversight Committee last year, I lamented it as a missed opportunity for congressional Democrats. Connolly, 75, announced last week that hell be stepping away from the role for health reasons, offering the caucus a fresh shot at promoting a younger voice to helm Democrats on the investigative panel. Unfortunately, its already looking like it will be another win for the old guard, as the party clings to a seniority system that no longer serves it.

It is to Connollys credit that he won the role fair and square in a vote among House Democrats in December, defeating Ocasio-Cortez in a secret ballot vote of 131-84. The caucus powerful Steering Committee had thrown its support behind Connolly, as had Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the former House speaker. But as Politico reported at the time, the decision for many members was based less on who would be the most effective political messenger atop the party on the most overtly political committee than on time served.

In stepping aside, Connolly has renewed the debate among Democrats of age and experience versus youth and energy in countering President Donald Trumps agenda. Hes tapped Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., the third-most-senior Democrat on the committee, to serve as the interim ranking member. Younger members like Jasmine Crockett of Texas and Robert Garcia of California have expressed interest in taking over the role  but so has the 70-year-old Lynch.

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Tellingly, Ocasio-Cortez said Tuesday that she wouldnt be among those seeking the spot now that Connolly will be stepping down. Its actually clear to me that the underlying dynamics in the caucus have not shifted with respect to seniority as much as I think would be necessary, she told reporters, saying that shell instead be staying put at Energy and Commerce. Its a savvy move for Ocasio-Cortez as Republicans on that panel plot how to cut Medicaid spending. The issue is primed to be one of the major issues heading into next years midterms, giving her a spotlight to shine directly on the GOPs attempt to strip health care from millions.

Shes also right that the underlying dynamic doesnt seem to have substantially shifted in the last several months. House Democrats have shown little sign of fully abandoning their current seniority system, which almost always rewards the longest-serving member in leadership races. The issue has been at the forefront of the members minds after last years debate over former President Joe Bidens fitness to run for re-election. As The Wall Street Journal recently reported, that dynamic is now playing out in an aging Congress on one side of the aisle more than the other:

Age is a bigger headache for Democrats than Republicans for one central reason: Democrats have a lot more old members. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have similar median ages. But of the 20 oldest House members elected in 2024, 16 were Democrats. In the Senate, where tensions over age are more subdued, nearly all of the oldest senators11 of the 14 who were older than 75 at the start of this Congresswere Democrats.

A major hurdle for rejecting the status quo has long been the Congressional Black Caucus and, to a lesser extent, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. For CBC members, the power is seniority, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., told Politico back in 2014 when it seemed like Pelosi might be wavering on the tradition. As committee assignments are doled out, seniority becomes very important. They stayed and played by the rules. They dont want the rules to change when its now their turn to be in [charge], when you have real power and control of whats going on. (Meeks whipped support for Connolly over his fellow New Yorker Ocasio-Cortez in last years race.)

Cracks in that facade began to show during last years postelection reshuffling. NOTUS reported last year that theres a growing generational divide in the CBC about whether Democrats should continue treating tenure as the primary factor in who should lead committees. The CHC likewise officially offered Ocasio-Cortez its endorsement in her bid for the Oversight position despite its continuing support for the seniority system.

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The renewed Oversight race is already becoming a new proxy test for what direction the Democrats should take as an anti-incumbent groundswell has begun to grow among the base. Those questions will grow even louder should Garcia and/or Crockett officially seek to become ranking member over Lynch. But Connolly has yet to officially relinquish his position and hasnt given a timeline for when that will happen, leaving the race to replace him frozen.

In the meantime, the Oversight Committee has been quiet  too quiet. The languid pace from the committees majority under chair James Comer, R-Ky., is unsurprising, as holding the current administration to account isnt exactly its idea of a good time. Theres likewise been no shortage of opportunities for the panels Democrats to link their GOP counterparts with the White Houses illegality. Connolly needs to set a clear deadline for his exit to allow congressional Democrats a new shot at finding their voice in the new Trump era.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The Catholic Church is not dying from persecution. It is dying from confusion.

Under Pope Francis, ambiguity became policy. Tradition was treated as baggage, and doctrine was left to the discretion of bishops conferences and synodal subcommittees. This was not pastoral creativity but ecclesial disintegration.

The next pope cannot merely adjust the tone or refine the messaging  he must reverse course. He must be a rupture from the rupture. Another pontificate like Franciss will not just weaken the Church but unmake it.

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This is not about aesthetics, liturgical preferences or partisanship within the Church. It is about the integrity of the Catholic faith itself.

Pope Francis did not act as a steward of that faith, but as an improviser. Under his pontificate, clarity was displaced by ambiguity, continuity by novelty and the teaching Church by the therapeutic Church. Francis did not reform the Church  he destabilized it.

The consequences are now in plain view. His document Amoris Laetitia cast doubt on the Churchs teaching on marriage and the sacraments. Fiducia Supplicans muddied its moral witness on sexuality. And his Synod on Synodality has institutionalized confusion, treating doctrine as something subject to opinion and consensus. Under Francis, Bishops now openly contradict one another on fundamental questions of faith and morals with no correction from Rome  only encouragement for more listening and discernment.

This is not doctrinal development but demolition disguised as dialogue. The result has been a church that speaks in half-truths, governs by vagueness and loses the faithful not because it is too demanding, but because it is no longer intelligible. The next pope cannot continue this trajectory. He must restore what has been compromised: the Churchs clarity, coherence and courage.

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Pope John Paul II understood what was at stake. His papacy was a confrontation with modernitys moral and spiritual deformations. He spoke plainly, prophetically and unapologetically  defending the dignity of the human person, the demands of moral truth and the universality of Christ. He did not try to make the Church relevant by softening its teachings  he made it compelling by standing firm in them.

Pope Benedict XVI understood it even more deeply. He saw the metaphysical crisis underlying the moral one. Western man had not just lost the sense of sin, but the sense of reality  of nature, of order, of God. Benedicts response was not reinvention but recollection: a return to the sources, to the liturgy, to tradition and to the Logos. His papacy was a quiet but forceful insistence that the Church must be rooted in truth, not blown about by the spirit of the age.

Francis, by contrast, repurposed the papacy as a platform for global moral diplomacy. His priorities  climate change, migration, economic justice  mirrored the agenda of secular elites. Meanwhile, the Churchs supernatural mission receded from view. Francis spoke often of mercy but rarely of judgment; of inclusion but almost never of conversion; of accompaniment but not repentance.

That is not reform  it is retreat. A Church that loses the courage to speak of sin, grace and salvation is surrendering its soul. The sacraments become gestures, the liturgy a performance, the Gospel a lifestyle brand. The priest becomes a facilitator, not a mediator of grace, and the Church becomes just one more voice in a secular chorus that no longer hears Gods word.

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To be sure, Francis showed real pastoral concern. His critique of clericalism has merit. His emphasis on the peripheries was often well placed. But these cannot outweigh the damage done to doctrine, discipline and identity. The papacy is not a personality. It is an office  one ordered toward the preservation and proclamation of truth. The next pope must take that office seriously.

He must restore confidence in the magisterium. He must reject the doublespeak that cloaks doctrinal drift in the language of discernment. He must appoint bishops who teach the faith  not just manage decline. He must reaffirm that tradition is not a problem to be solved, but a gift to be guarded. The pope is not the architect of Catholicism but its servant.

Yes, it will be difficult. Francis has reshaped the College of Cardinals. Many within the hierarchy are deeply invested in the current trajectory. The institutional Church is comfortable with ambiguity. But the conclave must resist the urge to play it safe. The stakes are too high.

We do not need another cultural conciliator. We need a man who knows that the Church is not a stakeholder in the liberal world order. It is a supernatural reality. It does not exist to echo the concerns of the age, but to call the age to repentance. It does not belong to the world  it belongs to Christ.

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Some will say a pope like that would divide the Church. But division already exists  not because of clarity, but because of its absence. The next pope must not fear being labeled rigid or reactionary. He must fear only this: being unfaithful.

If we get another Francis, we will get more confusion, contradiction and collapse. But a pope in the mold of Benedict or John Paul could still rescue the Church from the cul-de-sac of synodality and restore it to its mission  to proclaim the truth, without apology and without fear.

In the end, the Church wont be destroyed by opposition from the outside but only by incoherence from within. The next pope must understand that  and act accordingly.

Andrew Latham is a professor of international relations at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minn., a senior fellow at the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, and a non-resident fellow at Defense Priorities in Washington, D.C.

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Chinese President Xi Jinpings four-day state visit to Russia, which began yesterday, is sending Europe and the U.S. a stark message. Beijings no limits partnership with Moscow is here to stay.

It is past time for Brussels and Washington to recognize that Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are doubling down on their growing ideological war against the West. While the messaging at a state level is largely symbolic, their alliance is proving already deadly in Ukraine.

Since the start of Putins invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Beijing has provided the Kremlin with a steady flow of dual use technologies. As detailed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in 2024, this has included critical military use components including semiconductors, ball bearings, and machine tools through a complicated network of China and Hong Kong-based companies.

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This has allowed Moscow to maintain its war aims in Ukraine and to continue rebuilding its badly mauled land army. In return, Beijing has benefited significantly through purchases of cheap Russian gas. Chinese imports and exports between the two countries now exceed $237 billion after 32.7 percent growth in 2023.

Contrary to Team Trumps goals, Russia will not abandon its strategic alliance with China. Failed U.S.-led ceasefire negotiations between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are proof enough.

Despite U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff imprudently signaling that Washington was prepared to capitulate on every major Russian maximalist demand  including Ukraine ceding Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia to Russia  Putin still is rejecting President Trumps peace overtures.

Even one-sided theater ceasefires involving the Black Sea and strikes against civilian energy infrastructure failed to substantively alter Russias war goals in Ukraine. As noted by the Institute for the Study of War on May 4, Putin is not reconsidering his short-term objectives in Ukraine.

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Nor is Putin altering his long-term goal  the Russian annexation of all of Ukraine. Even if Trump achieves a temporary ceasefire or a peace agreement is achieved, Putins strategic intent is to get it all eventually.

Yet, Putins goals are bigger than just Ukraine. They include dominating Eastern Europe  especially the Baltic States, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova. The underlying goal? The complete destruction of NATO.

Xi is on board strategically. Beijing, in particular, views Russia as a key counterweight to U.S. global hegemony.

Moscow and Beijings strategy is to divide Old NATO and New NATO. Putin fully understands that New NATO  especially the Baltic States and Poland  fear any return to a Russia-imposed Iron Curtain. Old NATO, separated by distance and the nuclear shields of France and the United Kingdom, are struggling to fully comprehend and understand the scope of the threat Russia poses now  and into the future.

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Old NATO, in particular, must wake up. London, Paris and Berlin can no longer remain asleep at the wheel given Putins strategic machinations.

As we previously warned, Europes thin red line is Ukraine. Europes continued freedom  meaning West and East  hinges on the outcome of Putins now three-year plus special military operation.

Lose there and Eastern Europe is next. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently wrote the preface for a newly published Russian book on Lithuanian history that claims Lithuania and its language do not really exist. Where have we heard that before?

Putin is rapidly preparing his military for a future conflict with NATO. In addition to rebuilding and modernizing his land army, Putin is expanding military bases near Petrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia, and upgrading railway lines and other infrastructure along Russias western border with NATO.

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While welcome, the European Unions 850 billion euro, four-year Readiness 2030 program is not going to be enough to keep up with Russia, especially since Russias economy has been operating on a full war economic footing since mid-2024.

The fight for Europe is now and it is in Ukraine. Arming Ukraine to defeat Russia now would seem the better course of action while the Kremlin is at its weakest.

And arguably, given Xis state visit to Moscow  including his scheduled attendance at Fridays Victory Day Parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe  China appears to be heavily betting on Putin winning in Ukraine.

Xi could have opted to play his cards differently. In the wake of Trumps tariff war, Beijing has been making overtures to increase foreign trade with the EU. This included China recently removing restrictions on exchanges between EU and Chinese officials and lifting sanctions on EU parliament members.

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Yet, instead of pursuing reproachment, Xi is meeting with Putin and appearing at Fridays Victory Day Parade. Notably, the Chinese Peoples Armys Honor Guard is set to participate in the parade culminating at Red Square in Moscow.

Chinas overt and blunt messaging is not lost on Brussels, nor on Ukraine. By attending the parade, Xi is lending credence to its anti-fascism and anti-Nazi messaging that is being directly aimed at Zelensky and his Ukrainian generals.

Plus, in April, two Chinese nationals fighting in the Russian army were captured by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine intelligence reports that as many as 155 Chinese nationals are fighting in Russia. That cannot happen without Xis approval. Beijing has denied the allegation, stating that the claim had no basis in facts.

Jorge Toledo, the EU ambassador to China, is not buying it though. He made it clear during an address marking the 50th anniversary of EU-China relations that the EU will stand with Ukraine whatever it takes and for how long it takes.

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That is a good start.

Far more is needed. The time for talking by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is over. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz must greenlight Taurus deep-strike precision missiles to Ukraine. Paris, Berlin and London must immediately implement a proposed no-fly zone over Western Ukraine to protect against Putin intentionally targeting Ukrainian civilians.

Putin has absolutely no intention of going away. Not in Ukraine. Nor in Europe. As of Wednesday, it is estimated that he has lost in Ukraine dead or wounded 960,770 Russian, Chechen and North Korean soldiers (and likely an untold number of Chinese fighters as well).

That is the reality Europe must wake up to. Ditto Team Trump. Simply wishing Putin away  and by extension Xi too  is not a winning long-term strategy. Doing so only invites potentially losing World War III.

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Mark Toth writes on national security and foreign policy. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan E. Sweet served 30 years as an Army intelligence officer.

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Even Ukraines staunchest allies sometimes waver, tempted to suggest that Kyiv concede Crimea to Russia as the long-running war there wages on. They often fall prey to a persistent myth: that Crimea had been eternally Russian until Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev arbitrarily gifted the peninsula to Ukraine in 1954. Such proposals dangerously misread history.

In truth, the Kremlin handed Crimea to Ukraine not out of benevolence but because a decade of disastrous Soviet policies had left the territory an economic and humanitarian disaster. As University of Cambridge professor Rory Finnin notes, The transfer of Crimea to Ukraine was no mistake. It was a rescue.

During a visit to Crimea in October 1953, Khrushchev witnessed the devastation firsthand. Driving through the peninsula with his son-in-law, Aleksey Adzhubey  editor-in-chief of Izvestia and one of the Soviet Unions most influential journalists  Khrushchev encountered not only the ruins of the Crimean Tatar Bakhchysaray Palace but also vast stretches of barren land strewn with abandoned military hardware.

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Most telling were the desperate Russian settlers blocking the roads, pleading for water, sanitation, hospitals and schools. Soviet archives show that the entire region, roughly the size of Massachusetts, had only 24 bread stores, 18 meat stores, and eight milk stores. According to Adzhubey, the settlers complained bitterly: Potatoes dont grow here, the cabbage is withering, and the bedbugs are eating us alive. When Khrushchev asked why they had come, they answered simply: They had been tricked.

This grim tableau was the result of a centuries-long pattern. Since Russias annexation of Crimea from the Crimean Tatar Khanate in 1783, successive Russian regimes systematically eradicated indigenous populations they deemed unreliable. Tsar Alexander II ordered mass expulsions of Crimean Tatars in the 1850s. Stalin deported nearly 188,000 Crimean Tatars in 1944, along with approximately 90,000 Armenians, Bulgarians and Greeks. Tens of thousands died in exile. With the native agriculturalists gone, Russian settlers struggled to survive in Crimeas harsh, unfamiliar climate.

Khrushchev understood that Crimeas salvation depended on reconnecting it to Ukraines southern steppes and the life-giving Dnipro River, ties that had sustained the peninsula for millennia. Crimea had always relied on Ukrainian resources and trade, long before Russian conquest. Even during the major wars fought over Crimea  the Crimean War and World War II  ethnic Ukrainians formed the backbone of the Russian army and Black Sea Fleet.

To justify the economic necessity politically, Khrushchev and the Communist Party leadership invoked the upcoming 300th anniversary of Ukraines so-called reunification with Russia.

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First, the Presidium of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic passed a resolution proposing the transfer of Crimea to the Ukrainian SSR. Then the USSRs central government  the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet  ratified the transfer on Feb.19, 1954, citing the integral character of the economy, the territorial proximity, and the close economic and cultural ties between Crimea Province and the Ukrainian SSR.

Two months later, the Supreme Soviet amended the Soviet Constitution, officially transferring the Crimean Oblast from Russia to Ukraine. Ukraines Communist leadership, under pressure from Moscow, agreed to the transfer  along with the immense burden of reviving the devastated region.

Over the next decades, Ukraine poured resources into developing Crimea. In 1957, it launched the construction of the North Crimean Canal, completed in 1971, to bring water from the Dnipro River to the arid peninsula. Ukraine invested heavily in infrastructure, agriculture and tourism, building reservoirs, irrigating fields, establishing resorts and creating economic opportunities. Between 1954 and 1990, Ukraine invested close to five times more per capita in Crimea than in comparable regions elsewhere in the republic.

These efforts bore fruit. By the time of Ukraines 1991 independence referendum, 54 percent of Crimean voters  including 57 percent in Sevastopol  chose to remain part of an independent Ukraine. A subsequent poll by Baltic Surveys/Gallup showed 65 percent of respondents favoring Crimeas autonomy within Ukraine, with only 23 percent preferring union with Russia.

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Russia itself formally recognized Ukraines sovereignty over Crimea multiple times: through the 1991 Belovezhskaya Pushcha Accords that dissolved the USSR, the 1994 Budapest Memorandum that guaranteed Ukraines territorial integrity in exchange for nuclear disarmament, and the 1997 Treaty of Friendship between Ukraine and Russia.

Any proposal to force Ukraine to cede Crimea ignores overwhelming geographical, historical, legal and moral realities. Crimeas reintegration into Ukraine is not only vital for justice but essential for long-term stability, economic prosperity and peace across the broader European region. Moreover, allowing Russia to retain Crimea would be a death knell for the Crimean Tatars  the peninsulas indigenous people  who have already faced systemic repression, imprisonment, forced disappearances and cultural erasure under Russian occupation. Their survival as a distinct community depends on Crimeas reintegration into a democratic Ukraine.

Ultimately, the question of Crimea is not even a matter of history but of international law. Sovereignty and territorial integrity are the cornerstones of the postwar global order. To accept Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea is to accept a world in which powerful states can erase borders by force  where might makes right, and justice becomes irrelevant. That is a world none of us can afford.

The path to sustainable peace runs through a Ukrainian Crimea  not a Russia-occupied one.

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Kateryna Yushchenko was the First Lady of Ukraine from 2005 to 2010.

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In 1903, a remarkable scene unfolded in Salt Lake City beneath a canopy of American flags. Members of the Jewish community laid the cornerstone for Utahs first Orthodox synagogue, joined by civic and religious leaders from across the city.

Among the speakers that day was President Joseph F. Smith, leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He praised the Jewish communitys fidelity and earnestness of purpose, extending a hand of fellowship and calling them brethren. His remarks, published in the Deseret Evening News under the headline Jewish People Congratulated, offered a vision of kinship between faiths  one that, even today, feels strikingly generous. At a time when religious differences elsewhere sparked violence, Utahs civic life told a different story: one of solidarity and shared hope.

Utahs early history offers a remarkable but often overlooked example of interfaith support.

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In part, this solidarity grew from shared experience. In the 19th century, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints understood their own story through the lens of biblical Israel, seeing themselves as a people in exile, seeking a promised land. Having faced suspicion and exile, Utahs early Latter-day Saints often showed respect for the Jewish story. While the relationship between Latter-day Saints and Jews was not always simple, these early moments of kinship  forged through shared ideals of covenant and perseverance  challenge assumptions about the American West and offer lessons for todays world.

These ideals soon found concrete expression. In the 1860s, Brigham Young deeded land to Utahs emerging Jewish community for the establishment of the states first Jewish cemetery  a rare gesture of civic inclusion at the time. In 1884, Salt Lake Citys first synagogue, Bnai Israel, opened its doors to a Christian Bible class taught by Rev. F.T. Lee, reflecting a reciprocal spirit of religious hospitality. By 1891, when the congregation dedicated a new temple, they invited people of all churches, denominations and beliefs to attend. Contemporary accounts praised the event as a civic celebration, noting that political leaders, businessmen, and religious leaders from across traditions filled the pews. Today, a successor to the congregation, Kol Ami, continues Jewish life in Salt Lake City.

President Smiths remarks emphasized a bond of civic goodwill and spiritual kinship. You are descended from Judah, he told the Jewish community. Many of us are descended from Joseph through the loins of Ephraim. We therefore consider you our brethren and we ought to be friends. His blessing, reported in the Deseret News, captured an extraordinary moment: a religious minority celebrated, not merely tolerated, by the dominant faith community.

This pattern continued into the next generation. In 1921, when the Jewish community of Ogden laid the cornerstone for their new synagogue, civic and religious leaders again gathered in support. Speakers included Mayor Frank Francis; Reverend John Carver, a Presbyterian minister; James Wotherspoon, a local Latter-day Saint leader; and former Governor Simon Bamberger  one of Americas first Jewish governors. Today, Brith Sholem remains Utahs oldest synagogue.

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No history is without tensions or imperfections. But at a time when Jews elsewhere faced violent pogroms  as in Kishinev, Russia, in 1903  the public solidarity shown in Utah stands out. Across generations, Utahs Jewish and Latter-day Saint communities cultivated a civic friendship rooted in dignity, religious freedom and shared public life.

That example is especially worth remembering today. In a time when interfaith bonds are tested around the world  from campuses to city halls  Utahs story reminds us that solidarity is possible even amidst difference. Recent headlines tell of strained faith relationships, but also a yearning for peace.

The foundations laid in Utah more than a century ago show that bridges can be built even in uncertain times. Latter-day Saints and Jews, each a religious minority in their own way, found ways to honor one another publicly and participate together in the building of civic life. They proved that respect and shared hope are living traditions, renewed whenever communities choose to see each other with dignity.

That is a legacy worth carrying forward.
In January 2023, Memphis police officers pulled over Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who was just minutes from his home, and brutally beat him. Video footage captured the officers, all of them Black, striking Nichols repeatedly as he offered no active resistance. Nichols called out for his mother as officers assigned to the since-disbanded "Scorpion" unit continued to pummel him. The 29-year-old father died three days later.

On Wednesday, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith were all acquitted of a count of second-degree murder, a count of aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct and a count of official oppression. Two other officers, Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin III, pleaded guilty to state charges. All five officers previously were found guilty of (or pleaded guilty to) at least one federal crime.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week called Strengthening and Unleashing Americas Law Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens. The title of that document suggests that police in our country are hampered somehow, that they have to follow too many rules, but Tyre Nichols dead body is evidence of what happens when the police are unleashed.

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Wednesdays not-guilty verdicts were gut-wrenching and disheartening, but long before the all-white jury began its deliberations, the case had already reminded us that, in American policing, theres a gulf between written policy and institutional culture.

Memphis Police Department Chief Cerelyn C.J. Davis said after Nichols death that shed never been more horrified and disgusted, and her department found that officers involved in the attack on Nichols violated department policies and ignored their training, specifically their duty to intervene when they observe another police officer in the wrong. Even so, Davis was not called to testify during the three officers trial. Thus, she was never asked to confirm under oath that they violated protocol. Not only that, but the state didnt bring forward a single MPD officer or policy expert to testify about whether protocols governing use-of-force or an officers duty to intervene were followed.

As a result, the jury  which was brought in from Hamilton County, about five hours away from Memphis  was left without clarity about what the departments policies require its officers to do and how the officers violated those policies. That silence weakened the case and blurred the line between formal policy and rogue behavior.

The defense called Don Cameron, a police training expert, in the apparent hope that he would justify the officers actions. But Camerons testimony only underscored that the head strikes were excessive, and he testified that the officers ignored their duty to intervene.

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Even so, the jury still found the officers not guilty.

According to a Department of Justice report on the Memphis Police Department released in December 2024:

MPD never adopted policies and procedures to direct the SCORPION Units activities and failed to act despite alarming indications that supervision was minimal. We heard from officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, community members, and other advocates that the SCORPION Unit persistently mistreated people. Prosecutors told us that some SCORPION Unit cases involved outrageous inconsistencies between body-worn camera video and arrest reports, and if the cases went to trial, they would be laughed out of court. The units misconduct led to the dismissal of dozens of criminal cases.

In the Nichols case, there were outrageous inconsistencies between what officers entered into police reports and what was plainly visible on Sky Cop and body-worn camera footage.

The story in Memphis isnt that individual officers failed. The story is that the department failed. But state prosecutors, likely because they have to work with the police, seemed unwilling to expose the departmental failures. Prosecutors are reluctant to be perceived as anti-police, but in this case justice required an intense scrutiny of the department and not just the accused officers.

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Even in the cases where police departments have good policies, its often the case that culture trumps those policies. That is to say that police departments in America have a culture that rewards silence, valorizes aggression and demonizes those who dissent to problematic behavior. Policies that say police have a duty to intervene or say officers should prioritize de-escalation tactics may be written in handbooks, but they are too often disregarded in practice, especially when those who break them are shielded by a code of loyalty or a chain of command unwilling to confront them.

I mourn with the family of Tyre Nichols. I am praying for all who loved Tyre before his name was hash-tagged.



Todays unjust, nonsensical acquittal is a searing indictment of a system that was built to dehumanize Black people. And for so many, the acquittal echos the trauma of pic.twitter.com/GWVu9zlmU0  Be A King (@BerniceKing) May 8, 2025

When the public rises up in righteous indignation  marching, protesting, grieving  the rhetoric of reform is rolled out like a pressure valve. Police officials use talking points about training and accountability. Policy is weaponized as a pacifier.

Trials like the one for the officers involved in the brutal treatment of Nichols matter so much because they present rare opportunities to press for clarity  to demand that officials and institutions move beyond performance and provide proof that they actually demanded that their officers follow proper procedure and completely comply with the law.

If we are serious about public safety and want law enforcements that focus on justice and not media management  then we must reject this surface-level theater such departments give us. It is not enough for police departments to write better policies. We must confront the internal cultures that subvert them.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The U.S. Constitution is not a suggestion. It is the most sacred document in our country's history.

Under the government it created, 12,583 people have served in Congress, 116 justices have been appointed to the Supreme Court's bench and 45 presidents have led the executive branch.

Now one of those presidents is seeking to undermine it. Whether Donald Trump is deporting legal residents in defiance of the courts, freezing federal grants in defiance of Congress, attempting to unilaterally dismantle its amendments, or calling for its termination altogether, the current president seems to think he rules the Constitution, and not the other way around.

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The latest case involves a 20-year-old Venezuelan identified in court papers only as Cristian, who was flown to El Salvador in March despite an earlier court order barring him from being deported.

The president is sworn to uphold the Constitution, not undermine it. He can't even change it if he wants, as the president has no specific constitutional role in the process for amending the Constitution.

Article V outlines two methods, both of which have a high bar. Under the first, a proposal passed by a two-thirds vote of both the House and the Senate is then ratified by two-thirds of state legislatures. In the second, two-thirds of state legislatures can call for a new constitutional convention  something that has never happened in our history. In neither case is the president even consulted.

This is why our government has endured for more than two centuries. The founders designed it to be impervious to the whims of one man, but flexible enough to adapt with the times.

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Im concerned that some Americans think Trumps word alone can rewrite our supreme governing document. That is not the case, nor should it be  no matter what Trump and his allies tell you.

President Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation is rightly studied in schools to this day. But his words arent what abolished slavery. The 13th Amendment did that.

The Seneca Falls Convention was monumental. But thats not what ensured that millions of women could cast a ballot in the last election. The 19th Amendment did that.

And its not Donald Trumps or DHS Secretary Kristi Noems words that determine who is entitled to due process under the law. Those are the Fifth and 14th Amendments.

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The United States Constitution is not a gaudy skyscraper on Fifth Avenue, with the name "TRUMP" in gold letters. Quite the opposite: It says WE THE PEOPLE.

This is the moment we the people must stand up. If the rest of Trumps term continues on this path, the document he swore twice to protect and defend will be nothing more than faded paper and the 27 amendments forged over centuries to protect us will fade right along with it.

For more thought-provoking insights from Michael Steele, Alicia Menendez and Symone Sanders-Townsend, watch The Weeknight every Monday-Friday at 7 p.m. ET on MSNBC.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Four men were arrested by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation on April 28 in connection with an interstate fentanyl distribution network.

The main target of the investigation, Rafael Salazar-Amaya, 40, faces 44 counts, including conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act (COCCA), according to a news release from CBI. Also arrested were Fernando Noriega-Alvarado, 52, who faces 13 counts including COCCA and distribution of a controlled substance as well as Celedonio Pulido-Romero, 31, who faces 23 counts including COCCA and distribution of a controlled substance.

Another unnamed man, 24, was also arrested, the release says. He faces 7 counts including COCCA and distribution of a controlled substance.

While arresting the men, police seized approximately 800,000 pills, fentanyl powder, methamphetamine, heroin and approximately $60,000 in cash, according to the release. Six vehicles were also seized as well as four undocumented individuals.

The initial investigation by police revealed that the network has ties in New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Mexico, and believed to be related to the Sinaloa Cartel, the release says. Police believe the network was involved in trafficking drugs in the Denver Metro area and into southern and northern Colorado.

All four suspects are currently being held at the Adams County Detention Center and face prosecution by the 17th Judicial District Attorneys Office.
President Trumps savaging of the judiciary goes back far and deep. This despicable approach starts with his mentor in legal evil, Roy Cohn.

When an associate reported to Cohn that the law was against their client, Cohn famously retorted, F the law, whos the judge?

Cohn saw judges not as prelates of a logical system of ethical ideals, nor as keepers of our sacred right to justice, but as politicians in robes  vulnerable to coercion, denunciation and threats. Trump was well-schooled in how to do it at the feet of the master.

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Remember Judge Gonzalo Curiel? He was the Obama-appointed federal judge in California who oversaw the Trump University fraud case, which Trump settled for $25 million in 2016 just 10 days after his election. Trump launched a $1 million counterclaim for defamation (a favorite Cohn gambit) to pressure the plaintiff class representative to go away. Under a state law that aims to protect individuals from lawsuits intended to silence or intimidate them for exercising their rights to free speech, Curiel dismissed the counterclaim and awarded the plaintiff $1 million for her trouble.

Curiel went on to certify the class, which had alleged that Trump University was a fraudulent endeavor, then denied Trump summary judgment and ordered the case to trial.

Trump retaliated with a series of racist attacks on Curiel. He told Fox News that Curiel was personally biased against him because he wanted to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border. Trump told the Wall Street Journal that the Indiana-born Curiel could not preside because of his Mexican heritage. He said he had a judge who was a hater of Donald Trump, a hater and referred to Curiel a graduate of the same law school as Mike Pence  as a Mexican. He further suggested taking some action against the judge. Vintage Roy Cohn!

Trumps despicable attacks on the judiciary have persisted during the first 100 days of Trump 2.0. He has oozed the bile of pure hatred towards judges who have ruled against him, calling for their impeachment. House Republicans are following his lead, seeking to impeach at least six judges who have ruled against parts of Trumps agenda.

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Trumps statements earned him a shocking rebuke from Chief Justice Roberts. Without mentioning him by name, Roberts thundered in March that for more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.

The rare statement from the Chief Justice came just hours after a social media post from Trump, who described District Judge James E. Boasberg as an unelected troublemaker and agitator, and a radical left lunatic after Boasberg had blocked deportation flights that Trump claimed were authorized in wartime by the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act.

Top Trump advisor Stephen Miller has also railed against a cabal of Communist judges who are determined to keep terrorists in the country, while Elon Musk in a post on X said judges who defy the president should be impeached.

The threats have also been delivered through physical means. Several judges have faced a slew of intimidation tactics sending the message that their home addresses are publicly known. A New Jersey judge, for example, received a pizza addressed to her murdered son.

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Earlier this month, a Wisconsin County Court judge was arrested by the FBI in her own courthouse and led away in manacles after allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest. Other judges who defied the administration have faced bomb threats and threats of physical violence.

One Supreme Court justice is now speaking out more forcefully. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson received a standing ovation at a conference of judges in Puerto Rico last week after denouncing the administrations relentless attacks on federal judges, seeing in them a threat to the rule of law (but again without mentioning Trump by name).

Jackson said, Across the nation, judges are facing increased threats of not only physical violence, but also professional retaliation just for doing our jobs  And the attacks are not random. They seem designed to intimidate those of us who serve in this critical capacity.

The attacks are also not isolated incidents, Jackson told the assembled judges. That is, they impact more than just individual judges who are being targeted. Rather, the threats and harassment are attacks on our democracy, on our system of government and they ultimately risk undermining our Constitution and the rule of law.

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A society in which judges are routinely made to fear for their own safety or their own livelihood due to their decisions is one that has substantially departed from the norms of behavior that govern a democratic system, she stated. Attacks on judicial independence is how countries that are not free, not fair and not rule-of-law oriented, operate.

Other judges have faced challenges like the ones we face today, and have prevailed, she said, pointing to similar attacks on judges who issued controversial rulings during the Civil Rights Movement and the Watergate scandal.

Her 18-minute denunciation is the strongest statement yet by any member of the Supreme Court during Trumps second term. It is hard to believe that her prepared remarks were not approved by the Chief Justice.

Judges have few avenues to fight back ethically against unprincipled personal attacks. Lawyers are supposed to speak out on their behalf, but we now know that Big Law is afraid of reprisals from Trump that might affect their billion-dollar revenues.

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Judge Curiel mildly jabbed at Trump in court papers stating his derogatory comments about him had placed the integrity of these court proceedings at issue. He was forbidden from further public comment because of ethical rules about commenting extrajudicially on pending cases.

Roy Cohn knew this, and so does Trump. Bullies lash out at the defenseless. We are living in trying times.

James D. Zirin, author and legal analyst, is a former federal prosecutor in New Yorks Southern District. He is also the host of the public television talk show and podcast Conversations with Jim Zirin.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The White House issued an executive order last month to restore Americas maritime dominance, a move that went largely unnoticed amid the larger frenzy of actions being taken in the Trump administrations first 100 days. Despite this low profile, the order, part of a series of actions that include the creation of a White House Shipbuilding Council and the introduction of the bipartisan U.S. SHIPS Act, is of critical importance to rebuilding a key pillar of American national security: the U.S. shipbuilding industry.

Why the sudden bipartisan determination to revive American shipbuilding? When Japanese bombs dropped on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. responded to a far more experienced naval adversary by outbuilding it. In 1943, only three aircraft carriers were under construction in Japanese shipyards, while 22 were being built in the U.S. Though shipbuilding alone did not determine World War II, it proved that superior industrial capacity was a critical enabler of success in prolonged great power conflicts.

Today, that capacity has largely disappeared.

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Over 80 percent of U.S. shipyards have closed since the 1980s, and the U.S. builds fewer than five ships per year. Production has moved overseas to Americas number one competitor, China. Chinese shipbuilding capacity is now 232 times greater than our own. Chinas navy is on track to have 460 vessels by 2030, dwarfing the American Navys 295 ships.

In todays climate of renewed great power competition, Republicans and Democrats alike are racing to rebuild this critical industry. While their efforts rely largely on supporting industry champions at home, the solution may lie with a key Asian ally whose shipyards are among the worlds most productive  one that stands ready to help America rebuild its maritime power. To close the ship gap, revive American industry and breathe new life into one of our oldest alliances, the United States should pursue a strategic shipbuilding partnership with South Korea.

As a U.S. ally since 1953, the Republic of Korea already hosts 28,500 American troops in the Indo-Pacific. Despite this, the alliances economic and industrial potential remains underdeveloped. China is the worlds largest shipbuilding nation, but Korea is the second largest. Internationally recognized for its sophistication, productivity and professionalism, Korean firms such as HD Hyundai, Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries have productivity rates two to three times higher than competing American firms, and produce commercial and naval vessels alike. In 2025 alone, South Korea accounted for 27 percent of global ship orders.

This is exactly the kind of partner the U.S. needs.

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A new partnership could operate through a dual-shore approach that transforms the traditional U.S.-South Korea military alliance into an integrated strategic industrial base.

The first shore is the United States. In 2024, Hanwha Ocean acquired Philly Shipyard, marking the first Korean ownership of an American shipbuilding facility. Washington should expand this model and negotiate the construction or transfer of additional shipyards to be operated by Korean firms, either independently or as joint ventures with American shipbuilders such as HII or General Dynamics.

This approach would expand production capacity, accumulate industry best practices and create new jobs across America. These shipyards could produce both naval combatants and commercial vessels, presenting Korean firms with new revenue streams, international shipping companies greater supply chain resiliency, American communities new jobs, and the U.S. Navy more ships.

The second shore is South Korea. Hyundai Heavy Industries announced in April that the Korean firm could build up to five Aegis destroyers per year for the U.S. Navy if bilateral cooperation is formalized. While new shipyards in America are getting up and running, the U.S. should lean more on its allies to sustain its maritime strength.

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Washington should formalize agreements with capable Korean shipyards to procure naval combatants and secure access for maintenance, repair and resupply missions in the region. Hanwha successfully rendered these services to the U.S. Naval Ship Wally Schirra in March, proving the arrangements feasibility. By institutionalizing production and servicing contracts, Korean shipbuilders can help expand the American fleet while sustaining ongoing forward-deployed operations.

President Trumps Liberation Day tariffs against South Korea, despite the two countries free trade agreement and long-standing relations, put the U.S.-Korea alliance on shaky ground. That said, it also made clear that allies benefiting from American security guarantees must make visible contributions to core U.S. interests. This dual-shore shipbuilding strategy is a model of how an ally can do just that.

For one, this initiative would turn a conventional defense treaty into a fully-fledged industrial alliance, leveraging both countries military, technological and manufacturing strengths to produce a maritime force capable of defending shared interests. Second, it would put the alliance on firmer ground by broadening the coalition of invested stakeholders. While a mutual defense treaty is at the mercy of world leaders, an industrial alliance supporting thousands of jobs in communities across both countries is far more resilient. By tying foreign policy objectives to local political interests, both capitals can strengthen and diversify the buy-in to this alliance.

Today, American allies around the world worry that the U.S. has given up on alliances. By transforming the U.S.-South Korea alliance, Washington has the chance to send a clear and critical signal: alliances must deliver, and they can deliver when built around mutual interest and resilience.

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Korea is ready to become a cornerstone of a stronger, more mutually beneficial alliance system; it is primed to help carry the weight of some of the most pressing items on Americas foreign and domestic political agendas, bringing jobs and security back to America. The burden is on Washington to recognize the urgency and potential of the moment and set sail for that stronger, safer future.

Arjun Akwei is a Schwarzman Scholar and a former research associate at Harvard Universitys Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. Jinwan Park is a Nonresident James A. Kelly Korea Fellow at Pacific Forum and a nonresident fellow at the European Centre for North Korean Studies at the University of Vienna.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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In May 1945, spring had only recently arrived at the remote prison in Manchuria, where the Japanese kept their highest-ranking American prisoner, Army General Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV. During the three years since he had surrendered the Philippines for fear the Japanese would have massacred what remained of his garrison, Wainwright had endured beatings, starvation and temperatures as low as minus 49 degrees. The pain from an old lower back injury he aggravated during the second week of that month would become so debilitating he had no idea whether he would survive a war he feared might last at least two more winters.

News of Germanys surrender that same week did not reach Wainwright and, even if it had, would have brought no end to his struggle. If this keeps up, I know I cant survive. Thin and weak as I am and no proper food, I doubt if I can endure this pain for any long period of time, Wainwright wrote in his diary more than a month later on June 19.

Wainwrights prison diary  which now resides at an Army archive in Carlisle, Pennsylvania  offers a poignant rebuke of President Trumps plan to rebrand Victory in Europe Day, marking the surrender of Germany on May 8, into something called Victory Day for World War II. As every high school student should know, World War II did not end until Japan finally surrendered four months and two atomic bombs later.

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The president argues the revision is necessary because Americans have forgotten how to celebrate their history. We never celebrate anything, he wrote on the social media platform Truth Social. Thats because we dont have leaders anymore, that know how to do so! Apparently not, as Trump has unwittingly proved by issuing an official proclamation for his newly named holiday and making no mention of the war in the Pacific or the more than one hundred thousand Americans who died in that theater.

If this is what the president meant when he issued an executive order promising to restore patriotism to history classrooms, he has the concept exactly backwards. By skipping ahead to the part of the story where the United States achieves ultimate victory, the president does not celebrate Americas achievements but diminishes them.

By contrast, Trumps predecessor Harry Truman knew exactly how Americans should celebrate the original V-E Day: by rededicating themselves to the task of achieving victory in the Pacific. We can repay the debt which we owe to our God, to our dead, and to our children, only by

work, by ceaseless devotion to the responsibilities which lie ahead of us, Truman said. If I could give you a single watchword for the coming months, that word is work, work, and more work. We must work to finish the war. Our victory is only half over.

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To prematurely celebrate the anniversary of Americas final victory in the largest war ever fought is to insult those who heeded Trumans call: the Americans still battling for an island called Okinawa; the servicemembers preparing to redeploy from Europe for the Pacific; the generals planning a massive invasion of Japans main islands of Kyushu in the fall of 1945 and Honshu in early 1946; the policymakers trying to predict how many thousands of Americans would die in these operations; and the scientists racing to test an atom bomb that would upend all these calculations by persuading an enemy that didnt believe in surrender to do so.

Even Americans with the best sources of information could not know how the war might end, but Wainwright, like his fellow prisoners of war, had only the worst sources  that is, the occasional tidbit from prison guards in Manchuria, where he received no letters, newspapers or other sources information from the outside world. Nevertheless, Wainwright tried his best to guess when the war would end and arrived at an estimate of no earlier than 1947.

By June of 1945, he had good reason to doubt whether he would live to see it. The pain from the injury to a joint between his lower back and pelvis had become so severe that he could neither rise from bed nor fall asleep. It is very bad, and seems to get worse, he wrote.

A man who had never known desperate odds before might have given up, but Wainwright was not such a man. Even when his commanding general, Douglas MacArthur, had received orders to escape the Philippines after the Japanese invaded the archipelago at the start of World War II, Wainwright had made a vow to stay and share the fate of the tens of thousands of starving and besieged American and Filipino forces fighting together under the United States flag. The memory of the doomed five-month stand that he had made with them gave him the fortitude he needed to confront adversity again in Manchuria.

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I will make a fight for life, as I fought against overwhelming odds in the Philippine Islands, Wainwright wrote in his diary. No one called me yellow then, and, by God, I wont be now.

There is a much-needed lesson in these words for Trump. Through his thoughtless attempt to abridge the end of World War II so as to make it easier to celebrate, he would cheat Americans of a richer and more valuable inheritance: the story of the full measure necessary to achieve victory in both Europe and the Pacific and a reminder that at no point before was the outcome ever guaranteed. Until the end, it had required struggle and sacrifice.

Trump likes to talk only about winning. But when the moment of supreme triumph finally came in the Pacific on September 2, 1945, the organizers of the ceremony aboard the USS Missouri made certain to include a reminder of the hardships and humiliations America had endured along the way. If Trump looks at photographs, he will see MacArthur signing the instrument of surrender and, behind him, an emaciated general: the newly liberated Wainwright. His war had finally ended. And so had Americas.

At a time when freedom and democracy face new threats  and the outcome once again looks far from assured  let Americans mark the 80th anniversary of V-E Day, as their forebears at the time marked the original, by vowing to carry on the cause for which so many sacrificed so much.


An Orange County judge will go before the Florida Supreme Court for a public reprimand after an investigation into conduct such as calling an assistant state attorney an ass while presiding over a criminal case, a Supreme Court order released Thursday said.

The order did not set a date for the reprimand of Judge Martha Adams, who also was accused of other improper comments about the State Attorneys Office.

That included an allegation that she talked of making the life of a State Attorneys Office employee a shambles. The Supreme Court approved an agreement, known as a stipulation, reached by Adams and the state Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigates judicial conduct. Judge Adams comments are well outside the bounds of what is acceptable for members of our judiciary, the Supreme Court order said.

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In many cases, adequate discipline for such behavior would require more than a public reprimand. The record shows, though, that Judge Adams had a clean disciplinary record throughout her 17 years of prior judicial service and that she had no other complaints of this nature. The commission also found that Judge Adams has expressed deep regret and apologized in writing to the individuals directly affected by her misconduct. The order was approved in a 6-0 vote, with Justice Jamie Grosshans recused.

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An electric vehicle is charged at the Woodburn Transit Facility in Oregon May 24, 2022. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Transportation).

Oregons attorney general is joining a lawsuit against the heads of the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, who are withholding hundreds of millions in funding for electric vehicle chargers already approved by Congress and promised to states.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle, is led by attorneys general in Washington, California and Colorado, along with 13 other Democratic attorneys general. Named as defendants are the U.S. Department of Transportation and its secretary, Sean Duffy, as well as the Federal Highway Administration and its acting administrator, Gloria Shepherd.

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The attorneys general argue only Congress, not federal agency leaders or the president, can rescind remaining grant funding that lawmakers approved in 2022 for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program. Oregon in 2021 was awarded $52 million to spend on expanding EV chargers and charging infrastructure around the state over five years.

Oregons own analysis shows we need five times more public EV chargers along our highways by 2030 just to keep up with the number of electric cars hitting the roads, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said in a news release. If federal funding is delayed or cut off, it puts us at serious risk of falling behind on our climate goals and leaves drivers without the charging infrastructure they need.

Congress in 2022 approved $5 billion in funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The grants were meant to help states build charging networks along highways and interstates, and the Federal Highway Administration had already approved states plans.

A Jan. 20 executive order signed by President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to stop dispersing all funds formerly approved under that act. The Federal Highway Administration in February told states that the agency would rescind previous approvals for state plans meant to expand their EV charging networks, leaving them ineligible for remaining funds.

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Oregons Department of Transportation planned to use the money to fund about 50 DC fast charging stations along 11 major roads throughout the state. A DC fast-charger can get an electric car 80% charged within about 20 minutes.

Statewide, Oregon needs 8,000 to 13,000 public, DC fast-chargers by 2030 to meet demand from the growing number of electric vehicles used in the state, according to the state transportation department.

Currently, there are about 3,800 public EV chargers located at more than 1,400 stations throughout Oregon, according to the federal Joint Office of Energy and Transportation.

Oregons transportation department has already planned for $26 million in grant spending on engineering, construction and EV charger installations along the 11 highways, primarily on U.S. Highway 97 and Interstate 205, as well as Interstate 5 south of Eugene. But since February, the agency has been cut off from $15 million more it was supposed to receive this year under the grant. The uncertainty around being fully funded to finish projects leaves the agencys plans hanging in the balance.

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Without those funds, ODOT cannot develop eight of the eleven corridors, representing a loss of at least 40 fast charging stations, or a minimum of 160 charging ports. This accounts for roughly seventy-five percent (75%) of the estimated number of stations ODOT planned to develop, the attorneys general included in the lawsuit.

Correction: Oregons Department of Transportation planned to use the federal money to fund 50 DC fast charging stations, not 150 stations, as previously reported.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A Springfield man was found guilty of causing a head-on, deadly crash in Salem while high on inhalants last year.

On Wednesday, a Marion County jury found Terrance Quackenbush-Benson, 29, guilty of multiple counts of manslaughter, driving under the influence of intoxicants and other charges after the crash that claimed two lives and left another seriously injured.

Oregon AG seeks court order to pause Trumps tariffs

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The charges resulted from a September 16, 2024, incident where Quackenbush-Benson drove his truck across the center line and collided head-on with a truck traveling in the opposite direction, the Marion County District Attorneys Office said in a press release. At the time of the incident, Quakenbush-Benson was under the influence of an inhalant. The driver and passenger died upon impact. A third passenger survived the crash but suffered serious physical injuries. She is still recovering.

Quackenbush-Benson was found guilty of two counts of first-degree manslaughter, two counts of second-degree manslaughter, one count each of second- and third-degree assault, reckless driving and DUII. He is slated to be sentenced on May 13.

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Rep. Courtney Neron , D-Wilsonville, at the Oregon Legislature on Feb. 12, 2024. (Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

State Rep. Courtney Neron, D-Wilsonville, will move to the Oregon Senate after county commissioners tapped her to finish the remainder of Sen. Aaron Woods term.

Nerons appointment, at the end of a nearly two-hour meeting with Clackamas, Washington and Yamhill county commissioners Wednesday evening, comes after Woods April death from cancer. It will trigger a new appointment process for someone who will finish her House term.

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I am honored to be selected for this role in the Senate, and I know we have important responsibilities ahead,  Neron said in a statement Thursday morning. My focus will stay on effective education policies, supporting our workforce, and protecting all that makes Oregon a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Both Neron and whoever replaces her in the state House will serve until January of 2027, with the ability to run for a full term in 2026.

Neron was local Democratic officials top choice for the appointment and beat out energy consultant Dave Backen and Tigard City Councilor Jeanette Shaw. Backen also threw his support behind Neron while speaking to commissioners, saying she was the best person for the position.

Neron is in her fourth term in the House and chairs the House Education Committee. She grew up in Metzger and Tigard, attended and taught at Tigard High School and is raising her family in Wilsonville.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  As temperatures heat up, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek declared May 2025 Wildfire Preparedness Month, urging residents to brace for another potentially dangerous year.

Kotek joined fire officials with the Oregon Department of Forestry(ODF) and the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to hold a briefing in Salem on Wednesday to discuss how the state is getting ready as wildfire season approaches.

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Record-setting wildfire seasons across the west are getting longer and more devastating. What we know to be an average fire season has long passed, Governor Kotek said. Last summers devastating wildfires called for sacrifice, courage, and cooperation from everyone involved. Our state has spent the off-season preparing to take on what we know will be another dangerous summer.

According to Kotek, weather experts predict a hotter summer than last year, with increased risk due to dried vegetation.

We are preparing for what is likely to be an even more aggressive and increasingly difficult to control wildfire season this year, said the Governor. By July and August, we will experience above average severity that will culminate in September and October as we reach peak fire danger.

The warning follows one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in Oregons history.

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In 2024, the state saw 1,956 fires, which burned a record-breaking 1.9 million acres. The fires forced the Governor to invoke 17 conflagration acts and racked up more than $350 million in firefighting bills.

Here in Oregon, as always, we applied lessons from previous years to make sure we are better prepared every year to deal with our response and our recovery, Kotek said. And thats what were looking to do. Were prioritizing readiness, coordination, risk mitigation and a comprehensive statewide approach.

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According to ODF, training has already begun for crews of adults in custody with the Oregon Department of Corrections to assist in wildland firefighting.

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Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said Oregons mutual aid system has 11,000 firefighters ready to respond, with plans to bring on 1,500 seasonal workers in June.

It takes every level of government and every person to help us keep fires small and away from communities, Ruiz-Temple said. And it starts with preparedness. It starts with this month, if we can do actions now to mitigate that risk, that helps your firefighters in the community and at the state level this fire season.

The 2025 wildfire briefing was held at the ODF Fire Cache, a critical resource for the states preparedness plan.

The ODF Fire Cache houses, tests, and deploys equipment and supplies to firefighter camps and incident command management teams within 24 hours of an initial fire call.

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These fire caches provide our first responders with the critical resources they need beyond the first 24 hours of being deployed, including additional hoses, pumps and fire tools, along with the necessary supporting infrastructure, such as mobile kitchens, communication units, showers and generators to power the fire camps, when thousands of firefighters are deployed to large wildfires across the state, Said Kotek. At our peak fire days in 2024, these fire caches supported over 10,000 firefighters going into Oregon.

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The Governor called on all Oregonians to support first responders by doing their part to sign up for alerts, know the fire danger level and local restrictions where they live, and build defensible space at their homes.

Below are tips from Governor Koteks office that Oregonians can do to help mitigate the risk of wildfires this season:

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Space and prune trees to prevent fire from climbing into tree canopies and transferring fire to your homes.

Remove leaves, pine needles, bark mulch, and other debris within 100 feet of structures or up to your property line.

Clean roofs and gutters of flammable debris.

Move combustible materialslike mulch and firewoodaway from your home.

Keep plants trimmed and clear of dead material, especially near the house.

Avoid planting directly under eaves; leave at least a five-foot buffer.

Know your evacuation routes, be two weeks ready and sign up for emergency alerts.

Know your local air quality smoke conditions by keeping up with DEQs AirNow program.

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Last fall, weeks before Donald Trump was elected U.S. president, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy floated a pitch that proposed, among other things, an economic deal that would allow Washington access to Ukraines largely untapped minerals and deepen strategic ties.

Under pressure from Western allies and amid global war fatigue, Zelenskyy saw that the days of Biden administration-era robust military aid might be numbered, and so the pitch was part of the Ukrainian leaders so-called victory plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war. It was an offer that would appeal to Trumps penchant for transactions-based diplomacy in hopes of ensuring a steady flow of future American support in return.

Seven months later, a landmark deal between Ukraine and the Trump administration on Ukraines mineral resources was inked. But the road in between was paved with mutual recriminations, a historic Oval Office blowout, hundreds of revisions, and finally, a chance meeting on the sidelines of Pope Francis funeral.

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Despite last-minute snags, Ukraine secured a deal that's set to bring closer ties with the U.S. and provide a vehicle for future military assistance. Ukraines parliament voted unanimously to ratify the agreement on Thursday, and other documents pertaining to the deal are being finalized.

It seems to me that this is the first time in history that the United States considers Ukraine as a long-term strategic partner, economically, Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko told a media briefing in Kyiv on Thursday ahead of the parliament vote.

Heres a timeline of the deals conception and signing:

September: Zelenskyy makes a pitch

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In response to rising pressure from Western allies and clear battlefield disadvantages, Zelenskyy outlined a so-called victory plan to end the war. The plan sought to strengthen Kyivs negotiating hand and proposed measures to boost its military potential, but also economic partnerships with Western allies.

Ukraine is rich in natural resources, including critically important metals such as uranium, titanium, lithium, and graphite.

Zelenskyy pitched the plan to the White House during a visit to Washington in late September, and later in a meeting with Trump at Trump Tower in New York.

Giving American companies preferential access to Ukraine would serve as leverage against Russia as most mineral deposits are located very close to front-line areas. Having U.S. companies on the ground, the thinking goes, would cement Washington's interests in Ukraine and serve as a de facto security guarantee. Critical minerals used to manufacture weapons, aviation and batteries would also give the U.S. access to reserves in a global market dominated by China.

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Trump appeared captivated by the idea and very soon after his inauguration in January started touting the idea of getting Ukraines rare earth elements.

February: An Oval Office shouting match

By February, the White House and Ukraine appear to have made significant progress toward reaching an agreement that would provide the U.S. with access to Ukraines rare earth minerals.

On Feb. 12, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent became the first senior Trump administration official to visit Kyiv. Zelenskyy was expected to sign the deal that day amid a push by Washington quickly end the war. But the Ukrainian president decline d, saying elements of the draft didn't align with his countrys constitution. The deal would have given the U.S. 50% rights to Ukraines minerals and mentioned nothing of security guarantees.

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I didnt let the ministers sign  because in my view it is not ready to protect us, our interest, Zelenskyy told The Associated Press at the Munich Security Conference in February.

Bessent later said that Zelenskyy blew up the deal. Zelenskyy shot back, saying Bessents approach had been disrespectful.

My colleagues know that if someone taps their finger on an agreement and says, You must sign now  I could only say to him, Stop tapping your finger and lets have a proper conversation,' Zelenskyy later told reporters.

The two sides agreed to a new draft later in February.

On Feb. 28, Zelenskyy arrived in Washington with the intention of signing the revised version of the deal. But Zelenskyy insists on adding explicit U.S. security guarantees to it, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin couldnt be trusted to comply with a ceasefire deal. A shouting match breaks out in the Oval Office, and Trump berates the Ukrainian president for not demonstrating gratitude for American support.

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Youre not in a good position. You dont have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards, Trump shouted.

Zelenskyy left the White House with no deal and a deeply uncertain future with Washington. Shortly after, the U.S. pauses military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.

March: A sharp shift in Jeddah

According to multiple Ukrainian and Western officials, results from ceasefire talks between Ukrainian and U.S. delegates in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11 marked a turning point after the disastrous Oval Office meeting.

Ukraine agrees to a U.S. proposal for a full and immediate 30-day ceasefire, pending approval by the Kremlin, which had so far opposed anything short of a permanent end to the conflict without accepting any concessions. By piling conditions on both proposals for both full and partial ceasefires, Putin began testing Trumps patience.

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Meanwhile, technical discussions over the minerals deal resume. But the Trump administration introduced a new clause demanding that Ukraine reimburse the full amount of U.S. aid provided since the start of the full-scale invasion. Trump mentions a $500 billion figure as compensation, an amount many times more than the sum of aid provided.

Ukrainian officials continue lobbying for a more equitable structure that respects Ukraines strategic interests and state sovereignty. Zelenskyy spells out three core principles: The creation of a joint investment fund, 50-50 governance and the exclusion of debt repayment.

April: A breakthrough moment

Intensive negotiations continue, requiring Ukrainian and U.S. officials to work across time zones. Each day ushers in proposals and counterproposals.

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There were likely hundreds of revisions and dozens of draft revisions, a senior European official close to the talks said. Every morning meant a new batch of edits for each side.

Svyrydenko said on April 18 that the two countries signed a memorandum of intent before a possible fuller agreement later. A draft, dated April 17 and obtained by the AP, called for creating a joint U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, incorporated as a partnership in Delaware.

The draft document was a version marked up by the United States and showed that the Trump administration could be willing to cede on some demands that Ukraine opposed.

The draft was notable because it called for the U.S. to make a significant initial cash investment in the fund, in addition to receiving credit in the form of equity that is equivalent to the billions in U.S. military assistance already spent. Earlier versions had the U.S. investing no additional capital in Ukraine while having exclusive rights to the countrys natural resources.

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A breakthrough moment came on April 26 in the form of a tete-a-tete between Trump and Zelenskyy in St. Peters Basilica at the sidelines of Pope Francis funeral. Zelenskyy described it as a turning point and the best conversation the two leaders have had to date.

The exchange paved the way for the signing of the minerals deal in Washington four days later, he said.

In the end, Zelenskyy didn't get explicit security guarantees as part of the deal. Still, the final agreement was considered a victory for Ukraine after months of diplomatic work.

The signed deal crucially doesn't call for Kyiv to reimburse the U.S. for the aid it has already received  a concession from Trump. That concession was

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That concession was extracted after Ukrainians argued that recognizing past aid as debt retrospectively would go against agreements that Ukraine has made to obtain that aid with the U.S., European Union, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Deputy Economy Minister Taras Kachka said. Instead, Ukrainians argued for future military assistance to count as part of investment into the fund.

Bessent acknowledged that the agreement was a tacit security guarantee because of the economic partnership.

May 8: A green light

Ukraine's Parliament votes unanimously in favor of ratifying the minerals agreement with the U.S., setting the deal in motion.

___

Illia Novikov in Kyiv, and Matthew Lee and Byron Tau in Washington, contributed to this report.
To date, 27,500 applications have been submitted to various categories of the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, also known as the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U).

Source: European Pravda, citing the Ukrainian service for Deutsche Welle, a German international broadcaster and media outlet

Quote from RD4U Executive Director Markiian Kliuchkovskyi: "Speaking of applications, to date, approximately 27,500 have been submitted in various categories. The largest category is the one that has been open for the longest time, on the destruction of housing. This category is material, where we allow applicants to assess the amount of their losses. We see that in this category, the average claim size is about 60,000-62,000."

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Details: Kliuchkovskyi noted that this brings the total value of the losses recorded in these claims to around 1 billion.

Meanwhile, he added that applicants are not asked to estimate their losses in non-material categories.

"We understand that loss of life is not assessed, or missing persons, or any other things," he said. "The assessment of how to determine the amount of compensation in such applications will be carried out by the future compensation commission, which will consider them on their merits."

He stressed that no payments have yet been made under the applications submitted, as the compensation mechanism has not yet been established. Kliuchkovskyi could not predict when the payments might begin but said they should be made soon.

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"We're talking about years," he added. "Certainly, we're not talking about months, but years. We hope that it will not take 10 years to start, but rather a year, two, three, maybe five."

He believes that much depends on the political and geopolitical situation.

Kliuchkovskyi added that the second round of formal negotiations on establishing a compensation mechanism will take place in The Hague next week.

Quote: "The roadmap for this process envisages its conclusion by the end of next year. Then we will wait for ratification and hope that in 2026 it will enter into force, and, accordingly, the commission will start working."

Background:

The Agreement on the Register of Damage for Ukraine was adopted in May 2023 at the Council of Europe Summit in Iceland. Kliuchkovskyi has been appointed Executive Director of the Hague-based RD4U.

The Register marks the first step towards creating a mechanism to provide compensation for those affected by the war. It has been joined by 43 states and the European Union.

Initially, the RD4U allowed claims to be filed for the death or disappearance of a close family member, as well as for damage or destruction of residential property.

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A teenager with a criminal history was arrested Wednesday night in northeast Colorado Springs after allegedly stealing two vehicles and pointing a gun at one of the occupants, according to an online police blotter entry.

Police responded to investigate the two motor vehicle thefts just before midnight near Stetson Hills Boulevard and Peterson Road. They learned the suspect pointed a gun at one of the victims in a car burglary.

Officers found the boy in one of the stolen cars in the 6100 block of Dublin Boulevard . Police say he tried to evade arrest but eventually surrendered.

The teenager was taken to a juvenile detention facility and is facing two counts of motor vehicle theft, possession of a weapon by a previous offender, and felony menacing charges.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Albertsons Market and Market Street Grocers donated 3,840 pounds of apples to local foodbank Storehouse New Mexico Thursday morning.

Albuquerque students plant fruit, shade trees around campus

The donation is part of the United Family Supermarkets ongoing commitment to the national Take a Bite Out of Hunger initiative. Representatives with Storehouse says donations like these are crucial for families in need. Fresh produce is very important at a food pantry. A lot of people assume we just give out canned foods and pastas an things that are shelf stable, but families really need nutritious food that is fresh also, Jill Beets with New Mexico Storehouse said.

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Over the past 15 years, United Family has donated 650,000 pounds of apples to food banks across the U.S.

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Despite a judges decision this week levying a $76,000 judgment, the six-year-long court battle over the Connecticut dog that killed an elderly woman is on track to continue even as total expenses run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The owners of Dexter, a pit bull/pointer, say theyll fight to keep from paying the dogs boarding costs and will continue blocking the town of Suffield plan to put him to death.

Annie Hornish did not cite a specific figure on Wednesday, but said This has cost us quite a bit financially and emotionally.

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Even so, she and her husband, Neil, intend to take their case to Appellate Court, where theyll ask a judge to overturn Mondays Superior Court decision against them.

We trust the Appellate Court will make the right decision, she told The Courant.

The town, meanwhile, has indicated it might pursue a case against the Hornishes for its attorneys fees.

The litigants have dragged this case on for far too long and unnecessarily delayed justice. While the town is now able to collect the boarding fees owed, the town will explore additional remedies to make the taxpayers whole for legal expenses. First Selectman Colin Moll said in a statement.

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The town also will continue seeking to have Dexter euthanized.

The Board of Selectmen is committed to taking all necessary legal steps in this matter to protect the public from this dangerous dog until justice can be carried out, Moll said.

The Hornishes, who own a Thrall Avenue home with more than 50 acres, have been in court with the town since soon after Dexter killed Janet DAleo, a 95-year-old friend visiting their house. The town seized the dog and had it in a private kennel, where it has been ever since.

The Hornishes settled a lawsuit from DAleos estate for $2 million, but have maintained that the town didnt adequately investigate whether the womans death was a result of Dexters attack. Theyve suggested DAleos health aide may have provoked the dog, and at various times during litigation have suggested DAleo may have suffered a medical crisis.

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But the town and its animal control officer say the dog is a danger. The Hornishes have been in extended litigation to block the euthanasia order.

In a previous decision, Judge Matthew Budzik concluded the Hornishes havent been realistic about the dogs culpability.

The Hornishes have refused to take responsibility for Dexters actions, or acknowledge the severity of his conduct. Indeed, the Hornishes have repeatedly sought to downplay Dexters conduct and to place blame for Ms. DAleos death elsewhere. The factual record in this matter renders such justifications, in the courts view, disingenuous at best, Budzik wrote.

Annie Hornish, a former state legislator who has served as Connecticut director for the Humane Society of the United States, said she and her husband have two offers of secure sanctuaries that would accept Dexter for free. One is in Connecticut, the other is 13-acre property in upstate New York where Diana Urban, another former state lawmaker, keeps rescued animals.

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Both Hornish and Urban are animal rights activists who contend theres no need to kill the dog, even though the town and the state Department of Agriculture have recommended it.

Annie Hornish said Dexter is about 9 years old. The dog has been in a kennel since November of 2019; the Hornishes covered the first two years expense, which totaled about $40,000, then refused to pay more. Their argument is that the town should release the animal to a qualified sanctuary, and that charging dog owners to board their pet while a euthanasia appeal is underway would discourage most people for pursuing such an appeal.

Mondays court decision holds the couple liable for about $76,000 in kennel costs since 2021, and warns of a 7.5% annual interest charge on whatever goes unpaid.

In addition, the court said the Hornishes are responsible for roughly $66 a day in kennel costs since Feb. 1. That comes to about another $6,000 so far, with the potential to tack on an additional $15,000 or so before the year ends.
Rep. Rick Krajewski (D-Philadelphia) speaks at a news conference Wednesday, May 7, 2025, after the state House passed the recreational cannabis legalization bill he and Health Committee Chairperson Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) cosponsored. (Ian Karbal/Capital-Star)

Democrats in the state House voted Wednesday to legalize recreational use of marijuana by adults, with sales through state-owned stores. That sends the question of whether Pennsylvania will follow its neighbors leads on cannabis to the Republican-led state Senate.

The bill passed the House on a 102-101 party-line vote after 2 hours of debate.

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Supporters of House Bill 1200, sponsored by Rep. Rick Krajewski (D-Philadelphia), said it would create a market for safe, tested and regulated cannabis products for consumers who are currently buying them legally in neighboring states, from street dealers and quasi-legal vape shops.

Prohibition of marijuana has not worked  The status quo is unacceptable, House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery) said.

Republicans said they oppose the expansion of access to a drug that can have serious health and life consequences for young people when the commonwealth is already grappling with an addiction and overdose crisis.

Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware) gave an emotional account of his younger brothers struggle with addiction that began when he started smoking pot in high school, led to his use of harder drugs and ended with his death of an overdose in his early 30s.

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Some were also critical of the bills restorative justice aspects, saying government sales would limit opportunities for those most harmed by a century of criminalization. Rep. Tim Bonner (R-Mercer) suggested the bills requirement for courts to vacate and expunge marijuana convictions is unconstitutional.

Though in a press conference following the bills passage, Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny), who penned the bill with Krajewski, said they had consulted with lawyers who previously worked on the states clean slate initiative, and none raised issues about the constitutionality of their expungement policy.

Minority Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford) said the bill was rushed through the legislative process.

A lot of the debate has centered around the idea of legalizing marijuana, the concept, but in this chamber, on this floor, we dont vote on ideas. We dont vote on concepts. We vote on bills to become law, Topper said, adding that the depth of the debate shows the bill is not ready to become law.

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The 173-page bill was introduced on Sunday, put through committee on Monday, and received its final vote Wednesday.

Frankel, however, said the bill was the product of months of open discussions, including five meetings of a bipartisan House subcommittee on cannabis that explored issues related to legalization.

Frankel and Krajewski also made it known they were working on a recreational cannabis bill that would involve sale at state stores last December. And Frankel said Wednesday that, when writing the bill, they tried to incorporate concerns raised by Republicans in committee.

This has not been in secret, he said. This has been a collaborative process.

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Pennsylvania first made it legal for residents to buy and consume cannabis for medical use in 2016. Marijuana can be prescribed for 24 medical conditions and in 2024 more than 300,000 people had been approved to use it for anxiety disorders alone, according to the state Department of Health.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has included a plan to legalize and tax the sale and use of recreational marijuana in his last two budget proposals. His current proposal estimates that a 20% tax on the wholesale price of recreational marijuana products would generate $15.6 million plus an additional $11.4 million in sales tax revenue for the 2025-26 budget.

HB 1200 proposes a 12% tax on cannabis products plus 6% sales tax. A fiscal note prepared with the bill estimates tax, license fees and profits under the system would provide more than $1.1 billion in 2026-2027. It would allow people 21 and older to purchase and consume a personal amount of marijuana, allow people who pay for a permit to grow up to four plants and provides for fines for underage use.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, which regulates alcoholic beverages and operates state wine and spirits stores, would be responsible for purchasing cannabis products and operating cannabis stores.

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Bonner, an attorney, said the bills requirement to forgive and erase criminal convictions and records for marijuana offenses would run afoul of a 1977 state Supreme Court decision. It found the General Assembly had violated the state constitutions separation of powers clause by ordering the resentencing of people convicted of a felony marijuana offense when the legislature reduced it to a misdemeanor.

As legislators, we are highly critical of the courts any time they exercise legislative powers, and I can tell you that the courts will be highly critical of House Bill 1200, Bonner said. He moved unsuccessfully to find the bill unconstitutional.

Krajewski, who oversaw the cannabis subcommittee hearings, said he believes the bill creates a balanced, responsible, framework.

We have the opportunity to rein in a market that is completely deregulated in terms of potency, content, labeling or advertising, he said. We can promote public health while also bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars that can be directed to communities hit the hardest by past criminalization.

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And while Pennsylvania is behind neighboring Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Ohio, it also has the benefit of learning from their mistakes. That, Krajewski said, is why the bill proposes a state-run dispensary system rather than an expansion of the medical marijuana industry.

Massive multi-state cannabis companies have leveraged footholds in the medical marijuana business to control emerging recreational use markets, blocking opportunities for small entrepreneurs to compete, he said.

Without proper controls in place, we risk turning Pennsylvania into the new playground for corporate cannabis, Krajewski said.

But Rep. Abby Major (R-Armstrong) argued that establishing a state-run cannabis system would cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in upfront costs before a dollar of revenue is generated.

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Rather than leveraging the infrastructure weve already built in the medical market  nearly 30,000 jobs, over 450,000 active patients, and nearly $2 billion in annual sales  were choosing to start from scratch, to erase the progress of the past eight years, Major said.

Dead on arrival

At a press conference following the bills passage, House Democrats celebrated their victory. But they also made clear the ball was now in Senate Republicans court, and that the bill may have to undergo substantial changes in order to garner the necessary support to pass the GOP-controlled chamber.

If the Senate is serious about cannabis legislation, we now have the vehicle which we can have negotiations about, Krajewski said. We want to have legalized cannabis in Pennsylvania. Weve gotten a bill out of the House that we believe in and that we believe represents our Democratic values. We know this is a process between getting through the House, the Senate and the governor.

Frankel added, at this point, there have not been many conversations with Senate Republicans.

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And some Senate Republicans were quick to throw cold water on the idea that a state store model could pass the chamber they control with a 27-23 majority.

Placing the sale of marijuana within our existing state liquor store system takes a step back and props up an antiquated system, said Sen. Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana). Its hard to believe the House spent so much time this week on a serious issue and ultimately sent us an unserious bill. With House Democrats failure to obtain bi-partisan support for the bill in their chamber, its clear advancing marijuana legalization in this manner was a performative exercise.

Pittman has historically been hesitant to offer full-throated support or opposition for any legislation legalizing recreational cannabis, and its unclear if any could garner support from Senate Republicans.

But even the most vocal proponent of legalization within the caucus, Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie), referred to Krajewski and Frankels bill as dead on arrival.

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I have repeatedly made it clear there is zero chance that the state store model will make it through the Senate, Laughlin said on social media following the House vote. That idea is DOA.

Laughlin has previously introduced legalization bills with Philadelphia Democrat, Sen. Sharif Street, who commended the House for passing their bill, but also expressed skepticism it could pass the upper chamber in its current form.

I remain strongly opposed to selling cannabis through state-run stores or placing it under the Liquor Control Board, Street wrote in a Facebook Post Wednesday evening. But this vote is a significant step forward. I applaud House members who worked hard to advance the conversation and move us closer to justice, equity and economic opportunity.

The cannabis lobby has also opposed the state store model since it was discussed in committee meetings last year.

A bill passing out of the House today is an important first step to set the stage for more meaningful, bipartisan discussions  bringing in the Senate and the Governor as part of ongoing budget negotiations, the Responsible PA coalition said in a statement following the vote. We must fix this bill as we know a majority of Pennsylvanians oppose a state-run cannabis retail model. Voters want a practical solution  not a bill that is going to face legal challenges and cost thousands of jobs for everyday, hardworking Pennsylvanians.

Responsible PAs coalition includes both local businesses like medical dispensaries, and some of the nations largest multi-state cannabis companies. Since Frankel and Krajewski began seriously advocating for a state store model as early as last legislative session, Responsible PA has opposed it.

The group has conducted polling, which found that, while a majority of Pennsylvanians support legal cannabis, most oppose a state store model. And the Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition, a trade group comprising both existing Pennsylvania medical dispensaries and national cannabis companies, hired a law firm to examine the legality of asking state store employees to sell cannabis, which is still illegal under federal law.

The firm, Kleinbard LLC, found that a bill like Krajewski and Frankels, would likely be illegal.

But proponents of the state store model, including Frankel and Krajewski, say that it can keep more revenue with the state, allow tighter control of the market, and be used to combat industry influence and monopolistic practices.

In Pennsylvania, 10 out-of-state corporations with a combined valuation of more than $6 billion control more than 70% of our current medical dispensaries, Krajewski said at a press conference.

Krajewski pointed to a trend in states with equity-based cannabis laws where dispensary licenses intended for disadvantaged small business owners wind up controlled by large companies. He added that a state-owned store could also ensure shelf space for locally-made products, instead of ones produced by vertically integrated companies that both manufacture and sell them.

He also pushed back on the idea that a state-store model would bar entrepreneurs from entering the industry. The bill would still allow small business owners to obtain licenses to grow cannabis, manufacture THC products, or operate establishments where people can use cannabis in a social setting.
GOLDEN OAKS, Texas (KETK)  A woman was attacked by a pack of dogs in Golden Oaks Wednesday night and had to be airlifted to a local hospital.

City of Tyler set to vote on airport hazard area zoning regulations

Around 8:41 p.m., Payne Springs Fire Rescue volunteers received a call about a woman who was attacked by a pack of dogs and experienced traumatic injuries, officials said. When volunteers arrived, they requested UT Health Air 1 launch to the Gun Barrel City Fire helicopter pad.

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The womans condition is unknown at this time.

Courtesy of Payne Springs Fire Rescue Courtesy of Payne Springs Fire Rescue Courtesy of Payne Springs Fire Rescue

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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New Delhi  Pakistani authorities accused India on Thursday of a "serious provocation" as the nuclear-armed neighbors' forces clashed in the disputed Kashmir region weeks after a terror attack on Indian tourists sparked a sudden cross-border crisis. India's Ministry of Defense, in a statement released later Thursday, said its drone strike was a response to Pakistani forces firing drones and missiles at Indian military installations overnight.

Pakistani officials said India launched an attack with at least 13 drones early Thursday morning, all but one of which they said were shot down by the country's own military. A military spokesman said one civilian was killed and several troops wounded in the strikes.

India said it was responding to Pakistani attacks overnight that killed 16 people, including three women and five children.

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"India has undertaken yet another blatant military act of aggression against Pakistan by sending Harop drones at multiple locations," Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Pakistani Army spokesman, said at a press briefing on Thursday, adding that the Indian attack, "continues, and the armed forces are on high degree of alert and neutralizing them as we speak."

Chaudhry called the drone attack a "serious, serious provocation" by India.

Security personnel cordon off a street near a site after an alleged drone was shot down in Lahore on May 8, 2025. / Credit: MURTAZ ALI/AFP/Getty

Chaudhry said Pakistan's armed forces managed to "neutralize" 12 drones at various locations, including Lahore, Gujrawala, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, and one near Karachi.

"One drone, however, managed to engage a military target near Lahore partially," Chaudhry said, adding that it had killed one civilian and wounded four Pakistani soldiers.

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In its statement, India's Ministry of Defense said the country had made it clear on Wednesday that it had not targeted Pakistani military sites with its missile strike, calling the attack proportionate.

But it said Thursday that Pakistan, overnight, had "attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India," listing 15 separate locations, "using drones and missiles."

The Defense Ministry said the drones and missiles "were neutralized," and that debris "is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks."

In response, "Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defense Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan," the ministry's statement said, describing its reaction as being "in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan."

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The ongoing clashes come a day after India hit nine locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir with missiles. Pakistan said at least 26 people were killed in that Tuesday night missile attack, which it labeled an "act of war," and that five others died in ongoing cross-border military clashes along the Line of Control that divides Indian and Pakistani-administered portions of Kashmir.

The U.S. State Department issued a new alert on Thursday, ordering all personnel at the consulate in Lahore to shelter in place "due to reports of drone explosions, downed drones, and possible airspace incursions in and near Lahore."

"The Consulate has also received initial reports that authorities may be evacuating some areas adjacent to Lahore's main airport," said the alert, which was shared on the State Department's website and on social media. "U.S. citizens who find themselves in an area of active conflict should leave if they can do so safely."

India's Tuesday night missile attack killed over 100 terrorists in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh told politicians in a meeting on Thursday morning, according to a report by India's NDTV. Singh told political opposition leaders the Indian military's "Operation Sindoor," in response to the April terror attack, was continuing.

Police tape surrounds the scene after an alleged Indian drone strike on Karachi, Pakistan, May 8, 2025. / Credit: Sabir Mazhar/Anadolu/Getty

CBS News' Sami Yousafzai in Islamabad said Pakistan's state-run media showed video Thursday of what it said was debris from downed Indian drones, including in major cities. One of the drones was reportedly intercepted and crashed down on a street lined with food vendors in the densely populated city of Rawalpindi, not far from the General Headquarters of the Pakistani Army.

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"It looked like a big bird came down on top of us," Ramadan Muhamad, a local shopkeeper who witnessed the apparent shoot-down, told CBS News on the phone. "There was no explosion, but there was a flash of light when it hit. After the crash, army and security forces quickly arrived and cordoned off the area. Even now, I can't get to my shop."

"War in any form is ugly for humanity," Ramadan said. "A conflict between Pakistan and India is not an ordinary war  God forbid, it could turn into a humanitarian disaster because both countries possess nuclear weapons. So if I say I have no concerns, that wouldn't be an honest statement."

India launched rare national preparedness exercises on Wednesday, bracing for Pakistani retaliation to the missile attack, which the nation's leaders have said they will take at a time and in a manner of their choosing.

The current crisis was sparked by a massacre of tourists last month in Indian-administered Kashmir. Indian officials quickly accused Pakistan of backing the terrorists who carried out the attack, but Pakistan has denied any involvement.

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The two nations have fought two wars and countless skirmishes over Kashmir, a picturesque mountainous region that both claim in its entirety.

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When two nuclear powers find themselves involved in a direct military conflict, the overriding priority for world leaders is to concentrate their efforts on defusing tensions between the protagonists rather than to apportion blame for causing the crisis in the first place.

India and Pakistan, which have become involved in an increasingly violent confrontation over the disputed territory of Kashmir, are estimated to have around 170 nuclear weapons each.

Additionally, Islamabads ill-advised alliance with China means that, in the event of hostilities escalating out of control, Pakistan could have recourse to Beijings stockpile of 600 nuclear weapons. India, by contrast, would feel entitled to call on Russia  one of New Delhis main arms providers, which also boasts the worlds biggest nuclear arsenal  to come to its aid. Suddenly, a long-running dispute over who controls the Himalayan region of Kashmir has the potential to provoke nuclear Armageddon.

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The idea that the current round of border skirmishes between India and Pakistan might lead to nuclear war may appear far-fetched. The two Asian powers have, after all, already fought three wars over Kashmir, so there is no reason to believe that the latest hostilities will amount to little more than score settling.

Even so, as we have seen with the Ukraine conflict, the possibility that a regional dispute can spiral out of control to the extent that the prospect of nuclear conflict becomes a genuine concern cannot be entirely discounted.

It is to avoid such a calamity that world leaders from UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres to US president Donald Trump have called on both sides to show restraint.

This appears unlikely  in the short term, at least  after Pakistan vowed to respond to what it called an act of war after Indian warplanes attacked nine targets in Pakistan-controlled territory that New Delhi claims was being used by Islamist militants to launch last months deadly attack in Kashmir.

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Indeed, the deeply entrenched hostility between India and Pakistan, which dates back to independence, means that the prospects of resolving the long-standing Kashmir dispute  the main cause of the latest eruption in violence  remains as remote as ever.

It is a dispute, moreover, in which neither side has exactly covered itself in glory. Tensions in the region have not been helped by the crude nationalist agenda espoused by Indian prime minister Narendra Modis BJP party, which led to India revoking Kashmirs autonomous status in 2019.

While Modis contentious move failed to provoke the predicted open conflict with Pakistan, it has nonetheless helped to make the Kashmir issue a cause celebre among Islamist terror groups, many of which happen to be based in Pakistan-controlled territory.

The Pakistani authorities have a long history of providing a safe haven for Islamist militants, ranging from the Taliban during the recent Afghan conflict, to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the main Islamist terror group campaigning for Kashmirs liberation.

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Over the years the group has carried out a number of high-profile attacks against targets in India, including the 2008 attacks in Mumbai. This, together with other atrocities such as the Indian parliament attack in 2001, has often brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war, not least because the Indians have accused Pakistans all-powerful ISI intelligence agency of providing clandestine support for Islamist terrorists.

While Islamabad had consistently denied having any such links, its protestations of innocence are hard to take seriously. This is a country, after all, that claimed to have no knowledge that al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, the architect of the September 11 attacks, was living peacefully with his wife and children in the garrison town of Abbottabad, just a short distance from a major Pakistani military base, until he was killed by American Navy Seal forces in 2011.

This is not the only example of Pakistans apparent double-dealing in terms of turning a blind eye to the activities of Islamist terrorists operating on its soil. At the height of the so-called War on Terror, British intelligence estimated that around three quarters of threats against the UK originated from Pakistan-controlled territory.

In its defence, Pakistans intelligence community argue that it has to tread carefully if it is to prevent Islamist militants from turning their guns on their own government, as nearly happened in 2009 when the Taliban came close to seizing control of Pakistans nuclear arsenal.

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If diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions over Kashmir are to stand any chance of success, then a good place to start would be for Pakistans security forces to do more to rein in the activities of terror groups such as LeT, rather than giving them a free hand to launch deadly attacks. At the same time, Modi should act to curb the BJPs intimidating nationalist agenda, which has seen its followers launch attacks against mosques.

It is in the interests of neither India nor Pakistan for the Kashmir dispute to escalate into a nuclear confrontation, which is why both sides need to take urgent measures to make sure the unthinkable does not become a reality.

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Residents in Indian-administered Kashmir have said major and multiple explosions struck the city of Jammu as sirens blared, causing a complete blackout for several hours.

Spiralling tensions between India and Pakistan have included heavy cross-border heavy shelling Thursday along the Line of Control (LoC) in disputed Kashmir.

At least 48 deaths have been reported, 32 of them in Pakistan, since India launched missiles on Wednesday that it said targeted terrorist camps, and Pakistan retaliated with a barrage of artillery strikes.

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Information Minister Attaullah Tarar denied on Thursday that Pakistan launched the attacks. Pakistan has not targeted any locations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir, or across international border, Tarar said in a post on X.

Indian journalist Zafar Choudhary, speaking from Jammu city, told Al Jazeera that the explosions in Jammu were completely unforeseen, completely unprecedented.

According to Choudary, the sounds of explosions have now stopped, and the electricity blackout in the city has also been lifted.

Electricity has been restored in a phased manner in different parts of the region. So, that is one sign of normalcy that people are feeling, and there hasnt been any sound of explosions in the last one and a half hours, he said.

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Sirens were heard in Jammu and several villages near the Line of Control, journalist Umar Meraj told Al Jazeera from Srinagar, in Indian-administered Kashmir. The clashes between the India and Pakistan forces are far more intense than in previous years. What used to be occasional small firearms have escalated to the heavy exchange of artillery, he added.

The news agency Reuters, citing an unnamed Indian official, reported Pakistani attacks in Akhnoor, Samba, Kathua and multiple other locations in Jammu.

The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, said, Deeply disturbing reports are emerging from Jammu, where air strikes have reportedly hit certain areas.

My heart goes out to the people of Jammu, especially those living along the borders, who are once again caught in the terrifying uncertainty of conflict, he added.

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Pakistan is denying that it launched attacks in the Indian cities of Pathankot and Jaisalmer and Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir.

These claims are entirely unfounded, politically motivated, and part of a reckless propaganda campaign aimed at maligning Pakistan, the countrys foreign ministry said in a statement.

The repeated pattern of levelling accusations against Pakistan without any credible investigation reflects a deliberate strategy to manufacture a pretext for aggression and to further destabilize the region, the statement continued.

Reuters also reported on Thursday that a Chinese-made J-10 Pakistani fighter jet shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, one of which was said to be a French-made Rafale fighter, citing two anonymous United States officials.

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Indian authorities have yet to acknowledge such a loss, which could be viewed as a significant indicator of the effectiveness of Chinese-manufactured fighter planes against those manufactured by Western nations. Pakistans defence minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told Reuters on Thursday that the J-10 was used to shoot down three French-made Rafale planes.

In the meantime, Pakistans military says it shot down 29 drones from India that entered its airspace, as hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbours continue to spiral following Indian air raids on multiple locations within Pakistans territory.

Pakistani Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the military spokesperson, said on Thursday that Indian-made Israeli Harop drones had been deployed to targets including Karachi and Lahore.

Indian drones continue to be sent into Pakistan airspace  [India] will continue to pay dearly for this naked aggression, Chaudhry said. The military said one civilian was killed and four Pakistani soldiers were wounded as a result of the drone incidents.

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Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said his country has so far exercised strategic restraint and limited its response strictly for self-defence, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter. Pakistan deserves to respond to India at a place, time and manner of its choosing, he said.

Earlier on Thursday, his Indian counterpart, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, said that any further military action by Pakistan will be considered an escalation, adding that Islamabad will be considered responsible for any attack on Indian infrastructure. India said that Pakistan had attempted to engage military targets with missiles and drones, but that the Indian military had thwarted the attacks.

The Indian Army said it neutralised attempts by Pakistan to engage several military targets in its northern and western regions on Wednesday night and early Thursday. It targeted air defence systems in several locations in Pakistan, Indias Ministry of Defence said in a statement, adding that 16 people were reported killed as a result of Pakistani fire.

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Reuters that no military sites or the air defence system in the countrys second-largest city of Lahore sustained any damage from Indian drones. India said its army struck and damaged air defence radars and systems at multiple locations in Pakistan.

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Thursdays exchanges and back-and-forth claims and counterclaims came a day after India said it launched precision strikes on what it called terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting on Thursday that 100 terrorists had been killed; the claim could not be independently verified.

The crisis between India and Pakistan appears to be at a crossroads, Washington-based South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman told Al Jazeera.

India has said it has no intention of further military action, unless it is attacked by Pakistan. For now, Pakistan has vowed retaliation for the initial Indian air strikes, but it has also said it wants de-escalation, he said.

New Delhis operation followed a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir two weeks ago, which killed 26 people. India blamed Islamabad for the attack  a charge Pakistan strongly denies.

Mapping Indias drone attack on Pakistan [Al Jazeera)

Escalation on the ground

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday in which he reaffirmed his governments commitment to national security, operational preparedness, and citizen safety, his office said.

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Ministries are ready to deal with all kinds of emerging situations, the statement said.

Reporting from New Delhi, Al Jazeeras Neha Poonia described the situation along the Line of Control (LoC)  the de facto border in Kashmir  as deteriorating rapidly. Theres been a significant escalation in the manner in which the two armies are engaging, she said.

The Indian Army said 13 civilians had been killed, 59 injured, and one soldier had also died in the exchanges. Villages near the LoC have emptied, with residents fleeing or sheltering in bunkers.

We havent seen this kind of civilian movement in years, Poonia noted.

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Amid the security crisis, 20 airports across northern India have been closed until at least May 10, severely affecting travel and commercial activity.

Meanwhile, Pakistans Civil Aviation Authority said Karachi airport will be closed until 6pm (13:00 GMT), while the airports at Islamabad and Lahore were briefly shut for operational reasons.





Act of war

From Islamabad, Al Jazeeras Kamal Hyder reported that the Pakistani military has accused India of endangering civilian and aviation safety with repeated airspace violations.

Hyder also noted a new point of contention: Indias release of water into the Chenab River. Islamabad sees this as a breach of longstanding agreements, an existential threat and an act of war.

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Pakistans parliament, with cross-party consensus, has now authorised a military response, Hyder said, pointing to mounting fears of a wider war.

After Wednesdays strikes, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif promised to retaliate, raising fears that the two countries could be headed towards another all-out conflict.

But in a sign that India and Pakistan may be looking to temper the escalation, Pakistans Foreign Minister Dar told Reuters on Thursday that there has been contact between the offices of the national security advisers of Islamabad and New Delhi.

At the same time, Saudi Arabia and Iran have sent their foreign ministers to New Delhi and Islamabad in a bid to mediate.

Pakistan will respond

As India and Pakistan both accuse each other of provocation, analysts suggest Pakistan is under pressure to deliver a strong response to Indias actions.

Indias limited objectives are met, said Happymon Jacob, director of the Council for Strategic and Defence Research in New Delhi, speaking to Al Jazeera. Pakistan has a limited objective of ensuring that it carries out a retaliatory strike to save face domestically and internationally. So, that is likely to happen.

Jacob predicted the exchange may evolve into a few rounds of cross-border missile or artillery fire, similar to past confrontations.




Pakistan said it shot down drones from India one day after India launched strikes on Pakistani-controlled territory, according to The Associated Press.

The Pakistani military said Indian attack drones that reached the country resulted in injuries to four soldiers, the AP reported.

A spokesperson for the Pakistani Army told the news agency that multiple Israeli-made drones were sent by India into Pakistan during the course of the previous night and through Thursday afternoon, with 25 drones shot down by Pakistan.

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Indias forces targeted air defense radars and systems in several Pakistani areas, the Indian Defense Ministry said, according to the AP.

Early Wednesday, India struck Pakistani-controlled territory in response to tourists being massacred in Indian-controlled territory the prior month. Pakistans military said the Indian strikes killed 31 people and injured 57.

Indias Defense Ministry said that the strikes were aimed at nine sites where terrorist attacks against India have been planned.

Pakistan slammed the strikes, calling them an unlawful act of war on Wednesday. The countrys National Security Committee said in a statement that day that it unequivocally condemned these illegal acts as blatant violations of Pakistans sovereignty and territorial integrity, which manifestly constituted acts of war under international law.

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President Trump pushed for de-escalation between the two southeast Asian countries on Wednesday in the Oval Office, saying I know both very well. I want to see them work it out.

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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP)  India fired attack drones into Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least two civilians, the Pakistani military said. India, meanwhile, accused its neighbor of attempting its own attack, as tensions soared between the nuclear-armed rivals.

India acknowledged that it targeted Pakistans air defense system, and Islamabad said it shot down several of the drones. India said it neutralized Pakistans attempts to hit military targets. It was not possible to verify all of the claims.

The exchanges came a day after Indian missiles struck several locations in Pakistan, killing 31 civilians, according to Pakistani officials. New Delhi said it was retaliating after gunmen killed more than two dozen people, mostly Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir last month. India accused Pakistan of being behind the assault. Islamabad denies that.

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Both sides have also traded heavy fire across their frontier in disputed Kashmir, and Pakistan claimed it killed scores of Indian soldiers. There was no confirmation from India.

Late Thursday, in Indian-controlled Kashmir, residents of the city of Jammu reported explosions and sirens, followed by a blackout.

Indias Headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff, a central coordinating arm for all Indian armed forces, said military stations in Jammu, Udhampur and Pathankot were targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. It said the attacks were repelled and no casualties were reported.

Shesh Paul Vaid, the regions former director-general of police, told The Associated Press that the Jammu Airport likely was also under attack and that some of the 50 loud explosions he heard likely were because our defense system is at work.

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Jammu and Udhampur are close to the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan. Pathankot is in India's Punjab state.

Sirens were also heard in some parts of the regions main city of Srinagar, residents said. It was followed by a blackout in the city and other parts of the region.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement rejected the Indian claims that Pakistan launched attacks on Pathankot, Jaisalmer and Srinagar, saying these claims are entirely unfounded, politically motivated, and part of a reckless propaganda campaign aimed at maligning Pakistan".

It added that such actions not only further endanger regional peace but also reveal a disturbing willingness to exploit misinformation for political and military ends.

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Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to avenge the deaths in India's missile strikes, raising fears that the two countries could be headed toward another all-out conflict. Leaders from both nations face mounting public pressure to show strength and seek revenge, and the heated rhetoric and competing claims could be a response to that pressure.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke Thursday to the Pakistani prime minister and India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, urging both sides to de-escalate the situation, the U.S. State Department said.

The relationship between countries has been shaped by conflict and mutual suspicion, most notably in their dispute over Kashmir. They have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region, which is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety.

With tensions high, India evacuated thousands of people from villages near the highly militarized frontier in the region. Tens of thousands of people slept in shelters overnight, officials and residents said Thursday.

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About 2,000 villagers also fled their homes in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

Mohammad Iftikhar boarded a vehicle with his family on Thursday as heavy rain lashed the region. I am helplessly leaving my home for the safety of my children and wife, he said.

India fires drones at Pakistan

India fired several Israeli-made Harop drones at Pakistan overnight and into Thursday afternoon, according to Pakistani army spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, who said 29 were shot down. Two civilians were killed and another wounded when debris from a downed drone fell in Sindh province.

One drone damaged a military site near the city of Lahore and wounded four soldiers, and another fell in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital, according to Sharif. The armed forces are neutralizing them as we speak, he told state-run Pakistan Television.

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In Lahore, local police official Mohammad Rizwan said a drone was downed near Walton Airport, an airfield in a residential area about 25 kilometers (16 miles) from the border with India that also contains military installations.

Indias Defense Ministry said its armed forces targeted air defense radars and systems" in several places in Pakistan, including Lahore.

Blackout in Gurdaspur district

New Delhi, meanwhile, accused Pakistan of attempting to engage a number of military targets with missiles and drones along the Line of Control that divides Kashmir and elsewhere along their border. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations, it said.

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At a news briefing, Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday rejected Indias claim that Islamabad carried out any attack in Indian Punjab. These accusations are an attempt to incite anti-Pakistan sentiment among the Punjabi Sikh population in India, he said.

Seated alongside Dar, the military spokesperson, Sharif said Pakistan shot down 29 Indian drones after they violated its airspace.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told parliament that so far Pakistan has not responded to Indias missiles attacks, but there will be one. Later Thursday, Indian authorities ordered a night-time blackout in Punjabs Gurdaspur district, which borders Pakistan.

The Harop drone, produced by Israels IAI, is one of several in Indias inventory, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance report.

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According to IAI, the Harop combines the capabilities of a drone and a missile and can operate at long ranges.

The two sides have also exchanged heavy fire over the past day.

Tarar said that the countrys armed forces have killed 40 to 50 Indian soldiers in the exchanges along the Line of Control. India has not commented on that claim. Earlier, the army said one Indian soldier was killed by shelling Wednesday.

Sikh Temple in Kashmir

Tarar denied Indian accusations that Pakistan had fired missiles toward the Indian city of Amritsar, saying in fact an Indian drone fell in the city. Neither claim could be confirmed.

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Indias Foreign Ministry has said that 16 civilians were killed Wednesday during exchanges of fire across the de facto border.

Pakistani officials said six people have been killed near the highly militarized frontier in exchanges of fire over the past day.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri denied that New Delhi has targeted civilians and a key dam, as Pakistan has alleged. He, in turn, accused Pakistani forces of targeting civilians, including at a Sikh Temple in Kashmir, where he said three Sikhs were killed.

Flights remained suspended at over two dozen airports across northern and western regions in India, according to travel advisories by multiple airlines. Pakistan resumed flights nationwide after a suspension at four airports, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.

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___

Ahmed reported from Islamabad; Saaliq reported from New Delhi and Hussain reported from Srinagar, India. Associated Press writers Rajesh Roy in New Delhi, and Ishfaq Hussain and Roshan Mughal in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, contributed to this report.
Pakistan has promised to retaliate after India launched military strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, fuelling fears of a broader confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistans government on Wednesday pledged to respond at a time, place and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives and blatant violation of its sovereignty.

Pakistans military said at least 31 civilians were killed and 46 others injured in the Indian attacks and ensuing cross-border shelling, describing the strikes as having ignited an inferno in the region.

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In New Delhi, Indian officials briefed more than a dozen foreign envoys, telling them: If Pakistan responds, India will respond.

It comes amid spiralling tensions following a deadly attack last month on Hindu tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, which India blamed on Pakistan-based fighters. Islamabad has denied any involvement.

Cross-border shelling

Indias government said its forces targeted nine sites it described as terrorist infrastructure, including facilities allegedly linked to the fighters who killed 25 tourists and one local in last months Kashmir attack.

However, in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, residents said Indian missiles struck a mosque-seminary in the city centre.

Indian security force personnel stand guard near the site of a fighter jet crash in Wuyan in Indian-administered Kashmirs Pulwama district, May 7, 2025 [Sharafat Ali/Reuters]

The building, which included residential quarters, was left in ruins, with five missiles reportedly killing three people inside the two-storey structure.

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Meanwhile, heavy cross-border shelling and gunfire continued along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border dividing Kashmir. Officials said 13 civilians were killed and 43 wounded on the Indian side, while at least six civilians were killed on the Pakistani side.

Pakistans Prime Ministers Office claimed that five Indian fighter jets and drones were shot down during the escalation. The Indian embassy in Beijing dismissed reports of downed aircraft as disinformation.

Sharif promises response

Pakistans Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar told TRT World that there had been communication between the national security advisers of the two countries, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged that Pakistan would respond decisively.

For the blatant mistake that India made last night, it will now have to pay the price, Sharif said on state broadcaster PTV. Perhaps they thought that we would retreat, but they forgot that  this is a nation of brave people.

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Al Jazeeras Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Islamabad, said that retaliation from Pakistan was widely anticipated.

Pakistan is expected to retaliate within the next 24 to 48 hours, and thats something weve been hearing from politicians across the board, he said.





Theyre citing Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which says that a country has the right to respond to an unprovoked act of aggression.

India defended its actions, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh claiming its targets we had set were destroyed with exactness according to a well-planned strategy.

We have shown sensitivity by ensuring that no civilian population was affected in the slightest, he added.

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Islamabad claims six sites targeted by India were not linked to armed groups.

A paramilitary soldier stands guard outside the Government Health and Educational complex after Indian strikes in Muridke, about 30 kilometres, or 20 miles, from Lahore, on May 7, 2025 [Arif Ali/AFP]

I want to see it stop

The Pakistani military said 57 commercial aircraft from multiple countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Thailand, South Korea and China, were in Pakistans airspace at the time of Indias attack, putting thousands of passengers at risk.

India has since ordered the closure of at least 21 civilian airports in the northern and western parts of the country for passenger flights until May 10, The Hindu reported.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Prime Minister Sharif and expressed Ankaras support. According to the Turkish presidency, Erdogan praised Pakistans calm and restrained policies during the crisis.

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In Washington, United States President Donald Trump said he hoped to help de-escalate the situation. I want to see it stop. And if I can do anything to help, I will be there, he told reporters at the White House. We want to see them work it out.

Uday Chandra, assistant professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar, said while retaliation from Pakistan was expected, it appeared that neither country was seeking an all-out war.
Update: The Canon City Police Department reported Wednesday afternoon that James Melies has been found safe.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is asking for the community's help in finding a 67-year-old Canon City man who went missing around 8 p.m. Monday.

Authorities said James Melies was last seen on foot near the 700 block of Royal Gorge Boulevard in Canon City.

Melies has a cognitive impairment which may affect his memory or render him confused.

He is about 5-foot-9 and weighs 170 pounds. He has grey hair and blue eyes and was wearing a gray "Rocky Mountain" wind breaker, jeans, and a Colorado hat.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Canon City Police Department at 719-276-5600.
PALISADE, Colo. (KREX)  A school celebrates its graduation. A school of fish, that is. Wednesday, students and faculty from Palisade High School Endangered Fish Hatchery held a heartfelt goodbye ceremony for their 2025 batch of student-cultured razorback suckers.

For the past year, Palisade High School students have scrubbed tanks, performed weight tests and collected data on water quality, all in anticipation for this release. WesternSlopeNow was told that, thanks to the efforts of PHS students and faculty, over 1,250 endangered razorback suckers will have been released into their native habitat on the Colorado River.

But the razorbacks arent the only famous fish in town. Players from the Grand Junction Jackelopes were in attendance showing team spirit, and recently announced on Wednesdays, the team will play as an alter ego inspired by another endangered fish: the Humpback Chub.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) -The United States' new ambassador to Panama pledged on Thursday to strengthen ties with the Central American country while pushing China as a common threat.

"First among my priorities will be to strengthen our joint work to counter harmful influences in the region, such as that of China," Ambassador Kevin Cabrera said during a press conference at his official residence.

Cabrera arrived in the country late last month following an escalation of tensions between Washington and Panama City.

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China's presence in Panama has been a point of a criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said his administration would "take back" the Panama Canal from Chinese influence.

"China is not a good ally neither for Panama nor for our hemisphere," Cabrera said on Thursday, adding that the two countries would collaborate on issues of drug trafficking and to boost security at the Panama Canal.

Later on Thursday, China's embassy in Panama rejected the U.S. ambassador's remarks as "contrary to basic facts," also citing Panama President Jose Raul Mulino's denials of Chinese interference in the Panama Canal.

"The cooperation between China and Panama on the Belt and Road Initiative has achieved fruitful results," said the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy.

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The embassy also said the relevant Chinese authorities are conducting an antitrust review in accordance with the law, which is fully consistent with international practices.

In early April, Panama's Attorney General's Office opened an investigation into a contract granted to Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison the operation of two ports in the Central American country.

(Reporting by Elida Moreno; Additional reporting by Raul Cortes Fernandez; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Natalia Siniawski and Michael Perry)
The first day of the papal conclave to elect the 267th Pope has concluded, and no final decision has been made.

At around 9 p.m. local time Wednesday evening, black smoke began billowing out of the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, indicating that the gathering Cardinals had not elected a new pontiff.

It has been centuries since a pope was elected on the first vote, but that didn't stop a large crowd from gathering in St Peter's Square to await the announcement.

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The Cardinals will be back at it on Thursday for another round of voting and deliberation.

"Our role here is to pray and to join with other Christians, other Catholics, to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide the whole process," Deacon Nicholas Nkoronko from Tanzania told Vatican News. "Wherever the new Pope comes from, whether it's Africa, Asia, America, what we need is we need a holy Pope. We need a Pope who will guide the Church and will be the pastor of the Church."

VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - MAY 7: Black smoke is seen from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel meaning a new pope is not yet elected and voting will continue tomorrow on May 7, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Cardinals of the Catholic Church have descended on Vatican City to commence the papal conclave, the secretive voting process held in the Sistine Chapel that requires a two-thirds majority to elect the new leader of the Catholic Church. The election follows the death of Pope Francis on April 21 at the age of 88. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Overall, the first round of voting took longer than expected, though as CNN detailed, the intricacies of the process always take some time.

"The first vote of a conclave typically takes longer than others. First, one of the cardinals delivers a meditation  an address that has been likened to the Catholic Churchs State of the Nation, reflecting on what the priorities for the next papacy should be," CNN wrote.

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"Then, the cardinals have to appoint nine people to special roles  the Scrutineers, Infirmarii and Revisers  to help collect and verify the results."

With 133 Cardinals involved, this conclave voting bloc is larger than previous ones, which also may have contributed to the slight delay.

The most recent papal conclave occurred in 2013, when Pope Francis was named the 266th leader of the Roman Catholic church, a position he held until his death on April 21 at the age of 88.
NEW YORK (PIX11)After Pope Franciss death, the Catholic Church is in the process of finding a new head. The new Pope will have supreme and full authority over the universal Church, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

This process is called a papal conclave.

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What is a conclave?

A conclave is the election process by which a new pope is elected, according to Catholic.com.

What takes place during the Conclave?

The College of Cardinals, composed of 133 voting-eligible cardinals, is sequestered inside the Vatican to pray, discern, and vote for the next pope without distraction.

How does one become pope?

A two-thirds majority, or about 89 votes, is required for a new pope to be elected.

Conclave by the numbers

With over 400,000 Catholic priests worldwide, out of them, just 252 are cardinals.

Only 133 cardinals electors are expected to cast ballots in the conclave; cardinals age 80 and over cannot vote.

Of the 133 voting-eligible cardinals, 108 were appointed by Pope Francis, so this is their first conclave.

What is the process of voting?

According to Exaudi, a Catholic International News Agency, each cardinal writes the chosen candidates name in Latin. The cardinals then cast their votes into a ballot box in front of the others. Their votes are counted while three groups of three cardinals, known as scrutinators, observe the counting separately to ensure accuracy. The results are then compared and announced to the group.

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At the end of each day, the ballots are burned.

The color of the smoke indicates whether a new pope has been elected.

What does the color of the smoke mean?

Black smoke signals no decision, while white smoke means a new pope has been chosen. At 9 p.m., black smoke rose from the Vatican chimney, indicating no pope had been chosen.

How long can the conclave last?

Current rules are designed to produce an election within about 12-13 days at most, according to the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Where does voting take place?

All voting takes place in the Sistine Chapel.

What happens after the pope is elected?

The senior cardinal will ask him if he accepts the election. If he does, he immediately becomes pope, white smoke is sent up, and Saint Peters Basilica bells are rung.

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The new pope then chooses a new name, and the senior cardinal-deacon, currently Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, will introduce him publicly from the balcony of Saint Peters Basilica.

The new pope will use the Latin term of habemus papam for we have a pope.

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.
May 8 (UPI) -- Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States has been elected the new pope and has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV.

Pope Leo XIV is the first U.S. pope and the second American pope after Pope Francis, who was from the South American nation of Argentina.

Pope Leo XIV formerly was known as Cardinal Robert Prevost and is a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order, the Chicago Tribune reported.

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Pope Leo XIV addressed the crowd that gathered in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, some of whom waved U.S. flags after learning the new pope is from the United States.

"Peace be with you" were the first words he said to the crowd in Italian and as reported by ABC News.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV waves from the Vatican balcony in Vatican City on Thursday. Pope Leo XIV is the first U.S. pope and the second American pope after Pope Francis, who was from the South American nation of Argentina. Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI

He added: "We have to be a church that works together to build bridges."

He spoke in Italian and Spanish but did not address the crowd in English.

French Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti (C) announces the name of the new pope from from the Vatican balcony in Vatican City on Thursday. Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI

President Donald Trump congratulated Prevost on his historic election as the first pope from the United States.

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost," Trump said in a Truth Social post.

White smoke is seen over the Sistine Chapel, signaling that cardinals have chosen a new pope. Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI

"It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope," Trump continued. "What excitement, and what a great honor for our country."

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Trump said he looks forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV, which he predicted "will be a very meaningful moment."

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV speaks from the Vatican balcony on Thursday. Pope Leo XIV formerly was known as Cardinal Robert Prevost and is a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a statement congratulating the new pope, saying, "This is a moment of profound significance for the Catholic Church, offering renewed hope and continuity amid the 2025 Jubilee Year to over a billion faithful worldwide. ... The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff."

Chicago roots

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV looks on from the Vatican balcony in Vatican City on Thursday. Leo XIV was born in the south side of Chicago and was the Archbishop of Peru. Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI

Leo XIV was born in the south side of Chicago and was the Archbishop of Peru after first working as a missionary in the South American country, which also made him a citizen.

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The Catholic Church generally had avoided elevating U.S. clergy to leadership positions within the church due to the United States' significant global influence.

Cardinals gather before the newly elected Pope Leo XIV is seen from the Vatican balcony in Vatican City on Thursday. Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI

His dual citizenship in Peru and the United States might have enabled the conclave of cardinals to overlook his U.S. citizenship.

Pope Francis in 2023 put Prevost in charge of the church's office that vets those who are nominated to become bishops.

The position gave Prevost a significant amount of global influence within the church and is considered one of its most powerful positions.

Prevost was elected during the conclave's second day of voting, which resulted in the conclave lasting about 24 hours after beginning its voting procedure to select a new pope late Wednesday afternoon.

Significance of chosen name

When a new pope is named, the cardinal who is elevated to pontiff must choose his new name, which often means choosing the name of a prior pope.

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Choosing the name of a prior pope usually is based on that pope's policies and often suggests how the new pope will govern over the Vatican and the Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIII was known as the "Pope of Labor" before he died in 1903.

Many have said Pope Leo XIV likewise will be a "Pope of Labor" and suggested his Chicago roots help make him a friend of working people and an advocate for the underprivileged.

Initial conclave 'inconclusive'

Earlier in the day, things were not so festive as it appeared the cardinals had not at first chosen a new pope.

The Vatican said in a news release that the second ballot of 133 members of the College of Cardinals on the first full day of the conclave, and the third since it got underway late Wednesday afternoon, was "inconclusive."

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Nominees must gain the backing of two-thirds of cardinals with a vote, 89, to be elected as the pontiff, but the first round of voting on Wednesday and a second first thing Thursday all failed to deliver a result.

Around 15,000 people were gathered outside in St. Peter's Square with their eyes glued to giant screens showing a camera feed of the chimney in anticipation of the emission of white smoke, indicating the world's 1.4 billion Catholics have a new pope.

Three of the past five conclaves reached a decision by the end of day 2, but a record number of cardinals voting could slow the process down.

In past centuries, the process could be very lengthy. Choosing Pope Gregory X took more than a thousand days, beginning in December 1268 and not reaching a decision until Sept. 1, 1271.

Cardinals in the conclave are not permitted to communicate with anyone except fellow conclave members, use their phones or access TV, radio or newspapers.
Russian forces have dropped around one hundred guided aerial bombs on Sumy Oblast since the beginning of 8 May despite the so-called "parade ceasefire" declared by the Putin regime for Victory Day [a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, celebrated on 9 May  ed.].

Source: Colonel Yurii Ihnat, Head of the Public Communications Directorate of Ukraines Air Force Command, during the national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote: "I believe that the reports that came in starting at midnight have clearly answered the worlds question about how Russia is respecting the ceasefire it unilaterally declared Putins so-called 'parade ceasefire' began with the enemys tactical aircraft bombing Sumy Oblast almost without pause from the first minutes after midnight.

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We didnt see any Shahed drones that night, but we saw a massive number of guided aerial bombs launched by Russian tactical aviation. These bombings began at 02:30. As of now [16:00  ed.], nearly 100 guided aerial bombs have been dropped on Sumy Oblast alone. That is an enormous number of munitions. A large number of Russian aircraft have been involved in the bombardment of Sumy."

Details: Ihnat added that the threat of Russian airstrikes remains high in Ukraines south and east, with many Russian UAVs spotted along the contact line, particularly along the Dnipro River.

Background:



On 28 April, the Kremlin announced that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had unilaterally declared a "ceasefire" to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Putins three-day ceasefire proposal a theatrical performance intended to create the illusion that Russia is emerging from international isolation.

Zelenskyy supports a 30-day ceasefire as proposed by the United States.

Ukraines Air Force reported that no Russian strike drones were detected in the air on 8 May, but Russian tactical aviation intensified its bombing activity. One person was killed and two others injured in Sumy Oblast overnight as a result of Russian guided aerial bomb strikes.

Ukraine's General Staff reported that as of 16:00 on 8 May, Russian troops were continuing to conduct assault operations across the entire front line, with 117 combat clashes recorded.

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MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  The parents of a 4-year-old found with ethanol in her system are trying to make sense of what happened.

FBI joins investigation of deadly Clarke County crash that killed 2, injured 4

The problem was discovered when they were picking up their daughter, Algeria, from school.

The parents told News 5 they still arent sure exactly what she drank or how she got hold of it.

They said all they knew was their daughter was OK when they dropped her off, and she was not OK when they picked her up.

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How is this even possible? Algerias father, Albert Singleton, asked. Where was the supervision?

Singleton and his wife were in the school pickup line at Collins-Rhodes Elementary School last Monday when their daughter was brought out to them unresponsive.

The school teachers came out to the van with her, but they was carrying her instead of her walking, Singleton said. The nurse, she broke it down as to where she probably felt like it was like an ear infection. But it was nothing of that nature.

Singleton said the school didnt call him or his wife. They found out when they arrived at the schools normal dismissal time.

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Algerias parents immediately took her to a hospital, and from there, she was transferred to another hospital.

One of the nurses turned around saying like, Hey, just so yall know, while being transferred, she threw up one time on the ambulance ride,' Singleton said. She said, and thats the blanket right over there, if you smell it, it dont smell like vomit. Thats the smell of some type of disinfectant cleaner or something.

The test results only added to their confusion.

They finally came into the room and told us that ethanol was found in the system, said Singleton. I was perplexed.

Ethanol is in alcoholic beverages, cleaning products and fuel.

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Algeria spent two nights in the hospital but is now back home and feeling better.

The family said they still want answers.

We feel betrayed, Singleton said. Because of the way the whole situation was handled. Bad. You know, and they know us personally, you know, because our other kids been going there before her, and they could have did a better reach out.

3 Mobile County men arrested in FBI-led Operation Restore Justice

News 5 reached out to the Mobile County Public School System spokesperson, who said the school system is investigating the allegation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Rutherford County school officials pleased parents May 7 by rescinding a recent decision to stop busing students living close to school campuses.

The unanimous Board of Education followed the recommendation of Schools Director Jimmy Sullivan to rescind the previous April 24 decision in a 4-3 vote to review and study the issue.

The majority board previously aimed to save $3 million by establishing Parent Responsibility Zones (PRZ) for parent-transportation by the August start of the next school year for able-bodied students and family members living within a mile radius of schools for grades K-5 and 1.5 miles for grades 6-12.

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Prior to rescinding, the board heard Lascassas Elementary School mother Elizabeth Adkins and three other parents speak in opposition to the PRZ policy during the public comment part of the meeting.

"In our county, many students who live within the PRZ would be forced to walk along roads with 55 to 65 mph speed limits (on) roads with no sidewalks, no crosswalks," Adkins said.

PRZ issue: Rutherford schools director recommends reversing budget cuts for bus service to nearby campuses

Mother says PRZ policy is 'unrealistic and unfair'

A Rutherford County Schools bus closes door after picking up student April 28 on Shadowbrook Drive in the Smyrna area.

Adkins mentioned the traffic concerns of many drivers ignoring the speed limits near her child's school on state Route 96 (Lascassas Pike) northeast of Murfreesboro.

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"My daughter is 5-years-old," Adkins said in a tearful tone. "She weighs 35 pounds. That's who this policy is asking to walk to school along three dangerous roads."

Adkins also told the school officials that many families do not have the option to drive their children to nearby schools because the parents are "working jobs that don't allow them to come and go freely."

"Expecting every family to manage this without transportation support is unrealistic and unfair," Adkins told the school officials.

'We are banished': Rutherford schools book banning upsets free speech advocates

Father asks board to find other solutions

School father Mike Felts told the board that Parent Responsibility Zones disproportionately affect low-income families.

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"Many parents work multiple jobs, lack reliable transportation or simply can't afford to take time off during school hours," Felts said.

"Expecting them to meet additional requirements within a defined geographic area unfairly punishes those already stretched thin."

Felts urged the school officials not to punish families for circumstances they can't control.

"Instead, let's invest in solutions, like flexible school bus routes, expanded before- and after-care, and better communication between schools and families," Felts said.

"That's how we create a district that truly works for all children."

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School free speech issue: ACLU files First Amendment lawsuit against Rutherford school board for book bans

School PTO president worries about 'child predators'

Lascassas Elementary Parent Teacher Organization President Ashley Hale also urged the board to reconsider the PRZ policy to keep children from walking to school on high-traffic roads with high speed limits.

"We also cannot ignore the threat of child predators," said Hale, a mother of two students at Lascassas Elementary.

"For some of our youngest students, children as young as 5, it would be asked of some of them to be alone, vulnerable and unprotected. These are not hypothetical risks. This is not the world our parents grew up in. These are known dangers. And they are preventable."

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'Damage is already done': Rutherford school board rescinds resolution supporting border closure

La Vergne mayor: 80% of Lake Forest Estates impacted by PRZ

La Vergne Mayor Jason Cole, who's also a school father, also spoke in opposition to the PRZ policy that he said "blindsided" families with an unplanned decision. He urged the school officials to complete a comprehensive study before implementing any possible revised PRC policy.

Cole also said the PRZ previously approved would have impacted 80% of the 7,000 homes in the still-growing Lake Forest Estates development in La Vergne.

"Keeping our students safe should be the priority  not just looking to cut costs," Cole said.

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'We're not all treated the same': County Schools building plans annoy La Vergne leaders

Roll call on PRZ votes

The board previously voted 4-3 April 24 for the PRZ policy with tan Vaught, Katie Darby, Butch Vaughn and chairwoman Claire Maxwell in the majority.

Board members Tammy Sharp, vice chairwoman Frances Rosales and Caleb Tidwell opposed.

The six present board members May 7 rescinded the previous decision. Vaught was absent.

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Parents persuade Rutherford board to rescind PRZ rule to stop busing
A Dallas, Georgia man has been found guilty of child molestation in Paulding County.

On April 23, Richard Allen Degroot, 74, was sentenced to 20 years, to serve 15 years in prison.

His charges stemmed from a Dallas police department investigation that began in January of 2023 when a child reported that Degroot had committed the crime.

The child was 10 years old at the time. When released from prison, Degroot will be on probation and registered as a sex offender.

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A former Palm Beach County School District employee is facing criminal charges after authorities alleged that he allowed two minors to touch him in an inappropriate manner.

Norman Riemer, 54, is facing is five counts of lewd and lascivious molestation involving a child under 12 following his arrest April 30 by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

During a hearing on May 1 at the Palm Beach County Jail, Circuit Judge Donald Hafele ordered that Riemer be held without bail and that he have no contact with school district property or employees, or anyone under the age of 18.

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A message left for Riemer's attorney was not immediately returned.

A spokesperson for the school district said Riemer is no longer an employee. He worked in the district's main office as an instructional specialist. The spokesperson referred additional questions to the sheriff's office.

'A hole in the heart of our family': Woman's family confronts man guilty of her 2015 murder

Riemer's arrest report indicated the alleged conduct occurred in a residence but not specify the location. It also did not specify the relationship between Riemer and the children. Jail records show he has a residence near Greenacres.

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A woman told investigators that she became aware of the situation in late March during spring break for Palm Beach County's public schools. She reported that two children, both younger than 10, told her separately that Riemer allowed them to touch his "private area."

From the courts: Paycheck Protection Program fraud lined this woman's pockets. Now it sends her to prison.

In an interview with a sheriff's investigator, one child confirmed the incident, in addition to disclosing being touched by Riemer in an inappropriate manner, according a sheriff's arrest report.

Shortly after the incidents were brought to light, Riemer reportedly was having dinner at another person's home when someone confronted him with the allegations. He confessed to the inappropriate conduct, claiming it happened three times, and described it as a "science experiment" to satisfy the children's curiosity, the arrest report said.

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A woman told Riemer she had a duty to report the conduct and a formal investigation began when the Florida Department of Children and Families hotline was contacted the next day.

Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Former school employee faces charges of lewd conduct with minors
Next week is National Police Week and May 15 will be National Peace Officers Memorial Day; giving members of law enforcement, surviving family members and others a time to remember and honor officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

On National Peace Officers Memorial Day, the Hunt County Sheriffs Office in Greenville will be the scene of a ceremony at 10 a.m.

This years observance will hit especially close to home for many in Hunt County with the recent passings of two young officers  Greenville PDs Cooper Dawson and Quinlan resident/Dallas Police Officer Gabriel Bixby.

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Dawson, 28, was fatally shot while making a traffic stop on Nov. 25 and Bixby, 29, died off-duty on Jan. 28 while riding his motorcycle when a vehicle turned into his path.

At the end of April, Dawsons memory was honored when his name was added to the Texas Peace Officers Memorial in Austin.

Similarly, Bixbys name was added to the Dallas Police Department Memorial earlier this week.

While there will be a ceremony in Greenville next Thursday, members of Dawsons family as well as some officers with the Greenville Police Department plan to pay homage to him at the national ceremonies in Washington D.C. next week.
PECOS, Texas (KMID/PEJ)- A Pecos man was among 205 child sex abuse offenders arrested in a Federal Bureau of Investigation nationwide crackdown. Five of those arrested were taken into custody in the Western District of Texas.

The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Departments Criminal Division, and United States Attorneys Offices around the country.

The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims  especially child victims  and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us, said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.

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Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us, said FBI Director Kash Patel. Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, were sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.

In the Western District of Texas, five people were arrested and charged with federal crimes, including Kevin Dale Franklin Jr. in El Paso, charged with receipt and distribution of child pornography; Zaid Mashhour Haddad and Mario Garcia Martinez in San Antonio, charged with access with intent to view child pornography and possession of child pornography, respectively; James Christopher Hoyt in Austin, charged with distribution of material involved the sexual exploitation of children; and Dakota Gunther Vaught in Pecos, charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

Cases involving the sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, will always be a priority for this U.S. Attorneys Office, as it is most certainly our duty to protect our most vulnerable citizenschildren, said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. These operations are significant in that they bring a vast number of resources together to carry out a shared mission and highlight critical criminal cases, but know that we work with our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners year-round and around the clock to investigate, arrest, and prosecute those who violate children, their rights and federal law.

The FBI El Paso Crimes Against Children Task Force is unwavering in its mission to combat the horrific crime of child exploitation, said FBI El Paso Field Office Special Agent in Charge John Morales. We pursue these cases relentlessly, every day, without exception because protecting children from predators is among our highest priorities, and we will stop at nothing to identify, investigate the abuse of innocent children, and bring these monstrous individuals responsible to justice. Day-in and day-out we work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure these predators face the full consequences of their depraved actions. Let this message be clear: if you exploit a child, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will make sure you face the full power of the justice system. There will be no refuge for those who prey on our most innocent and vulnerable.

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Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms.

In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims. In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

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A 69-year-old man who was hit by a car while out walking in Lowell has died of his injuries, the Middlesex County District Attorneys office confirmed.

Gregory Leschishin was walking on Rogers Street in Lowell on Friday night when prosecutors say 30-year-old Christopher Campbell drove a stolen car onto the sidewalk, striking the older man. At Campbells arraignment on Monday, a prosecutor said Leschishin was unlikely to survive.

Campbell, of Billerica, is already charged with two counts of leaving the scene of personal injury and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, carjacking, larceny of a motor vehicle, negligent operation and a marked lanes violation. He could face additional charges in the wake of Leschishins death.

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Prosecutors say Campbell crashed his Volkswagen Jetta into another car in the area of Boylston and Rogers Street in Lowell around 10:25 p.m. After the crash, Campbell got up on the hood of the other car and began shouting while jumping up and down, the district attorneys office said.

The other driver fled in fear, at which point Campbell is accused of stealing their car. Only minutes later, according to prosecutors, Campbell drove up onto Rogers Street and mortally wounded Lechishin.

Around 11 p.m., Massachusetts State Police received several reports of a car driving erratically without its lights on and stopping in the left lane of Interstate 495 South in Franklin. Not long after that, police learned the car had been hit by another vehicle while it was stopped in the left lane.

Responding troopers found the car abandoned and eventually determined it was stolen out of Lowell.

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Police began searching for Campbell, who was eventually found on the other side of the highway hunkering down in a culvert, according to the district attorneys office. When Campbell saw police, prosecutors say he began yelling that he had a gun.

At that point, Franklin police tased him and took him into custody. Campbell is being held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on May 12.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)  Pennsylvania House lawmakers have passed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana.

The vote on Wednesday afternoon passed on party lines, 102 Democrats voting yea and 101 Republicans voting nay. Earlier this week, the bill passed through a House committee, also on a party-line vote.

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This Week in Pennsylvania

The bill, known as the Cannabis Health & Safety Act, goes to the Republican-controlled State Senate, where its future is uncertain. A similar bill passed in the Democrat-controlled State House last year but did not advance through the Senate.

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House Democrats say the bill would give adults 21 and older the power of choice, as well as create a public retail system with accountability. Democrats say the bill also protects both residents health and Pennsylvania minors, and will bring home billions of dollars.

Pennsylvania Governor proposes legalizing marijuana

Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford/Fulton) said following the vote that this was a flawed process that created a flawed bill.

The bill to legalize marijuana in Pennsylvania was introduced at the end of the day Sunday and then rushed through a committee vote on Monday afternoon, a move that stifled debate and potential amendments, Topper said. That flawed process led to a seriously flawed piece of legislation that creates an unnecessary government monopoly over the sale of marijuana, contains significant constitutional concerns, and fails to deliver on promised state revenue by cannibalizing the sales of legalized marijuana into new programs and state giveaways.

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Governor Josh Shapiro has called for the legalization of marijuana as part of his state budget.

This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Police arrested a person for failing to appear before the DC Superior Court as well as multiple ammunition and drug charges, after a call to an apartment.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said that on Tuesday, around 6 p.m., officers responded to an apartment building on New Jersey Avenue SE to help management with disorderly subjects. MPD said that these individuals were in an apartment that they were not supposed to be in.

The apartments management also wanted officers to help as security while maintenance did a check on the unit.

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Vehicle in fatal DC hit-and-run believed to be involved in 2 robberies

According to a police report, a person from the apartments management knocked on the apartment door. The suspect opened it and immediately tried to run past the officers, but he was quickly detained.

MPD determined that he had an active failure to appear warrant from the DC Superior Court.

Officers found over $9,400, over three ounces of a green leafy substance, 74 blue pills, 25 white pills and a bag with 4.1 grams of a white, powdery substance.

MPD later got a search warrant for the unit and found ammunition, shotgun shells, THC vape pens, THC and THC wax.

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The person was arrested and charged with failure to appear, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana misdemeanor, possession of unregistered ammunition, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance.

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FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Maryland State Police (MSP) said it is investigating a fatal crash that happened in Frederick County on Wednesday afternoon.

Minutes before 4:30 p.m., MSP troopers responded to the intersection of Maryland Route 80 and Kemptown Church Road for a two-vehicle crash. There, they learned a vehicle failed to yield and struck a motorcyclist.

Crash on I-495 causes miles of delays in Montgomery County

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The driver of the motorcycle died at the scene.

All lanes on Maryland Route 80 were closed into the evening hours.

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May 7WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, on Wednesday had legislation pass through the U.S. House of Representatives.

Pfluger's "DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes Act" will defend American students from the Chinese Communist Party by prohibiting any Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding from flowing to universities that host a Confucius Institute or maintain a relationship with a Chinese entity of concern, a news release said.

Following the legislation's passage, Rep. Pfluger released the following statement:

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"The Chinese Communist Party has proven to be an untrustworthy, adversarial actor by continually undermining American interests at every turn  in no world should they have a front-row seat in our classrooms funded by our own taxpayer dollars," Pfluger said. "The bipartisan passage of my legislation today sends a clear message: America's universities and research labs will no longer be used to steal critical research, recruit talent for Military-Civil fusion enterprises, conduct espionage, commit transnational repression, and influence academic institutions to the benefit of the CCP. This is a victory for our national security and future generations of Americans."

Several leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives also praised the passage of Pfluger's legislation:

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said, "House Republicans will not tolerate adversarial regimes, like the Chinese Communist Party, using propaganda to manipulate students, undermine academic institutions, and compromise national security. Higher education in America must remain free from foreign malign influence. I commend Rep. Pfluger for his leadership in protecting students and ensuring taxpayer dollars are not used to fund institutions that host Confucius Institutes or maintain ties to Chinese entities supporting CCP interests."

House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green said, "Beijing's malign influence should never have been allowed to reach American campuses. Chairman Pfluger's legislation will protect our universities from the CCP's efforts to steal American research and innovation, which Xi uses to undermine our nation's sovereignty," Chairman Green said. "After years of hard work by Chairman Pfluger, I look forward to getting this bill to the Senate and signed into law by President Trump. We must prevent American taxpayer dollars from funding our greatest geopolitical adversary's sinister ambitions."

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Majority Leader Steve Scalise said, "For years, the Chinese Communist Party targeted the United States and our institutes of higher education in attempts to influence and exploit American classrooms and research. Specifically, Confucius Institutes were extensions of the CCP's influence network meant to conduct espionage in the U.S., impact academic institutions' decisions, push propaganda, and steal intellectual property and trade secrets. We cannot allow foreign adversaries to infiltrate U.S. education, participate in shaping the minds of America's future leaders, or allow them access to steal intellectual property. That is why we must ensure American institutions of higher education fully cut ties with these hostile entities or face consequences. I'm grateful to Rep. Pfluger for his leadership on this issue and for bringing legislation to protect our best and brightest."

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain said, "There's no place for Chinese propaganda in America. House Republicans are ending CCP influence on college campuses and ensuring taxpayer dollars are not funding foreign agendas. My colleague Rep. Pfluger has done a great job getting this bill to the finish line, and I'm proud to have voted YES to pass this bill and defend our students from harmful CCP influence."

Majority Whip Tom Emmer said, "We cannot allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate and influence American schools without consequenceespecially schools that are funded by taxpayer dollars. I thank Rep. Pfluger for leading a bill that rightly restricts federal funding to any institution of higher education that chooses to align with the CCP's anti-American agenda."

Confucius Institutes have historically been presented as centers for promoting Chinese language and culture, but unfortunately, they have proven to be far from that. Confucius Institutes have been used to steal critical research, recruit talent for Military-Civil fusion enterprises, conduct espionage, commit transnational repression, and influence academic institutions to the benefit of the CCP.

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At their peak, the United States hosted approximately 118 Confucius Institutes, primarily at colleges and universities. There are fewer than 14 active Confucius Institutes today, but the danger remains. Many of these programs have rebranded themselves within universities with the same mission as before: to subvert national security and expand CCP influence operations.

Prior to its passage, Pfluger delivered remarks on the House floor highlighting these dangers and more to outline the critical need for this legislation.

Pfluger has led this legislation since the 117th Congress, reintroduced the "DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes Act, and held a CTI Subcommittee hearing to combat threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party to U.S. National Security. During the hearing, He had experts agree with the need for his legislation, stating that federal funding should be restricted from universities with Confucius institutes.

Following the hearing, Pfluger's legislation passed through the House Committee on Homeland Security's legislative markup with bipartisan support.
PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Police in Prince Georges County are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction for a murder in Riverdale nearly a month ago.

Just after 10 a.m. on April 11, officers were called to the 6600 block of Riverdale Road, where they found 58-year-old Adeyemi Martin, of New Carrollton, inside a stairwell.

Police said Martin was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene.

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE | New Carrollton man found dead during welfare check in Riverdale identified

As the investigation developed, detectives obtained surveillance video showing a dark colored car outside of the building and leaving the murder scene.

Police also discovered photos, shown below, of the suspect wearing a coat that came off during the struggle with Martin.

(Photo Courtesy: Prince Georges County Police Department)

The motive for the shooting remains under investigation; however, detectives believed Martin was shot during a robbery attempt.

Anyone who can identify the person shown in the pictures to call 301-516-2512 or Prince Georges Crime Solvers at 866-411-8477.

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Anonymous tips can also be entered online.

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Philadelphias race for district attorney is one to watch in this odd-year election cycle, when there are neither national nor state elections in Pennsylvania, so turnout will undoubtedly be quite low.

Incumbent Larry Krasner faces a competitive Democratic primary race against Pat Dugan, a retired municipal judge. Voters will decide on May 20, 2025.

Krasner gained national attention when he originally ran as a progressive prosecutor in 2017 and received financial support from liberal financier and philanthropist George Soros.

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Once elected, he was, as I wrote in my book Reforming Philadelphia, 1682-2022, arguably the most liberal DA in the citys history, who campaigned on never pursuing the death penalty, ending cash bail, and seeking alternatives to incarceration.

Dugan, meanwhile, previously served not only as a municipal judge but also as president judge. This means that the other municipal court judges elected him to lead both the criminal and civil divisions of the court.

Either Krasner or Dugan will become the citys next district attorney, since theres no Republican or independent candidate running.

So what do district attorneys do anyway?

Chief law enforcement officers

District attorneys are often called the chief law enforcement officer of an area, typically a county. Their office is responsible for charging and prosecuting  or deciding not to prosecute  people arrested for crimes in that county.

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Yet the DA does not lead the police.

The police are typically a separate office under the mayor that is responsible for keeping the peace, with the power to arrest people suspected of committing crimes.

Attorneys working for the DAs office decide, based on police reports and potentially other evidence, whether to charge an arrested person for a crime and what crime they should be charged with.

The DAs office then seeks to convince a criminal court judge of the guilt of the person charged with the crime.

Larry Krasner, who was first elected in 2017, is running for a third term. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Elected and independent

Critically, district attorneys are elected. They are independent of and separate from the mayor, who oversees the police. In fact, the DAs office can disagree with the mayors office on policy issues related to law enforcement  yet they still have to work together.

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Its a form of divided government and checks and balances, and some policy differences are evident in the relationship between Krasner and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker.

For instance, Krasner has argued for harm-reduction programs such as needle exchanges and supervised injection sites to deal with the citys opioid addiction crisis. Yet the Parker administration eliminated city funding for needle exchange programs in its 2025 budget.

Officials of the state

The fact that DAs typically work for a county is also important. Unlike cities or towns, counties are administrative subunits of states. So DAs are state law enforcement officers.

Philadelphia is the only consolidated city and county in Pennsylvania, meaning the city and the county have the same geographic boundaries and their governments have for the most part been combined.

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The powers, duties and responsibilities of the district attorneys office are not specified in the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, but rather in the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.

The purpose of having DAs as state officers responsible for their respective counties is that it provides some uniformity in law enforcement across the state. This is pretty important considering the potential severity of criminal charges, which in Pennsylvania can include the death penalty.

It is important to note, however, that Pennsylvania also divides its counties into nine separate classes based on population. Different conditions apply to each class.

With over 1.5 million residents, Philadelphia is the states only first-class county. It is also unique in terms of the DAs workload, both because of the countys population size and its high arrest rate.

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The sheer volume of crimes that can be prosecuted makes the Philadelphia DAs office important from a policymaking perspective.

Discretionary powers

District attorneys do not make criminal laws. But each DA has significant discretion over where they focus the attention of their attorneys.

Approximately 300 assistant DAs and 600 total staff, including other attorneys, work under Krasner.

DAs decide what kind of attorneys they hire to serve as assistant DAs. For example, they decide whether those attorneys have a more progressive or a more traditional law-and-order philosophy. When Krasner became DA, some personnel left and other staff members were terminated. This provided the new DA plenty of opportunities to hire new people.

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DAs also have significant discretion when it comes to whether to charge a person with crimes and what crimes to charge them with.

Krasner, for example, decided in 2018 to not charge people for marijuana possession. He also instructed his team to not charge sex workers arrested for prostitution. And, for a time, he reduced the charges against shoplifters if the stolen goods were valued under US$500, making it a less serious offense.

Krasners lenient approach to petty crimes is the basis for one of Dugans chief criticisms: that the DA is responsible for the increase in shoplifting in Philadelphia. Major retailers, most notably the Wawa convenience store chain, have cited theft as the reason they closed stores in the city.

For his part, Krasner notes that he established a retail theft task force in 2024 and now treats thefts under $500 as more serious offenses.

Locked cases are a familiar sight at pharmacies in Philly, where retail theft has spiked in recent years. Jumping Rocks/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Alternatives to incarceration

In line with these discretionary powers, DAs may also set up special initiatives such as diversionary programs that offer alternatives to both conviction and incarceration.

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For instance, a diversionary program that Krasner expanded is one for juvenile offenders who have stolen cars. Instead of being charged with a crime, the young people are put into a five-week program that teaches decision-making and other life skills.

Dugan has also been active in the diversionary space and had a prominent role in establishing a Veterans Court in Philadelphia in 2010. The Veterans Court recognizes the unique problems faced by many veterans, particularly when it comes to substance use and mental health problems, and tries to divert them away from the criminal justice system and toward treatment, while also lessening the burden on the traditional criminal court system.

Read more of our stories about Philadelphia.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Richardson Dilworth, Drexel University

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Richardson Dilworth does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.






A pilates teacher in Brazil was found dead at her Ribeirao Preto apartment in the state of Sao Paulo on March 22, per local media reports

Larissa Rodrigues, 37, had recently found out her husband, Luiz Antonio Garnica, 38, had allegedly been having an affair, local news agency G1 noted

Garnica and his mother, Elizabete Arrabaca, 67, have now been arrested amid accusations that they fatally poisoned Rodrigues, per the outlet







A Brazilian pilates teacher's husband and his mother have been accused of fatally poisoning her, according to multiple local media reports.

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Larissa Rodrigues, 37, was found dead in her Ribeirao Preto apartment in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo on March 22, per O Correio Brazilense.

On Tuesday, May 6, Rodrigues' husband, Luiz Antonio Garnica, 38, who is a doctor, and his mother, Elizabete Arrabaca, 67, were arrested on suspicion of qualified homicide, G1 reported, citing the country's Civil Police. G1 added that Rodrigues had recently discovered Garnica had been have an extramarital affair, citing investigators.

Local police chief Fernando Bravo alleged that Rodrigues had told friends she "felt sick every time her mother-in-law visited her," per one of G1's translated posts. It's thought Arrabaca was the last person to see Rodrigues alive, the outlet stated.

"This is an indication that she was gradually poisoned, which corroborates all the information we received, that she felt ill during the week, after her mother-in-law's visit. This is an indication that, for us, she was gradually poisoned," Bravo said, the publication reported.

Larissa Rodrigues/Facebook Larissa Rodrigues Larissa Rodrigues

According to UOL, a toxicology report "concluded the cause of death as poisoning after finding the substance popularly known as 'chumbinho' in the victim's body."

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"Chumbinho is a substance used as pesticide, but it is not sold over the counter in Brazil for domestic use," toxicologist Daniel Junqueira Dorta, professor at the USP Chemistry Department, said, per G1.

"It is restricted and difficult to access. It leads to a cholinergic crisis [loss of motor function] and, depending on the extent and intensity of this crisis, it can lead to several factors, including the possibility of culminating in the death of the individual," he added, according to the outlet.

The toxicology report also indicated traces of lead had been found in Rodrigues' system, per G1. UOL reported, citing police, that Arrabaca had tried to buy lead 15 days prior to her daughter-in-law's death, and had allegedly called a friend, who owns a farm, to ask if she had the substance.

Police officer Bravo claimed Garnica had attempted to get rid of evidence by cleaning their apartment after finding his wife in rigor mortis, UOL reported.

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"His involvement was very obvious to us," Bravo said, per the outlet.

Garnica had reportedly been having an affair, and police allegedly found his lover at the apartment when they carried out a search warrant, the outlet noted. The pair had allegedly gone to the movies together the day before Rodrigues' death, UOL stated.

Arrabaca denied involvement in the murder case as she spoke briefly to reporters while on her way to a custody hearing on Wednesday, May 7, G1 noted. In an emailed statement to PEOPLE, Garnica's lawyer, Julio Mossin, also denied all the charges against his client, insisting, "There is no evidence that he poisoned his wife or helped anyone else to do so."

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.

Rodrigues' longtime friend, Maisa Ramos, said in an interview with TV Globo-affiliated EPTV of the last in-person conversation she had with Rodrigues about her marriage in February, "She knew it was a relationship that wasn't working out, but she couldn't leave. So much so that the last time we talked, she said 'I can't leave.' ... In the message we exchanged, she said it was out of fear, but she didn't say what kind of fear," per O Correio Brazilense.

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Amid Rodrigues' murder case, the Civil Police have also requested exhumation of the body of Garnica's sister, who died in February, per G1.

The Civil Police of the State of Sao Paulo and the Court of Justice of Sao Paulo didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.

Read the original article on People
The selfless example of Mormon pioneers was presented in Utah Wednesday as a beacon for global leaders during the second annual Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit.

The pioneers divided into companies that selflessly planted crops and built cabins for those who traveled the plains of the American West after them, said Presiding Bishop Gerald Causse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Most would move on before enjoying the fruits of their own labors. Similarly, strong communities and lasting organizations are built by those who look beyond themselves  those willing to plant today so others can harvest tomorrow," said Bishop Causse, who spoke during the first day of the two-day summit at the Zions Technology Center.

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The summit began with a discussion of global trade between former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert. Wednesdays speakers will include past prime ministers of the United Kingdom (Theresa May), New Zealand (Jacinda Ardern) and Australia (Kevin Rudd) and former U.S. Secretaries of State Condoleeza Rice and Antony J. Blinken.

Bishop Causse made a case that service is both an economic driver that benefits companies that promote it in both the short and long term as well as a Christian imperative for the Church of Jesus Christ. He outlined ways the church engages in local, national and global humanitarian work that included spending $1.45 billion to care for those in need in 2024.

Bishop Causse, who led a global food distribution company before joining full-time church service, said there is no coincidence between Utahs position as a leading state in economic growth and volunteer service.

Bishop Gerald Causse, presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks at Crossroads of the World: International Trade Summit at Zions Bancorporations Technology Center in Midvale on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

These two are connected. The values people develop through service, often beginning at a young age, carry over into their professional lives, driving hard work, dedication and innovation, he said.

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He encouraged business leaders to make service a core value of their organizations for that reason.

Service doesnt just benefit the community  it also strengthens businesses and other organizations," he said, pointing to research by the ProBono Institute published as The Business Case for Volunteerism. The article highlighted research showing that corporate volunteer programs boost employee engagement, help attract and retain talent and support leadership development, Bishop Causse said.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is intentional about providing people with service opportunities because service often blesses the giver as much as the receiver, he said.

Thats our goal  to uplift both, givers and receivers, he said.

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Bishop Causse said the churchs JustServe app and online platform recently reached the milestone of connecting 1 million volunteers to service opportunities. More than 18,000 organizations in 18 countries have posted service opportunities, and there are now more than 300 JustServe clubs in high schools, he said.

Service may be the most powerful force for good, he said. As a church, we actively seek ways to bring people from all walks of life together to experience the joy of serving one another.

The church releases an annual report on its giving called Caring for Those in Need for two reasons, Bishop Causse said.

We share these summaries each year to show those who donate their time or resources the collective good their contributions make possible, he said. We also hope that others who see these efforts will feel inspired to join us in serving those in need.

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Beyond reporting the churchs financial support for those who need it, Bishop Causse said one of his favorite data points is the documentation of 6.6 million hours of volunteer service donated by Latter-day Saints last year.

That, for me, is the heart and soul of what we do, he said.

The report cannot capture all the service church members give in their communities or the true impact of service, he said. It also should motivate global and local leaders as well as parents.

We must help the rising generation develop a love for service early in their lives, as early as possible in their lives," he said.

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The churchs vast, global humanitarian efforts are rooted in the Great Depression, when church leaders paired unemployed church members with local farmers who couldnt afford to hire workers. The members worked in exchange for food. The system produced a surplus that the church began to distribute, Bishop Causse said.

Bishop Gerald Causse, presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks at Crossroads of the World: International Trade Summit at Zions Bancorporations Technology Center in Midvale on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Today, our production exceeds the needs of our own church members, which allows us to donate and ship millions of pounds of food and other commodities to food banks across the country as part of our broader humanitarian efforts," he said.

During the pandemic, most of the churchs food donations went to people who are not members of the church, he said.

He said the churchs motivations are rooted in Christian fundamentals.

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While we are grateful to offer humanitarian aid, we want to be clear that we are not a humanitarian organization in the usual sense, he said. We are a church, and we give and serve because ... we intend to live or strive to live the two great commandments as taught by Jesus Christ: loving God and loving our neighbor. Service lies at the heart of this commitment and is a core, unchanging principle of our faith.

The church has expanded its total humanitarian welfare expenditures every year from at least 2015 to the present, the Deseret News has reported.

... Each year we work to increase our contributions and service in ways that can create a lasting impact, Bishop Causse said Wednesday.

While the church helps those in need and provides opportunities to serve, another goal is to foster self-reliance through educational and work opportunities, he said.

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For example, Bishop Causse said that:

BYU-Pathway Worldwide provided an affordable online program for online certificates and degrees to 75,000 students in over 180 countries in 2024.

The Perpetual Education Fund supported about 7,000 students who pursued vocational training in their home countries last year.

Deseret Industries thrift stores helped nearly 18,000 people find work last year.

As much as I wish we could feed every hungry child, shelter every person in need and care for everyone who is sick, we know the church alone can only do so much, he said. But when many organizations and individuals share that same commitment to serving others, our combined impact can reach far beyond what any one of us could do alone.
Tacoma police have arrested a suspect in the shooting death of a high school student last month.

17-year-old Veron Locket was shot and killed along East 41st Street on Sunday, April 20.

Today, Tacoma police say theyve put together enough evidence to arrest a 20-year-old man in the case.

KIRO 7 spoke with Lockets mother at the end of April, who says she was just waiting for him to get home for dinner that night.

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I never will get to meet his children. I will never get to meet his children, the mother said. I got to go to the funeral service to make arrangements for my baby who was trying to do his best and someone decided to take it.

A week earlier, just down the road, another high school student was shot dead. So far, there have been no arrests in that case.
BOSTON (WPRI)  Massachusetts State Police has identified the 16 suspects arrested in connection with a yearslong fentanyl and cocaine takedown operation.

The suspects were taken into custody last month after detectives searched 20 locations throughout Fall River, Taunton, Raynham, Norton, Pembroke and Falmouth.

Investigators uncovered a total of 2,360 grams of cocaine, 1,364 grams of fentanyl, 33 firearms, numerous high-capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and $109,355 in cash.

The 16 suspects arrested during Operation No Love. (Courtesy: Massachusetts State Police)

The joint investigation, dubbed Operation No Love, began back in March 2024 and was spearheaded by the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team.

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Throughout the investigation, an undercover trooper successfully purchased drugs nine times from one of the suspects.

Police said the controlled purchases served as a starting point for investigators, who then used a combination of physical and electronic surveillance, toll analysis and court-authorized electronic intercepts of target cell phones to identify the organizations hierarchy, primary suspects, communication devices, vehicles, methods of operation and supply sources.

The information developed by investigators allowed them to obtain search warrants for 11 locations in Taunton, two in Raynham, four in Fall River, and one each in Falmouth, Pembroke and Norton, according to police.

The investigative team, comprised of nearly 200 troopers and officers, then fanned out on April 15 to search each of the locations.

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The next day, the investigation team received additional intel regarding one of the Taunton locations. Police said investigators returned to that location as a result and uncovered a loaded pistol, 1,028 grams of fentanyl and 80 grams of cocaine.

RELATED: 16 arrested in Southeastern Massachusetts drug sweep

The following 16 suspects were arrested as a result of the investigation and are facing numerous charges:

Fall River District Court:

Yosef Ali, 49, of Fall River Trafficking 100 grams or more of fentanyl Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine Conspiracy to violate drug laws



Alis bail was set at $75,000.

Jean Carlos Castillo Mendoza, 44, of Fall River Trafficking 100 grams or more of fentanyl Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine Conspiracy to violate drug laws



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Castillo Mendozas bail was set at $150,000.

Taunton District Court:

Jorge Santiago, 36, of Taunton Two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class B Substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws



Santiagos bail was set at $20,000.

Jorge Arce, 46, of Taunton Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine Trafficking 36 grams or more of fentanyl Possession of ammunition with a license Conspiracy to violate drug laws



Arces bail was set at $100,000.

Neftali Torres, 51, of Taunton Trafficking 100 grams or more of cocaine Conspiracy to violate drug laws



Torres bail was set at $25,000.

Christopher McLaughlin, 43, of Taunton Trafficking 18 grams or more of cocaine Trafficking 18 grams or more of fentanyl



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McLaughlin was ordered held without bail.

Shawn Roias, 35, of Taunton Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine Possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws Possession of a large capacity feeding device Possession of a firearm while committing a felony



Roias bail is set at $25,000.

Courtney Whitmore, 27, of Taunton Trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine Conspiracy to violate drug laws



Whitmores was set at $10,000.

Val Bettencourt, 50, of Taunton Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance  subsequent offense Conspiracy to violate drug laws



Bettencourts bail was set at $10,000.

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Brayton Crites, 26, of Taunton Two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance  subsequent offense Conspiracy to violate drug laws



Crites bail was set at $20,000.

Andrew Williams, 27, of Raynham Five counts of trafficking 18 grams or more of cocaine Two counts of trafficking 36 grams or more of cocaine Three counts of distribution of a Class B substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws



Williams bail was set at $25,000.

Sabrina Cohen, 27, of Taunton Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws



Cohens bail was set at $1,000.

Lucas Guimaraes, 29, of Norton Trafficking 36 grams or more of cocaine Conspiracy to violate drug laws



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Guimaraes bail was set at $25,000.

He will also eventually be arraigned in Attleboro District Court on the following charges: Trafficking 100 grams or more of cocaine, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, possession of a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without a license.

Brian Szakaly, 27, of Raynham Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws Possession of a firearm while committing a felony



Szakalys bail was set at $15,000.

Falmouth District Court:

David Brasil, 45, of Falmouth Possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance Possession of a Class C substance Conspiracy to violate drug laws



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Brasils bail was set at $500.

Mary Hunt, 59, of Falmouth Possession of a Class B substance



Hunt was released on personal recognizance.

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Boston resident Andrew Owens was identified as the one person killed in a double shooting in Roxbury last month, Boston police said.

At around 11:03 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, police learned of a person shot in the area of 2343 Washington St., Sgt. Detective John Boyle, the departments lead spokesman, said in a statement. That address is the location of a Citizens Bank branch.

Officers found 38-year-old Owens shot, Boyle said. He was then taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

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A second person checked themselves into a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Boston Police Departments Homicide Unit continues to actively investigate this shooting, police said. Anyone with information about it is strongly urged to contact the unit at 617-343-4470.

More local crime stories

Read the original article on MassLive.
Police have identified the victim killed in a weekend shooting in Roxbury last month.

Andrew Owens, 38, of Boston died after he was found shot on Washington Street on April 19, police said Wednesday.

About 11:03 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, officers responded to the area of 2343 Washington St., Roxbury, for a report of a person shot.

When officers arrived, they found Owens suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

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A second victim took themselves to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The Boston Police Departments Homicide Unit is actively investigating the homicide.

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 at 1-800-494-TIPS, by texting TIP to CRIME (27463) or online.

Photos and videos related to the investigation can also be submitted anonymously via CrimeStoppers. Boston Police say the department strictly protects the identities of those who assist in investigations anonymously.

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For those affected by this incident, the Boston Neighborhood Trauma Team offers free and confidential support 24/7. Residents who need emotional assistance may call 617-431-0125.

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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BED-STUY, Brooklyn (PIX11)  A police officer was critically injured in a crash with a civilian car in Brooklyn on Wednesday, according to the NYPD.

The crash happened at Walworth Street and Willoughby Avenue in Bed-Stuy around 8 p.m. The officer, driving with his lights and sirens on, was responding to a man with a gun, according to authorities.

More Local News

Police said the officer, who was traveling eastbound on Willoughby Avenue, then slammed into a 28-year-old man driving a Nissan sedan northbound on Walworth Street.

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The officer was taken to a local hospital in critical but stable condition, according to authorities. Police said the 28-year-old man suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
DES MOINES, Iowa  One of the suspects in a home invasion robbery in Des Moines last week has been arrested, and police are still looking for three others.

Court documents reveal the incident happened on May 1st, around 7:30 p.m. at a home in the 3300 block of 8th Street. Sgt. Paul Parizek, spokesperson of the Des Moines Police Department, said a family reported four people, one armed with a handgun, entered the victims home and stole about $60,000 in cash.

Mohamed Abukar

The criminal complaint said a 16-year-old in the home had posted a photo on social media of about $60,000 in cash, of his mothers money. The teenage victim told police he knew who the suspect with the gun was and identified 18-year-old Mohamed Abukar.

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Knoxville man charged in drive-by shooting that resulted in him shooting himself in the leg, police say

The victim said Abukar bit his arm during a struggle, and he gave the man the money because he feared for his life.

Sgt. Parizek said a search warrant served Wednesday led to the recovery of a substantial amount of cash and the arrest of Abukar. He is charged with first-degree robbery and is being held in the Polk County Jail.

Parizek offered advice to residents about keeping large amounts of cash in the home.

While having some cash on hand could be helpful at some point, there is a lot of risk that comes with keeping large sums of cash in your home. The risk of fire, or theft, and the possibility that your insurance company may not cover a large loss of cash, makes a bank or other financial institution a much safer option.

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The investigation continues, and more arrests are expected in the case.

Metro news

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  The new pope spent some of his younger years attending a Catholic prep school for aspiring priests in Allegan County, local Catholic leaders say.

Bishop Edward Lohse of the Diocese of Kalamazoo said he previously met the new Pope Leo XIV  then Robert Francis Prevost, a native of Chicago  while attending a bishops school in Vatican City.

He said, I went to high school in the diocese, that he was studying as a high school student in this diocese when the diocese was established and he used to help at our parishes, Lohse told News 8.

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Robert Prevost elected the first American pope in history, will take the name Leo XIV

Diocesan leaders did not know the name of the minor seminary at which Leo studied, but said it was part of the Augustinian order. Leo is a member of that order.

The Saint Augustine Seminary, a prep school for Catholics, was at the Felt Mansion and Shore Acres Park in Laketown Township, between Holland and Saugatuck. Archives of the Holland Evening Sentinel from October 1972 reference Robert Prevost as a senior at Saint Augustine Seminary High School. The Felt Estate confirmed he graduated in 1973. The Holland Sentinel covered a reunion for the school in 2013 and said Prevost was there.

The estate was built by inventor Dorr Felt in 1925 and bought by the Augustinian order in 1949 for use as a school, with the goal of educating between 50 and 60 students at a time who were interested in becoming priests. The mansion included the dorm and chapel and a garage was converted to host classes and include a library. By 1965, the Felt Estate said, the school was serving 180 students and had a waiting list of 400. But interest later waned and enrollment was below 70 by the mid-1970s. The school closed in 1977. The state bought the land and Laketown Township bought it for $1 in 1996. The mansion is now a venue and museum.

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In a Thursday statement, the Felt Estate said it recognizes this historic moment as one of profound significance  not only for the Catholic Church but also for people in West Michigan and around the world who believe in the values of service, unity, and stewardship.

We are proud to steward the historic buildings and landscapes of Pope Leo XIVs formative years, Elizabeth McEwen, executive director of the Felt Estate, stated. His life of service, his commitment to social justice, and his unique connection to both American and global communities reflect values that we seek to honor through the preservation of the Felt Mansion and the programs we offer.

Pope Leo got a bachelors degree from Villanova University and then went to seminary at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago to get his masters of divinity. He was ordained in 1982.

BISHOP: POPE KIND, DOWN TO EARTH

After white smoke rose from the chimney at the Sistine Chapel Thursday, signaling the selection of a new pope, Bishop Loshe was listening as the name of the new pope was read out.

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As soon as they said Robertum, I was thinking I only know one guy in the running whose name was Robert. So it was Cardinal Prevost, who is a wonderful man, Lohse said, describing the new pope as kind and very down to earth.

He said though his meeting with Leo was brief, it was an experience that stayed with him.

There are times when you just meet somebody and get the sense that this is a really good person, Lohse said.

Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, overcame a taboo against a US pontiff

Tyler Stuut, who learned the new pope had been picked during noon Mass at the Cathedral of St. Augustine Cathedral, said he had trusted in his faith as he waited along with millions of other Catholics around the world for the cardinals to choose the next leader of the church. He said hes hopeful for the future.

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We just hope that people will continue to want to come and join the church, be faithful Catholics and just have excitement and joy in the Holy Spirit, he said. Were just excited.

The Diocese of Grand Rapids says it has three seminarians studying in Rome, at least two of whom were in St. Peters Square as Leo addressed the faithful for the first time as pope.

A Grand Rapids seminarian at St. Peters Square in Vatican City ahead of the election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025. (Courtesy Diocese of Grand Rapids)

White smoke is seen coming from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel from St. Peters Square in Vatican City, signaling the election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025. (Courtesy Diocese of Grand Rapids)

St. Peters Square in Vatican City on the day of the election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025. (Courtesy Diocese of Grand Rapids)

In a statement released by the Grand Rapids diocese, Bishop David Walkowiak celebrated the selection of the new pope.

Today is a historic moment not only for our Universal Church, but particularly for the Church in the United States as we witness an American elected as the Successor of St. Peter for the first time. In a special way, we give thanks and count our blessings for a pope with deep ties to the Midwest, Walkowiak wrote.

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He asked the faithful to pray for Leo and work for a united church, referencing Leos first address.

The Diocese of Grand Rapids will host a thanksgiving Mass celebrating the selection of the new pope at 12:05 p.m. Friday at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew.

The Diocese of Kalamazoo will host its thanksgiving Mass at St. Augustine at 5:30 p.m. May 19.

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On day two of the conclave, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the new pope of the Roman Catholic Church

Prevost, whose papal name is Pope Leo XIV, makes history as the first American pope

Pope Francis elevated him to be a cardinal in 2023







The Roman Catholic Church has found its next pope: Cardinal Robert Prevost, whose chosen name is Pope Leo XIV.

Over the course of the conclave  the secretive process of choosing a new pope  members of the College of Cardinals gathered in the Vatican for several rounds of voting. There were 133 voting cardinals, marking history as the most electors to date.

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On day two of the conclave, white smoke came out of the Sistine Chapel's chimney, signaling that a new pontiff had been chosen in the wake of Pope Francis' death on April 21.

Nearly one hour later, Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first American pope in history, walked onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and made his first public appearance to the world as Pope Leo XIV.

After his first words  "peace be with you"  he paid tribute to Pope Francis, saying that the late pontiff "blessed Rome, gave his blessing to the entire world that morning of Easter."

"Allow me to follow up on that blessing," Prevost continued. "God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail."

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So, who is Cardinal Robert Prevost? Here's everything to know about Pope Leo XIV.

He was born in Chicago

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Newly elected Pope Robert Francis Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave in The Vatican on May 8, 2025. Newly elected Pope Robert Francis Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave in The Vatican on May 8, 2025.

Prevost was born in Chicago on Sept. 14, 1955. According to the Chicago Sun Times, Prevost was raised by his parents, Louis, an educator, and Mildred, a librarian, alongside his two siblings, Louis and John.

The new pontiff makes history as the first American pope, though he is also a dual citizen of Peru.



Sacred Heart University catholic studies professor Dr. Charlie Gillepsie told PEOPLE that the new popes election is a clear signal that the College of Cardinals felt the calling of the spirit to elect someone for the whole globe.

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As for how he feels about the new pope, Gillepsie said he was surprised and excited.

Notre Dame American studies and history professor Kathleen Sprows Cummings echoed the excitement about the first-ever US-born pope, saying, Its a reminder that the church is a global one.

He had really the best chance of any American ever because he was born in the United States, but he spent most of his life outside of the United States as a missionary, and also working in Italy, working at the Vatican, she told PEOPLE. He's really a bridge builder among three different continents, which is perfectly consistent with what the church needs.



He attended Villanova University

Franco Origlia/Getty US cardinal Robert Francis Prevost attends the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Peter's Basilica on April 19, 2025, in Vatican City. US cardinal Robert Francis Prevost attends the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Peter's Basilica on April 19, 2025, in Vatican City.

In 1977, the new pope received a bachelor degree in mathematics from Villanova University. Per Villanovas website, the university is one of the two Catholic, Augustinian institutions of higher learning in the United States.



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After graduating, he earned a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982, and was ordained as priest the same year.



Two years later, he earned his licentiate degree in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, followed by his doctorate degree in 1987.



In 2014, Villanova awarded him an honorary doctor of humanities degree.

Pope Francis elevated him to be a cardinal

Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Pope Francis appoints as new cardinal U.S-born prelate prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Robert Francis Prevost during the Ordinary Public Consistory for the Creation of new Cardinal at St. Peter's Square on Sept. 30, 2023, in Vatican City. Pope Francis appoints as new cardinal U.S-born prelate prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Robert Francis Prevost during the Ordinary Public Consistory for the Creation of new Cardinal at St. Peter's Square on Sept. 30, 2023, in Vatican City.

Prevost's papal election is a full-circle moment, as the former pope himself elected him to be a cardinal a few years earlier.

In 2023, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, which oversees the selection of new bishops from across the globe, and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. He officially became a Cardinal in January 2024, per Vatican News.

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Prior to that, Prevost was the leader of the Augustinian order after serving as the bishop of the city of Chiclayo in Peru.

During a May 2023 conversation with Vatican News, Prevost said that his life "changed a lot" going from being a missionary bishop in Latin America to leading the dicastery that helps the pope choose bishops.

"[It is] a very different mission from before, but also a new opportunity to live a dimension of my life, which simply was always answering Yes when asked to do a service," he said. "With this spirit, I ended my mission in Peru, after eight and a half years as a bishop and almost twenty years as a missionary, to begin a new one in Rome."



His papal name is Pope Leo XIV

Dan Kitwood/Getty The newly elected Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV is seen for the first time from the Vatican balcony on May 8, 2025, in Vatican City. The newly elected Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV is seen for the first time from the Vatican balcony on May 8, 2025, in Vatican City.

Upon stepping onto the balcony, Prevost officially revealed his papal name: Pope Leo XIV.

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This isn't the first time that a pope would choose a new name upon taking their new title. Pope Francis, for example, was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

According to Vatican News, popes often choose names of their immediate or distant predecessors out of respect, admiration or recognition to mark continuity. However, it is also common for popes to use different names to "mark innovation."

Per Brittanica, Prevost's chosen name, Leo, follows a longtime tradition dating back to St. Leo I, who died in 461.

He has spoken out about "beliefs and practices" that are "at odds with the gospel"

TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost addresses the crowd on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time in The Vatican on May 8, 2025. Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost addresses the crowd on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time in The Vatican on May 8, 2025.

Prevost is regarded by many as a centrist, per CBS News.

According to The New York Times, Prevost gave an address to bishops in 2012 in which he expressed disapproval with how Western news media and popular culture fostered "sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel."

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Per the outlet, he cited the homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.

According to the outlet, while he was working as a bishop in Peru, he also opposed a government plan to implement more gender education in schools. The publication further reported that he has been praised for supporting Venezuelan immigrants.

More recently, Prevost has opposed Vice President JD Vance's views on several occasions.

"JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others," read the headline of a story the pope shared on X in February 2025.

Read the original article on People
DENVER (KDVR)  The world continues to watch and wait as 133 cardinals remain sequestered inside the Vaticans Sistine Chapel as the secret conclave ceremony takes place.

They will decide who will succeed Pope Francis as the new leader of the Catholic Church. Black smoke billowed from the Chapel on Wednesday, indicating no pope has been chosen and the voting will continue Thursday morning.

Black smoke rises from Sistine Chapel chimney, conclave doesnt elect pope in first vote

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There are 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, but many more are closely following the conclave in anticipation of the impact the new pope will have. FOX31 spoke to Dr. Chris Pramuk, an author and Regis University theology professor, about the conclave process.

The choosing of a Pope is always a very dramatic reminder of the global reach of the Catholic Church, he said.

The 133 cardinals must arrive at a two-thirds majority vote to determine who will now lead the Church in a world facing conflict, war and political unrest. Pramuk says Catholics will be looking for consistency in a new leader.

Francis is a hard act to follow in terms of his personality and his style as a leader, his deep care for the poor, especially for the marginalized, he said.

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As a result of Pope Franciss legacy, this is the most diverse conclave in the churchs 2000-year history, with cardinals from 70 countries. Strict protocols ensure the integrity of the selection.

Literally, the word conclave means with a key; theyre locked into the Sistine Chapel with a key to minimize any undue exterior influence, said Pramuk.

From conclave to white smoke, a glossary of terms used in a papal transition

Pramuk explained the symbolism of black or white smoke emitted from the top of the chapel.

The ballots are burnt, put in an oven, then ballots once theyve been counted, and they add a chemical to create the black smoke if its not a majority vote, he said.

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Pramuk says the impact of the new Pope will be evident in nations around the world.

The Pope kind of represents to me the single figure who kind of gives us visual moral guidance in a world that I think today desperately is thirsty for that I think people are looking for signs of hope that goodness is possible, he said.

The conclave ceremony originated in medieval times. Pramuk tells FOX31 that in the 1800s, there was a conclave that lasted three years due to political pressure. The ceremonies now typically last two to three days.

Pramuk provides more information about the conclave ceremony on the Regis University website.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
A new Pope has been chosen. He is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the first American Pope in history, and he will be known as Pope Leo XIV, according to an announcement from the Vatican.

The Vatican made the announcement that the new Pope was elected just after 11 a.m. Central Time in the United States on May 8, 2025, as the world waited for the name of the pontiff, which emerged about an hour later.

"I announce to you a great joy; we have a Pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Robert Francis Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Prevost who has taken the name Leo XIV," the Vatican wrote. "Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti announces that the Cardinals have elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who took the name Pope Leo XIV."

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The Vatican shared a photo showing the famous white smoke that signals the cardinals in the conclave had chosen the 267th Pope.

White smoke! The 133 Cardinal electors gathered in the Vaticans Sistine Chapel have elected the new Pope. He will appear soon at the central window of St. Peters Basilica, Vatican News reported on X.

US Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost attends the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peters Square on April 26, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Who is the new Pope?

According to the College of Cardinals report, Robert Francis Prevost "a former prefect of the influential Dicastery for Bishops, is a Chicago-born prelate with views close to Pope Francis who spent many years as a missionary in Peru before being elected head of the Augustinians for two consecutive terms."

White smoke! The 133 Cardinal electors gathered in the Vaticans Sistine Chapel have elected the new Pope. He will appear soon at the central window of St. Peters Basilica. pic.twitter.com/XejI7mY43m  Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025

The new Pope will replace Pope Francis as the leader of the Catholic Church.

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Viral videos showed Catholics running to and filling St. Peter's Square in joy.

Habemus Papam!

Within minutes, St. Peter's Square became packed to the brim. We are waiting for the #NewPope. pic.twitter.com/l62MqK05Iz  ks. Tomasz Podlewski (@ks_t_podlewski) May 8, 2025

Just a few hours before the big announcement, Vatican News had shared a photo showing black smoke coming from the chimney, indicating that the cardinals were still divided.

Black smoke billows from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, meaning the 133 Cardinal electors have not yet chosen a new Pope, Vatican News wrote just after 5 a.m. Central Time in the U.S.

"When a pope dies or resigns, the governance of the Catholic Church passes to the College of Cardinals. Cardinals are bishops and Vatican officials from all over the world, personally chosen by the pope, recognizable by their distinctive red vestments," the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops explained.

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"The cardinals vote by secret ballot, processing one by one up to Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment, saying a prayer and dropping the twice-folded ballot in a large chalice," the Conference wrote.

"Four rounds of balloting are taken every day until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote. The result of each ballot are counted aloud and recorded by three cardinals designated as recorders. If no one receives the necessary two-thirds of the vote, the ballots are burned in a stove near the chapel with a mixture of chemicals to produce black smoke, its explanation says.

When a candidate gets enough votes, the white smoke is released, and the decision is announced, as just occurred on May 8.

According to CNN, the new Pope was chosen pretty quickly as the consensus was reached on the second day of the conclave.

Related: How Is a New Pope Chosen? Explaining the Conclave
The first American-born pope is not a fan of the Trump administration.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who is now Pope Leo XIV, has multiple posts on his X account that criticize or outright rebuke the words and policies of President Trump.

In February, he shared an article from the National Catholic Reporter titled JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others, in response to Vances bastardization of the concept of ordo amaris, a narrow interpretation of love that Pope Francis himself admonished.

X screenshot Robert Prevost @drprevost JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others https://ncronline.org/node/292716 via @NCRonline Feb 3, 2025

In April, he reposted Catholic writer Rocco Palmo, who wrote, As Trump & Bukele use Oval to [aid] Feds illicit deportation of a US resident, once an undoc-ed Salvadorean himself, now-[Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar of Washington, D.C.] asks, Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?

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Pope Leo was also critical of Trumps family separation policy. In 2018, he retweeted a scathing post from Cardinal Cupich: There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.

The new pope also has multiple reposts showing sympathy and support for George Floyd, the Black man whose police murder was a catalyst for racial justice movements in 2020. He reposted words in opposition to Trumps refugee ban and Muslim ban, as well as articles on rivers of blood flowing from Russias invasion of Ukraine and the Russian attack on a Catholic missionary headquarters in Mariupol.

The pope is expected to strike a Francis-like chord on issues of immigration and poverty, two things the current administration is directly opposed to.


Theres a new pope in town, and it took mere moments for the internet faithful to find what appears to be his social media account.

Judging from the content hes shared, Pope Leo XIV and Vice President JD Vance  an adult convert to Catholicism  might have a few disagreements. The 69-year-old pope hails from Chicago and is the first U.S. leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

On Feb. 3, Pope Leo  then Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost  shared an opinion piece, JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

The article itself, published in the National Catholic Reporter, argues against Vances claim of a rigid biblical hierarchy that dictates how Christians should prioritize who to love.

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When it comes to something being biblical, we have to be careful, cautions Kat Armas in the piece. Nearly anything can be found in Scripture if youre looking for it  stories of war, oppression, miracles and love, all written by people grappling with what it meant to be faithful. The Bible is not a rigid manual but a living testimony of human wrestlings with the divine.

Another post in Pope Leos feed includes criticism of President Donald Trumps Oval Office meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, where they laughed at the circumstances of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who Trump mistakenly sent to a prison there.

Leo retweeted the post, which included the quote: Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?

As Trump & Bukele use Oval to  Feds illicit deportation of a US resident (https://t.co/t80iDMbBKf), once an undoc-ed Salvadorean himself, now-DC Aux +Evelio asks, Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet? https://t.co/jTradMfr0v  Rocco Palmo (@roccopalmo) April 14, 2025

Related...
The Catholic Church's new pope may not see eye to eye with one of their own: Vice President JD Vance.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became the first ever pontiff from the U.S. after being selected during on the second day of the papal conclave. The Chicago-born pope, who took the name Leo XIV, succeeds former Pope Francis after his death last month.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, congratulated Leo in a post on X.

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"Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election!" Vance said on May 8. "I'm sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!"

But Vance and the new pope appear to be on opposite sides of U.S. immigration policy and the true meaning of "ordo amoris"  a theological debate the vice president sparked earlier this year.

Vance invoked ordo amoris  meaning "order of love"  as he defended President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration. During a January Fox News interview, Vance argued that Christianity teaches people to love those closest to them and accused Democrats of caring more about migrants than American citizens.

Francis disagreed, telling U.S. bishops in a February letter that "Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups." Vance met with Francis at the Vatican during the final hours of the former pontiff's life.

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Leo shared multiple articles on the X that defended Francis' views on immigration and disputed Vance's position. One of them was an opinion piece in the National Catholic Reporter with the headline, "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others." Leo also reposted a column from Bishop Evelio Menjivar, who has criticized U.S. immigration policy.

"To those of you who are silent or think this does not involve you, to those of you who are not troubled by this  or worse, who applaud it  particularly those who are Catholic, I ask you: Do you not see the suffering of your neighbors?" Menjivarwrote. "Do you not realize the pain and misery and very real fear and anxiety these unjust government operations and policies are causing? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?"

A Vance spokesperson did not immediately comment on Leo's social media activity.

Pope Francis letter, JD Vances ordo amoris and what the Gospel asks of all of us on immigration https://t.co/Ikk8gqOMzn  Robert Prevost (@drprevost) February 13, 2025

State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at hbemiller@gannett.com or @haleybemiller on X.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Pope Leo XIV criticized JD Vance immigration views on social media






Pope Leo XIV addressed the world for the first time on Thursday, May 8, shortly after being elected pope

In his first message, he preached a message of peace and acceptance throughout the church

He also thanked his predecessor Pope Francis, his "brother cardinals" and his diocese in Peru











Robert Francis Prevost has addressed the world for the first time as Pope Leo XIV.

The new pope, 69, stepped onto the center balcony at St. Peter's Basilica just before 7:30 p.m. local time to deliver his first address as head of the Catholic Church.

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Speaking in Italian and Spanish to a sea of supporters in St. Peter's Square, who appeared to be visibly moved, the first words of his message were "peace be with you all."

TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Pope Leo XIV's first address. Pope Leo XIV's first address.

At another point during his speech, which lasted roughly 10 minutes, the new pope also thanked his predecessor, the late Pope Francis.

"We still keep in our ears that weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis blessing Rome," the new pope said. "The Pope who blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world that morning on Easter Sunday."

He continued, "Allow me to follow up on that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all and evil will not prevail."

DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty St. Peter's Square during Pope Leo XIV's address. St. Peter's Square during Pope Leo XIV's address.

Pope Leo XIV noted that he is a "son of St. Augustine," a saint remembered for his critical Bible interpretations and accessible rhetoric, according Britannica.

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He also thanked his "brother cardinals" for choosing him as pope as well as his "dear diocese of Chiclayo in Peru." Overall, he stressed a recurring theme of peace.

"We must be a synodal church. A church that walks. A church that always seeks peace. Always seeks charity. Always tries to be close especially to those who suffer," he said.

The new pope then led a pray for the "new mission for the whole church for peace in the world."



ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost gestures on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica in The Vatican, on May 8, 2025. Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost gestures on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica in The Vatican, on May 8, 2025.

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Born Sept. 14, 1955, Pope Leo XIV is a Peruvian-American from Chicago. In January 2023, Francis made him a prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and that September, Francis appointed him as Cardinal, per the Vatican.

The new pope's chosen papal name, Leo, follows a long tradition dating back to St. Leo I, who died in 461.

Read the original article on People
Originally appeared on E! Online

A new pope has risen.

After an even shorter conclave than the two-day affair during which Pope Francis was elected, the College of Cardinals picked Chicago-born Robert Prevost, 69, as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, during their fourth round of voting.

Choosing to go by Pope Leo XIV, Prevost is the first pope ever from the United States, and only second from the Americas after the Argentinian Francis.

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While technically any baptized Catholic man is eligible for the papacy, only a relative handful of cardinals were considered serious candidates to succeed Francisor, as some of his critics emphasized, all popes are really successors of the first pope, St. Peterand Prevost was one of them, albeit a longshot among the frontrunners since there had never been a North American pope.

White cassocks in several different sizes awaited whomever emerged the winner (and a tailor was on hand to ensure a proper fit), along with the traditional skullcap, or zucchetto. The snowy white garments signify innocence, charity, and holiness, and the 33 buttons on the cassock signify the number of years Jesus Christ walked the Earth.

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Like Francis before him, Leo XIV eschewed the red shoes favored by some of their predecessors, but did don the red mozetta, or cape when he appeared on the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica to greet the thousands of faithful (and faithfully curious) who flocked to St. Peter's Square at the Vatican in hopes of being there when the white smoke signaled that a new pope had been chosen.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images

In his first remarks as Pope Leo XIV, he sent a unifying message.

"We can be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, that is always open to receive everyonejust like in this square, to welcome everyone, in charity, dialogue and love," the pontiff born Robert Francis Prevost told the crowd (and the millions watching live around the world).

Invoking the final Easter blessing Francis gave before his death on April 21, the new pope continued, Allow me to continue that same blessing: God loves everyone; evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. So without fear, united hand and hand with God and among ourselves, we go forward."

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Here is what to know about Cardinal Robert Prevost, who became Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025:

Who is Cardinal Robert Prevost?

Prevost was born in Chicago on Sept. 14, 1955, to Louis Prevost, a school administrator and Navy veteran who fought in World War II, and Mildred Martinez Prevost.

He was an altar boy at St. Mary of the Assumption Church on the South Side of Chicago and had an eye on the priesthood by the time he was of high school age. He graduated from Villanova University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and joined the Order of St. Augustine that September.

Prevost took his first vows in 1978, followed by his solemn vows in 1981. The following year he earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and was ordained a priest by Archbishop Jean Jadot for the Augustinians in Rome.

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He also has a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

In addition to becoming the first U.S.-born pope, he is the first Augustinian as well.

What are Robert Prevost's international credentials?

Prevost joined an Augustine mission to Peru in 1985 and was chancellor of the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas for a year. He returned to the country in 1988, spending 10 years as head of the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo, where he also taught canon law and served as prefect of studies.

In 2001, Prevost was elected to a six-year term as Prior General of the Augustinians and reelected in 2007, keeping him in Chicago. He served as director of formation in the Convent of St. Augustine in Chicago from 2013 to 2014, then returned to Peru, where he spent a year as Apostolic Administrator of Chiclayo.

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In 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo and remained in that post until 2023.

Prevost, who has dual Peruvian citizenship, speaks English, Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese, and can read Latin and German.

He understands that the center of Catholicism "is not in the United States or the North Atlantic," Raul E. Zegarra, assistant professor of Catholic theological studies at Harvard Divinity School, told the New York Times.

Alessandra Benedetti - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

When did Robert Prevost become a cardinal?

Pope Francis called Prevost to Rome in 2023 and made him a Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, the office responsible for evaluating and recommending candidates for the episcopate (bishop positions) around the world.

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On Sept. 30, 2023, Prevost became a cardinal.

He officially embarked on his role as Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Monicathe 20th-century Augustinian church in central Rome, not the coastal California cityin January 2024.

On Feb. 6, Francis promoted him to the Order of Bishops and, according to Vatican News, Prevost was Cardinal-Bishop of the Suburbicarian Church of Albano until he was chosen to be the 267th pope.

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What is the significance of the name Pope Leo XIV?

Not unlike members of the British royal family, popes get to pick their own names, and Prevost was introduced May 8 as Pope Leo XIV.

Some go with monikers in honor of recent pontiffsor in John Paul II's case, the pope who immediately preceded him and died after only 33 days on the job in 1978or choose a name in honor of a distant pope they hope to emulate.

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Or they start entirely fresh, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio becoming the first Pope Francis, taking his name from Saint Francis of Assisi, known for renouncing his wealth and dedicating his life to serving the poor.

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Pope Leo XIII led the church from 1878 until his death in 1903 at the age of 93.

Known as the "Social Pope" and the "Pope of the Workers," he was considered an intellectual and a modern thinker.

As for the new pontiff, While he was head of the Diocese of Chiclayo, he did his job very well," Peruvian deacon Cleider Perez Mejia, 25, who traveled to the Vatican to be there for the pope's election, told NBC News. "People there are very fond of him and deeply attached to him.

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Mejia added, I believe the name he chose is also meaningful: Leo XIII was the pope who mediated between modernity and the ancien regime. By choosing this name, he has sent a clear signal about what his role will be in such difficult times as these.

Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images

What was Cardinal Robert Prevost known for?

While a progressiverelatively speaking for the Catholic churchwhen it comes to his support for immigrants and advocacy for the poor, Prevost was considered one of the more moderate of the candidates to succeed Francis, while also remaining in the realm of the recently deceased pope's mission to create a bigger tent for a more diverse group of worshipers.

Per the Times, he's considered "reserved and discreet," a departure from the more gregarious Francis, who on the day before he died defied doctors' orders and hopped out of his Popemobile to bless a newborn in St. Peter's Square.

Rev. Michele Falcone, a priest in the Order of St. Augustine who considers Prevost a mentor, called him the "dignified middle of the road."

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He does not have excesses, Falcone said. "Blessing babies, yes. Taking them in his arms, no.

Added former classmate Rev. Mark R. Francis, "I know that Bob believes that everybody has a right and a duty to express themselves in the church."

What has been the reaction to Pope Leo XIV?

American Catholics and non-Catholics alike can't help but be a little jazzed by the selection of a native Chicagoan.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope, President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Former President Barack Obama, one of the Windy City's most famous transplants, wrote on X, "Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith."

Chris Wimbush, interim president of Catholics for Choice, a U.S. group representing those of the faith who believe in upholding reproductive rights, said in a statement that they welcome Leo XIV and are "praying that he will be a pope guided by a commitment to peace, justice and inclusion."

He continued, As a bishop and cardinal, Pope Leo has transcended borders in his ministry to people in poverty and to immigrants. His election today gives us a renewed sense of hope for a Catholic church that will recognize the importance of synodality, guided by the spirit of Pope Francis. And while he follows in a giants footsteps, we hope that he will leave his own unique mark as he guides the church forward."

While the world gets to know Pope Leo XIV, it's never too early to start casting. See all the actors who've played the pope onscreen through the years:

Jude Law

The Holiday star portrayed the fictional, upstart Pope Pius XIII on the TV series The Young Pope.





Anthony Hopkins

The Silence of the Lambs actor portrayed Pope Benedict XVI in the 2019 biographical film The Two Popes.





Jonathan Pryce

The Slow Horses star played opposite Anthony as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the future Pope Francis.





Robbie Coltrane

The Harry Potter actor played fictional Father Albinizi who accidentally is elected Pope in 1991's The Pope Must Die.





Jon Voight

In Pope John Paul II, the National Treasure alum played the titular pope.





Cary Elwes

The Princess Bride actor played the younger version of Jon's Pope John Paul II.





Piotr Adamczyk

The Polish actor portrayed the future Pope John Paul II in the TV series Karol: A Man Who Became Pope.



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After the Holy See announced a new pope  Pope Leo XIV, the successor to Pope Francis  attention will turn to the Catholic churches in Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania for ways to welcome the new pope.

But will there be an official Mass to welcome the new pope? Here's what we know.

Will there be a special Mass in Pennsylvania to welcome to the pope?

It seems more than likely that Catholic churches in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania will hold a special Mass to welcome Pope Francis' successor.

Thousands wave and cheer as Pope Francis rolls by in his Pope mobile to speak at the Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

In Pennsylvania, special Masses were held in Allentown and in Muhlenberg Township to mark the start of the conclave.

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The Archdiocese of Philadelphia hasn't yet published any guidance regarding special Masses for the incoming pope, and the Mass schedule for Philadelphia archdiocesan for the nearly 40 member-churches don't yet have entries for a special mass.

While those member churches will have mass as scheduled (including this Sunday), it is likely the leaders of those specific churches will mark the occasion of a new pope in some official fashion.

The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh marked on its website the election of Pope Francis' successor, and Bishop David A. Zubik didn't mention a special Mass in his official statement on the papal election.

The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh held a special mass of remembrance for Pope Francis in April, and it appears likely the Pittsburgh Church and its dozens of member churches and parishes will also convene a special Mass to welcome to new pope.

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The best course of action at this moment is to check with your local Church or parish this week about any special Masses to welcome the incoming pope.

Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Will special Masses be held in Philadelphia to welcome Pope Leo XIV?
After a little more than 24 hours of anticipation, the telltale white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday  signaling that the Roman Catholic Churchs 133 eligible cardinals had come to a two-thirds majority vote on who the next pope should be. The bells of St. Peters Basilica chimed, the crowd in St. Peters Square waved flags from different continents and chants could be heard: Viva il Papa! Long live the pope.

About an hour later, 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost emerged on the central balcony of the basilica in Vatican City as the new leader of the worlds largest Christian denomination  wearing the white papal cassock for the first time and choking back tears. Throngs of priests, nuns and Vatican employees could be seen on the surrounding rooftops, trying to catch a glimpse of their new spiritual father.

His chosen papal name: Leo XIV. He will now lead more than a billion Catholics around the world  including 53 million American Catholics. Peace be with you all, he said in Italian and Spanish from the balcony in his first public remarks. It is tradition for the new pope to offer a blessing from the balcony to the city and the world before a few additional remarks that often indicate how he plans to lead. He talked about building bridges and remaining close to those who suffered and emphasized peace and unity.

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The names popes choose for their tenure reflects the direction and vision they want for their papacy. Prevosts chosen name aligns him with a lineage of Pope Leos known for strong leadership in adversity, including Leo XIII, who served in the late 1800s and emphasized the dignity and rights of the poor and working class. He is the first American to hold the papacy, as well as the first Peruvian citizen, having been naturalized after working in the country for decades. Born and raised in the Chicago area, he was ordained as a priest after studying in Rome and is fluent in Spanish and Italian.

The Catholic Church was at a crossroads, with many wondering whether new leadership would be more progressive like Francis or more conservative, like the majority of the American Catholic bishops. It appears he is pastorally aligned with Pope Francis, who named him a cardinal in 2023. Notably, Francis also asked him to preside over one the most revolutionary reforms, in which he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations are greenlit and sent to the pope.

Leos papacy also comes at a time of tension between the Vatican and the Trump administration. A few months before he died, Pope Francis issued a letter to the churchs American bishops condemning the presidents approach to immigration and took direct aim at Vice President JD Vances attempts to use his Catholic faith to justify the administrations deportation policies. Pope Leo XIV, then a cardinal, publicly agreed with Pope Francis and posted on social media that JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

Heres what Pope Leo XIV has said over the years on a number of issues:

LGBTQ+ people

While Pope Francis made substantial strides in pushing the church toward including LGBTQ+ people, Pope Leo XIV is seen as less progressive on queer issues. The New York Times noted in a recent story that as a bishop in Peru, he opposed a plan to include gender teaching in school, noting that, The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that dont exist.

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In speaking to bishops in 2012, he criticized Western news media for cultivating sympathy at odds with gospel including homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.

Its unclear if his views have changed since. He has not fully endorsed nor opposed a document that would bless same-sex unions in the church. That said, he had supported Pope Francis general aim to make the church more inclusive.

Immigration

Leo seems to be aligned with Francis on immigrant and migrant rights, particularly because of his time in Peru, though he has not made many public statements on the issue. Francis pushed back on multiple anti-immigrant actions from Trump in the last year of his life, subtly calling out Vice President JD Vances beliefs on the issue in a February letter. Meanwhile, Leos X account has reposted several statements that were critical of Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Salvadoran president Nayyib Bukeles deportation plans.

Abortion and reproductive care

The new pope has not made clear his views on reproductive health concerns such as access to abortion, contraception, in vitro fertilization (IVF) or surrogacy. Historically, the Catholic Church has opposed those forms of health care.

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During his tenure, Pope Francis typically avoided highlighting reproductive health, though he was particularly critical of surrogacy and voiced concerns about IVF. He had also characterized the 2024 election as one that required Americans to choose between the lesser of two evils, citing Democratic nominee Kamala Harris support of abortion rights and President Donald Trumps anti-immigration policies.

Climate change

Leo follows Francis, who was known for his progressive beliefs on combating climate change and living sustainably. The new pope has signaled alignment with Francis environmental priorities. In the past, Leo stressed that the world should move from words to action, and that humans should have a reciprocal relationship with the environment. He supported the Vaticans shift to solar panels and electric vehicle usage.

In the days after Pope Francis died, social media platforms were flooded with conclave content as people began posting videos, memes and pope predictions as if talking about a celebrity gala or reality television show. The conclave  a historically secretive and solemn election attended only by older men in red cloaks  had a wider following this time around, particularly among the young, non-religious and perpetually online.

Church leaders issued reminders that betting on the conclave results was immoral as it used to be an excommunicable offense. One Canadian conservative magazine even resurfaced a video of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who is from the Philippines, singing John Lennons Imagine. It quickly went viral. Influencers wore paper skull caps to mimic Catholic cardinals and video compilations of clergy were mixed with Charli XCX audio. The real conclave also came after the 2024 release of a movie called Conclave  sparking more widespread interest in the religious event.

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There have been 266 popes from St. Peter  who was given the role by Jesus himself  to Pope Francis. Of those, 212 have been Italian men, but for the past 47 years, the world has known popes from other parts of the world. Pope John Paul II was the first Polish pontiff; Pope Benedict XVI was German; and Pope Francis, an Argentine, was the first from South America. And now there will be a new first  a pope from the United States.

The post What Pope Leo XIV has said about LGBTQ+ people, immigration and abortion appeared first on The 19th.

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Before Cardinal Robert F. Prevost was Pope Leo XIV, he was a leader in the Augustinian order with connections to an Oklahoma diocese.

Prevost served as provincial of the Augustinian Province of Chicago, or Midwest Augustinians, from 1999 to 2014, and as part of his work leading the region, he left an impact on Oklahoma Augustinian schools and organizations.

He previously served on the Board of Directors at Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa and even attended the dedication of the school's Saint Augustine Hall in 1999.

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Following Pope Leo XIV's announcement, Cascia Hall released a statement congratulating the newly elected pope on his position.

"This historic moment fills our hearts with hope and gratitude. As a Catholic Augustinian school within the Midwest province, we celebrate this historic moment with deep pride and gratitude. Pope Leo, a fellow Augustinian, carries with him the wisdom and spirit of St. Augustine, and we are filled with joy knowing that the Holy Spirit has called him to this sacred mission," the school stated.

Here's what to know about Pope Leo XIV's impact in Oklahoma:

New pope chosen: Is this the shortest conclave? What to know about election, white smoke

Prevost connected to Oklahoma diocese

Prevost was elected provincial of the Augustinian Province of Chicago, or Midwest Augustinians, in 1998. He returned to the United States to assume that position on March 8, 1999. The Midwest Augustinian province covers much of the central U.S. and part of Canada, including Oklahoma.

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As provincial, Prevost had several duties, including overseeing members in the province and assisting with ministries like education, schools and missionary work.

For example, Prevost attended the dedication of Cascia Hall Preparatory Schools Saint Augustine Hall in September 1999 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was also one of the four original trustees of the Cascia Hall Foundation.

In November 2014, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru.

What are Augustinians?

The Midwest Augustinians are part of the international Order of Saint Augustine in the Roman Catholic Church. The order values science and education and founded several schools and colleges, including Villanova University in 1843 and Merrimack College in 1947.

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In Oklahoma, Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa was founded by the OSA in 1926.

As a Bishop, Pope Leo XIV ordained three Augustinians to the Diaconate on the Solemnity of the Epiphany at a church in Chicago.

Pope Leo XIV is the first Augustine pope.

Tulsa Diocese reacts to Pope Leo XIV election

The Most Rev. David A. Konderla, Bishop of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, expressed his gratitude for Pope Leo XIV's election.

The Holy Spirit has faithfully animated the Church since Pentecost when the first apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and sent out into the world to share the Good News. Today, the Roman Catholic Church gives thanks to almighty God for sending us our next Supreme Pontiff. Please join me in praying for Pope Leo XIV as he begins his Petrine Ministry," Konderla said Thursday afternoon.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Pope Leo XIV linked to Oklahoma diocese, Catholic school: What to know
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, an American, has been named the new pope of the Catholic Church, USA TODAY reports.

The successor to Pope Francis, who will go by the name Leo XIV, goes down in history as the first pope from the United States. Francis, a native of Argentina, was the first pope from the New World when he was elected.

The new pontiff will go by the name Leo XIV. Pope Leo greeted the thousands Thursday, May 8, in St. Peters Square from the red velvet-draped central balcony overlooking the area to rounds of applause.

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So who is Pope Leo XIV? Here's what to know.

Who is the new pope? Meet Pope Leo XIV

Leo, 69, was born in Chicago. He attended Villanova University and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago before earning a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

He spent much of his career in South America as a missionary, CNN reports, and has been a Peruvian citizen since 2015. Per CNN, Leo is expected to continue the reforms of Pope Francis.

Pope Leo XIV is also fluent in several languages. He speaks English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese, and can read Latin and German, according to the National Catholic Reporter.

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He served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops (formerly known as the Congregation for Bishops), USA TODAY reports, and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023. He also served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023.

Cardinals voted multiple times before the pope was chosen

On the second day of the conclave to choose a successor to Pope Francis, the 133 cardinals spent the morning secluded away from the world in the Sistine Chapel, praying for guidance and conducting two secretive votes to choose the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics.

The electors reconvened in the afternoon and reached a decision, signaled by white smoke. Their choice was revealed when Pope Leo stepped onto the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Who is the new pope? Meet Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff
Robert Prevost was elected as the first American pope on Thursday, appearing on the balcony of St Peters Basilica as Leo XIV.

The 69-year-old pontiff takes immediate charge of the Vatican, leading the Catholic Church and holding authority over its 1.4 billion followers.

Pope Leo XIV delivered his first public address and his first Urbi et Orbi (To the City and the World) blessing in front of the thousands who had gathered in St Peters Square.

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Peace be with all you, he said from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica this evening, in his first public words.

Pope Leo then paid tribute to his predecessor Francis, saying he wanted to deliver his own blessing to the people as the late pontiff did in his final appearance in St Peters Square.

He spoke about building bridges with dialogue in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

Who is Robert Prevost, the new American pope?

09:19 PM BST

Thats all for today

Thanks for following our live coverage on the election of the new Pope.

Heres a reminder of what happened today:

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Shortly after 6pm local time (5pm BST), white smoke billowed from the chimney of the roof of the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new pope had been chosen

It followed just over 24 hours of voting and five separate ballots

Around an hour later, the new pontiff was unveiled as Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old from Chicago in the US

It is the first time that an American has been chosen to take charge of the Catholic Church

Peace be with all you, he said from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica this evening, in his first public words

Reaction poured in from around the world, including from Donald Trump, who said it was a great honour

09:16 PM BST

What happens now the Pope has been chosen?

The Vatican confirmed earlier this evening that Pope Leo XIV would join a Church service at 11am local time tomorrow (10am BST).

He will address crowds from the balcony of the Sistine Chapel on Sunday, before holding an audience with the media on Monday.

His next big decision will be where to make his first trip outside of Rome.

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This will be an early defining moment for the new pontiff, said Prof Schmalz, signalling to the world how he intends to connect with the global community  and how he will position himself in relation to Franciss reforms.

Pope Francis chose to first meet migrants on the Italian island of Lampedusa, to pray for those lost at sea, setting the tone for the rest of his papacy, during which he championed marginalised people in society.

08:52 PM BST

The new Pope intends to lead a pilgrim Church

There is no more crushing burden in this life than to be elected as the Vicar of Christ, writes Daniel Johnson.

Yet Pope Leo XIV greeted the watching world with unfeigned joy, as if relishing the near-impossible mission of leading 1.4 billion Catholics and offering the rest of the world an example of Christian evangelism and sacrifice.

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The new Pope is not only the first American to be elected, but his choice of name places him as a fierce defender of the independence of the Church in opposition to the secular world, following the tradition of Leo the Great, who miraculously saved ancient Rome from Attila the Hun.

At the end of the 19th century, Leo XIII defined Catholic social teaching to meet the challenges of modernity. In his career from Chicago to Chiclayo in Peru, Robert Prevost has mediated between capitalism and socialism, North and South, the mundane and the sublime.

So: What must he do? Feed my sheep, was the Lords injunction to Simon Peter. So the first pontiff received the most succinct job description possible.

08:37 PM BST

Obama congratulates fellow Chicagoan

Barack Obama congratulated fellow Chicagoan Prevost on his historic election as the first pope from the US.

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Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, Mr Obama said in a message on X.

This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith, he said.

Former president Joe Biden, a devout Catholic, also took to X to send his best wishes to the new pontiff.

Habemus papam - May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois, Biden said. Jill and I congratulate him and wish him success.

Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith.  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 8, 2025

08:10 PM BST

Pope to celebrate mass on Friday

Pope Leo XIV will celebrate mass at 11am Friday local time (10am BST), the Vatican has confirmed

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The Vatican also revealed the new American pontiff would hold an audience with the media on Monday.

07:51 PM BST

More reaction from world leaders

Giorgia Meloni is the latest world leader to congratulate new Pope Leo XIV on his election, hailing the powerful call to peace he made in his first address.

In a time marked by conflict and unrest, his words from the Loggia of Benedictions are a powerful call to peace, brotherhood and responsibility, she said in a statement, referring to the Americans inaugural address on the balcony of St Peters Basilica.

Meanwhile, Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum, whose country has the worlds second-largest Catholic population, on Thursday congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election.

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Ms Sheinbaum said she shared the pontiffs humanist values in favour of world peace and prosperity.

07:30 PM BST

Trump: What greater honour could there be?

Donald Trump has taken impromptu questions from members of the press at the White House after the new pope was unveiled as an American.

What greater honour could there be? he told reporters.

Were a little bit surprised, but very happy. Its just a great, absolutely great honour.

Mr Trump later confirmed that he was planning to meet the pope in the near future.

Credit: Reuters

07:24 PM BST

Starmer hails deeply profound moment

Sir Keir Starmer has hailed the election of Pope Leo XIV as a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics around the world.

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The election of Pope Leo XIV is a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom and globally, and begins a new chapter for the leadership of the Church and in the world, the Prime Minister said.

Pope Leo is the first American Pope. This is a momentous moment.

As Pope Francis papacy showed, the Holy See has a special role to play in bringing people and nations together to address the major issues of our time; especially on climate change, alleviating poverty and promoting peace and justice across the world.

I look forward to meeting the Holy Father and continuing to work closely with the Catholic Church here in the UK and internationally to advance our shared values and the common good.

07:19 PM BST

Prevost was critical of JD Vance in old tweet

It is not clear how the new pope will get on with the Trump administration.

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In February, Prevost critical of J D Vance when the US vice president cited medieval Catholic theology to justify the immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump.

Vance invoked a concept called ordo amoris, saying it was only right that people should prioritise their families, neighbours and communities over a stranger who lives thousands of miles away.

An account that appeared to be managed by Cardinal Prevost, as he was then, reposted a story by the National Catholic Reporter headlined JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others https://t.co/hDKPKuMXmu via @NCRonline  Robert Prevost (@drprevost) February 3, 2025

07:10 PM BST

Analysis: a magnificent goal for Team America

Hearing the name Robert Francis Provost was a total surprise to St Peters Square, and it looked like a surprise to him.

We expected almost anyone else, and when the cardinal proto deacon broke the news from the balcony that we habemus papam, there was a pause, then comprehension, then joy.

An American boy started screaming An American pope! My God! An American pope!

The new pope appeared at the balcony and waved; the crowd shouted his new name Papa Leo! Papa Leo! Finally, he spoke - from notes - somewhat nervously, as if overwhelmed. And clearly emotional.

His theme: a church that seeks peace and love and is close to the suffering. Dialogue and unity. These are themes of the late Pope Francis, too - but with a slight change in style. Leo was dressed in the red finery of previous popes, whereas Francis preferred pure white.

What do we know? Well, Wikipedia is overheating among the Vatican press corps as we speak.

Provost is a behind-the-scenes man, which might explain his trepidation. Hes 69, from Chicago; a BSc in mathematics. He worked for many years in Peru before being made an archbishop there. He was head of the influential dicastery for bishops.

If one must be political, he supported Francis change in pastoral practice to allow divorced and civilly remarried to receive the communion. His emphasis at the balcony upon being a missionary church, always talking and trying to unite, suggests he favours keeping Francis synod going. Conservatives might be disappointed by that, but these first glimpses at least suggest a new temperament, hopefully someone they can work with.

At this moment he is, for 1.4 billion catholics, a holy father. The chant of Ole-Leo went up: a magnificent goal for Team America.

07:00 PM BST

Zelensky hopes for continued support from new pope

Volodymyr Zelensky said he hoped for the popes continued support in his countrys fight against Russian aggression.

Congratulation Robert Prevost, the first American to become the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, the Ukrainian president said: Ukraine deeply values the Holy Sees consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federations military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians.

At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraines efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace.

I wish His Holiness Leo XIV wisdom, inspiration, and strengthboth spiritual and physicalin carrying out his noble mission.

Ad multos annos!

Congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex on his election to the See of Saint Peter and the beginning of his pontificate.



Ukraine deeply values the Holy See's consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation's military aggression  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) May 8, 2025

06:53 PM BST

A reformer in the mould of Pope Francis

Cardinal Prevost, 69, who was born in Chicago, has an impressive CV.

He spent years in Peru, first as a missionary and then an archbishop.

He is seen as a reformer in the mould of Pope Francis, who sent Prevost to run the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, in 2014.

Prevost liked the country so much that he acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015.

He held that position until 2023, when Francis brought him to Rome to be head of the Vaticans powerful dicastery for bishops, in charge of vetting nominations for bishops around the world.

Prevost was also president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, a job that keeps him in regular contact with the Catholic hierarchy in a region of the world that still counts the most Catholics.

Although he kept a low profile in Rome, he was part of one of the most significant reforms undertaken by Francis: adding three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St Peters Basilica - via REUTERS

06:43 PM BST

World leaders congratulate new pope

Spains prime minister Pedro Sanchez said he hoped newly elected Pope Leo XIV would contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defence of human rights.

May his pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defence of human rights in a world that needs hope and unity, Mr Sanchez wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Germanys new chancellor Friedrich Merz congratulated the Pope for giving hope and guidance to millions of believers.

06:40 PM BST

Leo XIV concludes first speech

Pope Leo XIV has just concluded his first speech as the new pontiff, offering a message of peace and dialogue without fear.

06:36 PM BST

Pope switches between Italian and Spanish

Pope Leo is switching between Italian and Spanish as he delivers his first remarks as the new pontiff.

We can all walk together towards that homeland God has prepared for us, he told the thousands gathered in St Peters Square. A special greeting to the Church of Rome.

He then switched to Spanish to thank his former diocese in Peru where a loyal people has shared its faith and has given a lot.

Aged 69 and originally from Chicago, Prevost has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru and became a cardinal only in 2023.

Pope Leo XIV delivers his first remarks to the thousands gathered in St Peters Square - AFP

06:34 PM BST

Pope Leo pays tribute to Francis

Pope Leo XIV has paid tribute to his predecessor Francis, saying he wants to deliver his own blessing to the people as the late pontiff did in his final appearance in St Peters Square.

Humanity needs Christ as a bridge to be reached by God and his love. Help us, and help each other, build bridges, he told crowds in St Peters Square.

06:31 PM BST

Pope Leos first words

Peace be with all you, Pope Leo XIV said from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica this evening, in his first public words.

06:30 PM BST

A great honour for our country, says Trump

Donald Trump has reacted to the election of Robert Prevost as the first American pope.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

06:27 PM BST

A big surprise

Thomas Reese, an American Jesuit priest, analyst and the author of Inside the Vatican, told The Telegraph: Its a big surprise. It shows that the Latin American cardinals were united behind him and pushed his election as pope.

They see him as one of their own because he was a priest and a bishop in Latin America and spent many, many years there. He is not just an American, he is a pope for all of the Americas. He is known as being pastoral, being good at listening. I think he will be in continuity with Pope Francis.

Asked whether it was unexpected for an American to be elected, Father Reese said: Oh yeah, shocking.

06:26 PM BST

Pictured: Pope Leo XIV appears on balcony

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St Peters Basilica - REUTERS

06:22 PM BST

Prevost will be known as Pope Leo XIV

Robert Prevost, who has just been announced as the new pope, will be known as Pope Leo XIV.

06:18 PM BST

Who is first American pope, Robert Prevost?

Robert Prevost has become the first North American pope, breaking a long-held taboo in a move likely to please Donald Trump.

Insiders have long thought that the US was the worlds only superpower and had more than enough geopolitical clout, without taking over the papacy as well.

He was not one of the obvious candidates, but he knows everybody, he spent 30 years as a missionary, he has languages, said a Vatican insider.

His time in Peru means he is one of the least American of the American cardinals. But he understands America and he can speak to the country, which is important in the Trump era.

Cardinal Robert Prevost attends the Fifth Novemdiale Mass in memory of late Pope Francis - Shutterstock

06:17 PM BST

Robert Prevost elected as first American pope

Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as the first American pope.

He is expected to appear on the balcony of St Peters Basilica after being elected as the new Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church.

06:11 PM BST

Seagull watches white smoke rise from Sistine Chapel

A seagull was perched on the roof of the Sistine Chapel as white smoke billowed from the chimney, signalling that a new pope had been selected.

Credit: Vatican Media/Reuters

05:48 PM BST

Watch: Tears of joy as new pope elected

There were tears of joy in St Peters Square as white smoke billowed from a small chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel.

Tens of thousands of well-wishers cheered after it emerged that a new pope had been elected.

Long Live the Pope! the crowds cheered in bright sunshine. We have a pope! said one sign held aloft.

05:40 PM BST

Swiss guards march through St Peters Square

Swiss guards march through St. Peters Square - REUTERS

Swiss Guards march through St Peters Square - AP

05:26 PM BST

In pictures: Celebrations as new pope elected

A nun reacts as white smoke signals that cardinals elected a new pope during their conclave - AFP

Large crowds celebrate on St Peters Square - Getty Images Europe

05:19 PM BST

What happens now?

Now that white smoke has appeared, the new pontiff is expected to appear on the balcony overlooking St Peters Square within an hour.

He is being led to a small room next to the Sistine Chapel as we speak, where he will put on the white papal robes.

A senior cardinal will then confirm the choice with the words Habemus Papam - meaning we have a Pope - and introduce him by his chosen papal name.

05:18 PM BST

Stampede rushes into St Peters Square

Extraordinary scenes here.

There is practically a stampede of thousands of people heading into the square, many of them running. Loud cheering, applause, people excited to get as close as they can to St Peterss Basilica.

Nuns react to white smoke from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel - REUTERS

05:10 PM BST

New pope elected

White smoke is pouring from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signalling a new pope has been elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church.

We are not yet sure who has been selected but it is likely to become clear within the hour.

White smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel - AP

04:58 PM BST

People enjoy the sun as they await the final smoke signal

Journalists record the festivities in St Peters Square - ETTORE FERRARI/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK

A woman enjoys the sunshine - DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP

Nuns wait for the smoke signal - YARA NARDI/REUTERS

04:47 PM BST

Clearly defined lines of belief: Cardinal backs Franciss vision

Argentine cardinal Angel Rossi, one of the 133 now gathered at the Vatican, told Reuters before the conclave that he hoped the next leader of the Church will maintain the vision of Pope Francis, a fellow Jesuit and his former teacher.

Rossi, 66, archbishop of the central Argentine province of Cordoba, is one of four cardinals from the South American country.

Francis was a reformer who sought to open up the Church despite criticism from more conservative groups. He pushed interfaith dialogue and focused on defending the poorest in society.

He left clearly defined lines of belief: service, not being a court church, looking out for the poorest, sharing among the wealthy, calling for the charity of nations, Rossi said in an interview last week.

Rossi, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, said that the 23 Latin American cardinals at the conclave would not necessarily be pushing for another pope from the region, but would want one who would continue the reforms made by Francis.

I think the solution isnt for him to be Latin American, but rather for the person to have the sentiments of Pope Francis, said Rossi.

04:20 PM BST

Next ballot expected soon

Smoke is expected to appear at about 16.30pm (BST) if the cardinals have elected a new pope.

If there is no smoke, it means the cardinals have not reached a two-thirds majority and they will begin a second round of voting.

Then, at about 6pm (BST), the cardinals will send out the final signal of the day  white if they elected a pontiff, and black if they must continue tomorrow.

04:08 PM BST

Nuns run for a good spot

After the gates opened to St Peters Square this morning, a group of nuns ran to pitch up and watch the election unfold - Alessandra Tarantino/AP

04:00 PM BST

Cardinal Parolin blessed by senior before conclave

As the Sistine Chapels doors slammed shut yesterday, leadership of the proceedings was assumed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and a contender to succeed him.

Parolin appears to have received blessings from Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals who led the final mass before conclave yesterday, who was caught on a hot mic saying Auguri doppio or double best wishes.

Italians are debating whether this was a customary gesture, an informal endorsement or even a premature congratulations.

The last Italian pope was Pope John Paul I, who served until 1978.

03:15 PM BST

A reminder of the leading candidates

02:56 PM BST

Ravioli banned at mealtimes because they could hold secret messages...

A curiosity about what is on the menu for cardinals when they have lunch in the Vatican, in between voting in the morning and voting in the afternoon.

Asparagus and ravioli are two items that are off the menu, the Italian media reports.

In the case of the latter, it is because in centuries past it was feared that messages could be smuggled to the cardinals inside the little packets of pasta. Or, worse than that, poison.

In the case of asparagus, the ban is for obvious reasons  for an assembly of 133 elderly men, the vegetable would have an unfortunate diuretic effect  not ideal when they are cloistered inside the Sistine Chapel for hours on end. And it also produces rather odorous urine, of course.

This effect, considered unpleasant in confined spaces, would go against the atmosphere of composure and sobriety that is essential during the voting, says Il Giornale newspaper.

Historically, the hollow nature of ravioli led to fears that they could be used to hold coded messages or poison, the paper says.

Given that ravioli are often rich and stuffed with cheese or meat, they are also off the menu because they are hard to digest.

02:22 PM BST

Votes will start to coalesce around frontrunners

Cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel held their first vote yesterday and another two votes this morning.

As votes proceed, the number of cardinals being nominated by their fellow Princes of the Church as candidates for pope is being gradually whittled down.

Votes will start to coalesce around frontrunners, says Gerard OConnell, Vatican correspondent for America magazine and author of the book The Election of Pope Francis  An Inside Story of the Conclave that Changed History.

Last night there will have been a very scattered vote. In 2013 (the conclave that elected Pope Francis), one in five of the cardinal electors got a vote  23 of them. But four eventually got a package of votes. Last night, the cardinals would have reflected on this and then this morning they would have cast their votes again. If a sizeable number throws their weight behind one or another of the lead candidates, then somebody may jump ahead. So that is the stage we are at now.

The two most likely candidates for now are the Italian cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, and Luis Antonio Tagle, a cardinal from the Philippines, says Mr OConnell.

If we get white smoke tonight I would be surprised if a third name pops up. But if it goes longer than that it means the two frontrunners have not made it and the dynamic will move elsewhere.

01:52 PM BST

Why might voting have taken longer on Wednesday?

Casting and counting ballots for a new pope might have taken longer than expected on Wednesday evening because of the large number of cardinals participating and the linguistic diversity among them.

The 133 electors are from 70 countries, and not all speak or understand Italian fluently, which could have slowed down the proceedings.

While in the past Latin was the universal language of the Church, nowadays not all cardinals understand Latin or even Italian, the lingua franca of the Vatican.

Another unknown was the length of the meditation delivered by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa after the Sistine Chapel doors closed and the voting began. Cantalamessa is the retired preacher of the papal household.

Also, the vote might have had to be done twice, if for some reason the first ballot had to be invalidated.

That occurred in 2013 when during one voting round, an extra empty ballot appeared.

01:28 PM BST

English-born 20th century conservative an inspiration for next Pope

The only English-born pope was Adrian IV in the twelfth century, writes Felipe Fernandez-Armesto.

But another such candidate came close, in successive conclaves in 1903 and 1914, when it was effectively impossible for a non-Italian to be elected.

Rafael Merry del Val was insuperably qualified by experience, character and a cosmopolitanism that made him almost emblematic of the universal aspirations of Catholicism.

Read the full story here.

01:05 PM BST

Pictured: Crowd reacts to black smoke

Selfies in St Peters Square - MASSIMO PERCOSSI/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK

Nuns on the second day of conclave - JEFF PACHOUD/AFP

12:47 PM BST

Lunchtime is for the powerbrokers, maybe

The temperature has dipped in Rome  I regret putting on shorts  and experts have absolutely no idea whats happening.

Last nights vote was delayed by a very long opening homily, which must have been fun, and by translation problems.

Remember, this is an historically big conclave packed with first-timers who dont know each other or even the lingo  and though this shouldnt delay the voting process, which proceeds in orderly silence, it might mean a consensus takes longer to reach.

Right now, theyll be at lunch in the Casa Santa Maria guest house (two stars, Id say).

Cardinal Maria Piancenza once described the fare as food you could eat at a train station, not helped by Francis, who preferred bland meals. There is reportedly artwork in the Casa portraying the late pontiff as a jedi knight.

Let us imagine the vote is divided: powerbrokers will be trying to persuade supporters of smaller candidates to think again. If it is currently close, there might be talk of compromises  promises made on, say, the future of the liturgy  to tip the open-minded towards a two-thirds majority.

Then back to voting around 4.30pm (BST). We could be standing in the square for one more night or two or three; historically it takes 3-8 ballots to finish this.

The restaurants, overpriced and over-booked, are the real winners.

12:28 PM BST

The Italian frontrunner tarnished by a Chinese pact

An Italian cardinal once tainted by a secret deal with China over the appointment of Catholic bishops has emerged as the favourite to be elected pope, Nick Squires writes.

Pietro Parolin, 70, is a seasoned diplomat who served under Pope Francis as secretary of state  effectively the prime minister of the Vatican City State.

Cardinal Parolin has moved ahead of the previous favourite, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, despite some in the Catholic Church being highly critical of the confidential accord that he negotiated with Chinas authoritarian regime.

Read his full profile here.

12:04 PM BST

Cardinals continue to break

The 133 cardinals retreat to Casa Santa Marta for lunch and a rest before the next two rounds of voting.

Source: Reuters

11:59 AM BST

Church scandals to overshadow vote

Cardinals will be influenced by the views of Catholics when they vote owing to high profile scandals that have tarnished the Churchs reputation in the past few years, an academic has said.

Six senior cardinals, including two contenders to be future popes  Cardinal Peter Erdo, of Hungary, and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, of the Philippines  have been accused by campaigners of covering up sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church.

The dossier of alleged cover-ups marks the first time multiple high-ranking cardinals have been targeted by co-ordinated, survivor-led action, the campaigners previously said.

Now, as cardinals vote, they will be forced to consider these failings.

Prof Frank Harrington, a lecturer in Christian ethics and theology at the University of Central Lancashire, said: Many issues of modern life affect the Catholic Church, so it can only be expected that the views of Catholics around the world will influence the Cardinals votes.

Whoever they elect will be leader of the worldwide Church, and will have to engage with Catholics from every continent.

A close friend of the late Pope Francis, Juan Carlos Cruz, told Sky News that the Church still has so much to do in tackling sexual abuse in the Church.

He said many bishops fail to report casesand support victims, adding: We are very aware of these cases and of countries who barely report these things.

Theres still much to do.

11:30 AM BST

How voting works

After all votes have been cast, the first scrutineer shakes the chalice to mix the ballots.

The last scrutineer then counts them one by one, transferring them into a second, empty container. If the number of ballots doesnt match the number of voters, all ballots are burned and a new vote is held immediately.

If the count is correct, the ballots are opened and read.

The three scrutineers sit at a table before the altar. The first reads the name written on a ballot and passes it to the second, who confirms the name and hands it to the third, who reads it aloud for everyone to hear and records the vote.

If two ballots appear to be written by the same person and bear the same name, they count as one vote. If they show different names, both are invalid, though the overall vote remains valid.

Once all ballots have been read and the votes tallied, the final scrutineer pierces each ballot with a needle through the word Eligo and threads them together with string. The ends of the string are tied in a knot, and the ballots are stored for safekeeping.

However, if two votes are held in succession, like this morning, the ballots from both are burned together at the end of the second round.

There will be two more votes this afternoon followed by one final smoke signal.

11:12 AM BST

Pictured: Scenes from the Vatican today

Marilis Pineiro, a Catholic who is visiting to watch the proceedings in St Peters Square, dressed her dog Romeo as a pope - Eloisa Lopez/REUTERS

Romeo seems un-phased by his heavy-looking costume - Eloisa Lopez/REUTERS

A pair of Italian police officers in ceremonial uniforms and with silver swords standing in front of St Peters Basilica - Nick Squires

Nuns await the news - Eloisa Lopez/REUTERS

Nuns strain to see the Sistine Chapel chimney, which is far away - DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP

10:49 AM BST

Senior cardinal hints Pope could be chosen today

A senior Catholic cardinal says he hopes to see white smoke today - a sign that a new pope has been chosen.

Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, said: I hope that when I return to Rome this evening I will find white smoke already.

He was speaking during a visit to Campania, a region south of Rome.

Cardinal Battista Re is not eligible to take part in the conclave because he is over 80.

He said he hopes that the Pope that todays Church and the world needs may be elected.

10:15 AM BST

A shrine to late Pope Francis

A makeshift shrine dedicated to the late Pope Francis has been set up a few yards from St Peters Square with the message Grazie, Papa Francesco or Thank you, Pope Francis.

Pope Francis died on April 21 - Nick Squires

Statues of Pope Francis - Nick Squires

10:05 AM BST

Soldier patrols Vatican with anti-drone guns

An Italian soldier is pictured armed with a drone-killing weapon patrolling a cobbled street leading to St Peters Square.

The hefty weapons block the signal between the controller at a remote location and the drone itself, causing it to crash to the ground.

Yesterday, the Vaticans Swiss Guards and Italian Carabinieri were mobilised with more than 4,000 officers deployed around the Vatican.

A soldier in the Vatican - Nick Squires

09:50 AM BST

Anybodys guess when cardinals will reach agreement

The size of the crowd in St Peters Square is very modest this morning compared to the tens of thousands who gathered last night to see the first smoke signal emerge from the chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel.

The authorities said up to 45,000 flooded into St Peters and the surrounding area last night.

This morning, theres far fewer.

Cardinals will hold two more rounds of voting this morning and we expect smoke  probably black  to emerge from the chimney at around midday local time, 1100am (BST).

There will then be two more rounds of voting in the afternoon, with smoke expected around 7pm local time, 6pm (BST)  unless cardinals come to a consensus earlier, in which case there could be white smoke at around 5.30pm local time, 4.30pm (BST).

It is anybodys guess as to when the cardinals will reach an agreement on who should be the next pope.

09:41 AM BST

Conclave is the least European on record

The conclave is the most diverse in history, with cardinals coming from all over the world to elect the next pope.

09:39 AM BST

Who are the frontrunners?

This time around, there are no stand-out candidates, making it harder to guess who will be the next pope.

Predicting who will be chosen as the next leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics is notoriously fraught with difficulties. In theory, any baptised Catholic male could be made Pope.

Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, is among the leading candidates, as well as diplomat Pietro Parolin.

Read the full story here

09:26 AM BST

Name to signal papal direction

The first sign of the new popes priorities will be revealed in the name he chooses.

After the announcement Habemus Papam  We have a pope  from the balcony of St Peters Basilica is followed first by the revelation of the new pontiffs baptismal name, in Latin, followed by his papal name.

A Pope Francis II would signify continuity with the late pontiffs pastoral legacy and his prioritising of the marginalised.

Francis himself said that his successor would be John XXIV, after the progressive Vatican II-era pope.

The most popular papal name of the 20th-century, Pius, would be a clear signal that a traditionalist is at the helm.

09:09 AM BST

Journalists report from St Peters Square

Media workers cover the second day of the election at The Vatican - DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP

08:53 AM BST

Key timings today

The first ballot will be at about 9:30 BST (10:30), followed by another at 11:00 (12:00).

The cardinals will have lunch and a rest, followed by two more votes at approximately 16:30 BST (17:30 BST) and 18:00 (19:00).

08:47 AM BST

Scenes around the Vatican

Twas the night before Conclave, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a... cardinal. : Vatican Media pic.twitter.com/faSMCH4TP7  Colm Flynn (@colmflynnire) May 6, 2025

The 133 voting cardinals began their day with a short bus ride at 7:45, from Santa Marta to the Pauline Chapel for Mass and morning prayer.



After that, they went to the Sistine Chapel.



We're at least 90 minutes away from the first potential fumata: if a Pope is elected on the pic.twitter.com/Crxar2NtY6  Ines San Martin (@inesanma) May 8, 2025

08:26 AM BST

What is a conclave?

The conclave is the arcane process of choosing the next pope.

Cardinals from around the world will gather beneath the frescoed ceilings of the Sistine Chapel in the heart of the Vatican, where they will vote for Pope Franciss successor by secret ballot.

The chapel will have been swept for bugs and other recording devices and cardinals will be banned from using laptops or mobile phones.

For the last conclave in 2013, which followed the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, an oath of secrecy was taken by members of the Swiss Guard and Vatican gendarmerie, the city states police force, as well as the doctors and nurses who assisted elderly or infirm cardinals.

A Vatican master of ceremonies will pronounce the words Extra omnes (Everyone out), ordering staff and aides to leave the chapel so that only the cardinal electors remain.

08:22 AM BST

Frontrunners to become the next pope

08:12 AM BST

First people arrive at the Vatican

Many faithful are hoping that the second day of the conclave will give the Church a new pope after a first vote produced black smoke on Wednesday evening, sending a disappointed crowd to disperse in all directions in Rome.

Yesterday, some of the people had started thinking that the long wait was the sign cardinals had reached a decision in a first vote, which would be unprecedented in the modern era.

They probably need more time, said Costanza Ranaldi, 63, who travelled from Pescara in Italys Abruzzo region.

Chiara Pironi, a 26-year-old who lives in Rome, said she would keep returning to St Peters Square until a new pope is chosen.

I dont want to miss that moment, she said.

People waited for hours, watching screens that showed just a chimney and occasional seagull.

My hope is that cardinals will choose a man who can be a peacemaker and could reunify the church, said Gabriel Capry, a 27-year-old from London.

Nuns arrive at St Peters Square on Thursday morning - Markus Schreiber/AP

08:05 AM BST

Inside the Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapels frescoes, and Michelangelos in particular, are meant to remind the cardinals of the weighty responsibility they bear.

Once inside, each of the 133 Princes of the Church advance to the altar to take his personal vow, his hand on the Bible.

The cardinals pledge to maintain secrecy about whats about to transpire and to not allow any interference from outsiders to influence their voting.

The chapel is swept for bugs and other recording devices and cardinals are banned from using laptops or mobile phones.

Source: Giulio Origlia/Getty Images

08:01 AM BST

Pictured: Cardinals pray ahead of conclave

The cardinals prepare to vote on Thursday - Vatican Media

07:58 AM BST

Our visual guide to the election

The process to choose the new pontiff is laden with rituals and traditions.

Each day, dressed in striking scarlet robes, cardinals will make their way from their lodgings in Casa Santa Marta to the chapel, where votes are cast beneath the frescoes.

Heres our visual guide of how the cardinals will spend the next few days in the The Vatican.

Map data: Google

07:55 AM BST

What to expect today

There could be as many as four votes today with two ballots held in the morning and two in the afternoon until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority.

Cardinals had their breakfast between 5.30am BST (6.30am) and 6.30am (7.30am) ahead of mass at 7.15am (8.15am).

Two votes will now be held, followed by lunch and rest, when the cardinals retire to their lodgings in Casa Santa Marta.

Smoke will be released periodically throughout the day to update the outside world.

07:52 AM BST

The conclave is more conservative than you think

When Francis was elected as Pope in 2013, he was, in betting terms, a rank outsider.

The Argentine cardinal was up against the likes of Italian Angelo Scola (odds 3/1), Canadian Marc Ouellet (6/1) and Ghanaian Peter Turkson (11/4).

Some bookies had the soon-to-be-elected Francis as low as 40th.

Ultimately, Francis was the surprise liberal choice among a field of moderate-to-conservative contenders. Now, the inverse is true: a liberal candidate is favoured to win. A conservative resurgence, however, is far from unlikely.

Papal candidates, or papabili to borrow the Latin term for probable contenders for the Bishop of Rome, tend to lean conservative.

Analysis of the theological and social views of 24 papabili, as determined by the College of Cardinals Report, shows that two cardinals in contention are openly in favour of same-sex blessings, ordaining female deacons or reassessing the Churchs view on birth control.

07:50 AM BST

Hello and welcome to our live coverage

Were bringing you all the latest updates as some 133 cardinals resume voting for a second day to elect a new pope.

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Robert Prevost, the new Pope, has become embroiled in a social media storm after posts he appeared to share on X before he was elected criticised Donald Trump and JD Vance.

The 69-year-old American, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, expressed disapproval at the Trump administrations recent moves on immigration and Mr Vances interpretation of Jesuss teachings.

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A social media account, seemingly managed by Prevost when he was a cardinal, reposted a tweet on April 14 that was critical of the Trump administrations deportation of an illegal migrant to El Salvador. The tweet read: Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?

Prevost, who was born in Chicago, shared an article in February that argued the US vice-president was wrong to suggest Jesus asked Catholics to rank their love for others.

It came after Mr Vance had said it was a Christian concept to love your relatives, neighbours and countrymen more than strangers.

In 2017, before Prevost was a cardinal, he shared a message of support for dreamers, which are undocumented migrants who were brought to the US by their parents when they were children.

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Prevost has spent the majority of his life in Latin America and was granted Peruvian citizenship in 2015.

He is thought to be the first Pope to use a personal social media account in the history of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis, his predecessor, was widely considered the first social media pope as he looked to spread the word of God and increase the Church following online.

After first addressing the thousands who had gathered in St Peters Square in Italian on Thursday, the new Pope switched to Spanish to thank his former diocese in Peru where a loyal people has shared its faith and has given a lot.

Prevosts old tweets went viral shortly after he emerged from the balcony at St Peters Basilica for the first time. The tweet criticising JD Vance was viewed over 10 million times, including by Maga activists who railed against the new Pope.

JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others https://t.co/hDKPKuMXmu via @NCRonline  Robert Prevost (@drprevost) February 3, 2025

Laura Loomer, a Maga activist with ties to Mr Trump, accused Pope Leo XIV of supporting illegal aliens and open borders.

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She also accused Prevost of being anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis.

Catholics dont have anything good to look forward to, she posted on X. Just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican.

The new Pope @drprevost supports illegal aliens and open borders.



He retweeted tweets in support of "dreamers" aka illegals and attacked President Trump's use of the phrase "bad hombres" to describe violent illegal aliens. He thinks it's a "racist" phrase. pic.twitter.com/UzbRtcxHhw  Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) May 8, 2025

Reacting to the election of Pope Leo XIV, which came after 25 hours and five rounds of voting, Mr Trump said it was a great honour.

What greater honour could there be? Were a little bit surprised, but very happy. Its just a great, absolutely great honour, he told reporters.

The US president later said he was planning to meet the Pope in the near future.

Mr Vance added: Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!

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AS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES its assault on political, legal, and ethical norms across large swaths of the federal government, state courtrooms, private businesses, educational institutions, and even the lives of individuals, the Republican-led Congress has wrongly ceded much of its constitutional authorityincluding the power to impose tariffs and rescind authorized appropriationsto the White House. Crucial checks on the executive inherent in the separation of powers have thereby disappeared. Nevertheless, the administration has run into both popular and judicial roadblocksto say nothing of how it has repeatedly gotten its own waywhile attempting to impose its will on the federal government and the nation.

While its aggressive tactics likely mask internal disorganizationsuch is the norm in personality-driven regimes; making the boss happy is far more effective than any appeal to principle or ideologytheir actions are no less real or consequential for it. Opposition therefore remains crucially important. When the federal government takes action in spheres in which the executive has considerable unilateral power, as with the termination of jobs and the revocation of student visas, recourse is limited. But most private citizens or entities that become targets of the administration are on stronger footing, and they should fight back as publicly as possible, because when the administration comes for them, it often must stretch beyond its legal and even political capacities.

For example, the Associated Press successfully sued the government after the administration barred AP reporters from White House functions in response to the wire services refusal to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. (The Trump team has since learned they can skirt enforcement by not openly admitting that their actions have motivations that violate the First Amendment.)

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Independent media have never been more important. The Bulwark isnt loyal to any party or patronjoin our community and help us grow.

Its essential for organizations similarly targeted to avoid trying to go it alone. But by going after individual people and institutions, the Trump administration creates a collective action problem. As Gregory L. Poe observed in the case of the law firms Trump targeted with executive orders, each firm sought to protect its own interests by cutting a deal, and in doing so, they made themselves all more vulnerable. In late April, the administration announced a new executive order that, among other things, assigns the many law firms that signed deals with the administration to defend, pro bono, police officers against liability for unjustified violence. For Trump, lappetit vient a mangeanthis appetite grows as he eats. That is why the large-scale resistance the Trump administration is already facing is so encouraging and so important: It is in this way that he might be starved.

TRUMPS THREATS ARENT ALL equally serious. Some of his pronouncements suggest actions he wishes to take that are outside the powers of the federal government to do, though even these sorts of remarks can intimidate private individuals and companies, universities, and other organizations into following the administrations lead. Some states have also lined up to impose their own versions of MAGA via legislation and state directives to law enforcement. And even in his private capacity, Trumps actions as an individual are backed by the implicit power of the federal government. Hence the overgenerous settlement of his lawsuit against ABC and his likely payday from his frivolous lawsuit against CBS/Paramount.

When the administration claims a power without the force of law, the law remains available to those who would resist. Case in point: Trump issued an executive order to force states to take specific steps to prove citizenship to vote in federal elections even though the Constitution gives the power of setting terms for federal elections to Congress and leaves the regulation of those elections to states. The order has already been partially blocked in court for exceeding executive authority. To take another example, Judge Beryl Howell struck down Trumps executive order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie, which, unlike so many of their competitors, chose to fight the administration in court.

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Whats more, because these fights are maximally public, significant downstream effects will result from todays acts of resistance or capitulation. This is already becoming clear in the world of Big Law, whose mixed response to the administrations hostilities hasnt gone unnoticed by aspiring lawyers. Three Georgetown law students put together a working list of law firms to track the extent to which they have cooperated with the administration. Adam Klasfeld reported that the Google spreadsheet currently names more than 800 firms, assigning them to one of five stark categories: Caved to Administration, Complying in Advance, Other Negative Action, Stood Up Against Administrations Attacks, or No Response.

Georgetowns faculty and leadership have been as resolute as their students. The law schools dean, William Treanor, responded tersely to a letter sent by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin, who demanded that the schoolwhich is privatecease all diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives lest its graduates be disqualified from being hired by his office. Above the Law summarized Treanors measured and professional response to the interim U.S. attorney: F all the way off. Catty comments aside, this is precisely how institutions should react to the administrations bullying. If any institution is prepared to fight the administration, its a private, well-funded, religiously affiliated group of sophisticated lawyers.

Other American universities have had a mixed record dealing with Trump attacks. Columbia was first to surrender to egregious demands about staffing and curricula over several hundred million dollars in threatened funding. Harvard, however, faces revocation of more than $2 billion in grants and is resisting anyway. The administration reacted to Harvards resistance by claiming the threatening letter was sent by mistake, then by threatening to cancel Harvards tax-exempt status, then by blocking the university from access to new federal research moneywhich the administration is busily slashing anyway.



To be sure, not everyone or every institution that stands up to the administration will win or face no serious consequences. A few weeks after faculty at Indiana University voted to join a bloc of Big Ten schools to cooperate against future political attacks, the Republican-controlled Indiana legislature sneaked a rider into the budget that effectively stripped tenure from IU professors and gave the states enthusiastic MAGA governor, Mike Braun, the power to replace IUs board of trustees, which has been elected by alumni for over a century.

Harvard is likely to fight all the administrations retributive actions in court. It may win. Perhaps the precedents it sets will help IU maintain some of its traditional independence, as well. Either way, IU will be no worse off for Harvard having fought back. But everyone would be worse off if no one fought back.

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THE SAME PATTERN APPLIES TO INDIVIDUALS who are targets of the administration.

Trump issued an executive order targeting Chris Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency during the first Trump term, for denying that the 2020 election was stolen. The president ordered DOJ and DHS to investigate Krebss employer, SentinelOne. Krebs resigned immediately from the company following the order, underscoring the personal and financial costs of political courage.

The power of federal prosecutors is hard to exaggerate. As then-attorney general and later Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson told an assembly of U.S. attorneys in 1940:

The prosecutor has more control over life, liberty, and reputation than any other person in America. His discretion is tremendous. He can have citizens investigated and, if he is that kind of person, he can have this done to the tune of public statements and veiled or unveiled intimations. Or the prosecutor may choose a more subtle course and simply have a citizens friends interviewed. The prosecutor can order arrests, present cases to the grand jury in secret session, and on the basis of his one-sided presentation of the facts, can cause the citizen to be indicted and held for trial. He may dismiss the case before trial, in which case the defense never has a chance to be heard. Or he may go on with a public trial. If he obtains a conviction, the prosecutor can still make recommendations as to sentence, as to whether the prisoner should get probation or a suspended sentence, and after he is put away, as to whether he is a fit subject for parole. While the prosecutor at his best is one of the most beneficent forces in our society, when he acts from malice or other base motives, he is one of the worst.

All of these powers remain, and in some respects have increased in the eighty-five years since Jackson made those remarks. The FBIs arrest of a Milwaukee County judge is the latest effort to chill those who stand up to the administration. The judge has retained conservative superlawyer and former solicitor general Paul Clement on her legal team, suggesting a serious fight into the appellate level if necessary. Not everyone has the connections or resources to hire legal representation, but those who can do so must. There are too many local judges for the FBI to arrest them all, especially if the very first one gets the best legal team imaginable.

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It is daunting to contemplate Trumps legal and political onslaught for the next several years, but that should not dissuade us from resisting. Notably, Trumps DOJ has been antagonizing judges appointed by both parties, leading to loss after loss in federal court. Indeed, some of the highest-profile rebukes have come from jurists with stellar reputations within the conservative legal movement. While various legal, media, and academic institutions have caved to Trumps pressure, the federal bench has largely held its ground. The courts wont save us outright, but they may prevent the administration from enjoying every advantage in conducting its legal hostilities.

And there are signs that other American institutions are discovering that standing up to the Trump administration can be safe. Microsoft recently switched its legal representation in a major case in Delaware from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, a firm that had cut a deal with the Trump administration, to Jenner & Block, which did not.

In these and other instances, particularly against private citizens and institutions, Trumps greatest weapon is not the true force of law but reluctance of his opponents to fight back. As the political and economic consequences of the administrations policies become clearer to more Americans and the administration grows more desperate for victories, the number of their targets will increase. But that is likely to make their attacks less potent, not more. Consider that whichever side in any confrontation has the greater number of targets is the one we would describe as being outnumbered.

We would all be better offindividually and collectivelyif everyone who is able resolves to fight back.

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The City Council of Jacksonville, Fla. has voted to ban smoking and vaping on public beaches

The new ordinance includes an amendment to ban vaping, e-cigarettes, and unfiltered cigars on the sand

Violators will face a $50 fine and a possible misdemeanor charge

All types of smokers are going to have to clear the sand in one tourist hotspot.

On Monday, May 5, the City Council of Jacksonville, Fla., voted unanimously to ban all forms of smoking on its beaches.

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Residents expressed their concerns about the consequences of smoking as well as the harm that second-hand smoke causes to those in the vicinity of smokers.

The city's new amendment dictates that Smoking means inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, or possessing any lighted tobacco product, or electronic nicotine or vaping product, including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, electronic pens, e-cigarettes, and any other lighted tobacco, or electronic vaping product, as well as unfiltered cigars.

The ban went into effect immediately. Violators can expect to pay upwards of $50 if caught smoking on the sand and may be charged with a misdemeanor.



Previously, the ban excluded e-cigarettes, unfiltered cigars, and "any other lighted tobacco." However, with the latest addition to the ban, there's no debate on what beachgoers are allowed to smoke on the sand: nothing at all.

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Im a little disappointed we didnt do it in the first place, Councilman Greg Sutton said of the updated language, but I think its the right thing to do.

There is already discussion about applying a similar ban elsewhere in the city. Jacksonville Councilwoman Sandy Golding added that she hopes to expand the current bans to other public locations that the community finds littered with used tobacco products, including parks.

Getty Two Electronic Cigarettes stuck in sand Two Electronic Cigarettes stuck in sand

Jacksonville Beach is a tourist hub attracting spring breakers and families. According to local Florida newspaper, Alligator, in 2023, the state saw a record 37.9 million visitors between January and March, marking the largest influx during the spring break months.

Jacksonville is the latest in a string of cities in the state to implement smoking bans on beaches, joining Treasure Island, Dania Beach and Fort Lauderdale in South Florida, and Okaloosa Island Beach.

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Other tourism-focused states have made similar bans in all of their public spaces, including beaches. In New York, a smoking ban was enforced in 2022 for all public parks and beaches, with a $50 fine for violators. California has a similar ban that went into effect in 2019, which states that there's no smoking or vaping of tobacco and marijuana products "in most areas of California state parks and beaches." Violators in this state are fined $25.

Read the original article on People
Two Walgreens employees are recovering after a gunman opened fire inside a Port Orange store before police say he turned the gun on himself.

The shooting took place near Taylor Road and Williamson Boulevard in Port Orange.

According to law enforcement, the shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Police held a press conference at 8 p.m. and said two employees sustained injuries but didnt say how theyre doing.

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Officers said one customer was inside and unharmed.

The officers from Port Orange and surrounding agencies responded very quickly. The shooter was found deceased in the parking lot from a gunshot wound, said Mike Wallace with the Port Orange Police Department.

Inside Walgreens, police say they found two employees shot.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families involved tonight, said Wallace.

Walgreens released the following statement:

Our hearts are with our two Walgreens team members who were victims of a senseless act of violence. We fully cooperate with local authorities in their investigation and remain committed to supporting our team through counseling and other available services. The safety of our patients, customers, and team members is our highest priority.

POPD said crimes like these are rare for Port Orange and theyre just grateful for the response and that no one else was in harms way.

This is something that would normally occur. By the grace of God, we had a lot of officers in the area and they were able to respond quickly, said Wallace.

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Police have not yet said what the motive was behind the shooting. Currently, no names of anyone involved are being released.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
The commissioner of the Port of Seattle on Wednesday offered a frightening snapshot of how President Donald Trumps widespread tariffs could result in a massive economic blow in the weeks ahead.

Ryan Calkins  who predicted a 40% drop in container imports at the ports of Seattle and nearby Tacoma over the next few weeks  told CNNs Kaitlan Collins that, as of about 6 p.m., there were no container ships berthed in the Port of Seattle.

And that happens every once in a while in normal times, but its pretty rare, he said.

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And so to see it tonight is, I think, a stark reminder that the impacts of the tariffs have real implications.

Calkins added that there werent longshore workers on the dock unloading merchandise, nor were trains taking goods to inland ports or other cities such as Chicago, Illinois, and Des Moines, Iowa.

Thats hundreds of jobs right here in our region and across the country, Calkins continued.

He went on to describe ports as the canary in the coal mine for the country.

The canarys struggling right now, he said.

Economists have claimed that if America faces a recession, the possibility of which Trump has downplayed, it will begin on U.S. docks as the president rallies behind 145% tariffs on imported goods from China.

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The fears in Seattle come as the Port of Los Angeles  the busiest in the Western Hemisphere expects to see container volume drop by more than one-third this week compared to the same time last year, Axios noted.

On Tuesday, CNN reported that the first ships carrying Chinese goods hit by Trumps tariffs have arrived in Los Angeles  meaning Americans could be just weeks away from seeing increased prices along with product shortages.

U.S. exports have also plunged when comparing data from a five-week period before Trumps tariffs announcement to the five weeks afterward, according to an analysis by container-tracking company Vizion that was reported by CNBC.

We havent seen anything like this since the disruptions of summer 2020, Vizion CEO Kyle Henderson told CNBC.

Commissioner of the port of Seattle: I'm looking out at the port of Seattle right now, and we currently have no container ships at berth. And that happens every once in a while in normal times. But it is pretty rare. And so to see it tonight is, I think, a stark reminder that the pic.twitter.com/crSDjtkXfe  Acyn (@Acyn) May 8, 2025

Related...
Nika Bartoo-Smith

Underscore Native News + ICT

Content warning: domestic violence, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives

On May 5, crowds gathered throughout the day at the Oregon Convention Center Plaza in Portland to bring attention to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives and create space for remembering those who have been impacted.

Red shirts, ribbon skirts and red handprints filled the plaza square as people began to make signs with phrases such as We are their voices, Honor their spirit, and Justice for MMIR.

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Early in the day, a bald eagle flew overhead, a rare sighting in the middle of the city. As people paused to point it out, a hawk joined it. To many, this seemed like an offering of a blessing from the two birds.

Across the country, May 5 is a National Day of Awareness and Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and People (also referred to as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives or MMIR for short).

American Indian and Alaska Native women are murdered at a rate of 10 times higher than the national average, and more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women experience violence in their lifetime, according to the National Indigenous Womens Resource Center.

Two Spirit and trans Indigenous relatives also face disproportionate rates of violence, which is part of the push to change the name to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives to acknowledge the reality that Indigenous people of all genders are impacted by the MMIR crisis, according to Polimana Joshevama, Hopi, research and evaluation mode lead for Future Generations Collaborative.

On May 5, crowds gathered at the Oregon Convention Center Plaza for the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. Attendees held signs of missing loved ones, like Jermain Charlo, also known as Jermain Liz Morigeau, who was last seen in Missoula, Montana on June 16, 2018. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Underscore Native News / Report for America)

MMIR Day of Awareness and Action is a day to raise awareness, demand justice, take action and create space for healing.

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I think that the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action that we're having today has two parts to it. I think there's the external, bringing awareness, Joshevama said, mentioning the importance of wearing red and holding signs out in public.

[And secondly] just a space to be able to come together and hold space for those memories and the thoughts and the prayers that we have for all those people, she added.

Together in ceremony

Creating a space for both education and healing during a particularly intense day, organizers of the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action grounded the occasion with opportunities for ceremony.

After a free lunch provided by Sisters Fry Bread, Shalaya Williams, Cayuse from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, asked those gathered to come together in a circle.

Shalaya Williams, Cayuse from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, opened up the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action event on May 5 with a prayer before leading the group of dozens of attendees with breathing exercises to help ground them for the day ahead. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Underscore Native News / Report for America)

Williams led more than 50 people in a breathing exercise, acknowledging that MMIR Day of Awareness brings up trauma for many people. Williams talked about how their grandmother taught them how to release that stored, intergenerational trauma and called on those in need of healing to step forward.

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Whoever has a heavy heart today, who needs extra prayer, come join me in the middle, Williams said.

People stepped forward to form a smaller circle in the center around an abalone shell filled with burning sage. The smaller group held hands while Williams offered a song and prayer, encouraging those in the larger circle to do the same.

Later in the day, community members marched to the Willamette River to take part in another ceremony, joined from the water by the 7 Waters Canoe Family at the Duckworth Memorial Dock.

Around 50 people walked the three quarters of a mile to the dock, including women pushing strollers and elders pushing walkers. People raised their signs high in the air with phrases such as No more stolen sisters, Gone missing but still in our hearts, and Search the landfills. Cars honked their horns in support all along the way.

Dozens of people wearing red shirts, ribbon skirts and red handprints painted over their mouths walked the three quarters of a mile to the Willamette River at Duckworth Memorial Dock, where they took part in a ceremony, joined from the water by the 7 Waters Canoe Family. People held signs with phrases like Stand for those who cant, We are their voices, Honor their spirit and more. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Underscore Native News / Report for America)

Angela Polk, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and a Yakama Nation descendent, spent the walk to the river reflecting on her sister, Tina Spino, who went missing two years ago.

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My daughter has never been the same since, Polk said.

Two weeks after Tina went missing, she was found dismembered, Polk said. She has lost other loved ones as well to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, including her nephew Casey Lillie.

Angela Polk, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and a Yakama Nation descendent, spent the walk to the river reflecting on her sister, Tina Spino, who was reported missing in the summer of 2020. Spino was 58 years old at the time of her disappearance. Her remains were discovered in 2021 in a remote location on the Warm Springs Reservation. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Underscore Native News / Report for America)

The importance for me is to release the pain we carry, Polk said, reflecting on MMIR Day of Awareness and Action. I pray for the children and I pray for my family.

Once at the river, those standing at the dock welcomed the 7 Waters Canoe Family with war whoops.

Were happy to be here, happy to pull our canoe in prayer, said skipper Lukas Angus, Niimiipuu and Cayuse on his fathers side and Tlingit and Haida on his mothers side. When we paddle, we're praying. Were offering our strength. We hope that you can pray with us.

Lukas Angus, skipper for the 7 Waters Canoe Family, guided the canoe full of Indigenous youth from the middle of the Willamette River to Duckworth Memorial Dock. Angus, who is Niimiipuu and Cayuse on his fathers side and Tlingit and Haida on his mothers side, emphasized the importance of prayer while pulling the canoe, especially for the letting go ceremony. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Underscore Native News / Report for America)

Event organizers handed out flowers to those gathered on the docks, to take part in a letting go ceremony. One by one, community members were invited to step forward and add their flower to a growing pile on a wool blanket at the front of the canoe, sending with it a prayer of something that they need to let go of.

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After everyone stepped forward, the 7 Waters Canoe Family pulled back out into the center of the river. The two paddlers in front gently threw the flowers into the river, one by one.

Silence fell over the dock, as people watched the canoe family release their prayers into the river through the flowers. Out of the silence, a mans voice rose, sharing a song.

Gaps in data

When it comes to the actual numbers of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives across the country, and specifically in Portland, it is hard to know the true reach of the crisis, according to Joshevama.

We know there are so many gaps in data, she said. There is no official data for the City of Portland.

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One of the reasons there is such a gap in data has to do with racial classification, as Indigenous people are often misclassified, according to Joshevama.

Acknowledging the gaps in data, Joshevama is working with Future Generations Collaborative on creating a database to track MMIR cases in the Portland Metro area. The hope is to engage with the community and officially launch the database in 2027.

Ashleigh Coon, Dine, Early Childhood Program Co-Director for Future Generations Collaborative, waits patiently while another attendee paints a red handprint over her mouth, which visually symbolizes the silencing of missing and murdered women, as well as the lack of law enforcement and media attention to the epidemic. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Underscore Native News / Report for America)

In Oregon, secrecy and data issues seem to be impeding progress on MMIR cases, as Underscore Native News reported in August 2024.

Family members and grassroots groups are leading the way when it comes to advocating for and searching for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, such as the MMIW Search and Hope Alliance based in Oregon.

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The National Indigenous Womens Resource Center created a guide as part of its MMIR toolkit for what to do in the first 72 hours after a loved one goes missing. Some state legislators in Oregon are calling for further action to improve the state response to the MMIR crisis.

This legislative session, state Reps. Tawna Sanchez, Shoshone-Bannock, Ute and Carrizo, and Annessa Hartman, Haudenosaunee, championed House Bill 3198. If passed, the bill would allocate staff within the Oregon Health Authority to lead prevention efforts, provide victim services and collect statewide data on MMIR cases.

For years, weve heard from families and community members whove done this work alone because state systems werent built to support them, Sanchez said in a press release about the bill. This bill is a response to that call. It invests in the prevention, coordination, and healing our communities have asked for.
LISBON (Reuters) - Portuguese police have arrested 13 people they believe provided an estimated more than 10,000 foreigners with residence permits and documents allowing them to stay in Portugal and the European Union in exchange for bribes, police said on Thursday.

A spokesperson for the Judicial Police force said the bribes paid to the group, which included a foreign ministry employee, a lawyer and several entrepreneurs, averaged 15,000 euros ($16,950) per person.

The foreigners paid to obtain bogus labour contracts that allowed them to stay in the country and then get residence permits, open bank accounts and access the social security system. Many of them have since left for other EU member states, police said.

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Portugal's centre-right government has toughened some immigration rules in the past year, reflecting attempts elsewhere in Europe to fend off the rise of the far-right, and on Saturday vowed to deport 18,000 illegal migrants in the coming months.

It was not immediately clear if those who benefited from the illegal scheme counted among those.

Still, the country remains relatively open to migrants, particularly from Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa and from Brazil. Many experts argue that growing immigration has stoked economic growth.

While anti-immigration sentiment is expected to play a role in an early election on May 18, far-right party Chega has been steady or declining in opinion polls after a surge in the previous election last year. The centre-right Democratic Alliance of Prime Minister Luis Montenegro looks set to win the most votes.

($1 = 0.8850 euros)

(Reporting by Andrei Khalip; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
School administrators in Plymouth sent a letter home to parents on Wednesday warning of a potentially hazardous social media trend.

The trend is called the Chromebook Challenge, according to Superintendent Christopher Campbell, and it encourages students to insert pencil lead, paperclips, or push pins into Chromebook ports.

The intent is to cause the device to smoke or malfunction.

"Inserting metal or other foreign objects into electronic devices can lead to electrical shock, fire, or even small explosions," the letter read. Several incidents have already been reported.

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Parents were encouraged to speak with their students about the importance of responsible technology use.

We recognize the powerful influence of social media and are committed to working with families to promote awareness and prevent harm, Superintendent Campbell wrote.

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Former President Joe Biden was in good spirits as he returned to The View on Thursday for his 11th appearance on the ABC daytime program and first live TV interview since he left the White House.

The former commander-in-chief was brought out early in the show for a solo interview before he was joined by his wife, former first lady Dr. Jill Biden. And The View devoted its full hour to its interview with the Bidens.

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President Biden was peppered by questions about the 2024 presidential election, which saw the president drop out in July after a poor performance at a late June debate with then-Republican candidate Donald Trump led to growing calls for him to end his re-election bid. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate, and she won the support to become the Democratic nominee. But Harris ended up losing the election to Trump, who won all seven swing states.

When asked if he was surprised by the outcome, Biden said he wasnt  not because Harris isnt qualified to be president. She is qualified to be president, he insisted. But he blamed misogyny and negative campaigning by the Trump team for Harris loss.

They went the sexist route  this is a woman, shes this, shes that, Biden said. Ive never seen such as successful and consistent campaign undercutting the notion that a woman couldnt lead the country and a woman of mixed race.

Biden added that he speaks to Harris frequently and has sought his opinion (not going to tell you what it is), and he said shes got a difficult decision about her political future, as shes been reportedly pondering a run for California governor but is also seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate.

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I hope she stays fully engaged; I think shes first rate, Biden said of Harris while adding that there are other great candidates in the Democratic party, leaving him optimistic about the future not pessimistic.

Harris appearance on The View in October ended up providing fodder for a Trump 2024 campaign ad when she indicated she wouldnt do anything different from what Biden had done. Biden was asked about that and reports that he encouraged Harris not to put too much daylight between the two of them. He said he didnt advise her to do that and argued Harris meant she wouldnt have changed his administrations successes. The Trump campaign, Biden said, used what she said in a way contrary to what she meant when she said that.

Still, Biden continues to maintain, as he told USA Today shortly before leaving office, that he wouldve beaten Trump, highlighting how though Trump won he received a smaller popular vote total than the more than 80 million people who voted for Biden in 2020. A lot of people didnt show up, Biden said, referring to the 2024 voter turnout.

When asked about his late exit from the 2024 presidential race and whether that hampered Harris campaign, Biden dismissed that argument saying that Harris was with him in every decision we made, touting his administrations legislative and economic achievements and how she was every single part of it.

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It was a very tough year across the board, but look what happened in the meantime, he said in part.

As for Trump, when asked why the president, who keeps invoking Bidens name, cant stop talking about him, Biden was quick to say it was because I beat him, adding quietly, Im used to dealing with bullies.

Later, when asked about Trump challenging Bidens use of an autopen to preemptively pardon his family members, with Trump calling the pardons void and vacant, Biden quickly shot back, Hes vacant, which moderator Whoopi Goldberg called a dropping of the mic moment.

Still Biden said he takes responsibility for Trumps re-election.

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I was in charge and he won, he said, going on to talk about the border legislation that Democrats have said Trump scuttled.

Biden, who frequently touted his administrations accomplishments, also lobbed criticism at Trump over his foreign and domestic policy.

I think hes done a very poor job, Biden said of Trump, claiming his successor was blowing up NATO, creating long-term and negative consequences and calling him out for his relationship with Putin, and Biden raised his voice and sounded particularly fired up when he asked, rhetorically, what possible reason could Trump have for going after peoples health care and social security.

Joined by Dr. Jill Biden in the second half of the program, the couple responded to allegations, including ones in new books, that he suffered a cognitive decline when he was in the White House.

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They are wrong. Theres nothing to sustain that, Biden said in part. He also laughed when Jill Biden was asked about claims she put a cocoon around him.

Jill Biden said of the books, the people who wrote those books were not in the White House with us and didnt see how hard Joe worked every day, highlighting how he would be reading briefings and on the phone with his staff late into the night.

Its not a job; its a life that you live 24 hours a day, Jill Biden said of the presidency.

Looking back on his decision to drop out after more and more high-profile Democrats urged him to step aside, Biden said, The only reason got out of the race was because I didnt want to have a divided Democratic party. I thought it was better to put country before personal interests. I had six more months. I did a pretty good job in six months.

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He went on to say, Theres nothing that changed in terms of my work ethic or success with domestic or foreign policy. I get it. I understand the concern. I would offer specific evidence of what I got done when I supposedly lost my cognitive ability.

As for the cocoon claim, Jill Biden said she did not do that, arguing that people saw her husband in the Oval Office and making speeches.

He wasnt hiding somewhere, she said, later adding that being likened to Lady Macbeth was very hurtful, especially from some of our so-called friends.

On a more personal note, when asked how he was doing at the top of the show, Biden said he was well and so was his family as they were adjusting to life after his presidency.

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The former president added that he was trying to figure out what sort of significant and consequential role I can play, consistent with what Ive done in the past.

He also said hes writing another book.

Ive got to write a presidential memoir, but they told me Ive got to do it within a year, Biden said.

The former president also poked fun at his many appearances on The View saying, I miss being here and joking that he was interviewing for a job as a cameraman.

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President Donald Trump is sharing his satisfaction with the election of the first-ever American pope.

Following the news that the papal conclave had reached a two-thirds consensus and selected Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost to be the new pope on Thursday, May 8, Trump took to social media to express his approval.

Win McNamee/Getty; ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope," the United States president wrote on Truth Social. "It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

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When white smoke rose from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, onlookers knew the two-day conclave had drawn to an end. A short time later, the protodeacon of the College of Cardinals stepped out on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and announced "habemus papam," which means "we have a pope."

Prevost, who chose the papal name Leo XIV, then addressed the Vatican crowd for the first time, saying, "Peace be with you."

GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost, on May 8, 2025 Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost, on May 8, 2025

The 69-year-old pontiff was born in Chicago, and started his religious journey there. He previously served in Peru  and has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Peru  before being appointed president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America in 2023.

Trump previously joked that he would nominate himself to be the new pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.

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Id like to be pope, he joked with reporters. That would be my number one choice.

Related: Donald Trump Shares Fake Photo of Himself as the Pope Days After Saying He's His 'Number One Choice' for Pontiffs Replacement

Then taking the question more seriously, Trump hinted that he was rooting for an American pope  just not Cardinal Prevost in particular.

I must say we have a cardinal who happens to be out of a place called New York whos very good, he told reporters on April 29, seemingly referring to New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan. Well see what happens.

Dolan offered the invocation during Trumps second inauguration ceremony in January. He also led Pope Francis funeral mass service at New York Citys famous St. Patricks Cathedral on Saturday, April 26.

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.

Religious experts previously told PEOPLE that the appointment of an American pope was highly unlikely to happen.

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"I think that there's no chance for an American pope just because the United States is already so powerful in the world," said Dr. Bill Cavanaugh, a professor of Catholic studies at DePaul University just before the conclave began.



Read the original article on People
For years, American taxpayers have been asked to subsidize National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), which spread radical, left-wing propaganda disguised as news. As a Member of Congress, I have fought adamantly for a government that spends less of your hard-earned money, tells you the truth, and doesn't incentivize the polluting of our culture with radical leftist ideology.

With President Trump's recent executive order calling for an end to the federal funding for NPR and PBS, Congress has a chance to do all three. President Trump is yet again following through on a campaign promise  this time to cut waste, fraud, and abuse.

NPR and PBS are perfect examples of what Reagan referred to as the closest thing to eternal life on earth is a government program. They were started decades ago when TV and radio stations were scarce, especially in rural areas. Now, literally thousands of radio stations and hundreds of TV stations are available to anyone with a cell phone or internet access.

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The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the nonprofit organization that delivers your tax money to NPR and PBS so they can ignore stories detailing the murder of Rachel Morin at the hands of an illegal alien, is a prime example. Rescinding their federal funding is a necessary start.

In a free-market society, news offerings of every political persuasion should be allowed to operate  but on their own dime, without the American taxpayer forced to subsidize propaganda that disparages conservatives and American values. This is why I have co-sponsored bills and introduced amendments in the Appropriations process to end this bias against hard-working Americans.

NPRs bias against the truth is no secret -- its actually been on full display for years. In 2020, NPR refused to cover the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, baselessly claiming there were many, many red flags and its assertions dont amount to much. In 2022, NPR wrote that the U.S. Declaration of Independence was a document that contained offensive language. Throughout the COVID years, NPR dismissed the theory that COVID-19 originated in a lab  a conclusion now deemed likely by the FBI and Department of Energy.

In nearly every recent news story, NPR has shunned neutral, unbiased reporting in favor of an ideology that favors the Left. Even their former editor, Uri Berliner, made a chilling yet unsurprising discovery during an internal investigation regarding the ideological diversity of NPR's D.C. headquarters: In total, 87 registered Democrats held editorial positions throughout the organization. That number was zero for Republicans. You read that right  an organization that takes in hundreds of millions of dollars from Republicans across this country doesn't even have one voice representing conservative values on its editorial board. This is simply unacceptable.

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If NPR's bias wasn't enough, PBS has become nothing more than a woke propaganda outlet peddling the same anti-conservative garbage. In 2017, PBS devoted a panel to what it means to be woke and white privilege, and a 2024 Media Research Center study found that PBSs coverage of the Republican National Convention was 72% negative, while coverage of the Democratic National Convention was 88% positive.

When refusing to air contents of the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, NPR wrote: We dont want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we dont want to waste the listeners and readers time on stories that are just pure distractions. Ironically, nearly the entirety of the left-wing propaganda coming out NPR and PBS is a distraction and a waste of time to listeners and readers.

We in Congress have a historic opportunity to end the taxpayer subsidization of left-wing bias. I implore my colleagues to do the right thing  for fiscal sanity and for the sake of unbiased journalism.

President Trump is right: It's time we defund NPR and PBS.

Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. is the House Freedom Caucus Chairman and the current House Chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration subcommittee on Appropriations. He represents Maryland's First Congressional District.
ATHENS (Reuters) - Press freedom has been stifled in Greece since Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' conservative government came to power in 2019, with phone malware and aggressive lawsuits used against journalists, Human Rights Watch said in a report on Thursday.

At least 15 journalists said they had at some point faced a lawsuit or legal threat for their reporting, the global rights group said in a 101-page report based on interviews with 34 journalists, academics, legal and media experts.

It cited an annual index from Reporters without Borders giving Greece the lowest score in Europe.

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HRW said it is too easy under Greek law to restrict journalists through lawsuits know as SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation), which are filed against reporters based on claims of defamation or breach of EU data protection.

"The pervasive and deliberate constraints on journalism in Greece are creating an environment in which critical reporting is stifled and self-censorship becomes the norm," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at HRW.

The government has publicly dismissed the allegations in the past and its spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said on Wednesday that Greece has made progress on media freedom, as reflected in the Commission's annual report on rule of law.

The topic of press freedom in Greece hit the headlines in 2022 when a wiretapping scandal was revealed after a journalist said his phone had been infected by spyware. Traces of that spyware were later found in dozens of phones.

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HRW urged authorities to draft an action plan to include ensuring public media independence, adopting anti-SLAPPs legislation and shielding journalists from surveillance.

(Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Robert Prevost, the choice of the world's Catholic cardinals to serve as leader of the 1.4-billion-member Church, is the first pope from the United States and a relative unknown on the global stage.

Aged 69 and originally from Chicago, Prevost has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru and became a cardinal only in 2023. He has given few media interviews.

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He takes the papal name Leo XIV, and succeeds Pope Francis, who had led the Church since 2013.

Rev. Mark Francis, a friend of Prevost since the 1970s, told Reuters the cardinal was a firm supporter of his predecessor's papacy, and especially of the late pontiff's commitment to social justice issues.

"He was always friendly and warm and remained a voice of common sense and practical concerns for the Church's outreach to the poor," said Francis, who attended seminary with Prevost and later knew him when they both lived in Rome in the 2000s.

"He has a wry sense of humour, but was not someone who sought the limelight," said Francis, who leads the U.S. province of the Viatorian religious order.

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Prevost first served as a bishop in Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023, and became a Peruvian citizen in 2015, so he has dual nationalities.

Pope Francis brought him to Rome that year to head the Vatican office in charge of choosing which priests should serve as Catholic bishops across the globe, meaning he has had a hand in selecting many of the world's bishops.

The new pope's views on many issues are little known.

During a 2023 Vatican press conference, he expressed scepticism about ordaining women as Catholic clergy, repeating a line Francis often used about the risk of "clericalizing" women.

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Leo's record on sexual abuse cases, a key issue for the global Church, has not been thoroughly examined in public.

Bishop Accountability, a group that tracks clergy sexual abuse, said in a statement after the new pope's election that he had a mixed record on the issue. The group praised his efforts to help one abuse victim in Peru, but raised questions about his handling of other allegations levelled against two priests.

Jesus Leon Angeles, coordinator of a Catholic group in Chiclayo who has known Prevost since 2018, called Prevost a "very simple" person who would go out of his way to help others.

Leon Angeles said Prevost had shown special concern for Venezuelan migrants in Peru, saying: "He is a person who likes to help." More than 1.5 million Venezuelans have moved to Peru in recent years, partly to escape their country's economic crisis.

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In a 2023 interview with the Vatican's news outlet, Prevost focused on the importance of evangelization to help the Church grow.

"We are often preoccupied with teaching doctrine ... but we risk forgetting that our first task is to teach what it means to know Jesus Christ," he said.

Prevost said during a 2023 Vatican press conference: "Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church."

'HE KNOWS HOW TO LISTEN'

Prevost was born in 1955 and is a member of the global Augustinian religious order, which includes about 2,500 priests and brothers, operates in 50 countries and has a special focus on a life of community and equality among its members.

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He has a bachelor's degree from Villanova University in the suburbs of Philadelphia, a master's from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a doctorate in Church law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

Prevost first went to Peru as a missionary in 1985, returning to the United States in 1999 to take up a leadership role in his religious order.

He later moved to Rome to serve two six-year terms as head of the Augustinians, visiting many of the order's communities across the world. He is known to speak English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese.

Returning to Rome in 2023, Prevost generally did not take part in many of the social events that attract Vatican officials throughout the city.

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Leon Angeles said he is a person with leadership skills, "but at the same time, he knows how to listen. He has that virtue."

"The cardinal has the courtesy to ask for an opinion, even if it's from the simplest or most humble person," she said. "He knows how to listen to everyone."

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Additional reporting by Marco Aquino in Lima; Editing by Keith Weir, Janet Lawrence and Deepa Babington)
All six Democrats vying to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy in the June 10 primary have shared recent tax returns with the New Jersey Monitor. (Illustration by Alex Cochran for New Jersey Monitor)

With just over a month left until New Jerseys June 10 primary, most of the 11 candidates hoping to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy are giving the public a glimpse into their finances.

But varying financial disclosure regulatory schemes at the state and federal levels mean some candidates must disclose more than others, and the most exacting disclosures  the release of a candidates tax returns  are purely voluntary.

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Disclosure forms that candidates are required to file with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Committee reveal only the sources of income, forgoing any disclosure of income levels, even in ranges used on disclosures for sitting lawmakers.

Micah Rasmussen, director of Rider Universitys Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, called this level of disclosure completely inadequate.

Its absurd, Rasmussen said. Its certainly useful to know what the sources of income are, but it tells us virtually nothing about the level of potential conflicts.

Congressional disclosures elicit more transparency (the race to succeed Murphy includes two sitting members of Congress). On those forms, candidates and holders of federal office are required to report incomes in ranges across a broad array of categories.

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Income information for some candidates can be gleaned from other disclosures. Forms that nonprofits are required to file with the IRS can reveal portions of some candidates incomes, for example. And candidates who hold public office are subjected to disclosure of their taxpayer-funded salaries.

It sort of creates this patchwork where, if the public happens to be lucky enough to have candidates who meet the greater standard or run into a greater requirement, well get a greater level of detail, but if we happen to have somebody who doesnt meet the category, were going to get a much lower level of detail, Rasmussen said.

As for tax returns, all six Democratic candidates for governor have disclosed returns for 2023 or 2024 when asked by the New Jersey Monitor. None of the five Republicans running have done so.

Dan Cassino, executive director of the Fairleigh Dickinson University Poll, said releasing this kind of information becomes an almost certainty for candidates once they win a primary, but not necessarily before.

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You dont want to lose the primary and then have put that data out there if you dont have to because its potentially embarrassing, Cassino said.

He added that Republican candidates could follow President Donald Trumps lead and forgo releasing their tax returns, though at least three of the five men seeking the GOP nomination have said they would release their returns at some point during the campaign.

What we know:

Rep. Mikie Sherrill accepting the endorsement of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters in Hamilton on Feb. 19, 2025.(Amanda Brown for New Jersey Monitor)

Rep. Mikie Sherrill

Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11) and her husband, a broker at UBS Securities, reported roughly $3.2 million in income for 2024, their tax returns say.

The couple reported $114,970 in dividend income from index and exchange-traded funds, state and federal financial disclosures show. Sherrill does not hold individual stock. Wages and salaries, including a bonus for the congresswomans husband, accounted for the overwhelming share of their income.

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They were billed $1.08 million in federal income tax for 2024 and were billed $279,010 in New York state income tax (UBS Securities is based in New York City). They were billed $29,002 in New Jersey state income taxes, which were offset by tax already paid to New York.

Sherrills 2023 congressional financial disclosure put her net worth between $4.8 million and $14 million. Her 2024 disclosure is due on May 15.

Members of Congress are paid a $174,000 salary.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who is running for governor this year, discusses his tax cut plan in Park Ridge on Jan. 22, 2025. (Photo by Danielle Richards for New Jersey Monitor)

Rep. Josh Gottheimer

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-05) and his wife, who is general counsel at political consulting firm Tusk Strategies, reported $897,617 in income for 2023, according to their tax return.

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They were billed $218,486 in federal income tax and did not share a state return.

Salaries accounted for the largest share of their income, $654,105, and they drew $208,754 from dividends, most of which were qualified dividends taxed at rates less than the income tax.

Gottheimers 2023 congressional financial disclosure  he has requested a 90-day extension for his 2024 disclosure, typically due on May 15  shows a net worth of between $16.9 million and $75.3 million.

The congressman holds voluminous individual stock and is one of Congresss most prolific traders. He has previously said he does not manage his own investments.

Gubernatorial candidate Steve Fulop, mayor of Jersey City, speaks at a meet-and-greet at Glenbrook Brewery in Morristown on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (Reena Rose Sibayan for New Jersey Monitor)

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, a Democrat, and his wife, who runs a physical therapy practice, reported $908,926 in income in 2022 and were billed $274,288 in federal income tax, their tax returns say.

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The majority of that income, $742,023, came from Jaclyn Fulops physical therapy practice.

They were billed $66,225 in state income tax in 2022.

Jersey City payroll records list the mayors 2025 salary as $245,521.

The financial disclosure Fulop filed with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission, which covers 2024, lists no sources of income apart from salaries.

Tax information for 2023 is not available because the Fulops have lodged a dispute over an overpayment, Fulop said. Their returns for 2024 have not been filed, and the couple typically seeks an extension and files in October, he said.

Sean Spiller, who heads the New Jersey Education Association, is a Democrat running for governor. Pictured on Dec. 9, 2024, at the Princeton Public Library. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

NJEA President Sean Spiller

New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, a Democrat, and his wife reported $458,977 in income for 2023, when they were billed $94,244 in federal taxes, according to a return summary reviewed by the New Jersey Monitor. They received an extension for their 2024 return and did not share a state tax return.

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Salaries and wages were their main source of income. They reported $4,901 in interest and dividend income and $3,100 in taxable IRA distributions.

Spillers role as president of the state teachers union appears to have been their main source of income. He was paid $370,096 in salary plus $69,569 in other compensation in 2023, according to a 990 disclosure form the union filed with the IRS. Filings for more recent years are not available.

Spiller filed his Election Law Enforcement Commission financial disclosure on May 1, just over a week after the Monitor first inquired about its absence. The forms were due April 3. His disclosure showed investments in bonds and exchange-traded funds.

Steve Sweeney at a Cooper University Health Care groundbreaking ceremony on Jan. 28, 2025. (Hal Brown for New Jersey Monitor)

Former state Sen. Steve Sweeney

Former state Sen. Steve Sweeney, a Democrat, was the first candidate to voluntarily release a tax return, and his shows that he and his wife reported $285,882 in income in 2024.

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The couple was billed $46,856 in federal income tax and $13,729 in state income tax.

Sweeney drew salaries from positions in the Iron Workers Union and $9,638 on taxable and tax-exempt dividends and interest, according to his tax return and personal financial disclosure.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka speaks about hospital costs at the Statehouse in Trenton on Feb. 20, 2025. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat, reported $203,241 in income in 2023, his tax return shows. He was billed $42,397 in federal tax that year. Baraka did not share a state return.

Baraka draws a $194,000 salary from his mayoral post, according to city officials, and he has the option to take an additional $30,000 in lieu of expenses. His wife, Linda, is chief of staff to Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex). The mayor reported little income apart from salaries on his state election commission financial disclosure.

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Other forms of income included gains from Sunrise United Partners and the 1957 Group, businesses run by Linda Baraka. The couple generated $6,940 in business income in 2023.

Sen. Jon Bramnick speaking during a committee hearing at the Statehouse in Trenton. (Hal Brown for New Jersey Monitor)

State Sen. Jon Bramnick

As a state legislator, Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Union) is required to annually disclose sources of income, debts, and properties he owns to the Office of Legislative Services. Those disclosures require legislators to report their incomes in four ranges spanning from less than $10,000 to more than $50,000.

Bramnick reported earning more than $200,000 from his law practice on his 2023 legislative financial disclosure. He and his wife earned between $35,001 and $85,000 from Social Security and Patricia Bramnicks pension that year.

Legislators earn a $49,000 annual salary. That wage will rise to $82,000 beginning in 2026. Legislators disclosures for 2024 are due on May 15.

The couple received between $50,001 and $101,000 in dividends in 2023 and between $10,003 and $55,000 from other investments.

They also drew income from rentals of five properties and held more than $50,000 in debt owed to three banks, according to legislative and state election commission financial disclosures.

Its not clear how much the couple paid in taxes. Bramnicks campaign said he would release his tax return if he won the primary.

Jack Ciattarelli speaks to supporters at the Marriott in Bridgewater as election results show him neck-and-neck with Gov. Phil Murphy. Ciatterellis wife, Melinda, is by his side. (Amanda Brown for New Jersey Monitor)

Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli

Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, a Republican, reported earning no salary in 2024 on disclosures filed with the Election Law Enforcement Commission.

His filing shows broad holdings of municipal bonds, and Ciattarelli received dividends from Microsoft in his own name. He reported his wife, Melinda, received dividends from exchange-traded funds and some individual stock holdings, among other investment income (Ciattarelli said in 2023 that the two had separated).

Ciattarelli has not released tax returns for recent years but said he would provide them later, though he did not give a timeline. He released five years of tax returns when he sought the governorship in 2017.

Those filings showed a majority of his income flowed from a medical publishing company he owned and has since sold.

Bill Spadea, a Republican running for governor in 2025, speaks after the GOP debate at Rider University on Feb. 4, 2025. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

Bill Spadea

Little can be gleaned from former radio host Bill Spadeas state election filing. Spadea, a Republican, reported a salary from his former position at radio station New Jersey 101.5, fees from the Common Sense Club  a nonprofit he founded  and proceeds from the sale of a home in Holtsville, New York.

Spadea received $65,450 in compensation from the 501(c)(4) nonprofit in 2022, according to disclosures it filed. Its filing for 2023 shows no compensation to Spadea or the nonprofits other officers.

Its not clear how much he was paid by the nonprofit in 2024. The deadline for 2024 forms is May 15.

Spadea reported no investment income of any kind, and its not clear how much he paid in tax. His campaign said he was seeking an extension and would disclose his tax return once he filed.

Former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac

Former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac, a Republican, reported receiving fees from his law firm, per a disclosure he filed with state election commission officials.

He also drew income from a profit share through Dynamk Capital, a New York-based venture capital firm, rental income from three units in Cliffside Park, and income from investments with investment banks.

Kranjacs campaign manager did not respond to a request for the candidates tax returns.

Justin Barbera

Justin Barbera, a Burlington County contractor, reported that he and members of his immediate family generated no income of any kind on the disclosure he filed with the state election commission. Barbera, a Republican, confirmed the accuracy of the filing to the New Jersey Monitor.

Cassino said this raises a lot of questions.

It costs money to file. Are you saying nobody paid for that? What in the world? Cassino said.

Barbera said he had no income because he had spent more than a year campaigning for office. He ran for the 3rd Congressional Districts House seat in 2024 under the Join the Revolution Party banner, finishing with 0.3% of the vote.

I ran for Congress, then I ran straight into the governors race, so Ive been running back-to-back campaigns the past 16 months, he said.
(KRON)  Parents of 450 students attending the Primary School in East Palo Alto are demanding answers on why their school is closing next year.

2 coaches suspended after racist remarks fly at East Bay high school baseball game

The Primary School board announced the closure in April. Parents say the announcement came as a surprise and without any explanation. They are asking for more transparency from the Primary School board.

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Reneisha Hunts three-year-old is among the hundreds of students at the Primary School. She says that she and other parents learned about the schools closure on Zoom.

I called my mom after and was like, What do I do? Because hes been on the waiting list since he was in my stomach, says Hunt. I think I cut off the Zoom link after that. I was like, Im over it at this point.'

The school was founded in 2016 by Meta founder, Mark Zuckerbergs wife, Priscilla Chan, and funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Parents say theyre upset Chan hasnt directly reached out to them.

It was kind of hard for them to hear it from the faculty and not her, says Hunt. She was not on the Zoom. She wasnt attending it.

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Kyleigh Whitleys son and niece attend the school. She says even the staff seemed confused.

Since Ive heard the news, Ive spoken with a couple of different staff members and it was a shock to them, says Whitley. It was a surprise. Everyone is really disappointed about it.

Carson Cook is the senior manager of strategy and advancement at the Primary School. He says he is also upset but is focused on finishing the last school year strong.

Its a moment of grief, says Cook. Every time you walk through these doors, theres so much energy, there is so much life. Its a school, right? Its a really joyous place to be.

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Hunt says she and other parents feel hopeless in trying to save their school and have no other choice than to move on.

You guys keep saying its closing, theres nothing to do, theres no way to fundraise to keep it open, theres no alternatives to keep it open and stay afloat so it is what it is, let it go, says Hunt.

The Primary School board has a 529 education savings plan for all students that will support future learning  meaning they will be working with parents over the course of the year to set up the accounts so their children can use the money for education.

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Theres no going back for Harry. The Duke of Sussexs bombshell interview which he said his father King Charles doesnt talk to him anymore, made an even worse impression on the Royal Family.

A source told Page Six that the Royal family isnt taking a stand against Harrys whiny behaviors. I genuinely think nobody trusts him and thats the bottom line. The royal family has major trust issues with him and thats whats at the heart of everything, a close source said. They dont trust him and Meghan and thats why they cant have a relationship  maybe theres room to forgive, but they wont forget.

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After losing his appeal to maintain public funding for security in the UK, Prince Harry talked to the BBC about how he would like to talk to his father again. I would love reconciliation with my family. Theres no point in continuing to fight anymore.

Related: Harry Revealed the Shocking Truths to His Fallout with Charles After He Admitted His Dad Doesnt Speak to Him Anymore

Life is precious. I dont know how much longer my father has, he said about his father who was diagnosed with cancer in 2024. He wont speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile. He also added that his father should be open to reconciliation and help solve his security problem. There is a lot of control and ability in my fathers hands, he said. Ultimately, this whole thing could be resolved through him. Not necessarily by intervening, but by stepping aside, allowing the experts do what is necessary.



Forgiveness and trust are two different things, the source confirmed, who also noted that Harry tried to get in contact with his father when he was in the country in April 2025. Harry messaged Charles and he never heard back. He wanted to talk to his dad about security stuff then, but his dad wouldnt speak to him. He really felt like his dad could overturn things.

British broadcaster Helena Chard told Fox News that reconciliation will never be in the cards. This is not the case. Prince Harry is constantly in fight mode, battling personal crusades and publicly trashing the British royal family. Prince Harry may wear his heart on his sleeve. However, his lack of empathy towards others, hypocritical antics and blurred sense of reality has not only done him damage but has negatively impacted the whole royal family.



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Prince Harry is reportedly being shunned by the royal family over deep trust issues, particularly after his interview, where he hinted at King Charles' health issues.

A royal biographer criticized the Duke of Sussex for oversharing, especially during a sensitive time, and accused him of worsening the rift through his memoir and media appearances.

Following his court loss over security, Prince Harry admitted he couldn't see bringing his family back to the UK.

Royal Family's Trust Issues With Prince Harry Deepen After BBC Interview On Charles' Health

MEGA

The royal family is said to be blackballing Prince Harry, with insiders claiming a deep lack of trust lies at the heart of the estrangement, not just toward him, but also toward Meghan Markle.

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"I genuinely think nobody trusts him, and that's the bottom line. The royal family has major trust issues with him, and that's what's at the heart of everything," a palace insider shared with Page Six. "They don't trust him and Meghan, and that's why they can't have a relationship  maybe there's room to forgive, but they won't forget. Forgiveness and trust are two different things."

The tension has only intensified following Harry's recent BBC interview, where he hinted at King Charles' health woes, saying he's unsure "how much longer" his father has left.

The remark, seen by some as insensitive, reignited long-standing concerns within the royal circle about Harry's openness with the press.

Royal Biographer Slams The Duke For His Remarks About King Charles

MEGA

While many were stunned by Harry's remarks about Charles' health, royal biographer Hugo Vickers didn't hold back in his response, saying the prince reminds many of his late mother, Princess Diana, especially in his fraught relationship with the media.

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He explained: "Harry is quite like his mother [the late Princess Diana]. One day, when I was at Buckingham Palace, I was shown the letter that Prince Phillip wrote to Diana in which he said, 'Every time Charles talks to you, it's in the Daily Mail the next day.'"

He continued: "The same thing is happening now. Charles is, of course, right not to trust him. Harry is hopeless in that respect. He shouldn't have given that interview  but none of the royal family should ever give interviews, it's always a car crash."

Vickers added that he believes Harry crossed a line that should never have been touched.

"Harry has just got to accept [the security decision] and stop whingeing and whining," Vickers said. "It was disgraceful to talk about Charles's health, if he's not talking to him, how does he know anything about it?"

Prince Harry's Timing And Public Complaints Sparked Outrage

MEGA

Vickers also pointed out the poor timing of the BBC interview, which aired during a week when Charles met with cancer patients at Buckingham Palace, speaking about his own battle.

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"Harry wrote in 'Spare' how the king told him, 'Don't make my last years miserable'  and yet he's done exactly that," Vickers said. "Enough with the 'me, me, me' complaints. The king has got enough on his plate. He's got the problems of the world on his shoulders and doesn't need a whiny son."

Vickers didn't mince words, stating, "Harry should be begging his father for forgiveness  and it should be done quietly, not on TV. But he won't. Because he's so stupid, he's basically blown it."

The Duke Of Sussex Lost His Court Battle Over Security

MEGA

Vickers' commentary comes after Harry lost his Court of Appeal battle over the UK government's decision to revoke his publicly funded security detail.

The hearing for Harry's appeal occurred last month, with the court finally issuing a decision on May 2.

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At the center of the argument made by Harry's lawyer during the hearing was that RAVEC failed to obtain a risk analysis before arriving at their decision to downgrade his security.

This particular claim formed the core of the court's statement about its decision to dismiss the appeal, in which the court noted that obtaining a risk analysis would not have impacted the decision made by RAVEC.

Prince Harry Says He Won't Return To The UK With His Family Amid Security Dispute

MEGA

The Duke of Sussex argued that without access to UK intelligence, his private US-based security team can't adequately protect his wife, Meghan, 43, and their children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 3.

In the wake of his court loss over taxpayer-funded security, Harry opened up to BBC News, expressing that he currently sees no future for his family in the UK.

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"I can't see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point," he said.

The Duke of Sussex also disclosed that Charles has cut off communication, allegedly due to ongoing disputes over security arrangements.

He "won't speak to me because of this security stuff," Harry shared, adding that the fallout from his memoir "Spare" had only deepened rifts with the royal family.

However, a palace insider suggested Harry's fixation on security could be more than just a safety concern, hinting it might serve as a convenient reason to keep his family at a distance from future royal events, including potential funerals.
The tensions between Prince William and Prince Harry won't end anytime soon, as sources say the future king is over the Sussexes' drama.

It is no secret that Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, burned several bridges when they stepped down from their role as working royals in 2020. Now, the heir apparent to the British throne reportedly wants to keep things that way.

According to insiders, Prince William refuses to mend his broken relationship with his younger brother, and the same applies to Meghan Markle. In fact, the Prince of Wales wishes he had ended things sooner instead of giving the couple a chance at redemption.

Prince William Is Done Playing Nice With Prince Harry And Meghan Markle

News Licensing/MEGA

According to new reports, a source claims William has taken a "you made your bed, now lie in it" stance with his younger brother and sister-in-law. "William has lost all his patience when it comes to Harry and Meghan," the informant claimed, noting:

"He refuses to get into a public back and forth with his brother about any of this. It's getting old at this point. He feels that Harry made his decision to walk away, and he should abide by the consequences that come with that."

"They don't talk right now. William has moved on, and the matter of their royal titles should have been properly addressed when they initially left. William would have cut Harry and Meghan off from the royal institution back then, and he regrets that it didn't happen," the source said, per In Touch.

The Prince Of Wales Plans To Strip The Sussexes Of Their Royal Titles

MEGA

The source's claims of William's exasperation with Harry and Meghan matched recent reports of the future king's plans for the controversial couple. Insiders alleged he wished to strip the Sussexes of their "Royal Highness" titles once he took the throne.

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Harry and Meghan continue to use their HRH titles despite reportedly promising the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2020 that they would stop using them once they left the Royal Family. The couple was never formally stripped of their titles, and some sources argued they weren't wrong for using it.

"Harry and Meghan retain their HRH titles; however, by agreement, they do not use them for commercial purposes. While they do not publicly use 'HRH,' this was a personal gift, and their titles remain," the insiders explained.

Their words referenced Jamie Kern Lima, CEO of IT Cosmetics, using "HRH" while addressing Meghan in a gift card.

Inside The Royal Siblings' Feud

MEGA

The tensions between Harry and William reportedly stemmed from the latter's unwelcoming reaction to Meghan. The Duke of Sussex shed more light on this problem in the 2022 Netflix docuseries, "Harry & Meghan."

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At the time, Harry claimed it was "terrifying" to have his brother "scream and shout" at him after he and Meghan decided to exit their senior royal duties in January 2020. Since then, the brothers have failed to reconcile, and William seems uninterested in fixing their burned bridges.

A friend of William implied the heir apparent hasn't bared his fangs at the Sussexes out of respect and love for King Charles. However, the source noted Harry and Meghan could be "more harshly dealt with" once he took the throne, saying:

"The gloves will be off when he inherits the throne. If they started using the HRH titles on a regular basis, he would take them away for good."

The Royal Family Has Reportedly Blackballed The Duke Of Sussex

MEGA

Harry's troubles in the Royal Family extended beyond his rift with William, as The Blast recently reported, he has burned one too many bridges. "I genuinely think nobody trusts him, and that's the bottom line," a Palace source declared.

"The royal family has major trust issues with him, and that's what's at the heart of everything. They don't trust him and Meghan, and that's why they can't have a relationship  maybe there's room to forgive, but they won't forget. Forgiveness and trust are two different things," the insider added.

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They claimed the Royal Family has been blackballing Harry over their lack of trust in him and Meghan, with the Duke of Sussex worsening the situation with his loose lips. Harry recently commented on his father's poor health in a BBC interview, a move royal biographer Hugo Vickers vehemently bashed.

Royal Biographer Slams Prince Harry For Commenting On The King's Health

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

Vickers gave Harry a scathing review following his comments about his father possibly not living long. He noted the prince's relationship with the media was responsible for his tumultuous bond with the Royal Family, saying:

"Harry is quite like his mother [the late Princess Diana]. One day, when I was at Buckingham Palace, I was shown the letter that Prince Phillip wrote to Diana in which he said, 'Every time Charles talks to you, it's in the Daily Mail the next day.'"

"The same thing is happening now. Charles is, of course, right not to trust him. Harry is hopeless in that respect. He shouldn't have given that interview  but none of the royal family should ever give interviews, it's always a car crash," Vickers warned.

Princess Diana died in a car crash in August 1997 while fleeing from the paparazzi.

Can Prince Harry and Meghan Markle fix their broken relationship with the Royal Family before it's too late?
At least 80 people were detained Wednesday night, police confirmed, after protesters took over a room of a Columbia University library in a resurgence of the on-campus pro-Palestinian demonstrations that rocked the nation last spring.

Confirmation of the detentions came hours after demonstrators, many wearing keffiyehs, stormed into Butler Library, chanting slogans and facing off with police and campus security officers.

Two Columbia Public Safety Officers were injured in a "crowd surge" as people tried to "force" their way into the library, the university said.

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Video posted to social media showed university public safety staff members blocking entry to a campus building as a crowd tried to force its way inside.

Another shows someone being detained while shouting "help!"

Officers later ushered around 76 protesters in zip ties out of the building, an NBC News crew witnessed Wednesday night.

Columbia University said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that it was "dealing with a disruption in reading room 301 of Butler Library," saying its public safety team was "working to mitigate the situation."

Columbia waited hours after the disruptions began to request police assistance, with officers responding at around 7:10 p.m. Multiple people who did not comply with verbal warnings from police to disperse were taken into custody.

Protesters at Butler Library on Wednesday. (CUJewsIsraelis)

Israel's security Cabinet approved a plan to seize all of the Gaza Strip on Monday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the plan an intensive military operation aimed at defeating Hamas.

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Gaza remains under a blockade by Israel, the longest since the war began in October 2023, as Israel's total ban on the entry of all goods, including food, fuel and medical supplies, enters its third month.

The Trump administration is also seeking to block federal funding from some universities, including Columbia and Harvard, for what it says is their failure to quell last year's protests and combat antisemitism on campus.

The administration is reviewing the visa statuses of "the trespassers and vandals" who were involved in Wednesday's demonstration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media.

Around 3:30 p.m., Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a group that calls on the university to divest its ties from Israel, publicized an "EMERGENCY RALLY: ALL OUT TO BUTLER LIBRARY" on social media.

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The group said more than "100 actionists have reclaimed the main reading room as the Basil-Al-Araj Popular University." The post called on others to "support, bring noise, and wear a mask."

"The flood shows that as long as Columbia funds and profits from imperialist violence, the people will continue to disrupt Columbia's profits and legitimacy," CUAD wrote on Substack. "Repression breeds resistance  if Columbia escalates repression, the people will continue to escalate disruptions on this campus."

Videos posted by the group Columbia Jewish & Israeli Students showed people chanting "free, free, free Palestine as they walked throughout the building. A second video showed a large group of people, many wearing keffiyehs, gathered and loudly chanting in what appeared to be the reading room.

Those involved protest also appeared to have vandalized structures in the library. Photos posted by CUAD appeared to show messages, including "free Gaza" and "we will always come back for Palestine," scribbled in marker on tables and glass cases.

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Columbia had asked protesters to identify themselves and leave. It said that it repeatedly asked the protesters for their identification and that they "were repeatedly told that failure to comply would result in violations of our rules and policies and possible arrest for trespassing."

The demonstrators were barred from leaving the library without presenting public safety officers with their identifications. A large group of protesters, their faces obscured by keffiyehs, appeared to try to force their way through a set of doors where a group of what appeared to be security officers was standing, video on social media shows.

Officers appeared to resist and push the group back as someone on a megaphone pleaded with the group to "stop pushing, please," the video showed. The speaker says the protesters would be allowed to go if they took out their ID cards, to which the group responded with a resounding "No!" and a chant of "Let us go!"

The university allowed others in the library who were not involved in the protest to leave. In an alert sent to students, it said that the library was closed and that the area should remain clear.

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The people involved in the protest refused to identify themselves and leave, Columbia said Wednesday evening, prompting the call to police.

Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community, it said in a statement, saying it believed people not affiliated with the university were also involved.

"Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams," it said. "Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today."

Outside the library, other groups of masked protesters in various locations around campus continued chanting, videos showed. A video showed dozens of people pushing up against police barricades just outside the campus at 114th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

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In the Substack post, CUAD offered insight into the protest's location and meaning.

The group said it "renamed" the library to Basel Al-Araj Popular University as a reference to Basel al-Araj, a Palestinian writer "whose writings on the Palestinian resistance and on the nature of war guide revolutionaries around the world today." He was killed by Israeli forces in 2017, Al Jazeera reported at the time.

The group said it chose Butler Library to rebuke the man for whom the building is named, Nicholas Murray Butler, a former president of the university whom the group called "a shameless Nazi sympathizer."

CUAD also offered its demands of Columbia, including full financial divestment from Israel, for police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to leave campus, and amnesty for all "targeted by Columbia University's Discipline."

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In April of last year, after she met with student groups amid pro-Palestinian protests on campus, then-President Minouche Shafik said that the school would not divest from Israel and that it and the students were unable to reach any agreement to end the protests.

The university announced "multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocations and expulsions" in March for people who participated in the protest occupying Hamilton Hall on campus last spring. It was not clear how many students were disciplined.

It is not clear whether ICE agents maintain a consistent presence on Columbia's campus, as CUAD's demands suggest, but agents were on the premises at least once in recent months, when they took student protest organizer Mahmoud Khalil into custody at his university-owned apartment building in March. Khalil has been detained in Louisiana since shortly after he was arrested and has been fighting his detention and potential deportation in court.

In three statements in the two days after Khalils arrest, the university said its policy is to comply with the law but also to require law enforcement operating in its nonpublic spaces to have judicial warrants. Khalil was detained without an arrest warrant, the Trump administration said later.

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In March, the school agreed to a list of demands from the Trump administration to restore federal funding that had been stripped. One of the demands was to hire 36 new campus security officers who, unlike previous security officers, will have the authority to arrest students.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
President Donald Trump on April 23, 2025, signed an executive order that aims to change the higher education accreditation process. It asks accrediting agencies to root out discriminatory ideology and roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on college campuses.

The Conversation asked Jimmy Aguilar, who studies higher education at the University of Southern California, to explain what accreditation is, why it matters and how the Trump order seeks to change it.

What is accreditation and how does it work?

Accreditation is a process that evaluates whether colleges and universities meet standards of academic rigor, institutional integrity and financial stability.

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In the United States, there were 88 accrediting agencies during the 2022-23 school academic year.

The agencies are formally recognized by the Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Accreditation is not a one-time stamp of approval, but a continuous process.

At its core, accreditation is a guarantor of quality in higher education.

The process involves self-assessment and peer review visits.

Colleges typically undergo a full review every five to 10 years, depending on the accrediting agency.

Institutions must meet standards for curriculum, faculty, student services and outcomes, and provide documentation.

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Then, federally recognized accrediting agencies review the documentation.

Teams, often comprised of peer reviewers from other colleges, conduct campus visits and evaluations before granting or reviewing accreditation.

Why do universities need to be accredited?

Accreditation assures students, employers and the public that an institution meets basic academic standards.

It also signals credibility and secures federal financial support.

Without it, colleges cannot access key funding sources such as Pell Grants and federal student loans.

The funding is essential for college budgets and students access to higher education.

Accreditation is also required for professional licensure in fields such as teaching, nursing, medicine and law.

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It also helps ensure that students can transfer credits between institutions.

What does Trumps executive order do?

President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order in the Oval Office at the White House on April 23, 2025, in Washington. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The executive order would reshape the college accreditation system, aligning it with the administrations political priorities. Those priorities include the rollback of DEI initiatives.

The order seeks to use federal oversight to weaken institutional DEI policies and priorities. It also promotes new standards aligned with the administrations interpretation of merit-based education.

The executive order also directs the Department of Education to penalize agencies that require colleges to implement DEI-related standards.

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The Trump administration claims that such standards amount to unlawful discrimination.

Penalties may include increased oversight or loss of federal recognition. This would render the accreditation seal meaningless, according to the executive order.

The order also proposes a broad overhaul of the accreditation process, including:

Promoting intellectual diversity in faculty hiring. The executive order argues that promoting a broader range of viewpoints among faculty will enhance academic freedom. Critics often interpret this language as an effort to increase conservative ideological representation.

Streamlining the process for institutions to switch accreditors. During Trumps first term, his administration removed geographic restrictions, giving colleges more flexibility to choose. The new executive order goes further. It makes it easier for schools to leave agencies whose standards they disagree with.

Expanding recognition of new accrediting agencies to increase competition.

Linking accreditation more directly to student outcomes. This would shift focus to metrics such as graduation rates and earnings, rather than commitments to diversity or equity.

A 2023 Supreme Court ruling that outlawed affirmative action in university admissions has been a point of contention in the debate over diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. Joe Daniel Price/Getty Images

The executive order singles out accreditors for law schools, such as the American Bar Association, and for medical schools, such as the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

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The order accuses them of enforcing DEI standards that conflict with a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that outlawed affirmative action in university admissions.

However, the ruling was limited to race-conscious admissions. It did not directly address faculty hiring or accreditation standards.

That raises questions about whether the orders interpretation extends beyond the scope of the courts decision.

The ruling has nonetheless been a point of contention in the debate over diversity, equity and inclusion.

The American Association of University Professors and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law have denounced the executive order.

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The groups argue that it threatens to politicize accreditation and suppress efforts to promote equity and inclusion.

Nevertheless, the order represents a push by the federal government to influence higher education governance.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Jimmy Aguilar, University of Southern California

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Jimmy Aguilar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A bill moving through the Nevada Legislature meant to keep firearms away from people experiencing a mental health crisis could help others in domestic abuse situations, according to advocates.

The Nevada Assembly Committee on Judiciary heard Senate Bill 347 on Wednesday, more than a month after it passed through the Senate.

The proposal would allow police to temporarily confiscate guns from a person experiencing a mental health crisis who could become a threat to themselves or family members.

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We generally support bills, SafeNest CEO Liz Ortenburger said. That helps get guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

Ortenburger believes this legislation could go a long way towards protecting people experiencing domestic violence.

If your abusive partner has a gun, she said. That is going to lead to a lot of fear, right?

80 percent of domestic violence-related homicides in Nevada are connected to firearms, according to Ortenburger.

Any bill that would limit access to a gun in a volatile, unstable, or violent situation is important, she told 8 News Now.

Lets make the environment safer for the person who is experiencing that mental health crisis, Ortenburger said. But also for the community around that person.

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Those against the bill claim its too broad. Several people shared concerns with due process and constitutional compliance during its hearings in the Nevada Assembly and Senate.

It is in my eyes a clear violation, Tanya Freeman said to lawmakers. Of the second amendment and the fourth amendment.

Other organizations in opposition include the National Rifle Association and the American Independent Party.

It violates constitutional amendments, or provisions rather, Thomas Morey of the Nevada Firearms Coalition said. And we are in opposition to this bill.

However, the people backing the bill called it a stopgap to help families suffering make it out of dangerous situations safely.

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Let them calm down, get the help that they need, John Abel of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association said. And then be able to get their firearm back.

Those behind SB 347 made several amendments before its assembly hearing. The most significant, the firearm must be on the person in question, or in their immediate vicinity, for police to confiscate it.

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Ukrainian law enforcement officers are investigating the executions of 268 Ukrainian prisoners of war by the Russians, of whom 208 were executed on the battlefield and 59 in the Olenivka penal colony.

Source: Yurii Bielousov, Head of the Department for Countering Crimes Committed in the Context of Armed Conflict; Office of the Prosecutor General; Ukrinform news agency

Quote: "We know about 268 Ukrainian prisoners of war who were executed. This includes Olenivka. A total of 208 POWs were executed on the battlefield."

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Details: Bielousov said that the trend of executions of Ukrainian prisoners on the battlefield is growing every year.

While in 2023, 11 prisoners were executed on the battlefield, in 2024, 149 were executed. A total of 51 have already been executed in the first months of 2025.

The head of the Office of the Prosecutor General's war department said that Ukrainian courts had passed three sentences against those guilty of executing Ukrainian prisoners of war.

Ukrainian law enforcement agencies also have several Russian service members in custody who are believed to be involved in the executions of prisoners.

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Investigation into other cases is ongoing.

A separate area of investigation is the killing of Ukrainian prisoners in the Olenivka penal colony.

"The head of the institution and his deputy were served with a notice of suspicion for failing to provide medical assistance after the explosion, which resulted in the deaths of nine people. The investigation into the organisation of the explosion is still ongoing. This area is one of our priorities," Bielousov said.

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TUPELO  The District Attorneys Office reluctantly dismissed multiple felony charges against an Attala County man who was accused of beating and holding a former girlfriend hostage in Lee County in August 2023.

The reason is the victim is no longer willing to cooperate or participate in the case.

The victim has repeatedly failed to cooperate with the prosecution of this cause despite numerous attempts by the District Attorneys Office, Assistant District Attorney Megan French said in a motion filed Tuesday. As a result, the available evidence is insufficient to warrant a trial in the present cause.

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The motion asked the court to retire to the files the charges of burglary, kidnapping and aggravated domestic violence against Preston Dean. The 25-year-old is currently incarcerated at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman serving the remaining years on vehicle theft and grand larceny charges from Grenada and Yalobusha counties. According to the Mississippi Department of Corrections, he will not be released on those charges until September 2027.

In September 2023, Lee County deputy sheriffs responded to a possible kidnapping call in the Auburn community and found a female who had been severely assaulted and required immediate medical attention. She told authorities she and Dean had previously been in a relationship.

The relationship had ended, and Mr. Dean was not happy that it ended, Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson said at the time. He went back and broke into this victims house restrained her and beat her severely.

The ordeal lasted around 30 hours before the victim managed to escape and call for help. Dean was later captured. At the time of his arrest, Dean was wearing a MDOC ankle monitor for the previous grand larceny and car theft convictions.

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A Lee County grand jury handed down a three-count indictment against Dean in February 2024. The indictment accused Dean of not only kidnapping the victim but also binding her wrists and beating her. On the assault charge, it said Dean did feloniously strangle or attempt to strangle the victim.

The victim initially cooperated with prosecutors, even posting pictures of her bruised face on social media. But as the criminal case dragged on her cooperation waned.

Senior Circuit Court Judge Paul Funderburk signed the order dismissing the charges Tuesday.
PROVO, Utah (ABC4)  Owners of Splash Summit Water Park in Provo want to relocate their water park to a different Provo location on a 130-acre space of city-owned land near the base of Slate Canyon.

They are also hoping to build a resort, retail space, parking, and other park amenities in the area. However, residents are not completely sold on the idea.

Where we are is so beautiful and to think of the natural beauty taken away from is scary, Provo resident Quinton Parrish told ABC4.com.

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Some neighbors started a petition against the idea, and neighbors like Parrish have concerns.

Utah city leaders react after Republican leaders push public lands sale

Theres a ton of water routing here, theres a huge catchment basin, and Im worried if we add a bunch of concrete to cover in a flat area, the water isnt going to go anywhere and its going to get stuck in these hills and flood peoples houses, Parrish said.

Parrish lives near the Slate Canyon Park and can also see the upside.

Seeing what theyre hoping to do with the water park but also the nature and trail and expanding the mountain biking, that sounds fantastic, Parish said.

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Peterson expressed similar thoughts, saying a new park will be nice to have after having the old one for so long.

After having an old water park for so long it will be nice to have something new, Peterson said.

The idea is to create a more up-to-date water park that has better parking for and room for additional development opportunities, which would include a buffer zone and more.

Map of Splash Summit Plan. Courtesy: Splash Summit Water Park

I dont like traffic much, but theres a water park in my backyard, so that will be cool, Peterson said.

The current land is zoned as public facilities, open space, preservation, or recreation. Quinton Parrish thinks it could be a way to attract more tourism to the city.

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Provo police ask for help identifying armed robbery suspects

Im all for it as long as they do it responsibly and with the locals in mind, Parrish said.

As for the existing park property, developers are not sure what will be developed there yet, but in the meantime, the park will continue to operate as it is.

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May 7dbeard @dominionpost.com MORGANTOWN  West Virginia American Water's quest to channel most of its customers into paperless billing has failed  with the Public Service Commission this week denying the request WVAW put forth last June.

WVAW wanted to turn its "opt in " paperless billing option to "opt out, " saying it's convenient, has been successful in other parent company territories and could save lots of money.

But PSC staff said the proposal is unreasonable under state code and could potentially harm customers who are less tech savvy or lack connectivity, by effectively forcing them into a billing method they may not understand or want. An administrative law judge sided with PSC staff and denied WVAW's request, but WVAW disputed the order.

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The PSC said in its Wednesday order, "The commission understands and appreciates the benefits of paperless billing that the company has outlined in this case. ... However, paperless billing should continue to be an affirmative or 'opt in' choice for utility customers in West Virginia."

The PSC said WVAW should focus on other methods to encourage customers to choose paperless billing and to promote the benefits it believes come with paperless billing. It should consider incentivizing enrollment in paperless billing by offering a fair discount to customers who enroll.

During the course of the case, WVAW said it has 171, 000 customers and 44, 000 are enrolled in paperless billing.

It estimated another 65, 000 would be eligible to switch over to paperless. Customers eligible to be automatically enrolled would be those who have a valid email or text contact on file and are registered on WVAW's "MyWater " portal. The company would send several notices to them announcing the automatic enrollment and provide an online link to opt out, followed by a mail notice with another opt-out opportunity.

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Low-income customers and those who have a "do not solicit " flag on their accounts would not be included. WVAW said the move could save it $490, 000 in annual print and postage costs, if all eligible customers enrolled. In the face of PSC staff opposition, it offered to launch a 12-month pilot program.

PSC argued that the program is unreasonable, flawed and poorly supported. A customer who has a MyWater account doesn't necessarily use it or ever wants to use it. Many people have secondary email accounts they rarely access. And WVAW has customers without reliable internet.

Staff said it "believes that customers who did not 'opt in' should be burdened with the task of having to jump through hoops to 'opt out' of a program that they have already rejected."

Central to the case was a prior case where Frontier wanted to start a similar program and impose a $2.99 monthly paper billing fee, which the PSC determined was unjustly discriminatory to seniors and those unfamiliar with paperless billing. Staff argued that while there is no fee involved in the WVAW case, the principle remains the same and PSC's Frontier order applies here.

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WVAW countered that since no feel is involved, the Frontier case was irrelevant.

The administrative law judge said in his December decision that the Frontier case applied, and utilities should "encourage " customers to opt in, and that WVAW's automatic enrollment with an opt out was unreasonable, despite the safeguards the company proposed.

In its order, the PSC directed WVAW to file a report in six months indicating how many additional customers have enrolled in paperless billing. And it reminded the company that it may not impose a fee for paper bills.
The Pulitzer Prize has been accused of desecrating the memory of Oct 7 victims after awarding a journalist who suggested Israelis could not be hostages.

Mosab Abu Toha, a Palestinian poet, was recognised by the Pulitzer committee for his essays on the physical and emotional carnage in Gaza.

However, Honest Reporting, a watchdog that monitors for anti-Israel bias, found Mr Toha had posted a string of social media posts in which he disparaged Israeli hostages.

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In one he questioned how British-Israeli citizen Emily Damari, who was shot and abducted on Oct 7 2023 in the Kfar Aza kibbutz after Hamas gunmen stormed her home, could be considered a hostage.

So this girl is called a hostage? This soldier who was close to the border with a city that she and her country have been occupying is called a hostage?, he wrote.

Mosab Abu Toha questioned how Emily Damari could be considered a hostage - Facebook

Ms Damari, who was released in January after more than 500 days held captive, responded by accusing Pulitzer of having chosen to elevate a voice that denies truth, erases victims, and desecrates the memory of the murdered.

Mosab Abu Toha is not a courageous writer. He is the modern-day equivalent of a Holocaust denier. And by honouring him, you have joined him in the shadows of denial, the 29-year-old wrote on X.

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This is not a question of politics. This is a question of humanity. And today, you have failed it.

Mr Toha is one of several controversial journalists recognised by Pulitzer in this years awards, which The Washington Free Beacon, a Right-wing website, said indicate the bodys obsession with woke politics.

Other critics pointed out that none of the prize-winners tackled the alleged mental decline of Joe Biden, the former US president who ended his re-election campaign last year following a disastrous debate performance.

The Hills Robby Soave praised the good work of newspapers including The New York Times and Washington Post but was struck by whats missing.

Ms Damari spent more than 500 days being held captive by Hamas

There is not a single winner that focuses on president Joe Bidens cognitive decline was it not one of the biggest stories of 2024? he continued.

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Mr Soave continued: The Pulitzer Prize board perhaps was overlooking good reporting on Bidens cognitive decline because of its own bias.

Or perhaps there wasnt enough good journalism on this subject to evaluate because everyone ignored it. Neither thought is particularly comforting to me.

Tim Graham, executive editor of the Right-wing blog NewsBusters, wrote in an opinion piece: The 2025 Pulitzer announcement underlined that there was not a single reporting prize over the last four years for exposing anything about President Biden or his administrations actions.

Award for abortion bans investigation

Four prizes were awarded for investigating Donald Trump during his first term in the White House, notably for allegations about Russian collusion with his 2016 presidential campaign, he added.

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ProPublica, an investigative news outlet, was also given a Pulitzer for its series on how abortion bans in several states, in the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v Wade, had led to preventable deaths.

While judges praised its urgent reporting, the conservative National Review said the work suffered from misrepresentations stemming from the authors evident bias for abortion rights.

Two women who died after taking mifepristone and were featured in the series were not killed by pro-life legislation, it argued, but because the abortion pill is incredibly dangerous in the first seven weeks of a pregnancy.

Criticism over Mark Warren award

The choice to award Mark Warren, who earned Esquire magazine its first-ever Pulitzer Prize, also came in for criticism.

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Warrens piece, described by Esquire as a deeply moving account told the story of Bubba Copeland, a beloved Baptist pastor and mayor in a small town in Alabama.

Copeland took his own life after being exposed by a Right-wing news website for posting pictures of children from his community online and encouraging them to transition.

The pastor, of whom cross-dressing pictures were also posted, is also said to have shared images of local women to porn websites.

Posting on X about the award, Genevieve Cluck, founder of the satirical website Reductress, wrote: Hey @PulitzerPrizes. Youve just given an award to an article that lionises a sexual predator.

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A man who preyed on women in his own community, and made sissy captions using photos of minors.

Ann Telnaes, the former Washington Post cartoonist who resigned after her sketch depicting Jeff Bezos  the newspapers billionaire owner  grovelling before Mr Trump was not published, also received an award.

Ann Telnaess cartoon depicting Jeff Bezos grovelling before Donald Trump

Ms Telnaes, who had worked for the liberal newspaper for almost two decades, said it was the first time she had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at.

She was praised for her piercing commentary and fearlessness by the Pulitzer board.

Meanwhile, Percival Everett won in the fiction category for James, a reconsideration of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn told from the slaves perspective, while Susie Ibarra won the Pulitzer Prize for music for Sky Islands, a musical call to action about climate change and biodiversity.

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The Telegraph has contacted the Pulitzer Prize for comment.

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Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has stated during talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that Russia will welcome Chinese production facilities on its territory.

Source: The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet

Quote from Putin: "Russia has become the world's main importer of Chinese cars. Meanwhile, we welcome the establishment and transfer of Chinese industrial expertise in our country."

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Details: Putin added that Moscow is ready to provide "comfortable conditions for Chinese companies to operate in Russia" and described Russo-Chinese relations as "a benchmark of interstate communication in the 21st century".

However, The Moscow Times noted that although Beijing has become Moscow's largest trading partner since the Kremlin launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, it has so far refrained from significant investment in the real sector of the Russian economy.

Statistics from the Russian Central Bank show that over the past three years, there has been no significant capital inflow from countries the Kremlin considers friendly.

On the contrary, the total volume of foreign direct investment in Russia has continued to decline, falling by US$138 billion in 2022, US$80 billion in 2023 and a further US$63 billion last year.

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Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has lost 57% of its foreign investment, with the total volume dropping to US$216 billion  the lowest level since 2009, according to the Russian Central Bank.

Background: Kyzyl-Tashtygsky GOK, one of Russia's largest mining and processing plants and owned by China's Zijin Mining Group, is suspending operations due to difficulties with financial transactions.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed their close partnership, which has been in the auto and energy sectors, during a Thursday meeting in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

"Against the backdrop of a difficult geopolitical situation and global uncertainty, the Russian-Chinese foreign policy connection is the most important stabilizing factor on the international stage," said Putin.

China is a key buyer of Russian raw materials such as gas and oil, the sale of which fuels Russia's war chest for the conflict it started with Ukraine more than three years ago.

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Russian Energy Minister Sergei Zivilyov, referring to EU plans to stop using Russian gas by 2027, stated that Moscow would find other buyers. He once again described the Western sanctions imposed in response to Russia's war against Ukraine as illegal.

The more Russia has become estranged from the West, the more it has been relying on its strategic partnership with China. According to official figures, bilateral trade volume rose to $245 billion last year.

Xi stated that Russia and China had deepened their mutual political trust during the meeting in light of unprecedented global changes, the Chinese state agency Xinhua reported.

Russia is an important market for Chinese cars and with US tariffs currently in place, China said it wants to work with Russia to defend the interests of both countries against "unilateralism and bullying."

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That term is a phrase China uses in reference to its trade disputes with the United States. Unilateralism refers to a state's strategy of prioritizing its own interests without regard for international partners or organizations.

The Kremlin leader had invited Xi as the main guest for the celebrations commemorating the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany. Moscow traditionally marks the end of the war on May 9 with a large military parade in Red Square.

The display of weaponry has drawn criticism, particularly in the West, due to Putin's war against Ukraine.

China officially describes itself as neutral in the Ukraine war. However, the country has faced international criticism for supporting Russia during the invasion.

China celebrates the end of World War II in early September. Putin said he plans to make a reciprocal visit to the People's Republic at that time.






Queen Elizabeth's remarks about VE Day have resurfaced on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe

The then-Princess Elizabeth was 19 at the time, and she and sister Princess Margaret went incognito to celebration in the streets of London

The history-making monarch said she was "terrified" of being recognized remembered it as "one of the most memorable nights of my life"







Queen Elizabeth had a historic life, but she once called the end of World War II in Europe "one of the most memorable nights of my life."

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As the British royal family gathered in London to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, their social media pages resurfaced the late Queen Elizabeth's recollections of the historic day. The then-princess was 19 when the war ended, and she reflected on celebrating on May 8, 1945, in a BBC recording from 1985.

After waving to the crowds gathered in front of the balcony at Buckingham Palace every hour with their father King George VI and their mother Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, went incognito to mix in with the crowds and experience first-hand the joy of those celebrating throughout London.

"Terrified" of being recognized, the royal recalled how she pulled her uniform cap down over her eyes  until a Grenadier Guards officer who was escorting her said he "refused to be seen in the company of another officer improperly dressed."

Elizabeth recalled, "We cheered the King and Queen on the balcony and then walked miles through the street. I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief."

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The celebrations were "one of the most memorable nights of my life," she said.



No photos from the outing are known to exist, but the future Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret's night out was reenacted in the sixth and final season of The Crown as flashback sequences. Actresses Viola Prettejohn and Beau Gadsdon portrayed the royal sisters.



On the 75th anniversary of VE Day in 2020, Queen Elizabeth gave a speech to lead the nation in remembrance.



"At the start, the outlook seemed bleak, the end distant, the outcome uncertain. But we kept faith that the cause was right  and this belief, as my father noted in his broadcast, carried us through," the monarch said. "Never give up, never despair  that was the message of VE Day."

"Never give up, never despair - that was the message of VE Day"



An address by Her Majesty The Queen on the 75th anniversary of VE Day #VEDay75 pic.twitter.com/prgBXCdRHF  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 8, 2020

King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Kate Middleton and other members of the royal family marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day on Thursday at a Service of Thanksgiving held at Westminster Abbey.

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The service began moments after 12 p.m. local time with two minutes of silent reflection to remember the sacrifices and heroism of the armed forces and the stoicism of ordinary people during World War II.

Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty From left: King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton attend VE Day service at Westminster Abbey on May 8, 2025 From left: King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton attend VE Day service at Westminster Abbey on May 8, 2025

The royals laid wreaths and flowers as well as met with some veterans in attendance at the event.



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Queen Margrethe of Denmark is clearing her calendar after heading to the hospital.

On May 8, the Danish Royal House announced that the former Queen of Denmark, 85, was hospitalized after contracting a cold.

"As a result of the cold HM Queen Margrethe has contracted, it has been decided that the Queen will be admitted to Rigshospitalet for observation as a precaution," the court said in a statement.

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The royal calendar showed that the Queen's royal outing on Thursday, a visit to the Sankt Lukas Foundation's 125th anniversary celebration, was canceled in tandem.

Queen Margrethe made the unusual move to abdicate from the throne in January 2024 on the 52nd anniversary of her accession to the throne. She became the first Danish sovereign to voluntarily step down in nearly 900 years and the crown passed to her eldest son and successor, who is now known as King Frederik.

Martin Sylvest Andersen/Getty Queen Margrethe attends a church service commemorating the 80th anniversary of Denmark's liberation on May 4, 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Queen Margrethe attends a church service commemorating the 80th anniversary of Denmark's liberation on May 4, 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

His Australian-born wife became Queen Mary in the same sweep, but Queen Margrethe continues to bear her Queen title and is styled as Her Majesty.

Queen Margrethe referenced her health in the shock speech she delivered on New Year's Eve 2023 to announce her abdication.

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"In February this year I underwent extensive back surgery. Everything went well, thanks to the competent health personnel, who took care of me," she said in part then. "Inevitably, the operation gave cause to thoughts about the future  whether now would be an appropriate time to pass on the responsibility to the next generation. I have decided that now is the right time."

The change was made official in January 2024, but Queen Margrethe has continued to maintain an active schedule of engagements.

The former sovereign sometimes walks with a cane for support and was hospitalized after falling at her Fredensborg Castle home in September 2024.

IDA MARIE ODGAARD/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Princess Josephine, Princess Isabella, King Frederik, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Queen Margrethe, Princess Benedikte, Crown Prince Christian and Queen Mary celebrate Queen Margrethe's 85th birthday at Fredensborg Castle, Denmark on April 16, 2025. Princess Josephine, Princess Isabella, King Frederik, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Queen Margrethe, Princess Benedikte, Crown Prince Christian and Queen Mary celebrate Queen Margrethe's 85th birthday at Fredensborg Castle, Denmark on April 16, 2025.

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The Queen's most recent appearance before her latest hospitalization was at a May 4 peace service at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen for the 80th anniversary of Denmarks liberation.

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The commemoration was attended by King Frederik, 56, Queen Mary, 53, Queen Margrethe's sister Princess Benedikte and two British royals: Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester and Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended to represent the family as the rest of the working British royals appeared at the U.K.'s national celebrations for the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Before that, the Queen marked a milestone and rang in her 85th birthday with her family around her at Fredensborg Castle on April 16.

She appeared on the steps of the royal residence and blew out her candles on a cake with dozens of candles during an intimate birthday banquet at Dome Hall.



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In a recent episode of his highly influential podcast, Joe Rogan declared what he sees as the latest triumph in the cultural battle over language: the return of the R-word.

Every time I see people that disagree with any thats happening, any gigantic world events, its one of these retarded shows where theyre screaming, he said April 10 on an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, before he interrupted himself to go on a quick rant about the word.

The word retarded is back, and its one of the great cultural victories that I think is spurred on, probably, by podcasts, he added.

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Rogan is right, at least to those in some circles.

Once relegated to the cultural dustbin, the so-called R-word has made a resurgence in recent months, used most commonly by people in right-leaning and anti-political correctness worlds, some of whom have tried for years to bring the slur from the social media undercurrents back into the mainstream.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk now frequently uses the word on X to disparage everyone from a Danish astronaut to Ben Stiller. In March, Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, used it in questioning the mental capacity of Beyonce and Jay-Zs twins, only to later issue an apology. The FX show English Teacher included a bit about how the kids are not into being woke and theyre saying the R-word again. And a recent Netflix comedy special invoked the word repeatedly.

While its use has percolated in the comedy world for years, only recently has the word  and discussion of its return  become more normalized. That is fueled in no small part by a sense that the tide has turned both culturally and politically against those seeking to keep the word out of the popular lexicon. But the battle lines are not as clear as one might think, with even some on the left softening their stance on the slurs rebrand while some on the right  most notably former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin  decry its return.

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Timothy Shriver, the chairman of Special Olympics International, noted that the word is used across the political spectrum.

People on the left and people on the right have treated people with intellectual disabilities in subhuman ways, historically, Shriver said.

Still, there are some political dynamics at play. Kenneth Luna, a linguistics professor at California State University, Northridge, who teaches a course on forbidden language, said the word has emerged as a cultural signifier, used by people on the cultural and political right to reinforce a group allegiance  and create further division.

Theres this term, the politics of cruelty, Luna said. Its a political ploy to marginalize opponents. But it also reinforces, if you think about it, this kind of in group loyalty.

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And it is not just right-leaning voters who are using the word. Business Insider reported that some liberal-identifying people are using it, among other canceled words, in response to feeling overly self-censored by the fear of saying something non-inclusive.

Robbie Goodwin, 33, a comedian and podcaster who identifies as an anti-Trump social Democrat, said he has used the word in his comedy to describe something dumb but never to describe a disabled person or to hurt anyones feelings.

But in the last year, Goodwin said, he has noticed people abusing the word, and he believes the joke is going away, partly because Rogan and Musk are using it as a signifier of their culture war.

I never try to offend anyone, and it feels like they are getting off on the fact that its offending someone and triggering the libs, Goodwin said in an interview, adding that he is grossed out by Rogans comments about the words supposed cultural victory. I found myself using it less now, because I see unfunny people using it. Its so cringe.

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Some high-profile people have pushed back. Palin, not one to usually embrace the policing of language, criticized Ye in March for using the word.

BTW, he & everyone else (especially Christian conservatives) thinking its hip to ramp up use of the R word please unfollow me & know that my disrespect for you is insurmountable, wrote Palin, whose son Trig has Down syndrome.

The words return has also been particularly hurtful to people with intellectual disabilities.

Its frustrating, and it upsets me beyond words to hear anyone use the R-word. That word isnt in style; its hurtful, said Novie Craven, a Special Olympics athlete and host of the podcast Inclusion Revolution Radio. When that word is used, youre telling the world that people like me, people with intellectual disabilities, dont belong, cant achieve or arent worth respect.

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Craven added: But you dont know us. You dont live our lives. If you did, youd understand how wrong that word is. You should get to know us before you speak about us.

Before it became an insult, the term mental retardation, derived from the Latin for to slow, was adopted in the mid-1990s by the medical community and the government to replace words like moron, idiot and imbecile in describing people with intellectual disabilities. The term was shortened and sent into the mainstream lexicon, and by the 1990s and the early 2000s, it had become an insult.

The first big move against the word came in 2003, when President George W. Bush renamed the Presidents Committee on Mental Retardation as the Presidents Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Seven years later, President Barack Obama signed Rosas Law, which changed the term to intellectual disability in federal language.

For a time, the pejorative against the millions of people in the United States who have intellectual or developmental disabilities was largely deemed socially taboo thanks to movements like Spread the Word to End the Word. However, the word never quite disappeared the way some others have, and the rise of social media in the 2010s provided a new way to observe its use and its growing embrace by those particularly on the right as political polarization grew.

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Now, Musk is arguably doing more to bring the slur back than anyone else.

Musk, as leader of the administrations efforts to shrink the federal government, also has a direct influence whenever he invokes the slur, which he recently hurled at Yale history professor Timothy Snyder and used in a derisive nickname for Trump adviser Peter Navarro.

Im tempted to call this guy a retard but I wont because Ive used that word too many times, Musk wrote Feb. 22 on X in response to Snyder.

A study in January by Montclair State University found a 207.5% increase in posts on X using the slur four days after Musk used it in a post, or 312,642 posts using the term.

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Musk did not respond to a request for comment.

Daniela Peterka-Benton, an associate professor of justice studies at Montclair State, said in the studys news release that the increase in the slurs use after Musk is an example of how hate content has been normalized and boosted in the online space.

The online space has always held potential dangers for marginalized communities, and it appears to be getting worse, she said.

And while Luna, the linguist, believes all bets are off in this political environment, he does not think the slurs return to the mainstream will last as long as Rogan might hope.

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Its pretty bad, but I dont think its going to get worse in the sense that I dont see people widely using it at all times because it violates linguistic social norms, he said. We just have to combat it right away.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Four months after an inferno ripped through Altadena, a time capsule of rubble and the shells of gutted shops and restaurants still line the business district of North Lake Avenue. Near the top of the street, Maggie Cortezs beloved Mexican eatery stands  one of the towns few survivors.

She and others fear that the area could remain a wasteland while residential parts of Altadena move forward with rebuilding.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clean up debris at private residences, some public buildings and places of worship  but not commercial properties.

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Commercial property debris removal is the responsibility of the property owner. Currently, USACE has no task from FEMA to execute commercial property removal, the Army Corps said in a statement.

El Patron survived the Eaton fire that destroyed many nearby businesses and neighborhoods.

ECC Constructors was awarded a contract for more than $668 million to do the residential cleanup in areas affected by the Eaton fire, records show. So while those lots are being cleared with speed, most commercial property owners have been left to clear their land. And many are questioning whether they can afford to when the business outlook is so bleak, leaving swaths of the unincorporated town stuck in a toxic limbo.

Inside El Patron, music plays overhead as customers are transported to normalcy. But reminders of what happened in January arent far away  across the street are the remains of a pizza place and a historic church, while caution tape still clings to the trees at the neighboring park.

Cortez, 45, said customers  her "family," whose photos adorn the walls  visit on their way to check in on their destroyed homes or to oversee remediation. But after an initial surge, business has waned. She fears for her restaurant's survival.

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Cortez lives two blocks away and knows the sight is a deterrent for potential diners, especially those still traumatized by the fire. I can feel their pain," she said.

A church across Lake Avenue from El Patron lies in ruins.

Chamber of Commerce board member Larry Hammond said that there was initial confusion over whether business owners would get help in the cleanup process. Now, reopened businesses face the problem of how to attract people back as the recovery continues, while those whose businesses burned down wonder whether they can manage to reopen in an area thats devoid of people. Swirling around all of this are questions about toxins from the properties that have not been cleared.

The future is unclear in terms of businesses, Hammond said. The people that frequented the local businesses are gone.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Altadena, introduced a motion last month to help the area's economic recovery through small-business loans and the approval of pop-up events and restaurants to operate in vacant lots over the next five years in an effort to bring customers back. The county announced Tuesday that businesses could apply for loans for as much as $75,000, but would need to be open to the public in order to qualify.

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Read more: When FEMA failed to test soil for toxic substances after the L.A. fires, The Times had it done. The results were alarming

Anish Saraiya, an advisor for Barger, said the supervisor has advocated for the debris cleanup to include commercial properties

Down the street from El Patron outside Websters Community Pharmacy, trucks carrying debris shuttle past the shop at Lake and Mendocino Street. The store and its surrounding shopping complex survived the fire, but nearby buildings burned.

Webster's Pharmacy owner Meredith Miller, right, had to relocate the store from its historic building a block away after the Eaton fire. Above, she hugs customer and Altadena resident Nancy Allen.

Owner Meredith Miller said that although some loyal customers have returned, sales have gone down. She imagines that the scene outside doesn't help.

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There's only been one or two businesses that have done their own cleanup. Other than that, everything is just sitting the way it was the day of the fire. People don't really want to see it, Miller, 71, said. Because it's upsetting.

Displaced residents living in Glassell Park, Monrovia and other neighborhoods return to Websters when checking on their properties and to pick up medication. Hugs are often shared between customers and Miller; tears are shed.

At the front is a donation section for people to take toys, toothpaste, sunglasses and books. And tote bags, T-shirts and hats read "Beautiful Altadena  a phrase the shop coined years ago  and one of the community' s new slogans: Altadena Strong.

Webster's Pharmacy owner Meredith Miller had to relocate the store from its historic building a block away following the Eaton fire.

The pharmacy is a 99-year-old staple in Altadena that Miller and her husband bought 15 years ago. They moved to this location a few blocks from the original site last year and are locked into a five-year lease. Their hope is that the pharmacy makes it to 100 years  and beyond.

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We don't really want to just give up, Miller said. Ultimately, people will come back to the community, and they are getting prescriptions as best they can filled here  but it's going to be years to rebuild.

The fire has left businesses grappling with a variety of next steps. Fair Oaks Burger, for example, survived the fire and is preparing to reopen in a few weeks. The hope is that customers will return, but the owners plan to build a wall in the parking lot to hide the ruins that surround it. On Lake, the owners of Foxs Restaurant cleared their land but are in no rush to rebuild. And less than five blocks away, Altadena Hardware is trying to find a new place in the town to reopen since the building they leased was destroyed, but possibilities are limited.

Miller believes that the clean up of homes should be a priority, but said that help is needed for the community's shops, offices and restaurants too.

"Don't leave us behind," she said. "We are the businesses that you've been depending and relying on for years."

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Read more: Polluted soil is all over L.A. Here's how to fix it, even if your home didn't burn

According to 2023 data provided by Bargers office, nearly 10,500 people lived and worked in Altadena before the fire.

Gail Casburn has lived in the area since 1989. Her house on Las Flores Drive burned down, but her beer and wine bar survived on Fair Oaks Avenue  another business district in town. She and her husband opened Altadena Ale and Wine House to serve locals, but without the community, fewer people have reason to visit. Shes sure the constant sight of crumbled buildings that line the street is a deterrent.

There's no doubt about it  the devastation is surreal, she said.

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The bar recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. Casburn said there was a spike in customers that day, but the place has been quieter than before. Her familys other business  the 1881 Club for jazz farther east below the burn zone  also has seen business slow, she said.

El Patron owner Maggie Cortez is fighting for its survival months after the Eaton fire destroyed many nearby businesses and neighborhoods.

Mariachis perform at El Patron restaurant in the shadow of a burned structure across Lake Avenue.

On an overcast and drizzly Cinco de Mayo, balloons framed the entrance to El Patron as a mariachi band played. The music filled the restaurant and spilled onto the street.

Cortez had considered canceling the annual event, but her customers encouraged her to go forward. This is hope, they told her. This is a miracle.

Longtime regulars gathered; Cortez greeted each with a hug and pulled her customers  her family  from their seats to dance, delivered tequila shots and introduced them to her granddaughter, born shortly after the fire.

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Outside, the aftermath of the fire was visible and the smell of ash lingered with the arrival of rain. But inside, the sight of destruction was eclipsed by celebration.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Gov. Wes Moore signed more than 190 bills into law during a ceremony Tuesday at the State House. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.)

While Gov. Wes Moore (D) continues to be noncommittal on whether hell sign a Maryland Reparations Commission bill into law, a group of supporters plan to rally Friday in Annapolis to show their support for the measure.

I would not tell the governor of Maryland what he should or should not do. All the rally is about is showing why people care about the issue, said Prince Georges County Councilmember Wanika Fisher (D), whos organizing the rally at Lawyers Mall in Annapolis.

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When asked if Moore  the only sitting Black governor in the nation  plans to sign the bill, a spokesperson Wednesday pointed to a statement from last month that the governor will work with all partners involved to ensure that we are passing legislation that will make Maryland safer, more affordable, more competitive.

Moore could sign the bill, let it go into law without his signature or, potentially, veto it. There are two more bill signing ceremonies scheduled, on May 13 and May 20.

Fisher said there are a number of misconceptions about the bill, approved last month in the waning days of the 2025 legislative session.

When you talk to people about the concept of reparations, everyone has 50 million ideas, she said. A commissions important because you bring in different facets of the community together to say, Hey, this is what we kind of think that would work. Nothing is going to be perfect. But it does allow you to have a meeting of the minds.

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Fisher is a former state delegate who sponsored legislation to establish a reparations commission in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Hearings were held, but none of those bills ever made it out of a committee.

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Fiscal notes with those bills said total expenditures would likely exceed $1 million, for hiring at least five staff members and issuing any money to individuals whose ancestors were enslaved in the State.

But the fiscal note for this years reparations bill, sponsored by Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Prince Georges), is a much more modest $54,500 to hire one contractual archivist to help produce reports and conduct research.

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Muse and Del. Aletheia McCaskill (D-Baltimore County), who sponsored a companion House version this year that did not advance out of committee, have stressed that this years bill is strictly a study.

The bill notes commission would assess specific federal, state and local policies from 1877 to 1965, the post-Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. Those years have led to economic disparities based on race, including housing segregation and discrimination, redlining, restrictive covenants, and tax policies.

The all-volunteer commission would also examine how public and private institutions may have benefited from those policies, and would recommend appropriate reparations, which could include statements of apology, monetary compensation, social service assistance, business incentives or child care costs.

The bill calls for a commission of nearly two dozen people, including two employees from the states four historically Black colleges and universities with expertise in the history of slavery; a representative from the Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce; and the state archivist or a designee from that office. Another eight people appointed by the governor could include members such as a mental health expert, an attorney with expertise in civil rights or constitutional law, and two members of the general public.

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The committee would have to deliver a preliminary report of recommendations by Jan. 1, 2027, to explain any findings, and a final report by Nov. 1 of that year.

Maryland joins a handful of states including California, Illinois, New York and Colorado that have approved legislation to study reparations. But advocates say Maryland should be a leader in the effort.

If the governor were to veto it, it would be pretty devastating to the reparations movement in general that has fought for years to put the issue on the table, said Dayvon Love, public policy director for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle of Baltimore, who plans to speak at Fridays rally.

Its important for a state with the largest Black caucus. It has a Black governor. That has a political environment that would be favorable to that kind of policy to demonstrate that it can be done, he said. Maryland is poised to be a leader on that front.
With women of color disproportionately victimized by sexual assault around the U.S. and also in Minnesota, Ramsey County officials announced steps Wednesday to better respond to their hesitancy to report assaults to the criminal justice system.

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said he will direct $40,000 over the next two years for culturally responsive and trauma-informed training for law enforcement.

County leaders are also advocating for additional, community-specific advocates to better serve victims from underrepresented communities.

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If  our responses are not culturally specific and were not attuned to different communities and their needs, were not  improving the quality of justice and safety for everybody in our community, Choi said.

Wednesdays announcement builds on years-long work and was prompted from recommendations in a new research project.

Continued improvements to past shortcomings

In 2016, Ramsey County recognized our shortcomings in responding to sexual assaults, Choi said. They found that when sexual assaults were being reported to law enforcement in Ramsey County, a lot of these cases were not actually coming to my office for review of charges, the county attorney said.

When law enforcement did present sexual assault cases for charging consideration, the Ramsey County Attorneys Offices charging rate was 39 percent  very low, Choi said. They began a two-year review of sexual assault cases in Ramsey County, which led to a public report in April 2018 and a countywide implementation plan in 2019.

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We invested in more investigators  we got more community advocates working in our court system and  working with the police right at the time of interview and investigation, Choi said.

The charging rate has climbed through the years and it was 64 percent last year for adult criminal sexual conduct cases in Ramsey County, according to the county attorneys office.

Funding DNA testing

The Ramsey County Attorneys Office has been funding a forensic scientist at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for quicker turnaround time for DNA results in sexual assault and firearms cases. Choi announced Wednesday that theyll continue that funding for another two years at a cost of $110,000 per year.

Overall at the BCA, all sexual examination kits are being tested in 90 days or less  a goal that was set by the state legislature in providing the BCA crime lab with additional funding, said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans.

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Thats very important to be able to seek justice in these cases, to get those answers quickly, Evans said.

The legislature also enacted a tracking system of sexual assault kits in Minnesota, which can provide information to survivors.

We often heard from our victim/survivors that one of the most difficult things to do is to go home and wait and to not have answers and not understand the process that is happening, Evans said.

Advocates helped 800+ in Ramsey County last year

SOS Sexual Violence Services provided support to 886 people in Ramsey County last year, the most in the past five years, said St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health Director Amy Caron.

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They provide free, 24/7 support to victims of sexual violence in Ramsey County, medical advocacy during exams, counseling and support groups, and referrals for help for legal and financial issues.

Since the initial 2018 report, Ramsey County has continued to evaluate its work on sexual assault cases, including looking at how they can improve, Choi said.

They wanted to better understand the experiences of our victims from various backgrounds because we can learn by those who are most impacted by harm and crime, Choi said.

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The county attorneys office hired the Minnesota Justice Research Center for outreach to hear how people of color who are survivors of sexual assault describe their experiences with the legal system and what needs to be improved. The report says that sexual assaults are underreported and disproportionately concentrated among Black and Indigenous women.

Clear themes emerge from our work, including how factors like trust, power dynamics and identity impact survivors in reporting assaults, said Kayla Richards, the centers community impact director. Their research also showed the importance of community-based supports for survivors, she said Wednesday.

For help

SOS Sexual Violence Services for victims and their families in Ramsey County can be reached at 651-266-1000.

On My Terms is a program of SOS Sexual Violence Services with St. Paul police that gives people more options  and control  over how and when they report sexual violence. If people want to report, they can start with a sexual assault advocate who delivers the report on their behalf to law enforcement. More information is at bit.ly/3F3Dofu.
Video shows coverage of students participating in the trend in Colorado.

ELKINS, W.Va. (WBOY)  School districts in West Virginia are warning students and parents about a TikTok trend that has caused fires and explosions in other states.

Students are reportedly using bits of metal, like thumbtacks and paperclips, to deliberately short out their Chromebooks. Just in one Colorado school district, at least six such incidents were reported in the last week.

Laptop at a school in Boulder, Colorado that was subject to a viral social media trend encouraging students to short-circuit the batteries. (Courtesy the Boulder Valley School District)

Videos showing students how to puncture the lithium ion batteries in their computers have been circulating on TikTok. The damage causes the temperature of the batter to rise uncontrollably, which lead to fires and explosions and releases toxic fumes, according to reports.

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Randolph County Schools said in a notice on Thursday that any student who takes part in the trend will face immediate and serious consequences, including school disciplinary action and referral to law enforcement for possible criminal charges.

See low-flying helicopters in West Virginia? This could be why

Randolph County Schools is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful learning environment. Actions that compromise safety or disrupt the educational process will not be tolerated, the school district said.

Randolph County Schools, and school districts across the country, are urging parents to talk to their children about the possible ramifications of participating in the trend.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS)  Most school halls in the Mountain State have been adorned with RAZE banners at one time or another.

Raze is West Virginias youth tobacco prevention and education program.

After 24 years, the program is bidding farewell after budget cuts.

Funding cuts eliminate Raze tobacco education program in West Virginia

Back in 2023, the Mountain State was awarded 7.9 Million dollars in a lawsuit against the company JULE.

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House Bill 3521 would have awarded $1.19 million of that to tobacco education efforts, but it died in the State Senate on the last day of the 2025 legislative session. RAZE released a letter thanking advisors for the last 24 years of effort.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
(Reuters) -Following are reactions from notable figures to the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as the new leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday. He was a surprise choice, and took the name Leo XIV to become the first U.S. pontiff.

CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON LIN JIAN:

"We hope the Vatican under the new pontiff will continue to engage in dialogue with China in a constructive spirit."

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CHICAGO MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON:

"Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago!"

LAWRENCE SULLIVAN, VICAR GENERAL, ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO:"It's a day of great excitement for Chicago, for the United States to have one of our own be elected as the pope."

SISTER BARBARA REID, PRESIDENT, CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL UNION SCHOOL IN CHICAGO:

"Many of us were just simply incredulous and just couldn't even find words to express our delight, our pride."

She called the pope a brilliant intellectual and a person of extraordinary compassion, adding, "It's an unusual blend that makes him a leader who can think critically, but listens to the cries of the poorest, and always has in mind those who are most needy."

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TAIWAN PRESIDENT LAI CHING-TE:

"Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the Holy See to jointly pursue peace, justice, religious freedom, solidarity, fraternity, and human dignity.

"Taiwan will continue to promote various exchanges and co-operation with the Holy See, to further strengthen bilateral relations, and to make more contributions to the world together with the Holy See."

ISRAELI PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG:

"We look forward to enhancing the relationship between Israel and the Holy See, and strengthening the friendship between Jews and Christians in the Holy Land and around the world.

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"May your papacy be one of building bridges and understanding between all faiths and peoples. May we see the immediate and safe return of the hostages still held in Gaza, and a new era of peace in our region and around the world."

HAMAS STATEMENT:

"We congratulate Pope Leo XIV on his election as the head of the Catholic Church and look forward to his continuation of the late Pope's path in supporting the oppressed and rejecting the genocide in Gaza.

"We wish him success in fulfilling his spiritual and humanitarian mission amidst the tragedies and disasters afflicting the world today  foremost among them the ongoing brutal Zionist aggression against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip."

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U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP:

"What excitement, and what a great honor for our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER:

"Pope Leo is the first American Pope. This is a momentous moment. As Pope Francis' papacy showed, the Holy See has a special role to play in bringing people and nations together to address the major issues of our time; especially on climate change, alleviating poverty and promoting peace and justice across the world."

BRITAIN'S KING CHARLES (STATEMENT FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE)

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"The King has sent a private message to Pope Leo XIV, congratulating him on his election as the 267th Pontiff and Bishop of Rome. His Majesty sent his, and Her Majestys, most sincere good wishes for his Pontificate."

ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI:

"Italians will look to you as a guide and point of reference, recognising in the Pope and the Church that spiritual and moral authority that derives from its inexhaustible message of love, charity and hope, which flows from the Word of God," she said in a letter to the Pope.

GREEK PRIME MINISTER KYRIAKOS MITSOTAKIS:

"Congratulations to Pope Leo XIV. Your leadership comes at a time when the world faces profound challenges but also great opportunities for unity, compassion, and dialogue among peoples and faiths."

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RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN:

"Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your election as Pope. I am confident that the constructive dialogue and cooperation established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values that unite us.

"I wish you, Your Holiness, success in fulfilling the high mission entrusted to you, as well as good health and well-being."

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON:

"A historic moment for the Catholic Church and its millions of faithful. To Pope Leo XIV, to all Catholics in France and around the world, I send a fraternal message.

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"On this May 8th, may this new pontificate bring peace and hope."

WILLIAM RUTO, PRESIDENT OF KENYA

"May your papacy be a shining light of love, hope, and compassion; may it uplift the poor, give voice to the voiceless, heal divisions, and steadfastly champion peace, justice, and the sanctity of human dignity around the world."

BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA:

"I hope he continues the legacy of Pope Francis, whose main virtues were the incessant search for peace and social justice, the defense of the environment, dialogue with all peoples and all religions, and respect for the diversity of human beings.

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"We do not need wars, hatred and intolerance. We need more solidarity and more humanism. We need love for our neighbor, which is the basis of Christ's teachings. May Pope Leo XIV bless us and inspire us in our ongoing quest to build a better and more just world."

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, PRESIDENT OF MEXICO:

"We congratulate His Holiness Leo XIV, elected by the College of Cardinals as head of the Vatican City State and spiritual leader of the Catholic Church. I reaffirm our humanist convergence in favour of peace and prosperity in the world."

DINA BOLUARTE, PRESIDENT OF PERU:

"Born in the United States and naturalized Peruvian in 2015, His Holiness lived and served for years in our country, where he shared the life of the people with humility, love and deep faith. His closeness to the most needy left an indelible mark in our hearts.

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"The Peruvian people, a nation of faith and hope, unite in prayer for his pontificate and celebrate with gratitude that a pastor who loved Peru is now guiding the universal Church. May God bless him and accompany him in his mission!"

GOVERNMENT OF VENEZUELA:

"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela congratulates with profound respect and hope His Holiness Leo XIV on his election as Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, confident that his leadership will mark a new time of spiritual renewal, justice and rapprochement among peoples."

COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO:

"The new Pope, Leo XIV, is more than just an American. His immediate ancestors are Latin: Spanish and French, and he lived 40 years in our Latin America, in Peru.

"I hope he becomes a great leader for migrants around the world, and I hope that he lifts up our Latino migrant brothers and sisters who are currently being humiliated by the U.S. It's time for them to organize.

"May he help us build the great force of humanity that defends life, and defeat the greed that has caused the climate crisis and the extinction of living things."

ECUADORIAN PRESIDENT DANIEL NOBOA:

"We welcome Pope Leo XIV with hope in our hearts. May your word unite, comfort, and guide millions in times of uncertainty. Our prayers are with you from Ecuador."

ARGENTINE PRESIDENT JAVIER MILEI:

"The forces of heaven have clearly given their verdict. No more words, Mr. Judge. End."

CHANCELLOR OF AUSTRIA CHRISTIAN STOCKER:

"Habemus Papam! I congratulate Pope Leo XIV on taking this office that carries such great responsibilities and wish him much strength and wisdom for his pontificate."

GERMAN CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH MERZ:

"I warmly congratulate you on your election as the head of the Catholic Church. Through your office, you offer hope and guidance to millions of believers worldwide in these times of great challenges. For many people, you are a beacon of justice and reconciliation. In Germany, people look to your pontificate with confidence and positive expectation.

SPANISH PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ:

"Congratulations to the whole Catholic Church on the election of the new Pope Leo XIV as @Pontifex_en. May his pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defense of human rights in a world in need of hope and unity."

VIKTOR ORBAN, PRIME MINISTER OF HUNGARY:

"We have a Pope! There is hope!"

(Compiled by Richard Chang; Editing by Nia Williams and Clarence Fernandez)
Americans applying for their REAL IDs need to remain cautious of scams, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) said.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security REAL ID Act has officially rolled out beginning on Wednesday, May 7. After years of delays, the standard drivers license may no longer be acceptable identification for domestic flights or certain federal facilities.

However, the BBB said fake websites are conning people, claiming they can expedite their REAL IDs. But the only way to obtain a Real ID is by visiting the DMV in person, and with the original copies of one proof of identity, one proof of Social Security number and two proofs of state residency.

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Pamela Hernandez, BBB Springfield Regional Director, told KSNF Joplin that a possible influx of scams could be similar to when people receive or renew passports. She attributes the scams to preying on people who are in a hurry because theyve got a trip coming up, and they start looking online on how to expedite the process.

Scammers create websites to take advantage of that and confused consumers, she said. So while we havent seen anything with Real ID yet, it is a possibility because of all the conversation and confusion.

Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Air travelers without a REAL ID are given a red tag before secondary screening as they go though security at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Air travelers without a REAL ID are given a red tag before secondary screening as they go though security at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

The scams weve been seeing online are that you can get your Real ID completely online. If you are seeing that, that is false, Amie Mitchell, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Oklahoma, said, per Fox News 23. You have to go to the local DMV to get it done and there are only certain DMVs in town that are actually doing this.

Bao Vang, VP of Communications at Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota, also told CBS News: If youre asked to provide additional information, such as bank account information or credit card numbers, likely a red flag of a scam.

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.

Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Air travelers without a REAL ID are given a red tag before secondary screening as they go though security at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Air travelers without a REAL ID are given a red tag before secondary screening as they go though security at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

The REAL ID is a form of identification that meets higher security standards set by the federal government. Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005, enacting a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission that set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses.

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Although a REAL ID looks similar to a regular drivers license, the significant difference will be the star that appears in the upper right corner.

Most U.S. adults will need a REAL ID if they plan to fly domestically or to visit federal facilities that require identification. Children under 18 wont need one if theyre flying with a companion who has acceptable ID.

However, there are a few stipulations as to why this may not be the case for everyone in all states. For example, residents of Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington can apply for Enhanced Driver's Licenses (EDLs) or Enhanced IDs (EIDs).

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If you arent sure whether your drivers license or state ID has a gold star in a circle, you might want to double-check your wallet before heading to the airport.

Wednesday was the first day that all travelers flying domesticallyincluding inter islandare required to show a REAL ID-compliant credential or another federally accepted form of identification, like a passport or military ID, to get through airport security. The Transportation Security Administration officially began enforcing the REAL ID Act, a federal law passed in 2005 to tighten ID standards after the 9 /11 attacks.

In Hawaii, most travelers are already set. According to state Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen, about 96 % of all drivers licenses and state IDs issued here are compliant.

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The great thing is, with REAL ID starting up today, the requirements, TSA has been drilling for the past week or so to ensure that if they run into different scenarios, theyre ready for the situations,  he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Wednesday Sniffen said by midday, 307 travelers had arrived at Hawaii airports without REAL ID-compliant IDs. Of those, only three were denied boardingand not because of the REAL ID rule.

The three that were denied access werent because their IDs were not REAL ID compliant. They came in with no ID at all,  he said.

The rest304 peoplewere routed to secondary screening, a backup process that TSA has been rehearsing ahead of the enforcement deadline. Most were cleared in five to 10 minutes.

While the rollout appeared largely seamless, Sniffen warned travelers to arrive early if theyre unsure about their ID status or traveling with guests who may not be compliant. He also noted that most of the issues could come from visitors from other states, not local residents.

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Lorie Dankers, a TSA spokesperson, said travelers without compliant IDs will be allowed to fly after undergoing screening, but theyll be given a flyer explaining the new requirements and may be pulled aside.

Youre going to receive a flyer and you may receive additional screening. Its an unpredictable screening measure that passengers might be subjected to, but you are going to be allowed to fly,  she said.

Valid alternatives to a REAL ID include U.S. passports, military IDsincluding those issued to dependentsGlobal Entry cards and foreign government-issued passports. Dankers encouraged travelers to review TSAs ID list in advance.

At Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on Wednesday, many travelers reported no issues.

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Ivan Kuancer, who was traveling from Hilo to Honolulu to visit family, said he received his REAL ID when he renewed his license a couple of years ago.

He described his travel experience as smooth and said he didnt notice anyone around him having trouble at security.

Kuancer supports the initiative for safety reasons, though he acknowledged it could cause some delays. Still, he said he wasnt too worried.

Others traveling through Honolulu had mixed feelings.

Jennifer, a military traveler from Orange County, Calif., said she opted not to get a REAL ID, relying instead on her military ID when passing through airports.

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I chose not to get it  I am in the military, so I chose to maintain just my military identification as a process of going in and out of the airports. For me, it was like a hassle to get the REAL ID,  she said.

She and her friend Samantha Perez were connecting in Honolulu on their way to Kona.

While Perez also described her own travel as smoothshe carries a passportshe expressed concern after witnessing an older woman in a wheelchair being pulled aside at security.

There should be an exception,  Perez said. She was in a wheelchair. Anybody who may have a disability has to go all the way to the DMV. You dont always have a ride, you dont always have the resources, the financial ability. It looks like its hard enough on them as it is. Its not great.

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Perez said she had never flown domestically using her passport until this trip and worried about misplacing it.

I have a passport, but not everybodys as fortunate to be able to afford a passport,  she said. Getting a new license in California can also be expensive and unaffordable for some people.

The federal law has been in the works for nearly 20 years, with multiple deadline extensions.

Hawaii began issuing REAL ID-compliant licenses in 2018. With enforcement now underway, both federal and state officials say theyll continue educating the public, but travelers should expect the policy to remain in effect going forward.

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Sniffen said Hawaiis DMV offices have done well preparing the public in advance. With only about 30, 000 out of a million licensed drivers statewide still needing a REAL ID, he doesnt expect long lines at licensing centersat least, not yet.

Travelers are advised to check their IDs for the star in a circle indicating REAL ID compliance and to plan accordingly to ensure a smooth travel experience.

ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION Adult passengers 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel.REAL ID-compliant drivers licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent ). If you are not sure if your ID complies with REAL ID, check with your state department of motor vehicles. A temporary drivers license is not an acceptable form of identification.State-issued Enhanced Drivers License (EDL ) or Enhanced ID (EID )U.S. passportU.S. passport cardDHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST )U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependentsPermanent resident cardBorder crossing cardAn acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation /Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs )HSPD-12 PIV cardForeign government-issued passportCanadian provincial drivers license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada cardTransportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC )U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766 )U.S. Merchant Mariner CredentialVeteran Health Identification Card (VHIC )
The Nordic countries have adopted markedly different approaches to hosting Ukrainian refugees. Sweden, in particular, stands out with its restrictive policy, which has pushed many Ukrainians into the informal economy. This has implications for the refugees themselves, for their host societies, and could affect potential future return to Ukraine.

Diverging Nordic approaches

From being one of Europes most liberal countries in terms of immigration, Sweden has over the past three years taken a sharp turn. The current goal of Swedish authorities is to implement the most restrictive immigration and integration policy possible within the boundaries of international law. Ukrainian refugees have experienced these changes firsthand.

As part of an ongoing research project, we have compared policies and the lived experiences of Ukrainian refugees in four Nordic countries: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. We conducted a survey in the autumn and winter of 2024/5 of more than 3,000 Ukrainian refugees across these countries, as well as a number of in-depth interviews. Differences between the countries are striking.

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Minimum rights

In Norway and Denmark (and to some extent Finland), Ukrainian refugees have gained access to language courses, integration programs, and financial support similar to that available to other refugee groups. In Sweden, however, Ukrainians for a long time held a status resembling that of asylum seekers: low financial assistance, no registration in the population register, and limited access to integration measures.

As of November 2024, Sweden introduced some liberalising changes. Ukrainians will now be registered in the population register after one year instead of three, which gives earlier access to integration rights. At the same time, however, the government introduced new restrictions on certain welfare benefits, including child allowances.

A shift in numbers

Sweden was initially the primary destination for Ukrainian refugees in the Nordic region following Russias full-scale invasion in 2022. However, this situation has changed markedly. Today, Sweden has received significantly fewer Ukrainian refugees than both Norway and Finland, and many of those who did arrive have already left. Around one-third of those granted temporary protection in Sweden have departedcompared to less than 10 percent in Norway and Finland.

At the same time, Ukrainian refugees in Sweden report higher levels of economic self-sufficiency. More than half of our respondents in Sweden say they are economically independent, while in Norwaywhere the share is lowestonly one in four say the same.

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At first glance, the situation in Sweden may seem like a dream scenario for advocates of strict immigration policy. But our research reveals the other side of the coin.

Poverty, disillusionment, and regret

Ukrainian refugees in Sweden report living in poverty to a greater extent than those in the other Nordic countries. A quarter of respondents in Sweden say they struggle to make ends meet or live in poverty, compared to only about one in ten in Norway. They also consistently give lower ratings of how the Swedish reception system, public authorities, and services have functioned, compared to their compatriots who sought protection in neighbouring Nordic countries. And while only 67% regret coming to Finland, Denmark, or Norway, as many as 17% of Ukrainians who fled to Sweden say they regret that decision.

While Sweden has seen declining arrivals, Norway has received record-high numbers of Ukrainian refugees over the past three years, leading to capacity strains in many municipalities. A key issue in the Norwegian debate has been the concern that Norway might appear too attractive to Ukrainian refugees, which in turn has led to restrictions on this groups rights.

In such situations, politicians advocating a more restrictive approach have pointed to other countriesoften highlighting Swedens tough stance as a model. But Swedens example clearly shows that reducing integration rights and financial assistance to a bare minimum can have unintended consequences.

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Most importantly: Very low benefits and minimal rights can lead to hardship and insecurity, creating the conditions for parallel societies and increasing the risk of exploitation of vulnerable groups.

More work in the shadows

Getting reliable data on the extent of undeclared work and exploitation in the labour market is challenging, as these are highly sensitive issues. However, in our interviews and survey of Ukrainian refugees in the four Nordic countries, one clear finding emerges when comparing across them.

When we ask whether Ukrainian refugees have been offered or have worked in the informal labour market (e.g., without a contract or without paying taxes), Ukrainian refugees in Sweden are twice as likely to report that they themselves  or other Ukrainian refugees they know of  have done so, compared to respondents in Norway, Denmark, and Finland.

The main reason is often financial distress. As one interviewee explained:

"If we had the chance to get a job with a contract, most of us would take it. But were just trying to survive  the main issue is how to make ends meet."

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When rights are reduced, the most vulnerable end up outside the regulated labour market. This threatens not only their security, but also the social model upon which Nordic societies are built.

Also about Ukraines future

And this is not just about the fate of Ukrainian refugeesit is also about Ukraine itself. Millions of Ukrainian citizens currently live in Europe as temporary refugees. The way they are received, the rights they are given, and the possibilities they have for living with dignity affect not only their integration, but may also affect whether they wantor are ableto return home.

Perhaps Swedens restrictive model will indeed prompt some Ukrainians to return. But this raises deeper dilemmas. If refugees are pushed into the informal economy or into jobs where their skills and qualifications go unused, we risk deskilling and wasting valuable human resources. By contrast, when refugees are given the opportunity to apply and further develop their competencies, they can become assetsnot only for their host countries, but also for Ukraines rebuilding and further development.

Experiences with work in the informal economy

(data from the NOR-RETIN survey)

Vilde Hernes and Aadne Aasland
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A recidivist sex offender was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material.

Registered sex offender Ricky Grover Aaron, 62, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and pay restitution to his victims.

According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, the FBI was conducting an undercover online investigation to identify individuals sharing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) using peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.

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Investigators determined that Aaron was utilizing a BitTorrent application to make CSAM available for others, and on multiple occasions, were able to download CSAM files from one or more of Aarons electronic devices.

In November 2022, a search warrant was executed at Aarons residence. Several electronic devices were seized and forensically examined.

In total, investigators found that Aaron possessed the equivalent (when taking videos into account) of more than 300,000 CSAM images that depicted minors, including infants, toddlers, and children under the age of 12, being sexually abused and exploited.

At the sentencing hearing, the Court also heard that Aaron failed to register as a sex offender in

Mecklenburg County, after he moved to North Carolina, as he was required to do. Aaron had two convictions prior to this one: a federal conviction for receipt and possession of CSAM and a state conviction for false imprisonment and aggravated exploitation of a minor in Tennessee.

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Under the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, convicted sex offenders are required to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board in any state or jurisdiction where they work or reside.

On October 29, 2024, Aaron pled guilty to possession of child pornography involving a

prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained age 12.

He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

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CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the

growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the

Department of Justice.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
As is the fashion these days, journalists, politicians and commentators are getting their tartan troos in a twist over the most recent polling for next years Holyrood elections.

Given Reforms narrative-changing performance at last weeks local elections in England, it probably shouldnt be much of a surprise that Nigel Farages party has enjoyed a post-poll bounce even in Scotland, where, we are regularly informed, your average voter is so progressive that he is permanently on the cusp of canonisation. Yet being more virtuous than our English neighbours has not prevented a Caledonian surge for Reform here too.

A Survation poll has produced a snapshot of party support north of the border that suggests Reform could form the official opposition to the SNP government from next May. The usual caveats apply: not a prediction, things could change, margin of error, etc.

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This will annoy a lot of people and frighten many more. Not so much because they see in Reforms advance a repeat of German history in the 1930s  Scottish education has suffered under the SNP but it hasnt quite deteriorated that much yet  but because it looks likely that Scotland is about to endure another political earthquake that will reconfigure the political landscape. Again.

Ten years ago today, Scotland woke up to the new political reality that Scottish Labours reliable fiefdom was no more: all but one of its MPs had been removed from office in a crushing defeat by the nationalists at the UK general election.

In the years that followed, the party made heroic efforts to recover, helped by the SNPs own unforced errors. Last year, most of those seats were recaptured by a new generation of Labour MPs. But discontent with Keir Starmers administration has been widespread and Scotland has not reverted to the way it was in the 70s through to the noughties, when voters would reliably vote Labour whatever the national UK mood.

A friendly and sensible Labour MP pointed out to me recently that the threat to UK Labour from Reform is similar to the threat the SNP poses to Scottish Labour: voters in large parts of the country would be unlikely to countenance voting Tory, however unhappy they might be at Labour. But when an electorally viable alternative arrives on the scene well, all bets are off.

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And it is Scottish Labour and its leader at Holyrood, Anas Sarwar, who will feel most worried by the latest poll. When Humza Yousaf, the SNPs Liz Truss tribute act, was first minister, Sarwar enjoyed the unusual experience of being the most likely person to succeed him in Bute House, the official residence of the head of government in Scotland. But Yousafs replacement by the dull, reliable and nice John Swinney has steadied the SNP ship and the party has been leading in every poll since then.

The prospect of being replaced by Reform as the main opposition in even a single poll is exactly the kind of blow to personal and party morale that Sarwar could do without. Starmer repeatedly insisted, before last years general election, that his path to Downing Street ran through Scotland. He was right. But if hes still right, that could mean the path to Downing Street is being paved for the benefit of a rather different political leader.

Does this poll mean that Scots are suddenly dangerously Right wing  or even far Right as Swinney has often warned  and are emulating their southern compatriots alleged intolerance of high levels of immigration?

Put it this way: the only time I had a voter tell me that Enoch was right was not in a housing estate in London, Birmingham or Leicester; it was in Glasgow. From a Labour voter. The fact that for, decades, Scots generally voted for parties perceived as Left-wing, progressive and tolerant, effectively hid the frustration felt across many areas of Scotland, particularly in the sprawling housing estates where Labour used to trawl for support.

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The resentment against the influx of asylum seekers, sent northwards by the Home Office to Labour-run Glasgow, the only Scottish local authority that had agreed to be part of the asylum dispersal scheme, was real and it was loud. And political parties ignored it.

It has been pointed out often but its worth reiterating: it is the poorest communities, the ones with the fewest employment opportunities, the lowest quality of housing and schools, the fewest community facilities, that are more likely to resent new arrivals, especially if they arrive in large numbers. This is true across the whole of the UK, and Scotland is not exempt.

But our politicians chose not to acknowledge this, at least publicly. The myth of the welcoming, progressive Scot who is only too happy to hold placards declaring refugees welcome here was propagated and repeated, however little attention was paid to the fact that a lot of those placard wavers headed home afterwards to their comfortable, middle class homes and their comfortable middle class jobs, separated from the affected communities by a comfortable middle class distance.

And suddenly in Scotland its no longer socially unacceptable  or at least, not as socially unacceptable  to admit to being a Reform voter, especially if the central aim of placing that cross on the ballot paper is not to object to immigration, but to protest at the complacency of the establishment.

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I know at least two members of my former local Labour Party who intend to exercise their frustration at their party by doing exactly that. Scottish Labour thought the nightmare of 2015 was over. It may be about to be repeated.

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MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP)  A Palestinian student arrested during an interview about finalizing his U.S. citizenship helped launch a $1 million fundraising campaign to strengthen the legal safety net for immigrants in Vermont on Thursday, a week after a federal judge freed him from custody.

Mohsen Mahdawi, 34, who led protests against Israels war in Gaza at Columbia University, spent 16 days in a state prison before a judge ordered him released on April 30. The Trump administration has said Mahdawi should be deported because his activism threatens its foreign policy goals, but the judge ruled that he has raised a substantial claim that the government arrested him to stifle speech with which it disagrees.

Immigration authorities have detained college students from around the country since the first days of the Trump administration. Many of them participated in campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war. Mahdawi was among the first to win his freedom after challenging his arrest.

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This is a message of hope and light, that our humanity is much larger than what divides us. Our humanity is much larger than unjust laws, he said at a Statehouse news conference. And this is also a message to the rest of the world. It starts from Vermont.

Mahdawi joined Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak, Senate Majority Leader Kesha Ram Hinsdale and community advocates to announce the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund. The group, which also includes lawyers and philanthropists, says the fund will be used to expand the legal team at the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project, train pro bono attorneys and partner with community groups to support those facing deportation, detention and family separation.

I am here with a large and diverse group of Vermonters to say: We protect and take care of our people, regardless of their national origin, regardless of their immigration status, regardless of the language they speak, Ram Hinsdale said. We take care of our own against any and all threats.

Members of Vermonts congressional delegation have spoken up on Mahdawi's behalf, as have state politicians. Vermont's House and Senate passed resolutions condemning the circumstances of his detention and advocating for his release and due process rights.

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Republican Gov. Phil Scott has said there is no justification for the manner in which Mahdawi was arrested, at an immigration office in Colchester.

Law enforcement officers in this country should not operate in the shadows or hide behind masks, the governor said the next day. The power of the executive branch of the federal government is immense, but it is not infinite, and it is not absolute.

Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident, was born in a refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and moved to the United States in 2014. At Columbia, he organized campus protests and co-founded the Palestinian Student Union with Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian permanent resident of the U.S. and graduate student who was arrested in March.

His release, which is being challenged by the government, allows him to travel outside of his home state of Vermont and attend his graduation from Columbia in New York later this month.

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On Thursday, he described sharing a prison cell with a farmer from Mexico who prayed every night.

I think his prayers have been answered today by this initiative, he said. This is what I call love and care. This is what I call humanity and justice. This is what I call the teachings of Jesus, who would feed the hungry, who would shelter the homeless and who would provide support to illegal immigrants.
DAVID HOROWITZ, THE FIREBRAND of the conservative movement, died on April 29 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was once a dear friend of mine. As I consider the great influence he had on so many, I feel compelled to reflect on the meaning of his life and on the effect he had on the scores of people who crossed paths with him.

I met David in New York City in the early 1950s, when I was a 15-year-old Communist and member of the Upper West Side branch of the Labor Youth League, the name at that time of the official youth organization of the American Communist Party. At one meeting, David, age 13, came to our chapter in his position as the newly appointed youth editor of the Communist Partys daily newspaper, The Daily Worker. He was from his own bailiwick in Sunnyside, an enclave in Queens, where lots of Communists and fellow travelers lived. The task was in vain; few if any volunteered to write for the paper, and the hope of creating a young peoples section never materialized. (I did, however, contribute an unsigned article about the model U.N. for high school students, which was held at the United Nations in the actual delegates section. As far as I know, my article was the only outcome of his recruitment effort.)

David and I were soon friends, and I went frequently to visit him at his home and attended the parties he held there with the other young comrades of the partys youth movement. When it was time for college, I left for the University of Wisconsin in Madison, while he chose Columbia. Both David and I stayed politically active. After he graduated, David went to Berkeley to study American literature, while I stayed in Madison for graduate school in American history. Now as a member of the emerging New Left, I became an editor of the journal Studies on the Left, while David became editor and a founder of his own West Coast radical university publication, Root and Branch. There was one meeting to see if the two could be merged, but their emphasis was on cultural issues, while ours was broader in its scope.

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During the 1960 presidential campaign, David put together the very first student demonstration against JFK in Berkeley, which prompted me to organize a similar one when Kennedy himself came to campaign in Madison. As his car passed, we ran to it and yelled, Remember, senator, the only real issue is peace with Russia. As David began to concentrate and oppose the beginnings of sending U.S. troops to Vietnam during JFKs presidency, I emulated his actions and wrote the first editorial against a U.S. presence in Vietnam for the student newspaper, the Daily Cardinal. We were on campuses two thousand miles apart but we worked in tandem.

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THERE WERE TWO VERY DIFFERENT personas to David. The first was a militant and uncompromising radical; the other a sensitive and brilliant writer who put aside politics and often wrote beautiful prose about the meaning of life.

Sol Sternan old mutual friend of Davids and minewrote with me about this in an article published four years ago this week in the New Republic. In that lengthy assessment, we trace Davids political journey from the radical leftist turned thoughtful conservative turned Trump propagandist. He eventually became what he himself called a bomb thrower, i.e., an in-your-face uncompromising member of the far right-wing.

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As an example of Davids more thoughtful persona, Stern and I quoted a paragraph that David wrote in 1993 for a magazine called Heterodoxy he had recently created with his friend Peter Collier. Heres how David explained what being a newly proclaimed conservative meant to him:

Conservatism, then, is not an ideology in the sense that liberalism, or the various forms of radicalism are. It is not an identity politics whose primary concern is to situate its adherents in the camp of moral humanity and thus to confer on them the stamp of Historys approval. It does not have a party line. It is possible for conservatives to question virtually any position held by other conservatives including, evidently, the notion that they are conservatives at all, without risking excommunication, expulsion, or even a raised eyebrow.

It was a rational stance that David would abandon in a few years. When he created what is now called the David Horowitz Freedom Center, which publishes its daily website, Frontpagemag, he had evolved from being a thoughtful intellectual of a conservative persuasion to what the Center itself called a battle tank, geared to fight a war, which eventually aligned with Donald Trumps MAGA movement, a development that met the criterion for Davids fondest dreams. Gone was his belief that a conservative could question anything; the war that had to be waged, as he saw it, demanded total obedience and commitment until victory against the left (a category which included anyone of a liberal or left-wing persuasion). The defeat of the left was necessary for America to regain its soul.

Davids organization hosted yearly retreatsRestoration Weekends, he called themusually at top-of-the-line hotels, like the exclusive and ultra-expensive Breakers resort in West Palm Beach. The major conservative political and intellectual figures of the day would be invited to speak. Over the years, the lineup you could expect at these three-day getaways shifted hard right. Early on, Davids ecumenical guests included a broad spectrum of conservative figures, as well as avowed political liberals and leftists, whose presence reflected the perspective of conservatism he outlined in Heterodoxy. But as the George H.W. Bush and Clinton years gave way to the George W. Bush and Obama years, Davids yearly meetings began to welcome only the most extreme of Republicans. Eventually, only those sworn to support Trump and the MAGA movement would participate. When Donald Trump first won the presidency in 2016, David welcomed and honored Steve Bannon, whom he regarded as a fellow warrior for freedom and to whom he gave his organizations annual award for his role in getting Trump into the White House.

Neoconservatives whom David once regarded highly and honored were disinvited from his events and openly scorned and attacked, especially if they rejected Donald Trump. Bill Kristol, then a leading light of neoconservatism, the editor of the Weekly Standard, and an early critic of Trump, was attacked in a vicious fashion by David, who called Kristol a renegade Jew in what at the time was emerging as a MAGA organ, Breitbart.com.

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DAVIDS ORIGINAL TURN toward the rightas he described it in his autobiography, Radical Son, and in many articlesbegan with his disillusionment with the Black Panther Party. As a Berkeley radical, he had supported them, helped them with funding, and was often in the company of its leader, Huey Newton. David had recommended a woman named Bettey Van Patter to work as the bookkeeper for the group at the Panthers San Francisco headquarters. She suddenly disappeared, and eventually her body was found in the San Francisco Bay; it was clear she had been murdered and thrown in the water. David knew immediately that she had been killed by the Panthers, who feared her work in their office revealed material that they wanted kept secret, and not fully trusting her, decided the only course was to get rid of her in true gangland style.

The late journalist Kate Coleman, a friend of Davids who wrote some of the first articles critical of the Black Panther Party, recounted decades later that David was just blown out of the water, and the revelation showed that his guilt was overwhelming. He was really suffering. It is fair to conclude that this one act, which David has written about over and over through the years, was the catalyst for his re-evaluation of everything he believed while a Marxist and man of the left. Daniel Oppenheimer, whose book Exit Right: The People Who Left the Left and Reshaped the American Century includes a chapter on David, perceptively commented to journalist Chris A. Smith that Davids confrontational style made it hard for those he criticized to listen to him and think about his critique of the left. David, Oppenheimer said, had a very keen sense for where the lefts genuine hypocrisies and vulnerabilities were, but he hit it in this way that was blunt and unsympathetic and unforgiving.

Oppenheimer was only partially correct. Before he turned to the right, David wrote about his disillusionment for the Nation, the flagship publication of the American left. His article, which appeared in the December 8, 1979 issue, was titled A Radicals Disenchantment. It was, as he later wrote, his farewell to the left. The left, he wrote, could not change itself, and was trapped in its romantic vision and unable to summon the disposition to look at itself critically. He continued to blast apologists of the Left who refused even at such a late date to criticize the Soviet Union or clear cases of repression in Communist nations such as Cuba. He ended his essay with a challenge to the magazines readers: Can the left take a really hard look at itselfthe consequences of its failures, the credibility of its critiques, the viability of its goals? He then chastised his former comrades for their arrogant cloak of self-righteousness . . . that makes it impervious to the lessons of experience.

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Although he hoped, or so he wrote, that the left would fashion a new, more adequate version of radical commitment and radical change, he would later conclude that his attempt to move in such a direction had been in vain.

The response was a torrent of attack. His mentor, the British socialist and political scientist Ralph Miliband (father of the British Labour Party politicians David Miliband, now head of the International Rescue Committee, and Ed Miliband, now energy secretary in the Starmer government), told David he should not have written the article, and that his arguments had no merit. For years, he would come back to that response and tell one and allas he often said to meI gave the left a chance and not only did they not take it, but they also castigated me for raising such questions.

It was this kind of rejection that began his movement away from the left in which he grew up and played a major role. One must wonder if a different response from left intellectualsone that treated his complaints as legitimate and took them seriouslywould have prevented his drift into the conservative movement and eventually into its extremist elements.

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DAVIDS DRIFT CONTINUED, and his character led him to gravitate toward the most far-right figuresthose who, like him, believed they had to wage total war until final victory and the destruction of the left. His writing became more and more tortured and extreme; nuance and thoughtfulness gradually disappeared.

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The sadness is, as the extremist partisan persona grew, he was wasting the talent and insights he had to offer. David was a great writer, as readers of his autobiography and his four other personal books can attest. Mortality and Faith is a reflection on spiritual life as a nonbeliever and a seeker for meaning. A Point in Time is a Dostoyevskian exploration of redemption and time; as Walter Isaacson wrote in a blurb, David Horowitz has produced a meditation on facing death that is poignant and wise . . . he helps us think through that most basic of all questions: what is it that can give meaning to our existence?

I myself wrote a blurb for Youre Going to be Dead One Day: A Love Story. I felt a great peace and calm reading Horowitzs beautiful prose, I wrote. He has been able to touch my feelings on a deep level, and cause me to reflect on whether or not I have been able to make a difference while I am among the living. I stand by this response today, after David himself has passed.

A Cracking of the Heart is about the sudden death of Davids daughter Sarah at the relatively young age of 44. In it, we learn that Sarah became an observant Jew, finding life and meaning in Judaism. After Sarah died, David flew to Berkeley to see his ex-wife, Elissa, from whom he had long been divorced. Yet, he wrote, he had a durable bond with her, forged out of the love we shared for our children, and now for their children, and out of memories of a past long gone.

Readers of A Cracking of the Heart familiar with Davids politics might be surprised to learn that his beloved Sarah was, like her mother, a woman of the left. Given Davids growing vitriolic right-wing extremism, its surprising and impressive to see him reveal his pride in her concern for the poor and the homeless, and his admiration for her trips to El Salvador and India, and a trip to serve a tribe of African Jews in Uganda. He quotes from Sarahs prayer for the United States that she submitted to her rabbi at Congregation Beth Sholom: Let our leaders pursue justice. . . . Protect our leaders from the seductions of power; Protect our right to protest.

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David acknowledged that he had set out on a course that put us at odds. He recalls sending Sarah a draft of his autobiography, and writes that she wanted me to be less dismissive of political opponents and more appreciative of their human complexity. Later, she dismissed another of his writings by saying you went into this book with a closed mind & a chip on your shoulder. This sets you up as someone with an axe to grind & sets a tone of condescending contempt. His answer: I get your point, and its a good one. He pledged to try and develop a more empathetic commentary.

Of course, he never didand he must have realized it.

Of Sarah, he writes that she was drawn to the social causes of the Left both by friends and by her own inclinations. When he and Peter Collier wrote their famous 1985 article announcing that they had voted for Ronald Reagan, Sarah told her sister: Can you believe it? Dads gone over to the dark side. After her sister reacted, she added: Oh well, thats Dad. David was upset about her identification with the Left which he says, raised my anxieties about where she might be heading and became a source of occasional frictions between us.

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At times David even recognized his own extremist bent. In this period of my life, he writes, I was unable to speak about such matters without passions rising unbidden that were near ferocious. Perhaps he was unable to see that he continued in that vein, getting more and more strident. Why was he so strident? He explains: Trapped in an emotional paralysis, which was born of the recriminations and griefs that had become a dominant feature of myself, I was unable to retreat from the words I had uttered without feelings of self-betrayal. As for the leftist community, he writes: For them, politics was the quest for a redemption in this world and it inflamed them with the self-righteous feelings that accompanied such hopes. Writing in 2009, he does not seem to realize the attitudes of the left that he disdained are precisely those of the right he now supported.

The most striking revelation in A Cracking of the Heart is that Sarah worked on Barack Obamas 2008 presidential campaign. She was drawn inexorably to its cause, David notes, attracted to a candidate who reflected in his biography the multicultural backgrounds in her own family, and a campaign which seemed to represent the hopes she had for her country. He was skeptical, he writes, but when she told me she was going to Iowa to campaign for Obama I was whole-heartedly behind her and told her so. Sarah, he writes, marched into a heartland winter, in temperatures of two degrees above zero to knock on doors and bring out Americans she had never met to join her in her campaign of Yes We Can. She was thrilled that her cause had won, and, David writes, I was able to share her triumph. He told her, You can be very proud of what you have done. America, he says, has already been changed forever by this Iowa campaign, and this could not have happened without you and others like you.

YET THIS IS ALSO THE DAVID HOROWITZ who blamed Americas decline and fall on this same Barack Obama, whom he believed had consciously betrayed America and turned it to support its enemies. He repeatedly said in public that Obama is a Communist, and he urged others also to say this loud and clear. Indeed, David once told me that he asked the also-volatile Sen. Ted Cruz to give a speech calling Obama a Communist, to which Cruz replied: I cant say that. David said to me, Im the only one courageous enough to tell this truth.

We find in one man an understanding, nuanced, and sensitive father and also a harsh, strident, unrelenting fighter against the leftthe enemy that he believed was destroying America, and that had to be fought tooth and nail. Unfortunately, it is the latter David Horowitz the world came to know, and he became famous for his strident, harsh, and nasty take on our political life.

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As one of his disciples writes in Frontpagemag:

David was MAGA before there was a MAGA and without the movement he helped build, it might never have come into being. . . . Before the Republican Party was ready for Trump, David Horowitz had to teach them how to call the Left by its right names. Traitors. Insurrectionists. The Enemy Within. And he taught them to hit as hard as possible. Leftist institutions didnt need to be debated, but destroyed. This was not an argument to be settled on a CNN panel, but a war that would end in survival or destruction.

Indeed.

In his Centers tribute to his life and work, Frontpagemag concludes:

Over the years, David became something of a Saul Alinsky for the conservative movement, shaking a complacent Right out of its sleep and reinventing it as a war machine, laying out the strategies and principles for defeating the Left in too many bestselling books, articles, and pamphlets to count. Davids message to the conservative movement was that it needed to abandon its habit of embracing noble failure and instead fight to win. Indeed, Donald Trumps MAGA movement was shaped and guided by David and his disciples like Stephen Miller. And while his passing is an incalculable loss, David lived long enough to see his ideas and tactics become the heart and soul of a new movement to take back America.

What David is being celebrated for is the opposite of the introspective and empathetic writer, a thoughtful and moderate conservative, evident in his personal books. And his supporters give him credit for helping to create the most repulsive and nasty of the Trump entourage, Stephen Miller, who of course, added his own tribute to David. Another right-wing extremist protege, Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, wrote to single out Davids responsibility for Millers career in these words:

Twenty-five years ago, David mentored a high school student named Stephen Miller. He supported him through Duke, through the Senate, and into the Trump White House. Today, Stephen is one of the most impactful architects of America First immigration policy. A legend thanks to Davids mentorship.

That is the David Horowitz of the battle tanknot the Horowitz who wrote in Youre Going to Be Dead One Day that although he had dedicated his life to combatting the malignant delusions of the left. . . . I did not want to turn my back on the non-political dimensions of our lives or the bonds we once had.

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Had he wished, David could have addressed these words of friendship despite political difference to me, after the article Sol Stern and I wrote in 2021. Instead, he responded to us with a savage attack. In it, he cleverly denies he ever said Donald Trump had an election stolen from him, writing that no one can say with authority that the 2020 election was or was not decided by fraud. (Mind you, David had told me on the phone that Mike MyPillow Lindell had proved that the election had indeed been stolen, and complained about how horrendous the attacks on Lindell were.) In his very next sentence, David contradicts his own assertion that he never claimed the election was stolen, admitting he had written that there was ample evidence of irregularities and illegalities sufficient to question the result, and quoting himself as saying that the problems with Bidens proclaimed victory were overwhelming.

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Clearly, he was deeply hurt by my inability to remain his friend. I take full credit for the break. I found it impossible to remain his friend, since each time I spoke to him on the phone, he relentlessly went on a tirade about my views without ever giving me a chance to try and respond. For example, he wrote in his response that while Democrats and leftistsapparently Sol and I are among that groupcalled his side many nasty names, including insurrectionists (actually we used the term insurrection to describe only the storming of the Capitol) and terrorists, all his side did was to call Democrats liberals or later radical liberals.

Really? Did David not read his own websiteor for that matter listen to himself when he delivered speeches and wrote articles, when he repeatedly called the Democrats Communists or fascists or both? Indeed, in his answer to us, he later refers to the fascist voice of the Democrat [sic] Party. And his article is titled My Former Friends Have Joined the Fascists. I can only conclude that David had a classic Jekyll and Hyde problem: two different personalities in one personand depending on his mood or what he was working on, one or the other would appear.

AS FAR AS I KNOW, David managed to go against his battle tank tendency toward partisan warfare only once in the last few decades: when he published my tough 2013 attack against a conservative writer named Diana West, who wrote a highly problematic book asserting that the Franklin Roosevelt administration during WWII was run by the Soviet Union and its agents, who subverted U.S. wartime policies to allow Soviet communism to spread throughout Eastern Europe. The title of my article was McCarthy on Steroids, and the subtitle called Wests argument a vast conspiracy without the evidence to back it up. (David wrote both the title and subtitle.) My review led to a bevy of articles and debates about Wests book in conservative intellectual circles, as well in the pages of Frontpagemag, in which the historian Jeffrey Herf was among those who took my side.

I concluded my article with these words:

It is unfortunate that a number of conservatives who should know better have fallen for Wests fictions. It is even more depressing that her book perpetuates the dangerous one-dimensional thinking of the Wisconsin Senator and his allies in the John Birch Society which have allowed anti-anti-communism to have a field day in our intellectual culture.

What led David to depart from his usual partisan stance and not only publish my critique but strenuously support it? I can only surmise, but I think it had something to do with his parents losing their jobs during the McCarthy era, and his understanding that although they were ardent members of the CPUSA, they were not traitors or spies like Alger Hiss or the Rosenbergs. Wests conspiratorial analysis reminded David of the kind of scattershot attacks made by Senator Joe McCarthy in the 50sand at the time, David was still more of a conventional conservative, not yet the Trump-style extremist he would become.

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David and I had parted ways a few times before Sol and I wrote the New Republic article. In 2017, David erupted when I criticized him in two columns in the Daily Beast. The first was about the hoopla over a memo written by a National Security Council staffer, Rich Higgins, in May of that year. Higgins alleged that the Trump administration had been subjected to attacks by the deep state and he called for political warfare. What was then still called the alt-right (and would today be called the MAGA right) endorsed Higginss proposal. But Gen. H.R. McMaster, then the national security advisor, fired Higginswhich prompted Davids Frontpagemag to accuse McMaster of a coup against Trump, and of purging critics of Islam and Obama. My Daily Beast column was very critical of the Higgins memo; I called it a true flashback to the way Joe McCarthy and his far-right allies argued in the 1950s, and said it exhibited the same conspiratorial logic used by the John Birch Society. And I argued that David and othersincluding Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon, and Michael Antonbelieved themselves to be waging a war for Americas soul against, in Joe McCarthys words, a conspiracy so immense.

I again criticized David in the Daily Beast in 2018, in an article about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantiss decision to appear at Davids annual Restoration Weekend. I chastised David for going off the deep end in recent years in his support for Trump. And I quoted many incendiary public comments David had madeabout George Soros, about locking up Hillary Clinton, about anti-white racismconcluding that If DeSantis is angry that comments he made at Horowitzs forum are being used to smear him as a racist and an extremist, he should think about his association with and praise of the Horowitz Freedom Center.

David responded by writing that Ron DeSantis was being lynched by the mainstream media. The summary moment in the DeSantis lynching was written up for The Daily Beast by a former friend of mine and now a Never TrumperRonald Radosh. He condemned me for making reckless attacks and for depicting David as an unhinged extremist. He concluded that I had gone over to the other side of the political divide to join a disgraceful lynch party to destroy DeSantisa witch-hunt that dwarfs anything McCarthy ever attempted.

One might think these bitter exchanges would have been the end of our relationship. But a while later, we found ourselves both speaking at an event in Grove City College in Pennsylvania. Davids wife, April, said it was time for us to make up and reconcile, and we agreed to all go to lunch together and talk in a friendly fashion. My memory is that the lunch was rather strained, but we were civil to each other and David agreed that we had to restore our friendship.

After that we communicated via e-mail and spoke often on the phone. When I wrote a tough column in 2020 about Angela Davis for Arc Digital, David told me that I had said everything there is to say about Davis, and how good he thought my case against her was.

We exchanged many emails. In one of them on December 4, 2020, he wrote me that I think youve joined a party of communists and criminalsreferring to the Democratic party. All he would grant me is that he was glad that I had not given up what you know about the hate-America left; he hoped I would win my battles against the Democratic partys left but doubted that I would. Most of our correspondence ran over the same territory again and again. I stopped communicating when it was clear he was not listening to anything I said when I talked to him on the phone. It proved impossible to really be a friend of a person who made such accusations about my political choices.

I would like to remember David Horowitz for the few times he departed from the usual kind of response he had to extremist right-wing political viewsthe times when his better angels took over and held him back from the extremist cesspool. It is the David I choose to recall who was a good father, was proud of and supported his own daughter with whom he disagreed politically. That was the David who was my friend, not the man whose greatest recent achievement was to give our country the likes of Stephen Miller.

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May 7WILKES-BARRE  U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr. said on Wednesday that he introduced the Save BRIC Act  legislation requiring the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to disburse funding through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program to help states prepare against natural disasters.

Bresnahan, R-Dallas Township, said the bipartisan bill, which he introduced with U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Arizona, would protect the program from elimination.

"The BRIC program is a hand-up, not a hand-out, to at-risk communities who have suffered catastrophic weather events," said Bresnahan. "In cases where our communities cannot bear the full cost of keeping people safe, it is our responsibility to lend assistance. We must ensure this critical program continues to provide the infrastructure assistance and pre-disaster support to those who need it most."

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Last month, acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton wrote in an agency memo that the Administration would not allocate the $750 million that was planned this year for BRIC grants.

Specifically, Bresnahan said the city of Scranton was awaiting funding for buyouts of flood-prone properties that were destroyed by flash floods on Sept. 9, 2023. Without the support from the BRIC program, Bresnahan said the city will be forced to come up with an additional $2.5 million in funding in order to create floodplain restoration and infrastructure, which is important to city public safety and future cost savings.

"Defunding this common-sense, bipartisan grant program puts lives, property, and public safety at unnecessary risk" said Stanton. "BRIC grants are a small up-front investment in resilience to save lives and taxpayer dollars long-term. Arizona communities are counting on these fundsdollars that Congress appropriated on a bipartisan basis. Now the Trump administration needs to fulfill that promise."

Specifically, Bresnahan said the BRIC program supports states, local and territorial governments and Tribal Nations as they work to reduce their hazard risk. The program aims to support communities as they build capability and capacity.

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BRIC also encourages and aids innovation, Bresnahan said. It helps partnerships grow, supports infrastructure projects, and fosters flexibility and consistency. Rep. Bresnahan said research has proven that every $1 invested in pre-disaster mitigation saves up to $13 in disaster recovery costs.

The BRIC program was authorized and signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2018. Rep. Bresnahan said.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Rep. Brian Meyer, D-Des Moines, spoke with reporters outside the House chamber at the Iowa Capitol May 8, 2025 following his election as House Minority Leader. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Rep. Brian Meyer of Des Moines said House Democrats will be more aggressive on showing Iowans alternatives to Republican policies at the Legislature under his leadership as House minority leader.

People are living paycheck to paycheck, Meyer told reporters Thursday. Theres no relief in sight, and we need to address those things moving forward as to how, as a caucus, we are going to say to Iowans, we are the better option when we go to vote in November of 26.

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Meyer was elected to serve as House minority leader following the 2o25 legislative session, House Democrats announced Thursday. He will take over from current House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Des Moines, who has held the leadership position since 2021. Konfrst will step down from the position at the end of the session as she pursues a campaign for Congress, running in Iowas 3rd Congressional District currently represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn. She plans to serve out the rest of her term in office, through 2026.

Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner thanked Konfrst for her service and congratulated House Democrats for electing Meyer as leader in a statement Thursday.

I look forward to working closely with Leader Brian Meyer as our caucuses continue to work together to move Iowa forward and focus on lowering costs for all Iowans, Weiner said.

Konfrst said in a statement she was honored to serve in the position and was looking forward to working with Meyer through the transition when session adjourns. Meyer, representing Iowa House District 29, was first elected to the Legislature in 2012 after winning a special election. The seat was previously held by former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, under whom Meyer served as chief of staff.

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He has also served on the Des Moines City Council, was a member of the Iowa National Guard and works as an attorney at the Hope Law Firm in Des Moines.

Meyer, who was serving this session as the House minority whip, told reporters Thursday he plans for the Democratic caucus to focus on kitchen table issues, like rising property taxes and costs of living, at the Statehouse and on the campaign trail.

At the Capitol, that will mean proposing amendments to major bills and legislative proposals that showcase Democrats plan to tackle these issues. Though most Democrat-backed policy proposals are not able to gain traction under the Republican trifecta, Meyer said this approach will show Iowans an alternative to what Republicans are passing  and may help shift the needle in control at the Statehouse.

Iowans have to decide  you want to just continue giving tax cuts to millionaires and giving away tax dollars to private schools? No property tax relief? Meyer said. We have these alternatives, and we will be proposing them as we move forward.

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Meyer said the current stall in budget negotiations between House and Senate Republicans shows the need for new leadership in the Legislature. He compared the lengthy process for reaching a budget agreement with the quick turnaround on passing and signing into law a measure removing gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act.

Get us out of here  move as quickly on this stuff as you did taking away rights, Meyer said. But at the end of the day, theyre running the budget into the ground. They have been for multiple years. The budget is a disaster.

Heading into the 2026 election season, Meyer, 51, said he will work with other members of the caucus including Rep. Sean Bagniewski, D-Des Moines, to recruit candidates to run as Democrats across the state. He said it was his goal to have Democratic candidates running in all Iowa House districts, and putting a focus on winning back areas that have flipped from blue to red in recent election cycles.

I think some of these places are hurting, and I think theyve been let down by their legislators, Meyer said. And I think we plan on having candidates in all of those kind of mid-level  mid-level for Iowa  smaller, former industrial communities that have had Democrats in them before.
Since President Trump began his second term, hes made several changes and implemented policies that have left some questioning whether Congress should do more to rein in Trumps power, especially regarding immigration. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, joins CUOMO to discuss the House Judiciary Committees role, the filibuster, budget negotiations and more.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
WASHINGTON (KETK)  Congressman Nathaniel Moran from East Texas introduced the No Tax on Overtime Act on Tuesday which would allow for up to 300 hours of qualified overtime compensation.

State Rep. Cody Harris bill to help preserve access care across East Texas passes State House

The deduction means the first 300 hours of overtime worked is tax free within a taxable year. A press release from the Moran House website said the bill will also remove 100% of income taxes on a 50% overtime pay premium for over 90 million hourly workers. For people who work time and a half, this means the half part of that pay will be tax free.

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This legislation is directed toward those who make up to $100,000 and couples who make a combined $200,00, the release said. President Trump supports the bill as a long time advocate for policy that helps working class Americans.

Severe storm devastates East Texas, cleanup efforts underway

[No Tax on Overtime] gives people more of an incentive to work, Trump said. The people who work overtime are among the hardest-working citizens in our country. And for too long, no one in Washington has looked out for them. Those are the people, they really work. Theyre police officers, nurses, factory workers, construction workers, truck drivers and machine operators.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Melania Trump has reportedly taken a remote approach to her role as first lady during the first weeks of her husband, Donald Trumps, second term.

According to a New York Times report published Wednesday, the first lady does not really live in Washington and vanishes from view for weeks at a time.

Sources told the outlet she has spent less than 14 days at the White House since her husband was inaugurated 108 days ago.

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Instead, Melania has reportedly remained largely at the Trump residences of Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York, or Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and has been filming a documentary about her life that she has licensed to Amazon for a reported $40 million.

First lady Melania Trump has reportedly spent less than 14 days at the White House since her husband was inaugurated 108 days ago. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images

At the start of Trumps first term, Melania delayed moving to the White House to stay in New York and support their son Barrons schooling.

Ahead of Trumps return to office in January, Melania told Fox News how she planned to split her time:

I will be in the White House. And, you know, when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach. But my first priority is, you know, to be a mom, to be a first lady, to be a wife. And once we are in on Jan. 20, you serve the country.

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Food prices continue to surge as Earth's rising temperatures disrupt global crop production, threatening food security and household budgets worldwide. Japan's recent rice shortage offers a sobering preview of what might soon affect American dinner tables and grocery bills.

What's happening?

Rising global temperatures damage crop yields and drive up food costs across the globe. In Japan, heat-induced shortages have caused domestic rice prices to skyrocket, forcing the country to import over 44,000 tons of rice, primarily from the U.S., in fiscal 2025, according to Finimize.

Major Japanese retailers now sell foreign rice varieties because, even with import tariffs, they are cheaper than local options.

Why are rising food costs important?

When essential crops fail, families can feel an immediate financial strain. The average American household now spends 12% more on groceries than just two years ago, with climate-vulnerable staples seeing the steepest price hikes.

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Beyond the economic impact, food insecurity threatens community health as nutritious options become less affordable. Agricultural disruptions also harm ecosystems and biodiversity. Farmers adopt more aggressive growing techniques to compensate for losses, creating a harmful cycle of environmental degradation that further worsens climate conditions.

What's being done about rising food costs?

Scientists are working to develop heat-resistant crop varieties that can withstand higher temperatures without sacrificing nutrition or yield, and the United States Department of Agriculture announced a $250 million initiative to support small and midsize farms implementing climate-smart agricultural practices last year. International cooperation, including Japan's rice imports, also demonstrates how trade relationships can buffer against local food shortages.

Planning meals, buying seasonal produce, and reducing food waste are practical steps you can take to save money while supporting a more sustainable food system. Consumers looking to protect their household budget can check out TCD's guide to shopping smarter at the grocery store. It offers tips to stretch your dollar and protect the environment at the same time.

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.
May 7 (UPI) -- The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed ending its decades-old Energy Star program that helps consumers save money by purchasing energy-efficient appliances, several reports say.

The proposed end to the EPA's Energy Star program would be part of the agency's efforts to cut costs and improve efficiency, CNN, CBS News and Utility Dive reported.

Energy Star was created in 1992 during President George H.W. Bush's administration.

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EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on Friday announced the agency's next phase of "organizational improvements to better integrate science into agency offices" and "deliver clean air, land and water to all Americans."

"With these organizational improvements, we recommit to fulfilling all of our statutory obligations and exceptionally delivering on EPA's core mission of protecting human health and the environment," Zeldin said.

"This reorganization will bring much-needed efficiencies to incorporate science into our rulemakings and sharply focus our work on providing the cleanest air, land and water for our communities," he added.

Zeldin estimated the changes will save U.S. taxpayers about $300 million annually.

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He didn't cite the agency's Energy Star program in the announcement, but eliminating it would be part of the agency's downsizing and belt-tightening.

The Energy Star program is a public-private partnership that informs consumers regarding the energy efficiency of new appliances, so they can buy quality equipment and save money on energy costs.

"If you wanted to raise families' energy bills, getting rid of the Energy Star label would be a pretty good way," said Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, in a press release issued on Monday.

Nadel said the Energy Star program helped consumers save about $450 annually when they bought Energy Star-approved appliances.

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Representatives of about 1,100 organizations and companies recently implored the EPA to continue funding the Energy Star program.

President Donald Trump during his first administration considered ending or privatizing the Energy Star program to remove it from the EPA.
REPUBLIC, Mo.  A Republic man has entered a guilty plea after attacking someone with a machete on Sept. 24, 2024.

According to online court dockets, Leroy D. Miller, born 1960, entered a guilty plea to first-degree assault.

The probable cause statement says that officers responded to a call of a reported domestic assault on the 500 block of W. Hines St. in Republic. When officers arrived they found Miller in the grass with blood stains on his knuckles and clothing.

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Miller told police that he had a fight with the victim and claimed to have struck the victim with his fists.

Police say they noticed a machete nearby in the grass and had detained Miller to gather more information.

Republic man charged after alleged machete attack

Police said they noticed injuries to the victim with lacerations on their forehead, nose and upper lip.

According to documents, the victim said that Miller had came up the them in the garage and hit him with the handle of the machete. The victim said that Miller threatened to cut their throat.

The victim said that Miller had hit him four times with the handle of the machete after being told to leave.

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Miller had originally been charged with armed criminal action, but that charge was dismissed during the guilty plea.

Miller has been sentenced to four years in the Greene County Jail.

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The Republican-led House voted Thursday to codify President Donald Trump's Gulf of America executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

It passed with a 211 to 206 vote with Rep. Don Bacon as the only Republican to vote against the measure.

The legislation, which was introduced by Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, codifies an executive order from President Donald Trump to rename the body of water.

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MORE: Trump and Johnson strategize as budget reconciliation reaches 'game time'

Its fate in the Senate is more of a challenge, given that it will need bipartisan cooperation to overcome a filibuster. Leader John Thune has not indicated whether he'll put the measure on the floor for a vote.

"Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper or other record of the United States to the Gulf of Mexico shall be deemed to be a reference to the 'Gulf of America,'" the bill text states.

PHOTO: The historic Pensacola Beach sign has been changed from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in Gulf Breeze, Fla., April 22, 2025. (Gregg Pachkowski/Pensacola News/USA Today Network)

The measure also instructs each federal agency to update each document and map in accordance with the name change, which Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum will oversee.

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One of Trump's first executive orders when he started his second term was to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

PHOTO: A sign reading 'Gulf of America' is seen at the entrance to the office of US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson at the Capito, May 7, 2025. (Oliver Contreras/AFP via Getty Images)

"Codifying the rightful renaming of the Gulf of America isn't just a priority for me and President Trump, it's a priority for the American people. American taxpayers fund its protection, our military defends its waters, and American businesses fuel its economy," Greene argued in a post on X.

Beyond the committee chairs managing the floor debate, Greene -- flanked by a map labeling the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America -- was the only Republican to speak in support of the legislation.

Meanwhile, several Democrats including Leader Hakeem Jeffries "strongly" urged lawmakers to vote against "this small-minded, silly and sycophantic bill" during floor debate.

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"Republicans have decided to spend this entire legislative day doing is to debate a bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico. Now, in some ways the American people can be thankful," Jeffries added.

Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed the bill.

"We've been working around the clock to codify so much of what President Trump has been doing  to make sure that we put these into statutory law so that it can't be reversed and erased by an upcoming administration," Johnson said at a news conference on Tuesday.

House passes bill to make 'Gulf of America' name change permanent originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
ATLANTA (AP)  U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter on Thursday became the first Republican to jump into the race to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026, as other hopefuls maneuver following Gov. Brian Kemp's announcement that he won't seek the seat.

Carter, who has long had his eye on statewide office, released a video ad proclaiming that President Donald Trump "has a warrior in Buddy Carter" and attacking Ossoff.

At least six other Georgia Republicans have said they're considering a run for Senate. Best known among them is U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Also included are two other Georgia Republicans in Congress  Mike Collins and Rich McCormick. Other potential candidates include Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, state Insurance Commissioner John King and state Sen. Greg Dolezal.

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Though not well-known statewide, Carter has been a political fixture along Georgia's coast for nearly three decades. The 67-year-old pharmacist served as mayor of Pooler just outside Savannah and was a lawmaker in the state House and Senate before being elected to Congress in 2014.

Eric Johnson, who served as the top Republican in the Georgia Senate before making an unsuccessful run for governor in 2010, said hes backing Carter.

Hes known for good constituent service, and hes accessible and visible, some of the things other candidates overlook, said Johnson, a retired architect who lives in Effingham County west of Savannah.

He said Carter should also have plenty of money, which hell need to increase his name-recognition across Georgias 159 counties. As of March 31, Carter reported having nearly $3.5 million cash on hand to defend his House seat next fall. He could transfer that money to kickstart a Senate race.

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Any Republican primary will not only be a race for voters, but for Trump's endorsement. Whoever gets the Trump nod would be stamped as the frontrunner, and an early endorsement could push others away from the race.

Known for touting bipartisan legislative efforts, particularly around prescription drugs, Carter has sought to move closer to Trump.

Carter cast himself as a MAGA Warrior in Thursday's announcement. In February, he introduced a House bill that would authorize Trump to acquire Greenland and rename it Red, White and Blueland.

Carter was more circumspect about Trump when he first entered the White House. At a 2017 town hall in Savannah, Carter told constituents that I am not here to tell you Donald Trump is perfect. He added: God has used imperfect people to do great things.

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No serious Democratic challengers have emerged to Ossoff, who launched his reelection campaign in March with sharp attacks on Trump. But Ossoff also says he'll work with Trump to help Georgia and says working with Republicans is the best way to get things done in Washington.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in a statement Thursday accused Carter of supporting a toxic agenda and said it's confident Ossoff will win reelection next year.

National Republicans have already been advertising against Ossoffs opposition to a bill barring schools from allowing transgender women to participate in womens sports. Ossoff calls that an obsession most voters dont share. Theyve also attacked Ossoff for saying in a town hall two weeks ago that he believed Trump had committed impeachable offenses in his second term.

Like the earlier national Republican ad, Carter on Thursday targeted Ossoff on transgender women in women's sports.

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He fought against President Trump securing our border and voted for men in girls' sports. Jon Ossoff is on the wrong side.

Any race will be expensive. Ossoff raised more than $11 million just in the first three months of 2025. The twin Senate races in 2020, when Ossoff and Raphael Warnock narrowly won and flipped control of the body to Democrats, cost more than $900 million combined, according to OpenSecrets, which tracks political spending. Warnocks 2022 reelection over Republican Herschel Walker cost more than $470 million, OpenSecrets found.



Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.
WASHINGTON  The House advanced a proposal to formally rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in all federal documents, marking the first of President Donald Trumps executive orders to be voted on by Congress.

Lawmakers voted 211-206 along party lines to approve the Gulf of America Act, which was introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., earlier this year. The bill would require federal agencies to adopt the name change and refer to the Gulf of America in any law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record.

All four Utah Republican members of Congress  Reps. Blake Moore, Celeste Maloy, Burgess Owens and Mike Kennedy  voted in favor of the legislation.

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OUR military defends its waters, OUR business owners support its economy, & the AMERICAN PEOPLE fund its protection, Greene said in a post on X after the bill passed. This is one of President Trumps MANY executive orders that needs to be codified into law. I now urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this bill and send it straight to President Trumps desk!

The bill passed with nearly unanimous Republican support, with only one GOP lawmaker voting against: Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where its unclear if it can gain enough Democratic support to pass.

President Donald Trump gestures to a poster that says "Gulf of America" as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick watch in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Feb. 25, 2025. | Associated Press

The Gulf of America Act comes in response to an executive order issued by Trump on his first day in office to formally rename the oceanic basin situated in the southeast region of the country. Trump cited the gulfs flourishing economic advantages as a main reason to rename the gulf, arguing it holds critical importance to our Nations economy and its people.

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Still, the proposed name change has not been without controversy.

Shortly after Trumps executive order was issued, The Associated Press announced it would continue with its traditional style to refer to the basin as the Gulf of Mexico, although the outlet noted it would mention Trumps order.

However, the Trump administration denounced that style decision, even going so far as to block The Associated Press from covering White House events inside the Oval Office and on Air Force One.

A judge has since ruled that The Associated Press access must be restored but the Trump administration has appealed that ruling.
WASHINGTON  As Republicans continue to hash out the details of President Donald Trumps reconciliation bill, GOP leaders are facing a number of competing demands that could put the massive tax package in peril.

The budget reconciliation instructions give the House Ways and Means Committee $4.5 trillion to extend the tax cuts previously approved in Trumps 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and make them permanent. To offset those costs, other committees must find at least $1.5 trillion in spending cuts elsewhere.

But finding those spending cuts is proving to be more difficult in practice than it is in theory  especially as factions of the House GOP conference come out with contradicting redlines.

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I agree that at any given moment in the process, members have to pursue as many savings as they possibly can. While it is challenging to fully address the enormity of our current deficit, we have to make progress, Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, told the Deseret News. Redlines are a unique feature to policymaking, and from my experience, they are mostly used as leverage, but most folks are willing to come to the table and negotiate.

Medicaid

One of the biggest obstacles emerging in the reconciliation process is Medicaid. The Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees the welfare program, is tasked with finding $880 billion in spending cuts that would likely need to include cuts to Medicaid funding to cover the lost tax revenue.

When one removes Medicare, Medicaid, or the Childrens Health Insurance Program from the equation, funding under the committees jurisdiction is only $381 billion.

Of that amount, more than half is already paid for by collection programs or user fees, according to The Washington Post, meaning that even if the committee slashed programs under the remaining $135 billion, it would still fall far below the $880 billion target.

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However, some Republicans are refusing to vote for anything that would divert funds away from hospitals or patients. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., for one, says he wont vote for more than $500 billion in cuts to Medicaid  and even then, spending reductions would need to meet certain requirements.

For Bacon, those cuts can be found in policies related to implementing work requirements for able-bodied adults, auditing enrollments, and ensuring illegal immigrants are not covered, among other things.

Those are the cuts that dont impact quality of care nor hurt hospitals, Bacon told the Deseret News. A bunch of us will have to be convinced that any other cuts wont hurt patients or hospitals.

Other Republicans hold similar sentiments, with a dozen lawmakers sending a letter to GOP leadership last month threatening to withhold support from the massive tax reconciliation bill if the package includes substantial cuts to Medicaid for vulnerable populations.

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We support targeted reforms to improve program integrity, reduce improper payments, and modernize delivery systems to fix flaws in the program that divert resources away from children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and pregnant women  those who the program was intended to help, the lawmakers wrote, according to a copy of the letter obtained by the Deseret News. However, we cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations.

SNAP assistance

Republicans have also been divided on how much to cut from federal food assistance such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

The Agriculture Committee needs to find $230 billion in spending cuts, with much of that expected to come from SNAP. GOP leaders are planning major changes to the low-income food assistance program, including a measure that would require states to pay for a portion of the benefits for the first time in the programs history.

Republicans are considering a slew of other measures to cut costs, including work requirements for able-bodied adults with children 7 years old or older. It would also undo a number of Biden-era provisions such as certain waivers related to work requirements.

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Centrist Republicans have been wary of cutting costs to the program, particularly those in deep red states with populations that depend on SNAP provisions.

Spending cut minimums

As a number of Republicans warn against cutting certain programs, there are lawmakers on the other side of the spectrum demanding even deeper spending cuts.

A group of 28 House Republicans sent a letter to party leadership on Wednesday pushing to adhere to the strict spending cuts put in the original budget instructions. If not, the lawmakers say, there must be a reduction in tax cuts.

Under the Houses framework, the reconciliation bill must not add to the deficit, the lawmakers wrote in the letter led by Budget Committee Vice Chair Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa. The House reconciliation instructions are binding. They set a floor for savings, not a ceiling. We must hold that line on fiscal discipline to put the country back on a sustainable path.

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When Republicans drafted their first budget reconciliation resolution, they included an amendment to adjust the dials on tax cuts depending on how much government spending is cut.

For example, if committees are able to surpass the $1.5 trillion target in spending cuts, the amendment would increase the amount of money allocated to the Ways and Means Committee to extend the tax cuts.

However, if committees do not reach the $1.5 trillion floor, the tax cuts must be lowered dollar-for-dollar to keep the reconciliation bill within the agreed limits, according to the letter.

That could put Republican lawmakers on a collision course as they look to finalize details of the reconciliation package  and raises questions about where spending cuts can be found if too many redlines are drawn.

We have to lead. If we lead, elections take care of themselves, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who is calling for deep spending cuts in the reconciliation package, told the Deseret News. We neednt draw red-lines but rather hammer out our disagreements to achieve a final product we can all rally around. Red lines will cause the product to crumble.
Republicans in the House of Representatives approved a bill on Thursday that changes the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America under federal law.

The controversial measure passed in a 211-206 vote, sending it off to the Senate, where it is unlikely to receive enough votes to pass. At least seven Democrats would have to be in favor of the change in order for it to pass.

The bill, introduced by Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in January, instructs federal agencies to update all documents and maps to reflect the name change within six months of enactment.

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When he entered office in January, President Donald Trump vowed to name the Gulf something more American, claiming the name was appropriate because we do most of the work there and its ours.

Even if the name change is codified into US law, other countries would not be mandated to refer to the Gulf of Mexico by any other name. If it isnt codified into law, a future US president could easily reverse the move through executive action.

As the previous administration made it painfully clear, executive orders can be undone and overwritten, and thats why we have to move it through the legislative process  and we are, House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Tuesday, according to NBC News. Were going to pass Marjorie Taylor Greenes bill to permanently rename the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of America.

Since taking office in January, President Trump has vowed to give the Gulf of Mexico a more American name (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Despite Republicans best efforts, the bill has hit a few speed bumps, including opposition from Nebraska Rep. Republican Don Bacon, who called the plan juvenile and voted against it.

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Greene, who introduced the bill, indicated that Bacon may not be the only Republican opposed.

Some of my Republican colleagues dont want to vote for my Gulf of America Act, which is one of President Trumps favorite executive orders, she wrote Wednesday on X. They say they would rather vote on more serious EOs.

Since the start of his second term, Trump has made waves with his efforts to rename other landmarks and countries, including his decision to revert the name of Alaskas Mount Denali to Mount McKinley.

Most recently, Trump showed interest in renaming another gulf.

Ahead of a trip planned to the Middle East next week, Trump is reportedly planning to announce that the U.S. will start referring to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Arabia in a snub to Iran.
Researchers have virtually unfurled a Herculaneum scroll which was rescued from Pompeii after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

The Herculaneum scrolls, first discovered within Pompeiis ruins in 1752, have long beguiled scientists. Written on papyrus using carbon-based ink, the scrolls cannot be physically opened without disintegrating. With the advent of digital AI technology, researchers have been given a new opportunity to discover the scrolls contents.

Related: Archaeologists Find Chilling Scene During Pompeii Excavation

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Using the technology, they were able to decipher the contents and even identify the author of an ancient piece entitled On Vices. The tome, on how to live a virtuous life, was written by Greek Epicurean philosopher Philodemus, who lived in Herculaneum from 110 B.C. until 35 B.C. The discovery of his work within the ruins of Pompeii indicates that Philodemus work was still highly regarded amongst modern people.

Finding the full title of a work inside a scroll that has been unread for two millennia is an astonishing achievement, Richard Ovenden, who works at the library which houses the scrolls, told the Daily Mail. [It] illustrates the huge potential for AI to transform arts and humanities scholarship, our understanding of the past, and breathes new life into ancient artifacts.

Bodleian Library/Vesuvius Challeng

Although the AI technology allows researchers to virtually unroll the scrolls, reading what was inscribed within them is still a difficult task. The document was eventually unfurled and decoded by two separate research teams: Marcel Roth and Micha Nowak from the University of Wurzburg, Germany; and Sean Johnson with Vesuvius Challenge, a program which awards cash prizes to those who are able to decipher the scrolls.

The simultaneous reproduction of the title image from multiple sources, along with independent scholarly review, provides a high degree of confidence in the reading, the Bodleian Libraries said.

As it turns out, their hard work paid off. Roth and Nowak took home the very first Vesuvius Challenge Title Prize, which included a reward of $60,000.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  On April 23, 17-year-old Charles Sanders was shot and killed in the front yard of a home off Northeast 75th Court, not far from Northeast Shoal Creek Parkway.

Kansas City Police say an altercation with one or more suspects led up to the shooting.

One week after Sanders death, racist and anti-semitic flyers were discovered near the same neighborhood. Since then, neighbors in North Brook have come together to spread kindness and remain united.

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I think its brought out the worst but also the best, said Tom Loudon, a nearby resident.

Loudon was one of several who attended a meeting on Wednesday inside a packed room at the Shoal Creek Patrol Division.

Downtown KC business owners demand action; mayor pushes back over text message dispute

I appreciate the work KCPD does and I am grateful for this opportunity, he said.

The meeting provided the community with the opportunity to ask questions and have their experiences heard by officers.

We cant answer everything for them, but were able to make them feel assured, and in turn, that helps us realize that were doing something for them to feel safer in their neighborhood, said Major Justin Kobolt.

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Police say that they couldnt give specific details at this time, but also said during the meeting that detectives are pursuing all leads in the homicide case and will work with the prosecutors office.

FOX4 learned that the Kansas City Regional Fusion Center, a federal partnership, is helping with the investigation regarding the hateful flyers. They want residents in the area to come forward if they have any footage showing how the flyers got there.

At this time, no arrests have been made in either case. You can check KCPDs social media to see when a crime meeting will take place in your neighborhood.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Lawmakers in the House voted Wednesday to send the restrictions on Oklahomas Initiative Petition Process to the Senate.

Its Senate Bill 1027, and it essentially requires that every Oklahoma county must get 11.5% of the voters from the last election for it to count.

It would limit the number of signatures that can be collected in each county to 11.5% of votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election for a statutory change and 20.8% for a constitutional change.

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Those in support said that it would give more votes for rural Oklahomans.

It is important for the entire state to be involved in this process, said Rep. Jim Olsen (R-Roland).

Bill would limit initiative petition signatures by county, giving less-populated counties disproportionately larger influence

Several republican lawmakers debated on the House floor and argued that the process before only allowed most votes from metro areas like Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

Thats simply not true, said Amber England.

England has led several ballot initiatives in Oklahoma and said that they are going to rural areas all the time. She said they have trained hundreds to go out and get signatures from those in rural areas.

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Thats how you get people to sign these petitions. They live in that area, so they want the signatures too. It is how we reined in spending under Democrats. It is how we saved our rural hospitals, said England. So both sides have used the initiative process to push people in power when they believed that power had gotten out of hand. I would ask that the governor stand with the side of the people and not special interests and veto this bill.

The petition process has brought about many new laws that the people chose to put on the ballot: From marijuana legalization, Medicaid expansion, and right-to-work.

I voted with my conscious, said Rep. Daniel Pae (R-Lawton).

Rep. Pae was one of the No votes for SB 1027 on Wednesday. He said that he has voted no several times when it comes to modifying the process.

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Its my personal belief that the founders of the state wanted power to be decentralized, given to the people. We have a pretty robust initial petition process as is, said Rep. Pae.

Another argument given by Republican lawmakers Wednesday was that the petition process is an easy one right now because signatures can mostly come from metro areas.

So to say its easy is false. To say that circulators dont go to rural areas is false. This is giving people power, said Brendan Hoover of the Kirkpatrick Policy Group.

He has also been a part of several petition processes over the years.

Did lawmakers on this bill come and talk to you to ask how it could be fairer or how it works?

No. I could have certainly come up with many ways to make it fairer. But none of those would have been taken up today because they dont care about making the process fairer. They care about rigging the system, rigging the process so that theyre taking power away from voters, said England.

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No, said Hoover.

The bill had amendments made, and now it heads to the Senate for their possible approval or rejection. The bill could end up on the governors desk, where he will have the final word.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
May 7STERLING  As a young boy, Jeff Mohr witnessed his sister being robbed of the money she'd collected from selling candy bars for a church fundraiser.

That theft led their parents to call the police, ultimately inspired Mohr to become an officer and led him to a law enforcement career of more than 30 years with the Sterling Police Department.

Mohr, now a deputy police chief with the department, will retire next month after a career that has included serving as a patrolman, school resource officer and in positions of leadership. His last day will be Tuesday, June 17.

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Mohr's road to becoming a police officer started when, as a young boy of 5 or 6, he witnessed his sister get robbed at a Rockford park, he said.

"Two guys basically grab her and then throw her on the ground and steal some money that she was collecting for a church-related candy bar fundraiser," Mohr said. "We ended up going back to the house, and then my mom and dad called the police, and I remember watching the police when they showed up, and how much better I felt that they were there. I felt safer."

[ Podcast: Jeff Mohr, Sterling deputy police chief, prepares for retirement ]

Although Mohr said the thieves likely were never found, that sense of security and respect for the badge stayed with him throughout his formative years. He considered becoming a mechanic while in high school, but instead joined the military, rediscovering his passion for law enforcement and becoming a military police officer.

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After three years in the military, he joined the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., where he served for almost five years before moving to Sterling, starting college and eventually joining the SPD.

Although Mohr has been the department's deputy chief of support services for the past 10 years, he originally planned to be "just a patrolman." However, encouragement from supervisors and administration began to change that over time.

"They kind of pushed me in that direction ... to work from a position of direction," Mohr said.

That encouragement led him to take on more responsibility and make decisions beyond the role of a typical officer.

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He admits that without that nudge, he might not have taken on those challenges or grown in confidence. He said he eventually realized he could lead, when "you understand this stuff as good, or sometimes better, than some people."

One of Mohr's proudest accomplishments throughout his career was simply "making it through" his early years on the force. He also takes pride in going beyond traditional law enforcement work, such as a past partnership with a neighborhood watch group in the Wallace Park area, which he found extremely fulfilling because it showed him a more positive side of community work, such as organizing picnics and safety events.

Unlike police calls that involve a negative experience, this proactive work let him see how law enforcement could build relationships within the community.

"To me, that was one of the more fulfilling or prouder experiences I had," Mohr said. "The other part is working with all the great people. As you come up through the ranks, you meet a lot of officers. In your administration, you take different things from each person you meet. ... Every encounter is a learning experience."

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Mohr also worked as a school resource officer at Challand Middle School and Sterling High School toward the end of 2001. He recalled his rather eventful first day on the job.

"I'm in one of the offices downstairs, and I hear some commotion outside the door," Mohr said. "I walk outside the door, and there's blood on the floor. I'm like, 'What just happened here?' They were escorting kids upstairs because they were in a fight."

Still, the position became one of the most meaningful parts of his career.

"You're gonna deal with more than negative things," Mohr said. "You're also going to get that side that is more positive and uplifting."

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During that time, Mohr built strong relationships with both staff and students  connections that lasted far beyond his time in the schools. Now, decades later, he sometimes runs into former students who are in their 30s and 40s.

"They'll tell you their name, and you remember the problems you had with them or the problems they had," Mohr said. "And then they tell you, 'Hey, thanks for doing what you did.'"

Mohr said his time as a school resource officer taught him a lot about people, especially that "it's not always what you see that should be your first impression of how someone's going to be. ... People can change."

Mohr also shared a defining moment during his orientation to become a police officer with the SPD.

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At the time, Chief Ron Potthoff led the department and delivered an impactful message that stuck with Mohr. Speaking to a room of about 50 hopeful recruits, Potthoff asked, "Who came here to arrest bad guys and write tickets?"

After several hands went up, Mohr recalls Potthoff telling them, "Well, if that's the reason you're here, then you may as well go home, because we want to focus on community policing."

That moment left a lasting impression on Mohr.

"I thought it was a great line," Mohr said, reflecting on how it set the tone for what the department stood for. It also marked the beginning of what he described as "so much growth" in the department's relationship with the community.

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Although Mohr's replacement has not been announced, he has some advice for his successor.

"Listen to the people that you're managing," Mohr said. "Listen to them first and foremost. They're going to have the information that you need to move forward in your job, and from there, start focusing on the details of your job."

Mohr left words of encouragement and perspective to both his fellow officers and the community in his farewell message.

"To my officers, just keep moving forward," Mohr said. "Things change. Things are always going to change," he added, emphasizing that in law enforcement, priorities shift constantly.

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"What's important today is not going to be as important tomorrow," he said.

His message to the community echoed similar sentiments.

"There's always better days ahead, but there's always going to be challenges," Mohr said. "This job is always about change."

For those aspiring to lead, he offers this advice: "Be patient. If you want to change things ... or you want to be a catalyst for changing things within the department or the community, this is a great position to be in."
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s Health and Human Services Department commended Columbia University for combating antisemitism on Thursday a day after local police arrested dozens of pro-Palestine student protesters at the Ivy League school.

The Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism took early action at Columbia because of its record of failures. The Task Force is encouraged by Acting President Shipmans strong and resolute statement regarding the unlawful, violent and disgraceful takeover of Butler Library yesterday, HHS officials wrote in a statement. She has stepped in to lead Columbia at a critical juncture and has met the moment with fortitude and conviction. We are grateful for the public safety officers who acted swiftly, and at a danger to themselves, to secure the library and remove the radical protesters that had seized it.

The Task Force is keeping the public safety officers that were injured, and their families, in our thoughts. Importantly, we concur with Acting President Shipman that what happened was utterly unacceptable, which is precisely why the American people are demanding that the administration act to implement meaningful and enforceable commitments to enforce civil rights laws with institutions that receive taxpayer dollars, they continued. The Task Force is confident that Columbia will take the appropriate disciplinary actions for those involved in this act.

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According to Reuters, at least 40 to 50 students could be seen handcuffed with zip-ties before being loaded into NYPD vehicles on Wednesday. This marked the universitys largest pro-Palestine protest in over a year.

The update comes after school Acting President Claire Shipman issued a statement of her own, calling the Butler Library protest outrageous.

Sadly, during the course of this disruption, two of our Columbia Public Safety Officers sustained injuries during a crowd surge when individuals attempted to force their way into the building and into Room 301. These actions are outrageous, she wrote. Individuals participating in the Reading Room 301 disruption were repeatedly asked for identification and to leave, and were repeatedly told that failure to comply would result in violations of our rules and policies and possible arrest for trespassing.

We have been clear from the outset about applying our protocols and advising participants of the potential consequences of not complying. Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community, Shipman continued.

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Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams. Columbia strongly condemns violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination, some of which we witnessed today, she concluded. We are resolute that calls for violence or harm have no place at our university.

Its also worth noting that RFKs praise comes after Columbia has been accused of capitulating to the demands of the Trump administration.

The post RFKs Health and Human Services Dept. Commends Columbia for Combating Antisemitism, Arresting Pro-Palestine Protesters appeared first on TheWrap.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s former running mate is coming out against President Donald Trumps new nominee for surgeon general, Casey Means, and is also accusing the HHS secretary of reporting to someone regularly who is controlling his decisions.

Yes, it's very strange. Doesn't make any sense, philanthropist Nicole Shanahan said in a post on X, responding to a separate post that was criticizing Trumps decision to select Means. Means is primarily known as a wellness influencer.

I was promised that if I supported RFK Jr. in his Senate confirmation that neither of these siblings would be working under HHS or in an appointment (and that people much more qualified would be), Shanahan continued, referring to Means and her brother, Calley Means. I don't know if RFK very clearly lied to me, or what is going on. It has been clear in recent conversations that he is reporting to someone regularly who is controlling his decisions (and it isn't President Trump).

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Calley Means is a Kennedy ally and strong supporter of Make America Healthy Again, Kennedy's anti-corporate movement that seeks to combat chronic disease.

Casey Means nomination to the post comes after former Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwats nomination was abruptly withdrawn following reports that Nesheiwat obfuscated facts about her medical education. Conservative activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer rallied against Nesheiwat, accusing her of being not ideologically aligned with Donald Trump or his admins health initiatives.

But Loomer doesnt seem pleased with Trumps new pick either, responding to Shanahans post on X that she is also a Terrible choice by Team Trump!

In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Means impeccable MAHA credentials and said she would work with Kennedy to combat chronic disease.

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Shanahan, who ran alongside Kennedy and has supported his MAHA movement, accused both Means siblings of having something very artificial and aggressive about them.

While Shanahan and Kennedy had some differences on the campaign trail, she has so far been a vocal supporter of his work at HHS and threatened to primary senators who voted against his confirmation.

An HHS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Shanahans post.






Real Housewives of Orange County alum Lydia McLaughlin Stirling paid an emotional tribute to her brother, Geoffrey Shyam Stirling, on Instagram after he was fatally shot during a traffic stop last month

The post came before the Newport Beach Police Department released bodycam footage of the April 17 incident on Wednesday, May 7

"My heart is broken, and the shock still hasnt settled," Lydia said while sharing multiple photos of her late brother and revealing they had laid him to rest earlier this week







Real Housewives of Orange County alum Lydia McLaughlin Stirling is paying tribute to her brother, Geoffrey Shyam Stirling, after he was fatally shot during a traffic stop last month.

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Lydia, 44, revealed the family had laid Geoffrey to rest earlier this week, sharing multiple photos of her late brother Geoffrey, 45, on Instagram, as well as videos of the family releasing white doves at his funeral.

"Yesterday, we laid my brother to rest. Just six months ago, we stood in this same place, grieving the loss of my mom. ," the reality star captioned the Monday, May 5 post, referencing her late mother, Judy Stirling. Judy, who made multiple appearances on RHOC, died on Oct. 8, 2024, of breast cancer.

Greg Doherty/Getty Lydia McLaughlin Lydia McLaughlin

Lydia continued, "My heart is broken, and the shock still hasnt settled.  But even in the sorrow, I cling to what I know is true: God is good. He is in control. I am not."

"My brother is now with my mom, and I hold onto the promise that one day, well all be reunited. Until then, I will miss them every single day. ," she concluded.

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The post came before the Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) released bodycam footage of the officer-involved shooting, which occurred on Thursday, April 17. The officer in the video, which was released on YouTube on Wednesday, May 7, mentioned Geoffrey had been pulled over after running a red light.

The NBPD had previously said in an April 19 Instagram post, "On April 17, 2025, at approximately 9:15 p.m. [local time], 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 added. "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," police added.

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"Additional officers responded to the scene and rendered medical aid to Stirling until personnel from the Newport Beach Fire Department arrived. Stirling was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased," the post included.

The recently-released bodycam footage showed Geoffrey refusing to sit down on the curb after being instructed to by the officer.

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He said police were "harassing him, before saying, Dont shoot me," as the officer responded, Im not going to shoot you," telling him not to reach for his ID.

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The officer said that Geoffrey had urinated in his pants, before an altercation broke out between the two in the clip. Geoffrey could be seen attempting to remove the officer's taser from his belt, before the officer said, "Drop it!"

Lydia McLaughlin/Instagram RHOC Alum Lydia McLaughlin Posts Emotional Tribute to Brother Geoffrey Stirling Jr. RHOC Alum Lydia McLaughlin Posts Emotional Tribute to Brother Geoffrey Stirling Jr.

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Gunshots were then fired, and Geoffrey fell to the floor. Police claimed Geoffrey had held the taser to the officer's head and pointed it at him. Additional officers arrived on the scene shortly after the incident. The California Department of Justice is conducting their own independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting.

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.

Paying tribute to Geoffrey, Lydia previously said in a statement shared with PEOPLE, "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." She also has another brother, Jesse.

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Lydia initially joined RHOC in season 8 and later in season 12. Both of her reality TV stints only lasted one season.

Lydia's father, Scott Stirling, added in a statement to PEOPLE: Geoffrey was a loving son, brother, uncle and friend. He was a television producer, script writer, actor and model. He attended church every Sunday and supported multiple charities. We miss him already.

Lydia initially joined RHOC in season 8 and later in season 12. Both of her reality TV stints only lasted one season.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Geoffrey's family wrote, in part: "The videos have raised serious concerns and many questions about the actions of that police officer. Of grave and specific concern is that the videos appear to show Geoff moving away from the officer at the time he was shot six times. The family through their Attorneys plan to file a lawsuit in Federal Court to obtain full answers and seek accountability.

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"Geoff was experiencing a mental health crisis when he was stopped for a traffic infraction. Geoff was unarmed and posed no deadly threat to the officer. The Stirling family expects that all video and audio footage along with every report and shred of evidence related to this deeply disturbing shooting be preserved for presentation in due course as part of the lawsuit the family will be pursuing. The cause of death was blood loss. Despite the presence of multiple officers reporting to the scene, no aid was initially offered.

"The family remains heartbroken and devastated that Geoff was taken from them in what appears to be an unjustified use of lethal force."



Read the original article on People
Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Siggy Flicker departed the series after Season 8. After fighting about cake and her co-stars being less intelligent, she was done. Siggy also left New Jersey in the rearview and moved to Florida. And now she has a new position, courtesy of President Donald Trump.

Siggy Flicker Appointed to US Holocaust Memorial Council along with other members

The podcaster, POTUS supporter, and member of his Mar-a-Lago Club, has a new position. The Washington Post reported that President Trump added five members to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, including Siggy. These appointments will also replace the members who were fired on April 29, 2025. Those previous appointees were all appointed by former President Joe Biden.

Consequently, President Trump announced the news in a Truth Social post on Monday night. They are all strong supporters of Israel, and will ensure we NEVER FORGET, he wrote. Congratulations to all!

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Of course, Siggy responded to the presidents message via her Instagram. Thank you for the privilege & honor to represent and never forget, she wrote. Further, her profile pic shows her with the president, holding an Israeli flag.

However, Siggys stepson was involved in some controversy. Tyler Campanella was arrested and charged with five misdemeanors relating to the January 6th riot. Additionally, the FBI mentioned one of Siggys Instagram posts, which showed Tyler inside the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The photo was captioned, I love patriots so much. Stay safe Tyler. We love you.

Trumps decision to remove Bidens appointees has raised some alarms. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) told the Washington Post that Trumps decision, Can only be seen as a profoundly divisive measure against a truly important institution.

No word yet on how Siggys former RHONJ co-stars reacted to the news. She had a famously rocky relationship with Margaret Josephs. I cant wait to hear Marges hot take.

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The Real Housewives of New Jersey is streaming on Peacock and Hayu in the UK and Ireland.

TELL US  WHAT DO YOU THINK OF SIGGYS APPOINTMENT? HOW WILL HER FORMER CO-STARS REACT?

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BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (WBOY)  The Lewis-Upshur Community Recovery Center was introduced to the area during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning, where attendees were able to walk around the space and see some of the different features that the community recovery center has to offer.

Some of the different services that are provided include counseling and group sessions, as well as other activities like yoga and art classes, according to 18th Judicial Circuit Community Corrections Program Director Cheyenne Troxell. She told 12 News that the reason the program chose this building instead of the Community Corrections & Day Report Center was to help reduce the stigma that comes with attempting to get help, and no drug testing is done in this building.

VA hosts PACT Act Claims clinic in Clarksburg

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Were actually very blessed in Upshur County to have a lot of services, said Troxell. But I think our addition of the different space and our hybrid model, [] combining traditional counseling with the holistic approaches is what works really well for the clients that weve seen.

Troxell stated that she feels this center will be a positive addition to the community because all of the services that the program will put on the monthly calendar are free to the community. Anybody is able to attend these events, and nothing additional is needed, such as insurance or a referral.

According to Troxell, the 18th Judicial Circuit Community Corrections Program deals with a lot of clients and programs related to addiction. She added that almost anything can be addictive and addiction can manifest itself in many different forms (drugs, food, etc.), so they welcome anybody whos struggling with anything to stop by.

The space is set up to be immersive, with murals and decorative backgrounds in many of the different rooms. Theres also a sensory room in the facility, which Troxell said is for people who need different things to be able to heal.

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Troxell also told 12 News that she wants people who attended Wednesdays ribbon-cutting and open house to just think about how many needs there are of people that are around them in the community.

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Farmers market season is well underway in the South Sound, with events every day but Wednesday, and theres at least one newcomer to check out in Pierce County.

The year-round Proctor Farmers Market in Tacoma has been in high-season since April, following a busier-than-usual winter with two markets each month instead of just one. The downtown market on Broadway and the big Saturday event in Puyallup also kicked off last month.

Growing markets in Lakewood, DuPont and 10-year-old Gig Harbor also continue in 2025, while University Place welcomes its first farmers market to Cirque Park every Friday afternoon into the evening.

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That one is run by Patty Villa, who also spearheaded a market at Sunrise Village for a few years now. (Note that the latter Sunday morning market has moved to bigger digs at Frontier Park this summer.)

Villa had been developing the UP market with the city before learning that nearby Steilacoom would cancel its market (and its popular summer concert series) due to funding challenges, she told The News Tribune in an email. She said she was sorry to see a market falter, adding that if UP can help fill the void they left, that is a bonus.

The purpose is to bring local products to the community, including fresh produce and other foods, provide a wholesome activity, and support and incubate small local businesses, as she described the boost farmers markets can provide to the local economy and culture. Good economic-development activity on a small scale.

In Thurston County, the venerable Olympia Farmers Market, which turns 50 this year, continues three days a week through October. (Note that its listed below on Saturday but also runs Thursday, Friday and Sunday.) There are also weekend markets in Tenino and Tumwater.

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Find our guide to all the farmers markets in Pierce and Thurston counties below, organized by day. Many accept SNAP/EBT payment, and a few offer Market Match dollars, which extend those support programs by allowing participants to purchase more fresh produce, plant starts and seeds. A separate Pierce County grant is also available for seniors.

Tacoma Farmers Market runs every Thursday, April-October, on Broadway between 9th and 11th downtown. Lunch crowds start filing in after 11 a.m. on a sunny May 1.

TUESDAY

LAKEWOOD FARMERS MARKET

 Fort Steilacoom Park, cityoflakewood.us/FarmersMarket

 June 3-Aug. 26, 2-7 p.m.

 Accepts SNAP/EBT with Market Match up to $25

 Great for: lots of space and lunch options, plus fresh take-home foods and lawn games

THURSDAY

TACOMA FARMERS MARKET

 Broadway from 9th to 11th, tacomafarmersmarket.com

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 April 3-Sept. 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (no market June 19)

 Accepts SNAP/EBT with Market Match and Tacoma sustainability grant for total match up to $35

 Great for: lunch outside; bonus gifts like jewelry, dried lavender, handmade soaps

GIG HARBOR WATERFRONT FARMERS MARKET

 Skansie Brothers Park, waterfrontfarmersmarket.org

 May 22-Aug. 28, 1-6 p.m.

 Great for: market with a view and some vendors that dont hop the Narrows

DUPONT FARMERS MARKET

 Clocktower Park, 1301 Palisade Blvd., dupontwa.gov/566/Farmers-Market

 May 29-July 31 (no market June 19), 3-7 p.m.

 Great for: park setting, early dinner and mix of vendors; fall market planned for Sept. 14

FRIDAY

ORTING VALLEY FARMERS MARKET

 North Park, Calistoga Street and Washington Avenue, ortingvalleyfarmersmarket.com

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 May 9-Aug. 22, 3-7 p.m.

 Great for: views of Mt. Rainier; nice mix of produce, take-home foods, crafts and gifts

Bouquets bursting with color, often curated by Hmong vendors, are a common sight at South Sound farmers markets.

UNIVERSITY PLACE FARMERS MARKET

 Cirque Park (near skate park, enter at Cirque Drive), facebook.com

 June 6-Aug. 29, 3-8 p.m.

 Great for: Friday night in the park

SATURDAY

OLYMPIA FARMERS MARKET

 700 Capitol Way N., olympiafarmersmarket.com

 Thursday-Sunday, April 3-Oct. 31 (weekends only November-December, Saturday only January-March), 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

 Accepts SNAP/EBT plus Market Match up to $25

 Great for: three-days-a-week shopping at one of the states oldest markets, established in 1975

De La Mesa Farms is one of the many stands for fresh, hyperlocal produce every Saturday at Tacomas Proctor Farmers Market, one of the only producer-only markets in the area.

PROCTOR FARMERS MARKET

 North 27th and North Proctor, proctorfarmersmarket.com

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 March 29-Dec. 20, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

 Winter Season 2026: Jan. 10 and 24, Feb. 14 and 28, March 14 and 28; 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

 Accepts SNAP/EBT with Market Match up to $25

 Great for: lots of produce, proteins, snacks and lunch in a walkable, urban neighborhood

PUYALLUP FARMERS MARKET

 Pioneer Park & Pavilion, 300 S. Meridian, puyallupfarmersmarket.com

 April 19-Oct. 11, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

 Accepts SNAP/EBT with Market Match up to $25

 Great for: tons of everything at one of WAs biggest markets, including a designated food court and crafts, in the heart of downtown

YELM FARMERS MARKET

 Yelm Community Center, McKenzie Avenue at 2nd Street, yelmfarmersmarket.com/yfm

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 May 3-Sept. 27, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

 Accepts SNAP/EBT, also offers $5 Market Bucks through local bank support

 Great for: park access plus childrens program

Go wild for berries (these from Spooner Farms in 2023) as they hit market stands, usually in early June.

TENINO FARMERS MARKET

 213 Sussex Ave., teninofarmersmarket.org

 May 3-Sept. 27, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

 Accepts SNAP/EBT with Market Match up to $25

 Great for: approachable market in downtown setting

WEST CENTRAL PARK MARKET (OLYMPIA)

 West Central Park, 1919 Harrison Ave., wcpnc.org/market

 May 3-Sept. 27, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

 Great for: intimate market with fresh produce and lunch options, plus live music and kids activities

SUNDAY

THE VILLAGE FARMERS MARKET

 Frontier Park, facebook.com/TheVillageFarmersMarket

 May 4-July 13, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

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 Accepts SNAP/EBT

 Note: new location for former Sunrise Village market to allow for more vendors and amenities

 Great for: the only Sunday market in Pierce County

TUMWATER FARMERS MARKET

 Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School (Capital and Dennis), thetumwaterfarmersmarket.com

 2nd and 4th Sunday, June 8-Sept. 28, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

 Accepts SNAP/EBT with Market Match up to $25

 Great for: local produce, take-home foods and live music, plus playground and space for families
GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  An iconic landmark in Middle Tennessee is on track to receive a major makeover.

The entrance to RiverGate Mall, once grand, has been called an eyesore by some in Nashville. Decades ago, people used to travel from across the Volunteer State to shop there. Now, the site has lost some of its popularity to online shopping.

RELATED: Rezoning that would affect RiverGate Mall redevelopment passes second of three readings in Metro Council

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On Tuesday, the Office of Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell announced an agreement with developer Merus, LLC to redevelop the 57-acre site. The redevelopment would feature everything from townhomes to retail and even some improvements to public infrastructure.

[Theres been] a lot of rebirth in that area. You know, the areas kind of gotten hot recently. Theres a lot of development in the Madison area  residential, the City of Goodlettsvilles Planning Director, Addam McCormick, said.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Goodlettsville commissioners will vote on a proposed rezoning for the site of the RiverGate Mall Thursday. Additionally, Metros Industrial Development Board will hold a public meeting to consider the economic impact plan and development agreement to the Metro Council on May 14.

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ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  On May 7, a Roanoke County high school teacher was named as the 2026 Virginia Teacher of the Year.

Teachers shape the future, inspire excellence, and create an environment where students can thrive, said Governor Glenn Youngkin. Congratulations to Matthew Neale! Virginias future is brighter because of your commitment and dedication to your students.

During a ceremony Wednesday on Capitol Square in Richmond, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that Roanoke County Public Schools teacher, Matthew Neale, was awarded by the selection committee as the 2026 Region 6 Teacher of the Year for excellence in the classroom and leadership in the education community.

(Photo Credit: Roanoke County Public Schools)

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Matthew Neale is a passionate advocate for students and displays a relentless commitment to excellence in and out of the classroom, said Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Emily Anne Gullickson. He will continue to be an excellent ambassador for the profession throughout his career.

Roanoke County Schools names 2025 Golden Apple Teacher of the Year

Matthew Neale has been an educator for over 20 years and has been teaching at Hidden Valley High School in Roanoke County for 14 years.

(Photo Credit: Roanoke County Public Schools)

Before moving to Southwest Virginia, he practiced law and now has a desire to make a difference after he discovered that teaching was a life-changing calling.

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Teaching is one of the most noble and challenging professions there is. I am incredibly honored to be named Virginias Teacher of the Year, but even more proud to stand alongside so many amazing teachers across the State, and most of all, grateful for the amazing students who make this job so rewarding. said 2026 Virginia Teacher of the Year winner Matthew Neale.

Known by his students for his ASK philosophy, Neale has also revitalized the Hidden Valley High School journalism program by mentoring students in writing, reporting, and storytelling.

Neales commitment to public service extends beyond the classroom. As a partner with the Roanoke County Prevention Council, he works with students and families, leading the schools opioid awareness initiative, and will now serve as an ambassador for the Commonwealth of Virginia in the National Teacher of the Year competition.

Roanoke County School Board stands firm on anti-bullying policy after emotional meeting

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On behalf of the Virginia Board of Education, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Matthew Neale on this well-deserved honor, said Virginia Board of Education President Grace Turner Creasey. Your passion for teaching, commitment to excellence, and dedication to your students reflect the very best of Virginias public education system.

Also recognized during the event:

Rachel Tate, a history teacher at Goochland High School, Goochland County Public Schools (Superintendent Region 1)

Deana Hubbell, an elementary teacher at Carrsville Elementary School, Isle of Wight County Public Schools (Superintendent Region 2)

James Eccleston, a history teacher at Gloucester High, Gloucester County Public Schools (Superintendent Region 3)

Sharon Phox, an elementary teacher at James K. Polk Elementary, Alexandria City Public School (Superintendent Region 4)

Karen Grady, an elementary teacher at A.R. Ware Elementary, Staunton City Public Schools (Superintendent Region 5)

Jeff Brown, a biology teacher at Radford High, Radford City Public Schools (Superintendent Region 7)

Charles Motter, a mathematics teacher at Cumberland Middle School, Cumberland County Public Schools (Superintendent Region 8)

The 2026 National Teacher of the Year will be announced next spring at a White House ceremony. Three previous Virginia teachers went on to be named National Teachers of the Year: Mary V. Bicouvaris, the 1989 Virginia Teacher of the Year; B. Philip Bigler, the 1998 Virginia Teacher of the Year; and Rodney A. Robinson, the 2019 Virginia Teacher of the Year.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
(NewsNation)  Robert Prevost, who will take the name Pope Leo XIV, has been selected at the 267th pope.

Leo XIV is the first American pope in the Catholic Churchs history. The possibility of having an American pope was seen as highly unlikely in the weeks leading up to the conclave, even with the names of 10 American cardinals in the voting bloc.

Who is the new pope Cardinal Robert Prevost?

He was not considered a major front-runner when the conclave started, but his name was heard as possibly being on the periphery.

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As Pope Leo XIVs selection was announced, people in the crowd outside St. Peters Basilica cheered and waved an American flag.

Pope Leo XIV will now lead the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
For the first time in history, an American has been elected as Pope.

The idea of an American pope has often been dismissed, even by theologians in the United States in the run-up to this weeks conclave. So few expected Robert Prevost to walk out onto the balcony at the Vatican as the new head of the Catholic Church.

And yet, on Thursday the Chicago-born cardinal-bishop, known by friends as Bob, made history after becoming the 267th pope  the first time in the Churchs 2,000-year history that an American has been appointed to lead it.

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Prevost  who has joint Peruvian citizenship and spent years living and working in the South American country  has chosen to be known as Leo XIV. As Bishop of Chicago, the 69-year-old pontiff once oversaw the largest Archdiocese in North America.

Robert Prevost, from Chicago, Illinois, has become the 267th pope, the first time in 2,000 years that an American has been appointed to lead the Catholic Church (Reuters)

Prior to his election, many observers had questioned him as a candidate, due to his relatively young age and inexperience. Some speculated that cardinals would also wish to select a European, following 12 years of tenure by Pope Francis  an Argentinian  and considered it unlikely a pontiff would emerge from the U.S.

The Reverend James Bretzke, a theology professor at John Carroll University in Ohio, told USA Today this week that a diplomat was required to replace Pope Francis, adding: Americas image in the world simply is too powerful  and to be blunt, ugly.

Vatican insiders had described Prevost as a dark horse candidate who quietly rose to prominence in the days just before the conclave, having been made a cardinal-bishop in February this year. In terms of leading the Catholic Church, he has been described as a dignified middle of the road leader, compared with Francis, who was considered a progressive pontiff, and more conservative alternatives.

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Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope.

Prior to his election, many observers had questioned him as a candidate, due to his relatively young age and inexperience. Some speculated that cardinals would also wish to select a European, following 12 years of tenure by Pope Francis  an Argentinian (AP)

In early 2025, Francis again demonstrated his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals.

He has championed the importance of on-the-ground work. In a 2023 interview with Vatican News, he said: One must not give in to the temptation to live isolated, separated in a palace, satisfied with a certain social level or a certain level within the church.

He added: The authority we have is to serve, to accompany priests, to be pastors and teachers.

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However, Prevost has also expressed less progressive stances, including more negative views of the LGBT community.

According to The New York Times, in an address to bishops in 2012, Prevost bemoaned the fact that western media fostered sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel, pointing to the homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.

While in South America, he told local media that the promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that dont exist.

He has also been criticized by survivors of child abuse.

Prevost, who holds both American and Peruvian citizenship, previously served as prefect of the Vaticans Dicastery for Bishops, which handles various administrative and pastoral responsibilities of the Holy See, including the vetting nominations for bishops around the world (AP)

In 1999, Prevost was elected provincial prior of the Midwest Augustinians. A year into the role, he allowed Father James Ray, a priest then accused of abusing minors whose ministry had been restricted since 1991, to reside at the Augustinians' St. John Stone Friary in Chicago in 2000, despite its proximity to a Catholic elementary school.

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When Prevost was Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, three victims reported to civil authorities in 2022 after there was no movement on their canonical case filed through the diocese, according to the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).

Victims have since claimed Prevost failed to open an investigation, sent inadequate information to Rome, and that the diocese allowed the priest to continue saying mass, attaching photos of the priest saying mass after their complaint to their letter. SNAP filed a complaint against Prevost on March 25, 2025.

Prior to his ascension to Holy Father, Prevost served as prefect of the Vaticans Dicastery for Bishops, which handles various administrative and pastoral responsibilities of the Holy See, including vetting nominations for bishops around the world. Prevost was initially appointed a member of the Dicastery in 2020 before later becoming its head.

He also served as the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, where nearly 40 percent of the world's Catholics reside.

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Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1955, Prevost grew up in the citys south suburbs, where he lived in Dolton with his parents and two brothers.

Reports claimed he was a fan of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. The record, however, was set straight on Thursday  at least by his brother, who confirmed he had always been a White Sox fan.

Onlookers wave American flags following the announcement that Chicago-born Prevost had been elected as the new pope (REUTERS)

Growing up, a steady stream of priests passed through his family home, and the youngster reportedly had a positive experience of parish life, serving as an altar boy and attending school in the St. Mary of the Assumption parish on the far South Side.

Former classmates shared how, even as a boy, he was destined to become pope.

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It was pretty apparent back then that was going to be his route, former classmate John Doughney told the Chicago Sun-Times, speaking before Prevost was elected.

For him, I think it was a true calling, Doughney said. And, even as a young teenager, he knew what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go.

Others recalled a sense of humor in class.

He was kind of a little trickster, too, Joseph Merigold, who used to sit near Prevost in class, said. Used to poke me in the back of the head with a pencil all the time because I was a kidder. So he definitely had a sense of humor that a lot of people wouldnt know because he wasnt really that outgoing.

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Merigold added that Prevost was the smartest person in the class and was in the No.1 seat, indicating his classroom performance.

Prevost was remembered as a good singer from the choir who cared about people and looked for the good in things, according to Marianne Angarola, who also grew up in Dolton and went to school with him.

He was the pride and joy of every priest and nun in that school, Angarola told The Chicago Tribune. Everybody knew he was special.

Prevost leads the recitation of the Holy Rosary for Pope Francis' health in St Peter's Square prior to the last Popes death (AP)

Prevost was sent to study canon law at the Angelicum in Rome and was ordained as a priest in the city in 1982. After completing his studies, he was invited to work in the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas, in northwestern Peru, which held strong connections with the U.S. Augustinians.

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In 1999, he was elected provincial prior of the Midwest Augustinians, and two years later, in 2001, he was elected prior general of the worldwide Augustinian order, a post he held for two six-year terms.

In 2014, he returned to northwestern Peru, after Francis named him apostolic administrator of the Chiclayo diocese.

The Rev. Fidel Purisaca Vigil, the communications director for the diocese in Chiclayo, recalled how the Prevost used to rise each day and have breakfast with his fellow priests after saying his prayers. No matter how many problems he has, he maintains good humor and joy, Purisaca said in an email to The Associated Press, following Prevosts appointment.

After arriving in Rome, Prevost kept a low public profile, but was well known to the men who count.

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Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope.

In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals.

In 2014, Provost returned to northwestern Peru, after Francis named him apostolic administrator of the Chiclayo diocese. He was appointed a member of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2020, and later became its head (AP)

Prevost is an expert in canon law, a system that functions like a constitution and legal system specifically for the Catholic Church, affording him appeal to the more traditional wings of the Vatican.

However, it remains to be seen how he will respond to the actions of U.S. President Donald Trump, who posted his congratulations on his social media platform Truth Social after the announcement that Prevost was Pope.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country, Trump wrote. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

It remains to be seen how he will respond to the actions of President Donald Trump, who posted his congratulations on his social media platform Truth Social after the announcement that Prevost was Pope (AFP/Getty)

Earlier this year, Prevost publicly voiced opposition to remarks by Vice President JD Vance on the theological concept of ordo amoris.

JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others, Prevost wrote on X.

Prevosts latest post on X was a repost of an account criticizing the Trump administrations policy on immigrant deportations.

Additional reporting by Rhian Lubin
Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as the first American pope in history, emerging as a surprise choice on the second day of the conclave, the secretive election held inside the Sistine Chapel.

The Chicago-born cardinal, widely regarded as a progressive in the mould of his predecessor Pope Francis, has taken the name Pope Leo XIV.

Despite receiving congratulations from Donald Trump, he may prove to be a thorn in the side of the US administration.

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In February, the then-Cardinal Prevost appeared to be critical of JD Vance when the vice-president cited medieval Catholic theology to justify the Trump governments immigration crackdown.

Mr Vance invoked a concept called ordo amoris, saying it was only right that people should prioritise their families, neighbours and communities over a stranger who lives thousands of miles away.

On the social media platform X, Cardinal Prevost reposted a story by the National Catholic Reporter headlined: JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

Credit: Reuters

In another retweet, he appeared to question the Trump administrations illicit deportation of a US resident of Salvadoran background.

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The 69-year-old, who is described as discreet and reserved by his peers, spent more than two decades in Peru as a missionary and even took Peruvian citizenship.

He was only made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023.

But he may be seen as an astute pick by the 133 cardinals who were sequestered inside the Sistine Chapel, and could act as a moral bulwark against the Trump administration.

Appearing on the balcony of St Peters Basilica in front of a huge crowd, Pope Leo XIV declared: Peace be with all of you in his first words as leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics.

Humanity needs Christ as a bridge to be reached by God and his love. Help us, and help each other, build bridges, he told the rapturous crowd.

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Speaking in Italian, he told the huge crowd: We can all walk together towards that homeland God has prepared for us. He then switched languages to Spanish to thank his former diocese in Peru.

The excitement of the new Popes election was particularly felt among Americans, delighted a US cardinal had been chosen - Dylan Martinez/Reuters

His election as supreme pontiff came towards the end of the second day of the conclave, with white smoke billowing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at 6.07pm local time, signalling that the cardinals had made their choice for the 267th pope.

The new Pope was elected after four rounds of secret voting by the 133 cardinals eligible to cast a ballot.

He needed at least 89 votes  two thirds of the conclave  to succeed.

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As the white smoke poured from the chimney, thousands of people started running towards St Peters Square.

Faithful in St Peters Square participate in the first blessing of Pope Leo XIV - Ivan Romano

Some vaulted metal barriers, others led their children, while priests helped the infirm and the elderly hurry up Via della Conciliazione, the broad avenue that leads from the River Tiber towards the Vatican. The crowds cheered and clapped as the great bells of St Peters Basilica tolled.

The choice of the new Pope caught Vatican-watchers off guard because he had not been among the front-runners.

Thomas Reese, an American Jesuit priest, analyst and the author of Inside the Vatican, told The Telegraph: Its a big surprise. It shows that the Latin American cardinals were united behind him and pushed for his election as pope.

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They see him as one of their own because he was a priest and a bishop in Latin America and spent many, many years there. He is not just an American, he is a pope for all of the Americas. He is known as being pastoral, being good at listening. I think he will be in continuity with Pope Francis.

The new Pope waves to the cheering crowds in St Peters Square - Vatican/Francesco Sforza/Reuters

A Vatican insider said: He was not one of the obvious candidates, but he knows everybody, he spent years as a missionary, he has languages. His time in Peru means he is one of the least American of the American cardinals. But he understands America and he can speak to the country, which is important in the Trump era.

However, as with so many Catholic cardinals, there is a black mark against the new Pope for his record on dealing with priests accused of sexual abuse.

In his home city of Chicago, campaigners allege that he failed to warn a Catholic elementary school that a priest who Church leaders determined had abused young boys was living in a nearby monastery.

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And one woman in his diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, who said she and two other women were sexually abused by two priests as girls, accused him of mishandling an investigation into the case.

The diocese of Chiclayo said that the cardinal did open an investigation, but it was then closed on the orders of the Vatican.

Victims have claimed that he failed to open an investigation, sent inadequate information to Rome, and that the diocese allowed the priest to continue saying Mass after their complaint, said the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a campaign group.

Cardinal Robert Prevost attended the mass at the start of the conclave on Wednesday - Murad Sezer/Reuters

SNAP called for the new pope to take concrete action on preventing clergy sex abuse, from establishing a universal zero tolerance law for the Catholic Church to setting up a reparations fund for abuse survivors.

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World leaders sent their congratulations for his election.

Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honour to realise that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a great honour for our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Last week, the US president earned widespread condemnation from Catholics for recently posting an AI image of himself dressed in papal regalia and joking about running for pope.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, said on Thursday that he hoped for the Popes continued support against Russian aggression.

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Ukraine deeply values the Holy Sees consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federations military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians, he said.

At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraines efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace.

Sir Keir Starmer hailed the election of Pope Leo XIV as a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics around the world.

As Pope Franciss papacy showed, the Holy See has a special role to play in bringing people and nations together to address the major issues of our time; especially on climate change, alleviating poverty and promoting peace and justice across the world, the Prime Minister said.

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I look forward to meeting the Holy Father and continuing to work closely with the Catholic Church here in the UK and internationally to advance our shared values and the common good.

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Robert Prevost has been elected the first North American leader of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV, in a surprising and historic result.

Pope Leo, 69, has broken the long-held taboo that an American could never be pope  the thinking used to be that the US was the worlds only superpower and had more than enough geopolitical influence, without taking over the papacy as well.

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The appointment was welcomed by Donald Trump, the US president, who posted on social media: I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Pope Leo has now become the 267th pontiff after the death of Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American pontiff, on Easter Monday.

Cardinal Prevost (right) and Pope Francis pictured together in 2013

There is not much known about the new Pope  he has given few media interviews and rarely speaks in public.

However, in 2023, he told a Vatican press conference: Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church.

It was a message very much in keeping with the tenor of Franciss 12-year pontificate.

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The Chicago-born Pope Leo has an impressive CV. He spent years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Robert Prevost was born in Chicago to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent - Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel

He is seen as a reformer in the mould of Pope Francis. The Argentinian pontiff sent him to run the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, in 2014.

He held that position until 2023, when Francis brought him to Rome to be head of the Vaticans Dicastery for Bishops, which selects many of the worlds bishops.

The new Pope was also president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, a job that kept him in regular contact with the Catholic hierarchy in a region of the world that is still home to the greatest number of Catholics.

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Although he kept a low profile in Rome, he was part of one of the most significant reforms undertaken by Francis  three women were added to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to put forward to the pope.

He apparently appealed to his brother cardinals because of his quiet style and support for Francis, as well as his commitment to social justice issues.

Robert Prevost with late former Pope Benedict XVI - Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel

Before his election, it was thought that his comparative youth could count against him because cardinals would not want to elect a pope whose tenure could last for two decades or more. These concerns were evidently dismissed by a two-thirds majority of cardinal electors, who have given the Catholic Church the first pontiff from the US.

The 69-year-old new pontiff emerged on the central balcony of St Peters Basilica just over an hour after white smoke billowed from a chimney installed on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, the signal that 133 cardinal electors had chosen a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.

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Peace be with you all, he told the tens of thousands of faithful who had rushed into St Peters Square after the white smoke emerged.

Dominique Mamberti, a French cardinal, announced the appointment of the Pope with the time-honoured Latin words Habemus Papam (We have a pope).

Thomas Reese, an American Jesuit priest and author of Inside the Vatican, told The Telegraph: Its a big surprise. It shows that the Latin American cardinals were united behind him and pushed his election as pope.

They see him as one of their own because he was a priest and a bishop in Latin America and spent many, many years there. He is not just an American, he is a pope for all of the Americas.

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He is known as being pastoral, being good at listening. I think he will be in continuity with Pope Francis.

Robert Prevost with late former Pope John Paul II - Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel

Asked whether it was unexpected for an American to be elected, Father Reese said: Oh yeah, shocking.

A Vatican insider said: He was not one of the obvious candidates, but he knows everybody, he spent 30 years as a missionary, he has languages.

His time in Peru means he is one of the least American of the American cardinals. But he understands America and he can speak to the country, which is important in the Trump era.

A newly-ordained Rev Robert Prevost meets Pope John Paul II in 1982

Christine Allen, the director of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, said: Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, will be a voice of wisdom in a fractured and divided world, as he continues the important work of leading the Church in the world and providing spiritual and moral guidance to the global community.

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Having spent years in Peru, Pope Leo XIV brings with him the vital perspective of the Global South, elevating voices from the margins to centre stage.

Now more than ever, the world needs a strong and steadfast moral voice that can draw attention to the most important issues in our world: the crippling debt crisis which prevents low-income countries from spending on health and education for their people; the climate crisis and the conflicts blighting our world.

This election reflected a global Church, with cardinals from every corner of the world voting  bringing a broader outlook to addressing todays global issues.

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ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  In downtown Rogers, a road construction project is raising concerns among residents and local business owners.

The road in question is West Poplar Street, just east of the downtown area.

I turned right on that street and theres barricades where it is only wide enough for one vehicle to pass through. Theres not a flagger stopping traffic to make sure people are proceeding safely, said Jenny Poole, a long-time Rogers resident.

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The city of Rogers says the disarray is part of a plan to improve infrastructure in the area.

We are improving water and sewer and storm drainage, adding bike lanes, sidewalks, and redoing the parking along through there, said Lance Job, the citys deputy director of engineering.

Poole is not only a Rogers resident but also an owner at O-Z Smokehouse. She says she commutes through Poplar St. regularly while taking her kids to school.

You shot your mom in the head 3 times because of a cat?: Affdavit details Rogers mans attempted capital murder arrest

I turn right on that street, and theres barricades where it is only wide enough for one vehicle to pass through. Theres not a flagger stopping traffic to make sure people are proceeding safely, Poole said.

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Poole says the lack of parking and construction has affected business, but her overarching concern is safety, as the construction zone sits directly between two schools.

Theres a lot of the businesses where you have to walk through alleys just to get to them and come across barricade after barricade here and there, Poole said. The lack of proper signage and care and safety thats been taken into effect on the Poplar Street is pretty detrimental to the safety of children getting to and from school.

Jobe says the city has worked hand-in-hand to keep the zone as safe as possible.

We work very closely with both schools through this whole process. Even before we started, they both put out updates to their people that are dropping off kids and things like that in order to ensure that, you know, parents are informed of whats going on around the schools, Jobe said.

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The city says its also attempting to work with nearby businesses to ensure the project goes smoothly.

We have to work with the businesses very closely and we try to do that. We encourage them to reach out to us, to the project managers, and if theres an issue, well do our best to fix it, Jobe said.

The project is expected to be completed in March 2026.

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Romania and the Netherlands will establish a joint centre to train Ukrainian technical personnel for the F-16 fighter jets.

Source: Dutch Ministry of Defence, as reported by European Pravda

Details: On 7 May, the two countries signed a memorandum of intent to create the joint centre during a visit by Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans to his Romanian counterpart Angel Tilvar.

The training centre will be based at the Fetesti Air Base, which currently hosts the European F-16 Training Centre (EFTC).

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The EFTC trains both Romanian and Ukrainian pilots. The Ministry of Defence also recalled that at the end of last year, a decision was announced to officially transfer 18 Dutch F-16s  currently stationed at the EFTC  to Romania.

"Ukrainians are making full use of the F-16s for air defence. We see every day how necessary this is. We need not only pilots but also well-trained maintenance personnel. Together with Romania, we are taking another important step in this direction," said Brekelmans.

Background:

On 3 May, the US State Department approved a potential US$310.5 million package for Ukraine to purchase that includes F-16 maintenance and training services.

On 4 May, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine and Czechia are working on the establishment of a Ukrainian-Czech F-16 training school.

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In a year full of tribulations, Colorado lawmakers on Wednesday wrapped up their work, having adopted a $44 billion budget and tackled major policy proposals that included guns, immigration and union dues.
PORTAGE, Mich. (WOOD)  Moments after a tornado tore through Portage on May 7, 2024, Kate Nietzke emerged apprehensively from the basement of her Quail Street home.

God help us, she can be heard exclaiming as she recorded the damage on her phone. Oh, my God. Help me.

Her living room was raining.

Weathering West Michigan: Portage Pride

When I came upstairs and saw all the damage and rain just pouring in the middle of the house, I was shocked, Nietzke recalled in a recent interview with News 8. I had never seen anything like this, especially living in Michigan. I think, too, I was two months post-partum, so everyone was just hitting me all at once.

Jesus Latte, Angelina, Giovanni and Kate Nietzke at Binder Park Zoo in May 2024. (Courtesy of Kate Nietzke)

Kate and her husband Jesus Latte have two small children. At the time of the tornado, Giovanni was 2 months old and his big sister Angelina was 17 months.

The Latte family huddles in their basement as a tornado tears through Portage on May 7, 2024. (Courtesy)

In Angelinas bedroom, directly above where she lay her head nightly, a tree branch had pierced the ceiling.

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The family was safe, having huddled in the basement, but the Lattes home was no longer livable.

There was a huge tree that landed on our house, Nietzke said. This roof caved in completely. Theres actually a hole through the side of the garage where a tree still is.

Once she and her husband saw the extent of the damage to their home, they made the decision to gather Angelina and Giovanni and walk out of their debris-strewn neighborhood.

I was packing a bag because I was still breastfeeding at the time, Nietzke recalled of her immediate actions that evening. So I had to get all the things, and we basically climbed out of the front door. He carried the kids and I carried the stuff, and we just checked out. I mean, through the glass, through the downed power lines, through the broken door. We essentially just climbed out of the rubble. It was either that or stay in a house that was collapsing on us.

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Very grateful: Couple recounts moments sheltering from tornado

In the past year, the Latte family has moved five times, jumping from hotels to Airbnbs while they wrangled with their insurance carrier.

Now, finally, things are starting to get moving, Nietzke said of recent construction activity at their home.

She did not want to identify her insurance company as her claim remains open.

A downed tree on the Latte home after a tornado tore through Portage on May 7, 2024. (Courtesy)

A downed tree as seen from the garage of the Latte home after a tornado tore through Portage on May 7, 2024. (Courtesy)

One year after the tornado, speaking to News 8 in the garage of her Quail Street home, she pointed to the tree that tore a hole in the siding. It still lay on the garage floor.

There it is, she said with a chuckle. Still there. Who would have ever guessed that it takes this long?

A FEW DOZEN HOMES STILL UNINHABITABLE

Portage City Manager Pat McGinnis told News 8 hes aware of a few dozen homes that remain uninhabitable. There are a handful of businesses, too, that have not yet reopened.

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According to Kalamazoo County, damage assessments submitted to the state reported 586 structures across the county were impacted by the tornado. Of those, 60 structures were destroyed, 129 sustained major damage, 159 minor damage and another 238 were affected in some way, according to the countys data.

Thought we were gonna die: Tornado destroys homes, businesses in Portage area

The FedEx building in Portage sustained serious structural damage in the storm, though no one there was seriously injured. FedEx told News 8 this week that its damaged building is still under construction but should be done in late summer. For now, its working out of a safe part of the damaged Portage facility and a temporary site in Battle Creek to serve the region.

McGinnis estimated the tornado caused $30 million worth of damage in Portage alone.

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So far, he said the citys building department has issued permits for $16 million worth of reconstruction and repairs.

So were halfway there, he said. I think were probably further ahead than what I would have thought at this point.

FEMA APPEAL DENIED

McGinnis, like many others, had hoped the Federal Emergency Management Agency would make dollars available to local governments, individuals and businesses, but that didnt happen.

FEMA denied Gov. Gretchen Whitmers request for a disaster declaration in the May 7 tornadoes and rejected the states appeal of that decision in January.

It was Jan. 20, ballpark, of 2025, said McGinnis. That sticks in my brain because thats when the previous presidential administration left office. So I felt like they were maybe clearing house, cleaning up shop, and we got the denial that night. We probably expected it at that point because there had been several more massive disasters across the country that were draining those FEMA resources.

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The state of Michigan, however, came through with $3 million in aid sent to the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners. That cash is still being distributed to the hardest-hit communities, individuals and businesses through multiple nonprofit agencies, including After the Storm.

Our case managers are carefully trained using a proven model for disaster recovery, Midland-based After the Storm explained on its website. Our goal is to help you to achieve your goals for recovery. After the lights and sirens are gone and the initial cleanup is over, our work ramps up. We rebuild, remediate, clear debris, connect people with local resources, assist with utilities and furnishings, and so much more.

After the Storm told News 8 that it has contacted 150 households and has so far supported 32 of them in repair and recovery efforts. The nonprofit said it has approved $198,974.59 in direct financial assistance.

A case manager with the organization is working with the Latte family of Portage and recently accompanied them to Seat N Sleep in Portage. The Lattes chose a replacement bed at the furniture store on S. Sprinkle Road and After the Storm covered the cost of it.

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Officer as tornado tore through Portage: Were about to get hit

Texas Township reported the tornado impacted 123 structures in some way, 64 of which required repairs. Six of those sustained more significant damage and work on five of the six has been completed or is underway. The township estimated that two homes remain uninhabitable, though none were condemned.

Texas Township continues to make progress in its recovery following the May 7 tornado, a testament to the resilience and determination of the community, Township Superintendent Brooke Hovenkamp wrote in an email to News 8.

Hovenkamp said the township has so far spent $205,535 on tornado recovery efforts, half of which was reimbursed by Kalamazoo County using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.

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A primary use of these funds  $147,483  has been to facilitate right-of-way cleanup efforts and disposal of tree debris, yard waste, and household debris, which is typically not covered by homeowners insurance, but was a substantial factor in the tornado damage, Hovenkamp wrote.

In January, the township received an additional $200,000 in state funding, according to Hovenkamp, who noted the township is working to formalize a partnership with After the Storm to facilitate further recovery efforts.

Kalamazoo County also received about $750,000 through Section 19 Disaster Contingency Funding, Taylor Koopman, the countys public information officer, wrote in an email to News 8.

This additional funding supported drain remediation efforts through the Drain Commissioners Office, as well as overtime costs for the Road Commission, multiple fire departments, and the Sheriffs Office, Koopman wrote.

UNITED WAY: IMPACTED BUSINESSES CAN APPLY FOR $10,000

The United Way of South Central Michigan told News 8 it has distributed $460,000 through 12 grants to eight nonprofits in response to the tornado. Grant recipients used the funding for shelter and food for displaced residents, direct financial assistance for food, transportation, emergency housing, clothing, assistance with insurance deductibles and critical repair work on six homes in Pavilion Estates Mobile Home Park east of Portage, which sustained serious damage.

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We are deeply grateful to our partners, volunteers and those who contributed to the (Disaster Relief) Fund -individual donors, corporate partners, government agencies and foundations, wrote Tammy Mills, director of marketing and communications for United Way of South Central Michigan. Their generosity of time and resources made it possible to respond quickly and effectively to those impacted.

The United Way noted that beginning May 19, 2025, small businesses impacted by the tornadoes will be eligible to apply for a $10,000 tornado relief grant.

This grant is designed to support ongoing recovery efforts and help businesses get back on their feet, Mills wrote.

The Kalamazoo Community Foundation reported distributions of $468,391.71 through 11 grants to five nonprofit organizations.

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We greatly appreciate the corporate and individual donors whose generosity made our response to the tornadoes possible, Erika R. Whitehead, KZCF communications officer, wrote in an email to News 8. We still have some funds available, and we are coordinating how those can best be used with United Way and the local municipalities.

Weathering West Michigan: Portage Pride

The KCZF grants were used to fund a shower and laundry trailer on site at Pavilion Estates immediately after the storm, financial assistance to replace food and other items, help in paying deductibles, temporary housing and tornado-related repairs, among other projects.

Meanwhile, the Lattes have decided they will not return to their home on Quail Street.

Now, weve moved a fifth time to a new house that my family had to buy for me because I couldnt get a second mortgage, Nietzke said. Ive had a lot of support from family. Im trying to tell myself that now we have a fresh start. You know, we can move on. But I think part of the reason we had to move is because I still feel stress coming back here. Its hard for me to be back here sometimes. So that was the sad thing. We left one day and we never came back and didnt have any notice.

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Russia is building a new large factory for the production of explosives in Siberia.

Source: Reuters

Quote: "Increasing the supply of explosives available to fill munitions is critical to Russias war effort in Ukraine. A Reuters analysis of documents and satellite imagery finds that the new production line could boost its firepower significantly."

Details: Reuters reported that a large-scale expansion of the plant in Siberia is underway. It should help increase the production of powerful explosives used in artillery shells and other ammunition in the war. Currently, Moscow is forced to import huge quantities of shells from North Korea, while its own ammunition reserves are dwindling.

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According to documents cited by Reuters, the new production line is being built at a plant owned by the state-owned defence company Sverdlov Plant. This is a large manufacturer of explosives.

According to Reuters, Russian plans can be traced "in dozens of documents posted by the ministry's General Directorate for Special Construction on the state procurement website between February 2023 and September 2024".

In addition, information can be found in procurement documents, which invited bids to participate in the creation of the necessary infrastructure.

According to Reuters' calculations, the production capacity would be sufficient, for example, to supply 1.28 million Russian 152 mm artillery shells with explosives.

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Background:

Earlier, Ekonomichna Pravda wrote that Russia had significantly increased the production of long-range drones. It is constantly testing new tactics and technologies to achieve its goals.

However, Ukraine produces interceptor drones, hundreds of which have already shot down Russian reconnaissance and attack UAVs on almost all key fronts. The anti-aircraft FPV drone differs from the conventional one in its higher speed and more powerful battery for long-range flights.

According to Ekonomichna Pravda sources, several teams of developers are working on adapting this solution against kamikaze drones. To do this, Ukrainian FPV drones need to become even faster and be equipped with night-vision cameras.

Earlier, it was also reported that Russia is facing a severe shortage of personnel for defence companies: such factories are looking for tens of thousands of new employees.

The production of weapons and military equipment has increased sharply due to the war being waged by Russia. There is a shortage of suitable personnel on the labour market, and the search for workers sometimes takes months. As a result, there is growing demand for shift workers in the industry, and some defence plants are actively recruiting young people.

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Russian forces have damaged or destroyed more than 2,300 medical infrastructure facilities since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Health Ministry said on May 7.

Russia deliberately targets critical infrastructure on a regular basis in Ukraine, including medical facilities, resulting in severe destruction and numerous civilian casualties.

Some 2020 medical facilities were partially damaged, while another 305 were completely destroyed, the ministry's statement read.

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Medical facilities in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts were most affected.

Throughout the all-out war, one of the most destructive Russian attacks on medical facilities in terms of casualties was on the Ohkmadyt children's hospital in Kyiv.

Russian forces hit Ukraine's largest children's medical center on July 8, killing two adults and injuring at least 34 people, including nine children. Footage showed that the building suffered a direct hit by a Russian missile rather than being damaged by fallen debris.

The missile, fired from a plane of the 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, kept maneuvering and changing its flight path, indicating an intention to bypass Ukrainian air defenses and hit the medical facility, according to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU).

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Apart from hospitals, outpatient clinics, and maternity hospitals, Russian troops regularly attack ambulances. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 116 ambulances have been damaged, 274 destroyed, and 80 seized.

Ukraine and its international partners have managed to fully rebuild 700 medical facilities and partially restore 312, including critical hospitals and primary health care centers in the frontline regions.

Read also: She fed all the birds, dogs, and cats  64-year-old animal rescue volunteer and son killed in Russian attack on Kyiv

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Russia is planning a significant increase in the production of Kh-101 cruise missiles in 2025, raising serious concerns within the international community. The Kremlin intends to produce 633 Kh-101 missiles in 2025 and another 223 in 2026, according to an investigation by Channel 24, a Ukrainian TV channel.

Source: Channel 24; Mezha Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravdas holding company

Details: Investigators have obtained documents indicating that the Russian defence holding company TRV-Engineering plays a key role in procuring components for the production of these missiles.

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Russia is known to be experiencing a shortage of electronic components due to sanctions, but is actively seeking alternative supply routes, particularly via China and Belarus.

The documents indicate that Kh-101 production has risen from 56 missiles per year in 2021 to 50 per month in 2025. This increase has been made possible by factories operating in three shifts and the use of smuggled components. However, some of the missiles may turn out to be faulty or may be destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces during attacks on Russian military facilities before they can be used.

Experts note that such production rates may suggest Russia is preparing for new phases of the war, including possible strikes against NATO member states in the Baltic region.

Western countries are expected to continue tightening sanctions to restrict the Kremlin's access to critical weapons components.

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(Reuters) -Russia's defence ministry said on Thursday Ukrainian forces had made two attempts to break through the border into Russia's Kursk region since the start of a three-day ceasefire unilaterally declared by Moscow.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, which was announced last week by President Vladimir Putin and came into effect on Thursday.

Ukraine has not committed to abide by the ceasefire, calling it a ruse by Putin to create the impression he wants to end the war, which began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

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Putin says he is committed to achieving peace and Russia's defence ministry said it was observing the ceasefire.

Strikes on Ukrainian airfields and Moscow's capture of the village of Troitske in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region occurred before the ceasefire began, Russia said.

But a Ukrainian military spokesman said Russia had continued assaults in several areas on the eastern front and prosecutors said two people had been wounded, while a 55-year-old woman was killed during bombing of Ukraine's northern Sumy region.

Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of Ukraine's Kherson region, said a woman had been killed by a blow from Ukrainian shell fragments just outside her house near the Dnieper river.

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Reuters could not independently confirm the battlefield reports.

The ceasefire falls on the 80th anniversary of the World War Two defeat of Nazi Germany, and Putin will host Chinese President Xi Jinping and a number of other leaders at a military parade on Moscow's Red Square on May 9.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping agreed Russia and China should be friends of steel, and vowed to counter American attempts to constrain the two countries ambitions.

In a lengthy joint statement, Putin and Mr Xi agreed to deepen cooperation in all areas, including military ties.

The two leaders would strengthen coordination in order to decisively counter Washingtons course of dual containment of Russia and China, the statement read.

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The two countries also agreed the conflict in Ukraine could only be settled by removing its root causes, a phrase frequently used by Putin to justify his illegal invasion.

Credit: Reuters

Mr Xi was the first leader to arrive in Moscow on Thursday and will be the most significant of more than two dozen foreign leaders to join Putin to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory Day on Friday.

Chinese soldiers will be among those marching through Moscows Red Square in front of 29 foreign leaders in an extravagant Victory Day parade, one of the most important public holidays of the year for Putin, who uses the event as a display of Russias military power and influence.

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The Chinese president was greeted with smiles and a handshake by his Russian counterpart on Thursday, before being treated to breakfast and tea in the Kremlin.

Mr Xi, whose country is in the midst of a trade war with the US, told Putin that Russia and China should eliminate external interference and be true friends of steel that have been through a hundred trials by fire.

No limits to the partnership

In an apparent nod to Donald Trump, Mr Xi also said the two countries should work together to counter unilateralism and hegemonic bullying.

China insists it remains neutral in the war between Russia and Ukraine, though Mr Xi and Putin have met dozens of times and signed a no limits strategic partnership days before the 2022 invasion.

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Putin, who has sought to show Russia has survived the Wests attempts to isolate it, thanked his dear friend for coming to Moscow to mark 80 years since the sacred victory over Adolf Hitler.

The victory over fascism, achieved at the cost of enormous sacrifices, is of lasting significance, Putin told the Chinese president.

Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand guard over historical truth, protect the memory of the events of the war years, and counteract modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism.

Putin has repeatedly portrayed his war in Ukraine as a struggle against modern-day Nazis, which Kyiv categorically rejects.

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Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German president, criticised Putins historical lies over the war in Ukraine as he marked the Nazi defeat.

Mr Steinmeier praised the Soviet Red Army  in which Russian and Ukrainian troops fought side-by-side  for their role in the Nazis defeat, noting it had liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland.

We do not forget this, Mr Steinmeier told the Bundestag, during a sombre commemoration on the anniversary of Nazi Germanys unconditional surrender to the Allies.

But precisely because of this, we firmly oppose the Kremlins historical lies today, he added.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, with his wife during a VE Day ceremony at the monument of the Unknown Soldier in Kyiv - Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP

Last week, Putin announced a unilateral three-day ceasefire in the war with Ukraine, beginning at midnight local time on Thursday and lasting until May 10, the day after Moscows celebrations.

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Ukraine did not agree to the truce, claiming it was a ruse by Putin to create the impression that he wants an end to the war.

World leaders travelling to Moscow for the Victory Parade on Friday faced the threat of disruption from Ukrainian drone attacks, which forced several Russian airports to close on Wednesday.

Andrii Sybiha, Ukraines foreign minister, accused Moscow of violating the truce more than 700 times since it began.

Predictably, Putins parade ceasefire proves to be a farce, he said.

Andrii Sybiha, Ukraines foreign minister, accused Moscow of violating the parade truce more than 700 times since it began - Ukrainian Emergency Service

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, previously warned that Russias temporary truce was an attempt at manipulation, dismissing it as nothing more than a theatrical performance designed to protect Moscow during the parade.

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Robert Fico, Slovakias prime minister, was forced to take a meandering route to the Russian capital after Lithuania shut its airspace to flights carrying him to the event.

According to the AirNav website, Mr Ficos plane took off from Bratislava airport on Thursday afternoon and was expected to land in Moscow around 9.30pm local time (7.30pm BST).

The flight was expected to cross over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea and Georgia before heading through Russias Dagestan region.

Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky was expected to speak with Mr Trump later on Thursday after the Ukrainian parliament ratified a mineral deal with the US.

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We just concluded the rare earth deal with Ukraine. Thats been fully ratified and approved by their legislative branches, and so we appreciate that, and Ill be speaking with the president in a little while, a little bit later, the US president said at the White House on Thursday afternoon.

04:36 PM BST

Thats all for today

Thanks for following our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

It has now ended for the day. Join us tomorrow morning for live coverage of Russias Victory Celebrations in Moscow.

04:11 PM BST

Trump and Zelensky to speak after minerals deal agreed

Donald Trump said this afternoon that he he will speak with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky after Kyiv ratified a minerals deal with Washington.

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We just concluded the rare earth deal with Ukraine. Thats been fully ratified and approved by their legislative branches, and so we appreciate that, and Ill be speaking with the president in a little while, a little bit later, the US president said at the White House.

03:38 PM BST

Several people killed in shooting near Kyiv

Several people have been killed in a shooting near Kyiv, local police have aid, adding that officers were working to arrest the perpetrator.

The incident took place in Sofiyivska Borshchahivka, an urban district bordering Kyiv home to some 25,000 people.

At 3:22 pm (2.22 BST) today, police received a report that a man had shot citizens in the village of Sofiyivska Borshchahivka, Ukraines national police said in a statement.

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Currently, all emergency services are working at the scene and a special operation is underway to detain the attacker.

Police did not say how many people were dead and did not give further detail about the incident.

03:15 PM BST

Zelensky and his wife pay tribute on VE day

Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena carry flowers during a ceremony for 80th anniversary of VE Day at the monument of the Unknown Soldier - Ukrainian Presidential Press Office

02:41 PM BST

Pictured: Putin puts on breakfast for Xi

Vladimir Putin hosted a breakfast reception for Xi Jinping, who arrived in Moscow earlier today.

Also in attendance was Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia and a senior security official.

Putin hosts breakfast reception for foreign leaders attending Victory Day celebrations - AFP

02:07 PM BST

What Putin wants from Xi Jinping

Waving their national flag and chanting a patriotic anthem of wartime hardship, Chinas Guard of Honour marched through Red Square in Moscow last week.

The specialised unit within the Peoples Liberation Army was rehearsing for Russias Victory Day parade, which will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and is anticipated to be its grandest yet.

In a show of deepening ties, Xi Jinping - who was greeted by Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Thursday, will be in the front row of spectators with the Russian leader as the events most high-profile guest.

While the two have met more than 40 times as leaders of China and Russia, standing side-by-side on such an important day will be highly symbolic.

Its a reaffirmation of the increasingly close ties between the two countries in the face of their mutual enemy  the West, said Pierre Andrieu, a former diplomat in Russia. Its a very powerful and explicit message.

01:49 PM BST

Xi and Putin agree on need to remove root causes of Ukraine war

Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are convinced that the conflict in Ukraine can only be resolved by removing its root causes, the two leaders said in a joint statement.

At talks in Moscow, Putin thanked Xi for joining celebrations to mark 80 years since the sacred victory over Adolf Hitler in World War Two.

It came as Xi told Putin this afternoon that their two countries should be friends of steel.

Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping drink tea at the Kremlin in Moscow - AFP

01:28 PM BST

US wont back war crimes tribunal

The United States wont endorse the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Vladimir Putin and his top officials for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Ministers from dozens of nations will gather in Lviv on Friday to give political endorsement to the proposals to serve justice against Kremlin chiefs for the invasion.

Sources said the US would not be present at the signing ceremony, confirming a Telegraph exclusive from February that Donald Trump would withdraw his country from the process.

His predecessor, Joe Biden, had taken a leading role in over 10 meetings of a core group of countries organising the investigation and subsequent trial of Putin and his cronies.

But as soon as Mr Trump retook his seat in the Oval Office, American officials began to signal their intentions to leave the international justice efforts.

European officials hope that the American leader will change his mind and have not ruled out the possibility of him signing any declaration at a later date.

01:17 PM BST

Pictured: Xi and Putin meeting broadcast in Beijing

News footage on a giant screen outside a shopping mall in Beijing shows Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping shaking hands at the Kremlin - AFP

12:37 PM BST

Ukrainian MPs ratify US minerals deal

The Ukrainian parliament has ratified Donald Trumps minerals deal without any opposition.

A total of 388 of the 400 members making up the Verkhovna Rada gave the greenlight for an American-Ukrainian Reconstruction Fund to be established.

It signals an end to the often bitter negotiations over the agreement, which prompted a very public clash between Mr Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.

The pact will see both sides jointly control Ukraines vast critical minerals and natural resources wealth, and could be used to pay for future US military aid to Kyiv.

12:29 PM BST

Russia accuses Ukraine of launching border incursions

Russia has accused Ukraine of launching border incursions into Kursk after Vladimir Putins apparent ceasefire came into effect at midnight.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused one another of violating the ceasefire, which was announced by Putin last week.

Ukraine did not commit to the truce, labelling it a ruse by Putin to protect his Victory Day parade on May 9.

12:18 PM BST

Watch: Travellers stranded in Moscow airport after Ukrainian drone attacks

Credit: Telegram/@bazabazon, @ostorozhno_moskva

12:00 PM BST

Slovak PM Fico searching for route to Moscow after Baltics close airspace

Slovakias prime minister is searching for a route to Moscow to attend Victory Day celebrations after the Baltic countries reportedly shut their airspaces to flights carrying him to the event.

Robert Fico, who met Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin in December, is the only EU leader planning to attend the May 9 parade in Moscow, which will be attended by two dozen foreign leaders.

Gitanas Nauseda, Lithuanias president, said on Wednesday his country had closed its airspace to flights carrying Fico and Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, which is not in the EU, to Moscow.

Aircraft travelling between Russia and Europe have typically used Lithuanian airspace since European carriers were told in 2021 to avoid the shorter route through Belarus.

Ukrainian airspace, another shorter route, has been closed since 2022 due to the Russian invasion.

Latvias foreign ministry has said it will not allow any flights to the parade but did not specifically mention the Slovak leader.

Estonia has told us it will not allow us to fly over its territory, despite Slovakia having an all-year permission for the government fleet to use Estonian airspace, Mr Fico complained.

Slovakias Prime Minister Robert Fico is searching for a route to get to Moscow after the Baltics scrambled his plans - AP

11:33 AM BST

Russia says it is observing truce, but responding to Ukrainian attacks

The Russian army said Thursday it was observing a unilateral three-day truce with Ukraine ordered by Vladimir Putin, but that it was simultaneously responding to attacks by Ukraine, which never agreed to the proposal.

Despite the announcement of the ceasefire, Ukrainian army units have not ceased hostilities against Russian troops. The Russian army is responding in kind to violations of the ceasefire by the army of Ukraine, the Russian defence ministry said.

11:02 AM BST

Russia violates 3-day truce 700 times

Russia has violated the three-day ceasefire it ordered at least 734 times, Ukraines foreign minister claimed.

Andrii Sybiha added that Moscows forces have carried out 63 assault operations and are attacking along the entire eastern front.

The breaches, he said, were recorded between midnight and midday local time during the first hours of the truce.

10:30 AM BST

Dear friends Xi and Putin paint themselves as defenders of world order

Vladimir Putin thanked his dear friend Xi Jinping for joining celebrations to mark 80 years since the Soviets sacred victory over Nazi Germany, saying the two countries stood together now against neo-Nazism.

Xi is the most powerful of two dozen foreign leaders visiting Moscow for Victory Day and his presence provides an important boost for the Kremlin leader, who has always portrayed his war in Ukraine as a struggle against modern-day Nazis.

Ukraine and its allies reject that characterisation as a grotesque falsehood, accusing Moscow of conducting an imperial-style invasion.

The victory over fascism, achieved at the cost of enormous sacrifices, is of lasting significance, Putin told Xi on Thursday.

Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand guard over historical truth, protect the memory of the events of the war years, and counteract modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism.

Xi, who called Putin his old friend, said the two countries would work together to counter unilateralism and bullying - an implied reference to the United States.

10:05 AM BST

Pictured: Putin faces Xi during talks

Vladimir Putin with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting at the Kremlin on May 8 - Shutterstock

09:44 AM BST

Ukraine warns of missile danger in east despite truce

Air raid alerts are going off in seven eastern Ukrainian regions, warning of a danger of Russian ballistic missiles.

It comes despite the Kremlin declaring a 72-hour ceasefire that came into effect today.

Earlier this morning, Ukraines air force said the skies were quiet past 8am local time, following three breaches of the ceasefire in the northern Sumy region overnight.

09:25 AM BST

Zelensky commemorates VE Day

Volodymyr Zelensky has commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe, telling Ukrainians: Every evil inevitably comes to an end.

We commemorate the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II, the Ukrainian leader wrote on X, alongside footage of him walking inside Kyiv.

Referencing the eight million Ukrainians who died in the Second World War, he said: And today, nearly every Ukrainian family has a hero who fought or is fighting against the new evil. Fighting for Ukraine, our Kyiv, for all our cities and villages, for our people, for our life.

Nazi Germanys surrender came into force at 11:01pm on May 8, 1945, marked as VE Day by Britain, the United States and France. In Moscow it was already May 9, which became the Soviet Unions Victory Day.

We commemorate the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II.  pic.twitter.com/MWLFsNf0Tx  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) May 8, 2025

09:11 AM BST

Putin says Russia and China defend truth about WW2

Vladimir Putin told Xi Jinping on Thursday that their nations intend to defend the historical truth about World War Two, which the Russian leader accuses the West of wanting to distort.

Together with our Chinese friends we firmly stand on guard of historical truth, protect the memory of events of the war years and counter modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism, Putin said.

08:54 AM BST

In pictures: Xi at the Kremlin

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin attend a welcoming ceremony ahead of their talks in the Kremlin - AFP

Xi shakes hands with senior Russian officials on May 8 - REUTERS

08:47 AM BST

Xi says China stands with Russia in face of hegemonic bullying

Xi Jinping on Thursday said Beijing would stand with Moscow in the face of hegemonic bullying as he met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

In the face of the international counter-current of unilateralism and hegemonic bullying behaviour, China will work with Russia to shoulder the special responsibilities of major world powers, Xi told Putin.

08:44 AM BST

Analysis: What Putin wants from Xi Jinping

Waving their national flag and chanting a patriotic anthem of wartime hardship, Chinas Guard of Honour marched through Red Square in Moscow last week.

The specialised unit within the Peoples Liberation Army was rehearsing for Russias Victory Day parade, which will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and is anticipated to be its grandest yet.

In a show of deepening ties, Xi Jinping - who arrived in Moscow on Wednesday and was greeted by Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Thursday, will be in the front row of spectators with the Russian leader as the events most high-profile guest.

While the two have met more than 40 times as leaders of China and Russia, standing side-by-side on such an important day will be highly symbolic.

Vladimir Putin welcomes his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Kremlin, May 8 - REUTERS

08:41 AM BST

Watch: Xi shakes hands with Putin

Credit: Reuters

08:34 AM BST

Xi hails deepening trust with Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the deepening trust developing between Beijing and Moscow as he sat down with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

The political mutual trust between China and Russia is becoming deeper, and the ties for pragmatic cooperation are becoming stronger, Xi said.

08:30 AM BST

Zelensky calls Moscows Victory Day a parade of cynicism

Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday criticised World War II Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, where Vladimir Putin is set to host over 20 world leaders and a grand military parade.

It will be a parade of cynicism. There is just no other way to describe it. A parade of bile and lies, Mr Zelensky said.

08:29 AM BST

Kyiv and its allies plot ways to pressure Russia into 30-day ceasefire

Ukraine has discussed ways to pressure Russia into agreeing to a 30-day ceasefire with US, British, French and German senior officials.

Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelenskys top aide, said on Thursday that online talks had taken place with US special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, Britains national security adviser Jonathan Powell as well as French and German top presidential advisers Emmanuel Bonne and Guenter Sautter.

He said that all parties emphasised that a complete and unconditional ceasefire should be the first step towards a just and sustainable peace.

We also discussed instruments of pressure in case Russia refuses the initiative or violates the agreements, Mr Yermak said on Telegram.

08:25 AM BST

Putin welcomes Xi to Moscow

Vladimir Putin welcomed his dear friend Xi Jinping to Moscow for an official state visit ahead of Russias Victory Day celebrations.

The Chinese leader arrived yesterday for talks, hours after Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow for the third day in a row, forcing one of the citys main airports to shut just before Xis arrival.

At least 20 world leaders are expected in Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Unions defeat of Nazi Germany in World War Two on Friday.

Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised the May 9 events in Moscow, calling it a parade of cynicism.

There is just no other way to describe it. A parade of bile and lies, the Ukrainian president said, as his country fends off a Russian invasion dragging through its fourth year.

08:11 AM BST

Ukraine says Russia launched guided bombs despite Putins truce

Ukraines air force reported air strikes on its northern region of Sumy on Thursday morning as Vladimir Putins order for a three-day truce with Ukraine was supposed to take effect.

During the night, the enemy intensified tactical aviation strikes using guided aerial bombs in the Sumy region, it said.

However, as of 8am local time, the air force reported that there had been no missile or drone attacks.

08:10 AM BST

Hello and welcome to our live coverage

Were bringing you all the latest updates from the war in Ukraine as well as events in Moscow as world leaders arrive in the Russian capital ahead of Victory Day celebrations.

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Emergency workers recovered the body of a utility company employee killed by a Russian guided aerial bomb in the town of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast on 8 May.

Source: Ukraine's State Emergency Service in Kharkiv Oblast on Facebook

Details: Russian forces are reported to have destroyed a utility company building in Kupiansk with a guided aerial bomb on 2 May, killing two employees. One of the bodies has been found buried deep beneath the rubble.

Emergency workers dismantling the rubble of a building destroyed by the Russian strike.

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Photo: Ukraine's State Emergency Service in Kharkiv Oblast

Emergency workers made several attempts to recover the body but were forced to suspend operations each time due to ongoing Russian bombardments.

Emergency workers dismantling the rubble of a building destroyed by the Russian strike.

Photo: Ukraine's State Emergency Service in Kharkiv Oblast

"Emergency workers managed to retrieve the body of the deceased with incredible effort and courage only today at 13:20," the State Emergency Service noted.

Background: On the evening of 2 May, Russian forces bombarded Kupiansk from the air for 20 minutes, after which emergency workers retrieved the man's body from under the rubble.

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A Russian drone attacked the village of Poniativka in Kherson Oblast on the evening of Thursday 8 May, dropping explosives and killing a woman.

Source: Kherson Oblast Prosecutor's Office on Telegram

Quote: "The investigators report that on 8 May 2025, at around 17:00, the Russian military once again attacked civilians using a UAV."

Details: A woman was killed as a result of the explosives being dropped from a drone on a street in the village of Poniativka.

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Kherson Oblast Military Administration reported that over the past day, 31 settlements and the city of Kherson came under Russian drone attacks, artillery shelling and airstrikes.

The Russian military attacked residential areas of the oblasts settlements, damaging three multi-storey buildings and six houses. The Russians also damaged cars.

As a result of Russian aggression, six people were injured.

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One person was killed and two others injured in Russian guided aerial bomb attacks on Sumy Oblast on the night of 7-8 May. The Russians attacked civilian settlements despite the so-called "three-day truce" declared by the Russian leadership.

Source: Sumy Oblast Prosecutor's Office and State Emergency Service (SES) on Telegram

Quote from the prosecutor's office: "At around 03:00 on 8 May, in Sumy districts Mykolaivka hromada, the enemy dropped what is likely a guided aerial bomb on civilian houses. As a result, a 55-year-old woman was killed in her own home, and her 24-year-old son was injured." [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

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Details: Half an hour later, at 03:30, the Russians dropped another bomb on the civilian infrastructure of the Vorozhba hromada in Sumy district, injuring a 70-year-old woman.

Criminal proceedings were initiated over the incident.

Aftermath of the attack

Photo: State Emergency Service

Updated: Later, the State Emergency Service added that on the morning of 8 May, the Russians conducted airstrikes on the territory of the Bilopillia hromada, as a result of which one residential building was completely destroyed and three civilian houses and seven outbuildings were damaged.





Quote from the SES: "Specialists of the State Emergency Service arrived at the scene. While inspecting the area, rescue workers found a woman under the rubble. The victim was carefully unblocked and handed over to paramedics."

Rescue workers helping the injured woman

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Photo: State Emergency Service

They also added that fires broke out in three residential buildings in the Sumy district as a result of the nighttime attack.

"Rescue workers worked at the scene from night to morning. Unfortunately, one civilian died as a result of this incident," the SES summed up.

Background:

Ukraines Air Force reported that during the night, the Russians intensified tactical aviation strikes using guided aerial bombs in Sumy Oblast.

On 7 May, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Vladimir Putin's initiative to hold a three-day ceasefire for the Victory Day (9 May) remains in effect.

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Russia killed 209 civilians and injured 1,146 others during April, making it the deadliest month with the highest number of injured since September 2024, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported on May 8.

At least 19 children were killed and 78 injured in April, the highest verified monthly number of child casualties since June 2022.

"One of the main reasons for the sharp rise in civilian casualties was the intensified use of ballistic missiles in major cities across the country," Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU said, in a statement accompanying the report.

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The news comes as the Trump administration continues to try and bring Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table. Yet, the progress has been limited, and Donald Trump's team has pressured Kyiv to make concessions to Russia, without applying visible pressure on Moscow to halt its aggression.

The high number of civilian casualties in April reflects a broader trend of increased harm to civilians in 2025 compared to 2024. Between January and April 2025, 664 civilians were killed and 3,425 injured, a 59% increase compared to the same period in 2024, the report read.

In April, 97% of civilian casualties were recorded in Ukraine-controlled territory. Almost half of all cases were caused by Russian missile attacks or shelling. Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, and Kharkiv suffered the most damage over the past month.

Attacks using short-range drones near the contact line accounted for 23% of civilian casualties during the month. Meanwhile, in early May, the trend of targeting large Ukrainian cities with loitering munitions also continued, according to the report.

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"The progressive rise in the number of civilian casualties every month this year is closely tied to the use of long-range missiles and drones on urban areas," Bell said

"This has been compounded by continued drone attacks in frontline areas, driving a steady and alarming rise in civilian casualties, including children," she added.

Read also: She fed all the birds, dogs, and cats  64-year-old animal rescue volunteer and son killed in Russian attack on Kyiv

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The first of three connected annexation petitions received by the town of Palmer Lake in the most recent request from Buc-ees developers.
The first day of federal Real ID enforcement at airports passed quietly across Northern California on Wednesday, with no significant disruptions reported at Sacramento International Airport or other major travel hubs in the region.

At Sacramento International Airport, compliance with the new federal identification requirement exceeded 95% by early morning, according to Lindsay Myers, a spokesperson for Sacramento County, which operates the airport. Myers said many travelers presented U.S. passports instead of state-issued Real ID drivers licenses to board domestic flights.

Thats about a quarter to a third of our daily volume, she said, adding that passengers without compliant IDs are still being screened  but through additional security measures. Anyone traveling without a Real ID or acceptable alternative will have additional security screening when they get to the airport.

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Thats what Dallas native Jenna Paez had to face.

When Paez came to Sacramento to visit family, she didnt need a Real ID to fly west. She said everything was very simple, very smooth.

But on her return flight home, Transportation Security Agency personnel asked for another form of identification since her state-issued ID wasnt compliant with the new mandate. She didnt have a passport to show, so agents took her out of line for a quick bit of additional security screening. That included going through her carry-on bags before they allowed her through the checkpoint.

The extra check took a few extra seconds, said Paez, who was able to continue on and reach her gate well ahead of boarding.

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Houston native Scout Roberts had a connecting flight in Sacramento before making his way home to Portland, Oregon, to meet friends and celebrate his birthday. Roberts boarded his Wednesday flight without a Real ID, opting to use his passport instead.

I just havent gotten around to getting the Real ID yet, the now 30-year-old said. But sometime soon.

Travelers pass smoothly through security at Sacramento International Airport on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, as the federal Real ID requirement for domestic flights takes effect nationwide.

Despite concerns ahead of the deadline, airport operations across California were business as usual.

At our airport, and from anecdotal reports at other airports, wait times have been normal and operations have been normal, Myers said. I have heard of no negative issues.

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The TSA added extra agents to assist travelers with the transition. By Wednesday afternoon, SMF had not experienced any delays linked to the change, according to Myers, nor was it impacted by disruptions at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, which has experienced significant operational disruptions  including a critical shortage of air traffic controllers  since late last month.

At airports across the Bay Area  including Oakland and San Jose  operations remained similarly unaffected. San Jose Mineta International Airport reported normal checkpoint traffic, and Oakland International officials said there were no significant backups despite the enforcement of the long-delayed security measure, according to the Bay Area News Group.

Nationally, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that travelers who lack a Real ID can still fly but should expect delays. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told lawmakers this week that about 81% of American travelers already carry a federally compliant form of identification, such as a REAL ID, passport or military ID.

But people will be allowed to fly, Noem said during a Congressional hearing Tuesday. We will make sure its as seamless as possible.

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The Real ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005 in response to the Sept. 11 attacks, sets minimum security standards for state-issued IDs. Implementation had been repeatedly delayed.

In California, a Real ID drivers license can be identified by a golden bear and star symbol in the upper-right corner. The California DMV said this week that about 58% of state ID and license holders have upgraded to a Real ID so far.

Gustavo Estrada, a San Diego native who was leaving Sacramento back home from a work trip, knew the day would eventually come when the REAL IDs were needed. When he recently renewed his drivers license, he ensured it came back as a REAL ID.

Its just something that I noticed over the course of however long its kind of been pushed, Estrada said of getting his REAL ID. Weve gotten the warnings and whatnot. So I just rather be safe than sorry. Im really glad that I was safe, and that I have this gold bear with the star on there. Todays the first day of the REAL ID, so everything just seems normal.

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For weeks, the DMV has ramped up services at select locations statewide including Folsom and Carmichael, and will continue to do so through the month to help motorists get the compliant licenses if they choose. Travelers can still opt to use a current U.S. passport to board planes.

Airports are urging travelers who are unsure about their ID status to arrive early and check requirements before arriving at the security checkpoint.

Were fortunate that most travelers appear well-prepared, Myers said. Thats made a big difference.

The Bay Area News Group contributed to this story






The conflict between India and Pakistan has significantly impacted flight operations and aviation across the world, as airlines suspend operations, aircraft make large diversions and long-haul journeys are delayed.

On the night of Tuesday, 6 May, the Indian Ministry of Defence stated it had struck nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. They were targeting what is described as nine militant hideouts in retaliation for a terror attack that killed 25 Indians and one Nepali national in April.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said India must suffer the consequences for its cowardly attack and vowed to avenge the deaths of 31 people killed in India's cross-border missile strikes.

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There has been news of heavy shelling taking place throughout the night and morning across the de facto border in Kashmir, named the Line of Control, with the Indian army saying 16 civilians and an Indian soldier have been killed by shelling in Indias Poonch district.

Pakistan and India say they both shot down projectiles fired at each others military installations on Thursday.

What does the UKs Foreign Office say?

The UK governments Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says in its India travel advice that it advises against all travel within 10km of the India-Pakistan border. The Wagah-Attari border crossing is closed.

The Foreign Office also advises in its Pakistan travel advice against all but essential travel within five miles of the international border between Pakistan and India, as well as all travel within 10 miles of the Line of Control in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

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The airspace remains closed to north and northwest of Delhi, with the Foreign Office warning airspace restrictions may be announced or changed at short notice.

British nationals should contact their airline for up-to-date information.

We are continuing to monitor the situation closely, the Foreign Office said. British nationals should stay up to date with our travel advice and follow the advice of local authorities.

Except for official border crossing points, foreign nationals are not allowed to travel within certain distances of Pakistans international borders. If you travel to these areas, you may be arrested and detained.

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Some areas of the India-Pakistan border in Gujarat and Rajasthan are unmarked. Approaching it away from an official crossing point could be dangerous; where it is unmarked, you could enter Pakistan illegally.

The Foreign Office also states in its India travel advice that it advises against all travel to the region of Jammu and Kashmir and all but essential travel to the state of Manipur.

The offices advice in Pakistan adds that it advises against all travel within 10 miles of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, areas of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Balochistan Province and all but essential travel to the Sindh Province.

Will my flight be cancelled?

Flights have already seen a wave of cancellations and mass diversions as airlines rerouted aircraft to avoid airspace as the conflict heightened.

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The morning after the precision strikes, dozens of flights were cancelled and rerouted, including airlines from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, making diversions and emergency mid-air changes for detours over the Arabian Sea and Central Asia.

On Thursday, 8 May, Indian carriers cancelled 430 flights, around three per cent of the countrys schedule, while airlines in Pakistan have cancelled over 147 flights, equating to 17 per cent of daily schedules, The Economic Times reported.

After all civilian airspace in Pakistan was closed for 48 hours, the country said its airspace has been reopened and that its airports were "fully functional." However, it is unclear whether airlines will resume regular operations.

Pakistan authorities said 57 international flights were in the country's airspace when India struck. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office said India's action "caused grave danger to commercial airlines" belonging to Gulf countries and "endangered lives".

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Delhi Airport said in a statement: All operations across Delhi Airports terminals and its four runways are proceeding as usual. However, changing airspace conditions have impacted some flights. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the updated flight information.

We are working closely with all stakeholders to minimise any disruptions to flight schedules. The safety and comfort of our passengers are our foremost priority.

Indias Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered the closure of several northern airports, including Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Dharamshala and Amritsar, causing domestic airlines such as IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air India to suspend services to these destinations.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines also raised concerns about GPS spoofing and operational disruptions near conflict zones.

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Gulf carriers like Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Flydubai also cancelled flights to cities in northern Pakistan and India, including Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot, and Amritsar. Emirates urged passengers not to proceed to airports in affected cities and confirmed that flights to Karachi remain operational.

Meanwhile, KLM said it would not fly over Pakistan until further notice. Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Korean Air have also adjusted its routes.

United Airlines said it has cancelled its flights to Delhi, while American Airlines said it has made its adjustments to its operations to the city.

Flights to and from Europe have also seen significant delays in their schedules, impacting passenger connections, airline bills, crew issues and aviation operations across the globe.

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A British Airways spokesperson said: Safety and security are always our highest priorities and we continuously assess and adjust our operations accordingly.

Can I cancel my holiday or flight for a refund?

Passengers who find their flights are delayed or cancelled, or who miss onward connections, are covered by European air passengers rights rules if they begin their journey in the UK or EU. Passengers must be provided with replacement flights as soon as possible, and given hotels and meals as required. From locations outside Europe, only British and EU airlines are obliged to provide care.

The airline must provide you with these items until it is able to fly you to your destination, no matter how long the delay lasts or what has caused it, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says.

The CAA says if a flight is available on the original day of travel, the passenger must be booked on it  even if it is on a rival carrier.

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Passengers can choose between getting an alternative flight or receiving a refund if their flight is cancelled.

If you received less than 14 days notice of a cancellation, you may also be able to claim compensation. However, this is unlikely if the cancellation was not the airlines fault.

The conditions for cancelling your holiday will be dependent on your holiday provider, so its best to contact them if youre looking to postpone. Check your insurance policies and speak to your insurer to see where you stand.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast
SAG-AFTRA has released its latest counterproposal to the offer made by video game companies to end the nine-month strike on interactive media, outlining the remaining sticking points on artificial intelligence protections that have been the sole impasse between the two sides.

The counterproposal, which can be read here, comes ahead of a Wednesday evening membership meeting hosted by the actors guilds negotiating committee for the Interactive Media Agreement, and two days after the companies publicly released their proposal to Variety, calling it their best and last offer.

We are hopeful the union will not choose to walk away when we are so close to a deal, Audrey Cooling, spokesperson for the video game producers party to the Interactive Media Agreement, said in a statement to Variety. Our proposal includes wage increases of over 24% for SAG-AFTRA-represented performers in video games, enhanced health and safety protections, industry-leading terms of use for AI digital replicas in-game and additional compensation for the use of an actors performance in other games. This is our last and best offer, and we hope the union will return to the table so we can reach a deal.

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SAG-AFTRA condemned the companies decision to take their proposal public, saying they had no intention of walking away from talks and had sent their latest counterproposal on May 2, three days after receiving the companies offer.

The statement suggesting that the union would walk away from negotiations on this contract is absurd and the opposite of the truth. It is the employers who have threatened  through backchannel representatives  to move work to foreign countries and recast performers, in an unsuccessful effort to intimidate our negotiating committee and membership to capitulate to their demands, SAG-AFTRA said in their own statement.

It is the employers who have characterized their last counter as their last and best offer, the union has taken no such step, the statement continued.

The 17-page document released by SAG-AFTRA breaks down the unions counterproposal on AI protections, showing where the union has reached a tentative agreement with the companies and where it has made concessions. The document is intended to help members understand how the contract language impacts them and their work.

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In terms of remaining sticking points, two notable ones remain. SAG-AFTRA is seeking language that guarantees performers ability to withhold consent to their likeness and performance being used for digital replicas during a strike.

Right now, employers have to find another performer to scab as placeholder or stand-in performance during a strike, but without the ability to suspend your Consent they could use your Replica to do it as you, the guild wrote to members in the document.

SAG-AFTRA also wholly rejected a proposal from the companies that they would offer buyouts for the use of a digital replica includes unlimited amount of dialogue and/or unlimited amount of new visual performance in scripted cinematic content. The buyout would have a minimum of six times the applicable minimum scale for three years of unlimited digital replica use, after which time the buyout could be renewed or terminated, with the latter case resulting in the company no longer generating new material with the replica.

SAG-AFTRA says it fundamentally opposes buyouts, calling them a purposeful discount to employers and make it harder for performers to make a sustainable living, as the performers who would work enough sessions on a project for a company to want to offer a digital replica buyout would earn far less under buyout pay than they would doing all the sessions.

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We reject unlimited DR use buyouts without a strong, clear justification. Employers have urged that Real-Time Generation and visual performance outside cinematics are difficult to track and pay by specific amount of use. We have repeatedly asked for why they cant pay by specific amount of use for performance they do typically track, meaning dialogue and visual performance for cinematics. No answer, the union wrote.

SAG-AFTRA previously went on a video game strike in 2016 that lasted for 11 months before being resolved in September 2017. While the strike is affecting video games on a case-by-case basis, the companies that are signatories to the Interactive Media Agreement are Activision, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Llama Productions, Take 2 , VoiceWorks and WB Games.

TheWrap has reached out to spokespersons for the video game companies for further comment.

The post SAG-AFTRA Outlines Remaining Sticking Points Over AI in Video Game Contract appeared first on TheWrap.
SALT LAKE CITY (KTVX)  The Democratic-controlled cities of Salt Lake City and Boise adopted new city flags this week showing support for LGBTQ+ people in defiance of their respective states Republican-controlled legislatures, which have banned traditional rainbow pride flags at schools and government buildings.

Our City flags are powerful symbols representing Salt Lake Citys values, Mayor Erin Mendenhall said. I want all Salt Lakers to look up at these flags and be reminded that we value diversity, equity, and inclusion  leaving no doubt that we are united as a city and people, moving forward together.

(Photo courtesy of Salt Lake City Mayors Office)

(Photo courtesy of Salt Lake City Mayors Office)

The Salt Lake City Council had voted to approve the addition of three new city flags that feature LGBTQ+ and Juneteenth designs at a meeting late Tuesday evening. This meeting was called to bring the city under code with the recently passed H.B. 77 flag bill, which allows the display of only certain flags on government property.

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The measure  which aims to sidestep such violations by adopting the new flags as official city flags  passed unanimously.

House votes to overturn California clean truck rules  defying internal watchdog

Under the Utah law, which went into effect Wednesday, state or local government buildings can be fined $500 a day for flying any flag other than the U.S. flag, the state flag, a city or county flag, military flags, Olympic and Paralympic flags, official college flags or tribal flags. Political flags are not allowed.

It is currently unclear if Salt Lake City will face any litigation due to the passage of its three new flags, which commemorate Juneteenth and acknowledge the citys LGBTQ+ residents and transgender community. According to H.B. 77, the State Auditors Office is tasked with the enforcement of the flag ban.

(Lindsay Aerts/KTVX)

Idahos flag ban, meanwhile, took effect April 3, barring government buildings from displaying any flags except those on a short list including the U.S. flag, flags of military branches and official flags of government entities. A separate ban containing some exemptions for school buildings takes effect July 1.

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The pride flag has regularly flown over Boises City Hall for years, and Mayor Lauren McLean kept the flag aloft even after Idahos law took effect. McLean said she believed the law was unenforceable.

Last week, McLean responded to the Idaho law by issuing a proclamation retroactively making the pride flag an official city flag, along with a flag honoring organ donors. It allowed both to be flown alongside Boises traditional blue flag featuring the Capitol building and the slogan City of Trees.

The city council voted 5 to 1 for the proclamation during a packed and sometimes rowdy meeting Tuesday night.

Removing the flag now after years of flying it proudly would not be a neutral act, said council member Meredith Stead. It would signal a retreat from values weve long upheld and send a disheartening message to those who have found affirmation and belonging through its presence at city hall.

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Florida seeks to enforce a law making it a crime for people in the US illegally to enter the state

Both Salt Lake City and Boises actions have already faced criticism from Republican lawmakers in each state.

Utah State Rep. Trevor Lee (R-Layton), the bills sponsor, took to X and said, Does Salt Lake City really want to play these games? Good luck! And the bills state Senate sponsor, Sen. Dan McCay (R-Riverton), also needled Mendenhall by posting edited pictures of flags representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Israel and MAGA Country, claiming that she should adopt these flags, too, if she truly wants her constituents to feel seen.

Idaho State Sen. Tammy Nichols also claimed there will be consequences for Boise in a post on X. Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador also recently warned he would ask lawmakers to add a mechanism in the 2026 legislative session to enforce the states new ban.

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Other Idaho communities are also grappling with the restriction.

City buildings in Bonners Ferry, roughly 30 miles from the Canadian border, have long flown Canadas flag in a sign of cross-border friendship, removing it only in April after Idahos governor approved the flag restriction.

But the law contains an exception that allows government entities to fly the flags of other countries during special occasions. Seeking to again fly the flag year-round, the Bonners Ferry City Council passed a resolution Tuesday designating every day of the year a special occasion to commemorate friendship with Canada.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Texas has over 3 million small businesses that are celebrated for Texas Small Business Week, including local San Angelo business, Premiere Re-Builders.

Everyone is a family, we all know each other, know how we work, what we want, said Blake Duncan, Premiere Re-Builders owner. And that helps us provide our customers with a lot better service, also, I believe.

Small businesses employ almost half of the workforce in Texas.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI)Tariff talks between the United States and China could happen by the end of this week in Switzerland.

About a month after President Trump set off a tariff fight with many countries, the impact from those directed at Chinese imports can be seen at Minh Huong in the City Heights area of San Diego.

If this tariff doesnt resolve soon, we may end up trying to slow down a little bit because the sales probably will drop, said David Chou, who opened the Asian foods-focused market in 1981.

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He said tariffs have impacted the Asian community more than anyone else.

Right now, the U.S. has tariffs set as high as 145 percent on imports from China. China has responded with 125 percent tariffs on U.S. goods.

For Chou, it means having to raise his prices.

We look at a lot of customers here for the last thirty to forty years, and a lot of them are low-income people, so we cannot really raise the price to make a profit on top of these people, said Chou.

He says while only a quarter of what he sells is from China, its impacting all products.

He said thats because of shipping costs and a 10 percent cost on top of that. At first, his customers were panic buying products like noodles.

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At this point, I think that people have settled down a little bit. Theyll probably wait to see if China and the U.S. can have some kind of talks so that the amount of tariff will reduce, so that way they dont have to pay high prices like right now, he said.

Talks are expected to take place between the Treasury Secretary, the U.S. Trade Representative and the Chinese Vice Premier in Switzerland in the coming days, according to AP.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) took a swing at both political parties Wednesday, arguing they are largely corrupt and reflect the interests of billionaires rather than everyday Americans.

In an interview on Fox News Channels Special Report with Bret Baier, Sanders was asked to explain the Democratic Partys lackluster favorability ratings  and he pointed to the role money plays in politics and governments.

Ill tell you why. People understand that the political system in this country is largely corrupt, both parties, Sanders, who caucuses with Senate Democrats, told Baier.

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Why is that? You know the answer. The answer is that you have billionaires in both political parties [who] determine what legislation gets to the floor and who is the candidate, the Vermont independent continued, referring to the hierarchical nature of legislative floor action and party politics in election cycles.

The senator stressed that the problem exists in both parties, giving examples.

Youre in the Republican Party and you say, You know what? I dont like this Trump idea of giving massive tax breaks to the rich and cutting Medicaid and education, Sanders said, asking, You get up and say that, what happens to you?

The next day, Elon Musk says, Ive got unlimited amounts of money; were going to run a candidate in a primary against you,' he said.

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Sanders also pointed to the American Israel Public Affairs Committees (AIPAC) influence in Democratic politicians response to Israels government and its war in Gaza.

Democratic Party side, what happens if somebody says, You know what? Maybe its not a good idea to fund [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahus war machine, which is creating starvation for children in Gaza, Im going to vote against that? Sanders said.

Next day, AIPAC is going to be running against you, he continued.

The senator added, We have a corrupt campaign finance system. Billionaires in both political parties are calling the tunes. The American people understand that.

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The independent senator ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

Since the 2024 election, Sanders has been vocal in his criticism of both major parties and has drawn large crowds alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on his Fighting Oligarchy tour, which focused on highlighting wealth inequality and corruption in government.

The duo also pushed back against President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiencys cuts to funding for social programs, such as Medicaid, and mass layoffs within the federal workforce.

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SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON)  A Santa Cruz woman was granted freedom on Wednesday after she was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and threatened with being deported to Europe.

Cliona Ward, 54, is an Irish citizen who lived in Santa Cruz for 30 years. She traveled to Ireland last month to see her aging father, who suffers from dementia.

While returning from her trip, she was detained by federal officers on April 21 at San Francisco International Airport and threatened with deportation.

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Wards family said she had a non-violent conviction on her record from two decades ago. Since her conviction, she maintained a clean record, raised a family, cared for her chronically ill son, worked full time, and paid taxes, according to her family.

Cliona Ward (Photo courtesy GoFundMe)

Congressman Jimmy Panetta said Ward, who is a legal permanent resident of Santa Cruz County and green card holder, will be allowed to return home after a judge ruled in Wards favor. The judge reportedly terminated Wards deportation proceedings Wednesday.

Her sister wrote on a GoFundMe page, Cliona if free. She is in shock, filled with emotions, traumatized, full of gratitude.

Panetta said he had put pressure on officials in the White House and in the Irish government to examine Wards case.

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The congressman wrote, Cliona Wards release demonstrates what can happen when we come together to fight for transparency, due process, and justice. We fought to make sure that all of the facts about Cliona and her case were presented so that the Court could use its full discretion and do the right thing.

ICE releases details on Sunnyvale fathers arrest

Panetta said Wards detention and weeks in legal limbo were an example of overreaching deportation policies in the U.S.

This case also is an example of this Administration doing the wrong thing when it comes to its overreaching deportation policies that can sweep up people like Cliona. As a former narcotics and gang prosecutor, I understand and appreciate the removal of gang members and violent criminals from our communities. However, due process and transparency are what allow us to formally separate green card holders like Cliona, who have turned around their lives and contribute to our communities, Panetta said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
The University of Florida is already one of the nations premier public universities. But it has the potential to be the very best. That belief  in UFs momentum, its mission and its future  is what led me to pursue the extraordinary opportunity of the UF presidency.

Over the past several weeks, Ive had the chance to spend meaningful time with the universitys leadership. I believe deeply in their vision: ambitious, anchored in a culture of excellence, and laser-focused on student success. The passion Ive seen for this institution  including during my visit to campus earlier this week to meet its students, faculty and administrators  is infectious, and the alignment between the Board of Trustees, the Board of Governors, the governor and the legislature is rare in higher education. This alignment signals seriousness of purpose, and it tells me that Florida is building something truly exceptional. Im excited to be part of that.

Opinion: Good PBAU campus parking worth an 11-story 'monstrosity' in downtown West Palm

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I believe in Floridas vision for higher education. I understand its priorities, and I support them. I will execute this vision with clarity, consistency and integrity. I put my name forward for this position because I agree with the state leaderships vision and values for public higher education. My alignment is rooted in principles  like the renewed emphasis on merit, the strengthening of civics and foundational learning, and the belief that our universities should prepare students not just for careers, but for informed citizenship in a free society.

Santa Ono, current present of the University of Michigan and the sole finalist for the same position at the University of Florida, greets Rahul Patel, chair of UF's Presidential Search Committee and vice chair of the university's board of trustees, on May 6 at Emerson Alumni Hall in Gainesville.

Public universities have a responsibility to remain grounded in academic excellence, intellectual diversity and student achievement. That means rejecting ideological capture, upholding the rule of law, and creating a culture where rigorous thinking and open dialogue flourish. I share that commitment.

Opinion: Florida can change how it picks university presidents. There's a bill for that.

Like many, I supported what I believed to be the original intent of DEI  ensuring equal opportunity and fairness for every student. Thats something on which most everyone agrees. But over time, I saw how DEI became something else  more about ideology, division and bureaucracy, not student success. Thats why, as president of the University of Michigan, I made the decision to eliminate centralized DEI offices and redirect resources toward academic support and merit-based achievement. It wasnt universally popular, but it was necessary. I stood by it  and Ill bring that same clarity of purpose to UF.

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More: Rep. Byron Donalds calls on UF to restart presidential search over Ono's past DEI comments

The future of higher education depends on a clear mission, a culture of merit and accountability, and a deep commitment to preparing students to thrive in the real world. That means strengthening partnerships with businesses, supporting agriculture and innovation, and ensuring each student  regardless of background  has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

I also understand the challenges of leadership in todays academic environment. During my tenure leading other public universities, I declined to politicize the institutions or publicly oppose national political figures. I did this because I believe universities must serve as platforms for learning, not partisanship or ideological activism.

Combating antisemitism has been a priority throughout my career. Ive worked closely with Jewish students, faculty and community leaders to ensure that campuses are places of respect, safety and inclusion for all. I know that the University of Florida has been a national leader in this regard  setting a gold standard in standing firmly against antisemitism and hate. That standard will not change under my leadership. I will continue to ensure that UF is a place where Jewish students feel fully supported, and where all forms of hatred and discrimination are confronted clearly and without hesitation.

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Finally, peaceful protest has a place in campus life. But the University of Florida is not a place for disruption, intimidation or lawlessness. If I am approved, UF will remain a campus where all students are safe, where differing views can be heard and where the rule of law is respected.

This is an exciting moment for Florida and for the University of Florida. Im honored to be a part of it. And Im ready to get to work.

Santa J. Ono

Santa J. Ono, Ph.D., has been recommended as the sole finalist for the 14th president of the University of Florida. He currently is the president of the University of Michigan.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: UF president finalist Ono: End DEI, Jewish hate on campus | Opinion
HECTOR, N.Y. (WETM)  A home visit between a man from the town of Hector and a satellite employee served as a reminder on disclosing personal information.

Evan Forrest, of Hector, described an incident from Saturday, May 3, when a worker came to his residence and asked to inspect his TV box and past TV bills. After he came back for a second time, the worker asked for Forrests social security number.

Schuyler County property owners being targeted by property tax scam

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He wanted my wifes last four of her Social, and after that, he also wanted to know if I had a cell phone, Forrest said. No, I dont have a cell phone.

According to Forrest, the worker looked at the tv box and past tv bills. Around 2:00 p.m. at the time, Forrest reported it to the Schuyler County Sheriffs Office and felt it might have been a scam. 18 News learned that the worker was a valid employer after confirming his badge number with identification and with Schuyler County Sheriff, Kevin Rumsey.

In cases similar to Forrest, Sheriff Rumsey advised asking for identification from individuals and suggested contacting a supervisor or law enforcement, if theyre unable to provide it. Rumsey noted that scams can happen over the phone or internet and recommends not sharing any personal information to people claiming to be from a company.

They can deceive and manipulate people a lot easier over the phone or over the internet and kind of keep things going and maybe even keep some people who are susceptible to the scams going for a longer period convincing them that they are who they are, so they get more money, Rumsey said. To give your social security number or a bank account number, a credit card number, or anything like that, is a huge no, no.

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The town of Palmer Lake has released its full set of reports on the potential impact of a Buc-ees, but more questions remain on whether the s
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA)  South Carolina has the largest income tax rate in the southeast, with a top income tax rate of 6.2%. However, a new income tax reform bill could change all of it.

End the income tax in South Carolina by putting it into statutory law and requiring the general assemblies in the future to do so, while also lowering our top marginal rate, said Representative Brandon Newton (R  Lancaster).

Originally, the House announced the Income Tax Bill that would make every South Carolinian pay a flat rate of 3.99%. Under the latest version of this bill, if you make $30,000 or more, you would pay 5.39%, but if you make less than $30,000, you would pay 1.99%. However, it would decrease over time, eventually leading to no income tax in the palmetto state.

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We will then have a flat tax that triggers, then continue down until the rate hits zero; its a true historic day for reform in South Carolina, said Representative Newton.

Newton added, the new bill would force every South Carolinian to pay at least some income tax, which means there will be a tax increase for around 25% of residents.

Rep. Justin Bamberg (D  Bamberg) proposed an amendment, which he said would immediately make the income tax zero, but it was voted down. Representative Newton said you cant just bring it to zero.

That would be a 40% deduction in the state budget in one year. I think the way that it was explained by, Frank Rainwater, in one meeting was everyone could take a prisoner home at night because we couldnt have them in the Department of Corrections. 

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Rep. Jordan Pace (R  Berkely), who is the head of the extremely conservative Freedom Caucus, agrees with Bambergs amendment and said the House should have taken more time to look at the bill and see if they could cut waste in the budget to make up for it.

Listen, Im all about cutting taxes. Im all about going to zero. My fear is weve rushed this entire thing in the last few weeks.

The Senate said they will not take up the bill this year, but will instead wait until next January.

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It has been a tough almost three months for Gail Reed. The mother of 33-year-old Antonio Scippio has been trying to move forward while dealing with the loss of her son.

Its like a piece of a puzzle thats now missing. Its gone, she said. All we have left is the emptiness.

Scippio was a veteran. After spending time in the Air Force, he started developing mental health issues, Reed said. The man was even in a mental health facility for about a month before he moved in with her while he continued his treatment.

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He would just go in [to the mental health facility], like every month to take his injections. But after then, he would not stay in a room all day like he used to, Reed said. He would come out, conversate, go with the family to different places.

On the night of Feb. 21, however, things took a turn. A 911 call, which was released by the Orange County Sheriffs Office, details how Scippio was threatening to kill himself when law enforcement was dispatched to his home.

At the time of the call, the man was going through a psychotic episode, according to his mother.

When deputies arrived, they found him in his room, holding a knife. Deputies fatally shot him as he approached with the knife.

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His interaction with deputies was caught on camera, which was just released. Reed watched the footage for the first time as she continued to deal with her grief.

Its so traumatic and disturbing, she said. I will never forget what happened from the beginning to the end, from the time the officers came to the garage, from the time they entered the house, and from how it escalated from zero to 100, is very vivid in my head.

At the time of the shooting, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said law enforcement had no other option because Scippio did not drop his knife. Reed, however, says the reaction was inadequate because her son wasnt a threat.

Antonio steadily walked slowly with his hands down. He never charged that them raising his hand, she said. He was scared. I feel that he was in a psychotic stage when the officers did not understand. This is why they need to be trained.

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Mental health advocates have also weighed in on the case, including members of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI.

Our main priority overall is to educate the whole community from the law enforcement side, from the individual who was impacted by its side to the provider, said NAMI Executive Director Freddy Morello. The education piece becomes so important because. When someone is aware of the signs and the symptoms, and you know someone may be acting in a certain way, they then recognize its really fear, not aggression.

NAMI has consistently pushed for required Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement officers in Florida. In the training, law enforcement officers can learn how to deescalate interactions with people living with a mental health condition and even take preemptive measures to increase positive outcomes.

If an officer is pulling up to a scene, for example, if possible, they should shut sirens off because the sirens can be a trigger for someone, Morello said. If youre interacting with someone whos living with a mental health challenge, maybe a heightened voice will scare someone into acting aggressively. We try to get into those nitty gritty details while also educating the officers.

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While Crisis Intervention Certification is mandatory at the Orange County Sheriffs Office, just about 1,000 deputies have been trained so far, while the agency continues to actively work on getting more officers certified.

Reed blames the lack of training for her sons death.

That 911 call and that dispatch call is unprofessional. They need to be trained to not just dispatch anyone to a suicidal residence, she said. Every officer needs to be trained across the board, so therefore this situation does not occur again. If they were trained, my son would be alive today.

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One of the largest providers of education tech paid off hackers so that they wouldnt publish tens of millions of childrens personal information. But school districts are facing extortion attempts anyway.

The company, PowerSchool, missed a basic cybersecurity step, according to a cybersecurity audit obtained by NBC News, and was hacked last year, leading to one of the largest breaches to date of American childrens personal data. PowerSchool reportedly paid an undisclosed sum to the hackers in exchange for a video of them purporting to delete the files they had stolen, which included some students Social Security numbers and other information, like health and disciplinary records.

But "a threat actor" is using that stolen data to try to extort schools and school districts in both the U.S. and Canada, according to statements from PowerSchool and various school districts issued Wednesday.

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"PowerSchool is aware that a threat actor has reached out to multiple school district customers in an attempt to extort them using data from the previously reported December 2024 incident," PowerSchool wrote in a statement Wednesday. "We do not believe this is a new incident, as samples of data match the data previously stolen in December."

Public schools across North Carolina received extortion emails Wednesday morning, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Mo Green said in a public bulletin. The threat actor appears to have students' and staffers names, contact information, birthdays, medical information, parental information, and in some cases Social Security numbers, he said.

Several Canadian school authorities have announced they are also among the victims, including the Peel District School Board in Ontario and the Toronto District School Board. The Calgary Board of Education also issued a warning to parents this week based on communication it had received from PowerSchool.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the current extortion attempt. PowerSchool said it believes that the threat actor is using data stolen from the original incident last year, indicating that the original hackers either are behind the current attempts or kept the data and made it accessible to other people.

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We have reported this matter to law enforcement both in the United States and in Canada and are working closely with our customers to support them. We sincerely regret these developments it pains us that our customers are being threatened and re-victimized by bad actors, PowerSchool's statement said.

As is always the case with these situations, there was a risk that the bad actors would not delete the data they stole, despite assurances and evidence that were provided to us, it said.

It is not clear if other American school districts had been victims of the renewed extortion attempt. PowerSchool declined to name victims, saying only that it was aware of multiple school district customers. A majority of U.S. states have at least one school district that was affected by the original breach.

PowerSchool is one of the largest companies in the educational technology industry, which became particularly widespread during the Covid pandemic and uses software to streamline school processes. One of its primary programs helps school districts track students, and the company servers stored information like their names, family members, addresses and birthdays.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
May 7Voters in Kalispell's School District 5 overwhelmingly approved a $2.97 million levy request on Tuesday, snapping an 18-year streak of rejecting high school district levies.

Nearly 56% of ballots were in favor of the levy that will help support educational programming and maintain staffing levels. The high school district encompasses Flathead and Glacier high schools, the H.E. Robinson Agricultural Center and Linderman Education Center, the alternative high school.

"This outcome brings a flood of gratitude, knowing what it means for our current and future high school students, their families, and our entire community," Superintendent Matt Jensen wrote in a message to the district.

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"This support not only strengthens our schools but also reinforces the vitality of our local businesses and the long-term health of our community as a whole. In an era marked by division, I'm especially thankful to serve a community that can come together in support of our most valuable investment, our children."

Preliminary school and special district election results for May 6, 2025. Preliminary results are unofficial until each respective school board and special district canvases them.

Kalispell Public Schools High School Levy

* For 11,641 (55.57%)

Against 9,307 (44.43%)

Whitefish High School Levy

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* For 2,371 (59%)

Against 1,638 (41%)

Deer Park School Bond

Yes 142 (32%)

* No 303 (68%)

West Valley Fire Mill Levy

* For 1,625

Against 981

Cayuse Prairie School Trustee (vote for 1)

David Dowell 343

* Susan Horner-Till 489

Smith Valley School Trustee (vote for 2)

Jodi Brown 138

* Joe Heidecker 217

Kayla Huchendorf 152

* Josh Hunt 274

Deer Park School Trustee (vote for 1)

* Cynthia Barnes 184

Mikala Cordes 162

Bigfork Fire Trustee (vote for 2)

* Bob Borges 413

Nick Purchio 375

* Andrew Sliter 764
The answer to the question 'how much sleep do I need each night?' depends on a variety of factors, and we just found a new one: a rare mutation in the SIK3 gene that seems to enable the brain to function on less sleep than normal.

Led by a team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, researchers found the mutation in a healthy woman in her 70s, who slept an average of 6.3 hours per night. This was part of a wider project to identify people matching a natural short sleeper (NSS) profile.

This is actually the fifth short-sleep genetic mutation that's been identified, further highlighting the influence of our genetics on sleep health, and the amount of slumber we need to function properly.

The subject of the study slept (green) for an average of 6.3 hours per night. (Chen et al., PNAS, 2025)

"Studying human sleep genes not only expands our knowledge regarding the sleep regulatory network, but also may bring the basic research from mouse models to clinical relevance," write the researchers in their published paper.

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Mice engineered with the same genetic mutation also slept less, the researchers found, though not by much: these animals typically snooze for around 12 hours each day, and the genetic editing reduced this by around half an hour.

Scans of brain activity in the mice showed that the proteins produced by the mutated gene were active across the synapses connecting neurons together.

We already know that SIK3 produces what's called a kinase protein, which sends chemical signals to other proteins to change their function. It seems some of that signaling is involved in regulating how long we need to be asleep for.

"These findings advance our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of sleep, highlight the broader implications of kinase activity in sleep regulation across species, and provide further support for potential therapeutic strategies to enhance sleep efficiency," write the researchers.

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Those "potential therapeutic strategies" could involve the development of drugs to deal with sleep disorders. That's still a long way off, but each study gets us a little closer.

The discovery of genetic mutations like this, and the NSS individuals who are affected by them, also gives us more pointers for what the brain is actually doing during sleep: keeping the immune system in good condition, making sure our cognitive abilities stay sharp, and sorting through the events of the day.

"These [NSS] people, all these functions our bodies are doing while we are sleeping, they can just perform at a higher level than we can," neuroscientist and geneticist Ying-Hui Fu, from the University of California, San Francisco, told Freda Kreier at Nature.

The research has been published in PNAS.

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A strange and dangerous pufferfish species was recently spotted in Croatia's Bay of Medulin, as reported by Pensoft. This unexpected visitor is the silver-cheeked toadfish, and its arrival marks the northernmost sighting ever recorded in the Mediterranean. It signals an unsettling shift that experts say should concern everyone, from local fishers to seafood lovers.

What happened?

Originally from the Indo-Pacific, the silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) is a species that made its way into the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, which scientists call "lessepsian migration."

Since first appearing in the region in 2003, the silver-cheeked toadfish has spread quickly, and now, for the first time, it has reached northern Adriatic waters.

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In May 2024, researchers recorded the species for the first time in the northern Adriatic Sea. The fish measured over 50 centimeters and carried tetrodotoxin, a deadly neurotoxin. With sharp, beak-like jaws strong enough to bite through fishing lines and even fingers, the toadfish is as dangerous as it is destructive.

This invasive species is already making life harder for small-scale fishers by damaging nets, stealing bait, and eating up native marine life such as clams and sea urchins.

Why is the discovery concerning?

The fish northward spread highlights how climate change and ecological imbalance are reshaping marine life.

Warmer waters and fewer predators are creating the perfect conditions for this invader to thrive. That puts local species, already stressed by pollution and overfishing, in an even tighter spot.

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When an aggressive invader like this takes over, it disrupts food chains and places more pressure on struggling ecosystems.

Coastal communities that rely on fishing and tourism are especially vulnerable, facing reduced catches and increased gear damage.

With few known predators in the Mediterranean  only juvenile fish and loggerhead turtles have been observed feeding on them  the population of silver-cheeked toadfish is likely to keep growing unless action is taken.

What's being done about the silver-cheeked toadfish?

Luckily, steps are being taken. Marine experts recommend improving monitoring and reporting systems so communities can respond faster to sightings. This kind of early detection has helped slow the spread of invasive species such as lionfish in other regions.

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In places battling sea urchin and European green crab invasions, tactics like predator reintroductions and habitat restoration have helped restore ecological balance.

People can also play a role by participating in removal efforts and eating invasive species.

The right tools and teamwork could turn this warning sign into a success story for the Mediterranean's future.

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The Chesapeake Bay has taken on a haunted appearance. Our overheating planet is helping turn the region into a graveyard for cedar, pine, and several types of deciduous hardwood trees, per Knowable Magazine.

What's happening?

As the world warms, driving sea levels higher, saltwater is encroaching along the world's coasts and into its estuaries. The seawater invasion can overtake the freshwater that gives life to evergreen and deciduous trees alike. It is happening in the Chesapeake Bay, and it isn't going unnoticed. Scientists released a report on the salinization that is impacting coastal ecosystems.

"The impact of saltwater intrusion on coastal forests and farmland is typically understood as sea-level-driven inundation of a static terrestrial landscape, where ecosystems neither adapt to nor influence saltwater intrusion," according to a study conducted by an international team of scientists. "Yet recent observations of tree mortality and reduced crop yields have inspired new process-based research into the hydrologic, geomorphic, biotic, and anthropogenic mechanisms involved."

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"When a lot of these forests die back, instead of being replaced with a native salt marsh ... what's actually taking its place is a phragmites marsh," University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne forest ecologist, and coauthor of the Annual Review of Marine Science article, Stephanie Stotts, told Knowable Magazine.

The Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center describes phragmites, also known as common reed, as "a tall, densely growing perennial grass that can take over large areas, displacing native vegetation and reducing habitat quality for fish and wildlife."

Trees die slowly; sometimes, it takes several decades for them to perish. It will take a long time for us to see the full consequences of these lifeless forests. "We're about 50 years behind," said Stotts, per Knowable Magazine.

Why are ghost forests important?

Ghost forests are the remains of a once-vibrant woodland ecosystem that has succumbed to the poisoning of encroaching saltwater. Forests have morphed into marshes during prior periods of rising sea levels. Scientists point out that marshes have some positive attributes. They are home to oysters, clams, shrimp, and certain bird species.

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The problem with ghost forests is that they can disrupt the carbon cycle. In other words, forests absorb more carbon pollution from the atmosphere than they release. After trees die, they can eventually contribute to the heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, fueling even more warming.

Living trees can also act as a buffer to storms. Ghost forests increase the vulnerability along coastlines to erosion and storm surge. While extreme weather events have always existed, experts have found that the human-induced climate crisis supercharges these events, putting our communities in even more danger and devastating ecosystems.

What's being done about saltwater encroachment?

The saltwater encroaching along the world's coastlines is accelerating as our overheating planet drives rising seas. Moving away from dirty energy sources to renewable options will help cool our planet and reduce the rise in sea levels.

Scientific studies can help illustrate how the buildup of heat-trapping gases in our atmosphere is impacting our planet, but getting the word out by exploring critical climate issues and talking to family and friends about them to raise awareness is important. So is supporting politicians who are fighting for the future of our planet.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
By Jonathan Saul and Mohammed Ghobari

ADEN (Reuters) - Some 200 seafarers aboard more than 15 ships stuck for weeks off Yemen's port of Ras Isa are preparing to offload cargoes and leave thanks to a ceasefire deal between Houthi militia and the U.S., maritime and labour union sources said on Thursday.

Still, threat levels for shipping remained high given the Houthis' confirmation that Israeli-related assets remained open to attack and the attendant risks to broader shipping, maritime officials said. Ships with no connection to Israel had been targeted in the past with no certainty of safe passage.

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President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the U.S. would stop bombing the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen as they had agreed to stop targeting U.S. ships in Red Sea waters off the Arabian Peninsula country.

However, the deal does not cover close U.S. ally Israel, the Houthis stated on Wednesday, suggesting its attacks on shipping in professed solidarity with Palestinian militants fighting Israel in Gaza might not come to a complete halt.

A nearly two-month-long U.S. bombing campaign in Yemen dealt heavy damage to the Houthis, with a spillover impact on shipping in the Ras Isa region on the Red Sea, a critical artery for world trade.

Several crew members on ships in the vicinity of U.S. air strikes were injured, and two vessels prevented from sailing away by Houthis, according to the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), the biggest seafarers' union.

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A Houthi official told Reuters that following the agreement with Washington, ships should now be able to enter Ras Isa, discharge cargoes and depart without issues.

At least one of the vessels - mainly tankers carrying fuel supplies including liquefied petroleum gas - was moving into the port to begin discharging cargo on Thursday, according to ship tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform.

NO GUARANTEE OF SAFE PASSAGE

While the risk of collateral damage from airstrikes has abated, seafarers remained concerned about Israeli attacks on Houthi targets in the region.

In response to Houthi drones launched at Israel over the past week, Israeli warplanes hit the major Yemeni Red Sea port of Hodeidah, causing some damage, shipping sources said.

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Some of the vessels stuck have been waiting for weeks to discharge in Ras Isa and were urgently seeking to leave the area, the captain of one of the vessels, who declined to be identified due to the sensitive situation, told Reuters.

"The ITF is working urgently to support these crews, but they need more than words; they need safe passage home," ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said.

The Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships plying the Red Sea since November 2023, saying they were acting in support of Palestinians in Israeli-besieged Gaza. They have sunk two vessels, seized one and killed at least four seafarers. There have been no known attacks since January this year.

Many shipping companies have halted voyages through the Red Sea amid uncertainty over whether the ceasefire deal will stick.

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"We do not send ships in until we are sure that the people on board are safe," Lasse Kristoffersen, CEO with shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen, told Reuters on Thursday.

"We have no information at this time to suggest that."

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul in London and Mohammad Ghobari in Aden, Marie Mannes in Stockholm; editing by Mark Heinrich)
The Sistine Chapel seagulls are becoming the stars of the 2025 papal conclave.

The livestream of the historic event, which began in the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 7, panned to a flock of seagulls perched on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, including an adorable fluffy seagull chick, to the delight of viewers watching from home.

The birds stuck around for the secretive voting process, but appeared to clear out at 3 p.m. ET, when the cardinals expelled black smoke from the chimney to indicate that a decision on the next pope is yet to be made, per USA Today.

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Social media users shared humorous reactions to the scene of the curious seagulls. "This seagull is all of us rn," LifeSite Catholic wrote in a post on X.

"Shoutout to that one seagull locked in on the Conclave proceedings," Father Cassidy Stinson wrote on X.

Alistair Bruce of Sky News and ABC shared a video of the whole seagull family, writing on X, "our #Conclave distraction  seagull family on our roof in Rome."

Another user wrote excitedly on X, "ONE OF THE CONCLAVE SEAGULLS BROUGHT A BABY SEAGULL."

The conclave seagulls appear to be a tradition. Several X accounts with posts dating back to 2013, during the conclave that ended with Pope Francis' election, documented seagulls visiting the Vatican.

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The live stream of the ongoing election among the College of Cardinals to select the late Pope Francis' successor has captured the attention of thousands of viewers online. The first pope from Latin America died on Monday, April 21, at 88.

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.

On Wednesday, May 7, only one vote was held among the College of Cardinals. Cardinals will be eligible to vote twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon going forward, the Vatican confirmed.

Cardinals under the age of 80 compose the voting body of the College of Cardinals eligible to vote for the 267th pope. Black smoke released from the Sistine Chapel indicates that voting is ongoing, while white smoke indicates that a new pope has been selected. The College of Cardinals is sequestered from the outside world throughout the papal election, in a process well documented in the 2024 film Conclave.

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The conclave typically begins 15 to 20 days after the death of a pope, and takes as long as needed. Pope Francis was elected after only one day of voting. He was the first Latin American pope and held openly progressive views on immigration and the LGBTQ+ community.

Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Meeting of the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel. Meeting of the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel.

Kathleen Sprows Cummings, a Pope Francis expert and professor of American Studies and History at the University of Notre Dame, previously spoke to PEOPLE regarding the process, which dates back to the 13th century.

So, the proceedings of the conclave are secret, Cummings told PEOPLE. She elaborated that invariably things leak out, citing the meeting that led to Francis papacy over a decade ago.

The conclave is livestreamed daily on YouTube on the Vatican's official account.



Read the original article on People
Facing the potential of life in prison on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, Sean Combs hired a high-profile team of defense lawyers for his criminal trial in New York.

With a combined 150 years of legal experience, Combs' team of lawyers have defended everyone from alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione to disgraced financier Martin Shrkeli and rapper Young Thug.

"In looking at the team, especially on the first day of jury selection, it seems like they've got people who are experts in their own kind of general areas," said ABC News Legal Contributor Brian Buckmire. "I think the team that Diddy has put together are some heavy hitters in their own rights, and they're working together as such."

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MORE: Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial gets underway with jury selection

Combs, a self-proclaimed "Bad Boy for Life", was charged last year with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and prostitution after prosecutors accused the rap mogul of using violence to coerce women into sex, protect his business empire, and preserve his reputation as one of hip-hop's most important figures. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life in prison.

Combs has pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations against him, and his lawyers are expected to argue that any of the alleged sexual activity was done by consenting adults. He rejected a plea deal last week.

With an estimated billion-dollar fortune helping support his legal defense, Combs is relying on his high-powered army of attorneys to defend him in court and convince a jury to spare him a lengthy prison sentence.

Marc Agnifilo

PHOTO: Attorney Marc Agnifilo arrives to the United States Court in Manhattan on the day of a bail hearing after music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs was charged, and arrested by federal agents in New York City, Sept. 18, 2024. (Mike Segar/Reuters, FILE)

Experienced defense attorney Marc Agnifilo is leading Combs' defense team, bringing with him experience defending NXIVM leader Keith Raniere, "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli and Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng.

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Raniere was convicted for creating what prosecutors described as a sex cult in which female members were branded with his initials and kept in line through blackmail and sentenced to 120 years in prison. Shkreli was sentenced to seven years in person for securities fraud and conspiracy, while Ng was sentenced to 10 years in person for his alleged role in a money laundering and bribery scheme including paying more than $1.6 billion in bridges to dozens of government officials.

Agnifilo also has experience working as a federal and state prosecutor and boasts having tried more than 200 cases over his three-decade legal career.

Agnifilo is also one half of a legal power couple with his wife Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a former prosecutor who investigated the Trump Organization while with the Manhattan district attorney's office. Since leaving government service, her most high-profile client has been Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year.

Teny Geragos

PHOTO: Sean 'Diddy' Combs lawyer Teny Geragos departs Manhattan federal court, in New York, April 14, 2025. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters, FILE)

Teny Geragos is a founding partner at New York-based law firm Agnifilo Intrater, and also defended Raniere and Shkreli. She graduated from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles in 2016.

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Geragos is also the daughter of famed defense attorney Mark Geragos, whose clients include Hunter Biden, Chris Brown and Michael Jackson. While Mark Geragos is not representing Combs, his appearance in court during jury selection sparked criticism from prosecutors due to his past public statements about the case on his podcast. Federal prosecutors asked the judge to remind Mark Geragos about court policies that forbid statements outside court that could interfere with a fair trial.

Mark Geragos is also involved in a simultaneous high-profile case -- arguing for the release of Erik and Lyle Menendez 35 years after the pair was convicted of killing their parents.

Alexandra Shapiro

PHOTO: Alexandra Shapiro and John Cline are seen outside of the US Supreme Court after attending a hearing in his insider trading case on October 5, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Alexandra Shapiro brings over 30 years of appellate experience to Combs' legal team, having served as the deputy chief of appeals for the United States attorney's office in Manhattan and an attorney-adviser in the Office of Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice.

She represents Sam Bankman-Fried in the pending appeal of his criminal conviction and scored a series of legal victories at the United States Supreme Court. She also clerked for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- a job she shares with the judge overseeing Combs' case, though the two did not overlap.

Brian Steel

PHOTO: Brian Steel, attorney for Sean 'Diddy' Combs, arrives for a hearing at the Southern District of New York Federal Court on April 18, 2025, in New York City. (Adam Gray/Getty Images, FILE)

Atlanta-based attorney Brian Steel joined Combs' legal team last month after gaining national attention defending rapper Young Thug.

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After the longest criminal trial in Georgia history, Young Thug pleaded guilty to gun, drug and gang charges but was spared a lengthy prison sentence. Steel was briefly sent to jail during the trial after the judge overseeing the case held him in contempt for refusing to provide the judge information about what he learned of a meeting between prosecutors, a witness and the judge himself. The contempt ruling was later overturned.

Xavier Donaldson

Xavier Donaldson, a New York-based criminal defense attorney, joined Combs' legal team on the eve of trial. He has nearly three decades of criminal defense experience and worked as a former prosecutor in the Bronx.

Anna Estevao

Anna Estevao is a partner at New York law firm Harris Trzaskoma LLP. She graduated from New York University School of Law and briefly worked as a federal defender in California, according to her Linkedin profile.

Jason Driscoll

Jason Driscoll is an associate at Shapiro's law firm and one of the most junior members of Combs' defense team. He graduated from New York University School of Law and completed two deferral clerkships.

Linda Moreno

PHOTO: Linda Moreno, left, and Charles Swift, speak to the news media outside the Federal courthouse following a detention hearing in the case against their client in Oakland, Calif., March 1, 2017. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group/MediaNews Group via Getty Images)

Linda Moreno is a high-profile legal consultant who joined Combs' legal team to help with jury selection. Her law firm's website describes her an expert on anti-Muslim bias, including representing Sami Amin Al-Arian after he was indicted under the Patriot Act for allegedly playing a leadership role in the terrorist group Palestinian Jihad. He was acquitted on most charges and pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

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She also was on the legal team that secured an acquittal for Noor Salman, the wife of the Pulse nightclub shooter who was accused of lying to the FBI and helping her husband.

Moreno is no stranger to celebrity trials having worked on the legal team defending American actor Wesley Snipes in his criminal trial for failing to file tax returns. Snipes was convicted on three misdemeanor charges but acquitted on the more serious felony charges.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs legal team: Here are the lawyers defending hip-hop mogul originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial has delivered some bizarre - and even comical - moments during its first week.

Prospective jurors and the judge made some comments that raised a few eyebrows during the otherwise very serious proceedings.

The charges, of course, are extremely serious.

The federal indictment accuses Combs of having engaged in or attempting to engage in sex trafficking, obstructing justice, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, and bribery, the indictment says.

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However, jury selection, which is unfolding this week, is always a window into human nature and personalities. Here are the top moments that were unexpected:

The "doomscrolling" prospective juror

A prospective juror confessed to "doomscrolling" on social media.

The comment came when it emerged that the prospective juror might have "interacted" with a meme on social media that could indicate bias against the defendant, USA Today reported. The juror said this amounted to "doomscrolling" and "mindlessly swiping."

According to TMZ, the prospective juror needed to explain the concept of "doomscrolling" to the judge - it means thoughtlessly scrolling through content on social media.

The Star Wars binging prospective juror

One prospective juror was questioned about why he didn't answer all of the questions on the juror questionnaire.

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"I was tired," the potential juror responded, according to USA Today. "I was binging the new Star Wars' Andor. It just came out."

The judge responded, "Will you be able to concentrate or will you be too busy binging Andor?" The potential juror responded, "Like I said, I was binging, Im just being lazy."

The pot-smoking juror

According to The New York Post, one of the prospective jurors admitted "that he cant go a day without smoking weed."

I smoke marijuana personally for recreational use, the man said, admitting he'd smoked pot the night before, according to The Post. He was dismissed from the jury pool.

The prospective juror who liked a baby oil joke

A female prospective juror told the judge she liked a joke about Combs and baby oil.

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"I guess when they went into his house, they found a bunch of baby oil," the woman said, according to ABC 7. "I liked the video because I thought it was funny."

But the woman said she could still be fair, ABC 7 reported, adding that she "was once caught shoplifting from Harry Potter World at Universal Studios."

The defense attorney's podcast comments

Celebrity defense attorney Mark Geragos was scolded by the judge for referring to the prosecution team as a "six-pack of white women" on a podcast. He has given advice to the defense, according to ABC 6.

The prospective juror who wants to know celebrities

According to ABC 6, one prospective juror got a smile out of Combs when she was asked whether she recognized celebrities whose names might come up at trial and responded, "I wish I did."

The judge brings up The Lord of the Rings

When the celebrity names were read (they included Michael B. Jordan, Kanye West, and Mike Myers), Judge Arun Subramanian, quipped, according to People: I read through the people and places list, which is several pages long. I felt I was reading an appendix from, like, The Lord of the Rings. The celebrities have not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with the case.

Related: Sudden Change in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Appearance Surprises Observers

Related: The Surprise A-List Actors Named at Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Trial
PERKINSVILLE, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44)  Authorities are asking the public for help after a 19-year-old was reported missing early Thursday morning.

Colin Wytrwal, age 19, of Perkinsville was last seen leaving his home Wednesday night. Police say he was driving a black Toyota Tundra with the license plate number 444A103.

Wytrwals family told authorities that he suffers from depression.

There are concerns for Wytrwals well-being. His iPhone Tablet reportedly last showed him near Lebanon, New Hampshire before it was turned off.

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Anyone with formation about this incident can call VSP at 802-722-4626.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
SOUTH LAUREL  Search efforts for a missing man remain underway following a boat accident Sunday afternoon.

John Myrick, 26, of Gray, is described as wearing a gray and black jacket and blue jean pants.

Myrick went missing from the capsized boat in water off East City Dam Road, in southern Laurel County, at approximately 12:15 p.m. Sunday. One other person reportedly escaped the water and hospitalized but has since been released.

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They told me the water is 28 feet deep there; its really murky; and the water temperature is about 60 degrees so they cant stay under water very long, Gilbert Acciardo, Public Affairs Deputy at the Laurel County Sheriffs, said Tuesday as the search stretched into a third day. That has tampered the efforts of attempting to locate this individual.

Agencies involved consist of area fire departments and emergency responders, including London-Laurel County Rescue Squad, Laurel County DPS and Emergency Management, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, Kentucky State Police, the Laurel County Sheriffs Office, Corbin Fire Department, Woodbine Fire & Rescue, Laurel-Whitley County Emergency Management, and Area 9 Emergency Management director.

Laurel Sheriffs Deputy Austyn Weddle is leading the missing persons investigation, assisted by Deputy Robert Reed.

Crews had focused their search around the 312 Dam area. Search operations for Myrick have so far been temporarily suspended overnight and then resumed each morning.

On Tuesday, the London-Laurel Rescue Squad reported that crews utilized rope, K9s, divers, underwater cameras, and sonar equipment.

Myrick remained missing as of press time Wednesday.
MOREHEAD, Ky. (FOX 56)  Morehead police announced on Thursday, May 8, that Martinez has been arrested.

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A search continued in Rowan County on Wednesday after an inmate escaped police custody early Tuesday morning.

The search began around 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday after 35-year-old Anthony Martinez escaped police custody while at the University of Kentucky St. Claire Hospital.

This is not the first time the Indiana man has fled police. WDRB, the Louisville FOX affiliate, reported he escaped from custody in 2020.

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Martinez was being held at the Rowan County Detention Center and was set to spend 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of armed robbery in 2022. He has been connected to at least four bank robberies.

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Thats all we really found, a couple of articles of clothing that could be his, and they were found not too far off of where they lost sight of him, said Morehead Chief of Police Derrick Blevins.

The police said Martinez was outside the hospital with detention center guards when he took off running, heading eastbound.

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Police continued to look for Martinez, and on Wednesday, the Eastern Kentucky K-9 unit stepped in to help.

We deployed drones to try to look for him, we used some dogs to try to locate him, and we have detectives working with the jail to try and run down any leads there that we can, Blevins said.

Search teams walked miles led by K-9, starting at the hospital, going through nearby neighborhoods, and even searching along Highway 60.

With Morehead State University and Rowan County Schools nearby, Blevins said they worked to quickly notify both.

Read more of the latest Kentucky Derby news

On foot in areas, looking in any abandoned structures, areas of agitation where somebody might be able to hide, so thats what weve been focusing on today, Blevins said.

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Police said help from the public is important and encouraged anyone who believes they have seen Martinez, whether that be through home security footage or in person, to contact 911.

Anthony Martinez is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs around 210 pounds. He no longer has facial hair.

FOX 56 asked authorities why Martinez was away from the jail and at the hospital, and has not gotten an answer.

While the individual was not a patient at the time of the incident, UK St. Claire remains committed to supporting the police as they investigate, UK St. Claire spokesperson Kristi Willett told FOX 56.

Kentucky State Police and the Rowan County Sheriffs Office are also helping in the search.

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FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) is assisting in the search for a kayaker who went missing along the Mulberry River in Franklin County.

Arkansas man accused of scamming Ohio woman out of more than $89,000

The Franklin County Sheriffs Office is leading the operation with support from the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and the Franklin County Search and Rescue team.

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According to AGFC, a dive team is scheduled to arrive at the river the morning of May 8 to aid in the search efforts. The Chief Communications Officer for the AGFC, Keith Stephens said their team is still in the search and rescue phase.

You dont want to have, you know, an outcome that is not actually finding somebody alive. Were still looking, you just dont know at this point. If its a recovery or just a search. Right now, were still on that search phase. Stephens said.

AGFC said they found the kayak of the missing person, and the kayaker took photos and posted them on social media while on the water. The commission got the photos and began looking at the places where the photos were taken.

Stephens said the missing kayak and photos helped narrowed down the dive teams search.

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We found his kayak and looked on his phone and found several pictures that he had taken. So, we were able to find those spots where those last pictures were taken, and thats where the search started, Stephens said.

A spokesperson for AGFC said the Mulberry River was high on May 3 when the kayaker went missing.

Officials have not yet released the identity of the missing kayaker or the circumstances leading up to their disappearance.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
In the hours after Pope Francis' death, many around the world mourned the humble reformer known for championing inclusivity within the Catholic Church. At the same time, another narrative started populating social media feeds: that Vice President JD Vance was to blame for the pope's death.

"JD Vance kill pope" and "JD Vance killed Pope Francis" were breakout Google search trends the day of the pontiff's death, with social media users generating false claims that the death was caused by Vance's visit with the Catholic leader the day prior, on Easter Sunday.

I don't think JD Vance killed the Pope, I think meeting JD Vance probably drained the Pope's will to live. It's subtly different.  Joe (@JoePostingg) April 21, 2025

The wave of irreverent posts relating to Pope Francis' death was just another development in the ongoing memeification of Vance.

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Krysten Stein, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College, said it was "the perfect example of how irony, misinformation and algorithmic amplification often blur together online."

What is the 'JD Vance killed Pope Francis' meme?

In the context of politics, memes have a more symbolic meaning than anything else, Jeffrey Blevins, a professor at UC's School of Public and International Affairs, wrote in an email to The Enquirer.

"In this sense, memes about JD Vance killing the pope are symbolic of the personal dislike several people within a culture have for Vance," Blevins said.

Blevins likened the intent behind the "JD Vance killed Pope Francis" meme with the case of people falsely claiming Vance wrote about having sex with a couch in his 2016 memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy." Both ideas are untrue but, ultimately, they are "more of an inside joke to poke fun at (Vance)," he said.

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Stein frames the latest Vance meme as a parallel to the long-running, decidedly false joke that "Ted Cruz is the Zodiac killer," which incorrectly links the Texas senator to the infamous serial killer who murdered at least five people in the late 1960s.

Memes of such absurd nature gain popularity, "not because people believe them but because people are 'in on the joke,'" Stein said. She cited media scholar Henry Jenkins who dubs this online phenomenon as "participatory culture," in which people engage with and partake in trends as a means of belonging.

In their entirety, from couches to his supposed use of eyeliner, the memes pertaining to Vance are a product of the cultural left, Blevins said, and could be compared to the "Let's Go Brandon" meme on the cultural right.

Vance's spokesperson did not respond to a request for a comment before publication.

What made 'JD Vance killed Pope Francis' go viral?

Dissecting how and why a particular trend relating to politics goes viral is an ongoing, difficult process that requires more experimental research, Blevins said. But in the case of Vance and the late Pope Francis, the popularity of the meme is, in part, due to the irony of the situation.

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"They don't really believe Vance killed the Pope, but they're expressing the irony about a dislikable person getting to spend time with a beloved person right before the latter died," he said.

Stein said the meme is an example of "s---posting," which she described as digital content that does not amount to a sincere conspiracy theory in a traditional sense, but rather, is a surrealist idea intended to be provocative.

Those type of posts relating to Vance can also be interpreted as a coping mechanism amid the sweeping changes made across America by President Donald Trump in his first 100 days in office, Stein added.

"It's taking humor as a lens or coping mechanism and applying it to things that are taking place politically, culturally, socially," she said. "It stems from the idea that we're trying to make sense of things that are going on at a macro level, not things that we have control over."

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Moreover, the platforms that host these memes are designed in a way that promotes these kind of posts and other content rooted in spectacle and drama, Stein said.

Platforms could have different content moderation or they could reward videos that are educational and informative, Stein said, "but they don't."

Why is JD Vance so often the subject of memes?

Vance has been the subject of memes and internet rumors since Trump announced the 40-year-old Middletown native as his running mate in July 2024.

It's continued in the months after, with comments about his appearance or even his demeanor during highly publicized social situations.

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Blevins made a specific reference to when people made fun of the vice president for an interaction he had with workers at a doughnut shop in Georgia back in August 2024.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance walk to welcome the Ohio State University football team in April.

Why has Vance been the object of so much online ridicule? He set himself up from the start to be a target at which people express their dislike, Blevins said.

"It goes back to some of his initial thoughts that he shared on Donald Trump," Blevins said, referring to when Vance compared Trump to "America's Hitler" in 2016. "Then when it becomes politically advantageous to seek (Trump's) endorsement when (Vance) ran for Senate and then to be his running mate, for a lot of people that was a real disappointment."

"We have all sorts of ways of attacking and poking fun at political figures we don't like," he said, using the analogy that political memes are like modern-day political cartoons.

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"His personal narrative is a template for a meme," Stein said, referencing Vance's 2016 memoir "Hillbilly Elegy."

"He's painted himself as low-middle class, Appalachian to a MAGA loyalist," she said. "JD Vance is this 'main character' in the political theater of the internet, which is similar to Donald Trump and (Ronald) Reagan. When folks are more 'celebrity' it ... sets (them) up nicely to be a meme template."

What's more, Vance feeds his own "mematic presence" by posting his own AI-generated memes as a means of political strategy, Stein said, adding that the White House did a similar thing by posting an AI-generated photo to X of Trump dressed as the pope.

In March, after a wave of memes inserting Vance's likeness into often unflattering images, Vance appeared to join in on the fun by posting one to X, with his face on the Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme from "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."

Ultimately, memes like "JD Vance killed Pope Francis" will continue to be conjured up as long as users continue finding Vance to be dislikable, Blevins said.

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And in the meantime, Stein said, there needs to be "intense media literacy training" in K-12 schools so users can distinguish between what's absurd and inaccurate online and what's factual.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why Google searches for 'JD Vance killed Pope Francis' soared
It was no coincidence that Terresa Linton and her 9-year-old son were among the first to step foot in the May 7 lead screening clinic at Milwaukee's North Division High School.

Her son, Thailand Hodges, attends Brown Street Academy  one of the two most recent Milwaukee Public Schools buildings that will close so lead hazards can be addressed.

When the school closes May 12, students and staff will move to Andrew S. Douglas Middle School.

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Linton, 39, of Milwaukee said she had been nervous walking into the clinic but breathed a sigh of relief when the test results came back within minutes showing her son didn't have elevated levels of the toxic metal in his blood.

"Everyone should get their children tested and ... make sure that they're safe," she said.

Screenings hope to identify children with concerning lead levels

The afternoon clinic was the second held by Milwaukee Public Schools, Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, Children's Wisconsin and the City of Milwaukee Health Department as the district contends with deteriorating facilities that pose a risk to its students.

The clinic had the capacity to screen 300 children.

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The first lead screening clinic, which was held in March, found "a very small number" of the approximately 250 children tested had elevated levels of the toxic metal in their blood.

Even as more children have been getting tested, including at their pediatricians' offices, the fact that few children are testing positive has not put health officials' minds at ease.

"The children that are in most need of screening often have the most barriers to getting screened, often low-income families," said Milwaukee Health Department Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Health Tyler Weber.

That's why various clinics, including these two, have been held and why city health officials are encouraging the school district to hold screening clinics at specific schools, he said.

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The health department also is readying a team of health workers to deploy to areas with low screening rates to ensure the children hardest to reach get tested, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis told a meeting of the city's Board of Health on May 7.

Some of the MPS students identified as having lead poisoning are older than 6 years old, the age when children stop getting tested for lead under city recommendations. He encouraged parents of MPS students to get their children and teens tested, no matter their age.

"When we start looking at older children, we're going to find lead-poisoned kids," he said.

'Small amount of lead ... has ramifications that affect everyone'

Outside the screening clinic, a group of about 15 had gathered to call for changes.

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Among them was Kat Cisar, whose twin first-graders attend Trowbridge Street School of Great Lakes Studies in Bay View. The school reopened in March after being closed for nearly two weeks to address lead issues.

She said she was happy that children were getting tested but that the approach of responding to lead-poisoned children also put the youngest Milwaukeeans on the "front lines."

She urged thinking about the city's lead issue not as an individual problem but as a collective public health issue.

"My kids might be fine, but that's not acceptable to me if other kids aren't, because we all grow up together," she said. "They are all going to grow up together. They're going to be adults together, and if they have negative impacts from even a small amount of lead that has ramifications that affect everyone."

Lead action plan will continue to grow

Totoraitis expressed confidence in the MPS lead action plan released last week after the protesters called for changes.

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He called the plan a "living document that is continuing to grow" and said he appreciated input on it.

Totoraitis addressed a central concern raised by the protesters that the school district's lead action plan was more reactive than proactive, saying that, at this juncture, the focus is on bringing the school district back into compliance after years of degradation.

"Ideally, we would love to get ahead of potential poisonings, not just in the school buildings but in homes and daycares, everywhere across the city," he said.

Once the district is in compliance, he said, officials will look to continue the discussion about the investments the city needs to ensure safe and healthy housing.

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Alison Dirr can be reached at adirr@jrn.com.

Sarah Volpenhein can be reached at svolpenhei@gannett.com or at 414-607-2159.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Second lead screening clinic held for Milwaukee Public Schools students
MIDDLESBORO, Ky. (WATE)  A second person is facing charges in connection to the 2023 death of 17-month-old Elena Hembree.

On Wednesday, Harvey C. Gollahan was indicted by a Bell County Grand Jury on charges of murder and first-degree criminal abuse.

Genetic obesity medication helps East Tennessee woman lose 120+ pounds

The indictment does not state the exact allegations made against Gollahan, but the first count of the indictment accuses him of committing murder by wantonly engaging in conduct which created grave risk of death to E.H. The second count accuses Gollahan of permitting another person in his care to be abused.

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On July 30, 2023, the 17-month-old died at East Tennessee Childrens Hospital. Bell County Commonwealth Attorney Lisa Fugate said the toddler had been taken to the hospital two days before and hospital staff had tried to save her by putting her on life support.

The day after Hembrees death, her mother Erica Lawson was arrested and charged with manslaughter and child abuse. She was indicted in August 2023 on charges of murder, failure to report child dependency neglect or abuse, and wanton endangerment. The wording of Lawsons murder charge initially included wording accusing her of intentionally causing the death of E.H., but that wording was later changed to wontonly causing the death of E.H., similar to the charge against Gollahan.

One year since death of Baby Elena: Middlesboro community reflects on case

Fugate said that the toddler had signs of physical and sexual abuse. In March 2024, Middlesboro Police released that Hembrees cause of death was determined to be non-accidental blunt force trauma. The department also released that there had been a lack of male DNA found in the Kentucky State Police Forensic Labs analysis.

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Although the Commonwealth of Kentucky initially planned to seek the death penalty for Lawson, the defense filed a motion in January 2024 to dismiss the case or for the court to strike death as an available penalty. A judge signed an order in February 2025 to withdraw the potential of the death penalty from the case.

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Plans to block sunlight to fight global warming have inadvertently shone a light on Aria, the Governments opaque research arm.

The Advanced Research and Invention Agency was set up in 2021 by Kwasi Kwarteng, the ex-Tory business secretary, and was originally the brainchild of Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnsons former chief aide.

Yet few people on the street know what it is, what it does, or how much taxpayer cash is flowing into its well-financed coffers.

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Sure, it has a shiny website stocked with techno-waffle promising to help scientists reach for the edge of the possible and foster opportunity spaces but there has been little clarity on its day-to-day operations.

This week, we learnt it will spend 56.8 million on 21 climate cooling projects, which include looking into the logistics of building a sun shade in space and injecting plumes of salt water into the sky to reflect sunlight away from Earth.

Were not trying to dim the sun, representatives from Aria said rather disingenuously at a press briefing, knowing full well that should experiments prove successful, that is their ultimate aim.

Prof Mike Hulme, of Cambridge University, pointed out that the experiments were setting Britain on a slippery slope towards mass deployment of technologies that will be impossible to prove are safe, effective and reversible until they are actually in the sky.

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He warned: [The sum of] 57 million is a huge amount of taxpayers money to be spent on this assortment of speculative technologies intended to manipulate the Earths climate.

Aria has been given an eye-watering 800 million budget to play with, with little to show for it so far, except some off-the-wall ideas, and astronomically high wage bills.

Ilan Gur, the chief executive, is being paid around 450,000 annually  three times more than the Prime Minister, while Antonia Jenkinson, the chief finance officer, takes home around 215,000 and Pippy James, the chief product officer, around 175,000.

In fact, Aria is blowing 4.1 million a year on wages despite having just 37 staff, with the top four staff at the company pocketing nearly 1 million of taxpayers cash each year between them.

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It means essentially Aria is operating like a private company, but doing so on public finances. And it is wading into areas where the private sector would normally dominate.

Playing poker with public money

In January, it announced it would be giving 69 million to research on neural robots for epilepsy treatment, genetic engineering of brain cells and lab-grown brain organoids.

It is also funding an NHS trial to use a brain computer interface that alters brain activity using ultrasound, in the hopes it will treat depression and addiction, as well as investing in synthetic plants and chromosomes.

Such sci-fi future-gazing is usually left to billionaire tech bros or big pharma, precisely because the cost is prohibitive and private companies have the resources to soak up the risk.

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But the Government has given Aria free rein to embark on scientific research that carries a high risk of failure  something that the public sector usually shies away from.

The high risk, high reward strategy is reminiscent of Elon Musks fail fast approach that has undoubtedly brought success at Space X and Tesla.

But while Mr Musk had clear objectives, and put $100 million of his own money on the line, Arias approach feels far more scattergun, as if it doesnt quite know what it is trying to achieve.

It is operating like a speculative venture capital fund, essentially playing poker with the public purse.

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If Britain were booming, maybe this could be justified, but public sector debt is rising and now, more than ever, taxpayers are demanding their money be used wisely.

Certainly its latest foray into geoengineering has been met with public incredulity.

When sun-dimming experiments were first mooted last month, one Telegraph reader liked it to what Hanna-Barbera might have dreamed up to foil Dick Dastardly in Wacky Races.

Are these people insane? asked another.

Aria was set up to be Britains equivalent of Darpa, the US defence advanced research projects agency, which was founded in 1958 by Eisenhower in response to the Soviets launching the Sputnik satellite.

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Darpa, dubbed the agency that shaped the modern world, undoubtedly sparked a wave of innovation, and can claim some of the credit for developments such as GPS, drones, personal computers, the internet and the RNA Covid jab.

But unlike Aria, Darpa always stayed well within the purview of the US department of defence.

Aria, in contrast, sits in a shady no-mans land, in charge of eye-watering amounts of public cash, but with little genuine accountability to the public, for all its talk of transparency and consultation.

No heads will roll if its costly speculations prove worthless and it is exempt from freedom of information requests, a fact that the Liberal Democrats warned is nothing more than an attempt to save the Governments blushes the next time they opt for a high risk, no reward project.

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Aria was created in the denouement of the pandemic, when fast, agile science helped Britain create a vaccine and find crucial treatments for Covid.

Then the country was operating with a vast emergency war chest. Now it is struggling to empty its bins.

Many people may be thinking perhaps now is not the time for such blue sky thinking.

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.
(NewsNation)  Newly released security footage shows the moments before Letcher County, Kentucky, Sheriff Shawn Mickey Stines allegedly shot and killed Judge Kevin Mullins in the judges chambers.

Behavior analyst and body language expert Scott Rouse told Banfield on Wednesday that the footage shows several behavioral clues from both the sheriff and the judge throughout the video.

According to Rouse, when Stines enters the judges chambers, his body language is tight, and hes constantly moving and pacing. Then, he performs what Rouse refers to as a threat check.

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Police searching for missing girl after sibling found emaciated

When he turns around and looks, that threat check is to make sure its okay, that he can do something, that theres nobody there, Rouse explained. The sheriff walked through the door and he checked out there to make sure everythings cool. Then he shuts the door.

Kentucky judge trying to look relaxed in footage: Behavior analyst

While Mullins initially appears calm, Rouse believes the judge senses something was off. He points out that Mullins posture is stiff, suggesting hidden tension.

Nothing moves on him except his head, Stines said. Hes trying to look relaxed, thats what that looks like. We know that because of how stiff his arms are, theyre straight. When he puts that food in his mouth, his head goes back a little bit too far. His arms are stiff. His movements arent smooth.

Credit: Kentucky State Police

Later in the video, Stines is seen drawing a gun on Mullins, prompting the judge to raise his hands. At that moment, Rouse noted profound behavior change.

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Hes sort of angled himself away from him. When the hands go up, those are defensive moves; when he puts his hand up, Rouse said. Thats what people do when theyre trying to get someone to calm down. Those hands come up and they start patting, in other words, patting down; patting the air down.

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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), announced a $965,000 grant from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for airport safety and improvements in Shreveport and Hammond.

Airports are often the first impression visitors have when traveling to Louisiana. These projects will make Louisianas airports safer and more reliable while creating jobs and boosting local economies, said Dr. Cassidy.

Shreveport Airport: ARTPORT free exhibit, reopens after 10-year hiatus

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According to the news release, the Shreveport Airport Authority will receive $881,000 in federal funding to enhance safety by installing 13,650 feet of wildlife fencing and eight gates at the Shreveport Downtown Airport.

The City of Hammond will receive $84,000 in federal funding to rehabilitate 36,000 feet of taxiways and 640 square yards of the terminal apron at Hammond Northshore Regional Airport, maintaining pavement integrity and reducing debris hazards.

In 2024, the Shreveport Airport Authority received $2 million to construct a new terminal gate space.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Lawmakers at the State Capitol voted Wednesday to reject controversial rules proposed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters.

The bipartisan Senate Administrative Rules Committee voted 6-1 on a resolution that would remove two key rules: Requiring public schools to ask families for proof of U.S. Citizenship during school enrollment, and requiring teachers to take a U.S. Naturalization test.

RELATED: OSDE passes rule to require citizenship status of families

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Senator Micheal Bergstrom (R-Adair) was the co-chair of the committee who submitted the resolution.

As Chairman Kendricks and I looked at it, we decided there probably was not legislative authority for those rules, said Bergstrom.

Governor Kevin Stitt has spoken out against schools asking for proof of citizenship. A House committee disapproved of the rule last month.

Wednesdays meeting was expected to be a long discussion with three amendments filed. Two of the amendments, filed by Senator Michael Brooks Jimenez (D-Oklahoma City), were pulled. Another amendment, filed by Senator Shane Jett (R-Shawnee), was not heard because the meeting had a quorum before Jett arrived, and he did not get to vote.



Frustrated would be a very, very light word for how I actually felt about it, said Jett.

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RELATED: Teachers to be required to take U.S. Naturalization test

His amendment would have allowed the citizenship checks in schools to remain in place.



I have actually filed this amendment to be heard on the floor. So everyone is going to get an opportunity to take a stance that they could have, said Jett.

The resolution will head to the Senate floor for a full vote. Bergstrom expects that will happen soon.

If approved by the full Senate, the rules will go back to the House for approval.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY)  Seven adults and one child have been displaced after a house fire in Virginia Beach on Wednesday morning.

Crews with the Virginia Beach Fire Department were dispatched to a reported structure fire in the 3000 block of Bray Road at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Upon arrival, firefighters observed heavy smoke from a two-story residential structure. Crews had the fire controlled around 10:50 a.m. and officially marked out at approximately 11:10 a.m. The fire originated from a fireplace in the basement and was determined to be accidental.

Courtesy: Virginia Beach Fire Department Courtesy: Virginia Beach Fire Department Courtesy: Virginia Beach Fire Department

The Red Cross was contacted to provide temporary housing to the affected residents.

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There were no injuries reported to civilians, firefighters or pets.

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FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (DC News Now)  Several gravestones were vandalized at the Fredericksburg City Cemetery over the weekend, leaving $20,000 in damages, the cemetery said in a Facebook post.

In the post shared Wednesday, the cemetery said someone entered the graveyard and damaged or toppled at least 15 gravestones, some belonging to former Fredericksburg mayors and others featuring ornate religious symbolism. The incident reportedly occurred on the night of May 3 or the early morning of May 4.

(Courtesy: George Barrick) (Courtesy: George Barrick) (Courtesy: George Barrick) (Courtesy: George Barrick)

The cemetery noted that heavy rain obstructed the graveyards security cameras during the incident.

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However, on May 6, a Virginia State Police bloodhound team was in town for training when they passed by and saw the cemeterys board filing a police report with the city police.

The bloodhound team worked to trace the suspects path through the cemetery, confirming entry and exit points behind a wall and through neighbors properties. In addition, one neighbor reported finding an open gate that was previously chained and closed.

(Courtesy: George Barrick)

Youngkin names 2026 Virginia Teacher of the Year

This senseless act cut through multiple family plots with no clear pattern, leaving behind significant damage that will require specialized historic preservation to repair, the cemetery continued.

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As a result of the incident, the cemetery, an independent nonprofit that relies on donations, is asking the community to consider donating to restore what was lost.

We appreciate the community coming together to honor and preserve this vital piece of Fredericksburgs past and appreciate your support and awareness, cemetery officials said.

As of Thursday morning, no arrests have been made. The Fredericksburg Police Department is investigating.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
Several people were detained as dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a protest at Columbia University in New York on Wednesday, chanting "Free Palestine" and calling for the release of detained student Mahmoud Khalil.

Protesters, wearing Palestinian keffiyehs - a checkered scarf that has become a sign of Palestinian solidarity - gathered in the university's main library on the university's Manhattan campus, according to a dpa reporter at the scene.

The demonstrators called for the release of detained Palestinian graduate Khalil, who played a leading role in last year's pro-Gaza protests on Columbia University campus and who is facing deportation after US authorities accused him of ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

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Columbia President Claire Shipman said in a statement that the university had requested the presence of the New York City Police Department (NYPD).

Shipman said that disruption were taking place inside and outside the library, with people forcing their way into the building, injuring two Columbia Public Safety Officers in the process.

"Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community," Shipman said.

According to the university's interim president, people involved in the disruptions were refusing to identify themselves, but Columbia assumed a "significant presence of individuals not affiliated with the University."

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Columbia has become a focal point of pro-Palestinian activism in the US last year when similar protests led to arrests and reignited a national debate over the Gaza war and anti-Semitism on college campuses. Students camped out in tents and occupied lecture halls.

The Trump administration has cancelled $400 million in federal funding to Columbia, accusing the university of failing to adequately protect Jewish students from threats and harassment. It has made the release of the funds conditional on changes to campus policy.

In response to the funding freeze, Columbia has said it will revise its protest policies, campus security rules and Middle East studies programme. Similar pressure is being applied to other universities.
Certain Ukrainian defence units operating on the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk fronts reported receiving orders to open fire only in response. Meanwhile, they noted a reduction in artillery strikes and Russian activity in some areas.

Source: Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne

Details: One of the brigades fighting in Kherson Oblast told Suspilne that since the "ceasefire" began at midnight, Russian FPV drones have been active in their area, but there have been no artillery strikes so far. The Ukrainian brigade confirmed that they were ordered to fire in response.

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Another defence forces unit operating in the south also confirmed this order, but indicated that positional battles have continued since midnight. Russian drones and artillery are still active in the area.

The soldiers of the 93rd Separate Mechanised Brigade Kholodnyi Yar fighting in Donetsk Oblast reported that Russian troops had reduced the number of shelling and attacks. After midnight, Ukrainian troops did not observe any launches of Shahed drones, guided aerial bombs, or artillery targeting their positions at the checkpoint near the town of Kostiantynivka.

Quote: "The Russians are using the 'ceasefire' for their own purposes: to move personnel, resupply ammunition and equipment. The soldiers of the 93rd Brigade Kholodnyi Yar have not received the order to accept the 'ceasefire' and instructions not to shoot first from their command."

Details: The brigade fighting on the Pokrovsk front reported that they received orders to fire in response if the ceasefire is violated. Since midnight, over ten violations of the ceasefire were recorded in their operational area, including artillery shelling and UAV drops.

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A unit fighting on the Zaporizhzhia front also reported receiving orders to fire in response.

"The ceasefire has been in effect since midnight. Open fire if the enemy approaches within 400 meters of our positions. Make warning shots, and if they don't stop, kill them," the order received by the soldiers states.

Background:

The Russians declared that a so-called three-day ceasefire began at 00:00 on the night of 7-8 May, announced unilaterally by Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.

On the morning of 8 May, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that no Russian drones had been detected in the air since midnight, although Moscow had stepped up airstrikes using tactical aircraft.

Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported that three women were injured in a Russian drone strike on a car in Kharkiv Oblast on the morning of 8 May.

One person was killed and two others injured in Russian guided aerial bomb attacks on Sumy Oblast on the night of 7-8 May.

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Jolene Baxters daughter, Marlee, has overcome immense challenges in her first eight years of life.

Marlee, who was born with a heart defect, has undergone four open-heart surgeries  suffering a stroke after the third. The stroke affected Marlees cognitive abilities  shes in the second grade, but she cannot read yet. A mainstream class with neurotypical students felt overwhelming, so Marlee mostly attends classes with kids who also have disabilities. Her care includes physical, occupational and speech therapies.

For years, Baxter has relied on Medicaid to cover Marlees medical expenses while advocating for her daughters right to an equal education. Medicaid  which covers therapies, surgeries and medication for Marlee  and disability protections under the Department of Education have been a critical safety net for Baxter, a single mom in Oklahoma City. Now Baxter fears that proposed cuts to Medicaid and those already underway at the Department of Education, which President Donald Trump has effectively gutted, will have a disastrous impact on her daughter.

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As the Trump administration overhauls federal agencies with budget cuts, layoffs and inexperienced leadership, parents of children with complex medical needs and disabilities told The 19th they are navigating uncertainty over how the federal government plans to maintain key pillars of their kids lives.

Baxter, who fostered and, later, adopted Marlee, fought to give her life-saving medical treatment when the child was an infant. Since Marlee was both an abandoned child and is Kiowa, the officials overseeing her welfare werent invested in getting her the care she needed to survive, Baxter believes. Cuts to Medicaid would be yet another obstacle for the Baxters to overcome. Just getting Marlee enrolled in local public schools that tried to turn her away was a battle, Baxter said. Now, the mom is gravely concerned that her daughter will be left behind due to the restructuring of the Department of Education.

Ill do everything I can at home, but shell just fall through all the cracks, and she wont get the education that she deserves, Baxter said.

In March, Trump signed an executive order to close the Department of Education. The Republican-controlled Congress is also considering massive funding cuts to Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health insurance to millions of low-income Americans and is a key safety net for Americans with disabilities.

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It is 50 plus years of work to get these protections for people with disabilities that we could potentially see  maybe not fully diminished  but very deeply eroded, in a very short period of time, said Robyn Linscott, director of education and family policy at The Arc, an organization that advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Department of Educations primary duty has been to ensure that all students have equal access to education, and it is equipped with an Office for Civil Rights to investigate schools accused of discrimination. In March, the Department of Education cut nearly half of its staff, with workers who enforce students civil rights hit particularly hard. Advocates worry how this could potentially impact students with disabilities, and a lawsuit filed in March began to paint a picture: Newly closed regional offices, frozen investigations and new alleged politically-based cases.

The Trump administration claims that the nations most vulnerable will be spared from his plans for federal downsizing.

The White House has tentative plans to assign oversight of special education to the Department of Health and Human Services. Conservative groups are calling for the Trump administration to refer civil rights complaints to the Department of Justice, an agency that has had an exodus of staff departures since Trump returned to office and changed its mission.

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Nicole Jorwic, chief program officer at Caring Across Generations, a national caregiver advocacy organization, said the Education Departments Office for Civil Rights receives about 20,000 complaints annually. She worries about the impact of staffing cuts on handling these complaints on the families of children with disabilities.

Some of those staff were the ones who were looking into those complaints, she said.

Marlee Baxter (right) was born with a heart defect and suffered a stroke after an open-heart surgery, which affected her cognitive abilities. (Courtesy Jolene Baxter)

Its not just OCR complaints, she added. When she was a practicing special education attorney, Jorwic turned to reports and guidance issued by the agency. That helped local school districts, superintendents and special educators know how to implement different laws or changes.

The lack of that federal agency to provide that clarity is also important, as well as something that were really worried about, she said.

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Parents and advocates are doubtful that students with disabilities wont be impacted. Before the Department of Education was created in 1979, schools often denied these children a right to education with impunity. Dissolving it, families fear, could see a return to the period when states and schools failed to prioritize special education.

Baxters daughter, Marlee, is guaranteed the right to free and appropriate schooling by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975, which is enforced by the Department of Education. This federal law mandates that children like Marlee attend classes suited to their cognitive and physical abilities and that they get the services needed, such as speech, physical and occupational therapy, to attend school . Ninety-five percent of students with disabilities attend public schools, a higher share than the 90 percent of students overall who do  and thats largely because of the services federal policy requires public schools to provide.

Kim Crawley, a mother to a teenager with medically complex needs, has a 25-year career as a special education teacher. As part of her training, she learned about the history of education, including how five decades ago, schools were not obligated to accommodate students special needs. The agency never took power away from the states, she said, but stepped in to ensure that they educated all students equitably.

We learn about this for a reason because we dont want to repeat it, Crawley said. We dont want to have to start over again. To think of losing everything we have gained through the Department of Education over these years is scaring not only parents but teachers. Teachers are scared because we dont know where this is going to end up for those kids. And thats why we go to work every day.

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Critics of closing the department and redirecting disabled childrens needs to other agencies say that it will create a bureaucratic nightmare for parents. Instead of one federal agency overseeing research on students with disabilities, state funding for special education or discrimination claims, multiple departments would be involved. Families might not know which agency to reach out to with questions and concerns.

As it is, families are sometimes unaware of the services legally available to them  a reality that has cost them time and energy in the past and could be even more complicated in the future.

Baxter, for one, pulled Marlee out of class for two years to homeschool her after the childs kindergarten teacher retired and subsequent teachers did not know how to educate her properly, she said. It was not Baxters first choice to homeschool Marlee, an option unavailable to most working parents, but one she made after multiple public schools said they could not accommodate her child.

Our special needs are full, Baxter said they told her. We dont have room for her.

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When an acquaintance told her that public schools could not lawfully refuse to enroll Marlee, Baxter finally got a local public school to admit her. But after her ordeal last year, she has no faith that the federal government will hold schools that discriminate against children with disabilities accountable if the education department is disbanded.

We have enough stuff to worry about [with] making sure that she gets taken care of as far as medical care, Baxter said of parents like herself. We dont need to worry about what were going to do as far as their education.

For some families, the potential Medicaid cuts could both unravel a childs well-being and their familys finances.

In Philadelphia, Meghann Luczkowski has three kids with varying levels of specialized health care needs, including a 10-year-old son who spent his first year of life in a hospital intensive care unit.

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His ability to grow and thrive and be part of our family and part of this community is dependent upon significant health care support at home, said the former special education teacher, who now works in public health.

Luczkowski said her husband has robust health insurance for the family, but it does not cover a lot of her sons home-based medical needs  a reality for many families whose children are on Medicaid for care related to a disability. Private insurance never paid for his ventilator to breathe, or home health nurses that allow family caregivers to sleep at night.

It doesnt pay for the nurse to go to school with him, to make sure that he can be at school, accessing his education with his peers, she said. Thats all been provided through Medicaid.

In the first months of his second term, Trump has mostly indicated support for Medicaid when asked about his budgetary plans for other popular programs like Social Security and Medicare. But the president has also said he supports cutting fraud and waste  a description that health policy experts warn could be used to defend more expansive cuts. Congress is considering hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid cuts, a dollar figure that goes way beyond known cases of fraud.

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Among the considerations are work requirements and a cap on Medicaid enrollee spending. Such restrictions could have ripple effects on state education budgets and subsequent reductions in services for students with disabilities. Medicaid is one of the largest providers of funds to public school districts. It is the responsibility of school districts and states to find funding if Medicaid reimbursements are insufficient. Trump has not addressed general concerns about how such spending cuts could impact disabled children and adults.

We know that before 1975 and the passage of IDEA, 50 percent of kids with disabilities were not educated at all. So we know that this is a crucial piece of legislation, and that mandate to find funding for these is really important, said Linscott, who previously worked as a special education teacher in New York City. But we also recognize that school districts and state budgets are so limited, which is why we want Medicaid to be able to provide as robust funding and reimbursement as they possibly can for students and for these services.

Jorwic said federal funding for special education services is crucial, and local governments cannot make up for the lost funds. The federal government currently spends more than $15 billion annually on special education services, and Medicaid funding accounts for about $7.5 billion annually in school-based services.

Jorwic said Medicaid cuts could also translate into higher taxes on a local or state level. This week, the Democratic Kansas governor said she had asked the states congressional lawmakers not to cut Medicaid in large part because of the ramifications on services.

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Theres no state, even the wealthiest states, that could afford cuts to those programs, either when it comes to education or when it comes to providing home and community-based services, Jorwic said.

Rachael Brown is the mom of a medically complex second grader in Washington, D.C., who receives special education services and multiple therapies at his public school.

Browns son, who has autism and cerebral palsy, has a rare vascular anomaly in his brain that has required multiple surgeries. He receives extensive support from Medicaid and IDEA, which are crucial for his care and education. Brown is concerned about how cuts to Medicaid would impact her sons care and her familys personal finances. She noted that pediatric hospitals are heavily reliant on Medicaid. If the rate of that reimbursement is cut, those hospitals operational costs would be on the line  impacting everything from how many doctors and other health care providers are hired to what therapies are covered for her son.

Theres just a ripple effect for our whole community, she said, adding: We are relatively privileged. Theres a lot of families who arent. It would be much worse for families for whom Medicaid is their only insurance.

Brown said she lives in fear and worry about what happens next, and its exhausting. While she and other advocates have some experience fighting for health care rights given previous political battles, this time, everything feels a little more cruel.

On Wednesday, Luczkowski planned to travel to D.C.  taking a day off from work and rearranging child care needs  to advocate for Medicaid as part of a multi-organization advocacy day. She said parents of kids with medically complex needs and disabilities often arent able to get out and advocate as much as they would like to, in part because of the needs of their families.

Despite the fact that its an incredible hardship on my family for me to be in D.C. talking to legislators and being at rallies on the Capitol steps, thats what me and a great number of families are doing  because our kids lives depend on it, she said. Were hopeful that our voices will be valued, and our children will be valued.

The post Shell fall through the cracks: Parents of kids with disabilities brace for new reality appeared first on The 19th.

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Emily Scherer for The 19th; Getty Images; Courtesy Jolene Baxter

Jolene Baxters daughter, Marlee, has overcome immense challenges in her first eight years of life.

Marlee, who was born with a heart defect, has undergone four open-heart surgeries  suffering a stroke after the third. The stroke affected Marlees cognitive abilities  shes in the second grade, but she cannot read yet. A mainstream class with neurotypical students felt overwhelming, so Marlee mostly attends classes with kids who also have disabilities. Her care includes physical, occupational and speech therapies.

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For years, Baxter has relied on Medicaid to cover Marlees medical expenses while advocating for her daughters right to an equal education. Medicaid  which covers therapies, surgeries and medication for Marlee  and disability protections under the Department of Education have been a critical safety net for Baxter, a single mom in Oklahoma City. Now Baxter fears that proposed cuts to Medicaid and those already underway at the Department of Education, which President Donald Trump has effectively gutted, will have a disastrous impact on her daughter.

As the Trump administration overhauls federal agencies with budget cuts, layoffs and inexperienced leadership, parents of children with complex medical needs and disabilities told The 19th they are navigating uncertainty over how the federal government plans to maintain key pillars of their kids lives.

Baxter, who fostered and, later, adopted Marlee, fought to give her life-saving medical treatment when the child was an infant. Since Marlee was both an abandoned child and is Kiowa, the officials overseeing her welfare werent invested in getting her the care she needed to survive, Baxter believes. Cuts to Medicaid would be yet another obstacle for the Baxters to overcome. Just getting Marlee enrolled in local public schools that tried to turn her away was a battle, Baxter said. Now, the mom is gravely concerned that her daughter will be left behind due to the restructuring of the Department of Education.

Ill do everything I can at home, but shell just fall through all the cracks, and she wont get the education that she deserves, Baxter said.

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In March, Trump signed an executive order to close the Department of Education. The Republican-controlled Congress is also considering massive funding cuts to Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health insurance to millions of low-income Americans and is a key safety net for Americans with disabilities.

It is 50-plus years of work to get these protections for people with disabilities that we could potentially see  maybe not fully diminished  but very deeply eroded, in a very short period of time, said Robyn Linscott, director of education and family policy at The Arc, an organization that advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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The Department of Educations primary duty has been to ensure that all students have equal access to education, and it is equipped with an Office for Civil Rights to investigate schools accused of discrimination. In March, the Department of Education cut nearly half of its staff, with workers who enforce students civil rights hit particularly hard. Advocates worry how this could potentially impact students with disabilities, and a lawsuit filed in March began to paint a picture: Newly closed regional offices, frozen investigations and new alleged politically-based cases.

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The Trump administration claims that the nations most vulnerable will be spared from his plans for federal downsizing.

The White House has tentative plans to assign oversight of special education to the Department of Health and Human Services. Conservative groups are calling for the Trump administration to refer civil rights complaints to the Department of Justice, an agency that has had an exodus of staff departures since Trump returned to office and changed its mission.

Nicole Jorwic, chief program officer at Caring Across Generations, a national caregiver advocacy organization, said the Education Departments Office for Civil Rights receives about 20,000 complaints annually. She worries about the impact of staffing cuts on handling these complaints on the families of children with disabilities.

Some of those staff were the ones who were looking into those complaints, she said.

Marlee Baxter (right) was born with a heart defect and suffered a stroke after an open-heart surgery, which affected her cognitive abilities. (Courtesy Jolene Baxter)

Its not just OCR complaints, she added. When she was a practicing special education attorney, Jorwic turned to reports and guidance issued by the agency. That helped local school districts, superintendents and special educators know how to implement different laws or changes.

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The lack of that federal agency to provide that clarity is also important, as well as something that were really worried about, she said.

Parents and advocates are doubtful that students with disabilities wont be impacted. Before the Department of Education was created in 1979, schools often denied these children a right to education with impunity. Dissolving it, families fear, could see a return to the period when states and schools failed to prioritize special education.

Baxters daughter, Marlee, is guaranteed the right to free and appropriate schooling by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975, which is enforced by the Department of Education. This federal law mandates that children like Marlee attend classes suited to their cognitive and physical abilities and that they get the services needed, such as speech, physical and occupational therapy, to attend school . Ninety-five percent of students with disabilities attend public schools, a higher share than the 90 percent of students overall who do  and thats largely because of the services federal policy requires public schools to provide.

Kim Crawley, a mother to a teenager with medically complex needs, has a 25-year career as a special education teacher. As part of her training, she learned about the history of education, including how five decades ago, schools were not obligated to accommodate students special needs. The agency never took power away from the states, she said, but stepped in to ensure that they educated all students equitably.

Advertisement Advertisement

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We learn about this for a reason because we dont want to repeat it, Crawley said. We dont want to have to start over again. To think of losing everything we have gained through the Department of Education over these years is scaring not only parents but teachers. Teachers are scared because we dont know where this is going to end up for those kids. And thats why we go to work every day.

Critics of closing the department and redirecting disabled childrens needs to other agencies say that it will create a bureaucratic nightmare for parents. Instead of one federal agency overseeing research on students with disabilities, state funding for special education or discrimination claims, multiple departments would be involved. Families might not know which agency to reach out to with questions and concerns.

As it is, families are sometimes unaware of the services legally available to them  a reality that has cost them time and energy in the past and could be even more complicated in the future.

Baxter, for one, pulled Marlee out of class for two years to homeschool her after the childs kindergarten teacher retired and subsequent teachers did not know how to educate her properly, she said. It was not Baxters first choice to homeschool Marlee, an option unavailable to most working parents, but one she made after multiple public schools said they could not accommodate her child.

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Our special needs are full, Baxter said they told her. We dont have room for her.

When an acquaintance told her that public schools could not lawfully refuse to enroll Marlee, Baxter finally got a local public school to admit her. But after her ordeal last year, she has no faith that the federal government will hold schools that discriminate against children with disabilities accountable if the education department is disbanded.

We have enough stuff to worry about [with] making sure that she gets taken care of as far as medical care, Baxter said of parents like herself. We dont need to worry about what were going to do as far as their education.

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For some families, the potential Medicaid cuts could both unravel a childs well-being and their familys finances.

In Philadelphia, Meghann Luczkowski has three kids with varying levels of specialized health care needs, including a 10-year-old son who spent his first year of life in a hospital intensive care unit.

His ability to grow and thrive and be part of our family and part of this community is dependent upon significant health care support at home, said the former special education teacher, who now works in public health.

Luczkowski said her husband has robust health insurance for the family, but it does not cover a lot of her sons home-based medical needs  a reality for many families whose children are on Medicaid for care related to a disability. Private insurance never paid for his ventilator to breathe, or home health nurses that allow family caregivers to sleep at night.

Advertisement Advertisement

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It doesnt pay for the nurse to go to school with him, to make sure that he can be at school, accessing his education with his peers, she said. Thats all been provided through Medicaid.

In the first months of his second term, Trump has mostly indicated support for Medicaid when asked about his budgetary plans for other popular programs like Social Security and Medicare. But the president has also said he supports cutting fraud and waste  a description that health policy experts warn could be used to defend more expansive cuts. Congress is considering hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid cuts, a dollar figure that goes way beyond known cases of fraud.

Among the considerations are work requirements and a cap on Medicaid enrollee spending. Such restrictions could have ripple effects on state education budgets and subsequent reductions in services for students with disabilities. Medicaid is one of the largest providers of funds to public school districts. It is the responsibility of school districts and states to find funding if Medicaid reimbursements are insufficient. Trump has not addressed general concerns about how such spending cuts could impact disabled children and adults.

We know that before 1975 and the passage of IDEA, 50% of kids with disabilities were not educated at all. So we know that this is a crucial piece of legislation, and that mandate to find funding for these is really important, said Linscott, who previously worked as a special education teacher in New York City. But we also recognize that school districts and state budgets are so limited, which is why we want Medicaid to be able to provide as robust funding and reimbursement as they possibly can for students and for these services.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Jorwic said federal funding for special education services is crucial, and local governments cannot make up for the lost funds. The federal government currently spends more than $15 billion annually on special education services, and Medicaid funding accounts for about $7.5 billion annually in school-based services.

Jorwic said Medicaid cuts could also translate into higher taxes on a local or state level. This week, the Democratic Kansas governor said she had asked the states congressional lawmakers not to cut Medicaid in large part because of the ramifications on services.

Theres no state, even the wealthiest states, that could afford cuts to those programs, either when it comes to education or when it comes to providing home and community-based services, Jorwic said.

Rachael Brown is the mom of a medically complex second grader in Washington, D.C., who receives special education services and multiple therapies at his public school.

Browns son, who has autism and cerebral palsy, has a rare vascular anomaly in his brain that has required multiple surgeries. He receives extensive support from Medicaid and IDEA, which are crucial for his care and education. Brown is concerned about how cuts to Medicaid would impact her sons care and her familys personal finances. She noted that pediatric hospitals are heavily reliant on Medicaid. If the rate of that reimbursement is cut, those hospitals operational costs would be on the line  impacting everything from how many doctors and other health care providers are hired to what therapies are covered for her son.

Theres just a ripple effect for our whole community, she said, adding: We are relatively privileged. Theres a lot of families who arent. It would be much worse for families for whom Medicaid is their only insurance.

Brown said she lives in fear and worry about what happens next, and its exhausting. While she and other advocates have some experience fighting for health care rights given previous political battles, this time, everything feels a little more cruel.

On Wednesday, Luczkowski planned to travel to D.C.  taking a day off from work and rearranging child care needs  to advocate for Medicaid as part of a multi-organization advocacy day. She said parents of kids with medically complex needs and disabilities often arent able to get out and advocate as much as they would like to, in part because of the needs of their families.

Despite the fact that its an incredible hardship on my family for me to be in D.C. talking to legislators and being at rallies on the Capitol steps, thats what me and a great number of families are doing  because our kids lives depend on it, she said. Were hopeful that our voices will be valued, and our children will be valued.

This story was originally reported by Barbara Rodriguez and Nadra Nittle of The 19th. Meet Barbara and Nadra and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy.
A woman who died from an allegedly intentional mushroom poisoning told a doctor the food she ate was delicious shortly before she died, according to new testimony in the trial against Erin Patterson this week.

Patterson, 50, is accused of murdering her ex-husbands parents and aunt after allegedly serving them poisonous mushrooms in a Beef Wellington dish she prepared for them during a July 2023 lunch at her home in Leongatha, Australia.

Patterson previously pleaded not guilty to murder charges in connection with the deaths of Don and Gail Patterson, the 70-year-old parents of her ex-husband Simon Patterson, as well as Heather Wilkinson, 66, Simons aunt. Simons uncle, Ian Wilkinson, 68, was also treated for mushroom poisoning but recovered.

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Simon, Patterson's ex-husband, had declined an invitation to the lunch, according to The Guardian.

Related: Woman Accused of Killing 3 with Poisonous Mushrooms Hid 'Powdered Mushrooms' in Her Kids' Food, Witnesses Testify

Jason Edwards/Newspix via Getty Erin Patterson Erin Patterson

In new testimony this week, CBS News reported that Dr. Christopher Webster, who treated the Wilkinsons, said he suspected food poisoning had caused their illness and asked the couple about the Beef Wellington their nephews ex-wife had served for them a day earlier.



"I did ask Heather what the Beef Wellington tasted like and she said it was delicious, the doctor testified, according to CBS. Dr. Webster also told the courtroom that the ill couple were conscious and alert when they first came in and reported feeling ill.

They were clearly unwell but were not distressed, the doctor testified. They were both able to freely communicate.

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Related: Woman Accused of Killing 3 with Poisonous Mushrooms Hid 'Powdered Mushrooms' in Her Kids' Food, Witnesses Testify

JOEL CARRETT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Ian Wilkinson Ian Wilkinson

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Heather, Don, and Gail all died within days of the alleged food poisoning, according to BBC. Ian survived after weeks in the hospital. He testified this week that Patterson served her four guests on gray plates, but ate from an orange plate herself, according to BBC, noting that Heather told him in the hospital she noticed the difference in colors of the dishes.

Other testimony during Pattersons trial has included accusations that the 50-year-old mother of two had previously bragged in a Facebook group about hiding powdered mushrooms in her childrens food, PEOPLE reported last month.

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Members of the Facebook group also testified during Pattersons murder trial alleging that she posted in the group asking questions about how to make Beef Wellington.

Pattersons defense attorneys have claimed that her in-laws' deaths were a result of "a terrible accident," per 9 News. Her trial is ongoing.

Read the original article on People






Sheryl Lee Ralph celebrated the expansion of Scholastic's United States of Readers program with state lawmakers and students during a special event in Pennsylvania on May 7

The program will provide free grade and age-appropriate books to high Title I students in five school districts across the state

"I'm thrilled that we're able to help people see the importance of education: not for some people, but for all the children," the Abbott Elementary actress tells PEOPLE









Sheryl Lee Ralph and Pennsylvania lawmakers are marking an important literary milestone.



On May 7, the Emmy-winning actress celebrated the expansion of the United States of Readers program into Pennsylvania, alongside students, members of the State Legislature  including Ralphs husband, state senator Vincent Hughes  and Scholastic representatives. Ralph delivered remarks at a special event held at the Pennsylvania State House in Harrisburg.



The United States of Readers program, founded by Scholastic and co-created alongside classroom teachers, is an initiative that aims to bridge the gap of literacy and book inequity, per a statement shared with PEOPLE.

James Robinson, Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus From left: State representative Jessica Benham, Scholastic COO Judy Newman, Sheryl Lee Ralph and senator Vincent Hughes From left: State representative Jessica Benham, Scholastic COO Judy Newman, Sheryl Lee Ralph and senator Vincent Hughes

The program is geared toward high Title I schools and rural areas, to help students build their home libraries and find books theyre motivated to read. United States of Readers curates a selection of grade and age-appropriate books for students to choose from; the program currently distributes free books to nearly 3,500 Pennsylvania students, from Pre-K through eighth grade, across five school districts.



We were very excited when Pennsylvania in particular raised their hand last year and said that they wanted in, Scholastic Chief Impact Officer Judy Newman tells PEOPLE. They wanted to bring the program to their kids, and the communities with the highest need.

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Students participating in the United States of Readers program will have the opportunity to pick 10 new books to add to their home libraries free of charge, up until the following school year. Teachers at participating schools also receive 25 books for their classroom libraries.

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"When you choose books, you read more," Newman points out.

James Robinson, Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus Sheryl Lee Ralph speaks with students at the Pennsylvania State House on May 7 Sheryl Lee Ralph speaks with students at the Pennsylvania State House on May 7

Literacy is a cause that's near and dear to Ralph, ever since she learned of the United States of Readers program while backstage at her Abbott Elementary costar Lisa Ann Walters comedy show.



I'm an educator's child. My dad was a lifelong learner and educator, so there were always books, always some way to expand [the] mind and the world as you saw it, Ralph tells PEOPLE. Books have an amazing way of expanding your imagination. Because of books, I have a great imagination.

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Ralph joined the Abbott cast as kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard, in part, due to her passion for education. She calls the show the gift that just keeps on giving, as students at the event also received two free Abbott Elementary books published by Scholastic.

James Robinson, Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus Sheryl Lee Ralph poses with students and state representatives at the Pennsylvania State House on May 7 Sheryl Lee Ralph poses with students and state representatives at the Pennsylvania State House on May 7

Pennsylvania marks the second state to launch the United States of Readers program, which intends to expand nationwide. Massachusetts launched the initiative in Oct. 2024, following a two-year pilot program, funded by bestselling author James Patterson in 2021. The pilot program served 45,000 students across all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.

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As the year went on, [students] developed their confidence, Newman says of the pilot program. They chose longer books, they individuated more, which was beautiful to see because they were able to say, I'm a reader. I have an identity as a reader now because I chose, and these are my books.



Ralph also agrees that the United States of Readers will be beneficial for students' continued education.



Reading is definitely fundamental, Ralph says. I'm thrilled that we're able to help people see the importance of education: not for some people, but for all the children that we have in these United States.



Read the original article on People
Shiloh Hendrix is a white woman, a mother, and the main character of an extremely fraught social media controversy. She did a very bad and racist thing, endured subsequent cancellation, and has now reaped a financial windfallearning both condemnation and approval from various corners of the internet. For some, Hendrix is the final boss of cancel culture; for others, she is a symptom of a very broken, toxic culture.

Here are the details, which are not really in dispute: Hendrix was at a playground in Rochester, Minnesota, with her infant. She claims that a black child went through her things and tried to take "her stuff"; in response, she called him a racial slur. A bystandera black man unrelated to the childthen began to film her on his phone. In that video, she confirmed that she used the slur and then called the guy recording the video a slur as well.

You can guess what happened next. The video went viral on social media, and Hendrix's racist rant earned her no shortage of opprobrium. Here's the wrinkle: Next, Hendrix created a fundraising campaign called "Help Protect My Family," in which she asked for donations to help her move. The fundraiser has earned over $700,000.

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The prospect of hundreds or thousands of people giving money to a woman because she engaged in racist speech is extremely unpleasant. But The Daily Wire's Matt Walsh thinks this is a fitting outcome.

"I'm glad she raised half a million dollars," he said. "I hope she raises half a million more."

Why? Walsh suggests that if canceled individuals can turn around and fundraise off being canceled, it could be the end of cancel culture: Participants in social media mobs will have a diminished incentive to work themselves into such fervors. Walsh and other right-wing commentators who have defended the fundraiserif not Hendrix's overall conducthave also drawn a connection to the case of Karmelo Anthony, a black teenager accused of fatally stabbing a white track athlete. Anthony's family also launched a fundraiser, earning half a million in donations.

Using a perverse and explicitly identitarian framework, Hendrix defenders suggested that if it is OK for a black teenager accused of murder to accept donations, it is OK for a white woman accused of racism to accept donationseven though the two cases are not connected whatsoever.

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I have some thoughts.

First off, it's possible to simply condemn every aspect of the Hendrix story without trying to spin one person's behavior as worse than another's. It was just badall of it. As I wrote on X: The kid should not have gone through Hendrix's things, and her response was wrong and odious. The bystander should not have escalated things by recording Hendrix, and she should not have escalated further by engaging him and once again using a slur. The video should never have been posted to social media, and anyone who threatened Hendrix or her family as a result is also in the wrong. Starting a fundraiser was bad, and contributing to the fundraiser is bad. It's just all bad!

The Battle of Shiloh

Another reason to resist the temptation to defend any of thisbut in particular the fundraiseris that this absolutely will not spell the end of cancel culture. Cellphones are now ubiquitous; it is trivially easy to record someone during a moment of conflict, embarrassment, or turpitude, and publicize the footage on social media. My previous experiences with short, occasionally misleading social media videos have taught me to be extremely cautious about passing judgment on incidents that lack context. But most people can't help themselves.

The idea that it is proper to donate to Hendrix as some primitive form of racial revenge in response to the Anthony fundraiser is also extremely suspect. Even uttering it aloud makes you sound like a crazy person: I am giving $20 to a lady who said something racist because this other guy allegedly murdered someone else, and he raised money, too. This is not fundamentally different than rationalizing such a donation under the logic of The voices in my head told me to do it.

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Additionally, what if the people giving money to Anthony end up using the same justificationthat it wasn't about supporting Anthony, but rather, it was payback for some other fundraiser?

Writing for National Review, Abigail Anthonyno relation to Karmelo Anthonyseems to endorse the Walsh line.

"The stance is clear: If you summon an internet army to ruin someone's life, even someone who has done something objectively bad, we're going to provide significant support, so don't bother doing it again," she writes.

This is wishful thinking. The creation of a financial support network for victims of online mobs is not going to make mob behavior less appealing to anyone.

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For further analysis, I discussed this case with Emily Jashinsky of Undercurrents. Watch below.

This Week on Free Media

I am joined by Amber Duke to discuss President Donald Trump's thoughts on cheap goods, reopening Alcatraz, Anthony Fauci's beagle experiments, and AI friends.

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Worth Watching

I have now watched most, though not all, of the new season of Andor on Disney+. It is so good I can scarcely believe it exists. It's so much better than any other Star Wars thing spawned by Disney. There are many reasons for that, but I think the main one is that Andor has succeeded at something no other Star Wars property has really pulled off: It makes the Empire seem absolutely despicable. Viewers get to see the cruel deprivations of liberty suffered by the common citizens of the Empire on planet after planet. Most other Star Wars shows and movies depict the military confrontations between various rebel groups and Imperial forces, or make the threat of the Empire so high-stakes and remote that it's almost more difficult to be invested in it. With Andor, there's something brutally effective about watching Imperial soldiers bully regular working people. You end up really hating these jerks.

The post Is Shiloh Hendrix Really the End of Cancel Culture? appeared first on Reason.com.
Dozens of Shorewood High School students walked out of school May 7 to protest the school board's recent decision to cut several staff members.

Over 200 students gathered in front of the school before walking to Atwater Park and Shorewood Village Hall to give speeches, then returning to the school.

Breckan Henkhaus, a senior at Shorewood High School, said the students organized the walkout after watching a recording of the April 29 school board meeting and not wanting their teachers to leave.

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"So then we started talking to people about it and then people were like we think we should have a walkout. So thats what led us to this," Henkhaus said.

The walkout was also a call to action for parents, community members students and teachers to show up for the May 13 Shorewood School Board meeting and encourage the board not to cut teachers, Henkhaus said.

Teachers make the school. You cant have a school without teachers, and you cant have a school without good teachers. The bottom line, the reason why were all here, is that everyone has had a teacher here at Shorewood at one point or another who has impacted them to the point where theyre willing to walk out of their classes for their teachers to advocate for them," Henkhaus said.

Zoii Tarver, a sophomore at the high school, said she was happy about the turnout.

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"I think it's amazing that we all agree that this is wrong and that we all decided to come out and speak for our teachers," Tarver said.

In an emailed news release to a reporter, the Shorewood School District acknowledged the students' walkout and commended the students for their civic engagement and advocacy. Students could get their absences from school excused with parental permission, according to district communications specialist Maria Campbell.

The district said its decision to eliminate 3.4 full-time positions districtwide was the result of an annual process aligning staffing levels with student course requests and enrollment. The district said that, despite passing an operating referendum in 2023, it is having to navigate financial constraints due to a lack of state funding.

"Education funding has been a primary concern for many Wisconsin communities, as highlighted during recent state budget hearings. The Shorewood School District remains committed to providing high-quality education and is actively seeking budget solutions to navigate these financial challenges," the district said in its release.

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In 2023, Shorewood voters approved a $27.5 million operational referendum to maintain student programming and services and retain current staff and attract new staff. Under the referendum, the district was to receive an additional $5.5 million per year for three years, starting in the 2023-24 school year and ending in the 2027-28 school year for a total of $27.5 million.

School district to host state budget town hall

The district is inviting community members, parents and students to participate in an upcoming state budget town hall from 3 to 4:30 p.m. May 9 at the Clinton Rose Senior Center, 3045 N. King Drive, to discuss the state's financial situation and explore collaborative solutions.

Enrollment is expected to decline at Shorewood High School and Shorewood Intermediate School, and 5-year-old kindergarten is enrollment is trending low, according to a presentation given at the Shorewood School Board's April 30 meeting.

The Shorewood School Board's next regular meeting is at 7 p.m. May 13 in the library at Shorewood High School, 1701 E Capitol Drive, Shorewood.

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Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Shorewood student walkout protests school staff cuts
The Russian forces have continued assault operations across the entire front line since the beginning of 8 May, with 117 combat clashes recorded so far.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 16:00 on 8 May

Details: The General Staff reported that Russian forces shelled border villages in Sumy Oblast from across the state border.

The highest number of combat clashes took place on the Pokrovsk front  41 in total. On the Lyman front, Russian troops launched 17 assaults.

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On the Kharkiv front, Ukrainian defenders repelled two Russian attacks, and one more clash was ongoing at the time of reporting.

On the Kupiansk front, Russian forces launched three assaults; two each on the Siversk and Kramatorsk fronts; five on the Toretsk front; 19 on the Novopavlivka front; three on the Orikhiv front; and two on the Prydniprovske front.

In the operational zone in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian defenders repelled seven Russian attacks, as the General Staff reports.

Background:

The Russians said that the so-called three-day ceasefire, which Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin declared unilaterally, had come into effect at 00:00 on the night of 7-8 May.

Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that the Russian forces continued to attack along the entire front line on 8 May, thereby exposing the Kremlins "ceasefire" announcement as a farce.

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Jarrell Pryor, 26, was found fatally shot early in the morning on Jan. 25

Alexis Hawkins and her boyfriend Brian Winston Jr. have been arrested in connection with his death

Pryor is being remembered by family for his sense of humor, dance moves and being a doting father

One Saturday evening in January, Jarrell Pryor was wrapping up his shift at a warehouse in Indianapolis, Ind., and getting ready to meet a young woman hed been messaging that evening.

Tamekia Wiley Jarrell Pryor and his daughter Honey Jarrell Pryor and his daughter Honey

Pryor, 26, was a dedicated single dad to his 3-year-old daughter Honey, whom he was raising with an ex-girlfriend. But the little girl was at home with family while Pryor workedand a night out awaited with a woman named Alexis Hawkins.

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The two had connected on Instagram, and Pryor wanted to take Hawkins, 19, out to dinner at a restaurant. But she seemed to be in a hurry, so he drove them to a McDonalds and then a liquor store instead. What Pryor didnt know was that at the same time, Hawkins was allegedly texting her real boyfriendand planning an ambush.

Just after 1 a.m. on Jan. 25, less than two hours after he and Hawkins met in person, Pryor was found in a pool of blood outside his car. Hed been shot multiple times and died later at a hospital. His phone was nearby, and, with the data found inside, investigators unraveled what they now call a sinister plot by an apparent serial scammer.

Fox59/WXIN Scene where Jarrell Pryor was found fatally shot Scene where Jarrell Pryor was found fatally shot

About two weeks after Pryors death, police tracked down Hawkins, who had been kicked out of her mothers house two days after Pryors death. She denied any involvement in his shooting and said she had no memory of that night other than hearing gunshots and running for safety.

[Theres] no weapon to say I did anything. My fingerprints arent on anything, she said, according to a probable cause affidavit.

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But when detectives mentioned Hawkinss strange text to an unnamed person about needing money and making a play real fast that night, she went quiet and asked for a lawyer.

Both she and her boyfriend, 18-year-old Brian Winston Jr., have since been charged with murder and attempted robbery.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Alexis Hawkins (left); and Brian Winston Jr. Alexis Hawkins (left); and Brian Winston Jr.

To Pryors family, it doesnt make sense how a simple date turned deadly. He had so many plans, his mom, Tamekia Wiley, says. He always wanted to better himself.

With the accused killers behind bars, Pryors loved ones are left to mourn the hardworking, free-spirited young man they lostwhile helping to raise the daughter who now lives with Jahalha Feemster, Pryors ex.

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I know she misses him, says Honeys great-grandmother Patricia Bradshaw, because she looks around and says Da-Da, and I tear up because she was cheated out of her father.

Adds Honeys grandmother Nyalha Feemster: She has a little shirt with his picture, and it shifts her whole mood when shes wearing it.

Amid their grief, Pryors friends remember him for his sense of humor and charm.

He was one of those people you just couldnt stay away from, says Anijah Randle, who often joined Honey and her dad to watch movies. Even if you bumped heads, he would make you just forget youre mad.

Pryor had a performative streak as well: He once did a Michael Jackson tribute at school and memorized choreography from Usher music videos. He dreamed of becoming a professional video gamerhe loved Call of Dutybut found other ways to earn money from a young age. When he was in the third grade, he began buying candies and erasers, selling them to classmates for a small profit.

Tamekia Wiley Jarrell Pryor and his mother Tamekia Wiley Jarrell Pryor and his mother Tamekia Wiley

Pryors most important role, however, was being a father. That girl is a spitting image of him, says Travis Wiley, Pryors stepdad.

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Particular about his style, Pryor made sure to pass that on to his daughter, buying her several pairs of Air Jordan sneakers.

It didnt matter what we were talking about, he was going to bring up Honey in some way, shape or form, adds pal Randle.

Both before and after his breakup with Honeys mom, Pryor was close with her and her family, helping out with her younger siblings at bedtime. He thought of it as practice for Honey, says Nyalha, who believes Pryors alleged attacker missed an opportunity that night. He would have been there for her, but she didnt give him a chance.

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Hawkins and Winston remain in custody, and police say both have insisted they did nothing wrong. They have not entered pleas, and their attorneys did not comment to PEOPLE.

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Regardless of the outcome in court, Pryors family and friends say their focus is on Honey.

I pray for her to have a supernatural memory so that she can remember him, says her grandmother. Because we all deserved Jarrell. We absolutely did.



Read the original article on People
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  A Sioux City man now knows his fate after pleading guilty in a car theft case.

Jonathan Olson, 29, of Sioux City, was originally charged with first-degree robbery and second-degree theft in September of 2024. In court documents, Olson was accused of demanding car keys from a victim at knife point after a cinder block was thrown through its windshield. The report claims he stole the car and drove it on Nebraska Street. Police later located him at a local gas station.

Story continues below

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As a part of a plea agreement, Olson agreed to plead guilty to first-degree theft and operating a vehicle without the owners consent

The Court accepted the agreement and issued a sentence. Olson will serve a 10 year and 2 year prison sentence concurrently. Surcharge fines are suspended, but he must pay $847.50 in restitution to the victim. He is also required to pay court fees.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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This wasnt the great and expansive trade deal with the United States that the British economy needed. While there is no doubt that British exporters are in a better position than they were yesterday, they are still worse off than they were prior to the imposition of Mr Trumps Liberation Day tariffs. Factor in what Sir Keir has given up, and the deal begins to look a little shabby.

There are clear benefits. Some 100,000 British made cars will face a 10 per cent tariff rather than the 27.5 per cent imposed in April, exports of aluminium and steel will be zero-rated, and farmers will benefit from a quota for exports to the US. British consumers will also benefit. Most products made in Britain, however, will continue to face the 10 per cent baseline tariff imposed in April.

The lop-sidedness of this exchange was highlighted by a graphic shared by Mr Trump showing the UK slashing tariffs while the US raises its own, and bragging of unprecedented access to Britains market. Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch seized upon this to declare that the UK has been shafted.

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Moreover, it is understood that the US will be given the ability to object to Chinese investments in the UK. Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel last night accused Sir Keir of handing an effective veto to Washington and insisted that too much had been given up for too little.

It is hard to disagree entirely with this view, particularly given the speculation that Mr Trump is seeking to strike a series of quick and shallow deals in order to secure the wins he needs to climb down on his increasingly unpopular tariff policies.

Sir Keir has reached a deal that is worse overall than that which he inherited, and while this pact could be the base for a more comprehensive deal, the Prime Ministers preferences are a formidable obstacle to this outcome. As Mr Trump noted, this agreement was only possible thanks to Brexit, a point underlined by the fact that Britain was the first nation to strike such an agreement with the US. It is unclear, however, whether Sir Keir will be able to build on the incredible platform it offers. The Prime Ministers next priority is his reset of relations with the EU, binding us closer to the stagnation of the continent and limiting room for the concessions that will surely be necessary if a more meaningful US deal is ever to be struck.

This is surely the right moment to reconsider this approach, and to embrace with confidence the opportunities presented by our Brexit freedoms.

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May 7DIXON  The Dixon Sister Cities Association has retired its charter with its first established sister city  Dikson, one of the world's most northern settlements  in Siberia.

Dixon officials decided to discontinue the 36-year-old charter because they have not been in contact with the people of Dikson in a long time, Dixon Sister Cities Association President Steve Caudillo said. Mayor Glen Hughes made the announcement May 3 at the annual Illinois Sister Cities Association conference at Sauk Valley Community College.

Caudillo said Dixon had a good relationship with Russia's Dikson for many years and would be open to reactivating the partnership if they ever want to reconnect.

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The relationship between Dixon and Dikson began in 1989, near the end of the Cold War. Russian journalist Boris Ivanov sent a letter to the Dixon Telegraph in response to President Ronald Reagan referring to the Soviet Union as an evil empire, former Mayor Jim Dixon said.

In the letter, Ivanov wrote, "we're not evil. We're just nice people out here in Siberia, and you know, we wish you would not think of us as being an evil empire," Jim Dixon said.

Ivanov also wrote that he decided to send the letter because Dixon is Reagan's hometown and Ivanov's hometown also is Dikson, but in Siberia, Russia, Jim Dixon said.

The publisher of the Telegraph at the time, Bill Shaw, gave the letter to Jim Dixon thinking that as the city's mayor, he might want to write back  which he did. Jim Dixon wrote a letter, had a community member translate it to Russian, and sent it.

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In it, Jim Dixon said he wrote, "Why don't we find a way to get together and get our communities corresponding back and forth?"

From there, the two began corresponding. The relationship between the two cities was formalized with the sister city charter in May 1989 at a conference in Tashkent, Russia, by Dixon and then-Dikson Mayor Nikolai Kartamychev, according to dixongov.com.

To represent the partnership, they made flag pins that were half of the red Soviet Union flag and half the sister city's flag, Jim Dixon said.

"At the time, we were at the tail end of what we refer to as the Cold War, and we felt that we were helping that melting of the Cold War," Jim Dixon said. "We felt we were making some impact in Siberia."

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There were several exchanges between the two cities over the years. The largest was a delegation of 60 people from Dikson who came to Dixon. Going to Dikson was a Dixon police officer, a Dixon Public Schools teacher and about three students along with former Mayor Jim Dixon and his wife, among many others, Jim Dixon said.

In 1994, Shaw and Ivanov published a book called "From Fear to Friendship: Dixon, Illinois, and Dikson, Siberia" about their found friendship watching the political tension unfold between the Soviet Union and Western democracies while living in countries that promoted opposing ideologies.

The sister city charter now will be placed on "emeritus status," a designation that recognizes an individual's  or in this case, a city's  service and contributions upon their retirement from active duty in an organization.

Dixon also has sister city charters with Castlebar, Ireland; Herzberg/Elster, Germany; and Thika, Kenya. A delegation from Herzberg/Elster visited Dixon in July 2024, and Caudillo said they're planning for a Dixon delegation to visit Castlebar in the near future.

"Through sister city relationships, we are creating networks of global citizens who understand that our future is intertwined and collaboration is the key to progress in the world today," Caudillo said. "That's what we need. We need mutual understanding, peace and collaboration."
NEW YORK  The estranged sister of Harvey Weinstein accuser Kaja Sokola told jurors her sibling appeared extremely tense after a 2006 post-lunch meeting with the movie mogul in a Tribeca hotel room  but nothing about the encounter led her to think Weinstein sexually assaulted her.

Ewa Sokola added that she didnt even know her sister had accused Weinstein until she read about it in a 2022 Rolling Stone article, she told jurors Wednesday at his Manhattan Supreme Court sexual assault retrial.

I was shocked, she said of the article. Prior to that, she said, (Kaja Sokola) was proud of knowing him. Thats why she invited me for this meeting in May 2006.

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Ewa Sokola testified that when her sister, then a 19-year-old model, returned from Weinsteins room, her tension seemed like somebody waiting for the result of an exam  like waiting for the Oscar nominations when youre not sure what the outcome was going to be, rather than someone whod just been assaulted.

It was a little bit of thrill and little bit of dread, she said during direct testimony.

With Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg watching, Kaja Sokola followed her sister on the stand and testified about her youth in Poland, how she started modeling at age 14 after her mother and sister entered her into a competition, her self-esteem issues about her body, and how she juggled international travel while living unsupervised in model houses and studying for school exams.

The retrial, which has entered its third week of testimony, marked the first time Kaja Sokolas allegations have aired in an open court proceeding.

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Kaja Sokola, who had dreams of becoming an actress, said in a civil lawsuit that Weinstein first sexually abused her inside his Soho apartment in September 2002, when she was just 16 years old. The criminal charges against him relate not to that incident, but to the alleged May 2006 assault.

Prosecutors subpoenaed Ewa Sokola, who had a falling out with her sister last year, to get her to testify Wednesday.

She said she met her sister and Weinstein for about an hour, and she offered the Hollywood heavyweight some advice about his health.

He seemed a little bit overweight to me. I was a freshly baked cardiologist, Ewa Sokola said. I think he was cool with it.

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Weinstein needed emergency heart surgery last year.

Kaja Sokola left the table with Weinstein for between a half-hour and an hour, and when she returned, Ewa noticed the extreme tension, she said.

She made that same observation in earlier grand jury testimony, but prosecutors didnt ask her then to elaborate further on what she meant.

Did she tell you when she came down that she had been forcibly sexually assaulted by Mr. Weinstein? defense attorney Michael Cibella asked, and she responded, No.

If you had observed something  you would have pushed further? Cibella asked, getting the response, Of course.

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Assistant District Attorney Shannon Lucey tried to dig deeper after the cross-examination, pressing Ewa Sokola on whether her sister said anything at all as they left the hotel, and highlighting her earlier grand jury testimony that her sister, would not say a word, what happened, or how did it go.

Last week featured days of emotional testimony from Miriam Haley, a former TV production assistant who accused Weinstein of sexually assaulting her in his Soho loft on July 10, 2006.

Haley also testified at Weinsteins 2020 trial, which ended with a jury finding him guilty of rape for an attack on aspiring actress Jessica Mann at the DoubleTree hotel in 2013, and criminal sex act based off Haleys allegations. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison.

The states highest court overturned that conviction in April 2024 in a 4-3 ruling that the trial court judge, James Burke, shouldnt have allowed testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes,

Weinsteins retrial covers allegations by Haley and Mann, as well the new allegations by Sokola.

_____
Sixth formers are missing out on French and Spanish at A-level because there are not enough teachers, a poll reveals.

The poll, by the education charity Teach First, has found nearly a quarter of schools in the poorest areas of Britain do not offer French A-level, while 17 per cent do not offer Spanish or music.

The charity says a shortage of trained teachers is locking many pupils out of many opportunities.

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Teacher vacancies in England are currently at their highest level since records began, according to the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).

It follows claims from unions that the Government is on track to miss its manifesto commitment to recruit 6,500 new teachers, funded by a VAT raid on private schools.

The new poll also found almost a third of schools in deprived communities do not offer computer science A-level because of a lack of teachers trained in that subject.

Almost twice as many schools in the poorest areas lack a trained computer science teacher compared with the wealthiest areas.

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Schools in the poorest areas of the country are three times more likely to lack a trained music teacher.

Russell Hobby, chief executive of Teach First, said: The impact of a great teacher goes far beyond the classroom  they open futures. But right now, too many young people are being locked out of studying A-levels like computer science because there simply arent enough trained teachers.

This blocks pupils from poorer areas from some of the best-paid careers in a fast-growing tech and AI-driven economy. If we do not act now, we wont just fail these young people  well hold our country back.

The Government must act in the spending review: raise teacher pay, support those teaching in the schools and subjects that need them most, and make sure every pupil has access to the opportunities they deserve.

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Belinda Chapple, the head teacher of Caterham High School, which is facing staffing shortages, said that the low levels of teachers left schools facing difficult choices.

She said: Across the country, schools like mine are making difficult choices because of the national staffing shortages in key subjects.

Weve struggled to recruit computer science teachers, like many other schools, removing a key career pathway for our A-level students.

We urgently need increased funding for disadvantaged schools, increased teacher pay and additional pay premiums to attract subject experts to the schools that need them most  otherwise, we risk narrowing futures and deepening inequality for a generation.

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In a report published in March, the NFER said unfilled teaching posts rose by more than a fifth in 2023-24 to hit six vacancies per 1,000 teachers last year  double the pre-pandemic rate and six times higher than in 2010-11.

Meanwhile, the proportion of pupils in large class sizes continues to rise, which the NFER said usually indicated a lack of high-quality teachers in schools.

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ST. LOUIS  Today at the Civil Court Building, family, friends and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police (SLMPD) honored fallen officer David Lee.

Lees name was added to the Police Memorial statue, honoring the service he gave to the community.

In September 2024, Lee died in the line of duty when he was struck by a passing car when he was responding to an accident on I-70.

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Chief Robert Tracy spoke at the event, thanking Lee for making a difference in the lives of others.

Davids mother and sister are here with us today. I have no words that could ease your pain, but please know that your son and your brother is a hero, Tracy said. He lived a life of purpose.

Lees sister, Danielle Williams, spoke to FOX 2, expressing pride about the great things David did for his community as an officer.

Im the proudest little sister ever, Williams said. Ive always been proud, but to hear all the good things about (Lee) makes me even immensely more proud.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
(Reuters) - Slovakia's prime minister embarked on a circuitous route to Moscow on Thursday to attend Russia's World War 2 victory parade after Lithuania shut its airspace to flights carrying him to the event and other Baltic nations imposed similar restrictions.

Robert Fico, who met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin in December, is the only European Union leader planning to attend the May 9 celebrations in Moscow, which will feature a parade attended by more than two dozen foreign dignitaries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to the AirNav web site, the government plane took off from Bratislava airport on Thursday afternoon and was expected to land in Moscow around 9:30 p.m. local time (1930 GMT). The flight was expected to cross over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia and then into Russia's Dagestan.

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Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda said on Wednesday his country had closed its airspace to flights carrying Fico and President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia, which is not in the EU, to Moscow.

Aircraft travelling between Russia and Europe have typically used Lithuanian airspace since European carriers were told in 2021 to avoid the shorter route via Belarus as part of punitive measures against Minsk in response to it scrambling a warplane to force the landing of a Ryanair flight.

Ukrainian airspace, another shorter route, has been closed since 2022 due to Russia's invasion.

Latvia has said it will not allow any flights to the parade but did not specifically mention the Slovak leader, while officials in Estonia -- which is not on any obvious flight path -- said it had not been asked for a flyover.

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'COMPLICATING OUR SCHEDULE'

"Estonia has told us it will not allow us to fly over its territory, despite Slovakia having an all-year permission for the government fleet to use Estonian airspace," Fico said on his Facebook page.

"This is exceptionally complicating our schedule...,"he added.

Fico is also scheduled to take part in bilateral meetings and attend a wreath laying ceremony while in Moscow.

His plans to travel to Moscow underline his willingness to defy Brussels after the European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister, this week urged EU leaders not to take part in Russia's military celebrations.

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Slovakia is heavily reliant on Russian gas supplies and Fico, in power since 2023, has overseen a foreign policy shift that his critics say moves the country too close to Moscow.

(Reporting by Michael Kahn in Prague, additional reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague, Barbara Erling in Warsaw and Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Wildfires driven by climate change contribute to as many as thousands of annual deaths and billions of dollars in economic costs from wildfire smoke in the United States, according to a new study.

The paper, published Friday in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment, found that from 2006 to 2020, climate change contributed to about 15,000 deaths from exposure to small particulate matter from wildfires and cost about $160 billion. The annual range of deaths was 130 to 5,100, the study showed, with the highest in states such as Oregon and California.

Were seeing a lot more of these wildfire smoke events, said Nicholas Nassikas, a study author and a physician and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. So he and multidisciplinary team of researchers wanted to know: What does it really mean in a changing environment for things like mortality, which is kind of the worst possible health outcome?

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Lisa Thompson, a professor at Emory University who studies air pollution and climate change and was not involved in the paper, said it is one of the first studies she has seen to isolate the effect of climate change on mortality. Looking at the impacts across time and space also made it unique, she said.

The papers researchers focused on deaths linked to exposure to fine particulate matter, or PM2.5  the main concern from wildfire smoke.

These particles can lodge deep into lungs and trigger coughing and itchy eyes with short-term exposure. But longer term they can make existing health problems worse and lead to a range of chronic and deadly health issues. Children, pregnant people, the elderly and outdoor workers are among the most vulnerable. The Health Effects Institute estimated the pollutant caused 4 million deaths worldwide.

Evidence is emerging that PM2.5 from wildfire smoke is more toxic than other pollution sources. When wildfires encroach into cities, burning cars and other toxics-containing materials, it adds to the danger.

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Numerous studies have tied human-caused climate change  caused by the burning of coal, oil and gas  to a growth in fires in North America. Global warming is increasing drought, especially in the West, and other extreme weather. Drier conditions suck moisture from plants, which act as fuel for fires. When drier vegetation and seasons are mixed with hotter temperatures, that increases the frequency, extent and severity of wildfires and the smoke they spew.

FILE - Smoke rises above homes as a grass fire burns near Interstate 580 in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

Findings dismaying but not surprising, scholar says

Jacob Bendix, professor emeritus of geography and environment at Syracuse University, said he was dismayed by the findings but not surprised.

(T) hese numbers are really significant. I think theres a tendency for people outside of the areas actually burning to see increasing fires as a distant inconvenience  This study drives home how far-reaching the impacts are, said Bendix in an email. He wasnt involved in the study.

The studys authors drew on modeled and existing data to reach their findings. First, they sought to understand how much area burned by wildfires was attributable to climate change. They did that by analyzing the real climate conditions  heat and rain, for instance  when wildfires erupted from 2006 to 2020, and compared that to a scenario where weather measurements would be different without climate change.

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From there, they estimated the levels of PM2.5 from wildfire smoke tied to climate change using the same approach. Lastly, integrating the current understanding of how particulate matter affects mortality based on published research, they quantified the number of deaths related to PM2.5 from wildfires and calculated their economic impact.

FILE - The Palisades Fire burns a beach front property Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent, File)

This framework showed that of 164,000 deaths related to wildfire-PM2.5 exposure from 2006 to 2020, 10% were attributable to climate change. The mortalities were 30% to 50% higher in some western states and counties.

Questions about the studys conclusions

Marshall Burke, global environmental policy professor at Stanford University, said the evidence linking climate change to burned areas was rock solid, but the subsequent steps were harder.

Linking burned area to smoke is trickier because you never know exactly which way the winds going to blow, he said, and he wondered how the death estimates compared to fatalities tied to general air pollution.

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Still, their approach was sensible and reasonable, Burke said.

Johns Hopkins University lecturer in climate and energy policy Patrick Brown said he had some concerns about the study. One was conceptual. The study acknowledges the power non-climate drivers have on wildfires, but it doesnt give them proper weight, he said in an email.

Brown, who was not involved in the study, worries decision-makers could wrongly conclude that mitigating planet-warming carbon emissions is the only solution. Yet in many regions, the more immediate lifesaving action may be fuel breaks, prescribed burns, ignitionsource regulation, public health efforts, etc., he said.

Land management practices such as prescribed burns can reduce wildfire fuel, Nassikas said. But ultimately, the study notes, the problem of deaths from wildfire smoke will only get worse without the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

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Part of the study is raising awareness, he said. And then once we kind of understand that  now what are the interventions that we can deploy at a personal level, at a community level, and then obviously at a larger level across the country and across the world?

The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs environmental coverage, visit apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment.

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DES MOINES, Iowa  The launch of the REAL ID policy across the U.S., two decades in the making, appeared to be a smooth one.

I didnt have any problems, just when I went through security at LGA, before I even went through, they looked at my I.D. to make sure that I had a star, said Karina Van Dyke.

Van Dyke lives in central Iowa. She was on board a Wednesday night flight from LaGuardia Airport in New York.

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Johnny Stephens, who lives in New Jersey, was on board the same flight.

They were gracious enough back in Queens- LaGuardia- to allow me to board a plane, he told WHO 13s Katie Kaplan. They just let me know- next time be prepared.

Latino festivals face cancellations; LULAC fights to keep events

Stephens said it was the first flight he had taken in thirty years. He had to wait in a designated line for flyers who did not have the REAL ID. He called the experience stressful as he had been caught in traffic on the way to the airport and only had minutes to spare. However, he still managed to make his flight on time. Stephens was not worried about the return flight home. He was in Des Moines to pick up an RV and drive it back to the East Coast.

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A spokesperson for Des Moines International said the day had been uneventful, and a TSA agent told WHO 13 that the security lines moved smoothly. However, they noted Wednesday was generally the slowest day of the week for airline travelers.

The REAL ID Act was passed in 2005 in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. People who do not have an updated ID will have a more complicated time boarding flights, entering nuclear power plants and certain other federal buildings moving forward.

While the REAL ID enforcement deadline officially began Wednesday, May 7, the good news is, you dont necessarily need a new drivers license or state ID to fly.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
GRAND SALINE, Texas (KETK)  A power outage is reportedly impacting more than 1,600 residents south of Grand Saline.

Grapeland ISD announces interim superintendent after retirement of Dr. Davis Maass

According to the Wood County Electric Cooperative, 1,632 people are without power just south of Grand Saline near the Jones Community, which is believed to have been caused by a snake.

Updates will be provided to residents once the cooperative receives more information.

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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 KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Phoenix's new around-the-clock heat relief facility on the southern edge of downtown opened its doors May 1, 2025, and will serve the community through the scorching summer until the end of September.

The facility on Jackson Street just west of Central Avenue offers respite to anyone in the public, including unhoused individuals and families whose a/c units go out.

The 21,000-square-foot space includes a designated room for families, a separate room for women only and a patio so those with animals can provide their pets relief. The family room is adorned with locally handknit blankets, teddy bears, books and a colorful ABC rug for kids.

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The opening comes just in time for the deadly summer months. More than 600 people in the Valley died from heat-related causes in 2024, according to the Maricopa County Public Health Department  a figure leaders acknowledged was a problem, but one that also marked the first year-over-year reduction in heat deaths in a decade.

The new center is also designed to provide navigation services for those experiencing homelessness, including assistance to find housing or workforce training.

Though open overnight, the facility is not considered a shelter and therefore prohibits individuals from lying down to sleep, though they can sleep in a seated position or lie their head on the table, Office of Homeless Solutions Deputy Director Scott Hall said during a tour on May 6.

Phoenix, which is the first and only city in the Valley to provide around-the-clock heat relief, started providing the overnight space last year.

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It had opened an overnight space at Burton Barr Library near downtown and at Senior Opportunities West Center. But councilmembers said residents in the area had voiced concern about the effect on the community, leading them to designate a specific warehouse apart from the libraries this year.

More: Phoenix will rent warehouse, extend library hours for emergency heat relief this summer

The respite centers drew large crowds of unhoused individuals and drug usage by attendees was an issue.

However, Phoenix libraries will remain heat relief centers during the summer. The city will also extend public library hours daily at Cholla, Harmon and Yucca to 10 p.m.

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Taylor Seely covers Phoenix for The Arizona Republic / azcentral.com. Reach her at tseely@arizonarepublic.com or by phone at 480-476-6116.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: A look inside Phoenix's first dedicated 24/7 heat relief center
ANDREA RENAULT/Getty Images

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I wrote the book Copaganda based on my years of being a civil rights lawyer and public defender representing the most vulnerable people in our society. I watched as the police and the news media distorted how we think about our collective safety. Copaganda makes us afraid of the most powerless people, helps us ignore far greater harms committed by people with money and power, and always pushes on us the idea that our fears can be solved by more money for police, prosecution, and prisons. Based on the evidence, this idea of more investment in the punishment bureaucracy making us safer is like climate science denial.

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This excerpt is adapted from an important part of the book on how by selectively choosing which stories to tell, and then telling those stories in high volume, the news can induce people into fear-based panics that have no connection to what is happening in the world. It's how public polling can show people thinking crime is up when it is down year after year, and how so many well-meaning people are led to falsely believe that marginalized people themselves want more money on surveillance and punishment as the primary solutions to make their lives better.

The New Press

All royalties from the book are donated to the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, which works with unhoused people against police violence. Free books are also available for anyone in prison and for any teachers who want to get copies for their students to discuss the book in class.

Moral Panics and the Selective Curation of Anecdote

By manipulating the volume of stories at particular times, the news media creates a society-wide frenzy concerning particular kinds of behavior by particular groups of people. Scholars call them moral panics.

When a moral panic is created, it almost always leads to the expansion of government repression. Thats what happened during the crime waves reported by the press in Victorian England, and in more recent U.S. moral panics like the 1980s panic about crack babies, the 1990s panic about super predators, the 202123 panic about retail theft, and the ongoing multiyear panic about fare evasion by poor people on public transit. Moral panics can also be acute creations of a particular news moment, such as the fabricated Summer of Violence in Denver, in which violent crime went down but increase in media stories about juvenile crime in 1993 led to expansion in the incarceration of children; the viral train theft story; the scientifically debunked panic about police officers overdosing on fentanyl by touching or being near it; and the 2023 panic about carjacking in Washington, DC.

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In each case, there were almost immediate policy responses that increased the budgets of punishment bureaucrats, passed more punitive laws, and diverted the systems resources from other priorities. For example, the shoplifting panic led California state lawmakers to furnish $300 million more to police and prosecutors so they could punish retail theft more aggressively. A few months later, the California governor announced yet another measure, the largest-ever single investment to combat organized retail theft, adding another $267 million to fifty-five police agencies. Justifying the move, the governor said: When shameless criminals walk out of stores with stolen goods, theyll walk straight into jail cells.

So, how do moral panics happen?

During the 1960s and 1970s in England and the U.S., the news focused on Black people, poor people, and immigrants as the source of uncontrollable crime waves. Their stories were nearly identical to what we see today: media panic about crime waves and quotes from police, prosecutors, and judges about the need to roll back so-called reforms framed as too lenient. The rhetoric of current punishment bureaucrats and pundits echoes almost verbatim the opinions voiced by conservative white business and police groups of the 1970s, although now there is more of an effort, as Ill discuss later, to portray such views as progressive and demanded by marginalized people themselves. In each case, minor tweaks in bureaucratic policy or marginal reforms that could not, as a matter of empirical reality, have a significant impact on society-wide violence are vehemently debated. The evidence of the root causes of interpersonal harmlike that marshaled by the Kerner Commission, which studied U.S. crime in 1968 and recommended massive social investment to reduce inequalityis ignored.

And the cycle continues: moral panic is followed by calls for more police surveillance, militarization, higher budgets for prosecutors and prisons, and harsher sentencing. Because none of these things affect violence too much, the problems continue.

How to Tell a Lie with the Truth

The selective curation of anecdote is an essential mechanism of copaganda. Imagine two scenarios. A city had ten thousand shoplifting incidents in 2023, down from fifteen thousand shoplifting incidents in 2022. But in 2023, a local news outlet ran a story every day about a different shoplifting incident, while in 2022, the news ran only fifteen stories all year on shoplifting incidents. In which city do you think the public is more likely to believe shoplifting is a greater problem, even a crisis? In the city with more shoplifting, or the city with twenty-five times more stories about shoplifting?

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By cherry-picking anecdotesindeed, even by using isolated individual pieces of data as misleading anecdotesnews reports can distort our interpretation of the world. Using a similar process, they can also distort our understanding of what other peopleparticularly people with whom we dont interactthink about the world. Because one can find anyone to say essentially anything, reporters have leeway to select which true views of ordinary people to share and which to ignore.

One of my favorite examples comes from Copaganda Hall of Famer Martin Kaste, who for some reason National Public Radio still permits to cover the police. (I awarded Kaste this honor in absentia during a private ceremony attended by two cats and my research assistants in my basement.) In 2022, Kaste published an article and widely disseminated radio piece about a rise in shootings and murders during the pandemic. Murders were down nationally in 2022 when he published the stories but they had increased in 2020 and 2021. As with much of Kastes police reporting, the article is a buffet for the copaganda gourmand.

Under the bolded heading Less Risk of Getting Caught, Kaste asserts that there is now less risk of getting caught for shooting someone in the United States. The support for that assertion was an ordinary person in Seattle:

Anthony Branch, 26, got into trouble for carrying a gun when he was a teen. Watching the gun culture in his neighborhood, he thinks more minors and felons are carrying guns illegally now for one simple reason: Defund the police, as he puts it.

Kaste reports as national newswithout context or skepticisma single person blaming defund the police for more shootings. Without presenting any contrary views, NPR delivers Branchs views, accurately conveyed though they may be, as implicitly representative of other people whove been prosecuted and incarcerated and who live in poor neighborhoods.

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In fact, police budgets were (and are) at all-time highs nationally. And a review of hundreds of police budgets showed that they received the same share of overall city budgets in 2021 as in 2019. So, the police were not defunded after the 2020 George Floyd protests. Their budgets have increased overall each year, including the year George Floyd was murdered. Thus, reduced police budgets could not have led to it being easier to get away with shooting someone in 2021 than 2019. The articles thesis is impossible.

Knowing this national causal connection is unsupported, Kaste nonetheless boosts the claim by immediately noting that Seattle has lost hundreds of officers after the protests that followed the 2020 murder of George Floyd. But even in Seattle, which was an outlier in slightly reducing its police budget by about 10 percent, the reduction didnt affect relevant police operations, and police executives themselves in internal memos identified non-essential duties that armed officers could cut without affecting enforcement of violent crime (such as parking meter ticketing). Indeed, as the local NPR station reported, debunking the myth that Seattle police were defunded, not a single sworn officer has lost their job or pay due to budget constraints.

Even if we ignore that the NPR piece purported to draw national lessons and if we focus only on Seattle, there is no evidence that the kind of small reduction to unrelated categories in Seattles police budget in 2021 could have led to widespread changes in murder. Most damning to Kastes thesis, though, is that murders decreased in Seattle in 2021 even though the police budget decreased, which undermines the articles thesis. Indeed, the police budget was larger in 2020 when murder increased the most. No person with a contrary view is quoted, nor is anyone included to explain the actual empirical evidence.

I do not doubt that the source gave these quotes to the reporter, but by selectively choosing which peoples views to represent and which peoples views to exclude, the news can distort our perceptions. This is one of the pernicious functions of NPR here: to give liberal news consumers intellectual permission to support more funding for more police because, although it is baselessly connected to less murder, even marginalized people targeted by police supposedly want it.

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This is how the curation of true anecdotes leads to false interpretations of the world.

Copyright  2025 by Alec Karakatsanis. This excerpt originally appeared in Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News, published by The New Press. Reprinted here with permission.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue

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One of two Southern California Edison transmission towers was dismantled and removed Wednesday as part of an investigation into whether the towers played a role in starting the deadly Eaton fire.

Located on a steep hillside in Eaton Canyon, the two towers became a focus for investigators after video from a witness captured what appeared to be flames burning underneath a tower when the fire first ignited on Jan. 7.

The large towers were disassembled into several parts before being flown by a Skycrane helicopter to a nearby landing zone for examination by a team of stakeholders before further disassembly, the utility company said.

One of two Southern California Edison transmission towers (on left) was dismantled and removed from the site on May 7, 2025, as part of an investigation into whether the towers played a role in the deadly Eaton fire in Altadena. (KTLA) A transmission tower was disassembled and airlifted by helicopter to a nearby landing zone for examination and testing on May 7, 2025. (Southern California Edison) One of two Southern California Edison transmission towers was dismantled and removed from a steep hillside in Eaton Canyon on May 7, 2025, as part of an investigation into whether the towers played a role in the deadly Eaton fire in Altadena. (KTLA) A flare-up is seen at the base of a power line in this screengrab of a video that was purportedly taken mere moments after the Eaton Fire erupted in Altadena on Jan. 7, 2025. (@jeffrey.ku and @cheryllyay on Instagram) One of two Southern California Edison transmission towers was dismantled and removed from a steep hillside in Eaton Canyon on May 7, 2025, as part of an investigation into whether the towers played a role in the deadly Eaton fire in Altadena. (KTLA) One of two Southern California Edison transmission towers was dismantled and removed from a steep hillside in Eaton Canyon on May 7, 2025, as part of an investigation into whether the towers played a role in the deadly Eaton fire in Altadena. (KTLA)

The transmission tower that was removed Thursday had not been used by SoCal Edison for more than 50 years, but Edison officials told the Los Angeles Times that the tower and the idle line it carried somehow became reenergized the day the fire started.

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In an interview with the Times, Pedro Pizarro, Edison International Chief Executive, said the reenergization of the line through a rare phenomenon known as induction is now a leading theory into what sparked the deadly wildfire.

The company reported to state regulators that four lines, including the dormant Mesa-Sylmar line, saw a momentary increase of electrical current around the same time the fire began.

The Eaton fire destroyed more than 9,000 homes and buildings and killed 18 people in the Altadena area.

More than 40 lawsuits from over 600 residents have been filed against SoCal Edison, accusing the utility company of igniting the blaze, the Times reports. In March, L.A. County also filed a lawsuit against the utility company, seeking to recover damage costs.

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A report by the New York Times questioned why SoCal Edison didnt cut power to the area despite being warned about a major wind event and critical fire danger leading up to the inferno. The report also alleged the power lines were under strain from intensifying winds that reached 100 mph.

There are criteria for shutting off power for distribution lines which we get and for transmission lines and the winds didnt meet those criteria, explained David Eisenhauer, a spokesperson with SoCal Edison.

A flare-up is seen at the base of a power line in this screengrab of a video that was purportedly taken mere moments after the Eaton Fire erupted in Altadena on Jan. 7, 2025. (@jeffrey.ku and @cheryllyay on Instagram)

Eisenhauer said the second transmission tower will be dismantled and removed on Thursday before its taken to a warehouse in Irwindale where it will undergo further examination and testing.

This is all part of our commitment to a thorough and transparent investigation, Eisenhauer said. Were doing this in cooperation and with input from other stakeholders like L.A. County Fire, the cities of Pasadena and Sierra Madre, and plaintiffs attorneys.

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For now, the utility company said it will be focused on moving electrical equipment underground wherever possible.

We ran every test you can imagine before we attempted to move anything, said Marc Ferguson, SCE senior manager of Transmission Operations and Helicopter Assisted Line Organization. Everybody wants to know what happened, whether SCE equipment played a part or not, so we are doing our due diligence to get to the bottom of that. Its very important to us and the community to get those answers.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Mary Annette Pember

ICT



The advancements made in the United States in recent years to officially face up to its ugly Indian boarding school history are being walked back under President Donald Trump.



The Trump administration announced in April that at least $1.6 million in funding had been slashed for projects meant to capture and digitize the stories of systemic abuse of generations of Indigenous children in government-run boarding schools.



Now questions are being raised about the removal of details from the White House website of President Joe Bidens historic apology for Indian boarding schools and his proclamation a few weeks later that the former site of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School would become a national monument.



SUPPORT INDIGENOUS JOURNALISM. CONTRIBUTE TODAY.



Both announcements have been scrubbed from the website, which responds to links with an 404 error message. The Carlisle proclamation appears to have been moved to a government web page described as Biden White House Archives.



This is historical material frozen in time, according to a statement at the top of the archived page with Bidens Carlisle proclamation. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.

Related: Historic Apology: Boarding school history a sin on our soul

Other statements suggest some of the measures may have been rescinded by the Trump administration. An archived statement posted by outgoing Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on Jan. 6, 2025, includes links to the apology and the Carlisle proclamation, with a warning note at the top.



You are viewing ARCHIVED content published online before January 20, 2025. Please note that this content is NOT UPDATED, and links may not work, the notice states. Additionally, any previously issued diversity, equity, inclusion or gender-elated guidance on this webpage should be considered rescinded.



ICTs requests for comment received no response from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, nor from press representatives from the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Park Service and the Office of Army Cemeteries.

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A sin on our soul



The U.S. made great strides toward officially facing its Indian boarding school history during Bidens years in office, including a year-long Federal Indian Boarding School initiative launched by then-Interior Secretary Haaland, who is Laguna Pueblo and a descendent of boarding school survivors.



As part of the initiative, Haaland traveled across the country on a Road to Healing tour that gathered testimony from survivors and their families. The initiative also began the process of documenting the thousands of Indigenous students who were forced from their families and taken to boarding schools, which sought to wipe out Native people, culture and language.



The Department of the Interior released two Indian boarding school investigative reports in 2022 and 2024. The final report included a series of recommendations for the government, starting with an apology.



Biden issued the historic apology at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona on Oct. 25, 2024, in an emotional speech that brought tears to many in the crowd, describing federal Indian boarding school policies as a sin on our soul.



I formally apologize today as President of the United States of America for what we did, he said. I apologize, apologize, apologize!



As first reported in The New York Times on May 1, the link to Bidens apology has been deleted from the White House website. Bidens apology could not be found on other government websites, either, although a chronological slide show of his presidency in the archives includes one photo of the event.

Related: Honoring the children: Biden proclaims new national monument at Carlisle

Biden followed up the apology with a proclamation in December 2024 designating the Carlisle Indian Industrial School site as a national monument. Although the proclamation is no longer on the White House website, an archived version remains and a description of the monument  which would be the 432nd site in the national park system  remains on the National Park Service website.



Biden proclaimed the Pennsylvania school site a national monument under the Antiquities Act, which authorizes the president to declare, at his discretion, historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures and other objects of historic or scientific interest, as national monuments, safeguarding them from harm.



According to Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, about half of the countrys national parks were first protected under the Antiquities Act, and they note that no court has ever overturned a presidents monument designation.



Earthjustice leadership says that nothing in the Antiquities Act authorizes the president to remove lands from a national monument, but the Yale Journal on Regulation published an opinion earlier this year that a general discretionary revocation power exists for the president that authorizes him to reverse the designation.



According to the National Park Service, not all of the national monuments proclaimed by presidents over the past century are still national monuments. Eleven have been abolished by acts of Congress. Some of the designations were removed because resources for which the monument was originally established diminished or were determined to be of less significance, or because of mismanagement or other problems.

Start with the truth



Questions remain whether the advances made in recent years for Indigenous people will last through the latest Trump administration.



A string of federal layoffs cut off resources in the Indian Health Service, the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education, and other agencies that impact tribal communities. Tribal colleges and universities also faced cuts.



Some of the cuts were rescinded by the Trump administration or by judicial orders, but reports continue to surface about problems accessing funds that should still be available.



In April, the Trump administration announced the reduction of $1.6 million for the boarding school digitizing project. The cuts to the digitization project were among a string of grants canceled by the National Endowment for the Humanities.



The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition lost more than $282,000, halting its work to digitize boarding school records. Also terminated was a $30,000 grant for a project between the Koahnic Broadcast Corporation and Alaska Native Heritage Center to record and broadcast oral histories of elders in Alaska.



NABS and the other grant recipients received identical letters saying the grants "no longer effectuates the agency's needs and priorities," signed by Michael McDonald, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.



"If we're looking to 'Make America Great Again,' then I think it should start with the truth about the true American history," said Deborah Parker, a citizen of the Tulalip Tribes and chief executive of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.



This article contains material from The Associated Press.

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A recent research paper suggests that a planet may exist far beyond Neptune  less than 20 years after the previous ninth planet, Pluto, was demoted.

That research paper, accepted last month for publication in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, suggests that a Neptune-sized planet lies within the Kuiper Belt, an expanse of icy debris surrounding the solar system.

Hints of this object, dubbed by the researchers as Planet Nine, were found in two photos taken by two infrared space telescopes in 1983 and 2006, the paper stated.

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Two researchers, National Tsing Hua University astronomy graduate student Terry Long Phan and his Ph.D. advisor Tomotsugu Goto, looked at the photos and found that it was enough time for a mysterious object in those photos to have moved.

After they removed known sources such as stars from the photos, Phan and Goto noticed a dot with matching colors and brightness.

The hypothesized planets orbit around the sun would likely take around 10,000 years, California Institute of Technology astronomers Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin told Science. Brown and Batygin were not part of the Planet Nine research team, but both men previously suggested a Planet X existed in the far reaches of the solar system.

Its kind of fun that a paper that purports to find a candidate for Planet Nine is really finding something that would basically say that we were wrong the entire time, Brown said to the scientific news website.

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Elsewhere, there are doubts. University of Regina astronomer Samantha Lawler told Science that Planet Nines existence would be really cool ... But Im not convinced, with current data, that you cant just go with the simplest explanation.

Phan and Goto will have to wait until later this year for more evidence of their findings, as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in the Atacama Desert in Chile is expected to scan the night sky, Science reported. With enough detail taken by the observatorys large digital camera, it could detect the ninth planet.

More news about the night sky

Read the original article on MassLive.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent a mother and her three children, two of whom are U.S. citizens, to Mexico following a traffic stop last week near Dobie Middle School in north Austin, according to multiple sources, including the Texas Civil Rights Project and Immigrant Legal Resource Center.

A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper assigned to a strike team alongside Homeland Security conducted the traffic stop over expired plates, according to DPS. The agency said during the stop, the driver, Omar Gallardo Rodriguez was identified as an illegal immigrant and referred to ICE.

TCRP and ILRC told KXAN they have provided legal support to Rodriguez and his family. ILRCs senior staff attorney, Cori Hash, said Rodriguezs partner, Denisse Parra-Vargas, and their children were in the car at the time of the traffic stop outside the school.

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The legal team for the family and Austins Mexican Consulate Carlos Enrique Gonzalez Echevarria, told KXAN ICE sent Rodriguez, Parra-Vargas, and their three children to Mexico following the incident. The couple has one child who was born in Mexico, but their two younger children are U.S. citizens.

Gonzalez Echevarria said authorities learned that back in 2016, [the mother] entered the U.S. requesting asylum, which was later denied, and she was instructed to abandon the United States as soon as possible. He said he believed the woman then stayed in the U.S. and later gave birth to two other children, apart from her firstborn, who was born in Mexico.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a tweet Parra-Vargas failed to appear before her immigration judge and was issued a final order of removal in 2019.

Rather than separate their families, ICE asked the mothers if they wanted to be removed with their children or if they wanted ICE to place the children with someone safe the parent designates, the tweet said generally about detained families. In this case, when [Parra-Vargas] was taken into ICE custody, she chose to bring her children with her to Mexico.

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Congressman Greg Casar, an Austin Democrat, told KXAN in an interview on Thursday that ICE and other law enforcement agencies should focus on solving crimes and reducing violence, instead of [pulling] over families for having expired tags.

Lets not be deporting U.S. citizen children, and lets use our federal law enforcement resources like ICE on real safety threats, not on separating families and making our communities worse off,

KXAN also reached out to Sen. John Cornyns office and did not provide a comment.

Gonzalez Echevarria said details he obtained from ICE indicate the familys truck had expired Nevada plates. Rodriguez was detained at that time and sent to a nearby ICE facility, according to ILRC. Gonzalez Echevarria said his colleague spoke with Rodriguez at the facility last week, where he was in good health.

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DHS memo offers new guidance on terminating status of international students

That same day, sources said Parra-Vargas was fitted with an ankle monitor and released  to allow her to pick up her minor children from school.

ICE now instructed her to appear with her children at their offices the next day, to proceed with her removal, allowing her to leave with a GPS tracker, Gonzalez Echevarria said. The familys TCRP legal team confirmed this ankle monitor was part of ICEs Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, or ISAP.

ICE later instructed Parra-Vargas to report to the ICE facility in Pfluvgerville, according to the familys legal team. Upon that appearance, ICE detained the mother and her three children, two of whom, attorneys say, are U.S. citizens and later sent them to Mexico.

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She followed [ICEs] instructions and appeared at their facilities, where they started the removal process, Gonzalez Echevarria said. She was deported through McAllen-Reynosa and is now in Mexico.

Source: Downtown Austin federal building used as ICE detention center

Grassroots Leadership provided this photo of what they say is the family deported by ICE. We are not revealing the identity of the children. (Courtesy: Grassroots Leadership)

Grassroots Leadership, a non-profit focused on incarceration and deportation issues, provided a photo of what they say is the family deported by ICE. KXAN is not revealing the childrens identity.

Once again [U.S. Customs and Border Control] and ICE are using zero tolerance, said TCRPs senior supervising attorney, Daniel Hatoum. Its harming children  this time U.S. children, too.

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ILRC told KXAN that ICE did not allow communication with close family members who were willing to keep the children during the detainment. DHS has not addressed that claim publicly.

ICE was informed by the family and legal advocates that the children were U.S. citizens and ICE knowingly deported them anyway, ILRC Senior Staff Attorney Cori Hash said in a statement.

DHS tweeted that the Trump Administration is giving parents who are in the country illegally the chance to take full control of their departure and self-deport. In an interview with NBC News Tom Homan talked about the governments strategy when it comes to deporting parents in mixed-status families.

Its not okay to enter this country illegally. Its a crime, and you think that being here illegally, you choose to have a U.S. citizen child  thats on you, Homan said. On those cases this weekend, the mother asked for her children to go with her, and thats what we did. If we didnt do it, youd be asking right now about family separation.

Federal, state orders

The Austin Independent School District confirmed that a parent was detained near the school. District officials said they do not have additional details since the incident occurred off campus. DPS verified the stop occurred in the area near Dobie Middle School, but noted its troopers were not on school grounds. The familys legal team said the troopers were in an unmarked vehicle.

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In January, AISD issued guidance to staff on how to respond if federal immigration officers come to any of its campuses. The guidance came just days after the new Trump administration threw out a long-standing federal policy protecting sensitive areas, like churches and schools, from ICE raids  part of ramped up enforcement efforts across the country.

At that time, AISD Superintendent Matias Segura issued a statement saying the district recognizes the emotional toll such moves could have on students, families and staff.

For many in our community, these are not just policy discussions, but deeply personal issues that can create uncertainty and fear, Segura added.

According to the districts website, Dobie Middles Schools student body is more than 80% Hispanic. Last month, ICE told KXAN its enforcement resources are based on intelligence-driven leads and ICE officers do not target persons indiscriminately.

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ICE conducts enhanced targeted operations in Austin

Also in January, Gov. Greg Abbott asked DPS to deploy tactical strike teams to support the Trump Administrations homeland security operations to locate and arrest criminal illegal immigrants in the state.

Abbott said then in a press release that Texas was expanding operations to assist Trumps hard and fast efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

Today, I directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to deploy tactical strike teams to work alongside our federal partners to enforce immigration laws throughout the state, Abbott said in the release. These teams will coordinate with Homeland Security agencies to track down the thousands of illegal immigrants with active warrants across Texas and deport them from our country.

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DPS further confirmed that the incident near Dobie Middle School was part of those regional tactical strike teams developed at the governors direction.

These teams are made up of DPS Troopers from the Texas Highway Patrol, Special Agents from the Criminal Investigations Division and Texas Rangers. Teams are also supported by DPS Intelligence and Counterterrorism and Aircraft Operations Divisions, a DPS spokesperson said to KXAN in a statement.

KXAN has reached out to the governors office multiple times since learning of this incident and is awaiting a response. We will update this if one is received.

David Barer and Nabil Remadna contributed to this report.

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May 7 (UPI) -- Officials in the Trump administration have proposed flying several deportees to Libya aboard a U.S. military aircraft as soon as Wednesday, several reports say.

The nationalities and number of those who would be deported to Libya are unknown, but a deportation flight to Libya might occur as soon as Wednesday, The New York Times, CBS News and NPR reported.

Deporting individuals to Libya, where they might be subjected to unpleasant conditions, supports President Donald Trump's encouragement for people to self-deport instead of waiting for the federal government to do so, The New York Times reported.

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If a deportation flight does leave for Libya, it would herald an expansion of Trump's controversial deportation policies to more nations and continents.

Recent deportation flights to El Salvador and elsewhere triggered legal challenges in federal courts and visits to El Salvador by members of Congress.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem tours the Terrorist Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, on March 26 and might authorize a deportation flight to Libya that might happen on Wednesday, according to some published reports. File Photo by Tia Dufour/U.S. Department of Homeland Security/UPI

Opponents say people are being deported without due process and have accused the Trump administration of deporting U.S. citizens.

Officials in the Trump administration denied deporting U.S. citizens and have said those deported to El Salvador are members of violent gangs, such as Tren de Aragua and MS-13, which Trump has designated as terrorist organizations.

Opponents of the Trump administration march in downtown Los Angeles in April, with many of the participants protesting the Terrorist Confinement Center (CECOT) in Tecoluca, El Salvador, being used by the U.S. government to carry out Trump's controversial immigration plans. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

The State Department has warned U.S. citizens against traveling to Libya because of that nation's "crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping and armed conflict," the New York Times reported.

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Libya has been divided since former dictator Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011.

Libya now has a U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli, which controls the western half of the nation.

The eastern half is controlled by warlord Khalifa Haftar from his headquarters in Benghazi.

Haftar controls most of Libya's oil fields, and his son met with several officials in the Trump administration while visiting Washington, D.C., last week.

When asked about a potential deportation flight to Libya, Trump denied knowing anything about it and said the Department of Homeland Security handles such matters, NPR reported.
By Ju-min Park

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean presidential hopefuls Kim Moon-soo and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo clashed on Thursday during a meeting to discuss merging their campaigns in order to field a single conservative candidate to contest the upcoming election.

Unifying conservatives behind a single candidate is seen as crucial if the right-wing People Power Party (PPP) is to stand any chance of success against Democratic Party frontrunner Lee Jae-myung in the snap election on June 3.

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So far neither Kim nor Han has shown much sign of being willing to stand aside.

"Let's make a decision today or tomorrow" on unifying the conservative candidacy, Han said during a testy televised meeting in a garden in the grounds of parliament, where the candidates were heckled at times by a surrounding crowd.

Earlier, Kim told a press conference he believed the PPP leadership was trying to "bring him down" in favour of Han, even though he had been chosen as the party's "legitimate" nominee.

Later on Thursday, Kim said on a TV programme he had filed an injunction to confirm his presidential candidate status at the Seoul Southern District Court.

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The PPP selected Kim as its candidate on Saturday through primaries, but has since demanded Kim and Han negotiate which one of them would represent the party in the election.

"I have priority in the party, but they are in the process of calling a party convention and replacing the candidate," Kim said.

Han, who resigned as acting leader last week to run in the polls, is not a member of the PPP but was prime minister under ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was from the party.

In a two-way race, Democratic Party candidate Lee has 44% support against Han with 34%, while Lee leads 43% against Kim's 29%, according to a National Barometer Survey released on Thursday.

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Han was the preferred candidate among 53% of PPP supporters versus 32% who backed Kim.

Conservative leader Yoon was removed from office in April over his shock martial law order, prompting the snap election.

But efforts to form a unity ticket among conservatives have proved difficult.

The feud has overshadowed the conservative party's already difficult battle to retain the presidency and policy debate has taken a back seat, while Lee met business leaders to discuss job creation and deregulation and urged North Korea to stop military provocation and come to dialogue.

Senior PPP leaders and Han's campaign are pressuring Kim to come to an agreement before May 11 when the registration for presidential candidates closes.

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Kim has proposed a one-week campaign for each candidate and a public survey afterwards to pick the candidate to contest the presidential poll.

In response, Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the PPP, said that Kim was trying to keep his candidacy in a "pathetic" way, pointing to opinion polls that show him trailing Han.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park and Jack Kim; Additional reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Ed Davies, Saad Sayeed and Kate Mayberry)
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Fighting along the Nile River in South Sudan has prevented humanitarian aid from reaching more than 60,000 malnourished children in the northeast of the country for almost a month, two United Nations agencies said on Thursday.

The U.N.'s World Food Programme (WFP) and agency for children (UNICEF) said they expect nutrition supplies for Upper Nile State, which has some of the highest rates of malnutrition in the country, to run out by the end of May.

"Children are already the first to suffer during emergencies. If we can't get nutrition supplies through, we are likely to see escalating malnutrition in areas already at breaking point," Mary-Ellen McGroarty, WFP's representative in South Sudan, said in a joint WFP-UNICEF statement.

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The Nile is a crucial transport artery in South Sudan because the impoverished country has few paved roads and a lot of challenging terrain, particularly during the rainy season when many roads become impassable.

The agencies did not say which fighting had disrupted the route of their aid barges, but government forces have been fighting an ethnic Nuer militia known as the White Army in areas near the Nile since March.

The battles led to the arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar and a spiralling political crisis, which the United Nations has warned could reignite the brutal civil war that ended in 2018.

In mid-April, barges carrying 1,000 metric tonnes of food and nutrition supplies bound for Upper Nile State were forced to return due to insecurity, WFP and UNICEF said.

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The agencies decided against pre-positioning supplies in health centres and warehouses in insecure areas because they could have become targets for looting, they said.

"We have reluctantly taken the unprecedented step of holding back supplies for fear that they will not reach the children that so desperately need them, due to the ongoing fighting, looting and disruption of the river route," said Obia Achieng, UNICEF's representative.

(Reporting by Hereward Holland; editing by Mark Heinrich)
The Canary island of La Palma was hit by a major power cut on Thursday morning, just 10 days after mainland Spain suffered a blackout.

According to La Palmas government, more than a third of its 85,000-strong population was without power for around 45 minutes.

Alberto Hernandez, the Canary Islands energy chief, said a substation failure had caused a mismatch between energy supply and demand, which in turn triggered a power cut to protect the generating equipment.

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The blackout was the second power cut to hit La Palma in a week. A smaller one left around 300 households and businesses without power for several hours last Thursday.

Fernando Gonzalez, La Palmas councillor in charge of energy, asked the Canary Islands government to seek solutions to the power problems on the island.

He said: La Palma is suffering from an energy emergency.

Credit: Reuters | @agusssgtf

The archipelagos government announced last month that it would install eight temporary fuel-burning power plants across Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.

However, the overall plan, overseen by Spains climate transition ministry, is to boost the use of renewable energy as sun and wind are relatively reliable on the archipelago, which is located off the coast of northwestern Africa.

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In 2024, renewable energy accounted for 21 per cent of the electricity generated in the Canary Islands, compared to 57 per cent for the whole of Spain.

The blackout that struck Spain on April 28 did not affect the Canary Islands, which, like the Balearic Islands and the Spanish North African territories of Ceuta and Melilla, has its own power supply.

Pedro Sanchez, Spains prime minister, has come under fire from the conservative opposition for not giving a reason for the outage and for refusing to rethink his plan to shut down the countrys nuclear power plants.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Rhode Islanders in Senate District 4 will be heading to the polls this summer to decide who will fill the seat held by the late Senate President Dominick Ruggerio.

The R.I. Board of Elections approved a special election calendar Tuesday, which was for a July 8 primary, if needed, and an Aug. 5 general election.

The district, which represents parts of Providence and North Providence, became an open seat after Ruggerio died in April. Ruggerio held the seat since 1985.

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RELATED: Senate President Ruggerio laid to rest

The candidate declaration deadline is from May 2930. Candidates will have until June 10 to submit their nomination paperwork with enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Early voting for the primary will go from June 18 until July 7. The mail ballot deadline for the primary is June 17.

For the general election, early voting is from July 16 until Aug. 4, and the mail ballot deadline is July 15.

The last day to register to vote for the primary is June 8 and July 6 for the general election.

Currently, one Democrat has publicly announced theyre running for the seat: former Providence state Rep. Marcia Ranglin-Vassell. Other Democrats who have expressed interest in running are North Providence Town Council President Dino Autiello and District 2 Town Councilman Stefano Famiglietti.

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READ MORE: Former state Rep. Ranglin-Vassell to run for Ruggerios Senate seat

Autiello and Famiglietti previously told 12 News they planned to get together to discuss the election. Both said they want someone with ties to North Providence to be elected to the seat.

Famiglietti said Wednesday the meeting between him and Autiello will happen within the next few days.

Meanwhile, Autiello said Thursday hes seriously considering running, and is currently on vacation with family and friends for the next week. Autiello plans to make a final decision once hes back from the vacation.

Other potential candidates include Lenny Cioe, a nurse who unsuccessfully ran against Ruggerio three times, and R.I. Democratic Party National Committeewoman Nicole Verdi.

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Cioe said he is putting a team together, but still has a lot to do before he commits to running.

No Republicans or independents have signaled interest in running at this time, but R.I. Young Republicans Chairman Ken Naylor said the organization is actively fielding a candidate. The last time a Republican ran for the seat was 2008.

NEXT: Senate committee to consider ban on cell phones in schools

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A sign that informs passersby about grizzlies stands along Highway 89 in the Snake River Canyon near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. (Angus M. Thuermer Jr./WyoFile)

This story was first published by WyoFile on May 7, 2025.

A grizzly death attributed to a fatal vehicle strike has triggered an outpouring of rage on social media about people driving too fast, but law enforcement could not determine whether speed was a factor in the collision.

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The bear that died, Grizzly 1058, is one of the famous quads of their even more famous mom, Grizzly 399, who died last year after being fatally struck by a vehicle on a highway south of Jackson.

In the death of Grizzly 399, authorities ruled that the driver was not speeding.

As for Grizzly 1058, law enforcement rangers were not able to determine if speed was a factor in the collision, Grand Teton National Park spokeswoman Emily Davis said in an email Wednesday.

Grand Teton National Park officials urge visitors to watch out for wildlife

Nonetheless, park officials asked people to slow down and be vigilant for wildlife in a Tuesday news release confirming the bears death.

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While reducing speeds can help protect wildlife along Wyoming highways, its not the only factor setting the stage for fatal collisions.

Its terribly unfortunate that this happened, said Brian DeBolt, large carnivore conflict coordinator with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. But its becoming all too common with these bears that spend so much time roadside.

The more time bears hang out near roads, the higher the probability that theyre going to be struck and killed by a vehicle, DeBolt said. Game and Fish is finding that younger bears, like the 5-year-old subadult found Tuesday, are being forced to make a living in more marginal habitat along roadsides because more prime habitat is already occupied.

What park officials have confirmed so far is that Grizzly 1058 had been spotted in the park since he and his three siblings split from their mom in 2022. But there were no confirmed sightings of him this spring, the park release said.

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Park law enforcement found the bears remains Tuesday in a patch of willows about 125 yards from the highway, within park boundaries east of the Buffalo Fork River. The Jackson Hole News&Guide reported that a law enforcement ranger found the dead bear after spotting ravens and eagles scavenging along the highway and stopping to investigate. The park bear biologist told the News&Guide the animal had likely been there for several days.

The park relied on ear tags and a PIT tag to identify the 5-year-old bear, which the park release said appeared to be in good condition for his age and the time of year.

More to it than speed to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions

The outer park highway sees more diverse traffic  including commuters and semis  and higher speed limits than the inner park road. Just up the highway on Togwotee Pass, where vehicles have struck roadside grizzlies, wildlife managers and law enforcement have struggled to manage traffic jams created by bear watchers.

Onlookers gather to watch Grizzly 399 and her cub in May 2023. (C. Adams/National Park Service)

As more bears live roadside, and get habituated to people, the more risk of collisions, DeBolt said Wednesday. We dont want bears to be so comfortable roadside, he added.

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The speed limit on Togwotee Pass is 55 miles per hour, but once drivers cross into Grand Teton National Park, there is a nighttime speed limit of 45 mph on that same highway. Safety concerns along that highway, where it crosses through the Bridger-Teton National Forest, prompted one retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agent to propose a grizzly bear speed limit, using variable speed limits similar to how the state handles blizzards on the interstate.

Maybe we ought to consider having a grizzly bear speed limit, you know, when the bears are around the highway, said Steve Stoinski, a retired Fish and Wildlife Service agent who spent a summer managing bear traffic jams on Togwotee Pass.

But that speed limit would only work with regular enforcement, Stoinski told WyoFile.

DeBolt said hed be open to reducing speed limits if it would reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and was reasonable and logistically possible. But setting speed limits is not Game and Fishs call to make. DeBolt also sees larger factors at play.

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Although it seems like maybe a simple fix, DeBolt said. Its not that simple.

Inside Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks where reduced speed limits are enforced, wildlife still die in vehicle strikes, DeBolt said.

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SPRINGBORO, Ohio (WDTN)  People in a Springboro apartment complex woke up to a shock this morning, after several alleged thieves were caught rummaging through cars.

The Springboro Police Department says theres been an increase in groups of thieves coming into the city, looking to steal cars or take whatever is inside.

Surveillance video sent to 2 NEWS shows the moments when a group of people walk onto a driveway and start going through unlocked cars.

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A short time later, another angle shows several people running up the street, attempting to get into other cars.

A 2 NEWS employee lives in that neighborhood  their doorbell camera caught a group standing outside, just feet away from his door.

2 NEWS spoke with one of the residents who had items stolen out of four cars. She says she never thought it would happen.

The only thing they got from me was money. I know from other neighbors, they got a lot more things that are trackable with serial numbers that are dangerous in the wrong hands, said the resident, who wished to remain anonymous. Honestly in Springboro, we dont have any crime come through here, so it wasnt one of those. Ive got to make sure I check my car, got to make sure I lock it.

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Springboro police are urging everyone to lock their cars, even if they just step away for a few moments.

2 NEWS is working to learn if some armed suspects apprehended by drones overnight are related to the incidents at the apartment complex.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  Springfield Bishop William Byrne held a news conference on remarks on the election of Pope Leo XIV.

22News live-streamed the event from St. Michaels Cathedral on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in the media player above.

Robert Prevost becomes first American pope of the Catholic Church: What to know

On Thursday, Cardinal Robert Prevost, a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vaticans powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

Bishop Byrne met the future Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in September 2023

(Photo courtesy: Mark Dupont at the Diocese of Springfield)

69-year-old Robert Prevost, taking the name of Leo XIV, said Peace be with you in his first words as pope, offering a message of peace and dialogue without fear. He was born in Chicago and spent much of his life ministering in Peru. He also holds citizenship in Peru. Im glad we got our first American Pope, im hoping that he will bring the change we need to the world says Tonie Hicks of West Springfield.

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People across Western Massachusetts are looking forward to what Pope Leo XIV will do for the world. I hope hes happy that hes elected and that he fulfills Gods word, says Maria Caballeros.

Bishop William Byrne with the Diocese of Springfield told 22News,Pope Leos motto as a bishop was about we are because we are all in Christ. We are one. And so that unity of being part of the body of Christ, with our head leading,g and God is speaking on behalf of the whole body. So he is the principle and the symbol of our unity.

He is the 267th pope to lead the Catholic Church, elected by his fellow cardinals on the second day of their conclave. Prevost appeared on the loggia of St. Peters Square wearing the traditional red cape of the papacy  a cape that Pope Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013.

Like any American, Pope Leo loves baseball. According to his brother, hes a White Sox fan.

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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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  The Springfield Police Division is seeking assistance from the public in solving the 2008 homicide of Alia Hartman.

Photo courtesy of the Springfield Police Division/City of Springfield.

The investigation of Hartmans death has been ongoing for years and on the 17th anniversary of her death, police are once again asking the public to help solve this case.

The incident occurred on Friday, May 9, 2008. Springfield Fire crews were dispatched to a reported house fire on the 1800 block of Sweetbriar Lane South.

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As firefighters investigated at the residence, where they discovered 25-year-old Hartman deceased. She had been seen by several witnesses just a day prior.

Investigators determined that the fire had been an act of arson, with the Clark County Coroners Office ruling Hartmans death a homicide.

This was a homicide, and the arson was a cover up, said Sgt. James Byron, Springfield PD.

But 17 years later, there are still more questions than answers, prompting police to ask the public to come forward.

The purpose is both to remember her, to let her family know that were still trying to pursue justice for her, this case, and that weve taken the initiative to try and reach out to anybody that has information on this case, said Byron.

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Police are connecting with witnesses they have previously spoke with, but are also asking anyone who was around the area when that fire occurred to report any details they have have heard or saw, no matter how small.

Weird noises that they heard, maybe a vehicle that drove by, anything that somebody thinks might have been at the time was insignificant, that they think back now could be significant, said Byron.

The Springfield Police Division is asking that anyone with information on her death call 937-324-7685, Detective Kevin Miller at 937-324-7709 or email spdtip@springfieldohio.gov.

All it takes is one piece of new information to move this case forward, said Detective

Miller. We remain committed to seeking justice for Alia and her loved ones.

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SPRINGFIELD  Police arrested countless armed offenders, saved the life of a 10-month-old baby who stopped breathing, chased down six men accused of a string of armed robberies and one sergeant saved her cousins life without using her gun, badge or police training.

Police officials on Wednesday recognized nearly 150 of their own and a handful of law enforcement from different departments in awards that stemmed from 37 different incidents from October 2023 to now. Some officers received more than one award.

Deputy Chief David Kane, who poured through thousands of police reports to identify recipients, explained the night celebrated the best of the best and fantastic heroism during violent moments.

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But Sgt. Melissa Rodriguezs award for saving a life in 2023 was a little different.

Rodriguez donated two-thirds of her liver to her cousin who suffers from an auto-immune disease. Two years later most of her liver has regenerated and her cousin is doing well, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman who served as emcee for the event.

This courageous act goes well beyond her badge, Walsh said. Her choice to put others beyond herself is indicative of a strong leader, a good person and a great police officer.

During the event, Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers said the awards showed how many times the officers showed bravery under pressure and stepped up their game. They demonstrate how there are people behind the uniforms who choose to stand between order and chaos.

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Your sacrifice often goes unseen but is never underappreciated, he said. You have made us all proud.

In one incident, a total of eight Springfield Police officers, Detectives Daniel Huard, Nicholas Mancinone, John Barlow, Duane Lewis, Nathan Jurkowski and Seth Barker and officers Fernando Rosa, Kaleb Baez, and Hampden Sheriffs Department Lt. Lionel Marques, and deputies Jorge Delgado and Rey Santa, received awards for actions they took in July 2024 to arrest an armed man who threatened to shoot a rival drug dealer.

The officers set up set up surveillance at an address on Lombard Street. When the suspect, a 20-year-old man, was confronted he drove into numerous occupied cruisers. He also tried to run down multiple detectives, one of whom had to take cover behind a tree, Walsh said.

The driver crashed into that tree, several cars, a fence and two houses  The driver then led police onto a pursuit into Agawam," Walsh said.

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The suspect, who also threw out a high-powered firearm during the chase, was arrested on 46 charges. He also crashed into another Springfield cruiser with such force it sent the two officers in it to the hospital, Walsh said.

These officers put themselves in grave danger to protect the public dealing with an armed suspect who showed no regard for police or civilian life across two cities, Walsh said.

During the ceremony, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno reminded people officers are the ones who are running toward an incident when everyone else is running away.

I appreciate you day in and day out because you wear that badge with compassion and with bravery, he said.

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In several cases, police officers were recognized for using their training and compassion to stop distraught people from committing suicide. In another several were honored for their hours long search which located an elderly man who had become trapped in a neighbors boiler room for days.

Officers Anthony DiSantis, Aremnio Garcia, Daniel Moynahan and West Springfield Officer Amanda Torres each received a life-saving award with valorous conduct for stopping a man in July 2024 who had climbed over the rail of the Memorial Bridge in an attempt to killing himself, Walsh said.

Torres calmly talked to the distraught man and managed to develop a rapport with him. When he allowed her to get close enough she wrapped him in a bear hug and the other officers who were surrounding the man pulled him back over the rail to safety. He was taken to the hospital for treatment, Walsh said.

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In 1973, William Colby, then the director of central intelligence, had a statue of the Revolutionary War spy Nathan Hale placed on the grounds of the CIAs headquarters in Virginia. Hale struck many as an odd choice of icon; after all, he had been captured and executed by the British. One of Colbys successors, William Casey, grumbled that Hale fouled up the only mission he was ever given. Casey left Hale alone, but compensated by commissioning what he considered a more appropriate statue in the lobbya likeness of William Donovan, nicknamed Wild Bill, the man often credited as the father of the CIA.

Casey wasnt wrong about Hales incompetence. Hale hadnt bothered to use an alias, and he divulged his assignment to a British officer. Whether or not he actually uttered his famous last words about having only one life to give for his country, it appears that he was an idealist, if not an outright innocent. He was simply too forthright and trusting to be a good spy, concludes Jeffrey P. Rogg in his forthcoming book, The Spy and the State, one of two new histories of American intelligence. This is an interesting assessment because of what Rogg declares just a few pages earlier: that the business of intelligence is inherently un-American, a practice ill-suited to a country that values honesty, transparency, and forthrightness. A tantalizing inference can be drawn: If Hale had been a worse American, he might have been a better spy.

The question of whether espionage is compatible with American ideals is an old one. At the founding, the prevailing answer was no. Spying was an appurtenance of monarchy, and therefore incompatible with republican government. In 1797, James Monroe, recently recalled from his position as the minister to France, accused Secretary of State Timothy Pickering of using spies in a bitter letter: The practice is of great antiquity, and is now in use in the despotic Governments of Europe, he conceded, but I hoped never to see it transplanted to this side of the Atlantic.

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One founding American who did not share his ages discomfort with espionage was George Washington. Rogg casts him as the nations first great spymaster, and he is joined in this assessment by Mark M. Lowenthal, the author of Vigilance Is Not Enough. The mission that cost Hale his life was Washingtons idea, and he authorized at least three kidnapping plots during the war. As the commander of the Continental Army, he was a sophisticated consumer of intelligence, cultivating a wide range of sources. Lowenthal, a former high-ranking CIA official, approvingly quotes the postwar protest of a British officer: Washington did not really outfight the British, he simply outspied us!

[Read: How the CIA hoodwinked Hollywood]

Washington left his most significant intelligence legacy as the nations first president. At his prodding, the first Congress created the Contingency Fund for the Conduct of Foreign Affairs, a presidential bank account for paying spies. Congress controlled the amount that went into the fund but otherwise had no say in how it was used. This arrangement was arguably sound as a matter of both policy and constitutional law. Endless public debate is no way to authorize time-sensitive covert activities, and the most natural way to read the Constitution on the subject (which it says nothing about) is by analogy to the presidents powers as commander in chief and head of state.

But in establishing the Contingency Fund, Congress surrendered not just its right to control intelligence operations but any right to know about them altogether. The president was required to tell lawmakers how much hed spent, but not where the money had gone. The abdication was considerable, and the potential for abuse was great.

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The decision to involve the United States in espionage aroused little public opposition, both in Washingtons day and for decades to come. Americans still considered spying on adversaries unsavory, but their government simply wasnt doing that much of it. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was largely an ad hoc business conducted by diplomats, military officers, and adventurers. The Army and Navy developed intelligence divisions after the Civil War, but these were marginal outfits that amassed little power or bureaucratic respect. Especially in peacetime, the United States had no permanent, centralized system for collecting intelligence. Accordingly, few Americans saw in the presidents covert powers a threat to law or liberty.

The pattern that defined this periodan uptick in spying during war, and then its ebbing in peacetimeposes a problem for Rogg and Lowenthal, whose accounts of the years between the Revolution and World War II are overstuffed with desultory detail. The reader who perseveres through hundreds of pages of bureaucratic infighting and military history in the hopes of fresh insight into later, more familiar chapters of American intelligence will be disappointed. There are suggestive episodes along the wayfor instance, the Armys use of waterboarding during a brutal campaign in the Philippines at the turn of the 20th century, or the 1798 passage of the Alien Enemies Act, which President Donald Trump has recently dusted off in cruel fashionbut the inescapable conclusion is that little of what came before the start of the Cold War informed what came after.

Growing out of Wild Bill Donovans wartime Office of Strategic Services, the CIA was established in 1947 as part of the National Security Act, the law that also birthed the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Under the act, the CIAs primary responsibility was coordinating intelligence gathering across the government. But the statute also directed the agency to perform such other functions and duties related to intelligence affecting the national security as the National Security Council may from time to time direct. This was a fatefully broad legislative grant. The CIAs first general counsel concluded that Congress did not mean by these words to authorize covert actiona view shared by Walter Bedell Smith, the agencys second director, who worried that the operational tail will wag the intelligence dog.

[Read: How fake spies ruin real intelligence]

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Yet for President Harry Truman, the need to counter Soviet aggression outweighed any niceties about legislative intent. In late 1947, he authorized the CIA to intervene in Italys parliamentary elections, where the Communist Party was poised for a strong performance. The agency spent heavily in support of candidates from the centrist Christian Democratic Party, which won a clear majority at the polls in April 1948. For Truman and his successors, it was proof of concept: Covert operations seemed to offer a relatively cheap way to confront the Soviets without risking a wider war. President Dwight Eisenhower expanded the CIAs brief from influencing elections to toppling governments, leading to regime changes in Iran in 1953 and Guatemala in 1954. More chillingly, in 1960, he approved (whether expressly or tacitly is still disputed) the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the charismatic leader of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although the plot fizzled out, Lumumba was soon killed in the aftermath of a CIA-backed coup, and the Kennedy administration followed Eisenhowers example with its futile campaign against Fidel Castro.

Rogg and Lowenthal acknowledge that the CIAs forays into regime change and assassination damaged the American governments reputation abroad and its standing at home. Yet their evaluations of CIA excesses are oddly muted, as if botched attempts to murder foreign leaders were just another form of intelligence failure. In fact, the Cold War coups and assassinations were not merely missteps. They were abuses, with shattering consequences still being felt today. For history that treats these shady events with the appropriate degree of outrage, one must look to such recent works as Stuart Reids The Lumumba Plot and Hugh Wilfords The CIA: An Imperial History.

In the mid-1970s, thanks to an inquisitive press and a newly assertive Congress, the public began to learn about the CIAs more outlandish undertakings: not just coups and killings but also mind-control experiments (the notorious MKUltra program) and the surveillance of American citizens. One result was reform; the president, for instance, is now required by law to inform Congress before launching a covert operation. Another consequence was a growing culture of suspicion. Revelations of a seemingly lawless intelligence state awakened Americans long-standing wariness of spies, which, in the aftermath of Vietnam and Watergate, acquired a cynical, paranoid aspect, evident in films such as Three Days of the Condor that depict the agency as a sinister shadow government.

Another name for shadow government is deep state. At first blush, President Trumps conspiratorial view of intelligence appears not so different from that held by many other Baby Boomers; witness his obsession with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. But in raising the specter of unchecked spy agencies, Trump doesnt see a threat to the nation. He sees a threat to himself. He has been a relentless antagonist of the intelligence community since 2016, when it concluded that Russia meddled in that years presidential election to aid his campaign. Newly emboldened in his second term, Trump appears determined to bend the spy agencies to his will, filling his administrations key intelligence jobs with the likes of Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel, unqualified outsiders chosen for their willingness to parrot his false claims of witch hunts and rigged elections.

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[Read: Inside the fiasco at the National Security Council]

In saner times, under sounder leadership, changes to the intelligence community would perhaps be welcome. The CIA never fully regained the trust it lost in the 1970s; what progress it made was largely undone during the War on Terror, when its use of torture, rendition, and drone strikes of questionable legalityalongside the National Security Agencys mass-surveillance programagain underscored the danger that an unaccountable intelligence apparatus poses to the nations constitutional order. These transgressions should have led Congress to consider fundamental reforms to Americas spy agencies, including a long-overdue mandate that they forgo covert action and focus on the essential work of foreign-intelligence gathering and analysis. But no overhaul is forthcoming, leaving the CIA and its peers vulnerable to Trumps demagoguery, and Americans vulnerable to the whims of a surveillance state. Now, like much of the rest of the federal government, the intelligence community finds itself subject to thoughtless demolition. In April, the president fired the head of the NSA after the conspiracist Laura Loomer accused him of disloyalty; in early May, the administration announced plans to cut more than a thousand jobs at the CIA and other spy agencies. The timing could hardly be worse. As the United States enters a new era of great-power competition, it urgently needs information about its adversaries abroad. But for at least the next few years, Americas spy agencies will have their hands full with the rogue government at home.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
Editors note: This clip is from Jan. 16, 2025

ST. LOUIS  The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office is asking for the publics help in relation to a fatal dog attack that occurred on Jan. 15, 2025.

According to the office, prosecutors are alleging that the owners dogs attacked Gladys Anthony, 62, and her husband in the Walnut Park neighborhood.

According to officials, Anthony, who was deaf, died from her injuries while in surgery, but her husband survived the attack.

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This heartbreaking event has left a family mourning and a community shaken, said Circuit Attorney Gore. Were asking anyone with information about this attack, or any previous incidents involving these same dogs, to reach out and help us move this investigation forward.

FOX 2 has learned that the alleged suspect is not in custody and has not received any charges in relation to the incident.

According to a previous FOX 2 report, the dogs in the attackwhose breeds werent disclosedwere seized by the St. Louis Citys Animal Control Division.

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Police initially said they were investigating how the dogs got out of their yard at a nearby home.

Thats all under investigation. There appears to be some kind of hole in the fence. We dont know if the dogs had dug their way out of that backyard, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Director of Public Affairs Mitch McCoy said previously.

The Circuit Attorneys Office urges anyone with potential leads surrounding the event or past incidents regarding the dogs to contact them at 314-622-4941 or email info@circuitattorney.org.

Tips can also be provided to a detective with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department at 314-444-0001.

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ST. LOUIS  St. Louis City has agreed to a $4 million settlement over complaints of inhumane conditions at the old city jail, known as the Workhouse.

The settlement follows a seven-year lawsuit that highlighted the poor conditions at the facility, which ultimately led to its closure in 2022.

Nearly 16,000 former inmates who were held at the Workhouse are eligible to receive a portion of the settlement funds.

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The lawsuit brought attention to the inhumane conditions that inmates faced at the Workhouse, prompting calls for reform and eventual closure of the facility.

The settlement aims to compensate those who were affected by these conditions. If all eligible individuals apply for compensation, the payout would average around $250 per person.

All facts from this article were gathered by KTVI journalists. This article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KTVI staff.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
TOWN OF OSWEGATCHIE, N.Y. (WWTI)  A 20-year-old Lisbon man who was charged in am alleged stabbing was reportedly found in a barn in St. Lawrence County on Saturday, May 3.

According to the St. Lawrence County Sheriffs Office, they arrested Terry Krake and charged him with a felony county of third-degree criminal mischief and a misdemeanor count of third-degree criminal trespass after he allegedly broke into a barn on the River Road in the town of Oswegatchie.

Ogdensburg man facing assault charges after alleged knife attack

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Authorities were called after reports of a burglary in progress. Sheriffs deputies said that were assisting New York State Police with an investigation of a stabbing down the way on the River Road.

Deputies responded to the call where they allegedly found Krake after he allegedly broken into the barn via a window, which he broke.

Krake had allegedly been involved in an altercation earlier in the night. He allegedly displayed a knife and slashed a person in the eye and rib cage.

Krake was turned over to the state police and is scheduled to appear in the Oswegatchie Town Court.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com.
What, exactly, is the point of Sir Keir Starmers Government?

This isnt a rhetorical question. Its not a rhetorical set-up for a cheap joke about raising your taxes to subsidise Indian workers, or establishing representation without taxation for as many migrants as possible. I mean that if you sat down and grilled the Prime Minister, Im not sure hed be able to give you an answer.

After less than a year in office, the Labour Party is drowning in a sea of rapidly proliferating targets and rebrands.

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We already have six milestones, six first steps and five missions by which to measure and judge the Government, and after last weeks local election drubbing another reset appears imminent as Sir Keir attempts to stuff Nigel Farage back into his box.

As Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter remarked, strategy is choosing what not to do. If everything is your first priority, nothing is. And if you attempt to chase every car that passes by, youll end up in a dizzy mess exactly where you started.

So far, that appears to be the fate of Sir Keirs Government. With few principles beyond a blind adherence to a maximalist interpretation of international law to guide it, Downing Street has no way to coherently assess trade-offs, or to maintain a course towards long-term objectives.

The result is an operation that is constantly on the back foot, reacting to the world around it with slapdash policy decisions that fail to cohere into a programme for government.

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The India trade deal is an excellent example of the chaos that results. Taken on its own, its probably mostly fine. Theres still a chance that the Government is attempting to pull a fast one on migration, but assume for a moment that it isnt. Then you have a deal that will raise GDP by about 0.1pc, and boost real wages by cutting the prices of a few imports.

Its a minor victory that could be sold as a big one, appealing to precisely those Reform voters who want to see the Government capitalising on Brexit.

But its also a deal that gives Indian workers posted to Britain a three-year tax break on National Insurance contributions just as the UK is raising the tax burden to its highest level since the Second World War. Those defending the deal have claimed its simply a way of avoiding the same work being taxed twice, which entirely misses the point.

If these workers are in Britain, earning British incomes, making use of British infrastructure and institutions to earn their incomes, then they should be paying British taxes, and doubly so at a point when Rachel Reeves is imposing 36bn in tax rises to try and make the books balance.

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India is desperate to send educated workers overseas because it cant provide enough work for them domestically  its graduate unemployment rate is roughly 13pc  and because their labour has rapidly become one of its most important exports. Personal remittances to India are equivalent to roughly 3pc of its GDP, roughly four times higher than inwards direct investment, and sufficient to cover its external trade deficit.

From Indias point of view, relieving its ex-pats of the burden of UK taxes  and lets remember, thats what National Insurance actually is  is a great deal that allows it to continue collecting its own social security contributions and frees up income to be brought back with the worker when their posting ends.

From the Treasurys point of view, a paper co-authored by the Confederation of Indian Industry put the cost in the region of 500m or so a year in 2020. Given that National Insurance revenue has risen roughly 25pc since then, the deal could end up being a 625m-a-year sweetener tied to making it easier for migrants to work in Britain.

This, remember, in a week where Labour is preparing a migration crackdown in an attempt to ward off Reform, in a period when concern over fiscal pressures is seeing departments ordered to scrimp and save at the public expense. The problem isnt so much that the deal is a bad one, more that its one that is hard to sell alongside other elements of the Starmer agenda. When policy in each field is being made in response to immediate pressures, theres no common theme.

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Donald Trump is expected to reveal a trade deal with the UK on Thursday that will leave the baseline liberation day tariff of 10pc in place, and which wont entirely eliminate the additional tariffs on cars, steel and aluminium.

While it will undoubtedly be announced with much fanfare, as JP Morgan has argued, the benefits are likely to be very small. I would go further: relative to the state of play a few months ago, we will be even be worse off.

The scope to seek a more ambitious deal appears to have been limited in part because Downing Street wants a closer deal with Europe. Then again, this will in turn be limited by fears of too openly walking back the Brexit vote. Torn between two outcomes, Sir Keir will choose neither.

Over and over, the same pattern plays out. The Prime Minister who set out to cut red tape has created 27 quangos while drafting employment-destroying regulations. The leader who slammed a Tory experiment with open borders has ended up renting houses for illegal migrants. And a Europhile who wants closer ties to the EU has ended up torn between that goal and capitalising on opportunities with trade with the US, making political concessions without fully realising the potential economic benefits.

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Returning to Porter, what is Sir Keir choosing not to do?

He isnt willing to confront the courts and the activists on illegal migration. He isnt willing to bite the bullet on NHS reform, or address the broken university fee system driving the sector off a cliff, or address the government failures bankrupting councils.

He isnt willing to commit to Europe or to the globe. In short, hes choosing not to make big decisions.

Its less a matter of a Prime Minister triangulating between constraints than it is veering from decision to decision with no real plan, a manager without an objective to reach.

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Strangely, the core of the problem may be that Sir Keir is too conservative in a very loose sense of the word, instinctively attempting to preserve the systems hes inherited rather than attempting to reshape them.

Indeed, where possible he appears to take his cue from the rules rather than making decisions for himself. So a budget black hole is no barrier to forking out billions to give away a vital strategic asset in the Chagos Islands, and the definition of woman is made clear by the stroke of a judges pen.

But this is clearly inadequate for the challenges facing Britain. When youre headed for the rocks, the challenge isnt keeping the ship of state on an even keel. Its finding a new direction.

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.
Scott Allen, a five-term representative in the state Assembly, has become the first candidate to announce he will seek Waukesha's mayoral seat in the spring 2026 election.

The surprise announcement on May 8 at Dady-Ohs Restaurant in downtown Waukesha carried with it concerns Allen says are evident in the city's negative budget outlook  an issue he said he can address with "creativity and candor" and an academic background suited to the purpose. But his thoughts on the city also included positive views.

"There is no more beautiful city in Waukesha County, maybe southeastern Wisconsin, than the City of Waukesha," Allen said in a news release. "It would be an honor to serve as the citys mayor."

Waukesha's finances have poor outlook through 2029

However, Allen, whose sixth legislative term in District 82 ends in January 2027, acknowledged that he feels the city needs to address its financial sustainability.

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In a May 8 phone interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Allen said his review of the city's financial situation was an important first step to any effort before considering a campaign for mayor.

"When I started looking at the (mayoral seat), I wanted to know what are we going to have to deal with, what's coming up, what's on the horizon, what are the challenges we'll face," he said. "I looked at the reporting on the city's last budget and the city's financial management plan."

He discovered a likely 2027 city budget deficit, based on revenue and increased expense projections, that could grow to $8 million by 2028 and 2029.

"I was thinking  rationalizing it within myself  that 'you've got the skills to help navigate this challenge.' So I started talking with supporters and stakeholders in the community, and everyone said, 'Yes, you should definitely run,'" Allen said.

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He pointed to both his academic background  his two masters degrees, in urban planning and in public administration  and his past roles on the Waukesha County Community Development Block Grant board and a three-year aldermanic term on the Waukesha Common Council as strong points that will help him address the issues.

Beyond finances, Allen said Waukesha's other challenges include economic growth, generally a measure of population trends and land development. "Our growth has largely stalled," he said.

That assessment is based on data from 1990 to 2000 and from 2000 to 2010  periods in which there was "good, positive growth," Allen said. Since 2010, that hasn't been the case.

"Part of that is because we are a maturing city, and we are finding ourselves a little bit landlocked," he said. "But that's where the creativity needs to come in. We need to figure out a way to continue to grow."

Ties to the city date back to 1995 and 2020 return

Allen, who in addition to serving part-time in the state Assembly is also a business owner and a real estate agent, said his decision to serve in local government was driven in part by his feelings for his adopted hometown.

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A Racine native, he moved to the City of Waukesha in 1995. Though he moved to Mukwonago and later the then-Town of Waukesha for a while, Allen returned to the city in 2020.

"There is a lot of great assets that the community has, a lot of great things that we have to offer," he said. "And we have to really work together and collaborate to figure out how to continue to be an attractive, vibrant community where the people want to live and work and grow their businesses."

Reilly confirms he isn't seeking reelection as mayor

The mayoral seat is currently held by Shawn Reilly, who was first elected in 2014 and reelected in 2018 and 2022. But Reilly, who beat challenger Lisa Salb by a nearly 2-to-1 margin in the 2022 election, confirmed in a May 8 phone interview that he has no plans for run for reelection in 2026.

He foresees a multi-candidate race for the seat early next year.

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"I assume, based upon how mayoral races in Waukesha have gone in the past, there'll be quite a few people running," Reilly said. "I also want to add that I'm still going to be working as mayor for 10 to 11 months, so it's early. We'll find out who else is running probably in the next three or four months or so."

In his Assembly reelection bid in November 2024, Allen defeated the mayor's brother, Kevin Reilly, by a 15-point margin. Allen said he has not yet talked to Shawn Reilly about his decision to seek the mayoral seat but will likely do so soon.

Contact reporter Jim Riccioli at james.riccioli@jrn.com.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: State Rep. Scott Allen will seek Waukesha mayoral seat in 2026
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality had bad news for Crook County residents. Recent tests revealed that their well water had disturbingly high levels of pollutants, as reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting.

What's happening?

Crook County residents have had an ongoing problem with a gravel mining site run by Knife River Corporation. Their claims of polluted water were largely ignored or refuted until February, when the DEQ's test results were publicized. Manganese, iron, and aluminum were found in the water and seemed to be increasing.

Ashley McCormick, a Crook County local, shared her correspondence with an Oregon Health Authority toxicologist with OPB. They said: "I definitely would not recommend drinking it.  The manganese levels are high enough to cause health concerns."

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McCormick claimed the problem extended beyond drinking. After bathing, her children broke out in hives. They can no longer use the water in their house.

Though the cause is still technically unconfirmed, all signs seem to point to Knife River Corporation. Central Oregon Daily reported that the company is now washing rocks in settling ponds that geologist Jim Newton said are directly linked to the county's aquifer.

Why do these test results matter?

This is about more than Crook County. Water pollution is a serious global issue with consequences for both human health and the environment.

Well water can be contaminated by a number of human-made causes, such as fossil fuel production, landfills, and  you guessed it  mining. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, water containing heavy metals can lead to intestinal damage at best and cancer at worst.

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These activities aren't just being conducted in Crook County. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were over 6,000 active sand and gravel mines in the U.S. in 2023, much like Knife River's. Mines also make water more acidic, harming wildlife and damaging ecosystems.

What's being done about it?

The DEQ told OPB that Knife River's expansion is on hold. It also recently acquired federal funding to help reduce pollution.

If you want to help on an individual level, you can limit your water pollution by ditching fabric softener or switching to powdered detergent.

How often do you worry about the quality of your drinking water? Never Sometimes Often Always 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.
(FOX 5/KUSI)  With summer approaching and temperatures rising, state officials are warning Californians about the increased risk of wildfires  and urging them to take steps now to protect their homes.

State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant visited the San Diego area this week to demonstrate home hardening measures to help prevent wildfire destruction. A live fire demonstration showed the stark contrast between a home built to resist wildfires and one without those safeguards.

Its all part of the California Wildfire Prepared Home Program, Berlant said. Were making sure that those who cant afford to do this work, who cant physically do this work, are able to get this done.

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One of the key components of the program is creating Zone Zero  the first five feet around a home. Fire officials recommend replacing mulch and vegetation with gravel, using non-combustible gutters and downspouts, installing flame- and ember-resistant vents, ensuring the roof has a Class A fire rating, and clearing six inches of space at the base of exterior walls.

Defensible space remains important, with fire agencies advising at least 30 feet of clearance around homes, but Berlant emphasized that these new measures offer additional protection.

One of the things we have learned is that if one neighbor does everything right but the next door neighbor does not, theyre both still at risk, he said.

The increased severity of recent wildfires has also had major financial consequences. Entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles County were leveled by recent fires, and the destruction has put the insurance industry under pressure. Many homeowners have either lost their insurance coverage or are paying significantly higher premiums.

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We are seeing insurance companies constrict their writing because of these increasing wildfires, said State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.

Lara stressed the importance of proactive mitigation efforts. If a home does this mitigation, theyre insurable. They keep their insurance  and by the way, their insurance actually goes down, almost by 22 percent in some cases.

Fire victim Diana Griffin knows the risks all too well. Her home in the San Diego County community of Crest was destroyed during the 2003 Cedar Fire.

We didnt think the fire was going to make it over to our house, Griffin said. Even though you think youre safe, you never know.

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Griffin urged homeowners  especially those living near canyons, hills or open space  to take fire danger seriously. Embers with the winds can go into your air ducts and onto your plants close to your house and start fires that way, she said.

For homeowners facing insurance issues, Lara encouraged contacting the California Department of Insurance for assistance.

Were here to help, he said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)- A state historical marker will be unveiled in Augusta  honoring a man who was a trailblazer during his time.

The Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, in partnership with the Georgia Historical Society and Pamplin College at Augusta University will be hosting the big ceremony.

Two of them got accepted here in Augusta and students out of Pamplin College of AU have been waiting for this moment.

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It will honor Rev. Dr. William Jefferson White.

He was a religious and civil rights leader who lived most of his life in Augusta.

He wore many hats like starting the Augusta Institute, now Morehouse College.

In 1880, he established Augustas Ware High School and Georgia Baptist, a weekly African American newspaper that covered religious and civil rights issues.

AUs Dr. Melissa DeVelvis and her students started the process for the marker 2 years ago.

It goes to the Committee for the Georgia Historical Society. They get like at least 30 applications every year. They pick around six. And we were one of them. And its not only just us, the congregation, Children of Israel Synagogue downtown also got one this year. And so a month after ours. Yeah. So August, they got to state historic markers this year, which is super cool, said DeVelvis.

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The unveiling will take place at Harmony Baptist Church on Hopkins St at 10am.

Photojournalist: Dania Alawir

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
As a mounting list of executive orders and federal actions has been waged against higher education, some Massachusetts lawmakers aim to tax colleges that prioritize legacy applicants, children of donors or offer early decision.

The bill, which was discussed during a hearing at the Joint Committee on Higher Education on Monday, would make those institutions pay a public service fee to fund state institutions based on their endowment size.

That would force institutions like Harvard University to contribute over $106 million, Amherst College to contribute $8.6 million, Williams College to contribute $5.6 million and Wellesley College to contribute $4.5 million, among others.

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The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Massachusetts Amherst wouldnt be taxed because they dont use the admissions practices.

Daily chaos

During the hearing, Brad Freeman, vice president of government relations for the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts, raised concerns about the bill, especially given the current challenges higher education is facing.

As Massachusetts prepares for demographic changes and economic headwinds along with daily chaos... from D.C., it would be harmful to prohibit colleges and universities from utilizing proven admissions processes such as early decision, which allows campuses to begin building out their classes with students who are passionate about joining that community, Freeman said.

The banning of this admissions tool, which enrolls students ranging from Pell-eligible students with a hundred percent financial need. To full-pay students would make Massachusetts the only state in the country with such a policy and put to commonwealth our colleges and universities, our students and parents at an enormous disadvantage, Freeman said.

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The bill comes at a time where President Donald Trump is threatening to strip Harvards tax-exempt status, barring the institution from receiving new federal grants and threatening to take away federal funding from many higher education institutions.

Principles of fairness

In a statement to MassLive, state Rep. Simon Cataldo, D-14th Middlesex, said the admissions practices are wrong regardless of who the president is.

Meaningful admissions reform in higher education must transcend political cycles  ensuring basic principles of fairness and merit remain steadfast priorities, no matter who occupies the White House. The pernicious practices of donor-based, legacy and binding early decision admission were wrong when we first introduced this bill in January 2023, and remain wrong in our current higher education landscape, Cataldo said.

Sen. Pavel Payano, D-1st Essex, who also sponsored the bill, agreed, stating that students from communities like mine cannot afford to wait.

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By ending legacy, donor and binding early decision preferences and directing the resulting contributions to our community and state colleges, Massachusetts can show the college admission process is based solely on the merit of the applicant. This bill gives every hardworking student applying to school in the Commonwealth a fair shot based solely on what their achievements, Payano said.

However, Freeman said the decision to seek early admission is a choice families should make, not legislators. The tax is punitive and ultimately will drive students away rather than attract them to Massachusetts, he said.

Higher education is facing a crisis in Washington and I urge the committee to not add to the regulatory and financial burden that is ascending on our sector, he said.

Solutions independent of the law

In response to Freemans comments, Payano asked Freeman during the hearing how hed address concerns that early decision might disadvantage students from low-income backgrounds and Black and Brown communities who cant commit without being able to compare financial aid offers.

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It creates, I think, a difficult situation when you see individuals that are getting in  it looks like there [are] seats for individuals that have wealth, Payano said.

Freeman said he has heard from institutions that Pell-eligible students are represented in both early decision and regular decision and that institutions have gone need-blind or are meeting the full need of students from families with a certain income level.

For instance, Harvard University announced that it will cover tuition for families that earn $200,000 or less and will cover tuition, food, housing, health insurance and travel costs for families with annual incomes of $100,000 or less.

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The legislation has been discussed for a couple of years now. In 2023, Cataldo and Payano introduced the bill, entitled An Act to advance fairness, integrity, and excellence in higher education admissions.

Both Cataldo and Payano filed the bill in anticipation of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions, according to past reporting from MassLive.

In addition to taxing institutions based on admissions practices, the bill requires colleges and universities to share admissions data, such as the number of legacy students admitted. The information would then be shared publicly to the office of the Attorney General and the states Department of Higher Education.

Other legislation

Other bills were also discussed during the hearing, which focused on eliminating legacy admissions from colleges and universities in Massachusetts.

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One of those bills is sponsored by Sen. Lydia Edwards, D-3rd Suffolk, and state Rep. Michael Moran, D-18th Suffolk, entitled An Act banning legacy preferences in higher education. The ban would be in both private and public institutions.

California, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia and Colorado have all banned legacy admissions in part or all of their institutions. Four-year institutions that consider legacy in admissions has plummeted from 49% in 2015 to 24%, according to a report from Education Reform Now.

Several students, legislators and organizers spoke to the importance of getting rid of legacy admissions in Massachusetts during the hearing.

When I talk to my classmates from these very wealthy backgrounds, I find it shocking how many of them knew that Harvard would be their school because of their legacy status, said Maddie Register, a first year at Harvard.

More Higher Ed

Read the original article on MassLive.
GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA)  State lawmakers are responding after the South Carolina Board of Education banned 10 more books on Tuesday, making the total number 22.

According to Pen America, the state now leads the nation for statewide book bans.

This means that people have lost the freedom to read. As a state that prides itself on giving people freedom, this is quite contrary to who we say we are, Chaundra Dillard, member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

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The South Carolina Board of Education said the books that were banned are in violation of the states new regulation.

The states new regulation deems any book depicting sexual conduct on the page to be inappropriate for all public school students in grades K-12.

Republican State Senator, Josh Kimbrell, supports the regulation.

The point of the regulation is to have some parental consent, Kimbrell said. We want to be sure that parents are involved in their childs education and to be sure that parents get a say at this  that you dont have books on the shelves in the public school library where mom and dad dont know what their kids are being given to read.

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Some parents said books are a bridge to understanding. The South Carolina Board of Education is potentially cutting off those bridges by banning certain books.

All parents like me have a right to opt their kids out of reading a book if its something that they dont think their kids should read, said Paul Bowers, American Civil Liberties Union S.C. That right exists in every school district and within your rights as a parent. What crosses the line is when one parent makes that decision on behalf of all parents in South Carolina.

The majority of challenges being made are by one woman from the Lowcountry.

We have a population of 5 million people. For one person to be able to take books off the shelf, primarily? That does not sit well with me and that should not sit well with the citizens of South Carolina, said Dillard.

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People told us that they would have liked for the Board of Education to read through the books before coming to a decision.

At the state level under Regulation 4-3 170, the board is not required to read the books at all. We see little evidence that they have, said Bowers. Instead, theyre handed a list of passages that one lawyer at the Department of Education has said are illegal under this ordinance and they ban the books. Its not thoughtful. It doesnt take into consideration literary merit or educational value.

Democratic State Representative, Chaundra Dillard, believes the list and the process of banning books need to be reviewed.

We have educators who are trained, from librarians to teachers to people, who it is their job to look at curriculum, to look at what is the age appropriate, Dillard said. If those folks are not making the decisions, then we have failed our students.

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No ones saying you cant go to Barnes & Noble [and] nobodys saying [that] were sending the swat team out to come get them (books) from your house, Kimbrell said. Were saying that we want the Board of Education to take a look at whats appropriate and [to] make sure moms and dads are informed of what their kids are reading, and make sure that theres age appropriate materials.

As of now, the American Civil Liberties Union said they do not plan on taking legal action against the Board of Education.

7NEWS has reached out to the Board of Education several times for comment. We have yet to hear back.

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Capital outlay the New Mexico Legislature set aside earlier this year for two new Santa Fe firetrucks sparked a recent debate at City Hall over whether councilors should individually lobby state lawmakers.

Councilor Signe Lindell raised concerns during a Finance Committee meeting last week after questioning where the $2.4 million budgeted for the trucks had come from.

Fire Chief Brian Moya said the firefighters union had lobbied lawmakers directly for the funds after the new trucks didn't make it on the city's legislative wishlist.

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Councilor Pilar Faulkner, a professional lobbyist, interjected, saying she had worked with the union to help secure state capital outlay for the firetrucks and that Moya was not involved. She had "no regrets," she added.

Lindell, appearing perturbed, indicated the move to secure the state funds was out of bounds. "It just seems like were not playing as a team," she said, "and somebodys got to address that."

She pointed out the vehicles had not been listed among the city's legislative funding requests and had not been presented to councilors as a priority last year when they were considering a spate of one-time allocations using surplus gross receipts tax revenue. She also complained repeatedly during the meeting her District 1 didn't receive any infrastructure funding from the state for the next fiscal year.

Councilor Carol Romero-Wirth also objected, describing Faulkner and the union's lobbying as an "end run" around the City Council.

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"We really need to not do that in the future," she said, adding the council has to make hard choices every year about what to prioritize.

But Faulkner, the city's contracted lobbyist and at least one local state lawmaker all noted the Legislature's capital outlay process gives legislators and the governor  not the city  discretion over how to divvy the infrastructure funds in their control.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, for instance, allocated $5 million last year for upgrades to Fort Marcy park. The request had not been on the city's wish list and appeared to be part of the governor's desire to help beautify the state's capital city.

This year, the governor allocated $10 million for an abortion clinic to be established somewhere in Northern New Mexico  a move that raised the ire of Republicans.

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"The capital outlay process is completely discretionary, and lawmakers alone decide where they want to put their resources for that year," city lobbyist J.D. Bullington said Wednesday, adding lawmakers for major municipalities such as Santa Fe often coordinate on how to allocate their shares.

'I have no regrets'

The city received a combined $525,000 from Rep. Reena Szczepanski and Sen. Linda Trujillo, both Santa Fe Democrats, for a new fire engine for Station 3. It also received $1.5 million from Lujan Grisham and another $400,000 from the Legislature for a new ladder truck for Station 7.

Lindell said the total $2.4 million in the city's proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 took her by surprise.

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Ahead of the legislative session each year, the City Council approves a resolution outlining its legislative priorities, which includes a laundry list of funds for capital projects  some for the city overall and some for each council district. The requests are based on the city's Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan, which ranks funding needs. The city received about $6 million for its projects, and a total of more than $18 million for projects it will oversee as the fiscal sponsor.

While the firetrucks were a top priority for the fire department, they didn't make the city's shortlist.

Moya took the blame for catching the council off guard.

The fire department union had successfully lobbied the Legislature in the past for money for self-contained breathing apparatuses, he said, and decided to try its hand again.

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I did not communicate clearly with the mayor the union was going to request for these firetrucks to be purchased," Moya said.

Faulkner said she helped the union with the effort, something she felt was necessary this year because of the long lead time to get the trucks built and delivered to Santa Fe  at least two to three years. She pointed out some of the city's older vehicles will be aging out in the coming years.

"If we kept postponing building the trucks, we were going to have trucks that dont work with no trucks coming in," she said. "That is all on me, and I take 100% responsibility for it, and Im glad that I did it, and I have no regrets."

'The pie is only so big'

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While Lindell had argued her district was left out of legislative allocations, one District 1 project did get partially funded. The city requested $1 million for the replacement of a pedestrian bridge at Shelby Street and received $250,000 from Democratic Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth's share of capital outlay.

Lindell conceded in a Wednesday interview she had been mistaken.

"I was uninformed, and I misspoke on that," she said, adding she is "very grateful" for the bridge funding.

Still, she stood by her disapproval of "outside lobbying."

"I think it's inappropriate," she said Wednesday.

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It's unfair to the rest of the city, Lindell argued, because it takes away money that could be going toward projects councilors have identified as top priorities.

"The pie is only so big, and if you add stuff in, you take away from what we had agreed on as a council are our priorities," she said.

Faulkner said she understands the reasoning behind the council's resolution laying out its priorities  but she doesn't feel beholden to it.

"The reality is, we have every right as councilors to lobby for things we think would be best for our district, whether its in the ICIP list or not," she said.

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She also pushed back on Lindell's assertion money for new firetrucks took something away from the city: "That's a benefit for the whole city," she said.

Faulkner in recent months has been the most vocal supporter on the City Council for the police and fire departments and has been actively lobbying for more stringent public safety ordinances.

She co-sponsored a resolution with Mayor Alan Webber last year to restrict sitting or standing in narrow city medians and is working with Councilors Lee Garcia and Amanda Chavez on a package of public safety bills focused on curbing reckless driving and other crimes.

'Line in the sand'

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Faulkner said it is an "open secret" some Santa Fe-area lawmakers are frustrated with how slowly the city moves forward with construction projects funded with state capital outlay, leaving funds unspent for long periods of time. She also noted one lawmaker did not allocate any money to a city project this year.

Unspent capital outlay has been an ongoing frustration among lawmakers across New Mexico, with backlogs growing to nearly $6 billion.

Rep. Linda Serrato, D-Santa Fe, said Wednesday she did not give any money to the city except the $300,000 she allocated for Phase 3 of Tierra Contenta, a south-side development led by Homewise Inc. that will include a large share of affordable housing. She cited her frustrations with the city over its failure to spend previous legislative allocations for a sewer line connection on Jemez Road, a neighborhood that long has been waiting for service.

"It is incomprehensible to me why they cannot get a sewer line," Serrato said, especially as the city spends millions of dollars in reserve funding and unanticipated gross receives tax revenue.

She described the sewer line project as her "line in the sand" and said she has made clear to city officials she will not give money to more of its projects until the sewer line is complete.

I cannot in good conscience give New Mexican dollars when it is not being spent on essential services for my community," she said.
DES MOINES, IOWA  The Iowa House Minority Leader announced her bid for Iowas Third Congressional District on Thursday morning.

State Representative Jennifer Konfrst (D), District 32 from Windsor Heights, has been serving at the state level in the Iowa House for six years and is now aiming to get elected to federal office.

Konfrst says that she made her decision to officially run for Congress on Inauguration Day for President Trump. She has been in the Iowa House since 2019 and has been the Democratic party leader in that chamber since 2021.

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She said politics isnt something she thought shed ever get into.

This was not my plan to be a politician either. Right? Like, I just got into this in my 40s. And so its sort of hard for me to get used to the idea at all. But after seeing how much Washington and Iowa politics and policy really interact at the legislature, Ive seen just how much more we need to do and work with at the federal level, said Konfrst.

She also spoke about the people she serves at the state level and their needs, prompting her decision, You know, I have a constituent who called and said that her job is being eliminated on April or on June 30th. And I said, is it federal funding? Or state? And she said, I dont know. And that is what so many people are facing is this uncertainty. And so the urgency about this really came about after, after January when I started seeing just how much was happening and how much chaos is going on. And really wanted to get out there and try to fight for folks like my mom and me, and my parents, and my kids.

Konfrst is a professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Drake University in Des Moines. She is married with two children.

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Konfrst joins State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott in the Democratic primary race for a chance to face incumbent Congressman Zach Nunn (R) in November 2026.

A spokesperson for Nunn released a statement following Konfrsts announcement, saying, Zach Nunn isnt jockeying for headlines, hes working across the aisle to deliver real results for Iowans. Whether its securing our southern border, cutting reckless government spending, or protecting benefits for our most vulnerable communities, hes focused on service over politics. Ranked in the top 10 most bipartisan members of Congress, Zach Nunn consistently puts Iowa first.

Watch Zach Fishers full interview with Rep. Konfrst below:

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NEW YORK (PIX11)  From hero State Trooper to disgraced State Trooper, that was the scene that played out in Nassau County Court where Thomas Mascia was prepared to admit that he actually shot himself, and not by an unknown shooter as he originally reported.

We are not here today to celebrate, said Attorney Jeffrey Lichtman. We are here today because hes suffering significant mental illness.

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The 27-year-old former officer showed up in court with his mother and father, prepared to accept a plea deal, admitting that he has been suffering from mental issues for years.

It was last October when Mascia claimed he was shot in the leg by a motorist he went to help on the Southern State Parkway. That triggered a multi-state manhunt for the assailant.

Mascia received a heros reception when he was released from the hospital. Holes were quickly punched in his story until it was determined there was no assailant.

In court, the judge asked Mascia if he was in good mental health to take a guilty plea. Initially, he said no, which quickly changed to yes after conferring with his lawyer. Out of caution, the judge pushed the plea deal to another date.

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Im not telling him to lie, said Lichtman. I want him to tell the truth, and if he says hes not feeling well mentally, it doesnt mean for a second that he is unable to take a guilty plea.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

Mascia would not speak to reporters as he left the court. He is charged with tampering with physical evidence, falsely reporting an incident, and official misconduct. His parents were also prepared to plead guilty to a charge of illegal gun possession found in their home. The family said they wore green in support of Mental Health Awareness Month.

Mascias lawyer said his client had hoped to get this over with today. I wouldnt say he was disappointed, but numb and shocked from this whole thing to go through. He was a decorated officer. Now, hes sitting in the blink of an eye as a criminal defendant with the press chasing him down the street.

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Mascia will be back in court on May 21 when his guilty plea will get him six months in jail and five years probation. In addition, hell have to pay more than $289,5000 in restitution for the expenses police encountered trying to find an assailant who never existed.

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N.C. Gov. Josh Stein called on state lawmakers on Thursday to approve a plan to help fight against fentanyl.

The governor was in Charlotte to propose a new Fentanyl Control Unit.

Gov. Stein visits western NC after Senate approves round of Helene disaster relief

The unit would be comprised of specialized drug agents and prosecutors who would focus on stopping drug trafficking operations.

It will protect people from fentanyl, save families from these tragic losses, and support local law enforcement officers as they do their job, especially in the complicated work across jurisdictional drug rings, Stein said.

The initiative would be funded through the upcoming state budget.

VIDEO: Stein marks 100th day in office with visit to western NC
When Malis Colonel Assimi Goita first seized power in a coup in 2020, the West African nation erupted in joy. His promises to hold elections and bring stability to parts of the country troubled by armed groups were tantalising for a nation under siege.

Nearly five years later, however, Goita has repeatedly reneged on those promises. The security situation has only marginally improved, with violence and killings  sometimes by government forces  reported regularly in areas outside the capital, Bamako, while elections have been postponed.

Somehow, popular support for Goita has largely held  until now.

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Public anger at the military government was evident on May 3 when hundreds of people gathered in Bamako with defiant fists raised in protest. The demonstrations  a visible first against the military  came after government officials proposed at a national conference last week that Goita lead the country until 2030 and that political parties be dissolved.

On Wednesday, the government suspended political parties until further notice for reasons of public order, before mass protests slated for Friday.

The rare revolts signal a reawakening by Malians, whose popular protests against previous rulers built the vacuum that allowed the military to seize power. Many had promised to return to the streets if the regime held on to power indefinitely.

For many people, even those who supported the government at first, this is a step too far, Ousmane Diallo, Sahel researcher at Amnesty International, told Al Jazeera. They see it as Goita trying to consolidate and hold on to power, and they have resolved to stand against it.

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The protests almost turned into an all-out brawl at the central Cultural Palace in downtown Bamako, as pro-transition youth armed with green-, gold-, and red-coloured Malian flags launched counter-rallies. Violence might not be far off, Diallo said, as more Malians are likely to react to the military governments decrees. In July 2020, protests against the previous government were met with violent crackdowns by security forces, and at least 14 people were killed.

Theres a real backlash now, and things could get more heated, especially if factions of the military decide to ally with the streets, Diallo said, referring to possible mutinies within the army.

Colonel Assimi Goita came to power through two coups in 2020 and 2021 [File: Michele Cattani/AFP]

Broken promises

Goitas coup in August 2020 came during a wave of mass antigovernment protests in Bamako because of advancing swarms of armed groups from the north. The groups  which are still active and aim to build caliphates  rendered huge swaths of the country ungovernable, sacking villages, killing civilians and displacing hundreds. ISIL affiliate in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) and al-Qaeda-linked Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) are two of the most active ones.

At the time, Malians blamed the civilian government for failing to deal with the threat. This despite assistance from a United Nations peacekeeping mission and former colonial power France, both of which had deployed more than 15,000 soldiers in northern Mali. So when young soldiers appeared on state television and declared a coup, most were in support.

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Goita, 36 at the time, struck a visionary image with his promises of elections and peace. He installed a civilian-led transition government, while he stayed on as vice president. Under pressure from the regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to hold elections, Goita presented a transition charter spelling out that the military vice president could in no case be president, and that elections would be held in 18 months.

Signs that he would go back on his word came early, however. Goita staged another coup in May 2021, kicking out the civilian president and installing himself as leader. Then, in 2022, when the transition was meant to expire, the military rulers postponed elections and instead presented a five-year transition plan. ECOWAS, which had initially suspended the country, refused the deal. Opposition political parties protested in statements, but the military government has not changed track.

Meanwhile, several opposition politicians have been arrested, tried, and sentenced on charges such as taking part in an unauthorised demonstration or opposition to legitimate authority since Goita took power. Last July, the government suspended political parties and banned media coverage of all political activities for three months.

Analysts say even if Goita were to step down now and hold elections as initially promised, extensive damage to the countrys democratic institutions has already set in during his five-year term.

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Mali, along with neighbouring militart-led Burkina Faso and Niger, defied ECOWAS sanctions for failing to hold elections, and have since left the regional group. Together, theyve formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The military leaders in Burkina Faso and Niger have already extended their rule by five years.

The damage is not irreversible, but its going to be very difficult to get back on track [for elections] because things have gone very far from what was initially promised, Diallo said.





Security gains with Wagner help

One reason why Goita has enjoyed popular support thus far, analysts say, is because of recent gains recorded over armed groups and a secessionist coalition in the north.

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Many people are also happy that Bamako has distanced itself from France, a former colonial power increasingly disliked across Francophone West Africa for what some see as its exploitative business interests. Some of the biggest French-owned companies in Mali include oil company Total and telecoms provider Orange.

French troops exited Mali in 2022 because Paris refused to back the military government. Bamako has since cut diplomatic ties and sent UN peacekeepers packing. In their place are Russian fighters from the Wagner mercenary group, known for their ruggedness and reported ruthlessness towards civilians.

Ulf Laessing, director of Sahel research at Germany-based think tank, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, told Al Jazeera that while Russian fighters have helped stabilise parts of the north, the victory is far from complete as the armed groups have simply spread out into central and southern Mali.

The capital is safe and parts of the north, but outside that, its still difficult, Laessing said. In areas like [northern] Timbuktu, government control is still very weak, and the Russians havent been able to make a difference to that. There are only about 1,500 of them when even the French were 5,000.

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Although they have suffered deadly ambushes, Wagner fighters helped secure the militarys biggest win in 2023 when Kidal, a rebel stronghold in the north, fell under government control for the first time in 10 years.

Back in 2012, Tuareg rebel groups who were fighting for an independent Azawad state seized Kidal and declared independence. They involved armed groups like JNIM, which later took over the campaign and spread into neighbouring countries, contributing to the current security crisis.

In 2015, a UN-mediated peace agreement with the secessionists was meant to see Tuareg fighters integrate into the army and Kidal return to government control. However, it was never implemented. Goita has since cancelled the agreement, pledging to restore all of Malis territorial integrity.

When Kidal fell in August 2023, it was both a tactical and symbolic win for the military. Goitas supporters cite that as one example of why the strongman should stay on to secure the entire country. However, opponents say that argument is a pretext for the military leaders to stay in power for longer.

Tuareg Malian soldiers patrol the streets of Gao, northern Mali, in 2013 [File: Jerome Delay/AP]

Attacks on civilians

The militarys relative gains have also come at a cost for civilians, rights groups say. Russian fighters and Malian soldiers have been accused in numerous reports of extrajudicial killings of suspected militants, some of whom are wrongly profiled.

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Ethnic groups like the Fulani and Dogon  perceived by the Malian army to be supporting armed groups  have been targeted in particular. In reality, experts say villagers themselves are often controlled against their will by powerful armed groups that have set up their own tax and judicial systems. There are reports of armed groups forcibly recruiting men from villages they occupy, while others join armed groups to avenge military attacks on their homes, experts say.

In December, Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted that the Malian army and Wagner fighters deliberately killed at least 32 civilians and burned 100 homes in central and northern Mali in 2024. JNIM and ISGS summarily executed at least 47 civilians, burned more than 1,000 homes, and displaced thousands of people between June and December alone, HRW said, adding that those numbers were conservative, at best.

Since Kidal fell, ethnic Tuareg have also been met with increasing levels of violence from the military, although it initially promised that civilians would be safe. Hundreds of people have fled into neighbouring Mauritania, dreading Wagner fighters or the white men with masks who burn homes and execute those they suspect of being rebel fighters, according to reporting by The Washington Post.

Some 3.3 million people are now believed to be displaced across Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger due to the violence, according to the UNs refugee agency. The number of newly displaced people last year in Mali alone reached nearly 400,000.

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As the political climate in Bamako becomes more restrictive, experts say Malians far from the centre are suffering the worst effects of the crisis. With the armed groups changing locations and continuing attacks, the purely military approach Goita insists on may no longer be sufficient, analysts warn, and dialogue might be necessary.

When you intensify fighting, you will, of course, see more attacks; it is just logical, Diallo said. And its ordinary civilians who are bearing the brunt of that.




OKLAHOMA CITY  On a day multiple tribal nations were marching at the Oklahoma State Capitol for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness Day, Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed a bill that would increase funding to a department inside OSBI that investigates those cases.

House Bill 1137 was an amendment to Idas Law, that Stitt signed into law in 2021. Idas Law created the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples department but relied on federal funding that never materialized. HB1137 would have removed the federal funding requirement.

In his veto message, Stitt did not point to budgetary concerns, rather he said the bill was an attempt to put one race above another.

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While I support efforts to solve missing persons and homicide cases, I cannot endorse legislation that singles out victims based solely on their race. House Bill 1137 requires the creation of a unit within the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation that focuses exclusively on missing and murdered Indigenous persons. But every missing person  regardless of race or background  deserves equal attention and urgency, he wrote. Oklahoma already has both the Missing Persons Clearing House and the Cold Case Unit within OSBI, which are tasked with investigating disappearances and unsolved cases across all communities. Creating a separate office that prioritizes cases based on race undermines the principle of equal protection under the law and risks sending the message that some lives are more worthy of government attention than others.

Justice must be blind to race. Our resources and investigative efforts should be deployed based on the needs of the case, not the identity of the victim.

In response, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. pointed to the fact that Idas Law already was on the books.

Gov. Stitts breathtaking ignorance of the issues facing tribes and existing teamwork to resolve those issues reached an absurd level today with his veto of HB 1137. The existing Idas Law, a bipartisan reflection of the sort of teamwork needed to address missing and murdered indigenous persons cases, is an effective law that enables tribal law enforcement and OSBI to work better together on MMIP cases, he wrote in a press release. HB 1137, a bipartisan amendment to Idas law, was a housekeeping measure designed to strip an unnecessary federal funding requirement. Gov. Stitts veto message, issued on a day we raise awareness across the country on MMIP issues, exposes that he lacks the foggiest idea that Idas Law is on the books, what it does on a low budget cost high impact basis, or what the simple amendment was designed to do.

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Hoskin accused Stitt of purposely sowing discord by using the term race.

He also continues to conflate the political status of tribal citizens with race, a tired old subject meant to divide and confuse people, Hoskin wrote. Native Americans are disproportionally victims of violent crime and disproportionally so in cases that go unsolved. Serious leaders across the state and the nation understand that and are taking action.

HB 1137 passed through both chambers with almost unanimous support. Stitt has taken similar action in the past concerning tribal exclusivity on gambling issues and concerns over tribal tags and hunting/fishing licenses.

We are sovereign nations and our treaties require the U.S. Government to live up to certain responsibilities, Iowa Tribe Chairman Jake Keyes posted to social media. They continue to not only fail at this, but now they look to completely eliminate those responsibilities. More than ever its important for our people and our tribal leaders to make our voices heard.

KOCO television station in Oklahoma City reported OSBI told the news station it would continue to fund the MMIP department.
SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Stress management is the topic in focus for the latest edition of the South Sioux City Public Librarys Lunch and Learn event.

Kate Limpke of Heartland Counseling will lead the presentation over the noon hour on Thursday, May 8. Shell share information on stress management, particularly on the self-soothing technique known as grounding. That uses sensory and situational awareness to help calm anxiety.

Tulips for Orange City Tulip festival blooming right on schedule

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The event is free to attend and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch to enjoy while listening to the presentation.

The South Sioux City Public Library hosts Lunch and Learn events monthly.

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NILES, Ohio (WKBN)  The Struthers softball team came away with an 11-1 win over Niles.

Katie Morris gave up two hits while striking out six for the win in the circle for the Wildcats.

Samantha Minno collected three hits and scored twice. Riley Guy scored three runs and finished with a pair of base hits.

Vivian Marker blasted a homer and drove in three runs while Clare Coppola and Morris each had a double.

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Struthers will step back into the Northeast 8 on Monday with a matchup against Hubbard.

The Red Dragons will welcome Lordstown on Friday.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  The student accused of bringing a gun to Tres Volcanes Community Collaborative School will be released from a juvenile detention facility. According to police, the student stole the gun from his mothers boyfriend and was showing the gun to elementary school students.

New Mexico man accused of killing father will stay behind bars

The hearing officer determined that the student could be placed in custody at his home.

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DENVER (KDVR)  School district officials have had enough as a social media trend directing students to short-circuit their school-issued laptops sparked a half-dozen fires in the past week.

Officials say its all part of a social media trend where videos show students how to short-circuit their laptop or puncture the lithium batteries  the short-circuit or puncture causes the batterys temperature to rise uncontrollably, which can lead to a fire or explosion and also releases toxic fumes.

This Colorado water park was named the second best in the US

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On Wednesday, the Boulder Valley School District said that there were three reports of such incidents at its schools: One at Eldorado PK-8, and two at Broomfield High School. Three other incidents occurred between May 2-6 at Centaurus High School, Broomfield Heights Middle School and Angevine Middle School.

The district isnt putting up with the trend, and sent an email to families asking them to discuss the incidents together.

It is all of our responsibility to take care of each other and school property on a daily basis, the email stated. That is why we encourage families to have a conversation with students about using social media responsibly and the potential consequences of engaging in this type of behavior.

The district noted that not only are the battery fires dangerous and could cause injury or property damage, but that students who damage their laptops are violating the Student Code of Conduct, and the law, potentially leading to school discipline and criminal prosecution.

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Our hope is that by speaking to students in advance, we can ensure everyone can enjoy the last weeks before summer break and help students avoid situations that can have large repercussions, the districts email stated.

These laptops were subject to a viral social media trend encouraging students to short-circuit the batteries. (Courtesy the Boulder Valley School District) These laptops were subject to a viral social media trend encouraging students to short-circuit the batteries. (Courtesy the Boulder Valley School District) These laptops were subject to a viral social media trend encouraging students to short-circuit the batteries. (Courtesy the Boulder Valley School District) These laptops were subject to a viral social media trend encouraging students to short-circuit the batteries. (Courtesy the Boulder Valley School District)

BVSD is far from alone. Adams 12 Five Star Schools also sent an email to families with a similar message in recent days. Schools in Connecticut and other states have had to be evacuated due to fires caused by students following the trend.

It even led to the Connecticut State Fire Marshal and State Fire Administrator issuing a warning, encouraging students not to short-circuit their personal or school-issued electronic devices by inserting pencil lead or other conductive materials into USB or charging ports.

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DPS superintendent accuses board member of ambitions to take superintendent position

Social media trends, many that include risky behavior, are sadly on the increase. Students and parents must be aware of this latest trend involving laptops and other personal electronic devices that have the potential to cause serious injury, death, and/or property damage, said Connecticut State Fire Administrator Jeff Morrissette.

One school in Pennsylvania posted a message to its website that tells families each of its Chromebooks costs $350, and the Cost will be billed to the students and their families if the student chooses to participate in the trend.

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Students deliberately short-circuiting school laptops as part of social media trend

DENVER (KDVR)  School district officials are warning students against a social media trend directing them to short-circuit their school-issued laptops after multiple fires were reported in recent weeks.

Officials say its all part of a social media trend where videos show students how to short-circuit their laptop or puncture the lithium batteries. The short-circuit or puncture causes the batterys temperature to rise uncontrollably, which can lead to a fire or explosion. It also releases toxic fumes.

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On Wednesday, the Boulder Valley School District in Colorado said there were three reports of such incidents at its schools: One at Eldorado PK-8 and two at Broomfield High School. Three other incidents occurred May 2-6 at Centaurus High School, Broomfield Heights Middle School and Angevine Middle School.

The district sent an email to families asking them to discuss the incidents together.

It is all of our responsibility to take care of each other and school property on a daily basis, the email stated. That is why we encourage families to have a conversation with students about using social media responsibly and the potential consequences of engaging in this type of behavior.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

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The district noted that not only are the battery fires dangerous and could cause injury or property damage, but that students who damage their laptops are violating the Student Code of Conduct and the law, potentially leading to school discipline and criminal prosecution.

Our hope is that by speaking to students in advance, we can ensure everyone can enjoy the last weeks before summer break and help students avoid situations that can have large repercussions, the districts email stated.

These laptops were subject to a viral social media trend encouraging students to short-circuit the batteries. (Courtesy the Boulder Valley School District) These laptops were subject to a viral social media trend encouraging students to short-circuit the batteries. (Courtesy the Boulder Valley School District) These laptops were subject to a viral social media trend encouraging students to short-circuit the batteries. (Courtesy the Boulder Valley School District) These laptops were subject to a viral social media trend encouraging students to short-circuit the batteries. (Courtesy the Boulder Valley School District)

The Boulder Valley School District is far from alone. Administrators of the Adams 12 Five Star Schools district, about an hour east of Denver, also sent an email to families with a similar message in recent days. Warnings have also been sent to parents in Connecticut and Pennsylvania about the potential dangers of the trend.

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It even led to the Connecticut State Fire Marshal and State Fire Administrator issuing a warning.

Social media trends, many that include risky behavior, are sadly on the increase. Students and parents must be aware of this latest trend involving laptops and other personal electronic devices that have the potential to cause serious injury, death, and/or property damage, said Connecticut State Fire Administrator Jeff Morrissette.

One school in Pennsylvania posted a message on its website telling families that each of its Chromebooks costs $350, and the cost will be billed to the students and their families if the student chooses to participate in the trend.

We are asking for your support in speaking with your child about the very real dangers of this behavior, as well as reinforcing the importance of treating school-issued devices with care, the superintendent said.

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Financial aid for low-income Washington students at private four-year colleges will be cut under the state budget plan now on Gov. Bob Fergusons desk awaiting his signature.

Students attending any of the states nine independent colleges, such as Gonzaga University, Pacific Lutheran University, Seattle University, and Whitman College, would see state tuition assistance under the Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship programs cut to 50% of the average level awarded to students at public universities.

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Aid for students in online programs, such as Western Governors University-Washington and certain apprenticeship programs, would also be reduced. And students at for-profit universities and private vocational schools would no longer qualify for the assistance.

Income eligibility guidelines would also change for the college grant program. For the 2024-25 academic year, students from a family of four with an income up to $78,500 would be eligible for the maximum award. That income amount is equal to 65% of the state median income. The latest budget calls for dropping the threshold for a full award to 60% of median income.

These reductions would begin during the 2026-27 academic year, meaning second and first-year students, along with future students, would feel the effects.

Lawmakers adopted the cuts to student aid as part of the package of spending reductions and tax increases they approved this year to solve a budget shortfall estimated to be around $16 billion over the next four fiscal years.

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The Washington College Grant, which lawmakers approved in 2019, is often celebrated by its supporters as one of the most generous state tuition assistance programs in the nation for low- and middle-income students.

Sen. June Robinson, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said that the financial aid program has helped a lot of people attain higher education, but that the grant is not financially sustainable as it is now.

Quite frankly, we just cant afford it as a state, Robinson said.

The cuts would affect students like Diego Gonzalez, a second-year student attending Seattle University, who thought he could rely on financial aid from the state college grant program to help pay for his education.

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I dont know about my future, and it really does suck because Ive made such a good community here at Seattle University, he said.

Gonzalez is a first-generation, low-income college student and relies on the aid to attend college. Since the budget has passed, he said he has stayed up late applying for scholarships, worried he will no longer be able to attend college because he cant afford it.

Growing up in a low-income household, Gonzalez said his family could barely afford buying school supplies. He didnt think college was obtainable because of the high costs, but receiving the state tuition assistance has allowed him to get one step closer to achieving his dream of going to law school.

While tuition is higher at private colleges than public universities, they already provide low-income students with a substantial amount of financial aid using their own resources and wouldnt be able to make up for the cuts to the state grant, according to Terri Standish-Kuon, president and CEO of Independent Colleges of Washington.

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Those financial aid dollars are finite, Standish-Kuon said. We will not be able to fill the cuts of this magnitude.

The majority of people receiving Washington College Grant funding at the private four-year schools are students of color, women, or first-generation college students, Standish-Kuon added.

Independent colleges award one in every five bachelors and graduate degrees in the state and help give students who may be tied to a specific geographic area or who seek different learning environments, an opportunity to receive higher education, Standish-Kuon noted.

Students at these colleges also graduate at higher rates than state and national averages. Steering students away from these schools is materially harmful, Standish-Kuon said.

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The Independent Colleges of Washington said they are urging Ferguson to veto the section of the budget legislation containing the cuts to the Washington College Grant and the College Bound Scholarship program.

Gonzalez said he doesnt know what will happen with his financial aid until Ferguson signs the budget. He also said that if the program is cut, even if it is restored in the future, it will not reduce the damage or impact on the students.

Its students who kind of rely on higher education to pull themselves out of poverty, like myself, who might not have the opportunity to do that, Gonzalez said.
In 2025, an international team of researchers published a study evaluating the effectiveness of an ambitious ocean conservation program California started at the end of the 20th century.

The Golden State enacted the Marine Life Protection Act in 1999, a piece of legislation designed to protect the state's marine resources for environmental and economic reasons. The law created a constellation of 124 marine protected areas (MPAs) along the California coast  the first in the United States and the most extensive worldwide.

The selection of MPA locations was strategic. They were near one another to become ecologically connected, allowing each to be part of a larger whole.

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Varying regulatory protections exist across MPAs, prohibiting or limiting extractive human activities to help increase the abundance, size, and diversity of sea life within them.

The network took shape over 13 years based on available science and input from diverse stakeholders, including indigenous peoples, who have been responsible for caring for natural spaces and conserving biodiversity for centuries.

"What everyone wants to know is: Do MPAs work?" study lead author Joshua Smith said in an interview with the University of California, Santa Barbara's magazine The Current.

Counting decades to determine whether a conservation effort was successful or fruitless is a reality environmental advocates have to deal with. Luckily, the paper, published in the journal Conservation Biology, found that the reserves achieved many of the Marine Life Protection Act's objectives.

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After compiling disparate data from the MPA monitoring efforts focusing on four different habitats, the researchers found increased fish biomass across the board. This finding indicates that species grew in size, volume, or both.

The authors noted that older marine reserves and those with more diverse habitats recorded higher fish biomass, particularly among species targeted for fishing and used for consumption.

These findings highlight the role of MPAs in sustainable fishing, food security, and health. MPAs can help ensure higher catch levels and improve human nutrition over the long term.

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"It was exciting to see that all of the planning and design that went into putting this huge network into place was producing many of its intended benefits," co-author Cori Lopazanski shared after feeling encouraged by what they found.

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The success of California's MPA network is a victory for ocean conservation. Thoughtful modifications to it could yield pronounced improvements in species richness and diversity.

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.
NORTH TONAWANDA, NY (WIVB)  One mother is helping other grieving mothers one sunflower seedling at a time this Mothers Dayby creating The Sunflower Promise.

With The Sunflower Promise, we hope to bring some joy to other grieving mothers on Mothers Day, said Debra Hastings.

For Hastings, sunflowers will always remind her of her daughter Erin Grace.

Erin was born with cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus, and doctors told Hastings she wouldnt be around for her first birthday.

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She proved everyone wrong, she was a strong little girl who had a very tough life, said Hastings.

Erin was such a bright little girl  she brought a smile to everyones face, said Jeannette Carver, Erins aunt.

Every year, Erin would bring home a sunflower seedling from school to give to her mother for Mothers Day.

Each year I would plant the seedling and unfortunately, they never grew, I dont have much of a green thumb, said Hastings.

In 2015, a week after Mothers Day, Erin passed away at the age of 14.

I wondered if I should bother planting it or would it just die, said Hastings. I decided to go into my kitchen drawer, I pulled out a kitchen spoon and I walked outside from her bedroom window, I dug a hole in the ground and I planted the seedling.

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That year of Erins passing, the sunflower blossomed.

This seedling turned into the most beautiful sunflower plant with the most beautiful sunflowers. They were beautiful, bright and cheery, said Hastings.

From that flower, Hastings has taken the seeds and replants them every year since, and she shares the seedlings with others.

We would share these seedlings with others just so that this memory could continue on, she said.

This year marks ten years since Erins passing and in her honor, theyve created The Sunflower Promise to give these seedlings, along with gift baskets, to other mothers who are grieving on Mothers Day.

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Its a hard day, it can be very hard, said Hastings. I just really hope that when the recipient receives these, they see brightness, they see hope, they see goodness and remember and just have fond memories.

Nearly 35 mothers will receive care baskets full of donations from the community, a seedling from Erins sunflowers. They will be delivered throughout Mothers Day weekend.

Were hoping to bring just that extra smile or just to let moms know were here, were thinking of them, and just to give some of that Buffalo love to them, said Carver.

They are thankful for the donations theyve received so far, and are hoping to help more mothers next year. If you would like to support The Sunflower Promise you can follow them on social media or donate to their GoFundMe.

Latest Local News

Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here.

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May 7A verdict by a Luzerne County jury that convicted Todd William Bebo of attempting to kill an ex-girlfriend when he showed up outside her Dallas Township residence carrying a sawed-off shotgun, a sledgehammer and duct tape will stand.

A three-member panel of the Pennsylvania Superior Court denied Bebo's appeal in a seven-page opinion issued Wednesday.

Bebo, 54, formerly of Shickshinny, contested the jury's verdict in his appeal claiming he "renounced" his intentions when he walked away from the woman's residence. Bebo believed walking away without acting upon his plan was sufficient to find him not guilty of criminal attempt to commit criminal homicide.

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The appellate court, in their opinion, found assistant district attorneys Brian Coleman and Julian Truskowski proved every element of the attempted murder offense to support the jury's conviction.

Coleman and Truskowski, during the three-day trial before Judge David W. Lupas in October 2023, showed the jury surveillance footage of Bebo in the woman's backyard carrying a sawed-off shotgun, a sledgehammer, and a backpack containing duct tape and shotgun shells on Dec. 9, 2022.

Coleman and Truskowski called the shotgun, sledgehammer and the contents of the backpack a "murder kit" during the trial.

Bebo believed the woman was at a comedy show in Wilkes-Barre but she remained home.

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When Bebo realized the woman installed new surveillance cameras and she was inside, he turned around and walked away.

In his appeal, Bebo claimed he walked away because he changed his plans.

"...there are different plausible explanations for why Bebo abandoned his efforts after he was in view of a surveillance camera. It was the jury's role to view the evidence and reach a conclusion as to why Bebo fled....the jury made the unquestionably reasonably inference, supported by the evidence presented by (Coleman and Truskowski), that Bebo renounced his criminal activity in whole or in part due to an increased fear of detection or apprehension. There was sufficient evidence to support that finding," the appellate court ruled.

Lupas sentenced Bebo to 14 to 37 years in state prison in January 2024 on charges of attempted murder, possession of offensive weapon, possessing instruments of crime, illegal possession of a firearm and loitering and prowling at night.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  United States Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. held a fireside chat Wednesday night in his hometown of Buffalo.

Roberts is in town for the United States District Court for the Western District of New York (WDNY)s 125th anniversary celebration.

Chief Justice Roberts was born in Buffalo and spent his early childhood here, so we claim him as one of our own, Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wolford said in an announcement for the event. His willingness to join us for our 125th Anniversary makes the celebration all the more special. Its a testament to Western New Yorks rich legal history and the Chief Justices commitment to our profession.

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U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo joined Roberts for the fireside chat. The event was not open to the public.

The nations top judge began by reflecting on his unexpected path to the Supreme Court. Robers initially planned to pursue a career in history, until a twist of fate led him to Harvard Law School.

It just sort of happened that you end up in a position where someone nominates you to be a judge, Roberts said. By that time, I had been practicing long enough, and I thought it could be a good change.

Roberts spoke about his time clerking, working in appellate law, and lessons he learned the way. He explained how he values confidence and clear writing.

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I learned to write by reading good writing, Roberts said. Again, no matter how complicated it was, you should be able to stand up and read it to somebody and have them basically follow.

Not all were welcoming of the chief justice. Outside of the event at the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Buffalo, protestors voiced frustrations of Roberts homecoming.

He is somebody who is quickly dragging what he can of our democracy to the ground, said advocate Caitlin Love-Crowell. He is terrible.

Hes from Buffalo, said Nathan Feist, a member of Our City of Action Buffalo. But he doesnt represent the values of people and organizations like Our City of Action Buffalo who believe all people have inalienable rights.

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When asked about federal judges facing criticism for rulings that challenge recent executive actions, Roberts stood by the importance of judicial independence, but he did not mention President Donald Trump by name.

Its job is to obviously decide cases, Roberts said. But, in the course of that, check the excess of Congress or the executive and that does require a degree of independence.

Roberts was also asked about comments from Trump supporting the impeachment of judges because of their rulings.

Impeachment is not how you register disagreement with decisions, he replied.

Now almost two decades into his time in the high court and sitting at 70 years old, Roberts said he has no plans to retire. He said he feels pretty healthy, but if he recognized he was a burden to the court in the future, hed consider stepping down.

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Watch Roberts full fireside chat in the video player below.

Latest Local News

Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here.

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  President Donald Trump has revoked the nomination of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a New York doctor with Northwest Arkansas ties, for U.S. Surgeon General.

Nominated in November 2024, Nesheiwats Senate confirmation was set for May 8.

Northwest Arkansas ties

News Nation reported the former Fox News contributor graduated from the American University of the Caribbean, not the University of Arkansas as stated in her nomination announcement.

FILE  Janette Nesheiwat arrives at the Fox Nations Patriot Awards, Nov. 16, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

Dr. Nesheiwat completed her medical residency at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, UAMS, according to Nesheiwats website. A 2010 report from UAMS says Nesheiwat was a 2009 graduate of their Family Medicine Residency Program.

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Nesheiwats other Northwest Arkansas connections including working as a physician at Washington Regional Medical Center and at Northwest Medical Hospital, according to a 2020 Fox News Channel news release.

According to the Associated Press, Nesheiwat encouraged COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic and called them a gift from God in a 2021 opinion piece for Fox News.

Northwest Arkansas flower shops face tariffs impact around Mothers Day

Dr. Casey Means nominated

President Trump nominated Dr. Casey Means shortly after revoking Nesheiwats nomination via Truth Social on May 7. Means, a Stanford graduate, co-founded Levels, a health tech company that tracks health data using devices like continuous glucose monitors.

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I am pleased to announce that Dr. Casey Means, will be nominated as our next Surgeon General of the United States of America. Casey has impeccable MAHA credentials, and will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans, President Trump said in the post.

The President also wrote that Nesheiwat would work in another capacity at HHS.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Kimberlee Guillory initially believed she was being punched after someone slashed through her tent and attacked her with a blade.

I just didnt think someone was stabbing me. The first time took my breath away. Then it continued, Guillory said from the witness stand Wednesday afternoon at Carlos Reales Dominguezs murder trial in Woodland.

Guillory, who was 64 at the time and newly homeless in Davis, had been sleeping in a friends tent beside a PG&E substation on L Street. On May 1, 2023, she became the third and final victim in a weeklong stabbing spree that killed two others and left Davis on edge.

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Dominguez has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity to the stabbings two years ago that killed David Breaux, 50, and Karim Abou Najm, 20, as well as the near-fatal attack on Guillory. The trial, now in the guilt phase, is expected to last up to 10 weeks.

Stabbing suspect Carlos Reales Dominguez listens to Kimberlee Guillory, who was stabbed in her in tent while living on L Street in Davis, testify in his trial while deputy public defender Daniel Hutchinson, right, takes notes on Wednesday in Yolo Superior Court in Woodland.

Earlier Wednesday, jurors heard testimony from Dr. Matt Massie, the Davis physician who tried to save Najm after the college student was stabbed along a Sycamore Park bike path.

Massie testified that he chased the attacker, who briefly turned to him and said, What do you want, man? Leave me alone. The mans voice, Massie said, sounded like a scared young man, not the monster he expected.

Massie reached Najm, but his wounds were devastating, and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

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Prosecutors allege Dominguez fled the park and, three days later, attacked Guillory.

Stabbing victim Kimberlee Guillory uses a laser pointer, pointing to a map of the location of her tent on L Street in Davis when she was attacked, as she testifies on Wednesday during the trial of Carlos Reales Dominguez in Yolo Superior Court in Woodland.

Word of the knife killings had made its way through the camps, campers who shared the strip of land along Davis Second Street with Guillory testified. Guillory said she and a group of four others stayed close that night. She stayed awake browsing on a phone, the phones glow illuminating the tent, as she leaned against its back wall.

I thought I was being punched really hard in the back  at first. After a couple seconds, it hurt. He was continuing to stab me. I dont know who he was or why he was doing it, Guillory, now 66 and living in West Sacramento, said. I stood up after he was gone and I saw blood start to gush out of me. I dialed my daughters number and said, Ive just been stabbed. She said, Oh, my God, and thats when the ambulance came. I dont remember anything else until I woke up in the hospital.

Victim Kimberlee Guillory makes a downward stabbing motion, describing the knife attack that ripped open the tent where she living in Davis and sent her to the hospital, as she testifies on Wednesday during the trial of Carlos Reales Dominguez in Yolo Superior Court in Woodland.

She spent several days in critical condition and testified that two campmates fought with her attacker, whom she later identified in the courtroom as Dominguez. I did actually see his face while they were wrestling. He looked at me while I was lying on the floor.

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Yolo County District Attorneys prosecutors devoted Wednesday to testimony detailing the slayings of Breaux and Najm days apart in Davis Central and Sycamore parks; before closing the day with Guillorys testimony.

Dominguez, a former UC Davis student, was arrested three days late on May 4. Authorities say he purchased the tactical knife used in the stabbings months earlier. He was declared competent to stand trial in January after months at a state hospital.

If convicted, he faces life in prison. Prosecutors decided months before the trial that they would not seek the death penalty.

Testimony in the first phase continues through the week at Yolo Superior Court.
MANCHESTER, Mo.  A man has been arrested for allegedly attacking a goose outside a local Costco store.

A City of Manchester communications spokesperson confirmed that a suspect was booked and released pending a warrant application over the alleged attack, though additional details are limited.

Concerns over the alleged attack surfaced in a St. Louis Reddit community post.

The city spokesperson said the incident is being investigated as a violation of the citys animal abuse ordinance.

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A day in the life of a St. Louis Mayor

The case has been referred to the City of Manchester Prosecuting Attorney for review. The spokesperson says it is not currently being handled by the St. Louis County Prosecutors Office because the case is classified as a violation of Manchesters City Code over animal abuse.

According to Section 205.120 of Manchester City Code:

A person is guilty of animal abuse when the person:

1. Intentionally or purposely kills an animal in any manner not allowed by or expressly exempted from the provisions

2. Intentionally or purposely causes injury or suffering to an animal; or

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3. Having ownership or custody of an animal, knowingly fails to provide adequate care or control of the animal.

A spokesperson from the St. Louis County Prosecuting tells FOX 2 that it has not been referred to such a case as of Wednesday afternoon.

Canada geese, Missouris most common goose species, are protected under both state law and federal law. It is illegal to harm, kill, capture or posses them without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and in Missouri, without a state permit during regulated hunting seasons.

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Whether state or federal charges could be pursued over the alleged goose attack remains unclear.

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Meanwhile, the City of Manchester spokesperson says that authorities have reviewed video of the alleged goose attack from Costco, but the video will not be released until the a review from the Manchester Prosecuting Attorney is complete.

The investigation into the alleged attack is ongoing, and further details could possibly be released at a later time.

FOX 2 filed an online media request for comment from Costco. Our request for comment has not been returned as of this storys publication.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA)  Spartanburg police officers are investigating a vape shop burglary that occurred in April.

According to police, the burglary took place around 2:47 a.m. on Friday, April 18, at Sals Tobacco and Vape on Garner Road. Two suspects used a stolen 2003 Chevy Suburban to steal approximately $20,000 worth of vape products.

Surveillance footage from April 18, 2025 shows two suspects stealing product from Sals Tobacco and Vape building on Garner Road in Spartanburg, S.C.(Photo: Spartanburg Police Department) Surveillance footage from April 18, 2025 shows two suspects stealing product from Sals Tobacco and Vape building on Garner Road in Spartanburg, S.C.(Photo: Spartanburg Police Department) Surveillance footage from April 18, 2025 shows two suspects stealing product from Sals Tobacco and Vape building on Garner Road in Spartanburg, S.C.(Photo: Spartanburg Police Department) Surveillance footage from April 18, 2025 shows two suspects stealing product from Sals Tobacco and Vape building on Garner Road in Spartanburg, S.C.(Photo: Spartanburg Police Department)

The pair, police added, rammed the SUV into the building to access the store.

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Police reports said video surveillance showed two white men, wearing masks and gloves, entering the store. One of the suspects, the report continued, fired a pistol into multiple glass cabinets containing vape products.

On April 18, 2025, police said two suspects used a stolen car to ram into the Sals Tobacco and Vape building on Garner Road. The suspects, police said, then stole $20,000 worth of vape products. (Photo: Spartanburg Police Department)

Investigators said that multiple shell casings were found at the scene of the burglary.

Both suspects then grabbed vape products, returned to the car and left.

The business owner told police officers he estimated the thieves caused around $46,500 of damages and losses.

The SUV used to break into the building was located later on April 18.

2003 Chevy Suburban reported stolen that police said was used to ram into the vape shop. (Photo: Spartanburg Police Department)

Investigators with the Spartanburg Police Department said there has been an uptick in burglaries at vape shops in 2024 and 2025.

PAST COVERAGE: Two men burglarized Spartanburg Co. vape shop, deputies say

Police said 14 burglaries have been reported since September 6, 2024, with only two cases resulting in arrests.

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Have a tip for police? Contact the Spartanburg Police Department at (864) 596-2065 or Crime Stoppers at (888) CRIMESC.

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YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) Police are searching for two suspects allegedly connected to a murder near a Sheetz in York County on Christmas Eve.

According to York County Regional Police, officers responded to a Sheetz in the 4300 block of North George Street in East Manchester Township for a reported shooting. Police say Tivory Bartlet was killed during the shooting.

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On May 8, 2025, the York County Regional Police Department filed charges against 19-year-old Ajanii Lemar Barnes, of Philadelphia, and 25-year-old Tajai Markeise Robert Scott, of York.

Barnes has been charged with second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, robbery-inflict serious bodily injury, and other related charges.

Scott has been charged with first and second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, robbery-inflict serious bodily injury, and other related charges.

Ajanii Lemar Barnes

Tajai Markeise Robert Scott

Police said arrest warrants have been issued for both suspects.

The York County District Attorneys office says cellphones belonging to Scott and Barnes were recovered from the victims vehicle.

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This investigation highlights why we must continue to invest in the best crime solving technology for law enforcement, said York County District Attorney Tim Barker. The tools used by York County Regional Police Department and its partners allowed them to obtain detailed information that will demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt the full nature and scope of the planning and execution of this crime by the defendants. We look forward to our continued investment in technologies that help law enforcement and our office to successfully investigate and prosecute criminal defendants, thereby increasing public safety.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Tajai Scott and/or Ajanii Barnes is asked to contact the York County Regional Police Department at 717-741-1259 or call 911.

This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
The bumbling vampire launched as host of late-night movies on the weekends, but parents complained their children wouldn't go to bed for fear of missing the fun. The station quickly added an afternoon kids show, "The Baron and his Buddies."

"Baron and His Buddies" was a cartoon show on weekday afternoons that aired from 1962 until 1967. His buddies included a live studio audience of children, totaling thousands over the years, many of whom remember the experience as adults.

In the later decades of his career, Price brought the "good news" to Central New York. His segment closed NewsChannel 9 broadcasts for years, focusing on the light-hearted, happy stories around the community, often with visits to local schools.

On the occasion of his retirement in 2008, Price said, "I think I've contributed something to our community I feel pretty good about that. It makes me feel great and it's very gratifying when people will come up to me almost every day and say, Oh, we love what you do!"

WSYR
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has said that his government is holding indirect talks with Israel to bring an end to Israeli attacks on Syria.

There are indirect negotiations (with Israel) via mediators to calm and contain the situation so matters dont reach a point where both sides lose control, Al-Sharaa said at a news conference in Paris.

We are trying to speak to all the countries that are in contact with the Israeli side to pressure them to stop interfering in Syrian affairs.

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Al-Sharaa said the objective is for Israel to abide by the United Nations-brokered 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria, and retreat to the boundary it demarcated to make way for the return of UN peacekeepers. The boundary separates Syria proper from Israel and the occupied Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 war.

Debris is scattered at the site of an Israeli strike on a military airbase near Hama, Syria, on April 3. - Omar Albam/AP/File

Since the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad fell in December, Israel has taken more territory in Syria and staged multiple attacks to prevent reconstitution of military capabilities and root out militancy that it says could threaten its security. Israels move into Syrian territory was initially described as temporary but officials have since said that the military will remain in Syria indefinitely.

Israel has declared a buffer zone in the south of Syria with the stated aim of protecting Syrias Druze minority, and on Wednesday Israel Police said that its Border Police are now operating inside Syria, for the first time.

The Israeli interventions have violated the 1974 agreement. Since we arrived in Damascus we stated to all relevant parties that Syria is committed to the 1974 agreement, Al-Sharaa said.

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Reuters reported on Wednesday that the United Arab Emirates has set up a back channel for talks between Israel and Syria, citing sources it didnt identify. The talks are focused on security and intelligence matters and confidence-building, it said. Al-Sharaa visited the UAE last month.

But Lana Nusseibeh, UAE assistant foreign minister for political affairs, denied that her country was mediating talks between Israel and Syria.

The claim that the UAE is mediating secret talks between Syria and Israel is categorically false. The UAE is not part of any such talks, she said.

CNN has reached out to the Israeli Prime Ministers Office for comment.

CNNs Eugenia Yosef contributed to this report.

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Less than a week after President Donald Trump posted a photo of himself dressed as the pope  causing a debate over its timing  a new pope was chosen.

On Thursday, May 8, the papal conclave that started a day earlier resulted in Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of Chicago, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. He is the first pope from America.

While many are celebrating the "white smoke" billowing from the Vatican  the international signal known as the end of the papal conclave and the pick of the new pope  it wasn't that long ago that the president stoked controversy over the apparent artificial intelligence-created image that went viral minutes after posting. Earlier this week, Donald Trump addressed the "pope Trump" image and joked that First Lady Melania Trump "thought it was cute."

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Here's what we know.

What happened with viral Trump pope photo from White House social media account?

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025. Donald and Melania Trump attended the funeral on April 26, which was First Lady Melania Trump's 55th birthday.

Less than two weeks after Pope Francis died, at about 10:30 p.m. May 2, 2025, Donald Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social what appears to be an artificial intelligence rendering of Trump as pope, with the traditional white vestments, white and gold mitre, and a large gold crucifix around his neck.

The AI image was shared by the White House and Trump's official social media accounts, and went viral in minutes with at least 109 million views as of May 8, 2025. The post on X came ahead of the papal conclave, when cardinals from around the world headed to the Vatican to select the next pope.

President says he had 'nothing to do with' viral Trump pope photo

On May 5, two weeks after Pope Francis died, Donald Trump addressed the viral image of him dressed as the pope, laughing it off amid questions of Catholic offense at the image.

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"I had nothing to do with it. Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the pope and they put it out on the internet. That's not me that did it, I have no idea where it came from, maybe it was AI, but I know nothing about it, I just saw it last evening," Trump told reporters from the Oval Office, USA TODAY reported.

"They can't take a joke," Trump said of the media. "The Catholic's (sic) loved it."

Catholic leaders chastised the president, rebuked the 'Trump as pope' viral photo

Despite Donald Trump's nonchalance about the photo, some leaders in the Catholic church did not appreciate the image. Last week, some posted their displeasure on social media.

"There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President," the Catholic Bishops of New York State wrote on X. "We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us."

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Pope Francis had also been critical of the Trump administration before his passing, saying the immigration crackdown was a "disgrace," according to Reuters, in one example.

Trump said wife Melania, a Catholic, liked the AI pope photo. Donald Trump Jr. jokes about 'white smoke' on Instagram

On May 5, while talking to reporters about the image, Donald Trump brought up First Lady Melania Trump and said, "Actually, my wife thought it was cute. She said, 'Isn't that nice?'"

"Actually, I would not be able to be married, though," he said. "To the best of my knowledge, popes aren't big on being married, are they? Not that we know of."

Ahead of Pope Leo's appointment, Donald Trump Jr., the eldest of Donald Trump's five children, shared the viral image of his father dressed as pope, telling his Instagram followers, "White smoke!!!" (meaning he would choose Donald Trump as pope).

Is Donald Trump Catholic? What religion is Donald Trump?

Donald Trump is not a Catholic. He used to identify as a Presbyterian, but in 2020 he told Religion News Service he began considering himself a non-denominational Christian.

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Melania Trump, however, made news in 2017 when she met Francis and revealed she is Catholic when asking the pontiff to bless her rosary beads. The Trumps married in January 2005 at Bethesda-By-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach, Florida, near his private club, Mar-a-Lago. Over the years, the president and his wife have attended Easter services there.

Contributing: Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY, and Antonio Fins, Palm Beach Post

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump said Catholics 'loved' AI pope photo, media 'can't take a joke'
Turkish Airlines has cancelled all flights from Antalya, Dalaman and Bodrum to Russian cities, including Moscow, due to disruptions.

Source: RIA Novosti, Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency, citing a source in the travel industry

"Tour operators are now on the phone and trying to resolve the situation," the source said.

The airline made this decision because of delays and cancellations at Russian airports. In particular, at least 16 flights from Antalya to Moscow and St Petersburg were cancelled the day before.

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The Moscow Transport Prosecutor's Office reports that 103 flights were delayed at Moscow airports as of the morning of 8 May.

Background:

Several Russian airlines had cancelled dozens of flights due to the 7 May attack by drone strikes on Russian territory.

The closure of airports following the 6-7 May drone attacks affected the plans of at least 60,000 passengers. At least 350 flights were disrupted.

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By Ben Blanchard

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan and Europe face the same threat from authoritarianism, President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday, marking 80 years since the end of World War Two in Europe and warning that indulging aggressors only whets their appetite for expansion.

Taiwan has faced increased military pressure from China, including war games, as Beijing seeks to assert its sovereignty claims over the democratically-governed island, and has sought joint cause with Europe from the risk it faces from Russia.

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Speaking to an audience including European, British, Japanese, Canadian and U.S. diplomats based in Taiwan, Lai said Taiwan shares the same values as many of the democracies who fought in World War Two.

"At many points in history, people have thought to give the aggressor a small concession to earn peace," Lai said at the Taipei Guest House, the residence of the governor general under Japanese colonial rule of Taiwan, which ended in 1945.

"But as we all know from the painful lessons of World War Two, indulging aggressors with a taste of expansion only whets their appetite; it makes them more confident and hungrier for more."

Lai's speech - the first time Taiwan has formally marked the end of the war in Europe - coincided with Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia for Moscow's Friday military parade to mark the war's end.

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In an article for a Russian newspaper on Wednesday, Xi said Taiwan legally belonged to China and no matter how the situation on the island evolved or "what troubles external forces may make", the trend towards "reunification" was unstoppable.

Lai did not directly mention Russia or China by name, but said Taiwan and Europe face "the threat of a new authoritarian bloc", pointing to issues like damage to undersea cables - which both Taiwan and Europe have complained about - election interference and spread of disinformation.

"Lovers of freedom around the world, both individuals and nations, must work together now in tight solidarity, before risks turn into crises and before crises are taken advantage of by those with ambitions for outward expansion," he said.

Lai, who took office in May last year, is condemned by Beijing as a "separatist". He says only Taiwan's people can decide their future, and rejects China's sovereignty claims.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry)
Photo by iStock / Getty Images Plus

The Arizona Supreme Court will decide whether a measure that voters overwhelmingly approved to require disclosure of most anonymous campaign spending is constitutional  and, in the process, it could potentially reshape free speech jurisprudence in the Grand Canyon State.

The case centers on the Voters Right to Know Act, which won 70% of the vote in 2022. It requires any person or organization making campaign media expenditures of more than $50,000 on a statewide election or $25,000 on local elections to disclose the original source of any contributions totaling more than $5,000.

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It was challenged by the anti-abortion advocacy group Center for Arizona Policy and the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, a dark money nonprofit. The political groups argued that mandating disclosure of the source of political spending violates the Arizona Constitutions protections of free speech, association, privacy and separation of powers.

Those arguments were rejected by a trial court and the Arizona Court of Appeals, which unanimously ruled in late 2024 that free speech and privacy claims were outweighed by the Arizona Constitutions intent to compel financial disclosure of groups that seek to influence the results of an election.

The government has strong informational and anti-corruption interests, which are sufficiently important to justify the modest burden the Act places on donors association rights, Judge Jennifer Campbell wrote in the courts opinion. Plaintiffs fail to articulate why the Acts disclosure requirements are not substantially related to the States interest in having an informed electorate.

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Under federal tax law, neither the Arizona Free Enterprise Club or the Center for Arizona Policys political arm have to disclose donors. But under Prop. 211, they will be forced to do so for their election-related activities.

The two groups lobbied against the passage of Prop. 211, claiming that it was an enshrinement of cancel culture. And CAP, which has a history of pushing anti-LGBTQ+ laws, said it feared the harassment it already received would be directed to its donors if theyre forced to be revealed.

Neither organization was able to provide proof of a chilling effect or that their financial supporters would face harassment and reprisals, the judges found.

In reaching their decision, the appellate judges followed federal precedent regarding disclosure requirements and used an exacting scrutiny standard to evaluate the acts disclosure requirements rather than the tougher strict scrutiny that the dark money groups wanted.

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But when it accepted the appeal on Wednesday, the Supreme Court told the parties it wants them to argue whether the federal standard for First Amendment cases is applicable to the Arizona Constitutions free speech protections.

The state constitutions free speech clause provides broader protections than the First Amendment, and says that every Arizonan may freely speak, write, and publish on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right.

By instructing the parties to make their case for what standard should be applied, the Supreme Court made clear it is considering a foundational question about Arizona constitutional interpretation.

And the impacts could be significant.

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If the justices determine that the Arizona Constitution provides greater protection for free speech than the U.S. Constitution, it might apply the strict scrutiny standard. Not only would that force the dark money disclosure law to clear a higher constitutional hurdle, but it would affect any future free speech cases in Arizona.

The Court of Appeals acknowledged that the state constitution could have greater free speech protections, but followed federal precedent because the Supreme Court has never determined what standard should be applied. Now the high court will determine whether that was correct or if Arizona should chart its own course on free speech standards.

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Head Start has helped millions of children and families across America build better futures. Recently, however, it was reported that the White House was considering eliminating Head Start funding for fiscal year 2026.

Given the incredible contributions the Head Start program has made in the lives of so many young children and families, it was hard to conceive how the cornerstone of early education in our country could be at risk of dismantling.

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Much to our relief, the White House budget proposal released on May 2 did not call for the elimination of Head Start  the program that serves nearly 1 million children annually, providing them with year-round early learning, health screenings, and nutrition.

Congress will now work on finalizing the 2026 appropriations process, including funding for early learning programs. With this important task at hand, we would like to remind the Louisiana congressional delegation that more than 20,000 of our states children and families depend on Head Start funding. As a result, we urge Congress to preserve and protect this proven program that serves those most in need.

At Clover (formerly Kingsley House), we provide services to over 1,500 children from birth to age 5 through high-quality early care and education in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. We are also part of the Educare Learning Network, a national partnership of 25 high-quality early childhood schools committed to research-based practices and early learning excellence, with Head Starts evidence-based practices at the foundation.

But this isnt just about our organization  its about an established framework that ensures all children have a fair start in life. Programs like ours, and hundreds like it across the country, rely on federal Head Start and Early Head Start funding to perform this essential work.

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Decades of research has shown that Head Start participation produces immediate and long- term positive outcomes for children, families, and communities. Providing education opportunities in safe, nurturing environments, accompanied by healthy meals, and comprehensive family-focused services, Head Start provides structure and an environment where young children, primarily from low-income households, are provided the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond.

Heres whats at stake:

More than one million parents depend on Head Start so they can go to work and support their families. Without it, many would be forced to choose between their job and their childs carea choice no parent should have to make.

The loss of early education opportunities will have a severe ripple effect on local economies, employers, and employees across Louisiana. Lack of access to affordable childcare, most particularly for women in the workforce, leads to higher levels of absenteeism, reduced productivity and job loss.

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In fact, the Louisiana Association of Business & Industry (LABI) sees early education as essential to ensuring a productive workforce, calling for expanded access to high-quality, affordable early learning opportunities for all young children from birth to age 4, in centers that meet high standards of care. Head Start standards are the most rigorous in the nation.

Research shows that 80% of a childs brain development occurs in the first 1,000 days  from conception to their second birthday. Removing access to quality early childhood education during this period causes lasting developmental setbacks.

Reductions in Head Start funding would impact services to more than 20,000 at-risk children in Louisiana, widening school readiness and opportunity gaps before they enter kindergarten. Economically speaking, children who require additional support ultimately cost school districts more in the long run, which provides a compelling rationale for investing in Head Start at the outset.

The data is clear: children who struggle to read in early grades are far more likely to fall

behind, drop out, and face incarceration later in life.

As Congress now considers the presidents proposed 2026 budget, the stakes could not be higher. Head Start has supported tens of millions of children and families over the past 60 years. We cannot afford to roll back that progress now.
As the world reacted to Thursdays historic news that an American, Robert Prevost, would lead the Roman Catholic Church as Pope Leo XIV, Catholics in Tampa Bay and across Florida joined in the moment.

Bishop Gregory Parkes of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg invited Catholics to pray in support of the new pope.

May God bless our new Holy Father, Parkes said in a statement. I pray that his ministry will unite the human family in pursuit of peace and the common good of people of every race, religion, and language.

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At a mass held Thursday afternoon at St. Petersburg Catholic High School, people gathered to pray and celebrate the surprising news.

I was not expecting this. Its exciting news, said Yahir Bonet, who works in the bishops office.

Deacon Jose Moronta of Saint Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Tampa expressed optimism about the direction of the church under Pope Leo XIV.

I feel very satisfied, Moronta said.

He described the new pope as a person who will not discard the progress made under Pope Francis. Moronta said the new pope will also be able to handle the more conservative current within the church, which also needs to be acknowledged.

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For Moronta, even the popes chosen name holds symbolism and importance.

Leo XIII was the first pope to speak out on the churchs social doctrine, he said. He published an encyclical demanding respect for workers, including the right to an eight-hour workday.

Florida Peruvians feel a kinship to the new pope. Before becoming pontiff, Prevost spent two decades at a diocese in Peru. In 2015, he became a Peruvian citizen, and the following year, he got his national ID card, which does not have an expiration date.

Its a very special and emotional moment for us. People have embraced it with great sensitivity and warmth, it feels like a blessing, said Juan Carlos Ibarra, former Honorary Consul of Peru in Tampa. The Peruvian community is large and united in faith. For us, having a pope with such strong ties to Peru is deeply meaningful.

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The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops called the naming of an American pope thrilling.

Thanks be to God for calling Pope Leo XIV to lead the Church of our time, the statement read. We promise our prayers that the Lord will guide and support the Holy Father throughout his pontificate. God bless and sustain Pope Leo XIV and, through his service, the whole Church and the world.

On the social platform X, Tampa Catholic High School also celebrated the election of the first pope from the United States.

Habemus Papam! We joyfully join the global Church in celebrating the election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV of the United States! read the post. Let us unite in prayer for wisdom, strength, and grace as he begins this incredible journey of faith and leadership.

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Sen. Rick Scott also took to X to share his excitement.

Congratulations to the first American pope, Pope Leo XIV! Scott said. May God bless him as he leads the Catholic Church.

Morontas brother, Mario Moronta, bishop emeritus of San Cristobal, a region located between Venezuela and Colombia, had met the new pope during a private gathering at the Vatican.

He said the pontiff is a man with a strong vision for the future. Catholics must accompany him with prayers, he said, but also with a commitment to continue working in the responsibilities entrusted to each one.

Hes a good man. The fact that he was a missionary in Peru helps him greatly, Mario Moronta said. He wants to build peace and be a bridge for peace, and to build fraternity and respect for the dignity of all people, including immigrants.

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Amaro Ortiz, parochial vicar at the Church of St. Catherine of Siena in Clearwater, met the new pope in 1997 in northern Peru when Ortiz was a student. He remembered his former mentor as a man who knew how to listen and speak with strength.

He is a good man for the ministry of God and for this great responsibility to which he has been called. He is a man of prayer and great wisdom, who has always been fully committed to his pastoral mission.

Ortiz said the new pontiff was his teacher for six months in Trujillo, where he taught moral theology, canon law and other theology courses. In this role, Ortiz said the new pontiff helped make important decisions for the Catholic Church in Peru. He worked on pastoral programs and defended human rights.

He always emphasized the need to reach out to the poorest and most in need, Ortiz said. Personally, it is a great joy to now have him as the new pope. He has the spirit to help and to go out and meet the communities where the need is greatest.

Times staff photographer Dirk Shadd contributed to this report.
27,523 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others?

27,523 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others?
After weeks of will-they-or-wont-they speculation, American and Chinese officials are slated to come together on Saturday to break the trade war detente.

But according to President Donald Trump, China wont be getting any breaks on the 145-percent duties he placed on China-made goods in April in advance of those talks.

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While U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their Chinese counterparts over the weekend in Switzerland, ostensibly to hammer out some semblance of a trade deal, Trump pumped the breaks when asked Wednesday if hed consider lowering the tariffs on China in order to bring China to the table.

No, he told reporters succinctly.

The president also seemed to take issue with reports from Chinese officials that the U.S. had initiated the tete-a-tete.

The meeting between Chinese and US senior officials on economic matters was requested by the US side. Recently, the US has said repeatedly it wants to negotiate with China, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian wrote on X.

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He said that China would be participating in a discussion only if it was based on equality, respect and mutual benefit.

To pressure or coerce China in whatever way simply does not work, he wrote. We will resolutely safeguard our legitimate interests and uphold international fairness and justice.

They said we initiated? Well, I think they ought to go back and study their files, OK? Trump said on Wednesday from the White House.

Nonetheless, the meeting is still scheduled to move forward, perhaps precipitated by Bessents admission earlier this week that while trade talks with 17 other nations are progressing, U.S. and Chinese officials had not even broached the subject of a deal, causing stocks to drop.

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The Treasury Secretary said Wednesday that some negotiations with other nations were quite advanced, though he declined to name the countries outright because the negotiations may still be in process as we speak.

There are numerous countriesand we are moving forward at all deliberate speed with those, he said. One day earlier, Bessent suggested that some deals could be finalized as early as this week.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  Windmills in Taylor Countys western hills could be disappearing. Wind energy company AES recently met with county leadership to discuss a tax abatement deal, offering the county monetary incentives and other amenities over the next 25 years.

Taylor County Commissioners Court opposes elimination of countywide polling places

At the most recent Taylor County Commissioners Court meeting, wind energy company AES representatives proposed a deal with the county to try to secure a tax abatement for a renewal project for the companys wind turbines in the area. AES aims to replace old wind turbines located in the western portion of Taylor County that have been in service for around 20 years. Between Taylor and Nolan County, the company aims to replace 117 of their 282 units in the area with newer turbines that are 200 feet taller than the old ones and have a fire suppression system installed in each unit.

To help with the finances for this massive undertaking, the AES proposed a tax abatement application with Taylor County. In exchange, the county would see a kickback from AES, which would provide the county with around $7.4 million in funding as well as incentives like vehicles to county volunteer fire departments, EMS services, and the Sheriffs Office over a 25-year period.

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County leaderships response to this proposed deal was likely not one that the AES representatives expected. Several commissioners outlined a 20-year history of dealings with AES and cited a lack of communication between the company and the county and poor community partnership, giving the county reservations about brokering a deal with AES. Taylor County Judge Phil Crowley pointed out the companys lack of community involvement and addressed the concerns he has received from county residents regarding the wind turbines.

Ill just be honest, the community out there is frustrated with the wind turbines. The fire department is frustrated with the wind turbines, Crowley said. Its my understanding yall havent given any money to the fire departments, even though the wind turbines have caused some fires out there.

Wind turbine company issues statement regarding Rhodes Ranch 3 fire

Judge Crowley wasnt the only one who cited issues with the company. Precinct 1 Commissioner Randy Williams also spoke to his grievances with AES and highlighted one instance where communication with the company was less desirable.

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You kind of remind me of a lawyer thats got a really lousy client, Williams said. Ive been in communication with the CEO of your company, requesting that they consider helping us purchase a water tanker trailer for the very purpose of supporting the volunteer fire departments. I got no response. No, thank you for your letter. No, nothing. Because of that and because of this history, I dont have a good taste in my mouth for AES.

The representatives for AES went on to say that if a deal with the county is not reached, they will not replace the old turbines with new ones and will decommission and tear down the old units. At this time, the county has taken no action on the AES tax abatement application proposal, with the county saying that unless a commissioner would like to put this item on a future meeting agenda, it will likely not be discussed in the commissioners court again.

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Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka wants the state to consider making public schools free of cell phones to remove distractions from the classroom.

And some school districts, including in Brookline, have already started similar practices.

Public Schools of Brookline Superintendent Linus Guillory said the districts K-8 schools have been using some form of off and away all school year, and it differs among schools.

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Guillory said some have lock boxes in classrooms, others collect and return phones, and then there are schools where students are asked to leave their phones in their locker or backpack.

Guillory said off and away has yielded positive results with all schools reporting increased focus on academics and more positive social interactions.

I think it really helps when Im getting a lot of texts or something to not have it [cell phone] right next to me, so Im not like feeling tempted to look at it, said Allora Jajoo, a junior at Brookline High.

As for a plan to make all public schools in Massachusetts free of cell phones, Lexy Bader, an English teacher at Brookline High, said shed like to learn more about what this plan entails.

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Id be curious to hear about it, Bader said. I dont have a strict opinion at this point. I would have to hear more about it.

High school students like Aviv Schwab Jacobson shared similar feelings, but she would like students have access to their phones in case there was an emergency.

I feel like there are some cases where its helpful to have a phone. Sometimes Ill need to text my parents or something and its urgent, and thats the one concern, said Schwab Jacobson.

Spilka did not mention any specific legislation, but she urged the Senate to look into ways thatll keep public schools in Massachusetts free of cell phones.

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This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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One of Louisiana's biggest economic development projects is facing tough scrutiny from local advocates who say clear answers are lacking about environmental and cost concerns for residents.

What's happening?

Meta is planning a $10 billion artificial intelligence data center in the state's northeast region that would depend on three new gas-fired power plants to be built by integrated energy company Entergy, according to a NOLA.com report.

In a recent hearing with the state's Public Service Commission, advocacy groups argued that the tech giant should be required to answer questions about Entergy's $3 billion energy project.

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However, Entergy and a PSC lawyer argued that the request could set a bad precedent for future economic development, adding that state law doesn't require Meta or its subsidiary to be party to the case.

"This is a new ballgame," said Paul Arbaje, an energy analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, one of the advocacy groups, in the report.

"I don't quite buy that [Meta] can sit this one out and not have to answer tough questions."

Susan Miller, a lawyer for the advocacy groups, explained that Meta and its subsidiary need to provide detailed information about the long-term effects these plants may have on ratepayers.

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Entergy's lawyer said that some of the requests were "extreme and draconian," adding that it could signal to other potential developers that they're not welcome.

Although Meta promises to match its energy use with 100% clean and renewable energy, the use of gas to power the data centers simply adds more planet-heating gases to an already stressed environment.

Gas plants are known to emit nitrogen oxides, which contribute to smog and can react with other atmospheric substances to produce ground-level ozone, according to the UCS. This could have major health consequences for nearby residents.

Why is Meta's silence on the project so concerning?

Unsurprisingly, Meta failed to respond to NOLA.com's requests for comment.

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While big corporations put huge sums of money into large-scale development projects, local communities often feel that their opinions and requests are easily overlooked.

A Louisiana Economic Development press release touted the proposed benefits of the new data center, saying it would result in around 1,500 jobs in the northeast region.

However, NOLA.com shared that Entergy has no documentation supporting those claims, nor does it have details regarding Meta's specific energy requirements, instead pointing to the company's sustainability report.

Without taking responsibility for the environmental impact of the project and its potential to influence energy rates for consumers, Meta's claims ring quite hollow.

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Logan Burke, executive director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, shared a statement with NOLA.com, saying: "If Meta is not in the proceeding, then we can't depose them."

In addition, Entergy is looking to shift $5 billion in construction costs to its rate-paying customers, which could mean higher rates for energy customers in order to subsidize Meta's project, as Business Insider detailed.

What's being done about this development?

The advocacy groups are continuing to challenge portions of Entergy's application to power Meta's new data center, arguing that it hasn't sufficiently proved that gas is the most cost-effective energy option.

Others might ask why more sustainable alternatives aren't being considered at the outset, rather than merely being an afterthought.

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It's important to be an advocate for change and push for transparency in the face of megaprojects that can have economic benefits but also potential deleterious effects for the environment and adversely affect energy costs for consumers.

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.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged a 15-year-old boy in connection with the May 7 shooting of another 15-year-old boy in a school bus outside of Thurston High School in Redford Township, according to a news release from the prosecutor's office.

According to the prosecutor's office, the teenager allegedly brought an unsecured handgun to school in his backpack and was handling the firearm when it discharged, injuring the victim's hand. The teen who brought the handgun has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon, careless discharge of a firearm  causing injury, and possession of a weapon in a weapons-free school zone.

Authorities have not released the names of anyone involved in the shooting.

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Thurston High School was closed May 8 to give students and staff a moment of pause and to heal after the shooting, according to district and Redford Township Police Department officials.

"We want to reassure our community that there is no ongoing threat to students, staff, or the campus," wrote Jason Bobrovetski, superintendent of the South Redford School District, in a news release. "At this time, we want to allow our school community time to process and heal and therefore our High School will be closed."

Officials with the district and law enforcement have released few details around the shooting, which occurred while a school bus was outside of the high school.

The shooting has been the subject of a flurry of speculation on social media. According to a statement posted on Facebook by the Redford Township Police Department, the firearm in the shooting was recovered. The victim was in stable condition at a local hospital as of Wednesday evening.

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Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@freepress.com.

This story was updated to add a video.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Teen charged in school bus shooting outside Thurston High School
Kiea McCann, left, and Dlava Mohamed died after the car they were in crashed in Co Monaghan

Two teenage girls were laid next to each other holding hands after they died in a car crash on their way to their school-leavers ball, a court has heard.

Kiea McCann, 17, and Dlava Mohamed, 16, died after the car they were travelling in crashed into a tree in Co Monaghan, Ireland, on July 31 2023.

Anthony McGinn, 61, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, which led to the girls deaths.

He also pleaded guilty to causing serious bodily harm to Auin Mohamed, Dlavas sister, who was also in the car but survived the incident with severe injuries.

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McGinn was put in a position of trust but ignored the girls pleas for him to slow down as he raced at nearly double the speed limit in a 50mph zone, Monaghan Circuit Court was told.

His white BMW then veered off course and smashed into a tree at around 75mph in the Legnakelly area, killing Kiea and Dlava, who were best friends.

Kiea McCann and Dlava Mohamed were on their way to their school-leavers ball when they were killed - PA

Everything went black

Oisin Clerkin, who was sitting in the front seat, said he urged McGinn to slow down but he did not respond, the court heard.

He was driving really fast and it scared me. None of the girls said anything. Kiea looked scared. I said Goodbye to Kiea and I woke up in hospital, Mr Clerkin told the Gardai (the Republic of Irelands police force) in a statement.

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Family and friends of the two girls were shown footage of the moments after the crash when McGinn was arrested.

He admitted that he had no answer for his actions and said he did not know what speed he had reached.

After the footage was played, Kieas father shouted at McGinn in court.

Kieas mother, Teresa, told the court how she had trusted McGinn to take her child to the ball.

When we got to the scene, Kiea was already gone. Her dad tried CPR on her. Nothing would bring her back, she told the court.

Kiea and her best friend were robbed of their lives. They were put side by side holding hands on the grass as me and my husband lay beside them.

Anthony McGinn, 61, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving

Ms McCann then revealed that her daughters 18th birthday present was her headstone.

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Frankie, Kieas father, described his daughter as a gift from God and described the tragedy as a death sentence for their family.

Dlavas father, who migrated to Ireland from war-torn Syria, said his daughters dreams had died with her and said he wanted justice, not revenge.

Recalling the crash, Dlavas sister Alva said she had told McGinn to stop before everything went black.

McGinn was seriously injured in the incident and had shown remorse by apologising to the victims families, Breffni Gordon, his defence lawyer, told the court.

He also lost his job, income and his relationship with his wife and children.

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Sentencing will take place on May 14.

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Tennesseans are more worried about the national economy now than they were in early 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and less than half back President Donald Trump's widespread use of tariffs on imported goods, a new statewide poll found.

The Vanderbilt University poll released May 8 found 61% of respondents say the U.S. economy is performing fairly bad or very bad, compared to 39% who view it as fairly good or very good. The number of respondents who feel worried about having enough money for emergencies is 17 points higher today than in early 2020, the poll found.

By contrast, the poll found 61% of respondents believe Tennessee's economy is good.

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Meanwhile, 46% of Tennesseans support Trump's plan to impose tariffs on foreign goods, compared to 53% who oppose the levies. Although support for tariffs is down slightly compared to December, opposition increased by 11 points since Trump took office, the poll found.

But there is a sharp partisan divide. Among non-MAGA Republicans, 75% support tariffs and among MAGA Republicans, support is even higher, at 88%, the poll found. Democrats at 93% overwhelming oppose them.

Regarding issues like tariffs, we observe significant divisions. Republicans are substantially more supportive, while Independents and Democrats are notably less so, said Vanderbilt Poll co-director Josh Clinton said in a statement.Whenever we ask Tennesseans about an issue related to national politics, we are far more likely to see Tennesseans of different parties disagree on the issue.

The spring 2025 poll surveyed 1,223 Tennessee registered voters between April 17 and April 27. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

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Among the poll's other findings:

Opposition to cuts in federal programs

The poll found bipartisan opposition to cuts to key federal programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and veterans' health care programs. For instance, 94% oppose cuts to Social Security. Opposition is also is consistent across party lines, with four out of five self-identified MAGA Republicans opposing reductions to these key programs.

Opposition to federal funding cuts in other areas is more mixed. The poll found 68% of respondents opposed cuts to national parks and 66% of Tennesseans voiced opposition to reductions in federal research funding.

In todays polarized environment, the focus often falls solely on disagreements, and certainly disagreements exist on issues like immigration and deportation. However, I believe its equally important, as this poll highlights, to recognize areas of agreement across partisan lines, whether someone identifies as a MAGA Republican, Democrat or Independent, John Geer, co-director of the Vanderbilt Poll, said in a statement. The data suggests widespread opposition to cutting these programs, even among individuals on opposite sides of the political spectrum.

Immigration remains key issues

The majority of respondents support deporting migrants who entered the U.S. illegally. Support is highest for those with a criminal record, with 73% in support compared to 14% opposing, the poll found. Overall, 51% support deporting those with no criminal record, with 37% opposing.

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But there was a divide over the tactics and where federal immigration authorities should find migrants to detain.

The poll found 57% of respondents oppose the government searching K-12 schools to find undocumented immigrants, with nearly 47% strongly opposing it. By a slightly higher margin  50% to 35%  respondents also oppose searching churches, synagogues and mosques to find people who entered the U.S. illegally.

More: Nashville ICE agency says 84 arrested since May 3 in operation with THP

School voucher support higher among private school families

After state lawmakers passed legislation this year for a statewide school voucher program, the poll found far more support among parents who already send their children to private schools.

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According to the survey, 8% of parents with public school children say they plan to use the vouchers to move their child to a private school. That's compared to 34% of parents of private school students who say they plan to apply for a voucher to help pay tuition, while 45% said they do not plan on applying at all.

In addition, 55% of respondents said they oppose a bill in the state legislature that seeks deny children access to public education if their parents are here illegally. The bill stalled in April after significant public pushback and concerns over how it could impact federal funding.

More: Tennessee Senate passes bill requiring schools check immigration status of students

Other key findings

89% of Tennesseans say the state's sales tax on groceries should be cut. The sentiment cross all partisan lines, the poll found.

Tennesseans are concerned about American democracy but less so compared to a year ago. The poll found 30% say American democracy is now "being tested" but not under attack; 15% say "American democracy isn't in danger," up 10 points; 54% say "American democracy is under attack," which is down 9 points.

72% of respondents said the president should not have the power to ignore the courts, an co-equal branch of government, while 27% agreed he should have that authority. Opinions on this issue split dramatically across party lines. The poll found 62% of MAGA Republicans agreed that the president should have the power to remake the federal government even if it means ignoring the courts and the Supreme Court.

Tennesseans have a negative view of Congress, with 60% disapproving, the poll found.

Gov. Bill Lee continues to see a net positive approval rating in the poll but the share of respondents approving of his job performance is the lowest of any governor since the Vanderbilt Poll began.

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The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.

Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@gannett.com, by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt University Poll: Tennesseans worried over the economy
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  An immigrant rights group is working to determine who was arrested in Nashville ICE operations so they can get legal help and ensure due process is protected.

More than 80 people were arrested by ICE over the weekend in Davidson County. However, their names have not been released, leaving families and attorneys in the dark.

TIRRC is trying to communicate with everyone who says that they have a loved one that they havent heard from, said Allen King, legal services director at TIRRC. We are building that database of people that we are hopefully going to find and represent.

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Nashville releases timeline of ICE activity across city

Five Tennessee based organizationsincluding Advocates for Immigrant Rights (AIR), Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON), Latino Memphis, and Community Legal Center (CLC) have sent a letter to ICEs New Orleans Field Office calling for transparency and immediate access to counsel.

So we can see where they are being held and we can schedule some interviews with them just to screen them for any possible forms of immigration relief to possibly get them on the path to a status or even just get them out of detention, Director of the Immigrant Justice Program at Community Legal Center, Colton Bane, said.

We are actively coordinating with these families to provide legal representation to those detained, the letter reads in part.

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The one-page letter describes how on Sunday, an attorney with TIRRC was blocked from speaking with three detainees, raising concerns about due process.

The detained individuals now face significant practical barriers to communicating with counsel from detention in Louisiana, a subtitle in the letter reads.

More than 80 arrested since ICE operations began in Nashville, ICE says

The biggest concern is due process. Attorneys told News 2 it is not uncommon to see rushed proceedings and detainees feeling pressured to sign self-deportation forms, often without legal counsel or language support.

They do not read or speak English, but they are being made to sign this form that would essentially deport them back to their country of origin or even to a country they have never been to before, Senior Staff Attorney with Latino Memphis, Skye Austin, said.

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Sadly, there really isnt much we can do at that point, Bane expressed. It is really hard to overcome the waiving of rights.

Despite ICE claiming it targets people with violent criminal histories, advocates said the arrests appear broader.

I think the biggest misconception is that A these people are criminals, right? Austin said. That is a huge one. But then B, that they automatically have access to or can get hold of representation, and that due process is being served, that is not happening.

Any immigrant, whether they have a pending application with CIS or the court or not, is going to be a target, and that frightens me because what is the point of immigration law if you are not going to abide by it? Austin added.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

If and when the names are released on ICEs portal, they said they can start notifying families and preparing to defend their case as quickly as possible.

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Try to apply for the first immigration bond and then, if possible, find representation for them to apply for other forms of immigration relief, King said.

Theres still a fight to be had even when someone is detained; a lot of people think that is the end of the road, but it is not, Bane concluded.

If the recent ICE operations have affected you or a family member, TIRRC urges you to call its resource line at 615-414-1030 for legal information and resources. The coalition also shared this link to offer a review of constitutional rights when interacting with law enforcement or ICE.

To donate to The Belonging Fund, an effort to support Nashville immigrants during moments of crisis, follow this link.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Tennessee houses approximately 22,000 individuals in its prison system, and each year thousands are released to reintegrate into society.

But while Tennessee has made strides in reducing its recidivism ratenow at a decade-low of 29.6%, as of 2023the question remains: how can we continue this progress while saving taxpayer dollars?

One solution is clear: investing in prison education.

Prison education is good for taxpayers and communities

Recent research highlights educations critical role in reducing recidivism, improving employment prospects, and benefiting the broader economy. Yet, Tennessee ranks 16th in the nation for prison education programs, scoring 4.25 out of 7 in a recent Mackinac Center study. This suggests that Tennessee has room for improvement and even an opportunity to lead the nation.

Caps and Gowns are placed near the phones following a graduation ceremony of an addiction program at Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Trousdale County, Tenn., Friday, May 10, 2024.

Expanding prison education isnt just the right thing to do; its also a smart economic choice. With Tennessee spending an average of $111.53 per day, or over $40,000 annually, to house an inmate, and recidivism leading to increased incarcerations, taxpayers shoulder a burden of hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Reducing recidivism by even 10% could save the state tens of millions annually.

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According to our research, Are Schools in Prison Worth It? inmates participating in education programs are less likely to re-offend and more likely to secure employment upon release. Vocational training, for instance, can reduce recidivism by 9.4%, and college education yields a remarkable 27.7% decrease. These programs offer substantial returns on investment, saving taxpayer dollars by lowering reincarceration costs and increasing economic contributions through employment.

Opinion: Gov. Bill Lee's first veto is smart on crime, and courageous

Tennessee has already taken steps to reduce recidivism, such as implementing evidence-based programming and risk assessments. Expanding prison education builds on these important efforts, reallocating resources toward programs proven to break cycles of incarceration. A roadmap for improvement is laid out in our work, How States Can Improve Education Programs in Prisons, identifying four key policy recommendations:

Here's how Tennessee can expand and improve prison education

Automatic Enrollment: Mandating that inmates without a high school diploma or literacy proficiency be enrolled in education programs. This approach addresses the disproportionately low education levels among incarcerated individuals, a factor contributing to their struggles post-release.

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Centralized Administration: Establishing a dedicated state office to oversee prison education programs, ensuring quality and equitable access across facilities. Evidence shows that states with centralized oversight provide more comprehensive and consistent educational opportunities.

Incentives for Completion: Offering sentence reductions for inmates who complete educational milestones creates a win-win scenario for the inmate and the state, reducing costs and increasing public safety.

Research and Evaluation: Regular evaluations of prison education programs are needed to assess their effectiveness and report on key outcomes such as recidivism reduction, employment rates, and cost savings. Tennessee can use this data to ensure programs meet goals and guide future investments.

These steps arent theoretical. States like Ohio and California have made significant strides in implementing prison education programs, leading to measurable reductions in recidivism and improved post-release outcomes. Tennessee can join these leaders by prioritizing prison education as a cornerstone of its rehabilitation strategy.

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Beyond the statistics, prison education restores dignity and hope, equipping individuals to build better futures. It transforms lives by giving inmates the tools they need to break free from cycles of crime and poverty, empowering them to contribute meaningfully to society.

For Tennessee, this isnt just an investment in individuals; its a commitment to safer neighborhoods, reduced taxpayer burdens, and a stronger economy. By reallocating resources to programs that work, Tennessee can lead the nation in effective rehabilitation and criminal justice reform.

Ben Stickle, Professor of Criminal Justice Administration

Steven Sprick Schuster, Associate Professor of Economics

Ben Stickle is a Professor of Criminal Justice Administration and Steven Sprick Schuster is an Associate Professor of Economics, both at Middle Tennessee State University.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Prison education should be a priority in Tennessee | Opinion
Republican House Leadership from left Rep. Jeremy Faison,, Speaker Cameron Sexton and House Majority Leader William Lamberth. The Tennessee GOP Caucus is defending a series of raids on Nashville immigrant communities. (Photo: John Partipilo/ Tennessee Lookout)

Tennessee Republican leaders are leaning into a law and order position following a weekend of traffic stops and detentions of immigrants in Nashville.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Tuesday that the agency has arrested 84 people without permanent legal status since Saturday in the states capital city.

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According to ICE, those arrested include one alleged member of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuela-based gang; a person with a conviction for drug possession; an individual allegedly convicted of felony domestic assault and sex with a minor and one person for an alleged conviction of reckless aggravated assault. No information was provided on the other 80 people arrested.

Despite public consternation about what critics described as a roundup, Tennessees Republican leaders are backing the enforcement action in which dozens of traffic stops were made in south Nashville.

A statement from the Tennessee House Republican Caucus said, Tennessee will have zero tolerance for those who prove to be a threat to public safety, whether here legally or illegally.

050625-caucus statement on ICE arrests

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Republicans in the General Assembly in 2024 proudly provided law enforcement agencies at every level across this state with the authority to work with the appropriate federal authorities when they encounter someone who is determined to be in this country illegally.

Lawmakers approved creation of a Centralized Immigration Enforcement Bureau during a special session this year at a cost of about $6 million. Six to seven people are to work in the bureau, and grants are to be made to local law enforcement agencies to hire officers and work with the federal government on immigration enforcement.

Davidson Countys legislative delegation and Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell are asking federal officials for more information about the weekend arrests, which followed what some lawmakers have termed a dragnet in a South Nashville area that is home to many immigrants.

According to reports, Tennessee Highway Patrol officers stopped about 150 drivers early Sunday morning for alleged traffic infractions. The highway patrol described the action as a public safety operation that targeted areas of suspected gang activity with a history of serious traffic crashes  an allegation disputed by Davidson County lawmakers, who in a letter, accuse the state law enforcement agency of ethnically and racially profiling drivers.

In referencing his conversation with Gov. Bill Lee, Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell said he flagged the detentions constitute a moment of significant tension increase between local and state. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Elizabeth Lane Johnson, Gov. Bill Lees press secretary said, Tennessee has a long track record of stepping up to secure our nations borders and strengthen public safety. President Trump made it clear that states would play a major role in enforcing immigration laws and removing the most violent offenders, and Americans overwhelmingly elected him to do so.

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Johnson also noted Lees establishment of the Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division, headed by immigration czar Ryan Hubbard. Lee named Hubbard, a former U.S. Border Patrol agent, to the post on April 17.

During a Monday press conference, OConnell said he had spoken with Lee and flagged that this seems like a moment of significant tension increase between local and state.

Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, a Franklin Republican who sponsored the bill creating the new bureau, said the legislatures intent was clear: To support the enforcement of federal immigration law in coordination with our federal partners. Previously, state and local authorities have shied away from enforcing immigration law.

Johnson said entering or remaining in the country illegally is a violation of federal law, and he added that the enforcement action is entirely consistent with the legislatures plan for upholding the rule of law and ensuring our state is a strong partner in the enforcement of immigration policy.

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TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS)  More than 50 vendors came out to the Southwest Center to take part in the City of Texarkanas annual Health and Wellness Fair.

Theyre offering door prizes, screenings, like you will need to get your blood pressure checked, blood sugar checked, said Regina Lynch, Registered Nurse at the Bowie County Health Department.

It also provided opportunities for education, so that people know how to keep an eye on their own health.

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Temporary change in water disinfection methods announced for Texarkana

The focus is prevention, prevention is the best thing, said Lynch.

Many of the vendors used the fair as a way to reach new people who may not be aware that there are organizations working to meet their needs.

Its exciting to get to meet people who need resources and theyve just been looking and they dont know where to go to and so being able to link them to the care that they need is really special because youre meeting a need thats definitely there, said Ashley Tompkins, who was there representing Texarkana Care Clinic.

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All of these organizations play a part in making the community a better place, so having them all in one place was a valuable experience.

More Texarkana News

It gives you an insight on whats available and you can get their cards and everything. Just a phone call away. So, you know, its really good for us old folks. said Langley Fruin, who was there taking advantage of what the fair had to offer with his wife Rayne.

For those with questions about community resources, the Bowie County Health Department is just a phone call away at (903) 798-3250.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
A county judge, a former elections administrator and three other elected officials are among a half-dozen people indicted in an alleged vote harvesting scheme in a small south Texas county, state Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Wednesday.

Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law, Paxton said in a statement.

According to Paxtons office, Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho faces three counts of vote harvesting; former county elections administrator Carlos Segura faces one count of evidence tampering; Pearsall City Council members Ramiro Trevino and Racheal Garza face one count each of vote harvesting; Pearsall Independent School District Trustee Adriann Ramirez faces three counts of vote harvesting; and campaign worker Rosa Rodriguez faces two counts of vote harvesting.

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Frio County has a population of about 18,000 residents and is about 65 miles southwest of San Antonio.

Republicans have long sought to curb the role of intermediaries in elections, but critics contend that some voters rely on third parties to ensure their ballots are turned in on time.

The Texas Legislature approved a sweeping election law overhaul in 2021 that, among other provisions, outlawed vote harvesting services, essentially collecting ballots in exchange for compensation or in massive amounts.

The law is being challenged in court, which prompted a temporary hold on state investigations into vote harvesting claims last year, but Paxton appealed and was allowed to continue seeking charges.

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The League of United Latin American Citizens, a voting rights advocacy group, has accused Paxton, who is running against Sen. John Cornyn (R) in Texass 2026 Senate election, of targeting Hispanic and Democratic voters.

According to a tally last year from the National Conference of State Legislatures, 35 states allow voters to authorize someone else to return their ballots.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  South Texas Democrat Vicente Gonzalez has criticized both the Biden and Trump administrations on their handling of the border.

Under President Joe Biden, he says the CBP One app overloaded the southern border.

It was ridiculous. A couple of clicks, youd get an appointment. Youd show up. And youd get interviewed by an asylum officer, if there was one, said Gonzalez.

On President Trumps border policy, he says, I have a problem with the administration nabbing people off the streets of America, putting them on airplanes and deporting them in violation of court orders.

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The Trump administration says its deportation of a man named Kilmar Abrego Garcia, to a prison in El Salvador, was an administrative error.

I think he was very deportable. Im not here defending Abrego Garcia. What I am here defending is rule of law, the U.S. Constitution.

The Supreme Court ordered the administration to facilitate Abrego Garcias return, but Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas.) says the president tried.

Hes outside of the custody of the United States government and the President of El Salvador has said, basically, hes not sending him back. Im not sure what else the president can do, said Cornyn.

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However, Gonzalez says, The United States government is under an obligation to assure bring him back, have his hearing, let him go through due process, and then send him home.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
TEXAS (KTAL/KMSS)  Law enforcement officers from across the country are in Texas this week for the National Top Trooper Competition hosted by the Texas Highway Patrol.

The week-long competition tests skill, toughness and tactical mastery across a series of challenges that depict real-life crime fighting situations.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, 40 competitors will go head-to-head to compete for bragging rights and the honor of being named National Top Trooper.

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Arkansas State Police posted on their social media accounts that after months of training, TFC Tyler Langley and TFC Keri Permenter were ready to try and win the Top Trooper title.

The winner of the Top Trooper completion will be announced by the Texas Highway patrol later this week.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
Police in Hays County, Texas recently recovered four stolen GMC Denali trucks traced back to Houston valued at more than $220,000. On each of the trucks, the vehicle identification number (VIN) had been cloned to dupe unsuspecting buyers.

The vehicles were located after an investigation by the Hays County Sheriffs Auto Theft Unit and other law enforcement agencies  thanks to tips from the Hays County Tax Assessors office about suspicious vehicle titles, according to Click2Houston.

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The GMC Denalis were sold by suspects on Facebook Marketplace for a price significantly below market value, the Hays County Sheriffs Office wrote on Facebook. All victims were provided fictitious titles for the cloned vehicles.

VIN cloning occurs when auto thieves replace the VIN of a stolen car with the VIN of a legally registered car, often of the same make and model, according to Chron.

Since the VIN belongs to a vehicle that hasnt been reported as stolen, the vehicle can be passed off as clean and sold to an unsuspecting buyer.

Heres how to avoid becoming the next victim.

Buying used? Look for red flags

In 2024, more than 850,000 vehicles were stolen in the U.S., costing car owners around $8 billion, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Vehicle theft can lead to significant financial losses, including the cost of replacing a car and a higher insurance rate over the long term. But its not just car owners who pay the price.

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Buyers of used vehicles are also at risk. For example, if authorities discover youve bought a cloned car, your car can be seized and you wont be reimbursed, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

So it pays to exercise extra caution when buying a used vehicle from a private seller.

Red flags can include vehicles being sold on social media, vehicles with out-of-state titles and prices significantly below market value.

For example, the GMC Denali trucks were sold significantly below market value on Facebook Marketplace.

In some states, you can have a VIN verification inspection performed by the DMV before you buy a car. If the seller refuses, thats a red flag. Always get a vehicle history report and perform a title search through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System  and be sure to get the sellers I.D.

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To help prevent your car from being stolen, the NHTSA recommends that owners use common sense.

For example, dont leave your vehicle running unattended, park in well-lit areas if possible and lock all windows and doors when you park. You may want to consider an anti-theft system such as an immobilizer or vehicle recovery system, too.

If your car is stolen, contact the police immediately. Once you have the police report, youll need to contact your insurance company within 24 hours of the time it was stolen. If you find your vehicle before the police do, contact the police and your insurance company immediately.

Read more: BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has an important message for the next wave of American retirees  here's how he says you can best weather the US retirement crisis

Make sure you have the right insurance

Comprehensive coverage is the only type of vehicle coverage that will allow you to make claims for theft. If your car isnt recovered or is totaled after its stolen, comprehensive coverage may pay out the actual cash value of the car.

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While vehicle insurance doesnt cover personal items that were in the car when it was stolen, your homeowners policy likely will.

The actual cash value of the car is what your car was worth when it was stolen after accounting for depreciation and the condition of your car. It will likely be below the replacement value of the car, and it may even be lower than your outstanding loan or lease balance.

If your car is relatively new, you may want to consider new car replacement coverage, which will pay out enough for you to replace your car with the same make and model. You might also want to consider getting gap insurance, which will pay off what you still owe on your loan or lease if the initial payout isnt enough to cover this.

Your insurance premiums are likely to go up after a theft. But whether they do, and by how much, depends on your specific policy.

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And, even if your car is recovered, its value may drop. This decision will be up to the insurance company, which will determine the amount of depreciation to assign to the car and whether to place a salvage title on it.

A salvage title is assigned when the insurance company deems the cost of repairing the car to be greater than the value of the car. This can happen if the car has been in an accident, vandalized or stripped of parts. You can choose to buy back your car with a salvage title, but it will be difficult to sell or finance  and will likely lose 20% to 40% of its value, according to Kelley Blue Book.

Car theft isnt just inconvenient, it can be costly. But taking precautions as a buyer and making sure you have the right insurance can help.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  The acquittal Wednesday of three former Memphis police officers of state charges in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols is the latest development in a case that has prompted calls for police reforms and a continuing quest for justice by his family more than two years after the 29-year-old Black man's death.

An out-of-town jury from a majority-white county took about 8 1/2 hours over two days to find Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith not guilty after a nine-day trial in state court in Memphis, which is majority Black.

Nichols ran away from a chaotic traffic stop after he was yanked out of his car, pepper-sprayed and shot with a Taser in January 2023. Five Black officers caught him and punched, kicked and hit him with a police baton. They struggled to handcuff Nichols as he called out for his mother just steps from his home. Nichols died three days after the beating.

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Video captured by officers' body cameras and a police pole camera showed the officers milling about, talking and laughing as Nichols struggled with his injuries.

The ex-officers were acquitted of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. They still face the prospect of years in prison after they were convicted of federal charges in October, even though they also were acquitted of the most serious charges there.

Two other former officers previously pleaded guilty in both state and federal court, including Emmitt Martin, whom defense attorneys blamed for most of the violence.

The state trial jury was chosen in Hamilton County, which includes Chattanooga, after Judge James Jones Jr. ordered the case be heard outside of Shelby County, which includes Memphis. Defense lawyers had argued that intense publicity made seating a fair jury difficult.

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In December, the U.S. Justice Department said a 17-month investigation showed the Memphis Police Department uses excessive force and discriminates against Black people.

Who was Tyre Nichols?

Tyre Nichols was originally from California, but he moved to Memphis to live with his mother, RowVaughn Wells, and his stepfather Rodney Wells.

Nichols worked with his stepdad at Memphis-based FedEx. Tall and slim, Nichols liked photography and skateboarding. He was on his way home to enjoy a sesame chicken dinner prepared by his mother when he was pulled over in his car by three members of the Memphis Police Department's Scorpion Unit.

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The unit targeted drugs, illegal guns and violent offenders to amass arrests, while sometimes using force against unarmed people. It was disbanded shortly after Nichols' death.

A chaotic traffic stop

According to trial testimony, officers saw Nichols speeding and tried to stop him. Nichols did not pull over for about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers), making it a high risk stop in their eyes. He eventually stopped at a red light in a left-turn lane.

Haley and Martin pounced quickly, yanking Nichols out of the car and pulling him to the ground while giving him expletive-filled orders to comply. Nichols told the officers that he didn't do anything, that he just wanted to go home, and that they were doing a lot right now.

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At one point, Martin said let go of my gun, but there was no evidence Nichols actually went for the weapon. Pepper spray was deployed, and the officers were hit. Nichols managed to get away and was shot with a Taser as he ran towards his house.

Tackled, pummeled and left to struggle with his injuries

Bean tackled Nichols from behind. As he and Smith grappled with Nichols, Mills arrived and used more pepper spray. Mills, angry that he sprayed himself, testified that he hit Nichols three times in the arm with a police baton.

Martin kicked and punched Nichols multiple times in the head. Haley kicked Nichols once before he was handcuffed.

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Nichols was kept on the ground, seated against a police car. Nichols was left to struggle with his injuries with little or no medical care for 19 minutes before he was taken to a hospital.

Nichols died three days later of blunt force trauma to the head. A medical examiner said Nichols had tears and bleeding in the brain.

Prosecutors claim excessive force

Prosecutors argued that the officers used excessive, deadly force in trying to handcuff Nichols and were criminally responsible for each others actions.

The officers also had a duty to intervene and stop the beating and tell medical personnel that Nichols had been struck in the head, but they failed to do so, prosecutors said.

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Prosecutors relied heavily on the graphic video of the beating to make their case. Jurors were repeatedly shown the video during the trial.

As the officers stood around talking about the beating, Bean said Nichols had been eating the blows and Smith said they hit Nichols with so many pieces, or punches.

Haley took a cellphone photo of a severely-injured Nichols and shared it 11 times.

Defense witnesses, arguments sway the jury

Defense attorneys emphasized that it was Martin, not their clients, who kicked and punched Nichols several times in the head. The actions of Bean, Haley and Smith were only meant to get handcuffs on Nichols, they argued.

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The defense also seemed to score points with its use-of-force experts, who testified that the officers acted in compliance with police department policies and widely accepted law enforcement standards. Attorneys for Bean and Smith called character witnesses who testified that the men did their job with skill, compassion and honor.

Defense attorneys noted in closing arguments that credit and debit cards that did not belong to Nichols were found in his car and said that was likely why Nichols ran from the traffic stop. The lawyers have argued that the beating would not have happened if Nichols had allowed himself to be handcuffed.

The jury could have convicted the officers on lesser charges including reckless homicide. Right after the verdicts were read, the officers hugged each other and their lawyers.

What's next for Nichols' family?

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Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said he spoke to Nichols family and said, They were devastated. ... I think they were outraged.

Nichols' family will still see a measure of justice. All five officers face extended time in federal prison, where there is no parole. Mills and Martin also will receive punishment after their guilty pleas in state court, though it may coincide with the length of their federal prison terms.

Meanwhile, the five officers, the city of Memphis and the police chief a re being sued by Nichols family for $550 million. A trial has been scheduled for the summer of 2026.
School administrators in Plymouth sent a letter home to parents on Wednesday warning of a potentially hazardous social media trend.

The trend is called the Chromebook Challenge, according to Superintendent Christopher Campbell, and it encourages students to insert pencil lead, paperclips, or push pins into Chromebook ports.

The intent is to cause the device to smoke or malfunction.

I just think that where there is a will, there is a way, and TikTok spreads a lot of information pretty quickly, and obviously its a concern, but hopefully theyre going to pay attention, and when the Chromebooks start smoking somebody reports it, one parent tells Boston 25 News.

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Inserting metal or other foreign objects into electronic devices can lead to electrical shock, fire, or even small explosions, the letter read. Several incidents have already been reported.

Parents were encouraged to speak with their students about the importance of responsible technology use.

We recognize the powerful influence of social media and are committed to working with families to promote awareness and prevent harm, Superintendent Campbell wrote.

The Plymouth Police Department says they are not aware of any reports at this time.

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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When does it end?

Nearly 2,000 migrants are still being housed in the historic Roosevelt Hotel  despite the city insisting the makeshift shelter will be shuttering next month.

The 100-year-old landmark in Midtown became a symbol of the Big Apples migrant crisis as it became the intake center for the more than 230,000 asylum seekers from the US border who flocked to the five boroughs since 2022.

As many as 2,900 people were also housed there on taxpayer dime at the peak of the crisis, and the number of residents has only dwindled to around 1,800 as of Wednesday.

Built in 1924, the once luxurious Roosevelt Hotel has been a migrant shelter since 2022, and still houses nearly 2,000. Robert Miller

Thats even as Mayor Eric Adams has all but declared the migrant crisis over in February, when he announced the hotels impeding closure.

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Sources said at the time the hotel-turned-shelter would be empty by June.

But City Hall continues to be vague on just when the Roosevelt will be shut down as a shelter  saying on Wednesday only that the transition should happen sometime in June.

People being housed at the hotel told The Post they have been offered help to get out of the state, but havent been given a date by which they have to pack up and leave, causing confusion and anguish.

Its in Gods hands, Sandra, a 34-year-old Venezuelan migrant, said Wednesday. I dont know what will happen to me next. My hope is that I can find a job and not rely on anyone for housing and work.

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Juan Gabriel, 22, also from Venezuela, said hes unsure when or where hell have to move.

They offered to send us to other states, one was somewhere near the border with Canada, but I dont want to go, he said. I dont think Ill be able to find work there.

The hotel at 45 East 45th Street is one of 171 sites still used as shelters for the asylum seekers, whose numbers are dwindling as President Trumps immigration policies slow the flow of migrants into the country.

The dip in new arrivals has prompted the Adams administration to close the massive tent encampments at Randalls Island and Brooklyns Floyd Bennett Field, and announce a string of other shelter closures. A City Hall spokesperson said Wednesday the administration had already closed 59 shelters.

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During the week ending on May 4, the Big Apple saw just over 100 new arrivals, City Hall officials said, down radically from the height of nearly 4,000 migrants per week who poured into the city during January 2024.

New York post front page after Mayor Eric Adams vowed to shut down the Roosevelt Hotel as a migrant shelter. New York Post

Migrants wait in line outside the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan to check in with the city earlier this year. Michael Nagle

Despite our success in helping over 195,000 migrants leave the citys care and take their next steps toward self-sufficiency, we still have over 39,000 migrants in our care, and any implication that we are now out of the woods is simply false, City Hall spokesperson Liz Garcia said in a statement. And as we previously stated, the Roosevelt  and two other migrant shelters  will be closing next month.

The conversion of the historic hotel stood as a symbol of the strain of the migrant crisis.

Built in 1924, the Roosevelt, named after President Teddy Roosevelt, was once the peak of Big Apple luxury.

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It was the site of the first broadcast of Auld Lang Syne by Guy Lombardo and his Orchestra and housed the presidential campaign headquarters of former Gov. Thomas Dewey during the 1948 race, remembered for the Chicago Tribunes front-page Dewey Defeats Truman gaffe.

When a massive wave of migrants began to stream across the southern US border in the spring 2022, the clientele at the Roosevelt took on a different look as the processing center for newcomers to the sanctuary city and housing nearly 3,000 in rooms once reserved for VIPs.

It also became a hotbed of criminal activity, with the Venezuela street gang Tren de Aragua recruiting at the hotel and orchestrating moped robbery crews from within its walls, police sources have said.

A 10-year-old migrant boy uses a laptop after a school pickup outside the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan. Michael Nagle

Most recently, a 12-year-old pintsized gangbanger accused of being the ringleader of a Central Park robbery crew and part of a mob that swarmed two NYPD cops in Times Square over the weekend was listed as a resident.

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But problems with some of the Roosevelts shelter residents predated the baby-faced troublemaker.

In September 2023, two separate assaults sent cops to the hotel, with one migrant charged with strangling his girlfriend and another stabbed by his partner during a scuffle.

Three migrants living at the hotel were charged in a $5,300 shoplifting spree in February 2024, as were some of the mob who ganged up on two cops in Times Square in January 2024.

The newfound rep of the Roosevelt Hotel got so bad that most of the migrants living there griped about the gangbangers and criminal in their midst.

Migrant parents wait for their children to be dropped off from school outside the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan. Michael Nagle

The reputation of this hotel is all over TikTok, Ecuadorean native Fernanda Rosa said in October. We all know what the hotel is known for.

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Ana, a mother of three from Venezuela, said the clock was ticking for the Roosevelt shelter.

The shelter isnt perfect, but Ive been grateful to have a place to live, she told The Post outside the hotel Wednesday.

I dont really know what happens next.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY)  Thousands of owners in the Pittsburgh area who had their pets cremated, including a woman who works in Clarksburg, were recently informed that the ashes they received between 2021 and 2024 dont actually belong to their pets.

Total shock, disbelief, deceived, was kind of the worst thing you could ever hear, Bobbi Loveridge, Assistant Professor of Vet Tech at Pierpont Community and Technical College, said. Loveridges profession has allowed her to know the ins and outs of what the cremation process should be for pets, but nearly two weeks ago, she was stunned to learn that the ashes she received may not actually be from her three beloved pets.

Last week, the office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General, David Sunday, filed criminal charges against 70-year-old Patrick Vereb, the owner of Eternity Pet Memorials. Charges against him include deceptive business practices, theft by deception and receiving stolen property with allegations of deceiving more than 6,500 pet owners out of more than $650,000.

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In many cases, instead of providing the pets ashes, Sundays office said that the pets remains were discarded in landfills and customers were given ashes from unknown animals.

Eternity Pet Memorials cremation certificate of Bobbi Loveridges dog Neyely. Courtesy: Bobbi Loveridge.

Letter sent to Bobbi Loveridge by Eternity Pet Memorials. Courtesy: Bobbi Loveridge.

Worthington couple charged after kids found in trailer with raw sewage

Like we give you our pets and you send a letterthe letter was the worst. With each ashes that you get back you get a letter and it says something to the effect of Thank you for entrusting us with your beloved pet, and its signed the Verebs. And when I was initially asked who had cremated my animals, I remember the Vereb name because of that letter, Loveridge said.

Loveridge was able to confirm with the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office that her cat Lilac and dog Lewi were not cremated, but her Rottweiler mix Neyely was cremated. Its still unknown what portion of Neyelys ashes went to Loveridge and what went to others.

Email sent to Loveridge by the OAG verifying her pet was not cremated.

Email sent to Loveridge by the OAG verifying her pet Neyely was cremated.

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Loveridge frequently brought Neyely to class and she was loved by students. Due to health conditions, she also had implants that Loveridge said were very unique to her.

When I had her cremated, I did ask to have her implants returned in hopes I could use them as a teaching aid for my students to be able to see. I had every intent of having them put into resin and normally I move pretty quickly and like do things so that the students can benefit, however I havent done that and I feel like there was a reason maybe that I hadnt because maybe thats the only ashes that I do have of hers, Loveridge said.

Memorial made with what was believed to be Neyelys ashes (WBOY image).

West Virginia man found with nearly 1500 child porn images, troopers say

Loveridge still has a memorial light-up orb made from what was supposed to be Neyelys ashes. I chose to turn it on because I thought maybe it was somebodys baby and I wanted to honor them, she added.

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Loveridge said in the future, if she chooses cremation services, she will opt for ones she can observe, even if its difficult. For now, her trust in crematoriums has been broken.

All of my animals have been processed through that funeral home. I did work at Loyalhanna Animal Clinic in the past and thats how I got hooked up with Eternity Pets because thats who we had used. As far as we knew, he was a trustworthy person and thats why we chose him, however, in the event that we found out he is not, Loveridge said.

According to an email sent to Loveridge from Loyalhanna, Loveridge purchased the private cremation service for all three of her pets in 2021, 2022, and 2023. The total cost of the three services was $290.

When asked what she would do if there was a return of funds after the court cases, Loveridge originally said, No moneys going to change it, its dirty money, probably going to donate it if there is anything.

Courtesy: Bobbi Loveridge Courtesy: Bobbi Loveridge Courtesy: Bobbi Loveridge Courtesy: Bobbi Loveridge Bobbi Loveridges cat Lilac (WBOY image) Bobbi Loveridges dog Lewi (WBOY image). Bobbi Loveridges dog Neyely (WBOY image).

Loveridge reached back out to 12 News after pondering on the question further and said, Should I receive a settlement, I would like to memorialize my pets by creating a scholarship for vet tech students.

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There was originally a preliminary hearing in this case set for May 9, but Vereb waived his right to it. All of the charges will now proceed forward to the court of common pleas, but no date has been announced as of this publication.

Loveridge is now part of a class action lawsuit against Vereb, with the goal of knowing exactly what happened to all the pets during that time period.

According to the attorney generals press release in the case, the victims in this criminal case were walk-in and direct-pay clients of Eternity Pet Memorials, as well as pet owners from 20 veterinarians/businesses.

To learn more about the case and to go to the dedicated page for it, you can go here.

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Three more hostages may have died in captivity in Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu has said.

In a video message on Wednesday, the Israeli prime minister said: We know for certain that there are 21 alive, about this there is no dispute.

However, he added: There are another three who, unfortunately, there is doubt if they are alive.

The statement follows days of anger from hostage families after Donald Trump announced that three have died during a press conference in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

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Until this week, Israel has consistently said it believes that 24 of the remaining 59 hostages still held in Gaza are alive.

But tensions were heightened last week when Sara Netanyahu was overheard whispering fewer into her husbands ear during an event at which he had quoted the figure of 24.

It has now been reported that official IDF liaison officers have confirmed with the families that fewer than 24 are believed to be alive.

Hostage families attend a press conference organised by the Israeli embassy - Horacio Villalobos Corbis/Getty

It follows weeks of heavy air strikes and, in some areas, ground fighting, after the ceasefire deal with Hamas broke down in mid-March.

Last month, Hamas announced that it had lost contact with its militants who were guarding Edan Alexander, the last-remaining US-Israeli hostage.

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On Wednesday, an Israeli official was quoted as saying that two of the hostages whose fate is in doubt are foreign and one is Israeli.

It is understood that hostages are officially considered living by Israel until they are confirmed dead.

Hamas and other terror groups are holding 59 hostages, 35 of whom are confirmed dead  32 Israeli and three foreigners.

The official said the families are continuously and thoroughly updated.

However, the sequence of events over the past week has sparked anger among the loved ones of the remaining hostages.

Dani Miran, the father of hostage Omri Miran, told the Kan public broadcaster that the way families are being jerked around is unbearable.

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He said: Every day is another message, different numbers of living and dead, and you dont know whats going on with your son. It messes with your head.

Now we are resuming a war that can wind up harming the hostages. This isnt a stable way to live.

Hamas published a video on April 23 that showed Omri Miran in captivity - HAMAS MILITARY WING/REUTERS

Alon Nimrodi, the father of hostage Tamir Nimrodi, told Army Radio that he felt like he had been stabbed in the back.

He asked: What does Trump know that we do not?

Mr Nimrodi added: This is hard to see and hear, Im losing sleep over it, its heartbreaking.

Israels plan to seize and hold the entire Gaza Strip will begin any time after the end of next week, when Mr Trumps Middle East tour comes to an end, in the absence of a hostage deal.

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Mr Netanyahu has said the increased military pressure is designed to push Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages, although the hostage families have expressed concern that it puts their loved ones in further danger.

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Voters left a school levy contest in Greater Cincinnati in an unusual state after the polls closed May 6.

They were split in their support for Madison Local School District's proposed levy on the ballot. The levy received 620 votes in favor and 620 votes against, according to unofficial results from Ohio's Butler County Board of Elections.

So you might be wondering, how often does this happen? And you're probably thinking, what happens next?

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For an election contest to end in a tie is "very unusual," said Eric Corbin, deputy director of the Butler County Board of Elections. In Ohio, three local races ended in a tie vote during the November 2024 general election.

The only tie Corbin recalled in recent memory at the Butler County Board of Elections was in 2022 for a political party's central committee race. Those contests can receive a handful of votes, making a tie more likely.

In those contests, a coin flip is used to break the tie. However, that's not the case for school issues.

What will happen to the Madison Local School District's proposed levy?

The potential levy's funds would be used to avoid an operating deficit for the school district near Middletown, roughly 40 miles north of downtown Cincinnati.

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The race may not end up in a tie once the official results are certified. The tallies released the night of May 6 did not include every vote. The Butler County Board of Elections still needs to include eligible provisional ballots and absentee ballots in the vote total.

Voters will likely know if the Madison Local School District's levy passed or not on May 22, when the election results are certified.

In the rare case levy results are still tied after provisional and absentee ballots are counted, then it is likely the levy will fail.

"We're not 100% sure right now, we're still in the process of figuring it out because it's so rare," Corbin said.

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However, he added, the language on the ballot voters read said a majority affirmative vote is necessary for the levy to pass.

"That's making us feel that if it's tied, that's not a majority by definition," he said. "So that means the levy would fail in that instance."

Madison Local School District Superintendent Jeff Staggs refused a request for comment, adding he would give a statement once results are determined.

Ohio saw several close races in 2024

Ohio saw several close races in the November 2024 general election. Three contests ended in a tie vote, three were determined by three votes and three contests came down to a single vote, according to a press release from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose's office. Two of these close races were regarding school levies.

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Although these races occurred during the general election, LaRose emphasized the likelihood of close contests during an off-year election, when voter turnout is often low. Local elections, which occur in odd-numbered years like 2025, can come down to notoriously slim margins," he said in the release.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Madison Local School District's levy contest is tied. What's next?
Are kids destroying laptops just for fun? Unfortunately, yes, and it could cost parents.

A new viral TikTok trend began earlier this week when a user shared a video in which they use paper clips or mechanical pencils and stick the lead into the USB port of a Chromebook, which causes the computer to smoke.

Students who have participated in the trend have quickly learned that not only does the computer smoke, in some cases it has caught fire, causing school evacuations around the country.

What is the Chromebook Challenge on TikTok?

The trend involves frying school-issued laptops. So students are not always destroying their personal computers; they are destroying school property.

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Intentionally damaging a school-issued device, however, is against most school policies and will result in a fine to replace the device.

What have Indiana school districts said about the Chromebook Challenge?

Washington Township Metropolitan School District sent out an email to parents warning them of the dangers of this viral trend. The message urged parents to speak with their children about both the safety and financial implications of participating in this trend.

Parents in that district were warned that if their students take part in this challenge, there'll be a $380 replacment charge.

Carmel Clay Schools sent a similar message to its families, also mentioning the risks and seriousness of tampering with devices. The message said if students do this, "there will be consequences in accordance with school policy."

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Parents, be sure to talk to your student about not setting things on fire  especially school-issued laptops  to keep everyone at school safe and to avoid an unnecessary fine.

Katie Wiseman covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Bluesky @katiewiseman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Viral TikTok trend results in fried Chromebooks and school evacuations
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tore apart Donald Trumps arguments for his widespread tariffs on Wednesday as he slammed the presidents supporters for claiming the U.S. needed a businessman to run government like a business.

Two things about that are wrong. No, we dont need to run government like a business because were not in the profit-making, were in [the business of] improving lives and looking toward the future, he told MSNBCs Jen Psaki.

And this guy has a proven track record of being an absolute failure.

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Moments earlier, the former Democratic vice presidential candidate took on Trump for remarking that children may simply have to deal with having two dolls instead of 30 as a result of his trade policy.

When did government get to tell you how many dolls your child has? Walz asked.

He continued, Government  just big enough to fit in your bedroom, your womb and apparently now in your toy chest. Its insane. Its a command economy with him dictating, theres no free market principles.

The governor stressed that the U.S., thanks to farmers like those in Minnesota, has thrived at feeding, clothing and powering the world.

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Donald Trump is now deciding that he gets to do all of that and the real thing is is to enrich the industries he chooses. Hes picking the winners and losers and, in this case, the billionaires are winning and the rest of us are losing, Walz said.

Psaki mentioned that Trump appears bizarrely flippant and so disconnected whenresponding to the impact of his tariffs on families.

Walz proceeded to question the presidents ludicrous philosophy in justifying the tariffs, which include 145% import taxes on China.

He pointed out that Trumps trade war with Canada and Mexico drives him insane because the president inked a deal with the countries in his first term.

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Walz later noted that Trump likes to get things done through threats, much like his dealings with colleges and universities such as Harvard in recent weeks.

He doesnt get it done through competency, he doesnt get it done through results, he said. He gets it done through fear, intimidation.

Walz: So many Americans thought, We need to hire a businessman to run government like a business. Two things about that are wrong. First, nowe dont need to run government like a business, because were not in the profit-making business. Were in the business of improving pic.twitter.com/Vy5kxVPfii  Acyn (@Acyn) May 8, 2025

Walz: When did government get to tell you how many dolls your child has? Government just big enough to fit in your bedroom, your womb, and apparently now in your toy chest. pic.twitter.com/Um5kOEIwER  Acyn (@Acyn) May 8, 2025

Related...
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Tipton County man is accused of assaulting his mom on Saturday, according to the Tipton County Sheriffs Office.

Dylan Petrizzo, 27, of Drummonds, Tennessee, was charged with Aggravated Domestic Assault with injury. He is being held under a $500,000 bond. His court date has been scheduled for June 10.

Dylan Petrizzo_Mugshot Courtesy of Tipton County Sheriffs Office

On May 3, at 5:30 p.m., deputies were dispatched to Highway 59 in the Drummonds area concerning a female walking down the road covered in blood.

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The woman received medical attention from Emergency Medical Services, and she was transported to Regional One Medical Center.

West, TN drug task force agent injured in on-duty crash

Deputies say the woman was believed to have been beaten, and they noted the inside of her vehicle, which was nearby, was covered in blood.

When deputies followed up on their investigation, at a resident in the 11000 block of Hwy. 59 West, where they found signs of an altercation, and they located Petrizzo in a wood line near the residence.

According to deputies, Petrizzo was angry with his mother when they got home, and then he assaulted her, leaving her with serious injuries and head trauma. The mother has reportedly been in and out of the hospital.

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As the investigation unfolded, it was determined that the victim and her son had been out for dinner, came home, and an altercation inside occurred between the two of them. It led to the point where the son severely beat his own mother, said Shannon Beasley, Tipton County Sheriff.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Thomas Girardi, the disbarred lawyer convicted of defrauding his own clients, has been hospitalized and cannot attend a hearing scheduled for Thursday where a federal judge was set to hear evidence that could determine whether he is sent to prison or a suitable medical facility.

The disclosure of Girardi's hospitalization came in a filing submitted by his defense attorneys, who asked U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton to delay the hearing for one to two weeks.

Girardi was taken by ambulance Wednesday morning from an Orange County nursing home, and he was admitted in the afternoon due to "liver dysfunction," according to the filing from Deputy Federal Public Defenders Samuel Cross and Charles Snyder.

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"He will likely remain there for multiple days," the lawyers wrote. The defense team insisted their client wanted to be physically present for the hearing, and argued that ruling otherwise would infringe on his rights.

Staton canceled the hearing Thursday and rescheduled it for early June.

The episode adds another twist to the Girardi saga  a momentous downfall for a man who was once among Los Angeles' prominent lawyers and political donors. During Girardi's trial last summer, prosecutors said the Girardi Keese law firm had operated as a Ponzi-like scheme that siphoned off as much as $100 million in client funds to, among other things, underwrite the lifestyle and music career of his wife, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Girardi. Jurors convicted Girardi of four counts of wire fraud.

Prosecutors are seeking a 14-year prison term for Girardi, and he was originally set to be sentenced in December of last year. But his lawyers argued that due to dementia and ongoing cognitive decline, their client should be kept out of prison and remain in his Orange County nursing home.

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To confirm Girardi's present condition, the judge ordered him to undergo a medical evaluation at a federal prison in Butner, N.C.

Experts there concluded he did not require special treatment, although their full report has not been released.

A forensic psychologist and a neuropsychologist who evaluated him determined that not only can Mr. Girardi be safely and appropriately imprisoned within [the federal prison system] ... he need not even, at this time, be placed in a specialized medical facility, his defense attorneys wrote in a filing in which they disputed those findings and said they wanted to subpoena the report's authors.

During Thursday's hearing, those experts were expected to testify to Girardi's mental status and the basis for their conclusions  and face cross-examination from Girardi's legal team, who are still pressing for him to serve his sentence in a medical facility.

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Last month, Staton sentenced Christopher Kamon, the former chief financial officer at Girardi's now-shuttered law firm, to 10 years in prison for his role in the large-scale fraud.

Both Girardi and Kamon face additional federal charges in Chicago over the misappropriation of millions of dollars in settlements for families of plane crash victims.

Times staff writer Harriet Ryan contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Wisconsin is joining 15 other states suing the U.S. Department of Transportation and Secretary Sean Duffy, a former Wisconsin congressman, over a loss in federal funding that stands to dampen the state's electric vehicle efforts.

Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul filed the lawsuit May 8 over the Trump administration's freeze of funding for EV infrastructure, including more than $62 million that Wisconsin could lose.

Without the funds, Wisconsin's efforts to build EV charging stations along highways and near gas stations, restaurants and hotels could be delayed or canceled, "threatening jobs and economic activity in the state," according to a release from Kaul's office.

Former US Representative Sean Duffy testifies before a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing on his nomination to be US Secretary of Transportation, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2025.

In a statement, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said the Trump administration and Duffy are "singlehandedly trying to block Wisconsin from receiving the investments we were promised."

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Evers cited bipartisan legislation he signed into law last year that created a path for Wisconsin to capture nearly $80 million in federal funding to help private businesses develop charging stations.

"Much of those funds and projects are in jeopardy," Evers said.

At the time, state Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, said he authored the bill on behalf of private-sector businesses who want to participate in the EV charging industry.

Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany defended Duffy May 8, saying he's "making sure tax dollars go to actual roads."

"The government doesnt build gas stations, and it shouldnt be funding EV chargers either," Tiffany posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

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More: Trump administration freezes funds for Wisconsin electrical vehicle charging stations

The U.S. Department of Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit.

Unlike other members of Trump's Cabinet, Duffy received bipartisan support during his confirmation as secretary in January, including from U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Some Democratic senators opposed his nomination over Trump's federal funding freeze.

During his confirmation hearing, Duffy did not reference specific projects like EV charging stations but said he would commit to implementing projects funded by the Biden administrations Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

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The law included $5 billion for electric vehicle funding. The lawsuit Kaul joined argues the funding was already approved by Congress and the administration can't terminate it.

The lawsuit is now pending in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Evers, Kaul sue Sean Duffy over loss in funds for EV infrastructure
Scarcely a week goes by that Katies 9- and 6-year-old daughters dont wear a costume to their school in the Dallas suburbs. For the Neon Party, they wore white T-shirts and the school turned on black lights at lunchtime. For Adjective Day, when the kids had to wear something, anything, that they could describe with adjectives, Katies youngest put on a Little Mermaid outfit: scaly, wet, shiny, glittery, beautiful. And Katie just purchased a koala getup for an upcoming lesson aboutyou guessed itkoalas.

No central database tracks dress-up days. But what Ive gathered from talking with parents and looking at district websites is that they are proliferating, particularly for preschool- and elementary-age kids. Some schools have just a few a year; others do them as often as once a week. Katie, a 38-year-old health-care worker (who asked to be identified by her first name only so she could speak openly about her opinion of these events), told me that her kids school had a different dress-up theme every day in the two weeks leading up to Christmas. The holiday season can already be a busy time of life, she said. With the dress-up events, its like, Oh my God, now I also have to think about what you are wearing to school each of these days.

Not to be all back in my day about this, but back in my day, I hardly ever wore a costume to elementary school, except for Halloween. Spirit week was a high-school and maybe middle-school affair, so my parents didnt have to do anything. I was old enough to dress myself upor not. Plus, we had one spirit week a year. One. Before homecoming, we dressed up for Pajama Day, Wacky Wednesday, Class-Color Day, and a couple of others I cant quite recall. Parents I spoke with agreed that the costume situation seems way more intense now than when they were kids.

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As fun and cute as spirit days at elementary and preschools are, for parents, they are basically homework. And although some enjoy making the effort, others find it a burdenjust one more thing to keep track of at a time when parental stress is so high that a former surgeon general issued a warning about it. On Reddit, parents complain about theme days that feel never-ending, random, and completely unnecessary. Audrey Hooks, a 44-year-old tree-farm manager and mother of three in Harlingen, Texas, told me spirit days are a trend that all my mom-group friends talk about, comment on, feel overwhelmed by. (Given the still-unequal division of child-care labor in heterosexual relationships, the responsibility of coordinating outfits is more likely to fall to moms.)

[Read: The pro-family policy this nation actually needs]

If parents are lucky, something that works for the event may already be in their kids closet. Some days are as simple as wear this color T-shirtpink for breast-cancer awareness, for example. Other days are more complicated, requiring parents to either get crafty or buy items that their child may wear only once: an ugly Christmas sweater for holiday spirit week, plastic accessories for Sunglasses Day or Mustache Day.

But the most stressful thing about spirit days, parents report, is that they often find out about them at the last minute. More than one person told me of their child dropping the bomb of By the way, I have to dress up for school tomorrow shortly before bedtime. Sometimes the schools themselves break the news annoyingly late. Katherine Goldstein, a 41-year-old journalist in Durham, North Carolina, who writes about community building, told me her kids school has sent an announcement on Sunday night for a spirit week beginning Monday morningtoo little notice even for an overnight Amazon delivery. Many of the burned-out parents on Reddit have similar frustrations.

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Of course, families can always blow it off. Goldstein has decided that spirit days are on what she calls her dont list. I think its completely absurd, she said. I have decided this is something I just cannot put any mental energy into. The only exception is whether her kids choose to participate on their own. If they remember and make the effort to dress up with clothes they already have, shes not going to stop them. But shes not going to help or remind them, either.

Leaving it up to parents whether to participate puts them in the position of being the bad guy and risks their kid feeling left out or disappointed. Although Goldstein told me she hasnt experienced much fallout from her policy, Hooks has had to manage some emotions. Her family has taken the middle path of participating sometimes, if its easy enough for them to put an outfit together. But you wont find her weaving wires through her daughters hair for 30 minutes to construct a Cindy-Lou Who hairstyle for Dr. Seuss Day, even if other kids show up to school like that. She instead says something like this to her daughter: Im so happy for fill-in-the-blanks name. She looks so cute today. Thats cool, but Im just not going to feel the pressure as a mom to curate an outfit like that. Hooks takes it as an opportunity to teach her daughter the lesson that different families do things differently, and she wont always have the same experiences as her friends. That is really, really hard, as a parent, to feel like youre disappointing your kid, she said. But I had to just come to grips with that, and not get sucked into the arms race of whose kid dressed up cuter on Dr. Seuss Day.

For Katie, as annoying as a dress-up day can be, the default is always just to do it, she said. Her daughters love it, and she doesnt want them to feel left out. Plus, if she happens to miss an email about a spirit day and her kids are the only ones not dressed up, I feel like a terrible parent, she said.

Schools do not set out to make parents feel bad. No one schedules Dress Like Your Favorite Book Character Day with sinister intent. Schools want to build community and get kids engaged. It seems on the surface to be such a lovely custom to even question, Miriam Plotinsky, an instructional specialist in Montgomery County, Maryland, told me. The spirit behind it is very much one of inclusivity and belonging.

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[Read: Doomed to be a tradwife]

At the same time, she pointed out, for events that are meant to bring people together, dress-up days can cause division. Kids may feel left out if their families cant participate or choose not to. Even children who do participate dress up with varying levels of intensity, opening the door for jealousy. Spirit days can expose wealth disparities among families: Whose parents can afford to buy this sort of fast fashion for first-graders every time a new spirit week drops, and whose cant? (Hooks said her PTA recently bought some props that the school can keep on hand and pass out on spirit days for this very reason.) Twin Day, a common theme, could be upsetting for kids who dont have a friend willing to match outfits with them. And some of the holiday spirit weeks Ive seen skew very Christmasy, alienating families that dont celebrate Christmas.

Many teachers online seem to be tired of spirit days, whether because they also feel pressure to dress up or because these days can be distracting and chaotic. Adam Clemons, the principal of Piedmont High School in Alabama and a board member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, put it to me diplomatically: Any administrator would say that they definitely enjoy a normal day over a day thats thematic.

What if we just did less? The more spirit days you add to the calendar, the more reason to expect diminishing returns. Through a process psychologists call habituation, the novelty of a new experience wears off the more you encounter it. Unpleasant things become less bothersome, and fun activities get less fun. And how many spoonfuls of sugar do we really need to make the multiplication tables go down? Just one Pajama Day and thats it is Goldsteins suggestion. Or better yet, direct that dress-up-day energy elsewhere: At a school where Plotinsky once worked, each classroom decorated a hallway together for spirit week. Collaborative, in-school activities that everyone can participate in, she told me, work better to build community than kids just dressing up in costumes from home. Then again, thats more work for schools and teachers than passing the buck to parents.

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Unless schools choose to cool it, or parents rise up and demand that the yoke of spirit days be cast off, they will likely continue. Because the greatest weapon that spirit days have at their disposal is, essentially, How can you say no to this face? Its a total pain in the ass, Katie told me, but then its also super fun and cute and rewarding to see them so happy. She said shes trying to savor these days as much as she can while her kids are young. Still, shes looking forward to summer vacation, when shell finally get a break.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
Train Derailment In Avoyelles Parish; for Moreauville Mayor responds

MOREAUVILLE, La. (KLFY)  A train has derailed in Avoyelles Parish, causing a major highway to be shut down, authorities said.

According to State Police, troopers and Avoyelles Parish Sheriffs Deputies were on the scene of a train derailment on La. 1 in Moreauville earlier today.

As a result, La. 1 was closed to vehicular traffic. The detour route was La. 114 to La. 451, officials said. Motorists are advised to expect delays when traveling in that area.

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We had a train derailment of four locomotives, 30 cars. As for now, we know that we had a diesel spill but no hazardous material spill. Beryl Holmes, Mayor of Moreauville said.

Holmes expressed that it came as a surprise to her.

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Any time we have anything like that, its a surprise,  Holmes said. And Im not sure if it ever happened in the past, but under my administration, this is the very first time and yes, of course, it was a surprise because there were a lot of changes for our residents.

Holmes said first responders knocked door to door informing residents of the evacuation. Joey Franks, the director of the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Office said they had approximately 30 people at the Moreauville community center.

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Theres about five or six residents that are on Highway one that cannot return yet everybody else can return to their residence and go back to normal living. Franks said. We just have some work to do on up-righting the train and doing things like that but hopefully thatll be done within a couple of days.

For more information, residents to follow the local radio station, Facebook pages, the towns website, call the town hall phone at 985-2338 or call the local police department at 985-52126.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  REAL IDs are now required to board a flight or enter certain federal buildings.

Though May 7 is the enforcement date, TSA Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl said those who do not have a REAL ID can go through extra screening at the airport to board a flight.

If you do show up with a non-compliant state-issued ID, you will be okay. It just may take some additional time for screening, Stahl said. So, we do urge folks to plan accordingly and leave a little extra time when traveling to the airport.

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Arkansas revenue offices issue record number of REAL IDs Tuesday, Sherwood office forced to redirect customers after running out

A REAL ID or another compliant form of identification, like a passport or military ID, will be required to board a domestic flight and enter certain federal facilities.

Several travelers who have their REAL ID told KARK 4 News at the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport that they thought it was a good idea.

We want our airports to be safe and want to make sure everyone coming through TSA is vetted and safe and secure, traveler Anthony Todd said.

I try to have all the Is and Ts when Im traveling, another traveler, Phyllis Gordon, said. Its just a tense time and I want everything all together.

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REAL ID takes effect in Arkansas. So, what if I dont have one?

Officials with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration say this week there were thousands of people going to get their REAL IDs.

They say all revenue offices will continue to issue REAL IDs after Wednesday for those who do not have an immediate need for one.

DFA officials said the deadline is when the state will begin to enforce it, and not the last day to receive one.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar Celia Israel filed lawsuits Monday against eight businesses owned by Austin real estate investor Nate Paul, according to a news release from Israels office.

Israel sued to collect over $2.3 million in delinquent taxes Paul owes, according to the release.

Austin real estate investor Nate Paul sentenced in bank fraud case

Nate Paul has shown a disregard for playing by the rules  that includes paying his property taxes, Israel said in her statement. After each payment deadline, tax office employees spend months sending letter and making phone calls to Mr. Paul, and the delays and partial payments are no longer enough.

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KXAN has reached out to Pauls attorneys for a statement. We will update this if one is received.

The taxes Paul has allegedly failed to pay are used to fund vital infrastructure, like roads and bridges and pay teacher salaries and public employees, Israels office said.

Nate Paul, Austin investor tied to AG Paxton, charged with 8 federal counts

Paul is a friend and political donor of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Their relationship factored into allegations of abuse of power against Paxton that spurred his impeachment in 2023. Aside from that political saga, Paul was federally indicted on 12 bank and wire fraud counts in 2023. Paul pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to a lending institution in January. The remaining counts were dismissed, and Paul was sentenced in April to no prison time.

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Israel said Paul had not responded to her office to make a payment in full or make arrangements to begin a payment plan to address the unpaid taxes.

I do not take this approach of a lawsuit lightly and hope that Mr. Paul, or one of his business representatives, will respond by paying the delinquent taxes, Israel said.

Israel highlighted the amount of taxes and legal fees due from Paul, which was provided by her office below:

Billing Number Name Delinquent Taxes Legal Fees 929508 11530 MENCHACA ROAD LLC $ 35,953.15 $ 5,830.97 929509 11530 MENCHACA ROAD LLC $ 10,490.22 $ 1,573.53 929510 11530 MENCHACA ROAD LLC $ 100,514.30 $ 15,077.15 070983 1800 CESAR CHAVEZ LLC $ 123,764.87 $ 19,002.73 233018 222 EAST 6TH LLC $ 107,693.75 $ 16,592.06 871374 814 LAVACA LLC $ 95,311.57 $ 14,734.74 871373 814 LAVACA LLC $ 39,212.49 $ 5,881.87 676415 MET CENTER PORTFOLIO LLC $ 297,386.31 $ 45,045.95 611855 WC 1ST & TRINITY LP $ 873,813.58 $ 131,510.04 700011 WC 2101 W BEN WHITE LP $ 156,035.70 $ 23,843.36 700010 WC 2101 W BEN WHITE LP $ 145,109.80 $ 21,766.47 076187 WC 720 RED RIVER LP $ 16,244.91 $ 2,874.74 $ 2,001,530.65 $ 303,733.61

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
TREGO COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW)  Seven people have been charged after dozens of crimes in northwest Kansassome of the most serious charges include racketeering, aggravated arson, and stolen guns.

Trego County Attorney Abraham Pfannenstiel said the investigation spanned four counties and several months last year.

On Nov. 7, the WaKeeney Police Department investigated a vehicle burglary that resulted in a stolen gun. Investigators noticed similarities to other crimes in Trego, Ness, Ellis, and Russell counties.

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Other crimes included burning a home in Collyer on Aug. 16 and turning homeowners power off in WaKeeney on Dec. 22.

The Trego County Attorneys Office has charged seven people with a combined 42 criminal counts:

5 counts of racketeering

3 counts of aggravated arson

2 counts of vehicle burglary to steal a firearm

5 counts of theft of a firearm

2 counts of interference with a law enforcement officer

Unlawful transmission of a visual depiction of a child

10 counts of criminal deprivation of property

Unlawful possession of a visual depiction of a child

2 counts of attempted theft

4 counts of possession of marijuana

3 counts of possession of drug paraphernalia

2 counts of a minor in possession of alcohol

2 counts of a minor in possession of tobacco

Pfannenstiel said he would not release any identifying information because of the ongoing investigation and the age of many of the suspects.

These unlawful acts have put the safety of all citizens at risk for over a year, and these individuals will be prosecuted and brought to justice for these crimes. This is the first step in a long process to ensure that justice is served, and our community remains a safe and prosperous place to live, work, and raise a family. Abraham Pfannenstiel, Trego County Attorney

Boil water order issued for Tipton in Mitchell County

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He commended the WaKeeney Police Department, Trego County Sheriffs Office and the State Fire Marshalls Office for their work on the Trego County crimes.

He wants them to turn all of their information over to law enforcement agencies in Ness, Ellis and Russell counties for similar investigations in those counties.

Pfannenstiel also credits the victims for coming forward and reporting the crimes.

Criminals cannot be brought to justice without a strong partnership between local law enforcement and our citizenry, he said.

For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here.

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Thousands of North Carolina residents found themselves without power thanks to the work of a wily snake. A spokesperson for Duke Energy, which provides power to North and South Carolina as well as parts of Florida, spoke to CBS17 and WBTV about the wild incident.

The outage began around 11 p.m. on Monday, May 5, when the snake in question slithered into an electrical substation. Somehow, the animal interacted with equipment in a way which shorted out power for roughly 10,000 customers in Durham, Forsyth, and Gaston. Immanuel Holland told CBS17 that he woke up in the pitch dark with no idea of what had transpired. A spokesperson told WBTV that officials are still investigating how the serpent made its way into the substation, as the area is equipped with protective fencing to deter animals.

Related: Researchers Decipher Herculaneum Scrolls Found at Pompeii

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"We have been making grid improvements across our system to increase physical and cyber protections around essential equipment," the spokesperson explained. "These improvements include physical protections to keep squirrels, snakes, and other animals out of substations and other equipment, and to keep power reliable for the communities we serve.

Luckily for the unidentified (and presumably unharmed) snake, residents were sympathetic to its plight. Jamichael Daye told CBS17 that he felt "sorry for the snake cause he was probably just trying to be warm."

Related: Archaeologists Find Chilling Scene During Pompeii Excavation

Duke Energy is unfortunately used to snakes causing trouble for their customers. Back in 2017, a snake tangled itself in a power line at a Duke substation and caused a power outage which affected about 5,000 customers. At the time, Duke said that snakes cause roughly 100 power outages per year in the six states in which Duke operates.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump withdrew the nomination of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to be surgeon general Wednesday, days after right-wing provocateur Laura Loomer criticized her, and he simultaneously announced a new pick who has close ties to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Trump confirmed Nesheiwat's withdrawal on Truth Social and praised the forthcoming nominee, Dr. Casey Means, for impeccable MAHA credentials, referring to the Make America Healthy Again slogan.

"Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History. Congratulations to Casey! Secretary Kennedy looks forward to working with Dr. Janette Nesheiwat in another capacity at HHS," Trump wrote.

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Trump said Means, if she is confirmed, would work alongside Kennedy to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans.

President Donald Trump in the Cabinet Room at the White House on April 24. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images file)

The surgeon general oversees the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, more than 6,000 uniformed officers who are public health professionals, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Means, who received undergraduate and medical degrees from Stanford University, has held research positions at the National Institutes of Health, New York University and Oregon Health & Science University.

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She is a proponent of metabolic health, when your body processes food in a way that keeps your blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and weight within healthy ranges.

Kennedy is a longtime supporter of Means and Calley Means, her brother, whom he characterized as childrens health and chronic disease experts in an interview in August after he ended his presidential campaign and endorsed Trump.

Calley Means, according to Kennedy, worked on his presidential campaign and had also advised Trump about health policy.

The siblings, co-authors of the self-help health book "Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health," became MAGA darlings and key architects of the offshoot movement now known as Make America Healthy Again.

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Casey Means quickly became a fixture in right-wing media. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., cited one of her many media appearances as the catalyst for his Capitol Hill roundtable event in September titled American Health and Nutrition: A Second Opinion, which featured Means and Kennedy, who linked chronic illness to metabolic dysfunction and criticized seed oils, processed foods, the food pyramid, microplastics and a host of other factors blamed for the poor health of Americas children.

In a podcast appearance with Tucker Carlson  which now has over 3.7 million views on YouTube  Means questioned the necessity of vaccinating infants according to the schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, specifically against hepatitis B, which she said was emblematic of how we are put on the pharma treadmill from the moment we are born in this country, for reasons that are very strange.

Nesheiwat is the second nominee for a top health position the White House has pulled a shortly before Senate confirmation hearings.

In March, Trump pulled the nomination of former. Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., who had been picked to be director of the CDC. A White House official told NBC News that Weldons nomination was pulled because it became clear that he did not have the support necessary for Senate confirmation because of past controversial comments about vaccines.

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Nesheiwat's confirmation hearing had been scheduled for Thursday morning before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

She wrote Wednesday evening on X that she is "looking forward to continuing to support President Trump and working closely with Secretary Kennedy in a senior policy role to Make America Healthy Again!"

"My focus continues to be on improving the health and well-being of all Americans, and that mission hasnt changed," she added.

According to her website, Nesheiwat is a board-certified medical doctor who was a medical news correspondent and medical director at CityMD. She previously was a medical contributor at Fox News.

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Loomer shared a lengthy post Sunday accusing Nesheiwat of being "entangled in an intricate medical malpractice litigation" and highlighted her past support of the Covid vaccines. While she was a Fox News contributor, Nesheiwat encouraged of the use of the vaccines and boosters.

"We have many vaccines in existence that treat a variety of non-life threatening diseases but to have a COVID vaccine, i.e. a Pfizer or Moderna mRNA that will actually save you from dying is a gift from God," Nesheiwat wrote in a Fox News opinion piece.

Loomer, who has been influential in the removal of Trump aides, said Nesheiwat's support for Covid vaccines "render her unfit for the role of United States Surgeon General, and she should not be confirmed by the US Senate to hold the position."

Loomer also hammered Nesheiwat for what she alleged was "promotion of DEI-focused initiatives." Trump is a fierce critic of diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and he banned federal agencies in January from implementing DEI programs, fired federal employees who worked in DEI roles and threatened to cut federal funding to schools that maintain DEI practices.

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Nesheiwat did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday about Loomer's social media posts.

Nesheiwat is the sister-in-law of former national security adviser Michael Waltz, who was ousted last week amid scrutiny over his creation of a Signal chat group to discuss sensitive military information that inadvertently included a journalist.

CORRECTION (May 7, 2025, 8:14 p.m. ET): Due to an editing error, a photo caption in a previous version of this article misidentified who was pictured. It was Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, not Dr. Janette Nesheiwat.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The Trump administration is considering releasing the audio of former President Joe Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur during Hur's 2023 investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents, sources familiar with the matter confirm to ABC News.

Trump's White House lawyers were provided the audiotape by the Department of Justice weeks ago, the sources said.

MORE: Transcript from documents probe contradicts Biden's account of exchange with Hur over son's death

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The transcript of the interviews was released in 2024, so the release of the audio wouldn't reveal anything new that Biden told the special counsel -- but it would be the first time Biden is himself heard on the tape.

The release would come as the Trump administration is simultaneously fighting to keep former special counsel Jack Smith's report on Trump's handling of classified documents under wraps.

PHOTO: President Joe Biden speaks on the Senate's recent passage of the National Security Supplemental Bill at the White House, Feb. 13, 2024. United States Attorney Robert Hur speaks at a news conference, Sept. 19, 2018, in Baltimore. (Getty Images)

Hur's yearlong probe into Biden's handling of classified documents ended with no criminal charges being recommended because the evidence wasn't sufficient to support a conviction, Hur said. However, the 388-page report Hur released created a political firestorm as the special counsel described Biden as someone who could appear to a jury as an "elderly man with a poor memory."

Hur, in his report, repeatedly pointed to moments from his interview where he said Biden appeared to have trouble remembering the years he served as vice president and when his son Beau died.

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Republicans on Capitol Hill had been seeking access to the audio recording of Hur's interview of Biden as part of their now-defunct impeachment probe into the then-president.

Trump administration considering releasing audio of Biden's interview with special counsel: Sources originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Trump administration is making plans to release the audio of former President Joe Bidens interview with Robert Hur, the special counsel who investigated Bidens handling of classified documents and raised questions about his mental acuity, according to two Republicans briefed by top Trump officials.

The details of the plan are in flux and it is not clear whether President Donald Trump and his advisers have made a final decision to make the audio public.

Bidens camp is girding for the possible release, said two people familiar with the former presidents preparations and granted anonymity to speak freely.

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A deadline of sorts is approaching on May 20: In separate Freedom of Information Act lawsuits brought by conservative groups like Judicial Watch and the Heritage Foundation and various news organizations, the Justice Department has been ordered by a judge to say whether it will stand by Biden's assertion of executive privilege to block the release of the tapes. Last May, Biden and his Justice Department claimed releasing the tapes would have a chilling effect on witnesses cooperating in high-profile investigations.

DOJ officials will also have to indicate whether they will continue to press other arguments for keeping the audio secret, including that disclosure would invade Biden's privacy and that it could interfere with future investigations by making high-level officials less willing to cooperate.

The White House declined to comment.

The recordings  which Hur said at the time revealed Biden as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory  have long been sought by Trumps Republican allies.

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The Hur audio will confirm what is one of the biggest cover ups in American history, Mike Davis, a key outside Trump ally and an occasional adviser, told POLITICO.

Some Hill Republicans said they havent yet heard about concrete plans for the release of the tapes. The House Judiciary Committee sued to obtain them last year in a lawsuit that has been lingering without action since Trump took office.

While transcripts were released in the case, the audio has been a source of intense controversy since Hur last year issued his report concluding he would not bring criminal charges against Biden. The former president said at the time that he did not break the law in his handling of classified documents and insisted his memory is fine.

Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein contributed to this report.
The Trump administration invoked the state secrets privilege Wednesday to avoid handing over documents in the legal battle over Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man mistakenly deported to El Salvador, court records show.

Justice Department officials had long previewed they would do so, but a new order issued by U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis indicates the government formally invoked the privilege in a sealed filing earlier Wednesday.

The Court requires formal briefing of the Defendants invocations of privilege, principally the state secrets and deliberative process privileges, the judge wrote, referring to the sealed filing.

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Xinis ordered both the government and Abrego Garcias lawyers to submit written briefs on the issue by Monday. The judge said shell hold an in-person hearing in her Maryland courtroom to discuss it May 16.

The schedule is the latest development in the legal battle over Abrego Garcia, who was removed to El Salvador in mid-March despite an immigration judge protecting him from being deported to the country.

The administration has accused Abrego Garcia of being an MS-13 gang member, a claim largely based on a confidential informant and a separate immigration court ruling. Abrego Garcias family rejects that he is affiliated with any gang.

Nearly a month ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the government must facilitate the mans return.

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That sparked a weeks-long battle in Xiniss court as the administration contends it is unable to bring back Abrego Garcia and that he is no longer in the federal courts jurisdiction.

The battle has increasingly been playing out in private.

After a frustrated Xinis ordered the administration to hand over documents and submit officials for depositions, she suddenly changed course, agreeing to temporarily pause the aggressive discovery after the parties submitted a batch of filings under seal.

Without explanation, Xinis, an appointee of former President Obama, lifted the pause a week ago. Depositions of four Trump administration officials were set to take place by this Friday.

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Now, the judges order indicates the government is seeking to withhold documents by deeming them state secrets.

It marks the second time the Trump administration has invoked the privilege in lawsuits challenging immigrants who were deported to El Salvador in March.

The administration previously invoked the privilege before U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, an Obama appointee who serves in the nations capital, as the judge mulled whether the government violated his now-lifted order to turn around deportation flights.

Separately, Xiniss order sets a briefing schedule on a motion filed by a coalition of news organizations to unseal the recent batch of filings. Briefing is set to complete on May 27.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  The Trump administration is invoking the  state secrets privilege  in an apparent attempt to avoid answering a judge's questions about its mistaken deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis disclosed the government's position in a two-page order on Wednesday. She set a Monday deadline for attorneys to file briefs on the issue and how it could affect Abrego Garcia's case. Xinis also scheduled a May 16 hearing in Greenbelt, Maryland, to address the matter.

The Republican administration previously invoked the same legal authority to cut off a judges inquiry into whether it defied an order to turn around planes deporting Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador.

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Abrego Garcia, 29, has been imprisoned in his native El Salvador for nearly two months. His mistaken deportation has become a flash point for President Donald Trumps immigration policies and his increasing friction with the U.S. courts.

Trump has said he could call El Salvadors president and have Abrego Garcia, who was living in Maryland, returned to the United States. Instead, Trump has doubled down on his claims that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang.

Police in Maryland had identified Abrego Garcia as an MS-13 gang member in 2019 based off his tattoos, Chicago Bulls hoodie and the word of a criminal informant. But Abrego Garcia was never charged. His lawyers say the informant claimed Abrego Garcia was in an MS-13 chapter in New York, where Abrego Garcia has never lived.

The administration has balked at telling Xinis what, if anything, it has done to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return to the U.S. The judge ruled that his lawyers can question several Trump administration officials under oath about the government's response to her orders.

In a court filing Wednesday, his lawyers said they already have conducted depositions of three officials and are still in the dark about the governments efforts to free Abrego Garcia. They are asking for permission to depose a more officials, possibly including one from the White House.
In his quest to deliver the largest mass deportation campaign in U.S. history, President Donald Trump has enlisted the help of foreign leaders across the globe to house migrants labeled as violent criminals by his administration.

While much of the focus has been on El Salvador, where the Trump administration has sent more than 200 migrants, more than half a dozen other countries are also accepting deportees from the U.S.

Trumps immigration agenda in his first 100 days caused widespread criticism from human rights groups and from Democrats, who accused the administration of inciting a constitutional crisis and violating rulings from federal courts  including the Supreme Court  that ordered due process for immigrants to challenge their imminent deportations.

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But the Trump administration has defended its flood-the-zone approach to deportations, standing by its deportation flights and touting immigration raids across the country.

We have thousands of people that are  some murderers and some drug dealers and some of the worst people on Earth, Trump said in an interview with NBCs Meet the Press last week. I was elected to get them the hell out of here. Federal judges in some of the most high profile cases have also said the evidence of criminality presented by the government has been flimsy.

One of the biggest pieces of Trumps deportation agenda relies on his administrations agreements with what it has designated as safe third countries for repatriation of immigrants. These are countries that have agreed to house or detain immigrants with different nationalities.

Trump has looked to grow his deportation operation in his next 100 days, including repeatedly floating potentially even deporting U.S. citizens. Here are the countries that have received  or are in talks to receive  deportees from the U.S.

Libya

Libya is the latest country seeking to broker a deal with the Trump administration.

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Lawyers representing currently detained nationals of Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines told POLITICO on Wednesday that their clients face unlawful deportation to Libya from the U.S., accusing the administration of defying a court order barring deportations to so-called third-party countries without notice and due process. A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking the deportations to Libya or another third country Wednesday.



Reuters and The New York Times first reported Tuesday that the Trump administration was preparing to send migrants to Libya.

Despite the reports, when Trump was asked Wednesday if his administration was deporting people to Libya, he said I dont know, referring reporters to the Department of Homeland Security. A DHS spokesperson could not confirm any planned deportation flights to Libya to POLITICO.

Human rights groups have quickly decried Trumps plans. Already a prominent stopover used by European countries for deportations, Libyas detention centers are known for their cruel conditions, including sexual violence and forced labor.

Rwanda

Rwandas foreign minister, Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, confirmed earlier this week that the country is in talks with the Trump administration about taking in third-country nationals deported from the U.S.  reiterating the central African nations aspirations to improve relations with the West.

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It is uncertain whether the U.S. plans to pay Rwanda to house migrants.

Rwanda tried to strike a deal to accept migrants from the U.K. in 2022, but legal challenges and criticism from human rights groups delayed the plans implementation. The proposal crumbled last year after the election of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said the effort was dead and buried before it started.

Human rights advocates have warned against sending migrants to Rwanda, citing the countrys abysmal human rights issues.

Panama

Panama received deported Asian and African immigrants from the U.S. in February and held them in remote camps for weeks without any outside contact.

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The U.S. struck an agreement with the Panamanian government to temporarily house the deported non-Panamanian immigrants there, with the costs of the deportations fronted by the U.S.

The agreement marked a big win for the Trump administration. The Panamanian government said it hoped the agreement would deter future immigration to the U.S. and cut the number of crossings of the Darien Gap  a treacherous stretch of jungle on the border between Panama and Colombia. It also provided a stopover for getting African and Asian immigrants back to their countries of origin, which in the past has proven costly due to the distance of the repatriations.



But after the immigrants were housed in a hotel in Panama City, pictures and videos emerged of the immigrants begging for help in signs on the hotels windows, with the migrants saying they feared persecution in their home countries. The avalanche of criticism and concerns about human rights violations resulted in the immigrants being released from the governments custody, with 30 days to leave Panama.

The U.S. embassy in Panama this week reported that it repatriated several Asian and African immigrants from the U.S. back to their countries of origin. The U.S. is paying Panama approximately $14 million to deport these immigrants, according to the embassy.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica in February entered a similar agreement to El Salvador, receiving over a hundred deported migrants from the U.S. originating from Asia.

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The collaboration between the U.S. and Costa Rica came shortly after Panamas deportation flights took off, and as many of the Asian immigrants were temporarily staying in the Central American country while authorities coordinated their repatriation or immigration to another country. The U.S. government also covered the costs of these deportations.

This deal  along with those with other third countries like Guatemala, which also agreed in February to accept deportation flights  came about during Secretary of State Marco Rubios first trip in his foreign policy post, during which he struck agreements across Latin America to facilitate Trumps deportation plans.

Costa Ricas President Rodrigo Chaves Robles called the deportation agreement an opportunity for the country to support its economically powerful brother from the north, according to NBC News.

Cuba

At the beginning of his second term, Trump sought to send 30,000 migrants to the U.S. naval base in Cubas Guantanamo Bay  a prison known for harsh inmate conditions. But the three-month operation has mostly fizzled out.

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As of early May, fewer than 500 migrants  rather than thousands  have been held at Guantanamos makeshift detention center, awaiting deportation to other countries, since the president ordered the operations launch in January.

The controversial plan hit several major roadblocks early on in its implementation. In February, the American Civil Liberties Union sued Trump over the operation, accusing the administration of violating the constitutional rights of migrants by denying them access to legal counsel. Last week, a Boston-area federal judge issued an order directing the Trump administration to allow immigrant detainees at Guantanamo to flag concerns about safety risks if deported to a country other than their own. The operation has also encountered obstacles with detention capacity and high costs.

The plans demise can also be attributed to the plunge in illegal U.S. border crossing, which has allowed the administration to quickly clear out Guantanamos detainees.

The U.S. previously held migrants at Guantanamo under former President George H.W. Bush in the early 1990s, when the administration denied claims of political asylum from thousands of Haitians fleeing the Caribbean country following a violent military coup.



Honduras

Honduras, wedged next to El Salvador and Guatemala, has also temporarily accepted deported immigrants from the U.S.  mostly serving as a stopover in getting immigrants back to their original countries of origin.

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During the Guantanamo Bay deportations, Honduras helped facilitate the process of getting Venezuelan immigrants from the detention center in Cuba back to Venezuela. It first accepted Venezuelan immigrants from Guantanamo Bay in February. Then in March, as tensions rose with Venezuela after the country stopped accepting repatriation flights, Honduras served as the middle point in the deportations  which Honduras Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Reina called a show of positive cooperation and diplomatic ties with the U.S.

Trumps controversial deportation of hundreds of immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act in March also worked in coordination with Honduras. One of the flights that federal district court Judge James Boasberg ordered turned around went to Comayagua, Honduras.

Honduras President Xiomara Castro threatened to pull the countrys long-established extradition treaty with the U.S. in January but reached an agreement with Trump in February and reversed course.

Mexico

Mexico has long been one of Trumps immigration headaches. But the neighboring country has also been accepting non-Mexican deported immigrants from the U.S.  albeit with no formal agreement in place.

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters in a press conference last week that Mexico has received over 38,000 deported immigrants from the U.S., with over 5,000 being non-Mexican nationals. Sheinbaum said that these immigrants were accepted for humanitarian reasons, without signing absolutely anything.

She added that the majority of non-Mexican deportees have elected to return to their countries of origin but that they could be offered avenues to stay in Mexico if necessary.

Were a humanitarian government. We cant say, No we wont help you, Sheinbaum told reporters.

But concerns abound on whether Mexico can be considered a safe third country, with advocates citing fears of gang violence and persecution. Court filings reveal several immigrants under threat of imminent deportation in Boston fear they could be kidnapped or killed if sent to Mexico by the Trump administration.

El Salvador

The deportations of hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador has dominated Trumps immigration plans since he took his oath of office in January. Its driven a sharp wedge between Democrats and Republicans on the legality of the administrations actions  and seen multiple extraordinarily rapid interventions by the Supreme Court.

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Trump struck a multimillion-dollar deal with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele in March to send Venezuelan migrants to El Salvadors mega prison CECOT, which has been repeatedly denounced by human rights groups in court filings for its terrible conditions.

Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act  a rarely used 18th century wartime law  to summarily deport over 200 Venezuelan immigrants from the south of Texas to the Central American country in March, where they have all been detained since with no ability to challenge their deportations.

The administrations use of the Aliens Enemies Act was quickly blocked in federal district court. The Supreme Court vacated that decision, allowing the administration to resume deportations  but ordered that immigrants must have a reasonable opportunity to plead their case in court. In April, a second group of immigrants in the north of Texas were notified that they would be imminently deported to El Salvador, which the Supreme Court prevented in an extraordinary late night ruling.

The Supreme Court also ordered that the Trump administration facilitate the return of deported Salvadoran national, Kilmar Abrego Garcia. But Trump and top officials in his Cabinet have said they do not have the authority to bring deported immigrants in El Salvador back to the U.S. Bukele appears even less interested in the prospect of returning anyone, dismissing the idea in several mocking posts on social media and during his Oval Office sit down with Trump in mid April.

The administration continues to face challenges over its deportations to El Salvador in multiple federal courts across the country.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said his agency is scrutinizing demonstrators who occupied the Columbia University library reading room.

We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia Universitys library, Rubio wrote in a social media post on Wednesday. Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.

About 80 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested Wednesday after disrupting the library as students were studying for finals. Claire Shipman, Columbias acting president, said in a statementthat the institution called on the NYPD to respond to the protest after the demonstrators refused to identify themselves and leave the building.

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Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies, Shipman said. This is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams.

The protest and Rubios response come as the Trump administration has sought to crack down on campus antisemitism by punishing elite universities, including Columbia, through pulling billions in federal grants and contracts. More than 1,800 students have lost their visa statusesdue to the administrations crackdown on immigration and antisemitism.

Shipman, in a video statement, disavowed the protest Thursday morning as "utterly unacceptable."

"Violence and vandalism, hijacking a library," she said. "None of that has any place on our campus."

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She rejected the group of students, though acknowledged that the institution did not know "whether there were outsiders involved." However, she expressed concern about the attention it was bringing to the university.

"I'm deeply disturbed at the idea that at a moment when our international community feels particularly vulnerable, a small group of students would choose to make our institution a target," she said.

GOP lawmakers also celebrated Rubios decision to evaluate the protesters visa statuses, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

Attention pro-Hamas rioters on college campuses across the country: you are on notice, Johnson wrote on X. America will no longer tolerate your antisemitic violence, destruction, harassment, and intimidation.

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The administration's Task Force to Combat Antisemitism said it was "encouraged" by Shipman's "strong and resolute statement" and expressed confidence in Shipman's leadership.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who is a member of the task force, also commended Shipman's response, but emphasized the need to see what disciplinary actions the acting president will take.

"Columbias leadership responded with resolve and we commend the administration for a swift response that restored order and clarified that antisemitic mobs will no longer be tolerated," McMahon said on X. "It will be important to see what action is taken against those arrested."
Protecting the nation from polluters is a core function of the Environmental Protection Agency. But in the last few months, federal enforcement of major violations of environmental laws appears to have ground to a halt. A Grist review of data from the Department of Justice and EPA found that the Trump administration has not filed any new cases against major polluters in its first three months. Similarly, the number of minor civil and criminal enforcement cases has also significantly declined since President Donald Trump took office on January 20.

The hands-off approach to environmental enforcement comes amid Trumps repeated pledges to go easier on polluters. His administration has begun rolling back dozens of regulations; granting exemptions from federal air quality requirements to coal plants; and rewriting pollution standards for cars and trucks. Federal environmental enforcement declined during Trumps first term, but the decrease during the first three months of his second term has been more drastic.

The future is grim for environmental protection, said Gary Jonesi, a former top EPA enforcement attorney who now runs the nonprofit CREEDemocracy, which promotes clean energy and democracy globally. The risk will be most felt in overburdened communities, but this will hurt red and blue districts alike, he added. If the EPA cop is not on the beat, then people are going to be harmed.

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Environmental enforcement varies from state to state. In some cases, state agencies take the lead on enforcing environmental laws. In other cases, the EPA does. The federal agency typically uncovers violations through routine inspections or tips. If the offense is minor, the EPA handles it as a civil administrative case. The polluter is issued a notice of violation, and most often a settlement is reached in which the two sides agree to a remedy and potentially a fine.

However, when the agency uncovers major violations such as chemical discharge in drinking water, poorer air quality from fracking pollution, and large chemical spills like the East Palestine catastrophe, it refers the cases to the DOJ. As the chief litigator for federal agencies, the DOJ files cases against polluters.

A review of publicly available data and press releases suggests the DOJ has not initiated any new major cases since Trump took office. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been filing or closing nearly 100 fewer civil cases per month on average than the Biden administration during its last fiscal year, which ended in October. Its also initiating or closing about 200 fewer cases per month than the first Trump administration did during the same time period in 2017. These trends were confirmed by five current and former enforcement officials and an analysis of publicly available data.

Declining to act

Average monthly count of EPA civil and criminal enforcement actions opened and closed

Source: EPA / DOJ

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Clayton Aldern / Grist / Ella Ivanescu / Unsplash

The Biden administration averaged 288 cases per month during the last fiscal year  about 100 per month more than the Trump administration so far. During its first three months, the administration has filed or closed at least 567 cases or an average of 189 per month, records show.

But that figure may be distorted in favor of Trump by civil cases that were started, investigated, and negotiated under Biden but have only recently been finalized. For example, the EPA cited the SilverEdge Cooperative trucking supply company in Iowa for a minor Clean Air Act violation in June 2024. A settlement of $5,000 was reached, though it is unclear when, and the case was finalized on April 14.

The Trump administration has also closed some larger cases. The Biden EPA, DOJ, and Hino Motors, a Toyota subsidiary, reached a $1.6 billion settlement on January 15 after the automaker was accused of lying about emissions controls on its engines. A federal court entered the sentence on March 19.

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A DOJ spokesperson told Grist the department had no comment, and an EPA spokesperson said in an email that the administration is committed to enforcing all aspects of the law from inspection to informal and formal administrative and judicial actions. When asked to provide evidence of new judicial cases filed by the Trump administration, the EPA spokesperson sent cases opened, investigated, and litigated under Biden but closed under Trump, including the Hino Motors case. When asked to provide new cases filed under Trump, the spokesperson did not respond.

Two current EPA enforcement staffers told Grist they were informed through the chain of command that there would be a higher bar for initiating cases against major polluters  a decision that would now go through the agencys political appointees. They cited a March 12 EPA memo noting that enforcement actions will no longer shut down any stage of energy production as effectively granting energy companies a license to pollute because they are not being prosecuted for breaking environmental laws.

Newly appointed EPA officials are reviewing every major case in progress, the current EPA staffers said. The agency typically handles hundreds of cases at any given point. All of them were on hold as of early April, though some have since begun to advance through the review process. Polluters accused of violations by the EPA were also using the administration change as leverage in negotiations with EPA enforcement, and some major polluters were visiting political appointees in an effort to scuttle cases, one official said.

Grists analysis looked for civil administrative, criminal, and major civil cases listed in six public databases for the first three months of the new administration, as well as press releases on the EPA and DOJ website. It compared the new administrations monthly average to the Biden administrations monthly average during fiscal year 2024, as well as the first Trump administrations first three months. Grist assessed enforcement trends by fiscal year to align with how federal agencies report data.

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The review may not include every case because enforcement details arent always promptly entered into public databases, two former top EPA enforcement officials who reviewed the data said. But they added that the vast majority of cases should be accounted for in each database, and the findings broadly provide an accurate picture that tracks with their observations.

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Things are definitely slower, a current enforcement employee said. Even the settlements happening now were mostly done under Biden, they just needed to get them over the finish line.

The difference raises questions about the politicization of enforcement, said David Uhlmann, a Biden appointee who ran the EPAs enforcement office from 2022 to 2024.

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Its critically important to keep politics out of enforcement, he added. Enforcement should be about upholding the rule of law and protecting communities from harmful pollution.

The slowdown does not appear to be related to the administrations transition. The EPA under the first Trump administration was far more active, initiating or completing at least 1,179 civil cases during the same time period in early 2017 or about 200 more per month than the current administration.

Uhlmann said career enforcement officials were able to convince political appointees during the first Trump administration that it wasnt appropriate to pause or reduce enforcement cases across the board. But as the first Trump administration became more hostile toward career staff, an exodus occurred and enforcement steadily slowed, hitting a low point in fiscal year 2020. That figure increased steadily during the Biden administration.

Its only been three months, but the EPA has taken such a hard turn away from protecting public health and the environment, Uhlmann said. Its breathtaking and sad.

This story was originally published by Grist with the headline The Trump administration has all but stopped enforcing environmental laws on May 8, 2025.
Jennifer Barnhill is a columnist for Military.com writing about military families.

In January, the Trump administration issued an executive order requiring the Department of Defense to come up with a proposal that would determine the feasibility of creating a program letting military families take federal funding and spend it on the school of their choice, including helping pay for religious schools, while possibly reducing funding for Defense Department facilities that rank among the highest performing nationally.

Some military families who want to be able to access outside schools have done so, depending on local laws, but no national proposal has been put in place.

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"We are now able to choose the school choice that we would prefer, as long as we provide transportation," said Tiffany Kelley of her Air Force family's move from OCONUS to Georgia in 2023. "Georgia does it right, in my opinion. You pick the school; they give you three choices."

The Kelley family takes advantage of Georgia's Quality Basic Education Act, which enables those living on a military base to enroll in a public school they are not zoned for, without an official address. "We have now utilized school choice for this last school year, and it has been the best decision that we could have made."

But that is just one type of "school choice."

School choice is a broad term that refers to policies allowing families to select alternatives to their assigned public school districts. School choice options include religious schools, charter schools, magnet schools and voucher programs, also titled Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). While these models offer families more educational options, voucher programs and, to a lesser extent, charter schools shift public funds away from traditional public schools, raising concerns about their long-term impact on districtwide education equity.

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Those programs can be a boon for families that want to pursue other educational opportunities for their kids.

"If I didn't have that option to use the voucher, I would not be able to afford to home-school," said Cella Logan, a Gold Star spouse living in Florida with her two children. Logan first heard about a voucher program from a school liaison officer (SLO), who encouraged her to apply. She was thrilled that her son was approved, but quickly ran into issues trying to utilize the voucher for home-schooling.

"Utilizing the voucher was the challenge," she said. So she started to make calls, first to the program administrators, then to the Florida Department of Education and got nowhere. "As soon as I talked to my legislators, within three weeks, it was taken care of."

Logan's experience highlights one worry held by military parents. Will this new program make military parents' lives and children's education better, or will it be one more hurdle to navigate?

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"Private schools aren't bound by the interstate compact," said Eileen Huck, acting director of government relations for the National Military Family Association (NMFA). The Military Interstate Children's Compact is an agreement made by all 50 states to guarantee military students certain rights and protections as they navigate new school districts across state lines. Advocates worry military families may only see the positives of school choice, without being made fully aware of the consequences.

"It's not school choice; it's the school's choice," said Nicole Russell, executive director for the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS). NAFIS is a nonprofit that advocates for the receipt of impact aid for the more than 1,200 schools that serve federally connected students. While the executive order doesn't identify how the DoD should fund military school choice, NAFIS worries federal impact aid would be used to fund the program.

Impact aid is funding paid to local school districts with high numbers of military students. These payments are used to offset the loss in property tax income, as military families living on military installations don't have to pay local property taxes, which help fund local schools. If military families utilize these funds, their funds go with them.

"These private schools have the option to discriminate based on a variety of factors. Public schools do not discriminate against students who enroll," Russell said. Those who oppose school choice often cite private schools' history of discrimination on the basis of race and disability, as well as the lack of education standards in many states for religious schools.

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These fears are top of mind for mental health counselor and special education advocate, Dr. Destiny Huff. Huff is married to a soldier in the Army and together they have two children, one of whom spends the majority of the school day in a special education classroom. She has seen firsthand that private schools do not have to accept applicants.

"[Non-public schools] don't want disabled learners that can have behavior concerns," Huff said. Although she is fully aware that special education and the public school system is flawed, for many, it is the only option. "When that funding is pulled from that public school that is required to take my child, then they don't have the funding to support my child."

Huff also shared that as a Black family, they have already experienced racial barriers in accessing education. "School choice is not always an option for us because of stereotypes and perception," she said.

To mitigate these challenges, Huff's spouse has turned down desirable duty assignments to ensure educational consistency for their children. They are not the only ones to pay a cost to support their children's education.

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Parents with children enrolled in special education may have a harder time accessing educational support. When a parent accepts a school voucher, they forfeit their right to access special education services from the public school system under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as private schools are not bound to honor this law. While vouchers provide funds to parents to seek external special education services, many providers have long waitlists.

And it is not just supplemental services that would cost military families. The average cost of a private elementary/middle school is $12,790 and the cost jumps to $15,344 for high school, with costs varying widely by state. However, most vouchers do not cover 100% of tuition, requiring families to cover the difference.

Although school choice would not require military parents to send their children to private schools, it would pull funds from local public schools, leaving them with fewer supports and resources for military students who can't afford the extra costs.

Military families stationed in Alaska know all too well what happens when districts experience budget shortfalls. In 2024, the school districts closed the second of three schools on Eielson Air Force Base. High school students were told they would need to travel to a school 20 miles away, removing sibling child-care options and building in a snowy commute.

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"If you decide to do the lottery, you can't take advantage of [school] transportation," Air Force spouse Lisa Slaba said of the concerns experienced by families stationed in interior Alaska. "Now you add in fresh snowfall on the ground ... that's just another added layer to the nervousness and anxiousness that people feel."

"School of choice seems like it's going to be really relevant if you have a lot of choice in your area," shared Navy spouse Christy Thomas, whose service member's assignments have mostly been to rural areas. "Some of our locations, even in the continental U.S., don't have choices, which is why we home-schooled in those areas."

Many military families report choosing home-schooling as it offers families consistency and flexibility, but this decision comes at a cost to military spouses' retirement savings and future earning potential.

It is unclear what problem increasing school options via a universal voucher program would solve.

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According to Military OneSource, 30 states have already introduced and/or enacted some version of open enrollment aimed at reducing the military-specific barriers of accessing education in a highly mobile environment. The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) also offers a voucher-like program for families stationed overseas without access to a DoDEA school; the money allocated does not pull from a local public school.

And states, too, are offering their own flexibilities. Arkansas and Mississippi have amended state laws, allowing military families to choose the school where they would send their students and enabling military parents to register their children for school in advance of securing housing that would assign them to a public school district. Neither of these policies diverts funding from public schools to support military families.

Alabama's does. Its CHOOSE Act offers refundable income-tax credits called education savings accounts (ESAs) to parents of K-12 students, ranging from $2,000 per year per home-schooled student to $7,000 for those attending a "participating school." Of the 232 schools on the list, 58% reference a religious affiliation in their name. And according to initial reports, more than half the applications represented students who were already attending private schools.

This April, Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) introduced the Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act that would establish military ESAs with protections for discrimination on the basis of religion but not race, gender or disability.

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Given the work that has already been done at the state level to mitigate the schooling challenges faced by military families, it is unclear what problem this solution is aimed at solving. It is also unclear how this approach would help all military families.

Military families are thirsty for good educational choices, choices that thoroughly consider their diverse needs. They don't want the school choice conversation to turn into another privatized military housing or global household goods contract situation, where they are forced to bear the burden of poorly designed policies and contracts. Research shows that the top reason service members leave service is the impact it has on their families. Military parents prioritize their children above their service, making this a policy change the government can't afford to get wrong.
President Trump announced a trade agreement with the United Kingdom on Thursday, a deal both he and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer projected as a major political win.

Trump, referring to the announcement as a deal, said it includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture by increasing access to U.S. beef, ethanol and other farming products. The specifics are still being finalized.

He also said the U.K. will reduce nontariff barriers that discriminate against U.S. products and that the U.K. will fast-track American goods through customs processes.

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The final details are being written up in the coming weeks, Trump said, adding that the deal is very conclusive and so good for both countries.

Trump made the announcement in the Oval Office, where he was joined via phone by Starmer. Vice President Vance, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins were also in the room.

This is now turning out, I think, really to be a great deal for both countries, because it will be really great for the U.K. also. So, theyre opening up the country; their country is a little closed, and we appreciate that, Trump said.

The president hit the U.K. with a 10 percent reciprocal tariff on last months Liberation Day, when he levied higher tariffs on other trading partners. A week later, amid pressure from Wall Street and Republicans, he implemented a 90-day pause on the higher tariffs and kept a 10 percent tariff in place across the board.

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Starmer visited Trump in February, and the two held a joint press conference at the White House. The U.K. is the 11th largest trading partner with the United States, according to Census Bureau data, though it is among the largest purchasers of U.S. goods and services.

While the agreement with the U.K. was still being finalized, the White House trumpeted it as a major win for the president, who has for weeks sought to reassure financial markets and consumers nervous over his shifting rhetoric on tariffs and the economy.

It is considered, though, the result of years of trade talks, not a direct result of the Liberation Day tariffs. The U.S. carried a $11.9 billion trade surplus in goods with the U.K. in 2024, which ranked the U.K. as the fifth highest surplus among all trade partners.

The U.S. and the U.K. have been working for years to try and make a deal, and it never quite got there. It did with this prime minister, so I want to just congratulate you, Trump said.

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Starmer added, We managed to achieve what many people tried to achieve for many years  and it feels completely historic.

The U.K. this week also struck a trade deal with India that is aimed to lower tariffs between the two countries.

One reporter in the Oval Office pressed Trump on whether he was overstating Thursdays announcement because he needed a political win, particularly given some of the rhetoric from British officials.

This is a very conclusive deal, Trump said. But we think we can grow it even from that. But this is a maxed out deal. Not like you said it. You said it really incorrectly.

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While the U.K. is among one of only several countries that doesnt run a trade deficit with the U.S., the White House has insisted the tariff plan would be in place to close trade deficits with partners.

Trump officials have been in talks with other trading partners over the last month, but Thursdays announcement is the first of its nature.

Trump said Thursday that every country wants to be making deals.

He had downplayed the need for trade deals earlier this week, telling reporters we dont have to sign deals and that he could have 25 signed if he wanted.

Treasury Department Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was in Switzerland on Thursday for a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, the first indication talks are happening between Washington and Beijing since the U.S. imposed 145 tariffs on China.

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Bessent had hinted negotiations on tariffs between India and the U.S. may be close to concluding after Vance visited the country, saying 17 negotiations are in motion with other trading partners.

Updated at 11:21 a.m. EDT

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President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the first trade deal following his blitz of tariffs, as the U.S. and the United Kingdom agreed to an accord amid Trumps growing trade war with China and other countries.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday morning, Trumpsaid the deal includes plans that will bring the United Kingdom into the economic security alignment with the United States thats the first of its kind.

The trade largely created a framework for issues to be discussed and finalized over the coming months. Trump said, The actual deal is a very conclusive one and that everythings been approved.

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With this deal, the U.K. joins the United States in affirming that reciprocity and fairness is an essential and vital principle of international trade, Trump said. The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol and virtually all products produced by our great farmers.

Trump said the U.K. would eliminate numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products. He added, Theyre opening up the country  their country is a little closed  and we appreciate that. The deal means the U.K. will fast-track U.S. goods through customs.

The U.S. is the sovereign nations biggest foreign market  it took more than 30% of U.K. goods exported last year.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that the trade deal will maintain the universal 10% tariff but will open U.K. markets to roughly $5 billion worth of U.S. exports, including beef, ethanol, and machinery. He also stated that the existing 25% U.S. tariff on automobiles will be lowered to 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles and that a British airline is expected to announce a $10 billion order for Boeing (BA) aircraft later today.

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Theyve agreed to open their markets, and that will add $5 billion of opportunity to American exporters, Lutnick said. We still have a 10% tariff on, which will produce $6 billion in revenue for the United States.

Some British officials were reportedly surprised by the presidents announcement of a deal given how negotiations had been going, although U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised the Trump administrations negotiating team on a call on speakerphone during the presidents announcement.

Starmer said this was a fantastic, historic day that would protect and create jobs and open market access and that it would be the start of a better relationship than ever before. Starmer cautioned, however, that not everything had been set in stone.

We can finish ironing out some of the details, he said.

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U.S. stocks opened higher Thursday ahead of the unveiling of the U.K. trade deal.

The presidents tariffs have rocked global markets since his Liberation Day announcement on April 2. Since then, Trump has walked some tariffs back, paused some, and implemented higher ones (notably, a 145% levy on all goods imported from China still stands.) The U.K. has been subject to the 10% universal tariff Trump implemented in early April as well as the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that the president imposed in mid-March.

The New York Times (NYT) first reported the planned trade deal, which Trump then confirmed in a post on his Truth Social site, saying this should be a very big and exciting day for the two countries. In a subsequent post, Trump said the agreement would be a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship ... for many years to come.

He wrote that this is the FIRST announcement  he said, Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!

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Trump has hinted at a number of deals for a while now, with his administration suggesting its in active negotiations with the U.K., India, South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. The most important negotiations, however, will likely be with China, which has imposed 125% reciprocal tariffs of its own on goods imported from the U.S.

The president said in late April that he had talked with Chinese President Xi Jinping many times, but Chinese officials have pushed back against that, with one spokesperson calling that fake news. Another spokesperson said around that time that, At present, there are absolutely no negotiations on the economy and trade between China and the U.S.

However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are set to meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Switzerland on Saturday.

In late April, the president said in an interview with Time that hes made 200 deals regarding trade and tariffs  although he wouldnt say which countries hed negotiated with. There are, however, only 195 countries in the world.

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Trump told Time that he would announce the deals over the next three to four weeks, and were finished, by the way. Peter Navarro, the presidents senior trade adviser, previously said there could be 90 deals in 90 days  but 36 days later, there has been just one: this, with the U.K.

CNN (WBD) said Thursday morning that its reports suggest that the Trump administration has seemed desperate to get a deal done to show that the U.S. economy is doing well. But job growth has slowed, recession fears are heightening, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that my gut tells me that uncertainty about the path of the economy is extremely elevated.

In his first term, Trump had talked about a possible U.K. trade deal and was a vocal supporter of Brexit. He said this week that the U.K. had been wanting to make a deal very badly.

I think that United Kingdom, like every other country, they want to, they want to go shopping in the United States of America, Trump said during a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

Thursday morning, after posting about the U.K. trade deal, the president posted on Truth Social that The Golden Age of America is coming!

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Temperatures were well below freezing in Helena in the early morning hours of Jan. 7, the second day of the 2025 Montana legislative session. But the feeling inside the Senate presidents office was "colder in that room than it was outside" as Republican and Democratic Senate leadership sat silently across the table from each other.

Less than 24 hours earlier, Democrats  who are nearly in the super minority in the upper chamber  had aligned with nine other GOP senators on a key first-day rules vote, effectively creating a 27-member majority, unexpectedly outnumbering leadership and their allies.

Offerings of small talk were rebuffed as they waited for all the top Democrats to arrive to begin the discussions. Senate President Matt Regier and other members of Republican leadership had called in their Democratic colleagues to let them know how the maneuver had made them feel.

"They werent happy, to say the least," said Democratic Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers.

Regier later said the first day left them "embarrassed."

"It's a big shift to go from, you think you're 32 out of 50, and all of a sudden, now you're minority  23," Regier said. "I hope that carries over to the voters that sent 32 Republicans to the Senate and the 18 Democrats controlled."

It wasnt clear to anyone in the room at the time, but that tension and the bipartisan voting bloc would last for the next four months, with a 27-23 tally beaming through the chambers vote board again and again. In short order, the nine Republican defectors earned from their hardline colleagues the moniker "The Nasty Nine."

At times, the voting bloc was held together with tape and glue, requiring almost daily conversations to find common ground. And even after the group held solid on major issues, there were "rumblings in the hall" that the purple love affair wouldnt last past February.

That never came to pass. Instead, barbs flew across the Senate floor weekly  if not multiple times a week  when the 23 Republicans grew frustrated over repeated 23-27 vote margins.

"We as Republicans did better with a Democrat governor than we are this time," Sen. Barry Usher, R-Yellowstone County, said before a mid-April floor vote. "We all know this will be 23-27."

Something that began as a bipartisan attempt to use a procedural vote to assert influence over the rightward flank of the Montana Republican Party eventually morphed into a lasting coalition that took control of the Senate chamber for four months and sent a number of bills to Gov. Greg Gianfortes desk. But while what happened in the upper chamber during the 69th legislative session will be felt by its members for years to come, it remains to be seen if Gianforte will sign their bills into law or if the coalition will last.

On the heels of historic electoral losses

The power play came after Montana Democrats, and Democrats across the nation, saw historic losses in the 2024 elections. While Democrats won a handful of key legislative races and knocked out the Republican supermajority in the Legislature thanks to newly drawn maps, Montanas statewide Democratic candidates were resoundingly crushed by their Republican opponents, many by double-digit margins.

The losses mean that for the first time in 113 years, the highest-ranking Democrat in Montana is Flowers, one of the main organizers behind the Senates working majority.

Post-election, Republicans took a victory lap and called their sweeping wins a mandate from voters. There was a sentiment coming into the legislative session that the Republican Party was in charge  or at least some version of the party.

"I do believe voters sent the Republican Party here to be in control," Regier, who often speaks from the farther-right flank of the party, said on the final day of the session. "And from Day One, it was not, and I dont see that as sustainable. I think that, in the future, the voters are going to speak their mind."

When the nine Republicans partnered with Senate Democrats, it wasnt all that novel. The two parties have worked across the aisle on major items for decades, and divisions among the GOP were a feature of both the 2013 and 2015 sessions.

In 2007, lawmakers adjourned without passing a budget, forcing them into a special session. Conrad Republican Rep. Llew Jones, then a sophomore lawmaker, helped put together a meeting between a few Republicans and Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer to hammer out a deal before it convened.

Eighteen years later, those legislators are remembered in political circles as the "Log Cabin Republicans" in memory of their clandestine meetup. Jones, whos still in the Legislature, is still wrangling votes and coalitions behind the scenes and was one of the main advisers guiding the Senates breakoff Republicans.

Jones called himself a "cornerstone adviser" to the Nine, and has hammered the idea that the alliances werent out of the ordinary because nothing gets done in the Capitol without the "magic 26-51-1," a reference to the votes in each chamber and governors signature needed for a bill to become law.

What can be said about the 2025 session, though, is the intensity of the divisions, the tenor in the Senate and the longevity of the alliances stand apart.

"I think this last session was obviously off the charts compared to earlier divisions in earlier sessions," said Former Senate President Jeff Essmann, a Billings Republican who served in the Legislature from 2005 to 2017. "I think this will be talked about for a long time."

Day 1 to Day 85

The first bomb detonated 15 minutes into the Senates first full floor hearing on Jan. 6, whats ordinarily a day of ceremonial speeches and leadership setting the table for the 90 days to come.

Senate Majority Leader Tom McGillvray, R-Billings, stood with a motion to adopt rules that govern the chamber. The room turned tense when Flowers rose with a surprise substitute motion that gave both Democrats and moderate Republicans better positioning on key committees.

Committee assignments are one example of the levers of power at the Legislature, where lawmakers can maneuver the flow of traffic, hijack legislation for their own purposes or tactically eliminate proposals.

Heading into the session, Democrats and the group of nine mostly moderate Republican senators had been put on committees by GOP leadership that they felt removed them from key debates and undermined their influence.

Multiple lawmakers told the Montana State News Bureau they felt the move was designed to alienate more moderate thinkers, though Republican leadership denies this allegation.

With nine Republicans joining all 18 Democrats to support Flowers rules package, McGillvray looked over the 50-member chamber with some disbelief. Regier, despite his pleas to his caucus in the following days, never fully regained control of the chamber.

The first-day move had been in the works since the caucus meetings roughly six weeks earlier, when Regier had been elected by his peers as Senate president.

At the mid-November meeting, he preached a message of unity.

"Imagine if we all band together around the tax policy that prioritizes Montana families and the Montana taxpayer first, the state government second," Regier said. "Or imagine if we all united around the education policy that had kids the priority and not the bureaucracy."

His victory did not signal widespread buy-in to that vision.

While Regier placed phone calls to almost every member of the caucus in the build-up to the session, including the Nine, early conversations were already taking place between a handful of House and Senate legislators to determine how to regain sway after being sidelined in committee assignments.

Rep. David Bedey, R-Hamilton, was one of the people working earliest with Jones to chart a path forward. Though not in the Senate, the fourth-term representative saw it as "my business" to make sure that priorities coming out of the House didnt die in the Senate at the hands of conservative "kill committees."

"My interest  was to make sure that we had a smoothly operating Legislature where people are treated fairly and legislation moved and passed or failed on its own merits," he said.

Up until the hour before the Senate floor convened on the first day of the 69th Legislature, it was unclear if they had the votes to pull off the procedural coup, according to George Wolcott, chief of staff for the Senate Democrats who was one of the people orchestrating the votes throughout the session.

Half a dozen Democrats and Republicans told the Montana State News Bureau the committee assignments sparked the alliance, which was then hardened by intense backlash from within the GOP.

"As we went further into the session, of course, because of the over-the-top reaction and the bullying of the nine legislators, Im confident that Senate leadership thought that they could bully people into submission," Bedey said. "It didnt work. Matter of fact, what it did was made that group tighter and tighter and tighter."

Regier disputes that notion. He claims the committee assignment narrative is a convenient cover-up to explain why they co-opted the majority of the chamber, when really it was "so that they could just take the control," he said as he signed bills in his office a day after sine die.

Regier had wielded large, factional caucuses before; in 2023, he was the Speaker of the House of a Republican supermajority. He reached out to the Nine in the first week of the session to right the wrongs, but he said they werent interested. Two different members said it was too little, too late.

"I think probably having supermajorities, you know, allowed them to forget about the importance of getting to 51 and 26," Essmann said, referring to the simple majorities in both chambers needed to pass a bill.

While Montanas GOP establishment unleashed a social media firestorm with claims of a nefarious conspiracy to wrangle control from duly-elected Senate leadership, the bipartisan group that first banded together insists it didnt see the move as a long-term partnership that would continue well into the session.

According to multiple interviews, the working majority was sustained and tensions remained high in part because the 27 banded together again when it was revealed by the Montana State News Bureau that one of the members of the Nine, Sen. Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, had used leftover state funds he controlled from his time in leadership to contract his close friend and longtime business associate for a job he wasnt qualified for. How to address those revelations plunged the Senate chamber into deeper chaos as the Nine and Democrats largely shielded him, and the 23 other Republicans sought to levy punishments.

"I don't think the coalition was seen as long term," Jones said. "The system never cooled off, right? It just kept getting hotter and hotter."

News of the contract broke just a week after the coalition had emerged, presenting a political dilemma to an alliance that both sought to claim the moral high ground and needed their numbers in order to remain in control. If the coalition split on any of the numerous votes pertaining to how to address Ellsworths attempted business deal, they had a sense the splintering would continue over each successive fight.

Because of the alliance with Democrats, GOP Senate leadership was irate with the nine Republicans, who found themselves on the outskirts of their caucus. That meant if they defected from the coalition, they would be left without allies entirely, forcing the working majority train to stay on its tracks.

"One of the critical parts of it is that as these beatings occurred and the Nine became more defiant, it forced them closer to us," Wolcott said. "We had kind of been bound together in blood a little bit."

"There was no way that we could kind of keep going down this road without each other.  We had to walk it down together, or, like, we weren't going to walk down at all," he added.

Policy wins and losses

Resentment over lopsided committee assignments formed a desire among the coalition to create an antidote to GOP hardliners' vision of an extremely limited government which called for slashing spending and social services, even on key programs like Medicaid expansion.

"It was definitely already about budget and spending," Wolcott said. "In a lot of ways, its always about budget and spending."

Up for renewal in 2025, Medicaid expansion, the $1 billion-a-year program serving roughly 77,000 Montanans, has long been a target for conservatives. When committee assignments were unveiled and both the Senate Public Health, Safety and Welfare and Senate Finance and Claims were stacked with anti-Medicaid votes, the path to getting it through felt "really bleak."

But that picture quickly changed once the 27 senators coalesced around shared priorities, with Medicaid expansion at the center, and deployed their Day One procedural maneuver to expand the number of moderate and Democratic senators on the Senates main budget committee. The committee could no longer kill or gut the expansion bill without going through the newly cemented coalition.

The bill to continue Medicaid expansion without a sunset date, meaning the Legislature will no longer be required to take action to renew it every handful of years, was passed in less than two months. Battles over expansion in 2015 and 2019, by comparison, were fought until each sessions bitter end.

"I know that was one of their main targets," said Sen. Gayle Lammers, a freshman Republican from Hardin, when asked about Medicaid and the policy rift between him and his caucus. "There was a whole slew of other things that I couldnt go along with."

Although a freshman, Lammers said he knew the session would present challenges if he did not align with hardliners in legislative leadership or, when "brow beating" him in the Capitol hallways didnt push him back into the fold, the state party. Still, he said after adjournment the work he accomplished with the coalition has paid off in his relatively purple district back home.

"I never got much support from the far-right," Lammers said. "Let's be honest, the guys running the GOP are pretty far-right guys. Thats no secret."

With expansion in the rear view, the coalition set its sights on other common goals, many of which overlapped with Gianfortes agenda. Having just been elected to his second term, the Republican governor had already been at odds with the more conservative GOP members following political and policy spats dating back to 2023.

Together, the nine Republicans and 18 Democrats passed a budget similar to what Gianforte had proposed and rife with his priorities. The $16.6 billion, two-year spending plan grew by about 18% from the last biennium, sparking consternation among the rest of the GOP caucus.

"Within 15 minutes of the first day, this session was off the rails," Sen. Daniel Zolnikov, R-Billings, said in a scathing speech on the Senate floor to round out the session. "The balanced budget was a failure because we have way overspent. ... If this is how people legislate, then we have a problem."

Together, the working majority steered two large omnibus spending packages, both sponsored by Jones and carried in the Senate by Kassmier, even when it seemed on the Senate floor that few people understood their details. And using the insurance policy crafted for themselves during the Day One rules fight, the 27 were able to "blast" bills out of committees where they had been stalled, meaning initiatives involving school lunches, child care, doulas and more were given a floor vote and, unsurprisingly, often passed 27-23.

The coalition helped thwart one of Republicans meatiest ambitions of overhauling judicial elections. What began with a slate of 27 bills to scale back the judicial branchs power and inject campaigns with more partisanship became just a few bills that made it past the coalition.

For many Democrats, like Bozeman freshman Sen. Cora Neumann, the bloc was seen as a way to stymie the farthest-right policy items.

The Nine were quick to point out their conservative bonafides on social issues, though.

When given the chance to restrict or limit access to the legal procedure of abortion, they did. On nearly all of the roughly two-dozen bills that sought to curb transgender rights, most Senate Republicans sided with the rest of the party.

"It was really a non-starter," said Sen. Derek Harvey, a Butte Democrat. "They wouldnt really even talk about it."

In addition to the policy votes, there were also brief discussions on whether to oust Regier, an extraordinary step for Montana politics, and cement the working majority into a bipartisan formal majority that controlled leadership posts and other key administrative powers, according to Harvey. The state Senate in Alaska has formed this type of governing majority, also with nine Republicans joining Democrats to create a caucus that does not conform to party lines.

That never came to pass in part because there was more of a desire to tamp down the tensions rather than heat them up. Sen. Josh Kassmier, the Fort Benton Republican who ended up leading the Nine, said their restraint proves they werent after a legislative takeover.

"If we really wanted a coup, we would have taken over everything, right?" he said.

Progressive policy proposals, such as paid family leave, appeared to be another bridge too far for the Nine. Though it came up in some of the early planning meetings around what priorities the 27 senators could achieve together, it was booted from the list. The Nine would often use the governor and his veto power as a backstop in those negotiations.

"Most of the time theyd default to, Its something the governor wouldnt be willing to sign," Harvey said. "We were in that space of: Is that true or not?"

A spokesperson for the governors office on Wednesday said Gianforte did not "reveal" his priorities with a small group of legislators but did make his policy preferences known through his State of the State address and budget proposals.

"As you may know, the governor kept an open line of communication with legislative leaders, scheduling weekly meetings with Republican and Democrat leaders," spokesperson Kaitlin Price said in an email. "As he has said repeatedly, a good idea can come from anyone, and he was happy to work with legislators on good ideas that would help Montanans prosper, while sticking to his core principles."

Bedey said he and Jones never met with Gianforte directly, but there was and always had been "natural" and "normal" coordination with the governors budget office on key priorities.

"It is foolish to operate in the Legislature without having an ear toward the guy who has the veto pen, Bedey said, adding the same would have happened even without any working relationship with the Democrats.

Toward the end of the legislative session, the Montana Republican Party disowned the nine Republicans and said they would not support or fund their campaigns going forward. Five of those seats are up in the next election cycle, but its unclear how many of those five will run for reelection. Gillespie, for one, is terming out and Jones has already filed for that seat, while Vance has filed for reelection.

"My experience is that these kinds of divisions lead to spirited primaries," Essmann said. "It'll be hashed out in these open seats which direction this goes."

Whats next?

Once the session adjourned, Flowers did not have long to relish in the coalitions power. Interim committees, unlike those that meet during the session, allow only two legislators from the minority party  too few for the coalition to play a leading role.

"I think its going to be a challenge to collaborate on some of these things," Flowers told reporters.

A few of the Senates final acts last week indicated that the coalition was, at least on some items, starting to crumble around the edges. Just as the session began, a rules proposal that would have given the working majority power to assemble new committees in the interim was scuttled on its final day  by Harvey, a Democrat who said the 27 should reach a broader consensus with the chamber in order to wield such legislative power.

"First day to last day fighting over the rules," Essmann remarked.

The coalition also failed to muster its members to pass Senate Bill 324, a priority for the group that had just shaped the states budget. Through new taxes on luxury vehicle registrations, the bill would have raised $70 million for bridges in the next four years, along with $8 million for a new crime victims fund and more than $14 million for pay raises and a retention program at the Montana Highway Patrol. Kassmier sponsored the bill.

After all its trials, the coalition that began the session together failed to unite around the bill, and it died on a 25-25 vote.

Seated alone on a bench on the back side of the Capitol a few hours after sine die, Jones called 324's failure "the only loss all session."

He said it meant Gianforte would now have no other option than to start vetoing spending bills, meaning the coalitions goals could be on the chopping block.

In the coming days, the governors veto pen will ultimately decide what moderate Republicans and Democrats will have to show for their unconventional control of the chamber.
A former Real Housewife whose tagline was some people think Im too much, theyre absolutely right is officially a board member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council.

In a post on his Truth Social site Monday, President Donald Trump announced five appointees to the board, and one was Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 7 and 8 alum Sigalit Siggy Flicker. The Israeli-born former matchmaker is a member of Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club and has a connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Siggy Flicker at the Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 8 reunion. Bravo via Getty Images

They are all strong supporters of Israel, and will ensure we, NEVER FORGET, Trump wrote in his announcement.

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President Trump Thank you for the privilege & honor to represent and NEVER FORGET! Flicker wrote on Instagram in response to Trumps announcement.

Trumps five appointees, along with other previously announced members, will replace those appointed by President Joe Biden, who were fired by Trump on April 29. The abrupt removal of Bidens appointees  who were nixed before their terms expired, with most being on the board for just weeks, per The Washington Post  is a move that critics say introduces politics into a vital institution that until now has remained nonpartisan.

Siggy Flicker, left, and far-right activist Laura Loomer listen as President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in 2024. Win McNamee via Getty Images

At a time of rising antisemitism and Holocaust denial and distortion, we should be uniting to preserve historical truth, the Anti-Defamation League said in a statement last week. The Holocaust Museum is not just a monument to the past, it is a warning to the present. We must ensure it remains nonpartisan and committed to its core mission of ensuring that Never Again stands true.

Flicker is anything but nonpartisan.

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Her stepson, Tyler Campanella, was arrested in April 2024 and charged with five misdemeanors in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection, which Flicker appeared to support, according to court documents obtained by NBC News.

According to an FBI affidavit, the former reality TV star posted photos that Campanella shot from inside the Capitol on Jan. 6 to social media, along with the caption: I love patriots so much. Stay safe Tyler. We love you. Her post also included praying hands, hearts and American flag emojis and the Stop the Steal hashtag, according to an image of the post included in the FBI affidavit and published by NBC News.

Campanella pleaded not guilty to the charges last year, and the case was dismissed when Trump pardoned Jan. 6 rioters.

Flicker also told The Washington Post in 2024 that she goes to Mar-a-Lago three or four times a week in order to escape jihadis and criminals and be in a place that resembles what America used to be.
By Andrew Chung, John Kruzel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday to intervene in its bid to revoke the temporary legal status granted by his predecessor Joe Biden to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan, Cuban, Haitian and Nicaraguan migrants living in the United States.

The Justice Department requested that the justices put on hold Boston-based U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani's order halting the administration's move to terminate the immigration "parole" granted to the migrants under Biden. The move is part of Trump's hardline approach to immigration.

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Immigration parole is a form of temporary permission under American law to be in the country for "urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit," allowing recipients to live and work in the United States.

In their filing to the Supreme Court, Justice Department lawyers argued that Talwani's order had upended "critical immigration policies that are carefully calibrated to deter illegal entry," effectively "undoing democratically approved policies that featured heavily in the November election" that returned Trump to the presidency.

The Republican president called for ending these programs in an executive order signed on January 20, his first day back in office. The Department of Homeland Security subsequently moved to terminate the programs in March, including cutting short the two-year parole grants for about 400,000 people.

The Trump administration "is hellbent on punishing nearly half a million people who did everything the government asked of them" in applying for parole, said Karen Tumlin, director of the immigrant rights legal group Justice Action Center, which helped represent the plaintiffs who challenged the parole termination.

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"Everyone - sponsors, beneficiaries, communities and the economy alike - benefit from humanitarian parole," Tumlin added.

The Supreme Court directed the plaintiffs to respond to the administration's request by May 15. The filing is the latest in a flood of emergency requests by Trump's administration seeking to undo decisions by judges impeding his sweeping policies, including several targeting immigrants.

In a bid to reduce illegal crossings at the U.S. border with Mexico, Biden starting in 2022 allowed Venezuelans who entered the United States by air to request a two-year parole if they passed security checks and had a U.S. financial sponsor. Biden, a Democrat, later expanded that process to Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans.

A total of about 530,000 people were given immigration parole through Biden's policy.

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The Trump administration said revoking the parole status would make it easier to place migrants in a fast-track deportation process called "expedited removal."

The plaintiffs, a group of migrants granted parole and sponsors, sued administration officials claiming the government violated federal law governing the actions of agencies.

Talwani in April found that the law governing such parole did not allow for the program's blanket termination, instead requiring a case-by-case review. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to put Talwani's decision on hold.

In Thursday's filing, the administration said the judge "lacked the authority to usurp the executive branch's control of foreign policy and immigration." The parole provision of federal immigration law gives government officials broad discretion to terminate such grants, it added.

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In a lower court, lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that the government's move to "truncate parole en masse" misinterprets federal law and would cause irreparable harm if "hundreds of thousands of hardworking and law-abiding people across the country becoming undocumented and legally unemployable overnight."

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Additional reporting by John Kruzel in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham)
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump boasted on Thursday of a new trade agreement that, on average, triples the taxes Americans will have to pay on British imports while signaling that higher tariffs will be the norm for agreements with other countries as well.

According to a chart used by Trump, the new trade deal with the United Kingdom will bring in $6 billion in external revenue, a term he and his administration dishonestly use to describe payments collected by U.S. Customs from American importers. The new 10% rate for nearly all goods, which was announced last month for countries all over the world, is three times higher than the 3.4% average rate Americans have paid for goods from Britain and Northern Ireland.

Its an anti-trade deal, said Scott Lincicome, the director of economics at the Cato Institutes Center for Trade Policy Studies.

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He and other economists said that Trumps description of that 10% rate as the minimum tax level for all coming trade agreements effectively makes the United States a high-tariff country and will be a continuing drag on the economy.

That is largely in line with my fears, said Jason Furman, a top economist in the Obama White House and now a professor at Harvard University. Best case is emerge from Trump with a 12% average tariff rate on world. That is back to the 1940s and on par with Iran and Venezuela.

Vice President JD Vance (left) and President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, May 8, 2025. Trump announced a trade framework with the U.K., hailing it as a breakthrough that will bring down barriers and expand market access for American imports. Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images

University of Michigan economist Justin Wolfers said, A 10% across-the-board tariff is ridiculously high, and about five or ten times higher than any of our trading partners.

Trump said he agreed to lower his 25% tax on imported cars to 10% for the first 100,000 cars entering from the U.K. each year to help the British auto industry because it mainly produces high-end luxury cars. They make a very small number of cars that are super luxury, and that includes Bentley and Jaguar, he said.

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In return, the U.K. has agreed to open its market to American beef and other agricultural products, Trump said. Were a very big country. We have a lot of beef. Were a very big country, he added.

Trump also continued pushing his repeated lies about how international trade works, claiming, again, that the United States loses money when Americans buy foreign goods and that other countries pay U.S. tariffs.

That means we lose less money, he said when asked during an Oval Office photo opportunity about shipping traffic falling off at U.S. ports and dock workers and truckers fearing for their jobs. Look, China was making over a trillion  1.1 trillion, in my opinion. You know, different numbers from 500 billion to 1 trillion or 1.1 trillion. And frankly, if we didnt do business, we would have been better off.

He then repeated a favorite falsehood of his over the years about the tariffs he imposed on Chinese imports during his first term: China paid hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs, when I was president.

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In reality, foreign nations pay none of those tariffs. American importers do, predominantly manufacturers buying raw materials and retailers. Both pass along the import taxes in the form of higher prices paid by consumers.

If all the tariff rates announced by Trump on his so-called Liberation Day on April 2 go into effect, it will cost American importers and consumers an extra $2.4 trillion in new taxes over a decade.

Related...
Denisse Parra Vargas and her husband, Omar, had just dropped their three childrenaged 9, 5, and 4at school in Austin last Thursday morning when their car was pulled over by Texas state troopers, at least ostensibly because the license plate was expired.

The younger two childrenboth boysare U.S. citizens, but that did not dissuade the troopers from turning Parra Vargas and her husband over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as suspected undocumented immigrants. Families and their kids are fair game these days, as Trumps border czar Tom Homan has repeatedly made clear.

Having a U.S. citizen child after you enter this country illegally is not a get out jail free card, Homan told CBS News Face the Nation last month.

Denisse Parra Vargas, her husband Omar, and three children have all been removed from the country; the couple's youngest two boys are U.S. citizens. / Grassroots Leadership

The father was sent to an ICE detention center then deported to Nuevo Laredo in Mexico, just across the border from Laredo, Texas.

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The mother was released after being fitted with an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet by the ICE Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP). She was instructed to check in at the new Pflugerville processing center on Tuesday.

She was told that if she showed up, then she would be eligible for asylum as well as a work permit, a spokesperson for Grassroots Leadership, an Austin-based criminal justice and immigration advocacy group, told the Daily Beast.

The 39-year-old mother complied on the appointed day, bringing her kids along.

Her understanding was that this was supposed to be a routine appointment, the spokesperson said. It was not a threat.

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But the mother and her kids then became the latest people to vanish into the immigration system and be held incommunicado. Grassroots Leadership and its legal team began an around-the-clock effort to locate them.

We were just trying to figure out where she was, the spokesperson said. ICE was not giving us information.

Grassroots Leadership repeatedly entered the womans alien registration number into the online ICE detainee locator.

She wasnt showing up, the spokesperson said.

Early Wednesday afternoon, Parra Vargas telephoned the Grassroots folks to say she had been deported and was in Reynosa, just across the border in her native Mexico, 15 miles from where her husband ended up. Their three kids were with hertwo of them citizens.

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When she called from the other side of the border, she said that she signed a paper, but she wasnt sure exactly what it was, the spokesperson told the Daily Beast. She did not understand what she was signing.

ICE operates under the command of Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary who has shown a fondness for going on raids and dressing as an ICE agent. / U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via Getty Images

The legal team would no doubt have advised her that, as U.S. citizens, her younger two children could not be deported if she chose to place them with a responsible caretaker. But she does not seem to have been given the opportunity for an informed choice.

She never had a chance to consult with anybody, the spokesperson said. Any efforts from our end to be able to advocate for her release, or even for our legal team to be able to work on her release, none of that was possible because we werent even able to locate her.

Much the same happened in two other instances in April involving a total of three children who were deported despite being U.S. citizens.

Trump's

In both cases, the kids were detained along with the mother during what had been presented as a routine check-in.

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A 4-year-old U.S. citizen with metastatic cancer was deported to Honduras along with a 7-year-old citizen sibling. The third U.S. citizen deportee last month was just 2.

When calling for mass deportations, President Donald Trump and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Homan speak of an invasion of killers and rapists, a horde a Homeland Security Department spokesperson called the worst of the worst.

The only violation of the law in this weeks case involving the Parra Vargas family was one so minor it is usually used simply as a pretext to pull people over.

Their mistake was not having their tags renewed, the Grassroots Leadership spokesperson said. Both of them are loving parents. They have their three kids, and theyre just trying to live their lives here in Austin.

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Were it not for that car stop, their kids would have been in school on Tuesday. The younger two, who are as American as Trump or Miller or Homan or anyone else born in this country, would have been in kindergarten.

Learning their numbers, learning how to spell, the spokesperson said. Its May, so Im assuming right now theres a lot of end-of-school celebrations... And instead of doing that right now, they are currently on the other side of the border, not sure what their new reality is.

Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, has also spoken against the rights of citizen children to remain in the U.S. / Alex Wong / Getty Images

The children had been hastily deported before their mother had an opportunity to understand their rights and make a terrible choice that could only be worse if you are cheated of an opportunity to make it.

They were taken from their home, without the chance for them to even grab any of their belongings, like any toys, any clothes, anything that they might need for their day-to-day lives, the spokesperson said. They dont have any of that, and thats just including the material possessions. Theres also the long term psychological damage.

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The spokesperson said the Grassroots Leadership legal team will continue to seek a remedy.

She added, The reality is that this is not the first time that ICE has done this.

Miller has said that if you do not deport the kids they grow up to become adult immigrants. The Parra Vargas brothers will not be the last.
President Trump confirmed early Thursday his plans to announce a major trade deal with the United Kingdom  the first such agreement since his latest tariff rollout left global markets reeling.

The president described the forthcoming agreement as full and comprehensive, and signaled it would be the first of many deals to come with foreign trading partners as the Trump administration grapples with an unstable economy amid the trade war.

The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come, Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social.

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Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement, he continued. Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!

Trump said he would make the announcement at 10 a.m. EDT from the Oval Office.

The president teased a trade deal Wednesday evening without specifying the other nation involved. He said at the time that there would be a press conference concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!!

The Trump administration unveiled sweeping Liberation Day tariffs April 2, levying a 10 percent baseline import tax against nearly all other nations. Higher reciprocal tariffs were also imposed on dozens of countries  but those are currently on a 90-day pause, leaving room for negotiations, with the exception of China.

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The U.K. did not face reciprocal individualized tariffs but was still subject to the 25 percent tariff the administration implemented on automobiles, steel and aluminum imports. London did not respond with tariffs on U.S. imports, as many other countries have.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer  who met with Trump at the White House in late February  also hinted at the forthcoming trade announcement with the U.S. in a speech Thursday.

As you know, talks with the U.S. have been ongoing  and youll hear more about that later today. But make no mistake  I will always act in our national interest, Starmer said.

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The U.S. is working toward finalizing a narrow trade deal with the United Kingdom, President Donald Trump said Thursday, a small step as the White House pursues an aggressive tariff agenda across the globe.

According to a document furnished by the U.K., the agreement will see duties on U.K. car imports reduced from 27.5% to 10%, while tariffs on U.K. steel imports will be dropped.

In return, the U.K. is lowering trade barriers on U.S. beef imports and ethanol.

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U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Trump approved the deal Wednesday night, according to a source familiar with the discussions, concluding weeks of negotiations that included U.K. representatives in Washington, D.C., pushing for the final agreement.

Trump has long sought a full trade agreement with the U.K. dating back to his first term, though he backed off after that country sought a rapprochement with the European Union in 2018.

The announcement is the first pact Trump has signed with another country since his shock Liberation Day speech last month announcing unprecedented worldwide tariffs. While he has since announced a 90-day pause on country-by-country duties, markets remain wary  and businesses frustrated  by his erratic approach to trade policy.

Trump and many members of his administration have boasted for weeks that countries were rushing to sign new trade deals to avoid outsize tariffs. But Trump has also unilaterally softened many of the tariffs he initially announced while recently shifting his tone on whether the many dozens of deals necessary would come to fruition.

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The president has said he intends to sign individual trade deals as a means of blunting the impact of his tariffs  yet has offered conflicting accounts about how such deals will play out. In an interview with Time magazine last month, Trump said he had made 200 deals, an impossible figure given that there arent that many countries in existence. Then on Tuesday, during his meeting with newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump indicated deals would not even be necessary.

Everyone says, When, when, when, are you going to sign deals? We dont have to sign deals! Trump said.

He continued: They want a piece of our market. We dont want a piece of their market. We dont care about their market. They want a piece of our market.

Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said no formal negotiations had even begun with China, the country with which markets are most eager to see a deal enacted, given how much the U.S. relies on Chinese imports.

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High-level meetings are slated for this weekend, though they wont necessarily include trade negotiations.

In remarks on Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the tariffs had created a very, very uncertain economic environment.

The tariff increases announced so far has been significantly larger than anticipated, Powell said. All of these policies are still evolving, however, and their effects on the economy remain highly uncertain.

After several reports naming the U.K., Trump himself this morning confirmed the pact was with Britain.

Investors remain sensitive to any sign that the president will relent on his tariffs plan or at least provide a more concrete picture of their implementation. Stocks initially surged in premarket trading Thursday once the U.K. deal was announced by Trump on social media late Wednesday, but gave up gains after multiple outlets reported later Thursday morning that the deal would be limited in scope and general in terms.

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In a subsequent post, Trump said the agreement would be a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.

He added that many other deals will follow, some of which are in serious stages of negotiation.

Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement, the president said.

Trump has repeatedly suggested that foreign nations are eager to ink a deal with Washington to avoid the worst effects of the wave of levies he announced last month, but this would be the first such deal. Only four countries import more U.S. goods than the U.K., according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

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Trump dangled the possibility of a U.K. trade deal in his first term and was a vocal supporter of Brexit, suggesting that some of the groundwork had been done before this years tariffs.

The New York Times was the first to report Wednesday that Trump planned to announce a deal with Britain, citing three people familiar with the deal.

The deal would be a boost for Trump, who said nations were dying to make a deal in the wake of his tariffs announcement on April 2.

Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro said at the time there could be 90 deals in 90 days  but 36 days on, there have been none, while countries across the world complained that the tariffs were unfair and uncalled for, most notably China, and as Trump seeks to calm fears over price increases at home.

Trump dangled the possibility of a U.K. trade deal in his first term. (Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images file)

Trump has faced ongoing criticism that tariffs could raise prices for consumers and hurt the economy, and has acknowledged himself that the tax on imports could lead to higher prices. The tariffs have also proven to be politically damaging, with Trumps handling of tariffs earning him especially low approval numbers compared to other issues in recent public surveys, including CNBC and NBC News Stay Tuned polls.

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Meanwhile, the U.K. is keen to sign a deal with the U.S.  its biggest trading partner  to alleviate the effect of Trumps tariffs on its auto, food and drink, and steel industries. Its total annual trade with the U.S. is 314.6 billion pounds ($417.6 billion), 196 billion pounds ($260 billion) of which is exports to America.

Britain left the 27-nation European Union trading bloc in 2020  the so-called Brexit agreement  and has been searching for deals to replace the frictionless trade it previously enjoyed across the continent. This week, the U.K. announced a trade deal with India that it said would increase the annual gross domestic product by 4.8 billion pounds ($6.3 billion).

JPMorgan said in a note early Thursday that the scope of the U.K. deal was limited and the economic impact for Britain would be very small, adding that the political choreography of the move appeared to take precedence over its substance.

JPMorgan added that it was unlikely U.S. tariffs on British goods would be eliminated entirely and could be set at the 10% baseline Trump has imposed on all other countries.

Separately, the Bank of England announced Thursday that it would cut British interest rates from 4.5% to 4.25%.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
President Donald Trump, whose wife first lady Melania Trump is Catholic, offered congratulations to Robert Francis Prevost who was selected as the next Pope on May 8.

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

Leo, 69, is a Chicago native. He will go by the name Pope Leo XIV. He served as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023.

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Live updates: History is made with Pope Leo XIV, first-ever pontiff from US

Is Donald Trump Catholic? No, but Melania Trump is Catholic

Trump used to identify as a Presbyterian, but in 2020 he told Religion News Service he began considering himself a non-denominational Christian.

First Lady Melania Trump, however, made news in 2017 when she met the late Pope Francis and revealed she is Catholic when asking the pontiff to bless her rosary beads. She attended Francis' funeral with the president on her 55th birthday on April 26, wearing a traditional black lace veil.

The Trumps married in January 2005 at Bethesda-By-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach, Florida, near his private club, Mar-a-Lago. Over the years, the president and his wife attended Easter services there.

When will Trump and Melania meet the Pope?

The White House did not immediately comment on when the Trumps may meet with the new Pope.

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"That's a great honor, that's a great honor," Trump told reporters in the White House, according to a pool report. "I was watching it and they said, 'he's from America.' I said, 'that's great.'"

In his first presidency, Trump and the first lady traveled to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis in May 2017, just a few months after Trump was sworn into office.

Donald and Melania Trump were in Rome recently to attend Francis' funeral.

Vice President JD Vance also visited the Vatican on Easter Sunday, the day before Francis' death.

New Pope Leo XIV is considered centrist. Pope Francis was critical of Trump administration

The new Pope Leo XIV is considered centrist: dedicated to social justice issues, but not as welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community as Francis.

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However, Leo backed Francis during his 12-year papacy.

Francis was critical of Trump's administrations, particularly for policies on immigration. In fact, Trump and Francis's disagreements date back to before Trump's first presidency, when Trump questioned the pontiff's frugality and said he was too political.

After Pope Leo XIV was named, his social media posts as Cardinal, sharing opinion pieces and other posts that criticize Trump and Vance, surfaced online.

The White House did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's questions on the posts. Vance's office did not provide a comment on the past criticism.

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Contributing: Francesca Chambers, John Bacon, Jorge L. Ortiz, Kim Hjelmgaard, Susan Miller, USA TODAY

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Pope Leo XIV congratulated by Trump. When will they, Melania meet?
President Donald Trump on Thursday congratulated Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost  a Chicago native  on being elected the new pope.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope, Trump said in a post to Truth Social. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, was elected as the new pope by the Cardinals in a two-day conclave and will be the first American pontiff in history.

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Prevost, 69, was born in Chicago and is Peruvian. He has previously served as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023.

Outside the West Wing on Thursday, Trump indicated that the White House has received a call about scheduling a meeting with Leo.

I do. yes. Theyve already called, he said to reporters when asked if he planned on meeting with the Pope. They have already spoken to us and well see what happens. But again, to have the Pope from the United States of America thats a great honor. Thats a great honor.

Leo has dedicated much of his clerical work to focusing on Perus migrant and marginalized communities, having lived in the country for many years. Though, Leo has also faced accusations of failing to punish sexual abuse by other priests.

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Vice President JD Vance, the highest-ranking Catholic in the U.S. government, also congratulated the new pope on Thursday.

Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church, he wrote on X. May God bless him!

The former pope, Francis, died on Easter Monday last month. Tensions between the Trump administration and Francis  which began during Trumps first term  resurfaced early on in the presidents return to office. In January, Francis slammed the administrations plans to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, calling the efforts a disgrace.

The Trump administration drew criticism for its behavior leading up to the election of a new pope, as Trump or his team posted an AI-generated photo of the president as the Pope last week. However, Trump has defended the image, saying the Catholics loved it.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Another executive order is impacting groups here in Iowa. Last week, the Trump administration instructed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding NPR and PBS.

The two broadcasters are allotted over half a billion dollars in public money from CPB.

Trumps order in part says, what does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.

PBS says that some stations in smaller communities across the U.S. could lose 40 to 50% of their funding.

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Here locally, Iowa PBS General Manager and Executive Director Andrew Batt said in a statement:

The cuts proposed by the White House will impact all of the services we provide here in Iowa. This includes our ability to share our favorite programs as well as our educational outreach in our schools and local libraries. This federal funding is crucial to continue providing public service content to Iowans.

Faith, family and friendship on display at Dowling Catholic as Foth family fights childhood cancer repercussions

Iowa Public Radio also depends on federal funding, which covers about 10% of their budget.

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Well, first of all, they are proposed cuts, so we dont we havent actually seen them yet. But elimination for the of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would leave a hole of about $1 million in our budget, IPR Executive Director Myrna Johnson said. So, it would force really tough decisions on the services that we provide to our listeners across the state. Were a 26 station network across the state. We provide services to really small towns as well as the major metros and we take that really seriously.

NPR and PBS national leaders have publicly said they will try to push back against the Trump Administration. Local leaders will wait and see.

Were all just so committed to what were doing that were just continuing to do our work. We have a lot of resolve to make sure that we have a strong public radio system here in the state and are working to make sure that we have that service going forward, Johnson said.

It has not happened yet. So were communicating to the administration and to our elected officials that we believe CPB is important. Listeners and Iowans can voice their opinion and they can also support their local public radio station.

This is affecting more than just broadcasting. The CPB also announced theyve been notified by the Department of Education that the Ready to Learn grant program has been terminated, effective immediately.

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Iowa PBS partners with the Learning Neighborhood Program in Perry for that grant, and they work with the Perry P.A.C.E.S. before and after school program.

Iowa News:

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If youre loyal to President Donald Trump and his democracy-testing agenda, then you just might land a job in the Trump administration. But if youre extremely loyal, then you might land three or even four.

Last week, the president tapped Secretary of State Marco Rubio to serve at least temporarily as his new national security adviser, after exiling Mike Waltz of Signal-gate fame to New York City as his new ambassador to the United Nations, pending Senate confirmation. Rubio will remain in his full-time, Senate-confirmed role as the presidents chief foreign affairs adviser while also managing our national security.

But Rubio also has two other side gigs, at least on paper. Trump has installed him atop the National Archives and Records Administration after ousting the chief archivist, and also put him in charge of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the foreign aid agency Trump has tried to unilaterally dismantle.

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Rubios four-position portfolio is just the most high-profile example of job juggling within the administration. Several other officials also have been plucked for multiple roles, raising the question of how they could possibly run different departments simultaneously. Heading up just one federal agency is a massive undertaking.

Theyre leaders of very large organizations. They have management challenges, operational issues and a mission they need to meet, said Jenny Mattingley, head of government affairs at the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. When you have multiple hats on, how do you lead one [agency], let alone three or four? It becomes a real challenge.

If the number of jobs one holds is a barometer for Trumps confidence in an official, then U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer comes in a close second behind Rubio.

Greer is responsible for coordinating U.S. trade policy at a time when Trump has instigated what could be the biggest global trade war since the Great Depression. But hes also supposedly running two other federal agencies, the Office of Special Counsel and the Office of Government Ethics. The OSC is responsible for protecting government whistleblowers and the merit system in federal employment, while the OGE oversees ethics programs in the executive branch.

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This sort of personnel practice is not at all normal, said Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, a scholar on the American presidency and visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution. She said it was mind boggling for the secretary of state, in particular, to have other jobs, noting that Rubio holds the highest Cabinet position in the presidential line of succession other than the vice president.

It is incredibly unique when you compare Trump to other presidents, Tenpas said, noting several officials had dual roles during his first presidency. This notion that any president would give one individual two jobs to me just makes no sense. Ive been studying White House staffing since the early 90s. This just doesnt compute.

Before Greer took over, the OSC and OGE jobs had been held in the short term byVeterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, who was overseeing the largest agency other than the Defense Department, with more than 400,000 VA workers.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and President Donald Trump attend a Cabinet meeting last month at the White House. Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought also has been pulling double duty as the temporary head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the financial services watchdog Trump has tried to shutter. Trump seems to like the idea of one person running these two particular agencies at the same time, as he had Mick Mulvaney do it during his first term.

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Another two-way player, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, briefly served as the CFPBs acting director before Vought stepped in.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll is side-hustling as the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Federal Bureau of Investigations Director Kash Patel had briefly pinch-hit as the ATF acting director ahead of Driscoll.

And Richard Grenell is serving as Trumps special missions envoy  working in some of the hottest spots around the world, in the presidents words  while also holding the title of president at the Kennedy Center.

Mattingley noted that wearing two or three hats could become more common in agency middle management if Trump succeeds in politicizing the civil service through his Schedule F scheme. Turning career positions into political appointments would lead to more turnover, with openings likely to be filled by loyalists.

On top of being less effective, officials with multiple roles also are more likely to create conflicts of interest. House Democrats noted in a letter to Greer that as the head of OSC and OGE, he could be tasked with investigating whistleblower and ethics cases at his primary agency, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

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Given these concerns, we do not have confidence in your ability to impartially or effectively fulfill the demanding responsibilities of each office, the Democrats wrote.

But Trump almost certainly doesnt want these officials fulfilling the missions of certain agencies. He does not believe USAID or the CFPB should exist, and has made clear his disdain for the National Archives, which played a central role in the classified documents case that included 40 felony indictments against him.

Nor would the president have any love for the OSC, whose previous leader tried to block Trumps firing of tens of thousands of probationary federal employees, or the OGE, which is tasked with preventing the sort of ethical conflicts of interest Trump is famous for.

So handing an agencys reins to a loyalist with a couple other jobs could be a great strategy for not doing anything at all.

What better way to do it than name somebody but dont expect them to do anything? Tenpas said.
Donald Trump will slash US tariffs on Range Rovers and other UK-made cars to 10pc as part of a trade deal that also drops levies on American beef.

The Telegraph revealed details of the trade deal on Thursday that will see British carmakers given a quota of 100,000 cars they will be able to send to American shores at lower tariffs.

The UK and US will also remove taxes on up to 13,000 metric tonnes of beef imports and exports per year, although Britain will not allow imports of hormone-treated beef under the agreement.

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Steel tariffs of 25pc will also be scrapped, subject to a quota.

Mr Trump announced new 25pc tariffs on foreign-made cars and car parts imported into the US in March, and UK negotiators have made reducing these levies a key priority in talks.

Sir Keir Starmer hailed the historic deal, claiming it would protect thousands of British jobs in key sectors including car manufacturing and steel.

My Government has put Britain at the front of the queue because we want to work constructively with allies for mutual benefit rather than turning our back on the world, the Prime Minister said.

However, Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, said Britain had been shafted by tariffs that will still begin at 10pc on most UK goods.

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We cut our tariffs  America tripled theirs. Keir Starmer called this historic. Its not historic, weve just been shafted! she posted on X.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which manufacturers Range Rovers, had halted exports to the worlds biggest economy as a result of the steep rise in car tariffs.

Adrian Mardell, the JLR boss, hailed the agreement, saying it will help to sustain 250,000 jobs.

We warmly welcome this deal which secures greater certainty for our sector and the communities it supports, he said.

Some sources said the reductions will form part of what sources said was a 12-month temporary arrangement ahead of striking what Britain and the US hope will be a comprehensive trade deal in the coming months.

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Well get immediate relief on sectoral tariffs, said a source.

However, others said these tariff reductions were just the first step ahead of a more comprehensive trade deal with the worlds biggest economy.

It is a self-standing agreement and this opens [the] door to a deeper technology partnership, said one British official.

Thursdays deal does not include cuts or concessions to Britains 800m digital services tax.

Downing Street said the two sides would work on a digital trade deal to strip back paperwork for British firms trying to export to the US.

Official figures suggest the deal will allow most British car exports to the US to benefit from lower tariffs. Last year, British manufacturers exported just over 100,000 cars to the US, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT)  making up almost 17pc of the industrys overseas sales.

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Those were typically high-end models: sales to the US amounted to 9bn of exports, according to the Office for National Statistics, or more than one quarter of the value of all car exports.

The deal on agriculture gives British farmers a tariff-free quota for 13,000 metric tonnes of beef exports  equivalent to 52 million steaks.

US tariffs on British beef typically vary between 4pc and 26pc depending on the type and quality of cut, according to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Britains tariffs on American beef stand at up to 20pc.

While the deal will be a boost for Sir Keir, it falls short of the full and comprehensive arrangement that Mr Trump declared earlier on Thursday.

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Tariffs on US ethanol imported into the UK  which is used to make biofuels  will also be cut to zero.

David Henig, from the European Centre for International Political Economy, described the deal as a win for the Prime Minister.

US tariffs are higher than January but you deal with what you can, and the UK conceded very little to get results for key sectors and I think thats a win, he said.

And deepening UK EU trade, the big prize available, is unaffected by this US deal. No wonder Conservatives are unhappy.

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The Trump administration apparently deported two U.S. citizen childrenages 5 and 4after surreptitiously luring their mother to an immigration appointment.

Denisse Parra Vargas and her husband, Omar, had just dropped off their three children at school in Austin, Texas, last Thursday when they were pulled over by Texas state troopers ostensibly for having an expired license plate. But then, the police officers turned the couple over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement as suspected undocumented immigrants.

Omar was sent to an ICE detention center and then deported to Mexico, but Parra Vargas was fitted with an electronic bracelet and told to report to a processing center near Austin on Tuesday. An Austin-based criminal justice and immigration advocacy organization, Grassroots Leadership, said to the Daily Beast that she was told that if she showed up, then she would be eligible for asylum as well as a work permit.

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Parra Vargas complied, and showed up on Tuesday with her three children, two of whom are U.S. citizens, for what she thought was a routine appointment. But then she and all of her children seemed to disappear in ICE custody. Grassroots Leadership scrambled its legal team to try to find them.

We were just trying to figure out where she was, a spokesperson for the organization said. ICE was not giving us information.

Even entering Parra Vargass information into ICEs online detainee locator wasnt showing any results. Then Parra Vargas called the organization to tell them that she had been deported to Mexico with her three children.

When she called from the other side of the border, she said that she signed a paper, but she wasnt sure exactly what it was, the spokesperson said. She did not understand what she was signing.

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ICE seems to have disregarded the fact that two of Parra Vargass children are citizens and could have stayed in the U.S. with a caretaker. She does not appear to have been informed of her options, Grassroots Leadership said.

She never had a chance to consult with anybody, the organizations spokesperson told the Daily Beast. Any efforts from our end to be able to advocate for her release, or even for our legal team to be able to work on her release, none of that was possible because we werent even able to locate her.

Parra Vargass situation fits a pattern of haphazard and cruel immigration actions from the Trump administration. Her two U.S. citizen children arent the first Americans to be swept up by ICE or even deported in President Trumps second term. Jose Hermosillo, a 19-year-old U.S. citizen with learning disabilities, was detained by a Border Patrol officer while visiting Tucson, Arizona, and spent 10 days in ICE detention before being released.

Late last month, the Trump administration was caught lying about undocumented immigrant women being deported with their U.S. citizen children. Similar to Parra Vargas, the women were prevented from communicating with legal counsel while in ICE custody. It appears that in order to get around the pesky constitutional rights of U.S. citizens, the Trump administration is deporting them anyway if theyre kids.


Universities across the country are scrambling to comply with President Donald Trumps anti-diversity push in an effort to hold on to hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants that fund critical medical research in areas such as cancer and maternal health.

Last month, the Trump administration threatened to cancel medical research funds and to pull the accreditation for universities that have diversity and inclusion programs and that boycott Israeli companies.

The latest moves broaden the anti-DEI mandate that Trump signed just hours into his second term, declaring diversity, equity and inclusion efforts discriminatory.

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The administration is locked in a legal battle with Harvard University that on Monday saw officials cut off future funding, escalating a total freeze on $2.2 billion in federal grants directed to Harvard. The university has sued to unlock those funds, a fight that will likely be expensive, and take months to resolve.

Most universities, particularly public and smaller institutions, lack the resources to take up the fight the way Harvard has. Dozens of schools across the country have publicly ended DEI programs and quietly taken down or rerouted websites referencing diversity and equity. Some have more openly acquiesced to the administrations demands, banning the use of certain words and phrases such as equality, gender and White supremacy, and laying off dozens of university staff.

But those efforts havent spared them from mass funding cuts.

At Columbia University, some $250 million in health research grants remain in limbo even after the university made significant policy changes in late March to placate the administration. Leaders at Ohio State University, Vice President JD Vances alma mater, acted early to end DEI programs and eliminate 16 staff positions in February, citing Trumps mandate and a state bill.

A pharmacist pours Truvada pills back into the bottle at Jack's Pharmacy on November 23, 2010 in San Anselmo, California. - Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

But in March, the administration still canceled 10 grants to Ohio State, clawing back $2.4 million in planned spending on HPV and Covid-19 vaccine uptake and separate studies on substance use, suicide risk and PrEP access among different LGBTQ populations.

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Starting in February, the US National Institutes of Health terminated roughly 780 research grants that referenced equity, racial disparities, minority health, LGBTQ populations and Covid-19. The canceled grants spanned the country: Roughly 40% were to organizations in states Trump won in November, according to a KFF analysis.

Those have included cuts to research seemingly squarely in line with the stated goals of the Trump administration and US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., such as studies on autism diagnoses, chronic disease improvements and environmental exposures intersection with health.

Besides the immediate impact of frozen research and staff layoffs, scientists and public health experts worry about a chilling effect for health care studies overall. The NIH is the worlds largest public funder of biomedical research, issuing roughly 60,000 grants a year to nearly 3,000 universities and hospitals. That accounts for more than 80% of the agencys current $48 billion annual budget, although the administration aims to slash that spending by a third next year.

People are frightened, said Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Health Research, a nonprofit group aimed at improving health care research. One of the things that Ive said to people is, you know, how much can you do what youve been doing but just call it something else?

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That can be a tricky prospect for research on health care issues that disproportionately affect certain populations.

For instance, the US reports persistently high rates of maternal and infant deaths compared with other high-income countries. There are stark disparities within those figures: Black women are three times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than White women.

Researchers and state medical boards attribute those statistics to a range of factors including racial bias, health care access, underlying health conditions and socioeconomic status.

That makes it extraordinary difficult to strip equity, race and risks for certain populations from questions about maternal health care and other research, experts say. Whether its new mothers postpartum survival, HIV prevention in LGBTQ populations or higher risk of aggressive breast cancer in Black women, many studies necessitate a focus on the people most affected, those experts say. The NIH cut research in all those areas.

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Theres real issues here that could be better understood and responded to, and lives could be saved, but only if you study them  and only if you understand what youre studying, Zuckerman said.

Beyond hundreds of grants citing words such as equity, disparities, gender, minority, LGBTQ populations or race, the NIH also canceled spending on Covid-19 outreach, vaccination and messaging.

A medical technician fills a syringe from a vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in Bates Memorial Baptist Church February 12, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky. - Jon Cherry/Getty Images

HHS grants will only go to the most qualified applicants and will not adhere to ideological requirements or discriminatory quotas, an HHS spokesperson said in response to questions about the canceled grants.

The mass culling of NIH grants has even stoked concern among Republican leaders who argue that the US could slide in medical innovation and world leadership with the combined funding cuts, mass layoffs and agency shakeups.

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We must not lose sight at what is truly at stake here, Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, said during a Senate Appropriations hearing last week. If clinical trials are halted, research is stopped and laboratories are closed, effective treatments and cures for diseases like Alzheimers, type 1 diabetes, childhood cancers and Duchenne muscular dystrophy will be delayed or not discovered at all.

Maternal health and the DEI battle

In 2023, the NIH launched a $168 million initiative across 10 universities to improve maternal health care.

In March, the agency canceled funding to two of them.

Columbia University, one of the 10 maternal health centers in the mass NIH project, was one of the first schools ensnared in grant freezes and a public battle with the Trump administration.

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But the broad grant cancellations also caught the Morehouse School of Medicine, part of a historically Black university in Atlanta, Georgia, a state with some of the worst maternal mortality rates in the country.

Along with Georgias Emory University, Morehouse stood up a program focused on improving pregnancy and postpartum care for Black women. There was $1.6 million remaining in the $2.9 million grant when the NIH cut funding. Morehouse School of Medicine President Valerie Montgomery Rice stood fast against anti-DEI efforts in February, telling local radio station WABE that diversity, equity and inclusion, as it relates to health, is not a political term.

This 2022 photo shows the entrance to the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. - Brynn Anderson/AP/File

The medical school is still reviewing the situation to assess how it may affect research, spokesperson Jamille Bradfield told CNN in an email. More broadly, it is important that we all recognize the critical role medical research plays in developing potential life-saving innovation that will mitigate disease and improve the health and well-being of many people.

Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, a Democrat, told CNN in a statement that This attack on Morehouse School of Medicine and maternal and postpartum health care for Black women is unacceptable and a disgrace and saying that the administration must immediately restore funding.

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The canceled Morehouse and Columbia grants were far from the only ones in the 10-institute maternal health project that cited equity, disparity, race or cultural identity. Six included related terms in the grant name; all noted disparities and disproportionate risks among Black, Hispanic or indigenous women in the abstracts, or short descriptions of their projects.

The reason that we knew that we were having disparities in our maternal outcomes is because we started disaggregating the data. We started looking at the outcomes for Black women and White women and Hispanic women, said one OB/GYN researcher focused on maternal mortality. If were not measuring it, we wont do anything to improve, because we wont know. Its almost like sticking our heads in the sand.

The researcher asked that their name not be used because they are affiliated with one of the still-funded maternal health programs and are fearful that research could be cut next. Although many of the remaining universities in the program have publicly ended their DEI programs, none feel safe, the person said.

I feel so helpless in this moment, the researcher said. Theres no logical reason for the decisions being made. And that is scary. How do you fight that? What do you do?

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Columbia OB/GYN expert Dr. Uma Reddy led the $4.6 million project to improve postpartum care by providing doulas to new mothers with mental health and cardiac complications after pregnancy  two of the top risks for maternal death in the country.

We got input from patients, from doulas, from communities, Reddy told CNN. We had just launched it at the first hospital and had recruited 21 participants when we were told that we had to stop everything.

Although the stalemate between the Trump administration and Columbia ended with university concessions in April, the maternal health grant has not been reinstated. Without NIH funding, there is little recourse, Reddy said.

You naturally first think about industry partnership, but theyre not interested, she said. This is not a drug that can be marketed.

A New York City police officer keeps watch on the campus of Columbia University in New York, on May 6, 2024. - Seth Wenig/AP

Its left Reddy and others in the maternal health care space confused and disheartened about the administrations goals.

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This whole thing about making America healthy again, focusing on children  this actually does that, Reddy said. Because by having a healthy mother, youre going to have healthier children, healthier families, and you actually decrease costs of federally funded health care programs.

Americans overwhelmingly support programs to reduce maternal and infant mortality, according to a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health poll published last month. Only solutions to chronic diseases and research into infectious diseases garnered more support in the survey of both Republicans and Democrats.

MAHA priorities amid NIH cuts

Dozens of the cancellations seemingly clash with Kennedys vision for a healthier America with fewer chronic illnesses, researchers said. Those include at least two research projects aimed at autism, two focused on diabetes and others on cancer research in rural and underserved areas, and disparities in long-term chronic disease outcomes. In most cases, the grants explicitly mentioned a minority population, equity or disparities in care.

Many of those researchers were years, and thousands to millions of dollars, into their projects: Some were ending soon anyway, and had just a fraction of their grants left to spend.

For instance, in March, the administration cut the remaining funding for a $12 million University of Virginia study targeted at better diagnostic tools for women and nonbinary people diagnosed with autism later in life. There was roughly $218,000 left in the grant.

The university ended its DEI programs that month with a Board of Visitors vote. Every aspect of DEI is to be ripped out, shredded and terminated, one of the board members told The Daily Progress.

Ohio States 10 canceled grants include one focused on substance use and associated chronic illnesses across sexual minorities in urban and rural areas. Of the nearly $173,000 grant, just $538.11 was left to be disbursed, according to federal data. The grant was cancelled on March 21; it was scheduled to end 10 days later.

We are grateful for the research support we receive from our federal partners as these investments literally save lives in Ohio and our nation, OSU spokesperson Ben Johnson said in an email. But we are closely monitoring and managing federal notifications that have impacted a number of our faculty and laboratories.

Johnson said that the universitys review of DEI programming is ongoing, but that certain organizations such as the Frank W. Hale, Jr. Black Cultural Center will remain open.

At the Tulane School of Medicine, the $16 million grant for the maternal health center was untouched in March funding cuts. However, the administration did axe the remaining funding, roughly $279,000, for a $4.2 million grant to study lupus progression in Black Americans. Tulane also lost funding for research on Covid-19 treatment in cancer patients.

The medical school has since quietly removed and rerouted diversity pages on its website. The psychiatry departments page on equity, diversity and inclusion now says that the content is unavailable: Some content is currently under review to ensure compliance with the latest federal guidelines and executive orders.

The president of Tulane University announced in a message to students and faculty on March 13 that it would transition its DEI program into a new Office of Academic Excellence and Opportunity to comply with federal law. Diversity pages now reroute to that site.

At stake here is the more than $320 million we receive annually in federal funding, Tulane President Michael Fitts wrote in the message to students and faculty. Federal guidance and drastic funding cuts added fresh urgency to the change, he added.

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President Donald Trump continued his inaccurate insistence Wednesday that World War II ended for the U.S. on May 8, 1945, when Nazi Germany capitulated.

That date, however, precedes an additional three months of American fighting against the Japanese that occurred until World War II ended in its entirety in August, shortly after nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

It was American tanks and ships and trucks and airplanes and service members that vanquished the enemy 80 years ago this week, Trump said. Without America, the liberation would never have happened. And so we have to pay tribute and homage to those people that gave us victory.

Two kamikaze pilots struck the USS Bunker Hill during the Battle of Okinawa on May 11, 1945. / Photo 12 / Universal Images Group via Getty

The Battle of Okinawa, among the bloodiest of World War II, did not end in American victory until June 22, 1945a month-and-a-half after the date Trump asserts marked the end of the war.

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Fighting on and around Okinawa claimed the lives of more than 12,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors and Marines.

Trump said that the allied powers would not have won World War I or World War II without U.S. involvement. He added that the U.S. does not get enough credit for how it rebuilt the world after both wars.

Donald Trump is ensuring he leaves a lasting influence in his second term. That includes his Wednesday proclamations of new holidays, his plans to pave over much of the Rose Garden, install two massive White House flag poles, and his reaming of the Gulf of Mexico and Mt. Denali, among other things. / Leah Millis / REUTERS

And he added in the Oval Office on Wednesday that America must celebrate its wartime victories of yesteryear more often.

The president said such celebrations will begin on Thursday, which he proclaimed will now be known as Victory Day for World War II. He added that Nov. 11, which is already celebrated nationwide as Veterans Day, will now also be celebrated as Victory Day for World War I.

Dont get excited about getting an extra holiday, though: Were not going to have days off because we dont have enough days in the year, Trump said. We have too many celebrations already.
President Trump has since taking office leaned heavily on executive actions, the impacts of which are likely to be felt for years to come and will be harder to reverse for future administrations than those implemented by past presidents.

Within the first 100 days alone, Trump has already nearly surpassed the total number of orders that former President Biden signed throughout his entire term. These in theory should be the easiest for a successor to overturn, as they would only need to sign a new order to reverse them, unlike laws that Congress passes.

But with thousands of government employees being laid off and funding for certain federal agencies and programs being zeroed out, experts say Trumps early actions could be longer-lasting than those of most of his predecessors.

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Most of his executive actions can be reversed in the letter of them, said Hans Noel, an associate professor in the department of government at Georgetown University. But if you created an agency in an organization and youve been building it up  and then that goes away, then the expertise and all the building needs to start over again.

Trump already seems on track to have among the highest number of executive orders signed if he keeps up his pace, with 147 orders signed as of Monday, according to the American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Thats almost more than the 162 that Biden signed in four years in office and more than two-thirds of Trumps total from his first term. Other presidents from earlier in the 20th century still have considerably more, with Franklin Roosevelt holding the record with more than 3,700 across 12 years in office.

But Trump is currently on track for the fastest yearly pace since then.

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Many executive orders that presidents sign are often symbolic, like Trumps order in February declaring English as the national language. Others simply repeal orders from past presidents.

Its very easy to undo executive orders, Noel said. Thats a lot of what Trumps executive orders have been, undoing past orders or making changes to things. And if anything, hes showing that you can change things that have been pretty established.

But perhaps Trumps most notable executive action has been his remaking of the federal workforce and the executive branch, laying off or placing on leave thousands of workers and calling for eliminating funding for agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. Institute for Peace and U.S. Agency for Global Media.

In response to Trumps executive orders to make cuts, federal departments and agencies have been rolling out announcements of buyouts, early retirements and pending layoffs since Trump took office in January.

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While Trumps directives and the Department of Government Efficiencys work to cut into the federal workforce and agencies havent been formalized in congressional budget appropriations, they could still have lasting effects even if theyre eventually withdrawn.

One issue is the logistical difficulty of hiring back so many people who lost their jobs and need to find a new job quickly while living in the high-cost Washington, D.C., metro area, said Kevin Kosar, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

He said this becomes less realistic the longer workers are out of work or in limbo about the status of their roles.

Courts have stepped in by at least temporarily blocking or allowing some of Trumps moves while larger battles play out. Most recently, a federal judge on Tuesday blocked Trump from dismantling three federal agencies that support libraries, museums, minority businesses and mediation services.

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If we have in a month or two a bunch of court cases which definitively say certain employees were inappropriately separated from service and need to be given their jobs back with back pay, thats one thing, Kosar said. Its another thing if this drags on for months and months and months. These folks then will just move on, probably in most cases, and go on to different futures.

Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, said presuming the cuts go through Congress, reappropriating the money to restore the federal workforce to its level before Trump wouldnt be difficult as long as the money is available to spend.

But hiring workers to fill those roles will take time, as the federal government has been notoriously slow at hiring, she added.

Kosar said the process is laden with procedures and protections to ensure no favoritism or discrimination takes place. He pointed to the Presidential Management Fellowship Program, which the Trump administration eliminated earlier this year, as a possible way to fast-track hiring.

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The program, which was first implemented in the 1970s, takes in those who recently completed law or graduate school for a fellowship before hiring them to a position in the government.

He said the amount of time can vary based on the agency, but hiring for any open federal position could take at least four months.

As Trumps blitz continues, eyes will turn to Congress with the White House having unveiled its budget request for fiscal 2026 on Friday. The administrations proposals would institute deep cuts to nondefense programs, including billions of dollars in reductions for departments such as Energy and Housing and Urban Development and agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Eric Yellin, an associate professor of history at the University of Richmond, said what happens next and the longevity of Trumps actions will be up to a test of the relationship between the president and Congress and reaction from the public.

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He said past presidents who have wanted to shrink the size of the government have faced obstacles from Congress.

Even in Nixons administration, even with Ronald Reagan, efforts to stall or limit the size of the federal government ran up against Congress, he said, adding that former President Clinton was successful in reducing the size of the government through deep working with Congress.

Beyond just hiring more people, Kamarck said Trumps moves could cause a more long-lasting loss of expertise that federal agencies rely on.

She pointed to the Agriculture Department scrambling to rehire fired employees who were working to address avian flu in February and trying to fill spots of employees who accepted a deferred resignation offer.

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A lot of the stuff in the federal government is specialized, she said, pointing to concerns that cuts to NIH could set back cancer research. Thats not easy to find people who know a lot about [cancer]. Theyre pretty much in demand. Theyre losing a lot of expertise.

Noel said soft power that agencies like USAID wield in other countries could be significantly disrupted, as it is based on development over time. Soft power is the ability of a country to influence other countries through persuasion and cooperation rather than military or economic force.

The development programs facing cuts are considered prime examples of exerting U.S. soft power internationally.

That takes time and effort and maybe doesnt even work, Noel said. I think theres people who would argue that its not worth it, but if it does matter, then you have to start over from scratch.

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Anita Hofschneider

Grist

This story is part of a Grist package examining how President Trump's first 100 days in office have reshaped climate and environmental policy in the U.S.

When Native Hawaiian combat veteran Joseph Guzman-Simpliciano got back home to Hawaii from Afghanistan and Iraq, he was shocked at how the burnt-out, abandoned cars lying by the side of the road on the west side of Oahu reminded him of the war zone he had just left.

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Joseph and his wife, Carmen, founded Kingdom Pathways to help empower their community to address environmental problems like water contamination and illegal dumping. We founded Kingdom Pathways out of love for our land, said Carmen, who is both Native Hawaiian and Cherokee.

By the end of last year, they had received a $3 million federal grant to help empower their community to shape environmental policy. The money wouldve enabled their organization to hire about a dozen people; train community members on citizen science, such as taking air quality and water samples; and help educate the community on longstanding environmental challenges like how to get rid of cesspools.

When she found out about the grant, Carmen was shocked. I said, What? Little old us? she said. Im just a mom trying to figure out how to keep my children safe in my community.

But her excitement was short-lived. Over the course of the first 100 days of his second term, President Donald Trump has been slashing millions of dollars in federal funding that supports Indigenous peoples and their environmental work. He has changed policies to make it easier for developers to fast-track energy projects and eliminated numerous federal jobs in agencies like Indian Health Services and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. More than $350 million has been frozen for tribal nations and Alaska Native communities, including money to replace asbestos-ridden homes for the Tyonek people in Alaska and upgrade their homes with solar panels to help them offset monthly electric bills that can range from $300 to $800, and funding to prevent an eroding riverbank from swallowing up the homes in the Alaska Native Village of Kipnuk.

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The chaos is part of a broader pattern of the Trump administration to act quickly regardless of legality and reverse policies when needed, even at the cost of sowing confusion and wasting money. Its been a shitshow, said Matthew Fletcher, a law professor at Michigan State University and member of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.

In his home state of Michigan, tribal nations like the Bay Mills Indian Community have experienced the twin effects of both loss of federal funding and consequences of Trumps push to deregulate energy projects. Last year, Bay Mills received a multimillion dollar award to build up its solar infrastructure; in February, that funding was frozen. For years they have been fighting an expansion of the Line 5 oil pipeline that snakes through the Great Lakes; this year, Trump fast-tracked it, prompting Bay Mills and other tribal nations to withdraw from a federal consultation process.

Kingdom Pathways grant through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wasnt specifically for Indigenous-led organizations, but it was slashed as part of a broader defunding of EPAs Community Change grants that had sought to address climate and environmental justice. Within the past two weeks, a court ruled that the Trump administration violated the law in failing to pay out the grants promised to Guzman-Simplicianos and similar organizations. The money is now flowing again, but its not clear how long thatll continue.

Theres a lot of uncertainty, said Gussie Lord, a managing attorney at the environmental law firm Earthjustice and a citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. People dont know what is going on or how its going to impact their programs.

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The funding cuts have been so severe and widespread that more than 20 Native organizations banded together to form a new Coalition for Tribal Sovereignty to defend their rights amid Trumps rapid-fire federal policy changes. Since February, they have written nearly two dozen letters to the Trump administration and Congress pushing back on budget cuts.

We are not the cause of federal deficits, nor should federal savings be achieved to our detriment, the coalition said in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum last month. In fact, the U.S. should prioritize payment on debt to tribal nations as its original creditors.

Part of the reason Indigenous peoples are particularly affected by federal upheaval is because tribal nations necessarily deal with the federal government more so than non-Indigenous peoples, Lord said. Thats because many tribal nations have treaties with the U.S. that establish ongoing trust responsibilities between the U.S. and Indigenous peoples and guarantee certain rights.

Many live on federal Indian reservations, land heavily regulated by U.S. agencies like the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Their children go to schools funded by the U.S. Department of Education or they receive health care from the federally funded Indian Health Service. Indigenous peoples in Alaska and the Pacific region also rely on federal funding, and in the U.S. territories, they lack voting representation in Congress and the ability to vote for president.

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Allison Neswood, an attorney at the Native American Rights Fund, said the cuts are particularly painful because tribal services have been perpetually underfunded  for example, public safety and justice programs are funded at 13 percent of the estimated need, and health care is funded at half. Because of this, in addition to advocacy and litigation, tribal leaders are also finding ways to work with the Trump administration to resolve their concerns.

I think this is very existential for tribes. You cant just walk away from the administration, Neswood said. These are life-and-death, existential issues. So I think theres a real effort to see where we can find some shared priorities or shared interests with the administration.

The Trump administration says its acting in line with its commitment to efficient spending.

As with any change in administration, the agency is reviewing its awarded grants to ensure each is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars and to understand how those programs align with administration priorities, the EPA said in a statement to Grist. Projects are being individually assessed by period of performance, criticality, and other criteria, the Bureau of Indian Affairs echoed.

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Lord from Earthjustice said her immediate concern goes beyond funding cuts. An Interior Department announcement last week revealed the agency will shorten timelines for environmental impact analyses, which can take as long as two years, down to 28 days.

Things like mines, pipelines, big oil and gas leases, things that can really impact a huge area of land, and a large watershed  those environmental reviews have been arbitrarily truncated, she said. It really covers a broad swath of industrial activities.

Fletcher from Michigan State University said such deregulation might benefit a small percentage of tribes who have oil reserves, but that many others will find themselves shut out from decision-making on projects affecting their communities. Trump signed an executive order earlier this year to fast-track energy projects, and is jump-starting a copper mine at Oak Flat to meet growing demand for critical mineral mining, over the objections of the Western Apache people.

Were finding that much of the legal and political infrastructure weve established vis-a-vis the federal government is being systematically dismantled, he said.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday floated that he might push for a review of the tax-exempt status of every university where the White House deems antisemitism out of control.

I think so, yes, Trump said on the Hugh Hewitt Show when asked whether hed consider broadening his revocation threat. Were gonna look for that, where we find them. Sometimes its out of control, but you dont see it. Its not so obvious. With Harvard, it was very obvious, you look at it, totally antisemitic.

The move would be a new escalation in Trumps assault on higher education. The president has targeted elite universities with billions in funding cuts and threatened others over diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The administration has also capped the overhead costs on research funding.

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Trump said last week that the White House would be revoking Harvards tax-exempt status. The announcement capped off a dramatic several-week-long confrontation between the White House and the university, which has seen the administration launch a review of roughly $9 billion in federal grant funding and contracts over what it claims are violations of the Civil Rights Act and also threatened Harvards ability to enroll international students.

They had three percent conservatives, Trump told Hewitt, without explaining where those numbers came from. The rest of them were mostly radical left.

The president in the interview with Hewitt panned Harvards decision to hire former mayors Lori Lightfoot and Bill de Blasio, and said bringing on Rudy Giuliani, a Trump ally who was actually a great mayor, wouldve been a better choice.

They hired these two people, paid em a fortune, he said. And theyre talking about municipal management.

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In April, he signed an executive order threatening to revoke federal funding for colleges and universities that fail to heed new administration funding disclosure requirements. Many public universities have shuttered or overhauled their campus diversity offices in a bid to safeguard federal funding.

Now, Trump is signaling that the White House may go after the tax-exempt status of more than just Harvard.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from POLITICO.

But any IRS move to claw back a universitys tax-exempt status would need to demonstrate a violation of rules governing when entities can receive a tax exemption. Some experts say Harvard would likely prevail if it challenged the decision in court.

Democrats, meanwhile, have pushed the IRS watchdog to investigate whether the administration is illegally pressuring the IRS to move against Harvard.
Longtime public servant and former Congressman Mike Pompeo once warned voters in his home state of Kansas that electing Donald Trump president in 2016 would only serve to continue the authoritarian rule of then-President Barack Obama.

But Pompeo, who had endorsed then-Florida Sen. Marco Rubio early in that election cycle, later shifted his support to Trump and went on to become a trusted member of the 45th presidents inner circle, serving first as CIA director and later as secretary of state during Trumps first term.

On Wednesday, Pompeo was in Utah to speak at the Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit, a two-day, invitation-only event sponsored by Zions Bank and World Trade Center Utah that invited world leaders and top business minds to discuss the uncertainties, trends, and opportunities surrounding international business.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, answers a question posed by former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, left, at Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit at Zions Bancorporations Technology Center in Midvale on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Issues surrounding Trumps chaotic international trade policy shifts figured largely in the discussions and Pompeo, who was interviewed on stage by former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, underscored his feelings about the critical role of the U.S. in the global economy.

What Pompeo said about Trump tariff policy

We are truly exceptional, Pompeo told the audience of about 500 gathered at the Zions Bancorporation Technology Center in Midvale. The whole world depends on the success of the United States of America. Without America, without us leading with a good economy, without the innovation of America, the world is lost.

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Pompeo argued that no other country is positioned to step into the leadership role that America has occupied since World War II and noted the interdependency of the worlds individual economies have been a boon for the U.S. business community and the country as a whole.

People attend Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit at Zions Bancorporations Technology Center in Midvale on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

The global economy is deeply interconnected, Pompeo said. Thats important and creates enormous value for the United States of America ... were not going to make everything here.

Pompeo also offered some insight as a past member of the presidents cabinet, noting he believes Trump will continue to wield tariff policy as a tool to address perceived issues with other countries.

As for President Trump and his tariff policy  you should know he believes it with all his heart, rightly or wrongly," Pompeo said. He calls himself Tariff Man. Does that leave any doubt in your mind? He believes that bilateral trade deficits in goods are bad and no one is going to convince him otherwise.

Will Trump tariff approach be successful?

But while Pompeo said Trump may have overreached in his initial rounds of international trade decrees, he believes the president will eventually get to a more balanced policy position.

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(President Trump) recognizes that its absolutely imperative that when we rebalance this we dont crush things, Pompeo said. He may have gotten it wrong in the front end or at least he was coming out of the gate with the most aggressive posture. I think youll see the secretary of treasury begin to try to put these rules in place that really do deliver the right outcome.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, answers a question posed by former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, left, at Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit at Zions Bancorporations Technology Center in Midvale on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

In the meantime, Pompeo acknowledged that the current business environment has been roiled by Trumps on-again, off-again tariff declarations.

President Trump hasnt been clear about his overall strategic objective here, Pompeo said. Hes talked about using tariffs for fentanyl, keeping it out of the country, hes talked about balancing trade, hes talked about bilateral trade deficits. And that is one of the things that is hurting the business community  uncertainty.

That uncertainty was underscored by a group of Utah business leaders who participated in a panel discussion following Pompeos interview with Herbert.

Heres what Utah businesses have to say

Kimberley Honeysett, chief legal officer for Varex Imaging, an independent supplier of X-ray tubes and image processing solutions for medical and security applications, said her companys strategy of locating manufacturing facilities proximate to customers was being upended by the new tariff policies.

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One of the risks, certainly, for a lot of companies that have both import and export functions is the opposite of what theyre trying to accomplish, pushing U.S. manufacturing outside the U.S., Honeysett said. The risk is it backfires.

Honeysett explained how trade levies, both those issued by the U.S. and reciprocal actions by other countries, were impacting Varex on both sides of the companys import/export equation.

We import goods, were the importer of record and we get the tariffs and our prices are increasing, Honeysett said. We also export so, on the other side, we get the tariff. From our perspective (the U.S. trade policies) are more harmful than beneficial.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, answers a question posed by former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, left, at Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit at Zions Bancorporations Technology Center in Midvale on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

John Hortin, chief financial officer for Wavetronix, a Utah-based manufacturer of radar traffic detection devices, said the companys business with China has dried up and he and the Wavetronix team are currently navigating trade tariff uncertainty by biding our time and waiting to see where it will land.

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Hortin said he believes U.S. trade policy would lead to more effective outcomes if implementation was strategic and targeted, rather than broad-based.

Its important to be specific rather than broad, Hortin said. The rhetoric were hearing now is weve been taken advantage of across the board. And Im not sure thats true. Blanket tariffs, I really think, generate the trade war more than solve problems.

Trump announced a raft of country-specific reciprocal tariffs last month along with a blanket 10% levy on foreign imports. On April 9, the president declared a 90-day pause on the reciprocal trade fees but kept the 10% assessment in place. That same day, Trump also announced an increase on imports from China that raised the effective levy on most imports from the country to 145%.

Heres where new U.S. tariffs stand for the moment:

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China tariffs are at 145%, following a series of increases.

Tariffs of 25% are in place on steel and aluminum imports, imported automobiles and goods from Canada and Mexico not covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Imports from all other countries are subject to a 10% trade levy.

The Crossroad of the World Summit continues on Thursday with scheduled speakers including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, former secretaries of state Antony Blinken and Condoleezza Rice, former prime ministers Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand and Theresa May of the United Kingdom, and Australia Ambassador to the U.S. Kevin Rudd, who is the former prime minister of Australia.
Hearing the name Robert Francis Prevost came as a total surprise to St Peters Square, and it looked like a surprise to him, too.

The Americans in the crowd were ecstatic. A US boy near me screamed: An American pope! Oh my God! An American pope!

When Leo XIV came on to the balcony, he seemed very emotional, clearly nervous. Someone used to working behind the scenes is now the star.

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Popes have spoken to the square since John Paul II, but he was the first to entirely read from notes, indicating that he wished to be precise in his message  which stressed unity, dialogue and being a mission church.

Donald Trump, his fellow countryman, issued a note of congratulations.

It is such an honour to realise that he is the first American Pope, the US president wrote on his social media account  but theres a twist.

Americas first pope has apparently taken part in Republican primaries  no doubt as a pro-life voter  but on many bread-and-butter issues, hes probably a progressive.

Credit: Reuters

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Let me be clear what I mean by that: not that he will, or even could, challenge Catholic doctrine  not even Francis did that.

But here is a Chicagoan who moved to Peru to be a missionary for the poor, and became an archbishop there.

He approved of Franciss attempt to find a pastoral solution to divorce and civil remarriage; he showed moderate support for Franciss gay-friendly declaration Fiducia Supplicans.

His speech rang with those Franciscan themes of reaching out to others and being open to the world.

And then theres his telling choice of name. Leo XIII was the author of Rerum Novarum, an 1891 encyclical that helped redefine the Church.

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A magnificent, prophetic text, it analysed the poverty and injustice of its day and called for Catholics to attend to the poor through social action.

Id suggest choosing that name is the first distinctive step of the reign of Leo.

The name Francis modelled the late pope on a disruptive saint. Leo XIII was a vigorous pontiff who opposed socialism but supported trade unions.

So we might get Francis in substance yet something more traditional in style (and its significant that Francis wore white at the balcony, Leo the more ornate red).

But what does this mean for Trumps administration? Well, hes probably just gained another critic in the Vatican.

Pope Leo addresses the crowd from the main central loggia balcony of the St Peters Basilica for the first time - Vatican/AFP via Getty

The irony is that the Republican party has never been more Catholic: first lady Melania is one, as is JD Vance, the vice-president.

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Exerting great influence in the judiciary, helping to overturn the pro-abortion ruling Roe v Wade, conservative US Catholics tend to prefer to talk about doctrine rather than social action  they leave that up to the Kennedys  and are suspicious of popes who try to find pastoral answers to issues of sexuality. Vance has a converts zeal.

Then theres immigration. Being a cleric in Peru meant Leo worked with migrants; he was reportedly praised for his aid to Venezuelans.

It appears he was directly critical of Vances insistence that Christians should put people of their own country first, apparently tweeting: JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

Whats so fascinating about this is that Vances original argument hinged on an interpretation of St Augustine and he credits his Catholic conversion to the philosopher saint.

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Leo was twice elected general of the Augustinian order, so he also knows his stuff. In other words, one can imagine these two very intellectual Christians crossing swords in the future. Its almost inevitable.

Why? Because conservatism across the West, including the UK, is taking a nationalist turn.

But Catholicism is universalist, something I was struck by in the square, where I saw hundreds of different flags; Africans, Asians; nuns of every colour of habit imaginable. The entire human race, now united by one holy father.

A chant went up from the US boys  Ole-Leo! Ole-Leo!  as if a winning goal for Team America had been scored.

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After firing tens of thousands of federal workers this year, President Donald Trump has also made it much harder for them to get their jobs back as he imposes his will over the labor agencies that are supposed to protect their rights.

He has hobbled independent labor boards, installed a loyalist at a key agency that protects civil servants, and signed an executive order to end collective bargaining for many federal workers. This has left government employees with dwindling options to contest their firings through channels normally available to civil servants, with many turning to the courts for relief or giving up altogether.

It is significantly more difficult for a federal employee to have their case heard by an independent body, said former Merit Systems Protection Board member Ray Limon. What were seeing here is a complete elimination of traditional employee due process and investigation of complaints, which is unparalleled in the history of our government.

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In an effort to ensure a stable, professional and merit-based workforce across administrations, Congress has long mandated certain due-process protections from arbitrary firings for the more than 2 million federal employees.

But as federal employees  ranging from newer probationary workers who were fired en masse, to career civil servants who believe they were dismissed for partisan purposes  seek to challenge their terminations in the second Trump administration, they are finding it harder than ever to push back.

Amid sweeping layoffs and resignations, civic groups have stepped in to connect some of these disillusioned workers with new jobs in state and local government. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is fighting in court to defend his mass firings and executive orders.

President Trump is the chief executive of the executive branch and reserves the right to fire anyone he wants, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

Trump loyalists take charge

The reversal of fortunes for fired employees has been most glaring at the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), which was created by Congress in the post-Watergate era to safeguard merit systems in the federal government. The agency often advocates on behalf of employees at the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), which reviews workers complaints.

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Hampton Dellinger was one year into his five-year term at OSC when Trump was sworn in. It didnt take long for the Senate-confirmed Biden appointee to break ranks with Trump on a major priority for the new administration: shrinking the size of the federal workforce.

Dellinger concluded that Trumps mass firings of probationary workers were unlawful, and successfully urged the MSPB to reinstate 6,000 employees. Advocacy groups hailed the outcome as a landmark moment that could pave the way for additional reinstatements.

Then, Trump fired Dellinger. After Dellinger lost a brief court battle over his own termination, Trump turned to two loyalists to fill his role. He tapped Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins in February to temporarily lead OSC, and by late March, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was slotted into the acting role.

Hampton Dellinger - From C-SPAN

Under Greers watch, OSC dropped its support for reinstating any probationary employees.

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OSC notified some federal employees in late April that it conducted a review and determined that the firings were proper and were in accordance with the new administrations priorities, according to legal filings and records reviewed by CNN. This was a 180-degree turn from OSCs position under Dellinger.

Were now seeing OSC not actually do the kinds of things its supposed to be doing, said Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward, which represented the 6,000 reinstated workers. The administration is seeking to undermine accountability structures that were put in place to ensure federal employees have redress and civil service protections.

An OSC spokesman declined to comment.

Weakening federal labor boards

The Trump administration has also defanged, at least for the time being, two federal labor boards  which serve as bulwarks against partisan abuses and workplace discrimination by independently reviewing complaints.

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MSPB and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are currently without a quorum after Trump fired several members, leaving them operational but unable to function at full strength. The people Trump fired were appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate.

For instance, the MSPB cant issue final rulings on workers complaints without a quorum. And the EEOC isnt able to initiate major litigation or vote on policy rulemaking.

One MSPB member that Trump fired has filed a lawsuit to get her job back, which would restore a quorum. But she faces an uphill fight at the conservative-leaning Supreme Court, which has already rebuffed her bid to get back on the job while her legal case plays out.

MSPB spokesman Zachary Kurz said the agency remains open for business and its work continues, adding that its ability to adjudicate cases is fully functional across its regional offices, and it will continue to process petitions for review. EEOC spokesman James Ryan said the commission is still open for business and taking all charges.

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In December, during the presidential transition, the EEOC voted on a bipartisan basis to delegate some of its powers to commission staff, which they could use if a quorum is lost.

Very unusual moves

There are signs that the Trump administration may be slow-walking some MSPB cases.

Typically, the agency facing a workers complaint will defend itself at MSPB. But the lead HR agency overseeing federal civil servants, the Office of Personnel Management, is intervening in more than 40 pending cases involving Justice Department officials that were fired in March, according to filings reviewed by CNN.

OPM has asked an administrative judge to pause all of the 40-plus cases, according to the filings. CNN has reached out to OPM for comment about its intervention in these MSPB cases.

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Limon, the former Democratic-appointed MSPB member, said it is very unusual for OPM to intervene in pending cases like these. It never happened during his three years as vice chairman, he said, but it could be warranted if there is an apparent conflict of interest.

Liz Oyer, a former Justice Department attorney, speaks during the US House and Senate Judiciary Committees' hearing on "Restoring Accountability: Exposing Trump's Attacks on the Rule of Law," on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, April 7, 2025. - Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

One of the cases was filed by Liz Oyer, the former Justice Department pardon attorney who was part of a large group of firings approved by Todd Blanche, the former Trump lawyer who is now deputy attorney general. Oyer claims she was terminated because she refused to bow to pressure from Trump appointees who wanted her to restore the gun rights of actor Mel Gibson, which he lost after a 2011 state domestic violence conviction.

It does not seem like the MSPB proceeding will be resolved anytime soon, Oyer told CNN. The Justice Department is doing everything they can to delay and avoid providing any information about the reasons for my firing and others. This is frustrating and unfortunate for everyone who lost their jobs and who have no other recourse.

Blanche previously told CNN in a statement that Oyers version of events is false and erroneous.

Turning to the courts

CNN has reported that some fired workers are struggling to navigate overlapping agencies that handle complaints and to decipher the legalese on government websites.

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Union stewards often help members through this process but those efforts have been undermined by Trumps recent executive order attempting to end collective bargaining rights for a large share of the federal workforce.

Alex Berman, an Internal Revenue Service employee who is a union leader in Philadelphia, said some of his colleagues arent sure if they are even allowed to talk to their union representatives after Trumps executive order. And in some IRS offices, he said union leaders have been banned from using official time to answer questions from union members, as was permitted under their existing contract when Trump took office.

The IRS declined to respond to CNNs request for comment.

Most employees know what theyre supposed to do for their jobs, but dont know what recourse there may be in any given situation, up to and including a firing, Berman said. Without the unions, people are in the dark as to what their rights and responsibilities are.

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His group, the National Treasury Employees Union, has repeatedly sued the Trump administration and convinced a judge to block his collective-bargaining ban. Its one of more than a dozen labor unions, anti-Trump groups, and advocacy organizations that launched a legal defense fund to help people who have been fired illegally under Trump.

Demonstrators gather outside of the Office of Personnel Management in Washington, DC on February 7, to protest federal layoffs and demand the termination of Elon Musk from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). - Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images/Getty Images

Some terminated employees  like the probationary hires, and the former top OSC and MSPB officials  saw initial success in court, where judges ruled that their firings were unlawful. But the Trump administration has prevailed in reversing some of those decisions, some on a temporary basis, as they are heard by more conservative federal appellate courts.

The courts will be increasingly important as the administration seeks to close other avenues for redress, said Perryman, whose group is involved in the legal defense fund.

She said more than 1,000 lawyers signed up in the first week to volunteer their time.

Looking for new jobs

As morale falls with each round of mass firings, some groups see an opportunity.

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Caitlin Lewis, the executive director at Work For America, launched a service that is trying to match up thousands of federal employees with jobs in state or local government.

Oversight authorities and regulatory authorities are being stripped of their powers, Lewis said. The overwhelming sentiment is exhaustion and frustration. They dont feel equipped to take on the system as individuals. As theyve been left in this state of purgatory and confusion, their faith is diminishing that the system is going to protect their legal rights.

Her CivicMatch platform has seen a 15-fold increase in activity since Trump took office, with more than 8,000 federal workers expressing interest in new public sector jobs. Many worked at hard-hit agencies like the IRS and the US Agency for International Development.

While some workers are mobile, plenty of others are unable to uproot their families in search of new opportunities, especially in an uncertain economic climate. For those who are willing to make the move, however, some states and cities recently stepped up recruitment efforts, to fill their own ranks with veterans of the public service sector  and to stand up to Trump.

More and more people are unwilling to wait it out, Lewis said. Its a moment of loss for the federal government, but its a moment of possibility for state and local governments.

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Under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. took the unprecedented step of deepening cooperation with international courts of law.

Washington has never been party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), and U.S. policy towards the Hague-based international tribunal has varied widely under different administrations.

Now, since President Donald Trump returned to office, that cooperation has stalled.

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Among his first actions after returning to the Oval Office, Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC. Just over a month later, the U.S. withdrew from the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA) and fired the coordinator responsible for collecting data on Russian war crimes.

Since nearly the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv has been collecting evidence of Russian war crimes to bring their perpetrators, both ordinary Russian soldiers and those giving them orders, to justice. But the Ukrainian government cannot accomplish that without international support.

Washington's steady retreat from investigating Russian crimes is a poor omen for justice in Ukraine.

"This is a hazardous and bad signal that the (international legal) processes aimed at holding the perpetrators accountable may be deprioritized," Maksym Vishchyk, a legal advisor at Global Rights Compliance, told the Kyiv Independent.

Sharp turn in US policy

During more than three years of war, Russia has committed nearly 152,000 war crimes against Ukrainian citizens, according to the Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine.

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Ukraine has identified more than 800 suspected perpetrators of these crimes. But one of the country's top priorities is to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin and his inner circle to justice.

The ICPA was founded in 2023 to speed up this process and collect evidence to be presented in a special tribunal aimed at prosecuting the Russian government for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with the media aboard Air Force One while flying from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S. on May 4, 2025. (Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)

It also aims to overcome another obstacle to prosecuting the Russian leadership. Under international law, the president, prime minister, and foreign minister of a country have immunity, meaning other states do not have the right to arrest or prosecute them. There is only one way to overcome this immunity: If the leaders have committed the most serious international crimes, they can be tried by a legitimate international tribunal.

This March, the Trump administration withdrew from the investigation team, citing its need to "redeploy resources" elsewhere.

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In April, the Trump administration dismissed the coordinator of the War Crimes Accountability Team (WCAT). Created in 2022 by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland, this entity was supposed to coordinate the U.S. Justice Department's efforts to collect and share information about the Russian nationals responsible for atrocities in Ukraine.

The new U.S. president has not spared the ICC either. In February, Trump imposed sanctions on the court and Prosecutor Karim Khan after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

"Will it be enough for society if Putin is not held accountable for the aggression against Ukraine?"

Although Trump's order only mentions individual sanctions against Khan, this list may be expanded to include other ICC employees. Human rights activists also emphasize that this decision directly affects the court's operations, as it could lead to secondary sanctions against all foreign organizations and companies that cooperate with or provide services to the ICC.

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Read also: European Parliament passes resolution demanding return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia

Experts interviewed by the Kyiv Independent say Trump's recent moves put the global legal order at risk. But they also believe Ukraine will not feel any significant changes, for now, at least.

Vishchyk noted that the recent U.S. withdrawal from the ICPA, although a "big symbolic step backwards," will not technically affect the processes of investigating Russian crimes.

"Of course, the U.S., as a major strategic partner with significant intelligence capabilities, would be very useful for this center," he said. "But to suggest that removing the U.S. would jeopardize prospects for investigating and prosecuting criminal aggression is a big statement."

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Kateryna Rashevska, legal advisor at the Regional Center for Human Rights in Kyiv, said that Trump's decision to distance the U.S. from the ICC was not unexpected. The U.S. has always been on the sidelines of this institution, and deeper intelligence sharing and cooperation with the court under the Biden administration was somewhat unprecedented. So was the U.S. decision to join the ICPA.

"They (the U.S.) have returned to their normal state of affairs," Rashevska told the Kyiv Independent. "The first task for them now is to get the parties to stop shooting and sit down to talk."



Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh shake hands during an official welcoming ceremony in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Sept. 3, 2024. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev / Pool / AFP via Getty Images)

At the same time, Rashevska emphasized that the Trump administration's change of course, including its exit from the ICPA, could affect the future special tribunal for Russia, which has been in the works since 2022.

"The ICC has no jurisdiction to investigate the crime of aggression. Therefore, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, there have been discussions that we need a special tribunal, because only it can lift personal immunity," Rashevska said.

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"And if this does not happen, who will we judge?" she asked. "Will it be enough for society if Putin is not held accountable for the aggression against Ukraine?"

Will there ever be punishment?

International human rights organizations and Ukraine's allies have called for the arrest and prosecution of Russia's top officials since the scope of the country's war crimes in Ukraine became apparent.

But the goal remains elusive, at least in the near future.

In 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's commissioner for children's rights, over their role in the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.

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However, in September 2024, Putin visited Mongolia, which is a member of the ICC. The Mongolian government did not detain the Russian president, as required by the Rome Statute. The ICC later declared that Mongolia had failed to fulfill its international obligations under the statute, but it has, so far, not been penalized.

"The International Criminal Court is a powerful institution as a symbol," legal expert Vishchyk told the Kyiv Independent. "But it has big constraints, and we must be realistic about that. It will not punish everyone."

Rashevska of the Regional Center for Human Rights emphasizes that such failures are not unique. In January, the Italian government deported Osama Elmasry Njeem, the chief of the Libyan judicial police, back to Libya, despite an ICC warrant for his arrest.

No one can clearly predict when the perpetrators will be punished.

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Almasri Njeem stands accused of overseeing killings, torture, and sexual assault in Tripoli's Mitiga prison.

According to Rashevska, such failures by member states are even worse for the ICC than sanctions from non-member states like the U.S.

"When you are a member state, you have made commitments and must fulfill them," she said.

Both experts emphasized that, despite such incidents, it is necessary to continue investigating Russian war crimes at the national level and work with international partners in order to achieve justice. Over 20 countries have now opened investigations into Russia's war crimes, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General.

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But international justice can take years due to its complexity. No one can clearly predict when the perpetrators will be punished.

"Unlike general criminal offenses, the investigation of these crimes has to go through so many levels to at least reach the perpetrators in the chain of command," Vishchyk said. He notes that the perpetrators of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina were only convicted in the late 2010s.

Moreover, in Ukraine, investigators often do not have access to witnesses, victims, or evidence, as much of it is located in Russian-occupied areas. This also means that the number of crimes could be significantly higher than the figure recorded by Ukrainian law enforcement.

"We are moving at the pace we can at the national level," Vishchyk said. "We are now advising prosecutors to aggregate proceedings, prioritize them, and move on to cases involving (Russian) commanders. This is what Ukraine can do now."

Read also: Who are Russias allies, and can Kremlins war machine survive without them?

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
When Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election in November, it was clear that his victory was not an isolated event. The world was in the midst of a populist authoritarian trend that has eroded democracies across the globe for several decades. But the election of a man with visible autocratic leanings in the worlds most powerful country was unlike the democratic backsliding that preceded it elsewhere. The U.S., for all its flaws, has acted as a beacon of democracy for other countries since its founding in the 18th century.

The question then was what impact Trumps victory would have on the anti-democratic trend sweeping the world.

Three months into his presidency, the answers are starting to emerge.

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One conclusion we can already draw is that the political drama in the United States is unquestioningly affecting elections far from its borders.

To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter.

In a recent interview, Trump vaingloriously claimed he is running the world in his second term. That, of course, is false. But his policies are sending shockwaves across the planet. In country after country, candidates are measured against the yardstick of Trumpism and on the basis of their ability to respond to the challenges posed by Trumps disruptive policies.

In two major elections in recent weeks, the so-called Trump effect was devastating for the right and the candidates that seemed closer to Trumps policies.

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The effect was nothing short of dramatichistoric even.

In both Canada and Australia, the center left had been trailing badly in the polls ahead of parliamentary elections. But after watching Trump, voters switched their positions and severely punished both countries anti-woke right-wing opposition parties. They not only voted to keep the incumbent prime ministers, but even defeated the opposition party leaders in their own districts, kicking them out of parliament.

Canadas former prime minister, Justin Trudeau, announced his resignation on Jan. 6, before Trump took office. But by then Trump had already become the main subject of political conversation in the country for threatening to annex the long-time U.S. ally. He had tried to humiliate Trudeau, referring to him as governor, while repeatedly insisting that Canada should become the 51 U.S. state. The relentless insults were appalling to Canadians, who were initially in disbelief as Canadas closest friend for centuries suddenly turned against it and threatened crippling trade tariffs.

Just before Trudeau stepped down, his Liberal party trailed the Conservatives by a yawning gap of 25 percentage points. Mark Carney, a former central banker, took the partys helm ahead of the April elections, running a laser-focused anti-Trump campaign. With polls showing that Canadians reviled the U.S. president, Carney portrayed Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre as a Trump-lite imitation. Poilievre had made it easy, having endorsed some of Trumps agenda ahead of the U.S. election last year. That seemed to help Poilievres pollinguntil Trump won.

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The reality of a Trump presidency turned Canadians against the candidate who sounded like him.

The situation was similar in Australia, although Trump did not figure as prominently there. Last weekends elections down under dealt an embarrassing defeat for opposition leader Peter Dutton, many of whose policy proposals mirrored Trumps. Duttons right-wing Liberal-National coalition had also held a wide lead in the polls, until Trumps shocking Oval Office clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in late February. Between that spectacle, the tariffs debacle and Trumps other provocationsincluding verbal assaults against NATO allies, threats to use military force to seize Greenland and the deportation of migrants to Salvadoran prisonsthe appeal of a candidate with any echo of Trump started to evaporate.

For advocates of democracy, its tempting to view these developments as proof that an autocratic Trump will unwittingly reverse the global anti-democratic trend, but its far too soon to reach that conclusion.

Trumps headline-grabbing behavior and anti-democratic maneuvers have hurt other right-wing leaders as well. In the Netherlands, anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders Party for Freedom, or PVV, came in first in last years elections and had stayed far ahead in the polls afterward. But it has been losing altitude since Trumps return. After consistently enjoying about twice the support of its main rivals, the PVV polled in second place for the first time in 18 months. Now its neck and neck with the moderate center-left and center-right parties. Until recently, Wilders threatened to emerge even stronger if new elections were called. Now it looks like the PVV would be among the biggest losers in any snap elections.

For advocates of democracy, its tempting to view these developments as proof that an autocratic Trump will unwittingly reverse the global anti-democratic trend, but its far too soon to reach that conclusion, and not all the evidence supports it.

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In Ecuador, for example, where gangs have emerged as a palpable threat to everyday lifeand to the countrys democracyPresident Daniel Noboa benefited from a strong relationship with Trump to win reelection last month.

The Trump administration has made crass efforts to help far-right parties elsewhere, as well. Most distastefully, Vice President JD Vance all but campaigned for the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, which was just designated by Germanys domestic intelligence agency as an extremist organization that is incompatible with democracy.

The electoral support for the AfD from Vance as well as from Elon Musk was slammed as interference and failed to boost the party, though it did finish in second place in February elections, doubling its seats in the Bundestag.

In the U.K., Trump admirer Nigel Farages Reform UK party surged in local and by-elections last week, even grabbing a seat that had been safely won by Labor in July.

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And in Romania last weekend, the self-described Trumpist George Simion finished first in the first-round presidential election with more than 40 percent of the vote. The hard-right ultranationalist wants to redraw Romanias borders to include Moldova and parts of Ukraine and rejects aid to Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression, raising alarm across the European Union. Liberal rivals will try to join forces to stop him in the second round later this month, but hes now the favorite to win.

Europeans, and the rest of the world, are still taking the measure of Trumps second presidency. A significant segment of Europes population is appalled by what it sees. But another sizeable segment admires Trumps toughness and particularly his relentless push against migrants. Then there are the persuadables, who are still making up their minds about him.

They will watch his actionson tariffs, Ukraine and NATOand how they are affected by them. But they will also keep a close eye on his impact on the country that elected him. Trumps approval in the U.S. has fallen to the lowest for any president in decades at this point in their term. If the trend continues and Americans turn actively against Trumpall the more likely should the economy contracthis presidency could end up tapping the brakes on the global anti-democratic slide, and perhaps even start reversing it.

Frida Ghitis is WPRs senior columnist and a contributor to CNN and The Washington Post. Her WPR column appears every Thursday. You can follow her on Twitter and Threads at @fridaghitis.

The post Trump Is Making Authoritarianism a Tough Sell appeared first on World Politics Review.
Tennessee state Sen. Bo Watson wants to eject undocumented children from classrooms. But first, he needs their data.

Under legislation proposed in February, students statewide could be required to submit birth certificates or other sensitive documents to secure their seats  one of several state efforts this year designed to challenge a decades-old Supreme Court precedent enshrining students right to a free public education regardless of their immigration status.

Watson, a Republican, argues undocumented students are a financial drain on Tennessees public schools even though state officials dont know how many are enrolled there. He sees a way to find out.

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If someone is not able to produce their documentation then you would make the assumption that they are here illegally and it would allow you to begin to collect some data as to the number of students in a school system that are either undocumented or are here illegally, Watson said in an interview with The 74. So thats sort of a starting point for us, in terms of trying to understand what the financial cost is.

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The controversial legislation, which has drawn protests and could jeopardize more than $1.1 billion in federal money for Tennessee schools, has also sparked alarm among privacy advocates who warn efforts to compile data on students immigration status could be used not just to deny them an education  it could also fall into the hands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Sen. Bo Watson, a Republican of Chattanooga, seeks to bar undocumented students from receiving a free public education, challenging a 1982 Supreme Court ruling enshrining students school access regardless of their immigration status. (John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

As the Trump administration ramps up deportation efforts and tech billionaire Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency reportedly works to create a master database of government records to zero in on migrants, civil rights advocates warn that education data about immigrant students, such as home addresses, could be weaponized.

That would be an easy grab for federal officials, said Cody Venzke, a senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union focused on surveillance, privacy and technology. Schools are a geographically based governmental service and that makes that data particularly vulnerable.

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Republican lawmakers in Tennessee, Oklahoma and Idaho seek to compel educators to collect records about students immigration status that have traditionally been outside their purview. Meanwhile, reams of existing information about immigrant students  including their birth locations and how long theyve lived in the U.S.  could serve as proxies to help authorities identify and track undocumented students or those with undocumented family members, said Elizabeth Laird, the director of equity in civic technology at the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology.

For Laird, a recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump to merge federal and state data, surveillance-driven immigration enforcement efforts and irregular data collection efforts across federal agencies set off alarm bells. Laird recently published a white paper on schools legal obligations to keep sensitive student data secure.

Elizabeth Laird

What weve seen in the last three months is unprecedented access to and consolidation of data about people across a number of federal agencies, and that means taxpayers, it means student loan borrowers, it means Social Security recipients, Laird said.

Immigration enforcement officials have already turned to data to deport international college students, unaccompanied minors who came to the U.S. without their parents and immigrant taxpayers whose IRS returns were once considered absolutely confidential. Additional irregular data collection efforts have been carried out across federal agencies in the name of rooting out fraud and waste.

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You dont have to go very far to see the connection between the data environment that theyve created in the name of fraud, waste and abuse and how it relates to immigration enforcement, Laird said. As Republicans argue that immigrants are wrongly accessing benefits and causing financial turmoil in public schools, she said, Immigration has become a fraud, waste and abuse issue.

Officials at the White House and Education Department didnt respond to requests for comment.

A family attends a presentation by the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights on the rights of undocumented students at a school in Washington, D.C., on January 10. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP)

Data collection in the surveillance age

At just over 100 days into Trumps second term, there is no evidence that K-12 students data have become a specific target for immigration enforcement, even after ICE scrapped a longstanding policy this year that restricted agents from carrying out raids at schools, churches and other sensitive locations.

Watson told The 74 his legislation is about ejecting undocumented children from public schools and not about removing them from the country altogether. But a recent Center for Democracy and Technology survey suggests that educators even pre-Trump were already sharing student information with immigration enforcement officials. Some 17% of teachers reported that their schools provided student grades, attendance and discipline information to immigration authorities last school year, the survey found, as well as information collected by digital surveillance tools on school-issued laptops.

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A recent executive order seeks to make vast data collection a lot easier. With a stated purpose of promoting government efficiency, Trump signed an executive order in March to eliminate information silos between federal agencies that have historically existed to prevent the government from abusing its access to Americans sensitive personal information, including adoption records, citizenship information, IP addresses and student loan histories.

Under the order, a whistleblower claims the Trump administration is building a database of individual people unlike anything the U.S. government has had before  and one thats been compared to the tactics of authoritarian regimes.

Most breathtaking, Venzke said, is the Trump administrations efforts to gain unfettered access to information held at state agencies. Experts said the broadly defined order could apply to schools, state education agencies and third-party contractors.

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The U.S. Department of Education generally doesnt maintain large datasets of student data beyond financial aid records  which include students and family members Social Security Numbers and Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers. Tax ID numbers are used by taxpayers without Social Security numbers to pay taxes regardless of their immigration status but could be leveraged as an indicator that someone is undocumented.

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The real student data trove, however, resides at the state level. In fact, states have maintained data about foreign-born students for years and the threat of immigration enforcement is not limited to undocumented students, according to the CDT white paper. More than 1,400 international college students in the U.S. lost their visas in the first months of the Trump administration, although it recently reversed those revocations in the face of court challenges.

State education data is used to populate the U.S. Department of Educations EdFacts initiative, which centralizes state-by-state information to guide policy development and includes information about students who were born outside the U.S. and have been enrolled in U.S. schools for less than three years. Though the data states provide to the federal government is aggregated, Laird warned that local education agencies could be compelled to share the underlying records that identify specific students.

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Schools also identify immigrant children and English learners in order to receive federal grants that support their learning. Additionally, under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires students nationwide to take standardized tests, immigrant students who have lived in the U.S. for less than a year can opt out of the English assessments  waivers the CDT noted can only be provided if schools know who these students are.

The street where Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University student, was detained by ICE agents as seen on April 23, in Somerville, Massachusetts. Although not a political activist, Rumeysa had written an op-ed for a student newspaper in defense of Palestinian rights, which right-wing groups forwarded to the State Department to initiate her arrest. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis/Getty Images)

Students cautioned against speaking out

Despite the recent executive orders stated goal of preventing fraud, Laird said the mandate mirrors a 2019 executive order, issued during Trumps first term, which sought to consolidate data for the explicit purpose of streamlining immigration enforcement. At least four states  South Dakota, South Carolina, Iowa and Nebraska  agreed to share drivers license data with the Trump administration as it sought to pinpoint the citizenship statuses of every adult residing in the U.S.

Were in a time when the government is asking for things that theyve never asked for before. So Im really not sure what might happen if the government went to a state and said, Give us your entire database with every piece of information about every student in public schools.  Julia Sugarman, associate director Migration Policy Institute

Julie Sugarman, associate director for K-12 education research at the nonprofit Migration Policy Institute said educators nationwide have taken steps to ensure students records arent used beyond their intended purposes, including for immigration enforcement. But the Trump administrations vast data collection efforts present an unprecedented situation.

States generally would have a full spreadsheet that includes identifying information, so yeah, if the government was to go to states and ask for that, that would set off huge alarm bells, Sugarman said.

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Were in a time when the government is asking for things that theyve never asked for before, she continued. So Im really not sure what might happen if the government went to a state and said, Give us your entire database with every piece of information about every student in public schools. 

Digital surveillance tools being used by federal immigration officials to track down deportation targets  including social media monitoring software  have become widespread in K-12 schools. Digital surveillance tools, which track students online communications and web searches, could offer valuable data to immigration officials, Laird said. In some instances, students digital communications are automatically shared with local law enforcement officers who, in communities nationwide, have been increasingly deputized to help enforce federal immigration laws.

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Immigration Agents Inside Schools? Why Some Activists Are Warning Undocumented Students About Trumps Policy Shifts

Social media surveillance tools used by K-12 schools and university educators have previously been leveraged to surveil student protests.

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In the last few months, some K-12 students have already been warned to be careful about what they post on the internet as the government moved to revoked the visas of foreign-born college students for their participation in protests, social media posts and writing for college newspapers.

Martin Milne, president of the Connecticut-based Assist Scholars, said his organization has told international K-12 students that their ability to learn in the U.S. is conditional  and can be eliminated at a moments notice. The nonprofit scholarship organization currently helps nearly 200 international students enroll in U.S. private secondary schools.

Weve sent a really general reminder to students applying for visas to be particularly mindful that obtaining a student visa is really a privilege and its not a right and it comes with important responsibilities, Milne said, echoing language recently used by the Trump administration. And that if they abide by the responsibilities that come with being a visa holder, theyre not going to draw attention to themselves.

Immigrants rights advocates protest outside a Tennessee Senate room where the education committee advanced a bill to prohibit undocumented students from enrolling in public schools  a violation of federal law. (John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Tennessee wants Trumps permission

Back in Tennessee, a Republican-led effort to collect data about undocumented students and bar their access to public schools has stalled. Despite claims that immigrant students are a drain on school resources, a state audit warned the move could cost Tennessee as much as $1.1 billion in federal education money if officials fail to comply with federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on race or national origin.

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Still, the climate caused by the legislative effort and Trumps deportation efforts has students on edge, Kyle Carrasco, a high school government and economics teacher in Chattanooga, told The 74. Although his school doesnt ask students about their immigration status, Carrasco said he suspects at least some are undocumented and several have already had family members taken into ICE custody.

At the end of the day, immigrants regardless of documentation status are paying taxes, theyre paying into the system that they  if these bills become law  will be withheld from, Carrasco said. So I dont necessarily understand the reasoning and the logistics beyond why we need to be identifying and tracking these students.

Watson, the state senator, hasnt given up, telling The 74 he hopes his bill will resurface after local officials receive assurance they wont be penalized by the federal government. In an April 21 letter to the U.S. Department of Education, state Fiscal Review Executive Director Bojan Savic asked if Tennessee risked losing federal money for its failure to comply with civil rights laws.

With Trump in charge, Watson said he didnt think the letter was necessary.

This bill, were it to be enacted into law, would align with the strategies that the current administration is exercising, Watson said, and it would not put our federal dollars in jeopardy.
Trumps nominee for U.S. surgeon general is beyond unqualified. The president has selected Casey Means, a self-described wellness influencer from the Make America Healthy Again ranks, to serve as highest public health official in the land.

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Casey Means, will be nominated as our next Surgeon General of the United States of America, Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday. Casey has impeccable MAHA credentials, and will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans. Her academic achievements, together with her lifes work, are absolutely outstanding. Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History. Congratulations to Casey!

Trumps original nominee, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, was axed for not being sufficiently kooky enough for the likes of Laura Loomer.

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[Nesheiwat] used her access to Fox News to promote the dangerous Covid vaccine, which is now killing millions of people, Loomer wrote on X this week. She tried to shame people who didnt take the vaccine by calling them global health threats. Vaccines are a matter of PERSONAL HEALTH FREEDOM.

Means has no active medical license, as she dropped out of her residency after becoming disillusioned with basic medicine. She instead decided to commit herself to alternative medicine.

She also has unsurprisingly controversial views on vaccination.

I have said innumerable times publicly I think vaccine mandates are criminal. I think corruption in the FDA is overwhelming. I think RFK is doing Gods work in calling all this out, Means wrote on X last November.

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There is no benefit to the baby or the wider population for a child to get this vaccine who is not at risk for sexual or IV transmission. There is only risk. Kids who dont have this unnecessary pharmaceutical cant go to school in many states, she wrote in August, referring to the hepatitis B vaccine. EVERYONE should become curious about why these interventions are institutionally jammed down our throats and people are made to be heretical whackos for questioning it.

Actual medical professionals raised immediate alarm after news of Meanss nomination broke.

Casey Means is a grifter who dropped out of ENT residency & start a company selling glucose monitors & health all to non-diabetics. She doesnt know basic science, yet claims shes a metabolism expert, scientist Dr. Andrea Love wrote on X. Incomplete ENT residency = expert. Of course shes up for Surgeon General.

More information about Meanss confirmation hearing schedule is expected in the coming weeks.

* This story has been updated to note that her medical degree is not active.
President Donald Trump plans to announce details of a trade agreement with the United Kingdom Thursday morning, according to two people familiar with the agreement, granted anonymity to share not-yet-public details.

Specifics of the agreement were not immediately available. But the pact would represent a significant step forward for the United States, which has been mired in negotiations with dozens of countries since slapping hefty tariffs on its global trading partners last month. It also signals that similar agreements could be on the horizon with other countries.

Trump teased the announcement in a Wednesday night post on Truth Social.

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Big News Conference tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M., The Oval Office, concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!! Trump wrote.

A White House spokesperson declined to comment.

After weeks of turmoil, Trump has been looking for an off-ramp to cool economic unease and relieve tension with trading partners. He and his top lieutenants floated since the weekend the possibility that the first agreement could be reached as soon as this week.

It is unclear whether Thursdays announcement will be a full trade deal or just the framework of an agreement, with details to be sorted out at a later date.

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Senior British trade negotiators landed in Washington on Wednesday, the Guardian reported, and the U.K. has been pushing to get a trade agreement signed before the U.K.-EU summit later this month.

The U.S. slapped a 10 percent tariff on the U.K. in April, though it did not face a steeper reciprocal tariff because the country imports more from the U.S. than it exports. But the U.K. has still grappled with the 25 percent levies the U.S. has placed on steel, aluminum and cars from abroad.

Negotiations with the U.K. had been thought to be on the backburner as the U.S. prioritized talks with India, Japan and South Korea, in an attempt to pressure China to the negotiating table.

As late as Tuesday, Trump was downplaying expectations for an imminent deal.

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I wish they'd keep, you know  stop asking, How many deals are you signing this week? because one day we'll come and we'll give you 100 deals, Trump said, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office.

Pressure for the Trump administration to announce trade agreements comes as Americans, manufacturers and retailers brace for higher prices in the coming weeks as shipments into West Coast ports plunge to levels not seen since the early days of the pandemic.

Supply chain disruptions could result in shortages of a number of everyday items like cars, furniture, clothes and toys.
For a tiny southern African nation that President Donald Trump said that nobody has ever heard of, Lesotho appears poised to shoulder the brunt of his so-called reciprocal tariffs, which are set to replace the universal 10 percent rate on U.S. imports when a 90-day pause wraps up in early July.

At 50 percent, Lesothos threatened duty is higher than any other country save China, which is currently grappling with a 145 percent tariff. For the White House, this is simple calculus: In 2024, the United States imported $237 million worth of goods from Lesotho. In return, Lesotho imported just $2.8 million of American-made products. This, the president has claimed, just isnt fair.

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But Lesotho is a country that is already on the precipice, with 75 percent of its 2.3-million-strong population classified as either poor or vulnerable to poverty. Its gaping trade deficit stems not from maliciously unequal trade but from the fact that garment manufacturing forms a significant part of its economy. Some 75 percent of the jeans, T-shirts and polo shirts its dozen-or-so factories pump out every year, in fact, are destined for brands such as Levi Strauss & Co., Calvin Klein, The Childrens Place and Walmart in the United States.

The work isnt especially profitable, but its been more stable than anything in the informal economy. The sectors 12,000 mostly female workers earn a minimum wage that ranges from 2,582-2,860 Lesotho loti ($141-$156), or roughly one-third of what would amount to a living wage in the capital of Maseru, according to the WageIndicator Foundation. A big part of their livelihood has relied on the duty-free benefits their products receive under the 25-year-old African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, which expires in September with no sign of a possible renewal and, in any case, has been rendered effectively moot with the 10 percent Liberation Day tariff.

A program manager at a nonprofit in South Africa, who requested anonymity in order to be able to speak freely, isnt sure Lesotho can survive the 90 days, let alone make it to September. Hes heard widespread reports of factories holding back orders because their buyers are waiting to see if cooler heads in the White House will still prevail. He expects workers to be furloughed, if not laid off completely. Even the 10 percent tariff will exert undue pressure on suppliers already razor-thin margins if theyre expected to pick up the tab.

This is just one of the things that is going to create a crisis for Lesotho, the person said. You can only imagine as well the amount of exploitation that might happen: the increase in trafficking and the rise in gender-based violence. Parents who are desperate will start trafficking their children. I dont think they can take the squeeze.

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The 30-plus other AGOA nations, many laden with heavy foreign debt, are in a similar tailspin, though some more than others. While goods from Ethiopia, Ghana and Kenya have been hit with a 10 percent proposed tax, no different from the universal rate, those from Mauritius, Madagascar and South Africa face duties above 30 percent.

The tariffs also arrive as sub-Saharan Africa is still coming to terms with the withdrawal of billions of dollars of U.S. Agency for International Development funding for programs involving medical care, education and economic development. Far from instilling fairness, experts say that the United States risks upending what have been cornerstones of trade and diplomacy with the African continent, with repercussions beyond balancing its ledger.

President Trumps decision to increase tariffs on AGOA-eligible countries, alongside the administrations dismantling of USAID, could have a devastating impact on the workers and communities who benefit from the textile and apparel sector in the regions, said Kenya Wiley, policy counsel and fashion law professor at Georgetown University. It not only goes against the original intent of AGOAto reduce trade barriers and foster economic development in sub-Saharan Africabut it also comes at a time when the administration should be working with Congress and industry stakeholders to strengthen the trade program during its 25th anniversary year, and before AGOAs expiration.

Sandra Zhao, co-founder of Zuri, a line of $160-$210 dresses sewn in Kenya using batik fabrics from Ghana, India and Kenya, isnt prepared, either for the tariffs or the disappearance of AGOA. She operated on the assumption that things would work out since support for Africa has been bipartisan. With Zuris first shipment under the 10 percent tariff rate en route to the United States, reality is starting to set in.

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Were working with our factory in Kenya to try and figure out what we need to do, but part of the challenge with all of this is that theres very little information; theres been so much unpredictability and backtracking and change, she said. It almost feels like do-it-and-find-out, which is really not a way that any small business wants to run, especially when were very conscious of costs and trying not to pass it onto our customers or put it on our producers. We are internally trying to assess what is our appetite like? What is our ability to absorb?

Zhao is bracing herself for September, when there might be more clarity on where import taxes stand. Making the clothes in the United States isnt an option because it would waver from the sustainable employment focus of Zuris ethos, which is very much grounded in improving conditions in the global South. Plus, it would still have to import the fabrics and buttons it would need.

At the end of the day, we do this work because we want to make beautiful clothing, but also because were very conscientious about the ability to have a lasting, positive impact through sustainable jobs, she said. And there certainly could be a point where we have to say we cant do it because its important for us to pay our vendors fairly. Its impossible for us to imagine that we would go to a point where we would have to squeeze them when theyre already operating in very challenging circumstances.

The wrong direction

For more than two decades, trade groups like the American Apparel & Footwear Association have held up AGOA as a success story for both U.S. brands and African suppliers. The organization, which represents household names such as American Eagle Outfitters, Gap Inc., J.Crew Group and H&M Group, has been growing increasingly frustrated at the deals stagnation, which it partially attributes to a decline in trade that it says multiplies economic benefits for a traditionally underserved population: women. In 2024, AGOA imports totaled $8 billion, down 13 percent from $9.3 billion in 2023 and 22 percent from $10.3 billion in 2022.

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U.S.-Africa policy seems to be going in the wrong direction, said Steve Lamar, president and CEO of AAFA. We should be signaling to our members to make long-term sourcing decisions in Africa through a long-term renewal of AGOA, which is set to expire in just under four months. Instead, the Trump administration is encouraging companies to avoid Africa by imposing crushing tariff burdens.

Washingtons parallel actions to terminate programs funded by USAID and the Department of Labors Bureau of International Labor Affairs, which strengthen the ability of African communities and workers to be better trade partners, only make this situation worse, he said. Putting America First, he added, means providing U.S. workers with a level global playing field.

We urge the Trump Administration to refocus on the natural leverage created by AGOA, and which has shown demonstrated benefits for U.S. industries and workersincluding the American cotton and textile marketduring its 25-year history, to maintain U.S. leadership on the continent and to ensure that our thriving partnership is not usurped by others who do not share our values, Lamar said.

The turmoil is an acute one for Paloma Schackert, co-founder and chief operating officer of Ethical Apparel Africa, a sourcing and manufacturing social enterprise in Benin and Ghana. Part of its work has been helping local manufacturers become export-ready, both in terms of technical competence and compliance. Because no investor is going to pay for six to nine months of training and intensive support, Shackert said, Ethical Apparel Africa leaned heavily on a significant grant from USAID for its upskilling efforts, which is now gone.

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What that means in practice for the local SMEs is were no longer able to support them to make that drive to sustainability and to export, so weve had to completely let that work go, which is very painful, because they already have made so much progress, she said, using an acronym for small and medium-sized enterprises. So factories that were on the cusp of being able to export and scale jobs are no longer able to progress. And it means that brands are able to source less than they want to from the region.

While Ethical Apparel Africas own manufacturing-side business in Ghana is facing unprecedented demand because the countrys 10 percent tariff is still a deal compared with Bangladesh and Vietnams threatened 37 percent and 46 percent, respectively, Schackert said, losing AGOA would still weigh heavily on the continent at large because of what it means for medium-to-long-term investments, especially those involving vertical integration for textiles. Coalescing capacity-building efforts, allowed to fully manifest, could provide alternatives for businesses looking to diversify away from Asiaeven provide a counterpoint to Chinas massive manufacturing engine.

Those efforts are definitely going to be highly derailed, because these programs were not only building just a temporary skill set, they were bringing those skills to the people of Africa, who are mainly agri-based economies, by giving them skills which are going to last with them for the lifetime, said Vikas Budhiraja, senior vice president at ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms, which develops industrial ecosystems across the continent. Many of them are greenfield factories, meaning they were built on previously undeveloped, probably rural, sites. For now, its too early to say how his business will be affected.

Africa could have been avoided at this juncture, because on one side we are seeking another AGOA renewal, so that we become a self-sustained supply chain-centric continent, rather than importing most of our stuff from other countries, like China, India, Bangladesh and Vietnam, he said. If AGOA does not happen and tariffs make exporting goods more expensive, we would not be in a position where we can directly compete with the mature textile and garment destinations despite the young manpower and abundant raw material like cotton.

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And while African nations may try to mitigate losses by pivoting toward the European Union, the African Continental Free Trade Area and Asian markets, reorienting trade flow takes time, investment and new market development, said Daphne Kasambala, founder of Meekeno, a B2B wholesale e-commerce platform for African SMEs. Considering their integration with the U.S. garment industry, Lesotho, Madagascar and Mauritius could stand to lose the most from the proposed tariffs. If U.S. orders drop as expected because goods become more expensive, she added, factories will scale back or close, potentially shedding thousands of jobs and, ironically, driving an even larger trade deficit.

What makes these tariffs particularly devastating is their unpredictability. They call into question whether African countries can rely on U.S. trade preferences as a long-term strategy, she said. In effect, they penalize the very economies that AGOA was designed to uplift, despite these countries playing by the rules. At a time when Africa is seeking to boost value-added exports and integrate into global supply chains, moves like this erode confidence, stifle investment and push manufacturers toward more stable trade environments in Asia or elsewhere. If the goal is to compete with China, undermining ones own partners is a puzzling strategy.

Confronting China

Countering Chinas growing influence in sub-Saharan Africa will also prove more difficult without high-road businesses that have instituted some guardrails against exploitationhowever effective they might ultimately be. China axed tariffs on goods from 33 African nations in December. Joanna Maiden, founder and SEO of Soko Kenya, an ethical clothing factory that provides its workers with in-house training and free childcare and lunch, worries that it and others that seek to side-step their even-higher tariffs, could swoop in as investors that are only interested in leveraging the continents low-wage labor and wont consider broader questions of infrastructure and human resource needs. As it stands, Soko Kenya has lost USAID grants that allowed it to provide gender-based upskilling programs involving reproductive health and combating sexual violence. It also expects to train fewer students this year.

Every time I go to an international fashion event, like a trade show or a conference, I always get told, Oh, Africa is the next continent, she said. But, on the ground, I see us really struggling in terms of how we dont have everything around the corner, like India, China, Bangladesh and the other manufacturing hubs. We dont have the raw materials, we dont have the trims, we dont have the generations of experience in terms of efficiency and how to set processes up. And so we need that external expert knowledge on the ground to support us and to gain efficiencies and to be more competitive. And the fear is that we fall further behind.

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At the same time, this could be a wake-up call for Africa, said Natalie Schrogl, lead management consultant at Cassini Consulting in Munich, where she specializes in African-European relations. She said that the G20 summit in South Africa in November could allow for the further reconfiguration of trade deals that are less one-sided and more diversified.

When you think about most of the partnerships that weve had, theyve not really been equitable, Schrogl said. We really need to make sure that were pushing for agreements that are not unilateralagreements that somebody cannot just wake up and decide they want to change something without considering that they are affecting a whole economy. These are more than tariffs. These are jobs. These are livelihoods.

As far as shes concerned, AGOA is dead in the water and will remain that way as long as Trump is in office. And even then, the United States will have a long road ahead if it hopes to regain Africas trust.

It was supposed to be a win-win; we are fragile and this shows another level of fragility because weve been literally exposed, Schrogl said. But I think the question that I ask myself is, have we ever been partners?

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Lesotho likely wishes that Trump had continued to remain ignorant of it. A 50 percent tariff, on top of AGOAs expiration, could decimate an entire industry that only recently came to terms with its endemic culture of gender-based violence and harassment, forging the worlds first binding agreement tackling the same in 2021 and setting the stage for the similar Dindigul Agreement to Eliminate Gender-Based Violence and Harassment and Central Java Agreement for Gender Justice in 2022 and 2025, respectively. U.S foreign aid played a significant role in facilitating that.

While the Trump administration says that Lesotho charges a 99 percent tariff on U.S. goods, the countrys government is unclear how it arrived at that number. And according to the United Nations Trade and Development Program, collecting that 50 percent retaliatory duty would only contribute 0.019 percent of U.S. tariff revenues.

Its a very desperate situation, especially when you look at its HIV statistics and think about how its going without aid and without proper treatment, the South African program manager said. We were only beginning to shift the needle. Gains will be delayed. And if there arent any more buyers, what will happen to that country?
President Donald Trump has issued a proclamation designating Thursday as a day for the United States to celebrate victory in World War II as countries in Europe already do.

Cities from London to Moscow are holding parades, flyovers and memorials this week as the world observes Thursdays 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, when Nazi Germany surrendered to Allied forces, including the U.S.

Heres what to know about Trumps plans:

What is Trump doing and why?

The Republican president is designating specific days for the U.S. to celebrate being on the winning side in World War I and World War II. He complained in recent social media posts that Americans dont spend enough time celebrating those achievements, which he said wouldnt have been possible without the U.S.

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Trump plans to change Veterans Day into Victory Day for World War I

Many of our allies and friends are celebrating May 8th as Victory Day, but we did more than any other Country, by far, in producing a victorious result on World War II. I am hereby renaming May 8th as Victory Day for World War II and November 11th as Victory Day for World War I, he said last week on social media. We won both Wars, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance, but we never celebrate anything  Thats because we dont have leaders anymore, that know how to do so! We are going to start celebrating our victories again!

Can Trump rename an existing federal holiday?

No. Nov. 11 is already Veterans Day, a federal holiday in the U.S., and only Congress can create, rename or take it back. That could explain why Trump backed away from his renaming plan and said hed instead be declaring national holidays instead.

We won two World Wars, but we never took credit for it  Everyone else does! All over the World, the Allies are celebrating the Victory we had in World War II. The only Country that doesnt celebrate is the United States of America, and the Victory was only accomplished because of us, he wrote Monday on social media. Without the United States, the War would have been won by other Countries, and what a different World it would be. Therefore, I am hereby declaring a National Holiday in celebration of the Victories of World War I, where the Armistice was signed on November 11, 1918, and World War II, where the Victory date was May 8, 1945.

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He signed a proclamation on Wednesday that designates May 8, 2025, as a day in celebration of Victory Day for World War II. Hes expected to issue a similar proclamation for World War I later this year.

Is Thursday a day off from work?

No, Thursday is not a federal holiday and therefore not a day off from work. Only Congress can create federal holidays, and Trump has complained that there already are too many of them.

What does he envision will happen around the U.S. on these days?

Its unclear. Trump didnt say what he envisions happening, and the proclamation didnt include any details. But he said during an unrelated appearance Wednesday in the Oval Office that he noticed France and other countries were all getting ready for Victory Day.

We dont celebrate it and I think thats a great disservice, Trump said.

What happens in other countries?

On major anniversaries like this years 80th, Britain celebrates VE Day with parades, airplane flyovers and memorials. The British royal family traditionally watches the airplanes pass overhead from a balcony at Buckingham Palace.

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Russia celebrates on Friday, and its Victory Day parades are a massive show of its armed forces, with thousands of troops, scores of heavy equipment rolling across Red Square and flyovers involving dozens of warplanes. Military parades, fireworks and other festivities are held in cities across the country.

What have veterans groups said about Trumps plans?

Rob Couture, director of public affairs for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said they are encouraged by any steps that bring attention to the service of veterans from that time.

Just over 66,100 of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II were alive as of 2024.

Associated Press writer Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.
DECATUR  The four newest members of the Decatur Public School Board of Education consider filling teacher vacancies a top priority.

Kevin Hale, Devon Joyner, Karen Lauritzen and Christina Tyus took the oath of office from Superintendent Rochelle Clark at the reorganization meeting held on Wednesday. Newly elected officers for the next two years are President Bill Clevenger and Vice President Will Wetzel, with Melissa Bradford, Clark's secretary, serving as board secretary and the district's chief operational officer, Mike Curry, serving as treasurer.

"(My first priority) is getting teachers in classrooms," Lauritzen said, as Hale and Tyus both nodded in agreement. "That's the most important thing right now, in the midst of a teacher shortage that is impacting students all over the district, and teachers in the district as well, at an alarming rate. I'm glad the district is making strides to recruit new teachers, but I also think we need to do a lot to retain teachers we already have and to recruit teachers, not only from Macon County, but all of Illinois."

"We can't get reading levels and math levels up if we don't have teachers," Tyus said. "And the superintendent is retiring (in June 2026) so looking to fill that position and doing a smooth transition would be the next step."

It's not only important to get teachers in front of students, Hale said, but to make all district employees feel respected and critical. The role of teaching assistants, for example, is often overlooked.

"They show up and help us teach the kids," said Hale, a teacher at Johns Hill Magnet School who plans to retire at the end of the school year . "The community understands how important they are."

Another priority for him is financial stability, Hale said, and if cuts have to be made, he wants to ensure that the cuts are to excess and waste, not to classrooms.

"We have to guard the tax dollars of our constituents," he said. "We have to make this a district that competes with Bloomington, Champaign, Springfield and surrounding communities for teachers."

For Joyner, community accountability is important.

"What we're doing won't mean anything if the community doesn't work with us," Joyner said. "Boots on the ground is getting the folks out there to get involved in what we're doing. We can't make decisions if the people don't know what they want."

Joyner spends a lot of time in schools now through his work with Old Kings Orchard Community Center, and listening, he said, is the main way to find out what is needed. Starting with the kids, who are the ones most affected by the decisions on education, asking them what is lacking and what they need, and building from there is important to him, while recruiting students' families and the community to get more involved.

"It's not the lack of resources," he said. "It's the lack of agreement. We have to figure that out."

The race for school featured six candidates, only one of which, Jason Dion, was an incumbent. Board members Alana Banks, Kevin Collins and Al Scheider did not seek reelection.

It marked the third straight election to see no incumbents return to the board.

Four years ago, all four incumbents then seated on the board declined to run for second terms, and in the last election in 2023, three new board members were elected, though Clevenger had been appointed to fill the vacant seat left when former board President Dan Oakes retired before his term was complete.

Clevenger then ran for and won the seat he holds now, while the two sitting board members in that election cycle, Andrew Taylor and Regan Lewis, also decided against running for re-election.

The new board faces a busy couple of years. In addition to finding a new superintendent, the Roadmap 2030 strategic plan, which includes possible reconfiguration of district programs and facilities, is still in development.

The new board members' first regular meeting will be 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, and will be held at Hope Academy. The Kiel Administration Building will be closed from May 12-23 for replacement of the boiler.
President Donald Trump has withdrawn his nomination of Ed Martin to serve as the U.S. attorney for Washington.

The withdrawal of Martin, who has served as the interim U.S. attorney, follows pushback from Republican senators. North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis announced Tuesday that he would not support Martins nomination because he supporters rioters involved in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

We have somebody else that will be great, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. I just want to say, Ed is unbelievable, and hopefully we can bring him into, whether its DOJ or whatever, in some capacity.

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He added: To me, it was disappointing. Ill be honest. I have to be straight. I was disappointed, a lot of people were disappointed, but thats the way it works sometimes  We felt ... it would be hard, and we have somebody else well be announcing over the next two days whos gonna be great.

Martin has used his authority to get revenge on Trumps opponents as he has threatened to investigate Democrats, academic institutions, and some critics of billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk. He has also worked to pick apart the January 6 investigation.

Ed Martin speaks at an event hosted by then-Rep. Matt Gaetz at the Capitol in Washington two years ago. Trump has withdrawn his nomination to serve as the U.S. attorney for Washington (AP)

Tillis, an important Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, blocked Martins path to confirmation. All 10 Democrats on the committee also opposed Martins nomination.

Most of my concerns are related to January 6, Tillis said on Tuesday.

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Martin is a conservative attorney who backed Trumps 2020 Stop the Steal movement, pushed for less and shorter sentencing of January 6 defendants, and has appeared on Russian state media on several occasions.

California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff criticized Martin on X as someone who has abused his position as interim U.S. Attorney to advance a dangerous agenda that places the presidents personal interests above those of the public, tramples the rule of law, and puts our democracy at risk.

Martin will be relatively easy to replace with someone with similar, but less extreme, priorities, Republican aides told The New York Times.

The announcement from Tillis prompted aggressive pushback from rightwing influencers who Trump likes to appease, and there were people in the West Wing who wanted him to fight for Martin, according to the newspaper. People in Trumps inner circle have considered a range of other positions for Martin in the last few days, such as another position in the Department of Justice.

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Early on Thursday, Martin still appeared to be trying to hold on to the post, writing fight, fight, fight on social media.

Martins interim appointment is set to end on May 20. If no successor has been named by that point, Washingtons Federal District Court judges will name a new U.S. attorney.

Tillis has noted that the White House could choose an acting U.S. attorney in order to extend the time to select a new permanent person for the role.

Senator Thom Tillis, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, opposed Martins nomination (Getty Images)

The insurrection may have been the biggest issue for the North Carolina senator, but it was Martins connection to a January 6 defendant who prompted many to oppose his nomination.

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On a number of occasions in the last few years, Martin has hosted Timothy Hale-Cusanelli on his podcast The Pro America Report. Hale-Cusanelli has dressed up like Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, with court filings stating that he has drawn cartoons depicting Jewish people as pigs, and once said that he would kill all the Jews and eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

In a recent submission to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Martin insisted he did not have a close connection to Hale-Cusanelli and didnt know anything about his views.

Allies of Trump in the Senate, such as South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, have pushed the president to nominate someone else.

Trump has started to contact possible successors, two people who are aware of the situation told The Times.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would raise the case of jailed Hong Kong activist and former media tycoon Jimmy Lai as "part of the negotiation" with China over trade and tariffs, a move that could further stoke tensions with Beijing.

"I think talking about Jimmy Lai is a very good idea," Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Wednesday. "We'll put it down, and we'll put it down as part of the negotiation."

Top senior U.S. officials are due to meet with China's top economic official on Saturday in Switzerland, a fledgling step amid a trade war stemming from Trump's often chaotic tariff policies that have hurt the global economy and roiled markets.

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Trump, however, said he wasn't willing to cut Chinese tariffs to get Beijing to the negotiating table. Adding Jimmy Lai's case into the mix -- long a diplomatic friction point between the two sides -- could bring further complications.

"Look, they (China) want to make a deal so badly. That, I can tell you. But we've been talking," Trump said during the radio interview.

The trial of Lai -- a longstanding critic of the Chinese Communist Party -- has shone a spotlight on a sweeping crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong following China's imposition of a national security law (NSL) in 2020.

Countries such as the U.S. and Britain have called for Lai's release and say his trial amounts to political persecution.

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Beijing rejects these claims and says Lai is getting a fair trial under the NSL, which it says has brought stability to Hong Kong after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Lai, 77, the most high-profile China critic to face prosecution under the NSL, has pleaded not guilty to his charges including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.

Lai, who is founder of the Apple Daily newspaper that was forced to close after a police raid and asset freeze in June 2021, rejects allegations by the prosecution that he had lobbied the U.S. to impose sanctions on Hong Kong.

Before being elected, Trump pledged last year to "one hundred percent" get Lai out of China.

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Lai's son, Sebastien said his father's health has declined during harsh, solitary confinement.

In January former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, speaking at an investor forum in Hong Kong, called on Beijing to "send a message of goodwill" to the U.S. by freeing Lai.

(Reporting by James Pomfret and Jessie Pang; Editing by Gareth Jones)
The lobby of the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, where researchers say pauses to federal grants have stifled science. (Henry Redman | Wisconsin Examiner)

Earlier this year, Dr. Avtar Roopra, a professor of neuroscience at UW-Madison, published research that shows a drug typically used to treat arthritis halts brain-damaging seizures in mice that have a condition similar to epilepsy. The treatment could be used to provide relief for a subset of people with epilepsy who dont get relief from other current treatments.

Federal fallout

As federal funding and systems dwindle, states are left to decide how and

whether to make up the difference.

Read the latest

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But even as the culmination of a decade-long project was making headlines as a possible breakthrough for the 50 million people worldwide with epilepsy, Roopras research was put on hold because the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under President Donald Trump has stopped reviewing grant requests.

Now, months after his funding was paused, Roopra says he is facing the choice between cutting corners in experiments to save costs or laying off research staff  which comes with its own loss of years of experience and institutional knowledge.

Experiments are being trimmed down, Roopra says. So the perfect experiment, which is what every experiment must be, were now trying to reanalyze and say, Well, can we get by with less? If we do, were not going to have the perfect answer, and thats always a danger.

Roopras lab is currently working on an experiment comparing data from healthy mouse brains to diseased brains and, ideally, hed have ten of each. But to save costs he now has to use three of each. The result is that the conclusions that can be made from the data are less certain, which only creates more expenses in the long term.

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What that means is well still get some data, but the confidence we have in our conclusions will be drastically reduced, he says. And so any experiments we then decide to do based on that will be on more shaky ground, and experiments further on that will be on even shakier ground. And so you have this propagating knock-on effect, but ultimately, the conclusions you get, theyre going to have to be interpreted cautiously, whereas, if we did the perfect experiment for which we were expecting funds, we would have robust data, robust conclusions. We could move forward, forthright into trials.

Science is expensive, Roopra says, because results have to be replicated many times. Cutting grant funding, as the Trump administration has done, results in austerity measures at labs and universities. Those budget cuts mean experiments arent repeated as many times, which means data isnt as complete and results in less work reaching the end goal  treatments that improve peoples lives.

Roopra says that when a patient sees a doctor and is prescribed a drug, that is just the tip of an iceberg, underneath which are the thousands of hours of research and millions of dollars spent at pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical trials and university departments testing theories.

So its actually going to cost everybody more money if we do it this way, because we have to go back, he says. And once this moves to clinical trials, which is our goal, if we dont have the very best, the most solid foundation for doing so, if that trial goes ahead and it fails, it may never be done again. Because trials cost hundreds of millions of dollars, youve got to get it right the first time. So thats what this new normal looks like.

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Roopras work is just one research focus in one department on one campus. Wisconsin institutions alone receive about $750 million annually from the NIH. The Medical College of Wisconsin has lost at least $5 million in research grants since Trump took office.

The cuts affect every lab, every department, and were very biomedical-research centric, but its also happening outside of biomedical research, Dr. Betsy Quinlan, chair of UW-Madisons neuroscience department, says. Its happening in physics and its happening in engineering. Its happening to all research, environmental science.

Researchers in Wisconsin have had at least $26.8 million in expected grant funding terminated, according to data compiled by Grant Watch, a project to track cuts to grant funding at the NIH and National Science Foundation (NSF).

Ive heard a lot of panic in the community as if the support that the federal government has for science has ended and that science is no longer the priority, NIH director Jay Bhattacharya said at an event at the Medical College of Wisconsin earlier this month. One of the reasons I was delighted to be able to come here was to assure people that is not true.

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Nonetheless, among the terminated grants here in Wisconsin are projects to study science misinformation in Black communities, how to engage the public in water stewardship in urban areas such as Milwaukee, the effect of technology on childrens development, the cardiovascular side effects of hormone treatment on transgender men and ways to increase HIV prevention measures among gay men in rural areas.

Its vital that we adopt reforms, real reforms in the research enterprise of this country, so that we depoliticize it, ground it in reality and build a culture of respect for dissent and free speech, Bhattacharya said.

But discoveries can come from unexpected places, says Quinlan, who warns that the top-down approach to approving research grants that the administration appears to be moving toward will stifle scientific exploration.

If the agency says, Heres a very narrow range of things we will fund, it will squash all creativity and real discovery, because real discovery comes when you see something that is unexpected and you follow the unexpected lead, she says.

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While the cuts to grants are having an immediate impact on research in Wisconsin, there are also concerns about morale among lab staff and a brain drain as researchers choose to leave the U.S. or even abandon science entirely.

The biggest problem I think most researchers are facing is the uncertainty and decline in morale that these changes have wrought, Jo Handelsman, director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, says. These are extremely real and fairly devastating effects on the research community in terms of whats already happened, almost every week theres a wave of NIH termination. No one feels their grant is going to continue for sure. Thats a difficult way to do research.

For decades, scientists have come from all over the world to work in the U.S. Now cuts to grants and the Trump administrations harsh immigration policies are changing that. Last week, after decisions from a number of judges, the Trump administration walked back an effort to cancel the visas of 27 students at University of Wisconsin schools. Roopra says those fears hurt research.

Every minute that that researcher is worried is a minute theyre not thinking about the science, says Roopra, whose work has also focused on breast cancer. And so what it looks like is a continuous, chronic fear, which pushes us to think about maybe looking at other options, which wed rather not do.

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NEW YORK  Donald Trump officials vowed Thursday to review the visa statuses of 80 pro-Palestinian protesters taken into custody during a takeover of a Columbia University library.

We are reviewing the visa status of the trespassers and vandals who took over Columbia Universitys library, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X. Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.

Acting Columbia University President Claire Shipman authorized the NYPD to enter campus after the swarm of masked protesters showed up at the library and forced their way inside Wednesday.

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Cops were seen escorting out dozens of protesters in zip ties who school officials said were not enrolled in the school and were trespassing.

Of the 80 protesters arrested, two were given summonses while the rest were given desk appearance tickets to appear in court at a later date. They were hit with a variety of charges including disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration.

Shipman attributed the decision to allow NYPD officers on campus to the large number of protesters. Two Columbia security officers were injured as protesters forced their way inside the building.

Requesting the presence of the NYPD is not the outcome we wanted, but it was absolutely necessary to secure the safety of our community, Shipman wrote. Disruptions to our academic activities will not be tolerated and are violations of our rules and policies; this is especially unacceptable while our students study and prepare for final exams.

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Videos on social media showed the activists, who wore masks, pushing through security at the entrance of Butler, the main campus library, shortly after 3 p.m., steps away from where students pitched a tent demonstration last year.

The protesters played drums and posted signs and stickers to free Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia grad who has been detained by federal immigration authorities.

The main protest group on campus, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, on Wednesday reveled in their ability to pull off the disruption, despite a crackdown on student activists. Last month, an effort to repitch a tent encampment was averted after NBC News publicized their plans.

Despite Columbias transformation of the university into a dystopian site of surveillance through its carceral expansion of cameras, wifi and ID tracking, externally contracted security, disciplinary processes, and arresting power for Public Safety officers, it still failed to quell the student movement. Students outsmarted the university, exposing the cracks in their broken system, the group said in a statement.

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Students know that resisting genocide is their moral imperative, and history is on their side.

Mayor Eric Adams condemned the protesters by making a plea to their parents on live television Wednesday.

Parents, if your children are going to Columbia campus and participate in this, I think you should reach out to them, Adams said on NBC 4. This is not what you do on the college campus, particularly going inside a library and protesting in this manner. We are in engagement with the college.

Columbia finals begin on Friday.

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For the first time in its 2,000-year history, the Catholic Church has an American pope.

Count President Donald Trump among those who are excited by the development.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope, Trump said Thursday on Truth Social.

The president went on to describe his excitement about the cardinals selection.

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What a Great Honor for our Country, Trump said. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Asked later at the White House about the news, Trump again shared his excitement.

Were a little bit surprised and were happy, he said, per The Associated Press.

Pope Leo XIV was elected pope about 24 hours into this weeks conclave.

His appearance in St. Peters Square when the world was waiting to see the new pope was surprising for a number of reasons  not least of which is the fact that hes from the United States.

The idea of an American pope was unimaginable for generations, according to The New York Times.

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Catholics leaders generally wanted to avoid picking a spiritual leader from a secular superpower, the AP reported.

Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica after his election, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. | Gregorio Borgia

Pope Leo did not reflect on his American upbringing or even speak in English during his brief address in St. Peters Square on Thursday.

He did give a shoutout to the diocese in Peru where he worked for many years, first as a missionary and eventually as a bishop.

Greetings ... to all of you, and in particular, to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop, shared their faith, he said, per the AP.

It was likely his extensive work in Peru that made it possible for cardinals to overcome their concerns about having an American pope.

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Still, the election of Pope Leo brightens the spotlight on Catholics in the U.S., who were already in the news regularly because of the makeup of the Trump administration.

Vice President JD Vance is Catholic, as is Secretary of State Marco Rubio and several other members of Trumps Cabinet, as the Deseret News previously reported.

Vance congratulated Pope Leo in an X post.

Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!, he said.

Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!  JD Vance (@JDVance) May 8, 2025

In a statement, Rubio shared his heartfelt congratulations with Pope Leo.

The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff, he said.

Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith.  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 8, 2025

Former President Barack Obama, who lives in Chicago, also shared his excitement about Pope Leos election in an X post.

Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith, Obama wrote.
In a historic moment for the nearly 2,000-year-old Catholic Church, the first-ever pope from the United States was elected on Thursday.

President Donald Trump took to social media to congratulate the newly elected Pope Leo XIV  formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost  calling it a "great honor" for the United States to have its first pope.

The decision followed several rounds of voting over two days. When white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney late Thursday in Vatican City, the crowd, many of whom had been waiting for hours, erupted in cheers. As the smoke filled the sky and church bells rang across St. Peters Square, it signaled the election of the new leader of the Churchs 1.4 billion members.

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Moments later, Pope Leo XIV stepped onto the red velvet-draped central balcony to greet the thousands gathered below.

The historic election quickly drew reactions from around the world, including from U.S. leaders.

It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope, Trump wrote on Truth Social. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Though Trump expressed admiration for the appointment, Pope Leo XIV is known for his outspoken views on social justice and migration, and has previously criticized U.S. immigration policies and rhetoric  including remarks directed at Vice President JD Vance, who had a meeting with the late Pope Francis just hours before the pontiffs death.

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The election of Pope Leo XIV has sparked both celebration and reflection across the globe.

Where is Pope Leo XIV from?

The newly elected official is originally from Chicago, though he has spent most of his life in Peru and Rome.

Prevost completed his secondary studies at the minor seminary of the Order of St. Augustine in 1973 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Villanova University in 1977.

He joined the Augustinian order in 1977, taking his first vows in 1978 and solemn vows in 1981. He was ordained a priest in Rome in 1982 by Archbishop Jean Jadot. He later earned a Licentiate and Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

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In 2023, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a significant role overseeing the appointment of bishops worldwide. This position elevated his profile within the Church and positioned him as a potential papal candidate.

During the discussions surrounding the selection of a new pope, many wondered whether the cardinals would continue Pope Franciss reformist path or steer the Church in a more conservative direction. The newly elected popes motto, In illo uno unum ('In the one Christ we are one'), reflects a commitment to unity  echoing the same spirit embodied by Pope Francis.

US officials, religious leaders react to Pope Leo XIV

U.S. officials and religious leaders reacted to the election of Pope Leo XIV. Among them were the Catholic Diocese of Austin and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, both representing Catholic leadership in the U.S.

The House GOP offered congratulations from congressional Republicans, while Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee and Catholic, shared praise from the Democratic side.

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Kerry Kennedy, a human rights activist and self-proclaimed "progressive Catholic," also welcomed the new popes election, noting her excitement that he shares a name with her father, Robert F. Kennedy

"Our hearts are filled with joy and gratitude for our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. In Gods good providence and with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Cardinals have provided the Church with a new shepherd."- Fr. James Misko, Diocesan Administratorhttps://t.co/VWPt9RFwXw  Diocese of Austin (@AustinDiocese) May 8, 2025

Congratulations to the newly elected head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV!



A native of Chicago, Illinois, Pope Leo XIV is the first American Pope.



May God bless you, and may He guide you. pic.twitter.com/I2sxj5xjHv  House Republicans (@HouseGOP) May 8, 2025

Overjoyed at the election of Pope Leo XIVthe first American Pope!



He chose the name Leo in honor of Leo III, the intellectual force behind Catholic social teaching. In his first words, he called on us to stand in solidarity with those who suffer and to work for peace. A vital pic.twitter.com/kZACtBviKC  Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) May 8, 2025

Our Holy Father, Leo XIV pic.twitter.com/BrXtLEtCyq  U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (@USCCB) May 8, 2025

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Congratulations to the first American-born pope, Pope Leo XIV.



As a Catholic, I'm filled with joy and hope. May God bless him.  Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) May 8, 2025

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Trump eager to meet Pope Leo XIV, first-ever US pope
US President Donald Trump said he plans to talk to Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 8 May about the "economic partnership" agreement ratified by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament).

Source: Trump at the White House, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Trump told reporters that the US has "just concluded the rare earth deal with Ukraine".

"It has been fully ratified and approved by their legislature branches. So we appreciate that. And Ill be speaking with the president [of Ukraine  ed.] in a little while, little bit later," he announced.

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The US leader said that the US now has "access to a massive amount of very, very high-quality rare earth [metals]".

Background:

On Thursday, the Verkhovna Rada voted to ratify the minerals deal with the United States and to establish a joint Ukrainian-American investment fund for reconstruction.

Yuliia Svyrydenko, Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, said earlier that the US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund would be launched within weeks.

Earlier, European Pravda revealed the main details of the agreement, which includes 57 minerals and US military aid.

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WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump said Thursday that hes dropping his controversial pick for U.S. attorney in D.C., Ed Martin.

We have somebody else that will be great, Trump told reporters at the White House. I was disappointed. A lot of people were disappointed, but thats the way it works sometimes.

Its an early defeat for Trump, though Martins nomination was already looking like it was over. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Tuesday that he wouldnt support him in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It only takes one Republican in the committee to sink a nominee, assuming all Democrats vote no. In this case, they were all certainly going to oppose Martin, given his extreme background.

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Martin, a far-right MAGA supporter who previously had no prosecutorial experience, has been serving as the interim U.S. attorney for D.C. since Trump appointed him to the temporary post in January. Hes essentially spent the last few months proving his fealty to Trump: He fired more than a dozen federal prosecutors involved in criminal cases tied to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. He dropped cases against Jan. 6 defendants. He launched probes into Trumps political enemies.

Time was running out for Martin to get confirmed before his interim post expires on May 20. After that, judges on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia can appoint someone else to the spot until the Senate confirms someone. They would not have picked Martin.

Trump suggested he was too busy with other things to keep fighting to try to get Martin confirmed. He said he plans to announce someone else for the job in the next two days.

I have so many different things that Im doing now, with the trade, you know, he told reporters. One person, I can only make  boom  I can only lift that little phone so many times in a day.

President Donald Trump is dropping his controversial nominee, Ed Martin, after he faced opposition from a key Republican senator, Thom Tillis. Associated Press

Tillis said he specifically opposed Martin because he was nominated to be U.S. attorney in the district where the Jan. 6 insurrection happened  where Martin was dropping cases against people who participated in it.

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Im thinking about future January 6ths, Tillis told HuffPost earlier this week. If there is, we got to make it very clear, you come into the Capitol, youre going to get fined. Youre going to prison. You made a bad mistake.

His comments appeared to leave the door open to him potentially supporting Martin in a different role, and on Thursday, Trump suggested he has other plans for Martin.

Hopefully we can bring him into, whether its [the Justice Department] or whatever, in some capacity, the president said.

Progressive advocacy groups, which have been loudly opposing Martins nomination to this job, signaled theyll be keeping an eye on him going forward.

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Ed Martin is a grave threat to civil liberties and the rule of law, so any news indicating that he will no longer be President Trumps legal pointman in D.C. is good news for the nation, Emily Peterson-Cassin, director of corporate power at Demand Progress, said in a statement.

But this threat is far from over, she said. Martins long, documented history of shamelessly playing politics with the rule of law should disqualify him from working anywhere in government, let alone the Justice Department. We call on President Trump to keep Martin far away from any position of power.
By Andrea Shalal and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he expects there to be substantive negotiations between the United States and China on trade this weekend and predicted that punitive U.S. tariffs on Beijing of 145% would likely come down.

Trump's comments, made at the White House while unveiling the details of a new trade agreement between the United States and Britain, represent the latest sign of a softening tone between the world's two biggest economies, which have been locked in a standoff over tariffs and trade. After more than two months of no movement toward a rapprochement, the two sides this week announced they were sending top officials to Switzerland for talks this weekend.

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Trump's team meanwhile has been working on multiple trade deals after the president paused reciprocal tariffs for most nations to ease a trade war that upended financial markets and U.S. relationships with friends and foes.

He did not pause tariffs on China, however, and terse comments from Washington and Beijing about their dispute have raised questions about the economic ramifications of a long trade war between them.

Trump on Thursday indicated the United States could make a move to ease those tensions by reducing the levies, saying "it could be" when asked whether he would consider lowering the rate if talks went well.

"You can't get any higher. It's at 145, so we know it's coming down," Trump said. "I think it's a very friendly meeting. They look forward to doing it in an elegant way."

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This weekend's talks will involve U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer and China's economic tsar He Lifeng sitting down in neutral Switzerland and are seen as a first step toward resolving a trade war disrupting the global economy.

Trump said he believed China very much wanted to make a deal. He said he would like to see China open up its economy.

"I think we're going to have a good weekend with China. I think they have a lot to gain. I do think they have far more to gain than we do, in a sense," Trump said.

Asked if he would speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping after the talks, Trump said he might.

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"I might, yeah, sure," Trump said.

The president has long expressed admiration of Xi while acknowledging differences on trade and placing blame on China for the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trade has been a particular concern of the president's, however. Trump said China had a "tremendous trade surplus" with the United States and wanted that to change. "I would like to see China open," he said.

Trump set an optimistic tone going into the weekend talks.

"I think it's going to be substantive," he said. "China wants to do something, and look, they have to at this point."

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Jeff Mason; Editing by Mark Porter and Chizu Nomiyama)
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the universal 10% tariff on imported goods is here to stay  and may soon be the floor, not the ceiling.

Some will be much higher because [other countries] have massive trade surpluses and, in many cases, they didnt treat us right, Trump said during an Oval Office event where he announced an initial trade agreement with the United Kingdom, his first under the sweeping tariff regime he launched last month.

The agreement, which Trump called a good deal for both sides, keeps tariffs on British goods at that 10% baseline  a rate the U.S. imposed on most trading partners in early April. The president, in his April 2 Liberation Day announcement, also implemented heavy reciprocal tariffs on certain countries, although those have largely been paused.

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Trump said the U.K. earned its 10% rate thanks to what he described as a history of respect and fair treatment in its dealings with the U.S.

One thing with U.K. ... they always treated us with great respect, he told reporters, dismissing any suggestion that the 10% tariffs were a template for future deals. Thats a low number  they made a good deal.

But the president said that few others should expect similar treatment.

While the U.S.-U.K. agreement is limited in scope and incomplete, the White House seems to hope it will still project momentum  and apply some pressure on others. Next, eyes will turn elsewhere to see what kind of deals other countries can (and are willing to) negotiate.

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We have many meetings planned today and tomorrow, Trump said from the Oval Office. And every country wants to be making deals.

Crucial negotiations are expected to happen this weekend with China, on which Trump has imposed a 145% levy on all of the countrys imported goods; China has retaliated with a 125% tariff on goods imported from the U.S.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are set to meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Switzerland on Saturday.

While testifying on Capitol Hill earlier this week, Bessent said hed be surprised if we dont have more than 80% or 90% of [trade deals] wrapped up by the end of the end of the year. And that may be much sooner.

For now, that universal 10% tariff isnt just a starting point  its the price of admission.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States had reached a breakthrough trade deal with Britain.

"It's a very big deal right now," Trump told reporters at the White House, adding there would be adjustments made to the pact going forward.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Jeff Mason)
President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled a newly minted trade deal with the United Kingdom, the first since he announced, then paused, a sweeping array of new international trade tariffs in early April.

While details of the new agreement were sparse, Trump said negotiations led to a great deal for both parties that will open up new markets for U.S. companies while protecting both British and American workers.

The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol, and virtually all of the products produced by our great farmers, Trump said in a Thursday morning press conference.

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined the press event remotely and lauded the agreement as an incredible platform for the future.

Whats in the deal?

While a blanket, 10% tariff that was included in Trumps April 2 Liberation Day announcement will remain in place, a fact sheet published by the White House outlined some broad aspects of the agreement, including:

Significantly expanding U.S. market access in the UK, creating a $5 billion opportunity for new exports for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers that includes more than $700 million in ethanol exports and $250 million in other agricultural products, like beef.

Creating a tariff carveout for the first 100,000 vehicles imported into the U.S. by UK car manufacturers each year which will be subject to the reciprocal rate of 10%. Additional vehicles each year are subject to the current 25% rate in import automobiles.

Committing the countries to working together to enhance industrial and agricultural market access.

Closing loopholes and increasing U.S. firms competitiveness in the UKs procurement market.

Ensuring streamlined customs procedures for U.S. exports.

Establishing high standard commitments in the areas of intellectual property, labor, and environment.

Maximizing the competitiveness and securing the supply chain of U.S. aerospace manufacturers through preferential access to high-quality UK aerospace components.

Creating a secure supply chain for pharmaceutical products.

Trump told reporters that there were numerous other trade deals in progress and said he was optimistic about a meeting scheduled in Switzerland this weekend where Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their Chinese counterparts to discuss economic and trade issues.

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Trump also signaled he was optimistic about reaching a new trade agreement with the European Union though he characterized the 27-nation coalition as having been extremely unfair to the U.S. from an international trade perspective.

Trade tariffs to date

Trump announced a raft of country-specific reciprocal tariffs last month along with a blanket 10% levy on foreign imports. On April 9, the president declared a 90-day pause on the reciprocal trade fees but kept the 10% assessment in place. That same day, Trump also announced an increase on imports from China that raised the effective levy on most imports from the country to 145%.

Heres where new U.S. tariffs stand for the moment:
Over the first 100 days of his second administration, President Donald Trump, working in concert with Elon Musks DOGE proxywhich it still seems a stretch to consider a bona fide government agencyhas unleashed an onslaught against both our foundational democratic concepts and the civil service erected on top. Still, one of the less-noticed attacks on our democracy has been the siloing and use-case restrictions on government-collected data.

Yes, I know. People are being sent to a foreign gulag without charge or evidence. RFK Jr. is chipping away at vaccine development. Trump is about to drive the economy off a cliff. Yet here I am talking about something that sounds like what youd skim over in your annoying annual security training at work. Perhaps, then, itd be useful for us to start referring to this more as Trumps effort to collect a government dossier on nearly every person, nonprofit, and business in the country.

At this point, DOGE has either forced or tried to force access to IRS data systems, Social Security data, Selective Service records, Medicare data, Health and Human Services data, Securities and Exchange Commission data, National Labor Relations Board data, and Education Department student data, among other things, with the ultimate goal to make all these disparate information sources interoperable, either in one centralized system or in some other way that they can be compiled and searched together.

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Once more, the notion of immigration enforcement and the amorphous blob of national securitywhich at this point seems to encompass more federal policy areas than it excludeshave been the tip of the spear for an expansion of government powers and the surveillance state. A good chunk of this collection thus far has been reportedly oriented toward the administrations broader crackdown on immigration, which seems to have led a lot of people to tune it out. Plus, the government already has everyones data anyway, right? Who cares if one part of the government versus another gets access?

The problem, of course, is that you provided every piece of this data at different times, to different agencies, for different purposes. Think of it this way: You might give a friend a copy of the key to your apartment so that they can feed your cat while youre away. That is an authorization for that person to use the key in the ways that you agreed upon for the time that you agreed upon. If they then use your key to set up a meth lab in your living room, no one can plausibly say that you signed off on it simply because they had under certain circumstances been allowed to enter your home.

When most people think about cybersecurity issues, they think about it in terms of their credit score or getting a computer virus. When we think about this sort of government data aggregation, the historical precedents are the Japanese internment and the use of computer databases during the Third Reich, said Albert Fox Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project.

Data privacy itself seems to have slowly become a relic of another era, but you can at least in theory take measures to protect yourself from pervasive surveillance from private entities like Meta and Alphabet and Amazon. You cannot, however, do the same when it comes to the federal government. With DOGE data, when you opt out, its a felony; when you dont submit your tax returns, when you dont submit your Selective Service registration, said Fox Cahn. This is the only area of our lives where you know data is being collected whether we want it or not, and the penalty for protecting your privacy could mean going to jail.

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The obvious issue with the idea that this is all a system primarily for immigration enforcement is that of course its everyones data being sucked into these mass systems, and you cant exactly put the genie back in the bottle once the data is desiloed and combined; having these tools lying around would be eminently tempting for an authoritarian administrationan issue that is so predictable that it in fact was predicted by lawmakers decades ago.

Siloing has been partly sort of an accident; databases and systems evolved separately. But its also been deliberate. There is a reason for the Data Matching Act, which was an amendment to the Privacy Act, setting a whole series of restrictions that DOGE has flagrantly violated, said privacy advocate and blogger Edward Hasbrouck, referencing the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act passed all the way back in 1988. Among other things, the law requires the government to notify individuals if their data is being matched in federal databases and verify if the data is accurate before taking any adverse action as a result, which the administration is obviously ignoring.

Trumps own March 20 executive order on stopping waste, fraud, and abuse by eliminating information silos is specifically geared toward making all unclassified agency records, data, software systems, and information technology systems up for grabs to federal officials who want them to advance administration policies, throwing in a laughable nod of doing so to the maximum extent consistent with law. If theyre already tossing that bit of the law overboard, does anyone think that the administration wont reach for the use cases beyond immigration enforcement to target civil society more broadly?

Trump and his cadre have at this point shown themselves willing and able to attack individuals and civil society exclusively and explicitly as a result of their speech and political activity. The cases of Mahmoud Khalil, Rumeysa Ozturk, and Mohsen Mahdawi, among others, have been lumped under the broad banner of immigration enforcement, but immigration is merely the convenient mechanism by which their speech has been punished. None is accused of violating any immigration laws besides the provision on U.S. foreign policy interests that the administration is tortuously twisting into a broad prohibition on pro-Palestinian advocacy.

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In the targeting of academic institutions, nonprofits, and law firms, the administration has been just as open about the fact that it will bring the weight of the federal government down to bear on those that are advancing oppositional or even just disfavored political agendas. It doesnt take much imagination to tease out what form this obsession with regulating acceptable speech and political organizing could take if the Trump team could, with a few keystrokes, pull up a persons health records, tax records, business associations, registrations, and so on.

AI is making it possible to have the sort of surveillance that once was only targeted at political dissidents, the most high-profile government opponents, and to replicate that level of tracking for millions, said Fox Cahn, pointing to the manpower J. Edgar Hoover once devoted to surveilling Martin Luther King Jr. There were huge efforts to track the members of political dissident groups, and now you can use weaponized tax data to figure out the identities of donors to nearly every major political and social organization in the country.

In a few cases, DOGE has been sued over access to individual data streams. Even as Trump and Musk are already pretty clearly violating the law, Senators Ron Wyden and Ed Markey are now trying to reinforce data protections with a new bill that would clarify routine data uses, increase penalties for misuse, and expand the ability of courts to stop these data-collection and matching programs as theyre litigated. As Wyden told The New Republic, No one in the United States should have to worry that the government will illegally weaponize their private information against them. But Trumps administration is violating every law on the books to pillage Americans financial information, medical histories, and other private data.

Hasbrouck points out that, as has long been the case with faulty facial recognition technology, part of the danger is not only that the technologies will work perfectly but that they will not. Some of the worst things that were seeing happening are ultimately traceable back to the misfits between data thats being used for a purpose its not fit for, he said, pointing specifically to the case of the administrations abrupt cancellations of reportedly thousands of student visas in a way that was rumored to be algorithmic. Its obvious that what happened was that some kind of visa database was matched against [the FBIs National Crime Information Center database] on the erroneous assumption that NCIC was an authoritative, accurate database of everybody who has a criminal conviction, which it isnt.

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After hundreds of lawsuits, the administration was forced to reverse course on the cancellations but never explained in open court how it picked out the students to target. In general, what is or isnt happening with this matched data is at this point pretty much a matter of speculation, given that we have a partial picture at best. Revelations have mostly come not from public announcements or official acknowledgments but from court documents, leaks, and diligent reportingincluding the laudable work of our colleagues at Wired. The wrecking-ball nature of the administration and DOGEs fundamental incompetence probably mean that theyre not going to be able to obscure much of what theyre doing, but its still not particularly reassuring that what we know we know from mainly unofficial channels.

Who is auditing this? Are records even being kept of when the data is downloaded or modified or combined? Who has access, and do they have read/write power? We have at this point no real insight into what the plan is, or if there is a plan at all except, notably, for the involvement of the Peter Thielfounded data analytics company Palantir, which has been in the news plenty lately for being increasingly enmeshed in the Trump administration after years building its bona fides as a premier law enforcement and government-adjacent surveillance and data analytics company. Per Wired, the company was contracted to build some kind of mega API, or application programming interface, layered atop IRS data, precisely to make it more easily accessible and potentially interoperable.

Palantirs bread and butterwhat has made it an incredibly valuable company and left its founders enormously richis not the creation of data per se. The company is not really involved in the business of generating the databases it draws on. No, its technical innovations have been about taking those multiple data streams and stitching them together in ways that make them far more useful for drawing conclusions, building relational webs, and ostensibly predicting where, for example, crimes will be committed.

Hasbrouck worries that other private companies will be compelled to feed the beast, even if theyre not necessarily inclined to do so. Weve seen pressure being put on social media companies and media companies generally, publishers, to not be critical of the administration as the price of relaxing enforcement of various laws against them or giving them tariff benefits or whatever, he said. What I fear is that companies even outside of the space license-plate-reader aggregators, or Palantir, or whateverthe companies that started out with benign purposes for extensive data collectionmay find themselves, or may already be finding themselves, behind the scenes  pressured to collaborate to a greater degree than they have in the past.

Most authoritarian regimes sustain themselves in large part through broad surveillance and tight control of data flows that can feed into systems of semilegal pressure against potential dissidents and opponents. This is something the DOGE team seems to intuitively grasp, just as it grasps that framing this power grab as an immigration enforcement measurewhich, to be clear, is not in itself a good reason or a legal defensewill ward off public scrutiny. We should not fall for it.
Former presidents dont criticize their successors in public.

Or do they?

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden have all criticized President Donald Trump in recent months.

In April 2025, Obama, for example, spoke about the importance of preserving the international order, meaning the system of rules, norms and institutions that have been active since World War II. He said: And this is an important moment, because in the last two months, we have seen a U.S. government actively try to destroy that order and discredit it. And the thinking, I gather, is that somehow, since we are the strongest, were going to be better off if we can just bully people into doing whatever we want.

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Biden also offered his own negative comments on April 15: In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage, he said in his first public remarks since leaving office.

Some commentators have called these former presidents remarks unprecedented.

Many Americans are accustomed to former presidents not speaking about  let alone criticizing  the current president.

As a scholar of the presidency, I know that most presidents stay quiet about their successors, regardless of what the current president does or says. They do this to avoid undermining both their own reputations as well as the stability of the presidency itself.

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But I am also struck by the fact that this tradition is not as entrenched as former presidents might claim or as many Americans believe.

President Jimmy Carter and his Republican challenger, Ronald Reagan, shake hands as they meet on a debate stage in 1980. Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images

Presidents who bucked the norm

President George Washington established the precedent that presidents retire after two terms and steer clear of public statement. John Quincy Adams, the sixth U.S. president, established a different model.

After Adams lost his bid for reelection in 1828 to Andrew Jackson, he served in the House of Representatives from 1831 through 1848. Congress is an unusual perch for a former president, but its a place where criticizing sitting presidents and their policies is part of the job. Adams had plenty of criticism there for his successors, including Jackson and James K. Polk.

Nearly half a century later, President Teddy Roosevelt was disappointed that his hand-picked successor, William Howard Taft, failed to live up to Roosevelts vision of reform. Roosevelt went from criticizing Taft privately in political circles to campaigning against him publicly in 1912, aiming to win a nonconsecutive second term. Democrat Woodrow Wilson eventually won that election, beating out Taft and Roosevelt.

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Richard Nixon, who, in 1974, became the only president to resign from office, wrote a series of books in the 1980s and 1990s that sought to redeem his own sullied image by casting himself as a visionary statesman. Nixons books also included plenty of unsolicited advice  and implicit criticism  for Democratic and Republican presidents alike.

Before becoming the beloved elder statesman of the former presidents club in 1980, Jimmy Carter earned the ire of his successors for his outspokenness. He said that President Ronald Reagans administration was an aberration on the political scene and said that one of Clintons political pardons was disgraceful.

With the exception of Roosevelt, these former presidents who criticized their successors all felt they had something to prove. Anxious to redeem their legacies, they did not retire quietly.

A healthy foray into retirement

So why dont we all know these stories, and instead believe that past presidents simply keep their mouths shut?

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Americans have long treated presidential retirement as a symbol of a healthy democracy. And that story of retirement emphasizes how former presidents often leave politics behind them.

The trajectory of presidents finding peace and contentment in retirement, surrounded by friends and family, is an appealing way for presidential biographers to end a story. These stories have included narratives about Harry Truman taking a cross-country road trip only months after leaving the White House in 1953, and George W. Bush taking up painting.

In reality, former presidents have led complex lives of happiness and loss, withdrawal and engagement. The energy and ambition that brought them to the White House often make retirement difficult. And, over the long history of the presidency, former presidents have become increasingly public figures.

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, George W. Bush and Barack Obama are seen with Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush at the inauguration of Donald Trump on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A shifting role

Another important factor in the growing prominence of former presidents is how their roles have recently changed.

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Beginning in the 1990s, former presidents and first ladies tried to publicly show friendship and agreement with their counterparts.

George H.W. Bush and Clinton, for example, teamed up to raise money for disaster relief after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in South and Southeast Asia. In 2017, Bushs son George W. Bush, himself a former president by that time, called Clinton his brother with a different mother.

Former first lady Michelle Obama and Barack Obama have publicly thanked George W. Bush and Laura Bush for helping their family adjust to life in the White House. Michelle Obama has also become known for her personal friendship with George W. Bush.

And as medical advances enabled former presidents to live longer than ever, the relationships within a growing former presidents club became the subject of books, movies and television segments.

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All of these stories had the same message  that all presidents are committed to their country. Likewise, the amiable relationship between former and sitting presidents shows that if party leaders could overcome partisanship in the name of unity and friendship, so too could other Americans.

In a remarkable moment, for example, three presidents from two different parties  Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama  came together for a video before Bidens 2021 inauguration to call for unity in a moment of crisis.

Following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, they used their connection as presidents to tell a national story. As Bush said, Well, I think the fact that the three of us are standing here talking about a peaceful transfer of power speaks to the institutional integrity of our country.

Americas a generous country, people of great hearts. All three of us were lucky to be the president of this country, Bush continued.

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The Republican former president looked at the Democrats on either side of him and smiled.

A new kind of presidential relations

While friendships between presidents became more common in the 1990s and 2000s, Clinton and especially Trump were doing something different by the 2016 election.

In 2016, Clinton became an active partisan in support of his wife, Hillary Clinton, during her unsuccessful bid for president.

Both Clintons remained public critics of Trump long after he assumed office in 2017.

For his part, Trump as a politician and then president immediately dismissed the notion of friendship with his predecessors and former competitors. He was quick to condemn Hillary Clinton  and especially Obama  in the early years of his first presidency.

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No sooner did Trump lose the 2020 election than he was heaping public scorn on Biden with an energy that only increased after Trump entered the 2024 race.

Trumps criticism of Biden did not stop after his 2024 victory, with the White House issuing statements like a pledge to turn back the economic plague unleashed by the Biden Administration.

Trump has escalated attacks on other presidents. But he was not the first to criticize his successors or predecessors.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Peter Kastor, Washington University in St. Louis

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Peter Kastor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
President Donald Trump has named one-half of a fast-rising MAHA influencer duo as his new pick for Surgeon General.

Trump announced Wednesday that he will be nominating Dr. Casey Means, 37, as Americas top doctor after pulling his nomination for Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwatjust a day before she was set to face the Senate.

Casey has impeccable MAHA credentials, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Her academic achievements, together with her lifes work, are absolutely outstanding. Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History.

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He failed to mention, however, that she placed her Oregon medical license on inactive status last January, state records show. Her website also states that she is no longer seeing patients and is not able to comment on specific medical conditions or provide any medical guidance.

Nesheiwat, whose nomination was withdrawn following questions about her medical credentials, will be assigned elsewhere in the Health Department.

Means and her brother Calley are credited with shaping Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedys Make America Healthy Again movement, which casts doubt on traditional medical expertise in favor of a more holistic approach that merges science and spirituality.

The siblings share Kennedys distrust of Big Pharma and the food industry, advocating for bans on certain chemicals in food and water, stripping vaccine makers of liability protections, and healthier school lunches in podcast interviews and on their social media pages.

The idea that its controversial that we should BOTH trust unbiased scientific information AND our divine intuition is a sign of darkness in our culture, Means wrote in an Instagram post last year. Of COURSE we should trust our heart intelligence and divine intuition instead of BLINDLY trusting the science.

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Means, a Stanford-educated doctor, said the science was a weird new mind-control term that silences the industry-sponsored narrative and is in fundamental opposition to the ACTUAL scientific method.

She dropped out of her medical residency at age 30 after growing frustrated with what she described to The Wall Street Journal as a system that trains doctors to treat symptoms but not resolve the underlying health problems.

Instead, Means focused on functional medicine, founding the health tracking app Levels in 2019, which connects to wearable glucose monitors.

Means and Calley caught Kennedys eye last year with their skepticism of the healthcare system, which was amplified in interviews with big names like Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan.

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Means has repeatedly expressed concern about aluminum in government-mandated vaccines, claiming that these metals are neurotoxic and inflammatory. The small amount of aluminum in vaccines helps strengthen the bodys immune response to the shot and has not been proven to cause toxicity normally associated with high levels of aluminum.

In her wishlist for the second Trump administration, Means also urged a review of the childhood vaccination schedule, which she argued was causing health declines in vulnerable children.

The siblings also authored the book Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health, which a Trump official reportedly described as the administrations policy playbook for its war against chronic disease.

The Journal reported in November that Means was Kennedys top pick for surgeon general or commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

We need a health disruptor in America, Means said in January as she vouched for Kennedys Senate confirmation as health secretary. President Trumps victory is INEXTRICABLE from RFK Jr, and people voted for a coalition that promised a healthier future for America.
President Donald Trump announced a trade agreement with the UK on Thursday.

Tariffs on UK steel and aluminium exports have been removed, and tariffs on autos reduced to 10%.

The deal will bring opportunities worth $5 billion to US exporters, Trump's commerce secretary said.

President Donald Trump said he was "thrilled" to have reached a trade deal with the UK.

In a televised phone call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, the President said the agreement would bring billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports.

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Trump said the UK would eliminate "numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products" and fast-track US goods through its customs process.

"There won't be any red tape, things are going to move very quickly both ways," he said.

He thanked Starmer and his team, calling the UK one of America's "closest and most cherished allies."

Starmer thanked Trump and called it a "fantastic, historic day," adding: "I'm so pleased that we've got this deal, we finalized it, and we've built an incredible platform for the future."

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Following the call, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick outlined further details of the deal to reporters in the Oval Office.

He said the agreement opened up new markets for ethanol, beef, machinery, and agricultural products, bringing "$5 billion of opportunity to American exporters."

The UK would be buying $10 billion worth of Boeing planes, Lutnick said.

In return, the higher tariff rate of 27.5% on UK cars exported to the US will be reduced to 10%, and tariffs on steel and aluminium reduced to zero.

'Open for business'

The Trump administration's blanket 10% tariff on other goods remains in place.

"This Deal shows that if you respect America, and bring serious proposals to the table, America is OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Many more to come  STAY TUNED!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

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The UK government has been seeking an agreement to lower tariffs since Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs imposed a 10% levy on UK goods and higher rates of 25% on steel, aluminum, and cars.

Reducing tariffs on cars  the UK's top export to the US, worth almost $12 billion  had been a key priority for Starmer.

Many global leaders have been seeking to negotiate with the Trump administration to lessen the impact of the sweeping tariffs he announced on April 2.

The UK is the first country to formally ease economic tensions with Trump.

The new Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, met with Trump this week. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Trump's declaration that Thursday's deal would be the "first of many" suggests he's ready to soften his approach to global trade relations.

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Last week, the president said he had "potential" trade deals lined up with India, South Korea, and Japan.

Trump's approval rating has taken a hit, and recent polling has found that Americans have soured on his handling of the economy.

Uncertainty still pervades Trump's economic maneuvers. During an Oval Office meeting this week with the new Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, Trump said he didn't need to make trade agreements.

"We don't have to sign deals. They have to sign deals with us. They want a piece of our market  we don't want a piece of their market," he said.

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Other countries, such as China, have retaliated rather than negotiate. The US now has tariffs of up to 245% on imports from China, a manufacturing hub . Beijing has retaliated with 125% tariffs on US goods.

For the UK, the deal with the US is its second significant win after it secured a landmark trade deal with India earlier this week.

Negotiating international trade deals has become a key priority for the UK since its 2016 vote to leave the European Union made it necessary to strike new agreements.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Donald Trump will announce a new trade deal with the UK this morning. Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at Columbia University. And a disability slur is inching back into the mainstream.

Heres what to know today.

Trump to announce trade deal with Britain this morning

President Donald Trump said early this morning that he will sign a trade deal with Britain, America's first since he announced sweeping global tariffs that hammered markets and threaten to upend the global economy.

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In posts on Truth Social ahead of an expected 10 a.m. ET press conference, the president said "the agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come."

This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

"Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement. Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow," Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly suggested that foreign nations are eager to ink a deal with Washington to avoid the worst effects of the wave of levies he announced last month, but this would be the first such deal.

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Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro raised the prospect of 90 deals in 90 days after the tariffs were announced  but 36 days since liberation day, the deal with Britain would be the first.

On Tuesday, an obviously frustrated Trump told reporters that he wishes they would, you know, stop asking, How many deals are you signing this week? Because one day well come and well give you 100 deals. And they dont have to sign.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said his planned meeting this weekend with Chinese officials in Switzerland amounts to an early phase of negotiations that is not as far along as talks with less-crucial nations. Bessent also told a House subcommittee this week that negotiations were occurring with just 17 trading partners and that the majority should be wrapped up by the end of the year  not within the three-month window Trump set last month.

Read the full story here.

More politics news:

The White House withdrew the nomination of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to serve as U.S. Surgeon General, days after right wing provocateur Laura Loomer criticized Nesheiwat. Trumps new nominee is Dr. Casey Means, a Stanford graduate who has close ties to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and is a proponent of metabolic health.

Why Trumps recent mention of Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a potential successor in 2028 is notable  but not surprising .

The House is expected to vote today on legislation that would make the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America federal law.

Trumps first major foreign trip of his second term will be next week to Saudi Arabia , repeating his 2017 decision and once again bypassing other longtime allies.

Vice President JD Vance said the Trump administration believes Russia is asking for too much during talks to end the war in Ukraine.

Trumps words undermine DOJs argument about deportations to El Salvador

Chief U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg used the words of President Donald Trump and members of his administration at a hearing yesterday in questioning a Justice Department attorney about who has constructive custody of the men sent to El Salvadors CECOT facility. Plaintiffs have a lot of facts in your favor in arguing that the U.S., not El Salvador, has constructive custody, which refers to the legal notion that people can be held at the behest of the government even if they are not held in its physical custody.

Guards escort inmates alleged to be linked to criminal organizations at Latin America's largest prison in Tecoluca, El Salvador, on March 16. (Salvadoran Government / Getty Images)

Boasberg brought up the instance last week in which Trump said that he could have Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was wrongly deported, returned to the U.S. with a phone call. In addition, press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said the U.S. was paying El Salvador approximately $6 million to keep the men, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said CECOT was one of the tools in our tool kit that the U.S. could use.

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So, was the president telling the truth or not, Boasberg asked in yesterdays hearing. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Abishek Kambli responded, That goes towards the presidents belief about influence he has. Influence does not equate to constructive custody. Read the full story here.

The case regarding the men sent to El Salvador continues to be litigated as the Trump administration reportedly aims to send migrants from the Philippines, Vietnam and Laos, among other countries, to Libya as early as this week. Yesterday, a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order preventing migrants from being sent to the north African country or any other third country after immigration attorneys filed an emergency motion.

Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Columbia University

At least 80 people were detained last night after protesters took over a room of Columbia Universitys Butler Library in a resurgence of the on-campus pro-Palestinian demonstrations that rocked the nation last spring.

Around 3:30 p.m. yesterday, demonstrators, many wearing keffiyehs, stormed into Butler Library, chanting slogans and facing off with police and campus security officers.

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Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a group that calls on the university to divest its ties from Israel, publicized an emergency rally on social media and said more than 100 actionists reclaimed the reading room.

The university, which says two Columbia Public Safety Officers were injured in a crowd surge as people tried to force their way into the library, waited hours after the disruptions began to request police assistance.

Heres what else we know about the protest.

Black smoke, no pope as wait continues on day 2 of the conclave

Black smoke was seen over the Vatican again this morning, indicating that the more than 130 red-robed cardinals from around the world have yet to select a replacement for Pope Francis. All eyes are on the chimney above the Sistine Chapel for the results of the morning and afternoon votes. Black smoke, as seen yesterday evening at the end of Day 1, signals the cardinals have not selected a new pope. White smoke will mean a new pope has been selected. Follow our live blog for updates throughout the day.

Read All About It

Pilots and air traffic controllers said they work in constant fear of losing radio contact with pilots as planes fly in and out of Newark airport, but the FAA has done little to fix outdated technology or staffing shortages.

Three former Memphis police officers were cleared of all state charges in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, whose death two years ago sparked nationwide protests.

The best and brightest young scientists at the University of Washington, at top school for biomedical research, are looking at opportunities beyond the U.S. as federal funding cuts throw their plans into question.

A Virginia homeowner has been charged with second-degree murder and other charges in the fatal shooting of a teenager who was filming a ding-dong ditch pink for a TikTok video.

Staff Pick: The R-word inches back into the mainstream

Justine Goode / NBC News; Getty Images

Once a nickname for a medical term, the R-word became an insult by the 1990s and early 2000s. Now, according to people in right-leaning and anti-political correctness worlds, the word is back, and they consider it a triumph in the cultural battle over language.

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We noticed the word being used more in the last few months, including by high-profile figures like Joe Rogan and Elon Musk. Sure, the "R-word" has percolated in the comedy world for years and has been used by some on the left and condemned by others on the right. But this time, the words resurgence serves as the latest example that the tide has turned both culturally and politically against those seeking to keep it out of the lexicon.  Pilar Melendez, breaking news editor

NBCU Academy: A day in the life of an NBC News field producer

NBC News field producers. (Ben Pu)

The stories you see on NBC Nightly News wouldnt happen without a field producer. Field producers pitch, write, edit, coordinate logistics, direct the news shoot and decide how the story will unfold on-air. In other words, they make sure the news gets made.

As NBC News field producer Shanshan Dong explains it: You do the planning. You work out the execution. You are there to make sure everything runs smoothly, and to step up when there are problems and fix them.

Watch as Dongs team coordinates a story in the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires.

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NBCU Academy is a free, award-winning education program for developing new skills and advancing careers in journalism, media and tech.

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

The NBC Select team has tested out dozens of running shoes. Here are our favorite mens running shoes for beginners and seasoned athletes alike. Plus, are you frustrated with messy sunscreens? These expert-recommended sunscreen sticks can help protect your skin without the residue.

Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.

Thanks for reading todays Morning Rundown. Todays newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson and Nick Duffy. If youre a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The Trump administration is considering releasing the audio of former president Joe Bidens interview with special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Bidens handling of classified documents and released a report questioning the former presidents mental acuity.

No plans have been finalized, as President Donald Trump and his advisers have not made a concrete decision, two Republicans briefed by Trump officials told Politico.

But Bidens team is reportedly preparing for the audio to be released.

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The audio would likely negatively contribute to Bidens image, given Hurs final report, released last year, depicted the former president as a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.

Former president Joe Bidens cognition became a huge point of contention last year when special counsel Robert Hur described him as having a poor memory in his final report (Getty)

Hur, who was tapped to investigate Bidens alleged mishandling of classified documents, said Biden appeared to have significant limitations and could not remember key moments of his life, such as when he was vice president or when his son Beau Biden died. Hur said Biden also had a hazy memory when recalling the events of Afghanistan.

Biden defended himself, saying the interview was exhaustive and asked him to recall events going back more than 40 years. The former president highlighted his cooperation with investigators, saying he provided the special counsel with at least 10 hours of interviews over two days.

But Republicans clung to Hurs findings about Bidens memory and demanded former attorney general Merrick Garland release the audio tapes  a request that the White House rejected.

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At the time, politicians were preparing for the 2024 presidential election, and Bidens physical and mental fitness were a major point of contention between Republicans and Democrats.

For refusing to turn over the audio files, Republicans accused Democrats of staging a cover-up to make Biden appear more fit than he was.

Special counsel Robert Hur declined to bring criminal charges against Biden for his mishandling of classified documents, which were found his garage and personal office (Getty Images)

"We all know why they don't want to turn over the audio because it will ... show exactly what we all saw on the debate stage a couple weeks ago," Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said in July  a reference to Bidens poor debate performance against Trump.

The White House contended it did not release the tapes to prevent future witnesses from cooperating in high-profile cases out of fear of later retribution.

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The Independent has reached out to the White House and a representative for Biden for comment.

The Trump administration will need to decide relatively soon because a judge overseeing a lawsuit brought by the House Judiciary Committee to compel the Justice Department to release the tapes has ordered the parties to file a joint motion by the end of May to resolve the matter without further litigation.

However, if the Trump administration does choose to release the tapes, it would be bypassing Bidens claim that executive privilege shields the audio from being released. That could set a precedent for other judges to point to if there were to be a similar matter involving Trump, who often points to executive privilege to justify his own actions.
President Trump sent his well wishes to the new American Pope, Robert Prevost  even though the new pontiff has been critical of the president, his administration and the White Houses treatment of migrants.

Prevost, who has taken the name Pope Leo XIV, has shared several highly critical posts about Trump and his immigration policies on X.

One scathing post he retweeted read: There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.

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The Chicago-born cardinals most recent post questioned whether Trump and his administration see the suffering caused by their policies.

As Trump & Bukele use Oval to [laughing crying emoji] Feds illicit deportation of a U.S. resident, once an undoc-ed Salvadoran himself, no-DC Aux+Evelio asks, Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscious not disturbed? How can you stay quiet? the retweeted post read.

President Trump sent his well wishes to the new American Pope, Robert Prevost, despite the popes criticism of his policies. (AFP via Getty Images)

He has previously retweeted posts about Trumps bad hombres line fueling racism and messages in support of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

The new pope also shared an op-ed from the National Catholic Reporter titled: JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others, following comments the vice president made on Fox News in February.

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During the interview, Vance said, There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world. A lot of the far left has completely inverted that."

His comments drew ire from many Christians  including the new Catholic Pope, who shared an op-ed claiming Vance was wrong.

Despite his criticisms of Trump, the president expressed his excitement and hopes to meet the new Pope.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment! Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country, Trump said (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Political world reacts

Politicians quickly started paying homage to the first American pope. Former President Joe Biden, a Catholic, expressed his well wishes to the new pope, writing on X: Habemus papam - May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois. Jill and I congratulate him and wish him success.

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Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago! Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wrote on X. Congratulations to the first American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you back home soon.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also congratulated Pope Leo XIV on the historic accomplishment.

A historic moment as we witness the first American leading the Catholic Church. Hailing from Chicago, Pope Leox XIV ushers in a new chapter that I join those in our state welcoming in at a time when we need compassion, unity, and peace, he wrote on X.

Vance shared his congratulations to the new pontiff on X  despite the Popes previous criticism of him.

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Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him! Vance wrote.

Political leaders across the US expressed their support after Pope Leo XIV was named. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Former President Barack Obama praised Pope Leo XIV, writing on X, Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also offered congratulations to Pope Leo XIV.

I extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election as the 267th successor to Saint Peter. This is a moment of profound significance for the Catholic Church, offering renewed hope and continuity amid the 2025 Jubilee Year to over a billion faithful worldwide, he said in a statement.

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Rubio continued: The papacy carries a sacred and solemn responsibility. Jeanette and I are united in prayer for His Holiness, may the Holy Spirit impart wisdom, strength, and grace as he shepherds the Church. The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff.

However, not everybody in the political world was thrilled.

Far-right activist Laura Loomer jumped to Trumps defense on the popes previous cricitism, writing, The new Pope @drprevost supports illegal aliens and open borders. He retweeted tweets in support of dreamers aka illegals and attacked President Trumps use of the phrase bad hombres to describe violent illegal aliens. He thinks its a racist phrase.

Faithful Catholics cheered in the Vatican square, waved flags from countless countries in celebration as the news of the new pope was shared. (Getty Images)

Prevost, 69, who holds both American and Peruvian citizenship, also serves as the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, where nearly 40 percent of the worlds Catholics reside. The dual-citizen spent years in Peru, first as a missionary before becoming an archbishop.

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Faithful Catholics cheered in the Vatican square, waved flags from countless countries in celebration as the news was shared.

While many observers felt following the death of Argentine Pope Francis that cardinals would elect a European successor, the 69-year-old Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishop from Chicago, the largest Archdiocese in North America, was likely to be the top candidate from the Americas.

Pope Leo XIV was also favored by Pope Francis and was believed to be considered the main Bergoglian candidate, as an ally of the late head of the Vatican.
On a Sunday morning in early March, President Donald Trump greenlit a Truth Social post promoting a Crypto Strategic Reserve. Hours later, he felt like he'd been played.

That weekend at Mar-a-Lago, an employee of the lobby shop run by Brian Ballard who was attending a donor event at the resort, had personally buttonholed the president and encouraged him multiple times to tout his desire to promote the industry. She even gave him a copy of a message she thought he should write.

It was only after he posted that missive that Trump realized a company behind one of the tokens named in the post, Ripple Labs, was a Ballard client. He was furious and felt like hed been used, according to two people familiar with the incident who were granted anonymity to speak candidly.

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He is not welcome in anything anymore, the president told associates at the White House that month, the people said, referring to Ballard.

Ballard has been persona non grata in the West Wing ever since.

Since Trumps return to Washington, Ballard has established a reputation as perhaps the go-to lobbyist in town. Stories about his firm often note that he once employed White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Attorney General Pam Bondi. They routinely mention that his relationship with Trump goes back decades. Ballard represented the Trump Organization on and off over the years and hes been a top fundraiser for the presidents campaigns.

His image as a Trump whisperer has allowed his firm to rack up a staggering 130 new clients since the November election, including Chevron, JP Morgan, Palantir, Netflix, Bayer, United Airlines and T-Mobile. In April, POLITICOs parent company, Axel Springer, hired Ballard Partners to engage with the administration.

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Ballards firm hauled in $14 million during the first three months of 2025  more than triple its lobbying revenues from the same time a year ago.

But there is a chasm between Ballards reputation and how hes currently perceived in the West Wing.

Ballard has been at least temporarily iced out of the White House after the crypto post, as White House staff were instructed not to take meetings with him, according to the three people familiar with the matter. But the irritation with Ballard goes beyond that incident, five people close to Trump said. Some White House officials believe that he is cashing in on Trumps name, touting relationships with the president and Wiles that are not nearly as close as advertised.

One way to get yourself in the doghouse is for the president to think you're trading on his name, said another close Trump ally, who said Ballard overstates his importance and value.

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The president understands that lobbyists make money  he gets that. But I mean, to go out there and brag and hold yourself out?

The White House declined to comment.

In a statement, Ballard said he and his firm are accustomed to false accusations from unnamed sources due to the success our firm has enjoyed. He told POLITICO he has never touted his relationships with people in the West Wing to try to win clients, and he disputed the notion that he has been frozen out as well.

There is some evidence that he is not completely cut off. POLITICO has viewed invitations sent to Ballard for Trump fundraisers and records of a scheduled call with a senior Trump administration official since the March incident. And Ballard clients have secured face time with senior people in the administration, including earlier this week when the president met with executives from the NFL, which Ballard represents.

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[D]espite the efforts of these unnamed sources, Ballard Partners will continue to deliver results and effective advocacy for our clients as we have done for more than 25 years, he said.

As for the Truth Social incident, a Ballard associate said there was never an effort to mislead the president about the missive.

But the situation appears to have caused Ballard some business heartburn. Some Ballard clients have reached out to other Trump allies to try to get meetings with the president or his inner circle, according to two of the people.

Others close to the inner circle were more blunt.

Ballard is making himself out to be this all-powerful Trump lobbyist with unfettered access to the administration, but thats simply not true, said one of the four people.

Avalanche of new business

Since Trump won in November, Ballard has seen a deluge in new business, especially as Trump has brought to bear the full weight of his bully pulpit against perceived enemies.

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Ballards clients have seen some wins under Trump. TikTok, which hired the firm last fall, is still online in the U.S. thanks to Trumps vow not to enforce a ban on it temporarily. BMW, another Ballard client, will benefit from a partial tariff reprieve Trump announced last week, along with the rest of the auto industry.

One of the firm's first clients in D.C. was tobacco giant Reynolds American, which makes the best-selling menthol cigarette in the U.S. and went all in on Trump in last years election. That bet paid off days into his new administration, when Trump withdrew a proposal to ban menthol cigarettes.

And Ripple Labs, the crypto firm behind the XRP token named in Trumps crypto announcement, saw Trumps top financial regulator drop its appeal in a landmark enforcement case involving the company.

Ballard has also been a rainmaker for the president. A formidable fundraiser who chaired the Florida finance committees of every GOP presidential nominee since John McCain in 2008, he raised tens of millions of dollars for Trumps presidential campaigns and allied PACs. He served as finance vice chair for Trumps 2016 inaugural committee.

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Ballard set up shop in D.C. shortly after Trump was sworn in in 2017, as the business community and global leaders scrambled to make sense of the political novice in the White House. He quickly reeled in prominent clients and by the end of the firms first year in Washington, Ballard Partners was among the top-earning firms on K Street.

The firms lobbying revenues declined while Trump was out of office  though Ballard, which has a number of Democratic lobbyists on staff, remained competitive with other D.C. lobbying stalwarts.

Ballard Partners Washington office was its first location outside of Florida. Now, the firm has outposts in nearly a dozen cities across three continents. Last year, Ballard launched a series of strategic partnerships with government affairs firms around the globe, including in Canada, Japan, South Korea, Latin America, the U.K. and Italy.

The history of Ballard and Wiles

In some ways, Ballards reputation as the top Trump administration lobbyist was always amiss, given his past with the presidents chief of staff. Many Trump insiders who admire Wiles believe that Ballard pushed her out of his firm at a time when Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis was trying to ruin her career.

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Wiles had worked at Ballard Partners in Florida for years before departing in 2019, citing a health issue. At the time, DeSantis reportedly spread word that he told Ballard to fire her  though Ballard, like Wiles, has said that her exit had nothing to do with DeSantis.

Some thought their relationship has recovered since then. Wiles put on a good face as Ballard started to come into the fold during the 2024 campaign, declining to hold a grudge, two people close to her say. Plus, the money he put in Trumps campaign coffers was particularly welcome.

Susie puts the campaign first, said one of these Trump associates.



Still, much of Trumps inner circle  who are deeply loyal to the chief of staff  continued to view him with suspicion.

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People dont forget, the Trump associate said.

In his statement, Ballard said that Susie Wiles has been and will be my dear friend well beyond our time in politics and anyone who suggests otherwise is badly misinformed.

Ballards client list has also raised some eyebrows inside the White House. He recently signed on Harvard and PBS, both of which the president has gone after.

But the Truth Social episode was a turning point. That weekend, the Ballard employee at Mar-a-Lago more than once asked Trump to post the missive.

Hed been brushing her off  then she kept bothering him and then he finally just gave it to a staffer to put out, said one of the people familiar with what happened.

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Within minutes of the presidents posting, a furious David Sacks  the White House crypto czar  called Wiles to complain, according to three people familiar with what occurred. The White House was hosting a crypto summit in Washington the following week, and it looked bad that the president was singling out some companies for praise but not others.

Wiles, who hadnt been with the president that morning, started working the phones trying to find out what happened. Soon White House officials realized that one of the clients in the Truth Social post was Ballards  and that the tweet hadnt even mentioned Trumps own budding crypto company.

Trump would later follow up on the message in a second Truth Social post, adding the names of other crypto companies. But by then, it was too late  and Trump was furious.

Trumps aides were incensed, too, accusing Ballard of assigning his employee to get Trump to hawk his client. One of them, a top aide to the president, called and yelled at Ballard.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)  President Donald Trump's push to eliminate diversity initiatives on college campuses didn't stop minority students from staging their own celebration after the University of Kentucky canceled ceremonies to honor its graduates who are Black or from other historically marginalized groups.

Chalk it up as a lesson learned on how to think strategically to get a desired result.

Several dozen students, adorned in graduation caps and gowns, basked in the limelight Wednesday as their families and friends cheered them at the off-campus celebration. The graduates were honored for their years of academic work, and they received specialty regalia such as stoles and cords that they can wear at the schoolwide commencement later this week.

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Speakers offered words of encouragement to the graduates, while steering clear of the fallout over federal and state Republican efforts to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

You are charged with standing on our shoulders and doing bigger and better things, said Christian Adair, executive director of the Lyric Theatre, the acclaimed cultural center for Lexington's Black community where the celebration was held.

The Senior Salute program was organized after Kentucky's flagship university recently called off celebrations for minority graduates. The school said it would no longer host identity-based or special-interest graduation celebrations, citing federal and state policy changes and directives.

That's when members of the historically Black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha stepped up and became the driving force behind organizing the replacement celebration.

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The message that I wanted to send is that if you want something to happen, then you can just go make it happen yourself, said fraternity member Kristopher Washington, a key organizer of the new event and who is among the graduating students. "Theres no waiting for somebody else to do it for you.

UK's actions were disappointing, but not surprising, Washington said.

I already understood that the institution would likely look out for their own financial well-being before considering to do something ... for the students," he said.

Most of the new graduates and audience members Wednesday were Black, though the event was billed as multicultural and open to an array of students  including those who are LGBTQ+ or among the first in their families to finish college. Ushers included David Wirtschafter, a Lexington rabbi who wanted to show his support for the students and who praised them for refusing to accept the loss of a cherished celebration.

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Kudos to them for taking the initiative and leadership when these unfortunate circumstances unfolded, to organize this event for themselves, he said.

Around the country, universities have come under increasing pressure to get in line with the political agenda of Trumps administration, which already has frozen billions of dollars in grants for Harvard University, Columbia University and other colleges over allegations they haven't done enough to counter what the administration feels is antisemitism.

Trumps calls to eliminate any program that treats students differently because of their race have brought new scrutiny of affinity graduation ceremonies. The Education Department directed colleges to distance themselves from DEI with a letter in February. It said a 2023 Supreme Court decision outlawing the use of racial preferences in college admissions also applied to areas such as hiring, scholarships and graduation ceremonies.

Kentucky's Republican-dominated Legislature passed legislation this year to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at public universities.

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In a recent video defending the cancellations, university President Eli Capilouto said the decision came at a time when "every part of our university is under stress and scrutiny. The school said in a separate statement that it will celebrate all new graduates at its official commencement ceremonies.

We have made tough decisions  decisions that, in and of themselves, cause concern and in some cases, hurt, Capilouto said in the video. Canceling celebrations for people on our campus who havent always seen themselves reflected in our broader community is one example.

"We have taken that action because we believe thats what is required, and we believe complying with the law is the best way to protect our people and our continued capacity to support them, he added.

But its cancellation of the smaller celebrations to honor LGBTQ+, Black and first-generation graduates drew criticism from some students and relatives Wednesday. The events have long been seen as a way to build community and recognize the achievements and unique experiences of students from historically marginalized groups in society.

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Brandy Robinson was one of many family members who cheered on her nephew, Keiron Perez, at Wednesday's ceremony. She said it was important for relatives to share in the moment and she denounced UK's severing of ties to such events as a coward move.

To take those moments away from them out of fear, its just really disappointing, Robinson said.

Asked why the event was important to students, Alpha Phi Alpha's president, Pierre PetitFrere, said: It gives the students something to remember and know that, even given the circumstances of whats going on around the world, they are still being recognized for their hard work and fighting through whatever many hardships they may have faced throughout their time in college.

UK spokesman Jay Blanton said the school recognized how meaningful these celebrations have been to many," and said student groups are welcome to host events.

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While the university cant continue sponsoring these events, we will continue working to ensure all students feel seen, valued and supported, he said in a statement.

But Marshae Dorsey, a graduating senior who took part in Wednesday's celebration, said UK decided to roll over to the anti-DEI push, calling it "kind of like a slap in the face because something like this is so harmless.
I didnt go to Harvard. I was a poor kid from dusty, rural Oklahoma. Going to the University of Oklahoma was a stretch. Harvard was unimaginable.

In graduate school, I came face-to-face with Harvard students in a research competition (I didnt win). I joked that we got the same medical journals they did, we just had to wait a week for the pony express to deliver them. Over the ensuing years, as I worked developing drugs for epilepsy, neuropathic pain, Parkinsons and several other diseases, Harvard often had a part in it somewhere along the line. Such science doesnt come like a thunderbolt. It develops like building blocks, with many of those blocks placed by Harvard and their graduates. I met many of them along my career. Brilliant. Driven. And in mid-career Harvard allowed me to come there to study economics, finance and business law when I needed to learn how to successfully commercialize our discoveries.

More: What readers are saying about the president's first 100 days | Opinion

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The list of contributions by Harvard and Harvard graduates is way too long for this article. A very few of the medical highlights alone include the smallpox vaccine, anesthesia for surgery, appendectomy, insulin, iron lung, heart valve surgery, childrens heart surgery, pap smear, kidney transplant, oral contraceptives, cardiac pacemaker, blood storage, balloon catheter, telemedicine, PET scan, photochemotherapy, fetal heart monitoring, liver transplant and MRI.

The U.S. boasts the worlds leading research universities, with Harvard being our oldest, and arguably most revered. And thus, the obvious forefront of President Donald Trumps assault on education, knowledge and progress. He declared recently that all new federal research grants to Harvard should be blocked.

What is the price of divisive, nonsensical political ideology? Dying of a disease that could be preventable in the future? Your children and grandchildren suffering unnecessarily?

We dont have to do this. This is willful idiocy.

Ron Stratton

Ron Stratton attended Oklahoma public schools. He graduated from OU and completed a Ph.D. in Biological Psychology from the OU Health Sciences Center. He had a scientific and business career that spanned two continents and included developing new drugs for epilepsy, neuropathic pain, Parkinsons disease and others. He is now retired.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: It's a bad mistake for President Trump to attack Harvard | Opinion
By David Shepardson and Rajesh Kumar Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday will call for tens of billions of dollars to overhaul Americas strained air traffic control system to address crumbling infrastructure, dramatic staffing shortfalls and failing technology.

Key questions remain unanswered: Will it work? How long will it take? How much will Congress agree to spend? How will the government avoid the mistakes of prior reform efforts?

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Duffy, who will be joined by the CEOs of the largest five U.S. airlines on Thursday to unveil the Trump administration plan, has said the project will take three or four years.

"You are starting to see cracks in the system," Duffy said last week. "Everything - the hardware and the software - has to be redone."

President Donald Trump, in a post on his social media platform before the announcement, blamed current air traffic control problems on the previous Biden administration and vowed "I WILL FIX IT." He offered no details about the plan.

The Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control network's manifold woes have been years in the making, but a rush of high-profile mishaps, near-misses and a catastrophic crash in January have spiked public alarm and prompted new calls for action.

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A mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in January killed 67 people near Reagan Washington National Airport. On Thursday, another Army helicopter forced two flights to abort landings at Reagan.

Last week, controllers overseeing traffic at Newark Liberty International Airport lost communications with airplanes for at least 30 seconds because of a telecommunications and radar failure. Since then, hundreds of flights have been canceled or diverted at the airport just outside New York City.

A series of near misses between airplanes in recent months has further exposed the strain on air traffic control facilities and raised questions about pilot training amid repeated calls for reforms for years.

Fixing the system is a daunting task. Many of the 520 airports overseen by the FAA need new runway safety technology so controllers don't rely on binoculars to see airplanes.

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In 2022, for example, the FAA said it was working to end a long-ridiculed, decades-old practice of air traffic controllers using paper flight strips to keep track of aircraft. But adopting the change at 49 major airports will take the FAA until late 2029.

FOUR DAYS OFF EACH MONTH

The FAA is currently about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels and nearly all control towers have staffing shortages. FAA controller staffing has been relatively flat in recent years - despite significant hiring - and is down 10% from 2012 because of retirements and trainees failing to complete requirements.

Newark's airport has become the poster child for air traffic control issues. After the 30-second communications lapse, several controllers took leave on the same day, compelling United Airlines to cut 35 daily Newark flights - or 10% of its schedule.

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At many facilities, controllers are working mandatory overtime of up to 12 hours a day and six-day work weeks to cover shortages. That leaves just four days off each month for what air safety experts widely agree are high-stress jobs.

The FAA, which said in March it planned to hire 2,000 air traffic controller trainees this year, will offer retirement-eligible controllers who are under the mandatory retirement age of 56 a lump sum payment of 20% of their basic pay for each year they continue to work.

The Government Accountability Office in September said the FAA must take "urgent action" to address aging air traffic control systems.

GAO said 51 of the FAA's 138 air traffic control systems are unsustainable. The FAA told the GAO last year not to plan to complete modernization projects for many systems for at least a decade.

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Former Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen told Reuters "it's been a journey of incrementalism with the FAA - some things we got right, some things left to fester over time." One big question, he said, is who will oversee the project.

Trump has said a large company like Raytheon or IBM could be in charge.

It takes years for the FAA to replace outdated systems.

In January 2023, the failure of a key pilot messaging system disrupted more than 11,000 flights in the first nationwide U.S. ground stop since 2001. The FAA said last month it now plans to deploy a new "Notice to Airmen" system by September after two recent failures of the current system.

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A November 2023 report from an independent FAA panel found the agency's air traffic communications systems have been outdated for years and the agency can no longer get spare parts for many systems.

It cited aging FAA air traffic facilities with leaking roofs, broken elevators and heating and air conditioning systems and ancient surveillance radar systems that must soon be replaced at a cost of billions of dollars.

In 2017, then-President Donald Trump called for privatizing the air traffic control system by 2020 - a plan that went nowhere.

"We're proposing to take American air travel into the future finally," Trump said in 2017. "Our air traffic control system is stuck painfully in the past... We're still stuck with an ancient, broken, antiquated horrible system that doesn't work."

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Chris Sanders, Diane Craft and Mark Heinrich)
Reading about President Donald Trump wanting to change Veterans Day on Nov. 11 to Victory Day for World War I and creating May 8 as Victory Day for World War II veterans makes me wonder where it will all end.

The veterans of those two monumental conflicts deserve to be acknowledged for their efforts and sacrifices. But that minimizes the same work that veterans did on a lesser scale in other armed conflicts the U.S. was a part of in later years. What about Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and others? The flying bullets were no less lethal, and time and effort were just as serious as the World Wars.

Do we just forget about those? As a Vietnam veteran, I feel slighted for him to even consider the change. He may feel differently if he had served.

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Bob McElroy, Anderson

Vietnam Veteran Jim Taylor holds his American flag upside down as a sign of distress during the Tide Against Trump rally at Snow Hinton Park in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Thursday May 1, 2025, during President Donald Trumps visit to the University of Alabama campus.

Ohio's proposed voter ID law would hinder some eligible voters from registering

If Senate Bill 153 passes in Ohio, online and mail voter registration will end. Voter registration drives, like those run by the League of Women Voters, end.

Why? Youd have to prove your citizenship to register or update your registration by bringing a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization certificate to the Board of Elections or BMV in person. Real IDs dont count. This includes anyone whose name was changed after birth, including married women who changed their surnames (84%), and anyone who needs to update their voter registration address.

This voter suppression is also an unfunded mandate on the elections staff. In 2022, one million Americans registered or updated their voter registrations, with only 6% doing it in person. SB 153 could send an additional 18,800 people to go in person to the Ohio Boards of Elections.

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Letter: Voters who put faith in Trump need to admit they made a huge mistake

Similar laws were tested in other states. In Kansas, it was struck down because it prevented eligible voters from registering.

Lets not make a working process less efficient and terribly costly. Educate yourself and tell your Ohio legislators to vote against SB 153.

Claire Wagner, Colerain Township

Letter: Mister Rogers, Sesame Street on PBS teach empathy. Trump wants to take that away.

Those who justify Trump do so with misinformation

As I read local reactions to President Donald Trumps first 100 days in office (Cincinnatians vilify, praise Trump), one thing jumped out: Every person quoted in favor of Trump gave verifiably false information as the reason for their continued support.

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One praised Trumps alleged "cost-cutting," when in reality, Trumps DOGE has increased spending by more than 6%. Another praised Trumps supposed "business acumen," when in fact, Trumps tariff wars have caused the stock market to plunge. Another claimed immigrants are a burden to society, when in reality, immigrants create more than $2 trillion in economic activity every year.

It is deeply frightening that so many of our neighbors live in a bubble of pure fiction.

Karen Weese, Montgomery

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Trump supporters justify his actions with misinformation | Letters
WASHINGTON  The words of President Donald Trump and members of his administration undermined the government's contention at a court hearing Wednesday that the men deported from the country under the Alien Enemies Act and delivered to El Salvador were not in the constructive custody of the United States.

At a hearing Wednesday evening, Chief U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg questioned a Justice Department attorney over whether Trump was telling the truth when he said he could secure the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from the CECOT facility in El Salvador.

Boasberg used Trumps own words, as well as statements from press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, to chip away at the governments contention that those incarcerated at CECOT in El Salvador were not in the constructive custody of the United States.

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Constructive custody refers to the legal notion that people can be held at the behest of the government even if they are not held in its physical custody.

Trump said last week that he could have Garcia returned to the United States with a phone call, while Leavitt said the United States was paying El Salvador approximately $6 million to keep the men and Noem said CECOT was one of the tools in our tool kit that the United States could use.

Is the president not telling the truth, or could he secure the release of Mr. Abrego Garcia? Boasberg asked Deputy Assistant Attorney General Abhishek Kambli, who was representing the government Wednesday.

Was the president telling the truth when he said he could pick up the phone and secure Garcias release or not? Boasberg asked.

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That goes towards the presidents belief about influence he has, Kambli responded, saying, "Influence does not equate to constructive custody."

Under questioning from Boasberg, Kambli said a "grant" dated March 22 that was described as being for law enforcement needs related to the 238 men alleged to be Tren de Aragua members who were recently deported to El Salvador. Kambli confirmed that grants were made that can be used for detention of these individuals.

Boasberg said the plaintiffs had a lot of facts in your favor in arguing that the United States had what is called constructive custody of the men  which the Trump administration has argued in and out of court it does not have. Boasberg questioned Kambli about whether the government would concede that transferring people to CECOT without due process would mean the government had violated their rights.

I don't know if I would put it in those terms," Kambli replied.

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Boasberg has ordered the Trump administration to provide sworn declarations from administration officials regarding the issue of who exactly has custody of the people at CECOT.

Boasberg has ordered lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward who brought the lawsuit to review the information and to decide by Monday whether to request discovery  and, if so, exactly what questions, depositions and documents they are requesting. After that, Boasberg will decide what to order the government to produce, if necessary.

The Supreme Court last month lifted Boasberg's order, which temporarily blocked the administration from sending members of Tren de Aragua to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act, but it did not reach a decision on the merits of Trump's invocation of the act. Last week, a Trump-appointed judge became the first to strike down the administration's use of the act, which had previously been deployed only during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II.

While the Trump administration proclaimed that it won the Supreme Court argument, Boasberg questioned Kambli about the decision, noting that the court had not reached the merits of the administration's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act. Boasberg asked whether Kambli acknowledged that the Supreme Court did not reach the arguments about the administration's use of the act itself, and Kambli conceded that it "did not analyze that precise issue."

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"I assume that's a yes," Boasberg replied.

CORRECTION (May 7, 2025, 8:45 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misspelled the last name of the White House press secretary. It is Leavitt, not Levitt.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Two people, including a Worcester School Committee candidate, were arrested after a large crowd encircled ICE agents attempting to detain a woman on Thursday morning.

38-year-old Ashley Spring, who is running for the Worcester school board, is charged with assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (unknown liquid), disorderly conduct, and interfering with a police officer.

A juvenile female was charged with reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.

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According to Worcester Police, officers responded to a call on Eureka Street around 11:13 a.m. that a hostile crowd of about 25 people had surrounded a federal agent.

Police say they also received a call that ICE officers were on scene and refusing to show a warrant to the crowd.

Video from the chaotic scene shows several ICE agents and other law enforcement entities being followed by a crowd while they took a female into custody.

Worcester Police say the crowd was unruly and several people were putting their hands on the agents and other responding officers in an attempt to keep the vehicle and the detainee from leaving.

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As the vehicle was trying to pull away, officials say a juvenile female had a baby in her arms and was standing in front of the car while holding the newborn.

Officers told her she needed to move.

She eventually complied and handed the newborn to someone else, according to authorities. The infant was uninjured.

While the vehicle was moving away, police say the juvenile ran and kicked the passengers side door. Officers took her into custody.

Police say as this was happening, Spring pushed multiple officers and threw an unknown liquid substance on them. She was then arrested.

There were no reports of any injuries, according to investigators.

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Worcester City Manager Eric D. Batista called the incident harrowing.

My heart goes out to all those impacted by todays events and the growing tension we all feel due to the national political climate, he said. The series of events was no doubt disturbing and the footage of a family being separated is harrowing....I want to reassure our community that the municipality will never target individuals based on their immigration status and reaffirm that the City of Worcester and Worcester Police Department does not assist with ICE civil detainments, according to Massachusetts State Law, but may not interfere with it. However, it is the municipality and departments responsibility to uphold the law and protect the peace of our community.

Worcesters Mayor Joe Petty echoed similar sentiments:

I am disturbed to hear about todays events involving ICE. As someone who prides themselves on leading a welcoming city, I am devastated to hear about the separation of a family, especially with Mothers Day around the corner. The fear of ICE tearing a family apart is the worst nightmare of so many in our city. I have asked the City Manager for a full report of the incident. We were not notified by ICE about the detainment. Simply put, we cannot have this happen in our community.

Boston 25 News has reached out to ICE Boston for comment.

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Police say video is being reviewed and further charges might be forthcoming.

No further information was immediately available.

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DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT)  Two men were charged with theft of property by the Decatur Police Department.

In November 2024, an Athens business owner reported a theft of approximately $60,000. Decatur Police said that nearly $8,000 of the theft happened in the city limits of Decatur.

Upon further investigation, Property Crime Unit detectives identified Griffin Scott Littlefield and Griffin Scott Littlefield II as suspects.

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After gaining probable cause, an arrest warrant for Theft of Property-1st was obtained for each man.

On May 1, , Littlefield II was found by the Athens Police Department and was arrested for his active warrant. He was transferred to the Decatur Police Department and booked into the Morgan County Jail. He is being held on a $5,000 bond.

On May 6, Littlefield turned himself in to the Decatur Police Department. He was booked into the Morgan County Jail and is being held on a $5,000 bond.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
WILLIAMSPORT, LYCOMING COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Two more people have been charged in a case where a body was found in garbage bags on Interstate 80.

Police have charged Rahsaan Goines, 25, of Newark, New Jersey, and his mother, Chata Harris, 49, of Williamsport, in relation to the death of 19-year-old Kevin Cagle after his body was discovered in garbage bags along Interstate 80 in Montour County in October of 2023.

Police had previously charged 52-year-old Davere Andre McClain, of Williamsport, with the killing and dismembering of Cagle. Charging him with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, abuse of corpse, and other related charges.

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Hazleton homicide suspect Terence Ray in custody

Now, police have filed charges against Goines and Harris in relation to the death of Cagle, saying the incident took place at Harris Fifth Avenue home in Williamsport.

Police say Goines allegedly helped McClain with the hiding of the body, as well as witnessing the death of Cagle.

Investigators say they used DNA analysis from a black face mask found near the body to identify Goines.

Police say the death of Cagle happened in Harris home, and say she found the body in her basement, did not report it to police, and told McClain to get it out of her house.

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Goines has been charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, hindering the apprehension of another, and other related charges.

Harris has been charged with tampering with evidence, hindering the apprehension of another, possession of an instrument of crime, and other related charges.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
Two men were sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

According to a release, between 2022 and 2023, Zachariah Ross, 27, of Davenport, and Cristian Inostros-Aquino, 29, of Los Angeles, Calif., conspired to distribute thousands of fentanyl pills in the Quad Cities area. According to public court documents, Inostros-Aquino shipped packages containing controlled substances, including thousands of fentanyl pills, from California to Ross in Iowa.

Law enforcement searched Rosss home and found two loaded firearms. Text-message evidence showed Ross discussed purchasing a firearm from Inostros-Aquino. Inostros-Aquino was also found in possession of a firearm in May 2022.

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On May 6, Ross was sentenced to 108 months in prison, followed by a four-year term of supervised release. Inostros-Aquino was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison, followed by a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the Bettendorf Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Scott County Sheriffs Office and the Davenport Police Department.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
TYLER, Texas (KETK)  Students with the Tyler High School U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) program were recently honored for their leadership and excellence at the annual Year-End award ceremony.

Jesus Araujo, junior, courtesy of Tyler ISD

I was honestly really surprised to win this award, Junior Jesus Araujo said. But Ive been putting in a lot of effort these past two years, and it feels good to see it paying off. Im super thankful for my JROTC family, and Im excited to make next year even better!

Tyler ISD students inspired by dynamic wheelchair dance team

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Tyler High Schools JROTC program aims to help motivate young people to become better citizens. Multiple competitions are held throughout the year, including a military ball, Organizational Day and archery competitions.

Several cadets also earned the Academic Excellence Award alongside Araujo in Leadership Education Training (LET), including cadets Monserrat Almazan, Josue Menera and Trinity Camp.

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Courtesy of Tyler ISD

Its one of our greatest pleasures to highlight the hard work the cadets have put in throughout the year, Army Instructor Sergeant First Class Samuel Tinker said. Especially with our Federal inspection this last year, they showed real teamwork and dedication, achieving one of the best scores on the hardest challenges that they are given once every three years. While the awards recognize some of the individual actions, I really hope it helps others see the great potential in each one of them.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Investing.com - Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the name Pope Leo XIV and becoming the first U.S.-born pontiff.

The election of the new pope was announced shortly after white smoke was seen flooding from the roof of the Sistine Chapel. It comes two days after 133 Catholic cardinals from all corners of the earth were sequestered for the decision.

The choice was revealed as large crowds flooded into St. Peters Square in Vatican City, chanting long live the pope!

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The election of the new pope follows the death of Pope Francis on April 21, after he battled double pneumonia earlier in the year. His official cause of death was listed as stroke and cardiac arrest, the Vatican said. Pope Francis had been in office since March 2013.

The Catholic Church is the worlds largest Christian religion, with 1.4 billion members, but other Christian religions also take spiritual direction and guidance from the pope.

As the successor to Saint Peter, the popes job is to uphold the continuity of the Churchs tradition and doctrine while also addressing modern global issues from a moral and ethical perspective.

Once elected, the Pope rules until he dies or, in rare circumstances, resigns. The most recent pope to leave before death was Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned in 2013 due to age and health concerns. He was Pope Francis predecessor.

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U.S. President Donald Trump was quick to congratulate the new pope.

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope," Trump said. "It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

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Medicaid was a significant point of contention in this just-ended Idaho legislative session. An even bigger and potentially more damaging discussion now looms in Washington, D.C., as Congress mulls cutting a potential $880 billion over 10 years from the federal program which funds much of our Medicaid budget here, writes guest columnist Randy Johnson.

Medicaid was a significant point of contention in this just-ended Idaho legislative session. An even bigger and potentially more damaging discussion now looms in Washington, D.C., as Congress mulls cutting a potential $880 billion over 10 years from the federal program which funds much of our Medicaid budget here.

U.S. Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and U.S. Reps. Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson will be part of a decision-making process that will play a huge role in the overall life quality of more than 300,000 Idahoans who rely on Medicaid for access to lifesaving health care that helps them be part of a strong Idaho economy that Gov. Brad Little often touts as a model for the nation.

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Theres a lot of truth to that. Idaho is doing well.

The success of Idaho can best be seen in the pragmatic nature and deep kindness of our people. Idahoans clearly care about each other. They show up to help family, friends and neighbors deal with whatever may come.

We clearly saw that in 2018 when voters initiated and then approved a ballot measure to establish Medicaid expansion. The vote extended health care coverage to the many in our state who work hard yet still cannot afford to purchase private insurance. That program  as put in place by voters  surely plays a large role in the success Little trumpets.

As these federal cuts are considered, lets hope our congressional delegation does what some of our state legislators have so far failed to do: Listen.

The voices of voters are clear and compelling on these issues. Every time Medicaid has been on the state chopping block  it has happened in most every session since voters approved it, thanks to out-of-state lobbying firms  Idahoans have showed up in significant numbers.

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Their voices are undeniable, yet seemingly unheard by many of our state lawmakers or at least drowned out by those from outside our state. The result of the 2025 Idaho Legislature was a version of Medicaid expansion that looks nothing like voters envisioned and approved.

The alterations made were termed by those who drove them as compromise. But Idahoans know the truth. Compromise suggests the deal included something for everybody. There was certainly plenty for the out-of-state policy center staffers who journeyed to our state to repeal the will of Idaho voters with the help of Idaho lawmakers. They will surely be back for whats left of the program next session.

The program could now be damaged more deeply should Congress decide to enact the federal cuts at the expense of those who can least afford to shoulder that burden. Medicaid is health insurance for low-income children and parents, pregnant women, seniors in nursing homes, veterans and people with disabilities. With families struggling to afford the basics, cutting health care for the most vulnerable among us will only make things worse for people who are already struggling day to day.

The savings will be extracted from the quality of life of the people least able to take those hits and those we should least expect to do so. These folks often make our federal minimum wage of $7.25 hourly and cuts will make that struggle worse. In a state where less than 50% of employers offer health benefits as part of compensation, having to choose between paying for a doctors visit or new shoes for a child is a grim reality for many.

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Theyll still get sick. Theyll still need care, and now theyre more likely to let such an illness linger until it becomes much worse. One in 10 Idahoans diagnosed with cancer are on Medicaid and, as nearly 12,000 Idahoans will hear you have cancer this year, the number of people who get that terrible news wont decrease by taking care from people who might already struggle to keep up with recommended screenings and doctors visits. This is why so many health-based organizations oppose the state-level legislation and deeply fear the federal cuts.

These groups have nothing to gain. The state changes and proposed federal cuts are simply bad for peoples health.

There is always room for real reforms and every program needs improvement, but changes should be made in good faith and to better serve the needs of people and will of the voters.

That didnt happen during this past Idaho Legislative session.

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If our federal lawmakers take a moment to hear their voters, theyll know the discussion going on in D.C. only has one correct conclusion: Protecting Medicaid is crucial for Idahos future.

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The United States has issued a travel warning asking its citizens to reconsider traveling to one particular country in the Caribbean as a result of crime and the threat of terrorism, and kidnapping.

On Wednesday, May 7, the United States Department of State issued a "Level 3" travel advisory for the nation of Trinidad and Tobago, warning citizens to "reconsider travel" to the country.

"Reconsider travel to Trinidad and Tobago due to serious risks from crime. There are also heightened risks of terrorism and kidnapping," the state department wrote in its advisory on Wednesday.

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"Gang activity, such as narcotics trafficking, is common. A significant portion of violent crime is gang-related."

"Foreigners and a U.S. lawful permanent resident have been recent victims of kidnapping," the statement continued.

"There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Trinidad and Tobago," the statement warned. "Terrorists may attack with little or no warning."

The United States Department of State has a thorough list of "Travel Advisories" that offers information about possible dangers of traveling to various countries. Those "travel warnings" are split into four categories, ranked level 1 through level 4 with the fourth category being the most severe.

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A Level 1 travel advisory tells travelers to "Exercise Normal Precautions." It is issued for many popular tourist spots to remind travelers to remain cautious, even without any specific threats.

A Level 2 travel advisory, meanwhile, warns travelers to "Exercise Increased Caution." This level is typically issued to areas lacking immediate threats or dangers but where crime rates are high, civil unrest is present, or the region is frequently targeted by possible terrorist attacks.

A Level 3 travel advisory is a more serious concern, urging travelers to "Reconsider Travel" to nations that are considered inherently risky due to dangers such as crime, civil unrest, or terrorism.

A Level 4 travel advisory is the most severe alert for travelers, warning them to simply "Do Not Travel" to the destination. Such warnings are typically issued for countries embroiled in active armed conflicts, those hostile to the United States, or nations with minimal or no diplomatic ties to the United States.

Given that the Trinidad and Tobago advisory is a Level 3 advisory, it may not be the most severe, but it should certainly be treated seriously.
Traveling is supposed to be a fun and relaxing way to spend a vacation. Seeing new places and doing novel things can open one's eyes to an entire world out there. But, some areas of the world are not safe for travel, at least not now.

The U.S. routinely sends out travel warnings and advisories to tell citizens to stay away from certain areas of the world. On May 7, the U.S. sent out a new travel advisory and urged citizens to stay clear of one area of the world that's under attack.

On May 7, Indian military fired a round of missiles into the Pakistani-controlled territory in Kashmir, in what appears to be a retaliation attack for an April 22 strike on the Indian part of the territory, which resulted in the death of more than two dozen people. The attack, referred to as Operation Sindoor, has escalated tensions in the area, and Pakistan has responded with their own retaliation.

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Following the attacks, U.S. airlines have cut many routes flying through the area, and the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan has issued a new travel warning for citizens who may be traveling through the Kashmir area. The newest warning tells U.S. citizens to "depart areas of active conflict if they can safely do so, or to shelter in place."

"We are aware of reports of military strikes by India into Pakistan. This remains an evolving situation, and we are closely monitoring developments," the advisory stated.

"U.S. citizens are reminded of the 'Do Not Travel' advisory for areas in the vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict, and the U.S. Department of State's 'Reconsider Travel' advisory for Pakistan generally," the advisory added. "We are also aware that airspace has been closed, and many flights have been cancelled."

Related: Delta Air Lines Just Made a Major Announcement
The United States and the United Kingdom unveiled the broad outlines of a trade agreement Thursday, the first sign of a deal since President Donald Trump imposed across-the-board global tariffs in early April.

Trump was joined in an Oval Office press conference by Peter Mandelson, the U.K. ambassador to the U.S., and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The U.K. Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, took part through a speaker phone on Trumps desk, calling the announcement a "fantastic, historic day."

While many details of the agreement have yet to be fine-tuned, Trump described the deal as a "conclusive one, saying "the final details" were "being written up in the coming weeks." He went on to say the agreement affirms that "reciprocity and fairness is an essential and vital principle of international trade."

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Trump said he would keep in place his 10% base tariff on most goods coming from the U.K. to the U.S. The deal will open up the U.K. market to American exports including ethanol, agriculture, and machinery and eliminate tariffs on steel and aluminum between the two countries. "They'll also be fast-tracking American goods through their customs process, so our exports go to a very, very quick form of approval. There won't be any red tape," Trump said of the U.K. partnership.

Trump agreed to cap tariffs on a set number of U.K.-made autos at 10% and some specialized U.K.-made auto parts and engines used in American manufacturing will be allowed to be sold without fees.

Lutnick explained how the agreement will encompass the auto industry. The U.K. could send 100,000 cars into the U.S. and only pay a 10% tariff," he said, standing next to Trump. Rolls-Royce engines, which are also used in U.S.-made planes, can be exported from the U.K. to the U.S. tariff-free, he added.

At one point, Mandelson jokingly offered to sell Trump a Rolls-Royce at a very modest discount. Trump smiled, saying, Ive had many of them actually, adding that the last time buying a car came up, he ended up buying a Tesla.

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U.K. government officials said that the new trade deal will cut tariffs on up to 100,000 U.K. cars from 27.5% to 10%, and eliminate tariffs on steel and aluminum. In return, the deal establishes a new reciprocal market on beef and removes the tariff on ethanol coming into the U.K. from the U.S. "This is going to exponentially increase our beef exports," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said. "And to be very clear, American beef is the safest, the best quality, and the crown jewel of American agriculture for the world,"

U.K. consumers have long been wary of how American meat products are processed and packaged before being sent overseas, including the use in the U.S. of chlorine in some meat processing plants. Washing chicken parts with chorine is banned in the U.K.

United States Trade Representative Jamison Greer, who has been involved in the negotiations, said the details over labeling and export rules for meat products were still being discussed.

The trade agreement comes after Trump placed a 10% tariff on the U.K. earlier this year. Soon after, Trump announced even higher taxes on imports for many other countries, before putting a pause on most of them for 90 days. The U.K. was not a target of these higher tariffs, as the U.S. already has a trade surplus with the U.K., meaning the British buys more from the U.S. than it sells to them. However, prior to this latest trade agreement, the U.K. was subjected to the 25% tariff on all steel, aluminium, cars, and car parts imported to the U.S.

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During the meeting, Starmer noted the timing of the news and how it falls on the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which marks the end of World War II in Europe. Of the U.S.-U.K. collaboration, Starmer said it was "a real tribute to the history that we have of working so closely together."



Trump teased the agreement before the official announcement, posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, that it was a full and comprehensive agreement between the two nations, and that it was "a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement." Trump said more agreements are in serious stages of negotiation and will follow.

News of the agreement drew reaction from British lawmakers. U.K. Chancellor Rachel Reeves offered an optimistic outlook, highlighting the "incredibly strong trade and investment link between the U.K. and the U.S." She went on to say that a trade agreement with the U.S. is unlikely to impact any ongoing talks between the U.K. and the E.U. "We shouldn't choose between countries. The U.K. is an open trading economy. Open for trade, open for business, open for investment," she told reporters.

But Jonathan Haskel, an economics professor and a former member of the Bank of Englands monetary policy committee, advised caution ahead of anything being signed.

"People should remember that theres a very big difference between trade deals and trade agreements," he said on BBC Radios Today programme. Trade deals are limited and short-term and partial, just covering a few items. Trade agreements are broad based and long term.

Trump-Starmer: A brief history of their relationship

Since the start of Trumps second term as President, the two leaders appear to have established a positive relationship, despite uncertainty over tariffs and conflicting approaches to the war in Ukraine.

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Trump and Starmer met in the Oval Office of the White House in February, soon after Trump returned for his second term, and the meeting was widely seen as a good start to their relationship as co-world leaders.

The U.K. Prime Minister delivered a letter from King Charles III addressed to the President, inviting Trump for a state visit, which was gratefully accepted. Trump also called Starmer a very tough negotiator, as the two discussed tariffs.

In a moment of real danger around the world, this relationship matters more than ever, Starmer said of U.K.-U.S. relations, adding that when the two nations work together, we win and we get things done.

Before Starmer became Prime Minister in 2024, he had a more difficult relationship with Trump. In January 2016, Starmer openly criticized the President, saying: We are united in condemning the comments of Donald Trump on issues such as Mexican immigrants, Muslims and women, adding that he felt comments made by Trump repugnant.

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In June 2018, Starmer also said: Humanity and dignity. Two words not understood by President Trump. in response to a video showing migrant detention centers in the U.S. where parents and children appeared to have been separated.

In October 2024, Trumps campaign team filed an official complaint accusing Starmers Labour Party of blatant foreign interference, amid the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Starmer replied to these accusations, downplaying them. He said: Theyre doing it in their spare time. Theyre doing it as volunteers, referring to Labour Party members who were volunteering their time on behalf of Trump's opponent, Kamala Harris.

Ahead of Starmers visit to the White House in February, Trump also remarked that the British Prime Minister, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, havent done anything, to stop the war in Ukraine.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  A new high-tech tool from the University of Hawaii at Manoa is giving the public unprecedented access to live weather data across the islands.

University of Hawaii braces for potential job losses, funding cuts

The Hawaii Mesonet Dashboard, developed by UH researchers, features information from over 65 monitoring stations statewide.

Its updated every 15 minutes and provides real-time data on temperature, rainfall, wind speed, humidity, solar radiation and soil moisture.

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Researchers said this system is designed to help track Hawaiis changing weather with precision, especially given the states unique geography and climate patterns.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

It serves a major role in assuring public safety in the state, said Dr. Thomas Giambelluca, professor at UH Manoa and lead on the Hawaii Mesonet project. From the beginning, we recognized that it would have little value if we were not able to get the data to the people who need it, and get it to them on time, in real time.

The dashboard is already being hailed as a game-changer for emergency response, wildfire prevention, agriculture and climate planning, especially as extreme weather events become more frequent and severe.

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Check out more news from around Hawaii

For more information or to explore the dashboard, visit the Hawaii Climate Data Portal.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
Start-up carrier Global Airlines has reduced prices by half for its inaugural transatlantic passenger flights, with promotional codes introduced around two weeks after seats first went on sale.

Global Airlines is currently running a flash sale for its first passenger journeys, scheduled to depart from Glasgow on 15 May and Manchester on 21 May for flights to New York JFK on four-day round trips.

The airlines Instagram states that passengers can book a spontaneous escape to the Big Apple from the two UK cities to New York on return flights at 380 when using promo code GLOBAL380.

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Discounts are also available on business class seats for 1,999 return when using the promo code GLOBAL1999.

Tickets for both flights went on general sale on 15 April. On 28 April, Global Airlines announced 100 Global Traveller seats and 20 business class tickets were available to be bought in a flash sale.

When the tickets went on sale before the promo codes were introduced, and when the code is not applied, economy return tickets from Glasgow are priced at around 778 return and 696 from Manchester.

The airline said limited seats were available, while its founder and CEO, James Asquith, said earlier this week it is the last few days of special fares, although it is unclear when the deal will end.

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Mr Asquith wrote on LinkedIn: 380 return!!! We love our Global Traveller cabin on the Global A380.

If anyone wants to jump onboard for one of the next A380 Experience flights to JFK flights [sic] this month, you can get economy tickets for just 380 return.

Come join us  it will be fun!

Mr Asquith founded Global Airlines in 2021, promising a new era of commercial air travel and fast relief from the aches and pains associated with commercial air travel.

Global Airlines flew its Airbus A380 aircraft from the maintenance facility of Beja in Portugal to Barcelona on Friday 2 May before it later took off for Berlin.

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This marked the first time the aircraft, 9H-GLOBL, landed at a major airport since it was brought out of retirement to be refurbished ahead of proposed transatlantic flights.

The aircraft is at the Beja Air Base as of Saturday 3 May, after flying to Gatwick for the afternoon from Berlin.

The initial commercial flights will use the Global Airlines A380 but will be operated by a Portuguese firm, Hi Fly, which specialises in providing short-term aircraft and crew to help airlines fill gaps in schedules.

A spokesperson for the airline said: As the first Global owned A380 prepares to take to the skies with its first passengers, the Global team and partners have achieved what many thought was impossible and are now focused on the next phase of development.

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Global intends to introduce further widebody aircraft in 2025 before announcing a timeline for scheduled operations.

"During the past year, Global has successfully inducted one A380 into service, and is now progressing with the acquisitions of further A380 aircraft scheduled for entry into service.

The Independent has contacted Global Airlines for comment.
When he agreed to a 90-day pause on much of his global trade war, Donald Trump implied that negotiating better terms with other nations was the plan all along. Surely, he and his team reassured voters and markets, many of his tariffs would prove unnecessary once he had worked out great new deals, one country at a time.

That was never a sound strategy. America enjoys enormous leverage in a one-on-one showdown with any foreign trading partner  even China. But taking on so many fronts at once was not only likely to dissipate American leverage, it threatened to stretch thin the executive branchs resources to formulate and execute strategies for 90 different sets of trade talks.

A number of governments have complained that they dont even know what the administration is asking for. Thats why its so important to Trumps approach to get the first few agreements right. The administration has signalled that its too much work to renegotiate every trade relationship individually. It will set a template instead and get other nations to sign on to it.

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Now, Trump has his first trade deal, and its with the UK. But when you look at what Trump actually negotiated, it seems quite clear that he needed this agreement more than the UK did  and Sir Keir Starmers government knew it.

Sir Keir Starmer speaks on the phone to Donald Trump as the leaders secure the deal - Getty Images Europe

For Starmer, this looks like a victory, justifying his quieter, less confrontational approach than that taken by leaders such as Canadas Mark Carney. But Carney had an election to win. Starmer could afford to keep his head down. The result is that not only did the United States seem to offer more concessions to the UK than it got in return, it somehow walked away with more of a framework for future talks on many points rather than a concrete, comprehensive deal. This, in spite of the fact that the two nations have been in talks about a bilateral trade deal since the Brexit process began in 2017.

The deal largely leaves in place the baseline 10 per cent tariff that Trump has imposed on all countries. It will, however, partially drop the 25 per cent tariff that Trump had placed on British car imports. The US will import Rolls-Royce engines tariff-free while securing sales of Boeing airplanes to the UK. The parties will drop tariffs on beef and some other agricultural products, but the controversial 2 per cent British digital services tax on American tech giants  which Trump has said was designed to plunder American companies  will remain in place for now.

Trump was in a tight spot: his support has been plunging in the polls, the markets keep wobbling, imports are starting to dry up, high-profile Republican recruits such as Brian Kemp and Chris Sununu have been passing on running for the Senate in next years midterms, and the president is reduced to telling the press that Americans will have to make do with fewer toys for their children. He needed a win to show that his approach could work and hadnt alienated so many US allies that his position was untenable.

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Now, Trump is talking up his prospects for reaching an agreement with China: Were going to have, I believe, a very good relationship with China and a fair relationship, and itll get bigger, and itll grow. Itll grow. With talks looming this weekend in Switzerland, Trump may have felt even greater pressure to rush to get a deal with an ally in order to take the heat off the China talks. Perhaps it will give the administration cover to make a deal with its chief trade-war adversary without it looking like a capitulation.

But hes not off to a very convincing start.

Dan McLaughlin is senior writer at National Review

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KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine has discussed ways to pressure Russia into agreeing to a 30-day ceasefire with U.S., French, British and German senior officials, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's top aide said on Thursday, part of a flurry of diplomacy to try to end the war.

Andriy Yermak, Zelenskiy's chief of staff, did not say when the online talks with U.S. special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, France's top diplomatic adviser Emmanuel Bonne, Britain's national security adviser Jonathan Powell and Guenter Sautter, a top adviser to the German leader, took place.

But he said all parties "emphasised that a complete and unconditional ceasefire should be the first step towards a just and sustainable peace".

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"We also discussed instruments of pressure in case Russia refuses the initiative or violates the agreements," Yermak said on Telegram.

Ukraine has expressed readiness to accept a U.S. proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which could be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and has accused the Kremlin of ignoring the plan. Putin has proposed a ceasefire of only three days - from May 8-10.

"The Kremlin's proposal for a three-day truce is not about peace, but about safely holding of the parade in Moscow. This is political manipulation," Yermak said.

Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, is preparing to stage a military parade on May 9 to mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in what President Vladimir Putin hopes will be a show of strength.

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On Thursday, after the declared ceasefire had come into effect, the skies over Ukraine's major cities were quiet, though there were reports of clashes in eastern Ukraine.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Gareth Jones)
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine will host a group of foreign ministers in Lviv on Friday to endorse the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute the leadership of Russia, Belarus and North Korea for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, a senior Kyiv official said.

The tribunal will be set up by the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights watchdog that was formed after World War Two to uphold rights and the rule of law. The full list of incoming ministers was not public. Poland and France have both said they will visit Lviv on Friday.

The meeting will fall on the same day that Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders for a military parade on Red Square to mark the 80th anniversary of the World War Two defeat of Nazi Germany.

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"The special tribunal may start operating next year. This year we are completing the legal formalities, and the Council of Europe will begin to form - recruit judges, a secretariat, prosecutors, implement rules and procedures," Iryna Mudra, a presidential aide, said in televised comments.

Russia denies its troops have committed atrocities in Ukraine since its forces launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukraine says Russian troops have committed many thousands of war crimes.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against Putin over the deportation of Ukrainian children. Moscow says the warrant is meaningless, "null and void".

Belarus has not directly taken part in the war against Ukraine, but it was used as a launchpad for invading Russian forces in 2022. North Korea has supplied troops and vast quantities of munitions to Russia, Ukraine and Western governments say.

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Mudra said the special tribunal would only target the upper echelons of power.

"These are approximately 20 people who planned, prepared, and directed the conduct of an aggressive war against Ukraine," she said.

She said the tribunal's statute and founding documents had been developed by a group of 40 countries.

"The full text has been formed and tomorrow a high-level event will be held in Lviv, at the level of foreign ministers, where political support for the creation of the special tribunal will be expressed," she added.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the "final political endorsement" for the establishment of the war crimes tribunal would come on Friday.

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The crime of aggression is broadly defined as the invasion of, or attempt to gain political and military control over, another sovereign state.

While the International Criminal Court is the world's permanent war crimes court, it cannot prosecute aggression in the case of Ukraine. It can only prosecute aggression if both countries involved are ICC members who signed a special extra agreement.

To bridge the aggression "impunity gap", Ukraine and several backers including the European Union have been pushing for an ad-hoc tribunal for aggression.

The crime of aggression is generally considered a leadership crime, which means the tribunal would only look at several dozen officials of the very upper echelons of government and the military.

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth, Yuliia Dysa and Stephanie van den Berg; editing by William Maclean)
The European Commission on Thursday disbursed 1 billion ($1.1 billion) in budget support for Ukraine as part of a large economic aid programme.

"Symbolically, the disbursement coincides with Ukraine's Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II," the commission wrote in a press release.

The money is part of loans worth 45 billion provided by the Group of Seven (G7) economically developed Western democracies and the European Union.

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With Thursday's payment, the EU has disbursed 6 billion since the beginning of the year. The bloc has committed to lend Ukraine a total of 18.1 billion under the programme.

The loans are to be repaid with proceeds from frozen Russian assets in the EU.

"Russia will pay for the destruction it has caused to Ukraine, said Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis.

"The EU continues to support Ukraine  politically, financially, economically and militarily," he added.

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU and its 27 member states have provided Ukraine with almost 150 billion in economic, humanitarian and military aid.
New German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul pledged European support for Ukraine following a visit to Warsaw on May 7.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was sworn in on May 6, with Wadephul taking office the same day alongside a new cabinet. Incoming German officials have pledged continued support for Ukraine amid Russia's ongoing war.

Wadephul met Polish officials at the Polish Army museum in Warsaw, where they discussed European security amid Russia's war against Ukraine.

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"Together, we are now doing more for European security, including with financial resources," he said.

Wadephul warned the Kremlin that Germany and Europe will continue to support Ukraine as Russia continues its war.

"Everyone in Moscow must know that they have to reckon with us. Europe will support Ukraine," Wadephul said.

Merz has previously signalled he is ready to increase Germany's support for Ukraine, including sending long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv.

Former Chancellor Olaf Scholz repeatedly blocked the delivery of Taurus missiles over concerns of escalation with Russia.

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Read also: Theater, drag shows, and art studios  Kharkivs cultural scene thrives, even in wartime (Photos)

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russia has violated its own three-day ceasefire in Ukraine more than 700 times, Ukraine's foreign minister said on Thursday, just hours after the pause in fighting was supposed to take effect.

"Predictably, Putin's 'Parade ceasefire' proves to be a farce," Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.

Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared a 72-hour ceasefire surrounding Moscow's celebrations commemorating the end of World War II, which Russians celebrate on May 9.

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But Sybiha said Ukrainian data showed that from midnight until midday on Thursday, Russia violated the ceasefire 734 times, including "63 assault operations, 23 of which are still ongoing; 586 attacks on [Ukrainian] troops' positions, 464 of which used heavy weapons; 176 strikes by FPV-drones; and 10 airstrikes using 16 guided aerial bombs."

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that its army is strictly observing the ceasefire and is only responding to Ukrainian attacks.

In the Russian region of Kursk, there was an attempt by Ukraine to break through, the ministry stated.

The Russian military also reported 488 Ukrainian violations of the ceasefire, even though the leadership in Kiev has not publicly agreed to it.

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Moscow said that it continued to log attacks by drones and artillery despite reports from an opposition Ukrainian lawmaker that the Ukrainian armed forces have received a ceasefire order from Kiev.

The claims made by the warring parties cannot be independently verified.

Kiev informs allies about ceasefire violations

Kiev is sharing its information about Russian violations of the ceasefire with the United States, EU partners and other organizations, Sybiha said.

He repeated Ukraine's willingness for a 30-day complete ceasefire, which could pave the way for peace negotiations.

The comments came hours after the head of the Ukrainian president's office, Andrii Yermak, said on Telegram following online discussions with Western security advisers that the ceasefire was intended only to guarantee the security of the military parade in Moscow.

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The talks - which included US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, French adviser Emmanuel Bonne, the UK's Jonathan Powell and new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's adviser Gunter Sautter - centred around demands for a longer 30-day ceasefire.

"We have emphasized that a complete and unconditional ceasefire must be the first step towards a just and lasting peace," Yermak said.

A similar call was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his nightly video address on Wednesday.

"Our proposal for a halt to the strikes, for a ceasefire of at least 30 days, still stands," Zelensky said. "But it is Russia that the world sees giving no answer  no response except for new strikes."

Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than three years.

A general view of a building damaged by a large-scale Russian drone attack in the city of Maryinka. Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa
Ukrainian authorities early on Thursday reported fresh bombing raids despite a three-day unilateral ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian aircraft dropped guided bombs multiple times over the northern Sumy region, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Telegram, warning of ongoing air activity.

Meanwhile, drone alerts and attacks were also reported in the Lipetsk region in western Russia, according to Governor Igor Artamonov.

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The reported attacks came hours after a 72-hour unilateral ceasefire declared by Moscow came into effect just after midnight (2100 GMT Wednesday), according to Russian state news agency TASS.

Putin announced the ceasefire to coincide with Russia's annual Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which are to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.

The day is observed by most of the rest of Europe on May 8.

Kiev has not publicly committed to pausing operations during the three-day period and has dismissed Putin's move as symbolic.

After online discussions with Western security advisers, the head of the Ukrainian President's Office, Andrii Yermak, said on Telegram on Thursday that the ceasefire was intended only to guarantee the security of the military parade in Moscow.

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The talks - which included US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, French adviser Emmanuel Bonne, the UK's Jonathan Powell and new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's adviser Gunter Sautter - centred around demands for a longer 30-day ceasefire.

"We have emphasized that a complete and unconditional ceasefire must be the first step towards a just and lasting peace," Yermak said.

The comments followed a similar call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his nightly video address on Wednesday.

"Our proposal for a halt to the strikes, for a ceasefire of at least 30 days, still stands," Zelensky said. "But it is Russia that the world sees giving no answer  no response except for new strikes."

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However, opposition lawmaker Oleksii Goncharenko said in a post on Telegram on Thursday that Ukraine is tacitly observing the ceasefire.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than three years.

A general view of a building damaged by a large-scale Russian drone attack in the city of Maryinka. Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa

A general view of a building damaged by a large-scale Russian drone attack in the city of Maryinka. Dmitry Yagodkin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's air force said in a post on its Telegram social media account that Russian aircraft had launched guided bombs on the Sumy region of northern Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Reuters could not independently verify the bombs had been launched. The air force said the bombs were launched nearly three hours after a three-day ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin came into force.

(Reporting by Christian Lowe; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Russia has violated its own ceasefire more than 700 times in the hours between midnight and midday on Thursday. Ukraine's foreign minister charged.

"Predictably, Putin's 'Parade ceasefire' proves to be a farce," Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.

Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared a 72-hour ceasefire surrounding Moscow's celebrations commemorating the end of World War II, which Russians celebrate on Friday.

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Sybiha said Ukrainian data showed that from midnight till midday on Thursday, Russia violated the ceasefire 734 times, including "63 assault operations, 23 of which are still ongoing; 586 attacks on [Ukrainian] troops' positions, 464 of which used heavy weapons; 176 strikes by FPV-drones; and 10 airstrikes using 16 guided aerial bombs."

The Russian Defence Ministry in Moscow claimed that its army is strictly observing the ceasefire and is only responding to Ukrainian attacks.

In the Russian region of Kursk, there was an attempt by Ukraine to break through, the ministry stated. The Russian military also reported 488 Ukrainian violations of the ceasefire, even though the leadership in Kiev had not publicly agreed to it. Ukraine wanted a 30-day pause, which Russia rejected.

There had been drone and artillery attacks, Moscow said, referring to reports that the Ukrainian armed forces had also received an order for a ceasefire from Kiev.

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The claims made by the warring parties cannot be independently verified.

Kiev informs allies about ceasefire violations

Kiev is sharing its information about Russian violations of the ceasefire with the United States, EU partners and other organizations, Sybiha said.

He repeated Ukraine's willingness for a 30-day complete ceasefire, which could pave the way for peace negotiations.
Over the past days, Moscow's grand avenues, like every year in early May, were taken over by the growling of 80-year-old tanks and the smell of gasoline burned by military vehicles.

To the delight of many locals, soldiers marched in multiple rehearsals for the May 9 Victory Day Parade in the week leading up to the actual event.

But as Moscow prepares for its fourth parade since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the atmosphere this year is different.

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At the turn of the month, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine "cannot be held responsible" for whatever happens during Russian President Vladimir Putin's military spectacle, opening the door to speculations that Ukraine might actually be considering striking military targets inside Russia during the event.

Read also: Whos attending Moscows Victory Day parade? The Kremlin has published a guest list ahead of May 9

International stature

The Victory Day parade is not an event like any other. Held on major anniversaries since the 1960s, and annually since 1995, it has come to become Russia's grandest show of national pride, an event intended to highlight both the country's supposed glorious past as well as its continued military strength.

This post-Soviet imperial nostalgia reached its climax under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, who has shown special devotion to publicly celebrating the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany.

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This year, the Victory Day parade was intended to be even more attractive than previous editions, with invitations sent out to several dozen foreign leaders, whose presence is supposed to highlight Russia's international standing.

Aside from the usual bunch, that is, presidents of Central Asian countries and Alexander Lukashenko, this year's parade will host China's Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, among others.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands during a welcoming ceremony before their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on May 8, 2025. (Evgenia Novozhenina / Pool / AFP via Getty Images)

This guest list stands in clear contrast with last year's parade, which hosted only foreign leaders from Belarus, Central Asian countries, as well as Cuba, Laos and Guinea-Bissau, and even more clearly with that in 2022, when no foreigners showed up at all.

Somewhat in reaction, Ukraine's Zelensky made his comments on "not being responsible" for the security of the parade, with high-level officials repeating this claim in the following days.

'Hard to tell what will happen'

In the days leading up to the parade, Ukraine showed that it has the technical capability to strike Russia's capital.

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Over the past days, Moscow's airports were closed several times due to ongoing Ukrainian drone attacks, paralyzing air traffic just as Russians were traveling for holidays during the days leading up to Victory Day.

According to specialists tracking Ukrainian military activity in Russia, while most attacks on Moscow are intercepted by air defense, a small proportion of drones do manage to reach the city.

"In March, while 90% of Ukrainian attacks on Russia were focused on the border regions of Belgorod and Kursk, we still noted 14 strikes on the Moscow region and four strikes on Moscow itself," said Nichita Gurcov, senior analyst at ACLED, an international organization tracking military conflict and political violence worldwide.

According to Gurcov, however, this does not mean that Ukrainian drones will necessarily reach Moscow on May 9.

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"This really is about the language of force that Russia constantly uses (in this war), and Ukraine understands that it needs to reciprocate with the same language."

One of the main issues will be the fact that Russian authorities are planning to turn off mobile internet in the capital during the event, in anticipation of Ukrainian military activity.

"Most Ukrainian drones are GPS-guided (and will be affected by this cut), with only a small patch of experimental drones using AI to reach their destination," Gurcov told the Kyiv Independent.

Ukrainian servicemen of the 22nd Brigade launch a Leleka reconnaissance UAV drone near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on April 27, 2024. (Genya Savilov / AFP via Getty Images)

Russian servicemen at the general rehearsal of the Victory Day military parade at Red Square in Moscow, Russia, on May 7, 2025. (Kirill Kudryavtsev / AFP via Getty Images)

"In general, Ukrainian forces attempt to send as many drones as possible to circumvent Russian air defenses. The fewer drones that are available, the lower the chances that at least one will hit a target. Still, it's hard to tell what will happen on May 9 in Moscow."

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In an attempt to secure the cherished military spectacle from any potential attacks, Putin had declared a unilateral ceasefire for the time of the parade. Ukraine didn't agree to a 3-day-long ceasefire and had said it continues to petition for a month-long one.

Zelensky called Putin's call a "theatrical performance" designed to ease Russia's international isolation and create a favorable atmosphere for the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.

Ukrainian threats a 'question of narrative'

With Ukraine theoretically having the capability to strike Moscow, the question of intent looms over the event.

"This really is about the language of force that Russia constantly uses (in this war), and Ukraine understands that it needs to reciprocate with the same language," said Maria Piechowska, an analyst who covers Ukraine at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM).

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"Ukraine's speculations additionally serve as a reminder that Russia is still at war today and has not defeated Ukraine."

"Ukraine just doesn't want to be walked over, in a positive sense, and the question of narrative is important in understanding this. Authorities were asked directly about the possibility of an attack, and they simply had nothing to gain from saying that they would not target the parade, especially given that Russia continues to target civilians in Ukraine."

The comments on the May 9 parade also show that Ukraine feels it is in a "strong position vis-a-vis Russia this week," argued Dr. Marnie Howlett, who is a lecturer in Russian and East European politics at the University of Oxford, in conversation with the Kyiv Independent.

President Volodymyr Zelensky in Prague, Czech Republic, on May 4, 2025. (Michal Cizek / AFP via Getty Images)

"Ukraine's speculations additionally serve as a reminder that Russia is still at war today and has not defeated Ukraine."

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The question of narrative also serves internal political purposes, Piechowska argued in turn, with an attack on the Victory Day parade serving as a kind of "dream" that many in Ukraine imagine, and which could build up internal morale.

As a result, even if Ukraine does not strike the parade, speaking about it publicly emboldens Ukrainian public opinion, especially after a series of deadly Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities over the past weeks, in which dozens of civilians were killed.

'I hope they understood that Russia is at war'

Threats to attack the Victory Day parade were also likely directed at foreign leaders who planned to visit Moscow on May 9, experts who spoke to the Kyiv Independent argued.

"I don't think the actual fear of being targeted in a strike led to some of them changing their minds about coming to Moscow, however, their unwillingness to be connected to this topic of war I think this could have played a role in their decisions, even if I wouldn't overestimate this either," Piechowska said.

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The fact that Russia is a country at war and that traveling there carries "significant risks" is simply a "reality of the war" between Russia and Ukraine, Howlett said in turn.

"While the statements by Ukraine about not guaranteeing the safety of foreign leaders in Moscow may dissuade some from traveling to Russia, they are also a reflection of the ongoing war and the risks it poses."

These comments come as Ukraine continues to send drones to strike Moscow, with these attacks having produced at least one concrete result  on May 7, the plane carrying Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to Moscow was initially not able to reach the Russian capital due to Ukrainian activity.

While Vucic's plane needed to make a halt in Baku, the Serbian president was later able to continue his flight to Moscow.

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"Still, I don't know for sure what will happen on May 9," Gurcov concluded.

Read also: Ukraine ramps up drone strikes on Moscow as Russian-friendly leaders set to attend Victory Day parade

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Key developments on May 8:

Over 100 clashes reported on the front line since Russias Victory Day ceasefire began

Ukraine's parliament ratifies minerals deal between Washington, Kyiv

Russia has damaged, destroyed over 2,300 medical infrastructure facilities since beginning of full-scale invasion, health ministry says

Russia's ballistic missiles make April deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since last fall, UN reports

Majority of Ukrainians unwilling to trade territory or Western path for peace, poll shows

Ukrainian forces faced 117 combat clashes across the front line on the first day of Russias self-declared Victory Day humanitarian ceasefire, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on May 8.

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Despite the Kremlins announcement of a May 811 truce, heavy fighting continued in multiple regions throughout the day. The General Staff said that most battles occurred in Donetsk Oblast, where Russian troops launched 41 assaults on the Pokrovsk front alone.

Pokrovsk, located about 70 kilometers northwest of occupied Donetsk, remains one of the most fiercely contested sectors of the front, where Russia has concentrated its main offensive efforts since March.

Clashes also took place near Chasiv Yar, Kupiansk, and Lyman in Donetsk Oblast, while Russian troops continued attacks around Siversk, Torske, and in Kharkiv Oblast. Border settlements in Sumy Oblast suffered from shelling and guided bomb strikes.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian regional authorities reported at least seven civilian deaths and 31 injuries over the past 24 hours across Ukraine. Some of the attacks took place after the start of Moscows unilaterally declared truce. Russian strikes targeted homes, vehicles, and public spaces in Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

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The Victory Day truce is the latest in a series of ceasefire initiatives announced by Moscow, all of which Russia has violated.

Earlier this month, Russia declared a ceasefire over the Easter holiday, though President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of nearly 3,000 violations between April 19 and April 21. Ukraine has also said that Russian forces repeatedly breached a partial truce on attacks against energy facilities brokered by the U.S. on March 25.

Russia has repeatedly proclaimed its supposed readiness for peace talks while simultaneously pushing for maximalist demands. Kyiv has dismissed these declarations as a propaganda stunt, noting that Russian forces have only intensified their attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns.

Read also: The front is noisy  for Ukraines soldiers, Russias Victory Day ceasefire is yet another sham

Ukraine's parliament ratifies minerals deal between Washington, Kyiv

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, ratified the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal on May 8, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.

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The document was supported by 338 MPs.

The agreement, signed on April 30, establishes a joint investment fund between Kyiv and Washington and grants the U.S. special access to projects developing Ukraine's natural resources.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the ratification of what he described as the most promising economic agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. to date. "This is joint investment cooperation with the U.S. for decades to come," Zelensky said.



"I expect the ratification law to be submitted from the Verkhovna Rada to my Office soon. Once the legal procedures are complete, we will be able to begin establishing the Fund," he wrote on X.

Following the signing of the agreement between Kyiv and Washington, the parties did not disclose details on how the Reconstruction Investment Fund will work, except that it will be managed in an equal partnership, with both sides contributing.

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Earlier, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that future military aid from the U.S. could count as contributions to the fund, but previous assistance is not included.

Read also: Whos attending Moscows Victory Day parade? The Kremlin has published a guest list ahead of May 9

Russia has damaged, destroyed over 2,300 medical infrastructure facilities since beginning of full-scale invasion, health ministry says

Russian forces have damaged or destroyed more than 2,300 medical infrastructure facilities since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Health Ministry said on May 7.

Some 2020 medical facilities were partially damaged, while another 305 were completely destroyed, the ministry's statement read. Medical facilities in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts were most affected.

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Throughout the all-out war, one of the most destructive Russian attacks on medical facilities in terms of casualties was on the Ohmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv.

Russian forces hit Ukraine's largest children's medical center on July 8, killing two adults and injuring at least 34 people, including nine children. Footage showed that the building suffered a direct hit by a Russian missile rather than being damaged by fallen debris.

The missile, fired from a plane of the 22nd Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, kept maneuvering and changing its flight path, indicating an intention to bypass Ukrainian air defenses and hit the medical facility, according to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU).

Apart from hospitals, outpatient clinics, and maternity hospitals, Russian troops regularly attack ambulances. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 116 ambulances have been damaged, 274 destroyed, and 80 seized.

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Ukraine and its international partners have managed to fully rebuild 700 medical facilities and partially restore 312, including critical hospitals and primary health care centers in the frontline regions.

Read also: Will Trump help Putin escape punishment for his crimes in Ukraine?

Russia's ballistic missiles make April deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since last fall, UN reports

Russia killed 209 and injured 1,146 civilians during April, making it the deadliest month and the one with the highest number of injured since September 2024, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported on May 8.

At least 19 children were killed and 78 injured in April, the highest verified monthly number of child casualties since June 2022.

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"One of the main reasons for the sharp rise in civilian casualties was the intensified use of ballistic missiles in major cities across the country," Danielle Bell, head of HRMMU, said in a statement accompanying the report.

The high number of civilian casualties in April reflects a broader trend of increased harm to civilians in 2025 compared to 2024. Between January and April 2025, 664 civilians were killed and 3,425 injured, a 59% increase compared to the same period in 2024, the report read.

In April, 97% of civilian casualties were recorded in Ukraine-controlled territory. Almost half of all cases were caused by Russian missile attacks or shelling. Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, and Kharkiv suffered the most damage over the past month.

Attacks using short-range drones near the contact line accounted for 23% of civilian casualties during the month. Meanwhile, in early May, the trend of targeting large Ukrainian cities with loitering munitions also continued, according to the report.

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Read also: Clearly, Ukraine is holding cards  economist on why US pressure wont force Kyiv to concede

Majority of Ukrainians unwilling to trade territory or Western path for peace, poll shows

The majority of Ukrainians say they are not ready to give up any territory or abandon the countrys Western course in negotiations with Russia, according to a new nationwide poll published on May 8 by the Razumkov Center, a Kyiv-based public policy think tank.

The survey, conducted between April 24 and May 4 in partnership with the Kyiv Security Forum, shows that 56.9% of respondents would not be willing to compromise on either territorial integrity or Ukraines pro-Western direction in any potential talks with Moscow.

Only 11.1% said they would consider ceding territory, while 14.7% would be open to changing Ukraines geopolitical course.

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About two-thirds (66.5%) of Ukrainians believe Russia would violate any peace agreement and resume its attacks when convenient, the poll showed. Just 10.8% said they thought both sides would likely adhere to a signed peace deal.

Skepticism also prevails when it comes to specific concessions. Over half of respondents (52.3%) said Ukraine should not agree to abandon its NATO aspirations, even if it were a condition of a peace treaty. Some 81% opposed reducing the size of the countrys armed forces.

Some 60.6% of Ukrainians believe a military victory over Russia is possible. At the same time, 54.1% said they do not believe a peace agreement can be reached in the near future.

Support for Ukraines integration with the West also remains strong. More than half (57.2%) favor the European model of development, compared to just 0.7% who prefer a Russian-leaning model.

Note from the author:

Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Despite Kremlin statements about a so-called "ceasefire" declared for Victory Day, Russian forces continue assaults and attacks along several fronts in Ukraine, including the Pokrovsk, Toretsk, Lyman, Vovchansk, Kramatorsk and Novopavlivka fronts. [Victory Day is a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, celebrated on 9 May  ed.]

Source: Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group, on the national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote: "The enemy is less active, and there were no combat clashes on some fronts this morning. However, active fighting took place on a number of fronts, so we are not talking about any ceasefire.

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There were assault actions starting at midnight, when this supposed truce took effect  on the Lyman front, on the Vovchansk front, directly in the city of Vovchansk, in the town of Chasiv Yar on the Kramatorsk front, in the city of Toretsk and in Shcherbynka on the Toretsk front, and on the Pokrovsk front  with active attempts to advance along the entire front line. The same goes for the Novopavlivka front. So to say that they proclaimed some sort of ceasefire  as we can see, there is no sight of it on the battlefield or in the rear."

Details: Trehubov noted that the Pokrovsk front remains one of the toughest. Ukrainian forces are engaged in defensive battles there. Russian troops are attempting to carry out assault operations west of the city, east of the urban agglomeration  along the PokrovskKostiantynivka road  and slightly further south to reinforce efforts on the Novopavlivka front.

Quote: "In total, 65 [combat clashes]  thats not as many as on some past days, but its currently the most intense front, the most intense section of the front. And the Russians are not giving up their attempts to improve their tactical position around the city  either to cross the PokrovskKostiantynivka road to complicate the connection between these cities, or to reach the road to Pavlohrad or somehow support those forces trying to advance along the Novopavlivka front towards the border with Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which, as of now, they have not managed to do. And as they planned, they will not succeed by 9 May."

Background:

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that no Russian drones have been detected in the air since the start of 8 May, although Moscow has stepped up airstrikes using tactical aircraft.

One person was killed and two others injured in Russian guided aerial bomb attacks on Sumy Oblast on the night of 7-8 May.

On 28 April, the Kremlin announced that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin had unilaterally declared a "truce" to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the Second World War.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Putins initiative to declare a three-day ceasefire a theatrical performance aimed at creating an illusion of Russias exit from international isolation, and instead insisted on a 30-day truce, as proposed by the United States.

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The Russian occupation forces have continued their attacks along the entire front line on 8 May, making their own statements about the "ceasefire" a farce.

Source: statement of Andrii Sybiha, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on X

Quote from Andrii Sybiha: "I just spoke with Ukraine's military command, who provided information about the frontline situation. Predictably, Putin's Parade ceasefire proved to be a farce.

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According to our military data, despite Putin's statements, Russian forces continue to attack across the entire frontline. From midnight to midday, Russia committed 734 ceasefire violations and 63 assault operations, 23 of which are still ongoing; 586 attacks on our troops' positions, 464 of which used heavy weapons; 176 strikes by FPV-drones; and 10 air strikes using 16 guided aerial bombs."

Details: Sybiha said that all information on the attacks will be provided to the United States, the EU and other international partners and organisations. He also reiterated that Ukraine is ready for at least a 30-day full ceasefire.

Background:

The Russians said that the so-called three-day ceasefire, which Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin declared unilaterally, had come into effect at 00:00 on the night of 7-8 May.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that no Russian drones had been spotted in the air since the start of the day on 8 May, but that the Russians had intensified tactical air attacks.

The Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported that three women were injured in a Russian drone strike on a car in Kharkiv Oblast on the morning of 8 May.

One person was killed and two others were injured in a Russian drone attack on Sumy Oblast on the night of 7-8 May.

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The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, ratified the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal on May 8, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.

The document was supported by 338 MPs.

The agreement, signed on April 30, establishes a joint investment fund between Kyiv and Washington and grants the U.S. special access to projects developing Ukraine's natural resources.

A map showing the location of critical raw materials in Ukraine. (The Kyiv Independent)

On May 6, Ukraine's parliamentary committee on foreign policy has backed the ratification of the minerals deal. Eleven members of the foreign policy committee supported the decision; one abstained from voting, and two others did not participate, according to Zhelezniak.

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Following the signing of the agreement between Kyiv and Washington, the parties did not disclose details on how the Reconstruction Investment Fund will work, except that it will be managed in an equal partnership, with both sides contributing.

Earlier, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that future military aid from the U.S. could count as contributions to the fund, but previous assistance is not included.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the ratification of what he described as the most promising economic agreement between Ukraine and the U.S. to date. "This is joint investment cooperation with the U.S. for decades to come," Zelensky said.



"I expect the ratification law to be submitted from the Verkhovna Rada to my Office soon. Once the legal procedures are complete, we will be able to begin establishing the Fund," he wrote on X.

The signing of the minerals deal followed months of negotiations that at times became contentious and strained the relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine.

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The countries first planned to ink the deal in late February, but the agreement fell apart in the wake of the infamous White House argument between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump.

The final deal avoids many elements in the earlier drafts that experts viewed as exploiting Ukraine, but still provides no concrete security guarantees from the U.S. The finalized agreement does prevent counting previously delivered U.S. military aid as a contribution to the joint fund.

Read also: Clearly, Ukraine is holding cards  economist on why US pressure wont force Kyiv to concede

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By Elizabeth Piper and Yuliia Dysa

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's parliament voted on Thursday in favour of ratifying a minerals deal signed with the United States, an agreement Kyiv hopes will secure future military assistance from Washington in its fight to repel Russian troops.

Despite misgivings by some Ukrainian lawmakers over whether the government had provided them with all the information on the deal and over some of its compromises, 338 voted in favour of ratifying the agreement, with none against.

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"The Ukrainian Parliament has ratified the historic Economic Partnership Agreement between Ukraine and the United States," First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in a post on X.

"This document is not merely a legal construct  it is the foundation of a new model of interaction with a key strategic partner."

Some lawmakers had raised concerns over the lack of detail of some of the deal's provisions, such as how an envisaged investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction would be governed or how any contributions would be made.

Svyrydenko called an early Thursday press conference to answer some of those concerns, saying the investment fund would be operational in a few weeks, and its success would depend on the level of U.S. engagement.

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Two supplements would spell out the details and would be published at a later date, officials have said about the deal which might not see a payoff for a decade or longer.

Parliament's ratification comes a day before Russia - which launched a full-scale invasion into Ukraine in February 2022 - will try to show its strength at a military parade to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Those preparations have been overshadowed by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia, and Kyiv will hope the ratification of the minerals deal will bolster its position in ceasefire talks, which so far have done little to close the gap between Moscow and Kyiv, to the frustration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Russia's demands for Ukraine to cede all the land Russian President Vladimir Putin claims to have annexed and accept permanent neutrality have been rejected by Kyiv, which says that would amount to surrender and leave the nation undefended.

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CEASEFIRE

Ukraine has expressed readiness to accept a U.S. proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which could be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and has accused the Kremlin of ignoring the plan. Putin has proposed a ceasefire of only three days - from May 8-10.

The minerals deal, signed last month in Washington, hands the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and sets up the investment fund, which could be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine for the first 10 years.

After months of fraught talks that almost fell apart at a disastrous meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in February, the deal also hands Kyiv some wins: no return of aid that Trump says Kyiv owes and a U.S. acknowledgement of Kyiv's intention to join the European Union.

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Ukraine also sees the deal as a route to unlock the delivery of new U.S. weapons, especially additional Patriot air defence systems it badly needs to repel Russia's increasingly frequent missile attacks. The deal offered no clear guarantee of that.

The agreement, which Zelenskiy says offers Ukraine a better deal than previous drafts - which some in Kyiv had described as "colonial", - is central to Kyiv's efforts to mend ties with Trump after the Oval office meeting.

Some Ukrainian lawmakers praised the government's efforts to influence Trump's position, which initially appeared to favour Russia.

"Trump's initial position is changing by millimetres, but so far its movement is in the right direction," Inna Sovsun, a lawmaker from the Holos opposition party, said on Facebook, adding that while she might not like the deal's "mercantile" nature, it was important to show that Ukraine is a "constructive party".

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Some 47% of Ukrainians support the deal, while 22% say it might have negative consequences and 19% say it will have no impact, according to researchers at the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, Yuliia Dysa and Anna Dabrowska; Editing by Gareth Jones)
The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) has voted to ratify the agreement on establishing a joint investment fund between Ukraine and the United States.

Source: meeting of the Verkhovna Rada on 8 May

Details: A total of 338 MPs voted to ratify the agreement on the establishment of a joint investment fund between Ukraine and the United States.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stressed that this is a historic event for Kyiv and Washington.

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"We are looking forward to completing all the technical work shortly and starting a new stage of cooperation with our American partners," he said.

Background:

On 1 May, Ukraine's Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signed the minerals deal.

On 2 May, the Ukrainian government submitted the Kyiv-Washington agreement on the establishment of the Reconstruction Investment Fund to parliament for ratification.

On 6 May, the Foreign Policy Committee supported the ratification of the Ukraine-US minerals deal as a basis and as a whole.

On 8 May, the Verkhovna Rada was to vote on the ratification of the mineral deal with the US.

Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Representative of Ukraine, said that the US should make the first contribution to the joint investment fund with Ukraine.

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The Ukrainian President's Office has reported that its head, Andrii Yermak, held online ceasefire talks with officials from the United States and a number of European nations on 7 May.

Source: Ukrainian President's Office in a statement on 8 May, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Office noted that talks had been held with US President Donald Trump's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, French Presidential Diplomatic Adviser Emmanuel Bonne, UK National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell and German Chancellor's Adviser on Foreign Policy and Security Gunter Sautter.

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Yermak also held talks with diplomatic representatives of the Nordic and Baltic countries, the European Council and the European Commission.

The conversations also included Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Deputy Head of the President's Office Ihor Zhovkva, and Yermak's advisers Dariia Zarivna and Oleksandr Bevz.

A 30-day unconditional and complete ceasefire emerged as the core topic of discussion.

Yermak emphasised that a full and unconditional ceasefire should be the first step and a prerequisite for negotiations to achieve a just and sustainable peace. Meanwhile, a proposal by Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin for a three-day ceasefire is intended to ensure the safety of the Victory Day parade in Moscow, not to achieve peace, the President's Office stressed. [Victory Day is a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, celebrated on 9 May  ed.]

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The talks also covered the use of potential pressure measures on Russia in the event of a refusal to accept the ceasefire proposal or a violation of the agreement on complete silence.

Background:

US President Donald Trump believes that Putin's proposal for what he calls a "three-day truce" is a significant improvement compared to what has happened before.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have urged Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire.

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HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP)  The Hadley Police were called for a report of an alleged shoplifting incident at Ulta Beauty resulted in the arrest of a woman wanted for grand larceny in Florida.

In a news release from the Hadley Police Department, at around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, officers were called to investigate a reported theft at Ulta Beauty in the Mountain Farms Mall. The caller stated that the suspects were leaving the store and told dispatchers that they went to the Paper Store and then into Old Navy.

Charges dropped against South Hadley driver in connection with deadly hit-and-run crash in Chicopee

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Upon arrival, officers found the suspects in Old Navy and detained them. During the investigation, it was revealed that 30-year-old Jessirith Serque-Miranda of Queens, New York, was wanted in Florida for grand larceny with an authorized extradition. The sheriffs office in Osceola County, Florida, confirmed.

Serque-Miranda was arrested and charged with fugitive from justice, and a felony for possession of a theft detection deactivator. The other suspect will be issued a summons at a later date.

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WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Johnny MacLean who has been appointed the Chancellor of Montana Technical University in Butte (Photo courtesy of the Montana University System).

The new chancellor of Montana Technological University will be Johnny MacLean, provost, or chief academic officer, at the University of Montana Western, university officials announced Wednesday.

The appointment starts June 1 and is pending approval by the Montana Board of Regents.

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The depth of experience Dr. MacLean brings to Montana Tech as both an accomplished scientist and as a student-centered administrator will be of immense value to the university as he leads it into the next era of growth and expansion, said Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian in a statement. His passion and vision for Techs STEM-focused mission makes him an excellent choice to continue Tech on its positive trajectory.

MacLean joined Montana Western in 2022 and is provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. He previously worked in the Office of the Provost at Southern Utah University since 2016 including as associate provost.

MacLean was one of two finalists announced for the chancellor job in March 2025.

In April, the Montana University System announced it had tapped the other finalist, Karen Marrongelle, with the U.S. National Science Foundation, as the new Montana Tech chancellor.

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However, a couple of weeks later, Marrongelle withdrew, citing circumstances beyond my control in unprecedented times. She did not elaborate.

In the news release Wednesday, MacLean said he is enthusiastic about taking the helm of the Butte university.

Montana Techs unique purpose is clear, MacLean said in a statement. This institution serves students who want to change the world through STEM disciplines, and it is the honor of my career to support them in pursuing their goals. I am excited to be joining the vibrant city of Butte and look forward to building on Techs strong tradition of partnership with the community.

In fall 2024, Montana Tech had a headcount of roughly 2,400 including at its Highlands College, and Montana Western counted 1,228, according to the Montana University System.

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The news release said MacLean completed a bachelors in geology at Furman University in 2001, a masters. in Earth Science at Syracuse University in 2004, and a doctorate in Geosciences at the University of Montana in 2007.

Upon completion of his academic studies, MacLean worked in the oil and gas industry in Texas as a geologist and in the environmental consulting industry in Montana, the news release said.

As a tenured faculty member of geology at Southern Utah University, Dr. MacLean combined his passion for the outdoors and belief in teaching authentically by taking his students outside to learn from nature and to see scientific concepts come to life, the news release said.

The news release said MacLean and Chancellor Les Cook will collaborate in June on a leadership transition that ensures continuity and maintains momentum for the university.
President Donald Trump's budget request, released on May 2, 2025, proposes slashing $21 billion in unspent funds from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law for renewable energy, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and other efforts to cut climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions. Shown are solar panels and wind turbines. (Photo by Marga Buschbell-Steeger/Getty Images)

If you live in Minnesota, you may have already had an inkling, but a quick glance at the National Renewable Energy Laboratorys U.S. solar resource map confirms: Minnesota is among the least sunny states in the Lower 48.

Yet Minnesota gets a surprising amount of its electricity from the sun. Its in the top 20 for installed solar capacity overall and boasts the countrys fourth-largest community solar program, thanks in part to a trailblazing 2014 law allowing customers to purchase shares in the smallish arrays that now dot warehouse roofs and farmland across the state.

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More recently, residential solar has taken off in Minnesota as more utility customers  mostly but not exclusively in the Twin Cities metro  look to lessen their reliance on the electric grid. Few local enterprises have done more for those folks than St. Paul-based All Energy Solar, which helped kickstart the market in 2009 and now does business across the United States.

Solar power was still a novelty for most Minnesotans back then, but not for All Energy Solar co-founder and CEO Michael Allen.

Allen became fascinated with the technology in junior high school, wrote the business plan for his company-to-be in college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and then spent several years in the 2000s learning the ropes as a California-based employee in BPs nascent solar division. (His brother and fellow All Energy Solar cofounder Brian Allen was one of the first employees of SolarCity, now a Tesla subsidiary.)

Today, solar power is the worlds fastest-growing source of electricity. Deployments of large lithium-ion batteries to store excess power are rising quickly too. All Energy Solar installs both for a customer base that Michael Allen says is around 70% residential and 30% commercial.

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But the U.S. solar industry also faces tremendous uncertainty thanks in part to stiff tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump and instability around the future of generous federal tax incentives for clean energy equipment. SunPower, once one of the countrys biggest solar installers, declared bankruptcy last summer; another, Sunnova, is in serious trouble.

The Reformer spoke with Michael Allen last month about the state of the solar energy industry, the state and federal legislation hes watching closely this year, and his not-sales pitch to solar-curious customers.

Whats your sales pitch to people who arent sure about the whole solar energy thing?

We actively say we dont have a sales pitch, to be clear. Most people come to us because theyre interested in learning about solar. We listen to them and try to position ourselves as consultants who can help them solve their energy challenges.

A lot of that is education, focused on the basics of how the technology works, how it helps customers produce their own energy and pay less for electricity, and getting past some of the myths and misconceptions. No, you dont need a giant battery to make it work.

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That said, its still surprising when people ask us, Is this stuff for real? Yes, solar energy is a multibillion-dollar industry. Were not doing it just for fun!

What are the biggest threats facing Minnesotas solar industry right now?

The Minnesota Senates energy omnibus bill has some provisions that could harm the industry. The proposal to do away with Xcel Energys Solar*Rewards program, the primary funding mechanism for Xcel customers who want to go solar. There are also provisions to kill net metering for customers of municipal utilities and electric cooperatives [reducing how much they get paid for excess electricity] and to discontinue the community solar program.

Less talked about are the unfair solar access fees charged by some Minnesota cooperatives, which I brought up in Senate testimony earlier this year. Theyre some of the highest in the country. We see solar access fees as potentially even more detrimental for rural solar customers than the proposed net metering changes. In effect, solar customers are charged an additional fee even if they never sell electricity back to the grid. Its like charging someone who installs LED light bulbs. My biggest concern is that we continue this approach of imposing fees instead of trying to come up with better rules.

In general, we need to get away from emotional thinking on energy policy. Policymakers and state energy regulators should take into account the countless data-driven studies showing the long-term value of customer-owned energy production. Right now, utility companies seem to be dominating the conversation and winning these battles, which in turn is stifling our ability to innovate toward a better energy system. We should be considering more ideas and working with utilities to test them.

How would you characterize All Energy Solars relationship with investor-owned utilities like Xcel Energy and Minnesota Power?

Weve worked with 400 or 500 different utilities across the country and Xcel is right up there with the most difficult, which is frustrating. Fighting each other on everything is not going to get us anywhere.

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Our solution literally gives power back to the people, which not only makes customers more resilient but increases the grids resilience as well. In turn, that avoids the need to build as much new infrastructure, like substations and power plants.

The problem is that investor-owned utilities make more money when they build new infrastructure. So they continue the traditional model of building big, centralized power plants. The technology [wind and solar power] might be newer and cleaner, but the model is the same.

Customers end up paying for this. We need to find a healthy balance before we get a snowball effect where more folks say Im done, and cut the cord, which increases costs for the remaining customers and ultimately hurts the people who can least afford to pay their bills. Thats where were headed if we continue to have an adversarial relationship with utilities.

Can we bridge the divide between providers of smaller-scale energy solutions and big utilities? How?

We can. The solar industry is learning that we need to compromise, that we cant just have our cake and eat it too. We cant see ourselves as the only solution because were just one of many.

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The reality is, we build thousands of projects in Xcels territory every year, which shows that we can work together. They  and we  are willing to come to the table.

We can do more, though. We would like utilities to be partners in allowing new solutions, like placing more customer-owned batteries on the grid to capture and store power for times when its needed most. Thats a powerful solution that utilities should value appropriately. We also believe utilities should value the non-energy benefits of customer-owned resources, like jobs and economic activity.

How worried are you about whats going on in Washington, D.C.?

Yeah, its concerning to hear [government officials] speaking out of both sides of their mouths. You cant say you want a manufacturing renaissance in the United States and then eliminate incentives for people to buy the products you want to make here.

[Editors note: To pay for tax cuts expected to cost $4.5 trillion over 10 years, congressional Republicans are considering repealing or sunsetting tax incentives for buyers and manufacturers of clean energy products, including solar panels and grid-connected batteries. Theyre also mulling deep cuts to Medicaid.]

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So if the tax credits are reduced or eliminated, well see a reduction in American manufacturing activity. That said, we believe that solar will continue to make sense regardless and that innovation could actually accelerate out of necessity in the absence of incentives. Well see added pressure to make these products better and cheaper.

From a global perspective, the industry will continue to grow. Just look at China.

What are you most optimistic about these days, if anything?

While Im disheartened by some of the proposals under consideration in the state Legislature right now, I know that we have really intelligent, thoughtful lawmakers who are willing to fight for common sense. The House energy bill has none of the cuts proposed in the Senate, for example.

And I dont think the Senate wants to kill everything either. They want to make programmatic adjustments because they want a smart, cost-effective electric grid. Theyre just going about it differently.

Thats policy. From a technology standpoint, Im encouraged by the ongoing adoption of batteries for energy storage. Its happening fast, its already making the grid stronger, and its going to continue. We just need to push for a wider adoption of customer-owned and sited solutions so power continues to be put back into the peoples hands.
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Things are heating up hundreds of miles off the coast of Oregon, where a large undersea volcano is showing signs of impending eruption, scientists say.

The volcano, known as Axial Seamount, is located nearly 1 mile (1.4 kilometers) underwater on a geological hot spot, where searing gushes of molten rock rise from Earths mantle and into the crust. Hotspot volcanoes are common on the seafloor. But Axial Seamount also happens to be located on the Juan de Fuca Ridge  an area where two massive tectonic plates (the Pacific and the Juan de Fuca plates) are constantly spreading apart, causing a steady buildup of pressure beneath the planets surface.

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The frequency of earthquakes has recently picked up dramatically as the volcano inflates with increasingly more magma, signaling an eruption could be near, according to researchers at the National Science Foundations Ocean Observatories Initiative Regional Cabled Array, a facility operated by the University of Washington that monitors the activity of Axial Seamount.

At the moment, there are a couple hundred earthquakes a day, but thats still a lot less than we saw before the previous eruption, said William Wilcock, a marine geophysicist and professor at the University of Washington School of Oceanography who studies the volcano.

I would say it was going to erupt sometime later (this year) or early 2026, but it could be tomorrow, because its completely unpredictable, he said.

What happens during an eruption?

During the volcanos last eruption in April 2015, the team observed about 10,000 small-scale earthquakes in a 24-hour period, and the same can be expected for the next one, Wilcock said.

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Magma  molten rock beneath Earths surface  oozed out of Axial Seamount for a month and trailed about 25 miles (40 kilometers) across the seafloor, he added.

The magma chamber at the heart of the volcano has also collapsed several times in the past, creating a large crater called a caldera. There, sea life thrives off the mineral-rich gases that exit through hydrothermal vents, which are like underwater hot springs. Streams of hot fluid containing billions of microbes and clumps of waste billow up from cracks in the calderas surface, creating white plumes called snowblowers.

During previous eruptions, the small plants and animals living on the hydrothermal vents were scorched by lava flows, but just three months later, their ecosystem was back and flourishing again, said Debbie Kelley, director of the Regional Cabled Array.

I think its one of the biggest discoveries weve made, said Kelley, a professor of marine geology and geophysics at the University of Washington, in a statement. Life thrives in these inhospitable environments, and volcanoes are probably one of the major sources of life in our oceans.

White clouds of microbial waste billow from the seafloor. - UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF-ROPOS

While neighboring marine life such as fish, whales and octopuses may feel the heat and rumble of seismic shifting, they are unlikely to be harmed. And people on land probably wont notice the eruption at all, Kelley told CNN.

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Its not a very explosive event. You wont see the ash clouds above water, anything like that, she said. Its like if you put a mile of seawater on top of Kilauea  you may see some fountaining, but thats it.

In fact, most of the planets volcanic activity takes place within underwater spreading centers such as the Juan de Fuca Ridge, which experiences multiple, small volcanic eruptions each day, Kelley said.

The magmas pretty close to the surface. Its about a mile beneath the surface, which is very shallow compared with a lot of land volcanoes, where it may be 8 miles (12.9 kilometers) deep, Kelley said, adding that the viscosity, or thickness, of the magma can affect how much pressure builds up in the magma chamber. Like a thick tomato sauce cooking on the stove, air bubbles within high-viscosity magma rupture more dramatically than Axial Seamounts thinner, runnier magma.

How to watch

Luckily, the relative mildness of Axial Seamount makes it perfect for close human observation. The next time the volcano erupts, the observatory even plans to publicly livestream the event, which has never been done before, Kelley said.

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Observing an undersea volcanic eruption is no easy task. Scientists only directly witnessed one in action for the first time on April 29.

In the Pacific Ocean, about 1,300 miles (2,092 kilometers) west of Costa Rica, researchers partnering with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, or WHOI, were on a routine submersible dive to collect data on the East Pacific Rise when they noticed the once-vibrant Tica vents were no longer teeming with sea life. Instead, the team found a charred tubeworm barbeque, as WHOI Emeritus Research Scholar Dan Fornari put it. Flashes of orange lava leaked through the seafloor before hardening in the freezing water, indicating an eruption was taking place.

Its quite a significant development, Fornari said. Its a very understudied environment, because its hard to reach and because we have to use clever technology to understand it.  At the heart of it, we are watching (the) ways in which this planet gets built, gets constructed by volcanism on the seafloor.

Tubeworms grow on the unique rock formations of the Axial Seamount. - UW/NSF-OOI

As above, so below

Unexpectedly, close observation of Axial Seamount has revealed the timing of its eruption isnt just about whats bubbling beneath the surface  it also has to do with whats above.

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All three of the most recent eruptions  in 1998, 2011 and 2015  have occurred between January and April, the time of year when Earth is moving away from the sun.

I dont think we fully understand why that is, but it may be related to the (gravitational) forces from the moon influencing the volcano, Wilcock said.

The moon orbits Earth each month, and its gravitational pull moves ocean tides up and down, causing pressure variations on the seafloor. As the volcanos magma chamber reaches critical mass, these pressure changes put more stress on the caldera, the crater of the volcano created by previous eruptions. The pressure of high tide also causes more frequent earthquakes, slowly stressing the chamber to its breaking point, Kelley said.

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About 300 miles off the coast of Oregon, an underwater volcano appears to be rumbling to life.

Scientists who have been monitoring the vast submarine volcano for decades say a flurry of recent activity  including an uptick in earthquakes in the vicinity, and swelling of the structure itself  signals that its ready to erupt.

Current forecasts project that the volcano, known as Axial Seamount, could erupt anytime between now and the end of the year, according to Bill Chadwick, a volcanologist and research professor at Oregon State University.

A 3D image of Axial Seamount bathymetry. (Oregon State University)

Chadwick and colleagues at the University of Washington and the University of North Carolina Wilmington have been using a network of sensors on the seafloor to eavesdrop on the volcano.

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Over the past few months, the instruments have picked up clues that Axial Seamount is stirring. In late March and early April, for instance, researchers were recording more than 1,000 earthquakes a day. The volcano has also been steadily swelling, a telltale sign that its filling with molten rock, Chadwick said.

This volcano is similar to the ones in Hawaii that erupt very fluid lavas, he said. They tend to inflate like a balloon in between eruptions. At Axial, the seafloor is actually rising, and thats a big signal.

But unlike some of Hawaiis volcanoes, theres no real danger to humans if Axial Seamount does blow.

In addition to being hundreds of miles offshore, the peak is submerged about a mile deep underwater. The volcano is remote enough that even a strong eruption would be undetectable on land.

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Theres no explosion or anything, so it would really have no impact on people, Chadwick said. Even if you were out on a boat right over the seamount when its erupting, you probably would never know it.

But that doesnt mean the eruption wouldnt be a spectacular event. During Axial Seamount's last eruption in 2015, an enormous amount of magma poured out of the volcano, including one lava flow that was about 450 feet thick, according to researchers.

For reference, thats about two-thirds the height of the Space Needle in Seattle, Chadwick said. Thats a lot of lava.

Axial Seamount formed on whats known as a hot spot, where plumes of molten rock rise from Earths mantle into the crust. This geological process is not uncommon: Hot spot volcanoes dot the seafloor, and some even create island chains like Hawaii and Samoa. But what does make Axial Seamount unusual is that it is located right at the boundary between the Pacific plate and the Juan de Fuca plate, two giant tectonic plates that are moving apart. The separation of the plates, and the resulting pressure beneath the seafloor, is constantly fueling volcanic activity and producing fresh ocean crust in the region.

A map shows where Axial Seamount is located on the Juan de Fuca Ridge in relation to the Cascadia Subduction Zone and the Mendocino Fracture Zone. (Susan Merle / Oregon State University)

Chadwick has been tracking activity at Axial Seamount for the past 30 years. Over that period, the volcano has erupted three times: in 1998, 2011 and 2015.

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As he and his colleagues wait for an impending eruption, they are testing whether repeating patterns of activity at Axial Seamount can produce reliable predictions of when the underwater volcano is ready to go off.

But eruption forecasting is a notoriously tricky business. Volcanoes can behave in unpredictable ways, and depending on the type, they can exhibit very different warning signs.

Its much harder than forecasting the weather, even though the weather is a very difficult thing to forecast already, said Scott Nooner, a professor of geophysics at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Theres still so much that we dont understand about what triggers eruptions and how magma moves around underneath the Earths surface.

Scientists have had some success with short-term forecasts  usually mere hours ahead of an eruption  that have helped local officials decide whether to evacuate areas or take other precautions. Longer-term forecasts, however, have remained challenging.

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Thats what makes Axial Seamount such a good natural laboratory for refining tools for eruption forecasting, according to Nooner.

On land, if you make a forecast that a volcano is going to erupt in a week or a month and youre wrong, youve cost people a lot of money and time and worry, he said. But we dont have to worry about that at Axial Seamount because these eruptions dont impact anyone. So its a nice way to test our models, test our forecast and hold ourselves accountable, but without the same repercussions as with volcanoes on land.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A 64-year-old grandmother in the U.S. without documentation is facing deportation after she mistakenly took the wrong exit on her way home from work.

Ana Camero's family says she's currently being held at Otay Mesa Detention Center more than a month after she made the unexpected detour and ended up at the entrance to a U.S. Marines facility in San Diego.

Camero was driving home from her job as a dishwasher at a La Jolla restaurant on April 7 when she stopped to get gas. She then drove into the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego by mistake. There, she was asked for proper identification and when she could not provide one, immigration enforcement was called, officials said.

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It was just a wrong turn, her daughter, Melissa Hernandez, told news station Telemundo 20.

Camero has lived in the United States for more than 20 years. Born in Mexico, she does not have a California driver's license or any other form of identification, according to her family. A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Camero is in custody and currently being processed for deportation back to Mexico.

Hernandez said her mother is diabetic and has a vascular condition, but is not receiving any medical care or medication while in the detention facility.

"Her foot has already begun to swell again due to lack of circulation  something that, if untreated, could lead to severe consequences," Hernandez said in a GoFundMe campaign seeking to raise money to hire an immigration attorney.

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Read more: Wife of U.S. Coast Guard member arrested on base over expired visa

A spokesperson for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot said in a statement that when someone tries to enter a federal installation without proper authorization they are required to provide a government-issued form of identification.

"When an individual cannot or does not provide the required form of identification the appropriate federal authorities, including U.S. customs and border patrol are notified. This applies regardless of whether the individual claims the entry was by mistake," the statement said. "As a federal installation, we are mandated to uphold all federal statutes [or laws]."

Camero's family said that officials at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot contacted U.S. Border Patrol after Camero could not present a valid form of identification.

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Hernandez learned that her mother was in custody after she received a call from a Marine Corps spokesperson who told her that her mother's car was at their base.

As she waited outside the base for more information, she saw the Border Patrol vehicles arrive, Hernandez told the Mercury News.

Camero was provided an attorney during a recent court appearance at the Otay Mesa Detention Center. According to her family, she intends to fight the deportation order.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told CNN Thursday air travel remains safe, even at Newark Liberty International Airport, where delays have played out for more than a week as air traffic controllers took trauma leave after a critical technology outage.

It was inevitable at some point that this would happen if you didnt modernize the system, Kirby said in an interview with CNN Aviation Correspondent Pete Muntean. The biggest thing that we can do for the air traffic controllers is get them technology that works and get them fully staffed.

A telecommunication system used by controllers handling flights approaching the New Jersey airport failed on April 28, causing radios to silence and screens to go blank.

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He praised Transportation Seretary Sean Duffy and the Departments plans, scheduled to be announced this afternoon, to upgrade air traffic control.

Today is actually a historic day, I think, for the FAA and the United States air traffic control system, Kirby said. The bill that Secretary Duffy is going to introduce later today really leaves me the most optimistic Ive been in my entire career, that were finally going to get air traffic control modernized and fixed.

On Wednesday, the FAA also said it would add three new, high-bandwidth, telecommunications connections and replace copper wire with fiberoptic technology to bring data to the controllers handling flights approaching Newark, which served as a hub for United. The facility, located in Philadelphia, will also get a temporary backup system and staffing will be increased.

Asked about comments by President Donald Trump blasting the prior administration for the FAA problems, Kirby said while there was blame to go around, and he was focused on making things better.

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This is decades in the making, so theres plenty of people take the blame. I dont care who takes the blame, he said. All I care about is getting it fixed and moving forward, and getting us and getting our customers the world class air traffic control system that the people of the United States deserve.

To address the immediate delays at Newark, United Airlines canceled about 35 round trips every day, but they want the government to do more.

We just need to keep the number of flights equal to the capacity of the airport. Theres 77 (takeoff or landing) operations per hour, theoretically. When you get scheduled at 86 or more, it falls apart, he said.

Wednesday with the preemptive cancelations the airline was 83% on time because of the lower capacity.

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Kirby said the airline has asked the federal government to put level three slot controls in place at Newark as a short-term fix. This would limit the number of flights any airline could schedule to take off or land at the airport.

If the FAA is short staffed, and we have to have fewer flights when the FAA is back to full staffing, we can ramp it back up, he said.

Kirby said hes encouraged by Duffys plans and the nominee for Federal Aviation Administration administrator, Bryan Bedford. He added that air traffic control is a bipartisan issue, noting that hes spoke with both sides of the aisle on the matter from both the House and Senate.

The people are different, Kirby said. Secretary Duffy is action oriented. When I texted him over the weekend, I immediately got a call back and got a response, and hes working on the issue.

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A 36-year-old traveler is suing United Airlines after a piece of the planes ceiling allegedly detached, smacking into the womans head, knocking her out cold, and leaving her with a concussion.

Antranique Wash is seeking up to $1 million in damages over the incident, which her lawyer says continues to affect her client long after the fact.

Attorney Anna McMullen told The Independent that Wash lost consciousness after getting hit with the panel during a flight and that she still struggles with vision impairment and pain, even a year-and-a-half later.

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Ms. Wash, like all ticketed passengers, expected her plane to be safe from boarding until she deplaned, McMullen said in an email on Wednesday. United did not ensure that its plane was safe, not only for Ms. Wash, but for all of its passengers. Passengers should not have to fear for their safety on commercial aircraft, and United needs to be accountable.

Wash lives in the Houston area and works as a commercial driver, McMullen said.

A United Airlines spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Attorney Anna McMullen told The Independent that Wash lost consciousness after getting hit with a ceiling panel (Getty Images)

The incident over which Wash is suing occurred on November 15, 2023, at the end of a flight from Chicago to Houston, according to a civil complaint filed April 25 in Harris County, Texas.

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When the plane landed at Houstons George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Harris County, Texas, a panel fell from the ceiling and struck [Wash] in the head, the complaint states. As a result of the incident, [Wash] sustained severe personal injuries including but not limited to concussion.

United failed to protect and guard [Wash] from the unreasonably dangerous condition existing on its plane, namely a loose and/or dislodged ceiling tile, or to warn her of its existence, the complaint argues. It says Wash was exercising ordinary care when she was suddenly and unexpectedly injured.

As a result of the aforesaid dangerous condition, [Wash] sustained severe and permanent injuries, according to the complaint.

Washs lawsuit accuses United Airlines of various forms of negligence, such as not implementing adequate maintenance procedures.

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The carrier owed a duty to ensure the safety of its invitees through the duration of their time within the airplane, her complaint contends.

Wash is seeking a minimum of $250,000 and a maximum of $1 million in consequential and punitive damages, claiming she has suffered physical pain and impairment, mental anguish, loss of earning capacity and enjoyment of life and has been required to lay out significant sums for medical expenses.

United now has until May 20 to formally respond to Washs allegations.

United, which has not yet responded to Antranique Wash's suit, has another two weeks to answer her claims in court (AFP via Getty Images)

Last month, passengers aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Chicago made headlines after they were forced to hold up parts of the cabins ceiling when a panel came loose mid-flight. Flight attendants eventually re-secured the panel using duct tape, so customers did not have to manually hold it, a Delta spokesperson said at the time.

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The aircraft turned back to Atlanta, where passengers deplaned and boarded a different flight a couple of hours later. They were each awarded 10,000 miles, worth about $100, for their troubles. There were no injuries reported, according to Delta officials.

Last year, a JetBlue passenger sued over a life-altering concussion she said she received during a hard landing at an airport in South Carolina, rendering her unable to work in the aftermath.

In 2020, an American Airlines flight attendant received a concussion during turbulence, going airborne and smashing her head against a door at the rear of the airplane. She was left with neck and shoulder pain, blurred vision in one eye, and ringing in one of her ears.

Three years earlier, a Kentucky pulmonologist sued United for a concussion he said airport police gave him after he refused to give up his seat on an overbooked flight. On top of the head injury, Dr. David Dao woke up in the hospital with a broken nose and two broken teeth, his lawyer said. United ultimately gave Dao, who later wrote a book about the harrowing experience, a multimillion-dollar settlement for his injuries.
The University of Michigan has named Domenico Grasso, chancellor of the school's Dearborn campus, as the university's interim president, effective immediately.

He replaces Santa Ono, who resigned May 4 with plans to lead the University of Florida.

University of Michigan-Dearborn Chancellor Domenico Grasso, has been named interim president of the university, on May 8, 2025.

"President Grasso is widely admired for his visionary work leading University of Michigan-Dearborn, where he has held the role of chancellor since 2018," the Board of Regents wrote in a May 8 message to the university community. "We have full confidence that President Grasso will provide steady leadership during this critical time of transition."

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The school said the regents will affirm his appointment when they meet May 15 on the Dearborn campus.

"Being asked to serve as the interim president of the University of Michigan is a profound honor," Grasso said in a statement. "I offer my gratitude to the board and my promise to the community to meet this opportunity with energy, integrity and dedication to our shared mission."

Grasso will lead U-M's search for a permanent president, a role Grasso said he would not seek himself.

U-M Dearborn's provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs Gabriella Scarlatta, will serve as interim chancellor of that institution.

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In addition to his administrative duties, Grasso also teaches public policy and sustainable engineering at U-M Dearborn.

Grasso earned a doctorate in environmental engineering from U-M and has long served in academia, with previous stints at the University of Connecticut, Smith College and the University of Vermont, where he served as vice president for research and dean of the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences.

Onos departure came just seven months after U-M's Board of Regents extended his contract through 2032 and increased his pay to $1.3 million per year.

Grasso takes over amid a series of challenges for the university, including threatened federal budget cuts, lawsuits over its handling of war protesters and an ongoing NCAA investigation into its football program.

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(This story has been updated with additional information.)

Contact John Wisely: jwisely@freepress.com. On X: @jwisely

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: University of Michigan names Domenico Grasso as university's interim president
TAMPA, Fla.  Special operators are upgrading nearly every aspect of their helicopter fleet as they await the Armys newest addition to the rotary wing section.

From the MH-6 light attack assault Little Bird, to the MH-60 medium attack assault Blackhawk, to the MH-47 heavy assault Chinook, officials who develop the aircraft showcased ongoing upgrades Thursday at the Global SOF Foundation Special Operations Forces Week.

Developers continue to tweak the Little Bird, the small but powerful aircraft unique to SOCOM.

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It is your streetfighter, said Paul Kylander, product manger of the aircraft for Program Executive Office-Rotary Wing. When operators want to get to your front door, this is the aircraft they use.

The R model project is finding ways to lighten the aircraft for greater speed and range by resetting the entire fleets fuselage with lighter materials.

Hegseth champions special operations as the force for today's threats

The project is also upgrading the cockpit for better avionics management and an advanced airborne tactical mission suite, Kylander said.

Those upgrades are part of ongoing efforts that will continue until 2034 for the aircraft. Then, plans call for a Block 4 upgrade or a possible divestment between 2035 to 2042.

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Theyre also lightening main and auxiliary fuel tanks and both the attack and assault planks for the aircraft.

The MH-60 is seeing some of its own upgrades.

Software updates, navigation tools for degraded visual environments, improved sensors, sensor data fusion and next generation tactical communications are currently being installed on the MH-60 fleet, said Lt. Col. Cameron Keogh.

Theres ongoing work to improve the engine life of the YT706 engine, and future efforts include building an open architecture common cockpit.

On the weapons side, the Blackhawk is adding the joint air-to-ground missile, a conformal lightweight armament wing, M-230 recoil dampers, the GAU-19 Gun Pod and a helmet display tracking system.

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Those additions provide more options to Blackhawk crews.

Having a quiver full of tools to do your job is pretty handy, Keogh said.

The Blackhawk will also see an improved crew chief seat, AN/PQ-187 Silent Knight Radar nose door reconfiguration and upturned exhaust suppressor II, engine inlet barrier filter for dusty environments and the GE T901 Improved Turbine Engine.

On the heavy side, the MH47G Chinook is seeing increased demand for payloads, range and speed, said Lt. Col. Thomas Brewington, product manager for the Chinook at the PEO.

The oldest frame in the Chinook fleet will retire soon after 59 years of service, Brewington said.

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But the aging platform is seeing its own set of advancements with a replacement of the existing flight control pallets, which augment manned flight by using a system called the Active Parallel Actuator Subsystem.

The system augments manned flight by providing tactile cueing to prevent the pilot from exceeding an aircraft performance limit resulting in increased safety and operational usage while reducing pilot workload during the most critical stages of flight, Brewington said.

An October 2024 test of the system allowed a hands off landing on a predesignated point by a Chinook crew at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, Brewington said.

The system is a stepping stone to autonomous pilot assist, he said.
BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (WBOY)  A Community Skills Share event was brought to the Upshur Parish House for the first time on Wednesday. This event was put on by Leadership Upshur Class of 2025, a cohort that Parish House Executive Director Isaac Casto belongs to.

Casto said that at the Upshur Parish House, they thought that this event would be a really cool opportunity. He added that he thinks theres a lot of skills and knowledge out in the community, and they were looking for a way to pull all of that together.

We were happy to be involved, Casto stated. Thats what our mission is here, is to work together as neighbors, and we thought that [this event] really aligned with our mission.

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Ribbon-cutting held for Lewis-Upshur Community Recovery Center

The event had a representative from Citizens Bank stop by to speak with attendees about how the banking system works. Casto stated that the representative went over things such as checking and savings accounts, as well as mortgages and loan applications.

There was another panelist who spoke to the community about foraging for food. To go along with this portion of the event, the Upshur Parish House had stations set up for attendees to make salads and lavender lemonade.

In addition to that, a photographer stopped by during the event to speak on photography basics and how to edit photos. What we were excited about is we really see this as a way to network and community-build, said Casto.

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According to Casto, the Upshur Parish House is often concerned with issues such as food insecurity, housing instability, and similar community needs. So these sorts of things help our neighbors connect with one another, those maybe needing help, and those that just wanna be involved, he added.

Casto said that he personally felt that this event was a great opportunity for community-building, and the Upshur Parish House is excited to continue moving in that direction. He added that hopefully, they can make this an annual event, so dont worry too much if you missed it this year.

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HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA)  A Greenwood man was arrested on Tuesday after deputies recovered stolen vehicles from multiple states.

Related video: Is property crime going up in America?

The Henderson County Sheriffs Office said deputies began investigating 57-year-old Sammy Clayton Weaghington in 2024, after he purchased a trailer using a closed bank account. Warrants were issued for Weaghington, but he fled the area before officials could locate him.

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Deputies received information Tuesday that Weaghington returned to Henderson County and they later brought him into custody.

Weaghington, officials said, was also in possession of a stolen trailer from Rhode Island.

From Weaghingtons property, Henderson County deputies recovered a stolen camper and two other vehicles, both reported missing from separate law enforcement agencies in Tennessee. The trailer purchased under fraudulent means was not located and deputies said they believe it was sold out of state.

Weaghington was charged with felony obtaining property by false pretense and felony worthless check in North Carolina.

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He will face extradition for outstanding warrants from two law enforcement agencies in Tennessee and four in South Carolina.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
The US Army is planning a major parade on Flag Day, which is also President Trump's 79th birthday.

Nearly 7,000 troops will march in the parade, which will feature about 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft.

While plans are still evolving, defense officials say the parade could cost as much as $45 million.

The US Army is planning a military parade with infantry fighting vehicles and thousands of soldiers to celebrate its 250th anniversary on Flag Day on June 14, which also happens to be President Donald Trump's 79th birthday.

Set to feature about 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft, about 6,600 troops are planned to march in the pricey parade, whose cost is likely to be measured in tens of millions of dollars.

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Scheduled to last nearly four hours, the procession is planned to stretch from Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River and into Washington, DC. The parade will exhibit the Army's history through historical aircraft and vehicles and soldiers marching in period uniforms.

At least 11 Army corps and divisions nationwide are planned to be involved in the showcase, bringing in thousands of troops, heavy vehicles, and possibly tanks.

Trump military parade cost

Defense officials estimated that the parade and static displays for the Army's anniversary celebration could cost as much as $45 million. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Defense officials told NBC News that the parade and static displays could cost as much as $45 million, and the Army could end up largely bearing the brunt of the expenses. In some cases, it would cost individual units over $1 million to participate.

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"Could the parade potentially impact training? Absolutely," one official said. "Will it impact training? That's unclear."

In a May 4 interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press," Trump said the high cost of the US military parade is "peanuts compared to the value of doing it."

"We have the greatest missiles in the world. We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world," the president said. "And we're going to celebrate it."

However, the cost estimates could change as the White House and the Army finalize plans, a little over a month before the event is set to take place.

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'Make the celebration even bigger'

Along with the parade, the Army's anniversary festivities will include military demonstrations, musical performances, a fitness competition, and a fireworks display. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

While the Army has been planning its anniversary celebration for over a year, the military parade was a recent addition to the festivities, which also includes military demonstrations, musical performances, a fitness competition, and a fireworks display.

The Army said it was "exploring options to make the celebration even bigger, with more capability demonstrations, additional displays of equipment, and more engagement with the community."

Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicles

The US Army plans to include a Stryker battalion in the parade to commemorate the war on terrorism. The Washington Post/Contributor via Getty Images

Planning documents showed that a Stryker battalion could be on display during the Army's anniversary celebration to commemorate the war on terrorism.

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The Stryker combat vehicles are 20-ton vehicles with eight wheels designed for roads and off-roading.

Paladin artillery vehicles

The 38-ton Paladin artillery vehicle could cause damage to roads with its tank treads. Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty Images

The Army also plans to exhibit the M109 Paladin artillery vehicle in its anniversary celebration, though it isn't clear if it will be part of the parade or part of a static display.

The Paladin is a 155mm turreted self-propelled howitzer used by the US Army. Its 38-ton weight and tank treads could damage roads.

Bradley Fighting Vehicles

Bradley vehicles were previously on display in Washington during Trump's "Salute to America" event on Independence Day in 2019. Omar Marques/Getty Images

The parade could also include an infantry battalion with Bradley fighting vehicles and light mobility vehicles like Humvees and Infantry Squad Vehicles.

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Highly maneuverable and formidable, the Bradley revolutionized mechanized infantry operations, not only primarily serving as troop transport across hostile territory but also allowed soldiers to fight from the armored vehicle.

The Bradleys were previously displayed on the National Mall in 2018 during Trump's "Salute to America" event  a toned-down version of his original request to parade American tanks through the streets of Washington.

Tank battalion

The Army hasn't finalized plans for showcasing the tanks yet, as it considers how to mitigate damage to streets and bridges. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

But Trump's first-term goal of showcasing the Army's battle tanks could come to fruition this year, as plans detailed that a tank battalion with two companies of tanks could be part of this year's Flag Day festivities.

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Army plans did not detail how many of each vehicle would be transported to DC for the parade, but 92 of the 152 vehicles are categorized as "heavy," which could include tanks or other tracked vehicles.

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said in April that the White House reached out about holding the event, but she said she didn't know if it would be "characterized as a military parade."

Nonetheless, Bowser said that "if military tanks were used, they should be accompanied with many millions of dollars to repair the roads."

Officials said that the plan for showcasing the tanks is not yet final, and they are taking into consideration how to minimize damage to streets and bridges.

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Parachute jump by the Golden Knights

A member of the US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team will conclude the parade by descending with an American flag and presenting it to the president. US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Mikaela Smith

The parade's finale will feature a parachute jump by the Golden Knights, the Army's demonstration and competition parachute team, according to planning documents obtained by USA Today.

Members of the Golden Knights are planning to land and present a "flag to the POTUS on behalf of the Army," per an event planning slide.

Costly military celebrations

The White House and the Pentagon hosted a militarized celebration on Independence Day after the event for the centennial anniversary of the end of WWI was canceled. Andrew Harnik/AP

This isn't the first time Trump pushed the idea of hosting a military parade in Washington.

Inspired by the military parade on Bastille Day in France, the president said he wanted to host a similar militarized celebration to commemorate the centennial anniversary since the end of World War I in 2018.

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However, the plan ended up being scrapped due to logistical issues and skyrocketing costs of about $92 million  up from initial estimates of $12 million.

Rather than acknowledging the military parade's large-scale scope and costs to repair potential damage to city infrastructure, Trump took to Twitter to blame local politicians for the event's cancellation.

"When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I canceled it," Trump wrote on social media at the time.

"Maybe we will do something next year in D.C. when the cost comes WAY DOWN. Now we can buy some more jet fighters!" he added, referring to Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II aircraft.

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Bowser, who has been DC's mayor since 2015, responded to Trump's remarks, saying that she "finally got thru (sic) to the reality star in the White House with the realities ($21.6M) of parades/events/demonstrations in Trump America."

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Andrew Chung

BUFFALO (Reuters) -U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts underscored his defense of the American judiciary on Wednesday amid verbal attacks by President Donald Trump and his allies on judges who have impeded aspects of his sweeping agenda, again stating that impeachment is an inappropriate response to unfavorable rulings.

Trump, some fellow Republicans in the House of Representatives and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk have advocated impeaching some of the judges who have issued decisions against the president's policies since he returned to office in January, a process in Congress that could lead to removal from the bench.

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"Impeachment is not how you register disagreement with decisions," Roberts said during remarks at a judicial event in Buffalo, New York.

Roberts, who leads the Supreme Court and its 6-3 conservative majority, did not mention Trump by name. But his comments echoed the rare rebuke issued by Roberts of the president in March after Trump called for the impeachment of a judge who had ordered his administration to halt the removal of Venezuelan migrants under a 1798 law called the Alien Enemies Act. Trump also labeled the judge a "Radical Left Lunatic."

The Supreme Court increasingly is being called upon to intervene in major legal disputes involving the president, whose aggressive agenda and flurry of executive orders often have been stymied by lower courts.

Critics have accused the administration of defying lower court orders and even a Supreme Court ruling involving Trump's crackdown on immigration.

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Roberts on Wednesday indicated that the appeals process - not impeachment - is the proper way to deal with adverse rulings.

"That's what we're there for," Roberts said, answering questions posed by a federal judge before an audience of lawyers and other members of the judiciary.

Roberts, who was born in Buffalo and raised in Indiana, also spoke about the importance of the independence of judges in the U.S. system of government that separates the powers of the president, Congress and the judiciary.

"This job is to obviously decide cases, but in the course of that, to check the excesses of Congress or the executive, and that does require a degree of independence," Roberts said, drawing applause from the crowd.

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Roberts engaged in a wide-ranging conversation addressing numerous subjects including the relationship among the court's nine justices, which he said were strong despite sometimes sharp words exchanged by those in the majority and in dissent in major cases. Members of the court's conservative and liberal blocs often are on opposite sides in the most important decisions.

Trump's administration is contending with more than 200 lawsuits challenging his policies. His Justice Department has in turn flooded the Supreme Court with requests seeking emergency relief to enforce his policies. It has filed 13 such requests in just over 15 weeks since Trump returned to office.

That number is unprecedented and shows no signs of abating, Georgetown University law professor Stephen Vladeck, who has studied the Supreme Court's emergency docket, wrote in a blog post.

The court on Tuesday handed Trump a major victory when it allowed his ban on transgender people serving in the military to take effect. It also has permitted the administration to cut millions of dollars in teacher training grants - part of Trump's crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives - and to fire thousands of probationary employees as he moves to slash the federal workforce.

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The justices, however, declined to let the administration withhold payment to foreign aid organizations for work they already performed for the government, and required it to "facilitate" the release from custody in El Salvador of a man wrongly deported to that country.

The justices also issued a decision to halt deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act after lawyers reported that the government was poised to imminently remove some in violation of the Supreme Court's prior order.

The court is scheduled to hear arguments on May 15 in Trump's bid to broadly enforce his executive order to restrict automatic birthright citizenship.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
By Nate Raymond

(Reuters) - A federal judge decided on Thursday not to wait for President Donald Trump's administration to bring a Tufts University doctoral student being held in a Louisiana immigration detention facility back to Vermont as previously ordered before assessing whether she should be released from custody.

Burlington, Vermont-based U.S. District Judge William Sessions instead opted to let Rumeysa Ozturk appear remotely at a bail hearing on Friday. Ozturk, who is a citizen of Turkey, is at the center of what has become one of the highest-profile cases to emerge from the Republican president's campaign to deport pro-Palestinian activists on American campuses.

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Sessions had earlier ordered the administration to bring Ozturk to Vermont so she could appear in person for court hearings on her claims that she has been unlawfully detained for six weeks for engaging in pro-Palestinian campus advocacy.

Her lawyers have said she was arrested on March 25 by U.S. immigration authorities on a street in the Boston suburb of Somerville, Massachusetts, after co-writing an opinion piece in the Tufts student newspaper that criticized the university's response to Israel's war in Gaza.

After Ozturk's arrest, she was transferred to Vermont before being sent to the Louisiana detention facility where she is being held. Ozturk was located in Vermont at the time the lawsuit challenging her detention was filed.

After the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday gave the administration an extra week to move Ozturk to Vermont, her lawyers convinced Sessions to proceed with Friday's bail hearing and allow her to instead appear remotely to speed along her release.

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"She really shouldn't be forced to undergo another week of detention," Monica Allard, a lawyer for Ozturk at the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, said during a Thursday morning hearing.

Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher, arguing for the administration, contended that holding the bail hearing on Friday appeared to contradict the schedule that the 2nd Circuit had contemplated when it gave U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement until May 14 to transfer Ozturk to Vermont.

"It just seems to be in tension with the language in the circuit's decision" on Wednesday, Drescher said.

Allard cited Ozturk's health as a reason to move forward with a bail hearing even if she was not physically present. Ozturk's lawyers have said she has suffered several asthma attacks while in custody that have become progressively more serious.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston)
A senior United States official has reportedly warned that Washington could move forward with its deal with Saudi Arabia without Israeli involvement, unless Israel changes course, according to Israeli media.

The Jerusalem Post reported that the unnamed official met on Monday with families of captives still held in Gaza. During the meeting, the official said President Donald Trump is increasingly frustrated with Israels stance on the stalled ceasefire talks.

Trump intends to press ahead with the Saudi deal regardless of Israels position, said the report on Wednesday.

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The US president is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates next week. Meanwhile, Israels ambassador to Washington is lobbying the White House to add a brief stop in Israel, two Israeli officials told Axios.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the US official told attendees Israel could face a much heavier price if it continues to oppose a ceasefire deal.

President Trump is determined to move forward with a significant deal with Saudi Arabia, even without Israeli involvement, the official reportedly said. The ceasefire agreement with the Houthis is just a prelude. If Israel doesnt come to its senses, even the Deal of the Millennium will happen without it.

The report said families of the captives hoped the meeting would result in greater international pressure on Israeli leaders to act. Some attendees said they were alarmed by the unusually blunt tone from the official as Washington has long been viewed as Israels closest diplomatic ally.

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The Trump administration has sought to realign regional alliances, focusing on normalising ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia. We hope Israel will board the historic train that has already left the station, the US official reportedly said. But the US will not wait at the platform.

The official also echoed concerns from the families that ongoing Israeli military operations could endanger the captives.

What is the proposed US-Saudi-Israel deal?

The proposed US-Saudi Arabia-Israel deal aims to normalise ties between Riyadh and Tel Aviv in what would mark a historic diplomatic shift, brokered by Washington.

Building on the controversial 2020 Abraham Accords, the agreement would see Saudi Arabia formally recognise Israel  abandoning its long-held demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territory as outlined in the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

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In return, the US would offer Saudi Arabia a defence pact and access to advanced weapons, while urging Riyadh to scale back its growing ties with China and Russia.

Another pillar of the deal includes US support for a Saudi civil nuclear programme, though disagreements over uranium enrichment remain unresolved.

While Saudi Arabia originally insisted on concrete steps towards a two-state solution for Palestinians, recent reports suggest Riyadh may settle for symbolic concessions  such as freezing settlement expansion  if the US offers enough in return.
U.S. and Russian officials have held talks over potentially reviving Russian natural gas exports to Europe, eight sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on May 8.

The talks come as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for a peace deal in Ukraine, with some diplomats reportedly suggesting that restoring Russias role in the European gas market could serve as a key incentive for Moscow.

Washingtons involvement may also help mitigate political opposition in Europe, while giving the U.S. strategic visibility over future Russian energy flows, sources tell Reuters.

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Following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European Union nations dramatically cut their imports of Russian gas. State energy giant Gazprom reported a $13.1 billion loss in 2024 as a result. Russian pipeline gas now accounts for only 19% of European supply, down from 45%.

Despite efforts to diversify, some EU countries, like Hungary, Slovakia, Belgium, and France, continue receiving Russian gas through pipelines or long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) contracts.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and a Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev have discussed gas exports, two sources said. The two met last in St. Petersburg on April 11. Russia's Direct Investment Fund denied the talks, stating, Currently, there are no such discussions.

In an interview with French magazine Le Point, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Gazprom would consider renewed sales to Europe if control of export infrastructure changed hands. Suggestions on the table include potential U.S. stakes in Nord Stream pipelines, Ukraines gas transit system, or even Gazprom itself, five sources told Reuters. American firms could also act as intermediaries, buying Russian gas and reselling it to European buyers.

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Major U.S. asset managers BlackRock, Vanguard, and Capital Group currently hold minority stakes in Gazprom.

Still, opposition in Brussels remains firm. After years of reducing its reliance on Russian gas, the European Commission (EC) on May 6 presented a detailed roadmap to fully sever the European Unions energy dependence on Russia by 2027.

The plan has been described as the blocs most comprehensive effort yet to end imports of Russian gas, oil, and nuclear fuel, a dependency critics argue has long compromised EU sovereignty and funded the Kremlins war machine in Ukraine.

Read also: Putin, Xi to discuss delayed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline during Victory Day celebrations, Bloomberg reports

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
LUSAKA, Zambia (AP)  The United States will cut $50 million worth of medical aid a year to Zambia because of systematic theft of the aid in past years and the government's failure to crack down on that, the U.S. ambassador said Thursday.

The U.S. had discovered in 2021 that medicines and medical supplies that were meant to be provided free to Zambians had been taken and were being sold by pharmacies across the southern African country, U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzales said at a press briefing.

He said that a U.S. investigation of around 2,000 pharmacies in Zambia between 2021 and 2023 found that nearly half of them were selling medicines and products paid for by U.S. aid funds.

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The Zambian government had failed to do enough to address the corruption after the U.S. informed it of the theft scandal in April 2024, Gonzales said.

For more than a year, the United States has requested tangible action by the government of Zambia to respond to the countrywide, systematic theft of these products, he said. In the face of minimal responsive action by the government, the United States is taking necessary steps to safeguard and ensure the accountability of American taxpayer funds.

Zambian Health Minister Elijah Muchima said the government acknowledged the concerns of the U.S. and was committed to "resolving this unfortunate issue. The government had fired, suspended or arrested officials implicated and was finalizing a report on the theft of medicines, but had to respect the legal process, Muchima said.

The $50 million is part of $128 million the U.S. gives to Zambia a year for medicines, medical supplies and other support for its health sector. Gonzales said the cuts would affect medications for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, three critical diseases affecting Zambians.

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The action was separate to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to cut U.S. foreign aid across the world, Gonzales said.

He said that the U.S. investigation into the theft also found that medications and supplies paid for by the Zambia government, the Global Fund and other international donors were being sold in pharmacies.

Zambia is burdened by heavy debts to China and other nations and relies on aid. The U.S. had been giving it a total of $600 million a year in health and development aid and funded approximately a third of the Zambian public health system, Gonzales said.

The ambassador said he had recommended to officials in Washington that the U.S. start cutting the aid from January next year to give Zambia time to plan new procurements of the life-saving drugs.

___

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
By Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis and David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Thursday a solution to be able to deliver food aid to Gaza was "steps away" and an announcement was coming shortly, as the aid community expressed skepticism that the plan would bring relief to the enclave's conflict-ravaged population.

Anticipation has built up about a new aid plan for Gaza, laid waste by 19 months of an Israeli military campaign against Hamas that has destroyed much of its infrastructure and displaced almost all of its 2.3 million population several times.

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European leaders and aid groups have criticized Israeli plans to take over distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza and use private companies to get food to families after two months in which the military has prevented supplies entering the Strip.

Speaking at a regular briefing, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce gave few details about the new mechanism but referred to a "charitable foundation" that she said would be carrying out the plan.

"I was hoping to introduce it today, but the foundation will be announcing this shortly," Bruce said.

"While we don't have anything to announce in specifics in this regard today, and I will not speak on behalf of the foundation which will be doing the work, we welcome moves to quickly get urgent food aid into Gaza in a way ... that the food aid actually gets to those to whom it's intended."

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Israel has accused agencies including the United Nations of allowing large quantities of aid to fall into the hands of Hamas, which it accuses of seizing supplies intended for civilians and using them for its own forces.

Among the options being considered by the United States based on a document seen by Reuters and circulated among the aid community, a recently-established Gaza Humanitarian Foundation would stand up four "Secure Distribution Sites", each built to serve 300,000 people.

Pre-packaged rations, hygiene kits and medical supplies would move through tightly-controlled corridors while being monitored in order to prevent the diversion of the assistance, according to the document.

On-site and perimeter security would be provided by experienced professionals, according to the document, to "deter interference from criminal networks or other armed groups who have historically sought to control or redirect humanitarian aid." It added that the Israeli Defense Forces will not be stationed at or near the sites.

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The aid community, which has frequently accused Israel of deliberately disregarding the complexity of aid distribution in Gaza, was skeptical.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the Israeli-proposed authorization mechanism for the distribution of food aid "appears practically unfeasible, incompatible with humanitarian principles and will create serious insecurity risks, all while failing to meet Israel's obligations under international law," according to a document shared with U.N. member states and seen by Reuters.

'NON-STARTER'

A Geneva-based aid official said they were briefed by a U.S. team on a Gaza aid plan on Thursday, adding they were "not very impressed with the proposal."

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Ahmed Bayram, Norwegian Refugee Council's media adviser for the Middle East, said the Israeli plan raised more questions than it gave answers and risked aid becoming militarized.

"What is clear is that Israel wants to take aid over... But it also sets a dangerous precedent, because probably for the first time in conflict history, or at least in recent conflict, we would have one of the parties involved in this conflict deciding where aid should go and how it should be distributed," Bayram said.

Communities would have to move around aid hubs and the model puts civilians in danger, he said, essentially turning aid into coercion.

"The whole thing is a non-starter for us."

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A United Nations Security Council diplomat said all 15 Security Council members were present at a briefing on Wednesday by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on the plan to deliver aid to Gaza held at the U.S. mission to the United Nations.

"Everybody is content that the meeting took place and that someone working on the ground has (finally) briefed the rest of Council members," the diplomat said in an email.

The diplomat said expectations remain high.

"Members (especially the E10 group) will now give the U.S. a little time to make some progress otherwise they will step in, exert pressure and bring in a new product," the diplomat said, referring to the 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis, David Brunnstrom, Jonathan Landay and Jasper Ward in Washington and Emma Farge in Geneva; Editing by Humeyra Pamuk and Daniel Wallis)
(Photo by Huis Ten Bosch Co., Ltd. Courtesy of Japan Travel.)



Fans of the beloved Dutch picture book character Miffy have something new to look forward to in Japan this summer. Huis Ten Bosch, the Dutch-inspired theme park in Nagasaki, will open a brand-new area called Miffy Wonder Square on June 21st, 2025  and its perfectly timed with Miffys 70th birthday.

Unveiled at a recent press conference, Miffy Wonder Square is the parks largest new project since its founding. Based on the theme A holiday that Miffy and her friends dream of, the area will invite visitors into a colorful European-style world full of rides, shops, and restaurants, and they are all brimming with adorable Miffy touches.

(Photo by Huis Ten Bosch Co., Ltd. Courtesy of Japan Travel.)



Key attractions include Uncle Pilots Flight Adventure, where youll soar through the sky with Miffy, and Miffy & Friends Yacht Sailing, a gentle boat ride perfect for families. Japans first permanent Miffy greeting spot, Greeting Gallery, will also open here, giving fans a chance to meet Miffy in person.

Delicious themed treats will be on offer, too. Try the Miffy Dream Omelet Rice or sweet crepes that are almost too cute to eat at one of the cozy cafes. Special Miffy merchandise, including exclusive plush toys and fashion items, will be available at stylish boutiques around the area.

(Photo by Huis Ten Bosch Co., Ltd. Courtesy of Japan Travel.)



Even more excitement is planned for fall 2025 with the opening of Miffys Dream Storybook, an immersive walk-through attraction bringing Miffys picture book adventures to life.

For an even smoother visit, guests can purchase an Express Pass or enjoy early park entry by staying at one of the official hotels.

Miffy fans wont want to miss this one-of-a-kind celebration. For more information, please visit the official website here.

Getting there

For those visiting the area via public transport, Huis Ten Bosch Station (Omura Line) serves the theme park. The journey takes around 90 minutes from Nagasaki Station.

For those who opt to drive, paid on site parking is available.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent agreed when asked on 7 May if he considered Russian leader Vladimir Putin a war criminal.

Source: Kyiv Independent, as reported by European Pravda

Details: In response to a question from Democratic Congressman Juan Vargas, "Do you consider Vladimir Putin a war criminal?", Bessent answered "Yes".

These comments were made during Bessent's speech to the US Congress and his annual testimony in front of the House Committee on Financial Services.

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When Vargas asked, "Would you negotiate with a war criminal?", Bessent replied: "I think that's the nature of diplomacy, one must negotiate with both sides, Sir".

Quote from Bessent: "I believe negotiation was needed with the Japanese after World War II."

Details: Bessent had previously been critical of Ukrainian leadership, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He suggested on 1 May resetting relations between Ukraine and the US after the signing of a bilateral mineral resources deal on 30 April.

Bessent stated that the previous administration led by former US president Joe Biden had provided assistance to Ukraine but imposed "very weak" sanctions against Russia.

Background:

US Vice President JD Vance said he is "still optimistic" about the possibility of ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, noting that Washington is now waiting for Kyiv and Moscow to agree to engage directly with each other.

US President Donald Trump believes that Putin's proposal for a "three-day truce" is "a lot" compared to what happened before.

He also suggested that the Russian leader has become more willing to make peace after the recent drop in oil prices.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump agreed Thursday to cut tariffs on U.K. autos, steel and aluminum in a planned trade deal but played down the possibility of other nations getting similarly favorable terms on his import taxes, which are roiling the global economy.

Under the framework agreement, the United Kingdom is to buy more American beef and ethanol and streamline its customs process for goods from the United States. But Trump's baseline 10% tariffs against British goods are to stay in place, and the Republican president suggested that even higher import taxes would be charged on other countries trying to reach deals with the U.S.

That's a low number, Trump said of the U.K.'s 10% tariff rate, adding that other countries would face higher tariff rates in their deals because the U.S. runs trade deficits with them and in many cases they didn't treat us right.

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The announcement provided a political victory for U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and offered a degree of validation for Trump's claims that his turbulent approach on trade may be able to rebalance the global economy on his preferred terms. While the deal should improve Britain's situation relative to when Trump began imposing new tariffs, the world economy is still mired in the confusion and uncertainty unleashed by the president's import taxes. The deal with the U.K. would be a resonant but small step toward greater clarity given that Britain represents a fraction of U.S. imports.

The U.S. president talked up the framework to reporters in the Oval Office, although the fine print remains in flux.

In the coming weeks, well have it all very conclusive, Trump said.

The president said the agreement would lead to more beef and ethanol exports to the U.K., and streamline the processing of U.S. goods through customs. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the baseline 10% tariffs would stay in place and said an unspecified British company would be announcing the purchase of $10 billion in aircraft from Boeing.

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Cars, steel and olive oil

U.K. officials said Trump's auto tariffs would go from 27.5% to 10% on a quota of 100,000 vehicles and the import taxes on steel and aluminum would go from 25% to zero. Starmer said Britain would preserve its health and safety standards on food products.

The U.K. government also said it would also reduce tariffs on 2,500 U.S. products such as olive oil, wine and sports equipment, bringing down the average tariff rate 1.8%.

Starmer, speaking over the phone to Trump while reporters listened in, stressed the importance of the relationship between the two countries as the anniversary of the Allies' World War II victory in Europe was being commemorated.

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To be able to announce this great deal, on the same day 80 years forward, almost at the same hour, Starmer said, I think is incredibly important and makes this truly historic.

Starmer later spoke to workers at a Jaguar Land Rover plant and promoted the deal, which he said would protect thousands of auto jobs. He told the workers that this is just the start, saying we are hammering out further details to reduce barriers to trade with the United States and across the world.

While celebrating the planned deal, Trump talked up the U.S. economy's future despite worrisome signs of a possible slowdown and increase in inflation that could hurt most Americans' financial well-being and lead to layoffs.

The president said the public should buy into the stock market because the U.S. was about to go up like a rocket ship," even as he dismissed reports of fewer container ships docking in the U.S. and companies warning of price increases if the tariffs remain.

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Trump said that fewer container ships arriving from China meant we lose less money from the trade deficit, even though the goods in those ships are used by U.S. manufacturers and sold by retailers in ways that can support jobs while holding down prices.

Asked about companies saying they would need to raise prices because of the tariffs, Trump said, I think theyre saying that just to try and negotiate deals with me. Trump suggested that he might put 100% tariffs on Mattel toys if they don't relocate their factories to the United States.

Trump has maintained that there is virtually no inflation. The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure has increased at 2.3% annually, slightly higher than the central bank's 2% target.

The U.S. president on Thursday said that Fed Chair Jerome Powell should cut the Fed's benchmark interest rates that are designed to manage inflation, saying that Powell was holding the Fed's rates at current levels instead of slashing them because he's not in love with me. Powell warned at a Wednesday news conference that the tariffs were creating uncertainty and the Fed could afford to wait until more data shows the impacts on the economy.

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Looking for a deal since Brexit

The U.S. already runs a trade surplus with the U.K., making it a bit easier to find common ground at a time when Trump has staked his tariffs on eliminating the annual trade deficits with multiple nations he says have taken advantage of the U.S.

A British government official, insisting on anonymity to discuss the talks, said the U.K. planned to seek greater trade liberalization as negotiations continue, such that the effective tariff rate charged by the U.S. could be lower than the 10% baseline.

The official said the talks have been built on the longstanding closeness between the two nations and, when in discussions with the Trump administration, the key was to be charming and know how to say no nicely.

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The official said Trump had invited the British government to agree to a trade deal before April 2, but the president changed his mind so that he could impose his sweeping Liberation Day tariffs. That statement indicates that Trump could have announced some form of Thursday's agreement weeks earlier.

No new deals have been reached with the United States' largest trading partners, including Canada, Mexico and China. Trump has left the highest tariffs in place on China, sparking a confrontation between the world's two biggest economies. Washington and Beijing are sending officials to Switzerland this weekend for an initial round of trade talks.

Trump said Thursday that he "could" lower the 145% rate charged on Chinese goods if the weekend talks go well.

Right now, you cant get any higher," Trump said. "It's at 145, so we know its coming down.

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The U.S. and the U.K. have been aiming to strike a bilateral trade agreement since the British people voted in 2016 to leave the European Union, allowing the country to negotiate independently of the rest of the continent. Then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson touted a future deal with the U.S. as an incentive for Brexit.

Negotiations started in 2020, during Trumps first term. But the talks made little progress under President Joe Biden, a Democrat and a critic of Brexit. Negotiations resumed after Trump returned to office in January and intensified in recent weeks.

The U.S. ran a $11.9 billion trade surplus in goods with the U.K. last year, according to the Census Bureau. The $68 billion in goods that the U.S. imported from the U.K. last year accounted for just 2% of all goods imported into the country.

The U.S. is far more important for the U.K. economy. It was Britain's biggest trading partner last year, according to government statistics, though the bulk of Britains exports to the U.S. are services rather than goods.

___

Jill Lawless reported from London. Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
Letter carriers from across the country will once again collect non-perishable food donations as part of the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, taking place this Saturday.

Now in its 33rd year, the single-day food drive, billed as the largest such event in the nation, aims to fight hunger in local communities by tapping into the daily reach of U.S. Postal Service carriers.

A U.S. postal vehicle with food on display at MEND in Pacoima during a news conference on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. (Getty Images)

Homeowners, renters and other residents can participate in the annual initiative by placing a bag of non-perishable food next to their mailbox before regular mail delivery. Their letter carrier will collect the donation and ensure its delivered to a local food pantry, USPS officials said.

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Over the past three decades, letter carriers and postal customers have donated more than 1.9 billion pounds of food through the annual drive, which includes participation from all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

This years campaign comes at a critical time, USPS says, as more than 44 million Americans are food insecure, including over 14 million children and 5.5 million seniors.

With food banks often running low in the spring and many school meal programs paused for summer, demand is typically high this time of year.

Letter carriers, who see hungers impact daily in the communities they serve, are urging the public to step up and help restock local pantries.

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USPS customers are encouraged to check whether their ZIP Code is covered by visiting nalc.org or by contacting their local post office.

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  White smoke could be seen rising from the Sistine Chapel chimney in Vatican City on Thursday, signaling that cardinals have selected a new pope to lead the Catholic Church after the passing of Pope Francis.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, of America, was elected to lead the church. Prevost becomes the first American to be elected as Pope of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.

Robert Prevost elected the first American pope in history, will take name Leo XIV

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Here in Utah, local Catholic church leaders are reacting to the news.

When the cardinals elect a pope who happens to be an American, it tells us about the universality of Gods love. God chooses a leader of the Catholic church not only to serve the Catholics but to serve the entire world, said Bishop Oscar Solis, who leads the Catholic church in Utah.

Solis told reporters on Thursday morning that he had not met Pope Leo XIV in person, but he had heard a lot about him. He praised his ability to speak multiple languages, having served a mission in Latin America and working in the Vatican for a couple of years.

Solis believes Pope Leo XIV will continue the legacy and the work of previous popes in serving the people of the world, and that being an American doesnt change his responsibility. He said he felt confident that the new pope would continue his predecessors legacy to have a special affinity and closeness to the poor and the marginalized.

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Whether you are American, you are Italian, Asian, or European, it doesnt undermine the great responsibility to forget who you are. There is a wonderful sacred responsibility in our Catholic church being appointed as a leader, said Solis. Like, for me, I am a Filipino. But I dont serve as a Filipino bishop. I serve as a servant of God, elected to be the bishop here in Utah.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also issued a statement following the announcement of the new pope, which reads:

On behalf of the leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we extend heartfelt prayers and greetings to Pope Leo XIV. This significant moment in time for the Catholic Church is a reminder of the enduring importance of faith to people everywhere. As fellow followers of Jesus Christ, we look forward to continued opportunities to work together to bless the lives of Gods children everywhere. May we strive to follow the example of Jesus Christ to care for the poor and needy, become peacemakers and create a world where faith and goodness can flourish. -First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Arguments were heard Wednesday in the case of Ralph Leroy Menzies, who has been on death row for 37 years, on whether he can be executed due to having dementia.

After hearing from both sides, the judge said he will issue written findings sometime within the next 60 days.

Menzies was first sentenced to death row in 1988 for killing Maurine Hunsaker, a mother of three. Todays hearing was to decide if Menzies could be executed  attorneys arguing the 67-year-olds dementia is so severe, he cannot understand why he is facing execution.

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Death penalty in Utah: A brief history as state plans next execution

Mr. Menzies showed significant deficits in executive functioning, which were a significant decline from where he was in 2010, the last time he was evaluated, his defense said.

Plaintiffs said that Menzies still has the mental capacity to understand the situation.

Menzies recited the facts of the case and identified the victim as Ms. Hunsaker. Menzies knew he received a capital sentence and would be executed, and he correctly identified the method of execution as firing squad, he said.

Family also made remarks at the hearing, Hunsakers son expressing the difficulty of knowing his mother will never get the chance to meet her grandchildren.

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This man took my mom from a gas station where she was trying to work to support her family. He tied her to a tree, he slit her throat. This was a brutal murder of a person whose life was shortened. We miss her, we love her, he said.

According to the Associated Press, Menzies is not the first person to receive a dementia diagnosis while awaiting execution  the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the execution of a man with dementia in 2019 in Alabama.

The case followed other similar earlier rulings that stopped the execution of people with mental illnesses, the Supreme Court saying that if a defendant cannot understand why they are set to be executed, then an execution is not carrying out the retribution that society is seeking.

Last year, Utah had its first execution in 14 years as Taberon Honie was executed by lethal injection.

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Before him, Utah inmate Ronnie Lee Gardner, who was executed in 2010, was the third person to be executed in the U.S. by firing squad since the 1970s.

Several states allow firing squads in their constitutions, however, Utah is the only state to have actually executed an inmate by firing squad, according to DPIC.

Menzies selected the method of firing squad before the Utah State Legislature eliminated it as an available method in 2004, however, the law will allow him to keep his selection.

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  It was a bright and sunny morning as students from Uintah Elementary released trout that they had spent months raising into Fairmont Park Pond in Sugarhouse.

Wednesday, May 7, the Uintah Elementary second-grade students gathered around the trout fingerlings, which were swimming in a tank in the classroom.

Its part of the national aquatic biology program, Trout in the Classroom, which provides a hands-on learning experience for school-age children as they raise native trout from fertilized eggs, then release them as fingerlings into local waterways.

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In Utah, the program is a partnership between the national conservation organization Trout Unlimited, the Utah Division of Natural Resources, and local school teachers.

The kids are so interested in observing and seeing all the changes that the trout go through in their development, and learning a lot about habitats and what trout need and how we can help them, said second-grade teacher Ruth Hansen.

Artists hope 2034 Olympics, like their 2002 Olympic sculpture, will be a symbol of unity

Hansen shared that this is the fifth year that the class has joined the program. She noted that it looked different every time, adding that the trout seemed to grow bigger this year compared to the past.

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I would highly recommend it. The kids are so engaged. Every single kid is engaged with watching this and experiencing it, she said. They have lots of questions and they learn all kinds of things, but its all integrated. We did science, we did math, writing, talking to each other, social skills. Its great.

David Leta the statewide coordinator for Trout in the Classroom, said he hopes it can help students develop a better appreciation and understanding of nature.

Its just fun. Its rewarding. The excitement is just infectious, and its great to see the kids learn new things  and to learn it by doing, rather than just having someone, a talking head, talking to them about it, or reading it in a book. They can actually experience it, he said.

Leta said that its a volunteer program, and he loves being a part of it to give back to the community and environment.

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Im a fisherman myself, so I love it to see the fish population thrive in our streams and rivers, and I like to see the next generation of young people grow up to appreciate fish and learn how to fish and just enjoy the outdoors, he said.

During the 2025-2025 school year, 72 Utah classes participated in the program, with 4,700 students joining in. Over 10,000 fertilized trout eggs were delivered to these classrooms in early January 2025 to be released this month.

To learn more about the organization and the programs it offers, visit the Utah Council of Trout Unlimited website.

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As the nation celebrates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, Veterans Affairs officials have added about 210,000 names of veterans killed or lost overseas  including about 93,000 WWII veterans  to the departments expanding online memorial project.

The Veterans Legacy Memorial was launched in 2019 and creates websites recognizing the lives of deceased veterans, allowing relatives to update the online memorials with details for their service, post-military work and family history.

The scope of the project now includes more than 10 million names and has roughly doubled in the last two years, with the addition of millions of veterans buried in private cemeteries worldwide to existing lists of individuals interred at VA and military sites.

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Trump proclaims Thursday as day for US to celebrate victory in WWII

The expansion announced this week includes names from 26 overseas cemeteries and memorials administered by the American Battle Monuments Commission.

ABMC acting Secretary Robert Dalessandro said in a statement that the Veterans Legacy Project update adds new resources to honor our nations veterans from all wars and brings their stories to those who arent able to visit our sites overseas.

President Donald Trump this week issued a proclamation recognizing May 8 as the 80th anniversary of the end of European hostilities in that conflict.

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In addition to the approximately 93,000 WWII veterans added to the veterans project, about 94,000 other names added to the list are of Americans missing in action overseas or buried at sea. Those individuals are honored in a series of overseas memorials overseen by the monuments commission.

The brave Americans resting in ABMC cemeteries and whose names are inscribed on memorials around the world sacrificed their lives to liberate allied countries and to protect our nations interests, said acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Ronald Walters in a statement. Its our honor to preserve their legacies.

Officials in recent months have also updated the legacy project to allow veterans to provide details of their life and service before they pass away. Information on the Your Story, Your Legacy effort is available on the projects website.
Congolese thinker, philosopher and linguist Valentin-Yves Mudimbe died on 21 April 2025 at the age of 83. He was in the US, where he had lived for many years.

A towering figure in African critical thought, Mudimbes work  translated and studied worldwide  has profoundly shaped postcolonial studies. He leaves a groundbreaking intellectual legacy on the colonisation of knowledge and the condition of Africans.

At a time when debates on decolonising knowledge are gaining ground, Mudimbes passing invites us to revisit the work of a thinker who, since the 1980s, paved the way for a radical critique of imposed categories. He wanted to help rebuild intellectual frameworks which imagined and defined Africa on its own terms, not through the labels or categories imposed by colonial powers.

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As a specialist in postmodern and postcolonial theories, I think he had considerable influence on the field of postcolonial studies.

He was one of the most influential African thinkers of the 20th century. His impact did not come from activism, but from careful, sustained intellectual work. With his seminal work The Invention of Africa (1988) he profoundly disrupted African and postcolonial studies. His work went far beyond the usual east-west divide.

A journey between Africa and exile

Valentin-Yves Mudimbe was born in 1941 in Jadotville (now Likasi), in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His early education took place in a Benedictine monastery. Later, he pursued further studies at Louvain in Belgium.

His religious education left a lasting mark on his thinking. It shaped his critical approach to knowledge. His work often explored the connections between language, power, and how ideas become institutionalised.

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In 1970, Mudimbe returned to the newly independent Congo. He began teaching at the National University of Zaire. The country was then caught between postcolonial hope and growing disillusionment.

Under Mobutu Sese Sekos regime, the political atmosphere grew stifling for independent thinkers. The state had adopted the rhetoric of authenticity, turning it into a tool of control. Faced with this ideological stranglehold, Mudimbe chose exile in 1979.

He relocated to the US, where he taught at Stanford and later Duke University. There, he continued his work of critical deconstruction. Yet, despite his physical distance, he remained deeply committed to Africas future.

Deconstructing the colonial library

First published in English in 1988 as the The Invention of Africa, the book was translated into French in 2021 under the title L'Invention de l'Afrique, (Presence africaine).

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Mudimbe offers much more than a critique of colonial representations. He examined the colonial library. It refers to the vast collection of religious, anthropological and administrative texts that, for centuries, framed Africa as an object to be studied, dominated and saved. Mudimbe was always careful not to accept ideas just because they were passed down. Instead, he was always looking for new ways to think freely and independently.

Unlike Edward Said, the Palestinian-American literary theorist and critic who exposed how the west constructed a mythologised Orient, Mudimbe revealed something more insidious. He showed that Africa was often imagined as a void to be filled. It was cast as a cultural blank slate, which helped justify the colonial mission.

This radical deconstruction raised a crucial question: how can we produce knowledge that does not, even through critique, reproduce the very colonial frameworks it seeks to challenge?

The books impact was profound, resonating across Africa, Europe and North America. It created an intellectual foundation for thinkers like Achille Mbembe, Souleymane Bachir Diagne and Felwine Sarr, who, in turn, continued to explore what truly decolonised African thought might look like.

Building something new

Mudimbe was never satisfied with existing structures. He aimed to build something new from the ground up. For him, liberating Africa required a rebuilding of knowledge systems. He rejected the assumption that western intellectual frameworks alone could define Africa. He also warned against essentialist temptations  the trap of creating new conceptual prisons in the name of authenticity.

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His thinking followed a rigorous method: analysing discourse, questioning inherited categories, and dismantling false assumptions.

This demanding work aimed to empower Africa to think for itself without cutting itself off from the rest of the world.

His fiction  Between Tides (in French, Entre les eaux. Dieu, un pretre, la revolution), Before the Birth of the Moon (Le Bel Immonde in French), Shaba Deux : les carnets de mere Marie Gertrude  embodies the same refusal to be stereotyped.

His characters navigate colonial legacies, state nationalism and rigid identity politics through stories of displacement and fragmented memory.

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Language itself becomes a battleground for creativity in his novels. Sharply crafted, his prose captures the diversity of contemporary African experience. Through both his literary and philosophical works, Mudimbe consistently insisted that identity is never a given. It is always a construct to be questioned.

A living legacy

As Africa navigates complex geopolitical transformations and redefines its cultural identities, Mudimbes intellectual legacy proves more vital than ever. His work challenges us to recognise that true liberation extends beyond political sovereignty or cultural revival. It requires the radical work of reinventing how knowledge itself is produced and validated.

Mudimbes lasting legacy urges us to remain intellectually vigilant in a world where knowledge is constantly shifting. He challenges us to reject rigid categories, embrace complexity with care, and make room for uncertainty instead of rushing to resolve it.

For Mudimbe, to decolonise knowledge means relentless critique paired with creative reconstruction. It means building pluralistic and open frameworks that honour Africas diverse experiences without nostalgia or complacency.

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This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Christophe Premat, Stockholm University

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Christophe Premat is a lecturer and researcher in Francophone cultural studies at the Department of Romance and Classical Studies at Stockholm University. In 2018, he published the book For a Critical Genealogy of the Francophonie, released by Stockholm University Press. He states that he worked at the French Institute of Sweden / French Embassy in Stockholm from 2008 to 2013, dealing, among other things, with issues related to the Francophonie. He is currently a member of CISE (Confederation Internationale Solidaire Ecologiste), an association of French citizens abroad founded in 2018 (https://cise-francaisdeletranger.net/). He is the head of the Centre for Canadian Studies at Stockholm University.
U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden receives the endorsement of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau. (Henry Redman | Wisconsin Examiner)

U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden says hes working on a proposal that would alter two current work authorization programs to make it easier for businesses including farms and hotels to hire immigrant workers.

Van Orden, who sits on the House agriculture committee, told the news outlet NOTUS that hes working with Trump administration officials on a proposal to alter the H-2A and H-2B visa programs. Both programs currently provide temporary work visas for people working seasonally.

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The H-2A program, which is targeted at seasonal farm labor, has frustrated Wisconsin dairy farmers because year-round workers, including in dairy, are not eligible for the program. Immigrant workers comprise an estimated 70% of the labor force on Wisconsin dairy farms.

Rocks are heavy. Trees are made of wood. Gravity is real. Theres 20 million illegal aliens here that have been floating agriculture, hospitality and construction for decades, and we need their labor, Van Orden told NOTUS.

Van Orden said the proposal is in line with the Trump administrations increased immigration enforcement efforts because it doesnt offer a pathway to citizenship or encourage an increase in unauthorized crossings of the border while making it easier for people to come to the U.S. to work.

Thats why people come here illegally, because its so hard to come here legally, Van Orden said. Were all working towards the goal of making sure that our economy can maintain its relevancy.

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May 7VAN WERT  A Van Wert woman entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against her for providing fentanyl to a man who later died from an overdose.

April Diltz, 46, pleaded guilty to an amended count of corrupting another with drugs, a third-degree felony which carries a maximum sentence of 36 months in prison with a $10,000 fine.

Prosecutor Eva Yarger reduced the charge from a second-degree felony and dismissed two additional charges, including a first-degree felony charge of involuntary manslaughter and one count of possession of a fentanyl-related compound, in exchange for the woman's guilty plea.

The state alleges Diltz gave fentanyl to a man who died in July 2024.

Judge Martin Burchfield set sentencing for June 18.

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U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on May 7 that Russia is "asking for too much" to end its war against Ukraine, highlighting growing frustration within the Trump administration over stalled peace efforts with Moscow.

Speaking at the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, Vance said the U.S. remains focused on securing a long-term settlement after Russia dismissed a proposed 30-day ceasefire, according to Politico. Moscow argued that a temporary pause would benefit Ukraine militarily and was not in its strategic interest.

"The Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think theyre asking for too much," Vance said.

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Vances remarks reflected what he described as a shift in the White Houses approach to President Vladimir Putin. "Maybe he doesnt want to stop the war," Trump said in April on Truth Social, following a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome. Trump also suggested he might impose sanctions to "change the dynamic."

Vance added that while Trump is ready to step away from the talks, the administrations current priority is getting both sides to engage directly. "We would like both the Russians and the Ukrainians to actually agree on some basic guidelines for sitting down and talking to one another," he said. "That is the next big step wed like to take."

Although Vance acknowledged the wide gap between Kyiv and Moscow, he maintained a degree of optimism. "Im not yet a pessimist," he said, but added that "its probably impossible" for Washington to act as a mediator unless both parties first establish contact.

Vance struck a notably more measured tone than in his speech at the Munich Security Conference in February, according to Politico, where he drew backlash for harshly criticizing European governments. Addressing a room of senior transatlantic officials  many of them critical of Trump  Vance emphasized shared values, saying Europe and the U.S. remain on the "same civilizational team."

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He also addressed tensions from his earlier appearance. "Its not Europe bad, and America good," he said. "I think that both Europe and the United States, weve gotten a little bit off track, and Id encourage us all to get back on track together."

While some attendees said they were reassured by the more conciliatory tone, others remained skeptical. One participant noted the absence of clarity on how far Washington is willing to go. If Ukraine cant join NATO what will you do to prevent future Russian invasions? they asked. Because without hard defense commitments to Ukraine, we all know it will happen again.

Another participant welcomed the softer rhetoric but criticized what they saw as false neutrality. To come off as somehow neutral between Russia and Ukraine is morally repugnant. One side is the aggressor, one the victim fighting for its survival. Nice speeches cant change that.

As the event unfolded, tensions between the United States and Germany also flared over Berlins decision to classify the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as extremist.

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Read also: Whos attending Moscows Victory Day parade? The Kremlin has published a guest list ahead of May 9

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More than one million people celebrated the end of the Second World War in Europe on the streets of Britain on May 8 1945, with jubilant crowds gathering in Trafalgar Square and in front of Buckingham Palace where King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Winston Churchill appeared on the balcony. The young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret famously joined the celebrations, mingling with the crowds until late in the evening.

Eighty years after the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, people across the United Kingdom will once again mark VE Day. A service at Westminster Abbey will begin with a national two-minute silence of remembrance on Thursday. At 6.30pm, churches and cathedrals across the country will also ring their bells.

That hard-fought victory over the evils of fascism came at a tremendous cost, with nearly half a million Britons and Commonwealth forces losing their lives, including 70,000 civilians. Families were torn apart by the war and loved ones serving overseas rarely had the chance to return home on leave. On the home front, German bombing destroyed 500,000 homes.

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Here are the stories of some of the brave young men and women who fought for our liberty, whether on the home front or overseas.

I said to the German PoWs: Ich bin ein Jude. They didnt think Jews could be soldiers

Mervyn Kersh, age 100

Mervyn Kersh, a British Jew from south London, served with 17 Vehicle Company RAOC from the beaches of Normandy - Heathcliff O'Malley

Called up on June 17 1943, at the age of 18, Mervyn was initially posted to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC), as his impaired sight made him unsuitable for the infantry.

Mervyns 17 Vehicle Company was set to land on D-Day plus six (June 12 1944), and take charge of the first 1,000 vehicles to arrive. However, an advance reconnaissance party of 200 men, along with their commanding officer, Colonel Gore, were torpedoed on the second day of the landings. Only Col Gore survived, as the others were below deck at the time.

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The call went out for volunteers at the companys concentration area in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. There was a deathly hush, having heard their predecessors had just been blown up. Anyway, I did volunteer, and then others did slowly.

Mervyn and the others set off by landing ship that night. They were woken at 5am, but it wasnt until the light began to break and Mervyn saw the outline of the French coast that the full reality of the situation sank in.

That was the first time I really felt nervous. I could hear the heavy shells going from the shore to the big ships and from the big ships back to the shore. It was very frightening. I got out my book of Psalms and read a couple of them. Mervyn placed the book in his breast pocket to act as a shield, [a trick] Id heard from the First World War.

All around me were other vehicles, other boats. It was an amazing sight. And it was a comforting thing anyway, to know that I wasnt that alone in the world.

A young Mervyn Kersh, who enlisted at 18, ready to serve in the fight across Europe - Heathcliff O'Malley

Mervyn and his driver disembarked down the ramp onto Gold Beach.

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The beach master was calling out, Keep going, keep going, others behind you! We kept going straight on, didnt have a chance to really look around. I didnt see any bodies but I do remember seeing lots of vehicles abandoned and damaged.

The company finally based themselves in Bayeux, where they remained until the Allies managed to break out of Normandy in August 1944.

The Germans had been taken by surprise and pushed back. It took them two or three weeks to recover their organisation but, meanwhile, we were able to get thousands of troops to shore along with heavy equipment. That delay really cost them the war.

By late summer, 200,000 German soldiers had been captured in Normandy. They were just slovenly, their jackets hanging open; theyd lost their hats and had no helmets, no weapons. Mervyn would go up to them proudly saying, Ich bin ein Jude, I am a Jew in English. It surprised them, because they didnt think Jews were soldiers.

Mervyn Kersh carried dog tags marked Jew in case he was captured during the Allied advance through Europe - Heathcliff O'Malley

By April 1945, Mervyn was billeted in a former SS barracks in the picturesque town of Celle, Germany, located about 15 miles from the recently liberated Bergen-Belsen camp, as he awaited further orders.

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I wasnt allowed in because of diseases, so I didnt see the inside, but I saw the people who were fit enough to come out, in various stages of emaciation. I managed to talk to those who could speak English or a bit of French.

For the next 14 days, Mervyn visited the camp and Hanover railway station where Jewish survivors were arriving from across liberated Europe. None of them ever discussed what had happened to them. They had one issue, and that was to get to what they called Palestine. Mervyn shared their sentiment, after his own experience growing up and what hed seen in Germany.

Being a non-smoker, Mervyn traded his cigarette ration for chocolate and handed it out to those he met. Their faces! The fellow I was talking to was so excited. Years later, I was told theres no worse thing you could give someone whos starving.

After two weeks, Mervyn received orders from Col Gore to return to England, dashing his hopes of getting to Berlin for the end of the war.

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Mervyn boarded a train bound for Bruges but the war wasnt yet over and there were still dangers. All the train windows were boarded up and the lights were dimmed because German youngsters had been given guns and told to fire at any Allies they saw.

Mervyn slept for 36 hours straight and when he woke and disembarked in Belgium, he realised the war was over. They were dancing in the streets, music playing. We asked what it was all about. They told us that Germany had surrendered the day before, all while we were asleep on the train. I missed it!

With VE Day around the corner, Mervyn sees modern-day parallels with 1940s Europe.

I remember that picture of Neville Chamberlain. Peace in our time! An absolute nonsense and we knew it was nonsense then. Im sure he did too, and if he didnt, he was a bigger fool than I thought.

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When Russia invaded Crimea a few years ago, we did nothing. We said: Naughty, naughty which didnt have much of an effect on Putin and, as a result, he invaded Donetsk. Now hes building up his strength. When hes ready to go, theres the rest of Ukraine, then hell go for Poland and the Baltic States, and get back the former Soviet Union. Thats his objective.

Mervyn recently spoke to Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, during a Downing Street function. I said to him: We need to show that were ready to protect and go full-out with Ukraine. If its a victim, youve got to help. A bully will never attack anyone he thinks is stronger. As long as you go around pretending that were strong and showing that were weak youll get aggression in the world. He didnt say a word. No matter: I had a chat with his wife and told her to influence him.

You dont stop to think, Ah, this is going to be a historical day. You get on with it

Mairie Scott, age 98

Mairie Scott served in the Womens Royal Naval Service, stationed in the Allied command tunnels beneath Fort Southwick - Heathcliff O'Malley

Mairie grew up in Clapham in south London and experienced London at war as a young teenager. I lived through the Blitz because my parents didnt want to split my sister and me up. We tried going down Clapham North Tube once and afterwards I said to my parents, Im not going down there again! It was horrible.

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From then on, the family took cover under the stairs whenever there was an air raid.

As soon as she could, Mairie applied to the Womens Royal Naval Service (WRENS) in March 1944. When they heard I was a General Post Office-trained (GPO) switchboard operator, they welcomed me, although officially I wasnt of age to be conscripted. However, accept me they did, and sent me immediately down to Portsmouth, to a place called Fort Southwick.

Fort Southwick, carved deep into the cliffs overlooking Portsmouth Harbour, housed a bombproof underground bunker known as UGHQ. To reach the tunnels, recruits had to descend over 300 steps, with the elevator reserved for officers.

It was a secret underground headquarters. We used to sleep down there in three-tiered bunks. We would eat down there. It was a proper little village community and was great fun. We had great camaraderie.

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During her time off, Mairie and her colleagues would go to Southampton. Thats where the US Army was. Wed never met Americans before, and they were lavishing all the girls with chocolate and cigarettes, whatever you wanted. They were very generous, great fun and good to know. It was all the American dances; youd be doing all manner of things that the rather sedate English would never think about doing. But it didnt matter what your feet were doing, as long as you moved!

The main Allied commanders in charge of the planning for D-Day worked in Southwick House, a mile to the north of the fort. It was there that the high command planned it all; General Dwight Eisenhower, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Arthur Tedder and Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay. They were sending everything down to our switchboard to be sent all over the place.

About a month before D-Day, Mairie was made familiar with some new equipment called a very-high-frequency (VHF) set. It was a simple machine with levers and a one-way system; only one person could speak at one time. So I would lift my lever and transmit the message  all in code, of course, so you had no idea what was going on.

A young Mairie Scott in her Womens Royal Naval Service uniform during the Second World War - Heathcliff O'Malley

In the early days of June 1944 it became evident that the long-awaited liberation of Europe was imminent. You couldnt see the water in Portsmouth Harbour for ships. It was crammed full of ships of every description and size, and I then knew that the big day was about to commence.

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On the morning of D-Day, Mairie was working on the new VHF set relaying coded messages to the commanders fighting on the Normandy beaches. While I was on the VHF, when the recipient of my messages lifted his lever, I was really quite shocked because what I heard was the war. The first message I passed went smoothly, but when he lifted his lever to respond, the first thing I heard was intense machine gun fire, incessant cannon bombs, men shouting, men shouting orders; the general chaos of war.

It was graphic. Its something I shant ever forget. You really did feel part of it so D-Day for me  it will always be a very poignant memory because it was the day we started to liberate Europe.

For decades, like so many veterans, Mairie didnt talk about her wartime experience. As a young woman or a young man wouldnt stop to think, Ah, this is going to be a historical day. You get on with it. But it was a very historical day, because once they got their foothold in Normandy, well, you know the history. So from that aspect, now I can feel a little pride.

Mairie remembers VE Day vividly. On VE Day, I went to London with a friend called Betty. You were kissed by hundreds of men who had a good opportunity. Some were not bad, others repelled, but you smiled, and that was it. The atmosphere I can only describe as joyous, people were kissing and hugging and cheering and just making noise.

But I didnt go to the Palace, because I dont like those enormous crowds. I think we went and found ourselves a small cafe somewhere and had a meal. It was a lovely day, yes. You had a sense of a job well done.

Mairie was demobbed in 1946 and went on to work for a firm of consulting civil engineers near Victoria before marrying and having her daughter, Carolyn. For VE Day, Mairie and Carolyn have been invited to Westminster Abbey for a service that will be attended by the King and Queen.

They called me Cat John  they said I had nine lives!

John Morris, age 103

John Morris joined the Territorial Army at 16 and went on to serve with Special Forces across North Africa, Italy and the Balkans - Heathcliff O'Malley

John Morris joined the Territorial Army (now known as the Army Reserve) at 16 and was called up a year later in 1939, working on anti-aircraft (AA) guns during the Battle of Britain Our job was to just break the bombers up. Obviously, we were being shot at quite a lot. These Stuka bombers came down trying to blow us out of the sky.

John was transferred to the Essex Regiment, again in anti-aircraft, and was with them when the Regiment went overseas as part of Operation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa by the Allies. The operation hoped to force the Axis powers out of North Africa and create a springboard to launch offensives into southern Europe.

On Nov 8 1942, John was approaching Algiers in a large amphibious assault. I was still on the aircraft guns then, but we lost our guns on the journey: a ship carrying our guns was torpedoed and we lost a few men.

Without their AA guns, Johns unit was moved along the coast towards the city of Bone, now known as Annaba, in Algeria. Due to being left-handed, John had been given a Bren gun as the bolt action Lee-Enfield rifles were difficult to use.

They put me on top of this flat top building with a colleague of mine with twin Brens firing as bombers came across. Our job was to try to shoot them down, which was a bit ridiculous really.

After joining the Eighth Army, the British field army formed in Egypt in September 1941, John contracted malaria and after his convalescence, fate intervened. I was at a transit camp waiting to come back to my unit. They came and asked for volunteers for the Raiding Support Regiment (RSR). John had no idea what this fledgling unit was. I volunteered. Its a dodgy thing to do but I was young and stupid.

He moved with the new unit to Palestine for six weeks of tough training. At five oclock in the morning, we did a long walk to the beach about five miles away, did a swim, came back, had breakfast, then we went jumping off the back of a lorry to do training for the parachute jumps.

His first jump was terrifying, being shoved out through the bomb doors of a Vickers Wellington bomber.

After the war, John Morris emigrated to Australia in 1946  starting a new chapter far from the battlefields of Europe and North Africa - Brian Roberts

John took part in the invasion of mainland Italy at Salerno, where they encountered little resistance, before moving with RSR to Bari on the east coast. Bari became home to the new Land Forces Adriatic and a key base for special operations supporting Partisans on the small islands along the coasts of Yugoslavia, Greece and Albania.

John was then sent on a six-week Morse code refresher course, caught hepatitis and ended up in a hospital on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, which promptly erupted on March 17 1944. They evacuated from there; that was a narrow escape as well. Thats why they call me Cat John. They said I had nine lives!

The RSRs first special operations raid was in Yugoslavia. We landed with landing craft, and we were there to support the Partisans more than the special forces. We landed in Dubrovnik, then we moved up to Montenegro. My job was to train these Partisans on how to use a new radio set and Morse code.

The RSR accompanied the Partisans on operations. At the time, German forces were withdrawing from the Balkans northwards and the mission was to make their retreat as costly as possible.

We were there [in Montenegro] for a few weeks, and we came back to Italy and a little while later, we went to Albania and did the same thing.

One night, John was on overwatch with a sergeant. We saw this fighting patrol come. We couldnt fight five Germans or Italians so they took us prisoner and put us in a guard house in Sarande.

While we were being questioned, we knew that the Balkan Air Force was going to drop pamphlets on the camp the next morning telling them to surrender as they were going to be surrounded. But the sergeant I was with said: When they question you, tell them theyre going to drop bombs, not pamphlets. So when the air raid alarm sounded the next morning, everybody scarpered undercover. All they left was the one guard outside our guard house.

Johns sergeant had somehow secreted a handgun and in the chaos of the air raid, they made their move. The sergeant called the guard over, stuck him up, made him open the cell door, and we tied him up, gagged him and managed to escape.

After an arduous six-mile hike through the hills, they made their way back to friendly lines.

John found himself guarding German POWs in Italy when news of the German surrender broke in May 1945. He then returned to England to train for potential operations in the Far East, where the war was still ongoing. Thank God, the war ended before then, so we didnt have to go.

After the war, John moved to Bristol and later emigrated to Australia. Though he fell on hard times, he now resides at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, where he receives full support as a Chelsea Pensioner.

My fiance got shot down in a Lancaster bomber  I knew he didnt have a hope in hell

Queenie Robbie Hall, age 102

Queenie Robbie Hall joined the RAF aged 17 and served under Bomber Harris. Her fiance was killed in a Lancaster over Germany in 1944 - Heathcliff O'Malley

Like a lot of young people, I was very keen to get into service to fight Hitler, because we felt he had no right to invade Poland. My brother, Bob, who was nearly three years older than me, had volunteered to join the RAF as soon as the war broke out. That inspired me to go into the Air Force.

Robbie, just 17 at the time, lied about her age to join the Air Force and was posted to the secretive Southdown station in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, on Dec 27 1940. After six months of general duties, she took exams to qualify as a clerk.

My exam results were so good that I skipped one promotion and went straight to the next. So theres Aircraftwoman (ACW) 2, second class, ACW first class, then Leading Aircraftwoman. And thats how I went from ACW 2 to Leading Aircraftwoman.

So I went to work at the office in command accounts. I was the youngest and the dogsbody to start off with.

Robbies boss was Sir Arthur  Bomber Harris, Marshal of the Royal Air Force.I thought he was a very nice man. I mean, he had a reputation later [Harris was accused of war crimes following the firebombing of Dresden in 1945] but that didnt match up with the man I knew.

Being based nearby, Robbie could explore wartime London on her days off. I used to walk about all over the place. I got used to the Tube, I learnt to read the underground maps and as far as I can remember, anybody in uniform travelled free.

The war had taken its toll on Londons West End, stocks were low and there was strict rationing. The shops were so dull, all dusty and dirty. In the gents outfitters on the corner of Piccadilly, there was just one suit in the window.

I used to just wander on my own and go into a cafe somewhere and have beans on toast, which was all I could afford.

When Robbie and the other girls received their pay, theyd go out for the night to a local bar. I used to have a cocktail, called a White Lady, that was supposed to have white wine in it. There used to be a young Welsh soldier there who was very good on the piano and he would play all the wartime songs. Wed sing Were Going to Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line and all that sort of jazz.

Robbie Hall lied about her age to join the RAF, determined to do her part in the fight against Hitler - Heathcliff O'Malley

Robbie had been with her boyfriend, Frank Vincent, since the age of 15. Desperate to be closer to him, she transferred to RAF Martlesham Heath in Suffolk, a fighter base for Spitfires and Hurricanes.

Robbie moved into digs in Felixstowe, where Franks parents lived, alongside her friend Darcy from Martlesham Heath. They commuted by bicycle each day, covering nearly 20 miles round trip.

Frank would return home on leave every six weeks, but the stress of countless bombing raids began to take its toll.

It was a nice summers night, so he said we should go out for a walk. We were walking along, not far from the house, when he put his hand up and said, See that thumb? Thats killed women and children.

I pulled his arm down and said, Well, dont talk about it, love. Youre home on leave now, lets make the most of it.

If Id had a bit more sense, I might have let him talk. I think he probably would have liked to have got something off his chest. His job did upset him. When youre young, youve got to fight, youve got to win the war. You dont stop to think of the actual consequences.

Operational flying over wartime Europe was incredibly dangerous, with only half of RAF bomber crews surviving the 30 missions they were required to fly. Frank was shot down in his Lancaster bomber over Germany in August 1944, on his 23rd mission. Darcy was the one who delivered the devastating news from HQ that Frank was missing in action.

He was killed on the night of August 25 1944. His parents were first to be notified and I was second. I knew enough about the Air Force to know that if youve been shot down in a Lancaster, you didnt really have a hope in hell.

Frank, her first love, was a loss that Robbie has never forgotten.

I didnt want to think about it at that time, but I have thought about it quite a lot since; what happened when the plane burst into flames? Did he burn alive in the plane? Did the shock of the thing kill him? Did he manage to parachute ? And if so, did the Germans shoot him? They used to shoot people coming down by parachute; or was he alive when they hitout the ground? What did they find of him? There were eight crew but all they found were his dog tags.

By the time Frank had been killed, Robbie was living with his parents in Felixstowe where she remained until the end of the war.

We calculated that Frank would have finished his tour of duty by September 1944, and we were going to get married in October or November time. So when people say to me, Did you go dancing in the street the day the war ended? Well, no, no I didnt. Because Id lost someone special, someone to whom I was engaged.

In recent years, Robbie has received an enormous amount of help from the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, taking her to veterans events in Europe and arranging a flight in a Spitfire.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Police in D.C. are searching for a car involved in a hit-and-run that left a pedestrian dead on Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said that around 4:15 a.m., officers responded to the intersection between 12th and U streets NW for a reported crash.

Responding officers found a man who had been hit by a vehicle. When they arrived, he was unconscious and not breathing. Responders took him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

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DC police searching for vehicle of interest in hit-and-run

MPD identified the victim as 55-year-old Donnel Bracket Phillips of Northeast.

Police believe that Phillips was in a marked crosswalk when a white Hyundai Santa Fe hit him. The car then left the area.

Police also believe that the car was involved in two robberies that took place shortly before the crash.

One robbery took place around 3:35 a.m. in the 1700 block of Irving St. NW. MPD said that a group of people walked up to a victim, forcibly stole items and left in a white SUV.

The second robbery took place just after 3:40 a.m. near the intersection of 14th and Newton streets NW. MPD said that several people once again forcibly stole from a victim before escaping in a white SUV.

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DC man pleads guilty in 20+ year Maryland murder cold case

Police released the following image of the suspect vehicle.

(Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Police Department)

Anyone with any information about these cases is asked to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411.

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URBANA  Jacob R. Kirkley, 48, of Bismarck, was sentenced May 2, to four years in prison for his second federal counterfeiting conviction, as well as an additional 18 months in prison for violating his federal supervised release, which was imposed following his first counterfeiting conviction.

When Kirkley completes his combined five-and-a-half year sentence, he will be required to serve three years of federal supervised release.

The sentences followed a trial last December in Urbana where a federal jury convicted Kirkley of manufacturing, selling, and possessing counterfeited United States currency. During two days of trial testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that, on Dec. 7, 2023, Kirkley sold an undercover officer with the Illinois State Police $1,000 of counterfeited U.S. currency that he had made for $250. On Dec. 13, 2023, and Jan. 8, 2024, Kirkley sold the same undercover officer another $1,000 and $5,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency that he had made, respectively. On Jan. 11, 2024, agents of the U.S. States Secret Service and Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group executed a federal search warrant at Kirkleys residence in Bismarck and recovered additional counterfeit currency, as well as various items used to counterfeit the currency.

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At the time Kirkley committed those offenses, he was on federal supervised release for a previous federal counterfeiting conviction. In 2022, Kirkley was convicted of one count of manufacturing U.S. currency and two counts of passing U.S. currency after a 2020 incident where a Vermilion County Sheriffs Deputy found over $20,000 of counterfeit U.S. currency in his truck and then learned Kirkley had passed counterfeit currency at Carnaghis Towing and McDonalds in Danville, and Dollar General in Tilton. At the time, the deputy also found over $20,000 counterfeit U.S. currency, plus four printers, a paper cutter, and numerous counterfeit-making implements in Kirkleys hotel room at the Budget Inn in Danville.

Kirkley served 27 months in federal prison for those offenses and was serving a three-year term of federal supervised release at the time that he committed his latest counterfeiting offenses. Kirkley was released from federal prison in May 2023, six months before committing these offenses.

At the time of sentencing, the government presented evidence that Kirkley violated his federal supervised release not only by committing a new counterfeiting offense, but also by testing positive for methamphetamine use on eight separate occasions. The government also presented evidence that Kirkley had told the undercover officer during a covertly recorded conversation that my names a red flag for any kind of ... counterfeit material at all, that he learned how to use Bible paper to counterfeit currency when he was in federal prison the first time, and that he believed he would be screwed and would have the book thrown at him if he were caught counterfeiting again.
WHITINGHAM, VT (WWLP)  A man from Whitingham, Vermont, was arrested on Tuesday after a report of a possible homicide that had occurred in February.

In a news release from the Vermont State Police, an individual arrived at the Rutland Barracks and reported having information about a possible homicide that had occurred in February at a home near the intersection of Vermont Route 100 and Corse Road.

Charges dropped against South Hadley driver in connection with deadly hit-and-run crash in Chicopee

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An investigation was conducted, and evidence indicated that 75-year-old Robert J. Francis was shot and killed. His roommate, 30-year-old Justin Stacy was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and providing false information to a police officer.

22News sister station, ABC22/FOX44 in Vermont, states that court documents show that Stacy allegedly told a family member that the deadly shooting was a mercy killing. The family member said they came forward because Stacy had exhibited erratic behavior, including firing a muzzleloader outside the house.

Justin Stacy (Vermont State Police)

Stacy was arraigned in Vermont Superior Court in Brattleboro on Wednesday and is being held without the right to bail.

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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Happy Thursday! Its a cooler start to the day with cloudy skies, spot showers, and patchy dense fog. Its a good morning for the low beams, windshield wipers, and that extra layer. Temperatures wont be nearly as warm today as they have been the past couple days.

Highs will manage the upper 40s to middle 50s this afternoon with mostly cloudy skies, brisk north winds, and spotty showers. The spot showers will eventually evolve into a bigger plume of moisture overnight into Friday morning. That larger swath of rain will be in association with what is expected to be a soaker of a system to wrap up the week. Lows will dip into the 40s.

While it may be scattered showers that inundate the forecast by daybreak Friday, its a steadier and heavier rain for later in the morning through at least Friday night. Highs will only top out in the upper 40s to low 50s. Those steadier showers and downpours will persist through about midnight before the main area of low pressure makes its final pass across the Northeast by Saturday morning.

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As that area of low pressure is pulling away for Saturday afternoon, well begin to very slowly dry out from west to east beginning in northern New York by the early afternoon. Drier slots of weather will slide into Vermont and New Hampshire by the end of the day through the overnight, eventually giving way to a nicer Mothers Day Sunday.

Rainfall Totals will average a widespread 0.5 to 3+ inches with the highest totals in southeast Vermont and the Upper Valley. Theres a marginal risk for excessive rainfall issued for those communities at greatest threat for highest totals. Many smaller creeks/streams may reach bank-full or higher, and there will be some ponding/puddling on area roadways. Otherwise, the only main stem waterway of concern for flooding will be the Otter Creek near Rutland Center, Vermont. It may reach Action Flood Stage during this event.

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On May 24 during Memorial Day weekend, Hunt County will once again be on the path of Carry the Load, an annual walk with the mission of raising awareness of Americas veterans, especially those who died in the line of duty or took their own lives due to PTSD or other struggles.

Carry the Load is a nationwide event that started coming through Greenville 11 years ago as part of the walks East Coast Relay, which moves from West Point, New York to Dallas.

In addition to supporting the countrys military veterans, the walk also honors first responders.

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Carry the Load is a nonprofit that was founded by a group of former Navy Seals to raise funds and awareness for both veterans and their surviving families.

The founders, in particular, designed the event with hopes of reminding communities of the meaning of Memorial Day.

So far, as the walk passes through Hunt County and Rockwall County on May 24, planned stops include the Greenville Farmers Market at around 12:30 p.m. and the Rockwall County Courthouse at 6 p.m.

After passing through Rockwall, the group will continue on its path to Reverchon Park in Dallas for the Dallas Memorial March on May 25.
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS)  In the past, when a former partner or anyone else shared an intimate image of a person without her consent, she had little recourse.

The images could appear on social media, on websites targeting women for harassment, and even in the victims school and workplace, where sexual harassment laws are in effect, leaving with victims with feelings of violation and powerlessness.

Beckley attorney Robert Dunlap explained that perpetrators of so-called revenge porn can face jail time and thousands of dollars in fines in West Virginia.

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In 2017, then-Governor Jim Justice signed a law allowing criminal prosecution of perpetrators who published intimate images of people without their permission.

Dunlap said victims of the crimes may seek prosecution of those who share nonconsensual images in many circumstances, including harassment and abuse cases.

Black bear safety tips from WVDNR

If you believe that the images youve sent with someone or that youve made with someone are being shared without your authorization, you need to contact law enforcement, he said. There are huge penalties. You could spend prison time and pay lots of money in fines for distributing those without their permission.

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Law enforcement agencies, including prosecuting attorneys offices, may pursue criminal charges.

Congress has also passed a bi-partisan law which makes it a crime in every state to share nonconsensual intimate images, including AI-generated images, of victims.

The Take It Down Act, which is backed by First Lady Melania Trump and which President Donald Trump is expected to sign, also forces websites and social media sites to take nonconsensual intimate images, including duplicates, within 48 hours of being notified.

A number of websites solicit perpetrators to submit nonconsensual images of victims, mainly women, and then publish the images with the victims contact information.

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The websites often charge hundreds of dollars to the victims for removal of the images.

Under the Take It Down Act, perpetrators will face prison time and fines.

Plans to improve and upgrade the City of Beckley

Dunlap said on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, that the state and federal laws could also make it easier for victims to be awarded damages in civil court, if they file lawsuits.

Critics of the Take It Down Act say that language in the bill is vague and could be used against news organizations, while supporters say that it protects victims from unwelcome privacy violations.

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Vietnam has announced it will introduce a new 10-year golden visa programme.

The Southeast Asian country is looking to attract long-term residents, investors and professionals from around the world.

It hopes, in turn, that this will bolster Vietnams tourism sector and economy.

Heres everything we know so far about the golden visa.

Vietnams new golden visa aims to attract foreign investors

Vietnam is experiencing an economic boom, making it increasingly attractive as a destination for high-net-worth foreigners.

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Authorities are looking to capitalise on this with new visas that offer renewable residency to those interested in investing in the countrys tourism sector and economy.

There are three proposed categories, according to news site Financial Express.

The golden visa has a term of 5-10 years, with the possibility of extension. The investor visa has a term of 10 years, with a roadmap to become a permanent resident after 5 years. The Talent Visa, aimed at highly skilled professionals in rapid growth sectors, has a term of 5 years, with a simple renewal process.

Applications for the visa are expected to be available entirely online, with no requirement for embassy appointments.

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Visa procedures for tourists and business travellers on short trips have also been streamlined, simplified and digitised.

Vietnam offers affordability and culture

Beyond investment opportunities, Vietnam is positioning itself as a vibrant and affordable place to live, with quality services.

Major cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang are rich in culture and offer international schools and housing options that are attractive to foreigners seeking residency.

Vietnams push for tourism expansion

Vietnam hopes the golden visa will contribute to its aim to expand tourism.

More than 7.67 million foreign visitors arrived in the country during the first quarter of 2025, marking a 23.8 per cent year-on-year increase, according to figures from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

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Related

China and South Korea are Vietnams biggest tourism markets, followed by Taiwan, the US and Japan.

European markets are growing, thanks partly to Vietnams visa exemption policy. The UK recorded a 20.7 per cent increase in visitors, followed by France (24.7 per cent) and Germany (18.8 per cent).

Vietnams tourism authority plans to launch numerous promotional campaigns to help reach its aim of welcoming between 22 and 23 million international arrivals this year.
Former President Joe Biden blasted President Donald Trump for the worst 100 days to kick off a term in American history while appearing on The View on Thursday.

Soon after, the ex-president and co-host Ana Navarro  in a move that looked coordinated coming out of a commercial break  both made the Sign of the Cross, as Navarro asked him to weigh in on Trumps return to the White House. The move drew a big laugh from the studio audience, and Joy Behar jumped in to suggest maybe [Biden] could be the next pope.

Biden then listed several things about Trumps second term that have bothered him, including the idea he has a relationship with Putin the way he does.

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On the domestic front, Biden then criticized the cuts to the federal bureaucracy made by the president and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, without naming DOGE or Musk specifically.

I dont understand  why is he going after peoples healthcare and social security? Why is he doing that? What possible reason is that? How is he saving money? People paid to get into these programs, he said.

It is worth pointing out DOGE has cut jobs at the Social Security Administration, but no cuts to Social Security or Medicare have been made. President Trump said last month that will remain the case, saying, We will always protect Medicare and Social Security for our great seniors with no cuts.

Biden caught himself after the previous comment, admitting he can be short with his criticism. Navarro then said, No, youre criticizing Trump, you can go on.

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In other Trump-related news, Biden also told The View he takes responsibility for Democrats losing the 2024 election: I was in charge and he won.

His Thursday comments came a day after Biden ripped Trump in his first sit-down interview since leaving the White House, which you can read more about by clicking here.

The post The View: Joe Biden Crosses Himself Before Giving Honest Review of Trumps Worst 100 Days appeared first on TheWrap.
By Aftab Ahmed

JAMMU, India (Reuters) - Kalia Devi was among hundreds of fearful civilians evacuated before dawn from the line of fire along India's northwestern border with Pakistan as clashes between the two nuclear-armed arch-rivals intensified.

India says at least 13 of its civilians have been killed and 59 wounded from cross-border gunfire and shelling while Pakistan says at least 31 of its civilians have died and about 50 have been wounded by Indian airstrikes and artillery.

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"Fear has entered my heart," said 50-year-old Devi, seated on the steps of a college on the outskirts of Jammu city, which was buzzing with students just a few weeks back.

Devi, a daily labourer, had recently come along with 15 relatives from Bihar, one of India's poorest regions, for employment in the village of Akhnoor near Jammu, in the Indian-administered part of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

"We have to live first," she said. "If this (conflict) does not get resolved soon, we will have to consider leaving."

Hundreds like her were evacuated in buses on Wednesday from two border villages that have previously been caught in crossfire between the old enemies, to a college 20 kilometers (12 miles) back from the frontier that has been converted into a shelter for the displaced.

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Explosions rang out across Jammu later on Thursday during what Indian military sources said they suspected was a Pakistani drone attack across the region on the second day of major clashes between the estranged South Asian powers.

World powers from the U.S. to Russia and China have called for calm in one of the world's most dangerous, and most populated, nuclear flashpoint regions.

Efforts to move villagers back from the border were to save civilian lives, according to an Indian police officer who did not want to be named.

"The day before, gunshots could be heard for an hour at a stretch at midnight and then another fusillade at 4 a.m. (local time)," evacuee Pratima Devi said. "I just could not sleep out of fear. But I slept peacefully in the college last night."

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The college classrooms were converted into bedrooms with thin mattresses to accommodate around 400 people, replacing desks and chairs. Indian authorities assigned two doctors to the facility and arranged for basic meals.

Nearby, a Hindu spiritual retreat was also turned into a sheter for hundreds of evacuees, mainly women and children.

"This is a border area and because of the (high) chances of gunfire we have been moved here. We feel protected here," 11-year old Sameer Pawar said in English.

Most of the evacuees were farmers or daily labourers who earned on average the equivalent of less than $60 a month.

($1 = 85.3960 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Aftab Ahmed; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Rudee's Inlet, Virginia Beach, June 2021. (Photo by Sarah Vogelsong/Virginia Mercury)

In a dramatic late-night vote that capped more than a year of escalating infighting, the Republican Partys 2nd Congressional District Committee voted Wednesday to remove Laura Hughes as chairwoman of the Virginia Beach GOP, accusing her of mismanagement and failing to perform her duties.

But Hughes says the move was political payback  and an affront to the grassroots Republicans who elected her.

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This was a screw you to the Virginia Beach voters, she said of her detractors actions in a phone interview Thursday, because they wanted this small little group who likes to stay in charge, and they installed a chair that will do their bidding. And I am most likely going to file an appeal with the state Republican party.

The 11-4 vote took place after four hours of closed-door deliberations at the Chesapeake GOP office, with 15 ballots cast, including five by proxy. The use of proxies and the closed nature of the meeting drew swift criticism from more than 50 Hughes supporters gathered outside, who said the decision undermined transparency and local control.

It was a difficult decision, Dennis Free, chair of the 2nd District Committee, told The Virginian-Pilot after emerging from the meeting around 11 p.m. He did not respond to requests for further comment Thursday.

The committee unanimously appointed Larry Lane as interim chair, a decision that must still be ratified by the full Virginia Beach Republican Committee on Monday.

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Hughes, who was elected in March 2024 by a margin of 95 votes at a standing-room-only mass meeting of over 1,100 Republicans, said that her ouster was not about performance, but about control.

Virginia Beach GOP Chair Laura Hughes with Gov. Glenn Youngkin. (Courtesy Republican Party of Virginia Beach)

This, in my opinion, is something theyve been working on for quite some time, she said. There have been irregular elections (for local party chair) going on in Virginia Beach for years, and they finally lost one. The Virginia Beach voters spoke regarding the chair race, and this took it out of their hands.

But Bruce Meyer, vice chair of the 2nd District GOP Committee and a vocal critic of Hughes leadership, said the vote was based on a pattern of dysfunction that began months into her tenure.

Lauras removal was massively performance-based, Meyer said. Between the precinct operations that were a disaster and the financial books  my God, how many organizations would tolerate not having a treasurers report in eight months?

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Meyer cited the resignation of Hughes secretary and treasurer last summer as signs of internal collapse, and said the party was still missing finance reports and meeting minutes months later.

In October, we had a meeting and were missing full finance reports and minutes, and theres a lot of concerns about precinct operations being a disaster, he said. (U.S. Rep.) Jen Kiggans campaign had to kick in and take over probably 80% of our precinct operations, which is unheard of.

Hughes forcefully disputed Meyers characterization.

I would not call what Bruce says an honest assessment, she said. And its interesting because one of the things Ive said consistently is that Bruce was running the party through the previous chair, and he has said as much to other people. And now theyve installed a new chair. 

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The clash over party finances was central to Hughes term. After discovering the committee had not conducted an audit since 2014, she said she repeatedly requested access to financial documents but was stonewalled by the former treasurer. Her push for a review eventually led the state party to step in  but only after she signed a non-disclosure agreement to view the findings.

Meyer argued that Hughes not only mishandled the process but also overstepped her authority.

Bruce Meyer, vice chair of the 2nd Congressional District GOP Committee (Photo courtesy of Bruce Meyer)

She tries to bring the city auditor into it, but doesnt give him all the information, he said. She wasnt given authority to share financial records with an outside person. He said the state GOPs audit committee  which included no Hampton Roads members  conducted a full review and found structural problems dating back years.

The state partys report, Meyer said, confirmed what many already suspected. It was totally objective. And they found a lot of bad issues, he said.

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Hughes has long maintained the review was used as political leverage. Lets call this what it is: a political hit job disguised as a procedure, she wrote in a Facebook post last week.

Republican Party of Virginia Chair Mark Peake told The Mercury earlier this week that he was concerned about the optics and timing of the conflict.

In my tenure as RPV chairman, the last thing I want to have happen are intra-party fights, he said. I dont think it is good for the party to try and remove people that have been elected unless theres a crime.

Meyer acknowledged Peakes point but said the district committee had little choice.

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This is really the last resort, he said. The organizations controls were such a disaster  such a dumpster fire  that if we didnt act, wed be in deep trouble in November.

He added that Lane has already presented a plan to rebuild the citys precinct operations and that many members  including elected officials  support the change. Youre going to have some people upset, he said. But there are hundreds who are not.

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PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB)  Visit PCB hosted a night to remember at the M.B. Miller County Pier for Tourism Appreciation Day.

Panama City Beach thrives off of tourism, with visitors bringing in an estimated $3.1 billion to the areas economy in 2025.

The tourism industry is celebrating Tourism Appreciation Week all over Florida with a variety of events.

Fountain fire station, multi-use complex and more in the works

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Staple hospitality and lodging partners mingled over good food and live music. And some aargh-uably soon-to-be staples in the beach tourism community also made an appearance.

We brought Blackbeard out to sea for Tourism Day. We are so happy to be a part of the community now, and getting ready for our opening, and just to be out here with everyone. The tickets are on sale now for June 1. So keep an eye out for that, that first week of June, for us to be opening and our first shows will be going, and youll be able to go check out Blackbeard and his crew and see the whole show, Marketing Manager Heather Register said.

It feels great to be a part of this community, bringing Dollys company down here and just Pirates Voyage in general, being part of Panama City Beach. Its going to be great. Its going to be a great experience for everyone, including us, Pirates Voyage Staff Blackbeard said.

Event goers gathered for a ritual conch shell tradition that marks the start of the tourism season. And wishes all hospitality workers good luck.

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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 mypanhandle.com.
The parking lot was already packed an hour before Thursday's visitation for Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Henderson began at Spring Grove cemetery.

A giant American flag hung over the street entrance to the funeral home as dozens of mourners lined up to enter the cemetery. They were greeted by a makeshift memorial featuring a sheriffs car covered in flowers with a sign in the front window that read "Rest easy devil dog"  a reference to his Marine service.

Penny Coyknierilm arrived early. She said shed been waiting since 11:30 a.m. to pay her respects. She didnt know Henderson, his family or any of the officers he served with, but she described herself as a "friend of the police."

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"It was a horrible thing that happened," she said. I cant get it out of my head. I feel so sorry for his family and friends.

Henderson was a 33-year veteran of the sheriff's office when he retired in December 2024, but he continued working as a special deputy after retirement. Henderson was killed directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati on May 2 when he was struck by a car.

Rodney Hinton Jr. was indicted on aggravated murder charges in Henderson's death, and he faces the death penalty if convicted. On May 1, Hinton's son, 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, was shot and killed by a Cincinnati police officer during a stolen car investigation.Coyknierilm, who lives in Bridgetown, said she also felt sympathy for Ryan Hinton's family.

I think his father lost his mind for a moment," she said. "Whos to say what I wouldve done if I lost my son that way? Its a tragedy all the way around. My heart breaks for his family, too."

Services for Hamilton County Deputy Larry Henderson begin Thursday, May 8, 2025.

More: Hamilton County Sheriff's Office announces procession routes for Deputy Larry Henderson

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Cindy Hodge, 56, said she went to high school with Henderson. She came to the visitation with her mother, Yvonne Hodge, 80.

He was a protector. He valued human life. He was out there putting his life on the line to protect others, Cindy Hodge said. This never should have happened.

Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Henderson

A procession, visitation and service are also scheduled for Friday, May 9 at the Cintas Center.

Henderson grew up in Terrace Park and graduated from Mariemont High School. He served in the Marines before joining the sheriff's office as a corrections officer in 1991.

Many of the mourners were retired Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies who worked with Henderson, including 55-year-old Glenn Scott.

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Scott  now president of the Cincinnati chapter of the Warthogs Motorcycle Club for first responders, including police officers and firefighters  said he worked with Henderson for more than 15 years.

"He was just a good man,'' Scott said. "He had no enemies. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.''

Eric Kidd, 53, another retired deputy who worked with Henderson, said they both knew the risks involved with traffic details, including being targeted by a random driver.

"People say how could this happen, but the truth is this could have happened to any of us,'' Kidd said as he stood in line, choking back tears, waiting for his turn to say goodbye to his friend. "I could have been out there. It could have happened to me. You're always a target with a badge or uniform on.''

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Fallen deputy Larry Henderson remembered as 'good man,' 'a protector'
Voice of America (VOA), which began broadcasting in 1942 to fight Nazi propaganda during World War II, will be fed coverage from right-wing cable network One America News (OAN), announced Kari Lake on Tuesday.

Lake, the failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate who serves as the senior adviser at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), was put in charge of dismantling VOA earlier this year by President Donald Trump. In a statement on X, Lake said that OAN will provide newsfeed services free-of-charge to USAGM networks, including VOA, Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), and Radio Marti.

OAN has consistently spread misinformation to its viewers about Covid-19, the 2020 election, the January 6th insurrection, and more.

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The former news anchor called the partnership an enormous benefit to the American taxpayer. In my current role as Senior Advisor to USAGM, I dont have editorial control over the content of VOA and OCB programming, but I can ensure our outlets have reliable and credible options as they work to craft their reporting and news programs, said Lake.

In March, President Trump signed an executive order seeking the overhaul of USAGM, the agency which oversees the government-funded media outlet VOA. The order led to more than 1,000 Voice of America staffers being placed on leave and halted broadcasting.

VOA, which transmits U.S. news into other countries, has long been a target of Trump and conservatives, who accuse the broadcaster of having an overtly liberal and anti-Trump bias. The USAGM also oversees Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, and Radio Free Asia, each of which were also impacted by the presidents cuts.

Following Trumps order, VOA journalists sued, saying that the president did not have the authority to withdraw funding approved by Congress. Although a federal judge blocked the Trump administration in April from dismantling the broadcaster, an appeals panel reversed parts of the lower courts order that would have sent staffers back to work and required the Trump administration to restore funding.

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The appeals court highlighted that the government did not challenge the ruling requiring it to restore VOAs statutorily required programming levels. Fewer than 20 out of more than 1,300 Voice of America staffers returned to work on Tuesday, sources told The Washington Post.

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Following Vice President JD Vances pointed remarks on the state of free speech in Europe at the Munich Security Conference in February, Vance again addressed international security officials at an MSC event  and this time, the vice president focused more on the Trump administrations strategic and economic foreign policy.

Wolfgang Ischinger, the president of the MSC Foundation Council, joined Vance on stage, in a question-and-answer format, and he began by referencing Vances previous speech.

Your speech kicked off a pretty controversial debate about fundamental values unlike anything we have ever had at the Munich Security Conference, Ischinger said.

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He added that the conference had published a brochure about Vances speech and the reactions to it from around the world.

Taking a moment to address national and international reactions to his speech, Vance offered a correction. Everything that I said there applied as much to the previous American administration as it did any government in Europe, he said.

Vance continued, Its not Europe bad, America good; its that Europe and the United States, we got a little off track, and Id encourage us all to get back on track together.

What does the Trump administration think about Europe?

I do still very much think Europe and the United States are on the same team, Vance said.

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Vance said he has seen criticism of himself and President Donald Trump that they are hyper-realists.

He said that many believe that he thinks of foreign policy purely in terms of transactional values: what does America get out of it, what does the rest of the world get out of it ...

We focus so purely on the transactional value of it that we ignore sometimes the moral or humanitarian side of it, and I think at least with Europe, thats not a full encapsulation of my views, Vance said.

Because of the U.S. and Europes interconnected histories and people, fundamentally, we have to be and we are on the same civilizational team.

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Vance added, I think were in one of these phases where were going to have to rethink a lot of big questions, but I do think we should rethink those fundamental questions together.

Updates on Ukraine-Russia talks

Ischinger told Vance that it appears to both security leaders and to the public that Russia does not seem willing to end the military confrontation in Ukraine.

Vance was more optimistic. Im not yet that pessimistic on this, he said. I wouldnt say that the Russians are uninterested in bringing this thing to a resolution. I would say that right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflicts.

We think they are asking too much, Vance said.

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He added that Trump will walk away if he thinks the two countries are not making any progress. About once every four or five weeks, you will hear some American official or sometimes multiple American officials say, This is a week where we need to make another step.

Currently, the Trump administrations main goal is to get Russian and Ukrainian officials to agree to sit down and talk to one another, and Vance believes without this communication, a resolution between the two countries is probably impossible.

A frustration weve had, frankly with both sides, is that they hate each other so much that if you have an hour conversation with either side, the first 30 minutes are just them complaining about some historical grievance from four years ago or five years ago or 10 years ago, Vance said.

I understand that people dont fight wars against each other without a lot of grievance and lot of problems, but were trying, as much as we can, to play a constructive role in advancing the peace conversation forward.

Is the U.S. looking for a strategic deal with China?

Ischinger asked Vance to clarify reports that the U.S. may be interested in a strategic deal with China.

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The West, including the U.S. and Europe, are finding themselves in a very precarious place, Vance said. In a world of hyper complicated, globalized supply chains, we find ourselves more and more reliant on countries that dont have our best interests at heart.

Vance continued, it is risky to put all of your eggs in one proverbial basket economically. He added that Trump is working to implement policies that would stop the nations absorption of nearly a trillion dollars in annual surplus.

While the Trump administration wants to rebalance trade, they want to do it in the right way. Regarding reports that Chinese officials had reached out to the U.S., Vance said, Of course were going to sit down and talk to them.

We want to rebalance trade in the interest of American workers, in the interest of American manufacturers. That is our policy, he continued. We think we can do that while preserving dialogue with the PRC (Peoples Republic of China) and a lot of other nations all over the world.

U.S. seeking fairer trade policies with EU

We think most nations, most nations in the world, have been way too hard on American exporters and American firms, Vance said. We want to make the entire world a little more open to the products built by American workers.

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Vance urged European nations to drop their tariffs and regulations against the U.S.

America wants its exporters, and by implication its workers, to be treated much more fairly. In the same way that American markets have been open to European goods, wed like European markets to be open to American goods, Vance said.

Vance: Iran getting a nuclear weapon is off the table for the American administration

With Trump scheduled to visit the Middle East from May 13-16, Vance explained how the president is hoping to reach a deal with Iran.

We think there is a deal here that would reintegrate Iran into the global economy that would be really good for the Iranian people but would result in the complete cessation of any chance that they get a nuclear weapon, Vance said, describing this outcome as Option A.

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If Option A is very good for the Iranian people, then Option B is very bad, Vance said. Its very bad for everybody, and its not what we want, but its better than Option C, which is Iran getting a nuclear weapon. That is what is completely off the table for the American administration. No ifs, ands or buts.

Vance expressed fear that if Iran gets a nuclear weapon, other countries would follow resulting in greater nuclear proliferation.
Volkswagen dominated the German electric car market in April, official figures showed on Thursday, as Elon Musk's Tesla plummeted out of the top 10.

The Federal Motor Transport Authority, based in the northern city of Flensburg, said Volkswagen's core VW brand was far ahead of the competition with 9,725 newly-registered electric vehicles over the month.

The Wolsburg-based group's other brands also performed strongly, with Skoda pipping rival manufacturer BMW into second place, and Audi and Seat finishing fourth and fifth.

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Mercedes-Benz, another competitior, was only sixth.

In total, VW brands held 47% of market share for electric vehicles in Germany for both April and the year to date, with BMW in second place on 11%.

Germany's crucial carmaking industry has been seen by critics as slow to take up electric vehicles, but German manufacturers filled the top 10 in new registrations domestically in April.

US manufacturer Tesla, which has a gigafactory just outside Berlin, continued its downward slide in April with only 885 new registrations, putting it in 16th place.

Musk's company was once the top electric vehicle brand in Germany, but his political support for US President Donald Trump and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has likely impacted sales in recent months.

Turning away from formerly popular electric SUVs, German customers are increasingly opting for smaller electric models such as VW's ID.7 and ID.3 as well as Skoda's Elroq and Seat's Born.
The sale of firearms magazines that hold more than 10 rounds will remain banned in Washington state under a 2022 law that the state Supreme Court upheld in a May 8, 2025 ruling. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the states ban on the sale of gun ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

The law, passed in 2022, faced a challenge from a Kelso gun shop that argued the ban on selling the magazines violates the state constitution, which protects the right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state.

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Gators Custom Guns also said the law ran afoul of the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

In a 7-2 ruling, state Supreme Court justices disagreed.

They ruled that high-capacity magazines arent arms, but just a component of a gun, and are not generally used for self-defense. The ruling tracked with arguments attorneys for the state made before the court in January.

By restricting only magazines of a capacity greater than 10, the statute effectively regulates the maximum capacity of magazines, leaving the weapon fully functional for its intended purpose, Justice Charles Johnson wrote in Thursdays opinion. Indeed, we can safely say that individuals are still able to exercise the core right to bear arms when they are limited to purchasing magazines with a capacity of 10 or fewer.

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Justices Sheryl Gordon McCloud and G. Helen Whitener dissented.

Attorneys for Gators Custom Guns, including former Republican attorney general candidate Pete Serrano, had argued that the popularity of high-capacity magazines inherently proved they abide by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling protecting firearms that are in common use and are typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.

In the dissent, Gordon McCloud sided with this argument, writing that millions of people have chosen semiautomatic firearms with high-capacity magazines as the primary tool for lawful purposes.

It necessarily follows that the Second Amendment protects the arms-bearing conduct at issue here, she wrote.

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Attorney General Nick Brown said the majority decision is right on the law and will save lives.

Large capacity magazines are used in the overwhelming majority of mass shootings, and reducing the toll of these senseless killings is vitally important, he continued in a social media post.

Serrano said in an interview Thursday that the ruling was what we anticipated, but he was glad to see two justices disagreeing with the majority.

Gators Guns will seek direct review by the U.S. Supreme Court, he said.

Were ready to take this to the next level, Serrano said. We believe the Second Amendment analysis in this ruling will be a draw for review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, who oversaw the case for the state during his time as attorney general, said in a statement that the ban is a common-sense policy essential in addressing mass shootings.

Legalese

The case was poised to be a test of a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that moved the goalposts when it comes to assessing the constitutionality of gun regulations.

Washingtons ban on high-capacity magazine sales took effect about two and a half years ago. The state is among at least 14 nationwide with similar restrictions. These laws have attracted lawsuits as lower courts grapple with the decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.

In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled state firearm laws must stay true to the nations historical tradition of firearm regulation. Judges have now had to deduce how laws written over a century ago would square with technological advances, like high-capacity magazines and semi-automatic weapons.

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In this case, attorneys for the gun shop argued justices have no historical analogue to compare with Washingtons high-capacity magazine law.

But the state attorney generals office, led by Solicitor General Noah Purcell, countered that the comparison need not be so specific, pointing to Bowie knives banned after they rose in popularity in the 1800s.

The U.S. Supreme Court has since clarified its decision in Bruen to note judges can use general principles, not just exact matches, when comparing modern gun laws to historical regulations.

Johnson didnt touch on the Bruen test in his ruling, given the majority found the ammunition magazines arent firearms in the first place.

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Joseph Blocher, the co-founder of the Duke Center for Firearms Law, noted that the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld a high-capacity magazine ban in California on similar grounds, though the federal court found the prohibition also falls within the Nations tradition of protecting innocent persons by prohibiting especially dangerous uses of weapons and by regulating components necessary to the firing of a firearm.

In the dissent, Gordon McCloud argues that the laws the state cited as comparison points regulate carrying, rather than banning a common arm completely. And others are from the 20th century, later than what the U.S. Supreme Court has indicated is part of the historical tradition.

Gordon McCloud also writes that the states argument on this issue is the sort of interest-balancing that repressive governments have historically used to suppress opposition. In a footnote, she cites laws restricting enslaved people and Native Americans from owning guns in the United States, as well as Nazis seizing guns from Jews in the 1930s.

The ruling comes about four months after attorneys from both sides argued before the justices about the laws standing under the U.S. and state constitutions.

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The case came to the state Supreme Court after a Cowlitz County Superior Court judge struck down the ban in April 2024. The judge, Gary Bashor, ruled the law violated the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms for self-defense granted in the state constitution. He cited the Bruen decisions historical tradition test as justification for overturning modern firearm laws.

That ruling had been paused until the case was resolved, so the ban had remained in effect. The Washington law still allows people to own high-capacity magazines, but bans importing or selling them.

The case now returns to Cowlitz County Superior Court to decide if Gators violated state law in allegedly flouting the prohibition.

This year, Washington lawmakers passed another controversial gun control measure to force firearm buyers to get a state permit before purchasing a gun. Republicans uniformly opposed the bill, with some arguing judges would deem it unconstitutional under Bruen.

That legislation awaits Fergusons signature.

This story has been updated.

Reporter Jerry Cornfield contributed to this report.
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)  In the past month, new drilling permits in Texas have decreased by 50% across the Permian Basin. Local energy expert Kirk Edwards weighed in after witnessing President Trumps recent effects on the Texas oil and gas industry.

In a recent post to LinkedIn, Edwards laid out what the decrease could mean for the industry.

Thats a clear sign oil and gas operators are pulling back hard in response to lower oil prices, tariffs, and OPECs surprise production increases (which jumped even more over the weekend), said Edwards. Just a few weeks ago, Texas saw about 180 new drilling permits per week. Over the past month? That number has dropped to around 90 per week. Do the math, thats a staggering slowdown.

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Edwards, The President-CEO of Latigo Petroleum said operators like Diamondback Energy and Matador Resources Company have already announced plans to lay down multiple rigs, and you can bet others will follow.

This pullback isnt instant, rigs are typically on 30, 60, or even 365-day contracts. Frac crews are also locked in post-drilling. But if youre a drilling engineer today and have the option to sign a new rig contract or wait, youre waiting, you want some certainty on where oil prices are headed. It is now Wait Baby Wait!

Stay with us on-air and online as this story develops.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.
Two grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton plan to start their own STEM college near the companys headquarters, according to a report.

Steuart and Tom Walton are expected to announce the launch of their private university Thursday at the Heartland Summit in Bentonville, Arkansas, where Walmart is headquartered, Axios reported.

The yet-to-be-named college focusing on science, technology, engineering and math will have an inaugural class of roughly 500 students, growing to about 1,500 undergraduates and 500 non-degree learners over time, the report said.

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The school will offer stackable, flexible credentials aligned with fast-moving, in-demand fields such as computing, technical management, automation and logistics, and biomedical technology, the schools announcement said.

Walmart heirs Steuart and Tom Walton plan to start a STEM university on Walmarts old HQ campus. (AFP/Getty)

Steuart Walton, who is also a member of Walmarts board, told Axios that education should move at the speed of innovation. This institution will stay agile and grounded, built to meet the world as it changes.

We have the opportunity to build a new model of higher education, designed for the realities of today's economy and the challenges of tomorrow, and set a new standard for what's possible," he added in a news release.

His co-founder, Tom Walton, noted: Our granddad, Sam Walton, built Walmart from Bentonville. Theres no reason the next great enterprise cant rise from here, too.

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Steuart and Tom Walton said in 2022 that they would buy Walmarts old HQ and surrounding parcels for about $60 million. Earlier this year, Walmart opened a new headquarters in the same city. It sits on 350 acres and its cost has not been disclosed.

A mixed-use development, which will include the new STEM school, is currently planned for the site.

The STEM college is the latest philanthropic effort from the Walton family, who have invested in art museums, a medical school and other development projects in the region over the past 20 years.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz talks with Jen Psaki about a range of issues, from Trump administration corruption, to Democratic messaging, to the damaging effects of Donald Trump's tariffs on the American economy, businesses, and consumers.
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. (WFLA)  A judge sentenced the subject of a years-long Better Call Behnken investigation to decades in prison Wednesday.

After the first Better Call Behnken investigation in 2021, more and more people began to come forward.

Judge sentences James Staten, of Olympus Pools, to 20 years in prison, orders $1 million in restitution

They all told a similar story: Olympus Pools had left them with a dangerous, muddy pit in their backyards and no answers about when (or if) their pools would ever be complete.

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For some victims, they look at their pools now years later and think of a money pit, with tens of thousands of dollars now gone.

For one Wesley Chapel women, her backyard oasis just serves as a painful reminder that her parents are now gone.

Carmen Simpson hired Olympus Pools in 2016, saying she needed a pool for a very important reason.

It was for my parents, so I could keep them healthy, and I could keep them walking on their own two legs, she said. My father had clots so badly, he had to swim.

My mother had two replaced knees, and they would freeze up on her; but if she swam, she was able to walk with her own legs, Simpson continued.

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Simpson told 8 On Your Side, she explained that to Olympus Pools Owner James Staten as he toured her property before she signed on.

Lawsuit filed against Jeff Knight in deadly Clearwater Ferry crash

From there, she said, Olympus Pools employees came out, started the project and poured the concrete.

It was over a foot too high, and of course, that caused water to back up into our kitchen every time it rains, Simpson explained.

At that point, Simpson said she had already paid $60,000 up front.

So she wanted them to fix it.

I insisted that Mr. Staten come out to speak to me, she said. He refused. He would never come out here.

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Simpson described the unfinished project, saying it was, Just a hole, a wide-open hole, just a wide-open hole and anything or anybody could fall in it.

After eight years of painful litigation, Simpson said she was finally able to get a company to come out and finish the work Staten started in 2016.

But by then, she said, it was too late.

My father wasnt able to swim, and because of that he passed away in 2018; and just this past week, I lost my mother as well, she said.

Before the judge handed down the sentence, Staten spoke in court apologizing to the victims.

I just want everyone involved know that Im just so deeply sorry for everything that went on, he said in part.

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Now Simpson has her own message for Staten.

I want him to know the pain that hes caused me, and his little 80-second announcement in court today, to say hes sorry, wasnt even with any remorse, she said.

News Channel 8 reporter Nicole Rogers asked, Do you think there couldve been a different result if Shannon Behnken wouldnt have gotten involved?

I dont think it wouldve gotten anywhere, Simpson replied. I dont think anyone wouldve listened to us.

Simpson hopes her story serves as cautionary tale for all Floridians to not pay all of the money up front to contractors and stay involved throughout the entire process.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A Warren man was sentenced Wednesday to over seven years in federal prison on a gun charge.

Christopher Scott, 35, received a sentence of 90 months from U.S. Judge Benita Y. Pearson following a Jan. 30 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Scott was indicted Sept. 19 by a federal grand jury. The indictment was unsealed when he was arrested Sept. 30 on a warrant.

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The charge stems from a Dec. 20, 2023 arrest by Warren police who were answering a suspicious vehicle call at Parkman Road SE and Oak Street.

Scott was wearing an ankle monitor when police took him into custody. Inside the car he was driving, police said they found three semiautomatic handguns, crack cocaine, heroin and $250 cash.

Scott is not allowed to have a gun because of his 2012 convictions of aggravated burglary and felonious assault in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

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This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com

The Washington Supreme Court has upheld the states ban on high-capacity firearm magazines, reversing a lower courts previous decision.

The law was first passed in 2022, making it illegal to buy or sell magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. However, people who already own high-capacity magazines can keep them, according to The Seattle Times.

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In a 7-2 majority opinion, Justice Charles Johnson stated that large-capacity magazines (LCMs) are not considered arms under constitutional definitions and are not necessary for self-defense. Six national gun rights groups had filed separate briefs during the lawsuit, hoping the Supreme Court would kill the ban.

Washington court upholds ban on high-capacity magazines

Currently, 13 other states have similar bans on high-capacity magazines. The fight over the ban began in 2023 when the Cowlitz County Superior Court ruled that it violated both state and federal constitutional rights. Gators Custom Guns, a Kelso-based gun retailer, argued that the states ruling was not consistent with longstanding firearm traditions.

Former Attorney General and current Governor Bob Ferguson has previously voiced support for the ban. He claims that siding with the lower courts interpretation could threaten the states broader authority to regulate guns, such as AR-15s and fully automatic weapons. He claimed that imposing sensible limits on military-style guns is non-exclusive with the constitutional right to self-defense.




The Washington Post on Thursday named Jason Anders, the former deputy editor in chief of the Wall Street Journal, as its managing editor of its newly-created News Hub.

Anders will be primarily focused on building WaPos central news desk in the fresh role, which was announced by executive editor Matt Murray in March.

He joins Jeff Bezos newspaper after spending 25 years at WSJ, which he left in 2023 after two years as the outlets second-ranked editor; Anders will report to Murray.

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Jason is deeply familiar with the opportunities and challenges we face as we reorient our workflows and publishing schedule, sharpen our digital interface and build out the news desk, Murray said in a statement. His keen understanding of how product and news intersect, paired with his pulse on changing technology in user experience, will be of tremendous value in our next chapter.

Anders comes aboard after several editors have left WaPo in recent months, as the paper has underwent a few notable changes.

In February, Bezos announced his papers opinion section would be revamped to focus on two pillars, personal liberties and free markets  a move that irritated a number of legacy media journalists. Opinion editor David Shipley quit over the decision, and weeks later, WaPo columnist and associate editor Ruth Marcus followed suit. Marcus said she quit after publisher Will Lewis spiked a column expressing concern over owner Jeff Bezos new direction for the opinion section.

I am thrilled and honored to be joining the incredible journalists at The Post, who are doing some of the most important and innovative work anywhere today, Anders said in a statement.

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The News Hub, as described by the Washington Post, is designed to centralize the highest content and experience standards on all Post digital platforms. It was announced alongside a series of other changes that Murray outlined in an internal email in March, including the separation of WaPos digital and print workflows.

The post Washington Post Names Jason Anders Managing Editor appeared first on TheWrap.
May 7Employees of a pair of small towns in central Washington misappropriated tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayers, according to reports by the Washington State Auditor's Office.

Auditors identified misappropriations totaling $79,252 from Hatton in Adams County and $12,659 from Mesa in Franklin County. Both towns, less than 20 miles apart, have populations under 400.

The reports did not name the officials accused of being responsible for the lost money. They indicate a lack of safeguards for small town and local governments where employees have access to funds without oversight.

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"Establishing proper financial controls can be challenging, but it's not nearly as hard as explaining to your neighbors how their hard-earned tax dollars were lost," State Auditor Pat McCarthy said in a statement. "No matter how small your government is, there are ways to protect your finances."

The towns of Hatton and Mesa did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

The unidentified former clerk-treasurer of Hatton misappropriated $72,119 between 2022 and 2024, according to the fraud report, and another $144,604 of "questionable payments" occurred over the same period, according to the auditor's office report. Hatton's annual budget is about $187,000.

Of the misappropriated funds, nearly $36,000 were from payroll disbursements for work hours beyond the clerk-treasurer's approved schedule and cash advances the clerk-treasurer did not repay.

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The town's credit card statements showed $15,000 in questionable purchases because the town did not have adequate documentation to show the transactions were legitimate. The bank closed the town's credit card in early 2024 because of nonpayment and wrote off the outstanding balance of $4,477, including $834 in fees.

Among $1.3 million worth of firefighting equipment loaned to Hatton from the U.S. Forest Service, auditors found a fire vehicle and a defibrillator valued at $32,000 stored at the clerk-treasurer's home outside town limits. The clerk-treasurer later returned the vehicle, but the defibrillator was never accounted for.

The clerk-treasurer stopped working for the town in October, but he continued to have access to the town's accounts until April 7, when auditors accompanied the mayor to the bank to have the clerk removed from the account, according to the fraud report.

Auditors found an additional $3,612 of personal payments made from the town's bank account to an online bill processing vendor after the clerk was no longer employed.

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It wouldn't be the first time Hatton has had financial problems with an employee. A previous clerk-treasurer, Barabara Pence, pleaded to a third-degree theft misdemeanor in 2020 after a state auditor's fraud investigation determined that she had misappropriated $6,289 and made $15,783 of questionable expenditures between January 2016 and July 2018. Pence is a member of the Hatton Town Council.

A separate fraud report released Tuesday found $7,133 in misappropriations attributed to the former mayor. In January 2023, a month before she resigned, the town council approved paying her $4,000 salary in advance, which is not allowed under state law. She only repaid two months of her salary after she resigned, the report said.

In nearby Mesa, the Franklin County Sheriff's Office investigated and confirmed $9,200 of misappropriations by that city's clerk-treasurer from November 2022 to November 2023. The auditor's office agreed with the sheriff's conclusions and found an additional $3,400 of misappropriations from its own investigation. The misappropriations were from unauthorized purchases on the city's debit card, including for groceries, decorations, vehicle loan payments, personal utility payments, storage unit fees, tires and clothing.

Of these purchases, $323 occurred after the clerk-treasurer was fired in October 2023 for not working consistent hours, which resulted in the town hall closing for several weeks, according to the fraud report.

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The fraud investigations will be forwarded to the Adams and Franklin county prosecutors.

The reports recommended establishing procedures for independent monitoring, verification and better documentation of accounts, timesheets and public property.

Similar gaps in checks and balances were behind other recent small-town misappropriation cases, including Cusick in Pend Oreille County, where the former clerk pleaded guilty last year to embezzling more than $195,000.

McCarthy said in an interview Wednesday that her office is partnering with the Association of Washington Cities to educate officials at smaller local governments about keeping better oversight of their money.

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"Sometimes if their internal controls get lax or if they've had a lot of turnover and the opportunity presents itself, fraudsters will take advantage of it," McCarthy said.

"It's been a little disheartening that we've seen so much fraud in these small entities."

Government editor Jonathan Brunt contributed to this report.

James Hanlon's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community. 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.
May 8 (UPI) -- An Ohio beekeeper received an alert from his surveillance cameras that showed his apiary being raided by another local resident: a bear.

Jeff Bonner, who has been beekeeping for just over a year in Bazetta Township, said his motion-activated cameras alerted him to activity around his hives.

"I looked at my bee cameras and I thought, 'Holy smokes, there's a bear in my bees,'" he told WKBN-TV.

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Bonner rushed to his apiary, but found the bear was already gone -- along with one of his hives.

"I found the hive way out there in the woods. The frames I found were basically clean. It looks like he ate the frame, the wax that was there, and the bees. Everything was gone," Bonner told WFMJ-TV.

He said the hive had been home to 10,000-50,000 bees.

"He literally ate a whole hive of bees," Bonner said.

Bonner alerted the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which advised him to increase his security.

He said his new measures include more cameras and a homemade electric fence.

"[The wildlife officer] recommended putting peanut butter on it, so if he licks it or sniffs it and gets shocked in the face. That tends to make them hesitant to go to the fence. Otherwise, they're pretty stubborn, they'll take the shock to get to the honey," Bonner said.

Bonner said he will remain vigilant.

"He's full and he knows where the honey is," Bonner said. "He'll be back because he knows there's food here."
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  The Birmingham City Council held a special called meeting Thursday morning to approve the sale of the Birmingham Water Works to the city.

Control of the water works board and who gets to appoint members has become hotly contested following the drafting and passage of SB 330. The law, which Gov. Ivey signed Wednesday afternoon, takes the Birmingham Water Works Board mostly out of the citys hands and restructures it to include regional members appointed by both the state and surrounding counties. Additionally, the previous board would be dissolved and new members are to be appointed.

Hours after Ivey signed the bill, the Birmingham Water Works Board voted to sell the utility company to the city of Birmingham for $1 by a vote of 5-2.

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In response to the water works board voting to sell, Phillip Wiedmeyer, selected as a member of the newly formed Regional Water Board by Jefferson County Commission Jimmy Stephens, filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Birmingham contesting the sale. Weidmeyer is asking for judge to invalidate all action taken by the Birmingham Water Works Board after SB 330 was signed and affirm that the new board is in full control.

In addition to Wiedmeyer, Lt. Gov. Ainsworth confirmed he appointed Bill Morris to the new Regional Water Board.

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)  Wabash Valley Breast Cancer Survivor organization is hosting its annual Paint the Town Pink Carnation Sale this Friday.

Two of the organizers joined David and Jen Thursday morning on WTWO Today to talk about the event, and the importance of the work the group does. You can see the full interview at the top of the page.

The event raises money to provide mammograms to women who are uninsured or underinsured in the Valley.

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The Carnation Sale will be Friday at various locations across the Valley.

Organ Law Office on Ohio St -Carnations will be sold in front of the office at 817 Ohio St. beginning at 7:00 a.m. until all are sold or until 5:30 p.m. This is a drive-up sale.

Carnations will also be sold from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Baeslers Market, or earlier if all flowers have been sold.

10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the following locations:

First Financial Bank  Fort Harrison, Springhill and West Terre Haute branches

10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the following locations:

First Farmers Bank Honey Creek, Hwy. 46 East, Brazil and Clay City branches.

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The Villas of Hollybrook in Brazil will have a drive through available from 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

CLICK HERE for more information.

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WEST BEND, Iowa  While the Conclave is underway to select a new Pope in Rome, Catholics in Iowa are following the media coverage, and praying.

The West Bend St. Peter & Paul Church welcomes visitors frequently, due to the Grotto of the Redemption next door. The Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption is the lifes work of Father Paul Dobberstein. He had a serious illness, he prayed that if he survived, he would construct the grotto. He spent a decade gathering rocks and precious stones for this undertaking. He started construction in 1912.

Through the years, the Grotto has welcomed an estimated six million people since it was built. One person visiting on Wednesday was Paul Rasavage, of Maple Falls, WA.

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As a Catholic, this is something very very serious as they elect the new pope as Pope Francis has passed away, said Rasavage. Were very interested in seeing how the Holy Spirit guides this conclave in hopes and anticipation, we have a Holy Pope that comes out of this to guide the church through especially these difficult times.

Rasavage said hes heard the debate on should the new pope lean conservative, or liberal.

Thats the wrong way to look at the church because God is a-political, said Rasavage. We look at saving souls. Its to look at it, anything in the Conclave as left versus right liberal versus conservative thats totally the wrong way to look at it.

Weve got to pray for them to make the decision you know the right decision pick the right pope, said Bruce Helleseth, who works at the Grotto, and is a deacon in the church here. You know hope the Holy Spirit guiding all these Cardinals, I just put my faith in in the whole system, and it takes a while.

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This year is a Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church, that means some are challenged to make a pilgrimage for their faith.

Every 25 years is the Jubilee Year and they open up four doors in for the basilica in Rome, said Dave Waldschmidt, a tour guide at the Grotto. With the going to confession, going to mass, receiving communion, and prayers you receive special indulgence, which are grace is bestowed on us by God. The grotto is one of the designated jubilee sites in this diocese.

People can schedule to make a pilgrimage to The Grotto, or other sites within their diocese.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO)  Illinois legislators and advocacy groups are pushing for higher taxes on the wealthiest people in the state and mega-corporations.

State Senators and House Representatives have proposed joint resolutions to raise over $6 billion in new revenue, citing that the states current tax system is unfair to low-income residents.

Advocacy groups that are a part of the Illinois Revenue Alliance have all shown support for the proposed bill.

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Those groups include:

Asian Americans Advancing Justice  Chicago

Brighton Park Neighborhood Council

Chicago Teachers Union

Grassroots Collaborative

Healthy Illinois

Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Jewish Council on Urban Affairs

ONE Northside

PEER Illinois

SEIU Healthcare Illinois

Shriver Center on Poverty Law

The Peoples Lobby

Workers Center for Racial Justice

Here are the tax increases and new taxes that would be implemented, according to the Illinois Revenue Alliance:

$725 million tax on digital advertising

$1.2 billion corporate tax worldwide, combined reporting

$200 mil Tax corporate offshore sheltered income

$1.5 billion to close the carried interest loophole

$840 million billionaire wealth tax

$1.7 billion excise tax on capital gains

$830 million to raise corporate income tax

$175 million to close corporate tax loopholes

$150 million to reform the estate tax

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The policy briefing claims these new taxes will support immigrant communities, schools, public transit, healthcare access for all, senior home care, child tax credit and direct cash assistance, re-entry employment programs, violence prevention and affordable housing.

Representative William Davis (D) filed the joint resolution in the House on February 26th, while Senator Karina Villa (D) filed the proposal in the Senate on February 25th.

The proposal has been referred to assignments in the Senate and the Rules Committee in the House.

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WEBSTER, N.Y. (WROC)  A nearly 5,400 square foot home on the corner of Lake Road and Bay Road said to have been involved in commissioning narcotics traffic violations has sold for $1 million, according to a listing for the house.

In 2023, the United States Attorneys Office filed a verified civil forfeiture complaint against the property, as the property of value traceable to proceeds furnished in exchange for a controlled substance, as well as property used or intended to be used to facilitate the commission of narcotics trafficking violations.

Prosecutors said as a result of the settlement agreement, the owner of the house agreed to forfeit the defendant real property to the Government, as well as seized assets  all of which was valued at nearly $2.3 million.

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The house is two stories and contains five bedrooms and six bathrooms, according to its listing.

News 8 has reached out to the U.S. Attorneys Office for more information on the history of the house, as well as the identity of the previous owners.

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After weeks with little rain in Tampa Bay, green lawns are getting crispy and pond levels are diminishing.

But a rush of moist air dipping south into the area this weekend could bring a reprieve from the recent dry spell that has contributed to drought conditions and an increased risk for wildfires.

Weve definitely been on the dry side in April, and then into May, but theres definitely hope on the horizon, said Christianne Pearce, a meteorologist for the National Weather Services Tampa Bay office.

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On Thursday, the weather service said Tampa Bay has a marginal risk (a level one out of five threat) of severe weather in the afternoon, which carries a low chance of hail, damaging winds and flash flooding. The risk will remain Saturday and Sunday.

The moist air will lead to better chances of widespread rain in Tampa Bay beginning around Saturday and lasting through Monday, Pearce said.

For the next week, rain forecasts show about 1 to 2 inches of rain around Tampa Bay, Pearce said. In more northern, inland counties, rain chances could be higher.

A Spectrum Bay News 9 weather graphic posted to X shows a similar rain forecast for the next seven days, with Floridas east coast receiving up to 4 inches of rain.

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Pearce said enough moisture will stick around this weekend for showers to happen and on and off throughout the day. But extra instability in the atmosphere will make rain chances more likely in the afternoon.

The rainfall is a much-needed departure from the dry spell Tampa Bay has endured over the last several weeks.

All Tampa Bay counties are experiencing some kind of drought. Pinellas County and portions of Pasco and Hillsborough are under a moderate drought, while other areas of the region are experiencing a severe drought.

Anywhere you go pretty much in the peninsula right now is in some type of drought, just because its been a pretty dry April, really March and April, Pearce said.

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In April, a little above a half-inch of rain fell in Tampa, far below the typical 2 inches. In St. Petersburg, where normal rainfall amounts to just under 2 inches, 0.6 inches of rain fell.

Tampa Bay is reaching the tail end of the dry season, when meteorologists expect less rain. Around mid- to late May is when the area is likely to see more of its typical afternoon showers.

The afternoon showers, which occur when the breeze from the Gulf of Mexico clashes with hot air, act as a natural air-conditioner for the region during the hottest time of the day.

Much of the remainder of the week will hover near 90 degrees in Tampa, according to the weather service. By Monday, temperatures are expected to dip into the lower 80s.

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This is fairly typical dryness, Pearce said. Each week, it should get better I would think once these rains start.

A U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook released on April 30, looking forward to May 1 through July 31, shows drought relief is likely in Tampa Bay.

Pearce said the region has had about 5 to 10 inches of rain since the beginning of the year, which is about 25% to 50% of what is typical.

Dryer conditions bring enhanced risks of wildfires.

Todd Chlanda, a wildfire mitigation specialist and public information officer for the Florida Forest Service, said the lack of rainfall over the last month has led to an increasing number of wildfires across the region.

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Were seeing some stuff alongside roadways from possibly people dragging chains or starting smoking materials, those usually dont cause too many problems, Chlanda said.

But the conditions we have right now are extremely dry, so were seeing an increase in fires.

Chlanda said so far the fires that have sparked have been relatively small. The fires have run from a 10th of an acre to up to 100 acres.

Quicker requests from fire departments and faster reactions from the forest service, along with people calling in possible fires, have kept the blazes small, Chlanda said.

Typically, local fire departments will respond to a fire, but if it becomes too large or difficult to access, they will request help from the Florida Forest Service, Chlanda said.

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However, because of the drier weather, fire departments are starting to contact the forest service on the initial dispatch so the fires dont grow out of control, Chlanda said.

The Florida Forest Service said that it has been restrictive of any type of agriculture burning, including acreage burning, for about the past month. In Hillsborough County, a ban on open outdoor burning is in effect through Friday.

It doesnt take long for a small fire to become a very large fire, Chlanda said.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Wesley Medical Center has achieved Gold Level status for improving maternal health outcomes, ranking it among the top facilities in the state for protecting mothers health before, during, and after childbirth.

The recognition comes from the Kansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative (KPQC), a statewide initiative aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality through data-driven practices and hospital-led improvements. Gold Level is the highest designation awarded by the collaborative.

Via Christi St. Joseph earns premier breastfeeding recognition

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Wesley Medical Center achieved this status by implementing a series of rigorous safety and care standards, including enhanced emergency readiness for obstetric complications, better screening for maternal mental health conditions, and more consistent communication between providers during labor and delivery.

This recognition underscores our teams commitment to providing the safest and most compassionate care possible for women and babies in our community, a spokesperson for the medical center said in a news release.

The U.S. has higher rates of maternal deaths than many other developed nations. In Kansas, a review committee was started in 2018 to look into these issues. One of the states main efforts is KPQC, which helps hospitals improve care by using common standards and practices.

Wesleys Gold Level award shows the hospital meets and goes beyond the standards.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  The Trump administration announced a trade deal with the United Kingdom Thursday in grandiose terms, but with only limited details about what it will achieve.

The agreement will open up the British market to American beef, ethanol, and other agricultural products, the White House said. It will also allow British cars and steel better access to U.S. consumers.

The pact provides some support for President Donald Trumps arguments that his steep tariffs could lead to agreements that open up overseas markets. But economists' initial reactions were cool, with many noting that the United Kingdom isn't a large enough trading partner for the U.S. to really move the needle for the U.S. economy.

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It's more symbolic than economic, Beata Caranci, chief economist at the bank TD Economics, said in an email. What we have learned is that these initial announcements are going to be more fine-tuning around the edges and easing of pain points, rather than an end to the trade war.

Trump said in the Oval Office Thursday that additional details will be worked out in the "coming weeks." But in a fact sheet the administration said the deal is historic and a great deal for America.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the deal would protect thousands of auto jobs and stressed the importance of the relationship between the two countries.

The U.K. is the United States' fourth largest export market, though has received just 4.5% of U.S. exports this year.

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What's in the deal:

The United States will maintain the 10% duty on nearly all imports from the U.K., which Trump imposed April 2. Many economists had hoped that the tariff would be dropped as part of any trade deal, but Trump suggested that the 10% universal duty was likely to be a floor in any future talks with other countries.

The U.S. will cut its tariffs on car imports from the U.K. to 10% from 27.5%, according to the U.K. government, but only up to 100,000 cars. The U.K. exported 92,000 cars to the U.S. in 2024, which means the U.K. auto industry won't be able to boost its shipments without paying higher duties.

U.K. steel exports will enter the U.S. duty-free, rather than face the 25% tariff the White House has placed on imported steel.

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The two countries have agreed to greater market access for each other's beef, with both nations able to export 13,000 metric tons of beef to each others' countries.

The U.K. will eliminate its tariff on ethanol from the U.S., up to 1.4 billion liters.

The U.S. will lift all duties on airplane engines and other aerospace parts from the U.K.'s Rolls Royce. In return, a U.K. airline will soon announce the purchase of $10 billion in planes from Boeing.

The U.K. will reduce its average tariff on U.S. goods to 1.8%, which would amount to a $200 million cut in duties, the British government said. The U.K. will also lower import taxes on about 2,500 U.S. products including olive oil, wine and sports equipment.

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The U.K. will reduce or eliminate non-tariff barriers to U.S. exports, the White House said, though it did not provide details. The agreement creates opportunities for $5 billion in new exports of U.S. agricultural and other goods, according to the administration's fact sheet.

What's not in the deal, at least not yet

The agreement does not provide U.S. companies any additional access to the U.K.'s government-run national health service.

There also aren't any changes on the U.K.'s digital services tax, which hits U.S. tech giants such as Amazon, Alphabet's Google, and Facebook parent Meta. Trump has strongly criticized the tax. The U.K. government said, however, that the two nations have agreed to negotiate on a digital trade deal.

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Trump said the deal did not exempt the U.K. from the 100% tariffs on foreign-made films he has proposed.

Negotiations are still ongoing in areas such as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, critical minerals, copper and lumber, a British trade official said.
Pope Leo XIV made history today: He is the first Pope from the United States, the first Pope from Chicago, and the first Augustinian friar to be elected pontiff.

Hes also the first pope to have graduated from Villanova.

As an Augustinian Catholic institution, we celebrate this significant day for our University community and the global Church. Villanova, built on the teachings of St. Augustine, has always been grounded in advancing a deeper understanding of the fundamental relationship between faith and reasonbetween spirituality and wisdom, University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue said in a statement. With todays election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, I cannot help but reflect on what his Augustinian papacy will mean to our University community and our world. Known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence and warmth, Pope Leo XIVs leadership offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our educational mission.

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Here, everything to know about Pope Leo XIVs education history:

St. Mary of the Assumption Church parish school

Growing up in Chicago, the son of Louis and Mildred Prevost, he went to his local parish school. He was the pride and joy of every priest and nun in that school, his classmate, Marianne Angarola, told the Chicago Sun-Times. Everybody knew he was special. He graduated from St. Marys in 1968.

St. Augustine Seminary High School

After graduating from St. Marys, Pope Leo XIV then attended St. Augustine Seminary High School in Holland, Michigan. The prep school operated from 1949 to 1977, run by the Augustinian Friars. Per the Chicago Sun-Times, He briefly lived at the now-shuttered Tolentine seminary in Olympia Fields.

The high school is now called Felt Mansion, and serves as an event venue and museum. Per the Felt Mansion, Following the departure of the Felt family in 1949, The Saint Augustine Seminary, a Catholic prep school for young men, purchased the mansion and grounds. The carriage house was used for classrooms, while the mansion was used for housing. After several years of growth, the Seminary built a school on the ridge, west of the mansion, and a group of nuns lived in the mansion. In the late 1970s, the State of Michigan purchased the property to use as a prison.

Villanova University

After high school, Pope Leo attended Villanova, where he graduated with a bachelor of science in mathematics in 1977. In 2014, Villanova awarded him an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree.

Catholic Theological Union

He earned his a Master of Divinity degree in 1982 from the Catholic Theological Union (CTU). That same year, he was ordained as a priest.

The Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas

After graduating from Villanova and CTU, Pope Leo earned both licentiate (1984) and doctorate (1987) degrees in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.





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Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S., appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. Credit - Vatican Media/Handout/Reuters

White smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel Thursday afternoon after a short two-day deliberation, and onlookers watched while Robert Prevost, the first American pope in history, walked across the balcony of St. Peters Basilica in a white cassock.

More than 100 cardinals gathered to elect Pope Leo XIV as the new leader of the Catholic Church, ushering in a transformative era for the religious institution that will be distinct from its direction under Pope Francis.

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Much remains to be known about Pope Leo, who is seen as a centrist. The Illinois native has dual citizenship from the U.S. and Peru, and spoke Italian and Spanish during his first address to the public, during which he emphasized peace.

His election is, in part, a departure from Pope Francis, who was regarded as a progressive. Francis is remembered for his acts of humility and inclusion, such as: washing the feet of migrant refugeesincluding Muslims, Hindus, and othersand voicing support for a greater role for women in the Church. He is perhaps most remembered for his stance on LGBTQ+ Catholics: "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?" Francis said in a striking 2013 statement. Francis was also a prominent voice in the call for global peace, using his last message at Easter mass to call for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Pope Leo will serve about 1.4 billion Catholics worldwidemany of whom come from the global southduring a period marked by decreases in Catholic Church attendance and great political conflict.

Heres what we know about the new Popes stance on these issues:

The LGBTQ+ Catholic community

The Catholic Church has been firm on its stance that homesexuality is a sin, and same-sex couples cannot be married within the Church.

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But in October 2023, a letter by Francis in support of the blessings of same-sex unions on a case-by-case basis was made public. We cannot be judges who only deny, push back and exclude, Francis wrote to a group of conservative cardinals. As such, pastoral prudence must adequately discern whether there are forms of blessing, requested by one or several people, that do not convey a wrong idea of a matrimony. Because when one seeks a blessing, one is requesting help from God.

Leos stance on LGBTQ+ Catholics marks a departure from the late pontiff, according to the College of Cardinals report. In October 2024, Prevost voiced the need for greater conversations between each episcopal conference to discuss the blessings and apply them in a way that aligned with cultural differences across the globe as some countries still criminalize homsexuality.

The bishops in the episcopal conferences of Africa were basically saying, that here in Africa, our whole cultural reality is very different  it wasnt rejecting the teaching authority of Rome, it was saying that our cultural situation is such that the application of this document is just not going to work, Prevost reportedly said. You have to remember there are still places in Africa that apply the death penalty, for example, for people who are living in a homosexual relationship  So, were in very different worlds.

In a report assessing his opinions regarding queer couples, The New York Times cited a 2012 statement from Leo in which he expressed dismay at the way media and pop culture expressed sympathy for beliefs and practices that contradict the gospel.

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Francis was openly critical of laws criminalizing LGBTQ+ people, calling them unjust, and was generally seen as a supporter of greater inclusion in the Church.

Helping migrants

Pope Leos stance on migrants falls in line with that of Francis. Jesus Leon Angeles, a coordinator of a Peruvian Catholic group who personally knows Prevost, told Reuters that the new pontiff had always shown care for Venezuelan migrants in Peru. More than 1.5 million Venezuelan migrants live in the South American country as a result of economic instability.

Francis was a strong supporter of migrants, expressing his support for the community in a February letter to U.S. bishops. The letter came after the start of President Donald Trumps second term, which has been marked by calls for mass deportation, attempts to end birthright citizenship, an undocumented immigrant registry, and other anti-immigrant policies and rhetoric. Your work in defending migrants is deeply rooted in the mission of Christ and the history of the Church, Francis wrote. The legitimate regulation of migration must never undermine the essential dignity of the person.

Equality for women

Pope Leo has been firm in his stance against the ordainment of women, falling in line with Pope Francis own opinion.

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Something that needs to be said also is that ordaining women  and theres been some women that have said this interestingly enough  clericalizing women doesnt necessarily solve a problem, it might make a new problem, he said in October 2023 during the Synod on Synodality.

However, he did point to the appointment of women to higher leadership positions under Francis as evidence that women contribute a great deal to the life of the Church.

Pope Francis similarly signaled greater support for women in leadership throughout his 12-year papacy, giving them the right to vote during synods and appointing women to senior positions, while noting that they could not become priests.

Still, Francis made pointed actions to show his support. In 2024, he washed the feet of Roman prisoners from a female prison, marking the first time a Pope had only washed the feet of women.

Climate change

Pope Leo will continue Francis legacy as a steward of climate change. The pontiff has made statements calling for the Church to take greater action against the destruction of the planet. Dominion over nature should not be tyrannical, he said during a November seminar, instead emphasizing the need for a more reciprocal relationship with the Earth.

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The seminar came about at the request of Pope Francis, who called on the Church to act with compassion in regards to climate change, referring to the mistreatment of the planet as a structural sin. The late pontiff made connections between climate change and its disproportionate impact on the developing world.

We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, Francis wrote. But rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental."

Contact us at letters@time.com.
With Gov. Brian Kemp taking himself out of the running to take on Jon Ossoff in the 2026 Senate race, it has left a wide-open field for Republicans to throw their hat in.

One of those people considering a run is current Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. She also says shes thinking about possibly running for governor, too.

The polling shows that I would win that race as well. But I also love my district, so its really nice to have options, and Ill make a decision based on where I think I can be most effective, Greene told ABC News on Wednesday night.

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Some national Republicans say Greene could possibly win a primary challenge, but not the general election.

We need to have the absolute best candidate, and that includes electability. Its very difficult to apply a formula for a very gerrymandered, very conservative congressional district into a statewide election with as much diversity as Georgia has, Sen. Kevin Cramer from North Dakota told The Hill on Thursday.

Greene said not to underestimate her.

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They said the same thing about Donald Trump when he ran in 2016, and they said the same thing about it in 2024. People back in Georgia they know thats a lie, Greene said.

A recent poll from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution showed Ossoff beating Greene by 17 points in a hypothetical Senate race.

Greene has said in the past she doesnt believe in what the media polls show and says the internal polling in Georgia is showing she could win in the Peach State.

Usually, polling is done by a lot of consultants that are supporting their own candidate, and usually the outcome of those polls are pretty twisted, but the internal polling shows something different, Greene said.

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Veteran Georgia Republican strategist Brian Robinson told Channel 2s Richard Elliot earlier this week that whoever the Republican nominee is, they need to think about the big picture.

Think about what does a general election audience in a year when Republicans may have some political headwinds, what are they going to want? Who are the deciders going to vote for, the people who voted for Kemp and then Warnock? Robinson said.

Veteran democratic operative Tharon Johnson believes Ossoff will sit back and let the Republicans fight it out and burn through their campaign cash.

He wonders if national Republican leadership will get together and choose who they think will run to make the primary smoother.

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Whats going to be very interesting is to see how the Republicans campaign to an electorate in Georgia that has a very low approval rating of the president, Johnson said.

Greene said, regardless of what she decides, she feels Georgia will show up for her.

I know Georgia because Im Georgia through and through, Greene said. Im pretty well versed with who the people in Georgia are, and I know exactly what they want. Yeah, I feel very confident.

Greene said she will make a decision not only based on where she feels she will be most effective, but also what is best for her family.
Thanks to a whistleblower, the BBC World Service and Environmental Investigation Agency have uncovered staggering amounts of unreported oil spills and environmental impacts caused by the Colombian oil company Ecopetrol.

What's happening?

According to the BBC, one former Ecopetrol employee, Andres Olarte, blew the whistle on the oil company's allegedly nefarious activity. He worked there from 2017 to 2019 and witnessed routine disregard for the company's environmental impact.

He told the BBC that superiors would deflect his questions about pollution data. When he left, Olarte shared troubling data with the EIA, which the BBC confirmed came from Ecopetrol's servers.

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The data reveals that Ecopetrol has caused more oil spills and pollution in Colombia than it reported, indicating that the company conceals spills from authorities.

Data from January 2019 showed 839 sites in Colombia marked with "unresolved environmental impacts" labels. Olarte told the BBC: "It lists which one is hidden from an authority and which one is not, which shows the process of hiding stuff from the government."

Felipe Bayon, Ecopetrol's CEO from 2017 to 2023, denied to the BBC that there was ever a "policy to withhold information about pollution."

How is Ecopetrol's pollution hurting the region?

Ecopetrol has processing plants located along Colombia's longest river, the Magdalena. The reckless pollution has impacted countless people and wildlife.

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Fishing communities are finding fish reeking of crude oil. Yuly Velasquez, president of Fedepesan, a federation of fishing organizations, told the BBC: "If we don't go fishing, we don't eat."

However, challenging oil companies also comes with a high cost. She said: "If we speak and report, we are killed.  And if we don't report, we kill ourselves, because all these incidents of heavy pollution are destroying the environment around us."

Olarte and many others have received threats from armed groups after challenging Ecopetrol, which Bayon called "absolutely unacceptable." There is currently no evidence that Ecopetrol was involved in these threats.

The Magdalena River basin's biodiversity is also threatened. Locals are finding deceased animals in surprising numbers, which some are describing as a "massacre."

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Biodiverse areas, like the Magdalena basin, are crucial to the planet's health. Biodiversity stabilizes climate conditions, supports the food and freshwater supply for humans, and reduces disease spread. The river itself is also a source of water for millions of people.

The Convention on Biological Diversity describes Colombia as a "megadiverse" country where roughly 10% of the world's biodiversity exists, making it a crucial region to protect. Unfortunately, Ecopetrol's pollution is stifling it.

How can we hold polluting corporations responsible?

Companies must be held responsible for their environmental damage. Stronger environmental policies and strictly enforced standards are necessary.

It's important to protect advocates like Olarte and Velasquez. And supporting brands that prioritize the environment and pressuring those that don't to change is the best way to influence positive change for the planet.

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As individuals, using our purchasing power is a surprisingly effective way to enact change. Harnessing it for good can contribute to the changes that benefit people and the planet.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
President Donald Trump on Thursday touted a new trade deal with the United Kingdomthe first since his Liberation Day reciprocal tariffs were announced in early April.

In a press conference held at the Oval Office, the Commander in Chief told reporters that the deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol and virtually all of the products produced by our great farmers.

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While the announcement was light on specificsand the finer points of the deal are still being finalizedthe president said, Things are going to move very quickly both ways. The final details are being written up in the coming weeks. Well have it all very conclusive, but the actual deal is a very conclusive one.

New market access for American chemicals, machinery and industrial products will be included in the treaty, he added. Furthermore, in a historic step, the deal includes plans that will bring the United Kingdom into the economic security alignment with the United States, Trump said.

A White House fact sheet released soon after the presser included several supporting data points. The deal includes a $5 billion increase in market access for American farmers, ranchers and producers, though it is unclear whether the U.K. has agreed to purchase this amount of goods outright.

The fact sheet also confirmed that the 10-percent universal baseline tariff levied on the U.K. last month with remain in place, creating potential tariff revenue of $6 billion for the U.S. government. Meanwhile, the U.K. has agreed to reduce tariffs on U.S. goods and services from 5.1 percent to 1.8 percent.

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The deal places a special focus on automobiles, which represent Americas No. 6 biggest export to Britain and the countrys top export to the U.S., according to the Commerce Department. Under the deal, the first 100,000 vehicles imported into the U.S. from U.K. manufacturers will be subject to the reciprocal duty rate of 10 percent, and any additional cars will be subject to 25-percent duties. This agreement replaces the 25-percent tariff currently in place for foreign vehicles imported into the U.S.

The fact sheetand Trumps commentsalso hinted that aluminum imports, currently subject to the global 25-percent duty rate, may be modified in the future.

Britains Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, lauded the presidents efforts and exalted the two nations longstanding trade and foreign policy ties.

We have been absolutely the closest of allies for so many years, keeping the peace through that close alliance, that friendship, we add to that this deal on trade and the economy, he said by phone as reporters listened.

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There are no two countries that are closer than our two countries, and now we take this into new and important territory by adding trade and the economy to the closeness of our relationship, he added. It is built, as you say, on those notions of fairness and reciprocal arrangements. Weve always had a fair and balanced arrangement between our countries. This builds on that hugely important for sectors like car manufacturing and for steel and aluminum and so many others.

While fielding questions from reporters after the announcement, Trump reiterated plans for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer to travel to Switzerland this weekend to meet with Chinese officials.

Asked if he would consider lowering the 145-percent tariff rate if the talks go well, Trump said, Well, it could be. I mean, were going to see; right now, you cant get any higher. Its at 145 so we know its coming down. I think were going to have a very good relationship.

China, as you know, has a tremendous trade surplus with us, and we just cant have that. I think its going to be very good for both countries. I would like to see China opened, he added.

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Asked whether the meeting will be a formality or a substantive discussion, Trump said, I think its going to be substantive. China wants to do something. They have to at this point.

But China is sticking to its guns and continuing to indicate an unwillingness to capitulate to Trumps pressure campaign.

Let me stress that Chinas determination to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests will not change, and our position and goal of defending international fairness and justice and upholding the multilateral trading system will not change, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said Thursday.

Trump also alluded briefly to the diminishing trade between the U.S. and China in the wake of the tariff standoff when a reporter asked about falling container volumes at U.S. ports. The sluggish traffic at Americas largest gateways has dockworkers and truck drivers worried about their jobs, the reporter said. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which handle about 40 percent of the countrys overall imports, expects imports to drop annually by 35 percent and 38 percent, respectively, for the week of May 4-10.

That means we lose less money When you say it slowed down, thats a good thing, not a bad thing, the president responded.
The White House has deemed Joe Biden a complete disgrace after the former president took aim at his predecessor-turned-successor in a fiery interview, his first since leaving office.

Biden made headlines when he accused President Donald Trump of appeasing Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and criticized Trumps other foreign policy positions in a BBC interview that aired early Wednesday.

Hours later, White House spokesperson Steven Cheung shared a link to the interview on X, formerly Twitter, and questioned Bidens mental acuity.

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Joe Biden is a complete disgrace to this country and the office he occupied, Cheung wrote. He has clearly lost all mental faculties and his handlers thought itd be a good idea for him to do an interview and incoherently mumble his way through every answer.

Sadly, this feels like abuse, he added.

Joe Biden is a complete disgrace to this country and the office he occupied. He has clearly lost all mental faculties and his handlers thought it'd be a good idea for him to do an interview and incoherently mumble his way through every answer.



Sadly, this feels like abuse. https://t.co/UKkysv1lKs  Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) May 7, 2025

Bidens BBC interview bucked the longstanding tradition of presidents keeping their counsel about their successors. In it, he condemned Trumps expansionist fantasies and expressed his contempt for the Trump White Houses treatment of Americas traditional allies.

What the hells going on here? What president ever talks like that? Biden asked. Thats not who we are. Were about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation.

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Of Trumps Oval Office blowout with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February, Biden noted: I found it beneath America, the way that took place.

Elsewhere in the chat, BBC journalist Nick Robinson asked Biden if he regretted his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, in which Trump ultimately triumphed over former Vice President Kamala Harris.

I think it was the right decision, Biden responded. It was just a difficult decision.

Watch Joe Bidens BBC interview below.

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President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a trade agreement with the United Kingdom, the first agreement established since his Liberation Day tariff announcement against all U.S. trading partners on April 2.

Trump said the final details of the agreement, which must be approved by Congress, will be finalized in the coming weeks, but it increases access for agricultural, chemicals, machinery and other products for both countries.

The UK was largely closed, very much closed to trade, and now its opened, Trump said from the Oval Office. The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol and virtually all of the products produced by our great farmers.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the agreement will be beneficial to both countries.





This is going to boost trade between and across our countries. Its going to not only protect jobs, but create jobs, opening market access, Starmer said in a statement.

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Despite the new agreement, the U.S. will continue to impose a 10% baseline tariff on all goods imported from the UK, according to a fact sheet from the White House.

Under the trade agreement, the first 100,000 UK-manufactured vehicles imported into the U.S. each year are subject to a 10% duty rate, while additional vehicles will face 25% rates, according to the White House.

In March, Trump placed import taxes of 25% on foreign cars and auto parts coming into the U.S., on top of the existing 2.5% duty rate for imported British autos.





The UK currently imposes a 10% tariff on U.S. car imports, but its unclear if there will be any change as part of the agreement.

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The U.S. will also be eliminating 25% tariffs currently imposed on British steel and aluminum exports to the U.S., while the UK will be reducing ethanol tariffs. Both countries also agreed to reduce tariffs on imported beef.

Trump also said Rolls Royce engines and plane parts will be able to be exported from the UK to the U.S. tariff free, while the UK was buying $10 billion worth of planes from the Boeing Co., which is based in Arlington, Virginia.

The UK is one of the few major countries the U.S. doesnt run a trade deficit with. In 2024, the U.S. had a trade surplus of nearly $12 billion with the UK.

The UK was the ninth ranked international trade partner of the U.S. in 2024, totaling $148 billion in two-way trade.

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During his meeting in the Oval Office, Trump also said he also plans to negotiate a trade deal with the European Union and is open to reducing 145% tariffs on imports of goods made in China.

The post White House reaches trade agreement with United Kingdom appeared first on FreightWaves.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has made history.

The newly elected pontiff, now known as Pope Leo XIV, is the first pope from the United States, and the new leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics.

The 69-year-old from Chicago stepped into his role as the 267th pope on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica on Thursday evening, addressing thousands of cheering Catholics with the words: Peace be with you all.

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As he addressed the crowds in St. Peters Square, Leo paid tribute to the late pontiff Francis, urging them to remember the late popes legacy of unity before outlining his own vision for the Catholic Church.

We have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue, he said. Speaking in Italian, Leo called on people to show our charity to others and be in dialogue with love.

Leo was chosen just two days after a group of 133 cardinals gathered in conclave to select a new pontiff, suggesting that he quickly impressed his peers during the secretive process. He is expected to build on Francis reforms.

His predecessors, Francis and Benedict XVI, were both revealed in the evening of the conclaves second day, while John Paul II, the longest-reigning pope of modern times, was selected on the third day, in 1978.

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The coming days are for celebration; Leos name will be uttered in homilies and Masses across the Roman Catholic world, and will spark particularly joyous scenes in his home country, where one in five adults identifies as Catholic.

But leading the largest Christian denomination through an unpredictable era will require difficult and consequential decisions.

The new pope inherits a church whose image and ambitions were transformed by its predecessor; Francis pulled the priorities of the church away from social issues such as abortion, homosexuality, gender roles and contraception, advocating instead for the worlds poor, displaced and needy, and instilling a mission anchored in altruism.

And he must deal with crises from within, too. Francis failure to bring a close to the years-long scandal of child sexual abuse in the church despite some important steps will also reverberate through his successors papacy.

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How to continue that trajectory will be a defining choice for the new pontiff, who, in his first moments as the new pope, signaled respect for Francis legacy but perhaps also a desire to set his papacy apart. In a reversion to norms, he wore traditional papal robes, whereas Francis had stepped out onto the balcony in a simple white cassock.

An exceptional leader

Considered a highly capable and accomplished leader, Prevost most recently headed the powerful Vatican office for new bishop appointments, the Dicastery for Bishops, assessing candidates and making recommendations to the late pope. Francis appointed Prevost to the position, indicating he saw the US cleric as an effective leader.

He also made him president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, where Prevost had spent much of his earlier career as a missionary.

The new pontiff is a member of the Augustinian religious order and spent more than a decade as its prior general, giving him experience of heading an order spread across the world.

The newly ordained Rev. Robert Prevost shakes hands with Pope John Paul II in 1982. - From St. Mary of the Assumption Parish

He worked for a decade in Trujillo, Peru, and was later appointed bishop of Chiclayo, another Peruvian city, where he served from 2014 to 2023. In 2015, he also received Peruvian citizenship.

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In his inaugural address as pope, Leo switched from speaking in Italian to Spanish  one of several European languages he speaks  to address his beloved diocese in Chiclayo.

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte mirrored that sentiment, calling his election a historic moment for Peru and the world, in a Thursday address.

In our lands, he sowed hope, walked alongside the most needy, and shared the joys of our people.  He chose to be one of us, to live among us, and to carry in his heart the faith, culture and dreams of this nation, Boluarte said.

In the United States, President Donald Trump called the news a great honor for America, adding he looks forward to meeting the new pope. Vice President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, said in a message on X: Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church.

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While it is often said cardinal electors would always shy away from choosing a pope from the United States, because of Americas outsized global political influence, Prevosts long experience in Peru may have mitigated those fears among the electors.

Hes somebody that, even though hes from the West, would be very attentive to the needs of a global church, said Elise Allen, CNNs Vatican analyst. Youre talking about somebody who spent over half of his ecclesial career abroad as a missionary in Peru.

Allen added that hes seen as a talented leader in Vatican circles. Hes seen as somebody who is calm and balanced, who is evenhanded, and who is very clear on what he thinks needs to be done  but hes not overly forceful in trying to make that happen.

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears before the crowds in St. Peter's Square, saying they must "seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue." - Stoyan Nenov/Reuters

Prevost earned his bachelors in mathematics from Villanova University in Pennsylvania and went on receive his diploma in theology from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.

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He was later sent to Rome to study canon law at the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University and was ordained as a priest in June 1982. Later in his career, he taught canon law in the seminary in Trujillo, Peru.

In an interview with Vatican News shortly after he became the leader of the Dicastery for Bishops, Prevost said: I still consider myself a missionary. My vocation, like that of every Christian, is to be a missionary, to proclaim the Gospel wherever one is.

Upcoming challenges

Adding to festivities, and to the new popes diary commitments, is the fact that 2025 is a jubilee year for the church  a special celebration announced by Pope John Paul II 25 years ago, which sees a busy schedule of Vatican-organized events.

But the world is also watching to see whether he will follow in the Franciscan path.

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Francis rejection of opulence and his softer tone on social issues was praised by some Western leaders, but there remains a faction in the church advocating for a stricter line on questions of sex, gender, marriage and migration.

Asked about the contributions of three women who were made members of the Dicastery for Bishops, Prevost told Vatican News: I think their appointment is more than just a gesture on the part of the Pope to say that there are now women here, too. There is a real, genuine, and meaningful participation that they offer at our meetings when we discuss the dossiers of candidates.

Faithful react as the newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday. - Emilio Morenatti/AP

He must also choose carefully when to intervene on the world stage. Francis became increasingly political in the final years of his papacy, making the case for the rights of migrants, urging a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and suggesting  to the ire of Kyiv  that Ukraine should wave the white flag and make concessions to end Russias war in the country.

These ongoing conflicts, and the rise of populism and authoritarianism around the world, set a complicated context in which the new pope  himself an important figure in global diplomacy  will operate.

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And how Leo will handle the clerical sex abuse scandals that have long plagued the Church could also define his papacy. Though Francis spoke defensively about his record on the matter, and took some important steps to tackle systemic issues involving abuse, the previous pope was accused by survivors groups of failing to hold accountable bishops and cardinals accused of covering up abuse.

Previously addressing the responsibility of combating clerical abuse, Prevost told Vatican News: There are places where good work has already been done for years and the rules are being put into practice. At the same time, I believe that there is still much to learn.

Last year, Francis commission for child protection said in its first report that parts of the church are still failing to ensure that abuse is properly reported, and raised concerns about a lack of transparency in how the Vatican handled cases.

CNNs Lauren Kent and Christopher Lamb reported from Rome, and Rob Picheta, Christian Edwards and Kara Fox reported from London. CNNs Abel Alvarado and Elise Hammond contributed to this report.

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WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH)  Whitehall voters will have the chance to decide on controversial tax breaks for a housing development themselves.

Residents have voiced opposition to three tax break proposals for the Fairway Cliffs development since 2023. Despite a packed April 15 meeting, Whitehall City Council still approved the tax breaks for the high-end housing development. Unsatisfied, residents gathered signatures for a referendum petition to take the breaks to a citizen vote. On Wednesday, organizers received word their petitions were approved.

Referendum organizer and city council candidate Holly Stein shared the sufficient petition notifications with NBC4. All four petitions were approved  one for each tax break approved by city council, and another enacting a zoning ordinance for Fairway Boulevard, the street the development plans to build on.

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May 2025 primary election results for central Ohio

Voters will decide whether to collect Fairway Cliffs taxes separately for 45 years to fund an HOA and pay for the developments upkeep. The nearly 50-unit development could also be exempt from property taxes for 15 years if voters approve it.

Citizens will now be able to vote on the tax breaks and City Attorney Brad Nicodemus said its likely to be placed on the November election ballot. Nicodemus said city council could also set a special election date, but it would need two-thirds of councils approval.

A spokesperson for the mayors office said the city of Whitehall welcomes all public engagement in all forms and celebrates citizens exercising their civic rights.

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Former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States was selected Thursday by the papal conclave to succeed Pope Francis and lead the Roman Catholic Church. The new pontiff, who has taken the name Leo XIV, is the first American pope. But what else do we know about him?

Prevost, 69, was born in Chicago on Sept. 14, 1955. His father, Louis Marius Prevost, a school administrator and World War II naval veteran, was of French and Italian descent; his mother, Mildred Martinez, descended from Creole people of color in New Orleans. In addition to English, the new pope speaks Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese; he can read Latin and German.

Prevost is an Augustinian, meaning he belongs to a Catholic order known for its commitment to community and sharing. He is the first Augustinian pope, according to the Vatican.

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Before becoming pope, Prevost shared a series of posts on X criticizing President Trump and Vice President JD Vance while hinting at progressive views  at least on issues such as immigration, climate change and gun control.

He has great, great desire to help the downtrodden and the disenfranchised, the people who are ignored, the new pope's brother, John Prevost, told the New York Times.

The best way I could describe him right now is that he will be following in Francis footsteps, Prevost said. They were very good friends."

Pope Leo's rise through the Catholic Church

Prevost attended secondary school at an Augustinian seminary and officially joined the order in 1977, when he was 22. In between, he earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics at Villanova University. Five years later, Prevost was awarded a Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and he traveled to the Augustinian College of Saint Monica in Rome to be ordained. Prevost later received a doctorate in canon law from Romes Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas.

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Prevost went on to spend much of his adult life abroad. While preparing his doctoral thesis, he was sent to the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, Piura, Peru. He returned to Peru in 1988 and spent the next 10 years leading the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo; he also taught canon law, served as an ecclesiastical judge, and led his own congregation. He eventually became a naturalized citizen there.

From 1999 to 2014, Prevost worked in Chicago, where he first led the citys Augustinian Province and then served two six-year terms as head of the Augustinians. Like other cardinals, he has been criticized for his dealings there with priests accused of sexual abuse.

Prevost returned to Peru in 2014; Pope Francis soon named him bishop. Until Franciss death, Prevost held one of the most influential Vatican posts, running the office that selects and manages bishops globally, according to the New York Times.

Faithful hold a photo of Bishop Robert Prevost, who was elected Pope Leo XIV, in front of the Cathedral of Chiclayo, Peru, Thursday, May 8, 2025, where he served as bishop for several years, (AP Photo/Manuel Medina)

What kind of pope will Leo be?

In his first remarks after being chosen as the new pontiff Thursday, Pope Leo outlined his vision for the Catholic Church.

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"We have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue," he said, according to an English translation of his remarks, which were mostly in Italian. He also called on people to "show our charity" to others "and be in dialogue with love."

Leo paid tribute to the late Pope Francis as well, saying, "Let us keep in our ears the weak voice of Pope Francis that blesses Rome. The Pope who blessed Rome, gave his blessing to the entire world that morning of Easter. Allow me to follow up on that blessing. God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail."

The fact that Leo, like Francis, hails from the Americas  and spent decades in Franciss native South America  suggests a degree of continuity. The conventional wisdom ahead of this weeks conclave was that an American would not be chosen as pontiff. Does this mean Leo will champion greater inclusion and openness to change, like his predecessor?

The earliest clues suggest he might.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV concelebrates Mass with the College of Cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican the day after his election as 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Friday, May 9, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP)

What are Leo's political views?

While often described as reserved and discreet, according to the Times  a stylistic departure from the more gregarious Francis  Leo named himself after Pope Leo XIII, a turn-of-the-20th-century modernizer. Leo XIII was known as the Social Pope and the "Pope of the Workers for his writings on social justice, fair wages, safe labor conditions and trade unions.

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Along similar lines, Prevost resurfaced on X in February of this year  after a long absence  to repost an opinion column from the National Catholic Reporter about how Vice President JD Vance is wrong because Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.

The column criticized Vance for interpreting a medieval concept known as ordo amoris to mean that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world.

A lot of the far left has completely inverted that, Vance complained in January.

Yet the column insists that Jesus never speaks of love as something to be rationed. He speaks of love as abundance  a table where there is enough for everyone.

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This is what the gospel asks of all of us on immigration, Prevost wrote on X when he later reposted another story critical of the Trump administration's treatment of migrants.

Most recently, in April, Prevost shared an X post that questioned the Trump administration's deportation of Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia to a notorious prison in El Salvador.

"Do you not see the suffering?" the post read, quoting the story it linked to. "Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?

Prevost joined X (then Twitter) in 2011. Throughout Trump's first term, he shared posts opposing the president's policies on climate change, gun control and especially immigration.

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Speaking to the New York Times, John Prevost described Pope Leo as middle of the road and said, I dont think well see extremes either way. But he also said his brother would not be afraid to speak out.

I dont think hell stay quiet for too long if he has something to say, Prevost predicted. I know hes not happy with whats going on with immigration. I know that for a fact. How far hell go with it is only ones guess, but he wont just sit back. I dont think hell be the silent one.

On the other hand, its unclear whether Pope Leo will be as accepting of LGBTQ Catholics as Francis was. In a 2012 address to bishops, he lamented that Western media and culture had fostered sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel, citing the homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.

Since then, he has been quiet on the subject.
Im glad that President Donald Trump has begun explaining the new Golden Age of America in granular form.

Sure, its all well and good to make a general proclamation that electing Trump means America will be experiencing joy and prosperity on a level like never before. But what does that mean? We need specifics.

Trump supplied some of those specifics this past week. I found them to be, well, surprising.

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It turns out that creating a better America doesnt have to do with addressing the widening wealth gap, the predatory health-care system, or the looting of public education.

And it certainly doesnt have to do with avoiding foolish, destructive trade wars.

Its all about getting our bratty kids to expect fewer toys and office supplies as gifts. Apparently, the key to a better, more golden America, is in their clammy little hands.

I dont think that a beautiful baby girl needs, thats 11 years old  needs to have 30 dolls, Trump said. They dont need to have 30 dolls. They can have three.

They dont need to have 250 pencils, Trump continued. They can have five.

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Trump didnt explain why the beautiful baby girls need 250 pencils. Or for that matter, why anyone needs 250 pencils.

Also, why specifically are five pencils enough? At the risk of being accused of being woke and beholden to the values of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), if the pencils are colored ones, having just five of seems a little racist. You're excluding way too many shades.

Too. Many. Pencils.

Palm Beach Post columnist Frank Cerabino poses with his 31 pencils -- a good bit shy of the 250 pencils President Trump says that parents buy for their children.

Whatever the case, its good to get President Trump to spell out the first steps needed to put this county on its golden path.

Get the kids to quit wanting hundreds of pencils. And we shouldnt just blame the kids.

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I inventoried my desk drawer at home and was shocked to find 31 brand new, unsharpened Ticonderoga No. 2 pencils there.

Thats way too many pencils for me. The only use I have for a pencil is to make a mark on a wall when Im using a drill to hang a picture frame.

Opinion: Will Florida follow behind Texas with litter box legislation for public schools?

And those 31 pencils I have arent even good for that, because I dont have a pencil sharpener to make their graphite ends operational.

But even my over-consumption of pencils at 31 puts me 219 pencils shy of the average kid level of too many pencils.

First, pencils. Then rulers, paper clips, toner cartridges.

What are Americas youth doing with all these pencils? Is this some gateway addiction that will one day lead to wanting to accumulate stockpiles of rulers, toner cartridges and paper clips?

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Who knows? Maybe it has national security implications on our Southern Border, a sign that the staple-gun armed OfficeMex Cartel is feeding our youth this little-understood addiction to graphite?

Or maybe our beautiful baby boys are using all these extra pencils to sadistically stab at the 30 dolls their sisters got as gifts?

Opinion: As Florida criminalizes homelessness, she sought refuge in my storage facility

I know what youre thinking: What parent gives their daughter 30 dolls?

The answer: The one with the 250 pencils wrapped under the Christmas tree.

At least now we know the first step in ushering in Americas golden age.

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Frank Cerabino is a news columnist with The Palm Beach Post, which is part of the USA Today Network-Florida. He can be reached at FCerabino@pbpost.com

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump's new call for students, parents: Less pencils, dolls | Opinion
Ukrainian history is rich with examples of foreign volunteers participating in wars fought by Ukrainians for their freedom.

Latvian Karlis Broze, a lieutenant colonel in the Ukrainian Peoples Republic, commanded the Black Zaporozhians company and later led one of the battalions during the Winter Campaign of 19191920. German Alfred Schamanek, a colonel in the Ukrainian Galician Army (UGA), served as chief of staff of the UGA and was one of the key proponents and planners of the Chortkiv offensive.

Among the first protesters killed in the Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti) in Kyiv amid the 2013-2014 Revolution of Dignity (EuroMaidan Revolution), alongside Ukrainian Yurii Verbytskyi, were ethnic Armenian Serhiy Nigoyan and Belarusian Mikhailo Zhyznevskyi.

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After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Colonel Bakhva Chikobava of the Georgian army, one of Azov's instructors in 2014, returned to Mariupol with a group of Georgian instructors to stand alongside Azov service members. He was killed in battle on March 19, 2022, while covering fighters from a neighboring unit breaking out of an operational encirclement.

All of these individuals  and the thousands of other foreigners who have come to help Ukrainians repel Russian aggression  are united by a shared sense of justice and a willingness to take up arms in defense of freedom, even far from their homelands.

At the end of 2024, the 12th Azov Brigade created a battalion for such volunteers.

The creation of the International Battalion  "Interbat," as we call it  was the result of nearly 11 years of Azovs history, filled with both triumphs and tragedies, victories and losses, exhausting training and continuous growth. The experience we have accumulated over these 11 years has taught us the value of uniting efforts to resist Russian imperialism.

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In 2023, Ukraine passed a law allowing foreigners to serve in the National Guard of Ukraine. We recruited a small group of foreign volunteers who already had combat experience in Ukraine. At first, they served as instructors in Azov, and, since I was head of the brigades training section at the time, they were under my command. Soon after, we began involving them in combat operations.

Azov stands for innovation, adaptive thinking, and the continuous pursuit of new solutions to complex challenges.

During the battles near Terny between February and May 2024, I commanded a battalion tactical group that included these foreign volunteers. Together, we destroyed significant numbers of enemy personnel and equipment. These fighters proved highly effective and became the backbone of the Azov International Battalion, which was officially established in December 2024, with me appointed as its commander.

Why did we create the International Battalion?

Azov is a unique unit that has conducted dozens of successful combat operations over its 11-year campaign record, including one of the most challenging battles in modern military history  the 86-day defense of Mariupol under complete encirclement, during which the citys defenders were positioned as far as 100 kilometers behind enemy lines.

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Read also: 12 never-before-seen photos from Azovstal defense (Photos)

Azov was the first unit in Ukraine to implement NATO standards in command and control, operational planning, and the execution of combat missions. Our unit has become one of the leading forces driving change within the Ukrainian military, particularly in the areas of recruitment and the psychological support of personnel. Our medics were the first in Ukraine to perform a battlefield blood transfusion in a trench, saving a wounded soldiers life.

Azov stands for innovation, adaptive thinking, and the continuous pursuit of new solutions to complex challenges. The establishment of a dedicated battalion for foreign volunteers was a natural and logical step in Azovs evolution  an extension of our experience beyond the existing boundaries. We have much to offer those who have chosen to confront evil far from their homelands, and we are both willing and able to share our knowledge with those ready to learn.

Fighters of Azov Brigade's International Battalion undergo training in an undisclosed location, in a photo published on April 10, 2025. (Azov.org.ua)

We know how to employ our personnel effectively while minimizing risks through meticulous planning and preparation. We feel a strong bond with those who, despite having entirely different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, embrace the military ethos as a fundamental value. We also feel a deep responsibility to support those who have left the comfort of their former lives to join our fight. Our goal is to build a battalion of foreign fighters that will become not only an organic and effective component of Azov but also a valuable and integrated part of Ukraines broader Security and Defense Forces.

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As one of the fighters in our International Battalion  a volunteer from Wales  said in an interview, "Azov is ruled by meritocracy." In our unit, service members earn promotion and hold a position only if they fulfill their duties conscientiously, constantly learn, and strive to become a better version of themselves  more skilled, more disciplined. Azov fosters a unique atmosphere of brotherhood and healthy competition, and we actively cultivate that same spirit within the International Battalion. What truly matters is a fighters motivation, dedication, and commitment to continuous professional development.

The Azov International Battalion includes representatives from dozens of nations across various continents, speaking different languages and holding diverse worldviews. Yet, they are united by a common purpose: the desire to defend freedom and stand against the axis of evil that threatens not only Ukraine but the entire free world.

Today, the Russians, supported by their allies, have come to Ukraine. Tomorrow, any other country could be under attack. Putins army is not advancing further due to Ukraines strong resistance. Every repelled Russian assault buys valuable time for the rest of the Western world, at the immense cost of effort, lives, and the health of soldiers on the front lines. The fighters of the Azov International Battalion understand deeply how fragile and ephemeral the security of their own countries and communities truly is.

The most common answer to the question, "Why did you decide to fight for Ukraine?" is: "Because its the right thing to do."

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The experience foreign volunteers gain on the front lines of the Russian-Ukrainian war could prove crucial if their home countries ever face a similar situation. Moreover, the knowledge and skills they acquire here extend beyond the battlefield: experience of civilian medical care and evacuation, as well as the ability to act effectively in emergencies, are all invaluable in civilian life as well.

Training of foreign fighters of the International Battalion, in an undisclosed location, in a photo published on April 10, 2025. (Azov.org.ua)

Predictably, enemy propaganda will continue to label those who join our ranks as mercenaries. This label is unacceptable. In their home countries, these individuals could earn far more without risking their lives. Their decision to come to Ukraine and stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainian soldiers stems exclusively from ethical conviction. The most common answer to the question, "Why did you decide to fight for Ukraine?" is: "Because its the right thing to do." These are not mercenaries  they are volunteers. Their decision is welcomed and respected, and their determination is something we are grateful for.

For some of these volunteers, service in the Azov International Battalion will be the greatest challenge of their lives  a test of their strength. Some will see warfare from a perspective they never imagined. For most, it will be the most intense military experience available anywhere in the world. For others, it may become a catalyst for personal transformation  an opportunity to reassess their values, to reflect on life and death, and to consider the meaning of service, virtue, and sacrifice in the modern world.

This experience will lead each volunteer to their own set of insights and personal discoveries. But one thing is certain: those who join our battalion become part of the larger Azov family  a brotherhood forged in combat, where no place can be bought, but must be earned through ones decisions and actions.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office at the White House on May 6, 2025 in Washington, DC. Credit - Anna MoneymakerGetty Images

Canada waited with baited breath as Prime Minister Mark Carney stepped foot in the Oval Office on Tuesday in a meeting for the ages.

Barely a week earlier, Carney, who had vowed to fight back against Donald Trumps taunts and threats to make Canada the 51st state, resurrected his Liberal Party against a MAGA-like opponent in a stunning 25-point election turnaround.

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Trump knew this. He opened the meeting by saying it was a great honor to have Carney visit. Then, he pivoted to himself. As you know, he won a very big election in Canada, and I think I was probably the greatest thing that happened to him. His party was losing by a lot, and he ended up winning. So, I really want to congratulate him. It was probably one of the greatest comebacks in the history of politics, maybe even greater than mine.

Early on, Trump struck a tone of, if not friendship, then at least something approaching the boundaries of bare respect. Memories of the ambush on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were still fresh. This is very friendly, this is not going to be like  we had another little blow up with somebody else. That was a much different  this is a very friendly conversation.

A nation heaved a sigh of relief. The matter isnt a mere issue of national pride or vanity, though thats part of it. Trump has conceded that the use of military force to annex Canada is highly unlikely, but he still has the power to scupper $1 trillion a year in trade.

Read More: How Canada Got Hooked on the U.S. Economy

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During the election, Carney ran against Trump as much as he did his Conservative opponent Pierre Poilievre. The Liberals flogged the slogan Canada Strong and the nationalist rallying cry elbows up. Carney vowed not to meet Trump until the President respected Canadian sovereignty. Trump, he warned, is trying to break us, so America can own us.

He was far more conciliatory on Tuesday. Carney is now a diplomat and statesman, not a politician on the hustings. Youre a transformational President, he said of Trump, focused on the economy, with a relentless focus on the American worker, securing your borders, ending the scourge of fentanyl and other opioids, and in securing the world.

It was, as some put it on social media, an elbows down moment.

Carney avoided taking the bait for much of the meeting. Trump spoke most of the time; the Prime Minister sat there, letting the President hold court. Later, in private, during a working lunch, Carney would work on setting an agenda to renegotiate the trade relationship and, hopefully, take steps toward reducing the number or rate of tariffs.

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As expected, the issue of making Canada the cherished 51st state arose. North of the 49th parallel, thats a non-starter, to put it mildly. Here, Carney was prepared. Well, if I may, as you know, from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale, he said. Were sitting in one now, he added, in reference to the White House. Trump nonetheless pressed the matter with a never say never; Carney then mouthed the word never five times. But that was it.

In a post-meeting press conference at the Canadian embassy, Carney said there was a concrete path forward for the two, a mutual desire to move forward with discussion on trade and other matters. He called the negotiations complex. When asked about his previous, more confrontational comments about Trump, Carney dodged the question.

Carney has made a quick transformation from campaigner to, if youll pardon the term, governor. The White House visit was not so much elbows down as it was watch your elbows. But he is softening his line on Trump nonetheless.

Carney and his team recognize that theres a line to walk, a dance to dance. They get that dealing with Trump to his face is harder than talking about dealing with a mercurial, mercantilist U.S. President in front of a sympathetic homefront. The alternative is going toe-to-toe, alone, against the global hegemon and its intransigent President.

That would be a herculean, and foolish, undertaking for any nationand certainly Canada and its rookie Prime Minister.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Catholics around the world are celebrating a new pope today. After only two days of voting in the papal conclave, the College of Cardinals elected the Catholic Church's first ever American pope.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, was elected on Thursday, May 8, and took the name Leo XIV for his papacy.

But why do popes choose a new name when they're elected? Here's what to know about the conclave process, a list of contenders that were favored for the papacy, a little bit about Pope Leo XIV and why popes choose a new name once elected.

How long does a conclave last?

Conclaves in the Catholic Church take as long as needed, which once meant it could take years, but in the 20th century has whittled down to just a few days.

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The papal conclave  which has remained virtually unchanged after more than 800 years  takes as long as needed. Over the centuries, it has taken hours, days, months and even years for a successor to be named, USA TODAY reported.

In 2013, Pope Francis was elected after just over a day of voting. The longest conclave in history was in 1268, when it took nearly three years for the College of Cardinals to elect Pope Gregory X, according to EWTN Vatican. The average modern conclave is much shorter, lasting from around two to five days.

This papal conclave was also incredibly short. White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, May 8, just one day after conclave began on Wednesday, May 7.

Live updates: History in the making, as the first ever American pope has been elected

How is the new pope chosen? What does white smoke mean?

In the Catholic Church, each new pope is selected through the traditional practice of a conclave. According to Merriam-Webster, Conclave comes from a Latin word meaning room that can be locked up. Most simply put, the word conclave refers to a private meeting.

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In a papal conclave, cardinals from around the world convene and are locked into the Sistine Chapel for up to four rounds of voting each day, day after day, until they reach the required two-thirds majority vote to elect a new pope.

If someone still doesnt have the majority vote after 33 rounds of voting, the top two candidates face off in a run-off vote. The group of cardinals that convene are called the College of Cardinals.

Since 1975, only those younger than 80 are able to participate in the papal conclave, USA TODAY reported. As of Jan. 22, there were 252 cardinals, of whom 138 are electors, according to the Vatican.

At the end of each day of voting, the cardinals burn slips of paper that create black smoke to billow from the chimney as a sign to Rome that the new pope has yet to be chosen. On the day the cardinals reach a majority vote, they burn slips of paper that create white smoke, as a sign to Rome that a pope has been chosen and has accepted the papacy.

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Today, Thursday, May 8, white smoke poured from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that a new pope was chosen after just over a day of voting.

Who is Robert Francis Prevost? What to know about newly elected Pope Leo XIV

Who is the new pope? Where is Pope Leo XIV from?

Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American missionary from Chicago who's spent his career in Peru, was named the 267th pope on Thursday.

Prevost was not widely seen as one of the top contenders heading into the conclave. Not only was he not a top contender in most lists predicting who would be elected, but the choice to elect an American pope is a very significant one. Of the 266 popes that came before him, none were from the U.S. His predecessor, Pope Francis, was the first ever pope elected from the Americas.

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Since Pope Francis's hospitalization early this year, there was ongoing discussion over some of the more prominent cardinals who were favored for the pontiff, including:

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vaticans secretary of state

Peter Turkson, of Ghana, served as president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace

Luis Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples since December 2019 and former archbishop of Manila

Peter Erdo, a conservative theologian from Hungary, two-time president of the Council of Bishops Conferences of Europe

Matteo Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna for almost 10 years, favored by Pope Francis and made a cardinal under his papacy in 2019

Joseph Tobin, progressive archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, who was close to Pope Francis and made a cardinal under his papacy in 2016. Tobin is one of 10 American cardinals who will vote in conclave.

Jean-Marc Aveline, of Algeria, described as Francis' favorite bishop, according to the Catholic Herald

Angelo Scola, archbishop emeritus of Milan, was among the favorites to assume the papacy in 2013

Mario Grech, native of Malta, currently secretary general of the Synod of Bishops

Juan Jose Omella, archbishop of Barcelona

Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Patriarch of Jerusalem, raised in rural Northern Italy

When was the last American pope? Where is Prevost from?

There's never been a pope from the U.S., until today. Cardinal Robert Prevost is the second pope from the Americas and the first pope from the U.S. He was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He spent the majority of his career ministering in Peru.

Pope Leo XIV attended Villanova University and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, before earning a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

Why do popes change their name? Cardinal Prevost's first words as Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV's first words as pope were "Peace be with you," according to the AP.

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"From the loggia of St. Peters Basilica, historys first American pope recalled that he was an Augustinian priest, but a Christian above all, and a bishop, 'so we can all walk together,'" the AP reported live.

"He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru."

The reason why popes choose a new name for themselves when elected is to symbolize the direction they hope to take their papacy and set the tone for their time as pope.

"A longstanding tradition has it that Popes change their names from their baptismal name, though it hasnt always been the case, especially in the first centuries of Christianity," according to Vatican News.

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"Popes have often chosen the names of their immediate or distant predecessors out of respect, admiration, or recognition to mark continuity, but also different names to mark innovation."

Why is the new pope called Leo? Significance of Cardinal Prevost's papal name

While Pope Francis chose a never-before-used papal name to signal the innovation he intended to (and did) bring with him to the papacy, the new pope chose to re-use a papal name that was used thirteen times. And although that papal name has been used before, the last pope to call himself Leo was more than 100 years ago.

Pope Leo XIV is, as the Roman numerals indicate, the fourteenth pope that will be called Leo. According to Catholic priest and blogger Ed Tomlinson and the UK-based newspaper The Independent, Pope Leo XIV's choice could be seen as a continuation of Pope Francis's liberalization of the church.

"The papal name Leo unsurprisingly shows a Pope who is going to be strong during a time of crisis, historically," Tomlinson told the Independent.

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The last pope to take this name, Pope Leo XIII, was the leader of the Catholic church from 1878 to 1903. Around two weeks before Pope Leo XIII's Feb. 20 election in 1878, Greece declared war on Turkey.

The first pope to take the name, Pope Leo the Great, led the church from 440-461. Pope Leo the Great, one of only three popes to be called "the great," was known and is remembered for his contributions to the Catholic Church and defending Rome and the papacy during a very tumultuous period of time for the Roman Empire.

If you don't know, the mid-400s in Rome were marked by economic decline and invasions. The Roman Empire fell shortly after Pope Leo the Great's papacy, in 476 A.D.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Cardinal Prevost is now Pope Leo XIV: Here's what the papal name means
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  One Wichita veteran spent most of his adult life in the Kansas Army National Guard, and he is grateful for all the opportunities it has brought him.

Wichitas Aaron Reynolds has always been inspired by the men and women who serve our country, but a national tragedy took that admiration to another level.

I was in seventh grade when 9/11 happened, so of course that sparked another interest and want to serve somehow, Reynolds said.

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He joined the Kansas Army National Guard in 2008 and trained to be an infantryman. Around 2009, he began training for his first big deployment, focusing on search and rescue operations in Djibouti, Africa.

It was pretty surreal just being there and experiencing a different culture. When I was there, the platoon that I was with, we got to do a lot of joint training operations with other branches and stuff that a lot of other people didnt necessarily get to experience, so that was pretty cool, Reynolds said.

The next major milestone of his Army career came after he returned to Wichita and was promoted to Sergeant.

Im actually able to not only be part of a team but help lead a team and kind of help mold the people that come after me so that way they can step into a leadership role when their time comes, Reynolds said.

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And those leadership skills would be necessary for him during his second deployment in 2018, when he was sent to both Syria and Kuwait, spending part of his time on a support mission training with allies.

I wasnt just responsible for me. I was responsible for X, Y, and making sure they were ready to go and they were prepared for what we needed to do for training, mission purposes, whatever, Reynolds said.

He would do one more overseas deployment, and a few months after that, he made a major change by going active duty with the Kansas Army National Guard, serving in a logistical role.

Its definitely been a learning curve spending over a decade in more of a combat arms-type job and then coming a doing something completely different outside my wheelhouse, Reynolds said.

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There are many reasons why Sgt. Aaron Reynolds stuck with the Kansas Army National Guard throughout the years, from seeing the world to making his family proud.

Its been a sense of pride for them having somebody this generation, especially spending this long in the military, to still kind of stick with it and love what they do, he said.

If you want to nominate a veteran for our Veteran Salute, send an email to connect3news@ksn.com or fill out our online contact form!

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Wichita high school students who want to teach elementary students someday have a new way to get there sooner and at less cost.

Wichita State University, WSU Tech, and Wichita Public Schools are launching the Future Teacher Academy and a 2+2 pathway program for students. It involves two years at WSU Tech in the paraeducator program, then transferring to WSU for two additional years, while gaining hands-on experience as paraeducators in USD 259 classrooms.

Sheree Utash, the president of WSU Tech, said they are offering the program to high school juniors and seniors so they can get a jump start.

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A junior, a senior in high school can finish their two-year degree and their high school diploma, and then go to the university, and theyre going to have their bachelors degree that much earlier, she said.

Utash said the Kansas Promise Scholarship allows eligible students to have their tuition paid at WSU Tech.

Measles in Sedgwick County, exposure at Wichita grocery store

This new teacher pipeline should help fix the teacher shortage in Wichita Public Schools.

The teacher shortage is a nationwide problem. Its not unique to Wichita Public Schools, WPS Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld said. We have more vacancies in the state of Kansas than weve ever had historically, so we need creative, innovative ways and pathways for students to achieve this. We need them to be teachers. They need us to provide these models, and it really is a win-win for everybody.

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There are more than 1,000 open positions for elementary and special education teachers across the state, WSU Provost Dr. Monica Lounsbery said. This partnership removes barriers and offers students a flexible and affordable path from high school to a four-year degree and licensure.

Key components

The Teacher Pathway Program launches this fall. It creates a clear pathway for students (including graduating high school seniors and adults) to start in WSU Techs Associate of Applied Science in Paraeducator program and continue into WSUs elementary education program with only two years required to complete a bachelors degree and earn full teacher licensure.

The Kansas Promise Scholarship from the State of Kansas allows students to complete the WSU Tech paraeducator program tuition-free.

Enrolled students will work as paraeducators in Wichita Public Schools, getting an income and classroom experience.

Click here to get more information about the Future Teacher Academy.

Click here to learn about the WSU Tech Paraeducator Program.

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After a 20-year waiting game, REAL ID requirements for Americans flying within the U.S. took effect Wednesday.

Travelers without REAL ID-compliant identification can still fly, but they should anticipate longer wait times in airport security, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

The TSA has advised travelers without a REAL ID to arrive at the airport at least three hours ahead of their flight and to be prepared for advanced screenings.

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Clint Henderson, managing editor of travel website The Points Guy, told NewsNation that there is two years of wiggle room built into the rollout.

But, he added, those traveling domestically will eventually need a REAL ID.

Weve been kicking the can down the road for some time on this, Henderson continued. Im actually glad to see its going into effect.

Apparently, theyre not turning many people away who dont have a REAL ID, he added.

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Rapid City, S.D. (KELO)  The Rapid City Regional Airport partnered with local organizations for Wings of Wonder.

The events goal is to help people with disabilities easily navigate the airport from the moment they park their car until they find their seat on the plane.

Gov. Rhoden talks first 100 days in office

The Rapid City Regional Airport has steps in place to make sure everyone feels welcome. Sunflower lanyards help identify people with hidden disabilities who might need the same assistance.

We wanted to get involved in that early, many airports across the country are now involved in that, it all looks the same. To the traveling public, when they show up and theyve got that lanyard on, its a cue to those folks who are working here that they may need some extra care, Rapid City Airport director Patrick Dame said.

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These lanyards will help airport employees in baggage and the terminal, along with TSA members so they can assist those with both visible and hidden disabilities.

Theyre going to take things a little bit slower in the explanation process. So sometimes with checking in, that helps. Trying to get your seats and your baggage all checked in, that is a stressful process for someone with disabilities, Disability Awareness and Accessibility Committee Member Tony Russell said.

You know, from the airports vantage point we need to be here for everybody. And if there are folks that need a little extra out of it, we want to make sure were getting them the experience that they need, Dame said.

The Rapid City Disability Awareness and Accessibility Committee works to make sure everyone in the air has access in everyday life.

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Advocating for those people with disabilities and helping make some of these processes easier on us so we can enjoy reaping that, not only everything the beautiful Black Hills has to offer but we can get out and travel and see what other great things are out there, Russell said.

To be able to participate in the Sunflower Lanyard Program, all you have to do is ask an employee for one near the rentals before starting your journey.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Editors note: This story was updated at 8:23 a.m. on May 8 to reflect the correct region.

A winning $100,000 lottery ticket was sold at a Shell gas station in Massachusetts and claimed on Wednesday.

The $100,000 prize was from $15,000,000 Colossal Millions, a $30 scratch ticket game released on April 15.

The winning ticket was sold at a Shell gas station located in Franklin.

Additionally, someone won $100,000 during Wednesday nights Mass Cash drawing. The winning numbers for the drawing were 1, 7, 8, 17 and 19, and the winning ticket was sold at Hancock Tobacco in Quincy.

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Overall, at least 516 prizes worth $600 or more were won or claimed in Massachusetts on Wednesday, including 14 in Springfield, 19 in Worcester and 53 in Boston.

The Massachusetts State Lottery releases a full list of winning tickets every day. The list only includes winning tickets worth more than $600.

The two largest lottery prizes won so far in 2025 were each worth $15 million. One of the prizes was from a winning Diamond Deluxe scratch ticket sold in Holyoke, and the other was from a 300X scratch ticket sold on Cape Cod.

Massachusetts State Lottery

Read the original article on MassLive.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A Western New York health care company has filed charges against 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, alleging that the union misled workers in a social media post about company finances.

The McGuire Group, which runs a number of health care facilities across the area, claimed that union leaders intentionally spread misinformation during labor negotiations in 2022.

The charges stem from a Facebook post that alleged that owner and operator Edward Farbenblums related party organizations including RCA Healthcare reported significant profits, some $13.8 million, in 2022. The McGuire Group claims that Farbenblums entities actually operated at a loss. Farbenblum is the principal of The McGuire Group.

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This kind of rhetoric doesnt just misrepresent the truthit erodes trust, damages morale, and undermines the collaborative efforts needed to secure real improvements for workers and residents alike, The McGuire Group said in a statement. Every dollar referenced in that figure went directly back into patient care, staff wages, and keeping our facilities operational during one of the most challenging periods in the history of long-term care. [1199 lead negotiator] Grace [Bogdanove] knows that, and posted it anyway.

Last week, 1199SEIU filed an unfair labor practice charge against Farbenblum in connection to negotiations at two Absolut Care facilities in East Aurora and Allegany, alleging that he is negotiating in bad faith. Absolut Care facilities are part of The McGuire Group system.

Contract talks continue for nearly 4,000 unionized workers represented by 1199SEIU at 26 different care facilities across Western New York. Nursing home workers will decide soon whether they will authorize a strike, SEIU said.

Its disheartening that Farbenblums representatives at the bargaining table, CEO Susan Grigg, RN and Chief Human Resources Officer Colleen OConnell-Jancevski are unwilling to negotiate a fair contract that provides decent benefits and competitive wages for the people who live and work in this community, Bogdanove said in a statement last week.

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WIVB News 4 has reached out to 1199SEIU requesting additional comment and is waiting to hear back.

Latest Local News

Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
Authorities in Texas are hunting for a woman who allegedly called in a bomb threat to an airport in an apparent bid to get revenge on her ex-boyfriend.

According to charging documents reviewed by Mens Journal, authorities in Harris County, Texas, are searching for 25-year-old Trekalon Price after she allegedly called in a bomb threat to Houstons George Bush Intercontinental Airport (GBIA). Price allegedly claimed that her 38-year-old ex-boyfriend, who was flying into GBIA later that day, was going to bomb both GBIA and Cedar Rapids Airport in Iowa. Authorities say Price also alleged he was going to shoot up the place before giving a physical description of her ex, along with his name and phone number. Price made a similar call to Cedar Rapids Airports, claiming her ex had made statements about shooting at the Cedar Rapids Airport or using a bomb and alleging that he was carrying a gun on him.

Related: Man Charged After Cops Find $1 Million of Cocaine in Shocking Location

When authorities located the unidentified 38-year-old man, he was in disbelief, according to the documents. It was at this point in the investigation that authorities concluded the man was not the defendant but rather a witness, the documents state. When authorities asked him who might have made the shocking claims, he immediately offered Prices name.

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Categorizing Price as a woman he was messing around with from April until November 2024, he told investigators that Price likes to use those phone apps to make calls with different numbers. He believed that Price knew his location because she had been communicating with the baby momma he was going to visit in Iowa.

Related: Passenger Arrested, Charged After Meltdown on Popular Airline

The man added that Price had already cost him a job with her aggressive prank calls, having allegedly phoned his workplace pretending to be a probation officer. She allegedly told his boss that he had failed a urine test for drugs and encouraged him to fire her former boyfriend. This employer was later able to "immediately" identify Prices voice as both the woman who called him and the voice in the bomb threat phone calls, telling investigators 100 percent thatsthe same caller that call[ed] his office to attempt to get [the ex] fired.

Authorities are still searching for Price. This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
Well, heres a case that illustrates perfectly how unpredictable police work is. Officers in Summit County, Ohio pull over a woman for driving with a suspended license with an active warrant out for her arrest.

When looking in the vehicle, the patrolman noticed something very unusual. In the passenger seat of her SUV, a raccoon, holding a pipe used to smoke crystal methamphetamine.

When the officer took the pipe away from the pet raccoon, Chewy, the animal managed to grab another in a matter of seconds before popping it in its mouth.

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Victoria Vidal-Page was arrested for her outstanding warrant and is now facing charges of possession of drugs and paraphernalia. Investigators were thankfully able to determine Chewy was unharmed.

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GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  A woman is dead after a collision on Tuesday, the coroners office said.

Related video: What to do if you witness a crash?

On Tuesday afternoon, the South Carolina Highway Patrol responded to a vehicle versus motorcycle collision on Augusta Road and West Georgia Road, in Piedmont. The motorcycle was occupied by two people.

The Greenville County Coroners Office said the passenger of the motorcycle, identified as 28-year-old Kristin Cheyenne Martinson, died on Tuesday evening.

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Martinsons cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries and was ruled accidental, the coroners office said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Police who were called to a domestic disturbance at a Burnsville residence on Wednesday found a woman had been fatally stabbed.

Officers responded to the 2000 block of 117th Street East about 9:35 a.m. A 32-year-old woman was stabbed multiple times, according to police.

Lakeville police later apprehended a suspect.

Police said the victims name will be released later by the medical examiners office and the incident remains under investigation.

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The death comes on the heels of a domestic violence homicide in St. Paul on Friday. Christine Morris, 33, was fatally stabbed and the father of her 2-year-old child is charged with murder.

For help with domestic violence in Minnesota, the Day One crisis line can be reached around the clock by calling 866-223-1111 or texting 612-399-9995.

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An armed woman shot and killed by BSO deputies Wednesday night in Deerfield Beach has been identified, officials say.

Around 9:30 p.m., the Broward Sheriffs Office said deputies rushed to the area of the 1900 block of Northeast Second Street, where a woman, identified Thursday as 28-year-old Santrina Lester, was seen pointing a gun at a person.

Three deputies approached Lester, who was inside a vehicle. They told her repeatedly not to pull out a weapon, according to the sheriffs office, but she ignored their commands.

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Soon after, while outside the vehicle, multiple deputies shot at her. Its unclear if there was an exchange of gunfire.

Lester was hit by at least one of the bullets, according to officials. And despite deputies attempts to save her life after the shooting, she died at Broward Health North, where she was transported by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.

A deputy was also injured, but the sheriffs office could not confirm if they were shot or wounded by other means. They were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.

At a news conference late Wednesday, Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said it appears the woman had been inside a nearby restaurant with the firearm.

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The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating, which is standard protocol for a deputy-involved shooting.

As per BSO policy, the deputies who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative assignment pending further investigation.
(CANON CITY, Colo.)  The Canon City Police Department (CCPD) said a woman missing since April 18 was last known to be in the area of Colorado Springs, but has not had any contact with resources in the area.

Courtesy: Canon City Police Department

According to CCPD, 36-year-old Melisa Quakenbush was reported missing on April 18. Quakenbushs last known location was around 19th Street and Colorado Avenue in the Old Colorado City area of Colorado Springs.

CCPD said Quakenbush has not had any known contact with homeless outreach, shelters, hospitals, or the Coroners Office. She is described as 56, 110 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes.

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If you have any information on Quakenbush, contact Detective K. Roquemore with CCPD at (719) 276-5610.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
***Warning: Details in this story are disturbing.***

HARAHAN, Louisiana (WJW)  A Louisiana woman was sentenced to prison for murdering a young girl, forcing her body into a bucket and leaving the remains in the childs biological mothers front yard, the Jefferson Parish District Attorneys Office announced this week.

A judge sentenced Bunnak Hannah Landon to life in prison plus 80 years on Tuesday.

Courtesy of Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office via Facebook



Last week, she was convicted of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice in the violent death of 6-year-old Bella Fontenelle in April 2023, according to court records.

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The conviction came after a Jefferson Parish jury rejected Landons insanity defense on May 1.

Landon, a former stripper, met the childs father at a gentlemans club in Baton Rouge, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said they formed a 4-year-long cohabitating romantic relationship. During that time, Landon was often left to look after Bella and her older sister.

According to court records, Bella struggled after her parents split. She especially had a hard time with Landon, referred to as Miss Hannah, while staying at her fathers house in Harahan, Louisiana.

Her pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teachers noted the childs inner struggle through observing  and documenting  her growing anxiety, frequent crying and declining grades, prosecutors said in a press release. They associated the childs behaviors with time she had to spend at her fathers, and particularly with Miss Hannah.'

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On April 25, 2023, Landon was watching the kids while their father was working late in another city. Investigators said their grandmother picked them up from school and spent the afternoon with them before dropping them off at home.

FBI child sex abuse crackdown catches 11 alleged offenders from Northeast Ohio

Sometime after 7:30 p.m., investigators said Landon killed Bella by beating and strangling her and forcing the childs body into a 13-gallon bucket.

According to investigators, surveillance video showed Landon around 9:30 p.m. leaving the house with a blue wagon and the bucket.

Investigators said she pulled the wagon less than a quarter-mile to the childs biological mothers home, where she placed the bucket in the front yard around 9:35 p.m. before returning home.

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Landon then left the house for good around 9:45 p.m. According to court records, she told Bellas sister earlier that evening she would be leaving for Florida in the morning.

According to investigators, the father returned home about five minutes after Landon left and went to bed without checking on his daughters. Investigators said he assumed Landon was sleeping on the couch that night.

He discovered both Bella and Landon were missing the next morning and called Harahan police.

An Amber Alert was issued and authorities started a widespread search that ranged from checking the cabinets in her fathers home to patrolling miles of the nearby Mississippi River batture, prosecutors said.

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Amid the search, Bellas grandmother found the bucket around 8:15 a.m. Investigators said she noticed blood on the side but couldnt unscrew the lid.

She called Bellas father, who rushed over with police officers, investigators said.

According to prosecutors, a sergeant removed the buckets lid and found Bellas body, clad in pink pajamas with white polka dots.

Landon, who was checked into East Jefferson General Hospital for a mental evaluation after walking into the police department the night before, was arrested after investigators reviewed footage from a nearby security camera.

Through the investigation, detectives learned that Landon buried her cell phone in a vacant lot after the murder.

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A video recording on the phone showed Bella in her bedroom, crying for her grandmother, investigators said.

Detectives also learned she sent text messages to multiple people the night of the murder, including her ex-boyfriends mother, saying, Im at peace with what Ive decided to do.

According to the Jefferson Parish Coroners Office, Bella died from asphyxia due to strangulation and blunt-force trauma. She also suffered bruises and neck abrasions.

The autopsy also revealed that Bella still may have been alive, although unconscious, when Landon folded her little body and stuffed it in the bucket head first, prosecutors said in the release.

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Ruling made in death of missing man found in East Cleveland

Meanwhile, forensic scientists determined that Landons DNA was on the bucket.

Landon pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. During the trial, Landons lawyers argued that she didnt know right from wrong due to a mental illness.

According to prosecutors, Dr. Gina Manguno-Mire, a forensic psychologist who met with Landon for 22 hours, testified that she understood the consequences of her actions at the time.

Landon felt her relationship with Bellas father was jeopardized because of Bella, the psychologist opined, the prosecutors office said. Bella, diagnosed with separation disorder because of her parents split, was in counseling with a child psychologist in the weeks before she died. Bella disclosed in the sessions that Landon was mean to her. With the help of counseling, Bella worked up the courage to open up to her father about Landon. That in turn led her father to confront Landon. He told her he would reassess their relationship if he heard this from his daughter again.

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Prosecutors said Landon killed Bella the next day.

Before Tuesdays sentencing, Bellas mother read a message from her 9-year-old daughter in court. Someday I will forgive you, because I want to be in heaven to see Bella, she read aloud.

The mother then spoke to Landon directly.

You made a decision that changed the course of all our lives, she said. Not only did you condemn me and my family to a life sentence of pain and sadness, but you also condemned (Bellas sister) to a life of not getting to know her sister past the age of six. (Bellas sister) no longer has a sister to fight with, to share secrets with, to confide in, to share her first kiss, to make matron of honor at her wedding, to become an aunt and Godmother to her children.

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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  A womens empowerment event is set to take place just in time for Mothers Day. WOMB Talk, hosted by EST.HER, will be held on Saturday, May 10 at 11 a.m. at Lake Bethlehem Fellowship Hall, 2842 MLK Drive.

The luncheon is designed to create a safe and intentional space for women to explore healing, purpose, and connection. Founded by community leader Denise Simon, the event encourages attendees to reflect on the emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects of womanhood.

A panel of local womenShenika Whitaker, Kalli Combs, Dr. Kenya Roberts, and Kimerea Walkerwill lead discussions on motherhood, entrepreneurship, personal growth, and more.

The afternoon will include lunch, games, giveaways, and opportunities for meaningful conversation. Tickets are available via the QR code on the event flyer or through EST.HERs social media channels.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
The federal government is the largest employer in the country  and has historically been a stable one. But then tech billionaire Elon Musk mounted a push to slash agency jobs across the executive branch, driving nearly half of all layoffs across in the United States so far in 2025, according to one jobs report from this month.

But women and people of color are among those most affected by cuts to certain agencies, according to a new analysis from the National Womens Law Center (NWLC). The layoffs and buyouts have shaken the government employee base, which has more built-in protections and benefits than many positions in the private sector.

The elimination of all these federal jobs passes these female workers into a market that does discriminate on the basis of sex, said Jacqueline Simon, policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees, a union that represents over 750,000 federal workers.

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On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order terminating any federal programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)  a sweeping and vague mandate that put even marginally related initiatives on the chopping block. Coupled with that was Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which had unprecedented and far-reaching authority to dictate agency reductions and closures.

Women made up the majority of workers in departments  including Veterans Affairs, Education, Health and Human Services, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development  targeted for these larger-scale layoffs. Women also make up the majority of employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Voice of America, which are among other agencies that have been or are expected to be gutted or shuttered altogether.

This has pulled out the explicit career ladders on which women federal employees could rely, according to Simon.

You cant find yourself in a situation that says, Youre doing really great work, but sorry, we dont have room for any promotions, Simon said. Promotions were sort of built in  it was and is a positive attribute of federal employment for any group that experiences discrimination when it comes to career advancement.

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Media organizations and watchdog groups dont have exact numbers on the roughly 280,000 federal employees who have been impacted in some way by the second Trump-era cuts and buyouts. Current data does not suggest that women have been disproportionately or specifically targeted for mass terminations.

But an overt lack of transparency means experts cannot meaningfully dissect the cuts and buyouts. The White House recently removed current and historic diversity data from public government websites, further obscuring the effects of mass layoffs. Numbers like those in the NWLC report are so far the closest to approximating the populations that have been most affected by Musks reduction efforts.

However, the series of layoffs illuminates the diversity in the federal governments 2.3 million workers, 47 percent of whom were women as of September 2024. While the stereotype of an older White man in government might be true for leadership and supervisory positions, she said the report shows how many women and people of color have found a path to the middle class through stable government jobs, which carried predictable schedules, raises and union representation. They are also supposed to be protected from arbitrary firings.

The federal government creates such great opportunities and has such quality jobs that we dont always see in the private industry, said Sarah Javaid, the reports author. It is a huge attraction to people, and it is far more diverse than we initially thought. Its so clear why people come to these jobs.

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All those things are rare in the private sector, and now theyre being obliterated, said Liz Morris, co-director of the Center for WorkLife Law.

The California-based advocacy organization focuses on gender and racial equity, and opened a hotline for laid-off workers in April to help connect them with legal help. Morris said that before this years layoffs, they had never received so many calls from federal workers.

Outside of layoffs, she said caregivers and pregnant workers have endured the deepest impact from the changes to federal employee standards, including orders earlier this year to return to work in-person and a lack of reasonable accommodations. Attempts to address these concerns can go unanswered when human resources departments within these same agencies have also been gutted, Morris added.

People who are expecting a baby  a time when a stable income is absolutely critical  people are being terminated, having their termination reversed by a court order, then theyre being terminated again  all the while they have a baby on the way, she said. She added that other factors like economic strain, losing health insurance or job searching while pregnant compound the fear many workers feel right now.

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She said she has even heard from employees who have returned from parental leave only to be fired and asked to pay back the leave they just took.

In the past, the federal government was an excellent employer, Morris said. Any employer can make missteps, but generally, federal employees could count on civil service protections That security has been shattered.

The post How women have been impacted by Musk-led federal layoffs appeared first on The 19th.

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Veterans and Military Families Secretary Anthony C. Woods. (Courtesy photo)

A search is underway for a new secretary for the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families to replace Anthony C. Tony Woods, who is leaving May 11 to take a job with a private sector technology startup.

Woods was one of Gov. Wes Moores earliest Cabinet appointments. Moore, an Army veteran, opened Wednesdays Board of Public Works meeting by recognizing Woods, whom he said he first heard of when he returned from a tour in Afghanistan and I kept on hearing this voice who was one of the strongest voices Ive heard  advocating for me, my brothers and sisters and the people we serve.

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When I became the governor-elect, and I was thinking about  this position, I was like, I know theres no way Im going to get Tony Woods. So let me at least call him to see if he has ideas about people who will take this role, Moore said. And I was so over the moon when I realized that the person I was calling, hes a public servant through and through, and our administration has been better because of you. Our state is better because of you.

Moore credited Woods with streamlining emergency assistance for veterans and helping rename the department to include families.

Woods early days as secretary included handling the failing Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, which was the subject of repeated citations for abuse of residents.

Prior to joining the Moore administration, Woods was executive director of the Quad Fellowship, a program he founded for 100 American, Japanese, Australian and Indian students pursuing advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to study at American universities. The fellowship part of the philanthropic Schmidt Futures  now called Schmidt Sciences  where he was director and head of talent.

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Before that, Woods worked at Cisco Systems, The Boston Consulting Group and Capital One. A graduate of West Point, Woods spent more than a decade in the U.S. Army in military intelligence and achieved the rank of major.

In a statement from the governors office, Woods called his time as secretary one of the greatest honors of my professional life, and thanked the workers at the department for their service. The statement said Deputy Secretary Ross Cohen will serve as acting secretary during the search for a permanent replacement.

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Political figures around the world have congratulated Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, after his election on Thursday, May 8, as pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. Hailing from Chicago and a dual U.S.-Peru national, Prevost is the first North American Pope and second from the Americas, after his late predecessor Francis.

133 cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican on Wednesday, May 7, for the papal conclavea ritual that has been followed to elect every Pope since 1179. On the first day, black smoke billowed from the chapel chimney, signifying that the initial vote was not conclusive. A day later, when white smoke appeared instead, the public knew that a new Pope had been elected. Soon after, Cardinal Dominique Francois Joseph Mamberti appeared on the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square and announced Prevost's new title.

Read More: Peace Be With You: Pope Leo XIV Steps Onto the World Stage

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Prevost follows in the footsteps of Pope Francis, who died on April 21, aged 88, after a series of complicated health issues.

Francis, who became Pope in 2013, was known for being a reform-minded leader of the Catholic Church and was the first Latin American Pope. He expressed support for same-sex civil unions and said that transgender people can be baptized. While, historically, the Catholic Church has been largely silent on the issue of climate change, Francis left behind a notable environmental legacy. He also urged for peace amid global conflict. Soon after the initiation of the Israel-Hamas War on Oct. 7, 2023, Francis began making daily calls to the Holy Family parish, a Catholic Church in Gaza.

Read More: The Enduring Connection Between Pope Francis and a Parish in Gaza

Photograph by Guglielmo MangiapaneReuters

Here is how world leaders have reacted to the news of Prevost being Francis' successor and becoming the first American Pope.

United States

U.S. President Donald Trump, who attended Francis funeral in April, posted his congratulations to Prevost on Truth Social.

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It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope, Trump said. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!

Vice President J.D. Vance, a Catholic who met with Pope Francis in the Vatican a day before his passing, shared his own message, celebrating the announcement.

Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! Vance posted on X. Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!

Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! Im sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!  JD Vance (@JDVance) May 8, 2025

Former U.S. President Joe Biden, a Catholic, also issued a response to the news, saying: May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois.

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He went on to congratulate Prevost on behalf of himself and his wife, former First Lady Jill Biden.

Habemus papam - May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois.



Jill and I congratulate him and wish him success.  Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 8, 2025

Former President Barack Obama posted on X that he and former First Lady Michelle Obama sent their congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.

This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith, Obama said.

On the official X account for the George W. Bush Presidential Center, former President George W. Bush shared a statement congratulating Leo and calling his election a historic and hopeful moment for Catholics in America and for the faithful around the world.

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We join those praying for the success of Pope Leo XIV as he prepares to lead the Catholic church, serve the neediest, and share Gods love, Bush said.

Former President Bill Clinton shared a message on X after Leo gave his inaugural address before a crowd gathered at St. Peters Square in the Vatican. In his first message today, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV spoke to billionsCatholics and non-Catholics alikecalling for unity and offering peace, a message the world needs now more than ever, Clinton said. As the first American to lead the Catholic Church, his election marks a historic moment. I join in wishing His Holiness many blessings.

Argentina

Javier Milei, the President of Argentina, posted a message on X shortly after Leo, whose name derives from the Latin for lion, was revealed to the world. The post included a seemingly AI-generated image of a lion in papal robes.

THE FORCES OF HEAVEN HAVE GIVEN THEIR VERDICT CLEARLY, Milei wrote in Spanish. No more words, Your Honor. End.

Australia

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese congratulated Leo on X. This is a moment of joy and hope for Catholics all over the world, Albanese wrote. May God bless Pope Leo XIV and may his papacy advance the cause of peace and justice, in the service of all humanity.

Austria

Christian Stocker, Chancellor of Austria, said in German shared on X that he was pleased about the election of Pope Leo XIV.

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Habemus papam! Stocker wrote, referencing the Latin phrase for We have a Pope!. As Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria and as a Christian, I congratulate the Holy Father on his responsible office and wish him much strength and wisdom for his pontificate. The challenges of our time are great. This makes a strong voice for tolerance and peace in the world all the more important. May his work be an inspiration and hope to many people.

Brazil

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a longtime friend of Pope Francis, welcomed the new Pope in a message coming from the worlds largest Catholic nation.

I hope he continues the legacy of Pope Francis, whose main virtues were the incessant search for peace and social justice, the defense of the environment, dialogue with all people and all religions, and respect for the diversity of human beings, he said on X in Portuguese.

May Pope Leo XIV bless us and inspire us in our ongoing pursuit of a better and more just world.

Colombia

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on X that Prevost is more than just an American, highlighting how the new Popes ancestors are Spanish and French, and that he lived in Peru for many years.

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I hope he becomes a great leader for migrants around the world, and I hope that he lifts up our Latino migrant brothers and sisters who are currently being humiliated by the U.S. Its time for them to organize, Petro said. May he help us build the great force of humanity that defends life, and defeat the greed that has caused the climate crisis and the extinction of living things.

Ecuador

Daniel Noboa, the President of Ecuador, posted on X that the country welcomed Leo as the new Pope with hope in our hearts.

European Union

Leaders in the European Union also extended their congratulatory messages to the new Pope.

European Council President Antonio Costa posted on X: I warmly welcome the election of the new Pope Leo XIV, a moment of hope for millions around the world. In times of division and uncertainty, his spiritual leadership can help inspire unity, compassion, and peace. The European Union and the Holy See share a deep commitment to human dignity. Im looking forward to working together in our shared pursuit of the common good.

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X: We sincerely congratulate His Holiness Leo XIV on his election as Pope and head of the Catholic Church. We wish that his pontificate be guided by wisdom and strength, as he leads the Catholic community and inspires the world through his commitment to peace and dialogue.

And European Parliament President Roberta Metsola posted on X: Welcome, Pope Leo XIV. May your leadership of the Catholic Church be a beacon of hope to all the faithful. And that your wisdom and strength continue to inspire the world as we work towards building bridges, unity and peace.

Habemus Papam.



Welcome, Pope Leo XIV.



May your leadership of the Catholic Church be a beacon of hope to all the faithful.



And that your wisdom and strength continue to inspire the world as we work towards building bridges, unity and peace  pic.twitter.com/FsMYs69RcD  Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) May 8, 2025

France

French President Emmanuel Macron called May 8 a historic moment for the Catholic Church and its millions of faithful in a post on X.

To Pope Leo XIV, and to all Catholics in France and around the world, I extend a message of fraternity, Macron said. May this new Pontificate be one of peace and hope.

Germany

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz posted on X in German: Your Holiness Pope Leo XIV, I warmly congratulate you on your election as head of the Catholic Church. You give hope and guidance to believers worldwide and are an anchor for justice and reconciliation. I wish you strength, health and Gods blessing.

Greece

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, extended his congratulations to Leo on X. Your leadership comes at a time when the world faces profound challenges but also great opportunities for unity, compassion, and dialogue among peoples and faiths.

Hungary

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban kept his message brief for the newly elected Pope. Habemus Papam! A new hope, Orban posted on X. God bless Pope Leo XIV.

India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered sincere felicitations and best wishes for the new head of the Catholic Church, via a statement shared on social media.

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His leadership of the Catholic Church comes at a moment of profound significance in advancing the ideals of peace, harmony, solidarity, and service, said Modi. India remains committed to continued dialogue and engagement with the Holy See to further our shared values.

Ireland

Irelands Taoiseach [Prime Minister] Micheal Martin shared a statement on X after the new Pope was announced.

The scenes of great joy and celebrations in St. Peters Square are a reflection of the hopes and goodwill felt by people of the Catholic faith from all around the world towards the new Pope, he said. I hope that this ground swell of best wishes towards Pope Leo XIV will give him strength and support as he takes on the immense responsibility of his pontificate. I know that he has the best wishes of all Irish people, of all traditions.

Martin, who attended Francis funeral in April along with Irish President Michael D. Higgins, said that he looks forward to working with the new Pope. He also extended his congratulations to the U.S., a country with which Ireland enjoys such a deep and strong relationship.

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To have a Pope from their country is a source of great pride and honour for their nation, he concluded.

On behalf of the Government and the people of Ireland, I offer warm congratulations to Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election as Pope Leo XIV. pic.twitter.com/CjgS7hND6R  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) May 8, 2025

Ireland's President Higgins gave his warmest congratulations to the first American Pope in an official statement.

This is an immensely significant moment for all those of faith and goodwill around the world who look to the Papacy for spiritual guidance, moral clarity, and global leadership at a time described by his predecessor Pope Francis as needing the vocation of diplomacy, he said, adding that Pope Leo's appointment comes at a time of great challenges for this world.

Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Prevost in a statement posted on the Prime Ministers official X account, saying: I wish the first Pope from the United States success in fostering hope and reconciliation among all faiths.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also shared a statement on X, saying that he looked forward to "deepening the relationship between Israel and the Vatican.

May your papacy be an opportunity to build bridges and promote understanding among all religions and people, Herzog said.

Italy

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni extended her most sincere wishes to Pope Leo XIV for the beginning of his pontificate," in a post on X in Italian. She said that in a time marked by conflict and unrest, the new Pontiff had shared a powerful call for peace, brotherhood and responsibility when speaking from the balcony.

Kenya

William Ruto, President of Kenya, congratulated Leo on X. May your papacy be a shining light of love, hope, and compassion; may it uplift the poor, give voice to the voiceless, heal divisions, and steadfastly champion peace, justice, and the sanctity of human dignity around the world, he wrote. May your leadership inspire faith, unity, and moral renewal today and for generations to come. Congratulations!

Lebanon

The office of the Lebanese President posted on X in Arabic: "President Aoun congratulated the Church and the world on the election of Pope Leo XIV. We pray to God to grant him health, well-being, and wisdom to lead the Church during this important phase of its history, and to grant him success in his efforts to spread the message of love and peace throughout the world, to promote dialogue between different religions and cultures, and that his reign be filled with achievements that serve all of humanity."

Mexico

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum posted on X in Spanish: We congratulate His Holiness Leo XIV, elected by the College of Cardinals as Head of Vatican City State and spiritual leader of the Catholic Church. I reaffirm our humanist convergence for world peace and prosperity.

Nigeria

Nigerias President Bola Tinubu offered his warmest congratulations to the new Pope via an official statement shared by the government's office.

President Tinubu believes the election of Pope Leo XIV opens a new chapter in the history of the Catholic Church and the values of love, humanity and charity, particularly to the underprivileged that it has consistently projected, the statement read.

Norway

The Popes message of peace is a crucially important one, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre said on X. Today, his emphasis on the need for building bridges is more significant than it has been for a long time.

Peru

Perus President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra and the Peruvian government celebrated the election of Leowho holds Peruvian citizenship after spending much of his career there.

Born in the United States and naturalized Peruvian in 2015, His Holiness lived and served for years in our country, where he shared the life of the people with humility, love, and profound faith, a statement from the presidential office shared on X read. His closeness to those most in need left an indelible mark on the heart of Peru. The Peruvian people, a nation of faith and hope, join in prayer for his pontificate and celebrate with gratitude that a pastor who loved Peru now guides the universal Church.

Philippines

President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. of the Philippines, where around 79% of the population is Catholic, congratulated Leo in a message shared on Facebook. As the new pontiff, who took the papal name Leo XIV, ascends the Chair of St. Peter and assumes the mantle of Bishop of Rome, I pray that he will continue to bring the Church closer to the poor and disadvantaged, Marcos wrote. The Filipino people are also praying for the new pope's strength and good health as he leads the faithful with grace, wisdom and compassion.

Poland

Polish President Andrzej Duda offered his heartfelt congratulations to Leo in a post on X in Polish.

This is a deeply moving moment for the community of the Catholic Church and for the whole world, he said.

Qatar

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, sent a cable of congratulations to Leo, according to a statement by the Qatari Diwan.

Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his congratulations to the new Pope.

I am certain that the constructive dialogue and interaction that has been established between Russia and the Vatican will develop further on the basis of the Christian values that unite us, news outlets quoted him as saying.

Slovakia

President Peter Pellegrini celebrated the appointment of Pope Leo XIV via a statement shared on X. Wishing our new Pontifex a profound and impactful mission ahead. As the Pope of Peace, may you lead us in building bridges and fostering unity in a divided world, he said.

South Africa

In a post on X, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa called Leos election a profound moment for the Catholic Church as well as the global community, and said that the country wishes the new Pope a blessed and transformative papacy.

Pope Leo XIVs early emphasis on peace is a call that resonates with most of humanity and is one that honours the legacy of the late Pope Francis, Ramaphosa said. May the ceremonial white smoke that signalled the consensus of the Conclave prevail over the dark plumes of military bombardments affecting various regions of the world today.

Spain

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez offered his congratulations to the Catholic Church and Prevost, saying: May his pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defense of human rights in a world in need of hope and unity.

Sweden

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a post on X: Habemus Papam! On behalf of the Swedish Government, my sincere congratulations to His Holiness Leo XIV on his election as head of the Catholic Church. We wish him strength and courage in continuing to promote human dignity, dialogue, peace and unity of a just world.

Ukraine

In a statement posted on X, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Prevost for his election, adding that he hoped the two could work together amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

Ukraine deeply values the Holy Sees consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federations military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians, he said. At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraines efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace.

Congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex on his election to the See of Saint Peter and the beginning of his pontificate.



Ukraine deeply values the Holy Sees consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federations military aggression  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) May 8, 2025

United Kingdom

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called Prevosts election a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom and globally in a statement posted on X. He said Prevost being the first American Pope was momentous.

As Pope Francis papacy showed, the Holy See has a special role to play in bringing people and nations together to address the major issues of our time; especially on climate change, alleviating poverty, and promoting peace and justice across the world, he said.

I look forward to meeting the Holy Father and continuing to work closely with the Catholic Church here in the U.K. and internationally to advance our shared values and the common good.

The election of Pope Leo XIV is a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom and around the world.



I look forward to meeting the Holy Father soon. pic.twitter.com/kcXXDCAWk0  Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 8, 2025

According to a statement from Buckingham Palace, King Charles III reached out directly to the new Pope in light of his appointment.

The King has sent a private message to Pope Leo XIV, congratulating him on his election as the 267th Pontiff and Bishop of Rome. His Majesty sent his, and Her Majestys, most sincere good wishes for his Pontificate," the statement read.

First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan also congratulated Pope Leo XIV in a post on social media.

Llongyfarchiadau [congratulations] from Wales to His Holiness Leo XIV on his election as Pope. May his papacy bring peace and understanding, Morgan said.

United Nations

Secretary of the United Nations Antonio Guterres said he looks forward to working with the new Pope.

My heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and Catholics around the world, Guterres said. Our world is in need of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity, and compassion.

Venezuela

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela issued a statement congratulating Leo. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela congratulates with profound respect and hope His Holiness Leo XIV on his election as Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, trusting that his leadership will mark a new time of spiritual renewal, justice, and rapprochement among peoples, it read.

Edmundo Gonzalez, Venezuelas President-elect, also shared a congratulatory message for the newly-elected Pope. May his pontificate shine with spiritual strength and wisdom. I trust that his leadership will bring comfort to the peoples who suffer today, especially to my noble people of Venezuela, Gonzalez posted in Spanish on X.

Zambia

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema posted on X: We extend our heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election as the new leader of the Catholic Church. May his leadership be blessed with wisdom, compassion, and strength as he shepherds the Church in these defining times.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
WORTHINGTON, W.Va. (WBOY)  A couple in Marion County has been arrested and is facing charges after deputies with the Marion County Sheriffs Department say they found multiple juveniles under their care living in trailers laden with trash and feces.

Edmond Todd Jr

According to a criminal complaint, on Nov. 1, 2024, deputies received a report of children living in harsh conditions at a residence on Grays Run Road in Worthington. When deputies arrived, they spoke with Edmond Todd Jr, 54, Nina May Todd, 52, as well as an unnamed woman.

Deputies were told by the Todds that three children lived with them in their trailer, while five other children lived with the unnamed woman in another trailer on the same property. Deputies said that even before entering either of the trailers, they could smell a strong odor of raw sewage coming from inside.

Nina Todd

West Virginia man found with nearly 1500 child porn images, troopers say

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Upon entering the Todds trailer, deputies said they saw feces all across the floor along with open bags of trash. As they made their way through, deputies also noticed a hole in the ceiling inside one of the childrens bedrooms above the childs bed as well as raw sewage with feces piled in the toilet.

Upon entering the second trailer, deputies said they also smelled a strong odor of raw sewage and observed trash and dirt scattered throughout the inside. They also noted an unclear water tank for aquatic animals that smelled terribly, as well as another toilet that was over filled with feces.

Edmond Todd has been charged with child neglect with risk of injury and Nina Todd has been charged with child neglect resulting in injury. They are both being held in the North Central Regional Jail.

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The NIOSH Coal Worker's Health Surveillance Program offered periodic black lung screenings at no cost to coal miners in the U.S. (NIOSH photo)

As the federal government moves forward with a reorganization that has left the Coal Workers Health Surveillance Program largely unstaffed, attorneys for West Virginia coal miners are asking a federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction to keep the program running and grant miners a protection against developing dangerous black lung disease.

In a hearing Wednesday, attorneys for the coal miners argued that the shutdown of the CWHSP  which operates within the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health  means the government is not meeting its legal obligation to coal miners or others as the work the agency is statutorily required to do is no longer being performed.

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Attorneys for the federal government argued that the closure of the CWHSP  as well as other departments within NIOSH  is temporary.

Workers were notified that they were to be on administrative leave on April 1. Last week, some were told to return to work. But this week they were once again moved back to leave and permanent terminations are slated to take place come June.

NIOSH as well as the services performed in it, attorneys for the government said, will eventually return in a reorganized form under the federal Department of Health and Human Services. As such, they contended that the lawsuit on behalf of coal miners was premature.

Those testifying during Wednesdays hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Irene Berger included coal miners, epidemiologists from the CWHSP and supervisors from within NIOSH.

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No one, including the attorneys representing the federal government, provided details or a timeline for when the agency would resume the duties it is required by law to perform.

Laura Reynolds, a supervisor over the CWHSP, was asked if she was aware of any plans or discussions happening to transfer the agencys services to DHHS.

Her response was one word: No.

Scott Laney, who worked as an epidemiologist at NIOSH, said the community of researchers and providers qualified to do the work done by those at the CWHSP is quite small. He hasnt heard of anyone being asked to do it and has not been included in any plans to train others.

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There is nobody who does the surveillance and breadth of what we do at NIOSH [for black lung], Laney said.

Without plan to resume services, coal miners left exposed to dangerous dust

Meanwhile, coal miners who have been diagnosed with black lung  including Harry Wiley, a coal miner in Raleigh County who is the lead plaintiff on the class action suit  are in a dangerous position.

NIOSH plays a critical role in the Part 90 program, which allows workers diagnosed with black lung to transfer to a less dusty part of a mine without facing retribution or negative repercussions from a mine operator. Miners transferred under the rule have their pay, benefits and hours protected while being able to work in an area that is less likely to advance their black lung disease.

In order to qualify for Part 90, miners anywhere must have their black lung testing results evaluated and marked eligible by a NIOSH worker in order to be approved.

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But now there are no NIOSH workers. Laney said labs certified to test miners for black lung were instructed to stop in April since there was no one at the CWHSP to evaluate the results.

This leaves Wiley, who was diagnosed with black lung in November and who applied for a transfer under Part 90, without any options to protect himself from the dangerous disease advancing.

And the disease will advance, said Noemi Hall, another NIOSH epidemiologist.

The best protection to stop the progression of black lung  which has no cure and few treatment options  is prevention and reducing any exposure to coal mine dust, Laney said.

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We know that this intervention [of transferring workers to less dusty areas] works from the science, Laney said. [Its] very clear in the scientific research.

Debbie Johnson, the black lung program director at Bluestone Health in Princeton, told the court she knows of at least four coal miners from her clinic who are depending on the CWHSP to resume services.

Two have already entered their applications for a Part 90 transfer and two others need their results evaluated and certified.

None have heard from NIOSH.

Anita Wolfe, who retired from NIOSH in 2020 but still worked for the agency on a contract basis, said the CWHSP could see more than 5,000 X-rays a year that need to be evaluated. Thats 5,000 workers who could be at risk of developing a complicated and severe form of black lung disease without intervention.

Freeze on CWHSP occurs while silica dust rule under threat

While the federal government says its sorting out what a reorganization of NIOSH and the CWHSP will look like, it has also delayed the implementation of a federal labor rule that would have limited miners exposure to dangerous silica dust for the first time ever.

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That rule was meant to go into effect in April. Its been delayed until August, however, partially due to the shakeups at NIOSH and the critical role workers there would have played in its implementation.

Sam Petsonk, a labor attorney representing the miners in their lawsuit against the federal government, said in an interview after Wednesdays hearing that without the silica rule and without Part 90 transfers, miners are left with little to nothing to protect themselves.

West Virginia coal miners fought to create these programs because workers here walked off the job, picketed and demanded protections for themselves and miners throughout the world, Petsonk said. This whole program was created to protect our miners. And now the government isnt doing its part.

Meanwhile, more than just the response actions NIOSH is mandated to perform are going undone. The agency was also responsible for critical research to aid in identifying and preventing black lung in miners.

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Thats especially important today in central Appalachia, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 20% of the regions coal miners are suffering from black lung  the highest rate detected in more than 25 years. One in 20 of the regions coal miners are living with the most severe form of the condition.

And the resurgence of black lung is hitting coal miners at younger ages than ever before. This is due to miners, because of a lack of easily accessible coal, being forced to dig through more silica-rich sandstone than their predecessors in order to reach what little coal remains.

Were seeing a lot of younger miners who are at that point [of needing a Part 90 transfer], Johnson told the court Wednesday.

Before being told not to come to work in April, Hall was researching cases of black lung where individuals did not show symptoms but were developing the disease. Hall hoped that research could go toward working with miners to get tested early and frequently throughout their careers in order to stop symptoms from onsetting.

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Now, she said, that work has been dropped and she doesnt expect it to pick back up again.

While on the stand Wednesday, both Hall and Laney were asked two questions by Mike Becher, an attorney from Appalachian Mountain Advocates who is representing the coal miners.

Do you feel through your work youve made a difference in the lives of coal miners? Becher asked.

I know that to be the case because of the scientific evidence, Laney responded.

Yes, Hall said.

Do you feel youve saved miners lives? Becher asked.

I do, Laney said.

Yes, responded Hall.

The class action lawsuit against the federal government was filed on behalf of miners by Appalachian Mountain Advocates, Mountain State Justice and Petsonk PLLC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern

District of West Virginia on April 21, 2025.

On Wednesday, Judge Berger said she would have a response to the plaintiffs request for a preliminary injunction to order NIOSH to resume its work soon.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Mercer Countys Yellow Brick Road program is a one-stop shop for any need-to-knows and resources for entrepreneurs.

Its really an all encompassing space to meet people where their needs might be and then supporting them in that journey of opening up or expanding, said Lindsey Dunn, the Director Aledo Main Street.

Aledo Main Street, Mercer County Better Together and Visit Merco teamed up to provide listings

of all available regional services for 13 cities in the county. Clicking on a city will give you an option for a new or existing business to make sure what you need is clear and easy to find.

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If you hit challenges or roadblocks on your way to building a business, then you are going to go somewhere else, said Kasi Henshaw, Interim Executive Director for Visit Merco. Or youre going to maybe give up.

The organizations are hoping that with this program will bring new businesses to Aledo and Mercer County.

What we want to do through all three organizations is make it easy and attractive to bring a business to Mercer County, said Henshaw.

Resources include lists for grants, business plans, marketing services and rental assistance. The resource hub isnt just for new businesses, but for those looking to grow in their community.

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Im hoping that the baker whos decided to test the waters by selling their goods on their front porch, said Tara McFarland, Creative Director for Mercer County Better Together. Im hoping that they hear about this and want to find out how they can get lease assistance to open up a storefront downtown somewhere.

For more information, click here.

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MOREHEAD, Ky. (FOX 56)  A New York man is at large, and on Wednesday, Kentucky State Police (KSP) asked for help from the public in finding him.

KSP announced May 8 on Facebook that 29-year-old Shodmon Yuldashev, whose court records show was charged with tampering with physical evidence and murder in 2024, is at large.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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Troopers said Yuldashev stands 5 feet, 7 inches tall and has brown hair and green eyes.

Court records show that an arrest warrant was issued on May 1, and he was assigned a $100,000 cash bond.

Anyone with information about Yuldashevs whereabouts is asked to contact Kentucky State Police Post 8 in Morehead at 606-784-4127.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York is set to lower the minimum hiring age for prison guards from 21 to 18, seeking to boost the ranks of corrections officers during a shortage that was exacerbated by the firing of more than 2,000 guards after a weekslong strike crippled the states prison system.

State lawmakers approved the measure on Wednesday and Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is expected to sign it into law.

The bill establishes some rules for the younger guards, including policies that they cannot obtain or use firearms or transport inmates outside of prisons. They also must be supervised when performing contact roles with inmates during the first year-and-a-half on the job.

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The push to lower the age for correction officers came after guards walked off the job in February while striking to protest poor working conditions. Hochul was forced to deploy the state National Guard to prisons to maintain operations during the strike.

The governor ended up firing more than 2,000 guards who refused to return to work after the state and guards' union reached a deal to end the walkout, which lasted around three weeks. Hochul has barred the guards who were fired from holding other state jobs in the future.

The state corrections commissioner has since directed the department to begin the process of releasing some inmates early because of a shortage of guards. But the early discharges have been limited to inmates who were convicted of minor crimes and were already set for release in the near future. Inmates convicted of sex crimes, violent felonies or serious felonies such as murder, terrorism and arson would not be eligible for early release, the agency said.

The strike came after the high-profile fatal beating of Robert Brooks at an upstate New York prison in December, which was recorded on guards' body cameras and led to charges against more than a dozen people.

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Another incarcerated person, Messiah Nantwi, died on March 1 after being injured in a series of beatings by guards, according to an indictment. Ten guards were charged over Nantwi's death, including two who were charged with murder.

Some other states, including Florida, Maine and New Jersey, allow 18-year-olds to become correction officers.
SPRINGFIELD TWP., Ohio (WKBN)  For the 16th time, 25 of the areas young professionals under the age of 35 were honored for their accomplishments.

WKBN was there Wednesday evening when this years 25 under 35 honorees gathered for a group photo on the steps of the Lake Club in Springfield Township. Its the biggest event of the year for the Mahoning Valley Young Professionals group.

The honorees work in finance, economic development, health care, and funeral services, and most were nominated by their employers.

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The top young professionals in their fields, and were just here to celebrate them based on their community involvement, their career attributes, and just everything that theyre doing in our valley, said MVYP President Steven Weeden.

Of the 25, three were named MVPs. They were Ashley Vidale of Sapphire Aesthetics and Wellness, Griffin Todd of HBK CPAs and Consultants, and Jessica Gaskell of Youngstown State.

The 350 people at the event were the largest crowd ever for the 25 under 35 banquet.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Youngstown Councilwoman Anita Davis said she was shocked Tuesday night after learning she had won the Democratic primary for City Council President.

Davis defeated fellow council member Mike Ray by 345 votes, gaining 55% of the votes. A non-party candidate has filed to run against Davis in the November election.

Davis is in her ninth year representing the 6th ward. The council president oversees the bi-weekly meetings and becomes mayor should the position be vacated  but otherwise has little power. Davis hopes the recently appointed charter review commission can have the president become more involved with the mayor  and if not, she may look to eliminate the position.

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Because as it is, you dont need someone whos not a part of the actual body of council just to chair two meetings a month, Davis said.

Janet Tarpley, who was 6th ward councilperson before Davis, and lost to her in the primary two years ago on a coin flip, said she would be interested in filling Davis seat  should Davis be elected President in November.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A city couple convicted in March of child abuse were sentenced Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Read next: Former MCSO deputy accused of abusing federal inmate pleads guilty

Maleka Curry, 36, was sentenced to two to three years in prison, while Christopher Hill, 43, was sentenced to four to six years in prison.

The two were found guilty March 25 by Judge John Durkin following a bench trial on a charge of felonious assault and two counts of child endangering. The charges are all second-degree felonies.

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They were accused of the May 9, 2024, beating of a boy in their care.

Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Yozwiak said he was asking for different sentences for the defendants because Curry has only a minor misdemeanor conviction, while Hill has a record dating back to 1999 on several charges, including complicity to involuntary manslaughter.

Yozwiak said the boy still had scars from the beating he received almost a year later.

They cruelly disciplined him for running away from the nightmare they created in their own home, Yozwiak said.

Currys attorney, Walter Ritchie, asked for a sentence of probation for his client. He said Currys criminal record is minimal, and she has already spent a long time in jail awaiting the final disposition in her case.

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In a very soft voice, Curry apologized.

Im sorry for the way everything went down, she said. I didnt mean for any of this to happen, before adding later, Im a great mom.

Judge Durkin said the case is one that has stuck with him, and he said Curry seemed to be skirting responsibility for her role in the childs injuries.

James Wise, Hills attorney, said his client was trying to discipline the child because he was afraid the child would end up like Hill did as an adult, but said that he went too far.

Hill also apologized and said he took responsibility for his actions.

I wasnt trying to hurt him. That wasnt my intention, Hill said. Did I go too far? I can say, yes, I did.

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Judge Durkin also said Hill went too far.

Theres a difference between discipline and the conduct that was displayed here, Judge Durkin said.

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Editors note: This story fixes a headline to clarify the status of Bellamys leave, which begins Friday.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Youngstown Firefighter Adaris Bellamy will be on unpaid leave Friday while he awaits the outcome of his criminal case.

The Youngstown Law Department confirmed Bellamys status on Thursday. He has been on paid administrative leave since a charge was filed against him last month.

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The charge was filed after an incident on April 7 when Bellamy allegedly pulled out a rifle in front of two firefighters at the Warren Township Fire Department, pointing it at one of them.

Police pulled over a vehicle matching the description of the suspects vehicle after it pulled into the LaBrae bus garage and said the driver, Bellamy, denied being at the fire station but later said he had pulled into the area of the fire station to make a phone call. Police found two rifles in the back of the truck, according to the police report.

During the investigation, police were approached by a man who reported that Bellamy had pointed a firearm at him while he was at a food donation box next to the bus garage with his girlfriend.

Bellamy was ultimately charged with two counts of aggravated menacing, which are first-degree misdemeanors.

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After the case is completed, attorneys will revisit the matter to determine the next steps.

Bellamy is due back in Warren Municipal Court for a hearing next Friday, May 16.

Chelsea Simeon contributed to this report.

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WASHINGTON (KLFY)  A local high school student has been recognized for artistic achievement by the U.S. Congress, according to Congressman Clay Higgins (R-La.).

Higgins announced yesterday that Cole Ritter, a senior at Southside High in Youngsville, is the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for Louisianas 3rd District.

Ritters piece is titled La Dame Blanche Du Bayou, which is translated to The White Lady of the Bayou. The color pencil piece features a white egret that seems to be sitting in bayou water with its reflection showing below it.

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The U.S. House of Representatives sponsors an annual art competition for high school students. The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for Members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, more than 650,000 high school students have been involved in the nationwide competition.

This is Ritters second time to display his winning work at the U.S. Capitol.

La Dame Blanche Du Bayou by Cole Ritter

Youngsville student honored in Congress, wins art contest

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(Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday he told U.S. President Donald Trump in a telephone call that a 30-day ceasefire was a "real indicator" of moving towards peace with Russia and Kyiv was ready to implement it immediately.

Zelenskiy spoke to Trump in the middle of a three-day ceasefire proclaimed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, coinciding with commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the World War Two victory over Nazi Germany.

Zelenskiy has dismissed the three-day pause as meaningless and each side has accused the other of violating it.

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"Ukraine is ready for a complete 30-day ceasefire from this very day, from this very moment," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.

"But it has to be real... Thirty days which could become the beginning of years of peace. A ceasefire, both prolonged and reliable, will be a real indicator of a movement towards peace."

The Ukrainian president said Russia had to demonstrate its readiness to end the war, starting with an unconditional ceasefire.

Trump, in a social media post on Thursday, again called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, though he made no reference to his conversation with Zelenskiy.

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He said that if the 30-day ceasefire "is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions."

A 30-day ceasefire was initially proposed by Washington in March and Ukraine agreed. Russia has said such a measure can only take effect once reliable measures of monitoring and upholding it are put in place.

Zelenskiy said he also spoke to Trump about the ratification by Ukraine's parliament on Thursday of an agreement to exploit Ukraine's mineral riches along with the creation of an investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction.

He said he and Trump "noted how important it is that our relationship has strengthened our countries over the decades".

(Reporting by Ron Popeski, Editing by Alistair Bell and Nia Williams)
To help close a projected budget deficit of $262 million, Nebraska lawmakers advanced a bill Wednesday pulling millions of dollars from a range of cash funds into the states general fund.

A day after giving first-round approval to the biennial budget (LB261), the Legislature advanced a companion measure (LB264) that draws $132 million from the states rainy day fund. Approximately $690 million remains in the cash reserve.

The bill, which advanced on a 34-6 vote late Wednesday afternoon, also transfers millions more from dozens of cash funds maintained by state agencies for programs created in prior legislative sessions.

The Legislature previously passed bills rolling back tax incentives and changing teacher retirement contributions to help manage the biennial budget, which will take the state through June 2027.

When taken together, Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, the chairman of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee, said the state would be left with a small $3 million buffer in its roughly $10.8 billion budget.

But the breadth of the cuts drew criticism from some senators who described them as an unsustainable way to balance the states budget moving forward.

Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, a member of the Appropriations Committee, called LB264 reckless and irresponsible and criticized lawmakers for being unwilling to defend the choices during floor debate.

Everything on here is to fund property taxes, Cavanaugh said. Colleagues, what are you going to do about it? What are you going to stand for in this budget? What are you going to say to your constituents back home?

One provision of LB264 strips $1.9 million that helps fund Meals on Wheels, which Cavanaugh noted came a day after Sen. Glen Meyer of Pender asked lawmakers to appropriate more money for the program.

Cavanaugh said the move was akin to gutting government to give wealthy people in this state tax relief.

Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad asked her colleagues to not just try to cobble together funds in order to simply close the budget deficit, but to consider the impacts of those decisions for all Nebraskans.

"The point of a budget is not just to put together a number," Conrad said, "the point is putting together a budget to do the most good."

Other lawmakers applauded the measures put forward by Clements and the Appropriations Committee, however. Omaha Sen. Kathleen Kauth said the Legislature was right to prioritize some programs over others.

Our goal should not be to make cradle-to-grave government, Kauth said. Our goal should be to effectively use the money we take from taxpayers.

Sen. Christy Armendariz of Omaha, who also serves on the Appropriations Committee, said state agencies should reduce the fees they are charging so they do not carry excess balances, and urged the Legislature to stay the course.

"This is a change from the norm," she said. "It will be uncomfortable and people will be mad, but we have the room."

Higher DMV fees to help

A large chunk of Wednesdays debate centered on the optics of transferring $12.5 million from the Department of Motor Vehicles Cash Fund to close the states budget gap as the Legislature sought to increase one fee that funnels into the fund.

The sweep from the fund comes as the Legislature is prepared to send a bill (LB398) to Gov. Jim Pillens desk that would increase fees charged for driver records, including individual records or those requested in bulk by insurance companies and monitoring services.

The increased fees would put more money into the DMV Cash Fund, Director Rhonda Lahm told lawmakers at a committee hearing in February, helping complete a DMV computer modernization project earlier than anticipated and potentially saving the state $20 million.

Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington, a member of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, said senators rejected a request for a larger increase that would have put money collected by fees directly into the general fund.

DeBoer said she was surprised to see millions generated through the fee being transferred to the states budget to close a deficit.

If were going to tax people in this state, we ought to tell them were taxing them, she said. Not do it quietly through fees without telling them whats what were doing and then take a big victory lap saying we lowered taxes.

Her concerns were shared by Omaha Sen. John Fredrickson, who said the Appropriation Committee's plan took advantage of policy decisions made by lawmakers on other committees.

Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus, the chair of the committee, said the transfer was kind of a loan from the DMV the Legislature could pay back to complete the modernization project early.

They are still going to be able to do all the modernization  its not going to affect services citizens see, Moser said. Its going to push out, possibly, the timeframe to pay it off.

The proposed fee increase would not be part of the current budget, Moser said, which identified $12.5 million in unused cash funds that could be used to close a budget shortfall.

While the optics of the Legislature raising fees on one end and pulling the money into the budget on the other could raise an eyebrow, Moser said the increase was needed to keep Nebraska in line with other states, despite the poor timing.

The transfers advanced by the Legislature on Wednesday also include moving $500,000 from a Department of Health and Human Services cash fund that helps cover the cost of radon tests.

Nebraska has a very high incidence of the cancer-causing natural radioactive gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

The Appropriations Committee amendment also seeks to transfer $5 million from the Surface Water Irrigation Infrastructure Fund, which was created by the Legislature through a one-time cash transfer of $50 million in 2022.

The fund, which doles out grants of up to $5 million and requires a 10% match, was sponsored by former Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard after the collapse of the Gering-Fort Laramie Canal tunnel in 2019.

Clements said the money transferred from the cash fund, about $2.5 million in each year of the biennium, was from interest that had accrued.

And while the Legislature approved a transfer of $45 million into the Capital Construction Fund, the amendment adopted by senators on Wednesday would move $8 million in projected interest from that fund back to the general fund over the next two years.

Other fund transfers in LB264 include:

* $2 million from the State Visitors Promotion Fund.

* $500,000 from the Nebraska State Patrol's vehicle replacement fund.

* $1 million from the Nebraska Department of Labor Training and Support Fund to provide grants to businesses to recruit and train employees.

* $250,000 from the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, which provides legal defense for first-degree murder and violent drug crimes in order to defray the cost to counties.

* $5 million from the Water Recreation Enhancement Fund created by state lawmakers in 2022 to be administered by Nebraska Game and Parks.

* $4 million from the Nebraska Racetrack Gaming Fund which collects fees paid by racetrack operators.
On the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday emphasized his country's role in the liberation of Europe from the Nazis.

In a video message filmed in Kiev, Zelensky said 8 million Ukrainians died in the conflict, and likened their fight for freedom to the current war with Russia.

If Russia does not change, it will require "de-Nazification and demilitarization," Zelensky said, using language often employed by Russian President Vladimir Putin about the government in Kiev.

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Ukraine has accused Moscow of politicizing the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

A major military parade is set to be held in Moscow on May 9, a day celebrated in Russia as Victory Day.

The Soviet Union lost an estimated 27 million people during World War II.
On 8 May, the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recorded a video from the centre of Kyiv, showing the difference between life on Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) and the parade of fear on Red Square in Moscow.

Source: Zelenskyy on social media and the official website of the President of Ukraine

Quote: "The day we mark together with the entire world, with all those who 80 years ago fought for life to ensure that evil would lose, and that it would be never again. Sadly, three years ago, it happened again  and just like back then, the air-raid siren wailed once more over Kyiv, and evil once again came to our Ukrainian land. On the morning of 24 February, Khreschatyk was empty  no cars, no people. Now, there is life here, you see. Three years ago, when I recorded an Independence Day address, burned Russian vehicles stood here. And that is the only kind of parade evil can get here."

Details: The president said that there would be convoys of tanks, units of murderers marching, the disguised crowd, and half-dead faces looking down on the procession in the capital of the aggressor state. Zelenskyy called them a sect under the name "We Can Do It Again" [a Russian phrase alluding to the Soviet victory in World War II and glorifying war and imperial ambition  ed.]

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"You did repeat it. You repeated all that evil. Ukraine saw it. The whole world saw it. Tomorrow, the atrocities of the Nazis will be brought up by the person responsible for mass graves in Bucha. And those who orchestrated the blockade of Mariupol will be the ones talking about the siege of Leningrad. It will be a parade of cynicism. There is just no other way to describe it. A parade of bile and lies. As if it were not dozens of allied states, but Putin personally who defeated Nazism. As if it were he who raised the Victory Banner over the Reichstag in Berlin with his own hands. Thank God Ukraine has broken free from all of this, from this swamp. Thank God Ukraine has not forgotten that 80 years ago, dozens of peoples fought against Nazism," Zelenskyy stressed.

He reiterated that, sadly, over 8 million Ukrainians were killed in that struggle. And almost every Ukrainian family now has a hero who fought or is fighting against this new evil.

Zelenskyy also talked about the people's memorial on Independence Square.

"And this very important place here  the place of remembrance  shows why this life exists, and why Ukraine is alive, and why it is so strong, and how our people value their heroes. Once, there was only a small plaque here, just an A4 sheet, and there was an inscription: "Place a flag if you know someone who was killed by Russia." Now, this is a place of national memory. And every flag, every portrait, every candle is our gratitude, is our respect. And this, you know, is not a monument made by order. This is a human desire to pay tribute to the best of Ukrainians. And this is yet another proof of the abyss between us and evil. For them, the idol is the old man on Red Square who took the lives of millions. For us, heroes are heroes among us," Zelenskyy stated.

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The president emphasised that Russia must radically change, or else the world will have to change, "just as the world did 80 years ago, when it finally became clear to everyone that evil cannot be appeased. It must be fought. Together."

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  More than 200 alleged pedophiles are in custody across the U.S. following an FBI crackdown that involved three arrests in Oregon, according to state officials.

On Wednesday, the Department of Justice announced the results of a national project called Operation Restore Justice. Over the course of five days, 55 FBI field offices worked to track and arrest child sex predators.

The operation led to 205 arrests and 115 rescued children, according to the DOJ.

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Deputies: Armed man in Vancouver attempted kidnapping was sexually motivated

Three of these arrests took place in Oregon and included 54-year-old Robert Andrew Arias, 40-year-old Berret J. Brown, and 35-year-old Michael Joseph Cambalik.

Arias was arrested in Salem on April 28 and faces charges of distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography. His trial is set for July 1.

Brown of Vida, Ore., was charged with enticing minors, receiving child pornography, using a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct and transferring obscene matter to a minor. His trial is set for Aug. 5.

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Between July and August 2024, Brown is alleged to have used Snapchat to entice multiple children into producing and sending him sexually explicit videos, officials said. Brown is also alleged to have used Roblox, a childrens online video game platform, to connect with minors.

In Beaverton, Cambalik was charged with sexually exploiting a minor, receiving child pornography and coercing and enticing a minor. His arraignment is expected to take place on May 29.

In December 2024, Cambalik, posing as a female minor, is alleged to have used Call of Duty, an internet-connected video game, to meet and coerce a then-nine-year-old child to produce and send him sexually explicit photos and videos, officials said.

Ombudsman releases scathing report on Portland Fire & Rescue

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Other cases in the U.S. involved crimes of producing, distributing, and possessing child sexual abuse material as well as online enticement and transportation of minors and child sex trafficking.

The FBI has zero tolerance for criminal actors who target the most vulnerable in our community our children, said Douglas A. Olson, FBI Portlands Special Agent in Charge. While we count Operation Restore Justice as a success, our work continues. We will use every resource available to us to pursue those who prey on children, as well as to help victims of abuse access tools to help them heal.

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Luisa Ramos-Parmenter appears in Yakima County Superior Court via Zoom Monday, April 24, 2023. Initially charged with second-degree murder in the death of Hector Felix, who was strangled to death in his North Ninth Avenue apartment, Ramos-Parmenter pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter.
Travelers pass through Security Checkpoint 4 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on the first day of REAL ID enforcement Wednesday morning. (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times)
Looking for a break? Test your knowledge of this week's news from the Yakima Valley.
Pope Leo XIV is the first Pope from the United States and the first Augustinian friar to be elected pontiff



Photo Credit: Getty Images

VILLANOVA, Pa. (May 8, 2025)On May 8, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, OSA, 77 CLAS was elected the 267th head of the Catholic Church and the Sovereign of the Vatican City State during the second day of the papal conclave held in the Sistine Chapel. He assumes the papacy under the name Pope Leo XIV. A Villanova University alumnus, Pope Leo XIV is the first Pope from the United States and the first Augustinian friar to be elected pontiff.

As an Augustinian Catholic institution, we celebrate this significant day for our University community and the global Church. Villanova, built on the teachings of St. Augustine, has always been grounded in advancing a deeper understanding of the fundamental relationship between faith and reasonbetween spirituality and wisdom, said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, 75 CLAS. With todays election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, I cannot help but reflect on what his Augustinian papacy will mean to our University community and our world. Known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence and warmth, Pope Leo XIVs leadership offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our educational mission.

The selection of Pope Leo XIV by the College of Cardinals comes less than two years after the late Pope Francis I announced him as cardinal designate, a position to which he was formally installed in September 2023 during a consistory at the Vatican on the eve of the Synod of Synodality.

Born in Chicago, Ill., Pope Leo XIV, then Robert Prevost, joined the Order of St. Augustine in 1977. Following his undergraduate studies at Villanova, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1977, he earned a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982 and was ordained a priest the same year. Pope Leo XIV went on to earn both licentiate (1984) and doctorate (1987) degrees in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. Villanova also awarded him an honorary Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa, in 2014.

After joining the Augustinian mission in Peru in 1985, Pope Leo XIV worked predominantly in that country until the late 1990s. Nearly a decade of that time was spent leading the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo and teaching canon law at the diocesan seminary. Pope Leo XIV returned to his hometown in 1999 after being named provincial of the Augustinian Province of Chicago. He was then elected in 2001 as prior general of the Augustinians and reelected to a second six-year term in 2007.

In 2014, Pope Francis I appointed then-Bishop Prevost as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in northern Peru and titular bishop of Sufar. He was elevated to bishop of Chiclayo in 2015, serving for eight years until his January 2023 appointment as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops (formerly the Congregation of Bishops), receiving the title Archbishop-Bishop Emeritus of Chiclayo. The Dicastery for Bishops oversees both the selection of new bishops and formation of dioceses, among other matters, and is led by its Pope-appointed prefect.

Pope Leo XIV began his leadership role with the Dicasteryof which he had been a member since November 2020along with his appointment as President of the Pontifical Commission of Latin America, on April 12, 2023.

Founded in 1842, Villanova University is one of only two Augustinian Catholic institutions of higher learning in the United States, sharing this common heritage with Merrimack College. As an Augustinian Catholic university, Villanova is rooted in the values of truth, unity, and love (Veritas, Unitas, Caritas), inspired by the teachings of St. Augustine. For more on Villanovas Augustinian mission and tradition, click here
More than 900 Bronze Age jewels and weapons were recently found with the help of metal detectors on Somlo Hill in western Hungary.

The researchers say that the objects originate from the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age, between 1,400 and 900 BCE.



The question of which ethnic group may have made them is a mystery, as it is not known who lived in the western part of present-day Hungary in that era.



The Somlo hill is mostly known for its wine, although it has a rather important role as an archaeological site.



Experts realised in the 19th century that this hill conceals a number of findings after farmers dug out several antique objects by chance, according to archaeologist Bence Soos of the National Museum.



This is why Soos, along with his colleagues and volunteers, began to engage in comprehensive research on the site, using metal detectors among other methods, eventually bringing more than 900 objects to the surface by April, 2025.



Experts say the significance of the objects found at Somlo is immense, since they originate from the time of the transition from the late Bronze Age to the early Iron Age, an era about which relatively little is known.



The findings show that people living in the area in this transitional period may have lived in tribes or clans led by elite warriors. As graves since then explored contained many objects, researchers suspect that the hill may have been the seat of power of an elite class of warrior leaders.

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Independent lawmaker Akos Hadhazy organised another demonstration for the withdrawal of the amendment to the assembly law in Budapest on Tuesday.

At the protest at Ferenciek Square, Hadhazy said the demonstrators who had gathered there wanted to live in a free country "and are willing to do something about it".



He said there was no government that was immune to pressure, and results could be achieved "against any government". He insisted that the reason for the amendment to the assembly law was not to ban the Pride march, "but to ban the protests that will follow future election fraud and the rounding up of opposition politicians".



Hadhazy said the protests demanding the laws withdrawal would be considered successful if the law had already been withdrawn. He also said he would prefer if there were thousands of people protesting, and announced another demonstration for next week.



He said he could not guarantee that the protests would succeed, but vowed to do everything to make sure they did.



Hadhazy called on the protesters to march to the headquarters of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in a show of solidarity with academics who he said were being blackmailed by the government.



He said that the government was offering 80 billion forints (EUR 198m) for properties of the Hungarian Research Network which academics say is worth 130 billion, and the government was threatening to withhold their wage hikes unless they dropped their lawsuits in the matter.



The protesters crossed Elisabeth Bridge to the Buda side before circling back to the academy on the Pest side via Chain Bridge.



The Budapest Police Headquarters (BRFK) said on police.hu that at 6pm some protesters unlawfully took to Elisabeth Bridge and blocked traffic for 20 minutes.



Source:

MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.

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The Hungarian government wants to definitely avoid a situation where Ukraines fast-tracked accession to the European Union would make Hungary a destination for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian jobseekers and a "gateway for the Ukrainian mafia", Peter Szijjarto, the foreign minister said.

Speaking before a public forum in Tiszaujvaros, in north-eastern Hungary, Szijjarto cited the Ukrainian president as saying recently that the majority of Hungarians supported his countrys accession to the EU, adding that it was the Hungarian people, not Volodymyr Zelensky, who would decide on Ukraines membership.



"Its clear that the Hungarian member party of the European Peoples Party, Manfred Webers subordinates, meaning the Tisza Party, supports Ukraines EU accession, but the opinion of the Hungarian people wont be decided by Tisza or Volodymyr Zelensky, but the Hungarian people themselves," Szijjarto said.



"Thats why we call on everyone to take part in the 2025 referendum, in which all Hungarians  can have their say on Ukraines fast-tracked EU membership," he said.



Szijjarto said fast-tracking Ukraines accession would result in Hungarys job market being "flooded by hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian jobseekers" and Hungary "becoming the Ukrainian mafias gateway  to Europe".



"But there are two things we definitely dont want," he said. "We dont want to become a target for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian jobseekers, and we dont want to become a gateway for the Ukrainian mafia".



"The Hungarian people can prevent this, since Ukraines fast-tracked accession requires a unanimous vote, and a unanimous vote requires Hungarys vote as well," Szijjarto said, adding that Hungarys vote in Brussels would reflect the outcome of the referendum.



Szijjarto: EC wants to make Hungary pay price of senseless, immeasurable support for Ukraine



The European Commission wants to make Hungary, among other countries, pay the price of its "senseless and immeasurable" support for Ukraine by banning Russian energy imports, Peter Szijjarto, the foreign minister, said on Tuesday, adding that this would pose a "serious threat" to the countrys energy security.



Speaking in reaction to a fresh announcement by European Union Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen, Szijjarto said in Tiszaujvaros, in north-eastern Hungary, that after the "complete failure" of its sanctions on Russia, the EC was "making another serious mistake by banning energy imports from Russia".



"The forced, artificial and ideological ban on Russian energy causes serious difficulties for the economies of many European countries; it causes serious problems for some European companies in terms of international competitiveness, and poses a serious threat of price increases on the energy market," the minister said.



"Its totally clear what this decision by the European Commission is about," Szijjarto said. "This decision is about the European Commission wanting to make countries that operate in a sensible way and pursue sensible policies, like Hungary, pay the price of its senseless and immeasurable support for Ukraine, meaning the price of quickly pushing Ukraine into the European Union."



"We reject this, we refuse to pay the price of the senseless and immeasurable support going to Ukraine," he said. "We refuse to pay the price of Ukraines extra quick EU accession."



He said the ECs decision was also a "grave violation" of the sovereignty of member states, including Hungary, arguing that EU law made it clear that member states are free to determine their own energy mix and decide where they buy energy from.



"This decision by the European Commission poses a serious threat to the security of Hungarys energy supply, because energy security is not a political issue, but a rock-solid political one," Szijjarto said. "You can buy natural gas and crude oil from where there are pipeline connections. You cant buy natural gas and crude oil from places with which there arent."



Hidveghi: Ukraines EU membership would be 'catastrophic' for Hungary



The stakes of the ongoing referendum on Ukraines European Union accession are "huge", the parliamentary state secretary of the Prime Minister's Cabinet Office said on Tuesday, arguing that Brussels wanted to decide on fast-tracking the neighbouring countrys integration without seeking the publics opinion.



"This would have catastrophic consequences for Hungary," Balazs Hidveghi said in a video on Facebook.



He sad that supporting Ukraine has so far cost Hungarian families close to 2.5 million forints each (EUR 6,200), adding that Ukraines accession could cost each Hungarian household an additional 4 million forints a year.



Hungarian farmers would lose 7 billion euros in EU funding, Hidveghi said, warning that "those who say yes to Ukraine will say no to monies Hungary is entitled to."



Source:

MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.

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At the Friday and Saturday fundraiser organized by the Hungarian Food Bank Association, customers can make donations for people and families living in need in more places than in the association's previous campaigns, in more than 200 settlements across the country.

The donations will be received and delivered to those in need in the vicinity of the stores in the coming weeks by volunteers of the Hungarian Food Bank Association.



The aid package may include, among other things, canned food, bags of rice, and chocolate, according to a summary sent to MTI by the association.



The organisers expect a larger wave of help than before during the weekend collection, as the number of stores participating in the charity campaign and the number of volunteers involved in receiving, sorting, and distributing donations has increased significantly compared to past campaigns.



The collection will take place on Friday and Saturday in the stores of four retail chains, ALDI, Auchan, Lidl and Tesco, in 410 stores in 202 settlements across the country.



Donations can be dropped off at the Food Bank's volunteers wearing green vests, at designated collection points near the cash registers.



Donations will be accepted on Friday between 2 and 8 p.m. and on Saturday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.



For those in need, canned food, rice, pasta and matching sauces, baby food, jams and preserves, biscuits and sweets provide the greatest help, as do foods that do not require refrigeration, they say.



For many children, the free school canteen is their regular main meal, so when school is out, it is more difficult for them to get breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.



The aim of the weekend fundraising is to ensure that the Food Bank can provide them with a sufficient amount of non-perishable food for the summer period, they added.



The Food Bank will distribute the collected food to those in need with the help of charitable organizations operating in the vicinity of each store.



The donations will mainly benefit the elderly, large families and single-parent households, recipients of family support services and children's homes, people with disabilities, the homeless and residents of the most disadvantaged settlements in the country, the summary reads.



The Hungarian Food Bank Association is one of the largest charitable organizations in Hungary. It helps those in need by donating food that is close to its expiration date and has defective packaging, which it collects from supermarkets, manufacturers and catering establishments with the help of volunteers.



In addition to the fight against waste, the association is also responsible for the country's largest public food collection campaigns: for example, before Christmas last year, more than a hundred thousand people made donations in retail stores in response to the Food Bank's appeal, the statement says.



More:

Hungarian Food Bank Association



Source:

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Hungary should withdraw from the EU when there are more disadvantages to membership than advantages, but this point has not yet come, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a surprise appearance at a local forum in Pilisvorosvar hosted by Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and his state secretary Tamas Menczer.

He said US President Donald Trump regularly asks when Hungary will leave the EU, but Orban always replies that Hungary sells 85% of its products within the EU, so it would not be worth it.



In responding to audience questions, he was more lenient towards Ukraine than usual, saying that they fought heroically and many of them have died, but one thing is certain: it will never be in Europe's interest to participate in a war against Russia alongside Ukraine.



On the domestic front, he said "We have opponents, whom I will not say are not Hungarians a because the Hungarian nation also includes those who do not think like us".



Probably referring to Peter Magyar, as Telex adds, Orban said these people sometimes mistakenly call themselves Hungarians, but they are the people of Brussels.



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Twelve Hungarian universities are in the world's top five percent, putting them "on the global map," the minister for culture and innovation said on Wednesday.

Budapest Semmelweis University is now ranked among the world's top one percent and another three universities in the top two, Balazs Hanko said at Europe Universities Summit in Budapest.



"We have achieved all this in the past few years," said Hanko, attributing the results to "reforms and a renewed, competitive and autonomous university world".



He said there was great interest around the world in the renewal of Hungary's higher education sector, noting that international rankings organisation THE is holding its major European rankings conference in Hungary.



Thanks to these reforms, Hungarian universities have become more autonomous, competitive and successful, the minister said.



Hungarian Universities Make Major Strides in Global Rankings - Hungarian Conservative



The universities were assessed based on five key criteria and evaluated across 32 academic fields. Among them, Semmelweis University, Corvinus University of Budapest, and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics improved their overall rankings.



In addition, those three, along with the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, made significant strides in specific disciplines.



Moreover, eight Hungarian universities earned new placements in subject-specific rankings. These include Corvinus University of Budapest, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Eotvos Lorand University, the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Obuda University, the University of Debrecen, the University of Pecs, and the University of Szeged. Read more on this part here.



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Kerala Dust play a swirling mix of psychedelic rock, blues and techno, creating a diverse and pulsating world with their music. The band last played a memorable concert at DAAD and will return to the Akvarium Klub on 20 September.

Kerala Dust have recently released their latest single Bell, a hypnotic blend of blues, psychedelic rock and techno that sounds like a hazy memory, cinematic, pulsating and impossible to shake. And the first track from their forthcoming album, the An Echo of Love.



Bell is a clear sign of Kerala Dust's evolution and also sets the path for their forthcoming album, which will plough the dancefloor with energies of art rock, electronica, americana and desert blues.



With new members, keyboardist Tim Gardner and drummer Pascal Karier, alongside band founders Edmund Kenny (vocals, electronics) and Lawrence Howarth (guitar), their recent experiences of touring heavily after their 2023 album Violet Drive shaped the recording sessions of Bell and the new album with Edmunds personal struggles during this period deeply impacting both his personal life and his connection with the audience.



He felt a desire for more proximity with listeners, reflecting a shift in how he approached the recording process.



Kerala Dust was formed in London in 2016 and inspired by CAN, Tomw Waits and The Velvet Underground. The band have performed all over the world and are fortunately no strangers to the Hungarian fans neither.



Now, alongside Bell, - and hopefully with other new song sas well  they return to Hungary, to play on 20 September at Akvarium Klub.



Tickets:

www.livenation.hu
India has become one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and many large companies in the country are contributing to this growth. Especially those that promote swadeshi (local) products, manufacture within the country, and provide employment opportunities. These efforts are helping Indian-made goods reach markets worldwide. One such company making a big impact is Patanjali. Led by Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, Patanjali is contributing to raising Indias economy to new heights.

Patanjalis revenue and profits have been consistently rising. As one of Indias top FMCG companies, Patanjali has made significant strides in the market by focusing on growth, providing employment, and promoting swadeshi products. The company has built a strong presence in the FMCG and Ayurvedic product markets due to its unique working style and affordable pricing. Let's explore how Patanjalis Swadeshi movement is boosting self-reliance and economic growth.

Patanjalis Swadeshi Movement

Through Patanjali, Swami Ramdev has charted a new path for the Swadeshi movement. The company believes that "a self-reliant India and a healthy India" can be achieved through Swadeshi. To make this dream a reality, Patanjali has developed a variety of Ayurvedic products based on Indian traditions and natural ingredients. These swadeshi products are not only improving the countrys economy but are also beneficial for health and the environment. These products are made by Indian farmers and entrepreneurs, which provides employment opportunities and boosts the rural economy.

Patanjalis Swadeshi Business Model

Patanjalis business model is entirely swadeshi. The company has developed its supply chain within the country, combining ancient Ayurvedic knowledge with modern technology. Patanjalis marketing strategy is also unique, setting it apart from other companies. As a result, Patanjalis products have gained rapid popularity. Under the leadership of Swami Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, Patanjali has promoted swadeshi business, reducing dependence on foreign products, providing employment, and contributing to the vision of a self-reliant India.

Patanjali has revived Ayurveda, herbal products, and traditional Indian manufacturing, challenging foreign brands in the process. The company has expanded into sectors like FMCG, healthcare, textiles, and dairy, demonstrating that Indian companies can compete in international markets. Patanjali has developed several swadeshi products that are now better options compared to foreign products. Herbal cosmetics, food items, and medicines have replaced many imported products.

Patanjalis Contribution to Economic Growth

Patanjali is focusing on increasing employment and promoting swadeshi products. The company has created job opportunities through its factory centers, delivery network, and retail shops. Additionally, by purchasing raw materials from local farmers and promoting local products, Patanjali has improved the rural economy. Patanjali has also set up manufacturing plants in several states, encouraging industrial growth at the local level. Furthermore, the sales of Patanjali products have benefited small shopkeepers and distributors.

Through its Swadeshi movement, Patanjali continues to drive self-reliance and contribute to Indias economic growth.
New Delhi: Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has accumulated over 7.65 crore subscribers, mobilised a total corpus of Rs 45,974.67 crore by April, according to a government release. According to the official data, APY recorded increasing participation from women who now comprise about 48 per cent of all subscribers.

To address the twin challenges of longevity risks and lack of retirement security among India's vast unorganised workforce, the Government of India launched the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) on 9th May 2015 and was operationalised from June 1, 2015.

The scheme was designed to encourage voluntary savings for retirement by offering defined pension benefits, linked to the age of joining and the amount of contribution. Targeted primarily at poor and underprivileged workers in the informal sector, the scheme has emerged as one of the most inclusive and accessible social security initiatives in India.

The Atal Pension Yojana has emerged as a cornerstone of India's social security ecosystem, especially for its vast unorganised workforce. With 7.65 crore subscribers and a steadily growing pension corpus, the scheme not only ensures financial independence for the elderly but also promotes long-term savings culture among low-income households.

The government's continued focus on digital integration, women participation, and rural outreach has helped broaden APY's footprint across India, the release added. With women making up over 55 per cent of new subscribers in FY 2024-25 and a significant surge in overall enrolments during the same period, the Atal Pension Yojana is steadily progressing toward its vision of "Pension for All."

The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is a government-backed pension scheme targeting workers in the unorganised sector who lack formal retirement benefits. It is open to Indian citizens aged 18 to 40, though since 1st October 2022, income taxpayers are no longer eligible. The scheme offers a fixed monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 starting at age 60, with contributions based on the age of joining and the chosen pension amount.

A minimum contribution period of 20 years is required. Initially, the government co-contributed 50 per cent of the subscriber's contribution or up to Rs 1,000 annually for five years for those who enrolled between June 2015 and March 2016, provided they were not income taxpayers or part of any statutory social security scheme.

The APY is administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the National Pension System (NPS) framework.
New Delhi: With artificial intelligence (AI) adoption surging across sectors, the need for reliable, scalable and sustainable AI infrastructure in India has never been more urgent, NITI Aayog said on Thursday. Recognising the critical role of AI infrastructure in shaping Indias economic future, the NITI Aayog 'Frontier Tech Hub' hosted a high-level workshop here, focused on accelerating investments in AI-ready datacentres across Indian states.

India has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to become a global AI datacentre hub. With our clean energy leadership, unmatched tech talent, and strong policy momentum, we are well-positioned to deliver the worlds greenest and most cost-effective AI compute, said B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog.

But the competition is global. States must stop thinking only in terms of land and start thinking in terms of AI ecosystems  anchored in energy, innovation, and execution, he added. The workshop brought together senior officials from key state governments, central ministries and industry leaders to chart a strategic roadmap for positioning India as a global hub for AI infrastructure.

The deliberations spotlighted the widening gap between Indias digital ambitions and its current compute capabilities. Although India generates nearly 20 per cent of the worlds data, it accounts for just 3 per cent of global datacentre capacity.

With AI adoption surging across sectors, the need for reliable, scalable, and sustainable AI infrastructure has never been more urgent. The workshop urged states to move beyond land- and real estate-centric models and embrace a new paradigm anchored in access to clean energy, high-performance computing, and streamlined policy environments.

Key themes included the projected doubling of global electricity demand from datacentres and AI by 2026; Indias unique advantages in renewable energy, deep engineering talent, and rapidly growing digital economy; the need for coordinated reforms in power, policy, and regulation to attract hyperscale and sovereign AI investments.

Participants discussed the six critical pillars essential for AI datacentre readiness  land, power, network, compute, talent, and enabling policies. The conversation highlighted the urgency for states to think not just competitively within India, but globally, as countries like Vietnam, UAE, and Indonesia aggressively pursue AI investments.
Seoul: LG Electronics said on Thursday it will break ground on a new home appliance factory in India, reinforcing its commitment to the fast-growing market.

A groundbreaking ceremony of the plant in Sri City, an industrial hub in the eastern state of Andhra Pradesh, will be attended by local officials, including Nara Lokesh, minister for human resources development of Andhra Pradesh, as well as LG Electronics executives, including President Lyu Jae-cheol, head of the home appliance division, according to the company.

With an investment of US$600 million, the facility is slated to begin production by the end of 2026. It will have an annual capacity of 800,000 refrigerators, 850,000 washing machines, 1.5 million air conditioners and 2 million air conditioner compressors, reports Yonhap news agency.

It will be LG Electronics' third production base in India, following plants in the northern city of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and in the southern city of Pune, Maharashtra.

The Sri City plant is expected to serve as a regional manufacturing hub for India and neighbouring markets, including the Middle East and Bangladesh.

LG Electronics said the new plant will enhance its local supply chain and help strengthen its leadership in India's growing consumer durables market.

"The construction of the Sri City plant is a milestone that signifies LG Electronics' commitment to becoming a true national brand in India," Lyu said. "With innovative products produced through a stronger local supply chain, we will further solidify our position as India's top home appliance brand."

In March, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo visited India as part of the company's broader strategies to seek new growth opportunities.

During his four-day stay in India, Koo met with employees and business leaders to evaluate the company's competitiveness across the value chain, from research and development (R&D) to manufacturing and distribution, according to LG Group.

While touring LG Electronics Inc.'s production facilities in New Delhi and LG Soft India, LG's largest overseas software research center in Bengaluru, Koo emphasised the importance of the Indian market in LG's long-term vision.

He described the country as a key player in driving the company's "second leap" in a rapidly changing era and strengthening its presence.

Additionally, LG Electronics has been seeking an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indian financial market.
New Delhi: India's successful precision strikes on multiple Pakistani terror camps under Operation Sindoor once again showed the former's continuous resolve to fight against cross-border terrorism. However, amidst the ongoing India Pakistan Tension, if matters escalate further, does Pakistani have enough economic resilience to wage war with India?

The precarious tax revenue situation in Pakistan is directly linked to its economic woes. And that in turn affects its state capabilities. In case of a long-drawn conflict with India, the financial odds are heavily loaded against Pakistan. The latter may literally run out of money before it runs out of bullets.

The fiscal year of Pakistan begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. A record PKR 391 billion in income tax was paid by the salaried class in the nine months from July 2024 to April 2025. The blue-eyed traders paid only 60 paisa in taxes during the July-March period while the salaried class paid 10 out of every 100 Pakistani rupees.

Several media reports have revealed that 10 percent of the total income tax collected in Pakistan is currently paid by salaried individuals, thus indicating a severely discriminatory tax system.

According to Pakistan's Federal Board of Revenue's (FBR) preliminary collection estimates the income tax payments for the nine months of this fiscal (running from July 2024- April 25) year totalled Rs 391 billion which is Rs 23 billion more than the total amount of income tax paid by the salaried class during the 12-month period of the previous fiscal year.

The middle and upper-middle income classes were greatly impacted in June 2024 when the government eliminated several tax brackets and drastically increased the tax burden on salaried individuals. Those who earn Rs 443,000 per month are now subject to the highest tax rate of 35 percent. A 10 percent surcharge has been added and that has brought the total tax rate to 38.5% for the highest slab.

Meanwhile, the figures of Direct Tax collections for the Financial Year 2024-25 (as on 10 October 2024) show that Net collections are at Rs. 13,57,111 crore, compared to Rs 11,09,695 crore in the corresponding period of the preceding Financial Year (i.e. FY 2023-24), representing an increase of 22.30% percent, a Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) data has shown.

The Net Direct Tax collection of Rs. 13,57,111 crore (as on 10.10.2024) includes Corporation Tax (CIT) at Rs 6,11,161 crore (net of refund) and Personal Income Tax (PIT) including Securities Transaction Tax (STT) at Rs 7,13,142 crore (net of refund).

IMF Vs Pakistan: Disagreement Over The New Income Tax Rates

A disagreement over the new income tax rates for salaried and non-salaried individuals caused Pakistan and the IMF to abandon their talks last year without reaching a consensus.

To generate additional revenue for the government that is struggling financially, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggested last March that Pakistan implement several measures like raising taxes and lowering tax slabs, a media report stated.

The IMF has evaluated that the complete implementation of the Personal Income Tax guidelines might result in an additional revenue of 0.5 per cent of the GDP, equivalent to Pakistani Rs 500 billion annually, The News International reported.

India Vs Pakistan Economy: A Juxtaposition

India's GDP in 2024 was estimated at $4.2 trillion and that of Pakistan was $374 billion. India's per capita GDP was $2,711 in 2024 and that of Pakistan was $1,581.

While India is expected to overtake all other economies as the world's third largest economy within the next ten years, the IMF has reduced Pakistan's 2025 GDP growth estimate from 3 percent to 2.6 percent.

Pakistan is contemplating important adjustments in its tax policy for the fiscal year 2025-26 budget. The FBR plans to raise the yearly tax exemption threshold for salaried individuals from Rs 600,000 to possibly Rs 1,000,000 or Rs 1,200,000.

Considering, a very small percentage of Pakistans citizens pay income tax, limiting government capacity for public investment and debt repayment, can the country afford to wage a full blown war with India? The scope seems extremely restricted serious doubt whether Pakistan can afford to go to war with India.
Los Angeles: Hollywood legend Meryl Streep and actor Martin Short's Only Murders in the Building characters were seen filming for a PDA scene for the series. Shooting for Only Murders in the Building season 5, the on-screen couple was spotted on the streets of New York City on Wednesday, May 7 (Eastern Standard Time), reports People magazine.

In the photos, Short, 75, dressed as Oliver Putnam, with a banana in hand, is running beside his new wife, Loretta Durkin (played by Meryl Streep). As per People, in the shots, the two are also seen showing some PDA, from cuddling up with one another to even sharing a kiss.

While it isnt clear what the newlyweds are running to (or from), Loretta may be joining Oliver, Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) and Steve Martin (Charles-Haden Savage) as they solve the latest murder to plague New York City.

Executive producer Dan Fogelman teased in a January conversation with The Wrap that the upcoming season will include "another big fun mystery the writers have been cooking up.

The ability for the writers to take those three guys who are so comfortable in the skin of those roles now, and where the comedy sits in the show, where the dramedy sits in the show, its just so always so fun to start a new story with them and explore new aspects of their friendship and new aspects of their lives, Fogelman said.

In March, the show's official social media accounts revealed that Renee Zellweger is also joining the cast. The next month, Deadline confirmed that Logan Lerman, Jermaine Fowler, Christoph Waltz, Keegan-Michael Key and Beanie Feldstein joined the cast.

Since Meryl Streep, 75, joined the series during season 3, rumors regarding the nature of her and Short's relationship began to circulate. But Short's representatives said in January 2024 that the pair are just very good friends, nothing more.
A voter turnout of 79.23 per cent has been recorded in the second and last phase of panchayat polls in Assam, which was held on May 7.

The second and last phase of polls held in 13 districts - Dhubri, South Salmara Mankachar, Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Bajali, Nalbari, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Hojai, Nagaon, Morigaon and Darrang.

In a statement the Assam State Election Commission said that - "As per information received from the District Commissioners the approximate poll percentage of 2nd Panchayat poll is 79.23 per cent."

"The 2nd Phase Panchayat Election, 2025, was completed peacefully without any re-poll," said the statement issued by the Assam State Election Commission.

In the first phase of the panchayat poll, which was held in 14 districts of the state on May 2, the poll percentage was 70.19 per cent.

Meanwhile on May 5, BJP Assam President Dilip Saikia said that it is the people of the villages which matter to BJP, not Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi.

Addressing a press conference, Saikia said that although Gaurav Gogoi's name came up in response to a journalist's question, the focus of the party has remained solely on reaching out to the public with the 15 pledges mentioned in the Sankalp Patra (manifesto).

According to an statement from BJP office, In the Panchayat election campaign, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed over 5 lakh people through 26 meetings. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal addressed 31 meetings, while State BJP President and MP Dilip Saikia addressed a total of 51 meetings, including victory campaign and karyakarta (worker) meetings.

The State BJP President also extended his best wishes to all candidates of the second phase of the Panchayat elections and appealed to every voter to exercise their democratic right by casting their vote on May 7.

Saikia expressed gratitude to AGP President and Minister Atul Bora, Minister Keshab Mahanta, and all other ministers and MPs of the Assam government for conducting extensive campaigns in their assigned districts, the statement said.
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Haryana government has announced the closure of all schools in Gurugram for Friday, May 9. The move comes as a precautionary measure in response to the prevailing security situation in the region.

In the national capital, the Delhi government has issued a late-night directive cancelling all official leaves for its employees. The order, issued by the Services Department, cites emergency preparedness and mandates that no government official be granted leave until further notice.

Meanwhile, uncertainty looms over school operations in Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Delhi, Patna, Bengaluru, and Kolkata. As of now, no official announcement regarding school closures or a shift to online classes has been made for these regions. Parents and students are advised to stay in close contact with their respective schools for real-time updates.

Other developments:

 Schools have been closed in five western districts of Rajasthan.

 A red alert has been issued for Sri Ganganagar.

 Drone usage and firecrackers have been banned in several areas.

 Flight operations at Bikaner, Kishangarh, and Jodhpur airports have been suspended till May 10.

Authorities are monitoring the situation closely, and further advisories may follow based on developments.




India-Pakistan War: Tensions between India and Pakistan have now potentially reached the brink of war. Pakistan continues its provocations. On Thursday night, it launched drone and missile attacks on Jammu and several other border areas, which were successfully intercepted and destroyed. In response, India launched fresh missile/drone strikes on Lahore and Islamabad.

Amid a war-like situation with Pakistan, two terrorists were arrested with RDX in their possession in Chandigarh. According to media reports, the accused were planning to carry out a major attack in Chandigarh. Before they could carry it out, both were apprehended from the jungle area near Jeeri Mandi of Sector-39, and are now being interrogated.
Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Abdul Rauf Azhar, a key figure in Indias most notorious hijacking case, has been killed in Operation Sindoor, top intelligence sources confirmed on Thursday. Azhar, the younger brother of JeM chief Masood Azhar, was the mastermind behind the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 and had been on the radar of Indian intelligence agencies for decades. His elimination marks a significant milestone in Indias counter-terror operations, particularly as he was one of the most wanted individuals by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Carried out with surgical precision by Indian Armed Forces, Operation Sindoor targeted nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Abdul Rauf Azhar was reportedly neutralized in a strike on a high-value target location believed to be a major JeM operational hub. His death is being hailed as a major blow to the Pakistan-backed terror network.

Apart from the Kandhar plan hijack, Azhar was also behind the 2001 Indian Parliament Attack, Nagrota Army Camp Attack 2003, Pulwama Attack (2019) and other cross border terror attacks.

Notably, the Indian Armed Forces killed over 100 terrorists in 'Operation Sindoor' including 10 family members of Jaish chief Masood Azhar and his four close aides. Reportedly after the attack, Masood Azhar wished that he should have died instead of his family members.

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) is a Pakistan-based militant Islamist group founded by Masood Azhar in 2000, with the primary objective of separating Jammu and Kashmir from India and merging it with Pakistan. The group has been responsible for numerous high-profile terror attacks in India, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel.
New Delhi: India-Pakistan war Live coverage: India has taken retaliatory action in the wake of the series of attacks launched by Pakistan on Indian Soil on Thursday night. Indian armed forces reportedly attacked several cities in Pakistan late on Thursday night in retaliation to Pakistan's drone and missile attack aimed at states like Jammu, Punjab and Rajasthan. There were reports of India attackng Islamabad, Karachi port, Lahore and Sialkot, however, there are no official confirmation yet about the move.

This significant development comes as tensions between the two countries continue to flare, following Pakistans failed attempts to target Jammu with drones and missiles. India has activated its Integrated Air Defence Systems along the northern and western sectors in response.

Earlier late in the evening today, 8 Pakistani missiles were intercepted near Jammu - all of them successfully destroyed. The attack also caused a temporary blackout at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, with similar power outages reported in Srinagar under heightened security measures. Also, an F-16 supersonic fighter jet of the Pakistan Air Force was shot down in the evening by an Indian surface-to-air missile defence system,

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence has a couple of minutes ago tweeted, "Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the International Border in J&K today. The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). No casualties or material losses were reported. India remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people."

Earlier, on the intervening night of Wednesday (May 7) India carried out precision airstrikes, under Operation Sindoor, on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, reportedly eliminating around 100 militants. This was Indian government's response to Pahalgam terror attacks on April 22 that killed 26 innocent people.

Operation Sindoor marks one of India's most assertive cross-border military responses since the Balakot airstrikes in 2019.
Doda News LIVE: India-Pakistan War- Tensions between India and Pakistan have significantly intensified after a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. On Wednesday, Indian defense sources reported that air defense systems successfully intercepted eight missiles launched from Pakistan. The missiles were allegedly targeting four key areas in JammuSatwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia.

Intense cross-border firing persists along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, with confirmed ceasefire breaches in Samba involving both artillery shelling and drone strikes. At the same time, several drone attacks have been reported in Udhampur, Akhnoor, Jammu, and Pathankot, prompting active responses from Indian air defence forces to counter the aerial threats.

According to media reports, Pakistan has targeted Jammu with loitering munitions, and Indian Air Defence guns are firing back in retaliation. The Air Defence system has been activated to neutralise the drone attack. According to defence sources, the Indian armed forces successfully intercepted a low-range missile fired from across the border. In addition, a Pakistani drone was shot down near Jammu, preventing what could have been a major security breach.

This comes after the Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised the Pakistan military's attempts at a large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India during the night of May 7-8, and an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

Jammu Police Issues Advisory Amid Blackout

Citizens urged to switch off all lights during blackout.

Stay indoors & in safe locations.

Avoid unnecessary vehicle movement.

No need to panic  authorities managing situation.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Doda of Jammu Division, and sirens can be heard. Sources say at least eight missiles were directed from Pakistan at Jammu Civil Airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia and neighbouring areas, and most of them were intercepted/blocked by the Indian air defence system.

The schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts will remain closed on Wednesday (May 7) after India hit terror hotbeds in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot and PoK.

The situation still remains volatile with increased military alertness on the border and in the skies.
Following an FIR registered against Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai over his 'nimbu-mirchi' jibe on Rafale fighter jet, he said that he just asked when the fighter jet would do its job. "I have said that as the Raksha Mantri has brought Rafael, so when will he use it. I have not made any comment on Rafael. I have just asked when it will be used," the UP Congress chief told ANI on Thursday.

Rai sparked a controversy recently after he showcased a toy version of the Rafale jet with lemon and chillies hanging and had questioned the Union Government for taking no action against the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack. Chetganj ACP Gaurav Kumar said that the case against Ajay Rai has been logded on Wednesday.

"Yesterday, a complaint was received at Chetganj police station in which allegations have been made of making fun of our army's fighter aircraft Rafale, hanging lemon and chilli on it and presenting it like a toy etc. On the basis of the complaint, a case has been registered under the relevant sections. The case has been registered against Congress state President Ajay Rai," Chetganj ACP told ANI today.

Earlier on May 4, Ajay Rai criticised the central government's "big talk and no action" against perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack, saying that they purchased Rafale fighter jets, but those are lying in hangars with "nimbu mirchi" (lemon and chillies) hanging on them.

Displaying a toy plane with Rafale written on it and with lemon-chillies hanging on it, Ajay Rai said, "Terrorist activities have increased in the country, and people are suffering from it. Our youth lost their lives in the Pahalgam terror attack... But, this government, which talks a lot, says that they will crush terrorists - they brought Rafale, but they are in their hangars having chilly and lemon hanging in them. When will they take action against terrorists, those who support them, and their backers?"

Hanging 'nimbu-mirchi' from vehicles is believed to ward off bad luck and the evil eye.
Jammu: Pakistan is using Hamas-style missiles to target multiple areas in Jammu, Defence sources said on Thursday. The sources said visuals over Jammu remind of exactly Hamas-style attack on Israel, like multiple cheap rockets. Pakistan Army is operating and behaving like a terror organisation, Hamas. Last month, ISI and Hamas met in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia sectors in Jammu, and all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units, defence sources said. Explosions were heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Udhampur too.

Pakistani drones were intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Explosions were heard and flashes seen in the sky.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Bikaner in Rajasthan and in Jalandhar in Punjab. Blackouts have also been enforced in Kishtwar, Akhnoor, Samba, Jammu, and Amritsar, Jalandhar.

Escalating its tensions with India, Pakistan targeted Jammu with loitering munitions on Thursday, and Indian Air Defence guns are firing back.

Earlier, India had responded to the Pahalgam terror attack through Operation Sindoor in which terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK was targeted through precision strikes. India also said that any attack on military installations will invite a suitable response.

At a media briefing on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that escalation by Pakistan will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately.
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday held discussions with the Director Generals of all border guarding forces to review the current security situation along India's borders.

The meeting aimed at assessing preparedness and operational readiness in light of recent developments as Pakistan launched a significant missile and drone attack targeting India's Jammu region and Rajasthan including Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia and Jaisalmer. However, all missiles were intercepted and blocked by air defence units and no major damage was reported.

In a separate interaction, Shah also spoke with the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to evaluate airport security measures across the country. The review comes amid heightened vigilance at key infrastructure points.

Officials said the Home Minister emphasized the importance of maintaining high alertness of troops.In a specific talk with the Border Security Force DG, the Home Minister took stock of the situation on the border areas and the preparedness of the border guarding force mandated to guard 3,323 km India-Pakistan border.

Sources said Shah was briefed on ground-level deployments, the use of surveillance technology, and recent trends in border incursions. He emphasized the importance of maintaining high operational alertness and ensuring coordination among different agencies considering the attack from Pakistan targeting civilians in India.

Additional explosions were reported in Jammu and Jaisalmer, prompting air-raid sirens and civilian evacuations in border areas.

This attack followed India's "Operation Sindoor" on May 7, wherein Indian forces conducted missile strikes on nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.India claimed these strikes targeted terrorist infrastructure linked to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, in retaliation for an April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 28 civilians.
India-Pakistan War 2025: Amid the rising tension between two nations, joining the Indian Armed Forces, Indian Navy's mighty INS Vikrant has been stationed in the Arabian Sea. There were reports of INS Vikrant attackng Pak's Karachi port, however, there are no confirmation yet about the move. According to reports, Indian Navy has yet not launched any strike but is guarding India from the sea and is ready to counter any Pakistani misadventure.

According to reports, a huge fire broke out at the port, amid rising tension, loud sirens warning civilians to stay inside their homes are being constantly sounded.

PAKISTAN ATTACKED JAMMU

Pakistan fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia and all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units today, defence sources told ANI.

The sources said the attack resembled a Hamas-style operation in Israel, where multiple cheap rockets are used to target cities. Pakistan Army is operating and behaving like a terror organisation, Hamas. Last month, ISI and Hamas met in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Explosions were heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani drones were intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer. Explosions were heard and flashes seen in the sky.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Bikaner in Rajasthan and in Jalandhar in Punjab. Blackouts have also been enforced in Kishtwar, Akhnoor, Samba, Jammu, and Amritsar, Jalandhar.

Following Indias missile strikes, Pakistan has reportedly imposed Lockdown in the country and curfews in several regions.
Pathankot: A Pakistani Air Force jet was shot down by Indian air defence systems in the Pathankot sector of Punjab, multiple sources told ANI on Friday. Official confirmation from the government is still awaited, and more details are expected soon.

Earlier in the day, Defence sources said that the Indian Army also shot down two Pakistani drones in the Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir. This happened during a heavy exchange of artillery fire between Indian and Pakistani forces in the area.

According to the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, Pakistan also tried to target military stations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, which are close to the International Border (IB). However, the Indian Armed Forces successfully responded to the attack, and no loss of life was reported.

In a post on social media platform X, the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff stated: "Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu and Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by Indian Armed Forces as per SoP with kinetic and non-kinetic means."

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting on Thursday with the Director Generals of all border guarding forces to review the current security situation along India's borders.

The meeting was focused on evaluating the preparedness and readiness of Indian forces after Pakistan launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Indian regions, including Jammu and Rajasthan. Targeted areas included Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia, and Jaisalmer. All incoming missiles were intercepted by Indian air defence systems, and no major damage was reported.

In a separate meeting, the Home Minister also reviewed the security at airports across India with the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), in view of the heightened alert at key infrastructure locations.

These incidents follow India's launch of "Operation Sindoor" on May 7. As part of this operation, the Indian Armed Forces carried out missile strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

According to Indian officials, the strikes targeted terrorist infrastructure linked to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The operation came in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 28 civilians.
Indo-Pak Tension: India's Defence Ministry on Thursday said that its Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan in response to Pakistan's overnight provocation. The defence ministry said that Indian response has been in the 'same domain with same intensity as Pakistan'. Pakistan has confirmed drone attacks across the country at 9 key locations Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Attock, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, Chhor, and Karachi. Pakistans DG ISPR, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said that the attack was carried out using Heron Drones by India.

"It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised. Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir," said the Defence Ministry.

The Defence Ministry said that Pakistan tried to attack multiple civilian areas during the intervening night of May 7 and May 8. "On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," said the Defence Ministry.

The Defence Ministry reiterated that during the Press Briefing on 'Operation SINDOOR' on 07 May 2025, India had called its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory under which it targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. "It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response," said the Ministry.

India had carried out 'Operation Sindoor' to avenge the killings of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam by Pakistan-backed terrorists on April 22. Since then, Pakistan have been violating ceasefire in civilian areas killing innocent people. "Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military," said the Defence Ministry, confirming that India would again hit hard if provoked.
Days after visiting Pakistan and meeting their Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir, Iran's FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi has arrived in India on an official visit. His visit also comes a day after India carried out precision strikes on nine terror camps present in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

On his first visit to the country, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi will co-chair the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting. The high-level dialogue comes as both nations mark the 75th anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty. Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, welcomed the visiting dignitary and highlighted the significance of the occasion.

In a post on X, Jaiswal said, "Warm welcome to FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi, as he arrives in New Delhi for the India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting. An opportunity to review and enhance bilateral cooperation on the 75th Anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty."

The MEA said in a statement, "H.E. Dr. Abbas Araghchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, will visit India from 07 - 08 May 2025 for co-chairing the 20th Joint Commission Meeting between India and Iran. This is Dr. Araghchis first visit to India since assuming office as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran in August 2024. The Joint Commission Meeting, being held on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the signing of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty, will review issues of mutual interest between the two countries and the way forward in strengthening bilateral relations."

What's On Agenda?

The 20th Joint Commission Meeting, being held on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the signing of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty, will review issues of mutual interest between the two countries and the way forward in strengthening bilateral relations, as per the release. During his visit, Araghchi will hold a bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at Hyderabad House on May 8. Later in the day, he will meet President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Reading Between The Lines

The Embassy of Iran in India said that the Iranian Foreign Minister would visit India after a stop in Islamabad, where he would hold talks with Pakistani officials. Though not officially, but India and Iran are likely to discuss the evolving situation with Pakistan. Iran will push for de-escalation but India has maintained that if Pakistan retaliates, then India would go all guns blazing against Islamabad. It's also likely that, despite its repeated rhetoric, Pakistan may have asked Iran to mediate between the two countries, fearing escalation.

However, there is much more to Araghchi's visit to India. After the Pahalgam attack, when tensions flared up between India and Pakistan, Iran has offered to mediate for de-escalation. However, India has already rejected any third-party mediation. On April 25, the Iranian Foreign Minister had given a call for peace to prevail in the neighbourhood in a post on X. His call for peace came in the wake of the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which targeted tourists, killing 26 people.
India-Pakistan War: Simultaneous drone activity was also reported in Udhampur, Akhnoor, and Pathankot, sparking concerns over coordinated aerial threats. Authorities ordered a precautionary blackout in multiple areas to minimize visibility of strategic targets and prevent any potential civilian harm.While this was going on, Pakistan stepped up unprovoked artillery firing across the Line of Control (LoC) by mortars and heavy artillery in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors of Jammu and Kashmir. The barrage killed 16 civilians, among them three women and five children.

According to media reports, Pakistan has targeted Jammu with loitering munitions, and Indian Air Defence guns are firing back in retaliation. The Air Defence system has been activated to neutralise the drone attack.

According to defence sources, the Indian armed forces successfully intercepted a low-range missile fired from across the border. In addition, a Pakistani drone was shot down near Jammu, preventing what could have been a major security breach.

This comes after the Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised the Pakistan military's attempts at a large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India during the night of May 7-8, and an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

Jammu Police Issues Advisory Amid Blackout

Citizens urged to switch off all lights during blackout.

Stay indoors & in safe locations.

Avoid unnecessary vehicle movement.

No need to panic  authorities managing situation.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Kathua of Jammu Division, and sirens can be heard. Sources say at least eight missiles were directed from Pakistan at Jammu Civil Airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia and neighbouring areas, and most of them were intercepted/blocked by the Indian air defence system.

The schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts will remain closed on Wednesday (May 7) after India hit terror hotbeds in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot and PoK.

The situation still remains volatile with increased military alertness on the border and in the skies.
Schools Closed In Rajasthan: Due to the rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the Rajasthan government has decided to close all schools in Jodhpur from Thursday, May 8, 2025, until further notice. This applies to both government and private schools, as well as Anganwadi and play schools in the area.

An official order issued on May 7, 2025, states: "All government and private schools, Anganwadi, and play schools in the district will remain closed for students starting from May 8, 2025, until further notice. However, all staff members, both educational and non-educational, are required to be present at school for departmental work. During this time, all exams will be postponed until further notice.

Institutional heads are instructed to ensure the implementation of this order. Failure to comply will lead to action as per the rules."

The closures come amid escalating tensions following India's Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, where the Indian Armed Forces targeted nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). In addition to the school shutdowns, Air India and Indigo have canceled all flights to and from Jodhpur until May 10.

Similar precautionary measures were also implemented in other border districts of Rajasthan, including Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer, on May 7, 2025. These actions are in response to the heightened security concerns due to Rajasthans 1,070 km border with Pakistan.
India-Pakistan War: According to media reports, Pakistan has targeted Jammu with loitering munitions, and Indian Air Defence guns are firing back in retaliation. The Air Defence system has been activated to neutralise the drone attack.

This comes after the Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised the Pakistan military's attempts at a large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India during the night of May 7-8, and an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

Jammu Police Issues Advisory Amid Blackout

Citizens urged to switch off all lights during blackout.

Stay indoors & in safe locations.

Avoid unnecessary vehicle movement.

No need to panic  authorities managing situation.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Kathua of Jammu Division, and sirens can be heard. Sources say at least eight missiles were directed from Pakistan at Jammu Civil Airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia and neighbouring areas, and most of them were intercepted/blocked by the Indian air defence system.

The schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts will remain closed on Wednesday (May 7) after India hit terror hotbeds in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot and PoK.
India Pakistan War News, Jammu Kashmir Drone Attack News Updates: A complete blackout has been enforced in several districts in Jammu, including Akhnoor of Jammu Division, and sirens are being heard in the region. According to media reports, Pakistan has targeted Jammu with loitering munitions, and Indian Air Defence guns are firing back in retaliation. The Air Defence system has been activated to neutralise the drone attack.

This comes after the Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised the Pakistan military's attempts at a large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India during the night of May 7-8, and an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

Addressing the Ministry of External Affairs' (MEA) press briefing on Thursday, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said that India's Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems successfully neutralised the threats.

She further said that in response to Pakistan's attempted attacks, the Indian Armed Forces this morning targeted multiple air defence radars and systems across Pakistan.

Stay Tuned With ZEE News For All Live Updates On Pakistan Drone Attack And Blackout In Jammu, India-Pakistan Attack LIVE Updates, India Pakistan War News, Pakistan Attack Jammu Today, S400 Missile, F16 Fighter Aircraft and India Pakistan WAR.
Kerala Lottery Results Thursday 08-05-2025 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "Karunya KN-571" Lucky Draw Result today Karunya KN-571, May 01, 2025. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2025 for "Karunya KN-571" 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 Karunya KN-571 results right here to see if youre the first-place winner of 80 Lakhs. Stay tuned to this website for the live update of Kerala Lottery Karunya KN-571 results today.

Kerala Lottery Result 08-05-2025 April: FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA PLUS KN-571 Draw

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Operation Sindoor Live Updates: The Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, conducting precision missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), including Muridke and Bahawalpur  strongholds of terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

According to an official statement released by the Indian Army, the operation  codenamed Operation Sindoor  targeted nine specific locations associated with the orchestration and planning of cross-border terror attacks.

At least 100 terrorists were killed in the 25-minute strikes on nine different locations.

This operation is a retaliation against the terror attack in Pahalgam, located in Jammu & Kashmir's Anantnag district, on April 22, which claimed 26 lives  25 Indian nationals and one Nepali.

Today, the Central government has called an all-party meeting at 11 am to brief political leaders on the military strikes carried out by the Indian armed forces targeting the terror camps in Pakistan and PoK.
New Delhi: India has destroyed 8 Pakistani missiles that were launched at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia sector over Jammu on Thursday night. All the missiles were intercepted by Indian Air Defence units and shot down. A complete blackout has been enforced in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.

The attempted air strike -- drones and missiles being fired-- triggered blackouts and sirens across several areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan.

Meanwhile Jammu and Kashmir Police has issued a public advisory asking citizens to stay indoors and take necessary precautions during the scheduled blackout period.

The advisory urges all residents to switch off all types of lights during the blackout and remain inside safe locations. People have also been advised to avoid unnecessary travel or vehicular movement during this time.

Police has assured that there is no need for panic, as the situation is under full control of the authorities. Citizens have been further requested not to share or circulate rumours and unverified information, which may cause confusion or fear among the public. The advisory concludes with a reminder to stay alert and stay safe.
Bengaluru: Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) Rajya Sabha member H.D. Deve Gowda expressed his admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership following Operation Sindoor.

The past couple of weeks must have been very demanding and stressful, but I am happy that God has given you strength and resolve to see India through these trying times. Your leadership has been exemplary, and history will undoubtedly record it in glowing terms, wrote the former Prime Minister in an appreciative letter addressed to PM Modi.

Gowda described the governments approach as mature and restrained, while noting that PM Modis prompt return from Saudi Arabia and his decision to cancel his planned visit to Europe reflected both responsibility and sensitivity to the crisis at hand.

I write to you with a deep sense of appreciation, following Indias mature and restrained military response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. I have been watching the determined steps that you have taken from day one, the former Prime Minister.

When you cut short your visit to Saudi Arabia and rushed back to monitor the developing situation in India, conduct strategy meetings, mobilise international support and inspire our armed forces. You also later cancelled your trip to Europe to be available at home for all emergencies, Gowda stated.

The former Prime Minister also acknowledged the immense stress and demands of decision-making in times of national crisis.

He remarked that PM Modi's spiritual grounding and calm judgement were evident in how the situation was handled, stating, I know it is lonely at the top You have demonstrated that you have it all in good measure.

As India continues to face threats from across the border, the 93-year-old Deve Gowda invoked the values of dharma, praying that divine strength guide the Prime Minister and the country.

We suffer together, but we also rise together as one nation and one people. I pray that God be with you, and with our great nation as we wage this war of Dharma against Adharma of terrorism. India is a peace-loving nation and has always spread positive light in the world, but if someone sees it as our weakness, then they now know what we are capable of, he said.

He said that the challenges the country faces may not certainly end here, but there is immense relief in the fact that the people remained united as a nation. The letter comes after the centre held an all-party meeting to brief political leaders about the success of Operation Sindoor.
New Delhi: The RELENTLESS coverage of Operation Sindoor under which 9 terror camps in Pakistan were blown off by Indian Army has rattled the neighbouring nation so much so that it stooped down to muzzling Indian media voices. In its freshest cowardly act, Pakistan has banned Zee News in its country.

The move is part of a broader crackdown on media outlets that Pakistan accuses of spreading "propaganda".

Indian Army at wee hours on the intervening night of Wednesday (7 May 2025) launched OPERATION SINDOOR, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India were planned and directed.

Indian Army took the steps in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen on April 22.

"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution," said a government release. "We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable," the release added.

The international community has expressed concern over the escalating conflict. Iran has offered to mediate between the two nations, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visiting both New Delhi and Islamabad to facilitate dialogue. As the situation continues to develop, the global community watches closely. It has urged the two nations for a de-escalation of tensions.
Pakistans protracted struggle with democratic governance resembles less a narrative of political maturation and more a cautionary example of institutional domination.

Though envisioned as a republican state by its founding leadership in 1947, Pakistan has consistently fallen short in establishing a truly democratic system. The primary actor behind this failure is widely recognised but seldom challenged: the Pakistan military. Over successive decades, it has embedded itself within the core of political authority, persistently undermining civilian leadership and weakening democratic institutions from within.

At present, Pakistan functions, at most, as a hybrid regimea superficial civilian administration concealing a deeply embedded military establishment. Whenever public dissatisfaction with this setup intensifies, the military has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity to rebrand itself as the essential guardian of national security. It habitually relies on familiar narrativesIndian hostility, internal subversion, or foreign plotsfrequently amplified through compliant media and affiliated non-state actors, to legitimise its dominant position. This dynamic was evident when Army Chief General Asim Munir began employing political dog-whistles ahead of the April 22 Pahalgam attack targeting tourists in Jammu and Kashmir, anticipating a forceful Indian reaction that the military elite could exploit to consolidate public support.

This militarised approach to governance stands in stark contrast to the political ideals of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistans founding father, who envisaged an Islamic republic grounded in democratic principles, institutional probity, and socio-political equality. Significantly, in his address to the 5th and 6th Ack Ack Regiments of the Pakistan Armyformations previously part of the British Indian Armyon 21st February 1948, Jinnah urged the military to uphold the values of Islamic democracy, Islamic social justice, and the equality of manhood within the geographical bounds of the newly established state.

However, the very institution Jinnah aimed to redirect soon deviated from its intended path. While his landmark address to the Constituent Assembly remains celebrated as a clear expression of his ideological vision for Pakistan, it was largely disregarded by the Pakistan Army, whose gradual incursions into the political sphere steadily undermined the constitutional values championed by Jinnah. This drift towards militarised governance began alarmingly within Pakistans first decade, thereby derailing the democratic ambitions that had initially driven the post-colonial nation-building endeavour.

It was this gradual consolidation of praetorian tendenciesevident in the steady erosion of constitutionalism and civilian authoritythat ultimately led to the full-scale military coup of 1958. In this initial constitutional breakdown, President Iskandar Mirza conspired with General Ayub Khan to annul the 1956 Constitution, thereby dismantling the fledgling democratic framework. Ironically, Mirza was soon deposed by the very military machinery he had empowered, ushering in a prolonged period of authoritarian military rule. This foundational rupture not only entrenched the militarys hegemonic role within Pakistans political system but also triggered a pattern of systemic instability that eventually led to the state's fragmentation with the secession of East Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.

Since that time, the militarys hold has only strengthened. Over the years, it has progressively extended its influencenot only within the political realm but also deep into the countrys economic structures. The regime of General Zia-ul-Haq during the 1980s serves as a defining example. His tenure was characterised not only by the consolidation of military authority but also by a forceful Islamisation drive that reconfigured Pakistans societal landscape and further solidified the militarys role as an ideological arbiter.

By 2020, the Pakistan militarys economic empire had evolved into a vast, multi-sector corporate entity, with an estimated value exceeding $20 billion. Widely recognised for its pervasive presence across the economic landscape, the militarys commercial and industrial reach spans the manufacture of basic goodsranging from sewing needles to bottled wateras well as major infrastructural projects, including roadworks and property development. A 2016 submission to the Pakistani Senate revealed that the armed forces oversee more than 50 business enterprises, encompassing ventures such as Askari Cement, Askari Bank, Fauji Meat, Askari Sugar Mills, shopping centres, and residential housing schemes. These operations are chiefly managed through four institutional bodies: the Fauji Foundation, Bahria Foundation, Shaheen Foundation, and the Army Welfare Trust (AWT).

The consolidation and maintenance of this extensive politico-economic apparatus has emerged as a core institutional priority for the military establishment. As a result, the continuation of its hegemonic control over civilian governance is no longer justified merely through conventional security arguments, but is now intrinsically linked to the protection of its substantial material interests and ideological influenceoften to the detriment of democratic consolidation and civilian ascendancy.

The cumulative impact of this militarised political structure has been the consistent undermining of civilian authority, which has persistently struggled to attain independent legitimacy or institutional continuity within Pakistans governance system. As a result, any civilian political figure whose rise threatens the entrenched dominance of the military establishment has routinely been sidelined through coercive or extrajudicial measures. A notable example of this pattern was the judicial execution of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1979a politically motivated act following his removal in the 1977 military couptriggered by his escalating popular support and increasing resistance to military oversight.

This historical precedent echoes in the states ongoing punitive campaign against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, whose present imprisonment is broadly viewed as retaliation for his overt challenge to the militarys entrenched influence within the political domain. These recurrent patterns of suppression underscore the militarys persistent aversion to political independence and its structural compulsion to preserve hegemonic supremacy over democratic institutions.

These structural imperatives collectively sustain the Pakistan Armys ongoing opposition to any meaningful process of democratic consolidation, thereby solidifying its authoritarian control over the state machinery. As a result, the system is designed not for democracy but for containment. The continuation of this civil-military imbalance is not incidental; rather, it is systematically upheld through a complex interplay of institutional self-preservation, economic interests, and ideological dominance. Civilian institutions are permitted to operate only insofar as they do not challenge the primacy of the military. This is not governance; it is institutionalised authoritarianism cloaked in a democratic guise. from this cycle demands more than temporary outrage or symbolic acts of opposition. Removing the military from the political sphere requires a far more ambitious approach: a sustained, organised, and credible political movementone capable of confronting both the ideological and material underpinnings of military rule. Until such a movement emerges, Pakistan will remain ensnared in a state of managed democracy, with its citizens relegated to a system that neither represents nor empowers them.
Schools Closed In Punjab: In the wake of escalating tensions along the India-Pakistan border, authorities have ordered the closure of all schools in several border districts of Punjab. The move comes just hours after the Indian Armed Forces launched targeted missile strikes early Wednesday on nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The military action was a direct response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian civilians. According to official sources, the precision strikes hit key terror infrastructure, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) headquarters in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibas (LeT) operational base in Muridke.

As a precautionary measure, schools across five districtsFerozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, and Gurdaspurwere closed on Wednesday. The Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner issued an official directive confirming the closure of all schools in the district for the day. In Pathankot, local authorities have taken an even more cautious approach by ordering schools to remain shut for the next 72 hours.

Officials confirmed that schools have also been closed in the districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Fazilka. The military action, conducted under the codename 'Operation Sindoor', was launched two weeks after the tragic killing of 26 civilians in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
India-Pakistan Tensions: After the tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, in a post on X, informed that the schools, colleges, and universities in Punjab will remain shut for the next three days.

In view of the evolving situation, it is hereby ordered that all Schools, Colleges, and Universities  Government, Private, and Aided  across entire Punjab shall remain completely closed for the next three days, the Punjab Education Minister wrote in the post. In view of the evolving situation, it is hereby ordered that all Schools, Colleges, and Universities  Government, Private, and Aided  across entire Punjab shall remain completely closed for the next three days

 Harjot Singh Bains (@harjotbains) May 8, 2025

Blackouts In Punjab

According to ANI, Pakistan fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia, however, all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units. Explosions were also heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur. A complete blackout was enforced in Jalandhar in Punjab. Furthermore, blackouts were also implemented in Kishtwar, Akhnoor, Samba, Jammu, and Amritsar, Jalandhar.

Operation Sindoor

Earlier, India had launched Operation Sindoor in which terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK was targeted through precision strikes. This came after the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people. New Delhi had also said that any attack on military installations will invite a suitable response.

At a media briefing on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that escalation by Pakistan will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately, and added that Indias intention has not been to escalate matters.

In a statement, the Defence Ministry on Thursday also informed that on the night of 7 and 8 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.

These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks, the statement added.

It continued, Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

The statement said Pakistan had increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy-calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military, the Ministrys statement noted.

(with ANI inputs)
Rajouri News LIVE: India-Pakistan War- Pakistan once again attacked Indian cities. These included Rajouri, Samba, Poonch, Akhnoor, RS Pura, Pathankot, Amritsar, Jammu. It is being told that this attack was carried out with a drone, which was foiled by the Indian Army.

Destroyed by S-400 missile defense system.

It is reported that Pakistan carried out several major attacks. Rajouri was also included in this. Explosions were heard in many areas of Rajouri. This created an atmosphere of fear among the people in the city. Pakistan attacked India with rockets and missiles. But, however, Pakistan's attacks were destroyed by the Indian Army. India's S-400 missile defense system destroyed these missiles in the air.

India gave a befitting reply to the attacks

by Pakistan. India has given a befitting reply to the attacks by Pakistan. The Indian Air Force took action from India's side. After the Pakistani attacks, Indian fighter jets took off from Jammu and shot down a Pakistani fighter jet. This attack caused a sensation in Pakistan. An emergency meeting was called in Pakistan. Seeing the growing tension between India and Pakistan, America instructed its citizens present in Pakistan to return.

Jammu Police Issues Advisory Amid Blackout

Citizens urged to switch off all lights during blackout.

Stay indoors & in safe locations.

Avoid unnecessary vehicle movement.

No need to panic  authorities managing situation.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Rajouri of Jammu Division, and sirens can be heard. Sources say at least eight missiles were directed from Pakistan at Jammu Civil Airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia and neighbouring areas, and most of them were intercepted/blocked by the Indian air defence system.

The situation still remains volatile with increased military alertness on the border and in the skies.
Reasi News LIVE: India-Pakistan War- At 1.30 am on Wednesday, Indian armed forces carried out a coordinated strike codenamed Operation Sindoor, which dismantled nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. According to officials, the operation, carried out in a rapid 25-minute window between 1.05 am and 1.30 am, targeted terrorist infrastructure from where attacks against India have been planned and carried out.

India retaliated against Pakistan's drone attack with attacks in Pakistan's capital city, Islamabad, Lahore and Faisalabad.Tensions between India and Pakistan have significantly intensified after a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. On Wednesday, Indian defense sources reported that air defense systems successfully intercepted eight missiles launched from Pakistan. India opens three gates of Salal Dam in Reasi after Indus Waters Treaty freeze and military strikes on Pakistan.

#WATCH | Jammu and Kashmir: Latest visuals from Reasi's Salal Dam built on Chenab River; 3 gates of the dam are seen open.



(Visuals shot at 4:45 pm today) pic.twitter.com/n2rd9NiW4b  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

Jammu Police Issues Advisory Amid Blackout

Citizens urged to switch off all lights during blackout.

Stay indoors & in safe locations.

Avoid unnecessary vehicle movement.

No need to panic  authorities managing situation.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Poonch of Jammu Division, and sirens can be heard. Sources say at least eight missiles were directed from Pakistan at Jammu Civil Airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia and neighbouring areas, and most of them were intercepted/blocked by the Indian air defence system.

The situation still remains volatile with increased military alertness on the border and in the skies.
Bengaluru: Responding to rumours of a food grain shortage in the wake of Operation Sindoor, the Central government has clarified that the country has double the required stock, dismissed the rumours as baseless, and appealed to the public not to engage in panic buying or overspending in the market.

The rumour that there is a shortage of food and essential commodities in the country is completely false. No one should pay attention to such baseless claims, appealed Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi.

Speaking to the media in New Delhi on Thursday, the minister said that certain individuals are deliberately spreading misinformation about shortages of food and essential goods in different parts of the country. He clarified that this appears to be an attempt by mischief-makers to mislead the public in the current situation.

Joshi mentioned that such false rumours have been circulating in Punjab. However, there is no shortage of food or essential commodities anywhere in the country. In fact, stocks are more than sufficient. There is no need for people to rush or panic-buy daily essentials, he stated.

The Central government has conducted a review of the stockpiles of food grains and essential commodities across the nation. It has been confirmed that everywhere, the stock is significantly higher than the actual requirement. The country has ample reserves, and there is no reason for anyone to panic, the minister assured the public.

Joshi added that he has taken note of the false news being spread in Punjab today. It appears to be a deliberate effort to create confusion. He urged the public not to pay attention to such rumours.

He emphasised that all essential grains and pulsesincluding rice, wheat, Bengal gram, pigeon pea, lentils, and green gramare available in quantities much higher than the national requirement. The rumour about shortages of food and essential items is baseless, and no one should believe it. There is absolutely no need for public fear or concern, he said.

The minister strongly advised people not to rush into panic buying based on these rumours. There is no need to go from one market to another and spend excessively out of fear. He reiterated that the situation is well under control and there is no shortage of supplies.
Samba News LIVE: India-Pakistan War -Tensions between India and Pakistan have significantly intensified after a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. On Wednesday, Indian defense sources reported that air defense systems successfully intercepted eight missiles launched from Pakistan. The missiles were allegedly targeting four key areas in JammuSatwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia. Thankfully, there were no reports of injuries or damage.

Intense cross-border firing persists along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, with confirmed ceasefire breaches in Samba involving both artillery shelling and drone strikes. At the same time, several drone attacks have been reported in Udhampur, Akhnoor, Jammu, and Pathankot, prompting active responses from Indian air defence forces to counter the aerial threats.

According to media reports, Pakistan has targeted Jammu with loitering munitions, and Indian Air Defence guns are firing back in retaliation. The Air Defence system has been activated to neutralise the drone attack. According to defence sources, the Indian armed forces successfully intercepted a low-range missile fired from across the border. In addition, a Pakistani drone was shot down near Jammu, preventing what could have been a major security breach.

This comes after the Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised the Pakistan military's attempts at a large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India during the night of May 7-8, and an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.

Jammu Police Issues Advisory Amid Blackout

Citizens urged to switch off all lights during blackout.

Stay indoors & in safe locations.

Avoid unnecessary vehicle movement.

No need to panic  authorities managing situation.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Kathua of Jammu Division, and sirens can be heard. Sources say at least eight missiles were directed from Pakistan at Jammu Civil Airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia and neighbouring areas, and most of them were intercepted/blocked by the Indian air defence system.

The schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts will remain closed on Wednesday (May 7) after India hit terror hotbeds in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot and PoK.

The situation still remains volatile with increased military alertness on the border and in the skies.
Due to increasing tension after Pakistan fired heavy weapons at villages near the border in Jammu and Kashmir, several districts close to the border in Jammu & Kashmir have closed schools and colleges as a safety precaution. Educational institutions in Gurez will also remain closed, and Kashmir University has postponed all examinations scheduled up to May 10.

Jammu & Kashmir: Schools Shut in several districts

All schools, colleges, and educational institutions in the districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch remained closed on May 7, 2025, due to rising tensions along the Line of Control (LoC). The Divisional Commissioner of Jammu also announced that the closure will continue on May 8.

"In view of the prevailing situation, all schools, colleges and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch will remain closed today," Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said on X.

Operation Sindoor

On May 7, 2025, India carried out Operation Sindoor, a planned counterattack aimed at nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), in response to the deadly Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 tourists.

Key targets included Jaish-e-Mohammad's base in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's camp in Muridke. After the strikes, the Pakistan Army responded with heavy firing, further intensifying tensions between the two countries.

Flights cancelled in multiple regions of north

Several Indian airlines have cancelled flights from multiple northern cities, including Srinagar, which has been closed for operations following missile strikes by the armed forces on terror camps in Pakistan. In light of changing airspace conditions after Operation Sindoor, Delhi Airport also issued a travel advisory for passengers on Wednesday.
Following the increased tensions between India and Pakistan following the Indian Armed Forces' initiation of Operation Sindoor, a number of countriessuch as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australiahave issued travel advisories warning their citizens to stay away from conflict zones in both countries.

Operation Sindoor: In response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, the operation targeted several terror infrastructure locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The attack has heightened regional tensions considerably, causing countries to revise their travel advice.

United States

The US Embassy and Consulates in Pakistan published a "Military Activity and Closed Airspace" notice. The notice reaffirmed the "Do Not Travel" designation for locations close to the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control (LoC) due to threats of terrorism and possible armed conflict.

American citizens were advised to leave active conflict areas if possible or shelter in place. The alert also warned of closed airspace and cancelled flights, urging US nationals to keep a low profile, be constantly aware of surroundings, and to always carry identification.

United Kingdom

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office warned against travel within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border and 10 miles (about 16 km) of the LoC. The warning also extends to travel across Pakistan's Balochistan province.

After Pakistan closed its airspace for at least 48 hours on May 6, British citizens were advised to remain in touch with their airlines and listen to local authorities' advice.

Canada

Canada has advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Jammu and Kashmir and locations within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border. Its warning mentioned heightened military activity and artillery exchanges, advising that the situation could quickly worsen.

The advisory cited the threat of additional attacks and asked Canadians in impacted areas to be on their guard, prepared to shelter-in-place, and obey local directions, such as air-raid alarms or evacuation notices.

Australia

Australia upgraded its travel warning level for India to "exercise a high degree of caution," citing the unstable security situation. The government also issued notices for possible flight disruptions due to shut-down airports, specifically in northwest India.

Australian citizens were requested to take precautions seriously, follow local media, and keep themselves updated regarding alterations in flight operations.

Singapore

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) urged against all but essential travel to Jammu & Kashmir and to Pakistan. The MFA cautioned about the sensitivity along the border and requested that citizens be careful, not congregate in public places, and report their stay with the ministry.

Singaporeans already within the area were encouraged to observe local developments and comply with all safety guidelines directed by authorities.

China

China's foreign ministry issued a general warning requesting its nationals to stay away from regions adjacent to the combat zone between India and Pakistan. Although the statement was concise, it encouraged vigilance and caution.

With tensions still seething in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, world capitals are keeping a watchful eye. Travelers are recommended to contact their respective foreign ministries for up-to-date information and heed local advice for security.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Karnataka's "daughter-in-law," has emerged as a national hero after giving a stirring media speech on 'Operation Sindoor,' receiving widespread admiration and pride from her in-laws' village in Konnur, near Gokak in Belagavi district.

#WATCH | #OperationSindoor, Col. Sofiya Qureshi says, "Operation Sindoor was launched to give justice to victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and destroyed." pic.twitter.com/8nbLHN6a3k May 7, 2025

Married to Konnur-born Colonel Tajuddin Bagewadi, Qureshi has won the locals over, and villagers rushed to her in-laws' house to greet them with congratulations. Her father-in-law, Ghouse Saab Babu Saab Bagewadi, radiated joy and said, "Im overjoyed that both my son and daughter-in-law, both colonels, are serving the nation. Since Sofiyas TV appearance, my phone hasnt stopped ringing with well-wishers."

Ghouse described Qureshi's humility, noting that despite her high-ranking position, she blends seamlessly into village life during her annual visits, living as a traditional Muslim woman. "She becomes one of us," he said. "Even with the possibility of war, Im not worried about their safetythey are serving India."

The pair, married in an arranged union in 2015 in Vadodara, Gujarat, have achieved phenomenal career success. Qureshi, a third-generation Indian Army officer serving in Jammu, and Bagewadi, serving in Jhansi, are planning to go to Konnur together for Bakrid, which has caused villagers to become excited and shower the family with flowers and respect.

Ghouse also addressed Pakistan's attempts to sow religious discord, asserting, "We Indian Muslims face our enemies head-on. For us, theres only one identity: Hindustani. He emphasised unity, citing a Lingayat swamis donation to their Urs festival as a symbol of communal harmony. "Theres no caste or religious differencewe are one," he said.

Social media all over Karnataka has gone into hails for Qureshi, hailing her as a proud daughter-in-law of Karnataka and a symbol of strength and unity.
Udhampur News LIVE: India-Pakistan War - On Thursday, Indian defence forces effectively thwarted missile and drone attacks launched by Pakistan targeting military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, following a series of loud explosions reported in Jammu. Emergency blackouts and warning sirens were activated throughout the region, with sirens also sounding in Akhnoor, Samba, Baramulla, and Kupwara. Indian air defence units successfully intercepted multiple drones and missiles during the assault.

Intense cross-border firing persists along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, with confirmed ceasefire breaches in Samba involving both artillery shelling and drone strikes. At the same time, several drone attacks have been reported in Udhampur, Akhnoor, Jammu, and Pathankot, prompting active responses from Indian air defence forces to counter the aerial threats.

According to defence sources, the Indian armed forces successfully intercepted a low-range missile fired from across the border. In addition, a Pakistani drone was shot down near Jammu, preventing what could have been a major security breach.

Jammu Police Issues Advisory Amid Blackout

Citizens urged to switch off all lights during blackout.

Stay indoors & in safe locations.

Avoid unnecessary vehicle movement.

No need to panic  authorities managing situation.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Udhampur of Jammu Division, and sirens can be heard. Sources say at least eight missiles were directed from Pakistan at Jammu Civil Airport, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia and neighbouring areas, and most of them were intercepted/blocked by the Indian air defence system.

The situation still remains volatile with increased military alertness on the border and in the skies.
US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Thursday said Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for restraint amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan.

During a press briefing, Bruce said that Rubio spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging immediate de-escalation.

"This morning Secretary Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif and EAM Dr S Jaishankar. In both calls, the Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation and called for an end to the violence. He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications," she said.

Rubio's call with Jaishankar came after Pakistan reportedly opened fire along the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) border, US State Department said.

He further expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications.

"The Secretary reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States' commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism," US State Department wrote in a statement.

In response Jaishankar, appreciated US commitment and said that India "will firmly counter any attempts at escalation."

"Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening. Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism," Jaishankar wrote on X.

"Underlined India's targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation," he added.

Currently the situation is tense on the India Pakistan border after Pakistan fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia and all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units, defence sources said. Sources said the attack resembled a Hamas style operation in Israel where multiple cheap rockets are used to target cities.

Explosions were heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi: Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Delhi Airport has issued a special travel advisory for the passengers to avoid any panic-like situation. The advisory came after aerial attacks by Pakistan targeting Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border, were successfully foiled by Indias air defence systems.

The official advisory for travellers reads: "Delhi Airport operations remain normal. Some flights are impacted due to changing airspace conditions and heightened security. Please check with your airlines for the latest updates. We urge everyone to rely only on official sources and avoid sharing unverified information. We're working closely with all stakeholders to minimise any inconvenience."

Meanwhile, several airlines including Air India, Akasa, Indigo and Spicejet also announced passengers to arrive 3 hrs prior to departure as India-Pakistan tensions rise.

In a post on social media platform X, Air India said, "In view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding. Check-in closes 75 mins before departure."

#TravelAdvisory



In view of an order by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on enhanced measures at airports, passengers across India are advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to scheduled departure to ensure smooth check-in and boarding.  Air India (@airindia) May 8, 2025

The attempted strike, involving drones and missiles, triggered blackouts and sirens across several areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors and vigilant as emergency protocols were activated. India has reportedly undertaken retaliatory action in the wake of the attacks.

Earlier in the day, domestic carriers cancelled around 430 flights on Thursday, which is nearly three per cent of the total scheduled flights in the country, as 27 airports remain shut till May 10.

The affected airports include Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Shimla, Gaggal, Dharamsala, Kishangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mundra, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Bhuj, Gwalior, and Hindon.

(With IANS Inputs)
New Delhi: Amid the India-Pakistan war escalations, several flights have been cancelled and airports temporarily shut. This comes after Pakistan launched a significant missile and drone attack targeting Jammu's Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia and Rajasthan's Jaisalmer regions. However, all missiles were intercepted and blocked by India's strong air defence units and no major damage was reported.

On May 7, 2025 as part of Operation Sindoor, India striked down 9 terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, from where attacks against India were have been planned and executed. This was in retaliation to the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack with killed 26 innocent tourists.

City-Wise List Of Airports Temporarily Closed

Srinagar

Jammu

Leh

Amritsar

Ludhiana

Patiala

Bathinda

Halwara

Shimla

Kangra-Gaggal

Bhuntar

Jaisalmer

Jodhpur

Bikaner

Mundra

Jamnagar

Hirasar

Porbandar

Keshod

Kandla

Bhuj

Chandigarh

Kishengarh

Pathankot

Gwalior

Hindon

Dharamsala

However, it's important to check with airlines and airport authorities for the updated information on flight schedules and airport status.

Meanwhile, Delhi Airport has issued a special travel advisory for the passengers to avoid any panic-like situation. The advisory came after aerial attacks by Pakistan targeting Jammu as well as several military stations near the western border, were successfully foiled by Indias air defence systems.

The official advisory for travellers reads: "Delhi Airport operations remain normal. Some flights are impacted due to changing airspace conditions and heightened security. Please check with your airlines for the latest updates. We urge everyone to rely only on official sources and avoid sharing unverified information. We're working closely with all stakeholders to minimise any inconvenience."

Several airlines including Air India, Akasa, Indigo and Spicejet also announced passengers to arrive 3 hrs prior to departure as India-Pakistan tensions rise.
New Delhi: Pakistani Actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan are once again facing fresh boycott calls in India with the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) strongly condemning and criticizing "Anti-India" statements made by the actors.

In the press release, AICWA claims that the actors have "openly criticized" India, and claimed that Mahira has labelled Indias military response as a Seriously Cowardly act, while Fawad Khan, instead of condemning terrorism, "focused on criticizing Indias stance and supporting divisive narratives".

The organisation stated that the statements were not just disrespectful to our nation but also an "insult to the countless innocent lives lost due to terrorism and the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our country".

"AICWA reaffirms its strict and complete ban on Pakistani artists, filmmakers, and financiers working in India. No Indian artist will collaborate with any Pakistani talent, nor will any global platform be shared with them." they continued.

The statement further urged Indian netizens to understand that, "blindly supporting these artists under the pretext of art is a betrayal of national pride."

AICWA strongly condemned filmmakers, producers, and artists of the film Abir Gulal for casting Pakistani actor Fawad Khan despite the Pulwama attack and further questioned, "What message do such filmmakers want to convey?".

AICWA also made a special request to the Indian Film Industry AICWA to respect this ban and prioritize national interest over any so-called artistic collaborations.

"Indian artists and filmmakers must decide whether they will stand with their nation or continue to engage with those who openly oppose it. Those who insult our nation under the pretext of freedom of speech should not be given the privilege of working in our industry." the statement concluded.

Read Their Statement here:

Media Release



All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) Strongly Condemns Anti-India Statements by Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan



Mumbai, India  The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) strongly condemns the anti-India statements made by Pakistani actress Mahira Khan and pic.twitter.com/pEjqzAgy8a  All Indian Cine Workers Association (@AICWAOfficial) May 7, 2025

On Wednesday, Fawad took to Instagram to condemn the retaliation and wrote, My deepest condolences to the families of those injured and killed in this shameful attack. I pray for the souls of the deceased and strength for their loved ones in the days to come. A respectful request to all: stop stoking the flames with rabble-rousing words. It is not worth the lives of innocent people. May better sense prevail. InshaAllah. Pakistan Zindabad!"

On the other hand, Mahira Khan took to her Instagram and wrote, "Seriously cowardly!!! May Allah protect our country, may better sense prevail. Ameen."

On Wednesday, the Indian Armed Forces successfully struck nine terror targets, four in Pakistan, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Sialkot, and five in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the Pahalgam attack where 26 tourists were brutally killed.
Washington: President Donald Trump has once again taken aim at the television industry, targeting the Emmy-nominated CBS program '60 Minutes' for its coverage of an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.

The segment, which aired in October, was recently nominated for a prestigious News and Documentary Emmy in the category of Outstanding Edited Interview.

However, according to Deadline, this recognition has sparked controversy due to Trump's ongoing USD 20 billion lawsuit against CBS.

The lawsuit, filed earlier this year, accuses CBS of deliberately editing Harris's interview to misrepresent her comments and potentially influence the outcome of the 2020 election.

Trump argues that the edited footage created a misleading portrayal of the then-vice president, specifically around her response to questions about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's lack of responsiveness to the Biden administration's policies.

On Truth Social, Trump lashed out at the nomination, labelling it a "total slap in the face to anyone who believes in truth and honest journalism."

He further questioned the legitimacy of the nomination, asking, "Did 60 Minutes and its Corporate Parents apply to get an Emmy for an illegally falsified interview, or did other Fake Outlets nominate them for this dubious 'honor'?"

The controversy stems from a discrepancy between the version of Harris's interview shown on '60 Minutes' and a preview that aired on Face the Nation.

In the '60 Minutes' segment, Harris commented on the work done to influence Israel's stance on the region.

CBS argues that there was no deceptive editing, stating that Harris's answer was split across both programs: the first part of her response was shown on Face the Nation, while the second part was aired on '60 Minutes'.

Trump's lawsuit, however, claims that this editing misrepresented the interview and violated Texas consumer law, according to Deadline.

Despite the lawsuit, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the organisation responsible for the Emmy awards, has defended the nomination.

According to a statement from NATAS, the segment was evaluated by two independent panels of judges, consisting of senior editorial leaders from various major US broadcast news organisations.

"From a field of more than three dozen entries in one of the year's most competitive categories, the segment was nominated on the strength of its journalism," the statement said.

NATAS also emphasised that editorial or political viewpoints do not factor into the selection process.

The organisation clarified, "NATAS does not select nominees or winners, and intervenes only when competition rules are violated."

As per Deadline, many legal experts argue that Trump's claims violate First Amendment protections for the press.

Furthermore, with Paramount Global currently seeking regulatory approval for its merger with Skydance, discussions between Trump's legal team and the media conglomerate have reportedly centred on potential settlements.

The '60 Minutes' segment featuring Kamala Harris has been nominated for Outstanding Edited Interview, and the winners will be announced during the Emmy Awards ceremony on June 25.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time Trump has criticised the television industry. In the past, he has lambasted the primetime Emmy Awards, which are overseen by the sister organisation, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, for not recognising his reality show 'The Apprentice'.
New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at bolstering national security, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), Government of India, has issued a formal advisory to all Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms, media streaming services, and digital intermediaries operating in the country, directing them to immediately cease hosting or distributing content originating from Pakistan.

The advisory, issued by the Ministrys Information and Broadcasting Wing, underscores concerns related to sovereignty, national security, and public order. Citing provisions of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (commonly referred to as the IT Rules, 2021), the ministry emphasised that online curated content must not compromise India's integrity, defense, or international relations.

The advisory follows a recent terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of several Indian citizens and left many others injured.

"The Code of Ethics under the IT Rules mandates publishers to exercise due caution regarding content that threatens the security or sovereignty of the country or undermines India's foreign relations," the advisory states. It also highlights Rule 3(1)(b) of Part-II of the Rules, which requires digital intermediaries to ensure that users do not share or disseminate content that jeopardizes public order or India's international relations.

In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription based model or pic.twitter.com/8yjP6ULNEU  ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025

As a result, all forms of streaming content  including web series, films, songs, and podcasts, regardless of whether they are subscription-based or freely accessible  that have origins in Pakistan are to be removed from Indian digital platforms without delay.

The advisory has been issued with the approval of the competent authority within the Ministry and has been communicated to self-regulatory bodies and associations of OTT platforms for strict compliance.
Washington: A Mississippi man has been charged with stalking and vandalism following a disturbing incident at Jennifer Aniston's Bel-Air mansion, which occurred on May 5.

The suspect, 48-year-old Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, is now facing up to three years in California state prison if found guilty of the felonies, according to Deadline.

Carwyle, who is currently being held on a USD 150,000 bail, is set to be arraigned Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Carwyle is accused of repeatedly harassing the actress over a span of several months.

His alleged actions include sending Aniston unwanted social media messages, voicemails, and emails between March 1, 2023, and May 5, 2025.

As per Deadline, the situation took a dramatic turn when Carwyle drove his vehicle through the gates of Aniston's Bel-Air property at approximately 12:20 pm on May 5.

The actress was at home during the incident but was fortunately unharmed. Her security team quickly intervened, detaining Carwyle until the Los Angeles Police Department arrived on the scene.

"Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities," said District Attorney Nathan Hochman in a statement released Wednesday, as quoted by Deadline.

"My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorise others, ensuring they are held accountable," the statement further read, as per Deadline.

Deputy District Attorney Sam Hulefeld is leading the case, which is being handled by the DA's specialised Stalking and Threat Assessment Team.

The team focuses on cases involving individuals who pose a threat to public safety through persistent harassment.

Aniston's 8,500-square-foot mansion, located in the exclusive Bel-Air neighbourhood, is known for its architectural significance.

Designed by renowned modernist architect A. Quincy Jones and later renovated by her and ex-husband Justin Theroux, the property was purchased in the early 2010s for just under USD 21 million.

It sits on a sprawling 3.4-acre lot in one of Los Angeles's wealthiest neighbourhoods.

Jennifer Aniston, who is best known for her role as Rachel Green on 'Friends' and more recently for her starring role in 'The Morning Show', has not publicly commented on the incident. (ANI)
New Delhi: A junior artiste linked to the upcoming Kannada film Kantara: Chapter 1, identified as MF Kapil, tragically drowned in the Souparnika River at Kollur on Wednesday afternoon, prompting the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) to call for a high-level and impartial investigation into the circumstances of his death.

In this latest tragedy, the claim of drowning needs to be thoroughly investigated to determine if it is the true cause of death or if there are other factors involved, the statement read. AICWA further demanded that an FIR be filed against the film's lead actor and director Rishab Shetty and the production house, while also calling for a financial compensation of INR 1 crore for the victims family.

Media Release

Date: May 8, 2025



Subject: AICWA Demands Impartial Investigation into the Tragic Death of Junior Artist MF Kapil on the Set of Kantara 2 (Chapter-1)



Mumbai  The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) expresses deep sorrow over the tragic demise of junior pic.twitter.com/QTDR0wU4v9  All Indian Cine Workers Association (@AICWAOfficial) May 8, 2025

In response, the makers of Kantara: Chapter 1 issued an official statement denying that the incident occurred during a shoot. We deeply regret the unfortunate incident and would like to respectfully clarify that it did not take place on the sets of Kantara. In fact, there was no shooting scheduled on the day the incident occurred. The incident happened during his personal trip with friends, said Adarsh JA, Executive Producer of the film, urging the public to avoid speculation.

Kantara: Chapter 1, the much-awaited prequel to the 2022 blockbuster Kantara, is currently in its final leg of production and is slated for release on October 2, 2025. With its captivating narrative and strong cultural roots, the franchise has already built a dedicated global fan base.
Mumbai: Actor Nimrat Kaur has supported the Indian Armed Forces for carrying out precision strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJk) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Talking to ANI, Nimrat said, "I fully support the action taken by our armed forces on terrorist camps. I want that there should be no place for terrorism, not in this country but in the whole world."

Nimrat also shared her opinions on Pahalgam attack.

"Whatever happened in Pahalgam, we all observed it very closely and felt very sad. I am the daughter of a martyr and had lost my father in Kashmir in 1994. I understand very well that what drastic circumstances life brings in front of you, it is a very painful and sad thing," she said.

She also asked the citizens to support Operation Sindoor.

Nimrat said, "As a citizen of India...we all should stand with the Government of India to finished these terror attacks and make India a terror free country."

#WATCH | #OperationSindoor | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Actor Nimrat Kaur says, "We closely observed what happened in Pahalgam. It was extremely unfortunate. I am a martyr's daughter, and I lost my father in Kashmir in 1994. I can well understand what drastic changes a family goes pic.twitter.com/6VucWjULer  ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025

The Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK).This operation was a retaliatory response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including one Nepali national.

Hours after India conducted a series of strikes on terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh held a media briefing in the national capital to share the details of the operation.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who briefed the media alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Colonel Qureshi, stated that 'Operation Sindoor' was launched to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families.

Singh reported that a total of nine terror sites were targeted and successfully destroyed. She emphasised that the locations were chosen to ensure there was no damage to civilians or their infrastructure.

"Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and successfully destroyed... The locations were so selected to avoid damage to civilian infrastructures and loss of any civilian lives", Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi presented the videos of the destruction of terror camps, including from the Muridke and where David Headley and Ajmal Kasab, perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, received training. Other than Muridke, Sarjal camp in Sialkot, Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala and Markaz Abbas, Kotli and Mehmoona Joya camp, Sialkot, were targeted in the strikes conducted by the Indian Army, Colonel Qureshi informed.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the attack on Pahalgam was driven by an objective of undermining the return of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The attack in Pahalgam was marked with extreme barbarity, with the victims mostly killed with head shots at close range and in front of their family...the family members were deliberately traumatised through the manner of killing, accompanied by the exhortation that they should take back the message. The attack was clearly driven by the objective of undermining normalcy returning to Kashmir," he said.

India has carried out its deepest strikes inside Pakistan's undisputed territory since 1971, successfully targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This marks New Delhi's most significant military action within Pakistani territory in over five decades.
Mumbai: Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh took to social media to honor the bravery of Indias armed forces and applaud Prime Minister Narendra Modis decisive leadership in Operation Sindoor.

In his post, the Singham Again actor paid tribute to the courage of frontline troops and underscored the importance of swift, strategic action in safeguarding the nation. On Thursday, Ranveer took to his Instagram story and shared a note that began with a Hindi coupletRah chalte ko hum chehrte nhi, lekin agar koi chere, toh phir hum use chorte nhi. ( We dont provoke those who are on their path, but if anyone provokes us, we never let them go.)

He followed this with an unequivocal salute to Operation SindoorIndias recent retaliatory strike against terror camps across Pakistan and PoJKwriting, Salute to the courage of our armed forces and the decisiveness of our Hon.PM Shri @narendramodi. (sic). Singh had previously posted the Indian flag with the hashtag #OperationSindoor on Instagram story.

Launched in the early hours of May 7, the Indian Armed Forces initiated Operation Sindoor, striking nine militant positionsfour across Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmirbetween 1:05 AM and 1:30 AM, according to an official statement. The military made clear that its precision strikes focused solely on terrorist facilities, and there have been no verified reports of damage to civilian or military installations on the Indian side. This carefully orchestrated mission underscored Indias commitment to dismantling cross-border terror infrastructure. By targeting known terror hubs such as Muridke, Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad, the operation demonstrated the armed forces strategic capabilities and rapid responseunderscoring the governments determination to safeguard national security.

Following the execution of Operation Sindoor, a wave of support poured in from the Indian film industry, with numerous celebrities applauding the Armed Forces for their bold and calculated strike against terrorism.

A host of leading stars, including Chiranjeevi Konidela, Raveena Tandon, Ajay Devgn, Rohit Shetty, Mahesh Babu, Nimrat Kaur, Riteish Deshmukh, Akshay Kumar, Sonu Sood, Anupam Kher, Milind Soman, Kareena Kapoor, Kajol, and Vidya Balan, took to social media to express their heartfelt admiration for the courage, precision, and professionalism shown by Indias defense forces during Operation Sindoor.
New Delhi: Amidst the retaliatory action taken by India in the wake of the series of attacks launched by Pakistan on Indian on Thursday night, several changes have been announced --related to schools, government offices. Gurugram has declared closure of schools tomorrow, while Delhi government has announced cancellation of leave of employees.

It is to be noted that bank branches will be closed tomorrow, on account of regional festivity, and not to the ongoing Indo-Pak conflict escalation.

Banks will have extended holidays between May 9 and May 12, as per the RBI bank holiday list. However, it must be noted that these holidays will not be staight holidays for all branches across the country. Banks will be closed in various states for different festivals and regional celebrations being observed this week.

Bank Holiday Between May 9 And May 12

May 9: Banks in Bengal will be closed for the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore

May 10-11: Weekend holiday

May 12: Banks will be closed in Agartala, Aizawl, Belapur, Bhopal, Dehradun, Itanagar, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Raipur, Ranchi, Shimla and Srinagar for Buddha Purnima

Last week, banks were closed in Belapur, Bengaluru, Chennai, Guwahati, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Imphal, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur, Panaji, Patna, and Thiruvananthapuram on account of Maharashtra Din/May Day (Labor Day).

In May 2025, banks across India will be closed for 12 days, including regional holidays, national events, Sundays, and the second and fourth Saturdays.

Bank Holidays In May 2025

Maharashtra Din/May Day (Labor Day: May ): May 1

Panchayat Election 2025: May 7

Birthday of Rabindranath Tagore: May 9

Buddha Pournima: May 12

State Day: May 16

Birthday of Kazi Nazrul Islam: May 26

Maharana Pratap Jayanti: May 29

Furthermore, you must note that the banks will NOT be closed for all the days consecutively in all states or regions. This is the total number of days when banks in different parts of the country will remain closed for state-observed holidays. For instance banks will be closed for Birthday of Kazi Nazrul Islam in Agartala, but in other states it will NOT be closed for the same reason.

Reserve Bank of India places its Holidays under three brackets --Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act; Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act and Real Time Gross Settlement Holiday; and Banks Closing of Accounts. However, it must be noted that the bank holidays vary in various states as well not observed by all the banking companies. Banking holidays also depend on the festivals being observed in specific states or notification of specific occasions in those states.
Chennai: Actor Vishnu Manchu, who plays the lead in director Mukesh Kumar Singh's much-anticipated magnum opus 'Kannappa', has now disclosed that he trained in martial arts and worked as a stuntman in Los Angeles before turning an actor.



Taking to Instagram to post a video clip that showed him designing many of the action sequences in the period film 'Kannappa', Vishnu Manchu wrote, "Not many know this Before I became an actor, I trained in martial arts and worked as a stuntman in Los Angeles. After returning to India, I carried that passion forward and became a proud member of the Telugu Stunt Union.

I've been choreographing fight sequences since my early days in cinema." He went on to add, "As the showrunner of Kannappa, I had the opportunity to design many of the film's action sequences myself.

Grateful to the brilliant stunt choreographer Kecha for bringing my imagination to life. Here's a glimpse into the making of just a few of those intense, high-octane moments. Har Har Mahadev... Witness the epic on the big screen -- Kannappa hits theatres on June 27."

Scheduled to hit theatres worldwide on June 27, Kannappa has triggered huge expectations in fans and film buffs. Vishnu Manchu takes centre stage as Thinnadu, the fearless warrior-turned-devotee who transforms into the ultimate devotee of Lord Shiva in this film. Akshay Kumar essays the role of Lord Shiva, while Mohanlal commands attention as Kirata.

Prabhas sets the stage for an unforgettable cinematic experience with his role of Rudra. A teaser released by the unit also features glimpses of Kajal Aggarwal and Preity Mukhundhan, adding to the film's star power.

Talking about the film, Vishnu Manchu, had, in a statement earlier, said, "This film is incredibly close to my heart. It brings to life a historical tale that is often referred to as mythology. By Lord Shiva's blessings, everything has fallen into place, from the breathtaking locations to the incredible star cast."

He further mentioned, "The overwhelming response we received at Cannes was just the beginning, and I am eager for audiences in India to experience this epic on the big screen. This project has been a labour of love, and I believe Kannappa will leave a lasting impact."

Director Mukesh Kumar Singh said, "'Kannappa' is more than just a story; it is a tribute to faith, devotion, and the power of transformation. Every frame has been meticulously crafted to bring this legendary tale to life in a way that resonates with modern audiences while staying true to its roots. We are excited for the world to experience the grandeur of 'Kannappa'."
New Delhi: Billionaire Elon Musk-led social media platform X on Thursday said the Indian government has asked it to block more than 8,000 accounts in the country for violating laws, and it will comply with the law of the land.

While the platform did not specify names of the accounts, it includes "international news organisations and prominent X users", the media platform shared in a statement.

The move comes amid the India-Pakistan conflict, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists, which has seen an increase in misinformation.

"X has received executive orders from the Indian government requiring X to block over 8,000 accounts in India, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment of the company's local employees," the statement said.

The statement said that the government did not specify which posts have violated laws.

"For a significant number of accounts, we did not receive any evidence or justification to block the accounts," X said, noting that it will comply with the order and "withhold" the accounts only in India.

Calling the decision "not easy", X said it has initiated process and sent the affected users "notice of the actions".

It also expressed disagreement with the Indian government's demands over blocking entire accounts.

"It amounts to censorship of existing and future content and is contrary to the fundamental right of free speech," the statement said.

X said the platform is vital to Indians' ability to access information.

"We believe that making these executive orders public is essential for transparency -- lack of disclosure discourages accountability and can contribute to arbitrary decision making. However, due to legal restrictions, we are unable to publish the executive orders at this time," the statement said.

The Musk led company said it is exploring all possible legal avenues available to the company.

It also encouraged the impacted users "to seek appropriate relief from the courts".
Aadhaar Card Misuse Detection: The Aadhaar card is a crucial document for Indian residents. The 12-digit ID number serves as proof of identity and address nationwide and is essential for accessing various services, including SIM card issuance, travel, government schemes, telecommunications, and banking. Amid ongoing India-Pakistan tensions, alarming reports of Aadhaar card misuse have raised concerns about the personal data of Indian citizens falling into the wrong handseven in countries like Pakistan, where hackers have been consistently targeting Indian websites, including those of the defence sector and UIDAI.

Whats concerning is that if your Aadhaar falls into Pakistani or other malicious hands, it can be misused and potentially become part of an anti-India plot.

Since Aadhaar is linked to critical services such as bank accounts and mobile numbers, any unauthorised access could seriously compromise your identity and finances. To help individuals safeguard their Aadhaar and monitor its activity, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has introduced dedicated tools or features that allow users to track and secure their Aadhaar usage effectively.

How To Check If Your Aadhaar Card Has Been Misused?

Step 1: Visit the official myAadhaar portal.

Step 2: Enter your Aadhaar number and captcha, then click on Login with OTP.

Step 3: Enter the OTP received on your registered mobile number to access your Aadhaar dashboard.

Step 4: Click on Authentication History and select the desired date range to view past activity.

Step 5: Review the log for any unfamiliar entries and report suspicious activity immediately to UIDAI.

How To Report Misuse Of Aadhaar Card?

To report any fraudulent activity related to your Aadhaar card, you can call the toll-free number 1947, email help@uidai.gov.in, or file a complaint directly on the UIDAI website.

How To Lock Your Aadhaar Biometrics:

Step 1: Go to the official UIDAI website and open the Lock/Unlock Aadhaar section.

Step 2: Read the guidelines carefully to understand the locking process.

Step 3: Enter your Virtual ID (VID), name, PIN code, and the captcha code as required.

Step 4: Click on Send OTP to receive a one-time password on your registered mobile number.

Step 5: Use the OTP to confirm and lock your Aadhaar biometrics for enhanced security.
Hours after India's Operation Sindoor targeting 9 terror camps in Pakistan, the Pakistani Army has suffered yet another loss as its 14 soldiers were killed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). The BLA has also released a video of the attack. This comes as a shocker for Pakistan amid the Bloch protests.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) took credit for two separate assaults that led to the deaths of 14 Pakistani military personnel in the regions of Bolan and Kech. In one of the attacks, the BLAs Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) used a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED) to target a military convoy vehicle in the Shorkand area of Mach, Bolan. The explosion reportedly killed all 12 soldiers inside the vehicle, among them Special Operations Commander Tariq Imran and Subedar Umar Farooq. The blast completely destroyed the vehicle.

In another operation, BLA fighters targeted a Bomb Disposal Squad of the Pakistani Army in the Kulag Tigran area of Kech. The remote-controlled IED detonated around 2:40 PM yesterday while the unit was conducting a clearance mission. Two personnel were killed in the attack. According to Jeeyand Baloch, spokesperson for the Baloch Liberation Army, the hired killers who call the Baloch Liberation Army a foreign proxy should know that the Pakistani army itself is a mercenary armed gang that thrives on Chinese capital and Papa Jones. The meaning of the army's uniform shifts--sometimes guarding ports, guarding corridors, serving the satisfaction of lenders. An army that determines its direction according to the will of changing masters in every era is not a national army, but a commercial one. The attacks on this mercenary occupying army by the freedom fighters of Baloch land will continue with greater intensity.

#BREAKING: Baloch Liberation Armys Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS) targeted a Pakistan Army vehicle in a remote controlled IED attack in Mach Kund Area of Bolan, while they were preparing military operation. 12 Pakistan Army soldiers neutralised by BLA. pic.twitter.com/NktiSGE0a3  Anand (@ibhagat_anand) May 8, 2025

The recent attacks highlight the enduring unrest and conflict in Balochistan. In this region, separatist groups have long demanded independence, citing political marginalisation, human rights abuses, and exploitation of natural resources by the Pakistani state. These groups argue that the region's vast mineral wealth benefits the central government and foreign investors, while local communities remain impoverished and underdeveloped. The Pakistani military's presence and operations in the region are viewed by many as acts of occupation rather than national defence. As a result, resentment continues to grow, fueling further resistance and deepening the divide between Baloch nationalists and the federal authorities.
Pakistan Blasts: The Pakistani Army has claimed that loud explosions were reported across nine cities after 12 Heron drones allegedly targeted them. Pakistans DG ISPR, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif, stated that the targeted locations include Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Attock, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, Chhor, and Karachi. The army also claimed to have neutralized the drones, with nine explosions reported so far. Notably, Pakistans Air Defence units of HQ-9 air defence missile launchers have suffered heavy damage due to the attack.

Earlier, a blast was reported in the Sharafi Goth area of Karachi, confirmed by SSP Malir, according to Samaa TV. Reports indicate a series of explosions in Karachi, and police teams are currently present at the scene.

DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif made sweeping allegations, claiming that 12 Heron drones targeted nine locations and accused India of carrying out the attack. Defence experts told Zee News that this appears to be a false flag operation by the Pakistani Army aimed at promoting an anti-India narrative. They added that this is part of an information warfare campaign and propaganda effort by the Pakistani military to justify potential retaliation against India. Notably, Heron drones are surveillance platforms, not attack drones, contrary to Pakistans claims.

According to reports, the blasts were carried out using attack drones. Residents have been advised to remain indoors, and security forces have cordoned off the affected areas. Police recovered metal fragments from the scene, and the nature of the explosions remains under investigation. Rescue and law enforcement teams are on-site conducting a detailed assessment. This follows multiple explosions reported earlier in the vicinity of Lahores Walton Airport.

Pakistan has closed its airspace, severely disrupting flight operations and leaving passengers stranded at various airports.

These developments come just a day after Indias Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The Indian Armed Forces carried out precision strikes, reportedly killing over 100 terrorists.

According to reports, India stated that over 100 terrorists were killed in Operation Sindoor, and the count is still ongoing. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that 'Operation Sindoor' is still underway and thus its difficult to provide an exact number. India has also maintained that India will not take any action on its part until Pakistan carries out any provocative action.

Meanwhile, the Border Security Force of India has neutralized a Pakistani intruder in Punjab's Ferozpur sector on the intervening night of May 7-8. The Pakistani intruder was observed crossing the International Border purposefully and moving towards border security fence taking advantage of darkness.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has exposed the misinformation campaign being run in Pakistan after Operation Sindoor destroyed nine terror sites. Appearing on a CNN interview, Khwaja Asif bizzarely attributed his claims of Pakistan shooting down five Indian jets to evidence on Social media. When asked for evidence of the claim that five Indian fighter jets were shot down, he responded, "It's all over the social media, on Indian social media, not on our social media. The debris of these jets fell into Kashmir. And it's all over Indian media today and they have admitted." The Anchor replied, "I'm sorry we didn't ask you here to talk about social media content."

When asked further about the details regarding how the fighter jets were shot down and what equipment was used, Khawaja Asif could not reveal the plane used by Pakistani forces. Asked about the evidence for the claim and whether Pakistan used Chinese equipment to shoot down Indian jets, he said, "No, Chinese equipment. We have Chinese planes, JF-17 and JF-10. They are Chinese planes, but they are being manufactured, assembled in Pakistan now. We have very close to Islamabad, we have a facility over there where these planes are manufactured and if India can buy planes from France and use them, we can also buy planes from China or Russia or United States, UK and use them."

Earlier in April, Khawaja Asif made a huge admission by stating that Pakistan has been funding and backing terror groups in a viral video clip. In a video clip that has now gone viral, Pakistan's defence minister was in conversation with Sky News's Yalda Hakim, when she asks him, "But you do admit, you do admit, sir, that Pakistan has had a long history of backing and supporting and training and funding these terrorist organisations?"

In response, Asif said, "We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about 3 decades... and the west, including Britain...That was a mistake, and we suffered for that, and that is why you are saying this to me. If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later on the war after 9/11, Pakistan's track record was unimpeachable." Asif's statement lays bare the fact that Pakistan, for many years, has been harbouring these terror groups.

On Wednesady, the Indian Armed Forces launched a strike at the terror hideouts deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir under 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday morning in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh informed that a total of nine terror sites were targeted and successfully destroyed. She asserted that the locations were selected so that there was no damage to civilians and their infrastructure.

Pakistan acknowledged the strikes and its impact. However, Pakistan started spreading claims that they have shot down five Indian fighter jets. In light of this, the fact-checking team of India's Press Information Bureau (PIB) shared numerous posts on X, in which they explained how Pakistani social media are sharing old and unrelated photos of crashed aircraft, claiming that they were downed Rafale.

One of the most prominent examples is a viral image falsely claiming that the Pakistan Army had shot down an Indian Rafale jet near Bahawalpur. The image, however, was debunked by PIB Fact Check, which confirmed that it was actually from a MiG-21 crash in Moga, Punjab, in 2021 -- entirely unrelated to current events.

Another brazen piece of misinformation surfaced in the form of a video falsely claiming that the Indian Army raised a white flag and surrendered at Chora Post. This fabricated narrative was amplified by Pakistan's Minister Attaullah Tarar, who publicly endorsed the claim without a shred of evidence. By lending official weight to an unverified and clearly false story, Tarar not only misled his own citizens but also actively contributed to the propaganda campaign.
Indo-Pakistan Tension: In a major development amid the escalating military conflict between India and Pakistan, US Vice President JD Vance has said that America has no interest in interfering in the ongoing conflict. Speaking to Fox News, Vance said that US may try to encourage India and Pakistan to deescalate a bit but it won't get involved in the middle of war that's not its business.

"What we can do is try to encourage these folks to deescalate a little bit, but were not going to get involved in the middle of war thats fundamentally none of our business and has nothing to do with Americas ability to control it," said Vance.

He further said that it can't ask India and Pakistan to lay down arms. "You know, America cant tell the Indians to lay down their arms. We cant tell the Pakistanis to lay down their arms. And so, were going to continue to pursue this thing through diplomatic channels. Our hope and our expectation are that this is not going to spiral into a broader regional war or, God forbid, a nuclear conflict. Right now, we dont think thats going to happen," said Vance.

US Vice President Vance's statement came after India and Pakistan exchanged fires and missiles attack in a military escalation following the Indian Army's Operation Sindoor launched to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam Terror attack. While India maintained that 'Operation Sindoor' was non-escalatory in nature as no civilian and military installations were targeted in Pakistan and only terror camps were destroyed, the next day, Pakistan tried to attack 15 Indian cities using missiles and drones. India not only destroyed these missiles but later neutralises Pakistan's air defence system in Lahore.

Later on the intervening night of May 8 and 9, Pakistan attacked Indian cities in J&K, Rajasthan and Punjab using missiles and drones, India launched a counter attack on key Pakistani military cites which is still ongoing at the time of publishing of this article.
Just a day after India launched Operation Sindoor against terror camps in Pakistan, multiple explosions were reported near Walton Airport in Lahore. The blasts were powerful enough to be heard from five kilometres away, with thick smoke seen billowing into the sky. The blast took place in DHA Phase 3 and 4 located in the 9km radius of the Walton Airport. Some local sources and social media posts have claimed it to be a missile attack. The incident occurred amid rising tensions following India's Operation Sindoor, which has further increased public interest. However, there is no official remark yet from the police and Pakistan army.

The blasts triggered an immediate reaction from emergency services with Police and Pakistani military reaching the area along with a bomb squad. Authorities confirmed the incident and stated that investigations are underway to identify the precise cause and location of the explosion.

Additional blasts were reported in the nearby Gopal Nagar and Naseerabad neighborhoods, close to Walton Airport, causing widespread alarm among residents. Witnesses recounted scenes of panic, with smoke rising into the sky and people fleeing their homes. Emergency sirens soon followed, heightening the atmosphere of tension and urgency.

Pakistans Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced the temporary suspension of flight operations at Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot airports. According to the CAA, Lahore and Sialkot airports will remain closed until 12 PM on Thursday. People have been advised to remain indoors and Pakistani Army has taken control of the Naval College.
Indo-Pakistan Tension: As India continues its defensive and retaliatory actions following attacks on states such as Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan, reports have emerged suggesting that Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, has been taken into custody by Pakistani authorities. According to these reports, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza is being considered as Munirs possible replacement. It was claimed that Munir was detained over accusations of initiating conflict with India and steering Pakistan toward disaster for personal gain.

However, a close search and look at the evolving situation showed that there is no evidence to substantiate the claim that Munir has been detained. As of now, the claim appears to be a speculation only.

Earlier, Pakistan attacked a swarm of drones and missiles attacked Satwari, Samba, RS Pura & Arnia, Jaisalmer and Pathankot but Indian Air Defence System foiled all the attack and no ground hit was reported.

Notably, Indian air defence system also shot down a Pakistani Air Force jet in the Pathankot sector of Punjab. Official confirmation from the government is still awaited, and more details are expected. India also detained a Pakistani air force pilot who reportedly ejected from the PAF jet.

The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff reported that Pakistan attempted to target military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampurareas located near the International Border (IB). However, the Indian Armed Forces responded effectively, and no casualties were reported.

These developments come in the wake of Indias launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7. Under this operation, the Indian Armed Forces conducted missile strikes on nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

Indian officials stated that the strikes were aimed at terrorist infrastructure associated with groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The operation was launched in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 28 civilians.
Why has faith in government health agencies never been lower? Because conflicts of interest (COIs) have never been higher.

At the FDA, concerns about drugmakers buying drug approvals go back to passage of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) in 1992. Since then, the many doctors with research and speaker grants, drug stocks, and past employment with drugmakers heighten concerns. Worse, many major drug trials that claim to show benefits, like those with GLP-1 drugs today (repeated *ipso facto* by mainstream media), are funded by the tested drugs makers. Did anyone expect the tested drug would fail?

Conflicted FDA commissioners

In March of 2017, President Trump chose Dr. Scott Gottlieb to serve as FDA Commissioner. Dr. Gottlieb has been a frequent consultant to drug companies, serving on advisory boards for large pharmaceutical companies like GlaxoSmithKline and Daiichi Sankyo, and paid millions by industry, wrote the New York Times.

But Dr. Robert Califf, the FDA commissioner under both Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, made Dr. Gottlieb look like an amateur. Many of us consult with the pharmaceutical industry, which I think is a very good thing, said Dr. Califf on PBS in 2004. His financial links to drugmakers are astounding.

Dr. Margaret Hamburg, the FDA commissioner who preceded Dr. Califf, also came under the ethical microscope after she left office in 2015. Her alleged COIs were especially ironic in light of her lamentation in 2011 that the government could not find enough experts not funded by drugmakers for advisory committees.

Industry funds the CDC Foundation

Few are aware of the existence of the CDC Foundation, a separate, nonprofit organization, established by Congress in 1992 to seek private-sector donations and public-private partnerships.

According to Netsuite, Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente, 3M, Bayer, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are among donors. In 2018, members of the House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee questioned the CDC and NIH Foundations anonymous donors.

Concerns about CDC COIs came to a head in 2017 when the newly appointed director, Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, was found to have accepted $1 million from Coca-Cola while serving as health commissioner of Georgia. (The following year, planned NIH studies on alcohol and opioid effects were scrapped because of industry funding.)

Other conflicted CDC directors

Dr. Fitzgerald was forced to resign from the CDC after only six months because of tobacco stocks she had bought. Before her, CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden was also tarnished with a COI. During a 2015 influenza outbreak, Dr. Frieden told reporters that the CDC had compelling evidence that Tamiflu (oseltamivir) worked for flu, his financial links to its maker notwithstanding. The CDC was simultaneously conducting an awareness campaign with Tamiflu recommendations.

And who can forget how Dr. Julie Gerberding, who preceded Dr. Frieden as CDC director, led efforts against the H5N1 flu before becoming head of Merck Vaccines the same year she left the government?

More recently, Dr. Robert Redfield, CDC director until 2021, was accused of misrepresenting experimental drug data he published.

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Conflict temptations

There are three pharma lobbyists for every Congress member, and more than two-thirds of Congress members cashed a pharma campaign check in 2020. Medical journals now unapologetically publish research funded by drugmakers that they once would have eschewed. Are they replacing the ads they lost to TV, which has become a main media revenue stream? It has never been more lucrative to be financially linked to Big Pharmaor more dangerous for the trusting patient.

Martha Rosenberg is a health reporter and the author of Big Food, Big Pharma, Big Lies and Born With a Junk Food Deficiency.
Helicopters in 24-hour flight mission

08:18, May 08, 2025 By Huang Panyue ( China Military Online

Two attack helicopters attached to an army aviation brigade under the Chinese PLA 75th Group Army conduct a low-altitude maneuver during a round-the-clock flight training exercise on April 16, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Tan Yanglin and Cao Yiqing)

Two attack helicopters attached to an army aviation brigade under the Chinese PLA 75th Group Army conduct a low-altitude maneuver during a round-the-clock flight training exercise on April 16, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Tan Yanglin and Cao Yiqing)

A helicopter pilot assigned to an army aviation brigade under the Chinese PLA 75th Group Army prepares to depart for a mission during a round-the-clock flight training exercise on April 16, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Tan Yanglin and Cao Yiqing)

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
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23:48 IMF grants $1 bn loan for Pak amid India's objection The International Monetary Fund on Friday approved the immediate disbursement of about $1 billion to Pakistan under the ongoing Extended Fund Faciiy, the Prime Minister's Office said. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over the approval of a USD 1bn dollar instalment for... Read more >

23:43 Woman officer in Pak held for criticising army, govt in WhatsApp group A woman government officer in Pakistan was arrested on Friday for criticising the Pakistan Army and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government in a WhatsApp group, amid the military conflict with India.According to the FIR, the National Cyber Crime Agency has booked and arrested National... Read more >

23:32 Pak drones sighted at 26 Indian locations along IB, LoC File image Drones have been sighted at 26 locations ranging from the Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir to Bhuj in Gujarat, along both the International Border and the Line of Control with Pakistan on Friday, said a defence ministry statement. These include suspected armed drones posing potential threats... Read more >

23:06 Ashwini Vaishnaw meets editors; stresses on factual, responsible reporting Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday underscored the importance of factual and responsible reporting, particularly when India is engaged in a military standoff with Pakistan. Vaishnaw interacted with senior editors from the print media and urged them to refrain... Read more >

23:01 Pak's Awami National Party calls for peace amid rising tensions with India Pakistan's Awami National Party is against all kinds of war, and expects all parties to adopt the path of peace, dialogue and tolerance, its central president Aimal Wali Khan said on Friday. His comments came as tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly following New Delhi's... Read more >

22:48 Suspected drone attack on Srinagar airport File image Srinagar airport was hit by a suspected drone attack late on Friday, officials said, adding that countermeasures had been activated. The suspected attack came a day after India thwarted attempts by the Pakistan military to attack Indian military installations using drones and... Read more >

22:40 Pakistani drone hits residential area in Firozpur; 3 injured Escalating the tensions even further, one Paksitani drone hit a residential area in Firozpur, Punjab on Friday, injuring three people. Three people suffered burn injuries and were immediately rushed to the hospital, SSP Ferozepur, Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said. We received... Read more >

22:34 India opposes fresh IMF $2.3 bn loans to Pak India on Friday opposed IMF's proposal to extend fresh loans of $2.3 billion to Pakistan, saying the funds could be misused for financing state-sponsored cross-border terrorism. New Delhi abstained from voting at the crucial International Monetary Fund meeting, whose outcome was not known... Read more >

22:09 Modi chairs meet with Rajnath, NSA, CDS, service chiefs PM Narendra Modi chairs meeting with Rajnath Singh, NSA, CDS, service chiefs/ANI on X Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting at his residence on Friday amid the rising tension between India and Pakistan. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Army chief... Read more >

21:54 Residents from Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora shifted to bunkers Thousands of people living near the Line of Control in three border districts of Kashmir have been evacuated following heavy shelling by Pakistani troops. The people living along the Line of Control in Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora districts have been shifted to bunkers or other... Read more >

21:50 Woman student of Pune college held for pro-Pak message on social media The Pune police on Friday arrested a 19-year-old woman student of an engineering college in Pune for allegedly posting a message on social media in support of Pakistan, an official said. A Hindu rightwing group had claimed that Khatija Shaikh (19) had posted the slogan Pakistan Zindabad... Read more >

21:38 Mumbai's Siddhivinayak temple to ban coconuts, garlands and 'prasad' File image The management of Mumbai's famous Siddhivinayak temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha on Friday said it will not allow coconuts, garlands and 'prasad' for offerings from May 11 for security reasons. The temple located in Prabhadevi area of south Mumbai is a popular religious site that... Read more >

21:36 Pak drones shot down in Rajouri, Akhnoor, Pathankot India's air defence system intercepts Pakistani drones in Akhnoor, Jammu on Friday night/ANI on X India's air defence system intercepted Pakistani drones in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Akhnoor and Punjab's Pathankot on Friday evening. Red streaks seen and explosions can be heard after India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones amid blackout in Rajouri. Similarly,... Read more >

21:24 Raj: Two held for provocative content, Army movement video on social media Two men were arrested in Rajasthan's Churu and Barmer districts for allegedly sharing provocative content and Army movement footage on social media, the police said on Friday. In Churu, 22-year-old Asif Khan from Bajragsar was arrested by the Sardarshahar police on Friday for posting... Read more >

21:17 Pak drones shot down in Samba, blackout in Udhampur India's air defence system intercepts Pakistani drones in Samba/ANI on X Red streaks were seen and explosions can be heard as India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones amid blackout in Samba. A total blackout has been enforced in Udhampur amid Pakistani drone attack in Jammu region on Friday night. Sirens were also activated in Udhampur... Read more >

20:55 Stay at home, ignore rumours: J-K CM Omar Abdullah File image Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appealed to the people to stay at home in the next few hours after Pakistan resumed drone attack in Jammu region on Friday night. It's my earnest appeal to everyone in & around Jammu please stay off the streets, stay at home or at the... Read more >

20:45 Blackout in Jammu, sounds of blasts heard: Omar Abdullah Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said that there is total blackout in Jammu and he heard intermittent sounds of blasts, probably heavy artillery as Pakistan fired drones in Samba sector. Intermittent sounds of blasts, probably heavy artillery, can now be heard from... Read more >

20:40 Jammu region rocked by blasts as Pak drones intercepted Jammu city plunged into darkness on Friday after blasts were heard in the region and alarms sounded, officials said. The blasts come amid ongoing shelling by Pakistan following India's strike on terror hideouts in the country earlier this week as part of Operation Sindoor. Intermittent... Read more >

20:28 Woman killed in heavy Pak shelling in Kashmir A woman was killed and two of her family members injured in heavy shelling by Pakistani troops from across the Line of Control targeting Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla and Kupwara districts, officials said on Friday. They said the Indian Army has responded proportionately to the Pakistani... Read more >

20:24 Unknown person threatens to blow up Jaipur metro File image A person who is yet to be traced threatened to blow up Jaipur city metro stations with a bomb on Friday, the police said. The Jaipur Metro got an email on its official email address with the sender threatening to blow up stations. In the wake of the communication, an intense search was... Read more >

20:17 Saif attacker urges court to declare his arrest illegal, seeks release from jail Accused Mohammad Shariful Islam The man accused of stabbing actor Saif Ali Khan on Friday moved an application before a court here seeking to declare his arrest as illegal and sought his release from jail. Accused Mohammad Shariful Islam (30), a Bangladeshi national currently lodged in the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, on... Read more >

20:13 Total blackout in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer File image A complete blackout has been enforced in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer as a precautionary measure after Pakistan attacked India's border areas including Line of Control on Thursday night. -- ANI Read more >

20:01 Pak resumes heavy shelling in Poonch, escalating tensions Pakistan has resumed heavy shelling in the Poonch sector, escalating border tensions. More details awaited. Meanwhile, Pakistan resorted to small arms and artillery fire along the Line of Control in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday evening. The Indian Army... Read more >

19:56 'Bomb-like' iron piece falls near Pathankot border, forms a crater A 'bomb-like' piece of iron was discovered in Kariyal village of Gangth Panchayat in Kangra district on Friday. According to villagers, the around-8-inch piece of the metal made an around 10-inch crater in the middle of a paved road. Kariyal village is located 10 km from Nurpur and 12... Read more >

19:53 Sitharaman asks banks to ensure uninterrupted services Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday asked banks to remain vigilant and take all steps to ensure uninterrupted services to customers in view of heightened military conflict between India and Pakistan. Addressing a meeting of CEO of banks and insurance companies on cybersecurity... Read more >

19:41 38 Maoists surrender before police in Telangana A total of 38 members of the outlawed CPI-Maoists from neighbouring Chhattisgarh state surrendered before the police in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana on Friday.From January this year, 265 Maoists have turned themselves in before Bhadradri Kothagudem district police, a release from... Read more >

19:38 India's forex reserves drop $2 bn to $686 bn India's forex reserves dropped $2.065 billion to $686.064 billion for the week ended May 2, the RBI said on Friday.In the previous reporting week, the overall kitty had increased USD 1.983 billion to $688.129 billion.The forex reserves had touched an all-time high of USD 704.885 billion in... Read more >

19:11 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana taken to Tihar Jail Tahawwur Hussain Rana, an accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, was taken to the Tihar Jail in New Delhi amid heavy security on Friday evening, jail sources said. Earlier in the day, a Delhi court remanded Rana in judicial custody after he was produced before special National... Read more >

18:37 Pakistan used Turkish Songar drones to attack India Colonel Sofiya Qureshi (right) speaks at a press conference in New Delhi on Friday/ANI on X In a major escalation along the western front, the Pakistani army carried out multiple airspace violations and drone intrusions in the night of May 7 and 8, targeting Indian military infrastructure. Addressing a press briefing on Friday, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that 300 to 400 drones... Read more >

18:26 Banks refute rumours, say ATMs well stocked and fully functional File image Dismissing rumours, public sector banks including State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank on Friday said their ATMs are fully functional, well-stocked, and that digital services are operating smoothly. The announcements came against the backdrop of reports on social media that ATMs are... Read more >

18:22 Rupee rises 17 paise to close at 85.41 against US dollar The rupee pared its initial losses and settled for the day higher by 17 paise at 85.41 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday, as likely intervention by the Reserve Bank of India helped contain excess depreciation of the rupee. Forex traders said the rupee opened on a weak note on the... Read more >

18:11 CRPF holds transfers, postpones trainings in view of hostilities with Pak File image The Central Reserve Police Force has deferred all transfer and posting orders and has postponed training courses for its personnel in view of the escalating military situation with Pakistan, official sources on Friday said. The paramilitary force has also directed more than two dozen of its... Read more >

17:38 Portable modular medical facilities being deployed in J-K hospitals File image BHISHM cubes, the indigenous portable modular medical facility, are being deployed at prominent hospitals such as AIIMS Jammu and SKIMS Srinagar near India's border under the government's Aarogya Maitri project to bolster medical readiness, officials said on Friday. The development comes on... Read more >

17:25 Indias war hysteria should be source of serious concern for world: Pak Announcement to enforce the blackout in Udhampur last night Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman said that India was to blame for bringing the two nuclear-armed neighbours closer to war, the Dawn reports. It is most unfortunate that India's reckless conduct has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict, Shafqat Ali Khan, the... Read more >

17:19 Pak launched 500 drones towards India last night Around 500 drones were launched towards Indian positions by the Pakistan Army last night, which were sighted at 24 locations from Siachen base camp in Ladakh to Kutch area in Gujarat. Around 50 of these drones were destroyed by air defence guns, while around 20 were brought down through soft... Read more >

17:14 Nawaz Sharif advises brother (Pak PM): Use diplomacy Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack and India's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stepped in to advise his brother, current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on the need for a diplomatic approach to ease the... Read more >

17:02 Maharashtra to cancel leaves of key health, disaster management officials The Maharashtra government has decided to cancel the leaves of top officials in health, disaster management and many other departments in the wake of the current situation, the Chief Minister's Office said on Friday. Strict action would be taken against those spreading fake news and helping the... Read more >

17:00 Cinemas, malls to shut from sunset to sunrise in Mohali The district administration in Punjab's Mohali on Friday ordered the closure of cinema halls and shopping malls from sunset to sunrise till further orders, officials said. The authorities also imposed a ban on the use of inverter, generator and any other power backup being used for outdoor... Read more >

16:26 Police alert Mumbai fishermen to boats from other states Badhwar Park. File pic Kiran Koli, general secretary of Maharashtra Machhimar Kruti Samiti says, We participated in a meeting with naval officials, police officials. We were instructed that officers should be alerted whenever we see a boat from another state. Information should also be given about any commercial... Read more >

16:13 Dadar Chowpatty is open, don't listen to fake news: Police File pic For warmongers, a message from the Mumbai police: Fake messages are being circulated on WhatsApp groups regarding the closure of Dadar Chowpatty. Please be informed that Dadar Chowpatty remains open to all citizens. We urge all Mumbaikars to rely only on information shared through official... Read more >

16:08 Ban on firecrackers, drones in Gujarat till May 15 The CM helmed a high-level meeting today Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi tweets, No firecrackers or drones will be allowed in any functions or events in Gujarat until the 15th of this month. Kindly cooperate and follow the guidelines. Amid rising tension between India and Pakistan, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel... Read more >

15:54 IndiGo cancels flights to multiple cities till May 10 Amid the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan, IndiGo has announced that all flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, and Rajkot have been cancelled until midnight on 10 May 2025.IndiGo assured passengers that it will... Read more >

15:51 China is testing its weapons in Pakistan File pic The escalating conflict between India and Pakistan could be offering the world a first real glimpse into how advanced Chinese military technology performs against proven Western hardware -- and Chinese defense stocks are already surging.Shares of China's AVIC Chengdu Aircraft rose... Read more >

15:41 How India thwarted Pak's Kamikaze drones in Jammu Omar Abdullah at a relief camp in Samba Men and machines of the armed forces worked meticulously to ensure the interception of Kamikaze drones and missiles fired by Pakistani troops targeting Jammu, drawing widespread appreciation from people. India on Thursday night swiftly thwarted Pakistan's fresh attempts to strike military... Read more >

15:35 MHA writes to babus to invoke emergency powers Ministry of Home Affairs writes to chief secretaries and administrators of all states and Union Territories asking them to invoke emergency powers under civil defence rules for efficient implementation of the necessary precautionary measures. Read more >

15:32 Border tension: Several Kashmir schools switch to online mode A damaged gurudwara at Poonch With tension between India and Pakistan forcing closure of educational institutions in Kashmir, several schools have switched to online mode of classes to ensure that students do not lose precious academic time. As the schools have remained closed since May 7 following India's missile... Read more >

15:21 Complete blackout in Ambala from tonight The district administration in Haryana's Ambala, which is a key air force base, on Friday issued an order to enforce blackout during night hours amid the military conflict between India and Pakistan, officials said. In view of the prevailing circumstances, it is imperative to ensure a... Read more >

15:17 RBI Removes Short-Term Investment Limits For FPIs The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday scrapped the 'short-term investment limit' and 'concentration limit' for investments by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in corporate debt securities, to provide greater ease of investment to FPIs.'On a review, and with a view to providing greater ease of... Read more >

14:54 Pak did NOT attack Jammu air force base, Hazira port The Press Information Bureau's Fact Check unit has debunked two major instances of misinformation circulating on social media, falsely claiming Pakistani attacks on Jammu Air Force Base and Gujarat's Hazira Port. The clarifications come amidst heightened tensions following Operation... Read more >

14:34 Situation in Poonch is grim: Omar Abdullah Omar Abdullah at a relief camp in Samba Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah interacts with locals, who are currently staying at a safe location in Samba, amid tensions between India and Pakistan. On the camps arranged for citizens of border areas, the J&K says, We are doing everything we can. Food is given three times a day,... Read more >

14:24 India has sufficient food reserves: Govt Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on Friday assured the country that ample food was available for consumption. He said that the nation's agricultural reserves were at full capacity.He said that while soldiers were posted at the border, the farmers were busy working in the fields.... Read more >

14:11 Do NOT panic buy fuel, ample stocks: Oil companies Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the nation's largest oil firm, on Friday said ample stocks of petrol, diesel and cooking gas LPG are available in the country and there is no need for panic buying of fuel. The statement comes after social media was flooded with posts and videos showing people... Read more >

14:08 World Bank has no role to play in Indus Waters treaty suspension World Bank President, Ajay Banga, meets the UP CM We have no role to play beyond a facilitator. There's a lot of speculation in the media about how the World Bank will step in & fix the problem but it's all bunk. The World Bank's role is merely as a facilitator, World Bank President, Ajay Banga on Indus Waters Treaty suspension. Read more >

14:00 EaseMyTrip issues travel advisory for Turkey, Azerbaijan EaseMyTrip.com, EaseMyTrip.com, one of India's leading online travel tech platforms, on Friday issued travel advisory, suggesting commuters to visit countries including Turkey and Azerbaijan only if it was unavoidable since these two countries have extended support to Pakistan amid increasing... Read more >

13:56 Police, Coast Guard, Navy on alert in Maharashtra: CM Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the police, Coast Guard and Navy are on alert mode in the state, and all SoPs (Standard Operating Procedures) are being followed. Fadnavis said a review meeting to take stock of the state's internal security will be held later in... Read more >

13:50 Shah reviews security along Indo-Pak border, airports Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday reviewed the prevailing situation along India's border with Pakistan and airports in the country amid the military conflict between the two countries, sources said.The meeting came hours after the Border Security Force said it has foiled an infiltration bid from... Read more >

13:09 BSE Urges Market Players To Enhance Cybersecurity Stock exchanges on Thursday urged market participants to implement immediate precautionary measures to safeguard their systems and ensure a secure marketplace. This came after an advisory was issued by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) on Wednesday.Market participants are... Read more >

13:06 No live coverage of defence ops: Govt to media Damage due to cross-border shelling in Poonch A statement from the Ministry of Defence, India on the coverage of the clashes between India and Pakistan: All media channels, digital platforms and individuals are advised to refrain from live coverage or real-time reporting of defence operations and movement of security forces. Disclosure of... Read more >

12:57 Every single missile strike fired by Pakistan neutralised Srinagar is on high alert as is Jammu and border states. Pic: Sharafat Ali/Reuters As the situation escalates between India and Pakistan, with both sides indulging in retaliations following the launch of Operation Sindoor, sources confirmed that every missile fired by the neighbouring country was intercepted or neutralised, with none being able to reach its intended... Read more >

12:42 Crisil Puts IndusInd Bank's Debt Instrument On 'Rating Watch' CRISIL Ratings has put IndusInd Bank's long-term debt instruments on 'watch with negative implications', citing the private-sector lender's review of its microfinance (MFI) business and the resignation of two top executives.The bank's long-term instruments include Rs 4,000 crore of Tier-II and Rs... Read more >

12:40 Restraint, restraint, restraint: China urges India, Pak Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian has expressed concern over current developments and called on India and Pakistan to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, observe international law, including the UN Charter, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking... Read more >

12:32 IPL suspended indefinitely as India-Pak clashes soar The Indian Premier League (IPL) was on Friday suspended indefinitely due to the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. A cloud of uncertainty had loomed over the future of the ongoing edition since the cancellation of Thursday's match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in... Read more >

12:18 Rajnath holds meeting with army, navy, air force chiefs Defence Minister Rajnath Singh holds a review meeting at South Block with CDS Gen Anil Chauhan, Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh & Defence Secretary RK Singh. Read more >

12:11 Sensex tanks nearly 800 points Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty continued to trade sharply lower on Friday late morning session as tensions soared between India and Pakistan fueling fears of a wider conflict.India on Thursday night swiftly thwarted Pakistan's fresh attempts to strike military sites with drones... Read more >

12:06 Bomb-like object recovered in Jaisalmer; area cordoned off A projectile discovered near Amritsar A bomb-like object was found in the Kishanghat area of Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district on Friday morning, prompting swift action by the local police and air force. According to the police, the object was found near a nursery in the colony of the Jogis, located in front of Kishanghat under... Read more >

12:03 That's how close the border is On 8-9 May 2025, BSF foiled a major infiltration bid at the International Boundary in Samba district, J&K by killing at least seven terrorists and causing extensive damage to the Pakistan Post Dhandhar. Visuals from Samba showing Pakistan post across the border (where the flag is flying). Read more >

11:50 'We want peace here' Houses in a village along the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir are severely damaged after shelling by Pakistan last night. A local says, Due to shelling by Pakistan, around 20 houses have suffered damage. My family spent the whole night together in one room. We want peace here. Read more >

11:46 People leave homes in Uri Residents leave Uri after massive Pakistani shelling. Pic: Umar Ganie Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the sound of explosions was heard near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir early Friday morning. There was massive damage of property in Uri as well. Read more >

11:35 BSF kills seven terrorists in Jammu File pic The Border Security Force on Friday said it has killed seven terrorists who were trying to infiltrate from across the India-Pakistan International Border in Jammu, and also destroyed a Rangers post. The incident took place in the Samba sector on the intervening night of May 8-9 after a big... Read more >

11:24 Defense related stocks in limelight; Ideaforge Tech jumps 18 pc Defense stocks surged on Friday morning trade as India swiftly thwarted Pakistan's fresh attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles, including in Jammu and Pathankot, after foiling similar bids at 15 places in northern and western regions of the country, as tensions soared between... Read more >

11:11 'Made in India air defence systems used to foil Pak attack' A shop destroyed in Pak attack along the LoC The Made in India Akash surface-to-air missile air defence system has been effectively used by the Indian armed forces in foiling Pakistani attacks towards Indian targets. Both the Indian Army and Air Force have the missile system all along the Pakistan border: Defence Officials.Pakistan's armed... Read more >

10:53 Pak says it did not ask partners for aid after India attack Pakistan has claimed that its Economic Affairs Division account on the social media platform X has been hacked and called the post, where it appealed for more loans from the international community as it faced losses following India's Operation Sindoor, fake.As India's Op Sindoor continues to... Read more >

10:49 Air raid sirens in Chandigarh, people told to stay indoors Air sirens were sounded across Chandigarh on Friday as part of a precautionary measure after the city received an alert from the local Air Force station about a possible attack, said the official. According to Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner, An air warning has been received from Air... Read more >

10:37 Golden Temple turned dark last night The lights of the Golden Temple in Amritsar were downed one by one last night. Blackout was imposed on the entire city. Read more >

10:29 Kerala Confirms Another Nipah Case Kerala on Thursday reported yet another case of the deadly Nipah virus, the seventh such incident in the state since 2018. This time, the patient is a 42-year-old woman from Valanchery in Malappuram district. The infected woman is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in... Read more >

10:09 Pakistani troops shell areas near LoC, woman killed People carry the body of Vihaan Barghava, 13, killed in cross-border shelling in Poonch A woman was killed and two of her family members injured after Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling in areas near the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Friday.They said the Indian Army has responded proportionately to the Pakistani aggression.... Read more >

10:05 Air siren sounded in Chandigarh The Chandigarh administration on Friday sounded an air raid siren, appealing to people to remain indoors. An Air warning has been received from the air force station of a possible attack. Sirens are being sounded. All are advised to remain indoors and away from balconies, an official statement... Read more >

09:59 How India thwarted Pak drone swarm Remains of a projectile missile in Amritsar Last night, when Pakistan made failed attempts to send swarm drones all across various places along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Borders (IB), over 50 drones were successfully neutralized during a large-scale counter-drone operation conducted by Indian Army Air Defence units in the... Read more >

09:53 'Full-fledged war if Pakistan...' Blackout was enforced in Jammu, Srinagar, Punjab, Gujarat border As tensions escalate between India and Pakistan after both sides engage in retaliations, defence expert Sanjeev Srivastava on Friday warned of a full-fledged war if Pakistan continues to escalate the situation. He said that a war would prove fatal to Pakistan and may lead to its... Read more >

09:50 OpenAI To Store ChatGPT Enterprise, API User Data In India OpenAI on Thursday said the data of Indian ChatGPT Enterprise, ChatGPT Edu, and OpenAI API (application programming interface) platform users will now be stored locally in the country. This will help companies using these products meet local data sovereignty requirements when using OpenAI... Read more >

09:38 Missile laga hai drone pe: PIB debunks 7 fake news cases Amid the escalated tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of India's precision strikes on terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, detrimental elements from Pakistan have been trying to deliberately sabotage the narrative from the ground reality by spreading... Read more >

09:29 Pak attacks with drones, munitions repulsed: Army Pakistan's armed forces launched multiple attacks using drones and other munitions along the entire western border on the intervening night of May 8-9, which were 'effectively repulsed', the Indian Army said on Friday. Pakistani troops also resorted to 'numerous ceasefire violations' along... Read more >

08:49 Sounds of blasts, sirens trigger panic in Jammu Sounds of blasts rattled Jammu city early Friday morning, triggering an immediate blackout, hours after India thwarted Pakistan military's attempts to target military installations in border areas.Activity of loitering munitions was witnessed in the skies.The blast sounds were heard between 3:50... Read more >

08:38 None of our business: Vance on India-Pak tensions Yoshita Singh, PTIAmid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the United States has said it is not going to get involved in a war that's 'fundamentally none of our business'.While the US cannot control India and Pakistan, it can encourage the two nuclear-armed neighbours to de-escalate,... Read more >

01:03 Delhi airport says operations remain normal File image Delhi airport has said that operations are normal and some flights have been impacted due to changing airspace conditions and heightened security. In the wake of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has put in place enhanced security... Read more >

00:41 Amit Shah speaks with DGs of central forces amid escalating tensions Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday spoke with the director generals of border guarding forces to assess the situation. Shah also talked to the director general of the Central Industrial Security Force regarding airport... Read more >
The man alleged to have murdered six people in a killing spree last year has pleaded guilty to all the charges against him.

David Berkowitz became known as the Son of Sam after taunting letters from him to police investigating the case were published in newspapers.

At a court in Brooklyn, New York, Berkowitz admitted all the killings which last year had residents of three New York boroughs living in fear.

The 24-year-old also admitted wounding seven people before he was arrested last August.

Berkowitz, who acquired his proficiency with guns through a three-year stint in the US army, said he had no motive other than excitement for carrying out the shootings.

He showed no emotion as he made the admissions which were against the advice of his lawyers.

They had wanted him to challenge a judges ruling that he was mentally competent to enter a plea.

The first killing attributed to Son of Sam occurred in July 1976 when 18-year-old Donna Lauria was shot as she sat in a car with a friend in the Bronx district of New York.

However police did not realise there was a serial killer on the loose until another two people had been murdered and several more injured.

The link was not made until last March when it was found the gun used to kill Ms Lauria had also been used in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Virginia Voskerichian.

The press initially dubbed Berkowitz the .44 Killer after the calibre of gun he used.

However, the Son of Sam nickname was adopted after Berkowitz used the term to describe himself in an anonymous letter to police in April 1977.

He was eventually captured after being linked to the scene of the final killing through a parking ticket issued when he left his car parked illegally.

Berkowitz quickly confessed and claimed he was ordered to kill by a neighbours dog.

He also admitted to being behind the unsolved stabbings of several women, all of whom survived.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

In June 1978 David Berkowitz was sentenced to 365 years in jail.

Over the years Berkowitz has hinted he did not work alone.

Conspiracy theorists believe Berkowitz was part of a satanic cult and that others were involved in the shootings.

He remains in prison where he has become a born-again Christian.

He has a website which he uses to declare his remorse for the killings and insist he has no interest in being freed from jail.
After more than half a month, the Legislative Assembly (AL) has expressed regret and condemnation regarding the actions of two All About Macau (AAM) reporters accused of disrupting parliamentary proceedings.

In response to the Legislative Assemblys clarification issued on Wednesday evening, AAM expressed deep regret over what it called the assemblys one-sided statements and accusations.

Citing Macaus Press Law and the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly, which mandate that plenary meetings be broadcast via radio, television, or the internet, and require designated seating for credentialed media representatives, AAM criticized the unprecedented incident of journalists being taken away by police during Assembly sessions.

The media outlet contended that this situation, which could lead to criminal prosecution for the journalists, demonstrates the Legislative Assemblys disregard for press freedom in the city and results in continued obstructions to normal reporting.

It further stated that, As the case is now under judicial proceedings, AAM will refrain from making any additional comments.

The incident began in the middle of last month when three AAM journalists were issued blue press passes to cover the Chief Executives 2025 Policy Address at the Legislative Assembly, facing restrictions on taking photos and only allowed to observe from the public gallery.

The following day, they were denied entry to the Legislative Assemblys main hall, escorted out by police, and taken to the headquarters of the Public Security Police Force in Pac On for about 11 hours of questioning. They were eventually arrested on suspicion of disturbing the operation of the Macau Special Administrative Regions government agencies after allegedly shouting loudly at the scene despite repeated warnings.

In this regard, the AL clarified in its statement that the interview space and seating in the plenary hall are limited, arguing that the arrangements are reasonable for ensuring the effective conduct of meetings.

Due to the large number of media reporters during the recent debate on the Policy Address, [] to ensure the normal conduct of reporting activities, the AL allowed reporters who could not enter the plenary hall to watch the proceedings from the public gallery after completing the necessary on-site filming, it stated.

The statement further noted that during the three-day meeting on April 14, 15, and 17, some media reporters did not comply with the established arrangements, shouted loudly, and forcibly breached the security cordon, seriously disrupting the orderly conduct of the AL plenary session.

It expressed regret over this behavior and stated that the police were called to prevent the situation from escalating and to ensure the effective continuation of the plenary session.

The AL also emphasized its strong respect for the legitimate rights of the media and journalists to conduct interviews and report on events, while noting that these rights should be exercised within the boundaries permitted by law.
With all the pomp, drama and solemnity that the Catholic Church can muster, 133 cardinals began the centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis, celebrating a morning Mass yesterday before opening the most geographically diverse conclave in the faiths 2,000-year history.

The dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, presided over the service, urging the voters to set aside all personal interests and find a pope who prizes unity. The world today needs a leader who can awaken consciences, he said.

From the altar of St. Peters Basilica, Re prayed that they can agree on the pope that our time needs as he offered a final set of marching orders before the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel early today [Macau time] to begin the secret voting.

Hailing from 70 countries, the cardinals are being sequestered from the outside world, their cellphones surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent all communications until they find a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member church.

Francis named 108 of the 133 princes of the church, choosing many pastors in his image from far-flung countries like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga that had never had a cardinal before.

His decision to surpass the usual limit of 120 cardinal electors and include younger ones from the global south  often marginalized countries with lower economic clout  has injected an unusual degree of uncertainty in a process that is always full of mystery and suspense, with smoke signals telling the world if a pope has been elected or not.

Many cardinals hadnt met one another until last week and lamented they needed more time to get to know each another, raising questions about how long it might take for one man to secure the two-thirds majority, or 89 ballots, necessary to become the 267th pope.

Wait and see, a little patience, wait and see, said Cardinal Mario Zenari, the Vaticans ambassador to Syria as he arrived for the final day of pre-vote discussions.

A final Mass, then All out

The cardinals began the day by participating in the Mass in St. Peters Basilica, attended by Vatican officials and the public. The 91-year-old dean of the college, Re, prayed for cardinals to find the wisdom, counsel and understanding to elect a worthy new shepherd.

Wearing bright red vestments, the cardinals processed down the central aisle of the basilica as the Sistine Chapels boys choir sang. They took up their seats around the main altar, which lies above the traditional burial place of St. Peter, considered to be the first pope.

Re had presided at Francis funeral, delivering a heartfelt sermon recalling historys first Latin American pope and the reforming 12-year papacy he oversaw.

Yesterday, the cardinals walked solemnly into the frescoed Sistine Chapel, chanting the meditative Litany of the Saints and the Latin hymn Veni Creator, imploring the saints and the Holy Spirit to help them pick a pope.

Once there, they pledge to maintain secrecy about what is about to transpire and to not allow any interference, opposition or any other form of intervention from outsiders to influence their voting.

Standing before Michelangelos vision of heaven and hell in The Last Judgment, each cardinal places his hand on the Gospel and swears to carry out that duty.

The awesomeness of the chapels frescoes, and Michelangelos in particular, is meant to remind the cardinals of the weighty responsibility they bear. In his regulations for the conclave, St. John Paul II wrote that in the Sistine Chapel, everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God, in whose sight each person will one day be judged.

The cardinals dont have to take a first vote Wednesday (early Thursday, Macau time), but they usually do. Assuming no winner is found, the Vatican said black smoke could be expected out of the Sistine Chapel chimney at around 7 p.m (02:30, Thursday).

The cardinals retire for the night and return Thursday. They can hold up to two ballots in the morning and two in the afternoon until a winner is found.

While cardinals this week said they expected a short conclave, it will likely take at least a few rounds of voting. For the past century, it has taken between three and eight ballots to find a pope. John Paul I  the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978  was elected on the third ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

Challenges facing a new pope

There are any number of challenges facing a new pope and weighing on the cardinals, above all whether to continue and consolidate Francis progressive legacy on promoting women, LGBTQ+ acceptance, the environment and migrants, or roll it back to try to unify a church that became more polarized during his pontificate. The clergy sex abuse scandal hung over the pre-conclave talks.

Since Francis chose 80% of the voters, continuity is likely, but the form it might take is uncertain and identifying front-runners has been a challenge.

But some names keep appearing on lists of papabile, or cardinals having the qualities to be pope.

 Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, is a leading Italian, by nature of his office. He was Francis secretary of state, the Vatican No. 2, and known to every cardinal.

 Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, is a top candidate to be historys first Asian pope. He had a similarly high-profile job, heading the Vaticans evangelization office responsible for the Catholic Church in much of the developing world.

 Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72, the archbishop of Budapest, is a leading candidate representing the more conservative wing of the church. NICOLE WINFIELD, VATICAN CITY, MDT/AP
The Medical Affairs Council unveiled a strategic plan to empower young healthcare workers through cross-border collaboration, specialized training, and systemic reforms.

The announcement was made yesterday at the councils 9th plenary meeting, chaired by Alvis Lo, director of the Health Bureau.

Lo highlighted the governments commitment to supporting the physical and mental health development of Macaus youth.

Our policy focuses on helping young medical personnel develop in the mainland and integrate into the Greater Bay Areas national development, he said.

Key initiatives include expanding medical vouchers to cover chronic disease prevention and launching a territory-wide screening program for early detection. The council also introduced reforms to streamline specialist training and reduce wait times for certification exams.

Feng Fangdan, director of the Hengqin Civic Affairs Bureau, highlighted Greater Bay Area integration as a structured pathway for Macaus young professionals to work in mainland hospitals, with incentives for those relocating to the Guangdong-Macau Deep Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

Cross-border training will allow Macau healthcare workers to rotate through the Islands Healthcare Complex for advanced clinical experience.

Integrating our youth into the Greater Bay Area isnt optional, its essential for Macaus medical future, Lo said.

This plan is in alignment with the broader Health Macao Blueprint, which aims to improve public health literacy and control chronic diseases by 2030. NS
India fired missiles at Pakistan early yesterday, in what it said was retaliation for last months massacre of Indian tourists. Pakistan called the strikes an act of war and said more than two dozen people, including children, were killed.

The strikes targeted at least nine sites where terrorist attacks against India have been planned, Indias Defense Ministry said. Pakistans military said the missiles hit six locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the countrys eastern Punjab province.

Pakistan claimed it shot down several Indian fighter jets. Three planes fell onto villages in India-controlled territory, and there was a heavy exchange of fire between the sides. At least seven civilians were also killed in the region by Pakistani shelling, Indian police and medics said.

Tensions have soared between the nuclear-armed neighbors since an April attack in which gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir, in some cases killing men before their wives eyes.

India accuses Pakistan of being behind the attack, which was claimed by a militant group calling itself Kashmir Resistance. India has said the group is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a disbanded Pakistani militant group.

Islamabad denies involvement.

India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety.

In the wake of the massacre, the rivals have expelled each others diplomats and nationals, closed their borders and shuttered airspace. India has also suspended a critical water-sharing treaty with Pakistan.

Yesterdays strikes were a significant escalation.

The escalation raises the risk of war

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the airstrikes and said his country would retaliate.

Pakistan has every right to give a robust response to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given, Sharif said.

It was not clear if Pakistans claim that it shot down fighter jets constituted its relatiation or if more might be coming.

South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman said the strikes were some of the highest-intensity ones from India on its rival in years and that Pakistans response would surely pack a punch as well.

These are two strong militaries that, even with nuclear weapons as a deterrent, are not afraid to deploy sizeable levels of conventional military force against each other, Kugelman said. The escalation risks are real. And they could well increase, and quickly.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for maximum restraint because the world could not afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan, according to a statement from spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

China also called for calm. Beijing is the largest investor in Pakistan by far and has multiple border disputes with India, including one in the northeastern part of the Kashmir region.

Pakistans National Security Committee met yesterday morning. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a special meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security and postponed his upcoming official trip to Norway, Croatia and the Netherlands, scheduled to start next week.

Several Indian states planned civil defense drills later yesterday, according to Indias Home Ministry, to train civilians and security personnel to respond in case of any hostile attacks. Such drills are rare in non-crisis times.

Scenes of panic and destruction

The missile strikes hit six locations and killed at least 26 people, including women and children, said Pakistans military spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif.

Officials said another 38 people were injured in the strikes, and five more people were killed in Pakistan during exchanges of fire across the border later in the day.

In Muzaffarabad, the main city of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, resident Abdul Sammad said he heard several explosions as blasts ripped through houses. He saw people running in panic and authorities immediately cut power to the area.

People ran into the streets or open areas. We were afraid the next missile might hit our house, said Mohammad Ashraf, another resident.

Indian jets damaged infrastructure at a dam in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, according to Sharif, the military spokesman, calling it a violation of international norms.

The strikes also hit close to at least two sites previously tied to militant groups that have since been banned, according to Pakistan.

One hit Subhan Mosque in Punjabs Bahawalpur city, killing 13 people, according to Zohaib Ahmed, a doctor at a nearby hospital.

The mosque is near a seminary that was once the central office of Jaish-e-Mohammed, a militant group outlawed in 2002. Officials say the group has had no operational presence at the site since the ban.

Another missile hit a mosque in Muridke in Punjab, damaging it. A sprawling building located nearby served as the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba until 2013, when Pakistan banned the militant group and arrested its founder.

Indias Defense Ministry called the strikes focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature.

No Pakistan military facilities have been targeted, the statement said, adding that India has demonstrated considerable restraint.

Indian politicians from different political parties lauded the operation, which was named Sindoor, a Hindi word for the vermillion powder worn by married Hindu women on their foreheads and hair. It was a reference to the women whose husbands were killed in front of them in the Kashmir attack.

Victory to Mother India, Indias defense minister, Rajnath Singh, wrote on X.

Exchanges of fire fall on villages in Kashmir

Along the Line of Control, which divides the disputed region of Kashmir between India and Pakistan, there were heavy exchanges of fire.

Indian police and medics said seven civilians were killed and 30 wounded by Pakistani shelling in Poonch district near the highly militarized de facto border. Officials said several homes also were damaged in the shelling.

Shortly after Indias strikes, aircraft fell in three villages: two in India-controlled Kashmir, a third in Indias northern Punjab state.

Sharif, the Pakistani military spokesperson, said the countrys air force shot down five Indian jets in retaliation for the strikes. There was no immediate comment from India about Pakistans claim.

Debris from one plane was scattered across Wuyan village on the outskirts of the regions main city of Srinagar, including in a school and a mosque compound, according to police and residents. Firefighters struggled for hours to douse the resulting blazes.

There was a huge fire in the sky. Then we heard several blasts also, said Mohammed Yousuf Dar, a Wuyan resident.

Another aircraft fell in an open field in Bhardha Kalan village. Resident Sachin Kumar told The Associated Press he heard massive blasts and saw a huge ball of fire.

Kumar said he and several others rushed to the scene.

We found the two pilots at some distance in injured condition. They were Indian pilots and and soldiers took them away, he said.

A third aircraft crashed in a farm field in Punjab, a police officer told the AP, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. The officer did not provide further details. MUNIR AHMED, ISLAMABAD, MDT/AP
Top U.S. officials are set to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland in the first major talks between the two nations since President Donald Trump sparked a trade war with stiff tariffs on imports.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their counterparts in Geneva in the most-senior known conversations between the two countries in months, the Trump administration announced yesterday [Macau time]. It comes amid growing U.S. market worry over the impact of the tariffs on the prices and supply of consumer goods.

No country has been hit harder by Trumps trade war than China, the worlds biggest exporter and second largest economy. When Trump announced his Liberation Day tariffs on April 2, China retaliated with tariffs of its own, a move that Trump viewed as demonstrating a lack of respect. The tariffs on each others goods have been mounting since then, with the U.S. tariffs against China now at 145% and China tariffs on the U.S. at 125%.

American firms have already begun canceling orders from China, postponing expansion plans and hunkering down as a result of the tariff war.

After plans for the talks had been announced, Bessent said on Fox News The Ingraham Angle that as the U.S. has engaged in negotiations with various trading partners, China has been the missing piece.

The current situation, he said, isnt sustainable  especially on the Chinese side. He added that current high tariff levels were the equivalent of an embargo. We dont want to decouple. What we want is fair trade.

Trump had claimed previously that the U.S. and China were holding negotiations on lowering tariffs, which Beijing has denied, saying Trump must first lower his stiff tariffs.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry confirmed the meeting between its vice premier and Bessent in Switzerland.

The Chinese side carefully evaluated the information from the U.S. side and decided to agree to have contact with the U.S. side after fully considering global expectations, Chinese interests and calls from U.S. businesses and consumers, said a ministry spokesperson.

The spokesperson said China would not sacrifice its principles or global equity or justice in seeking any agreement.

Most economists have said the cost of the tariffs would get passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices for autos, groceries, housing and other goods. And the higher prices are already becoming a burden on U.S. consumers, who are in the biggest economic funk since the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, economists say the risk of a recession is growing.

Wendy Cutler, a former U.S. trade official and now vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute, said the upcoming meeting is a welcome development.

As the first face to face meeting between senior U.S. and Chinese officials since Trumps inauguration, its an important opportunity to have initial talks on unwinding some tariffs, mapping out a path forward, as well as raising concerns, Cutler said. We should not expect any quick victories  this will be a process that will take time.

In Switzerland, Bessent and Greer also plan to meet with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, according to readouts from their respective offices.

Both Greer and Bessent had talked with their counterparts before the beginning of the trade war.

Greer told Fox News Channel last month that he spoke with his Chinese counterpart for over an hour before the trade war started. I thought it was constructive, he said, adding: This is not a plan just to encircle China. Its a plan to fix the American economy, to have a greater share of manufacturing as GDP, to have real wages go up, to be producing things instead of having an economy thats financed by the government.

And Bessent in February spoke with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to exchange views on the bilateral economic relationship, according to a Treasury news release. ZEKE MILLER, FATIMA HUSSEIN & DIDI TANG, WASHINGTON, MDT/AP
Complete coverage: Shooting at Madison, Wisconsin school Read the Wisconsin State Journal's complete coverage of the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School.

The father of a teenage girl who killed a teacher and fellow student in a school shooting last December in Madison was charged Thursday with providing her with the weapon she used in the crime.

Jeffrey Rupnow, 42, of Madison, was charged in Dane County Circuit Court with contributing to the delinquency of a child and two counts of providing a dangerous weapon to a person under 18. All three charges are felonies, punishable by up to six years of combined prison and extended supervision each. Hes scheduled to make an initial appearance in court on Friday.

Rupnows daughter, 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School on Dec. 16, killing a teacher and a 14-year-old student before killing herself. Six other people were injured, including two other students who suffered serious injuries.

In the days, weeks and months that followed the shooting, our detectives and investigative teams have work tirelessly to follow up on leads, review documents, examine evidence and help coordinate support for the victims of the tragedy, acting Madison Police Chief John Patterson said at a press conference Thursday. Many continue to ask about the motive of this case. Why would a 15-year-old open fire in her school, murder a teacher, classmate and injure six others? We may never fully understand that motive.

He said the gun used by Natalie in the attack was purchased legally, as were several other guns found in the home she shared with her father. But according to the criminal complaint in the case, Natalie had paid him for one of the guns, a .22-caliber handgun, and the two considered it hers. Patterson said there was a gun safe in the home, but based on our investigation, it did not stop the teenager from having regular access to the firearms.

Patterson said Rupnow was cooperative throughout the police investigation, which remains open. He declined to comment on whether anyone else would be charged in connection with the shooting. Natalies mother, Mellissa Rupnow, typically saw her daughter on the weekends.

At the press conference Thursday, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said there are a number of changes state and federal officials could make to make shootings like last Decembers less likely, including passing so-called red-flag laws, expanding background checks for gun purchasers and holding parents accountable for their childrens actions.

What happened at Abundant Life Christian School should have been impossible, she said. Instead we live in a world where preventing a similar tragedy is what feels impossible. And that is not OK.

Killed in the shooting were Abundant Life teacher Erin Michelle West, 42, and student Rubi Patricia Vergara, 14. One of the six injured in the shooting, a student, remains in the hospital, Patterson said.

Guns supposed to be in safe

According to the criminal complaint:

Jeffrey Rupnow told investigators he took Natalie shooting with him on a friends land about two years before the Abundant Life attack. She enjoyed it, and he came to see guns as a way to connect with her. But he was shocked at how her interest in firearms snow balled, he told investigators.

He told the officers searching his home that he had three rifles and nine pistols in a locked gun safe, with one additional pistol wrapped as a Christmas present under his bed.

The day before the shooting, Rupnow said, Natalie asked to clean her gun. He retrieved it from the safe but said he couldnt remember if he put back afterward because he was distracted by a phone call. While he said he believed the girl didnt have access to the safe, he said he had told her at one point that it consisted of his Social Security number backward, in case she ever needed it. But he also told police she would not have known his Social Security number.

On the day of the shooting, Rupnow left for work between 3:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. and sent a Facetime message to his daughter later in the morning to make sure she was going to school.

Recalling later the phone call he received from the SWAT team after the shooting, Rupnow said, I had a worry that it was (Natalie) based on all her gun training ... training that I gave her.

The complaint does not say how Natalie obtained the second gun she took to the school  and the one she used in the attack  a 9mm handgun. She must have gotten in the safe, Rupnow told a detective.

Rupnow told investigators his daughter lived with him but had been struggling with his divorce from her mother in 2022, saying she hated her life and wanted to kill herself. Natalie also used to cut herself to the point where Rupnow said he had to lock up all the knives in his house.

Of the suicide threats, Rupnow told a therapist, I dont take it too seriously. I think shes really just looking for attention when she talks like that. He told detectives that the statements were mainly used in an I dont want to go to school way.

Natalie had been in therapy to learn how to be more social until the spring before the attack, he told investigators. Her mother, Melissa Rupnow, told detectives that the therapist told her that Natalie was suffering post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from the divorce. One of Natalies friends told investigators that Jeffrey Rupnow was frequently verbally aggressive with Natalie and that she had told him that her father was a drinker, according to the complaint.

Meticulously planned

The complaint also details for the first time the extent of the planning that went into the attack.

A blue spiral notebook found in the shooters bedroom contained maps and a detailed timeline of the attack, from when it would start to when it would end (12:00-12:10 ready 4 Death, the entry read). More hand-drawn maps, an official blueprint and photos of a cardboard model of the school were also all found in the bedroom.

Some of the plans dated as early as October 2023, and there were indications she initially intended to carry out the attack on April 11, 2025.

This year is my last full school year, one notebook entry read. Its not like Im gonna complain, its gonna be fun 4/11/25 (April 11th 2025) pretty excited its all planned out just need His guns.

Police also recovered a six-page manifesto from the bedroom titled War Against Humanity. In it, Natalie described humanity as filth, and spoke critically of people who do not care or give one single care in the world and smoke their lungs out with weed or drink as much as they can like my own father.

In her writing, Natalie complained of being bullied in school, complained about her parents, therapist and teachers, and praised other school shooters.

I got the weapons by lies and manipulation, and my fathers stupidity, she wrote.

On the day of the shooting, surveillance footage showed she arrived at the school via Uber at 10:39 a.m., spent six minutes in a bathroom, then walked into a classroom with her weapon drawn at 10:54 a.m. Seconds later, students in the hallway could be seen reacting to the gunshots.

How to get help If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or use the chat feature at 988lifeline.org. To report a potential school threat, contact the Wisconsin Department of Justices School Threat Reporting System at schoolsafety@doj.state.wi.us or 800-697-8761. For more information, visit go.madison.com/school-safety.

Police interviewed one of the victims at St. Marys Hospital, a child who had been shot in the left arm. The boy said he had been in his study hall class when he heard a loud bang and saw the shooter enter the classroom with a calm and angry face and shoot West, the teacher.

After running behind a bean bag chair to hide, the boy said, he later saw the shooter lying on the floor with a gun in her hand. He removed the gun from the girls hand, hid it in a drawer to make sure no one else could get hold of it and went to see if he could help others, the boy told police.

Officers recovered 20 shell casings and five fired projectiles from two classrooms.

Not the first to face charges

Rupnow did not respond to a message The Associated Press left on his Facebook page. No one immediately returned voicemails left at possible telephone listings for him and his ex-wife, Melissa Rupnow. Online court records indicate he represented himself in the couples 2022 divorce and do not list an attorney for him in that case.

In a statement to police, he said he wished he could reach out to the families hurt by the tragedy.

I guess my biggest mistake was teaching my kid safe gun handling and getting into shooting sports. In another message to the detective, Rupnow said the only real mistake he made was not changing the code on his gun safe.

Rupnow is the latest parent of a school shooter to face charges associated with an attack.

Last year, the mother and father of a school shooter in Michigan who killed four students in 2021 were each convicted of involuntary manslaughter. The mother was the first parent in the U.S. to be held responsible for a child carrying out a mass school attack.

The father of a 14-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting four people at a Georgia high school was arrested in September and faces charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for letting his son possess a weapon.

In 2023, the father of a man charged in a deadly Fourth of July parade shooting in suburban Chicago pleaded guilty to seven misdemeanors related to how his son obtained a gun license.

Abundant Life is a nondenominational Christian school that offers prekindergarten classes through high school. About 420 students attend the institution. Patterson and Rhodes-Conway asked reporters at Thursdays press conference not to seek to interview people at the school Thursday about their response to the charges against Rupnow.

The Associated Press and State Journal reporter Chris Rickert contributed to this report.
The sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New York City on April 10, killing the pilot and a family of five

Before crashing into the Hudson River back in April, the sightseeing helicopter separated into three parts, the NTSB said in a preliminary report

Surveillance video, along with audio, captured the Bell 206 chopper traveling south before it "suddenly separated into three major sections"

Pilot Seankese Carrell Johnson as well as Agustin Escobar, his wife and their three young children were killed in the crash



Authorities have revealed new details about what happened to the helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River in April, killing a tourist family of five and a pilot.

According to the NTSB report released on Wednesday, May 7, surveillance video and audio showed the Bell 206 chopper traveling south before it "suddenly separated into three major sections" and hit the water.

The major sections that investigators were able to recover were the helicopter's fuselage, which included the engine, the main rotor system as well as the tail boom.

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"The fuselage came to rest, inverted, north of the Holland Tunnel ventilation towers where the water depth was about 6 ft," the NTSB wrote. Meanwhile the other sections were found submerged at a depth of around 30 feet.

Additionally, they wrote that more debris was found on the surface of the river as well as on the rooftop near the transit building in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Police and firefighters work on the site after the helicopter crashed into the Hudson River.

The report went on to note that the helicopter was not equipped with any video or data recording devices, and that while pilot Seankese Carrell Johnson was photographed before take-off wearing computer-augmented sunglasses, which had video and audio recording capability, those glasses were not recovered.

Additionally, federal investigators said that at the time of the crash, Johnson had been working a "10 days on/10 days off" schedule  and that the day of the crash was his first day back after his most recent time off. That flight was the helicopter's eighth tour of the day. All were operated by Johnson.

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Related: Brother of Woman Who Died in N.Y.C. Helicopter Crash Flies to U.S. to Identify Bodies, Vows to 'Never Forget' His Family Members

Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal and their three young children  ages 10, 9 and 4  were visiting New York City from Spain at the time of the crash.

A funeral for the family was held in Barcelona on Tuesday, April 22.

Related: Tourist Family of 5 Killed in Helicopter Crash Is Laid to Rest. Their Funeral Included a Touching Song Choice

On April 14, the sightseeing company that operated the helicopter received an emergency order of suspension ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

According to the other, Mr. Jason Costello, the Director of Operations of NY Helicopter, agreed that NY Helicopter would cease operations as requested until investigations were complete.



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The preliminary report does not include a cause for the crash. A probable cause will not be determined until the NTBS releases their final report, which is likely still months away.



Read the original article on People
US is pushing Starlink on nations facing tariffs as Musk stands to benefit from trade deals: report

The Trump administration is pushing nations facing steep tariffs to adopt Elon Musks Starlink satellite system, according to The Washington Post.

Two weeks after President Donald Trump announced 50 percent tariffs on products from the small African country of Lesotho, its communications regulator met with people from Starlink, which SpaceX owns.

Starlink had been looking to get access to customers from the country; however, the company was only handed a 10-year internet service license in Lesotho after Trump revealed the tariffs and called for trade negotiations.

As the government of Lesotho negotiates a trade deal with the United States, it hopes that licensing Starlink demonstrates goodwill and intent to welcome U.S. businesses, an internal State Department memo said, according to The Post.

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Musks company also signed distribution agreements with two Indian providers in March, and it has been at least partially accommodated in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Vietnam.

The paper obtained a number of internal government messages that outline how U.S. embassies and the State Department have urged countries to remove obstacles for American satellite companies, and they often mention Starlink by name.

People stand at Griffith Observatory in LA as they view a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a payload of 22 Starlink internet satellites into space, after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base, on March 18, 2024. Some countries have fast-tracked regulatory approvals for Starlink as they may enter trade negotiations with the U.S. (Getty Images)

However, the documents do not show that the White House has been asking for favors for the satellite company in exchange for tariff relief. They suggest that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told officials that they should urge countries to enact regulatory approvals for the satellite company. This comes as the White House is arguing for trade talks.

The Biden administration also urged embassies to adopt Starlink and other satellite internet services, cables obtained by The Post reveal.

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However, no deals have been struck since the Trump tariffs were announced.

Even so, Indian officials have fast-tracked Starlink approvals with the idea that it would help them get trade deals with the U.S.

Its not likely to be an explicit element of the trade negotiations with the U.S., but the Indian side sees this as an important lubricant that facilitates a deal, one person briefed by Indian leadership told The Post.

The State Department told the paper in a statement that Starlink is an American-made product that has been game-changing in helping remote areas around the world gain internet connectivity. Any patriotic American should want to see an American companys success on the global stage, especially over compromised Chinese competitors.

The only consideration in the Trump administrations trade negotiations with other countries is whats best for the American people  which includes American companies succeeding at home and abroad, White House spokesperson Kush Desai told The Post. President Trump will not tolerate any conflicts of interest, and every administration official is following ethical guidelines set by their respective agencies.

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However, some experts who spoke to the paper said the actions make sense as the U.S. competes with China in the area of worldwide telecommunications, and Starlink is the top actor in satellite internet connectivity both in the U.S. and globally.

Foundation for American Innovation senior fellow Evan Swarztrauber told The Post, "When Elons name is attached to anything, theres all sorts of feelings. But if he werent the CEO of SpaceX, I dont think most people would have a problem with the U.S. government advocating for American companies to get international market access.

He added: We want American satellite companies to do well abroad, especially as our main competition is China. The U.S. has a lead in space, and we should double down on getting other countries to grant regulatory approvals for our companies. Otherwise, it will be Chinese companies that benefit from market access.
Authorities have identified the suspect in the killing of veteran journalist Juan Johnny Dayang with a P500,000 reward now offered for information leading to his arrest.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Western Visayas regional office said the suspect, a male with a previous drug-related case, remains at large. He is expected to be charged with murder.

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The reward was jointly offered by the provincial government of Aklan and the local government of Kalibo to boost efforts in locating the suspect.

We will not stop until we catch the culprit in the killing of Mr. Johnny Dayang, said PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil. His identity has been confirmed, and we are taking all steps to arrest and hold him accountable.

Marbil thanked the local governments for their support and stressed the importance of protecting members of the media. The PNP is working closely with the Presidential Task Force on Media Security to ensure swift justice.

Dayang, 89, was a highly respected journalist and served as President Emeritus of the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. He was killed on April 29, reigniting concerns about the safety of journalists and press freedom in the country.
The second congress of the RCP was an electric event, like none other  rich in political understanding, revolutionary enthusiasm, and infectious confidence. There has never been a better time to get organised and join the communists!

[Originally published at communist.red]

This May Day weekend, from 2-5 May, 550 communists met in London for the second congress of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP).

This gathering could not have come at a more appropriate time, with explosive events bursting out across the world. As RCP general secretary Ben Gliniecki noted in his opening remarks:

The [1 May] local elections have given a snapshot of the complete anger that exists among workers towards the establishment. But the key defining feature of the political situation is the total vacuum in the revolutionary leadership that can connect with this mood This time last year, Rishi Sunak was still prime minister; Joe Biden was US president; the encampment movement was just starting at the universities. Since then, the party has gotten stuck into all major developments: the Palestine movement; our general election campaign; the counter-demonstrations against the far right last August All of this, meanwhile, will have had a huge impact on consciousness.

Against this political backdrop, on the one hand, and the immense political strengthening of the party in the last 12 months, on the other, the mood at congress was sky-high.

Mike Hogan  a leading member of the party, who first joined our predecessor organisation, Ted Grants Militant tendency, in 1978  stated that this was the best political event of his entire life.

There is no shortage of anecdotes conveying the electrifying impact of the congress on all those who attended. Every layer of the party took inspiration from this landmark event.

I realised that I could do so much moreI really want to step up and develop myself and the party.  Pan, party member for five years. We had an interesting discussion at breakfast where a new comrade was talking about how impressed he was at the level of the talks and interventions. And he said that he almost went through seven stages of grief, that he realised he thought he was this far [in educating himself], but he had to go this far now.  Calum, member of the Leith branch You could really feel the excitement in the room.  Michaela, a second time attendee of the RCP national congress, speaking about the financial collection. It put everything into perspective to hear the reports from the [other sections of the Revolutionary Communist] International. We are so much bigger than the branch meetings I have come to so far.  Nick, a recent joiner. We got back to our accommodation at 1.30AM on Sunday. I then spent two hours talking with [another Irish comrade] in the park. We see each other all the time, but I was brimming with ideas and enthusiasm, so we couldnt stop there.  Mike, a member of the Irish group of the RCI. I lost count of how many times I got choked up or broke out in goosebumps. There is an emotional aspect to our work. We have revolutionary optimism, not based on nice-sounding hypotheticals but on real material conditions. The RCP is the living, breathing embodiment of Marxist ideas. I feel so much pride in this organisation; such camaraderie with my fellow comrades. I came away knowing I have found my lifes work.  Annie, an RCP member of one year.

This sentiment was reflected, not only amongst RCP members, but by the venue staff also. I have never seen a meeting in this hall with so much energy! exclaimed the AV technician, talking to our comrades.

World on fire

The return of Donald Trump to the White House marks the beginning of a qualitatively new phase in world relations; a turning point in the organic crisis of capitalism that has unfolded since 2008.

This message was underlined by the day-long discussion on world perspectives that opened the congress, introduced by the RCIs leading theoretician, Alan Woods.

As multiple comrades emphasised over the weekend, only by understanding the historic significance of global events can we make sense of the deepening crisis in Britain.

In particular, Alan stressed how we are witnessing the end of an era.

Trump is accused by the liberals of single-handedly wrecking the international rules-based order, Alan commented.

But he added that, what the liberals assign to the madness of a single politician, in reality reflects processes and pressures that have been brewing beneath the surface for a very long time.

Above all, Alan explained, Trumps programme reflects the relative decline of US imperialism, the most powerful imperialist power on Earth.

Behind all the twists and turns in Trumps trade policy lies not the lunacies of a madman, but the intensifying imperialist competition for markets and profits.

Tariffs are nuclear missiles sent against other countries, Alan stated. They are weapons of war.

At root, Alan outlined, we are seeing the symptoms of capitalisms impasse; the barriers to the development of the productive forces imposed by private property and the nation state.

In the past, the ruling class attempted to overcome these obstacles through the immense intensification of world trade, on the one hand, and the expansion of credit, on the other. But now these factors are turning into their opposite.

Speakers from the floor gave many examples of how the global mountain of debt and intensifying trade wars are now threatening to bring about the sovereign bankruptcies and worldwide economic depression  with all the social and political ramifications that this will entail.

James Kilby, a member of the In Defence of Marxism editorial board, used the phrase of a ticking time bomb in reference to the global debt crisis. The ruling class postponed the evil day for years and years, James noted, and now it has finally come knocking on the door.

The debt-to-GDP ratio in the advanced capitalist countries is now around 110 percent. In the USA, it stands at 120 percent. Consequently, the money spent on servicing interest is higher than any federal department bar the military. Britain, similarly, is threatened with a debt death spiral.

The more economically backward economies will be the first to go to the wall. Already, in recent years, we have seen the question of debt leading directly to revolutionary movements in places like Sri Lanka and Kenya.

The trade war is only bound to make things worse. These countries rely on a trade surplus for US dollars to repay the debt, James continued. But that surplus is precisely the thing that Trump wants to stamp out.

In other words, as Alan explained, protectionism means the export of social problems to other countries. America First means the rest of the world last.

In the absence of a clear revolutionary leadership, the wars, crises, and misery of capitalism will continue and worsen / Image: The Communist

The trade war will plunge the whole world deeper into chaos. Niklas Albin Svensson, a leading member of the RCI, gave a clear example demonstrating the immense dislocation that heightening tariffs will cause:

A part which is used in both Boeing and Airbus aircrafts, CFM56, is produced independently in both the US and France for each of the monopolies, respectively. But a significant part of the parts used to make this part are produced in one single factory. Now you have a situation where it will become cheaper for what used to be one factory to become two, three or four. This is the massive impact on productivity that the breakup of the international division of labour has.

Clearly, there is  and will be  no lack of hammer blows to rock the consciousness of the exploited and oppressed masses everywhere.

As the examples of Sri Lanka and Kenya  and, more recently, Greece and Serbia  highlight, unless a powerful revolutionary party is built in advance, the ruling class will always manage to stabilise the situation, even in the face of tremendous mass movements.

In short, in the absence of a clear revolutionary leadership, the wars, crises, and misery of capitalism will continue and worsen. The alternative facing society is clear: socialism or barbarism.

We have to build the party like the whole of the future history of humanity depends on us, Ben Gliniecki proclaimed. Because it does.

Crisis of British capitalism

Caught up in the cross-currents of the tempest engulfing the world is Britain: one of the weakest of the advanced capitalist countries, and thereby where all of capitalisms contradictions can be seen in concentrated form.

Rob Sewell, RCP political secretary, opened the third day of congress with a discussion on the perspectives for the British revolution, and the tasks facing our party.

What is remarkable is the degree of collapse of British capitalism, in its depth and its scope, Rob commented. This decline was disguised for an historical period because of the Empire, and the upswing of the post-war boom. But now it is clear for all to see.

Rob pointed out the long-term industrial decline of the former workshop of the world. Britain now has 2.7 million industrial workers, and declining, compared to 4.5 million in 1992.

Thousands of years ago, the Ancient Egyptians built using bricks  and they built the Pyramids, Rob noted. Today, Britain doesnt produce enough building bricks and has to import them from Australia!

We have to import iron ore and coal to make steel in Britain, Rob continued, yet we sit on enough coal to extract for 700 years!

The decline of British capitalism is leading to severe social degradation. One million young people in Britain are now not in employment, education, or training. Thats one million young people who are discarded by capitalism, Rob stated.

It is no accident that the Tories suffered the greatest electoral defeat in history, Rob explained. This reflects the situation of anger building up in society.

All of this anger is desperately trying to find its way to the surface. And it is finding a temporary and partial expression in the form of Reform UK.

But as a reactionary demagogue with no solutions to British capitalisms crises, any support for Farage will rapidly turn to bitterness should he come to power.

Comrades explained how we can expect many other expressions of the accumulating pressures and combustible material in society in the period ahead: splits in Labour; the rise of new parties and formations; anti-political movements; and industrial struggles.

Unfortunately, however, at the present time, we are faced with perhaps the weakest left in history. Consequently, there is an enormous political vacuum in Britain; a complete lack of any reference point for all the burning anger and energy amongst workers and youth.

The leaders of the trade union movement bear particular responsibility for this situation, as Mike Hogan discussed in one contribution to the debate:

[TUC general secretary] Paul Nowak praised Ernest Bevin [a leading minister in the 1945 Labour government] for using what he called diplomacy, not strikes  using intelligence against the bosses. Well, the intelligent thing is to go on strike!

Sooner or later, however, the trade unions will be forced into semi-opposition to Starmers austerity  as the example of the ongoing indefinite strike by refuse workers in Birmingham demonstrates.

Multiple comrades went on to explain that, even where such industrial militancy does arise, workers struggle will always be held back by the narrow outlook of the labour movement leaders, who do not look beyond capitalism for a solution.

We are not just fighting for better terms, Mike concluded.

Lenin said that our party leads the struggle of the working class, not only for better terms for the sale of labour-power, but for the abolition of the social system that compels the propertyless to sell themselves to the rich. Our party is about building a paradise on Earth! Our party is about communism! Our party is for the liberation of humanity from the filth of war, capitalism, and imperialism!

Recruiting for revolution

Based on this inspiration and understanding, congress went on to discuss our tasks in the period ahead.

Through bold initiatives, like Fiona Lalis campaign in the last general election, we have well and truly placed ourselves on the map / Image: The Communist

The foundations for future successes have already been laid. Importantly, throughout the weekend, several comrades underlined the conquest that the party has achieved in reclaiming the banner of communism in recent years.

As a result, radicalised young people looking for a genuine revolutionary alternative are increasingly coming across our party, based on the ideas of Marxism and traditions of Bolshevism.

We have achieved this momentous milestone within a year of founding the RCP. Through bold initiatives, like Fiona Lalis campaign in the last general election, we have well and truly placed ourselves on the map.

Providing the organisation report on the final day of discussion, Ben Gliniecki outlined that the last year has seen a strengthening of all aspects of our party: from education to finances.

But from an understanding of perspectives flows the understanding that we are still far too small a force for the historic tasks confronting us.

All forces in the party must therefore be focussed on the point of attack: to recruit and consolidate a new layer of communists and class fighters.

This is why the RCP is launching a recruitment campaign. From now until the end of the summer, we aim to recruit 200 new members, rallying workers and youth with the call for a revolution against the billionaires!

Comrades came away from congress with enormous confidence in this goal. When we set our minds to it, we always achieve what we set out to do, Ben concluded. I know we will recruit 200 people. I know we will consolidate them.

This optimism is entirely justified. During the congress itself, the party took significant strides forwards. RCP branches collectively donated an astonishing 140,000 in response to the fighting fund appeal. And comrades pledged a total of 4,000 per month in the form of membership dues increases.

We still have a long way to go. But RCP comrades are ready to rise to the challenge / Image: The Communist

Some of these pledges were truly exceptional, including increases from a 6.50 monthly donation to 100; 50 to 230; and 55 to 450!

These incredible displays of sacrifice were one of many indications of the inspiring impact that years congress had on comrades.

Similarly, after the event officially ended, attendees immediately began to discuss plans for building the party on their journeys home.

We still have a long way to go. But RCP comrades are ready to rise to the challenge.

We have confidence in ourselves and in the power of the working class  above all, because of our confidence in the ideas of Marxism: our invincible weapon in the fight to overthrow capitalism, as Fiona put it in her closing remarks, before a final stirring rendition of the Internationale.

Ben summarised this revolutionary boldness and audacity, not by quoting Marx or Lenin, but with the words of TE Lawrence:

All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.

That is us, Ben concluded, to energetic applause. We are the dangerous dreamers!
South African opposition leader Julius Malema has accused the UK of attempting to silence dissent after being denied a visa to attend the Africa Together Conference at the University of Cambridge on 10 May 2025.

J. Malema, who leads the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), described the decision as unjustified and politically motivated, asserting that there was no substantial justification for the UKs refusal. He believes the action is an effort to suppress a dissenting political perspective, given his vocal criticism of Western imperialism and his controversial stance on land nationalization in South Africa.

In a leaked letter to Malemas deputy, UK High Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson, explained that the UK Home Office had been unable to process Malemas visa application in time, citing the complexity of the process and the recent UK Bank Holidays. Despite the Home Offices apology and offer to refund the visa application fee, the EFF claims that the delay was deliberate, designed to prevent Malema from addressing the universitys Africa Together Conference. The EFF stated that their leaders visa was intentionally delayed to prevent him from speaking on behalf of the party at the event.

Malema responded to the denial with frustration, revealing on social media that the EFF had been assured that the issue would be resolved, only to be informed of the rejection just hours before departure. He labelled the situation unacceptable and spineless, accusing the UK authorities of obstructing his participation in the event. While the Home Office has refrained from commenting on the individual case, the incident has drawn attention to broader issues of political freedom and international diplomacy, particularly given Malemas contentious political views.
Malis military-led Government has indefinitely suspended on May 7 all political party and association activities, citing public order concerns, just days after hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators took to the streets of Bamako.

The decree, signed by transitional president Gen. Assimi Goita and announced on state television on Wednesday, comes at a tense moment, as civil society groups challenge the juntas increasing consolidation of power. Protesters defied heavy police presence and threats of violence to rally against a proposed bill to dissolve political parties  the first major public display of dissent since the military seized power through coups in 2020 and 2021.

The clampdown follows growing calls for a return to civilian rule. A recent national dialogue controversially proposed extending Goitas rule for a renewable five-year term, prompting civil society leaders, labour unions, and political actors to demand transparent and inclusive elections. However, police forcibly dispersed a press conference organised to air these concerns, claiming it posed a risk of clashes with regime loyalists. Critics argue that this decision to suspend political activity, echoing a similar move in 2024, reflects a deliberate strategy to stifle dissent during key political junctures.

As Mali distances itself from traditional Western allies and deepens ties with Russia, concerns mount over the juntas authoritarian drift. The country continues to battle jihadist insurgencies linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State, exacerbating insecurity and humanitarian challenges. Analysts warn that the erosion of political freedoms under the guise of security and order risks plunging Mali further into instability, as growing numbers of citizens push back against military rule in pursuit of democratic governance.
Two Belgian teenagers have been swept into the centre of Kenyas escalating campaign against wildlife trafficking after being caught with 5,000 live ants, a violation that earned them a $7,700 fine or a 12-month jail term.

Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both 19, were arrested on 5 April at a guest house in Nakuru County, an ecologically rich area. Their sentencing on 7 May at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts spotlighted the rising black-market trade in obscure species such as messor cephalotesa rare, crimson-hued harvester ant native to East Africa.

The court rejected their defence that the collection was a mere hobby, with Magistrate Njeri Thuku asserting the volume and rarity of the ants clearly suggested commercial intent.

Kenyan authorities have warned of an emerging trend in wildlife crime, with traffickers shifting focus from iconic species like elephants to lesser-known creatures including insects and reptiles. The Kenya Wildlife Service condemned the illegal export, highlighting its detrimental impact on national sovereignty, scientific research, and the livelihoods of local communities. In a related case, Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen and Kenyan Dennis Nganga were fined the same amount after being caught with 400 ants, which prosecutors described as part of an elaborate scheme. Despite Ngangas claim that ants are traded locally and thus assumed legal, the court maintained that ignorance was no defence.

Environmental scientists have raised serious concerns about the ecological ramifications. Dr. Shadrack Muya, an entomologist at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, underscored the vital environmental role of ants in soil aeration, seed dispersal, and biodiversity support. Their removal, he warned, could lead to long-term ecological disruption. Kenyan authorities recently showcased live queen ants seized at the airport, a symbolic move reflecting the urgency of the issue. As the global demand for exotic species surges, conservationists are urging enhanced cross-border enforcement and public education to prevent further damage to fragile ecosystems.
A United States federal judge has issued a temporary injunction blocking the Trump Administrations attempt to deport migrants to Libya, raising serious legal and ethical concerns. The ruling, handed down in Boston by District Judge Brian Murphy, cited a blatant disregard for a prior injunction which mandates that all individuals facing removal must be granted due process  including written notice in a language they understand and an opportunity to contest their deportation.

The decision followed a swift legal challenge from immigration attorneys alarmed by credible reports that deportation flights to Libya were imminent. The proposed returns have drawn sharp condemnation due to Libyas ongoing instability, with the country fragmented between rival governments and plagued by violence, lawlessness, and human rights abuses.

Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh publicly rejected the prospect of Libya being used as a destination for migrant deportations, declaring that his nation refuses to be a destination for the deportation of migrants under any pretext. Nevertheless, anonymous sources within the US administration revealed plans to deploy military aircraft for the removals, possibly within days, fueling a wave of backlash from humanitarian organizations and legal advocates.

This development comes amid an intensification of the Trump administrations immigration crackdown, which includes mass deportation drives and inducements for voluntary departure. Libya is reportedly one of several nations approached to receive deported migrants, alongside Rwanda, Benin, Angola, and others. However, the legal and logistical complications of returning individuals to such volatile environments have prompted mounting legal resistance and international criticism. As debate rages on, the number of individuals targeted for removal to Libya remains undisclosed, and the administrations silence on the specifics has only deepened the controversy.
Catholic families across the Democratic Republic of Congo are gathering around televisions to follow the papal conclave with high hopes that their compatriot, 65-year-old Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, might become the first African pope of the modern era.

In Kinshasa, Patience Mudinda and her family watched the beginning of the papal election process with anticipation. I will be overwhelmed with joy if Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo is elected, Mudinda said, as her son concentrated on the television news coverage.

Cardinal Ambongo, the Archbishop of Kinshasa, is among the contenders to succeed Pope Francis. His potential election would mark a historic moment for the Catholic Church and particularly for African Catholics, who represent a rapidly growing share of the global Catholic population.

Those close to Cardinal Ambongo in Kinshasa have been more measured in their comments about the Vatican election. Abbot Marcel Ndjondjo, a close colleague of the Cardinal, expressed hope that the religious spirit will prevail over all other considerations in the choice of the future Pope.

The prospect of an African pope has generated excitement throughout Congo, where the Catholic Church holds significant influence. The nation has one of Africas largest Catholic populations, with approximately 40% of Congolese identifying as Catholic.

Cardinal Ambongo, known for his advocacy on social justice issues, has emerged as a prominent voice within the Churchs hierarchy. His candidacy represents the possibility of shifting the Churchs leadership center toward the Global South, where Catholicism is experiencing its fastest growth.
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Credit: Immunity (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2025.04.015. https://www.cell.com/immunity/fulltext/S1074-7613(25)00178-5

Effective vaccines dramatically changed the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing illness, reducing disease severity, and saving millions of lives.

However, five years later, SARS-CoV-2 is still circulating, and in the process, evolving into new variants that require updated vaccines to protect against them.

But it takes time to design, manufacture, and distribute a new vaccine, which raises an important question: How can scientists create vaccines for versions of the virus that haven't happened yet?

One solution comes from a predictive AI model called EVE-Vax built by a team of scientists at Harvard Medical School, the HMS-led Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness (MassCPR), and other institutions.

The new model, described May 8 in the journal Immunity, uses evolutionary, biological, and structural information about a virus to predict and design surface proteins likely to occur as the pathogen mutates. The researchers successfully applied EVE-Vax to SARS-CoV-2, designing viral proteins that elicited similar immune responses as the actual proteins that evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The research suggests that the model provides valuable information about the future evolution of a virus and can be used to create panels of "designer" proteins to evaluate the future protection of vaccines. The researchers hope that the model will eventually help scientists develop better vaccines to combat viral outbreaks and pandemics caused by rapidly mutating viruses.

"We show that if you can see where a virus is evolving ahead of time, you can begin to make future-proof vaccines," said first author Noor Youssef, a scientific lead for the Predictive Modeling for Vaccine Design group in the Marks lab at HMS.

The evolution of EVE

More than a decade ago, study co-senior author Debora Marks, professor of systems biology in the Blavatnik Institute at HMS, and her lab began exploring whether they could use millions of years of evolutionary genetic information to make predictions about the structure and function of proteins.

In a 2021 paper, the researchers described an AI model they created based on this idea. The model, called EVE (evolutionary model of variant effect), uses large-scale evolutionary data across species to predict whether proteins will be functional. When applied to humans, EVE was able to interpret gene variants as benign or disease-causing.

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, Marks and her team adapted their model to predict viral behavior.

They built EVEscape, which applied EVE's powers of protein prediction to viral proteins. In a 2023 paper, the scientists showed that had EVEscape existed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it would have predicted the most frequent SARS-CoV-2 mutations and spotted the variants of greatest concern that were most likely to cause a spike in human infections.

The success of EVEscape led the researchers to wonder whether their model could also forecast the future evolution of rapidly evolving viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

Vaccines for such viruses are updated annually, which requires scientists to make an educated guess up to a year in advance about how viral proteins will evolve. This can lead to a mismatch between the predicted version of a virus used to design the vaccine and the actual version that ends up circulating. The gap between prediction and reality can cause vaccines to be less effective than they would have been if the versions matched more closely.

To solve this problem, the researchers developed EVE-Vax, a model that predicts and designs viral proteins that can be used to inform vaccine development ahead of time.

"We wanted to see if we could use our methods to create brand-new proteins that would be functional and would have the same immune response that we see with real viruses," Youssef said.

Predicting SARS-CoV-2's future maneuvers

In their latest research, the scientists used EVE-Vax to design 83 brand-new versions of the "spike" protein on SARS-CoV-2, which is the main surface protein the virus uses to infect human cells. Each new version of the spike protein had a different combination of up to ten mutations.

To test the effect of the AI-designed proteins, researchers teamed up with experimental colleagues and co-senior authors Jeremy Luban, professor of molecular medicine at UMass Chan Medical School; Jacob Lemieux, HMS assistant professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital; and Michael Seaman, HMS associate professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

The scientists performed experiments in lab dishes using safe, nonreplicating versions of SARS-CoV-2 engineered for the research. The experiments confirmed that viruses harboring the "designer" spike proteins infected human cells and elicited immune responses that largely matched the real-life immune responses to the virus at five different timepoints during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The fundamental insight here is that evolution tells you what's possible for the virus and its proteins to do and what might happen in the future," Marks said.

Finally, the researchers showed that they could easily and cheaply engineer hundreds of new spike proteins that could be readily incorporated into vaccine development for SARS-CoV-2.

"Traditional vaccine design uses all sorts of different methods, but nobody's used this approach before," Marks said. "EVE-Vax opens a new field of potential application and design for vaccines."

For example, the researchers showed that with EVE-Vax, they could have predicted that there would be considerable immune escape from the COVID-19 booster vaccine targeting the omicron variantknowledge that would have clued in scientists to build the booster differently.

"With EVE-Vax, we can predict the immune response, instead of just what the mutations on a virus will be, which is more useful in real-world situations," Marks said.

The team is now broadening EVE-Vax to other viruses, including avian influenza, a growing problem in the United States and worldwide.

One key advantage of the model, the researchers noted, is that it can work with limited information, which opens it up for understudied viruses such as Lassa and Nipah, as well as newly emerging viruses.

Ultimately, the team hopes that EVE-Vax will give scientists critical information about the various ways in which a virus is likely to evolve, enabling them to design vaccines that protect against future versions of the pathogen.
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Looking at your biological agehow old your body really iscan give a clearer picture of your heart disease risk than traditional tools alone. This finding comes from a newly published multicenter study conducted in collaboration between the Universities of Jyvaskyla, Tampere, and Helsinki, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Finland, and the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.

Biological aging refers to the gradual deterioration of cells and tissues in the body that occurs with age, starting early in adulthood. This process affects bodily functions and increases the risk of both diseases and death. The rate at which biological aging progresses varies between individuals and is influenced by genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors.

In the study, the stage of biological aging was measured using two indicators: a frailty index, which represents the accumulation of health deficits across various bodily systems at the organismal level, and telomere length, which serves as a cellular-level marker. Traditional cardiovascular disease risk indicators were SCORE2, SCORE2-OP, and the Framingham risk score. They consider chronological age, sex, and health or lifestyle factors but not the stage of biological aging.

Postdoctoral Researcher Anna Tirkkonen from the University of Jyvaskyla and Senior Research Fellow Laura Kananen from Tampere University and the Karolinska Institutet explain the results of the study published in Age and Ageing. "Our study showed that the frailty index can help to evaluate a person's cardiovascular disease risk," Tirkkonen says.

"This was seen in three cohorts from Finland and Sweden, comprising over 14,000 individuals without cardiovascular disease history. The finding was observed for people who were older (70+) but also for those who were younger, less than 70 years."

"We also found that the frailty index alone can reflect the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease over the next ten years quite accurately," says Kananen. "Interestingly, the results for telomere length were different. Telomere length was related to cardiovascular risk less evidently."

Studies on this topic are rare. The researchers believe their study is the first on the topic using the frailty index and the SCORE2 or SCORE2-OP risk score.

"There has only been one previous study addressing this issue with the frailty index and the Framingham risk score, and our findings are consistent with those results," says Tirkkonen.

The researchers think that biological age should be considered in cardiovascular disease risk tools.

"Based on our findings, a frailty index that reflects the gradual accumulation of age-related health deficits and represents comprehensively the health, functioning, and overall well-being seems to be a particularly effective indicator for this purpose," Kananen says. "It is also easy to measure. It can be derived, for example, from a relatively simple questionnaire."

More information: Anna Tirkkonen et al, Predicting cardiovascular morbidity and mortality with SCORE2 (OP) and Framingham risk estimates in combination with indicators of biological ageing, Age and Ageing (2025). DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afaf075 Journal information: Age and Ageing
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A new vaccine that combines flu and COVID-19 protection in one shot shows promising results, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it wants more data before it can be approved.

Moderna researchers reported that the combo shot produced a stronger immune response against COVID-19 and most flu strains than the individual vaccines already on the market.

The results are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study focused on adults aged 50 and older and included 8,015 participants. Common side effects included pain at the injection site, fatigue and headaches, The Associated Press reported.

While the vaccine did create antibodies, which help the body fight disease, the FDA still wants proof that the shot also prevents people from getting sick or ending up in the hospital.

But Moderna said it now expects that approval of the shot may not come until 2026.

"I agree in this case with the FDA that efficacy data is important to see," Dr. Greg Poland, a vaccine expert at the Mayo Clinic, told AP.

The current findings are based on antibody levels in the blood 29 days after vaccination. While this shows short-term protection, it's not proof that people actually avoided getting sick.

The flu part of the shot uses mRNA technology, which is also used in existing vaccines for COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In mRNA vaccines, a lab-created molecule is used to trigger an immune response to fight a virus.

mRNA has not yet been approved for flu shots, but Moderna is convinced it could speed vaccine production compared to older methods that use chicken eggs or giant vats of cells, AP reported.

Moderna also hopes that combining the shots will help improve vaccine rates. Poland, however, is not sure people will like the idea. He noted that flu is seasonal, while COVID spreads year-round, which makes timing the shot a bit more difficult.

Meanwhile, Moderna President Stephen Hoge told investors that talks with the FDA have been "business as usual," despite public skepticism about mRNA vaccine safety from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Last week, Novavax announced that the FDA is requiring it to run a new trial of its protein-based COVID vaccine after the agency grants full approval, raising questions about future vaccine updates.

2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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A case example from this study. Credit: Open Heart (2025). DOI: 10.1136/openhrt-2024-003081

University of East Anglia scientists have developed cutting-edge MRI technology to diagnose a common heart problem more quickly and accurately than ever before.

Aortic stenosis is a progressive and potentially fatal condition, affecting an estimated 300,000 people in the UK. It affects about 5% of 65-year-olds in the US, with increasing prevalence in advancing age.

A new study, published in Open Heart , reveals how a four-dimensional flow (4D flow) MRI scan can diagnose aortic stenosis more reliably than current ultrasound techniques.

The superior accuracy of the new test means doctors can better predict when patients will require surgery.

It is hoped the breakthrough could help save thousands of lives in the UK alone.

Lead researcher Dr. Pankaj Garg, from UEA's Norwich Medical School and a consultant cardiologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said, "Aortic stenosis is a common yet dangerous heart condition.

"It happens when the aortic valve, the main outflow valve of the heart, stiffens and narrows. This causes reduced blood flow from the heart into the rest of the body.

"Symptoms include chest pains, a rapid fluttering heartbeat and feeling dizzy, short of breath and fatiguedparticularly with activity.

"At the moment, doctors use an ultrasound to diagnose the condition, but this can sometimes underestimate the severity of the disease, delaying vital treatment.

"4D flow MRI is an advanced heart imaging method that allows us to look at blood flow in three directions over timethe fourth dimension.

"We wanted to see whether it could provide a more accurate and reliable diagnosis than a traditional ultrasound."

The team examined 30 patients diagnosed with aortic stenosis using both traditional ultrasound scans (echocardiography) and advanced 4D flow MRI imaging.

By comparing the results, they evaluated which method more accurately identified patients needing timely heart valve intervention.

They validated their results by comparing them with actual clinical outcomes over an eight-month period.

The team found that the 4D flow MRI technology offered more accurate and reliable measurements of blood flow through patients' heart valves, compared to traditional echocardiography.

Dr. Garg said, "We hope that this breakthrough will transform how cardiologists assess patients with aortic stenosisleading to more timely interventions, fewer complications, and potentially thousands of lives saved in the UK alone."

This research was led by UEA in collaboration with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Sheffield, the Hospital San Juan de Dios (Spain), the University of Chieti-Pescara (Italy), the University of Leeds and Leiden University Medical Center (The Netherlands).

More information: Ciaran Grafton-Clarke et al, Four-dimensional flow provides incremental diagnostic value over echocardiography in aortic stenosis, Open Heart (2025). DOI: 10.1136/openhrt-2024-003081 Journal information: Open Heart
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The University of Cincinnati's Kelly Dobos has spoken with Cosmetics Design U.S. about recent research revealing a significant rise in consumer interest in cosmeceuticals, or cosmetic products with active ingredients purported to have medical benefits.

The research was published by Thomas Jefferson University researchers in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology and used Google Trends data from 2004 to 2023 in addition to TikTok analytics to map out shifting preferences for popular skin care ingredients.

Search interest in cosmeceuticals continues to increase, researchers found, with retinol being the most searched-for and talked-about ingredient on social platforms. The findings demonstrate the rising influence of social media platforms on leading or developing skin care conversations.

"Awareness of skin care trends and growth in cosmeceutical interest empowers dermatologists to anticipate patient inquiries and develop targeted education on product efficacy, cost effectiveness, and potential adverse reactions," the authors said in the study.

Dobos was not involved in the study and said the findings provide both opportunities and challenges for manufacturers.

"While social media and search engines offer invaluable insights into consumer interests, they also amplify misinformation and hype," said Dobos, a cosmetic chemist and adjunct instructor in UC's Cosmetic Science Program at the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy.

"Manufacturers must balance agility with responsibilityleveraging digital trend data to inform product development, but always grounding their offerings and communications in robust scientific evidence and transparent education."

More information: Emily Correia et al, Analyzing Social Media Trends in Cosmeceuticals: Insights From Google Trends and TikTok Analytics, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2025). DOI: 10.1111/jocd.70172
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The 'heart' of the Fanconi anemia core complex, composed of FANCB-FANCL-FAAP100 (now FANCX) proteins, allows the rest of the core complex to assemble, and is necessary for downstream DNA repair. Credit: Rockefeller University

Fanconi anemia is an aggressive, life-threatening disorder. Most individuals living with this rare genetic condition, characterized by bone marrow failure and cancer predisposition, survive into adulthood only with bone marrow transplantation and regular cancer screening.

But a new study demonstrates that mutations in one particular gene in the Fanconi anemia pathway result in an even more severe form of the disorderand that many fetuses with this mutation do not survive to birth.

The sobering findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, identify this gene as FANCX and demonstrate just how essential it is to DNA repair.

"What's so striking is the severity," says Rockefeller's Agata Smogorzewska, head of the Laboratory of Genome Maintenance. "We're seeing a lot of miscarriages, or children not living very long, which illustrates the importance of this gene and the DNA repair pathway that it is associated with for many types of stem cells."

From patient to pathway

Fanconi anemia is caused by mutations in genes that control a genomic repair process that removes covalent bonds between strands of DNA, called DNA interstrand crosslinks. But while the FANCX gene is clearly involved in that repair pathway, this particular gene never seemed to be mutated in Fanconi anemia patients.

"Cryo-EM structures showed that FANCX protein forms a tight complex with FANCB and FANCL, two other proteins whose deficiencies result in Fanconi anemia," Smogorzewska says. "It was surprising that we didn't know of any Fanconi anemia patients with FANCX mutations."

Then one family in New York, who had multiple miscarriages and a newborn with developmental abnormalities incompatible with life, received care from a team at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The physicianscientists ordered a blood test that diagnosed the fetuses and the newborn with Fanconi anemia, and New York University's Undiagnosed Diseases Program used various sequencing techniques, including whole exome analysis, to demonstrate that changes in FANCXthen known as FAAP100had occurred.

But the link between these genetic changes and the disease was only established through a collaboration between Smogorzewska's labwith experiments performed by Biomedical Fellow Benjamin Harrisonthe NYU team led by Gilad Evrony, and the Mount Sinai team led by Bruce Gelb and Cassie Mintz. Together, the researchers confirmed the existence of a previously unknown, aggressive form of Fanconi anemia, driven by mutations in FANCX.

Testing demonstrated that the protein formed by FANCX was missing from the newborn, and that the newborn's Fanconi anemia DNA repair pathway was unable to perform its duties without one normal copy of the gene.

It was then that FAAP100 officially gained the alias FANCX, signifying its status as one of the 23 genes now known to be mutated in patients with Fanconi anemia. The results established FANCX as a new Fanconi anemia gene causing an unusually aggressive disease.

"Sometimes you start with a pathway and find mutations in patients, but other times you start with the patients and define the pathway from there," Smogorzewska says. "Fanconi anemia has often been the latter; most Fanconi anemia genes were identified after studying patients."

Collaborating in rare disease research

Smogorzewska and colleagues began to suspect that Fanconi anemia patients hadn't been presenting with FANCX mutations until now because these mutations are so severe. "Without this protein, it's unlikely the fetus will survive," Smogorzewska says. "If we begin to look for FANCX mutations in families with a lot of miscarriages, I suspect we'll begin to discover many more parents who are carriers."

Indeed, with the help of Kasturba Medical College in India, the team soon identified a second family with two miscarriages. Studies of the mutant protein from that family revealed a lack of normal function. Meanwhile, a group led by Detlev Schindler of the University of Wurzburg in Germany had already presented a preliminary report on FAAP100 mutations in cell samples taken from a fetus four years earlier, also concluding that mutations in this gene caused Fanconi anemia.

That presentation at a symposium organized by the Fanconi Cancer Foundation led to coordination of publications, and Schindler's paper was published in JCI at the same time as the paper by Smogorzewska and colleagues.

"The Foundation makes a lot of the important Fanconi anemia research possible," Smogorzewska says. "Beyond the advocacy and grants, the symposium brings families, patients, clinicians, and researchers together and allows us to collaborate, compete and, in this case, co-publish."

Beyond establishing FANCX as a Fanconi anemia gene and emphasizing the importance of this DNA repair pathway, the findings may help parents who are carriers start families. Smogorzewska envisions a future in which clinicians screen for FANCX mutations during IVF, selecting only healthy embryos for implantation. "We may soon be able to help families that carry these mutations prevent Fanconi anemia in future pregnancies," Smogorzewska says. "We now know what we're looking for."

More information: Benjamin A. Harrison et al, Deficiency of the Fanconi anemia core complex protein FAAP100 results in severe Fanconi anemia, Journal of Clinical Investigation (2025). DOI: 10.1172/JCI185126 Journal information: Journal of Clinical Investigation
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A brief spell of talking therapy with a general practitioner reduces symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for survivors of critical illness, finds a trial from Germany published by The BMJ.

The effects of this brief psychological intervention were modest, but may help to bridge long waiting times between discharge from an intensive care unit (ICU) and access to specialist mental health services, say the researchers.

Around one in five patients experience PTSD symptoms after intensive care. Most aftercare is provided in general practice as access to mental health services is often limited with long waiting lists, but structured interventions for PTSD symptoms in primary care have been largely absent.

To address this gap, researchers set out to test the effect of a brief GP-led narrative exposure intervention tailored for people discharged from intensive care.

The trial involved 319 adults (average age 58; 61% men) at general practices across Germany who received either three structured GP consultations and eight follow-up nurse interactions targeting PTSD symptoms (intervention group), or improved usual care (control group).

The main outcome was the severity of PTSD symptoms at six months, measured using the post-traumatic diagnostic scale (PDS-5, range 080, higher scores indicating more severe symptoms). The predefined minimal clinically important difference was six points.

At the start of the trial, the average PDS-5 score was 30.6 in both groups. At six months, the average PDS-5 score declined by 6.2 points in the intervention group compared with 1.5 points in the control group (a difference of 4.7 points). By 12 months, the average PDS-5 score had declined by 7.9 points in the intervention group compared with 2.5 points in the control group (a difference of 5.4 points).

These results are below the minimal clinically important six-point difference, but the researchers say this may be related to the brief and low intensity nature of the intervention, which limits a substantial symptom reduction.

Improvements in other outcomes, such as depression, disability, and quality of life, highlight the broader impact of reducing PTSD symptoms on patient well-being, they add.

They acknowledge several limitations, such as excluding people with severe PTSD symptoms and providing only brief training for GPs, and they can't rule out the possibility that other unmeasured factors may have influenced their results.

However, they say "given the prevalence of PTSD symptoms following critical illness, and the long waiting lists for mental health specialists service, the intervention may be feasible and beneficial for general practice."

This trial "represents an important advance in trauma-informed primary care interventions, bridging acute care and long-term psychological support," write researchers in a linked editorial.

While not a replacement for specialized psychiatric treatment, they say such models offer a pragmatic strategy to reduce the psychological burden of critical illness, especially in health care systems facing limited specialist resources.

As research continues, the challenge will be to refine these early interventions without diluting their therapeutic effectiveness, while future research "should focus on refining the content of therapy, optimizing delivery of care, and ensuring broad integration across health care systems," they conclude.

More information: Jochen Gensichen et al, Effects of a general practitioner-led brief narrative exposure intervention on symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder after intensive care (PICTURE): multicentre, observer blind, randomised controlled trial, BMJ (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2024-082092 Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ)
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Imagine having to pay A$39 dollars a day to park your car while visiting your sick child in hospital.

For families already struggling in a cost-of-living crisis, hospital parking fees are not just another expense. They can be a financial barrier to supporting loved ones in their most vulnerable moments.

Hospital parking is a big revenue earner. In New South Wales, public hospitals collected almost $51.7 million in parking fees in 2024. That was up from $30.2 million in 2023.

It may be tempting to view hospital parking fees as exploiting a captive market. But the reality is much more complex.

It involves urban economics, pressures on health-care funding and competing demands for limited space, often in busy city centers.

Let's start with supply and demand

Basic economics tells us that price is the mechanism for balancing supply and demand. This is known as the equilibrium price. If demand is greater than supply, the price rises. So for urban hospitals, where parking spaces are limited, this scarcity creates market conditions that, not surprisingly, drive up prices.

But economics also tells us that if there's still demand for parking despite the price, then under some circumstances suppliers can charge more than the equilibrium price. Put simply, this "inelastic demand" means it is possible to charge more to a captive audience.

You could certainly argue hospital patients and visitors are a captive audience. While many hospitals are well serviced by public transport, hospital patients and visitors are often too sick or time-poor to use it. So they have little choice than to pay for parking. For rural hospitals, there is limited or no public transport, so visitors have to drive.

So are hospitals taking advantage of the inelastic demand for parking? Are they price gougingsetting prices above what is considered reasonable or fair? Or are there reasons for setting such high prices?

Location, location, location

Car parks of hospitals in prime locations are not just attractive to hospital patients and visitors. They're also attractive to other users, such as those working in the city or sightseeing. High parking fees deter these users, ensuring spaces are available for hospital users.

High prices prevent hospital users from overstaying. This prevents them doing non-hospital activities (such as shopping) after their hospital appointment or visits and before returning to their cars.

Hospitals also charge high prices to raise revenue for health care. In a statement to the ABC earlier this year, NSW Health said extra money raised from parking is reinvested into health services and facilities.

But it makes sense to encourage visitors

However, raising parking fees to support hospital budgets could be a false economy. We know hospital visitors have an important role in patients' recovery times. So if high parking costs deter visitors or caregivers, this could lead to longer hospital stays for their loved ones.

Cheaper parking might allow for more visiting, leading to shorter hospital stays and significant cost savings per patient.

I (Lisa) had firsthand experience of this when my elderly father with dementia was admitted to hospital recently. The hospital allowed 24/7 visitor access for caregivers (in this case, my mother) and free hospital parking. Access 24/7 is important for patients with dementia who are often disorientated in hospital. This disorientation is typically worse in the evening (known as sundowning).

Having caregivers present meant staff could focus on medical issues. It facilitated visits outside normal visiting hours (when dementia patients typically need the extra support) and when the demand for parking spaces is lower.

Who needs cheap parking?

High parking prices reflect the high demand for a fixed supply of parking spaces that are rationed to those most willing to pay (those with the income). But a better solution is to ration according to need (that is, to boost patient well-being).

The economical solution is to charge different users different prices. Most hospitals do this already by offering concessions. But concessions can differ by hospital or state. Not everyone knows concession-rate parking is available, and it can be hard for some people to find out if they qualify.

So if you are concerned about the cost of hospital parking, know the fees and available concessions before you park. You can find this on most hospitals' websites.

Currently, concessions are generally based on income (including the possession of a concession card). But we need a greater shift towards providing concession rates based on need. For example, those visiting long-stay patients clearly need concessions to support patient well-being.

A media campaign has called for a national cap on hospital parking costs for frequent users.

Most car parks have a daily limit but frequent users can soon accumulate large bills over weeks or months of hospital visits. For many patients, particularly those requiring frequent treatments such as dialysis, parking costs accumulate annually.

How could we make things cheaper and fairer?

We need to apply concession rates to hospital visitors on the basis of need, not just income. Need should be informed about patient well-being and the importance of visitors to the healing process.

We need a consistent set of rules across hospitals about concession-rate parking. This would simplify the process for hospital car park users.

We also need to look at longer-term solutions. When expanding hospitals or planning new ones, we can consider transitioning away from prime locations. This would help make parking less attractive to non-hospital users.

The challenge for health-care systems is balancing operational necessity of recovering costs with the ethics of equity and access that prevent necessary care.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Most convenience stores feature rows of colorful vapes promising tastes of cotton candy or iced mango, but none of them should be there.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized 34 electronic cigarette products. Four menthol vapes are the only flavored products on the list. The fruity-flavored e-cigarettes are all illegal.

What's the solution? A new article from representatives of Rutgers Health and New York City advocates a barrage of state and local lawsuits against distributors.

"The FDA is trying to regulate cigarettes like pharmaceuticals, and it lacks the resources to make it work," said Kevin Schroth, an associate professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health and lead author of the study published in BMJ Tobacco Control.

Schroth and his co-author, New York litigator Eric Proshansky, lay out a vape-control plan that echoes the 1998 master settlement with big tobacco: Instead of aiming for overseas factories or corner stores, state and local lawsuits should target domestic distributors, which bridge Chinese assembly lines and American cash registers.

"Distributors are the bottleneck," said Schroth, who holds appointments at the Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies and the Rutgers Brain Health Institute. "There are thousands of stores but only a handful of companies moving the product around."

The paper lists a legal toolbox topped by the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act, which can levy heavy fines, along with public-nuisance and racketeering claims that helped secure more than $1 billion from Juul in 2023.

The strategy is already moving. New York City's suit against Magellan Technology and other wholesalers, filed in 2023, survived a dismissal bid in May 2024 and has spun off two companion cases. In February, the New York state attorney general sued 13 of the nation's largest vape distributors. California, Illinois and Vermont filed similar complaints this year, accusing firms of distributing unauthorized disposables into markets that ban flavored tobacco altogether.

Fines in New Jersey start at $300 and escalate, yet inspections are sporadic, and many small shops gamble on quick sales. Chain outlets tend to be more cautious, Schroth said, but even they have been caught with flavored stock.

High-school vaping peaked at 27% in 2019 during what's known as the Juul boom, Schroth said, then fell to about 10% after flavor crackdowns and the pandemic.

Since then, the average disposable's liquid capacity has quintupled, its nicotine strength has tripled, and prices have dropped. Advocates fear cheap, highdose gadgets could spark another surge if enforcement stalls.

The paper by Schroth and Proshansky avoids any call for prison terms and seeks instead to hit lawbreakers in the pocketbook.

"We want stiff financial penalties that force distributors to play by the rules or leave the market," Schroth said.

If enough attorneys general pile on, distributors may decide that stocking only FDAcleared vapes is safer than another courtroom fight.

That, Schroth said, "could finally align what's on the shelves with what's legal."

More information: Kevin R J Schroth et al, How state and local affirmative litigation can rein in illicit flavoured e-cigarettes, Tobacco Control (2025). DOI: 10.1136/tc-2025-059284 Journal information: Tobacco Control
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Illustration of the virus which causes measles. Credit: CDC/ Allison M. Maiuri, MPH, CHES

The number of reported measles cases in Kansas has grown slightly over the past week, and while the outbreak has not spread to the Kansas City metro, it is getting closer.

The state saw two new cases, bringing the total number to 48 cases as of Wednesday morning, up from 46 cases a week ago, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's 2025 Kansas Measles Outbreak Dashboard.

There has been one hospitalization and no deaths so far.

The outbreak is concentrated in the southwestern part of Kansas. Measles cases have been reported in eight Kansas Counties: Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Haskell, Kiowa, Morton and Stevens counties.

However, the numbers do not include the confirmed case of measles that Sedgwick County health officials reported Wednesdayits first case in eight years.

The new case is the first one in a major metropolitan area in Kansas this year. It involves a child between the ages of 5 and 10 who is unvaccinated, health officials said in a news release.

Anyone who visited the Carnicerias El Guero grocery store No. 1 at 524 W 21st St. N. in Wichita April 29 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. may have been exposed to the virus, health department officials said in a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

Outbreak driven by unvaccinated children, teens

Unvaccinated children and teens primarily drive Kansas's outbreak.

The vast majority of cases, 41, involve patients who were not vaccinated, not fully vaccinated for their age, or received a dose after being exposed to measles. Four cases involved patients who had been appropriately vaccinated, and three involved patients who could not verify their vaccination status.

Children and teens comprise the majority of cases, with 15 cases involving children 4 years and younger, and 24 cases involving patients between 5 and 17. The remaining nine cases include people 18 and older.

Health officials have said the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and effective. When more than 95% of the people in a community are vaccinated, most people are protected through community immunity, often referred to as herd immunity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

More than 900 cases reported across the U.S.

The highly contagious disease has been spreading across the United States.

As of May 1, officials are reporting a total of 935 confirmed measles cases, up from nearly 900 measles cases as of April 25, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About 30% of the cases involve children under the age of 5, 38% involve patients 5 to 19, and 30% include adults 20 and older, according to the CDC. About 96% of the cases include unvaccinated patients or those whose vaccination status was unknown. Another 2% involved patients who had received only one dose of the MMR vaccination.

Measles cases have been reported in 29 states: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

There have been 12 outbreaks, which are defined as three or more related cases, reported this year, and 93% of the cases are outbreak-associated.

There have been 121 hospitalizations, or 13% of all cases, and three deaths. The percentage of children under 5 who were hospitalized was 23%, compared to 8% for those 5 to 19 and 20 and older.

2025 The Kansas City Star. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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A combination of fluorescent labeling and cutting-edge microscopy allowed the researchers to illuminate synaptic behavior at unprecedented resolution. Credit: Pojeong Park

A team of Harvard researchers have unveiled a way to map the molecular underpinnings of how learning and memories are formed, a new technique expected to offer insights that may pave the way for new treatments for neurological disorders such as dementia.

"This technique provides a lens into the synaptic architecture of memory, something previously unattainable in such detail," said Adam Cohen, professor of chemistry and chemical biology and of physics and senior co-author of the research paper, published in Nature Neuroscience.

Memory resides within a dense network of billions of neurons within the brain. We rely on synaptic plasticitythe strengthening and modulation of connections between these neuronsto facilitate learning and memory.

Synapses, or the junctions where neurons communicate, lay the groundwork for every memory we form, from a childhood melody to a loved one's face to what we ate for breakfast.

In their new paper, the team detailed their new technique, dubbed Extracellular Protein Surface Labeling in Neurons (EPSILON), which focuses on mapping the proteins vital for the transmission of signals across synaptic connections in the brain.

These specific proteins are called AMPARs and are considered key players in synaptic plasticity, the process that allows the brain to adapt and reorganize itself in response to new information.

Utilizing sequential labeling with specialized dyes, EPSILON enabled the researchers to monitor these proteins' movements at high resolutions. Traditionally, understanding such detailed microscopic phenomena has required more invasive methods. Using EPSILON to observe AMPARs' behavior in neurons represents a significant scientific advance.

This work was undertaken by several members of Cohen's lab, including Harvard Griffin GSAS student Doyeon Kim and postdoctoral scholars Pojeong Park, Xiuyuan Li, J. David Wong-Campos, He Tian, and Eric M. Moult, as well as scientists from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

A combination of fluorescent labeling and cutting-edge microscopy allowed the researchers to illuminate synaptic behavior at unprecedented resolution. The technique's precision was akin to shining a spotlight on some of the brain's most intricate functions, allowing the team to monitor the synaptic interactions critical for learning.

Prior research into synaptic processes often lacked such granularity, making EPSILON's insights particularly valuable for future explorations into diseases like Alzheimer's, marked by synaptic dysfunction that results in memory and learning impairment.

As synaptic changes of specific memories came into view with greater clarity, patterns started to reveal rules governing how the brain decides which synapses to make stronger or weaker when storing a memory.

"Our most important breakthrough is our method that can map the past history of the synthetic plasticity in the living brain," Kim said. "We can look at the history of the synaptic plasticity, studying where and how much of the synaptic potentiation has happened during a defined time window during the memory formation.

"By mapping the synaptic plasticity over time at multiple time points, we can truly map the dynamics of the synapses," Kim added. "We'll also be able to apply this to different kinds of memories that have different patterns of synaptic plasticity."

The technique's first application has already yielded intriguing results. By applying EPSILON to study mice undergoing contextual fear conditioninga process that helps animals associate a neutral context with a fear-inducing stimulusresearchers were able to demonstrate a correlation between AMPARs and the expression of the immediate early gene product cFos, a signal that tells us when brain cells are active.

These findings suggest that AMPAR trafficking is closely linked to enduring memory traces, or engrams, within the brain, where specific neurons become activated following learning experiences.

Cohen credits the significant and sometimes unexpected role basic science can play in fueling progress with enabling their study to succeed.

"The HaloTag technology, which is used to label proteins, was based on a gene discovered in 1997 by a group of scientists in Ireland who were studying a soil bacterium, which had an unusual ability to break down pollutants," Cohen said.

"It's a generations-long arc from the basic research characterizing the natural world to making discoveries that can make human health better. We really need to support the entire arc to make progress."

Looking forward, Cohen is eager to see how EPSILON can be further applied to study numerous cognitive phenomena and potentially improve therapeutic strategies targeting memory impairments.

"We've already distributed the molecular tool to labs around the world who are now starting to use these tools to explore how synaptic strength is regulated in their favorite question and context," he said.

More information: Doyeon Kim et al, EPSILON: a method for pulse-chase labeling to probe synaptic AMPAR exocytosis during memory formation, Nature Neuroscience (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-025-01922-5 Journal information: Nature Neuroscience

Provided by Harvard Gazette

This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a persistent public health threat, and tackling them is not just a moral obligation, but a smart investment.

NTDs are a group of infectious diseases that mainly affect poor people in tropical and subtropical regions. These diseases are called "neglected" because they have received less attention and fewer resources than other major health issues, despite affecting more than a billion people worldwide.

NTDs disproportionately affect the poorest communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where they lock people in cycles of poverty by hindering physical and cognitive development, reducing school attendance and limiting economic productivity.

Wealthier nations experience far lower rates of these diseases. Yet it's in LMICs that cost-effective interventions like improved water, sanitation, hygiene and vector controlmethods used to limit or eliminate insects that spread diseases to humanscan deliver the greatest return. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every dollar invested in controlling and eliminating NTDs can yield up to US$25 (19) in economic and health benefits, through lower health care costs, increased productivity and improved education outcomes.

While vaccines are one of the most powerful tools for disease prevention, there are still no vaccines for most NTD. Progress has been slow, largely due to fragmented funding and limited investment in research. This gap continues to leave millions vulnerable.

To address this, we helped establish the UKSouth East Asia Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hub (UK-SEA Vax Hub) in 2023 to reduce the burden of infectious diseases in LMICs, with a special focus on Southeast Asia. Its mission is to strengthen regional capacity in vaccine research, development and manufacturing. Dengue and rabiesboth persistent NTDsare among its priorities.

The urgency of this work is underscored by the growing threat of dengue. Between 2015 and 2019, dengue cases rose by 46% in Southeast Asia. Countries like Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand are among the most affected globally. This region accounts for more than half of the world's dengue cases.

Dengue is hard to diagnose. Its symptomsfever, rash and joint painoverlap with other illnesses like chikungunya, Zika, malaria and typhoid. Misdiagnoses are common and no specific antiviral treatment exists.

While vaccines are available, their use is limited by strict eligibility criteria based on age, infection history and local disease patterns. This leaves many people without protection.

What's urgently needed are more effective, affordable and widely accessible vaccines. But vaccines alone won't solve the problem. Combating dengue and other NTDs requires an integrated strategy, particularly in poor countries with limited health infrastructure.

To stop the spread of diseases like dengue, it's not enough to just treat people or use vaccines. You also need to control the insects that carry and spread the diseasein this case, mosquitoes.

That includes actions like removing standing water where mosquitoes breed, using insecticides, or installing window screens and bed nets. These steps are essential to reducing infection rates and protecting communities. These interventions, driven by local action, are just as essential as biomedical advances. Together, they build a more sustainable and resilient defense against mosquito-borne diseases.

For decades, public health initiatives in low-income countries were largely funded by wealthy countriesthrough development aid, international donors and philanthropic foundations. But with shifting global priorities and tightening budgets, it's increasingly clear that this model is no longer sustainable.

Long-term health security must be led from within. That means a shift in mindset. Low-income countries must see themselves not just as aid recipients, but as innovators, implementers and investors in their own health futures.

This transition is already underway. The UK-SEA Vax Hub has evolved beyond its original research remit. By embedding its work within the broader regional health agenda, the hub is promoting government ownership and regional collaboration: critical steps in building stronger, more self-reliant health systems.

While progress is promising, major challenges remain. One of the most pressing is the need to develop a new generation of public health leaders across Southeast Asiapeople who can lead research and development, champion vaccine production and help shape policy based on local needs. These leaders will be essential for ensuring that Southeast Asia becomes not just a regional health player, but a global one.

Another key challenge is regulatory. In a diverse region like Southeast Asia, varying national policies can slow innovation and emergency responses. Streamlining and harmonizing these systems is essential for responding quickly and effectively during future outbreaks or pandemics.

Southeast Asia has the potential to become a global hub for vaccine manufacturing. The region benefits from growing scientific and industrial capacity, relative political stability and a shared interest in tackling shared health threats. It also has a strong case to lead the fight against NTDs, which continue to disproportionately affect its populations.

Southeast Asia stands at a critical juncture. With strategic investment, regional leadership and cross-border collaboration, the region can protect its people, drive innovation and shape the future of global health.

The fight against NTDs is more than a public health challengeit's a chance for Southeast Asia to lead by example and redefine its role on the world stage.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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A new drug combo lowers "bad" LDL cholesterol for people whose levels remain high even after taking statins. The new pill pairs a new drug called obicetrapib with an existing one, ezetimibe. In a Phase 3 clinical trial, this combo reduced LDL levels by nearly 49% over about three months, according to Cleveland Clinic researchers.

The results were presented on Wednesday at the European Atherosclerosis Society meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, and simultaneously published in The Lancet.

"High LDL is one of the leading risk factors for heart disease, and we have such a poor handle on controlling that risk," Dr. Corey Bradley, a cardiologist at Columbia University, told NBC News. "Many people have such a high LDL they will require multiple agents to control it."

The trial included 407 people with an average age of 68. Even though they were taking cholesterol-lowering medications, everyone had LDL levels above 70 mg/dL. Researchers divided participants into four groups: One took the combo pill; two groups took each drug separately; and another group took a placebo. All participants continued their usual cholesterol medications.

Dr. Ashish Sarraju, a preventive cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, led the study.

"We need to give patients and their doctors all the options we can to try to get LDL under control if they are at risk foror already havecardiovascular disease," Sarraju said. "In higher-risk patients, you want to get LDL down as quickly as possible and keep it there as long as possible."

High-risk patients are those who have had a stroke or heart attack, or are likely to have one. Even high-intensity statins are sometimes not enough to bring LDL to safe levels.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends keeping LDL below 100 mg/dL, and under 70 mg/dL for high-risk patients.

NewAmsterdam Pharma, the Dutch company that makes obicetrapib, plans to speak with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "over the course of the year," about possible approval of the combo drug, a spokesperson told NBC News.

In the past, some similar drugs have not worked. Dr. Robert Rosenson of Mount Sinai Health System noted that some drugs in this class have failed to prevent strokes or heart attacks. "But I am cautiously hopeful," he said.

NewAmsterdam Pharma is now running another trial to see if the combo drug not only lowers cholesterol but also protects against major heart events.

While lifestyle changes like eating healthily, exercising and avoiding smoking can help lower LDL, many people still struggle to reach safe levels. Only about 20% of patients are able to manage their LDL, said Bradley, of Columbia.

2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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May 8, 2025 CHIZ SAYS U.S. PLAN TO SEND PINOYS FACING DEPORTATION TO LIBYA 'CRUEL' Senate President Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero has denounced a reported plan by the United States to send Asian immigrants, including Filipinos, facing deportation to Libya, saying "exporting" them to a third country would be "cruel." American immigration authorities have started expelling millions of undocumented immigrants as part of President Donald Trump's campaign promise to the American people, and this latest report of sending Asian nationals to war-torn Libya which has a history of harsh treatment against detainees, has generated strong condemnation among human rights groups and foreign governments. A federal judge has temporarily stopped the deportation proceedings of Asian migrants bound for Libya on grounds that such move would violate his earlier order allowing them to challenge their removal for a country other than their own. "Filipinos are not camels to be dumped on some Libyan desert. They are human beings who deserve to be accorded all the rights by a state who claim to cherish and uphold them," Senate President Escudero said. He called on Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez to check on the status of all Filipinos scheduled for deportation or transfer to other states and extend legal assistance if necessary to "ensure that the rights of those facing legal troubles are protected and that they will not be forced to endure possible persecution in countries with a history of human rights violations." "If the United States wants to deport our citizens, then we are willing to welcome our kababayan back. There is absolutely no need for this cruelty to export them to a third country," the Senate chief said. "Dignified repatriation of our brothers and sisters is all we seek, not some rendition to an offshore penitentiary in a country which does not want them."
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Binding study of anti-IgG-NHS-COOH-PEG-S-AuNPs with TB positive and TB negative sera: anti-IgG-NHS-COOH-PEG-S-AuNPs bind specifically giving a (A) red spot with TB positive sera and (B) no spot with TB negative sera. Colour observed in the white background. Credit: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.116766

A new prototype blood test for infectious diseases, designed to be delivered and analyzed at the point of care, has the potential to save lives across the developing world.

Research from Abertay University and Bangor University in Wales has produced a prototype flow-through assay test capable of detecting up to five infections, with results that can be quickly analyzed and communicated via a specialist smartphone app. The process has the potential to significantly speed up diagnostics that would previously have taken weeks by providing on-the-spot data, and is also far more affordable than the current testing model, which requires analysis in a lab.

Using tuberculosis as a pilot case, the researchers designed the testwhich works similarly to a lateral flow deviceto be capable of detecting a range of infections, and importantly, to be capable of detecting more than one infection at a time.

The research project used serum samples provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) from countries where TB is common. Researchers produced a prototype test that used a new in-house method for producing the antibody-coated gold nanoparticles required for it to be effective.

The team then worked to transform the prototype from a single measurement into a multi-disease screening tool by using a newly designed wax-printed background that allowed for simultaneous testing of up to five responses. This work provided the ability for results to be delivered within 15 minutes and reduced the test costs.

The test showed a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 63% in detecting TB, meaning it can accurately identify cases while providing a good screening test for remote locations.

A smartphone application (RAP-TBS) was developed to provide a quantitative analysis of the test results. This means that the test could be performed directly in remote villages, providing immediate results and reducing the need for patients to travel significant distances to access laboratory facilities, often the case in countries where traditional laboratory infrastructure is lacking.

To bring the test to market, further research will focus on extending the shelf life of the detection reagents, refining precision, and collaborating with health care providers to integrate the tool into health care systems.

The research was led by Professor Christopher Gwenin of Abertay University's Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences, in collaboration with Professor Mark Baird, of Bangor University, whose team developed the molecules used to detect particular mycobacterial infections. The work was also carried out by the late Joanne Hacking, a Ph.D. researcher on the project.

Professor Baird, now Emeritus Professor at Bangor University, said, "With further development, this innovative device has real potential to provide a very rapid screening tool for the diagnosis not only of TB, but also of other significant human and animal infections caused by mycobacteria. TB remains one of the major causes of death worldwide, despite being both preventable and treatable, and with further development, this research has the potential to make a real impact.

"In many parts of the world, patients wait weekssometimes monthsfor a diagnosis, during which time infections can spread unchecked."

Professor Gwenin added, "The development of this prototype blood test represents a significant leap forward in health care innovation, offering rapid detection and potentially life-saving diagnoses for multiple infectious diseases in remote areas. Improving our ability to detect and treat cases of TB and the many other diseases that blight the developing world is an important stream of work and an area where further R&D investment is required to maintain momentum.

"The ability to detect TB rapidly could transform the diagnosis timeline, and this is particularly vital in rural areas, where people lack access to adequate diagnostic services. Although still in the prototype phase, this research lays the groundwork for a scalable, mobile, and data-driven solution to tackle some of the world's most persistent infectious diseases."

The potential impact of improving testing in developing nations is significant, with tuberculosis remaining one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases, claiming approximately 1.25 million lives annuallymore than HIV/AIDS and malaria combined.

According to the WHO, an additional US $22 billion is needed annually for TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care to achieve the global target by 2027, agreed at the 2023 UN high-level meeting on TB.

More information: Joanne Hacking et al, A novel flow through assay and smartphone application based prototype for point-of-care diagnosis of tuberculosis, Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.116766
Two races for Missoula's City Council this fall feature political newcomers after both incumbents for both Ward 1 and Ward 2 either decided not to run for reelection or moved to a different neighborhood.

As of Tuesday, Betsy Craske and Lucas Moody have filed for Ward 1, while Hayden Cook, Tim Garrison and Justin Ponton have filed for Ward 2. None of the five candidates have previously held an elected office.

Jennifer Savage, the incumbent for Ward 1, announced she would move to Ward 3 this summer and challenge that ward's incumbent Daniel Carlino in a primary this September.

Sierra Farmer, the Ward 2 incumbent, told the Missoulian in a statement she was honored to represent the city, but decided to step away because of the high time demands of the position.

"Being on council is far from a part-time job, and its a challenge to juggle with full-time work. Im looking forward to having more time with my kids, my husband, and our very needy dog," Farmer said in an email. "I hope folks understand the sacrifices that come with public service  I certainly have a deeper appreciation for it now."

All five new candidates sat down for an interview with the Missoulian to discuss city priorities and their goals in running for office.

Betsy Craske - Ward 1

Betsy Craske, 39, is a longtime Missoula educator who said she aims to be a good collaborator and resident advocate if elected to city council. She told the Missoulian that she hopes to give back to the city.

"I really believe in relationships as a foundation to make progress," Craske said. "In a valley this big and a city this big, it is really hard to please everyone, but I am really grateful for the people who serve our community in that way."

Craske said she hopes to prioritize public infrastructure, limit resident cost-of-living increases and increase the area's climate resiliency.

Craske said she has generally been supportive of the current city council's work around housing affordability, addressing homelessness and funding neighborhood services across the city.

She said she was supportive of Mayor Andrea Davis's "housing-first" efforts around the Johnson Street Shelter, which is set to close this fall.

"(Homelessness) is a priority and I think Missoula does have creative thinking in ways to address it," Craske said. "But it is going to take collaboration from a many different aspects."

Craske said she is not coming in with a bunch of specific policy decisions that she wishes to present to council. Instead, she said she is more focused on hearing what residents think are top priorities and advocating for them at city meetings.

Craske did call for more emphasis around climate resilience within the city, specifically toward areas of town within the wildland-urban interface that are more suspectable to wildfires.

"Addressing climate in the different ways it presents makes for strong neighborhoods and strong communities too," Craske said.

Lucas Moody - Ward 1

Lucas Moody, 41, is a longtime employee at the Missoula Public Library and hopes to join city council to solve problems around homelessness and infrastructure.

He told the Missoulian he is not satisfied with city policies.

"I wouldn't be running if I was happy with how things are going," Moody said.

Moody said both the city's polices toward homeless people and its new growth policy could be improved. He argued the city should focus on housing-first priorities like the Johnson Street Shelter housing sprint, but said the city is putting the "cart before the horse" by opting to close the shelter.

While more expensive upfront, Moody said in the long term the city would see better outcomes with the homeless if it invested in housing-first programs before ending existing services.

"Benjamin Franklin said an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," Moody said. "Yes you are paying a cost upfront for preventive care or housing first, but the long-term benefits, both financial as well as societal, are immense."

He said he would also vote to remove the city's urban camping law, calling the policy cruel to the homeless.

Moody also called for increasing city bike infrastructure across Ward 1. He cited multiple parts of the Rattlesnake where there are no bike lanes and a high amount of vehicle traffic.

Moody said the city must invest in pedestrian transportation as more dense housing developments come online in the area. He said the city's new land use plan is a step in the right direction toward more affordable housing, but the city could add more incentives or requirements for developers.

Hayden Cook - Ward 2

Hayden Cook, 23, is a volunteer at the Missoula Book Bank who said he is focused on bringing more representation for low-income Missoulians to city council. He told the Missoulian that he sees himself as a diverse voice to the council.

"I've been told I am a little bit young, but I think we need it," Cook said. "I think we need some young people living through it and will live to see some of the bigger changes being made."

Cook said the city should change some of its policies around homelessness.

He said the city's policies around homelessness have been "sloppy" and he would like to see more work done around the city's housing sprint rather than closing the Johnson Street Shelter.

"Some people are ready to be stable, they have the mental health services, they are getting jobs lined up and have transportation," Cook said. "They just need housing."

He said if he was on council he would vote to keep the Johnson Street Shelter open using existing tax dollars until the site is not needed.

Cook called for infrastructure improvements, including better access to bus stops in Missoula's Ward 2 and more trash cans on Reserve Street.

Generally, Cook said the city does a poor job when connecting with working-class Missoulians and young people about local politics. He said he hopes to bridge that divide if elected to council.

"There is a lot of empathy missing, there is a lot of understanding of how people are feeling missing, and I think that there is a lack of representation for low-income folks on the council," Cook said.

Justin Ponton - Ward 2

Justin Ponton, 34, works in the real estate business and said he hopes to bring responsible spending to city council. He told the Missoulian that he is running to give back to his community.

"There is a definite need for pragmatism and common sense and rational, critical thinkers for our elected representatives," Ponton said. "I think I can fill that role and bring those characteristics to city council."

Ponton grew up in Missoula before working in New York City. He moved back to Missoula in 2021.

Ponton said his main priorities would be around the city's budget and using existing tools to increase the supply of housing in Missoula, which he said is the main way to limit cost increases.

While he said he supports the city's affordable housing projects like the Ravarra Scott Street Project, he said he hopes to limit city budget increases so that property taxes do not rise locally.

"A majority of the city's revenue comes from property taxes, and I don't think the answer to everything can be 'raise taxes to pay for X, whatever X may be,' so this is an area where I think we can get more dug in," Ponton said.

The city increased its budget by 16% last year, although more than 11% comes from a voter-approved fire levy

He said he agreed with the city's decision to close the Johnson Street Shelter, noting the city has used the remainder of federal COVID money to operate the site.

He said the city should put forth money to help the homeless community, but in a responsible way.

He said the city should also be responsible with its new growth around the edges of town, adding many areas of town need better transportation infrastructure to keep up with the new development.

"With an area experiencing such strong growth, especially in that Mullan corridor, we must make sure we are growing, but we are doing so responsibly," Ponton said.

Tim Garrison - Ward 2

Tim Garrison, 50, a retired Marine Corps officer and a volunteer for youth programs, said he hopes to better address resident concerns through his connection to the city and knowledge on development.

He told the Missoulian that he agrees with much of the current city policy around homelessness and growth, but also said residents should have more say in larger budget projects.

"The biggest issues I see on city council are some things that are multimillion-dollar projects approved by city council that are not time sensitive, they don't need to start right away," Garrison said, citing a need to have the voters decide some projects during fall elections.

One project he cited was the city's Downtown Safety, Accessibility and Mobility project, a $24 million grant project meant to change traffic flows and make Front and Main streets two-way roads, among other changes.

While the money came from a federal grant, Garrison argued that large projects like the downtown infrastructure changes should have more public input.

Garrison said he would bring extensive knowledge of Missoula from his time working as a member of the Northside/Westside Neighborhood Leadership Team.

"The neighborhood committees a lot of times are the entry point for those topics, that's where the community members are," Garrison said. "The community members are not going to be down at city council at 9 p.m. on a Monday night."

Garrison also said he appreciates the need for growth in Missoula, but said he supports both infill development and expansion of the city to keep property values lower and create more affordable home opportunities.

Garrison ran for city council in 2023 and the Montana State Legislature in 2024, but did not win either race.

Filing to run for Missoula City Council remains open until June 16 at 5 p.m. Competitive races will have a primary election on Sept. 9, with the general election set for Nov. 4.
Bengaluru-based e-commerce aggregator 10Club, once celebrated for securing one of India's largest seed funding rounds, has initiated insolvency proceedings with the national company law tribunal (NCLT) in Bengaluru.

According to a report by Entrackr , the company's shareholders passed a special resolution to file for insolvency under Section 10 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, citing that the company's assets are insufficient to cover its debts.

Founded in 2020 by Bhavna Suresh, Deepak Nair and Joel Ayala, 10Club adopted a Thrasio-style model, acquiring and scaling third-party brands that sold on e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart. In June 2021, the company raised a remarkable US$40mn (million) in seed funding, co-led by Fireside Ventures and an undisclosed international investor.

Other participants included HeyDay, PDS International, Class 5 Global, Secocha Ventures and boAt founders Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta. The funds were intended to expand 10Club's brand portfolio, enhance its technology stack and support working capital needs.

In October 2023, 10Club announced a strategic shift to focus on the home and kitchen segment, launching 10clubhomes.com. The company aimed to organise India's fragmented US$30bn (billion) home and kitchen industry by consolidating businesses into a robust brand catering to the value segment. To bolster this new direction, former IKEA and Accenture executive Kavitha Rao was appointed as co-founder and chief operating officer (COO) in January 2024. However, Entrackr reports that Ms Rao confirmed her departure from the company by the end of January 2025.

Despite its initial success, 10Club faced significant operational and financial hurdles. Reports indicate that the company halted payments to vendors and delayed employee salaries. The company struggled to compete with established players in the home and kitchen sector, including international brands such as IKEA.

As part of the insolvency proceedings, Srilakshi Purushottam has been appointed as the interim resolution professional (IRP). The company's website has been taken down and all social media activity has ceased. Entrackr says its attempts to contact 10Club for comments went unanswered.

10Club's journey from a high-profile start-up to insolvency highlights the challenges faced by e-commerce aggregators in sustaining growth and profitability in a competitive market.
Managing or living in a cooperative housing society (CHS/the Society) often means dealing with a range of legal, procedural and practical challengesmany of which are not always clearly understood by residents or committee members. From questions of membership and voting rights to property maintenance and documentation issues, housing societies must frequently interpret and implement complex rules under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies (MCS) Act and model bye-laws.

In this weeks column, we address three practical issues frequently encountered by CHS members. Can a person vote multiple times in a Society, if he owns flats in his name as well as under a Hindu undivided family (HUF)? What steps can you take if persistent leakage from an upper-floor flat damages your ceiling and walls and the Society refuses to intervene? And, finally, how can a member officially change or expand their name in the Societys share certificate if their current documents do not match the original sale agreement? Read on for clear guidance rooted in housing society bye-laws and legal remedies. In this weeks column, we address three practical issues frequently encountered by CHS members. Can a person vote multiple times in a Society, if he owns flats in his name as well as under a Hindu undivided family (HUF)? What steps can you take if persistent leakage from an upper-floor flat damages your ceiling and walls and the Society refuses to intervene? And, finally, how can a member officially change or expand their name in the Societys share certificate if their current documents do not match the original sale agreement? Read on for clear guidance rooted in housing society bye-laws and legal remedies.

Voting Rights for an HUF and Karta

Question: We recently registered a CHS in Mumbai Suburban with 13 flats. We have three flats in the name of a Hindu undivided family (HUF), with the same person as the karta or manager. There are four flats in the name of the same person as an individual. Then two more flats are also in the same individual's name and all the above belong to the same family. The remaining five flats are owned by different entities. If the karta is present in the special general meeting (SGM) or annual general meeting (AGM), how many voting rights does he have in his capacity as karta and as an individual owner? Also, if the karta is physically present at the meeting, can he transfer his voting rights (for individually owned flats) to a family member who is an associate member?

Answer: In a CHS, the principle of one member, one vote applies. A person who is merely a manager of an HUF cannot vote on behalf of the HUF. However, if he is the karta of the HUF, he can vote as the representative member of the HUF-owned flat.

If the karta also owns other flats in his personal capacity, under bye-law no. 3(xxv), he may nominate a family member as an associate member for any of those flats. The associate member can then vote on behalf of the flat, provided the karta gives a written authorisation.

Also note that all general body meetings (GBMs) of the Society are now to be conducted in person and not online.

Leakage from the Ceiling in Bathroom

Question: It has been a year since we started experiencing leakage in the bathroom ceiling. The owner of the flat above carried out some minor repairs, but the leakage returned after five months. The ceiling is damaged and the seepage has now reached our hall.

Despite my repeated requests, the managing committee is not helping by instructing the flat-owner to undertake proper repairs. I have asked the owner to re-do the flooring thoroughly, but he keeps delaying the work. The ceiling plaster is now falling off.

What action can I take against the flat-owner and the managing committee? I have submitted a written complaint and shared videos and messages on WhatsAppdirectly with them and on the Society group.

Answer: Your query does not specify whether the building is a CHS or a pagdi (tenanted) building.

If it is a pagdi building, and it is located in Mumbai, you should file a case against the owner in the small causes court.

If the building is a CHS, then for issues related to leakage, you should, under bye-law no. 174(B)(iii), hire a good lawyer and file a complaint in the cooperative court against the member residing above and the Society.

Change of Name on Share Certificate

Question: One of our members of society wants to add Kumar to his name on the share certificate. However, his original sale agreement does not include Kumar. His PAN card and Aadhaar both reflect the name with Kumar. He has submitted an application along with self-attested copies of these documents. Can we allow this change?

Answer: It appears that Kumar refers to the same person who originally purchased the flat. To officially add Kumar to his name in the Societys share certificate, the member should execute an affidavit on a Rs500 non-judicial stamp paper and register it with the sub-registrar of assurances. Once the Society receives a copy of this registered affidavit and its Index II, it may correct the requested name in the share certificate.

NOTE We will not be answering queries posted in the comments. Only questions sent through the Moneylife Foundation's Legal Helpline will be answered. If you want to seek guidance or ask questions to Mr Shanbhag, kindly send it through Moneylife Foundation's Free Legal Helpline. Here is the link: https://www.moneylife.in/lrc.html#ask-question

Disclaimer: The guidance provided in these columns and on our Legal Helpline is on the sole basis of the facts provided by the reader/questioner and does not amount to formal legal advice in any form whatsoever.

(Shirish Shanbhag has an MSc in Organic Chemistry, a Diploma in Higher Education, and a Diploma in French and has completed his LL.B. in first class in 2021. Before his retirement, he was a junior college teacher at Patkar College from July 1980 to May 2012, teaching theoretical and practical chemistry. Post-retirement in 2012, he started providing guidance and counselling to people on several issues, specifically focusing on cooperative housing society-related matters. He has over 30 years of hands-on experience in all matters about housing societies and can provide out-of-box solutions for any practical issue.)
A day after India termed its military action under 'Operation Sindoor' as 'measured and non-escalatory', Pakistani forces attempted a large-scale strike on Indian military targets in the northern and western regions. The Indian ministry of defence (MoD) confirmed that Pakistan used drones and missiles to engage multiple military installations across states, including Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

According to MoD, the attempted strikes between the night of 7th and 8 May 2025 were aimed at sensitive locations such as Awantipura, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Adampur and Bhuj, among others. However, Indias integrated counter UAS (unmanned aerial systems) grid and air defence systems successfully neutralised the aerial threats. Debris from the intercepted attacks is now being recovered as material evidence of Pakistani aggression.

In response, India launched a calibrated counter-strike early on Thursday morning, specifically targeting air defence radars and systems at multiple locations inside Pakistan. Defence sources confirmed that an air defence system in Lahore has been neutralised. The Indian response, the MoD stated, is 'in the same domain and intensity' as Pakistan's attempted escalation.

Simultaneously, Pakistan has ramped up unprovoked cross-border firing across the line of control (LoC), using mortars and heavy artillery in areas such as Kupwara, Uri, Poonch and Rajouri. The shelling has claimed 16 civilian lives, including three women and five children.

The Indian armed forces, while responding to halt Pakistani fire, reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided Pakistan respects the principle. MoD stated that India's response is rooted in self-defence and deterrence and warned that any attack on Indian military targets will invite a suitable response.
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has barred Paytm founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Vijay Shekhar Sharma from accepting stock options from any listed company for next three years, following a high-profile settlement in a case involving alleged regulatory violations in employee stock options (ESOPs) allocations by One97 Communications Ltd (Paytm). After receiving a notice from SEBI alleged violations of share-based benefit regulations, Mr Sharma, last month, voluntarily surrendered ESOPs worth over Rs1,800 crore.

SEBIs investigation centred on the grant of 21mn (million) or 2.1 crore ESOPs to Mr Sharma in October 2021 and over 22mn (2.2 lakh) ESOPs to his brother Ajay Shekhar Sharma in 2022, allegedly in violation of SEBI's Share-Based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity (SBEB) Regulations.

SEBI alleged that the Paytm founder declassified himself as a non-promoter on 12 July 2021, just three days before the company filed its initial public offering (IPO) offer documents. The regulator contended that there was no substantive change in his influence or control over Paytm and that he had transferred a portion of his equity to a family trust controlled by him to retain indirect control while circumventing the SEBI regulations.

According to SEBI, this manoeuvre allowed Mr Sharma to become eligible for a disproportionately large allocation of ESOPs, in violation of Regulation 2(1)(i)(iii) of the SEBI SBEB Regulations.

The SEBI investigation further observed that Paytm misrepresented Mr Sharmas promoter status in its offer documents and failed to provide the necessary disclosures related to promoter contributions, lock-in requirements, and other mandatory declarations. Ahead of the listing, Mr Sharma reduced his shareholding from 14.7% to 9.1% by transferring nearly 31mn or 3.1 crore shares to Axis Trustee Services, which acted on behalf of his family trust, making him eligible for the ESOP allocation.

The order also noted that Mr Sharma, as founder and managing director, held a position of influence over the nomination and remuneration committee (NRC) and was in a position to sway decisions regarding ESOP allocations, including those granted to his brother. Notably, the ESOPs granted to his brother Ajay had earlier been cancelled citing legal restrictions related to promoter groups, only to be reissued under questionable circumstances.

In response to the show-cause notice (SCN) issued by SEBI in February 2024, One97 Communications and the Sharma brothers submitted separate settlement applications without admitting or denying the findings. The settlement terms, approved by SEBIs high-powered advisory committee (HPAC) and accepted by the applicants in March 2025, included the cancellation of all ESOPS in question.

The Paytm founder agreed to forgo 21mn ESOPs and pay a settlement amount of Rs1.11 crore, along with a three-year ban from accepting ESOPs in any listed company. Ajay Shekhar Sharma forfeited 22.2mn ESOPs, paid a settlement amount of Rs57.11 lakh, and disgorged Rs35.86 lakh earned through the sale of 3,720 shares obtained via exercised options. Paytm itself agreed to pay Rs1.11 crore and confirmed the cancellation of the relevant ESOPs.

SEBI confirmed that the applicants had complied with the monetary and non-monetary terms of the settlement, with payments received in April 2025. The regulator stated that no further action would be initiated for the violations mentioned, unless representations made during the settlement were later found to be untrue or misleading. The order has come into force with immediate effect.

Last month, in a regulatory filing Paytm says Mr Sharma has voluntarily surrendered 21mn ESOPs previously granted to him under the One 97 Employees Stock Option Scheme, 2019. The company stated, "Mr Sharma has informed us that he has decided to forgo all 21mn crore ESOPs with immediate effect."

The disclosure was made following a meeting of the NRC of the companys board held on 16 April 2025. Some of the unvested stock options have been cancelled, while the rest have been returned to the companys ESOP pool. Based on Paytms share closing price of Rs864.50, the surrendered options are valued at Rs1,815.45 crore.

This decision will result in a one-time, non-cash ESOP expense of Rs492 crore in Q4FY24-25, the company added, with corresponding cost savings in the years to come.
Press Release

May 8, 2025 Legarda secures better retirement benefits for DFA personnel Senator Loren Legarda lauded the signing into law of Republic Act No. 12181, or the Adjusted DFA Retirement Benefits Act, a measure she principally authored and co-sponsored, which honors the service of officers and employees of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and strengthens the foundations of Philippine diplomacy. "Our foreign service officers operate in complex and often high-risk environments, tasked with safeguarding national interests and strengthening bilateral and multilateral ties. This law allows for a more equitable retirement framework that reflects the strategic value of their work and ensures their welfare beyond active service," the four-term Senator said. Under the new law, DFA retirees receiving monthly pensions from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)will receive a Monthly Pension Differential (MPD), which shall be the difference between the adjusted monthly pension computed by the DFA and the actual monthly pension provided by the GSIS, multiplied by an adjustment factor initially set at fifty percent (50%). This aligns the benefits of retired personnel with updated compensation standards. The law also grants a monthly gratuity benefit to those who opted to retire under RA No. 1616, and ensures that all benefits granted are exempt from income tax, attachment, levy, and garnishment, protecting retirees from financial vulnerability. Crucially, survivorship benefits are also extended to qualified dependents of retirees. Beyond financial compensation, RA 12181 is a strategic investment in the country's diplomatic architecture. In a sector where institutional memory, experience, and continuity are invaluable, ensuring a dignified and secure retirement is essential not only to honor past service but also to attracting and retaining committed foreign service officers. "This measure strengthens the policy environment for career development in the foreign service by providing a clear, sustainable retirement framework. It reinforces institutional continuity, boosts morale, and affirms that diplomacy is a long-term professional commitment vital to national interest. We hope it also inspires more Filipinos to pursue a career in diplomacy as a worthy and honorable path in public service," Legarda concluded.
A United States (US) federal court has ordered Israeli spyware company NSO Group to pay nearly US$170mn (million) in damages to WhatsApp and its parent company Meta, in a landmark ruling over the illegal surveillance of around 1,400 users using the notorious Pegasus software.

The jury awarded WhatsApp US$167.25mn in punitive damages and an additional US$444,719 in compensatory damages after finding that NSO Groups hacking campaign in 2019 violated US and California laws, as well as WhatsApps terms of service.

This marks the first significant legal victory against a spyware company accused of facilitating illegal digital surveillance. WhatsApp filed the lawsuit in 2019 after uncovering that NSO had exploited a vulnerability in its video calling system to install spyware on the phones of users, including journalists, human rights activists and civil society workers.

This is a historic win for privacy and security, WhatsApp spokesperson Zade Alsawah says in a statement. The jurys decision to hold NSO accountable sends a powerful message that illegal surveillance will not be tolerated. It is a critical deterrent to a malicious industry built around targeting innocent people and undermining digital safety.

NSO Group, whose Pegasus spyware has been linked to surveillance abuses across the world, has long claimed that its tools are only sold to vetted government agencies to combat serious crime and terrorism. However, the company has faced mounting criticism for enabling authoritarian regimes to target dissidents and political opponents.

Gil Lainer, NSOs vice-president of global communications, signalled that the company intends to appeal. We firmly believe that our technology plays a critical role in public safety and is used responsibly by authorised agencies. We will examine the verdict and pursue appropriate legal remedies, he says.

The ruling brings to a close  pending an appeal  a five-year legal battle initiated by WhatsApp which argued that NSOs unauthorised access to its servers caused not only technical harm but posed a grave threat to the privacy of users globally.

The case began in 2019 when WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, discovered that the NSO group had exploited a vulnerability in its application to install Pegasus spyware on approximately 1,400 devices. The targets included journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents. WhatsApp subsequently filed a lawsuit accusing NSO Group of violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and breaching its contractual terms. (Read: California Court Holds NSO Group Liable for Hacking WhatsApp in Spyware Case: Report

In response to the judgement, Meta announced plans to seek a court order to permanently block NSO from targeting WhatsApp users in the future. The company also pledged to donate to digital rights groups and publish deposition transcripts from NSO executives to aid research into the global spyware ecosystem.

NSO Group was added to the US department of commerces entity list in 2021, restricting its business with American companies. The European Parliament has also launched inquiries into the use of Pegasus spyware within the bloc.

Although Apple also filed a lawsuit against NSO over similar concerns, it dropped the case last year amid fears that sensitive user data could be exposed during litigation.

On 20 December 2024, a California district judge ruled that the Israeli company making spyware known for the famous Pegasus spyware, which was also found illegally injected in the phones of many Indian activists, had breached hacking laws and the terms of its service agreement with WhatsApp to infiltrate over 1,000 devices.

Last month, the Supreme Court (SC) of India remarked that there was nothing wrong with the country using spyware for its security, but allegations of it being used against private individuals will be looked at.

In reference to the ongoing security situation in the country, the SC remarked that one must be careful in these times.

When a lawyer submitted that nothing was stopping the state from using the spyware if it had been purchased, the SC said, "What is wrong if the country is using that spyware against the adverse elements? To have a spyware, nothing wrong... We cannot compromise and sacrifice the security of the nation. Private civil individual, who have right to privacy, will be protected under the Constitution... their complaint with regard to that [can always be looked at]."

The SC also remarked that the expert committee report on the alleged misuse of the spyware cannot be made public, thereby turning it into a matter of discussion on the streets.

It added that any report touching "security and sovereignty of the country" will not be disclosed but affected individuals can be informed of the report. (Read: Nothing Wrong in Using Pegasus, but Will Examine Misuse against Individuals: Supreme Court

In 2021, an international consortium of news outlets, including the Indian news portal The Wire, had released a series of reports indicating that the said software may have been used to infect the mobile devices of several persons including Indian journalists, activists, lawyers, officials, a former SC judge and others.

The reports had referred to a list of phone numbers that were selected as potential targets. On analysis by a team from Amnesty International, some of these numbers were found to have traces of a successful Pegasus infection, while some showed attempted infection, the reports had said.
In a significant ruling, the Mumbai bench of the income-tax appellate tribunal (ITAT) has dismissed the appeals filed by journalist Rana Ayyub Shaikh and upheld the addition of over Rs1.23 crore under section 56(2)(x) of the Income Tax (I-T) Act, citing that the donations collected via crowdfunding platform Ketto for Covid-19 relief were diverted for personal use.

In an order on 2 May 2025, the Mumbai ITAT bench of Saktijit Dey (vice president) and Narendra Kumar Billaiya (accountant member) says, "We are of the considered view that the donations collected were not just for Covid-19 relief but also for other so-called purposes like funds for slum dwellers and farmers as also for relief work in different states for different purposes. But all the donations collected were parked in the savings bank account of Ms Shaikh and family members and no separate accounts were maintained. The funds were also used for personal purposes and also for investment in fixed deposit (FD) and substantial amount of donation received remained un-utilised in spite of long-time gap."

"The claim that the end use of these funds was initiated for charitable activities remains unproven. The manner in which the funds were collected is also not understandable, as the donations were collected and parked in the bank accounts of the relatives of Ms Shaikh. On the given facts, the donations collected by Ms Shaikh are taxable under section 56(2)(x) of the Act and orders of the authorities below on this count cannot be faulted with," the bench says.

The tribunal observed that Ms Shaikh had failed to utilise the funds for the stated charitable purposes, instead mixing donation proceeds with her personal finances. ITAT noted that the funds, including foreign contributions, were credited into her personal bank accounts and those of her family members, without maintaining any separate records or books for donation receipts.

ITAT held that, since the donations were received without any corresponding obligation to repay and were used at Ms Shaikhs discretion, they were taxable under Section 56(2)(x). The order stated, Ms Shaikhs action of depositing the entire donation into personal accounts and later making FDs in her name cannot be seen as pious.

The tribunal also rejected the argument that the donations were meant for identified beneficiaries as per Kettos campaign structure, noting that no evidence was produced to substantiate that the ultimate recipients were anything other than Ms Shaikh herself or her relatives.

While Ms Shaikh reported raising Rs1.23 crore through the Ketto platform in the first campaign, the ITAT order noted that a larger sumRs2.40 croreremained unutilised. This apparent mismatch arises from Ms Shaikh's failure to maintain separate accounts for donations and personal funds. As all contributions, including foreign donations, were deposited into personal or family accounts and commingled with existing funds, the I-T department treated the total corpus at her disposal, not just the Ketto collections, as relevant for assessing taxability. The tribunal, accepting this view, considered Rs2.40 crore as the unutilised portion of the funds available with Ms Shaikh.

ITAT affirmed the tax departments invocation of Sections 174 and 175, which deal with persons leaving India and discontinuation of business, respectively. The bench found no infirmity in the assessing officer (AO)s approach, given Ms Shaikhs alleged intention to shift abroad and the lack of transparency in fund utilisation. It pointed out that when confronted with a summons under section 131, Ms Shaikh offered the full amount collected as income, an act ITAT viewed as an admission.

The tribunal remarked that the assessee only began engaging with the central board of direct taxes (CBDT) over the taxability of such donations after being summoned, not proactively.

The order underscored that, despite the campaign garnering Rs1.23 crore, Ms Shaikh could only produce records substantiating relief expenses of Rs18 lakh. Notably, even one year after collecting the funds, the majority of the amount remained unaccounted for.

When asked about the funds deployment, Ms Shaikh reportedly claimed that the balance was being reserved to build a hospitalan objective that was never mentioned in the original fundraising campaign.

The ITAT further highlighted that Ms Shaikh had received foreign contributions without proper registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA) and did not route the money through an authorised FCRA account. This, the bench concluded, raised additional red flags about the legitimacy of the entire fundraising effort.

Ms Shaikh had placed reliance on Supreme Court rulings such as Bijli Cotton Mills (P) Ltd and Tollygunge Club Ltd and decisions of coordinate benches in Six Continents Hotels Inc and Chandrakant H Shah. However, ITAT deemed all these cases factually distinguishable and not applicable to the present circumstances.

The tribunal held that there was no merit in the appeals and that Ms Shaikhs conduct reflected clear misuse and personal benefit derived from the donations. The assessment order passed by the AO and upheld by the commissioner of income -tax (appeals) (CIT(A)) was confirmed in full.

(ITA Nos.2281/2282/2283/Mum/2023 Date: 2 May 2025)
A bill that has heightened decades of feuding between paid and volunteer firefighters in Butte-Silver Bow County is headed to Gov. Greg Gianforte, but disputes seem sure to linger whether he signs it or not.

Longtime Butte-Silver Bow Commissioner Bill Andersen says many of the unsettled issues, which could include volunteer department consolidation, status of elected trustees and budgetary matters, are sure to land in the councils lap.

If Gianforte signs House Bill 547, Andersen says, it will clearly put the paid fire chief in charge of both the paid and volunteer departments and people are going to have to live with it.

But a lot of the things the volunteers are worried about, like is he going to use it to close down volunteer stations, those are going to be decisions the council will have to make, Andersen told The Montana Standard.

The way I look at it, the way I view it, theyre all going to be falling on our shoulders, and honestly, thats where I want them, he said.

There could also be calls for a committee reviewing Butte-Silver Bows government and charter to explore the issues. The group has power to recommend changes in local government and put them before voters in the November 2026 election.

The bill backed by Democrat state Sen. Derek Harvey of Butte ultimately passed with bipartisan support in the Montana House and Senate, but some lawmakers said it was a Butte-only fight that didnt belong at the Statehouse in Helena.

This is an issue that they got themselves into and they are asking us to pick sides and bail Butte out of their issue, state Sen. Forrest Mandeville, R-Columbus, said during Senate debate on the bill.

We should not be mediating on these local issues, he said. This has been going on, you heard the carrier (Harvey) say, for 46 years. It can wait another two for the locals to get together, come to an agreement, work this out, and then come back to us with a cleanup if necessary. This body does not pick winners or losers.

Harvey agrees that its a local issue, one he says voters in Butte-Silver Bow decided when they approved city-county consolidation in 1977.

This is solely about giving back local control that citizens of my community voted on in 1977 and that the state plucked away in 1979, he told fellow senators in April.

This bill gives power back to Butte-Silver Bow, he said. This will get it out of the states hands.

The Legislature adjourned last week but the bill is among many that still havent formally been sent to the governors desk. That will occur soon and once it does, Gianforte has 25 days to sign it, veto it or let it become law without his signature.

Harvey, Butte-Silver Bow Fire Chief Zach Osborne and county Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher are among those who want it to become law.

In a nutshell, Butte-Silver Bows charter gives the chief of the paid fire department administrative authority over all departments, including the nine volunteer ones.

But a state law enacted in 1979 effectively allows volunteer departments in Butte-Silver Bow to keep elected trustees and some autonomy. House Bill 547 would repeal that law so authority over such matters clearly falls under the local charter and ordinances.

Supporters say thats needed to clear up 47 years of disputes over who has final say on things such as training requirements, response plans and chain-of-command decisions at fire scenes. The bill ensures the chief has final say.

Volunteers say the bill will strip away any sense of autonomy and decision-making, much of that provided through elected trustees in each volunteer district. Many volunteer firefighters and department chiefs testified against the bill for those reasons.

They also claim county officials and Butte lawmakers must have known for months the bill was in the works but only told commissioners, volunteers and the public about its existence the day before its first committee hearing in late February.

Several commissioners, including Andersen, are still upset about that.

Theres already so much animosity between the two departments (paid and volunteer) and the fact they tried to pull a fast one and not tell the people or be open and honest about it just baffles my mind, Andersen said.

Someone does need to be in charge, he said, so the bill becoming law could be a net positive. But it will still leave questions and unsettled issues.

Some of those were discussed at a Fire Advisory Committee meeting in early April that included Chief Osborne, paid firefighters and two volunteer department leaders.

Randy Roeber, a member of the Terre Verde Volunteer Fire Department, said volunteers dont know what changes to expect if the bill becomes law.

For me, its the uncertainty because there has been so little communication about this, Roeber said. I can sit here and say, Well, it could be this. Nobody knows so I think there is a lot of fear in that.

Roeber asked Osborne if he would order up major changes if the bill became law.

I dont have anything written in stone of how things are going to work or whats going to change because the bill hasnt passed yet, Osborne said.

He said he is not a dictator or a terrible boss and paid firefighters would vouch for that. There are times they dont necessarily like his directives, he said, but they respect the chain of command and follow them.

Where weve gotten into trouble is having conversations with certain volunteer chiefs that are not in the ball game to play, Osborne said. Theyre looking to fight when the ball hasnt even been thrown yet.

Osborne said he didnt anticipate big, big changes, but does hope to shore up a response plan  guidelines that determine which departments, fire vehicles and apparatus are deployed to different incidents.

If we implement that plan, you cant have six volunteer fire departments obeying the plan and three  saying, I dont have to do a thing you say, Osborne said. It screws up the other six.

There were volunteer departments before the city and county consolidated and that has not been changed in the charter. The document does say the paid fire chief is responsible for the administrative coordination of all departments.

Ordinances enacted over the years state the chiefs command over all departments more emphatically, but they also say the chief answers to the Butte-Silver Bow chief executive and note powers held by the Council of Commissioners.

Some provisions are vague, however, and its not clear how those or other differences will be reconciled. Will volunteer departments or their chiefs have any say at all? Will their elected trustees have a say or just go away?

Those are just some of the unknowns that worry volunteers.

I think that is a major piece  that people dont know, and honestly, its Butte, Roeber said. No one likes to change in this town.

If House Bill 547 becomes law, Harvey said, all of those issues can be decided at the local level where they belong and volunteers will have a voice there.

If theres some fine-tuning, if there are some specific things that they want, some guidelines for say the director of fire services, I feel they can do that in an ordinance, Harvey said. If they want to define the trustees of these fire districts, I feel its a good time now because were doing that charter review. That could probably be something they define in the charter.

I really feel whats happening is this is giving back local control and issues are actually going to get resolved, he said.
Press Release

May 8, 2025 Tolentino: Patriotism is in the heart of every Filipino Malolos City - Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino expressed belief that patriotism and concern for the country's territorial integrity burns in the heart of every Filipino. Tolentino made the remark at the Alyansa grand rally held Wednesday night in Malolos City, where the Malolos Constitution was crafted 126 years ago. Speaking before thousands of Bulakenyos and local officials led by Malolos Mayor Christian Natividad, Tolentino quoted from an old speech he delivered eleven years ago at the celebration of the 116th Independence Day held in Barasoain Church. "I was the guest speaker then, and the title of my speech was, 'The freedom and territory of the Philippines reside in the heart of every Filipino,'" he said, and proceeded to read excerpts from his 2014 speech. ["Ako po ang guest speaker noon dito po sa Malolos Bulacan Independence Day, 116th Independence Day. Ang title po ng aking talumpati, 'Ang kalayaan at teritoryo ng Pilipinas ay nasa puso ng bawat Pilipino.' Ito pong talumpating ito ay aking binigkas noong Independence Day sa Barasoain Church, Malolos Bulacan."] "'It happened last May [2014], when we learned the sad news that a big country proceeded to occupy small islands in the West Philippine Sea, including Mabini, Malvar, and Ayungin,'" he said, quoting from the speech. "'[These islands,] according to international law are part of Philippine territory, and also according to the Malolos Constitution,'" he continued. ["'Siguro po itong Mayo [2014], kung saan ang mga nakakalungkot na balita ng isang malaking bansa ay patuloy na sinasakop at inaangkin ang ating maliliit na pulo sa West Philippine Sea, kabilang ang Mabini, Malvar, at Ayungin, na sang-ayon sa umiiral na pandaigdigang batas ay bahagi ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas, at sang-ayon na rin sa Malolos Constitution.'"] "What this means is that as early as 2014, even before the Hague arbitral ruling was handed, Senator Tolentino had already spoken here in Malolos, Bulacan, that the West Philippine Sea is ours," remarked the senator, as he dispelled troll attacks in social media which claim that he only took on the West Philippine Sea issue recently to gain favor with voters. Tolentino cautioned the audience from choosing candidates being supported by China, which he said was reported by the National Security Council at the Senate hearing he led last Monday. "If you agree that the Philippines should remain a dumping ground for China's vegetables at the expense of Filipino farmers... that we hand over the West Philippine Sea... that we allow more spies to come here until they seize control of our country, then don't vote for me," remarked Tolentino, addressing the crowd. "But if you choose to stand your ground, just like our ancestors who wrote the Malolos Constitution...if you choose to fight for our country, then please support Senator Tolentino," he concluded.
Central Organisation of Trade Unions in Kenya (COTU-K) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has sharply criticized journalist and activist Hanifa Adans recent opinion piece, which criticized his lengthy tenure at the helm of the workers union.

In her Daily Nation column titled The Lie We Grew Up With: You Are Tomorrows Leaders, Hanifa expressed concerns about COTUs decision to endorse Atwoli for another term.

Hanifas piece focused on the need for youth inclusion in leadership roles, especially within influential institutions like trade unions. She argued that the endorsement was contrary to the growing demand for fresh, youthful leadership in Kenyas public and labor sectors.

For 23 years, one man has sat at the helm of the countrys most powerful workers umbrella union. In that time, the job market has changed completely, workers rights have been trampled on, and youth unemployment has reached crisis levels. Yet COTU clings to the same leadership without question, as if fresh leadership is a threat, not a necessity, Hanifa wrote.

Atwoli wasted no time in responding, taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, May 7 to sharply criticize Hanifa. He mocked her in his post, referring to her as the Super-Young-Con-Woman, and accused her of having a questionable track record of integrity.

I have read this article by the Super-Young-Con-Woman, @Honeyfarsafi, with considerable amusement, Atwoli tweeted. He went on to point out Hanifas alleged mishandling of funds raised after the June 25th protests, where he claimed she misappropriated money meant to assist injured or deceased youth.

It is publicly known that Hanifa pocketed millions of Kenyan shillings contributed by well-meaning Kenyans who were raising funds to support youth who were injured or killed during the June 25th protests, he wrote.

Atwoli questioned how Hanifa, given her alleged failures, could now lecture anyone on leadership. How, then, can the Super-Young-Con-Woman position herself as a credible voice on leadership when she failed so blatantly during the one critical moment when she was called upon to lead? he asked.

In his defense of COTUs leadership, Atwoli highlighted that more than 80% of the workforce in the union is under 40. He further pointed out that COTUs leadership approach includes creating opportunities for youth, such as providing youth representatives on the Executive Board.

Atwoli closed his remarks by advising Hanifa to focus on addressing the funds entrusted to her rather than misusing her platform to attack COTUs leadership.

If, by any chance, Hanifa were ever granted the opportunity to serve as COTU (K) Secretary General, there is no doubt she would scam Kenyan workers without a second thought, Atwoli opined.

The outspoken trade unionist concluded; Instead of misusing her newspaper column, Hanifa should first focus on accounting for the public funds that were entrusted to her.
A new survey by TIFA has revealed that most Kenyans lack confidence in the vetting process of the next Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) leadership, raising fresh concerns about the credibility of the ongoing selection.

According to the poll released on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 55% of Kenyans believe the vetting of IEBC candidates was not based on merit, suggesting that many see the process as lacking transparency and fairness. TIFA said this public doubt points to a serious legitimacy crisis facing both the commission and those responsible for appointing its new members.

The data clearly shows that public confidence in the IEBC vetting process is strongly influenced by how individuals perceive the credibility of past elections, the report stated. Those who believe previous elections were fair tend to trust the current process, while those who view past elections as flawed express deep scepticism.

The release of the report has fueled a growing national conversation, particularly in political circles, about how the next IEBC team is being chosen.

Just a day earlier, Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka wrote to President William Ruto, expressing serious reservations about the selection panels report. In the letter dated Tuesday, May 6, Kalonzo urged the Head of State to adhere strictly to the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) recommendations on the appointment of new IEBC commissioners.

Kalonzo warned against a unilateral process led by the Kenya Kwanza administration or any one political group. He emphasized the need for broad-based consultation between the ruling coalition and the opposition to ensure that the appointments are inclusive, transparent, and credible.

With public confidence seemingly shaken and political leaders raising red flags, the pressure is already mounting on the government to prove that the IEBCs next chapter will be free, fair, and representative of all Kenyans.
Three men have been charged with the murder of 17-year-old Gaala Adan, a refugee girl from Wajir County, in a case that has drawn national attention over issues of child marriage and gender-based violence.

On Tuesday, May 6, the suspects  Mohammed Kassim Tiffow, Mussa Sheikh Ahmed, and Adan Mohamme Ahmed  appeared before the Garissa High Court, where they pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the three are accused of killing Gaala on March 22, 2025, at Lolkuta South Sub-location in Hadado Sub-County. The prosecution alleges that the crime stemmed from a forced marriage arrangement.

Investigators found that the minor, born on January 1, 2008, had been married to the first accused, Mohammed Kassim Tiffow, in a traditional Somali ceremony held on February 22, 2025, at Dagahaley Refugee Camp. Tiffow is 40 years old.

However, prosecutors say Gaala rejected the union shortly after the ceremony, leading to repeated violent confrontations.

The deceased, born on 1st January 2008, had been married to the first accused, Mohammed Kassim Tiffow (aged 40), in a ceremony held in accordance with Somali rites on 22nd February 2025 at Dagahaley Refugee Camp. It is alleged that the marriage quickly turned sour, resulting in physical violence after the deceased reportedly changed her mind and turned down the marriage, the ODPP said in a statement on Wednesday.

Following Gaalas death, the Director of Public Prosecutions directed investigators to exhume her body and conduct a proper postmortem led by a government pathologist. The findings led to the suspects being formally charged.

Justice John Onyiego ordered the preparation and submission of a pre-bail report before the court rules on bail or bond terms.

Meanwhile, the suspects will remain in custody at Garissa GK Prison until May 15, 2025, when the case will return to court for mention.
The United States government has announced a reward of up to $10 million (approximately Ksh1.29 billion) for information leading to the capture of Abdullahi Banati, a long-wanted terror suspect linked to multiple deadly attacks in Kenya.

According to a statement released on Wednesday, the US Department of States Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program confirmed Banatis involvement in the January 5, 2020 terrorist attack on Manda Bay Airfield in Lamu County. The assault, orchestrated by Jaysh Ayman, a unit within Al-Shabaab, claimed the lives of a US soldier and two American contractors. Three other US personnel were injured.

Banati was one of the individuals involved in the operational planning of the Manda Bay attack, the statement read. It further emphasized Al-Shabaabs role as Al-Qaedas main affiliate in East Africa, responsible for numerous deadly attacks across Kenya, Somalia, and neighboring countries.

In a pre-dawn raid that shocked the region, Al-Shabaab militants stormed the Manda Bay airstrip, a base used jointly by the Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) and US troops. The site plays a crucial role in training regional security forces, counterterrorism operations, and safeguarding American interests in East Africa. Shortly after the attack, Al-Shabaab released a propaganda video claiming responsibility.

The bounty on Banati makes him the second individual the RFJ program has targeted in relation to the Manda Bay incident. In 2023, the US also offered a similar reward for Maalim Ayman, the leader of Jaysh Ayman, who is believed to have orchestrated the 2020 attack. The US designated Ayman as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224 in 2020.

Banatis Shadowy Trail Across Kenyas Darkest Moments

Banati is not a new name to Kenyas security agencies. For nearly a decade, police have pursued him for his alleged involvement in the countrys most devastating terror attacks.

Authorities say Banati joined Al-Shabaab in 2012 and has since risen through its ranks as a key regional operative. He is believed to have played a logistical role in the 2019 Dusit D2 complex attack, transporting attackers from Somalia to Nairobi, where 21 people were killed.

His name also appeared in the aftermath of the 2013 Westgate Mall attack, where 67 people were killed, and again during the 2015 Garissa University College massacre, where 148 students lost their lives. Police believe Banati hosted the attackers in the days leading up to the assault.

In another incident, Banati is suspected to have been part of the group that stormed the Baure KDF camp in Lamu in June 2015. That attack ended with 11 terrorists killed by Kenyan forces.

Despite extensive efforts by Kenyan and international security agencies, Banati has continued to evade capture, deepening concerns about his operational reach and network. The US hopes the multi-million shilling reward will incentivize information that could finally bring him to justice.
India and the United Kingdom FTA is seen as a part of a new global trade strategy that aims to reduce dependence on China, manage trade challenges from US tariffs, and help the UK reshape its economy after Brexit, according to a report by SBI Research. The report also added that the multi-billion-pound deal will reduce tariffs on 90 per cent of traded goods, helping businesses on both sides. It said, "FTA signal a new global trade strategy, bypassing China's dependence, navigating US tariffs and reshaping post BREXIT Britain." The deal is also expected to increase bilateral trade between India and the UK by 25.5 billion in the long run. It will also raise the UK's GDP by 4.8 billion and push up wages by 2.2 billion every year. India is also expected to benefit in important ways, especially through stronger exports and job creation. India's trade share with the UK has already grown from 1.69 per cent in 2022-23 to 1.91 per cent in 2024-25. Total bilateral trade stands at around USD 60 billion and is projected to double by 2030. In FY25, India's exports have grown even as imports saw a decline of 6.1 per cent. The FTA covers goods, services, and technology, and focuses on inclusive growth, building strong supply chains, and creating jobs. The UK has opened up sectors such as information technology, finance, education, and consumer goods. This creates opportunities for Indian exports in labor-intensive industries like textiles, toys, marine products, and auto components. Though immigration rules remain mostly unchanged, the agreement allows limited professional movement. The report also highlighted that around 1,800 to 2,000 visas will be given each year to Indian professionals such as chefs, musicians, and yoga instructors. This shows how the FTA also supports cultural ties between the two countries. The prime ministers of India and the UK are expected to meet soon to officially sign the deal before it is approved by both parliaments. (ANI)
India should approach the implementation of the Government Procurement (GP) chapter in the recently concluded India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with extreme caution, according to a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). The report highlights potential risks to domestic industry, especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), due to increased foreign competition. It said, "India must approach the implementation of the GP chapter in the India-UK FTA with extreme caution" India's GP market is among the largest in the world, estimated at nearly USD 600 billion annually, which is around 15 per cent of the country's GDP. The report stated that this massive public spending supports vital sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education, transport, power, and defence. Moreover, beyond being a tool for public spending, government procurement serves as a strategic instrument to promote local manufacturing, strengthen MSME capabilities, and support national initiatives like 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. Unlike some developed countries, India has not joined the World Trade Organization's Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), thereby retaining its policy space to favour domestic firms. Under existing rules, 25 per cent of all government procurements in India are reserved for MSMEs. There are also specific quotas for enterprises owned by women and those owned by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. However, India is now facing increasing pressure from its trading partners, particularly the UK and the European Union, to open up its GP market. This demand has translated into a significant policy shift in the India-UK FTA, which includes a detailed GP chapter. Under the FTA agreement, India has agreed to allow UK firms to participate in central government tenders. Even those with just 20 per cent UK content will be considered 'Class 2 Local Suppliers' under the Make in India framework. This designation was previously reserved for Indian firms with higher domestic content. GTRI report warned that giving UK companies near-equal access to government contracts could push Indian MSMEs out of the market. These small businesses rely heavily on protected government procurement to sustain themselves. Additionally, such a move could weaken one of India's last few industrial policy tools used to encourage domestic production, innovation, and employment. GTRI recommends that India should exclude strategic sectors--such as defence, railways, and core infrastructure--from foreign access to safeguard national interests and support local industry. (ANI)
PRNewswire Gurgaon (Haryana) [India], May 8: SGS has awarded the World Health Organization Good Distribution Practices (GDP) certificate to Air India Limited, India's leading global airline. This certification is awarded for the cargo business of Air India and recognizes excellence in handling, storage and transportation of time and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments at Air India sites across several domestic as well as international cargo hubs. Certified domestic locations include Indore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Goa, New Delhi and Chennai. Internationally, the certification spans key hubs such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Chicago, Paris (CDG), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR) and London Heathrow. "India is one of the world's key exporters of pharmaceutical products, demanding specialised logistics and precision for their transportation to other parts of the world. This certification provides a shot in the arm to our expertise and capabilities in this specialised space of logistics, assuring partners globally that we are fully equipped to safeguard the integrity of every shipment," said Ramesh Mamidala, Head of Cargo, Air India. Speaking about this certification, Sub-Regional Director - Business Assurance for SGS in India, Nilesh Jadhav said, "We are proud to certify Air India Limited with the WHO Good Distribution Practices (GDP) standard for their multiple cargo hubs across the world. Compliance with WHO GDP principles not only safeguards the integrity and safety of vital pharmaceutical consignments across its network, but also improves operational performance and strengthens trust among stakeholders in a complex, globally interlinked supply chain." The WHO GDP certification outlines the critical guidelines and protocols necessary to ensure safe and secure pharmaceutical distribution. It helps prevent counterfeit medicines from entering the supply chain and ensures that processes like relabelling, repackaging, storing and distributing are compliant with WHO standards. Achieving this certification requires a thorough and rigorous audit of facilities and processes to verify alignment with global GDP requirements. The certification demonstrates Air India's commitment to maintaining pharmaceutical product integrity throughout its logistics network and enhances its ability to serve global healthcare supply chains with confidence. Discover how SGS can support compliance with WHO Good Distribution Practices (GDP) for pharmaceutical products, through our trusted audit and certification services - click here to learn more For further information, please contact:Mr. Arup Janat: +91 90 07 074 274 About Air India group The Air India group - comprising of full-service global airline Air India and low-cost regional carrier Air India Express - is spearheading a new era of Indian aviation. The Air India story began in 1932 when JRD Tata piloted the airline's inaugural flight and opened the skies for aviation in India. Today, Air India group employs more than 30,000 people, operates over 300 aircraft and carries customers to 55 domestic and 48 international destinations across five continents. Returning to the Tata Sons in 2022 following 70 years under Government ownership, Air India group is in the midst of a five-year transformation program, Vihaan.AI. As part of the transformation, Air India has placed an order for 570 new aircraft. In 2024, sister airlines Air Asia India and Vistara were successfully merged into Air India Express and Air India, respectively, and the Airline opened South Asia's largest aviation training academy. A new flying school is scheduled to open in 2025, and construction of a greenfield maintenance base, to be operational in 2026, is underway. In addition to receiving new aircraft, all existing aircraft are progressively undergoing a full interior refit. With transformation underway across all facets of the business and India's rich legacy of hospitality, Air India is committed to being a world class global airline with an Indian heart. For more stories on Air India, visit http://www.airindia.com/newsroom ABOUT SGS SGS is the world's leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability. Our brand promise - when you need to be sure - underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2458028/4804528/SGS_New_Logo.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], May 8: KRAFTON India is back with a fresh set of limited-time redeem codes for BGMI, offering players a chance to unlock rare in-game items. These rewards are designed to add a personal flair to your loadout, whether it's exclusive outfits, weapon skins, or themed gear.

The codes are valid from April 22 to June 6, 2025, and can be redeemed only through BGMI's official website: www.battlegroundsmobileindia.com/redeem.

Redeem codes: 1.CPZBZH3EG7QJ

2.CPZCZ6RHXAGR

3.CPZDZVVA5V8S

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Steps to redeem: Players can follow these simple steps to claim their rewards:

* Step 1: Go to the Redeem section on BGMI's official website https://www.battlegroundsmobileindia.com/redeem

* Step 2: Enter your Character ID

* Step 3: Enter the Redemption Code

* Step 4: Enter the verification/ Captcha code > A message will confirm 'Code redeemed success-fully'

* Step 5: The reward will be delivered via in-game mail

Rules to Remember:

* A maximum of 10 users can redeem each code on a first-come, first-served basis

* A user cannot redeem a code twice

* Users must claim their rewards via in-game mail within 7 days, else the mail will expire

* If a player is among the first 10 users to successfully redeem the code, a message will confirm 'Code redeemed successfully'. If not, users will see 'Code expired' or a similar expiry message

* Each user account can redeem only one code per day and a maximum of two codes until June 6th, 2025

* Redeem codes cannot be used via guest accounts

For the latest updates, follow BGMI's official YouTube, Instagram and Facebook pages

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PNN Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 8: Bhartiya Urban has launched Bhartiya Converge, an innovative business proposition aimed at becoming India's leading Global Capability Centre (GCC) enablement platform. The first-of-its-kind integrated ecosystem is crafted to assist global organizations of any size to enter, operate, and grow in India with ease, efficiency, and enhanced business outcomes. Bhartiya Converge provides an end-to-end solution to improve turnaround time, increase operational efficiencies, and provide quantifiable business value -- all supported by access to the best talent. Monica Pirgal has been named Chief Executive Officer, with a proven history of scaling GCCs for Fortune 100 clients and leading global transformation programs. Bhartiya Converge is a tailored and integrated suite of microservices built to address the nuanced, evolving operational needs of each GCC, fostering agility, efficiency, and scalable growth. "Setting up a GCC in India is not just about finding office space or hiring talent. It's a complex interplay of physical infrastructure, talent and business operations to create an integrated ecosystem supported by the vision of a global strategy. At Bhartiya Urban, we've created a proven ecosystem that brings all of these facets together; and with Bhartiya Converge, we're formalising that into a scalable, service-first model tailored to organisations of all sizes seeking strategic advantage through their India operations," said Arjun Aggarwal, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Bhartiya Urban. The seamless integration of real estate, talent, operations, and infrastructure management serves as the foundation of our GCC business. The Bhartiya Converge model eliminates vendor markups and coordination delays while driving superior cost efficiency, flexibility and faster turnaround time. Currently, leading global corporations across industries like technology, retail, logistics, aviation, pharmaceutical and more are already availing facilities beyond workspaces offered by Bhartiya Urban. Sriram Chidambaram, Executive Director, Bhartiya Urban, a business leader in the technology and GCC space, will provide the required guidance, support and mentorship as Chief Mentor, Bhartiya Converge. "At Bhartiya Converge, we will leverage capabilities from within our ecosystem, accelerate turnaround time, and create an environment optimised for innovation and strategic value creation. Global Capability Centres will transform from being just cost centres to strategic assets giving clients a competitive advantage and driving business growth," said Sriram. Bhartiya Converge, represents the next evolution in Global Capability Centre (GCC) enablement in India, moving beyond traditional service coordination to offer a truly integrated experience. To lead this ambitious initiative, Monica Pirgal has been appointed as CEO of Bhartiya Converge. A seasoned leader with 25+ years of experience across consulting, banking, retail, and technology, Monica brings unparalleled insight into the lifecycle of GCCs -- from inception to maturity. She previously served as Vice-President and Site Head for Neiman Marcus Group in Bangalore, where she built and led a world-class captive centre. Her career includes leadership roles at global giants like Goldman Sachs and Lowe's, enabling and scaling GCCs with employee headcounts ranging from 100 to 8000+. "The GCC revolution has just begun, and Bhartiya Converge is making a serious, long-term bet on the future of GCCs in India, ready to dominate and lead the industry. I'm excited to bring my experience to shape and lead this journey. Bhartiya Converge is built to eliminate friction, whether it's around regulatory approvals, cost control, or building high-performance teams. Our goal is to make India not just a viable destination, but a strategic advantage," said Monica Pirgal, CEO, Bhartiya Converge." The leadership team at Bhartiya Converge comprises professionals with rich experience across technology, strategy, compliance and legal, human resources, finance and marketing. India is rapidly becoming the global headquarters for Global Capability Centres, with over 1,600 GCCs already operating in the country and another 600-800 expected to enter over the next 3-5 years, creating a talent ecosystem of over 2 Mn. professionals. The opportunity spans across sectors -- from automotive, BFSI, pharma and fintech to fashion, retail, F&B, healthcare, and agro-tech. Bhartiya Converge is uniquely positioned to serve this growing demand, providing global organisations with a seamless, strategic, and scalable pathway to thrive in India. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
VMPL New Delhi [India], May 8: The WhatsApp Business API is no longer a luxury -- it's a necessity. In a world where over 2 billion people actively use WhatsApp every month, businesses cannot afford to stay silent on the platform their customers already trust and love. Speed matters. So does personalization. The WhatsApp Business API brings both together, enabling brands to have real conversations at scale -- instantly, securely, and personally. BhashSMS has long empowered brands to connect with their audiences through high-volume SMS services. Now, they are taking it to the next level -- offering businesses seamless access to the WhatsApp Business API to transform the way they support, sell, and interact with customers. What is WhatsApp Business API? The WhatsApp Business API is built for companies that are ready to scale communication beyond individual conversations. It is not simply another app on a mobile phone -- it is a robust infrastructure designed for businesses needing secure, automated, and high-volume messaging. Unlike the standard WhatsApp Business App, which suits small businesses handling a handful of chats manually, the WhatsApp Business API enables organizations to manage thousands of customer interactions simultaneously. It integrates directly with CRM systems, customer support platforms, and marketing automation tools, ensuring seamless, efficient workflows. In practical terms, while the WhatsApp Business App serves individual shop owners, the API empowers entire teams to engage customers across the full lifecycle -- from inquiry to post-sale support -- without disruption. Key advantages of the WhatsApp Business API include: * Enterprise-Grade Messaging: Automate order confirmations, appointment reminders, and customer support replies, all without manual intervention. * System Integration: Connect WhatsApp directly with internal business systems for a unified communication experience. * End-to-End Security: Protect every customer conversation with robust encryption, maintaining trust and compliance at every step. Through BhashSMS, businesses can access the WhatsApp Business API with expert support and minimal complexity. The process is streamlined, professional, and designed to help brands maximize the power of real-time, personalized communication. Next, it is important to understand how businesses can start their journey with the WhatsApp Business API -- and how BhashSMS makes it seamless. Why Choose WhatsApp Business API with BhashSMS Implementing the WhatsApp Business API isn't just about gaining a new communication tool. It's about choosing a partner who can help a business use it to its full potential -- seamlessly, securely, and at scale. That's where BhashSMS steps in With years of experience in enterprise communication, BhashSMS ensures businesses move beyond basic messaging and build real customer relationships at every touchpoint. Here's how BhashSMS makes a real difference: * Seamless Integration Without the Guesswork Onboarding to the WhatsApp Business API can feel overwhelming -- unless there's an expert guiding every step. BhashSMS removes the complexity, offering businesses clear support from initial setup to full integration. From business verification to API deployment, the journey stays fast, transparent, and hassle-free. * Built to Scale -- Effortlessly Whether handling hundreds of chats or scaling to millions of messages monthly, BhashSMS ensures the system never slows down. Businesses don't have to worry about platform stability or expanding communication needs. With BhashSMS, growth is not a question of "if" -- but "how fast." * 24/7 Support That Understands the Market Support matters when scaling critical customer conversations. BhashSMS provides round-the-clock assistance through a local team that knows not just the technology but the market dynamics. No endless wait times. No one-size-fits-all answers. Just responsive, informed help when it's needed most. Step-by-Step: How to Get Started with WhatsApp Business API Getting started with the WhatsApp Business API through BhashSMS is straightforward. Here's a simple roadmap: Step #1. Create Your Business Profile * Set up a professional WhatsApp Business Profile with your brand name, description, logo, and contact details. BhashSMS guides you through every step to ensure your profile meets WhatsApp standards. Step #2. Verify Your Business with Meta * Verification confirms the authenticity of your brand. BhashSMS helps businesses complete the Facebook Business Manager verification process quickly and correctly. Step #3. Prepare and Submit Message Templates * Craft approved templates for customer notifications, support messages, and updates. BhashSMS assists in designing templates that meet WhatsApp's compliance rules and get fast approvals. Step #4. Integrate with BhashSMS APIs * Connect the API with your CRM, website, or customer support systems using BhashSMS's easy-to-use integration tools. Minimal technical effort, maximum reliability. Step #5. Launch Your First Campaign * Start sending notifications, promotions, and customer service messages through WhatsApp -- all backed by BhashSMS's real-time analytics and expert support. With BhashSMS, businesses can move from setup to their first live message in days, not weeks. Best Practices for Maximum Engagement Using the WhatsApp Business API effectively goes beyond sending messages. It's about creating conversations that customers welcome and respond to. Here's how businesses can maximize their impact: * Personalize Every Message Generic messages are easy to ignore. Personalizing with customer names, order details, or past interactions makes communication more meaningful and drives better engagement. * Time It Right Sending messages when customers are most active -- not during late nights or busy hours -- increases the chances of being seen and acted upon. BhashSMS can help optimize timing based on customer behavior insights. * Use Interactive Elements Make messages interactive by adding buttons, quick replies, or simple menus. These features make it easier for customers to respond instantly, keeping the conversation flowing naturally. * Always Get Clear Opt-ins Respecting customer consent is key. Ensure customers opt-in before messaging, and give them easy ways to opt out if they wish. Trust is built when businesses communicate responsibly. Following these best practices ensures businesses not only reach customers through the WhatsApp Business API but also build lasting, loyal relationships. Integration That Works with Your Ecosystem The real strength of the WhatsApp Business API comes when it fits seamlessly into existing business systems. BhashSMS ensures that integration is smooth, flexible, and future-ready. * Sync with CRMs, ERPs, and E-commerce Platforms BhashSMS makes it easy to connect WhatsApp messaging with popular CRMs, ERPs, and e-commerce platforms. This ensures businesses can manage conversations, customer data, and order updates -- all from one place. * Developer-Friendly REST API For businesses with custom requirements, BhashSMS offers a robust, easy-to-implement REST API. Developers can build tailored workflows, automate communication, and integrate WhatsApp directly into any application. * Support for Plugins and Webhooks Automation is simple with BhashSMS. Ready-to-use plugins and webhook support allow businesses to trigger WhatsApp messages based on customer actions, system updates, or marketing workflows -- with minimal manual effort. With BhashSMS, businesses can integrate the WhatsApp Business API into their ecosystem without disrupting their operations -- and start building smarter, faster customer experiences. In today's fast-moving digital world, businesses need more than just traditional communication tools. The WhatsApp Business API offers a direct, trusted, and highly personal way to reach customers where they are most active -- their mobile devices. By adopting the WhatsApp Business API, businesses can transform their customer support, automate vital notifications, and drive more profound engagement -- all while maintaining the security and personalization customers expect. BhashSMS makes this transformation easy. With seamless integration, powerful APIs, and 24/7 local support, BhashSMS stands as the trusted partner for businesses ready to modernize and scale their messaging strategies. The opportunity to connect smarter, faster, and more meaningfully is here. Book a free demo today and experience the BhashSMS difference. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Explainer: Why historical truth of WWII should never be distorted

08:20, May 08, 2025 By Zhao Bochao ( Xinhua

Aircraft fly in formation over Red Square during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, in Moscow, Russia, May 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in World War II (WWII). Chinese President Xi Jinping travels to Russia on Wednesday for a state visit and celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

The commemoration stands as a powerful reminder of the brutality of war, the precious hard-won peace and stability, and the importance of historical truth -- especially at a time when the world is grappling with a resurgence in unilateralism, economic coercion and hegemonic mentality.

What is alarming is that in recent years, there have been repeated attempts to distort or deny the legacy of the WWII victory. These attempts, drawing widespread criticism and concern, have reminded the world of the necessity to safeguard the integrity of the history of WWII.

WHO IS DISTORTING WWII HISTORY?

In these years, politicians from certain countries have sought to achieve political gains by manipulating historical truth.

"We are witnessing increasing efforts to rehabilitate Nazism and racial supremacy, glorify Nazis and their collaborators, and revive practices of racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Xinhua in a recent interview.

In March, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, while attending a memorial service on Iwo Jima to honor those who died in one of WWII's pivotal battles, claimed Japan as being indispensable in tackling "Chinese aggression" and complimented the "valor" of Japanese soldiers.

Hegseth's remarks sparked sharp criticism, with many viewing them as an attempt to whitewash Japan's militarism during WWII. His comments were also seen as a betrayal of those who sacrificed their lives in anti-fascist fight.

Such attempts to distort or deny the history of the World Anti-Fascist War are not new.

After WWII, as the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union intensified, Washington chose to support Japan as a strategic counterweight in Asia. In doing so, the remnants of Japanese fascism were not fully eradicated.

Until this day, some right-wing Japanese politicians still refuse to renounce Japan's militaristic past, and even question or deny the outcomes of the war.

They continue to pay tribute to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese WWII war criminals, revise high school history textbooks to downplay Japan's wartime atrocities, and deny the forced recruitment of "comfort women" by the Japanese military during WWII.

"In recent years, Japan has recklessly tampered with textbooks, and the theory of no guilt for aggression has a relatively large market in Japan," said Sun Huixiu, an associate professor with the School of History at Beijing Normal University.

Similar historic revisionism took place in the West. There have been attempts by some Western countries to downplay or even completely deny the role of the Red Army and the Soviet people in the victory over Nazism.

A survey conducted by IFOP, an international market research group, in May 1945 showed that 57 percent of French people credited the Soviet Union with having made the greatest contribution to Nazi defeat, compared to just 20 percent backing the United States and 12 percent Britain.

However, by 2018, a YouGov survey showed a dramatic shift in public perception: 56 percent of the French believed the United States played the most important role, 11 percent credited Britain, and only 15 percent recognized Russia's contribution.

WHY HISTORICAL TRUTH SO IMPORTANT?

During the deadliest military conflict in human history 80 years ago, more than 80 countries and regions, involving roughly 2 billion people, were drawn into the war. More than 100 million worldwide were killed or wounded, and global economic losses exceeded 4 trillion U.S. dollars.

To resist fascist aggression, more than 50 countries, including China and the Soviet Union, formed a united front. As the main theater in the East during the World Anti-Fascist War, China paid a heavy price -- over 35 million casualties in its fight against the majority troops of Japanese militarism.

A woman visits the site used to be a bacterial laboratory at the former site of the Unit 731 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Dec. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

Preserving the truth of history is the most meaningful tribute to the soldiers and civilians who perished during WWII. It is also a foundation for reconciliation between former belligerent nations.

"How should we respond to the sin of the Holocaust for which we should take responsibility? Summing up the past can be a prerequisite to reconciliation," said former German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to Japan in 2015.

More importantly, as noted by Xi at the general debate of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly back in 2015, history is a mirror, and only by drawing lessons from history can the world avoid repeating past calamities.

After WWII, the Allied powers carried out the Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials, which marked the first time in human history that war criminals were prosecuted before an international tribunal, delivering rightful punishment, upholding international justice and sending a powerful warning to fascist forces.

Based on the WWII victory, key members of the anti-fascist alliance jointly initiated the founding of the United Nations and formulated a series of important international documents including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Charter of the United Nations, which laid the foundation for the modern international order and established the basic norms governing contemporary international relations.

"These instruments helped to hold fascist crimes accountable, and through a series of institutional frameworks, effectively placed a 'security lock' on the postwar world to help preserve peace," said He Lei, former vice president of the Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, in an article.

Since the end of WWII, the world has witnessed a level of global prosperity unprecedented in human history thanks to the largely peaceful era it has been in. "We need to firmly remember the history of WWII and maintain the world political and economic order," said Sun.

"Today, it seems no one disputes that the victory over fascism and militarism was one of humanity's greatest achievements in the 20th century," said Kirill Babayev, director of the Institute of China and Modern Asia at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

This underscores that Russia and China must remain at the forefront of preserving this memory, he noted.

"In the global agenda, we must uphold a position that demands full respect for historical truth, rejects its distortion, and, above all, safeguards the memory of those who perished during World War II while defending our freedom," he added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
VMPL New Delhi [India], May 8: It only takes one trip, one dream, and one community to change the way we see the world. Ever dreamed of living out your own "Yeh Jawani Hai Dewani" like Bunny and Naina? Or do you want to take a trip with your friends like "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara"? Either way, WanderOn promises you the best time of your life. In today's world, loneliness is hidden behind mobile screens, people don't have friends, and social media has become their reality. WanderOn offers something rare: real connections that act as a solution to bring people together with the same mindset. From helping them fight their social anxiety to becoming friends while exploring interesting destinations, within a few years, the company has built a travel family where laughter is louder than notifications, friendships are deeper than comments, and every journey feels like a Bollywood adventure waiting to happen. How did it all start? It all began in 2018 when a young boy from NIT Kurukshetra dared to quit his job and build a travel tech company. Switching his career from engineering to entrepreneurship, the hunger for adventure encouraged him to take the biggest risk of his life. But all he asked: "What if we create a place where solo travellers could meet like-minded people, travel together, and make memories, not just checklists?" The answer was India's fastest-growing travel community, WanderOn Travel Experiences. As they say, "Where there is will, there is a way"; the same happened with the CEO, Govind Gaur, who brought his other 4 members on board while on the trip. As he says, "Getting other board members is like marrying them, and what better way to know the person than a trip?" Maybe this is the reason for becoming not only the leading travel community in India, but also famous for finding your love match. You can guess WanderOn's impact on people's lives when they find their "happy ending" on these trips. One such beautiful story is of Shivangi from Bombay and Bhavesh from Calcutta, who met during a WanderOn trip to Himachal. From sharing chai in the mountains to sharing dreams, a one and half year later, they exchanged their wedding vows. A simple journey turned into a lifelong adventure all because two strangers trusted WanderOn to write their love story. When the company started, many big players were already ruling the Indian market. But it's been a hoot that WanderOn, as a company, outshone them in the country but also touched new benchmarks with international travellers. With around 1.5 lakh plus travellers, WanderOn became the SRK of the travel world. Just like how SRK often realises his love late, the company took its time to enter, but captured every heart once it did, especially with its Ladakh Biking Trips. If you are wondering exactly how they did that? The answer is simple by adding the personal touch to the well-curated itineraries. While every other company was selling the package, WanderOn wanted to offer a lifetime experience by adding their personal touch, and that's where their "Trip Captain" entered. Someone who's not just a guide, but a best friend, a secret-keeper, and the one who'll click your perfect jumping shot at the top of a mountain. Whether it's dancing to Bollywood beats at midnight on a bus ride or sharing stories around a bonfire, these trip captains are fully committed to making your journey a memorable one! Being from a small town, GG always valued relationships over anything, which clearly reflects in WanderOn's DNA. The trip captains, retention teams, operations team or the sales team are all there to help you throughout your trip. And if you are lucky enough, who knows, maybe the man himself will be your next team captain! With Mr. Gaur leading by example, the team strongly believes: "At WanderOn, you are not just booking a trip. You are booking a thousand new memories." This helped them not only to enter the 100 crore club game but also maintain their 4.9 Google rating. It says a lot about customer commitment when the CEO guides your journey himself. Even after building an army of hundreds, GG didn't take his customers for granted, which contributed to WanderOn's success. As one traveller, Rashi Jain, went on a Himachal Backpacking trip puts it: "I came for a solo trip but left with a family. Thank you, WanderOn, for making travel feel like home!" But this is just the mere scratch of what WanderOn wants to achieve. By reaching 100 crores in 2025, they just announced to the world that they are getting started and it's better to watch out. For the company, this is just a milestone of a starting point with no finish line. WanderOn now dreams even bigger: global expansion, luxury community travel, travel festivals, and tech-driven personalisation are all on the horizon. Guided by strong ethics, GG and his company prioritise customers and nurture meaningful relationships. About the magic that happens when you travel not alone, but together. Because at the end of the day, it's not just the places you go. It's the people you meet along the way that turn a journey into a story worth telling. So for WanderOn "Picture abhi baki hai mere dost....!" (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
VMPL New Delhi [India], May 8: In the ever-expanding world of poetry, where countless voices attempt to capture the intricacies of human emotion, Aarti Upadhyay's Remnants: A Journey through Grief, Love and Becoming stands apart as a quiet but powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. This collection is not just a book--it's a healing experience. With raw vulnerability and remarkable sensitivity, Aarti invites readers into an intimate journey through the corridors of grief, the tenderness of love, the despair of loss, and ultimately, the quiet miracle of healing. The collection opens like a wound--fresh, aching, honest. It doesn't hide behind metaphor or cloak pain in elaborate verse. Instead, it strips emotion down to its most primal form. The poems are sparse, almost minimalistic at times, yet that very sparseness carries immense weight. Every word feels deliberate, each line shaped by personal truth and distilled through reflection. There is no excess here--just emotion, unfiltered and real. Some of these poems, we learn, are inspired by conversations Aarti had with her psychiatrist, Dr. Sarthak Dave--moments where pain was named and understood. This glimpse into therapy adds psychological depth to the collection, reminding us that seeking help is a quiet act of strength and self-love. What strikes the reader early on is the universality of Aarti's verse. While clearly rooted in personal experience, the poems do not alienate the reader by being too inward-looking. Rather, they become mirrors--each reader finding themselves somewhere between the lines. Who among us has not grieved, loved, lost, or longed for meaning amid the chaos? In this way, Remnants becomes more than a collection of poetry--it becomes a companion for those navigating the jagged edges of emotion. The central theme of the collection--grief--is handled with rare tenderness. Aarti does not romanticize it, nor does she drown in it. Instead, she allows grief to breathe, to exist as it is--complex, nonlinear, sometimes ugly, sometimes beautiful. In one poem, she writes of how grief becomes a "shadow stitched into your skin," an image both haunting and deeply relatable. There is no rush to 'move on,' no false promises of closure. Grief, in her words, is not something to be defeated, but something to be understood and carried. Yet, what makes Remnants truly remarkable is its undercurrent of hope. Amid the sorrow, there are glimmers of light--of love remembered, of moments cherished, of the slow reassembling of a broken self. The poems do not offer easy answers, but they do offer presence. They remind us that healing is not linear, that becoming whole again doesn't mean erasing the pain, but learning to live beside it. Love, in all its facets, threads itself through the collection. Romantic love, familial love, self-love--they all find voice in Aarti's poetry. There are poems that ache with longing, others that throb with the afterglow of once-burning love. Her reflections on love lost are especially poignant--not in the sense of bitterness, but in the quiet dignity of remembrance. She speaks not just of heartbreak, but of what remains after--of the remnants. The title itself, Remnants, is perfectly chosen. It captures the essence of what the book offers--not a neat narrative arc of pain to redemption, but a mosaic of fragments: some sharp, some smooth, some still bleeding, some already fading. These are the pieces we carry--the ones that define us after we have been changed by love and loss. The ones we rebuild ourselves from. Stylistically, Upadhyay's poetry leans toward free verse, and it suits the emotional cadence of the collection. Her use of space, line breaks, and silence is masterful. There are poems where a single word sits isolated, carrying the weight of a whole paragraph. This economy of language, paired with emotional depth, is the hallmark of a poet who understands both the power and fragility of words. The book is also beautifully produced, with a minimalist aesthetic that reflects the tone of the poems. It does not shout for attention--it waits quietly, gently, patiently. The experience of reading Remnants is much like sitting with an old friend, talking in hushed tones about the things that matter most. In a world that often demands we "move on," Remnants allows us to pause. To sit with our sorrow. To honour our stories. To acknowledge that we are made not only of joy and success, but of grief, heartbreak, and silent becoming. Aarti Upadhyay is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with over 14 years of experience across advertising, IT, and government consulting. A postgraduate from St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, with a PG Certification in Advertising & PR (Online) from MICA, she has consistently fused strategy with storytelling to help brands discover their true voice. Her debut poetry collection, Remnants: A Journey through Grief, Love and Becoming is a deeply personal exploration of love, loss, and resilience--an emotional journey that mirrors her fascination with the inner workings of the human mind. Aarti is a passionate reader, a quiet observer of people and emotions, and a firm believer that dogs embody the purest form of unconditional love. Remnants: A Journey through Grief, Love and Becoming is a moving, meditative collection that lingers long after the last page is turned. Aarti Upadhyay writes not just with talent, but with heart. Her words offer comfort, validation, and quiet strength. This is poetry as it should be--brave, beautiful, and unforgettable. Buy it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/dp/9369541829 (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PRNewswire Singapore, May 8: QDX proudly congratulates its Co-Founder and Head of Research, A/Prof. Giuseppe Barca, on being awarded the 2025 Dirac Medal, the highest international honour for early-career researchers in theoretical and computational chemistry. Presented by the World Association of Theoretical and Computational Chemists (WATOC), the Dirac Medal recognises scientists under 40 whose research has made exceptional contributions to the field. A/Prof. Barca is recognised for his pioneering work in quantum algorithms and high-performance computing, which has advanced the frontiers of molecular simulation and accelerated applications in drug discovery. "This is a phenomenal and well-deserved honour for Giuseppe," said Loong Wang, CEO of QDX. "His research continues to redefine what's possible in computational chemistry. This award not only celebrates his individual achievement but also reinforces the bold science that drives QDX." In addition to his role at QDX, A/Prof. Barca leads the Barca Lab at both the Australian National University and the University of Melbourne, where he develops fast, scalable quantum chemistry methods and algorithms for next-generation computing platforms. His innovations form the core of Rush, QDX's proprietary AI-quantum platform designed to deliver high-precision molecular modelling at cloud scale. As QDX continues to push the frontier of drug discovery with advanced computational tools, A/Prof. Barca's vision and leadership remain central to its mission to enable and accelerate the discovery of new therapies. About QDX QDX is a drug discovery company specializing in high-performance quantum simulations to accelerate the design of new therapeutics. Founded by experts in life science, computational chemistry, and high-performance computing, QDX collaborates with global partners to develop innovative solutions for complex diseases, aiming to transform the landscape of drug discovery. Its flagship platform, Rush, empowers biotech innovators to conduct fast, cost-effective molecular modeling, virtual screening, and predictive analytics--no installation or proprietary hardware required. Media Contact: ops@qdx.co www.qdx.co (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
VMPL Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], May 8: Bolt.Earth, India's largest EV charging network, has officially launched the Blaze DC fast charger for electric two- and three-wheelers. Designed to meet the growing demand for faster, more accessible charging, Blaze DC delivers 1% charge per minute--up to 3.5x faster than conventional options. Unlike retrofitted car chargers, Blaze DC is engineered ground-up for India's two- and three-wheelers. It's universal, OEM-agnostic, and supports both Type 6 and the upcoming Type 7 connectors--ensuring compatibility with over 90% of the fast-charging enabled EVs in the market. It is also India's first universal fast charger built on the BIS-approved national standard-- making it fully compliant, interoperable, and future-ready for nationwide deployment. For Indian EV riders, "charging anxiety" remains a major barrier--especially for urban commuters who can't afford long breaks. Blaze DC tackles this head-on, offering quick, convenient power-ups that help users swap lengthy waits for seamless rides. "Blaze DC is substantially faster than any two-wheeler charger in the country. The 12kW variant delivers up to 100 kms of range in just 15 minutes -- with headroom to grow as battery platforms evolve," said Raghav Bharadwaj, CEO of Bolt.Earth. "That's enough to recover 2-4 hours of highway riding at 40-70 kmph in the time it takes for a quick pit stop. Most riders who start around 10:00 a.m. typically pause by noon to grab lunch and recharge--making that 30-minute window the perfect moment to power up. That's the future we're building: charging that fits into your day, not the other way around." The Blaze DC range includes 3kW, 6kW, and 12kW models. The 3kW variant is designed to run on a standard single-phase connection, requiring no additional rewiring or complex electrical modifications. This allows for straightforward deployment in residential and small commercial settings. The charger also supports direct upgrades from 3.3kW AC units, enabling faster charging without infrastructure changes--reducing installation time and associated costs. To minimize downtime and streamline maintenance, Blaze DC is built with a modular architecture. Key components such as the power unit, controller, and communication modules can be replaced on-site. The system includes field-replaceable units (FRUs) to enable faster fault detection and service response. Initial deployments of Blaze DC have already commenced in Bengaluru, Pune, Kerala, and Hyderabad. Bolt.Earth is working with local partners to expand access across other high-demand EV corridors. EV users can easily locate and access these chargers through the Bolt.Earth EV Charging App, available on both the Play Store and App Store. As India's leading EV charging solutions provider, Bolt.Earth offers end-to-end infrastructure for homes, businesses, fleets, and brands like Tata, Bajaj, Mahindra, American Express, SAP, Brigade Group, Sobha Realty--from hardware and installation to software and support. To book a FREE site assessment, visit the Bolt.Earth website or reach out to our team today at support@bolt.earth or +91 84477 46385. About Bolt.Earth Bolt.Earth is India's largest EV charging network, with 37K+ charging points across 1,700+ cities, serving 224K+ active EV users. Its extensive charging network supports 2, 3, and 4 wheelers with both standard and fast charging options. The Bolt.Earth charging app, available on Playstore and iOS, makes charging seamless with a simple scan-pay-charge process. Bolt.Earth also offers a Charger Management System (CMS), EV charger discovery APIs for businesses, installation & maintenance support and 24*7 Customer Service. Bolt.Earth (backed by USV, Version One Ventures, Prime Venture Partners), designs, develops, and manufactures EV charging technology indigenously in India. As the only vertically integrated EV Charging Company in India, Bolt.Earth offers a complete ecosystem of charging hardware, software, and maintenance products and services. For more information, visit: https://bolt.earth/ (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PNN Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 8: In a landmark moment for the Vasai-Virar real estate market, PAM Infrastructure hosted an exclusive Channel Partner Meet on April 24, 2025, welcoming an incredible 1083+ channel partners under one roof. The evening offered a first look at 'One Time Vasai Edition', a premium residential development designed to set new benchmarks in modern suburban living. The unveiling was accompanied by impactful project visuals that showcased the thoughtfully planned spaces and amenities designed for today's thoughtful homebuyers. Spread across 3 acres in Vasai West, the project features a mix of 2, 3, 4 & 5 bed deck residences, ranging from 620 sq.ft. to over 2000 sq.ft. Designed to enhance family living, seeking both community connection and contemporary living, residents will have access to over 50 + amenities, offering a lifestyle of unparalleled luxury and convenience. The development also boasts prime connectivity to schools, hospitals, cultural landmarks, and major transportation hubs, making it an ideal location for all. The project is positioned for those seeking belonging, offering modern comforts, expansive community spaces, and a focus on quality living. Just five minutes from the upcoming Coastal Road extension, One Time Vasai Edition is perfectly positioned to benefit from one of the region's most anticipated infrastructure developments. The MMRDA's proposed link from Uttan to Virar is set to dramatically cut commute times and connect Vasai to Nariman Point via Versova, bringing the city within easier reach. At the recent CP meet, PAM Infrastructure unveiled its show flat, earning widespread appreciation for its refined interiors, smart layout, and premium finishes, and is already being recognised as one of the finest in the Vasai-Virar region. With select residences offering serene sea views, the project blends coastal calm with urban convenience, designed for families looking to upgrade to a well-connected, future-ready lifestyle. Jay Rathod, CMO of PAM Infrastructure, shared his thoughts: "This is just the beginning. With One Time Vasai Edition, we're not just offering homes, we're creating an elevated living experience in Vasai. The excitement at the CP Meet reinforces that we're on the verge of something truly remarkable." About PAM Infrastructure With over 25 years of experience, PAM Infrastructure has become a key player in shaping the Vasai-Virar skyline. Known for delivering high-quality, customer-centric developments, PAM continues to redefine suburban living with innovative designs and on-time delivery. For media inquiries, collaborations, or bookings: * Contact: 9221202700 * www.paminfrastructures.com (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
BusinessWire India Pune (Maharashtra) [India], May 8: Racold, a fully owned subsidiary of the Ariston Group-Italy, is proud to announce its remarkable achievement of winning the prestigious 'Superbrands' award for the fourth year and also the 'Most Trusted Brand of India' award for the third time. These accolades reinforce Racold's unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, reliability, and customer trust. The Superbrands India Award is a highly coveted title recognizing brands that exemplify excellence in their respective segments. The rigorous selection process conducted by industry experts evaluates brands on parameters such as brand reputation, customer satisfaction, innovation, and market dominance. Winning this esteemed recognition for the fourth time underscores Racold's consistent delivery of high-quality products and its dedication to meeting diverse customer needs. Simultaneously, Racold has also been honored with the "Most Trusted Brand of India" award for the third time by Marksmen Daily. This prestigious recognition highlights Racold's continuous efforts in building consumer trust through superior product quality, cutting-edge technology, and exceptional customer service. Expressing his delight at these significant achievements, Mr. Mohit Narula, Managing Director, Ariston Group India Pvt Ltd., said, "We are deeply honored to receive both the Superbrands and Most Trusted Brand awards yet again. These recognitions reaffirm our commitment to our customers and validate our relentless pursuit of innovation, sustainability, and excellence. The hard work and customer-centric approach of our team have been instrumental in achieving these milestones. We remain committed to continuously enhancing our offerings, expanding our reach, and maintaining our leadership position in sustainable water heating solutions." Racold has consistently been at the forefront of technological innovation in the water heating industry. Its extensive product portfolio, including electric storage water heaters, instant water heaters, tankless water heaters, gas water heaters, heat pumps, and solar water heaters, is widely acclaimed for superior performance, energy efficiency, and durability. Through continuous innovation and by integrating customer feedback, Racold has cemented its position as a market leader, setting new standards for quality and reliability. The brand is also deeply committed to sustainability and energy conservation. Its efforts to create eco-friendly products with minimal environmental impact have earned recognition from both customers and industry experts. This dedication to environmental responsibility further enhances Racold's reputation, not only as a provider of exceptional products but also as a socially responsible brand. The esteemed recognitions received by Racold reinforce the brand's leadership in the water heating sector and strengthen the trust of its customers, partners, and stakeholders. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has accumulated over 7.65 crore subscribers, mobilised a total corpus of Rs 45,974.67 crore by April, according to a government release. According to the official data, APY recorded increasing participation from women who now comprise about 48 per cent of all subscribers. To address the twin challenges of longevity risks and lack of retirement security among India's vast unorganised workforce, the Government of India launched the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) on 9th May 2015 and was operationalised from June 1, 2015. The scheme was designed to encourage voluntary savings for retirement by offering defined pension benefits, linked to the age of joining and the amount of contribution. Targeted primarily at poor and underprivileged workers in the informal sector, the scheme has emerged as one of the most inclusive and accessible social security initiatives in India. The Atal Pension Yojana has emerged as a cornerstone of India's social security ecosystem, especially for its vast unorganised workforce. With 7.65 crore subscribers and a steadily growing pension corpus, the scheme not only ensures financial independence for the elderly but also promotes long-term savings culture among low-income households. The government's continued focus on digital integration, women participation, and rural outreach has helped broaden APY's footprint across India, the release added. With women making up over 55 per cent of new subscribers in FY 2024-25 and a significant surge in overall enrolments during the same period, the Atal Pension Yojana is steadily progressing toward its vision of "Pension for All." The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is a government-backed pension scheme targeting workers in the unorganised sector who lack formal retirement benefits. It is open to Indian citizens aged 18 to 40, though since 1st October 2022, income taxpayers are no longer eligible. The scheme offers a fixed monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 starting at age 60, with contributions based on the age of joining and the chosen pension amount. A minimum contribution period of 20 years is required. Initially, the government co-contributed 50 per cent of the subscriber's contribution or up to Rs 1,000 annually for five years for those who enrolled between June 2015 and March 2016, provided they were not income taxpayers or part of any statutory social security scheme. The APY is administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the National Pension System (NPS) framework. (ANI)
BusinessWire India Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 8: AstaGuru's Jewellery, Silver and Timepieces auction 'Heirloom Collectibles', scheduled for May 10 - 11, 2025, promises to showcase the finest of jewellery, vintage silver and rare watches. The jewellery curation includes a mix of both Western and traditional Indian designs executed in exceptional diamonds, rubies, emeralds and natural pearls among others. The silver selection features Indian and European vintage silver pieces that reflect the masterful craftsmanship of the time. The horology collection will present an extraordinary gamut of vintage and modern watches from globally renowned brands, including Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Rolex, Hubolt, Breguet, A. Lange & Sohne. Talking about the jewellery section of the catalogue, Jay Sagar, Jewellery Expert, AstaGuru Auction House says, "We take immense pleasure in offering a phenomenal curation of jewellery that is impeccably executed with exquisite gemstones such as Zambian and Colombian emeralds, natural pearls, magnificent diamonds and rare Burmese rubies. Each of these pieces are testament to the craftsmanship of modern and vintage jewellery. The selection offered is ideal for any collector, new and seasoned alike, with a variety of minimalist and opulent pieces." Leading the jewellery section is Lot no. 19, An Extraordinary Emerald & Diamond Necklace. This magnificent necklace celebrates opulence and artistry, featuring a harmonious interplay of exquisite emeralds and diamonds. Designed in a classic collar style, it showcases a beautiful arrangement of emeralds that gradually ascend in size towards the centre, culminating in a dramatic, pear-shaped diamond. Each emerald is bordered by diamonds, enhancing their vivid green hue and adding a regal brilliance to the piece. The upper half of the necklace is also adorned with intricately set diamonds. The piece is estimated to be acquired for INR 6,95,00,000 - 7,50,00,000. Emeralds are prized for their vivid and rich green colour. The intense and lush green hue is unique among gemstones and stands out, making emeralds a distinctive choice for jewellery, especially for festive and celebratory occasions. They have been used in royal jewellery, religious artefacts, and by prominent historical figures, contributing to their prestigious reputation. The gemstones have also been associated with various symbolic meanings, including love, rebirth, and fertility. Lot no. 174 is An Impressive Nine-Row Natural Pearl Necklace estimated to be sold at INR 5,00,00,000 - 6,00,00,000. The beautiful necklace is composed of beautifully matched natural pearls graduated in size and arranged in nine cascading rows. The pearl strands are secured on a chedia. Owing to their rarity, natural pearls have always been highly prized and coveted across the world, especially by Indian royalty. The chronicles of history bear the testimony of pearls being an important jewel among kings and emperors. Natural pearls were also heavily sought after during the Art Deco period, one of the most significant design and art movements in history. Speaking of the horology curation, Jehangir Readymoney, AstaGuru's Luxury Timepiece Expert, stated, "India is witnessing a surge in interest in luxury watches, and AstaGuru is catering to this growing demand by presenting a curated selection of rare and limited-edition timepieces from globally acclaimed brands. This auction offers exceptional pieces suitable for both seasoned connoisseurs and those new to collecting. These timepieces represent the zenith of horological artistry, masterfully combining style, complexity, and individuality. This collection showcases exclusive limited-edition and bespoke luxury watches that captivate enthusiasts around the globe." Lot no. 20, a Rolex Submariner 18k Yellow Gold Wristwatch Reference 126618LB, leads the horology section. The self-winding movement watch, calibre no. 3235 features 31 jewels, a 70-hour power reserve (approx.) and Rolex's Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring & bi-directional self-winding rotor. The deep blue dial's luminescent Chromalight display is an innovation that improves visibility in dark environments, an essential feature for divers. The watch features an 18k gold bezel with a Cerachrom blue bezel insert,18k yellow gold case, caseback, bracelet, clasp and crown. It is estimated to be acquired for INR 32,00,000 - 36,00,000. Rolex has stood as the beacon of precision, style and craftsmanship in the world of horology. The Swiss manufacturer has long been known for iconic timepieces, their love for attention to detail and finds ardent fans throughout the world. Lot no. 120 is a Hublot Spirit Of Big Bang 18k Rose Gold Wristwatch Reference 614.OX.1180. RX. With a manual-winding Meca10 movement, calibre no. HUB1233, the watch features a skeleton dial with a power reserve indicator and small seconds feature. It also showcases an 18k King gold barrel-shaped case and caseback, 18k rose gold bezel and crown and a rubber strap with a titanium folding clasp. The watch is estimated to be sold at INR 29,50,000 - 36,50,000. Hublot is renowned for its meticulous craftsmanship, blending traditional Swiss watchmaking with cutting-edge materials. Each timepiece reflects precision engineering, often featuring in-house movements and complex chronographs. Their 'Art of Fusion' philosophy marries innovation with heritage in every watch. For more information, please log on www.astaguru.com (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
VMPL New Delhi [India], May 8: The Indian Institute of Management Kashipur, in collaboration with Brunel University London, is set to host the International Conference on "Sustainable Management Strategies for India's Future" from 9th to 11th May 2025. Aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, this prestigious event aims to bring together leading academicians, industry experts, and researchers to explore sustainable pathways for India's future growth. The conference will place special emphasis on integrating traditional Indian knowledge systems with contemporary business practices to foster inclusive, resilient, and innovation-driven development. The three-day conference aims to provide a dynamic platform for thought leaders to deliberate on India's evolving economic landscape and its aspiration to sustain high growth while addressing global challenges such as climate change and responsible resource management. As India rises as the fifth-largest economy in the world, the event will focus on balancing rapid development with sustainability, resilience, and inclusive progress. The conference will feature four thematic tracks addressing key dimensions of sustainable management. The first track, Indian Knowledge Systems and Values, will explore how ancient Indian philosophies--such as Yoga, Ayurveda, indigenous leadership values, and spiritual wisdom--can inform modern organizational strategies and promote holistic well-being. The second track, Sustainability in Business, will focus on practices that minimize environmental impact and foster long-term economic and social responsibility, including sustainable finance, circular economy, green innovation, and frugal consumption. The third track, Marketing Management, will examine evolving strategies in cultural, wellness, and medical tourism, alongside rural marketing, brand equity, and changing consumer behavior. The final track, Performance Management, will address ways to measure and enhance productivity across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, logistics, and banking, especially in light of digital transformation and the growing emphasis on sustainability metrics. The event will feature distinguished speakers from around the globe, including Prof. Robin Jarvis (Brunel University London), adviser to the European Federation of Accountants and board member of the International Small Business Journal; Prof. Sanjeet Singh (IIM Lucknow), editorial board member of Management Decision; Shri C. M. Bhandari, former Indian Ambassador to Poland, Cambodia, and the UAE; Prof. Monomita Nandy (Brunel University London), associated with the International Journal of Finance and Economics; Prof. Satish Deodhar (IIM Ahmedabad), Dean (Faculty) and author of Economic Sutra; and Prof. Jayanth Jayaram (The University of Oklahoma), editorial board member of the International Journal of Production Research. Prof. Somnath Chakrabarti, Marketing area, IIM Kashipur, "At IIM Kashipur, we believe that the future of management lies in the seamless integration of ancient wisdom and modern innovation. This conference is more than an academic gathering--it's a confluence of ideas, cultures, and sustainable visions that will shape India's leadership in the global knowledge economy." Speaking about the international collaboration, Prof. Vivek Kumar, strategy area, IIM Kashipur added "Our partnership with Brunel University London reflects our commitment to creating global academic synergies. This conference exemplifies how strategic thinking aligned with cultural context can contribute meaningfully to sustainable development goals." Prof. Rameshwar Shivadas Ture, Organizational Behavior & Human Resource area, IIM Kashipur emphasized the human element of the discussions, stating:"This conference brings attention to the need for organizations to embrace human-centric practices rooted in our cultural heritage. Themes such as well-being, mindfulness, and values-based leadership are not only timely but essential for building truly sustainable institutions." Prof. Alka Arya, Operations Management and Decision Sciences area, IIM Kashipur, highlighted the importance of operational excellence in the sustainability dialogue: "Sustainability today is not just a vision but a quantifiable, operational goal. This conference aims to shed light on how data-driven decision-making, supply chain efficiency, and responsible operations can help institutions and industries transition to sustainable futures while aligning with national priorities like Viksit Bharat 2047." The conference will see several research papers presented across its four tracks, with participants from top-tier institutions and industries contributing rich insights on how sustainable management can power India's next growth phase. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
The Adani Group and the Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) of Bhutan have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop 5,000 MW of hydropower projects in Bhutan jointly. The MoU was signed in Thimphu by DGPC's MD Dasho Chhewang Rinzin and Adani Green Hydro Ltd's COO (PSP & Hydro) Naresh Telgu in the presence of the Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Lyonpo Gem Tshering and other dignitaries. The MoU builds on the ongoing partnership for the 570/900 MW Wangchhu Hydropower Project, in which DGPC will hold a majority 51 per cent stake and Adani will hold 49 per cent. The broader 5,000 MW initiative will encompass additional hydropower and pumped storage projects to be identified, Detailed Project Reports prepared, and taken forward for implementation in phases. "This partnership reflects our deep commitment to developing clean energy infrastructure that enhances regional energy security," said Naresh Telgu, COO (PSP & Hydro), Adani Green Hydro Ltd. Together with DGPC, he said they are enabling Bhutan to harness its hydropower potential and export reliable green energy to India. "This is a powerful example of cross-border collaboration in pursuit of shared sustainable development goals," he said. Dasho Chhewang Rinzin, MD DGPC said that the strategic partnership with Adani will further strengthen their very strong engagement with the Government of India in harnessing Bhutan's abundant hydropower resources, "which is considered as the cornerstone of the exemplary and friendly relations between our two countries." "We look forward to taking this partnership forward with Adani and learning from their huge successes across the globe," he said. DGPC is Bhutan's premier hydropower developer, has decades of experience in managing the nation's renewable energy resources. It plays a pivotal role in Bhutan's clean energy journey, contributing to both domestic energy security and sustainable development. Through such partnerships, DGPC is also helping to strengthen Bhutan's position in regional energy cooperation. The Adani Group, India's leading infrastructure and renewable energy player which brings its extensive expertise in project development, financing, and market access. It will support Bhutan in scaling up its hydropower capacity and facilitating access to Indian energy markets. As part of this collaboration, Adani will ensure reliable power offtake and integration with India's commercial power markets, further reinforcing Bhutan's role in the regional energy trade. The partnership is strongly backed by the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of India, underscoring a shared vision for clean energy growth and economic integration. This initiative also aligns with Bhutan's Renewable Energy Roadmap, which aims to achieve and additional 20,000 MW of generation capacity by 2040. The roadmap prioritises diversification into solar and geothermal energy, and also encourages strategic partnerships to attract investment and innovation. In a further milestone, DGPC and Adani also initialled the Shareholders' Agreement for the Wangchhu Project, marking significant progress in their collaborative efforts to advance Bhutan's hydropower sector. (ANI)
Sharing more details on the India-UK FTA, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that UK-based suppliers will be eligible to bid for government tenders only for orders of more than Rs 200 crore. The Union Minister further added that market access to the UK under FTA will be limited to the Non-sensitive central level entities only, and access for sub-central (state / local government) level entities is excluded. He said for the first time, the UK agreed to take a binding commitment to provide non-discriminatory treatment to our suppliers under UK's Social Value regime in their public procurement system. India's government procurement market is among the largest in the world, estimated at nearly USD 600 billion annually, which is around 15 per cent of the country's GDP. Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) in a report suggested that India should approach the implementation of the Government Procurement (GP) chapter in the recently concluded India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with extreme caution. It highlights potential risks to the domestic industry, especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), due to increased foreign competition. India is now facing increasing pressure from its trading partners, particularly the UK and the European Union, to open up its GP market. This demand has translated into a significant policy shift in the India-UK FTA, which includes a detailed GP chapter, the GTRI stated. Under the FTA agreement, India has agreed to allow UK firms to participate in central government tenders. Even those with just 20 per cent UK content will be considered 'Class 2 Local Suppliers' under the Make in India framework. This designation was previously reserved for Indian firms with higher domestic content. GTRI report warned that giving UK companies near-equal access to government contracts could push Indian MSMEs out of the market. These small businesses rely heavily on protected government procurement to sustain themselves. Additionally, such a move could weaken one of India's last few industrial policy tools used to encourage domestic production, innovation, and employment, warns GTRI. GTRI recommends that India should exclude strategic sectors--such as defence, railways, and core infrastructure--from foreign access to safeguard national interests and support local industry. Beyond being a tool for public spending, government procurement serves as a strategic instrument to promote local manufacturing, strengthen MSME capabilities, and support national initiatives like 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. Unlike some developed countries, India has not joined the World Trade Organization's Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), thereby retaining its policy space to favour domestic firms. Under existing rules, 25 per cent of all government procurements in India are reserved for MSMEs. (ANI)
President Donald Trump has once again taken aim at the television industry, targeting the Emmy-nominated CBS program '60 Minutes' for its coverage of an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The segment, which aired in October, was recently nominated for a prestigious News and Documentary Emmy in the category of Outstanding Edited Interview. However, according to Deadline, this recognition has sparked controversy due to Trump's ongoing USD 20 billion lawsuit against CBS. The lawsuit, filed earlier this year, accuses CBS of deliberately editing Harris's interview to misrepresent her comments and potentially influence the outcome of the 2020 election. Trump argues that the edited footage created a misleading portrayal of the then-vice president, specifically around her response to questions about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's lack of responsiveness to the Biden administration's policies. On Truth Social, Trump lashed out at the nomination, labelling it a "total slap in the face to anyone who believes in truth and honest journalism." https://x.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1920127266220072971? He further questioned the legitimacy of the nomination, asking, "Did 60 Minutes and its Corporate Parents apply to get an Emmy for an illegally falsified interview, or did other Fake Outlets nominate them for this dubious 'honor'?" The controversy stems from a discrepancy between the version of Harris's interview shown on '60 Minutes' and a preview that aired on Face the Nation. In the '60 Minutes' segment, Harris commented on the work done to influence Israel's stance on the region. CBS argues that there was no deceptive editing, stating that Harris's answer was split across both programs: the first part of her response was shown on Face the Nation, while the second part was aired on '60 Minutes'. Trump's lawsuit, however, claims that this editing misrepresented the interview and violated Texas consumer law, according to Deadline. Despite the lawsuit, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the organisation responsible for the Emmy awards, has defended the nomination. According to a statement from NATAS, the segment was evaluated by two independent panels of judges, consisting of senior editorial leaders from various major US broadcast news organisations. "From a field of more than three dozen entries in one of the year's most competitive categories, the segment was nominated on the strength of its journalism," the statement said. NATAS also emphasised that editorial or political viewpoints do not factor into the selection process. The organisation clarified, "NATAS does not select nominees or winners, and intervenes only when competition rules are violated." As per Deadline, many legal experts argue that Trump's claims violate First Amendment protections for the press. Furthermore, with Paramount Global currently seeking regulatory approval for its merger with Skydance, discussions between Trump's legal team and the media conglomerate have reportedly centred on potential settlements. The '60 Minutes' segment featuring Kamala Harris has been nominated for Outstanding Edited Interview, and the winners will be announced during the Emmy Awards ceremony on June 25. Meanwhile, this is not the first time Trump has criticised the television industry. In the past, he has lambasted the primetime Emmy Awards, which are overseen by the sister organisation, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, for not recognising his reality show 'The Apprentice'. (ANI)
Actress Nimrat Kaur, known for her roles in films like 'Lunchbox' and the series 'Kull,' recently shared her journey and experiences with students at the Actor Prepares School in Mumbai. During a conversation with ANI, Kaur opened up about her early days in theatre, her breakthrough roles, and what drives her passion for acting. Kaur, who arrived in Mumbai in 2004 with dreams of making it big, initially found herself drawn to modelling and ad films. "I thought I would make a lot of money from modelling and get some experience in front of the camera," she said. However, it didn't take long before she realised that acting required much more than just reading lines. "I started with music videos, then moved on to ads. But soon enough, I understood that acting is a completely different ball game. Playing a character, feeling it, and embodying it--that's what I wanted to learn," Kaur said. Her exposure to theatre came when she began attending plays around Mumbai, which led her to pursue a more structured path in acting. Kaur's first big break in theatre came with Thespo, a youth theatre forum, where she won the Best Actress award. She went on to perform in numerous plays at renowned venues like Prithvi Theatre, NCPA Experimental, and more. Kaur's theatre journey took her to cities across India, including Calcutta, Pune, Delhi, and Bangalore. "Whatever I have learned today, I owe it all to theatre," she said, emphasising how those early experiences shaped her as an artist. One of the pivotal moments in Kaur's career came with her breakthrough role in 'The Lunchbox' (2013), where she played the leading lady opposite Irrfan Khan. Reflecting on how she landed the role, she credited the late casting director Seher Latif, who believed in her potential. "I was doing plays when Seher Latif showed some of my performances to Ritesh Batra, the director of The Lunchbox. I didn't even have to audition for it," Kaur recalled with gratitude. She described getting the role as a "blessing" and a turning point in her career. "The way The Lunchbox came to me felt like destiny. It was such a big gift. I feel like God had a hand in this," she added, still in awe of the life-changing opportunity that came her way. Currently, Kaur is earning praise for her role as Rani Indrani Rai Singh in the period drama series 'Kull', which was recently released on Jio Hotstar. The series explores the dynamics of a royal family, and Kaur's character is filled with emotional depth and complexity. "Rani Indrani is a princess on the outside, but inside, she's struggling with complicated family relationships, especially with her younger brother," she said. The role includes a hauntingly poignant moment where Kaur's character sings a Rajasthani folk lullaby, a scene that Kaur describes as "painful and haunting." "It's a lullaby she used to sing to her younger brother as a child. It's a deep part of the character, and it's woven into the show in a very emotional way," Kaur shared. When asked about the best compliment she has ever received, Kaur shared, "My mother called me after watching the show. She was completely stunned by my performance and said, 'I couldn't believe this could happen.' Her words meant the world to me." She further mentioned that the positive feedback from audiences has been overwhelming, especially in the series' intense climax. "People have been coming up to me, almost shocked by the depth of the character. That's the kind of response you hope for as an actor," she said. Nimrat Kaur's recent visit to Actor Prepares, the acting school led by Anupam Kher, was an emotional experience for the actress. "I feel so good to be here. When I arrived in Mumbai, I had the same dreams and hopes as these students," she said. She expressed admiration for the students' commitment and enthusiasm, especially their hard work on a two-and-a-half-hour play that they had created themselves. "These kids are so lucky. They have such a great environment to learn in, and I'm happy to share my experiences with them," Kaur shared. The 'Airlift' actress, who often travels to clear her mind, acknowledged how her early days in the city reminded her of her own struggles. She recalled how, as a newcomer, she felt both excited and uncertain, much like the students at the school. "It's heartwarming to see these young faces, full of dreams. It reminds me of when I was starting out," she reflected. Outside her professional life, Kaur finds peace and rejuvenation in the mountains. She recently trekked through the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kumaon, celebrating her birthday amidst nature. "I have a sense of belonging in the mountains. I went to Jageshwar Dham with my family on my birthday. The mountains give me peace, and I feel connected to them," Kaur shared. Raised in an army family, Kaur attributes much of her inner strength and resilience to the lessons learned from her late father, who was a martyr. "My father's influence on me is immense. His values, and my mother's nurturing, have shaped who I am today," she shared. On the work front, Nimrat Kaur was last seen in 'Kull' and 'Sky Force' alongside Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya and Sara Ali Khan. (ANI)
A Mississippi man has been charged with stalking and vandalism following a disturbing incident at Jennifer Aniston's Bel-Air mansion, which occurred on May 5. The suspect, 48-year-old Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, is now facing up to three years in California state prison if found guilty of the felonies, according to Deadline. Carwyle, who is currently being held on a USD 150,000 bail, is set to be arraigned Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Carwyle is accused of repeatedly harassing the actress over a span of several months. His alleged actions include sending Aniston unwanted social media messages, voicemails, and emails between March 1, 2023, and May 5, 2025. As per Deadline, the situation took a dramatic turn when Carwyle drove his vehicle through the gates of Aniston's Bel-Air property at approximately 12:20 pm on May 5. The actress was at home during the incident but was fortunately unharmed. Her security team quickly intervened, detaining Carwyle until the Los Angeles Police Department arrived on the scene. "Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions, threatening the safety of victims and our communities," said District Attorney Nathan Hochman in a statement released Wednesday, as quoted by Deadline. "My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorise others, ensuring they are held accountable," the statement further read, as per Deadline. Deputy District Attorney Sam Hulefeld is leading the case, which is being handled by the DA's specialised Stalking and Threat Assessment Team. The team focuses on cases involving individuals who pose a threat to public safety through persistent harassment. Aniston's 8,500-square-foot mansion, located in the exclusive Bel-Air neighbourhood, is known for its architectural significance. Designed by renowned modernist architect A. Quincy Jones and later renovated by her and ex-husband Justin Theroux, the property was purchased in the early 2010s for just under USD 21 million. It sits on a sprawling 3.4-acre lot in one of Los Angeles's wealthiest neighbourhoods. Jennifer Aniston, who is best known for her role as Rachel Green on 'Friends' and more recently for her starring role in 'The Morning Show', has not publicly commented on the incident. (ANI)
According to the outlet, the film written by Ted Safran will be directed by BAFTA nominee Ben Gregor.

The movie is based on the bestselling novel 'The 12 Topsy-Turvy Very Messy Days of Christmas,' co-written by bestselling author James Patterson and Safran, reported Variety.

According to the outlet, 'The 12 Days of Christmas', will follow the story of the dysfunctional Sullivan family who cancelled the Christmas for the fifth year in a row until someone mysterious starts sending them strange gifts.

The hopeless widower Henry (Sheen) and two children, Will and Ella received the gifts, as per Variety.

First, a partridge in a pear tree, the next day two turtle doves are sent, followed by three calling birds on day three.

Before they know it, the house is full of boisterous animals and house guests, all relating to the famous Christmas song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," reported Variety.

The family's lives are turned upside down as they try to figure out just who the mystery gift giver is.

Longoria will play the role of Mariana from Animal Protection Services.

The synopsis of the film as quoted by Variety states,"Even though this Christmas will be messy, it might turn out to be just the gift the family needs."

"We couldn't be more excited about Michael Sheen and Eva Longoria leading the cast. The same goes for the Ben Gregor," said co-writer Patterson as quoted by Variety.

The 'Desperate Housewives' star Eva Longoria also received the Platino Honor at the 12th Platino Awards ceremony at the Municipal Palace in Madrid on April 27, reported The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI)
Congress MP Imran Masood praised the Indian armed forces for the precision of Operation Sindoor, calling it a targeted response against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Calling Pakistan a "cowardly country," Masood warned that this was only the beginning of India's efforts to uproot terrorism. "Our action is selected and pinpoint targeted. We have only attacked the terrorist infrastructure; civilians have not been targeted...Terrorist Masood Azhar will get to understand the pain of the death of family members. Pakistan is a cowardly country. It attacks from behind...This is just the beginning. We have to finish the roots of terrorism..." Masood told speaking to ANI. Meanwhile, Congress MP Rajiv Shukla said the all-party meeting called by the Centre on Thursday is aimed at briefing all political parties about how Operation Sindoor was carried out. He welcomed the move, saying it was good that the government was consulting everyone. "The all-party meeting has been called to brief everyone about the situation and how the operation was carried out. It is very good that the Government will hold a discussion with everyone," Shukla told ANI. The Congress leader also expressed support for the air strikes carried out by Indian Armed Forces under Operation Sindoor. "We welcome the air strikes. We have always said we are in support of the government in whatever steps it takes against terrorism," he added. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal earlier confirmed that party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi will attend the meeting. "Both the LoPs (Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge) will be there," Venugopal said. When asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend, Venugopal said, "The country is expecting that." The Centre called the all-party meeting following air strikes by Indian forces that dismantled nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under Operation Sindoor. Details of the operation were shared in a media briefing on Wednesday by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. (ANI)
The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Dharam Singh Chhoker, Ex-MLA of Samalkha, on May 5, under the PMLA Act, 2002, in connection with a case involving M/s Sai Aaina Farms Pvt Ltd. and others. Chhoker, accused of siphoning off hundreds of crores of homebuyers' funds related to multiple projects in Gurugram, was apprehended at Hotel Shangri La, New Delhi, revealed the ED. The Ex-MLA has been evading arrest for more than a year despite 6 Non-Bailable Warrants against him issued by the Hon'ble Special Court, PMLA, Gurugram, which had also proclaimed him, according to the ED statement. https://x.com/dir_ed/status/1920122668713697591 The ED has also confirmed the arrest of Dharam Singh Chhoker on X handle, which stated that he had been produced in court on May 5, and further court has also granted a five-day custody to him. According to ED, Dharam Singh Chhoker, along with his sons Sikandar Singh and Vikas Chhoker, siphoned off Rs. 616 Crore of 3,700 innocent homebuyers of various affordable housing projects located in Sectors 68, 103, and 104 of Gurugram. Dharam Singh Chhoker has been the Director in various group companies of Mahira Group. Using the bank accounts of these companies, the accused persons have diverted the funds by inflating construction expenses using bogus invoices, used home buyers' money to purchase luxury cars, and also made expenses for the wedding of their daughter, etc. The ED initiated its probe based on multiple FIRs filed by Gurugram Police under various sections of the IPC, 1860, for cheating and forgery. Previously, in this case, Dharam Singh Chhoker's anticipatory bail application has been rejected by the Ld. Special Court, Gurugram and the Hon'ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana, according to ED. ED also revealed that another accused, Sikander Singh, was also arrested in this case, and properties to the tune of Rs. 80 Crore (approx.) have been provisionally attached by ED. Further, Vikas Choker, son of Dharam Singh, another accused in the matter, is still absconding, said the ED. Further investigation is in progress. (ANI)
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Ahmedabad Zonal Office, conducted search operations at nine locations in Ahmedabad on May 6 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. According to a release, Enforcement Directorate (ED) Ahmedabad Zonal Office has conducted search Operations on May 6, under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 at 9 locations in Ahmedabad as part of the ongoing probe in the case of Salim Khan Jummakhan Pathan and others (Waqf Board scam case) who have claimed to be trustees of two Waqf Board-registered trusts viz "Kanch Ki Masjid Trust" and "Shah Bada Kasam Trust". https://x.com/dir_ed/status/1920123651489210509 ED initiated investigation on the basis of FIR registered by Police Station, Gaekwad Haveli, Ahmedabad City, Gujarat. As per the release, "they entered into fraudulent lease agreements, extorted rents from tenants, and submitted false affidavits to the Waqf Board. They also built shops on Trust's land and collected rent, while committing fraud and conspiracy against Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Waqf Board for personal gain. They have illegally built around 150-200 houses and 25-30 shops and have been illegally collecting rents from the tenants, despite not being appointed trustees by the Waqf Board. Rent was collected by the accused persons every month but not deposited into the trust's account. Thereby, siphoned off trusts money and mis-used the said land, which was originally meant for community welfare." According to the release, during the course of search operations, Bank funds to the tune of Rs 2 Crore (approx.) were freezed, Rs. 30 Lakh seized in cash and Rs. 7 Lakh crypto were freezed, which are either owned/controlled by accused and their affiliates having parked suspected Proceeds of Crime. Further, various other incriminating documents & digital devices have also been seized. Further investigation is under progress. (ANI)
In the aftermath of the Indian Armed Forces' Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, several major cities across northern India have been placed on high alert. As part of heightened security measures, Amritsar Airport has been shut down until further notice, according to the police. According to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP-2) Sirivennela, 21 North and North-Western India airports will shut until May 10, and no flights will be operated. "We received information that all flights need to be cancelled and the airport has to be shut down. The whole airport is shut until further notice. As per the central government, 21 airports in North and North-western India will remain shut till May 10. No flights will be operated from here," the police official told ANI. On Wednesday, SpiceJet announced the cancellation of flight operations to and from six airports in northern India, following airport closures implemented amid heightened security in the wake of Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. In its travel advisory posted on social media platform X, SpiceJet stated that Leh, Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Kandla, and Dharamshala airports are currently shut, and all flight operations to and from these cities remain suspended till 5:29 am IST on May 10. Earlier, IndiGo cancelled its flight operations in 11 cities across north, northwestern, and central India until May 10, following aviation authorities' directives regarding airport closures. IndiGo in its travel advisory stated that Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Gwalior, Kishangarh, and Rajkot are the affected cities where flight operations have been cancelled till 5:29 am IST on May 10. The Delhi Airport also issued an advisory for travellers after India carried out precise strikes overnight against nine targets in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) to take down terror infrastructure on Wednesday. (ANI)
As tensions rise between India and Pakistan following the launch of Operation Sindoor, Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla on Thursday morning said that Amritsar airport will remain closed until May 10. He appealed to the people in Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency that there was no need to panic, as the Indian Army stands tall to face this situation. "The airport has been closed till May 10 because of the mock drills, and for the Air Force. There's no need to panic in Amritsar. We reached here from Delhi this morning, and we have been telling people not to panic and maintain peace. Our army is standing tall to face this situation," Aujla told ANI. He advised people to remain calm and not hoard rations. He also suggested that people refrain from sharing unauthenticated information on social media. "If there's a mock drill, don't come to the conclusion that there's an attack. This will go on. Don't hoard ration. Some are taking advantage of the problem and selling rations at a higher price. We will get out of this situation. Don't share things on social media which are not authentic," Aujla added. As India launched precision strikes, destroying terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the government has given directions to shut down key airports in north India, including Amritsar airport. On Wednesday, the Amritsar district administration resumed blackout measures to ensure public safety and preparedness, the District Public Relations Officer (DPRO) said. "Taking utmost caution, the Amritsar district administration has again started the blackout process. Please stay at home, do not panic and do not gather outside your houses; keep the outside lights switched off," the Amritsar DPRO said in a statement. The blackout in Amritsar was part of a nationwide civil defence mock drill ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to check emergency preparedness in case of future threats. The exercise involved scheduled blackouts at key locations across the country. The nationwide preparedness drill came after the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor early on Wednesday. This was a retaliatory strike on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians, including one Nepali national, were killed. (ANI)
In the wake of missile strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) conducted by India, all government and private schools in the border districts of Rajasthan including Barmer, Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar and Jaisalmer have declared a holiday until further notification. In Barmer, a border district of India-Pakistan border, holiday has been declared in government and private schools. There will be holiday in the schools of Barmer district from Thursday till further orders. District Collector Tina Dabi issued the order, "I, Tina Dabi, District Collector and Chairperson, District Disaster and Disaster Management Authority, Barmer, exercising the powers conferred under Section 30 of Chapter 4 of the Disaster Act 2005, in view of the national security and emergency situation in Barmer district, in the context of the safety of school children, holiday is declared for all the government and non-government (private) schools / educational institutions / CBSE schools / Anganwadis / Madrasas up to class 12th in Barmer district from May 8, 2025 till further orders and the home /common examination to be held from May 8, 2025 is also postponed till further orders." "All the heads of institutions of the district are directed to ensure strict compliance of these orders and all the heads of institutions / personnel will be present in the school as per time. If any institution head disregards the said orders, then action will be taken against them under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005," the order stated. In Bikaner too all government and private schools have been closed from today. District Collector Namrata Vrishni, using the powers conferred in Section 30 of Chapter 4 of the Disaster Management Act 2005, has declared a holiday till further orders for the students of all government and private schools up to class 12, including CBSE schools, Anganwadis, Madrasas, for the safety of school children in view of the national security and emergency situation in the district. In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, holiday has been declared in government and non-government schools and madrasas in Sri Ganganagar, another border district of India-Pak. "I, Dr Manju, District Collector and Chairperson, District Disaster and Disaster Management Authority, Sri Ganganagar, exercising the powers conferred under Section 30 of Chapter 4 of the Disaster Management Act 2005, in view of the security and peace in Sri Ganganagar district, in the context of the safety of school children, declare holiday for the students of all government and non-government (private) schools/ educational institutions/CBSE schools/Anganwadis/Madrasas up to class 12 in Sri Ganganagar district from May 7 till further orders and the home / common examination to be held from May 7 is also postponed till further orders," the government order stated. "All the heads of institutions of the district are directed to ensure strict compliance of these orders and all the institution heads/personnel will be present in the school on time. If any institution head disregards the said orders, then action will be taken against them under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005," the order stated. A holiday has been declared in government and non-government schools and madrasas in Jaisalmer too. "I, Pratap Singh, District Collector and Chairman District Disaster and Disaster Management Authority, Jaisalmer, exercising the powers conferred in Section 30 of Chapter 4 of the Disaster Management Act 2005, in view of the national security and emergency situation in Jaisalmer district, in the context of the safety of school children, declare holiday for all government / non-government schools and Anganwadi Pathshala / Play School Educational Institutions / CBSE Schools / Madrasas up to class 12th in Jaisalmer district from May 8 till further orders and the home / common examination to be held from May 8 is also postponed till further orders," the order stated. "In this regard, all the heads of institutions are directed to ensure compliance of the order and all the institution heads / personnel will be present in the school as per time. If any institution head disregards the said orders, then action will be taken against them under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005." This has been done as a precautionary measure in the view of retaliation from Pakistan. Meanwhile, the Indian Army is closely monitoring the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian forces conducted the precise strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday.The strikes were aimed at avenging the Pahalgam attack victims and eliminating key Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders and camps involved in planning attacks on Indian soil. (ANI)
In the wake of Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Armed Forces, Jodhpur district administration on Thursday announced the closure of all private and government schools as well as Anganwadis across the city until further orders. District Collector Gaurav Agarwal issued the directive, stating, "In view of the current situation, a holiday is being declared in all private and government schools and Anganwadis from today till further orders." While the administration has not elaborated on the specific reasons behind the move, local authorities have appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with officials. Earlier, as part of a nationwide civil defence drill, the Amritsar district administration had resumed blackout measures to ensure public safety and preparedness, the District Public Relations Officer (DPRO) said on Wednesday. "Taking utmost caution, the Amritsar district administration has again started the blackout process. Please stay at home, do not panic and do not gather outside your houses; keep the outside lights switched off," the Amritsar DPRO said in a statement. The blackout in Amritsar was part of a nationwide civil defence mock drill ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to check emergency preparedness in case of future threats. The exercise involved scheduled blackouts at key locations across the country. Speaking about the prior blackout in Amritsar, ASI Jagtar Singh told ANI, "The blackout was between 10.30 pm and 11 pm, half an hour. The directions are that there should not be any lights on so that the enemy may not know there is a city here. The rehearsal is being done for the interest of the country... Some people are following the blackout, and some are not... The siren was activated and then there was a complete blackout within two minutes." Several states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Bihar, also observed similar blackouts. Cities such as Barmer, Gwalior, Surat, Shimla, and Patna participated by switching off lights at key buildings and public spaces. In the national capital, Delhi, Rashtrapati Bhavan and Vijay Chowk also went dark for the drill. Raj Bhavan in Patna participated too. (ANI)
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the launch of Operation Sindoor, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday requested the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (IB) to "shut down" the social media accounts of people who possess "Pakistani mentality". In a post on X, he said that freedom of expression was not applicable during the war. "This is a time of war; freedom of expression does not apply now. @MIB_India @MIB_Hindi should shut down people with Pakistani mentality on social media, YouTube. They are making their nonsense an international issue," Dubey posted on X. Meanwhile, Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla suggested that people refrain from sharing unauthenticated information on social media. He said that Amritsar airport will remain closed until May 10. He appealed to the people in Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency that there was no need to panic, as the Indian Army stands tall to face this situation. He advised people to remain calm and not hoard rations. "The airport has been closed till May 10 because of the mock drills, and for the Air Force. There's no need to panic in Amritsar. We reached here from Delhi this morning, and we have been telling people not to panic and maintain peace. Our army is standing tall to face this situation," Aujla told ANI. Meanwhile, the Indian Army have proportionately responded to the unprovoked small-arms and artillery guns firing by the Pakistani Army across the Line of Control (LoC) during the night of May 7 and May 8, as per the officials. The Pakistan Army had resorted to firing in areas opposite in Kupwara and Baramulla districts and Uri and Akhnoor sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. "During the night of May 7-8, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked fire using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor areas in J&K. The Indian Army responded proportionately," the statement from the Indian Army stated. Following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Pakistan has resorted to unprovoked small arms firing across the LoC, to which India has responded amply. The Indian Army is closely monitoring the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian forces conducted the precise strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday. Fifteen innocent civilians have been killed and 43 have been injured in artillery firing by the Pakistan Army since yesterday night, which has hit civilian areas in Poonch and Tangdhar, defence sources said on Wednesday. (ANI)
Satellite imagery released by Maxar Technologies and accessed by Reuters, has provided stark visual evidence of the destroyed terror infrastructure in Pakistan's Bahawalpur and Muridke caused by India's precision missile strikes, carried out under 'Operation Sindoor' in the early hours of Wednesday. The strikes, targeting key strongholds of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), were launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists. Before-and-after satellite images of the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, the operational headquarters of JeM, show significant damage. Before: Pre-strike images depict an intact mosque and surrounding structures, with post-strike visuals revealing gaping holes in the mosque's dome, widespread debris, and collapsed buildings. After: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army, during a press briefing on the operation on Wednesday, confirmed the destruction of the Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, located 100 km inside Pakistan, stating, "It was the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed, targeted by Indian Armed Forces." Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur, operational since 2015, is the main centre of Jem for training and indoctrination and serves as the operational headquarters of JeM. It is associated with terrorist planning by JeM, including the Pulwama attack on February 14, 2019. The Markaz consists of residences of JeM Chief Maulana Masood Azhar, de facto Chief of JeM Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, Maulana Ammar and other family members of Masood Azhar. Masood Azhar has made several addresses from this facility, extolling anti-India rhetoric and appealing to youth to join Islamic Jihad. JeM conducts regular arms, physical and religious training for its cadres at Markaz Subhan Allah. Similarly, satellite imagery of Muridke, a hub of LeT, shows the aftermath of strikes on Markaz Taiba. Pre-strike images display a sprawling complex with multiple buildings, while post-strike visuals reveal extensive structural damage. Before: After: Markaz Taiba, Muridke, established in the year 2000, is the 'alma mater' and the most important training centre of LeT in Pakistan. The complex holds arms and physical training facilities, as well as dawa'h and radicalisation for terror entities, both from within Pakistan and abroad. This Markaz enrols around 1000 students in different courses annually, highlighting the role of this Markaz in churning out terror entities for LeT annually. Pointing to Markaz Taiba in Muridke, Colonel Qureshi, during the briefing, said that the complex was 18-25 km inside Pakistan and that "those involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks trained here, including Ajmal Kasab and David Headley". Osama Bin Laden had financed Rs 10 million to construct a Mosque and Guest House within the complex. (ANI)
Muzrai temples which are under government administration, play an important role in state-sponsored religious and cultural observances.

As part of this initiative, prayers were offered this morning at the renowned Nimishambha temple in Srirangapatna, Mandya district, one of Karnataka's most prominent temples.

The priests at the temple conducted the first worship dedicated to the soldiers, making a solemn resolution for their safety and protection.

Prayers were also held at the historic Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple in Bengaluru.

Apart from this, prayers were held at Mumbai's Siddhivinayak temple and Acharya Pawan Tripathi, Treasurer of Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple trust offered special prayers on the success of Operation Sindoor.

Meanwhile, satellite imagery released by Maxar Technologies and accessed by Reuters, has provided stark visual evidence of the destroyed terror infrastructure in Pakistan's Bahawalpur and Muridke caused by India's precision missile strikes, carried out under 'Operation Sindoor' in the early hours of Wednesday.

The strikes, targeting key strongholds of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), were launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

Before-and-after satellite images of the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, the operational headquarters of JeM, show significant damage.

Bhawalpur hosts the Markaz Subhan Allah, operational since 2015, the main centre of Jaish-e-Mohammad for training and indoctrination and serves as operational headquarter of JeM. It is associated with terrorist plannings by JeM including Pulwama attack on Feb 14, 2019.

The Markaz consists of residences of JeM Chief Maulana Masood Azhar, de-facto Chief of JeM Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, Maulana Ammar and other family members of Masood Azhar.

Masood Azhar has made several addresses from this facility extolling anti - India rhetoric and appealing to youth to join Islamic Jihad. JeM conducts regular arms, physical and religious training for its cadres at Markaz Subhan Allah.

The visuals obtained by Reuters show the terror infrastructure in Bahawalpur completely destroyed following the missile strikes carried out by the Indian Armed Forces under 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday. (ANI)
The posters were put up near Dadar Station in Mumbai.

On Wednesday, in a joint operation, the Indian Armed Forces targeted nine locations deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which happened on April 22.

In the aftermath of the Indian Armed Forces' Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, several major cities across northern India have been placed on high alert.

As part of heightened security measures, Amritsar Airport has been shut down until further notice, according to the police.

Meanwhile, the Union Government has called an all-party meeting following the Operation Sindoor at 11 am in the Parliament Library building on Thursday.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju shared a post on his official 'X' handle to inform about the development. Leader of Opposition Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will attend the meeting.

Earlier, the Indian Armed Forces shared details about Operation Sindoor. The information was shared in a media briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Col Sophiya Qureshi.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said that 'Operation Sindoor' was launched to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh informed that a total of nine terror sites were targeted.

During the press briefing, Col Sofiya Qureshi presented videos of precision strikes on terror camps, including from the Muridke. (ANI)
Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday condemned Pakistan's shelling on Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch, asserting that the Indian government will take revenge for the "wicked" attack. In a self-made video, Sirsa slammed Pakistan and stated that it is such a "cowardly" nation that is attacking civilians with missiles. "I strongly condemn Pakistan attacking Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Poonch with missiles... Pakistan is such a coward that it is attacking our civilians. When I spoke to the chief of the Gurudwara, he said that each one of them is ardent about avenging this attack... I want to tell the scoundrels of Pakistan that my Indian government will take revenge for this wicked act," Sirsa said. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also condemned Pakistan's shelling on Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara, terming the incident as "highly condemnable" and "shameful for humanity." The AAP convenor further paid tribute to the victims and extended his condolences to the bereaved families. In a post on X, Kejriwal wrote, "The bomb attack by Pakistan on Gurdwara Sahib located near LOC in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir is highly condemnable and shameful for humanity. The death of Raggi Singh, Bhai Amrik Singh, Amarjit Singh, Ranjit Singh and Ruby Kaur Ji in this attack is extremely sad. We pay tribute to all the departed souls and express our deepest condolences to their families. We pray to Guru Sahib Ji to give place to the departed souls in his feet and give strength to the family members to bear this unbearable pain." Pakistan Army's shelling has caused huge damage in civilian areas of Poonch, leading to the death of nearly 12 people in the district, and a shell hit a corner of Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara, President of District Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee Narinder Singh said on Wednesday. Akal Takht, the supreme temporal body of Sikhs, has strongly condemned the attack by Pakistani forces on the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Poonch. (ANI)
The incident took place at Chorakuri area near Indo-Bangladesh border which is located just 50 meters away from Kushiyara river.

A black colour drone was found on the top of a house which has created tension among the locals.

The police are now conducting an analysis of the drone as it has been made in China.

Partha Protim Das, Superintendent of Police of Sribhumi district told ANI that police have suspected that the drone has come across the border.

"We have received an information from the Chorakuri area that a black colour drone was found on the top of a house. Police reached the spot and recovered the drone. Made in China was written in the drone. We have suspected that it has come across the border. We are now conducting an analysis of the drone," Partha Protim Das said.

Further investigation is still underway.

Earlier on April 26, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the arrest of six Bangladeshi individuals trying to infiltrate the state illegally.

Taking to the social media platform X, Sarma stated the individuals' infiltration attempt was foiled by Assam's Sribhumi Police as part of a crackdown on the unauthorised border crossings.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Md Monir, Md Ahidul Seikh, Azizul Seikh, Rokiya Bibi, Mh. Ahashan Ullah and Md Haresh.In the post, Sarma reaffirmed Assam's zero-tolerance approach towards border infiltration and stated that all six individuals were promptly arrested and pushed back.

"Assam stands firm! No infiltration will be tolerated. In a decisive operation, Sribhumi Police apprehended six infiltrators attempting to cross the border illegally. Acting with zero tolerance, all were arrested and pushed back immediately," Sarma said, in a post on X. (ANI)
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday praised the efforts made to bring Ayurveda to a unified platform for the entire nation, highlighting its holistic approach to health. She emphasized that Ayurveda can diagnose and treat illnesses simply by reading the pulse (Nadi), and its treatments are based on herbs found across the country. "I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, since 2014, has promoted and advanced Ayurveda," said Gupta, adding that the establishment of the Ministry of AYUSH under Modi's leadership was a milestone that had never occurred before. She also noted that after 27 years, the BJP's return to power in Delhi marked Ayurveda's revival in India. Gupta further mentioned that in this year's budget, the Delhi government had allocated Rs 275 crore for alternative medicine and Rs 100 crore for Ayushman Bharat. She also expressed plans to hold the Global Ayurveda Conference in Delhi, with participants from various countries expected to attend the event. Prime Minister Modi, in his address on Tuesday, prioritised an empowerment-centric model of progress for the nation aimed at helping people to lead their lives with dignity. Speaking at the ABP Network India@2047 Summit, PM Modi said that his government is shifting to an Gross Empowerment of People (GEP)-centric model of progress instead of a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) approach for the development of the nation. "We have chosen a path of human-centric globalisation, where growth is not dictated solely by markets but is measured by the ability of individuals to lead lives of dignity and achieve their dreams. This represents a significant benchmark for development. Instead of pursuing a GDP-focused approach, we are shifting towards a GEP-centric model of progress--Gross Empowerment of People. This approach prioritises the empowerment and well-being of everyone," PM Modi said at the conclave. Emphasising how empowerment affects any individual's life, PM Modi noted several government schemes, such as Ayushman Bharat and PM Awas Yojana, that have liberated people. "When the poor recieve a Pukka house, then they become empowered, self-respected. When a toilet is constructed at his house, then he gets liberated from the humiliation of defecating in the open. He is relieved from a lot of stress when he receives a free treatment of Rs 5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat. There are many examples that have strengthened sensible development and empowered India's public," PM Modi said. Noting the upliftment of 25 crore people from poverty, PM Modi highlighted that the BJP government has presented an example to the world that "Democracy can deliver. "In 2014, our government was formed in such a situation when the countrymen's trust in the government had almost broken. Some people even started raising the question whether democracy and development can go together in our country. Today, when one looks at India, one can proudly say - Democracy can deliver. In the past decade, 25 crore people have been lifted from poverty. The entire world got the message that Democracy can deliver. Small entrepreneurs who got loans through Mudra Yojana now realise that democracy can deliver," PM Modi said. PM Modi also highlighted government efforts to curb corruption and ensure that people benefit from every government scheme. PM said that to ensure that people receive every rupee allocated to them for their benefits, the government made arrangements for direct benefit transfer. "The former Prime Minister of our country had admitted that if the government sends one rupee to a poor person, 85 paise of it gets stolen. Governments kept changing, years passed, but no concrete work was done to ensure the poor got the entire money due to them. The poor should get all the money. If one rupee is released from Delhi, every penny should reach them. For this, we made arrangements for direct benefit transfer. This stopped leakage in government schemes, and the benefits reached the beneficiaries directly," PM Modi said. (ANI)
People could be seen offering prayers and performing traditional rituals at the riverbank.

"This day, today, is of much importance. So, we have come here for a holy dip," one of the devotees said, adding, "It is an auspicious day to donate, too. Hence, we did the same."

Mohini Ekadashi, celebrated on May 8 this year, is an important day for devotees, especially in the Vaishnav tradition. It is observed on the new moon day of the Shukla Paksha of the Hindu month of Vaisakha (April-May).

On this day, Lord Vishnu is said to take the form of a spiritual and beautiful Mohini to save the world from the demon Bhasmasura.

The day is observed with fasting, prayers, and taking blessings for health, wealth, and peace.

The day gets its name from 'Mohini', the enchanting female form that Lord Vishnu assumed to distribute the amrit (nectar of immortality) among the devas during the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean).

The form of Mohini symbolises the victory of divine wisdom over illusion and deception, and the day represents the same-helping devotees overcome illusion (maya) and ignorance. (ANI)
Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday slammed Pakistan over the Poonch Gurudwara attack, asserting that the "world must see" that India is destroying terror sites in Pakistan, but they are attacking Indian "civilians". Pawan Khera said that Pakistan has been completely "isolated" in the present time and believed that it is "good" that India is conveying the situation to the world continuously. "What is happening in Poonch, the way Pakistan is attacking the innocent civilians there, even a Gurdwara was damaged. The world must see that we are destroying the terror sites, which nurtured the terrorists who attack India, but Pakistan is attacking civilians. Pakistan has been completely isolated today... It's good that we are conveying the situation to the world continuously", Pawan Khera told ANI. He further urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the all-party meeting set to take place at 11 am on Thursday. He stated that the world would "listen" if PM Modi moves ahead by taking the opposition into "confidence". "The PM should attend the all-party meeting. When the world sees that the PM is moving ahead by taking the opposition in confidence, the world will listen", he added. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also condemned Pakistan's shelling on Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara, terming the incident as "highly condemnable" and "shameful for humanity." The AAP convenor further paid tribute to the victims and extended his condolences to the bereaved families. In a post on X, Kejriwal wrote, "The bomb attack by Pakistan on Gurdwara Sahib located near LOC in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir is highly condemnable and shameful for humanity. The death of Raggi Singh, Bhai Amrik Singh, Amarjit Singh, Ranjit Singh and Ruby Kaur Ji in this attack is extremely sad. We pay tribute to all the departed souls and express our deepest condolences to their families. We pray to Guru Sahib Ji to give place to the departed souls in his feet and give strength to the family members to bear this unbearable pain." Pakistan Army's shelling has caused huge damage in civilian areas of Poonch, leading to the death of nearly 12 people in the district, and a shell hit a corner of Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara, President of District Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee Narinder Singh said on Wednesday. Akal Takht, the supreme temporal body of Sikhs, has strongly condemned the attack by Pakistani forces on the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Poonch. (ANI)
Former Union Cabinet minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday hit out at Pakistan amid the escalating tensions with India, saying that the neighbouring country was a "factory of terrorism" and its destruction was "beneficial" for humanity. He said that the security forces were engaged in combating and punishing terrorists, who destroyed the lives of family members of the victims in the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack. "The monsters who destroyed the lives of our sisters...their reigns are coming to an end today. Terrorists and their masters are being punished. It is clear that they are scared. Pakistan has become such a factory of terrorism that its destruction is beneficial for humanity. The sheltering of terrorism and terrorists (by Pakistan) has turned out to be a challenge to peace across the globe. This is why eliminating terrorism is a Dharma Yudh," Naqvi told ANI. "Our security forces are strongly combating and punishing terrorists. This is a changed India, which will take action against terrorism," he added. The senior BJP leader further said that the country stands together in times of distress while accusing some people on social media of indulging in "anti-social" activity. "The entire country is together, and this is the beauty of our country that whenever there's an attack of any kind, we stand together. However, some people on social media are indulging in anti-social activity. I want to advise them that our fight is against terrorists, but not with people who love our country. Those who indulge in such acts are acting as Pakistan's proxy partner," Naqvi said. Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey requested the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (IB) to "shut down" the social media accounts of people who possess "Pakistani mentality". In a post on X, he said that freedom of expression was not applicable during the war. "This is a time of war; freedom of expression does not apply now. @MIB_India @MIB_Hindi should shut down people with Pakistani mentality on social media, YouTube. They are making their nonsense an international issue," Dubey posted on X. Meanwhile, the Indian Army have proportionately responded to the unprovoked small-arms and artillery guns firing by the Pakistani Army across the Line of Control (LoC) during the night of May 7 and May 8, as per the officials. The Pakistan Army had resorted to firing in areas opposite in Kupwara and Baramulla districts and Uri and Akhnoor sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. "During the night of May 7-8, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked fire using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor areas in J&K. The Indian Army responded proportionately," the statement from the Indian Army stated. (ANI)
As India strikes against Pakistan in retaliation against the Pahalgam terror attack, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday praised the Indian Army for its action against terrorists in Pakistan, saying that it was a matter of pride. He said that the Indian Army had a reputation for not attacking anyone without a reason. He said that India has only attacked terrorist camps and not civilian or military sites. "The Indian army's action against the terrorists in Pakistan is a matter of pride. The Indian army is a professional army, and it has a reputation for not attacking anyone without a reason, like Pakistan. You have killed 26 innocent civilians of ours, and still we attacked and destroyed only terrorist camps and no civilian area or military sites. We have the right to protect ourselves, and our army has done that," Raut told ANI. The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said he could not attend the meeting after the Pahalgam attack because it was called in a hurry. Raut asserted that the focus must be on internal security during wartime. "However, we had demanded that action be taken within 24 hours and an all-party meeting be called after that," Raut stated. "When the Pahalgam attack took place, the meeting was called in a hurry, and hence we didn't attend the meeting. We wanted the action to be taken within 24 hours, and then we would join the meeting. However, now action has been taken. Today, a meeting has been called again, which is important, so we will attend that. There should be a focus on internal security," he added. Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the launch of Operation Sindoor, in response to the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack, the centre on Thursday convened an all-party meeting to brief political parties on its action against terrorism. Union Minister JP Nadda arrived at the Parliament Annexe building to attend the all-party meeting. Congress MP and LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Malikarjun Kharge also remain present in the meeting. Ahead of the meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishes that the country shouldn't be divided in such a situation. "Operation Sindoor has been successfully executed by the armed forces, and the government is very clear about it. PM Modi's intentions have already been known to the world. The PM desires that in such a situation, we shouldn't be divided. It is a situation where every Indian must be united," he told ANI. (ANI)
School students in Gujarat's Rajkot celebrated as the state education board declared class 10th results on Thursday. Students at a school were seen rejoicing after the declaration of the results. Samir Gohel, who secured the first rank, said, "I have secured 99.99 per cent marks. I have received 593 out of 600. It's because of my teachers and family support, along with my own hard work. I want to pursue computer science engineering from an IIT. My father is a labourer in a factory, and he wanted me to do something good, and I have done that today." The results of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate Examination (SSLC) conducted by the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board in February-March 2025 were announced on Thursday. This year, the SSLC Examination was conducted at 989 centres in 87 zones of the State. In which 3203 examination venues and 31397 examination halls were used. This year too, the examination hall tickets of the examinees were made available online so that the examinees could easily get them from their schools. 'Paper Box Authentication and Tracking Application' was used to ensure the safe delivery of the question paper parcels from the zone office to the examination hall. This year, the examination was conducted on time. A total of 762485 regular examinees were registered in this examination, out of which 746892 examinees appeared in the examination and 620532 examinees became eligible for the certificate, the result of regular examinees is declared as 83.08 per cent. While 82313 examinees were registered as repeat examinees. Out of them, 78613 examinees were present. Out of which 25357 examinees were successful, their result is 32.26 per cent. In addition, out of a total of 19925 examinees registered as GSOS examinees, 18553 examinees were present. Out of which 5043 examinees became eligible for the certificate. Their result is 27.18 per cent. All the students who have failed or could not get their desired result can appear in the supplementary examination (Best of Two) to be held in June-2025 without getting frustrated or disappointed. So that any student can take the opportunity to improve their result by appearing in the supplementary examination (Best of Two). (ANI)
Following Operation Sindoor, which the Indian Armed Forces conducted, the Union Government called an all-party meeting on Thursday. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the country has taken a "big action" for which all the parties will be briefed about the operation, which is the government's responsibility. He further asserted that the entire nation stands with the Indian Armed Forces. "Our country has taken a big action. We have called for an all-party meeting over Operation Sindoor, which was conducted by our armed forces. We must brief all the parties about the situation, as it is the responsibility of the government, and the PM has directed us to do so. The entire country is with the armed forces", Kiren Rijiju told ANI. Further, the Union Minister emphasised that Operation Sindoor had been successfully executed and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "intentions" were clear to the whole world. He added that PM Modi desires that no one should be "divided" and remain "united" in such a situation. "Operation Sindoor has been successfully executed by the armed forces, and the government is very clear about it. PM Modi's intentions have already been known to the world. The PM desires that in such a situation, we shouldn't be divided. It is a situation where every Indian must be united", he added. Meanwhile, the all-party meeting began in the Parliament Library building in New Delhi and was attended by leaders such as Union Ministers JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other prominent leaders from all parties. Earlier, Kiren Rijiju shared a post on his official 'X' handle and informed about the all-party meeting in the aftermath of the Operation Sindoor conducted by the Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday morning. The Indian Forces targeted deep areas inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Various strikes were launched at several terror camps in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack. (ANI)
Indian Army soldier Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar was killed in unprovoked Pakistani shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), leaving his family and entire village in Palwal, Haryana grief-stricken. Heart-wrenching visuals from his home showed his inconsolable wife, devastated parents, and a mourning village that gathered to pay their respects. Dinesh Kumar is survived by his wife, two children, parents, and siblings. Kapil, the brother of Dinesh Kumar, recounted the sequence of events to ANI. "At 4 AM, I received a call from his number. When I called back at 8 AM, his senior answered and informed me that my brother was in serious condition at the field hospital and was undergoing surgery. Later, when I called again, I was told that my brother was stable. But when I called the field hospital directly, I was informed that my brother had passed away," Kapil said. "His (Dinesh) body will reach after 2 PM today," added Kapil. Earlier, the White Knight Corps on Wednesday confirmed the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5 Field Regiment was killed in the shelling that took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Confirming his death, the White Knight Corps posted on social media platform X, "#GOC and all ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps salute the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on 07 May 25 during Pakistan Army shelling." They also expressed solidarity with the civilians affected by the cross-border attacks. "We also stand in solidarity with all victims of the targeted attacks on innocent civilians in #Poonch Sector," the post further said. According to the Ministry of External Affair, there have have 13 civilian casualties in ceasefire violations along the LoC by Pakistan, all in the Poonch region. Pakistan Army began shelling civilian areas in Poonch, Tangdhar and other border regions on the night of May 6, and continued firing through May 7. The shelling caused severe damage to homes, forced many locals to flee, and injured several people. (ANI)
BJP leader N Ramchander Rao on Thursday strongly denounced Pakistan's shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), describing it as a "condemnable" act targeting civilians and violating ceasefire agreements. His remarks come in the wake of India's 'Operation Sindoor', a series of precision missile strikes in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Speaking to ANI, Rao hailed the operation, stating it was not only lauded by the people in India but also across the world, except for one country. "Operation Sindoor has been highly appreciated not just by India but the whole world, except for one country. India had to defend its right against the terrorists being encouraged by the neighbouring country," Rao said. The operation, aimed at neutralising terror infrastructure linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has been widely praised as a decisive blow against terrorism, though Pakistan has retaliated with heavy shelling along the LoC, targeting civilian areas in Rajouri, Poonch and other districts. Rao criticised Pakistan's actions, saying, "The shelling at the LoC by Pakistan is condemnable. They are attacking civilians, and it is a violation of the ceasefire." Defence sources on Wednesday stated that Pakistan's artillery firing has killed 15 civilians and injured 43 in Poonch and Tangdhar while damaging homes and infrastructure in border villages. Residents of Rajouri recounted fleeing their homes in panic during the night, with some returning on Thursday morning to assess the destruction. After Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan Army continued its series of ceasefire violations by targeting civilian areas in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Indian Army have proportionately responded to the unprovoked small-arms and artillery guns firing by the Pakistani Army across the Line of Control (LoC) during the night of May 7 and May 8, as the Pakistan Army resorted to firing in areas opposite in Kupwara and Baramulla districts and Uri and Akhnoor sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army is closely monitoring the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian forces conducted the precise strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday. The strikes were aimed at avenging the Pahalgam attack victims and eliminating key Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders and camps involved in planning attacks on Indian soil. (ANI)
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the launch of Operation Sindoor, in response to the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack, the centre on Thursday convened an all-party meeting to brief political parties on its action against terrorism. Union Minister JP Nadda arrived at the Parliament Annexe building to attend the all-party meeting. Congress MP and LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Malikarjun Kharge also remain present in the meeting. Ahead of the meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishes that the country shouldn't be divided in such a situation. "Operation Sindoor has been successfully executed by the armed forces, and the government is very clear about it. PM Modi's intentions have already been known to the world. The PM desires that in such a situation, we shouldn't be divided. It is a situation where every Indian must be united," he told ANI. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay appreciated the efforts of the armed forces in carrying out Operation Sindoor and appealed that all must stand united. "We salute the Armed Forces. We all must stand united. 140 crore Indians are feeling proud today. We will meet with the government today to discuss this. Operation Sindoor was the perfect operation. We must raise the slogan of the fight against terrorism in the world," Bandyopadhyay told ANI. The government had convened an all-party meeting after the Pahalgam terror attack, and the opposition parties had expressed their full support to the government for any action against the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack. Earlier, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju informed about the meeting, saying that it would be held in the Parliament Library building. "Govt has called an All Party leaders meeting at 11 am on 8th May, 2025 at Committee Room: G-074, in the Parliament Library Building, Parliament Complex in New Delhi," Rijiju said in a post on X. On Wednesday, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi will attend the all-party meeting. This meeting comes as the Indian Army proportionately responded to the unprovoked small-arms and artillery guns firing by the Pakistani Army across the Line of Control (LoC) during the night of May 7 and May 8, as per the officials. The Pakistan Army had resorted to firing in areas opposite in Kupwara and Baramulla districts and Uri and Akhnoor sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. "During the night of May 7-8, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked fire using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor areas in J&K. The Indian Army responded proportionately," the statement from the Indian Army stated. (ANI)
Amid tensions between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday issued a stern warning to the neighbouring country, emphasising India's firm stance against cross-border terrorism and said that further provocations can lead to "bigger steps" by the Indian Armed Forces. Speaking to the media, CM Gupta said, "Pakistan has also understood that the crime they have committed, the way they have continuously spread terrorism in India, the government and our army have given a befitting reply to it and if this continues from their side, then perhaps our army will take even bigger steps and they should be ready for that because 140 crore people of the country are ready. The country is united and every person is ready for any struggle." Meanwhile, an all-party meeting called by the Centre over Operation Sindoor is underway at the Parliament Annexe building. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed political parties over India's action on cross-border terrorism. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister JP Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi are among several others who participated in the meeting. Ahead of the meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the country has taken a "big action" for which all the parties will be briefed about the operation, which is the government's responsibility. He further asserted that the entire nation stands with the Indian Armed Forces. "Our country has taken a big action. We have called for an all-party meeting over Operation Sindoor, which was conducted by our armed forces. We must brief all the parties about the situation, as it is the responsibility of the government, and the PM has directed us to do so. The entire country is with the armed forces", Kiren Rijiju told ANI. Indian forces conducted the precise strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday. The strikes were aimed at avenging the victims of the Pahalgam attack and eliminating key Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders and camps involved in planning attacks on Indian soil. (ANI)
On firing by Pakistan in the border areas and the situation after Operation Sindoor, Brigadier Govind Singh Sisodia (Retd), who commanded the Black Cat Commando operation during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, on Thursday said that India did not target civilians in any operations and this has already been the policy with Pakistan. Speaking with ANI, Brigadier Govind Singh Sisodia said, "We always kept in mind whether it was Balakot or surgical strikes, we did not target civilians in any operation and this has already been the policy of Pakistan." "We believe that innocent people should never be harmed in any way. We will not do what Pakistan is doing," he added He also said that Pakistan is now shocked and they have activated the border areas. "Pakistan is completely guilty of their behaviour as they did not see whether it was a civil area or a military area and killed the civilians across border areas," he added. Meanwhile, the residents in border villages in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri are returning to their homes on Thursday morning after they were forced to flee their homes in panic, seeking safety in the wake of the intense shelling by Pakistan on Wednesday. The Pakistan Army has resorted to heavy artillery firing along the Line of Control in retaliation for India's Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Villagers who returned today said that the shelling has caused significant damage to residential properties, with people fleeing the areas along with their whole families as well as livestock. After Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan Army continued its series of ceasefire violations by targeting civilian areas in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Officials said the shelling caused panic among villagers and damaged several houses. However, the Indian Army is closely monitoring the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian forces conducted the precise strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday. The strikes were aimed at avenging the Pahalgam attack victims and eliminating key Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders and camps involved in planning attacks on Indian soil. (ANI)
A high alert has been issued along the India-Nepal border in connection with Operation Sindoor. Four Chinese nationals were arrested at the Raxaul border in East Champaran district for illegally entering India without valid visas. The arrests were made by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the Maitri Bridge. The arrested individuals, identified as Den Vizion, Lin Yungghui, Hi Kyun Hansen, and Huwaag Living, are residents of China's Hunan province. They were attempting to enter India on foot with two Nepali women, who were initially detained. One of the women was found to speak Hindi, Nepali, English, and Chinese fluently and had Pakistani numbers on her phone. However, after questioning and verification, both women were released as they were identified as guides. The Chinese nationals had been in Kathmandu for the past week and were attempting to enter India without valid documentation. The SSB seized 8,000 Chinese Yuan, their passports, five mobile phones, and a bag from them. Following their arrest, the SSB informed intelligence agencies, and the four Chinese nationals were handed over to the local Haraiya police for further investigation. Dhirendra Kumar, DSP, Raxaul, confirmed the arrests and stated that the police are continuing their investigation. Meanwehil, following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Pakistan has resorted to unprovoked small arms firing across the LoC, to which India has responded amply. The Indian Army is closely monitoring the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian forces conducted the precise strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday. The strikes were aimed at avenging the Pahalgam attack victims and eliminating key Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders and camps involved in planning attacks on Indian soil. Earlier, 15 innocent civilians were killed and 43 injured in artillery firing by the Pakistan Army since yesterday night which has hit civilian areas in Poonch and Tangdhar, defence sources said on Wednesday. Pakistan Army targeted civilian areas in the border areas. The shelling caused panic among villagers and damaged several houses. (ANI)
Rajasthan Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham on Thursday said that all the departments in the state have been instructed to take necessary precautions amid the rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the launch of Operation Sindoor. Speaking to ANI, Bedham stressed that the state government is responsible for ensuring precautions since Rajasthan is a border state. "Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma held a high-level meeting yesterday and directed all departments to take all precautions. Ours is a border state, and taking precautions of all kinds was our responsibility. Our government's job is to make the public aware. Certainly, our internal security is also strong, and we are fully prepared to make any arrangements for our soldiers deployed on the border," Jawahar Bedham said. On Wednesday, CM Bhajanlal Sharma held a high-level meeting to discuss the ongoing situation. The Rajasthan government earlier said that the state was on "alert mode" and special instructions were given to the administration of the border districts in the state. The Chief Secretary also appealed to the general public to be cautious, not to pay attention to rumours and to trust only official information. Meanwhile, an all-party meeting is underway at the national capital in the Parliament Annexe Building over Operation Sindoor. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed political parties on India's action on cross-border terrorism. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister JP Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi are among several others who participated in the meeting. Ahead of the meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the country has taken a "big action" for which all the parties will be briefed about the operation, which is the government's responsibility. He further asserted that the entire nation stands with the Indian Armed Forces. "Our country has taken a big action. We have called for an all-party meeting over Operation Sindoor, which was conducted by our armed forces. We must brief all the parties about the situation, as it is the responsibility of the government, and the PM has directed us to do so. The entire country is with the armed forces", Kiren Rijiju told ANI. This all comes after Indian forces conducted precision strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Madhav on Thursday congratulated the security forces for executing targeted operations inside Pakistan under the Operation Sindoor, where major terrorist camps were neutralised. Speaking to ANI, Madhav asserted that security forces have given a "proportionate but befitting" reply to Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism. "We all must thank and congratulate our government as well as our Security Forces for giving a proportionate but befitting reply to Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism in India. Our Security Forces in general have demonstrated extreme competence but also extreme care in executing targeted operations inside Pakistan, neutralising the major bases of the terrorist outfits in the country," Madhav told ANI. He stated that India has repeatedly told Pakistan that their misadventures would not go unpunished. Warning Pakistan, the BJP leader said that any further misadventure by the neighbouring country would force India to take further stringent measures. "In the last 10 years, we repeatedly conveyed to Pakistan that its misadventure will not go unpunished. When Uri happened, eight years ago, we attacked their terror bases in PoK. After the Pulwana incident, we crossed the international border and attacked Balakot. Finally, we went 100 km inside and destroyed the terror headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Pakistan must get its lesson properly. Any further misadventure will force India to take further stringent measures," Madhav added. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also praised the Indian Army for its action against terrorists in Pakistan, saying that it was a matter of pride. He said that the Indian Army had a reputation for not attacking anyone without a reason. He said that India has only attacked terrorist camps and not civilian or military sites. "The Indian army's action against the terrorists in Pakistan is a matter of pride. The Indian army is a professional army, and it has a reputation for not attacking anyone without a reason, like Pakistan. You have killed 26 innocent civilians of ours, and still we attacked and destroyed only terrorist camps and no civilian area or military sites. We have the right to protect ourselves, and our army has done that," Raut told ANI. Meanwhile, an all-party meeting is underway at the national capital in the Parliament Annexe Building over Operation Sindoor. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed political parties on India's action on cross-border terrorism. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister JP Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi are among several others who participated in the meeting. Ahead of the meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the country has taken a "big action" for which all the parties will be briefed about the operation, which is the government's responsibility. He further asserted that the entire nation stands with the Indian Armed Forces. "Our country has taken a big action. We have called for an all-party meeting over Operation Sindoor, which was conducted by our armed forces. We must brief all the parties about the situation, as it is the responsibility of the government, and the PM has directed us to do so. The entire country is with the armed forces", Kiren Rijiju told ANI. Indian forces conducted the precise strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday. (ANI)
Marking the occasion, the Chief Minister virtually inaugurated blood donation camps across all districts of the state.

This initiative aims to promote voluntary blood donation and strengthen the healthcare support system throughout Tripura.

The event witnessed the presence of senior officials, Red Cross members, volunteers, and representatives from various organizations committed to social welfare.

World Red Cross Day is observed globally on May 8th to honor the principles of the Red Cross Movement and commemorate the birth anniversary of its founder, Henry Dunant.

On May 7, In a significant step forward for education reform, the Government of Tripura, in collaboration with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and Labhya Foundation, organized the inaugural Saharsh Utsav at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhawan in Agartala.

The event, which brought together over 1,400 participants including students, teachers, education officials, and policymakers, highlighted Tripura's pioneering efforts in implementing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) through the Saharsh curriculum. This initiative is a first-of-its-kind statewide SEL program in East and North East India.Inaugurating the event, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha emphasized the importance of emotional intelligence in education.

He remarked, "Education must start with the heart," while announcing early findings from a Randomized Control Trial (RCT) on children's well-being, conducted by the Labhya Foundation in partnership with J-PAL. The results showed significant improvements in classroom engagement, empathy, and emotional resilience among students. During the event, the Chief Minister visited the Saharsh stalls, interacting with students and educators.

Key highlights of the event included the launch of the Saharsh A3 poster to be displayed in all government schools, the release of the Saharsh Progress Report 2024, and cultural performances by students celebrating diversity and emotional expression. Certificates were also awarded to 100 Saharsh Model School Leaders and State Champions. (ANI)
Thirteen civilians have lost their lives in Poonch while 44 of them have sustained injuries due to ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC). The civilian establishments in one of the villages along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir have suffered serious damage in ceasefire violations by Pakistan. The wailing of local women, who have lost their loved ones, has pushed the district into distress. A civilian in the village speaks about the damages suffered by the local community, pointing to a house with a young woman and three children. He appealed to the government that bunkers must be provided since there was consistent shelling from the Pakistani side. "Our Sikh community has suffered immense damage here. This lady has young children, and she has lost too much. I want to appeal to the government that a ceasefire must occur soon and there should be peace," he said. "We were not given bunkers even when our area falls alongside the border and there's a lot of shelling here. I want to appeal that bunkers should be provided," the civilian added. Mohammad Naseem, the block youth president of the National Conference (NC), demanded that those who have suffered damages be given relief. He told ANI, "We have suffered damages. One of our sisters has died here. We want peace. We need bunkers here. Those who have suffered should be given relief. There shouldn't be war, but peace." Mohammad Nawaz Mughal suffered damage to his property in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan. He has demanded that the government assist them. "The action taken by PM Modi (against Pakistan) is excellent. However, we request the government to help us, as my son's house is damaged," Mughal told ANI. The intense shelling by the Pakistani army along the LoC came in retaliation for the May 7 'Operation Sindoor' in which India's armed forces targeted a total of nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed accused Ashish Mishra, son of former Union Minister Ajay Mishra to visit Lakhimpur Kheri to meet his family. Mishra can visit his family each Saturday (evening) till Sunday (day-time) and will return to Lucknow, the top-court said. A bench of Justice Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh clarified that Mishra will "strictly" only spend private time with his family while visiting Lakhimpur Kheri and will not participate in anyother public meetings. Ashish Mishra had allegedly run his SUV-car over farmers, who were protesting against the Center's farm laws. Eight people were killed in the violence. On January 25, 2023, the top court granted interim bail for eight weeks to Ashish Mishra and imposed various conditions. Later, it was extended from time to time. The top court had directed Ashish Mishra to inform the concerned court about his location. The Court had also clarified that any attempt by Ashish Mishra or his family to influence witnesses and try to delay the trial may lead to the cancellation of his bail. During the hearing today, counsel appearing for State of Uttar Pradesh informed the Court that out of the 208 witnesses proposes to be examined by prosecution, 16 including 10 injured (in the violence) have been examined. The Court also noted that the public prosecutor may drop unnecessary witnesses after examining the witness list as the same would expedite the trial. "The counsel further points that the public prosecutor would examine the list to find out whether some of the witnesses who may be found unnecessary shall be dropped", the Court noted in its order. Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave who appeared for Mishra stated that if Mishra's conduct is found to be good while he's visiting his family as has now been permitted by the Court, the Court may consider granting him some more relaxation in connection with the bail conditions imposed on him. The Court responded by stating that it will consider the same, later. The Court listed the matter to be heard next after the summer vacations. (ANI)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh lauded the Indian Armed Forces for conducting Operation Sindoor, and said that India's action had taught a big lesson to the terrorist organisations funded and nurtured inside Pakistan. Speaking to ANI, Singh said, "The entire country is united along with the Indian Army. The way they attacked nine terrorist hideouts under Operation Sindoor yesterday, after which Masood Azhar was seen wailing and saying that he will issue a threatening press release, shows that the Indian Army has taught a big lesson to the terrorist organisations funded and nurtured inside Pakistan. The aspiration of the entire country is the elimination of terrorists and giving a befitting reply to Pakistan." He emphasised that the Indian Army and Government are capable of giving a befitting reply to Pakistan. "I bow my head in salute to Dinesh Sharma from Haryana for his supreme sacrifice. The Indian Government and Army are capable of giving a befitting reply to such a cowardly act by Pakistan," Sanjay Singh added. Indian forces conducted the precise strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor on Wednesday. The strikes were aimed at avenging the victims of the Pahalgam attack and eliminating key Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders and camps involved in planning attacks on Indian soil. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay appreciated the efforts of the armed forces in carrying out Operation Sindoor and appealed that all must stand united. "We salute the Armed Forces. We all must stand united. 140 crore Indians are feeling proud today. We will meet with the government today to discuss this. Operation Sindoor was the perfect operation. We must raise the slogan of the fight against terrorism in the world," Bandyopadhyay told ANI. Meanwhile, an all-party meeting called by the Centre over Operation Sindoor at the Parliament Annexe building concluded on Thursday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed political parties over India's action on cross-border terrorism. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister JP Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi are among several others who participated in the meeting. Ahead of the meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the country has taken a "big action" for which all the parties will be briefed about the operation, which is the government's responsibility. He further asserted that the entire nation stands with the Indian Armed Forces. (ANI)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday paid heartfelt tribute to Indian Army soldier Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar who was killed in unprovoked Pakistani shelling across the Line of Control (LoC). In a post on X, Kejriwal said, "The entire nation pays tribute to soldier Dinesh Kumar Sharma ji, who was martyred valiantly while protecting the country in the cowardly firing by Pakistan." "May God grant the departed soul a place in his lotus feet and give the family the strength to bear this immense loss. The country will never forget their sacrifice," he said in a tweet in Hindi. Meanwhile, heart-wrenching visuals from his home showed his inconsolable wife, devastated parents, and a mourning village that gathered to pay their respects. Dinesh Kumar is survived by his wife, two children, parents, and siblings. Kapil, the brother of Dinesh Kumar, recounted the sequence of events to ANI. "At 4 AM, I received a call from his number. When I called back at 8 AM, his senior answered and informed me that my brother was in serious condition at the field hospital and was undergoing surgery. Later, when I called again, I was told that my brother was stable. But when I called the field hospital directly, I was informed that my brother had passed away," Kapil said. "His (Dinesh) body will reach after 2 PM today," added Kapil. Earlier, the White Knight Corps on Wednesday confirmed the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5 Field Regiment was killed in the shelling that took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Confirming his death, the White Knight Corps posted on social media platform X, "#GOC and all ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps salute the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on 07 May 25 during Pakistan Army shelling." (ANI)
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Thursday addressed the ongoing situation following Operation Sindoor and the recent cross-border shelling by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC). Sandeep Dikshit lauded the Indian Army for successfully carrying out the planned strike on Pakistan, stating that the operation hit the right targets. "Asad Masood, who is the head of the terror operation, himself came out and admitted it. That confirms we struck the right places -- those were indeed terror hubs. Pakistan will likely resort to rhetoric, but lacks the capacity or political will to respond meaningfully. They do not have the strength or the resolve to take any substantial action," he added, referring to the country's limited options following the Indian Army's successful strike, " Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said. "At the rate things are going, Pakistan is on the path to disintegration. Even a superpower like Russia did not break into as many pieces as Pakistan is heading towards. The Pakistan Army lacks the will and professionalism to respond effectively, it is increasingly being run by individuals who neither have the heart nor the understanding to lead responsibly," he added, criticising the state of the military establishment in the neighbouring country, " he added. Meanwhile, the Indian Army confirmed the success of Operation Sindoor, a targeted strike on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The operation aimed to neutralize terror threats following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also reaffirmed India's commitment to national security, condemning Pakistan's unprovoked ceasefire violations. In response, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Indian strikes, escalating tensions between the two countries. The strikes were aimed at avenging the Pahalgam attack victims and eliminating key Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders and camps involved in planning attacks on Indian soil. (ANI)
Following the successful conduct of Operation Sindoor by Indian Armed Forces against Pakistan, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday asserted that India is resolved to uproot terrorism under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. "Under the leadership of PM Modi, it is our resolve to uproot terrorism. We made a historical mistake that was done in 1960 - that is, the Indus Waters Treaty, but now, we are rectifying that mistake," Chouhan said while addressing a gathering in New Delhi. "We don't provoke anyone, and we don't forgive those who trouble us. Terrorist places have been demolished. Under the leadership of the PM, we are committed to eliminating terrorism from its roots," Union Minister Chouhan said. Meanwhile, the locals in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir are bearing the brunt of heavy shelling by the Pakistani Army across the Line of Control (LoC) since the night of May 7 in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. On Thursday, due to ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control, thirteen civilians lost their lives in Poonch while a total of 59 people, 44 of them in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, have sustained injuries, the External Affairs Ministry said. The External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division of the MEA gave the information. The intense shelling by the Pakistani army along the LoC came in retaliation for the May 7 'Operation Sindoor' in which India's armed forces targeted a total of nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked small arms ceasefire since the night of April 25-26. Residents in border villages in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri returned to their homes on Thursday morning after they were forced to flee their homes in panic, seeking safety in the wake of the intense shelling by Pakistan. The villagers who returned today said that the shelling has caused significant damage to residential properties, with people fleeing the areas along with their whole families as well as livestock. (ANI)
Following Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif promising retaliation in the wake of Operation Sindoor, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that they were not poised to relaliate and Pakistan PM had set the narrative as they had to give some answer to the people of their country. CM Vishnu Deo Sai said, "You have seen Pakistan's condition after the surgical strike and air strike. You have seen their condition after Operation Sindoor. They are speaking gibberish because they have to give some answer to the people of their country." Thirteen civilians lost their lives in Poonch while a total of 59 people, 44 of them in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir have sustained injuries due to ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC), the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday. Earlier Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared that Pakistan is delivering a "forceful response" to what he described was an act of war. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sharif said, "Pakistan has every right to respond forcefully to this act of war imposed by India, and a forceful response is being given." He affirmed national unity in the face of rising tensions and backed the country's military efforts. "The entire nation stands with the Pakistani armed forces, and the morale and spirit of the entire Pakistani nation are high," Sharif stated. The remarks followed confirmation from Pakistan's military that Indian missile strikes had hit three locations - Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and the Ahmed East area of Bahawalpur. He noted that Pakistan Air Force jets were airborne in response, "Pakistan will respond to this at a time and place of its own choosing." India's Ministry of Defence confirmed that the strikes were part of "Operation Sindoor," targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The ministry stated, "Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted." The operation followed the "barbaric" Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen. (ANI)
Amid heightened tensions along the India-Pakistan border debris believed to be part of a missile was discovered in an open field in a border village in Punjab's Amritsar district. Station House Officer (SHO) of Jandiala, Harchand Singh Sandhu who arrived at the scene confirmed the nature of the object, stating, "It is a portion of a missile which has been neturalised in air itself and its debris scattered in the area. I am ensuring safety measures are followed here." The part of a missile was spotted at Makhan Windi and Jethuwal village. For now, the Army personnel cordon off the area where projectile debris has been found and bomb disposal units are on alert. Congress MP from Amritsar, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, also visited the site and expressed concern. "The Army has been called here. We have to cooperate with the Army and the Administration. We are ready for this (to face the ceasefire violation by Pakistan). India only took action on terror sites in Pakistan, but look what they (Pakistan) have done," he said. Meanwhile, the Fact Check unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Thursday debunked another fabricated narrative by the Pakistan side of conducting strikes on a military base in Amritsar, Punjab, asserting that the narrative was false and misleading. The post shared by a Pakistani user named Shamil Jawani (@ShamilJawani1) alleged "numerous casualties" and "several critically injured" at the Amritsar base, using hashtags like #IndiaPakistanWar, #OperationSindoor, and #Pakistan. The PIB Fact Check stamped the video as "FAKE" and issued a warning against the spread of unverified information, labelling it a "Pakistan Propaganda Alert". The unit clarified that the video accompanying the claim is an old clip from a 2024 wildfire, unrelated to any military operation or strike. The PIB urged the public to rely solely on official sources from the Government of India for accurate updates. "Pakistan-based handles are spreading old videos falsely alleging strikes on a military base in Amritsar. #PIBFactCheck: The video being shared is from a wildfire from 2024. Avoid sharing unverified information and rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate information," the PIB stated in its post. (ANI)
In a major move, 550 newly appointed government teachers received their appointment letters in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated the recruits and praised the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) for conducting a fair and transparent selection process. While addressing the Assistant Teachers (LT Grade) and Lecturers appointed in government secondary schools, the Chief Minister said, "You must have seen how none of you had to us any external help in the entire selection process of the UP Public Service Commission." "To achieve PM's Mission Rojgar's goal, our state government distributed 8 lakh appointment letters today through a fair and transparent selection process," he added. The Chief Minister also informed that the government had made nearly 40,000 appointments in the secondary education sector, including 32,000 in government-aided schools. In recent months, more than 8,000 secondary teachers were appointed. Highlighting changes since 2017, CM Yogi said that secondary and basic education had suffered due to mass cheating and lack of government interest. However, with the launch of Operation Kayakalp, the quality and infrastructure of schools had significantly improved. "There was a time when secondary education was struggling to survive. Before 2017, secondary and basic education had become infamous due to cheating, and there was hardly any hope left for improvement," he said. He also recalled how proxy candidates from other states used to appear in UP exams, but rigorous monitoring and reforms had put an end to such practices. "Today, Uttar Pradesh is a new Uttar Pradesh. Today, there is no identity crisis for the youth of UP, and the state is developing in every field, creating a new image," he said. He also encouraged the newly appointed teachers to maintain the same level of integrity in their service. "Since you have been selected through a fair and transparent process, the government also expects that you will make similar contributions to raise the level of secondary education in the state," he added. CM Yogi Adityanath concluded the address by reminding teachers that every student has a goal, and achieving that goal is a moment of great joy, and it is the responsibility of educators to guide them with dedication and honesty. (ANI)
A bench led by Justice Surya Kant also stated that the instant bail plea filed by Chatterjee be tagged along with other such pleas to be heard together on July 17, this year.

"It is further directed that any other SLP filed against impugned order of 20th November 2024 of the High Court of Calcutta also be tagged along with the instant case", the Court noted in its order.

The Court was hearing bail plea filed by Partha Chatterjee who is booked by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the

scam where around 26,000 teachers and other school staff were recruited by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC). The entire recruitment was later held illegal by the Calcutta High Court and subsequently the High Courts' decision was also upheld by the Supreme Court which had termed the recruitment as "tainted"and based on "large-scale fraud".

In July 2022, the ED arrested Chatterjee, the former West Bengal Education Minister and TMC leader. Chatterjee was previously lodged at the Presidency Correctional Home in May this year.

The Enforcement Directorate had earlier recovered over Rs 21 crore in cash from the house of an associate of Chatterjee.

TMC had suspended Chatterjee, from the party after his arrest. (ANI)
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi and all Ranks of the Indian Army paid tribute to Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, who was killed on May 7 during ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. In an official statement, the Indian Army said, "General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS and All Ranks of the Indian Army salute the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, who laid down his life on 07 May 2025 during ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control." The Army also extended its solidarity to the innocent civilians affected by the attacks, stating, "Indian Army stands in solidarity with the innocent civilians who are victims of attacks orchestrated through indiscriminate artillery shelling by the adversary in the #Poonch sector. The nefarious designs of our enemies have been and will continue to be thwarted with resolute and punitive action." Meanwhile, heart-wrenching visuals from his home showed his inconsolable wife, devastated parents, and a mourning village that gathered to pay their respects. Dinesh Kumar is survived by his wife, two children, parents, and siblings. Kapil, the brother of Dinesh Kumar, recounted the sequence of events to ANI. "At 4 AM, I received a call from his number. When I called back at 8 AM, his senior answered and informed me that my brother was in serious condition at the field hospital and was undergoing surgery. Later, when I called again, I was told that my brother was stable. But when I called the field hospital directly, I was informed that my brother had passed away," Kapil said. Earlier, the White Knight Corps on Wednesday confirmed the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5 Field Regiment was killed in the shelling that took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Confirming his death, the White Knight Corps posted on social media platform X, "GOC and all ranks of White Knight Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on 07 May 25 during Pakistan Army shelling." (ANI)
Three policemen and an accused were killed in a road accident after the police vehicle carrying all of them collided with a canter in Aligarh on Thursday. The police vehicle with the accused Gulshan was on its way from Firozabad to Bulandshahr when the collision took place at Chikavati turn near the Lodha police station area in Aligarh. Two policemen injured in this incident have been hospitalised at the District Malkhan Singh Hospital in Aligarh. Circle Officer (CO) Gabhana, Aligarh Sanjeev Kumar Tomar said, "The vehicle was on its way from Firozabad to Bulandshahr via the highway at Chikavati turn. Accused Gulshan was being taken in the government vehicle. There was a driver and four policemen. During this the government vehicle rammed into the canter. SI Ramswaroop Jeevan, Balveer Singh and driver Chandrapal died. Two policemen who were injured are being treated. One accused and three policemen have died. Thus four people have died. Total of five policemen and one accused were travelling. The reason for the accident could be dozing off. It rammed into the canter from the rear, the driver might have fallen asleep or dozed off." Earlier at least six people were killed when a car and a bike collided violently in Shahjahanpur district on May 5 night. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the road accident and expressed condolences to the bereaved family members of the deceased. The Chief Minister also directed the officials to immediately reach the spot and expedite relief work. (ANI)
As India strikes against Pakistan in retaliation against the Pahalgam terror attack under 'Operation Sindoor', Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao issued a firm statement on Thursday saying "Pakistan should learn a lesson". "India is not going to be afraid of Pakistan's threat. The world knows Pakistan's situation today. The Pakistani soldiers and police salute the terrorists; from this, we can understand their situation. Pakistan should learn a lesson from Operation Sindoor. If they do not learn a lesson, they will have to suffer more consequences," he said while speaking to ANI. When asked about unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan at LoC Sao said, "The keep such attempts but our armed forces and government are well prepared and we will not let their plan work" Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday with Secretaries of various Ministries and Departments of the Government of India to review national preparedness and inter-ministerial coordination in light of recent developments concerning national security. PM Modi stressed the need for seamless coordination among ministries and agencies to uphold operational continuity and institutional resilience. PM reviewed the ministries' planning and preparation for the current situation. Secretaries have been directed to undertake a comprehensive review of their respective ministries' operations and ensure the fool proof functioning of essential systems, with a special focus on readiness, emergency response, and internal communication protocols. Secretaries detailed their planning with a Whole of Government approach in the current situation. All ministries have identified their actionable items related to the conflict and are strengthening processes. Ministries are ready to deal with all kinds of emerging situations. During the meeting, a range of issues were discussed. These included strengthening civil defence mechanisms, efforts to counter misinformation and fake news, and ensuring the security of critical infrastructure. Ministries were also advised to coordinate closely with state authorities and ground-level institutions. The Cabinet Secretary, senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office, and Secretaries from key ministries, including Defence, Home Affairs, External Affairs, Information & Broadcasting, Power, Health, and Telecommunications, attended the meeting. The Prime Minister called for continued alertness, institutional synergy, and clear communication as the nation navigates a sensitive period. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to national security, operational preparedness, and citizen safety. (ANI)
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said that China "did not take much of a pro-Pakistan stand" amid current tensions between India and Pakistan following Pahalgam terror attack and said the Indian market is all the more important to Beijing today in the Trumpian world of high tariffs. He also said that China needs India in a way that it never needed before. India carried out Operation Sindoor early on Wednesday with precision strikes hitting nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people were killed. Tharoor told ANI that Russia, France, and Israel have specifically shown understanding for India's right to defend itself against terrorism "All countries have called for restraint. That's normal. No one wants to see an escalating war between two nuclear powers. Russia, France, and Israel are the only ones that have specifically shown understanding publicly for India's right to defend itself against terrorism. America, in principle, should have said something, given that they are the ones that reacted the most strongly against Afghanistan after 9/11," Tharoor said. He hoped Beijing would adopt a constructive role to avoid escalation between India and Pakistan. "Surprisingly, China did not take as much of a pro-Pakistan stand... What China has said is suggestive that they are not oblivious of the fact that relations with India were warming. The Indian market is all the more important to China today in the Trumpian world of high tariffs. China needs India in a way that it never needed them before... If there were a real war, they would have been supporting Pakistan. But to prevent a war, China will take a constructive approach in my view," the Congress MP said. On Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson expressed concern over the ongoing situation and urged both nations to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation. The spokesperson said in a statement that Beijing opposes all forms of terrorism. "We are concerned about the ongoing situation. India and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbors. They're both China's neighbors as well. China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation," the statement said. (ANI)
As India strikes against Pakistan in retaliation against the Pahalgam terror attack under 'Operation Sindoor', Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday expressed his support for the armed forces and said that the whole country is united, be it the ruling party or the Opposition. "The whole country is united, be it the ruling party or the Opposition... We have complete faith in our Army... We are with the government on whatever decision they take to give a befitting reply to the terrorists... Who are we to say anything? Let's leave the decision-making to the army," Tejashwi told reporters in Patna. The strikes, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, targeted nine key terror camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Four of the targets were located inside Pakistan and the remaining five were situated in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting with Secretaries of various Ministries and Departments of the Government of India to review national preparedness and inter-ministerial coordination in light of recent developments concerning national security. PM Modi stressed the need for seamless coordination among ministries and agencies to uphold operational continuity and institutional resilience. PM reviewed the ministries' planning and preparation for the current situation. Secretaries have been directed to undertake a comprehensive review of their respective ministries' operations and ensure the fool proof functioning of essential systems, with a special focus on readiness, emergency response, and internal communication protocols. The Cabinet Secretary, senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office, and Secretaries from key ministries, including Defence, Home Affairs, External Affairs, Information & Broadcasting, Power, Health, and Telecommunications, attended the meeting. The Prime Minister called for continued alertness, institutional synergy, and clear communication as the nation navigates a sensitive period. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to national security, operational preparedness, and citizen safety. (ANI)
In a post on X, the Chief Minister praised the selfless humanitarian work of Red Cross Volunteers, saying, "Let us take a moment to recognise and appreciate the tireless efforts of Red Cross Volunteers and workers around the world, those who rush to the frontlines of crisis, deliver aid in times of disasters, and bring hope where it is needed the most."

Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, Secretary to the Chief Minister Rakesh Kanwar, Municipal Corporation Shimla Councillors, and members of the HP Red Cross Society attended the event.

Earlier on Wednesday, CM Sukhu chaired a high-level meeting following the success of the Indian Armed Forces' Operation Sindoor.

The Chief Minister congratulated the security forces on the successful operation and praised their courage and professionalism in safeguarding the nation. CM said the country was proud of the brave hearts and their unwavering dedication.

CM Sukhu reviewed the state's security, transport, and communication systems, as well as the food and power supply, disaster management, and health services. CM also issued necessary directions to the concerned officials.

CM Sukhu reviewed the security system and various arrangements in the state in detail and gave necessary guidelines to the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of all the districts.

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Additional Chief Secretary Onkar Chand Sharma, Director General of Police Dr Atul Verma, and various senior officers attended the meeting.

Colonel Deepak Kumar, Commanding Officer of 133 Eco Task Force (Dogra), met Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in Shimla and briefed him on the environmental initiatives undertaken by the Eco Task Force. (ANI)
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday reaffirmed party's complete support to government after the all-party meeting and advised that at this time no event should be turned into a political event. Addressing a press briefing, Akhilesh Yadav said that terrorism should be eradicated and our borders should be secured. He also emphasised on the need to boost Army's morale at this time. "When an all-party meeting happens in the Indian democracy, we will present that when the Indian government makes a hugely important policy, no political benefit should be given to any party and no event should be turned into a political event," Akhilesh Yadav said. "Terrorism should be eradicated, our borders should be secured, and the morale of our Army should be boosted... In the current situation (following the Pahalgam terror attack), all of us should stand with the Army and the decisions taken by the government," he added. The All-party meeting took place to brief political leaders on the ongoing tensions with Pakistan following India's military operation on the early hours of Wednesday, which targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed political parties over India's action on cross-border terrorism. This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised. After India executed Operation Sindoor, in which nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan were destroyed, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the night of May 7. The military targets were engaged in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks. Indian Air Force S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence missile systems were fired last night against targets moving towards India. The targets were successfully neutralised in the operation, multiple domain experts told ANI. An official Government confirmation is awaited. (ANI)
The civilians of the Poonch area condemned the Pakiatani army attacking civilian targets in the cross border firing. mourned the loss of innocent lives killed yesterday. On Wednesday, thirteen civilians lost their lives in Poonch while a total of 59 people, 44 of them in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, have sustained injuries due to ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC), according to the External Affairs Ministry. The visuals showed extensive damage incurred on a temple, a gurudwara, and a mosque in Poonch, following cross-border shelling by Pakistan in the wake of "Operation Sindoor." President of District Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, Narinder Singh, said, "Poonch saw very heavy shelling yesterday... Bhai Amrik Singh, a raagi, in our gurudwara, died in the shelling; he was in his shop located on the ground floor of his house when this happened... A shell hit the gurdwara as well, but there was no one present here... One Hindu child has been killed, four Sikhs have been killed, and many from the Muslim community have also lost their lives in the shelling... People have started migrating in large numbers..." Vice Principal of Jamia Zia-ul-Uloom Poonch also criticised the targeted attack on religious structures. "Shelling occurred all day yesterday in Poonch, and the whole district was affected by it. Whenever such situations arose, our city always stayed safe. But now, people have lost their lives in large numbers. Religious structures have also been targeted... In this building also, our Ustaad was killed in the shelling. His six children were also present here at the time," he said. Swami Krishnanand, head priest of Gita Bhawan, said that they are facing tough conditions due to a sudden attack post 'Operation Sindoor'. "Demons have bombarded our town and our temple. Fortunately, the shell did not hit our main idol. It happened at 9 o'clock when there was no one around; had the timing been a little off, there would have been many casualties... Our water tanks have broken, and there is water everywhere. We are facing tough conditions," he said. (ANI)
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for cancelling the discriminatory clause of the Indus Water Treaty and said that this decision will "directly benefit farmers" in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. "We thank the Prime Minister for cancelling the discriminatory clause of the Indus Water Treaty, under which 80 per cent of water went to Pakistan and only 20 per cent remained with India. This decision will directly benefit farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh... they will receive more water for irrigation, cultivable land will increase and hydropower projects will provide cheaper and more reliable electricity," Chouhan said, addressing the media in the national capital. He further said that all 16,000 ICAR's Krishi Vigyan Kendra scientists will be deployed in the field. "They will form teams of four and, along with officials from the state agricultural departments and the Central government and progressive farmers, they will visit three locations daily for 15 days this Kharif season. They will engage directly with farmers to promote the use of quality seeds, climate-resilient crop varieties and best agricultural practices... This is a historic step to strengthen the connection between lab and land," he added. India has taken a slew of measures, including putting the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance to a send a strong message to Pakistan for its support to cross-border terrorism after the Pahalgam terror attack. Tensions have risen between India and Pakistan following Pahalgam terror attack in which 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen were killed. The government has said that perpetrators will face severe punishment. India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism. The Treaty allocates the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan and the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India. At the same time, the Treaty allows each country certain uses of the rivers allocated to the other. The treaty gives India 20 per cent of the water from the Indus River System and the rest 80 per cent to Pakistan. On Wednesday morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted nine locations in deep areas of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under the Operation Sindoor. They launched strikes on several terrorist camps in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. (ANI)
People in Patna celebrated the success of Operation Sindoor on Thursday by bursting crackers, playing with colours, and offering sweets to a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They also shouted slogans such as "Bharat Mata ki Jai" to mark the occasion. A man carrying a dummy of an Indian Army aircraft told ANI, "As Indians, we are proud of our Army," adding, "The Indian Army has given the best possible reply, and anyone who dares to mess with India will have to face the consequences." Another local said, "What was once a promise has now become a reality. Modi ji has truly delivered on his word and fulfilled what he promised." Meanwhile, as India strikes against Pakistan in retaliation against the Pahalgam terror attack under 'Operation Sindoor', Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday expressed his support for the armed forces and said that the whole country is united, be it the ruling party or the Opposition. "The whole country is united, be it the ruling party or the Opposition... We have complete faith in our Army... We are with the government on whatever decision they take to give a befitting reply to the terrorists... Who are we to say anything? Let's leave the decision-making to the army," Tejashwi told reporters in Patna. The strikes, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, targeted nine key terror camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Four of the targets were located inside Pakistan and the remaining five were situated in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting with Secretaries of various Ministries and Departments of the Government of India to review national preparedness and inter-ministerial coordination in light of recent developments concerning national security. PM Modi stressed the need for seamless coordination among ministries and agencies to uphold operational continuity and institutional resilience. PM reviewed the ministries' planning and preparation for the current situation. Secretaries have been directed to undertake a comprehensive review of their respective ministries' operations and ensure the fool proof functioning of essential systems, with a special focus on readiness, emergency response, and internal communication protocols. The Cabinet Secretary, senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office, and Secretaries from key ministries, including Defence, Home Affairs, External Affairs, Information & Broadcasting, Power, Health, and Telecommunications, attended the meeting. (ANI)
Defence Minister Rajanth Singh on Thursday hailed India's Armed forces for successfully targeting and destroying terror camps in Pakistan and PoK under Operation Sindoor. "It is a matter of pride for us," he said Addressing the National Quality Conclave at DRDO, Singh said that the nine terrorist camps were destroyed and "a significant number of terrorists" killed in the operation. "I congratulate the armed forces for the action they took yesterday and the courage and bravery they showed. Terror camps in Pakistan and PoK have been neutralised, it is a matter of pride for us," the Defence Minister said. "The precision with which Operation Sindoor was executed is unimaginable, very praiseworthy. Nine terrorist camps were destroyed in it and a significant number of terrorists were killed. This operation was carried out without harming any innocents and with minimum collateral damage," Singh said. Early on May 7 morning, India executed a coordinated assault using long-range high-precision strike weapons, destroying nine sites in Pok and deep inside Pakistan in an operation codenamed 'Sindoor'. Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the night of May 7. Over 100 terrorists were eliminated in a series of precision strikes launched in the early hours of Wednesday, according to sources. The operation, aimed at avenging the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed, remains underway, making it challenging to provide an exact casualty count of the terrorists at this stage, sources further stated. Following the operation, military targets were engaged in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks. Indian Air Force S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence missile systems were fired last night against targets moving towards India. The targets were successfully neutralised in the operation, multiple domain experts told ANI. An official Government confirmation is awaited. This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing water-sharing dispute between Haryana and Punjab, Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Singh on Thursday accused the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) chairman of releasing water to Haryana without the government's consent and said that the BJP is taking "anti-Punjab decisions." "BBMB is being used against Punjab to forcefully loot the water of Punjab. This morning, the BBMB chairman tried to release water to Haryana without Punjab's consent. We will not tolerate coercion of any kind. On one side, there is an atmosphere of war in the country; on the other side, the BJP is trying to rob the waters of Punjab by taking anti-Punjab decisions. We also know how to protect borders and also know how to protect our water," Punjab Chief Minister said, addressing mediapersons in Rupnagar. He further said that the Punjab government is giving 4000 cusecs of water to Haryana on a humanitarian basis. "But instead of thanking, decisions are being taken by holding BBMB meetings in an unconstitutional manner. Being a border state in war-like situations, instead of giving us relief, the BJP is creating a water crisis for us, due to which we are facing a double problem," he added. Meanwhile, Punjab Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian asserted that both Haryana and Punjab are using water on the basis of need. "Central Minister briefed the State Ministers on agriculture, particularly about promoting less water-intensive crops like fodder to conserve water... While some of these water-saving crops may slightly reduce productivity or income, the Central government must step in with compensation of Rs 17,000 per hectare... Cotton cultivation has also dropped to just one lakh hectares. Both states (Haryana and Punjab) are using water on the basis of the need," Khuddian said. Punjab Minister Harjot Singh Bains demanded action against the BBMB Chairman and said that the Punjab is already giving plenty of water to Haryana. "We are compelled to lock the gates. It is a matter of our water. We all know the situation facing the country, and Punjab being the border state, we are fighting for the country. Hundreds of our villages have been vacated; the whole state is on red alert. At a time like this, what emergency arose in Haryana that the BBMB Chairman comes early in the morning and asks that water be released into Haryana... We demand action against BBMB Chairman... All local leaders and people are sitting here on protest and we will continue till our CM does not arrive here and guides us on what to do next. On humanitarian grounds, we are already giving plenty of water to Haryana," Bains said. Meanwhile, Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said that rather than going to Bhakra Nangal, the government should have approached the Supreme Court. "Rather than going to Bhakra Nangal, we should have gone to the Supreme Court. If the Court has taken or is going to take any decision against us, we should have approached the court first... Whenever our Chairman was changed, we should have mentioned it before the court that the Chairman should represent those with a share of 60 per cent. Bhakra Beas Management Board is working at the behest of the Central government and it is unfair to us. We should have fought the government, protested outside the residence of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, but we protested here at Nangal," Warring said. Reacting to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) water row between Punjab and Haryana, DIG Ropar Range, Harcharan Singh Bhullar said that strict action will be taken if anyone takes law and order into their hands. "The Chairman said he would head to Chandigarh for a meeting with the CM. If anyone takes law and order into their hands, we will take strict action," DIG said. Punjab has reaffirmed its commitment to its voluntary allocation while firmly refusing Haryana's latest request for 8,500 cusecs from the Bhakra Beas system, arguing that the cited emergency has ended. Earlier on May 3, an all-party meeting was held under the chairmanship of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini regarding the ongoing water sharing dispute between Haryana and Punjab, in which a resolution was unanimously passed in the meeting urging the Punjab government to implement, without conditions, the decisions of the BBMB technical committee. On April 30, the BBMB ordered an additional 8,500 cusecs of water to be released to Haryana from the Bhakra-Nangal Dam. However, the Punjab government rejected the BBMB's decisions, raising concerns over decreasing water levels in key reservoirs. (ANI)
Kerala BJP president and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar on Thursday approached the Delhi High Court to challenge a trial court's decision to dismiss his criminal defamation complaint against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. The case stemmed from remarks made by Tharoor during the recent Lok Sabha elections. Chandrasekhar has alleged that Tharoor's statements were defamatory and harmful to his reputation. The matter was scheduled for hearing on May 8 before Justice Ravinder Dudeja but was later adjourned to May 20 due to the absence of the petitioner's counsel. In February 2025, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi declined to issue a summons to Tharoor in Chandrashekhar's defamation complaint. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) dismissed the complaint after reviewing pre-summoning evidence presented by the complainant's counsel, ruling that the case did not establish defamation against the proposed accused. On September 21, 2024, the court took cognisance of the defamation complaint and directed the complainant to present pre-summoning evidence. Chandrasekhar alleged that Shashi Tharoor, in an interview with a news channel during the Lok Sabha Elections, made serious allegations that Chandrasekhar was engaged in vote bribery. Chandrasekhar has claimed that these insinuations are defamatory and harmful to his reputation, leading him to file a criminal defamation case against Tharoor. The defamation complaint has further asserted that in another interview with TV News Byte, Shashi Tharoor claimed that various individuals had approached him with allegations that Rajeev Chandrasekhar was bribing voters. Chandrasekhar has contended that these statements are defamatory and damaging to his reputation, which has prompted him to take legal action against Tharoor. In its September 21 order, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate stated: "Based on the submissions and material placed on record, which prima facie disclose the ingredients of the offence, I take cognisance of the offences under Sections 500 IPC and 171G IPC." The complaint further alleged that Tharoor defamed Chandrashekhar by making false and derogatory statements on national television, knowingly misrepresenting facts with the intent to harm his reputation and influence the election outcome. Additionally, it was claimed that the interview was widely circulated by various news channels and social media platforms at the behest of the proposed accused, leading to reputational damage and ultimately contributing to Chandrashekhar's electoral defeat in 2024. It was alleged that the proposed accused had defamed the complainant by making false and derogatory imputations on the national television that he had been bribing voters in the Thiruvananthapuram Constituency knowing fully well that such statements were false and with the intent to lower complainant's reputation and to affect the result of upcoming elections. It was also alleged that the interview(s) was/were published by various news channels as well as on social media platforms at the behest of the proposed accused and resulted in loss of reputation of the complainant in the society, which ultimately resulted in the complainant losing the Lok Sabha Elections, 2024. (ANI)
The former Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Shirish Baban Deo (Retd) on Thursday praised the Indian Air Force''s (IAF) recent use of the S-400 Sudarshan Chakra missile system, which was used last night to stop targets moving toward India. Shirish Baban Deo added that the S-400''s accuracy is very high, and it can even take down medium-range ballistic missiles. While speaking to ANI, Shirish Baban Deo said, "It is a very capable system, perhaps the most potent system in the world. It''s an entire system with three types of radars and three types of missiles, each optimised for specific targets, from low-RCS to high-speed threats. Its single-shot kill probability is extremely high, and it''s accurate and effective even against medium-range ballistic missiles." About the Harpy drone, he said, "Additionally, we have drones like the Harpy, which are anti-radiation drones equipped with seekers that detect active radars. Once a radar is switched on, the drone homes in on it and destroys it, even if the radar is later turned off. These drones can loiter in the area for 10 to 12 hours and have a video link, allowing operators to monitor their movement and strike precisely when needed. Overall, this makes the system extremely effective in neutralising enemy air defences." Deo criticised Pakistan''s military leadership, calling it corrupt and radicalised. "The bigger picture here is that Pakistan, unlike a normal country, has a radicalised and corrupt leadership, which weakens the army''s professional potential. India''s strategy needs to be a whole-of-nation approach, not just the Army''s responsibility, as the challenge involves military as well as internal security threats," Deo added. He also said there could be sleeper cells activated and said, "We must all stay alert because activating sleeper cells is the last option left for them." After India executed Operation Sindoor in which nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan were destroyed, the Pakistan brass responded in Panic. Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the night of May 7. One of those was the Military installations in Amritsar, all the attempts were neutralised. The military targets were engaged in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks. (ANI)
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday that Pahalgam terror attack was "original escalation" by Pakistan and India responded in "controlled, precise, measured, considered and non-escalatory" manner through precise strikes on terror infrastructure early on Wednesday. Addressing a joint press conference here, Misri said that India's intention is not to escalate matters and is only responding to the escalation. "Pakistan escalated on April 22, we are only responding to escalation. If further escalation, the response will be in the appropriate domain," Misri said. He said when talks were going on about the Pahalgam at the UNSC, Pakistan opposed the role of TRF (The Resistance Front). "This is after TRF claimed the responsibility of the attack not once, but twice... Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh clearly said yesterday as well as today, that India's response is non-escalatory, precise, and measured. Our intention is not to escalate matters and we are only responding to the escalation. No military targets have been targeted; only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit," Misri said. The Foreign Secretary said Pakistan's reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances. "I don't need to remind where Osama Bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr...Pakistan is also home to a large number of UN proscribed terrorists and also to terrorists proscribed by many countries...You must have seen in the last few days, their Defence minister and former foreign minister accepted their country's involvement with such terror groups," he said. "It's also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out by coffins wrapped in their national flag, and state honours are being awarded," he added. Misri condemned Pakistan targeting civilians in Jammu and Kashmir through artillery firing. "Yesterday Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community of J&K- hitting a gurdwara in Poonch and hitting the Sikh community members, who came under attack, and three individuals were killed in the attacks... A total of 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch and several others have been injured." Defence Ministry said in a statement that during the press briefing on Operation Sindoor yesterday, India had called its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory. It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response. It said that on the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks. Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised, the statement said. It said that Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt, the statement added. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Thursday said the remarks of BJP MP Nishikant Dubey were "highly irresponsible" and reflect a penchant to attract attention by casting aspersions on India's apex court and its judges. MP's remarks "show ignorance" about the role of the constitutional courts and the duties and obligations bestowed on them under the Constitution, a bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said in its order. Dubey's comments were "highly irresponsible" and reflect a penchant to attract attention by casting aspersions on the Supreme Court of India and the Judges of the Supreme Court, said the apex court. The apex court while refusing to entertain a plea seeking direction to initiate suo moto contempt case against Dubey, said that courts are not as "fragile as flowers" to wither and wilt under such "ludicrous statements," and public's confidence in the judiciary cannot be shaken by "such absurd comments." "This apart, the statements show ignorance about the role of the constitutional courts and the duties and obligations bestowed on them under the Constitution. At the same time, we are of the firm opinion that courts are not as fragile as flowers to wither and wilt under such ludicrous statements. We do not believe that the confidence in and credibility of the courts in the eyes of the public can be shaken by such absurd statements, though it can be said without the shadow of doubt that there is a desire and deliberate attempt to do so," it added. Dubey had reportedly said that "Supreme Court is taking the country towards anarchy" and that "Chief Justice of India, Sanijv Khanna is responsible for the civil wars taking place in the country". He made the remarks against the apex court for hearing pleas against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The petition sought direction to register FIRs against hate speeches made by political leaders in the context of the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025. As advocate Vishal Tiwari sought action against hate speeches, the bench made it clear that any attempt to spread communal hatred or indulge in hate speech must be dealt with an "iron hand". "Hate speech cannot be tolerated as it leads to loss of dignity and self-worth of the targeted group members, contributes to disharmony amongst groups, and erodes tolerance and open-mindedness, which is a must for a multi-cultural society committed to the idea of equality. Any attempt to cause alienation or humiliation of the targeted group is a criminal offence and must be dealt with accordingly," the order added. It said every contemptuous statement need not result in punishment because "judges are judicious, their valour non-violent and their wisdom springs into action when played upon by a volley of values, the least of which is personal protection". It further added that "each branch of the state in a democracy, be it the legislature, executive or the judiciary, especially in a constitutional democracy, acts within the framework of the Constitution". "It is the Constitution that is higher than all of us. It is the Constitution which imposes limits and restrictions on the powers vested in the three organs. The power of judicial review is conferred by the Constitution on the judiciary. Statutes are subject to judicial review to test their constitutionality as well as for judicial interpretation. Therefore, when the constitutional courts exercise their power of judicial review, they act within the framework of the Constitution," the order further stated. MP Dubey had made the statement following the top court fixing timeline for the President and Governors to give assent to Bills and its intervention in the Waqf (Amendment) Act matter. Some lawyers had also written letters to Attorney General R Venkataramani, demanding initiation of contempt proceedings against Dubey for his remarks. As per the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, a private individual can file a contempt of court petition in the Supreme Court only after obtaining the consent of the Attorney General or the Solicitor General. The BJP MP had claimed the Supreme Court was taking the country towards anarchy. On April 19, he said Parliament and Assemblies should be shut if the top court is dictating laws and that Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna is "responsible for civil wars" in the country. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar had also questioned the judiciary for setting a timeline for the President to decide whether or not to assent to state Bills referred to the President by a Governor. Dhankar further accused the Supreme Court of acting as a "super Parliament" and said it cannot fire a "nuclear missile" at democratic forces. (ANI)
An FIR has been registered against Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai at the Chetganj police station for mocking the Rafale fighter aircraft with lemon-chillies hanging on it. Chetganj ACP Gaurav Kumar said that the case against Ajay Rai has been logded on Wednesday. "Yesterday, a complaint was received at Chetganj police station in which allegations have been made of making fun of our army's fighter aircraft Rafale, hanging lemon and chilli on it and presenting it like a toy etc. On the basis of the complaint, a case has been registered under the relevant sections. The case has been registered against Congress state President Ajay Rai," Chetganj ACP told ANI on Thursday. Earlier on May 4, Ajay Rai criticised the central government's "big talk and no action" against perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack, saying that they purchased Rafale fighter jets, but those are lying in hangars with "nimbu mirchi" (lemon and chillies) hanging on them. Rai had earlier sparked a controversy recently after he showcased a toy version of the Rafale jet with lemon and chillies hanging and had questioned the Union Government for taking no action against the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack. Displaying a toy plane with Rafale written on it and with lemon-chillies hanging on it, Ajay Rai said, "Terrorist activities have increased in the country, and people are suffering from it. Our youth lost their lives in the Pahalgam terror attack... But, this government, which talks a lot, says that they will crush terrorists - they brought Rafale, but they are in their hangars having chilly and lemon hanging in them. When will they take action against terrorists, those who support them, and their backers?" Hanging 'nimbu-mirchi' from vehicles is believed to ward off bad luck and the evil eye. Several BJP leaders have lashed out against Rai's remarks. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala in a post on X said, "Rahul Gandhi's close aide Ajay Rai has now managed to make it to the headlines of Pakistan thanks to his utterances and antics on Rafale." "Channi, Priyank Kharge, RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, Ajay Rai -- the attack on manobal (morale) of our Forces is not a sanyog (coincidence) but sahyog (collaboration) with Pakistan," Poonawala said. (ANI)
Amid escalating tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) following multiple ceasefire violations and failed drone and missile attacks from Pakistan, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir, have shifted villagers from several forward areas to safer locations. The local administration has relocated residents from multiple villages near the LoC to specially set-up camps. The camps are equipped with essential facilities, including food, water, infant milk, and medical aid. Speaking to ANI on Thursday, one of the villagers who has been moved to the camp stated that most of the villagers have been moved there. She further hailed the government for the facilities provided while hoping for normalisation in the situation. One of the villagers, Nisha Sharma, said, "We have come from border villages due to the escalating tensions. People are scared that's why government has set up a camp. All villagers are living here. We have received all facilities here, from food to water, even we are getting milk for children and infants. We will return to home as soon as the situation improves. We want the situation to improve." Another villager, Gopal Singh, who also resides in the camp, echoed similar sentiments. He said, "The government has helped us. They sent vehicles for us. All the villagers have been shifted here. We have received all food, cleaning, and medical facilities. Officials are also visiting us. Ved Ram Sahu stated, "We have been shifted by the government keeping in view the situation. We have also got various facilities here." Although most villages have been evacuated, some villagers still reside in their houses. Tasrim Lal, who is a resident of a village near LoC, slammed Pakistan for the current situation, stating, "Although we are safe now, but Pakistan's nature is to launch covert attacks and strike from behind. They have never strike openly. Several wars happened, but they have always lost." Lal further conveyed that as of now, Pakistan has stopped its movements since the precision attacks were carried out. He said, "Earlier we used to watch their activities. But since we have done our precision strikes, their movement is stopped. Earlier we could see their buses, farmers herding cattles, we could hear music, but now, everything is stopped. They are scared. They know if they will do anything, India will not spare them. PM Modi does what he says." Another villager, Karnail Singh stated, "Our village is last village near LoC. We have shifted children and women. Earlier Pakistan used to do movement in the occupied areas but since India has launched precision strikes on Pakistan, they have stopped their movement. Pakistan has almost stopped its movement near the LoC. We live on this border; we don't fear from anyone. We have seen 4-5 wars, in 1965, 1971, 1999 and all fights in between. they used to violate ceasefire, but now since the strikes, all the things are stopped. But we can't trust Pakistan, they can fire at any moment, that's why we have shifted our families." After India executed Operation Sindoor in which nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan were destroyed, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the night of May 7. The military targets were engaged in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks. Indian Air Force S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence missile systems were fired last night against targets moving towards India. The targets were successfully neutralised in the operation multiple domain experts told ANI. An official Government confirmation is awaited. On Thursday morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised. Sources said, that over 100 terrorists were eliminated with a series of precision strikes launched in the early hours of Wednesday. The operation, aimed at avenging the Pahalgam terror attack, remains underway, making it challenging to provide an exact casualty count of the terrorists at this stage, sources further stated. The strikes, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, targeted nine key terror camps in Pakistan linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Four of the targets were located inside Pakistan and the remaining five were situated in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The security forces targeted four terrorist camps in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya. The five other locations in PoJK on India's target were Markaz Ahle Hadith Barnala in Bhimber, Markaz Abbas and Maskar Raheel Shahid in Kotli, Shawai Nallah Camp, and Markaz Syedna Bilal, in Muzaffarabad. Meanwhile, Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday met with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi and discussed various issues related to important road and infrastructure projects of state. The Chief Minister requested for early reimbursement of the remaining Rs 367.69 crore under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund to the state government and approval of the proposed Rishikesh bypass project. The Chief Minister also urged for notification of the state road from Biharigarh to Roshanabad and the road from Kathgodam to Pancheshwar as National Highway and approval of the proposed elevated road over Bindal and Rispana rivers as a loop of NH-07. CM Dhami requested for approval of funds for the upgradation of 20 roads of 508 km length connected to mythological temples under the Manaskhand project and to reimburse the additional expenditure after re-alignment of NH-109. He also requested for approval for other necessary works including additional assistance of Rs110 crore for the Metro corridor along with the proposed elevated road on NH-07. The Chief Minister thanked the Union Minister for giving positive assurance for all the projects. Earlier in the day, CM Dhami met Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav and requested approval for crucial projects aimed at strengthening the state's infrastructure and addressing environmental challenges. During the meeting, CM Dhami sought environmental clearance and the transfer of forest land for the 120MV Sirkari Bhyol Rupasiyabagh Hydroelectric Project on the Gauriganga River. This project is vital for the state's energy needs and development. The Chief Minister also requested approval from the National Wildlife Board (NBWL) for a ropeway project from Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple. He further urged the Union Minister to support the revival of Chaurasi Kutiya (Beatles Ashram), a significant cultural and tourism landmark. In addition, CM Dhami sought special financial assistance of Rs 404 crore from the Central Government under the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) scheme. This funding is needed to address the recurring forest fire incidents in the state and bolster the state's environmental management. Expressing his gratitude for the Union Minister's support, CM Dhami emphasized that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is balancing ecological conservation with economic development. He conveyed that these initiatives would not only enhance infrastructure but also provide much-needed relief to the common people. (ANI)
Thirteen civilians lost their lives in Poonch while a total of 59 people, 44 of them in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir have sustained injuries due to ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC), the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday. The External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division of the MEA shared the information. The intense shelling by the Pakistani army along the LoC came in retaliation for the May 7 'Operation Sindoor' in which India's armed forces targeted a total of nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked small arms ceasefire after Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam Terror attack. A civilian living in the border areas after the destruction due to continued ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army said that they want peace in the country. While speaking to ANI, one of the villagers talked about the incident suffered by the locals, saying, " We came outside when we heard sounds of shelling around 3 am today. There is only smoke and damage here now...We want peace." Another civilian who has suffered damage to his property said, "The action taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against Pakistan is very good. We request the government to help us, as my son's house is damaged." The civilian establishments in one of the villages along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir have suffered serious damage in ceasefire violations by Pakistan. Meanwhile, in the Akhnoor sector, families living near the Line of Control (LoC) have been forced to leave their homes once again due to ongoing cross-border firing and to take shelter at safer places. Ajit Singh, a resident of Palatnagarh village, which is just 200 metres from the Pakistani border, recalled past experiences. "Bullets have hit our homes. In 2016, seven walls of my house were damaged. The government gave us 4.5 acres of land, and we built new homes with their help," he said. "When firing starts, people leave the village. Once it stops, they return to the farm. Even animals get scared," he added. Singh said they were recently advised to evacuate. "Yesterday, we met the BLO (Block level officer). They told us to leave immediately. We walked until we saw a vehicle and spent the night here with our children," he said, referring to their current temporary shelter. He recalled being displaced during the Kargil war in 1999. "We were sent to camps then. Later, we were told this place would be safe. Now, five or six families from my village stay here." Singh said more than 20 people, including six families, took shelter last night. "It was cold at first, but better now," he added. The local administration monitors the situation and has arranged temporary relief for the displaced families. The Indian Armed Forces targeted nine locations in deep areas of Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday morning. They launched strikes on several terrorist camps in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. (ANI)
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for politicising the Punjab-Haryana water dispute, emphasising that the issue pertains to drinking water and should not be used for political gains. "There are many other topics related to politics. If Bhagwant Mann wants to do politics, then he should do so on those other topics. This is a question of drinking water... If he is doing politics on this, then it is unfortunate ...," he said. Saini further urged Mann to respect the High Court's decision, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of disregarding constitutional institutions by sidelining the court's ruling. "The decision of HC will be accepted and respected, but this decision, reflect that AAP does not believe and neither respect the constitution, does not believe in constitutional institutions, they have side cornered the decision of HC, I want to request Bhagwant Mann to respect the decision of HC," he said. On Tuesday, following the Punjab and Haryana High Court's hearing over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal dispute, Additional Solicitor General of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Satya Pal Jain, said that Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) decision should be implemented. "BBMB is an institution that controls the flow of water. It decides the share of the water...We believe that BBMB's decision should be implemented. There is no point in deploying police there. The Punjab government should remove the deployment of police and let the BBMB do its work," Satya Pal Jain told ANI. Earlier today, Punjab CM held press conference in which he said that, "Today, the BBMB chairman, adopting an irresponsible attitude, bypassed Punjab and reached Nangal Dam to give water to Haryana. But due to the protest by the revolutionary people of Punjab, he had to return. We will protect every drop of Punjab's water." Punjab CM announced that Punjab is providing 4,000 cusecs of water to Haryana on humanitarian grounds. He criticized the BJP for holding "unconstitutional" BBMB meetings and accused them of making anti-Punjab decisions to "rob" Punjab's water. "We are giving 4000 cusecs of water to Haryana on a humanitarian basis. But instead of giving thanks, decisions are being taken by unconstitutionally holding BBMB meetings. We will not tolerate coercion of any kind. On one side, there is an atmosphere of war in the country, on the other side BJP is trying to rob the waters of Punjab by taking anti-Punjab decisions. We also know how to protect borders and also know how to protect our water," he said. (ANI)
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday cornered Pakistan over its attempts to "wash its hands off" from terrorism and highlighted several instances of the involvement of the neighbouring country in spreading terror. Addressing a Ministry of External Affairs joint press briefing in New Delhi, the Foreign Secretary noted the relationship of Osama Bin Laden to Pakistan and other United Nations proscribed terrorists. "Pakistan is trying to wash its hands off any involvement with terrorism. I think the Pakistani Information Minister said there are no terrorists in Pakistan, and I think he was challenged on that in the television program that he was appearing on," Misri said. Further, Misri during the briefing displayed a photograph of Pakistan army personnel attending the funeral of terrorists killed in the Indian military strikes under Operation Sindoor and said that it is "odd that the funerals of civilians are carried out with the coffins being draped in Pakistani flags and state honours being accorded". "... It's also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out with coffins wrapped in their national flag, and state honours are being accorded. The individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving state funerals to terrorists may be a practice in Pakistan, but it doesn't seem to make much sense to us..." he said. "We have made the point very clearly that all attacks on the morning of May 7 were against carefully selected terrorist infrastructure, terrorist targets. In fact, seeing some of the coverage of the after effects of these strikes, including the funerals for the terrorists that are held yesterday, I think a lot of you have seen the reports and the coverage on media". "If only civilians, if any civilians were killed in these attacks, I wonder what message this picture actually sends to all of you. This is a question that is worth asking," Misri stated. To claims that India deliberately attacked religious sites, Vikram Misri said, the allegation is "completely false". "Yesterday, Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community of J&K- hitting a gurdwara in Poonch and hitting the Sikh community members, who came under attack. Three individuals were killed in the attacks... A total of 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch and several others have been injured," he said. "I think Pakistan's reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances where concrete evidence is available, not just to India, but to governments and authorities and agencies around the world. There are several terrorists attacks around the world where Pakistan's fingerprint has been found. I don't think I need to put the point in regards to this audience about where Osama Bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr," he added. Misri also exposed Pakistan for claiming that the terrorist Sajid Mir was dead and later claiming that he was arrested. "They claim that the terrorist Sajid Mir was dead, came under pressure, and Sajid Mir was then brought back to life, arrested and is now apparently in Pakistani custody. Pakistan is also home to very large number of UN proscribed terrorists as well as terrorists proscribed by others," the Foreign Secretary said. "You must have seen in the last few days, their Defence minister and former foreign minister accepted their country's involvement with such terror groups," Misri said. Further, Misri expressed a lack of confidence in Pakistan in their willingness of an investigation following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. "So in all of this, I think the experience has not been positive, and it certainly doesn't give us the confidence now to take at face value Pakistani assertions of wishing to participate in a joint investigation," Misri said. Misri also accused Pakistan of giving state funerals to terrorists eliminated under Operation Sindoor. Early on May 7 morning, India executed a coordinated assault using long-range high-precision strike weapons, destroying nine sites in Pok and deep inside Pakistan in an operation codenamed 'Sindoor'. Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the night of May 7. Over 100 terrorists were eliminated in a series of precision strikes, according to sources. The operation, aimed at avenging the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed, remains underway, making it challenging to provide an exact casualty count of the terrorists at this stage, sources further stated. Following the operation, military targets were engaged in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks. Indian Air Force S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence missile systems were fired last night against targets moving towards India. The targets were successfully neutralised in the operation, multiple domain experts told ANI. An official Government confirmation is awaited. This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised. (ANI)
Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna has officially communicated with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi about Justice Yashwant Varma and also shared the report of the Supreme Court-appointed three-member panel that inquired into alleged cash found at the residence of the then Delhi High Court judge on March 14. The correspondence includes a copy of the three-member committee report dated May 3, along with the response of Justice Varma, who is now an Allahabad High Court judge, received on May 6. Communication issued by the Supreme Court stated Chief Justice of India, in terms of the In-House Procedure, has written to the President of India and the Prime Minister of India enclosing therewith copy of the 3-Member Committee report dated May 3, along with the letter/response dated May 6, received from Justice Yashwant Varma. As per the in-house inquiry procedure, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) forwards the inquiry report to the government if an "executive action" is deemed necessary against the concerned judge. However, the Supreme Court has not yet made the inquiry report public. Earlier this week, the panel of judges tasked with conducting an internal inquiry into allegations of cash being discovered at the official residence of Justice Yashwant Varma submitted its report to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on May 4. According to an official communication from the Supreme Court, the three-member committee, comprising Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana; Justice GS Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh; and Justice Anu Sivaraman, Judge of the High Court of Karnataka, concluded its investigation and presented its findings in a report dated May 3, 2025, which was subsequently submitted to the Chief Justice of India on May 4. The Chief Justice of India constituted this committee on March 22 to examine the allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting judge of the High Court of Delhi. On April 5, Justice Yashwant Varma was sworn in as a judge of the Allahabad High Court under unusual and contentious circumstances. Departing from the customary public ceremony, his oath-taking was conducted privately, a decision that has garnered significant scrutiny. This development coincides with an ongoing investigation into allegations concerning the recovery of partially burned sacks of cash at his residence weeks prior. Despite his formal induction, Justice Varma has not been assigned any judicial or administrative responsibilities, according to court insiders. His transfer from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court has been met with skepticism, particularly following the filing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court. The PIL urged the Chief Justice to defer the swearing-in until the inquiry reached its conclusion. The controversy has elicited strong reactions from the legal community. The Allahabad High Court Bar Association has openly criticized the Collegium's decision, expressing its disapproval through a strongly worded letter addressed to the Chief Justice and other judges. The association condemned the appointment, declaring, "We are not a dumping ground," and called for enhanced transparency and accountability in judicial appointments. As the inquiry progresses, Justice Varma's future role within the Allahabad High Court remains uncertain. Legal experts and observers continue to monitor developments closely, as the situation has raised broader concerns regarding judicial integrity and the processes governing appointments within India's judiciary. According to the official website of the Allahabad High Court, Justice Varma obtained his Law degree from Rewa University in 1992 and was enrolled as an Advocate on August 8 of the same year. Over the course of his career, he primarily practiced civil law, handling cases related to Constitutional Law, Industrial Disputes, Corporate Matters, Taxation, Environmental Issues, and related fields. He served as special counsel for the Allahabad High Court from 2006 until his elevation in 2012. (ANI)
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema praised the Indian Armed Forces for their precision strike under 'Operation Sindoor' and said he would attend an all-party meeting if invited. "The precision strike carried out by our armed forces is commendable... Pakistan is not able to explain to the world how Indian action is wrong... Their army and government are still functioning and spreading misinformation... They are attacking our civilian areas near the border... I congratulate our forces on their professionalism... Had we been invited to the all-party meeting, we would have definitely attended, but we stand with our government and our forces," he told ANI on Thursday. The Centre called the all-party meeting on Thursday at the Parliament Annexe building regarding Operation Sindoor. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed the political parties on India's action on cross-border terrorism. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister JP Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi are among several other leaders who participated in the meeting. The meeting was convened to brief political leaders on the situation after Operation Sindoor--a series of precision missile strikes in the early hours on Wednesday, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. After India executed Operation Sindoor, in which nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan were destroyed, Pakistan attempted to engage several military targets on the night of May 7. The military targets were engaged in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from several locations that prove the Pakistani attacks. (ANI)
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Thursday observed a mock drill conducted in Sector 17 of Chandigarh and emphasised the importance of preparedness for emergencies such as fires and building collapses. "The mock drill has been conducted in Sector 17. Such situations can occur anytime, anywhere. I think of situations like a fire breaking out in a building, people getting trapped inside, or even a building collapsing," Kataria said. "For such incidents, our team is always prepared to carry out these tasks. Rescuing trapped individuals, providing medical assistance, and transporting them to the necessary facilities, all these responsibilities fall on our team," he added. Kataria noted that rescue operations sometimes require structural interventions. "If needed, we even have to cut through buildings to create passageways. That's why I think the machine shown here is capable of carrying out rescues even at great heights," he said. He acknowledged the difficulty of conducting rescues during severe fire incidents. "Sometimes buildings catch fire so intensely that even performing a rescue becomes extremely difficult. After the rescue, if there is any life left inside, then the NDRF team goes inside, carefully manages the situation within the building, and provides the specific kind of assistance needed by each individual," Kataria explained. Highlighting the importance of national security readiness, the Governor said the drill was part of broader preparedness efforts. "At this time, since there is some activity on the country's borders, we need to be fully prepared in every way, that is the reason for this initiative," he said. Kataria said the demonstration aimed to educate and involve youth. "All the children from NSS and NCC have been called here to observe this event--so that if ever needed, you too may have to become part of a rescue team and contribute," he said. "The purpose of this demonstration is to show that every person can help in a rescue. As for who will give instructions, that responsibility lies with the team leadership," he added. (ANI)
Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde on Thursday lauded the Indian armed forces for Operation Sindoor, stating that they have worked with full force to neutralise the terror camps in Pakistan. "The Army has taken a commendable step. They have worked with full force to neutralise these camps. I think that every person is standing with the Army with full force today," Shinde told ANI while speaking about the posters put up by Shiv Sena in Mumbai praising the Indian Army for Operation Sindoor. Speaking on the all-party meeting, the Shiv Sena MP stated that the Union Defence Minister in the meeting has conveyed that more than 100 terrorists were killed in the precision strikes. "The Defence minister informed us today that more than 100 terrorists were killed when we attacked terrorist camps..." Shinde said. An all-party meeting was convened today to brief political leaders on the ongoing tensions with Pakistan following India's military operation in the early hours of Wednesday, which targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The Centre called the all-party meeting over Operation Sindoor at the Parliament Annexe building. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed political parties on India's action on cross-border terrorism. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister JP Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi are among several other leaders who participated in the meeting. During the all-party meeting, the Congress party extended its full support to the central government. However, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's absence from the meeting, asking if the PM thought he was above the Parliament. Meanwhile, after India executed Operation Sindoor, in which nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan were destroyed, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the night of May 7. The military targets were engaged in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks. Indian Air Force S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence missile systems were fired last night against targets moving towards India. Multiple domain experts told ANI that the targets were successfully neutralised in the operation. An official Government confirmation is awaited. The Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised. Earlier, sources said that over 100 terrorists were eliminated with a series of precision strikes launched in the early hours of Wednesday. The operation, aimed at avenging the Pahalgam terror attack, remains underway, making it challenging to provide an exact casualty count of the terrorists at this stage, sources further stated. The strikes, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, targeted nine key terror camps in Pakistan linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Four of the targets were located inside Pakistan and the remaining five were situated in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The security forces targeted four terrorist camps in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya. The five other locations in PoJK on India's target were Markaz Ahle Hadith Barnala in Bhimber, Markaz Abbas and Maskar Raheel Shahid in Kotli, Shawai Nallah Camp, and Markaz Syedna Bilal, in Muzaffarabad. Meanwhile, Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy calibre artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military. (ANI)
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday praised the Indian Armed Forces for their precision strike under 'Operation Sindoor' and said that this "war is a war to end terrorism." "Under the leadership of PM Modi, our three forces have worked to wipe out the terrorists forever. Today, India has given a befitting reply to the terrorists through Operation Sindoor...This war is a war to end terrorism," Scindia told reporters. Early on May 7 morning, India executed a coordinated assault using long-range high-precision strike weapons, destroying nine sites in PoK and deep inside Pakistan in an operation codenamed 'Sindoor'. Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the night of May 7. Over 100 terrorists were eliminated in a series of precision strikes launched in the early hours of Wednesday, according to sources. The operation, aimed at avenging the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed, remains underway, making it challenging to provide an exact casualty count of the terrorists at this stage, sources further stated. Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised Pakistan military's attempts of a large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India during the night of May 7-8 and an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised. Addressing the Ministry of External Affairs' (MEA) press briefing on Thursday, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said that India's Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems successfully neutralised the threats. She further said that in response to Pakistan's attempted attacks, the Indian Armed Forces this morning targeted multiple air defence radars and systems across Pakistan. "This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," she said. Speaking about Wednesday's press briefing on 'Operation Sindoor', Colonel Qureshi said, "During the press briefing on operation Sindoor on 07 May 2025, India had called its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory. It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response." "On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," Colonel Qureshi said. Following the terror attack in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir in India on April 22, the Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday launched 'Operation Sindoor', carrying out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), days after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. (ANI)
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday held a detailed review meeting with Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and district officials from Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Poonch, and Rajouri to review the administrative arrangements and public confidence-building measures in the wake of the developments of the last two days. The meeting was mainly focused on public safety, civil defence, transport, bunkers, evacuee camps, medical care, and tackling fake news, following recent developments over the past two days. Dr Singh praised the district teams' quick action and stressed the need to face the situation with full government and public support under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. In a post on X, Dr Singh wrote, "With Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sh Ramesh Kumar and DMs/DCs of #Kathua, #Samba, #Jammu, #Poonch and #Rajouri, held a detailed review of the administrative arrangements and public confidence-building measures in the wake of the developments of the last two days. Must appreciate the prompt and effective steps taken by each of the concerned district teams." https://x.com/DrJitendraSingh/status/1920420193467011157 "All the officers spoke one by one and were forthcoming in offering inputs and update with regard to Civil Defence, transport, Bunkers upkeep, evacuee camps, medical care reinforcement etc. Also, directives are in place to check fake news and rumours through social media and other handles. We need to feel absolutely reassured under the astute stewardship of PM Sh@narendramodiand, deal with the situation with a "whole of government" + "whole of nation" approach," the post further reads. After India executed Operation Sindoor, in which nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan were destroyed, the Pakistan brass responded in Panic. Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the night of May 7. One was the military installations in Amritsar, and all the attempts were neutralised. The military targets were engaged in Northern and Western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks. (ANI)
The last rites of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, who was killed in a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control, were performed with full military honours on Thursday at his native village Mohammadpur in Palwal district. Lance Naik Kumar lost his life on May 7, 2025, during unprovoked firing by Pakistani forces along the LoC. Family members, residents, and officials from the armed forces and civil administration paid their final respects to the fallen soldier. The funeral ceremony was marked by a gun salute in honour of his sacrifice. Speaking to the media, Haryana Cabinet Minister Rajesh Nagar who attended the last rite of the Lamce Naik said, "All the countrymen are with the Army right now. They are proud of their army...Our Army will give a befitting reply. The nation stands with the family of Dinesh Kumar, who sacrificed his life while serving the country." Haryana Cabinet Minister Gaurav Gautam also said the entire country "bows down" to Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar for his sacrifice. Minister Gautam said, "The government and the Army are looking forward to avenging the terrorist activity. Dinesh Kumar has sacrificed his life in this process. The whole nation bows down to him for his sacrifice." Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi and all Ranks of the Indian Army paid tribute to Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, who was killed in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. In an official statement, the Indian Army said, "General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS and All Ranks of the Indian Army salute the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, who laid down his life on 07 May 2025 during ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control." The Army also extended its solidarity to the innocent civilians affected by the attacks, stating, "Indian Army stands in solidarity with the innocent civilians who are victims of attacks orchestrated through indiscriminate artillery shelling by the adversary in the #Poonch sector. The nefarious designs of our enemies have been and will continue to be thwarted with resolute and punitive action." Meanwhile, heart-wrenching visuals from his home showed his inconsolable wife, devastated parents, and a mourning village that gathered to pay their respects. Dinesh Kumar is survived by his wife, two children, parents, and siblings. Kapil, the brother of Dinesh Kumar, recounted the sequence of events to ANI. "At 4 AM, I received a call from his number. When I called back at 8 AM, his senior answered and informed me that my brother was in serious condition at the field hospital and was undergoing surgery. Later, when I called again, I was told that my brother was stable. But when I called the field hospital directly, I was informed that my brother had passed away," Kapil said. Earlier, the White Knight Corps on Wednesday confirmed the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5 Field Regiment was killed in the shelling that took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Confirming his death, the White Knight Corps posted on social media platform X, "GOC and all ranks of White Knight Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on 07 May 25 during Pakistan Army shelling." (ANI)
As India strikes against Pakistan in retaliation against the Pahalgam terror attack under 'Operation Sindoor', Janata Dal (Secular) Rajya Sabha member HD Devegowda wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, describing the central government's approach as "mature and restrained." "I write to you with a deep sense of appreciation, following India's mature and restrained military response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack on 7 May 2025. I have been watching the determined steps that you have taken from day one, when you cut short your visit to Saudi Arabia and rushed back to monitor the developing situation in India, conduct strategy meetings, mobilise international support and inspire our armed forces. You also later cancelled your tour of Europe to be available at home for all emergencies," Devegowda wrote to PM Modi. He further said that PM Modi's leadership has been "exemplary", and history will "undoubtedly" record it in glowing terms. "The past couple of weeks must have been very demanding and stressful, but I am happy that God has given you the strength and resolve to see India through these trying times. Your leadership has been exemplary, and history will undoubtedly record it in glowing terms," he added. The Janata Dal (Secular) Rajya Sabha member remarked that the Prime Minister's spiritual grounding and calm judgment were evident in how the situation was handled. "I know it is lonely at the top there, and I also know that without a spiritual sense, deep reflection, and continuous prayer, it is not easy to find balance and equanimity of judgment. You have demonstrated that you have it all in good measure in the last few days. It was evident on a number of occasions in the past too," the Janata Dal (Secular) Rajya Sabha member said. The leader invoked the values of "dharma" and prayed that divine strength would guide the Prime Minister and the country. "I pray that God be with you, and with our great nation as we wage this war of dharma against the adharma of terrorism. India is a peace-loving nation and has always. spread positive light in the world, but if someone sees it as our weakness, then, they now know, what we are capable of. The challenges we face may not certainly end here, but there is immense relief in the fact that we remain united as a nation. We suffer together but we also rise together as nation and one people," he said. On Wednesday morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted nine locations in deep areas of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under the Operation Sindoor. They launched strikes on several terrorist camps in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. (ANI)
The Indian Navy's maiden initiative of Indian Ocean Ship Sagar, jointly crewed by personnel from nine IOR Navies, concluded its month-long deployment in the South West Indian Ocean region (SW IOR) and returned to Kochi on Thursday. Vice Admiral V Srinivas, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, congratulated the crew of India and nine friendly foreign countries during the grand reception ceremony held at Naval Base, Kochi. In a post on X, the Indian Navy, wrote, "#IndianNavy's maiden initiative - Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR #IOS_SAGAR, returned to Kochi on #08May 25, on completion of one month long deployment in the SW Indian Ocean Region.VAdm V Srinivas, #FOCinC #SNC congratulated the ship's crew which included 44 personnel from 09 Friendly Foreign Countries, who jointly operated as a cohesive team truly reflecting the spirit of '#OneOcean #OneMission'." https://x.com/indiannavy/status/1920461494380064808 "The successful completion of the deployment marks a new chapter in #maritimecooperation and underscores India's commitment to safeguarding collective maritime interests, capacity building and enduring partnership with #IOR nations," the post further reads. The Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, flagged off the IOS Sagar from Karwar on April 5. During the deployment, the ship made port calls at Dar-es-Salaam, Nacala, Port Louis, Port Victoria, and Male. The mission's key highlights included joint naval exercises, professional and cultural exchanges, and joint EEZ surveillance of key IOR nations: Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Seychelles. Strengthening regional maritime cooperation between India and African nations, the ship participated in AIKEYME 2025 alongside INS Chennai & INS Kesari, which was jointly hosted by India and Tanzania from 13 to 18 April 25. The exercise provided an opportunity for the crew of lOS Sagar to participate in the joint harbour phase and interact with the participating Navies. At Mozambique, a range of collaborative activities and community engagements were held promoting operational synergy and interoperability with the Mozambique Navy. Reinforcing the enduring bond between India and Mauritius, the crew of IOS Sagar had fruitful engagement with the Mauritius Police Force and undertook coordinated patrol with the Mauritius Coast Guard. Visit to Port Victoria, Seychelles was marked with cross deck visits, training exchange, joint Yoga sessions and maritime engagement with Seychelles Defence Force. The ship held collaborative maritime security and regional outreach mission at Maldives prior to entering Kochi. This deployment exemplifies Indian Navy's continued engagement with regional Navies and maritime security stakeholders of IOR nations to train together, exchange best practices and enhance interoperability and mutual understanding. It was a unique experience for the 44 international crew of nine partner nations, Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Tanzania who jointly manned the ship alongside Indian Navy crew, truly signifying the motto of 'One Ocean One Mission'. The journey of IOS Sagar which commenced with the combined harbour and sea training phase at SNC, Kochi in March 25 has been truly memorable for all the crew members. The professional and seamless integration of the international crew working together as a well knit and cohesive team truly reflects the spirit of camaraderie and maritime friendship. The mission is a testament to Indian Navy's commitment as the 'First Responder' and 'Preferred Security Partner' in IOR towards the Gol's strategic vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Region). (ANI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared her firm support for India's fight against terrorism, affirming that the state stands in solidarity with the national effort to confront threats in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "Today, the Minister held a meeting with 7-8 Chief Ministers from border areas. We also convened discussions with key officials from the central and State departments. We will stand shoulder to shoulder in this battle alongside those fighting against terrorism and the Pahalgam terror attack. At this moment, there should be no disagreements among us; we are all united in our commitment to work for the country with this shared mindset.

On Wednesday, a civil defence mock drill was conducted at a Siliguri, West Bengal school, where security personnel briefed students and teachers on crisis preparedness.

Meanwhile, a mock drill was held at key locations in Maharashtra's Mumbai, including the Maidan and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).

On Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had instructed all states and union territories to evaluate preparedness against "new and complex threats."

The drills are being carried out across major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Gwalior, and Jaipur, to evaluate local response capabilities to security challenges.

Following the terror attack in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir in India on April 22, the Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday launched 'Operation Sindoor', carrying out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

This operation was a retaliatory response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including one Nepali national. (ANI)
The dam water is released due to heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir, which might cause floods in the region.

The official said several vehicles have been halted on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway due to a landslide in Chamba.

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Deputy Traffic Inspector (DTI) Udhampur, Javed Kataria, said, "A landslide happened in Chamba due to heavy rainfall in the region. That's why the roads are completely blocked. The restoration work is going on under the supervision of senior officials...Hopefully, the road will be open again in 3-4 hours."

Earlier on May 6, all gates of the Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project Dam were closed, even as a limited volume of water continues to flow downstream after India suspended the 1960 Indus Water Treaty post Pahalgam terror attack.

This comes days after India announced it would hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, following the terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead.

The Baglihar Dam, a key hydroelectric power project on the Chenab River, has been at the centre of past disputes between India and Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty framework.

The move gained strong support from the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. They have condemned Pakistan's actions, warning that continued provocation could lead to war and reiterating support for India's recent measures.

Following the Pahalgam attack, India has taken strong countermeasures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism.

In the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 23, India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism and closes the integrated Attari Check Post. (ANI)
Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar on Thursday condemned Pakistan's attacks and called them a provocation. Majumdar emphasised that India had previously responded to such attacks without harming civilians or Army posts and vowed to continue defending against any further aggression, further adding that India will respond to every attack. Speaking to ANI, Majumdar said, "Such attacks by Pakistan are a kind of provocation. India had attacked militant hideouts in response to the Pahalgam incident, but neither civilians nor Army posts were attacked. Pakistan tried to attack military installations at several places in India yesterday, which was neutralised by our air defence system. The confrontation is still going on. India will respond to every attack." Earlier in the day, addressing the Ministry of External Affairs' (MEA) press briefing, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said that India's Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems successfully neutralised the threats. Colonel Qureshi further said that in response to Pakistan's attempted attacks, the Indian Armed Forces on Thursday targeted multiple air defence radars and systems across Pakistan. "This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," Colonel said. Speaking about Wednesday's press briefing on 'Operation Sindoor', Colonel Qureshi said, "During the press briefing on operation Sindoor on 07 May 2025, India had called its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory. It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response." "On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," Colonel Qureshi said. Following the terror attack in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir in India on April 22, the Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday launched 'Operation Sindoor', carrying out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), days after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. (ANI)
According to a press statement, the Ld. Court of Spl. Judge for CBI cases, Lucknow, fined Rs. 4.45 lakh in a case related to the misappropriation of Government funds.

Accused Shiv Ganesh Tripathi, then Assistant Postmaster, Jawahar Lal, then Assistant Postmaster, Om Prakash Singh, then Ledger Clerk, Dile Ram, then Ledger Clerk, and Zakir Hussain, Ledger Clerk of Banda Head Post Office were sentenced to 10 years' RI with a fine of Rs. 70,000/- each, while Prahlad Singh, Ex-Postal Assistant (Pvt. Person), was sentenced to 7 years' RI with a fine of Rs. 95,000/-, as stated in the release.

The CBI registered the case on June 9, 2009, against the accused, including those convicted, on allegations that they misappropriated Government money to the tune of Rs. 11,03,163/--by preparing false and forged documents for payment and by making excess payments on RD accounts beyond the admissible amounts, thereby causing wrongful loss to the Department of Post, Govt. of India, and corresponding wrongful gain to themselves.

After investigation, a chargesheet was filed by CBI on 15.06.2010 against the accused, who have now been convicted and sentenced by the Court. (ANI)
With India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, author and Advaita teacher Acharya Prashant has said that there are times when the right response can be in the form of inflicting damage on someone who is not ready to understand any other language. In an interview with ANI, he also questioned Pakistan's aggressiveness towards India, saying that "the (Pakistan) army benefits when Pakistan gets destroyed". "There are times when the right response can be in the form of inflicting damage on someone who is not ready to understand any other language...How come a country on the brink of bankruptcy like Pakistan can afford to fight a war in these circumstances, such an expensive war. India is far too big to be engaged in war from the perspective of a smaller country like Pakistan. They are doing it because they are not really a democracy. They have never really been a democracy. The army benefits when Pakistan gets destroyed," he said. He underscored that war becomes necessary when all efforts for peace have failed. "So it is not war that is forbidden--it is bloodlust, ego, and unconsciousness that are. What is forbidden is an ego-driven response. What is forbidden is bloodlust. When you have that emotional, ego-driven frenzy riding your head, then you totally forget what you are doing--to yourself and your nation," he said. Acharya Prashant said that war comes at an enormous financial cost, noting that a single advanced fighter jet can cost upwards of Rs 2,500 crore and a day of conventional warfare can cost Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 crore. "And for a country like Pakistan, whose economy is nearly ten times smaller than India's, the cost will be even more staggering," he said. He attributed this irrationality to Pakistan's military establishment. "Pakistan is not really a democracy. It's the army that calls the shots. And the army benefits when Pakistan gets destroyed, because their very existence is based on enmity with India. That is the twisted logic they operate on." Acharya Prashant said Pakistani army thrives on enmity with India to justify its dominance. He said India is not against people of Pakistan. "We are up against an army that does not have Pakistan's own interests at heart. Their very identity is built around hostility towards India," he said. He said Pakistan cannot afford a war with India. "Global pressure will build, as conflict here affects international trade and supply lines...But stable peace will remain elusive until the ideological roots of the conflict--particularly distorted interpretations of religion--are addressed...This whole conflict is rooted in a religious misinterpretation--the two-nation theory," he said. He said when Pakistan realizes that a war with India is economically unbearable, it will be forced to scale down. "A nation that truly knows why it exists will not be easily provoked. Pakistan, in its current form, seeks attention through aggression. That's what happens when a country lacks a constructive vision. We must resist being dragged into battles that ultimately serve to distract and divide. Respond when you must, but with 'vivek' (discernment). Fight when you have to, but never let the enemy enter your mind. That is where the real war is won or lost," he said. He stressed the need for self-awareness--both in individuals and nations. "Those who do not know who they are, are most prone to war. The Pakistani army, with nothing meaningful to do, needs violence to feel relevant. Before the Pahalgam attack, nobody was even talking about Pakistan. And now they have your attention," he said. Acharya Prashant said India has ambitions that stretch far beyond the region. "We aim to be a global hub of innovation, education, and human development. Engaging in costly wars only serves the interests of those who wish to slow us down--especially countries like China," he said. Answering a query, he said when public debate is dominated by hawks and sensationalism, and when mature, balanced voices are drowned out, "that is a sign we're losing our spiritual and rational grounding". "A democracy must think, must choose wisely. If in the public domain you are finding only hawks, if there are no level-headed voices, that's a red alert. The public is being instigated constantly. Then you should know that we're surrendering our thinking to the enemy," he said. He warned that true enemies win "when they occupy our minds". "They want to make you mad. They want you to stop thinking and start reacting." India carried out precision strikes on early Wednesday on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupited Jammu and Kashmir in response to Pahalgam terror attack last month. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Delhi government over a plea that sought a delay in the construction of a trauma centre in memory of the victims of the Uphaar fire tragedy that took the lives of 59 people. While allowing the plea filed by the association of victims in the Uphaar tragedy (AVUT), a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued notices to the respondents, the Ansal brothers, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).The bench also allowed the AVUT's request to implead the Delhi government in the case and issued notice to it. As per the 2015 judgment of the Supreme Court in this case, a fine of Rs 60 crores was imposed on the Ansal Brothers (owners of Uphaar cinema) after they were found guilty of criminal negligence that had led to the tragedy. The amount was subsequently deposited with the Delhi government's Chief Secretary to construct a trauma centre in memory of the victims. However, on Wednesday, the association of victims in the Uphaar tragedy (AVUT) informed the Supreme Court that ten years had elapsed since the Court's direction in this regard, and no progress has been made to date. "The funds allocated for the Trauma Centre continue to remain unutilized, and the proposed facility remains a mere concept on paper. The continued inaction and lethargy exhibited by the concerned authorities, despite the clear mandate of this Hon'ble Court, reflects an alarming disregard not only towards judicial directions, but also towards the need for improved healthcare infrastructure", the plea reads. After hearing submissions in the matter on Wednesday, the top court sought the response of the aforesaid parties in the case. Advocate Diksha Rai represented AVUT in the matter. After the Ansal brothers were found guilty of criminal negligence, they were sentenced to two-years of rigorous imprisonment by the top-court. However, subsequently one-year sentence was reduced on the condition that the Ansal's jointly deposit a fine of Rs 60 crores with the government. The fine was directed to be paid by way of a demand draft to the Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government within three months and was directed to be used for the purpose of establishing a trauma centre. (ANI)
Pakistan Army resorted to firing on Thursday night across the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri, Kupwara, Tangdhar, and Karnah sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, violating the ceasefire. Pakistan fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia, and all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units, defence sources said. The sources said visuals over Jammu remind one of exactly a Hamas-style attack on Israel, like multiple cheap rockets. Pakistan Army is operating and behaving like a terrorist organisation, Hamas. Last month, ISI and Hamas met in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Explosions were heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani drones were intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer. Explosions were heard, and flashes were seen in the sky. A complete blackout has been enforced in Bikaner, Rajasthan, and Jalandhar, Punjab. Blackouts have also been enforced in Kishtwar, Akhnoor, Samba, Jammu, and Amritsar, Jalandhar. Escalating its tensions with India, Pakistan targeted Jammu with loitering munitions on Thursday, and Indian Air Defence guns are firing back. India had responded to the Pahalgam terror attack through Operation Sindoor, in which terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pok was targeted through precision strikes. India also said that any attack on military installations will invite a suitable response. It said that this morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. The Indian response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan's. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised. The statement said earlier, Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy-calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)
Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas on Thursday expressed support for the government's actions against terrorism, stating that all political parties back the armed forces' efforts. However, he also emphasised the need for caution to avoid escalating the situation. Speaking to ANI, CPI-M MP John Brittas said, "All the political parties express their profound support for the actions of our armed forces...We are also committed to support the government in any steps to counter terror. At the same time, we also said that there shouldn't be any steps to escalate the situation...On behalf of my political party...we also said that being a mature democracy, we should also try to de-escalate the situation...There has been a demand for the presence of the Prime Minister in the all-party meeting." The Union government held an all-party meeting to brief the various political parties about the affirmative action taken during Operation Sindoor, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday. The operation had targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan, and all nine were destroyed. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed political parties on India's action on cross-border terrorism. The Congress party has extended its full support to the Central government during an all-party meeting. However, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's absence from the meeting, asking if the PM thought he was above the Parliament. Kharge, speaking to the media after the meeting, said, "We heard what was said (by the government). They said for the interest of the country, anything based on national security was confidential and they couldn't say anything about it. However, all the party members who were present said that in this hour of crisis, we are all with them and told them to keep doing the work, and we will support them for the interest of the country." Despite the show of unity, Kharge took a sharp dig at PM Modi for skipping the meeting, marking his second consecutive absence from such discussions."Last time he was not there, and this time he isn't there either. He intends that he thinks he is above the Parliament. When the time comes, we will ask, but now it is a time of crisis, and we don't want to criticise anyone," Kharge remarked. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who attended the meeting, reaffirmed Congress's support for the government's actions in the national interest. "We gave our full support. As Kharge ji said, these things can't be discussed. But everyone supported," Gandhi stated, emphasising the need for unity during the crisis. Meanwhile, Kiren Rijiju said that Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting and members of each party were briefed about the operation conducted by the Indian Armed Forces. Kiren Rijiju emphasised that all the leaders have showcased "maturity" and asserted that at the present time, all are "together". "The meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who briefed everyone about the Operation Sindoor, and all the leaders gave their suggestions. All the leaders have shown maturity at a time when we are all working together. Everyone has hailed and congratulated the armed forces for Operation Sindoor, and said that we will support the government and armed forces. We have received a few suggestions as well... The Defence Minister said we don't form the government just to rule", Kiren Rijiju told reporters after the meeting."Political parties are the voice of the people and the leaders speaking in one voice. I think it is also one of our successes... It is not good to tell about the continuation of things that are going on after the first strike of Operation Sindoor, and hence, officials were not called in the meeting," he said. Rijiju also urged all parties not to rely on unverified news, "Many fake news is being propagated to spread fake news, and hence, I appeal to all in this time not to trust any fake news coming out of the country or from within the country and to trust only authentic information." Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister JP Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi are among several other leaders who participated in the meeting. (ANI)
A Pakistani Air Force jet was shot down by Indian air defence systems in the Pathankot sector of Punjab, multiple sources told ANI on Friday. Official confirmation from the government is still awaited, and more details are expected soon. Earlier in the day, Defence sources said that the Indian Army also shot down two Pakistani drones in the Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir. This happened during a heavy exchange of artillery fire between Indian and Pakistani forces in the area. According to the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, Pakistan also tried to target military stations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, which are close to the International Border (IB). However, the Indian Armed Forces successfully responded to the attack, and no loss of life was reported. In a post on social media platform X, the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff stated: "Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu and Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by Indian Armed Forces as per SoP with kinetic and non-kinetic means." Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting on Thursday with the Director Generals of all border guarding forces to review the current security situation along India's borders. The meeting was focused on evaluating the preparedness and readiness of Indian forces after Pakistan launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Indian regions, including Jammu and Rajasthan. Targeted areas included Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, Arnia, and Jaisalmer. All incoming missiles were intercepted by Indian air defence systems, and no major damage was reported. In a separate meeting, the Home Minister also reviewed the security at airports across India with the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), in view of the heightened alert at key infrastructure locations. These incidents follow India's launch of "Operation Sindoor" on May 7. As part of this operation, the Indian Armed Forces carried out missile strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). According to Indian officials, the strikes targeted terrorist infrastructure linked to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The operation came in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 28 civilians. (ANI)
In a post on X, the Group praised the bravery and precision shown by the Indian Armed Forces during the operation.

"We at the Mahindra Group stand in admiration and deep respect for the bravery and precision demonstrated by the Indian Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor. This mission reflects the unwavering resolve of a nation that refuses to bend in the face of terror," the post on X read.

The Group also applauded the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and stated that India had sent a clear and powerful message, clearly stating that India would not tolerate acts of terror on its soil.

"Under the decisive leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has sent a clear and powerful message; our nation will not tolerate acts of terror on our soil or threats to our people. Operation Sindoor is a proud reaffirmation of India's strengths, sovereignty and spirit," the post further read.

Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, involved precision strikes by the Indian Army on nine terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), Indian officials said.

According to Indian officials, the strikes targeted infrastructure linked to terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The operation was carried out in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 innocent civilians. (ANI)
Ukraine on Wednesday urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint amid escalating tensions between the two nations following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called for both countries to avoid actions that could worsen the regional security situation and instead focus on diplomacy. "At the background of the escalation of situation between India and Pakistan, we call on both parties to maintain composure and pursue meaningful diplomatic engagement. It is crucial to avoid actions that could further deteriorate the security situation in the South Asian region and instead prioritize diplomatic solution to all contentious issues," the statement read. Ukraine further said it supports all efforts aimed at restoring peace. "Ukraine actively supports all measures aimed at restoring peace and stability in the region and advocates for the immediate de-escalation of tensions," the statement added. The Ministry also said it would continue monitoring the situation closely and back international efforts to maintain regional peace. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will closely observe further developments and continue to support international initiatives and efforts towards ensuring peace and stability in South Asia," the statement said. Earlier in the day, Singapore also issued a travel advisory for its citizens, urging them to defer non-essential travel to India's Jammu & Kashmir and to Pakistan. It cited the "volatile security situation" and advised extra caution, especially in border areas. "In view of the volatile security situation between India and Pakistan, Singaporeans are advised to defer all non-essential travel to Jammu & Kashmir in India, and to Pakistan. Travellers should exercise precaution, especially at the border regions between Pakistan and India," the statement read. Meanwhile, the Indian Army is closely monitoring the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian forces conducted precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under Operation Sindoor, defence officials said on Wednesday. (ANI)
In light of rising tensions in the region following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Singapore has issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to defer all non-essential travel to India's Jammu & Kashmir and to Pakistan. "In view of the volatile security situation between India and Pakistan, Singaporeans are advised to defer all non-essential travel to Jammu & Kashmir in India, and to Pakistan. Travellers should exercise precaution, especially at the border regions between Pakistan and India," the statement read. The advisory further said that Singaporeans must exercise all cautions for their safety, including e-registering with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Singaporeans in India and Pakistan are advised to remain vigilant and take all necessary precautions for personal safety, including avoiding large gatherings, monitoring local news closely, heeding instructions of local authorities, and eRegistering with MFA at https://eregister.mfa.gov.sg," the advisory read. The advisory further provided contact details for the embassy and consulates, should anyone require their assistance. "Singaporeans in India and Pakistan who require consular assistance should contact: High Commission of the Republic of Singapore in New Delhi- Address: E-6 Chandragupta Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021, 24hour duty mobile phone: +91-981-020-3595, Landline: +91-11-4600-0800, Email: singhc_del@mfa.sg". "Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore in Chennai- 17-A North Boag Road, T.Nagar, Chennai- 600017, Tamil Nadu. 24hour duty mobile phone: +91-984-003-3136, Landline: +91-44-2815-8207, Email: singcon_maa@mfa.sg". "Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore in Mumbai- 152, 14th Floor, Maker Chambers IV, 222, Jamnalal Bajaj Road, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400-02. 24hour duty mobile phone: +91-829-103-2836, Landline: +91-22-6150-2900. Email: singcon_bom@mfa.sg" the advisory read. Meanwhile, the Indian Army is closely monitoring the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian forces conducted precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, defence officials said on Wednesday. (ANI)
UK Member of Parliament Priti Patel condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and called on the British government to strengthen counter-terror cooperation with India. Speaking in the UK House of Commons, Patel reiterated her condolences to the victims and urged the UK to recognise the cross-border terror threat posed by groups operating from Pakistan. https://x.com/pritipatel/status/1920170538225287309 "On the 22nd of April, terrorists brutally killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam in a barbaric and savage act of violence. Most victims were killed at point-blank range by gunshots to their heads. My thoughts and prayers were with all those that were affected by this murderous, violent terrorism in Pahalgam," she said. Patel remarked that Pahalgam had now joined the list of Indian cities like Mumbai and New Delhi that had been scarred by acts of terrorism. "This was an act of terrorism and we must reflect on the fact that Pahalgam has joined Mumbai, New Delhi and other places in India that will be forever scarred by an act of terror," she said. While advocating for de-escalation between India and Pakistan, Patel stressed that the UK must also acknowledge the threat posed by Pakistan-based terror groups. "Mr Speaker, this is clearly a precarious moment and we want to see tensions ease between India and Pakistan. We want to avoid a state-on-state military escalation. We're also clear that India has the right to take reasonable and proportionate steps to defend itself and to dismantle the vile terrorist infrastructure that has caused death and continues to threaten them. And we know that terrorists based in Pakistan threaten India and Western interests," he said. Patel also highlighted the importance of the UK's security cooperation with India, pointing to the history of terrorism that India has faced and Pakistan's past harbouring of terrorists. "It was the country that Osama bin Laden was hiding in. And because of the long history of violence inflected by terrorists on India, the UK has in place longstanding security cooperation agreements with India. And in fact, last weekend, this House reminded the government of those longstanding security agreements, why they exist and why they should matter to us here in the UK," he said. Calling for more active UK involvement, she urged the government to work with allies to counter global terrorism. "Given these links, the UK government should be at the forefront of working with our friends and allies to tackle the terrorist threats that we face collectively. While I know the Minister will not be able to speak about intelligence sharing between UK and India, can he at least confirm whether our intelligence and security services have been in contact with India about the incidents that took place and are supporting their investigations?" she said. Patel asked whether the UK had provided any security assistance to India after the Pahalgam attack. "Has the government provided any specific security assistance to India in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Kashmir? Could Britain offer specific support that might help avert escalation?" she asked. She also sought clarity on the UK's stance on the group that claimed responsibility. "Does the Minister agree with the assessment made by India that the resistance front, claim responsibility for the 22nd April attacks, are a front for Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba?" she added. Patel further linked Lashkar-e-Taiba to other global terror networks, including Hamas. "Lashkar-e-Taiba are a prescribed terrorist group who have a clear history of committing acts of terror against India and have reported links to Hamas, including reports that Hamas representatives have met with them earlier this year. Can the Minister confirm if the UK government is aware of any cooperation and links between Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hamas?" she said. She pressed the UK government to clarify which terror outfits were currently active in Pakistan that could threaten the UK and its allies. "Does the Minister know which terror groups are currently operating in Pakistan and their links to other terrorist groups that threaten our interests?" she said. Patel also asked about diplomatic engagement between India and Pakistan following the attack. "Last week the Minister said we are playing our role by trying to ensure that tensions do not escalate. The British government does have a role to play and needs to leverage its influence to help ease tensions. So can the Minister inform the House- what are the direct discussions that are taking place between India and Pakistan governments since those attacks two weeks ago?" she asked. "Was the UK informed in advance of the actions being undertaken and does the Minister have a plan to support easing these tensions? The Minister has referred to the Foreign Secretary's calls with counterparts and engagement," she added. Patel pushed for clarity on whether UK aid to Pakistan was monitored to ensure it did not fall into the wrong hands. "Can he give more evidence of those discussions? Have Ministers undertaken an assessment of the terrorist infrastructure based in Pakistan? Has the Minister had discussions with the Pakistan government on this matter? And can Ministers give assurances that there are sufficient measures in place to ensure that no British aid to Pakistan, either bilaterally or through multilateral sources, has ended up in the wrong hands?" she said. Patel asked for an update in the actions that would be taken by the government to prevent the escalation of tensions. "Would these questions in mind the diaspora communities here in the UK have strong links to both India and Pakistan, as the Minister has said. So can he give an update on the actions that will be taken to prevent the escalation of tensions impacting on communities in our country?" she asked. the UK MP further asked the details of extra consular assistance to both the countries. "Can he give details of extra consular capacity and support the UK will be giving to the High Commission in both countries and provide consular support to British nationals in Pakistan and India?" she said. Patel finally asked if the government would tell their findings on whether the terrorists are working with other actors. "And finally, will the Minister now be more forthcoming with the House about the Government's assessment as to who carried out the terror attack in Kashmir, whether they were working with any other malign actors and whether he is working through the security implications for the UK," she said. Meanwhile, the Indian Army is closely monitoring the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian forces conducted precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under Operation Sindoor, defence officials said on Wednesday. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday (local time) that Casey Means will be nominated as the next Surgeon General of the US. Trump said that Casey has 'Make America Healthy Again' credentials, and will work closely with Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F Kennedy Jr. https://x.com/CaseyMeansMD/status/1920234561595654185 "I am pleased to announce that Dr. Casey Means, will be nominated as our next Surgeon General of the United States of America. Casey has impeccable "MAHA" credentials, and will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans," he said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said Nesheiwat, a former Fox News contributor, would work with Kennedy "in another capacity" at the health and human services department. "Her academic achievements, together with her life's work, are absolutely outstanding. Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History. Congratulations to Casey! Secretary Kennedy looks forward to working with Dr. Janette Nesheiwat in another capacity at HHS. Thank you for your attention to this matter," he stated. Nesheiwat was scheduled to appear before the Senate health committee on Thursday, but her nomination ran into trouble on two fronts. Laura Loomer, a conservative activist whom Trump has listened to on other personnel matters, called for a new surgeon general nominee, arguing Nesheiwat "is not ideologically aligned" with the president, New York Times reported. Reports have also raised questions about the veracity of Nesheiwat's resume, as per NYT. She is the sister-in-law of Michael Waltz, who served as Trump's national security adviser until last week. Trump said he would nominate Waltz to be the ambassador to the United Nations, as per NYT. (ANI)
Bilateral trade poised for steady growth

08:22, May 08, 2025 By Zhong Nan ( China Daily

China-Russia trade is expected to maintain growth momentum in the coming years, as both countries are actively strengthening business ties in manufacturing, green industries, cross-border e-commerce and other emerging sectors, said market watchers and exporters.

They said that with the improvement of logistics infrastructure, the rapid growth of China-Europe freight train services, and rising demand for high-quality products on both sides, bilateral trade is set to grow steadily in the years ahead.

Highlighting that China has been Russia's top trading partner for 15 consecutive years, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said that Sino-Russian trade has proved resilient amid external pressures, underpinned by strong drivers and complementary strengths.

Over 95 percent of bilateral trade is now settled in local currencies, said Zhang, adding that cooperation in traditional areas such as trade, investment, energy and aerospace continues to advance steadily, while collaboration in emerging sectors  including the digital economy, e-commerce, green energy, and scientific and technological innovation  is rapidly expanding.

Wan Zhe, a professor at Beijing Normal University who specializes in regional economic development, said Chinese exporters are intensifying efforts to provide products and services more suitable for the Russian market, while Russian companies are expanding their footprint in China with upgraded agricultural goods, food products, and energy supplies.

Against the backdrop of a sluggish global economic recovery, pragmatic cooperation between China and Russia has defied the trend, showing notable growth in volume, improvement in quality, and overall stability, according to China's General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China and Russia have seen strong momentum in emerging sectors such as scientific and technological innovation, vehicle manufacturing, cross-border e-commerce, and medical equipment.

Bilateral trade reached $244.8 billion in 2024, marking a 1.9 percent year-on-year increase and representing a 48-fold increase over levels in the early 1990s.

Metals, crude oil, natural gas, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, agricultural goods and chemical products are Russia's main shipments to China, said China's General Administration of Customs.

China exports mainly construction machinery, manufacturing equipment, steel, electronics, textiles, garments and household appliances to Russia. Chinese-made passenger vehicles and smartphones have also become popular in Russia in recent years.

Yi Xinlei, an associate researcher at East China Normal University's Center for Russian Studies in Shanghai, said that China will continue to deepen cooperation with Russia by consolidating trade in energy, minerals and agricultural and forestry products, while also fostering new growth areas in the digital economy, cross-border e-commerce and trade in services.

"Most imports between China and Russia are complementary rather than competitive," said Yi. "It is only natural for both countries to introduce new measures aimed at optimizing the trade structure and nurturing fresh drivers of growth to sustain the current momentum."

Huayu Electrical Appliance Group, a Ningbo, Zhejiang province-based company, saw its export value of small household appliances  mainly air fryers  to Russia reach 14.54 million yuan ($2 million) in the first quarter, jumping 72.4 percent year-on-year, statistics from Ningbo Customs showed.

"Fried foods are an essential part of daily life in Russian households. Air fryers are not only easy to use, but compared with traditional ovens and microwaves, they are smaller, lighter and easier to move and clean, as well as well-suited to consumer needs for automation, remote control, and personalized settings," said Li Xi, head of the company's foreign trade unit.

Li said the company launched trial sales of its air fryer series in Russia in February 2024. The products were quickly embraced by Russian consumers, leading to a surge in demand.

Also upbeat about the Russian market, Lei Qingping, vice-president of Zhejiang Sanhe Kitchenware, a Ningbo-based producer, said Russia has been one of the company's key target markets in recent years.

"We have developed specialized products tailored to Russian cooking habits, and the market response has so far validated our strategy," said Lei.

Sanhe has achieved strong performance in the Russian market, with exports reaching 9.16 million yuan between January and March, up 70.7 percent year-on-year, according to Ningbo Customs.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
In a key diplomatic development aimed at bolstering strategic ties, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to co-chair the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting. The high-level dialogue comes as both nations mark the 75th anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty. Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, welcomed the visiting dignitary and highlighted the significance of the occasion. In a post on X, Jaiswal said, "Warm welcome to FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi, as he arrives in New Delhi for the India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting. An opportunity to review and enhance bilateral cooperation on the 75th Anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty." https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1920287226375680008 Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, is on a two-day visit to New Delhi from Wednesday to co-chair the 20th Joint Commission Meeting with India, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Further, the Ministry noted that it is Araghchi's first visit to India since assuming office as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran in August 2024. The Joint Commission Meeting, being held on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the signing of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty, will review issues of mutual interest between the two countries and the way forward in strengthening bilateral relations, as per the release. During his visit, Araghchi will hold a bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at Hyderabad House on May 8. Later in the day, he will meet President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Earlier on Monday, the Embassy of Iran in India said that the Iranian Foreign Minister would visit India after a stop in Islamabad, where he would hold talks with Pakistani officials. On April 25, the Iranian Foreign Minister had given a call for peace to prevail in the neighbourhood in a post on X. His call for peace came in the wake of the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which targeted tourists, killing 26 people. (ANI)
After India's successful execution of the counter-terror offensive under 'Operation Sindoor' in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on Wednesday, a hotbed of terror activity in Bahawalpur city of Punjab was reduced to rubble. Bhawalpur hosts the Markaz Subhan Allah, operational since 2015, the main centre of Jaish-e-Mohammad for training and indoctrination and serves as operational headquarter of JeM. It is associated with terrorist plannings by JeM including Pulwama attack on Feb 14, 2019. The Markaz consists of residences of JeM Chief Maulana Masood Azhar, de-facto Chief of JeM Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, Maulana Ammar and other family members of Masood Azhar. Masood Azhar has made several addresses from this facility extolling anti - India rhetoric and appealing to youth to join Islamic Jihad. JeM conducts regular arms, physical and religious training for its cadres at Markaz Subhan Allah. The visuals obtained by Reuters show the terror infrastructure in Bahawalpur completely destroyed following the missile strikes carried out by the Indian Armed Forces under 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday. Addressing a press briefing on 'Operation Sindoor' in Delhi on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the objectives of the operation. A total of nine terror sites in Pakistan including five in PoJK linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) were targeted with meticulous planning to avoid civilian casualties. Colonel Qureshi detailed the targeted camps, stating that the four terrorist camps destroyed in Pakistan are Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya. She also confirmed the destruction of Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, located 100 km inside Pakistan, stating, "It was the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed, targeted by Indian Armed Forces." Wing Commander Vyomika Singh elaborated on the operation's strategic intent, stating, "'Operation Sindoor' was a retaliation to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 to serve justice to the innocent victims and their families. Nine terror camps were targeted and destroyed." She revealed that Pakistan has maintained a complex terror infrastructure for three decades, comprising 21 recruitment, indoctrination, and launch pad centres across Pakistan and PoJK. "The targets for Operation Sindoor were based on credible intelligence inputs and locations that were so selected to avoid damage to civilian infrastructure and loss of civilian lives," Singh added, underscoring the operation's precision. The strikes, executed between 1:05 am and 1:30 am on Wednesday, involved a coordinated effort by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting key facilities like the JeM and LeT bases in Pakistan as well as PoJK. (ANI)
Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has temporarily suspended flight operations at airports in Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot, Aaj News reported. According to PAA, the airports in Lahore and Sialkot will remain unavailable for all flights until 12 pm on Thursday (local time). The flight schedules of both domestic and international flights have been impacted due to the suspension, Aaj News reported. Passengers have been asked to contact their respective airlines to get updates regarding their flight timings and possible delays. The development comes after Indian forces on Wednesday carried out precision strikes at the terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people and injured several others. The Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday shared details about Operation Sindoor, a targeted strike mission to destroy terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK Addressing a press briefing in Delhi on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the objectives of the operation and provided details on destroyed terrorist camps. Four of the nine targeted terrorist camps are in Pakistan and the remaining in PoJK. The operation, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, dismantled terror infrastructure linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Colonel Qureshi detailed the targeted camps, stating that the four terrorist camps destroyed in Pakistan are Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya. "First is Sarjal camp, Sialkot, which lies 6 km inside Pakistan... It's the camp where those terrorists involved in the March 2025 killing of four Jammu and Kashmir police personnel received their training," she said. She also confirmed the destruction of Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, located 100 km inside Pakistan, stating, "It was the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed, targeted by Indian Armed Forces." Wing Commander Vyomika Singh elaborated on the operation's strategic intent, stating, "'Operation Sindoor' was a retaliation to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 to serve justice to the innocent victims and their families. She revealed that Pakistan has maintained a complex terror infrastructure for three decades, comprising 21 recruitment, indoctrination, and launch pad centres across Pakistan and PoJK. Emphasising the operation's precision, Qureshi clarified, "No military installation was targeted, and till now there are no reports of civilian casualties in Pakistan." The strikes, conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am early on Wednesday, were a coordinated effort by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) based on credible intelligence. (ANI)
In the wake of missile strikes carried out by India on terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on Wednesday, the US Embassy in India has advised US citizens to avoid travelling to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In a security alert issued on Wednesday, the US Embassy in India stated, "As advised in the India Travel Advisory, U.S. citizens should avoid travel to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. As stated in the April 23, 2025 Security Alert, US government personnel are prohibited from traveling to Jammu and Kashmir." The US Embassy asked Americans to monitor social media for updates and enrol in the Smart Traveller Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates. It noted that there are flight disruptions across India. The US Embassy advised US citizens to inform their friends and family of their safety. It asked US citizens to review their personal security plan and ensure their passport is valid for travel. In the statement, the US Embassy said that the Embassy and all Consulates remain open for regular business. Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday carried out precision strikes at the terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (Pojk) in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people and injured several others. The Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday shared details about Operation Sindoor, a targeted strike mission to destroy terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK Addressing a press briefing in Delhi on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the objectives of the operation and provided details on destroyed terrorist camps. Four of the nine targeted terrorist camps are in Pakistan and the remaining in PoJK. The operation, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, dismantled terror infrastructure linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Colonel Qureshi detailed the targeted camps, stating that the four terrorist camps destroyed in Pakistan are Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya. The strikes, conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am early on Wednesday, were a coordinated effort by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoJK based on credible intelligence. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh elaborated on the operation's strategic intent, stating, "'Operation Sindoor' was a retaliation to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 to serve justice to the innocent victims and their families." She revealed that Pakistan has maintained a complex terror infrastructure for three decades, comprising 21 recruitment, indoctrination, and launch pad centres across Pakistan and PoJK. Emphasising the operation's precision, Colonel Qureshi clarified, "No military installation was targeted, and till now there are no reports of civilian casualties in Pakistan." (ANI)
During the meeting with Adel Aljubeir, Jaishankar shared India's perspective on "firmly countering terrorism."

"A good meeting with @AdelAljubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia this morning. Shared India's perspectives on firmly countering terrorism," Jaishankar posted on X.

On Wednesday, Jaishankar held discussions with foreign ministers from Spain, France, Germany, Japan, and Qatar. He emphasised India's approach to cross-border terrorism and expressed gratitude for their solidarity and support.

In response to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the Indian Armed Forces on early May 7 morning launched a strike at the terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir under 'Operation Sindoor.'

Addressing a press briefing on the 'Operation Sindoor' yesterday Wing Commander Vyomika Singh informed that a total of nine terror sites were targeted and successfully destroyed. She asserted that the locations were selected so that there was no damage to civilians and their infrastructure.

"Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and successfully destroyed... The locations were so selected to avoid damage to civilian infrastructures and loss of any civilian lives," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said.

During the same briefing, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi presented the videos of the destruction of terror camps, including from the Muridke, where David Headley and Ajmal Kasab, perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, received training.

Other than Muridke, Sarjal camp in Sialkot, Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala and Markaz Abbas, Kotli and Mehmoona Joya camp, Sialkot, were targeted in the strikes conducted by the Indian Army, Col Qureshi informed.

The strikes, conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am early on Wednesday, were a coordinated effort by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoJK based on credible intelligence. (ANI)
UNGA President Philemon Yang on Thursday expressed concern over the "escalating hostilities" between India and Pakistan and called on both nations to exercise maximum restraint and an immediate de-escalation. He reiterated his condemnation of all terrorist attacks and attacks conducted against civilians and civilian infrastructure. He called "dialogue and diplomatic solutions" the only way to resolve differences and achieve long-lasting peace. In a statement shared on X, Yang stated, "I am deeply concerned about the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan. I call for both sides to exercise maximum restraint and for an immediate de-escalation." "I reiterate my condemnation of all terrorist attacks and attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. I firmly believe that dialogue and diplomatic solutions in line with the UN Charter and international law are the only ways to resolve differences and achieve lasting peace and stability," he added. https://x.com/UN_PGA/status/1920222388295266693 His statement comes after Indian Armed Forces targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The strikes, conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am early on Wednesday, were a coordinated effort by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoJK based on credible intelligence. Addressing a press briefing in Delhi on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the objectives of the operation and provided details on destroyed terrorist camps. Four of the nine targeted terrorist camps are in Pakistan and the remaining in PoJK. The operation, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, dismantled terror infrastructure linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Colonel Qureshi detailed the targeted camps, stating that the four terrorist camps destroyed in Pakistan are Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh elaborated on the operation's strategic intent, stating, "'Operation Sindoor' was a retaliation to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 to serve justice to the innocent victims and their families." Meanwhile, the Indian Army has proportionately responded to the unprovoked small-arms and artillery guns firing by the Pakistani Army across the Line of Control (LoC) during the night of May 7 and May 8, as per the officials. The Pakistan Army had resorted to firing in areas opposite in Kupwara and Baramulla districts and Uri and Akhnoor sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. Following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Pakistan has resorted to unprovoked small arms firing across the LoC, to which India has responded amply. (ANI)
World leaders have come out in support of India's 'Operation Sindoor', which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on May 7. UK Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak supported the Indian attack on terrorist infrastructure and said that no nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from another country. In a post on X, Sunak stated, "No nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from land controlled by another country. India is justified in striking terrorist infrastructure. There can be no impunity for terrorists." https://x.com/RishiSunak/status/1920076749825618381 UK MP Priti Patel backed the attack and said that India has the right to take reasonable steps to defend itself and dismantle the vile terrorist infrastructure that threatens it. https://x.com/pritipatel/status/1920170538225287309 UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has urged India and Pakistan to "show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward." He reiterated his condemnation of terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22. In a statement, Lammy said, "Current tensions between India and Pakistan are a serious concern. The UK government is urging India and Pakistan to show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward. The UK has close and unique relationships with both countries. I have made clear to my counterparts in India and Pakistan that if this escalates further, nobody wins." "The UK was clear in its condemnation of the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam last month. We need all sides to work urgently to see regional stability restored and ensure protection of civilians," he added. France French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot expressed understanding about India's desire to protect itself from terrorism. "We strongly condemn the terrorist attack on 22 April, which left 26 civilians brutally murdered in India," Barrot said. He mentioned his efforts to support a United Nations Security Council statement condemning the attack, saying, "I was even in New York last week to support the adoption of a statement by the United Nations Security Council condemning this terrorist attack." Further, he said, "We understand India's desire to protect itself against the scourge of terrorism, but we obviously call on both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint in order to avoid escalation and, of course, to protect civilians." In an official statement, the French Foreign Office condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April and expressed its full solidarity with India. It said France supports India in its fight against terrorist groups. https://x.com/FranceinIndia/status/1920132254396739998 Israel Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, said that Israel supported India's right of self-defence and said that terrorists should know there is no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent. In a post on X, Azar stated, "Israel supports India's right for self defense. Terrorists should know there's no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent." https://x.com/reuvenazar/status/1919936131866513678 Netherlands Netherlands MP Geert Wilders has expressed his support with his tweet saying Kashmir is 100 per cent Indian. He has also used #PakistanBehindPahalgam in his post on X. https://x.com/geertwilderspvv/status/1920190270722695229 US US Congressman Shri Thanedar said that Terrorism cannot be tolerated and it cannot go unpunished and India has the right to defend its people and expressed firm solidarity towards India's efforts to dismantle the extremists networks. "India has the right to defend itself after what happened in Pahalgam... Terrorists were focused on making sure the people they're killing are Hindus... Now that India has started to target the infrastructure of the terrorists and planned nine such attacks, so India has the right to defend itself. India has a right to retaliate for what appears to be barbaric acts...I'm urging that United States supports India at this difficult time...First of all, the United States must recognise India's right to protect its people and its territory. Secondly, the United States must encourage a thorough and complete investigation about the terrorist attack," Thanedar told ANI. US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi highlighted the need to combat terrorism and prevent future violence, which has become even more "urgent." He emphasised the importance of avoiding broader conflict and further escalation. "In the wake of last month's horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the need to combat terrorism and prevent future violence has become even more urgent," Krishnamoorthi told ANI. Usually, for such a major operation across borders between nuclear-armed nations, it is natural for countries to ask for de-escalation. However, due to India's improving relations with the world and increased understanding of Pakistani terrorism, important Western powers and top legislators have gone to the extent of supporting Indian strikes. The statement of world leaders comes after the Indian Armed Forces targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The strikes, conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am early on Wednesday, were a coordinated effort by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoJK based on credible intelligence. Addressing a press briefing in Delhi on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the objectives of the operation and provided details on destroyed terrorist camps. Four of the nine targeted terrorist camps are in Pakistan and the remaining in PoJK. The operation, executed by the Indian Armed Forces, dismantled terror infrastructure linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Colonel Qureshi detailed the targeted camps, stating that the four terrorist camps destroyed in Pakistan are Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya. (ANI)
Lauding bilateral ties between India and Iran, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the cooperation between the two nations has progressed in many aspects in recent years. In his opening remarks at the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting in Delhi on Thursday, Jaishankar welcomed Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi to India. He recalled the meeting held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in 2024. Jaishankar said, "It's a great pleasure to welcome you and your delegation to India and to co-chair along with you, the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission meeting today. In recent years, our cooperation has progressed in many aspects. There are also situations that we need to address. Prime Minister Modi and President Pezeshkian have met in Kazan in October 2024 and given us guidance on how to develop our ties further. "They've also had a phone conversation on 26th April. Excellency, this is the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic ties. It is a reminder of the closeness of our cooper collaboration and the deep friendship between us. I'm sure that we will mark the anniversary appropriately," the minister said. He also talked about 'Operation Sindoor' conducted by Indian Armed Forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, calling India's response "measured and targeted." Jaishankar asserted that India will give a "firm response" if it faces military attack. Jaishankar said, "Excellency, you are visiting India at a time when we are responding to a particularly barbaric terrorist attack on 22nd April in the Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This attack compelled us to respond on 7 May by striking at cross-border terrorist infrastructure." "Our response was targeted and measured. It is not our intention to escalate the situation. However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response. As a neighbour and a close partner, it is important that you have a good understanding of the situation," he added. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1920390011968528484 The Indian Armed Forces targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK under 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The strikes, conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am early on Wednesday, were a coordinated effort by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoJK based on credible intelligence. During the India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting, Seyed Abbas Araghchi emphasised the "warm and friendly relations" shared by India and Iran. Araghchi said, "Well, on our bilateral relations, the only thing I have to say is to reciprocate what your Excellency said. Iran-India relation goes back to history. We have always enjoyed very friendly and warm relations between the two countries based on mutual respect and mutual interest and that has continued over the years and still we have very good close friendly relations." "Our economic cooperation is good but not as good as we expected because of the sanctions, as you know, which we hope that we can overcome that problem in the future," he added. Earlier in the day, Iran's Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baqaei said that Araghchi is in India to review the bilateral relationship between the two nations and discuss regional and international developments. He said that India and Iran should work together to strengthen peace, security, and stability across the regions and beyond. In a post on X, Baqaei stated, "Today FM Araghchi is in New Delhi, India, for an official visit to review Iran-India bilateral relationship and consult on regional & int'l developments. FM Araghchi and his indian counterpart @DrSJaishankar will co-chair the 20th Iran-India Joint Commission(JCM) & sign a number of bilateral documents to enhance cooperation on areas of economy, customs and health. "Iran-India bonds of friendship are deeply rooted in history and provide a solid ground for mutually beneficial relations. We should work together to strengthen peace, security, & stability across the regions and beyond," he added. https://x.com/irimfa_spox/status/1920361468198846588 Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to co-chair the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed the visiting dignitary and highlighted the significance of the visit. In a post on X, Jaiswal said, "Warm welcome to FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi, as he arrives in New Delhi for the India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting. An opportunity to review and enhance bilateral cooperation on the 75th Anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty." (ANI)
Ehsan Shoukat, a 25-year-old from Kolahoo in the Tump area of Kech district, was reportedly killed in a targeted operation carried out by Military Intelligence (MI) personnel. Shoukat, who had previously been a victim of enforced disappearance, is believed to have been extrajudicially executed by law enforcement agencies. https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1920176719455269034 In a post on X, Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) stated," Ehsan was previously subjected to enforced disappearance at the hands of Pakistan's Frontier Corps (FC), during which he endured severe torture and inhumane treatment. Though he was eventually released, his life remained under constant threat." According to BYC, Ehsan operated a small medical clinic, assisting his father, Shoukat, by providing medicines to patients in the community. Although he had returned to a peaceful and productive life, he was deliberately targeted and killed. His assassination highlights a troubling trend in Balochistan, where individuals previously subjected to enforced disappearances are being systematically pursued and eliminated. BYC highlighted," the case of Ehsan is not an isolated incident. In recent weeks, others such as Mairaj Baloch, Kareem Baloch, and Nabeel Baloch, also from Tump, were similarly killed in targeted attacks. The targeting of students, teachers, healthcare workers, and civilians, regardless of their socio-economic or professional background, demonstrates the scale of impunity granted to state-backed forces and death squads operating in the region." Throughout Balochistan, the Pakistani state has implemented a hardline approach characterised by rampant enforced disappearances, custodial torture, and extrajudicial killings. This sustained campaign of intimidation and violence appears aimed at suppressing dissent and retaliating against families who continue to seek justice. BYC urged the international organisations and stated," We, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, urgently call upon the United Nations, international human rights organizations, and all defenders of justice and dignity to: Investigate the targeted killings of previously disappeared individuals like Ehsan Shoukat and Hold the Pakistani state accountable for its systematic human rights violations in Balochistan." (ANI)
China's communist government is suspected of operating electronic intelligence gathering sites in Cuba, with four bases allegedly targeting US military and communications, according to testimony before a House committee, as reported by The Washington Times. Ryan C Berg, a Latin America security expert, testified before the House Homeland Security subcommittee on transportation and maritime security, revealing that three of the suspected Chinese intelligence bases are located near Havana on Cuba's north coast. In contrast, a fourth is positioned near Santiago de Cuba on the island's opposite side. As many as 12 signals intelligence (SIGINT) sites have been identified in Cuba, with their strategic placement allowing China to monitor approximately 20 key US military bases and installations across Florida. According to Berg, who is with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), these sites provide China with unprecedented access to sensitive US activities. Subcommittee Chairman Carlos Gimenez, a Republican from Florida, called these Chinese operations "one of the most brazen intelligence operations" near the US mainland, emphasising the heightened risk posed to US military and commercial operations, as well as communications. Berg specifically mentioned three Chinese spy bases near Havana: Bejucal, Wajay, and Calabazar. The Bejucal facility, historically used by Soviet intelligence, has recently seen construction activity and new antenna installations, according to satellite imagery shared during the hearing. According to The Washington Times, Berg noted that these new developments offer greater insight into the operations of these Chinese SIGINT sites, which have the potential to monitor military, commercial, and government activities not just across Cuba but particularly within the United States. US military installations that are vulnerable to these sites include Naval Air Station Pensacola, Tyndall Air Force Base, MacDill Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Key West, Kings Bay Submarine Base, Cape Canaveral, and US Southern Command. According to The Washington Times, Chinese intelligence activity in Cuba dates back to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, when Moscow operated the Lourdes electronic spy base, employing up to 1,500 technical personnel. Following this, China has continued to enhance its presence in Cuba, contributing 369 million dollars in development financing to the country, though this amount falls short of meeting Cuba's financial needs. The testimony highlights increasing concerns about the extent of China's intelligence operations and their proximity to the US mainland. (ANI)
Tanveer Ahmed, a former BBC journalist and prominent activist from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), has made a bold appeal for the immediate withdrawal of Pakistani Army troops from the region. As the founder of the JKA Public Agency, Ahmed emphasised the critical need for Pakistan's demilitarisation to restore peace, justice, and democratic rights to the people of PoJK. Ahmed condemned Pakistan's continued military occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, calling it a violation of the region's aspirations. "The presence of the Pakistani Army is not for our protection -- it is a tool of oppression. It is time Pakistan leaves our land quietly and without further damage," he said. He also highlighted widespread concerns among residents over systemic corruption in Pakistan, asserting that "people themselves believe no business in Pakistan can happen without corruption." Ahmed warned against dragging PoJK into Pakistan's long-standing ideological and political agendas, especially the belief rooted since independence that Muslims must have a separate country. He accused the Pakistani state of using terror tactics, including affecting women and children, to suppress dissent and control the region. Describing Pakistan as "a burden on earth," Ahmed reiterated that demilitarisation is the first and most crucial step toward genuine peace and autonomy for the region. "We cannot allow more innocent lives to be lost in the name of Pakistan's agendas. The people of PoJK have a right to live with dignity, free from military domination." Ahmed's call has resonated with many in PoJK who are increasingly vocal about the region's need for self-determination and a peaceful future. Grave injustices have been faced by the people of PoJK, including political suppression, lack of basic rights, economic exploitation, and denial of freedom of expression. These injustices have kept the region in a constant state of fear and underdevelopment. The government's militarised control has stifled development and silenced the democratic aspirations of the local population. (ANI)
Nepal's opposition Maoist Center's Deputy Secretary General Janardan Sharma has welcomed India's Operation Sindoor against terrorism. Taking to Facebook on Thursday, Sharma, a former Foreign and Finance Minister welcomed the strike by India on terror hotbeds inside Pakistan. "India has conducted "Operation Sindoor" against terrorism. Terrorism is the worst thing that can happen to human civilization. It should be the duty of every nation to fight against terrorism. At the same time, it is necessary to defeat terrorism through mutual cooperation for peace and stability," Sharma wrote on Facebook. On Thursday's meeting of the House of Representatives, Nepali lawmakers voiced support to the countries fighting against terrorism and demanded for clear stance of the government against terrorism following the Operation Sindoor of India. Nepali Congress lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada, while addressing the parliamentary meeting on Thursday stated that any of the country has right to defend itself against terrorism. Giving reference of various wars, the lawmaker also demanded for governments preparedness in wake of the geopolitical crisis. "The war between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Hamas, current policy of the US President, China- Taiwan unification attempt and its after effects, India's attack on Pakistan for harboring terrorism has further made us vulnerable. I would request the government to be ready to face any of those consequences," Khatiwada said. "In the fight against the terrorism, we should support any of the countries," the ruling party lawmaker stressed. Another Nepali Congress lawmaker, Mukta Kumari Yadav also demanded the government to clear the nations stand against terrorism. "Nepal has adopted the foreign policy of non-alignment but the nation needs to clear up the stance against the terrorism," Yadav said. Following the terror attack in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir in India, the Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday launched 'Operation Sindoor', carrying out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), days after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. "Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution, said MoD. Further, as per the Ministry, these steps come in the wake of the "barbaric" Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered. We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable. (ANI)
Prominent author and journalist Asra Nomani, who has long chronicled the rise of terror networks in Pakistan's Bahawalpur, hailed India's latest counter-terror operation, Operation Sindoor, as a long-overdue strike against a city that has served for decades as a launchpad for militant activity. In a post on X, Nomani stated, "For the 23 years since, I have reported on how Pakistani intelligence and military leaders have used that city -- Bahawalpur -- in the southern province of Punjab as a base for its homegrown domestic terrorists." https://x.com/asranomani/status/1920377735412646234?s=48 Bahawalpur, in the southern part of Pakistan's Punjab province, has long been identified as a breeding ground for extremist groups. Nomani recalled the 2001 experience of a friend who visited the city and found militant camps operating in plain sight. She stated that her friend learned that the militant training camps were open for business in Bahawalpur. She also highlighted the Pakistani military and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)'s history of providing safe passage and support to terrorist figures such as Omar Sheikh and Jaish-e-Mohammed(JeM) founder Masood Azhar. Both have been used as proxy assets against India, but have also turned their guns inward, attacking Pakistani civil society. Nomani said that these men waged war against innocent Pakistanis, citing high-profile attacks such as the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the murder of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, and school massacres like the 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar. Following India's successful counter-terror offensive under 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday, targeting locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), the terror stronghold in Bahawalpur, Punjab, was decimated. Bahawalpur is home to the Markaz Subhan Allah, a key Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) facility that has been active since 2015. Serving as the group's primary hub for training, indoctrination, and operations, it also functions as JeM's operational headquarters. The centre has been linked to multiple terror plots, including the February 14, 2019, Pulwama attack. It houses the residences of JeM founder Maulana Masood Azhar, de facto leader Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, Maulana Ammar, and other members of Azhar's family. (ANI)
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is on a state visit to Russia, held bilateral talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin and emphasised that Beijing and Moscow continue to deepen relations under the current leadership of the two countries, state media of both countries said. The two leaders also signed a joint statement on further deepening the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. In a joint press briefing in Moscow, Xi and Putin emphasised the strengthening of China-Russia ties amidst shifting global dynamics. "Under my and your leadership, our political ties are getting stronger and practical cooperation is becoming closer, while cultural, humanitarian and regional ties and exchanges are gaining momentum," Xi was cited by Russian state media TASS at a meeting with Putin in the Kremlin. China, Xi said is ready to bear a special responsibility together with Russia as major global powers and permanent UN Security Council members, "dutifully and bravely protecting the truth about the history of World War II" Meanwhile, Chinese news agency Xinhua cited Xi as saying that "China and Russia have continuously deepened political mutual trust and strategic coordination, maintained close coordination and cooperation in international affairs, and injected valuable stability and positive energy into the changing and turbulent world." Xi, is on a state visit to Russia from May 7-10 to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. The meeting, "responds to the call of our time for protecting international justice and promoting reform of the global governance system," the Chinese leader said. Xi said that China stands ready to work with Russia to safeguard the global multilateral trading system and keep the industrial and supply chains stable and unimpeded. This is the third time that the two leaders have interacted since the beginning of the year. Putin and Xi held talks via a video link in January and spoke over the phone in late February. Ahead of their meeting, the Kremlin press service had announced that Putin and Xi will discuss the scope of their comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation. They are also scheduled to hold strategic consultations on pressing international and regional issues. Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said, the leaders will focus on the Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline project, as well as touch upon Ukraine and Russia-US relations. Meanwhile, upon his arrival, Xi's plane was escorted by Russian Air Force aircraft after it entered the country's airspace. When Xi arrived at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, he was welcomed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and other senior government officials. (ANI)
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed "support and solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism." He also conveyed his condolences over the loss of lives in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Sharing a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote, "President Lula de Silva of Brazil @LulaOficial called PM @narendramodi and conveyed condolences at the loss of lives in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India. He expressed support and solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism. PM thanked President Lula for his condolences." Both leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthening the India-Brazil strategic partnership. PM Modi also extended his best wishes for Brazil's presidency of BRICS this year. "The two leaders reiterated their commitment to strengthen India-Brazil bilateral strategic partnership. PM conveyed his best wishes for Brazil's successful Presidency of BRICS this year," the post added. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1920451113603522689 India on May 7 executed Operation Sindoor, in which nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan were destroyed in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 innocents were killed. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday said that the Pahalgam terror attack was "original escalation" by Pakistan and India responded in "controlled, precise, measured, considered and non-escalatory" manner through precise strikes on terror infrastructure early on Wednesday. Addressing a joint press conference here, Misri said that India's intention is not to escalate matters and is only responding to the escalation. "Pakistan escalated on April 22, we are only responding to escalation. If further escalation, the response will be in the appropriate domain," Misri said. He said when talks were going on about the Pahalgam at the UNSC, Pakistan opposed the role of TRF (The Resistance Front). "This is after TRF claimed the responsibility of the attack not once, but twice... Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh clearly said yesterday as well as today, that India's response is non-escalatory, precise, and measured. Our intention is not to escalate matters and we are only responding to the escalation. No military targets have been targeted; only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit," Misri said. The Foreign Secretary said Pakistan's reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances. (ANI)
India has "every right to retaliate and defend itself," former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Thursday and slammed Pakistan as "no country gets a pass for supporting terrorist activity." In a post on X, Haley said, "Terrorists launched an attack that killed dozens of Indian citizens. India had every right to retaliate and defend itself. Pakistan does not get to play the victim. No country gets a pass for supporting terrorist activity." https://x.com/NikkiHaley/status/1920460338450849983 Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday launched 'Operation Sindoor', carrying out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), days after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people on April 22. Earlier in the day, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the Pahalgam terror attack was "original escalation" by Pakistan and India responded in "controlled, precise, measured, considered and non-escalatory" manner through precise strikes on terror infrastructure early on Wednesday. Addressing a joint press conference on Thursday, Misri said that India's intention is not to escalate matters and is only responding to the escalation. "Pakistan escalated on April 22, we are only responding to escalation. If further escalation, the response will be in the appropriate domain," Misri said. He said when talks were going on about the Pahalgam at the UNSC, Pakistan opposed the role of TRF (The Resistance Front). "This is after TRF claimed the responsibility of the attack not once, but twice... Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh clearly said yesterday as well as today, that India's response is non-escalatory, precise, and measured. Our intention is not to escalate matters and we are only responding to the escalation. No military targets have been targeted; only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit," Misri said. The Foreign Secretary said Pakistan's reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances. "I don't need to remind where Osama Bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr...Pakistan is also home to a large number of UN proscribed terrorists and also to terrorists proscribed by many countries...You must have seen in the last few days, their Defence minister and former foreign minister accepted their country's involvement with such terror groups," he said. "It's also odd that funerals of civilians are being carried out by coffins wrapped in their national flag, and state honours are being awarded," he added. (ANI)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation after Pakistan started firing again on PoJK border, US State Department said on Thursday He further expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications. "The Secretary reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States' commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism," US State Department wrote in a statement. In response Jaishankar, appreciated US commitment and said that India "will firmly counter any attempts at escalation." "Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening. Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism," Jaishankar wrote on X. "Underlined India's targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation," he added. Currently the situation is tense on the India Pakistan border after Pakistan fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia and all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units, defence sources said. Sources said the attack resembled a Hamas style operation in Israel where multiple cheap rockets are used to target cities. Explosions were heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. A complete blackout has been enforced in Bikaner in Rajasthan and in Jalandhar in Punjab. Blackouts have also been enforced in Kishtwar, Akhnoor, Samba, Jammu, and Amritsar, Jalandhar. Escalating its tensions with India, Pakistan targeted Jammu with loitering munitions on Thursday and Indian Air Defence guns are firing back. India had responded to the Pahalgam terror attack through Operation Sindoor in which terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK was targeted through precision strikes. India also said that any attack on military installations will invite a suitable response. At a media briefing on Thursday Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that escalation by Pakistan will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately. "The original escalation was by Pakistan on the 22nd of April. We are the ones who are responding to that escalation with the action that was taken yesterday morning. And again, I would like to emphasize that the action was restrained; it was directed towards non-civilian, non-military targets; and confined to terrorist camps. And again, as we've been saying since yesterday, any further action by Pakistan, some of which we are seeing today is nothing but escalation by Pakistan now, once again, and will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately," he said. Misri also said that India's intention has not been to escalate matters. (ANI)
After US President Donald Trump announced a new trade agreement with the United Kingdom, he hailed it as the first "fair, open, and reciprocal" deal of its kind, saying it will generate USD 6 billion in tariff revenue and create USD 5 billion in new export opportunities for American producers. He also emphasised the deal's role in strengthening national security through deeper cooperation in critical sectors such as steel, aluminium, and pharmaceuticals. Sharing a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Today is an incredible day for America as we deliver our first Fair, Open, and Reciprocal Trade Deal -- Something our past Presidents never cared about. Together with our strong Ally, the United Kingdom, we have reached the first, historic trade deal since Liberation Day." The post added, "As part of this Deal, America will raise USD 6 billion dollars in External Revenue from 10% tariffs, USD 5 billion dollars in new Export Opportunities for our Great Ranchers, Farmers, and Producers, and enhance the National Security of both the US and the UK through the creation of an Aluminum and Steel Trading Zone, and a secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain. This Deal shows that if you respect America, and bring serious proposals to the table, America is open for business." British Ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, praised President Trump following the announcement of a new US-UK trade agreement, calling it a fulfillment of promises made. "You've done what you said you would do... that you would do a good trade deal with the UK, that you would do it at pace, and that we would be first, and you have delivered that. You've been true to your word," Mandelson said. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed the newly signed trade agreement, declaring it a deal that "boosts British businesses and saves thousands of British jobs." Starmer further said the agreement fulfils promises to safeguard the country's car manufacturers and steel industry. https://x.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1920495324801483191 "Today, I have secured a deal with the US that boosts British businesses and saves thousands of British jobs. I promised to protect British car makers and save our steel. This deal delivers on that promise. And British workers, families, and firms will feel the benefit," Starmer wrote on X. (ANI)
US Vice President JD Vance on Friday extended his greetings to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election. Vance expressed his hope that millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. In a post on X, he said, "Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! I''m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!" https://x.com/JDVance/status/1920550545061810261 The Vatican conclave on Thursday chose a new Pope, Robert Prevost - the first American pope, Vatican News said. The Cardinals gathered in the Vatican''s Sistine Chapel have elected 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope, who took the name Pope Leo XIV. Pope Leo XIV becomes the 267th pontiff of the church">Roman Catholic Church. He is the first American to lead the Catholic Church. Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti, the senior cardinal deacon appeared on the St. Peter''s balcony that overlooks the St Peter''s square and announced, "Habemus Papam!" - "We have a pope." US President Donald Trump was among the first world leaders to offer his congratulations. "Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!" Trump posted on Truth Social. At the Vatican the doors on the balcony opened to reveal the new Pope who greeted the crowds with, "May peace be with all of you." "Brothers and sisters dearest, this is the first greeting of Christ resurrected. I would like to offer a greeting of peace to reach your families, all of you, wherever you are. May peace be with you," he said. In his first comments in Italian, Pope Leo XIV said wants this message of peace to "enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are." Paying tribute to his predecessor Pope Francis, he urges faithful to "move forward, without fear, united, hand in hand with God and with each other." (ANI)
US President Donald Trump on Thursday secured trade deal with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Trump made the announcement from the Oval Office today during a televised phone call with Starmer. The trade agreement with the United Kingdom is US's first since President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on the country's trading partners. "The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come," Trump said in a Truth Social post. "Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement. Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!" "This should be a very big and exciting day for the United States of America and the United Kingdom," he said in a separate message. "Today is an incredible day for America as we deliver our first Fair, Open, and Reciprocal Trade Deal -- Something our past Presidents never cared about. Together with our strong Ally, the United Kingdom, we have reached the first, historic Trade Deal since Liberation Day. As part of this Deal, America will raise $6 BILLION DOLLARS in External Revenue from 10% Tariffs, $5 BILLION DOLLARS in new Export Opportunities for our Great Ranchers, Farmers, and Producers, and enhance the National Security of both the U.S. and the UK through the creation of an Aluminum and Steel Trading Zone, and a secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain. This Deal shows that if you respect America, and bring serious proposals to the table, America is OPEN FOR BUSINESS." Trump's Truth Social post read. "Today's announcement is a historic deal and sets the tone for other trading partners to achieve reciprocal trade with the United States," the office of the US trade representative said. The historic US-UK Agreement in Principle to negotiate an Economic Prosperity Deal is lowering tariffs, removing trade barriers, increasing market access, and strengthening cooperation on economic security, it said in a statement. Under the deal, the United Kingdom will reduce non-tariff barriers to US. products, including beef, ethanol fuel, machinery and chemicals, Trump said. The 10 per cent baseline tariff that the US has placed on dozens of countries will remain in place, while duties on British vehicles will fall from 25 per cent to 10 per cent to match that baseline, the US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said. "We've opened up new market access, ethanol, beef, machinery, all the agricultural products. They've agreed to open their markets, and that will add USD 5 billion of opportunity to American exporters," he said. UK will still be under the 10 per cent baseline tariff that Trump has applied to dozens of countries. However, tariffs on vehicles will fall from 25 per cent to 10 per cent to match that baseline. Starmer took to X to post, "Today I've secured a deal with the US that boosts British businesses and saves thousands of British jobs. I promised to protect British car makers and save our steel. This deal delivers on that promise. And British workers, families, and firms will feel the benefit." Later he also posted on X, "Last month, I promised workers at Jaguar Land Rover that I would protect their jobs. I kept that promise." As per a report in the CNN, Britain will also be able to send 100,000 cars into the United States at a 10 oer cent tariff rate, reduced from the 25 per cent autos tariffs Trump imposed on foreign cars, Lutnick announced. The UK will also join the US in imposing 25 per cent tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, creating a joint tariff agreement that will create a free trade zone for those metals between the two countries. Pharmaceuticals will also be exempt from tariffs between the two countries. Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs that went into effect April 7 and were paused for 90 days on April 9 affect dozens of countries. A hundred or so more are subject to the 10 per cent universal tariff, CNN reported. Meanwhile, the US President also indicated that he could be open to lowering tariffs on China and on trade with the European Union he said, "we intend to make a deal with Europe." Further Trump said that he plans to announce a replacement for Ed Martin, a loyalist whom he had nominated as the US attorney for Washington, DC. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said he has spoken with his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, and discussed India's targeted and measured response to firmly counter terrorism. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1920526088507113981 In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Had a telecon with DPM & FM @Antonio_Tajani of Italy. Discussed India's targeted and measured response to firmly counter terrorism. Any escalation will see a strong response." Jaishankar also discussed recent developments with Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, and said that "any escalation will get a firm response." https://x.com/drsjaishankar/status/1920523307985584408?s=46 "Discussed ongoing developments with EU HRVP @kajakallas. India has been measured in its actions. However, any escalation will get a firm response," Jaishankar wrote on X. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1920439737317232683 Earlier in the day, Jaishankar met with Iran Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and witnessed the exchange of MoU on Implementation of the Bilateral Agreement on Customs Cooperation and MoU on Medical Products Regulation. "At the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting, EAM @DrSJaishankar& FM @araghchi witnessed the exchange of MoU on Implementation of the Bilateral Agreement on Customs Cooperation and MoU on Medical Products Regulation," Jaishankar wrote on X. Pakistan late on Thursday fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia and all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units, defence sources said. Sources said the attack resembled a Hamas style operation in Israel where multiple cheap rockets are used to target cities. Explosions were heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. A complete blackout has been enforced in Bikaner in Rajasthan and in Jalandhar in Punjab. Blackouts have also been enforced in Kishtwar, Akhnoor, Samba, Jammu, and Amritsar, Jalandhar. Escalating its tensions with India, Pakistan targeted Jammu with loitering munitions on Thursday and Indian Air Defence guns are firing back. India had responded to the Pahalgam terror attack through Operation Sindoor in which terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK was targeted through precision strikes. India also said that any attack on military installations will invite a suitable response. At a media briefing on Thursday Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that escalation by Pakistan will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately. "The original escalation was by Pakistan on the 22nd of April. We are the ones who are responding to that escalation with the action that was taken yesterday morning. And again, I would like to emphasize that the action was restrained; it was directed towards non-civilian, non-military targets; and confined to terrorist camps. And again, as we've been saying since yesterday, any further action by Pakistan, some of which we are seeing today is nothing but escalation by Pakistan now, once again, and will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately," he said. Misri also said that India's intention has not been to escalate matters. (ANI)
The Vatican conclave on Thursday chose a new Pope, Robert Prevost - the first American pope, Vatican News said. The Cardinals gathered in the Vatican''s Sistine Chapel have elected 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope, who took the name Pope Leo XIV. Pope Leo XIV becomes the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the first American to lead the Catholic Church. Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti, the senior cardinal deacon appeared on the St. Peter''s balcony that overlooks the St Peter''s square and announced, "Habemus Papam!" - "We have a pope." US President Donald Trump was among the first world leaders to offer his congratulations. "Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!" Trump posted on Truth Social. At the Vatican the doors on the balcony opened to reveal the new Pope who greeted the crowds with, "May peace be with all of you." "Brothers and sisters dearest, this is the first greeting of Christ resurrected. I would like to offer a greeting of peace to reach your families, all of you, wherever you are. May peace be with you," he said. In his first comments in Italian, Pope Leo XIV said wants this message of peace to "enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are." Paying tribute to his predecessor Pope Francis, he urges faithful to "move forward, without fear, united, hand in hand with God and with each other." The former leader of the Augustinian order also thanked fellow cardinals for choosing him for the role. Earlier, crowds broke out into cheers as white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney indicating that a new leader of the Catholic Church has been elected. The 133 cardinal electors who had been sequestered inside since Wednesday reached a two-thirds majority decision on who will succeed Pope Francis. The voice of the six bells of St Peter''s Basilca announced that the Church has its new Pope. "It''s a moment of joy,the wait is over," the Vatican News said in a message. During the most recent hospitalization of his predecessor at the "Gemelli" hospital Prevost presided over the Rosary for Pope Francis''s health in Saint Peter''s Square on March 3. According to the Vatican, the new Bishop of Rome was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, to Louis Marius Prevost, of French and Italian descent, and Mildred Martinez, of Spanish descent. He has two brothers, Louis Martin and John Joseph. He spent his childhood and adolescence with his family and studied first at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers and then at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where in 1977 he earned a Degree in Mathematics and also studied Philosophy. On September 1 of the same year, he entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.) in Saint Louis, in the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Chicago, and made his first profession on September 2, 1978. On August 29, 1981, he took his solemn vows. He received his theological education at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. At the age of 27, he was sent by his superiors to Rome to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). In Rome, he was ordained a priest on June 19, 1982, at the Augustinian College of Saint Monica by Monsignor Jean Jadot, then Pro-President of the Pontifical Council for Non-Christians, now the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. Prevost obtained his licentiate in 1984; and the following year, while preparing his doctoral thesis, was sent to the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, Piura, Peru (1985-1986). In 1987, he defended his doctoral thesis on "The Role of the Local Prior in the Order of Saint Augustine" and was appointed vocation director and missions director of the Augustinian Province of "Mother of Good Counsel" in Olympia Fields, Illinois (US). (ANI)
Noting that April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam was "original escalation" by Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday that India has responded through precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK and further escalation is being responded to appropriately. He also said Pakistan is a country that started lying as soon as it was born. He also exposed Pakistan's continued support for terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba through its proxy, The Resistance Front, and said that India's measured military response has been limited strictly to targeting terrorist infrastructure. Addressing a joint press briefing on Thursday, Misri that the terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 people were killed "is the original escalation." "I want to invite your attention to the involvement of the group calling itself The Resistance Front in these attacks. I pointed this out yesterday that this is a group that is a known front for the well-known Pakistan-based terrorist organisation, Lashkar-e-Taiba. The group has been reported earlier. I mentioned to you about the Indian authorities providing information to the UN 1267 Sanctions Monitoring Committee," he said. "And, in fact, we are going to be meeting with the team again very soon, and we will be providing an update to the information that we have provided earlier," he added. Misri said India's intention has not been to escalate matters and only terror infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit through precision strikes carried out early Wednesday. "We are only responding to the original escalations. Our response has been targeted, precise, controlled and measured. No military targets have been selected. Only the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit," he said. He further recalled how Pakistan has been resorting to falsehoods since its inception in 1947, including its denial of involvement in the invasion of Jammu and Kashmir before the United Nations. Misri said, "There is nothing surprising in it. After all, this is a country that started lying as soon as it was born. In 1947, when the Pakistani army claimed Jammu and Kashmir, they lied not to any random person but to the United Nations that we have nothing to do with it. So this journey started 75 years ago." Citing Pakistan's historical inaction in past terrorist attack investigations, Misri warned that any further escalation by the country would be met with a firm response. "I think Pakistan's reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances where concrete evidence is available, not just to India, but to governments and authorities and agencies around the world. There are several terrorist attacks around the world where Pakistani fingerprints have been found. I don't need to deliver the point with regards to this audience about where Osama Bin Laden was found, and who called him a martyr. Pakistan has also for decades pursued cross-border terrorism into India with impunity," Misri said. He added, "Pakistan is also home to a very large number of UN proscribed terrorists as well as terrorists proscribed by a number of other governments in the world, including of course, the Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as their leaders, Masood Azhar and Hafiz Muhammad Saeed." Misri also dismissed Pakistan's call for an international probe and joint investigative committee into the Pahalgam terror attack, citing its long history of evading accountability in past cross-border terrorism cases. He highlighted how India had fully cooperated and shared substantial forensic evidence with Pakistan following the 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot attacks--yet Islamabad failed to act on that information or move investigations forward. "Pakistan claims and calls for an impartial international probe and a joint investigative committee into the Pahalgam attack. Again, you know the history well on this, you know the track record well, and it is not a bright track record insofar as Pakistan is concerned. In fact, in the pursuit of justice for the victims of multiple terrorist attacks, whether it be Mumbai in 2008, Pathankot in 2016, or many others. But in particular for these two attacks, India had offered to cooperate. India provided forensic evidence and urged Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice," he said. "We, in particular, with regard to the Mumbai attacks of 2008, where a Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was captured alive; India provided extensive information and evidence related to the involvement of Pakistani terrorists in this attack. Cases were registered, but you are all aware that these cases have not progressed despite the formation of judicial teams etc., and Pakistan has consistently stonewalled all efforts to move the investigation along," he added. Misri said in fact, with regard to the Pathankot attack as well, a joint investigative team was formed. "We gave unprecedented access to the Pakistani team to the site of the attack. Details of call records data, and DNA, etc. were shared with Pakistan. We had shared with them details related that we had been able to access. We presented evidence against the office bearers of Jaish-e-Mohammad who had conspired in the attack, and the handlers of the terrorists who facilitated them, and guided them. But there has been no movement on this," he said. "I think the experience has not been positive, and it certainly doesn't give us the confidence now to take at face value, Pakistani assertions of wishing to participate in a joint investigation. These are just delaying tactics. These are just stonewalling tactics," he added. Misri dismissed Pakistan's allegations that India deliberately targeted religious sites, calling the claims baseless and part of a broader disinformation campaign. "Pakistan has also claimed that India deliberately attacked religious sites. This is completely false. Again, I have made it clear that the targets were terrorist infrastructure, terrorist facilities, and locations connected clearly with incidents of cross-border terrorism into India. And it is in fact Pakistan that is misusing religious sites as a cover to radicalise, direct, indoctrinate and train terrorists," he said. "In fact, contrary to what Pakistan is claiming, yesterday Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, hitting a Gurdwara in Poonch and the homes of Sikh community members which came under attack. And we know that at least three individuals were killed in that particular attack," he added. He slammed Pakistan for targeting civilians through shelling in border areas. "Pakistan is also making attempts to, in fact just to add to this point, the retaliatory action that Pakistan has taken in fact is impacting civilians. I showed you the picture of the Gurdwara and the Sikh community members who were killed in this. There are other civilians who were killed and injured in these attacks. In fact, since yesterday morning, a total of 16 civilians have been killed, and 59 others have been injured in the attacks by Pakistan." The Foreign Secretary spoke about India's decisions concerning Indus Water Treaty. "I want to address some issues that have been raised related to the Indus Waters Treaty, and the disinformation that has been raised in this regard as well. The fact is that there have been fundamental changes in the circumstances in which the Indus Waters Treaty was concluded. And they required, they called for a reassessment of the obligations under the treaty. Over the last year and a half to two years, India has been in communication with the Government of Pakistan. We've sent several notices to them requesting for negotiations to discuss a modification of the treaty." He added, "India has, for six plus decades now, honoured the treaty, even during periods when Pakistan imposed multiple wars on us, and even when relations were adversarial. Pakistan is the one that has been acting in violation of the treaty, deliberately creating legal roadblocks in India exercising its legitimate rights on the Western Rivers. Any projects that India sought to build on the Eastern Rivers, and even on the Western Rivers, which we are allowed to by the treaty, were always challenged by Pakistan, thereby, hampering our rights to utilise our legitimate waters under the treaty." (ANI)
During a press briefing, Bruce said that Rubio spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging immediate de-escalation.

"This morning Secretary Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif and EAM Dr S Jaishankar. In both calls, the Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation and called for an end to the violence. He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications," she said.

Rubio's call with Jaishankar came after Pakistan reportedly opened fire along the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) border, US State Department said.

He further expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications.

"The Secretary reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States' commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism," US State Department wrote in a statement.

In response Jaishankar, appreciated US commitment and said that India "will firmly counter any attempts at escalation."

"Spoke with US @SecRubio this evening. Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism," Jaishankar wrote on X.

"Underlined India's targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation," he added.

https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1920523126863245706

Currently the situation is tense on the India Pakistan border after Pakistan fired eight missiles directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia and all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units, defence sources said. Sources said the attack resembled a Hamas style operation in Israel where multiple cheap rockets are used to target cities.

Explosions were heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)
HOKKAIDO, May 08 (News On Japan) - Cherry blossoms have begun to bloom in Wakkanai and Kushiro, marking the near completion of Japan's cherry blossom front for 2025.

The Wakkanai Local Meteorological Office confirmed the blooming of five to six flowers on an Ezoyamazakura treethe northernmost sample tree in Japanlocated in a city park on May 7th. This observation officially marked the start of the blooming season in Wakkanai. Compared to 2024, this year's bloom came six days later, but still six days earlier than the historical average.

Shortly after, the Kushiro Local Meteorological Office also confirmed the blooming of Ezoyamazakura, leaving only Abashiri among the 58 locations nationwide where the Japan Meteorological Agency monitors cherry blossoms.

With this, the cherry blossom front that has swept from southern Japan to the north is now close to reaching its final stop.

Source: HBC 
TOKYO, May 08 (News On Japan) - Mitsubishi Motors has announced that it will procure electric vehicles from Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry, marking the first time a major Japanese automaker will receive EVs from the Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant.

While the specific models to be supplied have not been disclosed, Mitsubishi plans to begin sales in Australia and New Zealand in the latter half of next year.

Hon Hai, also known globally as Foxconn, has been stepping up its efforts in the EV sector. During a strategy briefing last month, the company revealed plans to introduce electric vehicles in the Japanese market by 2027.

With EV development costs pushing vehicle prices higher, Mitsubishi aims to control expenses and enhance product competitiveness by collaborating with partners such as Hon Hai.

Source: TBS
FUKUOKA, May 08 (News On Japan) - As many in Japan returned to work or school on May 7th following the Golden Week holiday, a growing number are reporting post-holiday fatigue and sleep deprivationconditions that experts warn may point to deeper sleep-related issues.

In Fukuoka City, the morning commute resumed as usual, with many expressing a mix of refreshed energy and lingering exhaustion. One woman noted that although the break allowed her to relax and reset, the return to daily life brought stress and early waking. Another commuter said she had been feeling emotionally heavy, especially in the days leading up to the end of the holiday.

At a psychiatric clinic in the Tenjin area of Fukuoka, women sought consultations for ongoing sleep troubles. One woman, who had struggled with sleeplessness for the past six months, said she had resorted to medication to force herself to sleep. Another patient, dealing with symptoms for over a decade, said her lack of rest made her irritable and emotionally unstable. "I think not being able to sleep properly is affecting me," she said.

According to physicians, long holidays often disrupt daily routines, making it easier for sleep disorders to emerge. Fluctuations in daytime temperature exceeding 10 degrees Celsius, combined with psychological stress and autonomic nervous system instability, can also trigger these conditions. In some cases, sleep disorders are linked to underlying mental health issues.

If left untreated, sleep disorders may impair judgment, reduce concentration, and increase the risk of conditions like diabetes and hypertension. A study by the OECD found that among 33 countries surveyed, Japan had the shortest average sleep duration at 7 hours and 42 minutessignificantly below the OECD average of 8 hours and 29 minutes.

According to Japans Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, adults should get at least six hours of sleep per night. Yet, 38.5% of men and 43.6% of women in Japan sleep less than that.

Symptoms of sleep disorders include difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, waking too early, and persistent feelings of fatigue despite sleeping. Medical experts recommend three key strategies: maintaining consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, ensuring exposure to light and regular meals in the morning, and staying active during the day. "Sleep quality tends to improve with daytime activity," a doctor explained. "Those who move more during the day tend to sleep more deeply."

Doctors advise seeking medical attention if sleeplessness continues for more than two consecutive weeks.

Source: FBS
OSAKA, May 08 (News On Japan) - With China's economy mired in a prolonged downturn and pressure from U.S. tariffs persisting since the Trump era, a growing number of Chinese citizens are seeking to leave their country. Among the favored destinations, Japanand in particular, Osakais seeing a surge in Chinese immigrants. What lies behind this trend?

According to journalist Masutomo Takeshi, who specializes in China and Southeast Asia, the term run () has come into use to describe these new migrants. Derived from the English word run, it signifies a desire to escapeespecially from the worsening domestic conditions in China. The 2022 COVID lockdown in Shanghai was a key turning point, spurring a wave of people eager to get out. Those choosing Japan for this escape are known as run-ri (run to Japan), and Masutomo has even authored a book by that name.

Masutomo explained that more people are feeling increasingly pessimistic about life in China. Politically, authoritarianism is deepening. Economically, the country remains stagnant. Socially, competition is intense, especially in education, and there is growing anxiety over freedom of speech.

Japan has emerged as a preferred destination. As of the end of 2024, approximately 870,000 Chinese nationals were living in Japana record high. While this figure had declined during the pandemic, it has steadily rebounded. Chinese residents now represent the largest group of foreign nationals in Japan, outnumbering Vietnamese (around 630,000) and Koreans (about 410,000).

Most of those migrating via run are from middle or upper-class backgrounds and tend to be in their 30s to 50s. Because learning Japanese becomes harder with age, they often form Chinese-only networks and communities. Even without fluency in Japanese, many still choose to move, seeing Japan as a cost-effective and comfortable place to live.

Masutomo emphasized Japan's strong appeal: compared with other developed countries, the quality of life is high while daily expenses remain relatively low due to the weak yen. Social security, healthcare, and especially education are seen as major draws.

The pressure in China's education system is intense. The university entrance exam known as the "gaokao" is one of the worlds most grueling one-shot tests, determining a student's entire future. Only 58% of junior high students move on to regular high schools via the zhongkao exam, and just 35% of high schoolers enter four-year universities. Even then, only 45.4% of university graduates were offered jobs in 2023a sharp contrast to Japan.

With such intense academic and career competition, many Chinese families are looking abroad. In Japan, children have more free time, broader educational choices, and fewer exams dictating their future.

Chinese parents also invest far more in education than their Japanese counterparts. While Japanese households spend an average of 2.2% of annual income on education, Chinese households spend about 7.9%roughly 3.4 times more. One family cited in the article spent 12 million yen on supplementary classes and contests. This level of investment is not unusual. With Chinas weaker social safety nets, children are often seen as long-term financial security, driving parents to prioritize educational success at all costs.

In Japan, even after arriving without knowing the language, many children adapt quickly. One example is a girl who moved to Osaka two years ago and initially spoke no Japanese. Within a year, she scored all top marks and finished runner-up in a schoolwide contest. Her family had calculated that aiming for top Chinese universities would require 100% effort, while in Japan, they could aim for the University of Tokyo with 70% effort and still leave time for extracurriculars and broader experiences.

At cram schools in Japan, the Chinese student population is increasing rapidly. At Argus Prep School, about 30% of the 100 students are Chinese. The school opened a dedicated classroom for Chinese students in June 2023, many of whom aim to enter top Japanese universities such as the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University.

Chinese parents see Japan as a country where their children can succeed academically while enjoying a better quality of life. Back in China, even lunch breaks are sometimes devoted to study under teachers supervision. In contrast, the same student in Japan can now enjoy club activities and leisure time, while still keeping up with studies.

Osaka, in particular, has seen the most dramatic rise. The number of Chinese residents in Osaka grew to 57,396 in 2024more than double the 2010 figure. The turning point came in 2016, when the city launched its "Special Zone Minpaku" (short-term rental) program under a national strategic zone designation. This allowed more flexibility than the standard 180-day-per-year rental limit. Today, 95% of all special zone minpaku operations nationwide are located in Osaka, with around 40% of them operated by Chinese entrepreneurs.

The city's center has seen a visible increase in Chinese residents. Earlier arrivals often speak Japanese and are integrated into the local community. In contrast, newer arrivals tend to remain within Chinese-only circles due to language barriers, especially among those in their 30s to 50s.

For many, operating minpaku properties has become a gateway to residency. Japan offers a Business Manager visa for entrepreneurs who invest at least 5 million yen and employ at least two peopleoften the husband and wife themselves. This is relatively lenient compared to investor visa policies in the U.S. and Europe, where such schemes are being tightened or phased out.

Masutomo reported cases where Chinese nationals received their Japanese business visas in as little as one month.

In short, an ecosystem has developed: more Chinese people are seeking to escape difficult conditions at home, and many are drawn to Japan for their children's education. To move legally, they establish short-term rental businesses, and Osakawith its generous minpaku rulesbecomes the obvious choice.

The result brings both benefits and challenges. On one hand, the influx of Chinese investors and entrepreneursdubbed "run money"brings vitality to the Japanese economy. On the other hand, residents are reporting disputes over short-term rentals, and the increase in real estate purchases is driving up prices in some neighborhoods. Competition in education is also intensifying.

Chinese citizens cannot buy land outright in their own countrythey only lease it for 60 years. But in Japan, foreigners can own property. This too adds to the allure.

Whether Japan can or should continue this trend is a matter of public debate. Whats clear is that Osaka has become a key destination in a migration story shaped by education, economics, and opportunity.

Source: ABCTVnews
KOBE, May 08 (News On Japan) - Kobe is a city blessed by both the sea and the mountains. One of its most defining features is Mount Ichizan, part of the Rokko mountain range. Long known as the birthplace of modern mountaineering in Japan, this area is home to a variety of distinctive peaks. Nestled within one of them, in Kobes Chuo Ward, lies Juzenji Temple, a Zen temple with a history spanning over 950 years.

At 5:30 in the morning, people begin climbing the stone steps to the temple. Many stop to sign their names in a logbook that tracks the number of climbs theyve completed. Some climbers proudly show their talliesthousands of ascents logged over years of daily effort. One woman notes that she has surpassed 3,000 climbs; another says shes passed 10,000. One of the top climbers has apparently done it more than 20,000 timesequivalent to climbing every single day for over 50 years.

This culture of everyday climbing has a long history. It is said to have started in the Meiji era when foreigners living in Kobe began ascending the mountains each morning before enjoying a refined breakfast. Locals soon embraced the habit, and it evolved into a cherished community tradition.

Archival footage from 1963 shows cheerful climbers ascending Rokkos slopes, with many performing radio calisthenics at the summit before returning home. While the number of participants has declined since its peak, the tradition remains vibrant. For many, it is not only a health routine but also a key social connection.

At the summit, climbers gather at a mountain teahouse near Juzenji Temple. One such shop is run by Toyonaga Yuko, known affectionately as "Mame-chan." She took over the tea house five years ago and serves breakfast sets like rice balls and miso soup or toast and coffee. The shop has become a central hub, welcoming everyone from elderly climbers to curious children.

Yukos mother-in-law, who previously ran the shop, returned to the tea house after recovering from a life-threatening illness. Together, the two women revived the store, creating a space that serves not just food but community support. The mother-in-law jokes about her daughter-in-law being a "devilish wife," but beams with pride when talking about her.

Among the regular climbers are individuals with inspiring stories. One man has been climbing daily for five years and is now 82. Another woman, 94, started climbing with her husband decades ago and continues even after his passing. Then theres Honda, 86 years old, who began climbing in her late twenties to lose weight. Now with over 24,000 climbs under her belt, she says, If I dont climb, I feel like Ive forgotten something.

Children also frequent the path. The short climbjust 108.4 metersmakes it accessible even for elementary schoolers, who come after school to play with Mame-chan. The tea house is filled with laughter as generations mingle freely.

Though some mountain tea houses have shut down due to aging proprietors, about a dozen still remain in the Rokko range. Each one offers its own specialties and a place to rest for climbers. Mame-chan hopes to preserve this culture, which naturally fosters human connection through shared routine and nature.

In the afternoon, familiar faces return once more. A man known as Ken-chan, 82, comes daily at 6 p.m. to keep up his health. Living alone, he says the tea house gives him someone to talk toand when hes absent, others worry.

Climbers say the rhythm of ascending the mountain every day sets the tone for their lives. Whether its for health, community, or simply the sense of peace it brings, the tradition endures. As the sun rises over Kobe, another day beginsone more step in a climb that has lasted generations.

Source: ABCTVnews
Vancouver, B.C.  For many Americans with past criminal convictions, rebuilding life after incarceration includes more than just social reintegrationit often includes restoring personal freedom, financial privacy, and international opportunity.

In 2025, an increasing number of rehabilitated U.S. citizens are turning to Amicus International Consulting to secure second citizenship legally, and with it, a renewed sense of personal sovereignty.

Rehabilitation is not the end of the journey, said a representative from Amicus International. Its the beginning of a new chapter. We believe freedom should be restored symbolically, legally, and globally.

With a growing client base that includes veterans, entrepreneurs, professionals, and everyday citizens with resolved legal histories, Amicus International is leading the movement for second chances through second citizenship.

Why Second Citizenship Matters for Rehabilitated Americans

A second passport opens the door to international travel, offshore banking, secure residency, and alternative business opportunities. For those with felony or misdemeanour convictions in their past, a second nationality can also provide:

Stability in politically uncertain times

A shield against future domestic policy changes

Tax and banking flexibility in foreign jurisdictions

The ability to relocate, retire, or conduct business abroad

However, while the benefits are clear, the path to dual nationality for individuals with a criminal history requires careful navigation of international law, immigration policy, and diplomatic discretion.

Amicus: A Legal Gateway to Global Reinvention

Amicus International Consulting specializes in providing legal, transparent, and ethical second citizenship solutions for Americans who have demonstrated rehabilitation and compliance with the law.

The firm offers bespoke services to:

Match applicants with countries whose legal frameworks are friendly to rehabilitated individuals

Prepare detailed case files with expungement, pardon, and court documentation

Assist with ancestry-based claims that do not evaluate criminal history

Coordinate name changes and identity restructuring, where permissible

Provide long-term offshore residency and relocation planning

Amicus does not support forged documents, unlawful renunciation of citizenship, or fraudulent identity tactics. Every case is reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of international law and compliance professionals to ensure adherence to legal standards.

Pathways to Second Citizenship: What Works for Rehabilitated Americans

Countries such as Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Lithuania allow Americans to obtain citizenship based on ancestry, even with a criminal record. These nations treat such applications as legal entitlements and often do not perform background checks unless there is an active threat to national security.

Case Study:

A Michigan man with a past conviction for a non-violent drug offence successfully obtained Irish citizenship in 2024 through his maternal grandfather. Due to the applications lineage-based nature, no questions were asked regarding his criminal past.

Citizenship by Investment (CBI)

Nations such as Dominica, Saint Lucia, and Vanuatu evaluate CBI applicants on a case-by-case basis. Older, non-violent offencesespecially if pardoned or expungedmay not be automatic disqualifiers. Transparent applications backed by rehabilitation records are often considered favorably.

Case Study:

An entrepreneur with an expunged 2001 conviction for wire fraud secured Saint Lucian citizenship in 2023 through a government bond investment. The application, which included complete documentation and legal representation from Amicus, was approved within seven months.

Residency-to-Citizenship Programs

Countries including Mexico, Paraguay, and Turkey offer naturalization pathways for those willing to reside legally for 25 years. During that period, applicants are evaluated based on lawful behaviour, tax compliance, and community engagement, not past convictions alone.

Case Study:

A former U.S. Marine with a 1990s assault conviction linked to PTSD moved to Mexico in 2020. With Amicuss support, he secured legal residency, fulfilled tax obligations, and applied for citizenship in 2025.

Legal Rehabilitation Matters

Second citizenship is not a loopholeits a structured legal process. Amicus works closely with clients to gather essential documentation that supports a narrative of rehabilitation, including:

Certified expungement orders

Pardons or executive clemency letters

Court records confirming sentence completion

Character references from employers, clergy, or legal professionals

Proof of rehabilitation , such as therapy records or community service

This documentation is used to demonstrate good moral character and to reduce risk during international due diligence reviews.

U.S. Legal Position on Dual Citizenship

Contrary to popular belief, the United States does not prohibit dual nationality. Rehabilitated felons no longer under indictment or federal restriction may apply for and hold a second nationality, provided the process is legal and fully disclosed.

Applicants must still:

File annual IRS returns (on global income)

Enter and exit the U.S. using a valid U.S. passport

Comply with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)

Amicus also helps clients understand their ongoing responsibilities as dual citizens under U.S. law.

Success Stories: Americans Reclaiming Global Freedom

Case 1: A Second Chance in the Caribbean

A 45-year-old from Texas with an expunged felony conviction obtained citizenship in Dominica. After consulting Amicus and assembling a comprehensive dossier, he and his family were approved in under six months.

Case 2: Reconnecting with Heritage in Eastern Europe

A woman from Chicago with a juvenile record claimed Polish citizenship through her grandmother. Amicus traced the necessary documents and handled all international filings. Today, she lives and works in Warsaw with full EU rights.

Case 3: Offshore Retirement in Paraguay

A New York businessman with a prior conviction relocated to Paraguay in 2021. With Amicus help, he secured permanent residency, integrated into the local community, and will apply for naturalization later this year.

Amicus International: Ethical, Legal, and Personalized

Amicus International Consulting operates with transparency, discretion, and a strong commitment to second chances. Every application is evaluated individually, and no shortcuts are taken.

We dont hide criminal records. We confront them honestly and build legal strategies around recovery, said an Amicus advisor. Freedom is restoredwith the law, not despite it.

Ready to Start Over?

Amicus International Consulting offers more than a second passport for Americans who have paid their debt to society and are ready to move forward. It provides a legal path to a renewed life, broader opportunities, and global freedom.

 Contact Information

Phone: +1 (604) 200-5402

Email: info@amicusint.ca

Website: www.amicusint.ca

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Zurich, Switzerland  Maus Coex Capital, a global financial advisory firm with offices across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, has introduced enhanced fund transfer strategies tailored to clients in the Peoples Republic of China.

Amid growing regulatory scrutiny, capital flight concerns, and political pressures inside the Chinese economy, Maus Coex Capital provides legal, compliant, and discreet pathways to transfer assets abroad.

The move comes as Chinas capital controls tighten and more wealthy individuals and businesses seek asset diversification outside the mainland.

Maus Coexs offerings from trade-based remittance structures and private placement vehicles to trust-based arrangements in tax-neutral jurisdictions are gaining traction with Chinese nationals aiming to hedge against renminbi volatility, regulatory unpredictability, and potential government expropriation.

Chinas Capital Controls and the Growing Demand for Offshore Diversification

Over the past five years, Beijing has clamped down on outbound capital flows to preserve foreign currency reserves and stabilize domestic markets. Chinese citizens face an annual cap of $50,000 on foreign currency conversion.

Corporations and high-net-worth individuals are encountering greater hurdles when investing or moving assets abroad, even for legitimate purposes such as education, medical care, or foreign real estate investment.

The result: a growing demand for lawful, innovative financial strategies to transfer wealth across borders without violating Chinas foreign exchange regulations.

Clients are seeking secure pathways that maintain full legal compliance with Chinese laws while enabling global diversification, said Giovanni DAmato, Managing Director at Maus Coex Capitals Zurich office. Were not in the business of secrecywere in the business of strategic compliance.

Maus Coexs Tiered Solutions: From Trusts to Trade-Based Transfers

Maus Coex Capitals bespoke solutions for Chinese nationals and corporate entities include:

Structured Trade Invoicing and Export Rebates : By leveraging legitimate overseas trade transactions, clients can invoice counterparties in foreign currencies and benefit from foreign exchange repatriation mechanisms in line with Chinese customs and trade rules.

Family Office Trust Structures : These allow affluent families to establish discretionary trusts in regions like the Cayman Islands, Jersey, and Singapore to hold offshore assets while retaining indirect control through well-documented legal agreements.

Dual-Entity Setups : Maus Coex establishes foreign subsidiaries or shell holding companies in neutral jurisdictions such as the BVI, Hong Kong (for now), or Luxembourg to manage international investments, real estate, and brokerage accounts.

Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) : A growing strategy among ultra-high-net-worth individuals, PPLI wraps international investments into an insurance structure, offering tax advantages and transfer flexibility.

Foreign Educational Fund Transfers : For families with children studying abroad, Maus Coex helps document tuition and living expenses in compliance with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) , enabling smooth international wire transfers.

Case Study: Moving Wealth Across Borders Safely and Legally

A real estate developer from Guangzhou faced significant risk exposure as the property sector contracted sharply in late 2024. His overseas portfolio in Australia, the UK, and Canada required capital infusion, but capital controls restricted outward flows.

Maus Coex stepped in, structuring a multi-jurisdictional trust based in Singapore with investment feeder funds.

Over 12 months, Maus Coex helped legally transfer $12 million in working capital through documented export contracts, legal intercompany loans, and trustee-managed investments. The funds were used to refinance existing mortgages and acquire additional properties in Toronto and London.

Without Maus Coexs experience, I could have lost critical investments abroad, said the developer, who requested anonymity due to political sensitivity. They showed me how to do this by the book, with discretion and results.

Legal Compliance and Transparency Are Core Values

Maus Coex Capital strictly adheres to all international financial compliance standards, including Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) protocols. In-house legal experts and local counsel review strategies in China and the destination country.

We never recommend shortcuts, emphasized DAmato. Theres a world of difference between secrecy and discretion. Our goal is transparency that protects the client while respecting global regulations.

Market Outlook: Why This Matters in 2025

As of Q1 2025, the Chinese yuan continues to weaken against the U.S. dollar, hitting a 17-year low. Real estate remains frozen in many parts of China, and political crackdowns on tech entrepreneurs and dissenters are accelerating capital flight. In parallel, Western governments are increasing scrutiny of suspicious wire transfers, putting even more pressure on legitimate investors to do things right.

This is not about escaping scrutiny, added Julia Cheung, Maus Coex Director of Asia Strategy. Its about protecting the fruits of your labour in a world where geopolitics increasingly determines financial risk.

Who Can Benefit?

High-net-worth individuals worried about asset security amid Chinas economic contraction.

Families seeking to fund overseas education or medical care

Chinese entrepreneurs wanting to access foreign markets and diversify holdings

Corporations setting up international offices or joint ventures

Overseas Chinese investors repatriating or reallocating assets for international tax planning

Maus Coex Is a Global Bridge for Wealth Preservation

Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, with offices in London, Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong, Maus Coex Capital specializes in international banking compliance, offshore trust management, fund repatriation services, and second citizenship advisory.

Its team includes private bankers, ex-regulators, trade attorneys, and cross-border financial planners. The firm serves clients in more than 40 countries and focuses on private client solutions and discreet corporate strategies.

Connect with Maus Coex Capital

Maus Coex encourages confidential consultations for clients in mainland China or overseas Chinese communities interested in legal and strategic asset transfer options.

 Phone: +41 22 508 7271

 Email: info@mauscoex.com

 Website: www.MausCoex.com

 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mauscoex

 Instagram: instagram.com/mauscoexcapital

 Twitter/X: twitter.com/mauscoex

 Facebook: facebook.com/mauscoexcapital

About Maus Coex Capital

Maus Coex Capital is a global financial advisory firm specializing in private banking solutions, legal asset protection, and strategic fund transfers. The firm offers services for high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and intermediaries navigating international finance in an age of increasing regulation, geopolitical instability, and digital surveillance.
Nonprofits working to provide legal services to those in need are struggling to find the help they need amid a shortage of lawyers in Iowa.

On average, Iowa has about two attorneys for every 1,000 people, but that rate is dropping and, as of September 2024, 56 counties qualified as "legal desserts" with fewer than one attorney for every 1,000 people, according to data from the American Bar Association.

Iowa Legal Aid, a nonprofit organization that provides legal services for low-income Iowans, relies on volunteer lawyers to serve clients. As the number of lawyers goes down, the volunteer hours also have declined.

One key aspect of our work is our reliance on volunteer lawyers, and there's been a pretty steep decline in donated legal services over the years, said Nick Smithberg, executive director of Iowa Legal Aid. "In 2015, there were 17,800 hours of legal help donated to my organization. By 2024, that number was down to 5,400."

While the organization still handled 13,734 cases and helped 31,789 people in 2024, the nonprofit was only able to help a portion of the population in need.

The gap between what we are able to do and the need for our services is very extreme, Smithberg said. "The studies show that 74% of people living in poverty will experience one or more civil legal problems per year. That translates in Iowa into something around the neighborhood of 370,000 people. So we're not coming close to hitting the bar."

Smithberg said Iowa Legal Aid has struggled to retain and hire staff attorneys over the years, too.

So this affects our work in all sorts of ways, right? Because there's a very direct correlation between the number of people that we can help and the number of attorneys that we have, Smithberg said. You have too few lawyers being called upon to do too much work, and they're not going to have capacity to volunteer.

Iowa Legal Aid resolved 749 cases in Pottawattamie County in 2024, nearly half of which were housing cases. Civil cases like evictions can have consequences for people, especially when they lack legal representation.

Smithberg noted that there is confusion about whether civil cases are required to have an attorney appointed, which is not the case.

The Sixth Amendment only requires attorneys in criminal matters, so even though an eviction could carry more serious consequences than a shoplifting conviction, only crimes carry a guarantee of access to legal counsel. As those facing eviction often can't afford an attorney, while landlords more often can afford them, that can provide pressure to litigants.

If we aren't able to show up to court, then the litigants just have to go on their own, and that puts them in a position where they're being asked to navigate a system that was designed by lawyers for lawyers, Smithberg said.

When people are left to represent themselves, the outcome is often not in their favor, Smithberg said.

We try to help people as best as we can with our resources, which are extremely limited. We might give them some brief advice, but they are forced to go to court and do the case by themselves, and the outcomes are predictably negative in those situations, Smithberg said. The success level for unrepresented tenants is substantially lower than if we represent them.

Challenges of cost and distance prevent many from being able to seek legal help.

Its going to cost you more and it's going to be harder to find help, Smithberg said. The overwhelming number of people who have legal problems do not have legal help. Even if there are a lot of lawyers, it doesn't mean people can afford them.

Smithberg said that lawyers play an essential role in our lives. Unfortunately, Iowa Legal Aid cant take on every case, as much as its staff wants to. But the consequences of not having enough lawyers can make matters worse for everyone intersecting the legal system, not only those with limited means.

Our system is a system of laws, and the lawyers are the people who help make that work, Smithberg said. "So, if there aren't enough lawyers, it really degrades the ability of civil society to function."

Shortage of lawyers across Iowa leaves courts operating inefficiently A lack of lawyers in the region and across the state leads to delays in justice, decreased court efficiency and increased distances and expense for residents.

In rural Nebraska, its hard to find an attorney. Its going to get much harder About a third of Nebraskas 93 counties have three or fewer active attorneys residing and practicing in them. Twelve counties dont have a single one.

Council Bluffs senior residents invited to free power of attorney clinic The Human Services Advisory Council Aging Committee is inviting community members to a free power of attorney clinic and resource fair.
Niger has lost interest in the stalling trans-Saharan gas pipeline that was planned to link Nigeria to Algeria.

Media reports said Niger stopped studies for the project that took decades with no progress so far.

The decision takes place amid deteriorating political ties with Algeria, who is accused by Niger and its other Sahel allies, Mali and Burkina Faso, of backing terrorists in the region.

Terrorist groups that sprouted in the Sahel were all led by Algerians who fought the 1990s civil war. Sahel states and pundits see Algeria as exporting its homegrown terrorists to their region.

Terrorism is the main threat to security in the alliance of Sahel states, who have been battling different insurgents sprouting from Algerian-led terror groups such as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and ISIS.

Nigers halt to the Algeria-Nigeria pipeline signals distrust with Algeria, notably after Algiers stepped up expulsions of Nigerien and other sub-Saharan migrants whose rights have been violated as authorities continue to abandon them in the harsh desert on the border.

The pipeline never materialized also because of security reasons due to risks of ransacking and vandalism by different terrorist and criminal groups active in the Sahel.

Algeria has for decades shown indifference to the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline because it does not want to offer its main client, Europe, an alternative source of gas. Algeria nurtured the hope of becoming Russias Europe to the South.

But it renewed interest in the project following progress on the Atlantic pipeline that will link Morocco to Nigeria.

The indifference to the Niger-Algeria pipeline project stands in stark contrast to the momentum ushered by the Morocco-Nigeria pipeline plan which has the backing of the regional grouping ECOWAS as well as the USA, and the UAE.
Casablanca will host innovators, decision-makers, and urban planners from across Morocco and Africa at the ninth edition of Casablanca Smart City on May 21-22, 2025. The event underscores the citys growing influence in shaping urban development across the region.

This years theme, Smart NexGenCities: Innovate for a Sustainable and Inclusive Metropolis, reflects a shift toward human-centered urban planning that prioritizes sustainability and inclusivity. The summit has evolved beyond a technology showcase into a collaborative platform where startups, public institutions, local authorities, and citizens collectively reimagine urban spaces.

The 2025 program features conferences and roundtables exploring smart mobility, civic participation, digital governance, and climate-conscious infrastructure. International experts will exchange ideas with local stakeholders on addressing urban challenges through innovative solutions.

A dedicated startup village will highlight breakthrough technologies from young Moroccan and African entrepreneurs, while a 48-hour hackathon will engage 200 young participants in developing practical solutions for energy, transportation, and digital public services challenges.

The event aligns with Moroccos broader national strategies, including the New Development Model and Digital Morocco 2030 roadmap, which emphasize human potential and digital transformation as key priorities for national development.

By hosting this summit, Casablanca reinforces its commitment to becoming a city that develops with and for its residents while positioning itself as a hub for smart technologies and sustainable urban development.

Last years edition focused on From Smart Citizen to Smart Metropolis, exploring intelligent urban development aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, laying groundwork for this years expanded focus on practical implementation of smart city concepts.
OCP Africa, a subsidiary of Moroccos OCP Group, has signed two cooperation agreements with Zambias Ministry of Agriculture and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

The first agreement aims to accelerate the shift toward sustainable agriculture by focusing on farmer empowerment, capacity building, and tailored fertilizer solutions. The initiative will leverage digital tools such as soil mapping and a GIS-based platform to enhance productivity and support more informed, sustainable farming practices.

The 2nd agreement focuses on the development of a large-scale commercial farm that will serve as both a production site and an innovation hub. It will allow for the testing and scaling of customized fertilizer formulas suited to Zambias diverse soil conditions. The project also includes plans for producing green ammonia using renewable energy, contributing to a lower-carbon fertilizer value chain.

Both agreements reflect OCP Africas dedication to fostering inclusive, innovative, and locally adapted agricultural solutions, which are vital to improving food security, increasing farmers incomes, and driving socio-economic growth in Zambia.

Through this partnership, OCP Africa and Zambia are laying the foundation for long-term agricultural success in Zambia, enhancing local expertise, and creating sustainable, data-driven solutions for the agricultural sector.
Princess Lalla Hasnaa, President of the Foundation for the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage of Rabat, who is currently paying a visit to Azerbaijan, visited the Educational Complex 132134 secondary school in Baku on Wednesday, as part of the educational twinning project between schools in Rabat and the Azerbaijani capital.

In an address during the visit, Azerbaijans Minister of Science and Education Emin Amrullayev expressed his honor at welcoming the Moroccan Princess to this prestigious educational institution, which has produced renowned public figures, scientists, and prominent cultural personalities.

This event marks the beginning of a new chapter in the schools history, under the sign of cultural exchange, shared values, and educational collaboration, he said, noting that the twinning program, implemented in partnership with the Foundation for the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage of Rabat, reflects a shared commitment to global citizenship and mutual understanding through education.

He further stated that the twinning program would allow young people to discover, preserve, and celebrate cultural heritage as a key component of their identity and a bridge between the two cities.

For her part, Educational Complex 132134 Director Aygun Milkayilova emphasized that this twinning project would make a significant contribution to turning cultural heritage into a shared value, while fostering intercultural dialogue. She underlined the importance of this collaboration in laying the groundwork for deeper mutual understanding and lasting cooperation among younger generations.

This twinning project is part of the I discover my heritage program, recognized by UNESCO as a reference in the field of heritage education, and aims to strengthen the spirit of exchange, understanding and cultural dialogue between young people.

Princess Lalla Hasnaa then visited the schools history Museum, and attended musical performances by the young Atila Garib, who sang the song Azerbaijan, and student Abid Chalabiyrv, who paid tribute to Rabats musical heritage by performing Chams El Achiya on the Kamancha, a traditional Azerbaijani musical instrument. She also followed an Azerbaijani folk dance Cengi.

She later on visited a 7th grade class where she followed a presentation on the Azerbaijani education system and the inclusion of arts and cultural education in the pedagogical system.

The presentation highlighted the linguistic and cultural bridges with Rabat, as exemplified by the word mullim (teacher), as well as the richness of shared links and the importance of intercultural dialogue in education.

Princess Lalla Hasnaa visited a second classroom where she attended I discover my heritage workshops, an accommodation of the educational program of the Foundation for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Rabat to the cultural context of the city of Baku.

She then visited an exhibition by the schools students on the most emblematic monuments of the cities of Rabat and Baku.

These works, combining artistic expression and heritage awareness, reflect the richness of intercultural dialogue and the attachment of young generations to their authentic cultural heritage.

This Thursday, Princess Lalla Hasnaa hosted a tea ceremony in Baku in honor of Azerbaijani women personalities from the realms of culture and arts.
Moroccos Top Police Chief leads delegation to 22nd meeting of heads of intelligence and security services in MENA region

Director General of National Security (DGSN) and Territorial Surveillance (DGST), Abdellatif Hammouchi, paid on May 6-7, a working visit to Vienna at the head of a security delegation representing the DGSN-DGST hub.

This visit is part of the DGSN-DGST delegations participation in the 22nd meeting of heads of intelligence and security services in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, in addition to Turkey and Pakistan, organized by the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team at the Vienna International Center, the DGSN-DGST said in a press release.

Hammouchis participation in this multilateral security forum reflects Moroccos commitment to bolstering regional and international security cooperation, as well as its firm commitment to sharing its expertise and pioneering experience in counter-terrorism and the fight against transnational crime with friendly and allied countries, as well as all international partners, the press release explained.

Discussions at the meeting focused on the evolution of command structures within Daesh and Al Qaeda, particularly in light of the loss of traditional strongholds and the emergence of new regional branches and sections, as well as a general assessment of the threats and risks posed by these organizations at regional and international level in the short, medium and long terms, according to the press release.

The discussions also analyzed new trends in financial resources, weapons, and logistical equipment adopted by Daesh and Al Qaeda, including mechanisms for concealing and encrypting funds. They also looked at the latest developments in propaganda, media strategy and organizational communication within these terrorist organizations.

In parallel with his participation in multilateral cooperation debates, Hammouchi held bilateral talks with security officials from Qatar, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing.

The discussions focused on joint efforts to address transnational crime and strengthen regional stability.

The United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team hosted the event at the Vienna International Center.
King Mohammed VI of Morocco deems the Atlantic Africa he is championing to be a geostrategic heart and a matrix of innovation & resilience, the aim being to transform the African Atlantic into a lever for unity, an engine for shared prosperity and a bulwark of stability.

The remarks were made Thursday by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita before the 5th ministerial meeting of the Atlantic African States Process (AASP), held in Praia, Cape Verde.

For King Mohammed VI, Atlantic Africa must not be seen as a periphery of the global world. Rather, it is a geostrategic heartland, a dynamic interface between continents, a cradle of innovation and resilience, Bourita said, stressing that our responsibility is to transform this vision into a concrete, visible and tangible reality.

In this context, he insisted that the Atlantic African Partnership is more than a strategic tool. It is also a political, economic and human process. This partnership embodies the aspiration of an Africa that no longer endures the shifting tides of history, but instead confidently chooses its own path, guided by clarity and unity.

Bourita reaffirmed Moroccos unwavering commitment to advancing this momentum, to guarantee its continuity and to expand its reach.

Welcoming the keenness, coherence, steadfastness and collective determination of the AASP countries to put the Atlantic African space in a momentum of action, solidarity and co-prosperity, the Minister noted that the Atlantic African space is no longer disregarded geographically. It is now a strategic, endogenous and accepted reality.

It is a reality driven by a shared conviction: that our future will be safer, more prosperous and more sustainable if we build it together, he insisted.

Bourita then pointed out that the Royal Initiative has resulted in an unprecedented Afro-African partnership, embodying the essence of shared responsibility, and that the initiative has laid the foundations for a new cooperation paradigm  both pragmatic in its approach and ambitious in its aims, namely sustainable development, maritime security, environmental protection, and the fight against transnational threats.

Today, Atlantic Africa is at an inflection point. It is scrutinized, courted, but also confronted with multiple, systemic and cross-cutting threats, Bourita added. He urged African Atlantic States, at a time of setting geostrategic spaces in Europe, America and Asia, to make an audible, credible, and effective call, by taking care to strengthen our trans-regional anchoring, widen the spheres of cooperation and deepen our synergies.

This is not just a political ambition, but a necessity for sovereignty and development, the Minister stated, adding that it is embodied in the empirical approach we are pursuing together. The Forum of Ministers of Justice (April 2024), the meeting of Speakers of Parliaments (February 2025), and the Conference on Maritime Security and the Fight against Terrorism (January 2025), are all milestones that have broadened our scope of action and deepened the coherence of our approach.

In keeping with this empirical structure, the Praia meeting is an opportunity for a clear assessment and strategic projection, the Minister underlined, noting that the implementation report confirms that this partnership is progressing well, identifying tangible actions, and putting forward pertinent recommendations.

These recommendations include the organization of sectoral meetings, such as the Ministers of Justice meeting, which reflected the effectiveness of a multi-sectoral and decentralized approach; the establishment of national coordination mechanisms, which are essential for coordinating internal State actions with the regional dynamics of the Process; and the inclusion of aquaculture in action plans, as a strategic field at the crossroads of food security, employment and environmental sustainability, he explained.

Morocco fully commits to these recommendations and is ready to contribute actively, through the expertise of its institutions, the sharing of its experiences and the mobilization of its partners, Bourita affirmed.
Tom Cruise launched the global tour for Mission: Impossible  Dead Reckoning: Final Chapter in Tokyo and then SeoulCruise, whose career has been a lifelong pursuit since first dreaming of making movies at age four, emphasized his deep gratitude and commitment.Its not what I do, its who I am, he said. "There hasn't been a day that I have not felt privileged, a day that I have not felt very grateful to be able to do what I do. Thank you for allowing me to entertain, it is an honor."He's gonna come to Texas too
Last weeks worst blackout Europe has ever seen in modern times was a wake-up call for the EU  and the rest of the world  that regardless of booming renewable energy capacity installations, power supply will not be secure unless grids are capable and flexible enough to accommodate clean energy and meet rising demand.

Renewable energy proponents have been touting for years the record-breaking solar and wind capacity additions in Europe and elsewhere, calling at the same time for more investments in grids. With headline-grabbing record renewable installations and reduction of dependence on fossil fuels, the need for trillions of dollars worth of investment in grids may have been overlooked. Until it was too late and Spains grid buckled on April 28, leaving the country, most of Portugal, and, for shorter periods of time, parts of France, without electricity and basically ruining (even more) an entire Monday for millions of people.

Investigations continue into what happened and why Spains transmission system was disconnected from the European grid midday Monday.

Whatever the cause, the worst blackout in Europe and the first major system collapse in the era of booming renewable energy installations highlighted the need for investments in storage and grid resilience.

Grid Investments Lag Behind Renewables Additions

While focusing on boosting solar and wind power and their benefit for the environment and the reduction of imports of fossil fuels, policymakers are aware that booming renewable capacity generation needs to have access to the power systems. But investments arent enough. If electricity transmission, distribution, and interconnections cannot handle power from the record-breaking solar and wind capacity, the clean energy progress stalls.

As early as last year, think tank Ember said in a report that grid investments in Europe are lagging behind renewable additions and a lack of transmission capacity could hold back the energy transition.

Related: Russia Claims Active Talks With China on New Gas Pipeline Are Underway

Making sure solar and wind can actually connect to the system is as critical as the panels and turbines themselves, says Elisabeth Cremona, Energy & Climate Data Analyst at Ember.

There is no transition without transmission.

Europe needs to significantly boost grid investments and fully align planning processes with the new reality of the energy transition, according to the clean energy think tank.

At a global level, the situation is pretty much the samethe International Energy Agency (IEA) says that thousands of gigawatts of renewable energy are waiting in grid connection queues.

This shows grids are becoming a bottleneck for transitions to net zero emissions, the IEA said, noting that booming investments in renewables contrast with barely changed spending on grid resilience and expansions that have been static at about $300 billion per year over the past decade.

EU Needs Up to $2.6 Trillion in Grid Investment by 2050

Thats too little to support grids that support the rollout of more renewable energy.

The European Commission has estimated that $2.265 trillion (2 trillion euros) to $2.6 trillion (2.3 trillion euros) is required to meet grid needs until 2050, a review of the EUs electricity grids by the European Court of Auditors showed earlier this year.

Success hinges on overcoming key challenges, including coordinating grid planning across the EU, streamlining permitting processes and tackling equipment and labour shortages, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) said in the report.

A large part of the EU electricity grid dates from the last century: almost half of distribution lines are over 40 years old, said Keit Pentus-Rosimannus, the ECA Member responsible for this review.

To ensure the EUs competitiveness and autonomy, we need modern infrastructure that can support our industry and keep prices affordable.

This decade alone, the EU needs a cumulative $660 billion (584 billion euros) in grid investments, the Commission estimated in its Grids, the missing link - An EU Action Plan for Grids.

This missing link between the renewables boom and the connection and transmission of clean energy to consumers, as well as the need for much higher investments in battery storage, came to the forefront of the green energy debate after the massive power outage in Spain last week.

Delays in grid development have created a backlog of over 800 GW of wind and solar capacity awaiting connection in Europe, nearly double the current supply, Allianz Research said a month and a half before Europes worst blackout.

Moreover, the lack of grid flexibility exacerbates intraday price volatility, with high electricity prices during peak demand and negative prices during off-peak hours, according to Allianzs analysts.

The EU also needs to improve cross-border electricity interconnections to make grids more flexible and allow countries to import electricity from neighbors when needed. The EU has bumped its interconnection target to?at least 15% by 2030, up from a previous 10% target. This means that an EU member state should be able to import up to 15% of the electricity it consumes from one or more of its neighbors.

By the beginning of 2025, a total of 14 out of the 27 EU countries had exceeded the 2030 target and 5 countries were above the 10% threshold, while 8 countries were still below the previous target from 2020.

If finished on time, the interconnection projects in the pipeline are expected to further improve interconnectivity levels, but more interconnections are needed in some regions, particularly in view of increasing renewable generation capacities, the EU says.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The European Union member states are looking to include energy laws and regulations in wider efforts to cut bureaucracy aimed at boosting the blocs competitiveness, a draft document seen by Reuters showed on Thursday.

Earlier this year, the European Commission proposed measures to cut red tape and simplify legislation for EU businesses and citizens. The plans to simplify rules is a major step forward in creating a more favourable business environment to help EU companies grow, innovate, and create quality jobs, the Commission said at the end of February.

EU companies will benefit from streamlined rules on sustainable finance reporting, sustainability due diligence and taxonomy. This will make life easier for our businesses while ensuring we stay firmly on course toward our decarbonisation goals. And more simplification is on the way, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the time.

European competitiveness has been eroded in recent years by volatile and high energy prices, which are up to five times higher than those in the United States and China. The new tariffs from the U.S. are also hitting major European industries. Some European facilities face an existential threat after years of trying to cope with the high energy costs.

Now, the EU countries are considering extending the simplification to other EU laws, according to the draft conclusions in the document ahead of an EU energy ministers summit in the middle of June.

If energy laws are simplified, too, it is expected to have a profound impact on lowering the regulatory burden for companies in the energy sector and energy intensive industries while maintaining alignment with the original policy objectives, per the document seen by Reuters.

This isnt the final draft ahead of the energy ministers summit next month. Diplomats from the EU member states continue discussions about which areas should see laws simplified.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The European Union wants to quit all forms of Russian energy imports by the end of 2027. The EU has spoken a lot about this, but action has been mostly absent, with Russia still the second-biggest supplier of gas to the bloc. Now, a non-EU countrys gas ambitions could make Brussels task of quitting Russian gas even harder.

The European Commission this week announced plans to bring Russian natural gas imports to zero. This will, apparently, happen by the central government of the EU banning member states from signing new supply contracts with Gazprom while looking for a way to also get them out of existing contracts without having to pay penalties for breaching these contracts.

The first problem with this is that not all EU members are on board with the idea. Hungary and Slovakia are, in fact, very much opposed to the idea, arguing it would further compromise the competitiveness of European businesses for reasons relating to costs. Now, the Commission could get the two into line by adopting the plan with a qualified, rather than a full majority of member states. What it cant do, however, is stop Turkey from turning into a gas hub, featuring a lot of Russian gas.

Hungary and Slovakia are currently getting their Russian natural gas supply via the TurkStream pipeline that runs under the Black Sea to Turkey and then on to Eastern Europe. According to one Bulgarian energy analyst from the progressive think-tank Center for the Study of Democracy, the existence of this pipeline can prolong the European Unions reliance on Russian gas. Indeed, it has already increased Russian gas imports to Central and Southeastern Europe from some 30% back in 2021 to over 50% as of last year, Martin Vladimirov wrote in an op-ed for Reuters.

Tukey imports a lot of Russian gas. It uses some of it at home and exports the rest to Southeastern Europe. Turkey also has plans to become a major regional natural gas hub, both via imports from Russia and Central Asia, and through local exploration and production. The Turkish government has also made public plans to essentially replace Ukraine as a key transit route between Russias gas fields and European consumers.

According to figures cited by the Center for the Study of Democracys Vladimirov, Hungary is the biggest importer of TurkStream gas, with flows expected to reach 8 billion cu m this year. Thats up from 6 billion cu m in 2023. Slovakia, meanwhile, plans to ramp-up gas flows via the pipe by amending its long-term contract with Gazprom. Other countries getting gas from the TurkStream pipeline include Bulgaria, which is part of the transit route, Serbia, Romania, and some Western Balkan states.

Now, Vladimirov argues that these flows can be replaced entirely with liquefied natural gas. He does acknowledge, however, that this would come at a price, and it is not an insignificant price. This is what makes stopping Russian gas imports so difficult and what, combined with the presence of the TurkStream pipeline and Turkeys LNG import terminals, suggests any attempt to bring those Commission plans to fruition is doomed. Because even if Brussels somehow bans Hungary and Slovakia from buying their gas from whoever they please, it would likely still continue to utilize Turkey as a middleman in gas supplyand gas molecules dont come with a stamp of origin. The gas that the EU imports from Turkey in the future may be coming from Central Asia, but it may also come from Russia, despite any forceful measures to make sure this doesnt happen. Just like it happened with oil and imports from India replacing imports from Russia itself.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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U.S.-China trade talks are set to begin in Geneva, marking the first step toward easing trade tensions.

Oil prices surged as the U.S. announced its first post-tariff trade deal with the UK, signaling potential market stability.

Oil prices rose by more than 1% early on Thursday as the market expects a U.S.-UK trade deal announcement later today and the start of U.S.-China ice-breaker talks later this week.

As of 8:35 a.m. EDT on Thursday, the U.S. benchmark, WTI Crude, was up by 1.89% at $59.15. The international benchmark, Brent Crude, was trading 1.62% higher at $62.12 per barrel.

Oil and equity markets were buoyed on Thursday by the announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump that the United States would sign the first post-tariff trade deal with the United Kingdom.

The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come, President Trump teased on Truth Social, adding that a press conference on the deal is scheduled at 10 a.m. ET at the Oval Office.

Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement. Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow! President Trump said.

The first trade deal to be announced since the U.S. President threatened tariffs on all trade partners instilled hopes in the market that compromises and deals can be reached and recessions and a dip in oil demand could be avoided.

This lifted oil prices and the Dow futures early on Thursday.

In other trade talks, the United States and China are expected to hold on Saturday initial talks that could be a step toward de-escalating the trade war between the worlds two biggest economies.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet Chinas Vice-Premier He Lifeng in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss trade.

Yet, the upside to oil prices is being capped by the OPEC+ plan to continue boosting production by more than previously expected.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Persistent overproduction by Kazakhstan, Iraq, and Russia is testing Saudi Arabias tolerance and undermining the unity of the OPEC+ agreement.

Chevrons recent production boost at Kazakhstans largest oilfield has significantly contributed to the country's record output of 2.17 million bpd in March.

Kazakhstan plans to maintain elevated crude and condensate production levels in May, surpassing its OPEC+ quota for the second consecutive month.

Kazakhstan doesnt have any plans to cut its crude and condensate production in May, its energy ministry said on Thursday, as the OPEC+ producer continues to give the group headaches with continuously busting its quota in the deal.

Kazakhstan, one of the biggest overproducers under the agreement alongside OPECs second-largest producer, Iraq, plans to keep its crude oil and condensate production levels in May the same as in April and slightly higher than in March, Kazakhstans energy ministry told Bloomberg via email.

The second OPEC+ output hike in as many months signaled that Saudi Arabia will not tolerate any longer OPEC+ producers regularly busting their quotas while others, such as the Kingdom, stick to their production ceilings per the agreement. Iraq and Kazakhstan have been the OPEC+ members chronically pumping above their quotas, continuously promising to compensate for previous overproduction, and continuously failing to do so.

Kazakhstans combined crude oil and condensate production reached an all-time high in March, which further exceeded the countrys crude output ceiling under the OPEC+ deal.

Kazakhstan, a non-OPEC producer part of the OPEC+ pact, pumped a record high 2.17 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil plus condensate in March.

Under the OPEC+ agreement, Kazakhstans crude oil production quota is 1.468 million bpd. The deal doesnt cover condensate production and has no limits on it.

Kazakhstan has been consistently overproducing above its OPEC+ limit and is one of the biggest overproducers alongside Iraq and Russia.

This year, the overproduction issue has become even greater after U.S. supermajor Chevron started up oil production at an expansion project at the largest oilfield in Kazakhstan that would boost crude oil output by 260,000 bpd.

Last week, Chevrons CEO, Mike Wirth, told analysts at the Q1 earnings call that On OPEC plus in Kazakhstan, you know, really were not discussions of that. We dont engage in discussions about OPEC or OPEC plus.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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According to StanChart, the path of least resistance for oil prices is lower, with prices likely to remain low in the coming months before beginning a gradual recovery due to a sharp fall in U.S. oil output.

The eight OPEC+ countries that provided additional voluntary output cuts in 2023 met again on Saturday, with the May meeting ending with a resolution similar to the April meeting. Once again, OPEC+ agreed to accelerate the pace of unwinding of production cuts, with output targets for June (excluding compensation cuts) increased by 411,000 barrels per day, equivalent to three monthly increments under the original schedule. Commodity analysts at Standard Chartered have predicted that the June meeting will result in further acceleration, bringing the cumulative unwinding of the 2.2 million barrels per day (mb/d) cuts to 1.4 mb/d.

StanChart says the willingness of OPEC+ to bring in more oil to the markets at a time when oil prices have crashed can be interpreted in several ways.

First off, global crude inventories are low enough to create a window to scale back the voluntary cuts, a window that will remain open until market surplus finally arrives.

Related: Oil-Rich Alberta Could Vote to Separate from Canada



Second, Saudi Arabia is keen to make a statement against the likes of Kazakhstan and Iran, which have repeatedly violated their OPEC+ quotas. The commodity analysts say theres been little progress made by these countries in complying with their compensation plans, with Chevron Corps (NYSE:CVX) latest earnings call sending some alarming signals. In the earnings call, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth reported that there had been no discussions with the Kazakh government over production restraints at the Tengiz field, adding that he was unaware of anything that might result in any production restraint.

The latest OPEC survey of secondary sources put Kazakh crude oil output at 1.852 mb/d in March, a good 384 kb/d above its target. Kazakhstan also failed to deliver on 38 kb/d of promised compensation cuts in March, taking its total overproduction in the month to 422 kb/d. The overrun in April is also expected to be substantial. While the other members of the OPEC+ eight produced a combined 612 kb/d less y/y in March, Kazakhstan produced 240 kb/d more y/y.

Under the revised compensation schedules Kazakhstan submitted in April, it promised to not only meet its nominal target but also as compensation to cut more than 100 kb/d in each of the seven months starting May, with the compensation cuts peaking at 160 kb/d in October.

Delegates say Saudi Arabia is considering releasing the rest of the 2.2 million barrels a day in large tranches if recalcitrant members like Kazakhstan fail to stick to their quotas.

Previously, the Financial Times reported that Saudi Arabia is willing to ditch its previous oil price target of $100/bbl as it prepares to open the taps, effectively resigning itself to a period of lower oil prices. Saudi Arabia and OPEC+ planned to gradually unwind the 2.2 million barrels per day over a period of nearly two years, stretching into late 2026. However, the group fast-tracked nearly half of that output over a short period.

Oil prices have continued to weaken after the May 3 meeting, with front-month Brent coming

within $0.10 per barrel (bbl) of its 2025-low after sinking to $58.50/bbl in intra-day trading on 5 May, the lowest front-month settlement since 5 February 2021.

According to StanChart, the path of least resistance for oil prices is lower, with prices likely to remain low in the coming months before beginning a gradual recovery due to a sharp fall in U.S. oil output. However, there is some technical support in the short-term, with short-term fundamentals remaining fairly positive.

StanCharts proprietary machine-learning oil price model, SCORPIO, sees some scope for short-term support, indicating a $1.27/bbl w/w increase to settlement on 12 May. Previously, we reported that StanChart cut its 2025 oil price forecast by $16 per barrel (bbl) to $61/bbl and also lowered its 2026 forecast by $7/bbl to USD 78/bbl thanks to Trumps tariffs.

Meanwhile, the EU has had a strong start to its gas injection season, with inventories standing at 47.58 billion cubic metres (bcm) on 4 May. The w/w build clocked in at 2.85 bcm, 33% above the five-year average change. The deficit relative to the five-year average has now narrowed for 10 consecutive days and stands at 10.97 bcm, the lowest since mid-February.

The strong build in inventories is being helped by weak demand, with StanChart estimating that

EU gas demand declined 7.5% in April. Net imports were 26.60 bcm, 321 million cubic metres (mcm) higher m/m but 26 mcm lower y/y. Inventories increased by 6.03 bcm m/m in April, 1.97 bcm more than they increased in April 2024.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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Taiwan is walking an energy tightrope. The island nations isolated energy grid supports a population the size of Australias at 23 million and one of the most advanced and energy-intensive tech sectors in the world. And not only is it being pushed to its absolute limit by economic factors, its also facing an existential threat from potential Chinese aggression.

As the age of energy-hungry artificial intelligence dawns, Taiwan is facing a multifaceted energy crisis: It depends heavily on imported fossil fuels; It has ambitious clean energy targets that it is failing to meet; And it can barely keep up with current demand, Yale360 reported in September of last year. Addressing this problem, government critics say, is growing increasingly urgent.

On top of these issues, China has been ramping up military exercises off the coast of Taiwan, running simulations of live-fire strikes on ports and energy facilities, and setting up blockades on vital shipping routes to and from the sovereign island. Such blockades, if carried out, would be devastating to the islands energy security. "People would run out of power and water, as the water supply is powered by electricity. Communication is based on electricity, and the military would not be able to function," James Yifan Chen, a scholar of international relations, recently told DW.

The Chinese government views Taiwan as a breakaway territory and wants to unify the island with mainland China under its One China policy, by force if necessary, even though the Peoples Republic of China has never governed Taiwan. Tensions between Taiwan and China have been escalating in recent years, and experts fear that they could soon come to a head. And in the case that China does carry out a full-on invasion of Taiwan, the islands energy supply will be its first target.

"Taiwan is more vulnerable than Ukraine," says Chen. This is because of the isolated nature of the islands grid  Taiwan has no neighboring grids to turn to in a time of crisis, and has extremely limited fuel storage capacity. The most optimistic outlooks estimate that Taiwans gas reserves would last for just 40 days under a full Chinese blockade. Other estimates say that the reality is closer to two weeks.

Taiwans energy supply is its Achilles heel of national security, according to the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI). Aware of the challenge, the Taiwanese government is working to strengthen its energy independence, for example by encouraging the development of renewable energies, diversifying fossil fuel suppliers, increasing fuel storage capacities, and enhancing the security of the power grid, says IFRI. However, the government struggles to formulate an energy policy that explicitly aligns with national security needs.

This could mean doomsday for the nations economy. After Taiwans presidential elections last year, the Chinese military conducted a series of military exercises with the objective of making Taiwan a dead island via a blockade for the disruption of energy supplies leading to an economic collapse, according to Colonel Zhang Chi of the Peoples Liberation Army and professor at the National Defense University in Beijing.

An attack on Taiwanese energy would not only be devastating for the people of Taiwan. It would also have reverberating effects on the rest of the world. Taiwan is the world leader in the semiconductor industry and is responsible for a whopping 68% market share of global chip production. Just one company, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), produces at least 90% of the worlds most advanced computer chips.

Furthermore, a Chinese attack on Taiwans energy grids could lead to far-reaching conflict. The Council on Foreign Relations warns that many foreign policy analysts fear a Chinese attack on Taiwan could draw the United States into a massively destructive and costly war with China.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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India has been importing a lot more U.S. crude oil as the two negotiate trade relations following President Donald Trumps launch of a tariff offensive against countries running a surplus with the United States.

I see push and pull factors for Indias imports of US crude in the months ahead, the head of Vortexas Asia Pacific analysis, Ivan Mathews, told news outlet Invezz.

In April, India imported 326,000 barrels of U.S. crude daily, which represented a solid 34% increase from March, Vortexa data cited by media showed. The monthly growth, however, was weaker than the rate booked in March. In that month, Indias imports of U.S. crude rose by a whopping 67% from February to 244,000 barrels daily. The ramp-up, besides a means of appeasing President Trump, is also a way to diversify supply of the commodity, according to analysts.

Indeed, India is likely to significantly increase its energy purchases from the U.S., Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in February in Washington after a meeting between President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Indeed, last month, Bloomberg cited data from Kpler showing that as many as 11.2 million barrels of U.S. crude were en route to India, scheduled to arrive in June. This would be the highest U.S. crude volume arriving in India since August 2024.

Indias state-owned refining giants are leading the higher purchases of U.S. crude, as India hopes to have tariffs lowered if it buys more American energy products.

State Indian refiners, including Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petroleum, have bought at tenders last month at least 6 million barrels of crude from the U.S. due to arrive in India in June, Bloomberg calculations showed.

There is also a geopolitical element, where Asian buyers may seek more WTI as a negotiating tool with the US to reduce the reciprocal tariffs, per what we are observing with Indonesia and India, June Goh, a senior oil market analyst at Sparta Commodities, told Bloomberg.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Nigerias government has set a new, significantly higher, production target for the national oil company, aiming for 2.5 million barrels daily by the end of this year.

When the new NNPC management visited me, I increased their oil production target to 2.5 million bpd from the initial two million barrels given to them by the President, Nigerias petroleum resources minister, Heineken Lokpobiri told the Sun on the sidelines of the Oil Technology Conference Africa Energy Forum.

Lokpobiri believes the new target would be easy to hit based on the fact that Nigeria reached the same level of production during the pandemic despite the lack of any targeted investments in oil production growth.

The 2.5 million bpd oil production is easily realisable because all the bottlenecks against our oil production are being addressed, the official said.

Production data shows Nigeria has not produced oil at a rate of 2 million bpd in the past decade, with the peak at close to that figure back in 2016. Since then, production has been in a more or less gradual decline. Pipeline vandalism and oil theft are two reasons for this, as they discourage additional investments that are much needed for a reversal in production trends. Another reason has been Big Oil strategy that has seen the supermajors curb their presence in Nigeria in favor of other locations with better prospects.

However, Exxon just made a decision to invest $1.5 billion in deepwater oil development in Nigeria. The investment will be made between 2025 and 2027 to revitalize production in the Usan deepwater oilfield, Nigerias Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission said this week.

According to Lokpobiri, the problems of pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the Niger Delta are also being addressed, which should facilitate production growth. This just leaves one problem: OPEC+ production control commitments. In this, Nigeria is in luck as Saudi Arabia recently reversed its course, switching from production control to growth.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Russia is in an active stage of talks with China over the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline to bring more Russian gas to China, Russias Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said while Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Moscow.

Despite the touted active talks, it is unlikely that Russia and China will sign an agreement on the proposed gas pipeline before May 9, Russian news agency TASS quoted Tsivilev as telling reporters.

Xi flew to Moscow on Wednesday, will hold talks with Vladimir Putin on Thursday, and will attend a planned grand parade on Friday to mark the V-day of Russia defeating Nazi Germany in the Second World War 80 years ago, alongside other leaders of countries that have kept friendly ties with Russia after Putins invasion of Ukraine.

With the proposed Power of Siberia 2, Russia has been trying for years to get China to commit to a new natural gas pipeline from the massive fields in Western Russia to China via Mongolia. Power of Siberia 2, despite Russian assurances, is nowhere near a concrete commitment from China on the price and volumes at which the Russian gas would be imported.

China has been negotiating from a position of strength after becoming Russias key gas customer and key trade partner in all other areas following the invasion of Ukraine, which severed decades-long gas supply relations between Russia and Europe. Russia appears to be struggling to convince China to take on more pipeline gas amid disagreements over the price China would pay.

According to Tsivilevs comments to reporters, Russia and China are currently discussing the route option via Mongolia, but companies are working on drafting the contract.

They are in the active stage of negotiations, so I think it is unlikely that they will manage to do this before May 9, the minister was quoted as saying.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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(Ishigaki Island)



In 2018, Ishigaki Island beat out Maui, Reykjavik and other major destinations to top TripAdvisors list of trending spots. A few years on, the Okinawan island hasnt lost its magic. Located just a short flight from Tokyo, Ishigaki offers crystal-clear waters, vibrant coral reefs and food you wont forget. If youre looking for a tropical escape without leaving Japan, this Ishigaki Island travel guide will help you plan your trip rightwhether youre a beach bum, a food lover or an adventurous road-tripper.

Getting to Ishigaki Island from Tokyo

Okinawa Prefecture, Japans southernmost region, is made up of three major island chains: the Okinawan Islands, the Miyako Islands and the Yaeyama Islands, where Ishigaki is located.

Ishigaki is a 3-hour flight from Tokyo and only 40 minutes from Taiwan. Upon arriving at New Ishigaki Airport, the scenery shifts instantlylush hills, turquoise waters and a slower pace of life. It feels like another world, far removed from the bustle of Okinawa City or Naha.

Kabira Bay, Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan. The bay forms part of the Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park. ()



Transportation Tips: Buses, Bikes and Car Rentals

While the island isnt large, getting around can be a little tricky without a car. Budget travelers can take advantage of local buses, with a 5-day unlimited ride pass going for just 2,000. However, service winds down early in the evening, with some routes ending as early as 6 or 7 pm.

If you miss the bus, taxis are a backup option. Fares start lower than in Tokyoabout 390 per kilometerand many drivers are chatty and curious, especially with visitors from bigger cities.

For maximum flexibility, consider renting a car. Japanese-language rental sites offer better deals (from 4,000/day including gas), but English-friendly versions are also available for a bit more.

Things to Do in Ishigaki City

Most routes pass through Ishigaki City, home to under 50,000 residents. Despite its size, the city has a lot to offer. Local favorites include:

Vanilla Deli for indulgent burgers

Banana Cafe for cocktails using Awamori (Okinawan rice liquor)

An A&W for those craving American fast food

If youre a meat eater, dont miss the islands famed wagyu. Ishigaki beef is prized for its tenderness, thanks to a lower melting point in the fat. Expect to pay upwards of 5,000 for a proper cutbut if youre going to splurge, this is the place.

More Ishigaki Ocean Experiences:

Snorkeling the blue cave

Mangrove kayaking and trekking

Local Specialties: Sweet Potatoes and Sugar Cane

Two of Ishigakis most delicious (and budget-friendly) exports are purple sweet potatoes (beniimo) and dark Okinawan sugar cane. These show up in everything from cakes to jams to individually wrapped candies. They make excellent souvenirswell-packaged, fairly priced and more affordable than similar snacks elsewhere in Japan.

Where to Stay: Resorts and Seaside Views

Most accommodations are either in Ishigaki City or scattered along the coast. Options range from guesthouses to private resort estates. I stayed at the Blue Ocean Resort, a private villa near the beach.

Many hotels, including Fusaki, offer reasonably priced bicycle rentals (around 1,080/day), which are great for exploring nearby attractions:

Tojinbaka, a Chinese-style tomb

Nei Museum of Art, a bright gallery with painted silk landscapes

Fuzaki Kannon Do Shrine, dedicated to the Shinto goddess of mercy

Ruins of Utara coal mining facility on Iriomote Island, Okinawa, Japan ()



Beaches, Bays and Breathtaking Views

A short bike ride away from Fusaki is Miru Miru Hompo, a gelato shop and lunch spot with unbeatable coastal views. Ice cream, taco rice, and beef bowls go for around 500making it easy to fuel up on the go. But to fully experience Ishigaki, rent a car and hit the road.

Kabira Bay

One of the islands most iconic spots, Kabira Bay is known for its emerald-green waters and glass-bottom boat tours (around 1,000). These quick 30-minute cruises take you over coral reefs teeming with clownfish and blowfish. Some tours also come with a coupon for Blue Seal ice creama nostalgic Okinawan brand first created for American G.I.s.

Mt. Nosoko

For panoramic views, skip Mt. Omoto (the islands tallest peak) and hike up Mt. Nosoko. The trail is steep and wild, with low branches and muddy patches on rainy days, but the views from the top are worth the effort.

Uganzaki Cape

On the islands northeast corner, Uganzaki Cape features a lighthouse and dramatic cliffs. Brave the path past the small shrine to reach the outcrops edgerewarding you with one of the islands most unforgettable ocean views.

Side Trips from Ishigaki: Taketomi and Iriomote

If you have extra time, use Ishigaki as a base to explore the rest of the Yaeyama Islands.

Taketomi Island is just 15 minutes by ferry (580). Its a preserved glimpse into traditional Okinawan life, with coral-walled houses, sandy lanes and water buffalo carts. After hopping off the ferry, a free shuttle takes you to rental bikes so you can loop the island in a couple of hours. Dont leave without trying Yaeyama soba and a towering brown sugar kakigori.

Iriomote Island, the second-largest in Okinawa Prefecture, is a bit further and more expensive to reach, but worth it for outdoor enthusiasts. Think kayaking through mangroves, hiking waterfalls and spotting rare wildlife.

metropolisjapan.com
(Photo by Emi Takahata)



Are you an adventure-seeker with a passion for history and diving? Then get ready to explore one of the worlds most mysterious underwater sitesYonaguni!

Diayatei East, one of the popular dive sites on Yonaguni Island, renowned for its dramatic underwater terrain. Situated on the islands southern side, its surrounded by white sands. (Photo by Emi Takahata)



I filmed the clips while diving! Watch my video to uncover the mystery.

This area is known as the Main Terrace of the Yonaguni Submarine Ruins. The monolith is said to measure approximately 290 meters long, 120 meters wide, and 26 meters high. Its appearance and scale are often compared to Shuri Castle in Naha, on Okinawas main island. (Photo by Emi Takahata)



Yonaguni is located in the westernmost region of Japans Okinawa island chain. The island offers not only breathtaking natural beauty but also a deep sense of mystery. Some divers and professors believe the structures are natural, shaped by erosion, while others argue they are man-made, possibly from an ancient civilization. To me, it was difficult to judge one or the other. When I saw some of the spots, they could have been formed naturally and vice versa. Its hard to believe such a giant turtle monument could have been created naturally. Features like step-like formations and carvings fuel the theory of human construction, but the true origins remain uncertain.

Professor Kimura Masaaki with the University of Ryukyu has suggested that the site may date back thousands of years, perhaps built by older civilizations. However, many divers and scientists disagree, proposing that the monument is a product of natural forces rather than human hands.

Could these submerged structures be the remains of an ancient civilization, or are they simply natural formations, shaped by time and the oceans currents? The debate has reached global audiences, with the BBC covering Yonagunis mystery in 2021. You can read more about it here.

This spot is known as Two-Layer Rock at the Yonaguni Underwater Ruinsone of the most popular dive sites in the area. (Photo by Emi Takahata)



Kihachiro Aratake, a local scuba diver and tour operator, discovered the Yonaguni Monument in 1986. The monument is just 100 meters off the coast, and the site features massive stone formations that resemble ancient architecture, with structures that appear to include terraces, straight edges, and right angles. While still shrouded in mystery, it has been suggested that the site could be part of a larger submerged complex. Thus, Yonaguni is a popular destination for divers, researchers, and tourists alike, drawn by its unusual and enigmatic features today.

This rock is called a giant turtle monument, a sharp carved rock looking like a turtle seen from above. (Photo by Emi Takahata)



The monument is reachable by a shallow dive at just 10 to 15 meters. It is accessible for divers of all levels. However, the area can be subject to strong currents, so a certain level of experience is required to explore the site safely.

If diving isnt your thing, you can still enjoy the monument by taking a glass-bottom boat tour, which runs once a day, and it offers a unique perspective of this enigmatic underwater wonder.

Is Yonagunis monument a gateway to an ancient pastor simply an awe-inspiring natural wonder? Dive in or take a boat tour and decide for yourself!

This area is known as the Main Terrace of the Yonaguni Submarine Ruins. The monolith is said to measure approximately 290 meters long, 120 meters wide, and 26 meters high. Its appearance and scale are often compared to Shuri Castle in Naha, on Okinawas main island. (Photo by Emi Takahata)



Where is Yonaguni Island?

With a population of approximately 1,670 people, Yonaguni is home to both locals and military personnel due to the islands strategic importance in international relations. Although Yonaguni is part of Okinawa Prefecture, it lies about 509 km away from Okinawas main island. Interestingly, the nearest island is Taiwan, which is only 111 km away. The second is Ishigaki Island at 119 km.

This area is known as the Main Terrace of the Yonaguni Submarine Ruins. The monolith is said to measure approximately 290 meters long, 120 meters wide, and 26 meters high. Its appearance and scale are often compared to Shuri Castle in Naha, on Okinawas main island. (Photo by Emi Takahata)



Please be aware that in Yonaguni, cash is still the primary payment methodcredit cards and QR code payments are not accepted. While some dive shops and accommodations accept credit cards, most restaurants and local grocery stores are cash-only. Be ready to withdraw enough bills before landing the island since only the Japan Post Branch is available in Yonaguni.

Fresh fishespecially Kajiki (marlin)is a local favorite in Yonaguni. Most restaurants serve it as sashimi, fried, or in a variety of small appetizers. (Photo by Emi Takahata)



After a thrilling dive, its time to enjoy some local cuisine! Lunchtime is casual  just go and wait for your turn. As long as the restaurant is open, theyll serve you delicious dishes. However, dinner is a different story. With limited restaurants available, many require reservations in advance. Some places even only serve lunch, so you may find yourself searching for food if you dont plan ahead.

Known as Battleship Rock, this monument gets its name from its striking resemblance to a warship. (Photo by Emi Takahata)



There is no direct flight from Tokyo to Yonaguni. Indeed, its not super easy to travel over if you live in Tokyo like me. Yet, its worth a visit if you are a history and travel lover!

Traveling from Tokyo, there are several options, depending on your budget and time availability. Here are the routes to consider:

From Tokyo (Haneda or Narita) to Naha (Okinawas main island): The flight takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, with departures available from 6:25 am to 8:05 pm. Once you arrive in Naha, you will need to transfer to Yonaguni. There are only two daily flights from Naha to Yonaguni, at 7:15 am and 2:50 pm.

From Tokyo (Haneda or Narita) to Ishigaki: There are 5 flights available daily, from 6:45 am to 2:35 pm, with a travel time of approximately 3 hours and 10 minutes. After arriving in Ishigaki, you can take one of three daily flights from Ishigaki to Yonaguni: 10:05 am, 12:40 pm, or 5:50 pm. The flight between Ishigaki and Yonaguni is only 30 minutes.

Ferry from Ishigaki to Yonaguni: For those seeking a more scenic journey, a ferry service operates between Ishigaki and Yonaguni. The Ferry Yonakuni takes about 4 hours, with services running twice a week: Tuesdays and Fridays from Ishigaki to Yonaguni, and Wednesdays and Saturdays from Yonaguni to Ishigaki. The ferry departs at 10:00 am on these days, so youll need to adjust your schedule accordingly.

While the ferry is equipped with comfortable sofa-like seats, vending machines, and berths for rest, its important to note that the journey can be rough. The ferry route passes through areas with strong currents, which may cause seasickness for some passengers. In fact, locals have nicknamed the ship Gero-sen, or vomit ship, due to the occasional rough seas during the 4-hour trip. Be sure to check the official ferry website for any changes to the schedule, as it may be affected by weather conditions.

The ferry, relatively large and equipped to carry vehicles at the back, offers ample space for both passengers and cargo. However, the severe weather and strong currents often cause seasickness among riders. The bathroom even has a special sink for those who need to puke. (Photo by Emi Takahata)



Getting there

1. From Tokyo to Yonaguni: While there are no direct flights from Tokyo to Yonaguni, you can travel via Okinawa or Ishigaki.

Option 1: Tokyo (Haneda or Narita) to Naha (Okinawas main island)

Flight time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Frequency: Several daily flights (from 6:25 am to 8:05 pm)

After arriving in Naha, transfer to Yonaguni via a connecting flight (see below).

Option 2: Tokyo (Haneda or Narita) to Ishigaki (near Yonaguni)

Flight time: 3 hours 10 minutes

Frequency: 5 daily flights (from 6:45 am to 2:35 pm)

From Ishigaki, you can take a direct flight to Yonaguni (see below).

2. From Osaka (Kansai) to Yonaguni:

Flight from Osaka (Kansai Airport) to Naha (Okinawa)

Flight time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Frequency: Several daily flights (similar to Tokyos flight schedule)

After arriving in Naha, transfer to Yonaguni via a connecting flight to Yonaguni.

3. From Okinawa (Naha) to Yonaguni:

Flight from Naha to Yonaguni:

Flight time: 1 hour

Frequency: Two flights per day (7:15 am and 2:50 pm)

Operated by Japan Transocean Air (JTA).

4. From Ishigaki to Yonaguni:

Flight from Ishigaki to Yonaguni:

Flight time: 30 minutes

Frequency: Three flights per day (10:05 am, 12:40 pm, and 5:50 pm)

Ferry from Ishigaki to Yonaguni:

Ferry name: Ferry Yonakuni

Travel time: 4 hours

Frequency: Twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays from Ishigaki to Yonaguni; Wednesdays and Saturdays from Yonaguni to Ishigaki)

Departure time: 10:00 am

5. Getting Around Yonaguni:

Make sure to arrange accommodation with a pick-up service or rent a car in advance. Rental cars are available near the airport, but booking ahead is recommended to ensure availability. While public transportation is minimal, the Yonaguni Life-Line Bus (a free mini bus) operates around the island, and its ocean-blue color makes it easy to spot.

Cycling or renting a motorbike is also a great way to explore Yonaguni. If you decide to cycle, be aware that the island has steep hills, but most rental bikes are equipped with electric motors, making the ride easier.
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A slice of earth 50 centimeters thick, excavated across 295 square meters, contained approximately 11,000 stone artifacts in association with about 9,000 identifiable animal bones, including 27 bone tools. Most of the crew come from Olduvai Maasai pastoral community and live in the area. Credit: Spanish National Research Council

Jackson Njau's fascination with human origins started as a curious teen growing up a few hours from one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. Now a pioneering paleoanthropologist at Indiana University Bloomington, his research is reshaping knowledge of our early human ancestors and their interactions with prehistoric environments.

Njau is an associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and a faculty affiliate of the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies' African Studies Program. His work seeks to understand the relationship between paleoenvironments and the development of early human ancestors, or hominins.

Through the lens of anthropological perspectives, his work centers on the study of animal remains and their geological contexts from archaeological sites.

For two decades he's conducted research at the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, a UNESCO World Heritage site hailed as the "Cradle of Humankind." The site was made famous by Louis and Mary Leakey through their groundbreaking discovery of early human fossils.

Njau grew up 250 miles east of the Olduvai Gorge in Moshi, Tanzania, near Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa. As a teen, he was fascinated by the Leakeys' discoveries.

"Dr. Louis Leakey was very famous in Tanzania," Njau said. "He was a very charismatic guy who spoke Swahili on the radio programs about the significance of Olduvai. I was fascinated mainly by his pictures of hominin fossils featured in local newspapers and National Geographic magazines, and often wondered, 'How do you find a fossil? Where do you look? How can you tell if it's a rock or bone, and how old it is?'"

While studying archaeology as an undergraduate, he attended an international field school in Koobi Fora, Kenya, which was co-founded by a Harvard professor and renowned paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey, Mary and Louis Leakey's son.

"It was a great connection point in the world of paleoanthropology," Njau said. "After my long research at Olduvai, now I bring my students there to try to give them the same experience I had."

Njau's work was among the first to explore the stresses of carnivore predation on prehistoric humans by examining bones embedded in the earth from millions of years ago. In a striking discovery at Olduvai Gorge, he found the presence of crocodilian bite marks on the bones of early humans.

This finding led to the discovery of a previously unknown species of crocodile, Crocodylus anthropophagus, meaning the "man-eating crocodile."

"This evidence shows that crocodiles played a crucial role in the advancement of early human cognition, especially since many of the tooth-marked hominin bones belonged to young individuals, suggesting that many were still learning, often fatally, the life of nature," Njau said.

Recently, a project co-directed by Njau and Ignacio de la Torre of the Spanish National Research Council published a study in the journal Nature, describing the discovery of the world's oldest bone tools at Olduvai, dated 1.5 million years old.

Although human ancestors began crafting stone tools as early as 3.3 million years ago, the systematic manufacture of bone tools was previously thought to be a relatively recent innovation. Before this discovery, the oldest known bone tools were found in Eurasia and are estimated to be only 250,000 to 500,000 years old.

The bones were from limbs of large mammals, most commonly elephants and hippopotamuses, and were shaped and sharpened by rocks. The evidence offers valuable insight into the technological shift driven by the need to exploit new sources of raw materials. This suggests that they had a knowledge of animal anatomy, bone properties and which bones made the best tools, and they were able to transfer their knapping skills from stone to bone, displaying clear evidence of complex cognition.

This invention marked a crucial technological transition between Oldowan and Acheulean industries between 1.7 million and 1.4 million years ago. Previously understood only through stone tools, this cultural shift is now being reexamined through the emerging evidence of bone tools.

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Surprise discovery

The astounding discovery of bone tools associated with thousands of stone tools and animal fossils started when torrents carved through Olduvai Gorge during the 2010 rainy season, exposing buried secrets. Njau had been on the ground, eyes locked on the freshly exposed outcrops. A few hominin teeth he found at a dig site prompted years of excavation from 2015 to 2022.

According to Njau, this site was likely a seasonal hippopotamus pool that dried up during the dry seasons, stranding animals that Homo erectus then scavenged and butchered using stone artifacts and hefty bone implements.

"Olduvai Gorge is known for the breakthrough discoveries that unfold the history of our ancestors layer by layer," Njau said. "Our discovery is another stunning finding that pushes back the origin of bone tools another 1 million years, rewriting the timeline of our ancient ingenuity."

Understanding the past, anticipating the future

By studying hominin adaptations, researchers can address global contemporary issues, Njau said. Olduvai Gorge offers a unique opportunity to examine records of past climates and environments. How these factors influenced hominin lives can inform our response to current global issues and help us anticipate the future.

This line of scientific inquiry is among the goals of the Stone Age Institute, where Njau is a research scientist. The institute is co-directed by IU emeriti professors Nicholas Toth and Kathy Schick.

Recently, Njau, Toth and Schick assembled over two dozen researchers from around the world, including IU students and faculty members, to investigate the impact of Earth's dynamics on hominin origins. This study illuminates the complex interplay between earth processes and hominin adaptations, extending the paleoenvironmental record of Olduvai to an unprecedented level, Njau said.
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Cells where fluorescent reporter gene is activated by the AI-generated enhancers. Credit: Aina Bernal Martinez/Centro de Regulacion Genomica

A study published in the journal Cell marks the first reported instance of generative AI designing synthetic molecules that can successfully control gene expression in healthy mammalian cells.

Researchers at the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) created an AI tool which dreams up DNA regulatory sequences not seen before in nature. The model can be told to create synthetic fragments of DNA with custom criteria, for example, "switch this gene on in stem cells which will turn into red-blood-cells but not platelets."

The model then predicts which combination of DNA letters (nucleotide bases: A, T, C, G) are needed for the gene expression patterns required in specific types of cells. Researchers can then chemically synthesize the roughly 250-letter DNA fragments and add them to a virus for delivery into cells.

As a proof-of-concept, the authors of the study asked the AI to design synthetic fragments which activate a gene coding for a fluorescent protein in some cells while leaving gene expression patterns unaltered. They created the fragments from scratch and dropped them into mouse blood cells, where the sequence fused with the genome at random locations. The experiments worked exactly as predicted.

"The potential applications are vast. It's like writing software but for biology, giving us new ways of giving instructions to a cell and guiding how they develop and behave with unprecedented accuracy," says Dr. Robert Fromel, first author of the study who carried out the work at the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona.

The study could lead to new ways for gene-therapy developers to boost or dampen the activity of genes only in the cells or tissues that need adjusting. It also paves the way for new strategies to fine-tune a patient's genes and make treatments more effective and reduce side effects.

The work marks an important milestone in the field of generative biology. To date, advances in the field have largely benefited protein design, helping scientists create entirely new enzymes and antibodies faster than ever before. However, many human diseases stem from faulty gene expression that is cell-type specific, for which there might never be a perfect protein drug candidate.

Gene expression is controlled by regulatory elements like enhancers, tiny fragments of DNA which switch genes on or off. To fix faulty gene expression, researchers can comb through genomes looking for naturally-existing enhancers that happen to suit their needs, limiting themselves to the sequences evolution has produced.

AI-generated enhancers can help engineer ultra-selective switches that nature has not yet invented. They can be designed to have exactly the on/off patterns required in specific types of cells, a level of fine-tuning which is crucial for creating therapies that avoid unintended effects in healthy cells.

However, the development of AI models requires lots of high-quality data, which has been historically lacking for enhancers. "To create a language model for biology, you have to understand the language cells speak. We set out to decipher these grammar rules for enhancers so that we can create entirely new words and sentences," explains Dr. Lars Velten, corresponding author of the study and researcher at the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG).

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The authors of the study created huge volumes of biological data to build their AI model by carrying out thousands of experiments with lab models of blood formation. They studied both enhancers and transcription factors, proteins also involved in controlling gene expression.

Until now, scientists studying enhancers and transcription factors have typically used cancer cell lines because they are easier to work with. The researchers worked with healthy cells instead because it's more representative of human biology. Their work helped uncover subtle mechanisms that shape our immune system and blood cell production.

Over five years, the team synthesized more than 64,000 synthetic enhancers, each carefully designed to test different arrangements and strengths of binding sites for 38 different transcription factors. It's the largest library of synthetic enhancers ever built in blood cells to date.

Once inserted into the cells, the team tracked exactly how active each synthetic enhancer became across seven stages of blood-cell development. They discovered that while many enhancers activate genes in one type of cell, they repress genes in another.

Most enhancers worked like a volume dial, turning gene activity up or down. Surprisingly, certain combinations acted like on/off switches. The scientists call this "negative synergy," meaning two factors that usually turn a gene on individually could effectively shut that gene down when they occur together.

The data from the experiments were crucial in setting out the design principles of the machine learning model. Once the model had enough measurements of how each synthetic enhancer changed gene activity in real cells, it could predict new designs that yield on/off outcomes, even if these enhancers had never existed in nature.

The study was designed to determine if a technology can work in practice before committing to larger-scale research. The researchers have only scratched the surface. Both humans and mice have an estimated 1,600 transcription factors regulating their genomes.

The work was carried out by Lars Velten, Robert Fromel, Julia Ruhle, Aina Bernal Martinez, Chelsea Szu-Tu and Felix Pacheco Pastor, all members of Lars Velten's research group at the Center for Genomic Regulation.

Rosa Martinez Corral from the Barcelona Collaboratorium, a joint initiative between the CRG and EMBL-Barcelona, also took part.

More information: Design principles of cell state specific enhancers in hematopoiesis, Cell (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.017. www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)00449-0 Journal information: Cell
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Southern California's population of giant sea bass is recovering from overfishing, but progress is slow. Credit: Merry Passage

Nicknamed the "king of the kelp forest," giant sea bass are among scuba divers' favorite characters to spot off the California Coast. But very few of these charismatic fish remain.

A team led by researchers at UC Santa Barbara has conducted the first direct population estimate of this critically endangered species in Southern California. Using photos sourced from the diving community, they found slightly more than 1,200 adult giant sea bass within Southern California waters from 2015 to 2022.

The results, published in the Marine Ecology Progress Series, represent an increasing trend in their numbers, suggesting that current conservation efforts are helping the species recover from decades of overfishing. That said, SoCal's giant sea bass population is still far below its historical level, and recovery will take a while for this slow-growing species.

"It's reassuring to see things moving in the right direction in Southern California," said lead author Andrew Pettit, a recently graduated master's student in UCSB's Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory. "This project, with its continually growing dataset, is a huge step forward in understanding and protecting this remarkable species."

Population crash and conservation

Giant sea bass can reach lengths greater than seven feet, weigh over 550 pounds and live as long as 76 years. These characteristics make them one of the top predators in their ecosystem, where they play a crucial role in maintaining the health of kelp forests and rocky reefs by regulating prey species.

Unfortunately, these characteristics also make them particularly vulnerable to impacts from human activities. The slow-growing species was fished to near extinction from the late 1800s until 1981, when California closed the fishery due to a total collapse. Commercial landings had declined by 95% in Mexico and California between 1932 and 1980. In 1996, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed giant sea bass as critically endangered.

Since then, California has banned set gillnets within three nautical miles of the mainland and one nautical mile of the Channel Islands. The state has also reduced incidental take allowances to one fish in California waters per vessel per trip. Mexico hasn't yet enacted any regulations for the commercial fishery, and scientists know very little about the species' status south of the border.

"A few recent studies have hinted at a population increase in giant sea bass numbers since the nearshore gillnet closure," said Pettit, now a doctoral student at University of Hawaii, Manoa's Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. So he and his co-authors sought to estimate the species' population size and trends in Southern California.

A community initiative

Despite their size and appetite, the kings of the kelp forest are rather gentle and very curious animals. They will often approach and investigate divers like curious puppies. A previous study by UCSB estimated that the fish contribute over $2.3 million to the recreational diving industry each year.

The authors harnessed the community's enthusiasm for giant sea bass, sourcing more than 1,600 photos from divers and fishermen through UCSB's Spotting Giant Sea Bass Project. The initiative grew from a collaboration between the Benioff Ocean Science Lab and Professor Milton Love's lab back in 2016, and now has contributions from over 420 citizen scientists.

Divers often see the same individual giant sea bass when returning to a specific dive spot. Credit: Douglas Klug

Giant sea bass have unique spot patterns that remain consistent throughout their adult lives, making it straightforward to recognize specific fish from photographs. The team used pattern-recognition software to identify individuals based on their spot patterns, and statistical methods to extrapolate population sizes from re-sightings.

Based on their results, the authors estimate just over 1,220 adult giant sea bass called Southern California home between 2015 and 2022.

"I'm encouraged to see evidence that the population is increasing, but there's still a long way to go before we can celebrate," Pettit said.

"The population is still far below historical levels, and I'm particularly concerned about long-term genetic connectivity and diversity, especially since we have so little data from Northern California and Mexico."

Unfortunately, this is still far below their numbers even in the 1930s, when commercial landings alone could exceed 4,500 individuals per year, with most activity concentrated in Southern California. "And this would have been after 62 years of intense commercial fishing," Pettit said.

Sadly, the current incidental take allowance means that, on average, 126 giant sea bass were landed by gill-netter fishermen each year from 1994 to 2022. And the trend is increasing, with 180 caught and sold in 2022.

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Giant homebodies

The photos revealed that the fish like to stick close to their homes with the exception of a few intrepid individuals. The researchers found only eight instances of fish traveling across islands or more than 30 miles.

Giant sea bass also aggregate seasonally in predictable locations, which historically made them easy targets for fishers. But it makes them a favorite of divers, who will often encounter the same fish on successive visits to a given spot.

While the giant sea bass' high site fidelity may have contributed to their precipitous decline, it also presents opportunities for conservation. "Their recovery is highly dependent on protecting key habitats where they aggregate," Pettit said. And given the limited genetic exchange between fish in different areas, this is essential for the species' recovery and long-term genetic diversity.

The fish's tendency to stay put also made photo identification easier, freeing the team from relying on more traditional surveying techniques, such as catch-and-release tagging. These are not only labor-intensive and expensive but also stressful for the fish, Pettit explained.

In addition to the stress of being on the line and then handled, giant sea bass are also susceptible to injury from pressure change when brought to the surface. The popularity of diving across Southern California, combined with the gentle, curious nature of giant sea bass, made photo identification a far better option for the study.

"By utilizing community science, we not only avoid these risks but also create a platform for public engagement," Pettit said. "This approach empowers the community to actively participate in conservation, fostering stewardship of the ocean and its vital resources."

This approach did run the risk of potentially undersampling areas where diving is less frequent. So the team incorporated key variables to account for that in their model, such as annual identification rates, the number of encounters per year, and the number of days with reported encounters per year.

The authors supplemented community science data with photos and videos of giant sea bass from research divers and baited underwater cameras, which can be placed at depths unreachable by recreational divers, explained co-author Molly Morse, senior manager of UCSB's Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory. They also analyzed incidental landings from commercial gillnets, which bore out the population growth.

The researchers plan to extend the Spotting Giant Sea Bass Project to encompass more of the species' range. "We know a large proportion of the population lives in Mexican waters," Morse said, "which were outside the scope of this study, and likely some of the fish found in Southern California waters travel across the border."

They also aim to expand the program's community engagement from Northern California to Mexico. The Spotting Giant Sea Bass dataset is now open access, and the team will update it annually to invite further exploration by the research community.

The dive community is invited to submit photos of their encounters with giant sea bass to the Spotting Giant Sea Bass project. Community participation is critical, Morse said, for the projects' continuation and its impact on the management and conservation of this flagship species.

More information: Marine Ecology Progress Series (2025). Journal information: Marine Ecology Progress Series
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The smallest primate in the world, Madame Berthe's mouse lemur, is threatened with extinction. Credit: Manfred Eberle, Deutsches Primatenzentrum GmbH

An international team of primate researchers has published the 25 most endangered primate species in Asia, Africa, Madagascar and South America for the years 2023 to 2025. The publication emphasizes how urgently global conservation measures need to be implemented now to save irreplaceable biodiversity.

"The situation is dramatic. If we don't act now, we will lose some of these species forever," warns Christian Roos, geneticist at the German Primate Center. "But there is hopeif science, politics and society take action together."

The report, compiled by leading primatologists and conservationists, underlines the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts to prevent the final extinction of these species.

The most important findings

A group of experts, including members of the conservation organizations International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Conservation International (CI), as well as the International Primatological Society (IPS), finds that habitat destruction, hunting, climate change and the illegal wildlife trade are the biggest threats to the animals.

The most endangered species include the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) on Sumatra, with only around 800 individuals left. This makes it the most endangered ape species of all. It was only discovered in 2017 by DPZ scientists, among others. Its skull shape, dentition and genes are different from those of other orangutan species. This was revealed by extensive morphological and genetic analyses of orangutans, in which Christian Roos was also involved.

Many lemurs in Madagascar are also threatened with extinction, including Madame Berthe's mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae). The smallest primate in the world, weighing just 30 grams, was discovered in 1993 by DPZ scientists near the field station in the Foret de Kirindy. Its population has declined significantly in the last three years.

"This species has also disappeared from most of the remaining intact forests, which points to frightening consequences for possible conservation measures. This could be the first primate we lose forever in the 21st century, as there are no captive populations either," says Peter Kappeler, head of the field station in the Foret de Kirindy.

Measures to protect primates

The report calls urgently for the expansion of crucial area protection measures and the consistent enforcement of these measures in order to permanently preserve critical habitats. At the same time, the report emphasizes the importance of actively engaging indigenous and local communities and empowering them as stewards of their own regions. It also calls for comprehensive policy reform, in particular by tightening laws against illegal wildlife trade and ongoing deforestation.

Finally, the report underlines the urgency of mobilizing sufficient financial resources to successfully implement long-term conservation programs.

"Every primate species that we lose not only means an irreparable loss for nature, but also for us humans," says Roos, "because primates are not only fascinating animalsthey are also key species of our ecosystems." If a key species ceases to exist, no other species is able to occupy its ecological niche and the corresponding ecosystem changes radically.

The 25 most endangered primates in the world

Every two years, the 25 most endangered primate species in the world are announced at the meeting of the International Primatological Society in order to raise public awareness of the critical situation of primates.

By listing the endangered primates, the researchers want to draw global attention to the fate of our closest relatives and raise funds for research and conservation measures. The report is based on the expertise of over 100 scientists worldwide.
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Elks went exctinct from the UK around 3,000 years ago.

Elk could roam the English countryside for the first time in 3,000 years after funding was approved to explore plans for their eventual reintroduction into the wild.

European elk are woodland foragers and wetland grazers, helping to promote the natural regeneration of woodland and maintain open clearings. They went extinct in the UK due to overhunting and a loss of habitat.

"This exciting project is working towards the possibility of reintroducing elk into two existing beaver enclosures in Derbyshire and Nottingham," in central England, said Rachel Bennett, deputy director of Wilder Landscapes and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, which applied for the funding alongside the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

The Rewilding Britain charity approved the grant in the latest round of the Rewilding Innovation Fund, a twice-yearly fund supporting innovative rewilding efforts.

If approved, the move would bring elk and beavers together "for the first time in 3,000 years in the UK," Bennett said in a press release issued Wednesday.

"This project could demonstrate how this crucial ecosystem engineer can thrive in floodplain landscapes, shaping diverse habitats that benefit communities and support biodiversity recovery," she explained.

"It may also serve as a catalyst for engaging people in the long-term benefits of returning elk to the wild."

'Hopeful future'

The wildlife trusts must now carry out extensive research, which could take up to three years, before a final decision on whether to license the project is made by the government, a spokesperson for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust told AFP on Thursday.

"It's a complex process involving multiple stages of research and development, feasibility studies, impact assessments, and community consultations. By taking the time and effort to get it right, we can create a more hopeful future for everyone," said Rebecca Wrigley, chief executive of Rewilding Britain.

The plan follows a similar scheme to reintroduce bison to one of southeast England's largest areas of ancient woodland.

Three female bison were released into the countryside near Canterbury, Kent, in July 2022. A bull bison was introduced later and two baby bison have since been born.

"The reserve is teeming with life in areas that were once in darkness, and you can feel a renewed energy in the woodland," said bison ranger Hannah Mackins.

"This project shows the incredible power of nature to heal and gives us hope for the future," she added.

 2025 AFP
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A map of Earth during the Early Cretaceous period 120 million years ago, with Australia seen in the polar region. Credit: Scotese, Christopher R; Verard, Christian; Burgener, Landon; Elling, Reece P.; Kocsis, Adam T/Wikipedia

Roughly 140 million to 100 million years ago, the piece of land that is modern day Australia was located much further south on Earth. In fact, what is now Victoria was once within the polar circle, up to 80 degrees south of the equator and shrouded in darkness for months at a time.

Despite these harsh conditions, dinosaurs thrived here, leaving behind evidence of their existence at various paleontological sites.

For decades, scientists have come to these sites to study the rocks containing the bones of these ancient creatures in order to better understand them.

My new research with palynologist Barbara Wagstaff, published in Alcheringa, builds on existing knowledge by using plant fossils from bone-bearing sites in the region to explain how the forests these dinosaurs lived in evolvedand, for the first time, illustrating them in detail.

One of the warmest periods on Earth

The Early Cretaceous epochbetween roughly 140 million and 100 million years agorepresents one of the warmest periods in the last half a billion years of Earth's history. The sustained warmth was a result of increased volcanic activity, which released large quantities of carbon dioxide levels into the atmosphere.

The sustained warmth resulted in no polar ice caps, high sea levels and flooded continents.

The geographic distribution of land masses was also very different back then. The supercontinent Gondwana, in which most of the southern continents we know today were clumped into a single landmass, had only just started to break apart. At the time, southernmost Australia was in the polar circle.

The dinosaurs that lived in this region are known as "polar dinosaurs." They included small ornithopods (plant-eaters with beaks and cheeks full of teeth) and therapods (carnivorous and predatory dinosaurs).

Building a picture of ancient plants

For decades, paleontologists have been studying rocks from Victorian sites. To establish the age of the recovered dinosaur bones, we've needed the expertise of palynologistspaleontologists who study microscopic fossil spores and pollen produced by plants.

Palynologists identified key species that they dissolved out of rocks. They deduced the dinosaur bones ranged in age from 130 to 100 million years old.

At the same time, they were carefully recording all the microscopic spores and pollen they saw in the slides to build a picture of the plants through the Early Cretaceous period.

A planet-altering transition

The transition from a world without flowers to one with flowers has fascinated scientists for centuries, most famously Charles Darwin, who labeled them "an abominable mystery". More importantly, it also forever changed our planet.

Shortly after their first appearance approximately 132 million years ago, albeit in the southern portion of the supercontinent Laurasia, we see an explosive radiation of flowering plants not only in our new record from Victoria, but also globally.

What fueled the evolution and rapid global expansion of flowering plants that dominate the Australian landscape today?

Our new research suggests warmer conditions helped flowering plants migrate across the globe and colonize understorey habitats shortly after evolving. Increased competition also contributed to the turnover in understorey flora, with flowering plants outcompeting lycophytes in rapidly colonizing braided river channels after flooding events.

The appearance of flowering plants in the landscape resulted in the extinction of numerous understorey plants (in particular ferns) with a long fossil record.

As a result, by 100 million years ago, the forests of Victoria included an open conifer-dominated forest canopy. The subcanopy beneath was made up of seed ferns and ferns. Flowering plants and ferns featured in the understorey, alongside liverworts, hornworts, lycophytes and sphagnum-like mosses.

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Diversifying in a warming world

High carbon dioxide levels in the past made the planet warmer. This is consistent with what's happening today. As a result of these warmer conditions, cool-temperate forests thrived in the polar circle.

For flowering plants, the warmer conditions provided an opportunity to diversify in an increasingly warm world. However, not all plants adapted to the warming world, with many understorey floras, including ferns, becoming extinct.

The fossil record provides crucial insights into how life will respond to predicted future climate conditions because these have occurred before in Earth's history.

Knowing this history is crucial to our response to the current climate change challenge.

Some exciting places to visit to see fossils in Australia include Eric the Red West dig site in the Otway Ranges, Inverloch's Dinosaur Dreaming dig site in Victoria, the Dinosaur Trail along the Queensland towns of Hughenden, Richmond and Winton, and sauropod footprints in Western Australia at Gantheaume Point.

More information: Vera A. Korasidis et al, Cool-temperate riparian floras in the Early Cretaceous rift valley of Victoria, Australia, Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology (2025). DOI: 10.1080/03115518.2025.2489614

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The Fagradalsfjall volcano was active from March to September 2021. NTNU professor Fjola Gurun Sigtryggsdottir is shown studying the lava that had begun to flow over a defensive barrier near one of the embankment dams in a unique field experiment that began in May. Credit: Horn Hrafnsdottir

It had been dormant for 800 years, but in March 2021, the Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland came to life. While the eruption was ongoing, large-scale field experiments were conducted to build defensive earthen barriers aimed at slowing down the molten lava flow.

Building defensive barriers to slow down the lava flowing from craters and fissures in Earth's crust is something of a race against time. The excavator and bulldozer operators had to work around the clock, shoveling dirt and rocks to build dams and barriers as the glowing hot lava from the eruption crept ever closer.

Delayed lava flow for 16 days

The speed of lava flows is determined by the viscosity of the lava and the slope of the terrain. When an eruption threatens civil society and infrastructure, the most important goal is to gain as much time as possible by delaying and potentially diverting the lava flows.

NTNU professor Fjola Gudrun Sigtryggsdottir's field experiment in Fagradalsfjall in 2021 showed that the dams delayed the lava flow by up to 16 days. They also succeeded in building effective barriers that diverted the glowing stream of lava in a safe direction.

The lessons learned would prove useful when the small town of Grindavik found itself in the danger zone of a new volcanic eruption just a couple of years later.

"The main lesson we learned from that field experiment was that it is possible to control lava flowsto some extent. And it is certainly worth trying when it comes to protecting civil society and critical infrastructure," said Sigtryggsdottir, who closely followed the field experiment.

Sigtryggsdottir is a researcher at NTNU's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and an expert in safety in relation to embankment dams, infrastructure and geohazards. When the Fagradalsfjall volcano came to life, she was on a research sabbatical in Iceland and was already involved in the lava control project.

"The project also showed what it is like to work in close proximity to an active volcano and flowing lava. We confirmed that it is possible to work under such challenging conditions, and that the risks can be minimized if we take specific safety measures," she said.

In the period before the eruption, Icelandic authorities recorded more than 40,000 earthquakes.

The Icelandic Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management already had a working group in action. They were tasked with mapping areas threatened by lava flows and proposing measures to protect critical infrastructure.

Sigtryggsdottir was a participant in the group along with engineers from the consulting firms Verkis and Efla, as well as researchers from the University of Iceland and the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

"The eruption had not started when the working group was established. At that time, it was not even certain that there would be an eruption," Sigtryggsdottir said.

But the eruption did comea fissure opened in Geldingardalir valley on the evening of 19 March 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic was still ongoing. The lava flowed across the landscape, and people flocked to witness the volcanic forces being unleashed.

The volcanic eruption transformed the area around Fagradalsfjall into a tourist attraction. Fjola Gurun Sigtryggsdottir seen here with her daughter orbjorg Groa Eggertsdottir. Credit: Eggert V. Valmundsson

Major road under threat

Fagradalsfjall is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, 810 kilometers from the nearest settlement in Grindavik. At first, neither civil society nor infrastructure were at risk. However, after a few weeks, the red-hot lava had moved through yet another valley and was threatening an important national road.

At that point, the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management decided to build barriers to delay or divert the lava flow away from the road.

"At that moment, our work was effectively transformed into a large-scale field experiment," Sigtryggsdottir said.

The Fagradalsfjall volcano continued erupting for six months before settling down in September 2021. This gave the researchers time and opportunity to test different construction methods and types of barriers in an area that was not as directly at risk of infrastructure damage, such as Grindavik and the Blue Lagoon.

This was the first eruption in the area in 800 years. Occasionally, the lava started flowing unexpectedly into new areas. When that happened, they were able to test the differences in strength between the massive main barriers and temporary measures, where bulldozers piled up embankments of earth, sand and stone as the red-hot lava crept ever closer.

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Building an 8-meter-high embankment

Protecting civil society and infrastructure from volcanic eruptions is about gaining as much time as possible by delaying or diverting the lava flows. In total, three embankment dams of earth and stone were built during the field experiment. The highest was 8 meters tall, and two 300- and 35-meter-long barriers were also constructed to guide the lava in a different direction.

The researchers have summarized their experiences and the lessons learned in the article "Experience in diverting and containing lava flow by barriers constructed from in situ material during the 2021 Geldingardalir volcanic Eruption," which has recently been published in the Bulletin of Volcanalogy.

When the Fagradalsfjall volcano came to life in the spring of 2021, it had been nearly 800 years since the last eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Credit: Fjola Gudrun Sigtryggsdottir

Sigtryggsdottir has also created a barrier construction guide for the Icelandic authorities. It is based on research literature on lava control and her own area of expertise, which is embankment dam safety.

The document describes how different barriers can be built using locally available materials and how they should be positioned to withstand and control lava flows.

Used to protect Grindavik

The experience gained from the field experiment proved useful when the authorities later built a lava barrier to protect Grindavik and a geothermal power plant on the outskirts of the town. The work began before the first eruption in December 2023 and continued as it progressed throughout the winter of 2024.

Sigtryggsdottir was only involved in the phase before and during the first eruption in 2021.

"But my colleagues have all been actively involved in the barriers built for the later eruption in Grindavik and were able to apply the experience from our study to that work," she said.

If authorities had not followed Sigtryggsdottir's recommendations, things might have turned out differently in Grindavik in 20232024.

"If the barriers had not been built, several of the houses there would now be under lava," Sigtryggsdottir said.

She said each volcanic eruption will provide new understanding and new experiences, which means Iceland's officials will be better prepared the next time something happens.

A fissure on the wrong side of the barrier

In spring 2025, as this article is being written, significant volcanic activity is once again taking place beneath Grindavik. The town was re-evacuated on 31 March, and Sigtryggsdottir just happened to be in Iceland when Norwegian SciTech News reached out to her. She described intense earthquake activity with rumbling from the ground, movement and new fissures where lava may begin to flow out.

"It was also concerning when a volcanic fissure recently opened directly through and downstream of the barrier on the outskirts of Grindavik. Fortunately, it was just a brief eruption this time, and the lava did not cause any destruction," she said.

The volcanic landscape is unpredictablethere are so many things you can't control.

"Much is unpredictable, such as how much time there is to warn people about the eruption, exactly where the volcanic fissure will open, how large it will be, how much lava will come and how fast it will flow. The challenge is always having enough time to evacuate at-risk areas," Sigtryggsdottir said.

To add to the complexity, there are two main types of lava, which behave quite differently, and researchers never know which type will appear where.

Pahoehoe lava flows easily and tends to spread out in thin layers. It can accumulate in layers behind a defensive barrier until there is a risk of overtopping. Less robust barriers can be used to divert or hold back pahoehoe lava compared to the more coarse and bulky block lava.

Block lava moves more slowly and builds up beneath the solidifying crust. Sigtryggsdottir compares it to a cream bun. The hot, sticky lava is like the cream inside a bununtil the top layer of hardened chocolate, or lava, is pushed upwards.

When block lava meets a barrier like an embankment dam, it is pushed upwards and can remain several meters above the top of the embankment. This increases the pressure, and eventually, the block lava can push the embankment dam away like a bulldozer.

"That is why block lava barriers must be extra strong and massive," she explained.

But is it feasible to actually protect civil society and infrastructure in Iceland against eruptions like those that have happened recently?

"Although there's a lot of uncertainty regarding the development of the eruption itself, it is fully possible to delay and divert lava flows. There are many challenges, but civil society and infrastructure can be protected, and when we can, we must seize the opportunity and believe it will work," she said.

Simulating changing terrain

Recording earthquakes and measuring movements in Earth's crust are important in Iceland. There are also computer simulations that show how lava flows move and spread.

Since the first eruption in 2021, Horn Hrafnsdottir, one of the co-authors of the new study, has conducted simulations of lava flows and how they spread. These types of simulations must take many factors into account.

The researchers must input a lava source that flows with a certain volume per hour. In addition, the viscosity must be assessed, as this affects how far and how quickly the lava will flow. The latter is challenging because flowing and solidifying lava creates a new landscape and topography that must constantly be updated.

When asked whether the fieldwork from 2021 helps make Icelandand other volcanic communitiessafer, Sigtryggsdottir responds:

"Our work from 2021 showed that it was possible to delay and divert lava flows in the Reykjanes area. The barriers that my colleagues have subsequently built have made this even clearer. However, we cannot consider a protected area to be completely safe.

"Vulnerable areas must be evacuated regardless. The barriers protect houses and infrastructure if they are built high enough, as long as the volcanic fissures remain behind the barriersso we can certainly say that our work contributes to safer volcanic communities."

More information: Fjola G. Sigtryggsdottir et al, Experience in diverting and containing lava flow by barriers constructed from in situ material during the 2021 Geldingardalir volcanic eruption, Bulletin of Volcanology (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s00445-025-01806-3
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

During his most recent appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, Elon Musk leveled a critique at empathy, calling it "the fundamental weakness of western civilization."

If your first instinct is to brush this off as another example of Musk's awkwardness, we suggest you think again. As journalist Julia Carrie Wong noted in The Guardian in April, Musk's comments appeared "amid a growing wave of opposition to empathy from across the American right."

A diverse coalition of figures have taken up this "war on empathy," including pastor Joe Rigney, conservative podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey and marketing professor Gad Saad.

Each has coined their own meme-able phrase: "The Sin of Empathy," "Toxic Empathy" and "Suicidal Empathy," respectively.

You may find a war on empathy perplexingeven downright dangerousgiven that our contemporary global historical moment is one marked by climate-induced migration, rising political authoritarianism and a "relentless opposition" against LGBTQIA+ rights.

Doesn't this moment call out for more empathy rather than less?

What is empathy anyway?

But first, we need to know what we are talking about.

Some recent criticisms of empathy have been premised on bad definitions. For instance, Albert Mohler, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, recently claimed that empathy is "destructive" for immigration policy because "empathy means never having to say no." This definition is not accurate.

Though a precise definition of empathy still eludes us, empathy is simply the ability to feel what someone else might be feeling. "Imagining yourself in another's place," writes neurologist Richard E. Cytowic, "is the basis of empathy." Coming from a different angle, literary scholar Suzanne Keen defines empathy as "a vicarious, spontaneous sharing of affect" that "can be provoked  even by reading."

The word "empathy" was coined in 1909. Previously, what we today call "empathy" fell under the name "sympathy." For instance, writing in the 18th century, Scottish economist and philosopher Adam Smith described sympathy as the imaginative capacity to "enter as it were into [another's] body, and become in some measure the same person."

With the discovery of "mirror neurons," modern neuroscience has in a sense validated Smith's theories. As neuroscientist Christian Keysers explains, "The mirror system builds a bridge between the minds of two people," showing that our brains are not only "deeply social" but also "magically connected to each other."

Put simply, we are hardwired for empathy.

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Sympathy and social contagion

In our research, we have explored literary depictions of self-destructive, suicidal and monstrous sympathies. We recognize some parallels between MAGA's war on empathy and conceptual debates of the past, parallels at times interesting and worrisome.

During his appearance on Rogan's podcast, Saad criticized Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde's appeal to Trump for mercy on behalf of undocumented immigrants and those in the LGBTQIA+ community, suggesting it was indicative of the "parasitic idea" of open borders and an example of "suicidal empathy."

A few months later, Canadian pop-psychologist Jordan Peterson echoed Saad and told Rogan that today's political left is vulnerable to those who "parasitize empathy."

This association between empathy and parasitic contagion is not at all new.

As literary scholar Mary Fairclough explains, in the 18th and 19th centuries, sympathy was "understood as a disruptive social phenomenon which functioned to spread disorder and unrest between individuals and even across nations like a 'contagion.'"

As an example, Fairclough quotes the author Thomas De Quincey, who opined that "many a man has been drawn, by the contagion of sympathy with his own class acting as a mob, into outrages of destruction."

The writer Mary Shelley literalized this notion of contagious sympathy in her 1826 novel "The Last Man", which depicts a (perhaps uncomfortably familiar) plague pandemic. The novel paints sympathy as a method of mass control and societal dissolution just as contagious as the plague.

But unlike De Quincey, Shelley also celebrates sympathy as our most valuable and effective collective resource in times of crisis. This celebration is most notable in the character of Adrian, who devotes his life to "bring[ing] patience, and sympathy, and such aid as art affords, to the bed of disease.'"

The uses and abuses of empathy

Much as Shelley suggests for sympathy, research shows that empathy must be properly channeled so it isn't used to divide and manipulate.

For example, research shows that empathy is not impartial. People tend to empathize more easily with those who share their racial or social background, and less with those who are perceived as different. In other words, racial prejudices may bias our instinctive empathetic responses.

At the same time, empathy has been linked to problematic practices like racial impersonation and colonial appropriation, where members of dominant groups claim to identify with marginalized people in ways that often reinforce power imbalances rather than dismantle them.

But MAGA's approach to empathy is less a well-meaning critique than an all-out war and comes at the issues with a far less benevolent set of assumptions and goals. As Wong noted, "We are witnessing the construction of the ideological architecture to excuse violence and suffering on a mass scale."

Consider what Musk said to Rogan regarding immigration: "I believe in empathy, like I think you should care about other people, but you need to have empathy for civilization as a whole and not commit to civilizational suicide."

This comment is strikingly similar to the idea of "racial suicide" endorsed by eugenicist thinkers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Racial suicide was a concept rooted in the xenophobic fear that one's own ethnic population would be replaced by another racialized population that happened to have a higher birth rate.

As the historian Rob Boddice notes, "eugenic morality" was "to be guided by sympathy construed as sympathy for the whole of society" rather than towards individuals. For the eugenicists, this ideology justified extreme measures, such as forced sterilizations and racial segregation. The horrors of eugenics and its influence on the Nazi Holocaust are well documented.

Despite these history lessons, Musk and his ilk, however, seem unperturbed and even enthusiastic about repeating history.

Much can be said about empathy's potential limitations alongside its many virtues. But while MAGA supporters may have balked at her speech and her call for empathy, we would do well to remember the words of Bishop Budde:

"We should be merciful to the stranger, for we were once strangers in this land."

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Bear bile farms exist in several different countries in Asia. The practice has been criticized for its impact on wild animal populations and the health and welfare of captive animals. Image taken on a bear farm in South Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

The North Korean government engages in unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade, which includes species protected under its own laws and poses a threat to biodiversity recovery in the region, finds a new study by UCL researchers.

A report, published in Biological Conservation, found that although North Korea has a regulatory system of protected areas and protected species, these are regularly breached by people hunting and trapping wild animals for personal consumption or black market trade, either domestically or for sale to buyers in China.

Additionally, the North Korean state itself is implicated in, and actively profiting from, the harvesting and trade of endangered species protected under domestic or international law. Protected species reported from the state wildlife trade include Asiatic black bears, long-tailed gorals and Eurasian otters.

Their study is based on extensive interviews with North Korean defectors, including former hunters, wildlife trade middlemen and buyers, and is the first in-depth assessment of North Korea's multifaceted wildlife trade, carried out between 2021 and 2022. The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers from the ZSL's Institute of Zoology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) and University of Inland Norway.

The biodiversity of North Korea and the threats it faces are poorly known. The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which divides North and South Korea, is home to a wide range of species and is an important over-wintering site for migratory species like cranes. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

The researchers argue that the North Korean government's compliance with domestic protected species legislation should be an immediate priority. They call on China, as a key market for North Korean wildlife products, to continue efforts to curb domestic demand for illegal wildlife and put diplomatic pressure on its economically dependent neighbor to disengage from state-sanctioned illegal wildlife trade.

Lead author Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell (UCL Geography) said, "The widespread harvesting of North Korea's wildlife, driven by the economic limitations of the North Korean state and the shortages of food, medicine and basic goods experienced by many of its citizens, is an important threat to the biodiversity of North Korea and the wider region."

China is the primary international market for the North Korean wildlife trade, with notable products including wild meat, furs, and body parts for use in traditional medicine.

Some of this trade breaches China's commitments as a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and member of the UN Security Council, for example, UN Security Council Resolution 2397, which prohibits the export of food from North Korea.

Bear bile farms exist in several different countries in Asia. The practice has been criticized for its impact on wild animal populations and the health and welfare of captive animals. Image taken on a bear farm in South Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

Long-tailed gorals, here photographed in a restoration program in South Korea, are restricted to the Korean Peninsula, China and Russia and are considered vulnerable to extinction. They are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the highest level of protection afforded by the convention. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

State wildlife trade

North Korean defectors who took part in the study reported that the North Korean state receives wild animals and their body parts from state-sanctioned hunters and local communities.

The study found this includes species which are legally protected in North Korea, including long-tailed goralshoofed mammals resembling a goatand Eurasian otters. These species have been used domestically, for example, furs in the manufacture of winter clothing, but they are also reported to be used as a tradable resource.

This is in keeping with North Korea's use of natural resources such as timber and coal, but also illegal trade in weapons and narcotics, to generate revenue.

The study also details that the North Korean state operates wildlife farms, including animals such as otters, pheasants, deer, and Asiatic black bears. North Korea is believed to have first started farming bears for their bile in the 20th century, before the practice spread to China and South Korea. Bear bile has been used in various traditional Asian medicines, including traditional Korean medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.

Bear bile farming has been widely condemned by conservationists and animal welfare campaigners for perpetuating the demand for endangered species and the unnecessary suffering of farmed animals.

The biodiversity of North Korea and the threats it faces are poorly known. The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which divides North and South Korea, is home to a wide range of species and is an important over-wintering site for migratory species like cranes. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

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Economic hardship drives black market trade

In addition, the report identifies economic hardship as a major driver of the black market wildlife trade in North Korea. A wide range of animals are reported to be hunted and trapped for meat, for use in traditional medicine, to protect crops or domestic livestock, or for sale on the black market.

When North Korea's economy collapsed in the 1990s, preceding a major famine which is believed to have killed between 600,000 and one million people, the country's informal economy grew rapidly, as ordinary citizens turned to buying and selling goods, including wildlife, to provide essential food resources and generate income.

While economic conditions in North Korea have since improved, the researchers found no evidence that black market trade in wildlife has halted.

Dr. Elves-Powell said, "A hunter might simultaneously engage in both state-sanctioned and black market trade. For example, the skin of an animal like a red fox might be submitted to the state, but it might equally be sold to North Korean middlemen to smuggle across the North Korea-China border. The hunter could keep the animal's meata valuable food resourcefor their family, or try to sell it locally."

The Korean Peninsula is home to a globally important population of water deer. Deer were one of the animals most often reported to have been eaten as wild meat in North Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

The Korean Peninsula is home to a globally important population of water deer. Deer were one of the animals most often reported to have been eaten as wild meat in North Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

Impact on biodiversity

North Korea's extensive harvesting of wildlife has serious consequences for the country's wildlife populations, with evidence that almost all native mammal species larger than half a kilogram have been targeted in some capacity.

The sable, a native species of marten, was highly sought after by North Korean hunters for its fur but is now likely to be functionally extinct in the country. There are similar concerns regarding Amur tigers and Amur leopards, while deer populations are also thought to have been severely reduced due to overhunting.

The researchers warn that if exploitation in North Korea continues to pose a risk to wildlife populations, it could threaten biodiversity recovery throughout the region.

In recent years, Amur tiger populations have started to recover along North Korea's border with China, but are likely to be targeted by hunters if they cross into North Korea. North Korea could also act as a barrier to the movements of native terrestrial species between the Korean Peninsula and mainland Asia.

More information: Unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade during periods of extreme hardship threatens biodiversity in North Korea, Biological Conservation (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111102 Journal information: Biological Conservation
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

From smoking bans to new speed limitsmany people soon stop resisting policy changes that restrict their personal freedom once the new rules come into force. This conclusion was reached in a study conducted by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the University of Vienna. The work is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers also identified the underlying psychological mechanism to gain important insights into possible communication strategies when introducing such measures.

Policy measures that ban or restrict an activity frequently meet with resistance. In psychology, the resistance to restrictions on personal freedom is known as reactance. The resulting emotional debates can make politicians hesitant to make decisions that they actually consider necessary for achieving important goals such as climate targets or public health objectives.

In many cases, however, reactance appeared to decline significantly after measures were implemented. This phenomenon has not yet been adequately studied.

Armin Granulo (Technical University of Munich), and Christoph Fuchs and Robert Bohm (both at the University of Vienna) have now conducted seven individual studies to investigate whether this observation is true and also to identify the underlying psychological mechanism.

The researchers began by conducting representative surveys on the introduction of workplace smoking bans in several European countries, seat belt laws in the U.S. and stricter speed limits in the Netherlands.

They then conducted several experiments to test reactance to regulatory policies. Respondents in the UK and Germany were asked about their attitudes to a vaccine mandate, a speed limit, new taxes on alcohol and meat and other measures. Half of the participants were asked for their view on measures about to be implemented, while the other half were told that the new regulations had already been in place for a year.

Resistance is often less robust than feared by policymakers

Both the real surveys and the experiments show that reactance to restrictive measures is much stronger prior to their introduction than afterwards. This is true regardless of test subjects' attitudes to the specific issue, for example to vaccines.

"Reactance is often only temporary and declines substantially after the introduction of restrictive measures," says study leader Dr. Armin Granulo. "Resistance is less robust than many politicians fear."

What causes this effect? The researchers suspected that a known mechanism of our perception was involved: when confronted by change, people focus more on the change itself than on the prevailing state before and after the change. But once the transitional process is complete, they can view the new condition more impartially.

Psychologist Prof. Robert Bohm explains, "When a new rule is announced, people initially focus on what they will lose: freedom, habitual behavior, comfort. After the introduction, these personal losses recede into the background. We are then much more conscious of the societal gains, for example for public health or climate protection."

With their experiments, the researchers were able to confirm that this mechanism is an important cause of reactance. Among other questions, they asked the test subjects how much they felt the measures would restrict their personal freedom and whether they were more focused on the personal or societal consequences.

The test subjects who were told that measures were already in place showed attitudes that were dominated less by individual concerns and more by the societal situation as compared to the subjects in the experiment based on an impending measure.

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Emphasizing societal benefits

The study also points to ways of communicating new measures more effectively. Prof. Christoph Fuchs says, "In one experiment we stressed the societal benefits of a systemic measure before it was introduced. The study participants who learned about the benefits at the beginning were much less inclined to reject a measure prior to its introduction."

The researchers see these insights as an important basis for societal debates and for policy makers and recommend research into further psychological factors that might influence reactance.

"Regulatory measures are not the only way of overcoming societal challenges. But they are an important component," says Armin Granulo.

"Those who are aware of the psychological mechanisms will have a better understanding of how people react, the course of public debate and the prospects of new laws succeeding. They can then be guided by these insights."

More information: Armin Granulo et al, Psychological reactance to system-level policies before and after their implementation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2409907122 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
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The paired Proba-3 satellites will have a highly elliptical orbit with an apogee (or top of orbit) of about 60,000 km and perigee of 600 km. Coronagraph observation based on forming an artificial eclipse between the two satellites as well as active formation flying experiments taking place towards apogee, with passive formation flying taking place as the satellites circle closer to Earth. Credit: ESAP. Carril, 2013

For the first time, two spacecraft in orbit were aligned in formation with millimeter precision and maintained their relative position for several hours without any control from the ground.

The European Space Agency's Proba-3 mission has achieved its ambitious goal when its two spacecraft, the Coronagraph and the Occulter, flew 150 meters apart in perfect formation, simulating a single giant spacecraft.

Earlier this year, the first step of the mission was successfully completed. The operations team, consisting of engineers from ESA and its closely collaborating industrial partners, came together at the Agency's European Space Security and Education Center in Redu, Belgium.

Using a set of positioning instruments, they were able to align the two spacecraft in formation, and monitor them as they maintained their relative position autonomously.

Now, following more finetuning and testing, the team has achieved the desired precision, making Proba-3 the world's first-ever precision formation flying mission.

The mission relies on several innovative technologies, many of which are technology demonstrations developed through ESA's General Support Technology Program (GSTP). "To do something that has never been done before, we needed to develop new technologies," notes Esther Bastida Pertegaz, Proba-3 systems engineer.

"The formation flying is performed when the spacecraft are more than 50,000 km above Earth," explains Raphael Rougeot, Proba-3 systems engineer.

"Here, Earth's gravity pull is small enough, so that very little propellant is needed to maintain the formation. Then the formation is broken and needs to be acquired again over the next orbit, in a repeated cycle."

The ultimate goal is for the two spacecraft to align with the sun so that the 1.4-m large disk carried by the Occulter casts a 5-cm shadow onto the optical instrument on the Coronagraph, allowing it to study the faint solar corona.

Teodor Bozhanov, formation flying system engineer, explains further: "The initiation of this formation-flying repetitive sequence is performed by the ground control center, with the operations team obtaining position information to determine the exact location of the two satellites in space. The mission's thrusters are then used to bring them closer together.

The double-satellite Proba-3 is the most ambitious member yet of ESAs Proba family of experimental missions. Two spacecraft will fly together as one, maintaining precise formation down to a single millimetre. One will block out the fiery disc of the Sun for the other, to enable prolonged observations of the Suns surrounding atmosphere, or corona, the source of the solar wind and space weather. Usually, the corona can only be glimpsed for a few minutes during terrestrial total solar eclipses. Proba-3 aims to reproduce such eclipses for up to six hours at a time, in a highly elliptical orbit taking it more than 60 000 km from Earth. The two spacecraft are being launched together by Indias PSLV-XL launcher from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Follow the missions deployment and commissioning, up to its first glimpse of the corona, in this overview video. Credit: ESA-Magic Fennec

"All the rest is done autonomously. The spacecraft measure and control their relative position using the Visual Based System, which includes a wide-angle camera on the Occulter tracking a set of flashing LED lights on the Coronagraph.

"Once the satellites get close enough to each other, a narrow-angle camera locking onto the same set of lights enables a more accurate positioning."

Raphael describes the last step needed to close the precision gap: "Although we were previously able to perform formation flying using only the camera-based systems on board, we were still missing the desired precision.

"Two major achievements have been key to unlocking it. First, it was the calibration of the on-board laser instrument, and its integration into the full formation flying loop."

"This laser instrument, called the Fine Lateral and Longitudinal Sensor (FLLS), enables relative positioning down to a millimeter accuracy," adds Jorg Versluys, Proba-3 payloads manager. "It consists of a laser beam fired from the Occulter spacecraft and reflected in the Coronagraph's retroreflector back to the Occulter, where it is detected."

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"The second crucial achievement was successfully using the shadow position sensor," Raphael continues. "An on-board algorithm based on the measurement of light intensity around the coronagraph aperture ensures that the Coronagraph spacecraft stays in the shadow cast by the Occulter spacecraft."

Lined up with the Sun, Proba-3s Occulter spacecraft uses its occulting disc to cast a precisely-controlled shadow onto the Coronagraph spacecraft. The pair host multiple positioning technologies to achieve millimetre level precision: GNSS receivers, radio links, optical cameras tracking flashing LEDs, a reflected laser and shadow-detecting sensors. Credit: ESA-F. Zonno

Esther notes, "Combining all these sensors, and thanks to the on-board software managing all the spacecraft systems and providing Navigation, Guidance and Control functions, the formation is stable beyond expectations."

Damien Galano, Proba-3 project manager, concludes, "We are talking about millimetric accuracy in range, and sub-millimetric in the lateral position. We can't wait to see the completion of the instrument calibration and the first processed image of the sun's corona."

The Proba-3 mission is led by ESA and put together by a consortium managed by Spain's Sener, with the participation of more than 29 companies from 14 countries and with key contributions from GMV and Airbus Defense and Space in Spain and Redwire Space and Spacebel in Belgium.

The coronagraph instrument comes from Belgium's Center Spatial de Liege (CSL) and the science data will be processed by the Royal Observatory of Belgium. The mission was launched on 5 December 2024 on a PSLV-XL launcher from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India.
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In this langoustine "hotel," each individual has its own room, and can be lowered into cool water. This provides better conditions for the animalsand better quality when the delicacy reaches the dinner table. Credit: Ove Andreas Mandal

Small fishing boats make up 80% of the 5,600 fishing vessels in Norway. They deliver 11% of the country's total catch of cod, in addition to a significant proportion of crab and other whitefish.

However, only 5% of the fishery products they deliver are refrigerated, despite temperature being one of the most important controllable factors for enhancing the quality and shelf life of the catch.

Researchers for the project Climate-friendly and energy-efficient cooling in small fishing vessels have now tested two prototypes of a simple, robust cooling system developed by HAV kjolesystemer and Cadio AS.

"We already know that cod has a six-day longer shelf life when stored at 1C, compared to 5C," says Kristina Norne Widell, the project manager at SINTEF.

Happier langoustine

At Skansen in Trondheim, fishing skipper Ervik Ervik sits on board the boat Odd-Angel and points out where his langoustine pots are set out on the map. The distances are long between where the pots are and where the catch is to be delivered. Just outside the wheelhouse, two installers are heading down to the engine room, carrying something that Ervik is excited about.

He gives a nervous jump when he hears a thump. The reason Ervik's stomach is all aflutter today is that he has invested in a small cooling system. But everything is going according to plan. The little thump happened in the narrow stairwell. And even though the engine room is far from roomy, the installers from HAV find a spot where the unit fits perfectly and won't get in the way of anything else.

"With the new system, I can be at sea for several days before I have to deliver the catch. That means lower diesel costs for me and better conditions for the langoustines on board," says Ervik as he looks at the refrigeration system that has found its natural place.

Ervik explains why the investment is a good idea. The langoustines are placed in individual "hotel rooms" when he hauls them on board, which he now sets upright in large tanks filled with fresh seawater. The cooling system cools and circulates the water, creating much better on-board conditions for the langoustines than they have without being chilled.

"The langoustines I deliver will be of better quality and will probably lead to less mortality as well," says Ervik.

A waste rate of 30%

Studies commissioned by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that globally, at least 30% of fish and seafood become food waste. That figure can be reduced by improved refrigeration on board the fishing boats.

Even though all large fishing vessels in the pelagic fishing fleet have cooling systems on board, no "plug-and-play" systems are available on the market for the smaller boats.

Any investment requires an individual vessel-specific design with the additional costs that this entails. But now a solution may be on the way. The refrigerated sea water (RSW) cooling system that is now being tested by Ervik can also be used by other small fishing vessels.

At the Fosen Skalldyr processing facility in the village of Vallersund, owner and general manager Ove Andreas Mandal receives langoustines from Ervik and other fishermen. He says that langoustines do not tolerate temperature fluctuations very well, and therefore sees the cooling systems on board the smaller boats as a positive development.

"I think this is an excellent solution, especially during the summer months. Langoustines can withstand a lot, but they don't tolerate temperature fluctuations well," says Mandal.

The langoustines become stressed when they are brought up from 7C in the ocean to 20C on board the boat in the summer. They become lethargic, and mortality increases.

"In the summer we observe that it's difficult to keep the langoustines alive when the temperature fluctuations become too extreme," says Mandal.

Today, lethargic langoustines are often frozen and sold as frozen goods, which are less profitable than live langoustines. The question Mandal is now asking himself is whether he should pay the fishermen less for lethargic langoustines that will not survive in the tanks at the processing facility than for langoustines in good shape. However, he is not yet ready to require that all boats have refrigeration on board.

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Must be able to withstand rough conditions

The refrigeration system, like the one Ervik has on his boat, was developed to be easy to use and has a robust design. It must be able to withstand tough working conditions. It has a cooling capacity of 8 kW and uses the natural refrigerant CO 2 .

Using natural refrigerants that have very low to no impact on the climate and environment when a leak occurs is key in order for the cooling system to be climate and environmentally friendly. Systems on fishing vessels tend to have a higher leak frequency than land-based systems due to the rougher conditions at sea.

It is gratifying to see that the demand for CO 2 systems has increased. Roger Tellefsen from HAV cooling systems says that people specify the CO 2 systems at fisheries fairs and not ones that use synthetic refrigerants.

Highlighting how the systems can be made to ensure the best possible energy-efficient operation is also needed. The project tests the cooling system in different working situations and notes the effect of active cooling on several fish species.
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Devices pose entanglement risks to marine life. Credit: Alex Hofford/Greenpeace

They are large rafts that drift thousands of kilometers across the ocean surface, moving with the currents in an otherwise featureless marine environment. Tracked by satellites, the rudimentary floatswhich may also be outfitted with long, submerged tails of nettingare used to attract schools of fish that can be scooped up by industrial tuna fishing vessels.

Known as drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs), they were introduced into commercial fisheries in the 1990s to produce "dolphin-safe" tuna, but have themselves become so abundant that they pose their own environmental risks.

Now, a comprehensive study by Dalhousie researchers details their impacts on a global scale for the first time, surprising even the researchers quantifying their numbers.

"We found that these devices have drifted through at least 37% of the global oceanan area as large as all inhabited continents combined. Yet most people have never heard of dFADs because tuna fishing occurs mostly in the tropics," lead author Laurenne Schiller, a postdoctoral research fellow at Dalhousie and Carleton, says of the study published in Science Advances.

"Our results demonstrate that the cumulative environmental footprint of dFADs reaches far beyond tuna fishing grounds and remains inadequately mitigated at the global scale."

Growing concern

The researchers, including those from the Manta Trust, estimate that 1.4 million devices were released between 2007 and 2021 and were used to help catch nearly one-third of the world's tuna. Tuna harvesters in eastern Canada don't tend to use dFADs, which are more often deployed in the Pacific.

The study also shows that lost devicesmade from natural or synthetic materialshave washed ashore in more than 100 coastal countries, contributing to marine pollution, ensnaring other species and damaging coral reefs. More than 90% of some tuna species are not yet mature when caught because smaller fish are more likely to seek shelter under the raft.

The authors also make clear that scientists, regulators and the fishing industry have been expressing concern about the growing use of dFADs for more than 20 years after fishing practices changed from targeting free-swimming tuna schools to catching fish associated with floating objects.

Commercial use of the devices was inspired by the observation that fish seeking a protective cove tend to congregate around floating natural flotsam, such as logs or other debris. They have since become a key piece of gear for different tuna fisheries, including yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack, the latter being the main source for canned tuna products globally.

Drifting devices often get stranded in regions far away from tuna-fishing grounds. This one found on a beach in Texas was likely deployed off the coast of West Africa. Credit: Jace Tunnell

Monitoring use, retrieving gear

When outfitted with a global positioning system (GPS) transponder, a dFAD raft can be deployed from a vessel and then located weeks to months later after drifting with prevailing currents and aggregating fish.

"Because the ocean is all connected, there are no boundaries for dFADs in their global travels, and their impacts are often felt far from where they were initially deployed. We need to consider how many devices can be in the water at once and make sure they all get retrieved," says senior author Boris Worm, a marine ecology professor at Dalhousie.

Tropical tuna fisheries are managed through four Regional Fisheries Management Organizations, or RFMOs, and progress to address concerns has historically been slow but is increasing. Only in recent years has the use of netting been curtailed in an effort to reduce the high levels of bycatch of other marine life, such as sharks and sea turtles, and there are no limits on the total number of devices a company can deploy annually.

Transparency and accountability are also major problems, according to the study, which calls for better labeling of dFADs so that any damage they cause can be traced back to a fishing vessel or company. In 2026, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission will be the first RFMO to implement a dFAD registry for all devices used in its waters, with both the buoy and the dFAD raft bearing unique identifiers that can be traced back to the deploying vessel.

It would also help to identify responsible fisheries that are adhering to the conditions for Marine Stewardship Council sustainable seafood certification, a coveted eco-label held by most tuna fishing companies.

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Minimizing ecosystem impacts

The authors show that many fisheries that use dFADs have recently been certified, but most have unmet conditions related to minimizing ecosystem impacts.

"Programs like the MSC can really motivate companies to improve their practices, but it's also important that this improvement is continuous and doesn't just end with certification," says Dr. Schiller. "In the case of dFAD tuna fisheries, many companies still have a lot of work to do and consumers should be aware of that."

The authors are hopeful that progress can be made and have documented comprehensive management measures that have been proposed or are already implemented, to lessen the impacts of this fishing method.

"Most dFADs are deployed by a few large companies from wealthy countries, but their effects are felt across some of the world's least developed island nations with little capacity to address the damage that is caused," says study co-author Nidhi D'Costa, a fisheries researcher from Bangladesh now working for the Manta Trust.

More information: Laurenne Schiller et al, The global footprint of drifting fish aggregating devices, Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ads2902 Journal information: Science Advances
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Credit: Fang et al.

The operation of quantum technologies relies on the reliable realization and control of quantum states, particularly entanglement. In the context of quantum physics, entanglement entails a connection between particles, whereby measuring one determines the result of measuring the other even when they are distant from each other, and in a way that defies any intuitive explanation.

A key challenge in the development of reliable quantum technologies is that entanglement is highly susceptible to noise (i.e., random interactions with the environment). These interactions with noise can adversely impact this desired quantum state of affairs and, in turn, reduce the performance of quantum technologies.

Researchers at Shandong University in China and National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan recently implemented a key step to experimentally recover hidden quantum correlations from higher-dimensional entangled states.

This method, outlined in a paper published in Physical Review Letters, entails the implementation of so-called single-copy local filtering (ScLF) operations.

"The preparation and manipulation of quantum entanglement are always imperfect, compromising their performance in quantum processing information tasks," He Lu, co-senior author of the paper, told Phys.org.

"Although conventional distillation protocols promise to return at least one copy of maximal entanglement over multi-copy noisy states, it is not 'friendly' for photonic systems as the strong photon-photon interactions required for collective manipulation remain challenging."

While physicists have developed various protocols for distilling entanglement over the past decades, most existing ones are difficult to implement on quantum systems comprised of photons (i.e., particles of light). The development of distillation approaches that are easier to implement on photonic systems could thus be highly advantageous, as it could inform quantum physics research and improve quantum technologies.

"The idea of single-copy distillation came out when I visited Liang in 2019, when he shared the thought of 'activating the teleportation power with ScLF operation,'" said Lu. "I quickly realized this was the easy-to-implement distillation protocol I sought, naturally leading to our collaboration."

The first objective of the recent study by Lu and his colleagues was to use ScLF to observe quantum features that were initially absent in a class of mixed quantum states known as Werner states, particularly nonlocality (i.e., the feature underpinning correlations between the behavior of entangled particles).

In addition, the researchers wanted to show that this technique is scalable and easier to implement on optical systems than existing entanglement distillation schemes.

"Our work is a natural continuation of our previous collaboration, aiming to recover teleportation power by ScLF," Yeong-Cherng Liang, co-senior author of the paper, told Phys.org.

"A question left open there was why one should favor a qubit projection over other ScLFs. This led us to higher-dimensional Werner statesa widely discussed family of quantum states in quantum foundations and entanglement distillationbut whose nonlocality has never been demonstrated. We decided to take up this challenge, and there we go!"

To demonstrate the potential of their ScLFs-based approach for the distillation of quantumness, the researchers carried out a series of experiments utilizing a two-qutrit photonic system, in which each quantum unit (qutrit) can exist in a superposition of three states. They specifically prepared the three-dimensional Werner states, which were encoded in the degrees of freedom (DoF) of photon pairs.

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"To this end, we first prepared a two-qubit Werner state encoded in the polarization DoF, then used an array of beam displacers and waveplates to transform the quantum information to the path DoF," explained Lu. "The ScLF is quite simpleit only requires the blocking of one of the three paths."

Lu, Liang and their colleagues also used theoretical frameworks to confirm that their technique was effective in distilling quantum correlations in their experiments. Their analyses demonstrated that despite imperfections in their experiments, the ScLF implemented did transform the states they prepared in the way they anticipated, allowing them to observe quantum features that were previously hidden.

"To this end, we checked the experimentally 'reconstructed' states against various criteria and, in some cases, also performed numerical optimizations to strengthen our claims," said Liang.

The recent work by this team of researchers could significantly reduce the experimental complexity required to distill useful quantum features from noisy interactions. Notably, their experiments and theoretical analyses demonstrated that their proposed distillation approach is scalable and can also be applied to higher-dimensional quantum systems.

"To me, one of the most exciting moments is our rediscovery of the qubit decomposition of Werner statesimplicitly given in the work of Popescu," said Liang.

"Not only has this shed light on a question that has led us to this worknamely, why one should favor qubit projection over other ScLFsbut it has also facilitated the possibility for us to perform our experimental demonstration. As for achievement, I would pick the first proof-of-principle experimental validation of the nonlocality of higher-dimensional Werner states, 30 years after Popescu first noticed it."

The new take on distillation advocated by He, Liang and their colleagues could soon be used to distill the quantumness in other higher-dimensional quantum systems, to further validate its potential. The team's findings could also have interesting theoretical implications, as it challenges previous views suggesting that entanglement can only become useful when it is heavily "purified" from noise.

In his next studies, Liang, who is a theoretical physicist working at National Cheng Kung University and Deputy Director of the Center for Quantum Frontiers of Technology (QFort), plans to devise an even more efficient single-copy distillation-based protocol to extract genuine quantum features from Werner states or prove that the current protocol is already optimal.

Lu and his colleagues at Shadong University, on the other hand, hope to soon demonstrate the implementation of the new distillation protocol on quantum states with more dimensions.

"In this work, we have demonstrated the single-copy distillation on three-dimensional quantum states," added Lu.

"I would like to explore even higher-dimensional states, although implementing our scheme using bulk optics in such cases seems quite challenging. However, the rapid development of integrated optics offers a promising platform for such demonstrations."

 2025 Science X Network
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The market for personal care items that claim to be environmentally or socially responsible has exploded in the past decade. However, eco-friendliness and ethical considerations aren't the primary concerns of most shoppers, despite what they tell pollsters about a desire to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

That's one of the key findings from a study of sustainable health and beauty care products conducted by Yewon Kim, an assistant professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business, and Kristina Brecko, Ph.D., an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Rochester. The findings are published in SSRN.

For years, brands have made eco-friendly claims, often without substantiating them; only recently has increased government oversight begun to ripple through the sector.

"We wanted to study how companies behave in the absence of regulationwhether firms have an economic incentive to invest in marketing sustainable products," Kim says.

The researchers analyzed six terabytes of sales data for 30,000 productsfrom cosmetics and deodorants to shampoo and toothpastesold at U.S. retailers between 2012 and 2019. By reviewing information included in the products' packaging, they found that one-third of the products made at least one environmental or social claim.

Nearly 29% were labeled "cruelty-free," meaning they were not tested on animals. About 14% mentioned eco-friendly packaging, such as recyclable or low-waste materials. Less than 3% mentioned environmental sustainability, such as reduced greenhouse emissions, or social responsibility, such as fair-trade certification.

Although 78% of respondents in a 2022 survey stated that a sustainable lifestyle was important to them, the researchers found that consumers' in-store behavior tells a different story.

"It turns out that package size, ingredients, and brand name are much bigger drivers of purchases than sustainability," Brecko says. She and Kim also found that sustainable products are often less expensive than comparable products, suggesting that sustainability claims are not their primary selling point.

Small brands step up

Their findings also revealed that large brands offered fewer sustainable options than smaller "fringe" brands. A similar pattern holds even among brands owned by a single company. "We observe that large manufacturers provide sustainable options through their smaller brands rather than adding them to their established brands," Kim says.

Kim and Brecko suggest two reasons for this. First, adjusting an existing product line to conform to sustainability claims can be expensive, especially when big manufacturers know their regular customers aren't as concerned about sustainability as other features.

Second, consumers tend to be more suspicious about larger companies engaging in greenwashingmaking false or misleading claims about their products' sustainability.

As a result, big companies tend to introduce sustainable products by launching or acquiring smaller brands, which are seen as more authentic. Unilever, for example, now owns Schmidt's Deodorant Company, a small Portland-based company known for using natural ingredients and its cruelty-free promise. Likewise, Colgate-Palmolive owns Tom's of Maine and Clorox owns Burt's Bees.

Still, there are signs that sustainable brandsincluding the eco-friendly spinoffs owned by large companiesare going toe-to-toe with large manufacturers. In 2012, sustainable products sold by small brands captured less than 5% of the market share in the personal care industry. But by 2019, this number had shot up to 20%.

"There's a higher preference for those brands that have fully sustainable product lines, and fringe brands offer these at a higher rate, which suggests that it's easier for them to do so because they have short product lines," Brecko says.

She and Kim found that consumers preferred buying sustainable products from fringe brands over established brandsand were even willing to pay more for the same item if it came from a mission-driven company.

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Law and labeling

The study suggests that consumer demand alone is not enough to motivate large brands to invest in sustainable practices. "Based on consumer purchases alone, large brands with high brand equity have little incentive to widely incorporate these sustainability features," Kim says.

However, increased oversight could change this. Brecko points out that the European Union has more rigid rules governing personal care products than the United States. Companies making sustainability claims in the EU must provide proof of reduced environmental impact.

"A recent regulation makes it such that companies cannot use words that sound 'green' on their product packaging without providing evidence that the product indeed meets sustainability standards," Brecko says.

In the U.S., there have been increasing calls for stronger regulation of the personal care product sector after toxic chemicals were found in items ranging from nail polish to lotion to soap.

It wasn't until 2022 that Congress gave the Food and Drug Administration increased oversight authority by passing the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act, the most significant expansion of the agency's power to regulate personal care products since 1938. At the same time, the Federal Trade Commission has stepped up prosecution of companies making deceptive environmental claims.

States have enacted their own sustainability mandates. In 2020, California became the first state to ban the sales of cosmetics tested on animals. By March 2024, 11 other states had passed similar bans.

Kim and Brecko are working on a follow-up study that tracks these recent laws' impact on the personal care industry. "Although a mandate is local, national brands may have to adjust their entire product lines to comply, especially when the regulation originates in a large state like California," Kim says.

More information: Kristina Brecko et al, Sustainability and Strategic Differentiation: Rising Preferences and Divergent Brand Strategies in Unregulated Consumer Markets, SSRN (2024). DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.4952578
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Schematic diagrams of pot configurations. Credit: Ocean & Coastal Management (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107663

Fishing pots fitted with LED lights catch significantly more shrimp and fish, new research shows.

In the new study published in Ocean & Coastal Management, by the University of Exeter and Fishtek Marine, pots fitted with LEDs caught up to 19 times more northern shrimp than unlit pots.

Importantly, illuminated pots also attracted fishraising hopes for new low-impact fishing.

"We think that the light attracts zooplanktonlike moths around a flamewhich in turn attracts shrimp (which eat zooplankton), and that entices larger fish predators into the pots to gobble up the shrimp," said Dr. Robert Enever, from Fishtek Marine.

This "attraction cascade" effectively creates a self-baiting pot.

The study is published as Sir David Attenborough's new film, Ocean, sheds fresh light on the challenges facing life beneath the waves.

Sustainable fisheries

While the trialcarried out off Scotland's west coastdidn't catch enough shrimp to be commercially viable, the authors suggest that this could change in places with more shrimp.

Furthermore, while the mesh size of the pots wasn't designed to catch large fish, high catch rates of fish in this study suggest that light in combination with a modified trap design (designed for larger fish) could lead to the development of new, low-impact trap fisheries for fish.

"Shrimp and cod are often fished by trawling, which can result in high bycatch (accidental catching of other species), and habitat disturbance," said Dr. Tom Horton, from the Center for Ecology and Conservation on Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

"Finding lower-impact alternativesincluding static gear such as potsis essential for more sustainable fisheries."

Illuminated pots caught 50% fewer Norway lobsters (also known as langoustines) and 88% more juvenile poor coda smaller cousin of the infamous cod.

This highlights both potential, as cod may also be a candidate species for low-impact trap fishing, and caution, as pots not carefully tailored to their target species may still yield high bycatch.

More information: Thomas W. Horton et al, Effects of illumination and pot design on catch and bycatch when targeting northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) using white LED PotLights, Ocean & Coastal Management (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107663
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A new exploration of how therapy dogs can create a safe, nonjudgmental environment for survivors of domestic violence in educational, therapeutic and courtroom settings was recently published in People and Animals: The International Journal of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations.

The studypublished posthumously on behalf of John R. Chapin, professor emeritus of communications at Penn State Beaverhighlights the ways therapy dogs, who are trained to provide emotional support to survivors, can reduce anxiety, foster trust and facilitate positive outcomes.

"As society transitions from a hunter-gatherer model to agricultural, industrial and postindustrial models, the role of animals may continue to adapt. However, this evolution highlights that the bond formed between humans and their companion animals remains strong and holds significant potential in helping address the trauma experienced by domestic violence victims," said Grace A. Coleman, Chapin's wife and co-author on the paper.

She also serves as president and chief executive officer of the Crisis Center North (CCN), a nonprofit counseling and resource center for those impacted by domestic violence in Allegheny County.

The paper examined three distinct areas by surveying participants receiving services from CCN. The first was the intersectionality of mental health, coping skills and pet ownership on youth participating in educational interventions. The second focused on the impact of therapy dogs in a counseling program within a domestic violence center. The third assessed the impact of therapy dogs working with domestic violence victims in courtroom settings.

"CCN staff have observed that clients often require several attempts to feel at ease when seeking help," Coleman said. "Therapy dogs could serve as a valuable resource in creating a more welcoming atmosphere for victims reaching out for the first time.

"This study shows that working animals can be crucial in creating and sustaining connections between clients and their local domestic violence centers. Our findings add to the expanding body of literature highlighting the psychological benefits of interacting with pets and working animals."

In the project exploring pet ownership, the results indicated that while owning a pet did not make a significant difference in mental health, children and adolescents with pets had greater coping skills than their peers without pets.

"It is essential for children who might be potentially affected by bullying and other adverse experiences, like school burnout, to develop coping strategies that prevent substance abuse and self-harm," said co-author Michael Brayack, who earned a bachelor of arts in corporate communications from Penn State and currently works as the grants and publications manager for CCN. "Based on our study's findings, further research into using animals and pets as tools for coping with school burnout should be explored."

The results were similar in the other two focus areas.

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For the second project, children and adolescents undergoing counseling, as well as their parents, reported that counseling was more effective with a therapy animal present. The participants also noted that the presence of a therapy animal made them feel calmer and closer to their therapists.

In the third area, focused on the impact of therapy dogs in court settings, participants said that the dogs made them feel more comfortable appearing in courts. Some participants also said that they would be more likely to attend follow-up court sessions if the dog is available.

"Based on this research, we hope to inspire more programming like CCN's PAWS for Empowerment Program," said Brayack, who was advised by Chapin as a student at Penn State. "While any dog owner can tell you how they intuitively 'know' the positive impact their pets make on their well-being, research into the efficacy of animals for survivors of domestic violence is still largely undocumented. With this paper, we are pleased to be a part of this process, and I am glad to be able to honor the lasting work of Dr. Chapin by helping to finish his last article."

The paper is a capstone on Chapin's line of research, which focused largely on violence prevention and, in particular, domestic violence. Chapin, who was a survivor of childhood domestic violence, had a lifelong dedication to creating positive outcomes for survivors through his teaching, research and volunteer efforts.

He received numerous awards at the local, state and federal levels, including the inaugural Crime Victims Research Award from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022. He also received the 2006 National Office of Victim Assistance Stephen Schafer National Research Award.

With the addition of this posthumous publication, Chapin leaves behind 70 refereed publications of applied research on risk perception of violence, all of which are grounded in his many community partnerships, volunteer roles and personal passion for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.

"John was a pioneering figure in the field of violence prevention research and this posthumous publication contributes to his lasting legacy," Coleman said.

More information: It's All About the Ruff: Utilizing Therapy Dogs to Address Trauma in Domestic Violence Settings, People and Animals: The International Journal of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations (2025). docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewco  le=1155&context=paij
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Researchers carry out field work in the Cerrado. Credit: Professor Ted Feldpausch, University of Exeter

Scientists have found that a mere 30 species of trees in the Cerradothe world's largest and most floristically diverse savannaaccount for nearly half of all its trees.

This phenomenon of "hyperdominance" by a few species has significant implications for understanding and conserving this important ecosystem.

The study, by scientists from Brazil, the U.K., and the Netherlands and published in Communications Biology, draws on data from more than 200 one-hectare field plots combined with satellite imagery and spatial modeling.

The findings show that 30 speciesless than 2%of the Cerrado's 1,605 tree species make up almost half of all the trees.

Among this distinct group of hyperdominant trees, one species, Qualea parviflora, was found to make up one in every 14 trees.

"We were surprised by this level of hyperdominance in such a diverse ecosystem," said lead author Dr. Facundo Alvarez, from the State University of Mato Grosso (UNEMAT).

"This pattern is similar to what's been observed in the Amazon rainforest, although the Cerrado is a savanna. Our research also determined that the Cerrado has lost an estimated 24 billion trees since 1985a staggering figure equivalent to three times Earth's current human population. Understanding the dominance of these few species is essential in light of such losses."

Spanning 2 million km2an area the size of England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain combinedthe Cerrado is the largest savanna in the world and the most floristically tree-diverse, as well being a gateway to Amazonia and playing a vital role in supplying clean water and sequestering carbon.

This hyperdominance of a few species, now found in both Amazonian forests and the Cerrado, highlights the risks both biomes face for species loss due to fragmentation, deforestation and land-use change.

The Cerrado. Credit: Professor Ted Feldpausch, University of Exeter

"When so many ecosystem processes are concentrated in 30 or so individual species, it means that if you disrupt this system, for example, through climate change, then depending on how those species respond to that disruption, there's a risk of losing the species that are key to maintaining the core functionality of the savanna as a savanna," said co-author Professor Ted Feldpausch from the University of Exeter.

As only 30 species dominate the Cerrado, its stability and functioning are very narrowly based. But Professor Feldpausch explains that focusing on these species could help researchers understand how this vast ecosystem functions.

"It could help us make predictions about how the system as a whole is going to functionand potentially how it will respond to disruptions, whether from changing fire regimes or a changing climate," he said.

Lead co-author, Professor Beatriz Marimon, from the University of Mato Grosso State (UNEMAT), added, "It's going to help us with conservation, knowing where we find higher and lower diversity; it's going to help with managementso knowing, for example, whether these are species are more or less adaptive to fire; and if we're trying to restore areas, understanding these few species is going to help with that too."

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The critically endangered Cerrado biome plays a crucial role as the gateway to Amazonia and other biomes but is just 8% protected and more than half deforested.

To date, it has acted as a barrier, helping to separate Amazonia from the densely populated and urbanized southeastern region of Brazil.

The Cerrado plays a crucial role in supplying water to major cities, regulating climate, and acting as a natural barrier between the Amazon and Brazil's heavily populated southeast. "Yet global environmental policies continue to overlook the Cerrado," said co-author Professor Ben Hur Marimon Junior from UNEMAT. "Its protection must become an international prioritynot a burden carried solely by local communities."

The researchers warned that up to 800 tree species may remain undetected and face extinction in a few decades due to deforestation.

More information: Facundo Alvarez et al, Tree species hyperdominance and rarity in the South American Cerrado, Communications Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-07623-w Journal information: Communications Biology
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Epigenetic plasticity in the pineal gland revealed by sex-specific DMR dynamics after chronic light stress exposure. A central Venn diagram illustrates the number of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that were lost (orange), retained (overlapping), or gained (blue) between sexes after chronic light stress. Surrounding heatmaps display methylation levels (white to red, increasing intensity) for each DMR category across female (black) and male (gray) individuals under control (blue) or stress (yellow) conditions. Left heatmap (Lost): DMRs present in the control group but absent after stress. Female and male birds show clear differences under control, but these distinctions vanish under stress. Top right heatmap (Gained): New DMRs emerging after stress exposure. Although fewer, these regions highlight sex-specific changes induced by stress. Bottom right heatmap (Retained): DMRs conserved between conditions. These regions maintain consistent sex-specific methylation patterns regardless of treatment. This figure adapted from our published paper (in the reference), highlights how unpredictable light exposure alters the epigenetic landscape, erasing or reshaping sex-specific methylation patterns in the pineal gland of chickens. Credit: Adapter from Fabio Pertille et al. Sex-Specific Methylomic and Transcriptomic Responses of the Avian Pineal Gland to Unpredictable Illumination Patterns, Journal of Pineal Research (2025). DOI: 10.1111/jpi.70040

Light helps us wake up, keeps us alert, and guides our sleep. But what happens when light becomes erratic? As a researcher studying molecular biology and animal stress responses, I've been fascinated by how environmental changes affect living organisms in subtle but powerful ways. In our latest study in the Journal of Pineal Research, we discovered that irregular light exposure disrupts the natural molecular differences between male and female birdsespecially in the brain.

We already know that light regulates biological rhythms in most animals. In chickens, for example, artificial lighting is commonly used to boost growth and reproduction. But beyond farming practices, I wanted to know how unpredictable light affects the brainmore specifically, the pineal gland, which plays a central role in regulating circadian rhythms through melatonin.

In collaboration with researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden and the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, we exposed chickens to an unpredictable light schedule during early life. Then we examined their brains to assess changes in gene activity, microRNAs, and DNA methylationchemical markers that regulate how genes are expressed.

What we found surprised us.

The differences between males and females in the pineal gland almost disappeared under chronic light stress. This loss was most evident in the epigenomethe layer of regulation that turns genes on or off without altering DNA. Interestingly, while the epigenetic differences faded, the gene activity still showed clear sex-specific patterns. This suggests the body may try to compensate when epigenetic regulation is disturbed.

One striking discovery was how much this disruption affected females. In control conditions, we saw robust molecular differences between sexes. Under stress, those differences vanished almost entirely in females, particularly in genes located on the Z chromosomeone of the sex chromosomes in birds.

As my colleagueand also author of the paperDr. Carlos Guerrero-Bosagna said, "This suggests female birds are particularly vulnerable to environmental stress at the molecular level. These findings raise questions not just about animal welfare, but also about how artificial lighting may affect biological rhythms in other species, including humans."

While our study focused on birds, the implications are broader. Today, many people experience erratic light exposure due to shift work, artificial lighting, or digital screens. If unpredictable light can erase fundamental molecular differences in birds, what might it be doing to us?

This story is part of Science X Dialog, where researchers can report findings from their published research articles. Visit this page for information about Science X Dialog and how to participate.

More information: Fabio Pertille et al, SexSpecific Methylomic and Transcriptomic Responses of the Avian Pineal Gland to Unpredictable Illumination Patterns, Journal of Pineal Research (2025). DOI: 10.1111/jpi.70040

I am a researcher in epigenetics and molecular biology at Uppsala University in Sweden. My work focuses on how environmental factors, such as stress and light exposure, influence gene regulation in animals. I study mechanisms like DNA methylation and microRNA expression, with the aim of understanding their long-term effects on health and development. I hold a Ph.D. from the University of Sao Paulo and collaborate with international teams on projects that connect animal biology with broader questions in translational science.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

There is a growing feeling in New Zealand that the regional geopolitical situation is becoming less stable and more conflicted. China has ramped up its Pacific engagement, most recently with the Cook Islands, and the United States under Donald Trump is abandoning the old multilateral world order.

As a result, we're beginning to see New Zealand shift away from a two-decades-long preference for engaging with multiple partners towards a more conventional balancing strategy.

Essentially, this attempts to counter the perceived threat from a strong countrynamely Chinawith a combination of external alliances and internal policies.

Externally, New Zealand has sought re-align itself within the US-led security sphere. Participation in pillar two of the AUKUS security pact has been seriously discussed, and New Zealand has actively engaged with NATO as a member of the "Indo-Pacific Four" (along with Australia, Japan and the Republic of Korea).

Internally, a NZ$12 billion "defense plan" was announced in early April. This will see New Zealand increase defense spending from just over 1% of GDP to more than 2% over the next eight years.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made no secret of these changing priorities. He has said he is simply taking "the world as it is," adding:

"This realism is a shift from our predecessors' vaguer notions of an indigenous foreign policy that no-one else understood, let alone shared."

This was a direct repudiation of the previous Labor government's foreign minister, Nanaia Mahuta. Her tenure had offered a glimpse of what a foreign policy guided by te ao Maorithe Maori worldviewmight look like.

Four tikanga Maori principles underpinned the policy: manaakitanga (hospitality), whanaungatanga (connectedness), mahi tahi and kotahitanga (unity through collaboration), and kaitiakitanga (intergenerational guardianship).

Beyond Western-centric thinking

Clearly, te ao Maori offers a very different way of looking at international relations. At its core it adopts a "relational" understanding of the world that views reality as a series of entanglements: "human with human, human with nonhuman, nonhuman with human, human and nonhuman with transcendent."

It is also a non-anthropocentric view: humans are not the masters of the world but rather stewards or custodians of a complex web of relations.

But as we argue in a recent Global Policy article, despite good intentions, Mahuta's four tikanga Maori were mostly used rhetorically. They did not fundamentally alter New Zealand's foreign policy, which remained firmly Western-centric.

We suggest those four tikanga principles would be enhanced by adding the concept of "utu" as a kind of overarching framework.

Largely thanks to the famous 1983 film of the same name, utu is often thought to simply mean violent revenge. In fact, it is a much deeper concept that refers to the "process of restoring physical and spiritual relationships to an equal or harmonious state."

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Utu as a foreign policy framework

A foreign policy underpinned by utu, therefore, would seek to build relationships that are harmonious and reciprocal.

Harmony, in this sense, goes beyond notions of an international order characterized by global peace, greater connectedness, increased cooperation and interdependence.

While these are important, an utu-informed view of harmony would also take into account the relationship between humans and the natural world, and between present, past and future generations.

Similarly, in the Western-centric view, reciprocity is typically "invoked as an appropriate standard of behavior which can produce cooperation among sovereign states."

But utu involves a reciprocity built through hospitality (manaakitanga), something which has to be given even if serious discord exists in a relationship. Reciprocity is also important in interactions between humans and the natural world.

Consequently, an utu foreign policy doctrine would offer a radically different lens than New Zealand is currently using.

A genuinely independent foreign policy

Firstly, it would require New Zealand to reject the Western geopolitical construct of the "Indo-Pacific," which vastly oversimplifies the complex realities of the region.

And it would mean viewing China not as an existential threat, but rather as a crucial relationship that is subject to the principles of manaakitanga, despite growing discord and diplomatic challenges.

Secondly, it would see New Zealand recognize climate change as the primary existential threat to the status quo. This would align closely with the country's Pacific neighbors, whose Blue Pacific initiative offers an alternative to the Indo-Pacific focus.

Lastly, it would help New Zealand more consistently and coherently pursue a genuinely independent foreign policy. This should have bipartisan appeal, as it would give New Zealand a unique perspective on the world.

Ultimately, as New Zealand faces a more complex regional environment and a range of national security challenges, utu in its true sense offers a more constructive framework.

Perhaps adopting a more complexand more humbleunderstanding of the world, as provided by te ao Maori, would give policymakers an alternative pathway to simply taking "the world as it is."

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Scenery in Kansas at the modern-day boundary region between central North American prairie and temperate forests. The millennia-long Holocene drought caused the prairie to expand significantly eastward compared to its present extent. Credit: Edwin Olson / Wikimedia Commons

A new study from the University of Helsinki has provided a compelling new explanation for the devastating droughts that took place in North America thousands of years ago. This period, known as the Holocene, covers the time of a generally warm climate following the last ice age. These exceptionally long-lasting droughts had drastic impacts on forest dieback and ecosystem transformations; understanding their causes is essential to improving societal resilience to future climate variations.

The reasons for these long droughts, however, have remained obscure. In the new study published in Nature Communications, University of Helsinki researchers, joined by co-authors from U.S., German and Swedish research institutions, analyze the development and causes of the drought in eastern North America, in a broad region spanning from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean.

"Evidence from the last 11,000 years highlights that North American water supplies have changed dramatically in the past, at times extending drought as severe as the 1930s Dust Bowl drought for centuries to millennia. Understanding the causes and consequences of these droughts can help improve our ability to anticipate future change," explains Bryan Shuman, co-author of the study from University of Wyoming.

In the new study, the researchers used datasets of fossil pollen grains, which have been recovered from numerous locations in North America over the past several decades. Using a computer algorithm based on machine learning, the researchers were able to reconstruct the variation of moisture levels over the Holocene based on the fossilized pollen.

The study was led by J. Sakari Salonen, an Academy of Finland research fellow at the Department of Geosciences and Geography, at the University of Helsinki. According to Salonen, the study confirms that the moisture conditions were continuously below modern levels for thousands of years.

Salonen notes, however, that different parts of North America experienced different drought histories. "The dry conditions first kick in in the northeastern U.S. and the nearby regions of Canada, which is today one of the wetter regions of North America. Here, we see peak drought already at 11,000 years ago," says Salonen.

The drought, then, shifts west. Salonen explains, "In the mid-continent, where we have the modern prairie region, we see the most severe drought at about 7,000 years ago, so thousands of years later than at the Atlantic coast. By this time, the Atlantic coast was already getting wetter, and it's like the entire climate anomaly causing the thousands-of-years-long drought started migrating westward."

"Particularly in the eastern U.S., there's often a perception today that water is always available. However, studies of the past show that these long droughts can trigger major shifts in fire regime and tree die-offs, even in the east. So it's critical to understand the spatial patterns of these droughts and their causes," says Jack Williams from the University of WisconsinMadison, who also contributed to the study.

The researchers compared their Holocene climate reconstructions to numerical climate simulations which they ran for the same time periods. These supercomputer experiments allowed the scientists to explore what could have caused the long droughts.

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Frederik Schenk, atmospheric physicist at Stockholm University and visiting scientist at the University of Helsinki, says that the new generation of climate models, performed at 24 times greater resolution than before, proved decisive in unraveling the causes of the drought.

The causes revealed by the climate simulations, says Schenk, are two-fold. "The simulations show that in the early Holocene, the high-pressure system at the ice sheet, remaining in the northern part of the continent, steered moisture transport, which explains the geographic shift in dry conditions," says Schenk. After the ice sheet melted, drought set in across the entire region, as summers got increasingly warm and dry.

The Holocene drought has interesting parallels with the future climate that is expected to take hold in North America over the next decades, as anthropogenic climate change progresses. By the end of this century, most of North America is projected to become increasingly dry, despite gradually increasing precipitation. This is because the increase in evaporation, due to the warming climate, is predicted to dry out surface soils even as rainfall increases.

The researchers note that this is exactly what they see in their simulations of the Holocene drought. "Overall, a warmer climate will be wetter. But this doesn't apply to all regions. As seen in our results, there are clear regional limits of how much rain can be delivered to balance the warming-driven evaporation. For the strong summer warming in the past, it just didn't add up, giving way to millennia-long droughts," explains Schenk.

However, the underlying causes of the past and future drought are different. In the early Holocene, drying was caused by a slow change in Earth's orbit, which caused summers to get warmer, finally pushing much of North America into drought. Now, the ongoing warming and the predicted drier conditions are due to the rapid increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

"If the climate projections for this century hold true, we're looking at a speed-run repeat of what happened, for natural causes, 10,000 years ago," says Salonen.

More information: J. Sakari Salonen et al, Patterns and drivers of Holocene moisture variability in mid-latitude eastern North America, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58685-7 Journal information: Nature Communications
WARREN COUNTY  An initiative is underway to help call attention to three towns  Horicon, Chester, and Johnsburg  that often get overlooked, or driven through, as people make their way up through North Country toward Lake George and the Adirondacks.

At an April Johnsburg Town Board meeting, resident Christine Powers detailed plans for a rebranding scheme that just might make travelers and potential new residents see these towns as the new gateway to the Adirondacks.

With the help of a $150,000 tourism grant from Warren County, with $50,000 earmarked for each town, the initiative aims to increase awareness about each towns offerings through marketing initiatives and new, eye-catching wayfinding signs to help direct people into towns instead of through them. The hope is to bring in tourists who will spend money at local shops, restaurants, and attractions; new businesses that will add to the economy; and new residents who will call these towns home.

Powers is one member of the recently formed Three Town Branding Initiative, a committee of residents and business leaders from each of the three towns. Other committee members include Drew Cappabianca, owner of the Hub in Horicon; Angie Mead, a resident and local real estate broker whos established herself in Chester and Horicon; Ryan Hutton, a resident and owner of Carole Theater in Chester; Craig Leggett, a Chester resident and the president of the North Warren Chamber of Commerce; Kayla Carlozzi, a Horicon resident and town board member; Greg Beckler, the owner of Natural Stone Bridge and Cave in Chester; Johnsburg resident Lily Gaechter; Horicon resident Conor Monte; Chester resident Cynde Smith; Johnsburg Town Board member Anna Bowers; and Jennifer Bliss of the Hilton Family Farmstead in Horicon.

The committee is also supported by Heather Bagshaw and others at the Warren County Tourism Department, and Adam Bailey and Leslie Karasin of the Northern Forest Center, a non-profit that has been providing grant writing and project management support for this and other initiatives around the region. Paula and Derek Slayton of Trampoline Design Studios have also been hired for additional brand development and logistics support.

The initial grant was funded by the countys occupancy tax. A committee representative said that the county sees immense value in highlighting destinations in the county beyond the immediate Lake George area, as this benefits towns and business throughout the region in addition to bolstering the offerings someone visiting Lake George can take advantage of, adding, the goal is using tourism to ensure economic vitality for the region by investing this occupancy tax money in these three towns.

The committee said the occupancy tax-funded grant is enough to cover each communitys brand development, but that additional grants could be pursued to help expedite further deployment of branded signage, materials, and web updates.

The committee recently put out a survey to all town residents, as well as anyone around the region with an opinion, to help determine what makes each town unique and what they should call attention to in their individual branding efforts. Theres still time to participate; survey responses will be accepted through the end of this week. The survey can be found at the following link: surveymonkey.com/r/3TownBranding.

Once all the survey results are tabulated, the committee with be able to better determine what direction their marketing schemes should focus on.

Summer and fall will be a time to distill the many different responses into a set of branding that best represents the myriad of perspectives and thoughts, a committee spokesperson told The Post-Star. Part of this process will be designing the individualized sub-brands for each town, in addition to the broader region branding, based on input from specific communities. The expectation is to have the branding package developed by the end of the calendar year and be in a position to begin fabricating any signage, banners, or other branded materials in early 2026.

The goal is to have uniform wayfinding signage for each town, the businesses therein, as well as attractions like trailheads. But its still early days. The exact breakdown of where the signs will be located and what/who will be highlighted will be determined in the months ahead.

When ask what success will look like, the committee spokesperson said, There is a growing sense of camaraderie and shared identity between the three towns that share so much culturally, socially, and economically. Physically, we hope to see a surge of new signage throughout the region, as the developed templates can be easily used by various groups, while we hope the digital presence of the towns and other civic and business institutions embrace aspects of the brand. All this ideally leads to better recognition of the town by visitors to the broader Adirondack region and grows the notoriety of these communities as vibrant places to live and visit.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  The delays and backups expected on the first day of the REAL ID requirement for domestic air travel did not materialize Wednesday morning at Atlantic City International Airport.

Theres really nobody here, said Sarah Consalo, of Egg Harbor City, who was traveling to Orlando with her passport, one of the acceptable substitutes for having a drivers license with the yellow REAL ID star on it. Im actually surprised. I planned my trip to get here a little bit early. Looks like Im going to get right on through.

Several other travelers echoed that sentiment as they entered the Transportation Security Administration check-in, which had a steady flow of passengers that moved smoothly with no apparent hold-ups.

I am shocked that theres nobody here, said Mike Fuller, of Mays Landing, who had his REAL ID in hand at the TSA checkpoint. I expected a line and everybody with no REAL ID, caught with their pants down.

REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued drivers license or identification card that is intended to be a more secure form of identification. The program was a recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and signed into law in 2005. It was supposed to be rolled out in 2008 but was repeatedly delayed, until a final deadline of May 7.

The TSA warned people who dont have identification that complies with REAL ID requirements to arrive early at the airport and be prepared for advanced screening to avoid causing delays.

The whole idea here is to better validate those individuals that were encountering a checkpoint to ensure they are who exactly they say they are, said Thomas Carter, TSAs federal security director in New Jersey.

Besides serving as a valid form of identification to fly domestically, people will also need a REAL ID to access certain federal buildings and facilities. REAL ID is not required to drive, vote or receive state or federal services or benefits.

In New Jersey, beginning May 20, approximately 5,200 additional REAL ID appointments will be made available at Motor Vehicle Commission licensing centers every other Tuesday. Similar appointments also exist on Thursdays.

Most airports around the United States operated smoothly Wednesday as the new REAL ID requirements took effect because travelers without the updated document were still allowed to move through security easily.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday assured people who dont yet have a REAL ID but needed to take a domestic flight Wednesday that they will be able to fly after clearing additional identity checks. She told a congressional panel that 81% of travelers already have REAL IDs. She said security checkpoints will also be accepting passports and tribal identification, like they have already been doing.

But people will be allowed to fly, she said. We will make sure its as seamless as possible.

Those without the IDs were given flyers informing them that going forward they would need to present REAL ID or other federally accepted ID for air travel within the U.S.

The ID you presented is NOT REAL ID-compliant, the flyer reads. You will need a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification for your next flight or you may expect delays.

It includes a QR code travelers can use to see a list of acceptable identifications.

The airport in Egg Harbor Township may have avoided major issues by having only one commercial airline, Spirit. TSA agents working the check-in said things had been going smoothly and most people had their REAL ID or passport, which was considered an acceptable substitute. They said only a few passengers had neither document and had to go through additional screening.

I knew it would be OK, said Roberta Bethencourt, of Wildwood Crest. I love this airport. I never have to worry about Atlantic City airport.

Im just glad were not in Newark, added her traveling companion, Joanne Ricci, of Red Bank, Monmouth County, referring to the air traffic issues facing the larger airport to the north.

Other travelers said they were expecting the worst but happy to see the best.

Were surprised. Weve been hearing horrible things about it, said Nicole Fellona, of Medford, Burlington County, who was traveling with friends, all with passports at the ready. This is lovely.

Pat Macklin, of Avon by the Sea, Florida, had little sympathy for anyone who did not have a REAL ID by now.

Youve been told for years that you had to have a star on your license. If you didnt do that by now, why are you going to panic? Its been told, its been written, everybody should know by now. Making a big deal out of it now is just a waste of time, he said.
Testimony started Wednesday in the trial of the two people accused of the 2024 shooting deaths of Brian L. Goodwin and Amy M. Smith.

Adriana Blake and Devon Braet appeared in the Scott County Courthouse to face two counts each of first-degree murder and a host of other charges in the Jan. 15, 2024, homicides at 5210 N. Division St. in Davenport. The bodies of Goodwin and Smith were discovered in the early morning of the next day after neighbors called in a fire at the home.

The co-defendants are each represented by two attorneys. Blake's attorney, Austin Luse, offered a shocking defense in the opening statement and placed the blame on Braet.

An important video

Before Luse spoke, Scott County Attorney Kelly Cunningham's opening statement to the 16 jurors  12 deciding the case and four alternates  lasted 46 minutes. It laid out an overview of the evidence the state will present to show that Blake and Braet had the motive and the opportunity to kill Goodwin and Smith.

Cunningham pointed to money Goodwin received from his retirement account and a large loan he took out as motive for his murder.

Cunningham then stressed the state would rely on cell phone records, surveillance video of the suspects' movements, as well as the suspects' own video recordings to prove the pair guilty.

Cunningham delved deeper into the video, which was mentioned in February of 2024 during Blake and Braet's arraignment on first-degree murder charges.

Cunningham told the jury the state would play the video that shows Blake saying she killed two people, and then Braet pointing the camera at himself and saying Blake didn't do the killings.

A finger pointed at a co-defendant

Luse stressed the defense will not dispute much of the evidence, but will offer another theory for what happened on the morning of the murders. That theory points a finger at Braet.

The defense attorney told jurors that in the video where Blake was recorded claiming to have killed two people, the jurors will see a small red dot on her face. Luse said the dot was from a 9 mm handgun held by Braet.

Luse went on to claim Blake was forced to take part in the events of Jan. 15, 2024, and forced to confess to the murders. He stressed there was a reason Blake didn't call the police.

"We are not dealing with average, rational people," he told the jury. "We are dealing with people not thinking clearly."

Luse said the use of methamphetamine was one of the reasons Blake made some of the choices. He stressed to jurors that the case is notable for its "cast of characters" and said it's "a cast of characters from the underworld."

Luse asked the members of the jury to "curb your reactions to the things these people do." The attorney repeated the underworld theme, saying the people around Blake and Braet  as well as Goodwin and Smith  lived in a "very different world, an underworld of drugs being used and drugs being sold."

Building on a portion of Luse's opening, Braet attorney Jill Eimermann offered an opening statement that asked the jurors to remember "there are always two sides to every story" and that while Braet and Blake were present for the murders, the state would not be able to show that Braet was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

First-day witnesses

Cunningham called four witnesses to the stand Wednesday, including Hong Vo.

Vo was Goodwin's neighbor and was the first person who called 911 in the early morning hours of Jan. 16 when the home Goodwin rented was on fire.

Under cross examination by Braet's attorneys, Vo said there was always a lot of people "coming and going" from Goodwin's home. She said she remembered the day in October of 2023 when the home was raided by police.

At 5:30 a.m. Oct. 5, 2023, members of the Quad-City MEG Unit and the Davenport Police Department executed a search warrant at 5210 N. Division St. Agents allege they recovered 58.4 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine, 2 grams of suspected heroin and two digital scales.

Goodwin was not arrested after the execution of the search warrant.

Braet's attorneys raised the issue of the search with Davenport Detective Aric Robinson. He testified that he did not review the October 2023 search warrant during the murder investigation.

In earlier reporting, The Quad-City Times found search warrant applications that showed throughout September 2023 investigators used a confidential informant called "Pat Doe" and set up surveillance of 5210 N. Division St. to learn more about Goodwin's possible involvement with meth and heroin.

According to search warrant applications released April 19, Pat Doe had conversations with Goodwin about Goodwin "purchasing seven pounds of methamphetamine from the Clinton, Iowa area." Investigators also noted text messages between Pat Doe and Goodwin "regarding previous narcotic purchase discussions."

The search warrant did not say if Pat Doe ever saw or knew of Goodwin purchasing seven pounds of meth from a source in Clinton.

The search warrant detailing Pat Doe's information also alleged that Goodwin "was listed as a source of narcotic distribution during a reported overdose at a Davenport hotel. The victim stated that they had purchased from Goodwin earlier that day from 5210 N. Division St."

The trial continues at 9 a.m. Thursday.